You only live once: Screw it, Just do It!

How can really want to get something done?

2012-02-12T19:03:00.000+08:00

Sunday late afternoon - bored. Suddenly, I feel that I would really want a companion. It is surprising how time past on a weekday afternoon even if you don't go anywhere when you have a companion - just fool around, take a nap, wake up and then it is time for dinner. It is rather scary because you feel that you are just filling up your time on the weekends when you watch Project A or some

Looking for 姑姑 (Gu Gu)

2012-02-09T09:18:00.001+08:00

"Don't worry, I am fine " as I grimaced as others asked me how I felt after I fell from the Yikebike. Yikebike is an electric vehicle that we are running a trial on(http://www.fsgmobilityconcepts.com/yike.htm) The most surprising thing is that a shoulder dislocation doesn't really hurt in the beggining. Here is how it happened: We had a trial of the Yikebike, and pretty soon after one or two

The Shackled Continent by Robert Guest

2012-02-05T10:02:00.002+08:00

This is a supposed to be a heavy book with very serious contents. To be sure, a lot of us who are not bothered with Africa probably will not pick up tis book. However, it is actually a very smooth read and provides an excellent overview of the issues that Africa faces. It is able to be an enjoyable read despite the serious contents because the author Robert Guest is able to blend dialogue

三十而立

2012-01-23T12:15:00.003+08:00

Hiding behind excuses, no money to learn this, don't know where to learn that. Well, knowing people like June and Miranti, tells you that you just go and take odd jobs to find the money to learn whatever you want. When I felt that I was making a difference at work, a lot of other things doesn't matter. It has not been the case for a while, I must say. Trekking and marathon? Swimming in the

The Notes on Why is Sex Fun

2011-12-27T09:57:00.001+08:00

Notes of “Why is Sex fun?” by Jared Diamond:Chapter 1: The animal with the weirdest sex life The funny characteristics of human sexuality (Pg 8): Long-term sexual partnerships Co-parenting Proximity to the sexual partnerships of others Private sex – not public like other animals Concealed ovulation Extended female receptivity Sex for fun Female menopause (Pg 14) Natural selection is

Hard Time reviewing the Hard Truths.

2011-12-23T18:30:00.000+08:00

I read it perhaps way back in 2010 and these are old notes kept aside. First, it was an excellent foreword by Andrew J. Nathan - he said it correctly, this book is different from any other biographies written of other leaders. This is not an autobiography, yet Li Zhi Sui as Mao's private doctor has exceptional access

10 days of history review

2011-12-03T17:18:00.001+08:00

A luckless trip to the library with the original motive of borrowing Tintin left me ended up with 2 children books - 10 days of history in the life of Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln. It was definitely enjoyable to read Lincoln - it is a children book, with nice photographs - seeing how does Seward and Santon looked

Facebook and Facebook

2011-11-27T15:46:00.001+08:00

Something about Facebook: Google - spearheaded targeted advertising but only based on your search query and emails, Facebook - allows peer pressured advertising. It's a shift from wisdom of the crowds in Google and other review websites to wisdom of friends. The friends, the connections, the likes are all produced by us. Facebook is just the ultimate enabler. Making it social: In

Key Memory about Ankor Wat

2011-11-27T14:13:00.001+08:00

Why are the temples built with such steep slopes? What as we drove on the roads, there were large walls our road cut into them? You realised that walls are levvees of the Baray and that while we are now travelling on dry land, the Barrays were big reservoirs. Why were some of the temples have such steep sides Especially those located inside the Barrays? It took us to visit a free museum that

Dangerous to have nothing planned for the weekend

2011-11-27T12:16:00.001+08:00

One of the few rare weekends where by i have got nothing much planned, especially in the mornings. What happened home next is coming home late, and then that's it. Come home with late, the late hour gives you less discipline and then you will be watching late night not intended to watch TV. Couple this with a running nose for the day, opps. One weekend going to be gone. As usual, better plan

Bedok suicides and social psychology

2011-11-02T10:31:00.003+08:00

As covered in Malcolm Gladwell book " The tipping point" in the chapter of "suicide,smoking and unsticky cigarette",the study by David Phillips shows that a highly publicized suicide tend to spark off other suicides. This is the scenario that we see as from one suicide in bedokreservoir growing to five in 5 months. In accordance with robert cialdini theory of influence, this should be a

Rome,Inc by Stanley Bing.

