Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) their roles and functions

CSO are traditionally strategic planner of an organisation and play a supporting role to CEO, has key responsibilities as below:-

A master of multitasking. CSOs are responsible for an average of 10 major business functions and activities, as diverse and demanding as M&A, competitive analysis and market research, and long-range planning. They must be capable of quickly switching between environments and activities.


A jack-of-all-trades.They had significant line management and functional experience in such areas as technology management, marketing and operations. Less 20% had spent the bulk of their pre-CSO careers on strategic planning.


A star player. Most CSOs achieved impressive business results earlier in their careers and view the strategy role as a launching pad, not a landing pad.


A doer, not just a thinker. Although CSOs split their time almost evenly between strategy development and execution, their bias must be toward the latter.


The guardian of horizon two . Senior teams generally have a good handle on short- and long-term issues. The medium term, that period from one to four years out, can go underattended, however. CSOs must focus the organization's attention on horizon two, the critical period for strategy execution.


An influencer, not a dictator. Strategy chiefs don't succeed by pulling rank. They sway others with their deep industry knowledge, their organizational connections and their ability to communicate effectively.


Comfortable with ambiguity. All executives today must exhibit this trait, but it's especially true for CSOs, whose actions typically won't pay off for years. The role tends to evolve rapidly and requires an extraordinary ability to embrace an uncertain future.


Objective. Given their wide remit, chief strategy officers can't play favorites. Openly partisan CSOs, or those who let emotions or the strength of other personalities cloud their vision, are sure to fail.

Legendary soldier since 1830's - "Legion"

French Foreign "Legion" is consider the best army in the world with a mission of fighting a sacred war honourably, fidelity to its unit and strong esprit de corps ( the capacity of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose).

Legion is a unique unit in the French Army, established in 1831 , specifically created for foreign nationals ( Germans -50%, Italy-15% , Belgium -5%, France-25%, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Russian) wishing to serve in the French Armed Forces, but commanded by French officers head quarters in Aubagne, Southern France and birthplace in Algeria.

The Legion was primarily used to protect and expand the French colonial empire during the 19th century, but it also fought in all French wars including the Franco-Prussian War and both World Wars including First Indo China war and Gulf War.

Fishermen turn millionaire on Migingo Island

Migingo Island half the size of a football pitch[less than one acre] with in habitants of 500 majority being Kenyan and Ugandan nationalities consider as economic refugee with fat pockets - fortune turn overnight. The islander entertainment was mainly hanging out with fellow fishermen at pubs and brothel beside wholesaling/trading fish earning them top dollar.



Migingo Island is one of the 3,000 islands on Lake Victoria, Africa - the biggest fresh water lake in the world. Migingo Island bordering the shores of Kenya[East] ,Uganda[North] and Tanzania [South] has been a politically dispute due to its surrounding island vast economic abundance of Nile perch [freshwater fish].






Nile Perch [ picture below ]

Space Shuttle - super transporter

AN 225 is the biggest plane ever built and designed for Soviet space program similar to US Airbus Beluga - Super Transporter as a "Shuttle Carrier Aircraft".


In comparison between AN 225(in green) peers

Airbus A380- 800 (in pink)
Boeing 748-8 (in blue)
Hughes H-4 Hercules (in gold)

Best Job in the world

Job title

- Caretaker of Hamilton Island, Queensland - Australia and its surrounding living organism including corals i.e. Great Barrier Reef.


Job scope

- Write blog ( report & explore ) on exotic encounters
- Feed the fish
- Clean the pond
- Relax .............. 60% of the time.


Fact Sheet

Based at Hamilton Island within Great Barrier Reef archipelago islands

Salary - 70,000 Pound Sterling for six(6) months contract

Live in posh Blue Pearl villa with astonishing overlooking Coral Sea panoramic view

Attractions / privileges : -

a) Private plunge pool and spa

b) Traditional Aussie barbeque

c) Golf Buggy - to go around the island

d) Exotic and sumptuous seafood and beverages

"Alvin" - deep submersible vehicle (DSV)

Alvin is the most successful deep ocean submersible explorers which has dived/submerged 3,000 times for the last 30 years in the ocean abyss at the depth of 13,000 ft. [ The deepest abyss in the Pacific Ocean also known as 'Challenger Deep' is measured up to the tallest peak of Mount Everest 35,800 ft. a record breaking depth by Trieste piloted by Don Walsh ]



The craft was built by General Mills' Electronics Group in the same factory used to manufacture breakfast cereal-producing machinery in Minnesota, USA . Named to honor the prime mover and creative inspiration for the vehicle, Allyn Vine, Alvin was commissioned on 5 June 1964.




