Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by decypher

Strongman Competitions in Malaysia

decypher — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 10:59:18 +0800

I'm looking to enter amateur strongman competitions in Malaysia. I tried googling and this is the link that made most sense to me: https://www.facebook.com/Selangor-Strongest...-13960227304224

Since I am currently based in Selangor, this would be the best link to follow. Other search results are more politics stuffs than strongman. LOL.

Are there any strongmen in this forum? Where do you train?

Setting up home karaoke

decypher — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 12:03:20 +0800

I have a modest 42" Samsung TV and have recently bought a Sony Home Theatre (BDV-E2100). Both devices are connected to a desktop. On the HT, I noticed there are two microphone ports so I dream of setting up my own karaoke system.

I have loads of KTV version MTVs that can be played using VLC player and switching audio channels to mute vocals, but I just can't seem to make it work for the HT. When I plug in a mic, it says NOT.USE that probably means karaoke is not supported when audio input is from a computer. Something that the salesman did not tell me when I made the purchase.

With this setup, how can I proceed to realize my dream of having a home karaoke set? I am OK to spend more to finish the setup, and something like an Android KTV box thing comes to mind.

Any pros have any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

Creating KTV Style Videos

decypher — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 13:26:40 +0800

I'm planning to setup a home karaoke system.

However I need to understand how to slap the lyrics on the videos.

I read some tutorials online with Cool Edit Pro and Sony Vegas, but I'm still looking for an easier way.

Any sifus tried to edit their own videos before for karaoke?

Unwanted Neighbour

decypher — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 20:31:02 +0800

I stay in a terrace house at the end of a road. The house is the last one on the road.

Weeks ago, a few squatters deemed fit to build a temple on the unoccupied land right beside my home. This is no ordinary temple, but a temple that houses a 二爷伯 deity. Almost every night the temple has visitors. In addition to the irritating noise they make, the visitors park their cars very inconsiderately outside my house, sometimes leaving me no space to maneuver my car in or out of the house. I shudder to think what might happen in case of emergency.

Worse, the caretaker is a drug addict who had been brought to the police station several times already, only to be released every time. When the temple has no visitors, this caretaker will be joined by his friends playing mahjong, drinking and chatting until dawn. They chat so loudly I can sometimes hear them curse distastefully even when the windows are all shut.

I tried to talk to them so they can be quiet and maybe we can all co-exist harmoniously, but at times they expressed frustration on my objections to their operations in this empty land. The landowner does not give a damn about the squatters. This really takes the cake.

I fear for my safety and those who stay in the house with me. I fear that one day they will break in and threaten to kill us when they desperately need money for their addiction.

What should I do?

Complaining to the authorities will not work. Given the interaction between us these few weeks, if something happens to them I will be their prime suspect.

Company not able to offer expected salary

decypher — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 23:23:42 +0800

I spent about 2 months attending face-to-face interviews and endless phone interviews with the hiring manager and the HR for a software developer job in an MNC.

In my very first interview (it was a face-to-face), I filled out the candidacy form and clearly stated my salary requirements. The new salary would have been 25% above my current basic pay. If they didn't want to hire me, I wouldn't have been called back for the subsequent interviews.

After the months of meets, calls, emails ... they finally gave me an offer that is much lower than my expected. Only a 5% increase that I would have gotten easily by staying with my current company in a few months time. I appealed for a higher adjustment, but they only said "Well, that is our final offer".

I politely refused the final offer.

Have you ever experienced this?

[WTS] Dumbbell Set, Barbell and Weight Plates

decypher — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 16:59:47 +0800

SOLD

Item(s): MAXX Dumbbell Set, Barbell and Smart Life Weight Plates

Package includes: Weight Plates (10kg x2, 5kg x2, 2.5kg x4, 1.25kg x4, 0.5kg x4), Threaded Dumbbell Handles

Price: Please make your offer to me either in as a reply or PM.

Warranty: None.

Dealing method: Prefer COD.

Location of seller: USJ, Selangor. COD in Subang Jaya is ok.

Contact method/details: PM

Age of item: At most 3 years.

---

Item(s) conditions: Still good.

Picture:
[attachmentid=3797002]
[attachmentid=3797004]

Reason for sale: Not using anymore. Looking to make space for other stuffs.

Arnold 1% Challenge + Fitocracy

decypher — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 08:44:51 +0800

Is anyone still on Fitocracy? I gave up logging there a couple of years ago.

But hey they are back with a collaboration with Arnold. This Arnold 1% Challenge is about spending 1% of your day (probably an abstract figure... we all spend more than a few mins per session) for workouts.

You can see the routines in the URL below. I think you gotta "execute" these routines for at least 15 times (in total) in a month. That averages to once in 2 days. Also there are videos to help illustrate the movements so you don't have to google for them, if you don't know them already.

More details can be found here: https://www.fitocracy.com/arnold/

Any comments on this? Anyone up for it?

Headaches after Deadlift

decypher — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 13:25:44 +0800

I'm currently following a routine that encourages high number of reps for beginners.

One of the movements that I do is the deadlift. I progressed from 50kg to 70kg (total weight on both sides of the barbell) this week, and I have been feeling a mild headache since. The last few lifts at 70kg were difficult. Several times I felt like I was about to black out after letting go of the barbell. I thought it was just due to dehydration and exhaustion. So I cut short my workout and rested.

