Bollywood Tourism in India

It’s an emerging global battle between Tourism Boards to rope in to the Bollywood saga. Bollywood is the international and the most popular definition of the Hindi language movie sector in India which is perhaps one of the world’s largest too. Selling a billion more tickets annually than Hollywood, Bollywood showcases themes from all over the world.

The Hindi film industry has now led fans of this popular cine culture to experience fresher climes in the Finnish Lapland of Rovaniemi and Poland (Fanaa), Victoria in Australia (Salaam Namaste), Korea (Gangster), Brazil (Dhoom II), Kandahar and Kabul (Kabul Express), Ras Al Khaimah (Deewane Hue Pagal, 36 China Town) and Malaysia (Don II). The trend which began with “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in the 90’s lapping up the UK and Swiss borders has now transcended its’ boundaries across the Atlantic to New York with Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna and Kaal Ho Na Ho.

As Dubai along with Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore get added as new destinations to the Mumbai film repertoire, Tourism Boards the world over along with Mumbai and India are clamoring for a slice of the Indian film industry which is expected to cross a turnover of Rs140 billion, as per a KPMG consultancy report. Kashmir and Kerala have given way to world destinations as more producers go westwards to film their movie musicals.
The Indian Tourism Ministry and the Maharashtra government too have pulled up their socks and are looking to create private or public partnerships to promote Bollywood Tourism, especially in the United Kingdom which has already worked out a counter tourism strategy to lure Hindi film fans.

The British move is to allow Hindi film buffs to walk the paths of the now famous British locales of London, Scotland and Yorkshire and relive their favorite Bollywood’s filmy moments. With Indias’ official carrier proposing to add new flights on to the London and Europe sector to rope in the large Indian expatriate community, Britain’s Tourism department is already pitching high on Bollywood through the sale and distribution of an innovative “Bollywood Map of Britain”, with dozens of dots that identify now-seen scenes from Hindi blockbusters- locations such as the Blenheim Palace, Waddesden Manor- used extensively for the shots of Kabhie Khushie Kabhie Gham (K3G) and many more such spots made famous in Bollywood movies.

In the recent past, Hong Kong recorded a 24.7 per cent growth in visitors from India and this has led the tourism board to learn certain movie making linkages between Mumbai and Hong Kong which has plans to develop destination and tour packages revolving around Bollywood and also market the extensive production centers in Hong Kong to Indian movie makers. The Singapore Tourism Board in 2006 launched a “KKrissh” tour package.

The Swiss success of Bollywood has now trickled onto Finland and the Finnish Tourism Board (FTB) had in the recent past organized programs for Bollywood’s dream merchants to familiarize themselves with Finland. The FTB proposes to give location subsidies. Other sops and easy permissions to set up cameras and shots in Finland are being studied. The idea of the FTB is to sell the midnight sun and Northern Lights of the archipelago and bring it under Bollywood’s arch lights. With a direct flight o Helsinki from India, it’s only a wait and watch scene with Bollywood fans adding Santa land to their holiday destination!

With film festivals and awards shows the rage of the times, more and more countries are offering their destination points to set shop for Bollywood’s pre and post productions, also setting aside budgets for awards and glitterati shows. The Malaysian Government had set aside about $US 2.7 million to host the 2006 Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA) thus pushing up sales for Malaysia as a prime Bollywood destination, already made famous in a host of Hindi films.

Only recently some private tour operators in Mumbai have understood the need to tap the “Bollywood” bug as part of their Mumbai ‘Darshan’ packages. Such operators charge around US $100 or rupees 3900 per head for a day’s guided studio tour with or without lunch packages. The experience gets tourists closer to understanding the nuances and technicalities of running one of India’s largest and most glamorous industries.

The trip includes either a film studio or a television soap shoot on location at one of the studios. Tourists get to watch actors and technicians create scenes most fans might already be aware of in the real set, setting off a de ja vu appeal.

Sometimes, a post-production studio experience is thrown in where tourists learn and see in-situ dubbing, sound-editing and some other special effects that are added to movies. As most live studios in Mumbai are not open to viewing for the general public, it is left to the individual tour operators to work out their contracts with the studios they have a nexus with. Filmistan studio is one of the more popular studios open to public.

However, to really thrive on the real Indian movie experience, Tollywood or the Southern Hyderabad based film industry is the place to be. With Mumbai belting out Hindi movies, Telegu, the second most widely spoken language in South India adds to the splendor and glamour of Tollywood.

Producing over 150 feature films a year in and around the new emerging IT hub in Hyderabad, it is worth a visit to Ramoji City -one of the largest filmmaking complexes in the world. With more than 1,600 acres of ply streetscapes, sound stages, warehouses, post-production facilities, hotels, restaurants Ramoji City is modeled as theme park and has been adjudged by the Guinness Book of World record as a complete tinsel town. Ramoji City is akin to experiencing movie magic and “real time” scenes recreated as in the Universal Studios or a Disney or MGM studio in the West. With an entry fee of rupees 250 or $US 5, it’s an experience which Mumbai is yet to reel on! ENDS

Create Your Own Travel Discounts

Hotel and rental car owners don’t just offer you discounts at random, you have to ask for it work for it, and sometimes, these discounts aren’t even worth it, well unless you’re looking to traveling during off peak season where there is at most a 50% discount. But let’s face it, we travel during peak season because this is the season when we actually have time to travel. So aside from waiting for your favorite hotel’s tirade of discounts during off peak season, when you can’t really travel and then end up not traveling at all, why not take the initiative and find your own ways to cheap travel, make your own discount.

- Check detour flights other than the straight one you’re bound to get when you inquire. You can get cheaper overall prices if you choose to book two flights instead of one. Some people have been able to save as much as $2000 by doing this.

- It is always better to buy food at the grocery and cook it yourself rather than eating everyday at a restaurant. You won’t want to spend all of your pocket money on food. Restaurants tend to have cheap and sometimes unhealthy food, ensure your own health as well as your pockets health by cooking your own, that is, after all, the reason why there’s a stove in your hotel room.

- Travel to places which boast of natural beauty but have lower costs of living, prices here tend to be lower. Take the Philippines or Malaysia for example, both have great views and tourist spots but come without the hassle of overpricing, English speaking natives are also a plus for these countries.

- If you’re planning to stay for more than a week, call the hotel that you’d want to stay in and ask for week long stay discounts, these can range for percentages off your room price or even a “free day.”

- Package deals usually save a lot, airfare and lodgings combined into one are usually cheaper compared to paying for them separately. Some travel agencies even provide trio packages which include airfare, hotel and car rental, you can save a lot if you have the industriousness to canvass.

- Find web-only discounts or coupons which some hotels and airline owners provide especially for those willing to reserve online. You can save as much as 50% on your travel costs by going this way.

Travel destinations: West Sumatra, Indonesia

The Matrilineal Culture, Minang Kabau

West Sumatra located in West Coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is one of the beautiful sceneries in Indonesia and has one of the best places for water sport in Mentawai Island. West Sumatra people or called as Minang people has a unique culture, Minang Kabau, which is a matrilineal culture. In matrilineal culture, an individual belongs to his/her mother descent. Minang people are famous because of its literatures and philosophy.

1.People and cultures

Minang kabau is one of matrilineal culture which honor woman and give high social status in community. A son is only a guest in his mother’s house and his sister will own all properties. The responsibility of a man in Minang culture can be divided into two; 1) as an uncle of his nephew, and 2) as a father of his family. In Minang culture, the man is not only responsible to his family but also to his relatives and he will be a judge for any conflicts. Woman is appreciating more, because she will be a mother for continuing a community and will organize the big house (rumah gadang). When a man grows up, he should travel outside the community and widen his knowledge. Before the time, he should get enough knowledge about Islam, culture and martial art. He learns all in surau (a small mosque) where he should sleep there because he will not sleep in his mother house. Then, when he gets marry he will be an honored guest in his wife house.

Minang people are kind and friendly. Even though they are very strict to their culture but they are very welcome to foreigners.

2.Food Tours

Minang food is one of the famous foods in Indonesia and even abroad. The business blood is had by Minang people and many of them open a restaurant. Minang people are famous because love to eat taste foods and love to cook. When you travel in another city in Indonesia, you can see many Minang restaurants and even in Middle East, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Europe, you also able to find the Minang restaurant.

