CRIZ'S SANCTUARY

HOW TO MANAGE A BIG OUTDOOR EVENT WITH THE RIGHT RENTALS?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:51:00 +0000

Whenever you are expecting large turnouts for events such as exhibitions, seminars, talks, company annual dinners, parties, weddings or event concerts, the first step you will item to tackle on your list would be to source a large venue that can hold your expected number of guests. Most available properties would likely not have such a big space to accommodate them. Alternatively, you might have to find a large area in your city to set up an enclosed tent to hold your event outdoor.

However, weather is always something that's unpredictable. With such a large crowd all squeezed into the tent, humidity in the summer is something to be concerned about. So, the next step would of course be to find the right air conditioner rental company to come in to provide you with some temperature solutions. They would be the expert in this field to calculate the capacity of the air conditioning systems to cool down the entire space.

Of course, you would need to generator rentals as well. All your electrical, electronics and lighting systems would definitely need electricity, right? Based on your equipments’ requirements, there would be portable rental generators ranging in size from 10kW to 2,000kW available to suit your needs.

The next step to note would be on the catering services. Do you require some in-between snacks or are you having your event banquet style? Choosing the right catering service will be crucial because you don’t want to disappoint your guests with poorly presented food.

Getting the right band in to liven up the atmosphere might be your next option. Unless you are holding a concert or parties, generally most hosts would engage the services of bands with soothing musical and vocal performances.

Lastly, you might want to get some cleaners in to help clear any of the mess left behind after the event. After all, it’s the right courtesy to hand back the venue as clean as possible, as if it were your own property.

Perhaps, some botany enthusiasts might even want to exhibit some of their best plants to enhance the environment of your event, so atmosphere and water temperature controls play important parts in maintaining the health of the plants. On top of the rentals mentioned above, you might also want to consider some water chiller rentals. A water chiller can be used to lower the water temperature below ambient level of 68°F/20°C, which ideally would be a good temperature for most plants. Water chillers are also used in some hospitality industry to cool down the building’s air and also in industrial entities to facilitate heat exchange.

You can tweet this to share with your friends the necessary rentals to make any event a successful one.

THE BENEFITS OF USING LED LIGHTINGS

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:04:00 +0000

When you ask someone in general about which type of lighting would be suitable what type of environment, most people would just recommend something bright without knowing there are many types of lighting products available out there on the market for different purposes. Since the invention of incandescent bulbs in the era of Thomas Edison, the product has since evolved into many other products such as the halogen bulbs, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, high intensity density (HID) lamps, low pressure sodium lamps and Light Emitting Diodes (LED).

Currently, in major industrial sectors as well as for general purpose settings, high bay fluorescent lighting is still being used to light up dark areas such as industrial facilities, warehouses, hangers, commercial buildings or even gymnasiums. Fluorescent light has been a great energy efficient alternative to metal halide lights. Though having a high luminous efficacy to light up a larger area, those high intensity density (HID) and low pressure sodium metal halide lamps have a shorter life span and required few minutes of warm-up period to reach full light output, thus not practical to be used for general purposes.

Since the invention of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) which has longer life span and low power consumptions, LED lighting has become the major rival in the lighting industry. These LED lighting fixtures which have a general life expectancy of 50,000 hours, will increase power efficiency while decreasing maintenance, replacement time and costs compared to other general lighting options, with a general life expectancy of 10,000-20,000 hours. With the advance in technology in output of high lumens per watt, high bay led lighting is fast becoming the most preferred lighting of the future.

What are the reasons behind the acceptance of high bay led lighting? Some of the major benefits are that they are tough Solid State Lighting (SSL) because they do not have easily breakable elements such as filaments or glass and they are also hazard free because they do not contain any mercury or other hazardous substances. They are hassle free to start up in nanoseconds even under subzero temperatures. There are so many more benefits to use LEDs as cost effective lighting. You can see products here to determine which model suits your needs best.

KNOWING WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST FOR YOUR FLOOR

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:21:00 +0000

After you have purchased a property, an important decision will be to select the right type of flooring. Is the property for home use, industrial use or public use? Selecting your flooring might sound like an easy thing, but to be certain it will remain in perfect condition for years to come can be quite a headache. If you do not know how to maintain your flooring, it’s as good as burning your hard earned cash gradually. In addition, replacing any flooring materials at a later stage would cost even more than if you did it at the beginning.

Basically, there are 5 methods used to beautify your plain concrete flooring. Unless you have a good budget, using vinyl sheets would be the most impractical option. Though it's easy to clean, the imprinted design tends to fade eventually, and the sheets tend to curl over time, so it would not last long and you'd be looking to spend more money very soon! The next choice might be wood flooring. Though it might have some cooling effects for an enclosed space, overuse or underuse of any liquids might cause severe damage in time, such as blotting, popping and more.

That leaves us with three of the more popular flooring methods – ceramic tile flooring, stone tile flooring and plain/colored concrete flooring. These are fairly easy to maintain with the use of any floor cleaners you can find on the DIY shelves. However, to make them more feasible for easier maintenance, there are two methods which would be ideal in the long run.

