Office1000 Blog December Archive

While poor customer turnout is already a problem, there will always be the case of misbehaving employees. By 'misbehaving', I mean employees who have perhaps forgotten that they are paid to work, not to lounge or to steal or do whatever misdeed. These are people who seem to have forgotten to read their books on business ethics. A comprehensive character check can prevent your company from being invaded with this kind of people. It's quite a waste of capital, I know, if every applicant is honest (that way you'll only evaluate their employment credentials) but, I guess, misbehavior is already part if human nature.

Another big headache when it comes to businesses, especially when you are into retailing, are the misbehaving "customers". Shoplifters, cheaters, and the like. It's really frustrating to contend with these people who do not realize that you're doing an honest job (you are, aren't you?), trying to make a clean business and here they are, stealing from you. This can be easily given a solution (well, not-so-easily) by installing a surveillance system all over your shop. This way erring individuals are caught.

One cannot help but think that, instead of surveillance systems, more useful items such as wall phones system can be bought, had it not been for these inconsiderate beings. It's a sentiment shared by generations and generations before us. As I've said, it's part of human nature.

Establishing a business is no easy task, but with know-how, a little bit of luck, and honest employees, I'm sure you'll do good.

Similarly, I get frustrated with my workmates once they fail to be efficient in our school work. Most of the time, I end up doing everything alone. When these things happen, don't you blame yourselves for hiring someone as incompetent as your employee (or, in my case, why I end up doing school stuff with these people)? Well, work is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, but when it's time to be serious, we should all be serious. When efficiency is needed, efficiency should be delivered. When a financial report is required, a financial report should be submitted--and not an inventory.

Perhaps, in cases like this, the Human Resources Department should be in charge. I am hopeful that they can do something to remind people to be attentive. Most of the time, an employee is not attentive or stupid by nature (you hired him/her because you don't thing he/she is. Am I right?). They just need some reminding. They just need some scolding. That's the HRD's task. If they (the HRD staff) still can't manage it, then put up a traffic erasable message board in the office and let's see if they still won't get the message. Ha ha ha.

Sadly, in my case, there's no HRD that will help. :(

Having this said, we affirm the previous claim: everything counts. Every subtle measurement counts. Every AC put counts. Every fire exit put counts. Every beam holding a structure matters. In engineering and architecture, there is no room for mediocrity.

This is the reason why engineers and architects use specialized tools in making their initial sketches and finalizing their finished blueprints. Some of them look unimportant (like colored pencils and eraser shields) but, hey, they contribute a lot to the final appearance of the drawings. Without colored pencils at first, it would have been probably very very difficult to determine which is which in a sketch. Likewise, without an eraser shield, it would also be difficult to erase highly specific portions of the plan.

Sadly, not every project managers are very keen with keeping high standards, especially in Third World nations' government buildings and infrastructure. You cannot blame them, anyway, since funds are hardly there to support projects. And let us not forget that these nations' top engineers and architects are trying to make a living abroad because of greener opportunities.

If only developing nations would pay much attention to their infrastructures (and engineers/architects), development would probably be faster.

Take for instance, the computer, one of the most important inventions during the 20th century. Computers made our life easier, more efficient, grander--it made our lives better. I cannot think what would I be like if I lived in, say, the 16th century when the lightbulb has not even been invented. Those were dark days, I believe, for communication was a luxury only the nobles and governments could afford. If you were a peasant, you'd probably know almost nothing around you. Now, many people from different income brackets have mobile phones and landlines to reach one another, wherever they are.

Without digitalization, much of the processes done today would have been a lot lot more expensive--if not impossible. Yes, many would have been impossible...from big things like the Internet and global economic integration to not-so-big things like photo editing using digital cameras (though I'm sure film-lovers would like this). It would have been an inconvenient life in an unconnected world.

Some, I know, would say that they'd like the cleaner and greener world of the past--global warming and all--than the dirtier world of the present. I believe, however, that it's just a phase that we all have to go through. I believe that we can manage to pull out of this environmental disaster. End of the human race? Most probably not.

