A touching story and a good reminder to everyone

I received an email today from a friend. It is a story that so touching it melts my heart, it is also act as a reminder and a very good reminder indeed, and I would like to share it with all of you. The story goes as follows:

A touching story and a good reminder : "Take time to appreciate what you have now."

On the last day before Christmas, I hurried to go to the supermarket to buy the remaining of the gift I didn't manage to buy earlier.

When I saw all the people there, I started to complain to myself," It is going to take forever here and I still have so many other places to go. Christmas really is getting more and more annoying every year. How I wish I could just lie down, go to sleep and only wake up after it..."

Nonetheless, I made my way to the toy section, and there I started to curse the prices, wondering if after all kids really play with such expensive toys.

While looking in the toy section, I noticed a small boy of about 5 years old, pressing a doll against his chest. He kept on touching the hair of the doll and looked so sad. I wondered who was this doll for. Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him, "Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?"

The old lady replied, "You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear."

Then she asked him to stay here for 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly.

The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.

Finally, I started to walk toward him and I asked him who did he want to give this doll to.

"It is the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for this Christmas. She was so sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her."

I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus will bring it to her, after all, and not to worry.

But he replied to me sadly. "No, Santa Claus can not bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mother so that she can give it to her when she goes there."

His eyes were so sad while saying this."My sister has gone to be with God.

Daddy says that Mummy will also go to see God very soon, so I thought that she could bring the doll with her to give it to my sister."

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, "I told
daddy to tell mummy not to go yet. I asked him to wait until I come back from the supermarket. "

Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me, "I also want mummy to take this photo with her so that she will not forget me. I love my mummy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister."

Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.

I quickly reached for my wallet and took a few notes and said to the boy,
"What if we checked again, just in case if you have enough money?"

"Ok," he said. "I hope that I have enough."

I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll, and even some spare money. The little boy said, "Thank you God for giving me enough money."

Then he looked at me and added, "I asked yesterday before I slept for God to make sure I have enough money to buy this doll so that mummy can give it to my sister. He heard me." "I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mummy, but I didn't dare to ask God too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and the white rose."

"You know, my mummy loves white rose."

A few minutes later, the old lady came again and I left with my trolley.

I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I
couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local
newspaper article 2 days ago, which mentioned of a drunk man in a truck who hit a car where there was one young lady and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-assisting machine, because the
young lady would not be able to get out of the coma.

Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young lady had passed away.

I couldn't stop myself and went to buy a bunch of white roses and I went to the mortuary where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wish before burial.

She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand
with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest.

I left the place crying, feeling that my life had been changed forever.

The love that this little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine and in a fraction of a second, a drunk man had taken all this away from him.

Now you have two choices either:
1) Send this message to everybody that you know; or
2) Delete it and do as if it never touched your heart.

How to transform your USB External HD or ThumbDrive into a portable and private PC.

Ever imagine of making your external USB HD or thumbdrive as your portable or private PC that you can bring it along with you wherever you go i.e. bring your software, settings and data with you and run it on any PC.

A company named RingCube developed a technology called MojoPac that able to transform your iPod or USB HD or Flash/Thumb Drive into a protable and private PC. Therefore, when you plug your MojoPac enabled device into any window XP computer, MojoPac will automatically launches your environment on the host PC. When you unplug the MojoPac, no trace is left behind since all your information is not cached on the host computer.

It a very handy essential tools and worth exploring.

Visit site for more info : MojoPac

How to defrag certain files instead of the whole hard drive

Have you been experiencing slow processing of some application in your PC or laptop? How long since you last run defragmentation apps? A defrag tools is a necessity to ensure your PC runs smoothly and less trouble. It is similar to cleaning your store, re-arranging your stuff, discarded the stuff you no longer want so that it easier for you to look for them later. A company that brought you CCleaner and Recuva, now bring you a file defragmentation to help you defrag your file with ease. It is called the "Defraggler". This app gives you an option whether to defrag a file, certain files or the whole files.

So how do you do it? well, easy just run and use "Defraggler".

The company claim the Defraggler is different from others defrag tools on the market. The Defraggler enable you to simply and quickly defrag the files you want to without having to process the whole drive. The process is simple; you run it, select the file and defragment them in seconds. You will be experiencing less struggle and effort in running the defragmentation tools as compare to others defragmentation tools.

