Saturday, December 30, 2006
Ed's 2006 Shelf Favorites
1. TOM PETERS ESSIENTIALS - DESIGN!, Tom Peters
2. DO IT! LET's GET OFF OUR BUTS - Peter McWilliams
3. THE SPEED OF TRUST - Stephen R. Covey
4. RE-IMAGINATION - Tom Peters
5. HEART WORK - Chan Chin Bock
6. TUEDAY WITH MORRIS - Mitch Albom
7. BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY - W.Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne
8. 360 DEGREE LEADER- John C. Maxwell
9. STRATEGY - Mark Daniell
10. WINNING - Jack Welch with Suzy Welch
11. THE ICE CREAM MAKER - Subir Chowdhury
12. QUANTUM LEAP THINKING - James Mapes
13. ONE-TO-ONE for SALES PROFESSIONALS - Dr. Marlene Caroselli
14. WHY TEAMS DON'T WORK - Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley
15. THE TIPPING POINT, Malcom Gladwell
Thursday, December 28, 2006
2006 Airport Review - Ed's Choice!
1. Changi International Airport, Singapore (9/10)
- If I have to choose to spend my time in an airport, this will be the one! Green, clean, spoil for shopping and resturant choices, wi-fi access, free internet kioks, massages, etc. You will never get bored in this airport.
2. Chek Lap Kok Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong (8.5/10)
- Nice, clean and busy airport with good amenties and facilities to structure your time. The only drawback for me is the train connection between terminal buildings.
7. Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand (7.5/10)
1. Changi International Airport, Singapore (9/10)
- If I have to choose to spend my time in an airport, this will be the one! Green, clean, spoil for shopping and resturant choices, wi-fi access, free internet kioks, massages, etc. You will never get bored in this airport.
2. Chek Lap Kok Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong (8.5/10)
- Nice, clean and busy airport with good amenties and facilities to structure your time. The only drawback for me is the train connection between terminal buildings.
3. Sydney International Airport, Australia (8/10)
4. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia (8/10)
- Modern, clean and rather efficient. Lacks greenary and the silver structures look cold!
5. Hong Qiao International Airport, China (7.5/10)
- Not spectacular but clean and reasonable. However, unorganized custom clearance resulting in long queue and, sometime, rowdy scene.
6. Incheon International Airport, Korea (7.5/10)
- Good, clean and well-organized airport. Not-too-efficient and not tourist friendly. Most signs were in Korean.7. Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand (7.5/10)
- Nice, clean and well organized airport but boring.
8. Narita International Airport, Japan (7.5/10)
9. Taiwan Tao Yuen International Airport, ROC (7/10)
10. Los Angeles International Airport (7/10)
11. Melbourne Airport, Australia (7/10)
12. O'Hare International Airport (7/10)
13. Brisbane Airport, Australia (7/10)
14. Don Muang International Airport, Thailand (6.5/10)
- Decommissioned to become a domestice airport recently. Not fantastic but reasonable. I like this better than the new airport.
15. Suvarnavhumi International Airport, Thailand (6.5/10)
16. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius (6/10)
17. Phuket International Airport, Thailand (5.5/10)
18. Chiang Mai International Airport, Thailand (5/10)
- Old, rundown and lacking in amenities. However, clean and efficient.
19. Tan Son Nhat Airport, Vietnam (4/10)
- Old and boring! Limited shops and only 1 resturant serving mediocre food.
20. Bangalore Airport (3/10)
- What more do I need to say? They are building a new airport to replace this one!
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Notes -
1. Restricted to airport that I have been
2. Restricted to 20
3. You may not like it but they are my choices!
Legend
- Excellent for transit/spend time if "Rating > 8.5"
- Clean and good environment, Efficient with sufficient choice to structure time if "8.5 >Rating > 7"
- Boring but reasonable environment for transitif "7
>Rating >5" - Forget it! Be there only if needed if "Rating <5'
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Farewell, My Friend!
Today is boxing day. I received three consecutive SMSes this morning. It was around 8.10am and these were very different ones. All were bearing the same message - I lost a friend of 15 years to cancer at around 4.30am this morning. My heart sank as I read the messages. I wasn't prepared for this news - even now! I am at a lost of word.