Most famously, Alvin was involved in the exploration of the wreckage of RMS Titanic in 1986. Launched from her support ship R/V Atlantis II, she carried Dr. Robert Ballard and two companions to the wreckage of the great liner. RMS Titanic sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg while crossing the North Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage.


Note: Nuclear powered naval/military submarine gives endurance, mobility and stealth, the modern naval amarda supremacy.

Big Blue

Blue Whale fact sheet :

- The largest creature on earth ; weighs 200 tons and 108 feet length and has a heart the size of a Mini Cooper car.

- Life span up to 80 - 90 years.

- Canivores and feed on krill- 40 million per day ( small crustaceans ) equivalent to 64,000 hamburgers a day.

- Swim up to the speed of 50 km per hour ( fastest swimmer is Sei Whale found in Norwegian waters )

- Lung capacity of 5,000 litres

- Water spray from its blow-hole up to 100 metres.








Blue Whale


Fin Whale






Sei Whale

Different value systems - American vs European

LED lights - energy saver ( cost effective ) and safer ( non heat / burning effect )

Light-emitting diode (LED) lights is the perfect substitution to conventional "halogen" light bulbs [50 watts] as they consume only 20% of electricity as compared to its peers i.e. 80% energy savings, less heat emission - less air conditioning, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching on/off.



Applications of LEDs are diverse. They are used as low-energy [8 watts] and also for replacements for traditional light sources in well-established applications such as indicators / signage ( in airports, railway stations etc. ) and automotive lighting. The Nintendo Wii's sensor bar uses infrared LEDs as well as TVs and VCRs remote controllers.



The compact size of LEDs has allowed new text and video displays and sensors to be developed, while their high switching rates are useful in communications technology and red LED lights accelerate plant growth ( photosynthesis ) during autumn especially for strawberry plants in greenhouses.

Iron ( Fe) + Carbon ( C ) = Steel

Steel is manufacture via smelting process whereby extraction of iron from iron ore mined from the ground- iron ore rich earth and alloy(combine) it with carbon[the ideal chemical partner] which gives the hardness, ductility and tensile strength of the resulting steel* through a Bessemer converter, a conversion process of removal of impurities and excess carbon ( preferablly less than 2%) from the iron by oxidation with air(oxygen) being blown through the molten iron discovered by Henry Bessemer, English engineer and inventor in 19th Century.



This historical discovery has resulted in an inexpensive modern steel making currently dominated by world player such Arcelor Mittal. However, recycling steel consume 75% less energy than smelting and mining process and representing 30% of steel making industry posed as an alternative proposition in this lucrative scrap metal recycling business pioneered by Grossman Iron & Steel.






* Steel with increased carbon content (% C) can be made harder and stronger than iron, but is also more brittle.

1)Carbon Steel has less than 2% of Carbon content ;

2)Stainless Steel has an additional element - Chromium i.e. rust proof ;

3)Alloy steel - High strength low alloy (HSLA) steel are used in cars, trucks, cranes, bridges and ships. HSLA steels are usually 20 to 30% lighter than a carbon steel with the same strength and non-corrosive.

4)Cast Iron has 3-4 % of Carbon content is brittle effect and corrosive mainly used in water pipes and automobile gear box.

57-mm Mk 110 naval gun

The 57-mm Mk 110 Naval Gun system is a multi-purpose, medium caliber gun which delivers high rates of fire with extreme accuracy against surface, airborne and shore-based threats with proven effective 6-mode programmable 57-mm Mk 295 ammunition. Sailors are able to respond quickly and effectively to eliminate all types of threats.


The 57-mm Mk 110 naval gun system is more lethal and has a higher rate-of-fire than any competing system. Linked with a digital fire control system, the 57-mm Mk 110fires automatic salvos at up to 220 rounds per minute. Servo-controlled electro hydraulic gun laying subsystems provide robust endurance and extreme pointing accuracy, even in high sea-state conditions.

Civilian uses of "nuclear bomb" !

You might think of nuclear weapons as just the most fearsome weapon ever invented by humans, but that would be seriously underplaying their versatility. Nuclear weapons aren't only good for leveling cities, they've also been used throughout the last 50 years for a variety of civilian purposes like stimulating natural gas production — and all kinds of innovative proposals have been slapped on the table to harness the awesome power of the nuclear blast for economic benefit.

Harness the versatility of nuclear energy:

1)Creating a Harbor, or Just a Hole
If there is one thing nuclear weapons have been proven to do, it's make big holes, and some scientists realized that could be a business proposition.

