Prison Break - New Season

THE ATLANTIS DUBAI

Inside the £800m Dubai hotel boasting a £13,000-a-night suite and dolphins flown in from the South Pacific

By Daily Mail ReporterLast updated at 11:52 AM on 24th September 2008

It's the latest word in Gulf excess - a sprawling £800million resort boasting a £13,000-a-night suite and dolphins flown in from the South Pacific, all atop a palm tree-shaped island.. Environmentalists have long criticised both the island and some of the features of the Atlantis hotel, set to open tomorrow. Analysts wonder, separately, if global financial turmoil could someday crimp Dubai 's big tourist dreams. But Dubai is not blinking: the 113-acre resort on an artificial island off the Persian Gulf coast is among the city-state's biggest bets that tourism can help sustain its economy once regional oil profits stop flowing.

Fantasy island: The Atlantis hotel has been built on an artificial island off the coast of Dubai

Sea view: A bedroom looks onto the giant aquarium


Water pleasure: Journalists watch a stingray swimming in the aquarium at a press preview

'You don't build a billion-and-a-half dollar project just anywhere in the world,' said Alan Leibman, president and managing director of Kerzner International, the hotel operator that teamed with Dubai developer Nakheel on the resort. With its own oil reserves running dry, Dubai hopes to woo those eager to make money and those who know how to spend it - even as much of the global economy sours. For years, the emirate - one of seven semi-independent states that make up the United Arab Emirates - has been feverishly building skyscrapers and luxury hotels.

A swirling glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly graces one of the lobbies


Even the corridors are sumptuous

A key piece of the strategy has been to cultivate an image in the West as a sun-kissed tourist destination despite its soaring summer heat, conservative Muslim society and relative dearth of historic sites.
Fueling the interest are belief-defying projects such as an indoor ski slope, the as-yet-incomplete world's tallest skyscraper and a growing archipelago of man-made islands such as the Palm Jumeirah - the smallest of three such projects planned.
Much of the focus at Atlantis, modeled on a sister resort in the Bahamas , is on ocean-themed family entertainment.

Bathtime - with water cascading from high up in the ceiling

... Or you might prefer to soak up the splendours of the aquarium while you bathe

The resort contains a giant open-air tank with 65,000 fish, stingrays and other sea creatures and a dolphinarium with more than two dozen bottlenose dolphins flown in, amid controversy, from the Solomon Islands .
But the hotel's top floor aims squarely at the ultra-wealthy. A three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite complete with gold-leaf 18-seat dining table is on offer for £13,000 a night.
Dubai's development has long been criticized by environmental activists, who say the construction of artificial islands hurts coral reefs and even shifts water currents. They point to growing water and power consumption.

Special guest: One of the dolphins flown in from the far-off Pacific

A tourist takes a picture of her husband as he slides down the Leap of Faith chute at the Atlantis resort

Last year, environmental groups and some residents of the Solomon Islands protested the decision to sell the dolphins, plus the 30-hour plane flight needed to get them to Dubai .
Developers seem undaunted. For the moment, the resort shares the sprawling island only with rows of high-end houses and construction sites.. But other international names are set to move in.
Donald Trump plans to open a hotel straddling the center of the palm, and the storied QE2 ocean liner will become a hotel and a tourist attraction docked alongside the island tree's 'trunk'.
An 1,800-seat theatre nearby will house a permanent Cirque du Soleil show beginning in summer 2011.
'Palm Jumeirah in and of itself will become one of Dubai 's major tourist attractions,' said Joe Cita, chief executive of Nakheel's hotel division.
Boosting the number of attractions on the island will not only entice more visitors, he said, but also persuade them to spend more time and money in the city.
By 2010, Dubai aims to attract a staggering 10 million hotel visitors annually, up from about 7 million in 2007. Atlantis alone will increase the city's hotel capacity by 3 percent.

Fish food: Diners can also gaze at the stunning sea life in the giant aquarium


Colourful murals line the upper walls

So far, demand appears strong. The Middle East had the highest hotel occupancy rates in the world during the first half of the year, with Dubai leading the region at 85.3 percent, according to professional services firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
Dubai also had the highest room rates in the region, although revenue growth is slowing, Deloitte noted.
Atlantis' backers are optimistic they can fill its 1,539 rooms despite the economic uncertainty wracking some of the world's richest economies. Their focus is on well-heeled travelers from Europe, Russia , Asia and elsewhere in the Middle East .

