I was so touched that Mattew, remembered me and invite me to his 21th birthday party. To think i don't even save his hp number. Sorry.
I was quite on close term with the drivers. Yes alot are uneducated or lowly educated. However, i find them to be endearing too. They have that kind of humility, the determination never to say die that i think will do them good.
People might say, one should make friends with those who are on par with you or higher. Then you will soar also. True, i believe in that. In terms of value, those friends certainly has much more value. You can learn more from them. And making more of these friends are beneficial.
However, if you are always too occupied with those friends, you will feel sooner or later, you will detact youself with other level of the society and think full of yourself as a high and mighty king.
So while you make friends of high value, making friends of those lower, perhaps in education, will tie you to your roots that one can fail just as easy as one can succeed.
Thats why you see those entreprenuer, they may not have a title, professor, next to their name, but they can still make their mark. Similarly, i believe those uneducated people or lowly educated, as long as you still have that one mouthful of breath, you will also make it.
I am happy for another friend, stephen. I mentioned about him earlier. NUS has grant himself an interview for industrial design. This is a highly sought after course. If stephen has been granted an interview, it means half of the battle is won. And mind you, he is not even a design student as the course name suggest. He is just a poly grad who make good. If a normal engineering student can be granted an interview, it shows that nothing is impossible. You may be good in something, but often, this world always surprises you for in this world, it is the world, the people other than you that dictate you and not vice versa.
Ordinary people can also succeed.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Type of people
Barely 6 mth into my job, i have come into contact with alot of people. Different clients different days. Like our thumbprints, not a single person is alike in terms of thinking, acting and doing things. But i have come to the conclusion that if a person want to avoid you, he can gives all sorts of arguement and excuses which will force a dog to jump over the wall and the pigs will fly. No forgetting, sun will rise from the west.
However i do much love this challenges. Every job has its challenge. When i was a mechanics, my challenge was how to troubleshoot the vehicles, the machines to make it work. Ocassionally still have to beat the time in order to get things done. But dealing with people is yet another story. When you thought you have troubleshoot his worries and queries, he will come up with more questions to worry you! Sometimes these questions are asked to satisfy their inner curosity. But most of the time, the questions are asked in oder to make you stumble and lost your tongue which will they then, say "i am sorry you are not competent". But then, how to answer a questions which you yourself can't even answer?
Sometimes in the line, i wonder, do i really have to con or confuse in order to get the deal? I am not a story teller. Whatever i present is based on 3rd parties facts. Newspapers clippings, report from major independent financial firms, whatever whatever. I have display them as my arsenal. They do pack a potent punch but people still, denied them. Look like Straits Times is not all that convincing in its news reporting! Ha!
Back to the people. Like i say, alot of people i met. I am going to list them below and you all can have a good read.
Overly polite type
Once, at pasir ris while doing a road show, i met this overly polite guy.
"Hi sir"
"thank you thank you"
"would u like.."
"thank you than you"
?? " but i haven't do anything to help you"
"thank you thank you"
"but.."
"thank you thank you"
and he just walked faster and faster with each thank you thank you.
Lie in front of you type
I saw this macik and i approach her.
"sorry lah, busyyy"
And after saying busyyy, she walk slowly to the atm machine, withdraw her cash, and walk past me, very slowly.
Sue you type
I approach this man smoking near a dustbin. He don't look like that kind who could afford the lawyer's fee based on his dressing.
"Hi sir could i do a survey with you"
" go away"
Since you are rude, then lets play
"why sir, i haven't done anything"
"look i am not interested"
"of course you aren't, because i haven't show you anything"
"if you bother me, i am going to sue you"
hm..i should hand my friend name card to him to let him engage him to sue me.
Conspiracy type
Once i was talking to this bus driver at bedok. It was him that i verbal diarrhoea and get a somehow sarcastic talk by my friend boss. Apparently, he is my friend's client. We are talking about unit trust and i was telling him nothing is bound to go up. It will go down. And he actually know why it go down!
"You know why go down?!!"
" i know"
"why?"
" because hor, those stockholders hor, they eat the company money ah!"
i peng.
Merry go round type
This type is what you damn pissed with especially you know your plans are in fact, much superior. When you say A, he will say B. But his B will contridict his A. So you mention about the contridiction in B. He will say back A!
"see, prudential plan is much better"
"but then a difference of 10k is no difference, you know. I can easily earn back" ( This is A)
Here, he sound rather generous with his money. But wait,
"so your worries is about the premium? but then $20 dollar difference is no higher" ( my premium is higher than $20)
"No. $20 is alot of difference" (This is B. He contridict his A)
"but what you put in is what you get. And if 10k is no difference, then what does $20 make any difference. You put in how much, you will get how much" (I show his contridiction)
"10 k is really no difference" ( he go back to A. So here, we have a merry go round)
Alot of other cases also but i am too lazy to type. Ha ha. But i think doing sales, you really need to know the psychological mindset of people. I think this job will prepare me for other jobs in the outside world, for everyday, i am receiving the baptism of fire.
However i do much love this challenges. Every job has its challenge. When i was a mechanics, my challenge was how to troubleshoot the vehicles, the machines to make it work. Ocassionally still have to beat the time in order to get things done. But dealing with people is yet another story. When you thought you have troubleshoot his worries and queries, he will come up with more questions to worry you! Sometimes these questions are asked to satisfy their inner curosity. But most of the time, the questions are asked in oder to make you stumble and lost your tongue which will they then, say "i am sorry you are not competent". But then, how to answer a questions which you yourself can't even answer?
Sometimes in the line, i wonder, do i really have to con or confuse in order to get the deal? I am not a story teller. Whatever i present is based on 3rd parties facts. Newspapers clippings, report from major independent financial firms, whatever whatever. I have display them as my arsenal. They do pack a potent punch but people still, denied them. Look like Straits Times is not all that convincing in its news reporting! Ha!
Back to the people. Like i say, alot of people i met. I am going to list them below and you all can have a good read.
Overly polite type
Once, at pasir ris while doing a road show, i met this overly polite guy.
"Hi sir"
"thank you thank you"
"would u like.."
"thank you than you"
?? " but i haven't do anything to help you"
"thank you thank you"
"but.."
"thank you thank you"
and he just walked faster and faster with each thank you thank you.
Lie in front of you type
I saw this macik and i approach her.
"sorry lah, busyyy"
And after saying busyyy, she walk slowly to the atm machine, withdraw her cash, and walk past me, very slowly.
Sue you type
I approach this man smoking near a dustbin. He don't look like that kind who could afford the lawyer's fee based on his dressing.
"Hi sir could i do a survey with you"
" go away"
Since you are rude, then lets play
"why sir, i haven't done anything"
"look i am not interested"
"of course you aren't, because i haven't show you anything"
"if you bother me, i am going to sue you"
hm..i should hand my friend name card to him to let him engage him to sue me.
Conspiracy type
Once i was talking to this bus driver at bedok. It was him that i verbal diarrhoea and get a somehow sarcastic talk by my friend boss. Apparently, he is my friend's client. We are talking about unit trust and i was telling him nothing is bound to go up. It will go down. And he actually know why it go down!
"You know why go down?!!"
" i know"
"why?"
" because hor, those stockholders hor, they eat the company money ah!"
i peng.
Merry go round type
This type is what you damn pissed with especially you know your plans are in fact, much superior. When you say A, he will say B. But his B will contridict his A. So you mention about the contridiction in B. He will say back A!