Features of Defraggler:

· Defrag individual Files :
Most defragmentation tools only let you defrag the whole drive. Defraggler gives you the power to select individual files and folders to defrag. So you can get the job done in seconds, rather than waiting for the whole drive to complete. Of course if you want to defrag the whole drive Defraggler will let you do that too.
· Compact and Portable :
Defraggler was written in the same compact architecture as other Piriform products (CCleaner and Recuva). It can be copied to a thumbdrive and then used whenever you need it, without a complex installation process. The apps is less than 1MB!. In other word you will have a mobile defragmentation tools you can bring with you and ready to be used whenever you want to.
· Vista Support :
Defraggler supports all OSs released since Windows 2000, this includes Windows 2000, 2003, XP and Vista. However 64 bit have yet to be developed and will be available soon.
· Locate files on the drive :
After analysis defraggler lists all the fragmented files as well as the location of files on the drive.
And last but not least, the most interesting features of defraggler is; it a FREEWARE!, available for both individual and corporate use. What can be more appealing other than freeware! It worth a try.
For more info please visit : Defraggler

PART 2 : EXTRA TIPS ON HOW TO CUT COST AND EXPENSES.

a) Mortgage (if any):
i) Family : If necessary, change to a bank which offers a lower interest rate or flexible payment scheme. Sometimes interest rates fall, ask your current bank if you can apply for the new rate. Don’t skip payment, you loose money on penalties.
ii) Working Singles : n/a
iii) College Student : n/a

b) Rent :
i) Family / Working Singles / College Student : Scout around, you may find a cheaper option.

c) Car loan/Transport :
i) Family & Working Singles : Interest rates are more or less similar from one bank to another. Don’t skip payments, again you loose money on penalties and getting your car back if it gets towed away. Even better, buy a second hand car (be careful of maintenance) or a motorcycle.
ii) College Student : Use public transport. Buy a motor cycle if traveling distance is too far or the bus/train is unreliable.

d) Petrol & Toll :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Cost depends on how far you have to travel. Try to live closer to your workplace, kids’ school, your college. Alternatively balance your driving distance between your workplace, the college/school and the nearest town so that you don’t have to travel too far to any of these places. Even better set a straight path so that everyone in the family doesn’t have to go in different directions but on the same road from home – school/town – workplace. To cut down even more, use a public transport or share with a colleague.

e) Groceries :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Eat at home before going shopping. Compare prices. Buy the cheaper alternative (not luxury but it will keep you alive). Buy bulk for families if necessary but not goods that go bad quickly. Stay away from tit-bits like crisps, candies or chocolate at the check-out counter. (They are put there to temp you on the way out). Don’t buy tit-bits while waiting for the bus/train. Make sure you & your wife don’t pay double for things like newspapers, coffee at the nearest cafe in the morning etc. Bring food/drink to work/school/college. If you are an avid gardener and you have the space, grow your own food.

f) Cable TV :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Again this is not a matter of life and death. It is considered an extra entertainment. Just have the ordinary channels on. Find other entertainment that don’t cost much.

g) Internet Access & House Phone:

i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : These two often go together. If you really want to do without the extra cost, stop having a house phone /subscribing to an Internet access altogether. Go to a nearby Internet Café if there is one within walking distance.

h) Mobile Phone :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Don’t yak on the phone just because you are bored most of the time. Get out more often, meet your friends/family or have them call you. Sending short messages is even more cheaper. Don’t have more than one phone unless someone else is paying for the bill (like your company).

i) Medical Bills :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Keep a healthy lifestyle. Eat nutritious food, exercise more, pray more, laugh more etc. Unfortunately, medical expenses are often unavoidable.

j) Electricity bill :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Switch off the lights, TV etc. when not in use especially if you are not at home. Air conditioning you can do with out. Use a fan. Get solar power/wind power etc.

k) Water bill :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Shower instead of soaking in the bathtub. Use a front loader washing machine instead of a top loader. Wash your car only when necessary. Use a glass of water when brushing your teeth instead of letting the tap run. Get a water saving toilet which has two choices for flushing. Get a water tank for rainwater. If the quality of water is poor in your area, use it for washing, in the bathroom etc instead of for cooking or drinking.

