The Year of the Tiger

By P Chong          Monday, 1 February 2010

Dragon Dance

Despite its ferociousness in the wild, the tiger really

is one of the most caring & thoughtful zodiac sign

in the Chinese Calendar.

This Georgian Year of 2010 is Chinese Lunar Year 4708.

The Chinese Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Qin Shi Huang introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac. By its cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.

In China, the Lunar New Year is celebrated as the Spring Festival on a grand scale with traditional fire-crackers, fireworks, dragon dance & lots of “Ang Pows” (Red Packets with Money) for the young & unmarried. The celebration usually lasts for 15 days culminating in “Chap Goh Mei” (The Night of the Full Moon). Chinese are known to be most assiduous in their economic pursuit, never relenting nor relaxing with holiday break from day to day, week to week or month to month. But with Spring Festival, they let down their tools, pack up for home coming & reunion.

Travelling during this peak season is most busy involving millions on the move. Most migrant workers are rushing to their home villages. Others are taking advantage of the long break for long awaited vacation. Most are travelling within national boundaries but with the rising affluence people are travelling abroad for their holidays. With two weeks to go, China is already geared up in preparedness for the holiday rush – the train, the bus & the plane. These days, of course, the more affluent will have their own transport. A staggering 210 millions are expected to travel by rail alone during the 40-day Spring Festival rush! According to CCTV, “over the next 40-days, it´s expected holiday-makers will take an unprecedented 2.54 billion journeys by road, water and air.”

Eating, drinking & merry-making are part & parcel of the Spring Festival. The food is especially good. Dishes not usually on the daily menu are on display with young & old in joyous celebration. I remember full well “love-letters” biscuits being everybody’s favourite, and how we would burn midnight oil baking them, enjoying savouring even the scraps of the goodies. Those were the days!

It’s the noisiest time of the year. Celebration always take on with all the boom & bang. Fire-crackers sound near & far. Teams of “kung-fu” experts will display their skills with the dragon dance and take on challengers with lion dance display. The noise is intended to drive out the evil of the past year and usher in good fortune & luck for the new.

Lion & Dragon Dance Combined

This year Spring Festival falls on Sunday, February 14, 2010 which happens to coincide with Valentine’s Day, making it a doubly auspicious day to celebrate in the West.

If you were born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 or 2010 – you were born under the sign of the tiger. According to the Chinese Zodiac, you are one of the most caring & thoughtful person with the mission to right the wrong & defending children, loved ones & friends against all injustices.

Some of the famous people born under the Tiger Sign are: Emily Bronte, Tom Cruise, Leonardo Di Caprio, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jay Leno, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo & Queen Elizabeth II.

The Year of the Tiger will roar!

Economy will soar!!

It will be a Good Year for ALL !!!

Unfortunately, Tiger Woods will fall short of the benefits.

WISHING ALL MY READERS

A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

By P Chong                                             Friday, 29 January 2010

Can a laugh a day keep heart attack away? Maybe so, as

testified by new research at the Medical Center of the University of Maryland led by Dr Michael Miller.

It’s pointed out that laughter reduces pain, increases job performance, connects people

emotionally,and improves the flow of oxygen to the heart & brain.

Even a little laughter is a good thing.

Mark Twain said it best:

“The human race has only one really effective weapon, and

that is laughter. The moment it arises, all your irritations & resentments

slip away, & your sunny spirit takes their place.”

Humour & laughter stir up the three Es (i.e. enthusiasm, excitement & emotion) in your body mechanism bringing on a brighter life perspective. Laughter sets you up on a higher plane from where you can view the world in a more relaxed, positive, joyful & creative manner.

Take Mike, for instance, about to retire after years of working competitively as a top-notch travelling sales executive on the international circuit, is finally looking forward to taking up golf seriously. He has always been keen on golf & played occasionally whenever opportunity arose. Although his game has improved considerably, he was always getting angry with every mistake. This was attributed to the crowd he played with who took the game too seriously. They were playing competitively more for the score than for the fun of it. So he stopped his association with them & elected to play with some friends, who like him played more for recreational fun.

Now golfing was as enjoyable as he hoped it would be & even scored better to lower his handicap. The benefits of fun become so obvious. Being able to laugh at your own mistakes take some doing but worth the doing.

