Archive for the ‘life, consumption’ Category

Nouveau jackpot!

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Loto a Rs 40 millions! Apres le lot de Rs 20 millions le 1er mai, et revoila la belle cagnotte. Nous serons nombreux a jouer pour ce beau pactolle. Bonne chance a toutes et tous!

You jerk!

Friday, April 30th, 2010

It has long been said and confirmed. Mauritian drivers lack courtesy. Today like any other drivers we were jammed at the level of Pailles in the direction of Port Louis. I was in the fast lane and at some point in time, we had to converge towards the slow lane. So when the lane ends, i turned on the left flasher. A driver in ithe slow lane apparently furious that i was intending to be take his lead horned me and shouted like hell ” to presser???” I politely replied that my lane has ended and had to go in the other. He was obviously overexcited and reshouted ” to plis presser toi?” I let him take the lead and to prove to me that he is the boss, he deliberately drove slower. We are all tired after a week’s work and the jam further adds to the stress. So why are you so jerky? I think i was not alone to face the situation. Some drivers at the front too horned apparently for the same reason.

On another note, bonne fete du travail a tous! TGIPH!

Loud noise!

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Security is important. There’s no doubt about it, whether for personal security, overseas travel. Each and everyone of us needs to feel secure especially in one’s home. There are a number of companies specialising in such areas. Each has its own area of expertise. However, i could not not help but noticing that whether it be commercial or residential buildings, there is one thing in common-the alarm sound. Have you ever noticed that increasingly when the alarm goes on, it can make you deaf??? I mean, it’s good that the neighbourhood knows about may be there is something wrong in your building, and that appropriate actions can be taken, or it can act as a deterrent for the intruder if any, but for god’s sake, why the decibel so loud??? I am talking out of experience. My neighbour has installed an alarm system. Oh dear, when it goes on, you would wish you were deaf.. I am not joking…

noise.jpg(image at cowsarejustfood.wordpress.com)

Is there a norm for such devices?Why does it have to be so loud? Silent alarms do exist, so why not propose such systems as alternatives? Are they so much expensive that the majority of us opt for the conventional ones? We are talking about an ile maurice durable, serenity at home englobes such aspect.

plea.gif (image at blog.kir.com)

So please security companies, do phase out such systems or at least diminish the decibels for our ears’ drums sake and for our children and grand grand children. We have only one pair of ears and it’s for our entire lifetime.

Que feriez vous si vous decrochez le premier lot?

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

The Loterie Nationale has been officially launched on Wednesday 28th October 2009.  On the occasion of the soft launch, the holder of the winning ticket (6/40) will be awarded the prize of Rs 12 million. So what is the loterie Nationale? Guess all of you know the loto (no, not the creole word for car), the game in which you need to hold all the numbers in order to win. Yes this is it. 58% of the receipts will go directly into the government pocket to fund “de grandes causes nationales”.

Prior to the official launching of the game, Lottotech (the company behind the loto game) invested massively on advertising, training retailers (spread widely in the island) on the use of their machines. The draw will be held on the 7th November. So if you think that probability has no secrets for you, then off you go! BTW the ticket costs Rs 20 for a choice of 6 numbers. Good luck!!!

Funny eggs!

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

This morning, i woke up and was craving for some fried eggs. So i had fried eggs for breakfast. Hey guess what? The egg did not taste like egg… There was the yolk and the white all right. But it was so tasteless. I noted that some time back but this time, i asked for feedback and i got confirmation. Are our table eggs synthetic? Do your eggs taste funny too?

New increase in price!

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

Since Wednesday, one kilogram of white sugar is now sold at Rs 19.50 against Rs 10.95 and this is the recommended selling price. The price has now been liberalised and us, consumers will pay more in practice. The price increase may be explained by the fact that the sugar community, planters and industrials will no longer be subsidising the white crystal. According to the Chamber of Agriculture, the price of sugar since 1991 has remained unchanged and the subsidies have cost the sugar industry an additional rs250 to 300 millions each year. “Dans le contexte de la reforme du secteur, cette mesure est acceuillie comme une bouffee d’air frais par tous les planteurs” dixit the Chamber of Agriculture.

