Baby's First Doctor Visit. . .

A woman and a baby were in the doctor's examining room, waiting for the doctor to come in for the baby's first exam. 

The doctor arrived, and examined the baby, checked his weight, and being a little concerned, asked if the baby was breast-fed or bottle-fed.

'Breast-fed,' she replied... 

'Well, strip down to your waist,' the doctor ordered. 

She did. He pinched her nipples, pressed, kneaded, and rubbed both breasts for a while in a very professional and detailed examination. 

Motioning to her to get dressed, the doctor said, 'No wonder this baby is underweight. You don't have any milk.' 

I know,' she said, 'I'm his Grandma, But I'm glad I came.

The three great kings.......

Some humorous wisdom....

Teacher:

Little Johnny, can you tell me the name of 3 great kings who have brought happiness and peace into people's lives?

Little Johnny:

Drin-king,

Smo-king,

and Fuc-king.

Never underestimate children of today.

The Timing for success....

Recently I met Ricky, a friend I haven't seen for the past 15 years. We had a long chat, catching up with lost time. Thirty years ago, when I first known him, he was only a young salesman. Today at age 65, he is a wealthy successful business man. He shared with me his success.

According to Ricky, three elements of life are important factors for one to do well. They are Time, Environment and Contacts. 30 years ago he got a job selling water tanks. The products were not wanted, and he found it so hard to sell. The Australian Company who employed him also terminated the distribution right to sell these water tanks. Ricky was asked to leave the job too. Few years later, he went to England to see the manufacturer for making these specialised water tanks. Out of his enthusiasm and effort, this company appointed him to be the sole distributor for selling their products in Malaysia. Upon coming home, he ganged him with few friends and began to promote this new venture again. Surprisingly sales caught up when there were many enquiries for water tanks then. At that time, our country was facing water shortages and water filtration was equally bad. Being that their products were specially made, they catered the needs of  our consumers. With his previous working experiences, he managed to appoint many of his old contacts to become wholesalers who supported him whole heartily. Today, his products sold by itself. 

Ricky made it with the three elements, striking at the right timing. Yes! They are Time, Environment and Contacts. 

I fully agreed with him too because thirty years ago when I first started to sell life insurance, nobody wanted to listen to me. I had to work like a dog before I could secure a sale. Today, everyone including small children could understand what is insurance. Today, I no longer need to promote my products and to market myself, my clients buy because they need them. You can consider Ricky and me as lucky, but we still claimed that it was The Time, Environment and Contacts that helped us to be successful.

Food for thought - “The person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein

See the bright side of the bad....

Husband and wife went to have lunch at the club house. The wife was very furious and upset because her order was delayed. Upon checking with the waiter, they reset her order again. However they made another mistake by serving her meal to another table. Though the food was served to her much later, she really didn't enjoy it any more. Later the evening she told her husband, she would not patronise this restaurant again.

Being a positive minded man, he consoled his sweetheart. Nobody is perfect. If those waiters and captain at the restaurant are so efficient, they would have been a boss to themselves. Not forgetting most of them are not local workers too. Darling, we should see the good part of everything. Forget this one incident of their mistakes. Would you agree, the environment in the club house and the restaurant is pleasant and comfortable? The waiters are neatly dressed, and they always smiled and greeted us when we visited them. The view of the swimming pool and the garden outside is good to admire. We could stay in the restaurant for hours doing our work and yet nobody would mind. We can't sit too long in other restaurants outside, unless we continue to order food. Parking at the club house is easy and free. 

Finally the wife said you are right darling. I should not complain any more. There are more good points than bad.

Moral of the story: Most people could not see the brighter side of our lives. Is always easy to determine the wrongs and confront mistakes. We complain more than we appreciate.

Food for thought - "Good things can be bad if you look at the dark side. Bad things can be good if you look at the bright side".

Brainless generation....

Our present young generation is brainless and we the older generation is to be blamed.

Those days when I was young, I had to walk to school. Later when I got my first bicycle, I was brave to ride to every part of the town. There was one school term, with some friends, we cycled all the way to the south right up to Singapore. We learned to be adventurous, courageous and independence. Today most students are chauffeured driven right up to the college level. I wonder whether they are considered as lucky or not!

