When time is lost ...
When I was young, I spend alot, alot of time fighting for survival
I helped and worked as hawker selling noodles, vegetables, eggs, bread... to eke a living
I was poorer than church mouse
Working is not a choice 手停口就停 but a necessity
In between work, I study
Tuition is non-existent and coaching is rare
Either I passed or the cane awaited me; pass the examinations or face the caning
The choice is clear
Childhood and teen were cycles of work, survival, study or punishment
I am probably the last batch of the "kok-ki-kok" noodle-man
Free time, if any, was spent playing marbles, flying kites, playing spiders, rearing fighting fishes
I grew up in the innocent age and entered young adolescent like a dodo
Before I knew, I entered adult age
My poor financial/family background did not allow me to continue higher education
That did not break my will to succeed neither did it decimate my climb up the social ladder; and in order to break out of the poverty cycle, I created opportunities
Through hard work and study, I empowered myself with knowledge and (academic) papers
Through sweat and toil and a sincere heart and soul, I carved a niche and succeeded careerwise
Like a deck of cards, my career collapsed along the way to the top
The defeat was as deadly as the bombing of pearl harbour
I limped in despair
I lived my life worse than a beggar
I walked away from my defeat, reformed, re-evaluate my choices and returned with a vengence
The positively charged will and upright character saw me through hell and back
But, the moment of darkness seemed forever in the trough
The dark alleys of defeat meandered like a maze
Walking away and giving up was the best choice then
It is sunshine and blue sky now
Some days it is like a desert
Some forsaken days are colder than the Arctic
I am Faith driven
I am Positively centric
I surf the up and down of my life cycle like an Olympian
Time really flies...I lost my youth to ignorance and lack of choice
My teen ticked by and adulthood reared its head
I have lost plentiful; I lost TIME
I never jump in triumphs and tribulations
Neither do I wallow in defeats
I only manage Time
Time; my best friend
Time lost can never be found... I am living in the wilderness of the wild
With each passing time, I am furthest from the start & nearer the end...
It is IMPOSSIBLE to walk back!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
My World Is Collapsing
Some days my world within seems collapsing... or near collapsed
Sometimes I have this helpless feeling that the world around me moves ahead of me and I am totally lost
Sometimes I feel that I have not done enough, within my capability, to stretch my ability and to reach out
At times, I feel like a sitting duck and a lost soul in a compass-less boat, floating in the high seas
Have the world at large walked out on me? Probably not
Have I lost my head and loss my way that I feel like a stranger in the land? Maybe
Or did I get lost in the wilderness in my determination to trudge ahead? Probably
My knowledge is too shallow compared to the learned
My wealth, if any, is too little to sit back and relax
I am definitely not a fish in a pond; just a fry trying to survive the muddy water - more mud than water
The environment is hostile and unforgiving
The pressure is intense and fanning
I am like a frog in boiling water. If I jump, I may jump into the fire but to remain is certain death
When friends walked away and the challenges look insurmountable
When fire rages beneath the feet and floodwater is rising
Apocalypse? Armageddon? Death in seconds? Maybe or maybe not
From time to time I walked into the wall
A wall of silence, rejection, isolation, 'no-return', hopelessness...when the only, and best release, is death or to depart from this humanly world
I found HOPE... and survived
But, maybe...
With my Will shattered and my Soul almost defeated, I breathe in new life
I am born again ... my pretense and deception at death's corridors allow a new lease of life with old baggages
Many a times, I have been tested and pushed to the extremes aka cliffhangers
By my own doing or forces beyond my control, I do not know
In my/any collapsed world, being smart is useless; nobody can outsmart the unknown
I can only summarise my return to one word "LUCK"
I have to be Lucky, now and always, to survive every trying moments; the unknowns
The great escapes, the near death challenges, the successes, the deft hands...
It boils down to "LUCK"
Sometimes I have this helpless feeling that the world around me moves ahead of me and I am totally lost
Sometimes I feel that I have not done enough, within my capability, to stretch my ability and to reach out
At times, I feel like a sitting duck and a lost soul in a compass-less boat, floating in the high seas
Have the world at large walked out on me? Probably not
Have I lost my head and loss my way that I feel like a stranger in the land? Maybe
Or did I get lost in the wilderness in my determination to trudge ahead? Probably
My knowledge is too shallow compared to the learned
My wealth, if any, is too little to sit back and relax
I am definitely not a fish in a pond; just a fry trying to survive the muddy water - more mud than water
The environment is hostile and unforgiving
The pressure is intense and fanning
I am like a frog in boiling water. If I jump, I may jump into the fire but to remain is certain death
When friends walked away and the challenges look insurmountable
When fire rages beneath the feet and floodwater is rising
Apocalypse? Armageddon? Death in seconds? Maybe or maybe not
From time to time I walked into the wall
A wall of silence, rejection, isolation, 'no-return', hopelessness...when the only, and best release, is death or to depart from this humanly world
I found HOPE... and survived
But, maybe...