I feel lucky that we are living in a highly technological age--that we are living in an age when the territories on this planet are starting to become one. This wouldn't be possible, though, if not for the technological innovations of the past that led to where we are now--the fire of the prehistoric era, democracy and philosophy of the Greeks, the innovations of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, to the space know-how during the Space Age. The Information Era wouldn't have existed if those other phases in human history had not occurred.

You see, Coca-Cola is one of the most famous brand names around the globe and is often considered to be the symbol of American popular culture, just like McDonald's and Starbucks. This may be attributed to the company's marketing prowess. Who could ever forget, for instance, the image of that Santa Claus holding up a Coke bottle? Who could not recognize that sexy bottle? Haha. Only paralyzed men will not be exposed to their aggressive marketing schemes like sports sponsorships, and tons upon tons of advertisement (TV, print, online, and souvenir items).

However, Coca-Cola did not start out as a commercial drink. Actually, it started out as patent medicine in 1885, as people those days had thought that carbonated drinks are good or the health (we later find out that too much Coke may not be good for the health because it's exploding with caffeine, according to allegations. hehe). Actually the first formula of Coca-Cola contained nine milligrams of nicotine for every glass of this drink. This lasted until 1904 when it was replaced by a non-nicotine extract of the coca leaves.

Despite this well-known fact about its former formula, no-one outside the company exactly knows the present formula of that oh-so-addicting beverage. Popular myth tells us that only two executives know the formula and each of them knows only half of the formula. But, I guess, that is just corporate myth. Who cares, anyway, as long as Coke tastes good?

Perhaps, if the marketing monster of Coke won't die out, this brand name will forever go on not only in American history, but in world history as well. If that monster will die out, however, then students of the next next generation will just see pictures of that sexy bottle printed on their textbooks. Ah. That's a sad thought.

In the meantime, however, let's just enjoy that marvel of a beverage that is Coca-Cola. Cheers!

(Get Coca-Cola novelty items plus other novelty items here at Office1000)

I know that this is not a new story (and I do not know myself, anyway, why I am writing this). We all experience this sleeping phenomenon, don't we? 24 hours, it seems, is not enough for us to accomplish all our tasks.

And so, when we our out of sleep and we have to get up early tomorrow for another day of work, to whom do we turn to? When we have subconscious sense of time, who do we ask for help? If we simply can't just get up at 6 in the morning, who do we need to do the waking for us? The alarm clock, of course!

The clock. The alarm clock. The clock. The digital alarm clock. Gone were those days when humans had to use sundials to know what time is it. it was useless, come to think of it, during nighttime as there is already no sun. Gone were those days when ordinary humans had to go and look at the moon and the stars to know if a year or a month--hey! I thought we're talking about clocks and not calendars. Oh well.

The point is, what do you think will happen today if alarm clocks were not invented? Assume that despite all the ingenious inventions man has created, we are still stupid enough to not think of alarm clocks. Probably, everybody would be late, so to give a solution to this, office work will be moved to later times like, say. 1 in the afternoon! Oh, I'd love that to happen, wouldn't you?

All these computer-based activities causes a lot of stress (yes, stress). Well, it's stressful to the eyes, for one, as you are constantly exposed to the radiation of the computer monitor. You'll look at your reflection in the mirror and be surprised that your eyes are already bloodshot.

Aside from the stress that these activities incur, let us not forget that typing for hours and hours bring nothing but strain and pain to our hand and wrist muscles, causing our hands and wrists to pain horribly. Luckily, I haven't experienced pain to the hellish degree, but I am sure that I'll experience that if I keep on going like this.

Are you experiencing this torture? What should you do? Well, the best remedy, of course, is to turn your computer off and rest. You are torturing your muscles. They need to relax. You need to relax. Just keep it cool (as if I'm keeping it cool).

if you can't really be stopped and you have decided to continue your day-long affair with your computer monitor, then you should have at least some kind of wrist support to, well, support your muscles in that area.

But, then again, the best solution is always to change into your pajamas, jump to that bed and snooze.