One of the methods would be by applying an epoxy floor coating that would provide the right protection for years. This product is the ideal one for flooring and is more practical for industrial applications which require outstanding impact resistance, wear resistance against salt, alkaline, mineral acids and sewage plus the ease to clean up any spills and stains.

The next most practical method would be by having polished concrete floors. This mode of protecting, preserving and enhancing your flooring would be the most cost effective way. Not only would the polished concrete or tiles be within your budget, they would also add some shine to your floors, giving them the sophisticated and professional look that is pleasant to the eyes of your visitors. On top of that, with the right lighting, your rooms would have a more spacious appearance.

As you are planning on spending your lifetime in your newly purchased premises, selecting the right choice of flooring is crucial. Click here for more products to decide which type of flooring suits you best. Whether you have chosen epoxy concrete or polished concrete, it’s the appearance and durability that play the most important role for the future of your property. Be sure to choose wisely.

HOW ATTRACTIVE SHOULD YOUR PACKAGING DESIGN BE?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:44:00 +0000

With a great amount of money and time invested into research and development, you are well assured that your new product would do very well on the market. However, how could you ascertain that your sales would be sky high? You might have the best product in the whole world, but consumers might not purchase it due to many factors such as high pricing, unsuitable sizes of packaging, uninformative labels or simply because the packaging design and brand name are unattractive. With a competitive market, consumers nowadays “buy through the eyes” instead of buying a product based on their necessities. Therefore, a catchy brand name such as “Anything” or “Whatever” with unique sizes and packaging designs play an important part in your marketing strategy.

Just like any kid with high level of curiosity, the first thing any consumer will notice is on the attractiveness of the packaging design without having further thoughts on the actual content. How would you create an attractive package that would make your product a hit and at the same time create awareness on the new launch of your brand name?

Firstly, it’s the conceptual stage which could be time consuming, but with a firm creative direction, you could easily establish your brand’s identity in no time. With a clear idea of what you have on your mind, execution of packaging sizes and design would be the next stage. Normally, most design departments will come out with mock copies of the actual packaging and designs in order to have a firsthand look on the overall realistic look. With any necessary tweaking to make the packaging perfectly presentable, the last stage would be to send the finalized designs out for mass productions. This is where label applicators play their roles in determining crisp printing and clear images with precision accuracy, regardless of what shapes and sizes they may be.

These machines come in various models with different functions. Check it out here to find out which equipment such as the Pressure Sensitive Labeling Equipment, Roll-Fed Labeling Equipment, Finishing and Converting Equipment or even the Shrink Sleeve Labeling Equipment, are best used to make your line of products attractive and of highest quality.

CAN BRANDING A PRODUCT BE PROPER WITHOUT EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:24:00 +0000

There’s never a right or a wrong solution in marketing because whichever methods you try, it’s always the responsibility of a marketer to have the right attitude, commitment, determination, dedication and discipline to make anything impossible becomes possible. With these qualities, you can practically market combs to bald monks in the monasteries or even shoes to the bare footed Africans in the jungle. That’s where the expertise of Event Marketing Companies would be much needed to ensure the success of making a brand known and excel on the market.

So what are the differences between normal marketing strategies versus experiential marketing? If you have a mammoth amount of money in your marketing budget, you can practically spend freely on any strategy that might help in marketing your goods or services. However, all your planned strategies might not necessarily ascertain that your goods or services will gain the acceptance of the end users at all times. That’s the reason why some Event Marketing Companies would rather focus on the experiential marketing approach where smaller 2-ways interactive events are held occasionally to gather feedback from end users in order to further improve the goods or services to better acceptance levels. In summary, experiential events are at a more personal level, relatively low cost compared to the vast amount of money spent on mass media campaigns and result oriented in gaining the trust and confidence of end users towards your goods or services.

As time passes by, more and more Event Marketing personnel are using this experiential marking approach in strengthening the long term relationships between each designated brand and end users. By constantly creating awareness of their goods or services at a personal level, it’s another great way to increase sales and at the same time a step further towards their business goals. By creating an endless stream of loyal end users, eventually the returns on investment (ROI) will also increase even more.

There are a lot of Event Marketing Companies out there who could help your company to move up ladder of success for your goods or services. You can see products here which offer various services such as Experiential Marketing, Event Marketing, Event Marketing Technology, Product Sampling, Sponsorship Activation, Sponsorship Sourcing, Mobile Marketing Tours, Guerilla Marketing/Street Teams, Credit Card Acquisition, Information & Data Capture, Photo Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Bluetooth Marketing, Greeter/Hospitality Services, Demonstrations/Stunts, Distribution, Alternative Media, College Postering, Branded Premiums, Direct Response and more.

Coming back to the question on how a marketing person could still promote combs to the monks as they were all bald, I’m sure most of you would still like to know that answer right? It’s not a matter of the “need to use” by the end users but on how you could create a “want to have”, even though it may sound quite impossible. Instead of spending long hours selling those combs to the junior monks, the marketing personnel went directly to the chief abbot who’s the decision maker on all purchases of goods or services. “Reverend, wouldn't it be good if you could give your devotees a comb with your imprinted name on it to show your appreciation for their endless support?” Eventually, the marketing personnel sold thousands of combs to the monastery, annually and shot up to the top management level within the shortest period in the history of the company!

