I created a public forum for new mothers using PHPBB. It has been running for a few years and last year it started to get registration spam. Bots were creating accounts maliciously. However they cannot spam the forum because they can never get themselves activated. The forum still needs an admin to activate it.

I am not sure why they want to spam a local forum. They really have nothing better to do. I constantly get email, 30-40 emails per day on account creation. I was too lazy to look at the php code to fix it.

Today while I was sick of working, I took a look at the code and fix the spam problems for good. It took me 30 minutes to fix it. Now the forum totally block out spam for good. I haven’t received a single email on activation of account now. They can leave my mail box in peace.

If you want to block out spam in forum, try writing the simple registration form yourselves. It is not that difficult with php. The bots will be clueless on how to spam your forum and they do not want to spend extra time on it. You will be left alone.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Everyone wants their home to look more spacious. For me I like my home need and tidy. In order to make it spacious, you can mount your huge LCD TV on a lcd mount up the wall. Now the wall mount comes with adjustable hinges where you can adjust it left, right, upwards or downwards. It is pretty need.

The wall mount can hold up to 52” LCD TV. Now you can have a home theater system in your own home with the large LCD TV and speakers mounted. Let the movie begins!

Popularity: 7% [?]

With prices hike, we really have to live simple life. I heard a lot of tips on how we save petrol while driving, such as

1. Pump up your tires to the right pressure.
2. Drive at moderate speed. No speeding or changing speed rapidly.
3. Clean the air-filter regularly.
4. Use thinner tires.
5. Start up the car properly.
6. Avoid traveling with unnecessary weight in your car.
7. Be smart and take routes with less traffic congestion.
8. Avoid strong acceleration. No Mat Rempit style of driving.
9. Do not let your engine idle.
10. Use air condition sparingly.
11. Car pooling with your colleagues.

I must say the last tip would be move nearer to your workplace. You certainly can avoid the traffic congestion. If you cannot do that, maybe find work nearer to where you stay. However, one has to sacrifice to make it work. If you cannot, maybe you do not need the savings or you can afford the rise in petrol. If you can, stop complaining.

If you cannot save petrol, maybe you can save on other things. Buy what you need and abstain what you want. My favorite toast with butter and sugar only cost me less than 20 sens. I should eat more at home.

Popularity: 15% [?]

At lunch time, a bunch of us was talking about the petrol station not accepting credit card in the northern region. Reason given was the petrol station owners claim that they lose nearly 50% of the profit to card transactions. Keywords are “lose profit” not “lose money”. If you read it correctly, they want more profit. In actual sense, they are not losing money but just want a bigger chunk of the profit.

In carrying out those actions, consumers like us are the victims as always. We need to carry cash to pump petrol.

One of my colleague said, if the owners are not happy, they can always surrender their license. I am sure other people will like to buy it from them. If you think hard, these station owners do not need to do much to earn a profit. Most of the work is done by the big oil company like marketing or advertisement. All they need to do is to oversee the station.

On top of that, these stations are asking for trouble because trading in pure cash will attracts robbery. Some of these stations are open 24 hours and believed me, no one want to work after midnight if they know so much cash is in the station. They better get good security guards.

Was it a wise decision? You tell me.

Popularity: 43% [?]

You can steal my notebook but you cannot steal my data. Recently my company bought the encryption software called PGP to protect the data in the notebook. The data in my notebook is not encrypted.

Even if you steal my notebook, you cannot get to my data. It is encrypted with a security password. It is a powerful tool and it encrypt the whole hard disk.

It is very simple to install, in fact I didn’t know it was installed until it asked me for a password. It is advisable to defrag the hard disk before installation, it will speed things up.

After it is done, it will ask you for a password.
Now every time I boot up my notebook, it will request for a password before loading the operating system. I heard with this software you can even protect your mobile phone.

Let’s hope I don’t have amnesia and forget my password.

Popularity: 37% [?]

I heard over the news that paper price has gone up. It is a good thing because people will pay attention to reduce paper wastage. It also promotes recycling of paper.

Last week I received a CD from my life insurance company. I thought why they send me a CD. It is their annual finance report. It is pretty need because it will not waste a book of paper. Usually finance reports are thick and no one reads it. It is a policy to send finance reports to share holders. Another of my share company will only distribute finance report upon request.