"see, prudential plan is much better"
"but then a difference of 10k is no difference, you know. I can easily earn back" ( This is A)
Here, he sound rather generous with his money. But wait,
"so your worries is about the premium? but then $20 dollar difference is no higher" ( my premium is higher than $20)
"No. $20 is alot of difference" (This is B. He contridict his A)
"but what you put in is what you get. And if 10k is no difference, then what does $20 make any difference. You put in how much, you will get how much" (I show his contridiction)
"10 k is really no difference" ( he go back to A. So here, we have a merry go round)
Alot of other cases also but i am too lazy to type. Ha ha. But i think doing sales, you really need to know the psychological mindset of people. I think this job will prepare me for other jobs in the outside world, for everyday, i am receiving the baptism of fire.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Investment Linked and the financial advisory Industry
Recently there have been some controversies and debates surrounded investment linked products and insurance as a whole. Propositions and oppositions have been fighting like no one else business and mainly the propositions are people who are in the financial advisory industry while as usual, the oppositions are the people who need financial planning and often, the vanguards of this battle are they one whose financial planning go haywire due to the incompetency of their financial advisors.
What is Investment linked policy? Simply put, it is a financial plan where one could have both insurance coverage and also investment at the same time. Invest what? Invest in unit trusts. Here is where lies the problem as the allocation of the investment funds, or premium become murky as investors and perhaps even the advisor do not know how much is being allocated to which and hence it spark off a wide range of issues regarding the financial advisory industry.
For an ILP, usually the first few years, returns can't be seen. As with most investments, you will need a have a period in order to get your capital beef up and earn returns or incur loses. However it doesn't boil down too well with the average Singaporean who do not have the slightest hint of what investment should be. TV program showing fast bucks do not help the situation either.
I have met with several clients who ask me whether can they put in less but generate alot, in a short span of time. They saw investment as the Singapore Mint which can produce notes at an astronomical speed.
But who can blame them as Schools, parents do not teach them the way to safeguard and let their money grow?
ILP work in a way that once premium is received, they are allocated immediately. It mean, they will be converted to units( and hence the name unit trust). The cost and the insurance coverage will be also converted to units after which the premium unit will deduct the cost unit and the remaining unit will be put to work.
The quotation of each plan shows 5 and 9% returns generated. However this is not guranteed. There is no short cut or magic involved. Even if you deposit in a bank, there is no guranteed that the interest rate will stays at the prevailing rate and not rise nor fall.
Some may argue that the fault lies with advisors who failed to mention or show the clients how do this work, how do the cost is being deducted, so on and so forth.
To this question, there are two side of the story. True some advisors are incompetent. They do not bother to keep abreast with the current affairs, especially with the financial news. They do not highlight the cost or do not even know how to calculate it even after being taught how to, to the clients. Worse, they spun fairylike tales to clients like telling them those 5 and 9% returns are guranteed. Yes, we should weed out these advisors.
However being said, i also discovered that it is just a vicious cycle. I tried once to explain to a bus driver, my friend's client actually, on what is a unit trust, how do it work, how is the cost calculated, only to have the bus driver confused and the deal just fall off. Me? I became a thousand year guilty guy who get a bit of sarcasm from my friend's boss.
You see, explaining to a group of people who don't even have the slightest idea of what is financial planning can be a big hurdle. For a start, they are already risk adverse psychologically. They treat all investments are losing money vehicle, especially in higher risk instruments such as stocks. So even before you start to spread your gospel of how the things work, they already have this mindset that it won't work for them and money is sure to be lost.
It is this mindset which prevent them from getting comfortable financially. It is also this group which the government are most worried about, seeing that they won't be retiring comfortably in their old age. And this is the group which the insurers and companies are trying to reach out to. And so, a vicious cycle just keep on repeating.
The delimma surfaced. If i become too technical, the client may be confused and everything just flopped. Yet this is my career, the source of my bread and butter. So should i just make things simple, just illustrate the benefits and forgo the cost and potential lost aspect? I badly need this deal you know. Go figure ladies and gentlemen.
Ever since CPF rates are fixed at 2.5%, government has been hinting and hinting that one need to plan for himself. We are not a welfare state, we can't expect the government to give handouts. And since that the government has been talking about personal financial planning, i speculated that the cut on CPF contribution are going to get more and more and the interest rate may be adjust to even lower than 2.5%( 2.5% is a requirement stated in some sort of law that it is the lowest and couldn't go anymore low in order to protect the people. But law can be change don't they?)
The situation could get worse.
Another aspect of things which i think can be improved is the image of financial advisors. You see them at the bus stop stopping you with surveys form. You treat them as if they are begging you. But if they don't do that, will you be the one to look for them instead? Absolutely not! Assuming that you know financial planning is vital. Yet Singaporean favourite excuse is " not enough time" Yes! You do not even have time to visit the toilet, so what make you have time to visit the financial planning companies?
So instead of you come forward, we come to you.
But having said, why do people are so afraid to visit the planners?
To me, i came up with a conclusion. Uneducated.
Schools never teach us. Worse, everybody say keep cash in your pocket or in your bank is the most sensible way.
You could see the obsession of Singaporean with cash. When ERS is announced, people queue up, to cash out their ERS.
$500 only, yet people are in a hurry to cash them out. If you cash them out and spend, i think its stupid. If you cash them out and deposit in bank, thats even more stupid.
You forgo the potential interest rate of 3 to 5% but rather earn a pittance of 0.125 to 0.25% in the bank. Isn't that stupid?
Last year, the ecoomy soar to 8.4%. As ERS interest is pegged to our GDP plus if i am not wrong, 3% more. So last year, the interest rate of ERS is 11.4%. 11.4% is about $50++. But if you put your ERS inside the bank, u earn only 0.25% which is i think, a few cents?
I think, in order to make people plan for their finances early. We should start educating them. Merely publish books like money sense and all that are no use, no one will listen. Start off in schools with the kids, after which they go home, they can teach their parents and so on.
After 5 to 10 years of successful education where everybody will know cash isn't king.
They won't be so scared when advisors approach them. And 15 years later, advisors need not to go into the streets and hawk their wares. Instead, people will come and look for them.
That should be the real and truthful image of financial advisors.
What is Investment linked policy? Simply put, it is a financial plan where one could have both insurance coverage and also investment at the same time. Invest what? Invest in unit trusts. Here is where lies the problem as the allocation of the investment funds, or premium become murky as investors and perhaps even the advisor do not know how much is being allocated to which and hence it spark off a wide range of issues regarding the financial advisory industry.
For an ILP, usually the first few years, returns can't be seen. As with most investments, you will need a have a period in order to get your capital beef up and earn returns or incur loses. However it doesn't boil down too well with the average Singaporean who do not have the slightest hint of what investment should be. TV program showing fast bucks do not help the situation either.
I have met with several clients who ask me whether can they put in less but generate alot, in a short span of time. They saw investment as the Singapore Mint which can produce notes at an astronomical speed.
But who can blame them as Schools, parents do not teach them the way to safeguard and let their money grow?
ILP work in a way that once premium is received, they are allocated immediately. It mean, they will be converted to units( and hence the name unit trust). The cost and the insurance coverage will be also converted to units after which the premium unit will deduct the cost unit and the remaining unit will be put to work.
The quotation of each plan shows 5 and 9% returns generated. However this is not guranteed. There is no short cut or magic involved. Even if you deposit in a bank, there is no guranteed that the interest rate will stays at the prevailing rate and not rise nor fall.
Some may argue that the fault lies with advisors who failed to mention or show the clients how do this work, how do the cost is being deducted, so on and so forth.
To this question, there are two side of the story. True some advisors are incompetent. They do not bother to keep abreast with the current affairs, especially with the financial news. They do not highlight the cost or do not even know how to calculate it even after being taught how to, to the clients. Worse, they spun fairylike tales to clients like telling them those 5 and 9% returns are guranteed. Yes, we should weed out these advisors.
