Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by tagz8

WTA hairstylists around mines resort

tagz8 — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 12:22:42 +0800

Does anyone have recommendations for good hair salon (for ladies hair) around the mines resort?

Can be anywhere nearby, just need to be good quality. Can drive around too.

Bringing a foreign acquaintance, an Asian lady to do her hair before heading to an official event.

Best Everyday Drinking Water?

tagz8 — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 20:03:16 +0800

Hi all,

I and a few friends have a vision to develop the best but also affordable daily drinking water.

Seeking your personal opinion on the best water to consume at home and daily?

In earlier chats, some said boiled tap water, some liked costly filter brands.

Please share your reason on why it is the best? If possible, include scientific evidence, or your professional background that supports this statement.

Also, list your preferred brands.

Come share.

=====

A quick background story:

I recently started a topic at Looking for SCIENCE degree holders ( https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3742295&hl= )

Shared my vision to DEVELOP the BEST and AFFORDABLE home water-purifier system, and searched for like minded people to join.

Thanks to /k, I've gathered some valuable comments, and met like minded people with reputed science background.

A BIG thank you. The topic as now progressed to the Job Enlistments thread, big thanks to the moderators too.

The latest update as of today, we have a really cool science guy on board the IDEA TEAM

Update 26 October 2015

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

=====

Back to the topic, please discuss your preferred type of water and brand.

Looking for SCIENCE degree holders

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 07:30:00 +0800

Comment on my 1000 kcal breakfast plan

tagz8 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 14:51:42 +0800

Hi all,

Please rate and comment on my breakfast plan. Also please share yours too!

As mornings in the city are always hectic, was trying to formulate one that is quick to prepare, healthy, and high-calorie for a bulk.

Also tried to be realistic in terms of serving size, otherwise would be too much to consume and would be too full.

Any comments on how to improve? How to increase calorie count, reduce preparation time, and reduce fullness?

Hope this can help other busy people!

Breakfast Version 1: 954 calories, 10 minutes preparation time

No cooking required:

1) Natural plain yogurt x 200 g
2) Bananas x 2
3) Flaxseed (ground) x 1 Tbsp
4) Olive oil x 2 Tbsp

Minor cooking required (5-10 minutes):

5) Dry oats x 1 cup - to be consumed with added hot water < Just realised that this is a major flaw, this is too much for single person consumption, need to edit, maybe add more oil
6) Eggs x 2 (whole, half boiled)

Estimated calories and macro:

954 calories, 1 kg (Carbs 43% / Fats 46% / Protein 11%)

Drawbacks:

Low on Vitamin D, E, K, B3, and B12 - to be beefed up in other meals or through supps

P.S. please no vegan-extremism

Where to source cheap avocados?

tagz8 — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 14:05:59 +0800

Hi all,

As part of a healthy diet many would know that olive oil is one of the best ingredients, and one of the most researched as well.

However, a good quality bottle with traceable origins (to prevent adulteration and scams), is highly expensive and not viable.

The avocado fruit, if available locally, is a good alternative.

However, those that we usually see in the supermarkets are imported and also expensive.

Does anyone know where to get cheap avocados? Could either be planted in Malaysia or from our neighboring countries.

I have read on some blog post long ago that it could be cheap in East Malaysia, as it's commonly consumed among the Filipino community who get it from across the borders. Is this true?

What other alternatives do you recommend? How about palm oil, peanut, sesame oil, how to these weigh up based on the research?

Thanks in advance for replying.

The new MIND Diet

tagz8 — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:05:04 +0800

I posted the following some time ago in response to a fellow forumer, thought I should create a topic for it as it could be beneficial to everyone.

Also could spur further discussions and postings on new information on dietary guidelines

=============

Interesting to note the recent announcement of the MIND diet (short for Mediterranean-Dietary Approach to Systolic Hypertension (DASH) diet intervention for neurodegenerative delay), a hybrid of the popular DASH and Mediterranean Diets.

The MIND diet was developed by researchers from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center and Harvard School of Public Health, and funded by the US National Institute on Aging.

Observational studies on adherence to the MIND diet led to significant decline in risk of Alzheimer's, even when adherence was found to be non-strict*. The study was published in June 2015 in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. *This means that even if you do not follow the diet strictly and miss on certain parts or days, you would still be benefiting significantly.

