What I Need Is LUCK

I am motivated ...


I have fire in my heart
I have raging fuel encircling me, the burning guts that's spoiling to burst
Such feelings were rarer than striking Toto in me

I am drowned in defeats
I have not seen success for awhile
I am still struggling; burdened by obstinately rough hurdles, challenging changes & doubts
The body is weak but the spirit is spritely brilliant - raring to go

Sometimes, I doubt God
Somedays I walk alone in isolation & retrospect
Nothing haunt me more than the recollection of past successes
Such tortuous thoughts yet motivating ...

I ...will break new grounds & conquer new frontiers
Not that I am a man of steel but I believe I will move God's resolve to reward only the best, the sincerest & the honest lad

Man proposes & GOD disposes; tomorrow shall come & come with abundance & blessings

Nothing Is Permanent

Everytime I looked back, it is almost the same as before ...

Life isn't a bed of roses
Everyone faces different challenges
A close relative was fighting for his life last night battling advance stage cancer
The doctor told the family 'to be prepared'
He live to see sunlight today ... maybe, there will be many more 'todays', even months

I discovered that the Association that I am helming & serving had made decisions against better wisdom many years back
I tried to reverse it but something just do not have U-turns
The bright spark is 'it's getting better since I joined' although their old habits die hard
I am sure it can be better but, alas, my stamina is running low

I see my country's politicians trying hard to convince the people that they can deliver what's promised
I also hear them say 'Their decisions is/are for the good, if not better, for the people'
I like what they have said but ...
Many are feeling
- the heat of increased costs of living
- the incremental and incidental taxes
- the uncertainty of jobs & income
- the 'lack of belonging' & the feeling of being less wanted
These are serious cries & feelings of abandonment and unrequited commitment ... whether true, casted or imagined! Omigosh - DO NOT take away his dignity

There are people who die for their country
There are people who die for love
We will all die finally; but we have to make our living wholesome & worthwhile
Different people, different statures and different class with very different aspirations
But ONE country - the country of birth

The world is a stage and we are all actors

There are no fools on Earth; just people who think they are smarter
When the time is up, we face the Creator
We account for our acts and thoughts
Whatever is yours shall be yours
Whatever isn't, even you knifed someone in the grabs, it shall never be

Let's live and let live

I am walking into winter, cold as always & hard as ice
Some day, my hardness as ice shall melt into the melodies of water

I am human

The King & I

Everyday the majority ...

This is a strange world of humans;
7 men in China decide for 1.3billion people
1 man in USA decides which button to push
88 persons decide what's good for 5.3mil in Singapore

Laws are enacted to govern
Rules, By-Laws and Regulations to guide 合法，合情，合理
The Government govern with Laws & enforce with Guns (police, soldiers, securities, detention)
In an ideal world, the people (although were bosses) entrusts & gives up their 'rights' to the Government (leaders who swear to serve)

It's an honour to serve
Although some invited ones think they are sacrificing
When an/the honourable office is equated into, or as, dollars & cents, the honour is voided
With power, comes fame and money
When the leaders care for the country国, the people家 prospers

Why do minority (small group) lord over majority? It's this six letter word "Leader"

The mass is almost always happy, indifferent to 'who's governing', getting by day-to-day
A little irritant is fine, some taxes is manageable; even if some freedom is clipped
But, if every, or most, policies favour the rich & elite
Sooner, rather than later, the opportunity is planted for a fresh leader to surface


People complain, make noises and voice their differing views but No One will revolt as nobody likes disruption and anarchy

Nevertheless, a/the rich cannot live in a sea of poor
 
If the mass only receive lip service, soon distrust will sink in

The smart minority will try to please the majority
The kind minority will spare some thoughts and share with all (majority)
The majority are not blind nor deaf but can & do take some punches
The majority is like a sleeping tsunami; when emotions run wild, logic & reasons are buried

You shall be the King
But ... the King cannot live & enjoy without the support of the mass; let alone a hungry and mistreated one

Care & share

Who Is The Boss

Sometimes, people forget 'who's the boss'?


