July 2008
Monthly Archive
Monday 28 Jul 2008
Subic Bay Philippines
For many centuries, Subic Bay was recognized as a deep safe harbour. Realizing
Subic Bay’s potentials, the Spaniards used the bay as a port to defend and maintain
the Philippines as a part of their empire in the 17th century. In 1885, it was built
into a naval base that utilized the safe harbors and natural resources.
After their victory over the Spaniards in 1898, a naval repair and supply base in
Subic Bay was established by the Americans. It was only reachable by sea until 1932
when the zigzag roads were opened linking Subic Bay and Olongapo to the rest of
the Philippines.
The Japanese bombed Subic Bay in 1941 and was held by them until the US took
back the Philippines in 1945. The naval base was returned to the control of the
United States. The two invasions by the Japanese and Americans produced a
number of bombed or scuttled naval ships in Subic Bay. Scuba divers from around
the world are now enjoying these wrecks in their underwater graveyards.
Control and maintenance of Subic naval base remained under the United States
despite the Philippines gaining their independence. The United States was given 99
years free access of the facility via an agreement signed between the Philippines and
US. With the outbreak of the Vietnam War, Subic Bay became a strategic site in the
maintenance of a strong US presence in Asia.
In 1991, the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo covered Olongapo and Subic Bay with nearly
half a metre of ash. After the Senate of the Philippines rejected the renewal of the
US bases treaty in 1992, the Subic Bay Freeport was established after the last of the
American naval ships completed its pullout of forces.
Since then, Subic Bay Freeport Zone has now become a well-known economic,
commercial and tourist hub. It is booming with world class restaurants and duty-
free shopping.
Subic Bay is situated in Zambales Province on the west coast of Luzon 120
kilometres north of Manila. Mountains with lush jungles bound its coastal area.
Mountains with lush dense jungles, suitable for trekking, surround the coastal area.
The bay cuts out into the South China Sea.
Subic Bay brags of interesting wreck dives. It is home to a impressive combination
of wrecks. The six wreck sites have an average depth of 45 ft.
Subic Bay boasts of its rainforest and a white sand beach. Its world-class facilities,
which include a marina, yacht club, hotels, shopping arcades and food shops, are
supported by Philippine tourism. An international airport is another attraction.
Nestor Santos is a field reporter for PhilippinesVacation.org, where you can
enjoy great articles about the Philippines.
If you want to enjoy more articles related to going on a
Philippines Vacation, visit the
site.
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Sunday 27 Jul 2008
7 Reasons Why You Should Migrate To Singapore
Are you considering migrating to other parts of the world to start a new chapter of your life?
Are you moving so as to look for a job? Or do you yearn to experience a different culture?
If you were looking for a decent job as well as a place where you can live comfortably, then I would recommend you “Singapore”.
In a survey conducted recently, Singapore was picked as the best city in the world for Asian expatriates to live in. Beating Japan, Shanghai and even Hong Kong.
There are many reasons for choosing to work and live in Singapore, but basically there are 7. They are:
Strong Law Enforcements -
You never get to see protests, strikes and riots in the streets of Singapore. This is the result of the strict law enforcement by the police. Anybody caught involved in any of the above events, will be jailed and fined.
Currently, death penalty still exists in Singapore. Anybody caught drug trafficking, or committed murder or kidnap would be sentenced to death.
Another benefit of living in Singapore is it is quite safe to walk alone in the streets. Though crimes do occur, the rates are relative lower than that in other countries.
The locals joke that anybody who committed a crime has nowhere to run but jump into the sea (this is because Singapore is surrounded by sea). Another joke is that before the robber can escape, the police have arrived (Singapore is so small).
Climate -
What makes Singapore so attractive to live in is its peaceful environment. There are no natural disasters, such as earthquakes, typhoons, tornadoes and winter coldness. All you have is either rain or shine. But the air-conditioning is extremely powerful. You could say it’s winter indoor.
Networking -
Making use of the geographical location of Singapore, many big and small organisations set up bases here to have access to other parts of Asia and Middle East.
It is being used as a “Gateway”.
Even companies from China are setting up offices here to access markets in U.S.A and Europe. They are doing so partly to gain from the Free Trade Agreements signed between these countries and Singapore.
Even foreign workers are using this small country as a stepping stone to gain work experiences and improve their English so that they can move on to other developed countries such as U.S.A., Europe and Australia.
