It was about time we tried Pek Kio Market after hearing from Hypodermically how good the prawn noodles were. The minute we got there we fanned out, each having separate missions. DC was despatched to queue for the legendary prawn noodles, while others got other stuff to fill our stomachs for the long wait ahead. Forgettable:   Hokkien mee; decent: kway chap.

The chwee kueh from Pin Le was worth a mention because it’s just so darn huge! Each goes for $0.80 and is almost as big as the plate. It’s generously filled with chai poh and the chilli has kick. I’d have it again as a stomach filler even though it doesn’t quite make my love list.

Taking things a notch up was the oyster omelette from Tong Siew. I know the picture looks awful, like someone had puked over the omellete, but do not be deceived by looks! It was one of the best oyster omelettes I’ve had. This is different from the usual orh luak, it’s call orn neng instead because it doesn’t have distracting starchy goo. Here, it’s just egg and oyster. The egg was fluffy and the oyster fresh and yummy. Together with the chilli sauce and the coriander topping, it was egg and oyster heaven for me.

When DC finally bore the prawn noodles triumphantly to our table, we oohed and aahed at how big the prawns in the $15 version were. C&S had a bowl each of the regular ones and they were impressed already. After all the preamble, DC and I settled for sharing one $15 portion, divvying up the 3 prawns in our usual democratic fashion: he got the head of the last one and I the body. DC adored the soup, though I was sure at first. It wasn’t as punchy and in your face as expected, but after a few sips, I realised that the clear soup had a very clear taste of prawn with no distractions. The jumbo prawns were great too, plenty of coral and the flesh was firm and sweet. Excellent.

The noodles were done very well too. I enjoyed it much more than expected as the chilli was very flavourful, plus it was augmented by crispy lard bits and plenty of crunchy veg. Thumbs up!

Pin Wei (#25)
Tong Siew(#23)
Wah Kee Prawn Noodles (#15)
Blk 41A Cambridge Road Hawker Centre (Pek Kio)

I have already discussed the “long line of incidents” that in the last two years has posed a risk to the famous Qantas safety record. More or less two years ago I wrote an article titled “Qantas electric failures” commenting two occurrences of two subsequent losses of electrical power experienced by two Qantas B747-400s. One of the aircraft was flying from London to Bangkok as QF2 and the other one from Singapore to Melbourne as QF10, and I noticed that I had travelled with both of them a few months earlier. QF10 had some problems once again on Dec. 18, 2009, when it was forced to return to Singapore after experiencing an engine fire shortly after departure.
The following Sydney Morning Herald article provides some more details about the last emergency:

Qantas flight turns back after ‘flames from engine’
THOMAS HUNTER
December 18, 2009

Qantas passengers on board a flight that turned back shortly after leaving Singapore have described seeing “tongues of fire” coming from one of the 747 jumbo jet’s engines.

Flight QF10 was on its way to Melbourne carrying 354 passengers when the incident occurred.

Dylan Brady, 38, was returning to Melbourne after visiting Singapore on business when the plane “convulsed and lost power”.

“[My business partner and I] both thought something had fallen off the bottom, or the landing gear had come undone,” he said.

“Then we saw this orange light and we both looked out the window to see fire coming out of the back of the jet. It was pretty scary.”

Mr Brady said the flames lasted about 10 seconds, while the whole incident was over in about 25 seconds. He said the passengers knew something had happened but stayed calm, and the captain quickly informed them he had shut the engine down.

“When he shut the engine off, obviously everything was OK, the plane slowed down a little bit and then he sort of pulled gently and slowly to the left to get out of the flight path because the plane behind us was only a minute and half behind and still going full speed,” he said.

On its return to Singapore, Mr Brady said the plane was directed to its own runway which was lined with fire engines and emergency crews.

“To Qantas’s credit, by the time the plane got back to the ground they had hotels for everybody. It was pretty well organised. There were some conniptions when the business class passengers got their luggage and economy didn’t … I didn’t notice anyone who was ridiculously disgruntled.”

Another passenger, Steve Tanoto, described the shock “tongues of fire on the rightmost engine … in the middle of the night”.

The airline this morning confirmed a “mechanical fault” forced the jet back to Singapore soon after it took off last night.

A passenger who contacted Traveller reported flames coming from an engine 25 minutes after the jet took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport at 8.53pm, local time (11.53pm Melbourne time).

The plane landed safely and Qantas engineers are believed to be examining the aircraft.

The spokeswoman said pilots announced to passengers that the jet had developed a problem and they were shutting down the No.4 engine.

There was no panic among passengers, the spokeswoman said, as the pilots carried out “an air turn back” and returned to Singapore.

“There was no smoke or fire in the cabin, according to official reports, and at no stage was the safety of any of the passengers at risk,” the spokeswoman said.

Asked if the cabin crew reported smoke and flames from the failed engine, she said “there was no report of that, none at all”.

Passengers were take by bus accommodation for an expected 23-hour delay while the airline arranged a replacement 747 to fly passengers to Melbourne.

The incident is the latest in a long line of incidents to affect the trouble-plagued airline.

In July last year an oxygen gas bottle exploded mid-flight, ripping a hole in the side of a Qantas jet above the South China Sea.

A final report is expected next year. The explosion happened on a Hong Kong-Melbourne flight, carrying 369 people. No one was seriously hurt.

