Zan - My Blog

Stressful Singapore?

2011-11-06T07:53:00.001+08:00

Has Singapore really become such a stressful place to live in?

The following are the news reports:
Nov 5: Body of a Chinese man was found in Bedok Reservoir on Saturday morning. This is the 6th body to be found in Bedok Reservoir since June this year.
Nov 2: A 26-year-old Vietnamese woman (Truong Thi Ngoh Anh) was found dead at the foot of a block in Woodlands early Wednesday morning, nearly 6 months after a corpse was discovered in a water tank of the same block. She is believed to have fallen to her death from the 6th story of block 686B Woodlands Street 73.
Oct 25: Body of a Chinese woman in her late 50s dressed in a red was found floating in Bedok Reservoir on Tuesday morning.
Oct 10: Body of a 33-year-old Indian construction worker was found in Bedok Reservoir on Monday morning.
Sep 22: The bodies of a 32-year-old young woman and her 3-year-old son (Tan Sze Sze and her son Jerald Chin Le Hui) were found by the shoreline of Bedok Reservoir on Thursday morning. Both were dressed in red.
Jun 20: The decomposed lower body of a 23-year-old Chinese national (Lin Xiao) was found in Bedok Reservoir.

If you're stressed, have desserts! As desserts are spelt the reverse of 'stressed’.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

2011-11-03T23:22:00.003+08:00

Don't you feel as if every now and then, life seems to get you down; and sometimes you feel as if you have hit rock bottom that you fear you'll never get out of it? Well at times like this, since it can't possibly get any worse, there's nothing to lose when you look on the bright side of life.

From the film Monty Python's Life of Brian, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle and this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life ~whistle~
Always look on the light side of life ~whistle~

If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

For life is quite absurd and death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show, keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

(See also: Donkey)

Happiness is...?

2011-10-25T14:57:00.000+08:00

According to Minister for National Development, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, in his Parliamentary speech, "happiness is an affordable first home for all newlyweds". Indeed, the high prices and difficulty in bidding for a HDB (Housing Development Board) apartment has delayed wedding plans or even setting up a family for several newlyweds in Singapore, which would inevitably affect the already low birth rate that we are experiencing.

Yet in a recent study called "The Happiness Report", it was found that Singaporeans most unhappy about insufficient savings with 46.5% of those polled reported a lack of sufficient savings in the last 6 months, especially prevalent among those aged between 30 and 44-years-old. The report also predicted this number to rise in view of stagnant wages, inflation and higher costs of living that may occur in the wake of a possible recession. Indeed the latest figures from the Department of Statistics show Singapore's inflation up 5.5% in September. Singapore's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 5.5% compared to a year ago, due to higher costs of accommodation, private road transport and food. The average working Singaporean gets an annual wage increase of about 3% and with bank savings interest rates at only about 0.05%, it can only mean real income is getting smaller for the average Singaporean.

I guess happiness means different things to different people at different times. So what is happiness to you now?

Opposition who?

2011-10-23T00:15:00.000+08:00

For starters, my blog has always been non-political and will continue to be that way. It is just a blog for random thoughts and from time to time I also share the thoughts of those around me. Recently, the parliamentary speeches has been the hot topic in the pantry. Worth noting was the speech by MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr Chen Show Mao, who clarified the position of the opposition party was not to create division and quote "It is the intolerance of differences that will be divisive." In his speech, he also quoted from former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, "In a newspaper interview, former Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo related what a Roman Catholic cardinal told him about the late Pope John Paul the Second. The cardinal had drafted, “Even though we’re all different because we speak different languages, we are one”. The Pope corrected him. “No, it is not even though we’re different, we are one. It is because we are different, we are one.” Mr Yeo then said, “I thought that was so profound and beautiful. In my first speech to the United Nations, I repeated that story because in the UN, it is also because we are different that we are one. To be a human being is to be different."

Fellow MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr Low Thia Khiang, reinforced this idea in his speech and warned that "We should also be on guard against viewing trade-offs only from the Government’s perspective. We should always assess trade-offs from the people’s perspective, especially those who are severely affected by the policy." And also, "urge the PAP to step out of the shadow of the doom and gloom of certain pitfalls of western liberal democracy and work towards a First World Parliament in our own way."

While the above speeches by the Worker's Party (also known as the "opposition party") had drawn criticisms from ruling party (PAP) bench, there were those who were more positive like MP for Sengkang West, Dr Lam Pin Min, who in his speech sums it up by saying, "it is clear that all of us can agree on one fundamental tenet that we, as parliamentarians, will strive to make Singapore a better home for all Singaporeans" Indeed the ministers and members of parliament (MPs) should view themselves as serving the common good of all Singaporeans and not as separate political parties. Perhaps the term "opposition party" is partly the cause of the mis-perception that it is one that opposes the ruling government. But let's just say if the ruling party were to concede power to the other party, then won't that make the ruling party into the opposition party now?

Maybe it would be a good idea to just scrap using the term "opposition party" and just address a person by the appointment e.g. MP or call the party's name as it is when required. Unlike a school debate where there is a proposition team and an opposition team to a particular motion / topic, different parties will experience times when they have different opinions as well as times when they are in agreement on various issues that affect our nation - but the eventual objective of the discussion is to work towards creating a better Singapore for Singaporeans.

2011-10-20T12:53:00.000+08:00

After much deliberation, I've decided to sign up for a Twitter account and this would be used to replace the Shoutbox which was originally on the right hand column of my blog. With Twitter, I would have the option of dropping short snippets of updates of my blog as well as some short random thoughts. You can follow me on Twitter via: http://twitter.com/zanmyblog

Also if you were wondering about the strange profile pictures, those are QR codes and you can use your smart mobile device to scan the codes of links to my blog quickly. I've also decided to remove the Flickr photostream from my blog. For feedback, you can always reply me via Twitter or post a comment to the blog posts.

Public | Transport

2011-10-19T19:47:00.002+08:00

There seems to be a disconnect between the public and the transport system in Singapore. Since my earlier blog entry about the transport woes in Singapore, where it was reported 26,600 passengers were affected in the Circle Line downtime, SMRT has repeatedly appeared in the news especially the past week, here's a quick compilation:

1. After 10 years, the Circle Line now fully opened on Oct 8 (Sat). However by Oct 13 (Thu), it was reported that unexpected demand creates human jams at Circle Line where higher-than-expected ridership during peak hours at the newly opened Circle Line caught train operator SMRT by surprise.

2. On Oct 13 (Thu), it was reported that Thai teen to ask SMRT for S$4m in compensation. Nitcharee Peneakchanasak who lost both her legs in a train accident at Ang Mo Kio MRT station in April will be asking SMRT for at least S$4 million in compensation.

3. 6,500 MRT commuters affected by train breakdown on Oct 14 (Fri) afternoon, resulting in a human jam at Tanjong Pagar MRT station, where fare gates had to be temporarily closed due to the platforms becoming congested with commuters unable to board a train.

4. Oct 18 (Tue), SMRT fined $200,000 for Bishan depot security breach for an incident that happened earlier this year on Aug 17, when graffiti was found on a northbound MRT train. SMRT had been previously fined $50,000 for a similar incident that took place in May 2010 at its Changi facility. The fine collected will be donated to the Public Transport Fund to help needy families with transport fares.

It is apparent from above that SMRT's service standards is appalling and has continually dropped. It seems that fines may not be the solution as it's possible that the burden of higher operating costs may be passed on to passengers in the form of higher fares. Being a public transport provider, which means there's practically no alternatives, it is no wonder that the people in Singapore are turning to the government to step in and clear up the mess.

Hot Air

2011-10-08T08:44:00.000+08:00

It's the weekend already and just to share a joke from a professor who was teaching me:

There were once 3 CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) travelling in a hot air balloon and seemed to be lost. They saw a wise-looking man below and decided to ask him for directions, "Excuse me, could you tell us where are we?" The guy was a professor and he replied, "You are in a hot air balloon." The 3 CEOs were rather cheesed off with the response and one of them told him, "You must be a professor." And the professor looking pleasantly surprised, replied, "How did you know?" "What you said is correct, but not useful."

Now the professor was very cheesed and he said, "You must be CEOs." The 3 CEOs were very surprised that the professor could arrive at such an analysis and were curious, "How did you know?" "The only students I've taught who are so high up but don't where they are, are CEOs."

A tribute to Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T15:06:00.000+08:00

I don't claim to fan of Apple products but there's something about the visionary leadership of the founder & previous CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Steven Paul Jobs (family name following his adopted parents) who was born 24 February 1955 left this world on 5 October 2011 at age 56 after battling with pancreatic cancer, with the world mourning for him. There's probably a lot of tributes going around but here's a brief summary about this great man:

In the late 1970s, Steve Jobs with co-founder Steve Wozniak, Mike Markkula and others, designed, developed, and marketed one of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers, the Apple II series. In the early 1980s, Jobs was among the first to see the commercial potential of Xerox PARC's mouse-driven graphical user interface, which led to the creation of the Apple Lisa and, one year later, the Macintosh. However after losing a power struggle with the board of directors in 1985, Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher-education and business markets. In 1986, he acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, which was spun off as Pixar Animation Studios, that made blockbuster computer animation movies like Toy Story. He remained CEO and majority shareholder at 50.1% until its acquisition by The Walt Disney Company in 2006, making Jobs Disney's largest individual shareholder at 7% and a member of Disney's Board of Directors. Apple's 1996 buyout of NeXT brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded, and he served as its interim CEO from 1997, then becoming permanent CEO from 2000 onwards, spearheading the creation of world-changing products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad. To sum up his attitude, he once quoted ice hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."

Below is his Stanford commencement address in 2005:

Farewell, Steve Jobs!

Donkey

2011-10-04T12:59:00.002+08:00

I'm not sure if you've heard this story before but it might be worth sharing:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quietened down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest well just by not stopping and never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Things to like about Singapore

2011-10-03T09:52:00.000+08:00

There have been a lot of articles in the recent news on the unhappiness of Singaporeans; from the litterbug culture, to the stressful education system that our poor kids face, the rising divisiveness in our society, increasing number of doctors in bad practice, and of course, the transport woes in Singapore. Singapore is far from perfect. There are many things we can do better and the process of improvement always begin with recognising the problems.

Yet ask any Singaporean who has traveled extensively enough, there are many things to like about this little island we call home. One of the things that many Singaporeans may have taken for granted is the fixed price policy. Sure, there are those who love a good haggle and bargaining is in their blood, but after a while it can become tiring not knowing how to much to pay for a product or service; there are places you have to worry how much to pay for meal what with all the taxes and tips (which can become a touchy issue with the waiters); or not knowing how much to pay for taxi and having to do mental estimate of the distance before even getting to your destination; not knowing if have been ripped off paying for a counterfeit product. And that doesn't even begin to cover how in Singapore, service is expected to be prompt. I was once in Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome, waiting for a flight back to Singapore with a group of friends. We had about an hour to go and feeling a little peckish, we decided to order sandwiches and coffee. However, despite having no queues, the airport cafe staff took their own sweet time to prepare the food and by the time we got our order, we had less than 10 minutes to get to the boarding gate. Gentle reminders from my friend didn't help at all. In Singapore, there are ample manned paying counters and transactions are a breeze.

Many people feel that the system in Singapore is too rigid but look at it from another angle, there is a sense of certainty in our society right from the way our country is governed down to the fixed price policy and the expectation of prompt service.

Litterbugs

2011-09-29T10:27:00.002+08:00

One of my pet peeves is littering. I cannot understand how people just drop their rubbish anywhere they like and probably expect other people to pick up after them. Firstly, the rubbish harms the environment and makes the place dirty and unhygienic. One of the worst cases of littering I have seen is when a mother asks her young daughter to throw a piece of tissue paper on the ground blatantly in public. I wonder if that is the way how many people were brought up to have such disregard and disrespect for the environment that we all live in. Maybe in a society like Singapore where typically both parents are working, many Singaporeans were brought up with maids (or domestic helpers as they are commonly referred to as now) and have this mentality that their maids will pick up after them?

A survey by NEA (National Environment Agency) revealed that 1 in 4 people would litter if they knew they could get away with it and a New council to tackle filthy toilets and littering has been set up as reported by Yahoo! news. The new Public Hygiene Council would improve future cleanliness campaigns and plans to move away from the "top-down approach of the past" by making use of modern social media for public education. Council chairman Liak Teng Lit mentioned that residents should not rely on professional cleaners but instead, help to clean up the country they live in, and commented “We have a First World country's infrastructure but we look like a Third World country sometimes.”