Minang food is spicy and tasteful like other South East Asian foods. But, most of food cooked by using coconut milk and fried by coconut oil. The unique things from Minang restaurant is the way to serve. Minang people never use a food cart to serve the food to customers. The servant will put the plates in his hand, about 6-8 plates for each hand then he serves without any plates get spilled out.

Another famous is snacks or crackers. As the food lovers, Minang people love to eat and

What is Corporate Social Responsibilty?

What is Corporate Social Responsibility?

 

Introduction.

Would you believe it if I tell you that the Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman (1962) had opposed to the underlying premise of Corporate Social Responisibilty and feel that the sole responsibility of business is profit maximization.

 

He wrote in his book, Capitalism and Freedom, this statement:

 

“The view has been gaining widespread acceptance that corporate officials……have a social responsibility that goes beyond serving the interests of their stockholders….This view shows a fundamental misconception of the character and nature of a free economy, there is one and only one social responsibility of business – to use the resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game.”

 

This statement portrays a narrow and selfish view of business.

 

It implies that the social responsibility of managers is “to make as much money for the stockholders as possible”. This view reflects the character and nature of a free economy.

So this view is defended by the argument that is frequently used in a free economy, which is “Let the market decide”.

 

 

The issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been of growing concern among business communities in recent years. For example, Lord Sieff, the former chairman of Marks & Spencer plc, said that business only contributes fully to society if it is efficient, profitable and socially responsible (Cannon, 1992). Corporations like Johnson & Johnson also believe it is a company’s responsibility to be fair, honest, trustworthy, and respectful, in dealing with all its constituents (Johnson & Johnson, 2000).

 

Volkswagen defined CSR as the ability of a company to incorporate its responsibility into society to develop solutions for economic and social problems. These positions suggest that CSR is still a major concern among companies worldwide. CSR has also been viewed as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families.

 

Has time changed? Why have the views of managers of today changed so drastically from the narrow views of the Classical School?

 

Tiger Woods, the legendary world number 1 golfer, has invested hugh sums of money setting up golf training centres and educational establishments for the youths of today. He does not selfishly guard his immense earnings so that his future earning may grow at an even more enormous rate. Other world leading sportsmen and sports women have follow suit and are busy establishing socially desirable ventures to benefit the less fortunate citizens. 

 

Malaysian Experience

Although CSR has received most public attention in the developed countries, CSR has also been of major concern in Malaysia in recent years where several non-governmental organizations like “Sahabat Alam Malaysia”, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association, and Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) and many others have raised issues relating to environmental pollution, health hazards products, product safety, discrimination against the handicapped, and drug abuse (Abdul Rashid, 2002).  These issues have raised the attention of the government and legislation has been introduced to prevent the problems becoming out of hand.

 

For example, the Environmental Quality Act was instituted in 1974 to enforce legislation against problems of environmental safety and pollution (Abdullah, 1991). Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was made compulsory for construction companies before they were to be allowed to develop new housing/property areas (Teoh and Thong, 1996). Several laws pertaining to drug abuse were also introduced by the Ministry of Health to reduce the distribution and supply of drugs that have potential side effects (Abdullah, 1991).

 

CSR Concepts And Approaches

 

In 1960, Keith Davis described social responsibility as businesses’ “decisions and actions taken for reasons at least partially beyond the firm’s direct economic or technical interest”. In 1971, the Committee for Economic Development made the following statement in regards to corporate social responsibility:

 

“Today it is clear that the terms of the contract between society and business are, in fact, changing in substantial and important ways. Business is being asked to assume broader responsibilities to society than ever before and to serve a wider range of human values. Business enterprises, in effect, are behind asked to contribute more to the quality of American life than just supplying quantities of goods and services.”

 

Since then, the topic of CSR is one that has been widely discussed. There are those, such as Milton Friedman (1962), who are opposed to the underlying premise of CSR and feel that sole responsibility of business is profit maximization. On the other hard, William C. Frederick (1960) who feels that the resources available to businesses should be “utilized for broad social ends and not simply for the narrowly circumscribed interests of private persons and firms”.

 

Also, in 1991, R. Edward Freeman and Jeanne Liedtka presented seven reasons why the concept of social responsibility is often abandoned. One of the reasons given was:

Corporate social responsibility promotes incompetence by leading managers to involve themselves in areas beyond their expertise – that is, repairing society’s ills.

 

We address the issue of whether companies are capable of addressing society’s ills by evaluating the managerial decisions and implications of an organization that has received a great deal of publicity for its alleged social responsibility.

 

Approaches

One school of though focuses on “micro level” analysis, how individual companies could be made more responsible towards society. Robert Ackerman, in his model suggests that responsiveness should be the goal of corporate social endeavor. He described three phases: 1) at the levels of Top management; 2) Staff specialists and 3) Divisional management, through which companies commonly tend to pass for developing a response to social issues (Stoner et al., 1995).

 

Carroll, in his four part model through the length of its bars suggests that the primary responsibilities of a company are economic and legal. It must produce the goods and/or services that society wants and in a lawful manner and must sell them at a profit. But still it has ethical as well as discretionary bindings. Carroll opines that to the extent firms fail to acknowledge discretionary or ethical responsibilities, society will assert and bring them under legal framework (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2003). Before that happens, it is advisable that corporations understand and perform social activities voluntarily.

 

Researchers belonging to other school of thought concern themselves with the “macro level” of analysis. They favor that the Government, not individual companies, should establish and achieve a country’s social goals. Friedman based his arguments on two principal contentions, one economic and other legal. From the economic perspective, he asserted that if managers spend corporate funds on projects not intended to maximize profits, the efficiency of the market mechanism will be undermined and resources will be misallocated within the economy. On the legal side, Friedman contended that because managers are legal agents of stockholders, their sole duty is to maximize the financial return to them.

 

Hence, if they spend corporate funds for social purposes, they are essentially stealing from the stockholders (Friedman, 1962). Levitt argued against CSR, fearing that business might come to dominate society. He believed that business as an institution would become the twentieth-century equivalent of the medieval church- the all-embracing institution in the society (Levitt, 1958).

 

Both approaches have been explained above are quite prevalent in global as well as in Malaysian industrial scenario. The next chapter will give a detail regarding the current scenario which is the attitude of the government and Malaysia companies towards CSR.

 

Attitude Towards CSR–Current Scenario

 

Government Attitudes towards CSR

In recent years, CSR has been of major concern in Malaysia. Several non-governmental organizations (see Table 1 for detail) have raised issues relating to CSR. These issues have raised the attention of the government and legislation has been introduced to prevent the problems.

 

Non-Governmental  Organizations

Raised CSR Issues

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)

 

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association

 

“Sahabat Alam Malaysia”

Environmental Quality Act was instituted to enforce legislation against problems of environmental safety and pollution.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was made compulsory for construction companies before they were to be allowed to develop new housing/property areas.

Ministry of Health introduced several laws pertaining to health hazards products, product safety, Discrimination against the handicapped and drug abuse.

Table 1: Non-governmental organizations and raised issues relating CSR

Source: Abdul Rashid (2002), “Managers attitudes towards Corporate Social Responsibility”, Proceeding of Pan Pacific Conference, KL, pp. 218-220  

 

Company’s Attitudes towards CSR

Today’s business competitive environment builds more and more pressure on the managers to adopt all such methods that might ensure achievement of business goals. Values and ethics at this juncture become irrelevant. However, all companies are not alike and many have come forward for the cause of society.

 

But accounting to a survey conducted in 2005, shows that its still have an encouraging trend in the sense that the Malaysian companies have improved their involvement in CSR activities. 87.5 percent of the respondents agreed that their company was involved in CSR activities, a decline in the level of involvement of companies in CSR activities showed in Table 2. The results also indicated that the respondents disagreed considerably on the six negative statements on CSR, and were higher in 1995 than in 2005.

