By Mike Collett
LONDON (Reuters) - This is the first part of a brief history of the World Cup finals covering the tournaments from 1930 to 1954:
1930 URUGUAY
Final: July 30 1930: URUGUAY 4 ARGENTINA 2
Thirteen countries took part in the first World Cup finals which were held in Uruguay in recognition of their victories in the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games.
FIFA had planned to stage an international competition from the time it was founded, in 1904, and there was an idea to stage an inaugural world championship for 16 teams in Switzerland in 1906.
In reality, it was to be 26 years before the World Cup began and, when it did, it was rather with a whimper than a bang.
Because of the long distances involved, only four European teams traveled to South America, and they sailed together on the same boat.
Belgium, France, Yugoslavia and Romania made the trip and Romania were there only because of the intervention of King Carol who asked companies, whose employees were chosen for the squad, to give them time off work.
FIFA president Jules Rimet and his fellow Frenchman Henri Delauney worked tirelessly to launch the competition and appropriately France played in the first World Cup match, beating Mexico 4-1 in Montevideo on July 13, 1930.
French striker Lucien Laurent scored the first World Cup goal 19 minutes into the match.
Although several matches were poorly supported, the final between neighboring South American rivals Uruguay and Argentina on July 30 attracted a crowd of 93,000. Uruguay won 4-2.
- - -
1934 ITALY
Final: June 10 1934: ITALY 2 CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 (after extra time)
FIFA decided at its October 1932 Congress to award the 1934 finals to Italy, then under the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini.
FIFA's membership had grown to more than 50 countries since 1930 and 32 teams entered the World Cup qualifying round chasing 16 places in the finals.
Uruguay, however, became the only champions not to defend their crown. They refused to enter because they were aggrieved so many European countries ignored their tournament in 1930.
Half the countries involved played only one match because the 1934 finals were organized as a knockout competition.
Mexico made the lengthy trip to Italy to play one match that was not even part of the competition proper.
They had to play an extra qualifying match against the United States, who entered late and missed the original qualifying competition.
Mexico lost 4-2 to the United States in Rome, three days before the World Cup began on May 27 when the U.S. were promptly knocked out 7-1 by Italy.
The Italians continued with a 1-0 replay win over Spain in the second round, then beat Austria 1-0 in the semi-finals before winning the World Cup for the first time, beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final in Rome on June 10, 1934.
- - - -
1938 FRANCE
Final: June 19 1938: ITALY 4 HUNGARY 2
The third World Cup was played with the growing threat of War over-shadowing the competition.
Argentina had bid to stage it but FIFA awarded the finals to France because of the problems of traveling to South America.
As a result, Argentina stayed away.
The competition was played along knockout lines again, which is how the Dutch East Indies came to play their one and only match in the finals.
They were paired with Japan in a two-team qualifying group; Japan withdrew and the Dutch East Indies went through.
They lost 6-0 to Hungary who went all the way to the final in Paris where they played champions Italy.
Italy had won the 1934 finals at home under the astute and innovative coach Vittorio Pozzo. He was in charge again as Italy beat Norway (2-1), hosts France (3-1) and Brazil (2-1) in the semi-finals to reach the final.
Italy won a superb match 4-2 to become the first country to win the World Cup twice. Little did they know but they were to wait until 1982 for a third triumph.
- - - -
1950 BRAZIL
Final: Juy 16, 1950 URUGUAY 2 BRAZIL 1
After 11 years, because of World War Two and its aftermath, World Cup football returned on June 2, 1949 when Sweden beat Ireland 3-1 in Stockholm in a qualifying round game for the 1950 finals in Brazil.
The Swedes qualified eventually and were among 13 countries who took part in a quirkily-organized tournament in the South American country the following year.
For the first time, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales entered but Scotland decided perversely not to take the place awarded to them after finishing second to England in the all-British qualifying group.
England, the home of soccer, had pompously refused to enter the competition before the war but beat Chile in their opening match and looked set to do well.
Badly-prepared and badly-organized, they were punished by falling victim to one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history when they were beaten 1-0 by the United States in Belo Horizonte.
A 1-0 defeat against Spain, in their next match, meant they were out. It was to be a long time before England made any impression in the tournament.
Hosts and strong favorites Brazil, flexing their muscles, made the last four along with Sweden, Spain and Uruguay.
Bizarrely, there was no actual final in 1950 but, luckily for the organizers and future historians, the final group match was the one that would decide the group winner and, therefore, world champion.
The Uruguay-Brazil match, in front of a world record crowd of 199,854 in the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro became a de facto final.
Uruguay won 2-1 to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for a second time.
Brazil were stunned by the defeat. They had to wait eight years to become champions but Uruguay have never been champions again.
- - - -
1954 SWITZERLAND
Final: July 4, 1954: WEST GERMANY 3 HUNGARY 2
Sixteen teams took part in the fifth World Cup and there was limited television coverage.
There was still a long way to go but the dawn of a modern age was approaching.
Although 16 teams were placed in four opening round groups, another chaotic seeding and qualifying system meant that, instead of playing three first round games, teams played only two matches and several had to resort to playoffs to get through to the quarter-finals.
But there were goals in abundance, 140 in 26 matches, and several remarkable results. These included Hungary 8, West Germany 3; Hungary 9, South Korea 0; and Austria 7, Switzerland 5, the highest-scoring match played in the finals.
Hungary went to Switzerland as odds-on favorites and it seemed inconceivable they would not be taking the Jules Rimet trophy back to Budapest.
The 'Magical Magyars' had not lost a match since 1950, were Olympic champions and had several of the greatest players in the world in their ranks including the absolute master: Ferenc Puskas.
Yet the final in Berne on July 4 still defies logic.
Hungary, who crushed a largely reserve Germany team 8-3 in the first round, raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Puskas and Zoltan Czibor.
But Puskas had been injured and was below his best, Hungary relaxed and they allowed the Germans to play their way back into the game.
In the end, they were stunned as West Germany came back to create the biggest upset in a final by winning 3-2. Uwe Rahan scored twice and Max Morlock once.
It was the only match Hungary lost between 1950 and 1956.
Captain Fritz Walter lifted the cup, a hugely significant event for West Germany, nine years after the end of World War Two.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
WORLD CUP 2006: Look out for the secret signals at World Cup matches
By SIMON HAYDON, Associated Press Writer
LONDON (AP) -- If the play gets boring at the World Cup, watch out for the secret signals between the match officials running the game.
Although radio communications between the referee and his three assistants have been tested in top European competition this season, they will not be featured in Germany, although it appears inevitable they will soon play a part in elite soccer.
However, electronic devices are not the only way for match officials to communicate.
Over the years referees have developed discreet ways of passing or receiving messages, often involving the assistants helping out the man in the middle when he or she may not have seen an incident.
A player tumbles to the ground in the penalty area and the referee, his view of the play blocked by a crowd of players, looks quickly at the linesman. If he raises his flag to his chest briefly, then it's a penalty. If the linesman places his hand on his breast pocket -- where yellow and red cards are kept -- then he's recommending a yellow or red card.
The players have most probably not realized the assistant has given the decision and so do not charge at the linesman in fury, leaving the referee to take the flak, as is his duty.
Next example: The ball hits the crossbar, then bounces down. Did it cross the line? The assistant referee is best placed to see and the sight of him running back toward the halfway line for a restart tells the referee it's a goal.
If he stays where he is, then the ball has not crossed the line.
For years referees have run what they call a diagonal system to keep up with play, ensuring they are always looking across toward the linesman, with the run play in between. Now, however, as the game has sped up, referees are under instructions never to be more than 15 yards from play.
Sometimes, however, that's impossible and the linesman has to help out while the referee catches up. For those few moments -- and whenever he is closer to play than the referee -- the assistant has much more power than the spectator realizes.
At the elite level, the referee, unless he is absolutely convinced to the contrary, will accept the decision of the linesman faithfully. At the World Cup, the officials are a team, almost all from the same country, and a group that often officiates together in their national league, so they know and trust each other.
The latest trend in refereeing is for the 10-minute clampdown. Soccer games inevitably have flashpoints when the referee needs to be at his most alert and firm.
For the first 10 minutes of a match, especially if it's a grudge game, the referee will be tough on everything, blowing his whistle for every misdemeanor. As the game progresses and players settle down, the referee will also start allowing play to flow and speed up, ignoring some challenges. But when tension suddenly erupts, the 10-minute clampdown returns.
Look out in Germany for the referee holding his arm rigidly by his side with his fist clenched as he alerts his linesmen that they need to be on the same wavelength.
A few minutes later, as calm is gradually restored, the referee will make a similar signal with a rigid arm, only the fist is replaced with an open hand and the officials can relax a little.
While several other methods of communications exist between a referee and his linesmen, the most important remains eye contact. Every referee, in his prematch instructions to his co-workers, will stress how crucial it is for them to be looking at each other.
Ever wondered why it's not very often a referee points one way for a throw-in and the linesman points the other? Watch the hand of the linesman without the flag in it. If it's raised slightly, it's a signal for the referee to give the throw-in that way.
But the assistant will also be looking at the referee's left or right hand and will always opt for a majority decision rather than be seen to disagree with his boss.
It's also very rare that a referee does not see his linesman waving the flag. But if he doesn't, the final weapon in the assistant's armory is a button on the end of his flag which, when pressed, sets off a loud buzzer on a strap concealed under the referee's sleeve.
That's a surefire way of attracting the referee's attention.
