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twilight yearsconnecting my adventures... 6/28/2009 king of popMichael Jackson, known as 'king of pop', had left his earthly abode on 25 June -- born on August 29, 1958.
I picked this on BBC news in the morning. On my bus ride home around 9pm, a young Indian girl asked, "Are you a fan of Michael Jackon?". "No...but I sure know of him. He's popular." I was amazed at his musicality and naturalness in body movements to music.
Michael Jackson was a child-star at the age of 5 and was popular with the young and the elderly. Recalled how he won the hearts of the Japanese elderly when he first toured there in the 1980s.
He became a model for the black community in the world when he stood out in the pop song entertainment field. However, like all big earners who are big spenders, he had chalked up incredible amount of debts!
Like all celebrities, his life was shrouded with contradictions -- a classic being he bleached his skin color for health reasons?; abused by his father...never known what it was like living out his childhood or any ordinary kid in the block!
He was a perfectionist. He was an incredibly talented singer and dancer. His moonwalk was phenomenal. He apparently had great influence on Bollywood style of dancing in Indian films!
Ironically he married Elvis Presley's only daughter, Marie Presley. Elvis Presley (born January 8, 1935) was known as 'king of rock n roll' who died on August 16, 1977.
I grew up enjoying songs sung by Cliff Richard to Elvis Presley even though I like many of Elvis' hits.
6/19/2009 adopting local citizenshipWhen Gong Li announced she took up Singapore citizenship, I had presumed she was married to our local businessman.
What pleasant news to read that Jet Li (known for martial arts in films) and family had taken up local citizenship!
6/13/2009 pandemicWHO (World Health Organisation) has declared swine flue (H1N1 Influenza A) pandemic!
Since its 1st announcement in Mexico in April 2009, this flu has spread around the world, through travels and caught on board flights(?).
Singapore has seen an increased number in recent days -- 27 cases(?) so far. All caught during travels overseas!
Despite the recession, Singaporeans are found travelling abroad for holidays! What a way to enjoy a holiday and end up with such! Is this a blessing or a curse?!
6/10/2009 examania!Imagine 10 million students taking examinations for entrance to university or tertiary education!!!!
Singapore has 4.5 million total in population, so I cannot conceive that huge number of students.
Naturally China has highly exceptional talents considering the size of population.
I hope the new generation do not just focus on this examination thinking this is the only way to success in life.
There are many ways and many opportunities where one can succeed in life.
Although a tertiary education does give one easier access to success, life is more than mere making money and hoarding things or display that paper qualification!
Through the news, I discover some resort to kinds and ways of cheating in exams there...the advancement of gadgets to enable one to cheat in life. What a sad day for the student resorting such to succeed in life!
Why this do-or-die attitude?
Work life is different from student life. Those of us who had been through the mill will understand.
At the end of the day, it is how our character is formed and how we treat one another and the ability to communicate clearly and simply that will bring success and meaning to this life on earth.
Education is lifelong. Paper-chase is also lifelong! 6/9/2009 1st singapore women scaled the world's highestCongratulations to our new generation of Singaporeans.
It took the team of 6 young ladies 5 years to prepare for the climb under their trainer and manager, Lim Kim Boon.
Lee LiHui (27), Esther Tan (26) and Jane Lee (25) reached 8850m high Mt Everest on early Wednesday, 20th May 2009 at 3.45am, 3.54am and 4.43am respectively when they called home using Singtel's iridium satellite phones and broadband access to sms and email.
The 2nd team -- Joanne Su (39) and Lee PehGee (32) -- took the challenge days later while Sim Yihui was held back due to chest pains.
 (can't recall which website this was taken from...please help)
For more information on history and facts on Mount Everest: http://www.mnteverest.net/history.html.
5/3/2009 swine fluSwine flu...will this become pandemic?
According to WHO, this strain of swine flu virus (H1N1 influenza A) from those who died did not come from the swine itself. It was said that this was passed on via humans like a handshake or breathing the infected air. So those whose immune system is not strong are the likely ones to get this.
Those who travelled to Mexico and since returned home had symptoms of this flu. In New Zealand about a dozen or so students caught that after their return home from Mexico. These travellers were quarantined and hopefully this flu will not spread too far there.
So one needs to build up one's immune system to prevent one from catching this flu and take necessary precautions like wearing flu mask if one has a cold or carry a thermometer to ensure one does not have fever!
