Meaningful living!!!

Prediction!!!!

2006-06-27T19:07:00.000+08:00

Nothing meaningful to write.

I just think that Germany will win!!!

I hope my prediction's right.

Wait and See!!!

:D

Writer's ( or Blogger's ) dilemma

2006-06-01T13:46:00.000+08:00

I always have this Writer's (Blogger's) dilemma.I don't know how to express what the Writer's dilemma is , that is , until I found this quote by Douglas Coupland who is a writer in Life May 30 Page 6.

He said "You begin reclassifying your life into a "that will make a good blog entry" or "that won't make a good blog entry". Suddenly your life isn't your life anymore"

This comment is a reply to the question of why doesn't he blog.

Sometimes I have this dilemma of wanting to write something good,thus result in either thinking how to write it in a manner that's attractive and being easy to understand in the eyes of everybody or I stop blogging about that particular thought because it might not make a good blog entry.

For all to see.

2006-05-31T12:24:00.000+08:00

This is something old which I found.

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy,it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are,the olny iprmoetnt tihng taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae.The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit probelm.Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.Waht do you tinhk?

Haha.So tiring to type out all the text considering I cannot cut and paste.

Weird

2006-05-28T11:16:00.000+08:00

Its weird that when I came back this morning.One of my important file is missing.Its not inside the recycle bin either.Where has it gone?It has gone missing.

Who are we? Who am I ?

2006-05-25T13:46:00.000+08:00

Sometimes the "I" a minute ago , may not be the "me" that I am now.This brings me to the question to who really I am now.(forget the grammatical error)

We are all different people at different times.

Sick bastards.

2006-05-24T13:27:00.000+08:00

Spotted in the New Paper issue of today.
(not verbatim)
Miss Ruth Lumley ( of UK ),26 noticed some graffiti on a toilet door in train "Young girls wanted for sex aged 8 to 13.Text this number only."Curious about the ad,she posed as an 11 year old girl and sent the message:"Female on train,11"
"After I sent back the reply,I got sent about 5 or 6 text messages which got more and more sexually explicit"
Among the text messages she received were some asking if she was a virgin and urging her to send naked pictures of herself.
"They were really disgusting," she said.
"It was this point that I knew I had to phone the police."
With the text messages as evidence,the police set up a sting operation to catch the mysterious caller.
The operation eventually nabbed 4 paedophiles,who were discovered to have sexually abused at least 8 young victims.
They were Trevor Haddock,55,Ian Jones,43,John Farmer,68,and Derek Moody,43,were found guilty of a range of sex offences and sentenced to between 8 years and life in prison.
The court also heard that Haddock had charged up to 150 pounds ( S$450 ) for other men to abuse a young girl he had met.
After describinh the four men as "evil",Judge Anthony Niblett commended Miss Lumley for her "clear-sightedness" and awarded her a 250 pound reward.

I personally wonder what is with these people.The oldest aged 68 !!! Old enough to be an 8 year old's great grand father!!!! The youngest 43 is old enough to be an 8 year old's grand father!!!

I think the Judge should fine those people too.
I think its good that the judge give Miss Lumley a reward for her great act.At least it will encourage people to come forward to expose such deeds.

Communism ?

2006-05-20T20:54:00.000+08:00

I just came back from work.
I found myself having something in common with Karl Marx or Charlie Marx.

When I was at Times bookshop browsing.
I came upon this book called "Introducing Marx"
It mentions about Marx hating the capitalists exploting the proletariats ( workers who operate machineries )
In short,Marx hates the capitalists of the Industrial Age who overtakes the Agrarian Age's capitalists thus rendering the Agrarian Age's capitalist out of business which resulted those Agrarian's Age capitalists to work for the Industrial Age's capitalists.

You may wonder what's the thing that I and Marx has in common?
We both hate the Industrial Age (he hates the capitalists too,I don't)
Its because that Age is so anti-entrepreneurs.
Just because one doesn't have the money to buy the capital (machineries , factories) , its so hard to be a successful entrepreneur.
But now its the Information Age,where everything's possible.