With my Will shattered and my Soul almost defeated, I breathe in new life
I am born again ... my pretense and deception at death's corridors allow a new lease of life with old baggages
Many a times, I have been tested and pushed to the extremes aka cliffhangers
By my own doing or forces beyond my control, I do not know
In my/any collapsed world, being smart is useless; nobody can outsmart the unknown
I can only summarise my return to one word "LUCK"
I have to be Lucky, now and always, to survive every trying moments; the unknowns
The great escapes, the near death challenges, the successes, the deft hands...
It boils down to "LUCK"
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Life - My Rainbow Connection
E = MC2 ... Energy(E) equals Mass (M) multiplied by the Speed of light (E) squared
Have you seen how an animal react when it is cornered
Have you heard of how a weakling fights back when he is pushed to extreme
Surely, you have heard how a mother pluck her babies out of harms way
Miracles? No
This is the compacted cumulative energy release at that moment of 'necessity'/action
The intensity and the power is at its epitome
The reactive prowess is unmatched, unseen and non-premeditated
Is this source of energy available to any ordinary person? Yes
We flow with the cosmic forces in the Universe and reaction is dictated by the 'Chi' - the cosmic electrons that gives the ordinary forces added impetus ; the Tsunamic effect of the manifestation of energy thrown forward
An action will cause a reaction
Cause and effects
"Kama"
Simply put 'human beings are able to built up the tempo, create the environment and manage the outcome' though not necessarily in perfection
So, instead of wallowing in self pity, defeats, questioning the/your self-worth and negative thoughts, sink your Soul and energy into your intent, desire and wants and crystalize it through Positive powers
Positive reinforcement begets positive results
Instead of worrying about failures, do your best and let the results do the talking
Chase your dreams and follow your heart
Failures are those who concentrate on worrying even before starting
Failures are those who think they can't even before the game begin
I determine my Fate and Providence is my broad guideline明天由我定，天涯由我选
Like a successful artist, i paint the colors of my life, my way
my rainbow................
Have you seen how an animal react when it is cornered
Have you heard of how a weakling fights back when he is pushed to extreme
Surely, you have heard how a mother pluck her babies out of harms way
Miracles? No
This is the compacted cumulative energy release at that moment of 'necessity'/action
The intensity and the power is at its epitome
The reactive prowess is unmatched, unseen and non-premeditated
Is this source of energy available to any ordinary person? Yes
We flow with the cosmic forces in the Universe and reaction is dictated by the 'Chi' - the cosmic electrons that gives the ordinary forces added impetus ; the Tsunamic effect of the manifestation of energy thrown forward
An action will cause a reaction
Cause and effects
"Kama"
Simply put 'human beings are able to built up the tempo, create the environment and manage the outcome' though not necessarily in perfection
So, instead of wallowing in self pity, defeats, questioning the/your self-worth and negative thoughts, sink your Soul and energy into your intent, desire and wants and crystalize it through Positive powers
Positive reinforcement begets positive results
Instead of worrying about failures, do your best and let the results do the talking
Chase your dreams and follow your heart
Failures are those who concentrate on worrying even before starting
Failures are those who think they can't even before the game begin
I determine my Fate and Providence is my broad guideline明天由我定，天涯由我选
Like a successful artist, i paint the colors of my life, my way
my rainbow................