Associated Press Writer Simon Haydon is a licensed referee in England and has been officiating games for five years.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Humor: English Language Quiz
My friend, Rita Haehnlein, sent this to me and most of them had me stumped. I therefore felt entirely justified to foist these annoying questions on all the rest of you! I hope you can answer more of them than I did, and enjoy them in any case. Make it a great week, and for everyone celebrating Memorial Day, have fun and be safe!
These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers...............
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw"
and they are all common words. Name two of them. (Don't try the name DWIGHT...it doesn't work...hahaha)
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?
8. Where are the lakes that are referred to in the Los Angeles Lakers?
9. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
**********************
Answers To Quiz:
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends is... Boxing
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward is... Niagara Falls. (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the water that rushing over it every minute.)
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons are... Asparagus and Rhubarb
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside is... Strawberry
5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, the the bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)
6. Three English words beginning with dw are... dwarf, dwell and dwindle.
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar are... the period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8. The original lakes referred to in Lakers is in Minnesota. (The team was originally known as the Minneapolis Lakers, and kept the name when they moved west.)
9. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh is... Lettuce
Honoring and Building On The Past
by Dr. Phillip Humbert
There is a wonderful, and haunting quote from Arnold Toynbee that, "Those who refuse to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." Successful people have always learned from, and built upon the foundations of those who went ahead of them.
Lee Iacocoa said that he read two business books every week during his career at Ford and later when he brought Chrysler back from bankruptcy. Presidents Carter, Clinton and both Presidents Bush have commented on their study of history. John Kennedy was a voracious reader, and there is a famous photo of him walking into the White House on Inauguration Day with the book, "Presidential Power" tucked under his arm.
Leaders learn from the past!
This Memorial Day, it seems particularly fitting to honor all those who have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy every day. Obviously, TIPS subscribers live all over the world, but most live in countries that know freedom is rarely "free" and it's never easy.
Freedom can be messy because people disagree. Freedom can be hard because we have to argue for our values and make difficult political decisions. We must choose how we will live our lives and what we will do with the opportunities freedom gives us. It is true that, compared to the chaos of freedom, Mussolini "made the trains run on time," but the cost was far too high.
As I coach successful leaders in many fields, including highly successful parents, spouses, and "retired" businesspeople, I note that there is a clear distinction between the behavior of the successful and the "almost successful" in this area.
Leaders read and learn. They ask questions, learn from their competition, respect and admire their colleagues, and form collaborative partnerships all over the world. They allow themselves to be taught by the great figures of history, as well as learning from the best of our contemporaries..
Successful people learn from at least three types of models and use the wisdom of others to guide their own success:
1. Biographies of those who achieved what you want to achieve. This is not casual reading or relaxing with a good story! This is an investment in your future, an investment in your success. Read and underline. Read and ponder. Read and learn how others have built the kind of life you want to live.
2. Formal training. Leaders take classes, go to seminars, attend workshops and practice, practice, practice. Successful people invest in their education and they keep on learning. A seminar that contains just one new idea, or that gives you a fresh slant on an old idea could make all the difference.
3. Colleagues and experts. Highly successful people watch and learn from other people. They pick up the phone and call. They send an email and ask a question, build a friendship, form a partnership with the best leaders and most successful people they can find.
This weekend there will be lots of speeches about honoring those who serve in our military around the world. It is particularly fitting to remember and thank those who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world in the fight against terrorism. And, we honor those who sacrificed from the American Revolution through Viet Nam, and up to today, that we might be free and safe. The American flag is waving on our porch as I write this.
But an even more meaningful way to honor those who have gone before us is to study their lives, to learn from their experiences and build on the foundations they left us. We honor them by using our freedoms to build and live GREAT lives.
There is a wonderful, and haunting quote from Arnold Toynbee that, "Those who refuse to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." Successful people have always learned from, and built upon the foundations of those who went ahead of them.
Lee Iacocoa said that he read two business books every week during his career at Ford and later when he brought Chrysler back from bankruptcy. Presidents Carter, Clinton and both Presidents Bush have commented on their study of history. John Kennedy was a voracious reader, and there is a famous photo of him walking into the White House on Inauguration Day with the book, "Presidential Power" tucked under his arm.
Leaders learn from the past!
This Memorial Day, it seems particularly fitting to honor all those who have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy every day. Obviously, TIPS subscribers live all over the world, but most live in countries that know freedom is rarely "free" and it's never easy.
Freedom can be messy because people disagree. Freedom can be hard because we have to argue for our values and make difficult political decisions. We must choose how we will live our lives and what we will do with the opportunities freedom gives us. It is true that, compared to the chaos of freedom, Mussolini "made the trains run on time," but the cost was far too high.
As I coach successful leaders in many fields, including highly successful parents, spouses, and "retired" businesspeople, I note that there is a clear distinction between the behavior of the successful and the "almost successful" in this area.
Leaders read and learn. They ask questions, learn from their competition, respect and admire their colleagues, and form collaborative partnerships all over the world. They allow themselves to be taught by the great figures of history, as well as learning from the best of our contemporaries..
Successful people learn from at least three types of models and use the wisdom of others to guide their own success:
1. Biographies of those who achieved what you want to achieve. This is not casual reading or relaxing with a good story! This is an investment in your future, an investment in your success. Read and underline. Read and ponder. Read and learn how others have built the kind of life you want to live.
2. Formal training. Leaders take classes, go to seminars, attend workshops and practice, practice, practice. Successful people invest in their education and they keep on learning. A seminar that contains just one new idea, or that gives you a fresh slant on an old idea could make all the difference.
3. Colleagues and experts. Highly successful people watch and learn from other people. They pick up the phone and call. They send an email and ask a question, build a friendship, form a partnership with the best leaders and most successful people they can find.
This weekend there will be lots of speeches about honoring those who serve in our military around the world. It is particularly fitting to remember and thank those who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world in the fight against terrorism. And, we honor those who sacrificed from the American Revolution through Viet Nam, and up to today, that we might be free and safe. The American flag is waving on our porch as I write this.
But an even more meaningful way to honor those who have gone before us is to study their lives, to learn from their experiences and build on the foundations they left us. We honor them by using our freedoms to build and live GREAT lives.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Malaysia's 40 richest
New Straits Times - Malaysia News Online
26 May 2006
Here are some mind-boggling facts - Malaysia's 40 richest businessmen
are worth a collective US$26 billion (RM95.4 billion). Also, the
country's nine billionaires account for a whopping 82 per cent of that
sum.
The man at the top, Robert Kuok, has been Southeast Asia's richest
man for years. In contrast, there are 12 people worth less than US$100
million.
Forbes Asia, which compiled the list, estimated that most of the
40 richest are entirely or mostly self-made, having built fortunes in
diverse sectors such as ceramic tiles, airlines and banks.
Commodities such as rubber, timber and palm oil are the biggest source of fortunes.
To compile this list, the magazine looked at shareholdings in
publicly-listed companies as well as in private company filings. For
people with publicly-traded fortunes, net worths were calculated using
current share prices and exchange rates. For privately held fortunes,
it estimated what companies and assets would be worth if they are
public-listed.
1. Tan Sri Robert Kuok US$5.6b (RM20.55b) - 83
Got started in 1949 trading rice, sugar and wheat flour. Today heads
multinational Kuok Group and owns Pacific Carriers Ltd, a leading
dry-bulk shipper in the pacific basin; air cargo company Transmile
Group and 10 Coca-Cola bottling plants in China.
2. Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan US$4.6b (RM16.88b) - 68
Former oil trader's holdings include Maxis Communications, Tanjong Plc and racetrack betting and lottery systems.
3. Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow US$2.1b (RM7.71b) - 76
Former bank clerk used profits from real estate deals to open small
bank in 1966. Today Public Bank is the second-largest lender in
Malaysia.
4. Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng US$2.05b (RM7.52b) - 67
Started out as field supervisor in plantation industry. Now heads IOI,
with interests in palm oil, property development and hotels.
5. Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan US$2b (RM7.34b) - 65
Heads Hong Leong Group Malaysia and Asian financial services giant Guoco Group.
6. Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong US$1.5b (RM5.51b) - 88
Former public works contractor turned his idea for hilltop resort on
outskirts of Kuala Lumpur into one of the world's most successful
casino resorts.
7. Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay US$1.1b (RM4.01b) - 76
Patriarch of Yeoh family heads YTL Corp, with interests in construction, utilities, hotels, property development and technology.
8. Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King US$1.05b (RM3.85b) - 70
His Rimbunan Hijau Group has operations in Malaysia, New Zealand and
Africa. His publishing house, Ming Pao Enterprises, has introduced
local editions of Chinese-language daily Ming Pao in cities like San
Francisco, New York, Vancouver and Toronto.
9. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary US$1b (RM3.67b) - 54
Started out as rice trader. Today controls Malaysia Mining Corporation
(MMC), container port Tanjung Pelepas and nearby Senai Airport and has
stakes in an automaker and book retailer.
10. Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay US$440m (RM1.61b) - 54
Became chairman of Genting Group when his father, Lim Goh Tong (number
6), retired in late 2003. Has been key driver of its Star Cruises,
world's third-largest cruise line.
11. Tan Sri Azman Hashim US$405m (RM1.49b) - 66
Forty-six-year veteran of banking industry. Bought own bank in 1982 and eventually built it into diversified AM Group.
12. Tan Sri Vincent Tan US$355m (RM1.30b) - 54
Acquired Berjaya in 1984, built in into conglomerate with interests in
financial services, hotels, theme parks, lotteries, education, real
estate and manufacturing.
13. Tan Sri Kua Sian Kooi US$285m (RM1.05b) - 54
14. Datuk Lim Wee Chai US$210m (RM770m) - 48
Son of rubber plantation owners and traders, he and wife started
trading latex gloves in 1991 and opened first factory the next year.
