showcase

Person A: Where is the thing that I wanted?

Person B: I don’t know!

Person A: Stop the trashing talking and show me what I want!

Person B: I really don’t know!

Does this dialogue ring a bell? It is take from an advertisement by Ikea.

How many times have our parents yelled at us to clean up our room? It is simply not easy to get things organized when we do not have the habit of doing so. Within a small unit, it is already so difficult to be organized. What more when it is in a bigger setting? How do one cope being the coordinatior of an event which attracts thousands and thousands of people?

As we all know, Singapore’s pace of life is really fast. What helps us adapt to this fast paced society is nothing other than mere technology. Technology has brought us a lot of convenience as well as tears. As Singapore advances economically, more and more Singaporeans are becoming interested in the latest technologies. They are interested in technology sometimes not because of pure interests, but it might be due to being pressured to move along with the flow. Something big happened for a few days in our own backyard concerning techonology. It was the highly anticipated quarterly IT show! This time round, it was held in Suntec Convention Centre.

Remember where the location of the last IT show was held at? Ask me and I will tell you. After going for both IT shows, I can safely say that in terms of space, Suntec is bigger. However, in terms of floor planning, last year’s show at the Expo was definitely much better.

Suntec is undoubtedly larger. It is more accessible as well since it is located in the Central Business District (CBD) area. There is a wider range for shopping and dining too. Lastly, there are many more carpark lots.

Expo, on the other hand, is located all the way in the far east. It is much smaller and there is a limited range of places for shopping (in fact none at all unless there is a boutique fair) and dining. Next, there are very limited carpark lots, which causes long jams and many to park along the road illegally.

This is one area that big events organizers look out for. Their concern would be for the public as well as the profit margins of the booths. Organizers always woo the bigger players in the market, so as to obtain recognition as well as financial security.

All we see at the fair is that it is crowded, with unwanted pamphlets all on the floor. We fail to see the hardwork that has been and is going on to make this fair come alive. A large committee is needed to hold such a big scale event like this. The endless night of paperwork, negotiations, setting up the cables, lightings, booths are some of the things that go on in the rear scene that we are not aware of. As such, the communication within the organization and committee is put to the test.

How effective is the message from different departments and across the directors depends on who they choose to engage. Also, there must be a censorship of certain information to protect the confidentiality. Effective communication both horizontally and vertically all depends on the morale of the teams, the bond of the teams and the common vision shared throughout the organization.

To the organizers of this year’s IT show, well done! Though the layout was a little messy (repetitive booths selling the same items), the security and regulators did a brilliant job to ensure safety.

Wrapping this entry up with a short video clip which illustrate the importance of getting organized. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhTOllGZ7dg

Mum, I promise to be a good boy and pack my room..

It has been about 8 years since I last touched mIRC. That was when I was younger; not that long ago. Let me ask the guys a question. Have you ever put your nickname as a girl’s? Take for example you are Andrew and your nickname on mIRC reads “lonely gal”. Boy, I guess that most of us are guilt of this. I blush, and raise my hand to this question too.

Oh wells. This mIRC has now evolved to MSN messenger. What were the causes for the change to MSN? Personally, I felt that MSN was much better because it allows me to just chat with my friends. Instead of going to a common room or server to look for friends in mIRC, MSN has made it  much more personal and convenient.

Another strong factor was that MSN allowed mass conversations to go on with multiple people at the same time. This helps to facilitate on-line meetings and the sharing of ideas. It also makes on-line conversations more interesting and dynamic.

MSN Messenger

mIRC

Internet chatting has been playing a very significant role in our lives. There are many people in developed countries who cannot live for a week without computers. Many of which use the computers to chat and discuss things on-line. This has been a global phenomenon. So essential that it has caused many to be addicts of on-line chatting.

Was I guilty of staying up for long hours to chat on-line? It happens quite a while, as and when I am free and at home. Some take on-line chatting to a level of addiction. They would rush home immediately after school or work to chat with their friends who are on-line.

Technology is advancing at a very fast rate. It seems that the current version of MSN 8.5 was released in November 2007, but there is already a newer version of MSN 14.0 that is planned to be released later this year.  There are much more cool features and nicer animation and backgrounds. The fact that is going to be revamped would grant the users of the older versions of MSN messenger to be obsolete and seen as old fashioned. 

You might be screaming, “HEY! That’s so unfair!” People would just give you a smile and persuade you to get on with life. It is time to get yourself updated with the world. The pace of life is ever increasing, thanks to the advancement in technology. It is making the world a smaller and faster paced place to live in. There are no more dinosaurs living on the face of earth. For goodness sake, get updated!  

Recall about a year back. Splattered on every major mandarin newspaper was about a scandal – one of Edison.

