A CUT ABOVE

Kevin

You are definitely in the league of your own

A CUT ABOVE the rest

JOLLY DAY

Tis a season to be jolly.....tra lala lala lala la la....

Xmas has become a celebration for all.

Not only the Christians, but the Buddhists and the Muslims and the atheists and the Hindus in Malaysia are traversing the shopping mall this weekend looking for a little or a huge something for their loved ones.

While the parents grudgingly spend the bonus in advance, the kids are all smiles in anticipation for the Day.

More appropriately, perhaps would be....

Tis a season to be joli.....tra lala lala lala la la....

(jolly in English means festive, happy whilst joli in Malay means "enjoy by squandering!")

GHOST TOWN

En route to the "Pearl of the Orient" (I think that's what they call Penang) we stopped by in Taiping for two reasons.

One was to get some sustenance since 6 bodies were playing orchestra to the different beat and tempo in the car. Actually it was the only sound that was keeping me awake while the rest of the passengers were being lulled by my smooth driving.

And secondly, to verify that Bukit Larut is still the wettest place in Malaysia or whether KL has taken its place, given the amount of rain we get in this metropolitan city!

So, we parked our car at a cost of RM 0.50 which gave us 3 hours of parking. (Yes...it's RM 0.50 and not RM 5.00 or RM 50.00!) and off we went on an adventure in Taiping.

The town was so quiet and we could not help but notice that most of the shops were closed. Our first thought was that it was lunch time (although it was a bit too early as it was only 11.00 a.m. then) or maybe it was a holiday in Perak and we are not aware of it.

It became the topic during lunch why this town is like a Ghost Town on a weekday and none of us could come up with a justifiable answer.

While strolling back to the car, my hubby, the ever "penyibuk" one amongst us, decided to ask one of the locals what has been happening. Then it was revealed to us that the economy is so bad that it's affecting the small shops. In fact most of the shops in town have been closed for over a year now.

We were so saddened by the news that our second mission remains unaccomplished.

MADE IN ITALY

My husband, Franco wasn't born in Italy. In fact, he has only been to Italy once in his whole life -to a small town called Rende, which is actually his surname, which is also the place where his father came from. It is a village with dying population in Calabria, South of Italy.

Although he is just an Italian descendent, he takes pride in everything that is made in Italy, more than what's made in Canada, except the maple syrup, of course. From food to furnishing. If the cheese is from Italy, it has to be good. If the furniture is made there, it would be top quality. And 9 out of 10 times, he is absolutely right.

MADE IN MALAYSIA

On the other hand, I was born and bred in Malaysia. I am a true Malaysian in every sense but why can't I have the same confidence in anything that is made in Malaysia?

I remembered receiving a survey call asking some questions about the household which includes whether I have any appliances in my home that is made in Malaysia. So off I went to do the inventory while the lady waited on the phone - Tuscany oven, Lebbenstil toaster, Bosch washing machine, Fujitsu laptop, Beurer dehumidifer, Sharp microwave, JVC speakers...my last resort was the rice cooker and even that was not Made in Malaysia. I just hung up the phone as I was too embarrased to admit that I have none!

I am not trying to be a snob but the truth is we are still not as MALAYSIA BOLEH as we hope to be.

THE KILLER SHOES

"Ouch...these things are killing me."

And yet Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos are still being sought after by ladies all over the world. These shoes usually have a special shelf in the ladies' wardrobe. They are polished and kept in the box until the next use. They are talked about and compared to. They become the obsession for most women.

Medically, there is nothing good about wearing high heels. On the contrary, they give you a lot of pain on the toes, the heels, the back of the knees and along the spine!

How can something so expensive and so beautiful be so cruel?

How can anything that give you so much pain be loved that much?

The answer is simple but difficult to be comprehended by practical people, like moi.

It is all about style over substance, vanity over sanity and beauty over sensibility.

THE LANDSLIDE

A) What does it take for the authority to stop giving permit for the hillside construction?

B) What does it take for the developer to stop developing in areas prone to disaster?

C) What does it take for consumers to stop buying properties built on such location?

Another tragedy?

Nope...I don't think so. We have had a few landslide incidents involving death, property damages, personal injuries but apparently they were not sufficient reason to stop all together.

To answer the first question - possibly, a cleaner local authorities with smart, qualified people who are accountable for their action.

Secondly, the developer will always build when there is a demand. Basic economics. In Malaysia especially, where the properties are bought even before the construction begins. If the consumers show no interest or response to a particular housing project, then the developer will for sure rethink of their decision to build or not to build.

Finally, as for an individual, we have to be more savvy and do a lot more due diligence.

From an economic standpoint, the cycle starts with the consumers who create the demand. And where there is demand, there will be supply. The authority is just the opportunist in an economic chain.

So, who are we to blame?

DEWI BENCANA

"Hello, Dewi Bencana speaking."

That would be the response I would receive from Tasha when I call her on the phone now.

Such was the power of acting by Raja Azura who played in Sinbad held in Istana Budaya recently. Tasha is so enthralled by her acting and jokes that she could not stop talking about the performance.

Sinbad was played really well by a really handsome kid (by Tasha's standard) and Puteri Maisarah sang oh so beautifully.

It was a great night out for us (well...not sure about Franco as the play was in Malay).

So, well done the Malaysian Children's Theatre for putting up such a great show.