A quick overview written by a qualified scientist can be read here: http://www.askdrray.com/mind-diet-helps-prevent-alzheimers/

A more detailed PowerPoint presentation n salient points of the diet can be found here: http://www.southdenver.com/wp-content/uplo...iet-for-web.pdf

Other quick sources of media-friendly coverage on the MIND Diet available at:

https://www.rush.edu/news/press-releases/ne...heimers-disease
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/849251
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/...50319104218.htm

QUOTE

The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a salad and one other vegetable every day — along with a glass of wine. It also involves snacking most days on nuts and eating beans every other day or so, poultry and berries at least twice a week and fish at least once a week. Dieters must limit eating the designated unhealthy foods, especially butter (less than 1 tablespoon a day), cheese, and fried or fast food (less than a serving a week for any of the three), to have a real shot at avoiding the devastating effects of Alzheimer's, according to the study.

tagz8 note: There is no recommendation for consumption of any fruits other than berries.

Some history:

The DASH Diet is currently promoted by the US based National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health), particularly for preventing hypertension and lowering high-blood pressure. Other prominent organisations such as The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada also encourage this diet plan.

Whereas the Mediterranean Diet is a way of making health-promoting food choices, with no particular diet plan. In 1993, the non-profit Oldways, together with the Harvard School of Public Health, and the European Office of the World Health Organization introduced the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. It is now updated periodically by the Barcelona-based Mediterranean Diet Foundation, with consensus of various other organizations.

The latest Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (2010 version) is available at: http://dietamediterranea.com/piramidedm/piramide_INGLES.pdf

It is worthy to note that both the DASH and Mediterranean Diets were promoted in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health and Human Services. A major guideline update is due in 2015, and it will be interesting to note if both diets are still given the limelight.

It thus looks promising to adopt a hybrid diet combining research by various leading organizations, substantiated by evidence in high quality scientific papers.

Would be great if there were more of such similar peer-reviewed evidence originating from Asia, possibly leading to enhanced versions of dietary guidelines. The above diets have focused on heart health, and general health, and now optimized for cognitive decline with the announcement of the MIND diet. Would be great if they were optimized further for cancer risks.

Looking for SCIENCE degree holders

tagz8 — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 13:59:31 +0800

Hi all,

Looking for a few like-minded people to develop a product together, based on an idea I have for a home-based water purifier system.

Before we begin, it should be stated that we should try to do things on a self-funded basis, just like a hobby we work on together. We can meet on weekends to develop the concept. To purchase materials, we can pool money together too. All that is needed is your commitment and expertise.

A short description on the idea:

Pretty sure you've heard about (and have your own criticisms) alkaline water and other types of miraculous water, energy-charged water, etc. and all the popular brands that cost upwards of thousands of Ringgit (e.g. A****, C****, D****).

And many people feel that these are overpriced. Not only that, many claims of health benefits are hyped up and probably false marketing. Simply put, they are fanciful gadgets that people would like to own, but often overpriced and probably do not work as claimed.

What I am looking to do is to create a similar system that not only FULFILLS the hype, but is also affordable. Above all, the product concept and claims should be backed up by findings in research papers.

In short, I believe in the power of marketing HYPE, but at the same time being CORRECT and IRREFUTABLE; in other words I want to be the underdog that becomes a pesky challenge to existing corporations' principles and marketing standards.

Also, it would be based on irrefutable health and nutrition FACTS, supported by valid research.

I have identified a specific working product in the market which launched only recently, which we would emulate and innovate on and sell for a profit, as the market is still new. This particular product already meets some of the high-standards I have stated above, but can still be optimized further.

I can't point out the specific products here, as that would be our competitive edge for now; in short it's very similar to a home-based water purifier system just like what you see in Malaysia. I feel that we can emulate the current products I am eyeing, and innovate on mechanism, production methods, and final end-produce for human consumption.

The workaround:

The current handful of live products I am referring to, have brought to market a new concept, but have YET to gain widespread traction like your usual brands and marketing hype. However, they are slowly but steadily gaining ground, so we'd want to be fast.

Will need to purchase the product, de-construct it and make it better. Yes, this probably infringes some ethics and IP but this is how things work worldwide; not to mention we should innovate it so that it no longer infringes on IP, but also becomes a better product.

