I Am Officially 40 Years Old Today

He he ... Yep, I am officially 40 years old today :)

I don't normally celebrate my birthdays but for today, I actually celebrated it with my mom and other family members and loved ones in Singapore. Just a simple and small gathering. Hehe ... a small cake, and some nice Singapore vegetarian delicacies too. :)

It was really nice to have such a simple celebration of my 40th birthday :)













Btw, I had a pleasant surprise when I was leaving Singapore. The ICA (Immigration & Checkpoints Authority) officer behind the counter (at the Singapore Customs & Immigration checkpoint at Woodlands) who checked and stamped my passport realised that it was my birthday and actually wished me a "happy birthday". Hehe ... that was sweet of him :)


cheers
hanyi

Raining Cats And Dogs In Kuching, Sarawak

Yep, it rained heavily around late afternoon today. The heavy downpour was unexpected despite the recent "semi rainy season".

You know, one thing I really like about Kuching is the rain. Yep, as someone from Johor Bahru in West Malaysia that has less rain, somehow I like the climate and weather in East Malaysia so much more. I feel that over here in Borneo, it is cooler and I like cool environments :)

JustNice.Org Blog Being Moved Over To Han-Yi.BlogSpot.Com

Yep, the JustNice.Org Blog is officially being moved over to BlogSpot.Com.

Any blog post done before 5th September 2008, are from the previous JustNice.Org blogs on the original site using WordPress.

Any blog postings after 5th September 2008, will be new posts added after the "move" to JustNiceOrg.BlogSpot.Com :)

Thank you. :)

best regards
hanyi

Hello World! Again ... For The 4th Time :)

Hehe … Welcome to the JustNice.Org Blog (AGAIN! For the 4th time!!!) This is my first post in the 4th version of my JustNice.Org blog. :)

Yep, and this time around, I am determined about moving the JustNice.Org Blog to Han-Yi.BlogSpot.Com (permanently) as I am running out of patience after 4 long years of problems with versions 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 of my JustNice.Org Blog using WordPress. I give up. It will be BlogSpot from now on :)

Frankly, I kind of like WordPress, but somehow there are too many problems that I cannot control. Hehe, since started blogging back in 2004, I have already set-up and then abandon 3 of my WordPress blogs on JustNice.Org (Ver 1.0, Ver 2.0 & Ver 3.0). The first 2 blogs were “abandoned” due to very serious comments spamming problem.

Eventually, in 2006 I finally managed to solve the comment spamming problems with new and more powerful anti-spamming features built-in the newer versions of WordPress. That’s when I set up version 3.0 of my JustNice.Org blog. Everything went well for the last 2 years … that was until recently.

Towards the end of August 2008, suddenly my WordPress informed me that my “dbase” is outdated and I am “forced” to update to the newer version. I updated my WordPress to version 2.5 and then 2.6.1. Somehow, when I updated the first time around, I lost all my categories (ALL 100+ of em). And before I could figure out what to do about it, suddenly I could not log in to my Admin area. Yep, I am now “logged out” of my blog altogether and I really don’t know what to do about it. I then upgraded to 2.6.1 hopping that as the latest version maybe the problems might have been rectified.

Well, the problems are still there. Eventually, while I still could not figure out how to “log-in” my JustNice.Org Ver 3.0 blog and “recover” my “disappeared categories”, I have to come up with a plan-B. So, I have decided to set up a new blog all over again with BlogSpot.Com instead. So, ladies and gentleman, I present you with JustNice.Org Blog Version 4.0 and keeping my fingers crossed … hehe :)

regards

hanyi
ps. *sigh* eventhough I have lost many valuable comments and blog readers over the years with the "interruptions" and "breaks" to my JustNice.Org Blog and this eventual switch to BlogSpot ... it is ok. I understand that it is part and parcel of life. Sh*ts happen and we just need to learn to cope with them and move on. Yep, I am moving on ... again hehe :)

ps. and I would like to thank WordPress for a nice free software that has allowed me to blog for the last 4 years :)

