Mindless Choping

I recently called into McDonalds at Harbourfront Singapore and despite the outlet being less than half full I noticed people leaving their bags on seats to reserve them.
 
This strange practice is common place in Singapore and is known as chopping.

Considering that the place was pretty empty I cannot fathom out why these people are compelled to do this.

Some people here seem to lack real common sense here because Singapore maybe pretty safe but there is no way I’d leave my bags, phone or other valuables laying around.

Is it any wonder that that some people are easy targets when they travel overseas if they like to leave their items laying around unattended.
 

The cheapest Guinness in Malaysia…. sort of!

I recently came across this and it make me laugh. I’m not sure where it originated from but anybody who isn't a fan of the Air Asia extra charges should read this……

Spare a thought for Uncle Tony F, Chief Executive of ‘Cheapo Carrier Asia…….

Arriving in a hotel in KL Sentral he went to the bar and asked for a pint of draught Guinness. The barman nodded and said, “That will be one Ringgit please, Uncle Tony.”

Somewhat taken aback, Uncle Tony replied, “That’s very cheap,” and quickly handed over his money. “Well, we try to stay ahead of the competition”, said the barman. “And we are serving free pints every Wednesday evening from 6 until 8. We have the cheapest draught in Asia”

“That is remarkable value” Uncle Tony comments.
“I see you don’t seem to have a glass, so you’ll probably need one of ours. That will be three Ringgit please”.

Uncle Tony scowled, but paid up.

He took his drink and walked towards a seat. “Ah, you want to sit down?” said the barman. “That’ll be an extra two Ringgit You could have pre-book the seat, and it would have only cost you a Ringgit” “I think you may to be too big for the seat sir, can I ask you to sit in this frame please”

Uncle Tony attempts to sit down but the frame is too small and when he can’t squeeze in he complains “Nobody would fit in that little frame”.

“I’m afraid if you can’t fit in the frame you’ll have to pay an extra surcharge of four Ringgit for your seat sir” Tony swore to himself, but paid up.

“I see that you have brought your laptop with you” added the barman. “And since that wasn’t pre-booked either, that will be another three Ringgit” Uncle Tony was so annoyed that he walked back to the bar, slammed his drink on the counter, and yelled, “This is ridiculous, I want to speak to the manager”.

“Ah, I see you want to use the counter,” says the barman, “that will be two Ringgit please.”

Uncle’s face was red with rage. “Do you know who I am?”

“Of course I do Mr F”, quips the barman with glee.

“I’ve had enough, What sort of Hotel is this? I come in for a quiet drink and you treat me like this. I insist on speaking to a manager!” said Tony F, raising his voice.

“Here is his email address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9 and 9.10 every morning, Monday to Tuesday at this free phone number. Calls are free, until they are answered, then there is a talking charge of only 10 sen per second provided you use Toon Talk using other mobile carriers would incur our normal charges of 30 Sen per second”, the barman answered coyly

“I will never use this bar again!”, exclaim the award winning CEO.

“OK Uncle , but remember, we are the only bar in Asia selling pints for one Ringgit…so that Now everyone can drink!”.

Airport Lounge Access with Priority Pass

Access to airport business lounges is typically only gained if you are an airline CIP (commercially important passenger) however throughout world there are some shared lounges which you either pay on the door, book a visit using one of the many holiday add companies or join a lounge membership scheme such as Priority Pass.

Being a regular air traveller I try to keep my time at the airport to the absolute minimum and often grab a quick snack/drink on the way though. I'm fortunate that my weekly commute is between Singapore (Changi) and Kuala Lumpur which are two very good airports.

During my usual routine which involves a quick stop here and there followed by a snack (sandwich/burger meal) which costs SGD 7-10 and if there is a queue its very rushed pitstop.

Following my recent protracted delay at Changi I started thinking that things things would be easier if I can get lounge access so that I can just sit down, relax and nibble on some snacks.

In some previous roles I was fortunate to travel business class on a regular basis and become accustomed to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse and the Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge however those privileges have long since passed.

After some research I found that the Priority Pass Membership scheme looked good and offered several membership plans based around usage including an unlimited visit plan. Some further searching led me to some discount codes which gave USD 80 discount on the first year as well as renewal making the total cost per year at USD 319.

Whilst this is no small sum I estimate that I will use the lounges 65+ times per year which equates to around USD 5 per visit.

Not all of the lounges offer alcohol however the Plaza Premium lounge has a beer tap and when a pint of beer in the bar opposite will cost around USD 10+ the Priority Pass membership starts look very good value.

Now when my wife (The Lady in Seat 12B) found out the conversation went along the lines of, you have bought what? why do you need this because the trip is only short? makan why do you need to makan at the airport, why do you  etc etc  etc......

The conversation carried on until I made it clear that any more complaints and the treasury would be carrying out an audit on expenditure at Watsons, Guardian and all the other beauty places frequented over the past 24 months following which a reluctant approval was given... sweet!

