As I See It I Live It ~ HELLO WORLD

A tribute to a living legend, now gone - Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T13:03:00.002+08:00

Wednesday, October 5 2011 marks the saddest day in the lives of many people. Steve Jobs the man who brought Apple to it's shiniest and brightest moments left the world at the age of 56. Details of his long battle with pancreatic cancer - a disease that ultimately claimed him remains unknown.

He was more than just the man behind the Mac and iPhone.Even in Malaysia now, one cannot help but hear the tributes on radio and coffee shop chit chats. Even Twitter at the time of this posting remains inaccessible, possible due to overwhelming tweet traffic.

He believed in himself. Despite having the odds against him, he believed in himself. He believed in his vision. He believed that he could change the way we communicate. He believed he could make a difference.And he did.

This past week we said goodbye to Steve Jobs - the co-founder of Apple who revolutionized the way we communicate, work and play. But life was never easy for him and the only reason Jobs succeeded is because he believed in himself.

He didn't let the naysayers stop him. He didn't let the doubters hold him back.

He dropped out of school because he couldn't afford the tuition. He collected used soda cans and returned them to collect the deposit money. He walked 7 miles just so he could get a hot meal from a shelter.But all along he believed in himself and his vision.He never gave up. When he slept on a cold hard floor with only a blanket he didn't give up.

Through all those years of struggle, Steve Jobs directed his mind, his subconscious mind and his powers to follow his vision. That vision and belief was planted on his subconscious mind, success was sure to follow. And did it ever.

When he passed away on Wednesday - Steve Jobs was a billionaire, surrounded by his family. He built one of the most valuable companies in the world and he made a big difference.

Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco on February 24, 1955. He was adopted shortly after his birth and reared near Mountain View, California by a couple named Clara and Paul Jobs. His adoptive father was a machinist for a laser company and his mother worked as an accountant.

He leaves behind three children from his marriage to Laurene Jobs (Reed, Erin, and Eve), as well as his first daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs.

Rest in eternal peace Steve Jobs... there will be no other like you...

The Perfect Out-of-Office Autoreply

2011-09-04T13:38:00.001+08:00

I am currently out of the office on vacation.

I know I’m supposed to say that I’ll have limited access to email and won’t be able to respond until I return — but that’s not true. My blackberry will be with me and I can respond if I need to. And I recognize that I’ll probably need to interrupt my vacation from time to time to deal with something urgent.

That said, I promised my wife that I am going to try to disconnect, get away and enjoy our vacation as much as possible. So, I’m going to experiment with something new. I’m going to leave the decision in your hands:

If your email truly is urgent and you need a response while I’m on vacation, please resend it to interruptyourvacation@[redacted].com and I’ll try to respond to it promptly.
If you think someone else at [the company] might be able to help you, feel free to email my assistant, and she’ll try to point you in the right direction.

· Otherwise, I’ll respond when I return…

Warm regards,

Josh

Josh Kopelman, hat's off man!

Intuition, use it or lose it!

2011-08-15T09:47:00.002+08:00

"Where is that darn sheet of paper?" I kept asking myself.I looked everywhere (or so I thought) but couldn't find it anywhere.A few days ago I got an important phone call and had to write down some crucial information and follow up within a few days.

I jotted everything down on a piece of paper and left it beside my computer on my desk (or so I thought).But I went looking for it and it wasn't there. "Where is that darn sheet of paper?"

I kept asking myself.I looked and looked and couldn't find it.Was it in the trash?Actually it was right in front of me all along and had I listened to my intuition I could have saved myself a lot of time.

Everyday our intuition guides us, helps us, tries to save us some time, sends little messages that will make life better for us if we listened and followed. But most of us (myself included) don't always listen to that little voice. We don't always follow what it says.It will say something, we may hear or recognize the message, but then we get distracted and we forget about it, only to realize later "should have listened to that voice. "That voice is our intuition. It's like our best friend; it only says and does things to help you.

It only wants to make your life easier and more enjoyable.Once you know how to ask your intuition for guidance you'll get the right responses and the right instructions.Then you have to listen and follow, which is where most people fail. That only happens because your conscious mind, that rational thinking part of you, doesn't always agree with your intuition and will often put up a fight, give some resistance and try to get you to do the exact opposite of what your intuition wants you to do.

But once you know how to respond, life gets easier and you get more of what you want.How do you tap into your intuition? How do you get the right answers so that you get more of what you want? And how do you follow your intuition so that things work out?

Let's go back to my sheet of paper that I just couldn't find. I needed that piece of paper. It had some important information. Earlier in the day I was playing with my 3-year old son who was making me chase him around the house, he gets a big laugh out of that.

I spotted him in a room where he was holding a piece of paper. At the time I wasn't looking for that piece of paper but wanted to see what he had. Something told me it might be important (that was my intuition trying to save me some time). I tried to get the piece of paper from him but he thought it was part of the fun and ran off.

I later spotted him stuffing the piece of paper into a box and when I went towards him he laughed and ran off again.

I got caught up in his game (and the fun) and kept chasing him.Something told me (that intuition again) to go back and see what that piece of paper was (we don't leave too many thing lying around with a set of 3-year old twins and a one year old reaching and grabbing anything). But I got distracted, kept playing with him and forgot about it.

Later that day I was looking for that important piece of paper, the one I had left on my desk next to my computer (you know where this is going).I knew that paper existed. I had seen it a day earlier. But it wasn't there.I kept asking: "Where is that darn piece of paper?"It had to be in the house or in the garbage.I searched the house (so I thought) and couldn't find it. Now it was time to check the trash (oh, how I hate doing that), which was just like giving up since I knew it wasn't in the trash, but I had to check anyway. Just as I was opening the garbage bag my wife said:"Hey wait a minute. Was it a lined piece of paper?". "Yes it was.""I thought I saw something in a box, let me take a look. "Then it hit me.

My son had stuffed a piece of paper in the box that I was supposed to check to see if it was anything important only I got distracted and forgot about it (that was my intuition guiding me again). My wife checked the piece of paper and sure enough..."Here it is..."My son had grabbed the piece of paper off my desk and stuffed it in a box. Those of you who have kids are probably laughing at this because something similar has probably happened in the past. But that's not my point.

My point is that earlier in the day, while I was playing with my son, my intuition
showed me the piece of paper that I would need later in the day.I even got a feeling/message to go back and check that piece of paper to see what it was; but I didn't follow up and I didn't follow the intuitive message.So now I needed that paper, and had to get my intuition to help me. I knew the paper existed.

I kept asking for it when I said: "where's that darn piece of paper?"I trusted and let go when I decided to check the garbage (the last spot to check) even though I knew it could never be in the garbage. While I was heading outside check the trash I said to myself: "Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until they call me back and ask why I didn't follow up. I'll simply tell them the truth and deal with the consequences, that's all I can do. "What happened is a clear example of how our intuition is always communicating with us and guiding us. It also shows how we can communicate with our intuition to get help when we need it.

Here's how it works:

First realize that what you want already exists. It's here, its in this world, you're within reach of it all you have to do is find it. So decide what guidance or information you want. Realize that the answers already exist.If you want something in particular like a better job, a new relationship, a new home or trying to find an important document, realize that what you want already exists.

This is very important. Because if you don't believe it exists you'll never see it, even if it stands up and slaps you in the face. Next, ask for what you want.I kept saying where is that darn sheet of paper?

I also kept saying what did I do with it? Where did I put it? What happened to it?If you want the right job, ask for it. Say: I want the right job, where is the right job for me?

I know it exists so where is it? I want the right job.Then let go. Tell yourself you've found what you want and leave it alone.I let go when I accepted that I couldn't find that piece of paper, but decided to check the trash anyway.

I also said to myself: "I guess I'll just have to wait until they call me back and ask why I never followed up. I'll simply tell them I misplaced the information and deal with the consequences."

That's when I let go of it.Within a few minutes of letting go, my wife called out to me when she found a piece of paper with some notes on it. The paper was found.You need to let go and you do that by realizing that your happiness does not depend
on something happening in your life and that you'll find a solution.

Your happiness doesn't depend on whether you have a job or not.

Your happiness does not depend on whether you are in a relationship or not.If you want to be happy, be happy.

Focus on positive things and let go of what you want. Then it will flow to you easily.So think about what you want.

Know that what you want exists already.

Ask for what you want.

Let go of it by accepting that your happiness doesn't depend on you having what you want. Get your intuition working for you today.

Develop your intuition, this is a powerful partner who can make your life easier and guide you to success.

Your subconscious mind and your intuition work together, always bringing you what you want.

Your intuition is your powerful partner. It is always guiding you and bringing you answers everyday. You just need to see them and recognize the guidance you're getting.

You ask your intuition by using your thoughts. It brings you what you want based on what you think about. So think about what you want. Believe in yourself. Believe in your ability.

You are a powerful human being, capable of creating what ever you want in life. You can achieve your goals. You can succeed. You can live your dreams. You can enjoy a better life. Get your intuition and your subconscious mind to help you create more of what you want.

Everything you want already exists.

[courtesy of Karim Hajee]

Keep the Peace for Your Own Sake

2011-08-15T09:39:00.003+08:00

A tiny little thing sets you off. You know you're being totally unreasonable, but at the moment, you don't care. You rant you rave and behave like a child throwing a tantrum...

You have to put things in perspective.

Otherwise...think about waking up alone. Permanently.

In support of keeping the peace!

Google+ by Google, Inc.

2011-08-09T12:28:00.003+08:00

Google+ is in limited Field Trial still since it's launch on June 28th, 2011... (I should know, I'm waiting patiently as you are)...

Seen now (no longer a rumor) as a great replacement to Facebook, Google+, a social network operated by Google, Inc., allows great integration across a number of Google products that include Buzz and Profiles.

One key element of Google+ is it's focus on targeted sharing within subsets of your social group, which Google calls Circles. Circles are simply smaller groups of people that you can share to, each with names like friends, family, classmates and co-workers.

In Google+, there's a section specifically for viewing, managing and editing multimedia. The photo tab takes a user to all of the photos he or she has shared, as well as the ones he or she is tagged in. It’s not just about photo tagging. An image editor (complete with Instagram-like photo effects), privacy options and sharing features is incorporated too.

And here's how I think Google+ beats Facebook -- the super cool “Hangouts,” Google’s new group chat feature. Un"like" Facebook (pardon the pun) where you normally would directly ask a friend to join a group chat, Google-plusers click “start a hangout” and they’re instantly in a video chatroom alone. At the same time, a message goes out to their social circles, letting them know that their friend is “hanging out.” Friends can then join the hangout as long as they have been placed in a circle that was invited by the person who created the Hangout.

At the moment, Google+ is testing with a small number of people, but it won't be long before the Google+ project is ready for everyone.

Interested? Leave your email address at the link above (title) so that you'll be the first to know when Google+ is ready for you.

Malaysia Government Petrol Subsidy

2011-08-08T09:30:00.002+08:00

Shown here in a picture taken over the weekend is Malaysia's subsidy which includes tax exemption for Petrol RON 95 and Diesel. Can we ask for more and by the way -- does this "notice" makeup for the way in which everything else is more pricey?

What the Server Market Will Look Like in 5 Years

2011-08-06T23:27:00.003+08:00

Today, the enterprise requires the data center to handle top business workloads, run broad hardware options, and operate stable product roadmaps.

In order to increase performance and lower cost, CIOs are looking to consolidate their mission-critical applications on fewer, faster servers and to virtualize those applications to make more efficient utilization of their data center resources, both human and natural.

All the best in your plan for a high-performance, low-cost application solution that fits your data center needs.

Focus on the Positive

2011-08-06T23:21:00.003+08:00

Instead of worrying about what might go wrong, think about what might go right.

Think about how things could work out for you.

Think about how you can improve your life, or try to find solutions.

When you do this you direct your mind and subconscious mind
to regularly focus on the positive things in your life.

Pay attention to your thoughts. How?

Observe them - and analyze them.

Ask yourself: "Does this thought or belief work for me?

Does it help me?

Does it make me feel better?"

If the answer is no, then you have to change it.

You can change the thought by simply thinking of the opposite or creating a new thought that
helps you create what you want.

For example: If you're constantly thinking about why you're not good enough or why you can't achieve something - change those thoughts.

Think about why you are good enough and why you can achieve something.

As you regularly think about why you can do something you'll start to believe that you can achieve that goal.

The minute you begin to believe that you can do something your subconscious mind goes out and
creates the situations to help you achieve that goal.

Start changing your thoughts today. Live Life, Love Life people.

Pay your Electrical Bill on time, or Else

2011-07-22T19:40:00.002+08:00

The following account bears no reference to any person, dead or alive...

Mr. Sharma comes home one night and his wife throws her arms around his neck: I have great news... I'm a month overdue. I think we're going to have a baby!!! The doctor gave me a test today but until we find out for sure, we can't tell anybody."

The next day, Mrs. Sharma receives a telephone call from AEC (Ahmedabad Electric Company) because the electricity bill has not been paid.

"Am I speaking to Mrs. Sharma?"

"Yes... Speaking"

AEC guy, "You're a month overdue, you know!!!"

"How do YOU know?" stammers the young woman.

"Well, ma'am, it's in our files!" says the AEC guy.

"What are you saying? It's in your files... HOW???"

Yes... We have a system of finding out who's overdue"

"GOD!!!... this is too much..."

"Madam, I am sorry... I am following orders, I have to inform you are overdue"

"I know that... let me talk to my husband about this tonight, he will speak to your company tomorrow"

That night, she tells her husband about the call and he, mad as a bull, rushes to AEC office the next day morning.

"What's going on??? You have it on file that my wife is a month overdue??? What business is that of yours?" the husband shouts.

"Just calm down," says the lady at the reception at AEC, "it's nothing serious. All you have to do is pay us."

"PAY you? and if I refuse?"

"Well, in that case, Sir, we'd have no option but to cut yours off."

"And what would my wife do then?" the husband asks.

"I don't know. I guess she'd have to use a candle."

Rupert Murdoch's Text Apology

2011-07-17T13:31:00.000+08:00

Under a large headline "We are sorry," the piece will contain the following message, according to the text obtained by Reuters. It is signed at the bottom by Murdoch himself.

"The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself.

"We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected.

"We regret not acting faster to sort things out. I realize that simply apologizing is not enough.

"Our business was founded on the idea that a free and open press should be a positive force in society. We need to live up to this.

"In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us.

"Sincerely, Rupert Murdoch"

My e-mail from News of the World

2011-07-12T11:14:00.002+08:00

Dear .....

It is with great regret that we write to inform you that after 168 years we will publish the final edition of the News of the World this Sunday.

You will know that the paper has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.

However, in recent times the good things that the News of the World have done have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong and inexcusable.

As a result, the very difficult decision to close down the paper and notw.co.uk has been made.

Advertising space in this last edition of the paper will be donated to good causes and charities and all revenues will go to organisations that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.

As a result of this decision, notw.co.uk will be open to the public for free for our final edition on Sunday 10th July. If you have already paid for access to the sites for this weekend and have outstanding credit on your account, we will contact you shortly and arrange a refund within the next 28 days.

If you have any other questions please email help@notw.co.uk

Thank you for reading the News of the World.

Yours sincerely,

The News of the World

Dearer Air Ticket Prices for Europe

2011-06-29T09:21:00.000+08:00

Air travelers to Europe may soon pay more -- ticket prices for flights to and from Europe are likely to go up January 2012 when Europe's move to "cut" airline emissions is enforced. The EU has set a cap on carbon dioxide emissions, with airlines having to pay for emissions that exceed those limits (and the ultimate payee will of course be the passengers of these flights...). Other regions/countries are expected to follow suit in retaliation.

Just goes to prove how affordable travel is nowadays so much so that the EU decides to limit the number of flights in the name of Going Green, but then again when flight prices are driven higher with people still traveling -- are they trying to say that it's ok and alright to CONTRIBUTE to these emissions when payment is made?

Malaysia Snap Elections 2011

2011-06-25T00:57:00.003+08:00

13th general election in 2011? Prime Minister Najib does not have to call an election until 2013, but there’s speculation that he may call for one as early as this year. Najib has not confirmed these rumors, saying only that the election will take place “soon”.

When asked whether the meeting was a prelude to the 13th General Election, Najib said: “Everything is geared towards the General Election. We want to be re-elected. We want to serve the people. First of all, we have to serve the people and let the people decide.”

With prices of commodities on the rise there may be delay on election date.

Whatever that day and date will be -- all Malaysians should firstly feel privileged with their right to vote and know that while the past can never be revisited it is the present (and future) that can be changed. Don't vote with your feet by walking away...

Live Life Today

2011-06-15T13:47:00.006+08:00

Stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong; instead, start taking charge of your life and make some better decisions.