08.08.08 Is A Special Day For A Special Occassion: The 2008 Summer Olympic Games In Beijing China

Yep, today is a day with a very special date: 08.08.08 (8th of August 2008). Of course, today is also a day with a special occassion: the opening ceremony of the 2008 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES (officially known as Games of the XXIX Olympiad) in Beijing, People’s Republic of China :)

cheers

hanyi

Technorati Tags: 08.08.08, Beijing Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Games of the XXIX Olympiad, JustNice.Org

Have Not Been Blogging For Ages

Hehe … It has been so long since I blogged. Have been really busy with work and life in general. Time sure passed very fast indeed :)

Recently, I noticed that there seems to be less cars on the road. I could be wrong, but somehow I think maybe due to the recent price hike of the petrol, people are driving less … or maybe less people drive :)

On the other hand, whilst there are less cars on the road now, there are more motorbikes. Cheaper alternative maybe and still faster than cycling :)

regards,

Hanyi

Seed Planting

Haha … I have not blogged for quite some time :)

Well, today something happened that made me realise that I need to write it down … blog about it. A “seed” I planted almost 10 years ago has finally grown into a tree, flowered and bore fruits :)

Well, it was a surprise for me and of course I am extremely delighted. So many years ago, I planted the seed and put much effort into it. Then when all things and efforts necessary have been done, I have left it all alone and almost forgotten about it. Haha, recently, suddenly it sprouted, and grown into a huge and strong tree that bore many beautiful flowers and bore lots of sweet & juicy fruits :)

Well, life is like this isn’t it? Everyday we are planting “seeds” … many many “seeds”.

Some good, some bad. Some will grow, many will just disappear without a trace. Somehow, we must consciously plan more good and positive seeds to off-set that negative seeds we might have intentionally or unintentionally planted.

Be persistent determined to plant as many good seeds as possible and give them adequate attention, watering, trimming of rotten leaves, fertilization, sun, etc.

One day, many of these “seeds” will bear fruit … eventhough we often might not be sure which ones. :)

Happy seeds planting …. remember to care for them *wink* :p

cheers

hanyi

9 Victoria Cross (VC) Valor Medals Stolen From A New Zealand Army Museum Have Been Recovered

Yep, very good news indeed :)

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest valor award of the British army. Since its creation 200 years ago by Queen Victoria, only slightly more than 1000 VCs have been awarded to military personnels of Britain and Commonwealth countries.

TheSTAR Online - World Updates - Saturday February 16, 2008 MYT 01:46:09 PM

New Zealand Police Recover Stolen War Medals

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand police have recovered rare war medals, including nine Victoria Crosses, which had been stolen from a national museum in December, officials said on Saturday.

The stolen medals included those awarded to New Zealand’s most celebrated war hero, World War Two Captain Charles Upham, one of only three men to have won two Victoria Crosses, the highest award for bravery among Commonwealth nations.

Police said an unidentified third party helped arrange the return of all 96 medals after a British medal collector and a local businessman announced an award of NZ$300,000 ($238,095) for information on the missing medals.

“These medals are New Zealand’s national treasures, with a value beyond any monetary worth. New Zealanders will be both delighted and relieved that the VCs and other medals have been recovered,” Defence Minister Phil Goff said in a statement.

The medals were taken from the war museum on the outskirts of the small town of Waiouru, in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island.

“The reward was offered for information leading to the safe return of the medals and that has encouraged a person to come forward and facilitate the return of the medals to police,” the New Zealand Press Association quoted detective senior sergeant Chris Bensemann as saying.

Bensemann declined to say how how much of the reward was paid, but “an amount” would be transferred to a third party on Monday following several weeks of negotiations, NZPA said.

No immunity from prosecution or support for reduction in any sentence for any offender was given in return, Bensemann said, adding that the police will continue to hunt for the burglars.

