Bloggy Blogger

Enchanted Rock State Park, Llano

2010-07-30T11:29:00.009+08:00

We visited the Enchanted Rock State Park during end of May. The Blue Bonnets season was over and what greeted us were beds of yellow flowers swaying along with the hot summer breeze. The view was simply magnificent!

The Enchanted Rock is one of the largest underground rock formation uncovered by erosion in the United States.

Take a rest... enjoy the hot sun!

On the summit of the pink granite dome

Preparing to...

Fly the kite...

GPS Coordinate:

30°29'42.60"N 98°49'11.40"W

Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin

2010-07-26T11:21:00.007+08:00

I went to the Texas Military Forces Museum together with Eugene during the Muster Day or in another term, American Heroes Celebration Day 2010. During normal days, you have to possess a valid US driving license or you have to be accompanied by someone with a valid US driving license to be able to enter the museum. However, the door is open to all during Muster Day.

There were a few shows and exhibition going on and we were lucky to be able to catch the Vietnam Reenactment show which showcased the battle between the American force with the Vietnamese soldiers.

We were told that the laptop used to control the satellite dish was none other than the state of the art Intel 486 (Or maybe 386... i can't remember clearly) :)

The American armies approaching the Vietnamese camp

A helicopter was deployed to help the troop

The "Vietnamese" soldier

Army humour: "Unless you are in the NUDE! Please DO NOT lean on this military vehicle!" :D

The infamous "Purple Heart" medal...

GPS Coordinate:

30°19'8.19"N 97°45'42.80"W

Mustang Island State Park, Corpus Christi

2010-07-17T10:02:00.007+08:00

We spent most of our time in Corpus Christi visiting the USS Lexington but decided that the Mustang Island State Park is a place we should go. Why so? Look at this Google Map's extract. Facing the Gulf of Mexico, both sides surrounded by water. Cool isn't it? :D

The drive there was pleasant with nice view along the way. The bad thing, we have to pay USD4 per person as the park's entrance fee.

The beach was full of seaweed washed ashore

Seaweed

Stranded jelly fish

GPS Coordinate:

27°40'26.54"N 97°10'31.16"W

USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier Museum, Corpus Christi

2010-07-16T11:00:00.008+08:00

Visited USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier Museum, Corpus Christi with three colleagues of mine from Shanghai - Leo, Wu Tao and William.

The USS Lexington was one of the US Navy aircraft carriers built during World War II and was the oldest remaining aircraft carrier in the world. It was also made famous as the filming scene for the movie Pearl Harbour.

The USS Lexington was nicknamed the "Blue Ghost" as it was painted dark blue - being the only aircraft carrier that did not wear a camouflage. Also, several Japanese have reported the USS Lexington to have sunk on four different occasions but then only to return and fight again.

The place where the Japanese flag was shown was where the Japanese Kamikaze plane hit and destroyed most of the structure and causing fire to spread in all directions. The fire was under control within 20 minutes - this should be one of the occasion when the Japanese declared her destroyed.

Aircrafts were actually launched using the catapult system on the aircraft carrier. The photo below shows the system which was situated directly under the flight deck.

F-18 Hornet

F-14 Tomcat

"State-of-the-art" communication device

This was where the crew slept. Can you imagine that? Life is tough on a ship.

Main control room

During World War II, on each ship, an officer was chosen to be the censor. The censor had the unique task of reading each and every piece of mail that left the ship. If a letter contained information that was considered classified, he blackened the inappropriate words and mailed the letter.

GPS Coordinate:

27°48'53.37"N 97°23'19.72"W

US Independence Day Fireworks 2010

2010-07-14T12:04:00.006+08:00

We have been warned about the jam and the crowd and hence, we were there very early. Reaching the Long Center at 4pm to find a car park nearby and to beat the crowd. Why the hassle? To watch the US Independence Day fireworks display! :D

The crowd started to gather even before we reach there...

It was 6pm and the summer sun was still scorching HOT...

More and more people started to gather

The Long Center

Long Center from far - can you see the crowd?!

We bought a turkey leg and some funnel cake for dinner

The sun began to set

Austin downtown night view

Here come the fireworks accompanied by the Austin Symphony!

GPS Coordinate:

30°15'35.58"N 97°45'3.38"W

Longhorn Cavern, Texas

2010-07-11T11:39:00.007+08:00

The Longhorn Cavern is a river-formed cavern. Located in Burnet County, this wonder was created over thousands of years by the dissolving and cutting action of water on the limestone bedrock.

We took a guided tour at USD 12.99 per person and the tour lasted for about 1.5 hours. The cave generally stays at 68 degree Fahrenheit year long but it does feel quite chilly for some part of the cave. So, do bring a sweater just in case.

Cute little bat - it should be the Eastern Pipistrelle bat. They are loners and do not hang out together. If i listened to the tour guide correctly, the little one shown in the picture is already a grown up.

