The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Kalashnikov, designer of AK-47, dies at 94 Posted: 23 Dec 2013 06:13 PM PST His death, which came after a long illness, was announced by the office of the presidency in the Udmurtia region where he worked. Kalashnikov, though he designed a weapon that became synonymous with killing on a sometimes indiscriminate scale, was seen in the Soviet Union as a national hero and symbol of Moscow's proud military past. He died in Izhevsk, an industrial town 1,300 kilometres east of Moscow, Viktor Chulkov, spokesman for Udmurtia's leader Alexander Volkov, told AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his "deepest condolences" to the family of the "outstanding" designer, the Kremlin said. "One of the brightest, most talented and consistent patriots of Russia who dedicated all his life to serving his homeland has passed away," Volkov said in a condolence message quoted by his spokesman. The spokesman, Chulkov, said a state commission would convene on Tuesday to plan a funeral for Kalashnikov, whom he described as a man of "state" stature. Lavished with honours for designing the iconic rifle, Kalashnikov said he never intended for it to become the preferred weapon in conflicts around the world. "I created a weapon to defend the fatherland's borders. It's not my fault that it was sometimes used where it shouldn't have been. This is the fault of politicians," he said during an award ceremony at the Kremlin to mark his 90th birthday. World's favourite weapon AK-47's name stands for "Kalashnikov's Automatic" and the year its final version was designed, 1947. Also called the "Kalashnikov", the rifle and its variants are the weapons of choice for dozens of armies and guerrilla groups around the world. More than 100 million Kalashnikov rifles have been sold worldwide and they are wielded by fighters in such far-flung conflict zones as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. A bayoneted version of the AK-47 rifle features on Mozambique's national flag. Igor Korotchenko, head of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade, called Kalashnikov an "outstanding Russian gunmaker, a man of natural gifts of the kind who are born just once in 100 years." "The fact that he was born in Russia shows the intellectual potential of our country," he told AFP. Young soldier's dream Born in a Siberian village as the 17th child of family on November 10, 1919, Kalashnikov had a tragic childhood during which his father was deported as a "kulak" (prosperous peasant) under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1930. Wounded during the bloody battle with Nazi forces at Bryansk in 1941, Kalashnikov was given six months' leave during which he thought up the first versions of his soon to be legendary rifle. His superiors saw his talent and encouraged his work and in 1945 entered a prototype of the rifle into a competition. In 1947, the design was recommended for use in the Soviet army. A year later, Kalashnikov was sent to the weapons factory Izmash in Izhevsk – a plant known since imperial times – to work on production of the rifle. It quickly became prized for its sturdy reliability in difficult field conditions. The 205-year-old Izmash plant remains one of the main producers of Russian weapons and is treasured as a national icon. Manufacturer lives on Yet the design was never patented internationally and Izmash always complained that its potential income from the weapon was hit badly by the "pirated" versions of the designs made abroad. Kalashnikov barely profited financially from his exploits and lived modestly in Izhevsk, a city in the Ural mountains of around 630,000. The Izmash factory fell on hard times after a collapse in orders following the fall of the USSR, a fact that prompted Kalashnikov to make a personal appeal to Putin. That appeal bore fruit and in August this year the Izmash company was revamped and renamed the Kalashnikov company in the hope his name would bring the factory more orders. Kalashnikov's wife Yekaterina died in 1977. They had four children, three of whom survive and all of whom work on projects linked to their father's life. – AFP, December 24, 2013. |
| Battle of the Christmas decorations for Hong Kong malls Posted: 23 Dec 2013 04:42 PM PST From two-storey-high polar bears to giant Disney characters, the southern Chinese city is awash with increasingly elaborate displays as luxury outlets bid to outdo each other and get wealthy mainlanders through the door. The competition between shopping malls is "very fierce", said Karen Tam, assistant general manager for marketing at the Harbour City shopping mall located on the bustling Kowloon waterfront. Harbour City spent more than $645,000 (RM2.1 million) this year on a display that includes Disney characters from popular movies such as "Toy Story" and "Lilo and Stitch" placed among huge Christmas decorations. Tam said the mall's budget will only increase in coming years, as it vies with its rivals to boost Christmas footfall and snare as many local and tourist shoppers as possible. "The budget for Christmas decorations has to go up because it is really serious competition in Hong Kong and China," Tam said. "We have to be creative, we have to bring in new elements, we have to attract people's eyeballs." The IFC Mall, located in the city's Central financial district, has set up decorations inspired by New York City's Central Park, with grassy knolls and stationary bicycles that light up when shoppers climb on and pedal. APM in east Kowloon has constructed a whacky Christmas town featuring the Bear Dog characters from Japanese designer Shiro Nakano, as well as Warhol-esque soup cans topped with colourful Christmas trees. Malls have kept their holiday designs – and their budgets – a closely guarded secret until the last possible minute, adding to the pressure on those responsible for the over-the-top displays. "We had tried to check what the other malls are doing for the season, but everyone keeps it all very confidential," said Rebecca Woo, head of marketing at K11 Art Mall. K11, which doubles as a shopping mall and an art gallery in the tourist hotspot of Tsim Sha Tsui, had an environmental twist on this year's festive installation which was six months in the planning and costing $516,000. The mall opted for a two-storey tall polar bear made of steel pipes, accentuated with multi-coloured lights and fake foam snow, which Woo said was designed to raise awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment. "We really want to bring something that is memorable for our customers," she said, adding that the mall has recorded a more than 10% increase in customer visits since it went on display. The city's immigration department estimates around 11.11 million visitors from mainland China will enter Hong Kong from the end of December to the beginning of January, an increase of 7.6% compared to the same period last year. In a study by Jones Lang LaSalle conducted over the first half of the year, mainland tourists were found to spend over $1,100 each on average, 39% more than visitors from other countries. - AFP, December 24, 2013. |
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