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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Success begets successes

I Won't Allow You To Ruin My Day...

Having kind thoughts and doing your best for others does not mean it will be reciprocrated
Its your heart (willingness) versus their mind (expectation)
Taken for granted is hurting but ploughing the field does not guarantee harvest

Providing a platform to bridge two adversaries in the hope of peace and harmony may result in nuclear blasted in your face
Your goodwill may be trampled regardless of outcome; worth it? You decide
The higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment

Put your heart into your work and go with the flow
Atmospheric water vapour liquifies to form clouds from which rain wet the grounds
Tributaries flow into rivers and empty into the sea


Explorers search the unknown; inventions and discoveries were more often, than not, accidental
The Pills were discovered in the search for fertility treatment for women and revolutionise Women's movement
The Industrial Revolution made abundance of resources and products previously thought 'finite'

Most successful entrepreneurs and leaders did not set out to succeed; its their passion that made mountains look like molehills and oceans look like streams
They make the impossible looked like child's play

The whizkids, the nerds; like them, we are genius-in-the-making

Bad times pass as good time passes; NEVER sink in despair
Our lives are as bright as the rising sun and opportunities come a-knocking everytime
Grab it or Loss it


Its You/Me who decides the day

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Do Not Judge

Who Is To Judge?

According to Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman in their book "Sway", we subconsciously attribute a value when we see a person, brand or object for the first time. Our diagnosis bias - propensity to label people, ideas or things base on initial opinions of them, is sealed

We view the biggies with rose-tinted lenses; be it Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc, Bernard Madoff, the handsome man, the beautiful lady... alas! what you see and feel at initial is not always what you get

Defending his company, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, Mr Llyod Blankfein, testily told skeptical senators that customers who bought securities from the Wall Street giant in the run-up to a national financial crisis came looking for risk "and that's what they got." Umm, quite smartly phrased - they ask for it

Never belief that the established are saintly nor sinless; its only they have not been caught yet

We have a tendency to view those who had brushes with the Law as bad and unemployable and cannot be office bearers without sparing a thought that they could have been victims of the system simply because of value attribution

Many are nailed on the cross for events beyond them and issues which they could not defend for want of costs, ignorance and being resigned to fate

History is filled with seemingly upright people who speaks ill against the fallen and were, in turn, found guilty of misdemeanor

Genuine leaders must protect the weak, poor and fallen; by acts not by words

Competition is the definitive DNA in the evolution in the 'survival of the fittest world' that we live in
We compete and the best survive and prosper
Whether you are good or evil, powerless or dominant, selfless or selfish
When 'luck' is with you and you win handsomely, the globe is at your feet
You can command the seas and set the pace

But, be honest and truthful to all who crosses you in life
Give everyone a fair chance to make a comeback
We are all born a genius but if you are filthy, cruel and scheming in thoughts and acts, your day will come 
... sooner rather than later


Be prepared to change your initial views and steer clear of rumors. Nobody is born bad

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

道 Aversion To Loss Is Strong 道

Sometimes, it is difficult to...

.. Understand why smart people do stupid things and why seemingly upright and successful people 'steal for thrills'

.. See any basis with 'double or quit' and intelligent dexterity results in lost causes
.. Comphrehend why a losing preposition is adopted

One of the chapter in 'Market Psychology' by James Dines postulated that 'all players love to loss'; deep inside us we fear, but do not mind, losing

Have you heard about the Bazerman auction? A "$20" bill is put up for auction beginning with $1. Every subsequent bid is at $1. The winner will walk away with the $20 but the second highest bidder will have to part with his money for his unsuccessful bidding. The bid usually exceeds $20 as the second highest bidder fights to win as the aversion to loss is strong

An aversion to loss is clearly demonstrated when most people do not dare to venture out nor try new solutions, not for lack of initiative, but stuck worrying "What If"

We are born genius; do not die a mediocre
Follow your heart and be the leader
Be the best

Don't wait until you are eighty years old then decides to climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest ocean, runs for the highest office in your homeland

In this everchanging world, only innovators and leaders survive and bask in success
You come naked and goes back naked

The Way (道) to conquer and win is to overcome the fear of losing

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Good Fortunes Or Bad Decisions

Change - the only constant...