The moral behind the story: If you have the right attitude to think outside of the box in your approaches in your daily life, success won’t be far away.

HOW IN-DEPTH IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:06:00 +0000

“Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected businesses, involved in the provision of product and service packages required by the end customers in a supply chain. Supply chain management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption.” – Wikipedia.

Now that you have a basic understanding on the flow of SCM as described above, you would realize that since the start of SCM a few decades ago, compared to the present years, it has evolved into an environment that requires better disciplines. With the evolution of each company’s operation needs and demands, a better supply chain strategy is needed to execute the ever changing profile which had gone rather complex, logistically and technically. The art of optimizing supply chain planning and execution capabilities for various inbound and outbound supply chain processes, now requires an appropriate mix of good leadership skills with broader expertise and deeper technical excellence.

A good transportation management system (TMS) plays an important part in any supply chain management, as it would analyze the best mode of transportation with the least cost to ascertain reliability, punctuality, less risks and more profitability for your company. This is when you need the expertise of your designated SCM team to come into the transportation rate negotiations scene. Negotiating the best rates for your shipment of products can be quite a tedious and time consuming job if you were to arrange it by yourself. Just leave it to the SCM experts to handle the many steps of negotiation. These would start from gathering of quotations from the highest and lowest prices on the market, to identifying which transportation company would suit your shipment needs such as routes, shipment frequencies, shipment sizes, special requirements and more. Eventually, to benchmark those suitable companies that would provide your company with the best rates to meet your allocated transportation budget.

Here are some of the products to view in order to understand more on the functions of a typical SCM company which would include the basic procurement/provisioning, inventory planning/forecasting, manufacturing distribution, warehousing, transportation up to customer services. Your designated SCM team would definitely guide you in executing your requirements at both strategic and tactical levels based on their recommendations.

WHAT TYPE OF OFFICE LAYOUT WOULD SUIT YOU BEST?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 02:54:00 +0000

Your decision to select an office could be rather crucial to the success of your business as it’s the place where you will do your thinking and execute all your ideas. Don’t forget, your thoughts are valuable assets and a suitable office space would eventually make your ideas produce better products or services. It would also provide more privacy and shield your thoughts from unwanted distractions. You sure don’t want you or your workers to experience poor office conditions that would deter any creative ideas right?

When I asked a friend what would his ideal office be? He wanted an office high up on the top floors where there would be a clear ocean view, close to all shops that would be convenient geographically and has nearby transportation stations to make for easy traveling. That would be quite a huge demand, but it’s also possible to obtain such an office if you browse through www.selectofficesuites.com as they have practically all the necessary details on any search for a suitable office in New York.

Even when you are constantly on the move and require a temporary office space for your work occasionally, you can even check out their virtual offices new York. At times, you may even need a space for just a few hours for meetings and discussions with your area representatives, you can also seek their assistance to rent office space at a very reasonable hourly rate.

Have a look at the products here for more information on what you would like your office layout to look like. Learn more on how to select office suites that would portray the success of your business by having great first impressions to gain the confidence of your potential clients. After all, every deal signed can ascertain the stability and success of your business.

DO YOU NEED HELP TO SET UP A BUSINESS?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Becoming your own boss has always been the dream of many people, but do you fully understand the basic part of setting up your business legally, even if it’s a small business? It’s not just about getting a business location, bringing in your products or services and just opening your door to start up your business. There are some fundamental actions to be taken prior to being legally in business.

Most entrepreneurs or businesses would opt for filling out either the "S" corporation or an LLC (Limited Liability Company) corporate form, because these forms limit personal liability while still allowing profits and losses to be passed through to the owners' personal tax returns. Unless you are a home based business, obtaining a business license of course would be a main priority. Each state would need to know the nature of business you are engaging in. Other than that, you are basically able to execute your small business in peace. In other cases where you might want to expand your business by hiring some employees, it would be best to find an attorney or a counselor to get advice on other requirements, as it would involve more applications.

To set up a business may sound easy but there’s also one more important aspect that will be rather crucial to the success of any business. Do you have enough working capital to sustain your business? Many smaller businesses often face this challenge, especially when there are bigger projects on hand that require a substantial amount of cash flow in order to carry out the projects smoothly. To get a business loan the traditional way within a short period of time, might sound quite impossible because there is a lot of red tape to go through to get the loan approved, and this takes up loads of time. In times of stress, wouldn't it be great if you could get some assistance for your small business financing?

You can visit this site for more information on how this company could help you with your specific needs. Read more on the small business lending that could change your life forever. After all, which business wouldn't want to have that extra help for a brighter and successful future?

BUILDING ELECTROMECHANICAL AND PCB PROTOTYPES WITH THE EXPERTS

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:19:00 +0000

What is your understanding of electronic contract manufacturing (ECM)? Also known as electronic manufacturing services (EMS), this term is commonly used to describe companies that execute designing, testing, manufacturing, distributing and repair provision services for electronic components and assemblies for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), thus saving precious time and cost for the manufacturer to expedite the processes of their productions. In short, ECM companies are the providers or subcontractors of major electronic companies, supplying customized components and services to ease the productions of their clientele.