I knew that he was diagnosed with liver cancer several years back and was prepared for the worse when doctor mentioned that his days were numbered. He quitted his job to recuperate at home. He lost weight and looked pale. However, he did not give up. He fought back with regular treatment and positive optimism to regained his health. Diagnosis were positive that he was on the right track of recovery and brought much hope.
The messages erased everything - the hope of a full recovery! The feeling was more than just sadness. I wasn't sure how to describe but it also encompassed some feeling lost, fragility and weakness.
I dedicate this post to you - and will always remember you as a jovial, optimistic, dedicated and positive person who loved comics - especially Dragonball! - My deepest condolences to all your love ones at home.
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Today is boxing day. I received three consecutive SMSes this morning. It was around 8.10am and these were very different ones. All were bearing the same message - I lost a friend of 15 years to cancer at around 4.30am this morning. My heart sank as I read the messages. I wasn't prepared for this news - even now! I am at a lost of word.
I knew that he was diagnosed with liver cancer several years back and was prepared for the worse when doctor mentioned that his days were numbered. He quitted his job to recuperate at home. He lost weight and looked pale. However, he did not give up. He fought back with regular treatment and positive optimism to regained his health. Diagnosis were positive that he was on the right track of recovery and brought much hope.
The messages erased everything - the hope of a full recovery! The feeling was more than just sadness. I wasn't sure how to describe but it also encompassed some feeling lost, fragility and weakness.
In Memory of
TOMCAT
Thank you for the friendship!
Rest in Peace!
1970 - 2006
I dedicate this post to you - and will always remember you as a jovial, optimistic, dedicated and positive person who loved comics - especially Dragonball! - My deepest condolences to all your love ones at home.
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Friday, December 22, 2006
Hectic Weeks
The last few weeks were hectic - tight traveling schedule , report datelines, appointments, presentations, family and Christmas and they are taking their toll on me. I am beginning to experience the inertia, lethargy and cloudiness in my mind - a feeling of engine overheating. Luckily, Christmas holiday is just round the corner and I will have a few days of vacation break.
Bangkok was my first stop and I stayed at Erawan Grand Hyatt. The day started with meeting with the local agent. We had to negotiate the rates and other terms for next year's cooperation. It was followed by a full day of preparation for the Customer Appreciation Night. We tried, in vain, to get press coverage and press release for our event. However, the night went well.
I ended my Bangkok trip with meeting with a customer as well as our other agent. Then, it was the final Bangkok experience - Bangkok's traffic jam! The trip from our agent place (less than 5km from the hotel) to Erawan to the new airport took around 2hrs. Other than the tollway, the rest of the journey were practically commuting at 10 - 15km/hr. It took me around an hour to arrive at the new Suvarnabhumi (pronounced “Su-Wana-Poom”) International Airport for a 3.5 hours trip to Bangalore.
I was in Bangalore for a one day meeting then back to Singapore. Just when you thought Bangkok's traffic was bad, it took me around an hour to travel 2km to get to the airport from Airport Road (opp. Leela Palace) on the Friday night. My flight was 11pm and I arrived at the airport at around 9pm. It would not be a problem at most airport but the queues were already long by this time. First, it was queue to have our check-in baggage scanned. It was followed by another 1/2hr queue to check-in (and I was travelling by Singapore Airline). It was almost 10pm by this time and the next queue was to clear the immigration custom. This was a relative quick one, around 5 - 10mins but it was followed by another 15mins queue for hand baggage scan and airport security. I finally got into the already crowded waiting area and was able to spend a quick 10mins in the "duty-free" bookshop. Then it was back to queuing to board the plane back to Singapore. What an queuing experience!
I was back on a plane to Ho Chi Minh City after the weekend and spend 2 days there. It was a good experience as the place resembled Bangalore or Singapore in the seventies but with better efficiency and higher service level than Bangalore.
I stayed at Duxton Hotel, a Singapore-group managed hotel. The cleanliness, ambient and service level were relatively good and the location within walking distance of Saigon Centre and Saigon River. Price at US$150 per night (excluding tax) seems reasonable with respect to the various international hotel such as Sheraton around the vicinity. However, a power failure during the night had cause the generator to run and, very unfortunately, the generator seem to be located beside my room. The resulting noise and irritation was unbearable. I reported to the front-desk when I checked-out but the lady looked at me with a very innocent look and didn't or "didn't" seem to understand what I was talking about.
