Pledge to Liveearth now!

If you have not done so, you can log on to www.liveearth.org to pledge your support. It will only take you a minute but this little effort will go a long way to spread the message on environment conservation. DO YOUR PLEDGE NOW!

If you have already pledge your support, get your friends to do it NOW!

"It is the not size of the assignment that matters but how big your commitment is to the assignment!"

Today is 7.7.07

7.7.07 - a once in a thousand years occurrence.

This is a special date. In Singapore, it is an important date for many people who chose to tie their knot on this special day.

It is, to the rest of the world, a day to create awareness on climate change and environmental conservation. This is a genuine concern and a serious one.

Live Earth, a movement for climate change crisis, call for global pledge and support for everyone to do their part, however small it may be, in your daily chores to conserve the environment. Live Earth, kicked off with marathon concerts in 7 continents - Australia, Africa, China, Japan, Brazil, UK, USA, Germany. The artistes did their part and so can you and I!

Global warming has a slow but devastating impact to OUR universal, Our planet, OUR home and the decendant of mankind. Our ozone layer is depleting causing the temperature to rise, slowly but steadily, resulting in abnormal temperature and climate phenonmenal around the world. Water level is constanting rising, unknown viruses surface,

Imagine that Maldives will be submerged in around 50 years.
Imagine that continent, like Africa & Australia, without rain for months
Imagine that sun-tanning cannot be an outdoor activities
Imagine that rain becomes acidic
Imagine .... Imagine .... Imaginee ... that tomorrow will never be the same again ....

Do your part as a citizen of this planet! Starting from NOW!

You don't need to be a millionaire or an expert to do your part for our environment! You can make a difference - Do your part by changing your daily habits, spreading the message, showing your pledge with ACTION and live the SPIRIT!

• Use energy efficiency product
• Off the light when not in use
• Use natural light if possible
• Use CFL bulbs
• Use reuseable cups
• Increase air-con thermostats by 1 degree
• Recycle papers
• Support the use of environmentally friendly product
• Reduce use of plastic bags - Use reusable bag
• Reduce CO2 emission - Walk or cycle and reduce reliance on automobile
• Reduce water wastage
• Use renewable energy products
• Reduce deforestation
• Reduce use of charcoal
• Check your tyre pressure - right tyre pressure to save fuel

POST YOUR COMMENTS - SHARE WITH ALL WHAT WE CAN DO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION.

Pledge your support to LIVE EARTH - www.liveearth.org

Do your part for a greener and safer world!

Akan Datang ...

More pictures, information, recommendation and reviews on my current trip to New Zealand (Auckland and Christchurch) and Australia (Brisbane & Sydney) will be coming up soon ...

Night view of Darling Harbour

Stay tune!

Some Pictures from Street of Penang

An advertisement along the street. Not sure which one!

Penang's coast line. View from Northam Hotel

Mee Udang in Penang

I was recommended Mee Udang at the foodcourt opposite Northam Hotel. Mee Udang was actually prawn noodle made like pasta style with some spices and chilli.

It was priced at RM$6 for normal and RM$10 with more prawns & ingredient.

In addition, the foodcourt served good BBQ chicken wings and poh piah (or fresh spring rolls).

I would recommend anyone in the area to try the stall (pictured here).

Penang - Northam Suite Hotel

I was in Penang on May 17 and was put up at Northam Suite Hotel. As the name implied, this hotel only has suite of various class. However, do not be intimidated by the suite as this is probably the most reasonably price hotel in the region. It was extremely value for money with the RM$210 (appro. US$70) per night including breakfast. The room was extremely spacious and clean. Strongly recommended to try!



Recommendation (max 5 stars)
Comfort ****
Cleanliness ****
Value-for-money *****
Food (Breakfast) NA (No time to try!!!)
Overall ****

More Pictures from Mystic Hanoi - May 7 & 8, 2007

Outside Ho Chi Ming Monsoleum
A street along Old quarter ... Vietnam's Taxi


Singapore Airline Check-in Counter at Hanoi Airport. They made me queue even when I told them that I had already check-in through the internet despite the (blue) sign indicated an express lane for internet check-in and people with no check-in baggage. I also did not have any check-in baggage. Sigh!