Whenever you can create the opportunities for laughter. Laughing out loud may seem silly if done solely on your own, so seek out friends to watch a funny movie together. There are many places & occasions for such opportunities, You might want to:

Join a comedy club or a “laughter yoga” group

Seek out funny people for company

Try to spread cheers around with telling funny jokes or stories

Play around with pets or children

Create fun activities.

Forget about personal inhibitions. Just let yourself go. Sense of humour is not required. Just laugh out loud (LOL)! Release all the stress & strain. Let go of your worry & pain . . . for when you laugh, the whole world laugh with you! Laughter is both infectious & contagious. You should laugh till your belly aches & stomach churns . . . for laughter is feeling deeply . . . allowing you to live fully!

Laughter has so much power to heal & renew. Here below is a summary of the physical, mental & social benefits:

The Benefits of Laughter
Physical Health Benefits: Boosts immunity Lowers stress hormones Decreases pain Relaxes your muscles Prevents heart disease	Mental Health Benefits: Adds joy and zest to life Eases anxiety and fear Relieves stress Improves mood Enhances resilience	Social Benefits: Strengthens relationships Attracts others to us Enhances teamwork Helps defuse conflict Promotes group bonding

Laughter is strong medicine for mind and body.

Clowns are always a welcoming sight!

That Elusive G-Spot in Women (The Gräfenberg Spot)

A medical synopsis from various reports.

Do you want to maximise your love making pleasure?

If so, then read on . . .

That elusive G-Spot, also known as urethral sponge, is your answer. It is said to be located about one to three inches inside the vagina, on the anterior wall. Some women also report that stimulation of parts of the posterior wall of the urethra and the anterior wall of the anus at about the same depth creates a similar intense sensation and stimulation. Is that why the practice of sodomy?

From Wikipedia we learn that the Gräfenberg Spot, or G-Spot, first coined by Addiego et al. in 1981, after the German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg who hypothesized its existence in a paper published in 1950, is a term used to describe the bean-shaped area of the vagina that many women report to contain an erogenous zone which when stimulated can lead to high levels of sexual arousal and powerful orgasms. It is typically located one to three inches up the front (anterior) vaginal wall between the vagina opening and the urethra.

Sexual psychologists are concerned that women may label themselves “dysfunctional” if they cannot find the G-Spot, and women have had plastic surgery done to enhance G-Spot sensitivity.

Although research on the G-Spot has taken place since 1981, controversy & arguments over its existence, the actual definition of the term, and its location continue in the medical field and in the studies of sexuality.

The largest study to date on the G-Spot found its existence unproven and subjective among women. Every woman’s G-Spot is different because every woman’s cervix & vagina are shaped differently.

Most men & women are familiar with clitoral stimulation. However, some women find G-spot stimulation ideal for multiple orgasms, even to the point of having an ‘out-of-body’ (OOB) experience (‘floating’). If you feel yourself leaving your body and soaring, stop all stimulation and just relax, enjoy & wallow.

Unlike the clitoris, which protrudes from the surrounding tissue, G-Spot lies deep within the vaginal wall, and a firm pressure is often needed to contact the G-Spot in its unstimulated state. Usually this bean-sized, spongy area responding to stimulation will harden and swell as blood rushes to it.

Women can orgasm several different ways, via clitoral, vaginal, and of course the G-Spot,

the latter can give her a massively satisfying orgasm if stimulated correctly.

You will be able to help give added pleasure and a mind-blowing climax to your partner

if you can locate and stimulate it.

If you are a romantic gentleman, and in no hurry, but seeking out mutually & intimately

the greatest pleasure in love-making, you will no doubt together with your partner find that elusive G-Spot!

Attitude Towards Customer Service

By P Chong                                                       Monday, 25 January 2010

“How may I help you?” sounds so beautiful when you are greeted also with a smile each time you step into an establishment. But these days such greetings are hardly any. You are often left to your own devices or be confronted on the phone with a voice with impersonal instructions, often confusing as to what numbered button to press. As a shopper, customer or client, you are but a statistical digit.

When I was managing a fledging life insurance agency district in the 1970s, I had always insisted on “qualitative & quantitative” service. This made us apart from our bigger competitors . . . and that difference showed and the difference grew! Customer service, as with most large enterprises, department stores & others, is often deemed as a separate department. It is not. It is an attitude!