Basically these electronic contract manufacturing (ECM) companies would provide high quality one-stop resourced turnkey electronics manufacturing services of low to large volume products, to small and medium size businesses. Such design, engineering and PCB assembly services are provided for a variety of industries such as the telecommunications, industrial, medical and avionics sectors. Some complex printed board assemblies as found in the telecommunication and computer areas, sensors, medical & dental electronics, require a high level of accuracy and aero PCB products. These are some of the items ECM companies have been servicing all along.

Depending on the nature of your business, each company has their own set of various quality standards and regulatory requirements. In case you need to have some products to view, you can always check with BESTProto, one of the best known and experienced pcb assembly manufacturer on the market, with the proven reliability and trustworthy record to meet your requirements. Their services include electronic assembly services, wire & cable harnesses, PCB design & layout services, PCB repair services, quick turn PCB assembly, quick turn electronics assembly, special services, box builds, inspection & testing, repairs & reverse logistics and more. Whether it be a small quantity of PCB assemblies or even just a one board piece, you will be surprised in how they will excel beyond your expectations.

HOW RELATIONSHIPS WORK FOR BUSINESSES BY HEATHER FERGUSON IN SONAR MOMENT

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:50:00 +0000

In a competitive business world, generating a steady flow of profits to strengthen the pillars of your businesses won’t be easy if you do not have strong relationships with your clients. Generally, that’s what Heather Ferguson, Principal of Whale Communications Ltd. & Producer/Host of Sonar Moment had in mind on the success of building a business.

Through my personal experience, what she said is indeed so true. Other than customers’ satisfaction, building the trust relationship between you and your client would eventually bring more business to any company. If your products or services are of top quality and your endless commitment and responsibility are on par with the needs of your consumers, you are on the right track to move up the business success ladder.

Since the birth of my business, I practically do not have to bid for additional projects to sustain my livelihood, because I have been recommended by most of my existing clients to many new and potential clients throughout my business career. Basically, whatever a client needed would fall back to the trust they have in your company to come out with a satisfying result that meets their deadlines, even though it is in a limited period of time.

There are many rules in building a successful business. The main rule would be to build the trust relationships between you and your client. Don’t over commit what you can’t deliver, and be authentic about what you can offer. Even though your client might be difficult, you should still show your respect and professionalism in getting the job done well. Be in control of your own company and be up to date on the newest technologies that will increase the chances of you maintaining your place in your industry for a long time to come. After all, every deal made should be a win-win deal for both parties.

You can visit the site for more information on how this company has helped others in managing trust relationships to acquire new business, retain current business and build referral business. Learn a bit more on how to be successful in your business from some of the Sonar Moment’s monthly interviews shown below:

Interview with Sage Baker, Founder & CEO, Q5 Innovations Inc.:

Interview with Scott Phillips, President, StarFish Medical:

It's my understanding that there will be more to come, and I look forward to cashing in on the successes and experience of others and their journey to success.

SETTING UP CONFERENCING CALLS COULD NEVER BE EASIER

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:56:00 +0000

I’m sure everyone has gone through the scenario of group studies at one time or another in our lives. What did we do then? We spent most of our time travelling to and back from a destination where we were to meet up with school mates for those group studies. Not only was the whole duration a waste of time in traveling but also a waste of money. The generation today is definitely more fortunate with the advancement in internet technology. They can now make conference calls all within the comfort of their home while discussing their projects through multicast communications, a medium that will connect a sender to many receivers.

Making conference calls of course won’t be free and it comes with a small price to pay. With so many other packages available on the market, it would be beneficial to know which company would be the best to engage, in order to save on costs. It’s not about getting the cheapest package around. It’s all about getting one that is affordable and yet has good quality audio visual without interrupting your communications with the other parties. Don’t you hate it when you are in the middle of discussing a major project and the line just cuts off suddenly? I’m sure you would agree on my point of view to engage a company who is reliable and won’t burn your pocket with exorbitant charges.

Instead of jamming up your computer with more downloads of software to enable you to communicate, I found one that required no download of any software which would be applicable to both Windows and Macintosh platforms. All you need to do is to sign up online and a dedicated toll free dial in access number and pass codes will be sent to you for immediate usage. It is so hassle-free that you would be able to start your conference call without any delay.

You can visit the site for more information on how to manage your conference call with the many features available. Not only would this be a service that would be useful for your studies, it would also be great for your future businesses as you move into the corporate world. Having presentations, seminars, weekly meetings, lectures, in-house training sessions from dispersed locations, and it would be accomplished with only a matter of a few clicks.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 01:53:00 +0000

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about getting your website displayed on the front page of various search engines on the internet. Thus, when you increase website traffic it will benefit you in terms of readerships with potential buying power into your businesses. It may sound easy but it’s all hard work with your commitment to provide consistent useful content, that will boost the number of loyal readers coming to your website. Moreover, you will need to spread your posts through social networks and/or other websites with much effort. If you are in niche target readers, it will be even tougher to drive in the right traffic.