If there is anything the Simpson family boasts about, it is living a life that is out of ordinary with members who can be categorized as dysfunctional.

The most famed family on the globe, even beating the first family of America or the monarchy clan of England, made its debut on TV on April 19, 1987. Matt Groening, the creator of the longest primetime animated series which has won 23 Emmys, confessed on basing it to his personal life. The Simpson family consists of Maggie, the cutest of the bunch; Lisa, the intelligent and talented daughter; and Bart the menacing first born completes the brood of the tree. The family won’t be complete without the mother, Marge, who is probably considered as America’s most loved heroine on any series. She is able to put up with the demands of her children, attend to the needs of her needy husband and still keep the home ’spik n’ span’. The Simpsons probably would not be ‘the Simpsons’ without the family’s very own crest, their father Homer. Voted once as the sexiest man in America, Homer is the typical middle aged middle class worker with his overweight body, sudden outburst of emotion and craving for donuts. His personality and low yet creative intelligence quotient made him a hit to everyone, with his famous ‘D’oh!’ expression being included in the Oxford English Dictionary.

The Simpsons had all the right ingredients that made it last for the past years, factors which other animated family series such as American Dad, Family Guy and others desperately tries to imitate. It is in this cartoon series that audience come to realize that during tough times, the only people who would not leave you is your family. It reflected the devotion of their parents to their children and how sometimes words are not needed to express their love to them. Even if Homer acts like he only cares for his yummy donuts and his precious television, he showed more than once that he is willing to give up the luxuries of his life for the sake of his family. The Simpson couple also showed true love that survives the test of time and trials that married individuals go through. The family more than anything symbolizes a ray of hope that even amidst the imperfections of humans and life itself, a sanctuary can still be found and be considered as home.

(Get The Simpsons novelty items here at Office1000. See the Simpsons telephone? We also have a lot of other novelty phones here.)

It's the most creative and ingenious production that Walt Disney ever created and sought-after brain thought by other production companies. The Academy Award winning character, Mickey Mouse, came to life on 1928 and became an icon of the Walt Disney Company and in the cartoon industry. The hunted love interest of the billion dollar mouse was Minnie Mouse, a fashionable rat who instantly made an appeal with the audience. On 1931, Mickey adopted a companion who became permanent in the series, even considered as Man’s Best Friend--Pluto. He showed the world that dogs too could create a perfect tandem with a mouse. Donald Duck the anthropomorphic bird who is known for his short temper and identifiable voice in the industry joined the crew on 1934. The saying goes that only a woman could tame a wild man is true as Daisy Duck was introduced in the gang by the Walt Disney Company. Her sophisticated style balances out the tempered behavior of her lover, Donald. Even screen heroes have their own confidante so, to complete the ensemble, Goofy was then added by the company. A popularized character for his flawed personality and clueless antics, together the Mickey and Friends label came to be.

The cartoon group showed the world the meaning of friendship and how it can make your world a better place to live in. It reflected that even the famous icons need others to fill the void in their lives. Together, the gang made more sense and created a bigger impact to the audience. Collectively they became a loved sensation of numerous individuals of all ages from different parts of the globe. The relationship that a mouse, a duck and a dog have all formed would certainly be a bond that would last for decades.

(Get Mickey Mouse and Friends novelty items and computer headsets through which Donald may sing here at Office1000.)

To individuals whose work is related to going to wet and dry markets, it is really of big help. You can bring your hand trucks every time you're going to the market. The purpose of bringing it along is you can buy everything you need without worrying about the hard time of carrying everything all alone. With the hand truck, you'll just have to tie your big basket and presto! you will just load and load everything you'll buy. It is not stressing because you will just let the hand truck to carry it for you. All you need to do is just pull it away. Just try to have one of these and you will surely agree with me.

To travelers with loads of baggage, you can just tie up all your bags in it--which includes all your personal stuff, work-related stuff, files, computer, headsets--practically everything you'll bring during your flight. And they fit your car trunk, perfectly, too.

the only drawback, I guess, is the bulk of a size it creates but, hey! it's foldable!