Friday, October 8, 2010
My Island, My Dream
Amidst The Garden City ... from fishing village to a metropolitan city aka international city
F1 - Formula 1 Grand Prix
IR - Integrated Resorts & Casinos
Esplanade - Marina Bay : Theatres On The Bay
Private Banking @Financial Centre
Shopping @Vivocity & Orchard Road
The Heartland
From the well-heeled to the clogs-heeled, Singapore has it all
We are not exactly Monte Carlo nor Switzerland
Definitely not Somalia, Zimbabwe nor Sierra Leone
There is enough to go round for everyone; willing and able
Opportunities - seek and you shall find
Like everywhere else the social ladder is fluid and game
Within a guided path - Who dares win
Like all laissez-faire, nobody is perpetually or permanently poor nor rich
Let your conscience guide you and when you are dealt a deft hands, spare some for the less fortunate
Work hard & smart
Fortune smiles at those willing, able and capable
Follow your heart and the trophy is yours to keep
Nobody can force the cow to drink from the pit
Build your own dream as all dreams are made differently
F1 - Formula 1 Grand Prix
IR - Integrated Resorts & Casinos
Esplanade - Marina Bay : Theatres On The Bay
Private Banking @Financial Centre
Shopping @Vivocity & Orchard Road
The Heartland
From the well-heeled to the clogs-heeled, Singapore has it all
We are not exactly Monte Carlo nor Switzerland
Definitely not Somalia, Zimbabwe nor Sierra Leone
There is enough to go round for everyone; willing and able
Opportunities - seek and you shall find
Like everywhere else the social ladder is fluid and game
Within a guided path - Who dares win
Like all laissez-faire, nobody is perpetually or permanently poor nor rich
Let your conscience guide you and when you are dealt a deft hands, spare some for the less fortunate
Work hard & smart
Fortune smiles at those willing, able and capable
Follow your heart and the trophy is yours to keep
Nobody can force the cow to drink from the pit
Build your own dream as all dreams are made differently
Saturday, October 2, 2010
To Die Or Not To Die 命运自我手天涯由我选
Health Is Wealth... 健康不是人生的目的，而是最基本的条件
From Rwanda to Ethiopia, from Greece to Belarus, from Kashgar to Ordos, from Changi to Jurong
There are some pockets of poverty and misery; the difference is in the degree
Man's worries can fill the ocean and his problems can pile higher than Himalayan Ranges
From famine to survival, from having a meal to luxurious meals; there will still be 'not enough' to go round as the needs differ but the insatiable wants remain
Setbacks are like the blandness and bitterness of food before salt and/or sugar is added; otherwise how would you know what's saltish and/or sweet
I read of suicides or suicidal attempts when relationship breaks, when school grades tank, when one losses his job, when attention given was supposedly scarce...omigosh
When everyday's a sunshine, you get a desert
Too much of anything is always negative
We work for a living and not live to work
Relationship comes and goes if it is mismatched
Not everyone is academically incline and the World needs diverse skills, skillsets and craftsman
Popularity is for the vain
The next time you thought of wasting away a healthy body and to take your own life; "STOP" for a moment
Go visit the hospice and see how everyone is fighting to live another day; happily and 'healthily'
Go see what is a mortuary and feel the stillness and coldness when death comes a-calling
If you need to die - die for a reason; for the nation, for your loved ones - not to cowardly steals from yourself your life
Only a living being can make his mark and his presence felt
A healthy person can do anything to better his quality of life
Without health, even the richest man, can do nothing - lying on your sickbed with tonnes of dollars pile up to ceiling height has NO meaning 活生生的
A healthy mind and a healthy body can move mountains and join streams
With health I can find happiness and money
With only money (and without health), I may not find happiness but I certainly CANNOT buy health
The World is yours to keep; be the roving swordsman or the hermit in the cave, climb the highest mountain or swim the deepest ocean...
And the shortest route to Heaven is definitely NOT suicide
I cannot find you happiness but I certainly can point the route towards healthiness, happiness and wholesome living 命运自我手天涯由我选
From Rwanda to Ethiopia, from Greece to Belarus, from Kashgar to Ordos, from Changi to Jurong
There are some pockets of poverty and misery; the difference is in the degree
Man's worries can fill the ocean and his problems can pile higher than Himalayan Ranges
From famine to survival, from having a meal to luxurious meals; there will still be 'not enough' to go round as the needs differ but the insatiable wants remain
Setbacks are like the blandness and bitterness of food before salt and/or sugar is added; otherwise how would you know what's saltish and/or sweet
I read of suicides or suicidal attempts when relationship breaks, when school grades tank, when one losses his job, when attention given was supposedly scarce...omigosh
When everyday's a sunshine, you get a desert
Too much of anything is always negative
We work for a living and not live to work
Relationship comes and goes if it is mismatched
Not everyone is academically incline and the World needs diverse skills, skillsets and craftsman
Popularity is for the vain
The next time you thought of wasting away a healthy body and to take your own life; "STOP" for a moment
Go visit the hospice and see how everyone is fighting to live another day; happily and 'healthily'
Go see what is a mortuary and feel the stillness and coldness when death comes a-calling
If you need to die - die for a reason; for the nation, for your loved ones - not to cowardly steals from yourself your life
Only a living being can make his mark and his presence felt
A healthy person can do anything to better his quality of life
Without health, even the richest man, can do nothing - lying on your sickbed with tonnes of dollars pile up to ceiling height has NO meaning 活生生的
A healthy mind and a healthy body can move mountains and join streams
With health I can find happiness and money
With only money (and without health), I may not find happiness but I certainly CANNOT buy health
The World is yours to keep; be the roving swordsman or the hermit in the cave, climb the highest mountain or swim the deepest ocean...
And the shortest route to Heaven is definitely NOT suicide
I cannot find you happiness but I certainly can point the route towards healthiness, happiness and wholesome living 命运自我手天涯由我选
A Happier Earthling
Human Migration ...
