Ikea To Start Selling Cars?

Ikea, famous for being the furniture retailer that allows you to purchase certain goods at much lower price as the setting up of those furnitures will be done by your goodself.

In view of the current world economy, rumours are out that Ikea could be involved in selling cars at a much lower price. Good news at last that cars would be cheaper.

If they are selling it, I won't worry about the spare parts as they always stock it up right up to the warehouse ceiling.

All you need is just one allen key, provided in the package.
Tags: Ikea, Allen Key, Ikea Selling Car

Cinema Ticket Price To Increase 100%?

I'm sure most cinemagoers are paying around RM9 to RM12 per person per movie nowadays. That is not the only thing you have to pay when you go for a cinema show. You need to pay for the car park, the snacks to be consumed while watching the movie, the meal (lunch or dinner) to be consumed in the shopping centre and if you go with the family, guess how much would be the total cost of watching a movie shown in a cinema located in a shopping centre. Could be around RM100 for a family of four.

I would say that majority of the moviegoers would be watching foreign produced movies rather than locally produced. Reason will be basically - huge cost of production movie with famous movie stars.

How are you going to challenge such foreign produced movie then? Easy! Increase the cinema ticket price for such movies beyond the reach of the common folks. Maintain the cinema ticket price for locally produced movies and you'll get a stream of moviegoers watching locally produced movies.

That's the plan of the Malaysian Film Producers Association. Their idea of increasing the price will be detrimental to foreign produced movies, the Hollywood origin in specific, as the targetted price of RM20 will be too much to bear for many people.

Firstly, just go to the queue and see who are the current cinemagoers. Majority would be youngsters from the teenagers to the young adults. They could be watching up to four movies a month and imagine the cost of doing so by then.

Driving them away from the cinemas will drive them to get entertainment of a cheaper mode. Guess what would be the alternative then?

The local production companies are unable to wrestle / match / improve compared with the Hollywood produced movies and now, they have thought of this brilliant idea ................. kill them off by making their movies unaccessible.

Instead of raising their own standards or even increase the budget for producing a movie, they are gunning for an easier way out ................. simple minds and looking for easy money only but at the expense of moviegoers. They assumed that you will watch the locally produced movies when you have no other choice or making your choice limited.

Fortunately, Malaysian Film Development Corporation has mentioned that "it's a serious matter which involves government approval and not just the film industry people, rest assured that no decision will be taken without due consideration".

One thing for sure, the pirated dvd sellers are already ensuring that their production lines will be ready the moment the cinema ticket price is confirmed at RM20. The pirated dvds are available throughout Malaysia at a price of RM7 per movie. Compare that to a total cost of RM100 a family of four has to pay to watch a single movie, that too at the current price.

The efforts to clamp down on pirated goods would be futile after years of making in-roads.

Alternatively, Malaysians who are internet savvy will be downloading tons of Hollywood movies day in day out. Whether it's legal or not, Malaysians were left with limited choices.

Well, I'm not asking everyone to go for pirated dvds or start downloading. Definitely there will be one or two marvellous locally produced movies of which I have seen a number on my own. That's only one or two per year. That's all. If I'm going to watch one or two local movies per year (assuming I can't afford the RM20 ticket), this will cause major problems to the local cinemas.

Cinemas will start to close down, food outlets opened near the cinemas will experience lower sales, lesser people will throng the shopping centres .............. with the current world economy, we better analyse the cost and benefit analysis with lots of details first before making this decision.

Just when BIG cinema is intending to open dozens of cinemas and now this issue.

Lots of people are giving their opinions (or a piece of their mind) in a forum found in Cinema Online in particular on this same issue.
Tags: Malaysian Film Producers Association, Malaysian Film Development Corporation, Hollywood Movies, Film Industry, Malaysia Cinema, Cinema Online

Visit to a Packed Mid Valley

On early Thursday morning, I took a cab to Sentul to collect my car which was repaired and went straight into Mid Valley by 10am, which is way before any traffic that will surely happen on a public holiday.

First sighting of Christmas decoration in a shopping centre after coming back from overseas. Such pathetic life of mine eh?









Took these pictures on 1 Jan 2009 in Mid Valley and certain shops are still playing the Christmas songs .......... extended holiday season?

