Emperor Wu of Han

This morning had read the chinese newspaper zaobao on the report of Philip Yeo. This sudden reminded me an early TV series on Emperor Wu of Han that show on channel 8 before. Emperor Wu trusted his General Huo QuBin very much. He gave General Huo the full control on his army and the permission to deploy the manpower. General Huo did not disappointed the Emperor and had won numerous battle against XiongNu.

Ah Long Interest Rate Calculation - Correct version

The previous post on Ah Long (Loan Shark) interest rate Calculation is wrong. It is because the Ah Long will not every month take out fresh cash out. They are using the existing amount of money to loan out. The Ah Long claim that they charge a 20% interest rate per borrow i.e Borrow $1000, they charge 20% and only give you $800. In actual case it should be 25% interest rate per borrow. You borrow $800 but need to pay back $1000. Then if this Ah Long has a cash capital of $800 and he loan out every month. How much will he earn ? Let do a simple calculation. A person "A" every month on 1st day borrow $800 and by instalment 5 times in every 6 days pay $200 back. Ah Long will have earned $200 per month.

So cash capital in Jan = $800.
Every month earned = $200
One year earn = 12 x $200 = $2400.
Interest Rate per year = $2400 / $800 = 300%

It is a very huge return as compare to my previous assumption.

Loan Shark - Ah Long Interest Calculation

Just watch the crime watch show on the TV and know that how the Loan Shark do the interest calculation. Take one example, a person loan $1000 from the Loan Shark, they will first charge 20% interest. They will take away $200 and only give the borrower $800. The borrower need to pay instalment of $200 in every 5 days or a week. This instalment will last for 5 rounds.

Let's do a very basic simple interest calculation. If a person every month borrow $800 and pay back $1000 per month and last for a year.
Then total borrowing per year will be $800 x 12 = $9600.
Total Return per year = $1000 x 12 = $12000.
Interest charge is $12000 - $9600 = $2400.
Interest rate per annual = 2400 / 9600 = 25%

It is a really very high profit return and the actual interest rate is confirmed more than 25% per annual as the borrower need to pay back the instalment in every 5 days. No wonder there still have people doing illegal money lending despite the police take alot of action against it.

MMT Introduction Video

Below is the video project on introduction of MMT course.

Morning Network Down.

This morning was unable to access MSN, Google , Hotmail etc. Only able to access the servers that located in Singapore. Have checked with Singnet web site and the following is the announcement made by them.


Announcement
Dear customers, you may experience slow Internet access to overseas websites due to an earthquake that occurred in Taiwan. We are in the midst of restoring our service. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Innovative Way Reduce Construction Noise Annoyance

Whenever walk passes the construction site, the knocking, drilling noise will annoy me. A construction site has come out an innovative way in psychological reduce the noise annoyance. Whenever people see the signboard, they will mentally accept the noise = music. A very smart signboard.

Christmas Eve Gift

Christmas is a season of giving. Have received christmas eve gift from sister. The feeling is good and i love this kind of feeling. The gift is not expensive but the most important is the thought and wishes come from the heart that make people feel warm and caring. It make me has the feeling of my young age while i first receiving my gift. Hope every one has a blessed Christmas.

My First Christmas Gift

You know what is my first christmas gift ? It is a Toshiba Iron. Recently my home iron spoilt and at the same time the citibank christmas promotion, credit card on line application is giving away free gift. Can pick from a range of Toshiba product ranging from a radio, hair dryer or iron. So i apply the SMRT credit card on Wednesday midnight Thursday they called and verify my data. Friday afternoon, they confirmed the card is ready and i need to collect it by Sunday if not the card will be cancelled. So today i collected it and this will be my first christmas gift.

