Word of good buys can go a far way, well despite the financial situation of the store actually offering the bargains. Borders UK and it’s current owners and joint administrators are currently working with the company’s management in order to attempt to sell the business as a going concern. Much of Border’s UK operations are winding down as well, and they are no longer accepting orders and transactions through its website. All stores are still open with sales up to 30% all books whilst the financial position of the Company is currently being assessed.

Borders (UK) Limited has 45 stores, 36 trading as Borders and 9 as Books Etc across the UK. They always have this typical trademark style in their stores which I always adore- a humongous store layout with all books unwrapped for browsing, just like a library with lots of browsing/seating areas often with a cafe always nearby. “Borrowing” a book home, well means of course involves purchasing it, but hey there are no due dates right?

It is just sad that they have to go, it will leave a big hole in the retail scene particularly in the small city of Cambridge. Since my visit to the store yesterday, apparently business is real good with about a third of the books already wiped out from the store. Had a chat there with the staff who were really grateful to the mass of people expressing concern on the financial situation of the company. They are all as lost in the state of things now with hope of finding a buyer for the chain of store and saving the franchise here. There is no word of the financial state of Borders in the US or back home in Singapore, but I think the situation is not as bleak as it is here, well or that I know of from home?

Vote Earth! On Saturday 28 March 2009 8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth, your light switch is your vote to climate change.

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour. Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

It had been sometime since I last wrote an entry in here. I am starting to think that maybe Facebook or Twitter may be taking over the possible hassle of blogs. But I do not think we will see the death of the blog, particularly this one as well. You may see me more relatively active on Facebook now, as I personally find it quite a neat way to keep in touch with your friends on the masses when abroad or those who do not read my blog without the need of personal emails which might give the wrong intentions otherwise.

Services like twitter are cool, though I do not use them personally despite pressure from many for me to join, I think such services are just there to satisfy the exhibitionism need of the modern wired generation. So as as shred web developer I worked with once told me: “There was Friendster, Myspace, Youtube, Multiply, now Facebook, you can’t go wrong satisfying the age of exhibitionism now on the web”. And that seems to be true, with an explosion of social networking sites saturating the web like never seen before, came the first Facebook elections, opposition online campaigns in Malaysia to various online scandals in China we see today.

Like it or not, with so much power to reach out the masses on the net now comes great responsibility- one must practice restraint. I once read chirpily on an article on the Straits Times on people who tweet or use the notorious “what are you doing now” field on Facebook as if they’ve hard wired their chain of thought right into the internet- everything from brushing your teeth in the morning to even voicing opinions or secrets that may possibility sow discord among people.

I was once asked in an interview about the compel-lance of one to blog or voice out to the world, just like you know, whether do bloggers for example see blogging as an activity only when there is a time for it or one which have to be fueled like feeding an addiction. I guess it all boils down to restraint.

Restraint is a skill I guess needs to be nurtured not only to protect the privacy of others but yours as well including your rights. Technologically wise, it’s just to easy to snap and upload any content instantly. Psychologically-wise, I guess there is still much work to be done. I recalled being asked on razor TV once on the need of self-moderation as a blogger, personally I guess it just boils down to the nature and the stand of your blog and intended audiences and your ability to handle the consequences beyond your actions. So say, if you are writing a political blog, so be it only if you can make your stand, justify them accordingly and prepare for the flak which follows. The same goes for blogs of other nature such as those requiring critique or reviews. The funny thing is that words are mighty as it is and interpretations only lie in the eyes of the interpreter. Taking Obama’s latest remark on the Jay Leno show few days ago, obviously he wasn’t making a direct comparison of his bowling score with the special Olympics, but many do not think otherwise.

Just as the saying goes “empty vessels make the loudest noise”. I ponder whether such sayings are very much applicable on the internet age now.

Got a email from the NYAA office on Sunday with regards to some rather good news (and as confirmed with a snail-mail letter few days ago), I am awarded the NYAA gold award! After 2 long months of waiting anxiously after the interview, finally, I can come to rest with the news of the award! I’ve made it!

The National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) is a prestigious award as accredited as an international award by the The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards. There are bronze and silver categories in which younger students and youths alike can start and move on to higher levels, undertaking for challenges which each passing “DIY” goals through various sections (5 in the gold). The Gold standard is the highest one can achieve in the program.

Looking back, I’ve came a very long way in the award, almost 3 years in fact. I never saw the public-spirited side of me clear enough if I never took up the challenges of the award and the good it did to people all around me, whether it’s a simple thing such as helping out in charity events, fund-raising, selling flags, to overseas community trips involving teaching children in rural areas to cleaning up old folks home in Medan Indonesia. These activities left me the deepest impression of the award and it will definitely be a way of life for a long time to come.

Besides inculcating discipline to accomplish all sections on time, it is the “DIY” factor and the openness of the award which I found rather commendable- it made the award a supplementary to daily activities- one which requires planning, responsibility and yet being so flexible for youths to undertake it from all walks of life. For me, the award is really a “do or miss” thing, considering that this year is the last year I am able to qualify for it. I am glad I got it.

The awards presentation will be held in early October, with the awards given out by President S R Nathan and accompanied by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development and Chairman NYAA Advisory Board during the whole ceremony.

Will be looking forward to it!