In the world of governments, the minority is selected, appointed & elected to lead their flock
But, instead of service, care & share with the flocks, many lord over their 'masters' - the very people who choose them to speak, fight, negotiate and design a better life

In the world of employers, the employers pay the employees wages & remuneration in exchange for efforts, commitments and contribution. Most will work diligently and deliver their best but a meaningful lot will 'work enough', 'seen to be working', 'talk their way up', 'ringfence their positions' & delegate everything, including responsibility. If it's at the lower ranks, work is slow & seldom done. If it's at mid-management, meetings are the norm with minimum execution. The worst if it's at the top: nothing gets done, lots of talks and no action with the mass suffering

In the world of employees; when you pay them enough, they work well. When you reward them fairly, they take initiatives and work better. When you reward them luxuriously, they needn't work but spend time guarding & protecting their position - this group behave like they are BOSSes

 
Familiarity breeds contempt


When the boss is too trusting and 'signs blank cheques', his subordinates rise to dominate
There must be checks and balances; not that there are distrusts but there is a need to check that variances are within manageable range and we don't sink like the Titanic

Who's the boss is not the most definitive as without accountability, transparency, fairness, with care & share, the system will collapse due to ill-will, selfishness and greed

Down Days; High Days & Every Day

Like the weather, changes affect us however well plan ...

I am happy on most days but my down days can be quite a struggle though. Even the best execution plan goes astray when you thought nothing can floor it/you. I learn to ...

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

I have seen people gone busts. I have seen my friends becoming 'rags to riches' folklores. I have been a fall guy not by choice. But, whatever happened, it's almost always a lonely journey ...

When people walk away from you, let them go. Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you, and it doesn't mean they are bad people. It just means that their part in your story is over - Tony McCollum

Being alone is not loneliness. Life maybe empty but it's not void. Greed has caused the downfall of people and Nations yet it's well and alive. Living simply isn't an isolation; somewhere, somehow, someone will want to cross your path ...

When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them.

I live a simple life. My past trails, not necessarily influencing, me and the future is for me to explore. I have friends and lesser friends but, more importantly, nobody will leave me alone even if I wanted to ...

Maybe I can't stop the downpour, but I will always, always join you for a walk in the rain.

Bosom friends are far & few in life & one thing is certain; Not everyone will leave you alone 

Living Well In A Stressful Environment

Stress is useful; it pushes you beyond your norm
Lay your heart open, keep the brain cool
Soon you will enjoy the positive neutron of stress

Deadlines, targets, timelines, schedules
Do well, fine. Miss by a mile, the next window is exit
But, to date, nobody dies because of this failures

If you want out by committing suicide, why not give all your working organs away? Two kidneys safe 2 persons from dialysis, two lungs keep 2 persons fresh with oxygen, two eyes give vision to 2 blind persons, your spine can save someone from leukemia, your liver will save several too. The best thing is many people will remember you.

You live again happily in others bodies; Go exchange your misery with happiness & the World will shine with you (inside them)

Nothing is absolutely bad or good
Tomorrow will still come long after we expire
If the world must end we will meet again in the next world

Take it easy
Relax your mind
If you are hitting the trough, you can't go any lower

Nobody dies because he is poor
Everyone dies because his time is up
Being born & dying is NOT a choice

Follow your heart if you can afford it
Follow your guts if its necessary

I never live worrying about tomorrow
I live the best today & any day

Some days are bored, some are taxing
Most are challenging ... I always long for a better tomorrow

Surviving The Stockmarket

Everyone wants to make money but few will do their homework...

Most major markets have enjoyed their good run since July; are we at a crossroad of turbulent Jupiter-influenced October?

What have changed fundamentally? Nothing really; alot of talks and still plentiful of talking without actioning.

USA - Growth is stable to slow with Presidential election in tow. If market/DJIA is reflective of Obama's chances at re-election, its been positive. With QE3 and enhanced QEx, money is not a problem.

Euro - ECB warranty of buying any amount of bonds is not unlike QEx; flooding the system with enough monies to re-float the ailing comrades.

Asia - China's growth has slowed but she has been releasing more funds to grease their system/economy.   With a change of Guards in sight, China will likely ensure that the economy is 'healthy' and pumping. Japan is on the road to recovery; slow but steady. ASEAN bathes in the shadow of the larger economies like a boat in the ocean. Mid-East is riding on their oil dominance and, when peace returns, oil prices will ease to a more earthly level.

