And in the aftermath of Starbucks' drastic downsizing, it is also a big contra-statement about the viability of foreign retail formats on Australian soil.

It is actually the third Australian store for the 200-unit British chain, but the first to be located in one of our genuinely iconic shopping centres. As the retailer's proud Australian MD, David Herman, thinks of it, Pets at Home is ''going mainstream.''

Can Pets at Home beat the odds and become a durably successful foreign retail concept in Australia? Small pet supplies retailers and the established larger chains will be watching with interest.

If the newcomer does succeed, it will be a slap in the face to our nation's choir of retail ockers, who have been in fine voice since Starbucks hacked off three quarters of its Australian store fleet a few weeks ago.

Starbucks' actions elicited nothing short of glee in some quarters: another foreign retailer bombs!

The coffee beans aren't as good as the ones at competing coffee outlets! The barristas don't know how to brew the stuff! The management doesn't understand our culture!

And then there was the unmistakable whiff of Tall Poppyism: We won't be told which coffee to drink by a big-shot multinational!

If you think you've heard this kind of claptrap before you're not wrong.

Every time a foreign retailer or business of any kind begins to struggle in the Australian market - and make no mistake about it, there have been many - the pie-and-chips crowd moves in to gloat over the remains.

The sad thing about this kind of xenophobia is that Australian retail is in some respects in a wretched state, falling further and further behind the world's best, and desperately in need of foreign investment and innovation in the sector.

Sure, we've got a genuinely world class department store chain and some powerful brands like Billabong that have gone forth and conquered.

But retailers like David Jones, Billabong and a small handful of others are not enough. Retail has its own gene pool that constantly needs to be reinvigorated from outside, or it becomes weak and sickly.

Indeed, foreign investment is probably the only thing that can genuinely improve Australia's standing in the retail world over the long haul, and may be one of the few obstacles to the gradual exodus of consumers to the internet where they can easily obtain global brands outside of this country.

This exodus is already occurring. After all, if the brands don't come here then it's only to be expected that consumers will go to the brands at the first opportunity.

In the year through June 2008 sales by US retailers over the internet totalled a formidable $US 134.1 billion.

Although data isn't available on how much of this total was attributable to foreigners, the retailers themselves make no secret of the fact that it is one of their most effective and fastest-growing global marketing and sales channels.

The problem for our retailers in Australia is that people travel too much these days and get too much information over the internet. They know what's out there and they will increasingly gravitate to it. This may not be immediately noticeable in the form of a dramatic sales fall-off for local retailers.

It happens over time, insidiously, under the radar, like the ageing of the population. International retailers that come to Australia with physical stores can help stop some of the leakage.

They can infuse our retail scene with new products, formats and service models that Aussie retailers can be maddingly slow to adopt. (e.g. where was unit pricing until Aldi, a foreign retailer, arrived?)

Pets at home, a superstore format that incorporates the usual pet food and ancillary products with a number of associated services, such as pet grooming, veterinary services and pet adoption, is the latest incarnation of a concept that has been around in the UK, through Pets at home's parent company, and the US, in the form of retailers such as Petco and PetSmart, for a number of years.

But in Australia it was virtually unknown until David Herman came along.

The pet services/merchandise convergence gives the store terrific destination appeal and enables the retailer to capture crossover product sales from the grooming and vet operations.

For example, animals examined by the vet can get their prescribed medicines a few paces away at the in-store pharmacy.

Pets at home is not the lone ranger of foreign retail in Australia.

Canada's high-end technical sportswear concept Lululemon Athletica is slowly getting traction through its stores in Melbourne and Sydney, while Lush, an upscale health and beauty retailer from the UK, is already well established.

Germany's Aldi is snapping at the heels of the supermarket majors, a phenomenon that was well documented during the recent ACCC inquiry into food prices.

Costco, the US warehouse club retailer, may soon enter the fray as well and has the potential to make a significant impact on the existing players in a number of merchandise categories.

Pets at home, Lululemon Athletica, Lush, Aldi and Costco are five worldbeaters. Australia's small retailers should watch closely because there is a lot to learn about just about every aspect of the retailing arts.

And the retail ockers can stop thumping their chests and sit down.

International retail entrants will not stop the inexorable appeal of shopping on the internet for exotic foreign brands, but they will help us keep up with the best that store-based retailing has to offer.

`lush;-

DUBAI (AFP) - - The world's tallest building just got taller -- the Burj Dubai tower in the booming Gulf emirate of Dubai has now reached a height of 688 metres (2,257 feet) and is still growing, developers Emaar said on Tuesday.

It now boasts 160 storeys, the highest skyscraper in the world, Emaar said in a statement.

The skyscraper, set for completion in September 2009, is one of several mega projects taking shape in Dubai, which is a member of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) federation.

Burj Dubai, which was started in 2004, overtook Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower as the world's tallest building when it reached 512 metres (1,533 feet) in April 2007.

It became the tallest man-made structure on the planet, when Emaar announced in April that it has surpassed the 629-metre (2,063-foot) KVLY-TV mast in the United States.

Its eventual height remains a closely-guarded secret, though there is speculation it will reach a final height of 900 metres (2,953 feet).