Today his Top Glove is one of the world's largest producers of rubber
gloves.
15. Datuk Anthony Fernandes US$205m (RM752m) - 42
Spent 14 years as music industry executive, lastly running all of
Warner Music's operations in Southeast Asia before quitting to launch
what is now Asia's biggest discount airline, AirAsia.
16. Datuk Vinod Sekhar US$200m (RM734m) - 37
Founder and majority owner of privately held Petra Group. Among its
many technologies, one of the most promising is involved in "green
rubber", a revolutionary process to cheaply and efficiently recycle
used rubber.
17. Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam US$170m (RM623.9m) - 62
Chairs Westport, the largest privately owned port in Malaysia, which he started in 1994.
18. Kamarudin Meranun US$165m (RM605.6m) - 45
Quiet bean counter helps more public partner Fernandes (number 15) run
AirAsia. Kamarudin is the airline's executive director, looking after
corporate finance.
19. Puan Sri Chong Chook Yew US$145m (RM532.2m) - 84
List's only female chairs Selangor Properties. Became chairperson after
the death of her husband and Selangor founder, Wen Tien Kuang.
20. Tan Sri Hamdan Mohamad US$140m (RM513.9m) - 50
Runs Ranhill Group of companies, which includes power and utilities firms.
21. Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah US$125m (RM458.8m)
Started with a tin mining company in 1974. Has built the Sunway Group
of companies, which develop properties, run tolls and many quarries.
22. Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar US$120m (RM440.4m) - 57
He and partner K.L. Palaniappan (number 40) built up MK Land, now one of the country's largest property development firms.
23. Datuk Abdul Hameed Sepawi US$120m (RM440.4m) - 55
Heads timber outfit Ta Ann.
24. Ahmayuddin Ahmad US$115m (RM422.1m) - 50
Board member, along with G. Gnanalingam (number 17) of Westport.
25. Datuk Syed Mohd Yusof Syed Nasir US$110m (RM403.7m) - 59
Former chairman of Southern Bank Berhad. He remains chairman of Killinghall, one of Southern Bank's largest shareholders.
26. Datuk Lee Hau Hian US$100m (RM367m) - 53
Datuk Lee Oi Hian US$100m (RM367m) - 55
Datuk Lee Soon Hian US$100m (RM367m) - 49
Sons of late rubber baron Lee Loy Seng have equal holdings in two
listed companies: Chemicals company Batu Kawan and Kuala Lumpur Kepong,
former rubber company that expanded into other commodities like palm
oil and also owns retailer Crabtree & Evelyn.
29. Datuk Tiah Thee Kian US$95m (RM348.7m) - 58
Runs TA Enterprise. Aside from sprawling interests in financial
services, which include stockbroking, asset management and derivatives,
also has property arm that operates in Malaysia, Australia, Canada and
South Africa. Tiah's wife, who has a degree in economics, is the
company's chairman.
29. Tan Sri Tan Teong Hean US$95m (RM348.7) - 63
Chief executive director of Southern Bank Berhad for 23 years until
bank was bought out in May. Remains chairman of MasterCard
International's Asia Pacific board and a member of MasterCard
International's global board.
29. Datuk Lim Thian Kiat US$95m (RM348.7) - 57
Former head of Multi-Purpose Holdings, one of Malaysia's biggest
conglomerates. Resigned in 1999 after big losses at the group. Still
retains stakes in some of its public entities.
32. Datuk Yaw Teck Seng US$90m (RM330.3m) - 68
Head and founder of the Samling group, considered second-largest timber
group in Sarawak, after billionaire Tiong Hiew King's (number 8). Has
two listed companies, Lingui Developments and Glenealy Plantations.
33. Datuk Lim Tong Yong US$85m (RM311.9m) - 56
Chief executive of the Pantai Group, the largest chain of private
hospitals in Malaysia. Was bought out of group in September last year
by Parkway, Singapore's leading hospital chain. Still retains small
stake in Pantai; has shares in listed soapmaker Paos.
34. John Chia US$80m (RM293.6m) - 54
Only high-tech tycoon to make the cut, Chia is the chairman of Unisem, a semiconductor testing and packaging firm.
34. Tan Sri Rozali Ismail US$80m (RM293.6m) - 50
Executive chairman of Puncak Niaga, a water-treatment firm that treats the water of Kuala Lumpur, among other places.
36. Ong Leong Huat US$75m (RM275.3m) - 62
Runs OSK group, which includes three publicly listed groups: Financial
services firm OSK Holdings, OSK Property and OSK Ventures.
36. Datuk Seri Lau Cho Kun US$75m (RM275.3m)
Big shareholder in Malaysian Mosaics, maker of tiles. Also has interests in property development, plantations and trading.
38. Tan Sri William Cheng US$70m (RM256.9m) - 63
Head of Lion Group of varied businesses including steel manufacturing
and retailing as well as plantation management. President of the
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Malaysia.
39. Shaari Ismail US$70m (RM256.9m) - 63
Elder brother of Rozali (number 34) also a shareholder in Puncak Niaga but has no executive role.
40. Datuk K.L. Palaniappan US$65m (RM238.6m) - 63
Trained as architect, Kasi is now second-largest individual shareholder in MK Land after Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar (number 22).
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Quote
"Anyone can be a genius if they pick one specific subject and study it diligently just 15 minutes each day."
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein
Quotes
"If you focus on what you want instead of what you don't want, you will know when it is time to take action. And when you do, it will be effortless."
-- Dr. Robert Anthony
"Wherever you are is where you start. The next time you get stressed, ask yourself 'How would I be doing this differently if I were willing to let this be easy?"
-- Alan Cohen
"Success is inversely proportional to hard work. ... The basis of success is not hard work. The basis of success is doing less."
-- Fred Gratzon
-- Dr. Robert Anthony
"Wherever you are is where you start. The next time you get stressed, ask yourself 'How would I be doing this differently if I were willing to let this be easy?"
-- Alan Cohen
"Success is inversely proportional to hard work. ... The basis of success is not hard work. The basis of success is doing less."
-- Fred Gratzon
Soul singer Taylor Hicks wins "American Idol"
Soul singer Taylor Hicks wins "American Idol" - Yahoo! News
For may who voted for Talor, good for you. But do you remember what Simon said to Taylor very early in the show. He said Taylor was so-so but he'll never make it to the final.
But Taylor never gave up, despite stinging public criticism. But that's not the same with most people, isnt it? Most people give up at the very first criticism and shy away in their shell. If you run away, you will never succeed. Never fear criticism, take the best and learn from it.
Do not fear of life. Only those who take risks succeeds!
For may who voted for Talor, good for you. But do you remember what Simon said to Taylor very early in the show. He said Taylor was so-so but he'll never make it to the final.
But Taylor never gave up, despite stinging public criticism. But that's not the same with most people, isnt it? Most people give up at the very first criticism and shy away in their shell. If you run away, you will never succeed. Never fear criticism, take the best and learn from it.
Do not fear of life. Only those who take risks succeeds!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Knowledge distribution center for siriusly cancerned mechapes
If you're new to blogging, this is the place to be. Mechanical Ape's blog currently has eights part and counting of simple and very useful instructions on how to get started with blogging.
You will learn about what makes blogs tick, how to notify the world that you've made a new post, what turns readers on (no, I dont mean naked pictures but interesting reads), how to be socially and technologically interconnected, what about Performancing, and Greasemonkey ...
Read this blog if you're new to blogging and even if you're not. You're bound to learn something new. I know I did! Greasemonkey, here I come.....
You will learn about what makes blogs tick, how to notify the world that you've made a new post, what turns readers on (no, I dont mean naked pictures but interesting reads), how to be socially and technologically interconnected, what about Performancing, and Greasemonkey ...
Read this blog if you're new to blogging and even if you're not. You're bound to learn something new. I know I did! Greasemonkey, here I come.....
Penguins on Fedex
Penguins walking on a red carpet out of a Fedex plane? What's going on?
well, he's one of 19 penguins rescued along with two sea otters in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina walks on the tarmac after returning to New Orleans
following an eight-month refuge in California, in New Orleans,
Louisiana. The rescued animals were flown by FedEx back to New Orleans
and will return to their home at the Audobon Aquarium of the Americas
which is scheduled to reopen 26 May 2006.
well, he's one of 19 penguins rescued along with two sea otters in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina walks on the tarmac after returning to New Orleans
following an eight-month refuge in California, in New Orleans,
Louisiana. The rescued animals were flown by FedEx back to New Orleans
and will return to their home at the Audobon Aquarium of the Americas
which is scheduled to reopen 26 May 2006.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Strategy Is The Art Of Making The Future Occur More Quickly And With Fewer Resources.
A strategist is combination of a symphony composer and conductor -- you have to know the sounds that are capable from the instruments, how to arrange them and the music they play, and how to juxtapose and coordinate for maximum effect on the audience.
In business, a strategist is one part scout, one part politicer, one part well-antennaed listener. A strategist knows the ins and outs of available resources and capabilities, can feel/understand the direction that the market is moving and has a great sense of timing. Most strategists also have a vision. Some CEOs are naturally strong strategists (Rupert Murdoch/News Corp, Ted Turner/TimeWarner, Andy Grove/Intel) and some CEOs have a key strategist on their executive team (Bill Gates/Microsoft (guessing), Bill Clinton/US (he loved his strategist Dick Morris).
With the right strategy, the expenses of doing business (both financial and emotional) are SIGNIFICANTLY reduced.