My one concern is in air-conditioned or crowded areas or even worshipping in church or religious temples or mosques should there be a spread! 4/30/2009 my email accountConfounding! Lately I've not been able to access my hotmail.com account for reasons I don't know. This hotmail.com account contains my email and my blog which I value. Due to this problem, I decided to make public my blogsite. When I enter after keying in my password, these words appeared -- there is problem with website's security certificate. I tried every possible way to rectify like entering the internet options on security and advanced pages, date and time, yet these did not help. Was this account blocked by some navigation line? Did this happen as a result of downloading the Trend Micro security software? If so, then this might not be compatible with my system -- am I right in deducing? I hope I can continue to enter to read comments from some kind souls who are able to offer some form of advice. 4/20/2009 bloggingIt seems blogging is a fad that one enters. After a while, one's interest wane due to work pressure or having little to write about.
It is amazing how some magazines can offer subjects of interests to write. I take my hat off to the editors who are able to offer fresh angle and outlook to that presented in the various popular and entertainment magazines.
News on the papers are always about conflicts or disagreements or bad relationships. One seldom reads about that is worth emulating or rejoicing...it's always the negative and disastrous that calls for attention.
Dramas are always about conflicts...of interests, relationships and morals...
Some blogsites attract flow of readers or commentors. I guess if you're a celebrity, this helps. Otherwise when you have a group of friends, not virtual, to join on this road to blogging or to comment.
Whatever reasons for popularity or content...I shall pen my penny's worth of thoughts that I see, hear, feel, touch, or taste! 3/31/2009 financial crisis and economic downturnI often wonder why the US is so powerful that whatever happens there, affects the whole world and these recent events -- subprime and financial crisis -- have virtually brought the world economy to a standstill!
All that bailout money injected has little impact unfortunately. It appears this recession is here to stay for the next 24 months!
Unfortunately the managements of Merril Lynch and AIG had the audacity to consider giving bonuses to those executives who actually crippled their corporations!
The meaning of giving bonuses as reward is in question! I thought bonuses are given when the corporation made huge surpluses...and it's not mandatory!
The latest, these bonuses received are taxed 90%! Besides, I wonder how many after receiving the bonus could sleep peacefully at night and eat their meals contentedly while many have lost their life-savings and life security!
Exports and imports are low during these days of recession and, sooner or later, each country would have their citizens purchasing goods that produce in their own country -- a form of protectionism (?!)
I do not understand why hedgefunds and derivatives are still around and news from the US requiring these instruments monitored with more stringent regulations.
It was the derivatives contracts which trader Nick Leeson bought that gave a $1.4 billion hole in the balance sheet of the 233-year-old Barings Bank and to its eventual demise in February of 1995!
Why are these instruments still around since? Did the fund managers especially those in the US rationalise that these instruments are OK to continue to trade -- perhaps out of greed and dishonesty? Is this one reason that cripple the world economy today?
Is this what democracy and capitalism is about when fund managers can rationalise their way to bet on people's hard-earned money for personal gains?
Unfortunately countries like China and Russia are caught in this round of recession.
1/13/2009 a bull-runHoping the zodiac year of the ox
will bring a bull-run
for the financial world and its economy.
12/31/2008 reflections on 2008 Year 2008 was to be auspicious
according to Chinese reading,
yet this was NOT as desired.
A year about global warming and going green.
Mother nature wreaked havoc
bringing volcanic eruptions
in South America;
freaked cold spells,
tornadoes and cyclones in North America
and surrounding islands like Cuba.
The devastating Sichuan quake in China
yet China had hosted
a grand and one of the best Olympic Games.
Food scare, food crisis and oil hike.
The collapse of Lehman Brothers investment bank
wiped off many hard earned money!
Governments conceded to economic recession --
money pumped in
yet the financial blackhole
was not easily plugged.
Politically,
the US saw a new an Afro-American elected;
New Zealand a new prime minister;
Thailand fraught with protests
resulting in economic crisis
that brought in 3 prime ministers within 6 months --
Samak to Somchai to Abhisit!
What will 2009 bring?
My best wishes for a wonderful and successful 2009
for all friends real and virtual.
12/24/2008 christmas 2008 n prosperous 2009Christmas 2008 might not be a time for true celebration as some in Singapore have lost their jobs.
This recession is global and if nations of the world work together to help equalise the situation, there is great hope for year 2009.
