Things guys say when they like you

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Earlier this month, in the grounds of the Mandarin Oriental hotel on the picturesque shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, Rolls-Royce revealed its second Boat Tail. Finished in a chameleon-esque paintwork that shifts from near-white to deep bronze depending on how the sun hits it, this is the second of only three to ever exist. Commissioned by a Rolls-Royce client who has worked closely with the company for four years, the car shares its platform and overall look with the first Boat Tail, revealed in 2021, but is otherwise a total one-off – right down to the rose gold cutlery and carbon fiber folding stools that form its al fresco dining set. The car is inspired both by racing yachts of the early 20th century and the Rolls-Royce Phantom II Boattail from 1932, which one contemporary Boat Tail customer also owns. This particular example was commissioned by a loyal Rolls-Royce customer based in the Middle East, and whose … [Read more...] about This Is What It’s Like To Order A One-Of-Three Rolls-Royce Boat Tail

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): There is potential for Malaysia to achieve or even exceed its long-term renewable energy (RE) target helped by a stronger push for energy transition from energy users, said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB). This, TNB noted, includes its plan to raise the group’s global RE capacity to 8.3 gigawatt (GW) by 2025 from 3.4GW at end-2021, and Malaysia’s RE generation of 18GW by 2035 from 8.45GW currently. “In the past few years, the push for energy transition has become much stronger. As we look at plans coming up for the nation and TNB, it will be interesting to perhaps even see some of the plans [move] forward faster,” said TNB sustainability pathway project director Dr Noor Miza Razali. Speaking at a Thursday (May 26) briefing on TNB’s sustainability pathway, Dr Noor Miza explained that the RE generation mix could be further enabled due to declining cost of operations compared to volatile prices of traditional fuel sources like coal. “Having … [Read more...] about Malaysia could potentially accelerate renewable energy goals, says TNB

Subrata Dutta, Group MD, Organic India. Note to readers: If Covid Vanished is a series of interviews with corporate heads and achievers, where we ask them where they’d like to travel or eat, who’d they like to meet, and so on, when the world becomes Corona-mukt. An iconic Swedish band, an Indian Nobel laureate known for his service to the community, and a trip to Hong Kong. These are some of the things on the mind of Subrata Dutta, Group MD, Organic India, for life post-Covid. Excerpts from a conversation: Which destination would you like to travel to first and why? I’m quite sure I will visit Hong Kong when the Covid situation settles down. The city has always been close to my heart. I have worked with some terrific people over there and want to catch up with them in person in a traditional Cantonese setup. Close Which famous stranger would you like to invite home and why? I respect Kailash Satyarthi’s work towards our society. I would like to … [Read more...] about If Covid Vanished | Organic India’s Subrata Dutta would like to attend the ABBA Reunion Concert

- A + A KOTA KINABALU (May 26): Traders in Sabah, in particular, those at Pasar Besar Kota Kinabalu say chicken supply is available, but the stock received from suppliers is limited at the moment. A Bernama survey at the market found that traders could still get their supply of chickens but in smaller quantities compared to before, while whole chicken was still being sold at RM11 to RM11.50 per kg. Chicken seller Rizal Hamid, 43, from Penampang said he would normally place an order for 300 chickens from the supplier every day, but now he could only get between 100 and 150 chickens a day. “At present, we cannot say if supply is adequate or otherwise, it’s so-so. This is because when we make our orders (for chicken) its still available, but we will normally receive just half of the quantity we ordered. “Some would ask me why the situation is like this, and I would usually say there is a problem with chicken feed, that the cost of chicken feed was too high. The … [Read more...] about Chicken still available in Sabah but in limited quantities, say traders

PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet post held by Ampang MP Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, who quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), belongs to Bersatu, says Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal. Zuraida is the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister. ALSO READ: Zuraida quits Bersatu to join PBM The Bersatu youth chief said that Zuraida's exit was mutually agreed and the move anticipated. He added that a show-cause letter had previously been sent to her, alleging her involvement in PBM. ALSO READ: Muhyiddin to pick Zuraida's replacement in Cabinet, says Wan Saiful "With her resignation, it is clear that she was involved in the newly formed party. "We would like to thank her for all her services as a Bersatu minister. However, as for now, the replacement must come from Bersatu," he said when contacted on Thursday (May 26). Earlier, the Ampang MP announced that she had left Bersatu and would join PBM. ALSO READ: Pick someone loyal as … [Read more...] about Cabinet post held by Zuraida is Bersatu’s, says party youth chief