In Japan, after eating in fast food restaurant, diners clean up after themselves and take their trays to the bin to empty their rubbish according to the type (paper, plastic, etc). There is a culture where the people generally do not litter and the streets are clean. Singaporeans really need to kick the bad habit of littering.

Poor kids

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000+08:00

In an article by Asiaone, Parents call for more manageable workload for children. It seems school children these days are facing increasing workload in terms of assignments and tighter deadlines. No wonder there are more reports these days of children facing immense stress leading to suicide and behaving strangely. Indeed the education ministry needs to look into matter and probably a revamp of the education system might be in order before the lives of the future generation of Singapore gets ruined.

Rising divisiveness

2011-09-25T13:35:00.000+08:00

Seah Chiang Nee, a journalist for The Star, wrote an article on Rising level of divisiveness in Singapore. This follows the report on newly-appointed CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), Isabella Loh, who came under public fire after she abruptly cancelled a Halloween Horrors event at Night Safari, just 2 weeks before the actual commencement. The controversy purported that she made this abrupt decision following a visit from newly-appointed President Tony Tan who commented that the park should have more family-oriented and wholesome activities. "This stirred anger among 1,000 fans who had bought advance tickets, some staff members and 17 polytechnic students, who were taking part in it as a final-year grading exercise. The outcry shows the pace of change here and how strongly young Singaporeans would respond to a top-down policy decision, taken without a rational explanation."

The question asked was if it is a case of being too eager to please a certain political figure, to cancel it just 2 weeks before the event and write off losses of almost a million dollars in preparations, when alternatively she could have let this year's event to go on and cancel all subsequent events? It was reported that staff had advised her otherwise on several issues but she had bulldozed and insisted on her ways, and if this attitude persists, it is likely that the staff will suffer and some will even leave (see also article from The New Paper: Night Safari staff divided over canned event).

The bigger issue behind it is that the ‘Political divide must not become national divide’ as advised by former minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew when addressing undergraduates at the Nanyang Technological University ministerial forum, "as the latter situation will mar the country's performance and growth."

Just be yourself

2011-09-24T21:02:00.000+08:00

I had a long chat with a friend last night as she was getting depressed with work and life. Despite the weekend being just round the corner, she was feeling out of sorts and simply disinterested in everything. In a modern fast-paced society like Singapore, depression is something real and I believe it affects almost everyone at some point in time of varying extent. Further chatting revealed that she was feeling down because she couldn't keep up with the never-ending work expectations and suspected that it could be due to her incompetence. She felt that there were others in her office whom were doing lesser but getting the recognition that she should rightfully deserve as it was her effort. This feeling of injustice led her to question her sense of self worth. Having seen her at work before, I assured her that indeed she was doing excellent job but failure to get her due reward and recognition was purely political. There was no point making herself miserable as it is simply impossible to please everyone - what matters more is to stay true to herself and her values. She agreed as what goes around, comes around and eventually those who do wrong to others will get their just deserts.

Jim Croce - I Got a Name
Like the pine trees lining the winding road, I've got a name, I've got a name
Like the singing bird and the croaking toad, I've got a name, I've got a name
And I carry it with me like my daddy did
But I'm living the dream that he kept hid
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

Like the North wind whistling down the sky, I've got a song, I've got a song
Like the whip-poor-will and the babies crying, I've got a song, I've got a song
And I carry it with me and I sing it loud
If it gets me nowhere, I'll go there proud
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

And I'm gonna go there free,
Like the fool I am and I'll always be, I've got a dream, I've got a dream
They can change their minds but they can't change me, I've got a dream, I've got a dream
I know I could share it if you want me to, if you're going my way I'll go with you
Moving me down the highway, rolling me down the highway
Moving ahead so life won't pass me by

Exploiting Generosity?

2011-09-23T12:49:00.000+08:00

It was reported in a news article from The New Paper that Generous Singaporeans are being exploited and Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Bee Wah will not hesitate to take action when she sees foreigners who come to here to beg illegally. These foreigners who are usually on social visit pass and do not have a letter of endorsement to busk, are exploiting kind-hearted nature of Singaporeans by pretending to be handicapped or blind. It is likely these phonies are part of a syndicate that are out to cheat both the feelings and money of many unsuspecting Singaporeans who have no way to determine if they are genuine or fake at first glance. Indeed these fakes need to be apprehended or in the long run, Singaporeans will become skeptical of being charitable.

Doctor Doctor

2011-09-21T10:29:00.002+08:00

The medical profession is such a noble one bound with the ethics of saving lives. All healthcare personnel are sworn to the some contemporary form of the Hippocratic Oath (getting its name from the ancient Greek 'father of medicine') for which the original version as translated by J Chadwick and WN Mann, 1950 reads:

I swear by Apollo the healer, by Aesculapius, by Health and all the powers of healing, and call to witness all the gods and goddesses that I may keep this Oath and Promise to the best of my ability and judgement. I will pay the same respect to my master in the Science as to my parents and share my life with him and pay all my debts to him. I will regard his sons as my brothers and teach them the Science, if they desire to learn it, without fee or contract. I will hand on precepts, lectures and all other learning to my sons, to those of my master and to those pupils duly apprenticed and sworn, and to none other. I will use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgement; I will abstain from harming or wronging any man by it. I will not give a fatal draught to anyone if I am asked, nor will I suggest any such thing. Neither will I give a woman means to procure an abortion. I will be chaste and religious in my life and in my practice. I will not cut, even for the stone, but I will leave such procedures to the practitioners of that craft. Whenever I go into a house, I will go to help the sick and never with the intention of doing harm or injury. I will not abuse my position to indulge in sexual contacts with the bodies of women or of men, whether they be freemen or slaves. Whatever I see or hear, professionally or privately, which ought not to be divulged, I will keep secret and tell no one. If, therefore, I observe this Oath and do not violate it, may I prosper both in my life and in my profession, earning good repute among all men for my time. If I transgress and forswear this oath, may my lot be otherwise.

Yet in recent times, we begin to hear increasing news of doctors and other healthcare professionals flouting the rules and putting clients' health and in some cases, lives in jeopardy. (See today's The New Paper article by reporter Teh Jen Lee Are more doctors getting into trouble?) This is indeed a worrying trend. To make matters worse, some doctors have even begun glamorizing their profession and leading others to pursue a path of fame and fortune over a profession that is supposed heal people regardless of their background. Even with the advance of medical technology, healthcare costs have continued to rise. The idiom goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and at the rate things go, it's better to stay healthy and avoid seeing the doctor.

Transport Woes in Singapore

2011-09-20T11:20:00.000+08:00

It was a crazy morning for a number of my friends who usually commute via the SMRT to work. Once again, SMRT has disappointed Singaporeans with their dismal performance and negligence. It is reported in SPH Asiaone article that 26,600 passengers affected in Circle Line downtime and SMRT has offered refund within next 3 days for those affected by the power failure resulting from a faulty cable located below the platform level of Dakota Station. However, it is likely than more than 26,600 people were actually affected, as some of those affected had promptly informed others of their situation, and thereby leading them to redirect taking buses or even pricey taxis to make it on time for work or even important meetings. Many of those who were affected scratched their heads in wonderment on how a trip refund can ever compensate the inconvenience caused and the time wasted. Even if LTA (Land Transport Authority) were to impose a fine on SMRT for the service lapse, how would that translate into compensation to those who suffered unless perhaps free rides were offered as compensation?

Yet in the face of all the disappointments, the public transport operator continues to lobby for higher fares in the name of profit (See Channel News Asia article: SBS Transit, SMRT submit applications for fare adjustments) As reported in Channel News Asia in 2010, SMRT posts FY net profit of S$163m; expects business & employment to increase and for the excellent financial performance, SMRT CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, was paid $1.67 million, including stock options, while her deputy, Mr Yeo Meng Hin, 46, took home $970,272 as reported in the Straits Times on 24 Jun 2010. There is no denying that the primary existence of companies is to make profits but where do we draw the line for companies that provide a public service for the nation? How do we know if higher operating costs and fines incurred by the companies are not just blatantly passed on to the consumers in the form of higher fares?

The frustration of the public transport in Singapore is worsening and the complaints are getting more frequent. Who knows it might come a day when frustration is too much to bear and the people will take a collective law suit against public transport operators to demand fair compensation.

Anniversary

2011-09-17T14:09:00.000+08:00

My oh my, it has been 7 years since My Blog was formed on 17 September 2004!

Most blogs usually don't make it beyond 5 years as there are many new forms of social media like Facebook and Twitter (which equals more dead links). I did a little reminiscing and read some of the earlier articles and found that many of the issues in 2005 still remain relevant. Over the years, the style of blogging has evolved for example, in 2007 Youtube videos were introduced, however, the principles behind the blog remain the true to the original design and intent (See: Heir Style). One thing to note about My Blog is that it continues to evolve and don't be surprised to see old articles changing... nothing's really set in stone and it is kind of more like drifting sands. In fact, as Blogger has updated its theme, I have had to do the tedious job of cleaning up the codes and relevance of all the articles (new and old) and while I was at it, made some changes to the appearance as well.

It has been 4 years since the last major facelift The flames of passion still burn on... in 2007. Do watch out for a new theme coming up soon - there's something new about the old!

3 Kingdoms?

2011-09-15T20:35:00.000+08:00

Speaking at a forum during the 7th anniversary celebrations of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy yesterday, former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew doubts if Singapore will be able to sustain a two-party political system as reported in Today newspaper article, Two-party system not good for Singapore, says Lee Kuan Yew.

A friend from China read the report and quoted the following passage from Chinese classic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分。周末七国分争，并入于秦。及秦灭之后，楚、汉分争，又并入于汉。汉朝自高祖斩白蛇而起义，一统天下，后来光武中兴，传至献帝，遂分为三国。Based on history, towards the end of the Han Dynasty in period 220 to 280, China was split into 3 kingdoms. My Chinese friend analyzed that in any nation, once the incumbent party's power wanes, it is likely that political power will eventually reach a balance and be shared amongst 3 parties. It is an interesting analysis and after doing a little research, even Korea experienced a long period of 3 kingdoms in history. I guess we will get to see at the next elections in 2016 if his analysis is correct.

Decade after Disaster

2011-09-11T09:02:00.000+08:00

It has been a decade since the 9/11 disaster where the twin towers of World Trade Center in New York City were destroyed by terrorist hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 on September 11, 2001. Since then, security measures around the world have been stepped up.

The aviation industry is well known for the high standards it maintains, be it in terms of security or especially safety. Aircraft-related safety incidents can have disastrous effects and right from the design of the aircraft, safety has always been been a big consideration. In an article published by Reuters (Jun 30, 2009), Human factors emerge as trend in air crashes, 2009 emerged as a 10 year high for air crashes and human factors like fatigue, complex flight systems, inconsistent training and regulation were the likely main causes. Yet in the modern era where there is increasing pressure on aviation companies to reduce costs to stay competitive, the question is would safety and even security be compromised?

The below song entitled "Fly" by Nicki Minaj featuring Rihanna is dedicated to all the air crash victims around the world:

The Endless Summer

2011-08-23T11:21:00.000+08:00

Who ever said the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants isn't educational? In the short video The Endless Summer below, it shows Mr Krabs who in the name of profit, pollutes the environment through carbon emissions, thereby leading to global warming. It is a parody that reflects the attitude of many modern day huge multinational corporations (MNCs). At the end of the day when the climate changes, everyone only stands to lose.

Understanding the US Debt Crisis

2011-08-20T15:18:00.000+08:00

There are many of my friends who do not really the situation of the US debt crisis and how a country like US had accumulated about USD 14 trillion in debt! Here's a Youtube video that explains the concept in a simple manner that can be understood. The video explains how one situation had led to another, from the failure to repay bonds to Federal Reserve issuing more money, leading to inflation. With the higher prices, US corporations had moved their manufacturing out of the country, thereby leading to unemployment and recession, and finally causing a unique situation called stagflation which is currently being faced.

Something good can work for you

2011-08-15T22:13:00.004+08:00

Sometimes when you feel life is getting hard to cope with, you just need to think positive and something good can work for you.

