Pandemic Swine and Coffee

Mother Nature is scolding us again ! Like a pampered spoilt brat we have been disobedient and disrespectful. We have disrupted her life and caused her much grief. So once more she must punish us. This time it is through Swine Flu.

Isnt it ironic that the pandemic should start and spread at the Americas where the global crisis also originated ? And as usual the trigger happy politicians and business analysts who are experts in the field of blame quickly take advantage of the situation. Headlines in the media all over the world are blaring out "Swine Flu is delaying the recovery from Financial Crisis and Economic Failure." Well maybe those are not the exact words but that is the gist of it.

Sometimes I cant help but suspect that there is a massive conspiracy by a group of sinister and powerful people who are orchestrating all these unnatural phenomenon for their own benefit. So what if a couple of millions of people die in the process. If they can start wars for this purpose why cant they start epidemics ? Why cant they start the Financial Meltdown just to sabotage the progress of thirld world economies and avoid being overtaken ? There many more "why cants" out there. The bookstores are filled with books written by people who are closer to the truth than we are. This little blogspace cannot accomodate enough information other than this to remind you that the powers that be are capable of these bad bad deeds.At least with Hitler, Saddam, Ghenghis Khan, Attila the Hun and other historical figures, there are no disguises.

I have learned of another term which I like. VFM you already know as "Value for Money."
This one is "Priced for Value" PFV. I am a Coffee Connoisseur. OK, maybe not a connoisseur as the furthest I can go in a conversation about the delights of coffee is about Kopi O Poh. I am completely lost in Starbucks, Coffee Bean and other Coffee franchise places with their variety of fancy coffee blends. I can accept the different flavours of coffee beans from different countries but I feel the genuine taste of coffee is violated when mumbo jumbo are added viz. caramel, flavoured cream, herbs, nuts etc. Many people come to Coffee Franchises just to appear "cool" and when they start to order their Lattes and every what not, they would almost yell it out so that everyone can hear it and go "oooooooooh ! How sophiscated!"

Anyway, my usual order in a Starbuck's would be a tall today's brew. That would be the brew of the day which is written on a notice board on the wall behind the Cashiers where orders are taken. The notice would tell you which Bean i.e. Arabica or Java or Colombian is being used today. Tall means the smallest cup. I would have a skinny blueberry muffin with it. Yesterday I decided to patronise another outlet, TCC which is short for "The Coffee Connoisseur." I walked straight up to the counter, silently practising my order. You dont want to blurt out the wrong words and embarrass yourself in front of all the "Coffee Connoisseurs" there. Imagine going into TCC and saying "Kopi O Poh, please!"

When I started to say my order I was cut short by the cashier who said "Please take a seat at a table sir and our waiter will take your order." I said "Oh, I thought it was self-service like at Starbucks.!" I could hear her sucking her breath in shock, mouth opened and eyes as big as a Marmoset Monkey. I was politely led by a waiter to a table and was handed the menu. This time I was the one who took a breath of shock and when I looked up I saw a Marmoset Monkey staring back at me, reflected on the glass panel in front of my table. The cheapest cup of coffee was about SGD6.00. I suppressed the urge to pretend that I had received an emergency call on my mobile and had to rush out of the place, so I stayed and ordered. When the waiter came to serve me my coffee I whispered to ask why the coffee was so expensive and he answered "Oh, they are PRICED FOR VALUE, sir." The first sip of the coffee convinced me that TCC does have the right strategy, exquisite coffee, excellent service, fine decor, comfortable furniture and the most delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake I have ever tasted. However, I could never give up my KOPI O POH from Chop Jing Chew.