2011-10-07T01:48:00.000+08:00

Rome,Inc. "The rise and fall of the first multinational corporation" That's it. From the tittle, you know that Stanley bing is funny. Summarized, you will learn a nugget of two of information but you will have he'll of a good laugh with this satirical style, From the beginning, Rome has one single , great corporate idea -anyone who was conquered by Rome, brought into the body of the

孔子与曹操？！！

2011-10-01T15:29:00.000+08:00

孔子与曹操则么能够相提并论呢？这也许就是从新拿起易中天的“品三国” 的惊喜。曹操与孔子都是实话实说，不唱高调的“真” 人。只是孔子是“真君子”，曹操是“真小人” －但是他们都不是“伪君子” 。《先秦诸子－百家争鸣》第18页：孔子－ “富与贵，是人之所欲也”；“贪与贱，是人之所恶也” ；但 “不以其道得之”，则“不处”。 Everyone wants to rich, no one wants to be poor, but to obtain by wrong mean, that is not acceptable. But he does not claim it is wrong to want to be rich. If wealth comes as part of doing good, why not? 《品三国》－第15 页：

Overstaying your welcome

2011-09-20T04:04:00.001+08:00

No money.... The most common excuse in not supporting any environmental initiative. It gets to my nerve when they are the one that comes knocking on my door first. How do you resolve this organizational conflict where the head may saymore green certified buildings, canteens etc but does not support youin doing so when it comes down to the nitty gritty and the money. I have only proven myself to

Should I change myself to suit the job or chang my job to suit me?

2011-08-09T20:29:00.001+08:00

I work well in a willing to participate team, a strong team leader and all I have to do is simply to work hard on the details and as well as apply my organizing mind and think holistically. With recycling, I think I have again proven that. I can work on the big picture of the collection system of the entire campus, but I can also drill down int the details of the recycling bin design itself.

4 steps to an Ipad v1

2011-07-03T11:18:00.001+08:00

Sort out personal financesClose down excess bank accounts Total Lump Sum Sort out Protection planning then tackle investment planning Invest X percentage of total amount after Tackling “Put your money to work” Sort out career planning:Update Visual CV. Do future career planning = taking courses. Finish

Knowledge and Time

2011-05-24T22:00:00.002+08:00

Things that are not applied quickly loses their value. Spent much time with my bookmarks and random books but they do not directly contribute to my worth at work. For the period that I was jobless back in June 2008 to December 2008, I was busy reading and reading stuff but not really clearing any of my blogs etc. After sometime, i have also come to realise that blogging on things that I have

The moon and I

2011-05-23T21:37:00.000+08:00

Tonight as I cycled home at night, I caught sight of my old friend in the sky – it was the moon big and bright. There is a quality of life where you can stare: stare the moon with a drink in hand. Off to 7 Eleven i went, to get a nice chilled chrystamun tea into my hand. Alas, the drink is here, but the moon is not.

Review of Alibaba – the inside story behind Jack Ma and the creation of the World's Biggest Online marketplace.

2011-05-23T07:01:00.002+08:00

Written by: Liu Shiying and Martha Avery. This book was rather disconnected and not so smooth in reading: For example after, at only the second last chapter was there a focus on Jack Ma's life and the last chapter was about the IPO of Alibaba Group. It was rather disjointed. There was also parts where the author just

When will I lose myself?

2011-05-11T20:00:00.000+08:00

Things lost/Mishaps in 2011:Goggles Eye Patch Booties Nike Jiahui Shoebag with the booties Book wrong air ticket for mom. Things lost in 2010:G Shock Climbing shoes Shoe bag containing the climbing shoes Mishaps in 2009:wrong ticket for mom Lost but recovered laptop. Okay, I am waiting for the day I lose

Batttle of I vs Me and myself

2011-04-19T21:05:00.001+08:00

Last week, spent a few evenings on playing Colonization instead of getting started on ICCS, Toastmasters or just exercising. True it is tough to continue “working” after work, but if you can't slack and do your personal stuff during work, after office hours then become very important. This is in mind that we spent more time working than living our personal life. The saddest thing though