l) Miscellaneous :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Depends on what you find filtered away by the end of every month. IF you are really determined to save money - keep track no matter how tedious. Did you put aside money for house/car maintenance, road tax, tire change, dental appointments, birthday parties, visit to the vet (for pet owners) Sudden extra expenses for visits by relatives etc? Don’t lend money if you don’t have enough even for your self. Do have savings for your retirement?

m) Children School fees :
i) Family : Can’t be avoided but you can choose a less expensive school.
ii) Working Singles : n/a
iii) College Student : n/a

n) Kids Extra Activities :
i) Family : Cut down or cut out totally depending on how serious your money problems are at the moment. Let them find entertainment at home or better still spend time with them. Give them extra lessons yourself. Find ideas from the library/internet.
ii) Working Singles: n/a
iii) College Student : n/a

o) Entertainment :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Now this is where most people can cut down most. It’s not a matter of life or death. You can still survive with minimum entertainment.

p) Books/Magazines :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Buy the minimum basic books required for college. Go to the library often. Stop buying magazines, they cost a lot over time.

q) Photocopy/stamps :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Send letters/post cards sparingly maybe once a month or two. Read and write down articles/information before thinking of photocopying. Only photocopy things that are difficult to write down. Borrow if possible.

r) Credit Card :
i) Family, Working Singles & College Student : Only use during emergencies (life and death). Pay more than the monthly minimum required. You loose money on high interest rates. Don’t accept that Gold or Platinum Card when it is offered to you just to show off.

PART 1: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY

(General Guidelines – For the average person on the street)

Before continuing any further, first thing first, if you need detailed help and if you have a lot of money then you will need a financial advisor.

This article is just a simple guideline for those who do not know where their money goes to by the end of every month and for those who have trouble surviving on what little income they get.

CHANGE HOW YOU THINK

To get you (and your family-if any) started, you will need to be humble enough to acknowledge that you are struggling financially and that you need to tone down your lifestyle. Yes your friend, neighbour, colleague or relative may ‘seem’ much better off than you, probably having somewhere nicer to live in, own a car or even a very expensive one, have nice things in their home, wear fancy clothes or that they can go for a holiday often and so on, BUT you must remember, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Don’t try to compete with anyone - it’s very stressful. Jealousy is not very becoming of anyone.

WANTS VS. NEEDS

Note everyone knows this but there is a difference between what we need to survive and what we want/desire to make us happy. To survive we have to have the basics like food, medicine, somewhere to live, transportation, a source of money to pay our bills and expenses (example, job, savings, allowance, scholarship, welfare money etc.).

Even then there is the differences in prices for these basic things. Some food are more expensive than others, the same goes with clothes, a place to live, medical treatment, transportation etc. If you have limited budget or money, choose the cheapest. Don’t go to a private hospital, instead go to a government hospital. Don’t buy branded clothes, buy similar but cheaper ones. Don’t eat at a restaurant/café, bring food from home. Don’t travel by taxi, go on the bus. Don’t have too many girlfriends or wives, one is enough.

‘Wants’ on the other hand is driven by desire. Often we want that nice, expensive car, we want to go for a long holiday, we want to party every weekend, we want that lovely but expensive sofa set, we want to treat our friends often, we want a nice big house with a garden, we want that diamond ring, we want the latest PDA/ hand phone, we want sports rim for our car, we want a computer for each and every one of our kids, we want that high powered motor cycle etc. Control your wants. Don’t suffer for it.

To be able to manage our monthly income, we have to know the difference between these two, especially during times when we are tempted by our friends bragging, TV/ newspaper advertisements, widow displays, the salesman etc. All telling us that we ‘need’ these things to make us look and feel good.

EXCESSIVE VICES

If you are a gambler, an alcoholic, a drug user or have other problems can lead to the use of a lot of spending money, seek professional advice to kick the habit. Some habits are very hard to get rid off without help. They eat into your finances, into your life and destroy you slowly but surely. Getting help is nothing to be ashamed off. You don’t have to announce it to the world, go alone if you have to but it is better if you have the support of a friend or family to help you on your way.

Another thing that is not as excessive, is smoking. If you calculate how much a packet of cigarettes cost and how much you use in a month, you will notice that it cuts quite a bit into your budget. It is not necessary for survival and you won’t die if you don’t smoke. The craving will drive you crazy but it can be overcome (If you really want to-develop the will power).