Friday Dinner at Robertson Quay

Met my friends, Steven and Wee Beng at Clarke Quay in the evening 6pm. Steven suggest to eat the best ramen at Robertson Quay which he has read in forum. So we walk quite far from Clarke Quay to Robertson Quay to look for the restaurant. It is at 60 Robertson Quay, #01-13 and the restaurant name is Netsuretsu Ichiban-Tei. It's a relatively authentic low-cost (relative to Japanese food) Japanese family restaurant, with ramen obviously being a key fixture as a result. In fact, their logo seems to suggest that they specialize in tan tan ramen, which I didn't try this time. Three of us order the tonkotsu ramen, it was relatively creamy and rich, with ingredients done just right, like the egg, noodles and the chasiu.

After the dinner we went to Liang Court, Meidi-ya Supermarket. I cannot believe that the apple is sell at a price of $18++.,just because it stated there from Japan. In that case with my salary earn in Singapore, I am not able to survive in Japan. My friend told me that he saw one honey dew sold $100 in the supermarket. Later we discover that there are package of sushi sold only $7.80 reduced from $9.80. Maybe it is 8pm and they discount and sold it. So Steven bought one and 3 of us found a place to enjoy the sushi. It was one of the best sushi that I ever eat. Maybe is the raw are all original from Japan, the chef will use all these raw to cook to sushi. I will strongly recommend all sushi lover to buy it from this supermarket.

After the sushi, we went to Clarke Quay to watch the Brazil dance in the open space. There also has free Guinness beer to drink. On 22 to 24 and 29 to 31 Dec, they even provide free transport to send people from Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Zouk, Orchard Emarald to City Hall MRT from 9pm to 1am. At 1am to 4am free transport will send to various MRT station, to me means get home free with the transport.

Friday afternoon staff room

Today afternoon went back to school to prepare my orientation things. As an orientation committee chairman, I need to prepare the necessary folder for all the staffs as well as all the documents and forms for the students. In the staff room, it was very quiet as it is the school holiday and today is holiday eve. Most of the staffs are in holiday and section heads take leave. I suppose to prepare 40 folders but after completed 10 folders is already 440pm. I decided to stop and come back another day to do it as today I am having dinner with my friends at Clarke Quay. Really hope that someone can volunteer to help me to do all these things. One of the clerks asks me why i don’t ask my committee members back to help. My answer was one people suffer is better than 2 persons suffer.

Credit Card Good or Evil ?

Are credit cards or plastic money good or evil ? Below are my analysis :

Good :

1. Convenient medium of exchange. Able to carry less cash and hence no risk losing cash especially travel or tour.
2. Discount booklet. Every month there is a discount booklet accompany with the monthly statement of account. It help to save some cash.
3. Reward points earned. Each dollar spent enables holder to accumulate points that able to exchange vouchers or gift.
4. Interest Free period. Able to let holder to spend first and pay later without charges interest. Usually up to 55 days.
5. Free Insurance coverage when buy air ticket using credit card.

Evil :

1. Promotion always have the "term and condition".
2. Merchants levy administrative charge when using credit card which usually happen in booking of tour package.
3. Payment of annual subscription fee.
4. Interest rate up to 24% per annual if the purchase amount is not pay fully.
5. Easily tempted to over spend.

It is important to ask yourself a few questions before owning credit card

• Should i need a credit card ?
• Will i easily tempted to spend beyond my mean?
• Am i able to fully pay the purchase every month ?
• How many credit card do i need ?
• Am i able to use each card sufficiently to waive the subscription fee?

Created New Blog

Have created new blog for all my collection of chinese stories that i have read. The blog name is http://chineseshortstory.blogspot.com/. This also can be found in the link. I will deleted all the chinese post in this blog and only display all students project here.

Story that touches me

When doing a video project, a story board is very important. Alot of them are good in video shooting and editing but not good in writing script. i have found a few very touching chinese stories and hopefully in future someone can make it into video. The short stories can be found in the link Chinese Short Story.

Romeo Video Project - Documentation

This video done by Romeo group. In order to assist them, have gone to HQ to loan the video cassette.

