Merry Christmas

It is a peaceful day. No news is good news. A Buddhist by heart and action, I still love Christmas. As I watch Channel News Asia on the significant of Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ, I realised as a Singaporean, I enjoyed all religious festivals. Vesak Day or Hari Raya Puasa are holidays that all Singaporeans enjoy. We are very lucky to live in a place where racial and religious harmony are achieved.
May peace be on earth.

Parties Galore!

Many neighbours are celebrating Christmas. The French two doors away, 3 households opposite my unit. It is real party time. Christmas is a celebration of joy and happiness. May the new year be a happy one.

Tonight is an exciting night for Children,

Children of the world who believe in Santa Claus. Santa Claus is coming to town. You better watch out, You better not shout, Santa Claus is coming to town. He is making a list and checking it twice, Who is naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming town....
I am watching an old musical right now titled "I am dreaming of a White Christmas". It is kind of slow but the storyline is touching. I can write my blog an watch the movie at the same time.

White Christmas

Looks like Canada and US is having a White Christmas. My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love Christmas after living in Canada. It is a long holiday from Dec 24th to Jan 2nd. No work! So it is great if it snows. It is very nice to watch snow falling from a window inside a warm house. Big bookstore like Chapters have fireplace and you can buy Starbucks coffee and browse the books by the fireplace. I like the romance of fireplace place. As a kid, I enjoyed reading fairy tales and there is always a fireplace in some of the heartwarming tales. Fireplace, good book and a good cup of cappuccino. Mmmm, this is life!

Monsoon Winds

Nice cool winds from the North bring forth rain and cool temperature. The winds are strong and kite flying is a favorite pastime in Anchorvale. Stunt kites can do amazing "kiteobatics" like climbing up vertically and diving straight down flipping back just before touching the ground. They can spins clockwise and counterclockwise in a flash.
There are many radio control planes enthusiats as well. The planes are quiet electric type. I used to love model planes. Somehow the fire has died down. Now, I just fly toy planes that has limited control. Sigh! ...though his dreams are coming true, they are no longer as exciting. There are new dreams...

Nude Pictures of Shu Qi

I was reading yahoo news on Zhang Zi Yi being voted the Most Beautiful Person in the world. The thumbnail pictures contains topless Shu Qi. Clicking on the thumbnails will bring you to Shu Qi's website. Shu Qi is promoting her sex kitten images with plenty of topless and nude pictures.
Here is the link:http://www.shuqi.org/otherworks/cd.shtml

Family Time - Simple Pleasures

My sisters are over to my place for dinner. We have turkey, pork ribs, bbq chicken wings and sushi. My nephews and one niece came along. It is very good to see all of them. I enjoys cooking and cutting out fruits for them. As I skin the large R2E2, we make small talk. About car park fine, about how the principle of keeping the road clear is not really true. Seems like revenue enhancing program. It is incredible that car parking fines can run to a few hundred millions Sing dollars every day. This is indirect taxation!
The visit is short and sweet. In the few hours, we reconnect and renew our family ties.

Christmas is coming

Christmas will be upon us next week. Christmas shopping is still hot. Long queue at wrapping counters. Gifts buy is still in vogue. It is a subdue but still Merry Christmas. With economy cooling down, retail is still good. I am glad to see people spending and keeping the economy going.

Bombs at Printemps, Paris

For those who know Paris, finding a public toilet like looking for diamond in a desert. It cost 2 euros to get entry into a public toilet if you can find one. 2 euros is equivalent to $4 in Singapore currency. The most expensive entry to a public toilet in Singapore is 20 cents. Anyway, to answer nature's call in Paris is to go to a big department store.
Printemps is wonderful high end department store. It is a pity that Printemp close shop in Singapore. Anyhow, there are public toilets in Printemp. It is one of the few places to answer call of nature for few. The other is Galleria Lafayette.
Five sticks of dynamites were found in male toilet at level three of Printemp. I went to that toilet when we were in Paris. Luckily, it was just a warning with no detonator. Still a terror attack is a horrible thing. Even on holiday, it is not safe.

Chiropractor - The Western Tieh Ta

My neck has been giving me problems since my holidays. I have stiff neck and it is really inconvenient. Turning my body to look left or right is comical to a bystander and it hurts my ego and cause real pains. Tieh Ta or the Chinese bone manipulations is the traditional way of fixing this problem.
Living in Canada expose me to the Western form of tieh ta or spine manipulation. Today I gone to my regular chiropractor for a followup visit from last Friday. He adjusted my spine and cervix. Once my cervix is balanced, I am on the road to recovery.
Chiropractic treatment can be expensive. Treatment usually requires a few sessions. In each session, spine will be adjusted so that it is balanced.
Modern day living with computer work and reading, our necks are put in a strained position for long time. In time, the body rebelled and muscles go into spasm. This is where we need experts to help us regain our balance and relieve our pains.

2009 - What will it be?

Let me be frank. I worry and therefore I pray. I was at Kuan Yin temple just before lunch time to offer my prayers and wish for a stable and good 2009. So what do I think of 2009? Business climate has cooled. It is global cooling! There are many factors. Easiest to blame is the financial crisis. High oil and commodity prices that can drop faster than water going down the Niagara Falls. Oil price drop from a high of more than US$150/barrel to now US$47/barrel in less than 3 months. Other commodities price has suffered as demand drop precipitously. Right now there are so much uncertainty. We have plenty of economists giving their opinions in Channel News Asia. They gave very gray overview. They are the same people who calculated and estimated very optimistic views before the crisis. Hindsight is 20/20. Now there are lots of opinion that the danger signs were there before but ignored.
Governments in the huge economy are scrambling to come up with fiscal stimulus and financial policies that will respond to the crisis.
In time of change and uncertainty, we have to stay to use white water rafting terminology which is very good description of our current environment, bouyant. Bouyancy is staying afloat and letting the water carry us to where it may be. The key is to do minor adjustments as we roll and roil in turbulent water hitting into obstacles and rocks in out-of-control manner. The strategy is react furiously as we get near to rocks that threaten our survival. There may be period of calm but it is only very short time and hopefully catch our breaths before tumbling into white water again. This remind me of my time in Canada. A plant shutdown puts more than C$20million business that I was responsible for at risk. We called it the Brantford Project. Not only did I survived, I became a hero and had a standing ovation in the National Sales Meeting when I was called up for recognition. I was both embarrassed and exhilarated by the feelings that the sales team had such strong appreciation for me.
2009 - we will survived!