It's all about energy. Our life, our success, our happiness... everything is all about energy. We're all made of energy... tiny molecules vibrating at a certain frequency... this vibrating energy makes up our existence. Everything is made of energy... and it's that same energy that we constantly direct that attracts everything into our life. Now there are different kinds of energy... or different levels... and that's what makes everything so interesting.

Positive energy attracts positive situation.
Negative energy attracts negative situations.
Positive energy repels negative situations.
And negative energy repels positive situations.

If you're negative you'll attract more negative people, and more negative situations. You'll also push away positive people and positive situations.

If you're positive you'll attract positive people and positive situations. You'll also push away negative people and negative situations.

So if you're not getting what you want - then you're likely not sending out the right energy.

You see other people pick up on your energy vibrations on a subconscious level. They don't really know it - they just get a sense about you - a feeling or a vibe about you. They don't consciously say: "This is someone positive, lets get to know him or her."

It all happens on a subconscious level. But it starts in the conscious mind.

Your thoughts, and beliefs shape your energy level... they create that vibrating energy.

Your thoughts and beliefs are sent to your subconscious mind which radiates
your energy level (the very energy that others pick up on).

Positive thoughts and positive beliefs create positive energy.

Those with positive energy attract positive situations, good things happen to them, they meet terrific people and enjoy life. As they continue doing this they naturally become more optimistic. They take positive actions, and they continue to attract more and more positive situations, people and events into their lives.

If your filled with negative thoughts, self-doubt, worry, uncertainty, and if you
generally feel that things will never work out or get better then you're sending out
the energy that will only attract more of what you don't want... or more worry,
self-doubt, and uncertainty... all of which will only cause you to feel that
things will never work out.

It's a vicious cycle and if it isn't broken will only lead to more and more negative situations.

So how do you change your energy?

How do you create positive energy so that you enjoy positive situations? Think about what you want and then write down your immediate thoughts and beliefs. See if they're positive or negative. If there's any self doubt, or any negative thought - then you probably have a negative belief tied to the thought. Both need to be changed ASAP.

Then track your thoughts throughout the week. Are they generally negative or positive. Change as many negative thoughts as you can. You won't be able to change all of them, just change as many as you can.

You should also track what you say to people in every day conversations. You might be surprised at what you discover. If you find yourself saying negative things - change those words. This is part of the process.

To change your energy send a new message to your subconscious mind. Create positive thoughts and positive beliefs. Begin developing positive energy. Attract positive people and positive situations. Changing your energy can be done. It's a lot easier than you think. You have the power to shift your energy and attract the people, situations and circumstances that will catapult you to success.

The more positive and optimistic you are the sooner you'll create positive energy.

Believe in yourself.
Believe in your ability.
You can do anything you want.
Don't let negative thinking hold you back.
Don't let those negative thoughts destroy your success.

Change the negative beliefs and create more positive situations in life - stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong; instead, start taking charge of your life and make some better decisions. Start Living Your Life Today!

Most Bizarre Questions and Requests from Air Travelers

2011-04-26T15:11:00.002+08:00

As an Air Traveler Do You..in reply to How May I Help You?

Virgin Atlantic recently rounded up over 3,000 of its cabin crew and compiled a list of the most bizarre questions and requests put forth by its passengers.

Have you ever asked...

"Please can you open the window? It's stuffy in here."
"Can you stop the turbulence? I'm trying to sleep here!"
"Please turn the engines down because they're too noisy!"
"Please shut the crying baby up!"

Among many others include the classics as follows,

"Where's the shower?"
"Where's the kid's room?"

Believe it or not...

Reality versus Dream -- Careers are Made not Born

2011-04-13T14:41:00.002+08:00

Imagine a company that hires staff to obviously run, handle and/or manage "specific" roles and take on the associated responsibilities. Candidates undergo a rigorous application and training process to ensure that they are well prepared to meet the demands of the job. Once hired, the staff undergoes six months of on-the-job training. Staff are subjected to intense classroom and physical education that prepares them for their careers.

Reality? Most people hired today are virtually "thrown into the sea" to survive on their own. An attractive salary & retirement plan and benefits? That's a dream too.

A Great Hilarious Way to Say Goodbye

2011-03-25T17:40:00.002+08:00

Dear Co-Workers and Managers,

As many of you probably know, today is my last day. But before I leave, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what a great and distinct pleasure it has been to type “Today is my last day.”

For nearly as long as I’ve worked here, I’ve hoped that I might one day leave this company. And now that this dream has become a reality, please know that I could not have reached this goal without your unending lack of support. Words cannot express my gratitude for the words of gratitude you did not express.

I would especially like to thank all of my managers both past and present but with the exception of the wonderful Mr. ABC: in an age where miscommunication is all too common, you consistently impressed and inspired me with the sheer magnitude of your misinformation, ignorance and intolerance for true talent. It takes a strong man to admit his mistake – it takes a stronger man to attribute his mistake to me.

Over the past seven years, you have taught me more than I could ever ask for and, in most cases, ever did ask for. I have been fortunate enough to work with some absolutely interchangeable supervisors on a wide variety of seemingly identical projects – an invaluable lesson in overcoming daily tedium in overcoming daily tedium in overcoming daily tedium.

And to most of my peers: even though we barely acknowledged each other within these office walls, I hope that in the future, should we pass on the street, you will regard me the same way as I regard you: sans eye contact.
But to those few souls with whom I’ve actually interacted, here are my personalized notes of farewell:

To Mr. S, I will not miss hearing you cry over absolutely nothing while laying blame on me and my coworkers. Your racial comments about J were truly offensive and I hope that one day you might gain the strength to apologize to him.

To Mr. T whom is long gone, I hope you find a manager that treats you as poorly as you have treated us. I worked harder for you then any manager in my career and I regret every ounce of it. Watching you take credit for my work was truly demoralizing.

To Ms. U, you should learn how to keep your mouth shut sweet heart. Bad mouthing the innocent is a negative thing, especially when you’re talking about someone who knows your disgusting secrets.

To Ms. V, well, I wish you had more of a back bone. You threw me to the wolves with that witch B and I learned all too much from it. I still can’t believe that after following your instructions, I ended up getting written up, wow. Thanks for the experience buddy, lesson learned.

Mr. C, I’m happy that you were let go in the same manner that you have handed down to my dedicated coworkers. Hearing you on the phone last year brag about how great bonuses were going to be for you fellas in upper management because all of the lay offs made me nearly vomit. I never expected to see management benefit financially from the suffering of scores of people but then again, with this company’s rooted history in the slave trade it only makes sense.

To all of the executives of this company, Z and such. Despite working through countless managers that practiced unethical behavior, racism, sexism, jealousy and cronyism, I have benefited tremendously by working here and I truly thank you for that.

There was once a time where hard work was rewarded and acknowledged, it’s a pity that all of our positive output now falls on deaf ears and passes blind eyes. My advice for you is to place yourself closer to the pulse of this company and enjoy the effort and dedication of us “faceless little people” more. There are many great people that are being over worked and mistreated but yet are still loyal not to those who abuse them but to the greater mission of providing excellent customer support. Find them and embrace them as they will help battle the cancerous plague that is ravishing the moral of this company.

So, in parting, if I could pass on any word of advice to the lower salary recipient (“because it’s good for the company”) in India or Tampa who will soon be filling my position, it would be to cherish this experience because a job opportunity like this comes along only once in a lifetime.

Meaning: if I had to work here again in this lifetime, I would sooner kill myself.
To those who I have held a great relationship with, I will miss being your co-worker and will cherish our history together.

Please don’t bother responding as at this very moment I am most likely in my car doing 85 with the windows down.

Not forgetting my upline, your demands were high and your patience short, but I take great solace knowing that my work was, as stated on my annual review, “meets expectation.” That is the type of praise that sends a man home happy after a 10 hour day, smiling his way through half a bottle of meets-expectation-scotch with a meets-expectation-cigar. Thanks X@#!!

Be Happy in Life by Finding Balance

2011-03-25T09:49:00.000+08:00

Face the facts, it's all about balance!

Don't get me wrong but it all does not boil down to percentages and statistics. C'mon how does one measure happiness? It's a feeling and feelings are felt and not measurable in terms of units. What about those common customer surveys that asks us to rate in terms of, 1 being the least and 10 being the most? Simply does not EQUATE!

If that's the case, what matters then?

Compartmentalizing doesn't work. People who are dissatisfied tend to be unhappy at home, work and "everywhere". It's in-built and "everywhere".

What gives people fun and meaning is highly variable and individualistic. Like they say, "one man's meat is another's poison". So if you’re unhappy, the reasons have as much to do with you as they do with others.

Happy people live meaningful lives!

Nobody can define meaningful for you. What matters is you must feel you are living your own values.

In other words, if you want to discover how to be more satisfied in life, look nowhere else than within. You are the key to your own happiness and meaning, no one else.

Me? I'm still on the path to self enlightenment.

Co-existing with Others, Living Life as a Fish

2011-03-19T13:10:00.002+08:00

We humans are social animals.

We exist as part of a greater whole and like a fish the society we all live in can be accustomed to that of a school of fish. Since the school is more important than any one fish -- we must learn how to co-exist in harmony. Even then, we are also required to stand up for ourself by expressing our individuality.

Sometimes, it may feel as if you're walking a fine line between being overly flexible and stubbornly rigid. The key to current happiness is practicing moderation in everything you do.

Live Life. Enjoy every minute!

Marketing Simplified

2011-02-24T09:46:00.002+08:00

When planning new products, companies often start by segmenting their markets and positioning their merchandise accordingly. This segmentation involves either dividing the market into product categories, such as function or price, or dividing the customer base into target demographics, such as age, gender, education, or income level.

Unfortunately, neither way works very well...WHY?

People usually don't go about buying by conforming to particular segments. Rather, they take life as it comes. Segmenting markets according to market demand is a good start to build products that people want to buy.

"Purpose branding names the product after the purpose it serves"

"Knowing who buys it only tells you where to sell it -- don't mix it up with knowing what to sell OR have as a product"

"Just because the Product is something you don't sell, doesn't mean that you can't sell it -- as long it doesn't take extra resources in doing so, by all means SELL it"

"Create Products that People have a Need for"

Offering Prayers to Tian-Gong

2011-02-07T08:23:00.004+08:00

Tian-Gong a.k.a Jade Emperor has his birthday on the 9th lunar day of the Chinese New Year. It is believed that earnestly and sincerely offering prayers to Tian-Gong on his birthday brings an increase in wealth, smoothness at work, improvement in studies, promotions, good business, good health, peace and auspice for the year ahead.

When these wishes and prayers come true, one should "repay" by offering thanks with special prayers on the 25th lunar day of the 12th lunar month.

To pray to Tian-Gong, the following items must be prepared:-

1. Tian-Gong-Jin
2. Shou-Jin
3. Da-Shou-Jin
4. Xiao-tian-jin
5. Shen-Ma
6. Joss-sticks, 3 Dragon Joss-sticks and 3 1-Foot Joss-sticks
7. Candles, 2 Dragon Candles
8. Dragon Gown Set

Other items include an altar table, fa-gao, sweets, biscuits, groundnuts, lotus seeds, hong-guo, noodles, hong-bao, lettuce, mandarin oranges, apples, pineapple, bananas, tangerines, golden fungus, black fungus, mushroom, vermicelli, beancurd, beancurd-sticks and red dates.

Knowing when to pray (at what time) is important too as well as the how to pray...

Facebook Add or Act, Friend?

2011-01-24T22:41:00.003+08:00

Ever wondered how easy it is to add someone who's a complete stranger as "Friend"? Well that prompted me to think and come out with this statement, "Act as Friend". Sure fits the bill rather than Add as Friend, right?

C'mon be truthful, just how many of our "friends" on our list do we really know on a deep level that can really be considered as a real friend? Remember the days back in school, classmates numbered around 40 at average. The max, kindergarden? 20.

Do the maths, then tell me whether its an Act or Add...

Boy' this has gotta' be the shortest blog in the world!

Cheers, love your life :)

Them that Do and Them that Don't

2011-01-24T21:23:00.002+08:00

In this life,
there are 'them that do' and
them that don't'".
Of course 'them that do'
are the ones who keep learning and growing.
'Them that don't' are the ones
that stay stuck.

Holidays a'loomin Cops a'bloomin

2011-01-24T21:07:00.006+08:00

Major holiday (Chinese New Year) coming up, fast approaching and I'm ready to rock and roll...so's police season!

Careful when driving, mind your stops n' turns.

See a traffic policeman, FEAR NOT! Instead if stopped, asked how you can help -- but beware! They can come in other colors besides Black and White.

Unsuspecting motorists caught unawares as camouflaged cop wearing dark jacket pretends to be a tree in hot afternoon signals buddies a stone throw away. The biggest crime you can have during cop season is beating the lights and illegal turns -- so if you do happen to be stopped, be a good samaritan and offer tea, it's hot after all.

On a serious note -- drive carefully, observe courtesy and the rules of the road.

Wishing all and sundry an early Chinese New Year Greeting (cops aside) that's gonna be full of goodness, health and prosperity! Cheers! Oops...I meant well, if you know what I mean.

Malaysia's Best Travel Company

2011-01-20T22:56:00.004+08:00

“More Choices on Offer More Reasons than Ever”

As a reputable travel company, it is policy since 1969 to deliver responsibly, be it as a Brand, in the Product, or a Service...

HOW TO BUY:

1. Decide on the travel package of your choice;
2. Choose from any of the given dates that are convenient to you and call or visit any of our listed retail locations; and
3. Confirm your booking with payment.

As Simple As 1-2-3!

Alternatively, you may still seek further information by consulting any friendly & helpful Reliance Travel Consultants who are just a call or visit away. Look out for advertisements for an agent or location near you.

CALL OR VISIT TODAY AND BE SERVED A GREAT HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE ONLY WITH RELIANCE THAT IS WORTH YOUR TRAVEL TIME!

Of course, if you love it, do share it with your friends and family because Reliance would love to serve them too! And, a lot happens every month at Reliance so be in the know...

A Short Course in Living Life

2011-01-20T11:17:00.003+08:00

The six most important words
I admit I made a mistake.

The five most important words
You did a good job.

The four most important words
What is your opinion.

The three most important words
If you please,

The two most important words
Thank you!

The one most important word
We

The least important word
What?

A Touching Tale of Love

2011-01-20T08:53:00.001+08:00

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.

It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.

The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.

Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin..

In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.

At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality.

In the beginning, life was harsh as they had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.

Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'

In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'

The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.

'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?'

Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.

In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever...

Smart for 2011

2011-01-18T09:06:00.001+08:00

5 Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely goals for improvements in my business and personal life this year.

Business:
I will write my daily to-do list and plan my work day the night before
I will turn off phones and email for at least three hours per day to ‘eat that frog’
I will tidy my office to within an inch of its life (including the horrifying top drawer)

Personal:
I will do 3 x 1 hour exercise sessions this week
I will skip the evening beer for seven days. Goodbye holiday happy hour!
I will get my "quality" sleeping time

Joann the Avid Sleeper, Joke

2011-01-05T22:12:00.005+08:00

Joann was a lazy girl in school, who loved sleep and never bothered to pay attention to anything.

One day in class, Joann was asleep at her desk as usual...during Religious Studies...

Lecturer: "Who should we respect and love?"

No one answered, so the Lecturer repeated the question. Now, sitting behind Joann was her naughty classmate, a boy by the name of Peter, and he decided to play a prank on Joann. Peter prodded Joann in the rear with the sharp point of his mechanical pencil and she screams out in pain, "Mom!!!".

Lecturer: "Absolutely correct!"

The Lecturer praises Joann, who promptly dozed off asleep at her desk again. The Lecturer proceeds to ask his 2nd question.

Lecturer: "Class, please answer this 2nd question -- quite simple -- and anyone should be able to answer. Who is the creator of Life and all that around us?"

Peter prods Joann again, who jumps up and screams, "God!!!". Once again, the Lecturer praises Joann for answering correctly and follows with another question.

Lecturer: "As a dutiful wife, what should she greet her husband every night before going to bed?"

Peter prods Joann again, but this time Joann is extremely angry and screams, "If you poke me in the rear one more time with that thing -- I swear I will break it in half!!!"

The Lecturer fainted...

Stress Free Travel, is there such a thing? Expert Tips...

2011-01-02T12:31:00.003+08:00

The notion of holiday travel: Crowded airports and lost luggage!

Here are a few tips that might help towards reducing the stress of travel...

By air

•Book your ticket ASAP. The key to securing the best deal is flexibility in travel dates. Also, consider traveling during the slow week between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

•Arrive early. Airport parking, long lines at security checkpoints and the possibility of the airline overselling the flight and bumping passengers should all be considered when deciding what time to arrive at the airport. Give yourself plenty of extra time.

• Keep a close eye on belongings. Be aware of your surroundings and maintain a close watch over tickets, wallets and purses at all times.