However being said, i also discovered that it is just a vicious cycle. I tried once to explain to a bus driver, my friend's client actually, on what is a unit trust, how do it work, how is the cost calculated, only to have the bus driver confused and the deal just fall off. Me? I became a thousand year guilty guy who get a bit of sarcasm from my friend's boss.
You see, explaining to a group of people who don't even have the slightest idea of what is financial planning can be a big hurdle. For a start, they are already risk adverse psychologically. They treat all investments are losing money vehicle, especially in higher risk instruments such as stocks. So even before you start to spread your gospel of how the things work, they already have this mindset that it won't work for them and money is sure to be lost.
It is this mindset which prevent them from getting comfortable financially. It is also this group which the government are most worried about, seeing that they won't be retiring comfortably in their old age. And this is the group which the insurers and companies are trying to reach out to. And so, a vicious cycle just keep on repeating.
The delimma surfaced. If i become too technical, the client may be confused and everything just flopped. Yet this is my career, the source of my bread and butter. So should i just make things simple, just illustrate the benefits and forgo the cost and potential lost aspect? I badly need this deal you know. Go figure ladies and gentlemen.
Ever since CPF rates are fixed at 2.5%, government has been hinting and hinting that one need to plan for himself. We are not a welfare state, we can't expect the government to give handouts. And since that the government has been talking about personal financial planning, i speculated that the cut on CPF contribution are going to get more and more and the interest rate may be adjust to even lower than 2.5%( 2.5% is a requirement stated in some sort of law that it is the lowest and couldn't go anymore low in order to protect the people. But law can be change don't they?)
The situation could get worse.
Another aspect of things which i think can be improved is the image of financial advisors. You see them at the bus stop stopping you with surveys form. You treat them as if they are begging you. But if they don't do that, will you be the one to look for them instead? Absolutely not! Assuming that you know financial planning is vital. Yet Singaporean favourite excuse is " not enough time" Yes! You do not even have time to visit the toilet, so what make you have time to visit the financial planning companies?
So instead of you come forward, we come to you.
But having said, why do people are so afraid to visit the planners?
To me, i came up with a conclusion. Uneducated.
Schools never teach us. Worse, everybody say keep cash in your pocket or in your bank is the most sensible way.
You could see the obsession of Singaporean with cash. When ERS is announced, people queue up, to cash out their ERS.
$500 only, yet people are in a hurry to cash them out. If you cash them out and spend, i think its stupid. If you cash them out and deposit in bank, thats even more stupid.
You forgo the potential interest rate of 3 to 5% but rather earn a pittance of 0.125 to 0.25% in the bank. Isn't that stupid?
Last year, the ecoomy soar to 8.4%. As ERS interest is pegged to our GDP plus if i am not wrong, 3% more. So last year, the interest rate of ERS is 11.4%. 11.4% is about $50++. But if you put your ERS inside the bank, u earn only 0.25% which is i think, a few cents?
I think, in order to make people plan for their finances early. We should start educating them. Merely publish books like money sense and all that are no use, no one will listen. Start off in schools with the kids, after which they go home, they can teach their parents and so on.
After 5 to 10 years of successful education where everybody will know cash isn't king.
They won't be so scared when advisors approach them. And 15 years later, advisors need not to go into the streets and hawk their wares. Instead, people will come and look for them.
That should be the real and truthful image of financial advisors.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Know your strength and look ahead
People are the most negatively charged creatures in this world. In my 2 decades of live, i think positively charged people are only a handful. People that can make themselves shine in this world and inspiring other people are so few in the world, they are gems.
I don't understand why actually. People usually feel bad about others, the world, their parents, their friends, siblings and of course themselves. I feel that feeling bad about oneself is really unfortunate. In a world where people snub one another, look down on one another, the last thing is you look down on yourself.
I think in order to succeed in life, one should take note of his own strength, and push forward. Like if you are strong in math, go and do math. If you are strong in arts, pursue it. Perhaps why lots of people feel bad about themselves is they are going on a path which they themselves has no clue, no strength in it. It is just not their forte.
But once said, once you took on the path where you are more well equipped. There are pitfalls, potholes too.
The pitfalls is, one tend to bask in their old glory and never move forward. The earth is continuing turning, everybody grow old day by day. Time and tide wait for no man but you can always see people, still living in their own world, the golden era, the world where they excel and things like that.
I believe to be successful in the future, you must look at the past but not live in the past. Thats my mantra.
I don't understand why actually. People usually feel bad about others, the world, their parents, their friends, siblings and of course themselves. I feel that feeling bad about oneself is really unfortunate. In a world where people snub one another, look down on one another, the last thing is you look down on yourself.
I think in order to succeed in life, one should take note of his own strength, and push forward. Like if you are strong in math, go and do math. If you are strong in arts, pursue it. Perhaps why lots of people feel bad about themselves is they are going on a path which they themselves has no clue, no strength in it. It is just not their forte.
But once said, once you took on the path where you are more well equipped. There are pitfalls, potholes too.
The pitfalls is, one tend to bask in their old glory and never move forward. The earth is continuing turning, everybody grow old day by day. Time and tide wait for no man but you can always see people, still living in their own world, the golden era, the world where they excel and things like that.
I believe to be successful in the future, you must look at the past but not live in the past. Thats my mantra.
Integrated Resort
Applauds Applauds! The cat has been let out of the bag, we are going to build, not one, not one and a half but two integrated resorts. Personally i welcome the move to make Singapore into a Vice city where boozes, sex, gambling rules.
The geylang situation has gone out of hand, so much so that cameras need to be installed at every nook of the streets. But the hookers just fled to the opposite side and continue to do their soliciting, or prospecting. HIV on the rise so much so the government is thinking of testing the pregnant ladies whether they have HIV and of course test the babies as well. And if the babies have, i think they will be aborted and made into "kun-man-tong" ( kun man tong is a thai word for...baby spirit?)
And bars, watering holes open all around singapore. Joo Chiat, a nice peranakan neighbourhood was the copycat of m.sultan road. Teens sex rises, party drugs rules while all are still goody good shoes in their parents eyes.
And now, beside 4D, Score, Toto, Sweepstakes, lottery, underground bookies, cruise boat, batam, we have casino. Indulge in vices Singaporean, do not call NKF anymore but let your money roll!!
Ok serious now. Integrated resorts is build to, like Lim Boon Heng said, 35 000 jobs is at stake and we couldn't say no. However there is a lack of people working in the entertainment and gambling industry. So the question is, are these 35 000 jobs going to be filled by foreigners, again?! I got this feeling that when it is built, Johorean or genting highland people will come here in the doves and filled up all the space available. So i think the best thing is, send a core group of people to be attatched to las vegas or macau or even genting to learn the art of card distributing.
Next, the resorts. Definitely a shopping mall is to be build. But what kind of shops are going to be filled inside? Would it be giordano, bossini, hang ten, bata, bread talk, taka jewellery, SK jewellery, food junction, etc? Or would it be something different, something which the name i never heard of.
I think basically, why Singapore can't attract tourists is because of the usual shops found in Singapore. Go around orchard road and count how many Giordano it has. Aplently. Count how many coffee bean, starbucks it has, alot. So where ever the tourists walk, he is greeted by the same shops over and over again. Its definitely boring.
With plans to make Orchard road a shopping hub, please for whoever sake, don't let those same old shops took up almost 3/4 spaces again!
The geylang situation has gone out of hand, so much so that cameras need to be installed at every nook of the streets. But the hookers just fled to the opposite side and continue to do their soliciting, or prospecting. HIV on the rise so much so the government is thinking of testing the pregnant ladies whether they have HIV and of course test the babies as well. And if the babies have, i think they will be aborted and made into "kun-man-tong" ( kun man tong is a thai word for...baby spirit?)