This indeed is a verified truism. It’s attitude more than aptitude that scales the altitude. As much as we try to complicate what great service is . . . it’s really very simple. Only fools like to complicate matter in order to justify their failure in its observation. Another favourite of mine is “Simplicity Sells . . . Complexity Repels”. All that is needed is to give more than what the customer expects. It sounds simple but not easy to execute. Thererin lies the big difference.

Today, I’d like to share the 10 phrases taken from “Walk the Talk” as an illuminating illustration of how uncomplicated it is to make customers feel loved. People don’t care how much you know, (or what you sell, or what type of service you provide) until they know how much you care!

The 10 most important words:

“I apologise for our mistake. Let me make it right.” When something goes wrong, most people merely want to be heard and acknowledged. So listen, apologise, then ask what you can do to make it right.

The 9 most important words:

“Thank you for your business. Please come back again.” Repeat customers cost less than new customers and are often more loyal.

The 8 most important words:

“I’m not sure, but I will find out.” It’s ok if you don’t know the answer; it’s not ok to make the customer keep searching for it. That’s your job.

The 7 most important words:

“What else can I do for you?” Be prepared to go the extra mile, there is less competition there.

The 6 most important words:

“What is most convenient for you?” Your customers will be pleasantly surprised when you ask what’s convenient for them.

The 5 most important words:

“How may I serve you?” This question reinforces your role in the relationship. Play that role the best you can.

The 4 most important words:

“How did we do?” Feedback is critical! Your customers have a unique perspective and they appreciate being asked.

The 3 most important words:

“Glad you’re here!” Customers who feel welcome spend more time, more money and are more likely to return.

The 2 most important words:

“Thank you.” Basic manners… but how often do you get thanked when you’re the customer?

The MOST important word:

“Yes.” Become a yes person.

Kampong Kirkby

By P Chong                                  Saturday, 23 January 2010

Kirkby College Badge

It’s most refreshing when I look back to the days when 300 of us Malaysian students of different colour, race & creed were living in distinct harmony & peace, 8,000 miles away from home, in a little spot near Liverpool, UK, we called Kampong Kirkby.We felt proud to be who we were . . . Malaysians. I doubt we were even conscious of the fact that Azimah was different from Kim or she from Arul. We saw & perceived each other as friends & colleagues, though the first was of Malay origin, with Kim as a Chinese and Arul of Indian background.(Not real names).That was in the 50s & 60s of an era gone by & sadly missed.

The state of affairs in Malaysia these days is far from desired, and absolutely unbelievable that racial disharmony & discontent can come to breed & exist through the politicisation, polarisation & manipulation of the ruling UMNO. When looking in from outside & abroad the country, we can see how futile, ridiculous and indeed sad though laughable the narrow-mindedness of the UMNOputras have turned out to be – desperate for power to be perpetually in their hands. The aftermath & virtual defeat from the last election have made this desperation even more so. Who in the saneness state of mind would imagine playing politics & connotation with a little religious word which called for reverence & respect in the name of our same Maker.

They have been playing the political game for far too long & are now losing their sense of direction, good judgement, fair treatment & blind for the overall well being of the country. People can get so emotionally uptight that temperature flare & tempest roar! Devious politicians know full well that with a little political push & pull, an ugly scenario can erupt . . . not again with May 13 history repeating itself!

The world today is an open world, transparent & unconfined. Globalisation & the high tech world of instant communication mean that the people around the world get to know instantly whatever is happening. You can’t conceal . . . you are revealed!

With hindsight, I was looking back at the life & love of the Malaysian teacher-trainees in Kirkby College. It was so beautiful. Can’t help wanting to relive those days all over again . . . when relationship was good and life was free & easy. I could see Azimah’s curl & lovely hair style with her face & smile clearly visible . . . Arul looked equally great in western blouse & skirt as in her Indian saree. When different festivals came around such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or Deepavali, we all got together in joint celebrations, dressing up in sarong & kebaya, cheongsam or saree. The array of different colours just enhanced further the beauty of the joyous occasion.

I remember too, the opportunity of enjoying our cultural concert of a variety of music & dance. There was this diminutive Malay lady singer who rendered equally well both English & Malay songs with her golden voice. Not forgetting though, there was this equally small Singh who could sing & match melodiously with her. No names mentioned here, but I am sure Kirkbyites would remember them.

