In My Generation

They read in the papers and hear on the air
Of stealing and killing and crime everywhere
They sigh and say as they notice the trend,
'This young generation, when will it end? '
But can they be sure that it's our fault alone,
That apart of the problem they should claim as their own?
Are they less guilty who place in our way,
Objects and subjects that lead us astray?
Too much hating, not enough love
Maybe we should give peace a little shove
Too much money and too much idle time
Too many movies of passion and crime
Too many books not fit to be read
Too much evil in what we hear said
Too many children encouraged to roam
Too many parents who never stay home
We don't make the movies or publish the books
We don't paint mean pictures of gangstas and crooks
Drugs and alcohol, they trouble our brain
They're done by older folk who are greedy for gain
Delinquent teenagers, oh how you condemn
The sins of a nation and you blame it on them
By the laws of the blameless, the savior made known~
Who shall cast the first stone?
For in so many cases
It's sad but it's true
The title DELINQUENT fits older folk too

The Giant Cigarette Lighter

A guy walks into a bar, sits down next to another guy and immediately notices the guy has a very large Bic cigarette lighter.
The first guy says “Wow, that’s a huge lighter…where did you get it?”
The guy replies “A genie from this bottle granted me one wish.”
“Great, can I try it?”
“Sure.”
The first guy rubs the bottle and the genie appears. “You are granted one wish” says the genie.
The guy says, “I want a million bucks!”
“Done” says the genie and disappears.
A few minutes go by and suddenly the bar door swings open and pouring in come ducks. Thousands and thousands of ducks falling all over each other through the bar door.
“I can’t believe this,” says the guy who had just placed his wish, “I asked for a million bucks, not a million ducks!”
The second guy then says, “Do you really think I wished for a 12 inch Bic?”

Funny Tale of a Lost Senior Citizen

When I went to lunch today, I noticed an old man sitting on a park bench sobbing his eyes out. I stopped and asked him what was wrong.
He told me, 'I have a 22 year old wife at home. She rubs my back every morning and then gets up and makes me pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit and freshly ground coffee.'
I continued, 'Well, then why are you crying?'
He added, 'She makes me homemade soup for lunch and my favourite biscuits, cleans the house and then watches sports TV with me for the rest of the afternoon.'
I said, 'Well, why are you crying?'
He said, 'For dinner she makes me a gourmet meal with wine and my favourite dessert and then we cuddle until the small hours.'
I inquired, 'Well then, why in the world would you be crying?'
He replied, 'I can't remember where I live.'

Dad's blessings

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?

Love and time

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,
"Richness, can you take me with you?"
Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"
"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."
"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,

Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered.
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

Ninja

Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu is the senior style of nine martial arts schools for which Ninja GrandMaster Masaaki Hatsumi holds the secret scrolls (makimono). The keeper of the makimono is recognized as Soke - the leader of that particular martial art. Although historical records are incomplete and imprecise, it is believed that Togakure ryu Ninjutsu was founded by Daisuke Nishina in the 1100s. Daisuke, himself, was exposed to Shugendo training as a young man in the Togakure (now Togakushi) region in Japan. Daisuke's martial arts training went through it's ultimate test in 1181, when he joined with a local leader named Kiso Yoshinaka to battle troops sent to the area to subdue the local population. After three years of fighting, the local resistance movement was defeated and Daisuke was forced to flee for his life.
He wandered south and took refuge in the Iga region, located outside Kyoto. It was there that Daisuke met Kain Doshi, a yamabushi warrior monk, who taught him about spirituality, which Daisuke incorporated into his martial arts. Daisuke, in celebration of the birth of his ultimate power as a warrior, changed his name after the name of his homeland. From then on he was known as Daisuke Togakure; and his descendants are known as Togakure ryu Ninja. The ryu flourished for several centuries and experienced its greatest time of power in the 1500s before the rise of Shogun Iyeyasu Tokugawa.
The Tokugawa Shogunate brought to Japan peace and tranquility. The life-or-death environment under which the Ninja families had operated for many years was no more. Most warrior training was done away with; and many warrior traditions simply died out for reasons of disuse or lack of interest. Still, a number of these Ninja systems remained alive, passed on through the centuries by a few special persons who knew that these methods should never be totally forgotten.
There are Ninja still today. Surprisingly, there are more active practitioners, worldwide, than there have ever been in history. Dr. Hatsumi feels a responsibility to make the methods of Ninjutsu available to others, all over the world. He has spoken of a feeling that his teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, still speaks to him from the grave, instructing him to carry on the Ninja traditions.