And bars, watering holes open all around singapore. Joo Chiat, a nice peranakan neighbourhood was the copycat of m.sultan road. Teens sex rises, party drugs rules while all are still goody good shoes in their parents eyes.
And now, beside 4D, Score, Toto, Sweepstakes, lottery, underground bookies, cruise boat, batam, we have casino. Indulge in vices Singaporean, do not call NKF anymore but let your money roll!!
Ok serious now. Integrated resorts is build to, like Lim Boon Heng said, 35 000 jobs is at stake and we couldn't say no. However there is a lack of people working in the entertainment and gambling industry. So the question is, are these 35 000 jobs going to be filled by foreigners, again?! I got this feeling that when it is built, Johorean or genting highland people will come here in the doves and filled up all the space available. So i think the best thing is, send a core group of people to be attatched to las vegas or macau or even genting to learn the art of card distributing.
Next, the resorts. Definitely a shopping mall is to be build. But what kind of shops are going to be filled inside? Would it be giordano, bossini, hang ten, bata, bread talk, taka jewellery, SK jewellery, food junction, etc? Or would it be something different, something which the name i never heard of.
I think basically, why Singapore can't attract tourists is because of the usual shops found in Singapore. Go around orchard road and count how many Giordano it has. Aplently. Count how many coffee bean, starbucks it has, alot. So where ever the tourists walk, he is greeted by the same shops over and over again. Its definitely boring.
With plans to make Orchard road a shopping hub, please for whoever sake, don't let those same old shops took up almost 3/4 spaces again!
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Can Men and Women Be Friends?
Came across this: "
Once in a while, I run across a blog entry that reignites the perennial When Harry Met Sally debate on whether a guy and a girl can ever be just friends.
To settle it, here's the rule, as I see it:
If there's attraction with hope = can't be friends.
If there's attraction with no hope = can be friends
If there's attraction and a respect for boundaries = can be friends, so long as boundaries exist.
If there's no attraction = can be friends.
PS. Guys always hope. "
I agree with it...
Once in a while, I run across a blog entry that reignites the perennial When Harry Met Sally debate on whether a guy and a girl can ever be just friends.
To settle it, here's the rule, as I see it:
If there's attraction with hope = can't be friends.
If there's attraction with no hope = can be friends
If there's attraction and a respect for boundaries = can be friends, so long as boundaries exist.
If there's no attraction = can be friends.
PS. Guys always hope. "
I agree with it...
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Want to say, just say it
I really don't understand. When you read those blog and the writer want to express his frustration but can't find any words to use, due to his limited vocabulary, he will often type the F word. But then, he won't type it as it is. Word like fcuk, fish, frup,etc would come out.
I mean, want to type, just type it lah. Whats the big deal? It just like you want to do it, yet scared. Since you have the intention, then just do it. Still pretend to be gracious, civilised for what?! When you type the letter F plus 4 other letters which when pronounced sound like the real mc coy, then type the real thing lah!
Don't act civilised when you aren't one.
I mean, want to type, just type it lah. Whats the big deal? It just like you want to do it, yet scared. Since you have the intention, then just do it. Still pretend to be gracious, civilised for what?! When you type the letter F plus 4 other letters which when pronounced sound like the real mc coy, then type the real thing lah!
Don't act civilised when you aren't one.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Cuiwen
This name..i believe is the hottest in NUS now. Why? Because she is sort of embarassed by a guy who professed his love for her during one of the maths lectures. And how do i know, because my NUS peeps told me.
Well, i think, if you are reading this cuiwen. Don't feel sad anymore. See, at least you know that there is always people who care about you. Thats important ain't not? Also, you are sort of lucky because there are millions of singles out there like me, who don't even know whether got people like us or not. So don't feel sad anymore ya? And perhaps if you are not talking to him, give him another chance. He use use a wrong method to woo a girl. I don't think he deliberately trying to humiliate you or whatever
Well, i think, if you are reading this cuiwen. Don't feel sad anymore. See, at least you know that there is always people who care about you. Thats important ain't not? Also, you are sort of lucky because there are millions of singles out there like me, who don't even know whether got people like us or not. So don't feel sad anymore ya? And perhaps if you are not talking to him, give him another chance. He use use a wrong method to woo a girl. I don't think he deliberately trying to humiliate you or whatever
Friday, April 01, 2005
Terri schiavo
Exactly 2 weeks as predicted, terri schiavo is with her creator now. If like a true Desperate housewives fashion , what would she say while looking down at mother Earth? This 2 week has been gut wrenching for both Michael Schiavo, terri's family and terri alone. Humans in a persistant vegetarian state may lose their senses but their innate sense of going to die i believe, is not dead. They too can feel that they are going to die, not by the hand of god, but by the hand of human.
Theorically, old age death then, is considered dead by natural courses. However, terri's death is not even old age death, it is inflicted by the wills of the judical systems of america, her husband and her family, indirectly. So can we prosecute the parties which put a foot in for contributing her death? This is still a very complex issue.
Isn't it ironical that America, the country which advocate itself as a world of freedom and human rights, killed terri just in broad daylight. Don't tell me terri do not have a right to live and a freedom to stay alive.
Has the great american theory of freedom, human rights, supremacy of uncle sam went too far into its own head that it began to assume the duties of grim ripper and god? Invading sadaam backyard, accusing iran and north korea without any real evidences, getting itself out of the Kyoto treaty while condemning china for emitting too much carbon dioxide and now, killing its own citizen.
Back to terri's case. Michael Schiavo may seems to be the villian in this whole drama that span 15 yrs. But who know the agony of seeing your love one half dead, while still need to care for her. Human are creatures that need appreciation and reciprocation. He has care so much for his vegetarian state wife but the wife didn't even, or can't even give a loving touch to him. Such one way traffic i believe is what has make Michael on the path to pluck out the tube.
This case also point out to the flaws of the judical system of america. How come Michael is the guardian but not her parents? Is it due to that she adopt Michael surname and thats why the lawful guardian is Michael alone?
Also, i thought with Bush intervention, terri feeding tube could be re-inserted into her. Yet, to no avail. So it means the government is no more like a speck of dust? A figure that could start a war with just merely few sentences, are being drawfed by the judical system? Absurd.
If America still stuck up to its american dreams, i think it is on its way to destruction. Not by terrorist forces or china, but self destruct.
Theorically, old age death then, is considered dead by natural courses. However, terri's death is not even old age death, it is inflicted by the wills of the judical systems of america, her husband and her family, indirectly. So can we prosecute the parties which put a foot in for contributing her death? This is still a very complex issue.
Isn't it ironical that America, the country which advocate itself as a world of freedom and human rights, killed terri just in broad daylight. Don't tell me terri do not have a right to live and a freedom to stay alive.
Has the great american theory of freedom, human rights, supremacy of uncle sam went too far into its own head that it began to assume the duties of grim ripper and god? Invading sadaam backyard, accusing iran and north korea without any real evidences, getting itself out of the Kyoto treaty while condemning china for emitting too much carbon dioxide and now, killing its own citizen.
Back to terri's case. Michael Schiavo may seems to be the villian in this whole drama that span 15 yrs. But who know the agony of seeing your love one half dead, while still need to care for her. Human are creatures that need appreciation and reciprocation. He has care so much for his vegetarian state wife but the wife didn't even, or can't even give a loving touch to him. Such one way traffic i believe is what has make Michael on the path to pluck out the tube.
This case also point out to the flaws of the judical system of america. How come Michael is the guardian but not her parents? Is it due to that she adopt Michael surname and thats why the lawful guardian is Michael alone?