 

Items

2005

1995

Employees’ welfare (facilities & benefits)

91.8

91.8

Responsive to consumer’s complaints

82.9

86.4

Maintaining product/service quality to consumers

76.7

82.7

Ensuring product safety

62.3

64.5

Donation to welfare organizations

60.3

80

Provide contribution for games and sports

35.6

70.9

Contributions to culture and/or literary works

34.9

 

Employment of handicapped individual

32.9

 

Contribution to crime prevention

15.1

 

Contribution for public amenities (e.g. bus stop shades)

19.9

 

Assistance in overcoming problems related to drug abuse and alcoholism

21.2

 

Contribution to educational institutions (other than research grants, e.g. scholarships, bursary to students)

24.7

 

Provide loans for low-income housing

28.1

 

Provide loans to small enterprise

21.9

 

Table 2: Areas of CSR in which Malaysian companies are involved

Source: Md Zabid A. R. (2005), “Executive and management attitudes towards Corporate Social Responsibility in Malaysia”,

 

The researcher of conducting this survey Abdul Rashid M.Z. (2002) suggests that there are more positive attitudes towards CSR in the financial sector than in the telecommunication, manufacturing or construction sector. The financial sector is expected to be more prudent and more conscious of the role of banks in CSR. Abdullah (2001) in his report points out that the differences between the sectors on their priorities towards CSR activities.  

 

In conclusion, Malaysian executives and managers had positive attitudes towards CSR. The extent of their involvement in CSR was lower today; the extent of corporate disclosure on CSR was nevertheless slightly higher than a decade ago.The level of CSR awareness appears to have improved slightly in Malaysia.

 

KFC Towards CSR

The underlying values of KFC’s target audience have changed, although it has been leading global brand for over three decades (Cannon, 2002) No longer can either rely solely on convenience and product consistency as unique selling points. KFC management clearly understands that a strong corporate emphasis on consumer health, quality and socially responsible initiatives must be incorporated. The new advertising campaigns or new product lines by themselves are not sufficient; to maintain and attract new customers, KFC needs to re-define its overall brand value.

 

As Goyder (1981), “Industry in the coming time can no longer be regarded as a private arrangement for enriching shareholders. It has become a joint enterprise in which workers management, consumers, the locality, Government and trade union officials all play a part.” Being major users of nature society and environment, business enterprises could play an important role in the protection of nature and environment and promote the social objectives.

 

To achieve these objectives KFC work either in partnership with Government, or on it own. For example, it has established a “CSR Management Department” to articulate and implement its CSR activities, including Corporate Governance, Compliance with the Law, Corporate Ethics, Internal Control, Environmental Management and Corporate Citizenship.

 

The benefits of the profits of the KFC are channeled back to the people through the major philanthropic trusts and other activities; Figure 1 shows the details of KFC profitability and expenditure.  

 

Figure 1: Profitability and expenditure on society by KFC Malaysia

Source: Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 9 No.1, 2005

 

The help and donations distributed to five sectors (community, environment, people, safety quality and social compliance and health and wellness) accounting to the KFC CSR Malaysia reports, details are shown at below in Table 3.

 

Sectors

Achievements

Community

KFC Malaysia raised Rm 4,007, 421 to help Malaysian children in need.

KFC’s restaurants in Malacca provided a RM 40,000 donation support for victims of the flood. Local franchises were heavily involved in fundraising activities to help families affected by the flood.

Environment

Reusable crates are used by all dairies that supply KFC’s restaurants in Malaysia with ice milk, milk and creamers.

Over 95% of the cardboard used behind the counter at KFC in recycled. 

KFC’s fry box packaging is made from 50% recycled paper, including 35% post-customer fiber.   

People

The Human Resources Hot-Line provides employees with immediate attention to questions about their employment at KFC.

Regular commitment (opinion) surveys are conducted with the employees. 

Safety quality and social compliance

KFC will provide its customers with safe food products; food safety is KFC number one priority.

KFC believes treating animals with care and respect is an integral part of an overall quality systems program that makes good business sense.

Health and wellness

Enhanced the quality of popular Chicken Nuggets by moving from a blend of white and dark meat ot white meat Nuggets.

Customers and public education, available at KFC’s websites

 

Table 3: KFC Malaysia CSR Activities in 2006

Source: KFC CSR report, <http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/responsiblebusiness/KFCCSRFellowsProgram.html, [Assessed on 30-Apr-2007]>

 

The analysis of the CSR activities of KFC restaurants shows that KFC is committed to doing what is right, to being a good neighbor, a good corporate citizen and a good employer in every community in which we live and work. And they have a proven track record of listening to the customers, and responding with innovative ideas to meet customer changing needs.

 

Conclusion

The ever-increasing market power of global fast-food retailers, and KFC’s high visibility through branding, has made it a target both for governmental public interest campaigns (e.g. the Food Standards Agency’s promotion of healthy eating), and for citizens’ and consumer lobby groups (e.g. the Consumers Association). In the years to come, issues such as corporate accountability, corporate ethics, and disclosure of relevant corporate information shall become increasingly important centers of attention.

Besides, diversification and adopting synergistic policies, Corporations need to develop new measures of performance, new standards of ethics and a new awareness of multiple bottom lines instead of concentrating only on profits as they did in the past. They have to increasingly focus on multiple bottom lines – informational, social, environmental and ethical – which are interconnected and interdependent. Hence, corporations should pay great attention to ethical issues while performing their role, because if ethics are missing, business and society as a whole would not flourish.

 

 

 

Business and Market Overview of Brunei

ECONOMY. Brunei’s economy is dependent on oil and gas and is the third largest producer of crude oil in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Malaysia. Brunei is also the world’s fourth largest producer of natural gas. Brunei’s current oil and gas reserves are sufficient at least until 2015. Thus, Brunei’s government has used its oil wealth for investments outside the country for future generations. Furthermore, the government seeks to develop the country’s economy beyond on oil and gas but with little success.
Brunei’s GDP was US$5.2 billion with a GDP per capita of US$13,879 in 2004. The economy grew at an average GDP growth of 3.0% annually from 2000 to 2004 driven mainly by Brunei’s export of oil and gas and therefore dependent by world oil and gas prices. Inflation was less than 1.5% in 2000-2001, experience deflation in 2002-2003 but inflation eventually crept at 0.9% in 2004. The government is Brunei’s largest employer and many of its citizens prefer to work with the government. The country experienced increasing unemployment from 2002 to 2004 but remained below 5.0%.
The industrial sector (mainly oil and gas related activities) contributed towards 56.1% of Brunei’s GDP in 2004. The service sector contributed towards 40.3% while the agriculture sector contributed only 3.6% during the period. Main industries are petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas and construction. Major agriculture products include rice, vegetables, fruits, chicken and eggs.

DEMOGRAPHY. Brunei has a small population of slightly more than 370 thousand. Brunei Malays are the largest ethnic group and account for nearly 70% of population followed by Chinese accounting for 15%. Others include indigenous people and immigrants who have settled in the country. Islam is the official religion of the country and 70% of the population practice the Muslim faith. Other religions include Buddhism, Christianity and indigenous practices. The official language is Malay while Brunei’s Chinese community often used the Chinese language within the community. The population is generally proficient in English since schools teach the language and used in higher education, business and the sciences.
Three quarters or 75% of the population live in the urban areas and mostly work in government services, oil and gas industry, wholesale and retail trade and construction. Major urban areas include the nation’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan, Muara, Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait.
Poverty is practically non-existent in the oil rich nation of Brunei. Brunei’s GDP per capita is half of Singapore but based on purchasing power parity (PPP) it is slightly less than Singapore. Nearly 70% of the households belong to the middle or high-income categories while the remaining 30% in the lower-income category.

INFRASTRUCTURE. Telecommunication services within the country well developed while reliability of services outside from Brunei is good. Internet access is available throughout many parts of the country but broadband services are limited. Towns well connected by roads and crosses the border into East Malaysia. Country served by single international airport at Bandar Seri Begawan.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Major trading partners include Japan, South Korea, Australia, US, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Singapore and Malaysia. Much of the imports from Singapore are Singapore’s re-exports from other countries. Major exports include crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products. Major imports include machineries and equipments, vehicles and vehicle parts, consumer goods, foods, construction materials and chemicals.

CONSUMER USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY. Nearly all homes in Brunei have fixed-line telephones and the penetration of mobile phones by population was 40% in 2004. Brunei’s general population have the financial means to install computers in their homes but the penetration in homes is low at 20%. Penetration of internet users is also low at 9% of the population or 34,000 users. Nevertheless, nearly all homes in Brunei have televisions and refrigerators.

