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Tuesday 21 February 2012

Tired of Feeling Bad? The New Science of Feelings Can Help

Is your emotional style getting you down? Research finds the neural basis of your responses to life-and how you can change them.

If you believe most pop psychology, you probably assume that most of us react to life events in just about the same way—there is a grieving process, a sequence of events when we fall in love, a standard response to being jilted.

But these one-size-fits-all assumptions are not true. In decades of research into the neurobiology of emotion, I’ve seen thousands of people who share similar backgrounds respond in dramatically different ways to the same experience. Why does one person recover quickly from divorce while another remains mired in self-recrimination or despair? Why does one sibling bounce back from a job loss while another feels worthless for years? And why can one father shrug off the botched call of a Little League umpire who called his daughter out while another leaps out of his seat and screams at the ump until his face turns purple? The answer that has emerged from my research is that these differences reflect what I call Emotional Style—a constellation of reactions and coping responses that differ in kind, intensity, and duration. Just as each person has a unique fingerprint and a unique face, each of us has a unique emotional profile.

That may seem as obvious as stating that everyone has a unique personality. But personality is not grounded in identifiable neurological mechanisms; it has not been traced to specific patterns of neural activity in the brain. This is where the theory of Emotional Style breaks new ground: through neuroimaging and other methodologies, I have traced Emotional Style—and, specifically, the six components that make it up—to patterns of activity throughout the brain.

In making those discoveries, I have found that, in contrast to the longstanding scientific orthodoxy, Emotional Style arises partly from activity in regions involved in cognition, reason, and logic—functions that textbooks tell us are as unrelated to emotions as apples are to squid. That has come as a shock to defenders of the view that cognition—which many psychologists and neuroscientists consider the most exalted human capacity—and emotion (viewed as a lesser, almost animalistic trait) run on separate, mutually independent brain circuitry: the former in the “highly evolved” frontal cortex and the latter in the limbic system, which in humans is not much different from that of other animals. In showing that cognition and emotion are not so separate after all, these discoveries have rehabilitated emotion. From a behavior that was, as recently as the 1970s, studied for the most part only in rats and other lab animals, human emotion has now assumed as important a place in neuroscience as thinking.

Locating the bases of emotion at least partly in the brain’s seat of reason has several practical implications. None is more intriguing than this: it is possible to transform your Emotional Style through systematic mental practice.

It is hard to exaggerate what a break this is from the conventional wisdom in psychology and neuroscience. From the earliest days of brain mapping—determining which regions are responsible for which functions—neuroscientists traced feelings and thoughts to structures that were barely within hailing distance of each other. The limbic system deep in the brain, including the amygdala and hippocampus, seemed to be the brain’s holy terror of a 2-year-old, the site of anger, fear, and anxiety, as well as positive emotions. The frontal cortex, just behind the forehead, was the exalted thinker, where forethought and judgment, reason and volition, attention and cognition came from. As recently as the 1980s, neuroscientists focused almost exclusively on cognition and the other functions of the frontal cortex; emotions were deemed of so little interest that neuroscience left them to psychology.

The first crack in this wall came in the 1980s. The neurobiology of emotion was still a backwater, but a few scientists were beginning to pay more attention to feelings, particularly in the context of depression. Inspired by one of them, I launched experiments using electrodes to measure brain activity in people whose emotional state we manipulated in the lab. By showing them upsetting, fearful, or uplifting videos and photos, for instance, and monitoring their response, we discovered that how well and how quickly a person is able to bounce back from adversity has nothing to do with activity in what scientists identify as the brain’s emotion centers. Instead, the ability to vanquish feelings of grief, anger, or other negative emotions reflects activity in the prefrontal cortex. In this research, we found that Resilience—one of the six elements of Emotional Style—is marked by greater left versus right activation in the prefrontal cortex: a lack of Resilience comes from higher right prefrontal activation. The amount of activation in the left prefrontal region of a Resilient person can be 30 times that in someone who is not Resilient.