(*Note :Marx refers to the people in the Agrarian Age as workers ,to me,they are entrepreneurs )

Damn with the theories

2006-05-16T15:16:00.000+08:00

What I'm going to blog is going to be a ( relatively pale ) reflection of the contents that I plan to blog in this post when I woke up in the afternoon,because a lot of things prime me along the way before I have the chance to blog.

Theories do not always worked as planned as they require experience for the people applying them to interpret the intricateness of it all.This is why when someone senior gives us a logical explanation as to what to do.We always ( mostly ) fail to grasp or fail to give the expected results despite the logical explanations given to us.We are always ( mostly ) expected to live up to the expectations of the seniors at the first ( or first few ) attempts,no mistakes to be made no matter if we do or do not in fact understand ( by understand , I mean performing to the given standard ) and perform to that level of expectation in reality.

Haha.Whatever I typed earlier above.I edited a number of times.

However theories do work for a start but don't be over-reliance on them.

For you theory fans.
I have a theory for you.
Its call the 'balance theory'
For instance,if you hate George Bush and you think he's an incompetent guy who cannot write for nuts.
Then you like this article written called the 'Science of Governing',you think that the writer is an absolute genius.
However when you found out that George Bush wrote the article.You find yourself shocked at that fact.
A number of things might happen.
1) You decide that George Bush is not that bad a writer afterall.
2) You decide that article is not so good afterall.
3) You decide the article couldn't be written by him,he must have paid someone to do it for him.
4) You try to completely forget this incident.

The above are steps to solve the psychological imbalance that certain events have caused.

That 's all for the balance theory.

For business or to succeed in business.Theories are important but not everything.Most importantly many known
successful people in the business life don't have an academic business background.
People like Bill Gates ( dropped out of Harvard when he's doing computer science over there ) or Jack Welch ( PDH in chemical engineering ) It goes to show that theories are helpful but not everything.

I have exhausted my time.I need to go to work.
For people who understand what I wrote,its good.
For people who don't,don't worry.Its supposed to be esoteric.

A new thought enters my mind!

2006-05-01T09:09:00.000+08:00

What IF, the United States decide to follow the Singapore way of government?
As in..........

Taking away of press freedom ?
Use the carrot and stick method ( Singapore use the upgrading thing,maybe if citizens vote for the opposition party , they will continue paying for Social Security tax but not get the benefits ? )
Jailing of racist bloggers?
Paying their president , and key people a sky high salary?
Tilt the playing field to the advantage of the ruling party?
Ban guns,pornography.
Isolate prostitution to an area ( Like geylang in Singapore )
Having a race distribution in each state.
Giving progress package to the people before election.

Then it will result with.....
A whole lot of lawsuits.Lawyers making a lot of money.A lot of people sued for defamation.
Authors losing money as most of their books will not make it to the bookshop.
The carrot and stick method may lead to civil disobedience,protests.
Racist bloggers will hog the headlines of newspaper and shamed.
Sky high salary!!!!
It will draw more people to participate in politics for monetary reasons.
If George Bush tilt the playing field,we may see Republicans as the ruling party for who knows when.
Imagine George Bush saying there's no First World Opposition!!!
Cannot imagine that!
The weapons and pornography companies will suffer big time.
Maybe they will operate in other countries.
Meanwhile the employess of these industries can go look for other jobs.
Maybe they will make some South Amercian State the legal prostitution area because Yankees are generally Richer.It won't make sense for the poorer people to travel all the way up for prostitution.If its in the South America State then , it will boost the economies of the South American States and the complement industries like condoms,hotels,cosmetics etc.The particular state which prostitution is legal will have more revenue/government funds due to taxing of prostitution.
Singapore have race quota for people in each block,then in each state there will be a race quota in the neighbourhood.
Real Estate Agents will have more difficulty when they sell houses because they have to check with the state government for the racial distribution to see what races they can sell houses to.
Some people will be happy when receiving Progress Package but some will be unhappy and will openly criticise the government of "buying votes" , defamation lawsuits will follow.Citizens bankrupted,jailhouses filled.Lawyers win,Politicans win.
Chiam See Tongs,Slyvia Lims,Chee Siok Chins of the USA will emerge.

