Masked Rider in Bangkok
Image from Locky's English Playground
There's something very Japan about Bangkok.
You may argue, Japanese culture is almost everywhere around the world and it's definitely more widespread than Chinese culture. True, Taiwan and Hong Kong, for example, both enjoy such cultural merger, but not quite as apparent as Bangkok does.
One Piece packet drinks
Image from Locky's English Playground
First, we don't get drinks with One Piece printed on the packet. Sure you may say there's probably Hello Kitty ones, but we are not talking about cuteness here, it's coolness!
Second, you don't get 1-to-1 ratio Ultraman and Masked Rider from mall to mall.
Third, shops are almost duplicates of what you get to see in Hokkaido or Tokyo too, although the staff still uses Thai as their main language of communication after the not-so-accurate "Irasshaimase!"
Hokkaido ice-cream cafe in Bangkok
Image from Locky's English Playground
Everything including the decor to atmosphere gives you that very Japan-like feeling, makes you want to go in and relax. I wonder how come they can make such amazing copies. Has to be funded by Japanese investors, right? I suppose so, because some massage and spa centres have only got Japanese words on their walls and no Thai or English. If they don't have enough business in Thailand, who will open shops like that?
Shibuya?
Image from Locky's English Playground
Fourth, architecture wise, what do you think about the Toyota showroom building as well as the line of Toyota cars in front of the building? I think that's highly fancy, nothing Thai at all!
Toyota Showroom
Image from Locky's English Playground
Let's not forget, there is always some oversized product that sticks out of the building to remind you what is the latest Japanese hip in town.
Care for an EOS-1DX? The guy standing next to the post wants one.
Image from Locky's English Playground
Fifth, is it just food and technology all the way? Nope, even apps have ads here. There are hugely enlarged LINE sticker signs in every large shopping mall I visited, there's no way you can miss it.
Me and James of Naver LINE
Image from Locky's English Playground
Even if you do miss them, your phone will get SMS to remind you that by adding the official account only available in Thailand, you will get Thailand-only LINE stickers. I've got a set from Singha the water/beer company, Vogue and Thai Airways.
LINE stickers from Thai Airways
Image from itallnews
And with this push in LINE stickers joint promotion, you can guess what messaging app the Thai use quite easily, can't you?
Thailand-only LINE stickers Image from Locky's English Playground
Finally, believe it or not, I have even seen Japanese transvestites on the BTS! Can't get more Japanese than that!
I'm back from my honeymoon and I have tonnes of things to share, so do expect loads of sharing related to Bangkok and Phuket, the country and the culture.
Chinese New Year is coming and some of you might have already applied for leaves in order to enjoy a long holiday.
But have you ever wondered what are the types of leaves available for application?
In fact, the types of leaves differ from country to country, company to company, so the list will be too long to list out, but here are some useful and interesting ones I came across in my little research.
Take for example, the types of leaves available to the staff working for the Hong Kong University,
Medical/Dental appointments (included in ‘Emergency’ above)
Pallbearer leave
Paternity leave
Volunteer leave
Voting
Bereavement leave (up to 5 days) and Funeral leave (up to 1 day) are separated and listed clearly. Basically, bereavement leave is for the death of
- husband/wife - father/mother/stepfather/stepmother - son/daughter (including stepson, stepdaughter) - son-in-law/daughter-in-law - brother/sister/stepsister/stepbrother - grandmother/grandfather - grandson/granddaughter - father-in-law/mother-in-law - brother-in-law/sister-in-law - other persons living in the household of the employee
whereas the funeral leave is for the death of - aunt - uncle
A pall-bearer
Image from georgetwopointoh
There is also a pallbearer leave (up to 1/2 day) if one chooses help carry carry or officially escorting a coffin at a funeral.
Carer's leave
Image from fairwork.gov.au
In Australia, there are leaves as such
Paid personal / carer's leave
Unpaid carer's leave
Paid compassionate leave
Unpaid compassionate leave
Actually, the leaves are more or less the same as the usual personal or compassionate leaves but I quite like the term "carer's leave", because it gives me a feeling that as long as you care for someone you love, you get to apply for such leaves.