Reason to smile

Comedian George Burns said that he was advised: "Let a smile be your umbrella." He said, "I tried that once. I had pneumonia for six weeks and shrunk a $450 suit."
All right. Maybe it won't keep you dry in the rain, but there are other good reasons to smile. Author Brian Tracy tells us that the face requires 12 muscles to smile and 103 to frown. (Who counts these things?) He also says that whenever you smile at another person, it puts them at ease and raises their self-esteem. And if that isn't enough, when you smile it releases endorphins in your brain and gives you a feeling of well-being and contentment.
So a smile benefits the giver as well as the receiver. It's like receiving a gift in return every time we give one away!
Rabbi Hirsch gives more reasons to smile:
Smiling is a universal language.
+ People will enjoy being around you when you smile.
+ Smiling reduces stress, which may improve your overall health.
+ Smiling will change the sound qualities of your voice when you speak or sing.
+ A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive it, without making poorer those who give.
+ It takes but a moment, but the memory of it lasts forever.
+ It cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
And finally, some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as no one needs a smile so much as one who has no more to give.
Why not give out a few extra smiles today -- just for the fun of it!

Voluntourism

Think only world leaders and billion-aires can change the world?Anyone can make a positive impact-even on holiday.Volunteer Tourism,aka“voluntourism”,lets you journey off the beaten path and do good at the same time.What can I do?There are now as many volunteer holiday options as there are pet passions,including saving sea turtles in Costa Rica,helping with reforestation efforts in Ecuador,and rebuilding tsunami affected areas in Sri Lanka.who’s it for?Anyone with a desire to make a difference.You don’t need specific skills,and don’t have to commit to months away.Does it make a difference?According to Lonely planet writer Sarah Wintle,many agencies are ge genuinely charitable and responsible,but it’s up to aspiring volunteers to do their homework.“Credible volunteer outfits tend to be members of peak bodies such as FORUM(forum-ids.org).Registered charities regulated by national bodies are also generally a safe bet.”To be part of a longstanding effort,suss out the time frame of the programme.It’s many benefits of this.

Resource:Reader digest may 2010(pg 144)

Have Tech,Will Travel

Peak travel season is here,it’s time to think about harmmocks and umbrella drinks-or rock climbing and reef diving,whatever your definition of leisure.While it’s great to take a break from those spreadsheets,technology can also work to enhance your holidays.
For enduring vacation videos,instead of your camera phone,try a digital camcorder like Cisco’s Flip MinoHD($199.99 for the 60-minute model),which has become a favourite due to its compact-ness and usability(it plugs into any USB port sans cables).The MinoHD can capture video in widescreen High Definition(or HD)for you to cherish forever.
SLRs may take beautiful photos,but they can be a handful if you like to travel light.One solution is the rugged FujiFilm Finepix XP10,which offers protection from the elements and still takes12-megapixel shots with up to 5x optical zoom.Adventurers and ecotourists know that a durable GPS hand-held is invaluable for jaunts on roads less travelled.The Garmin Oregon is remarkable:a built-in compass and altimeter,waterproof,with a colour touchscreen displaying standard road maps and 3D topography for off-roading,as well as woreless connectivity for sharing routes and other information.

Resource:Reader Digest may 2010 (pg145)

Wind Shadows dance

If you’re a fan of Taiwan’s cloud gate dance theatre or just plain Dance theatre,you won’t want to miss wind shadow,a stunning contemporary dance performance by Asia’s leading contemporary dance company.An experimental fusion of installation art and dance,it is the result of a groundbreaking collaboration between internationally renowned choreographer Lin Hwai-Min and leading Chinese visual artist Cai Guo-Qiang,the visual director of the 2008 Beijing Olympics festivities.In this study of motion created through the monochromatic palettes of black and white and the use of light and shade,shadows come to life against projections of gunpowder drawings and a haunting saoundscape as the dancers exhibiting the assured stillness and disciplined precision of taiji daoyin(an ancient form of qigong),meditation,martial arts,modern dance,ballet and calligraphy,capture both the intangible lightness of the wind and the variable structure of wandering shadows.Laundede as a “brilliant coup de theatre”when it opened the dance umbrella season in London last year,wind shadow plays at the esplanade theatre as part of the 2010 singapore arts festival on 25 and 26 May.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 (pg141)