Russia is always the X-card, swaying in the horizon looking for gainful alliances.

Generally, the larger aka more influencial stockmarkets have priced in the excess supply of currencies by their national bodies like ECB & Fed. Cost savings from declining raw material prices, natural attrition and retrenchments have boosted their earnings.

As the fundamentals have broadly remained unchanged except of printing more money, the problems are shifted forward. Physical and paper assets are inflated in inflation.

When stockmarkets are unsure, uncertain yet flooded with hot monies but hopeful, they rises. Further gains are seen when those lag behind jump into the wagon, not convince but cannot resist the returns. As caution thins out in the air, the market shall turn. 

We are at or near .. As caution thins out in the air, the market shall turn .. The correction will be deep, sharp & fast. 

After the storm, the good days shall return but many may/will be left licking their wounds.

It's smart to lighten your investment load on a rising market or when the market challenges her previous high without any change in fundamentals. Sit out and buy into sharp dips, then ride the rebound.

Possible? Sure. The market goes in cycles but everyday a fool is born.   

You can either be BULL or BEAR but don't be a sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

I am the farmer ... a lot of hardwork, plentiful of commonsense and discipline; like you, I reaped what I sow. You wouldn't disagree.

Fair & Equitable Compensation & Opportunity For Singaporeans

There is no hates just dislikes and righting a wrong ...

The Irish and Scottish welcome the PRC/Chinese and Asians as they are more hardworking, contribute to the economy and value-add to societal development.

Nonetheless, they are concern and wary of the east europeans, in particular those from the ex-Soviet satellites because they don't, or are not accustomed to, work and live on handouts and welfare; adding to the strains on the country.

Contrary to assertions, Singaporeans welcome foreigners or foreign workers but not an untamed influx of foreign workers of all walks and from every corners of earth, skills or unskilled, yet crowned as Foreign Talent (FTs). With slowing growth and increased unemployment globally, if we care to open our door wide, Singapore will sink under the weight of people seeking, and given, work!

What's good for the goose must be good for the gander!

When the flood gates are opened and free flows of FTs are allowed into the country, wages are depressed. Why does this not apply to those higher up the food-chain who are supposedly more talented; rarefied perhaps. They are equated to the Mandarins and the Aristocrats - a class above ivory tower indeed.

The sandwiched middle class, the working class and the less educated peasants live from hand to mouth; struggling to make ends meet, combating rising costs of living amidst uncertain job prospects and purposes. Their woes are exacerbated by too many foreign workers seizing their jobs, including entry-level jobs. Even fresh graduates find it hard to get an interview let alone finding a job!

There are living examples of foreigners & foreign workers flooding banks, filling MNCs, shops in shopping centres and even NTUC (a national body representing the diverse unions of workers' unions); if Singapore cannot care for Singaporeans, who will?

It's not the fear of competition that causes disharmony and anxieties, its a gasping disequilibrium of efforts versus rewards on the one hand and earnings versus costs of living on the other.

Singaporean workers are also becoming, or had become, less competitive with NS-reservists obligations and the freshly minted 4-months (proposed 6-months) maternity leave.

It is not too late to stop, turn the clock back and give Singaporeans the support, dignity, care and share, and a semblance of belonging.

Singaporeans are not lazy nor choosy but seek equitable and sane compensation for their efforts deployed and employed. Our MTI made a balanced observation: "Foreign manpower also complements the resident workforce by taking the jobs that Singaporeans shun, or the jobs left behind as Singaporeans move on to higher-skilled jobs".  

While some may think that earning $2,500 as a fresh graduate or $1,000 for those with less to nil education, aged 60 - 76 years old are good and fair, may I suggest a re-think.
i) Is $2,500 an equitable compensation for FOUR years of studies (6 years for guys who served NS)?  
ii) If you are fairly well-off or can afford it, will you want to work for $1,000 when you are aged 60-75 years old?

Disagreeing or taking a view doesn't make me any more rebellious or non-conforming; it's because I care and am concerned.

There is no monopoly of wisdom and I will be glad to be proven wrong or, better still, I am a minority and my opinion is just a baseless shout in the wilderness!