New Blog on Technical Subject

I have decided to start a new blog to share my knowledge on quality, product safety and solution to technical barrier to trade.

Keep a lookout for it...

Cheated of S$1.20

Venue - IMM Level 2 (In front of the children play ground)
Date - May 12, 2007 @ around 7pm

What happen?

I inserted a one dollar and a twenty cents coin into the vending machine below in an attempted to buy a bottle of Blueberry drink. Unfortunately, the machine could not detect the coins and did show any indication of the coins invested. I tried pressing the button to select the choice of drinks but was unsuccessful. I tried getting the Tibits' store man to help but he could do nothing. I also tried calling the phone number (label below) for reporting but their office was only open from Monday - Friday. I could not leave message for someone to contact me.

Without help, I had to move on. Sign! I lost my $1.20. I doubt I would ever use any vending machine from this company. Just my luck!

Hanoi Sheraton - May 7 - 8, 2007

I was in Hanoi for the first time last week. I was arranged to stay at Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. We had arranged a limousine pick-up from the airport. The distance from airport to Hotel was around 35 mins. However, it was a smooth journey weavering through the narrow roads flanked by rows of low-rise shophouses and colonial style bungalows. The ride cost us around US$40. The hotel rate was around US$170 per room per night including breakfast.

Front yard of Sheraton Hanoi Hotel




View from Hotel room






Room of Sheraton Hanoi Hotel

Recommendation (max 5 stars)

Comfort ****

Cleanliness ****

Value-for-money ***

Food (Breakfast) ***

Overall ****

It's a Sad Week!

We lost 3 colleagues, good team members, partners and brilliant minds within a short span of a couple of weeks. It saddened me to see the team disintegrated, especially, in this way. It saddened to see organization lost the amount of knowledge that will leave with these teammates. The understanding, trust and comradies that were painstakingly built over time collapsed with the departure.

Undoubtly, there will always be a school of thoughts that find such departure as part and parcel of corporate evoluation and would argue not to make a mountain out of a molehill. I will still find such thoughts difficult to accept.

I was, and still am, a strong believer that high performance can co-exist with fun. Civilian organization, without the regimental rigidness of military organization, can be as effective and efficient. Mutual respect and good command and control can co-exist.

These series of departure, coupled with the negative energy arising from "politiking" among a specific group of people within the organization, were causing my morale to sink and fast reaching the seabed. These, and many other events, was affecting my confidence and my abilility to drive forward.

Have I lost the plot? Why should I bear with such nonsense?

Monorail Tour to Sentosa

Monorail station @ Vivo City

Sentosa

PSA whares - heart of Singapore trading

Interior of monorail

All pictures taken using O2 Xinc PDA phone.

O2 Zinc

I got my new toy, a O2 Zinc PDA phone. This phone came complete with WIFI, GPRS, QWERTY slide-out keyboard with cool grey finishing. This phone also came with a 3G SIM card.

I am begining to like the phone having gotten used to the keyboard spacing. However, the lack fo one-touch function that was associated with Nokia were missing. Otherwise, it was an interestingly nice gadgets - especially for a non-tech savvy person like me.

PHOTO ALBUM - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA TRIP

Express Noodle Bar @ Sydney International Airport - Make your own noodle!

"Darrell Lea Chocolates" (below) Yummy Yummy chocolate!

View from Somerset @ Sussex Street

Sweet-Me Hotspring & Spa Resort - Apr 16 - 19, 07

Lobby (left) of Sweet-Me Hotspring & Spa Resorts, Xin-Peitou, Taipei.

Beside the hotel was a supermarket and a couple of fastfood resturants including MacDonald.

Cost around NT$4800 per night excluding government taxes and including breakfast, unlimited internet access and access to public hotspring.

Breakfast (below) has spread of continental and chinese style buffet with freeflow of juices, coffee and tea. Breakfast starts from 6am - 10 am.


Bedroom has warm white lighting with a study table (above) and a Zen-style rest bench (below left).