A local export had valued the stolen medals to be worth around NZ$10 million. ($1=NZ$1.26)

Everyone who is involved in the recovery of the war medals have done very well indeed! Kudos! But, I really hope that henceforth, these war medals which are precious national treasures, will be well-guarded and never stolen again.

regards
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Victoria Cross, Victoria Cross Valor Medal, VC Medals, 9 Victoria Cross Valor Medals Stolen, Military Medals, New Zealand, JustNice.Org

Happy Lunar New Year of the RAT

Wishing everyone a very happy lunar new year of the earth rat :)

May your loved ones and you be blessed with abundance of happiness, good health, success and prosperity :)

* Xin Nian2 Kuai4 Le4 - Happy New Year

* Wan4 Shi4 Ru2 Yi4, Xin Xiang3 Shi4 Cheng2 - Dreams Come True

* Shen Ti3 Jian4 Kang - Good Health

* Xue2 Ye4 Jin4 Bu4 - Improvement & Progress In Studies

* Gong Xi3 Fa Cai2 - Prosperity

Smooth sailing and all the good things for a great and wonderful new year :)

cheers,

hanyi

How To Be A Successful Teacher And To Teach Effectively

Hehe, as a “Laoshi” (Teacher), many people like to ask me how I have managed to teach so well and what is my “secret of success”. Well, let me share with you a simple story and you shall see:

I believe everyone knows Confucius (Kongzi or Kung Tzu). As the greatest “laoshi” (teacher) China ever has, Confucius (Kongzi or Kung Tzu) used to have more than 3000 students with him at any one time and among them 72 favourite and top disciples that he taught much. One day, one of his 72 favourite disciples, Anthony, came to see confucius.

Anthony: Laoshi, if I want so be successful in life, what is the secret.
Confucius: Anthony, whatever you do, you must think and ponder for 3 times before you make any decision.
Anthony: Think 3 times?
Confucius: Yes, 3 times. Never make any decision hastily. Make sure you think 1 time, 2 times and finally 3 times … then only make a decision, and you will not fail.
Anthony: Oh, thank you, Laoshi. I understand now.

(Anthony left happily, having now been enlightened on the secret to success).

Btw, while Anthony was consulting Confucius on the secret to Success, Brandon was also there and he was also much enlightened.

After some time, another top disciple, Dianne, also came to see Confucius.

Dianne: Laoshi, if I want so be successful in life, what is the secret.
Confucius: Dianne dear, whatever you do, do not think too much. Just do it.
Dianne: Just do it?
Confucius: Yes, just do it. Don’t waste time thinking. Do it immediately without haste … and you will not fail.
Dianne: Okie dokey Laoshi. I know what to do now.

(Dianne left happily, having now been enlightened on the secret to success).

Btw, while Dianne was consulting Confucius on the secret to Success, AGAIN Brandon was also there and he was also much enlightened … AGAIN.

As Brandon was there BOTH times (he is damn kaypoh one) when either Anthony or Dianne was being counselled on the secret to success, he was now baffled by the opposite and conflicting advice that the laoshi has given to 2 students who asked the SAME question.

As a very wise laoshi, Confucius can feel it when one of his students is baffled by something. So, eventhough Brandon (the kaypoh) didn’t say anything, Confucius invite him for a private chat in his thatched hut office.

While sitting down over a cup of tea (presumed to be chinese tea since they don’t have ceylonese tea in china 2500 years ago) and some peanuts (menglembu), Confucius encourage Brandon to talk.

Brandon apologised to the Laoshi for eavedropping on his conversations with Anthony & Dianne. Confucius says he is forgiven.

Then Brandon mentioned his bafflement with Confucius’ opposite answers to the SAME question by BOTH Anthony and Dianne.

Confucius smile … and then let out a hearty laughter while stretching his right arm over the low table and pat Brandon’s shoulder.

Confucius then suddenly composed himself, adjust his teacher’s official garment and his headress, and then speak carefully and clearly to Brandon.

Confucius: Anthony and Dianne BOTH asked the SAME question to the SAME laoshi on the SAME subject, correct?
Brandon: Yes, laoshi.
Confucius: I repeat, same question, same subject, same laoshi.
Brandon: Yes, all same.
Confucius: Haha … no, no, no.
Brandon: ????????? Huh??????????

Why? Any idea?
Well … the conversation continues …

Confucius: Same question, right! Same subject, right! Same laoshi, right! But DIFFERENT students asking.

Brandon: Different students ….

Confucius: Yes, one is Anthony, and the other one is Dianne.

Brandon: Ohhhhhh … eerrh, Laoshi, can you kindly elaborate.

Confucius: Haha … ok. Listen carefully.

Brandon: Ok, Laoshi, I am all ears.