Where would I like to Retire?

This is the question I have been pondering for a long time. Canada like my mum? Also neighbouring Asean countries like Malaysia or Thailand. Cost is lower and healthcare is world class. How about passing time? Internet, libraries, bookstores and cafes. These are top on my list of must haves. There must be our local food at low prices. Safety and political stability are other factors to consider. Actually Singapore scores high on the various parameters. The biggest disadvantage is cost. The other strong disadvantage is lack of natural places for entertainment like lakes for fishing, winter sport such as skiing. We cannot go to the countryside for R&R. Our "countryside" is very expensive and is run like vacation business.
I need a hobby farm to grow something useful for human consumption. Singapore is out of the question for this. Maybe Batam or Bintan is another option. Where? The day will come when I have to decide.

Festive Spirit is Here Again

The malls are all decked up in their Christmas finery. In PJ, the Curve is bathe in tiny lights that there is a magical glow. I loved Christmas. Everyone is taking pictures capturing the precious silvers of memories. The mood is bouyant. The atmosphere, the happy crowd and the party goers chattering away... they make me forget there is a financial crisis. In fact, what crisis? Looks like Malaysia is not affected by the current global slowdown. OK! one mall does not represent Malaysia. I bet it is a good indicator. Malaysia as a whole is less affected or maybe the young are less affected. Either way, the festive spirit has rub onto me.
Merry Christmas!

My Hat Off to Esplanade

My family and I was at the Christmas Concert in Esplanade Concert Hall by SSO or The Singapore Symphony Orchestra. The Children Choir was a little slow. The orchestra is magnificent. The traditional Christmas was full of energy and power. It was very vibrant and interesting to see the musicians working in unison. I must say I enjoyed the music so much. After the concert, B3 was hungry and wanted McDonald. We walked over to Marina Square and bought ice cream for him. I had ice blended mango. After our late night snacks, we walked back to Esplanade carpark. I put my right hand into right pocket to reach for my car keys and it was not there. A sense of panic and nervousness started to rise from the pit of my stomach to my chest. I think hard and force myself to be calm. I asked a cleaner if I can get back in the concert hall. He told me to look for the security guard. I saw one at the upper floor and raced to him immediately and told him my situation.
He call on his walkie talkie and asked me to wait. A few minutes later another security guard come over and together with another colleague escorted me back into the concert hall. I raced my seat or what I thought was my seat, bended down to look when I heard a yell. Here it is. The security guard was on one row lower and he can see the floor of my row clearly. There was my car key.
To the security team in Esplanade, my heartfelt thanks!

An Easy Day

No much get done today. Wake up late, have lunch and read outdated newspapers to past time. Public holiday is good for rest and recovery.
The hotels in Europe has bad bed (Paris) and bad pillows (Switzerland). My shoulder and neck is so stiff and my low back is aching. Time to see my chiropractor...

Read and Learn

It is interesting. I enjoyed reading and words give me the experience I need and yearned for. During my most recent Europe trip, my eldest, B1 wanted to try everything and is very adventurous. Meanwhile, I am reluctant to go to the Top of Europe at 11,000 ft as the altitude is high and I do not like the thin air. I experienced running about in Genting highland and then on the way back my body has to adjust and it did not feel good at all. This was when I was young. Now, I am reluctant to challenge my physical capability and push my limits. I also realised I connected well and grasps very quickly when I experience whether it is the scenery or scientific experiments or human behaviours or whatever, live!

Booklover Heaven

Page One is now offering 30% discount. Today in response, Kino is giving 20% off until Christmas. Granted, Kino usually give 20% promotion during school holidays and long weekend. I like it as the book scene get more competitive. Borders 25/30/35% discount is also very competitive. The total discount is just over 40% with the additional discount for members. This is why consumers benefit with competition. Beside price, the range and service has improved. I recalled with MPH was the only big bookstore, the discount is only 10% in August and the promotion is call MPH Book Bang!

Bonding

A trip and doing activities together is great family bonding. The boys played and watched funny shows and enjoying and laughing together. I am really happy to see them bonding and having fun. B3 enjoys his first snow very much. Snowballs fights, big snow man, toboggan, hm! It is a nice change from hot, humid and rain.
It is nice to be back our warm home with sweet memories.

Ahh! Laksa, Bak Chor Mee,...

Yes, food! We just had our meal or dinner Singapore time. It is good to have big boys with big appetite. We ordered yong tau food, bak chor mee, laksa and fried beef kway teow with black bean sauce. Mmmm, so good to taste home. It is like soaking your hands in cold water for 15 mins and then putting your hands in room temperature water. The water feels hot. After spending 10 days in cold Europe with high price, everything in Singapore now feel so cost effective. Yes, cheap!
Before the trip, we always feel Singapore is expensive. Now comparing with Paris and Switzerland, it is very reasonable.

Sledding

Yesterday, we went sledding. We had a guide who make sure we are equipped with the snow boots and then drove us up winding and narrow single lane mountain road. It is quite scary as the mountain is quite steep. At regular intervals, there is a slightly wider area for cars to pass each other. Otherwise only one car can go at any time, up or down. We stopped and park at a cable car station and took the cable car to a much higher point. There is a resturant right at the other station. A couple that came with us climbed up higher. They had to wear snow shoes. We tobbogan down to back to the cable station below.
It is our first experience toboganning as a family. The path is narrow and snow thick. It took about 45 mins to get down. We are going slow to get used to the path and learning to control our sled as well. B3 was with me and he keep asking me to go faster. Mummy take a bit of time the first time down to get used to sledding. It was fun.
This morning is payback time! My muscles are all sore as we are using those we hardly ever use.
I highly recommend toboganning to everyone especially family. This is great family bonding experience.

