I think it is great! that Mastercard has come up with an online web based tutorial on how merchants can help combat fraud and business loss as a result.  The layout and presentation is eye catching, simple and a very effective learning tool.  To learn more click here

Note however, that there are slight differences in process in the local context. For example, customers who hold chip cards must sign all transaction slips regardless of whether his/her pin was entered at the Terminal, where as they may not have to do so in the US or Europe.

Visa’s training materials seems to be merely text based and can be found here

 A Fun Guide…..

Eat Healthy

Exercise or Play Games To Stay Fit

Go On Vacations!

Sharpen your mind…….*grins*

And Never Ever lose Your Sense Of Humour

 Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine

“Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?” Now if only the Joker played magnificiently by Heath Ledger had said that, I’m almost certain that everyone would not only be able to grasp instantaneously what he meant by it but that it would make their skin crawl in the process!  What a brilliant performance! no beginning no past, no excuses, no reasons, just a pure evil mastermind. 

Then there is the complex, compelling, delightfully dark tale spun to near perfection. An outstanding casts together with the brilliant directorship of Chris Nolan, how can one ask for any more? This is one movie which you can believe all you’ve heard, the rave reviews are true!  In fact go watch it with the highest of expectations and you”ll still not be disappointed.  And if you are….well then ask yourself this question….

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

P.S. It’s more of a superhero movie for an adult, so kids under seven may not truly appreciate it the way it ought to be.

I have always found this question condescendingly offensive! Especially if the overseas calls are from the UK and the US and is the first question they ask before anything else is said. What if I were to ask them the same question? How do you think they would react? I mean come off your high horse mate! Do you believe that the rest of the world are uneducated and are ignorant of the fact that English is an International Language? Even if it is not the main official language of a country it is more often than not the second language.

Yes of course, there are a handful of people from countries that do not speak English either because they have not learnt or are just uncomfortable with it, but hey if they don’t understand English at all then how are they going to respond to that very question of yours? When I personally call a country which I suspect do not speak English, I just start off with a greeting, followed by the nature of my call and if they don’t speak English at all they will either say so in broken English or just continue to speak in their native tongue. Only then I might ask if anyone else speaks English, I never start off asking that question!

Here is a list of how I would really like to reply when asked the question, “Do you speak English?”

• Well not the way you do!
• Yes but not the Queen’s English
• What’s English?
• I’m awfully sorry but no one here understands or speaks English.
• Do you speak any other language? - *hears the list and replies* No I don’t speak those you just mentioned.
• *Hangs up the phone each time I hear that question*
• Which part of “Good morning, XXXX Company Juleslife speaking how can I help you?” was not in English?
• No but I can sound like I do

Actually the list is just too long….but you catch my drift no?

Below was extracted from a Travel Blog….

Travel Channel show host Samantha Brown doled out some travel advice in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle, and I thought this simple observation about language barriers was particularly astute: Americans’ tendency to ask “Do you speak English?” with little introduction when they’re overseas, puts distance between them and their hosts.
She told the Chronicle: “When you do that, you’re making someone feel like ‘I’m stupid. I don’t know English.’”

Her tip to avoid that? “All you say is ‘No Spanish. Do you speak English?’ You’ve created a connection. ‘I’m in your country and I don’t expect you to know my language.’”

Of course, the best solution is to learn how to say this in Spanish, or whatever the local language—learning a few simple phrases doesn’t take more than a few minutes and can be good fun, too.

But I’ve encountered plenty of fellow Americans in my travels who just don’t bother to take the time to do this. And for them, Brown’s advice should help.

Wow just read this piece of news off Reuters where an indian man got someone to impersonate his wife so that he could get away with a divorce on mutual terms.  After which he tried to get his real wife to leave the marital home!

What is the world coming to?….but you have to admit it was pretty ingenious of him…ha ha…too bad he got caught!

Click the headline for the full story - With this fake wife, I divorce thee

Here’s the thing about British humour, if you don’t get it then you probably never will and so shall perceive it to be utterly dry and a bore! However if you do get it …..well then *sings* ‘The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain!…By George you’ve got it!