FRIENDS CAN BE OUR DOWNFALL

You have to manage yourself and your lifestyle as best as you can. If it is your friends who are living the high life and enjoying themselves excessively, then perhaps its time to find new friends who are more like yourself so that you don’t have to be that much different from them. Learn to turn a deaf ear on people who make fun of you, just because you don’t dress in fancy clothes, drive to work, have a high paying job, enjoy life like them etc. Good friends are reliable and steadfast. They respect you for yourself and not what you have.

If you are ambitious then you can work smart and hard for these things (the legal way of course. Again to avoid trouble in the long run) and enjoy your hard earned money once you actually have it in your bank account. Get a second part-time job if you have to. Start a home business if you have a full time job.

FAMILY LIFE VS. LUXURIOUS LIFESTYLE

If you already have a family, balance your needs and ambitions to a quality life with your family. No point having all that money when you and your family members are not close and don’t enjoy each others company. I have known some people who work too hard all their life only to retire to an empty home where their kids seldom come home or call home to ask how things are. This is because they are so used to dad or mum not being around. Set your priority – what do you want? Money or a close family life? Some people can have both but not everyone can achieve this. A person who is never there is seldom missed. Painful but true. You cannot catch up on lost time. It is better to set a balance.

‘CONTROL’ YOUR DESIRES AND WEAKNESSES. FIND CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

The best way to manage what little you have is to ‘control’ your desires and spending habit. Find cheaper alternatives to what you would like to do or have. Decide how much you are getting every month and how much money goes into your everyday expenses. Determine which expenses are necessary for survival and which are not. Survival means you will die or end up on the streets/in jail if you don’t have it. For example, if the price of petrol is going up and up, find a cheaper alternative to go to work. Get a motorcycle perhaps or share s car/petrol with a friend who live and work in the same area. Take the train or bus. If it is not too far then use a bicycle (Good for the environment too). Not as convenient but ‘cheaper’ because that is what we are aiming for. Swallow your pride and ego. Remember, you have nothing to prove to anyone. What can you achieve by burning a hole in your pocket/wallet?

Kids are often the main weaknesses of parents. If you have four or more kids and you suddenly have that extra money to buy them a treat, let us say ice-cream. Buy a large container from the local supermarket instead of stopping by at the nearest fast food outlet for it. You save a lot of money this way. If you have just one child and he/she starts screaming and crying for a $200 toy at the store but you don’t have that sort of money. Don’t pull out your credit card. After trying persuasion and it doesn’t work be firm, pick him/her up gently calmly and try to distract him/her with something else. If this doesn’t work perhaps it is time to go home to avoid all the fuss. Most people will understand especially those who have had kids themselves. Children can often get distracted easily and for the more stubborn ones, the parents have to be firm. Don’t give in too easily to their wants (as oppose to needs) otherwise they will do it again and again.

Sometimes it is the parents’ fault that their kids are high maintenance. They want the best for their kids even though they themselves can’t afford it. The excuse is that they want for the kids something which they themselves couldn’t have in the past. For example; a good but very expensive school (Be flexible. Find a middle alternative), piano lessons, clubs (not just one but many), extra art lessons (apart from what they teach at school) and so on. Just because you couldn’t have it as a child doesn’t mean your child has to have it too. Even if you did have the extra luxuries as a child but your current finances do not allow you to, there is not need to give them the extras either. Use your common sense.

BE STRONG, TRY HARDER

Humans tend to have weak will power. Yes, it part of being human. But you can train yourself. All it takes is self determination. Try harder, that is. Don’t give up too easily. Decide on a monthly budget. Keep track of your spending habits. Try not to spend more than what you have. If you spend too much this month, try again next month and the next. Cut down on things that are not important to your survival.

HOW BORROWING AFFECT US

Your life is your own and when you are in trouble especially financially, there is seldom someone there to lend you a helping hand. Borrowing money to lead a better lifestyle is NOT the solution but will get you into more trouble in the long term (This includes ‘borrowing’ money from your friendly credit card, a friend, relative or even worse a loan shark). Remember credit cards and loan sharks charge high interest rates on the money you borrow. For example for every $100 you borrow, you may end up paying $116-$150 at the end of the month. Then if this hasn’t been cleared the amount will go up and up until you clear your loan. Some people get another credit card to pay for the loan they already have, and another, and another etc. This is highly dangerous and stupid. Wouldn’t it be better if that extra money went into your own pocket instead?