Also, i thought with Bush intervention, terri feeding tube could be re-inserted into her. Yet, to no avail. So it means the government is no more like a speck of dust? A figure that could start a war with just merely few sentences, are being drawfed by the judical system? Absurd.
If America still stuck up to its american dreams, i think it is on its way to destruction. Not by terrorist forces or china, but self destruct.
Trading
Long time ago, i have formed a theory in my head. I believe no matter how true and loyal a friendship is, it is based on the basis that either party can get something out of the other party and like a magnet, if they both have the same agenda, then a friendship is formed.
Friendship do not merely form out of nothing. There need to have a corner stone for it. A lot of cases actually do back up my theory. I have came to know this trio of friends whom are close and good friends sometime back. However, as they went on for their individual endearvours, the friendship seems easy to crack. Upon closer look at their friendship, one could notice that the corner stone of it was shopping, gossip and boys.
Therefore, such a weak foundation certainly doesn't build up a solid friendship.
When ever human make friend with another human, it is usually hoping to "fleece" the other party for something. When you are sad, you hope for a shoulder. And if the elements permit, a soul came by and you "fleece" him of his care and concern which he shower onto you.
That is my theory.
Now recently i read my friend post on how in NUS, those top students would form their own clusters and just build an invisible wall around themselves, perhaps even branding themselves as elite. I scoff off the idea that they are really friends. The corner stone i believe is hopping to "fleece" the intelligence. Behind every smile there surely be a knife.
My poor friend, who seems to be belittled by those self elite, find that no one is willing to do a barter trade with him. He, looking for some lifeline to his poor schoolwork. But in a true barter trade sense, one hope to gain from trading. Therefore, no one in Singapore premier school is willing except perhaps for the lecturers.
I do wish i could engage in a trade with him but me too, is on a lower frequency than required.
Friendship do not merely form out of nothing. There need to have a corner stone for it. A lot of cases actually do back up my theory. I have came to know this trio of friends whom are close and good friends sometime back. However, as they went on for their individual endearvours, the friendship seems easy to crack. Upon closer look at their friendship, one could notice that the corner stone of it was shopping, gossip and boys.
Therefore, such a weak foundation certainly doesn't build up a solid friendship.
When ever human make friend with another human, it is usually hoping to "fleece" the other party for something. When you are sad, you hope for a shoulder. And if the elements permit, a soul came by and you "fleece" him of his care and concern which he shower onto you.
That is my theory.
Now recently i read my friend post on how in NUS, those top students would form their own clusters and just build an invisible wall around themselves, perhaps even branding themselves as elite. I scoff off the idea that they are really friends. The corner stone i believe is hopping to "fleece" the intelligence. Behind every smile there surely be a knife.
My poor friend, who seems to be belittled by those self elite, find that no one is willing to do a barter trade with him. He, looking for some lifeline to his poor schoolwork. But in a true barter trade sense, one hope to gain from trading. Therefore, no one in Singapore premier school is willing except perhaps for the lecturers.
I do wish i could engage in a trade with him but me too, is on a lower frequency than required.
See.....
See....if you read newspapers recently, suddenly alot of govt men keep saying how people agree to casino, casino ok if can this can that....even MM say youngsters don't really care whether casino build here or not....i tell you...april 18...the ans will be a yes..like what i have predicted in my early entry.
p/s: if not...then this entry...i delete lo...ahha
p/s: if not...then this entry...i delete lo...ahha
Friday, March 18, 2005
Table 17
On 27th March, i will sit at table 17 with all my army friends, toasting yum seng for steven, another army friend. Its his wedding day and i had just received his wedding invitation card.
The feeling of having an invitation card is quite strange. When you flipped open, the usually childish( boys in army are all like that), boorish, un-goodlooking( the stupid army garb) friend of yours suddenly turned into a sauve young man. When you stare at the eyes of the groom in the wedding picture, you can sense that " ah...he is now a man, responsible young fella" and of course, the happiness in him. You look at the bride, yes, woman indeed look their best in their gown.
I have enter this decade called the young and swinging 20s. In another word, it means a decade of receiving wedding invitations. I think, before my turn of giving out invitation comes, i will countless ang bao already. Suddenly it all felt so strange. When i was young and was about to attend wedding dinners with my parents, they would keep pondering how much to put inside the red packet. Too much you hurt your own pocket but too little you are telling the whole world you are going for a cheap meal at a fancy restaurant.
Now, it become my turn to sratch my head and think what amount is the right amount.
But before i do it, yum seng, steven!
The feeling of having an invitation card is quite strange. When you flipped open, the usually childish( boys in army are all like that), boorish, un-goodlooking( the stupid army garb) friend of yours suddenly turned into a sauve young man. When you stare at the eyes of the groom in the wedding picture, you can sense that " ah...he is now a man, responsible young fella" and of course, the happiness in him. You look at the bride, yes, woman indeed look their best in their gown.
I have enter this decade called the young and swinging 20s. In another word, it means a decade of receiving wedding invitations. I think, before my turn of giving out invitation comes, i will countless ang bao already. Suddenly it all felt so strange. When i was young and was about to attend wedding dinners with my parents, they would keep pondering how much to put inside the red packet. Too much you hurt your own pocket but too little you are telling the whole world you are going for a cheap meal at a fancy restaurant.
Now, it become my turn to sratch my head and think what amount is the right amount.
But before i do it, yum seng, steven!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
We are all dead people
"I see dead people". Yes....the sixth sense. I watched it yesterday. An amazing movie by M night shyamalan. The story revolve around this kid who say he can see dead people and this doctor who cure it. The ulitmate twister is at the end of the show, when the doc himself realise he is dead already for over 1 year.
Anyway, i think this movie is rather philosophical. On the surface, it seems the doc help to cure the kid, but rather, it is the kid who help the doc instead. The doctor told the kid:" hear what those dead people want to say, they need help". Actually, the kid has been doing that, although to only one person and that is the doctor. The doctor need to sort of atone for his sin of mis diagnosing the guy who killed him. And here come the kid who is similiar to that guy whom killed malcom, the doc.
So in another word, the kid help the doc by letting the doc diagnose him.
Another part of which i like is how the kid says:" everybody just want to see what they want to see". Certainly, we are the one who really want to see what we want to see. We are the one to set the rules and regulation. Sometimes truth don't present itself very much as truth. Sad.
Anyway, i think this movie is rather philosophical. On the surface, it seems the doc help to cure the kid, but rather, it is the kid who help the doc instead. The doctor told the kid:" hear what those dead people want to say, they need help". Actually, the kid has been doing that, although to only one person and that is the doctor. The doctor need to sort of atone for his sin of mis diagnosing the guy who killed him. And here come the kid who is similiar to that guy whom killed malcom, the doc.
So in another word, the kid help the doc by letting the doc diagnose him.
Another part of which i like is how the kid says:" everybody just want to see what they want to see". Certainly, we are the one who really want to see what we want to see. We are the one to set the rules and regulation. Sometimes truth don't present itself very much as truth. Sad.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Biggest joke in parliment
Today i read the newspapers. NCMP Steve Chia asked a question which i think is damn stupid. He suggest that the allowance of MP to be tied to the number of questions each MP asked. Then one minister, forgot who he is, said if the allowance is to be cut, the first to be cut is the NCMP, which i think...hm...true.
Hai~...how come whenever the opposition ask a question, they always get shot down. It so paiseh. Our opposition still at its infant stage i think. Just too bad....just to bad. Anyway, i believe like i mentioned earlier, elections are coming. Perhaps after national day or the release of 3rd quarter economy forecast. It should be around november. I think so.