Calcite crystals

What was Ching Leong looking at? :p

That's actually the "Queen's Watch Dog". Some have said this piece of rock was carved out by people many years ago. Geologists from Texas A&M were brought in to examine it for tool marks to prove whether or not humans had done this. They have never been able to find tool marks on it. The most likely explanation is that it was carved by high-flow rushing water. Noticed the center of the rock which was joint together. We were told that a visitor broke the piece and was required to pay a hefty fine for the repair of that piece.

GPS Coordinate:

30°41'5.53"N 98°20'58.59"W

Texas Memorial Museum

2010-07-08T12:31:00.007+08:00

The Texas Memorial Museum is the main exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Texas Pterosaur - one of the most famous find in the history of paleontology. It lived in West Texas about 65 million years ago with a wing span of nearly 40 feet.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution

Star fish

T-Rex

Sauropod's femur

What happened??

Hit by meteorite??

GPS Coordinate:

30°17'13.06"N 97°43'55.95"W

Zilker Botanical Garden

2010-07-08T11:52:00.005+08:00

I like photographing flowers and Zilker Botanical Garden in spring offers ample opportunities for that.

Saw a lady painting in the garden...

Japanese Garden

Ginkgo

There was an Orchid Exhibition and Competition going on when i was there

This is one of the winning orchid

Remember the lady painting... spot her in this photo :)

GPS Coordinate:

30°16'7.17"N 97°46'20.52"W

Zilker Park, Austin

2010-07-06T13:19:00.006+08:00

Zilker Park is one of Austin's "Most Loved Park". Entrance to the park is free but you will have to pay a parking fee of USD 3 per car from mid-March to Labor Day (6th September) weekend each year on weekends, holidays and most of the special events.

For those who like to swim, you can swim in Barton Springs Pool, a natural spring-fed pool. For those who loves cycling, hiking and jogging, the park offers good trails. You can also rent a canoe and paddle along Town Lake. It's really a good place to exercise or just to relax and get near to the nature. A must visit if you are in Austin.

GPS Coordinate:

30°16'7.17"N 97°46'20.52"W

Guess what?

2010-07-03T20:32:00.002+08:00

Guess what is the name of the shop displaying this bicycle?

YES!!! You are right... Longhorn Bicycle!

Mount Bonnell, Austin

2010-07-02T11:49:00.002+08:00

Sandor, my Hungarian colleague was in Austin and has not got the chance to go sightseeing. I acted as the tour guide (with the help of GPS :p) bringing him and Chee Wui to visit the infamous Mount Bonnell - described as the highest point in Austin, but not true. A search from the internet, it is actually lower than Jollyville Plateau. No harm, we still enjoyed ourselves with the breathtaking view and the houses of the filthy rich :)

From left : Me, Chee Wui and Sandor

GPS Coordinate:

30.3210°N, 97.7736°W

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

2010-07-02T11:02:00.003+08:00

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum was built to tell the the story of Texas - for visitors to experience the history and spirit of the Lone Star State.

We visited the museum during Texas Independence Day - the entrance fee was waived and the army band was performing in front of the museum. Photographs were not allowed inside the museum and hence, i only have these few to share.

GPS Coordinate:

30°16′49″N 97°44′20″W

San Antonio, Texas

2010-07-02T10:22:00.007+08:00

Not long after Ching Leong arrived in Austin, some time in February, we made a trip to San Antonio, south of Austin. For those interested to visit this unique small town, park your car at designated per entry parking lot and you can basically cover the town just by walking. Having my pedometer with me, i recorded 20k+ steps for this trip :)

Town view

River Walk

Shots taken at the Alamo - Built in 1724, the old mission was famous for the role it played in Texas revolution where a brave band of Texans fight against the Mexican Army. The death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolize courage and the Alamo has since become a symbol of patriotic sacrifice.

San Fernando Cathedral - founded in 1731 and is the the oldest, continuously functioning religious community in the State of Texas.

A church wedding - kind of classy but I guess we will never got to see all black attires in a Chinese wedding

A nice mural with mosaics

Market Square

Tower of America - trying out some zoom effect

We had our dinner at the River Walk before heading home.

Texas State Capitol

2010-06-11T11:00:00.008+08:00

"Everything is bigger in Texas!!" The same goes for the Texas State Capitol. It is the largest state capitol building in the United States, occupying 51.4 acres of land.

The building was originally planned to be constructed with Texas Limestone (Left). However, due to the high iron content of the Texas limestone, it will discolor after some time. The Indiana Limestone (Center) was subsequently suggested but was not chosen as the state has strongly recommended that the material used come from Texas. Texas Red Granite (Right) was finally chosen as the material to build the capitol.

Texas Senate Chamber. Resembles a classroom?