The 3 B's to great strategy are:
Be Bold. Do the unthinkable. Do the opposite of what people may expect. Stun your competitors. Make it impossible for people to say no to buying your product. Sun Microsystems did this a couple of years ago when it released much of the software source code for Java. Most software companies would keep their code and not shore it, using the code as a profit maker. But Sun wanted to drop Microsoft down a notch and decided to set a standard for both cross-platform programs and for easy to use programming tools for novices and experts alike. So, they let the profits from Java go in order to set an industry standard that may well open up the architecture of the PC and Intranet industry. It will take several more years for this bold strategy to pay off, but when it does....
Be Better. Whatever you do, make sure it's at least 30% better than what anyone else is doing. Challenge yourself and your team to deliver on the promises of your goods and services and to do so at a level that's noticeably, and measurably, better than anyone else in your field. Incremental/marginal isn't enough for most stragegies to work and take on a life of their own. Example: AOL. In it's first several years, AOL did "it" better than Compuserve - easier interfaces, trendier content, lots of chat rooms, positive press.
Be Beneficial. Whatever you're planning, it needs to BENEFIT (really, really benefit) a group of people, not just impress or control them. So much so, that they feel it and notice where it came from. You can still be selfish and focus on profits, but without a LOT of people personally benefitting and giving you credit, you won't get very far. Example: Coach University (hey, why not!). We seek to double the benefits that our customers receive, each year, keeping the tuition the same. That's a big part of our strategy. We spend far more time on that than on marketing.
Every executive/business owner/professional/coach DOES have a strategy they are using, but few have articulated it and rarely do they spend enough time improving it. When I have a vision or have a goal that I want to achieve, I first ask myself "How do I want to get that to happen easily and permanently?" Then, I refer to the 3 B's above and get to work, creating an environment in which results can occur vs merely taking linear action steps. Action IS required, of course, but surprisingly little action is required when the strategy is well done. It's unnerving how very quickly results can occur, with seemingly little effort, when your strategy is bang on.The Top 10 ways to increase your personal bandwidth from 28.8 to ISDN
Personal bandwidth refers to your ability to learn and process information.
1. Give up what you think the future should look like.
2. Stop trying to protect what you have or what you've created. Be able to afford to "lose it all."
3. Stop trying to prove something to others/prove yourself. Give it up!
4. Heal all personal/emotional damage.
5. Get a vision that's far bigger than you are.
6. Develop leadership skills, not just management skills.
7. Eliminate all blocks to intellectual, emotional and spiritual superconductivity.
8. Be willing to make lots of mistakes and correct.
9. Assume that every assumption upon which you are basing your life or your business right now, is incorrect or about to be come worthless.
10. Hang out with others who have plenty of bandwidth and learn from them.
1. Give up what you think the future should look like.
2. Stop trying to protect what you have or what you've created. Be able to afford to "lose it all."
3. Stop trying to prove something to others/prove yourself. Give it up!
4. Heal all personal/emotional damage.
5. Get a vision that's far bigger than you are.
6. Develop leadership skills, not just management skills.
7. Eliminate all blocks to intellectual, emotional and spiritual superconductivity.
8. Be willing to make lots of mistakes and correct.
9. Assume that every assumption upon which you are basing your life or your business right now, is incorrect or about to be come worthless.
10. Hang out with others who have plenty of bandwidth and learn from them.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Increase Your Three Types of Energy
By: Brian Tracy
Most successful people can be characterized as having very high levels of energy. Since energy is the fuel with which everything is achieved, there seems to be a direct relationship between energy levels and levels of accomplishment. It is hard to imagine a tired, burned-out person achieving much in life. On the other hand, energetic, positive, forward-moving individuals seem to get and enjoy far more of the things life has to offer than does the average person.
Physical Energy Is Basic
We have been led to believe that there is basically one kind of energy. We supposedly replenish this energy by sleeping at night, and during the day, we use it up again. It is as though we are machines powered by batteries, and each night we recharge our batteries for seven or eight hours. However, there are some problems with this view of energy.
The biggest problem is that it does not deal with the fact that there are actually three different kinds of energy, each of which is necessary for maximum performance. The three main forms are physical energy, emotional energy, and mental energy. Each of these energies is different, but they are interrelated, and they depend on each other.
Most successful people can be characterized as having very high levels of energy. Since energy is the fuel with which everything is achieved, there seems to be a direct relationship between energy levels and levels of accomplishment. It is hard to imagine a tired, burned-out person achieving much in life. On the other hand, energetic, positive, forward-moving individuals seem to get and enjoy far more of the things life has to offer than does the average person.
Physical Energy Is Basic
We have been led to believe that there is basically one kind of energy. We supposedly replenish this energy by sleeping at night, and during the day, we use it up again. It is as though we are machines powered by batteries, and each night we recharge our batteries for seven or eight hours. However, there are some problems with this view of energy.
The biggest problem is that it does not deal with the fact that there are actually three different kinds of energy, each of which is necessary for maximum performance. The three main forms are physical energy, emotional energy, and mental energy. Each of these energies is different, but they are interrelated, and they depend on each other.
The Sweat of Your Brow
Physical energy is raw energy, coarse energy, bulk energy, what we call "meat-and-potatoes" energy. Your physical energy is what you use to do physical labor. It is the primary energy applied by men and women who earn their livings by the sweat of their brow.
The Source of Enthusiasm
The second form of energy is emotional energy. This is the energy of enthusiasm and excitement. This is the energy that lends sparkle to the life of an individual. This is the energy that is necessary for feeling love, happiness, and joy. Largely, it is your emotional energy that makes life enjoyable for you. In fact, almost everything you say and do is determined in some way by an emotion, either positive or negative.
The Requirement for Creativity
Mental energy is the energy of creativity, of problem solving and decision making. You use mental energy to make sales, write reports and proposals, plan your day and your week, and learn new subjects. Your level of mental energy is a major determinant of the quality of your life.
Conserve Your Best Energies
The reason why most people fail to realize their potential in life and work is because they burn up their energy at the emotional level, or the physical level; therefore, they have very little energy left over for mental activities. Most people burn up their emotional energy through the expression of negative emotions. Negative emotions are like a fire that burns up their energy so quickly that they have very little left with which to think positively and constructively.
In fact, one five-minute uncontrolled outburst of anger can burn up as much energy as an average person would use in eight hours of work. Your job is to think continually about how you can stay calm and positive, and work smoothly and efficient, so you can have more mental energy to do the things that are most important to you in life.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:
First, take time to identify the different ways that you either use up or deplete your levels of physical, emotional and mental energy. How could you improve in each area?
Second, be sure to get plenty of healthful, nutritious food so you can keep your physical energy at high levels. This is the key to all other energies.
Third, look for ways to conserve your emotional energies by being more relaxed and optimistic in the face of daily problems and disappointments. The more energy you have, the happier and more productive you will be.
The Golden Hour
By: Brian Tracy
You become what you think about most of the time. And the most important part of each day is what you think about at the beginning of that day.
Start Your Day Right
Take 30 minutes each morning to sit quietly and to reflect on your goals. You'll find when you read the biographies and autobiographies of successful men and women that almost everyone of them began their upward trajectory to success when they begin getting up early in the morning and spending time with themselves.
Feed Your Mind With Positive Ideas
This is called the Golden Hour. The first hour sets the tone for the day. The things that you do in the first hour prepare your mind and set you up for the entire day. During the first thirty to sixty minutes, take time to think and review your plans for the future.
You become what you think about most of the time. And the most important part of each day is what you think about at the beginning of that day.
Start Your Day Right
Take 30 minutes each morning to sit quietly and to reflect on your goals. You'll find when you read the biographies and autobiographies of successful men and women that almost everyone of them began their upward trajectory to success when they begin getting up early in the morning and spending time with themselves.
Feed Your Mind With Positive Ideas
This is called the Golden Hour. The first hour sets the tone for the day. The things that you do in the first hour prepare your mind and set you up for the entire day. During the first thirty to sixty minutes, take time to think and review your plans for the future.
Use Your Quiet Time Effectively
Here are four things that you can do during that quiet time in the morning. Number one is to review your plans for accomplishing your goals and change your plans if necessary.
Number two is think of better ways to accomplish your goals. As an exercise, assume that the way you're going about it is totally wrong and imagine going about it totally differently. What would you do different from what you're doing right now?
Number three, reflect on the valuable lessons that you have learned and are learning as you move toward your goals.
Practice Daily Visualization
Number four, calmly visualize your goal as a reality. Close your eyes, relax, smile, and see your goal as though it were already a reality. Rewrite your major goals everyday in the present tense. Rewrite them as though they already existed. Write "I earn X dollars." "I have a net worth of X." "I weigh a certain number of pounds." This exercise of writing and rewriting your goals everyday is one of the most powerful you will ever learn.
Fasten Your Seatbelt
Your life will start to take off at such a speed that you'll have to put on your seatbelt. Remember, the starting point for achieving financial success is the development of an attitude of unshakable confidence in yourself and in your ability to reach your goals. Everything we've talked about is a way of building up and developing your belief system until you finally reach the point where you are absolutely convinced that nothing can stop you from achieving what you set out to achieve.
Everything Counts
No one starts out with this kind of an attitude, but you can develop it using the law of accumulation. Everything counts. No efforts are ever lost. Every extraordinary accomplishment in the result of thousands of ordinary accomplishments that no one recognizes or appreciates. The greatest challenge of all is for you to concentrate your thinking single-mindedly on your goal and by the law of attraction, you will, you must inevitably draw into your life the people, circumstances and opportunities you need to achieve your goals.
