Cookie Love

Food challenges from around America - May. 6, 2005

2005-05-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Food challenges from around America - May. 6, 2005

Yet another interesting article about restaurant with big portion food. The hot chicken wing idea is also pretty good. Remind of a Thai restaurant I visited by would put you name on a big sign if you can finish eating their hottest dish.

Cafe ideas and an unexpected afternoon rendezvous

2005-05-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Trying to generate some interesting ideas for a cafe for mommmy Cookie. Being in the land of everything big, I think that a cafe where food and drink portions are big may be a good sell in Singapore. Make the foods and drinks a little more pricey than regular cafe but make the portion big. Make it so big that the newspaper will take notice of it. Make it so big that everyone in the neigbourhood is talking about it. Knowing how kiasu Singaporeans are, may be you can give away some giant food as part of Grand Opening, the publicity will be big. I am thinking big cups of coffee, mocha, soft drinks, big poh piah, curry puff, cheese cake, chee cheong fun, and big garden salad. Material wise should be pretty cheap but you can sell them for $3-$4, may be more. Also the link I have below has a restaurant that makes big burger, which is free if you can finish their biggest burger within a few hours, you can have a "signature dish" with the same free offer.

Another interesting product is highly-caffeined drinks. I don't think they will sell as well as Coke but like Red Bull, they should sell decently well and may bring something special to a cafe. Jolt is the most popular brand in the US and they are usually sold in specialty stores and are well liked by computer gamers, especially when they do all night gaming.... Also a good drink if you have to work after an all night party..

Got a few tickets to the hottest expo in Houston and since the projects I am working on have been delayed, I thought I took the afternoon off. The OTC is basically a convention for Offshore Oilfield Service Companies. The lunch presentation I went to was about offshore drilling in China by the largest Chinese oilfield service company. I came away with the thought that the Company can really make use of someone with my knowledge of the industry and global finance. Perhaps someday I will sent my resume to them. I really need to go to China..there is so much going on. Too bad I didn't have my digital camera, lots of interesting stuff..helicopters,..submarines, giant motors and lots of drilling rigs.

About.com: http://www.waterjoe.com/main.html

2005-05-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

About.com: http://www.waterjoe.com/main.html

Restaurant in Pennsylvania offers world's biggest burger. - May. 3, 2005

2005-05-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Restaurant in Pennsylvania offers world's biggest burger. - May. 3, 2005

Computer Resources

2005-05-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

Seems like yesterday was not a great Cookie day. Could not get more than 5 minutes of conversation without interuptions. In any case, I am happy to get my first email from Cookie.

There are many other ways to reach me besides email.

1) Skype - This is internet chat but can also talk like a phone over the internet. A bit of static but overall it was sound quality was ok based on a short sample conversation with my Philipino friend :). Download the software here.

Once the software is installed, open it. Click on Tools on top and select "Add Contact". Put in tinglee1 in the Skypename/telephone # and then click on "Next" button below. Then click ok.

2) Yahoo Messenger - I have already sent a standard invitation email to you. My user name is Soappy, just add it to your contact and we'll be able to see each other when we log on.

Also, I am adding a new site. Basically this will be only for us to share photo. Click here to go to the new set, there is already one of my picture there.

Softcup

2005-04-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

Thought I post some links about the Biz Ops. First the Softcup and Biocue website. Also adding some pictures of the actual product. Some Softcup related stuff below:

Saw some web discussion about the product.

Yet more discussions.

News article
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 30, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Akcess Pacific Group, the majority owner of Instead, Inc., announced plans to invest an additional $10 million to support trade and consumer marketing of the company's flagship product, the Instead Softcup, and help launch its new personal lubricant, which will be on-shelf early next year, according to Joseph Pike, managing partner of Akcess Pacific and Instead Chairman and CEO.

Instead, a developer of over-the-counter women's reproductive health products, owns and controls several innovative, patented products and technologies that give women control over their own reproductive health through every stage of their lives, from menarche to post-menopause.

According to Pike, the company is also seeking a strategic partner that has experience in the marketing, promotion and support of products in the reproductive health category.

