Bloggerwave is a new Europe based paid-to-blog site. Compared to Payperpost, which arguably the most well-known paid-to-blog site on the Net, from what I have seen so far, bloggerwave has several advantages. First, Bloggerwave allows you up to 5 blogs approved at any one time. In Payperpost, last time I checked, you can only submit one blog, and can only add a second blog once you have 10 approved posts. I submitted 3 blogs to Bloggerwave and all were approved quickly.

More opportunities are coming up, so check it out!

The Star reported on 25th May 2007 that Expatriate Lifestyle has done a survey on 300 expats in Malaysia between December 2006 and March 2007. It should reflect the general trend among the estimated 100,000 expatriates in Malaysia. Combined with the Expatriate Lifestyle Media Information 2007 (link below), the findings include:

• They earn an average RM31,774 per month (household income). 36% earn between RM30,000 and RM40,000 per month, while 28% earn more than RM40,000 per month. That means almost two thirds earn at least RM30,000 per month. At the lowest end of the scale, 2% earn between RM5,000 and RM10,000 per month - perhaps this applies to the below 25 yrs of age group (there are 2% of them).
• Most are from European (non UK) countries (29%) followed by the US (22%) followed by Australia & NZ (16%) followed by UK (13%) followed by Japan (10%).
• Most are in senior management (22%) followed by middle management (19%). 13% are retired.
• There are more females (53%) than males.
• 62% of them have lived here for more than 3 years - more are staying in Malaysia long-term, due to comparatively low cost of living, culture, tolerant society and travel and living opportunities
• 43% owned their own homes
• 67% who do not yet own property plan to do so soon
• Average age: late 30s - getting younger than ever
• 79% bought their own cars; more than 6 in 10 still wanted to buy another, probably as a second car for their partners
• 73% went to bars more than once a week
• 44% were members of clubs and or societies
• 20% eat out every night
• 50% travelled more than 6 times for business and 6 times for pleasure annually
• they have a combined household income of about RM3.5 billion per month
• they would make 5.2 million shopping trips by end of this year
• they would buy 60,000 cars and homes within the next 2 years

Sources

• The Star
• Expatriate Lifestyle Media Information 2007 (pdf)

Pada April 2007, blog smartusaha.com menceritakan dengan panjang lebar kisah 4 orang usahawan tempatan yang gagal, dan apa iktibar yang kita boleh perolehi daripadanya.

Secara ringkasnya:

Usahawan 1: tidak tahu-menahu hal teknikal. Semua berharap pada orang lain. Akhirnya bermasalah besar; paling teruk: cara promosi pun tidak tahu.

Usahawan 2: kemahiran teknikal asas sahaja (tidak mencukupi). Semua berharap kpd orang lain.

Usahawan 3: pernah buat 2 ebook. Ebook pertama dikritik - beliau menghapuskan ebooknya. Ebook kedua - kesilapan orang lain yang membuatkan ebooknya beralih tangan. Mempunyai sifat cepat putus asa.

Usahawan 4: patah semangat kerana kritikan dan timbul ketidakyakinan terhadap konsep e-perniagaan.

Teladan:

• Mesti ada asas kukuh komputer dan internet
• Mesti ada mentor
• Perlu faham konsep e-perniagaan (e-business)
• Motivasi perlu kuat
• Jangan buat sendiri - perlu ada partner

Artikel penuh di blog.smartusaha.com

Read in a newspaper article last month:

(i) As a parent to grown children, you can say that you will change your will every year. It’s a way to ensure the children “toe the line.”

(ii) You can create trust within the will.

(iii) A will is not just about money, it can also spell out guardianship of children.

I picked on this from the World Bank case. She was supposed to earn the amount stated above, but in reality she got 9% more. USD224K is already a lot lah - even CISSPs only earn at the top end less than USD120,000 per year.