I can agree to disagree. 

Life As A Human

Some days, its impossible to remain positive and cheerful....

When you are so sure that the deal will be sealed but client's have other priorities
When you have the cheque for the order but there was simply no stock
When the donor was about to pen his will but he had a heart attack
When every phone calls you make were never answered

Life has its limitation

Being positive does not mean there will be results as per desired
The days are longer
The time is stretched
The wait is excruciating

Life makes no promises

Man proposes, GOD disposes
Why do bad people get rewarded & why are the good suffering? Sadly, there will never be any answers
Seemingly good deeds go unnoticed
Alas, this is the real world

Life is fate turned inside out

I have done all I needed to do; more importantly, I have done all I wanted to do
I never look for rewards nor gratification
But, I cannot live on hopes alone
I still need to meet the material demands and the daily needs that require financial capabilities

I am, afterall, a human

50-years housing loan

As published in the STforum, 16 Aug 2012:

I DISAGREE with the criticism of 50-year housing loans by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan ("50-year home loan a 'gimmick', says Khaw"; Aug 6).

Such loans are merely an alternative commercial possibility.

The offering by United Overseas Bank (UOB) is imaginative.

The bank not only provides a longer loan tenure, but also takes its services to prospective customers' doorsteps, that is, the sales and site offices, offering them the convenience of assessing their credit standing and the chances of loan approval.

Besides, the extended tenure frees up more cash for the buyer, which could come in handy.

There is no need for government intervention as some critics have urged, because the offer is a commercial decision and involves no coercion.

If buyers find 50-year mortgages unattractive, the offering will remain on the shelf.

So hats off to UOB for daring to be different.

My original:

Is there anything wrong to offer 50 years mortgages? Absolutely not; it is just another alternative commercial possibility..

Such moves by UOB Group (UOB) are creative and a 'first mover' in loans structure and origination. UOB not only provides a longer tenured loan but also brings their services to their prospects' doorstep, that is, the sales & site offices. 

Prospective clients have a chance to assess their credit standing and the success probability of their desired loan. Besides, the extended tenure, if chosen, frees more cashflow which could come in useful.  

Some have voiced concerns over the longer tenure and thought it was irresponsible for the bank to come out with such a scheme. Others even exhort the government to intervene to stop such loans. 

Please spare for a moment to think! This is a commercial decision between willing buyer (borrower) and willing seller (lender). Why must the government get involve? If the terms are attractive, viable and acceptable, the borrower will bite, otherwise there will be no takers; it will be nothing but remains an alternative.

Singapore is already 47 years old and it is overdue for all to be matured instead of expecting the government to nanny them from cradle to grave. If you do not like the tenure, terms and conditions of the loan, you have every right to stay away from it.  The government need not tell you so.

As for UOB, it's an added feather in the cap to 'dare to be different'.

NTUC - Brilliant Or Silly Ideas?

Why make our woman workforce less competitive?

"NTUC believes that with 6 months paid leave for working mums, more storks will fly". Is this a smart move or just an academic exercise?

With the current 4 months paid maternity leave, a Singaporean woman who gives birth to two kids in a year effectively works for less than four months in the year as compared to a foreign female worker. She is not only price competitive but less disruptive. 

Given a choice the employer will employ foreign female worker, who cannot get pregnant during her tenure of work here. Why proposed a half-baked solution? 

Perhaps, NTUC should craft and support ideas that allow the men to earn enough so that the women have a choice not to work but have babies instead until such time when she is ready to re-join the workforce.   

Why did NTUC, a national representative of workers, recruit foreigners to work in Singapore? Whose interest is NTUC representing? Wouldn't NTUC do some in-depth research and soul-searching why they cannot find Singaporeans to fill the posts? Is their supposedly fair pay too low to attract locals? 

Spare a thought for Singaporeans and Singaporean workers. It is probably the pay is barely enough to provide for equitable and reasonable standard of living given our high & rising costs of living. 

NTUC has done well fighting for workers welfare and rights and should continue to do so instead of scouring overseas for cheaper workers. It pays to stop behaving like a private enterprise and protect workers rights and well being.

Profit maximization must never be your goal.