• Avoid getting bumped. Get an advance seat assignment; passengers with seat assignments are typically only bumped if they arrive late and their seat assignment is released. Check-in online. Don't be late.

Remember 3-1-1. New regulations limit the amount of gels and liquids passengers can take through security in their carry-on luggage to travel-size toiletries of three (3) ounces or less that fit comfortably in one (1) quart-size, clear plastic zip-top bag and the one (1) bag per passenger must be placed in the screening bin.

• Know your limits. Pack light and know baggage limits. Some airlines now allow only one carry-on and charge for first and second checked bags.

By car

•Plan itineraries and arrange accommodations well in advance. Reservations for hotels, restaurants and rental cars get booked quickly during peak travel times.

• Get a tuneup. Before any long-distance drive, make sure to have the oil changed and the brakes, fluids and tire pressure checked.

• Get an early start to avoid holiday gridlock. Traveling during late night/early morning hours helps. Make sure all drivers are rested.

The number of people traveling in 2011 is expected to grow, so following some or all of these few tips may after all -- make travel more fun for you, and by what I mean by more fun is LESS STRESS! Happy & safe traveling, whatever the purpose -- business or leisure OR a combo of both, LET IT BE FUN!

A Time for Reflection, New Year 2011

2010-12-28T22:28:00.002+08:00

As 2010 comes to an end, we are reminded that there are still a couple more lessons we need to learn before we can finally welcome the 2011 New Year.

This past December has been a bit of a roller coaster with some good times mixed with some challenges. That's to be expected of any month, but there's a good chance that these challenges seemed more, well, challenging this month than usual.

Keep in mind that this is the Universe's version of tough love. Your ability to look these challenges in the face and take them on, one-by-one, doesn't just make it easier for you to deal with problems later; it also makes the good times that much better.

It is time to toughen up and to learn discipline. It might help to think of your approach to problems as a muscle in your body. The more time you spend stretching and training and building your muscle, the more useful and functional it will be. How you deal with problems requires the same sort of training. The more challenges you successfully tackle, the easier they become. Your experience and resolve to face challenges head-on will help you develop an internal resilience, and the test that presents itself will make you stronger and hammer home the life skills the Universe has planned for you right now.

More specifically, you can expect delays, setbacks and possibly accidents. The accidents, if they happen, will result from frustrations that distract you, and this lack of focus could result in accidents.

The best way to deal with these energies is to hone all of your attention - at least to the extent possible - on one particular project. Show discipline and initiative with respect to this project, and you'll increase your odds of skating through this planetary alignment with as few unwanted side effects as possible.

On a more pleasant note, life is just being life and all that you face -- no matter how difficult or unsettling will be just a passing phase.

Fully appreciate and benefit from the lessons the Universe has thrown at you lately, it will help to fully understand just what your strengths and weaknesses are...

Have a happy and pleasant year in 2011!

The Cure for Negative Feelings

2010-12-26T23:08:00.003+08:00

What are negative feelings and how do they affect us?

Stress, anxiety, anger, fear, depression, and sadness have been defined as “negative emotions.”
These are often pinpointed as the culprits when our lives are less than happy, fulfilling, and successful. We’re often told that if we could just get past them, we’d experience the peace, joy, health, and abundance that is our natural state.

These “negative emotions” seem to stand in our way. They seem to prevent us from getting everything done, from enjoying the comforts and pleasures of life, and from arriving where we want to go. If we could just find the cure for our negative feelings. . .

My cure?...

Analyze the situation and decide that it is an advantage. Then do something about it! Always remember that Life is only 10% of what happens to us, the other 90% ? It's all about how we respond to what happens to us -- choose to respond instead of react!

The Perfect Fit for Any Workout, Nike

2010-12-19T23:07:00.001+08:00

The versatile Nike Free XT Quick Fit ($85 at Nike.com) workout shoe offers solid cushioning and comfort for both indoor and outdoor sports. Other things we love: Unlike other high-tech kicks, these sneakers are both lightweight and flattering, covered with a hefty amount of attractive outside mesh to increase foot breath-ability. Plus, they possess reflective safety strips on their back heel and toe tip areas to enhance visibility during night and evening activities.

Don't keep such a good find to yourself, share this.

Loyal Customers are King

2010-12-07T15:35:00.001+08:00

Loyal customers are your company's most valuable asset.

While many organizations have struggled in these challenging economic times, companies that have tapped into the long-term loyalty of their customers have thrived. Logically, this makes sense.

Not only is it less expensive to retain a customer than to acquire a new one, loyal customers spend more, try other brand offerings, purchase more profitable products and services, and are more likely to refer customers to your business. The longer a customer is loyal, the more profit the company gains.

Simple but true...

Living A Better Life

2010-11-16T22:36:00.003+08:00

You don’t like your life? Change it!

Change your life for the better! Don’t have any clue on how to do it?

Here’s a list of 100 ways in which you can improve your life.

Without further ado, let’s go.

1. Accept Your Mistakes
You’re human. We, humans, are making mistakes. Accept what you did wrong and try to do better next time. No need to punish yourself forever. In fact, accepting your mistakes is the only way to make them disappear.

2. Accept Your Friends Mistakes
Maybe you got hurt by somebody. Happens. Just accept it and deal with it. People are making mistakes and if you can accept that for yourself, accept it for your friends too. In the end, all you need from them is their love.

3. Create A New Habit
We’re doing a lot of stuff on autopilot. Try to integrate in this category new things you want to attract into your life. Habits are powerful. Harness their energy for your own good. Start by creating a habit in 15 days.

4. Build Self Discipline
Don’t wait for other people to impose discipline on you. Start early. Create your own discipline. Although it sounds a little bit harsh, self discipline is a facilitator for many things in your life. It’s hard to get but great to have.

5. Make New Friends
Reach out. Don’t be afraid. Establish new contacts. The worst thing that may happen to you is to be rejected. Well, if that’s the case, move on. The reward of having true, long-lasting friendship is worth all the potential rejection.

6. Get A New Job
Shaking your comfort zone will often create a lot of value in your life. If you’re not satisfied with your job, just get a new one. The pitfall of not having money for a limited period of time is temporary, get over it.

7. Start A New Diet
You are, in a vast proportion, what you eat. Trying a new diet would often be the only needed change for a dramatic boost of your health and energy. Don’t necessarily have to be raw food, or even vegetarian, whatever works for you.

8. Keep A Journal
Write down you feelings, your ideas, your goals, your activity. Journaling is by far one of the most useful things I’ve done to change my life for the best. It works in such a silent, yet effective way. All you need is pen and paper.

9. Create And Keep A Morning Phrase
Whatever you say to yourself in the morning, it will most likely come true during the day. Why not taking advantage of it? Create a simple morning phrase and say it to yourself first thing in the morning. Is that simple.

10. Travel Far Away From Your Home
Traveling long distance is incredibly rewarding. It’s so exciting and full with unknown events. I only recently started to travel really far away from my home, but I do wonder how could I ever made it until now without this.

11. Learn To Take Risks
Your life may be so boring and fade because… err, you made it like this? When was the last time your tried something really difficult? When was the last time you challenged the odds doing something risky? Do it now.

12. Start Your Own Business
Be your own boss. Work your own hours. I know, it sounds so shallow, for you, who hate your job but still have to stay there because of that mortgage. Well, unless you make the first step, nothing is going to change. That’s for sure.

13. Change Your Work Space
Clean up your desk. Re-arrange furniture. Add some color to that space. Make the place where you work really enjoyable. So enjoyable that work there won’t be perceived as work anymore. It will be something you love to do.

14. Learn A New Language
Challenge your mind. Constantly. If you’re going to do number 10, you’re going to learn some new languages too. From my experience, learning a new language is a fantastic mind opener. Sometimes you don’t even have to travel there.

15. Find Reasons To Agree
Rather than disagree. We have this mindset of competition which makes constantly arguing over things. Well, stop that. You don’t have to force yourself into agreement, if it’s not the case, just trying to find some reasons will be enough.

16. Pay Yourself First
You can’t give something if you don’t have it. You can’t spread light onto others if you don’t have light from within. You can’t give wealth to others if you don’t have it for yourself first. Make yourself a service and pay yourself first.

17. Wake Up Early
This is not a habit, this is a lifestyle. Don’t just wake up early without a purpose. Be early. Be there before others. Look for opportunities and embrace them. Waking up early means keeping your eye open to every available opportunity.

18. Train Your Focus
Your focus is in fact your reality. Use it wisely. Train it constantly for it will enhance your reality in ways you never imagined. Keep your focus sharp as a razor blade and be prepared to experience life in fantastic shapes and colors.

19. Start A Blog
On whatever topic you want. Not only it will give you the opportunity to create something new and valuable but it will also bring new people into your life. Blogging is far more than a hype, is a personal development tool. A very good one.

20. Write An Ebook
You may think you don’t have a talent, but that’s completely wrong. And the easiest way to prove it wrong is to start writing an ebook. Any ebook. You pick the topic. It might be something you know or want to learn about. Write it. It’s fun.

21. Be Better, Not Perfect
Striving too much for perfection will ruin your life. It will wipe out all those little imperfections which are making you… human. Being better, on the other side, is rewarding. Look back at the yesterday you and just say: I’m better!

22. Stop Self Sabotage
You’ll be surprised by how much of a burden you can be to yourself. You are literally self sabotaging. Most of the time, unconsciously. If you have a long history of failure behind, that could mean you’ve become your worst enemy. Stop it.

23. Find Reasons To Love Your Life
Maybe life wasn’t fair with you. Yes, I know, I’ve been there: life is never fair. But it’s fantastic. It’s unique, unrepeatable, one of a kind, beautiful, simple, challenging, sweet, hard… Just take a step back and find reasons to love your life.

24. Try Something New
Maybe you’re sad because you’re bored. Have you ever thought about that? Just reach out and try something completely new. Go for a challenge, learn a new sport, pick a different restaurant or go for a comedy movie (if you’re the drama type). Just try it.

25. Avoid Fighting
Fighting is the biggest energy leak of your being. Trying to prove another guy wrong is so against your true nature. You’re here to acknowledge life’s wonders, not to prove anybody’s wrong. They’re not wrong, just have different opinions. And that’s part of life.

26. Stop Wasting Your Power
Are you doing something that you think you shouldn’t be doing right now? Well, that’s wasted power. That’s meaningless stuff promoted to the honor of being a part of your life. How long are you going to approve this? Why wasting power?

27. Learn To Ignore
I think they should be teaching this one in schools. We’re so focused on so many topics and think we have to do so many stuff, that our life is literally clogged with stuff. It’s good to do stuff, but learning to ignore stuff is much better.

28. Experiment Gratitude
When was the last time you said “thank you”? With all your heart? Everybody knows that an attitude of gratitude is the key to success, but almost nobody practices it. Well, start by experience gratitude first, and take it from there.

29. Recycle Your Aggression
Don’t throw it away, recycle it! Use it for something you really want! Call out those wild forces inside of you and put them to work. Aggression is part of your being, so don’t try to reject it, because it will only grow stronger. Recycle your aggression.

30. Release Your Guardians
Don’t touch that! Don’t eat that! Don’t go for that opportunity! Those are the sentences you hear when going for something you really want. Those are your guardians, your mental constructs made to protect you. Release them, you’ll be much better off.

31. Clean Up Your House
It’s fun. And it’s good for you. Make a habit out of cleaning up your house with joy and happiness. What’s outside is a mirror of what’s inside. If your house is a mess, probably your internal life is a disaster. Neat that stuff, it’s easy.

32. Write A Personal Mission Statement
You’re here with a reason. No matter how small you feel now, how insignificant others may made you feel, you have a purpose. Take the time to write your personal mission statement. It will bring light and direction into your life.

33. Dissolve Negative Opinions About Yourself
Whatever you think you may do, it’s half of what you can really do. And that’s because you have so many negative opinions about yourself. You can solve them. Just accept the fact that you have them and then start working on them.

34. Build Different Skills
Don’t stop learning. Don’t remain stuck in a single career, it’s boring and limiting. Learn different skills, possibly from completely unrelated fields. You never know when life will ask you to use them. Besides, it’s a lot of fun.

35. Manage Your Time As You Manage Your Money
Have you ever thought what would be if you would manage your time the same way you manage your money? Just give it a try. See where you spend most of your time, what the return of investment is and how rich are you in time.

36. Exercise
You don’t have to break the world record, or something. Just make sure you exercise constantly. It will make your body healthier and your mind clearer. It’s also one of the simplest and most affordable ways to improve your life.

37. Be A Parent
Having kids doesn’t necessarily means you’re a parent, and I know that very well. Being a parent will surely change your life forever: filling it with unconditional, life lasting love, care and warm feelings. You’ll live in love. And learn.

38. Throw Away One Object A Day From Your House
Maybe your life is breathing so hard just because it’s suffocated by objects. Learn to let them go. You may donate them, give to charity or simply throw them away, but don’t let the clutter stay in your way. You’re not the objects you have.

39. Read A Book Per Week
Or, alternatively, a fine selection of blogs. That will keep your mind alert and your focus steady. Reading is like good food for your brain, without it, it will go lazy, obese and unresponsive. But with the proper food it can become your best friend.

40. Start A Monthly Challenge
Being it physical, mental or social. Intend to acquire something new in your life in 30 days. Improve your health using new methods, or your relationships by starting new things together. Make it count. And count on it.

41. Call An Old Friend
It’s enlightening to meet somebody you haven’t talk to in the last years. Go right now and call an old friend, or a relative. It will bring up memories and it will create new opportunities. Don’t let the dust settle on your relationships.

42. Follow A Coincidence
Well, there aren’t any coincidences, I lied. Everything has a purpose. If you witness something which may seem like a coincidence, then you’re very lucky, you just got a sign. Follow it with trust, it will lead you well.

43. Play A Game
Any game. Just play. Like a child. Allow yourself to do something just for fun, without any goals, pressures or deadlines. Will make you understand that everything is a game. Sometimes a little bit harder, but still a game..

44. Forgive Somebody Out Of The Blue
Don’t hold that grudge for that past insult. Grudges are heavy and tend to make the take off for a new life a little bit difficult. The longer you hold that grudge, the more difficult the take off will be. Forgiveness will lift you off.

45. Stop Solving The Wrong Problems
You are not here to witness the bad things in your life. Nor the performance in itself. You are here to enjoy a journey. To become aware, To grow. So, stop solving the wrong problem and focus on what really matters.

46. Make Peace With An Old Enemy
That’s more than forgiveness, that’s the actual process of reversing a situation. Make peace with somebody. Turn it into your friend. I’m not saying this is easy, I know it first hand. But I also know it works. Enemies count down, friends count up.

47. Make A Promise To A Close Person And Keep It
It doesn’t have to be something big. It doesn’t have to be for someone special. It doesn’t have to be difficult also. But it has to be a commitment to somebody. Just reach out, make a promise, keep it and then enjoy the feeling after.

48. Break Up With A Person You Don’t Really Like
Maybe you’re friend with somebody just by habit, chemistry being dead for a long time now. Just break it up. Tell him. Ok, let’s unfriend us, this will not work. It will bring up something you thought you lost it long ago: courage.

49. Get A Thing You Wanted For A Long Time
But you didn’t had time or money to get it. Just go out and get it. Not only it will boost your self-respect, but it will also free your desire channel, which may be a little bit clogged by having one and only one desire for such a long time.

50. Stop Being Judgmental
With others AND with you. Excessive criticism will kill your enthusiasm. And if you think this post is something you shouldn’t read in the first place, then, my friend, you really are judgmental. Lighten up. Accept life as it is.

51. Change Your Wardrobe
You don’t know how much are you tied to what you wear. If you’re on the gray loving side, put some color in your clothes. If you’re on the black and white, try some gradients. Of course, your clothes are not you. Hence, they’re so easy to change, right?

52. Smile At Least 10 Times A Day
And I mean it, start to count that. Smiling is a sign of honesty and power. Everybody can cry over a disaster but only the most powerful can take bitterness with a smile. Exercise that power. And then try to go for 20 times a day.

53. Burn Some Old Memories
Maybe the notebook from your 7th grade? Maybe the teenage dumb poetry you wrote? Whatever it might be, break up. It might be difficult, but it might also be a sign that you’re so attached to the past that you can’t advance in your life anymore.

54. Plant A Tree
Or take care of a flower. Do it for at least several months. It will give you a sense of potential. Seeing that tree or that flower growing will make your self-confidence go up. If a flower can make it, why can’t I? Of course you can, now do it!

55. Move To Another Town Or Country
Maybe it’s time to change the environment? Take the plunge, move over. Pick another town or even another country. Like all the good stuff, it might be pretty difficult in the beginning, but you can bet it would shake everything really good!