2)Creating a New Panama Canal
There's long been a problem with that engineering marvel of the early 20th century, the Panama Canal: It's just too small. For decades, people floated plans to build a bigger, better canal that could accommodate supertankers and our other outsize transportation vehicles.

3)Natural Gas Exploration
Beginning in the mid-1960s, scientists used targeted nuclear explosions to stimulate natural gas production by fracturing the rocks in which the gas was locked to make them more permeable. It worked well enough to warrant progressively larger tryouts.

4)Disposing of Nuclear Waste
One of the most incredible proposed applications of a nuclear explosion is to help store nuclear waste itself. A hole is bored beneath the waste processing plant, and a nuclear bomb is set off in the hole. Then the radioactive waste is poured into the subterranean cavity so formed, over a 25-year filling period. The wastes heat up through their own activity, boil dry, and eventually melt themselves and some surrounding rock into a glassy ball.

5)Human Spaceflight
If we can't use them on Earth, we might still be able to use them to get to outer space. Project Orion, spearheaded by Freeman Dyson among other eminent scientists, was to build a spaceship powered by atomic weapons.

6)Defending Earth From an Asteroid
Many scientists aren't so sure that nuclear weapons are the best way to defend Earth from a close call with a world-ending asteroid, but NASA maintains that in some circumstances, nuclear weapons could save the Earth.

Gold Bullion and Coins - An alternative long term investments?

SPDR Gold Shares (SPDR) , an exchange-traded fund (ETF) - [cheapest way top buy into gold bullion market by investing into gold companies] run by the World Gold Council(WGC) is traded on exchanges such as Hong Kong & Singapore. SPDR hold gold bars in bank vaults( HSBC on trust ) to back the holdings of their investors.

The gold is held in London by HSBC Bank on behalf of WGC. If investor wants to buy ETF, WGC will buy the gold bullion and sell to the investor the SPDR-ETF's share( backed by gold bullion/bars)and deposits the gold bullion with HSBC.

The yield / return per annum of gold related investment either direct investment ( holding gold bar physically ), equities or ETFs is averaging at 8.0% and above for past 20 years which was an unpward trend.

Gold spot price:-

Nov. 2008 USD$712.00
Mar. 2009 USD$912.00
Feb. 2010(f)USD$1,500.00

* (f) - forecast


Comment by analyst/ economist:-

"Gold investing is deemed the safest and most reliable" Hwang DBS Investment

"Demand for gold will always be there as it's tradable, portable and convertible". Standard Chartered Bank

Tomahawk

The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a submerged submarine.The United States Navy has a stockpile of around 3,500 Tomahawk cruise missiles of all variants.During the the 1991 Persian Gulf conflict, 288 Tomahawks were launched.



Tomahawk cruise missles has a network-centric warfare-capabilities, using data from multiple sensors (aircraft, UAVs, satellites, foot soldiers, tanks, ships) to find its target.

It also equips with a TV-camera for battlefield observation loitering that allows warfighting commanders to assess damage to the target and to redirect the missile to an alternative target. Also, the missile can send data about its status back to the commander. It entered service with the Navy in late 2004.

Brazilian judo - Jiu-jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) like judo, is a self-defense martial art focuses on ground fighting using grappling techniques. It promotes the principle that smaller, weaker person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger well- armed/armoured assailant ( against ancient samurai then in Japan ) using leverage technique such as joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat them.

Milla Jovovich (born in December 1975) of Ukrainian-Russian descent is a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu "martial art" exponent currently an American supermodel, actress, musician and fashion designer. She has appeared in a number of science fiction and action themed films such as Return to Blue Lagoon (1991), The Fifth Element (1997), The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007).

Chocolate fantasy

Total amount spent on chocolate is USD$580 million and equivalent to 5.7 billion pounds in United States.


86% of women think of chocolate while having sex as compare to men 1% on that note.

98% of women think about sex when eating chocolate.

78% of women think eating chocolate is sex

The number of maximum orgasm achieved during sex is higher by 24 times when eating chocolate prior to having sex. [ wihout eating chocolate- 19 times : eating chocolate - 43 times ]

Watamu Beach, Kenya 7th haven for "Marlin fish"

Key attraction and beach activities at Africa's fascinating beach with
natural serenity.

1)Game fishing - 7th haven for Marlin fish
2)Wild life hunting / preservation - Deer /Sea turtle
3)Snorkeling and scuba diving - 600 marine species including crocodile fish



Note. Marlin, is a member of a group of marine fish known as "billfish", and is closely linked to the freshwater trout. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forwards to form a crest.
Marlin are known to be incredibly fast swimmers, reaching speeds of about 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph).