Switerzland, the Rugged Beauty

The hotel we are living in. It has two bedrooms, kitchen, two bathrooms and a fireplace.


The view outside our living room window.



The river is just right beside our hotel...

Mona Lisa and Effel Tower

Louvre Museum is a formerly a palace and is enormous. Entry is 9 euros for adults and free for 18 years and below. It is spacious and had lots of paintings and sculpture. The paintings are very good. Mona Lisa, the most famous and also the most popular is actually quite a small are at same size as in the painting. Some paintings were even bigger. Looking at the paintingpainting size of a family protrait or A3. There are many life-size painting i.e. the human subjects s, it must have taken the artist a long time to complete the job. Many of the them are life-like. I am not a arty-craftsy type and so I was tired out by the walk. In total, I spent less than an hour. Walking to find Mona Lisa from the entrance take more than 15 mins. After seeing meeting Mona Lisa, I would not say this is a life changing experience.
Going up to the top of Effel Tower in the bitter cold is interesting experience. The weather was gloomy and a little foggy. So the visibility is a little compromised. However the view is spectacular. It is also scary for those afraid of heights. It is quite fun just to go up to be on top of the world, I mean Paris. Paris is a interesting city. There is only one tall modern building. There must be a height limitation as the buildings are not more than 10 storeys high. Another interesting feature is there are many huge doors on the arches along the buildings. Some are entrance for cars. There are more than 12 metro lines. The pedestrian path is quite narrow and Parisens are always in rush.
Taking the metro(MRT) and buses is a cinch and convenient. It is also cost effective. Living in an apartment with a kitchen also save money. You got it! We are touring on economy class.

More Pics in Paris

View outside the kitchen. Living on the top floor mean we get to see the sky.


Louvre Museum where famous Mona Lisa of the Da Vinci Code is just steps away.

A standing room only shower. This shower is even smaller than any of those in the hotels I stayed in Japan!

My bedroom with the skylights!

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Bathtub right in front of our bed. It is like a no bedroom apartment.

Outliers, continue...

Time magazine reviewed this book as well as New York Times. Malcolm Gladwell is a highly accomplished writer to command such interest.
Outliers is a frontal assault on the great American myth of the self-made man says Lev Grossman of Time magazine. It examines the circumstances and environment that make a man successful. Yes, man only! There are no woman example. It makes interesting reading and a lot of the reasonings are sound and plausible. I like it as it mirror a lot of my thinking as well.
Well, best way to get to know about kthinking is to read Outliers.

Paris, Finally

We are in Paris finally. It takes 14 hours from Singapore to Zurich. Then a 3 hours stopover and an hour and 10 mins to Charles De Gaul Airport, Paris. Our flight took off at 1am in the morning. My butt hurts sleeping in the plane.
I had fell from bicycle a week or two ago. I landed right on my butt. I was immobilised by the pain for a few minutes. B3(my youngest boy) was on the bike with me and fell too. He get up with no problem and keep asking why I am not moving. Now I know I have not recovered from my hard landing.
Anyway, we landed in Terminal 2F. We had ordered a pickup and told them the we are in Terminal 2. We were told to find out exactly where we were and call back. There were 10 "separate" terminal in Terminal 2. Fifteen minutes later, we were pick up at Gate 8 by a yellow airport minivan. As we ride the van out, we know why it take so long for the van to arrive. There were 3 terminals! Just to get out of terminal two takes about 3 mins.
The ride to our hotel took 45 mins. We are in a very old building more than 200 years. The room is on the 6 floor and the lift is "Batman-style". The ceiling is low and slanted just like in the attic. There is an open bath right in the bedroom. It is really quaint.
Weather is freezing.

Outlier!

This is a latest book by author of bestsellers, The Tipping Point and Blink, Malcolm Gladwell. I like the chapter on air crashes of Korean Airlines. Korean Airlines has the worst record for air crashes in the world! The reason? Korean respects for authority. It is culture. If the captain does something wrong or did not notice something important, the first officer will politely point it out. If it is ignored or the captain does not do anything, out of deference, the first officer will remind again to reinforce his point but will not be direct. Hence, the aircraft crashed and killing everyone on board. The first officer can't even save himself.
Korean Airlines subsequently hired a Consultant to improve her safety record. This Consultant insist on all pilots and first officers to communicate only in English. They have to learn English with their own money....
I am running out time as I have to get ready for my vacation. Will continue next time....

Forward

I am looking forward to a well deserved holiday. It has been busy and work is just non-stop. I enjoyed working and working hard. It is a good time for a break to bring the family together. In New York Times today, there is an article based on research, the way to be happy is watch less TV. Happy people spend more time socializing and doing other stuff. Cutting down TV bring more happiness. I wonder about internet? Would cutting internet make one happier too?

Interesting Times

Prices are going up and people are losing their jobs. Financial markets around the world are gyrating like crazy. Many people lost their fortunes and some are making their fortunes. What can we do?
Bad news are on the papers everyday. Retrenchments by Global Finance companies are announced daily. Actually is the economy so bad? Shopping malls are still busy and lots of people are still buying. Maybe people are cutting down their purchases. Real Estate prices are dropping except for HDB flats.
As Charles Dickens puts it "It is the worst of times, it is the best of times".

Discount and More Discounts

All the book stores are getting more aggressive on price. Kinokuniya has 20% storewide this weekend. MPH has 20% for 500 titles - not so good deal. I do not know about Times but last weekend, Borders has 25% for 3, 30% for 4 and 35% for 5 books. On top of the 35%, there is an additional 10% for members. Borders has great deals!

Holiday Mood

The weather is cool and we go to NTUC Fairprice to buy snacks for our upcoming trip. Just allowing the boys to buy candies, buying instant noodles, biscuits and preserved fruits(kiam sng tee) makes me get into holiday mood. I felt like we are on holiday already. Our 3 boys are in a very good mood and my spirits are high. Yes, we are all looking forward to our Europe trip.

BT is out for Holiday in Malaysia

I just read that Boh Tong my fellow blogger is off to Malaysia for holiday. I wished him safe travel. I will be going to Switzerland and Paris myself next week. It is holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone!