To increase web traffic, it’s not about only building your back links, whether internally or externally. Google might not like it too, if you've over-linked too much internally and you might get penalized by them based on their strict regulations. Theoretically, the safest mode would be to improve your internet presence by offering genuine, unique and quality content on a regular basis that will get your readers to link you automatically. Most importantly, your tags must be in place with the right keywords for a better search.

Not everyone is doing full time writing. Thus, you might want to bring in external writers to keep up with the content flow on your website. Of course, a small token fee might be needed unless the writer is willing to do that for you free with an exchange link, in which it would be quite beneficial for you to draw in more traffic. However, it would be advisable to write your post personally as you are in control of what your website is all about. Add some videos in as well as it has been proven that good videos such as step-by-step presentations, can improve conversions and page ranking more than just filling up the space with mere photos. Avoid plagiarism by all means, as this will tarnish your trust with your readers. Once you are widely known as a “copy cat”, no one will visit your website anymore.

There are still many ways to improve your website traffic, but make sure that they are legitimate ones. Keep things short and simple as a cluttered website with lots of unnecessary graphics, especially those animated ones, might slow down the loading time and chase readers away. In order to get more web traffic, you might want to engage a reputable and reliable SEO expert to look into the possibilities. You might want to see products here for a better website future.

GETTING YOUR BADGES DONE WITHOUT ANY HASSLE

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:58:00 +0000

Almost every company surely needs some sort of security measures to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering secured areas that are off limits to the general public. Therefore, you will see many multi-national corporations issuing custom name badges for their employees for easy access throughout their premises.

Badges come not only as ID badges for the employees; but they can also come in many forms for visitors such as a Security badge for inter-departmental passes, visitors, vendors, contractors and more, depending on the needs of the company. The Security badge may come simply or with a number of security features such as magnetic stripes, barcodes or with just simple running serial numbers. On top of that, there are many clippings available to avoid damages to the clothes such as lanyards, chains, reels, grippers, etc.

Sometimes, getting an external supplier to produce your Security badge can be quite a hassle and might not be a great move for some corporations who want to have a super strict security. Thus, the ideal way for more secured badges would be by producing them in-house, most preferably by the Human Resource Department.

The Beresford Company would be one of those companies with a wide selection of equipment for all your security needs. They have the right ID Badging Systems for your needs, from basic software to design your badges, up to many small accessories. Products available would include ID Card Printers, ID Card Ribbons, Badge Holders, Design-A-Lanyard, Blank Cards, NetBadge (Online Badging), Lanyards & Chains, Retractable Card Reels, Strap Clips/Grippers, Software, ID Accessories, Cameras & Accessories, Smart Cards, Readers and Scanners, Gift/Loyality & Pre-Printed Cards, Laminating Supplies and many other cool stuff.

Tweet this to share this great news with your network of contacts. I’m sure they would be glad to know where and how they can get their next supplies of ID badges.

TOP QUALITY AUDIO AND WEB CONFERENCING SERVICES AT THE LOWEST RATE

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:34:00 +0000

With the advancement in Internet technologies, more and more users are now communicating through text-based messages, voice and video chat simultaneously. Not only is the service in real-time point-to-point communications between two persons, it also caters to multicast communications from one sender to many receivers. So, more and more individuals as well as corporate businesses are utilizing this service to hold an audio conference and/or web conference such as presentations, seminars, weekly meetings, lectures, in-house trainings and so on from dispersed locations.

Of course such a convenience minus the expenses of bringing everyone in to meet up at one specific location comes with a small price. Most service providers have their own rates. Even making conference calls on Skype can cost a lot monthly and it could be quite harsh on the monthly expenses in smaller businesses. Therefore, a more affordable package with the same quality of conference calls and web conferencing services would be a great solution for everyone. Wouldn't you want to save more by paying just a small fraction of your monthly bill for communication?

Zip Conferencing was created for that purpose with more features than ever. Upon signing up, you receive a dedicated toll free dial in access number and pass codes for immediate usage. No software download is required and the service is compatible for both PCs and MACs. It’s indeed hassle-free with many extra features to put you in total control of your conferences.

The best part about signing up with Zip Conferencing is that it is commitment free. You only pay when you use the service. Moreover, you get your first 60 minutes free of charge. You can click here to check out more on their top quality conferencing packages at the lowest rates. Tweet this to share this inexpensive mode of communication with your family and friends. I’m sure everyone will be more than happy to be in contact more often at affordable rates.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CNC ROUTER?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:56:00 +0000

A cnc router is a high precision machine which will help you shape your required materials either in 2D or 3D dimensions quickly and accurately, thus reducing the wastage of precious time and resources due to unforeseen human errors. Materials which you could use include wood, non-ferrous metals, plastics, composite materials, PVC, acrylic, foam and honeycomb core. These routers, whether they're new or reconditioned, can come in various sizes, from 3-axis to 5-axis machines, to suit your needs and budget. Of course, you would also need new technologies such as computers and specialized software to control the router for productions.

For buffing up the edges of your cnc router shaped products, mainly wood related materials, there’s also the edgebander machine. This specific machine helps to bond the edgebanding to the substrate through the process of a thin layer of mostly hot melted adhesives. The leading edge, trailing edge, top flush and bottom flush would be trimmed off while scraping off any surplus. Thus, you get a more solid appearance on your products, in cases such as plywood, particle board or MDF, where the exposed sides look rather flimsy. There are other options which you could have other customized equipment installed such as manual or CNC setup, pre-milling, corner rounding and many more.