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

There's a spanner in the works you know,
you gotta step up your game to make to the top. So go!
Gotta little competition now,
you're going to find it hard to cope with living on your own now. Uh oh!
Let's make this happen girl
You gonna show the world that something good can work and it can work for you.
And you know that it will.
Let's get this started girl,
It's been a lot to change but you will always get what you want.
Took a little time to make it a little better,
it's only going out, just one thing and another, you know!

We are Singapore

2011-08-09T08:41:00.003+08:00

It is Singapore's 46th birthday and below is one of the national day songs which has the national pledge embedded in it.

Happy National Day to all Singaporeans!

We are Singapore
There was a time when people said
That Singapore won't make it, but we did
There was a time when troubles seemed too much for us to take, but we did
We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together for peace and harmony

This is my country, this is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, these are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans

Singapore our homeland, it's here that we belong
All of us united, one people marching on
We've come so far together, our common destiny
Singapore forever, a nation strong and free

*National Pledge
We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress for our nation

We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We will stand together, hear the lion roar
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We're a nation strong and free forevermore

Another Home

2011-08-03T09:28:00.002+08:00

As National Day is drawing near, many Singaporeans are sick of hearing the song, "Home" being played almost every national day since it was being introduced, though in different versions. However, the below video entitled "Another Home" produced by SINdie (http://sindieonly.blogspot.com) presents several highlights and recent happenings in Singapore in a light hearted manner. Do watch and have a good chuckle! I really don't know what to say!

Another Home (The 'Other' National Day Video)

Elite may not be the best

2011-07-18T22:02:00.005+08:00

Some private companies have stopped the practice of only hiring people who have stellar academic results or at least stopped the practice of immediately placing them in a talent management program that guarantees them the top jobs in the company. While many places both private and public still place great emphasis on scholars, there are companies that have found from actual experience that the so-called elite may not be the best people for the job.

In a psychological study by Professor Carol S. Dweck, it was found in 2 groups of students with similar results; one group who was given praises such as "good job, you're very smart" are much more likely to develop an fixed mindset, whereas in the other group who were given comments like "good job, you worked very hard" are likely to develop a growth mindset. The fixed mindset group (or the group that developed elitist behaviour) began to avoid challenges as they dread failure or negative statements about their basic abilities; while the growth mindset group didn't mind failure as much as they realised their performance can be improved.

In some ways, how a person thinks (or mindset) can affect his or her performance. It is like a Pygmalion effect or what is more commonly known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The so-called elite will think they are already that "good" and demand for high positions and high remuneration but in actual fact fail to deliver or perform. Instead of finding ways to improve or innovate, they spend copious amount of time creating excuses and eventually sweeping problems under the carpet. If given the top positions in the company, they will threaten the company's ability to survive especially in today's fast paced competition and in some actual cases, even cause the companies to collapse.

From history, we already know that some of the truly talented people in this world are not the academically excellent (well-known figures like Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, etc) and many companies these days have begun to realise this fact and have begun looking out for bright sparks within their organisations who may not have the best academic results.

I'll stop the whole world...

2011-07-15T00:00:00.004+08:00

Look around you and slowly the world is turning into a monster.

Paramore - Monster
You were my conscience so solid now you're like water.
And we started drowning not like we'd sink any farther.
But I let my heart go its somewhere down at the bottom.
But I'll get a new one and come back for the hope that you've stolen.

[Chorus]
I'll stop the whole world. I'll stop the whole world
From turning into a monster and eating us alive
Don't you ever wonder how we survived?
Now that you're gone the world is ours.

I'm only human I've got a skeleton in me
But I'm not the villain despite what you're always preaching
Call me a traitor I'm just collecting your victims
They're getting stronger I hear them calling

[Chorus]

Well you thought of straight big solutions well I liked attention
We're not always knowing the answers you're gonna lose it you're gonna lose it.

[Chorus]

Let's fly

2011-07-13T09:00:00.001+08:00

Sometimes we get so dead beat in life that we tell ourselves that dreams are just dreams -- impossible to achieve when you're struggling just to even survive. We wait in hope for someone to believe in us and take us to the next level. Below is a song about inspiration:

Far East Movement - Rocketeer ft. Ryan Tedder
here we go, come with me,
there's a world out there that we should see
take my hand, close your eyes
with you right here, a rocketeer
let's fly, fly, fly, fly,
up, up here we go, go, up, up, here we go go
let's fly (fly fly fly)
up, up here we go, go, up, up, here we go go
where we stop, nobody knows

where we go, we don't need roads
and where we stop, nobody knows
to the stars, if you really want it
(got) got a jetpack with your name on it
above the clouds and the atmosphere
say the words and we're outta here
hold my hand if you're feeling scared (scared)
we flyin up up, outta here.

baby, we can stay fly like a g6
shop the streets of tokyo, get your fly kicks
girl you're always on mind, got my head up in the sky
and i'm never looking down, i'm feeling priceless
where we're at, only few have known
we're onto next level super mario
i hope this works out, (cardio)
'til then let's fly geronimo.

yo, but i aint never been in space before,
but i aint never seen a face like yours,
you make me feel like i can touch the planets,
you want the moon girl watch me grab it,
see i aint never seen a star this close,
you got me stuck by the way you glow,
i'm like, oh, oh, oh, ohh
i'm like, oh, oh, oh, ohh

If it's love?

2011-07-12T22:22:00.006+08:00

Train - If It's Love
While everybody else is getting out of bed
I'm usually getting in it
I'm not in it to win it
And there's a thousand ways you can skin it
My feet have been on the floor, flat like an idle singer
Remember winger I digress
I confess you are the best thing in my life
But I'm afraid when I hear stories
About a husband and wife, there's no happy endings
No Henry Lee but you are the greatest thing about me

[Chorus]
If it's love, and we decide that it's forever
No one else could do it better
If it's love, and we're two birds of a feather
Then the rest is just whenever
And if I'm addicted to loving you
And you're addicted to my love too
We can be them two birds of a feather
That flock together love, love
Got to have something to keep us together
Love, Love That's enough for me

Took a loan on a house I own
Can't be a queen bee without a bee throne
I wanna buy ya everything
Except cologne 'cause it's poison
We can travel to Spain where the rain falls
Mainly on the plain side and sing
'cause it is we can laugh we can sing
Have ten kids and give them everything
Hold our cell phones up in the air
And just be glad we made it here alive
On a spinning ball in the middle of space
I love you from your toes to your face

[Chorus]

You can move in I won't ask where you've been
'cause everybody has a past
When we're older we'll do it all over again

Please spare the schoolchildren

2011-07-01T21:12:00.003+08:00

The school holidays have just ended. For some, there wasn't any school holidays to begin with -- many students went back to schools for various activities or had other programs planned for them. Sometimes it makes you wonder, who is busier, the children or the parents?

Nonetheless it is back to school, and a certain technical glitch (who knows?) on the MRT caused the trains to be delayed. Train after train which came by after long intervals of almost 10 minutes were packed with crowds trying to make it work and to school. As if the heavy-heart feeling of going back to school wasn't enough, I could see the distressed looks on several students' faces as they watched helplessly on the platforms, wondering how ever are they going to get to school on time.

Some of these students in their school uniforms frantically whisked out their mobile phones seemingly to SMS their friends to inform them of their predicament. There was a little girl wearing a pinafore that was almost in tears as she contemplated whether to bash through the crowds as the train doors open - but alas, the trains were so full that the train doors could burst.

I checked for the news but MRT doesn't reports any lapses in their service, so I wonder how then would those poor students explain their late arrival? I arrived at work later than usual by almost 30 minutes but fortunately I have a habit of being early. The school discipline master, however, who has no way to verify if it is a case of the students' tardiness or failure in the public transport, may just black mark or punish the poor students.

These are the future generation of Singapore and anyone with children should be able to understand?

Transformers

2011-06-29T08:27:00.004+08:00

I had just watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 3D and was totally blown away by the effects. It's my first time watching a 3D movie as I'm usually discouraged by the fact that you have to wear glasses and overall it is a strain on the eyes, making them tired. Yet with a little nudge from a friend, we watched and it was well worth it. To be honest, after having grown up on Transformers cartoons, I haven't had a good impression on earlier 2 Michael Bay movies but this third one, he finally understood what was wrong; he had made movies about Transformers but somehow there wasn't much focus on the robots themselves. Dark of the Moon finally focuses the story on the robots (the Transformers) and they become the main characters -- and in 3D effect, they are simply just awesome!

Linkin Park - Iridescent
When you were standing in the wake of devastation
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
With the cataclysm raining down, inside crying save me now
you were there and possibly alone.

Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope, but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go.

And in the burst of light that blinded every angel
As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars
You felt the gravity of temper grace falling into empty space
No one there to catch you in their arms

All you'll ever be is mean

2011-06-28T22:49:00.004+08:00

There are just some people in this world who are simply mean. Perhaps they had a troubled childhood or suffered some trauma in their life and it becomes in them to make life miserable for others. Yet putting other people down will only result in them being in their own lonely world where there are only few or none they can trust. Being mean won't get them far as eventually they will work themselves in a corner or forever struggling to cling on to a position.

Hey, at the end of the day, everyone is just human; don't be so mean.

Taylor Swift - Mean
You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me,
You, have knocked me off my feet again,
Got me feeling like I’m nothing.
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I’m wounded.
You, pickin’ on the weaker man.

Well you can take me down,
With just one single blow.
But you don’t know, what you don’t know,

*Someday, I’ll be living in a big old city,
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Someday, I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me,
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean.
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides,
And your walk by lies and your humiliation
You, have pointed out my flaws again,
As if I don’t already see them.
I walk with my head down,
Trying to block you out cause I’ll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again.

I bet you got pushed around,
Somebody made you cold,
But the cycle ends right now,
You can’t lead me down that road,
You don’t know, what you don’t know

*repeat

Hawthorne effect of public transport

2011-06-20T17:26:00.000+08:00

The Hawthorne effect was a term coined by Henry A. Landsberger in 1950 when analysing experiments from 1924-1932 at the Hawthorne Works (a factory in USA) showed that productivity increased or decreased when the workers were impacted by the motivational effect of the interest being shown in them.

How does this relate to the public transport situation in Singapore? Since the Hawthorne effect can explain how working conditions can affect workers' motivation and thus their productivity, the public transport in which the average working Singaporean takes to/from the workplace would also form part of these working conditions.

Following the working patterns in Singapore, the average working Singaporean needs to wake early to commute to work (and even earlier if they have to prepare to send their kids off to school) and most of them have their moods spoiled the moment they get onto crowded MRT trains or crowded buses. Many face immense pressure at work, and when the day ends and when they commute back to their homes, they face the same crowded situation regardless of the time they leave the workplace.

Despite being physically and psychologically drained, many do not hope of getting a seat on the trains or buses to rest their tired bodies, and in fact even have difficulties getting a decent place to stand. The cycle continues and as the days pass, the average Singaporean workers' physical and mental health deteriorates and thereby leading to more societal problems - healthcare.

Public transport directly affects the workforce in Singapore and if the situation doesn't improve, who knows what will happen to the society in Singapore?

Self-Wrongness?

2011-06-15T18:21:00.002+08:00

While commuting home with a colleague on a crowded MRT train, he pointed out a woman who nudged another middle-aged woman out of her seat for a pregnant lady who just stepped into the train. One stop later, the pregnant lady got off the train and the seat was quickly taken by a foreign worker and the middle-aged woman was left standing unsteadily in the train.

My colleague commented that the woman who nudged the middle-aged woman was simply self-wrongness. Confused, I asked him what that meant. "Well, she thought she was being self-righteous but in actual fact, she is just being 'self-wrongness'. She doesn't own the seat in the first place, so what gives her the right to give it up to someone else?" He went on to explain that we won't know if the middle-aged woman also needed the seat and that those people who took pictures on Stomp! were probably self-wrongness people as well.

Indeed I remember reading from the Bible (Matthew 7:1-2), "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." Who are we to say who needs a seat or who doesn't?

Voting is Secret

2011-05-04T21:14:00.005+08:00

One of the biggest unfounded fears that Singaporeans have is that your vote can be traced. Having voted in past elections, I still remember that the ballot paper had a serial number that was checked against my identity card number at the polling station. Yet the truth is that the serial number forms part of the process to account for the total number of votes and this method is also used in other parts of the world. Below is video presentation from Maruah:

Voting is compulsory and secret. Abstaining from voting will result in your name being removed from the register and thereby losing your chance to vote in future. Your vote is meant to be secret and the only way for people to know how you have voted is none other than through your own telling other people.