Hua Ting - Delicious Dinner

We had dinner in Hua Ting. The food was fabulous. The cost is $1,400+ for 17 persons including the drinks. It is a little expensive. However, we had a good time. I enjoyed the meal very much.

Sentosa

It's been a long time since I was last in Sentosa. Today, we had a tour in Fort Siloso. It is hot and humid. There are some hot bodies at the beach. Lot of walking and sweat. Many F&B in Sentosa nowadays. After more than 15 years, Sentosa is quite different now. Cars are normal whereas it was banned before. Plenty of contructions. I can understand why it is no longer popular. The attractions are not so attractive any more.

Red Wine Headache

I did not sleep well last night. I felt my head aches the whole night. It must be the red wine I have to drink as punishment for wrong "signal" in drinking game. I am really a bad drinker. By lunch time, I had to take two tyernols as the headache refused to go away. It was only evening before I feel normal again.
I have no idea why people like to drink. It has the most terrible aftermath. Headaches that is stubborn and it hurts.

Annual Party at Cafe Del Mar

We had annual party in Sentosa. It is my first time since I joined the company seven years ago. Human Resource Manager has changed, so I was invited. Usually, I get invited by the Malaysian side as my office is there. Kind of complicated to explain. Never mind! I had a good time. Just that there were not enough food and I have to order my own food.

Do Not Believe in What is in the News

I read about the DBS layoff and the Chairman says that it was a very difficult decision and all the staff laid off will be given counselling, help to look for another job and other services to ease the pain.
The sad fact is you will not be told that you are laid off. Reporting to work as usual, you will find something unusual. Your entry pass do not work. You wonder why initially. Then another colleague come by and hey presto! no problem. Sorry, you are no longer allow into the office. Man! Don't you get it??!! You are laid off!

Sinking Sands!

Will our IR, integrated resort or Casino be completed? Sands is having problems raising funds since the financial crisis in US. Will Singapore has two Casinos or one? Only time can tell.
I hope we get both our casinos. They will create jobs, bring in tax revenue and make Singapore more vibrant!

Poor Thaksin

I don't mean Thaksin is poor. I feel sorry for him. He is an extremely wealthy man. Now he has no home. He cannot go back to Thailand, UK now do not welcome him. It is not fun. He is a rich guy who went into politics. While he did get richer during his term as Prime Minister, look at all the trouble he is in now.
Money cannot buy everything!

Bagels

Tanglin Mall's supermarket sells freshly baked bagels. Bagels are not commonly available in Singapore. The dough is quite dense and chewy. Bagel is a popularly breakfast item in Canada. I bought 2 at $1.50 each, plain and whole wheat.
Bagels look like doughnuts. It is a ring. To eat, split the bagel into 2 rings and toast it in a toaster or oven. Then butter it when hot so that the butter melts into the hot dough. After that add cream cheese or peanut butter. Eat while still hot or warm.

DBS Retrenching 900

DBS draw first blood. The new CEO was a "people" person according to news when he was hired. DBS made history in the first retrenchment since it existence. When you have an outsider for CEO, this is not unusual. Outsiders do not have the history nor the intimate understanding of the organisation. They are therefore disinterested and can bring forth the sharp knife in order to deliver results. Results that are short term as outsiders are usually hired guns who know their tenure will be short term. This may be the shot in the arm for our government linked bank. It may also send shocks and cause unfold damages for years to come. Damages that DBS will take long time to heal or even not recover.
We can only wait and see.

Great Deals in Borders

This weekend, Borders has a Sale going. The discount is 25% for 3 books, 30% for 4 books and 35% for 5 books or more. Members get an additional 10%. What a great deal! Borders is finally get more competitive in price and will put pressure on Kinokuniya. However Kinokuniya is quite firm on pricing. So far the best deal in Kino is 20% and usually during school holiday. Borders is very busy today. It is also good that Borders did not require a coupon. It is usually a hassle to cut coupons and only one coupon per book which mean you have to buy more copies of Straits Times just to get the discount. It is not environmentally-friendly sales tactic. I like this "Buy more Save more" promotion.

Food That Cause Bad Reactions

I just returned from Malacca and KL. Malacca was a food tasting trip. Our first order after checking into Holiday Inn is to go for dinner. We went to the Portuguese Settlement for seafood. We had crabs, bbq fish, deep fried sotong, otah and rojak. The table is set at the edge of sea. The sea was so dark. There were no ship out. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and the stars cannot be seen. With no artificial lights and clear view of the sky, I am quite sure if there is UFO, it will be seen clearly.
Then day 2, we had satay celup. Satay celup a big pot of peanut sauce in the center of the table just like Korean bbq. You go to the fridge to select the food that come in a long sticks. The sticks are colour coded on based on price. Red-end is RM0.60 per stick and regular is RM0.50. After collecting your choice, just dipped into the satay sauce until it is cooked and sup them up. There were bean curd skin, fishballs, prawns, kangkong... basically anything that can be skewered. After satay celup, we had Bikik Neo nonya food. The nonya food was excellent in taste. Unfortunately, it is also nonya food that cause bad reactions. I could not sleep that night and thought I overeat. I wake up with a migraine. However, after easy breakfast of fruits, juices and cappuccino, I felt OK. However, by lunch time, I was nursing a headache and took tyernol before going for the Malacca famous Chicken Rice Balls. I had a bad reactions and basically returned my lunch into the hotel toilet. Luckily after an hour of rest, I felt much better. So I return to KL with no problem.
Before flying home, I had chicken again as it looks appetitizing. My memory was short! When I reach home, I could not do anything but sleep. I had two tyernol again after a couple hours of nap and return straight back to sleep. I must have slept 14 hours straight. It is terrible.

Eating should not be a dangerous pastime. Seems like my body disagree with hawker foods in Malaysia. I had so many bad experience now with hawker food in Malaysia. They are tasty but cause nasty reactions. So in Malaysia, eat at your own risks!