Planet Gliese 581g, an Earth-like planet, is 195 trillion km away; maybe someday we will move to Gliese.
Today, countries are demarcated by political boundaries where each claims sovereignty (sovereign rights to rule).
Why can't we just share everything and every resources found on earth?
Why can't we be called Earthlings or Globeans instead of Americans, Europeans, Africans, Chinese... ?
Humans claim superiority over other humans and the Rule of Law will never be equal as the Rule of Gun is still, and shall remain, dominant.
The negotiation table will never be level.
The 'gentleman-ness' of human creed has never existed in substance but in form.
Each shows respect to the other because the next major war will end all wars; humans will be decimated by MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction).
There are some who claim to be elite, superior, God-like or with God-given authority to rule but a class of elite cannot overrun nor control a mass of commoners.
A hungry man is an angry man; the rich can never live in peace if surrounded by mass/massively poor.
The days of slavery are over; the days of equality are beyond us.
But, for Earthlings to live peacefully and in harmony, the unequal advantage enjoyed by few must be shaved or willingly shared with the less abled and less endowed.
Money can buy something, most things but not everything.
Fortunately the material well being is unable to match the emotional comfort that religions or Faiths offer; you may be rich but not necessarily happy.
The earlier Earthlings realized the need to care for one another, the better and more harmonious the surroundings will be!
The earlier we reform, rehabilitate and renew the equation, the lesser the sufferings.
With newfound satisfaction and happiness, more space is made available and Earthlings tension shall ease.
The human race can live as long as we do not self-detruct via MAD.
The distance between Earth and Gliese is too far to even dream.
Whatever philosophy you subscribe to, help your fellow beings.
Make living easier and the heart will be lighter, the environment more cheerful and you make Heaven out of Earth!
Spare a thought for the less fortunate; it is your fortune to be able to give and share.
Planet Gliese 581g, an Earth-like planet, is 195 trillion km away; maybe someday we will move to Gliese.
Today, countries are demarcated by political boundaries where each claims sovereignty (sovereign rights to rule).
Why can't we just share everything and every resources found on earth?
Why can't we be called Earthlings or Globeans instead of Americans, Europeans, Africans, Chinese... ?
Humans claim superiority over other humans and the Rule of Law will never be equal as the Rule of Gun is still, and shall remain, dominant.
The negotiation table will never be level.
The 'gentleman-ness' of human creed has never existed in substance but in form.
Each shows respect to the other because the next major war will end all wars; humans will be decimated by MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction).
There are some who claim to be elite, superior, God-like or with God-given authority to rule but a class of elite cannot overrun nor control a mass of commoners.
A hungry man is an angry man; the rich can never live in peace if surrounded by mass/massively poor.
The days of slavery are over; the days of equality are beyond us.
But, for Earthlings to live peacefully and in harmony, the unequal advantage enjoyed by few must be shaved or willingly shared with the less abled and less endowed.
Money can buy something, most things but not everything.
Fortunately the material well being is unable to match the emotional comfort that religions or Faiths offer; you may be rich but not necessarily happy.
The earlier Earthlings realized the need to care for one another, the better and more harmonious the surroundings will be!
The earlier we reform, rehabilitate and renew the equation, the lesser the sufferings.
With newfound satisfaction and happiness, more space is made available and Earthlings tension shall ease.
The human race can live as long as we do not self-detruct via MAD.
The distance between Earth and Gliese is too far to even dream.
Whatever philosophy you subscribe to, help your fellow beings.
Make living easier and the heart will be lighter, the environment more cheerful and you make Heaven out of Earth!
Spare a thought for the less fortunate; it is your fortune to be able to give and share.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Pains & Fun Of Stockmarket
Introduction
Pain or Pleasure is determined at the moment in decision-making.
When small countries collapsed, few blink an eyelid. Zimbabwe collapsed financially and Vietnam revalued her Dong. Stockmarket sharp correction is irrelevant if it did not happen in unison. Nobody seems to get hurt; at least not the majority!
Asia had her Financial Crisis in 1997/98 and the Financial Crisis 2007-2010 burned through US to Europe. While the former is a result of ignorance and blind expansion, the latter is the result of greed; Predatory lending, reckless valuation and leveraging, inaccurate credit ratings or selective ratings, off-balance sheet financing, Regulatory avoidance, you name it, you have it; greed under the cover of 'financial products innovation'.
If DEBTs can be used as collaterals to borrow more, if Insurance Company callously INSUREs 'vested interest' instruments larger than itself and Credit Rating agencies rate institutions who support their livelihoods, who rates them? Capitalism at its extreme breeds greed and selfishness.
