Boon's Basement

Sawadee Krab, you’ve been scammed!

// July 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Food, News

Times are changing and so are the scams, especially those targeted at foreign tourists. According to BBC, there is now a new scam at the Thailand International Airport. A British couple was accused of shoplifting at the airport’s duty free store and was taken away by the security guards for interrogation. Below are the accounts of what happened:

1. The couple was accused of shoplifting
2. Security guards and cops took them away and separated them into different rooms for interrogation
3. Throughout the process they negotiated the amount that was needed to get them out of the mess – £8,000
4. They provided a translator and explained to them that the charge of shoplifting was pretty serious and if they don’t pay, they will be transferred to a jail, a very unpleasant experience
5. They were not allowed to contact anyone and was only provided with a translator that was working “part time” for the police
6. Their passports were seized and they were warned not to contact their embassy or any lawyers
7. They were forced to withdraw money from the ATM to pay for their release

The BBC has spoken to the translator and the regional police commander, Colonel Teeradej Phanuphan.They both say the translator was merely helping the couple with translation, and raising bail to keep them out of prison.
The translator says about half the £8,000 was for bail, while the rest were “fees” for the bail, for his work, and for a lawyer he says he consulted on their behalf.

In theory, he says, they could try to get the bail portion refunded.

Colonel Teeradej says he will investigate any possible irregularities in their treatment. But he said any arrangement between the couple and Tony was a private affair, which did not involve the police.

You can read the whole BBC article here.

The next time you’re traveling to a different country, beware of scams and con artists!

Love it, loathe it? Comments appreciated.

-Boon

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If IKEA would to take over GM….

// July 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

If IKEA, the Swedish Furniture Company, would to buy GM, the Once Great American Auto Company – now bankrupt, we will have alot of trouble when we buy cars from IKEA.

This is what you will get.

A standard Allen Key that comes with most of your IKEA furniture.

and….

Your car pieces….so you can build the damn thing yourself!

IKEA – we sell it, you build it. Haha.
Love it, Loathe it? Comments are very much appreciated.

-Boon

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Google Voice

// July 23rd, 2009 // No Comments » // News, Technology

Google is evolving from a Search engine company into a Technology Conglomerate and they are picking up momentum. Their latest project, Google Voice, is set to change the way you screen and take your calls. Since most of us have a cell phone these days, Google is bringing you the home voice recording machine to your cell. The best part is that its FREE!

You can use Google Voice to screen calls, listen or read your voice mail and even listen in while the voice mail is being recorded. You have the option of picking up the phone while your caller is recording his/her message. Pretty sweet! Google Voice is currently by invitation only but you can sign up by entering your name and email address here.

Here is an overview of Google Voice. Full details can be found here. Thanks AB for the tip!

One number for all your calls and SMS

• Call screening – Announce and screen callers
• Listen in – Listen before taking a call
• Block calls – Keep unwanted callers at bay
• SMS – Send, receive, and store SMS
• Place calls – Call US numbers for free
• Taking calls – Answer on any of your phones
• Phone routing – Phones ring based on who calls
• Forwarding phones – Add phones and decide which ring

Voicemail as easy as email, with transcripts

• Voicemail transcripts – Read what your voicemail says
• Listen to voicemail – Check online or from your phone
• Notifications – Receive voicemails via email or SMS
• Personalize greeting – Vary greetings by caller
• Share voicemail – Forward or download voicemails

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What Is That? – A story between Father and Son

// July 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

Below is a video that was forwarded in an email. The video is about the relationship between a father and son. Enjoy!

When was the last time you said “I love you dad”? Have you hugged him lately? Our parents love to us is unfailing and unconditional. I urge you to show love to your parents while you still can.

Now, go hug your mom and dad, and say I love you!

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What can you do with a trillion dollars?

// July 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Politics, Thoughts

A very entertaining and amusing video from wallstats.com and mint.com. It depicts what can you do with a Trillion dollars. Our current budget deficit is at a mind boggling 1 trillion dollars and it is still growing…

Enjoy the video:

-Boon

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Funny Thai Commercials Part 1

// July 21st, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Entertainment, Thoughts

Funny Thai Commercials Part 1.