Almost immediately, we faced a new question: what does the prefrontal cortex do when it comes to emotion? After all, the prefrontal cortex was, and is, known to be the site of the highest of higher-order cognitive activity, the seat of judgment, planning, and other executive functions. How could it possibly play a role in a key element of our emotional lives?

One clue came from the large bundles of neurons running between certain regions of the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. The amygdala is involved in, among other things, negative emotion and distress, snapping to attention and activity when we feel anxious, afraid, or threatened. Perhaps the left prefrontal cortex inhibits the amygdala and, through this mechanism, helps to facilitate rapid recovery from adversity.

In a major experiment testing this idea, my colleagues and I fitted volunteers with electrodes to measure their brain activity and then showed them 51 pictures on a video monitor. One third of the pictures depicted upsetting images such as a baby with a tumor growing out of his eye; one third showed something happy, such as a radiant mother embracing her infant; one third showed a neutral scene such as a nondescript room. Sometimes during or after a picture, the volunteer would hear a short burst of noise that made him blink involuntarily. A large body of research had established that when people are in a negative emotional state, these blinks are a little stronger than when we are in a neutral emotional state, and much stronger than in a positive state.

What we found, in a nutshell, is that people with greater activation on the left side of the prefrontal cortex recovered much more quickly even from the strongest feelings of disgust, anger, and fear evoked by the images. From this, we inferred that the left prefrontal sends inhibitory signals to the amygdala, instructing it to quiet down. Activity in the left prefrontal cortex actually shortens the period of amygdala activation, allowing the brain to bounce back from an upsetting experience.

Thanks to MRI, we now also know that there is a second element at play: the more axons you have connecting one neuron to another between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, the more resilient you are. The less of this “white matter”—that is, the fewer the highways leading from the prefrontal cortex to the amygdala—the less resilient you are.

In other words, both prefrontal-cortex activity and the number of pathways sending calming signals to the amygdala determine just how easily a person will bounce back from adversity. Through these two mechanisms, our “thinking brain” is able to calm our “feeling” self, enabling the brain to plan and act effectively without being distracted by negative emotion—not a bad working definition of Resilience.

This is the kind of statement that makes people worry: Oh great, I must not have many connections between my prefrontal cortex and amygdala, so I’m doomed to melt into a neurotic puddle every time I experience adversity. And indeed, for decades, neuroscientists assumed that the adult brain is essentially fixed in form and function.

We now know that this picture is wrong. Instead, the brain has a property called neuroplasticity, the ability to change its structure and function in significant ways. The brains of virtuoso violinists, for example, show a measurable increase in the size and activity of areas that control the fingers, and the brains of London taxicab drivers, who learn to navigate the complicated network of streets in that city, show a significant growth in the hippocampus, an area associated with context and spatial memory. But the brain can also change in response to messages generated internally—in other words, to our thoughts and intentions. In my favorite example of how “mere” thought can change the brain in fundamental ways, scientists led by Alvaro Pascual—Leone of Harvard University had volunteers imagine practicing a simple five-finger keyboard piece over and over for a week. Result: the region of the brain’s motor cortex that controls the fingers of the right hand expanded. Thinking, and thinking alone, had increased the amount of space the motor cortex devoted to a specific function.

When it comes to your Emotional Style, we know that changes to the neural structure of brain are possible. We don’t know exactly how much plasticity the brain has, but we do know that some neurally inspired interventions—forms of mental training that target patterns of brain activity—can work. Mental activity, ranging from meditation to cognitive-behavior therapy, can help you develop a broader awareness of social signals, a deeper sensitivity to your own feelings and bodily sensations, a more consistently positive outlook, and a greater capacity for Resilience. Do you feel yourself to be too negative in outlook? Pay heightened attention to the ways in which you can be more generous and upbeat, through processes therapists call “well-being therapy.” Are you very Self-Aware, so much so that your internal chatter threatens to take over your day-to-day life? Practice observing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations nonjudgmentally moment by moment.