Looking Back ...
Wall Street has its fair share of superlatives in gainers and losers:
Top Gainer Top Losers
% Date % Date
1. 15.3 15 Mar 1933 -22.6 19 Oct 1987
2. 14.9 06 Oct 1931 -12.8 28 Oct 1929
3. 12.3 30 Oct 1929 -11.7 29 Oct 1929
4. 11.4 21 Sep 1932 -9.9 6 Nov 1929
5. 11.1 13 Oct 2008 -9.9 30 Aug 2010
10. 9.5 31 Aug 2010 -7.9 15 Oct 2008
US, being the world's largest economy, influence other nations and they dance to her tune.
Now ...
When the US was overwhelmed with toxic financial instruments, off balance sheet financing and creative accounting, tsunamic bankruptcies of established, old-name institutions threatened to send US into a financial ice-age. The US and the world, China in particular, went into overdrive with massive expansion of credit, fiscal, monetary and physical policies. That save the day; or did it?
Well, if you pour enough blue ink into the ocean the color of the water will turn blue!
The world has starved the ghost of recession from appearing momentarily. However, it won't be long before we hit the skids again. The Political will to spend and expand is constrained by competing needs and every country, big and small, is faced with the challenges of creating employment, feeding the population and maintaining social-commercial-political balance.
Protectionism has reared its head as have screams to cut spending (deficits), cut costs (buyers market) and raise taxes; its lowballing.
Future ...
The world-over is filled with unemployment, under-employment and mismatched and displaced workers; tertiary, urban, sub-urban and others. Income gap have widened and rising costs have made living edgy.
As more are forced to save, or to save in anticipation of tough times; even to minimize spending whilst expecting the costs of living to ease (due to deflation), the result is alot gloomier.
Coupled with above, nations are forced to look inward and care for their wards, by extension their political survival. Many a political brinksmanship is not about nationalism but about political survival.
Conclusion ...
The stockmarkets is/are still benefiting from the expansionary programs instituted during the crisis. Growth, including abnormally high growth, is the norm but will NOT lasts. Technically, most indices potentially can challenge its/the previous high but NO economy can continue expanding with unemployment and underemployment in its background. Lightening up seems an ideal choice (on the upswing).
Reality is always cruel; Excessiveness will stop sooner rather than later including fanciful Dubai's palm-shaped man-made islands and Ordos city in Inner Mongolia.
Cyclically, quarterly low is expected in October. For those who profited/benefited from this (October) downswing/upswing, good luck. Watch out for the next change of events towards/during the Total Lunar Eclipse on 21 Dec 2010.
Forward ...
Nobody goes broke by taking profits. When you make it, help the poor; spare some for the less fortunate.
Note: This Is NOT An Investment Advice; read to agree or disagree - no prize for correct guesses!
Pain or Pleasure is determined at the moment in decision-making.
When small countries collapsed, few blink an eyelid. Zimbabwe collapsed financially and Vietnam revalued her Dong. Stockmarket sharp correction is irrelevant if it did not happen in unison. Nobody seems to get hurt; at least not the majority!
Asia had her Financial Crisis in 1997/98 and the Financial Crisis 2007-2010 burned through US to Europe. While the former is a result of ignorance and blind expansion, the latter is the result of greed; Predatory lending, reckless valuation and leveraging, inaccurate credit ratings or selective ratings, off-balance sheet financing, Regulatory avoidance, you name it, you have it; greed under the cover of 'financial products innovation'.
If DEBTs can be used as collaterals to borrow more, if Insurance Company callously INSUREs 'vested interest' instruments larger than itself and Credit Rating agencies rate institutions who support their livelihoods, who rates them? Capitalism at its extreme breeds greed and selfishness.
Looking Back ...
Wall Street has its fair share of superlatives in gainers and losers:
Top Gainer Top Losers
% Date % Date
1. 15.3 15 Mar 1933 -22.6 19 Oct 1987
2. 14.9 06 Oct 1931 -12.8 28 Oct 1929
3. 12.3 30 Oct 1929 -11.7 29 Oct 1929
4. 11.4 21 Sep 1932 -9.9 6 Nov 1929
5. 11.1 13 Oct 2008 -9.9 30 Aug 2010
10. 9.5 31 Aug 2010 -7.9 15 Oct 2008
US, being the world's largest economy, influence other nations and they dance to her tune.
Now ...
When the US was overwhelmed with toxic financial instruments, off balance sheet financing and creative accounting, tsunamic bankruptcies of established, old-name institutions threatened to send US into a financial ice-age. The US and the world, China in particular, went into overdrive with massive expansion of credit, fiscal, monetary and physical policies. That save the day; or did it?