Become A Living Magnet
Once you've mastered yourself and your thinking, you will become a living magnet for ideas and opportunities to become wealthy. It's worked for me and for every successful person I know. It will work for you if you'll begin today, now, this very minute, to think and talk about your dreams and goals as though they were already a reality. When you change your thinking, you will change your life. You will put yourself firmly on the road to financial independence.
Action Exercises
Now, here are two things you can do every single day to keep your mind focused on your financial goals:
First, get up every morning a little bit earlier and plan your day in advance. Take some time to think about your goals and how you can best achieve them. This sets the tone for the whole day.
Second, reflect on the valuable lessons you are learning each day as you work toward your goals. Be prepared to correct your course and adjust your actions. Be absolutely convinced that you are moving rapidly toward your goals, no matter what happens temporarily on the outside. Just hang in there!
The Two Choices We Face
Each of us has two distinct choices to make about what we will do with our lives. The first choice we can make is to be less than we have the capacity to be. To earn less. To have less. To read less and think less. To try less and discipline ourselves less. These are the choices that lead to an empty life. These are the choices that, once made, lead to a life of constant apprehension instead of a life of wondrous anticipation.
And the second choice? To do it all! To become all that we can possibly be. To read every book that we possibly can. To earn as much as we possibly can. To give and share as much as we possibly can. To strive and produce and accomplish as much as we possibly can. All of us have the choice.
To do or not to do. To be or not to be. To be all or to be less or to be nothing at all.
Like the tree, it would be a worthy challenge for us all to stretch upward and outward to the full measure of our capabilities. Why not do all that we can, every moment that we can, the best that we can, for as long as we can?
Our ultimate life objective should be to create as much as our talent and ability and desire will permit. To settle for doing less than we could do is to fail in this worthiest of undertakings.
Results are the best measurement of human progress. Not conversation. Not explanation. Not justification. Results! And if our results are less than our potential suggests that they should be, then we must strive to become more today than we were the day before. The greatest rewards are always reserved for those who bring great value to themselves and the world around them as a result of who and what they have become.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
Potential
by Ron White
The stage was a Texas Rangers baseball game and as I stared at David Dellucci, the Texas Ranger batter, I muttered 'Potential' as he held the bat over his shoulder waiting for the pitch. No sooner had the word escaped my mouth when my friend leaned over and said, "What did you say?" I replied to her, "I said potential…" Her confused question was, "Okaaaay? – Potential in regards to what?"
I then explained… "Well, in science they have something called potential energy and it basically says that the higher an object is the more potential energy it has. For example, a rock on top of a building has a potential energy in it – if it were to fall. I was just thinking about the potential energy in the bat of Dellucci and how that relates to me."
She looked at me intensely somehow sensing that I was telling the truth, and that these were my thoughts. Then she proclaimed, "I never cease to be astounded at the weird things you think about."
Perhaps it is an odd thought to cross my mind at a baseball game, however, it occurred. Potential energy basically says that the higher an object is the greater the potential energy. A ball on a six story building has more potential energy than one on a three story building. As a matter of fact, the doubling of the height doubles the potential energy.
At the baseball game, when I started thinking about potential energy I was considering it in regards to me – and you for that matter. You see, it has been said that to those who much has been given… much is expected. Based on the fact that you have access to a computer, understand how to read and have a thirst for learning – you have been given much. Or in scientific terms you have tremendous potential energy. You are like that rock on a tall building. However, if you sit there – the potential energy is never utilized or accessed.
One of the greatest tragedies of life is when an individual has tremendous potential energy and squanders it. That is one of my greatest fears. I am constantly faced with the prospect of not using my potential energy. To me that is one of my largest motivating factors. Everyday as I age, I look in the mirror and question if I did everything I could to use my potential energy. Did I do everything I could to figuratively jump off that building and expend the energy?
Pent up inside of you right now is tremendous potential energy that could be utilized to cure cancer, send humans to Mars, write a novel or become President of The United States. The great tragedy is not expending your potential energy and falling short. The great tragedy of life is to be that boulder – to have tremendous potential energy and squander it through inaction.
There you have it. I was thinking about potential at the baseball game. I was thinking about it because I know that humans with nothing more than primitive tools constructed the pyramids, Stonehenge and The Great Wall of China. These are testaments to the human potential. They are testaments to certain individuals thousands of years ago expending their potential energy for the ages to witness and marvel at. The challenge today for you may not be a monument for society or culture; however, it is a call for you to understand potential energy and implore you to seize yours.
The stage was a Texas Rangers baseball game and as I stared at David Dellucci, the Texas Ranger batter, I muttered 'Potential' as he held the bat over his shoulder waiting for the pitch. No sooner had the word escaped my mouth when my friend leaned over and said, "What did you say?" I replied to her, "I said potential…" Her confused question was, "Okaaaay? – Potential in regards to what?"
I then explained… "Well, in science they have something called potential energy and it basically says that the higher an object is the more potential energy it has. For example, a rock on top of a building has a potential energy in it – if it were to fall. I was just thinking about the potential energy in the bat of Dellucci and how that relates to me."
She looked at me intensely somehow sensing that I was telling the truth, and that these were my thoughts. Then she proclaimed, "I never cease to be astounded at the weird things you think about."
Perhaps it is an odd thought to cross my mind at a baseball game, however, it occurred. Potential energy basically says that the higher an object is the greater the potential energy. A ball on a six story building has more potential energy than one on a three story building. As a matter of fact, the doubling of the height doubles the potential energy.
At the baseball game, when I started thinking about potential energy I was considering it in regards to me – and you for that matter. You see, it has been said that to those who much has been given… much is expected. Based on the fact that you have access to a computer, understand how to read and have a thirst for learning – you have been given much. Or in scientific terms you have tremendous potential energy. You are like that rock on a tall building. However, if you sit there – the potential energy is never utilized or accessed.
One of the greatest tragedies of life is when an individual has tremendous potential energy and squanders it. That is one of my greatest fears. I am constantly faced with the prospect of not using my potential energy. To me that is one of my largest motivating factors. Everyday as I age, I look in the mirror and question if I did everything I could to use my potential energy. Did I do everything I could to figuratively jump off that building and expend the energy?
Pent up inside of you right now is tremendous potential energy that could be utilized to cure cancer, send humans to Mars, write a novel or become President of The United States. The great tragedy is not expending your potential energy and falling short. The great tragedy of life is to be that boulder – to have tremendous potential energy and squander it through inaction.
There you have it. I was thinking about potential at the baseball game. I was thinking about it because I know that humans with nothing more than primitive tools constructed the pyramids, Stonehenge and The Great Wall of China. These are testaments to the human potential. They are testaments to certain individuals thousands of years ago expending their potential energy for the ages to witness and marvel at. The challenge today for you may not be a monument for society or culture; however, it is a call for you to understand potential energy and implore you to seize yours.
Earn Ten Times as Much
By: Brian Tracy
Here's an exercise for you; imagine that it's possible for you to earn ten times your current annual wage. If you're earning $25,000, imagine for a moment that it's possible for you to earn $250,000, a 1000% increase.
Don't Sell Yourself Short
The first reaction of most people to that exercise is to smile briefly and then to begin thinking about why it isn't possible. One man said to me, "If you knew how many years it's taken for me to get to what I'm earning today you wouldn't be suggesting that I could earn ten times as much."
Never A Good Excuse
Mark Twain once wrote that there are a thousand excuses for every failure but never a good reason. The tragedy of the average American is that whereas his or her main preoccupation seems to be money, or the lack thereof, the average person has the inherent potential to earn far more than he or she is doing currently.
Is the manager earning $250,000 per year ten times as smart as the manager earning $25,000? 10 times as experienced? Does he or she work 10 times harder? Of course not. None of these are physically or mentally possible, but there are people in every business earning many times more than others with the same average age, experience and intelligence.
The Results Are In
In fact, a few years ago in New York, a thousand men and women were selected at random and tested for I.Q. Between the one having the highest I.Q. in this sample and the one with the lowest, there was a difference of only 2 1/2 times. But between the person earning the most, who by the way, was not the one with the highest I.Q. and the one earning the least, who was not the one with the lowest I.Q., there was a difference of 100X in income.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to start increasing your earnings.
First, identify the highest earning, most successful people in your field and find out what it is that they are doing differently from others who aren't doing as well. Copy them every day.
Second, set a goal to double your earnings over the next two or three years and then figure out how to accomplish that goal.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Spring Forever In My Heart
"I can't believe it. These blooms have lasted so long this year," my wife said.
"I hadn't really thought about it, but you are right. As much as I love Lilacs, they come and go so fast," I said.
It has been incredibly exciting this year here in my back-yard. Our Lilac tree has produced the most blooms I have ever seen. The scent is so wonderful that I spend a lot of time just standing on our small deck breathing it all in.
Many of the branches are hollow and cracked leaving me to believe it has seen many Springs. A few winters ago one of the biggest branches crashed to the ground under the weight of melting snow. It broke my heart. I guess I wasn't expecting much from the old thing this year. But it is magnificent!
Since we have been experiencing so much rain lately the flowers have become heavier. The once tall bush seems to be under a lot of pressure. I can relate to that. There are big gaps because the branches are lower.
Sadly, today I noticed the first bunch of flowers turning brown. It won't be long until they are all gone. But here's what I've learned from it.
Some people are like fragrant flowers. They come into our lives ever so briefly and leave behind a scent that remains embedded in our being. They brighten your day by just having had contact with them even if for a moment. If kindness would have scent it would remind you of them.
Like when I smell pine, all the best Christmas memories rush through my mind. When I smell roses I think of romantic, moon filled evenings.
Some people, having given so much to you, remain a part of who you are forever. You cannot possibly go through a day without thinking about them. Their beautiful spirit gently nudges your heart each time you hear their name. The very thought of them stirs within your soul like the sweet fragrance of a thousand roses.