Fast forward 2 days later I am still feeling the same mild headache. I am not taking any painkillers... but it is pretty annoying during work. I have a workout session tonight, and I am unsure if I should go, or will some cardio + stretching will help alleviate the pain.

BTW my body weight is about 105, so 70kg is almost 70% of my bodyweight. While I am happy at the moment for the "achievement", the headaches have really got to go.

Does anyone experience the same problem? Headaches that linger after straining the body.

decypher's Workout Journal

decypher — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:52:52 +0800

I have been struggling with my weight for years. It's frustrating to see the fat blob in the mirror and the gradually increasing difficulty to look good in photos. So I've made up my mind. Screw losing weight just to look thin. I wanna grow muscles. I wanna grow big. I wanna be strong. Hence the description of this thread - Go Big or Go Home.

My starting weight is 111kg. Being about 175cm tall, it's amazing how I drag this load around for so long. Gloriously obese, if you check the BMI scale.

I will be sharing my workout routines, meals and some pictures soon.

[EDIT]

As promised, here are some pics.

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

[EDIT 2.0]

My starting weight should actually be 107.1kg.

Machines vs Free Weights

decypher — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:10:58 +0800

Hi guys,

In most gyms there are many kinds of machines for strength training. There is, usually, also a free weights area with the mirrors and benches.

Which do you prefer?

I understand that machines may restrict movement and free weights allow a wider range of motion, but it takes time to learn about how to use the dumbbells and barbells correctly.

Do you move from machines to free weights when the machines no longer satisfy you, as in, not resistant enough?

Cheerios

Not feeling soreness in muscle

decypher — Wed, 29 May 2013 09:52:15 +0800

I have been working out for about 3 weeks now.

My workouts are normally structured like this:

30 mins on the treadmill as warmup
3 sets of 10 reps for various machines based on the target muscle, with increasing weightage of 10kg each rep
- usually divide muscle areas as chest, abs, limbs, back spread across all week
10 mins on the treadmill as cooldown

i do this at least 4 times a week. this is the most hardworking i have been all my life, but i think i am not getting enough rest.

yesterday i went for the legs, doing leg presses, curls and extensions.

usually the day after i will feel super sore, but nowadays i don't feel sore anymore.

is it that my body is now used to working out, or should I increase the difficulty of my training?

this happens when i started to eat at least 2 boiled eggs every morning.

Resignation Blues

decypher — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:27:26 +0800

I resigned from my current company a couple of weeks ago. It was great to finally sum up the courage to submit the letter to my superior. My superior came back with counter offers, but money isn't the reason why I am leaving. My superior is absolutely fluent in bullshit and empty promises. My tenure is barely one year and I am already sick of it.

Since the submission of my letter, I have been given the cold shoulder by my superior. Meetings don't involve me anymore. I basically come to work, boot up my laptop and free to do anything I want until my last day here. What really irks me is that they are demanding me to impart to them technical knowledge that was crucial to doing my job, so they can proceed to construct new products. Why should I teach for free?

Is this normal in all companies? When you resign, are you considered persona non grata?

Maybank Pay Grade

decypher — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:20:24 +0800

Hi guys, I am just browsing through the jobs and found a job advertisement for Maybank where qualified applicants are expected to have a Benefit Grade 51 / Band H-1, or equivalent.

What does Benefit Grade 51 / Band H-1 mean?

Thanks!

CounterStrike Hokkien Sound Pack

decypher — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 20:33:49 +0800

dudes i looking for this sound pack. who still got ah? wanna put as ringtone lol

Do you know why there are Chuck Norris jokes

decypher — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 01:29:22 +0800

Do you know why there are Chuck Norris jokes, but no Bruce Lee jokes?

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Sunway Msc

decypher — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:56:24 +0800

Anybody working there or worked there before? What is it like?

Please share your experiences.

[addedon]July 1, 2012, 3:32 am[/addedon]Nobody working there?

CIMB Investment Bank

decypher — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:18:38 +0800

Anyone working at CIMB Investment Bank? How is the environment like?

Employer EPF Contribution

decypher — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:09:30 +0800

I've attended several interviews and have gotten several job offers.

Let's assume all job offers offer the basic salary of RM4,000. If every employer contributes 13% to our EPF account, does the 13% come from them or from my basic salary?

From the interviews I've attended, I've asked the same thing, but the answers fall generally into two categories.

Answer A: "The employer EPF contribution of 13% will be deducted from your basic salary. That means a total of 24% will be deducted from your salary per month"

Answer B: "Your salary is actually RM4,000 x 113%, where 13% is contributed by the employer."

Which of these answer is correct? For me I will choose Answer B because I will end up with more nett salary.

Anybody good with the Labor Law?

How should I react if an employer gives me Answer A?

Getting a better offer at the last minute

decypher — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:28:17 +0800

Here is my scenario.

1. I verbally accepted a job position at company A last week. Company A went on to prepare offer letter and contract. The contract has not been signed by me.

2. I have recently received another job offer from company B, offering better terms with the same amount of job scope.

Since I have already verbally accepted company A, how should I reject them so that I can sign for company B? Will this affect my future/reputation because my promises don't count?

For your information I am in the Software Development line.

Want To Find: Kopi Maut

decypher — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:03:27 +0800

Been reading this kopi maut thing u guys toking abt. Where is it? kthxbai