After my form five education, my parents no longer had to take care of me. That't the time all the school leavers had to look for their jobs as fast as possible. Our salaries had to be given to our parents for safe keeping, and in turn we took our weekly allowances from the mothers. Today is different! After the graduation from the universities, parents have to seek employments for their children. They even attend job interviews together with their children at time. What a joke is this? Before the children start their jobs, parents have to buy a brand new car for them. An old car is shameful to start with! Few days ago, a mother just told me she had to pay the car instalment for 2800 a month for his Engineer son who only earns 3000 monthly. Whereas those days, I had to save first before I could buy an old Honda Cub 50 cc. Not a car but rather was an old motor cycle. 

Though I got marry very young in life, both my parents had already left me. My marriage was a very simple one, when I had to save and prepared the entire wedding all by myself. Today is different again. The children would get marry without paying a single dime. Because the fathers are too eager to spend and let the entire community to know. Last year I had a rich client who spent 3 million on a grand wedding function for his first son. Later I asked the father.... who helped him when he got marry 30 years ago. He said his dad was a poor man, and he was like me who had to save for his own marriage. See! What a laugh again? In order to make things much easier for his son, a million dollar high class condominium is given to his son as a wedding gift plus a brand new BMW included. 

So! Would you agree with me now, when I said the new young generation is brainless? Because the older generation never give the opportunities for their children to think. We have pampered and spoiled our own children. I wonder how the world is going to survive later!

Financial Confidence comes with success....

Are you a highly qualified person, has plenty of knowledge, skillful in your work, good personality, speak well and yet lack the personal confidence in yourself? If the answer is a yes, I think I know the reason.

Reason is because you don't have much saving. In the course of my selling of life insurance, I used to emphasize to all my young clients to save. You don't need to have the million to consider yourself rich and financially sound. What they got to do is to save a minimum of six months of whatever they are currently earning. Say you are earning an income of 2000 a month, your saving accounts should be at least 12000. Once you have this minimum amount, your mind would create a feel good feeling in yourself. You know if you loose the job, or the boss fires you, the minimum saving you have, will cushion your needs for another six months. You won't have the fear, but rather you speak more confidently. The feeling offers you the pride, gives you the sense of freedom because you have the personal financial backing. Otherwise, just the knowledge and skill in your work alone might not make your a total confident person. 

Ah! Forgotten to tell you this... The man who has the solid saving normally has the confidence to win ladies as well. So! If you intend to do well, have a lot of admirers and consider to be successful, save the minimum of that six months of whatever you are earning, and Magic would instantly appear right in front of you. Don't forget to let me know too. Okay?

Food for thought - “Money isn't everything...but it ranks right up there with oxygen.” - Rita Davenport

Dashrath Manjhi, the Man who Moved a Mountain - Inspiring story

People often ask : How can I make a difference in the world ? I am just one person among billions of others, what could I possibly do that would change anything? Everyone else should have to change in order for me to make a difference. Well, here is a story of a man who single-handedly moved a mountain! Please read and share... :) Inspiration is contagious ! About five decades ago, a landless farmer, Dashrath Manjhi from Gahlor Ghati of Gaya, Bihar decided to take into task the difficulties of his villagers who were almost cut off from the rest of the world by rocky hills, almost making the place impassable. Around 1959, his wife passed away from illness and lack of immediate medical care when there was no way of taking her to the nearest medical centre over the 300 feet high hills. Heartbroken after her death, Manji alone resolved to create a pass so that no one person would have to suffer the fate that his wife did. He sold his goats to purchase chisel, rope and a hammer. This sudden change in his demeanour made him a laughing stock with people who laughed at him, calling him eccentric and crazy. Unfazed by their remarks, Manji hammered away with consistent determination for 22 years. At the end of his arduous labour, he finally came face to face with his dream: the OTHER SIDE of the HILL! He shortened the distance from 70kms to just ONE KILOMETER, 16ft wide! Once this task was accomplished, Dashrath Manji became known as the Mountan Man. Sadly, this amazing man breathed his last on August 18, 2007 after fighting cancer at New Delhis AII India Institute of Medical Sciences and received a proper state burial. Dashrath Manji, a man who was mocked and ridiculed for his strong will and determination leaves behind a legacy of strong will and determination. Some invaluable lessons to learn from this Legend: 1. Patience is the greatest virtue that leads us to success 2. Dream the impossible! 3. Attitude Matters. 4. Stay Positive. 5. Don't lose heart if people call you mad and crazy for your unique idea/thoughts.