Alas the College song we sang of the “Land of Golden Chersonese” that seemed so far away has finally gone away beyond our reach! As one famous writer would utter: “Cry, My Beloved Country!”

With all the rich natural resources, Malaysia should be “exploding” in its economic development. Instead it is “imploding” within with all the trivialities of race & religion.

Everything could be set right again if political vision is on the right track. The ruling elites have been fortunate thus far to have a population mass so docile & resilient, but with mounting pressure & continuing unfair superimposition, all hell can break lose and then paradise would be lost!

Tell yourself this:

“Whatever to be it’s up to me!”

From

A Chinese by Descent

An Australian by Consent

Related Posts by the same writer:

1. Kirkby – Down Memory Lane (June 2009)

2. Kirkby College Memorabilia (August 2009)

3. Tun Dr. Mohamed Mahathir – A Tribute With Repute (August 2009)

4. Malaysia Merdeka! (August 2009)

Is Buying A Pet Constitutes To Commencing A Development?

By P Chong                                                                 Thursday, 21 January 2010

Shetland Pony

Have you ever heard of the ridiculous formality of having to apply to the Shire of Kalamunda, Western Australia, for the approval of keeping a family pet? As though that itself is not laughable, you are required to pay them a whopping processing fee of $132.00!

Our Grandsons

For the sake of our two grandsons, I was prepared to overlook the ridiculous formality but not the $132.00 which I didn’t know about! Happily, I tried to fulfil the requirements:

• I went round our neighbourhood getting supporting/consent signatures.
• Filled up the application form which reads: APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO COMMENCE DEVELOPMENT.

  Now, doesn’t that sound crazy as though I am about to start a pony business in our backyard? I am only buying a pet Shetland pony for our grandsons. The size of this pony is between a miniature one & the normal pony . . . just a size larger than the German Shepherd or a Great Dane.

• Three copies of our property’s location & site plan to be included.
• A Stock Management Plan is even required!
• No processing fee of $132.00 was mentioned or printed in the application form. I wouldn’t have gone to the Shire office today to submit my application form had I known of this or was even told about it!

Let’s hope & pray that this not reality but only a nightmare that I found myself in. Not sure if the Kalamunda community, or any other community, is aware of this nightmare.

After all, we have the space & area for the Shetland pony. Our backyard is in excess of 1500 M2 of empty grassy space and we also have the shed for its accommodation.

I have also seen the neighbours and they all have no objection whatsoever in our keeping one Shetland pony as a pet for our grandsons.

But why should Kalamunda Shire be so unreasonable?

Is buying a Shetland pony (gelding) as a pet tantamount to a business development?

Does the amount of $132 mean that the Shire is supplying me with the pony?

If you have any suggestion or comment, please have your say or email me:

paul21chong@gmail.com

Thank You.

A New Perspective in the World of Investments

By P Chong                             Wednesday, 20 January 2010

If you’ve been following my blog & reading some of my past posts such as:

• “If You Stall. . . Others Roar”
• “US ‘Toilet’ Paper Money”
• “General Motors Today . . . America Tomorrow”
• “Plain Old Greed . . . An Unwanted Creed”
• “The Wind Of Change”
• “The Gloom & Doom That Zooms”
• “Empires Rise, Empires Fall In Peace Or In War”
• “Obama – Bowing to ‘Who’ Or ‘Hu’”
• “From Capitalism To Socialism”
• “US Greenback Is Doomed”
• “The Decade That Was”
• “What US Can Learn From China”
• “New US Dollars For 2010”

then these words from the mouth of Steve Schwarzman, Chairman & CEO of Blackstone Capital – an investing titan few people have direct access to, will come as no surprise:

“Everyone knows it’s not just a U.S.-centric investing world any more. The challenge comes in knowing how to separate hype from reality — and profit from global growth in a safe and prudent way.”

He went on to tell CNBC’s listeners of a “new paradigm developing in terms of how one looks at the world.”

I am no investment guru nor do I advocate as to how you should invest. But looking at the present world situation, and looking particularly at China, the emerging dragon, you can be your own judge & jury on how & where your hard earned dollars are to be invested.

Just in case you are not inclined to read & believe everything in the printed media, which is a good principle to live by, you might have missed out a lot of good pointers on the other side of the coin. It’s always best to see both sides of the picture before forming a judgement or opinion. For this reason, I will urge you to read the many past posts of mine on China. They are all there in the Archive.

