Misinterpretation of country marketing and its desasterous consequences, part 1: Political incorrectness and why do I have to write such long titles?

I am re-visiting my own post here on the recession issue in view of the "global crisis". What I am suggesting here, though not said out loud might be perceived as politically highly incorrect. Anyway:

Check this online article: Read the last paragraph:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/27/asia/AS-GEN-Singapore-Population.php

Eight months later:
http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/sutra361096.html&sid=59f51d52543d3fdcd196691d0be16a0b
and
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/news/2008/11/1794/movers-services-in-demand-as-expats-leave-or-downg

East vs. West

Food. Equally important in the East as in the West. Tore has this post on his blog http://toreclaesson.blogspot.com/2008/11/good-morning-new-york.html talking about the small stalls where you buy your breakfast in New York. The interesting bit is that he says that the vendor will know exactly what you want to eat. Despite the millions of customers each day.

Here is an experience I have made (Hey, I am not saying this is the case everywhere across Asia. Just a personal experience) : Even after years the shop keeper still doesn't what I want. For 2 years I have frequented a certain eating place at least 1 time per week. Every (!) time I have had the same dish with the same drink. That is about 104 times the same order.

Here it comes: Even after 104 times ordering THE EXACT same thing and having the money counted out EXACTLY, I still had to tell'em. And everytime the only thing that they said was "6,30". No more, no less...Amazing thought is the fact that it was always the same shop assistant. Don't they ever get sick, have a day off, take a lunch break or need to go to the ceramic showroom (The toilet)????

Mei ya huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu May ya heeee (Also awailable in Vietnamese, Mandarin, Korean and As Bin Laden version) Numa Numa yeah

Design Centre Abu Ghraib

I am sure, this is what they do in Abu Ghraib these days. Last night I came back from Singapore on a bus. The seat must have been designed in the former torture prison in Abu Graib. This is what they specialised in, right?

Being an average sized person, it was impossible for me to find a position on the seat that did not hurt, cut off blood streams or have something sharp poking into my ribs. After 6 hours on the bus I am basically ready to confess the assasination of Cesar and JFK.

Perversions of an awesome song

Took me a day to find the original. Go have a beer or two. Gather in a crowd of some half drunken people. Then play this (loud): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdb0B3Ib2gE&feature=related

An amazing song as you don't have to know the lyrics and get's the crowd moving. Lyrics don't make sense to most of the planet anyway. Actually great when you are too drunk to remember anything. Just yell some guttaral noises that sound somewhat like the original. mai ya hiiiii mei yah huuuuu

Then there are these perversions of this otherwise awesome song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3lXZT7PFY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEkrwYs_M0

And of course... the money making pop machine could not help it but to pervert it too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wBMO9vojrM

Luckily others are doing it to R+++++a's songs too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz5bxV8RKXw

Rock on!

Starbucks - My second office

If you think Starbucks is a place where you just go and chill out, having a coffee... Here is the reality: Starbucks is a second office for many business people in Asia. To me it is a rather strange thought to discuss your life insurance, business plan and retirement fund in a (more than) public place, but well...

I am currently sitting in one, simply because they offer "free" wireless internet access. You still have to purchase something ( mints, 5,00Ringgit). There are about 15 tables, on 12 you find laptops, 10 laptops are being operated by guys with suits.

Let me talk to them. Here is an value added service they can offer: Postal address for businesses. So you can receive your mail here as well.

I am adding this half an hour after the above portion:
You have to realise that Starbucks, your second office, has one HUGE disadvantage: Noise:
Everytime the door opens the entire crew behind the counter yells: HELLLOOOO WELLLLKKKKKAMMMM!
There is some music in the background. Too bad it is stuff that makes you feel suicidal. Glad they don't sell ropes here. Naturally, the 12 guys mentioned above do all their business on the mobile.
Actually, I bet that you would need to wear earmuffs in this noise level according to German Health and Safety regualtions. What? Can't HELLLOOOO WELLLLKKKKKAMMMM! hear you.

Recession - What Recession?

Different definitions for the term "Recession" exist. However, there is one thing they have in common. A time factor.

From Wikipedia: "Some business & investment glossaries add to the general definition a rule of thumb that recessions are often indicated by two consecutive quarters of negative growth."

China has posted a lesser growth of (only haha) 9.4% for 2008.

Ok, growth less than expected is still (positive) GROWTH. How can there be a recession if a) there is no negative growth and b) not over 2 quarters..???

Can we all please stop talking about a recession for the next 4 - 5 month and THEN see if we really are in a recession?? With China just injecting 600 Billion (Waaaaaaaaaaah) Euro into their economy, I am sure there won't be such thing as a recession, if there ever was any.

Perhaps I should post that I am rich. Maybe I will be in 15 years. But I could already start saying it, right?

Coolest Traffic Light Ever

This is about the cutest, coolest and best ever traffic light. Even if you are colour-blind you will understand what is what. Sorry for the bad quality. During the day it is too bright, so you won''t see a thing and this is taken with a camera phone. Or is it a phone camera? The intersections in Hong Kong are also very cool, with their TINK - tink - TINK - tink... (TINK is where you stand, the ting is not as loud as it is the one on the other side of the street). You know what they call traffic lights in South Africa? ROBOTS! Guys, don't you ever watch Terminator!!!

Nomen est omen

I am not sure if I want to buy from this shop... :-)

For those in doubt, go grab a dictionary and have a giggle.

Just wondering if their floral arrangements have similarly "fanny" names. Pun intendet!

I am actually happy that my parents spent some time on this issue. Stefan is an old name deriving from ancient Greek and means “The crowned (King)”. Originally the name was Stephanus and was spread in honour of the martyr Stephanus.

Can't go wrong with that one, can we?

Die Kruege hoch!

Third year in a row. Marco Polo Biefest in Hong Kong (Oktoberfest abroad). Kersten and Roland invited me over to spend time with them at this festival. The Marco Polo hotel is organizing it for the 16th year by now or something. The German food was good, the beer cold and the songs the same as the past years: www.gbfhk.com .

This year we actually broke a record: we managed to infect people around us with our Bierlaune and we got a bench into motion, joining us im Schunkeln.

The surroundings are amazing as one can see the Skyline of Hong Kong on one side, the newly developed ICC on the other.

I have shot some pictures of the band, but they are ... umpf, maybe not appropiate (18 rating). Send me a message and I will let you have it. The last act of the band is somewhat special...

Doggie treats

Kuala Lumpur is said to be a place that you can explore by foot. Well, the city center that is I guess. Where we stay, there is little incentive to walk. Lack of pedestrian ways, construction sites and no real view... Parks.. unheard of. Every square inch of this place is currently being converted into "luxury" condominiums. Instead of his daily round to the swiss bakery (not with my ulterior motive of grabbing some Broetchen), Spike now gets a weekly dose of waking up way too early ( 7:30 on a Sunday !!!) and being forced to run around in an abandoned parking lot. But he looks realy excited, sitting in the car and staring at other people in cars or the shops we pass. I will let you have my thoughts on the "Luxury" part above in my next post.