KFC

There’s an old saying that family that eats together,stays together.Meal times are opportunities to bond,to share news and laughter and leave the table feeling content and secure.Meal times are also occasions for enjoying good food.Value propositions and new tastes topped the menu last year as Trusted Brand family restaurants worked hard to support consumers who turned out for meals despite the economic downturn.
“One of our most popular promotions was jom jimat,”says Jamaludin Md Ali,managing director of QSR Brands and KFC holdings in Malaysia.“For just RM4.90,consumers could enjoy a full meal plus a soft drink-it become so popular it’s now part of our permanent menu,” KFC also lured consumers with exciting new items such as Zinger Tower,Fiery Crunch,Cheezy Chickaroni,Shrimp Stix and Hot Rods.The new-look breakfast menu tantalized with favourites like chicken porridge and nasi lemak and introduced the A.M. Twister and A.M. Riser.Consumer interest the cheap food from KFC because of the economy
situation.

Resource:Reader digest May 2010 trusted brand(pg82)

Vitamins

People know that when it comes to good health,prevention is better than a cure.Trusted brands vitamins and health supplement makers offer extensive product ranges that cater to all.Paul Yee,executive director of Amway in Malaysia,says people are now better informed about the so-called“diseases of affluence” such as diabetes and high blood pressure.“With many products offered for different health needs at affordable prices,health, supplements are no longer a luxury item,”he notes.
Nutrilite protein and the multivitamin/multimineral double X are Amway’s top sellers.Last year,it also introduced Nutrilite CH Balance,a supplement that helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.Tul Wongsuphasawat,general manager of marketing and business management at cerebros in Thailand,the distributor of the Brand’s range,notes a growing demand among the younger set for vitamins and health supplements.Essence of chicken is Brand’s flagship product,followed by its Bird’s Nest.The veta range is in strong demand and was boosted last year by the introduction of Veta Balance,a concentrated quince extract fortified with 15 vitamins and minerals.

Resource:Reader Digest may 2010 (pg 108)

Personal computer(notebook)

In the world of trusted brands personal computers,nothing stays the same for long.Technological advances drive this industry.“A breakthrough for mobile users last year was our introduction of 8-hour single-charge battery life on notebooks,”says Carynne Ooi,regional marketing manager fo Acer in Malaysia.The brands’s most popular offerings were the Aspire one netboook and Aspire notebook,while the Timeline and Revo series were also in demand.
Ooi identifies three main categories of PC buyers:the casual user who surfs the web at Wi-Fi hotspots and needs an easily portable device;business users who demand stamina,durability and security;and power users who run processor or graphics intensive software such as games.Danny Lee,country general manager of the personal systems group at HP in Malaysia,says that PCs are becoming an inseparable part of consumers’ daily lives.“The emotional connection with PCs is becoming stronger.Consumers want their PCs to provide an uncompromised experience and express their personality,all for an affordable price,”he notes.“This means design is an increasingly important factor in purchase decisions.”

Resource:Reader Digest may 2010 Trusted Brand (pg 104)

Flatscreen TV

The flatscreen TV revolutionised our home viewing experience with its slick appearance and the sharpness of its colours and images.Trusted Brands continue to bring us new technology to further heighten our viewing pleasure.Douglas Chung,head of the home and network department at Sony in Malaysia,says more customers are trading in their convential televisions for flatscreen TV as they come to appreciate the quality of picture they provide.
First-time buyers typically choose 32-inch TVs but sizes of 40 inches and up are becoming more popular especially for living rooms,he adds.Liew Choon Wah,general manager for digital audio visual at Panasonic in Malaysia,says the LED backlit TV,a variant of LCD TV,is a milestone in flatscreen evolution.Panasonic offers a full range of LED,LCD and Plasma TVs.This technology offers a brighter picture overall,deeper black colours,and is more energy efficient,Chung adds,highlighting Sony’s Bravia ZX1 model.
It also enables TV panels to be slimmer,leading to sleek,futuristic,designs,explains Jimmy Tan,corporate marketing director at Samsung in Malaysia.3D is the latest innovation in home TVs,having already proven its popularity at the cinema.

