5 Reasons Why I Like Reading

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A visit to the bookstore yesterday reminded me on how important reading is. Here are 5 very personal reasons:

1. Humility : Reading reminds you of how much you don’t know.
2. Dynamism : Reading across various topics trains your mind to think across.
3. Discovery : Reading comes with the spirit of learning new things.
4. Knowledge Immortality : Reading allows authors, some long gone, to speak to you in great words. 
5. Presentation : Through the words of others, you learn to communicate to various audiences.

And if you don’t like reading, consider how much there is out there that you’re missing out. Consider how rich the world is, how richer it can be at the turn of the page. Reading per se may be painful for the eyes sometimes, it can get sleepy… but reading is only a means…

To a more enlightened mind.

(Oh, thanks for reading… and share your thoughts too.)

Queues Encourage Corruption

In the dispensing of public services, officials should do all that they can to reduce and, if possible, avoid the queueing system altogether. At face value, queues are a sign of inefficiency and excess demand over supply. However one of its major spillovers is corruption. You don’t have to look far for a familiar example…

• You line up for a drink at the vending machine
• You see a familiar face already in line
• You request he purchases the drink for you

Is this corruption? Absolutely, because you are gaining an unfair advantage, often for your own self, at the negative expense of others. The above is just a small simple example, but when you look into it deeper in other contexts, you open up a pandora’s box…

• Work overloads, you put em all in the intray
• You clear some, miss some
• When it gets too much, you choose to conveniently remain silent. ‘Pending’ becomes ‘Silence’

Keeping it simple: Reanalyze the systems you’re in, and reduce queues where possible.

Search For Music Using Your Voice

…by singing or humming. That’s the header of the website Midomi.com . Using a simple interface, you can now hum away that tune and let Midomi find the track for you.

Who should Midomi collaborate with? I’m thinking of a certain gameshow… .

Elephant Versus Mouse

You know those cartoons where the big elephant squirms at the sight of the small mouse? It must just be in comic land… right?

Many parables of motivation this video has.

What is Your Motive for Action?

I’m noticing a worrying trend emerging from the net. It comes in the form of offering expert advice, but when you study the mechanisms behind it, the teacher is not really teaching students. Instead students are used as distribution channels per head, and the return to the teacher is increased for every head.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not really against the profit-thru-distribution model itself. What erks me however is the promise that these teachers make to these untrained students who are yearning to really learn. Here are key questions:

• Compare what you will find out after going through the course versus what you were promised initially. What did you really learn? Really.
• What meaning is there in using the euphamistic labelling of “coaching”? It is a cherished tradition for the teacher to have had the experience, skills, track record or having been trained in a proper institution to then have the necessary means to teach. Without having much, and attempting to claim to be able to teach, what meaning is there? Is there any?

The internet’s structure and the form that is Web3.0 allows for a rich and diverse pot of growth. Unfortunately, what comes with it is also a whole dish of pseudo schemes. Again, I’m not targeting the scheme itself, but rather the methods of execution. Under the guise of teaching students, when you jolly well know the bigger picture, I urge you to put aside the claims of “teaching them knowledge” and all, and sincerely ask you…

What is your motive for action.

A Key Marketing Lesson from President Elect Obama

You could pinpoint the victory to many things: the perceived careless choice of vp (Mrs Palin) on the part of the republican candidate, the unfortunate circumstance the republican president George Bush found himself in during his 8 year term, the comparison-ad firing which proved to be distasteful in public opinion.

On a marketing note, one lesson is stark: The importance of storytelling.

Track back to the very first speech the democratic candidate ever made to run for nomination for his party till the very latest speech as president elect and you can see why the poet made it. To prove the point on the power of superb storytelling, just take a look at his victory speech. Pay attention to the setting, the backdrop, the lighting, and how it all adds up to one fantastic story.

I call it “The Return of the Jedi.”

LATEST November Contest for Current and New Subscribers

Ok, I’m excited about this month’s new contest. Here are the details:

1. For the month of November 2008, introduce Hafihz.com to 3 new friends .
2. Describe to them the perks about subscribing, and encourage subscription vi a email .
3. Once all 3 have completed subscription, email the 3 emails to info@hafihz.com . Subject is "Nov 08 Contest"

That’s it! The winner will be notified after 30 Nov 2008 in a new posting in Hafihz.com. And what’s up for grab? Unlike the last contest, I’ll keep this one a mystery. But here’s a clue…

Because you could be reading this blog for all sorts of reasons, you get to choose the prize from a list. Yumyum.

So time to spread the word, right now. Look at your msn, facebook, etc, and nudge or msg your friends now. Easy as that, give it a try. All the best!

Barack Hussein Obama II or John Sidney McCain III ?

Remembering Names and Faces “In a Pinch”

PS: Yesterday I managed to remember 4 names, using the first point.

Asian Muslim Consumer Showcase 2008

Event: The Asian Muslim Consumer Showcase 2008

Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 5A

Date: 24th - 27 October 2008

Review: Honestly I expected more crowd on a Sunday. The products were diverse, with certain booths clearly monopolozing (notably bridal and food). Some newmedia stalls were there too, such as Fadzuli’s IslamicSg Networks. His yummy tv screen which was connected to his laptop caught my attention, and of course I couldn’t resist thickening my skin and asked if I could have the pleasure of looking at my site through that yummy rectangular thing…

When you’re in these sort of settings, do try and stand up. The evidence is there; booths with the sellers lazily sitting down won’t get much good impression and presence from transit customers. In these sort of settings, first contact is extremely crucial.

Also, get your theme together. Maximise as much of that space which you’ve spent, and decorate every corner you can to fit your product. Cost per square inch versus presence per square inch worth pondering.

Were you there too?

http://www.amcsmegasale.com/

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