TRIVIA - INFLUENZA

Did you know that influenza, commonly known as flu, was so named because the cause of the disease was supposedly the evil "influence" of the stars? This "influence" was believed to be the cause of plagues and pestilences.

WE ARE BUT A SMALL VOICE

What kind of future awaits us when those who will inherit it see themselves as victims of oppression, exploitation, and deprivation? Perhaps, the best first step to free the world of poverty and violence is to guarantee that the earth will be made safe for the weakest of the weak.

The ethics and morality of the world should rest on no less than an enduring commitment to serve, protect, and love the helpless. I shout from my heart the tiny voices of the little ones and express the deep sense of hopelessness, frustration, resentment, powerlessness, impoverishment, helplessness, pain, suffering, the inability to be heard. But they shall endure the hardship and fight for their cause and be heard, the songs of their guttered souls shall resound to the ends of the earth.

We are but a small voice longing to be heard!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - CONFIDENCE

"Happiness and self-confidence come naturally when you feel yourself moving and progressing toward becoming the very best person you can possibly be."

Brian Tracy

BUSINESS ACUMEN

This is the answer to your inquiry, Arman --

It means knowing how to turn your role as an expert into advantage. Business acumen is gained by knowledge. It is a continuing process. It can be obtained by reading, studying, and putting what you’ve learned into practice. It is about building confidence; in everything you do, in everything you say. Positive results gained from knowledge, exposures, and actions come confidence. Right choices are the true essence of business acumen. If you have little business acumen and taking the right direction, you will be able to turn your expertise into big opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

We should always aim at getting the best out of our abilities. This reflects our own efficiency as an individual. Don't worry about a problem until it becomes a problem.

Worrying is a way of life nowadays, it's a social problem and is very unhealthy. Generally, we consider worrying to be negative prediction about what is to happen in the future, usually involving unpleasant thoughts and ideas coupled with fear, depression, anxiety, and apprehension. It is hardly a pleasant experience.

And what do we worry about? We worry just about everything; big and small, hard and easy, practical and impractical things, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we worry about the past, the future, and the present. Surely, there is plenty to worry about. There is a whole lifetime of worries ahead of us. According to research, happy people worry far less than most of us do.

TRUE LOVE

".... you're in love, so in love, and love is all you're
thinkin' of, don't you know love,
that true love comes from God....

I love you, you love me, we vowed our love
eternally, don't you know love,
that true love comes from God ...."

Who is the greatest lover of all?

True love always costs dearly! God, the perfect lover, has given us, His beloved, the most perfect gift of all. "To ransom a slave God gave His Son" (an ancient prayer from the Easter vigil liturgy). God sent His Son to free us from the worst of tyrannies – slavery to sin and the curse of death. Jesus' sacrificial death was an act of total self-giving. Jesus gave Himself completely out of love for His Father, and He willingly laid down His life out of selfless love for our sake and for our salvation. His death on the cross was both a total offering to God and the perfect sacrifice of atonement for our sin and the sin of the world.

CREATING GOODWILL

Impressive business letter creates goodwill. Goodwill creates customers. Customer means revenue.

Here are some tips to my colleagues, who have difficulties writing impressive letters to customers. Always remember that a well-worded letter plays a very important role in maintaining business. A direct approach is best when writing customer service letters. The majority of customer service letters either to a customer or from a customer involve the exchange of information. The letters either ask for or give specific facts so that the company can satisfy the customer -

Be specific. Rather than writing vague generalities include details.

Watch the tone of your letter. Customers may be wrong,
but how you present that information can directly
impact on whether that customer stays or leaves.

Ask for what information you need to help the customer.

When delivering negative news, use a positive or negative buffer.

Restate the information to ensure you have it right.

Include dates, prices, order numbers, invoice numbers,
and any other data that will help serve the customer.

Draw the customer’s attention to a new product or service
or sell the customer on your company.

Show that you are courteous and professional.
Always thank the customer for the business.

Remind a customer or potential customer of your continued
willingness to serve. Always encourage future business.

NO HONKING!

Horns are not for bluffing, scaring, heckling or training. Horns are for alerting and warning others, whether on wheels or foot. No one should resent a driver tapping his horn to alert him of a hazard or to warn any pedestrian or driver who might walk, drive or back into his path.

Let your basic courtesy and consideration for others be your guide to using your horn.

CAR ASHTRAY!