Stories that i wanted to tell the boss III

In my previous company there was a Executive Vice President who was very energetic, idealistic and alot of passion in doing the jobs. Whenever there are new projects or initiatives, he will always get hold of it and throw all these projects back to his sub-ordinates to do it. Initially he will always look back and make sure that his men were able to follow his footsteps. After sometimes he took things for granted and never look back. He continiues make new initiatives, continues get hold of big project and throw all the project to his men. At the end of the year, when he look back, he discovered that there were no one follow him, all the projects are laying down on the floor.
The moral of this story is do not take things for granted. Employees are human not machines. They have their limtitation, they cannot work for 24 hours non-stop. Always look back and get feedback from them. Ensure that they are able to follow the pace of the progression.

Stories that i wanted to tell the boss II

Do Management know their Staff?

On walking into the factory, the MD noticed a young guy leaning against the wall, doing nothing. He approached the young man and calmly said to him, How much do you earn?" The young man was quite amazed that he was asked such a personal question, he replied, none the less, "I earn $ 2 000.00 a month, Sir. Why?"

Without answering, the MD took out his wallet and removed $ 6000.00 cash And gave it to the young man and said, "Around here I pay people for working, not for standing around looking pretty! Here is 3 months' salary, now GET OUT and don't come back".

The young man turned around and was quickly out of sight. Noticing a Few onlookers, the MD said in a very upset manner, "And that applies for everybody in this company". He approached one of the onlookers and asked him, "Who 's the young man that I just fired ?" To which an amazing reply came of, "He was the pizza delivery man, Sir...!

Stories that i wanted to tell the boss

There are alot of little story that i have read during i am a little boy which are related to the management skills. First story is long long ago, there was a very kind hearted man name Dong Guo. One day, when he walked into the forest, he saw a wolf running for his life. Very shortly this wolf appear infront of him and begged Dong Guo : "Can you save me ? A hunter was after my life. Please help me?" Mr Dong Guo was very kind and offered his help. He open his huge bag and let the wolf hide inside. After a while the hunter run pass Dong Guo and ask him whether he saw the wolf. Mr Dong Guo pointed at a direction and the hunter left. After the hunter left far, Mr Dong Guo open his bag and the wolf jump out. The wolf look at the man. Instead of thank Mr Dong Guo, he say to him:"Can you help me one more time, I am hungry now, can i eat you." The moral of the story, you must know who you are helping. Do not anyhow help others which are bad in their nature. Hello my boss, you are very kind in helping others but do you know that in the end we the employee are the one who suffer. Others are taking advantage on your kindness.

Jimmy Video Project 2

This is a second video advertisement project done by Jimmy group.

Video Project by Jessie Group

Below is the video project done by Jessie group. A bit of funny. Enjoy watching it.

Telemarketing

What is telemarketing ? It is selling or promoting goods and services by telephone. Within this year, i have been received quite a number of telemarketing from banks till i know how to handle them. Yesterday morning again i receive a phone call from telemarketer. Below is our conversation.

Telemarketer : Good Morning. Can i speak to KC ?
KC : Yes speaking. (Wonder who is that lady ?)
Telemarketer : I am Jasmine calling from vwxy bank. Currently our bank has a promotion on credit financial plan that charge a lower interest rate in loan as compare to other bank. Are you interested ?
KC : No. I do not need any loan. (Start to wonder how the bank know me as i have no account or any contact with this bank.)
Telemarketer : How's about our credit card that come with 1 year free subscription ?
KC : ( I am start to angry as my handphone is not incoming call free) No, i dont need as i have alot of credit cards. Your bank offer is not attractive as compare to other bank that offer me life time membership free.
Telemarketer : OK. Thank you for your time. Bye.

I am really hate all these telemarketer in wasting my time and money (my handphone bill). To me if the bank really wanted to promote their product, they can just simply write to me instead of calling me. I dont really trust the person over the phone and claim he/she represent the bank or any organisation.