In October 2008 a computer glitch caused a Qantas Airbus to plunge twice in quick succession on its way from Singapore to Perth, injuring more than 100 people.

Meanwhile, industrial action at Qantas by professional engineers had no impact on services, an airline spokesman said yesterday. Alison Rose from the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers said yesterday’s action was designed to not inconvenience the public over Christmas.

If the dispute was not resolved she said passengers travelling next month may be affected.

Benny and the 80’s chicks

Wokka wokka wokka

This is the first holiday season that I will be  away from my familia. ah scratch that this is the 2nd year that I will be celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas without my family. To make a long story short: Mom decided to leave Dad 6 years ago after living together like cats & dogs for 25 years. Phew! I would have left too! just kidding. With the initial separation came alot of resentment, pointing fingers, grudges, revenge oh and let’s not forget crowning ME the scapegoat to their problems. How exciting, right? Since I supported my mother well then I get treated by my siblings and Dad like the black sheep.  (That’s okay I do prefer black guys anyway he he) I can write a novel about this but I wont…

Instead, I am writing about how I will be spending Christmas away from home and how after the holidays I will go on a mini shopping Christmas trip just for me!! I usually do not like shopping during the Holiday season because if you didn’t know those prices are still high because of the frenzy of making sure there are gifts underneath the lighted tree. So after everyone is complaining about how they do not have money to shop until Tax season, well I’ll be on a mission shopping for these goodies. Wahoo!!!

iflip HD Mini $199

Women’s Wool-Blend Bell-Sleeve Coat $70

Marc Jacobs Perfume $60

Jumbo curlers $20-$50

Succes is een keuze “Het beste MT van Nederland’. Van de 6 managers zijn er 3 vrouwen en één daarvan is Colette Cloosterman van Eerd chief marketing officer van de Jumbo Supermarkten uit Noord Brabant Veghel. “De toekomst van Nederland ligt ongetwijfeld bij ondernemend Nederland” en bij de familie bedrijven. Gefeliciteerd Complimenten. Geweldig.

Buy Cheap Scott(R) Jumbo Tissue Refill, 2-Ply, Pack Of 4 Rolls

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Atasan Mukenah ini terbuat dari bahan nylon sutera super. Bahannya yang dingin dan jatuh membuat kita nyaman memakainya . Bisa juga di pakai sebagai Jilbab atau anda tinggal menambahkan bawahannya….dan jadilah mukenah manohara

Kode : VCMN-SS002

Bahan : Nylon Sutra

Warna : seri

Harga Eceran : Rp. 150.000,00

Harga Grosir : Rp. 135.000,00 / pcs (minimal pembelian 3 pcs)

Harga Kodian : Rp. 125.000,oo / pcs

Harga di atas 2 kodi : Rp. 115.000,00 /pcs

Note : Harga belum termasuk ongkos kirim

Batas waktu pemesanan : minimal 1 minggu pada hari kerja

The penny item at Publix this Sunday (11/15) & Monday (11/16) is:

Publix Jumbo Franks

The penny item coupon can be found on the lower right corner of your Sunday paper Publix advertisement.

Your total must be $10 BEFORE coupons to get the jumbo franks.

Seeding Into Others,
Catrina

The U.S. Congress passed a congressional resolution extending through 2010 the current conforming loan limits of $417,000 for most areas in the U.S. and $729,750 for high-cost areas, including many in California.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) have long advocated making permanent higher conforming loan limits. As a result of C.A.R.’s and NAR’s efforts, a provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 included temporarily raising the conforming loan limits from $625,500 in high-cost areas to $729,750 and extending the limits through 2009. Yesterday’s actions effectively extend the higher conforming loan limits for Fannie, Freddie, and FHA loans through 2010.

“There is no doubt that higher loan limits and the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers have helped stabilize California’s housing market over the last year,” said C.A.R. President James Liptak. “C.A.R. applauds our congressional representatives for their actions to extend the higher loan limits through 2010. They now should focus on making higher loan limits permanent.”

The conforming loan limit determines the maximum size of a mortgage that Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy or “guarantee.” Non-conforming or “jumbo loans” typically carry higher mortgage interest rates than conforming loans, increasing monthly payments and hampering the ability of families in California to purchase homes by making them less affordable.

1. How old are you, where are you from, where are you living now and what took you there?

I am 42 years old. I was born in Chicago and lived there most of my life except for the last 10 years, and a couple of years in Mexico when I was a small child. For the past 10 years I have been living in Buenos Aires, and what brought me there was love.

I met my wife on the dance floor of a dance club called Stardust in Chicago (don’t bother to google, I don’t think it’s around anymore. The ones I saw are not it). She was doing her MBA at the University of Chicago. We did not get a chance to talk much, but I guess it was enough to get her attention. I gave her my business card as her friends whisked her away for the evening. Her Argentine friends told her to not waste her time with me since who am I expecting her to chase me by having given her my business card. Luckily she also asked her American friends who told her that I was being gracious by giving her the choice of moving ahead or not. In retrospect, I think she liked the idea of being in the driver’s seat, and seeing how guys are around here, that must have been pretty refreshing.