Well, if you pour enough blue ink into the ocean the color of the water will turn blue!
The world has starved the ghost of recession from appearing momentarily. However, it won't be long before we hit the skids again. The Political will to spend and expand is constrained by competing needs and every country, big and small, is faced with the challenges of creating employment, feeding the population and maintaining social-commercial-political balance.
Protectionism has reared its head as have screams to cut spending (deficits), cut costs (buyers market) and raise taxes; its lowballing.
Future ...
The world-over is filled with unemployment, under-employment and mismatched and displaced workers; tertiary, urban, sub-urban and others. Income gap have widened and rising costs have made living edgy.
As more are forced to save, or to save in anticipation of tough times; even to minimize spending whilst expecting the costs of living to ease (due to deflation), the result is alot gloomier.
Coupled with above, nations are forced to look inward and care for their wards, by extension their political survival. Many a political brinksmanship is not about nationalism but about political survival.
Conclusion ...
The stockmarkets is/are still benefiting from the expansionary programs instituted during the crisis. Growth, including abnormally high growth, is the norm but will NOT lasts. Technically, most indices potentially can challenge its/the previous high but NO economy can continue expanding with unemployment and underemployment in its background. Lightening up seems an ideal choice (on the upswing).
Reality is always cruel; Excessiveness will stop sooner rather than later including fanciful Dubai's palm-shaped man-made islands and Ordos city in Inner Mongolia.
Cyclically, quarterly low is expected in October. For those who profited/benefited from this (October) downswing/upswing, good luck. Watch out for the next change of events towards/during the Total Lunar Eclipse on 21 Dec 2010.
Forward ...
Nobody goes broke by taking profits. When you make it, help the poor; spare some for the less fortunate.
Note: This Is NOT An Investment Advice; read to agree or disagree - no prize for correct guesses!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Good Times & Bad Times
When Darkness Falls...
Prussian military historian Friedrich von Bernhardi wrote glowingly of "the inevitableness, the idealism, and the blessing of war" whereas Dwight D Eisenhower penned "I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity"
"Evils can never pass away, for there must always remain something which is antagonistic to good" Plato
The samurais and bushidoes sworn on total loyalty and will die for their beliefs, however, brutal and foolish.
If Man lives to rebel against, and does not respect, reasons, they are blind followers of Faith.
If the Japanese did not surrender after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, does it mean Japan will be bombed and wiped out of the surface of Earth? Probably not. There were many more casualties in their assaults on Asia as a whole than the numbers killed by the two bombings.
It was plainly cool, calm reasons; to avoid further bloodshed and the awakening from foolish belief of being engaged in a supposely God-like mission that stopped the war.
Do not follow Faith blindly
Neither do you accept Fate with blind obedience
Everyone will want to have advantage over you; better still, if you are completely submissive
The World will never be equal and fairness is relative; so is suffering
When your chips are down, lie low, be patient and live within your means
Nothing is permanent
Someday, somehow, the good days will return
Like Yin & Yang, Day & Night
Fortunes come and go
With reason and fortitude, life is a fairy-tale in itself
Suffering? What suffering? If you don't taste bitterness, how do you know what sweetness tastes like
Daylight is not far...
Prussian military historian Friedrich von Bernhardi wrote glowingly of "the inevitableness, the idealism, and the blessing of war" whereas Dwight D Eisenhower penned "I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity"
"Evils can never pass away, for there must always remain something which is antagonistic to good" Plato
The samurais and bushidoes sworn on total loyalty and will die for their beliefs, however, brutal and foolish.
If Man lives to rebel against, and does not respect, reasons, they are blind followers of Faith.
If the Japanese did not surrender after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, does it mean Japan will be bombed and wiped out of the surface of Earth? Probably not. There were many more casualties in their assaults on Asia as a whole than the numbers killed by the two bombings.
It was plainly cool, calm reasons; to avoid further bloodshed and the awakening from foolish belief of being engaged in a supposely God-like mission that stopped the war.
Do not follow Faith blindly
Neither do you accept Fate with blind obedience
Everyone will want to have advantage over you; better still, if you are completely submissive
The World will never be equal and fairness is relative; so is suffering
When your chips are down, lie low, be patient and live within your means
Nothing is permanent
Someday, somehow, the good days will return
Like Yin & Yang, Day & Night
Fortunes come and go
With reason and fortitude, life is a fairy-tale in itself
Suffering? What suffering? If you don't taste bitterness, how do you know what sweetness tastes like
Daylight is not far...
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Laughter
Laugh Away Your Worries...