The Singapore Blog Awards prize presentation was on tonight. Held within the private confines of the Asian civilization museum, the place is one nice neat fortress which I always zip by, but never had the opportunity to explore, till tonight. Upon reaching there, a marshal, well, all decked in the Omy’s iconic colour of pink, directed us bloggers up to the 2nd floor where the event is held. It’s in one of the function rooms with a balcony access with a neat view of the the CBD skyline, a rather nice setting indeed.

The organizers were rather good in keeping the results secret till tonight, though there we some tell-tale signs of who won by the arrangement of the names on the guest registration list. Nevertheless, as promised, there was a scrumptious buffet spread- the food quality was excellent with reference to catered food, the fish and chicken chunks were superb. The event took an open room concept which allowed all the guests to mingle and network freely before the event commencement at around 8pm.

Asian civilization museum

The event grounds

Singapore’s best design!

Met many new acquaintances including Pamela Wildheart, Ding An the director of the Kallang roar movie. Jack Neo, and guest judges Kelvin Tong, Man Shu Sam, Kup Jian Hong were there as well. Got to meet Bryan from Bryan’s Angel’s who popped by the event as well. Saw Samantha as well as few other bloggers (greatest apologizes if I didn’t get your name nor list you here) which we chatted for a while. Got interviewed by Razor.TV who were there interviewing bloggers, there was another one too by the OMY crew (Singapore Press holdings), SPH print, as well as My paper reporters who are there. Man there were so many things to do and I was out of namecards even before the event ended!

The award categories were listed one by one with all the award winners announced in each category with each passing go. I was awarded the Best Design award and unexpectedly, the Popular Choice award as well. Wow doubles!!

Besides receiving countless blinding camera flashes, winners will also get an array of gadget prizes which for my part is a laptop and phone, I will be looking forward to selling and donating part of the proceeds to the President’s Challenge Charity. Winners will receive on top an award certificate and a rather adorable tripod trophy crafted by Artist, poet, author, linguist and philosopher, Tan Swie Hian himself. The trophy itself is rather unique unlike a conventional one, many exclaimed it to look like a mini bowl/cup which could actually serve a practical purpose (well not that I am actually going to test it).

With the exception of Tan Swie Hian’s engraved name on itself, the thing I noticed is that there are no personalized names on the trophy which could prove a challenge accounting for in the future. After some feedback, to any layman, the trophy may look like any decorative cup, but I guess beauty, (like art) will lie in the eyes of the beholder. Including me, this trophy will have a true meaning to any of the award winners there tonight.

If you were to followup my past articles on virtual map (aka the peeps who run the streetdirectory.com web portal) being shut down by the SLA Singapore Land authority after breaching copyrights, only to be revived back online only to be left without it’s maps after being denied it’s appeal to get back up into operations. Got a tip of from Virtual Map PR recently that the website is back now online with its maps! Ya! no more messing around trying to make the dumb and ridged SLA maps services work for me.

The site is now owning by the company which created JobsDB, so it’s not owned by virtual map anymore, but 10 of the senior staff previously from virtual map had joined the present website team. Dissecting the site, the interface is largely the same, so no revamp of the current site design, only with the functionality of the maps back online and running. In fact it’s even better than before with dragable maps just like in google earth. Dominated throughout the site are still litters of google ad-sense advertisements which always seem to crowd and over-saturate all the pages you visit there. I will recommend a google adsense ad-blocker (firefox has few good add-ons) when visiting this site if you do not want to accidentally click on the very deceiving well-placed ads.

For those looking for directions via public transport, you are not in for anything new either- SMRT bus services are still not included in the Bus search, but the SBS and MRT ones are still good.

Now time to get finding some places!

Just as September is brining Singtel how on the heels with the first Formula one night race, looks like we are seeing a trend here here the release of the iPhone on your sunny shores (and India) in September as well. Yes you heard it right Singapore, September is the month to get it officially and legally through SingTel.

There are rumors that an estimated ten thousand iPhones will be imported into Singapore for the deal, and there may be a change with Apple’s tight policy of monopolizing only on selected carrers, so as told by Apple’s chief operating officer Tim Cook- Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Investment Symposium on the iPhone not being beholden to the one-carrier strategy used so far, even if it makes the most sense from a business standpoint. More freedom to Mac lovers?

Given that, there may be a degree of variation from country to country, so don’t be expecting the iPhone 3G to be available to M1 or Starhub telcos as of yet, it’s so far exclusive to Singtel and possibility with the phone locked to ST networks just like how AT&T had been doing it. A first to Singapore as for now? With that, there is no official word whether the phone will be available in Singapore unlocked for other telcos, though Singtel is the only official carrier to sell and distribute the phone here as of now. Its widely expected that by the time it gets out here, the iPhone will be a revised version, presumably utilizing the new 3G chipset to keep up with the competition and local network speeds here in Asia.

So Singaporeans do what you always do your country proud for, its a national sport! Start queuing up (and setting up camp) for the iPhone 3G at the Singtel comm center now!

External info links:
Review of the Apple 3G phone | Blending your iPhone 3G for starters

Whee! Shaun Chng.com has been selected in the judging round as the top 10 blogs in the competition for the Best blog design category! The voting round will open very soon the end of this month (around 30th June). I will be needing all of your support, yup you all my beloved my visitors to see the site well into the voting period! We can do this!

I will update all my site links for voting when the period opens, you won’t miss it then, so do check back and vote away!