I have also identified the necessary supporting research papers for this cause, in order to differentiate the product and make it a winner. These include: A paper on lab experiments done to yield a NOVEL chemical reaction, also papers on the BENEFICIAL effects of such chemicals to the body.

A short background on myself:

I am not a science guy, I came from business-related studies. However, being analytical, factual, logical, and correct is my game. My work requires me to be in regular contact with senior management of various leading corporations in Malaysia, and being factually accurate is the first few rules in my playbook. Thanks to advice of a fellow forumer, a clarification: This statement is not meant to be bossy, what I meant was to reassure the science community of my character and credibility, and that our pursuit will be in good science as advised by yourself, with me giving input on consumer best standards.

I have a knack for identifying new product trends too, related to health and fitness. Something that really works, not just a fad. Well, I may not the first to identify, but I'm definitely among the first 5% in the market do recognize the importance of something and its potential applications.

For example, recognizing blue-light to be bad for our eyes after poring through some research papers, I couldn't find blue-light blocking glasses in Malaysia a couple of years back, but now they are selling widespread, and you can see monitor brands coming up with low blue-light screens. Even lens companies like Zeiss have already started selling blue-light preventing spectacle lens. Again, should reiterate that I am not the first, but I am among the first 5% to identify.

My next prediction: DNA profiling and associated lifestyle adaptations to perform your best would be the next big thing. (This is unrelated to the topic at hand )

The winning team, a prediction:

I have identified the following skill sets to be necessary for the success of the initial stages of this endeavor:

(1) Good in chemistry, familiar with replicating lab experiments, e.g.
- Chemical engineer, or
- Chemist, or
- Final year/fresh graduate with the above degrees

* Required to read a few lab papers on a particular chemical reaction and try to replicate it, as well as study how an existing product in the market is able to do this, and how to make one by ourselves. Able to work with food-grade minerals.

(2) Good in electrical modifications, wiring, systems, and a knack for deconstructing and inventing, e.g.
- Electrical engineer, or
- Mechatronic engineer, or
- Final year/ fresh graduate with the above degrees

*To support the chemical engineer/chemist in constructing something that works as abovementioned, also to innovate in terms of how to make things cost cheaper, less bulk, more reliable, and new way of doing things. Perhaps integrating other solutions in the market such as piezoelectric. Resourceful and able to work with diverse range of materials including carbon filters, plastic moldings, stainless steel fabrication, river sand, etc.

(3) Someone in the health/medical line, e.g.
- Doctor
- Nutritionist
- Final year/fresh graduate with a science degree that is qualified to comment on matters relating to the human body/health/nutrition

*To consult on the factual accuracy and validity of the ideas in relation to health and nutrition best standards, to play the devil's advocate. In future to serve as a qualified figurehead of the team as the 'health and nutrition/science' consultant.

=====

Looking forward to your replies and comments. Do refer a friend if you think he/she may be interested.

*All comments and viewpoints are welcome, though distasteful one-liner comments will be deleted.

Note: This piece of writeup is a work in progress, and I will edit it from time to time based on responses from fellow forumers.

=====

Update on 26 October 2015:

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

Looking for a suitable motorbike for commuting

tagz8 — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:42:56 +0800

Recently thinking of getting a motorbike to go to work, and planning to get a license. Would like to save time time driving in jam, and get more sleep.

Criteria 1 (Price): Cheapest in its range, but still reliable and won't break down frequently
Criteria 2 (Design): Modern & stylish design (similar to a mini sportsbike). Don't like scooter/moped/kapcai look
Criteria 3 (Size): Lightweight and slim to easily bypass the worst of traffic jams. Comfortable/safe enough for a 6 ft male.
Criteria 4 (Sound): Either an incremental motor whirring (techy) sound / or a low-key, consistent and muffled bassy sound. Don't like the loud, ear-piercing, and annoying sportsbike/superbike sound. Apologies, new to motorbikes, don't know how to describe, but I have heard these sounds on the road before.

As cheap as possible. What do you recommend?

Don't need it to be fast in top speed or acceleration, as I just want to get to work safely and steadily, but of course, in a bit of style.

