New World Heritage Sites

New World Heritage Sites have been announced by UNESCO:-

The UN has expanded its list of the world's most valuable cultural treasures, adding Australia's Sydney Opera House, described as having lasting architectural influence.

Bomb-damaged Shia Muslim holy sites in the Iraqi city of Samarra were added - and immediately flagged up by Unesco as being in danger.

Lope-Okanda in Gabon was added because of its unusual mix of culture and nature, with rainforest and savannah environments home to a great diversity of animals.

India's Red Fort complex, completed in 1648, was honoured for reflecting Indian history from the Mughal period through to independence.

Twyfelfontein in Namibia, which has one of the largest concentrations of rock carvings in Africa, is the country's first World Heritage site.

The French city of Bordeaux in the south-west also made the list as the location of one of Europe's biggest 18th Century architectural urban areas.

The Diaolou villages in Kaiping, in China's Guangdong province, feature 1,800 fortified tower houses. They were built as a response to banditry in the late 19th and early 20th Century.

The old town of Corfu in Greece also made the Unesco list. Unesco aims to work with national governments to preserve sites of world cultural significance.

Tags: World Heritage Site, UNESCO, Sydney Opera House, Australia, Shia Muslim, Samarra, Iraq, Lope-Okanda, Gabon, Red Fort, India, Mughal, Twyfelfontein, Namibia, Bordeaux, France, Diaolou, Kaiping, China, Corfu, Greece

Why Wedding Ring on 4th Finger?

Why should the wedding ring be worn on the fourth finger?
There is a beautiful and convincing explanation given, though many Legends existed...
* Thumb represents your Parents
* Second (Index) finger represents your Siblings
* Middle finger represents your-Self
* Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner
* and the Last (Little) finger represents your children
Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back. Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip (as shown in the pic above).
Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents)..., they will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you lifelong, and have to leave you sooner or later.
Please join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings)... ., they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.
Now join the Index fingers and separate your Little fingers (representing your children)... ., they will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day.
Finally, join your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse). You will be surprised to see that you just CANNOT....., because Husband & Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin!!
P.S. Please try this out......... .... ISN'T THIS A LOVELY THEORY?
Tags: Wedding Ring, Thumb, Parents, Index Finger, Siblings, Life Partner, Children, Husband, Wife, Chinese Legend

Bahrain Imposes Income Tax of 1%

Bahrain, a small country in the Middle East, enjoying the harvesting results owing to high oil prices has just imposed an income tax of 1% on its citizens. Only 1%?

And just this 1% income tax has triggered the following:-
* Workers in Bahrain are up in arms
* local newspapers inundated with letters protesting the scheme
* country’s trade union federation, the General Federation of Workers' Trade Unions in Bahrain, is reportedly unhappy with the situation

Bahrain is the first GCC nation to impose a tax on working folks. Do you need this uproar? Kuwait is to follow next. Working folks in certain countries are being taxed as high as 30%. This tax increase has something behind as well - it exempts military personnel and local and national elected officials. One thing that the public sector workers may not know yet - part of the agreement was to increase their pay by 15%. Wow!!!! A 1% income tax justifies a 15% pay increment?

Furthermore this income tax revenue would be used for at increasing employment opportunities for nationals and, as well as providing training programmes for job seekers, includes incentives for companies to employ Bahraini citizens such as additional financial and technical and to to fund unemployment benefits for its citizens. Selfish working folks?

Reading: Bahrain ministry defends salary tax - Arabian Business
Tags: Bahrain, Income Tax, Middle East, Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, Gulf, Kuwait, Unemployment Benefits, General Federation of Workers' Trade Unions

Temuduga di KLCC

Seorang CEO ingin mencari eksekutif baru dalam syarikatnya. Dari beribu permohonan, hanya empat yang betul-betul menarik perhatiannya. Bagaimanapun beliau tidak dapat memilih antara keempat-empat orang calon tersebut, lantas memanggil kesemuanya untuk ditemuduga(beliau tidak sekaya Donald Trump untuk menganjurkan temuduga seperti The Apprentice).

Setelah keempat-empat calon berada di hadapan beliau, CEO tadi pun mula berkata, "Saya ada satu soalan yang mungkin memberi jawapan berbeza, calon yang memberikan jawapan terbaik akan diterima untuk bekerja di sini" Soalannya adalah: "Apakah perkara atau benda yang paling pantas sekali?", tanya CEO tersebut.

Calon pertama berkata,"FIKIRAN, kerana kadang ianya datang sendiri tanpa kita sedari" "Bagus, satu jawapan yang baik", kata CEO tadi. "Kamu pula?", tanya nya kepada calon kedua. "KELIP MATA, kerana tanpa kita sedari, sebelum sempat kita buat apapun, mata kita dah berkelip", jawab calon kedua. "Satu jawapan yang sangat baik, lagipun perumpamaan melayu pun ada sebut SEKELIP MATA melambangkan kepantasan", kata CEO itu.

"Bagaimana kamu pula?", tanya CEO kepada calon ketiga. "Kalau kita tengok, lampu KLCC dihidupkan dengan pantas walaupun bangunan tu tinggi. Jadi saya rasa MENGHIDUPKAN LAMPU adalah paling pantas, jawab calon ketiga. "Jawapan yang terhebat setakat ni. "Bagaimana pula dengan kamu?" CEO terus mengusulkan soalan kepada calon keempat dengan merasakan calon ketiga hampir pasti menjadi eksekutif baru di syarikatnya dengan jawapan yang sangat bagus sebentar tadi.

