Friday, April 27, 2007

Busy week

It’s been a rather busy week for me of late. Spend most of the time responding to emails to clarify situations and to get myself untangle from the ugliness of office politic situations. Sometimes it is just hard to ignore office politics because whether you like it or not, someone may just get you involved in one-way or another.

I have been busy the past few days after knocking off from office to meet up with friends and colleagues to discuss on possible tie up to develop business web sites. Nothing-concrete being size up to date. What’s interesting though is the tremendous opportunity with regards to promoting products and services via the Internet it’s been quite awhile since I last do any Internet web site programming. I am not a solid programmer though; it’s been years since I last did any hardcore software programming. I love programming.I consider myself fairly knowledgeable with regards to software programming, it takes time for me to refresh and get familiarize with new software technology, the syntax and last but not least the commitment and the determination to accomplish on the goals that I have set.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Maintaining healthy skin complexion.

I usually receive compliments from people who said that I look amazingly young for my age of 43. It is almost impossible to guess my age by my look. Many women wonder if I have any special secret for maintaining my smooth complexion in particular my face. Quite a number of people in particular ladies spends hundreds and to some extend thousands of dollars to seek treatment for their skin problems. Facial care and beauty skin treatment is big business with profits surmounting to hundred of thousands of dollars being made throughout the cosmetic industries. Do I have any secrets with regards to maintaining a good complexion? The answer is a definite no. So how do I keep my skin in good health condition? The answer is as simple as pure ‘A’, ‘B’ ‘C’.

Here they are:

1) No smoking and no drinking
2) Drink plenty of water
3) Have adequate rest (quality sleep)
4) Avoid touching your face with your finger. If your face itches for any reasons, use an antiseptic wet facial tissue to clean it and apply anti itch facial cream or pimple cream. Make sure your hands or fingers are clean before you apply the cream or lotion.
5) Avoid intake of oily food
6) Take plenty of fruits and vegetables
7) Wash your face with warm water first, thereafter apply the appropriate face wash such as facial scrubs or foams, work through your face slowly and massage gently and then finally use cold water to rinse it off thoroughly.
8) Use clean tower to dry your face.
9) Make sure your pillowcase is clean. Change your pillowcase and pillow cover regularly. Having dirty pillowcase in close contact with you skin and face is surely an invitation to outbreak of pimples and skin rashes.
10) If you are a female and you notice that your facial skin itch and pimples relates to your period or menstruation, my advice to you is to go and see a doctor or a skin specialist. Hormone changes and imbalance could result in skin irritation and itch. Your doctor will be able to recommend and prescribed the necessary medicine for you in this case.
11) Clean the pollutants and dirt from my face with the SG-2000 hydro bath spa. The ultrasonic wave, the ozone and far infrared emission by the SG-2000 helps to get rid off the dirt, gems and pollutants from my body, in particular the face. Daily work pressure could impact your health. Use the SG-2000 to de-stress yourself in the evening before you call it off a day.

There you go, simple steps to maintain a healthty and smooth complexion! Why spend and waste your money seeking expensive cosmetic treatments? Forget about botox and other facial treatments.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

When MLM is not suitable for you?

Go get yourself a discern job and forget about those MLM which are nothing but scams and illegal business methods to con you off your money and time. Are you in for MLM or are you against it?
Never mind what others think or say, if you aspire to setup and run your own business, in particular home business do give yourself a chance to consider MLM.However to be successful in the MLM business you need to honestly assess yourself if you are cut out for it.

All successful MLM achievers possess certain characteristics.If you are an introvert, not sociable, sensitive to what others may say about you or if you prefer a nine to 5 o’clock kind of job than MLM is definitely not suitable for you.
If you have tendency to procrastinate, do not like to set timeline to achieve the goals that you have set or perhaps do not have any specific goals in life than MLM is not suitable for you either. If you are comfortable with where you are and simply just looking for some activities to pass your leisure hours then MLM is not suitable for you.
If you are risk averse to the extend of not being able to accept any calculated risk leading to acceptable lost then MLM is not suitable for you.
If you are the kind of person who does not like to share good news, wealth or experiences with others than MLM is not suitable for you.
If you are an inpatient person who could not control your temper or easily get agitated than MLM is not suitable for you.
If you do not believe in the product or service that you wish to promote than MLM is not suitable for you.Last but not least, if you are the kind of person who keeps complaining under the sun about how rich others are and how you wish you as rich as them yet not doing anything to improve your lot than MLM is not suitable for you either. MLM is not suitable for everyone. Am I suitable for MLM? Maybe yes, maybe not, what about you my dear reader?