Can you locate George W. Bush? He is the 1995 Texas Governor.

House of Representatives

The hinge weighs over seven pounds each

GPS Coordinate:

30°16′29″N 97°44′26″W

Lonestar Rod and Kustom Round Up 2010

2010-06-10T12:10:00.006+08:00

Ching Leong and I bumped into this event by chance when we were driving around looking for places to go. If you wonder what Rod and Kustom means, i was wondering what that meant as well when i first saw the banner hung up outside the Travis County Exposition Center some time in April 2010.

Rod is the short form for Hot Rod - American cars with large engines modified for linear speed.

Kustoms are modified cars from the 1950s and early 1960s done in the customizing styles of that time period.

Without knowing much of what was actually going on, we paid USD 10 each and start snapping! Judging from the amount of photos we snapped, i guess it's worth the USD 10 spent! :D

Long Horn??!!

Heineken anyone?

Notice how expensive those "junks" are?

Vanishing Texas River Cruise

2010-06-04T11:50:00.007+08:00

It was very kind of Bekah to organize and plan for the Vanishing Texas River Cruise not long after i arrived in Texas. The ecological cruise covered part of Lake Buchanan and Colorado River Canyon, provided birds watching opportunity.

We were lucky to spot a bald eagle resting on a tree but it was just too far away for us to see clearly. Gulls are everywhere waiting to be fed and the kids were enjoying themselves throwing food and see the gulls gracefully catching it.

Address:

443 Waterway Lane
Burnet, TX 78611

GPS Coordinate:

30° 52' 01" N, 98° 25' 00" W

Bekah and Sean (Mike's son)

Envy!!

If you look careful enough, you will see nests on the trees

Old Pecan Street Spring Festival 2010

2010-06-04T11:01:00.006+08:00

When the street plan for Austin was first laid out, the east-west streets were given the names of trees. Soon after, numbers replaced the tree-named streets. Pecan Street is the old name for the current 6th Street of Austin. The Old Pecan Street Spring Festival honour the original name of the street.

Since it's inception in the year 1978, this bi-annual festival has grown to cover 24 city blocks compared to its modest beginning which spawned only one city block. Attracting more than 300,000 people from all walks of life, the festival showcases arts, entertainment, food, performance and many more.

The atmosphere is almost like the Little Penang Street Market (but bigger) and it's a surprise that stuff like Batik Sarungs and Henna (body art) can also be found here!

Batik Sarungs!

Henna drawing

Pennybacker Bridge, Austin

2010-06-03T12:20:00.005+08:00

The Pennybacker Bridge in Austin, Texas bridges Lake Austin to connect north and south Loop 360 highway, also known as the "Capital of Texas Highway." The road is widely considered one of the most scenic urban drives in central Texas, in large part due to this arched weathering steel bridge and the rolling hills that flank the road. In 2001, 48,000 vehicles crossed the bridge daily. Ten years prior, 22,000 vehicles crossed the bridge daily.

More commonly known as the "360 Bridge," the contract for the bridge was let in late 1979 and major structural steelwork was finished by July 1982. The bridge was dedicated officially November 29, 1982 by Austin mayor Carole McClellan and other public officials and opened for traffic December 3, 1982.

The bridge is named for Percy Pennybacker, who designed bridges for the Texas Highway Department and was a pioneer in the technology of welded structures.

-- Source : Wikipedia

Address:

Loop 360, South of FM 2222

GPS Coordinate:

30° 21′ 0″ N, 97° 47′ 49.2″ W

Mayfield Park Peacocks

2010-06-03T11:35:00.007+08:00

Mayfield Park in Austin is a quiet and serene park situated near the bustling downtown of Austin. It offers a nice environment for people to relax and frolick along with the peacocks that are roaming wild!

Look around and it is not uncommon to spot the male peacocks strutting and flaunting their glorious feathers trying to impress the female peacocks. Be warned though... They are not only proud, they are LOUD! I got shocked by the sudden outburst of deafening sound by a male peacock while busy taking photos!

Address:

3505 West 35th St
Austin, TX 78704

Texas Wild Flowers

2010-04-13T11:29:00.007+08:00

Spring is in the air and flowers are blooming everywhere! These are some of the photos taken along our way to Longhorn Cavern.

The purplish blue flowers are the Blue Bonnets, Texas State Flower

The Blue Bonnets can be found in abundance along road side

Snow in Austin!

2010-02-24T10:02:00.004+08:00

It is really rare to snow in Austin. And today, it happened!

Chinese New Year Celebration at Austin China Town

2010-02-23T12:31:00.006+08:00

The Chinese New Year celebration at Austin China Town was held the week after the first day of Chinese New Year. The crowd was so huge that we couldn't find a spot at the normally ample spaced parking lot! People of all races gathered to watch the lion and dragon dance. Good that i got the chance to experience the new year atmosphere here on the American soil.