3D - Robot

Found a 3D project done by shu sheng. He is one of the most outstanding trainees that i ever met. Too bad he cannot further his study as he need to work for 2 or 3 years before he allow to continue his education.

Free Creative Web Cam

Today i go to Plaza Singapura to collect the free creative webcam that offered by qmax in Sitex where i signed for the free wireless access. Please see the picture on the right that taken by my sony ericsson handphone. I wonder how is this possible ? Give free wireless access and free webcam ? Will the IDA provide fund(Wireless@SG scheme) to the wireless service provider base on number of subscriber ? How much will the service provider get per month for one wireless subscriber ? I always believe that that is no free lunch in this world.

An Ode to Customer Service - by Jim Sterne

Have received this article from friend. It is very true indeed in customer point of view. It can be used as a case study material for help desk support personnel. You will enjoy reading it.

I have a little problem, so I call you on the phone
I'm given numbered options - to punch them each by tone.

After hitting number 7, then 2, 8, 6 and pound
A short recording tells me that no operators can be found.

They're busy helping others and would I hold this once?
Because my call is SO important. What am I? A dunce?

My call's not so important that I'll spend an hour on hold,
While my shoulder aches, my patience bakes and my coffee
grows green mold.

Nothing your recording says can cause me to believe
That my call will be taken in the order it was received.

So down I put the telephone and up I pick the modem
To find solutions on your site, and once found, download
'em.

I calmly wait while DNS looks up your URL
Until your server answers your home page front door bell.

I wait for frames to paint themselves, my solution to begin.
And then I wait for plug-ins so I can see your logo spin.

I wait to get an audio file - greetings from your CEO
He doesn't get the Internet, but he loves the radio.

I wait until a picture of your building is on my screen
And I realize there are things that should not be heard
nor seen.

Finally, there's a menu and I poise my mouse to click...
But first, a Java applet! "Starting Java." I know that
won't be quick.

The menu choices indicate you know yourselves full well.
You know all about your company and that's what you want
to tell.

But where's the button I can push, that takes me to the page
That solves my problem? Feels my pain? And soothes my
mounting rage?

There, in the lower corner, down by the copyright
There's a little tiny icon that looks as if it might

Be a link to customer service. My troubles soon will quit!
I click upon it and I get... a 404... Oh, sugar.

And when I finally reach that page that promises relief.
I'm staring at a document that's far beyond belief.

For where there should be answers to frequently asked
questions
And online help and knowledge-bases, is naught but
indigestion.
For there in type italics, underlined and bold
Is the number for your help desk phone.

I should have stayed on hold.

[Jim Sterne is an international consultant and author of
four books on using the Internet for advertising,
marketing and customer service.

3D - Guitar

Found another 3D project done by Victor in 2004.

出生日期测潜在力量

凭出生日期的数字测出内在性格和潜在力量的测验，看似不可思议，但近来在日本十分流行，而且被测者都发现能找到准确而奇妙的答案，不信？玩过就知。

玩法：请从你出生年、月、日中，找出不同的数字。例如：1978年12月9日，就有(2个1)(1个2)(1个7)(1个8)和(2个9)，然后请参阅下文，就会知道你的感情表达能力、思维能力、失恋治疗能力等内在玄妙了。

分析：

(1) 代表感情表达能力
(1个1)：你属于固执而不懂表达感情的人，故经常暗恋人。由于你都算理智，甚少被情所伤。
(2个1)：你善于表达感情，面对心仪对象，往往能大胆示爱。由于你喜怒形于色，恋爱过程亦见顺利。
(3个1)：你不易透露心底秘密，往往经过深思熟虑，才会将事情告知他人，所以做你的情人要有十足耐性。
(4个1)：你十分敏感，情绪起伏不定，毫不掩饰自己的喜怒哀乐，容易意志消沉，需要情人不时地鼓励。
(5个1)：你极度情绪化，容易伤害别人，作为你的情人，一定要对你耐心关怀，才能彼此沟通无阻。