Iceland was bankrupted and now Mother Nature dealt her another blow

Thailand is mired with the same problem except for role swap by key players; the Yellows jammed the airports and the Reds wrung the shopping belts - the casualties? Tourism and the man in the street

March 2009 smelt doom and gloom and potentially a bottomless pit in capital markets; April 2010 resonates with music in everyone's ears as First Quarter (1st Qtr) results show banking giants making billions and countries' GDP turning around or jumped with unbelievable growth

Once upon a time, the S-Chips were darlings; now you need to be daring to (invest) take a long term view

Properties in Singapore, Hong Kong and China are hotly pursued whereas somewhere in the Western half of the globe, you may get them for a song. How fortunes favour the brave and nimble, and the pendulum of Fate changes

Fortunes rise, fortunes fall; the only constant is change

Don't let greed have the better of you and the only reason why you will remain poor is you are reeling in the realm of negatives; nobody remains poor neither is wealth cast on stone

Honor your promises, deliver your best and be ready for changes. When you don't move, you will be left behind as the Earth revolves and time will catch up with you - for the better or worse

Genuine leaders of men are far and few; successful leaders embrace changes and lead his flock to prosperity and away from disaster's path

We are all born genius and Fate is within you

Be ready to change

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Unwillingly Unemployed 苦中做乐

I Am Lost...

I have no money
I have no direction
My career ended years ago
I belonged to the promising generation
I am a digit in the graduate unemployment

When you are 35 - 45 years old and you loss your job, whatever your qualifications and positions
When the job disappears or a younger and cheaper substitute comes along
You can kiss your job goodbye permanently
With three mouths to feed, an apartment to pay and no income
I belong to the lost generation

Not that I have not tried neither did I bury my head in the sand
I searched. I seeked help and referals
I comb the job market for an equivalent but alas... I am either too qualified, too old or not relevant
I am a fighter like the Desert Rats; the only thing I bury is my dignity, pride and sorrows
I am the forgotten citizen

What can I do or what do I need to do? What does the future hold? I am staring blankly into the future
Tomorrow is bleak; it is blank
I need not be retrained to clean tables, make rooms nor sweep the roads
I need not wait at tables, take orders nor keep the stores
Not that it is demeaning but if these were my inspirations, I do not need a Uni-degree
I am a resource and an economic waste in my Motherland; chasing the elusive job

I slip through the cracks in Society
There is no safety net
For all that had been said and assured, there were only words filled with empty promises
The dream home, the retirement, the laughters and warmth, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
This is a pipe dream

I need not show nor do I need to tell
I will come back with a vengence when I hit the wall
Either we prosper together or you can selfishly milk every drop of my blood
When doomsday come, you will be my equal

苦中做乐

Monday, April 12, 2010

How I Won & Made The Impossible, Possible

When all the odds are stack against me...

Sometimes, everything simply goes wrong
Sometimes, you are asked to do the impossible
When you are pushed to the wall, you either fight back or you scale the wall with bare hands

Just this week ...

My newfound friend was very busy; she has to send one of her relative to hospital for chemotherapy
And, another of her relative just passed away at age 21

I was asked to offer a listening ear to a couple on the brink of breaking up
Inspite of my own tight schedules. I listened patiently and offered some possible preventive solutions
I was told 'whatever are your plans, I am not interested as one of us will be hurt'; omigosh
I went for a truce and they found peace; the peacemaker is at fault

Words buzz pass my ears that another couple I had helped financially and in kind said they had never received any form of help from me and is distancing from me; omigosh
My selfless acts certainly do not warrant such dividends

My friend of fifteen years is in need of kidney transplant as his two-peas organ are failing

Unknowingly, I had nightmares and I was unduly stressed
Though I remained calm
I did not hope for rewards for my deeds and I accept that we will leave when our time is up

It is my fortune to be able to help others
It is their shallowness and empty victory to indulge in small talks; the vices of a fork tongue