Silent "influenza virus" killer a.k.a Spanish lady mystery disease

1916 Outbreak of deadly mystery disease struck Aldershot barracks, Spain ( during World War 1 ) now known as Spanish lady - mystery disease.

1918 The year Spanish influenza was officially discovered traced back to a Spanish lady by medical fraternity then. The Spanish lady was missing in the following year 1919.

1930 Influenza virus smaller than bacteria can be seen the first time that year using first ever newly invented electron microscope.

1985 Genetic probing, mapping and sequencing on a well-preserved lung tissue (specimen) by pathologist / micro biologist on specimen from Walter Reed "specimen" storage facilities during US President - Abraham Lincoln administration. Walter Reed is a storage of World War 1 soldiers ( specimen lung tissue) died from Spanish Influenza.

1999 Avian flu epidemic struck Italy


18 In 18 months or less than 2 years period the plaque hunter( Spanish influenza) killed 40 million globally including India 20 million victims.

90 percent of Brevig (island offshore of Scotland) population died within 5 days

4 years of World War 1 & 2 killed only 10 million lives

Edible gold ( palm oil Vitamin E ) sold at USD600 per kg

These orange-hued palm oil extracts - "tocotrienol", touted as "edible gold" among industry circles. The tocotrienol health supplement is the highest valued product in the sprawling palm oil supply chain contain vitamins A and E, squalene and coenzyme Q10 that help boost our immune system. Vitamin E is a family of tocopherols and tocotrienols.

It is a little known fact but palm oil extracts, which contain tocotrienols, are far more potent than fish oil supplements that are only fortified with oilseed tocopherols. Tocopherols are sourced from oilseeds such as soya oil, canola and sunflower, while tocotrienols are only available in high concentration in palm oil and rice bran oil. Both of these are grown in tropical countries.

Over the last decade or so, studies have shown that palm oil vitamin E, particularly the tocotrienols, is a far more potent antioxidant than tocopherols.

Preliminary studies prove tocotrienols can heal body cells and trigger cancerous cells to commit suicide. It is these unique biological activities in tocotrienols that show a promising future for cures for stroke, heart diseases and cancer.

Space travel / tourism at a price tag of USD 370,000

Space tourism

In June 2007, EADS Astrium announced it would be entering the space tourism sector. On June 20, 2007 the company unveiled a model of the space jet, a one-stage sub-orbital hybrid craft, utilising both jet(1) and rocket(2) engines. The space craft carries four passengers and one pilot would take off from regular airports using conventional jet(1) engines. Once flying to the altitude of 12km the space jet rocket(2) boosters would then be fired and climb vertically towards the space. After reaching its final altitude of 100 km, passengers would experience weightlessness (anti-gravity) for three minutes. Tickets are expected to cost up to USD 370,000.
__________________________________________________

About EADS Astrium

In Dec 2006, EADS Astrium, EADS Space Transportation and EADS Space Services were merged into a single company under the new entity name "EADS Astrium".

The new logo is a combination of the never released ASTRIUM logo and of the EADS logo, therefore a composite look.

There are three business units:

* EADS Astrium Satellites
* EADS Astrium Space Transportation
* EADS Astrium Services

Sxion Autism Foundation - " Empowering Life "

Sxion Group a London based private equity and diversified company in early 2009 has set up a foundation - Sxion Autism Foundation - " Empowering Life " a non profit organisation to help children with autism * and counselling support to parents and caregiver of these special kids.




Note: * Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.

Michelle Dawson (born 1961) is an autistic person and an autism researcher collaborating with Dr. Laurent Mottron research team to understand how autistic brains work and socially and ethically changing the way the world views autism and that will have a lasting impact.

Claudia Bassols in Spain.... on the road again

Spanish multi-lingual - (6 languages)* actress - born early October 1979, Claudia Bassols was featured in 2008 food and travelogue TV series "Spain… on the road again" together with Iron Chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and New York Times food writer Mark Bittman. Each episode covers a different region of Spain as the foursome explore the country's culinary traditions and history.

* Spanish, Catalan, English, Swedish, French, and Italian. Claudia Bassols official website.

Fraud Investigator in demand paid USD 275 per hour

AS the financial crisis has continued to unfold of late 2008 , new suspicions of fraud have been emerging — and with them a need to find whether there is evidence of wrongdoing. That’s why the demand for fraud investigators is rising.

Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that the number of open mortgage-fraud investigations was more than 1,600 at the end of fiscal 2008, which ended Sept. 30, compared with 881 two years earlier. In addition, 530 corporate-fraud investigations were open, it said.

