Pesanan Ustaz Azhar Idrus (UAI) berkenaan Filem 'The Innocence of Muslim'

"Filem Innocence of Muslim tu memang la menghina Islam tapi dia ada bagi kita satu motif dan sebab. Antara sebabnya diorang nak tahu berapa ramai umat Islam yang HIPOKRIT! Kamu semua marah dan menyumpah seranah pengarah yang mengarahkan filem itu kerana menghina Islam dan Nabi Muhammad S.A.W., tapi tidakkah kamu semua sedar yang kamu sendiri menghina Islam, Muhammad S.A.W. dan seluruh hadis-hadis Muhammad S.A.W.? Nabi menyuruh kita sembahyang 5 waktu sehari semalam, "solat itu tiang agama dan bagi sesiapa yang tidak menunaikan maka dia meruntuhkan agama mereka". Tapi adakah KAMU SEMUA MENUNAIKANNYA? Tidak menunaikan solat 5 waktu samalah seperti menghina Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. dan hadis-hadis mereka, kerana hadis Nabi untuk diikuti, bukan setakat dengar sahaja. Rasulullah S.A.W. itu nakhoda kapal Islam kita, kita sebagai anak kapal hendaklah mematuhi arahan nakhoda kita kalau tidak mahu kapal agama kita tenggelam. Tidak dengar arahan Nabi umpama menghina Nabi sendiri. Kita menyumpah saranah pengarah filem tersebut tetapi apabila kita menyumpah mereka, mereka mengertawakan kita kerana kita HIPOKRIT! Dari mengutuk atau mengecam pengarah filem tersebut, lebih baik kita berdoa agar pengarah tersebut diberikan hidayah oleh Allah Swt. Kita mengutuk mereka, kita dapat dosa. Nabi tidak ajar kita mengutuk orang kafir, sebab itu zaman Rasulullah S.A.W. mereka tertarik dengan Islam kerana Islam itu lembut tapi tidak bermakna Islam itu lemah.

Can PETRONAS Sustain Growth?

August 3, 2012

Although Malaysia has one of the toughest fiscal systems in Southeast Asia, the national petroleum corporation was able to attract foreign multinational petroleum giants around the world.

By Anas Alam Faizli

Daniel Johnston, in his book International Petroleum Fiscal Systems and Production Sharing Contracts, noted that Malaysia has one of the toughest fiscal systems in Southeast Asia” after an extensive research covering 148 oil- and gas-producing nations and their respective petroleum taxation systems.

In simple language, he means that we have the toughest regulations to ensure we get the most from foreign oil and gas operators harvesting petroleum from Malaysian territories.

If this is the case, why are foreign operators like Shell and Exxon still able to find it profitable and attractive to come and develop oil in Malaysia?

Furthermore, national oil and gas corporation Petronas is ranked as one of Fortune’s Global 500 largest and most profitable corporations in the world. Why do neighbouring PTT of Thailand, Pertamina of Indonesia, and PetroVietnam cannot compare in size and stature albeit having significant oil reserves too? This brings us to the discussion of Petroleum Fiscal Systems. Simply having oil and gas reserves alone does not necessarily guarantee success. What is the role of a robust complementary fiscal system in this success?

How we started

Bear with me and a bit of history. Many would have thought that we have been producing oil and gas only since Petronas was founded back in 1974. This was not the case. Just like tin and other minerals, our British colonial masters have been plundering our petroleum wealth prior to independence. Royal Dutch Shell began oil exploration from the coasts of Miri in 1910, and together with Esso, built our first refineries in 1914. By 1921, we had our very first Esso pump station in Kuala Lumpur.

Post-independence, we inherited and continued to use the same concessionary system, awarding further concessions to Shell and Esso for exploring oil and gas off Malaysian waters. Under this system, an oil and gas operator is awarded absolute rights over a particular acreage, including the potential reserves that it contains. Although 100% of the developments costs incurred were to be borne by the operator, they have absolute liberty over procurement, contracting and technological decisions, while the local host government has absolutely no say other than a bit of environmental and safety regulations here and there.

The concept works quite similarly to our highway concessions work. In exchange for this right, the operator is required to pay royalties and taxes to the government. The United States, along with 58 other countries in the world, are still using the same concept to this date.

Production Sharing Contracts

Tun Abdul Razak and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the founding fathers of Petronas had another vision. They hoped that Malaysia would not end up like just another rich Arab state purely dependent on its petroleum reserves though lacking on knowledge, technology and competitive edge. They envisioned a Malaysia that nurtured globally competitive petroleum experts. Is this possible to achieve if we continue to leave the A-to-Z of oil and gas production to foreign experts via the concessionary system, without learning anything from it?

First in use by Indonesia in 1966, it was only 10 years later that we emulated our neighbour and introduced our first production sharing contract (PSC), replacing the concessionary system. A PSC essentially embodies the Napoleonic economy of France, which champions the idealism that mineral wealth should not be owned by a few individuals, but rather by the state for the benefits of all citizens. This became the stepping-stone to Malaysia’s own version of PSC, propelling Petronas to the heights it is at today.

The PSC entails a percentage profit share, on top of taxes and royalties, to the local host government, in this case Malaysia, via Petronas. Its core difference with a concession is that sovereignty over the reserves is still maintained by the host country.

A PSC comes with a cost recovery clause, where the operators can claim its development costs from Petronas. However, this is capped between 30% and 70% of their gross revenue depending on contracts. Unlike the concessionary system, we now share the cost burden and get to participate in the oil and gas development of our nation. A PSC also covers price hikes. A base price is stipulated at the signing. In the event of a price hike, the PSC will ensure that the operator only enjoys a small percentage share of the increased profits, while a big portion of the hike goes to Petronas.

Via the PSC, Petronas is able to perform a two-pronged regulatory role.

From the procurement and contracting perspective, the “group supply chain management” (GSCM) oversees contract awarding practices where operators are required to award projects only to local companies with Petronas licences. The intention is for capex (capital expenditure) to flow into the local value chain as much as possible. This ensures local companies have the opportunity to grow and develop alongside foreign operators, and thus emerge as globally competitive players themselves. Unfortunately, this is also how Ali Babas existed and mushroomed.