Unprofessional practice.....

What a way to promote selling of life insurance?

Recently one of a life insurance company in my homeland, offered a challenge to their agents of getting free latest iPad for achieving their sales. In order to qualify for this challenge, the agents have to register first for the contest prior to commencing their sales. A time frame of a few month is given to hit the needed target for a free iPad. The next condition is, if the registered agents cannot fulfil or hit the required sales, then the agents have to pay in full for the iPad. Meaning, iPad isn't free then. And the Company was smart, they wanted their agents to be committed for this crazy challenge. Down the line, all their agency managers incited their own agents to take this challenge. Those agents who might not take the challenge were considered as coward. 

To me, selling life insurance is a professional job. We encourage prospects to buy our products, mainly because we feel they require the need. They buy because they need the protection, they buy because they love their families, they buy because they want the peace of mind. As a professional agent, we inspire and motivate our clients to realise their needs. We never force our prospects to buy but rather we preach our products as a love gift for their loved one. Our job is noble and kind. We are not out to make a fast buck and eventually disappear to no where on earth. Our job needs plenty of patience and trustworthiness before our clients can accept us totally. Yes! Selling life insurance is a long term career.

So sad to me! By throwing this challenge of getting free iPad doesn't seem professional to me. In the mind of those agents who had registered for the competition I would ask....Were they selling because the clients needed life insurance or they sold because they wanted to obtain free iPad? 

You tell me please? 

All work no sex, makes a man a dumb one...

I often like to take my tea breaks in a Punjabi Restaurant nearby my home. They used to serve very nice tea and coffee but recently I realised their standard have dropped drastically. On talking with the staffs, who are all imported foreign Indian workers, I could feel they lack the drive and interest to work. How could the tea  and coffee be prepared to the best of quality when the one who served them isn't happy with the work!!!

On checking with these staffs, they are forced to work 7 days a week from 7 am right up to the late night at 11 pm. The boss really maximizes their full contract of two years working here. Physically they are fit and strong of the age group between 22 and 35. Those who are married, miss their families terribly and those who are still single are lonesome. Imagine working almost 15 long hours a day, and no break a day in a week is really tiring and boring. Though they are paid reasonably well but life without fun and holiday is going to be sad and frustrating. One of them who is the most aggressive one was frank to speak his mind, "Back home, I used to have sex six times a week but today I'm deprived of it totally."

The saying is correct... "All work no play, makes Jack a dull boy". And I have to add another.. "All work no sex, makes a man a dumb one." I wish to tell the boss. I can't because the boss is an unfriendly lady. 

When the going gets tough.......

A beautiful lady but with a smaller brain asked me this question today. What's the meaning of?... "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going".

I explained to her... When the situation becomes difficult, the strong will work harder to meet the challenge.

In case if her small brain still could not understand, let me elaborate further...

If  both your ageing parents are always nagging you, be patience with them because all old folks are like that.

Or if you some of your nasty customers are giving you some hard time, be tolerant with them because all customers are always right.

Or if your boyfriend is angry with you at time, be sweet and nice with him because eventually your loving care and tender words will soften his anger.

Those are the three simple explanations of that proverb, and if this lady still could not understand the meaning, it proves a point... Beauty might not come with a brain.

Buy when you don't need it.... Please remember.

Two years ago, on reviewing two of my clients' personal life insurance covers, I reminded them to top up their needed medical needs. One is a medical doctor, who insisted that medical insurance wasn't very important as he himself is a professional doctor knew how to take care of himself. The other is a professional legal adviser, refused to accept my suggestions to upgrade her low medical benefits. My advices were totally rejected, and both were very arrogance with their views. I felt so sorry for them, and had to accept their point of views at that moment of time.

