MALAYSIA: The Best Sights, Destinations, and Experiences (ASEAN Travel)

Malaysia is a popular honeymoon and holiday destination

A melting pot of thriving culture, gorgeous landscapes, filled with everything from islands to beaches to major metropolises, Malaysia is the throbbing force in the heart of South East Asia. A popular honeymoon and holiday destination, there’s lots to do and discover here, for both the laid-back traveler and the adventurous explorer

Malaysia: At a Glance

Experience the Best Attractions of Malaysia

  1. UNESCO GeoPark in Langkawi, Malaysia Luxury in Langkawi: If you are looking for a lazy, luxuriant vacation with lots of sun, sea and sand, head to Langkawi for a holiday amid beautiful surroundings, lush rainforests, mysterious mangroves and an abundance of wildlife and marine creatures in this archipelago of 99 islands, which is also a designated UNESCO GeoPark.
  2. Snorkel in Perhentian, Malaysia Hippie Hideaway: Lying off the northeast coast of peninsular Malaysia, Perhentian is a veritable haunt for backpackers and wandering artists. The waters here are clear, so much so that you can snorkel straight off the beach and still see a wide array of marine creatures. If you are feeling a little more active, you can hire a boat and spend a day swimming with sharks and turtles, then hit the beach bars in the evening.
  3. Rich Marine Life in Tioman, Malaysia Picture-perfect Tioman: Used as a backdrop in the musical South Pacific, Tioman is known as one of the exquisite islands in the world on account of its tear-topography, rich marine if and blue waters. Its natural beauty, countless kinds of and sea creatures are only a few of Tioman’s many charms.
  4. Pangkor Laut Resort, Malaysia Place to Indulge: A little indulgence is in order on every holiday and you cannot get better than Pangkor for just that. The Pangkor Laut Resort is set amid a rainforest and you will be surrounded by lapping water, white sand, and stunning Emerald Bay during all your pampering.
  5. Sipadan Turtle Tomb, Malaysia Underwater Art: Rising 600 meters from the seabed and formed by living corals growing on an extinct volcano over thousands of years, Sipadan hosts all manner of beautiful marine life. Home to 3,000 species of fish, including sharks, rays and parrotfish, the pearl of this region is the famous Turtle Tomb, located in an underwater labyrinth.
  6. Penang, Malaysia Food & Fusion in Penang: A unique mixture of east and west and deliciously flavorful cuisine makes Penang a great spot for visitors. It is known for sandy beaches, monuments, historical and cultural discoveries, and oodles of old-world charm.
  7. Redang Archipelago, Malaysia White Sands: Forming a marine park of nine islands off the eastern peninsular Malaysian state of Terengganu, the Redang archipelago is the perfect summer destination, with pristine beaches and inviting waters. For a change from the perfectly preserved coral and smooth sands, Redang has plenty of interesting wildlife, including deer and monitor lizards.
  8. Sibu Island, Malaysia Island Getaway: If you are looking for a few days away from the cities, Sibu Island beckons. An idyllic holidaymakers’ paradise, Sibu offers quiet beaches, resorts, and lessons in diving and snorkeling for the amateur water-baby.
  9. Legoland in Johor, Malaysia No Kidding About: Give your little ones (and yourself) a special treat and pencil in some time for the very cool Legoland that is opened in Johor. Your day will go by before you know it! The resort opened on 15-Sep-2012 with over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions.
  10. Asam Laksa, Malaysia's Favorite Dish Going Sour: A sour fish soup, asam laksa is one of Malaysia’s favorite dishes. Asam (or asam jawa) is the Malay word for tamarind. The main ingredients are shredded fish, cucumber, onions, red chilies, pineapple, lettuce, and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with rice noodles or vermicelli, and topped with a sweet shrimp paste.

Consequences of Organizational Commitment Level for Individual Employees and an Organization

Consequences of Organizational Commitment Level

Like various social groups at different times throughout history, organizations and corporations developed distinctive cultures.

Organizational culture is the entirety of socially transmitted behavior patterns that are typical of a particular organization or a company. Organizational culture encompasses the structure of the organization and the roles within it, the leadership style, the prevailing values, norms, sanctions, and support mechanisms, and the past traditions and folklore, methods of enculturation, and characteristic ways of interacting with people and institutions outside of the culture (such as customers, suppliers, the competition, government agencies, and the general public).