Loved ones who have passed on, having given their lives to you, having stayed in bloom through a life time of eternal Spring, are like these Lilacs. Although my heart is saddened having discovered that they are dying, I will not remember them that way. I will forever see a thousand blooms each time I think of them. In the coldest, darkest days of the winter of my life, the memory of them will get me through it all. Even the slightest fragrance, a wisp of "almost there again," will bring a smile to my face and my heart will pound remembering the love.
Oh God, thank you not only for the beauty of the people you bring into my life, but for the lingering fragrance and everlasting memories of ever having loved them at all.
Loving them and believing in you, means I will have "spring forever in my heart."
Bob Perks
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
The Three Factors of Time
By: Brian Tracy
Organize Your Life Around Your Family, You Career and Your Personal Goals
You need to stand back on a regular basis and analyze yourself, your life and your time usage. You need to become a master of your time rather than a slave to continue time pressures.
Your Most Precious Resource
Time is your most precious resource. It is the most valuable thing you have. It is perishable, it is irreplaceable, and it cannot be saved. It can only be reallocated from activities of lower value to activities of higher value. All work requires time. And time is absolutely essential for the important relationships in your life. The very act of taking a moment to think about your time before you spend it will begin to improve your personal time management immediately.
The Starting Point
Personal time management begins with you. It begins with your thinking through what is really important to you in life. And it only makes sense if you organize it around specific things that you want to accomplish. You need to set goals in three major areas of your life. First, you need family and personal goals. These are the real reasons why you get up in the morning, why you work hard and upgrade your skills, why you worry about money and sometimes feel frustrated by the demands on your time.
Decide Upon Your Goals
What are your personal and family goals, both tangible and intangible? A tangible family goal could be a bigger house, a better car, a larger television set, a vacation, or anything else that costs money. An intangible goal would be to build a higher quality relationship with your spouse and children, to spend more time with your family going for walks or reading books. Achieving these family and personal goals are the real essence of time management, and its major purpose.
How To Achieve Your Goals
The second area of goals is your business and career goals. These are the "how" goals, the means by which you achieve your personal, "why" goals. How can you achieve the level of income that will enable you to fulfill your family goals? How can you develop the skills and abilities to stay ahead of the curve in your career? Business and career goals are absolutely essential, especially when balanced with family and personal goals.
Personal Development Goals
The third type of goals is your personal development goals. Remember, you can't achieve much more on the outside than what you have achieved and become on the inside. Your outer life will be a reflection of your inner life. If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and your career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development. You must build yourself if you want to build your life. Perhaps the greatest secret of success is that you can become anything you really want to become to achieve any goal that you really want to achieve. But in order to do it, you must go to work on yourself and never stop.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, develop the habit of stopping on a regular basis and thinking about what is really important to you. The more often you stop and think, the better decisions you will make.
Second, decide clearly upon your personal and family goals. Write them down. Discuss them with others. Be clear about why you are doing what you do.
Third, take some time to think about your career goals and the steps you will have to take to achieve them. Do something every day that moves you forward in all three areas.
Physics : Here's how Beckham bends it
PARIS (AFP) - Physicists are not known for donning replica shirts and face paint, yet they are among the millions who marvel at David Beckham, Roberto Carlos and other masters of the banana kick.
Backed by wind tunnels, high-speed cameras and computer simulation, scientists have been keen to understand the complex physics that go into one of those dazzling curving kicks from outside the box.
Three big variables combine to determine where the ball will go, according to researchers at Britain's University of Sheffield.
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The key factor in all this is something called the Magnus Effect, named after a 19th-century German physicist, Gustav Magnus, who was curious to understand why spinning artillery shells deflected to one side.
Magnus found that a spinning ball or cylinder swirls the air around it, causing vortices on both sides of its surface.
Thus, one side of a spinning football experiences lift, while the other side is slowed. It is this imbalance of local air pressures that causes the sideways movement -- the curve.
But the real masters of the banana kick can also get the ball to change angle during its flight.
One of the most memorable place kicks in football history was a 30-metre stunner made by Roberto Carlos in a Brazil-France match in 1997.
The kick was initially so wide that a ballboy, standing to the right of the French goal, instinctively ducked, thinking that he was going to get whacked.
But then the ball suddenly dipped leftwards into the net, delighting Brazilian fans and leaving French keeper Fabien Barthez open-mouthed.
How did Carlos work this magic?
The answer lies in airflow.
Just after a kick, a spinning ball is moving forward at relatively high velocity, and the air flows irregularly over it.
But when the ball slows down -- specifically, when it reaches between eight metres and 10 metres per second (18-23 miles per hour), depending on its surface structure and texture -- the airflow becomes smooth, or "laminar," which instantly increases the drag.
The change is dramatic. In a fraction of a second, drag can be increased by 150 percent. This drastically brakes the forward movement of the ball and thus enhances the curving movement derived by the Magnus Effect.
The British journal Physics World estimates that Carlos kicked the ball at 30 metres per second (70 mph) with the outside of his left foot, impelling an anticlockwise spin of more than 10 revolutions per second.
The force of the kick initially caused the ball to take a relatively straight line, bringing it a metre (yard) to the right of the French defensive wall.
The ball then slowed, causing the laminar airflow to kick in and suddenly boosting the leftward curve, with the outcome that poor Barthez will no doubt remember all his life.
As any footballer will know, bending kicks also have other variables: the angle at which the foot hits the ball, the part of the foot that connects with the ball's surface, the humidity of the air and the ball.
High-speed cameras have shown that you will get maximum spin by kicking the ball with the front of your foot and with the angle between your leg and foot at 90 degrees, and if the ball, the boot and the air are all dry.
What the cameras don't say -- but which everyone knows -- is that it also helps if you are Brazilian.
Monday, May 15, 2006
For the French, Is it Platini or Zidane?
PARIS, May 15 (Reuters) - Who was voted best French soccer player of all time?
Zinedine Zidane, one would think, because he was the inspiration behind France's only World Cup triumph, in 1998 on home soil, and is such a gifted player.
Wrong. The answer is Michel Platini.
That poll from 2001, when Zidane was at the peak of his powers, sums up just how much the great Platini side captured the imagination of generations of football lovers despite the fact that they never won the most coveted of all trophies.
Just mention Platini to any French fan of 30-something or over and he will immediately come up with two more names: Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana.
The three formed arguably the most brilliant midfield combination ever seen. Forget rugby; in those days French flair was all about football.
That team, remembered as the Brazilians of Europe, never had a Thierry Henry or a David Trezeguet, nor even a decent scrambler, but who needed a striker with a Platini around?
The frail number 10 with the delicate touch scored 41 goals from 72 appearances for his country and, during his years at Juventus, ended as the top scorer in the Italian league three times -- quite an achievement for a midfielder.
UNIQUE SKILLS
In those days a player without the heart of a distance runner and the muscles of a body builder could make it to the top, which Platini did, relying only on his unique skills and game intelligence.
Tigana could run and Giresse, despite his short frame, could tackle but Platini just played with the ball.
"When I was a kid, my father told me that the ball would always go faster than I might do and I listened," Platini once said.
"Instead of running, I concentrated on letting the ball do the job. I never considered myself as an athlete."
The side won the 1984 European championship in France but on the World Cup stage they never went further than the semi-finals, in 1982 and 1986, falling to West Germany each time.
In Seville on July 8 1982, France played West Germany for a place in the final in Spain at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.
The extraordinary match was marred by an infamous ugly scene when German keeper Toni Schumacher flattened French substitute Patrick Battiston with a flying tackle that left the Frenchman concussed, injured and needing hospital treatment.
The score was 1-1 after 90 minutes and France, inspired by great moves from their gleaming midfield trio, opened up a 3-1 lead in extra time before two late German goals forced a shootout, which France lost 5-4.
"One can forget certain things but that was unforgettable," Giresse, who scored France's third goal, said.
"The more you think about the game and how it went, the more you feel regret. If I carry on talking about that match for an hour, I get angry purely because of this irritation -- I have to stop it."
GREAT NAMES
On a hot afternoon in Guadalajara on June 21 1986, in the quarter-finals of the tournament in Mexico, France were challenging an awe-inspiring Brazil side featuring such great names as Zico, Socrates, Julio Cesar and Careca.
Platini and company needed a measure of luck but tamed their prestigious opponents. Brazil opened the scoring through Careca on 17 minutes, France levelled through Platini shortly before the break and in the second half France goalkeeper Joel Bats saved a Zico penalty. A shootout was needed and France won it 4-3.
"I will never forget that match," said former France and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who was 15 then. "It was so emotional. We were lucky to win in the end but we beat the best team in the world. I watched it at home on television and felt ever so proud of being French."
France had played their final too early, however, and were beaten 2-0 by West Germany in the last four.
Years later came Zidane whose vision, effortless close control, delicate turns and ability to create space made him one of soccer's greatest players.
That talent enabled Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, to live a life that most from his humble roots in the tough La Castellane district of Marseille could only dream about.
The Real Madrid midfielder, now 33, has said he will retire after leading France at next month's World Cup in Germany.
Platini has been impressed by Zidane's career, but only up to a point.
"Zidane does some extraordinary things, it's true. But you have to put everything in context," Platini said during Euro 2000, arguably Zidane's finest moment with France.
"What Zidane does with a ball, Maradona could do with an orange," added Platini, who was too modest, or too smart, to bring up his own name in the comparison.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
The Central Skill
By: Brian Tracy
Time management is the central skill of success. Your ability to manage your time, to focus and channel your energies on your highest value tasks, will determine your rewards and your level of accomplishment in life more than any other factor.