As I wonder about the power and influence the media of today holds. To think that the media today has no influence is simply being ignorant. Much of our views and perception is still shaped by the mass media. Take for example, the 911 terrorists attacks.

Much buzz was created by the media on this attack. The pictures of the planes crashing into the were much publicized a short while after it occurred. In a matter of minutes, the news of the terrorist attacks was spread throughout the world. It was ground breaking news. Every headline of the newspaper in the world features the incident. It managed to grabbed the headlines of all radio stations as well. This phenomena lasted for weeks.

The media is able to influence our choice and stand on issues. From the above example, the media shapes what is important and emphasizes it to the public audience. We, as public audience, read the news and through it,  form perceptions of the things around us. What seemed to be important in the eyes of the media becomes what is important and delicious to us.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” This famous proverb is best explained by the media. By only producing news that affect the middle class would not help increase sales. There has to be a wider group of target audience and juicier news than “Motorcyclist, 21, dies in a traffic accident”.

Enter Edison Chen. Personally, I feel that he has been very unfairly targeted at. It just so happened that he got exposed by some guy in relation to the computer shop he had earlier sent his computer for repair. The pictures of him and his affairs started to arise. They were circulated all over the internet, leading him to be widely criticized for his actions. It is clear that the media has exagerrated things, causing Edison to be at the brunt of things and unable to cope.

Why do I say that he has been unfairly targeted? Look at the other artistes. Look at other normal human beings who are not celebrities. They lead their own personal lives without much media glare. They do commit mistakes that normal humans do and not get all the media attention. With the additional attention by the media, reporters have to beef up their stories to increase readership, to create differentiation. This is purely for entertainment purposes that we, the public, pays to read. Who would not want to read hot gossips anyway?

Gossip or purely important, breaking news, the media is there ready to pounce on every single ounce of juice and make a feast out of it. The power of mass media cannot be underestimated. Think twice before you do anything stupid, my friends. Think twice about littering. You would not want your face to appear in the newspapers.

Which soccer team comes to your mind when silky, sexy football is mentioned? Sports is one ground that best shows teamwork is important.

Arsenal, also affectionately known as The Gunners, is well known for several things. One of which is the attractive brand of football the club plays. One might wonder how the manager, Arsene Wenger, is able to create such an attacking side with little money to spend on new players. When asked of the secret receipe, Wenger attributes it to teamwork.

Arsenal ex-captain - William Gallas

 Remember William Gallas? He is well known for his public out-burst which often leads to trouble. Recall his public out-burst about his unhappiness in playing as a left side defender for Chelsea. He even threatened to score an own goal to ensure his departure. He played his last game and was swiftly offoaded to Arsenal.

Two years on from the switch to Arsenal, Gallas has not changed in his way of showing displeasure. The most recent famous incident occurred early last year where he criticized his team mates for their individual perfomances. What would you do if you were Wenger? Would you sell Gallas, or just strip him of captaincy and bench him for a few games?

Wenger, understanding that team work is essential, stripped Gallas of his captaincyand deicded to bench him for a couple of matches. This was so even when Arsenal was stuck in a bad run of form.  Realize the importance of team harmony?  

Any disruption due to personal differences ought to be sought out privately or through proper hierarchy to prevent any sort of disunity from happening.

After being removed as captain of the club and benched, Gallas felt very humiliated and left out by the club. From the days when he was at Chelsea, he was a prospective member of Arsenal. He rose up to the role of a captain only a year after he had joined the club. With this disgraced incident, he wanted to leave the club to avoid further embarrassement. A sharp rise and fall of a strong leader.

Any consequence from his public criticism? Surely! Arsenal have gone on to only win 2 out of 6 games in March 2008, the period where Gallas was benched. Every single action and words said have an impact to others.

It is not that every team memeber has to tolerate or suffer in silence. It is the mode of “letting it out” employed that has to be correct. Failure to do so would lead to a destructive force to be hovering over the team.

Would I like Gallas to be in my team? I’d gladly swap him for any primary school kid anytime.

What is a pleasant first impression would you want to have on guys? What are some of the very qualities girls look out for in guys? Many a times, physique play a large role in the initial stages. This is coupled with physical attractiveness in terms of looks.

Many people are aware that looks do count in the very impression created. This has been a marketing strategy that is widely used. Guys are shown to be fit, big and toned. Girls are perfect when they have flat tummy, well toned legs and a hour glass figure.

An image taken from California Fitness website

It has been shown through media everywhere that having a beach body is the ideal shape. The beach body would help to connect and is more lively and fun-filling. I imagine how many people haven fallen for this type of commercialisation. Many a times, we fail to see that this attraction would only last for the beginning period of any relationship. Relationship cannot be based on physical looks alone.

Is it the western culture to perceive having a beach body as wholesome and outgoing? I cannot agree more to this. Westerners, generally excel in sports and have buffer bodies. However, who are the one subscribing to what they preach?

