Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Focus on the Family eliminating 202 jobs

This is sad to see that Focus on the Family are laying off individuals. But i guess the situation in USA is tough and its affecting all industries across the globe. 

Read on ... 

Because of a weak economy and cash-strapped donors, Focus on the Family said it is eliminating 202 jobs, the deepest cuts in the 32-year history of the Colorado Springs-based Christian nonprofit. The ministry laid off 149 workers, and cut another 53 vacant positions.

The cuts announced Monday slash Focus' local workforce by nearly 18 percent - from about 1,150 to 950. Twenty percent of the cuts are in management.

The layoffs come just weeks after Focus announced it was outsourcing 46 jobs from its distribution department. Focus also laid off 30 workers and reassigned 15 more in September 2007.

The organization also cut its the budget from $160 million in fiscal 2008 to $138 million for fiscal 2009 in anticipation of tough times.

The reason for the layoffs and budget revisions Donations are down, and Focus relies almost entirely on the charity of others.

That problem is reverberating throughout the nonprofit sector, said Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp. president Mike Kazmierski.

"It's probably going to get worse," he said. "When people have to cut back, the only place they have to go is their discretionary income."

Glenn Williams, Focus' chief operating officer, said that more than 95 percent of the organization's income comes from donations, with book sales accounting for the remainder. Donations to Focus set a record high in fiscal 2008, he said. But donations began to decline in October, which starts Focus' new fiscal year, and after polling major donors, Focus expects this holiday season - normally the most lucrative time of the year for nonprofits - to be even more painful to the bottom line.

"Looking at October trends and talking to donors who are not in a position where they can give, we thought we'd be facing a more severe decision in January or February if we waited," Williams said.

The cuts are taking place throughout the organization. The most visible change will be the elimination of the print editions of four of its eight magazines.

The content of the magazines - Plugged In, Breakaway, Brio and Brio & Beyond - will remain online.

Plugged In, for example, has seen its print subscriber base dip to 30,000 while its Web site attracts 1 million unique visitors a month, Williams said.

Macroeconomic realities and changing technology - not the political cycle - drove the decisions, said Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger.

A separate political arm, Focus on the Family Action, sees its funding ebb when there are no elections on the horizon, but that's not the case with Focus on the Family.

Although Focus grabs most of its headlines on political topics, it spends only 6 percent of its budget in that arena, such as the roughly $500,000 the organization spent to support the Proposition 8 gay marriage ban in California.

The other 94 percent of its budget is dedicated to its far less sensational mission of dispensing parenting and marital advice via Dobson's radio broadcasts, as well as through books, magazines and Web sites.

Schneeberger said the money earmarked for this year's political battles did not affect the pot of money for employees.

"It's a sign of the times," Kazmierski concluded. "In the case of Focus, we believe it's part of the economy, and as the economy recovers we expect a lot of those jobs to come back."

In the meantime, the 149 laid-off employees will enter a tough job market in the Colorado Springs metro area, where job growth is flat and unemployment has crept up over 6 percent.


Source Gazette

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Glad Tidings on NST Headlines

Wah.. when i saw the headlines on the NST today, i thought our church Glad Tidings Petaling Jaya was featured for one of our outstanding contribution to the community. :)

And its true its certainly ... Glad Tidings for all consumers that Jesus came to the earth and set us all FREE from sin! :) Or rather that was what i was hoping from the News article today.

Unfortunately ... or perhaps it was some positive news ... but not really "Glad Tidings" in its entirety. Petrol price has come down to RM2.00 per litre.

Here's the FULL page of the NST. :) Check it out!




Source NST

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Why Some Women Should Not Drive?

Haha .. check out the Three Videos below and you'll know Why some Women should use the Bus and not Drive! :) Its hillarious ... especially Video 1 & 3!


Video1 - Women Driver

Video2 - Women Drvier

Video3 - Women Driver

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Super Traffic Jam this Weekend at Church - Jalan 13/4

I can imagine how bad and terrible the traffic jam will be in church this weekend. 

There will be so so so so many people and so so so so many cars on Jalan Bersatu 13/4.

WHY? 

Cos there will be TWO major warehousesales happening on that Jalan 13/4. One is directly opposite church - MPH, and the other is just next door - Zara, Massimo Dutti & Pull and Bear!