More pictures of rooms.

Views of the toilet and shower room with hotspring tub (left and below)

I

One drawback was that the train from Peitou to Xin-Peitou station stopped at 8pm and one has to change to shuttle service if returning late from town.

Rating (Max 5 stars)

Lodging Experience ****

Service ****

Cleaniness ****

Breakfast ***

Accessiblity/conveniences ***

Value for money ***

Back!

It has been a long while since my last post and I am declaring that I am back.

Work and family will always be the easy excuses for not conscientiously updating. I am prepared to conveniently used these as my excuses even though determination and the "do-it" attitude were the culprits.

So what happen during the last couple of months?

I completed 4 seasons of Football Manager 2007 taking Liverpool to 4 European Champions League titles, 2 World Club Champion, 4 EPL Champions title, 2 FA cup and 1 League Cup. My reputation rose from Rookie to World Class and 3rd on the world Manager ranking. Liverpool also rose to 7 on the rich club list, just second to Chelsea in England, overtaking Manchester United and Arsenal. For those who were also playing the game - I have wunderkids like Daniel Sturridge, Geovanni Torre, Joris Delle, Craig Eastwood, Micah Richards, Cedric Evina & Sergio Aguero as well as experienced players like Fabricio Coloccini, Jan Kristainsen, Daniel Agger and Mohamed Sissoko to replace aging stars like Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerred, Peter Crouch, Luis Garcia & Dirk Kuyt. I was also appointed manager of England National Team.

Then there was golf. I got myself a new set of clubs consisting of 3 woods, 6 irons, a pitch and a sand. I am looking for a putter. I also spent some time on the driving range.

Workload also picked up after CNY with multiple travel to Thailand, Malaysia & Taiwan. Then there was customer event to be organized, emotional struggle and role uncertainties in work as well as having to accept mediocre quality of partnership. Unfortunately, this trait had extended on-shore.

Like the CDs I brought recently -

"American Idiot on Green Day couldn't stop the Monkey Business of The Black (Eyed Peas) even though Pink Floyd has the writing on The Wall making this place The Best of their Oasis."

I am looking into tele-blogging, new mobile phone and several other initiatives.

Tune in, more to come.

Goodbye Doggie, Welcome Golden Piggy

Wishing all A Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year!

"GONG XI FA CAI

WAN SHI RU YI"

This is the year of the golden pig, a rare 60 years phenomenon from the lunar calendar. A year of rare auspicious. It is a year known for peace, prosperity, success and wealth. Birth rate is expected to soar while enconmies are expected to perform.

May the prediction of this golden pig comes true.........

2007 Life Improvement List


Got a Computer!
Got a new toilet bowl cover and fix it!
Got a new set of sofa and bench!
Get new curtains & blinds for hall & bedrooms
Got Bedroom head board compartment
Get a new Handphone
Get Kitchen door frame
Get the walls painted
Changed light bulbs to off-white
WOW! Do something new/Re-ignite my passion!
Start investing agressively!
Tidy the study room
Complete my books ... plenty!
Fix my stamina ... 10Km run by Dec 2, 2007
Update blog more regularly
Go for holiday ... Enjoy! Enjoy and Recharge!
Football Manager 2007 ... I'm addicted!!!


More .... to be announced!

Nasi Lemak in Melbourne


Nasi Lemak redefined!

Australia is not the origin of Nasi Lemak but migration has brought this tasty local delight there. During one of my trip to Melbourne, I stumbled upon this award winning restaurant ran by Malaysian. In an new environment and different target market, the simple dish was given a new dressing and a little fusion of East meet West.

The presentation was meticulous ensuring that the dish was more than a food from the malaysia back lane. The fragrance of pandan leaves and coconut were maintained while the spice level was reduced to accommodate the local tastes. Chicken rendang was used instead of ikan bilis and kunning fishes. Then there were nice decor with air-conditioning and clean environment as opposed to the hot and sweaty kopi thiam.

The price is a whopping A$15 or approximately RM$36/S$18.

However, it was all worth the price. Anyone in Melbourne should pop-by (off St. Kilda) to try.