(2) 代表直觉度
(1个2)：你懂得顾及别人的感受，善于洞悉别人的想法，是一个可*的朋友和情人。
(2个2)：你善解人意，乐于助人，爱付出。对于异性来说，你的细心体贴甚具吸引力。
(3个2或以上)：你的直觉一般，幸好反应能力强。你喜欢多姿多彩的生活，对神秘的爱情也心向往之。

(3) 代表思维能力和想象力
(1个3)：超强的想象力令你能散发独特的魅力，而你同时向往浪漫而甜蜜的恋爱。
(2个3)：言行常超出常规，常胡思乱想。与爱侣相处时，经常云游太虚，令对方觉得无趣。
(3个3或以上)：你智商很高，思维清晰，无法忍受单调的生活，若没机会发挥才能，会变得精神紧张。

(4) 代表行动力
(1个4)：热情澎湃，言出必行，自信十足，你会大胆表露内心感情，性欲亦旺盛。
(2个4或以上)：做人缺乏自信心，对于爱侣忠心耿耿。不会有越轨的念头，亦期望另一半对你专心不二。

(5) 代表意志坚定度
(1个5)：思想单纯，即使情人见异思迁，你亦不会放弃，希望有守得云开见月明的一日。
(2个5)：你的意志并不坚定，容易半途而废，往往事倍功半，想好好发挥才能，最好将精力放在创意活动上。
(3个5或以上)：内心有着无法克制的热情，做事冲动，决不会改变自己决定的事情，还要另一半听你指示。

(6) 代表自我价值
(1个6)：你天性敏感，喜欢被别人欣赏，只有这样，你才能感受到自己存在的价值。
(2个6)：你多愁善感，缺乏自信，伴侣对你的爱护，是你发挥才能的推动力。
(3个6或以上)：你有绝对的自信心，为了令自己与众不同，永远全力以赴，喜欢出风头。

(7) 代表失恋治疗能力
(1个7)：谈恋爱时，你会为对方周全考虑，失恋治疗能力亦强，对人欢笑，背人垂泪。
(2个7)：由于你每次恋爱都很投入，故失恋时，往往伤得很深，需要向别人倾诉，才能解开郁结。
(3个7或以上)：你不易爱上人，但一旦恋爱，会是十分专情的情人。如果被抛弃，你会对曾经的一切念念不忘。

(8) 代表智力和逻辑性
(1个8)：你智力一般，但逻辑性强，做事喜欢循序渐进，不喜欢预期以外的变化。
(2个8或以上)：你聪明独立，表达能力强，有决断能力，有领导才华，做事往往得心应手。

(9) 代表体贴度
(1个9)：你尝试理解别人对感情的渴求，然后尽量配合。
(2个9或以上)：无论智力或精力，你都非常旺盛，但缺点是经常沉醉于自己的想法中，令情人觉得你难以捉摸。

(0) 代表精神力量
(1个0)：你一生的时间和精神力量，均被情人及朋友瓜分，紧记要在友情和爱情之间找出一个平衡点。
(2个0或以上)：你的自我精神极强，在逆境时往往能看出事情的真相，甚少作出错误决定。

Entrepreneur, Technopreneur, Cyberpreneur

A lot of new terms come out in this new age. So what's the differences ?

Entrepreneur is risk-taking businessperson: somebody who initiates or finances new commercial enterprises

Technopreneur having an advantage on the mastery of the technology element besides possessing good business acumen.

A cyberpreneur is defined as “an entrepreneur with the skills and mindset to deal with the knowledge economy”.

Why need to encourage all these Entrepreneur, Technopreneur and Cyberpreneur? In my opinion, one possible reasons as follow :

1. Cutdown jobless rate. As more and more manufacturer company shift their base to China, there will be more and more people jobless. It may become a potential social problem to a country. Hence by encouraging the Entrepreneur, Technopreneur and Cyberpreneur, it will cut down the jobless rate.

How to encourage Entrepreneur, Technopreneur and Cyberpreneur?