An alcove gives onto a quiet, discreet dining room

'People will still take family holidays,' Leibman said. ' Dubai is still good value when you're paying in pounds, (or) you're paying in euros.'
Nakheel and Kerzner are both privately held companies and do not release sales data. Leibman said demand from tour groups looks strong well into the first part of next year.
Yet Marios Maratheftis, head of regional research for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai , said there is 'good reason' to be concerned that global financial problems could hit Dubai 's tourism industry. Nevertheless, he said, the city's long-term outlook remains positive.

The hi-tech entrance of Italian celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli's restaurant at the hotel

Kerzner has grown increasingly close to Dubai in recent years. In 2006, the company took itself private in a ?2 billion deal partially bankrolled by a division of Nakheel's state-owned parent, Dubai World. Nakheel retains a large stake in the company.
Meanwhile, Nakheel's hotel division has expanded rapidly. The company's holdings include New York 's Mandarin Oriental, the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach , and the W Hotel in Washington .
Its parent also owns a minority stake in MGM Mirage Inc., and is teaming with the casino operator and Kerzner to build a massive multibillion-dollar casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
But don't expect to find roulette wheels at Dubai 's Atlantis. Islamic prohibitions against gambling ensure casinos remain off-limits.

Jumeira Palm Island seen from a helicopter. The Atlantis Hotel is in the distance


Luxury on tap: A view of the seven star Burj Al Arab Hotel and Palm Island Jumeirah and the Atlantis Hotel in the background

NO PAIN NO GAIN

No Pain No Gain... Accept the Pain, Future will be Fruitful...
Don't feel the work you are doing is pain, because there will be always a reason for that pain or work.
So face the pain, for the pain you face, there will be definitely happiness a head.

NEW GANESHA & SNAKE GOD STONE AT BUKIT MINYAK

'Sacred' stone attraction
By M. Sivanantha Sharma

Large crowds of people – many of whom are four digit punters – have been flocking to an open area at the Bukit Minyak Industrial area near Bukit Mertajam, seeking good luck from a "sacred" granite stone.
Nearby residents claimed the stone was "worshipped" for several years before it was abandoned at the open area where it is found now.

K. Suresh, 26, a lorry driver, who operates a stall at the scene selling flowers and prayer paraphernalia said workers cleaning a monsoon drain and its surroundings discovered the stone below a tree about three weeks ago.
When they tried to lift the stone, they found snakes below it, he said, adding that the workers left the area without removing the stone.
He also said the right side of the stone has an image of Lord Ganesh (Elephant God) while its left has an image of Nagamah (a female Hindu goddess ).

The residents then cleared the surroundings, cemented the area and started to pray for luck, he added.
Several people claimed they saw numbers appearing on the stone when they washed it with water after offering fruits and eggs.

The number of people visiting the area increased as word started to spread. Some came from as far as Kuala Lumpur.
Locals residents have erected temporary stalls selling praying paraphernalia, flowers, fruits and "holy water" to bathe the stone.

Ah Poh, 60, from Chai Leng Park near Butterworth said he saw four numbers on the stone when he washed it with water he bought at the stall for RM1.
B. Kala, 38, a mother of three children said she won RM1,400 in Wednesday's four-digit draw.

(Source: http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20080922-89204.html)

Granite stone moved to temple

THE granite stone which attracted hundreds of four-digit punters at the Bukit Minyak Industrial area has been relocated to a Chinese temple in Taman Perwira near Bukit Mertajam.
Seberang Prai Municipal Council president Farizan Darus said it was relocated on his advice as the place had become too congested and this hampered traffic flow.

“It has been relocated to the premises of a Chinese temple in Taman Perwira,” said Farizan when contacted.

A temple spokesman identified only as Ah Keong, 25, said the sacred stone was brought to the Huat Choo Kong Temple recently. About a month ago, workers clearing a monsoon drain and its surroundings discovered the stone below a tree at the Bukit Minyak Industrial area and when they tried to lift the stone, they found snakes underneath. They then left the area without removing the stone.

The right side of the stone has an image of Lord Ganesh (Elephant God) while its left has an image of Nagamah (a female Hindu goddess).

The residents then cleared the surroundings, cemented the area and started to pray for luck. Several people later claimed they saw numbers appearing on the stone.

(Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/10/4/north/2162458&sec=North)

Does it look it a snake head?

Stainless Steel Rice Bowl 不锈钢饭碗? (6/10/08)

It's Monday again......
Everything is back to normal except the traffic lights in front of the Giant Hypermarket still in Raya mood.
It was out of order!!!
Terribly jammed even the police was on duty.
This caused me late to work this morning.