For those who are interested to consider online business marketing, here's a great link to a free ebook on what to avoid with regards to Internet Marketing.
http://MichaelRasmussen.com/newsletters/ims16.pdf

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Lesson to be learn from badminton match.

I love to watch badminton game on the TV. One of my favorite games is badminton.
There is an important lesson to be learned from the man’s single final Asia Badminton match over the weekend between China’s incumbent Cheng Hong and the Indonesian champion Taufik.

There are basically two ways to overcome your opponent in any badminton tournament, techniques that allow one to win the match decisively. The first method involves speed and power attack strategy in the form of swift powerful smashes and deep angle drop shots to deliver the element of surprise and thus catch your opponent off guard. The 2nd method involves defensive playing technique that emphasize on patience and less focus on smash or deep angle drop that requires extreme mental fitness and physical focus. You can easily tire and worn out your opponent using the 2nd method. Some opponents gets distracted, agitated or worn out if the game stretch beyond their stamina. As a result of tiredness and impatience, silly mistakes such as bad judgments with regards to smashes, drop shots and even shuttle cork serve could become costly. All one need to do with regards to the 2nd method is just simply to maintain the regular game pace without aggressive attacking play so as to wear out your opponent in a long drawn out match.

The same strategies, be it the 1st of the 2nd methods are relevant under today’s political, military and even business context. Access your own capability and standing position with regards to your ability to challenge and beat your opponent confidently; apply the appropriate method accordingly. Half the battle is won if you know your enemy and apply the appropriate method to best overcome your opponent in the least physical and mentally taxing game play. If necessary you may also with to combine both methods to achieve maximum results. Apply the 2nd method to wear off your opponent strength and setup for the kill using method 1.
Small and medium enterprises can strive and compete with global and giant competitors if they play their cards right. Modern business strategist recognizes the relevance and importance of deploying Sin Tzu’s art of war strategy in order to survive in today’s unforgiving and fast pace business world. It is no longer adequate and advisable to compete with the big players direct head on. Create a niche market whereby you can grow your business initially without having to directly compete with the other major players. Conserve and multiply your business cash flow by serving dedicated customers and thereafter expand your business to compete with other direct competitors when the time is ripe. Plan your business strategy carefully and execute it promptly. Keep a close watch on the progress of your startup business and made the necessary adjustment and fine-tuning accordingly to ensure you stay on course to achieving your objectives and goals.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Defensive winning

Everyone has his or her own perception of what winning means. For some winning means getting what they want in life and entails some form of struggling or challenges or perhaps even a little bit of luck so to speak to achieve their objectives and goals. Most people would easily and readily associate winning with cash prize rewards such as striking the jackpot, lottery, grand lucky draw prize or any form of gains that enhance wealth. There are those who would prefer to look at winning from a bigger perspective.
These include successful businessmen who understand that to win is to willing to take calculated risk in one way or another in order to achieve the ultimate goals whatever it is. If one is able to minimize risk and increase success chances than winning is assured ultimately. Not everyone would agree with such definition of winning though.