Depending on the nature of your business, each company has their own sets of product specifications. Click here for more products on machineries such as cnc routers, pressers, moulders, edgebanders, panel saws, ripsaws and sanders that will enable you to get your job done speedily and more efficiently. There’s always a solution to your requirements. If you need to know more about other details regarding your specific requirement, you can always inquire further through their online or telephone customer service support team or even post on their FaceBook page and your questions will be answered without any hassle.

GETTING MORE EXPOSURES THROUGH SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Why is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so important to the growth of any website? SEO is applied basically to maximize keywords searches to improve a website placement in search engine listings such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Of course, this is a MUST HAVE application for websites which are striving to be the best in their own fields. It’s also the most reliable way to naturally attract more internet surfers to visit any website without incurring much cost.

It might be a bit tricky for most beginners in the competitive internet marketing world to master the skills of applying great SEO. With the expertise of some of the world’s best known SEO gurus, it’s totally not impossible to achieve great results. You just need some professional tweaks by restructuring, resetting, proper internal and external linking and so on in a proper way to market your website through SEO. It’s all about relevancy in whichever ways to find the suitable keywords which would expand the search lists on your contents.

SEO is a technology that would help in magnetizing massive amounts of internet traffic to a website for FREE. It would require deep knowledge and understanding on how the SEO functioned and how to apply it to a website to obtain the best impact in marketing their products and/or services. In order to achieve this goal, it would be best to seek the assistance of the many online marketing firms such as the Third Block which specializes in implementing SEO strategies in various modes to boost up your website exposure. Some of their known marketing strategies include pay per click (PPC) marketing, email marketing as well as social media marketing.

THE AFTER EFFECT OF HAVING A DEATH AT HOME

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:55:00 +0000

There would indeed be the never ending flows of pouring tears, heavy heartache, the feeling of guilt of not able to save a life and occasional mood swings. That was exactly how I felt when my favorite cat, Jeremy, passed away two weeks ago. I knew I had to stay strong but yet I was so deeply affected by my worst enemy – emotion. It was until a close friend told me her story about the rules of life when someone had decided to have a close relationship with another, may it be a person or a pet.

“Of Memory and Loss

Before I went to sleep, I decided that the next morning I would go and get a pet. I was not sure if it would be a dog or cat or bird or something else. All I knew was that I needed, no, wanted to share my life with another creature that would accept my friendship and affection.

As I slept, I fell into a deep dream.

There before me sat the most beautiful creature, neither male nor female. To either side of this wondrous creature, there were two identical waterfalls with deep clear pools at their base. From each waterfall, the most crystal blue water cascaded down. I was entranced. Never before had I seen such beauty, such serenity.

Wordlessly, the creature motioned me to come towards the pools at the base of the waterfalls. I noticed that at each pool, there was a small silver cup attached to a fine silver chain.

"Dip thy finger into the pool and taste," the creature said as it gestured to the pool to its left.

I did as instructed. As the clear cool liquid touched my tongue, my stomach clenched with pain and my heart pounded fiercely within my chest. Hollowness rang throughout my being that I feared I would never recover from.

"This is the Pool of Loss." the creature said and then it motioned to the other pool of water. "Dip thy finger into the pool and taste."

Warily, I drew my forefinger through the water of the other pool of water. As my finger touched my tongue, a joy so deep and pure touched my soul. A wave of happiness and wonder drowned the pangs of sorrow and loss the first pool had caused.

"This is the Pool of Memory," the creature said. "If you take one of God's creatures into your heart, you must be prepared to drink from both pools. Do you accept this as your covenant, your bond with one of God's creatures?"

Silently I nodded yes.

"Then drink from each pool." The creature instructed as it motioned towards the silver cups at the sides of the pools. "For now they will bear no taste, but in time you will discover how much you have partaken of each."

The very next day, I went and found a kitten at a local pound. It was the smallest one of the litter and it was the one who seemed to need me the most.

I watched it grow and play and I reveled in the smallest joy it brought to me. But then without warning, it was taken from me in a way most sudden and cruel.

Once again I felt the pangs I had felt in my dream when I tasted the waters of the Pool of Loss. Only this time, I thought the pain would never leave. Then, I remembered the taste of the waters from the Pool of Memory. Slowly the pain of Loss began to subside, and was replaced with the joy of Memory.

Now I realized that I had drank more from the Pool of Loss than the Pool of Memory in my dream. But now I knew that the Pool of Memory brought more than enough comfort to offset the pain the Pool of Loss could cause.

I now bear the knowledge that each time I open my heart to one of God's creatures, I drink from the Pool of Memory and the Pool of Loss. How much I partake depends on each creature and that, in the end, the power of Memory is so much more powerful than the Power of Loss.”

Therefore, the drinking from the Pool of Loss had to stop someday and somehow. It should be now as the water from the Pool of Memory would help ease the pain and sadness I had within me. For each and every of those memories, I should be glad that I had the opportunity to spend the happiest moments of our lives together, bringing smiles to each without fail daily. I still miss him but life has to go on. I’m sure he won’t want me to be sad forever.

