Hacker Culture

I have been giving this some thought recently and I am finding it more difficult to identify myself as a Malaysian or a Chinese. While we are all a hodgepodge of various cultures and influences, I have found that the largest chunk of my life has been greatly influenced by and spent in the Hacker culture. I would advise you to read the Wikipedia article linked as your understanding of the culture may differ significantly from the actual meaning.

While sitting here enjoying my cup of teh tarik in the local Hailam Kopitiam, I ask myself – what am I going to do about this?

I think that I will probably take the first step by accepting the fact that I am a hacker, first and foremost. Of all the cultures that I have imbibed, the hacker culture is the one that I live by in totality. While I may celebrate various national, cultural and religious holidays and feasts, I have generally been an observer rather than a participant in each.

I am an active participant in the hacker culture.

Helping out with voter-registrations for more than a year now, I have come across people with various combinations of race and religion in their ICs, some of it has actually surprised me. I have recently bought the book, Found in Malaysia and come to realise that our identities are far more complex than our government would like us to believe.

I think that if I decided to fill up ‘Hacker’ as my race, my fellows would mistakenly classify me as ‘Hakka’ and plop me into the ‘Chinese’ category regardless.

blink!

We are Atheists

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.” — Stephen F Roberts.

Very compelling explanation. I’ve got it as my wallpaper now.

Curious Clothes

Something curious has happened recently.

I went shopping for a specific shirt from a specific store. I had previously spotted it at another store but they did not have my size in stock. So, while I was in the Bukit Bintang area in KL last week, I decided to look for it. I parked at Lot 10 and began my search there. I asked the concierge whether they had that store in Lot 10 and was told that the store is located in Pavilion instead.

Pavilion?!!

I don’t know when it happened but I was surprised that I am now shopping for clothes in an up market mall. I have never considered myself someone who would shop at Pavilion. I have nothing against over-priced clothes but people who know me know that I do not intentionally spend money on these things. It was a pleasant surprise in a weird sort of way.

So, after buying the shirt, I thought to myself – at least I am still shopping at Reject Shop too!

Mobile Misdemeanor

It’s odd how things turn out sometimes. I normally carry my phone with me everywhere and rarely ever get a phone call. However, I forgot to bring my phone out with me this morning and I came home to find 5 missed calls and 3 text messages demanding my attention. So, while I normally have my phone with me, nobody looks for me; and on the one day that I forget to bring my phone with me, lots of people look for me. It just has to go wrong that way.

Beethoven Virus

I have been watching a Korean Drama series recently – Beethoven Virus. Just like every other Korean Drama, the context of music is largely used as an excuse to stage a coming of age story with a love triangle thrown in the mix. However, with all that music flowing through the show, it struck me that software is very much like music – specifically, the Open Source Software movement.

Sheet music are like code – a set of instructions on what to do and when. In actual fact, it is a lot like code – which controls when certain electrical signals are triggered inside a processor. And the beauty of OSS is that it allows for artistic liberty – different interpretations and even modifications on the original composition. If music was not open, we would be lesser humans today. If software is not open, we will be lesser humans tomorrow.

Now, I have not even gotten to the performers and people who practice the ‘art’. There are so many other parallels that can be drawn there. Maybe it is time that we started to organise ourselves in a similar fashion.

blink

Potential Scam?

Potential scam? I don’t really know. But I received two of these exact emails today and the email addresses were weird because their TO and FROM addresses were both the same.

Our company KBS Ltd. is pleased to offer you an excellent-paid part/full-time vacancy for the position of administrative assistant/sales support. You would work from the comfort of your home office or in our office, it would depend on your choice. By choosing to work in our office, you will be able to keep your hobbies and maybe even pick up a few new ones.

Our company is a large corporation that is involved in a variety of activities that include construction, realty management, investment sector, rental services etc. Right now we are working on more than 10 objects around the world, primarily in Europe, United Kingdom and North America. This is the ideal role for a highly organised and proactive administrator, looking to develop their career with an established and successful company. For the right candidate, there will be the opportunity to progress to Office/Sales Manager position.

Candidates for the job should possess excellent organizational skills as well as the ability to efficiently multi-task. Ideal candidates have a strong focus on day-to-day operational excellence, and a personal style that builds trust, and inspires loyalty. You will be tasked with processing orders and dealing with clients via the telephone and answering any queries they have. Your duties will also include taking and entering orders, providing quotations, checking invoices, supporting the sales team and creating mail shots.

Other duties of the Administrative Assistant/Sales Support include, but are not limited to:
. Incorporating effective priorities for the virtual office function
. Administer day-to-day financial responsibilities for clients
. Reporting online daily
. Preparing brief summary reports, and weekly financial reports

To be considered for this position, you must have solid administration experience and strong knowledge of Word and Excel. A good telephone manner is also essential.

Salary part-time: guaranteed $725.00/weekly plus bonuses.
Location: United States

If you are interested, please reply to: Obdulio@good-task.com with your latest CV.

Best regards,

Claire Haynes
Employment Manager
KBS Ltd