And to top it there are already 3 churches in that area ... with GTPJ, the Chinese Church next door and DUMC just across the road! 


Wooo Hooo ... everyone should plan early and come in early this week to church, otherwise you may just waste 20-30 minutes on the road trying to get in! 


The good part is that after church . .can go shopping :)
















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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Healing Encounter Services 28 - 31 August 2008 with Rev Bernard Blessings



We have an amazing Healing Encounter Service starting from 28 August 2008 to our MERDEKA day on 31 August 2008.
We have an awesome event coming up in our church. This is a great opportunity to bring any of your family or friends that you know of who are unwell and need a Miracle Healing!!

The speaker for the entire event is Rev Dr Bernard Blessing.

The evening sessions & weekend church services are opened to the Public and its FREE.
So take this opportunity and come on any of the dates below!!

STAR Newspaper Advertisement
Rev Dr Bernard Blessing is back in Glad Tidings PJ for another great time of teaching and ministry. ENCOUNTER CONFERENCE and the HEALING ENCOUNTER are going to be awesome times of teaching and trainings as well as a time to witness the awesome supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

The ENCOUNTER CONFERENCE sessions have been planned to equip pastors and leaders (Friday) as well as every believer (Saturday) on teachings to move in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. Conference details are found in the above pages.

The HEALING ENCOUNTER rallies are OPEN TO PUBLIC - FREE OF CHARGE. Bring your friends and loved ones who need to experience God and His supernatural healing touch. RALLY times and details as follows.

Healing Encounter Services - FREE & Open to Public

28 Aug : Thursday - 8.00pm
29 Aug : Friday - 8.00pm
30 Aug : Saturday – 5.00pm
31 Aug : Sunday – 8am & 10.30am



SPEAKER
Rev Dr Bernard Blessing is pioneer and president of Rescue Life International. This ministry based in Accra, Ghana, West Africa provides mentoring leadership and support to over 700 Christian leaders, churches and Christian ministries worldwide. He has ministered in over 100 nations in leadership summits, church conferences and is regularly sought by world leaders for godly wisdom and prophetic insights. Dr Blessing’s forthright yet simplistic presentation of the message of Christ Jesus is validated by miraculous healings and accurate prophetic directives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Glad Tidings Petaling Jaya : http://www.gtpj.com

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Petrol Prices Cut by 15 cents 10 Days Early

This is an amazing change!

The petrol prices came down by 15 Cents today, which is a 10 days earlier than what the Govt was supposedly to do. The last we read was that petrol prices will only be reviewed by September!!

Decision driven politically (Permatang Pauh Elections)?

Govt claim its not!

But honestly even if the Petrol Prices decrease, how would that effect the elections at Permatang Pauh? So why did the prices drop? Let's wait and see the news next week.


Meanwhile, read more from the article below ....

The prices of diesel and petrol have been reduced by between eight and 22 sen a litre from today, 10 days earlier than expected.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said RON97 petrol now costs RM2.55 a litre, a drop of 15 sen from RM2.70 a litre while the price of RON92 went down by 22 sen to RM2.40 a litre.

A petrol station in Petaling Jaya is almost empty as customers delayed fuelling up their vehicles during the few hours before petrol and diesel prices went down at midnight yesterday. Similar scenes were repeated throughout the country. — SHAARI CHEMAT / The Star

Diesel will cost eight sen less at RM2.50 a litre.

Abdullah said in a statement yesterday the Cabinet decided to bring forward the “floating” price mechanism for fuel after considering the drop in global oil prices over the past few weeks as well as higher inflation in July.

He hoped the reduced fuel prices would lighten the people’s burden and ease the inflationary pressure on the lower and middle-income groups.

The new prices were set after considering fuel prices between Aug 1 and Aug 21, and in view of the Government’s decision to set the subsidy at 30 sen a litre for RON97 and RON92, and 50 sen a litre for diesel.

On June 4, the Government announced a 78-sen increase in petrol to RM2.70 a litre and a RM1 increase in diesel to RM2.58 a litre, stating that it could no longer continue to subsidise fuel.

On Aug 1, Abdullah said the petrol price would be reviewed monthly from Sept 1 based on the average global market price and the subsidy will be fixed at 30 sen a litre.

Valuable fibre: Symphony Advance Sdn Bhd technical director Burhanuddin Ahmad (left) showing Abdullah some kenaf fibre at the centre in Bachok yesterday.