This practice, known as “mindfulness meditation,” is one of the most effective tools for changing our Emotional Style. In patients with depression—whom we call “Slow to Recover” on the Resilience scale—every disappointment and setback is shattering. These patients need to increase activity in the prefrontal cortex (especially on the left side), to strengthen the neuronal highways between it and the amygdala, or both. Mindfulness meditation cultivates greater Resilience and faster recovery from setbacks by weakening the chain of associations that keep us obsessing about and even wallowing in a setback. It strengthens connections between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, promoting an equanimity that will help keep you from spiraling down. As soon as your thoughts begin to leap from one catastrophe to the next in this chain of woe, you have the mental wherewithal to pause, observe how easily the mind does this, note that it is an interesting mental process, and resist getting drawn into the abyss.

If you instead wish to move toward the Slow-to-Recover end of the Resilience dimension—perhaps you find you are not taking in the pain of others or yourself carefully enough—then you need to weaken connections between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. One strategy is to focus intently on whatever negative emotion or pain you are feeling, or the pain of someone you know. This can help sustain the emotion, at least for a time, and increase activation of your circuitry that is involved in pain and distress.

The goal here is not to go from one extreme to the other: I’m not trying to change you from Slow to Speedy (or vice versa) on the Resilience scale, or from Cassandra into Pollyanna in your Outlook. Changing the patterns of activity and even connectivity that underlie the facets of Emotional Style is highly personal. It depends on what works for you.

Credit to : http://digg.com

Father-Son Lessons - The 7 Most Important Things A Father Could Teach A Son


A real man knows how to empathize but stay true to his values at the same time." 

Whether or not you have kids, you should take a minute and identify some of the core values of fatherhood. Because when you do become a dad, you'll have to pass down those values to your children.  We asked you to weigh in on the most important lessons a father can teach a son. A ton of you answered. Here are the best replies. Responses have been edited for clarity.

1. Look People In The Eye

"I tell my three boys that if you want to be taken seriously in a room full of adults, always look people in the eye when you speak to them and always shake their hand in a firm, positive manner."
-Patrick

2. Be A Loving Husband

"Let your son witness you hugging your wife daily and let him hear you telling your wife you love her. Young boys use these experiences as examples for how to model their own relationships for the rest of their lives."
-Aaron J. Zach

3. Be compassionate but not a pushover

"One of the most important things a man should teach his son is how to be compassionate but not a pushover. A real man knows how to empathize but stay true to his values at the same time."
-Peter Low

4. Be Open-Minded

"Open-mindedness. Perhaps one of the most important principles we can teach our kids is how to think for themselves so they can develop into individuals, not mini versions of their dads, as cool as that sounds."
-Daniel Pawlak

5. Don't Expect The Worst In People

"A man should teach his son to treat others with kindness and respect. Every person deserves a clean slate and a kind reception when you meet them for the first time. Whether they then damage that perception is up to them."
-Zach

6. Expect to work hard

"A man should teach his son discipline and hard work so that he can carry through and be ready for life when he grows into the outer world. These things are to be taught by way of leading by example, focusing on first things first and helping him recognize how important it is to help others."
-Bruce

7. Take Nothing For Granted

"A man should teach his son to question everything and take nothing for granted. The son should also learn to respect women and how to clean up after himself. He should teach his son to be responsible and not to take any crap from anybody."
-J.J.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com

Monday 20 February 2012

Top 10 Sexiest Mens Watches 2012

*This page features the best men’s watches on the market for 2012 – over and under $500.* Looking to treat the man you love to a special gift? Or looking to treat yourself to a nice watch?  Besides a sexy fragrance, nothing adds sex appeal to a man like a sexy watch.  A nice watch suggests class, style, sophistication… and not to mention, it’s a quick ego booster. We did some research in 2012 to find the hottest watches on the market for men.

Here are the top 10 sexiest watches for men  for 2012 ...

10 – Emporio Armani Silicone
Chrono Men’s Watch

This is one of Armani’s most popular watches – it comes in several different colors but the black is probably the most attractive.

9 – Nixon
Chronograph Men’s Watch

Nixon watches are great for casual wear. They’re rugged, masculine and super sexy.

8 – Victorinox Swiss Army Classic
Chrono Men’s Watch

You can never go wrong with a Swiss Army Classic. As the name suggests, it’s a classic.. and will never go out of style.