Guan Yuan

2010-02-18T11:00:00.005+08:00

Guan Yuan is Eng Yeow's eldest son. He likes to pose and keep asking me to take his photo. A natural model, a cute boy he is. Eng Yeow is contemplating whether to buy a SLR or not... i bet he needs one! :D

Chinese New Year Away from Home

2010-02-14T11:34:00.011+08:00

This is my first time celebrating Chinese New Year away from home, abroad in Austin. Luckily my Penang colleagues were around. How I celebrated my Chinese New Year without my family around?

The celebration started with few of my Penang colleagues having our reunion dinner on Friday night at Ho Ho Restaurant. Eng Yeow's family and Chee Heng's family graciously invited me to had lunch and dinner respectively during Chinese New Year Eve and the first day of Chinese New Year together with them. The Penang team also gathered at Azian's house for Nasi Lemak and Laksa as dinner during Chinese New Year Eve. Eng Yeow and Chee Heng later proceed to my house for some drinking and chatting. My Chinese New Year is not that bad after all...

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy and Harmonious Tiger Year!

Below are some photos taken during our dinner at Ho Ho...

My Lovely Colleagues in Austin

2010-02-14T11:24:00.003+08:00

From Left : Katherine, Peter (My Mentor), Me, Miguel, Bekah, Phillip (My Project Tech Lead), Mike, Dave

Trail to Work

2010-02-01T04:14:00.005+08:00

The apartment i am staying right now is just behind the place i work. Hence, most of the time, i walk to work. The trail to work cuts across a small woods and a stream. It was a short trail where it normally won't take me more than 10 minutes to reach office.

A Pleasant Surprise

2010-01-31T05:43:00.002+08:00

I went to Panda Express for lunch this afternoon and this is what the fortune cookie says. I do hope so! :D

Car I am using...

2010-01-26T11:00:00.003+08:00

I was assigned the Chevrolet Cobalt as my transportation here in Austin... I still remember the few dangerous turning done while i was in US sometime back due to the change from Right hand drive in Malaysia to Left hand drive in US.

I hope this won't happened here. Wish me luck!!

My "Home" in Austin

2010-01-18T10:18:00.009+08:00

This is where i am staying - the San Marin apartment, located at Duval Road, a place which i should call home for 6.5 months.

Kitchen for the chef-to-be, or not to be :p

Again, thanks to Eugene for acting as my tour guide and groceries advisor. Now my kitchen cabinets and fridge is at least equipped with some of the essential stuffs :)

The living room is complete with sofas, TV, DVD player and the all-in-one wireless router + modem (but the wireless LAN is not working :S)

My bedroom with the so called "walk-in" wardrobe.

The apartment is equipped with a washing machine, dryer and air-conditioning / heater system.

Sunset at Narita Airport, Japan

2010-01-17T12:17:00.005+08:00

The flight from Singapore to Japan has been a pleasant one as i sat beside a passenger from Rhode Island (Andrew Hunt, Director of Project Buy-Out Process, APC) and we had a good chat throughout our journey talking about job, family, exchange views on different cultures etc.

I have to wait for nearly 4 hours at Narita Airport, Japan for the connecting flight to O'Hare Airport, Chicago. Andrew's flight was about 2 hours ahead of mine. I parted with Andrew and spent the rest of my waiting time resting at the departure gate and got the opportunity to capture the glorious sunset at Narita airport.

The flight from Narita to Chicago has been a grueling one. I sat through the whole 11+ hours of journey without being able to doze off. When I finally reached O'Hare, i was already exhausted, feeling a bit giddy due to the lack of sleep. The six hours wait at O'Hare is hell long before i finally took the 3 hours flight and reached safely at Austin.

Eugene was kind enough to pick me up at Austin airport. Off we went to grab some food before heading to the apartment to take a rest. When i finally dozed off, the clocked was showing 3.30 in the morning...

Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore

2010-01-17T11:42:00.004+08:00

For those who are not yet informed, I’ve just ventured into a new career and will be in Austin, Texas for an on job training through end July 2010. My journey to the west started on the evening of 14th January 2010, flying from Penang to Singapore. Due to the early connecting flight at 7.20am the next morning to Narita, I was given a complementary stay at Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore as the transit hotel courtesy of United Airlines.

To be frank, my expectation wasn’t high as my previous stay in such transit hotel hasn’t been pleasant. However, Grand Mercure Roxy has proven me wrong by surpassing my expectation - portraying good customer service and provided a simple yet elegant room for my short stay (I’ve to leave at 4.30am the next morning in order to check-in for my next flight).

Comfortable bed but i just managed to sleep for about 3 hours in anticipation of the subsequent flights

A lot of hotels doesn't provide dental set but these are what were provided by Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel - dental set included. Certainly a plus!