2. How long have you lived there and how long will you stay?  What keeps you there?

Love brought me here and is keeping me here. I do love it here. Yes, it has its ups and downs but it is an adventure. It is something that is still alien and foreign to me. I am the kind of person that gets bored pretty quickly with just about anything. Argentina is far from being boring. The minute you think you have this place figured out and you fall into complacency the rug gets pulled from under your feet. It is unsettling, but it is not boring and it is challenging.

But it is also a warm place. I can’t imagine another country being so kid friendly. I can take my kids to just about any restaurant without fear of getting attitude by waiters or cold hateful stares from other patrons. Kids are allowed and expected to be kids. Funny enough, most of the time the kids do rise to the situation and behave themselves.

Having said all this, my car just got broken into for the second time and right in front of my shop. Every single car I have owned has been broken into. I shouldn’t be so glowing about Argentina, but you have to take it into the greater context of what it is like to live here.

We have a close knit family that helps each other out, we all live near one another, having access to a maid is fantastic and don’t get me started on the bidet!

3. What do you do to make a living?

My wife and I created Argentina’s first gourmet cookie factory Sugar & Spice. Honestly, the country did not have anyone filling this niche. Any gourmet cookies you found were of the imported variety and they weren’t actually gourmet cookies. Our brand of cookies and baked goodies can be found in the best supermarkets of the country as well as in your local wine stores, gourmet shops, cheese stores, department stores, boutique hotels, and they even serve them in some medical centers. We also provide cookies to Aroma Cafe, Starbucks, McCafé, Munchi’s, Freddo, Jumbo Supermarkets, The Barbie Store, and currently talking to some others to expand that list.

Our factory also has a store front where you can come by and purchase our regular line as well as some things that are exclusively available at our shop. Sometimes we experiment and currently we have mocha biscotti and we have a very deluxe version of our panettone with chocolate for example.

I also have a blog that I write, but I don’t make a living out of it. I did it mostly to help my website get some presence. Before I started it, I could not find my website on any search engine.

4. Describe your average weekday and weekend day.

In the morning we chase the kids around to get them dressed, and ready for school. We then take them ourselves. My days are actually different from one day to another. We have a couple of new products, which leads to a bunch of new clients so I have to carry around a binder with separations for each client with the current open situations that I need to move on, otherwise I would get lost with what has to be done with whom and when. I am feeling pretty overwhelmed these days.

Since June this country’s economy has slowed down. Every retailer is complaining and their sales have decreased substantially. It is a crisis and I don’t even know if the papers are writing about it as such. We are definitely feeling it and the only thing that could or would be saving us are the new products that we are launching as well as the beginning of the holiday season.

Having said that I have to send e-mails, try to get meetings, go to meetings that are either sales meetings or price negotiation meetings or new product meetings, etc. It is basically hectic and confusing.

5. What skills have you learned while living abroad?

I think that I have learnd how to stand up for myself much more effectively. You have to be much more proactive here and not be afraid to be confrontational when the situation arises. I don’t mean you have to go yelling at people, but they do borrow from the Italian tendency to get all hot and bothered one minute and then completely cool down the next. If you stand your ground, you earn respect. You have to remember the cooling down part.

6. What are you missing (professionally) by not being in your home country?

This one is difficult. I was never in this industry back home so I don’t know. I do get the sense that it is not as formal here so things are bit more laid back. But I am going to have to say that I don’t know on this one. Is that allowed? Can I not know something?

However, last week I was waiting around for a potential new client in their office. They had me (and several others) waiting around for 5 hours. I had to walk into his office and not show my irritation. That was some nice acting.

Right after that I had another meeting with a current client and this time, after 1 hour I asked the receptionist if the guy was really in (because he normally does not leave me waiting so long) and she said that he was. I waited for an hour more and then told her that I couldn’t wait anymore. The next day he calls me and apologizes for the receptionist. He was at home sick and she basically flat out lied to me or did not know what the hell she was talking about. I have to hold that one in. When I saw her after that, she recognized me and her attitude was much better about calling him for me, but I couldn’t say anything to her. I have to keep being nice and friendly.

7. If you could live anywhere, where would that be and why?

I like it here, I really do; so Argentina would be my first choice. I think I would need to travel a bit more to come up with a good response. I also loved Italy’s country side; I also loved France; London would have been great in my younger years I think, but I did not feel the love for it. I also did not get to vacation that much. I have been there twice, once for work.

I also love Mexico, but I don’t know if I would like to live there and work there. Maybe if my work was in the States while living there. However, I do have that love for the place when I visit there and I miss it terribly.

8. What is your favorite gadget that makes your work life abroad better?

I have several. My MacBook Pro is awesome and paired with my iPod touch I am in techie heaven. I would love to equip my home with more Apple products. Some day when I have more money maybe.

I have also just bought a magicjack so that helps me to keep in touch with my friends and family in the States. Yeah, the website looks awful, but the thing works.

9. Do you have a favorite book that inspired you to travel or consider a different way of living?

Nope, never researched it or planned on it. However, I am going to read The New Global Student.

10. Other than yours, do you have a favorite expat blog?

Actually there are so many. I have them all side-linked on my blog and I have them on my Googlereader. I might have some on one and not on the other. I have to get that better organized.