7 – Burberry Stainless Steel
Chrono Men’s Watch

The Burberry Stainless Steel Timepiece is an awesome choice. Something about all silver screams classy. The blue face is pretty hot, too.

6 – Movado BOLD Chrono
Chrono Men’s Watch

This is the chrono version of the new Movado bold. This style beats the signature look… hands down.

5 – Movado 800 Series
Chrono Men’s Watch

As seen on Tom Brady and Derek Jeter.. The sports studs added sex appeal to the already sexy Movado 800 series. Love it!

4 – Gucci Men’s I-Gucci
Digital Men’s Watch

The I-Gucci is Gucci’s big seller. Only Gucci can make digital …sexy.

3 – Tag Heuer Aquaracer
Chrono Men’s Watch

We love Tag watches. The Aquaracer is a popular choice. It’s sporty yet dressy and goes with just about everything.

2 – TAG Heuer Carrera
Chrono Men’s Watch

Carreras are on fire. As seen on Leonardo Di Caprio, this is one of the most popular Carreras both online and in stores. Pictures don’t it justice (the red isn’t as loud as it appears in pictures).

1 – Omega 
Seamaster Planet Ocean

The Seamaster Planet Ocean is Omega’s latest Seamaster diver watch and… it’s a big hit.

Credit to : http://www.heartbait.com

Malaysia’s Most Influential People

The influence and reach of these Malaysian personalities are far and wide and have implications and impact on people of all walks of life in this country. Welcome to the inaugural survey of Top 10’s Influential Malaysians of 2011. In this survey, we have considered Malaysians from all walks of life and of every hue and stripe. The main criteria, with the keyword being influential, are their reach and impact, dynamism, innovation, visibility of endeavours, plus the intangibles of spirit and inspiration on ordinary Malaysians. Arguably the most influential people in the land would be none other than the PM and DPM. Nevertheless, we have excluded them in this survey. Otherwise, they would be in the Top 10 list every year, without fail. That is not the main purpose of our compilation. We want to highlight ingenuity, hard work and genuine impact on Malaysian people. We hope that our Top 10 Influential Malaysians will only serve to inspire others to follow in their exemplary footsteps and they are revealed in the following pages in alphabetical order of their names.

KRU Brothers

From their humble beginnings in 1992 as a hip-hop boyband, the career trajectory of KRU (multi-talented brothers Norman, Yusry and Edry) has catapulted beyond their musical roots into an empire spanning music, movies, TV, online content, publishing, advertising and merchandising. Today, KRU studios are synonymous with award-winning films such as Cicakman, Magika and Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa. Their next epic movie Vikingdom due out in 2013 will be their most ambitious yet with a Hollywood cast and cutting-edge 3D technology.

Khairy Jamaluddin

He divides opinion like few others. His near-overnight ascent to the corridors of power under previous PM Tun Abdullah Badawi provided endless grist for the rumour mills. However, pundits who predicted a short political-life have been proven wrong. Under the Najib administration, the feisty Rembau MP is an influential force in his own right. Unafraid to wade into hot-button issues, his leadership of the BN and UMNO Youth wings will be pivotal in galvanising grassroots support for the next general election.

Datuk Lee Chong Wei

When he chose badminton over basketball at age 11, he made a life-changing decision not just personally, but for the whole nation. Eighteen years and countless major titles later, his decision has long been vindicated. Apart from being a fierce competitor, the World No. 1 is also a shrewd businessman, parlaying his on-court success into various endorsement and business ventures. If rumours are true that he plans to hang up his racket after the 2012 Olympics, Malaysia will have a pair of massive shoes to fill.

Lim Guan Eng

His journey from activist to ISA detainee to being Chief Minister of Penang has been an unlikely trek to the political summit. Spending years in political wilderness during the 90s due to incarceration, his comeback was capped by DAP’s stunning triumph in the 2008 General Election. The jury is still out on his overall leadership of Penang, but he has wasted little time implementing far-reaching changes, such as reforming the contentious tender system and enacting Freedom of Information laws.