Writing table

Wall Decoration

Instead of charging SGD 7+ for every 15 minutes of internet usage, it will be a great plus if the service is offered free :)

Two Wolves

2010-01-05T21:05:00.002+08:00

One evening an old grandfather told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old grandfather simply replied, "The one you feed."

Can you solve these puzzles? - Answers Revealed

2009-12-08T18:35:00.000+08:00

1. The man is very, very short and can only reach halfway up the elevator buttons. However, if it is raining then he will have his umbrella with him and can press the higher buttons with it.

2. The surgeon was his mother.

3. It was day time.

4. A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.

5. The poison in the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch, the ice was fully frozen. Gradually it melted, poisoning the punch.

6. The man had hiccups. The barman recognized this from his speech and drew the gun in order to give him a shock. It worked and cured the hiccups-so the man no longer needed the water. This is a simple puzzle to state but a difficult one to solve. It is a perfect example of a seemingly irrational and incongruous situation having a simple and complete explanation. Amazingly this classic puzzle seems to work in different cultures and languages.

Can you solve these puzzles?

2009-11-25T18:10:00.001+08:00

1. There is a man who lives on the top floor of a very tall building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the ground floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he can only travel half way up in the lift and has to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining! Why?

This is probably the best known and most celebrated of all lateral thinking puzzles. It is a true classic. Although there are many possible solutions which fit the initial conditions, only the canonical answer is truly satisfying.

2. A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives the surgeon says, "I can't operate on this boy, he is my son! " How can this be?

3. A man is wearing black. Black shoes, socks, trousers, lumper, gloves and balaclava. He is walking down a black street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its lights off but somehow manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man?

4. Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones?

This is logical rather than lateral, but it is a good puzzle that can be solved by lateral thinking techniques. It is supposedly used by a very well-known software company as an interview question for prospective employees.

5. A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the punch subsequently died of poisoning. Why did the man not die?

6. A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says 'Thank you' and walks out.

This puzzle claims to be the best of the genre. It is simple in its statement, absolutely baffling and yet with a completely satisfying solution. Most people struggle very hard to solve this one yet they like the answer when they hear it or have the satisfaction of figuring it out.

People Attrition and Talent Retention - Part 2/2

2009-11-04T18:38:00.001+08:00

We have no choice but to admit the fact that retaining an employee is getting harder by the day. Information or recommendations can now be easily obtained. Fanned by the advancement of information technology – humans are separated by just a phone call or an email away. Social networks like Facebook, Friendster, Plurk, Twitter etc. spread information like wild fire with just a few strokes of the keyboard and clicks of mouse. Creative ways have to be thought of in order to maintain good employees and ensuring business sustainability. How?

Hire the right person – all potential candidates have to be well informed about the real situation at work. Slogans like “Enjoyable workplace”, “Fun at work” etc. might backfire if the gist of it is not well communicated. Hence, it is utmost important for a company to communicate clearly the working condition, reality at work and the company expectation on the employee to prevent any wrong perception and also to hire only those who think they suit the job.

Having a clear vision – communicate the company’s vision clearly to all employees and create visibility on how every employees’ action can contribute in achieving the vision. Vision must be able to be put into action or else it will remain only as words on the wall. Great company vision enables a company to build long term employees commitment. Committed employees will perform better and will give up life and limb to ensure a company’s success and stay loyal to a company. Engaged employees stay because of what they can give while disengaged employees stay because of what they can get.

Having a creative / competitive reward package – Creativity is a must in designing a reward package to seek a balance and create a win-win situation for both the company and the employees. Performance Based Remuneration System (PBRS) is now widely discussed and applied. It was discussed earlier there should be a clear linkage between the employees’ action and the company vision. It is best that employees’ action or contribution towards achieving the company vision can be measured and be rewarded accordingly. This will create a sense of satisfaction and ownership towards the company and hence ensuring a long term commitment. Employees need to feel recognized for their achievements and it is not necessarily to be in the form of money. As the Chinese saying goes, “Punishment and Rewards need to be in time”. A word of encouragement or token of appreciation that comes fast enough following a job well done will have a greater positive impact compared to something that comes months later or only during the year end. The value of an award or token given is not that important, what is more important is the recognition given to the employee and the suitability of the reward. In example, a family meal voucher can do wonders for a culture that treasures family bonding. An employee gets the recognition from the company and get to share the reward together with his or her family. The support from the family can even encourage an employee to strive together with the company.

Be a Learning Organization – One very important factor in employee motivation and retention is the opportunity for an employee to continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire. A lot of time, an employee left because a job has provide no room for growth. Provide a platform for employees to continually enhance their capabilities and grow their potential. With this, new and expansive patterns of thinking can be nurtured, collective aspiration set free and employees continually learning to see the whole together.