He gave an assurance that the petrol price would not exceed RM2.70 a litre for this year, even if the global market price went up.

In Bachok later, Abdullah said the decision to lower the retail petrol and diesel prices was made as the Government wanted the people to benefit from the current global market depreciation of crude oil prices.

Apart from that, the Government also wanted to rein in inflation as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) shot up to 8.5% last month compared to a year ago.

“There is a possibility that the prices may go up so it would be a waste if we do not lower our prices now. This is to take advantage of the current lower global prices,” he said after opening a kenaf plant centre.

Abdullah said if there was a need to increase the fuel price again this year, the Government would cap it at RM2.70.

“We did it for the entire country and not just for the folks in Permatang Pauh,” he said.

Abdullah also expects the prices of goods to fall.

In PUTRAJAYA, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said the Government’s decision to lower fuel prices earlier than expected was due to the rising inflation rate and not because it wanted to win the votes of the Permatang Pauh constituents.

“Permatang Pauh is not going to change the Government but reviewing the prices is something that we had planned earlier,” he told a press conference.

“It is a strong indicator of the burden that the rakyat is forced to bear. There is nothing wrong for us to pass the benefit of lower fuel prices to the consumers and it is the duty of a responsible government to do so,” Shahrir added.



News Source

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Top Hamas Leader's Son Converts to Christianity

The son of a top Hamas leader has converted to Christianity and prays someday his family will also accept Jesus Christ as their savior, an Israeli newspaper reported.

Masab Yousef, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheik Hassan Yousef, revealed for the first time in an exclusive interview with Haaretz newspaper that he has left Islam and is now a Christian. Prior to the interview's publication last Thursday, Yousef's family did not know of his faith conversion even though he is in regular contact with them.

"[T]his interview will open many people's eyes, it will shake Islam from the roots, and I'm not exaggerating," Yousef, who now resides in the United States, said. "What other case do you know where a son of a Hamas leader, who was raised on the tenets of extremist Islam, comes out against it?"

Yousef, who is now 30-years-old, was first exposed to Christianity eight years ago while in Jerusalem where out of curiosity he accepted an invitation to hear about Christianity. Afterwards, he became "enthusiastic" about what he heard and would secretly read the Bible every day.

"A verse like 'Love thine enemy' had a great influence on me," Yousef recalled. "At this stage I was still a Muslim and I thought that I would remain one. But every day I saw the terrible things done in the name of religion by those who considered themselves 'great believers.'

"I studied Islam more thoroughly and found no answers there. I re-examined the Koran and the principals of the faith and found how it is mistaken and misleading."

But with Christianity, Yousef said he could understand God as revealed through Jesus Christ. He said he could talk about God and Jesus for days, but Muslims are not able to say anything about God.

"I consider Islam a big lie," said the son of one of Hamas' founders. "The people who supposedly represent the religion admired Mohammed more than God, killed innocent people in the name of Islam, beat their wives and don't have any idea what God is.
"I have no doubt that they'll go to hell. I have a message for them: There is only one way to Paradise – the way of Jesus who sacrificed himself on the cross for all of us."

Four years ago, Yousef decided to convert to Christianity but did not let his family know. He still helped his father with his political activities, and his father only knew his son had Christian friends.

"I felt responsible. It was better for me to be there rather than a gang of fools who would poison his mind," Yousef explained. "I tried to understand those people, their thoughts, in order to change them from inside by means of a strong person like my father, who admitted to me in the past that he does not support suicide attacks."

Yousef described his father as a moderate Hamas leader.

But even before his encounter with Christianity, Yousef had already become disenchanted with Hamas and Islam while being imprisoned at the age of 18 years old for heading a youth Islamic movement at his high school.

He described the Hamas leaders he met in prison as people with "no morals" and "no integrity," although they hide their corruption better than Fatah party members.

"Nobody knows them and how they operate as well as I do," Yousef said, recalling how the family of Hamas members killed by Israel were forced to beg for financial assistance while the leadership "abandoned" them and "wasted" tens of thousands of dollars a month only on security for themselves.

"Then (in prison) I understood that not everyone in Hamas is like my father. He's a nice, friendly man. But I discovered how evil his colleagues are," Yousef said. "After my release I lost the faith I had in those who ostensibly represented Islam."