Obama, President-elect

Yes, I am still amazed. While I do hope that Obama will become the President, there were many doubts especially "The Bradley Effect" where a black man running for Mayor in Los Angeles who was way ahead in polls lost out in the actual election.
Black or white, I hope the new President will be able to improve US standing in the world.

Calm after a Storm

First heavy dark ominious clouds form up in the sky. The rains. After that lightning flashed. Huge and frequently lightning accomplished by deafening thunder. Explosive sounds indeed. Now the sky is clear and everything looks fine.

It is Terrible!

If you want to commit murder and get away with it, come to Malaysia. Prime Minister of Malaysia, once said this in one of his speeches. Today's headlines "Political Analyst acquitted of Murder of Mongolian Model". He is speaking the truth although the audience was having a good laugh as it seems like he was jesting when he said it.
I am not saying this guy did it or didn't. However, the father of the victim felt that his daughter will not get justice right from the start.

Community Gardens

Gardening are now encouraged in small patches in the HDB estates. The oldies are enthused and have less aches and stiffness. It is good for community development and bonding for the old and young. There are fruits like starfruits and passionfruit that were harvested. So growing your own fruits and vegetables has many benefits other than the fruit of our labours.

Obama, For President

Obama looks like will be a good President. He is wise in choosing Warren Buffet to be his financial advisor. Tax the high income and relief the low income. It may seem like wealth redistribution but it is the high income earners who benefits most from the government expenditure and infrastructure building...

Weekend is coming

Yeah, tomorrow is Thank God It's Friday. I wonder the bar TGIF is still around. 1985, my boss, Grant Smith brought to this bar and explains to me what TGIF means. I could not believe people live for the weekends. It was fun to work in Asia. It was until I live in Canada that I appreciate the culture of weekends.
Weekend is the time for family and relaxation. Do your own stuff and determine your own destiny - fishing, shopping or going to the cabin. I learrn to love long weekend where we can do a road trip to a nearby town or city like Upstate New York or Buffalo. In Singapore, weekend mean a trip to the shopping mall...boring.

The Oil Factor

This book was published a few years ago and the scenario it painted have come true. Now it is a bestseller. It is really prescient in predicting the current financial crisis. What good about this book is it recommended what to invest in and when. So if you want to get ahead of the curve for the current financial state, get this book. You can also subscribe to their newsletter. However, it is US focus and may not work for us in Asia well. The calculations commodities are interesting. Overall, it provide a clear explanation of the events unfolding today.

Stock Market is like a Yo-Yo

Prices are going up and down. It is a fantastic time for day traders. However bad time for investors. The stocks I bought recently had come down dramatically even though I bought them at what I thought was a bargain price. Right now it is best to sit tight and hold on and wait till the market stablized.

A Proliferation of....

Snakes! It seems like we see a dead one every day. There were two babies about 1 foot long on the pathway to the playground. There were two on the new road from Jalan Kayu to Compass Point. Urrrrggghh!!!!

Buffet and Gates Go Back to School

This is a video where Warren Buffett and Bill Gates field questions from students of University of Nesbraska. It is very interesting and insightful. The answers are very down-to-earth from Warren. He is just a regular guy. I like his views of the world.

Urine as Fertilizer!

While feasting on the crabs, I asked my fellow diners around my table how to grow vegetables since they should know farmers. The key tip is using urine diluted 50/50! I know that in Cameron Highlands the farmers use urine. It is so simple. I was asking for the type of fertilizer to use and how to make sure they grow big and green. The best part is urine is free!! Googling I found plenty of information on urine as fertilizer. It is amazing that I did not check on the net.
I know talking on bodily excretions may not be the best subject. I learn a lot while having dinner. I am so happy to be a backyard gardener.

Candid Shot of TCS Actor and Actress

This is at a food court in SengKang. They were there with two kids and a granny.

Hairy Feast Pictures

The resturants at the lakeside.










The crabs neatly stacked. Everyone gets a pair i.e. male and female.




My fellow diner smiling away enjoying the delicacy. You can see she is in Seventh Heaven!










The pretty waitress that serves us.

Hairy Times

It was hairy time in a fun way. Hairy crabs are in season and we had hairy crabs dinner. The crabs are quite small and very tasty. It is just lots of work and therefore dinner takes lots of time which is also good relationship building time!
We had a cruise in the lake. The town is only open for 3 months a year during the crab season. It is a rustic place and very touristy. I will post pictures when I reach home.

Day Two in Shanghai

Temperature is high and humidity is at the level where I am sweating profusely. It is all day preparation for tomorrow's conference. Work is quite slow pace. I am not use this kind of pace. However, we do have a good team putting together a program to improve our business. Lunch is at Coffee Bean. I had the pasta with tomato sauce and herbs. It is terrible and poor value for money. Do not order this if you ever feel hungry. The cookie is passable. I would say cookie in Starbucks taste a lot better.
The best cookie is from a hotel chain in California, US. It is crusty outside and soft inside. You get a pair when you check in and I usually request for more. The trip to hairy crabs help me recall the name of the hotel. It is called Doubletree. Out-of-this world cookies!

Shanghai

Weather in Shanghai is quite warm at 20 celcius. It is nicely cool and dry. It must have been more than a year when I was last in Shanghai. On the way to the hotel, the radio in the cab report Shanghai ren tor (lots of people) and cher tor (many cars) give the city a unique problem. This set me thinking about the complexity of a megacity. Who determine how many taxi drivers? How do you licence them? How would anyone know all the streets? This is just the cab services. How about the train and bus services? Who plans? How will it work? If God forbids, disaster strikes how would the people react? There are so many tall gigantic buildings containing many people. What would have if services stop?
In Shanghai, the hustle and bustle is palpable. It is ren san ren hai (literaly people mountain people sea or a sea of humanity). I like Shanghai, the most comopolitan city in People's Republic of China.

Scientific Toys

I love Scientific toys. I just returned from Japan with two. A "pop pop" boat and a Stirling Engine. The Stirling Engine is a little more complex and requires some skills. Japanese are very good at their craft. Although the instructions were in Japanese, they are very well illustrated with drawings. I must say the instructions are very clear and I managed to get the engine working. The "pop pop" boat is very simple and easy to assemble. I am very glad to have two working models. Will show you pictures next time.