Confucius: Anthony is a very impatient and reckless person who always make mistakes because he never spend enough time thinking about what he should or should not do. Lack of sufficient thoughts and analysis, can result in wrong moves that can be costly. If only he could slow down a bit and think before he act, then he would definitely become accomplished in life.

Brandon: I see …. That’s why Laoshi remind him to think 3 times!!!!

Confucius: Yes, now you get it. Ok, on the other hand, Dianne is a person who thinks too much. Her hesitations and procrastinations have resulted in many missed opportunities. If only she learns to act instead of just think … then she would be very successful in life.

Brandon: I SEE!!!!!!!!!! That’s why Laoshi told her to “just do it”! Now I know already!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU laoshi :)

Confucius: Hahahaha ……. go now. :)

See?

Yes, everyone has different abilities to learn and master knowledge. As an effective teacher, one must be able to analyse what are the strengths, weaknesses, talents, abilities and general needs of each and everyone of one’s students. Teach your students according to what is best for him / her and you will never go wrong. In Mandarin Chinese we say “Yin Cai2 Shi Jiao4″ :)

Btw, as this is the first post to my blog for the year 2008, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful new year and may you be blessed with abundance of happiness, good health, prosperity and success :)

cheers
Hanyi

Technorati Tags: Teacher, Teaching, Confucius, Kongzi, Kung Fu Tzu, Teaching Effectively, Effective Teacher, Successful Teacher, JustNice.Org

9 Victoria Cross (VC) Valor Medals Stolen From A New Zealand Army Museum

Yep, shocking and outrageous indeed. :)

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest valor award of the British army. Since its creation 200 years ago by Queen Victoria, only slightly more than 1000 VCs have been awarded to military personnels of Britain and its former colonies all over the world.

TheSTAR Online - World Updates - Tuesday December 4, 2007 MYT 11:29:55 AM

Reward Offered For 9 Stolen New Zealand War Valor Medals

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP): A British nobleman who owns the world’s biggest collection of Victoria Cross valor medals said Tuesday he is willing to offer a US$153,000 (euro104,000) reward for the return of nine of the medals stolen from a New Zealand army museum.

New Zealand officials said they were considering Lord Michael Ashcroft’s offer but discussing the matter with police before formally accepting it, with Prime Minister Helen Clark noting that such rewards sometimes can serve as an incentive for further thefts.

Ashcroft said he was “horrified and outraged” by the weekend theft of nine Victoria Cross medals awarded to gallant New Zealanders, including the Victoria Cross and Bar awarded to Capt. Charles Upham — which Ashcroft described as the “Holy Grail” of such medals.

Upham’s medals are the only such double award ever made to a combat soldier.

Inaugurated by Britain’s Queen Victoria in the mid-1800s, the Victoria Cross for gallantry in war remains the highest valor award in Britain and its former colonies.

Ashcroft said he was offering the reward for information leading directly to the recovery of the nine medals.

Clark said the offer from Ashcroft, who owns more than 140 of the rare medals, was generous but that she would need to take police advice on it.

“One of the issues that always arises is whether you should encourage the posting of such offers because it could in the worst of circumstances be an incentive to theft,” she said.

Defense Minister Phil Goff said most New Zealanders would not need the money as motivation. “They will provide the information if they know anything that will help the police,” he said.

Clark said earlier that the theft was “distressing to the nation” but that New Zealand has the means under international law to get back such stolen cultural items if they surface in another country.

Maybe the “thieves” or “burglars” who stole the 9 VCs (Victoria Cross) were professionals who are really good in what they are doing, but somehow I strongly feel that the security at the Army museum should have been tighter! For something as precious as a “national treasure” like the Victoria Cross, how could they be “allowed” to be stolen (and from an ARMY MUSEUM somemore!!!)? Why aren’t there guards on duty to guard them? Why were the criminals “given” the opportunity to attempt and eventually succeeded in stealing the valour medals?

“The Opportunity For Victory Is Given By The Enemy” - Sun Tzu’s Art of War

Anyway, I really hope that the 9 Victoria Crosses that have been stolen could be recovered soon and put in better secured facilities.

regards
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Victoria Cross, Victoria Cross Valor Medal, VC Medals, 9 Victoria Cross Valor Medals Stolen, Military Medals, New Zealand, JustNice.Org

The Passing Of A Great Man, Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong

The Passing Of A Great Man: Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong passed away 7 days ago:

TheSTAR Online: Nation Tuesday October 23, 2007 MYT 4:54:41

Genting Founder, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, Dies At 90

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, founder and honorary life president of Genting Group, passed away at 11.20am Tuesday at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.