Asians, more often than not, look to the West for ideas. The West is considered to be a bigger brother and mentor to Asians. But notice the celebrities chosen to endorse the various commercial gyms in Singapore. The celebrities are Asian or local. Take for example California Fitness. This fitness company has partnered with international superstars Jackie Chan and basketballer Yao Ming. A not-so-distant star that we have who endorses for True Fitness is Allan Wu.

These people chosen to represent or partner the gyms are definitely well known either in the Asia region or internationally. They are selected because they are sporty and have a good body.

What are the reasons people hit the gym? People with the interest of either burning fats or becoming The Hulk! With common traits and similar goals in mind, it is easy for people to come together and discuss on how they can help one another achieve their goals individually (through a Personal Trainer) or as a group (group exercise, buddies hitting the gym together).

Food for thought, would you want to spend time with people that have so different goals and views from you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x2WwIFrKAs

Do you aspire to be a Formula One driver?

Are you low in spirits?

Watch this clip then!

Compliments are always treasured and makes one feel happy. In this case, the student female driver, appears to be nervous in the beginning. I recall the times when I was learning driving. The amount of anxiety I felt when I first laid my hands onto the steering wheel. The amount of pressure is on me when my instructor took his seat in the car and asked me to drive off. Fear was in my eyes.

Are female drivers really that bad? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to start a debate. Compliments help to de-stress a person. She is definitely enjoying her drive after the initial phase of feeling nervous. Confidence has been built up during the drive when the driving instructor has been “complimenting” her. The smile on her face coupled with a little swaying of her body says it all.

“Your skill is amazing. You would be a perfect Formula One driver.” I remember my driving instructor saying to me, “You are going to be a hell drvier – F1 driver.”  Its humorous as the producer comes up with the use of sarcasm. The expressions of the driving instructor is well suited to the words he says. It is clear that he is frustrated which is shown through his hand signals. As the saying goes “actions speak louder than words”. I do not beg to differ.

How do we further confirm that the driver is a student? No seasoned driver would brake so hard unnecessarily unless he/she has bribed the tester (I do wonder if it was by wearing hot pants or a sum from the $10m TOTO draw). The jerks as portrayed by the shaking of the camera shot gives viewers the visual effect. More than that, the universally understood ‘L’ sign appears at the rear of the car. If that is not obvious enough, how do you explaining the knocking of the cones?

Minor details have been used meticulously by the producer to dress up the driving instructor such as having a name tag, a Basic Theory book, being older than the lady, wearing spectacles. This is how typically a driving instructor looks like in Singapore. Mind you, they are very cautious in their teaching.

Contrast is interestingly used. Observation is of utmost importance here. It is a classic example of how our speech is betrayed by our actual thoughts and feelings. The eyes and eyebrows don’t lie.

The next time you see your driving instructor complimenting about your driving, think twice about your skills. Is he a jolly good fellow, or a super sarcastic fellow?

who says communication needs to involve speech only?

JAM! Not again.. Obviously, I was not tuning to any radio station while driving to school. This is one bad decision.

Are there any ways to beat any jams? Yes there is! One of the ways involves listening to the radio station where there will be constant updates on the traffic conditions all over Singapore. Another way is to observe the speed of the traffic and the Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (EMAS) overhead digital board. As such, one would be more aware of the traffic conditions of one’s travel paths.

EMAS digital overhead bulletin board

To be frank, there are not any EMAS digital overhead bulletin boards present when I nearly took the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE). Where are the signs?

Can communication then not rely on verbal means? Will communication be effective without speech?

As for myself, being a visual person, pictures and lively things capture my attention.

Taking note of all the colourful road signs, especially the ones that shouts ‘DANGER’, fully captures my attention on the roads. Would I like to speed at steep bends where warning signs are placed all along the road? I obey the signs because I know that the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) has a good reason in placing the signs. Ethos is present.

Whether verbal methods work best or not highly depends on the individual amd the particular scenario. To me, listening to the radio is for music entertainmemt (strictly no news!). On the other hand, my Dad would tune in to listen to the news. I sigh whenever he is in the car.

As much as my driving patterns are concerned, I frequently communicate to other drivers without me speaking. High beaming  and honking the driver in front of me are my favourite past times during driving. It helps the driver in front of me understand that he is getting on my nerves by either driving like a snail or inconsiderately by cutting my lane suddenly.

Hence, in this context of driving, verbal communication is not as important as signs warning from lights. Yes, it is an interactive model of communication because there is ‘noise’ (distractions) present, such as, talking over the mobile phone while driving. It is then up to the driver to be responsible and adapt accordingly.  We can come up with plenty of communication methods, but  as long as we do not pay careful attention to absorb the information presented to us, and we react in a misunderstood manner, we have not communicated well.

Would you then want to still drive in front of me?