RETAIL MARKET. Marketers into Southeast Asia often neglect Brunei as a potential market because of its small consumer population. However, the country has the second highest GDP per capita in the region after Singapore and depends on imports for nearly all of its consumer goods and foods. The estimated value of Brunei’s retail market in 2004 was US$390 million in 2004 of which foods accounted for nearly US$280 million. The “mom and pop” stores and mini markets dominate the retail industry alongside a few department stores and supermarkets. Consumers in Brunei often shop cross the border into Malaysia for wider choices of consumer goods.

FOOD CULTURE. Foods eaten by the Malays tend to be rice with spicy meat and vegetable dishes. However, the people of Brunei are accustomed to Indian foods due to the numerous small Indian eateries across the country. Thus, homes often serve fish, chicken or beef curry dishes. Popular food service establishments include Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Thai and Japanese restaurants but interestingly few Malay restaurants. Among the younger generation, many are accustomed to western style foods served by the fast food outlets and bakeries.

Purchasing Property In The Euro Zone

The main aim behind the creation of the Euro currency was the creation of greater political solidarity within the EU, but by having a common currency participating member states have additional benefits such as the elimination of currency fluctuation risks, transparency of pricing, reduced transaction costs and increased market expansion opportunities for greater inter-Europe trade.

The introduction of the Euro as a physical currency back in 2002 went quite smoothly, and until now the Euro Zone enjoyed a relatively strong and stable economy.

However, some experts believe those seeking the best value for money in the current climate in terms of the property they can buy, the Euro Zone is not necessarily the best place to be looking. The strength of the Euro against both the pound and the dollar has some say, taken the shine off the traditional overseas property markets in countries such as Spain, France and Italy.

Plus Europe’s worrying state of stagflation, (stagnant growth combined with inflation), is causing concerns about the overall Euro Zone economy and member nation’s forecasts for the near-term, an increasing number of astute buyers are looking further afield to see where the better property deals are to be purchased and where a more affordable lifestyle can be enjoyed. Below are some key markets to consider:

Turkey
According to Dominic Whiting from Buying In Turkey Collection, Turkey is an exceptionally good choice for those who specifically want the ease and affordability of European accessibility but who want to buy outside the euro zone and its current economic instability.

He said: “The cost of living in Turkey and the cost of buying property is a fraction of what it is across the Euro Zone, and what’s more, as Turkey aligns itself for ultimate EU entry, anyone buying in Turkey today is essentially gaining all the benefits of a European purchase without the resultant economic headaches caused by a strong euro and high levels of inflation.”

Buying In Turkey Collection has for example, Dream Village, a development of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes and villas with private gardens and swimming pools set in the area of Tuzla on the Bodrum peninsular. Conveniently close to the golf courses and airport, the prices start from 59,000 pounds / 75,000 euros.

Spot Blue has a villa development for sale in Gocek close to the local marina and with their own private swimming pools, parking and gardens at prices from 115,000 pounds / 160,000 euros.

USA
Thanks to the US dollar’s demise against the pound, America is certainly a favourite with British buyers looking to get more for their money abroad. However, pockets of the American housing market are to be avoided as over supply and lack of mortgage financing is stifling potential at least for the short-term. Astute buyers are looking for dollar priced property in locations where there is reason for strong and increasing demand.

Canada
If America does not appeal because its economy is suffering, John Prior, MD of Undiscovered Properties argues that there is only one alternative worth considering, Canada.

To suit someone seeking attractive property for both lifestyle and potential rental reasons, the Louisbourg Resort Golf and Spa might be the answer.

The resort has The Fortress18-hole championship golf course, complemented by a par 3 18-hole course, both designed by Nick Faldo. Located on the island of Cape Breton, Louisbourg is just 2km from the shore and close to the mountains so that residents can enjoy everything from fishing, whale watching, hunting, watersports, skiing, diving, snowmobiling and hiking.

The properties that are available for sale will be built to the architectural preference of the purchaser with 2, 3 and 4 bedroom styles available with a range of 8 architectural designs to choose from. Each lodge property comes with a basement, sauna and Jacuzzi. Prices start from 215,000 pounds / Canadian 438,512 dollars.

Bahrain
Those who have seen how the Middle Eastern property market in Dubai has rocketed and who want to get in on the next wave of property success in the region are targeting Bahrain.

Barton Wyatt International is marketing Riffa Views, the first residential golf resort in Bahrain. There are 870 high-end villas all set around the Colin Montgomerie designed 18-hole championship golf course. For sale are a range of townhouses and villas with between 2 and 5 bedrooms.

Riffa Views include a country club with a Boris Becker tennis academy, a health centre, community centres and sports and outdoor leisure activities including hiking and bike trails and water sports. Other features include a shopping mall and Fun Land for the children. Prices start from 260,000 pounds / 342,200 euros through to 1,800,000 pounds / 2,300,100 euros.

Isla Margarita
Isla Margarita in the Caribbean is, according to Mark Andrew from Emerging Earth, property an island that is particularly attractive for British and European buyers because some of its best property projects such as Caracola Beach and Spa Resort are soon to be priced in the weak American dollar.

He said: “Isla Margarita is just the perfect location for an investment property in a rapidly up and coming resort. The island benefits from the fact it is outside the hurricane zone yet well within the Caribbean and therefore of maximum appeal to all those going in search of warm seas, perfect soft sand and an ideal climate for most of the year.”

The island is seeing massive increases in tourism numbers and there are tax breaks for buyers plus insurance bond backed guaranteed rental returns of 7 percent pa for 10 years. Properties for sale are apartments and duplexes. There are on site restaurants, bars, swimming pools, chill-out areas, a spa, gymnasium, beauty salon, high-end retail outlets and landscaped gardens.

All apartments are 1 or 2 bedroom, come fully furnished and are also SIPP qualifying for British buyers who want to include property within their pension. Prices start from 79,000 euros / 63,000 pounds and are soon to be available in US dollars.

Egypt
Egypt offers European and British buyers one of the closest locations to Europe and the Euro Zone with year round sunshine, which has helped Egypt emerge as a tourism and property hotspot.

The Egyptian property market can be considered young in terms of international investor interest, and the nation certainly offers buyers a chance to get in now and potentially profit for the longer terms as tourism arrivals are set to increase over the coming decade. For sale in Egypt from Experience International and located on the Red Sea Coast 15 minutes from Hurghada International Airport is the Veranda project.

Veranda, situated on a white sandy beach, is a gated resort with 24-hour security and a wide range of facilities including swimming pools with waterfalls, tennis courts, restaurants, a luxury spa, a gym and a cocktail lounge.

Properties range from one and two bedroom apartments to three bedroom townhouses and four bedroom villas. Prices start from 60,750 pounds and allow the British buyer to secure their purchase in pounds sterling.

Malaysia
Also from Experience International is an opportunity in Malaysia which is a nation emerging as one of the strongest economies in Asia with growing tourism appeal.

The level of tourism demand presents Fly to Let investors with the chance to profit from rental returns, and it has ongoing property based interest from affluent expats seeking property for sale giving any buyer a strong exit strategy.

Experience International has a development for sale called Golden Palm Tree Water Villa in Sepang. It is located on what has been dubbed ‘the longest coastal paradise in Asia,’ the Golden Palm development is an exotic Gold Coast resort with properties having the unique architectural feature of being situated on stilts and being constructed out over the sea.

Facilities include swimming pools, a gym, spa and a library. Prices start from 147,709 pounds.

Brazil
Brazil is buzzing both economically and in terms of the attention it is receiving from overseas investors. In southern Brazil the Rio de Janeiro housing market is proving massively popular with investors seeking long-term rental units, and in Northern Brazil on the East coast the tourism market is booming.

The accessibility of the destination has already massively improved, and as a new international airport is nearing completion, so savvy investors know that the record growth the market in the region of Rio Grande do Norte has already seen will very likely continue as the region opens up to even greater numbers of visitors.

The Pipa Hills resort from Experience International comprises of 3 bedroom villas set in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and 200 metres from the centre of the town of Pipa Beach.

The development is also very close to Pipa’s pristine beach and it has luxury amenities such as a lagoon, swimming pools, bars and restaurants all on site. Prices start from 131,152 pounds.