Resource:Reader digest may 2010 Trusted Brand(pg 100)

Petrol station

Petrol stations may be getting bigger and glitzer.but these Trusted Brand winners haven’t forgotten their roots.“Some 99 percent of our customers come for fuel.” Says a spokesperson for Chervon in Hong Kong,the distributor of the Caltex Brand.“Therefore our priority is to continue to improve our refueling service.”
These Trusted Brands also invest substantially in researching and developing fuel products.Last year,Caltex launched its diesel fuel with Techron D,joining its petrol counterpart.“Caltex with Techron helps keep the vital engine parts that enhance power and acceleration clean,giving a smooter drive,better fuel efficiency,less emission and improving reliability,”explains a chevron spokesperson.In Malaysia,a petronas spokesperson highlights the primax range of fuels,enhanced with sinar additives.Friction Modifier protects the engine’s componenets,Combustion improver enhances overall engine efficiency,while Synthetic Detergent cleans and prevents deposit build-up,aiding fuel efficiency.The primax range also comes with reduced sulphur content,rendering emissions less harmful to the environment.
The bright lights of these Trusted Brand winners draw motorists to a dazzling array of services,including restaurants,banking,shopping and more.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted brand (pg 72)

Tyres

Tyres are integral to your car’s performance,fuel-efficiency and safety.The makers of trusted brand tyres say innovation is a further factor in making their products stand out in the marketplace.“We are constantly investing in innovation.”says Nasution Abdul Rahman,managing director of Goodyear in Malaysia,highlighting the introduction of DuraPlus,the first passenger car tyre to offer mileage of up to 100,000 km.
“Incorporating TredLife technology,the tyre delivers longer mileage without sacrificing any of our safety and performance objective.” he says,“What’s more,it has been designed with Asian roads in mind.”Goodyear offers tyres for all vehicles from cars and trucks to more specialised applications like aircraft and motorsports.“Safety is at the core of our brand,” says Nasution.“We use the latest and most advanced technology in our tyres to make drivers more confident on the road and their journeys much safers.”
A trusted brands tyre should provide optimal road grip during both dry and wet conditions,enchanced driving performance on straight roads and corners,excellent braking ability,good resistence to cuts and tears,and extended tread life and therefore mileage.Customer care and education are priorities for Trusted Brands.The Goodyear Cares campaign educates motorists on how proper tyre and car motorists on how proper tyre and car maintenance can save not just fuel but also lives.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted Brand(pg 33)

Children's Fashion

Children’s fashion caters for toddlers and tennagers and every age in between.While the designs may be different ,the demand for quality and comfort is universal.Clothes for toodlers come in simple designs that are more acceptable to parents.Those for children from five to nine years are designed with active young people in mind,since parents and close relatives still buy for this segments.Young teenegers,on the other hand,have their own definite preferences for design,colour and brand,explains Toh Choon keat,general manager at Kikilala in Malaysia.
“We use high quality cotton material in all our clothing and employ careful cutting and workmanship,”he adds.“Comfort and durability are priorities.” Young people are exposed to brand advertising and are fashion conscious at a much earlier age than before,say these Trusted Brand winners.“Children’s fashion closely follows adult trends.Designer labels often come out with a separate children’s line.”says Yap Chui Huen,assistant general manager of operations with Kiko in Malaysia.“Our clothing gives children a personal sense of styles so they can stand out in a crowd with pride.”
This being the year of the Tiger,one can expect more trim,bigger and bolder printing and embroidery on the clothers racks,says Toh,and lots of fun and bright colours as well.Some evergreen items never lose their popularity.Basic trousers such as jeans and khaki pants have a good range of matching accessories to coordinate with your child’s overall wardrobe.Essentials include belts,caps,and socks.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted Brand (pg 40)