Be Employee Oriented – Focus on interactions between all levels of employees in the company. Let the employees feel that they are part of the company as a whole and with this, trust and loyalty can be built up. Encourage open communications – share problems and communicate success. Constant communication sessions between the management and staffs can promote mutual understanding. Private talk or coffee talk as some companies call it, are good for more introvert employees to voice some of their concerns that are normally not voiced during open session. Effective team building is a good way to nurture employees communication outside the workplace and provide a chance for employees to know their coworkers more.

You have more ideas? Voice it out to make your company a better place to work for!

People Attrition & Talent Retention - Part 1/2

2009-10-15T18:21:00.000+08:00

Sometime ago, I watched a short video clip shared by a friend through Facebook. Here are some of the figures extracted from the video clip:

It was estimated that today’s learner will have 10-14 jobs by the age of 38
1 in 4 workers has been with their current employer for less than a year
1 in 2 has been with their current employer less than 5 years

This video, some incidents, together with some materials that I have came across lately has inspired me to write and a share a bit about my thoughts on people attrition and talent retention.

Let’s not argue about the trustworthiness of what was being portrayed in the video but let’s face it, people attrition is becoming a major problem affecting the industry and many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to retain employees. Encouraged by the advancement of information and communication technology development, the employment culture is also changing and it is now relatively common to change jobs every few years rather than staying with one company throughout one’s employment life.

A survey done by CompData has shown that in Year 2008, the voluntary turnover rate in the US averaged at about 12.5% with Hospitality sector topping the list (27.2%) followed by Technology sector (17.2%). The problem of people attrition has to be taken seriously and it is not surprising that keeping the people attrition rate low has been on the KPI list of many companies and will continue to be. Recruitment cost, training cost, lost of productivity / sales cost, etc. will definitely affect a company bottom line if not managed correctly. This is especially true for service oriented company where a people leaving might means losing a critical skill set that is key for the company growth. Imagine a capable doctor leaving a hospital, a system architect leaving the design team, a competent professor leaving a university, a signature chef leaving a restaurant, and the list goes on. Imagine the havoc!

Today's youth may have different work styles, or look for different perks. What will attract the top talent? With these questions in mind, Jobstreet (Asia’s largest online job portal) has recently conducted a survey across Malaysia together with YouthSays (Malaysia’s largest youth opinion community) entitled “Understanding the Young Malaysian Jobseeker” with the hindsight that both employers and jobseekers can no longer rely on conventions from the past to shape the workforce. 3,217 youths aged between 15 to 35 have participated in this survey. I have extracted some of the results and you might find the following interesting :

1. When do you think you can make your first RM 1,000,000? 36.4% of the youths believe that they can achieve this between 30 – 40 years of age (Good to be confident! :))
2. What perks do you look forward to get from a company? 50% of youths picked flexible working hours as their preferred benefit 3. 90.27% of youth believe in work loyalty to the company
4. 56% of youths are willing to put up longer hours for higher pay
5. 75% of youths think that they are someone who will dedicate their life to their career
What are your thoughts?

I will write about some of my thoughts regarding talent retention in my next post. Till then, take care and enjoy your current employment!

Welcoming Jie Qi

2009-09-05T22:51:00.005+08:00

My mother in law was hoping that Jie Qi will have the same birthday as her (22nd August). My brother was hoping that Jie Qi will have the same birthday as him (25th August). ST was hoping that Jie Qi 's birthday will fall on Merdeka Day (31st August). But a few days passed her due date of 29th August, Jie Qi still did not show any sign of wanting to come out and meet us and my sister in law was hoping that she will have the same birthday as her (9th September).

While keeping everybody in suspense on her grand arrival, she was developing well in mummy's womb and according to the last ultrasound scan, she was estimated to be 3.55 kg (3.5kg the week before and 3.2 kg two weeks before).

ST checked in to Pantai Mutiara Hospital on 2nd September based on doctor's advice for inducement, worrying that the labour will be hard if the baby grows too big. Labour was "smooth" (aside to ST : "I understand that the process was painful" :p) and we got to meet our 2nd princess in the afternoon. Both mummy and baby are safe.

Thanks for all your gifts, congratulatory sms, calls and emails!

p/s : The ultrasound estimation was kind of accurate. She came out at 3.6 kg, and a height of 54cm.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 - Preparing to go home

Day 3 - At Home

Day 3

Day 4

没有人替你买单

2009-08-21T18:23:00.003+08:00

最近从一篇转发的电邮读到这篇文章，应人深思。愿和大家分享！

***

有朋友從美國回來。大概有十多年，他沒有吃過正宗的家鄉菜。于是找飯店為他接風，相談甚洽，賓主盡興。但是到了結賬的時候，鬧得卻有些不愉快。他拿出了錢，非要AA制(自己付自己)，當著他妻子和孩子的面。我感覺他是給了我一個狠狠的耳光，當然無論如何也不能接受。但是一向隨和的他卻執意要如此。

