You see, its extremely rare to find me whining about certain things so much in public. I usually do my whining privately to a close group of friends or myself, but this.... man.... this is an absolute must to whine!
Shell Annual Dinner 2008 can easily be summed up by 1 word.... "PATHETIC". Before I go into my details, heres my ratings for some individual items......
Venue: KLCC Convention Centre (8/10)
Alcohol: (8/10) - For Service Fresh Cold Carlsberg..... (Most serve diluted tiger beer or some crap, urgh....)
Drinks: 5/10 (Coffee/Tea was horrible...)
Food: 2/10 (Horrible food.....)
Live band Performance: 3/10 (Good musicians... but... WRONG SONGS!!)
Dance: 7/10 (I'd give them credit for being able to dance after eating such horrible food...)
Other Events: 4/10
Door Gift: 3/10
Overall Rating: 3/10 (For ruining my day....)
DETAILED HAPPENINGS:
Now, I started the whole thing on the wrong foot. Left my ticket in the office and panicked a little cause I thought I might have lost it. Anyway, so I left slightly earlier and went to office. Good thing I found my ticket and after that, made my way to KLCC. I was very upbeat about this whole event. I mean, when you're working for a company like Shell, having the annual dinner at a venue like KLCC Convention Centre, and furthermore its the last Annual Dinner for all SITI people since we've been outsourced away, I was expecting something at least decent, if not something really grand. So yes, I was actually VERY excited about this Annual Dinner, also because its my first ever formal function I'm attending to? I even had my dad help bring my long sleeve white shirt up for me from JB while he was going to KL. We were all advised to wear white because thats the colour theme of the event.
Back to the story... So I wriggled my way to KLCC Convention Centre (Unfamiliar place) and manage to made it there slightly before 6PM. Went to register and received my door gift.... It was something big and heavy, kept in a white paper bag. So I did what everyone else would do, take a look at what it is.... and poof...... Flower Vase. I was like ermm..... mmkay.... so like what am I suppose to do with this....... oh well... whatever....
Got a drink, some blue colour drink, I think it was some kind of blue Champagne. Tasted not too bad... Walked around and found beer and I'm like ermm.... 1 glass wouldn't hurt too much right, so yeah, took a glass of cold beer, took a sip and like "Wow... coool, this must be Carlsberg...". Not too bad, it was ice cold (My hand was freezing holding the cup), fresh and most importantly, genuine beer... (Too bad it wasn't Heineken!). Yeah, had a glass of beer and the door opened, we could all go in and grab a seat, left the beer there cause I didn't really want to finish the whole glass and went in to grab a place.
We picked a table and decided to seat there and there was this huge round silverware thingy on the table? It was pretty big and was in the middle of the table, kinda look like those kind of thing where you would put a Roast Turkey on, hahahah! We left it as it is, I thought it was meant to place the food when it come, or perhaps its the starter dish or something. Waited for quite awhile before the MC started the event. Couldn't quite remember what happened in the beginning, probably wasn't something interesting at all. After awhile the Chef went on stage, did some kung fu posing together with the Wong Fei Hong song as a background music and after that pretended to cook on stage and tadah.... entrance food! Out came our starter. Man was I so excited to eat and find out what the food was! The waiters came out.... each table had one waiter to serve us.... and they had a "mini table" each to work their food on. I was looking at him and was like "Wow..... their taking the food for us, putting it on the plates and serving it straight to us". Pretty impressive! I was feeling like, man, this is going to be grand...... Starters wasn't too bad, there was this spicy thingy, some sour salad (Neither of it I Liked...), omelete and baby octopus. I only ate the omelete and baby octopus cause I kinda... not fond of spicy food or rather.. can't take em really well?
