Starbucks in China

A friend of mine who just came back from China has this picture to show me. He would be joining this company in furthering their branded cafe business venture in China itself. Wish him all the best.In Indonesia, it's known otherwise - Setarbak Kopi.
Tags: China, Starbutts, Indonesia, Setarbak, Food

Sports Themed Party

After attending two parties with unique themes organised by Nuffnang, I'll be organising one too. Not for Nuffnang but for my church. In conjunction with the church's 20th anniversary, there will be a Sports theme dinner that will be held at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resort at Bukit Jalil of course, on 21 Sept 2008.

We wanted to hold it in August 2008 but the venue was fully booked and some clashes with the church's calender too. The committee has been planning for this since early part of the year. Can't recall how many of us are in the committee ........ 20?

Nah, this time I don't need to blog with captivating captions in order to qualify for a ticket. But the issue here will be the same. What am I going to wear? I thought of going to the dinner in a scuba diving suit with the air tank. But it'll be too hot and heavy to walk around with that tank throughout the night.

All committee members are supposed to dress in referee or umpire's clothing. We have given notice that only one sport will not be allowed to be represented, the swimming category.....hehe.

We had started the tickets sales last Sunday and we planned for 50 tables. On that first Sunday, we have sold 27 tables. 23 tables to go. The cost per pax is RM50 now and all proceeds will go back to organising the dinner. We are putting up tremendous games (prizes for winners?) and door gifts (gotten a number of samples already). At this point of worldwide high inflation, RM50 is very reasonable.

There should be prizes for the best dressed guy and girl. Really want to see what sort of efforts will they put in.

I'm in charge of the games for that night with some crazy fellas in the team. Must have torturing and humiliating games for them ........... haha. And if any Nuffnangers are keen to attend, please let me know.

More on this sports theme dinner from time to time.

Related post - Another party theme?
Tags: Party Theme, Sports Theme, Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resort, Bukit Jalil, Nuffnangers

No Barriers Between Children

Malaysia's multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religion are really unique on this face of the earth owing to its three major races and various minority races. Young children growing up in school could have friends from various ethnic backgrounds. Lots to learn for children besides their school lessons.

The kids at school mix around with all kids without any barriers. In their pure and innocent minds, every single kid is their best friend. For instance as seen in the following video clip:-



The little boy by the name of Tan Hong Ming was asked the question of who is your girlfriend, Ummi Qazrina, but he was shy to answer as he thinks that she doesn't like him. When the little girl was asked the same question she responded that Tan Hong Ming was her boyfriend.

This commercial video clip was put up by Petronas, the Malaysian national oil company, in conjunction with the Malaysia's 50th Independence Year in 2007. The production tried to put up something related to "whose best friend is someone from another ethnic group".

The reaction shown by both kids caught the eyes of many judges in various advertising awards festivals throughout the world. The world has seen too many ethnic hatred or commotions and are fed up with it. When they saw such genuine friendship shown between two kids from two different ethnic background, the judges just have to reward this short video clip for its strong message. A message that many people thought has vanished into thin air.

The video clip has won the following accolades:-
* Cannes Lions Gold in the film category of the Cannes Lions 55th International Advertising Festival held in Cannes, France

* Gold awards for Best Television Commercial and Best Film Direction at the annual 29th Malaysian Advertising Awards (Kancil Awards Festival) held in Kuala Lumpur

* Top prize at the Asia-Pacific Advertising Festival (Adfest 2008) held in Pattaya, Thailand

We can see that such kids have pure and innocent minds but along the way, their minds were corrupted while progressing in their studies up to the university level.

Corrupted in what ways?
That there are lines to be drawn when it comes to ethnic relationship. Politicians have played a terrible role in this area condemning Malaysia into having huge gaps between different ethnic backgrounds. Ethnic or racial or religious are often stirred up just for political purposes for their own selfish gains.

In one hand, a major state-owned company was trying to put things right for the nation but on the hand, the politicians are screwing the public. When will they learn that a peaceful nation will prosper and succeed in whatever they embark on.

Reading: What the Media Spikes thought of Tan Hong Ming - The Storyteller
Tags: Tan Hong Ming, Ummi Qazrina, Petronas, Cannes Lions, Kancil Awards Festival, Asia-Pacific Advertising Festival, Advertisement, Ethnic Relation

US$ Billion Dollar Home

The world will be seeing a gigantic house or maybe you call it a building or tower come year 2009 ....... whatever you think is right.

The building in question is called Antilla, the home of Mukesh Ambani, which stands 27 storeys. Does your home has a name for it? Crazy or what? It's not the headquarters of Reliance Industries Limited conglomerate of which Mukesh is the major substantial shareholder but purely his residence.

This home or house or building is located at Mumbai, India and will be ready for occupation in January 2009, if there's no delay. This building is designed by two renowned architectural firms, namely Perkins + Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates.

Uniqueness of this building, no two floors will have the same design.





He can afford it because he's the world's fifth richest fella. So, US$2 billion for this building is nothing at all.

His family comprising his wife and three children will live there. One person one floor? The mother have to call the children by phone to locate them ......... hehe

This is the lobby that comes with nine lifts. Mukesh intention is to use his home ...... I mean errrr the building to entertain his corporate clients and friends.