Botswana
For investors seeking an alternative market opportunity the Limpopo-Lipadi Game and Wilderness Reserve is a unique investment opportunity in the heart of the southern African country of Botswana.

The reserve covers an expanse of over 80,000 acres with various lodges located throughout the reserve – but the properties themselves are just a slice of what the project offers purchasers. As an investor into the reserve one contributes to a unique and internationally acclaimed ecosystem model that Limpopo-Lipadi’s founders hope will set the standard in conservation sustainability in the 21st century.

An investor into the project effectively owns part of the game and wilderness reserve and can visit as often as they like, be part of the decision making process of the reserve or just simply enjoy the many diverse ecosystems.

Investment capital will be used for everything from further land purchase to the development of the lodges, camps and two commercial tourism properties for the introduction of paying guests to the reserve.
There are different levels of investment involvement that one can commit to from a purely financial point of view, entry level investment is 195,000 dollars, but the difference that you can practically make and the benefits that you can personally witness and enjoy are limitless.

Thailand
The appeal of Thailand is indisputable which is why it has an incredibly strong tourism market.

Buyers who want to tap into the high-end might like to consider The Village development on the Maphrao Island, Coconut Island, Thailand. The luxurious property development has been carefully designed to ensure that all properties enjoy views of the Indian Ocean whilst at the same time homes are situated around waterways and palm groves.

The Village is a haven for water sports lovers, with its own pier for boating enthusiasts and it has boat storage and quick launch facilities.

Fishing, diving, snorkelling and general exploration of the Phuket Islands are also activities available from the resort development. Phuket’s golf courses are a short boat ride away, and the resort has a private beach for sunset walks, all day sunbathing and swimming.

Prices for a sea view villa with two bedrooms, two en-suite bathrooms, one guest bathroom, a spacious living area and swimming pool start from 302,950 pounds / 18,950,000 THB.

Could the Katrina Disaster be a Portent of the Last Day Foretold by our Prophet (saas)?

… It [the Last Hour] will not come until you see ten signs… landslides [with a sinking down, caving in, or displacement of the earth] in three places, one in the East, one in the West and one in Arabia… (Sahih Muslim)

It is revealed in the verses of the Qur’an that all animate and inanimate entities, the entire universe, will inevitably come to an end.

This end, the Last Day in other words, will be the final day of the life of this world, but also the beginning of the eternal life of the Hereafter. That day, as revealed in the Qur’an, is when “mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds” (Qur’an, 83:6). On the Last Day, the universe and all living things will be destroyed and that destruction will take place as the result of events that have never been seen before. In Surat al-Ma’arij our Lord reveals:

On the Day the sky is like molten brass and the mountains like tufts of colored wool. No good friend will ask about his friend even though they can see each other. An evildoer will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day, by means of his sons, or his wife or his brother or his family who sheltered him or everyone else on Earth, if that only meant that he could save himself. But no! It is a Raging Blaze. (Qur’an, 70:8-15)

It is a day when all people will comprehend the great might of God and will be a day of panic, fear and suffering for unbelievers. Our Lord reveals in the Qur’an that “the Hour is coming” (Qur’an, 20:15) and that it will take place suddenly, when people are least expecting it (Qur’an, 16:77 and 7:187). In another verse, our Lord has told us that certain signs will appear before the Hour:

What are they awaiting but for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? ITS SIGNS HAVE ALREADY COME. What good will their reminder be to them when it does arrive? (Qur’an, 47:18)

Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) has described these portents that will take place prior to the Hour in detail in the Hadith. In addition to signs of the Last Day, he has also made statements regarding the period immediately before it. This period, when the signs of the Last Day will appear, is the “End Times.”

In the first period of the End Times the world is filled with material and spiritual problems; in the second period that follows, God will liberate people from degeneration, war and injustice by means of the Mahdi. In this period, known as the Golden Age, war and conflict will come to an end, the world will be filled with plenty, abundance and justice, and Islamic moral values will spread over the whole world and be widely lived by. Following the end of the Golden Age, the world will suffer a very rapid collapse, after which the Hour will come. However, it needs to be made clear that, as on all other subjects, we have no other information regarding the Last Day than that taught us by our Lord. Only our Lord knows the time of the Hour, which will inevitably take place:

Say: “I do not know whether what you are promised [the Hour] is close or whether my Lord will appoint a longer time before it.” He is the Knower of the unseen, and does not divulge His unseen to anyone. (Qur’an, 72:25-26)

The Signs of the Last Day Are Coming True One after the Other

When we examine the Hadith on the End Times, we encounter a most extraordinary situation. The signs set out in detail by our Prophet (saas) hundreds of years ago are taking place just about everywhere in the world “in the age we are living in,” one after the other and in the manner described in the Hadith. The slaughter, war and conflict being experienced all over the world, the increase in corruption, unlawful things being regarded as lawful, the acceleration of moral degeneration, the open denial of God, the abandoning of the moral values of the Qur’an, the grave difficulties being experienced by Muslims, the groundless killing of innocent people, the spread of poverty and hunger, the emergence of false men of religion, the popularity of magic and fortune telling, the rise in fraud, corruption and adultery, the emergence of false messiahs and many other signs all show that the period through which we are living bears a greater resemblance to the End Times than any other in history. (For detailed information, see The Signs of Jesus’ (pbuh) Second Coming by Harun Yahya.)

Some of these signs of the End Times revealed in the Hadith have been seen to some extent at various times in Islamic history and in different parts of the world. However, this does not mean that any of those ages was the End Times.

Because in order for a period to qualify as the End Times, all the portents revealed by our Prophet (saas) must take place one after the other in the same period of time. This is set out in the Hadith:

Signs following one another like the pieces of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut. (Tirmidhi)

For example, one of the signs given in the Hadith is the solar and lunar eclipses during the month of Ramadan:

…The first one is the lunar eclipse in the first night of Ramadan, and the second is the solar eclipse in the middle of this month. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 47)

Indeed, solar and lunar eclipses followed one another in the month of Ramadan in the years 1981 and 1982. It is beyond question that solar and lunar eclipses are very natural and frequent phenomena. The important thing, however, is that these should take place at 15-day intervals during the month of Ramadan, and for this to be repeated in two consecutive years. In addition, the fact that these eclipses took place at the same time as other signs stated above strengthens the likelihood that these eclipses are those being referred to in the hadith. Another extraordinary thing is the way that our Prophet (saas) informed us that a comet will appear immediately after these eclipses of the Sun and Moon:

The rise of that star will occur after the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 32)

As stated in the hadith, Halley’s comet passed close by the Earth in 1986 (Hijri 1406), in other words in the early 14th century. This follows the eclipses of the Sun and Moon that happened in 1981 and 1982 (Hijri 1401-1402). Therefore, the rise of this star coming at the same time as other signs, and just as described by the Prophet (saas), indicates that these phenomena may well be the signs referred to in the Hadith.

Another important element that must be borne in mind when examining the signs of the End Times is the size of the sign in question, its force and effect. For example, our Prophet (saas) has cited the rise in earthquakes as a sign of the Last Day. There is no doubt that earthquakes of various magnitudes have taken place at all periods in history. However, in the End Times, through which we are living, there has been a huge rise in the number and intensity of earthquakes worldwide. According to US Geological Survey (USGS) reports, the number of earthquakes registering greater than 5.0 in the 400 or so years between 1556 and 1975 is only 110. According to that same body, 1685 earthquakes registering more than 6.5 have taken place in the 23 years between 1980 and 2003 alone. This information confirms the account given by our Prophet (saas) and shows that the signs of the End Times have characteristics far more extraordinary than those of any comparable events that have taken place in other periods. Our Prophet (saas) has also given news of many other signs of the Last Day as well as just these. Islamic scholars refer to some of these as minor signs, and to others as major signs. One hadith in which our Prophet (saas) imparts the tidings of the ten major signs of the Last Day is as follows:

… It [the Last Hour] will not come until you see ten signs… landslides [with a sinking down, caving in, or displacement of the earth] in three places, one in the East, one in the West and one in Arabia… (Sahih Muslim)

In this article we shall examine these signs in the light of certain major recent developments.