What movie to watch

2011-04-19T20:08:00.002+08:00

如果非要我用一个字来形容武林外传（电影），我会说：“烂”如果非要我用两个字来形容武林外传（电影），我会说：“TMD 烂” 看到自己心爱的连续剧蜕变成如此烂的电影是尘世间最痛苦的事情，如果非要我介绍另一部电影，我会说： “让子弹飞” 如果非要我用笔墨来形容它的好，我会说：“ TMD 赞！” 如果非要我把回味的次数给以一个定限，我希望是 “一万遍”Footnote: TMD – Not my mother, not your mother but his/her mother

Learning to say No (Rather to say yes slower)

2011-02-03T09:41:00.000+08:00

Work: there are certain KPIs you have to meet, but at the same time some of things that you are offered to do does not meet the KPIs. For example, maybe my office is the office of environmental sustainability, so people also treat us like a non profit. I will have students writing in for interviews. The first year, I was still very happy helping them, however i realised half the time, I

Off Center of Focus, Too big a Centre of Concern

2011-02-02T03:17:00.000+08:00

Today I was pondering why is it that I have divided life into roles earlier and I still fail to get most of the things done. As the book “First thing first” puts it, after a while where you don't meet the goals that you set, you start to bash yourself up. Although I like his “Balance of Roles” chapter, I felt that the examples given were really limited? Like exercising and spending time with

Too Much too Little competition Internally.

2011-01-28T20:07:00.008+08:00

It is almost like an open secret that hall students buy loads of drink cans, pour the contents away and use them for the float so as to win the points in the environmentally friendly option. Last year, we did do something to the competition structure through audit forms to better monitor the situation. Departments that win awards refuse to share the best practices to prevent other departments

Point of working from the toastmaster Jan 11

2011-01-26T14:32:00.002+08:00

“I don't like working just to please your boss, yet many kind of agreed. As they put it, your boss measures you and rewards you. Yet in the same session, table topic was to use 6 words to summarise life. In that, everyone was speaking about the need to have human kindness, to lead a life of service to others. It seems that we are always thinking of behaving in the right or ideal manner in the

Dr Devi Shetty: Walmartiztion of Hospital care

2011-01-20T05:36:00.000+08:00

Dr Devi Shetty trys to WalMartize hospitals, by building lots of beds and doing lots of operations, he hopes to make healthcare affordable to the poor. To cut cost, he defy conventions by hiring and training nurses that does not meet all the necessary qualifications. Some generic qualifications are just not neccessary, but yet are withholding some of these most passionate and capable

This Widget Helps Better The World!

2011-01-09T21:26:00.001+08:00

As nations haggle over carbon cuts, measurement is tough

2011-01-02T21:25:00.001+08:00

Quotes:As nations haggle over carbon cuts, measurement is toughMeasurement of worldwide carbon is fine - Removeests air samples for a variety of greenhouse gases to build a picture of how their concentrations change over time. This message was sent to you by Marcus Tay via Diigo Getting too many email alerts?

Eating Frogs first thing in the morning.

2011-01-02T02:46:00.003+08:00

It feels so good clearing the most unpleasant stuff. After getting busy over recycling again the entire morning, finally dedicated the entire afternoon to clearing work related to environmental report again. It is true, perhaps that the most crucial winning factor in your life is to identify the most important thing at the moment and do it well and quickly. It just happens to the most

Time:

2010-12-24T22:10:00.002+08:00

Once a while, we gt overwhelmed by the amount of work and that is when we refuse to think. I just clear the items in the inbox in terms of chronological order. Well, first thing first. The more we do items in Quadrant II, the more we have to do urgent or get chased by bosses who give us a few projects to deal with concurrently. That's what I hate at times, having a couple of projects to

India Infrastructure review from Time Magazine Nov 22nd Issue

2010-12-13T09:19:00.001+08:00

Hey MJ, You may have read it but in case you haven'thttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2030900,00.html In Short, it is saying:1. India Government has very little income-tax revenue which is mainly spent on defense and subsidies for the poor. 2. So there are private companies that build the public infrastructure. 3. However, they will only focus on public infrastructure that makes