Governance-wise, the petroleum management unit (PMU) is responsible for regulating oil and gas operations. PMU supervises the legitimacy of cost recovery claims by operators. It also audits and learns from the transfer of technology and knowledge. It uses all these skill sets and expertise to permeate through the local industry players for the benefit of the nation.

Credit is mostly due to PSC when we saw the birth of our very own operator; Petronas Carigali, in 1976. Carigali, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petronas, has experienced marvelous success, benefiting from the transfer of knowledge via joint ventures with foreign operators. To date, Carigali has even gone solo in various geographical locations in the world. Local capable talents have also been able to grow and successfully nurture into reputable oil and gas service providers. If we were to still use the concessionary system, would we have the Petronas that we have today?

From PSCs to risk service contracts

Fast track to 2012, and we find that the remaining untapped Malaysian oil and gas reserves dwindling. A significant portion of our remaining resources are estimated to yield less than 30 million barrels of recoverable oil. Profits would be lower as almost the same expensive offshore facilities are needed, but the revenues are lower given the smaller reserves.

Foreign operators are no longer racing to bid for these fields, as risk of non-discovery is too high, in which case the prevailing PSC system will not allow them to recover any of the costs. There are a total of 23 marginal oil fields identified to be developed and an attractive alternative to PSC is needed to entice oil and gas operators. That saw the introduction of the risk service contracts (RSC), which specify upfront an “internal rate of return”. Profit for operators is capped at between 11% and 20%, in contrast with the empirical average of 10% to 15% usually found under the PSC. Not only that, if the production fails to meet the target, Petronas will still reimburse the cost, hence the “risk is serviced”.

Under the newly proposed RSC for marginal fields in Malaysia, fiscal tax has also been reduced to 25% from 38% under the PSC. Judging from the previous two RSC awards, the spirit behind the RSC is for joint venturing between foreign operators and local players, promoting technology transfer to local players. This is the case with the Berantai Field, involving Petrofac-Sapura Kencana, and the Balai Cluster Field involving Roc Oil-Dialog and Carigali.

Via RSC, we may be settling for less profit but the overarching aim is to attract foreign operators and their expertise to these marginal fields. What is important to note is the non-financial benefit that the RSC offers: it builds experience between foreign and local oil and gas players in the hope of creating more home-grown oil and gas operators like Petronas Carigali.

If all goes well, will we perhaps see the likes of SapuraKencana, MMHE, Dialog and UZMA Engineering develop into global oil and gas operators, alongside Petronas in Fortune’s 500?

Food for thought

Malaysia’s own brand of PSC has been pivotal in propelling Petronas to where it is today. Not only did it provide conducive environment for the national petroleum company to learn and grow, it also allowed Petronas to build substantial cash reserves to acquire foreign oil blocks and begin venturing overseas.

Like Exxon Mobil and Shell, Petronas can be considered to have enjoyed “first mover advantage”, entering relatively under-developed markets like Kazakhstan, Sudan and Iraq. Today, more than 40% of its revenues come from these international operations.

In oil and gas, even more than other industries, cash and technology are keys to success. The likes of Exxon and Shell are able to continuously sustain their respective competitive advantages through vast investments in cutting-edge research. Always at the technological forefront, they are able to offer incomparable propositions to foreign governments to meet the most technologically challenging oil fields globally.

Can our Fortune-500 star sustain its current success streak, when similar challenging yet rewarding opportunities knock on our doors? Where will we be left when these under-developed markets themselves caught up and closed the expertise gap? This remains for us to see.

Anas Alam Faizli is currently serving an international oil and gas operator. He holds a Master’s degree in project management and is currently pursuing a doctorate in business administration. His research is in capital investment evaluation practices and decision making.

Read more: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/08/03/can-petronas-sustain-growth/#ixzz22TKLgQnw

SPECIAL PLATES FOR CARS IN MALAYSIA

Special plates, i.e. plates using special, distinctive prefixes, are available at extra cost. These special prefixes, depicted in their originally stylised form when possible, may denote the brand of the car (such prefixes are often used, for example, on Proton and Perodua cars) or special events. Among the more commonly used special prefixes are:

Proton :
Issued for certain Proton cars

Perodua :
Issued for certain Perodua cars

WAJA :
Issued for Proton Waja cars

Chancellor :
Issued for Proton Chancellor cars

Persona :
Issued for Proton Persona cars

Satria :
Issued for Proton Satria cars

Tiara :
Issued for Proton Tiara cars

Perdana :
Issued for Proton Perdana cars

LOTUS :
Issued for Lotus cars

KRISS :
Issued for Modenas Kriss motorcycle

Jaguh :
Issued for Modenas Jaguh motorcycle

NAZA :
Issued for Naza vehicles

SUKOM :
Issued only during the 1998 Commonwealth Games, which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year

XIII NAM :
Isued only during the 2003 NAM Summit which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year

X OIC :
Issued only during the 2003 OIC Summit which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year

XI ASEAN :
Issued only during the 2005 ASEAN Summit which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year

BAMbee :
Issued only during the 2000 Thomas and Uber Cup which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year

XXX IDB :
Issued to members and participants of the Islamic Development Bank conference

G1M :
Issued to symbolize 1Malaysia concept

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (7/7)

Habit #7: They stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past

Many CEOs on their way to becoming spectacularly unsuccessful accelerate their company’s decline by reverting to what they regard as tried-and-true methods. In their desire to make the most of what they regard as their core strengths, they cling to a static business model.They insist on providing a product to a market that no longer exists, or they fail to consider innovations in areas other than those that made the company successful in the past. Instead of considering a range of options that fit new circumstances, they use their own careers as the only point of reference and do the things that made them successful in the past. For example, when Jill Barad was trying to promote educational software at Mattel,she used the promotional techniques that had been effective for her when she was promoting Barbie dolls, despite the fact that software is not distributed or bought the way dolls are.

Frequently, CEOs who fall prey to this habit owe their careers to some “defining moment,” a critical decision or policy choice that resulted in their most notable success. It’s usually the one thing that they’re most known for and the thing that gets them all of their subsequent jobs. The problem is that after people have had the experience of that defining moment, if theybecome the CEO of a large company, they allow their defining moment to define the company as well – no matter how unrealistic it has become.

Warning Sign of #7: Constantly referring to what worked in the past

The bottom line: If you exhibit several of these traits, now is the time to stamp them out from your repertoire. If your boss or several senior executives at your company exhibit several of these traits, now is the time to start looking for a new job.