56. Join A New Group
Go to a bikers meeting. Or, if you’re not a biker, to a toastmaster meeting. Join a group and see how you fit in. It will help if the group will be focused on some of your passions, of course. It will reveal a lot about your social skills.

57. Stop Watching TV
Television evolved a lot from the balanced news provider it was in the beginning up to the current manipulating tool. Just stop watching it for a week. And then for a month. Meanwhile, assess your psychological progress. You may be amazed.

58. Start A Totally Unexpected Hobby
Start making trains out of matches. Raise cobras. Put tiny vessels into tiny bottles. Do whatever it takes to move your mind from your problems for a while. And if you can create something nice in the process, why not doing it?

59. Randomly Hug A Stranger On The Street
Ok, this might be a little bit dangerous, but only if you think at it. If you’re doing it, chances are that you’re going to get your hug back. It will also help raising your adrenaline up to levels you never had for a very long time.

60. Set Up A Surprise Party
For your or for a friend. It’s always good for your mood, even if – or especially if – you’re down. Do a thematic one, invite friends and tell them to bring their friends. And then expect to meet new, wonderful persons. And of course, have fun.

61. Go Hiking
Do it for at least one week-end. Nature is more powerful than our human created environment. We don’t know how to channel the energy into our artificial habitats. If you want to recharge, go outside and stay in connection with the wilderness.

62. Get A Pet
Whatever works for you, a bird, a guinea pig, a dog or a cat. It will keep you alert and it will cheer you up when you’re down. Taking care of a pet is also easier if you’re overwhelmed with human interaction. Even from a pet, love is still love.

63. Write A Thank You Letter
You can send it or not, the real catch is to write it. Pick someone who helped you in the past. Start writing the letter and say everything you want to say to that person. It will make you understand what are you really grateful for in your life.

64. Meditate Daily
It’s the easiest thing you can do. True mediation acts like a mind emptier, leaving you open to the whole flow of the sensations and experiences you would otherwise ignore. You don’t even need a complicated technique, meditate as you see fit.

65. Say Something Nice To Somebody
Just like that. Out of the blue. Pick an unknown person and say something nice. After the initial surprise you’ll be amazed by the unmasked joy and gratitude they’re expressing. Admit it: you would like that too, isn’t it?

66. Say Something Nice To You
Ok, but if nobody is telling you nice things, why not start this yourself? Do it in whatever form you think it’s appropriate: send yourself emails, write in your calendar or leave yourself nice postits on the desk. With something nice just for you.

67. When I Doubt, Improvise
Being so scared for not knowing the answer, so nervous that you may screw thins up… I know the feeling, I’ve been there too. Just go with the flow. Improvise. It will be so good for your unconscious mind. The real answer will be surprising.

68. Don’t Argue, Win Or Lose
This goes hand in hand with avoiding the fight, but it’s a little bit different. If you get caught in an argument, just accept that you can have only two outcomes from it: win or lose. Settle with one and just move on.

69. Stop Faking Your Life
It’s so easy to get caught in a flow of fakes. Society wants us to politely lie and you need to lie sometimes. Just stop it. Being authentic is the best thing you can do. No need to hide your sorrow, nor your joy. They’re both part of life.

70. Define Goals
Again, that goes hand in hand with writing a personal mission but it’s more than that. It’s the habit of clearly deciding – and, subsequently, describing – where you want to go. Do you have a goal? A passion, maybe? Go for it! And be verbose.

71. Help Others
Reach out and try to see if you can help others. You don’t have to be a Samaritan, just go out there and support somebody. The biggest trick of helping is really surprising: although it seems you’re giving, you’re in fact receiving a lot more.

72. Go Social
Mingle, interact, go out. Get used to meet new people. Make this a habit and you’ll soon get used to do new things too. The goal is not to be the best networker in the world, but to be connected to as many energy sources as you can get.

73. Spend Some Time Alone
Subsequently, make sure you set aside enough time for your own. You don’t necessarily need to recharge, but you need this time in order to get a new perspective. Stop for a while and look around. Where are you? Where do you want to be?

74. Fix Something By Yourself
Go fix a broken window, or a scratch on your car. Don’t call for a specialist, get involved, see how you can have an impact on things around you. Work with your hands, prepare to sweat. It will instantly make you feel better.

75. Create Value
Make things that others need too. Make something useful. Don’t follow blind or outdated commitments, go for what really makes a change around you. Creating value is the core of your activity here and the only thing you really have to strive for.

76. Do A Random Act Of Kindness
Doesn’t have to be in the form of a nice compliment this time. You don’t even need to communicate it to the target person. Just do an incognito service to someone. See how this makes you feel. Think how many times you received that.

77. One More Second
Create the habit of looking at things for one more second. Spend one more second before taking an important decision. Delay something. Time will follow your intention and open some unexpected window for you. Slow it down a little.

78. Understand What People Want From You
What you can do is not always what people want from you. Clearing that confusion alone could bring an immense relief to your life. You don’t have to immediately provide what they’re wanting, but if you do, you may have some big surprises.

79. Break An Old Bad Habit
Breaking a bad habit is difficult. But breaking an old bad habit will free an incredible amount of time into your life. Quit smoking or stop talking on the phone for hours. Whatever you break, it will change your life for the best.

80. Stop Complaining
Complaining is like an open invitation for troubles. The more you complain about something, the more of that something you invite into your life. Cut it out. You don’t get any comfort out of complaining, only troubles.

81. Reject What You Don’t Want
It’s so simple, yet so underrated. Society wants us to complain even when we don’t really like stuff. Like forcing us to smile when we don’t find it funny. Allow yourself to walk away from something you don’t like. Just do it!

82. Being Is Better Than Having
Too much and too often we shape our life’s fulfillment degree to the amount we possess. The fundamental mistake. If you’re doing it, stop it right now. You’re not what you’re having. Being is so much better than having.

83. Listen To Your Critics
This one might be difficult in the beginning but once you get used to it it’s fantastic. You may find out a lot of stuff about yourself that you didn’t know about. You think you are one kind of person, but others may disagree.

84. Don’t Take It Personally
Never. Your world is shaped by your reaction to things, not by the things themselves. Don’t get upset, don’t think that somebody knows you enough to make right assumptions about you. Acknowledge and move on.

85. Laugh
This time is not about smiling. It’s about laughing. Don’t you ever miss another opportunity to laugh. Especially at yourself. The longer your laughing sessions, the shorter your misery ones. Looks like a nice deal, isn’t it?

86. Go With Passion
Don’t let your rational mind stand in the way of your passion. If you found – or at least felt, even occasionally – something that thrills you, you’re there. You don’t need a confirmation on this from anybody. Go with your passion.

87. Trust Your Emotions
Don’t underestimate your emotions. Or overestimate them. Your emotions are your feed-back system and for that they are very important. Trying to ignore your emotions is like depriving yourself from lights in a car running in the middle of the night.

88. Live It Like A Holiday
Ever observed how nice you feel during your holiday? How light, joyful and authentic? Everything is just wonderful. Well, you are on a continuous holiday here. It starts with your birth and end with your death. Live it like a holiday.

89. Make A Story Out Of It
Do you like a good story? I love it. Make everything in your life story-worthwhile. Make it as it would be a fantastic journey and you will be at all time the observer, the hero and the narrator. Create the story of your life.

90. Stop Being A Follower
Admiring is nice. But being admired is even better. Stop trying to fit in other people’s shoes. Find your own path. If that means breaking up completely your lifestyle, so be it. If you are “like” somebody else you can’t be “like” yourself anymore.

91. Watch Your Beliefs
Your beliefs are not you. But they are shaping your life constantly. You have the power to change them at any point in your existence. But in order to do that, you must first start to observe them, to isolate them, to accept them.

92. Stop Lying
To others and to yourself. Although it might ease a complicated situation, a lie is not good in the long run. The trick is that if you’re telling a lie you’re altering your reality. And a distorted reality will be impossible to handle.

93. Stop Reacting To Stuff
And start acting on stuff. Initiate things. Start projects. Predict situations and be there before the hurricane hits. Reacting to stuff is a victim paradigm. Stop being a victim and start acting. Create your life instead of being the creation of others.

94. Live Today
Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Go for what you can do today and leave yesterday behind for good. It’s not here anymore. And tomorrow doesn’t even exist yet, so why bother. All you have is today. Don’t waste it.

95. Expect The Unexpected
If there’s something unusual that happens to you, go for it. The unexpected is a signal of an opportunity. It will not always be nice, this unexpected, but whenever it’s around, magical things are happening. Wait for it. Praise for it.

96. Enjoy
Like being in joy. Like giving permission to yourself to extract joy from any situation you’re in. Even if it’s bad. Or especially if it’s bad. Joy is everywhere, you just have to let it manifest through you. Don’t resist joy. Don’t reject it.

97. Make Your Own Rules
And stick with them. Go for what works for you, not the others. Go for what you want, not the others. Including me. Make your own system and be proud of it. You may upset some people in the process, but hey, that’s life.

98. Love
Unconditionally. Totally. Constantly. Restlessly. Love is the only glue that keeps your life running. You were born out of love and you carry it deep down in your being. Love is never about the others, it’s about you.

99. Get Rid Of Labels
Things are what they are. Don’t use labels anymore, use directly the things. Your notion of “right” and “wrong” are nothing but labels. In a different country your “right” might be “wrong”. Don’t charge yourself with this unneeded burden.

100. No Regrets
Regretting something is another form of not accepting reality. What you can do about it now? It’s gone. It doesn’t exist anymore. Focus on what you can change: your present moment. Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Now. Live now.

Now Anyone at Your Café Can Hijack Your Facebook Account

2010-10-28T19:30:00.002+08:00

A new Firefox extension lets anyone sharing an open wireless network at your neighborhood café or workplace easily access your Facebook, Twitter and myriad other online accounts. It's a terrifying tool designed to highlight a longstanding problem.

Seattle programmer Eric Butler's new Firesheep extension can show you a graphical list of the online accounts of everyone sharing an open wifi network with you. With one click on an icon, you're instantly logged in as them.

"HOLY CRAP" sums up the general Twitter reaction, as compiled by TechCrunch.

The vulnerability exploited by Firesheep has been there for years. Many major websites transmit the keys to your account — your login HTTP "cookies" — completely in the clear, with no encryption whatsoever. That's not a problem when you're on a well secured wireless network; for example if your local cafe uses WPA encyrption on the router, you'd almost certainly be fine. The vulnerable networks are those that are totally open, as well as, possibly, networks that use the weak WEP password system. You'll typically see these types of vulnerable networks in college dormitories, cafes and restaurants, or at other businesses that never bothered to modernize their wireless infrastructure.

Vulnerable sites include Amazon, Dropbox, Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Google, nytimes.com, Tumblr, Twitter, Wordpress, Yahoo and Yelp. These sites could fix the problem by routing cookies through the secure HTTPS protocol. Indeed, encouraging them to do so is why Butler created Firesheep:

Websites have a responsibility to protect the people who depend on their services. They've been ignoring this responsibility for too long, and it's time for everyone to demand a more secure web.

Judging from internet reaction to Firesheep, that's already happening.

Update: This vulnerability exists outside of the browser, so it's not Firefox specific, and switching to Chrome will not help, as some commenters have suggested. It also shouldn't affect cellular data networks, including 3G networks, so we've updated our wording above to make it clear we're talking about wifi.

Although the problem is fundamentally in the wifi networks and the destination websites, there is a Firefox extension that tries to route around the problem by redirecting cookies through encrypted HTTPS connections. Since many web servers don't offer HTTPS, your experience with that extension will be hit or miss. You can also ensure your GMail is locked down by checking the HTTPS toggle in your Gmail settings (it is secure by default). Your best bet, for now, is to avoid using open wifi networks.

Overcome Stress

2010-10-20T07:32:00.002+08:00

As with any technique, you can’t just read about it to “get it” and have it work for you—you’ve got to practice it. Before you read on, please make a firm decision that you do practice...

Understand this: Stress is the result of our mental processes, not outside influences. The key, therefore, to eliminating stress in your life is to eliminate stress-producing thoughts.

The traditional view of stress was and accepted as the result of outside demands that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope with those demands. Life circumstances come in ways that we are not equipped or resourced to deal with. In other words, we can’t handle what is “happening to YOU (us).”

You experience stress when life pushes you beyond your ability to adapt. That is why the most stressful circumstances are those that involve great change, such as losing a job, moving, death, and divorce. We experience stress because we lack the ability to quickly adapt to or handle these changes.

To those four “stressful” events we can add the generalized experience that “I just have too much to do and not enough time to do it” which seems to be more and more prevalent for many people. The explosion of the “information age” has bombarded us with “information overload” on top of increasing pressures to do more and more in less and less time. The solution, then, is to adapt better, manage things better, schedule better, prioritize better, reduce the demands upon you, and so on. This is where the term “stress management” comes from.

Note:
[Stress doesn’t come from what’s going on in your life—it comes from your thoughts about what’s going on in your life. Your job isn’t stressful—your thoughts about your job are stressful. Your relationship doesn’t stress you out—your thoughts about your relationship stress you out. All stress is an inside job, a result of subconscious assumptions. . . Things happen (divorce, layoffs, disease, etc.), and you experience stress—or you don’t—depending on what you think about those things. Stress is a function of beliefs, not circumstances]

This accounts for the fact that different people have dramatically different responses to the same life circumstances. For example, one person is laid off and sees it as a rejection of their worth and imagines impending poverty, while another sees it as a great opportunity to explore a new and more fulfilling direction. One person becomes ill and is consumed by a fear of everything falling apart, while another sees it as an important opportunity to slow down, take better care of their health, and re-evaluate what is most important in their life. One person sees their divorce as a huge drama full of pain and expense, while another may see it as a time to relate to their ex-spouse in a healthier way and learn how to have healthier relationships in the future. One person may view having too much to do as an overwhelming burden, while another may view having so much to do as the fruit of a vibrant and successful life. One person may view the death of a loved one as the end of love and happiness, while another may look back with fondness on the good times together and pray for their spouse’s joyful transition to the next phase of their journey. Your experience of any circumstance greatly depends on your beliefs.

“The key to eliminating stress¸and not just managing or escaping it, is to create a fundamental and lasting shift in the way you actually think.”

“Unhappiness arises internally, through the subconscious mind. And it is dissolved through insight.”

Insight? Insight is the realization that what you believed to be true is not in fact true. This realization allows the emergence of a more healthy or empowering perception. Insight cuts through “false beliefs” and eliminates their power over your perception.

“Every time that you experience stress, you’re thinking counterfactually. In fact, it’s not possible to experience stress without thinking counterfactually”.

By thinking counterfactually, we are thinking things “should” or “shouldn’t” be the way that they “are.”

There are also actually two types of counterfactual thinking. One creates inspiration, the other creates stress. One is expansive and the other is contractive. You have an expansive counterfactual thought when you experience “this” right now while envisioning “that” good thing in the future. For example, you think of the successful completion of a big project that you are working on, a vacation you’re planning, or someone special that you are looking forward to being with. You are envisioning some wonderful experience in the future, preparing for it, and being excited and expanded by that possibility.

The second type of counterfactual thinking is contractive. These are the counterfactual thoughts that create stress. For example, you step on the scale and see what you weigh and you tell yourself that you “should” weigh less. Your spouse or significant other doesn’t respond the way you think they “should” and you get mad. Your boss gives you a pile of work to do and you think that you “shouldn’t” be expected to get it done in the given time. You fail to achieve a goal that you think you “should” have achieved and become self-critical. You get upset because there “shouldn’t” be so much traffic. You get the idea.

Contractive counterfactual thoughts are judgments you place on “the way things are” by saying that they “should” be otherwise or they “shouldn’t” be the way they are. This type of thinking creates stress.

The way to counteract contractive thinking is to change your beliefs.

“The opposite of stress is education, releasing the contractions by having insights. What you need to do is not avoid your “shoulds,” but dismantle them”

Prove to yourself that the opposite of what you believed is true. You do this by identifying the conditions that are causing things to be as they are. When you see the cause and effect, you realize that “In reality, life really should be the way that it is, at this time.” There are good reasons why life is the way that it is. When you understand the causes, you gain insight, and that insight creates a permanent shift in perception that eliminates the stress caused by your former belief.

When you dismantle your “shoulds” you are more open to reality “as it is” or at least to healthier, more helpful beliefs about it. You can then take more effective action on the specific causes that can create positive outcomes in your life. This empowers you to think more clearly rather than being overwhelmed by the negative emotions and energy drain that came with your contractive beliefs.

First, I substitute the word “perception” for “thought.” Perception is a more holistic concept that includes your body, heart, mind, and energy/spirit. Perception includes your entire interpretive lens. It involves your physical state, your emotional state, your mindset, and your spiritual intention at any given moment. You bring all this to bear on every experience that you have. Your thoughts are an important part of this irreducible whole.