Since almost everybody is coming here, it has become the place for networking for both businesses and jobseekers.
Lenient Immigration Rules -
Do you know that Singapore is one of the countries that have the least strict immigration rules?
Anybody can come to Singapore as long as he/she obtains the necessary passes or documents.
Transport -
You can travel from one end of Singapore to the other end within an hour!
The transport system here covers the whole country and you don’t have to own a car to travel.
Public transport includes the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains, buses and cabs/taxis.
Even if you own a car, the roads are well connected.
Education -
The education system caters to all students.
There are many schools, colleges, and universities for those who do well academically.
For those good in sports, there is even a sports school to nurture and train them.
Besides these schools, there are also several polytechnics and institutions to equip students with specialised skills.
Even the private schools and institutions in Singapore are of high quality. This is why so many foreign students enrol and study here. When these foreign students have graduated, many chose to continue to stay and work here.
Political Environment -
Singapore is quite unique in terms of its political environment. There are very few opposition parties. The dominant political group is the People’s Action Party (PAP) that governs Singapore since independence day.
As such, there are no coups, resistance, or even clashes.
This is important for companies who invest here and for foreigners who live here. They can be assured of safety and security. You don’t have to worry about loss of investments and jobs due to unstable political environment.
Another reason why the political environment here attracts foreigners is its policy. The Singapore government welcome talents.
You would be surprised to know that in year 2005, about 44% of the jobs available were given to foreigners! (These 44% do not include permanent residents).
In fact, Singapore is so hungry for talented and skilled people. As long as you have the skills, knowledge, experiences or talents, you are definitely welcome here.
Of course there are many other reasons why thousands of foreigners are flocking to Singapore to seek jobs or to live here. But the above are the main reasons behind such move.
If you are tempted to migrate to Singapore by these 7 reasons, be assured you are not alone.
Who knows, you might even settle down and get a citizenship.
Copyright@2006 Yen-Ying Hor http://www.globalcareerinformation.com/
Author: Hor Yen-Ying currently resides in Singapore and have written an ebook “Work In Singapore” to guide those who are interested in coming to Singapore to find jobs or to live here. URL: http://www.globalcareerinformation.com/
Tags: asia, career, culture, expatriate, family, hor, job, migrate, move, Singapore, yen, yen ying, ying
Saturday 26 Jul 2008
The British Museum
Among the countless tourist attractions in contemporary London, such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, the one that can easily be considered the unforgettable “Queen” amongst them all, is the British Museum. Britain’s national museum of archaeology and antiquities was established by an act of Parliament in 1753, when the government purchased three large private collections consisting of books, manuscripts, prints, drawings, paintings, medals, coins, seals, cameos, and natural curiosities. Today, home of approximately seven million objects from all continents, the British museum is considered to be the most popular and famous museum in the world.
Located in the Bloomsbury district of London, the British museum’s collections in archaeology and ethnography are particularly outstanding. Being one of London’s principal tourist attractions, the visitor can admire its famous holdings, like the Elgin Marbles, carvings from the Athenian Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone, the Portland Vase, the Benin Bronzes, Egyptian Mummies, and the Chinese ceramics. Its drawings collection holds more than 2,000 drawings constituting the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections.
Since it first opened its doors to the public, on January 15, 1759 the museum has been illustrating and documenting the story of human development and culture from its early years to the present day. Because the British Museum does not charge any admission fees, the exception being some temporary special exhibitions, interested publics from around the globe line up outside its doors waiting to enter its amazing gallery showrooms and admire the plethora of human creations kept in there.
But some of its most prestigious holdings, like the Parthenon Marbles and the Benin Bronzes are among its most disputed collections. These collections are the subject of great controversy and political debates since various organizations lobby in favor of their return to their native countries of Greece and Nigeria respectively. But regardless of the harsh criticism, the British Museum has refused to return either collection, arguing that if the British Museum was to return to their original geographical location any of its current possessions that would mean empty rooms for a great many museums around the world. Although critics argue that these artifacts, among others, should now return to their home countries, the British Museum continues to support that it is an appropriate custodian and has the inalienable right over these disputed creations under British law.
Nevertheless, the fact still remains that the British Museum is one of the most important London destinations one should not miss visiting when circumstances allow a ride to one of the most famous and interesting capitals in the world.
John Gibb is the owner of London tips, For more information on London check out http://www.london-did-u-know.info
Tags: Capital, Europe, London