Almost at the same time, three months ago my above doctor friend was admitted for a severe heart disease and was hospitalized for two months. And the legal advisor was admitted for a suspected ovarian cancer. Both their admission bills were paid by our company. It cost them a huge amount of money for all the needed medical treatments. On returning home from the hospitals, both called to seek my advices to upgrade their covers immediately. They claimed that they had recovered and would be happy to sign up for more medical insurance now. They were willing to sign and willing to pay, but deep down in my heart I knew it was really too late to buy life insurance any more. Not to discourage them, my suggestion was... let's wait until you have fully recovered, when your attending doctor could give you a favourable medical report. 

The toughest part of selling life insurance is when you meet too intelligent prospects who think that they won't die too early or would not get sick at all. And the funny thing with my product is... Buy Life Insurance when you don't need it, cause when you need it you can't buy. My story speaks the truth.

The Ikea Boss.......................

In his faded coat, tinted prescription glasses and scuffed shoes, he looks like just another pensioner scraping by on a tight budget. But the man pictured here is Ingvar Kamprad, the reclusive Swedish founder of Ikea. And he is worth £15.7billion.

That makes him the world's seventh richest man, but the 81-year-old admits he is still "a bit tight" with money.

He takes easyJet flights, drives himself around in a 15-year-old Volvo, and has furnished his modest house almost entirely with Ikea items - which he assembled himself.

He boasted that he changed his barber of many years' standing after finding another who would cut his hair for only £6.

And when he arrived at a gala evening recently to collect a businessman of the year award, the security guards refused to let him in because they saw him getting off a bus when he arrived.

A former Nazi sympathiser in the years immediately following the Second World War, he is a self-confessed alcoholic who admits he has an ongoing problem with drink. But he says he has it under control and adds that he "dries out" three times a year.

His eagerness to save money extends to his visits to London, when he shuns taxis and prefers to use the Tube or buses.

A simple life: Mr Kamprad's Swiss home, furnished almost entirely with items from Ikea

He now lives in semi-retirement with his wife Margaretha in a villa in Switzerland. The couple are often seen dining out in cheap restaurants and haggling over prices in the market. He always does his food shopping in the afternoon, when the prices in his local market start to fall.

Recently, a statue of him was erected in his Swedish home town, and he was invited to cut the ribbon. It was reported that instead he untied it, folded it neatly and handed it to the mayor, telling him he could now use it again.

Explaining his frugal nature, he said: "I am a bit tight with money, a sort of Swedish Scotsman. But so what?

"If I start to acquire luxurious things then this will only incite others to follow suit. It's important that leaders set an example.

"I look at the money I'm about to spend on myself and ask if Ikea's customers could afford it.

"From time to time I like to buy a nice shirt and cravat - and eat Swedish fish roe."

Mr Kamprad was 17 when he founded Ikea in 1943. The name came from his initials, IK, with an E for Elmtaryd, the family farm where he grew up, and an A for Agunnaryd, his home village.

He came up with the idea of flat-packed furniture when he was trying to fit a table into the boot of his car - a friend suggested he should take the legs off, and the rest is history.

He opened his first store in 1965, only to see the wind smash the neon sign and cause a fire which burned the place down. From that inauspicious beginning-Ikea has grown from a village-based mail order business to a multinational empire with a turnover of nearly £9billion a year.

It is 21 years since Ikea opened its first British store, in Warrington, Cheshire, taking the furniture business by storm and bringing the joys - and frustrations - of the flatpack to countless homes. Ikea is now Britain's fourth biggest furniture retailer despite having relatively few branches.

It has been claimed that more people read the Ikea catalogue than the Bible - and that one in ten Europeans have been conceived on an Ikea bed.

The company is now run jointly by Mr Kamprad's three sons Peter, 44, Jonas, 41, and Matthias, 39, because their father does not want any one person to have total control.

He lives in a bungalow, flies easyJet and 'dries out' three times a year... the man who founded Ikea and is worth more than £15bn Self-made man

Financial Planning ...............

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business.

When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed to find a wife with whom to share his fortune.

One evening, at an investment meeting, he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her natural beauty took his breath away."I may look like just an ordinary guy," he said to her,

"But in just a few years my father will die and I will inherit $200 million".

"Impressed, the woman asked for his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother. 

Women are so much better at financial planning than men. 

What is professionalism?

Deng Deng a friend from Penang asked me to define the word Professionalism.

