Besides Boycotting, Quit Too

The call to boycott USA related goods and services by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir, was echoed by some muslim associations. The associations have called for the boycott to commence on Friday, 9 Jan 2009.

First and foremost, the attack on Gaza Strip has stripped the peacefulness and livelihood of those people residing there. I value human lifes and it's human lifes that we must be concerned about.

With deep respect for the former Prime Minister, I'm deeply concerned with his latest call - Quit your jobs, Dr M tells McDonald's, Starbucks workers.

At this point of economic concern even in Malaysia, the former leader simply called for people to quit their jobs from McDonald's and Starbucks. He is so rich and it was soooo easy just to say that without even thinking. But I think it's so selfish.

Recently, I have spoken to a top personnel from one of the main retail centres in Kuala Lumpur. Her view was that the retail industry would be able to withstand the economic downturn but those involved in the retail industry would be prudent and would tighten their belts.

Another person that I have spoken to is from the information technology industry and the comment was that their industry should be able to hold on at the moment. Still optimistic but would watch their expenses too.

Retrenchment exercises have happened already.

And our former leader suggested people to quit?

I have no interest in any businesses and from my viewpoint, if we quit the jobs and started to boycott the related / linked USA companies, then those companies will definitely shut down forever.

Who else will employ these people who have quit? Tun Dr Mahathir? The present government?

Both McDonald's and Starbucks are owned franchise businesses owned by Malaysians. Are we hitting the Malaysians or the nation of USA? McDonald's and Starbucks are owned by private investors in USA, not the USA government.

By the way, I have one question - why only McDonald's and Starbucks were mentioned specifically? What about 1901 Hot Dog, A&W, Baskin-Robbins, Burger King, California Pizza Kitchen, Carl's Jr, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Domino's Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Kenny Rogers Roasters, KFC, Long John Silver's, Pizza Hut, Scholtzsky's Deli, Shakey's, Subway, T.G.I.F., Wendys and Yoshinoya (anymore?).

This will definitely kill their fast food industry and without fail, ours too. These workers in the fast food industry can then join the estimated 60,000 unemployed Malaysians.

Is Malaysia the only nation that is going on this path?

I have blogged about those related / linked goods and services under Boycotting of Products/Services (I) and Boycotting of Products/Services (II) detailing what could happened if the boycott was successful.

I wonder what will the present Prime Minister has to say this time. He did say, during Israel's attack on Lebanon two years back, that we should think deeply first and told the people not to talk big only.

Let's ask this question before we start boycotting - will our boycott really affect USA (the government should be the main target) or will it hit Malaysia big time and drag our nation into deep recession?

Why not do it at the maximum and boycott the following:-
* Microsoft, Linux
* Dell, HP, Compaq, Apple, IBM (be it mobile, notebook, desktop, server)
* Intel, AMD
* Blogspot, Wordpress

Might as well kick all the USA companies out from the Multimedia Super Corridor as there are too many of them.

My 2 cents!
Tags: Boycott, Boycott USA, Israel, Gaza Strip, McDonald's, Starbucks

The State of Stock Market

Even though we are in the Year of the Ox according to the chinese lunar calender, stock market punters haven't seen a good strong market rally yet.

Maybe the the ox's cousin, the bull, hasn't wake up from its deep sleep from late last year.

Related post - Main Cause of Stock Exchange Meltdown
Tags: Stock Market, Year of the Ox, Chinese Lunar Calender

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

The movies entitled Underworld (box office revenue of US$95,708,457) and its sequel, Underworld: Revolution (box office revenue of US$111,340,801), were marvellous and full of suspense. With the success of the first two movies, the prequel has to be produced.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans will be shown worldwide generally on 23 January 2009. This movie will depict the war between the Vampires / Werewolves / Humans. Will this movie be the last of the Underworld series?

Nuffnang has somehow managed to arrange for a premiere movie screening on 20 January 2009 at Cineleisure Damansara. Thanks to Buena Vista Columbia Tristar Malaysia and Sony Pictures, Nuffnangers would be able to watch the movie free provided that a blog posting such as this was notified.

The Rise of the Lycans starts Jan 09 and will be one of the major movie attractions during the coming Chinese New Year holidays.

Tags: Underworld, Underworld Rise of the Lycans, Death Dealers, Vampires, Lycans, Werewolves, Buena Vista Columbia Tristar Malaysia, Sony Pictures, Cineleisure Damansara

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