(For detailed information regarding the other signs of the Last Day, see Signs of the Last Day, The Signs of Jesus’ (pbuh) Second Coming, Terrorism: The Ritual of the Devil, The End of Times and the Mahdi by Harun Yahya).

THE SINKING DOWN IN THE EAST:

THE TSUNAMI DISASTER IN INDONESIA

One of the signs of the Last Day revealed by our Prophet (saas) is that of the “sinking down in the East.”

The probable significance of this sign is the disappearance of an area of land or a human community. (God knows best.) This portent bears a close similarity to the 2004 tsunami disaster in Asia. Therefore, our Prophet’s (saas) portent regarding the “sinking down in the East” may be indicating this terrible catastrophe. (Our Lord knows best, of course.)

Throughout history various disasters, earthquakes and tornadoes have struck Asia and the Far East. These wrought terrible destruction and large numbers of people lost their lives in them. However, the tsunami that took place on 26 December, 2004, in southern Asia and that resulted in the loss of more than 225,000 lives, was the worst of these disasters. During this dreadful catastrophe, the enormous energy released by 1000-kilometer breaks as a result of the movement of underground plates and shifting land masses, together with the enormous energy produced in the oceans, struck the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, the Seychelles, and even Somalia, 5,000 kilometers away.

This tsunami disaster in the End Times, when the signs of the Last Day are coming true one by one, affected a very wide area, and led to cities being flooded by sea water and to a new map of the world. Therefore, the expression “sinking down in the East” may well be referring to this disaster in southern Asia. (God knows best.)

THE SINKING DOWN IN THE WEST:

THE “KATRINA” DISASTER IN THE USA

The terrible destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the US Gulf of Mexico last month brings to mind another of the signs of the Last Day mentioned by our Prophet (saas): “the sinking down in the West.”

This “sinking” which our Prophet (saas) declares will take place in the End Times must necessarily be much greater and have a much greater impact than similar ones in the past. Indeed, the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina was far worse than that inflicted by similar phenomena in the past.

Throughout history great disasters have been experienced in Europe and America. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and terrorist attacks have cost the lives of thousands. However, none of these disasters have had such a terrible impact as Hurricane Katrina, causing millions of people to flee, tens of thousands to lose their lives, immense harm to three large states, and the flooding of whole cities. This makes Hurricane Katrina different from disasters of the past, and ensures it top place in the list of destruction in US history. For that reason, the Katrina catastrophe may well be one of the three incidents of sinking referred to by our Prophet Muhammad (saas). God knows best, of course.

The Dimensions of the Katrina Disaster

The Katrina disaster has been the subject of intense coverage in newspapers and on the television for around a month now. However, these reports fail to emphasize the multilateral effect of the disaster, both on the USA and globally. The true dimensions of the disaster are being hidden from people, and the scale of the destruction is being underplayed. The fact is that Hurricane Katrina led to the deaths of more than 10,000 people, life becoming impossible in almost all of three major states (Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi), the complete evacuation of one of the most important cities in the USA, the greatest air rescue operation in the US history, millions of people losing their homes and livelihoods, and damage in excess of $100 billion. Various writers have referred to the fact that such a disaster has not been experienced on US soil since the Civil War. This disaster, compared by some federal authorities to Hiroshima and the tsunami catastrophe in Indonesia, is expected to have long-lasting consequences for many years, and resulted in a large region sinking under the water, as described by our Prophet (saas) in the hadith.

The damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina may be summed up as follows:

- Katrina was classified as a category 5 hurricane, representing the most violent category on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, falling to category 4 in some places. Only 3 category five hurricanes have made landfall in the US since records began. Yet none of those caused such massive damage as Katrina.

- The death toll could not be established with certainty in the wake of the disaster, though officials said the number could be tens of thousands. Material damage is expected to exceed $100 billion. This estimate excludes long-term damage (effects on the soil, sea, life and climate).

- Hurricane Katrina entered the American continent from the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, 29 August, and affected three states. Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi became virtually uninhabitable. The wind speed rose to 260 km/h. The area affected, a national disaster zone, is 233,000 km2 – an area almost as large as the United Kingdom.

- The hurricane first affected the state of Florida, where 13 people died and where the storm caused great material damage. It then headed for the state of Louisiana, causing terrible damage to the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Buildings on the coasts in particular suffered immense damage. It is estimated that more than 10,000 lost their lives in these three states; 80% of the city of New Orleans – the largest in the state of Louisiana – remained under water.

- The cities of Biloxi and Gulfport in Mississippi were flooded by waters rising up to 9 meters, and 90% of homes in this area were completely destroyed. Hotels and entertainment centers built on the shore were completely ruined. This brings to mind another sign of the Last Day reported by our Prophet (saas):

He asked: “What becomes of you when death meets people and homes become graves?” (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 392, no. 726)

- Some 5 million people were left without electricity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It has been announced that due to the terrible damage inflicted, it may take months for electricity to be restored to the whole city.

- America obtained 25% of its petrol needs from the Gulf of Mexico. Today, 91% of this area’s total production capacity of 1.5 million barrel/day is unusable. 83% of the natural gas emerging has been stopped. 561 of a total of around 650 maritime oil platforms were evacuated in time by helicopter. 20 platforms either sank or were dragged from their moorings, and one continues to burn. Nobody knows what damage has been caused to those which have been abandoned. The resulting sea pollution is yet another aspect of the disaster. Eight refineries have been abandoned along the shores of the Mississippi River. Those still working have been closed down because the pipeline bringing oil to land from the Gulf of Mexico broke. The almost complete stoppage of oil production in the region has impacted on the US economy, and it is also expected to have permanent damage on the world economy.

- Hundreds of thousands of homes have been rendered uninhabitable, and hundreds of thousands have been badly damaged.

- The number of missing is estimated at around 35,000. More than 300,000 children in the region are estimated to have been made homeless.

- Electricity cuts, and the fact that telephone lines, mobile phones and the Internet no longer work has brought business life to an almost complete standstill. It is estimated that around 1 million jobs have been lost in all sectors.

- Educational institutions in the regions have been closed. A great many schools cannot be used, and great damage has been inflicted on others.

- Local newspapers and TV stations have abandoned their offices, and have been forced to continue working over the Internet.

- It is stated that it is only a matter of time until epidemics begin in flooded cities. The corpses that fill the streets, the toxic substances in the water, the chemical waste products from factories in the water, rubbish, and petrol wastes represent a severe threat to the flooded cities. The US Army plans to begin spraying using military planes against the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus and that multiply rapidly in stagnant water.

New Orleans Has Sunk to the Ground

While Katrina inflicted grave harm on many cities, it has made New Orleans uninhabitable. 80% of New Orleans, regarded as one of the centers of tourism and culture in the USA, was under water, which in some areas was more than 6 meters deep. Therefore, New Orleans has almost vanished by being buried under water. In the same way that our Prophet’s (saas) portent regarding “the sinking down in the East” may refer to the tsunami disaster in Indonesia, the “sinking down in the West” may also indicate the disappearance of the city of New Orleans. God knows best, of course.

New Orleans is a city surrounded by Lake Pontchartrain, the River Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, and is founded about 2 meters below the sea level. However, some parts of the city lie up to 6 meters below the sea level and are protected against possible flooding by pumps, channels and levees. This system, regarded as one of the most expensive flood protection systems in the world, was constructed in stages since the 1800s, and has been regularly strengthened. However, the levees that run for some 560 kilometers around the city were designed to meet category 3 hurricanes. They could not withstand category 5 hurricanes such as Katrina (category 4 on some days). Thus Hurricane Katrina destroyed two of the city’s most important levees, as a result of which water from the lake, the sea and the river flooded 80% of the city. The shores of Lake Pontchartrain were almost entirely submerged.

Following the hurricane, these levees are planned to be repaired and the water pumped out of the city. However, very few of the 148 pumps are actually working, for which reason the pumping out of the floodwater that fills the city is expected to take months. One major difficulty is that since the pumps responsible for cleaning up the city are submerged, it is difficult to find anywhere to send the many meters of water covering the city. Another problem is the scale of the impact that the pumping of the waters, badly polluted by corpses and wastes, into the River Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain will have on life, which is expected to even worse in the years to come. The emptying of polluted water into the lake, river and sea in the region, regarded as one of the main ports of the US fishing industry, will do serious harm to maritime life. However, officials state that there is no alternative and that pumping will go ahead as planned.