Its flagship product, the Instead Softcup, was developed by Instead's predecessor company, Ultrafem, Inc., and has been on the market since its launch in the northwestern United States in early 1997.

Within nine months of launch, the Softcup had gained a 2.1 percent dollar share of the feminine hygiene category in the Northwest. Despite that success, Ultrafem filed for bankruptcy in 1998, and in 2000, Akcess Pacific took control of the company and changed its name to Instead, Inc. Pike is also managing partner of Akcess Pacific, which owns more than 90 percent of Instead.

"After 15 years of research and development and the expenditure of nearly $150 million, we feel that Instead is positioned to capture a significant share of this vast, worldwide market," Pike said.

"Since acquiring the company, we've streamlined operations and improved gross margins by more than 40 percentage points, increased distribution in the United States, secured marketing approval in 19 foreign countries, and established distributor relationships in each of them," Pike explained.

Currently, the Instead Softcup enjoys distribution in more than 19,000 drug, grocery and mass merchandise outlets in the United States and Canada, and more than 22,000 outlets internationally. In the United States, it is sold at Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Kroger, CVS and Rite-Aid, among others.

Early next year, the company plans to introduce a new personal lubricant that is an all-natural, acid-buffering, long-lasting formulation that is water-based and safe to use with all condoms.

The new lubricant is actually a compound that was developed at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago as part of an effort to develop an effective new-generation spermicide and microbicide.

Known as Acidform within the reproductive health research community, the compound has been shown to maintain a woman's natural acidic pH level. At that level, sperm and many STD-causing microbes, including HIV, are disabled. Pike explained that while the lubricant cannot be marketed as a contraceptive pending further clinical trials, women who are trying to get pregnant will be advised not to use it.

"The introduction of this compound as a personal lubricant is yet another step that our company is taking in its goal to give women total control of their reproductive health," Pike said.

Currently, Nonoxynol-9, the only spermicide available in the United States, has come under fire as a result of recent studies published by UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the CDC and numerous peer-reviewed medical journals which have concluded that N-9 not only does not help prevent sexually transmitted diseases, but in some circumstances can also potentially increase the risk of contracting HIV and other STDs.

Following the lubricant introduction, the company intends to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to market a modified version of the Softcup as a disposable diaphragm. The Instead Softcup currently on the market is a feminine hygiene product that collects, rather than absorbs, menstrual flow.

"Long-term, our plan is to market a product that combines the spermicide/ microbicide benefits of our personal lubricant with the Softcup diaphragm packaged like a condom and priced competitively to provide broad access to customers of all income levels," he said.

About Akcess Pacific Group

The Akcess Pacific Group is a privately held organization that specializes in acquiring companies for its own account. The company is headquartered in La Jolla, Calif., and has offices in 12 locations in the United States and in Toronto, London and Moscow. Since its founding, it has grown to over 50 partners or principals who have a wide range of experience and operate portfolio companies in areas including medical products and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, broadband communications systems, environmental remediation services, real estate management and development, and special asset purchases. The Akcess strategy is to actively manage its acquisitions to ensure full achievement of their strategic, operating and financial
potential.

2005-04-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

Box of 10 cups

2005-04-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

Starter Kit with three cups and a instruction video.

Yet another day in Paradise

2005-04-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

Got my cookie today! The connection was clear and cookie appears fine from her dental work and back pain. She must be looking good now.

Phone problems appears to be under control and reception is still not good but at least I can hear what my dear has to say. Found myself yet another phone card vendor www.cheapphonecards.com. The phonecard I bought is not as cheap as the previous vendor but it does not seems to steal my minutes. ... .. we'll see. Not only do I have a few phone cards now, my dear cookie has gotten her email and internet as well. I have not been so happy for so long.

I'm trying to post some pics of the accident... just to see to add photos.

2005-04-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Did a 180 degree turn at the freeway. Good thing my computer game training allows to be control the car as it slides backward.

2005-04-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Cookie

First Post

2005-04-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is my very first post. Not much thoughts here except that I finally find 10 minute of my life to get in with the latest web trend of blogging. Like my old websites, there is a good chance that this blog may perish in the cyber grave yard in times to come but we'll see about that.