It important to work at all levels when addressing stress. It’s just as important to work from and through your body, your heart, your mind, and your energy/spirit. We can work with physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and intentions. These form integrated neural, chemical, and energetic networks. Each aspect is an irreducible and interwoven part of the whole.

All beliefs are interpretive. All beliefs are contextual, they all come from a certain perspective and a specific point of view. Some may be healthier, more expansive, more empowering, and more effective toward your goals, but to say a belief is “true” is a slippery slope. This can easily lead to internal and external conflict and more stress over who has the “right” or the “true” view and who doesn’t.

Anyway, that’s my point of view, so I’ll use the words “healthier” or “more effective” rather than “true” or “real.” Bernstein himself calls some counterfactual thinking “expansive” and some “contractive” and I’ll keep to that way of framing things. Yet, even these are relative terms. Sometimes it’s healthy to contract and consolidate experiences, while, at other times, it’s important to expand and stretch your boundaries. The key is to become aware of where you are coming from at the moment, so you can make choices that are as informed and conscious as possible.

My suggestion for you this week is to pause and take a break whenever you feel stress rising. See if you can identify a belief that you are holding at that moment that is creating your stress

Take a break to identify your beliefs when you feel stress..all the best!

Selling Travel the Right Way - Call yourself a Travel Company

2010-10-16T12:41:00.004+08:00

Everyone deserves to travel!

Travel awakens the soul and he who has yet to travel has only lived a page of life...LOH Ivan (2010)

While everyone deserves to travel, not everyone will. Modern day life although made convenient with the advances in technology and transportation has still a long way to go. Of course, we are not talking about Buck Rogers, Star Wars or even Battlestar Galacticca - although such a day may come.

People will travel provided that they have the means to travel. So what means are we talking about? There's knowledge, budget and desire which basically translate into knowledge of the destination that forms the initial thought of travel, budget that defines the level of comfort and whether it is affordable to travel, and last but not least the birth of desire which makes it a goal to travel.

Any respectable travel agent today would best avoid the word agent or agency, if they know what is good for them (no offense intended...).

It is better to be termed as a travel company with proud ownership of the products and services that are provided to public. Agents are purely representatives...

Life is like a Lift

2010-10-13T11:35:00.001+08:00

Life is like a lift, it goes up and it goes down. What's important to remember is that we don't fart and leave it unbearable for the next person...or those who share it with us...
LOH Ivan (2010)

A wise "person" adds to say, "What about the fart others leave behind, if it helps you gain 'space' from others - by all means go ahead and fart!"

Communicating for Change

2010-10-12T09:02:00.001+08:00

Foreword

Change is good. Communication drives change.

One of the most critical aspects to drive performance in an organization is communications. The only way to move an idea from your mind into other people's minds is through communications. Yet very few of us understand or have been trained on how to communicate effectively. In this newsletter I will share with you the 3C's of communicating for change. You can become a powerful change agent, simply by mastering the 3C's.

The essence of communications for change is that the message must be Clear - so it is easily understood, Compelling - so it grabs peoples attention and finally Consequential - it means something to the person such that the person will act on it. And there you have it, the 3 C's in communicating for - Clear, Compelling and Consequential.

Clear

Clear simply means that the receiver understands the message exactly as you meant it to be. The clearest of messages are short, direct to the point, use simple words and presented in the most appropriate language. Clarity get the message from your mouth to the listeners ear.

Compelling

To get into peoples minds your message must be compelling. Your message must give the receiver a reason to think and reflect on it; if not the message is lost. Compelling is what get the message from the ear into the brain.

Consequential

For people to act on your message, the message must be consequential to them. "What's in it for me?" The consequence must be real and meaningful. Consequential is what gets the message from the brain into the heart. And once the message is in the heart - action will happen.

When you are communicating, you are competing against other messages and other communications channels to gain the attention of the listener. By communicating the same message many times over multiple channels - spoken, written, group, one on one, bulletin board, email, twitter etc. dramatically improve the chances of the message getting through.

Examples of Messages:
We often see vision / mission statements that say "We want to be the leading organization in this industry" or "We want to be the preferred supplier of choice.." How do you think these statement measure up to the 3C test? Not very good, in fact they are fairly meaningless.

Let me now give you a good example; "We want to be the most profitable company in this industry in order for us to pay our employees the best salaries to ensure the highest quality of life for their families." Now, I would be very attracted to a company like this, wouldn't you?

Clear states what you want (the most profitable) , Compelling is about importance and why you want it (so I can play my employees good salaries) and Consequential explains the motivation for wanting it (to ensure the highest quality of life for their families).

To master the 3C's, you need to just keep practicing and very soon you will be motivating your staff to move the world! What do you think?

6 Characteristics of Leadership

2010-10-12T00:22:00.001+08:00

6 key characteristics as follows:

1. The openness of the mind to learn and unlearn, construct and deconstruct. I think the very first attribute of a leader is in the pursuit of knowledge which creates the foundation for courage and wisdom.

2. An incredible level of self awareness combined with a strong ability to understand others from which emerges humility and temperance.

3. The ability to connect the dots on the one hand and seeking closure on the other. It is a powerful combination when you can make sense of seemingly unrelated information or events and at the same time having the drive to act on it , to complete, to getting closure.

4. Without a doubt is strong business acumen. I used to tell my managers, the income statement and balance sheet to a manager must be like sheet music to a musician.You must be able to not only understand it, but interpret it in a way that produces beautiful music, or in the case of business – outstanding results. Most people can’t see beyond the numbers in the financials. Leaders have the ability to teach the followers how to make music out of an income statement. Out of this acumen comes communications that is short, simple and precise.

5.They excel at building great teams and coalitions. They know the secret of getting people to work together. They know how to build bridges and alliances. They know its not about them. Like the orchestra, the conductor doesn’t make a single sound but has the ability to get the musicians to collectively make beautiful music.

6. Leaders have massive capacity for self regulation. The ego is kept well in check. They do not allow personal desires and habits to derail them. And that can only happen if there is a willingness to accept feedback and work on it. Its the recognition of self imperfection in the quest for perfection. Leadership is incompatible with behaviors of hypocrisy, slander, envy and avarice. Leadership is an act of elegance, in behavior, in manner, and in tone. Leadership is about justice.

About Malaysia's Business Transformation Plan

2010-10-11T22:50:00.002+08:00

The global financial crisis had hit hard on almost every country in the world in year 2009. Europe, as per the day of today, is still struggling. Several countries in especially southern Europe have tremendous financial debts and liabilities, the euro - as a consequence - has weakened with about 20% in less than 3 months, since March/April 2010. Initially, so it seemed, the emerging economies were a long way from the center of the storm - and that proved to be relatively true. Various emerging economies though are in different states of dealing with the fall out of the global financial crises. Malaysia was not spared from the global economic crises, which affected its overall performance. Malaysia's economy contracted by 1.7 in 2009. Though it is fair to say, that overall, Malaysia has quite well coped with the global financial crises of 2009.

At present, Malaysia is at the crossroads of change and transformation. The Government Transformation Program outlines the road map of how to turn Malaysia into a high income economy and a fully developed nation by 2020.

Realistic Materialistic Reality

2010-10-11T11:42:00.000+08:00

How much money you make during the next 2-5 years

Will probably be the average of all the people you are associating with

RIGHT NOW.

What's that number?

Who are you associating with?

How successful are they?

What you do Watch It!

2010-10-10T00:34:00.000+08:00

"Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they
become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch
your habits, they become character. Watch your character; it
becomes your destiny..."

Full Service Arlines = Fine Service Attitude

2010-10-09T11:00:00.003+08:00

Travel is already the norm in our daily life. Stop. Undisputed.

When something becomes the norm, competition increases and everyone who's in will start trying to be better and bigger in their attempts to capture the hearts of customers and to fulfill the customer's needs.

Full service airlines, FSA are not new to us. Full Service Airlines are more beneficial than low cost careers.

Full Service Airlines are those airlines which not only provide traveling facility but they make the journey memorable one with their services. There is lot many services provided by them to the passengers so that they don’t feel bored in their journey. Airlines placing top priority to give maximum benefits to the travelers who fly with them.

The most interesting thing is that full service airlines keep a tab on minutest thing. The aircraft interiors are designed in such a way to give you relaxed feeling. The seats are lay-flat which recline to 180 degree for giving passengers a good sleep. They provide cozy blankets and pillows to add more comfort in getting sound sleep. Not only this, there are options of dimmed lighting as well.

The next important service is in-flight entertainment. There are so many facilities available like LCD, music, magazines, books, etc. They also provide mobile chargers, I-pod chargers etc. Apart from entertainment the other important service is FOOD. The passengers look forward for a healthy and tasty meal while traveling. Full service airline provides healthy menu inclusive of drinks. Some of the airlines have started serving local & international cuisines.

The full service airlines provide comfort and luxury to the passengers at a very reasonable price. The passenger has to become little smart to avail maximum benefits in less amount. The passengers can plan their journey in advance and book their tickets accordingly. If proper researches done the tickets can be reserved in lesser amount. Check all the travel sites and negotiate to get a better deal, not just www.reliancetravel.com!

Cheap flights are also there to cater the needs of passengers. They provide full services whatever required while traveling. They give attention to every basic need of travelers. The staff is courteous, well mannered and dedicated towards their responsibility. The passengers can enjoy all these benefits at a nominal price.

SO which is correct, does FSA equate both ways? Let me know what you think...

P/S: Sorry Tony!

Help Yourself by FIRST Helping Others

2010-10-07T12:09:00.002+08:00

You might not agree but to help yourself you must first help others. By putting yourself out there is guaranteed the returns that if you had not, you would not.

Often, we’re reluctant to reach out, even though others are really keen to help. Overcome this by asking others whether they need help whenever it is apparent.

All you have to do is take a deep breath, be sincere in your approach and then knuckle down and get on with the work. And preferably, follow up to let the them know how you went!

We all love to share knowledge, especially ours. It feels good. We are social creatures by nature and if there’s something we need, solitude is definitely not it.

Do you agree?

Shell Contest Scam

2010-10-06T08:09:00.002+08:00

MALAYSIA (Wednesday)

Received from +60178346914 today @ 7.32am

[SHELL BHD. Promotion...Tahniah! anda t'lah m"nangi contest shell, Rm11.000.- (No siri;887889) MAKLUMAT HUB: 012 8186614 Terima kasih]

It's a scam, obviously.

Number 1 - the quality of the written word
Number 2 - The amount supposedly "won" does not tally of the actual prizes
Number 3 - look at the "serial number"

Lesson of the day: Don't be fooled, easily...

TIHO

2010-10-05T11:10:00.002+08:00

What is the meaning of TIHO? TIHO stands for Technology, Information, Humans and Organization.

Technology - drives the productivity of Knowledge

Information - the basis for knowledge and decision making

Humans - perform the work

Organizations - provides the structure and networks for the Humans

You have the Right

2010-10-05T11:06:00.000+08:00

The right to speak and to be heard
The right to make errors
The right to change your mind
The right to be responsible only for yourself and your actions
The right to say no

About Twitter

2010-10-05T09:18:00.000+08:00

Initially inspired by the concept of an 'away-message' merged with the freedom and mobility of SMS, Twitter began as an experiment in 2006. When value as an instant communication network during shared events like earthquakes, conferences, and festivals emerged, Twitter began to grow—Twitter, Inc. was founded in 2007. Today, Twitter is a privately funded company based in San Francisco, CA.

Anti Rape Condom

2010-10-03T22:53:00.002+08:00

Courtesy of http://blog.mamashealth.com/2010/07/08/if-only-i-had-teeth-down-there/

Call it provocative, call it medieval, whatever you call it aside from self-defense classes, self-imposed curfews and bodyguards it has to be one of the most progressive devices created to help prevent the rape of women. Invented by South African doctor Dr. Sonnet Ehlers after treating a rape victim who said, “If only I had teeth down there,” the female condom dubbed “Rapex” is being readied for distribution after 20 years of research.

“According to Dr. Ehlers “As soon as the man puts his penis in the woman’s vagina the condom catches it. The “teeth” of the condom then penetrates his skin and causes severe pain. The man will have to go to a hospital to have the condom removed,” she said. It will also collect the rapist’s DNA.”

30,000 of these condoms are being distributed in South African in various cities where the World Cup games are being played. South Africa has one of highest incidences of rape in the world.

While some think it increases a woman’s feeling of vulnerability, one could argue that women walk in the world and shape their lives around knowing their vulnerabilities. Others argue that the device is medieval, “Yes, my device may be a medieval,” Dr. Ehlers says, “but it’s for a medieval deed that has been around for decades,” she said. “I believe something’s got to be done … and this will make some men rethink before they assault a woman.”

While I don’t believe one thing will prevent rape, I do believe in having an arsenal from which to choose. What do you think?

So that's what happened to Lil' Kev

2010-10-01T00:22:00.001+08:00

Lil’ Kev wins Astro suit

KUALA LUMPUR: Popular deejay Kevin Arokiasamy, better-known as “Lil’ Kev” who formerly co-hosted the Morning Show, won his breach of contract lawsuit against Astro’s Airtime Management & Programming Sdn Bhd.

High Court Judicial Commissioner Justice Rosilah Yop awarded a declaration to Lil’ Kev that a letter by Airtime Management dated Aug 28, 2003, meant that the defendant had violated the terms of an agrement.

Justice Rosilah issued a declaration that the violation of the terms meant that he could terminate the agreement and claim for damages.

She declared that the letter and its order was a modification to the terms of the agreement which required his consent.

The judge has ordered that damages be assessed after hearing evidence from Lil’ Kev and three witnesses of the defendant.

In his suit filed on Dec 15, 2004, Lil’ Kev claimed that he had entered into an agreement with the defendant on Aug 29, 2002 where he consented to serve its radio station hitz.fm for two years.

His salary for the duration of the contract was RM24,000 per month for the first year and RM26,000 each month the second year.

He said the dispute occurred when he was directed to transfer to the afternoon shift which he felt violated the terms of the agreement.

Lil’ Kev has been co-hosting the Morning Show since 1997.

In a statement of defence filed on Feb 21, 2005, the defendant stated that although it reserved the right to modify, add to or eliminate all or any part of benefits at any time, it had offered relevant incentives to Lil’ Kev.

Speaking to reporters later, his lawyer Isa Aziz Ibrahim said the defendant had no right to transfer his client to the afternoon shift as it violated the terms of the agreement.

When contacted by The Star, Lil’ Kev, 39, said he was relieved by the judgment.

“Normally, corporate companies are not favourable to us. It should protect the talent,” he said.

He said the judgment would be “a sort of protection for deejays so that they will not be easily pushed around”.

Chelsea Kate Isaacs and Steve Jobs

2010-09-21T07:59:00.000+08:00

(Read from the bottom up)

From: Steve Jobs
To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:27:36 -0700
Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs - Student Journalist Concerned about Apple'sMediaRelations Dept.

Please leave us alone.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 16, 2010, at 5:32 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:

> You're absolutely right, and I do meet your criteria for being a customer who deserves a response:
>
> 1. I AM one of your 300 million users.
> 2. I DO have a problem; I need answers that only Apple Media Relations can answer.
>
> Now, can they kindly respond to my request (my polite and friendly voice can be heard in the first 5 or 10 messages in their inbox). Please, I am on deadline.
>
> I appreciate your help.
>
>
> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>
> ——-Original Message——-
> From: Steve Jobs
> Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:10:12
> To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
> Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs - Student Journalist Concerned about Apple's
> MediaRelations Dept.
>
> Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can't respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 16, 2010, at 4:37 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:
>
>> Thank you for your reply. I never said that your goal should be to "help me get a good grade." Rather, I politely asked why your media relations team does not respond to emails, which consequently, decreases my chances of getting a good grade. But, forget about my individual situation; what about common courtesy, in general —- if you get a message from a client or customer, as an employee, isn't it your job to return the call? That's what I always thought. But I guess that's not one of your goals. Yes, you do have a creative approach, indeed.
>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>>
>> ——-Original Message——-
>> From: Steve Jobs
>> Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:19:13
>> To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
>> Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs - Student Journalist Concerned about Apple's Media
>> Relations Dept.
>>
>> Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Sep 16, 2010, at 3:22 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Mr. Jobs,
>>>
>>> As a college student, I can honestly say that Apple has treated me very well; my iPod is basically the lifeline that gets me through the day, and thanks to Apple's Final Cut Pro, I aced last semester's video editing project. I was planning to buy a new Apple computer to add to my list of Apple favorites.
>>>
>>> Because I have had such good experiences as a college student using Apple products, I was incredibly surprised to find Apple's Media Relations Department to be absolutely unresponsive to my questions, which (as I had repeatedly told them in voicemail after voicemail) are vital to my academic grade as a student journalist.
>>>
>>> For my journalism course, I am writing an article about the implementation of an iPad program at my school, the CW Post Campus of Long Island University.
>>>
>>> The completion of this article
>>> is crucial to my grade in the class, and it may potentially get published in our university's newspaper. I had 3 quick questions regarding iPads, and wanted to obtain answers from the most credible source: Apple's Media Relations Department.
>>>
>>> I have called countless times throughout the week, leaving short, but detailed, messages which included my contact information and the date of my deadline. Today, I left my 6th message, which stressed the increasingly more urgent nature of the situation. It is now the end of the business day, and I have not received a call back. My deadline is tomorrow.
>>>
>>> Mr. Jobs, I humbly ask why Apple is so wonderfully attentive to the needs of students, whether it be with the latest, greatest invention or the company's helpful customer service line, and yet, ironically, the Media Relations Department fails to answer any of my questions which are, as I have repeatedly told them, essential to my academic performance.
>>>
>>> For colleges nationwide, Apple is at the forefront of improving the way we function in the academic environment, increasing the efficiency of conducting academic research, as well as sharing and communicating with our college communities.
>>>
>>> With such an emphasis on advancing our education system, why, then, has Apple's Media Relations team ignored my needs as a student journalist who is just trying to get a good grade?
>>>
>>> In addition to the hypocrisy of ignoring student needs when they represent a company that does so much for our schools, the Media Relations reps are apparently, also failing to responsibly handle the inquiries of professional journalists on deadlines. Unfortunately, for a journalist in the professional world, lacking the answers they need on deadline day won't just cost them a grade; it could cost them their job.
>>>
>>> Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Chelsea Kate Isaacs
>>> Senior
>>> CW Post - Long Island University
>>>
>>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Motivation for Success

2010-08-16T08:10:00.000+08:00

Before anything else, we need motivation to accomplish anything!

