Chinese Language Dying in Singapore by Daya Keen Tham
Although an overwhelming 78% of the population of Singapore is Chinese, Mandarin is losing popularity. This is exactly the opposite of what is happening in the world where the dominance of China is regarded as important for success. Many reasons have been cited for this worrying trend. Most people think that young people are fleeing to China to see because it is very difficult to learn and have chosen to learn English instead. Along with a drop of Mandarin, the Taoist belief in the backbone of Chinese culture has also been a decline in the followers and believers. This trend has much in common with events in Japan, where young people are getting rid of his inheritance in favor of things easier and less rigid lifestyle of the West.
Since the 1980s, Singapore has placed great importance to English. Most Singaporeans are well read in English as most highly qualified professionals who believe their fluency in English as critical to its success. It stands to reason that young people who yearn for the success of this type could only follow.
Even most of those who know the language can only speak and understand oral conversations, knowing very little about reading and writing. The Singapore government has launched the "Speak Mandarin Campaign" in 1978 with the aim of revitalizing interest in promoting language through books, magazines, and recently, CD-ROMs in Mandarin. Recent efforts in this have to do Mandarin more "cool" for young people may find it more attractive and focused on the issue of lifestyle.
Natural Beauty Treatments – Bangkok – Asia’s Spa Capital by Wallace Douglas
With an ancient system of medicine rooted in massage and herbal treatments, it is not surprising that Bangkok has become the spa capital of Asia, if not the world. And certainly lives up to its name. From small rooms with some foot massage chairs and a herbal sauna outdoors most opulent resorts of the jet-set, Bangkok has something for everyone in search of health, beauty and serenity.
Read through any tourist guide to get to Bangkok and you will see a series of ads for Club Ananda Spa Devarana, Samsara Spa, Oriental Spa and so on. The list seems endless. And they all have bright pictures of ecstasy spa seekers rest in the pools with petals or massage four hands, or lying in an apparent happiness hot stone perched on the back.
Everything seems too good to be true. Maybe somewhere else it would be, but here in Bangkok, spas and salons are hoping to offer everything from facials than an hour to three days package to try and delight all of your body. Other special treatments and packages a range of jet-lag when the packages murderer anti-aging, stress relief, re-energizing and life-step support. Many spas are nestled in beautiful tropical gardens with pools and waterfalls.
The list of treatments seems to go too - body treatments, massages, facials, pedicures and manicures. And some of the hottest, all you have most prestigious spas in the colonic irrigation to cocoon float. Many offer specialties, emphasizing Ayurvedic treatments and organic sesame body scrubs, for example. Whatever option you choose, the sessions can be as long and as elaborate as time and wallet allowed.
Apart from the tradition of Thai medicine, with its focus on herbs and massage is perfectly suited for a spa culture, there are other reasons why Bangkok is "spa heaven." On the one hand, Thailand is blessed with an abundance of medicinal herbs, including fruits such as papaya, which can be used for beauty treatments and detoxification. Add to this traditional long record of service and care and you have the recipe for a holiday of relaxation and beautification sublime.
If you fancy a makeover or just a quick massage Bangkok is the place for you. The prices are very competitive, staggering choice and unparalleled service.
Don’t Leave the House Until You’ve Cleaned Up Your Room! by Lim C. Subs
where everything was going in boxes anyway. She wanted me to clean a room never to set foot again! Now that was crazy.
I remember the time it took to clean that room, and I felt at that moment. I was twelve and we were forever Papua New Guinea. We moved to Hong Kong . I was leaving all the friends I had in the past four years - and never see again. It was my last day out, have fun, to say goodbye. But I was stuck inside, cleaning.
I remember the time now, as I sit here with the latest WWF Living Planet Report in front of me. The report is based on two key indicators: the Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures trends in the population of the species, and the Ecological Footprint, which measures the weight of humanity's demands on renewable resources Earth.
Between 1970 and 2000, the LPI has fallen by 40%. The 3000 index measures trends in population by more than 1,100 species. From the day he was born, 40% of the abundance of species on Earth has been devastated. The population of freshwater species terrestrial species fell by half and tropical have fallen by 65%. Two thirds of the biomass (or total) of the largest fish in the Atlantic, such as cod and tuna, have disappeared.