Hoje venho trazer algo, que tem suscitado alguma discussão e tem dividido muitos clientes, são o não fornecimento por parte das superfícies comerciais de sacos de plástico para as compras, passo a transcrever a notícia e de seguida teço o meu comentário sobre o assunto:

« Sacos de plástico Reduzimos o consumo, reutilizamos mais e aprendemos a reciclar. Não chega

Continuam omnipresentes, mas há um novo cuidado na maneira como os gastamos: passaram a ser pagos, são biodegradáveis ou existem em formatos maiores para poderem ser utilizados várias vezes. Há menos desperdício, mas é só nos sacos de plástico. E o resto? Por Nicolau Ferreira e Rui Gaudêncio

Até há poucos anos chegávamos a sentir-nos ultrajados quando ficávamos sem sacos de plástico na caixa de um supermercado e tínhamos de pedir mais um para guardar as últimas três latas de atum e a garrafa de óleo. O gesto automático do empregado que nos atendia era suficiente para nos sossegar. As mãos desapareciam por baixo do balcão onde passam as compras e voltavam a aparecer com mais um molho de sacos com um ar resistente, desinfectado e fresco – como se tivessem acabado de nascer ali, de propósito para nós. O atum e o óleo eram guardados, preenchendo um terço do saco, pagava-se a conta e a missão estava cumprida. Levávamos para casa muitos sacos de plástico com múltiplas funcionalidades, em que o único perigo era causar a asfixia de crianças.

Durante décadas, poucos se interrogaram do impacto que esta transacção tinha na natureza. Mas a onda ambiental que tem vindo a atravessar o globo viu neste objecto, representante da cultura do desperdício, um alvo para passar uma mensagem. Os sacos de plástico, tão omnipresentes como os carros de cinco portas e o ar condicionado, tornaram-se o símbolo da luta pelo ambiente.

Em Portugal ainda não há leis como na Irlanda, em Gales ou em algumas cidades dos Estados Unidos que taxaram universalmente o saco, mas notam-se diferenças. Apareceram no mercado sacos que se intitulam biodegradáveis, foram fabricados sacos encanastrados, resistentes e maiores, de longa duração. Supermercados que distribuíam livremente passaram a pedir taxas simbólicas por cada unidade. A situação mudou, os hábitos das pessoas também e já pensamos um segundo, quando o empregado de balcão nos pergunta o número de sacos que queremos.

“Enquanto não se pagava, era tudo nosso; agora, como é a pagar, as pessoas já se encolhem um bocadinho, como é normal”, diz Fátima Ribeiro, 43 anos, à saída de um Pingo Doce em Lisboa. A cadeia de supermercados da Jerónimo Martins teve uma vitória indiscutível, ao conseguir diminuir o consumo de 60 por cento dos sacos de plástico desde que, em 2006, introduziu a taxa de valor simbólico de dois cêntimos por saco.

Segundo a empresa, a aposta era ambiental. “O Pingo Doce acredita que deve assumir uma posição que motive a poupança de recursos naturais e de sensibilização do consumidor”, explica por e-mail Rita Cardoso, assessora da empresa. A aposta é bem intencionada, mas o plástico que se continua a levar para casa e a deitar fora em embalagens, invólucros, garrafas de água é em proporções absurdas. Já para não falar no sem-número de problemas ambientais e ecológicos que o mundo engendrou – no topo dos quais aparecem as alterações climáticas, a falta de água e a extinção de espécies.

Estamos a aprender a poupar nos sacos, e depois?

Toneladas de lixo

Desde passarem a ser identificados como flor nacional (não oficial) da África do Sul até serem os responsáveis pelas cheias no Bangladesh durante o final dos anos de 1990 por entupirem o sistema de esgotos (os séculos que demoram a degradar-se faz com que se acumulem rapidamente), os sacos de plástico costumam aparecer pelos piores motivos nas notícias relacionadas com o ambiente.

Não é só uma questão de serem fabricados a partir de um subproduto do petróleo, um recurso não renovável e por isso não sustentável, com emissões de CO2 associadas à sua síntese e transporte. Há o problema acrescido de muitos países não fazerem recolha dos sacos de plástico, que acabam dispersos na natureza. “Muitas aves e tartarugas acabam por ingerir esses elementos e os animais morrem sufocados,” exemplifica Rui Berkemeier, fundador e coordenador do Centro de Informação de Resíduos da Quercus.

Os primeiros compostos que precederam o plástico nasceram durante a segunda metade do século XIX, mas os sacos só começaram a ser introduzidos em massa cem anos depois. Jaime Festas é do tempo em que as pessoas não os usavam. O dono de uma das mercearias do Bairro da Graça, em Lisboa, tem 53 anos e mais de 40 a trabalhar no negócio. Recorda-se das almotolias de folha de metal para o transporte do azeite, dos garrafões de vidro para a água mineral, do papel onde se punha a quantidade de manteiga ou banha que se pesava. Para o transporte das compras serviam os sacos de papel, que continua a defender veementemente como uma indústria que se poderia desenvolver em Portugal, e os cestos de verga que as empregadas utilizavam. “Lembro-me da vinda dos sacos de plástico”, diz.

São indiscutíveis os benefícios que todos viram no objecto: é mais higiénico, não verte líquidos, é impermeável, leve mas com uma grande resistência, pode ser utilizado várias vezes. Hoje, Jaime Festas fornece gratuitamente os sacos de plástico aos clientes, e paga um euro e meio por quilo do material.