The best way is in the education system. Current education system do not teach their students on how to setup a business. It will be a high learning curve or deter for those students that wanted to setup business. Hence in my opinion, the tertiary education systems should include the following modules in their programme :

1. How to register a company ? Differences between partner, private limited, or limited.
2. How to write a business plan ?
3. How to get financial help from various organisation ?
4. How to do marketing for the products or services ?
5. How to do import and export business ?
6. How to manage the account eg the balance sheet, GST rebate etc ?
7. What are the business law needed to follow ?

I believed that all the above topics are essential knowledge for a person to setup a business. Without knowing all those things, they may need to take more times to get to know the "how to" and hence may deter the momentum of doing the business.

一个超准的测试

在大河两边住着 L 女 M 夫，两人虽然是恋人，但因为没有桥过河而无法见面，所以 L 女前往有船的 B 氏家，请 B 氏载她过河，但 B 氏提出一个 L 女付不起的载运费.

就在 L 女困扰时，从前就喜欢 L 女的 S 男说：“只要你陪我一晚，我就帮你出钱”，无论如何也想见到情人的 L 女就答应陪S男一夜并顺利过河。但是恋人 M 夫却因此大怒并抛弃 L 女，此时 H 君出现在悲伤的 L 女前说：“我了解事情的始末，别再哭了，可以的话就跟我一起生活吧！”，说完就带 L 女回家.

那么 L 女、M 夫、B 氏、S 男和 H 君的行为，你最无法原谅的顺序如何呢？请把它记下来。
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
L=LOVE（爱） M=MORAL（道德） B-BUSINESS（工作） S=SEX（性） H=HOME（家庭）
你所选择的顺序，就是上面这些在你心中的价值顺序，也就是你最看重的东西的顺序

Lao Tzu Quotes

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Do the education system teach the students how to ? Most of the education system in the world not only need to teach them a skill (technical, special), which is a fishing rods (tools), at the same time they also teach them the soft skills, the communication skill, the marketing, the human resource management and presentation skills etc are the how to catch the fish(get a job). Most of the students know the importance or value of these life skill modules only after they graduate from the schools(Institution, Poly, University etc).

3D Project - Bowling

The course has offer a very wide range of modules. So it enable the students to realise their own potentials through the course. Some students good in Engineering, some in IT, some in 2D and others in 3D animation. NLT is good in 3D. Below is the project done by this girl.

Expo - Sitex and Warehouse Sales

This afternoon went to EXPO with Steven. Expo now is having two events, John Little warehouse Sales and Sitex. Steven wanted to buy some clothing in the warehouse Sales. He chooses a number of clothings while i looking at the pants. The "Valentino" pants looking nice and cheap. I chooses a few but too bad there is no changing room for me to try and the queue to the cashier is very long. I estimate each row will have 40 to 50 people waiting to pay money (pay $$ still need to queue and wait for hours, what the ....). So i give up the ideas of buying the items. Luckily Steven found his friend there that waiting for his wife in shopping, he willing to give steven a favour by helping him queue and pay for the items . He will then send the clothing to Steven home.
Later Steven and I went to Sitex. It was also very crowded. We only aim for register the free wireless access which also giving out free gift, webcam and a few other freebies. Steven left at 515pm while i still in the queue. After i registered, i walk around to see see look look but too crowded till i give up after 10 mins loitering in there.
I left at 615pm and arrive at Akira warehouse Sales at 715pm. There also alot of people. I quickly go to look for the electric iron, cost only $8.90, pay cash and out to go home. I really hate to be squeezed in the crowd if not for saving $$, i will try to avoid all these crowded place.

Year end = Spend $$ time

Every year come to year end always need to spend extra money. Why ? I find it very strange, whenever come to end of the year, some of my home appliances would spoilt. Last year is the electric cooker, fan , hall light. This year in November is the gas stove, last week the electric kettle and today the electric iron. Hopefully the TV set can wait till the new house come then spoilt.