It is no point in wasting paper and I have a hard time throwing those finance reports away. I usually throw it into a recycling bin. Please do not waste paper.

Popularity: 42% [?]

Golden Screen Cinema gives out a free ticket to any member on their birthday month. I just got mine today. It is very simple. All you have to do is to sign up as a member in www.gsc.com.my. Fill in your particulars. If your birthday falls on the month of June, you have the whole month to redeem the ticket. FREE ticket is valid for movies marked asterisk (*) only and valid in all GSC cinemas nationwide. You need to print out the birthday coupon and bring it with you to any GSC cinema to redeem the ticket.

The good thing is you do not need to wait to redeem the ticket. If your birthday falls on this month, you can go ahead and sign up to get the coupon. Remember to bring your myKad when you are redeeming the ticket.

I watched Kungfu Panda with my free ticket. You do not need to make any purchase to get the free ticket. Isn’t that nice.

T&C Apply:

*For movies marked asterisk (*), kindly refer to GSC cinema listing in major newspapers and GSC website.

Popularity: 46% [?]

If you are like me who loves to surf with the iPhone and do not like to spend too much money, you can subscribe to a data plan or use free WiFi. So how much are those plans out there? I found out some useful info from Digi website on data plans for Digi and other competitors. You can pay RM66 monthly and surf all you want. Isn’t that great? Hrmm..better surf at home on my broadband and save some gas money.

Stay at home is always the best.

Popularity: 53% [?]

With the hike of oil prices and soon every other thing may go up in prices, you must learn smart ways of shopping. Wouldn’t it be nice if there is a website to list down all the prices of goods from different groceries stores? It will be so cool if there is an added tool for us to compare some of the items, totaling it up to show us which groceries store give us the best cost savings.

MegaCredit.com is giving us that comparison tool on credit cards. Now with the number of different kind of credit cards emerging in the market, it is difficult for consumer to pick the right one. Sometimes we are faced with information overload and everything seems so confusing.

Now you can read about the credit cards in MegaCredit.com. They highlight the features, the benefits and the types that suit your ratings. They provide you with a tool to compare credit card offers.

With just 4 steps, you can find the credit cards of your choice. No traveling to the bank is required, no parking or queuing problem and definitely no hassle. You can apply for the credit card of your choice at MegaCredit.com, online. It is just so simple. Lots of offers out there waiting for you!

Popularity: 52% [?]

I have collected many plastic bottles, soft drink cans, milk tins, batteries and other stuff to recycle. However I am searching high and low for the recycling bins in Penang Island. Believed me, I cannot find any. Where are they?

I search Google and I found this help website called GreenCrusaders.com (http://www.greencrusaders.com/) ran by Don & Mylene. I wrote to them and they told me what to do with my collections. You can read their website on what can be recycled and you will be amazed at what you will find.

They told me that the Recycling bins do not work in Malaysia. Ha! I kind of agree with them and they don’t even need to tell me the answer. People will throw any kind of rubbish into those bins. Worst those bins may get stolen too. *shake head*

If you are into recycling, helping to reduce waste, you can drop your stuff here:
Malaysian Nature Society
673-B, Jalan Kebun Bungah, 10350 Penang.
Contact: Mr Kanda (04 227 3673 or 013 453 7992)

Friends of the Botanical Garden
673-A, Jalan Kebun Bungah, 10350 Penang.
Tel: 04 227 9915

The Enlightenment Home Assoc. Penang
16, Jalan Bawasah, 10050 Penang
Contact: Miss Linda Moo ( 019 510 6066) or Mr Mok (016 495 9886)

For me, I thought of another tip about recycling that is only buy recyclable products. I will reduce buying plastic bottle drinks. I heard only some plastic bottles can be recyclable, not all. Oh well, I am not sure which is which. It is better to buy drinks in a can. If I want juice, buy in a box. Maybe mineral water should come in a box too.

If you want good batteries, buy rechargeable Eneloop batteries. I tell you those batteries can last a long time, even without charging.

If you do not want your children to live in a dumpster, start recycling now and stop generating more waste.

Popularity: 54% [?]