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/3/)

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (6/7)

Habit #6: They underestimate obstacles

Part of the allure of being a CEO is the opportunity to espouse a vision. Yet, when CEOs become so enamored of their vision, they often overlook or underestimate the difficulty of actually getting there. And when it turns out that the obstacles they casually waved aside are more troublesome than they anticipated, these CEO shave a habit of plunging full-steam into the abyss. For example, when Webvan’s core business was racking up huge losses, CEO George Shaheen was busy expanding those operations at an awesome rate.

Why don’t CEOs in this situation re-evaluate their course of action, or at least hold back for a while until it becomes clearer whether their policies will work? Some feel an enormous need to be right in every important decision they make, because if they admit to being fallible, their position as CEO might seem precarious. Once a CEO admits that he or she made the wrong call, there will always be people who say the CEO wasn’t up to the job. These unrealistic expectations make it exceedingly hard for a CEO to pull back from any chosen course of action, which not surprisingly causes them to push that much harder. That’s why leaders at Iridium and Motorola (MMI) kept investing billions of dollars to launch satellites even after it had become apparent that land-based cellphones were a better alternative.

Warning Sign of #6: Excessive hype

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/3/

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (5/7)

Habit #5: They are consummate spokespersons, obsessed with the company image

You know these CEOs: high-profile executives whoare constantly in the public eye. The problem is that amid all the media frenzy and accolades, these leaders’ management efforts become shallow and ineffective. Instead of actually accomplishing things, they often settle for the appearance of accomplishing things.

Behind these media darlings is a simple fact of executive life: CEOs don’t achieve a high level of media attention without devoting themselves assiduously to public relations. When CEOs are obsessed with their image, they have little time for operational details. Tyco’s Dennis Kozlowski sometimes intervened in remarkably minor matters, but left most of the company’s day-to-day operations unsupervised.

As a final negative twist, when CEOs make the company’s image their top priority, they run the risk of using financial-reporting practices to promote that image. Instead of treating their financial accounts as a control tool, they treat them as a public-relations tool. The creative accounting that was apparently practiced by such executives as Enron’s Jeffrey Skilling or Tyco’sKozlowski is as much or more an attempt to promote the company’s image as it is to deceive the public: In their eyes, everything that the company does is public relations.

Warning Sign of #5: Blatant attention-seeking

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/2/)

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (4/7)

Habit #4: They ruthlessly eliminate anyone who isn’t completely behind them

CEOs who think their job is to instill belief in their vision also think that it is their job to get everyone to buy into it. Anyone who doesn’t rally to the cause is undermining the vision. Hesitant managers have a choice: Get with the plan or leave.

The problem with this approach is that it’s both unnecessary and destructive. CEOs don’t need to have everyone unanimously endorse their vision to have it carried out successfully. In fact, by eliminating all dissenting and contrasting viewpoints, destructive CEOs cut themselves off from their best chance of seeing and correcting problems as they arise. Sometimes CEOs who seek to stifle dissent only drive it underground. Once this happens, the entire organization falters. At Mattel, Jill Barad removed her senior lieutenants if she thought they harbored serious reservations about the way that she was running things. Schmitt created such a threatening atmosphere at Rubbermaid that firings were often unnecessary. When new executives realized that they’d get no support from the CEO, many of them left almost as fast as they’d come on board. Eventually, these CEOs had everyone on their staff completely behind them. But where they were headed was toward disaster. And no one was left to warn them.

Warning Sign for #4: Executive departures

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/2/)

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (3/7)

Habit #3: They think they have all the answers

Here’s the image of executive competence that we’ve been taught to admire for decades: a dynamic leader making a dozen decisions a minute, dealing with many crises simultaneously, and taking only seconds to size up situations that have stumped everyone else for days. The problem with this picture is that it’s a fraud. Leaders who are invariably crisp and decisive tend to settle issues so quickly they have no opportunity to grasp the ramifications. Worse, because these leaders need to feel they have all the answers, they aren’t open to learning new ones.

CEO Wolfgang Schmitt of Rubbermaid was fond of demonstrating his ability to sort out difficult issues in a flash. A former colleague remembers that under Schmitt,” the joke went, ‘Wolf knows everything about everything.’ In one discussion, where we were talking about a particularly complex acquisition we made in Europe, Wolf, without hearing different points of view, just said, ‘Well, this is what we are going to do.’” Leaders who need to have all the answers shut out other points of view. When your company or organization is run by someone like this, you’d better hope the answers he comes up with are going to be the right ones. At Rubbermaid they weren’t. The company went from being Fortune’s most admired company in America in1993 to being acquired by the conglomerate Newell a few years later.

Warning Sign for #3: A leader without followers

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/)

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (2/7)

Habit #2: They identify so completely with the company that there is no clear boundary between their personal interests and their corporation’s interests

Like the first habit, this one seems innocuous, perhaps even beneficial. We want business leaders to be completely committed to their companies, with their interests tightly aligned with those of the company. But digging deeper, you find that failed executives weren’t identifying too little with the company, but rather too much. Instead of treating companies as enterprises that they needed to nurture, failed leaders treated them as extensions of themselves. And with that, a “private empire” mentality took hold.

CEOs who possess this outlook often use their companies to carry out personal ambitions. The most slippery slope of all for these executives is their tendency to use corporate funds for personal reasons. CEOs who have a long or impressive track record may come to feel that they’ve made so much money for the company that the expenditures they make on themselves, even if extravagant, are trivial by comparison. This twisted logic seems to have been one of the factors that shaped the behavior of Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco. His pride in his company and his pride in his own extravagance seem to have reinforced each other. This is why he could sound so sincere making speeches about ethics while using corporate funds for personal purposes. Being the CEO of a sizable corporation today is probably the closest thing to being king of your own country, and that’s a dangerous title to assume.

Warning Sign for #2: A question of character

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/)

The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives (1/7)

Habit # 1: They see themselves and their companies as dominating their environment

This first habit may be the most insidious, since it appears to be highly desirable. Shouldn’t a company try to dominate its business environment, shape thefuture of its markets and set the pace within them? Yes,but there’s a catch. Unlike successful leaders, failed leaders who never question their dominance fail torealize they are at the mercy of changing circumstances.They vastly overestimate the extent to which they actually control events and vastly underestimate the role of chance and circumstance in their success.