The Super Home Ideas Renovation Expo was the reason that brought me to Mid Valley.

In the expo, I bumped into two friends, both brothers, who didn't know that their brother was in the same shopping centre.

The expo was really packed like mad. Didn't reserve any services or products but it did give me more ideas on how to renovate my home.

I heard from one of the brothers that it was chaotic in the basement car park. Too many cars were roaming in the huge basement car park but still not enough.

When I was leaving, a car spotted me leaving and tailed me to my car. Suddenly, another car appeared from nowhere which stopped just besides me and waiting for me to leave. I wouldn't want to stay to see what's going to happen to that two drivers.
Tags: Mid Valley, Super Home Ideas

Bad Wednesday Too

After being involved in a minor accident on Tuesday noon and having sent my Myvi car into the 'hospital', I was thinking it should be alright as I have a second car, Proton Saga Hatchback.

Well, today my second car gave up on me as well. At 7.45pm, the car 'died' at the nearby food court car park. Good thing the car workshop nearby has not closed and the staff helped to push start the car which managed to start and subsequently parked right in front of their workshop. As the car will not be able to start again, it's better to park at their place rather than my condo car park ........ because they said they won't push start for me tomorrow morning ...... sigh.

The problem is not with the battery or the spark plugs (as they have tried to jump start with another battery and checked the spark plugs). With this, they said it should be the starter's (ignition) problem. Tomorrow morning, hopefully they can contact a spare part supplier that is opened that can send the spare part over to be fixed into my car.

New Year's eve is currently being spent in front of the TV and had to give a miss to my church's watchnight service at 9pm till midnight ......................... looks like I have to give a miss to the home exhibition at Mid Valley tomorrow too and visit it on Friday then.

The new year better come fast.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Related post - Bad Tuesday

Tags: Happy New Year 2009, Proton Saga Hatchback, Car Starter, Car Ignition

Bad Tuesday

Hopefully the year 2008 will be a gooooooooooooooood bye.

Early today during noon time, was in the city centre and while on my way back home, I was asking myself whether to use the smart tunnel or the usual non-toll road. Seeing no cars on the ramp going towards Sungai Besi, I decided to use the non-toll road and the thought of saving RM2.

While on the middle lane, I thought of going to the fast lane on my right and I made the decision to do so. The moment I went on the fast lane, a motorcycle zig zag between me and the front car. This motorcycle went passed us and out of a sudden, a car from the opposite decided to make a u-turn (right below the overhead bridge coming from Istana Negara to Sungai Besi) which surprised the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist seeing the car (a Honda Accord anyway) coming out, decided to swerve and swayed in panic mode.

The car right in front of me panicked too and decided to jam his break as he was afraid that the motorcyclist may fall right in front of him.

I saw how the motorcyclist reacted at the same time and was thinking that the motorcyclist was just swaying frantically due to his high speed and trying to avoid the car that was trying to make a u-turn. The Honda car seeing the motorcycle stopped moving but it was too late.

The car in front of me jammed his brake and me tooooooooooooooooooooooo. Skidded and kissed his backside. Mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn and when I looked at my rear mirror, a small size lorry was coming at me too. Thank God he turned real fast and drove up into the grass divider and he was saved. Otherwise, I could be sandwiched in between the front car and the lorry at the back. Actually, the car in front of me need not jammed his brake as he could just brake and move slowly instead but ...................... ah never mind.

All the above happened in a fraction of a second. No time to react.

Got down and saw the front car (Proton Persona) having scratches on his bumper but my Myvi (that belongs to my sis) was badly dented in the middle only. Front lamps were ok but the bonnet came up a bit. The

The motorcyclist and Honda car were nowhere to be seen. The lorry driver drove his way back to the road. I apologised to the malay driver of the Proton Persona profusely and he was grateful in not claiming against me .............. haha .... that could be after seeing his bumper has scratches only and mine was bad. He said he can't help it in braking. I told him I'm sorry as I didn't expect him to brake totally. It has happened.

Drove straight to my friend's car workshop in Sentul and the mudguard fella was there at the same time.

Outcome:-
- need to get new bonnet RM250
- knocking at the front of the car and bumper / metallic paint / adjust certain parts - RM500

RM750 gone just like that and no thanks to the motorcyclist ........... or should I have taken the smart tunnel in the first place .......... hehe. Will get my car back tomorrow night. Thank God no one was hurt.