Every vote counts. Think carefully before you vote and on polling day, make the choice that you believe in. After that there is no need to share with others how you have voted. Let the final results speak for themselves as you would have already done your part as a citizen.

Time for a break

2011-04-27T21:52:00.005+08:00

Supergrass - Alright

We are young, we run green, keep our teeth nice and clean
See our friends, see the sights, feel alright
We wake up, we go out, smoke a fag, put it out
See our friends, see the sights, feel alright

Are we like you, I can't be sure?
Of the scene as she turns
We are strange in our worlds

But we are young, we get by, can't go mad, ain't got time
Sleep around, if we like but we're alright
Got some cash, bought some wheels, took it out, 'cross the fields
Lost control, hit a wall but we're alright

Motto

2011-04-26T21:33:00.000+08:00

Motto by Langston Hughes

I play it cool
I dig all jive
That's the reason
I stay alive
My motto
As I live and learn
Is dig and be dug in return

The fountain

2011-04-10T08:00:00.005+08:00

This is based on true observation spun into a simple story about a fountain.

There once was a bright young man, full of ambition and energy. He had big dreams about building an empire and even envisaged the day, his business would grow till it would have a magnificent building of its own that would stand out from the rest. He worked hard and over the years, and through his leadership and careful planning, the business grew and grew.

Late into his life, he could finally realise his vision of constructing the building of his dreams. He even engaged a renowned feng shui master to design the building that would represent his business and in the grand entrance was to have beautiful fountain with water cascading down and spewing in arcs. The fountain was to signify continuing wealth and sustained prosperity.

It was practically from nothing that this man built his empire and the masterpiece building stood as testament to his achievements. However, it was soon time for him to retire and the reins were handed over to the next CEO. Yet it wasn't long before the new CEO was put to the test, and was faced in steering the company through the stormy economic downturn. In order to cut costs and stay in the competition, the workforce had to be downsized and the painful decision of shutting off the fountain was made.

The CEO did a good job and steered the company through tumultuous times. The company had survived and business was picking up once again. Feeling that it was a good time to pass the baton to the next generation leader, as the business environment was stable, a new CEO was appointed. Fearing that the company may face another downturn any time, this new CEO decided it was better for the company to remain nimble and lean. A directive was issued for the various departments to cut costs as much as possible. It was decided that reinstating the fountain would be adding unnecessary costs to the company.

As the days passed, the cost-cutting measures drew a lot of flak from the employees. The unmotivated workforce probably led the company into disrepute. Business dwindled and soon the building was sold off. Before long the company finally shut its doors. As the building was sitting on prime land, it was eventually demolished and the area was developed into a condominium.

To serve you better

2011-04-08T07:46:00.002+08:00

These days people are more discerning, and they don't just buy products - a certain level of customer service is expected. Companies that do very well are those who recognise that people are willing to pay for perceived value and that is why there are brands that do exceptionally well. Who hasn't heard of Mcdonald's or Coca-Cola? Getting into the minds of customers is what brings in the money.

Some companies feel the only way to consumer's heart is the price and continually try to cut costs. Yet if that is the case, how did some brands bring themselves to luxury status and convince consumers to pay a premium for their products and services?

More and more, companies that survive in the increasingly competitive landscape realise that making money is a mind game. Perhaps that is why whenever I pass by some place that is being renovated, the signs that are put up, "We are upgrading to serve you better." Now how nice that sounds.

When the ground below you tends to shake

2011-03-28T21:32:00.003+08:00

When the ground below you tends to shake, you will become a constant mover.

I see from the news of disasters tormenting this world, from the unrest in the Middle East, to the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan and more recently the earthquake in Myanmar. Imagine an earthquake of magnitude of almost 9 on the Richter scale in Japan is powerful enough to shift the earth's axis and shorten the days on earth. Apart from the damage caused by the massive tsunami, the nuclear plant in Fukushima is now in danger of a nuclear disaster. This world is a fragile one and no wonder many people believe the end of the world is coming soon.

In any case, it's just pointless to worry about things like the end of the world. When it comes, everything ends. Period. I once had a lecturer who said, "Life is like going to toilet. When you have to go, you HAVE to go." I pray for all those in Japan and other parts of the world who are suffering from disasters.

Don't Look Back In Anger

2011-03-27T20:01:00.004+08:00

Life is just like that, people come into you life and simply piss you off, but when all is said and done, do you want to keep all that frustration within you, and let it eat you up bit-by-bit, when the best way is to just let go and don't look back in anger.

Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger

Slip inside the eye of your mind
Don't you know you might find
A better place to play
You said that you'd once never been
All the things that you've seen
Will slowly fade away

*So I start the revolution from my bed
Cos you said the brains I have went to my head
Step outside the summertime's in bloom
Stand up beside the fireplace
Take that look from off your face
You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out
So Sally can wait, she knows it's too late as we're walking on by
Her soul slides away, but don't look back in anger I heard you say

Take me to the place where you go
Where nobody knows if it's night or day
Please don't put your life in the hands
Of a Rock n Roll band
Who'll throw it all away

*Repeat

Give and you shall receive

2011-03-06T16:06:00.010+08:00

A colleague had lent me a book entitled, The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann. It is a fictitious story about a young salesman working hard to make it big and in his desperation to meet an impending quota, finds himself being introduced to a successful guru who shares with him the five laws of stratospheric success -

1. The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.

2. The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

3. The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first.

4. The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.

5. The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

It reminds me of a phrase from the Bible (Luke 6:38), Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Indeed many of us expect returns when we give something and the concept of offering something (either goods or services) for free will get you those cynical you-can't-be-for-real kind of stares. In the modern context, many people expect to get paid (in money) for their goods or services rendered, even for knowledge or advice, many who call themselves consultants charge exorbitant fees for this service, so much so that many begin to count the best way to maximise their returns. Many people forsake simple acts like spending time with friends and family as these are acts that do not generate monetary returns. In giving, it is more than just an investment that reaps monetary returns, it is about giving to the society and the people around you.

It's not about the money

2011-03-05T10:29:00.004+08:00

In this time and age, it seems like everything is about money. Many Singaporeans have been brought up to be practical about life - when looking for a job, go for the one takes makes the most money; when looking a life partner, look for one who can support financially; when doing business, choose the one with the best returns on investment, etc. Money seems to be a prime deciding factor in life and many are already linking money to their state of happiness. But truly, does money really bring about happiness? Or up to some point, will it even bring about misery?

Jessie J - Price Tag ft. B.o.B.

Seems like everybody’s got a price,
I wonder how they sleep at night.
When the tale comes first,
And the truth comes second,
Just stop, for a minute and smile
Why is everybody so serious!
Acting so damn mysterious
You got your shades on your eyes
And your heels so high
That you can’t even have a good time.

[Chorus]
Everybody look to their left (yeah)
Everybody look to their right (ha)
Can you feel that (yeah)
Well pay them with love tonight…
It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the Price Tag
Ain’t about the (ha) Ka-Ching Ka-Ching.
Aint about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the Price Tag.

We need to take it back in time,
When music made us all UNITE!
And it wasn’t low blows and video hoes,
Am I the only one gettin… tired?
Why is everybody so obsessed?
Money can’t buy us happiness
Can we all slow down and enjoy right now
Guarantee we’ll be feelin all right.

[Chorus]

Yeah yeah, well, keep the price tag
and take the cash back
just give me six streams and a half stack
and you can keep the cars
leave me the garage and all I..
yes all I need are keys and garage
and guess what, in 30 seconds I’m leaving to Mars
yes we leaving across these undefeatable odds
its like this man, you can’t put a price on life
we do this for the love so we fight and sacrifice every night
so we ain't goin stumble and fall never
waiting to see, a sign of defeat uh uh
so we goin keep everyone moving there feet
so bring back the beat and everybody sing, it’s not about…

[Chorus]

Greed

2011-02-27T22:11:00.008+08:00

Greed can be simply defined as the more you have, the more you want.

In our modern society, the mass media sells the idea of prosperity as well as the idea of success. This concept of so-called success talks about being happy via attaining certain goals like having a family, a good career, being respected in society, having all kinds of material wealth, and the list goes on. It is in man's nature to have unlimited wants. To further clarify on the definitions, a need is something that is necessary for survival (such as food and shelter), whereas a want is something that a person would like to have. After having all the basic needs met, a person would then desire for more things - a bigger house or maybe a car, and after having the bigger and the car, would desire even more things like maybe an even bigger house and another car. This desire could also include certain life wants like first looking for a partner, getting married, then to have kids, provide for their education and so on. Or it could also include climbing the corporate ladder. The idea of prosperity that is being marketed these days tells you what you need to have in order to be happy. Yet as we can see from the above, the more you have, the more you would desire - it is a vicious cycle. As such, wouldn't this be considered as greed?

Our wants can never be satisfied and each time we fail to attain a particular want, we get dejected. To make things worse, when we begin to compare ourselves with others, especially seeing those so-called successful people, we would get envious and feel as if the world had forsaken you. Yet this world is filled with people who are greater and lesser than you. If you compare yourself with someone who has lesser, then perhaps it would be time to count your blessings.

Greed can bring you misery, especially in our modern society where the idea of prosperity and success is being mass marketed, and when you start to benchmark yourself with others, you feel this endless need to catch up and attain more in life. There is probably nothing really bad about having ambition, but we need to be aware if the greed is getting to you. There are those who have attained their wealth (or success) by making other people suffer - that would be a sin.

It is okay to have goals in life and work towards them but truly we need to be humble and keep our greed in check.

Raise your kids

2011-01-26T11:59:00.002+08:00

For those who watch NBA (National Basketball Association) in the 80s and 90s period, you would most likely know Charles Barkley. Charles Barkley is one of the most dominating power forwards in American basketball and also a colourful character on and off the court, which makes him the subject of controversies.

One such controversy was Barkley had argued that athletes should not be considered role models, "A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail; should they be role models?" In 1993, his argument prompted national news when he wrote the text for his "I am not a role model" Nike commercial (See below). Dan Quayle, the former Vice President of the United States, called it a "family-values message" for Barkley's oft-ignored call for parents and teachers to quit looking to him to "raise your kids" and instead be role models themselves.

That message sparked a great public debate about the nature of role models. Barkley supports his argument, "I think the media demands that athletes be role models because there's some jealousy involved. It's as if they say, this is a young black kid playing a game for a living and making all this money, so we're going to make it tough on him. And what they're really doing is telling kids to look up to someone they can't become, because not many people can be like we are. Kids can't be like Michael Jordan."

Be the role model of your own kids and don't expect to pass the responsibility of being a parent to others.

Why so serious?

2011-01-16T10:47:00.002+08:00

Thinking about the service standards in Singapore reminds me of how sometimes when I'm at a wedding banquet and the waiters do not bother to top up the guests' drinks just before the celebratory toast to the couple. It really feels hypocritical to raise empty glasses (or cups) when cheering the classic "yam seng" - almost signifying empty wishes for the newly wed couple. Several friends commented that it could be due to the fact that banquets, being a labour intensive affair, usually engage part-timers that are predominantly made up of students eager to make a quick buck to supplement their allowances. These part-timers usually do not have any prior formal training and can't wait to finish job with minimum effort - the end result, wedding guests do not feel they are being served and the happy occasion may turn out to be not so pleasant for some after all. Raising the service standards in Singapore isn't easy, and a culture of extending good service needs to exist first - just like in the above scenario, beyond all the fancy tableware, little details like making an effort to top up the glasses just before a toast will make guests feel that the service staff cares and are committed to making the special day memorable for both the couple and all in attendance.

P!nk - Raise Your Glass

If

2011-01-10T00:13:00.001+08:00

Rudyard Kipling - If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch - and toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

What is happiness?

2010-12-29T08:57:00.002+08:00

Below is an article that a friend shared with me:

What is happiness?

What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy.

Yet, there are few ideals as difficult to grasp as that of happiness. In our daily life we constantly experience happiness and unhappiness, but we are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is.