Hai~...how come whenever the opposition ask a question, they always get shot down. It so paiseh. Our opposition still at its infant stage i think. Just too bad....just to bad. Anyway, i believe like i mentioned earlier, elections are coming. Perhaps after national day or the release of 3rd quarter economy forecast. It should be around november. I think so.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
A case of paradox
Structural economy changes has swept Singapore. From a traditionally strong manufacturing and perhaps textile industry, we have slowly morph into one which is strong in bio-medical sciences and other higher end technology. However it means some workers has to be displaced in order to fulfill the majority.
"Lactura paucourm serva multos", meaning sacrifice a few for the sake of the others, was clearly adhered here. Education need alot of time and patience. Re-skilling our workers definitely need some time changing. The problem is, does our society allow for this to take place? Time and tide wait for no man, especially in a society in Singapore, a little fish constantly moving around in order to survive, such time can be a bane and a huge cost. However if we don't allocate this time for our workers, workers being the fuel for our economy engine, will instead, hinder the engine. Such is the delimma of changing the economy.
Recently, news makers start to talk about how we can retrain the old folks, raising retirement age or even be more protectionist by reserving some jobs for the old folks. Again, this time paradox came into place. I realise alot of people miss out the larger picture. The small picture is, when you start applying the protectionist idea of reserving jobs for old folks, you are not letting the market function by the invisible hand( read: Adam Smith). Market or economy could just be unstable and it won't show the true side to the demand and supply of workers for that kind of jobs catered, or should i say, protected. Wages too is affected. Health insurance, a huge cost, would also be incurred as the mortality charges of old people are higher. When company do that , they would need to find alternative way to make up for that incurred expenses and consumers durable prices may just increase.
However to me is, do Singapore really can allocate time for retraining, for patiences and for seeing results. Hardware wise, the government is doing a good job, setting up WDA in CDCs to help workers so that they can help themselves to retrain themselves. But as we grow older for which our level of comprehension slows, time taken to really learned is definitely longer than the youg workers.
Similarly in the old folks context, structural economy bring about changes. To retrain and re learn. One need time, the older, the more. But as i mentioned earlier that Singapore is a small fish which time must be grabbed fast, can we just slow down our pace for the changes to take place?
Recently one of my ex- colleague received his O level result. His score is dissapointing, to his own standard. But can he be blamed? Self personal time is making way for company expansion, for hitting deadline. Try telling to your boss that your own personal re-learning is crucial to Singapore' total growth and he will tell you one cow less doesn't make any changes to New Zealand milk production.
Even if this colleague of mine take up the daring path and quit his job in order to concentrate fully on studies for which he will get good result, can the society promised him with a job upon graduation or a pay that is on par to his educational level? I afraid at this present stituation, it is hard to satisfy.
Upgrade has been the word for us after HDB flats. But i would like to mention, this doesn't work if we ourselves are willing but our superiors doesn't believe in that. I rather milk dry this worker rather than him after getting higher education, leave the company or ask for higher pay.
If our workers do not re train to have the skills needed for the new economy, ultimately, our economy is the one which is going to suffer as human is the fuel for the growth. We need a core group make up of Singaporean in order to continue the running of our engines. Do you use lubricant to run your engine totally? No! Foreign talent are just like lubricants, they make it smoother only.
Singapore, beside encouraging its people to train, also need to see whether it really support wholeheartedly, and i mean, by slowing down the pace, giving time. But at that stituation, can we still catch up and survive?
"Lactura paucourm serva multos", meaning sacrifice a few for the sake of the others, was clearly adhered here. Education need alot of time and patience. Re-skilling our workers definitely need some time changing. The problem is, does our society allow for this to take place? Time and tide wait for no man, especially in a society in Singapore, a little fish constantly moving around in order to survive, such time can be a bane and a huge cost. However if we don't allocate this time for our workers, workers being the fuel for our economy engine, will instead, hinder the engine. Such is the delimma of changing the economy.
Recently, news makers start to talk about how we can retrain the old folks, raising retirement age or even be more protectionist by reserving some jobs for the old folks. Again, this time paradox came into place. I realise alot of people miss out the larger picture. The small picture is, when you start applying the protectionist idea of reserving jobs for old folks, you are not letting the market function by the invisible hand( read: Adam Smith). Market or economy could just be unstable and it won't show the true side to the demand and supply of workers for that kind of jobs catered, or should i say, protected. Wages too is affected. Health insurance, a huge cost, would also be incurred as the mortality charges of old people are higher. When company do that , they would need to find alternative way to make up for that incurred expenses and consumers durable prices may just increase.
However to me is, do Singapore really can allocate time for retraining, for patiences and for seeing results. Hardware wise, the government is doing a good job, setting up WDA in CDCs to help workers so that they can help themselves to retrain themselves. But as we grow older for which our level of comprehension slows, time taken to really learned is definitely longer than the youg workers.
Similarly in the old folks context, structural economy bring about changes. To retrain and re learn. One need time, the older, the more. But as i mentioned earlier that Singapore is a small fish which time must be grabbed fast, can we just slow down our pace for the changes to take place?
Recently one of my ex- colleague received his O level result. His score is dissapointing, to his own standard. But can he be blamed? Self personal time is making way for company expansion, for hitting deadline. Try telling to your boss that your own personal re-learning is crucial to Singapore' total growth and he will tell you one cow less doesn't make any changes to New Zealand milk production.
Even if this colleague of mine take up the daring path and quit his job in order to concentrate fully on studies for which he will get good result, can the society promised him with a job upon graduation or a pay that is on par to his educational level? I afraid at this present stituation, it is hard to satisfy.
Upgrade has been the word for us after HDB flats. But i would like to mention, this doesn't work if we ourselves are willing but our superiors doesn't believe in that. I rather milk dry this worker rather than him after getting higher education, leave the company or ask for higher pay.
If our workers do not re train to have the skills needed for the new economy, ultimately, our economy is the one which is going to suffer as human is the fuel for the growth. We need a core group make up of Singaporean in order to continue the running of our engines. Do you use lubricant to run your engine totally? No! Foreign talent are just like lubricants, they make it smoother only.
Singapore, beside encouraging its people to train, also need to see whether it really support wholeheartedly, and i mean, by slowing down the pace, giving time. But at that stituation, can we still catch up and survive?
Finding a balance between pay and low prices
(This article was written by US secretary of labor from 1993 to 1997. He is the author of Reason: Why Liberals will win the battle for America. Copy write: New York Times Syndicate)
By Robert Reich
Bowing to intense pressure from neighborhood and labor groups, a real estate developer has just given up plans to include a Wal-Mart store in a mall in Queens, thereby blocking Wal-Mart's plan to open its first store in New York City. In the eyes of Wal0Mart's detractors, the chain embodies the worst kind of economic exploitation: It pays its 1.2 million American workers an average of only US $9.68 an hour, does not provide most of them with health insurance, keeps out unions and has a checkered history on labor law.
But isn't Wal-Mart really being punished for our sins? After all, it is not as if it created the world's largest retailer by putting a gun to our heads and forcing us to shop there. Instead, Wal- Mart has lured customers with low prices.
Wal-Mart may have perfected this technique, but you can find it almost everywhere these days. Corporations are in fierce competition to get and keep customers, so they pass the bulk of their cost cuts through to consumers as lower prices. Products are made in China at a fraction of the cost of making them here, and American consumers get great deals. Back- office work, along with computer programming and data crunching, is ‘’off shored’’ to India, so our dollars go even further.
Meanwhile, we pressure companies to give us even better bargains.
The fact is, today’s economy offers us a Faustian bargain: it can give consumers deals because it hammers workers and communities.