Wow, I seldom find Kuala Lumpur hotels with nine lifts and this is a house. How many people are expected to throng into this house ...... err building at one go?

This is the ballroom, with chandeliers covering the ceiling. Nothing is spared. This ballroom can fit hundreds of guests at one go. The kitchen is as big as the ballroom.

How can a home be without a home theather? He went one step further. He's putting in a full range cinema.

One of the levels - lap pool, jacuzzi, yoga room, dance studios, changing rooms for men and women, gyms and a solarium with a juice bar.

And when you expect soooooooooo many people to drop in to visit you, you need a large garage. Yeah, a garage that is 6 storeys on the first six levels of the building .......... I mean home.

The next I'm thinking of right now is - how many maids or staff is Mukesh going to employ to maintain this 'home'?

The maintenance cost could be as high as a full fledge hotel.

Really wish that I could enter this unique 'home' and see it for myself and get to be pampered as a VIP guest by the staff there. That's life!

But then, India has so many poor people on any given streets. Justifiable to have such a humonguous home for self pleasure?

Reading: Inside The World's First Billion-Dollar Home - Forbes
Tags: Antilla, Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India, Architecture, Architectural Firm, Perkins + Will, Hirsch Bedner Associates, Billion Dollar Home

The Slow Turtles

A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last!

For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home.

Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.

At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'

[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves.]
Tags: Expectation, Turtle

Chinese Considered Black in Africa

Ethnic Chinese living in South Africa has been neglected for a number of years. They have been classified as whites all these years even during the apartheid period. Being classified as whites, they have lost their rights to qualify for business contracts and job promotions reserved for blacks and Indian origins. The government has changed a number of laws, especially the Broad-Based Economic Empowerment and the Employment Equity Acts, to eradicate the whites supremacy privileges.

This discrimination has ended when the South African High Court has re-classified the Chinese as blacks now. So they became Black Chinese South Africans???????? hehehehe

The court recognise the Chinese's contribution to the nation and by virtue of this re-classification, they are now part of South Africa origins.

In Malaysia, it's a totally different story. As of today, the ethnic Chinese and Indians are still considered immigrants and their privileges are different. There are fixed quotas for their various businesses and education. Government policy makers at times do call for the ethnic Chinese and Indians to return to their country of origin of their ancestors if they were not happy with the government's policies. See how nincompoop are those people who call for such actions.

Ethnic Chinese and Indians, for some, are already into the 10th generation living in Malaysia but government policy makers asked them to return back to country of origin ........ I really laughed out at these people, all the time.

What South Africa has done is really humane, logic and reasonable. Their decision to make this change is to see a pragmatic growth strategy that aims to realise the country's full economic potential. Malaysia?????

Reading: S Africa Chinese 'become black' - BBC News/Africa
Tags: South Africa, Chinese South African, Broad-Based Economic Empowerment and the Employment Equity Acts, Malaysia, Ethnic Chinese, Ethnic Indian, South Africa High Court

Hold on to Your Luggage Bag in Airports

I travel quite heavily two to three years back and each time I travel I will split my personal belongings into two luggage bags. In case, one gets lost I would still have spare underwear in my handheld luggage bag.

My mom would always tell me to be careful with my bags. The big luggage bad is normally checked in, so it was not within my control and always pray that it would arrive safely at my final destination. See how insecured I felt as an airline passenger after seeing so many of my colleagues/friends experiencing such event.

Most of the time I would travel alone and I don't leave my bag lying around without the corner of my eye having a sight of it. When I'm in the airport lounge, at times you don't get a table near the food counters and I would grab a few magazines to be put on top of it while I quickly zoom to the food counter.

Upon arrival at the final destination's airport, I would usually keep an eye on my luggage bag at the carousel. Even if I was standing further down the carousel, I would wait patiently for my bag. Wouldn't want someone to pry open the bag to insert something into it and put it back onto the carousel without you knowing it.

I don't take things for granted, call it kiasu or too careful. The old folks would always say "Don't carry other people's bags even for a moment".

Imagine a guy who held on to his luggage bags was almost framed for carrying drugs into Japan. The Japan Customs Department has the cheek to insert a small packet of cannabis into a traveller's luggage bag and the reason for doing so was to test their sniffer dogs capability in detecting such drugs.

The Cathay Pacific passenger, coming in from Hong Kong, didn't even notice that the drugs were planted in his luggage bags when he was collecting his luggage bags at the carousel and upon passing the immigration and customs counters, nothing happened. The stupid dogs didn't even get to sniff anything and the passenger disappeared into thin air.

The relevant government personnels held frantic searches for this traveller and managed to retrieve the drugs the following day at the traveller's hotel. What an embarassment!

What if the dog managed to sniff it? Do you mean the traveller will have to go through the hundreds of eyes staring at him when the dog starts to bark? Do we, as unsuspecting passengers, need to go through such humiliation just because you need to train your dogs?

Can't anyone from the Japan Customs Department be called to just walk pass the dogs? Seriously, I really wonder what kind of logic they have in their minds for getting unsuspecting passengers to play that role. You mean that the dog could differentiate whether that person was actually a customs officer in disguise or a real passenger.

Reading: Japan says sorry for planting drugs on passenger - The Age
Tags: Drugs, Drugs Sniffer Dog, Japan, Japan Customs, Cathay Pacific, Cannabis