According to this news item in The Washington Post on 16 July 2009, the once-trendy Crocs could be on their last legs: The colorful foam clogs appeared in 2002, just as the country was recovering from a recession. Brash and bright, they were a cheap investment (about $30) that felt good and promised to last [...]
Archive for July, 2009
Epic duels
Posted in Chess on Jul 31st, 2009
What, in your opinion, were the biggest chess rivalries in the last 50 years? In my mind, there were three: that between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi, and then of course, between Karpov and Gary Kasparov. The Spassky-Fischer rivalry happened so long ago. In 1972, they played their celebrated [...]
As one gets older – and who doesn’t – it’s important to prioritize one’s own health. With age comes a higher chance of failing health, so we have to make certain our health is well taken care of. This isn’t hard to do: just start an exercise routine that you can keep. And you can [...]
Con job at the ATM
Posted in General on Jul 28th, 2009
The newspapers report the latest tactic by con artists who rob people at auto-teller machines (ATM). The victims’ ATM cards are swapped while they are being distracted by several people working in groups. Acting with accomplices, including women, they would distract and confuse their victim while the person is in the midst of a transaction [...]
Hiring pace picking up
Posted in Careers on Jul 24th, 2009
The speed of the recruitment process is starting to once again increase, although most employers remain uncommitted to exactly when overall recruitment activity will resume, says specialist recruiter Hays. “Sentiment seems to be improving slightly in the labour market, with a stabilising effect bringing some positivity to hiring plans,” said Chris Mead, General Manager of [...]
You just need to know where to look
Posted in Careers on Jul 21st, 2009
The roller-coaster employment ride of the past year appears to be reaching more stable ground, with recruitment activity starting to rise and businesses recommencing – albeit with caution – their hiring plans, says a leading recruiter. In its latest Hays Quarterly Report, recruiter Hays says employers have started to take a more positive approach towards [...]
King of kings
Posted in Chess on Jul 17th, 2009
ALMOST every serious chess organiser understands my pet peeve: that it is very difficult for our players to improve if we do not hold enough chess tournaments with long-time controls. They understand where I’m coming from and in turn, I also do understand their limitations. Nicholas Chan Basically, they boil down to two main [...]
The resume: getting down to basics
Posted in Careers, Resume Writing on Jul 7th, 2009
I want to get down to pure basics in today’s blog item and talk about the resume.If you are new in the job market or are going to be in one pretty soon, you’ll need to know what is a resume and what you should put into it. Here are some useful pointers: For starters, [...]
Some issues in Jackson custody case
Posted in Rockwills & Estate planning, Rockwills & Inheritance on Jul 5th, 2009
How are the family laws regarding custody issues in the United States different from the rest of the world? I managed to pick up this explanation of the legal issues that are likely to crop up as Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe square up to fight for custody of the couple’s [...]
Biggie of the year
Posted in Chess on Jul 3rd, 2009
Countdown to the Malaysian Chess Festival. WE are just eight weeks away from the start of this year’s biggest local chess show. Unless you’ve been away on a prolonged leave, you will know that I’m referring to the Malaysian Chess Festival. This year, it starts on Aug 22. As in previous editions, this year’s festival [...]