When challenged to a lonesome fight, I wriggled into my cocoon to rest, rebuilt and replenish
I dance and sway like the willow tree and blend with Zen
In God's arm, the cradle, I found strength and relief

I am the light & the Way
Faiths make me stronger, happier and invincible

I need not fight back


I shall smile away the blues

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Stockmarket - an armchair view from within my well

In My Game Of Dice: 1,3,5 - I Win // 2,4,6 - You Loss


ZZzzzz... Stockmarket- Back in January


The stockmarket has peculiar cycles ranging from 60years, 30years, 10years (like 1987, 1997, 2007) and 4 years cycles to quarterly cycles within the year (beginning January, April, July and October). Stockmarket behavior is measured from low to low reflecting the 'HOPEs' of market players; it is ‘hope’ and confidence that move prices higher, vice versa.



Stockmarket generally runs ahead of fundamentals.


Whereas commodities prices, the run is caused by 'FEARs'; the fear of shortages and the cycle is measured from high to high.


A good early directional indicator for commodity prices is the Baltic Dry Index (BDI). The Baltic Dry Index is a daily average of prices to ship raw materials. The BDI is one of the purest leading indicators of economic activity. It measures the demand to move raw materials and precursors to production, as well as the supply of ships available to move this cargo.


(On 20 May 2008 the BDI reached its record high level since its introduction in 1985, reaching 11,793 points. Half a year later, on 5 December 2008, the index had dropped by 94%, to 663 points, the lowest since 1986. Current : 2930pts)


Back then, my genie projected a good 1st Qtr (proven - DowJones up from 9600 to almost 11,000, HSI 19000+ to almost 22,000, Shanghai A about 3000pts to 3300 pts, STI about 2650 to about 3000pts).


"The next 3 quarters should reward the brave and nimble" said the genie.

2ndQtr - Going forward, it will be "Sell in May and go away"; reflecting profit taking and accounting for uncertainties as market retests previous heights. Also, some of the EU's members’ deficits and sovereign debts will shake market confidence.


Aboveall, the persistent challenges against the wisdom of Yuan(Rmb) fair exchange rate and protectionism will cause further creepiness in the market. The desire to withdraw previously instituted stimulus measures is unlikely to happen with any significance as more, rather than less, need to be done to keep the global economy 'roaring'.


3rd Qtr - Global leaders will need to tone down protectionism and shelved their differences as China will flexed her muscles and demand some semblance of respect in exchange for their commitment to continue aiding the recovering world economy. This will give ample time for China to rehash from an export-based economy to a demand-driven one; it is a 'win-win' solution. Nevertheless, it is only a pipe dream to assume that China can pilot the world economy out of current doldrums. Internal demand will only help maintain China’s GDP growth and shield it from backsliding.


Asia will lead the growth while USA stabilizes and EU struggles for an acceptable face-winning solution. Money talks, idiots walk.


4th Qtr - With all the underlying disagreement and discontent swept under the carpets, the global economy should end the year well. But, be forewarned 'there is no free meals'.


The "IFs" & The "BUTs"

According to Mr N Shinohara, Deputy Mg Director, IMF, world growth in 2010 is about 4% and economic growth in ASEAN could reach 5.5 per cent this year, outpacing the global average; ASEAN registered 1.9% growth in 2009.


China is expected to grow by 8.5-9.5% in 2010. China may resume a managed-float foreign exchange system, according to Mr Xia Bin, a recently-appointed adviser to the People's Bank of China.

Singapore’s growth should be a tad higher at 6-7% and the Monetary Authority of Singapore is expected to adopt a neutral stand on the S$ exchange rate.


The global economic strategies and commitments can vary sufficiently to manage the desired outcome. In this interdependent world today, amidst globalization, any unilateral selfish decisions will face far reaching consequences as affected countries raise bars and closed doors in retaliation.


Iran and N Korea sabre-rattling will have little relevance in a hungry world. Most, if not all, the world leaders will be looking at how to feed and please their electorates and citizens than to be involved in military adventures. A clear signal is the agreement between USA and Russia to reduce their nuclear stockpiles by a third; Economics survivals outride military adventurism.