After starter was gone, they took out soup. I was like "Oh dear.... soup looks spicy, how am I going to eat that." Anyway, I have no idea what that soup was... looks like some "pirated" sharks fin soup without the fin in it. I guess it was just egg, starch, chicken or something and boy was I right, it was spicy. So I'm like, okay fine, whatever, lemme just gobble the soup down and drink lotsa water (Suffered a little on that!). Next thing I know, the waiter was holding a bowl of white rice..... and he was like, serving rice to all of us, I was like "urgh......... ok........ whats this for.....". Don't really like to eat too much starchy stuffs (Makes me fat =P) so I asked for little rice. Next thing I knew was that the waiter opened that round silverware thingy in the centre of the food and walla..... enjoy your MAIN COURSE. I was like...... SPEECHLESS?????? Lemme see what I can remember seeing in that big plate....
Some Spicy Tiger Prawn
Some Spicy Fish with Chili Padi in Coconut sauce
Broccoli, cauliflower and mushroom
Curry Chicken....
Non-Spicy Mutton
White Rice....
I guess thats about it? Can't remember too well. And yeah, the above is our main course..... Thats all, thats it, for dinner! I'm like.. what the hell.... cancel out all the spicy food and all I could eat was white rice, vege and mutton? I could eat that easily in any mamak stall! Gosh, the food looked stunningly horrible.... Its like as though the food was catered for some simple Malay/Indian open house.... So yeah, dinner destroyed everything! There was nothing I could eat.... so I didn't eat much. I mean come on, you come to a grand venue like KLCC Convention Centre and this is the best you can serve for food? Its like going all the way to a luxurious 5 star hotel just to have a plate of chicken rice or nasi lemak!
What made things worst was that during the course of the meal, some live band was playing on stage. Okok, no offense to the musicians or the band, but come on..... the songs they were playing was OUT OF OCCASION. This is an Annual Dinner, a corporate event for crying out loud.... they were singing rubbish on stage, shouting, I mean.... just making some noise? Its like on a wedding day, the bride and bridge groom walks into the church from the front door and the background music is playing some techno songs from DJ Tiesto.... instead of the wedding song... You get what I mean? Dude, I know you're good musicians, but please bear in mind about the occasion and pick something more suitable for the occasion!!!! You're just making noise there...... which 95% of us found IRRITATING!!!!
Horrible horrible horrible.... So thanks to the very abruptly ended dinner at around 8.30PM, we had nothing to do all the way until the planned 11.30PM. And we all know, its never going to end at 11.30PM. What are we going to do for more than 3 hours!? Sit there and do what? Urgh....
Well, we had Cyberjaya Idol going on as well, which wasn't too bad coz, the winner was my colleague Iris Mendonca? Oh boy can she sing! She sang well although I don't know what crap she was singing since it was a Malay song but yeah, she's got a great voice. What the heck is she doing here, she should be going to the song industry. Ha! Great singing there, way to go!
Struggled through the 3 hours +++++++++++ and won nothing at the lucky draws as well. All we did there was taking photos. But oh well, how many photos do you want to take in 3 hours +?? Gosh...... At the end of the day, the event ended about 12.15AM!!!!!! It felt like a high class TORTURE CHAMBER!!! Its hard for me to say this but, I regret even going in the first place! Should have just left the place after dinner but stayed cause I was like, mmmmkay, since I travelled some more than 70KM to come here.... and who knows maybe Lucky draw can make my day, but no...... I stayed and REGRET....... =(.........
Reached home at about 1.30AM and was extremely exhausted (Mentally and physically), disappointed and most importantly.... HUNGRY. I was starving from abt 9PM + all the way till now! Dragged my feet to cook myself a bowl of instant noodle to satisfy my hunger because, I was so hungry I thought I was gonna faint.... -_-"
I'm pretty much disappointed, very disappointed, upset... and can I say Angry? This is a very effective waste of my time! ARGH!!!!!!!!
Shell come on, you can do a better job than this? I mean, whats with all the spicy food? Theres like 2000 of us here and what makes you think EVERYONE IN THIS DAMN HALL CAN TAKE SPICY FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Use your damn brains!!!! So many of us SUFFERED!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! "GREAT JOB DONE!" From my point of view, its money effectively WASTED on who knows what?