Some pictures that I have found online that are acceptable to me are as follows, though they can still look better, especially the back:

Side question that's always at the back of my mind, that might make or break my decision to get a bike:

Most accidents are caused by motorcycles going too fast, weaving in and out of traffic, and going without signal. I can ride safely, but how do you guys prevent from being knocked down by negligent drivers even if you have done your best to be safe?

Thanks in advance for your replies. If I do get a bike someday the two best best life-changing answers get a teh-tarik treat!

So far the ones recommended ones by forumers here are:

1. FZ150 < So far the most recommended
2. Ninja 250 < 2nd most recommended
3. GTR 150
4. Ex5/Lagenda/lc135 < Most recommended budget option (moped/scooter)
5. R25, RC390, cbr500r,mt-07
6. KTM Duke
7. SYM T2

You guys have all been very helpful thus far, thank you very much, except for the few who like to criticize more than advising.

Also a big thank you to those that gave a different perspective on smaller bikes (moped/scooter), will consider them.

A possible expose on Malaysian taxi bad apples

tagz8 — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:59:17 +0800

I have always wondered a couple of years ago, why a proper in-depth and irrefutable expose on the bad apples among M'sian taxis had not been done.

I've seen one or two online clips by prominent media before but they were quite short and ineffective, and cannot be considered a detailed expose.

What we should be looking at is a total expose of at least 50 taxi drivers or more, complete with their number plates and faces caught on video.

Safety of the person taking the video can be easily ensured. Steps to take are:

1. Put on a wig and facial hair (or the opposite, shave if you normally have facial hair), plus makeup as well as changes to gait so that even your parents wouldn't recognize you

2. High quality concealed mics can be easily attached inside the shirt

3. Ultra-mini spycams that is high-quality yet covert. This one is slightly tricky, can anyone provide a high-tech solution to it?

4. Just act like a normal frustrated Malaysian and go from car to car asking whether they want to use the meter, get a refusal, try to haggle the price a little (e.g. from the standard rate of RM25 to RM15, which will yield a refusal from the taxi driver, and then move on to the next) - I have done this before at KLCC, and eventually called for a MyTeksi (back then there was no Uber). All these would be recorded on video.

5. The communication and production process should utilize maximum privacy and near-instant trail destruction. For example, use Telegram app with 10-second self-destruct messages, as well as code names. During meetings, phones are not allowed into a room. Everyone in the team has to adhere to the highest privacy standards. There should be virtually no traceable link to anyone in the team. If anyone on the team gets caught/exposed, even if they were forced to snitch on another member, there would be completely no evidence.

6. Videos should be hosted on YouTube and Facebook with an anonymous account, and hosted on an untouchable site such as 'exposetaxi.com' as a backup portal should those videos be pulled down. Think simple VPN, there is no need for TOR here as it's not that serious.

7. Release of video should only be done at least 1 - 2 months after actual recording. Most CCTV recordings from buildings / public fixtures would have been refreshed by then. Of course there is still the possibility of non-refreshed ones / backups, but that's the purpose of a good cover as per point (1), plus it would be highly difficult to determine the actual date and time of occurrence.

What are your thoughts?

[WTA] Post office near summit usj

tagz8 — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 23:18:04 +0800

Hi all,

Anyone know where's the nearest post office to summit mall usj, that opens tomorrow (Saturday) after 11am? Would like to send a package via pos laju.

Or anyone that you know, would be helpful too.

The Pos Malaysia website is not really informative. On one end it says first Saturdays of the month they're not open for operations. But a pos counter staff told me the one inside Taman Melati lrt station is open tomorrow. Quite confusing.

Thanks in advance.

[WTS] Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Black)

tagz8 — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 19:50:32 +0800

Item(s):

Black Note 4 for sale, condition is excellent (99.9%*)

Original by SME with 2+ more month official warranty

Phone well taken care and pampered by owner + tempered glass screen protector

*zero scratches or dents!

Package includes:

Full box with complete accessories + tempered glass sp

Price:

Please offer. Unrealistic ones please stay away

Dealing method:

Cash on delivery preferred

Postage available but seller not liable for any claims

Location of seller:

Kuala Lumpur / Petaling Jaya

Contact method/details:

Private messaging

Picture:

Will upload later. But nothing much to see, just imagine a phone in perfect condition

Reason for sale:

Upgrading

[WTB] Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Used)

tagz8 — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 15:05:54 +0800

Want to BUY urgently

Ready cash for COD in KL / SEL

Item:

Used Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Black)

+ tempered Glass
+ full box with complete original items (e.g. charger, usb cable, etc.)
+ seller receipt
+ minimum 1 month SME warranty remaining

Condition must be above 98%, minor scratches that are not noticeable are acceptable

Price: RM1,300 Maximum

Dealing method:

Cash only, meet up during night time (weekday) or anytime during weekend.