Pen

Even in today’s electronic age,people still reach for a pen. They genereally keep a variety af shapes and sizes,with defferent writing styles for different uses,but demand the same from each.A trusted brands pen should be a stylish writing instrument that offers consistency,longevity and quality ink.
“Consumers look for increased sophistication nowadays,and pens are part of their lifestyles,”says Danny Yong,regional general manager for southeast Asia with Newell Rubbermaid,which markets the Parker and Kilometrico brands.“The pen you carry is a status symbol.”
Parker offers multiple pen families,Yong cites the popular Parker IM,which caters to the understood,yet upwardly mobile and quality conscious individual.The Parker Sonnet is a bestseller at the high end of its range.At Pilot in Singapore,general manager Benjamin The says that the brand’s bestsellers are gel pens,whiteboard markers,ball pens and mechanical pencils.“Users now prefer gel to oil-based link because the ink is brighter and the appearance,nicer,” The notes.
Wille Yap,general manager at Golden Maple industrial,the distributor of the Panda brand in the Philipines,says the disposables stick pen is the company’s most popular product.People look for a quality with a reasonable price tag.“The most important parts of a pen are the tip and the ink,and that’s where we place our emphasis,”says Yap.“Our pens fall into the medium to low price range,but quality is still paramaount.A pen should not skip,blot and fade.”
Teh says ink quality is so important,that pilot has a sister company to develop and manufacture ink products.“If you write a note using our V5 black liquid ink,fax machines are able to scan it accurately,” he notes.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted Brand (pg 44)

Beer Carlsberg

People always keep a little aside for entertainment-consumption patterns simply changes.Last year,Trusted Brands beer makers actually as consumers shifted from liquor to beer.
“The connections people have to a beer never change.”says soren Ravn,carlsberg’s managing director in Malaysia,“It’s unique beverage and is consumed pretty much everywhere and at any occasion-counsumers like their beer fresh and chilled just right.”he says,adding that last year,Carlsberg increased its market share by one percentage point.In the Philipines,the beer market is led by the San Miguel brand.Established in 1890,San Miguel was asia’s first brewery.The brand is now available throughout the region,with manufacturaing operations in Hong Kong,China,Indonesia,Vietnam,Thailand,and Malaysia.its products are exported to 60 markets around the world.
It has a full range of beveranges to suit all palettes and that diversity is what keeps a beermaker ahead in such a mature market.Recently,Carlsberg Malaysia launched Carlsberg extra cold and Carlsberg Gold,a brew inspired by a 19th century recipe which uses three different malts,double brewed,blended and then matured together to marry their flavours and aromas.The new brew has clinched a number of awards.Remaining contemporary and interesting is crucial for a trusted brand.Carlsberg sponsors and participates in sporting activities like football and golf to connect with fans.The new Carlsberg profile bottle and can were launched to cater to young and trendy consumers who seek coolness and style.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted Brand(PG 111)

Internet Service Provider

The broadband experience is about connection,speed and affordability.The ultimate broadband experience is about a whole lot more.In the philipines,PLDT myDSL offers the triples play service of voice,video and internet service.
In addition to unlimited broadband and landline access,every PLDT myDSL subscription comes with watchpad-the first portal by a telco in the philipines to give exculsive shows and movies to its subscribes at no added cost.Much-anticipated live streamed events such as speed circuit car drifting and boxing events like the recent Manny Pacquiao versus Joshua Clottey bout are also available to myDSL subscribers at attractive rates.
Competition is tough in this industry.The internet service provider must cater to costumers different lifestyles.In particular,it should be fun and lure and excite consumers with entertainment applications.In Malaysia,TM’s streamyx broadband service offers Hypp.TV for only RM10 a month.The service providers access to six video on demand,15 palyout and 17 live streaming channels,which offer programming choices freom both domestic and overseas sources.
“Video on demand offers subscribers the ability to watch their favourite shows as and when the want,”explains Dato’Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa,TM’S group chief executive officer. “It’s as easy as picking programmes from a menu.” TM’s high spedd broadband offering,UniFi,which bundles voice,video and internet services,was recently launched in four initial areas in klang valley.It promises even more TV programme choices as it is rolled out across Malaysia over the next two years. “More channels,online gaming,and interactive shopping are just some of the possibilities that will make the overall experience engaging for consumers,”adds Zamzamzairani.

Resource:Reader Digest May 2010 Trusted Brand 2010(pg 95)