Hmph! Going back to sleep! Gonna need to make myself feel better tomorrow....... Barh!!!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The lowdown on high gasoline prices
If oil companies are making record profits, why can’t they give drivers a break and reduce prices at the pump? Here's what Shell has to say about them and some frequently asked questions.
Why does the price of gasoline continue to rise?
Gasoline prices are determined by a set of unique conditions within different localities and vary widely around the world. In many countries, the largest single element is not the cost of crude oil, but rather government taxes. In some European countries, taxes can represent as much as 75% of the price the customer pays at the pump.
Nevertheless, the cost of crude is significant and, in countries where gasoline taxes are lower, it is the major factor in the cost of gasoline. Crude oil is trading well above $100 per barrel on the open market, and is being driven by the world’s growing demand for energy. Finally, the price of gasoline also needs to include refining, distribution and operating costs. So the margin left for oil companies is usually a small percentage of the pump price – much lower than most customers realize.
Worldwide demand for crude oil and refined products has increased rapidly in recent years, led by the explosive growth of the economies in China, India and other Pacific Rim nations, and the supply of crude has been hard put to keep pace with that demand. Some people suggest that crude prices also are being elevated by geopolitical tensions and, possibly, by financial speculators. To whatever extent these factors exist, they are beyond our control. We must deal with the market as it is, and in this regard, supply and demand prevail.
Don’t the major oil companies control the crude market?
There are more than 3,500 oil companies in the world. Shell produces only 3% of the world’s crude, and we refine more crude oil than we produce. Shell, therefore, must purchase oil on the spot market to meet refining and retail demands. As a result, Shell is subject to market fluctuations in price and supply, as are other oil companies. Crude prices in each country are set by supply and demand, and are influenced by such factors as OPEC supply restrictions, weather, stock levels and the sentiment of financial markets.
Oil companies continue to report record earnings. Aren’t they just profiteering from high crude oil and gasoline prices?
The energy industry is one of the world’s largest and most complex industries. Profits are large because the business is large, with very large investments. Strong earnings among all the major oil companies enable reinvestment in both the upstream and downstream parts of their businesses. The industry is spending at record levels to increase supply to meet the growing global demand for energy.
Why can’t oil companies use their upstream profits to subsidise pump prices?
Producing crude oil involves long-term and high-risk projects requiring billions of dollars in investment over 20-to-30 years. Higher profits in some periods help safeguard investments when oil prices -- and profits -- are lower at other times.
What is Shell doing to increase crude supplies?
In line with our strategy of “more upstream and profitable downstream,” we are directing about 80% of our $27 billion capital spending programme for 2008 into upstream projects. This is the largest capital spending programme in Shell history, and the largest in industry. In total, we have some 10 billion barrels of upstream resources under development, which will add around 1 million barrels per day of production.
Does Shell set the pump prices at its sites?
This varies according to country and the operating model of each site. In some countries, pump prices are set by the government, and Shell and other retailers must comply. In many countries, some sites are owned by Shell and some are owned by independent dealers. Shell works very hard to maintain competitive prices at the pump – it is not in our best interest to do otherwise. For dealer-operated sites, the dealers own the fuel on their sites and, by law, have the right to set prices as they see fit. Dealers also have to compete rigorously with competitors so it’s in their best interest to price competitively at the pump as well.
Throughout the world, the retail industry is extremely competitive. In most countries, companies have to display pump prices so customers can make a choice. Even where pump prices are set by governments, companies compete strongly in a range of other areas, including design, visibility, convenience/location, customer service, prices of other products and availability of other services.
Does Shell engage in price gouging at its retail sites?
Shell does not engage in or condone the practice of introducing excessive price increases, and will investigate any such allegations. If a customer feels that a gasoline station is charging a price that is excessive when contrasted to comparable sites, he or she should contact the relevant trading standards agency and provide them with the contact details.
So what can drivers do to save money on gasoline?