We can blame big corporations, but we are mostly making this bargain with ourselves. The easier it is for us to get great deals, the stronger the downward pressure on wages and benefits. Last year, the real wages of hourly workers, who make up about 80% of the workforce, dropped for the first time in more than a decade. The easier it is for us to find better professional services, the harder professionals have to hustle to attract and keep client. The more efficiently we can buy products worldwide, the more stress we put on our own communities.
But we are not just consumers. We are also workers and citizens. How do we strike the right balance? To claim that people should not go to Wal-Mart or look for cut-rate airfares or services or shop on the Internet is paternalistic tripe. No one is a better judge of what people want than they themselves.
The problem is, the choices we make in the market do not fully reflect our values as workers or as citizens. I did not want our community bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to close (as it did) yet I still bought books from Amazon.com. We may not see the larger bargain when our own job is not directly affected. I do not like what is happening to airline workers, but I still try for the cheapest fare I can get.
The only way for the workers or citizens in us to trump the consumers in us is through laws and regulations that make our purchases a social choice as well as a personal one.
A requirement that companies with more than 50 employees offer their workers affordable health insurance, for example, might increase slightly the price of their goods and services. My inner consumer will not like that very much, but the worker in me thinks it a fair price to pay. Same with a rise in the minimum wage or a change in labor laws making it easier for employees to negotiate better terms.
I would not go so far as to re-regulate the airline industry or hobble free trade with China and India, but I would like the government to offer wage insurance to ease the pain of sudden losses of pay. And I would support labor standards that make trade agreements a bit fairer.
These provisions might end up costing me some money, but the citizen in me thinks they are worth the price. You might think differently, but as a nation we are not even having this sort of discussion. Instead, our debates about economic change take place between two warring camps: Those who want the best consumer deals, and those who want to preserve jobs and communities much as they are. Indeed finding ways to soften the blows, compensate the losers or slow the pace of change- so the consumers in us can enjoy lower prices and better products without wreaking too much damage on us in our role as workers- we go to battle.
I do not know if Wal- Mart will ever make it into New York. I do know that New Yorkers, like most other American, want the great deals that can be had in a globalising high-tech economy. Yet the prices on sales tags do not reflect the full prices we have to pay as workers and citizens. A sensible public debate would focus on how to make that total price as low as possible.
Published in Straits Times, march 1st, 2005
By Robert Reich
Bowing to intense pressure from neighborhood and labor groups, a real estate developer has just given up plans to include a Wal-Mart store in a mall in Queens, thereby blocking Wal-Mart's plan to open its first store in New York City. In the eyes of Wal0Mart's detractors, the chain embodies the worst kind of economic exploitation: It pays its 1.2 million American workers an average of only US $9.68 an hour, does not provide most of them with health insurance, keeps out unions and has a checkered history on labor law.
But isn't Wal-Mart really being punished for our sins? After all, it is not as if it created the world's largest retailer by putting a gun to our heads and forcing us to shop there. Instead, Wal- Mart has lured customers with low prices.
Wal-Mart may have perfected this technique, but you can find it almost everywhere these days. Corporations are in fierce competition to get and keep customers, so they pass the bulk of their cost cuts through to consumers as lower prices. Products are made in China at a fraction of the cost of making them here, and American consumers get great deals. Back- office work, along with computer programming and data crunching, is ‘’off shored’’ to India, so our dollars go even further.
Meanwhile, we pressure companies to give us even better bargains.
The fact is, today’s economy offers us a Faustian bargain: it can give consumers deals because it hammers workers and communities.
We can blame big corporations, but we are mostly making this bargain with ourselves. The easier it is for us to get great deals, the stronger the downward pressure on wages and benefits. Last year, the real wages of hourly workers, who make up about 80% of the workforce, dropped for the first time in more than a decade. The easier it is for us to find better professional services, the harder professionals have to hustle to attract and keep client. The more efficiently we can buy products worldwide, the more stress we put on our own communities.
But we are not just consumers. We are also workers and citizens. How do we strike the right balance? To claim that people should not go to Wal-Mart or look for cut-rate airfares or services or shop on the Internet is paternalistic tripe. No one is a better judge of what people want than they themselves.
The problem is, the choices we make in the market do not fully reflect our values as workers or as citizens. I did not want our community bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to close (as it did) yet I still bought books from Amazon.com. We may not see the larger bargain when our own job is not directly affected. I do not like what is happening to airline workers, but I still try for the cheapest fare I can get.
The only way for the workers or citizens in us to trump the consumers in us is through laws and regulations that make our purchases a social choice as well as a personal one.
A requirement that companies with more than 50 employees offer their workers affordable health insurance, for example, might increase slightly the price of their goods and services. My inner consumer will not like that very much, but the worker in me thinks it a fair price to pay. Same with a rise in the minimum wage or a change in labor laws making it easier for employees to negotiate better terms.
I would not go so far as to re-regulate the airline industry or hobble free trade with China and India, but I would like the government to offer wage insurance to ease the pain of sudden losses of pay. And I would support labor standards that make trade agreements a bit fairer.
These provisions might end up costing me some money, but the citizen in me thinks they are worth the price. You might think differently, but as a nation we are not even having this sort of discussion. Instead, our debates about economic change take place between two warring camps: Those who want the best consumer deals, and those who want to preserve jobs and communities much as they are. Indeed finding ways to soften the blows, compensate the losers or slow the pace of change- so the consumers in us can enjoy lower prices and better products without wreaking too much damage on us in our role as workers- we go to battle.
I do not know if Wal- Mart will ever make it into New York. I do know that New Yorkers, like most other American, want the great deals that can be had in a globalising high-tech economy. Yet the prices on sales tags do not reflect the full prices we have to pay as workers and citizens. A sensible public debate would focus on how to make that total price as low as possible.
Published in Straits Times, march 1st, 2005
Monday, February 28, 2005
I don't believe in Democracy
Ok this is an entry is for me to let of steam. I was so pissed today by one of my group members. Perhaps i need to evaluate my tone of speech also. I sincerely and firmly believe there shouldn't be any democracy in a group project. The leader should dictate all, dish out roles. When you are choosing a leader, you are not choosing a puppet. You are the other half of the hand which respond when the hand wants to clap. You take down order from the leader, and do it efficiently. Deadline is tight, there is definitely no time for you to engage in some parlimentary debate. Autocratic system should be practice here, not democracy.
I discussed with my leader and we come up with jobs that are going to be allocated to the members. Everything is based on the individual's ability. For instance, if your maths is lousy and your economics is good, you would definitely be placed doing some economics related stuff instead of perhaps, doing some calculation for your project. So what do you do when one of your members decides he is better in maths than economics and want to do the maths part which his result doesn't justify it? What would you do?
I really don't know. For the betterment of the group, i feel like forcing the bitter pill inside the throat. You may call my authoritative but i do it with a reason. When i allocate, of course i allocate based on your forte. Why would i jeapordise the group's performance and allocate you some job which i know you are not up to the task? If i do that, i am a fatatous leader!
Like Minster Mentor said once:" a good policy may not be a popular one". I totally agree. You may not agree with what i do but i certainly know its for the good of everybody.
Swallow it.
I discussed with my leader and we come up with jobs that are going to be allocated to the members. Everything is based on the individual's ability. For instance, if your maths is lousy and your economics is good, you would definitely be placed doing some economics related stuff instead of perhaps, doing some calculation for your project. So what do you do when one of your members decides he is better in maths than economics and want to do the maths part which his result doesn't justify it? What would you do?
I really don't know. For the betterment of the group, i feel like forcing the bitter pill inside the throat. You may call my authoritative but i do it with a reason. When i allocate, of course i allocate based on your forte. Why would i jeapordise the group's performance and allocate you some job which i know you are not up to the task? If i do that, i am a fatatous leader!