A young friend of mine once spent a long time trying to work out what happiness was, particularly happiness for women. When she first thought about happiness she saw it as a matter of becoming financially secure or getting married. (The view in Japanese society then was that happiness for a woman was only to be found in marriage.) But looking at friends who were married, she realized that marriage didn't necessarily guarantee happiness.

She saw couples who had been passionately in love suffering from discord soon after their wedding. She saw women who had married men with money or status but who fought constantly with their husbands.

Gradually, she realized that the secret of happiness lay in building a strong inner self that no trial or hardship could ruin. She saw that happiness for anyone - man or woman - does not come simply from having a formal education, from wealth or from marriage. It begins with having the strength to confront and conquer one's own weaknesses. Only then does it become possible to lead a truly happy life and enjoy a successful marriage.

She finally told me, "Now I can say with confidence that happiness doesn't exist in the past or in the future. It only exists within our state of life right now, here in the present, as we face the challenges of daily life."

I agree entirely. You yourself know best whether you are feeling joy or struggling with suffering. These things are not known to other people. Even a man who has great wealth, social recognition and many awards may still be shadowed by indescribable suffering deep in his heart. On the other hand, an elderly woman who is not fortunate financially, leading a simple life alone, may feel the sun of joy and happiness rising in her heart each day.

Happiness is not a life without problems, but rather the strength to overcome the problems that come our way. There is no such thing as a problem-free life; difficulties are unavoidable. But how we experience and react to our problems depends on us. Buddhism teaches that we are each responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness. Our vitality - the amount of energy or "life-force" we have - is in fact the single most important factor in determining whether or not we are happy.

True happiness is to be found within, in the state of our hearts. It does not exist on the far side of some distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. However much you try, you can never run away from yourself. And if you are weak, suffering will follow you wherever you go. You will never find happiness if you don't challenge your weaknesses and change yourself from within.

Happiness is to be found in the dynamism and energy of your own life as you struggle to overcome one obstacle after another. This is why I believe that a person who is active and free from fear is truly happy.

The challenges we face in life can be compared to a tall mountain, rising before a mountain climber. For someone who has not trained properly, whose muscles and reflexes are weak and slow, every inch of the climb will be filled with terror and pain. The exact same climb, however, will be a thrilling journey for someone who is prepared, whose legs and arms have been strengthened by constant training. With each step forward and up, beautiful new views will come into sight.

My teacher used to talk about two kinds of happiness - "relative" and "absolute" happiness. Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves: friends and family, surroundings, the size of our home or family income.

This is what we feel when a desire is fulfilled, or something we have longed for is obtained. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, the fact is that none of this lasts forever. Things change. People change. This kind of happiness shatters easily when external conditions alter.

Relative happiness is also based on comparison with others. We may feel this kind of happiness at having a newer or bigger home than the neighbors. But that feeling turns to misery the moment they start making new additions to theirs!

Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It meansestablishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by trials and where just being alive is a source of great joy. This persists no matter what we might be lacking, or what might happen around us. A deep sense of joy is something which can only exist in the innermost reaches of our life, and which cannot be destroyed by any external forces. It is eternal and inexhaustible.

This kind of satisfaction is to be found in consistent and repeated effort, so that we can say, "Today, again, I did my very best. Today, again, I have no regrets. Today, again, I won." The accumulated result of such efforts is a life of great victory.

What we should compare is not ourselves against others. We should compare who we are today against who we were yesterday, who we are today against who we will be tomorrow. While this may seem simple and obvious, true happiness is found in a life of constant advancement. And the same worries that could have made us miserable can actually be a source of growth when we approach them with courage and wisdom.

One friend whose dramatic life proved this was Natalia Satz, who founded the first children's theater in Moscow. In the 1930s, she and her husband were marked by Soviet Union's secret police. Even though they were guilty of no crime, her husband was arrested and executed and she was sent to a prison camp in the frozen depths of Siberia.

After she recovered from the initial shock, she started looking at her situation, not with despair, but for opportunity. She realized that many of her fellow prisoners had special skills and talents. She began organizing a "university," encouraging the prisoners to share their knowledge. "You. You are a scientist. Teach us about science. You are an artist. Talk to us about art."

In this way, the boredom and terror of the prison camp were transformed into the joy of learning and teaching. Eventually, Mrs. Satz even made use of her own unique talents to organize a theater group. She survived the five-year prison sentence, and dedicated the rest of her long life to creating children's theater. When we met for the first time in Moscow in 1981, she was already in her 80s. She was as radiant and buoyant as a young girl. Her smile was the smile of someone who has triumphed over the hardships of life. Hers is the kind of spirit I had in mind when I wrote the following poem on "Happiness":

A person with a vast heart is happy.
Such a person lives each day with a broad and embracing spirit.
A person with a strong will is happy.
Such a person can confidently enjoy life, never defeated by suffering.
A person with a profound spirit is happy.
Such a person can savor life's depths
while creating meaning and value that will last for eternity.
A person with a pure mind is happy.
Such a person is always surrounded by refreshing breezes of joy.

-Daisaku Ikeda 池田大作

Jingle Bells and Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T10:07:00.005+08:00

I have been doing my annual review for the year that is closing - 2010. Indeed it has been one heck of a busy year to the point of madness. Yet as the season of Christmas draws near, all the negative feelings of seemingly unending work dissipates and joy begins to fill the air. In all the noisy confusion of life, we need to pause and take stock of all that we have done, know where we stand now, plan ahead before setting off on life's journey. I love the Christmas period as I make time out to remember friends and family, shopping for gifts and spending time with them. Below is wonderful collaboration between Andrea Bocelli and the Muppets for a song called Jingle Bells:

Wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and a wonderful 2011 ahead!

Common Good

2010-12-20T11:43:00.003+08:00

Inspired by a Franciscan article:

In the beginning, man and woman were created into this world to cultivate it. Work is a life-giving human activity that consists of developing the world to support ourselves. Work is creative a process. It includes all human activity - paid and unpaid - that we do for ourselves and each other to provide for human needs and attain the common good (defined as the sum total of social conditions which allow people , either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily). Work shapes and forms the world into something more useful for human persons.

Yet, there are many instances today where work has become dehumanising - where working conditions are made even less conducive for the good of the worker and where workers are no longer regarded or treated as human persons but as tools and instruments for someone else's gain.

Work exists to ultimately benefit the worker. We work to provide for ourselves and each other. It is our vocation to develop the world responsibly and sustainably - in ways that promote the all-rounded good of the whole human person as well as shared good of all human persons.

Development is not a mechanical process that automatically brings about what is best for the individual. Instead, it is and must be directed by human persons for the good of human persons, as befitting our common human dignity. Through the generations, we have built up a complex economy to facilitate transactions; we have constructed vast systems and structures in society to distribute resources; we have made rapid advancements in technology to reduce the toil of work.

Nevertheless, not all of these developments have been responsibly or sustainably directed; many have been pursued not to improve the lives of people but for the sole purpose of generating profit, surplus wealth that is creamed off and savoured by only the few. Ironically, although humanity has achieved its greatest capacity to produce resources necessary to sustain a minimal standard of living, there are even more people than ever before who are deprived of basic resources and rights to live.

So does your work build up the world and contribute to the common good?

What do you want from me?

2010-12-08T22:03:00.004+08:00

At the height of your frustrations, you would look up, question life and ask, "What more do you want from me?" You wonder how much more difficulties, problems, obstacles or whatever you may call it, there is and that is going to come your way. You search frantically for that never-seemingly to reach light at the end of the tunnel and that oasis in the desert is just not in sight despite having walked endless plains of sand.

But that's life for you. We all need to persevere and eventually things will work it's way out. There's really no point getting all upset and allowing the mind to stray into negative thoughts as when you look at the bigger picture, the only thing that it's going to do is to make you more miserable. Time to think positive!

Adam Lambert - Whataya Want From Me

Hey, slow it down whataya want from me (whataya want from me)
Yeah I'm afraid whataya want from me (whataya want from me)
There might have been a time when I would give myself away
Oooh once upon a time I didn't give a damn
But now, here we are so whataya want from me (whataya want from me)

*Just don't give up I'm working it out
Please don't give in, I won't let you down
It messed me up, need a second to breathe
Just keep coming around
Hey, whataya want from me (whataya want from me)

Yeah, it's plain to see that baby you're beautiful
And there's nothing wrong with you
It's me, I'm a freak but thanks for lovin' me
Cause you're doing it perfectly
There might have been a time when I would let you slip away
I wouldn't even try but I think you could save my life

*Repeat
Just don't give up on me
I won't let you down
No, I won't let you down

I could really use a wish right now

2010-11-29T20:47:00.004+08:00

Can I get a wish to end all the politics?

B.O.B. - Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams)

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (X2)

Yeah, I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this
Cause after all the partying and smashing and crashing
And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion
And all the pandemonium and all the madness
There comes a time where you fade to the blackness
And when you're staring at that phone in your lap
And you hoping but them people never call you back
But that's just how the story unfolds
You get another hand soon after you fold
And when your plans unravel
And they saying what would you wish for
If you had one chance
So airplane airplane sorry I'm late
I'm on my way so don't close that gate
If I don't make that then Ill switch my flight
And I'll be right back at it by the end of the night

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (X2)

Somebody take me back to the days
Before this was a job, before I got paid
Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank
Yeah back when I was trying to get a tip at Subway
And back when I was rapping for the hell of it
But now a days we rapping to stay relevant
I'm guessing that if we can make some wishes outta airplanes
Then maybe yo maybe I'll go back to the days
Before the politics that we call the rap game
And back when ain't nobody listened to my mix tape
And back before I tried to cover up my slang
But this is for the Cada, whats up Bobby Ray
So can I get a wish to end the politics
And get back to the music that started this s***
So here I stand and then again I say
I'm hoping we can make some wishes outta airplanes?

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (X2)

Everybody hurts sometimes

2010-11-17T21:01:00.007+08:00

You would think that there are some people who seem to breeze through life, but the truth is everyone has their own set of problems and difficulties. Everyone hurts at some point in their life and there can really be desolate times when depression drives you to feel as if there is no hope in this world for you. It could be an oppressive boss or neverending work, or even abusive relationships... the various pressures from modern living can indeed be very scary! When you do hit a rough patch in life, it would be nice to get a helping hand from friends or relatives, else, you would just have to try your very best to pick yourself up and carry on. Ultimately, just remember that you are responsible for your own well-being; if you don't take care of yourself, don't go expecting other people to care for you.

R.E.M. - Everybody hurts

Faith

2010-10-31T20:17:00.004+08:00

I guess everyone at some stage in their lives will start to question the meaning of life and the business of religion and faith will inevitably come into play. Truly what does it mean to believe in a higher being that many call God? And what if one day, God appears to us -

1. Would we know that is God in the first place?
2. If you could ask Him one question, what would it be?

Some may consider the below song to be blasphemous, but listen carefully to the words by Joan Osbourne - One of Us

If God had a name, what would it be?
And would you call it to His face
if you were faced with Him in all His glory,
what would you ask if you had just one question.

And yeah, yeah God is Great
Yeah, yeah, God is Good
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us?
Just a stranger on a bus, trying to make His way home.

If God had a face, what would it look like?
And would you want to see
if seeing meant that you would have to believe
in things like Heaven and in Jesus and the Saints and all the Prophets.

And yeah, yeah God is Great
Yeah, yeah, God is Good
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us?
Just a stranger on a bus, trying to make His way home.
Trying to make his way home, (like a Holy rolling stone) back up to Heaven all alone.
Nobody calling on the phone except for the Pope maybe in Rome.

Type type type

2010-10-29T09:57:00.007+08:00

Work has been hectic in the past months and I wonder about recent comments made by Singapore Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, about Singaporeans to strive for excellence instead of just being competent. See: http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/10/28/singaporeans-should-strive-for-excellence-tharman/

Perhaps it could be that Singaporeans are too stressed up at work and too busy meeting endless deadlines, and that it drains them so much that they compromise the quality of their output. Many Singaporeans face immense pressure at work as many companies try to stretch individuals in the name of productivity. Workers in Singapore look like hurried ants scurrying around and this could also be the reason why creativity is somewhat stifled in the nation.

Below is a little piece of creativity performed by Viennese Percussionist Martin Breinschmid with his version of the "Typewriter" Live at the BASF concert hall Ludwigshafen, Germany 2008, Strauß Festival Orchestra Vienna.