The tycoon, who turned 90 in April this year, was renowned for his vision in transforming Genting Highlands from an unexplored hilltop to one of the world’s most successful casino resorts.

The fifth child in a family of seven children, Lim migrated from China’s Fujian province in 1937 at the age of 19 with only a small suitcase and US$175.

The idea of a hill resort was chanced upon by Lim amidst the crisp air of Cameron Highlands in 1964. Lim was then working on a hydro-electric power project at the popular hill resort, patronised mostly by British colonials seeking cool refuge from the tropical heat, when he foresaw a prosperous Malaysia of the future desiring a cool mountain holiday resort within the reach of all Malaysians.

To date, Genting Highlands Resort has five hotels and two apartment blocks at the hilltop and Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort.

The company, founded in 1965, has since expanded and diversified from its initial hotel and resort activities to plantations, properties, paper manufacturing, power generation, oil and gas, electronic commerce and information technology development under Genting Group.

According to Forbes Asia, the Genting Group founder was third richest in the country with a net worth of US$4.3bil (RM14.6bil).

Lim is survived by wife Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua, and their six children and 19 grandchildren.

And today:

TheSTAR Online: Nation Monday October 29, 2007

Cortege to pass places that Goh Tong loved

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong’s final journey will take him to places that he loved and up the hill where he had spent much of his life.

From Gohtong Villa, the cortege, accompanied by some 600 family members and association representatives, will travel up Genting Highlands stopping at Chin Swee Caves Temple and Genting Hotel.

Special prayers will be performed at the stops.

At the villa, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting will be giving a eulogy together with Genting Group and Resorts World Bhd deputy chairman Tun Hanif Omar and representatives of FoxWoods Resort and Casino, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tung Shin Hospital.

At Genting Hotel, staff will pay their final respects to Lim before the cortege is brought back to the memorial park for a private burial.

Meanwhile, in line with Lim’s long-held philanthropic philosophy, the family decided to make monetary donations towards charitable causes.

However, due to the time constraint, details of the donations would only be announced later, a statement issued by the funeral management committee said.

And one piece of news that finally brought tears to my eyes:

TheSTAR Online: Nation Monday October 29, 2007

Native American tribe to honour Goh Tong for his help

GENTING HIGHLANDS: The late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong’s legacy does not only live on in Genting, but halfway round the world in the Native American tribe of the Mashantucket Pequot.

Unknown to most Malaysians, in 1991 the late Goh Tong helped the tribe – that was struggling to grow cabbage – by investing in their idea of building a casino, the Foxwoods Resort & Casino, which has now become the largest casino in the world.

The chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, a sovereign nation within the US located in the state of Connecticut, Michael Thomas said the tribe owed a great deal to Lim for his vision and his confidence in them.

“When we wanted to start the casino, we approached 23 lending institutions who all turned us down because there was no guarantee we would pay back the loans,” he said.

As a result of a meeting with the business partner of Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Nicky Brown, Thomas and his tribe were introduced to the late Goh Tong who turned out to be the only one who would help them.

“He heard about our situation and actually came to our place to meet our people and see for himself what we were about and what our values were,” he said after meeting with Lim’s family for over two hours at the wake yesterday.

“Within 48 hours of meeting us, he agreed to give his support in the form of a US$$60mil (RM200mil) investment,” he said, adding that Americans widely credited the Pequot tribe for opening the doors for hundreds of other Native American tribes to open their own gaming centres.

Thomas said the success of the Pequot tribe, together with another Native American tribe, now created USS$2.7bil (RM9.02bil) in revenue for the Connecticut state government from “taxes” levied from their slot machines.

Thomas, who led a nine-man delegation from the US, arrived yesterday without some of his luggage as it had been delayed, apologised for his informal dress and said that he would be dressed in traditional attire when giving a eulogy at Goh Tong’s funeral today.

“A number of customs that are only extended to our own people have been and will be bestowed on Goh Tong to mark his passing,” he said.

