Warm baselayer made from bamboo

Last month, the guys at BAM Bamboo clothing sent me a Zip neck baselayer to review.

It was a perfect fit when I first tried it on and it really felt comfy. I have been using it for a while now and I only have good things to say about it. It was apparently designed for skiers and come with thumbloops to keep wrists warm and prevent snow going up your sleeves when you have a wipeout.



When using it for cycling, I don't use the thumbloops as they were uncomfortable with the gloves on.

The first time I tried it on while cycling to the University of Warwick campus, the morning air was a bit nippy and I put a light jacket on. Halfway to the University, it became warmer and after a while I was sweating really bad. I stopped halfway and took off my jacket which is waterproof. I was soaked but I had no choice but to go on. The cold air was refreshing and I reached my office soon. I took the baselayer off which was soaking wet in the toilet and put on a fresh T-shirt I had bought along. As usual, I dried off the baselayer on top of the radiator and it was completely dry in a couple of minutes before my room mates came in.

The great thing was that despite all the sweat, it was not smelly at all. I later found out that the baselayer is guaranteed to be odour free. I know of many people who refuse to go into a lift with a sweating cyclist - this revolutionary clothing might actually change that. I also read somewhere that the bamboo fibres inhibit bacterial growth and is also anti-fungal and anti-static (meaning it won't stick to your skin) as well.

On the way back home, I wore it without the jacket and I was quite comfortable despite the chilly air. It is quite long and doesn't ride up my back while cycling which is really good. The wicking action was as good as my other baselayers but this one felt much warmer. The other baselayers have a mash type of material which facilitates wicking but can get really chilly.



Since then, I have worn the baselayer several times when cycling and even at home when it gets a bit chilly. It costs £40 in the online BAM store I am definitely going to buy a few more of them.

Bad experience with Etihad

It's really shocking how some big companies treat (or should I say mistreat) their customers. My brother-in-law was just telling us about their bad experience with Etihad Airways(which is the national airline of the UAE) recently and I wanted to blog about it here so that other people are aware. It was really surprising because the company has a long list of awards which they have won for their customer service.

They had bought a ticket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from London for my nephew in January. Somehow they ended up charging my brother-in-law's credit card twice. The amount is about £550 which is not a small sum.

He promptly called them up to get a reimbursement following which they directed him to send them an email with details of the ticket/transaction. Apparently he has had the same conversation a few times and have been sending them back similar emails several times as well.

It has been three months since the original travel date and my brother-in-law still hasn't received anything, not even an acknowledgement.

In the meantime, he's been paying interest on the cost. Right now he totally fed up and is contemplating sending an official complaint to Consumer Direct.

I hope they solve it before it goes to that.

An ethical question

Imagine that your company (an MNC) is looking forward to enter a foreign country. You are the manager responsible for the entry and dealing with foreign Government officials.

After a few months of negotiations, the Government officials of the country which has recently opened up a particular sector, have agreed to let you in and also give you preferential treatment. Getting this approval is crucial as it would mean that your company would have the first mover advantage. None of your competitors have entered the market yet.

The chief Government official responsible for the decision calls you suddenly and when you get to his office, he suddenly makes it clear that he would require a cut - a gift for "services rendered". He also hints that even though your company had the approval "almost in your hands, there was still a chance that you might lose it if you delayed....".

He makes it clear that if you don't agree to provide a cut, they were going to choose another competitor even though they were clearly no where near as as good as your company. He also mentioned that he was willing to negotiate.

Your company does not have a policy with regards to "gift giving" or "kickbacks" and you know that if you refuse, there were several other companies who would go ahead and give money just to get into the newly opened lucrative market.

You don't want to lose out on this opportunity but at the same time, you are not comfortable with the idea of engaging in corruption.

Put yourself in the shoes of this manager.

What would you do?

Manipur, the sports powerhouse of India

Manipur, a small strife torn state in the north-eastern corner of India has emerged as the sports powerhouse of the country. At the recently concluded 34th National Games held in
held from 12 February 2011 to 26 February 2011 at Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand, they came second with a total of 108 medal including 46 gold, 33 silver and 29 bronge medals behind Services (Services Sports Control Board - SSCB), which was a combined team of the Indian armed forces. Manipur took the best state award.

What makes it more amazing is the fact that "35 Manipuris won medals for the Services Board, 17 of them won medals for Jharkhand, 11 for Delhi, six for Kerala, 34 for Madhya Pradesh, two for Uttar Pradesh, one for Karnataka, two for Andhra Pradesh, 21 for Assam, two for Orissa and one for Bihar."