President Obama has won the Health Care Reform Bill at home and signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia. His next task is to tackle economic issues and fulfill the American dreams. I believed he is not likely to rattle China nor to engage in ‘China bashing’.

Economic, social and political influences and expansion are greased by money and wealth without which few will gain. The tug of war for leadership is apparent with USA, Russia and China in the lead.


Unemployment and underemployment will continue to stymied growth and breed discontent and unrests aggravated by the widening income gap.


However, these harmonious strategies will hollow in the eye of weather changes, natural calamities and social unrests.

Place Your Bets ... at your own risk


Governments, the world over, will be seeking growth and finding ways to feed and please their populace, keeping them employed and satisfied; uppermost is to keep social unrests at bay.

China, like Singapore and Hong Kong, is unlikely to rein in on runaway and rising property prices. Afterall, property and construction easily accounts for up to 2% of GDP growth. Besides, gearing and Income to Loans ratio are still manageable and there are no signs of potential ‘massive’ defaults. This is in part due to the availability of hot money and new wealth created and saved during the good old times.

(Following the Financial Crisis of 1997/98 & 2008/9 and the low interest-rate environment, the market is still flushed with hot money looking for safe-haven and higher returns).


With the East cranking up fast and roaring, and the West stabilizing, albeit recovering from the lows, the smart knows where the hot money is and the hot money knows where opportunity is smarting! 

I... I am still trying to believe there is such a thing as "Genie"!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Setbacks & Gains

My Soul The Positive Driver ...

Everytime the ghosts of setbacks try to hound me, I blow away the blues
I can sit idle and harp over defeats but that doesn't vitalize me; it only drown my adrenaline
I want to be fired up; not to be fired
What good can come out of a wrong decision than to rectify and reinstate the the fighting machine

When others place unreasonable demands on me as a right
I deflect and remain stable and constant
I am no serf nor timid neither am I gullible
I dance in the breeze of challenges like a willow tree and flow with ease

Why would I allow others to dictate my life and quality living
The dog is a loyal friend and the cat is temperamental
The dog sniff and seize every moments while the cat seize the moment
I live in a managed environment and I determine the outcome

Friends and foes love a defeated me
I love to defeat both of them
What's better than to keep them busy guessing
That a simpleton me will weave along the seams of entrapments; slippery yet stable

I have small defeats and losses that I need not count
I just count my blessings
Stones and bricks break bones; a willowy-mind absorbs and deflects the punches
I rather be the little grass dancing in the hurricane than an uprooted grand oak tree

I am what I want myself to be
I am who I am
Misses may be many and hits are few
But, my mighty mind only registers successes and successes-to-be

My mind thrives on challenges and is positively motivated
I pull success towards me like gravity
My face glows with happiness, health and drive
I want to be happy, healthy and filled with hopes; today, anyday and everyday

I am self-motivated and I am driven to convert all misses into hits, if not now, tomorrow

Friday, April 2, 2010

Quietly Hopeful

When the Prophets of Hope land ...

After the Ten Plagues striked and all seemed doom, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt

When Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, Pontius Pilate, he rose from death and ascended to heaven from which He will return

Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from God at the age of 40. By the age of 62, he had united the tribes of Arabia into a single Muslim polity.

Buddha achieved enlightenment and preach deliverance.

Guru Nanak preach a formless and indestructible God and lead mankind away from egotism, hypocrisy and falsehood and to remain inwardly detached.

When there is hope, there is life; there will always be abundance
Don't bow to pressure nor submit to bullying
No one owns you; our life is our breathes
When the last breathe stops, we are, but, a dead body

Live healthily and happily today
Sow the seeds of happiness and prosperity and lightness of being
The lighter the heart, the calmer the mind; the clearer our brain will be

I have no bondage

I float in the breeze and I skim the surface of oceans

I am at peace ... with GOD

Life's Reality Can't Be Pawned

live best when others live worst... Be at peace with yourself The calm ocean has strong undercurrents The peaceful, picturesque & serene...