During this same period, world population has grown by 65%. That's the equivalent of the current population of the world outside of Asia and the Pacific - 2.5 million new people. Currently there are over 6 million people worldwide, compared with $ 4 million when I was cleaning my room, and compared with less than 2 billion, when my mom was a child, being told to clean it .
Since 1970 the global Ecological Footprint has increased by 70%. The ecological footprint is the total area required to produce food, fiber and wood we consume, to provide living space and absorb the waste we create. This was 13.5 billion global hectares in 2001. Biocapacity of the Earth - which is the total area that can provide sustainably for these functions - is of 11.3 million global hectares. Our footprint exceeded the Earth's biocapacity in the 1980s and in 2001 they were exceeding the capacity of the planet in a sustainable manner to support our claims that 21%. As our planet is concerned, we are living in ecological debt - interest rates of credit cards.
Ecosystems "... We no longer live within the sustainable limits of the planet. Suffer the global climate is changing, and the longer we continue down this path of unsustainable consumption and exploitation, the harder it is to protect and restore the biodiversity that remains."
- Dr. Claude Martin, Director General of WWF International
It may not have seen these specific numbers, but we've all heard this story before - as I heard my mother many times before.
I was recently coaching an entrepreneur looking to make his next million and found it loaded with a credit card debt. This is actually a very common problem with many entrepreneurs. I told him I first had to do was to be disciplined enough to activate the positive cash flow, rather than wait for his habit of binge one day magically reverse. There is no point in making a dollar if it costs more than a dollar to do so. He said: "I've heard it all before. I came to tell you that. I have come to find a way to do something big." I simply told him: "Do not leave home until you have cleaned your room! "
"There is no point in making a dollar if it costs more than a dollar to do so."
I did not tell about the day I sat in my room, March 21, 1980, focusing reluctantly from my cleaning job ahead. I have not mentioned the process I went through: how I began to empty the closets, organize my toys, I began to discover what parts of my story I had forgotten, or how, as I continued, I was surrounded of my life - things I thought were lost forever, now I had taken for granted, gifts that still had the thoughts that count. My task of cleaning up some unexpectedly became a celebration of my little life. He became an extraordinary exercise, in gratitude ... and pride! I do not say these things because I was not sure that it was important - even though they somehow felt it was.
As entrepreneurs, our business and our teams usually produce more than the average person. They also consume more. Many entrepreneurs consume more than they produce. So the power to cleanse the world's ecological debt is in part to its consumers, but especially the owners of their businesses: You and me.
Where does the motivation come to put the cleanup as a priority, when you could be offside? Can not someone clean as we leave the house anyway? And each of us can really make that much difference? After a day, I left my room, every one of my treasures is no longer taken for granted. I sat quietly at the dinner in a contemplative mood. So did my brother and sister who had been cleaning their rooms as well. I felt a strange sense of accomplishment - in my room and my life. I felt a strange sense of connection with my family. I felt a lightness, a purpose - a new vision of my place in this world.
I can not tell if my childhood story is relevant to you as you read the report of WWF, but it seemed relevant to me. As we enter this world with the option of being a giver or a taker network network. As we increase our ability to create, we also increased our capacity to consume - or contribute. Take responsibility for this choice can lead to a transformation in the way see his place in this world.
United Nations projection of average growth in world population of 9 million in 2050. If the current consumption remains unchecked, by 2050, WWF estimated consumption exceeds the ability of our house to deliver a 120% per year, creating an ecological debt which can not afford to service. Even if you do not clean for those who live in our house when we're gone, do it for yourself: Becoming debt free is a liberating experience. Becoming debt free in ecological worldwide is a commitment that we share, and will lead to a liberating experience in the world that we share our lives.
"Some people act like the world owes them something. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."
AND FINALLY ...