CEOs who fall prey to this belief suffer from the illusion of personal pre-eminence: Like certain film directors, they see themselves as the auteurs of their companies. As far as they’re concerned, everyone else in the company is there to execute their personal visionfor the company. Samsung’s CEO Kun-Hee Lee was so successful with electronics that he thought he could repeat this success with automobiles. He invested $5 billion in an already oversaturated auto market. Why? There was no business case. Lee simply loved cars and had dreamed of being in the auto business.

Warning Sign for #1: A lack of respect

Source : (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/02/the-seven-habits-of-spectacularly-unsuccessful-executives/)

Building a Vision-Guided, Values-Driven Organization

Organizational values are more important today than at any other time in history because the personal and societal context within which business operates is changing. Who you are as an organization, and what you stand for, are becoming just as important as what you sell.

Whilst attention to all stakeholders needs are important, the most critical are:
(a) How existing employees feel about their organization, and
(b) The ability of the organization to attract the best employees.

Both these issues can be addressed by building a vision-guided, values-driven corporate culture that focuses on employee fulfillment. Research shows that:
• Corporate performance, including financial success is strongly correlated with employee fulfillment – 39%
of the variability in corporate performance is attributable to the personal fulfillment of employees.
• Employee fulfillment is strongly correlated with the leadership skills and emotional intelligence of
managers – 69% of the variability in employee fulfillment is attributable to qualities of leadership of the
manager or supervisor.

Employee fulfillment has four components:
• Physical fulfillment A decent wage and outstanding employee facilities –
canteen, kindergarten, gymnasium.
• Emotional fulfillment Open communication, friendliness, work appreciation and
professional growth.
• Mental fulfillment Accountability, opportunity to learn, to express personal
creativity, and find personal growth.
• Spiritual fulfillment Work that has personal meaning, a sense of making a
difference, and an opportunity to be of service.

Companies that are able to motivate employees by providing all four levels of fulfillment will be the most
successful companies of the future.

Physical and emotional needs are normally met through external incentives such as bonuses, vacations and promotions. Research shows that these types of rewards do not have a long-lasting impact. Such incentives quickly achieve the status of entitlements. They have to be constantly repeated or increased to have a continued effect.

The only way to develop long-lasting motivation is to tap into an individual’s, mental and spiritual motivations. This is where the real passion, commitment and enthusiasm lie.
Our mental needs are met when we are given opportunities to improve ourselves through education, learning and new experiences; also when we are made accountable and are encouraged to use our minds in problem solving. This is the realm of professional growth.

Our spiritual needs are met when: (a) we find meaning in our work; (b) we feel that what we do makes a
difference; and/or (c) we are able to be of service. This is the realm of personal growth. Everyone responds to some degree to all four categories of motivation—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The highest levels of commitment are achieved through by satisfying our mental and spiritual needs.

The greatest gift you can give an employee is the opportunity to become all they can become personally and professionally.

Creating a corporate culture that aligns with the values of all stakeholders, employees, customers, shareholders and society is the critical issue for business in the 21st century. Cultural capital is rapidly becoming the new frontier of competitive advantage.

*Richard Barrett is the Managing Partner of Richard Barrett and Associates and creator of the Corporate Transformation Tools®. He is also a Fellow of the World Business Academy and former Values Coordinator at the World Bank.

Salam Aidil Fitri 1432H

An old man sold toys in the Baghdad market. Knowing that his sight was not quite perfect, his customers sometimes paid him with fake money.

The old man discovered the ruse, but did not say anything.
In his prayers he asked God to forgive those who cheated him.
“Perhaps they’re short of money and want to buy presents for their children,” he said to himself.

The time passed and the old man died. Standing before the gates of Heaven, he prayed once more:

- Lord! – he said. – I am a sinner. I did many wrong things, I am no better than the false coins I was paid. Forgive me!

At that moment the gates swung open and a Voice was heard:

- Forgive what? How can I judge someone who all through his life never once passed judgment on others?

Source : Poulo Coelho's Blog.

"SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL FITRI & MAAF ZAHIR BATIN"