Manipuris have been making a mark internationally as well and during the Common Wealth Games, 2010 at Delhi, Manipur players have won 3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze Medals. Among those who have made their mark internationally is MC Mary Kom,a mother of two who is five times World Boxing Champion and aiming for a Olympic Gold in 2012. She follows in the footsteps of Dingko Singh, another boxer who won the gold medal at 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.

This is pretty amazing for a state which makes up only 0.1% of India's population (2,388,634) and has seen a violent separatist insurgency since 1964. According to a journalist friend of mine, the state has had more people die due to the violence as compared to Kashmir, another troubled state but has been out of the international media spotlight. The state has no particular industry of note and government jobs are in high demand. Successful sports people are often given huge cash prizes and jobs in the public sector, especially in the armed forces and thus this is a huge incentive to take up sports as a career.

I wonder whether investing in sports might be a better strategy for the Indian Government to defeat the insurgency rather then sending more troops into the state.

Coca Cola's secret formula

One of the World's best kept trade secrets is is finally out - Coke's secret formula.



The secret was discovered by producers of the radio program This American Life in a photograph used to illustrate an article on the history of Coca-Cola in an old copy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The photo is a hand-written copy of the original recipe by John Pemberton, the inventor (is that the right term) of Coca Cola.

You can now make Coke in your own kitchen. The 7X flavour is the secret ingredient which gives Coca Cola it's unique taste and kick.

Here are the ingredients:

A) The Syrup:

Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

B) The 7X flavor (2 oz of flavor to 5 gallons syrup):

Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

Read the article about Coke's original recipe on the This American Life site.

New proposed UK immigration changes

The UK Government is proposing a number of changes in the immigration rules which will have a huge impact on all non-EU foreign students.

Under the main changes which are likely to impact Malaysian and other non-EU foreign students and their dependent include the following:

1. Students will only be allowed to work on campus during the week in term time.

2. Dependants of students will not be allowed to work in the UK unless they get a Tier 2 visa from the employer. Means no more cleaning jobs.

3. Closing down the Post Study Work (PSW) Scheme. means we have to go back as soon as we graduate.

4. Remove right of dependants to come to UK unless the student is on a course of 12 months or more. This may not be relevant to the PhD students, but it will definitely have an impact on those students with family taking a Masters course.

The Government is no carrying out a consultation with various Universities.

Saving time by Shopping Online

With the rise of the internet is it unsurprising that retailers have jumped on the opportunity to offer goods online whenever they can. Reaching a far wider group of people, retailers can use clever online campaigns to advertise their goods as much as possible. While retailers benefit, shopping online also offers you and I, the consumers on the street a huge range of benefits as well.

One of the best reasons to shop online is the ability to save time. Modern lives have become very busy, with work and leisure activities quickly taking over all the hours of the day. While some lucky guys may love nothing more than to hit the high street and shop, others simply don’t have the time as they are too busy with their families or with work. This is where online shopping is becoming increasingly important as it saves valuable time which can be put to better use elsewhere.

A major benefit is that no travel time is needed if you want to shop online. While an entire morning may need to be set aside for grocery shopping, browsing the internet before buying goods can be done in an instant. It can be done within the comfort of your own home, meaning that it can be done at any time of day whenever you get a spare moment. Search options also significantly reduce shopping time. Whereas in a shop you have to browse through items, in an online store you can instantly look for what you need and want. Prices are often cheaper too, with online retailers not having to pay large overhead expenses for brick-and-mortar shops and many retailers such as M and M, direct discount vouchers can be found. And with search options often offering categories, pricing ranges, sizes, or quantities, life can be made much quicker and easier.

Over the past few years food shopping online has become particularly popular, with a range of both high street and online retailers offering delivery services. This is a brilliant way of saving time as not only can you get delivery options, but many websites provide online baskets which will remember the foods bought previously. A weekly shop can then be done by simply reordering a standard basket, taking only a few minutes of your valuable time.

Online clothes’ shopping can also save a huge amount of time, and while you may believe that the returns procedure is complicated, many stores have taken steps to make it as easy as possible. Valuable time can be saved by utilising search facilities available on websites, allowing you to search for garments by size, colour, prices, or even brand. A number of websites also offer style guides, a great benefit if you find a top you like but are not sure of a suitable trousers for example. Meanwhile, by shopping at online outlets such as M and M, direct discount codes can be found and the returns process is often free and as easy as simply filling out a small coded sheet and popping items into the post. And for anyone who is pushed for time and would rather spend valuable moments enjoying their family and hobbies, online shopping is a fantastic time saving opportunity.