Of course if there is an emergency and you or your family need immediate medical attention, by all means use your credit card (because it is a matter of life and death) and use it only in this way. Some people claim that an ‘emergency’ is when they need to buy new clothes for that annual party that everyone is talking about. Please! Use your common sense when deciding what an emergency is. It is not that toy that your child wants, or a night out at an expensive restaurant just to impress your friend/s or a party that you suddenly decided to have. To avoid using your credit card for things that come up suddenly, plan what you normally need to spend on yearly basis (yes it is troublesome but worth the effort). Save a little money every month for emergencies or when you suddenly get some money from an unplanned source. Don’t use it all up in one go.

Stay away from loan sharks no matter what. For those who do not know what a loan shark is. It is someone who profess to have a money lending business but charge very high interest rates. They may not even acknowledge that you have made payments in the past. They tend to resort to illegal ways of getting their money back from you including harassment, violence or taking over your property by force and selling it even though the amount you owe them is not as high as your car, house, land etc. Yet some of them even use legal means to lend you the money (you have to sign an agreement) but the amount you loose if they take over your property is not worth the trouble not to mention the trouble they cause your family, friends and at your workplace.

On the other hand borrowing money from relatives or friends may seem better but if you can’t afford to pay them back, even in small installments, they will nag you until your ears fall off and they will loose trust in you. Then when you need money for emergencies, there will be no one there for you. For those who do not have a thick skin, this can be very stressful too. Honesty is always the best policy. If you do borrow money always try to work out if you can make payments, pay in small amounts every month if you have to but don’t let anyone loose trust in you. If you have a thick skin (no sense of shame), then I pity you. Suffer the consequence yourself. It may last far longer then you expected.

Note: Please click the image to enlarge.










CONCLUSION

We can all survive on the minimum if we try hard enough. Sometimes cutting cost is absolutely necessary for our survival or for our family’s survival. If you can’t afford that house yet, never mind, do without. If you can’t have as much fun as you want at the moment, never mind, do without. If you can’t afford to get married yet, never mind, postpone.

Things may look bleak at the moment or make you depressed, but think positive about the future. Find alternative ways of managing your money and of increasing your income (look up topic).

Problems don’t last for ever and ever. Tomorrow will not be the same as today or yesterday unless, you just sit there and do nothing about it. Remember that.

..To be continued ... PART 2: EXTRA TIPS ON HOW TO CUT COST AND EXPENSES.

Recommended Reading:

Eid ul Fitr cookies in Malaysia

(Kuih Hari Raya Aidilfitri di Malaysia)

Eid ul Fitr is an annual event for Muslims ending at the end of a month of fasting. The intention of fasting is to strengthen a persons willpower against bodily desires as well as be more closer to God through prayers and reflection.

This festival known locally in Malaysia as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated in the city with fireworks or firecrackers at the end of the fasting month. In the villages, people light up lines of oil lamps around the perimeter of their homes.

It is a time for families and friends far and near, to gather together to eat and make merry and to catch up on the latest family news. Food abound especially meaty dishes and rice dishes but the ones that attracts the most attention are the pastries including cakes and cookies. There are many traditional cookies as well as more modern ones - cooked in an oven.

The ones featured here are the modern ones, scrumptious and sweet using mostly natural ingredients including various types of flour, nuts, grains and chocolate. Granulated sugar, icing sugar or honey is used to sweetened these cookies. Colourful decorations and food colouring are sometimes used to temp the young who generally like colourful food.

1st Picture Source - http://www.desaku.net/Gambarprodukjadua-c-biskut-kecil.asp       2nd Picture - own photo.

   
1. The first cookie that I personally like is called the pineapple tart (Tart Nenas in Malay). There are two versions; the first has a crumbly and very soft cookie texture, wrapped around homemade pineapple filling like a sausage roll. The second is more crunchier, with the pineapple jam on top and marked with a X.

Picture http://www.diyanazman.com/2007/01/19/gloriousfood-batang-buruk-siti-honey-cornflakes-diyana-hahaha/

2. The second is called Toasted Honey Cornflakes with Almond. This has a crunchy texture and may sometimes fall to pieces if handled too roughly. The taste of the corn from the cornflake goes well with the honey and almond nuts. Usually it is served in tiny cupcakes just enough to pop into your mouth.