Full Moon in Osaka

It is a beautiful evening and the sky is clear. My cellphone camera does not do justice to the view. Anyway, a pictures is worth a thousand words. So here it is...

Rural Japan

I went to rural Japan to meet Customer. It is fall and the weather is wet and cool. I had a little time. Actually, I have to kill time because in Japan, we have to arrive early and wait for the exact appointment time before going to the reception. Below is two persimmon trees heavy with fruits. Unfortunately, the fruits are not ripe. Otherwise it will really be tempting to pluck it off the tree and eat.

I like "green". There is a windmill generator and a small solar panel (left picture) and a complete solar roof for the bus stop picture below. Rural Japan has plenty of land. The farms are all very small unlike US or Canada.

Wet in Tokyo

It is cool and wet in Tokyo. After landing in Narita, it is another 3 hours trip to check into the hotel. This is a long day. Will have to get up early tomorrow morning for first meeting. Well, such is life when working on a trip.

Jim Rogers Live!

Jim Rogers is an excellent, excellent speaker. He is very simple and clear with his folky wisdom. It was a privilege to hear him live at the NUS Cultural Centre. I am glad to attend his seminar. He is very basic and down-to-earth. However, there are a lot of intricacies in the investment he suggest, Commodities. There are many commodities and he says farmers will be the one getting rich in future. Gold, oil, water is the future for the next 10 years. We should invest in commodities rather than stocks.

Aeromodel Site

Right across Anchorvale Community Club is an enormous square field. Aeromodel enthusiasts are flying their planes on weekends early in the morning and in the evening. Many joggers are doing their exercise for the week. The planes are all electric and therefore quiet. It is nice to see so many R/C flyers. There are many types of planes as well. The advances in technology now mean flying radio control aircraft is now affordable.
I must re-ignite my interest to fly again.

Madness at Takashimaya

Traffic jammed all the way to the car park. Then add insult to injury, car park is full and the entrance is blocked. In the mall, huge crowd buying like there is no tomorrow. By looking at the shopping mania, who would believe there is a financial crisis. Retail is still going strong. Of course marketing helps! Taka department store has 20% discount and Taka cardholders get additional 15%. It is an excellent deal.
At night, Compass Point has food festival in the main concourse. As my boys put it, it is like Pasar Malam in Aircon environment instead of out in the street. We sample many varieties of food available. It can get expensive to feed three boys. All in all, we all had a good time. Yummy and excellent for father-son bonding.

Opportunities

Conversations with neighbours and friends on the financial crisis have one common thread. Everyone is waiting for the opportunity to buy up stocks. Obviously there are many people sitting on a pile of cash. I wish I have the kind of money all these people are talking about. I wonder how many are speculators and how many are genuine investors.
There are many cash rich people in Singapore!

Stock Market Meltdown

Today, the Singapore Stock market lost more than 6%. It is a terrible day. My stock portfolio suffers a bruising. I probably lost a fair bit as I am still holding a few shares. Both my shares in Singapore and Canada lost a lot of value. Luckily I am still young. But my "retirement funds" is not looking pretty at all.
Looks like the whole world is in turmoil. Markets around the world drops. I review a book I read earlier by a stock analyst. This book was published in 2004. The author Simon Sim forecast 2008 was the peak and after that our stock market will go into decline for the next 7 years. Look like he is right. The book is titled The Joseph Cycle.

Financial Markets in Upheaval

The past week market upheaval reaches Richter scale of 9.0 in earthquake language. Lots of opportunities and financial stress. Stock market now is low. Will it get lower? Is this the start of bear market? Now Europe has financial crisis. Raffles Education stock was $2.56 is now trading below 60 cents. The boss of Raffles Education was featured in a two part series on Sunday Times in two separate Sundays. He was third or fourth richest man in Singapore. Now, he must be a lot poorer but still very wealthy by any standard.
Warren Buffett, the world 2nd richest man famous saying "Be fearful when everyone is greedy and be greedy when everyone is fearful." He just invested 8 billion dollars in Goldman Sachs and GE. I am not sure about US market anymore. A little gun shy after getting burnt.
I think the Singapore stock market offers good value now. However, it will take several years before the stock will climb back up in value. So if you have spare cash, this is the golden moment to invest.

Another Good Day

I am happy to write a report that results are good. Today is the day. This is why it is a good day.

Wonderful Day

Sunday! The most beautiful day of the week. Wake up late! Ahhh! No problem at all. We ride our bikes to Jalan Kayu for breakfast. Many bikes at the roti prata shop right beside the carpark(there is only one "official" carpark where coupons are required). There were road works. It was going to be noisy and smelly from the fumes of the heavy vehicles.
So we go further down and had dim sum instead. The taste and quality is just so-so (average). It is good value. Price is quite reasonable. However my boys were not impressed by the siao long bao. After breakfast, we cycle back home. A good start to our Sunday morning, breakfast and exercise at the same time.
Lunch was famous mee rebus. Then I spend some time at the poolside and off to the playground with B2 and B3. B3(the baby of the family) plays with his friends who were there. We finished the day with barberque hamburgers. It is a wonderful day of rest and recreation.

Dead Tired!

I have been cycling for exercise and my body is protesting. I am aching all over especially my butts! Sorry for not writing the past few days. Work, family and other committments are keeping me away from blogging.
The good news is I am exercising and working like a dog. The bad news is my weight is still at 88kgs. I have no idea why burning up calories with bone-tired body is not bringing my weight down.

Loud Bang that Echoes

There are two loud gunshots. One at about 8:35pm in Fernvale. It is very loud that it echo. Someone must have loud gun or using a gun for construction. I heard the same bang in downtown Shenton Way as well. It is quite unusual as it is a sound blast and then nothing. I wonder if any of my readers living in SengKang or Fernvale heard this extraordinary gunshot bang.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Our newspaper has change the name to Aidilfitri instead of Puasa. I just check up to see if I was wrong and found out that I am just outdated. More information can be found in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hari_Raya. It is an important Muslim festival to celebrate "Day of Fasting". The mosque at the junction Yio Chu Kang Road and Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 is full of Muslims from all walks of life including foreign workers. They are all there! It is incredibly crowded with everyone in their finery.