Thomas said this included all buildings in the nation flying their flag at half-mast for a week, while a sacred stone called Wampum which is sourced from a clam called the Quohog would be given to the family.

“The stone is valuable because it is usually only given to our leaders,” he said.

Thomas said it was important for the world to know that it was the faith Goh Tong had in them that allowed them to succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

Pequot tribe vice-chairman Kenneth Reels said Goh Tong’s help allowed their nation to be self-sufficient while creating some 10,000 jobs there.

“As a nation, if you have to be dependent on somebody else then you are not exercising sovereignty to the fullest.

“He has enabled us to do that. We are here today because we feel it is appropriate to pay our respects to someone who gave respect to us.”

“He is part of our history and we have a family relationship that we will cherish forever. His family is part of ours as ours is part of theirs.”

Yep, the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong has indeed touched the life and helped change the destiny of many. He is truly one of the greatest minds in Malaysia (and definitely Asia and the world) and gracious heart that is indeed an inspiring model for other successful business men and women all over the world.

“Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, Man4 Zou3 Le4 (Selamat Jalan)!”

sincerely
Hanyi

ps. btw, you may sign your condolence at the “Online condolence book in memory of the late YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr.) Lim Goh Tong“.

Technorati Tags: Lim Goh Tong, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, Goh Tong Lim, Lin Wu Tong, Lin2 Wu3 Tong2, Genting Highland, Genting Highland Malaysia, Genting Group, JustNice.Org

Happy 50th Birthday To MALAYSIA

Happy 50th Birthday To MALAYSIA :)

cheers

hanyi

MPH, Popular, Harris And Times Boycott Sales Of “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows” At Their 100 Outlets Malaysia Nationwide

Yep, the launching of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (the 7th and FINAL instalment of the Harry Potter series of bestsellers by J. K. Rowling) on the 21st of July 2007 worldwide, is an event that millions of children (and their parents) all over the world have been eagerly waiting and looking forward to.

But unfortunately for Malaysia, this “magical” event that many have been waiting with much excitement and anticipation, has been badly ruined by very poor business judgment. Here, read it for yourself:

POTTER PRICE WAR: Penguin, Hypermarts Respond (3rd update)

Friday July 20, 2007 TheStar Online

PETALING JAYA: The distributor of Harry Potter books said that local bookstore chains should not be overly concerned by hypermarkets’ cut-throat pricing of the seventh and final instalment in J.K. Rowling bestselling series.

The hypermarkets would incur losses by selling the novel at a cheaper price, as their purchase price is higher, said Penguin Singapore and Malaysia managing director Eddy Teo.

He said there would be no replenishment on top of the opening order due to unavailable stock, and the British publisher of the novel, Bloomsbury, had no plans at the moment for reprints.

“We are confident that readers will choose to buy their books from other retailers across the country.

“Avid fans are looking for a magical atmosphere rather than just cheap price,” he said when contacted in Singapore Friday.

MPH, Popular, Harris and Times at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur at 4pm announced that they would not sell Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in protest against Carrefour and Tesco selling the book at a hefty discount.

The recommended retail price of RM109.90 is being violated by hypermarkets advertising and selling it at RM69.90, the bookstores said.

The four chains, with a total of 100 outlets nationwide, said they were protesting the indiscriminate discount and wanted to show customers that they were not “blatantly profiteering” from them.

However, they said they would honour all pre-orders.

“This means the book will no longer be available for sale at these stores nationwide from tomorrow (Saturday) following the worldwide release,” MPH Bookstores chief operating officer Patricia Chen said.

“All events related to Harry Potter will be cancelled,” she said.

When asked if the move was to pressure sole distributor Penguin Books to remove the book from the hypermarkets, she said that it was not fair to allow hypermarkets to sell such a popular book when they were not in the book business.

When contacted, Carrefour Malaysia corporate communications and public relations manager Yuswanis Yusof said they wanted to provide the best for their customers.

She said besides selling groceries and other essential products, the hypermarket wanted to provide a chance for their customers to purchase the book at a lower price.

“It all depends on how one markets and promote its products,” she added.

Tesco Malaysia division manager Janice Chan when contacted said they wanted to make sure their customers could read the book at a cheaper price.