"Setelah diteliti jawapan calon-calon sebelum saya ni tadi, saya rasa perkara yang paling pantas sekali adalah CIRIT-BIRIT", jawab calon keempat dengan yakin sekali. "Haaa...???? CIRIT-BIRIT ???? Kamu ni tak serius langsung, macamana kamu boleh mintak kerja dengan syarikat saya ni?", CEO terkejut dengan jawapan calon keempat tadi. "Begini tuan, malam kelmarin saya terjaga di tengah malam dengan rasa sakit perut yang amat sangat. Belum sempat saya FIKIR, KELIP MATA atau MENGHIDUPKAN LAMPU, benda tu dah terkeluar dah......... ....."

Calon keempat diterima menjadi eksekutif baru syarikat berkenaan...Hehehehehhe .........
Tags: Temuduga, CEO, Cirit Birit, Fikir, Kelip Mata, Lampu, Eksekutif, Jokes, Funny, Humour

Taiwan's Son-in-Law

Taiwan's President's son-in-law, Chao Chien-ming, has been convicted of insider trading in connection with Taiwan Development Corp's scandal. Not only him alone, even his father was convicted.

The Taipei District Court increased the Chao senior and junior's jail sentences in this appeal case. The first verdict was given in December 2006 and an appeal was filed. Looks like a case of beyond reasonable doubt was proven.

This is what I called "Just do your job without fear even though it involves the head of state's family/relatives". I can also say that the Taipei court system was free from any government intervention / pressure. Or maybe their prosecution team was diligent in their case.
Can I say of the same for the Malaysian court system and prosecutors from the Malaysia's Attorney General's office?

Reading: Prosecutors grill Chao family members - Taiwan Headlines

Tags: Chao Chien-ming, Taipei District Court, Taiwan Development Corp, Insider Trading, Taiwan, Malaysian Court, Malaysian Attorney General

Star Celebrity / Host / Model / Brand Ambassador

If you think you are game to try out an audition for to become either a Star Celebrity / Host / Model / Brand Ambassador. Don't worry if you are not a professional but if you think are good enough, give it a shot. Yeah, just a simple think....... nothing to lose.

The purpose of this audition is to encourage young aspiring entertainers aged 18-30 in Malaysia to go for the Star Celeb reality show auditions, and take the chance to become a star celebrity, host, brand ambassador and model. Celebrity model & actor Daniel Tan and celebrity model May Wan will be there to accompany you too.

From the audition, 60 contestants will be chosen and will get a chance to be part of a reality show. Roadshow, magazine shoot and the grand finale will come along too. Nice isn't it?

From the reality show, 2 winners will be chosen and a cash prize of RM25,000 (each winner) coupled with hosting and modeling contracts awaiting.

Eligibility: 18 to 30 years old, male or female, and able to blabber your way in either English or Mandarin.

Auditions will be held at Level 2 (Catleya Room) Parkroyal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on the following dates, 23rd-24th June and 30th-1st July 2007. Blogged a bit late of this but you still have 2 more days left at this coming weekend. Register online first (for priority queue) before presenting yourself at the audition. Remember to bring your I/C & a colour photo. Go for it!!!!

Looks like NTV7 will be airing this reality show too. And if you got selected as a winner owing to reading this audition in my blog, remember me when you start to host big events in future.
Tags: Star Celeb, Star Celebrity, Host, Model, Brand Ambassador, Daniel Tan, May Wan, Audition, Parkroyal Hotel, NTV7

Bloody Scene in Hotel

Yeah, bloody when this medical officer pricked my finger to obtain few dots of blood to determine my blood type and whether my blood was acceptable to be donated today. Could be determined by dripping into a bottle of liquid (forgotten the name of it). If the drip sinks, meaning you could donate but if it floats, sorry another time then.
Before taking this photo, my colleague beside me requested another colleague not to have him inside this photo as he said I will put this photo inside the blog......hahaha....sorry, my camera and it's done now.
My view while lying down - the ceiling of the Crown Princess Hotel ballroom. There must have been a function the night before.

In a short while, my blood bag was full. 450ml of it.
And the nurse came over to fill in 2 tubes. The blood sample in this 2 tubes would be sent for examination to ensure that my blood is clean from AIDS, Hepatitis and whatever contagious disease that could affect the blood recipient if so happened they took my blood.

Ah....... my favourite part of the blood donation.....tea break. Went to donate around 2.45pm and after the donation, it's time to eat as much to replenish the blood loss.
Our snacks and a cup of tea. When I saw a chef with his top hat in the ballroom, I thought Crown Princess Hotel had sponsored some good snacks but to my disappointment, nothing much. Just normal sandwiches, butter and banana cakes were available.
These were the goodies that we received after donating those precious blood of mine. There was a hair shampoo from UNZA, a chocolate bread from High5, a toothpaste from Fresh & White, a shampoo sachet from Shokubutsu, a soya milk from Drinho and a local magazine, Zero Degrees.

Tags: Blood Donation, Blood, Crown Princess Hotel, Nurse, Goodies, UNZA, High5, Fresh & White, Shokubutsu, Drinho, Zero Degrees