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir

Having the Mahathir family name, arguably our most influential leader in modern times, can be a blessing or a curse. He has risen above the overwhelming weight of expectations to find his own voice in the public arena. Well-respected among political followers and foes alike, the Jerlun MP’s views are highly sought after. His formidable business experience in fibre optics and franchising is invaluable in boosting economic opportunities with his current post as Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin

The internet revolution coupled with Malaysia’s tsunami of political reform in 1998 spawned our own intrepid, muckraking web journalist – RPK. The editor of the Malaysia Today website wields enormous influence on its loyal readership base. RPK specialises in its own addictive brand of news, expose and commentaries. He trades barbs with both sides of the political divide and curries little favours. For that, he is rewarded with approximately 1.5 million hits a day. The pen – or keyboard – is indeed mightier than the sword.

Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-bukhary

Malaysia’s Kedah-born “Rice Tycoon” is a genuine rags-to-riches story. Without a gilded upbringing or education, he spent his formative years in the school of hard knocks selling meat, vegetables and roti canai. Now his wide-ranging tentacles spread across multiple business spheres. Among the jewels in his crown are DRB-Hicom Bhd, Malakoff Corp, Malaysian Mining Company, Bernas, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor Port and Bank Muamalat. For all his success, this unassuming billionaire’s lasting legacy could be the Al-Bukhary Foundation, with millions disbursed for scholarships and philanthropic programs for the poor.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes

Even by his own high standards, there are giddy times for the Low Cost King. With the recent acquisition of Queens Park Rangers, he added the English Premier League to a bewildering array of businesses which includes airlines, hotels, finance, telecommunications and Formula One. He is arguably our most outspoken and high profile CEO worldwide. Back home, Air Asia affects Malaysian lives daily having revolutionised air travel for the masses, prompting a hitherto moribund national carrier into deep soul-searching and sparking a region-wide scramble for budget airlines.

Tan Sri Vincent Tan

Our Gaming King is synonymous with Sports Toto and Berjaya Corporation, but his reach has overgrown the thousands of one-armed bandits and betting slips that millions of hopeful Malaysians engage daily with dreams of a fortuitous windfall. Ordinary Malaysian consumers will doubtless be familiar with McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Papa Johns Pizza, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Krispy Kreme, Cosway and Borders. His recent acquisition of Cardiff City F.C. will no doubt go down well with our football-mad country. Like any wily gambler, he has hedged his bets and continues to diversify.

Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar

During perilous economic times, a firm and sure hand is needed to steer the ship through choppy waters. Time and again since being appointed in 2000, our venerable Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia has provided that precious monetary and financial leadership to our country. The government places utmost faith in her guiding hands, having extended her tenure recently for five more years. The international community seems in accordance with her abilities too. She was named one of the world’s best central bank chiefs last year by Global Finance Magazine and was shortlisted this year to head the International Monetary Fund.

The Most Admired Corporate Leaders in Malaysia

Corporate leaders are shining examples of what individuals with sound management skills, dynamic leadership and vision could do in driving companies to become multimillion ringgit powerhouses. All of them have led their respective organizations to become symbols of Malaysian corporate success. Top 10 of Malaysia salutes these corporate greats in a survey that recognizes the top 10 leaders in the country today. These vibrant personalities are inspiring icons indeed and their beautiful success stories are exemplary of what great heights can be achieved when one dares to dream big.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Tony Fernandes

As the Group CEO of AirAsia Bhd, Tan Sri Tony is probably Malaysia’s most recognizable corporate figure with his trademark baseball cap. Tan Sri Tony began his career in the music industry with Warner Music. Soon he decided to leave the music industry to pursue his childhood dream of setting up Malaysia’s first low-cost airline. He mortgaged his house and pooled all his savings to acquire a failing government airline that had a fleet of only two ageing Boeing 737-300 planes and RM40 million worth of debt. The company soon grew from two planes in 2002 to a fleet of more than 86 aircraft flying more than 30 million people around the world. Tan Sri Tony’s vision in transforming an ailing airline company to become the world’s best low-cost carrier (awarded by Skytrax) is a testament to the Malaysia Boleh spirit.

Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Robert Kuok Hock Nien

Born on 6 October 1923 in Johor Bahru and educated at the prestigious Raffles Institution in Singapore, Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Kuok made his money in sugar, palm oil, shipping and property. Also known as the “Sugar King”, his Kuok Group boasts of a huge network of companies under three main holding companies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He also controls South China Morning Post, once the world’s most profitable daily newspaper. His biggest source of wealth is his stake in Wilmar, the world’s largest listed palm oil company. According to Forbes magazine in March 2011, Tan Sri Kuok’s assets are worth an incredible USD12.5 billion, making him the richest man in Malaysia.

Ananda Krishnan

Ananda Krishnan began building his multimedia empire in the early 1990s and today he owns two major telecommunication companies – Maxis Communications and Astro All Asia Network - apart from having three communication satellites circumnavigating the earth. He also owns stakes in public listed Tanjong Public Limited Company, an investment holding company with subsidiaries in power generation, gaming, leisure and property. Krishnan has a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University and is worth USD9.5 billion (Forbes magazine, March 2011), making him the second richest man in Malaysia. Now a major philanthropist, Krishnan focuses on developing Malaysia’s talent pool by funding scholarships and school programs.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Yeoh Tiong Lay

He is the founder of YTL Corporation, Malaysia’s biggest and most successful conglomerate with businesses in construction, utilities, hotels, property development and technology. It is one of the largest companies listed on Bursa Malaysia with a combined market capitalization of about RM33.5 billion (as at 31 July 2011). YTL Corporation became the first Asian non-Japanese company to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 1996. In January 2008, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Yeoh was conferred the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by the Emperor of Japan for his efforts in promoting bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan.

Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun

Born in 1952 in Batu Pahat, Johor, Tan Sri Vincent Tan is the Chairman of Berjaya Corporation Berhad. He is a businessman and entrepreneur with a suite of interests in property development and investment, gaming, stockbroking, manufacturing, trading, hospitality, internet-related businesses, utilities, media, telecommunications, insurance and education. According to Forbes 2010 Billionaire List, Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s assets are worth USD1.2 billion. In February this year, he pledged to donate half of his wealth to charity, starting with RM20 million this year. This came about because of his decision to join “The Giving Pledge” that was initiated by Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr Teh Hong Piow

Founder of Public Bank, Tan Sri Teh is currently the Chairman of the Public Bank Group, apart from holding leadership positions in various organizations in Malaysia and Singapore. He began his banking career in 1950 as a bank clerk in Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd. In 1960 he joined Malayan Banking Berhad as Manager and was promoted to General Manager at a relatively young age of 34. Tan Sri Teh then left Malayan Banking in 1966 to set up Public Bank. He has since then been the driving force behind the bank’s evolution into a modern and integrated financial powerhouse.

Tan Sri Datuk Hj Mustapha Kamal

Currently the Executive Chairman of MK Land Holdings Berhad, Tan Sri Datuk Mustapha is also co-founder of MK Land Group of Companies. The Group is noted for developing the Damansara Perdana township in Selangor. Tan Sri Mustapha graduated from University of Malaya and started his career in 1970 as an Assistant District Officer and later rose to become the Deputy Commissioner of Lands & Mines for the Selangor State Government. It was his move to Shah Alam Properties Sdn Bhd as Managing Director that provided him with the opportunity to harness necessary skills and knowledge in property development. In 1983, Tan Sri Mustapha formed the EMKAY Group of Companies.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Jeffrey Cheah

An accountant by training, Tan Sri Jeffrey is the Founder and Chairman of the Sunway Group. The Group is one of the most widely diversified conglomerates in Malaysia with core businesses in education, healthcare, civil engineering and construction, property development and investment, and many more. It is known for its flagship development, the Sunway Integrated Resort City in Petaling Jaya. Tan Sri Jeffrey is passionately involved in governmental and non-governmental organizations. His passion to improve the lives of bright Malaysian students was inspired by English clergyman John Harvard who donated his entire library of books and half his wealth to an educational institution which is known today as the prestigious Harvard University.