When stucked in a jam, the only entertainment is listening to the radio.
A segment from MyFM "Wang Gong Can Lan 王宫灿烂", the story was mentioning the government servants are having "Stainless Steel Rice Bowl 不锈钢饭碗" instead of "Iron Rice Bowl 铁饭碗".
The reason is even if they did anything wrong for instance poor service or making wrong decisions, they won't face any serious punishment.
The worst case will be only tranferring that particular person to another department or section.
Unfortunately, I was unable to finish listening the program.
Anybody knows who or which government body the DJs were mentioning?

"ICE" Your Phone

A useful thing to add to your mobile address book!
It was thought up by an ambulance man/paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents there were always mobile phones but they didn't know which numbers to call and he thought that it would be a goodidea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin"under.
Following the disaster in London . . .East Anglian Ambulance Service have launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign with the support of Falklands war hero Simon Weston.
The idea is that you store the word " I C E " in your mobile phoneAddress book, and against it enter the number of the person you wouldwant to be contacted "In Case of Emergency".
In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be ableto quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them.
It's so simple that everyone can do it.
For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.
Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity.
You can make their job much easier with a simple idea thatthey are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency.
If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE,with the name and phone no. of the person that the emergency servicesshould call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly.
It only takes a few moments of yourtime to do.
Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately.
ICE your cell phone NOW!

"Don'ts" When You are Sleeping

DON'T SLEEP WITH WATCH
Watches can emit a certain level of radioactivity.
Though small, but if you wear your watch to bed for a long time, it mighthave adverse effects on your health.

DON'T SLEEP WITH BRA
Scientists in America have discovered those that wear bras for more than 12hours have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.
So go to bed without it.

DON'T SLEEP WITH PHONE
Putting the phone beside your bed or anywhere near you is not encouraged.
Though some of us will use phones as alarm clocks, but please put the phoneas far as possible.
Scientists have proved that electrical items includingmobile phone and television sets emit magnetic waves when used.
These wavescan cause disruptions to our nervous system.
Therefore if you need to putyour mobile phone near you, switch it off first.

DON'T SLEEP WITH MAKE UP
People who sleep with make up might have skin problems in the long run.
Sleeping with make up will cause the skin to have difficulty in breathingand problem in perspiring.
You will also need a much longer time to go intodeep sleep.

DON'T SLEEP WITH OTHERS'WIFE OR HUBBY...
You may never wake up again.

..:: Guys and Girls ::..

Guys drink to forget about the girl...
Girls drink to think back about the guy...

When guys are in love, they become poor.
When girls are in love, they become pretty...

Guys can forget, but cannot forgive...
Girls can forgive, but cannot forget..

Guys care the most about the quantity of love...
Girls care the most about the quality of love..

Guys break-up when they feel love from another Girl...
Girls break-up when they feel the feeling of Separation from her man...

Guys feel curiosity towards all girls...
Girls feel curiosity towards guys who are Interested in her..

When guys are heartbroken, they try to forget About the girl by going out with another girl...
When girls are heartbroken, they try to find his Characteristics from another guy...

Guys wish to be her first love....
Girls wish to be his last love...

How to Put the Right Person in the Right Job

Does your Company have a problem in recruiting the right person for the right Job?
If yes, try this simple experiment.

Put around 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window.
Then send 2-3 candidates into the room and close it from outside.
Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours, and then analyze the situation:

>If they are counting and recounting the number of bricks - PUT THEM IN ACCOUNTS DEPT.
>If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks - PUT THEM IN ENGINEERING
>If they are arranging the bricks in some other order - PUT THEM IN PLANNING.
>If they are throwing the bricks at each other - PUT THEM IN OPERATIONS.
>If they are sleeping - PUT THEM IN SECURITY.
>If they have broken the bricks into pieces - PUT THEM IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
>If they are sitting idle - PUT THEM IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEPT.
>If they have thrown the bricks out of the window - PUT THEM IN THE MATERIALS DEPT.
>If they are clinging onto the bricks - PUT THEM IN TREASURY.
>If they say they have tried different combinations, yet not a brick has moved - PUT THEM IN SALES.
>If they have already left for the day - PUT THEM IN MARKETING.
>If they are staring out of the window - PUT THEM IN STRATEGIC PLANNING
>AND last but not least....>>If they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved ->PUT THEM IN TOP MANAGEMENT.

Base on the evaluation, majority of the people are suitable candidate for>Top Management.

My 1st Time Doing Blogging (3rd October 2008)

Guess what? I have my own blog now! Yahoo!!!!
What the memorable day...
Is it a bit too late to start blogging?
Hhmm.... not quite.......
I'm having so much fun whenever reading to my friends' blog.
Their life, their updates, their pictures........
I want to share mine as well.
Happy Blogging Everyone!!!