Location of buyer:

KL/PJ

Contact method/details:

Direct message / Email

[WTB] Portable tray for working in bed

tagz8 — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:40:08 +0800

Hi all,

Looking for a foldable table/tray that can be used in bed, for laptop working.

Any ideas? I can buy outright from some of the online shops but I'm not too sure if they're value for money.

Just need something simple, usable, durable; no frills required.

Thanks in advance!

Some photos as below:

-sold-

tagz8 — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 14:01:25 +0800

Item(s):

Used Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Black) for sale

Excellent condition 99%* + Tempered Glass

Full box with complete original items + seller receipt

1 month SME warranty remaining

*Minor scratches at sides from normal use, barely noticeable. Don't worry,
just come view the phone to appreciate, no obligations, I'm confident you
wouldn't mind as they are extremely minor.

Price: Offer your best price (those with ridiculous offers please stay away)

Dealing method:

Cash on Delivery (COD) / Postage (For postage, seller not liable for any claims / loss)

Location of seller:

KL/PJ

Contact method/details:

Direct message / Email

Picture:

Spammed by UBER

tagz8 — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 18:42:06 +0800

UBER Malaysia is spamming me big time.

Spoke to one of their personnel via phone a month or two ago to remove my phone number from their SMS blast, but no action taken to date.

About a week ago (2-Sept), have filed my request to them via email and FB message, without any resolution to date.

As I type this message, I've just received my 6th SMS from them today (yes, in a single day)! This annoyance happens almost everyday or every other day.

Anyone know what I can do?

==========

Update on 13/10/2015:

QUOTE(tagz8 @ Oct 13 2015, 11:46 AM)

To update, some time ago they've stopped sending me messages. (last one was on 24th Sept 2015).

Not sure which complaint channel eventually worked, either Malaysia or US authorities, or by their own initiatives.

Anyway, case closed
[right][snapback]76850397[/snapback][/right]

Question on body care products and cosmetics

tagz8 — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 18:12:08 +0800

Hi all,

I am in search of both male and female body care products, such as cosmetics, lotion, shampoo, facial wash, body wash, sunscreen, etc. that are good and safe.

My definition of good and safe would be products without questionable ingredients, often cancer causing.

These brands or their individual ingredients should be verifiable on EWG and/or GoodGuide to score at least 8.0* or above in their safety profile.

I can easily find some of these products in the US. But forex + shipping to Malaysia would be very costly.

Do you know of any sellers in Malaysia that carry products that meet these requirements?

Thanks in advance for all your input.

Question on body care products and cosmetics

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 07:30:00 +0800

-SOLD- [WTS] LG Nexus 4

tagz8 — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 00:38:23 +0800

Item(s):

LG Nexus 4

Package includes:

Phone + Charger only

Price:

RM400 or nearest offer

Warranty:

None provided

Dealing method:

Cash on Delivery (COD) / Postage (For postage, seller not liable for any defect claims / loss)

Location of seller:

KL/PJ

Contact method/details:

Direct message / Email

Age of item:

Since 2013

---

Item(s) conditions:

Front screen 99.5% (was protected well by expensive screen protector)
Front sides/edges 95% (was protected well by ori casing)
Back 65% (the ori casing failed to protect the back, as dust could enter and accumulate at the back & thus scratches)

Picture:

Reason for sale:

Upgrading

[WTF] -

tagz8 — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:49:38 +0800

- temporarily put on hold -

MYEG voluntary vehicle ownership transfer (STMSR)

tagz8 — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:59:46 +0800

I'm trying to purchase a used vehicle from a friend, without us going to JPJ in person or appointing a runner.

Came across MYEG's Voluntary Ownership Transfer System (STMSR), which claims the whole process can be done through the web.

https://www.myeg.com.my/faq/stmsr.html

However, tried to search online but there's not much coverage on users' experience.

Does anyone know if it works? Please share your experience.