Success Leaves Tracks
When I began searching for the secrets of success many years ago, I discovered an interesting principle: success leaves tracks. A wise man who had studied success for more than 50 years concluded that the greatest success principle of all was, "learn from the experts."
Learn From The Experts
If you want to be a big success in any area, find out what other successful people in that area are doing, and do the same things, until you get the same results. When I studied the interviews, speeches, biographies and autobiographies of successful men and women, I found that they all had one quality in common. They were all described as being "extremely well organized." They used their time very, very well. They were highly productive and they got vastly more done in the same period of time than the average person.
Be Both Effective and Efficient
High performing men and women were both effective and efficient. They did the right things, and they did them in the right way. They were constantly looking for ways to improve the quality and quantity of their output. As a result, their contribution to their organizations was vastly higher and therefore much better paid, than the contributions of the average person.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, develop a study plan today to learn from the experts in your field. This can save you years of hard work.
Second, decide what is the most important thing to do, and then decide how to do it.
Malaysia's oldest serving lawyer Wrigglesworth, an Englishman, dies at 88
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Harold Leonard Wrigglesworth, Malaysia's oldest practicing lawyer, has died following an attack in his home, according to the Malaysian Bar Council. He was 88.
Wrigglesworth, a bachelor who immigrated from England 60 years ago, died in a hospital on Friday, his close friend and fellow lawyer Benedict Cheang was quoted as saying on the council's Web site.
Cheang said Wrigglesworth succumbed to injuries sustained when he was robbed and attacked in his home in the northeastern town of Kota Bharu a week ago.
Wrigglesworth came to Malaysia from Yorkshire, England, in 1946 to serve as a representative of the British adviser.
He went on to read law in Malaysia and serve as a judge in various parts of the country before settling permanently in Kelantan state.
"The Kelantan Bar is saddened by the demise of our most senior and well-known member,'' said committee member Indran Rajalingam. According to the Bar Council, Wrigglesworth had always taken a strong interest in the affairs of the organization and the administration of justice in Malaysia.
"He was a gem of a man and lawyer, and an invaluable member of the Bar Council for so many years,'' senior lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah said in a tribute posted on the council's Web site.
Wrigglesworth, who acquired Malaysian citizenship after the country achieved independence from Briton in 1957, authored a book detailing the Japanese occupation in Kelantan in 1941.
He will be buried within the compounds of his house Saturday, said the Bar Council.-AP
Liverpool overcome worst start for 47 years to win FA Cup
CARDIFF, May 13 (Reuters) - Liverpool emerged as the winners of an incredible FA Cup final on Saturday despite making the worst start of any team in the final for 47 years.
In 1959 Nottingham Forest raced into a 2-0 lead against Luton Town inside 14 minutes with goals from Roy Dwight -- the uncle of pop star Elton John -- and centre-forward Tommy Wilson and went on to win the match 2-1, although Dwight ended it in hospital after breaking his leg later in the game.
West Ham were 2-0 up after 28 minutes on Saturday with an own goal from Jamie Carragher -- the first in the final since 1991 - and one from striker Dean Ashton.
Liverpool fought back to level early in the second half with goals from Djibril Cisse and Steven Gerrard.
The last team to lose a 2-0 lead in the FA Cup final were Arsenal in 1979 who allowed Manchester United to come back to 2-2 in the last five minutes, only to win 3-2 with a last minute goal from Alan Sunderland.
No team had come from 2-0 down to win the Cup since Everton beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in 1966 -- so with the match evenly balanced and history beckoning, it looked like it was going West Ham's way when Paul Konchesky made it 3-2 after 64 minutes.
However, as they proved last season when they came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with AC Milan and win the Champions League final on penalties, Liverpool never know when they are beaten.
With the clock ticking into stoppage time, captain Gerrard blasted home his second goal of the afternoon to make it 3-3 and take the game into extra time.
Gerrard then found himself chasing history as the first man since Stan Mortensen in 1953 to score a Cup final hat-trick -- and only the fourth man to do so since the first final in 1872.
He did get a third goal but it was in the penalty shootout which does not count as a hat-trick. Likewise West Ham substitute Teddy Sheringham missed out on a place in the record books -- although he earned himself a footnote.
When he came on as an 85th minute substitute he became, at 40 years and almost six weeks, the oldest player in the final since 1946 -- and the third oldest in history. If he had scored in the match he would have become the oldest scorer in history, but although he lashed home his penalty in the shoot-out, that too does not count towards the scoring records.
Liverpool, who won the first FA Cup final played in Cardiff in 2001 when they also came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1, went on to win what will almost certainly be last there with the showpiece event due to return to a rebuilt Wembley next season.
Liverpool's seventh FA Cup triumph was sealed by the second successive penalty shootout out in the final following Arsenal's success following a 0-0 draw with Manchester United last year.
It was also the highest scoring final since the 3-3 draw between Manchester United and Crystal Palace in 1990. West Ham's manager Alan Pardew was in the Palace side that afternoon and the one that lost the replay 1-0 the following week.
He repeated his own unwanted little piece of history on Saturday by losing again, while Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez created his by becoming the first Spanish manager of an FA Cup winning team.
Liverpool Wins FA Cup
3-3 at full time, thanks to two Gerrard goals.
4-3 in penaltis after no score in extra time.
4-3 in penaltis after no score in extra time.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Liverpool 1 West Ham 2
Yup scary but an own goal by Jamie Caragher gave West Ham a dream start.
5 minutes lates West Ham got a second.
Crouch scored off a Gerrard pass but was deemed off-side.
A second identical Gerrard pass 5 minutes later saw Cisse gave Liverpool a beautiful goal.
5 minutes lates West Ham got a second.
Crouch scored off a Gerrard pass but was deemed off-side.
A second identical Gerrard pass 5 minutes later saw Cisse gave Liverpool a beautiful goal.
Six tips used by the guru’s, which should also help you in all aspects of your life.
1. Dream BIG.
We're all scared little rabbits who are frightened of failure. Imagine what you could do if you knew you could not fail! We take timid little bunny steps, testing the path ahead with our paws. Take a risk! Who cares? You're going to be dead soon, so why not go for it? Nobody, but nobody will remember your mistakes in a few years time so what does it matter? You cannot get away from making mistakes, it is an inherent part of human nature; without them we don't learn anything. So if you're going to make mistakes anyway, you may as well go ahead and make them and stop worrying about it.
Billions of mistakes have been made by people in the last hundred years and at the time each and every mistake caused untold angst, misery and upset, yet were they really all that important? No. People attach the most ridiculous amount of meaning to the silliest things. Stop worrying about what people think.
2. Passion.
Don't bother running a business if you don't have a passion. Passion comes first. Without it you end up running a mediocre, sad little company. Only get involved with things that you feel passionately about. Sell your dream with passion and people will believe in it and support you.
3. Perception Is Reality.
Very important this. People see what they want to see. Dress like a millionaire and people see a millionaire. Dress like a slob, and they see a slob (and treat you accordingly).
4. No Amount Of Money Is Too Much For A Seminar That Changes Your Life.
There are many excellent seminars run by people who 'walk the talk' and you should attend as many as you can possibly afford. The value you will gain is often fifty to a hundred times greater than what you paid for it.
5. Mix With Winners Not Losers.
This is absolutely essential; there is nothing more likely to hold you back than negative people. I have ditched many negative people over the years and boy do you feel a thousand times better for doing it. Just being around negative people will destroy your hopes of becoming wealthy and successful.
So very few people are positive and motivating. Seek them out and cling to them! Avoid negative, whinging and moaning people. They'll bring you down faster than you realise.
Try and talk to rich people, mix with rich people and you stand a good chance of becoming one.
Mix with poor, sad losers, who waste all their time watching TV and hanging out with their mates and that is how you will end up. Truth. Don't just walk away from negative people. RUN.
6. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone.
This means doing things that you wouldn't normally do because they make you feel uncomfortable. For example, if the idea of public speaking makes you feel uncomfortable - find a way of fulfilling this. The sense of achievement you will feel after doing so is worth the initial discomfort a hundred times over. It will also make you question the validity of your fear towards other things that you shy away from doing.
We're all scared little rabbits who are frightened of failure. Imagine what you could do if you knew you could not fail! We take timid little bunny steps, testing the path ahead with our paws. Take a risk! Who cares? You're going to be dead soon, so why not go for it? Nobody, but nobody will remember your mistakes in a few years time so what does it matter? You cannot get away from making mistakes, it is an inherent part of human nature; without them we don't learn anything. So if you're going to make mistakes anyway, you may as well go ahead and make them and stop worrying about it.
Billions of mistakes have been made by people in the last hundred years and at the time each and every mistake caused untold angst, misery and upset, yet were they really all that important? No. People attach the most ridiculous amount of meaning to the silliest things. Stop worrying about what people think.
2. Passion.
Don't bother running a business if you don't have a passion. Passion comes first. Without it you end up running a mediocre, sad little company. Only get involved with things that you feel passionately about. Sell your dream with passion and people will believe in it and support you.
3. Perception Is Reality.
Very important this. People see what they want to see. Dress like a millionaire and people see a millionaire. Dress like a slob, and they see a slob (and treat you accordingly).
4. No Amount Of Money Is Too Much For A Seminar That Changes Your Life.
There are many excellent seminars run by people who 'walk the talk' and you should attend as many as you can possibly afford. The value you will gain is often fifty to a hundred times greater than what you paid for it.