The way you drive and the way you maintain your vehicle can help reduce your fuel consumption and save you money. Here are some tips:
1. Drive smoothly, avoiding heavy acceleration or braking.
2. Manual cars -- change up to a higher gear as early as possible as you accelerate.
3. Automatic cars -- shift up gears more quickly if you ease back on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
4. Keep your engine well tuned, check your oil and fix any problems immediately.
5. Make sure your tires are at the correct pressure and not under- or over-inflated.
6. Keep your trunk/boot or back seat clear of unnecessary items that add weight.
7. If you are not using your roof rack or roof box, take it off.
8. Keep your windows closed, especially if you are driving at higher speeds.
9. Always use the recommended grade of oil in your engine.
10. Use cruise control on major roads and in free-flowing traffic.
11. Turn off your engine in heavy traffic to avoid excessive idling.
Why does the price of gasoline continue to rise?
Gasoline prices are determined by a set of unique conditions within different localities and vary widely around the world. In many countries, the largest single element is not the cost of crude oil, but rather government taxes. In some European countries, taxes can represent as much as 75% of the price the customer pays at the pump.
Nevertheless, the cost of crude is significant and, in countries where gasoline taxes are lower, it is the major factor in the cost of gasoline. Crude oil is trading well above $100 per barrel on the open market, and is being driven by the world’s growing demand for energy. Finally, the price of gasoline also needs to include refining, distribution and operating costs. So the margin left for oil companies is usually a small percentage of the pump price – much lower than most customers realize.
Worldwide demand for crude oil and refined products has increased rapidly in recent years, led by the explosive growth of the economies in China, India and other Pacific Rim nations, and the supply of crude has been hard put to keep pace with that demand. Some people suggest that crude prices also are being elevated by geopolitical tensions and, possibly, by financial speculators. To whatever extent these factors exist, they are beyond our control. We must deal with the market as it is, and in this regard, supply and demand prevail.
Don’t the major oil companies control the crude market?
There are more than 3,500 oil companies in the world. Shell produces only 3% of the world’s crude, and we refine more crude oil than we produce. Shell, therefore, must purchase oil on the spot market to meet refining and retail demands. As a result, Shell is subject to market fluctuations in price and supply, as are other oil companies. Crude prices in each country are set by supply and demand, and are influenced by such factors as OPEC supply restrictions, weather, stock levels and the sentiment of financial markets.
Oil companies continue to report record earnings. Aren’t they just profiteering from high crude oil and gasoline prices?
The energy industry is one of the world’s largest and most complex industries. Profits are large because the business is large, with very large investments. Strong earnings among all the major oil companies enable reinvestment in both the upstream and downstream parts of their businesses. The industry is spending at record levels to increase supply to meet the growing global demand for energy.
Why can’t oil companies use their upstream profits to subsidise pump prices?
Producing crude oil involves long-term and high-risk projects requiring billions of dollars in investment over 20-to-30 years. Higher profits in some periods help safeguard investments when oil prices -- and profits -- are lower at other times.
What is Shell doing to increase crude supplies?
In line with our strategy of “more upstream and profitable downstream,” we are directing about 80% of our $27 billion capital spending programme for 2008 into upstream projects. This is the largest capital spending programme in Shell history, and the largest in industry. In total, we have some 10 billion barrels of upstream resources under development, which will add around 1 million barrels per day of production.
Does Shell set the pump prices at its sites?
This varies according to country and the operating model of each site. In some countries, pump prices are set by the government, and Shell and other retailers must comply. In many countries, some sites are owned by Shell and some are owned by independent dealers. Shell works very hard to maintain competitive prices at the pump – it is not in our best interest to do otherwise. For dealer-operated sites, the dealers own the fuel on their sites and, by law, have the right to set prices as they see fit. Dealers also have to compete rigorously with competitors so it’s in their best interest to price competitively at the pump as well.
Throughout the world, the retail industry is extremely competitive. In most countries, companies have to display pump prices so customers can make a choice. Even where pump prices are set by governments, companies compete strongly in a range of other areas, including design, visibility, convenience/location, customer service, prices of other products and availability of other services.
Does Shell engage in price gouging at its retail sites?
Shell does not engage in or condone the practice of introducing excessive price increases, and will investigate any such allegations. If a customer feels that a gasoline station is charging a price that is excessive when contrasted to comparable sites, he or she should contact the relevant trading standards agency and provide them with the contact details.