Cradle to Cradle and Clothes

2010-12-12T11:35:00.000+08:00

Someone was just asking me if I wear organic cotton last night and I was just packing cotton clothes for my sister who wants to wear them to sleep. That was when I realise that actually all the clothes made from plastics( polyester ) last a LONG time.. Some of my shirts are definitely older than 5 years. In fact, I can't change my wardrobe because they don't spoil!! To make things worse, you get

Busy reading the papers: (let's just write the Mark Twain's Autobiography way)

2010-11-29T18:55:00.002+08:00

The book “First things first” has this interesting paragraph - “Times we could have spent through the years doing things together... but didn't because we were too busy earning a living, making the right connections, or simply reading the papers” This year, I have been rather distracted by the relationship failure, I believe mainly because I was really jolted into thinking why the hell should

Mon 22 Jun 2009: 6.30pm – “Darwin, Wallace, and Evolution: Celebrating a major paradigm shift in science” « The Biodiversity crew @ NUS

2010-11-08T22:03:00.001+08:00

Mon 22 Jun 2009: 6.30pm – “Darwin, Wallace, and Evolution: Celebrating a major paradigm shift in science” « The Biodiversity crew @ NUSOne of the most pertinent points from the talk:# Many fossils were found with extinct living things, if God created them (good enough to design), why did he allow them to go extinct?# Fossils were progressive - from simple plants long time ago then to animals.#

项羽, 刘邦 and 刚愎自用

2010-11-07T16:51:00.005+08:00

As I was telling Ah Cai on Friday, I felt all these years, I have been doing nothing but making myself more capable. In that sense, I have been improving my own strength.However, the fact is that to go far in life, you have to learn to manage and interact with others.I think counting, there has been about 3 -4 people who told me it can be very stressful to talk to me and that I talk people

Noodles of Frustration 1 – a quick reflection of 2010 and beyond.

2010-11-06T16:17:00.004+08:00

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } I was rather amazed that after nearly 5 months, I am still thinking about my previous relationship. Maybe it is just like Robert Caldidni put it: less is more. Scarcity makes it more precious. Happy to learn that moving on has happened twice. Looking back, I feel that it has been a whirlwind. Since May, I have been busy with such a medley of activities that I

Review of "A Long walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

2010-10-26T00:28:00.004+08:00

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } A Long walk to Freedom – a long book to finish. 544 pages altogether. Have seen this book in the NUS library but have never picked it up partially due to its thickness.... Long walk to freedom - a long book to finish. To be honest, I was just going through the motion the first half of the book? However, I was still glad to have read it for the balance that I

I thought I saw you in the water

2010-08-22T20:49:00.000+08:00

Among the waterfalls, among the rapids,I thought I saw u.I saw u being so fit having no problems with the trek,While the others feel burdened by the walk.I saw u grinning away as usual, with that braces of yours.I feel that as I flip through the air, u will be there watching or even joining me.But I know that I know that when I climb the rocks, climb the walls, u will be there with me.I thought

Back in End 2008 when I was jobless

2010-08-04T15:01:00.001+08:00

1. Books read:CollapseGuns, Germs and SteelWhat should I do with my life王立群读史记之汉武帝 Hot, flat and crowded.King of the world Mao- a Life 2. Games played: Rise of nations Miniclip games Colonization 3. Jobs applied: 35 4. Videos/Shows watched: Mama mia Chi Bi Ye Mon Second half of 天龙八部法政先锋 First half of 清宫风云 5. Seminars/Courses:Sustainability

Menu poison

2010-07-22T09:44:00.001+08:00

Check out nudge blog and then write the notes: Menu Poison: - don't use menu with prices on the right and dotted line that lead back to the dish - people can choose the price, - Drop the dollar sign- give interesting description and put the price right at the end - in conspiciously.- people check out the right upper middle of ht epage first - put the best selling there. Have a good day!

What is religion good for?

2010-07-20T15:20:00.000+08:00

Excerpts from "Pray, lead us not into temptations" New York Times by John Tierney Devoutly religious people do better in school, live longer, more satisfying marriage and are generally happier. When people pray or mediate, there are a lot of activity in the part of the brain that are important for attention and emotion. Thinking about the oneness of humanity and unity of nature does not

As I grow up in life….

