SIMPLICTY@gombui.net

Measuring Training ROI

A week after having the fish spa experience (see previous post) I was back in KL again for a work related matter.  Actually I was there again to attend a course on measuring training return on investment (ROI).  The course was held in the newly opened Gardens Hotel & Residence at MidValley City. There were only 12 participants for the masterclass level course conducted by Mr. David Simmonds a principal lecturer in HRM for the University of Wesminster. Mr Simmonds’ passion is in training and learning with the desire of improving training using quality methodologies.  This course completes (so far) my series of learning regarding HRD.

Apart from the knowledge and insights gained, I managed to network with other HRD executives from organisation like Bank Negara, TNB, RapidKL, Bank Muamalat and Sime Darby.  I regard this as the intangible benefit from attending such course whom the participants you don’t know to begin with.

I have learned that when it comes to training, it is important to establish measurements standards so that the organisation can know the benefits/impact/ROI when employees go for training.  Knowing the ROI justifies the investments/spendings for HR development.  But measuring and gathering data are easily said than done.  This course teaches one to specify evaluation objectives, set measurements, gather data and calculate the ROI. Fun if you’re passionate about training.

Fish Spa Experience

Last weekend I was off to KL to accompany my wife who underwent her regular review at KLGH.  On Friday night, instead of going to Low Yat supposedly to find for some cat5e keystone jack, we instead went to one of the many massage parlours along Jalan Bukit Bintang.  We noticed there’s something different at the one we use to frequent.  Now they have a fish spa.  So are most of the parlours there…it seems that fish spa is now a trend.

Anyways, what is a fish spa?  If you heard of the fish called Garra Rufa or also known as doctor fish, then that’s basically it.  The spa provides tubs filled with warm water and in it are these Garra Rufa fish.  These fishes seems to have a liking to dead skin.  So you can imagine dozens of these fishes nibbling at your heels literally.  The feeling?  Well, it’s a ticklish(?)  experience.

Wikipedia - Doctor Fish

Insurance Planning

The other day I bought a book titled “Insurance Planning Guide For Malaysian” because I need to understand insurance further.  Currently I have at least three life insurances, one annuity scheme, a few PAs and one Medical card.  When I signed up for these insurance schemes I wasn’t really well versed into what insurance is all about…basically my objectives were for savings and protection for my dependents.  I didn’t regret buying though but perhaps I need to read more so that I know what I had gone into.  It’s a little too late you might say..but at least I’ll understand better about the types of insurances and the benefits.  Knowing to compare whole-life insurance and term life insurance is important so that your objectives for having an insurance are met.

Basically whole life insurance provides longer protection at the cost of more premium. Whereas term life provides large amount of protection for someone who has limited funs.  However for term life, there is no cash returns once the insurance expires.

Anyways the book tells alot more stuff that is useful. Recommended for people who are unsure about insurance.

Barack Hussein Obama wins!

In an unprecendented turn of events but yet expected, Barack Hussein Obama won US Presidential race last Tuesday beating John McCain.  This is truly the jackpot that any presidential hopeful would want to win.  Obama’s win is a first for African-Americans.  It is indeed a great win for all colored minorities in the US. What is unique about Obama is that..he’s not really full-blooded black.  His maternal mother is white caucasian.

Perhaps the movie and TV industry has prepared the American people for the first black president. In Deep Impact we’ve seen Morgan Freeman as the president.  Then in the TV series 24, the US President was characterized by Dennis Haysbert.  But the real first black president in the movies was actually portrayed by James Earl Jones in the 1972 flick, The Man.

Another fact that is interesting is that his half-sister Maya Soetoro is married to a Sabah-born Canadian Chinese, Dr. Konrad Ng.  So Obama has some distant ties with Sabah.  Is that significant?  I’m not sure.  I bet now they will bestow a “Datukship” to Dr. Ng…..ala Datuk Shah Rukh Khan.

On a darker side, Obama is the 44th US President who won on November 4, was born on August 4.  As far as I know…chinese do not like this number.  In  highrise building built by superstitious chinese…you may never find the 4th floor. Is this ominous of something bad to come?  I hope not.

Anyways…congratulations to Obama…I’m sure he’ll bring CHANGE.