Maybe corporations should rethink about how they operate and focus on excellence and creativity, instead of just plain productivity.

Twenty-Ten

2010-10-20T12:06:00.000+08:00

Today's date is 20.10.2010.

What's on your mind?

2010-10-12T08:12:00.001+08:00

If you use the Facebook, you would find that on the Wall of your profile page, you would asked to share, "What's on your mind?". After reflecting, I realised there's actually quite a lot going around in our minds these days. Modern living is cluttered with new things popping up every day and no wonder it is common to hear of information overload. Mental stress is generally high as people have much on their minds from work, family, studies, bills and the list just goes on.

It's just a thought but I wonder what will happen when one day we grow old and literally lose our minds. What if you began to forget people and places that were once close and dear? As taken from Wikipedia,

"Alzheimer's disease (AD)—also called Alzheimer disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer's type (PDDAT), or Alzheimer's—is the most common form of dementia. This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him. Most often, it is diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, although the less-prevalent early-onset Alzheimer's can occur much earlier. In 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers worldwide. Alzheimer's is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050."

Below is a touching short video, entitled "Going Home" by Vinn Bay and Tee Boon Leng:

Perfect 10

2010-10-10T10:10:00.001+08:00

Today is the 10 October 2010 or 10.10.10. Why not take time out to reflect on life?

As much as we all strive for perfection, will we ever get there? Isn't perfection meant to be this impossibly achievable ideal state? I guess having lived a far less than perfect life so far, life is more so about the journey and the perfect state merely the destination and direction in which to head. What do you think?

In my life

2010-10-04T16:20:00.001+08:00

Beatles - In My Life

There are places I remember,
all my life, though some have changed
some forever not for better,
some have gone, and some remain,
all these places have their moments,
with lovers and friends, I still can recall,
some are dead and some are living,
In My Life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers,
there is no one, compares with you,
and these memories lose thier meaning,
when I think of love, as something new
though I know I'll never lose affection,
for people and things, that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them,
In My Life, I love you more

Division of the Sea

2010-09-22T14:43:00.005+08:00

Nature is just so amazing and recently some researchers from NCAR did a study to show how the biblical event (Exodus 14) where God parted the sea for Moses and the Israelites to cross safely before waters rushed back in and drowned the pursuing Pharoah's army could have happened.

The details of their study can be found in the following link:
https://www2.ucar.edu/news/parting-waters-computer-modeling-applies-physics-red-sea-escape-route

Transport Minister takes the bus

2010-09-15T07:26:00.006+08:00

Transport Minister observes bus frequency situation
"Transport Minister Raymond Lim made an unannounced trip on bus service 960 on Monday morning to get a better feel of the current rush hour bus frequency situation.

Mr Lim was on hand to observe the loading situation in Bukit Panjang since the operator increased the number of bus trips during the morning peak period since July.

He also visited the bus stop in front of Block 270 at Bukit Panjang, which was recently extended to accommodate more buses and an arrival information panel installed to provide real-time bus arrival information for commuters."

Full article on Yahoo!: http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/09/14/transport-minister-observes-bus-frequency-situation/

Singaporeans really appreciate such a positive gesture from the Transport Minister and truly nothing beats experiencing the situation firsthand. Indeed the past months, there was a slight improvement in the public transport but much work still needs to be done. Hopefully as more areas of concern are looked into, Singaporeans can look forward to a safe and efficient public transport system.

The Importance of Planning

2010-09-07T07:12:00.005+08:00

Just happened to find some words of wisdom about the importance of planning from the Bible (Luke 14:28-32):

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

Although this is knowledge that has passed through the ages of time, there are still people who blindly jump into a big project without proper planning. Is that courage or just plain stupidity?

Science vs Religion

2010-09-06T21:31:00.004+08:00

A Foreword
One of my strange habits is to sit and stare blankly at life around me. It could be at a cafe or even a library, and as if in a daze, I would silently observe all that is going around me - people going about their daily lives. I notice how everyone is so unique in their own way. Simply no two individuals are the same; which leads to me to wonder if humans are bodies of flesh with a soul or simply just a living organism with a highly developed brain that's all?

If you believe in Creation, regardless of what faith or religion you belong to, then most likely you believe that humans are more than just skin and bones. The physical bodies that we possess are no more than vessels in which our souls or spirits reside. And it is the soul that makes each of us unique and respond to a Higher Being.

However, if you are an atheist, then probably you would reason along the logic of science. From the medical knowledge we know today, it is the brain from which the process of thought comes from. It is the brain that receives signals from the senses, translates them into experiences, stores them in memory, makes decisions and generates responses. Yet at our current level of technology, much of the brain and how it works exactly still puzzles us.

So life still continues to amaze me and from what I see, there is probably something more than meets the eye.

Apologise

2010-08-24T12:58:00.001+08:00

I guess there is a lot to apologise about since my blog has been rather neglected for some time. However, truly I am swamped with work. To make it up, here's the origin of the word apologise:

Enlightenment

2010-08-21T07:10:00.005+08:00

Sharing is caring, so here's a story to share:

There was a guy who was so frustrated with life after years of climbing the corporate ladder, decided to call it quits. He heard from a friend that there was this guru that lived in this mountainous region and made up his mind to pay him a visit.

With so much on his mind, upon find the wise man, he just couldn't wait to ask him, "If you are so smart, tell me why do the bad guys always survive and seem to get ahead in life? I'm sick of being the good guy, tell me if I should just turn to being evil?"

The wise man turned to him and said,"I guess it's probably easier to be evil and do things that harm others. Being good is tough and requires discipline. If that is the case, why are you doing good in the first place?"

The guy pondered for a while and replied, "Don't they teach us from young to be good? Somehow something in me just yearns to do the right thing. I can't live with lies and hate, and I don't think I can live myself if I turned evil. But tell me, I just don't feel it's fair, why do the bad guys seem to live longer?"

The man just smiled and said, "Well, if you wish to live longer and endlessly in a cycle of evil, lies and hate, then it is your choice, isn't it?"

Realising that he had answered his own questions, the guy left, thanking the wise man and feeling enlightened.

Life is about choices; you choose how you wish to live your life.

Got Talent?

2010-07-25T21:13:00.005+08:00

Nowadays there are just so many so called talent shows like Singapore Idol that you really wonder if they're of any use? It could be a matter of demand and supply - there are people who wish to be entertained and there are those who seek the path of stardom or fame and fortune. To some, it is a chance to fulfil their dreams and change their lives.

Below is heart-warming story about Jovit, an inspiring 16-year old singer from the Philippines, from the auditions for the show Pilipinas Got Talent. His rendition of Journey's "Faithfully" simply amazed the audience and the judges.

Highway run, into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind
Restless hearts, sleep alone tonight
Sendin' all my love along the wire
They say that the road ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line, it's been you and me
And lovin' a music man ain't all it's supposed to be

Oh girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours...faithfully

Circus life, under the big top world
We all need the clowns to make us smile
Through space and time, always another show
Wondering where I am, lost without you
And being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you

Oh girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours...faithfully

MRT Crowd

2010-07-22T21:35:00.003+08:00

It doesn't take a transport minister or even SMRT CEO to tell a passenger taking the MRT if the train is crowded. If a picture paints a thousand words, then the following article on Yahoo! would very simply show the situation on the trains every day: http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/07/22/are-mrts-really-that-overcrowded/

Are Singaporeans merely a complaining bunch? Decide after reading or just experience the trains for yourself.

Nothing on you

2010-07-13T11:37:00.003+08:00

B.o.B - Nothin' On You ft. Bruno Mars

Beautiful girls all over the world
I could be chasing but my time would be wasted
They got nothing on you baby... nothing on you baby

I know you feel where I'm coming from
Regardless of the things in my past that I've done
Most of really was for the hell of the fun
On the carousel so around I spun (spun)
With no directions just tryna get some (some)
Tryna chase skirts, living in the summer sun (sun)
This is how I lost more than I had ever won
And honestly I ended up with none

There's no much nonsense
It's on my conscience
I'm thinking baby I should get it out
And I don't wanna sound redundant
But I was wondering if there was something that you wanna know
(That you wanna know)
But never mind that we should let it go (we should let it go)
Cos we don't wanna be a TV episode (TV episode)
And all the bad thoughts just let them go (go, go, go)

*Beautiful girls all over the world
I could be chasing but my time would be wasted
They got nothing on you baby... nothing on you baby
They might say hi and I might say hey
But you shouldn't worry about what they say
Cos they got nothing on you baby... nothing on you baby

Hands down there will never be another one
I been around and I never seen another one
Look at your style they ain't really got nothing on
And you out and you ain't got nothing on
Baby you the whole package plus you pay your taxes
And you keep it real while them other stay plastic
You're my wonder women call me Mr. fantastic
Stop... now think about it

I've been to London, I've been to Paris
Even went out there to Tokyo
Back home down in Georgia to New Orleans
But you always steal the show (steal the show)
And just like that girl you got me fro (got me fro)
Like a Nintendo 64 (64)
If you never knew well now you know (know, know, know)

*(chorus)

Everywhere I go I'm always hearing your name (name, name)
And no matter where I'm at girl you make me wanna sing (sing)
Whether a bus or a plane or a car or a train
No other girls in my brain and you the one to blame

World Cup 2010 in South Africa!

2010-06-11T11:14:00.002+08:00

World Cup fever is here again... time to wave your flags!

When I get older, I will be stronger
They’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag
So wave your flag! Now wave your flag!
Now wave your flag! Now wave your flag!

Need a break

2010-05-10T08:20:00.004+08:00

I guess I've really been working so hard the past weeks that I've kind of lost track of time. No, I shall not exaggerate that I'm like a hamster running the wheel till the point of exhaustion but truthfully, it seems as if every time I step into the office, I get into my work mode and before I know it, the day has passed and it's time to go home and rest. Perhaps this is just the Singaporean lifestyle that many of my fellow countrymen are familiar with.

I particularly enjoy the Kit Kat commercials below, with the catchphrase, Working like a machine? Have a break.

That Ole Devil Called Love

2010-04-09T09:27:00.002+08:00

Alison Moyet - That Ole Devil Called Love

It's that ole devil called love again
Gets behind me and keeps giving me that shove again
Putting rain in my eyes
Tears in my dreams
And rocks in my heart

It's that sly ole-sun-of-a-gun again
He keeps telling me that I'm the lucky one again
But I still have that rain
Still have those tears
And those rocks in my heart

Suppose I didn't stay and ran away
Wouldn't play
That devil-what a potion he would brew
He'd follow me around
Build me up, tear me down
Till I'd be so bewildered
I wouldn't know what to do

Might as well give up the fight again
I know darn well he'll convince me
That he's right again
When he sings that siren song
I just gotta tag along
With that ole devil called love

He'd follow around
Build me up, tear me down
Till I'd be so bewildered
I wouldn't know what to do

Success

2010-03-15T07:21:00.002+08:00

In our so-called developed society, it seems that the media dictates what it means to be successful. We are showed images of entrepreneurs, CEOs, head of states and other high profile people living the high life in print, on television and on the web. Walk into a bookshop and you will find an ever growing self-help section with inspirational literature from gurus who can tell you how to improve your life. So really, do we need others to tell us how to live life successfully? In first place, how do we define success?

Below is an interesting quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson on success:

What is success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
That is to have succeeded.

Paradox

2010-02-20T08:03:00.001+08:00

Below is an email that I received:

A Paradox
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider free-ways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgement; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or just to... hit delete.

About Choice

2010-02-18T08:10:00.000+08:00

Joseph Epstein once wrote:

We do not choose to be born.
We do not choose our parents.
We do not choose our historical epoch,
or the country of our birth,
or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing.
We do not, most of us, choose to die;
nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death.
But within all this realm of choicelessness,
we do choose how we shall live:
courageously or in cowardice,
honorably or dishonorably,
with purpose or adrift.
We decide what is important and what is trivial in life.
We decide that what makes us significant is either
what we do or what we refuse to do.
But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make.
We decide. We choose.
And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed.
In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.

A Song About Love

2010-02-12T11:00:00.001+08:00

As it is close to Valentine's Day, here's a nice song about love for teenagers made by a Youtuber. For those of us who were once teenagers... who can forget those sweet times of puppy dog love? Don't just be lulled by the melody of his creative musical talent, pay attention to the meaningful lyrics as well.