You need to decide what you truly want to do and do it. Often we entertain what we want to do and make excuses as to why we can't accomplish it. The truth is that the time we have taken to dream up excuses as to why we can't do something, we could have done it. What have you been dodging doing?

Take this very moment to do it, clean out the clutter, clear out the system.
Once you have done it there's space in your mind to think about additional things.

Motivation has become a popular word today. There are motivational coaches and speakers, and motivational books and articles. What is it really, and why do you need it?

Motivation is a driving force. In order to achieve anything, you need a driving force, otherwise nothing will materialize. A wish isn't solid enough to make you take action. A wish is a weak hope. Only a firm desire can drive forward, to act and accomplish aims and goals.

In order to get motivated, you need to recognize exactly what it is that you want, to own a strong desire, and to be willing to do whatsoever it takes to achieve your goal.

More than often there's lack of motivation or only a short-lived one. How many times have you began enthusiastically a weight loss program, started a bodybuilding or aerobics training plan or began to learn a foreign language,
only to quit after a short while? Few individuals have enough willpower and self-control to go through to the end with what they start.

It easier to show motivation in association with a subject that's dear to you. If you want something, but you don't feel motivated enough to act, this means that the desire isn't important enough. To be motivated to take action and do
something in respect to your want, you need to possess a really firm desire.

Remember, my friend, which the first step to accomplishing anything is to take action. It is imperative to your success! You can take action and get on the road to success!

Who is Vera Baker?

2010-06-09T21:28:00.002+08:00

She's the sexy former campaign worker of Mr. Barack Obama, the big man who is now the President of the world's most powerful nation. So what's the buzz on this sexy lady with Mr. Commander in Chief of the United States of America, well one thing's for sure it ain't that sweet.

Earlier reports has it going that the two of them have been going at it and was caught at a posh hotel. Mrs. President, Michelle Obama is said to have blown her top off with this alleged scandal between her man with the 35-year-old Vera.

She’s furious, humiliated and embarrassed. This fiasco is bound to put another huge strain on the Obamas’ marriage.

The Obama White House may crumble...

How I Saved Money at Carrefour last weekend

2010-06-09T20:29:00.002+08:00

This is an account how a weekend shopping freak saved money at Carrefour. Here goes...weekends are normally a day I spend with a trip to the local Carrefour in my neighborhood. From some profound reason, I had my trusty Lenovo Thinkpad SL410 with me this time - at the entrance a pretty young thing greeted me as I walked in.

However, some other young person stopped me virtually in my tracks with a hand up and asked, "Encik itu beg notebook ke? Boleh ikat?" - that's the local Bahasa Malaysia for Sir is that a notebook bag? Can I tie it? - and proceeds to reach for my Lenovo bag with one hand while the other holds a cable-tie (a plastic push and lock binder). I was thinking all the time, hey! I've been here with the same before - what the ....and also the inconvenience of having to cut the cable when I walk out which would obviously damage or with some small scratch when I find (if I could) a scissors or cutter at the exit.

And that my friends is how Carrefour turned away a regular minimum RM200 a visit customer who was planning to spend much more that time as he had more than groceries to buy. Bye bye Carrefour for as long as my unforgiving heart can remember.

Facebook Can Get You Fired!

2010-04-29T21:39:00.003+08:00

Yes it can and it will. As millions of people including you and yours truly, we think that going on Facebook in our own spare time is our own business. However, many companies are joining the "Facebook Watch" where Human Resources will often search 'People' for company employees who are on Facebook.

Just when we think that it's alright to post what we feel, do, and encounter at work- the company may not be of the same thought. In fact the people in Human Resources may think that you are disclosing way too much and bringing down the company reputation. Drastic actions may even include DI and lead to the BIG ENVELOPE. Strange? but true. So be careful from now on. You just don't know who may be watching...

Iron Man 2

2010-04-28T07:44:00.002+08:00

The world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark is the armored Super Hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts, and James "Rhodey" Rhodes at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces...

Great movie even though it's only a trailer at this point which I've seen so far. Can't wait to catch it in the cinema!

Reach out and have a great day!

Travel & Tourism

2010-04-09T13:55:00.002+08:00

Daydream to Get in tune with Life

2010-03-02T10:34:00.001+08:00

Daydreaming is so underrated! If we didn’t all take a little time to turn down the noise and inspire ourselves, we’d never think up new directions and paths. So, listen to beautiful music, take a walk in the park, record your musings in a journal or just sit and gaze at nothing. You’ll be amazed at how refreshed you feel afterward!

You Are in Control

2010-02-26T18:07:00.000+08:00

Sometimes the truth eludes us because we ourselves complicate and make it hard to understand...keep it short and simple :)

Back to Work Tips - My First Day After the CNY Hols and Top 3 Tips

2010-02-23T12:44:00.005+08:00

I am by nature an organised and focused person. I work well with action lists and I’m good at prioritising, but since it's the first day I'm back after my "extended" holiday - seriously I did think that I was due in today instead of yesterday - I shall give it a rest for today and just start simple planning for the rest of this week. Anyways here I am albeit a bit tired out from being on holiday and raring to get back into the daily grind.

Frankly there's one major project that I'm on at this moment. In fact my one and only ever since my "engineered" demise into corporate obscurity by some unscrupulous demons at work. Kudos and thank you.

Tip No # 1 - Close the Door

Do not worry about saying NO to unreasonable requests for your time and energy. Note that I used the word "unreasonable" - it becomes reasonable when the person asking you is either the person that employs you or is your immediate superior (or your significant other).

Tip No # 2 - Oral

No. Not of that particular kind. The oral here is actually in the spoken word-sense. When communication is getting prolonged because of endless e-mails or memos or anything in writing - cut it short by just settling it with the sweet sound of your voice. Sometimes, it's all that is needed.

Tip No # 3 - Space it Out

The most basic of all - do what you can in time and with the time you have. Now that's powerful. How else are we supposed to work? Break apart the tasks in hand into simpler portions of work. Delegate what you can and do the rest but in the time allocated.

Alright I think that’s enough for the moment, all the best and have yourself a great year ahead!

Top Business Success Secret

2010-02-19T15:17:00.001+08:00

1st released ezinearticles.com

What is the secret or secrets of a successful business? Are there surefire success formulas that have somehow eluded us? Or are we in the wrong business to start with? Just what exactly do we need to improve? What is that missing component? Later when your business starts to grow from having an expanding base of customers, repeat sales, and money starts flooding in while expenses trickle down, I hope it dawns upon you the simplicity of it all because it surely ain't no rocket science as you will soon understand!

The secret of today's more successful businesses is no secret at all. All businesses have it - so just exactly, what do we all have but is not working in the way it is supposed to do and bring in the business that we so desire?

Starting to sound familiar?

Yes, my dear friend in business. The answer is in marketing. Marketing is used to bring the product and service to the consumer. It involves every aspect of your business and you either knowingly put it to use or not.

The difference between the Marketing you deploy in your business with that of your competitor is the level of EFFECTIVENESS their Marketing is against yours.

(Ivan Loh: Competitors Are So Categorized Because You Consider Them More Successful™)

Therefore, the answer is NOT JUST marketing but EFFECTIVE MARKETING.

Let's presume that you already have a well developed product or service that's a killer, well in demand and a breeze to sell. But sales are simply not forthcoming. No one is aware of your business existence. Few are noticing your ads and even less are responding - and out of those few that do respond, only a small percentage is actually buying.

Effective marketing is not about spending more on advertisements, promotions, and personal selling (components of the Marketing Communication Mix). If not what is? UNDERSTAND THIS WELL - IT IS NOT WHAT WE SPEND BUT THE QUALITY OF THE MESSAGE COMMUNICATED THAT MATTERS. How else are we to communicate what we have to offer to the consumer, if not through the components of the Marketing Communication Mix? You still use it but with better results from having a message that has clarity, is meaningful, and consistent.

Effective marketing is about having a consistent and quality message that shouts out clearly the benefits and choices you offer. Be prepared to lose the customer when they start failing to understand what your benefits and choices are to and for them. THEREFORE, SPEND ALL THE TIME YOU NEED IN CREATING THE RIGHT MARKETING AND SALES MATERIALS FOR YOUR BUSINESS - Rule Of Thumb: Don't pass it on to the customer until you are absolutely sure that the message is what you intend for them to receive. You don't want to confuse them from the beginning!

What leads to success? - 8 simple Ways by Richard St.John

2010-02-12T22:11:00.001+08:00

Malaysia Driving The 3 Evils

2010-02-09T11:46:00.001+08:00

Getting to the office is becoming tougher day by day. First there's the IDIOT (Inconsiderate Drivers In Our Traffic). Second, motorcyclists who buzz around like mosquitoes, and last but not least that sweet young thing who crossed the road this morning at a road bend (when the pedestrian walk is only within 3 feet away in slow motion and without a care for on-coming traffic - didnt even flinch when blasted with the mighty horn!). What is the world coming to?

Kuala Lumpur's Grand Dang Wangi Station

2010-02-05T12:22:00.003+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (Opening Soon) - Located next to its old predecessor which resembled an old beat base, the new Police Headquarters and Quarters in Dang Wangi KUALA LUMPUR is set to open soon. Construction seems complete as I passed or should I say inched by as I made my way in the after work rush traffic. Never did understand why it's called rush traffic when traffic is so congested - nobody is rushing anywhere!

Anyways, once opened the 2 Block, 12 and 20 stories respectively for Administrative and Living Quarters development will improve the quality of life around Dang Wangi - better police presence = better safety. What really caught my eye was the Childrens Playground...

Jackie Chan's Dream Travel Itinerary

2010-02-04T15:17:00.000+08:00

First destination: Hong Kong

Hong Kong is my hometown and of course it’s on my list of places that people should visit in China. The first place you should go in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak so that you can look down and see how amazing the city looks from up above. Next, take a ride on the Star Ferry; it’s the best deal in Hong Kong. Other places I suggest you go are Nathan Road, the New Territories, and the outlying islands. Although Hong Kong is small in size, there is a lot to see, so make sure you stay for a long time!

Second destination: Beijing

Beijing has always been an interesting place to visit and in the past few years it has become even more attractive. To get a feeling for Chinese history and culture, I suggest visiting the Forbidden City, the ruins at Yuan Ming Yuan, and the Badaling Great Wall. To experience the new Beijing, you should visit some of the magnificent structures built for the 2008 Olympics.

Third destination: Wuyi Mountain, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province

Wuyi Mountain is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I found this place while filming The Forbidden Kingdom and I’ve encouraged many of my friends to visit. Wuyi Shan (’shan‘ is ‘mountain’ in Chinese) is famous for its River of Nine Bends, dense rainforests, and 36 mountain peaks. You can take a raft tour of the river and if you are lucky like I was, you will have an informed and humorous guide who will tell you great stories as she manoeuvres the raft down the river.

Fourth destination: Xi’an, Shaanxi Province

Xi’an is another place I discovered because I was making a film there. You must visit the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum and see the army of terracotta soldiers. Xi’an has so much history and there’s a lot to see. Don’t miss the museum where you can learn about the Silk Road (Xi’an is the easternmost part of the Silk Road). You should also see the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower and the beautiful pagodas.

Fifth destination: Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

When you visit Harbin, you get a feeling sometimes that you are in Russia or Europe because of the style of buildings there. The city is quite interesting because of the influences of so many different cultures. But the most wonderful thing about Harbin is the yearly Ice and Snow Festival which lasts for a month in January. Artists create ice sculptures and combine them with coloured lights to make a beautiful display that people come from all over the world to see.

Singapore Sun Festival 2010

2010-02-04T15:04:00.002+08:00

The Singapore Sun Festival, the Leisure Event of the Year is Singapore’s leading music and lifestyle festival. The Singapore Sun Festival which was inaugurated by IMG Artists in October 2007 is an annual multi-arts and integrated lifestyle Festival that celebrates the ‘Art of Living Well’ through the 7 disciplines of Music, Visual Art, Literature, Film, Wine, Food and Wellness. The Singapore Sun Festival exposes both Singapore citizens and foreign visitors to many superb, high-quality and prestigious event. The Festival brings top international and regional artists to Singapore every year, including world premieres and exclusive performances by stars from all over the world. Singapore Sun Festival 2008 was recently awarded Leisure Event of the Year and is now firmly established as the leading leisure event for Singapore and the region.

The Festival is a global life-style brand owned by the global arts management group, IMG Artists. The Singapore Sun Festival is the 3rd installment and exclusive Asian continental home of this leading global festival which is already celebrated annually in Cortona, Tuscany (Italy) and the Napa Valley, California (USA).

Happening this 2010 from 29 October till 7 November!

Cut Your Credit in 7 Easy Steps

2010-02-04T10:24:00.001+08:00

Help! My customers just won’t pay me on time – some don’t even bother to! Cash flow’s bad with money flowing out faster than money crawling in…
Are you to blame yourself? Yes and No. Yes because you allowed it to happen without pre-empting the possibility of the event happening. No because it is your right to be paid for products delivered and services rendered. But just how often do we come across good customers who pay when they are expected to or pay without being asked?
Here are just some ways to cut your credit risk in 7 easy steps and minimize your business from closing down:

1. Pull out your customer statement of accounts
Take a trip down memory lane to visit those customers who just love to see their account with you grow faster than a fixed deposit account. Hang on. That’s your money that’s being tied up here that we are talking about. Sure, it'll bring back memories of the excitement not so long ago when the orders flooded in and business was deemed good because sales figures were good. But without looking at your debtor records regularly, you won't know what hit you until it’s too late. So go find those files!

2. Make the most of your credit given
The easiest way to avoid giving credit is not to do business, but I'll assume that you don't find that a very viable strategy. You can, however, pick customers where you know that it is safe to give credit or reduce giving credit. Know your customers.

3. Use your business financing facilities -- wisely!
Business financing facilities gives those who are fortunate enough to qualify for them great means to fund their business and achieve important business goals. Using these facilities to finance credit given to customers is not practical.

4. Be smart about credit control
Millions of companies unwittingly into a credit crunch simply because they don't keep records or take the time to scrutinize the aging list. Missing out on proper systematic and consistent credit control is hazardous for your company’s financial health. And if you do it well, don't just assume that you will recover your money from the errant customer.

5. Give extra credit
No, I am not talking about the pat on the back. You can actually encourage customers who are good paymasters to spend more with you by upping the credit limited you give them. Customers love knowing that you give them extra credit that is available for them to take advantage whenever they want.

6. Think about next year
There's only so much you can do to cut your credit exposure and collect in a year. If you wait until the last minute to request for payment, you may never get your money at all. With some advance planning, you can get a head start on next year's business plan. Things like checking your credit exposure, withholding and monitoring helps put you in better shape next time around.

7. Celebrate!
With all this planning, your ability to do business is enhanced.

8 Best Business Survival Secrets

2010-01-30T09:39:00.002+08:00

Think of a business as a game with a list of points or rules to follow. Any respectable successful businessman—even newbies—will understand the first and most crucial resource in the game is not having enough capital, staff, or products – it is about having the passion, desire, and drive for the business. Business survival chances are only as big as your imagination.