It had been due for completion in the bustling city state at the end of 2008, but Emaar said in June that "finishing touches" had pushed back the date until September next year.

The skyscraper is being built by a consortium involving Arabtec Construction LLC of the UAE, Samsung of South Korea and Besix of Belgium.

Many building projects in Dubai, which is going through a construction frenzy, have been facing delays caused by shortage of building materials and skilled labour.

`lush;-

Here are the ingredients I used:-

Pancakes

In the morning, noon or night. I've just had a taste for them for awhile now. And I ate them two times this weekend. Who knows? I may eat some more after posting this blog. That's how awesome they are right now. Oh and I like mines simple: Aunt Jemina original, wheat or buttermilk, unsalted butter and Log Cabin maple syrup. Mmm...

Wen

My mother told me about this product that she found yet again on QVC. (She's a little addicted to QVC but that's another post for another day.) Wen Cleansing Conditioner is, and I quote, "a revolutionary new concept in cleansing your hair that has Hollywood buzzing! It’s special because it cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos — it is designed so it won’t strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention."

It works for me. My hair is natural so it's hard to maintain my curls because it gets frizzy but it hasn't been that way since I've used Wen. My curls are well-defined and my hair is not as dry as it once was before.

For more info on this product, check out their official website.

Ruffle fitted shirts

I saw this style on What Not To Wear when a petite woman, like myself, had troubled with her professional wardrobe. At that moment, it clicked. I really wanted that style and I fell in love with these shirts. I just got a bundle today from Wet Seal. I look forward to getting more for the winter later on.

Lush's Bath Bombs

Throw one of these babies in your bath and you'll have a relaxing, glorious time. I know I do every single time. Some of my favorites are Avobath and Youki Hi. There are plenty of more for your taste. Check out bath bombs and other natural products on Lush's official site, www.lush.com.

Black House

It is truly breathtaking. This picture-perfect house is sleek, silky and smooth. Oh and it might make you feel orgasmic, dare I say?

To check out more pictures of this chic home, visit Kanye's official blog.

Song from the Original Soundtrack, Wall-E : Peter Gabriel - Down to Earth

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Meet Wall-E

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Did Wall-E Make Guest Apperance in Toy Story, The Incredibles & Cars?

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`lush;-

Rating: M18
Consumer Advice: Coarse Language and Some Nudity
Genre: Thriller
Language: English with Chinese subtitles
Director: Richard Shepard
Cast: Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg
Runtime: 103 mins

“In war what you see, and what really happened, are sometimes two very different things."

TV News reporter Simon Hunt (RICHARD GERE) and cameraman Duck (TERRENCE HOWARD) have worked in the world's hottest war zones: from Bosnia to Iraq, from Somalia to El Salvador. Together they have dodged bullets, filed incisive reports and collected Emmy awards. Then one terrible day in a Bosnian village everything changes. During a live broadcast on national television, Simon has a meltdown. After that moment, Duck is promoted and Simon just disappears.

Five years later, Duck returns to Sarajevo with rookie reporter Benjamin (JESSE EISENBERG) to cover the fifth anniversary of the end of the war. Simon shows up, a ghost from the past, with the promise of a world exclusive. He convinces Duck that he knows the whereabouts of Bosnia’s most wanted war criminal “The Fox.” Armed with only spurious information Simon, Duck and Benjamin embark on a dark and dangerous mission that takes them deep into hostile territory.

It’s the scoop of a lifetime but will they live to report it?

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My Review:

Kudos for the director of this movie for making this movie which was actually base on a true story which actually happened. This is surely an exciting movie where you will hold your breathe as the trio of journalists took risks between life and death to nab the most wanted war criminal. For thriller movie fans, you won't be disappointed with this movie. Join them as they venture into the enemy's hostile territory, lots of danger and strangers whom they think they can trust to nab "The Fox" with a US$5million bounty on his head.

The thing I like most about this movie is all the thrills and near death experiences they encounter which make me panic and feel anxious for them even though its just a movie.

The thing I don't quite like about this movie is the ending is very fast although its kind of unexpected. It feels that the director did a rush job to wrap up this movie.

My popcorn rating:

Oh, by the way, I love the popcorns from The Cathay cinema. :P

`lush;-

The View Road Hospital Encounter

Catch API with the On The Beat Hosts Lee Teng 李腾, Jeremy Chan 田铭耀, and Vivian Lai 赖怡伶 and Malaysia Singer Rynn Lin Yu Zhong View Road hospital is located at Admiralty Road West, Woodlands, Singapore.It used to be a mental hospital, started in 1977. It was closed sometimes in 2001. When abandoned, it was the favourite haunting ground of many people, especially students. You can view pictures of the former mental hospital here. Now it is being converted into a workers' dormitory. Watch On the Beat 3, on 9th Sep at 8pm to catch possibly the last glimpse of Old View Road Hospital, before it's mystery disappear. API Sparky & Shany with On The Beat 3 Hosts Lee Teng 李腾, Jeremy Chan 田铭耀, Vivian Lai 赖怡伶 and current View Road Hospital lesse Jimmy.