Tan Sri Azman Hashim

Tan Sri Azman Hashim is a well-known corporate figure in Malaysia. He is the Chairman of the AmBank Group, a position he has held since 1982. His professional experience began in Perth, Australia in the 1950s when he was employed by Messrs O.L. Haines & Co (Chartered Accountants). He then joined Bank Negara Malaysia and by 1964 he left to start his own accountancy practice. Then he joined Malayan Banking Berhad as its Executive Director. In 1980 he was appointed Chairman of Kwong Yik Bank Berhad and went on to become Chairman of the AmBank Group in 1982 till to date. Tan Sri Azman has a passion for golf and water sports like powerboats and scuba diving. He is blessed with two sons, three daughters and ten grandchildren.

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liew Kee Sin

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liew Kee Sin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SP Setia Berhad, a public listed property developer. Under the leadership of Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liew, the Group’s profit after tax rose by 163% and its dividend payout ratio grew 100%, all within a short span of five years between 2001 and 2006. Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liew began his career with a local merchant bank in 1981 after graduating from University of Malaya with an Honours Degree in Economics. After five years in the banking industry, he decided to venture into property development and developed his first project called Bukit Indah in Ampang, Selangor.

Carnivals of the World Top 10 of 2012

No.10 Mardi Gras in New Orleans
21st February 2012

This originated as a French fertility ritual. In 1699 Iberville, the French explorer, stopped on the banks of the Misissipi river and celebrated the advent of Spring as he knew his fellow countrymen were back in France doing likewise. There is no record of women attending this event, hence we may concluded this Mardi Gras was beadless :@( Today beads define this event but there are lots of other great reasons to go there like the music and parades.

No.9 Barranquilla Columbia
18th - 21st February 2012

In 2003, UNESCO declared Barranquilla's carnival to be a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Every year thousands of tourists delare Barranquilla's carnaval to be a Masterpiece of Partying. This festival is a fusion of European, African and Indian traditions. This begins four days before Ash Wednesday and reaches its climax the next Saturday during Batalla de las Flores/battle of the flowers where the colour of the Colombians come face to face in a unique battle of color, flowers, beauty, and peace. The typical carnival characters of Rey Momo, María Moñitas, and Hombre Caimán are involved in this parade as well as the carnaval queen, dwarves and large puppet heads! The following day the Desfile de la Gran Parada/the great parade takes place with torito folk dances, Garabato dancers, and the dances of the hilanderas/spinners. There is also the 84th Street Parade also known as the Funeral of Joselito Carnaval where the carnival queen dresses in black throwing flowers at everyone and mourns the loss of Joselito. Joselito is a festival character for everyone to impersonate or carry a figure of, it signals the end of the celebrations and Dios Momos big party.

No.8 Brooklyn Carnival
September 3rd 2012

The West Indie Carnival in Brooklyn begins at 11am an the route is Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza along Eastern Parkway. This celebration takes place from the Thursday to Labor day with a Dimanche Gras/Fat Sunday, a Kiddie Carnival and a steel drum competition then the main parade on Labor Day Monday. This is New Yorks biggest outdoor event attracting over a million party people and the traditions of the Labor Day are mainly Caribbean- this is one not to be missed.

No.7 Goa
18th - 21st February 2012

Nowhere else in India celebrates carnival as it was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled over Goa for over five hundred years.This festival was actually in decline before the liberation of Goa and since then it has attracted thousands of visitors from all around the globe. Despite being a Christians celebration the three-day street party has also taken many Hindu and western traditions.  Then begins the weeklong event, which is a time of unbridled festivity and merry-making, which has been celebrated since the 18th Century. For these couple of days there are bands on floats and people dancing everywhere all nights, there are also grand balls held in the evenings. At the end of the week the festivities conclude with the famous red-and-black dance held by the Club National in Panajim.