Vocabulary: paternity leave -- (n) [U] a period of time that a father is legally allowed to be away from his job so that he can spend time with his new baby sabbatical -- (n) [C or U] a period of time when college or university teachers are allowed to stop their usual work in order to study or travel, usually while continuing to be paid cumulative -- (adj) increasing by one addition after another bereavement -- (n) [C or U] the death of a close relation or friend pallbearer -- (n) [C] a person who helps to carry a coffin at a funeral or who walks at the side of the people carrying it escort -- (vb) [T] to go with someone or a vehicle especially to make certain that they arrive safely or that they leave a place
Economics always fascinates me. Although I am not any good as a trader, I love to understand and learn more about the psychology behind all those changes in the world of money.
Take for example, The Standard reports the rise in price of China-imported beef per cattle. Some think that it is due to the Ng Fung Hong's monopoly, including the Hong Kong government, which might be true, because the lack of transparency in the price changes allows the company the absolute say about the price of beef.
Supposedly, adding competition to the monopoly will help the situation, since the pie remains the same size, market shares of Ng Fung Hong should drop once competition enters the market and Ng Fung Hong will have to lower their prices to keep up with the competition. However, the assumption that the pie remains the same size is the big problem, because it will not.
People can tolerate but are not stupid. When the price of beef gets higher, people will buy less or switch to something else that is cheaper, the demand for beef will drop, making the pie smaller for all Ng Fung Hong and competitors.
Also, doing business is first about investment capital. Since Ng Fung Hong has the existing network that the two proposed competitors may not have, it is not going to be cheap to put up that challenge to the market leader. Who is willing to invest in a business that is shrinking?
Western Harbour Tunnel from 108th floor
Image from Locky's English Playground
If the market is shrinking, why is Ng Fung Hong still in the business? Well, having the absolute control over something means they enjoy the power of increasing and decreasing the price of beef. If the market shrinks, they can up the price, much like the Western Harbour Tunnel, less work, same gain, why not? But the time the market cannot take any more price increment, Ng Fung Hong can easily drop the price to release that explosive demand for long-missed taste of beef, thus continue to earn by the tonnes.
If adding competition to the market may not help, why does the government not taking back the control? Ideally speaking, the government could. With money and power, there will always be someone smart enough to do the job well, but Hong Kong isn't Singapore, Hong Kong isn't a country by itself and so it doesn't have the absolute power to run businesses without going through much objection. There are existing unions and companies that would protest about the lack of freedom of trade, something that Hong Kong is proud of possessing and dare not to harm, thus the usual taking-no-action-is-an-action strategy is preferred.
Everything works in cycles, each interlocked with another. They are like high energy unstable particles that are constantly in the search for equilibrium, but reaching such equilibrium takes a very long time, so governments tend to use their more visible hands and add interventions to speed things up. However, government policies are often more political than fiscal, which is why ideas are not always translated into actions.
Vocabulary: monopoly -- (n)[C or S] (an organization or group which has) complete control of something, especially an area of business, so that others have no share transparency -- (n)[U]the characteristic of being easy to see through tolerate -- (vb)[T]to accept behaviour and beliefs which are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them shrink -- (vb) [I or T]to become smaller, or to make something smaller explosive -- (adj)describes an increase which is very large and quick objection -- (n) [C] when someone expresses or feels opposition to or dislike of something or someone taking-no-action-is-an-action -- (adj)from saying "taking no action is an action", meaning not doing anything is actually a way of doing something equilibrium -- (n)[S or U]slightly formal a state of balance
It was quite a strange occasion because I didn't even intend to go to this restaurant that day, but then I only had 20 minutes and it was too little time for a proper dinner, and so, I gave it a go to meet my final (?) opponent.
Image from Locky's English Playground
The restaurant was small, and there were a lot of people, so I doubted for awhile that my food would not be arriving on time.
Image from Locky's English Playground
Looking around the cafe though gave me quite a comfort in terms of the taste and quality, since there are ads everywhere for their Hong Kong-style French toast.
