Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Top Idiots

Idiot # 1
I am a medical student currently doing a rotation in toxicology at the poison control center. Today, this woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants. I quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital.

She calmed down, and at the end of the conversation happened to mention that she gave her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants. I told her that she better bring her daughter into the Emergency room right away.
Here's your sign lady. Wear it with pride.

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Idiot # 2
Seems that a year ago, some Boeing employees on the airfield decided to steal a life raft from one of the 747s. They were successful in getting it out of the plane and home.

When they took it for a float on the river, a Coast Guard helicopter coming towards them surprised them. It turned out that the chopper was homing in on the emergency locator beacon that activated when the raft was inflated.

They are no longer employed at Boeing. Here's your sign guys. Don't get it wet, the paint might run.

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Idiot # 3 - A true story out of San Francisco
A man, wanting to rob a downtown Bank of America, walked into the branch and wrote "This is a stick up. Put all your muny in this bag."

While standing in line, waiting to give his note to the teller, he began to worry that someone had seen him write the note and might call the police before he reached the teller's window. So he left the Bank of America and crossed the street to Wells Fargo.

After waiting a few minutes in line, he handed his note to the Wells Fargo teller. She read it and, surmising from his spelling errors that he wasn't the brightest light in the harbor, told him that she could not accept his stickup note because it was written on a Bank of America deposit slip and that he would either have to fill out a Wells Fargo deposit slip or go back to Bank of America.
Looking somewhat defeated, the man said, "OK" and left. He was arrested a few minutes later, as he was waiting in line back at Bank of America.
Don't bother with this guy's sign. He probably couldn't read it anyway.

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Idiot # 4
A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car.

Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture, this time of handcuffs.

He immediately mailed in his $40.
Another sign (though this guy might be onto something worth thinking about)!

Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humour, Idiot, Toxicology, Boeing, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Handcuff

Monday, July 23, 2007

Rich Man's Hobby - Beneath the Sea

Rich men (this is referring to multi-billionaires) have hobbies too. I have heard of one who likes polo so much that he brought in 8 thoroughbred horses from Argentina (the best). In a polo game, you need 8 players to play a game. In this way, he gets to enjoy his hobby with his pals who may not have the resources to get a horse.

Some prefer to have their own executive jets, some would prefer having a large property, some would go for exotic food in one night or go for a luxury holiday.

But I found an unusual hobby this time. Ever heard of people owning a submarine which was also used to entertain guests? Roman Abramovich could be interested in it too. There are a few luxury submarine makers which could meet the rich men's taste, namely U.S. Submarines (USA) and Exomos (UAE). Who are their customers? Both builders have to sign a "keep it a secret agreement" to ensure secrecy.

U.S. Submarine's ultimate sub is the Phoenix 1000 - ultimate personal transportation device, 65 meters (213 ft.) in length with 470 square meters (5000 sq. ft.) of interior space on 4 levels.

The CEO of Exomos said that a luxury submarine of a 10-passenger sub could costs up to $15 million (mid size - US$25 million). The submarine could be 3-story-tall with five staterooms, five bathrooms, two kitchens, a gym, a wine cellar and an observation portal measuring 30 feet long by 15 feet wide, or 9 meters long by 5 wide. It has a range of 3,000 nautical miles.
Reading: It's moved leagues beneath the sea - IHT

Tags: Submarine, Luxury Submarine, US Submarines, Exomos, Luxury, Lifestyle

Women's Remote Control

Rumours said that a remote control, after a detailed market survey was conducted based on women's needs, would be mass produced to meet the demand.Tags: Women, Remote Control, Gadget

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Arrival of Mega Stars in LA

With David Beckham and Victoria Adams appearing in Los Angeles owing to David's football career with his new team, Los Angeles Galaxy, it has turned Los Angeles into a paparazzi gathering once again.