Ahhhhhhhhh upon reaching home from the workshop via taxi (RM11), went up to my condo and tried to take off my leather shoes ................. guess what, as I was holding the sole, it came off when I tried to take off one of the shoes .......... what a day!

Not being superstitious, I was very careful as I walked out to the shoplots for my meal later on ...... haha. Maybe didn't pray much enough for God's protection. Took for granted.

So, good bye to 2008 and looking ahead to year 2009. Happy New Year!
Tags: Accident, Motorcycle, Car Workshop, Sentul, Proton Persona, Honda Accord, Myvi

Burger King Launched New Perfume

Which Burger King? I'm referring to the only Burger King that you are familiar with all this while, the one that serves you those Whopper burgers.

Yes, they have 'diversified' into the fashion industry but this time the smell of it is to be desired, not the taste.

The limited edition eau de Whopper new perfume launched by Burger King is called Flame and it's being retailed by Ricky's in New York City at a price of US$3.99 for the 5ml bottle.

Since it was a limited edition, those who had gotten it earlier is selling it in eBay at a price of US$19.99.

If your darling (be it guy or girl) or your spouse do enjoy eating at Burger King outlets and favour that burger smell, it's time you get this limited edition ....... at whatever cost.

It will change their mood during that 'special' intimate time ......... hehe

Burger King has produced a website just for this launch - Fire Meets Desire.

I really wonder kind of real value behind all this new perfume. What synergy will it give to Burger King?

Personally, I find their food price listing sooooooooooooo expensive.
Tags: Burger King, Whopper, Flame, Ricky's, Fire Meets Desire, Perfume

Christmas 1,000

This post will be quite heavy with photos. I was in church compound by 10.30am for the 11am event. Most of my friends were there by 9am for the preparatory works. I can't help it as I only managed to sleep at 6am plus due to adjustment to time zone difference.

The registration counters were packed by the time I arrived. One thousand guests and chuch members. Not easy to handle such crowd.

The long stretch of tables with 28 large tents.

You better had remembered your table number, else all the best in the hunt.

The people were streaming from both ends of the tents depending on where were you directed to park.

The big trees on the stretch of road do help to create a cooling effect.

The sound equipment was not spared but sound quality wasn't that good on both ends of the tents.

Being Malaysians, the Malaysian timing applies in whatever function.

Mr. Clown was there too.

The Praise and Worship team took the stage at the beginning with a few songs.

Next was the youth that took centrestage dancing to the tunes of two songs, one of which was from the High School Musical collection.

Our Chinese church never disppoint us with their presentation that includes a bit of dramatisation of the meaning of Christmas.

Our African brothers and sisters came up to present their dance number, of which majority are from Nigeria.

Next group of African brothers and sisters belting their two songs. Thank God for their contribution to the event.

What do we have for the lunch. There was fried rice, fried chicken, fish fillet in tomato sauce, spaghetti, vegie and sramble eggs. A plate of roast lamb was served on the table too.

The African contingent had a separate food menu. Seen here that they were rushing to fill those food containers just before the call for serving of lunch.

There it goes, green light was given. There were many food stations ......... good planning for that.

At another part of food stations.

The African food station.

In the middle of the event, team members were still trying to resolve various issues.

These were the big eaters sweeping the rest of the food ............. at another food station.

Children participating in a contest where they had to gather as many keys as possible to win Jusco cash vouchers. The winner had 91 keys (if not mistaken).

Towards the end, the team members gathered to eat after serving guests earlier. Those in yellow uniform were our security guards or traffic wardens for the day.

The last game for the day, kids were to bring along one of the parents to dance together (simple as we just want to give away gifts but must work for it lah).

Three months of planning, over in three hours plus - quoted by my senior pastor.

As quite a large number of church members stayed back to clean the area, everything was taken care of in about thirty minutes.

Sweepers, rubbish collectors, table / chairs movers, dismantling of decors and keeping musical instruments back in church ..... and a photographer .... haha.

A small talk arose - Christmas 2,000 for next year?

Related post - Christmas Community Lunch for 1,000

Tags: Christmas, Praise City Church, Christmas 1000, Christmas Community Lunch