Those who acquired wealth through investment knows that it is impossible to time and beat the stock market all the time. The stock market is rather unpredictable and volatile. It is very risky and costly to try to time the stock market. How much and how big we make and gain depends not on how much and how frequent we beat the stock market during the good times rather how badly we lose during the worst time. We may have running streaks of winning and beating the stock market but one major bad investment to wipe off all our previous gains. The art of defensive winning involves the application of strategy to limit loses during unexpected bad times while focusing on winning.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Making money online

Do you wish you could make money online? No doubt there are a plethora of advice given by many Internet marketing gurus around the world what you may not know or aware though is that 9 out of 10 start up online business or e-commerce business so to speak do not last more than 5 years or even if they do last they hardly break even at all. Having said that it does not mean going into Internet business is risky. As a matter of fact millions if not billions of dollars of transactions are done via the Internet daily. With the job market getting tighter and age catching up for some of us including me of course, the Internet offers immense opportunity for one to start business. Here’s a link on information regarding making money online. Enjoy reading and hope it would be of use to you.http://www.12makemoneyonline.com/

Cheers
Richard

Monday, April 09, 2007

It is not what you know that matters rather who you know.

I just got to know that some of the nastiest, most arrogant, inconsiderate people in the design center of the organization which I work for have been promoted to directors.
I personally felt that some of these people do not even deserved the engineer position much less a promotion to lead important functions within the design center. All that some of these nasty people do is just talk and no action. Some of these people are very good in indulging in office politics and currying favors with their upper management.I suppose after all said and done politics rules in almost any situation.
Sometimes it is not what you know that matters; rather it is whom you know that matters.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

What is wealth without health?

Nina Wang, the richest woman in Asia dies at the age of 69. It was reported in the news media that she is a very frugal lady with regards to spending money despite the billions of dollars that she amass and owns throughout her business empire. It was mentioned in the press that weeks before her death, she was still working hard on business investment deal amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Not sure how true it is, it was also reported that she is so thrifty that she takes porridge and beans occasionally. It was only towards the very last few months or perhaps weeks of her life that she sought treatment in the United States, Singapore and other countries for her terminal illness.

I am reminded of another Hong Kong celebrity and famous actress, the late Anita Mui. It was reported that she was involved in many overseas concert preparations despite knowing her illness.

At times it makes me wonder what’s on the mind these rich and famous people when they realize they have contracted terminal illnesses? We could look at it from the positive aspect that despite their terminal illnesses, they have the guts and never say die altitude to press ahead with whatever goals and plans that they have set. On the other hand, it seems to me that their quest and thirst for wealth has clouded their mind so much so that health is secondary and that money related matters takes center stage. It was reported that Anita refuses repeatedly to heed the doctors advice to undergo surgery that would have probably save her life. Instead she put her effort and focus on overseas concert tours.

Furthermore, I was told that 2 out of 3 of the founders for SCM, a local high tech company has died of cancer during their 50’s age.

Nina Wang and Anita Mui are not the only people who work hard throughout their lifetime to be successful, accumulate wealth but sadly never get to enjoy the fruits of their labor to their ripe old age. Wealth without health is useless and meaningless. It is sad to know that many Singaporeans and locals’ thinks alike with regards to wealth over health.
We don’t mind spending big money on entertaining and luxury items such as cars and properties but not on things that could improve our health.

So the next time while you are busy working to earn your living, do give a thought to maintaining your physical health much as you desire to maintain a good financial health.
What is wealth without health? Be proactive to maintain your health, not reactive for we all know that prevention is better than cure right?

Friday, April 06, 2007

Ridiculous junk ads and gimmics


One of my favorite hobbies is collecting magnetic stickers and labels. Attach is a photo shot of my woodland apartment refrigerator with nice stickers. Aren’t they cute?

I am really put off by those junk mails put into my home mailbox almost daily. I have to sort out the junk mails from the rest of the important ones. Sometimes in the fit of agitation and impatience I would end up unknowingly discarding important mails such as bill notifications together with the rest of the junk mails, only to receive reminder mails to settle my outstanding credit card bill payments promptly and urgently.

If you ever subscribe to the Reader’s Digest you would have notice that each month’s printout contains advertising gimmicks and junk notes. First there is the congratulatory note that informs that you are the very few selected lucky readers to enter the grand lucky prize draw. Also attached are ridiculous stickers and labels which states explicitly you need to paste on to the notes and return with the enclosed reply envelope so as to qualify for the grand luck prize draw. What Reader Digest don’t inform the reader is that the chances of being becoming the grand lucky prize draw winner is as good as the Singapore Luck Draw Grand Toto 1st prize chance.