Picture Source - http://zaisara.com/

3. The third one is the Pistachio Nut Cookie (Kuih Pistachio in Malay). Again with a crunchy but smoother texture and sweetened with icing on top. Often it is in the form of a heart shape.

Picture - http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuih_siput

4. The fourth is called the (Cowrie) Shell Cookie (Kuih siput in Malay). As it’s name clarifies, it is in the shape of a shell and is quite savoury/spicy compared to the others. It is mixed with chili, curry powder and curry leaves before being hand rolled into 1cm sized shell shapes and then deep fried until crunchy. Making it is quite tedious but the taste is worth while.

Picture Source - http://chesakura.fotopages.com/?entry=974291

5. The fifth, is the round Makmur kuih (Kuih makmur in Malay). If well made, it has a soft crumbly texture which disintegrates in your mouth as soon as you put it in. The centre is made of ground nuts mixed with butter or the more aromatic ghee and sugar. Then it is shaped into a ball and rolled onto fine icing sugar to give it a white outer coating.

Picture – Own photo

6. Last but not least, is the chocolate coated hazelnut cookie. A whole hazelnut is found right in the centre of the cookie. The cookie is then coated with melted chocolate. This is often the favourite with children.

There are many, many other biscuits or cookie that are served during the Hari Raya festival. To mention them all would take many pages. Some recipes in English can be found in the links provided. For cookie lovers, this is the time to experiment and try them out.

Links:

www.diyanazman.com
Kuih Raya 1
kuih raya 2
Batang Buruk
Kuih Raya 3

When food is more valuable than money

APPLETON, Wis. - This thief apparently had quite the appetite. Appleton police received a call Wednesday of a burglary — not of valuables but of food. It was reported that the burglar apparently entered an unlocked apartment and walked away with a pizza, six eggs, a can of beef ravioli, a can of peaches and one chicken-and-broccoli Hot Pocket. The crime was committed between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and so far, police has no immediate suspects.

This is very odd. This is what we call going back to the basic necessity of life, which is Food. May be the burglar is so hungry that food is more valuable than money at that time.

Information from: The Post-Crescent

What would you do before the end of the world?

I came across an article on yahoo news, about an asteroid in collision course with the earth and you have only one-hour left to live. Recently, a survey was conducted in London to find out in percentage what most Britons will do with their last 60 minutes. Listed below are their findings:

a) 54% - spend it either with or on the phone to their loved ones.
b) 13% - would sit back, accept the inevitable and reach for a glass of champagne.
c) 9% - Sex appealed.
d) 3% - would turn to prayer
e) 2% - reach for some fatty food
f) 2% - decided, that it was time to start looting

The survey was commissioned by Ziji Publishing to mark the release of "Cloud Cuckoo Land" by debut novelist Steven Sivell who "uses the classic premise of an impending meteorite collision as a metaphor for threats to the human race."

What would you do if you have only one hour left before the end of the world?

Link : What would you do before the end of the world?

How to use i.e. and e.g. correctly

 the above images extracted from www.theoatmeal.com

Yes, I did make a mistake and I admit it. When come to writing an article, I frequently use “i.e.” instead of “e.g” to give an example. I only knew about the mistake I have done so very often when I came across a site named COPYBLOGGER.COM.
Both of these abbreviations are actually derived from a latin word. It is one of the most often use abbreviations in modern writing but you have to use them correctly otherwise it may cause confusion to readers.
The Latin phrase id est means “that is,” so i.e. is a way of saying “in other words.” It’s designed to make something clearer by providing a definition or saying it in a more common way.
Copyblogger has jumped the shark, i.e., gone downhill in quality, because Brian has broken most of his New Year’s resolutions.
The Latin phrase exempli gratia means “for example”, so e.g. is used before giving specific examples that support your assertion.
Copyblogger has jumped the shark because Brian has broken most of his New Year’s resolutions, e.g., promising not to say “Web 2.0,” “linkbait,” or “jumped the shark” on the blog in 2007.
I don’t know how often you use them incorrectly but I do.