Here’s a simple tribute video I did for him for the great memories we had for the last 3 years together. I’ll surely cherish all those sweet moments forever. I’ll miss you Jeremy… Rest in Peace~

Note: You might want to let it load fully before playing for the best effect. In case of failure to load well, try visiting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N76pO4zRv3I

ARE LOCKERS NEEDED IN PUBLIC AREA?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:58:00 +0000

The answer would surely be a yes. Can you imagine going for a swim and leaving all your belongings in the open? Your valuables might just attract the eyes of some thieves, usually found lingering about at such public places. There was a time when one of my friends at a public swimming pool lost all his valuables which included his branded attire. He has to call someone to pick up a set of clothes in order to get home. The first question that hit my mind was why there were no lockers around to prevent such cases from happening?

I personally had such an experience while visiting a nearby mall. Since there were no lockers around, I had to lock my helmet onto my motorcycle. By the time I had finished shopping and went back to the motorcycle park, my helmet was gone. Someone managed to cut off the strap and ran away with my costly helmet. Incidents like this should not have happened if only the mall management would allocate a space for public lockers.

Another incident happened when I was visiting a client in a semiconductor factory. It was the regulation of the factory to disallow anything electronics into the factory. Thus, I had to entrust my cell phone and laptop at the security checkpoint. Eventually after my meeting, I had a hard time claiming back my cell phone as it got mixed up with a bunch of cell phones of the same color and make. Someone must have accidentally knocked onto the small cupboard with all the visitors’ electronic gadgets in it. Since it was the regulation of the factory, why the management did not even consider having some pigeon hole like lockers? If I were to be allocated a locker with proper numbering, such silly incident may not have happened.

WHERE CAN YOU GET THE BEST WEB HOSTING AROUND?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Nowadays, you would notice that the blogosphere has grown bigger with more and more bloggers appearing to share their piece of their mind. You might wonder how far this is true, considering that a prominent social network has almost controlled the web users from all corners of the world. One thing for sure is that these users might rant about their daily activities very often but on the other hand, they would also like to archive their experiences or products which could easily be accessed through the internet in years to come.

With domain names being sold so affordable for just anyone and great web hosting companies easily available throughout the internet, owning a personal or business website has never been so easy. There are even many free tutorials and ready-made templates available online to make the best out of your website. Some even came with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) features for easy online search such as from Google, Yahoo and many more.

Firstly, you would be required to identify what would your target market be, in order to get the best web hosting servers to meet your needs. Would the web hosting be just for personal website/blog or would it be for corporate or online business? As each category has its own requirements, you have to identify which web hosting company suits you best. There’s no right or wrong in choosing any of the abovementioned companies but make sure it’s one that would be dedicated to your interest in a long run.

TAKE TIME TO SAY I LOVE YOU

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:02:00 +0000

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.” The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What's wrong, are you well,” she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “'I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded “just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,” she said, as she got into the car. “They can't wait to hear about our meeting.”

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu as her eyes could only read large print. Half-way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me with a nostalgic smile on her lips. “'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed. “How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me.” “I love you, son!”

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off until some later dates.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby... That somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, “normal” is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first... That somebody doesn't have two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery... That somebody never watched her “baby” get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten as she had experienced that before.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married... That somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home... That somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her... That somebody isn't a mother.

This isn't just about being a mother; it's about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them... no matter who that person is!

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

USING THE LOCKER ROOM WITH A PEACE OF MIND

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:12:00 +0000

Nowadays, you would see more and more healthy conscious people around, especially a large percentage of business executives, hitting the gym after a hard day of work. After all, where else could be more perfect for exercising than a place filled with all the necessary equipments and facilities to ensure a healthier body? Most of these gyms would provide personal lockers to its members to keep all their belongings while having the peace of mind to get their bodies to be fitter than ever.

However, there are a few gym etiquettes that a user has to adhere in order for everyone to be happy at all times. One of these rules involved the gym lockers area. Cleanliness is the main concern for many users. You don’t expect to use a locker bench with stacks of dirty and sweaty laundries right? Be responsible to get a laundry bag to put in all your dirty clothes even before if you intend to prance towards the showers. Please remember that the locker room is not your home but a place for other users. Do place the bag at a place that won’t be an eye sore to others. After all, this would not be a hard habit to acquire right?

Getting cleaned up is one thing but leaving a trail of water after your shower might be hazardous. If you want to get to your locker for your clean clothes, make sure you wipe your body and feet dry before heading there. Accident might happen and a slip could be fatal. Be responsible for the safety of others too.

Another thing that most users would hate would be the amount of time you spent at your locker area, especially during the peak period of the day and the area is rather small. Do whatever you need to do and get out from the area as soon as you can. Some users can be so ignorant that they spent their time chit-chatting away, thus obstructing others the opportunity to change swiftly. Well, if you intend to do so, quickly get done and go to the nearest coffee house to chat all you want as there are a lot of people who would want to get home for their necessary rests.