Hamas is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Israel, and many Western countries. The group has publicly vowed to destroy Israel.

Now Yousef, the eldest son of Sheikh Yousef, says he "admires" Israel.

"You Jews should be aware: You will never, but never have peace with Hamas," Yousef stated. "Islam, as the ideology that guides them, will not allow them to achieve a peace agreement with the Jews. They believe that tradition says that the Prophet Mohammed fought against the Jews and that therefore they must continue to fight them to the death."
He denounced the "entire" Palestinian society as one that "sanctifies death and the suicide terrorist."

"In Palestinian culture a suicide terrorist becomes a hero, a martyr. Sheiks tell their students about the 'heroism of the shaheeds (martyr).'"

Yousef highlighted that Hamas was the first to use suicide bombers as weapons against civilians.

"They (Hamas) are blind and ignorant. It's true, there are good and bad people everywhere, but Hamas supporters don't understand that they are led by a wicked and cruel group that brainwashes the children and gets them to believe that if they carry out a suicide attack they'll get to Paradise," he said.

The Muslim-turned-Christian says he does not think Islam will survive for more than 25 years because the truth about Islam will be exposed given the mass communication available in the modern age.

For his part, Yousef says he hopes to "open the eyes" of Muslims and "reveal the truth" to them about Islam and Christianity with the goal to "take them out of the darkness and the prison of Islam."

"In that way they'll have an opportunity to correct their mistakes, to become better people and to bring a chance for peace in the Middle East," he said.

Yousef, who has taken the biblical name of Joseph, said he dreams of one day becoming a writer to tell his personal story and about the Middle East conflicts.

"But at the moment, at least, my ambitions are only to find work, a place to live," Yousef admits. "I have no money, I have no apartment," said the son of the Hamas leader who left behind properties in Ramallah to find true freedom.
"I was about to become one of those homeless people [in the United States]," he confessed, "but people from the church are helping me. I'm dependent on them."

He also dreams that someday he can return to his homeland and his family will accept Jesus Christ.

"I know that I'm endangering my life and am even liable to lose my father, but I hope that he'll understand this and that God will give him and my family patience and willingness to open their eyes to Jesus and to Christianity," Yousef said. "Maybe one day I'll be able to return to Palestine and to Ramallah with Jesus, in the Kingdom of God."


Article By Ethan Cole
Christian Post Reporter




Watch this amazing Testimony of an Islam convert to Christianity in this TV Interview







LINKS


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Monday, August 18, 2008

Shell Contest is REAL - My friend won RM20K!!

Amazing!! I always thought all the Petrol Contests that is running was not really genuine. I remember putting in more than 20 entries in for the previous Shell Contest, but not winning anything.

Perhaps its becos i didn't win anything!! :(

So here's to SHELL, for running Real contests, and am so glad to see Bergson win 20 Big Ones! RM17,000 cash and RM3,000 Shell Petrol !! Woo Hoo!

Bergson .. bergson . .... shall we all go for dinner soon :)

Let's talk about the 500 ways of spending RM20K!! :) haha




Check out the FULL PAGE feature of Bergson Wong


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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

WOO HOO!! Krispy Kreme is coming to Malaysia!!

I was literally jumping when i read yesterday's Sun Newspaper.

Krispy Kreme is coming to town. Krispy Kreme will be in Malaysia!! Yay! Double YAY!!

Won't need to hassel all my Aussie friends to buy a box of Krispy Kreme when they come back to KL!

We first experienced Krispy Kreme in 2004, when we visited Kevin in Dallas, USA.

Kevin & Tawnya brought Tiff to a Krispy Kreme outlet (i was out doing something, my biggest regret!!! ) and she saw how the dough was turn magically into a Doughnut.

What was amazingly special about Krispy Kreme was that the doughnut literally MELTS in your mouth. And they were giving the doughnuts away FREE, as u walked in to see the production line. So the Doughnuts were delicious, the doughnuts were FREE, and they were pipping hot, cos it just came out from the production line!!

Oooh la la... can't wait, can't wait!

If you think that J&Co looks full all the time, wait till you see the first Krispy Kreme outlet opens in KL!! I wish they will open the Outlets soon!! (newspaper said in 2009!!)


:) sigh .... one more year to Krispy Kreme!!!




From the NEWS

The worldfamousKrispy Kreme Doughnut stores will soon be opening their doors in Malaysia.