Read on for more great ways to keep your business from failing: the 8 best business survival strategies,

1. Plan
So what’s the best way to start a business? Easy—you start with a plan. Plan for the desired results. Simple.

2. Beware the detour
We know business’s rough, but here’s the deal: When things are not working out to plan—making simple, smart tweaks to your business plan can save you a lot of misery. Carrying on against all odds and coming out victorious is highly impossible.

3. Beware of distortion
The problem with this is, people don’t necessarily stop to think when they need to. They keep trudging along thinking that their plan and associated actions are the best and one fine day it finally dawns upon them that, hey business is bad!

4. Enjoy the conversation
It takes you experience from time spent in the business to learn. Enjoy that time spent on the business- never overindulge but instead keep some ME time for your self. Make time for your business and make time for your self as well. Rushing without forethought spells danger! Having ME time keeps you in balance.

5. Avoid handouts
Just because you want to keep the business running, you decide to reward and keep staff who are perpetually spending work time on games and other unproductive activities. Long term effects? Disastrous! Remove on sight when counsel fails. No compromise.

6. Don’t fall for temptation
In business we are tempted to spend. Be prudent. Spend what is necessary to keep the business running and cut back on what is wanted.

7. Invite the kids to the grown-up table
Spend time with the people in your business. Talk and share. You’ll be amazed at how much these people value the conversation and the things you’ll learn from it.

8. Do business responsibly
An eye for an eye or is it give a heart and get one in return? Anyways I prefer to say never do unto others what you won’t want them to do unto you. An honest business goes a long way.

Avatar in China

2010-01-27T23:18:00.002+08:00

BEIJING: What has Avatar the Movie have to do with China? Well, a city in central China has renamed a mountain after this US blockbuster movie which has since surpassed Titanic in terms of box office collections. The majestic peak in Hunan formerly known as the "Heaven and Earth Pillar" is now known as "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" states the Zhangjiajie city government. Apparently this mountain was used as a backdrop in the movie from stills taken in 2008. What comes after Avatar the Movie, why Confucius the Movie of course!

You say goodbye, I say hello - Written by Melody Song

2010-01-14T19:33:00.001+08:00

As I See It I Live It ~ HELLO WORLD: Malaysia Welcome to the Busy Corner Restaurant

2010-01-10T21:41:00.000+08:00

As I See It I Live It ~ HELLO WORLD: Malaysia Welcome to the Busy Corner Restaurant

Malaysia Welcome to the Busy Corner Restaurant

2010-01-10T21:30:00.003+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (Sunday) - Ringgit Malaysia RM42.50 for 3 Claypot Chicken Rice, 2 Soups, and Tea for 5. 1 Boiled Pebble of Road Gravel in Soup - the type that's used with tar on most Malaysian roads - FREE.

World's Tallest Burj Khalifa

2010-01-08T10:21:00.003+08:00

Rising 828 metres (2,717 feet) out of the desert sands, the Burj Khalifa is a wondrous glistening marvel concrete, glass and steel pinnacle.

Mad Cow's Disease

2010-01-08T09:00:00.001+08:00

A TV documentary team decided to do a special on Mad Cow's Disease and so decided to visit a nearby farm to see what they could learn.

At the farm...

Farmer: Hullo! What can I do for you?
Reporter: I'm a TV Reporter and we are doing a Cow Scene Investigation special.
Farmer: Ok shoot...
Reporter: Can you tell what is this Mad Cow Disease?
Farmer: Lady I can tell you are not from around here are you? It's simple really. Do you know that the bull only mounts the cow one time a year?
Reporter: No why? But that is interesting. Tell me more.
Farmer: And I milk the cow everyday?
Reporter: Oh you do. But what has that got to do with everything?
Farmer: Imagine if you and I got together only once a year and everyday I play with your ....

The documentary was never aired.

Kondo Sri Hijau Bandar Mahkota Cheras

2010-01-05T01:17:00.004+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR - FRIDAY A post about nasty condo neighbours. After a late night out, I finally reached Kondo Sri Hijau in Bandar Mahkota Cheras only to find my parking bay (yes the one that was part and parcel of my unit as stated in the Sales & Purchase Agreement with the developer of this property) occupied by another car. I waited patiently and gave a few sounds of my car horn to alert whoever was parking in my private bay to move the accursed vehicle. However, no one came up to do. Raining as it was then, I got down from my car and walked to the Guard Post and made a report that someone was parked in my spot. The guard (a foreigner by the looks of him) reluctantly followed me in the rain to take note of the offender's vehicle number. That was the end of it I presumed.

I parked at another bay, one that was not marked with a V to signify Visitor Parking and made the best of it. Carrying my heavy bags which contained work for the weekend, I plodded to my apartment unit on the 7th Floor. Worried that someone might encounter the same experience as I since I had parked in a private bay, I kept awakThey They e although it was already late into the night. I wrote a note with the message, "Please park elsewhere as this is a private bay. Park at your own!!!' and plodded downstairs to affix it to the windscreen of that vehicle parked in my private bay. Peeking out from my unit several times, my prayers were obviously answered as the owner of the offending vehicle finally decided to move their vehicle out of my private bay. That was the end of it I presumed.

Lo behold on Sunday afternoon, a couple (a man and a woman who called herself Connie) made their way to my unit's entrance and started complaining that I had scratched their car while they parked it at my parking bay as someone apparently had witnessed the alleged act. They kept insisting that it was alright to park in my bay as they thought that the owners were not around. All the while lamenting that I had scratched their car and it was extremely childish to do so. Thereafter, they said that the witness to the crime did not want to come forward and so they "decided" not to pursue this matter further adding that as neighbours in the same building block we should all be more tolerant of others. But not before adding to say that they recognised my car and would not be good if it got scratched! I can understand the hostility but to come and make a ruckus?

Very funny. Very funny indeed. Did they not realise the inconvenience caused by the denying others of their rightful place to park? Did they not know that it is wrong to occupy some one else's property without permission? Did they not know that it is wrong to simply accuse one of vandalism without concrete proof? The gall of it all!

It just goes to show that this day in our society, there are those who blatantly disregard the rules of society and when caught they can only defend their actions according to their shriveled minds that it is OK! Although this blogger loves life as it is, sometimes the actions of others are beyond tolerance. And, please don't get me started on those whom double-park behind us just to avoid walking or those that cut in our lane as we are driving...

Lin Ping the Panda Cub

2009-09-15T23:48:00.002+08:00

Lin Ping, the panda cub Since its birth in May at the Chiang Mai Zoo to proud parents Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui (on loan from China), Lin Ping has been delighting visitors, Thais and foreigners alike. A 580m2 Snow Dome, built specially for the panda family, was opened in July but visitors have to shell out 150 baht (US$4.40) per person and brave chilling -5 degree Celsius temperatures. Lin Ping is usually in the nursery.

Other Chiangmai Treasures:

Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium A five-minute walk from the Panda Observatory, the 600-million-baht Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium claims to have the longest aquarium tunnel in the world, at 133m. The 66.5m sea water tunnel and 66.5m freshwater tunnel feature more than 20,000 freshwater and aquatic creatures of more than 250 species. Admission to the facility costs 450 baht per adult.

Sunday Walking Street The 2km stretch of Ratchadameon Road and the inner streets and alleys off the main thoroughfare come to life every Sunday from late afternoon to nearly midnight. Locals set up stalls on the footpaths and streets selling everything from arts and crafts to clothing, paintings and local snacks at unbelievably low prices. School children, teenagers and seniors also take to the streets, showing off their talent in local and western musical performances.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Hundreds of stalls, street-side shops and malls line a long section of Chang Khlan Road nightly from late evening until nearly midnight. Popular buys include silks, cloths, handwoven fabrics, hilltribe crafts, silver accessories, woodcarvings and pottery. This is definitely a good place to practise haggling skills.

Bo Sang & San Kamphaeng route San Kamphaeng Road is flanked by shops, showrooms and factories that sell local artworks and handicrafts, ranging from woodcarvings, lacquerware, silverware, leather, ceramics, silk, cotton woven fabrics and antiques.
Bo Sang village is famous for mulberry paper parasols and colourful umbrella souvenirs.

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center Since opening in 1971, the centre has been serving Khantoke Dinner while staging cultural performances in a traditional Lanna setting.
A tiered tray made of wood or rattan, Khantoke is traditionally used to serve meals in Thailand’s northern provinces. Cultural shows include fingernail and candle dances, Thai boxing and sword-fight exhibitions.

Chiang Mai Night Safari It may be a tad controversial having been built during the former Thaksin Shinawatra administration but the theme park has its merits as it boosted the province’s appeal by creating a nocturnal activity for visitors. The theme park’s Jaguar Trail that weaves around the Swan Lake is also open during the day. Guided tram rides of the Savanna Safari and Predator Prowl only operate at night. Each tram ride ends with a musical fountain and water-screen show.

Ratchaphruek Garden This was the venue for the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek horticultural exposition, from December 2006 to February 2007, to commemorate King Bhumibol Adul-yadej’s 60th anniversary on the throne. Since then, the garden has been open to visitors. Ratchaphruek Garden is located next to the Night Safari, some 30 minutes by car from downtown Chiang Mai.

Doi Inthanon National Park Sprawling 1,005km2 across Mae Chaem and Chom Thong districts, Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain at 2,565m above sea level. Park entrance fees are 400 baht per adult and 200 baht per child. The park is open year-round but the attractions are quite seasonal. The best time to view the waterfalls is from May to November. Wild flowers are in full bloom from December to February. And indigenous and migratory birds populate the park from November to March.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Locals believe that tourists cannot claim they have been to Chiang Mai unless they have visited this mountaintop temple perched around 1,000m above sea level. In addition, according to local lore, good things will come to those visitors who take on the challenge of climbing the 290 steps to the temple. If that were not enough, the excellent views are an added incentive for the arduous climb. Located 15km from downtown, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep has been watching over the province for more than a millennium.

Khao Soy Finally, a visit to Chiang Mai is not complete without a taste of khao soy.
This local favourite is a soupy dish of curry-like sauce using coconut milk as a base. Available at all local restaurants, khao soy can be served hot with egg noodles and meat or sprinkled atop deep-fried egg noodles. The flavours can be enhanced with condiments such as pickled cabbage, fresh shallots, lime juice and nam prik pao (chili paste). A word of caution though to the uninitiated – khao soy is on the spicy side.

Mr Karpal Singh you are so darn right

2009-04-10T12:07:00.004+08:00

In The Star paper today, an article appeared alongside the news bearing the long awaited outcome of the Atlantuya murder of which has plagued us for many months and years to effect:

The 2 UTK (Special Action Unit) personnel has finally been found guilty and as expected the case will be drawn longer with review when they make their appeals against the judgment. Karpal Singh in a separate article called for the mastermind to be charged with the murder as well. It is agreeable to a certain extent that these 2, although having carried out the ghastly and overly method(s) of the murder are mere pawns. In the absence of a motive for the murder, they are only accessories and tools to carry out the same. It is only logical that the real instigator and person behind them should be identified and brought to justice.

My Kind of PM

2009-04-02T16:15:00.002+08:00

Respects (and Expects) the Crazy
The way he handles it is a true test of what kind of man he is.

Is Enthusiastically Curious
Gets up every day and is incredibly excited about whatever he's going to learn, whether it's politics or something else. He has to be interested in the rest of the world. Everything is so much bigger than we are.

Is Inherently Generous
You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats the people around him, whether it's a friend or just someone on the street. If you're a generous person, you're generous all the time."

Knows How to Merge
On Malaysian Unity, it has to be a merger, not a takeover.

Good bye Pak Lah

2009-04-02T15:01:00.002+08:00

It is a sad day for Malaysia. Yours truly is really affected by having to bear witness, in my lifetime, of a great statesman Abdullah Badawi. In his last formal press interview as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Pak Lah showed much of the great charisma he has from the days of the old. It is most unfortunate that most people consider him as a failed politician. I for one, beg to differ. If not because of Pak Lah there would not be so much freedom in the country. Those that do not condone his actions are the remnants of the old ways, for them power must be absolute and unquestionable. To me I studied history and learned of the struggles of our Malaysian forefathers. To our Bapa Malaysia (the late Tunku Abdul Rahman), Bapa Kereta (Mahathir Mohamad), and Bapa Kebebasan (Pak Lah), I salute you all and admire you all for making Malaysia what she is today. Hopefully Najib will assume the mantle of being the most powerful man in Malaysia with the support and devotion of the masses. He may yet become the wisest and best Prime Minister yet by attaining the title of "Father of Unity and Equality" with his One Malaysia Concept.

Ringgit Malaysia 2 Million Fine for Serious Offence

2009-04-02T14:51:00.003+08:00

It was reported in the Malaysian daily The Star that 2 Malaysian women of Chinese descent were charged in court and fined a combined total of over RM2 million. According to the presiding judge the quantum of the offenses committed were unforgivable, serious, and the amount of the fine is justified to serve as a deterrents for any future similar cases.

The offense? Both were found guilty of being involved in pirated DVDs.

Compared to other well known cases here like Atlantuya and Cannie Ong both of which involved the loss of dear life, justice was deemed fair and swift in the war against piracy of this nature.

Malaysians Beware Nasty White Male Motorcyclist on our Roads

2009-03-13T09:00:00.004+08:00

The time is between 7.30am and 7.50am on a rainy grey Friday morning in dear ol' Malaysia along the Jalan Kuching to Kuala Lumpur City Centre route. A White Male on a big bike (the type with saddlebags on each side at the rear) harassed a lady driver. Apparently, the poor soul had switched lanes from the fast lane on the right to the middle lane, and in so doing had incurred the wrath of this wretched road bully who was speeding in the rain and in between the fast and middle lanes. The big bike he was on appears to have white mudguards as well. The wretch had the nerve to intimidate the lady driver by stopping her car and banging on her window. This caused the lady driver to become hysterical with fear and she wound down her window and screamed for help. The wretched "mat wretched-salleh" sped off in the direction of Jalan Tun Razak after neighboring cars around stopped. I believe that this is not the first time that this white visitor to our country has been nasty on the roads as I encountered him a few months back along Jalan Raja Chulan, not once but twice. The first time he had a pillion rider who was a Malaysian-Malay female and he was brushing his way thru the vehicles caught in the evening rush hour jam. Second time, he was alone but speeding as well along the short stretch.

If our efficient police need to find him it would be extremely easy since he may as well be the only foreigner riding a big bike to the city centre on Jalan Kuching.

Perhaps it was raining and that's why help did not come as soon as it should but one thing is clear, we Malaysians have evolved to a different level.

Malaysian politician quits over nude photos - Rape of An Individual's Privacy

2009-02-17T23:48:00.004+08:00

The prominent Malaysian Opposition Party politician has been identified as Elizabeth Wong. She has since submitted her resignation after the photos of her in the "nude" were circulated to the media. The pictures purportedly shows Elizabeth Wong, one of Malaysia's top human rights activists, sleeping in her bedroom. If that is the case and if the pictures were taking unawares to her, I stand by that there is then no issue at all and no need for her to resign at all. If morality, and to venture a step higher, the personal habits of people were to be used as yard sticks I believe that many politicians would fail in that area.

Speculation by the media is that the images may have been taken by a former boyfriend.

The photographs, which are circulating via mobile phone but have not yet been published in the media, have caused a political storm in Malaysia.

Wong, a bespectacled 37-year-old who is not married, is a well-known member of the multiracial Keadilan party led by Anwar Ibrahim, who helms the three-member Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance. She has won support from both sides of the political divide, including from women in the Barisan Nasional coalition and the Pakatan Rakyat.

The prude of a man Mohamad Khir Toyo, the former Barisan Nasional chief minister of Selangor has also questioned her moral values for allowing a man in her room since she is still single. Mind you Mr. Toyo, every individual is entitled to their own lifestyle and social norms. Just because you "don't" does mean that others can't even if they did.

Vote that Elizabeth stays on. On this matter, dear Elizabeth you should have no qualms about staying on since you were in the dark of those pictures taken. By all means possible the police should bring the culprits to book and ensure that the heaviest penalty is imposed.

Thought of the Day - 17th Day in the month of February 2009

2009-02-17T11:30:00.002+08:00

It's a good start and rather timely to review just how well I've fared this early into the year 2009. I'm still keeping optimistic and my fingers and toes crossed that the year will finally balance itself and behave.

At this moment I feel very generous and forgiving, thanks to the affectionate 'can we still be friends' characteristic of mine. I shall stop toting around miserable ancient grudges that affect me more than anyone else and decide to deposit them in the 'bygones' cubbyhole. Ah - almost instantaneous relief. This is my decision. It's my call.