Senarai BARAM

LOKASI Bandar / Daerah
Jalan 21/146, Bandar Tasik Selatan, Bandar Tun Razak
Tempat Letak Kereta Taman Tasik Permaisuri, Bandar Tun Razak
Pusat Penjaja Bazar Ramadhan Pekan Sg Besi, Bandar Tun Razak
Kawasan Tempat letak Kereta Velodrom Cheras, Bandar Tun Razak
Bazaria Larut Malam, Velodrom Cheras, Bandar Tun Razak
Taman Len Sen, Bandar Tun Razak
Jln Benteng, Bukit Bintang
Siarkaki Leboh Pudu, Bukit Bintang
Jln Chow Kit (Sepanjang Siarkaki Chow Kit), Bukit Bintang
Lorong Berangan, Bukit Bintang
Pasarama Kota (Depan Kelang Bus Stand), Bukit Bintang
No. 239, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Bukit Bintang
Jalan Haji Taib, Bukit Bintang
Siar Kaki Persimpangan Jln Chow Kit, Bukit Bintang
Tapak Parking Pasar, Selayang Batu
Rumah Pangsa PKNS, Jln Kuching Batu
Sentul Pasar Batu
Kampung Batu Muda, Jalan Ipoh Batu
PPR Batu Muda Batu
Kompleks Mutiara, Batu 31/2 Jalan Ipoh, Batu
Hadapan Flat Taman Aman Putra Jinjang Utara, Batu
Taman Segar, Cheras
Jln Susur Off Jln Pasar/Pudu, Cheras
Jalan Metro Prima 5 depan Maybank, Kepong
Di antara Blok D dan Blok E, PPR Kampung Muhibbah, Seputeh
Kiri dan Kanan Jalan Radin Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, Seputeh
Jalan 3/109c off Jalan Klang Lama, Seputeh
Jalan Sri Jati 3, Lembah Pantai
Sebelah Pure Life off Jalan Puchong, Lembah Pantai
Jalan 1/38j (Susur Wisma Suhati), Segambut
Jln Cochrane, Titiwangsa
Pasar Datuk Keramat, Titiwangsa
Lorong Haji Hussein 3, Jalan Raja Bot Dan Lorong Raja Bot (Chow Kit), Titiwangsa
Persimpangan Jln Tar/ Jln Raja Alang, Titiwangsa
Siarkaki Sepanjang Jln Tar Hingga Ke Persimpangan Masuk Ke Jln Raja Alang, Titiwangsa
Jalan Rejang 11, Setapak Jaya, Setiawangsa
Jalan Wangsa Melawati 3, Setiawangsa
Jalan Wangsa Delima Setiawangsa
Rampai Business Park, Jalan Rampai Niaga 6, Setiawangsa
Hadapan Surau Al-Ikhlasiah, Kg Semarak off Jalan Semarak, Setiawangsa
Jalan 1a/6, Setapak Indah, Danau Kota, Wangsa Maju
Siar Kaki Depan Ong Tai Kim, Gombak, Wangsa Maju
Jalan Langkawi, Teratai Mewah, Wangsa Maju
Kaki lima Plaza Idaman Wangsa Maju
Jalan 4/27A Seksyen 2 berhadapan Bangi Kopitiam Wangsa Maju Wangsa Maju
Jalan 3/27A berhadapan Alpha Seksyen 1, Wangsa Maju Wangsa Maju
Di atas siar kaki Jalan Gombak / Plaza Idaman Wangsa Maju
Siar kaki Jalan Danau Saujana Jalan Langkawi, Jalan Genting Klang Wangsa Maju
Di atas siar kaki Jalan jernai, Medan Idaman Wangsa Maju
Tapak Pasar Malam Taman Melati Wangsa Maju
Jalan Masjid India Bukit Bintang
Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman Bukit Bintang
Taman Wilayah Selayang Fasa 3 Batu
Tapak Kosong Setinggan Kg Pasir Kiri Jalan Pantai Dalam Lembah Pantai
Kawasan Flat Kg Kerinchi 17 Tingkat Lembah Pantai
Jalan Budiman 25, Taman Mulia Bandar Tun Razak
Jalan 14/155C Apartment Sri Rakyat Bukit Jalil Bandar Tun Razak
Parking Bersebelahan LRT Cheras Bandar Tun Razak
Parking Motosikal Blok D, Seri Penara Fasa II Bandar Tun Razak
Parking Motosikal Blok D, Seri Penara Fasa II Bandar Tun Razak
Dataran Padang Permainan Bandar Tun Razak
SS18, Subang Jaya (Jalan SS18/6) SUBANG JAYA
USJ 7, Subang Jaya (Jalan USJ 7/3c – Hadapan Gerai Majlis USJ 7) SUBANG JAYA
USJ 4, Subang Jaya (Jalan USJ 4/5) SUBANG JAYA
USJ 1 Pangsapuri Angsana (Tapak Pasar Malam) SUBANG JAYA
Pinggiran USJ (Jalan Pinggiran USJ 1/1) SUBANG JAYA
Taman Batu Tiga (Hadapan Gerai Majlis Tmn Batu 3) SUBANG JAYA
Putra Heights (Berhadapan Flat Sri Mutiara) SUBANG JAYA
Tmn Puchong Perdana (Jalan Perdana 2) PUCHONG
Tmn Puchong Permai (Jalan Permai 2/10) PUCHONG
Tmn Puchong Permai (Jalan Permai 1/10 – Sebelah Surau Ra’ayah) PUCHONG
Tmn Puchong Prima (Jalan Prima 5/3) PUCHONG
Tmn Puchong Utama (Jalan Utama 2/1) PUCHONG
Taman Wawasan, Pusat Bandar Puchong (Jalan Wawasan 2/22) PUCHONG
Pusat Bandar Puchong (Jalan Bandar 3- Tapak Bersebelahan Tesco Puchong) PUCHONG
Puchong Utama (Tapak Pasar Malam Puchong Utama – kecuali hari selasa) PUCHONG
Puchong Indah (Tapak Pasar Malam – kecuali hari isnin) PUCHONG
Bandar Kinrara Sek 5 (Jalan BK 5A/1) KINRARA
Tmn Kinrara Sek 1 (Jalan Taman Kinrara 1/1) KINRARA
Tmn Perindustrian Kinrara (Jalan TPK 2/1 & 2/2) KINRARA
Tmn Kinrara Sek 4 KINRARA
Hadapan Gerai UPEN Puchong Jaya (Petak Letak Kereta) KINRARA
Tmn Seri Serdang (Jalan 18/35) SERDANG
Tmn Universiti Indah (Jalan 2/10) SERDANG
Tmn Pinggiran Putra (Jalan PP 1/2) SERI KEMBANGAN
Tmn Equine (Jalan PP 1B) SERI KEMBANGAN
Puncak Jalil (Jalan PUJ 3/2) SERI KEMBANGAN
SEPANJANG JLN MASUK KE SMAP, KAJANG KAJANG
TAPAK BAZAAR MALAM REKO SENTRAL KAJANG
JALAN UTAMA, SEK 2, TMN KAJANG UTAMA KAJANG
TAPAK PASAR MALAM KOMPLEKS HENTIAN KAJANG KAJANG
TEMPAT LETAK KERETA, HADAPAN DERETAN KEDAI TAMAN ZAMRUD KAJANG
HADAPAN DERETAN KEDAI & KILANG IKS SG. JELOK. ( TEMPAT LETAK KERETA ) KAJANG
DATARAN PRIMA SAUJANA, TMN. PRIMA SAUJANA, KAJANG KAJANG
KAWASAN TANAH LAPANG ( TAPAK FUNFAIR ), TAMAN KAJANG PRIMA KAJANG
