Please don't fight, just eat!

Fighting over food if you don't have enough of it, I can understand.

Food fight in a party or event or festival where you have abundance of them to waste, I can understand.

But fighting to claim ownership of the origin of food? I don't understand.

Food or special dishes have come a long long way and I think to trace it's roots will not be easy and neither can it be the whole 'truth'. We have such mixed culture in this world and food fusion is so common that the originality of the dishes has been distorted since who knows when?

I cannot understand. Why is so important to claim ownership to the name of a dish? Well okay, bak kut teh is yours, char kuey teow is mine, nasi lemak is hers....so? I like them all and I just want to eat them! Who cares who created it? Even if we know, is it important? Can't we just share the recipe so that everyone can enjoy nice delicious food?

So what if they are not originated from our country, we still get to eat them! They are still here! The recipes are amongst us! Who can take that away from us? And I think it will stay here for as long as we and our future generations are here! Why the fuss?!

Please do not start another issue like 'Penang'...tiring lah.

Grooming a dog.

It takes a lot of patience and love to care for a pet. And a lot of commitment too! Not only you should take good care of its diet, health and emotional needs, you also need to groom it. Most important of all these things don't come cheap! Especially the grooming part.

If you see all those 'Quick Cut' or 'Express Cut' deals out there that charges between RM12 to RM15 for a quick hair cut, they are for human only. You can NEVER find such good deals for pets!

When a hair cut plus hair wash and blow dry for you may cost only RM35, you may not find the same for your pet! For a normal cut and wash for your dog may cost you around RM60. A full groom may cost you RM80 onwards depending on the breed of your dog. I don't have a cat, so I'm not sure about the cost for cats. I guessed should be around the same? I'm not saying that the professional groomers are over charging but to me it is just expensive.

Well since the cost of grooming is expensive (my opinion), I normally do it myself. And of course I won't be grooming it like the professional groomers do. I usually cut the fur as short as possible and there will be no styling involved. So my dog would look like an ordinary dog.

But today, I feel a little adventurous and I tried to groom my schnauzer to look like a schnauzer.
And the result? See for yourself and be my judge...?

My schnauzer which looks like an ordinary dog as usual. (before grooming)

Another close-up shot before grooming.

...after grooming

So...what do you think? Do I pass?

Ain't her tail looks cute?

By the way my schnauzer's name is Smokie. And in case you do not know what a schnauzer looks like? Here are some pictures for your reference.

Selamat Hari Raya

Wishing all my Muslim friends and their family...

...and a happy holiday to all the non-muslims.

MAS Online Booking

Have you ever try buying an air ticket from MAS airline (Malaysia Airline System) via the internet? They called it their E-Ticketing system. The last time I read in the paper (not sure how long ago) you need to collect your e-ticket from their MAS ticket office. Sounds strange right? If we are to go all the way to their ticketing office, why border doing it online? Just go straight to any ticketing office and buy your ticket there, right?

Of course I don't believe this is happening. Especially with MAS, our country's pioneer official airline services. Supposedly the best airline system in this country! Never happen to me before when I buy my air ticket from Air Asia Online services. I guessed must be some miscommunication somewhere along the line? And I didn't border to find out the truth either until...

...my colleague asked me to help her buy an air ticket for her to go to Myanmar. I gladly agreed! How hard can it be? I can do it via the net, right?

I went onto the Air Asia website but found out that they do not have flights to Myanmar. Well the next choice will be MAS and yes, they do have online ticketing services. Happily I signed up to their online services and the rest is a breeze!

I paid via credit card and I got the e-ticket printed out and that's it! No sweat! At least that's what I thought until I see this remark on the e-ticket...!

For security reasons, the following are required upon check-in or ticket reissuance, failure to produce these documents may result in denied boarding:

1. Photocopy or actual credit card used for the online purchase(s). 2. Photocopy or original photo ID of the credit card holder.

Huh? What's this? I need to make copies of my id and credit card for my colleague? So that she could board the plane? What nonsense is this? What if these photocopies fall into the wrong hands? Credit card fraud syndicates? Why do they need photocopies of the purchaser's id and credit card? The bank has already confirmed the transaction, didn't they? What security reasons? Is there a miscommunication somewhere?

I called MAS Customer Care Centre and they confirmed it, unfortunately. But I do not want to give away copies of my id, so how? Okay...they have a solution. I need to get my e-ticket endorsed by their officer, meaning? I have to take my e-ticket to any MAS ticketing office personally with my id card and credit card to get it verified and endorsed! Or else, my colleague cannot board the plane!

What rubbish! What online ticket purchase service is MAS promoting when the purchaser needs to make a trip to their ticketing office? Does it matter if the ticket purchased is for the purchaser himself or not? No such thing with Air Asia, don't know about other airlines (let me know if you know of any?).

A total waste of my time! The morale of this story? Do not buy your air ticket online from MAS if it is not for yourself? MAS, you are not flying inline with cyber age! Sigh...