Ambient tension or stress is better to be released rather than harbored where it will fester and spill over. Not that being in control is less of a human being but it shows us in better light and makes us healthier as well when we choose not to be bothered at all. That's a higher plane of existence. I once read somewhere that people that bother others are so full of shit and they always look for other people to unload their shit.

Past events and present circumstances are only a continuation of time and it serves naught to let it dwell too long in the former. If we remain trapped in that twilight of past blurring the present, we'll feel anxious, slightly angry or resentful, and possibly disappointed with our situation. It's a no-brainer. Don't be another person's dumping ground for pain, suffering, and misery; either detach or stay away from them.

Devil on the Road : Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

2009-02-17T11:19:00.003+08:00

At last - I shall mislead myself to believe that it is the current economic situation that brings out the worse in people. The last bit of the puzzle fell into place yesterday evening on my drive back from wonderful dusty and dirty Kuala Lumpur. On the road was a "grey" colored Toyota VIOS driven by a middle aged woman. Although it was rush hour traffic and the cars were practically inching their way ahead slower than a tortoise, this woman driver insisted on shaving closely to me in an attempt to force me off the road. I would have easily given way should she have used her turning indicators. When I chanced a look at her and gave her an inquiring glance, she looked liked a demon on the phone busily yakking away and glaring at me at the same time. I took a deep breath and allowed her to slip in. Did I say allow? I meant stopped abruptly to avoid her grazing against my car.

Now, what have people and for that matter a woman driver become?

More on Malaysian Nurse Nude Pix

2009-02-17T11:05:00.003+08:00

I guess we all have Edison Chen to thank for all the recent interest and continued fascination by the masses towards personal and intimate pictures of such genre.

Whatever a couple may want to do and that includes taking intimate pictures is their own business and should by all means remain private. The emergence of such pictures are only a measure of the person that released those pictures to the public. I again stress that I am not a prude even if it was to be shared by friends. Shame on these people that take advantage of others.

So what if it was Han Bee Yin, Elizabeth Wong, or even someone we know...for that moment of cheap thrill the imbecile who avail these pictures have degraded themselves to a level of the lowest.

Malaysian Nude Pix of A Nurse

2009-02-14T13:24:00.002+08:00

I personally have not seen any of these Internet circulated photos of Han Bee Yin who is supposedly working in a private hospital in Penang as a nurse. However, I believe many have already seen the nude photos that are being circulated.

In an interview with Guang Ming Daily, Han Bee Yin admitted and revealed that she was indeed the person in those nude photos. This story was further highlighted in The Star in its February 14 publication which coincidently is on Valentine's Day, and which is how yours truly learned of this despicable act of a spurned suitor. Why can't men be more understanding and accept rejection? To what purpose was it if not only to bring shame to Han Bee Yin?

Well Bee Yin, if you do ever read this do not fret over it too much. Our body is god's gift and especially in such modern times there is no shame to feel. The idiot who posted your photos is more likely to get retribution ten-folds over for being a coward and a hopeless loser.

Perak's Crisis Fiasco

2009-02-10T15:50:00.003+08:00

With due respect the recent "minor" upheaval in Perak Malaysia is anything but "happening". What more can I expect from a state government that's barely a year old? It's like taking candy from a baby. Now if the states in East Coast were to be as such, then perhaps the show would be impressive and well deserved a pat on the back.

The occurrences of governments falling, in this case that of a state, should be of certain standards. For one, the instability must be caused by great grief for acts done that fail to protect the interest of the public. Secondly or in conjunction with the former acts that have harmed the public and/or their interest.

Members of Parliament are MERELY elected representatives of the people under the banner of their respective party or party-free candidacy. It is not a position to be traded for political and/or monetary advantage.

A simple approach would be to implement a guideline that will state that any Independent (Party-Free) MP so-elected is FREE to align them to the powers-that-are. MPs that won their seats based on support for their political party should vacate those seats if their ideologies differ from that of their party and to have the party appoint another candidate as suitable replacement. This is because the public votes for the candidate is based on his type of candidacy, and not a hundred percent on personal character. It's simple yet effective and would make Malaysia less laughing fodder in the eyes of the world. Although, who cares what the world thinks since its not anyone's business what goes on with others...but then again politics will always remain politics.

My Life Today in Malaysia

2009-02-07T18:40:00.004+08:00

It’s Saturday, the 7th of February in the year 2009, and yours truly is in the green. Being in the green means that my mind is jam packed, as usual, with thoughts. The only one I recognize is the constant itch to travel out of the country. But that’s not the point, my friend. The point is the beautiful people and places. There’s Singapore with all its supermodel pedestrians, and there’s my favorite country, Australia, and above all, there is the heart-stoppingly scenic, ultra ancient modern young and happening China, and the big boss, Japan, also beautiful. And then there are some others I haven't been to yet, but I’d like to.

The point is that they’re all not Malaysia, all beautiful travel destinations, and all here in this world where the local scene is bracing up to face the economy and business and fears of inflation and the credit crisis. And it’s all a torrent of wants, and they’re all so alluringly make-me-forget-and-relaxed, and I’m thinking, Why? When do I go from here?

When I finished breakfast at the local kopitiam, I hightailed it back to my abode, and what should be waiting there to greet me in the news is but the one and only stuff that is utterly embarrassing and disturbing, the one news that sort of puts one on the whole concept travel far far away, political instability in the country. Its been around a few years now, and we have all had our share of controversy lately. But I do hope that it'll be the last so that Malaysia can forge ahead and make right the wrongs in the past. Malaysia is still pretty young in terms of maturity at half a century. Looking mighty sweet to outside investors, she may soon sour if we don't get a firm grip at improving ours mentally and financially. We all know more than a little about the inner workings of the financial world - the strong oppresses whereas the weak meekly follow.

And the next day, there’s still us in the news with the political issues and such. I hope to see more of news that tell how well we are progressing, plans for the country's future, and lika lika lika.

What we have is a flood, a wakeup call, a tsunami of politic and economy. Pak Lah our beloved Prime Minister is still by far the best in my eyes. A leader that commands respects even till today and this is coming from someone who is a mere three decades of acquaintance from afar.

Long be well Malaysia.

McDonald's @ Malaysia - unforgivably Malaysian

2009-02-03T20:40:00.005+08:00

"Had an awesome time at McDonald's and can't wait to share it with someone? Think you've got an idea to help us boost our service? Let us know! We'd like to hear what's on your mind to improve our services. We want you to love every encounter with McDonald's. After all, we're supposed to be your favourite place to be, not just a place to eat!"

And, that's how the fat lady sings or in my case, screaming...at least they have the gall to make it an online tagline of sorts.

McDonald's in Malaysia is a very poor ripoff of the international Golden Arch chain. The food served is anything but fast. Quality for instance will have you served with a fish fillet burger that has hard crusty sides that makes you wonder if its because you're the first to order for the day and that's the leftover from sometime back (I wouldn't dare say its "overnite").

Compared to other joints or reputable outlets - there seems to be an awkward gap in the communication skills of the staff that's employed in McDonald's Malaysia. It's the only place in Malaysia I think besides the obvious mamak joints and some food courts where the official, common, and only language spoken is Bahasa Malaysia. It's rather embarrassing as a Malaysian to translate for a foreign guest and rather rude of the McDonald's staff to not answer in English. I however find it very comical to be engaged in this childish defiant play. At the same, HR hiring is restricted to a very un-Malaysian representation.

The best parts are,
1. KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Pizza Hut, and even Burger King hire better staff.
2. Their staff are more attentive.
3. They are also respectful in communication with better language skills.
4. They do not chat with their co-workers when serving a customer.

Now, McDonald's anyone? Awesome? I don't think so. Can't wait to share it? Definitely, so that others can read and see that their experience is not that much different. I'm lovin' it? No No No...

Welcome to the Year of Earth Ox!

2009-01-29T18:41:00.002+08:00

Well CNY this year is pretty wet and hot. It seems that this is the first memorable CNY where the weather is rainy. A first of many kinds. Perhaps its signalling great changes in the world. Whatever it is, I hope that the changes are good and beneficial to mankind.

In Chinese culture, each year is determined after a zodiac sign which is taken from a composition of 12 Animals. Namely, the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig and Rat. The Rat is actually the first zodiac sign according to list and since its the rota cycle of the Ox this year, its placed first here.

People born in the Year of the Ox are believed to be hard and tough, strong and silent, a planner who plots his stratagem. Someone who thinks before speaking and is very sure and clear about life. At times, they may come across as unfeeling and the sense of disdain for others too apparent. Their serene composure and modest exterior makes others misjudge them, as they are brilliant and easily able to assume leadership mantle. They are however not very chatty, less flashy and visible though intelligent enough to understand. For them, actions speak volumes.

Ho Chak on Malaysia 8TV

2009-01-28T01:45:00.002+08:00

I enjoy watching Ho Chak. It's a foodie documentary aired weekend on the best places to eat. Typically a show and tell of what's good for the palate. Yoon (吳家潤) female host of the show is so cute and watching her antics on the show makes it even enjoyable for a non-foodie like me. I mean as in a person who loves food but not to desire the same.

The show's namesake Ho Chak is Hokkien (a Chinese dialect) for “Tasty”.

Kudos Yoon...I'll be watching out for more of you.

A Sincere Wish for this Chinese New Year 2009

2009-01-19T16:28:00.000+08:00

I wish you all a Happy, Wonderful, and Prosperous New Year come this 26th January 2009. May we all be in the best of health and wealth starting this Chinese New Year. Happiness starts with you.

On the international scene, I would like to see:-

1. President Obie take office and show us the changes he looks set to do positively,
2. Wars and bloodshed a memorial of the past and never to recur,
3. A unification of trade organizations to protect and not fleece the consumers,
4. A China of greater reforms and with proper regulatory systems,
5. A Taiwan that maintains its own sovereignty,
6. Governments of more developed countries helping countries that are not, and
7. Peace and Prosperity.

Locally, I hope to see:-

1. Less Talk and More Action (LTMA) from the Pakatan Rakyat government which is still sluggish,
2. A stop work and demolition order for a Chinese Temple that is in the ending stages of construction despite opposition from local residents in Bandar Mahkota Cheras (not to mention the highway saga),
3. Proper decorum from Members of Parliament whenever they carry out their duties, whether in debates or so,
4. A ceiling price capped for petrol and a reflective showing in the same when the CO price per barrel is down,
5. Malaysians think of themselves more of a single race, the Malaysian Race, instead of by ancestral roots. Here I think our forefathers were even more friendly and united back then than we are now. If we cannot move forward then look back and learn from our past,
6. The total eradication of the Mat Rempit menace and an end to the lack of public safety, and
7. That we all Malaysians regain our pride and love for this land where we were born - Unity is Strength.

Gong Xi Fa Cai.........many times over

Something Fishy

2008-12-09T10:52:00.001+08:00

Fish pedicures, which involve tiny Garra rufa fish nibbling away at dead skin on the feet, can also be a harbinger for disease.

Back to Basics -- Traits of a Good Politician

2008-12-06T12:18:00.002+08:00

Politics consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and refers to the regulation of a political unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.

Political science (also political studies) is the study of political behavior and examines the acquisition and application of power. Related areas of study include political philosophy, which seeks a rationale for politics and an ethic of public behavior, and public administration, which examines the practices of governance.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-471 BCE) was one of the first thinkers to adopt a distinct approach to political philosophy. His philosophy was "rooted in his belief that a ruler should learn self-discipline, should govern his subjects by his own example, and should treat them with love and concern." His political beliefs were strongly linked to personal ethics and morality, believing that only a morally upright ruler who possessed "de", or virtue, should be able to exercise power, and that the behavior of an individual ought to be consistent with their rank in society.

He stated that "Good government consists in the ruler being a ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son."

The spate of demonstrations and public voicing that are mis-directed that we have so recently witnessed right here on the shores of Malaysia are akin to being embattled in a civil war. One that pits brother against brother -- inside us we are all the same. Now tell me, we certainly do not need a civil war to guide us and shape us like the one in America, do we?

The art and act of good government can exist when the leaders acknowledge that they serve the people of the nation. Overkill to say that they are sworn to protect them as well. Malaysians = Citizens of Malaysia. Are you a Citizen or a Foreigner?

Dim Sum A Chinese Delicacy - A Reflection on the State of Wealth and Economics

2008-12-06T12:00:00.003+08:00

Dim Sum is a Chinese delicacy that is commonly enjoyed in the mornings over a pot of nicely brewed Chinese Tea. The Chinese believe that the tea helps to dissolves the oil in food and aid in digestion.

The name Dim Sum is aptly translated into "A Spot of Heart" meaning that it is prepared with a tinge of heart. Heart-full preparation to create these mouth sized bites of wonder.

I'm a bit saddened by the kan-seongs (traders) in the Dim Sum industry for raising the price of Dim Sum to almost double of what it was back in 2007 (last year). Its not that its no longer affordable but the price hike is ridiculous. It was so much a joy whenever I got wind of the latest promotions here and there with Dim Sum going at 50% discount -- seems that this will no longer apply. I am certain that many other business people in the food and services industry raise their prices not solely due to increases of the raw materials or resources that they use to in delivering their product or service but more often because of their own personal greed and increases in their own cost of living as an individual. Look at it: The employees are not getting paid any more, are they? There is simply no sense of balance here.

Okay, enough on the short insight. I vow not to indulge in Dim Sum but shall still enjoy it once a bluemoon (never on a shiny day or a weekday) as it is no longer good value for money...

Malaysia is not the only multiracial country

2008-12-05T13:36:00.002+08:00

Face it...we Malaysians are not that special when it comes to being a multiracial country. Despite having come a long way since the time of our forefathers, we have regressed into a society full of controversy (as in singular sense). Perhaps we should bite the bullet and be humble enough to start learning from others. Tun Mahathir in all his glory during his overstayed rule in Malaysia did manage a good thing or two amongst his many other deeds. A good example is his introduction of the Look East Policy which nurtured Malaysia to emerge a formidable manufacturer of cars in Asia. No one is perfect...and neither is he.

I crossed upon an interesting documentary on Travel and Living yesterday of the ASTRO cable T.V. channel. It has this Bourdain chef guy on a visit to Columbia to seek pleasures of the tastebud...glorious food. It seems that Columbia has all skin tones imaginable. People of all the world can be seen here, White, Black, Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian, African...and all living happily. Although I could see that the majority were not in the trappings of a luxury lifestyle but heck..these people were happy.

It is my belief that Pak Lah had a good thing going and before positive things could come to fruit, bad things happened that were not entirely his doing. We are all proud to be Malaysians. It does not matter if we are an unknown (which we all know that the world in majority knows of us), multi ethnic group instead of multi racial, or even still making our mark on Earth, but the most we have to show at this moment is the childish behaviour we display to the international audience. Can we all just focus on the basics before we regress further. Think of a strong nation that is Malaysia and the Malaysian race that is the people living in harmony here. Is that not a goal worth achieving? Its fine to say that even lovers need a break or a vacation away from each other, but at the end of the day it remains that they get back together stronger and more geared for the future. We should all focus on being Malaysians and a multi ethnic nation - even the term multiracial denotes of a racial divide so drop it. In the true spirit of a global nation, we are beyond religion, race, skin colour, and borders. We are the same inside no matter who we are.

Keep the ISA --- Lose the Politicians

2008-12-05T12:56:00.002+08:00

For whatever it's worth, the Internal Security Act or ISA as we all know it should not be abolished as it provides a comfort zone towards maintaining the home security of Malaysia. However the only point which needs to be ensured is that the power to wield it should be entrusted to an individual or a committee that is able to act intelligently and without fear or favour; the latter being more needed.

It is extremely embarassing to learn of politicians who are whimsical, childish, rude, and shortsighted. For example, we have those that comment for the sake of letting loose a stream of unintelligibles; fear not that it is offensive to some quarters, those that use filthy language, and more so those that act like children in a playground fighting over who gets to play. Tsk tsk shame on you.

To these politicians I bid you a quick end to your so-called glamorous political career; whereas to those that are respectable (in my eyes) ie Pak Lah - you have done your best and although the tide is against you, your integrity shall be fortified and your good name held in deepest respect.

Speed up your PC

2008-12-02T22:56:00.003+08:00

By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly.

Free up disk space
By freeing disk space, you can improve the performance of your computer. The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.
Use Disk Cleanup to:
•Remove temporary Internet files.
•Remove downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets).
•Empty the Recycle Bin.
•Remove Windows temporary files.
•Remove optional Windows components that you don't use.
•Remove installed programs that you no longer use.
Tip: Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.
Speed up access to data
Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. The response time can be significantly longer. Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.
Detect and repair disk errors
In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility. As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.
Protect your computer against spyware
Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. To combat spyware, you might want to consider using Microsoft Windows Defender, which is included in Windows Vista, and is available as a free download for Microsoft XP SP2. Alternatively, there are other free anti-spyware software programs available.