2010-07-15T15:49:00.001+08:00

This was written a long time ago and never completed – at least Part 1. Finally, today I can't take it anymore after ending a particular phase in my life. And writing it at Keppel Marina Club, where I wanted to start the day at 9am with a wine glass but the bar counter is not ready. So back to Coffee. Dated: 15/07/10 Par t 1: Life and its purpose As I grown up in life, I tend to forget some

How do you get UOB to stop sending you monthly bank account statements

2010-06-19T07:46:00.002+08:00

Make an effort to save the Earth by reducing unnecessary wastage of monthly bills when you can check them online now.Here are the steps: If you wish to stop the sending of your monthly bank statements, you can request to suppress your print statement online. To do so, please login to UOB Personal Internet Banking and click on Account Information > Manage My Accounts > Stop Sending Account

Young, successful - and in search of a dream

2010-03-28T19:17:00.001+08:00

An interesting article from a good friend. Young, successful - and in search of a dream By DANIEL BUENAS UNHAPPY - that's how I feel as a young Singaporean. I feel this way not because I'm jobless, poor or uneducated. In fact, I have a good job, a stable income and a good education. By most standards, I should be considered a successful young man.

Ideal jobs

2010-03-27T17:43:00.000+08:00

The Climate and Energy Coordinator must have the following qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Accounting, Finance Must have 10+ years' experience in environmental engineering, or energy industry, or strategy / financial planning Must have a basic knowledge of the changing landscape of energy demand and supply challenges from a corporate perspective,

Low low energy over last 2 weeks

2010-03-01T18:13:00.001+08:00

Was feeling very tired again till last night when I had a good rest and did nothing? Why was I feeling so tired and upset? Because I am angry about having to do so much work such that I always have to rush like a mad cow during office hours, I cannot be surfing YouTube or any other thing?Perhaps it is about being frustrated about thinking about my work all the time, including after work. It

China's investment in Africa is not so bad after all?

2010-02-08T08:33:00.003+08:00

There has been articles stating that China's non discretionary investment in Africa is supporting dictatorial regime. This article is interesting because it states that China is applying its previous development experience to Africa - as it once took resource loans from Japan, it now does the same to Africa nations. More importantly, it is also setting up special economic zones like the ones

What are we, Singaporeans working so hard for?

2010-01-24T13:12:00.003+08:00

Singapore puts in longest hours, say survey., putting us ahead of the notoriously hardworking Japanese and Taiwanese. Yet, Go for Goldilocks growth report states that:" While resident companies and individuals accounted for roughly two-thirds of GDP in 1998, this share had declined to 54.3 per cent a decade later, in 2008.Residents contributed slightly more than half of GDP growth in 2004, a

Certain Frustrations

2009-11-25T16:28:00.001+08:00

It has been almost a year since I was working. Somehow I am unhappy. Maybe because I have too much than I can handle and in my personal life, I also give myself too many mini projects. It is getting serious cause i do find myself grinding my teeth and that, is so mentally unhealthy. I have not been able to apply the principle of only doing what is important? Beware of the barrenness of an

Long chats

2009-11-24T16:28:00.000+08:00

Had a marathon 8 hour chat with Cai and MJ, talking about serious stuff about society and personal fulfilment. It was good. Other memorable conversations:- 5 hr with Jia on life and ourselves. - 4 hrs over Christmas on science. (Intellectual, non emotional)- Spontaneous chat with SL, LM and Fiona It is always nice to chat with no end of topic and with everyone feeling involved: Not just on the

BBC - BBC World Service Programmes - The Interview, 05/09/2009 Khandro Rinpoche

2009-11-09T16:36:00.000+08:00

BBC - BBC World Service Programmes - The Interview, 05/09/2009 Khandro RinpocheMost memorable quotes:Buddhism - there are no right answer other than what you think to be trueSee what is not true by seeing its' falsisty, but eventually no one can positivate the truth, it has to be a personal experience.In this sense, buddhism is like Science. YOu can only prove what you can prove. There is no

Thoughts from IGBC Plenary Session 1: Leadership in Green Buildings

2009-10-29T07:18:00.001+08:00

Speakers: Dr Arab HoballahChief of Sustinable Consumption and Production Branch, Division of Technology , Industry and Economics, UNEPMs Maria AtkinsonGlobal Head of SustainabilityLend Lease Mr Ira MagazinerChairman, Clinton Climate Initiative. Mr Ira Magaziner stated that if we look back at Kyoto Commitments and G 8 commitments ,the percentage of those commitments that are fulfilled are

Skin Colour of Humans and some discrepancies by Jared Diamond.