The bureau is recruiting people to help with these investigations, including those with experience in computer science and accounting. People who speak a foreign language and those who are certified fraud examiners also have an advantage. Certification is a credential offered by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners that notes proficiency and experience in fraud prevention, detection and deterrence.

Outside the government, fraud investigators work for security consulting firms like Kroll; at accounting firms like Deloitte Touche and Eisner; and at global business consulting and internal audit firms like Protiviti. Some hang out their own shingle. These firms may be retained by lawyers or by companies pursuing an internal investigation.

The number of certified examiners is up 10 percent compared with last year, according to the association, a trade group based in Austin, Tex. Median compensation for full-time certified fraud examiners in 2008 was just over $90,000 a year, the association says.

Corporate fraud investigators say the work requires curiosity and tenacity. And they warn that it can be time-consuming and even tedious. Because they are retained on the recommendation of corporate or outside counsel, they are bound by lawyer-client privilege and do not have a say in whether to prosecute a crime. Still, they say, their efforts can be rewarding.

A hero of the breed recently emerged in the form of Harry Markopolos, who repeatedly warned the Securities and Exchange Commission that Bernard L. Madoff was running a giant Ponzi scheme at the expense of investors. Mr. Markopolos, who was working for an investment company when he started looking into Mr. Madoff’s activities, left in 2004 to start his own investigation firm.

Although the S.E.C. did not act on Mr. Markopolos’s warnings, he has helped ease the way for investigators in his wake who may suspect various “mini-Madoff” scandals and other types of fraud.

While many investigators have backgrounds in forensic accounting, internal audit and law enforcement, experts say the field also draws finance executives, paralegals, librarians and former journalists. “What you need is an uncanny ability to get people to talk,” said Jules Kroll, the recently retired founder of the firm that bears his name.

The need to investigate fraud these days is so great that temporary workers including lawyers, private investigators and certified fraud examiners are paid $150 to $275 an hour.

Robo "Croc" - a metal makeover

March 20, 2009 —Veterinarians in Miami have successfully fitted a badly injured crocodile with metal plates and 41 Frankensteinian screws on its skull. The crocodile had been hit by a car in the Florida Keys,United States.

Mauritius - Shark Sanctuary

The Mauritius island, by the Indian Ocean with 20,000 ft of coastal reef and formation of dip pit (a.k.a. shark pit)carved from the surrounding rocks being the natural habitat for shark community as well as other marine life at the archipelago.

Shark pit is the sanctuary of migratory "black tailed-sharks" with 20m x 12 m area close to 800 sq. ft. liken to "a whirl pool" at the underwater world of Mauritius island as described by shark scientist and scuba diver Ryan Johnson. The fascinating and floating sensation felt by the divers at the shark pit is the diving spot for professional scuba divers even attracts fishermen with their fishing lines and hook-baits obviously threatening the shark survival/existence.

Watch the video click here

The world's cleanest diesel - NExBTL biofuel

Neste Oil Corp is an independent Finnish oil refining and marketing company producing mainly traffic fuels and other petroleum products. Neste Oil shares are quoted on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Its star products NExBTL diesel – touted to be the world’s cleanest diesel – produced at Neste’s 170,000-tonne a year biofuel plant in Provoo.

Crude palm oil (CPO) comprised about 80% to 90% of the biofuel and mineral oils and animal fats made up the balance components.Due to the European Union(EU) requirements, Neste source its palm oil from EU certified producers from countries such as Malaysia.The other state-of-art biodiesel plant is in Rotterdam and Singapore each with a capacity of 400,000-tonne a year.

African-Sino Connection

Guangzhou is a land of opportunity for African community which is the third most populated metropolitan in Mainland China is also the Factory of the world manufacture 33% of China total exports.

Trading statistics with African nations (in USD billion)



China

2001 1.0 bil

2007 73.0 bil


US

2001 23.0 bil

2007 85.0 bil



Initially China imports raw material and commodities such as crude oil from countries like Nigeria( Third largest exporter of crude oil after Gulf nations )and years later China especially Guangzhou is exporting clothings, merchandise etc back to African continents rather than relying on recession-plaque US economy.





Note: Guangzhou is the capital and a sub-provincial city of Guangdong (Kwangtung / Canton) Province in the southern part of the People's Republic of China. The city and surrounding areas, particularly the areas between the city and Hong Kong, through the heavily traded Pearl River Delta region, are often simply called by their provincial name in English, Canton. It is a port on the Pearl River, navigable to the South China Sea, and is located about 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Hong Kong.