His wife was also known as Posh Spice in the Spice Girls' team may well enjoy the publicity that she's getting now. Looks like Spice Girls would be launching a world tour again.
W Magazine has paid an undisclosed amount just to get the couple to pose in their August 2007's issue. Considered as new American Idols by now?
Even in yesterday's friendly football between LA Galaxy and Chelsea, where Chelsea won 1-0, David's 2nd half appearance was the main highlight.

And the following superstars (that were sighted) appeared at the LA Galaxy's football stadium trying to understand the frenzy being caused by David - Eva Longoria / Katie Holmes / Jennifer Love Hewitt / Drew Carey / Brian Grazer / Arnold Shwarzenegger / John Hurt / Ray Winstone. Some were said to be watching their first football/soccer match in their life.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Price War on Harry Potter's Book

* Latest update: Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs's Minister, Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal said price war good for consumers.

Can you believe that 4 major bookstores in Malaysia are combining together and issued a press release stating that they won't be selling latest and final instalment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bookstores, namely MPH, Popular, Harris and Times said their actions were due to the heavy discounting action by 2 major hypermarkets, namely Tesco and Carrefour who were selling at RM69.90 way much lower than the RM109.90 made available at the 4 major bookstores.

I found that such practice by the 4 major bookstores sum up to being a cartel, hoarding the sale and maintaining a price in a monopolistic way. C'mon, is the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs realising this hoarding business tactic. No business ethics at all. It's up to Tesco and Carrefour to sell at a price they like even though at a loss. This is what we called BUSINESS!

It was important to note that the book distributor, Penguin, had sold at the same price to all buyers and the 4 major bookstores were trying to cover their exhorbitant pricing at RM109.90.

Can you imagine Golden Screen Cinemas closing its cinemas for the day if it found out that Cathay Cineplexes was selling its tickets at a much lower price. It's up to Cathay Cineplexes' management decision to market at a different pricing as they may have other business synergy too. I really found it so perplexed by the 4 major bookstores' decision to stop selling the books.

This is to confirm that their moves are monopolistic and hoarding the books to maintain a price. It's just the same actions by those companies who were selling sugar where they tried to hoard the goods and caused shortages in order to push up the market price. RIDICULOUS!

I really wish the 4 major bookstores would follow the examples of UK bookstores who faced similar scenario. Leading UK supermarkets were selling the books at 4.99 pounds compared to those being sold at 17.99 pounds by major bookstores. But did those major bookstores went on strike like ours in Malaysia? NO!
Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Penguin, JK Rowling, MPH, Popular, Harris, Times, Tesco, Carrefour

Friday, July 20, 2007

Death of Common Sense

Tags: Common Sense

US$660 Million Settlement for Sexual Abuse

A shocking US$660 million sum was decided as the settlement figure for the controversial sexual abuse case involving 508 individuals (plaintiffs) against the Los Angeles Roman Catholic diocese.

Apparently, those priests and members of Catholic orders, responsible for the sinful acts, may not be held accounted for it as the diocese would be the guilty party in the legal case. Wonder whether real justice was done.

Who's going to pay for that staggering US$660 million:-
- US$250 million would be paid by the archdiocese;
- US$227 million by insurers;
- US$60 million by religious orders whose priests and brothers are accused of perpetrating some of the abuse; and
- US$123 million from “other sources,” including religious orders “not yet participating” in the settlement.

But would the settlement soothe the victims' hearts? One of the victim attributed his alcoholism, aggression, depression and two broken marriages, in part, to the abuse and the years of suppressing the memories. It was not easy for the victims after all these years.

People really wondered how could so many religious persons at a single diocese could have committed such an act. The end time is really coming.
Reading: After Abuse Settlement, an Apology to Victims - New York Times

Tags: Roman Catholic, Catholic, Priest, Los Angeles, Archdiocese, Diocese, Sexual Abuse, Religious

Pattaya International Fireworks Festival

Pattaya is definitely firing up its presence internationally. Covid19 has hit many nations really hard and Pattaya wasn't exempted from ...