Author Ruskin Bond at Ivy Cottage. Talking to Ruskin Bond, there is the same sense of light-heartedness that is characteristic of his stories. The bestselling author, who celebrates his birthday today (May 19), has another book out – Song of the Forest . The title story has never been published before and the other tales have also been written in recent times. In an interview, Bond reflects on his writings and process. Edited excerpts: Your first story 'A Room on the Roof' was published in 1956. How has the process of writing evolved for you? I had to write two or three drafts before my first story was accepted and published. I have never worked so hard in my life again as far as writing goes! (laughs) Nothing much has changed except that I write by hand now. I used to type when I was younger. But now, I get a stiff neck and shoulders. Also, I’m happy with a ball point pen and a writing pad. I can write almost anywhere - on a sofa or a bed or under a tree. Under a … [Read more...] about Ruskin Bond: ‘I’ve turned 88 – which looks like two jalebis, my favourite Indian sweet’

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday announced another major goal in reducing Thailand’s infamous problem with road deaths. At a Bangkok forum titled “New Decade, New Normal, Safe Driving Is Priority”, Prayut said the government aims to cut the number of road deaths by almost 2 thirds by 2027. Thailand has the ninth highest road death rate in the world, with 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organisation. Thailand’s target for 2027 is to cut this number to 12 people per 100,000. The so-called “Vision Zero” goal for 2050 is to completely eliminate traffic fatalities, and severe injuries. Vision Zero strategy first started in Sweden, but who knows if a developing country like Thailand will be able to achieve anything close to this goal. PM Prayut says the 2050 goal will be hard to achieve, but claims it’s possible if everyone cooperates. “Of course, I know the problem and how to solve it. But it won’t work 100% because of a lack of public … [Read more...] about Prayut says government wants to cut Thailand’s road deaths by 2 thirds

- A + A (May 26): It’s time to buy the dip in stocks, particularly in Europe and emerging markets, on their appealing valuations after a steep global sell-off, according to strategists at Citigroup Inc. Strategists led by Robert Buckland said in a note that Citi’s bear market checklist is currently warning about only six out of 18 red flags, which compare with 13 red flags prior to the global financial crisis and 17.5 red flags before the 2000-2003 sell-off. In the past, investing in equities when the indicator of market red flags dropped to similar levels had generated “healthy” 12-month gains of 31% on average, they said. The US stock market triggered more concerns on Citi’s checklist during the peak of last year’s global equities rally compared to Europe and emerging markets, which makes strategists favour the latter on cheaper valuations. The S&P 500 and STOXX 600 are each down about 16% this year in US dollar terms, while the MSCI EM Index has fallen 17%. … [Read more...] about Citi strategists say buy the dip in stocks on ‘healthy’ returns

Billionaire brothers John and Patrick Collison built Stripe into one of the world’s most-hyped, highest valued — and profitable! — startups, worth some $95 billion. Now they must stave off going from disruptor to disrupted. I t’s just before five o’clock, and Stripe Cofounder John Collison is preparing to address his hundreds of Ireland-based employees on the top floor of his headquarters in Dublin’s “Silicon Docks” District. Such regular Friday town halls, which are also simulcast to New York, San Francisco, Singapore and anywhere else its 7,000 employees want to tune in from over Zoom, are an almost sacred tradition at Stripe, the payments company that Collison cofounded with big brother Patrick in 2010. With Patrick away getting married, it’s up to John, 31 and with a dusting of gray hair now topping his boyish face, to field questions. It could get contentious: There’s a social media “kerfuffle” playing out over Twitter this week: Stripe has been accused in a … [Read more...] about The Collison Brothers Built Stripe Into A $95 Billion Unicorn With Eye-Popping Financials. Inside Their Plan To Stay On Top

Author Aanchal Malhotra (left) says that interviewing family members was often harder for her because they came with some resistance. In 2019, Aanchal Malhotra made a stunning debut with Remnants of a Separation that revisited the Partition through objects that the refugees carried with them across the border - the book was shortlisted for a number of literary awards. The oral historian and writer has now released the sequel, titled In the Language of Remembering: The Inheritance of Partition . For her second book, the Delhi-based author spent years interviewing different generations of people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and their respective diaspora to examine the impact of the largest refugee crises in history had on them. Edited excerpts from a conversation with Malhotra: Talk to us about the title of the book. I was always clear that when you speak with someone about Partition, you are building a new language that did not exist before. We are just not … [Read more...] about ‘Everyone who comes from Partition families is an inheritor of Partition’: Aanchal Malhotra