Facebook Makes Me Mad Sometimes (Updated)

Posted this back in 2011. Well, its been nearly 2 years since my Facebook rants ... and plenty of changes have passed then ...  I think the users have more than tripled or more ... and my FB friends have surged to just over 100, still manageable ... but the inherent silliness still prevails.

I can appreciate the wonders of Facebooking, to keep in touch and to share, in a manner that is more intimate and profound than say just by emails.

After sitting at a computer typing all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of another computer so that I can read the fascinating facts and fancies on "25 Random Things About Me" from 3 of my friends.

I also don't feel the need to constantly update an entire network of friends about the daily minutiae of my life. My life is to be lived, not to be updated. And the mf box "What's on your mind" ... I mean if I tell you what is really on mind mind, I would have no friends left??!! I mean, how to say "I have been thinking of screwing with the cleaning lady ten minutes ago"??!!

The silly mf strategy games they play ... so you have grown the world's largest cabbage, go and eat it yourself.... so you are looking for carrots and manure, fuck me silly if I am bothered to even care. My eyes have glazed over hundreds of time whenever I open my Facebook. Soon, I will be doing a Linda Blair, my eyeballs will make a 360 degrees revolution from too much eyes rolling.


(Coffee Bean sure did not have locals at management level when they issue these cups in Malaysia and Singapore ... does not quite have the same meaning)

Then, there are the friends who will update you at least 5 times a day, as if sooo many people are so interested in the most mundane aspects of your lives. I mean, I seriously get postings such as: "... sigh, just wondering about nothing ..." I mean, seriously, go fuck yourself silly, even your own mum would be cursing under her breath. Stop the narcissist in you, no more "look at me, look at me...".

Don't just simply whack without offering solutions, I always say. Well, I hope Facebook will make all users to flag all their comments to 5 categories: if you are making a senseless comment that only your wildest fan or stalker will enjoy hearing, flag that as "1"; if its about something that is mildly important or things you found funny from some obscure site, then click "2"; if its and opinion that some may enjoy, then click "3"; if its a major development in your personal life or career, click "4"; if its absolutely must be viewed by all your friends, then click "5". Your friends , like me, who have a low tolerance of everything and anything, will possibly allow comments and updates that are "4" or "5" to filter to my account.

If by chance you have a nonsensical update and you put that as a "4", I guarantee you I will go and write a load of b.s. on your fucking wall for not being able to decipher what is "value add commentary / opinion" and what is crap.

For now, I cannot go and tell all my friends that they are idiots for writing what they wrote cause its so prevalent. Till today, after nearly one year, I still have less than 40 friends (now just over 100), and proud of it.

I won't be wasting time 'poking' cyber friends. Pick up the phone/mobile and call to ask them out for lunch or dinner, poke here poke there for fucks!!??

People make friends like they are collecting sand, ... "today I made another 4 friends", ... well, fuck me, I did not make four new friends the whole of last month in real life. It waters down the concept of who is a friend, and what a friend is to you. That definition is getting shallower by the day with the advent of the internet.

I guess my plea to my friends is to try and make Facebook work for us, to bring us closer together, not to agitate and piss the shit out of others, and waste our time and resources over inane stuff. Use Facebook as a tool, if you let Facebook take over your life, then you are the tool. Enjoy and maintain relations with family, friends and relatives ... in person as much as you can.


 THIS IS WHAT I REALLY WANT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE

Need To Empower Independent Directors

StarBiz: In what is seen as the first high-profile removal of the head of a government-linked company, Sime Darby Bhd's board of directors has asked its president and group chief executive Datuk Ahmad Zubir Murshid to take a leave of absence prior to the expiry of his contract on Nov 26, 2010.

Sime Darby chairman Tun Musa Hitam said at a press conference yesterday afternoon that Zubir's leaving was in connection with the cost overruns that the group's energy and utilities division had suffered in carrying out projects in Qatar and the Bakun hydro-electric dam.

Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, currently head of Sime Darby Plantations, has been appointed as acting group chief executive.

Sime Darby also said it would take a hit of RM964mil in its second half earnings from losses from its energy division.

Primary Purpose

The Board of Directors has primary responsibility for the governance and management of the Company, and fiduciary responsibility for the financial health of the Company.

Responsibilities

In line with the Best Practices of the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance, the Board of Directors has the following responsibilities: Review and approve the annual corporate plan for the Group, which includes the overall corporate strategy, business development and marketing plan, human resources plan, IT plan, financial plan, budget, regulatory plan and risk management plan Review and approve strategic initiatives including corporate business restructuring or streamlining and strategic alliances Oversee the conduct of the Group's businesses to evaluate whether the businesses are being properly managed Identify principal risks and ensure the implementation of appropriate systems to manage these risks Approval on nomination, selection, compensation and succession policies for the Management Committee members, Board Committee members and Consultative Panel members and the annual manpower budget for the Group, including managing succession planning, appointing, training, fixing the compensation of, and where appropriate replacing senior management Develop and implement an 'investor relations programme' or 'shareholder communications policy' for the Group Review the adequacy and integrity of the Group's internal control systems and management information systems, including systems for compliance with applicable laws, regulations, rules, directives and guidelines (including Listing Requirements, Securities Laws and Companies Act) Review and approve the Financial Statements encompassing annual audited accounts and quarterly reports, dividend policy, credit facilities from financial institutions and guarantees Review and approve the Audit Committee Report and Internal Control Statement for the Annual Report Review and approve the Annual Regulatory Report prepared in accordance with Section 16 of the CMSA Prepare a Corporate Governance Statement on compliance with the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance for the Annual Report Review and approve investment policies and guidelines for the Company's surplus funds, asset allocation policy and policy on exposure limits on investment with banking institutions Review and approve the capital expenditure, purchase of fixed assets, operating expenditure, variation order and any other matters in accordance with the Authority Limits Document Approval on appointment of external auditors and their related audit fees

I applaud the board of Sime Darby, its a big decision but what is more interesting is that this development is viewed by investors as out-of-the-norm. We should be seeing boards taking more proactive decisions like this. We have had reams of articles and high level meetings on corporate governance, and it would take a misguided person who believe that the majority of board of directors of listed companies on Bursa are truly carrying out their duties, and have teeth. I dare anyone to prove to me otherwise.

All listed companies should do an internal evaluation of the "strength and independence" of their board of directors. As we have many family owned companies on Bursa, many of these boards may still be beholden to the owners of the companies. More importantly, the independent directors may not be as "independent" as the word would suggests.

Do we have a body that oversees the performance of directors, in particular, the independent directors? I think the SC has that role. There are plenty of companies rolling into PN17, and seriously, I think the independent directors could have been more vigilant in many cases. A company does not run itself to the ground overnight. If you look at the the roles and responsibilities stated above, I wonder how many are truly carrying out the tasks properly.

I still think there is plenty of room for improvement. I think especially for those family owned companies in particular. If there is stricter enforcement and regular "request for independent directors to clarify and explain" from SC, I think we will see a tremendous culture change. We need boards to be empowered as they are really supposed to look out for things on behalf of minority shareholders. Confidence in the impartiality of directors is paramount, especially for independent directors.