Wishing my Readers Hari Raya Puasa

I wish all my readers a happy Hari Raya Puasa.

What a Feeling

I have been riding bike for exercise. The feeling was fantastic even those my butts are sore and aching. Sweating profusely and feeling sticky all over is quite uncomfortable yet the sense of well being and euphoria is strongly present. It must be the endorphin kicking in. It is addictive. I will continue to ride to exercise.

Amazing F1 Race

The Champion came up from 15th position to become number 1. I am totally amazed in a race that is so close. Ferrari is out-of-luck with both cars damaged in the race. The first F1 night race is a huge success. Congratulations to all the drivers and congratulations to Singapore!

B3 and I was at Anchorage today

Anchorage is a mall cum condominium. The mall consist of two levels, B1 and Level One. It is really tiny. However, there are plenty of resturants and IKEA is just directly opposite. Times is having 20% today in this mall. B3 wanted a book "You can DRAW". There are 8 books in one. It is one big colorful file folder. The instructions for drawings different animals, pets, sea creatures, people at work, insects and people at work as well as cartoon characters. This is quite interesting and B3 love to draw. At 20% I think it is a good deal and I bought this book for him. He is very happy and grateful to his daddy, me!

Home-made Sex Movies

This is like a nightmare for naive women that repeats itself over and over again. In the New Paper, this girl's pictures are splashed in many pages. "Sun Tan" had many nude pictures and home-made sex video with her boy friend. They even have a blog and she thought the blog is just for the two of them. Now, she and her boyfriend breaks up. Guess what. It is all over the internet. She files a police report. The damage is done. When will a girl learn? Maybe she wants to be famous? Er, I mean infamous!

Ensaimada

Ensaimada is a Philippines "national" bread. It is a soft roll with sugared cream on top sprinkled with cheese. I like this bun. There are many versions by different resturants and cafe chains. I like the Red Ribbon's and Goldilock's. The advantage of travelling is getting exposed to the different cultures. Food is an important part of culture. I enjoys Manila and what the city offers. Only incovenience is there are checks everywhere in the malls. The good thing about going to Manila is the airport is only 30mins to the hotel. Really short and sweet.

Seven Notes For Employees

I saw an interesting notice in a conference room of a Customer. It is titled Seven Notes for Employees.
1. Ask yourself always "Is there any room for improvement?"
2. Consider other people's situation as well as your own.
3. Be responsible for what you speak.
4. Act and show to others what you mean to say.
5. Share your pleasure as well as pain to attain mutual goal.
6. Volunteer to report good and bad information to your superior.
7. Always be conscious of Cost and Profit.

This reminds me of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This company is extremely successful.

Sabrina

I am watching the show again. The modern version by Harrison Ford. It is very enjoyable and touching. My tears drops like rain...(well almost, a little exaggeration is fun) It was a happy ending. I love the intrigue at the ending. Linus, the protangist makes the chauffeur's daughter fall in love with him and break her heart at the same time. He fall in love in the process and felt guilty for what he has done. In trying to atone, he try to send his brother whom Sabrina always loved. David, his brother turned the table on Linus and he sends Linus off in a Concorde to meet Sabrina after she lands.
Hmm! Money is not everything. It does helps! Concorde ride ain't cheap.

Cycling - the latest fad

There are a lot more bicycles on the road today and everyday. Cycling is a recent phenomenon. Most common cyclists are foreign workers and weekend cyclists are other foreign workers or expatriates with their fancy speed bikes and skin-tight sport wears complimented with helmet. The weekend cyclists are serious enthusiats cycling in large groups.
Nowaday, there are many cyclists on the road and it is good that more and more people are getting into the environmentally-friendly bandwagon.
I am cycling for fun and exercise. It is a wonderful way to keep fit and reduce weight...er I mean prevent weight from creeping up.

Modesto's

Great Italian food, deliciously yummy and filling. I added two kg just during this dinner alone. Of course, two glasses of water and two fruit juices is worth a kg alone. I had dinner with a colleague from India. He is vegetarian and ordered a pizza. I had seafood linguine, the signature dish. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was tangy. I eat up every morsel and finished with tiramisu. I will need to exercise a lot more tomorrow. For now I am happily satiated.

Ipoh Girls

Last night, in the resturant at Pavilion on the sixth floor, the table next to me was girls talk loudly that I heard everything they says. It is interesting to hear them talk. "How many years ago did we last meet?" "I think it is 1976 when we were in form 5". Whoa! I calculated... it is 32 years!! Then I guess how old they are. By now you know they are "old" girls. What is amazing is they are keeping in touch. I felt left out. Right in front of me is a live example of people staying keeping in touch after so many years. I hear who is now living in US, another living in Auckland after marrying a Kiwi and divorcing, a couple who are now teachers teaching in Singapore... Then they continue with their fond memories of their favorite teachers. I kind of wonder about Ipoh. Seems like all the kids grew up and leave town. So will be left. It is a small and right beside me a whole class has grown up and seem to have left Ipoh. There should be no one left. I really wonder???
I need to understand how come there are still people living in Ipoh from an Ipoh girl in our office.

Eating like No Tomorrow

I know why now. I have been skipping lunch yesterday and today. Now that my training is over, I swim for 10 mins and eats a full dinner, then adjorned to teh-C in Toastbox accompanied with you tiao and sesame ball with peanut fillings. When I am done with two meals in one, I walked over to the supermart and bought nuts and cookies to bring back to the room.
With a weak will, it is a big waistline and heavier body.
I must start to work on discipline in making sure my calorie intake is more consistent. Sigh! So far My Spirit is willing but My Flesh is weak!