Related Topics :

• Used to vs. Use to
• Compliment vs Complement
• Different between Farther and Further
• Bring vs Take

The four Warning Signs of a bad management

 The above image is extracted from http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com

Do you have a bad boss? Is your boss a good manager? Ask the workers what they think about their manager’s abilities and you soon find out that good bosses are rarity and endanger species. One of the main role of manager is to shape the way their workers works. Good manager creates good workers.

Related Articles: How To Deal With BAD Boss

The four warning signs to indicate a bad manager:

a) High turnover – Staff members will do their best to move into a less painful working environment.

b) Low morale – If the staff does not leave, they will spend a great deal of time complaining. This is not idle chat-chat; it is a device for relieving the stress of working under a bad boss. This is not good for the staffs well being and may affect the company productivity as well ( less productive).

c) Notice drastic changes on workers – There are some offices that changes drastically when the boss is gone. People start to smile and most show sign of relieve. They talk, laugh and they are more relax. There is lightness in the air as if a dark cloud has gone.

d) A Bad boss leaves a personal footprint – A bad boss will have his personal footprint on everything that leaves the department. Every memo, every letter, every report will be edited to carry his message. this is very bad and not healthy. It very bad for the staff's moral.

So what actually create or make a bad manager? Is it something to do with their egos, too proud? As if they know everything. Is it something to do with their high profile and loud voice and ugly face? on the other hand do you know the sign of a good manager? I bet you know isn't it but you don't want to say or admit. Are you scared or in some kind of trouble? You scared your boss might FIRED you? So what. They are plenty of jobs elsewhere.

So all the company out there, don't waste your time and money employing these horrific and good for nothing so called BAD MANAGER. BAD MANAGER will not improve the company productivity. Believe me, fired them and find someone else who is firm but fair to all the staffs, have sense of humor, productive, humble and considerate.

How to create good working environment
They don't know how to do it"



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Ways to make money on the internet

What are these terms frequently used on the internet really mean? i.e. pay per click, pay per impressions and so on? Even though it sound very basic, but some of us especially if you are new in this kind of business may find the following beneficial and worthwhile to know.

Listed below is some of the terms use for making money on the internet:

a) PAY PER CLICK: Website owners get paid each time surfers click on ads placed on their sites. Example of such ads is Google Adsense.

b) PAY PER IMPRESSIONS: The more traffic a website records, the more the advertisers pay.

c) PAY PER ACTION: Website owners get paid when visitors complete certain action, such as signing up with or purchase products of the advertisers.

d) AD SPACE SALES: Sell a portion of web page space for advertisement over a period of time regardless of traffic.

e) PRODUCTS SALE: Electronics books and software are among the popular items. There are also affiliate programmes where one earns commission selling such products for others. Example Amazon Associates.

Foldable battery made from paper

Washington August 15 2007 AP: Imagine a battery made to shape like a pieces of paper. It can be bent, twisted, trimmed with scissors or molded into any shape needed. It may sound impossible but US researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is currently developing it. It main objective is to create a new type of battery to be used in electronic or similar fields that need smaller, lighter power sources.

The battery uses paper infused with an electrolyte and carbon nano tubes, both that embedded into the paper. The carbon nano tubes form the electrodes, the paper is the separator and the electrolyte allows the current to flow. This is where the nano technology is being applied to create something smaller and flexible in size. Some scientist is expecting to use this technology with solar cells and one possible application is to use this battery in an electric car.

However since the said battery is still under development, it sound very promising. Imagine a book equiped with audio & video clip similar to the magical newspaper seen in the Harry Potter’s movie. The possibility is endless.

For more info please visit the site at: Foldable Battery

An Alarm clock that runs away and hides

I use an alarm clock set to certain time in the early morning and hope I will wake up but instead I quickly grab the clock and switch off the alarm and then go straight to sleep. I am one of the millions people in the world who have a hard time getting up early in the morning. Really, it is not that easy at all, especially in the morning. Getting up is the hardest thing to do for me. It is as if a whole body is glue to the bed. Well, this gadget might be the answer to the problem. It is an alarm clock with two wheel attached to it body. A clever and simple idea but effective.