'Internet cafe" HOTEL for USD $ 25 per night

Japan's economy is no exception was once enjoyed double digit growth via exporting its innovative product/technology from "Nitendo Wii"- gaming to "Toyota hybrid car" - automobile. Those heydays of "jobs for life" and other facets of the Bubble Economy are over. In this new and very un-Japanese world, living in an Internet café is no longer an aberration. For many especially those who have lost their jobs and made homeless from the current global financial crisis, it's a lifestyle in Japan.


Tokyoites who can't afford USD $1,250 per month apartments are just doing that.It should be said, however, that many of Japan's Internet cafés offer a level of service and privacy far beyond what many in the West might expect. Private rooms offer TV, comic books, microwave ovens, showers and free soft drinks - in addition to Internet access - at prices ranging from USD $25 per night or USD $500 per month.

Butch Harmon Tiger's swing coach

Butch Harmon also trains Greg Norman, Adam Scott and David Love III. In April 8, 2008, Ernie Els officially announced that he was switching swing coaches from David Leadbetter (whom Els had worked with since 1990) to Butch Harmon.

Harmon has written golf instructional books under the titles Four Cornerstones of Winning Golf and Butch Harmon's Playing Lessons. He also worked with Greg Norman on his Greg Norman's Better Golf learning system (three videos, a book, skill guide cards, and an audio tape) as well as Greg Norman's book Advanced Golf.

Jeju Island off South Korea strait.

Tourism commands a large fraction of Jeju's economy. Jeju's temperate climate, natural scenery, and beaches make it a popular tourist destination for both South Koreans and many visitors from Japan, China, northern and southern Asia. Especially, Statute Stone Park, Cheonjeyeon and Cheonjiyeon waterfalls, Mountain Halla, Hyeobje cave, Hyeongje island are popular places for tourists.

Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, not to be confused with the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, is a three-tier waterfall located on Jeju Island. In the first cascade, the cliff is 22 m high and the water falls into Cheonjeyeon pond which is 21 m deep. From there, the water falls 30 m and continues to the third waterfall. Eventually, the water reaches the ocean.

Tourists enjoy lots of leisure sports in Jeju island including golf, horse riding, hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, etc. Depending on seasons, tourists can enjoy many festivals: penguin swimming contest in winter, cherry blossom festival in spring, midsummer night beach festival in summer, horse festival in autumn and many more. Usually, tourists enter and exit Jeju through Jeju International Airport and rent cars on the island. Lastly, numerous products are available to tourists on the island, including Jeju's special tile fish and mandarin oranges, as well as souvenirs and duty-free products.

Jeju was chosen as one of the 261 qualified nominees for the New 7 Wonders of Nature at www.new7wonders.com.

Woodpecking away ......* % # @ ?&!

Woodpecker's wild laugh sounds like "drumming" often imitates someone striking a tree with a hammer repeatedly. Woodpecker bird favors mature forests, but has adapted to use second-growth stands and heavily wooded parks as well.



The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is a very large North American woodpecker.

The only North American birds of similar plumage and size are the Ivory-billed Woodpecker of the Southeastern United States and Cuba, and the related Imperial Woodpecker of Mexico. Both of those species are extremely rare, if not extinct.


Their breeding habitat is forested areas with large trees across Canada, the eastern United States and parts of the Pacific coast. They usually excavate large nests in the cavities of dead trees, and often excavates a new home each year, creating habitat for other large cavity nesters.This bird is usually a permanent resident.

These birds mainly eat insects (especially beetle larvae and carpenter ants) as well as fruits, berries and nuts. They often chip out large and roughly rectangular holes in trees while searching out insects.

SETI - search for Alien (ET) in outer space

SETI - Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.

Paul Allen co-founder of Microsoft and funder/owner for Science-Fiction Museum (SFM) in Seattle, Washington also help to fund SETI Institute - Radio Astronomy Laboratory(RAL) astronomical observation project in search for extra-terrestrial intelligence through his foundation in 2001 i.e. "Paul G. Allen & family" foundation with a generous donation of US$ 11.5 million. In 2004, One Hectare Telescope (1hT) was constructed by SETI Institute pioneer and entrepreneur Frank Drake. The giant telescope was renamed Allen Telescope Array (ATA) in his honour.



Members of the SFM's advisory board include Steven Spielberg, Ray Bradbury, James Cameron, and George Lucas. Among its collection of artifacts are Captain Kirk's command chair from Star Trek, the B9 robot from Lost in Space, the Death Star model from Star Wars, the T800 Terminator and the dome from the film Silent Running.