Image from Locky's English Playground
With all the traditional Hong Kong milk tea making gears, my pre-dinner looked promising.
Image from Locky's English Playground
Not for long, the milk tea came, and no surprised there, it was smooth with lots of milk, which is the way I like it.
Image from Locky's English Playground
But the toast, came almost 5 minutes before I had to leave, and so the moments of enjoyment was much shortened, and chewing became devouring.
Image from Locky's English Playground
Despite the late-coming, the toast was gorgeous to look at, goldened with flakes of egg on the side, melty butter,
Image from Locky's English Playground
together with my favourite golden syrup, hm~~! Delectable!!
Then of course, the real challenge is what happens after the cut. Does it sag or does it reinflate?
Image from Locky's English Playground
It looked to me that it did sag at the edge, but the rest of the toast did not become flattened like that of Lok Tak Restaurant in North Point. It didn't feel as thick and full in the mouth as compared to the thin toast of Man Wah Restaurant, but it felt just nice.
I was eager to find out the secret...
Image from Locky's English Playground
Could this be the secret? A very light spread of peanut butter on just one side of the bread? Honestly speaking, peanut butter lovers will think this is unacceptable, but light spread on the bread means less weight on the bread from the knife and the peanut butter and thus the toast will not sink as much.
If you ask me to pick, I cannot choose between Man Wah Restaurant's and Kam Wah Cafe's Hong Kong-style French toast, they both are excellent in their own way, Man Wah's for its sponginess, Kam Wah's for its just-right in every aspect.
Why don't you give them a go and let me know what you think by leaving messages to me?
Scores:
Look: ★★★★★ 5/5
Taste: ★★★★★ 5/5
Smell: ★★★★★ 5/5
Textures: ★★★★★ 5/5
Temperature: ★★★★★ 5/5
Overall: ★★★★★ 25/25
Vocabulary: devour -- (vb) [T]to eat something eagerly and in large amounts so that nothing is left delectable -- (adj) beautiful; giving great pleasure sag -- (vb)[I]to drop down to a lower level in the middle reinflate -- (vb) [I or T]to cause to increase in size by filling with air again flatten -- (vb) [I or T]to become level or cause something to become level sponginess -- (n) [U] softness and ability to absorb or having already absorbed a lot of liquid, like a sponge
Ho ho ho!!! It's time for some awesome apps once again! In the past 4 posts of Technology & News: Free Apps To Recommend, we have covered a number of great apps, yet apps just keep getting better, and the best of all 4 apps I want to share with you today, the first app is the best.
Android 4.2 Camera and Gallery
Just as you thought most on-phone camera apps have panorama mode which is cool enough, Google's Android 4.2 Jellybean on-phone camera app has pushed it to an even higher level with Photosphere! Watch the following video and you'll know.
Magnificient, isn't it? Do we need to upgrade to Android 4.2 to get this wicked camera app? You can, but not necessary, as long as you have rooted your phone, then you can simply download the APK and flash it with CWM Recovery or other Recovery system.
For Galaxy S3 (3G/LTE) and Note 2 (3G/LTE), download here
For Galaxy S2, download here
For other Android devices, try the one with S3 and Note 2 first.
I don't know about you, but I can't stop having fun with it!
iPhone users have been enjoying this for awhile, and now it is finally the Android users turn. This lovely app cleverly provide the options for both photographers and artists, works like magic with an S Pen and satisfactorily with an index finger too!
Options to select your pen
Image from Google Play
Options to adjust your effect
Image from Google Play
There might be other apps on the internet that offer similar functions and effects, but few combines drawing, painting and retouching in one app!
Select the body parts in concern
Image from Google Play
Detailed information
Image from Google Play
Medicine with pronunciation guide
Image from Google Play
For House M.D. fan like myself, this is an marvellous app to learn tonnes about medicine while commuting. Also, when you do need advice, you'll always have some decent advice from this app.
That's all for now! But more apps to come very soon!
Vocabulary: wicked -- (adj) informal excellent commute -- (vb) [I]to make the same journey regularly between work and home
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