In short I described as: Skill, good judgement and polite behaviour that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.

Thirty years ago, when I first started to sell life insurance, I termed myself as only an agent or a salesperson. I don't consider myself as truly a professional then cause I knew very little about the trade. It took me many years to learn about the rules and regulations of the business, when I could sell more effectively but I still wasn't a professional yet. It was only after more than 10 years in the business, when most of my clients started to trust and respect me. Not only was I knowledgeable in products and related matters, I was getting wiser who could understand more of my client's needs and want. I developed better human relationship, I spoke more confidently and I was very passionate on my career. Today, all my customers take me as a professional in life insurance.

Yes! Professionalism has to be earned, rather than being called. A real "Professional" is a brand, which is tagged with respects that one gains. It takes lot of practice for an individual to perfect himself, and a path to perfection is professionalism. The path to perfection involves holding high personal standards, competing with oneself, constant learning, dedication, and commitment to excellence.

My Dear Deng Deng, "Have I answered you?"

Positive words have effects.....

Whenever I meet young people who say... "I hope or I pray or I guess that I would succeed....!!!", I always try to rephrase them with... "I will succeed...!!!"

Hoping or praying or guessing aren't positive remarks. By hoping you might have a choice of getting or not getting what you intend. Praying is unsure either. Guessing is even worst cause the end result is uncertain too. On the hand by saying, "I will or I can" definitely is more affirmative. The will and can trickle the mind more firmly, they endorse a stronger action for a positive result.

So the next time when a question is put forward to you, dare to reply with... "Yes! I will" or "Sure! I can". And you see for yourself how those words could lift up your thoughts and aspiration. 

Food for thought - "Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another" - Napoleon Hill. 

Success comes along with manhood..

CW and Ariff are successful young entrepreneurs whom I have known for the past several years. The flashy cars they are driving could tell how aggressive they are. They are always on the move, speak well and have a dynamic personality. Except they have no time to exercise, and without them realising they are constantly abusing their physical in order to achieve their goals. 

In order to frighten their thoughts, this was what I shared with them. I asked both of them this question: If there was a rule that specified that when you achieve success, you aren't allowed to own and drive your dream cars (BMW or Ferrari) , except to drive a small car like The Kancil. Would you be happy?

Both replied No. They were very honest and truthful. When they first started to work, they were driving old second hand motor car. They were not complaining because they had very little saving then. Not today because they had climbed the ladder of success, and financially they are certainly rich and wealthy now. Is natural that they have the desire to fulfill their dreams and want. Driving their BMW and Ferrari are satisfying at the moment.  

I continued... If you have money and cannot drive your dream cars, you will be unhappy. What about when you reach 65 like me, when you are even more successful than today, filthy rich and wealthy than what you have now but your unhealthy physical doesn't allow you to have sex and you are also surrounded by many beautiful ladies who beg you to romance with them. Would you be happy??

Both couldn't answer that simple question!!! Reason because they are not that old yet. On their face I told them... If that happened, you would cry and your heart would be sorrowful. You have all the money, fame and glory but your little brother could not get the erection because you have abused and took him for granted when you were young. The pain would be just like having success but cannot drive your dream cars now. 

My advices to my dear friends... Be a rounded person. Yes career is important but health is even more important. 

Food for thought - "You don't pay the price for success, you enjoy the benefits of success." -Zig Ziglar

Good Attire.....

Cannot forget this particular embarrassing incident.

It was forty five years ago, when I took up my first selling job. The office where I worked had only one lift to serve a block of 15 floors. Those days the lifts were small and they moved slower. My office was on the 12th floor, and I had to take the lift up every morning. 

That particular morning as usual while taking the lift up, I was having a slight stomach disorder. The lift was filled to the utmost, with at least 12 passengers crammed together. The minute the door was closed, I accidentally farted with a silent fart. Oh My Gosh! The fart was extremely smelly. Just imagine a tiny space tightly crammed with a dozen passenger, and without an outlet to release the foul odour, everyone in the lift was yelling madly. In the lift was one innocent Indian worker who dressed shabbily was confronted. Everyone was staring at him with a stern look. He was scolded for farting at the wrong place and time. He kept shaking his head and was trying to deny his innocent. Nobody believed him and I felt so bad for him too. The minute the door opened, everyone rushed out immediately to gasp for fresh air cause the silent fart was unbearable inside. I walked away quietly with guiltiness. 