A group of our members living in Bali Entrepreneur Business School, I met one of the waitresses Meridien, 21 years old Wati. In conversation, she told her dream for the last six years was to open a bar. This is what happened next, in the words of one team member, Peter Taggart:
"We asked" why do you want to open a bar? Wati said that I wanted to help support and care for the people of his village. We asked where he would establish its first bar. Wati responded with an address in Kuta. She had been researching the best place for your bar. We ask our meeting the next day with his plan. The next day, bringing with it left us all away. I just spent four days at the European summit on the vision of learning, attraction and a greater purpose, we were surprised that this young man had a better grip on these concepts than any of us. Eight of us - from Australia, Singapore and England, committed there and then to help Wati dream to life. That day, he opened a bank account in the name of Wati, bought a mobile phone to stay in touch and establish an email account. "
That day, seven of the crew flew their separate ways, while the remaining member was with Wati Kuta see your proposed site. The next Saturday night, five of the team gathered at the Gold Coast to discuss the forecast Wati. That was the night the bombs.
"We sent a text Wati message as soon as the bombs exploded in Bali. She said he was still committed to his dream, but understand that if they were not. We are online all the night around the world and we all decided unanimously to keep the commitment of all Wati and her dream. "
I'll let you all know when Wati has its open bar. Meanwhile, my hat's off to eight people. That week, the worlds have changed in Bali, in more ways than one.
Together, we will always be able to create value faster than anyone can take it away.
"We must not lose faith in humanity Humanity is an ocean. If a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." - Mahatma Gandhi
Belief, courage, ACTION.
IR-1 Visa Interview at the US Embassy in Thailand – The Red Card by Valerie Sedycias
The U.S. visa process can be fraught with complications, but at the end of the interview process is. The following information is intended for those interviews at the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy in Bangkok , Thailand .
The immigration process for the spouse of a U.S. citizen or boyfriend can be time consuming and complicated. The culmination of this process is the U.S. visa interview is performed by a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate abroad.
As the winds of the U.S. Immigration process down comes the Thai-American couple to begin to contemplate the U.S. interview visa. Many applicants in Thailand are concerned about the U.S. visa interview, as they are often under the mistaken impression that it is the work of consular officers to intimidate the applicant. This is simply not correct. U.S. consular officials are responsible for the adjudication of visa applications to be submitted to the Consulate. In many cases this is simply an exercise of due diligence to ensure that the couple is actually in a relationship of good faith and that no legal grounds for inadmissibility exists. That said, in situations where an applicant is seeking to deceive or defraud the Consular officers the outcome of such attempts can be very harmful. Staff at the U.S. Consulate have been trained to identify the discrepancies in the U.S. visa applications and are also given a mandate to find out the truth about the past of an applicant if relevant to the issuance of the visa. Therefore, in situations where an applicant is lying on a visa application is a fairly high probability that the application will be placed in the administrative process to be investigated by the Fraud Prevention Unit. An interview with an officer of the Fraud Prevention Unit, although done with courtesy, you will likely see the applicant under intense scrutiny to ensure that the consular officer to determine the facts of the case. Fortunately, in applications where the fraud is not a problem applicant's interview will likely be a relatively stress-free affair.
After the interview the applicant is likely to be presented with one of the two documents. If the consular officer believes that more information is needed, then a 221 (g) denial letter will be issued. This document merely states that the visa was denied under the authority of section 221 (g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. Under this provision, the consular officer may refuse to grant a visa until additional documentation is provided. The remedy for this deficiency depends on the documentary evidence requested.
Under the current management procedures at the American Embassy in Bangkok, the visa application if approval is obtained, then the applicant's passport will be conducted and the consular officer will give the applicant a "red card". This is a small card bearing the date stamp and time that the visa can be collected. It was considered a "red card" due to the fact that the ink used to stop the tab is red.
For those who have retained an attorney licensed U.S. Bangkok's current policy of the Embassy is that the lawyer can pick up the passport of the applicant if the applicant is unable to do so. That said, unlicensed operators who call themselves "Companies visa", "visa agents", "counsel" or "immigration consultants" can not contact the embassy on behalf of applicants for family visa if you do not have a license to practice law in the U.S..
10 Reasons to Learn Mandarin Chinese by Irsan Baig
Very often people have their own reasons for learning a new language or foreign, but some languages ââhave added additional benefits or advantages in the world today. Mandarin Chinese is one of them.
There are many reasons why Chinese is one of the most important second language can be learned by people of any country - but here there are only 10.
1) Almost one quarter of the world's population speaks Chinese.