It takes extreme patience to figure out which labels and sticker to place on which reply notes so as to qualify for the grand luck draw! Apart from the grand lucky draw, readers also qualifies to have the opportunity to win other interesting prizes and other side luck draws if they agree to sign up to buy other promotional items listed in the junk ads! One major thing that really piss me off regarding Reader’s Digest advertising gimmick is that they made you to go through almost certain each month’s subscription repeat process of having to reply that you are interested to qualify for the final grand draw sans the rest of the promotional items! Goodness me, can’t Reader’s Digest sees that most people only wish to reply once to indicate that they are interested to be enroll into the grand luck prize draw, which subscriber wouldn’t anyway so why the heck the need to made readers go through each periodic reminder of having to indicate reader’s interest to qualify for the grand lucky?
I like Reader’s Digest; the articles and information are great, I have been an ardent fan of Reader’s Digest since I was a kid. Perhaps it is time for Reader’s Digest to return to its core business, that is of publishing great books and magazines without the stupid junk mails and ads about lucky draws which piss many people off!

Today is a public holiday, Good Friday, so I get the opportunity to take a break from work. Hurrah!









Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Human personality

I am reminded of an interesting observation about human personalities and what to do about them by one of my friend. Apparently the source of this interesting topic comes from a German General during the 1st world war.

Given 4 kinds of human personalities namely

1) Ignorant and lazy.
2) Smart but lazy.
3) Smart and hardworking
4) Ignorant but hardworking.

What do you do with a person with any one of the above personalities?

Quickly hired the person with personality item (3). People who are smart and hardworking are valuable resources and asset to any organization. These are the people who make things happen.

Leave those with personality item (1) alone if you have such people within your organization; they won’t do much harm if they exists within your organization, neither do they ever contribute to the growth of the organization. On the other hand avoid hiring such people if you can at all cost.

Promote those with item (2) quality to become managers and leaders within your organization. These are the people who are able to improve the efficiency and productivity by constantly finding ways to get things done using less resources, time and energy.
Get rid of the people within your organization with item (4) quality. It is definitely most unfortunate for any organization to have such people as managers or decision makers within an organization. These are the people who waste the organization resources and time unnecessary by setting wrong priorities and having valuable resources to work on the wrong things at the wrong time!

So there you go, 4 personality types and what to do about them.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Who is your greatest enemy?

Have you ever ponder who your greatest enemy is? Is it the person who is hell bent on contradicting and opposing all your views and opinion and thus making your life a piece of wreck in your work office? Is it the person who loves to gossip, slander and criticize right behind your back? Is it the person who causes you to loose your promotion or your job? Is it your boss who does not appreciate your hard work and contribution, a boss who only knows how to load you with more and more work assignments? Is it a friend who repays evil for good?

Have it ever occur to you that your biggest enemy may just simply be yourself? Sure, we all do seems want to love ourselves foremost but how many of us do really do give a thought to living the best quality life that we could possible deserve by taking the necessary actions and efforts to achieve it? We want the best in life but never seem to set the necessary goals, plans and actions to achieve it. Mother nature has bestowed upon us we humans the natural tendency to procrastinate and to find fault and blame others for all our misfortune. We blame the government, and almost anything under the sun for all our dilemmas except ourselves. Yes, it is true that at times there are situations in life that are beyond our control; you may call it fate if you wish. Putting fate aside we are the masters of our own destiny! No one can help us if we refuse to help ourselves. So lets examine yourself before you start to point the fingers at others for all your calamities. There is no shortcut to achieve success and quality life. Either we work for it or we don’t, no two ways about it.

Ponder this question. Would you prefer to adapt yourself to suit the environment you are in or to change the environment so as to suit your needs in life? The path you choose may very well determine your success of failure life. Challenges in life are inevitable, what matter most if how we deal with the challenges in life and be accountable for our actions, not to seek to place blame others when things don’t turn out the way we want it to be.
Do remember that you are your own greatest enemy. Overcome the enemy within yourself and half the battle is won!
The choice is yours; the battle is yours.