“Estima-se que a quantidade de sacos de plástico colocados no comércio retalhista varie entre 10 mil e 20 mil toneladas”, explica por e-mail Rui Toscano, que preside ao conselho de administração da Plastval, a sociedade anónima que foi criada há 13 anos por um conjunto de indústrias do plástico, depois de uma directiva comunitária estabelecer metas para a reciclagem.

Em 2008, reciclaram-se em Portugal 35 mil toneladas de plástico, cinco mil das quais eram sacos – cerca de metade de todo o tipo de plástico, na versão de filme, composto por uma substância chamada polietileno que é reciclado. Os sacos representam menos de 15 por cento de todo o plástico reciclado.

As normas europeias prevêem que em 2011, em Portugal, mais de um quinto (22,5 por cento) do plástico seja reciclado. “A taxa de reciclagem nacional do plástico situa-se nos 19,1 por cento; se estivéssemos em 2011, a meta não estaria atingida, razão pela qual continua a ser necessária a participação de todos os cidadãos na separação e deposição selectiva do material plástico”, observa Rui Toscano. Não se pense, contudo, que a tendência para a produção deste material sintético, capaz de ser moldado em milhares de objectos diferentes e que é utilizado para fazer tudo, desde carros até material para informática, vá diminuir.

Segundo o relatório The Compelling Facts about Plastics 2009, publicado há menos de um mês pela Plastics Europe, foram produzidos no ano passado 245 milhões de toneladas de plástico em todo o mundo, tendo havido uma diminuição em relação ao ano anterior como efeito directo da recessão mundial. No entanto, as estimativas – para 2015 – das necessidades dos cidadãos deverão exigir à indústria mundial uma produção de cerca de 328 milhões de toneladas. É provável que daqui a meia década levemos menos sacos para casa, mas mais plástico.

Opções diferentes

No dia-a-dia há quem veja as medidas que estão a ser tomadas pelos supermercados como o Pingo Doce um arranque positivo para uma cultura com menos desperdício. “Acho que nunca se deve chamar inútil a um esforço”, defende João Pedro Frazão, estudante do ensino superior, que diz ter alterado o seu comportamento desde que foi obrigado a pagar os sacos de plástico. “O facto de pagar, para além da parte financeira – não é que sejam muito caros -, obriga uma pessoa a pensar: se calhar é melhor reutilizar, comprar sacos para o lixo.” O jovem de 21 anos aponta para as alternativas que existem, como os sacos encanastrados, que são maiores e podem ser reutilizados.

Tanto o Pingo Doce como, entre outros, a cadeia de supermercados Continente (empresa pertencente ao grupo que detém o PÚBLICO) têm à disposição do consumidor este tipo de saco, que se pode adquirir a 50 cêntimos. Mas a filosofia do grupo da Sonae é diferente em relação aos sacos comuns. “Consideramos que os sacos são “embalagens de serviço”, sendo entendidas como parte da globalidade dos serviços que prestamos, para os quais não faz sentido introduzir pagamentos”, defende por e-mail a assessoria da empresa.

Esta opinião é partilhada por João Pereira Pestana, de 56 anos, que paga pelos sacos de plástico que leva. “Se vimos às compras, temos de levá-las. Tem de haver um saco de plástico – dado ou por uma quantia simbólica.” E para o pasteleiro a questão dos dois cêntimos cobrados pelo Pingo Doce “não é uma quantia simbólica, ao fim de muito tempo é um valor mesmo”. No caso do Minipreço, onde sempre se pagaram os sacos de plástico, o valor sobe para três cêntimos.

Ainda assim é uma quantia irrisória, quando comparada com o que se passa na Irlanda, onde o preço dos sacos de plástico, imposto pelo Estado, começou por ser de 15 cêntimos em 2002 e mais recentemente subiu para 22. Depois de a medida ter sido aplicada houve uma redução de 90 por cento no número de sacos de plástico utilizados.

A alternativa ambiental do Continente foi apostar nos sacos oxodegradáveis. “O novo saco-cliente [o saco comum] é fabricado através de um processo de inovação tecnológica que garante a degradação do plástico em apenas alguns meses, sem qualquer intervenção humana.” A composição do saco leva um aditivo que, supostamente, torna as ligações moleculares mais fracas e permite aos microrganismos uma degradação mais fácil. Segundo a Sonae, os sacos ficarão degradados totalmente “entre 18 a 24 meses”.

A Quercus está desde Janeiro a realizar uma experiência para comprovar a capacidade de degradação deste novo material. Quatro ambientes diferentes testam a resistência do plástico – água normal, água salgada, envoltos em lixo e em cima da terra. Em todas as experiências o material está submetido à luz natural. Até agora os sacos de plástico parecem continuar tão viçosos como no primeiro dia.

Rui Berkemeier, que questiona as novas propriedades do material, alerta que a grande discussão a nível mundial é o impacto do material. “Os oxoplásticos entram na natureza de uma forma perniciosa”, alerta, explicando que não se sabe que efeito vão ter nas cadeias alimentares.