No.6 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival
17th - 26th February 2012

Once banned by the Spanish dictator Franco this is one of the biggest crowd pullers in the world. None of the usual rules apply here: there is lots of cross dressing and the patry doesn't hit the streets until midnight !  Tenerife's carnaval begins with the opening parade & the election of a Carnaval Queen followed. Maids of Honour and entourages are driven through the streets of Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz accompanied by the traditional ‘murgas’ in clown costume and other revellers in colorful costumes.  The ‘Burial of the Sardine’ marks the half way point on Ash Wednesday when hordes of weeping ‘widows’ follow a funeral cortège for a giant papier mâché sardine down to the harbour where the ‘corpse’ is set alight and fireworks light up the sky and eerie singing fills the air. The ‘Gran Cosa Apoteosis’ is the closing parade of Carnaval when eggshells and cloth balls held together by paste and thrown onto the passing parade from windows and balconies. Other fun times include the Drag Marathon.

No.5 Notting Hill
August 27th 2012 - August Bank Holiday

This is the second biggest carnaval in the world, Notting Hill usually brings crowds of about a million people observing and about 60,000 people participating in the performances. The carnival has 5 types of music : Calypso, Steel pan / pans, Mas (masquerade), Static and Mobile systems. There’s a great variety of African and Caribbean beats.

No.4 Oruro
17th - 22nd February 2012

Expect Around 600,000 people line the streets during Oruro Carnival with hundreds of traditional Bolivian bands, thousands of traditional dancers and a procession that takes a full day to end. The parade is led by San Miguel who is followed by devils, El Tio - lord of the underworld and lots of conquistadores painted like devils. This parade makes its way to the soccer stadium where good triumphs over evil through the art of dance. Also many farmers and miners offer the fruit of their labour for the carnival.

No.3 Rio Carnival
17th - 22nd February 2012

When people think carnaval they think Rio De Janeiro. This city oozes cool from Ipanema to Copacabana and the coolness peaks in the days leading up to lent. The streets of Rio are lined with samba schools and as blocos pass through the streets there is a deafening thunder of drums. The humidity is too much for scantilly clad locals who chase the blocos around town. The well known Rio blocos include:  Cordão do Bola Preta This traditional bloco is in the centre of the city and about 600,000 people can attended it. Suvaco do Cristo This is the Botanic Garden area under the Redeemer's arm (kinda in his armpit actually!). Carmelitas This group was supposedly created by nuns, but in fact it is just a theme chosen by the band. They usually play around the hills of Santa Teresa. Simpatia é Quase Amor One of the most popular parades in Ipanema. Translates as ‘Friendliness is almost love’. Banda de Ipanema The original Ipanema bloco attracting families, drag queens and the gay population.

No.2 Olinda, Brasil
17th - 22nd February 2012

Most Brazilians will tell you that Olinda has the best carnaval in Brazil. Why ? well for starters Pernambuco (the region) has the unique trevo music, afoxé instruments, colorful umbrellas & Maracatu (mix of theatre and dance) umbrellas as well as foliõe bands and the parading of giant dolls. The festival has a more African influence compared to the European feel of the Rio carnival which is evident in the flirty dances like the gut flexing bate-coxa, the umbrella-spinning frevo, the noble maracatú or the extremely graceful caboclinho. The carnival celebrations can start as early as December in Olinda & neighbouring city of Recife so a trip to the Pernambuco could encompass a couple of days in each. In Recife the carnival on Boa Viage can be overpriced and you will get a more authenthic experience at Recife Antigo. Try to get to Galo da Madrugada it's a rooster crowing world and kicks off a serious party at 5.30am on the first Saturday of carnival in Bairro de São José.. Salvador de Bahia is also great for carnival butwe have to stop here before we name every town in Brazil :)

No.1 Trinidad
17th - 22nd February 2012

Trinidad's carnival is the meeting of European religion, brought by the Settlers, and African culture, brought by African slaves, who were also paying respect to African mythology and music. If you're going to make it here plan well ahead. Bring plenty of spare clothes - you never know how you will feel on the day! The most popular dance is calypso followed by the soca but also beware of Wining this is grinding and if you are a tourist (or look like one) expect ot be on the receiving of much Wining :)

Many of the carnival bands will provide snacks - for many tourists carnival is a long day drinking in the sun!

Credit to : http://www.festivalpig.com