5. Mix With Winners Not Losers.
This is absolutely essential; there is nothing more likely to hold you back than negative people. I have ditched many negative people over the years and boy do you feel a thousand times better for doing it. Just being around negative people will destroy your hopes of becoming wealthy and successful.
So very few people are positive and motivating. Seek them out and cling to them! Avoid negative, whinging and moaning people. They'll bring you down faster than you realise.
Try and talk to rich people, mix with rich people and you stand a good chance of becoming one.
Mix with poor, sad losers, who waste all their time watching TV and hanging out with their mates and that is how you will end up. Truth. Don't just walk away from negative people. RUN.
6. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone.
This means doing things that you wouldn't normally do because they make you feel uncomfortable. For example, if the idea of public speaking makes you feel uncomfortable - find a way of fulfilling this. The sense of achievement you will feel after doing so is worth the initial discomfort a hundred times over. It will also make you question the validity of your fear towards other things that you shy away from doing.
The Definition of Wealth
By: Brian Tracy
If you want to be wealthy, you must understand what wealth is. Here is the best definition of wealth you will ever find. Wealth is "Cash flow from other sources."
Make Your Money Work For You
What this means is that, you are not wealthy just because you earn a lot of money. You are only wealthy when your money works for you. To become wealthy, your main job is to acquire money and then put it to work making more money for you.
Add Value Continually
The key to creating wealth is simple. It is called "adding value." Successful people are those who are always looking for ways to add value in some way to a person, a company, a product or a service.
Do It Faster
Here is an example of adding value: Domino's Pizza. The founders of Domino's Pizza took a common food, offered by thousands of little restaurants and added a value to the pizza by delivering it more rapidly than anyone else. The added value of speed enabled Domino's to create a billion dollar empire and made the founder of Domino's, Tom Monahan, one of the richest men in the world.
Buy It Cheaper Somewhere Else
Another way to add value is to buy something in one place at one price and then make it available in another place for another price. For example, buying a product or service manufactured in Europe or Asia, importing it to the United States and making it available to people to whom it was not available before, is a way of adding value for which you can charge a higher price.
Improve The Life or Work of Others
All manufacturing and marketing is based on this principle of added value. All importation and distribution aims to add value. Performing a service that enhances the life or work of another person adds value. A dentist who takes away pain is adding value. An accountant who saves a client money on taxes is adding or actually creating value. A salesperson who introduces a new product or service to a customer that helps that customer in some way is adding value. All financial success, especially business success, is based on adding value. It is based on the old saying, "Find a need and fill it."
Combine and Recombine The Elements of Value
All successful business is based on someone bringing together the factors of production, such as labor, capital, raw materials and management, and creating a product or service that a customer will pay a price for that is in excess of the cost of producing it.
How All Fortunes Are Made
Adding value is the way that all fortunes are made. Whenever you see an opportunity to give people what they want at a price greater than it costs you to produce that product or service, you see an opportunity to make a profit, build a business and begin moving toward financial success. Almost any business or occupation can make you financially independent if you can find a way to add enough value.
Action Exercises
Now, here are two actions you can take immediately to add more value to your time and activities:
First, take the time to be absolutely clear about what it is that people want and need to improve their lives and work. The more clear you are about their real needs, the easier it is for you to satisfy them at a higher level.
Second, look for ways to add value to what you are doing every day in every way. Never be satisfied with the status quo. One small idea to add value can be the starting point of a great fortune.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
How to Succeed in Business
By: Brian Tracy
Build Your Own Business
The high road to becoming a self-made millionaire in America is starting and building your own business. But this is not as easy as it sounds. Most businesses started by inexperienced people fail.
Probably the primary reason why people don't start businesses is because they're afraid that they're going to lose their money and for good reason. 99 percent of businesses started by people lacking business experience fail within the first two or three years.
Why Businesses Fail
And why is that? It's because they don't know how to succeed. They haven't the slightest idea how to make a business successful. They may have an idea for a product or service, but they don't know all the things that they need to know to run a successful business.
Build Your Own Business
The high road to becoming a self-made millionaire in America is starting and building your own business. But this is not as easy as it sounds. Most businesses started by inexperienced people fail.
Probably the primary reason why people don't start businesses is because they're afraid that they're going to lose their money and for good reason. 99 percent of businesses started by people lacking business experience fail within the first two or three years.
Why Businesses Fail
And why is that? It's because they don't know how to succeed. They haven't the slightest idea how to make a business successful. They may have an idea for a product or service, but they don't know all the things that they need to know to run a successful business.
Why Businesses Succeed
However, surprisingly enough, 80 percent of businesses started by experienced businesspeople succeed. Now why should this be so? The reason is because experienced businesspeople know what to do. They know how to purchase their products and their services. They know how to negotiate with their suppliers. They know how to raise money. They know how to negotiate leases. They know how to sell and to market. They know how to manage their finances. In other words, experience is the key. In order to start your own business and succeed, you have to learn how.
Competence Makes The Difference
Now according to Dunn and Bradstreet, 96 percent of businesses in America that fail, fail because of what is called "managerial incompetence". Managerial incompetence means that the people running the businesses don't know what they're doing. And here are the two critical areas of managerial incompetence that cause business failure.
First is sales and marketing. 48 percent of businesses that fail in America fail because the business cannot sell enough of its products or services. Very few businesses fail when they have high levels of sales and revenues coming in.
Control Your Costs
The second reason that businesses fail, 46 percent, is because of poor cost control. They may be selling enough on the front end, but they're losing so much on the back end that they go broke anyway. Sales and marketing, financing and cost control, both require experience. And if you're serious about becoming financially independent, you have to learn how to do both of these.
Put Luck On Your Side
You must learn the skills you need to be successful. Business success is not a matter of luck. Business success is a matter of application. It's a matter of ability. It's a matter of experience and skill and intelligence, and wonderfully enough, you can learn what you need to know to be successful. And you can start by learning through on-the-job training, which is called OJT. Most successful businesspeople become successful because they get all their training by working for someone else.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to make sure that your business succeeds greatly:
First, take the time to get the knowledge and experience you need in business by working for someone else where you can learn a lot in a short period of time. Go to work in an area in which you are interested and learn everything you possibly can.
Second, read and study in business, especially entrepreneurial business, all the time. Read one or two business books per week and read every business magazine that is published on your subject. Never stop learning and growing.
Powell: Few Regrets As He Rolls On
Reflects On Career, New Challenges In Interview With Harry Smith
(CBS) Even out of office, Colin Powell remains highly influential.Comments on the issues of the day by the former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff still make headlines, as evidenced by his recent remarks about the Iraq war plan.
The story appeared in AARP The Magazine.
At 69, Powell has already retired twice but, as we learned Tuesday in The Early Show series "Young at Heart," which is done in conjunction with the AARP, his career is far from finished.
Powell just got the AARP's Andrus Award, given every two years to those who have made significant contributions to society.
Not bad, observes The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith, for a kid from the South Bronx who spent most of his life in the Army.
Colin Luther Powell was born in 1937. His parents, Luther and Maud Powell, were immigrants from Jamaica. They believed in the promise of America — and made sure that their son believed in it, too.
"You've filled your basket of accomplishment here," Smith said to Powell. "What do you know for sure?"
"I know for sure, and it fuels me and drives me," Powell replied, "that we live in a unique country and a unique society that gave my parents an opportunity 80 years ago. They came here with nothing but dreams and hopes, and they met here and married here and their children were very successful in society."
The word "successful," says Smith, doesn't even begin to describe Powell's life. After public school and a degree in geology from City College of New York, Powell was commissioned as a second lieutenant and started up the chain.
Like many others of his generation, he served in Vietnam, where he was awarded a Purple Heart. After stops that included a White House fellowship and a command in Korea, Powell became chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — the nation's top man in uniform.
If his Army career was a study in achievement, the first Gulf War was his masterpiece. Some credit his doctrine of decisiveness for the rapid victory.
It was only on the eve of the second Iraq war that Powell's star began to tarnish. As secretary of state in February 2003, he gave a speech at the United Nations outlining the main reason for war with Iraq: weapons of mass destruction that, it later turned out, were never found.
It is a moment he describes as a blot on his career.
"Life is full and busy. I'm not sitting around in a rocking chair!"
Colin Powell
These days, Powell divides his time between private industry and fundraising work. But there's no sign that he's slowing down or, politics aside, that he's ruling anything out for the future.
"If a president were to call you and say, 'General, Mr. Secretary, we need you to do X, Y or Z,' would you respond to that?" Smith asked.
"You always take a president's call and listen, period," Powell responded.
"Do you ever regret not running for president?" Smith wondered.
"No," Powell answered emphatically. "It was the right decision for me in 1995, and therefore, no regrets. What's the point of regretting it? It was done, and it was a correct decision for me and for my family, and I've never had a moment's doubt about that."
There is a sense, Smith says, that Powell has no time for regret or nostalgia: The man who once stood at the epicenter of U.S. foreign policy says he doesn't even miss it.
"There's always an interest for me," Powell conceded. "But miss it? I learned in the course of my life: Don't sit around missing something. You can't repeat it. Always look forward. So, the business interests I have, the other things I'm doing, are far removed from the military and quite a bit removed from day-to-day involvement in foreign policy or the diplomatic business.
"I always want to find something new. I don't have that many years left so, after every retirement, I always try to move beyond that which I had been doing and find new experiences, and I think those experiences keep you alive and fresh and anxious to see what tomorrow brings. So, life is full and busy. I'm not sitting around in a rocking chair!"
Though he's out of government, Powell remains active in public service. Among other things, he's involved in a project to give senior citizens better access to health care.
Powell, a car enthusiast, drives a Corvette. He's been married to his wife, Alma, for nearly 45 years.
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