2009-08-26T18:01:00.000+08:00

In this article,Race without Colour dated November 1994, Jared Diamond wrote : “ Among tropical peoples, anthropologists love to stress the dark skins of African blacks, people of the southern Indian peninsula, and New Guineans and love to forget the pale skins of Amazonian Indians and Southeast Asians living at the same latitudes. To wriggle out of those paradoxes, anthropologists then

Meaning for Life

2009-07-22T00:17:00.000+08:00

“Tell me master, what is the best move in the world?” An amateur may ask a chess master. There is no best move in chess and hence, one should not search for an abstract meaning of life. Everyone has his own specific vocation or meaning in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. Victor E. Frankl in “ Man’s search for meaning”

Should we have cleaners to help clear recycled paper for academics?

2009-07-21T23:44:00.001+08:00

Initially, the proposed system was to issue each academic with a small paper recycling box: and have them to empty it themselves in these big paper recycling along the corridor when it is full: However, now Engineering says they want the cleaners to clear it. Academics will leave the small paper recycling box outside their rooms once they are full for the cleaners to clear. Reasons

Chasing pleasures of life

2009-07-19T00:16:00.002+08:00

Often, according to Victor E.Frankl inn “Man’s Search for Meaning”, and repasted from the following post: http://www.paulstips.com/brainbox/pt/home.nsf/link/18052006-Find-something-to-live-for A doomed prisoner would suddenly refuse to get up and leave their hut for work in the morning. They would simply lie on the floor in their own filth, and no amount of beatings or persuasion could get them

“What should I do with my life” by Po Bronson

2009-05-12T06:18:00.002+08:00

Almost rubbish. That is the feeling I get from the book because it is an assortment of collection of stories from many people hence it not be so well connected in a sense. However, the author still seeks to arrange the stories in certain broad themes and of course, he has many classic lines that are worth remembering: “Trees are like books – they have an intangible psychic significance far

Fish oil pills considered in SIngapore for prisoners

2009-05-06T09:26:00.002+08:00

Just a while thought: while a study shows that fish oil reduces violent tendencies, how about considering vegetarian and non fried food for prisoners. Anecdotes i have heard say they have calmer temperament after such diets. Personal experience tells me too that it will be cheaper and who knows, it may be a further deterrence to return back to prison...

Changes as I relook my life

2009-04-11T18:19:00.001+08:00

No longer need to identify a group of close friends that I want to meet every 3 months. Just let things be. Friends who don’t share your interests and activities , and yet without the closeness of sharing just seems so tiring to maintain. Or is it the problem of Facebook such that one no longer need bunch of close friends, but simply use Facebook to gather buddies for activities? No need

Paperless billing is not a phone call away.

2009-01-09T13:26:00.001+08:00

I would like to refer to this Wednesday's letter by Ms Jeannie Ong, Head, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, " Paperless billing is a phone call away" While Starhub adopts a "passive" approach to requiring users call their billing hotline at 1637 in order to request for paperless billing, SingTel adopts an "active" approach of even paying Singapore Enviroment Council's volunteers to

One Billion Customers: Lessons from front lines of doing business in China By James McGregor

2009-01-05T15:53:00.001+08:00

Intro Chapter: A startup and a turnaround China is both that. The Business concept of the Chinese · Marketing strategy of the Chinese: - Sell with empty pockets but big ambitions, Chinese mystique and the dream of a billion customers. · Some Chinese business practices that exist till today still mine the cracks in half-reformed systems and arbitraging between the state and the private

Why read?

