Singapore Sun Festival 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

Malaysia Welcome to the Busy Corner Restaurant

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.