Stephen Fry is extremely funny, witty, vulgar, but most of all a comedic genius! What an enjoyable read with clever twist in the end. I’ve already got the next book of his lined up……

Well my first instinct for a blog subject title was ‘Double Protection’? but after giving it some thought, I decided that that would be an unlikely answer to my query. 

You see on my way to work this morning, I noticed this lady who was wearing a white three quarter length pant walking in front of me.  Well before you start calling me an old lecher etc.  let me make it crystal that what she wore was in plain sight for everyone else to see.  In fact I got a few mobile numbers of fellow witnesses as backup.  Okay so I am kidding on the backup bit….anyhow the lady in question was wearing a translucent white pair of pants.  Nothing out of the ordinary except for the two highly visible thong and pantylines! Yup that’s right! She was wearing both!  Sorry no pics….except for the one that somehow got stuck in my head, because I was trying to understand the ‘why?’ behind it.  

I had always thought that some women wore thongs simply because they found them comfortable and at the same time wanted to avoid pantylines.  Then of course there are women too, who are always game for a little show and tell and welcome the attention.  Okay since we are at it, there are yet others who would shriek at the thought of wearing thongs (very uncomfortable for some) or at the thought of men gawking at their behinds!  But my question is are there others like this lady who would wear both at the same time? And why?

Here are some possible reasons I came up with :-

• Double Orgasmic Feeling? *points to subject title* - Some just feel sexy wearing all kinds of sexy underwear.
• Double Protection? - unlikely eh?
• Attention Seeker? - Well even if she wasn’t seeking it, she still got it….*grins*

Really cannot think of anything else……..what are your thoughts on this??

Oh and by the way I came across this interesting blog about somesone’s feelings and experience as a man wearing women’s panties! By sheer accident I can assure you!!  

A Fashion Faux Pas?

 Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss

Spectacular Visual effects complimenting an out of this world imagination! Only minor problem is that the storyline was trailing behind.  I suppose anyone who could dream up such a vivid fantasy world might find it a little trying to put it down into words let alone in a story.  Still it is decidedly a good sequel, though fans might be left a little wanting.

I have walked past their store at Marina Square practically on a daily basis as I make my way to work, and so one day I decided to stop and browse through their range of products since I was experiencing a slight skin irritation with acne near the chin area for a couple of days.  My clinique products usually take at least a week or two before I see results, so I was wondering if Living Nature was any different. 

Their prices are not exactly cheap, so I thought of just getting a smaller 20ml tube of their rescue gel just to see if was any good.  It was priced at $27 If memory serves me right, and so the saleslady was telling me that it made better sense to purchase the 50ml one since it was priced at $48.  Being skeptical as usual at this just being salestalk I insisted on just getting the smaller one to try.  That was until she squirted a tiny little bit on a cotton bud for me to try.  I felt an instant relief of sorts, and the woody naturalistic smells gave it an added punch so I ended up buying the 50ml one.

Definitely a worthwhile purchase, as the irritation totally cleared up after two days of use!  And although I have only tried one product so far, I am definitely switching to them once all my clinique products runs out.

Hmmm just found out too, that their products can be ordered online and they offer free shipping for purchases above $100.

Formulated with Manuka Oil and Honey renowned for its healing properties its a soothing fast drying gel for superficial cuts, grazes and skin irritations and blemish prone skin, suitable for all skin types.

To use: Apply as often as needed with clean hands or a cotton-bud.

Hero Ingredients: Manuka Oil and Honey for their proven anti-microbial properties.

Ingredients INCI: Aqua (water), Mel (manuka honey), Leptospermum scoparium oil (manuka oil), Sclerotium gum, Citrus grandis seed extract (grapefruit seed extract), Phormium tenax leaf juice (NZ flax gel), Tocopherol (vitamin E), Xanthan gum, Melaleuca alternifolia oil (tea tree oil)

YAY! I was rooting for her from the start and she won! In my opinion the first runner up should have been Ms. Mexico. And It was a pity that Kosovo and Japan couldn’t make it to the final five.

Congratulations Ms. Dayana Mendoza!

Click here for Hot Swimsuit Pic From Miss Universe.com