It was in 2005, based on a conceptual design project, Gauri Nanda, then a graduate student at MIT, invent and named the alarm clock “clocky” and the rest is history. This is how it operates when in use:

a) You set the alarm to ring at a particular time.
b) When the alarm ring at that set time, it gives you an option to activate the snooze time depending what you have set (0-9min).
c) But the clock only give you once snooze and when you still can’t be bother to get up, guess what?, the clock rolls off the night stand and runs away. It wheel around your room looking for a place to hide and the nasty thing is it screen flashes and keep on beeping.
d) This for sure make you get up and start walking around in search for the sound. Thus indirectly make you get up and walk (not sleep walk).
e) The good news is if you prefer, you can disable the wheels.

The clock can jump from up to 3 feet, moves on wood and carpet. It alarm beeps in random pattern
The size of the Clocky is small: 5.25" x 3.5" x 3.5"

There you are, for those out there having problem getting up in the early morning, this clock may be your answer. Who knows it might help you, I hope.

For more info of “Clocky” please visit their site at: Clocky or see the video clip at : Video Clip

The Three Frogs.

I read a financial (by Azizi Ali) book when I came across this riddle. It not new but it gives something useful. Therefore, I want to share it to every one. The riddle goes like this. See if you can come up with the right answer. Before you start, please be honest, do not jump the paragraph and look at answer. There is no thrilled in doing so and you are missing the fun and the important message behind it. Ok, let us begin.


Three frogs are sitting on a lily pad. If one of them decided to jump, how many are left on the lily pad?

Please read the sentences again because the answer is not what appears at first glance.



OK, time’s up. The answer is not two, but three. Why? You see, the frog has only decided to jump but he has not jumped yet.
It means for anything to happen or want to happen, you must take action first.
You can have all the knowledge and all the wisdom, but without taking action, nothing will happen. It's like a goal without action is no goal (quoted by John Chow).

TIPS TO HELP YOU START YOUR DAY

I was reading an article the other day about a company and the author actually gave a few tips, which the author wants to share with others, and I guess I had better share it to all of you out there as well.

These are tips to help you start your day in a bright and cheerful manner.
1) Take a glass of water – in the morning on an empty stomach.
2) Have a good bath – using aromatherapy foams.
3) Meditate / pray.
4) Listen to a very soothing music.
5) Have your breakfast! - 1 glass of fresh juice and a bowl of oats will do wonders to your system.
6) Talk to yourself.

Do five affirmations a day and talk yourself into anything. Repeat out aloud so that you hear them as well as think them.

I deserve wealth.
I deserve health.
I deserve happiness.
I am good at my job.
I have a good life my body is healthy my mind is wise.

Whatever you want he says, you have to say it often enough and you will achieve your dreams.
7) Organise your tasks for the day.
8) Leave home with a smile.

He (the author) said to trust in him and your day will pass through wonderfully. The people around you he says will enjoy your company, your aura and your attitude. Well it does work for him; Hopefully it works for you too. There’s no harm trying isn’t it? What if it works? You have nothing really to loose.

"OUR GREATEST GLORY IS NOT IN NEVER FALLING,
BUT RISING EVERYTIME WE FALL" - Anonymous

Nissan New Electric Car - PIVO 2

Now Nissan's Pivo concept car can drive sideways too

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's Nissan Motor Co. on Friday unveiled a new version of its egg-shaped Pivo concept car that can drive sideways and has a small robot to assist with navigation or calm down angry drivers.

Please visit their site at:
PIVO 2

PIVO 2 Features:

a) 2 three seaters electric car
b) The wheels can turn 90 degrees for easy parallel parking.
c) The cabin is able to revolve 360 degrees, hence no need to reverse.
d) Round eyed robot attached on the dashboard which alert the driver i.e. sleepy
e) Equipped with “By wire” technologies that use electric signals in the steering and braking.
f) Use four independent electric motor, therefore no axles and the wheel can be turn further than conventional car.
The company says that PIVO 2 will appear at TOKYO Motor Show somewhere around October 2007.

How wonderful isn’t it to own this kind of vehicle especially if you work around the city. With this car, you can probably:

a)Save more on fuel.
b)Ease of parking your car.
c)Can easily maneuver the car in tight and narrow street.
d)Feel better since you are not contributing to the air pollution.
e)You won’t feel lonely driving alone since there’s always a robot to accompany you while driving.

I think it about time we get use to this kind of vehicle, even though it look weird. Furthermore, this car may probably help reduce the air pollution, as it is now has reach to a critical condition all over the world.

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