Moral of the story: A good attire and dress up is important for a better impression on oneself. I was lucky to have escaped such rude manner done by me because my proper dressing pull me through. Though the Indian man was innocent, his untidy dressing judged him wrong. Ever since that day, I made it a point to put on proper attire when I go out.

Dress quote - "We act the way we dress. Neglected and untidy clothes reflect a neglected and untidy mind" - Unknown Source

No salary but it pays by the Millions later...

A young friend is offered a job without salary while on training. He doesn't seem interested, and not willing to take up the challenge. In order to motivate him, I gave him my story.

Thirty years ago, I took up a job without salary too. During the probational period, I had to learn and to attend endless classes. My wife was very sceptical then, cause I had to feed a family of five. How could I maintain the family without salary? I didn't give up, though the journey was tough. Day was on training and the rest of the day was working outside to see people. Within a year on this job, I was already earning much more than my General Manager of the company. Later my job allowed me to send all my children to study abroad, and I had a chance to travel round the world many times. 

What job was that, asked the young man. I told him, I sold life insurance. As an agent, we aren't paid with a salary but rather we are paid by the commission. Yes! There was no salary but the sky's the limit for us to earn. Young man, you might not be getting a salary while on training currently but if you are smart enough this training might help you to earn the millions later. So! Be patience and think about it!

Unbelievable Markup Products That You May Not Know.

Good information............

Whether you realize it or not, according to research, mark-ups happen everywhere. Let’s take a look at some of the mark-up examples:

1) Produce

Produce is often marked up as much as 75%. Some season fruits such as imported Kiwi varies in their pricing and mark-up. Some importers deliberately release limited supply into the market in order to mark-up the prices – 4 pieces Kiwi Gold could cost you RM12 but if you care to play waiting game, chances are you can get the same number of Kiwi for RM8, weeks later.

2) Cosmetics

Ever heard that the best business to do is women-related business? The average mark-up on cosmetics is around 78% (percent). Considering most cosmetics are made from various combinations of dirt, waste cooking oil, wax, chicken bone marrow, fish scales, fragrance, urine and even bull semen (*whoa*), you may be wondering why shoppers do not think twice about spending thousands on cosmetics. I supposed women are willing to rob banks as long as they can look younger and beautiful.

3) Furniture and Mattresses

If you do not already know, most furniture stores normally mark-up their inventories by 80% – 100%. That’s one of the reasons why you can see sales all year round on furniture and mattresses. Branded furniture’s mark-up is even higher so when they advertise about up to 80% sales, chances are they’re still making handsome margin even though it sounds like they’re doing you a great favour.

4) Flowers

Mention flowers and the first thing that comes to mind is Valentine. But buying flowers during such time could be the worst thing to do, with some charging RM10 per stalk of red roses. It could skyrocket to RM120 for 5 stalks with the salesgirl justifying that the flowers actually air flown directly from overseas.

5) College Textbooks

It’s an open secret that most bookstores enjoy cool profit due to monster mark-ups. In a country that doesn’t produce much intellectual books and have to rely on import, the mark-up is even insane, so much so that readers were thinking twice about purchasing a book costing hundreds of ringgit. That was why the Prime Minister gave away book vouchers to students. Nevertheless bookstores normally jacked up more than 100% mark-up on books.

6) Greeting Cards

If you think selling books was cool because of the 100% mark-up, wait till you hear how much greeting cards were being marked up. Average greeting cards normally have a mark-up tag of over 200% and if the card carries brands such as “Hallmark Holidays”, the mark-up is even higher. Of course you can always search and download cool greeting cards and print it over colour printer using quality paper. This way you can save tons of money.

7) Bakery Products

Depending on location the mark-up on bakery goods ranges anywhere from 100% to 200%, or even more. Of course you can always bake your own version at home but if the inconvenience is too much to bear, just pay for the mark-up. If you care to scout around, some bakery shops actually throw away near-expiration bakery products at 50%. Even at this mouth-watering discount, the bakery owners actually break-even.