2008-12-12T14:06:00.001+08:00

Days ago, I was sitting in Peida’s car and started questioning myself in front of him. Questioning why I should read so much into what we may occasionally termed as not really useful stuff. I think in general, people can accept without much opposition to say that literature or philosophy may not have much practical use in life. However, personally, I find that it is kind of sad that many

The change of Environmentalism for me

2008-12-11T14:07:00.000+08:00

BECOMING AN ENVIRONMENTALIST “Why are you an environmentalist? “ I have been asked that question a couple of times, even gave a little presentation on it. Often people are curious why is there such a person in Singapore. If only they know there are many greater individuals out there in Singapore like Wilson, Siva, Ria and many other quietly contributing volunteers. It is my love of science

Mao – A Life, by Philip Short

2008-11-30T14:52:00.000+08:00

Chen Yun: " Had Mao died in 1956, his achievements would have been immortal. Had he died in 1966, he would still have been a great man. But he died in 1976. Alas, what can one say" (Chen Yun – one of the most influential leaders of the People's Republic of China and one of the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party for almost its entire history.) That statement pretty much summarize Mao’s

Little Notes from "Blink" by Malcom Gladwell

2008-11-19T00:49:00.006+08:00

“Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell:1. Our unconscious has the ability to make good decisions for us quickly and effectively. This could be due to the ability to dig quickly into the recesses of our knowledge and make a comparison.2. However, sometimes we try to gather as much information as possible and then this actually clouds our decision making, because most of the information are irrelevant. Hence

Why the Chines are so all out for profit and have little concern for morals

2008-10-20T18:55:00.002+08:00

2 years back, I wrote the following after talking to a Chinese on a bus:"Others also say that it is because of the cultural revolution that we have this current lack of transparency and heavy emphasis on guanxi in China. The current 30s to 40s were the generation of students who went to the villages for ten years and missed 10 years of their education. For that ten years, they believed in

Crossroads of career choices again.

2008-10-15T00:53:00.001+08:00

At this point, after about 3 weeks, I am kind of ready. Ready to just find a job that allows me to use my strengths, do what I am good at and maybe something not related to the environment. I want to find something related to sustainability – the fact remains that there are not many of such in Singapore, and it is a job that is rather diverse in job scope and hence there may be one and only one

Too big a brain for our own good!

2008-09-29T14:20:00.001+08:00

The more I read, the more I think, the more I feel that ignorance is bliss. It is because that I know about history of the Earth, learning about how the human race has gone about destroying the Earth that I wonder if it is worth subjecting myself to deprivations is worth it or not. Trying to got vegetarian for at least a meal of the day – why bother when many previous efforts have failed and

Quit!!!

2008-09-24T14:43:00.000+08:00

Last Thursday, I quit the job with CPG and I guess I just went into a little depression. I guess my down mood is simply because I am not sure if I made the right decision, job search will have to start all over again and last but not last but not least, the uncertainty of whether I will find another job.

Notes from Site visits

2008-09-11T14:14:00.003+08:00

I was lucky during the first two weeks of my work to go for a couple of places for site visits. The places I visited include Changi Waste Water Reclamation Plant, Pulau Serangoon Reservoir Scheme, and the NEWater Infrastructure pipeline. These would have been places that excited any boys who are into big machines and projects.Changi Wastewater Reclamation Plant (CWRP)At the CWRP, after the Deep

Breakthrough of session with Ms Lien Siaou-Sze (ex vice president of HP Asia Pacific) and Mr. Richard Lim (co- founder of The Simply Group)

2008-09-08T13:51:00.001+08:00

The following is from a talk by the above 2 important persons in 2006:I think that we have heard from enough successful people to note that passion for what you do is the most important and it is to hear that again “live” from 2 very corporate people. After all, previously I learn that principle more from people who lead a more alternative path, like being an entrepreneur or a world changing

After meditation

2008-07-30T22:45:00.002+08:00

Today, I went for a talk by Singapore first Googler - Tan Chade Meng The most relevant of the talk for me ( because I was already familiar with Google) was when Meng finally shared about his plans to save the world: - To develop research of medidation into such a level such that its benefits are as equally recognised as exercise, such that meditationis to bring as well practised as common people

Guizhou during the May Holidays 2006 Part II

2008-07-21T09:37:00.013+08:00