Winning the Jackpot

Ben posted this entry on the recent record RM20million payout on the Toto 6/52 lottery.

I’m not a lottery junkie but most of the time I can’t help dreaming about winning the jackpot myself.  Anyways…the comments thread on Ben’s entry made me want to share a few so called “inspiration” :-

1. While driving a piece of paper flew onto my windshield and got stuck at the wipers. It was within reach of my sister who was on the left side.  On it were some numbers…I think a 4 digit number.  I jokingly said…maybe we should by 4D…which I didnt.   On that  Wedneday STC draw….my car plate no…came out first prize.

2. My cousin’s car no is 8778 while I was in KL with him.  When I returned home to sabah…on the way home…I saw a car with no plate 8778.  A few days later I saw the same no on a different car.  I didn’t buy any ticket…though I had the urge. If you check the stats…you will see this number was up a few times.

3. A couple of years ago, one of the ministry’s 4wd vehicle suddenly caught fire.  A fire engine was called in to douse the fire.  Then I noticed that the fire truck had the same plate numbers but a backward image of the number on the 4wd vehicle.   I told one of my staff who was a 4D junkie about it and suggested he buy the number.  Unfortunately he only bought the number from the 88 outlet.  One of the numbers won Special on STC on the same draw date.

4. While driving to church, I saw another vehicle with backward numbers of our new viva plates then. I told my wife…maybe we should pau our viva’s plate number that day.  Unfortunately we didn’t get to buy the number cos’ we were so influenced by the preacher’s sermon about God’s providence and contentment in life..haha.  The next day…one of the permutations won consolation.  Sure win if we had pau’ed the number.

5. When my wife was pregnant, she dreamt a weird dream when summed up contains the plate no. of her former car.  As usual we didn’t buy any tickets.  It was up for consolation that week

So did these “inspiration” make me want to be a lottery junkie?  No.  Personally I just don’t like the feeling when I didn’t win any besides the waste of money. But it’s still fun to dream though..haha.  One of those dreams was to have our own home theatre complete with home theatre seating for 50 people…hehe…in my dreams.

Having your favourite beer while watching football

I’m not really a die hard football fan but I do admire greatness, including football.  In my book of football greats, Maradona is among the best of the best of football players.  Whenever he’s on the field…it’s as if the the ball responds to his every move to a point where football is no longer a game but an art.

Well you can catch football greatness on the recently launched Carlsberg web-tv called partofthegame.tv.  Here you have the chance to watch football right on your browser via web tv.

Beaten up for failing to propose!

The most bizzare story I read this week. In Pahang, a 57-year old man beat up his wife for failing to propose another woman in her 30’s to be his second wife.  Fancy asking your wife to propose another woman for you.  I just don’t get it!!  The reason for her failure was that the potential candidate was already married.  The man works as a security guard and a Rela volunteer but yet does not have the guts to do the proposal himself.  Anyways he threatened to chop his wife with a parang and also shoot her with a shotgun.  I think the man deserve to be flogged instead.

The wife ran to her son’s house before lodging a police report.

The story in full on The Star.

Air Dance

Yes that’s exactly what it is.  Dancing on Air.  My siblings and I were on our way back from Kota Belud’s Tamu Besar last Sunday. On the way we saw a tractor ploughing a paddy field.  There were many white egrets waiting for food opportunities from the churned wet ground of the paddy field.  Then I spotted a couple of egrets doing somewhat an air dance.  It looks as if they were dancing or just a playful act of rivalry.  Anways..here are the cropped pictures I took.

Skies over Beringgis

We had our annual department retreat cum workshop at Beringgis Beach Resort for three days beginning last Thursday.  It was the usual format except for the incessant rain we experienced from the first day.  Consequently, the rain caused some unexpected flooding at the resort.  At end of the second day all participants had to hike up their skirts and trousers just to get to their rooms. I had expected to have good sunset shots but was treated instead by dark and angry skies.  Nevertheless…bright pictures aside…I took some exposures for some HDR shots. I could’ve stayed out longer..but the it started to rain.  Here’s the result.

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BIM2008 - Gallery of Pics

The pictures taken during the Borneo International Marathon 2008 is now up for viewing at the gallery.  I took so many but only put up selected ones.

click here for the gallery.