TAPAK PASAR TANI ( TMN RAMAL INDAH ) KAJANG
JLN KAJANG MEWAH 10 KAJANG
DI BELAKANG TESCO BATU 14, KAJANG KAJANG
TAPAK PAKIR DESA SERDANG ( HADAPAN BANGUNAN MINLON ) CHERAS KAJANG
JALAN TEMENGGUNG 21/9, SEK. 9, BDR MAHKOTA CHERAS ( TAPAK PASAR MALAM ) CHERAS KAJANG
LEBUH TAMING, TAMAN TAMING JAYA CHERAS KAJANG
BERHAMPIRAN LOJI KUMBAHAN TAMAN HARMONI, SERI KEMBANGAN CHERAS KAJANG
TMN. SUNTEX, BT. 9, CHERAS CHERAS KAJANG
JLN CHENGAL 4, TAMAN IMPIAN EHSAN CHERAS KAJANG
KAWASAN LAKE VALLEY JALAN SUARASA 8/4, BDR TUN HUSSEIN ONN CHERAS KAJANG
DI JALAN CP 4/38, TMN CHERAS PERDANA CHERAS KAJANG
JALAN CJ 8, TAMAN CHERAS JAYA CHERAS KAJANG
PADANG AWAM, TAMAN CHERAS UTAMA ( TAPAK PASAR MALAM LAMA ) CHERAS KAJANG
TAPAK PASAR MALAM SEKSYEN 16, BANDAR BARU BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
TEMPAT LETAK KERETA JALAN 3/69, SEKSYEN 3, BDR BARU BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
DIHUJUNG JALAN 2/3A, KAWASAN DUA, BDR BARU BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
HADAPAN ASRAMA KOLEJ POLYTECH MARA BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
JALAN SERI PUTRA ½, BDR SERI PUTRA BANDAR BARU BANGI
JLN 7/7B, SEK 7, BDR BARU BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
DI TEMPAT LETAK KERETA & JLN SUSUR KOMPLEKS PKNS BANGI BANDAR BARU BANGI
TAPAK PASAR MALAM, BDR TASIK KESUMA BERANANG
TAPAK PEKAN SEHARI BERANANG BERANANG
TAPAK PASAR MALAM TAMAN SERI NANDING HULU LANGAT
BERSEBELAHAN PADANG FUTSAL,TMN DESA SENTOSA HULU LANGAT
JALAN SEMENYIH SENTRAL 1 SEMENYIH
SEKSYEN 1, BERHAMPIRAN DENGAN PASARAYA BILLION BDR TEKNOLOGI KAJANG SEMENYIH
DI JLN TPS 1/5, TMN PELANGI SEMENYIH SEMENYIH
SEKSYEN 2 SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 7 (TPM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 13 (STADIUM SHAH ALAM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 17 (TPM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 18 (TPM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 20 (BERHAMPIRAN TPM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 25 SHAH ALAM
SEK. U2 TTDI JAYA (TPS) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U3 (SUBANG PERDANA) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 6 (TLK REST. DAUD) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 7 (JLN PLATINUM AD 7/AD) REST ALI CORNER SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 7 (JALAN KRISTAL AS7/AS) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 8 (DEKAT SURAU BLOK 17-18) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 16 (HDPN DEWAN ORG RAMAI) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 18 (JLN 18/34 – KLINIK AHMAD SHAH) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 19 (TPM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 24 (TPK USAHAWAN MIKRO) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 27 (TAPAK PASAR MALAM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 28 (BERHAMPIRAN KFC) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN 31 ( JLN ANGGERIK ARANDA B 31/B DEPAN PONDOK POLIS KOTA KEMUNING) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U5 (JLN UTARID U5/10) TPM SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U8 (JALAN C U8/C BKT JELUTONG HDPN MY MYDIN) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U10 (TAPAK PENJAJA SEMENTARA) SHAH ALAM
SUBANG 2 (TAPAK PASAR MALAM) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U13 (SETIA ALAM – CIMB BANK) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U20 (BBSB FASA 1) (BUKIT RAHMAN PUTRA) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U20 (BBSB FASA 2) (PEJ LUNCAI EMAS) SHAH ALAM
SEKSYEN U20 (BBSB FASA 3) (ECONSAVE) SHAH ALAM
PANDAN INDAH (TLK PADANG PERBANDARAN MPAJ) AMPANG
PANDAN JAYA (TLK JALAN PANDAN 3) AMPANG
CHERAS INDAH (HADAPAN DEWAN KOMUNITI) AMPANG
PANDAN MEWAH (TLK SEBELAH PADANG) AMPANG
PANDAN CAHAYA (TLK JALAN PANDAN CAHAYA 1/1) AMPANG
TMN MELAWATI ( HADAPAN PEJABAT POS LAMA ) AMPANG
KG PANDAN (TLK PANDAN UTAMA) AMPANG
MEDAN SELERA ANGSANA HILIR (TLK) AMPANG
LEMBAH MAJU (BERHAMPIRAN SIMPANG EMPAT) AMPANG
KG TASEK PERMAI ( HADAPAN MASJID ) AMPANG
KG MELAYU (JALAN JATI) AMPANG
AU 2 ( JALAN AU2A/16 ) AMPANG
AU 4/1 (HADAPAN SEVEN-ELEVEN) AMPANG
AU 5 (TLK MEDAN SELERA) AMPANG
TMN PERMATA (HADAPAN PASARAYA HARI-HARI) AMPANG
MELAWATI JALAN E1 AMPANG
BUKIT ANTARABANGSA (JALAN WANGSA UKAY 2) AMPANG
UKAY PERDANA (HADAPAN RESTORAN ALI MAJU) AMPANG
TAMAN MELOR (TLK) AMPANG
BANDAR BARU AMPANG (PASAR BANDAR BARU AMPANG) AMPANG
AMPANG WATER FRONT (TLK FASA 2) AMPANG
BUKIT INDAH (SEBELAH RESTORAN DALILA, TLK) AMPANG
AMPANG JAYA (TLK JALAN 1) AMPANG
KOMPLEKS MUHIBBAH ( TAMAN NIRWANA ) AMPANG
KERAMAT PERMAI ( JALAN AU1D ) AMPANG
AU3 (TLK FLAT PKNS 13 & 14) AMPANG
PANDAN INDAH JLN 3/2B AMPANG
TAMAN KOSAS (TLK JALAN KOSAS 1/1) AMPANG
PANDAN PERDANA (HADAPAN GUARDIAN) AMPANG
CHERAS HARTAMAS (BLOK A1, FLAT BUKIT SEGAR) AMPANG

