Change Your Lifestyle / Ubah Gaya Hidup Anda

Toll rates in Malaysia are scheduled for increase, and will take effect on 1st March. PLUS Highway tolls have been increased by 5%, which means that my KUL-PEN-KUL trips just got more expensive.

Subang-->Jelapang
Old Rate: RM26.50
New Rate: RM27.80

Jelapang-->Juru
Old Rate: RM16.80
New Rate: RM17.60

Penang Bridge
Current Rate: RM7.00

Total Cost
Old Rate: (RM26.50 * 2) + (RM16.80 * 2) + RM7.00 = RM93.60
New Rate: (RM27.80 * 2) + (RM17.60 * 2) + RM7.00 = RM97.80
Total increase: RM4.20

RM4.20 can buy 2 packets of Char Koay Kark from Penang. Crap...

zubedy's message to Malaysian politicians

I know about zubedy because CJ once worked with them, and I think that this company is really unique in their posturing and Malaysian way of life.

In today's The Star, zubedy put out a full page advertisement. However, the message it carries is so much more than self promotion and marketing. You can read the message here. The message is plain and simple: "Please stop the power chase, call for a truce and focus on the economy."

Yes, it's time for Malaysian politicians to stop fighting and start focusing on the economy! We are going to experience a recession soon, if it has not already started. Where is our economic reform committee? Where is our economic stimulus plan? Where is our government in these times of need? Who is running the country?!

McDonald's

The portions at McDonald's have been shrinking consistently recently. A Filet O Fish doesn't look like much nowadays. The Chicken McDeluxe also has shrunk to the size of a normal McChicken. The menu prices have also gone up. The only consolation? They make their burgers fresh, so at least the food is piping hot! Especially good with the melted cheese. But having said that, eating at McDonald's is fast becoming a luxury!

Aseana Cafe KLCC - it sucks!

Some internet reviews of this cafe seemed to suggest good food and great ambiance. Well, my recent visit there proved that both of these attributes do not exist.

Let's start with the ambiance. The entire outside area is so crowded and full of smoking people. The inside was cramped and there were actually flies buzzing around! Jeez...

Moving on to the food. The menu was very limited and super expensive. Malay style prawn noodles cost RM12 and comes with 3 measly medium sized prawns. Nasi Lemak cost RM22 and came with dry beef rendang and the other standard condiments. I asked for extra sambal and unknowingly was charged extra RM4. Craps.

The taste? Nothing to shout about at all, and bordering on bad.

I paid almost RM80 for the crappy food and lousy ambiance. Let this be an advance warning to all prospective diners: do not eat at Aseana Cafe KLCC!

Foie Gras - what it really tastes like?

Referring to this letter from a concerned animal rights activist, the writer is protesting the visit of celebrity chef Bobby Chinn, presumably because the latter often uses foie gras (goose liver) in his cuisine. According to the writer, foie gras is made by force feeding geese to the extent of great suffering and even bleeding and death.

While I do not have the authority to comment on this, a quick check in Wikipedia reveals that several countries have banned production of foie gras by force feeding method, or even enacted a total ban on foie gras production and sales.

Having said that, I believe that there are still those connisuers who believe that true foie gras taste can only come from geese which have been force fed.

Nonetheless, I have not tried foie gras, and I don't think I'll enjoy it (I generally avoid any livers in my diet...)

My Chef Experience...

I played chef on 14th February... spent a morning in Mydin shopping for my ingredients: nicely sized lamb chops, tomatoes and tomato puree, bell pepper, carrots and oranges, bananas, baguettes, spaghetti, chicken ham...

My menu:

Starter

Carrot and Orange Soup served with Garlic Toast

Entree

Moorish Lamb Chops served with Spaghetti Amatriciana

Dessert

Brazilian Coffee Bananas

Surprisingly, my meal turned out quite superb! Hehehe... not bad for a beginner :)

Too bad I didn't take any photos!

PKDK? BBPM?

Refer to this news report.

Who the heck do these organizations represent? Quickly Googling:

http://www.pkdk.org.my --> Error 405
http://bbpm.org.my --> OK, at least it works...

But... who are they really?

Just look at BBPM's charter... it's scary to see what's written on it!

3 parties and one very hot house!

3 house warming parties over the past weekend. 3 separate groups of friends and family. 3 outstanding meals and game sessions. Yes, my house has been very adequately warmed!

Cheers to everyone who was part of it.

Now, time to get a massage...

GONE!

Perak is gone... it's official... the Sultan of Perak has called the PR MB to resign!

This marks a return to tyranny for Perakians...

Highway Ethics

The writer of this letter echoes what I have been thinking while driving the Subang Jaya-Penang route along the North-South Expressway: Why doesn't anyone use the left-most lane for cruising?!

I have noticed it many times. The middle and right lanes are always occupied by cruising vehicles (i.e. they are not overtaking anyone at that time). Some even cruise below the legal speed limit, so if I were to be cruising at 110kph, and they at 100kph, I effectively overtake them from the left!

Why is it so hard to use the left lane? This I believe is due to the misconception of highway lanes and their uses.

Firstly, the left lane is popularly called the "slow" lane. Drivers don't like to be labeled as "slow". Hence they use the middle or right lanes, typically labeled "fast" lanes. Well, this is wrong understanding! The left most lane is actually the "cruising" lane, i.e. if you're not overtaking anyone, stick to this lane. You can be traveling at 110kph (or higher, if you so wish) and still be in the left lane, as long as you are not overtaking anyone. The moment you want to overtake someone, you signal to the middle or right lanes, which are known as "overtaking" lanes. One could be driving at 80kph, but as long as he is overtaking a slow lorry traveling at 60kph, he is legally allowed to occupy the overtaking lane for the duration that he is performing the overtaking maneuver.

I always use the cruising lane. I find it to be so much smoother compared to using the overtaking lanes all the time.