O ambientalista argumenta que devem ser tomadas medidas de racionalização do plástico, preferindo que o material seja utilizado para fabricar objectos de longa duração: “O plástico tem propriedades fantásticas, não faz sentido ser utilizado em produtos descartáveis.” Quanto ao saco de plástico, defende que não seja oferecido. “Os dois maiores partidos têm no seu programa de Governo medidas explícitas para reduzir o consumo de sacos de plástico, defendemos que haja um consenso,” diz, explicando que uma medida destas seria um símbolo muito importante para a luta pelo ambiente.

Para Margarida Silva, ambientalista do Porto, apesar de útil, passar a pagar por cada saco de plástico teria um efeito meramente cosmético. “O plástico é um subproduto do refinamento do petróleo; o nosso grande problema é estarmos toxicodependentes do petróleo energeticamente. Isso é um tabu ainda maior do que o plástico.”

A Plastval confirma que apenas quatro por cento do petróleo bruto extraído anualmente é utilizado na produção de matérias-primas plásticas. Aos ambientalistas esta associação responde que “políticas ambientais baseadas na limitação do crescimento são falsas políticas ambientais” e deve-se apostar em dar mais valor aos produtos através de uma redução na produção e eliminação dos resíduos. “O desempenho ambiental da produção, uso e destino final dos sacos de plástico é superior, quando comparado com outros materiais alternativos”, lembra a Plastval.

No final do dia, o papel máximo do cidadão parece reduzir-se a separar o lixo correctamente.

Acreditar no gesto

Na Miosótis de São Sebastião, em Lisboa, os sacos de plástico são a excepção. O segundo supermercado de produtos biológicos da empresa tem uma filosofia clara assente na redução do consumo, reutilização e reciclagem. Os únicos sacos de plástico que o P2 viu foram junto aos frescos, para os legumes molhados. “Incentivamos as pessoas a trazerem um saco para o pão, um saco para os legumes”, explica Ângelo Rocha, um dos donos da Miosótis, acrescentando que as pessoas que vão ali fazer um consumo ecológico “devem ter um comportamento ecológico também em relação ao saco”.

Para quem se esquece de trazer sacos há à venda sacos de pano ou de papel. Se o cliente não quiser pagar, tem ainda disponíveis as caixas de cartão que vieram com os produtos e que já não são utilizadas. Dentro da loja o plástico não abunda ou está concentrado nos carrinhos das compras reciclados que são feitos a partir de 25 garrafas plástico de litro e meio. Há cereais a granel e os produtos frescos têm uma embalagem simples, com um tamanho mínimo, para reduzir o plástico utilizado. Segundo Ângelo Rocha, as marcas optaram por embalagens mais “justas” na sequência da pressão dos consumidores com maiores preocupações ecológicas.

Os clientes que vão à loja apreciam os produtos pela qualidade e o “sabor”, como é o caso de Dina Dima, que acrescenta ser também uma forma de poluir menos. “É menos prejudicial no futuro, sei que é mais caro, mas que traz vantagens para mim e para todos, no final”, explica a conservadora de museus, de 46 anos, que deixou de utilizar sacos de plástico desde que vai à Miosótis. E não acha que poupar nos sacos de plástico é uma gota no oceano? “É, mas eu acho importante, tenho de acreditar, se não, parava.”

Quando Dina passa pela caixa do supermercado, o diálogo não será assim tão diferente. “Às vezes, quando me esqueço dos sacos, tenho de comprar aqui. São muitas as vezes em que me esqueço.”»

In: http://jornal.publico.clix.pt/noticia/01-11-2009/sacos-de-plastico-reduzimos-o-consumo-reutilizamos-mais–e-aprendemos-a-reciclar–nao-chega-18108286.htm, em Jornal Público a 02 de Novembro de 2009

O meu comentário:

Penso que a questão dos sacos nos supermercados, é comparável mediante a estratégia da superfície comercial, ou seja, se uma superfície comercial é discount, então temos que pagar os sacos plástico, se a superfície comercial é mass market, então temos a oferta dos sacos plásticos.

Ficaria mais feliz, se as políticas fossem mais ambientais, ou seja, o Pingo Doce, no inicio apesar de invocarem natureza ambiental, a verdade, é que era mais pelo custo que os sacos tinham, e o impacto que repercutiam no custos da superfície comercial. NO entanto, penso que em parte a tese ambiental, até tenha um pouco de veracidade, e que seja relevante, de tal forma, que tenham essas preocupações, mas se tal fosse verdadeiro em 100%, deveriam ter sacos reutilizáveis a venda, nem que fossem um pouco mais caros, mas que incentivassem os clientes a proteger eles mesmos o ambiente, e até poderiam ter a insígnia nos respectivos sacos, de certeza que as pessoas, os usariam para fins tão diversificados, que teriam o retorno em publicidade gratuita, além de denotarem uma responsabilidade social pelo meio ambiente.

As superfícies que oferecem actualmente os sacos plástico, têm um público alvo ligeiramente diferente das superfícies que enumerei anteriormente, pois têm clientes que além dos produtos, exigem serviço, ou seja, exigem valor acrescentado, e como tal, necessitam ter os sacos disponíveis, e por essa razão as empresas, dizem mesmo que os sacos são parte integrante do serviço.

Penso que, o principio de boa utilização dos plásticos, deve partir de todos nós, devemos ter consciência que mesmo que a superfície comercial no faculte sacos, se pudermos utilizar um saco reutilizável, deveremos optar por tal, e se todos fizermos isso, chegará uma parte, em que os sacos usados pelas pessoas nas suas compras, terão um peso residual, e nós usaremos sacos, que vão às compras muitas vezes.