Charlie - A Song About Love

This is a song about love
And not a very good one
I don't know enough
To tell you about heartbreak

But I know it's there
And you can avoid it
By listening to your head
Which is just what I've done
And it isn't perfect
But look what I've done instead
Instead of falling for you

I've never really been in love and that is fine by me
I'll sit at home and refine the person I want to be
'Cause I'm still young and not yet prepared to waste my time
On chasing girls who are yet to fully form their minds
And I know that there's a woman waiting
But she's not a woman yet
So I'll wait, and make sure I don't do something I'll regret

This isn't just about love
'Cause that's just one pixel
Of the image I'm speaking of
The one of the relationship

That we share
It's much more important
That I learn to like you too
Though I guess before that
It's probably vital
That I try to look for you
At least look for me

I could tell you that I love you all you want till I'm dry
But I can't force myself to love you so why should I even try
I'll have to wait, and hold my chin up, and plug away at other things
Until she comes

Don't do something you'll regret later... a lesson for both young and old I guess.

Letting Go

2010-02-08T21:35:00.005+08:00

Chinese New Year is just around the corner and it's time for spring cleaning! I was rummaging through the tonnes of stuff that I've kept over the years and found a lot of notes, books and even toys from my childhood. As I picked each item from the pile, I began reminiscing fond memories. However, there's a Chinese saying that the old shall make way for the new, and eventually I threw them away. It was painful at first, but I guess this is what is meant by letting go.

I remember a story told by a course instructor about a lady that she had taught many years ago. Aware that the instructor was a counsellor by training, the lady approached the instructor and lamented about her overbearing boss. Years later, the two of them met by chance. The lady had aged tremendously and frantically arranged an appointment with the instructor. During their lunch appointment, the lady lamented more about her boss and by this time, it had gotten so bad that her husband and children were contemplating of leaving her if she continued to talk about him.

It was a case of not being able to let go. Perhaps we should adopt the CALM model developed by Barbara Braham. The acronym begins with Change and Accept. Change is inevitable in life and we need to learn to accept that fact. Once we've accepted change, we need to learn to Let Go and Manage your lifestyle. As human beings, we have a tendency to hold on to things. We hold on to feelings, people, places and so on. We need to learn to let go of all these attachments in order to move on in life. Lastly, we need to take responsibility and manage how we wish to live our lives.

Letting go can be difficult some times. However, we just need to realise that while pain is inevitable, emotional suffering is optional.

Be Tender

2010-02-07T20:42:00.008+08:00

I've been hearing so many real life break up stories over the past year that it almost seems like a trend. In fact, perhaps it is already a trend, as more and more couples choose divorce as an alternative. In a more traditional setting, divorce is frowned upon and divorcees are shunned by society. Nowadays, couples get married and in some cases the first sign of trouble, they choose to bail out. Society has become more forgiving and single parents are on the rise.

I'm not against the idea of divorce and neither would I look differently at someone who has divorced. Yet isn't marriage considered as something sacred? Perhaps many couples jump too quickly into marriage without even thinking seriously about the relationship. In some of the cases I've heard, is that they already knew their partners were of a certain way and hoped that they would change, but didn't. Marriage shouldn't be treated as a game, and both parties need to be clear of what they are getting into before committing.

Many times, children are the innocent victims of a failed marriage. Sure it is possible to be a single parent but who really knows what goes on psychologically in the child? I know friends who come from single parent families and they have shared with me their struggles emotionally when growing up.

The mentality of many modern couples I've met is that each living their own agenda but complementing each other in a form of partnership called their relationship. There are usually a lot of mind games involved about who should give in to who. I wonder if this is healthy at all as the couple might end up hurting each other emotionally. As expectations of a partner lead to disappointments, either half will seek to further their own self-interest at the expense of the relationship. Modern society makes it possible to live out on your own, and the feeling of self-importance will soon overwhelm the want of being together, thus eventually leading to a break up.

Maybe we should all reflect on our relationships and re-evaluate what matters most in the relationship. Treat love with tenderness.

Bee Gees - Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)

First I rise, then I fall.
Seems like you don't want the love of this man at all.
And it's sure been a lonely time right up to the time I met you.
So if you take a love like mine,
Ooh, be tender with my love.
You know how easy it is to hurt me.
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'Cause it's all that I've got,
And my love won't desert me.

So you say to yourself, "Boy, you're out of your brain.
Do you think I'm gonna stand here all night in the rain?"
And it's the start of a love affair, the moment when I first met you.
And if you want, I'll take you there.
Ooh, be tender with my love.
You know how easy it is to break me.
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'Cause it's all that I've got
And my love won't forsake me.

With my love, our love will seal it together.
Oh, with our love, you made a promise
You'll always love me forever.

Be tender with my love.
You know how easy it is to break it.
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'Cause it's all that I got,
And my love won't forsake me.

2010 is here!

2010-01-01T13:20:00.000+08:00

2009 was a tough and rough year for many people, including my friends and I. We are so relieved and glad that 2009 is finally over, Welcome 2010!

Here's wishing all readers a Happy and Wonderful 2010 filled with Peace and Joy!

Singapore Idol 3

2009-12-31T12:45:00.005+08:00

I really don't wish to comment on the recent third season of Singapore Idol when Sezairi Sezali was announced the winner last night over the number 2 contender, Sylvia Ratonel. There are already a lot of comments floating around cyberspace and some being very controversial and borderline of being racist and/or sexist, as the 2 previous season winners were Hady Mirza (2007) and Taufik Batisah (2005) respectively; with Sezairi crowned, that will make it the third Malay male idol.

However, as I have already blogged about the Singapore Idol when it was first conceived in Singapore, I guess it would only be appropriate that I made at least a mention. (See also: Inaugural Idol, Singapore Talents)

So here's my 2 cents worth: To be honest, I've only watched highlights here and there of this show unlike previous seasons, so I can't really comment. Perhaps the novelty of the competition has worn off after 3 seasons. If there were a next season, I wonder how many people would continue to watch and support?

4..3..2..1..

2009-12-28T23:01:00.000+08:00

Here's a meaningful countdown to the new year...

Plain White T's - 1, 2, 3, 4

1,2 - 1 2 3 4
give me more loving then I've ever had.
make it all better when I'm feeling sad.
tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not.
make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
barely getting mad, I'm so glad I found you.
I love being around you.
you make it easy, as easy as 1 2 (1 2 3 4)
there's only one thing two do three words four you. (I love you)
there's only one way two say those three words
and that's what I'll do. (I love you)

give me more loving from the very start.
piece me back together when I fall apart.
tell me things you never even tell your closest friends.
make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
best that I've had. I'm so glad that I found you.
I love being around you.
you make it easy, as easy as 1 2 (1 2 3 4)
there's only one thing two do three words four you. (I love you)
there's only one way two say those three words
and that's what I'll do. (I love you)

neglect.

2009-12-03T12:16:00.008+08:00

It's happening so often that it's beginning to sound cliche.
Embarrassed to admit (again) that it has fallen into decay.
Not that it has been forgotten... that has never been the case...
It has always lingered along the fringes of my mind.
Perhaps it's part lazy or perhaps it's just fatigue.
Who says every day life isn't tiring?
Too daunting to get past the inertia of doing something,
When slumping in the couch is so much more tempting.
The days go by ever so fast when you're not looking;
Morning, noon, then evening.
And as the stretch of road ahead of you gets longer,
The urge to throw in the towel just gets stronger.
So many things in your life demand your time,
And truly there's only so much you can do.
When time is spent doing this thing,
There goes time to rest or for other things.

O little town of Bethlehem

2009-11-12T09:19:00.002+08:00

The reason for my absence is that I was on tour to Israel, or the place known as the Holy Land. It is called so as the area hold significant importance to major religions like Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The name Israel in Hebrew means one who struggles with God and is the name given to Jacob after his fight with the angel of God (Genesis 32:28). Indeed despite the status of being holy, peace hangs precariously on a balance in this place.

One of the places in the tour was this humble town of Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ was born. Below is a nice Christmas song that describes this scene:

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to all on earth

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

World Issues

2009-10-21T19:53:00.006+08:00

Call them funny if you will, but the Flight of the Conchords, which is a New Zealand comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, bring our attention to real world issues through parody singing. Below is a snippet of what I mean:

What is wrong with the world today and what will become of it tomorrow? Youth taking drugs and taking each others' lives, humans contracting diseases like AIDS, honest people getting jailed, children being involved in human trafficking, the harm to the environment from all the pollution -- all affect the world we live and probably for generations to come if we don't address them soon. Yet what are we doing to address these issues? Sadly, there are many people including world leaders who choose to sit on these issues, coming out to downplay the seriousness of the consequences, adopting a sweep-under-the-carpet kind of attitude.

We all know that issues don't just disappear on their own and there will come a day when they will all come back and haunt us.

Filial Piety

2009-10-17T21:02:00.002+08:00

An American friend of mine was wondering about what filial piety means in a modern Asian society. Simply defined, filial piety means to be good to one's parents, to show love, respect and courtesy, and to take up the duty of taking care of one's parents till death. However, looking at modern Asian society like Singapore, the picture of filial piety may not be so simply defined.

I like this commercial by Petronas showing a scene out of Chinese New Year reunion dinner where some old ladies are proudly discussing about the so-called successes of their children:

It is filial piety duty to do our parents proud but what good would it do if we cannot even spare time to show them our love?

Tears in heaven

2009-10-11T21:04:00.007+08:00

A kid asked my teacher friend an innocent, simple question, "Would my pet dog go to heaven, teacher?" My friend pondered for a while and answered, "Well, I think not." The next thing that happened, the kid broke into tears.

Do animals go to heaven? If I were asked the very same question, I would really be stumped. No kidding! I decided to google for an answer but after much research, there just wasn't any conclusive answer. It could be that human souls and animal souls are different after all, and only good human souls make their way to heaven.

The truth is, I really don't know. If the day ever comes when a kid who has lost his/her animal friend comes and asks me that very same question, I might just reply, "I don't know for sure, but all I know is that all good souls go to heaven."

It may sound diplomatic and fearing to see a child in tears but what good is there in boggling a child's mind with classification of souls, the definition of heaven and the cosmos, when all the kid wants is to be consoled that a friend has gone to a good resting place?

Garbage Patch Kids

2009-10-10T09:38:00.005+08:00

There is good reason to support local artistes and one upcoming starlet is Kewei. Below is a song composed by her about all the plastic trash that accumulates in this planet, on land and in the oceans. Please click on this link to read more and hope you enjoy her heartfelt song, Plastic Mannequin Love by Tay Kewei.

I remember watching the movie Wall-E on a flight as I missed it in the theatres. The movie postulated a scenario where Earth is so-filled with rubbish that humans decided to take the easy way out and blast off into space and abandon the planet. Who knows, this could be our future at this rate we are going.

Here is another video about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to make you realise this future could happen sooner than we think.

Issues regarding the environment is everyone's responsibility. We all need to do our part.

Friends

2009-09-22T22:09:00.003+08:00

Here are some nice quotations about friendship:

Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.

A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg even though you're slightly cracked.

Remember friends as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I.
As low as I you once must be,
Prepare yourself and follow me.
-On a gravestone

Love all, trust a few; Do wrong to none.-William Shakespeare

Hold On

2009-09-16T22:57:00.003+08:00

Couldn't resist but share this magical song by Carlos Santana... enjoy!

Santana - Hold On

Don't rush me just this once
I want to make this moment last
Slow down the pace, there's no hurry
I can't let another pass by me again
Let me be the one to say when I've had enough

Just let me close my eyes, memorize
The way things are this minute
So when you're gone I can go on
If memory can hold within it what I'm feeling
Should time try fading or stealing something away

CHORUS:
Hold on, nothing's the same
Tell me why I feel this way
Life wouldn't be worth living without you
All along I've been the pretender
But now that's gone forever
Nobody's ever loved me like you do
Nobody's broken through

Got to concentrate, file away
Every last detail
Don't want to lose what's going down
I want to remember everything I'm feeling
Should time try fading or stealing something away

Do clothes make a man?