The super weapon of the ancient world

"Archimedes claw" an ancient weapon devised by Archimedes to defend the seaward portion of Syracuse's city wall against amphibious assault. It is hauled up by 400 men 2000 years ago to smash and sink enemy war ships.

In today terms, it is describe as a sort of crane equipped with a grappling hook that was able to lift attacking ships partly out of the water, then either cause the ship to capsize or sink.

These machines featured prominently during the Second Punic War in 214 BC, when the Roman Republic attacked Syracuse with a fleet of at least 120 Quinqueremes under Marcus Claudius Marcellus. When the Roman fleet approached the city walls under cover of darkness, the machines (- Archimedes claw) were deployed, sinking many ships and throwing the attack into confusion. Historians such as Polybius and Livy attributed heavy Roman losses to these machines, together with catapults also devised by Archimedes.

Maiko = 'Apprentice' Geisha

Maiko is a Japanese word for "dancing girl" and an apprentice undergoing 5 years training before becoming full fledge geiko or GEISHA.

Recycling facts

1)It takes 95% less energy to recycle an aluminium can than making a new one.

2)ZTE is the China first mobile phone manufacturer used recycled plastic bottle to make its mobile phone component and powered by solar energy.

3)Solar cemetery are solar panels built across cemeteries in Barcelona,Spain to leverage on 24/7 direct exposure to the sun.

4)Coca-Cola recycles 90% of its carbonated-drinks' aluminium can and plastic bottles with PET waste recycling facilities in Mexico,Germany,Sweden.

5)Bamboo being the fastest growing grass-plant absorbs the most carbon dioxide for its photosynthesis process helps to reduce carbon footprint.

6)Clean coal is a term used to describe any clean energy soutions/technology that developed post 1970's.

Bucket-wheel excavator - "Strip mining" 's monster truck

Bucket-wheel excavators are heavy equipment used in lignite ( brown coal ) surface mining - 'strip mining' cost USD$100 million, has the capacity of excavating/mining 240,000 metric tonnes of brown coal daily and such tremendous earthmover is operated by 5 persons. They are among the largest vehicles ever constructed, and the biggest bucket-wheel excavator ever built, the MAN Takraf RB293, is the largest terrestrial vehicle in human history.

Armless petite lady fly plane; drive car and has two black belt in Tae Kwan-Do

Jessica Cox ( image in a cockpit of plane ) defies all the law of the universe and shame the perfect human being just by having 1(one) ounce of faith and courage with determination of steel. It is more than meet the eyes .............

Little Big Planet by Media Molecule

Media Molecule (www.mediamolecule.com/games.html) is a game development studio based in Guild ford, Surrey, England which won the Spike Video Games Award 2008 for its innovative, interactive and highly creative child friendly PlayStation 3 LittleBigPlanet video game characterising Sackboy.

Les Bordes , France Top 100th Golf Course

Les Bordes Golf Course, Saint-Laurent-Nouan , France was voted the 10th best golf course in Europe and 2nd ranking in France designed by Texan, Robert von Haage. In fact Par 5, 7th Hole is the trickiest and most challenging designer's fairway over a elongated bend fairway with contour of lake,hilly slope and lush green / trees in between.

Les Bordes official website : http://www.lesbordes.com

Weimaraner - Multi purpose hunting dog

German breed medium sized "gun dog" tracks, points and retrieves hunting-prey i.e. rabbit, fox, fowl etc effeciently and with lightning speed impressed hunters during 19th century.

Currently, Weimaraner makes a robust household companion as a watch dog. Weimaraner unlike its cousin " Snauzer" with German origin play the role as a police rescue dog in mission critical operation.

Bank of England pump 75 billion pound sterling to kick start economy

"Quantitative easing" - QE is the creation of new money out of 'thin air' by a central bank, and its injection into the banking system. The aim is to increase the amount of deposits in private banks so that, by way of deposit multiplication, they can increase the money supply by increasing debt (lending).

Literally QE meaning, printing money to flood the MAIN street / WALL Street market with suffecient cash to wheel or kick start lending( by banks) and spending ( by consumers) in various sectors and industry be it auto , housing , retail etc.

Toughest mobile phone on earth - SONIM

SONIM a.k.a " so nimble " claim to be the toughest and most robust mobile GSM phone available in the market which is able to withstand shock - 10 feet free fall , water proof and rugged / extreme condition suitable for construction workers, adventurous mountaineers; jungle treker to marine biologist in aquatic settings. Source : Sonim Technologies www.sonim.com

GPS Golf Rangfinder Tracker

Professional tour golfer NOW has a global position system gadget (look like a mobile phone or GARMIN compatible ) to pinpoint the co-ordinates and act as a range/path -finder using satelite technology over 2,000 world renowned golf courses.

www.skygolfgps.com

Singita - Africa "safari" paradise golfers

Luke Donald a multi talented profesional golfer with artistic inspired career as well as jet skii enthusiasts in Florida togther with Spanish youngest PGA professional golfer Sergio Garcia patronising "Singita" hotel in South Africa among the world 500 best voted hotel by traveller and living guide.