Good Service @ Hup Hoe Electrical, KL

My apartment was completed in 2008 and I needed to get some lights, in fact it was lots of lights for the multiple rooms I have. There are many lighting shops in KL so where do I start as an Englishman because it’s easy to end up paying inflated prices.

The contractor I was using at the time recommended a small simple place called Hup Hoe Electrical in Jalan Ipoh, KL and in addition this there are a couple of other electrical shops nearby so its handy location. I have to say that was initially sceptical when I walked in because it’s just a simple traditional shop but I found the service and prices good so no complaints what so ever.

Fast forward to 2011 we are having some renovation done and needed a few more lights of a similar kind to those purchased from Hup Hoe before. When I visited a few weeks ago nothing had really changed in the shop since 2008 and it was good to be recognised by their staff as a previous customer and then offered several discounts without having to ask.

In Malaysia I sometimes find that the service really sucks but at this shop was its really refreshing to find that I was both recognised and the discount was applied without asking.

Kudus to the team at Hup Hoe Electrical……

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

So today was the day that Steve Jobs sadly passed away and world lost a great leader of innovation in technology.

Whilst I’m not an owner of any Apple products and to an extent I fail to understand the hype around them I cannot dispute that that Apple have some fine products in their portfolio.

Having been born in ’72 I’ve been lucky enough to witness the birth of home computing and to an extent I’ve been an early adopter in some cases thanks to my wonderful parents. In many instances Apple have been a leader in innovation and seem to be able to deliver what people either want or will want when they see it. I also remember the years when Apple struggled somewhat and its good see them recover.

Today the mainstream media has provided almost blanket coverage to the passing of Steve and its interesting to look back at the early products as well as see a reply of the Iphone and Ipad launches and who would have predicted a phenomenal success that followed those launches. 

But there is one thing there that both disturbs and annoys me immensely about the reaction to Steve’s death. On CNN tonight they are showing articles on the worldwide reaction which included people are leaving flowers outside Apple shops and people who have downloaded apps to show a candle. In addition people were interviewed who seem to have been brainwashed into buying everything Apple and made comments about how Apple has changed their lives etc etc.

My Facebook wall is inundated with messages commenting on the sad news but I can’t help feeling that it’s a massive over reaction.

Why?

Steve Jobs was a fantastic innovator and successful businessman but what else? Why is it that he has been elevated to some kind of super hero status?

As per press reports Steve has not donated anywhere near as much money to charitable causes as some other prominent businessmen and Apple has been criticized over its green tech polices as well as questionable ethical issues over the choice of factories and their labour polices in Asia. 

Yes the passing of Steve Job’s is a very sad event but get a grip because there are far bigger more important issues in the world that you should be concerned about.

Whilst I’m a fan of social networking I can’t help feel uncomfortable with the way that everybody seems share their grief on Facebook and Twitter without even thinking about what they are saying or doing.

Now I know I said Im not a big fan of Apple products but I’m thinking about getting a tab at some point , Ipad 2, Galaxy or wait for Ipad 3? At the moment I’m learning to the former when it comes out.
 
I’m guess I’m beginning to warm to the products a little but I'm more than happy with my Blackberry phone………

House Frankfurt @ Bangsar

My first week in Malaysia back in September 2000 was somewhat what of a whirlwind. Coupled with the excitement of exploring the nightlife in my new home and my London colleagues travelling on a business trip to KL at the same time it was a absolutely manic. One of the first places we visited was House Frankfurt in Bangsar Baru and I still remember my lack of enthusiasm as a brit having to visit a German restaurant and bar in Malaysia.

I remember that I enjoyed the food and atmosphere and subsequently returned several times over the following years and was never disappointed.

Bangsar has gone through many changes over the years and despite the nightlife scene effectively ending in 2003/4 there are still some good places to eat and drink and House Frankfurt is one of them still going strong.

I often walk past in the afternoon and see Peter (the owner) give me a wave and feel somewhat guilty that we don’t visit anywhere near as often as we should.

We recently found ourselves in Bangsar early one Saturday evening and decided to call in. A warm welcome was received from Peter and decided to sit at the bar

The drinks selection is not as extensive as some other speciality bars and restaurants although there was no complaints from myself.

For dinner I ordered a bruschetta as an appetiser and a chicken schnitzel as the main course.

The bruschetta was a little plain being serviced on sliced bread but schnitzel and the accompanying potatoes were tasty.

My wife ordered the beef goulash for the appetiser and seafood spaghetti as the main course and found the food tasty. I helped finish the appetiser and concur that it was delicious.

Overall I enjoyed my visit and will return again, hopefully on a more frequent basis

Food/Beverage 8
Ambiance 8.5
Value 8
Service 9

12, Jalan Telawi 5
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel.: +60 (3) 2284 16
http://www.housefrankfurt.com
Note: Non Halal