Consequences of Organizational Commitment Level for Individual Employees

  • Low Organizational Commitment: Potentially positive consequences for opportunity for expression of originality and innovation, but an overall negative effect on career advancement opportunities
  • Moderate Organizational Commitment: Enhanced feeling of belongingness and security, along with doubts about the opportunity for advancement
  • High Organizational Commitment: Greater opportunity for advancement and compensation for efforts, along with less opportunity for personal growth and potential for stress in family relationships

Consequences of Organizational Commitment Level for the Organization

  • Low Organizational Commitment: Absenteeism, tardiness, workforce turnover, and poor quality of work
  • Moderate Organizational Commitment: As compared with low commitment, less absenteeism, tardiness, turnover, and better quality of work, as well as increased level of job satisfaction
  • High Organizational Commitment: Potential for high productivity, but sometimes accompanied by lack of critical/ethical review of employee behavior and by reduced organizational flexibility

Companies need to engage their employees to capitalize on emotional energy and consistently achieve higher levels of performance than their competition. It’s critical for leaders to do their best to gain effective commitment, and reduce their teams’ reliance on continuance and normative commitment, so that they lead teams of employees who feel passionate for their roles in the organization.

The Guru-Shishya Parampara: Oral Tradition of Education in India

The Guru-Shishya Parampara: Oral Tradition of Education in India

Verse 5 of the Advayataraka Upanishad states,

The syllable gu means shadows (darkness)
The syllable ru, he who disperses them.
Because of his power to disperse darkness
the guru is thus named.

Essentially, a guru is someone who leads the student from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. Although this characterization is an interpretative definition rather than an etymological definition, it suggests the figurative the emblematic power of the guru—the honored preceptor at the heart of traditional learning in the Indian culture.

The vast body of knowledge in ancient India was oral in nature. The Vedas, the Upanishads, and the other religious texts were imparted for many generations by word of mouth; only later were these ancient texts committed to the written word.

The oral tradition in India necessitated a living representative—the guru—who both personified and transferred the time-honored knowledge. Since the Vedic times, it was typical for a father to impart his scholarship to his son, thus propagating the age-old knowledge via parampara, signifying lineage, progeny, uninterrupted row or series, succession or tradition.

The principal elements of the oral tradition in India are:

  • the guru (the teacher)
  • the shishya (the student)
  • the parampara, the conduit of knowledge in which the guru and the shishya discrete participants in a tradition which extends across generations.

Oral traditions for imparting knowledge are still in vogue in India today. Unsurprisingly, particular sciences and arts lend themselves such diffusion through direct contact between the teacher and taught. Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine, is still taught through traditional teaching methods. Ancient Indian legends, fables, and myths come vividly to life grandchildren hear their grandparents recount them. By the same token, drama, theater, dance, and classical music depend on the ability of the masters to nurture these arts in the subsequent generations.

BRUNEI: The Best Sights, Destinations, and Experiences (ASEAN Travel)

Best Sights of Brunei

Rich in oil, yet oozing with unspoilt charm, Brunei is too often dismissed by travelers. Nestled between the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, Brunei is almost entirely covered by pristine tropical rainforest with vibrant cultural landscapes that’s just waiting to be explored