2009-09-13T15:14:00.002+08:00

In a Jewish story, the prophet Elijah once dressed in the rags of a beggar and knocked at the door of a home where a wedding celebration was being held. The father of the bride opened the door, and Elijah asked if there was room in the party for one like him. The man slammed the door in Elijah’s face. Elijah returned again to the wedding celebration, this time dressed in the garb of a fine gentleman. This time he was welcomed with great respect. Elijah entered the house, went over to the table, and stuffed food into his vest and shirt pockets and poured wine over his clothes. When the host came rushing over, demanding an explanation, Elijah replied:

“When I, Elijah, came to your house in the rags of a beggar, I was refused entry. When I, the same Elijah, came to your house in the clothes of a gentleman, I was admitted. I could only conclude that you invited my clothes to the feast. So, I have proceeded to feed them.”

In another story, a villager who recently struck it rich decided to go to a city shop to buy a television. However the shopkeeper refused to sell it to him. Thinking that perhaps it was because he was dressed too shabbily, the villager went home, changed into fine clothes and went to the shop again saying, "I want to buy that television." Again, the shopkeeper refused.

Being quite mad, the villager exclaimed, "Sir, I have money and I want to buy that television!" The shopkeeper calmly replied, "This is a microwave oven and I cannot sell it to someone so silly as you."

The Nature of Angst

2009-09-12T16:01:00.002+08:00

I still remember my younger angsty days,
Living my life as I think it to be.
Always having a cause to strive for,
Always ready for a fight,
Never afraid to right a wrong,
Defending my brand of justice.

What I normally excelled in tests,
Deliberately I did badly in the exams.
All to prove a point,
All in the name of protest and detest.
This is what angst can drive you to do.
Could it be that adolescence fueled this engine of angst?
So much pent-up energy unleashed upon this world.

Gone are those younger angsty days,
Relinquished is this power of raw anger.
For there's nothing to prove at the end of it all.
What angst begets is more angst.
The flames of anger spread easily like wild fire.
Some times it's just better to sow the seeds of discretion.

Life After Death

2009-09-09T23:58:00.006+08:00

I was rummaging through my stuff and found an old metallic watch that belonged to my late grandfather. I was told that the watch had stopped working shortly after his passing, pretty much like the popular song, My Grandfather's Clock. It was the only physical inheritance I was given after his death and that made me wonder about all the material possessions we accumulate in life -- it all gets left behind when we die. All of the clothes I own, bags, books and even the laptop I'm using will eventually be left behind when I depart from this world.

The teachings from the Bible (Luke 12:33-34) say: Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Even the Buddhist teachings tell of not being unduly attached to the material possessions that we accumulate as they bring about worries and other disturbances.

Indeed how wise the teachings are... and so goes back the watch that carries with it no more than a keepsake memory with my collection of other stuff.

Charity should begin at home

2009-09-07T22:27:00.001+08:00

A friend was almost in disbelief to find out that there are very poor people in Singapore as well. I guess it is easier to identify the poor from less privileged countries because they are visible. However, it is harder to notice the poor among us at home in affluent Singapore. They may be the lonely, the old, the sick and the ones needing love right in our own backyard.

Aging Population

2009-08-31T21:36:00.000+08:00

The issue about aging population not only affects Singapore but in many other parts of the world. It's not something new and is something that was foreseen. It is an issue that we need to tackle soon as the situation becomes more and more real with each passing day.

So what exactly is aging population? It is simply a shift in the distribution of a country's population towards the older ages; an increase in the population's mean or median age, a decline in the proportion of the population composed of children, or a rise in the proportion of the population that is elderly. An increase in longevity due to better health care and medical technology raises the average age of the population thereby raising the number of years that each person is old relative to number of years in which he is young. A decline in fertility also increases the average age of the population by changing the balance of people born recently (the young) to people born further in the past (the old). Of these two forces, it is declining fertility that is the dominant contributor to aging population in the world today.

The economic effects of an aging population are considerable. One large area of government expenditure in many countries is health care, whose cost is likely to increase dramatically as the population ages. However there are many other social impacts as well.

So how equipped or ready is Singapore to handle a larger elderly population? It is good that many of the housing estates in Singapore already have the necessary facilities for the elderly like wheelchair ramps and even nice community spaces. The elderly are encouraged to stay active and healthy. However, one thing that probably needs improvement is the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). With more elderly taking the trains, shouldn't more seats be provided? Wouldn't increasing the frequency and allowing trains be less crowded make more sense?

Wait awhile

2009-08-29T08:40:00.000+08:00

It may not have been very noticeable but much has been going on in terms of sorting out some technical issues with Blogger. Eventually the mystery of the missing shoutbox and profile picture has been solved. Do wait awhile more as the blog entries flow in and do expect some backdating. As I was looking at all the past articles, the amazing reality that this blog is about to celebrate its 5th anniversary struck me! Wow, 5 great years. Thanks for all the support!

Janet Jackson - Let's wait awhile

There's something I want to tell you
There's something I think that you should know
It's not that I shouldn't really love you
Let's take it slow
When we get to know each other
And we're both feeling much stronger
Then let's try to talk it over
Let's wait awhile longer

*Let's wait awhile
Before it's too late
Let's wait awhile
Before we go too far

Remember that special night
When all of the stars were shining bright
We made our first endeavor to stay together
We made our very first promise
To love, to share, and be real honest
But on that very first night
It wasn't quite right

*Let's wait awhile
Before it's too late
Let's wait awhile
Our love will be great
Let's wait awhile
Before we go too far

I didn't really know not to let all my feelings show
To save some for later so our love can be greater
You said you would always love me
Remember I said the same thing to you
You don't have to be frightened with my love
Because, I'll never give up on you
Let's wait awhile
Ah well before it's too late
You know you can't rush love, love

*chorus

I promise, I'll be worth the wait

The Devil is in the Details

2009-08-17T21:55:00.001+08:00

A non-religious colleague of mine was explaining the facts of life to another colleague, "... we shouldn't just conveniently blame everything evil in this world on the devil, as the devil himself is a God-believer. We should probably worry about those mortal beings who seem to carry out the devil's work, for it's likely they are disillusioned ones who think they are above everything and everyone. They are the ones who carry out senseless acts that will end up destroying themselves and others..."

Sure sets your mind thinking...

Rise Again

2009-08-15T11:02:00.001+08:00

The journey of life is not smooth, and all of us will encounter ups and downs. The important lesson in life is to pick yourself up whenever you fall down. Of course, it will hurt whenever we fall but it is said that time is a healer and the pain that we feel will eventually subside.

Gabrielle - Rise

I know that it's over
But I can't believe we're through
They say that time is a healer
And I'm better without you
It's gonna take time I know
But I'll get over over you

*Chorus
Look at my life
Look at my heart
I have seen them fall apart
Now I'm ready to rise again
Look at my hopes
Look at my dreams
I'm building bridges from these scenes
Now I'm ready to rise again

Caught up in my thinking
Yeah
Like a prisoner in my mind
You pose so many questions
But the truth was hard to find
I better think twice I know
That I'll get over you

*Chorus

Much time has passed between us
Do you still think of me at all
My world of broken promises
Now you won't catch me when I fall

*Chorus

Friendship is love without wings

2009-08-12T22:14:00.000+08:00

Here is poem by George Gordon Lord Byron

L’Amitié, Est L’Amour Sans Ailes

Why should my anxious breast repine,
Because my youth is fled?
Days of delight may still be mine;
Affection is not dead.
In tracing back the years of youth,
One firm record, one lasting truth
Celestial consolation brings;
Bear it, ye breezes, to the seat,
Where first my heart responsive beat,—
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

Through few, but deeply chequer’d years,
What moments have been mine!
Now half obscured by clouds of tears,
Now bright in rays divine;
Howe’er my future doom be cast,
My soul, enraptured with the past,
To one idea fondly clings;
Friendship! that thought is all thine own,
Worth worlds of bliss, that thought alone—
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

Where yonder yew-trees lightly wave
Their branches on the gale,
Unheeded heaves a simple grave,
Which tells the common tale;
Round this unconscious schoolboys stray,
Till the dull knell of childish play
From yonder studious mansion rings;
But here, whene’er my footsteps move,
My silent tears too plainly prove,
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

Oh, Love! before thy glowing shrine,
My early vows were paid;
My hopes, my dreams, my heart was thine,
But these are now decay’d;
For thine are pinions like the wind,
No trace of thee remains behind,
Except, alas! thy jealous stings.
Away, away! delusive power,
Thou shall not haunt my coming hour;
Unless, indeed, without thy wings.

Seat of my youth! thy distant spire
Recalls each scene of joy;
My bosom glows with former fire,—
In mind again a boy.
Thy grove of elms, thy verdant hill,
Thy every path delights me still,
Each flower a double fragrance flings;
Again, as once, in converse gay,
Each dear associate seems to say,
“Friendship is Love without his wings!’

My Lycus! wherefore dost thou weep?
Thy falling tears restrain;
Affection for a time may sleep,
But, oh, ’twill wake again.
Think, think, my friend, when next we meet,
Our long-wished interview, how sweet!
From this my hope of rapture springs;
While youthful hearts thus fondly swell,
Absence my friend, can only tell,
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

In one, and one alone deceiv’d,
Did I my error mourn?
No—from oppressive bonds reliev’d,
I left the wretch to scorn.
I turn’d to those my childhood knew,
With feelings warm, with bosoms true,
Twin’d with my heart’s according strings;
And till those vital chords shall break,
For none but these my breast shall wake
Friendship, the power deprived of wings!

Ye few! my soul, my life is yours,
My memory and my hope;
Your worth a lasting love insures,
Unfetter’d in its scope;
From smooth deceit and terror sprung,
With aspect fair and honey’d tongue,
Let Adulation wait on kings;
With joy elate, by snares beset,
We, we, my friends, can ne’er forget,
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

Fictions and dreams inspire the bard,
Who rolls the epic song;
Friendship and truth be my reward—
To me no bays belong;
If laurell’d Fame but dwells with lies,
Me the enchantress ever flies,
Whose heart and not whose fancy sings;
Simple and young, I dare not feign;
Mine be the rude yet heartfelt strain,
“Friendship is Love without his wings!”

Happy Birthday, Singapore!

2009-08-09T22:09:00.001+08:00

The National Day Parade 2009 theme song by homegrown band, Electrico - What do you see?

There’s a jewel on the ocean,
a gem upon the sea
Where the future is an open book
A land of destiny
We could set our sights into the wind and sail the seven seas
or climb the highest mountain top as long as we believe
What do you see? What do you see?

Chorus: See the moon and the stars, look how far we have come
Look around at our faces, they shine brightly in the sun
With our hopes and dreams, imagine what tomorrow it may bring
What do you see? What do you see?

Now the time has come to reach out,
To open up to see
That we stand together in this land
Cos we are family
As thoughts of reaching to the sky are carried on a dream
With hearts and minds united, our dreams we will achieve
What do you see? What do you see?

Chorus

Bridge: What do you see when life makes you take on a mountain
You’ll see that nothing’s gonna stand in your way
Together we can share
The strength of a million
and the courage of a million more

Chorus End

Poetry in Motion

2009-08-01T13:20:00.005+08:00

I believe the tattoo on Megan Fox's (actress in the recent Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie) right shoulder got a lot people thinking. What does "We will all laugh at gilded butterflies" mean? It is actually taken from Shakespeare's King Lear (Act 5, Scene III):

Come, let's away to prison;
We two alone will sing like birds in the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out; —
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by the moon.
-- King Lear to his one true daughter, Cordelia

Gilded butterflies in this context refer to people who put on false fronts, just like King Lear's other 2 daughters (Cordelia's sisters) who have betrayed him. And thus, we shall laugh at these people who make a mockery of themselves and others.

On an added note, Megan has another poetic tattoo, "There once was a little girl who never knew love until a boy broke her heart." Self-explanatory. Love hurts.

Blow out

2009-07-13T16:28:00.001+08:00

When it comes to birthdays, many of friends have several superstitions about what to do and what not to do. Some would go to the extent to make their birthday a secret. Others go through great lengths to have a super celebration. There are many ways to celebrate the anniversary of one's birth, though most people these days would have a birthday cake with candles. Yet have you ever wondered where did the tradition of making a wish and blowing the candles come from? Apparently, it evolved from an ancient Greek custom where a cake topped with litted candles, that looked like the moon, was used to celebrate the Goddess Artemis's birthday. By the blowing out of each candle, the smoke from the extinguished flame carried each wish up to the Goddess to be granted.

If you are celebrating your birthday today or soon, Happy Birthday!