Whether you live or die, it is about the last breathe
- as long as you are alive, you can choose to be happy and spritely or dead as a dodo
If you are deep in depression, you immobilize yourself
- worse than Bangkok's traffic jam, time moves and day turns into night; you are still in living Hell
If you worry yourself dead, nobody is able to extract you from the pit
- worrying never solve problems; seek solutions, not indulge in worrying
When the boss screams and you whine, both will lead to deeper discord
- discord strain the mind and relationship and is 'bull in a china shop'
The body decays and releases toxins as you worry and built stress within
- nuclear fussion and cancer is less destructive than stress; toxins within is a silent killer
Instead of worrying, free the mind and you free your soul
Laughs away your problems and critics
Bend like the grass in a storm than to be the fallen old oak tree as dead man tell no tales
Fight or flight; better be a living coward than a dead hero
Winnings do not necessarily go to the fittest, tallest, brightest person...it goes to the person who lasts
Laughter costs nothing and gives vibrancy and lightness of being
If you complain that life is difficult and tough, why make it worse? Be the happy, charming and bright spark that everybody crave to be with
Or be in self-denial and live a hundred years in misery
Laughter - the best medicine that the Body & Soul can have without any side-effects
Whether you live or die, it is about the last breathe
- as long as you are alive, you can choose to be happy and spritely or dead as a dodo
If you are deep in depression, you immobilize yourself
- worse than Bangkok's traffic jam, time moves and day turns into night; you are still in living Hell
If you worry yourself dead, nobody is able to extract you from the pit
- worrying never solve problems; seek solutions, not indulge in worrying
When the boss screams and you whine, both will lead to deeper discord
- discord strain the mind and relationship and is 'bull in a china shop'
The body decays and releases toxins as you worry and built stress within
- nuclear fussion and cancer is less destructive than stress; toxins within is a silent killer
Instead of worrying, free the mind and you free your soul
Laughs away your problems and critics
Bend like the grass in a storm than to be the fallen old oak tree as dead man tell no tales
Fight or flight; better be a living coward than a dead hero
Winnings do not necessarily go to the fittest, tallest, brightest person...it goes to the person who lasts
Laughter costs nothing and gives vibrancy and lightness of being
If you complain that life is difficult and tough, why make it worse? Be the happy, charming and bright spark that everybody crave to be with
Or be in self-denial and live a hundred years in misery
Laughter - the best medicine that the Body & Soul can have without any side-effects
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Grouses
What Is An Incentive And What Is It A Right...
Cars are expensive and are depreciating assets yet there are more families owning two cars or more despite rising COE, ERP, road tax, import tax
Petrol prices go up and hardly ease
Car owners swallow them all with ease only to complain about the lack of car park lots
Such complains are music to the ears of car park operators who with a stroke of pen raise carpark charges
Housing Development Board (HDB) used to built in anticipation of demand and to make living affordable, if not cheaper
With a shift in demand patterns, Asian Financial & 2007/08 Financial crisis, HDB shy away from basic homes provisions to 'design & built' and 'built to order'
Coupled with added demand from foreigners and new citizens-to-be, prices spiral upwards
You want better homes, latest designs, quicker completion; there is a price to pay
Instant gratification is almost always expensive
We like to have taxis when we raise our hands
We like the train to breeze by and send us to our destination swiftly
We want the buses to be comfy, speedy and timely
You can have all if, and when, the price is right
It looks like every where/countries you go, there are lesser jobs/opportunities available
Job enlargement and job enrichment have 'eaten up' jobs
Recession and deflation have extinguished many jobs/positions
Like In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the creme positions are wrestled and dominated by the chosen ones
Like million of sperms swimming toward One egg; the winner is the survivor
Why is life getting tougher and rougher?
It has always been the same
Early man fights the animals for space and food
Modern man fights each other for the same reason
Life, and living, has always been the same
Except with globalization, internet & communication, frequent and cheaper flights
The World seems smaller, space dwindle, emotions become rowdier or less containable
Complaints by all means if you can
But, differentiate between Incentives and Rights
Rights is a given
Incentives depend on the givers
I have no grouses; I enjoy the incentives and keep my rights
Cars are expensive and are depreciating assets yet there are more families owning two cars or more despite rising COE, ERP, road tax, import tax
Petrol prices go up and hardly ease
Car owners swallow them all with ease only to complain about the lack of car park lots
Such complains are music to the ears of car park operators who with a stroke of pen raise carpark charges
Housing Development Board (HDB) used to built in anticipation of demand and to make living affordable, if not cheaper
With a shift in demand patterns, Asian Financial & 2007/08 Financial crisis, HDB shy away from basic homes provisions to 'design & built' and 'built to order'
Coupled with added demand from foreigners and new citizens-to-be, prices spiral upwards
You want better homes, latest designs, quicker completion; there is a price to pay
Instant gratification is almost always expensive
We like to have taxis when we raise our hands
We like the train to breeze by and send us to our destination swiftly
We want the buses to be comfy, speedy and timely
You can have all if, and when, the price is right
It looks like every where/countries you go, there are lesser jobs/opportunities available
Job enlargement and job enrichment have 'eaten up' jobs
Recession and deflation have extinguished many jobs/positions
Like In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the creme positions are wrestled and dominated by the chosen ones
Like million of sperms swimming toward One egg; the winner is the survivor
Why is life getting tougher and rougher?