This is the worst disaster since the founding of New Orleans in 1718. The city has experienced a great many storms and hurricanes to date but this city, which directly encounters a hurricane every 14 years, has never been subjected to such destruction. The consequences of the New Orleans disaster may be summarized as follows:

- One million people fled New Orleans before the hurricane struck. Tens of thousands who remained sought shelter in the Louisiana Superdome Stadium and an exhibition hall. Others sought to protect themselves from the waters by climbing up to high elevations. Thousands of helpless people who sought shelter on the roofs and upper floors of buildings waited days for help to arrive. Many people died from hunger, thirst and various illnesses. There have also been widespread reports of lootings, murders, beatings and rapes. When part of the roof of the Superdome, regarded as one of the safest places to shelter, collapsed, this too ceased to offer any safety.

- Some 9,000 people who were unable to evacuate the city and 550 National Guard troops were installed in the Superdome. Following the intensification of the hurricane this number rose to around 60,000 on September 1. Tens of thousands of people fought for their lives in the stadium, which was devoid of electricity, air conditioning and running water. As the evacuation was stepped up, New Orleans began being referred to as a “ghost town.”

- A rapid rise in looting, rape, beating, suicide, robbery and drug dealing brought chaos to the city and those buildings in which large numbers of people were sheltering.

- 80% of homes in New Orleans are uninhabitable.

- Tens of thousands of people do not have enough to eat and drink. There is no clean water or food in the city.

- One million people are without electricity due to the powerful winds that uplifted trees and power lines, due to which it is reported that critically ill patients in hospitals are dying.

- The flood waters have lifted coffins out of graves in some cemeteries in New Orleans. Television broadcasts have shown coffins floating in the waters covering the city.

The disappearance of almost the entire city of New Orleans bears a close similarity to another sign of the End Times related by our Prophet (saas). This is revealed in these terms in the hadith:

Great cities will be ruined, and it will be as if they had not existed the day before. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 38)

A city really has disappeared under the water and been made uninhabitable.

Indeed, one of the ongoing debates in the USA these days is the possibility of completely abandoning New Orleans and founding the city in another place in the wake of the terrible destruction.

COULD THE “ARMY DISAPPEARING IN THE DESERT” BE THE THIRD SINKING?

Attention is drawn in the hadith of our Prophet Muhammad (saas) to “a third sinking in the Arabian peninsula,” in addition to those in the East and West.

This sinking that will take place in the Arabian peninsula bears a close resemblance to another hadith:

An army comes to fight. Once they enter the desert, the one in the front and the back disappear, and the ones in the middle cannot save themselves. (Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud)

One of the most noticeable incidents of the 2003 Iraq War was the sudden disappearance of a large part of the Iraqi Army. Many newspapers and TV channels reported on the disappearance of the 60,000-man force known as the Republican Guard and 15,000-man force known as the Fedayeen. The fact that this is indicated in the above hadith shows that one of the signs of the Last Day may have taken place. Indeed, the finding in the days to follow of a part of their warplanes buried under the desert sands strengthens the possibility that the reference in the hadith of the sinking of an army in the desert may concern the Iraqi Army. (God knows best.) When we consider this hadith together with our Prophet’s (saas) reference to “sinking down in Arabia,” it may well be that the event in question refers to this extraordinary situation that came about during the Iraq war. (God knows best.)

THE IMPORTANCE OF REFLECTING ON THE SIGNS OF THE LAST DAY

Most people in the world are to a greater or lesser extent aware of the horror of the Last Day. Nonetheless, some people are unwilling to think or talk about such a vital matter. They make great efforts never to bring the fear that will be experienced when the Hour comes to mind. They are even unable to bear it when news of a catastrophe they read in the paper or a film depicting a disaster reminds them of the Last Day. They refuse to reflect on the fact that this day will inevitably arrive.

The same things happened in the wake of the Katrina disaster. People generally attempted to underplay the catastrophe, the terrible disaster was not reported in an unbiased manner, and people soon lost interest in this terrible destruction. People failed to learn about the horror experienced by hundreds of thousands as they should have.

Yet all these disasters and catastrophes are a warning, a reminder from our Lord. People who consider these disasters honestly, listening to the voice of their conscience, will easily realize the transitory nature of the life of this world and will turn to God. They will understand that it is not too late to live by Islamic moral values and will not be like those who ignore the reality that the Last Day will inevitably come to pass. Our Lord states the following with regard to the unbelievers who harbor doubts about the Hour:

When you were told, “God’s promise is true and so is the Hour, of which there is no doubt,” you said, “We have no idea what the Hour is. We have only been conjecturing. We are by no means certain.” (Qur’an, 45:32)

Some people deny the Hour in its entirety:

But instead, they deny the Hour; and We have prepared a searing blaze for those who deny the Hour. (Qur’an, 25:11)

All these people who deceive themselves with regard to the Hour are making a terrible mistake. That is because in His verses God reveals that it is close at hand and that there can be no room for doubt regarding this:

We did not create the heavens and Earth and everything between them, except with truth. The Hour is certainly coming… (Qur’an, 15:85)

As we have already stated, the fact that the signs of the Last Day were fully described 1,400 years ago and are coming to pass one after the other is a matter of the greatest importance. This is definitive proof so that we might understand that in describing in detail 1,400 years ago the picture that would emerge our Prophet (saas) was referring to the present day and age. The reports of the End Times paint a most accurate picture of our own time. This, of course, is a miraculous phenomenon calling for deep reflection.

Under the pen name of Harun Yahya, Adnan Oktar has written some 250 works. His books contain a total of 46,000 pages and 31,500 illustrations. Of these books, 7,000 pages and 6,000 illustrations deal with the collapse of the Theory of Evolution. You can read, free of charge, all the books Adnan Oktar has written under the pen name Harun Yahya on these websites www.harunyahya.com

Cons, Scams, and Rip Offs – How to Avoid Them While Travelling

If you are going to travel for long time then you are going to get ripped off, no ifs, ands or buts about it. It is just a question of time. Typically it will happen the moment you land when you get into your first taxi. It might not be for weeks or months, you might even think that you’ve enough experience and are wise enough to see through any scam, but your guard can’t be up all the time. Your time will come too. It probably won’t be for a lot of money, but the anger you will feel at being taken for a sucker will stay with you forever – or so it seems.

When we talk about getting ripped off we are not talking about being over charged for a product or service. Being charged 20% or even 50% more than the locals is something to be expected when you don’t know what the market price is. What we are talking about is being played like a fool – it is not the amount of money that matters (at least most of the time). Being charged for something that doesn’t materialise, paying ten times the real price, giving to a fake charity – that’s being ripped off.

Rule number one – never be rushed. If there is one thing that con and rip off artists know, it is that if their prey is given enough time they will see through their scam. That’s why it is normally just minutes after you have been ripped off that you cop onto it. Always take your time with your decisions, there is rarely a need hand over money that instant, regardless of how frantic the person you are talking to is. In the developing world nothing ever happens in a hurry anyway, relax, take your time, hours or even days if needs be.

Rule number two – do what the local people do. This is a good general rule when it comes to just about anything. From food to clothes, you are just about always better off and safer doing what the locals do rather than going to somewhere that caters for travellers. When it comes to rip-offs, if a bus conductor is asking you for money but not asking any of the locals, then it is a rip off. Bear in mind though that some places, like India, have a rip off culture and the locals get ripped as well.

Rule number three – this one may seem a little harsh, but don’t believe anyone until the evidence strongly weighs in on their side. If a taxi driver tells you that your hotel has burnt down in a fire, don’t believe him. Insist on going to see the smoking wreckage for yourself.

Rule number four – be informed. It is very difficult to rip someone off who knows what the real price of something should be. Before arriving somewhere ask other travellers what they paid for various services. Ask your hotel for the correct taxi fares to places etc. Don’t be surprised or put out if you can’t negotiate the price down to what the locals pay. As long as you’re in roughly the same ballpark you’re doing ok.

What follows are accounts of the four times to date (18/8/02) that we have been ripped off.