These are just the few examples that most gym users would detest. The gym is a place to get fitter while the locker room is a place for a speedy clean up. If you intend to exhibit your “properties” by lingering a bit too long in the locker room, you should think about doing so in a competition. LOL!

LIVING LIKE A PIGEON

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:21:00 +0000

Have life been unfair to everyone? While some of us here are comfortably in our homes with at least some moveable areas, some of those less fortunate people in Hong Kong are living in pigeon-hole like concrete jungle homes. Can you imagine having only a room to provide shelter to a whole household? That’s the problem in most developed countries where the living standards are so high that only the rich can afford a comfortable home. The cost of owning just a small piece of property would be almost impossible for any below average income group.

At least, there’s a roof above their heads but is this the type of living condition anyone would want for a lifetime? I guessed not. When a country with such a limited land developed so rapidly, the price for any vacant slot would definitely rise up within a matter of years. Thank the lucky star that you are not in that situation, at least for now. Appreciate what you have and be happy that your life is a livable one. You won’t want to live as the people below right?

MIND BOGGLING QUESTIONNAIRE

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:40:00 +0000

Do you think you have the analytical brain in solving a problem especially a mathematical one? We are all born with different receptive powers in learning something. Some would take just a matter of seconds to digest the steps in a mathematical solution while others might spend hours, days or even months to understand just the basics. Unless the person is a mental retard, there’s always a way to nurture the brain to execute problems easily. There are many help out there on this nurturing method, may it be a private tutor or an online tutor. Let’s just look at an easy mathematical question here that some might find it quite mind boggling.

“There was a test with 20 questions. For each correct answer, 10 points would be rewarded while 5 points would be deducted for answering wrongly. I managed to receive a score of 125 points for answering all the questions. How many questions have I answered wrongly?”

Some people would have a hard time answering to the question above as it had a mixture of words and numbers. It can be rather confusing at times too. Do you have what it takes to solve the question or you really do need a Math tutor to guide you through every step in the problem solving? It may be easy for this time but do you think the question would get any easier as you progress into your college days?

Somehow or other, it’s best to seek some Math help in your earliest age to build up a strong foundation. There’s the saying that it’s never too late to learn but won’t you think it’s a good step to start early too to gain the wisdom you would need in your later stage of life?

Anyway, here’s the solution to the Math question above.

A perfect score: 20 questions x 10 points = 200 points
My score: 125 points (meaning I lost 75 points: 200 points - 125 points)
Each wrong answer I lose out 15 points (10 points incorrect + 5 points deduction)
Thus, I got 5 questions wrong (75 points divided by 15 points)

FOUL GANG BANG ALONG BAYAN LEPAS EXPRESSWAY

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:13:00 +0000

UPDATED 8.15pm: Thank goodness the 28 years old lady driver survived the death blow but was pinned to her car for 35 minutes before the firemen managed to saw off the metals surrounding her.

So what if you are the “TAIKO”? It does not mean that you can be the “KING” and bully whoever you don’t like. There are still driving rules and courtesy you should follow and now what else can you do but regret your whole life when lives were involved??!! I wondered what had happened to the mentality of some of those big vehicle drivers. Each time I came across one while driving, I really had the cold sweat facing them; not because of those beefy tattooed body but the way those drivers were driving. They just do not care about the safety of anyone anymore. This incident happened today along the heavy trafficked expressway within the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, Penang around 2.00pm involving a garbage truck and four other vehicles.

With all the policemen, rescue personnel, ambulances, firemen and the squeaking and drilling sound of the electric saw, it was not a sight to stay put for a long time as I was afraid that it might just spoil my appetite for the day but I was tempted to take the photos an hour later after the ambulance, etc had left the accident site. The first car from the pile up accident was lucky as it was just rammed onto the pavement by the mini lorry but what worried me was the car that was barely recognizable, badly squashed within the high impact of the garbage truck. From the look of the impact, why was the garbage truck driving so fast while nearing a traffic light junction? The driver must be out of his mind!

I doubt that the victim(s) of the white would have survived the impact. Let’s hope there would be a miracle in sight at that moment. To the victims of the incident, my deepest sympathy and I would pray hard that there would be survivals instead…

WHY MORE ENGLISH TEACHERS ARE TAKING OPTIONAL RETIREMENT?

noreply@blogger.com (CRIZ LAI) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:04:00 +0000

I wondered what had happened to the mentality and maturity of kids nowadays. Were they exposed to the world of technology and internet way too early for their age or was the influence of television programs gave them such an imaginative state of mind? I too would have opted for an early retirement if I were to constantly face with the challenge of correcting their English essays.

Why would I say so? Just look at how a student in Hong Kong would have written based on a given topic such as “At a department store”. This essay got me banging my head against the wall as it was way too hilarious! This is just one of the many sample essays one would expect from a student. Could you imagine seeing three languages such as English, Japanese and Chinese written as an English assignment? No wonder it’s getting harder to get people to be trained in the teaching profession, especially in the language category.

Please read the below two attachments and tell me if you think that the children of today fantasize more compared to us when we were still schooling. Click on the individual attachment to view a larger version.

I just hope the English teachers here would not have to go through this type of stress level… Pray hard! Haha!