8) Designer Jeans

While it costs only about US$50 to make True Religion’s best-selling jeans, Super T Jeans, the wholesale price reaches US$152 and the average retail price is inflated to a whopping US$335. A US$665 price tag on Gucci jeans and US$225 for Sevens can still sell like hot cakes – all in the name of premium denim. Designers and retailers say the typical retail mark-up on all fashion items, including jeans, ranges from 2.2 to 2.6 times cost.

9) Handbags

Another women product, handbags, can be very expensive especially if the production is limited and used by celebrities. If money is the least worry in your mind, The House of Mouawad in Dubai can make you a US3.8 million purse that’s decorated with 4,000 colourless diamonds. According to a poll, women own an average of 10 handbags and would not think twice about spending about $150 on a handbag.

10) Coffee and Tea

A cup of Starbucks Latte could give you a false sense of living in luxury. However considering such little luxuries actually comes with a 300% mark-up price tag, you may want to think about visiting the store too frequent. This mark-up does not stop at Starbucks but also applicable to other premium outlets such as Chatime, Coffee Bean etc.

11) Hotel Minibars

Listen to mommy and daddy – unless you do not mind paying inflated snacks or drinks with 400% mark-up, do not even try to explore what’s inside your room’s minibar. If you fancy Snickers or Coke, do yourself a favour by moving your fat and lazy arse out of the room and explore some convenience stores, normally located quite near your hotel.

12) Wine or Champagne

Unless it’s a special occasion where you must spend to prove yourself, try not to order any wine or champagne at restaurants. It’s normal for them to mark-up such items as much as 400%. If you really fancy wines, go and find distributor house which could give you great offer if you buy in bulk.

13) Soda

Again, depending on where you’re dining out, you could potentially paying 300% to 600% for a glass of Coke. You may skip and opt for water but while water may be free many moons ago, now restaurant is finding it equally profitable by charging for water as well.

14) Eyeglasses / Spectacles Frames

Just like watches, people like to show off their branded glasses. The lenses could be expensive, depending on how screw up your eyesight was, but the frame could be the most expensive part especially when you fancy branded Armani frames. Such branded frames could be marked up by up to 1,000%, no kidding

15) Diamonds

Retail jewellers mark up diamond engagement rings by 100% up to a mind-boggling 1,000%. While the mark-up guidelines are broad or rather vague – anything from 50% to 400% is normal

16) Cinema’s Popcorn

Most theatres prohibit moviegoers from bringing in outside food and drinks, for a good reason. Popcorn sold at theatres or Cineplex actually has been marked up a staggering 1,275%. Needless to say, soda or carbonated drinks sold has an unusual mark-up percentage. However, not many people complains because it could spoil the mood, not to mention the possibility of losing face and laughed at for not being able to afford popcorn.

17) Prescription Drugs

High prices of drugs are one of the factors contributing to escalating healthcare sector. The next time you visit your nearest pharmacy or hospital, chances are high you’re paying 200% to 3,000% of drugs prescribed. In fact, drugs mark-up was so serious that Arizona’s Attorney General, Tom Horne, is suing US largest drug wholesaler, McKesson Corp., for artificially inflating the prices of hundreds of brand-name prescription drugs such as Allegra, Celebrex, Coumadin, Flonase, Lipitor and Valium. McKesson, which distributes pharmaceuticals to retailers including Albertson’s, Costco, Safeway, Target, Wal-Mart and Walgreens was allegedly made US$100 million on a 5% markup of the drug Nexium alone.

18) Bottled Water

There was a time when country such as Malaysia sells bottled water at such an inflated price that it was more expensive than Middle East countries. Believe it or not, some sell bottled water at a mark-up of a staggering 4,000%, making you wanna drink (cheaper) gasoline instead (*grin*). Nowadays, water filtration system is so affordable that you shouldn’t let those parasites suck your hard-earned money.

19) SMS, Short Message Service

As much as smartphones are flourishing, the traditional SMS is not dead yet. At 20 cents a SMS, the telco could make as much as (drum please) 6,000% profit. If you’ve 3G plan, use Viber, LINE, WeChat and whatnot to chat (sort of like SMS) instead. Do yourself a favour – stop sending telco laughing all the way to the bank.