Greener world with green solutions

Sxion - Syncretize has joint venture into commercialization of alternative green solutions from energy booster drink to biodiesel green energy in Asia Pacific ex Japan under the flagship branding of Green Solutions (www.activegreensolutions.net).

Green Solutions is a member of Sxion Group with its Headquarters in London and regional offices in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Shanghai and Dubai.

Syncretize Sdn Bhd ( www.tech2brand.com )is a regional player on human capital mobilisation and placement especially knowledge workers around the world for biotechology sector including pharmaceutical and healthcare.

Substitution to Palm Oil as Biodiesel - Jatropha

D 1 Oil plc (D1) www.d1plc.com a UK based company has pioneered an end to end solution for biodiesel production from least known and in-expensive Jatropha plant which has a higher oil yield percentage of 40% as compared to world primary and most traded commodity i.e. crude palm oil(CPO) from ancient oil palm tree's fresh fruit bunch (FFB). The density or optimum oil palm trees' planting per acre is 135 trees, average yield 20 MT per hectare.( 1 hectare - 2.47 acres ).

D1' palm oil "modular" mill processor a scalable and portable technology create an competitive advantage for small estate holder in third world countries which do not have the basic infrastructure - accessible roads but located at remote part of the world on hilly plateau and lack of basic irrigation and fertilisers supplies. D1 provide remote web based support and trouble shooting service by its technical support team based in Middlesbrough, UK.

Note: Jatropha oil extract is non-edible vegetable oils suitable for producing biodiesel in volume at low cost.

Scarce Land Fertility - Global Food Crisis in 2030 ?

Today more than six billion people rely on on food grown on just 11 percent of the global land surface. Source : National Geographic Sept 2008

China's chinese couple/family marital dynamics

China divorce rate is 1 out of every 10 marriages reflecting high marriage failure and breaking down of family relationship as a nucleus or pillars of a nations internal strength.

Green factor in employment market - Green collar"

Green collar workforce has been defined as intermediary between "blue collar" and "white collar" workforce which is a driving force for hospitality industry ( i.e. hotels,resorts, restaurants, theme park,retail chain and media/communications )for decades.


GREENfactor is a revolutionized platform for client and strategic partners to source, recruit and deploy their "Green" staffing needs, the human resource solution for highly demanding hospitality and service industry.

Greenfactor by Sxion Group www.gxfouru.com

Who controls world's oil reserve?

The staggering/shocking statistic of Americans which represents 25% of world populations has only 2% of world oil reserve. Such lopsided or imbalance oil economics indicator posed an economy and political crisis for a country which depend on this black gold - commodity to oil it's economic wheel of growth.

As a matter of fact 95% of the world oil reserves are nationalized and under direct controlled of local state government such as Veneuzela, Russia and China

Clay - TRONICS

Claytronics" is an emerging field of engineering concerning reconfigurable nanoscale robots ('claytronic atoms', or catoms) designed to form much larger scale machines, mechanisms or free from objects with diverse shapes, dimensions, colours etc. Such "programmable matter" - catoms are able to morph into objects surrounding them to the extend of replicating human beings for virtual meetings.This will revolutionized virtual communication of 21st Century as the communicated party, virtually "present in person" in your living room.

Blobject - hassle free GPS assisted travellers' convenience

Cordova (Cordoba in Spanish) an historical city in Spain is the popular tourist spot in Europe which was the largest city in Western Europe in tenth century and perhaps the world with inhabitants of 500,000 then.

The ideal transporter for this moderately-sized modern city with many impressive building architectural is Blobject (www.blobject.es) a.ka. electric car to maneuver through narrow city lanes of the medieval historical and cultural-rich site in Spain powered by bio diesel and equipped with 8" x 3" touch screen Global Positioning Systems (GPS) making sight-seeing a breeze and enjoying experience.

Cell Phone becomes flower ?

A researcher in Britain has created a biodegradable cell phone case that when planted, will grow into a sunflower. The eco-friendly cell phone cover has a seed implanted inside of it that grows into a flower in about two weeks.

It is estimated that nearly 1,800 mobile phones are discarded every day in the United Kingdom. London's Science Museum had showcased the latest product in the electronic recycling category in 2006. The product is already available in the market.