Brunei: At a Glance

Experience the Best Attractions of Brunei

  1. Sultan Omar All Saifuddien Mosque, Bandar Seri Begawan Heavenly Beauty: With a dome made of pure gold, imported marble from Italy and a man-made lagoon, the Sultan Omar All Saifuddien Mosque is the pride of Bandar Seri Begawan. The mosque is visible from anywhere in the city, and the view from the top of the main minaret is enough to make you believe in heaven. At night, the mosque is lit up, literally illuminating its splendor!
  2. Diving in Brunei near Bandar Seri Begawan Dive Right In: Some of the best diving sites in the world are located off the coast of Brunei. The good news is, most of them have not been discovered yet. As an explorer, you therefore gain access to serene, clear waters, unspoilt reefs, and marine life and discover a few shipwrecks all on your own before the crowd gets wind of them.
  3. Pasar Gadong night market, Bandar Seri Begawan Midnight Feast: You are on holiday; you should be able to eat anytime you feel like it. Indulge those annoying nighttime hunger pangs at the Pasar Gadong night market. Choose from a tempting array of kebabs, seafood, and noodles, or taste a bit of all if you cannot make a choice. The food here is delicious and very affordable, and it will be hard to tear yourself away from all those tasty treats.
  4. Ambuyat, Brunei's national dish Eat What?: Ambuyat, Brunei’s national dish, may raise a few eyebrows, but its fun to eat and even more fun to share. The dish is starchy and rather glue-like and is made from the sago palm, but its flavor comes from the cacah, or the variety of dips used to eat it with.
  5. Kampong Sungai Matan, Homestay in Brunei Get Bucolic: Go back in time and discover the roots of Brunei, its time-honored traditions and rituals showcased through a homestay in a Bruneian village. The residents of Kampong Sungai Matan will be delighted to have you as a guest and will gladly share their way of life with you, demonstrating cooking methods, local customs, and arts and crafts and how to fish like a true Brunei native.
  6. Ulu Temburong National Park, Sunrise Safari Early Bird: Get yourself out of bed early for a sunrise safari through the Ulu Temborong National Park. This is a lush spot with more than a few mischievous monkeys you will need to watch out for. The view from the top of the 60 feet canopy, and the active local wildlife are worth waking up for.
  7. Kampong Ayer, World's largest water village, Bandar Seri Begawan Life on the Water at Kampong Ayer: The pulse of Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Kampong Ayer is the world’s largest water village, having been inhabited for an impressive 1,000 years. Get yourself a water taxi and go meet the locals in their stilt houses, set amid an array of wooden boardwalks and bridges.
  8. Royal Regalia Museum, Bandar Seri Begawan Wealth of Art: The Royal Regalia Museum gives you a glimpse of what life in the lap of luxury looks like. You will see treasures and ceremonial costumes from the Sultan’s own collection.
  9. Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan Meet the Royals: The end of Ramadan heralds the festival of Hari Raya, Brunei’s biggest celebration of the year. During this time, the Sultan and his family throw open the doors of their palace and greet people in person. While you are getting friendly with the royals, you can also take a long look at Istana Nurul Iman, the largest residential palace in the world.
  10. Empire Hotel and Country Hotel, Bandar Seri Begawan Live among the Stars: The Empire Hotel and Country Hotel will astound you with its opulence. With a shopping arcade, a cinema, a private beach, and a golf course, among others, on the grounds, it is worth a visit even if you are not staying here. Fun fact: The Emperor Suite here has hosted both Prince Charles and Bill Clinton, and has carpets flecked with real gold!

Warren Buffett, the Mattress Salesman at Nebraska Furniture Mart

One of the traditions at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meetings is an hour-long light-hearted movie show. In fact, the “movie” is a collection of video clips some of which showcase commerials and skits from Berkshire Hathaway’s vast array of businesses, some featuring Buffett-comedy, surprise celebrity features, and so on, often to wild laughter among the crowd.

'Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything' by Warren Buffett with Carol Loomis (ISBN 1591845734) In 2013, the Berkshire Hathaway video started with a cartoon version of Dancing with the Stars with Warren Buffett and partner Charlie Munger as judges. After the judges dismissed every contestant, including Dairy Queen and the Geico Gecko, the judges themselves won the contest by dancing to the Gangnam Style. The 2013 movie also had clips of Warren Buffett and Fortune Magazine’s Carol Loomis appearing on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart to promote “Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything”. A humorous debate over “ketchup” vs. “catsup” from the sitcom King of Queens highlighted Berkshire Hathaway’s buyout of H.J. Heinz Company (in partnership with Brazil’s 3G Capital.)

In recent years, the “movie” has also featured Warren Buffett’s opening statement to a Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on the Salomon Saga. “Lose money for the firm, and I will be understanding; lose a shred of reputation for the firm, and I will be ruthless,” warns Mr. Buffett at the end of that opening statement.

The security staff at the Berkshire Hathaway meetings forbid attendees from recording audio or video from the opening movie due to confidentiality and copyright restrictions. At the beginning of the movie, a voice-over or video recording from Warren Buffett assures appearances from “a number of people you recognize” and reminds that the celebrities work for free, at the request of the notoriously stingy Buffett. “Surprise, surprise.”

Over the years, the most popular clips in the movie feature a hilarious Warren Buffett attempting at diverse jobs in Berkshire’s businesses. Here’s one from Berkshire’s furniture business, Nebraska Furniture Mart.