Like Minster Mentor said once:" a good policy may not be a popular one". I totally agree. You may not agree with what i do but i certainly know its for the good of everybody.
Swallow it.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Casino
The debate on Casino has been going on quite a while. It bring back memories when "score", the football betting system was being mooted in the parliment. The same old story goes that a lot of Singaporean are going overseas, internet bet placing site to place their football bet. So why not we ourselves start one? The government heed to this chinese idiom that is literally translated as fertelised water shouldn't let outsiders use. It mean be selfish actually. So instead of letting illegal bookies or whoever to accept bet, the government accept it.
I remembered alot of controversy was stirred in the football betting parlimentary discussion. Some pragmatic or should i called them money minded MP put a tick to the idea. Some moralist or so-called say no to it. Religion bodies throw their weight behind those moralist. The main leads, the punters were less concerned. Question them they would tell you:" oh the garment sure got way", an ideal and typical Singaporean reply. They are sitting on the fence.
Feedback collected, provided yours didn't cross the OB markers. But no matter how many petitions were signed, the idea was still passed. The lame reason i think is that it can revive the S-league with the betting system as the punters need to support their team as they stake their family fortunes on it. But well well, just peer at the stadium in front of your home while reading this article, look at the numbers of people who turned up, watching S league. They could never matched the numbers that supported Singapore during the M cup heyday.
Slowly slowly, Score began to accept bet for overseas match, i believe, because it was more "profitable". What an irony for a system that is set up supposedly to support local footballing scene.
I think history is going to repeats itself again with the casino debate. If it is just a simple debate which was being assured as just only a debate now, can attract so many investors with plans on how to set up a casino here and run them well? It isn't just building sand castle in thin air but building casino in marina bay!
I think casino is here to come, whether you like it or not, looking at the past history. Alot of people actually want it thinking it will reduce taxes and what have you. However looking at Score again, i would like to remind people that the 3% of GST has risen to 5%. So do you think it will lower any taxes?
On the other hand, some want to keep casino out in order to keep out the undesirable socially diseases like vice. But aren't you just building a house without windows because you scared the fly may come in? If Singaporean can't even exercise their own curb, draw their own boundary and remain sheltered and give that "Govt will take good care of it" reply, have we really matured as a society? I don't think so.
While the good side of me want to keep casino out, the other side of me tell me i should support the idea, thinking i haven't pull any trigger of any jackpot machine before.
I remembered alot of controversy was stirred in the football betting parlimentary discussion. Some pragmatic or should i called them money minded MP put a tick to the idea. Some moralist or so-called say no to it. Religion bodies throw their weight behind those moralist. The main leads, the punters were less concerned. Question them they would tell you:" oh the garment sure got way", an ideal and typical Singaporean reply. They are sitting on the fence.
Feedback collected, provided yours didn't cross the OB markers. But no matter how many petitions were signed, the idea was still passed. The lame reason i think is that it can revive the S-league with the betting system as the punters need to support their team as they stake their family fortunes on it. But well well, just peer at the stadium in front of your home while reading this article, look at the numbers of people who turned up, watching S league. They could never matched the numbers that supported Singapore during the M cup heyday.
Slowly slowly, Score began to accept bet for overseas match, i believe, because it was more "profitable". What an irony for a system that is set up supposedly to support local footballing scene.
I think history is going to repeats itself again with the casino debate. If it is just a simple debate which was being assured as just only a debate now, can attract so many investors with plans on how to set up a casino here and run them well? It isn't just building sand castle in thin air but building casino in marina bay!
I think casino is here to come, whether you like it or not, looking at the past history. Alot of people actually want it thinking it will reduce taxes and what have you. However looking at Score again, i would like to remind people that the 3% of GST has risen to 5%. So do you think it will lower any taxes?
On the other hand, some want to keep casino out in order to keep out the undesirable socially diseases like vice. But aren't you just building a house without windows because you scared the fly may come in? If Singaporean can't even exercise their own curb, draw their own boundary and remain sheltered and give that "Govt will take good care of it" reply, have we really matured as a society? I don't think so.
While the good side of me want to keep casino out, the other side of me tell me i should support the idea, thinking i haven't pull any trigger of any jackpot machine before.
sleeping in various places
I love sleeping. I really do. Everyday i slept at 10.30pm, or 2230hrs in army term. However i started to sleep at 10.30pm way before i was enlisted. My mum forced me to sleep early as she was afraid i might be listless during classes on the next day. I guess over the years, it becomes my sleeping habit. If i do not sleep at 10.30, i can feel my brain stop functioning. It become evident when i am doing maths questions( another of my past time). Whenever the clock strike 12, the questions in front of me suddenly become so unfamiliar. Acute and immediate dementia sets in and i would feel like a zombie, restrained by some supernatural forces which prevent me from conquering differentiation.
But of course i am not going to go into details of sleeping. But rather places where i will sleep. I enjoyed sleeping on my bed. Its actually my parent matrimonial bed. But i siphoned to my room. A king size bed for myself. When i was young, i began to sleep on that bed when my parents just place me there and cajole me to sleep. I am a kind of person who need to be in a familiar environment in order to sleep. The bed was my comfort and my hypnotiser. Without it, i can't sleep. But i sort of grow out of it and return the bed to my parents when i was around primary 6. Occassionally, i would still steal a nap on it. Although the bed was quite old, as old as me, but i refuses to let my parent change to a new one. I am not the kind of person to ditch the old for new.
Beside home, the next most comfy place is the MRT seats. I just love sleeping in the MRT. The habit was formed when i was travelling from Tampines to ayer rajah camp. Woke up at 5.30am, so its kind of tired and i would just sleep on the train. I would start sleeping from Red Hill station, after reading the straits times and alighted at Chinese Garden. Yes you guessed it, i overshot my station. But to me it was great to just rest your head on the glass panel, and doze off. Of course not every seats on the MRT is for sleeping. I recommand the seats near the door, with the glass panel. First they are sheltered from the sunlight, next, don't you think the seats at the size are more spacious? The glass panels are good for resting your head. But do make sure the panels are clean. Sometimes you can find nasal mucus on it, be it dried or wet.
I just love sleeping. I do not know why. Perhaps my zodiac sign, Pig, has to do with my indulgence with sleeping.
But of course i am not going to go into details of sleeping. But rather places where i will sleep. I enjoyed sleeping on my bed. Its actually my parent matrimonial bed. But i siphoned to my room. A king size bed for myself. When i was young, i began to sleep on that bed when my parents just place me there and cajole me to sleep. I am a kind of person who need to be in a familiar environment in order to sleep. The bed was my comfort and my hypnotiser. Without it, i can't sleep. But i sort of grow out of it and return the bed to my parents when i was around primary 6. Occassionally, i would still steal a nap on it. Although the bed was quite old, as old as me, but i refuses to let my parent change to a new one. I am not the kind of person to ditch the old for new.
Beside home, the next most comfy place is the MRT seats. I just love sleeping in the MRT. The habit was formed when i was travelling from Tampines to ayer rajah camp. Woke up at 5.30am, so its kind of tired and i would just sleep on the train. I would start sleeping from Red Hill station, after reading the straits times and alighted at Chinese Garden. Yes you guessed it, i overshot my station. But to me it was great to just rest your head on the glass panel, and doze off. Of course not every seats on the MRT is for sleeping. I recommand the seats near the door, with the glass panel. First they are sheltered from the sunlight, next, don't you think the seats at the size are more spacious? The glass panels are good for resting your head. But do make sure the panels are clean. Sometimes you can find nasal mucus on it, be it dried or wet.
I just love sleeping. I do not know why. Perhaps my zodiac sign, Pig, has to do with my indulgence with sleeping.
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