“We are popular for selling products at a lower price, and books are no exception.

“The other retailers have their own marketing strategies by providing freebies and other promotions, this is our way of pleasing our customers,” she added.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows goes on sale nationwide — well, except for the four bookstore chains above — from 7.01am tomorrow.

Unbelievable isn’t it? *sigh*

Just like what a fellow blogger said, a phenomenon cannot be discounted. Yep, there is a price to pay for a phenomenon like Harry Potter. Either you are for it or against it. But definitely not in between. Somehow, the “magic” seems to be vanishing …..

regards

hanyi

ps. If I want to get a copy of this worldwide phenomenon … if I want some of the “magic”, I will definitely buy it from MPH, Popular, Harris or Times. :)

ps. btw, today happens to be 20072007 hehe, yep, 20th of July 2007 (20.07.2007). interesting date :)

Technorati Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K.Rowling, J K Rowling, Final Harry Potter, Seventh Harry Potter, MPH Bookstores Malaysia, Popular Bookstores Malaysia, Times Bookstores Malaysia, Harris Bookstores Malaysia, JustNice.Org

Atap Chee (Atap Seed) Are So Nice

Hehe … One of my favourite desserts is the “Atap Chee” (”Atap Seed”). :)











Since young, the “Atap Chee” (Atap Seed) has always been one of my family’s all-time favourite local desserts. My siblings and I always looked forward to our weekly trip from Johor Bahru to Singapore to visit our relatives and then “shopping” at either Rochor or Woodlands. We would always end up buying some snacks and tibits, and of course, half a kg. of “Atap Chee”. Back then, you could choose to buy as much as you want because the “Atap Seeds” are charged by weight. We normally bought about 500gm (just nice for the 6 of us in the family).











Nowadays, normally the “Atap Chee” (Atap Seed) are ready packed like the one above. :)
















The “Atap Seed” is known as “Atap Chee” in the Teochew Chinese or Hokkien Chinese language. It is also known as “Ya4 Da Zi3″ in the Mandarin Chinese language. They are the seeds of the the “Atap” plant found in abundance in South East Asia. The leaves of the atap plant were used as roofings for houses (”Atap House”) and other buildings in the “kampung” (villages) long time ago. :)

The “Atap Seeds” are slighly larger and fatter than a thumb and transparent in nature. Some of them are soft and some of them are a bit hard. But either way, VERY nice! :)














My mom is very creative when it comes to eating the “Atap Chee” (atap seed): She likes to mix them with canned “Longan”, “Aloe Vera”, and “Sea Coconut”. The one above is short of the “Sea Coconut”, but everything else is there. Mmph, maybe adding “Nata De Coco” to it would be nice too … hehe :)

regards
hanyi

ps. The “Atap Chee” (atap seed) can be easily found in certain parts of Malaysia and all over Singapore. :)

ps. In places where the “atap chee” could be found, they are also added to the “ice kacang” (abc - air batu campur) dessert :)

Your Attitude Can Make Or Break Your Career

Hehe … sometime back, I blogged about the importance of having the right attitude in order to succeed in life.

Recently, I have read a very good book on how to deliver “world-class customer service” and in the book, it mentioned the importance of having the right attitude in order to give really good customer service and to succeed in Sales & Marketing. The title of the book is: “The Nordstrom Way To Customer Service Excellence : A Handbook For Implementing Great Service In Your Organization” by Robert Spector and Patrick McCarthy.

In the 1920s and 1930s, when they began to expand their business, John W. Nordstrom’s three sons — Everett, Elmer, and Lloyd — created a sales-driven entrepreneurial culture by recruiting “fiery producers, tough guys, men who had to work hard to put bread on the table,” Elmer once said. ….”

… Even though Elmer (the last-surviving second generation Nordstrom, who died in 1993 at the age of 89) was describing the Nordstrom philosophy of more than eight decades ago, that philosophy still holds true today. A can-do attitude, a positive personality, and a strong work ethic are still the primary ingredients for success at Nordstrom. Some things will never change.

“The qualities that Nordstrom looks for in its employees couldn’t be more basic. First of all, the company wants its sales-people to be nice.”