Um exemplo, existe uma grande superfície de decoração, que não dá sacos, ou pagamos uns 20 cêntimos por uns de papel, ou compramos, por 50 cêntimos uns reutilizáveis, os reutilizáveis, são bastante resistentes, e podem ser usados mesmo para ir ao hipermercado, agora se dividirmos os 50 cêntimos por 0.02€, temos o resultado de 25 sacos plástico, ou seja, ao comprar um saco daqueles, é o mesmo que comprar 25 de plástico, mas os de plástico não são tão resistentes, nem podem ir tantas vezes às compras como aqueles. Trata-se basicamente de uma questão de escolha e opção.

A regra do bom senso, rege-se que sejamos ambientalmente eficazes, e como tal, poupemos o ambiente, e como tal, parte de cada um de nos poupar os recursos e o ambiente, se não for uma estratégia conjunta entre todos, penso que não chegaremos a bom porto, portanto, deixo os parabéns a quem já tem sacos reutilizáveis, às grandes superfícies que vendem os sacos, mas também às outras que os dão, pois penso que o cliente, é que tem que mudar de hábitos, tem que ser ambientalmente correcto, e desta forma, podermos poupar alguns dos recursos do planeta, mas para tal acontecer, temos que agir todos em prol do planeta melhor. Outra vantagem, é que neste caso, ser ambientalmente correcto, favorece, pois poupam as empresas, e dão mais descontos e geram mais emprego, e poupamos nós, que pagamos menos pelas compras, e custam menos as sacas; não pensem que as sacas eram dadas de borla, o preço delas está incrementado no preço dos produtos…

Pensem nisto….

Tenho Dito

RT

Weekend started with two very contrasting experiences for me.

First one was at an international brand name designer store situated in one of the swanky malls of the BPO Capital of India. Very well lit store, amply stocked store which was spotless clean (well, with the exception of one sad little bucket to catch air con leakage, mind you, no sign for wet floor or caution). Only thing missing was any sign of life form to help us out, that too in a store which had sizes in British. We found what we wanted to buy and also found the right size. Our search for life brought us to the cash counter and lo and behold we found three of them right there and that too human! Billing process was begun and after a brief time span of ten minutes (after all we had bought two pieces of clothing, worth Rs.5000  in a store that was bereft of any other customer across its two floors) good man behind the safety of counter had the brain wave that we should be accorded a “membership card”. Another ten minutes later he apologizes that he gave away the last card just three days back and next lot from “head office” will happen only in a fortnight. Would we be so kind as to shop again after that and then he can grant us the privilege of the card and ensuing points. Would the current amount be credited to that card? No Sir, since this purchase would be prior to the card issue date, it cannot be accounted for, company policy. Can the card be couriered as we have already filled your form out? No sir, it cannot be, it can only be handed over the counter- company policy. Can it be collected next time, we enter this mall? No sir, it is not company policy……

Contrast this with a Pharmacy, in the same BPO Capital. This time in a dingy old market, badly lit and finding a parking place is finding a meteor in the entire universe. A shop where one cannot move without stepping on someone’s toes and have to watch your breadth else the PYT in front of you would think you trying something on her “backless” back. Three store staffers all keen to establish eye contact with you the moment you enter. One of them practically shouts across the store, “Can I help you?” You ask for 5 mm disposable needles for Insulin pen. Next thing, he is asking you which brand of Insulin pen and would you need a replacement for it or cartridges for the same. How about the testing strips for your glucose monitor? Will you give me five minutes to make a loyalty card for you and also give my shop card for phone number, you see we home deliver till 11 pm in the night. My bill amount is a grand sum of Rs.100.

Which shop do you think I am likely to visit again and which one I would avoid, being spoilt for choices? Yes, you are right, the second one. Positive behavior from the attendant and desire to up sell on Rs.100 sale. A typical Diabetic’s medicine consumption could run north of Rs.1000 a month.

Why not the first one, some may ask? Well they did nothing to up sale or make a customer feel required, mind you I am not saying special, just required and not an intrusion. They hid behind the mahogany desk called company policy.

What makes the sales people perform differently in different companies? I am sure Mr.Rep1 was better paid and worked in better work environment and dealt with more educated people then our good Hand Man 2 at pharmacy shop.

Or was it something else? Was Mr.Rep1 afraid that he needs to perform within a big bunch of conditions and that following the policy was more important than the closure or retention of customer? In other was he made to feel small cog in large wheel with no stake or say in the running of the wheel except as a place holder?

How about our Handy Man 2? He reaches out, literally calls out to the man on the street, pushes for that extra effort and tries to increase the bill amount. Is it that, his company is doing something different, is it that he feels the power of a stakeholder or an important part of the machinery? Agreed that this machine too must be having boundary conditions or standard operating procedures but HE who is at the battle front is empowered to take a call on these conditions. I am sure they are winning some and losing some. But then they are moving as the saying goes a bad plan executed well is better than a brilliant plan botched up.

The difference is the EMPOWERMENT of Sales Person; remember he is your most important influencer for a sale. One may ask how one empowers the sales person. There are some very simple steps to this and no need for a three day off site for the Senior Managers of the company at a exotic location (sadly so, unless I am also invited). It also does not involve a huge CRM project costing millions.