I had several meetings with potential agent, US consulate and the Singapore consulate. I also made many phone calls (or cold calls) to existing and potential customers. The trip ended with a meeting with our agent and 2 potential customers.
As I couldn't get a seat on a return SQ flight, I had to transit KLIA making the supposingly 1.5hrs flight to 6hrs. I arrived home at 1am, back to work in the morning and off to Bangalore that evening.
I spent 2 days in Bangalore this time. The first day preparing the presentation and the second participating in the presentation. What captured me during this visit was the number of people within the ranks attended and actively contributing to the meetings. I was impressed by their commitment, understanding of the markets, competitor and business. Most importantly, their willingness to participate, speak-up and contribute which were usually rare in our Asian culture.
Then I also had datelines to complete several reports and have to complete my Christmas shopping. This summed up the year - a hectic but mediocre one!
The last few weeks were hectic - tight traveling schedule , report datelines, appointments, presentations, family and Christmas and they are taking their toll on me. I am beginning to experience the inertia, lethargy and cloudiness in my mind - a feeling of engine overheating. Luckily, Christmas holiday is just round the corner and I will have a few days of vacation break.
Bangkok was my first stop and I stayed at Erawan Grand Hyatt. The day started with meeting with the local agent. We had to negotiate the rates and other terms for next year's cooperation. It was followed by a full day of preparation for the Customer Appreciation Night. We tried, in vain, to get press coverage and press release for our event. However, the night went well.
I ended my Bangkok trip with meeting with a customer as well as our other agent. Then, it was the final Bangkok experience - Bangkok's traffic jam! The trip from our agent place (less than 5km from the hotel) to Erawan to the new airport took around 2hrs. Other than the tollway, the rest of the journey were practically commuting at 10 - 15km/hr. It took me around an hour to arrive at the new Suvarnabhumi (pronounced “Su-Wana-Poom”) International Airport for a 3.5 hours trip to Bangalore.
I was in Bangalore for a one day meeting then back to Singapore. Just when you thought Bangkok's traffic was bad, it took me around an hour to travel 2km to get to the airport from Airport Road (opp. Leela Palace) on the Friday night. My flight was 11pm and I arrived at the airport at around 9pm. It would not be a problem at most airport but the queues were already long by this time. First, it was queue to have our check-in baggage scanned. It was followed by another 1/2hr queue to check-in (and I was travelling by Singapore Airline). It was almost 10pm by this time and the next queue was to clear the immigration custom. This was a relative quick one, around 5 - 10mins but it was followed by another 15mins queue for hand baggage scan and airport security. I finally got into the already crowded waiting area and was able to spend a quick 10mins in the "duty-free" bookshop. Then it was back to queuing to board the plane back to Singapore. What an queuing experience!
I was back on a plane to Ho Chi Minh City after the weekend and spend 2 days there. It was a good experience as the place resembled Bangalore or Singapore in the seventies but with better efficiency and higher service level than Bangalore.
I stayed at Duxton Hotel, a Singapore-group managed hotel. The cleanliness, ambient and service level were relatively good and the location within walking distance of Saigon Centre and Saigon River. Price at US$150 per night (excluding tax) seems reasonable with respect to the various international hotel such as Sheraton around the vicinity. However, a power failure during the night had cause the generator to run and, very unfortunately, the generator seem to be located beside my room. The resulting noise and irritation was unbearable. I reported to the front-desk when I checked-out but the lady looked at me with a very innocent look and didn't or "didn't" seem to understand what I was talking about.
I had several meetings with potential agent, US consulate and the Singapore consulate. I also made many phone calls (or cold calls) to existing and potential customers. The trip ended with a meeting with our agent and 2 potential customers.
As I couldn't get a seat on a return SQ flight, I had to transit KLIA making the supposingly 1.5hrs flight to 6hrs. I arrived home at 1am, back to work in the morning and off to Bangalore that evening.
I spent 2 days in Bangalore this time. The first day preparing the presentation and the second participating in the presentation. What captured me during this visit was the number of people within the ranks attended and actively contributing to the meetings. I was impressed by their commitment, understanding of the markets, competitor and business. Most importantly, their willingness to participate, speak-up and contribute which were usually rare in our Asian culture.
Then I also had datelines to complete several reports and have to complete my Christmas shopping. This summed up the year - a hectic but mediocre one!
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