Mercedes Waits ....


20 Nov 2010 - After 13 years all alone, Britains only polar bear Mercedes finally has a playmate. Mercedes, 28, was the only polar bear in the country until 23-month-old Walker arrived at the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie this month. The two polar bears in Britain were yesterday formally introduced for the first time. Keepers wanted the two bearsto get to know each other gradually before being put in the same enclosure. On Saturday, the waiting was over as the two animals enjoyed a spot of playtime together. So far, Walker had only seen Mercedes through a mesh fence for the last few weeks. Initially, the perception was that Mercedes was not overly impressed by the appearance of the younger bear and was expected to teach him some "proper manners". Walker has been making full use of the pool, sliding down the hill and chasing rabbits in the main enclosure. It is hoped that Mercedes will defrost a bit over time.

Petronas Twin Towers

19 Nov 2010 - After a month in Kuala Lumpur it is high time that I write something about those other Twin Towers: The Petronas Twin Towers. These magnificent buildings, built by the national oil company Petronas, is located on a site that was previously occupied by the Selangor Tuf Club. The construction drew much controversy when it was discovered that the bedrock was nothing more than a network of hollow caves, and the foundation required millions of tons of concrete for reinforcement. Designed by Argentinian American architect Cesar Pelli, the 452m. towers were once the world's tallest building, their height surpassing that of Chicago's Sears Tower. In 2003 the record was lost to Taipei 101 Tower. The design of the Twin Towers aims to express Malaysian's diversity. For instance, the floorplans take after an eight point star formed by two interlocking squares, a popular Islamic motif, while the number of floors - 88 - translates as 'double luck; in Chinese.

Traffic Jams

18 Nov 2010 - So far my new life in Kuala Lumpur has been good. People have asked what I don't like, which is still a bit difficult to answer, but I think I already start hating the traffic jams. Traffic jams occur every day, almost every hour of the day. It begins in the morning at about 8 am when millions of cars poor into KL from the surrounding suburbs, and in the evening at about 16h30 pm. When it rains, traffic sometimes grinds to a complete halt. During rush hour it is not uncommon to see traffic policemen directing vehicles at major intersections, as traffic lights have become completely ineffective. Nobody bothers. Malaysian drivers are generally an ill-mannered lot, so you can expect a lot of impatient honking and nudging betwen cars. Many do not adhere to road-safety rules; they turn lanes without signaling, flash headlights to indicate 'get out of the way' and overtake whenever possible. It's a complete mess.

Frozen Tiger

17 Nov 2010 - People do strange things for a few dollars. A man was arrested in possession of a frozen tiger before he was able to sell the body of the endangered animal to collectors, Vietnamese state media reported. Pham Hai Nam told police he bought the animal for 600 million dong in the port town of Hai Phong and planned to sell it for almost double the amount. The 39-year old, who was detained by the police, also reportedly told the police the he would crush the tiger's bones to make traditional medicine if he failed to find a buyer. The animal, which weighed 150 kilos and 1,5 meter long has been given to the Museum of Nature for preservation. It is believed that the tiger was smuggled into Vietnam from overseas.

The 'Twitter Joke' Trial

17 Nov 2010 - He missed the plane. Now thousands of annoyed internet users (I am still thinking if that includes me or not) say the British authorities missed the joke and and are limiting freedom of speech. When Paul Chambers was arrested and fined for posting a jocular message on the Twitter platform in which he threatened to blow up northern England Robin Hood Airport (Doncaster/Sheffield)  if it did not re-open in time for his flight, it caused a minor stir. Now that a court has turned down his appeal, the internet community has come alive with outrage, with thousands of online fans posting comic (or maybe not really comic) threats to the regional airport  out of solidairity. Rights groups have warned that the so-called "twitter-joke trial" has set an ugly precedent for free speech online and that he should not have been charged.

The Canada Brand

16 Nov. 2010 - Canada came out on top in a research about branding of countries, according to researchers FuruteBrand. Five years ago Canada came 12th in a similar research, but huge investments in the tourism industry paid off. The campaign was crowned with the successful organization of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, which brought a lot of free (?) Public Relations. Last year Canada saw its number of visitors triple. The USA, for many years on top of the list, only made it to number four, just behind Australia and New Zealand. Switzwerland, Japan and France are also to be found in the Top Ten. The rising stars on the list were Chili and Argentina, who moved up - even vbefore the recent mining disaster in Chili. Also interesting is to have a look at the lest attractive brands, which finds Zimbabwe on top of the list. Iran. Pakistan. Nigeria and Congo also suffer from a bad image.

Sex Education

15 Nov 2010 - Coincidence or not, but I am not even a month in Malaysia and it has been announced that sex education will be taught in all primary schools from Year One next year. Called social and reproductive health education, the component will be taught for 30 minutes every week during Physical and Health Education lessons, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr. Wee Ka Siong. It will be compulsory for all pupils. Earlier this week, Wee said sex education would betaught in secondary schools as part of the curriculum from next year. However, yesterday he said it would be introduced in primary schools as well. So, Malaysia has taken action - when will Hong Kong follow?

Crisis Games

15 Nov 2010 - Probably the most controversial Asian Games were held in Tehran, Iran (than Persia) in 1974, and ominous year in sports anyway. Despite opposition from fellow Arabic nations, Iran allowed Israel to participate in the Asian Games (how times have changed). But they also allowed communist bloc-nations such as China, Mongolia and North Korea to take part for the first time, setting off an array of tensions and refusals. Arabic nations, North Korea, Pakistan and China refused to compete with Israel in tennis, fencing, basketball and football. North and South Korea both took place for the first time. Despite these conflicts, the Games went on, and Japan continued their domination by winning the medal's tally. But ominously, China finished third on their debut appearance. I want to bet that China will end up on top in 2010 and for many years to come. But Japan beat China in their football match with 4 - 0. That hurts.

Thai Pomelo Salad

14 Nov 2010 - This is probably one of the easiest recipes ever: You will need:
300 gr. pomelo (peeled, small pieces)
1/2 tsp. chili
1/2 tsp dried shrimp
50 gr. pieces of boneless chicken
30 gr. red onion (chopped)
30 gr. greast coconut
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
50 gr. cashew nuts
The recipe is so easy because you simply have to mix all the ingredients and top with the cashew nuts before serving. You can also add shrimps. Guaranteed success.

Be Your Own NGO

14 Nov 2010 - Former US President Bill Clinton urged students and guests attending his talk at the Inti International University to become their own non-governmental organization by contributing their time and skills to the world's future. "each one of us needs to become our own NGO, by contributing towards the growth and well-being of our community and country, and the world as a whole by doing our part as responsible citizens. You don't have to be a billionaire like Bill Gates or a former President like me, in order to make a difference in the world. You have the power to do whatever, regardless what the circumstances are, : he said in his address to students., business and government officials at Inti International University. He also said that the 21st century hasthree main challenges to overcome: inequality, unsustainability and instability.