Rip Off 1
Amount – $12
Where – Delhi International Airport, India
When – The first day of our trip
Artist – Prepaid taxi company
Description – Delhi international airport is infamous for its taxi scams. Flights from Europe and the US invariably arrive at 2am and everyone is tired and in a strange country. Easy prey for con artists. We were forewarned and had arranged with our hotel to send a car to pick us up. The car never turned up. So we went to a pre-paid taxi stand reckoning that we stood a better chance with them then we did with a taxi driver off the rank. The fare that we ended up paying was three times what it should have been.

What we did wrong – We were not informed, we should have known what the correct fare was (300R). Also we were not alert enough having just finished 14 hours of travel.

Rip off Two
Amount – $2
Where – In a good neighbourhood in Delhi
When – Two months later, we had just returned to India from Nepal
Artists – A group of students
Description – Given the amount of money involved a lot of you will probably think this shouldn’t get a mention. However, it is this rip-off that bugs me the most and rarely does a week go past without me reliving it. We were walking to a restaurant, when suddenly 4 or 5 well-dressed, clean-cut students approached us. From this instant the whole thing smelt of rip-off. They immediately split us up, showed us fake charity IDs and before 30 seconds had passed had $2 off us. 1 second later we copped onto the scam but it was too late.

What we did wrong – We were rushed. Also there were plenty of Indian people on the street, in a rich part of town. Why weren’t they being targeted for a local charity?

Rip off Three
Amount – $0
Where – Ferry from Malaysia to Dumai, Indonesia
When – 5 months into our trip
Artist - Money exchange cashier
Description – We had exchanged the majority of our Malaysian money already, but we still had a few small notes and coins. We didn’t think that we would be able to change them anywhere else so we decided to change them on the ferry, even though we knew the rate wasn’t going to be the best. I handed over about $10 worth of notes and coins and was given a bunch of notes in return. There is about 8,700 Rupiah to the dollar and I stupidly hadn’t done the math, but it didn’t look right. When I motioned that I was expecting more, he smiled disarmingly and nodded that it was correct. I sat down and he disappeared. I did the sums and realised I’d been given about half of what I should have been. Since he was in ship’s uniform I wasn’t going to let this pass. After we docked and the bulk of the passengers disembarked I went to the captain to complain and got enough of my money back to save face.

What I did wrong – I didn’t do the maths. I knew the rate and should have calculated how much money to expect.

Rip off Four
Amount – $5
Where – Probolinggo, Indonesia
When – 6 months into our trip
Artist – Bus ticketing agent
Description – At this stage into our trip you would think that we had enough experience to spot any scams but we were tired and our defences were down – that morning we had been awoken at 3 am to see the sunrise at Mt Bromo. We got on the bus to Bondowoso in Probolinggo, ignoring all the touts and agents trying to sell us inflated tickets. When we got on the bus, the bus conductor came to us for the fare. He was asking for 25,000 Rupiah, when we though that the fare should be about 5,000. It smelt of rip off, we reckoned it was a rip off, but he was on the bus and had proper tickets and we duly paid him. Only when the bus departed did the actual conductor board.

What we did wrong – We were rushed. Also the conductor only asked us for the fare, none of the locals. We should have waited for someone else to pay and followed suit.

Unpack Once And Visit Many Destinations

Cruise lines caters to those seeking a complete escape from the stressful routine of daily life by being the consummate host in the world´s most beautiful settings. They offer a total experience with many unique itineraries, affordable private balconies, flexible mealtimes and the amenities and individual service of any luxury resort. The cruise lines are famous for their unfailing devotion to providing high quality service.

What is so great with a cruise? Imagine being pampered at a luxurious resort and waking up each morning to a brand new, stunning view of the world. The well-appointed ships boast all the amenities you can expect from a land-based vacation and more, including many choices of restaurants and live entertainment.

The Caribbean Cruise Lines are just one of the areas you can choose. The number of destinations are many and depending on the time you have to spend, you can see a great deal of the world. And when you dream about the perfect vacation, what comes to your mind? Breathtaking scenery and exotic, far-away lands of course. Most of us also dream about a little rest and relaxation with a day at a therapeutic spa, or a cocktail on a balcony as you bask in the romantic glow of the setting sun.

A wonderful thing with a cruise is that you need not worry about making hotel reservations or searching for the right restaurants as the

cruise ships are filled with everything you need for an all-inclusive vacation.

Before I started to look into to the options with a cruise vacation I thought it was very expensive. Yes, it can be, but the cruise fares vary depending on your choices and it is affordable for many more than I expected. What is normally included in your cruise fare? Usually

• Stateroom accommodations including bed, bathroom, shower and TV

• Personalized service of one staff member for every three passengers

• Dining

• Las Vegas-style Casino and Broadway-style shows

• Fresh water pools and deck parties

• Kids program

• Gym and training

• Library and card room

• Night club

There are usually more features available on the ship but to an additional cost

• Spa and massage

• Beauty salons

• Shopping in boutiques

• Shore excursions

• Fitness trainers

• Bar drinks

With so much to see and do it is no wonder that more and more people discover the great value of a cruise vacation. Discover the great frontier of Alaska. Gaze at vast glaciers and towering mountain peaks. Or sail past sampans into Hong Kong Harbor and learn the art of Chinese kite-flying and see rice paddies where water buffalo graze. You can weave your way through the tapestry of Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and Malaysia. And you can capture the most dazzling images of China and its treasures on a cruise tour to the Forbidden City and beyond.

Treat yourself and Have a Taste of Your Favorite Luscious Malaysian and Asian Cuisine

“Satay, Lontong, Kuay Teow, Keropok Lekor, Ikan Bakar, Nasi Dagang – these are only some of Malaysia’s finest cuisines and delicious delights. However, there’s a problem. You’re living around New Jersey! Well, if that’s the case, you do not have to worry no more. Even though you are so far from the beautiful and interesting country of Malaysia, mouth-watering Malaysian foods are still within your reach through Malaysian restaurants located in New Jersey.

Yes, it’s true and you are not dreaming. Your location is no longer a hindrance when craving for those tasty and appetizing Malaysian cuisine in NJ. You can actually have a taste of those enticing cuisines anytime you want. Definitely, New Jersey is a very huge place but remember there are still restaurants within this country that serve Malaysian and authentic Asian cuisines to give satisfaction to those avid fans of Asian food.

If you consider yourself fond of eating Malaysian food, your really have a very adventurous tongue. Remember, Asian cuisine in New Jersey are cooked and prepared in different ways and certainly they have a special distinctive taste making them very unique and exotic compared to the usual food and cookery you are eating. What makes Malaysian and Asian cuisines extraordinary, exceptional and one-of-a-kind, is because of the various ingredients used in cooking these cuisines. Asia is very well known because of its rich sweet and spices that actually make every cuisine and cookery interesting and very tasty. In reality, many go and want to have a taste of these kind of food just to experience the distinctness of the food which makes them want and crave more and never stop.

To be able to give Asian cuisine enthusiast the satisfaction they need, most Malaysian restaurant in NJ prepare various kinds of Malaysian and Asian cuisines. Actually, Asian cuisines also vary in types and most of them come in combinations like Malaysian-Indian, Malaysian-Chinese, Malaysian-Thai, and others due to the reason of cross-cultural influences of the countries located in Asia. This characteristic of Asian foods makes these cuisines more remarkable and appealing to eat.

Malaysia, being a multicultural country same as the other counties in Asia, have actually adapted its neighboring countries’ dishes to suit the taste buds of their own culture. As proof to this fact are the various Malaysian-Indian, Malaysian-Chinese, Malaysian-Thai and other types of cuisines that have mushroomed and developed as time goes by. Examples of Malaysian-Indian food are Thosai, Idli, Putu Mayam, and Chapati. Some Malaysian-Chinese food are Bak Chang, Pao, Kway Chap, and Chee Cheong Fun. While some examples of Malaysian-Thai food are Rendang, Cendol, and Tom Yam. These are only some of the dishes that Malaysia has adapted as their own and numerous admirers of these kind of cuisine somehow prove that cookeries such as these are truly tasty and luscious to eat.

These cuisines listed above are only some of the huge variety of both Malaysian and Asian cuisines that you can actually see at your favorite Malaysian restaurant located around you. Why not have a splash and take another bite of your most wanted dish and treat yourself a hot Malaysian soup until you can’t stop. “

« Previous Page — Next Page »