While mark-up happens almost everywhere, you can avoid being a sucker if you’re aware of the excessive profiteering. Either you boycott the products or merchants, or simply take cheaper alternatives in accessing the goods or services. Of course you may argue that some products especially drugs or medicine cost an arm and a leg because of the huge amount of investment in R&D (research and development), not to mention the cost in marketing, rental, human resources, loans and whatnot.

A playful child can be intelligence....

The husband and wife are both worried over their young child who is extremely playful and naughty. This couple is my client, whom I considered as young parents and not having the relevant experience to raise their only child who is below 10 years of age.

With my experience that I had gone through parenting my three sons when they were kids, I  gave some tips to this worrisome couple. I told them... I believe intelligence and smartness come with playfulness and naughtiness. A young child might be playful and naughty but when he is older, he is usually clever and intelligence. An intelligent child always has extra energy and is creative in thought too. The extra energy tends to make him playful and his creativeness causes the naughtiness in him. Whereas a less intelligent child might look well behave without causing nuisance to the surrounding or disturbing others, he might grow up to be not so brainy as the other playful child as mentioned.

 

I have three good sons. Of the three, one really gave me a lot of headaches when he was a little kid. Before he could even walk, he was learning to talk as a baby. Today he is a sweet talker who could even talk until the birds come down from the tree. He was active in every things, games, societies, music and sports. He studied with music and the TV on at the same time, and yet could pass examinations with flying colours. The only way, I could control him those days was with the cane. There was one occasion that we would not forget till today, was when I stripped him naked and chase him away from our house. He was lucky because our Malay neighbour picked him up and rescued him in time for further embarrassment. His playfulness when right up to his secondary school, with his class teacher calling me for personal interviews. He was almost terminated from school when the headmaster wanted to bar him from taking his O level final examination. It was my appeal to the principle who gave him the last warning and allowing him to continue studying instead. Thanks The Almighty! He completed his schooling here and later went to London to finish his degree with a first class honour. Today he is a well recognised corporate head, representing one of the largest international company. I termed him as successful, well mannered, a good father and husband, kind, intelligence and a super smart son today. And I am so proud of him. Well! He was very naughty and playful as a child, but with a lot of attention and patience rendered to him by both the father and mother, he has developed to be a likeable and a lovable person now. 

To my friends, the father and mother of that naughty child... You have an intelligent child too, please teach and guide him to be smart and he will grow to be a successful man in future. 

Food for thought -“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.” - Anne Frank

This is truly a wonderful education for Japanese....

Read this beautiful Information about Japan. 
1 - Did you know that Japanese children clean their schools every day for a quarter of an hour with teachers, which... led to the emergence of a Japanese generation who is modest and keen on cleanliness.

2 - Did you know that any Japanese citizen who has a dog must carry bag and special bags to pick up dog droppings. Hygiene and their eagerness to address cleanliness is part of Japanese ethics.

3 - Did you know that hygiene worker in Japan is called "health engineer" and can command salary of USD 5000 to 8000 per month, and a cleaner is subjected to written and oral tests!!

4 - Did you know that Japan does not have any natural resources, and they are exposed to hundreds of earthquakes a year but do not prevent her from becoming the second largest economy in the world?

5 - Did you know that Hiroshima returned to what it was economically vibrant after the fall of the atomic bomb in just ten years?

6 - Did you know that Japan prevents the use of mobile phones in trains, restaurants and indoor

7 - Did you know that in Japan students from the first to sixth primary year must learn ethics in dealing with people

8 - Did you know that the Japanese even though one of the richest people in the world they do not have servants. The parents are responsible for the house and children

9 - Did you know that there is no examination from the first to the third primary level because the goal of education is to instill concepts and character building, not just examination and indoctrination.

10 - Did you know that if you go to a buffet restaurant in Japan you will notice people only eat as much as they need without any waste. No wasteful food.

11 - Did you know that the rate of delayed trains in Japan is about 7 seconds per year!! They appreciate the value of time, very punctual to minutes and seconds

12 - Did you know that children in schools brush and clean their teeth after a meal at school. They maintain their health from an early age.

13 - Did you know that students take half an hour to finish their meals to ensure right digestion. When asked about this concern, they said: These students are the future of Japan.