This follows the signing of a development agreement between Berjaya Corporation Bhd (BCorporation) and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc on Aug 8.

BCorporation through its 70% owned subsidiary Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd was granted the rights to develop and operate Krispy Kreme stores in Malaysia by Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.

BKK plans to open 20 Krispy Kreme stores in Malaysia within the next five years. The first outlet is scheduled to be opened Kuala Lumpur early next year.

More outlets will be opened in the Klang Valley followed by other major cities and towns in Malaysia. BCorporation is well known for developing and operating famous international food and beverage brands. It currently holds the franchise for Starbucks Coffee, Kenny Rogers Roasters and Wendy’s.

In June this year, BCorporation acquired the Papa John’s pizza franchise.

BCorporation chairman and CEO Tan Sri Vincent Tan said the addition of Krispy Kreme will strategically complement and widen his company’s existing food and beverage operations.

“We are delighted to enter into a franchise relationship with Krispy Kreme and be part of its international expansion in Asia,” he said.

“Krispy Kreme is very popular in Japan, South Korea and the Philippines and we expect Krispy Kreme to do well in Malaysia as well,” he added..

Krispy Kreme doughnuts, made from a secret recipe since 1937, appeal to people from all walks of life. Its signature hot Original Glazed® doughnut allows one to have a “melt in the mouth” experience. There are approximately 490 Krispy Kreme stores in the United States, Australia, Canada, Hongkong, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, the Philippines, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Jeff Welch, the senior vice-president and general manager of Global Franchise Operations and Development for Krispy Kreme said it was an exciting opportunity to have a QSR franchisee like BCorporation introduce Krispy Kreme in Malaysia.

“BCorporation has significant franchise experience in Malaysia, and we look forward to working with them to share a one-of-a-kind Krispy Kreme experience with consumers in Malaysia there,” he said.




















Friday, August 08, 2008

China Olympics Opening has done me PROUD!


I am so so impressed with what CHINA did with the opening of the Beijing Olympics last nite on 080808! It was really spectacular and amazingly beautiful.


The percision of drummers, the accuracy of the dancers, the amazing vertical-running people around the globe, the music & lights and fireworks, the amazing chereography of all the people moving in unison as ONE, was breath-taking.


Here are some pictures found online which are so colorful and so beautiful. Those who came and watch the Olympics Opening last nite at my place ... we were all so proud to say.... We are Chinese! :)

Click on the pictures for a larger View!


oly9 oly85 oly83 oly81
oly80 oly8 oly7 oly6
oly59 oly58 oly57 oly52
oly51 oly50 oly5 oly4
oly3 oly22 oly21 oly20





oly2 oly19 oly18 oly17
oly16 oly14 oly13 oly12
oly11 oly10 oly1









LINKS










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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

SMS Con from Shell Malaysia

Aiyoh.. this is a super con sms received yesterday!! If u get anything like this... don't call the number!!

The SMS message states:

Maklumat! dari Shell Mlys.
Anda tlh berjaya Memenangi Caj tunai RM17.000,
Sila dial No'telipon Office
:0062 81611 24235

Penghantar : Shell Malaysia
The SMS was sent from +6281586205149




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Monday, July 28, 2008

I think Zohan Rocks!




Oooh i want to get tix to the Preview Screening of You Dont Mess with The Zohan!!

And i am really really glad that Advertlets is offering a blog opportunity! :) WOO HOO!!

Why i think Zohan rocks? Cos its Adam Sandler.. he really makes funny funny movies. Its a good destressing technique after a hard day's work, and just have a good good laugh!

Oh yes... one other reason why i am doing this ... it would be lovely to win the Limited Edition Zohan Water Gun too! :) YAYA



Synopsis of this story :
This is the story about a Mossad agent Zohan Dvir, who fakes his death so he can re-emerge in New York City as a hair stylist. He romances his clients by giving them "special services" in the back room. However, he is eventually recognized, and risks losing his newfound life and career.



Watch the Trailer below :

































And here are some funny pics of Zohan!! :)





Monday, June 30, 2008

Don't Like The Price Hike? Burn your BMW!!


In Germany a guy was so frustrated with the Fuel Increase, that he BURN his BMW 3series up! That's one crazy guy. .. should have just given us the BMW.

But then again, i guess BMW in Germany is like Proton in Malaysia :) haha