8 Nilai 1Malaysia

Budaya Berprestasi Tinggi
Budaya Ketepatan
Budaya Ilmu
Integriti
Ketabahan
Kesetiaan
Kebijaksanaan
Budaya Inovasi

Pesanan Imam Shafie

• 1. Iman mempunyai bentengnya bagi menghalang segala serangan yang cuba mencerobohkannya. Oleh itu bagi menguatkan benteng iman, keimanan perlu dibajai dengan lima perkara, yakin, ikhlas, mengerjakan amalan sunat, istiqamah, bertatasusila ataupun berdisiplin dalam mengerjakan ibadah

• 2. Ingat dan zikir kepada Allah sebanyak-banyaknya kerana ia mengubati penyakit jasmani dan hati. Ia mencetuskan ketenangan hidup dan qanaah.

• 3. Khusyuk secara zahir adalah khusyuknya orang awam, khusyuk secara batin adalah orang pilihan di sisi Allah

• 4. Kubur adalah perhentian sementara bagi membolehkan ke satu perhentian lagi yang penuh dengan soal siasat. Oleh itu siapkanlah jawapan yang adil dan benar menerusi amal yang benar dan taat kepada al-haq yang tidak berbelah bagi

• 5. Kita perlu sentiasa memohon perlindungan daripada Allah, sekurang-kurangnya dengan mengucapkan ‘A’uzubillahi minashaitanirrajim“. Kita perlu bersabar jika serangan syaitan datang juga bertalu-talu dengan hebat dan menyedari Allah Taala hendak menguji keteguhan sabar kita, ketulenan jihad kita. Ketahuilah perang dengan syaitan itu lebih hebat dari perang sabil

• 6. Sebesar-besar keaiban (keburukan) adalah kamu mengira keburukan orang lain sedangkan keburukan itu terdapat dalam dirimu sendiri

• 7. Hati adalah raja dalam diri. Oleh itu, lurus dan betulkan ia supaya empayar kerajaan dirimu tegak di atas al-haq yang tidak disertai oleh iringan-iringan pasukan kebatilan

• 8. Ketahuilah istighfar yang diucapkan dengan betul mampu membuat syaitan lari ketakutan dan menggoncang empayar iblis di istana kerajaannya

• 9. Ketahuilah sebesar-besar kesenangan di dunia dan akhirat adalah memberi maaf kepada orang lain dan melupakan terus kesalahannya. Allah pasti akan meninggikan darjatnya di sisi manusia

• 10. Tafakurlah sebelum tidur bagi menghisab diri atas salah dan silap semasa aktiviti pada siang hari sebagaimana Umar al-Khattab menyiasati dirinya dengan pelbagai soalan berkenaan dosa-dosanya pada siang hari

• 11. Tuntutlah ilmu sebanyak mungkin kerana ia dapat menjagamu dan membantumu cemerlang di dunia dan di akhirat. Ia juga amalan para nabi, rasul dan orang soleh

• 12. Sesiapa yang mahu meninggalkan dunia dengan selamat, dia perlu mengamalkan perkara berikut iaitu mengurangkan tidur, mengurangkan makan, mengurangkan bercakap dan berpada-pada dengan rezeki yang ada

• 13. Kamu seorang manusia yang dijadikan daripada tanah dan kamu juga akan disakiti (dihimpit) dengan tanah

• 14. Sesiapa yang menjalin ukhuwah dan menghidupkannya, dia memperoleh banyak kebaikan

• 15. Allah menjanjikan kepada orang yang beriman, mereka akan ditinggikan darjat dan diberi kemuliaan selagi mereka menunaikan perintah Allah

• 16. Allah menjanjikan kepada orang yang beriman, mereka pasti mendapat pertolongan Allah seperti dalam firmanNya dalam surah al-Rum ayat 47 yang bermaksud, dan adalah menjadi hak (tanggungjawab) kami menolong orang yang beriman

(Terima Kasih kepada Fuad kerana berkongsi maklumat ini dengan saya)

Harta Pusaka

Setelah sekian lama di perantauan akhirnya Rahmat pulang ke kampung untuk berjumpa dengan neneknya.

Nenek : "Rahmat, nenek sudah tidak kuat lagi, nenek minta kamu sambung mengusahakan kebun nenek..."

Rahmat : "Jangan cakap macam tu, nek..." (dalam hati, tak sia-sia aku balik kampung... dapat pulak harta pusaka nenek).

Nenek : "Segala isi perkebunan, ternakan, villa, traktor untuk kamu. Tolong jaga baik-baik, jangan lupa disiram tiap hari tanaman nenek."

Rahmat : "Baik nek, nenek jangan bimbang tentang hal itu... Tapi dimana kebun nenek? Rahmat tidak pernah tahu?"

Nenek : "Di Facebook nenek, FARMVILLE, nanti nenek bagi tau passwordnya."

Rahmat : "?????"

Ceria-ceriakan pagi anda dengan senyumannn…

(TriMas Ateh Chah kerana berkongsi - Bila kita nak serbu PBAKL 2011?)

Portugal calls for EU financial bail-out

Date: 7 April 2011

Source: BBC News

Portugal's caretaker Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said that he has asked the European Union for financial assistance. Mr Socrates said the country was "at too much risk that it shouldn't be exposed to". The government has long resisted asking for aid but last week admitted that it had missed its 2010 budget deficit target. Portugal follows Greece and the Irish Republic in seeking a bail-out. "I always said asking for foreign aid would be the final way to go but we have reached the moment," Mr Socrates said. "Above all, it's in the national interest."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement that Portugal's request would be processed "in the swiftest possible manner, according to the rules applicable". He also reaffirmed his "confidence in Portugal's capacity to overcome the present difficulties, with the solidarity of its partners". Borrowing costs Mr Socrates did not say how much aid Portugal would ask for. Negotiations will now be underway and the BBC's business editor Robert Peston said rescue loans could amount to as much as 80bn euros ($115bn; £70bn).

Mr Socrates was speaking after Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos said it was necessary to resort to financial aid from the EU. Earlier, the government raised about 1bn euros after tapping the financial markets in order to repay loans, but will have to pay a higher interest rate to lenders. Portugal's cost of borrowing has risen sharply since the minority Socialist government resigned last month after its proposed tougher austerity measures were defeated in parliament. Since then several rating agencies have downgraded the country's debt. An informal meeting of European finance ministers had already been scheduled for Thursday in Budapest. Portugal was not originally on the agenda but is expected to be discussed.

