Dameyo

America Misunderstood

// April 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // General

Why people abroad have this frightening image of us?
We export equivocated “foreign” culture.

You may be surprised to find out how often and why “AMERICA” is so misunderstood by so many people around the world.Misunderstandings result from the peculiar way we see the world and from the peculiar way the world sees us. “How come?” you may say, “American films, books, and television programs are well known all over the world.” Exactly, the fact that we downpour our culture on so many peoples creates most of those misunderstandings!

The causes for misinterpretation vary. However, we provide almost all of them. The world sees us through fun-house mirrors provided by us. Through similar mirrors we see the world and even ourselves in a peculiar way, too. The most noticeable of these fun-house mirrors is our language.

After listening to claims and complaints from people all over the world, I found out that English, our English, causes most of these misunderstandings. “But English is almost universally spoken!” you may say. Basic English yes! English, no. In fact, most English speakers do not believe that those who are not native to the language will ever get to learn it well. Furthermore, being a language, which is not mutually intelligible with any other, English instills in us a sense of alienation characteristic to such languages.

England created the English language, but the USA was the nation that turned it into the richest language on earth and a formidable communication tool. It was our nation, open to changes, immigration, new mores and new ideas that made English universal. We have ethnic groups from every corner of the world and each of them has contributed to make English what it is today.Nevertheless, absorption has been too fast sometimes, leaving no room for analysis. Once the majority accepts a simple word or phrase, that word — or phrase — freezes, allowing no correction or adjustment in spelling, meaning or pronunciation. Rectification rarely happens in English. This inability to rectify and correct words is the dark side of the English language. The expression “coining” clearly describes what usage does to a new word or phrase: it makes it metal solid. Incorrigible usage gave us a multitude of traditional errors nailed them so deeply into our minds that no one can hammer them out of our heads.
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10 Filthy hotels in Asia

// March 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // General

10 Filthy hotels in Asia
10. Aseania Resort, Langkawi, Malaysia.
Location: Simpang 3, Jalan Pantai Tengah, Langkawi 07100, Malaysia.
Filthy Degree: 3.5
How Filthy: Looks are deceptive.
Review: broken toilet, dirty sheets, ancient furniture, broken kettle, numerous mosquitoes, dark and depressing room, the internet does not work, the breakfast is limited in both selection and quality, hotel has no lift, filthy with dead cockroaches on the floor, the restaurant is infested with roaches.

9. Royal Parkview Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
Location: 19/9 Sukhumvit soi 20 Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Filthy Degree: 3.5
How Filthy: Hell Hole
Review: The rooms are old dirty, food terrible, rude staff, they refuse to take responsibility when something missing from the room, bad shower, smelly elevators, and cockroaches.

8. City Gate Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam
Location: 10 Thanh Ha Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: It’s a big joke!
Review: Hot water, fridge and air-con don’t work, the manager is rude, and should be avoided at all costs. Reserved a room online for $18/night and arrived to be moved to another hotel for $25 a night, fake City Gate hotel in Hanoi.

7. Oxford Hotel, Singapore.
Location: 218 Queen Street, Singapore 188549, Singapore
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: If all you need is a place to sleep
Review: Rooms are old, mini bar is empty, no bellboy, small rooms, and bathroom is really small, rooms are not cleaned, burn holes in sheets, dirty pillowcases, the towels are not clear white, a few TV Channels, bed have fleas, avoid at all cost.

6. Colmar Tropicale, A French-Themed Resort, Bentung, Malaysia
Location: KM 48, Persimpangan Bertingkat Lebuhraya Karak, Bentung 28750, Malaysia
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: If you think Genting Highlands is tacky, wait till you see this!
Review: From a distance, it looked quaint and charming but horror upon horrors, the service is very slow, the sofa is old and dusty, bed sheets and towels are not so clean, the windows don’t close properly, the beds and bedding are old and worn, the bathroom is a disgrace, and food choices are limited.

5. Woraburi Sukhumvit Hotel and Resort, Bangkok, Thailand
Location: 128/1 Sukhumvit Soi 4 | Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Filthy Degree: 3.5
How Filthy: Better values elsewhere
Review: Bed bugs, staff are not helpful, steal money, stains on the sheets, the curtains, the walls, bed is lumpy and is not clean, bad food, no service, tiny creatures around the sinks, cracks, mosquitoes in the room, the bathroom is dirty (could hardly take a shower without throwing up).

4. Royal Peacock Hotel, Singapore.
Location: 55 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089158, Singapore.
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: Why go to Disneyland when this place is so Micky Mouse
Review: Prison cell type if a room, the room is disgusting, moldy, filthy, damp, old, no hot water and air-conditioner noise, no window, poor lighting, small room, dusty walls, old stained carpet in the hall and room, no shower curtain, no room safe, burned ceilings and scuffed carpets, the shelves are dusty, the bathroom towel rail keep falling off and the bedding looks so worn and shabby.

3. The Imperial Hotel, Hong Kong, China
Location: 32-34 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: You Can’t Pick A Winner Every time. A Pig-Sty
Review: The hallways smelt musty, the room smelt even more musty, the room is so tiny, the bathroom is filthy and old, there was mold on the walls and curtains, the sheets have stains on them, no tissue in the bathroom, the room stinks, the AC doesn’t work, the shower is leaking and the bed is small, the room is awful, small, dirty and dingy. The bed cover is old and caused to itch, the bedsheets have a stain which look like blood. The hotel is very stingy with shampoo and does not care much for customer service.

2. Hotel Grand Central, Singapore.
Location: 22 Cavenagh Road | Orchard Road, Singapore 229617, Singapore.
Filthy Degree: 3
How Filthy: A Nightmare Stay To Remember For Life
Review: Receptions are unfriendly, the room is small, stink, old, with black, dirty carpet and furnishings. The top bed covers were dark brown fabric with white stains all over them, and the yellowing bed-sheets are all covered in brown stains, the bathrooms are worn out and leaking, the breakfast is worst.

1. First Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
Location: 2 Petchburi Road | Phayathai, Ratchatevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Filthy Degree: 3.5
How Filthy: First Hotel = Last Hotel
Review: Many bedbugs of all sizes, crawling ants in the bathroom, the corridors stink of smoke, the place is full of white people having mid life crisis, the TV set doesn’t work, the bathroom is tolerable but not memorable, thief, strange screaming sound in the middle of the night, rude receptionist, the bathroom has more mold and rust than tiles, the sheets are stained and the rooms stink badly.

The most dangerous game on the market

// March 2nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Gadgets & Video Games, News

Experts have warned that the fantasy role-playing game “World of Warcraft” is more addictive than crack cocaine. It is considered as the most dangerous game on the market. According to the report, A schoolboy collapsed and went into convulsions after playing a new version of the “World of Warcraft” online computer game for 24 hours straight. “They played all day and all night. Maybe they got a few hours of sleep. They ate a little food and breakfast at their computers,” the boy’s father said.

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health backed the report, adding: “Computer game addiction is becoming more widespread in Sweden and across the world.

There is no known medical diagnosis of conditions brought on by excessive game-playing, but it is clear they have a very powerful addictive hold over many people who use them.”

Blizzard Entertainment says that there are 11 million people worldwide play World of Warcraft. Psychiatrist Dr Richard Graham, of London’s Tavistock Centre, said: “Some of my clients will discuss playing games for 14, 16 hours a day at times, without breaks and without attending to their physical needs. For those, the consequences are potentially severe.”