So what can drivers do to save money on gasoline?
The way you drive and the way you maintain your vehicle can help reduce your fuel consumption and save you money. Here are some tips:
1. Drive smoothly, avoiding heavy acceleration or braking.
2. Manual cars -- change up to a higher gear as early as possible as you accelerate.
3. Automatic cars -- shift up gears more quickly if you ease back on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
4. Keep your engine well tuned, check your oil and fix any problems immediately.
5. Make sure your tires are at the correct pressure and not under- or over-inflated.
6. Keep your trunk/boot or back seat clear of unnecessary items that add weight.
7. If you are not using your roof rack or roof box, take it off.
8. Keep your windows closed, especially if you are driving at higher speeds.
9. Always use the recommended grade of oil in your engine.
10. Use cruise control on major roads and in free-flowing traffic.
11. Turn off your engine in heavy traffic to avoid excessive idling.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
5 Stages of Death
I love this clip, it made me laugh the first time I watched it. Than I found what someone else did and laughed even louder! =)
Watch this first!
Than watch this! Hahaha!
Watch this first!
Than watch this! Hahaha!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Hootie And The Blowfish - Let Her Cry
CHORD FINGERING:
G5 - 320033 ; Cadd9 - 032033 ; Em7 - 022033
D/F# - 200233 ; D - xx0232 ; Dsus4 - xx0233
G5 D
She sits alone by a lamppost
Cadd9 G5
Trying to find a thought thats escaped her mind
D
She says dads the one I love the most
Cadd9 G5
But stipes not far behind
G5
She never lets me in
D
Only tell me wheres shes been
Cadd9 G5
When shes had too much to drink
G5 D
I say that I dont care I just run my hands
Cadd9
Through her dark hair and then I pray to god
G5
You gotta help me fly away
And just...
Cadd9 G5
Let her cry...if the tears fall down like rain
Cadd9 Em7 D/F# D
Let her sing...if it eases all her pain
Cadd9 G5
Let her go...let her walk right out on me
D
And if the sun comes up tomorrow
Cadd9 G5 D Cadd9 G5
Let her be...let her be.
G5
This morning I woke up alone
D
Found a note sitting by the phone
Cadd9 G5
Saying maybe, maybe Ill be back some day
G5
I wanted to look for you
D
You walked in I didnt know just what I should do
Cadd9
So I sat back down and had a beer
G5
and felt sorry for myself.
Saying...
Cadd9 G5
Let her cry...if the tears fall down like rain
Cadd9 Em7 D/F# D
Let her sing...if it eases all her pain
Cadd9 G5
Let her go...let her walk right out on me
D
And if the sun comes up tomorrow
Cadd9 G5 D Cadd9 G5
Let her be...let her be.
G5 D Cadd9
Oh..... oh....
G5
No no no no.....
Cadd9 G5
Let her cry...if the tears fall down like rain
Cadd9 Em7 D/F# D
Let her sing...if it eases all her pain
Cadd9 G5
Let her go...let her walk right out on me
D
And if the sun comes up tomorrow
Cadd9 G5 D Dsus4 D Cadd9 G5
Let her be...har.....
G5
Last night I tried to leave
D
Cried so much I could not believe
Cadd9
She was the same girl
G5
I fell in love with long ago
G5
She went in the back to get high
D
I sat down on my couch and cried
Cadd9
Yelling oh mama please help me
G5
Wont you hold my hand.
And
Cadd9 G5
Let her cry...if the tears fall down like rain
Cadd9 Em7 D/F# D
Let her sing...if it eases all her pain
Cadd9 G5
Let her go...let her walk right out on me
D
And if the sun comes up tomorrow
G5
Let her be...
Cadd9 G5
Let her cry...if the tears fall down like rain
Cadd9 Em7 D/F# D
Let her sing...if it eases all her pain
Cadd9 G5
Let her go...let her walk right out on me
D
And if the sun comes up tomorrow
Cadd9 G5
Let her be...oh....let her be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)