1. 1. Make the sales people wanted in the company, respect them like people and not treat them like slot machines which give more when you put more. Slot machines are used for gambling in Vegas and I am fairly certain most of us do not want to run a business dependent upon these machines unless we are a casino, especially our shareholders will get mighty upset if they got to know of gamble.
2. 2. Provide them with basic information about their own company and not just the product. It should include the history, senior management and financials of the company. Please provide an update on a regular basis as though you are training on a new product. There is nothing more irritating than a sales person who does not know the name of his own CEO or his company’s Revenue figure for the last quarter.
3. 3. Train the sales person on the basics of a job. If he is on the floor in a men’s garment section, he should know about certain parameters and if he is in children’s section he should be equipped with a different skill set.
4. 4. Let the decision making on certain parameters be flexible to accommodate for a human judgment. While measurement of sales is a science but the process is an art and is performed differently by different artistes. Agreed, there may be some errors but then even Monalisa is not perfect.
5. 5. Use technology for the benefit of the sales team and not for the sake of technology. Use technology as a slave and not as the master. Remember, your sales person is selling when in the face of the customer and not when s/he is staring into a monitor. Choose your technology carefully, a detailed account plan with organsation structure may be par for a B2B company but the same may not be such a good idea for an Electronics Retail store. Ever come across a TV shop that takes 3 hours for billing as it needs to be generated from SAP online instance and link is down. Will a customer buying a TV worth Rs.120,000 waiting for the data link to go up or will s/he is walk down the corridor to Jumbo and buy the same set.
6. 6. Involve sales in product decision, they touch the customer on a regular basis and can be source of information rather than the elaborate market surveys done through anonymous agents.

inviato da: Fabrizio Pivari

E’ arrivata la tecnologia a Rovigo! Il Jumbo Screen

Avete visto che è arrivata la tecnologia a Rovigo?
Dove?
In bella evidenzia proprio dove il Corso del Popolo si biforca. Tale tecnologia si chiama Jumbo Screen CONTINUA A LEGGERE: Rovigo: E’ arrivato! Il Jumbo Screen!

De meerderheid van de consumenten die dagelijks de supermarkt bezoekt, heeft een mobiele telefoon bij zich. De mobieltjes bieden steeds meer technische mogelijkheden. Ook het gebruik van mobiel internet neem steeds meer toe.

Op basis van bovenstaande theorie werden er tijdens een expertmeeting van Toshiba TEC Retail Information Systeems twee vragen gesteld:
- Hoe kunnen we hier in de supermarkt gebruik van maken?
- Kunnen nieuwe media bijdragen aan margeverbetering binnen de supermarkt? 
De experts kwamen tot de conclusie dat mobiele telefoons, draadloos internet, zelfscan-apparatuur, plasmaschermen en narrow casting een nieuwe dimensie geven aan het verkoopproces binnen de (food)retail. Hiermee is het tijdperk dat we mobiel internet kunnen negeren voorbij!

Tijdens de inleiding wordt een beeld geschetst, waarbij de consument zelf via zijn telefoon bepaalt waar de supermarkt is en wat de openingstijden zijn. Ook de prijzen van de door hem gewenste boodschappen kunnen worden vergeleken. 
De volgende stap is om deze techniek in de winkel door te voeren. Bijvoorbeeld door plaatsbepaling in de winkel via WIFI of actieve RFID stelt foodretailers. Hiermee kan de retailer één-op-één met de klant communiceren en afhankelijk van het profiel specifieke aanbiedingen doen.
Een aantal voorbeeld hiervan is dat een klant een stuk kaas koopt en dat er dan een fles wijn wordt aangeboden.

Stimuleren van verkoop via nieuwe media
De techniek biedt grote kansen, bijvoorbeeld bij het voorkomen van lekkage, out of stock en het verbeteren van de bestelmethodiek. Ook kan de kwaliteit van producten beter gecommuniceerd worden. Een retailer kan een concurrentie voordeel behalen door nauwkeurig de herkomst van producten onder de aandacht te brengen. Ook kan het prijs- en kwaliteitsverschil tussen A-merken en huismerken worden toegelicht.
Een belangrijk aspect ligt ook in de service die een supermarktketen kan bieden door het verstrekken van allergie-informatie. Het realtime koopgedrag van een consument kan gestuurd worden.

Huidige status nieuwe media
Op dit moment wordt er met name nog over nagedacht. Landen als Japan zijn bijvoorbeeld wel al verder met het actief toepassen van RFID. Technisch is veel mogelijk, echter de toepasbaarheid moet worden onderzocht en vervolgens toegepast.
Consumenten zijn gevoelig voor oplossingen zonder extra kosten. Uiteindelijk gaat het altijd weer op drie beroemde G’s van retailgoeroe Bert Keizer: Gemak, Genot, Gewin!

Elke retailer zal de technologie dienen te vertalen naar zijn winkelformule. Een generiek systeem opzetten is geen optie, omdat geen implementatie hetzelfde is.

[direktlink]

click… die nummer hat mich dieser tage wieder.
click… und ja, ich weiss,
click… hatte ich hier schonmal,
click… allerdings in der live version.

album: beaucoup fish
year: 1998