“We can hire nice people and teach them to sell,” current chairman Bruce Nordstrom likes to say, “but we can’t hire salespeople and teach them to be nice.”

The Nordstrom corollary to that philosophy is “hire the smile, train the skill.”

Yes, at the end of the day, eventhough you might have the necessary qualification, skill, educational level, or experience, you might still not succeed if you do not have the right attitude.

cheers
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Attitude, Work Attitude, Success, JustNice.Org

What Is The One Most Important Factor That Contributes To One’s Success In Life?

Haha … a million dollar question isn’t it?

Well, while having coffee with Goondo, he threw me this question. And since we “eat full nothing to do”, might as well discuss it

Well, my answer is: ATTITUDE. Right attitude.

Yes, your attitude can make or break you.

Of course, other factors are very important too:

• Education (IQ)
• Experience (TQ)
• Efforts (SQ)
• Interpersonal Skill (EQ)
• Ability to Handle Crisis & Adversities (AQ)

But without the right attitude, what ever you have means nothing … no value. Heck, if your attitude sucks, whatever you know will be a liability to you instead of an asset.

cheers,
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Degree, Work Attitude, Success

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Photos of My Mandarin Chinese Language Students

I have added many new photos of the participants of my Mandarin Chinese language conversation courses in Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia.

To view the whole photo album of my Mandarin Conversation Course students,

[ Click Here ].

And here’s a detailed list of the photos of my students in the different Chinese language classes:

TalkMandarin.Com Basic Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 1.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Basic Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 2.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Basic Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 3.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Intermediate Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 1.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Intermediate Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 2.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Advanced Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 1.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

TalkMandarin.Com Advanced Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Version 2.0 - Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

Btw, here’s one of the latest photos:

cheers
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin, Chinese Language, Language, TalkMandarin.Com, Mandarin.Com.My

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Testimonials of My Mandarin Chinese Language Students

Haha … here are some testimonials of my Mandarin Chinese language students:

To read the testimonials, click here!

And here’s an one of em:

EFFECTIVE, MOTIVATING & FUN!

One learns and retains the new words / sentence structure quite easily. Sometimes you don’t even realise that you already can understand 80% of Mandarin Chinese conversation around you!

Laoshi is EFFECTIVE & EXCELLENT! Pushes & motivates the students to capture the language, but at the same time treats you like an adult who knows what your responsibilities are ie. does not nag / make you feel unworthy of his class / time if you don’t do the extra work / notes.

Ms. Evelyn Jutem.
Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia.
(* Intermediate Mandarin Chinese Conversation Course Participant)

cheers

hanyi

Technorati Tags: Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin, Chinese Language, Language, TalkMandarin.Com, Mandarin.Com.My

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A Kind of Malaysian Pancake: Apam Balik

Hehe … “apam balik” is one of my favourite local kuih.

I have been eating “apam balik” for as long as I could remember. I still remember long time ago, my mom used to buy it from the central market in Johor Bahru. It costed only RM0.80sen for each piece (whole thing) that can be cut up into 4 or 6 small pieces. My mom would normally request the pakcik to tambah kacang for an additional RM0.20sen. Back then, “apam balik” only came with grounded peanut and sugar fillings.

Today, the “apam balik” in Johor Bahru normally costs about RM1.50 - RM1.80 per piece.

In Kuching, the price is still cheap … only RM1.00 per piece. The one I have blogged about here costed me RM1.50. Why so expensive? Well, first of all, it comes with sweet corn fillings on top of the normal peanuts and sugar. Then, the dough itself is pandan flavoured. Hehe, actually it tasted kind of nice … so I don’t mind the slightly steeper price.

Nice isn’t it? If you were to eat it while it is still freshly made and a bit hot …. ooohhhh, heaven!!!

cheers
hanyi

ps. the above is a modern variety of the original “big” apam balik that is thick and soft in nature. it is also known as: mee jiang kueh, mang chang kuih, mang jiang kueh, jin loong bao, tai kau min, apam balik, apom balik, man jian kert, jian long bao, pancake, kap piang, etc.

ps. there is another newer “small” apam balik that has only been around a couple of years. this type is smaller and has very thin crispy skin. it costs about RM0.35 per piece.

Technorati Tags: Kuih, Malaysian Kuih, Apam Balik, Snacks, JustNice.Org

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