This morning I had to flag down a taxi to get to the office. My friend’s car is in the repair shop. I immediately noticed the cab’s ashtray was filled with cigarette butts, gum, paper, and candy wrappers. Without hesitation, I reminded the driver that paper trash in the car ashtray, cigarette, cigar or pipe ashes not completely extinguished, or a match not completely out can cause fire to erupt in the ashtray. The driver was so appreciative for calling his attention.

Should this happen to you, don’t panic, first close the ashtray to diminish the flames or even smother the fire. Then pull off the road at the first safe opportunity and extinguish the fire completely.

However, it is a lot easier to prevent an ashtray fire by cleaning it often and dispose of their contents properly. It is not courteous to dump your ashtrays in a public parking area.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - COMPASSION

"If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

William Penn

LA SOMNAMBULA

Everytime I listen to Bellini’s grand opera, La Somnambula, I am reminded of my friend’s unforgettable nightmare, an experience, which had brought the best and worst out of his guts.

When we first arrived in Saudi, we were assigned apartments in different areas. A flat with three rooms would house six employees, each room shared by two expats. Of course, we were all briefly introduced to each other at the pre-departure orientation. Francis became my buddy-buddy ‘coz he’s so fun to be with, very jolly, always had story to tell. He was in complete contrast with his roommate, who was so silent, not smiling, never uttered a word unless spoken to. He was always in the confine of his small world, his bed.

All went well in the flat during the first three days, but everything dramatically changed on the fourth night. Francis was awakened by loud repeated squeaking sound. His first reaction was to look at the clock on his side table. It was two o’clock in the morning. When he turned his face to the direction of the sound, he was surprised to see his roommate trying to force open the door leading to the terrace. An eerie feeling came rushing down his spine. What on earth would his roommate be doing at this hour of night? Gathering his composure, he asked him what was wrong, but didn’t get a reply, instead continued turning the doorknob, his eyes were opened but seemed not conscious of what he was doing. Francis stood up and shook him, suddenly he stopped moving, just stood there, his eyes were fixed on the door. Francis guided him back to his bed. He looked around first and got back to sleep. It seemed nothing happened.

Francis did not bother to talk to his roommate about the incident of the previous night. I encouraged him to request transfer of room assignment immediately, which would mean an agonizing three to four days wait.

The ensuing night was even more frighteninggggg!!!

What happened to Francis? Aaahhhhhh!!!

To be continued!!!

GEM UNDER THE SANDS!

We very well know most of the starchy tubers, such as sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), yam (discorea), potato (sulanum tuberosum), to name a few, but not so many are familiar with truffles, especially the desert truffles. What are truffles? They are species of the mushroom family, and are distantly related to the more pungent and costly European truffles. Numerous varieties grow from Morocco to Saudi Arabia, but the desert of Syria and Iraq produces two main types, known by the Arabic name, “kamah” or "fagah".

Truffles are the valuable and sought-after, edible fruting bodies of a group subterranean ascomycete species from the fungal genus tuber. They are highly prized as a food, their smell has been described as similar to deep-fried sunflower seeds or walnuts. They spring from microscopic spores distributed just underneath the surface of the sand. The Arabs are saying that lightning triggers a chemical reaction that makes the accompanying rain rich in nitrogen compounds, which prompt the truffles to grow. Without thunderstorms, they do not appear. The Bedouins call them “the potatoes of thunder”.

As they reach the size of golf balls, they begin to crack the surface of sand, appearing as a field of bumps across the desert. The cracks indicate that truffles lie just beneath the surface. If the truffles are not dug up during the few weeks of winter rains, they pop up onto the surface and burst once the sand dries out.

Desert truffles …. are they the Biblical manna from heaven?

LAUGH OUT LOUD

Let's share a little laughter, bloggermates!!!

An 85-year-old man was requested by his doctor for
a sperm count as part of his physical exam.

The doctor gave the man a jar and said, "Take this jar home and bring back a semen sample tomorrow."The next day the 85-year-old man reappeared at the doctor's office and gave him the jar, which was as clean and empty as on the previous day.

The doctor asked what happened and the man explained, "Well, doc, it's like this - first I tried with my right hand, but nothing. Then tried with my left hand, but still nothing.

Then I asked my wife for help. She tried with her right hand, then with her left, still nothing. She tried with her mouth, first with the teeth in, then with her teeth out, still nothing.

We even called up Arleen, the lady next door and she tried too, first with both hands, then an armpit, and she even tried squeezin' it between her knees, but still nothing.

The doctor was shocked! "You asked your neighbor?" The old man replied, "Yep, none of us could get the jar open!!!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - ATTITUDE

"Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill."

W. C. Fields