This in itself can not be a compelling reason to learn the language, but if we consider that there are over 1.3 million people in China itself, not to mention the millions in other parts of Singapore , Taiwan, Southeast Asia, America and Europe, which also speaks Chinese, it is obvious that language is widespread and growing worldwide. Being able to speak the language then obviously opens billions of new friends, clients or potential partners than he had before.
2) China has the fastest growing economy in the world during the last quarter century.
From a business perspective, China is the place to do business. Its economy has been growing steadily (until recently) in just under 10% per year. This puts China in a course being one of the major economic powers on the world stage in a few years, most likely, the world's largest economy. As people learn English to enter the U.S. trade, China will soon become one of the most important business languages ââof the world. Why wait?
3) One of the major U.S. trading partners
Imports and exports flow like water between China and the U.S.. These are mainly U.S. imports that have driven China's economy so hard in recent decades and yet newfound wealth is allowing China's middle class to enjoy the Western luxuries. This opening of trade between the two countries has made many very successful business. Learn Chinese give any company a competitive advantage in this market.
4) clear advantage in competing for work Learning any language is an advantage when looking for a job. Employers like bilingual people. In addition to showing dedication, but also gives them an additional language available in the labor market. China is probably the biggest advantage of all of them. Any business involved in foreign commerce or communication speak Chinese applicants prize above all else. As mentioned above, the Sino-US trade and Sino-European is huge companies are crying out for people who can talk to the locals. Learn Chinese today and multiply their employment prospects.
5) An excellent choice to plan for college.
Mandarin Chinese is fast surpassing German, French and Portuguese, being one of the most studied languages ââin the U.S. and Europe. Schools that once taught exclusively in French or Spanish are offering China as an alternative or as a replacement and children are raised to speak Chinese. Why is this? Well, apart from the obvious business and employment opportunities offered to language learners, students of Mandarin are also well seen when considering the application to college. Just as employers, schools see the dedication involved to learn Chinese and the opportunities below.
Learn Chinese today and ahead of the rest of the crowd.
6) mentally challenging
It has been scientifically proven that learning a language is good for the brain. They keep the brain young and healthy and can improve learning in other subjects, even seemingly unrelated subjects, like math. It has consistently shown that bilingual students do better on their SAT tests than non-bilingual. This also applies to older people, has been shown that people learn languages ââare less susceptible to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia and can keep your brain sharp for much longer. This effect is even greater for the Chinese: The fact that China is so different from English in sound the tones and the script means that learning is more stimulating to the mind of other languages. Learn Chinese and keep learning for a long, long time.
7) The Chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world.
Chinese culture is very old. They invented gunpowder and paper, and discovered America before Columbus was born. Its history and culture is vast and colorful, diverse and fascinating language learning and will provide information about the history and culture that would otherwise never have. If you are interested in Chinese medicine, Chinese opera or theater, or kung-fu movies, even in Chinese, then learning the language can give you that added extra appreciation.
has never been easier
Perhaps not the best reason to learn a language, but certainly the best. Since the introduction of simplified Chinese to unify the different dialects and form a national language, Chinese language has been more accessible than ever. This is made even easier by the introduction of sweeping the Government of Pinyin, a written transcript of writing Mandarin in Roman letters. This means that anyone can speak and write in Pinyin days and then move on to writing more difficult in the future. At present there are, of course, a multitude of excellent golf courses available to help you learn Mandarin Chinese. These range from small websites, free software vocabulary bohemoths larger than can be taught everything there is to know about a language ... for a price. If you're serious about learning Chinese and even want to reap the benefits it will bring Mandarin Chinese, it is definitely worth the time and money
9) World Affairs
Of course this is related to some of the above reasons, but it is equally important in its own right. China is playing an increasingly important role in world affairs today, not only economically but also politically and environmentally. China is becoming a superpower, but has a lot to work before their human rights and environmental policies are acceptable worldwide. These problems will become increasingly important as China grows, and if you have an interest in these topics, learning the language could certainly put in a good position to be changing some of them.
10) Similar Languages
Learning Chinese can give you a solid foundation for learning other languages ââ- most notably Japanese. Japanese and Chinese writing are actually almost identical, and despite being able to read the script does not mean you will be able to speak in Japanese, which will certainly give you a good starting point for learning.