Morning Walk around The Westin

Was up early. Thought of swimming but pool only opens at 7am. Gym is opened 24 hours. So I went down to check it out. There were plenty of treadmills and stationary bicycles, some gym mats and weight lifting equipment. Nay! I go for a walk instead. Downtown KL is quite deserted. There were one or two staff in resturants setting up and cleaning getting ready to open shop. Many luxury brands in the upmarket malls. It is nice to explore the place in the morning where everything is still closed. I can take the time to drink in the experience. Yes, the contract of the old and new as well. The back alleys of Bintang Walk are shophouses that probably date back to pre-war. However many more new buildings are coming up. I guess over time everything will change. It is hard to resist the almight ringitt when the land on which the shophouse sits is so valuable.

Bukit Bintang in KL

It is interesting to stay in downtown KL. Sungei Wang is a huge shopping mall and I get lost there. It is quite old however and have plenty of toy and pewter stores. It seems like every twenty steps is a Starbucks. It must be a hip place because all the big coffee chains are represented including Coffee Beans and Tea Leaves, Gloria Jean, etc. A mix of old and new. The glitzy street for the tourists and the backlanes where traditional shops and resturants who has been there for generations. Some more than 60years. A real taste of nostalgic KL.
My colleagues and I ate at Sakura, a local Malaysia joint that offers malaysian cuisine and western food. I had nasi lemak and it is excellent. There is curry chicken, ikan bilis in sambal, half a hard boiled egg and a floss of some sort. Yummy is my verdict.

Wedding Dinner

This is the 2nd wedding dinner I attended this year. It is in Jurong East Central near the Science Center. The place is full of people. It reminds me of my childhood days growing up. I have not seen makeshift in this kind of setup and the merchandise. I guess we are so used to shopping mall that the neighbourhood stores is something we do not frequent anymore....

Step Up

Interesting show. The storyline is typical American - rebellious, out-of-control boy meets girl with passion for dancing. Boy turns new leaf, girl breakup with boyfriend, the two get together and their dance sizzles. The subplot about the younger brother killed for stealing a truck is quite touching. The pace is quite slow throughout movie but the storyline develops well and will keep you on the seat the whole time. The grand finale is the awesome well-choreograph dance. Boy gets admitted to the fine school of Arts and it is happily ever after. Maybe not. Because Step Up II is now available to own.

Sunway Lagoon

Sunway Lagoon is a nice hotel. It is bright and smells clean. The people are friendly. Sunway Pyramid is a big mall and the extension has makes it even nicer. There are more food outlets and variety has increased. I enjoyed mall crawling and there is a hawker center just 3 mins walk away. Short trip is tiring. Up early and finished late. Home to my own bed. Ah, warm and sweet.

Latest Exercise Fad

Now I am onto cycling. I bought myself and youngest boy a bicycle each. We learn to cycle together. A 7 year old learn to cycle like putting a fish in the water. He take only a few minutes and off he go. Ok! Maybe 30 minutes. Now he can cycle with one hand and do tight turns. Me, I am still a clumsy cyclist and prone to accidents and falls. Still this is better than roller blading. Injury is not as severe. Actually, I do get cuts and abrasions. My wrists hurts when I flipped over. However, the roller blades falls are extremely painful and take a long time to recover. My left wrist still hurts. So onwards and forward. My new exercise regime is cycling.

Usual Morning

The morning after plenty of lightning is normal. We start the day in a rush with our daily activities. So quickly I forget my fear and wonder about the weather pattern changing. Kids to school. Work pressure, day-to-day grind. Hmmm! No wonder global warming is an abstract subject. We need to earn to live...

Lightning Galore!

It is like huge group of photographers who keep using their flash. Lightning flashing continously lighting up the sky. Some time there are thunders. Most time it is just lightning with no thunder. I have been looking out of my French door for the last four years. I do not remember seeing so many lightning when I first moved in.
Ok! as I type, the rain starts to pour. The sky is purplish pink. Looks like we will have good sleep tonight...zzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZ

Traditional Mooncake

There are many types of mooncakes. New and exotic flavours like chocolate, durian, custard... It is flavour extension just like brand extension... the new and improved! My personal preference is still the traditional style mooncake. Actually the Teochew style which has multilayered flaky pasty with lotus paste. I bought one from a bread shop in HDB. Mmm, it is so good I ate up the whole piece by myself. Eating it bring nostalgia of growing up in a HDB provision shop. We sold it in the shop and we always get to taste the different maker's. Sweet memories indeed.

Poolside Party

We have a potluck party to celebrate the Mooncake festival. The kids all have a wonderful time with lanterns, sparkles and neon lights. The adults just eat and eat. Hence, the weight issues for most of us. The new comer to our estate is a French family and they are very friendly as compared to the other French family we have. We will get tips from them on where to visit in Paris if we go there.

Offering My Prayers

This afternoon I visited Kuan Yin Temple in Queen Street to offer my prayers and regular donation. I also try my hands on the "Chiam See" or drawing of the lots. This time I get a mix with not so good lots on my next year's target. I have to pray more and harder....

Rat Race on a Endless Treadmill

Was having a late lunch when a call came in target for next year has been increased. This happens every year. It is becoming a regular event. It is a neverending race trying to match up to higher and higher expectations made worse by other departments dipping into my kitty. Well such is life working in a big corporation.

Ridiculous ERP!

It now cost $3 to enter into the city in the evening. We went to Sim Lim Square to buy computer accessories. We have our dinner after. Then on the way back, it cost $1.50 on CTE. In the National Day rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put up a chart that show government is actually collecting less with the road tax decrease. This is really incredile. $4.50 just for my car to be on the road in the evening. There are many cars. So LTA is getting rich, very rich. It is good to be in a monopoly business. Come up with a good reason like we are controlling the flow of traffic. Sit back, relax and watch your wealth grow!
Fantastic wealth formula.

Sunway Lagoon and Pyramid

Sunway Lagoon hotel has upgraded and the rooms now are new. Pyramid, the shopping mall has a new wing. The mall is lively and huge. However the MPH in Pyramid is quite small and book selection is quite pathetic. I did not have a chance to visit Popular as I am there for one night only. I loved walking around shopping malls. It is my favorite pastime. I just like window shopping and looking at snacks and tasting the delights of junk food. I am a glutton. No wonder I have weight issue.
I am glad to catch up with my friends in the office. It is a productive and effective day for me. I am satisfied.