Some of the funniest commercial come from the land that gave us Pad-thai and Tom-Yum soup, Thailand!
Enjoy some of the best commercials that can be found on YouTube.

Thai Snack

Thai Insurance Co

Thai Optometrist

Thai Yellow Pages

Pepermint field gel..

Another Thai Snack

Thai Electronic Payment

Thai Phone Co

Thai Bank Autopay

To be continued….

-Boon

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A Happy Journey Starts Like That! – PCK Rap

// July 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Music, Thoughts

I was browsing through YouTube, when I stumbled upon this great video where Phua Chu Kang, a famous Singaporean TV Sitcom character, is rapping about etiquette in the Singaporean Subway system. The title of the song is “A Happy Journey Starts Like That” and I must admit, the tune is damn catchy.

More on Phua Chu Kang here and enjoy the video:

-Boon

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Columbia University Visit 7.16.2009

// July 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

It was 75 degrees that day when I hiked up to 116th St and Amsterdam Ave for Columbia University’s MBA Info session. The first impression that I got from stepping into the gorgeous campus was that I was in garden of Eden. An absolutely, amazing and freaking-fabulous looking campus, with luscious gardens and shrubs, located in the upper west side of Manhattan. Not only the campus is amazing, the students are very diverse and speak multiple languages. As I walked from the Main entrance to the foot steps of the library, I heard people speaking Korean, Mandarin, Italian, English and Spanish. A truly “International” campus.

Finding Warren Hall, the building where my info session was held, was disastrous. I printed out the map of the campus but there seem to be two Warren halls! Asking students where Warren Hall is, none of them knew. Ughh! So i decided to go to the visitor center to get directions. After doing that, I got the directions to Warren Hall, not to be confused with the other Warren Hall opposite of the Law School. I was 10 minutes late for the presentation and as I was walking in the room, I could sense some stares from the audience, giving me that “My god, how can this kid be late for an MBA info session….” feeling.

The info session started at 12.30pm and it was conducted by Columbia MBA Admission Office Assistant Director, Christina Shelby and she was very informative and entertaining. She was going through the slides and played us a video with all the Alums of Columbia Business school, ranging from Lew Frankfort (CEO and Chairman of Coach) to Sidney Taurel (CEO of Eli Lily and Co). The main highlight of the info session was the application process. Christina explained to audience that Columbia MBA admission process is a rolling basis and every applicants’ admittance decision is done as they come in. Pretty neat I must say.

The session ended around 2 pm and some of the participants stayed to talk to Christina more but I didn’t, so i left.

Considering it a nice sunny summer day (mind it its 75 degrees F and humid outside – similar to a typical Kuala Lumpur weather), I decided to walk downtown. Oh boy, walk i did, 66 streets downtown. Whoopee! I walked from 116th st to 50 st, along Broadway from North to South. Along my way, I got myself a dollar ice tea from McDonalds and a couple of free granola bars from people who were handing out flyers. I journeyed on to 5oth St Station where I boarded the uptown E back to Forest Hills.

-Boon

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Team Hoyt – An Inspiration (stolen from http://ymtoh.blogspot.com/)

// July 21st, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Thoughts

After reading a post from a friend’s blog here, I decided to post this as well. Very touching and inpiring indeed. The song is “My Redeemer Lives” by Nicole C Mullen.

Enjoy and share this!

-Boon

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H1N1 Song – Remixed from Wonder Girls’ Nobody

// July 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Music, News

This song about H1N1 is hillarious. The H1N1 virus a.k.a Swine Flu has spread all across the world in less than 4 months, killing almost 700 people. First case of H1N1 was found in Mexico and it is now a pandemic.  Ms Magaret Chan, WHO Director, says that H1N1 will be the biggest and fastest spreading flu pandemic we have ever seen.

Check out the H1N1 music video courtesy of mrbrownshow.com :

-Boon

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