So dear consumers, for one kg of white sugar, prepare to pay more than rs 20. Raw sugar will cost twice. Recession obliges reduce your sugar intake also. Also prepare yourself to spend more on cakes and sugar based delicacies.Ile Maurice ile durable?? May be this will reduce the number of diabetes given that we top the world list in terms of amputation due to diabetes complication.

New electricity tariffs!

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

This time i could not help but voice out my frustration to the new (and undoubtedly) higher price of electricity which us the end users (that is residential users) need to pay to the CEB.  The article which can be found here suggests means and measures to decrease energy consumption during peak hours. May I make an appeal to the CEB what should the government decrease substantially the tax on solar equipments and accessories we would be glad to bypass the electricity you gratefuly supply to us. Why is that it is us the end users who need to put our hands in our pocket?? Does that mean that from 0800 hrs to 1829hrs, there is no peak in energy usage? Industries use much more energy than us residential users. Do not tell me that during gthe 2 hours, energy consumption by residential users is much more higher that during the 10 hour time slot. If there is strain on the CEB network, then it better reviews its infrastructure so as to accommodate the ever increasing population. And Maurtius is dreaming of 3 millions tourists, with the archaical network of water and energy distribution??? LOL!!!

Revised price of petroleum!

Friday, October 31st, 2008

Just learned that price of diesel, petrol and heavy oil have been revised to become 20% and 15% cheaper respectively. The price reduction has been effected after the urge of the Minister of Finance to economic operators to follow the trend of petroleum prices on the world market. The plea for price reduction has also been aired to members of the chamber of commerce with respect to the basic commodities. The Minister intends to reduce the inflation rate to one digit ratio. The Bank of Mauritius has also revised its repo rate by 0.50% downwards.

Thus as from tomorrow Saturday 1st November 2008, the price of diesel, petrol and heavy oil will be as follows per litre:

Diesel to become MUR 41.00 instead of MUR 51.20 (decrease of 19.92%)

Pertrol to become MUR 39.80 instead of MUR 46.80(decrease of 14.95%)

Heavy oil to become MUR 16.13 insteadof MUR 18.97  (decreaseof 15%)

Summer times

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Since Sunday, we shifted our clock one hour in advance (summer time).  But since Monday, i have a feeling of lethargy and my eating habit has been disturbed too. Although there are no major problems in waking in the morning, I do feel sleepy and tired afterwards as if I had not made my 8 hours sleep. When it comes to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, same fate. Do not eat well or no appetite at all. Sounds like i shifted to another country with totally different time slot. Ah well, hope to get accustomed. Have till March 2009 to get accustomed and afterwards rehave to adjust again!!!

No ringtones!

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Since Saturday, our PABX line went dead. We could neither make or receive calls.  We did not bother and thought it would be only temporary. On Monday, same scenario. I decided to phone Mauritius Telecom on 8900. The operator took my contact info and I insisted that a technician be sent as soon as possible. The operator replied that a team will be sent on site should they be around. Later i noticed that ADSL line too was dead. This time i phoned 8902. Here again the opeator took my contact info and same rhetoric when i insisted that mails exchanges can not be made and we needed to send or receive faxes.

The boss’ wife came into play and called X, Y, Z to phone MT to enquire and send technicians as soon as possible. Finally, she talked to one of our managers who happens to know someone at MT. Soon after the contact came and checked all our phone lines. He called MT and it was then that we came to know that a nervous system at Coromandel went down and it was the reason for the faults.

Day 2-Today. Still no ring tones. The wife again called the manager. He replied to her that the fault was common to all locations in Coromandel. Later surprise! MT technicians were around. They were very caring and asked about locations of central exchange box. It was in the afternoon that i knew (through the wife) that the manager after consultation with the boss promised the technicians a reward if they could solve the problem very quickly. No comments!!!