回賓館的路上，我很是不悅。他問我：「是不是覺得我AA制(自己付自己)，是沒有給你面子。」因為關系實在太好，沒什麼可以隱瞞的，我點了點頭。他說，那我講個故事給你聽。

在威斯康星一所中學里。有兩個孩子出去爬山，一個中國孩子，一個美國孩子。他們選擇的山比較危險，因為風化，時常有岩石坍塌。這兩個孩子很不幸的在要下山的時候遇到了坍塌。結果，兩個孩子分別被困在了巨大的岩石與碎石的兩邊，那個美國孩子被碎石砸傷了腿，一動就疼徹心肺，他判斷，自己是骨折了。

天氣很快就要黑了下來，黑暗像個巨獸一樣要吞噬掉整個世界。如果到了夜里，寒冷和饑餓，也許會讓他們眩暈，甚至奪去他們的生命。于是，那個美國孩子開始嘗試著，用手支撐著自己的身體，慢慢的向岩石堆上爬去，他受傷的腿上的血跡染紅了整個岩石。快要爬上最大的那塊岩石的時候，他的傷腿踫到了岩石的稜角，劇痛讓他無法雙手繼續用力抓住岩石，他重新掉落下來，在岩石上滾來滾去，像個皮球一樣。傷上加傷的美國孩子幾乎絕望了，躺在岩石堆里，大口大口地喘氣。但是十幾分鐘後，他因為寒冷而開始感覺到麻木的身體提醒他，必須要出去。

這一次，這個美國孩子取得了成功，他爬上了岩石，但是岩石距離地面還有兩三米的高度，這個孩子的腿無法讓他平穩落地，他干脆閉上眼楮，選擇了全身滾落下去。沒有人能想象，這個孩子是如何堅持爬回小鎮的。他向別人冷靜地講述了自己遇到危險的地點，時間，而且說有一個中國孩子很可能還在那里。

經過檢查，這個美國孩子左腿脛骨骨折，在滾落岩石的時候，肋骨受到撞擊，也折斷了兩根，身上踫撞出來的傷口和淤青不計其數。大人們把他送到了醫院，然後去救援那個中國孩子。那個中國孩子被找到的時候，寒冷和恐懼已經讓他奄奄一息，再晚來一會兒，很可能就會失去生命。

朋友說到這裡，我忽然發現他的孩子已經羞得滿面通紅。突然，孩子像是下定了什麼決心，對我說：「叔叔，那個中國孩子就是我。」

「那個美國孩子為什麼比他堅強，你知道嗎？」朋友忽然問我。我搖搖頭。

朋友說：「其實說起來，原因簡單得讓人無法置信，只因為美國人從孩子很小的時候，出去吃飯都是AA制，他們每個人都會告訴孩子一個必須AA制的理由，那就是無論什麼事情，人生中沒有人替你買單，就算你的父母，摯愛，也不會。」所以，這個美國孩子知道，要活下去必須靠自己，無論有多麼危險。而中國孩子則受到過太多的幫助，遇到危險，哪怕是不行動就會喪失生命，他也習慣性地等待著別人的救助。

「沒有人替你買單」，這麼簡單的一句話。AA制吃飯的一件小事，就塑造了美國人現在獨立拼搏的特性，我忽然想回去把這個故事告訴我的孩子聽，我要告訴他，雖然有些時候，錢不是問題，幫助他也不是問題，但是，沒有人會替他買單！我希望，更多的人能夠告訴更多的孩子，沒有人會替你買單這個道理。

Nikkon AF-S 35mm F1.8G DX

2009-08-18T18:31:00.005+08:00

After looonnnngggg contemplation, as a preparation to take photos of our 2nd baby which is expected to arrive anytime soon, to stimulate the economy, and partly encouraged by Yeong Jie :p (we bought this together), i finally parted with my hard earned money and added this cutie to my collection. :D

These are some of the test shots taken with the lens :

Territory...

2009-08-05T18:15:00.001+08:00

Ning: Daddy, why dogs simply wee wee everywhere?
Me : Ohh, because they want to mark their territories...
Ning : Oic...

Few days later, we were having our dinner at a restaurant and Ning quietly wetted her pants without letting us know.

Me : Ning!! How come you didn't ask Daddy to bring you to the toilet?
Ning : I wanted to mark my territory mah...
Me : !!!

Little Penang Street Market (June 2009)

2009-07-10T18:55:00.008+08:00

Little Penang Street Market is a monthly market taking place on the last Sunday of each month in Upper Penang Road. It's a platform to showcase the cultural diversity and creativity of the Penangites.