It has always been the same
Early man fights the animals for space and food
Modern man fights each other for the same reason
Life, and living, has always been the same
Except with globalization, internet & communication, frequent and cheaper flights
The World seems smaller, space dwindle, emotions become rowdier or less containable
Complaints by all means if you can
But, differentiate between Incentives and Rights
Rights is a given
Incentives depend on the givers
I have no grouses; I enjoy the incentives and keep my rights
Friday, September 3, 2010
September 昨天，今天，明天
Two third gone and one third towards NewYear...
Time and tides wait for no man
Everyone has a great plan with each and every incoming new year
But few crystalize it when the year is out
It is not for lack of effort or interest but it certainly lacks follow through
Success includes the ability to ride the dynamism of environmental changes and the ability to adapt and change according to the new terrain
Do not be disheartened...'cos success is almost always within reach
Sixty percent is gone with 40% to go yet you still have a 100% chance of succeeding base on the 80/20 rule - 20% of mass can carry 80% of mess
Pull up your socks, run the final lap with zeal, oomph and style...success is within your reach
Its fine to slack but its time to wake up to reality
September - when Autumn seeps in and Winter is near the doorstep
I enjoy the Autumn breeze, reminize and retrospectively look at my footsteps behind me
I see none...
I remembered GOD walked with me throughout... Four footsteps, His & mine, at a time but none to be found when I looked back
'Cos the sands of time have smoothern and bury all
Every step I take is new and everyday is a new beginning
Seize the opportunity and blessings are abundance
Life is not a blame game but a game where every players have a choice
Take the winnings or stay on whining
I was lost for 60% of the year but the 40% is for me to think, tweak, adapt and SUCCEED
I never think I am smart but I try hard
I never dwell in senseless fights, baseless rumours and clueless leads
I give myself the very chance that NO one will; the chance to turn Winner - from trash to cash, from whining to winning, from nothing to something
Tomorrow will come but was never promised
Between your promise and cash, I take cash
I live simply and smartly; aboveall, I must be LUCKY
With luck, my life is more peaceful, fulfilling and satisfying
And my heart is lighter...smile and the World smiles with you
Quote
“To understand that hardship is a matter of fate and success is a matter of the times; and to able to face enormous difficulties without fear or terror is to have the courage of a sage.”
知穷之有命，知通之有时，临大难而不惧者，圣人之勇也。
Time and tides wait for no man
Everyone has a great plan with each and every incoming new year
But few crystalize it when the year is out
It is not for lack of effort or interest but it certainly lacks follow through
Success includes the ability to ride the dynamism of environmental changes and the ability to adapt and change according to the new terrain
Do not be disheartened...'cos success is almost always within reach
Sixty percent is gone with 40% to go yet you still have a 100% chance of succeeding base on the 80/20 rule - 20% of mass can carry 80% of mess
Pull up your socks, run the final lap with zeal, oomph and style...success is within your reach
Its fine to slack but its time to wake up to reality
September - when Autumn seeps in and Winter is near the doorstep
I enjoy the Autumn breeze, reminize and retrospectively look at my footsteps behind me
I see none...
I remembered GOD walked with me throughout... Four footsteps, His & mine, at a time but none to be found when I looked back
'Cos the sands of time have smoothern and bury all
Every step I take is new and everyday is a new beginning
Seize the opportunity and blessings are abundance
Life is not a blame game but a game where every players have a choice
Take the winnings or stay on whining
I was lost for 60% of the year but the 40% is for me to think, tweak, adapt and SUCCEED
I never think I am smart but I try hard
I never dwell in senseless fights, baseless rumours and clueless leads
I give myself the very chance that NO one will; the chance to turn Winner - from trash to cash, from whining to winning, from nothing to something
Tomorrow will come but was never promised
Between your promise and cash, I take cash
I live simply and smartly; aboveall, I must be LUCKY
With luck, my life is more peaceful, fulfilling and satisfying
And my heart is lighter...smile and the World smiles with you
Quote
“To understand that hardship is a matter of fate and success is a matter of the times; and to able to face enormous difficulties without fear or terror is to have the courage of a sage.”
知穷之有命，知通之有时，临大难而不惧者，圣人之勇也。
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This Time It's Different - Wealth Preservation
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