AirAsia X’s London Offer

AirAsia X announced that it would fly to London in 2009. A round trip would cost an average of RM1,200.

I was disappointed by the news. We all know that the price advertised by the budget airline is always the minimum price. The actual amount paid by the passengers can be significantly higher. Given that I am reluctant to book my flight 6 months in advance, I doubt I can fly to the British capital and back for under RM2,000 – still not affordable.

There is another concern: the date of the flight is fixed. Assuming that I actually pay RM2,000 for a round trip. Then, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I couldn’t make it. Unlike a ‘full fare’ flight with conventional airlines, change of date is not allowed. I would lose all the money I have paid in advance. Shall I take the risk?

London - dream on...

When times are bad, these jobs are good

First we have subprime crisis. Then we have high crude oil price. Now even the food prices have skyrocketed. Forbes published a list of jobs that are supposed to have great potential during this bad time. They are:

Bankruptcy and foreclosure lawyer

Pawn shops

Farm equipment auctioneers

Securities and commodities sales agents

Risk management and reputation consultants

Job recruiters or headhunters

Debt collectors

Recovery agent

I believe education for adults also have great potential as we seek to ‘upgrade’ our skills. Restaurants which serve affordable food should also be recession-proof.

Anyone interested in opening a pawn shop? I want to invest.

Recovery Agent at work

Carnation vs. the Environment

This is May 11, 2008 – Happy Mother’s Day.

Many Malaysians buy carnations for their mothers as a sign of filial love. According to a newspaper source, most of the carnations sold in this country were imported from Kunming, China.

If environmentalists know about it, they would have made noise. According to them, aircraft is a major source of carbon dioxide. The carnations, I believe, were air-freighted from China.

It is not easy to be green, huh?

So perhaps next year Malaysians should only send e-carnation to their mothers. That is, provided that your mom is internet-savvy.

And guys, please send e-rose to your girls on February 14.

Carnation - culprit of global warming?

P/S This blogger is getting very frustrated as every thing we do contributes to global warming.

Mobile Phone Advice Needed

I am planning to replace my 5-year old mobile phone. (Phew, 5 years is like eternity in the digital age!) I appreciate it should my fellow bloggers would give me advice by answering the following questions:

1. What mobile phone do you have?
2. What do you like about it?
3. What do you dislike about it?

Thank you for your kind assistance.

Am I Too Fussy?

In one of posts, I voice my discontent over AirAsia’s “no outside food” policy. (Click here to read.)

Most Malaysians who have flied with AirAsia – including this blogger – are grateful of the budget airline. AirAsia has made air travel affordable. So, why do I complain? Am I too fussy?

I guess this has to do with the fact that I am an MBA student, and had spent some time in the U.S. Many Americans dislike Microsoft even though the software giant – together with IBM and Intel – pioneered personal computing. Americans also dislike Wal-Mart – the world’s largest retailer – even though its “Everyday Low Price” policy benefits consumers.

Americans are unhappy with Microsoft and Wal-Mart because they have so much control over us. Microsoft is now pressuring us to upgrade to Windows Vista, which many people think is worse than XP. Wal-Mart’s dominance is achieved at the expense of its employees who receive low wages and mom-and-pop stores which can’t compete.

Americans don’t trust the authorities. Asians fear and respect the authorities.

Perhaps I am too fussy. Or perhaps I have a more progressive thinking than other AirAsia’s passengers.

What do these companies have in common?

P/S Why did many Malaysian voters support opposition party in the last election? Should we not be grateful of Barisan Nasional?

Images of My Hometown

Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia...

The bridge over Perak River...


A closer look...


Perak River...


Oldest rubber tree in Malaysia, since 1877...


...

柏杨走了

《丑陋的中国人》作者柏杨最近逝世。

我是华校生，自小被中华文化洗脑。中学时阅读柏杨的书，当时在想：“太夸张了！中国人不丑陋，柏杨才丑陋。”

大学时我接触了佛教，然后又在美国住了一年。随着视野增广，想法也慢慢改变。我开始觉得：柏杨‘唱衰’中国人，并非没有道理。

柏杨逝世，许多大马知名人士，包括董教总的沈慕羽，都表惋惜，这令我感到惊讶。近年来中国崛起，大马华裔都以身为华人感到自豪，大家都认为中国的五千年文化是最优越的。像沈慕羽这一类保守派人物，又怎会欣赏柏杨的作品呢？

Boycott Grocery Stores?

Buy produce from local farmers rather than at the grocery store. Not only will your foods be fresher, they won't have made a gas-guzzling cross-country journey just to get to you.

(Source: Kiplinger - Going Green on the Cheap)

Environmentalists are idealists.

They tell us to buy produce from local farmers rather than from grocery stores. The idea is that grocery stalls may get its produce from distant farms, thus contributing to higher level of carbon dioxide emission.

Consider this hypothetical example: The nearest grocery store from your home is 1 km away. The nearest farm is 20 km away. Are you going to drive all the way to the farm to make your purchase?

Next, assume that the grocery store purchases 100 kg of vegetables from a distant farm that is 50 km away. You drive to the nearest farm – 20 km from your home – to buy 2 kg of veggies. Are you sure you have helped to reduced CO2 emission?

Further assume that you are a very busy person. You work from 9am to 7pm everyday, and are stuck in traffic jam for up to 2 hours. On weekend you attend part time MBA class. Where do you prefer to do your shopping?

Assume again that your sibling owns a grocery store. Do you support the call by the environmentalists to buy directly from farmers?

While we may buy produce fresh from farm, we may store them in refrigerator for up to a week. In the end we are still not eating them fresh. Remember that we drive 20km to get to the nearest farm. We are not going to buy just enough for the day.

Green campaigns have to be practical. They must balance the interests of multiple groups involved, including, in my example above, the grocery stores. Otherwise such campaigns will not win widespread support and doomed to fail.