The UK Treasury Minister Mark Hoban will attend. A source at the Treasury said that the bilateral loan the UK offered to the Irish Republic was "very much a special case" and a similar offer is "not on the table" for Portugal. Jan Randolph, head of sovereign risk at IHS Global Insight, told the BBC that Portugal might organise "some sort of bridging loan" in the short term. But he added: "The real big loan over several years will require a medium-term plan and I don't think that can be agreed until the new government comes into place."

Elections are likely to take place in a few months' time.

Take A Break !!!

The following is indeed really interesting :

This year we are going to experience four unusual dates: 1/1/11; 1/11/11; 11/1/11; and 11/11 11. That’s not all … Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born – now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone …!! This is the year of Money .. !! This year, October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays, and 5 Saturdays!

This happens only every 823 years. These particular years are known as “Moneybags”. Well, at least this year, all of us will share the same figure - 111 …!! God is Great!!

Review Roundup: Chris Brown – ‘F.A.M.E.’

The last two years have been anything but breezy for Chris Brown as he worked to repair his tarnished image and regain his following. After 2009’s underwhelming Graffiti, the R&B star bounced back to the top last summer with singles “Deuces” and “No BS.” Now he faces his critics once again with his fourth album F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies), available now. Did they raise him up or tear him down? Find out below.

USA Today: But it is a more mature, confident, and adventurous Brown who has emerged in the wake of all the drama, and he has delivered the strongest album of his career. He’s much edgier than before, which is a good thing, since the 22-year-old has clearly outgrown that nice-kid-next-door persona he had six years ago. 3 out of 4

Rolling Stone: F.A.M.E. is a pop ‘n’ b album with something for everyone: bedroom ballads, dance-floor thumpers and even “Next 2 You,” a puppy-love declaration with guest vocals by Justin Bieber. 3 out of 5

Entertainment Weekly: Graffiti clearly came too soon. And some still think Brown should go—and stay—away. But on its own merits, F.A.M.E. deserves to be heard. B+

The New York Times: This album’s highlight is “Look at Me Now,” a fabulous, insidiously catchy production by Diplo and Afrojack on which Mr. Brown double-time-raps about stealing girlfriends. At least here Mr. Brown is clever, funny, and pushing himself technically.

The Boston Globe: Only a handful of tracks truly showcase Brown’s strengths. “She Ain’t You” derives much of its charm from a hefty sample of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.” It is totally shameless and completely effective.

The Associated Press: Even on smooth grooves that aren’t sexually charged, Brown sounds top-notch. “Deuces,” a No. 1 R&B hit, was one of last year’s best songs, and like it, “Up to You” is destined to hit the top spot—and it deserves to be.

The Guardian: This record’s syrupy mid-section makes good on his desire to write “songs that your grandma can love,” while Justin Bieber duet “Next to You” will appeal only to your tweenie sister.

Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “Look at Me Now,” “She Ain’t You,” “Yeah 3X,” “Paper, Scissors, Rock”

Your Burning Grammy Questions, Answered

"Who is Esperanza Spalding?" and "Did Arcade Fire really just win Album of the Year?" weren't the only questions that had Grammy viewers scratching their heads last night. The 53rd Annual Grammy ceremony was packed with many moments of "Huh?" While you recover from the epic news about Radiohead's new album, let us answer all those burning Grammy questions:

What was that necklace Eminem was wearing when he accepted the Grammy for Best Rap Album?

That item of jewelry wasn't the typical bling you'd expect to find on a rapper -- it was Eminem's Alcoholics Anonymous pendant. Eminem was accepting the award for "Recovery," an album that viscerally details his past drug and alcohol problems, so it was nice to see him bring a piece of his own personal road to recovery to the Grammy spotlight.

Why did Train thank Howard Stern after winning Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for "Hey, Soul Sister"?

As singer Pat Monahan alluded to during the band's acceptance speech, it'd been a rough couple of years commercially for Train since their hit "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" won a pair of Grammys in 2002. But one person who never gave up on the group was the King of All Media, Howard Stern. Before "Hey, Soul Sister" became the most unavoidable song on the planet, Stern invited Train to perform the track on his Sirius XM show, introducing it to a rabid audience of millions. The rest is Grammy history.

How did "Need You Now," a song you've been hearing for over a year and a half, get nominated and win so many awards? Isn't there a statute of limitations?

Yeah, this one confused us too. This year's Grammys were supposed to honor those songs and albums released between September 1st, 2009 and September 30th, 2010. The "Need You Now" single was released one week before the Grammy cut-off, August 24th, 2009. Obviously, its impact wasn't felt by Grammy voters in time for last year's ceremony, so we guess they made an exception by nominating it for this year's Grammys, since it was the biggest country song of 2010. Those Grammy deadlines don't seem to matter much to voters, as "Hey, Soul Sister" was released two weeks before "Need You Now," and Paul McCartney's live rendition of "Helter Skelter," which somehow won Best Rock Solo Vocal Performance, was first released on the Beatles' "White Album" over four decades ago.


Why did Lady Gaga lovingly embrace Donnie Wahlberg with a massive bear hug after the New Kid presented her with the Best Pop Vocal Album Grammy for "The Fame Monster"?

Not many people know this, but before Lady Gaga was Lady Gaga, she was an up-and-coming songwriter who gave tracks to other artists to perform. Britney Spears was one such benefactor of a pre-Gaga Stefani Germanotta (the "Circus" bonus track "Quicksand") and so were the New Kids on the Block. Gaga and Wahlberg co-wrote the song "Full Service" on NKOTB's 2008 comeback album "The Block," and Gaga also made a guest appearance on New Kids' "Big Girl Now."

Who was that other female singer who appeared with Rihanna, Eminem, and Dr. Dre?

That woman who never really received the close-up she deserved was Skylar Grey, the co-writer of Em and RiRi's "Love the Way You Lie" and a guest vocalist on Dr. Dre's newest single "I Need a Doctor." The Amp has written about Grey in the past, so we were quite familiar with her, but the rest of America got to meet her last night at the Grammys.

How many awards did the Grammys actually give out during the ceremony?

As you probably figured out by watching the pre-show, a great majority of the Grammy Awards were handed out prior to the ceremony, robbing us of the opportunity of seeing Neil Young win for Best Rock Song or the Black Keys accepting Best Alternative Album for "Brothers." In all, the Grammy telecast showcased only 10 awards out of its total 98 categories.

by: Daniel Kreps