Love came down at Christmas. Love is not about spending lots of money but the quiet moments when family members spending together over a simple meal of joy and happiness.
I wish my friends a joyous Christmas and happy and successful 2009. 12/15/2008 recessionRecession is a time
to take stock of self
in career and finances.
Recession is an opportune time
for those who are strong...
willing to pick up the pieces
and move forward
boldly.
banking systemI'd like the banks to consider the importance of customer service over the total amount raked in for the bank.
I know that those officers who could not meet the target sum were booted out of the system. When a customer returned to the bank several months later, one was greeted with a new officer who didn't know much of one's portfolio. All the officer desire was to meet his/her quota for the month, failing to advise wisely on how to protect one's investments! Where is service? What confidence do the banks give to the customers?
Many so called bank advisers or consultants in Singapore are really new on the job today, with little understanding, much less to advise customers on how to invest their dollars!
Where are those officers who had been in the bank for more than 3 to 5 years? Would these officers not understand the industry a little more to advise customers on how to invest their money wisely? Wouldn't those middle-aged officers better advise the customers?
The Lehman Brothers financial institution collapsed without whimper until the tidal crash announcement became public. Are those officers, senior colleagues, working in Lehman Bros taken by surprise at this financial tidal wave? Many officers who sold the products were nowhere to be found today. Where are they hiding? Will the investors get some of their savings, or hard-earned money, back?
Can one trust the banks today? Will it not be better to put one's money under the pillow? Will the world banking system collapse in this financial blackhole?
11/26/2008 hotmail.com accountI've been using this hotmail.com account since the 90s without hitches. Today, rather the past few weeks were most trying when I couldn't even access my emails! I can't even call out the individual email to read!!!
Help! Can anyone tell me what's happening? 11/18/2008 economic doldrumThe latest news where the 2nd largest economy Japan has claimed economic recession after Germany. Who will be next? Singapore has long acknowledged her recession as soon as the global financial crisis dawn.
China was startled at the force of this global financial crisis even when she had pumped in some billions into the economy yet... Has China become too dependent on foreign or overseas market? I thought China would be able to buffer the financial crisis only to discover that many are being laid off because of the doldrum in overseas market. I would have thought the local market in China is more important than foreign market.
Has greed or making fast bucks lured the Chinese in China? Have they not learnt why the last government closed its doors to seek self-reliance? Surely having gone through the last regime, there would be a balance in understanding how the market forces work. Perhaps many are caught up in the globalisation fray!
I sincerely hope the China Chinese will take care of their own people. Create business for the home market which is more important before moving out...not protectionism though. There must be a balance of local and foreign markets. China has a large local market to rely on and in addition to foreign market which might give added impetus and stability to the economy. 11/13/2008 can-struction11/5/2008 Obama winsThe US is a free country. I like the way John McCain concedes to his losing out on presidency -- he returns to his normal and congenial self again! He graciously congratulates Obama and encourages Americans to support his administration.
I wonder how far remove or dare Obama will go in his policies, domestic or international, after he has taken over the helm. Will there be vast changes coming from the White House or will his hands be tied?
How will the market react in days to come when he will be inaugurated come January 2009? Will there be correction in the financial crisis?
Like Gordon Brown in the UK, it was easier for him to manage the economy when he was in the Treasury but since becoming Prime Minister, he seems to have lost grip. Is he to be blamed for the flailing economy?
Are the days of white supremacy over? Will there be feeling of bias remorse surging in forthcoming days? Will there be racial harmony rather than seeing whites and blacks? There are the yellows and reds too.
America is melting pot of different races. Will the time come when there will be more and different color-skin in the administration?
11/2/2008 next US president?According to Murdoch, if Obama wins the financial crisis will deepen. What does that mean?
Take out cash and stash these under the pillow just in case the banks go bust too? 10/28/2008 days of uncertaintyAs I watch the news on market stocks trading like a yo-yo and bailout plans were not able to stabilise the financial crisis, I wonder where we're going.
Will the US banking system collapse? If this happens, then the world will spiral with it.
Often times I wonder...what will tomorrow be like? Will this be like the Great Depression in the 1930s if not worse?
Country like China can contain but many free countries might not. I do not how our nation will manage?
I imagine many will take the suicidal road or die of starvation or die of cold in winter!
Will there be a bright tomorrow?
Will the end of world loom large?
I can only trust in God and find peace in Jesus that He promised. |
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