You’ll learn to widen & sharpen your vision when you read more – whether it’s within your interest or not. Don’t be restrictive & confine yourself to read only articles of your interests. Wisdom is gained through a myriad of experiences. Try to be more venturesome! Follow only the successful ones!

This is a changing world. Nothing remains stagnant or stationary. Everything is in a state of flux & change. Be dynamic. Embrace change. Be positive in outlook lest you’d be entrapped by negatives . . . which is by far a stronger force! 90% of what you read or hear in the multi media are negative. You just can’t escape from it! Only you & you alone can steer your way clear of negatives into yonder horizon of sunshine & brightness!

Doing Good Always Feel So Good!

By P Chong                         Monday, 18 January 2010

In the 1970s when I was first exposed to Dr. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs through a dynamic pyramid marketing company, I was thoroughly amazed by the insight & power the theory wields in human motivation. This theory basically answers the question what makes a person do what he pursues or drive him to attain his goals. Ultimately what is it that matters most in life?

Helsman Trophy

Since the dawn of mankind, human beings have always been striving for things he wanted or desired – never truly satisfied with the things he possessed. Yonder pastures are always greener . . . that’s where greed and covetousness set in. There’s no denying that men always crave for the pleasures of life, power & authority with no end in sight. Contentment is a difficult word to live by, especially in this current world of excessive materialism.

The everlasting question is what constitute human happiness? It’s such an abstract & complex concept that renders it difficult to measure. It’s the inner joy, the spontaneous flow of great feeling whatever the circumstances, that certain cheer & ready smile that never fail to lighten up the burden. It is gratifying to see a person with joy in his or her heart than to see one of misery.

Men & women all strive for that spark of happiness in life. Is there any secret to finding happiness? What avenues can people resort to in their elusive search? Does happiness come with the fulfilment of dreams?Generally, marriage & career are the two norms followed.

Interestingly, Dr. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides an insight into the various levels or hierarchy of needs that human strive for. The Hierarchy of Needs theory remains valid today for understanding human motivation, management training, and personal development. Many people find they can understand what Maslow says. They can recognize & relate the features to their own experience or behaviour which are true and identifiable.

Maslow has set up a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist. These include needs for understanding, aesthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. It’s to be noted that until the demand of the first level has been met or satisfied, the person would not feel the urge of going on to the second & so on.

As seen from the diagram, Maslow’s basic needs consist of:

• Physiological Needs – These are biological needs such as food, water, air etc.
• Safety Needs – The needs for security & safety.

• Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness – Gregarious as we are, people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation.

• Needs for Esteem – These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.
• Needs for Self-Actualization – A person’s need to be and do that which the person was “born to do” as according to Maslow “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write.”

When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.

In the pursuit of human endeavour, people usually get lost in the maze of knowing precisely what they want in life. Three basic questions to be answered: What is it in life that you really want? What is the price? Are you prepared to pay that price?

In the final analysis, helping others may be as primal as human pleasure like food or sex. It’s difficult for humans to be truly selfless, for generosity feels so good. Doing good always feel so good! To Maslow a “self-actualizing person.” is a fully functioning person, a healthy personality capable of giving, loving & helping others unconditionally & strictly without any personal agenda.

Is this what the philanthropists are trying to achieve or to compensate for their wayward ways?

An interpretation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,

represented as a pyramid with the more basic needs at the bottom.

Reflection In Solitude

By P Chong

AS IN NATURE, in hibernation I seek

For the survival I need

Contrary to what you may think

It’s my way of life’s process accepting.

Upward I turn, silence prevails

Inward I seek, solace avails.

A fortress of solitude we all need

To reflect and a place for retreat

Seclude yourself from all worldly affairs

In true perspective everything becomes fair.

Originally penned: Thursday, 6 February 1997 @ 6.00 am

The Choice Is Yours!

By P Chong                                                                             Tuesday, 12 January 2010

The elevator to the top is out of order

‘No short-cut” shout one caller

“You will have to use the stairs!”

Everyone present just stood and stared.

On step at a time

You need to climb

The higher you want to pursue

Greater diligence must ensue.

Go the extra mile

Try always to smile

Even when the going is tough

You must never crouch.

Originally penned: Monday, 14 November 1994 @ 6.00 am