It has been nearly 3 years since its first inception but this is the first time i got to visit the street market. Thanks to Sunny for organizing his first Photography Workshop which utilized the street market as a platform for us to practice what we have learnt. Also, not forgetting to thank ST for taking care of Jie Ning so that i can sneaked out during the weekend to attend the workshop :p I promise to bring you there sometime after you deliver ;)

My First Father's Day Card

2009-07-02T18:46:00.000+08:00

Daddy, Happy Father's Day!

Front

Back

Penang Floral Fest 2009

2009-06-27T17:57:00.005+08:00

Mum, Dad and Sis were here during the weekend which the Penang Floral Fest was held. We took the opportunity to visit the fest but didn't stay for too long as Jie Ning just recovered from flu and the weather was real hot!

Took the chance to take some photos but due to the short duration, just got a few shots and here to share!

Orchid

Bee in a flower

Cactus

Orchid made from clay

Jie Ning with Gu Gu...

Wesak Day 2009

2009-05-23T23:44:00.005+08:00

The Wesak Day celebration for 2009 fell on a weekend and we got the chance to bring Jie Ning back to Alor Star for celebration. Where else if not the Nikradharam Buddhist Temple :)

Temple Entrance

One of the shrine

Some close up

The Main Shrine

I was telling Ning Ning that I will be bringing her to bathe the Buddha and she was excitedly asking whether the Buddha need shampoo or not! :D

Ning with Grandpa, outside the main shrine

Inside the Main Shrine

Look at her face, a sincere prayer

Like Mother Like Daughter

Past Glory…

2009-05-19T23:50:00.004+08:00

Mum and Dad were tidying up our house and decided to do away with the collection of trophies that my siblings and I accumulated throughout the years. For remembrance, Mum and Dad took the effort to arrange the trophies for a photo session. On stepping into the house, Jie Ning was already happily shouting, “Why so many shiny shiny things!!” :)

Yay!
(Photo by ST)

Fruits of Labour

2009-04-04T23:33:00.005+08:00

The Water Apple Tree dad planted in our garden back in Alor Star started to bear fruits few weeks ago. With the first budding flower in sight, it officially signifies one of the busiest period for dad!

Why so? To prevent the bees from savouring the fruits before we do, lots and lots of fruits wrapping is needed. Thanks to dad's painstaking effort, everyone - us, our relatives, neighbours, friends etc. got to enjoy the succulent fruits of labour!

Recession or Depression

2009-03-05T19:01:00.000+08:00

Are all those news and demoralizing forecasts rumours or for real? Are those mere warning signs or you are already feeling the pinch?

My first taste of economy going south is during the economic downturn in Year 2001 - with 5 days of forced leave for 2 consecutive quarters followed by a 10% pay cut. Sessions after sessions of communications, we were briefed on the conditions of the downturn. Expectation changed from V (a sharp dip followed by a quick rebound) to U (a dip, short recession and an upswing) and later on to a bath tub (a dip, long recession and an upswing). I was happy that it finally recovered and everybody was enjoying life again.

This time around, I was hoping it will be a V curve with a drastic dip but seems like it was not as what we have hoped for. This round of dip has seen some of my closest friends loosing their jobs and still struggling to find one. Former US president Harry Truman said in 1958 : "It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours" We understand the situation the best when we are the one experiencing it.

To my friends out there, all the best, don't loose hope and may the force be with you!

At The Playground

2009-02-03T15:48:00.005+08:00

Jie Ning Turns Two (Penang)

2009-02-03T15:33:00.003+08:00

Gua Gong, Gua Ma, Ah Ku, Yi Yi, Yi Tiu and Rachel made a visit to Penang during the Christmas holiday and yet another celebration was held for Ning's 2nd birthday. Mummy kept complaining that she did not get the chance to celebrate birthday so many times... :p

Jie Ning Turns Two (Alor Star)

2009-02-03T15:19:00.004+08:00

The cheeky princess turned two in December and gets cheekier by the day... We held a simple celebration in Alor Star together with ye ye, nai nai and gu gu.

Happy Niu Year

2009-01-23T14:26:00.002+08:00

It is that time of the year again. Time we set aside to be with our families and friends.

We ought to be thankful to those who have rendered a helping hand and offered us their word of encouragement when we are in need. We ought to be thankful that we are who we are today, count our blessings and make our blessings count.

At this auspicious time of the year, I would take this opportunity to thank you as a friend and wishing you Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity and Happiness in this Year of Ox!

For those who are celebrating, Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Holiday to the rest!

Regards,
Chia Wei & Family

Hatyai 2008 - Street Views

2008-12-08T22:38:00.006+08:00

Cables here are all running wild...

Sawadeekap...

Famous toot-toot as transport

Hatyai 2008 - Songkhla Beach

2008-12-08T22:27:00.002+08:00

Mouse and Cat Island (Mouse on the right, cat on the left)

Hatyai 2008 - Temples

2008-12-08T22:19:00.004+08:00