Maybe the United States of America will change its name to the United States of Elected Democracy ?

Efficient Markets

2006-04-29T09:19:00.000+08:00

Personally I like very efficient markets ( there are not perfect markets )

My economics philosophy is more towards Adam Smith than John Keynes.

I personally like a country with Free ( meaning efficient markets ) markets than a country with a lot of government interventions.

For now,no one can be sure if there's no corruption in the ruling party.
We will never know for sure.

Singapore is too regulated.If I have the means.
I will move off.

Each to his/her own.
Some people like more regulated markets.

They think there's more welfare.
So there's no wrong or right answer.

I just visited SDP's website.
In their manifesto. I like one of the bulletin point the one
titled " BUILDING a free market economy driven by the people, not the Government"though I never throughly read through it.
All I can say is I like politicans who can construct an efficient market.

Of course , there's certain things I don't like about SDP haha.
I don't like the idea of minimum wage.
I don't think it's a good idea.

For the Workers Party I don't like the idea of taking away the taxes of
necessities like rice.I think its an equally silly idea.
Taxes should be taken away from more uncommon stuff.
I don't know how much is the tax on rice but if its a lot.
We should lower it , not take it away.

All these are in my opinion , of course.

I picked up a pamphlet entitled "Tampines GRC-vote Singapore Democratic Alliance"

I quote Chaim See Tong.

"A good example is the increase of Minister's salary to the highest in the world.This is because the opposition here is weak ,is unable to stop the Ministers from giving themselves the highest pay in the world."

Wow.

I also quote from http://singaporedemocrat.org/indexelections.html
The headlines reads "$1,944,000,of course he's happy...That's how much he pays himself a year.What about you?" accompanying with a picture of the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

So is that where our money which we pay in the form of taxes go ?

People have been wondering is there corruption in the government.
I don't know.

Let's look at the facts.
Lee Kuan Yew's the Mentor Minister.
Lee Hsien Loong is the Prime Minister and "at the age of 32 he became the youngest Brigadier General in Singapore's history" quoted from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Hsien_Loong#Controversy
His wife Ho Ching is "executive director of Temasek Holdings" quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Ching
His younger brother Lee Hsien Yang is "is currently the President and CEO of Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel)." quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Hsien_Yang.

I like blogging

2006-04-28T00:32:00.000+08:00

Blogging is fun if you know what to write.Doesn't matter what you write as long its something you like.

I have a few ( some silly ) things to write about.

Lalala.

Why are there SPGs in Singapore?
What are SPGs?

The answers can be found here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarong_party_girl

Anyway what or who creates SPGs in Singapore?

To me , a SPG is created because (in general) Caucasians comes from countries with stronger currencies , hence able to have more spending power.

In singapore the spending power of the guys are further weakened by National service.

So in short,the creation of SPGs are caused by the above factors.

However,because of foreigners from countries with relatively stronger currency.Some local guys are not able to get local girls.
So we 'outsource' brides,from countries with weaker currencies.
If we look closely , I believe those men from those countries (like Vietnam) will label their local females something equivalent of a SPG.
However those Vietnam men don't have it so had as our local men as not many Singaporeans go to Vietnam as much as foreigners come to Singapore.

Sososo , what to blog about ?

What's the difference between Blinkymummy and XiaXue ?

BM has a master degree ( if I'm not wrong ) XX has a diploma.
BM is a civil servant,XX's earning her pay from the private sector.
BM is 30 , XX is 23 (if I'm not wrong)
BM has long hair, XX has shorter hair.
BM's bf is local , XX's bf is foreign.

Similarities?

Both have pets.
Both are bloggers.

Lalalala.I don't know what to blog.

Unnamed post

2006-04-23T04:52:00.000+08:00

I'm just feeling so down today.

I'm poor and I don't have much academic qualifications.

I wish I have the means to acquire some education.

No amount of words can describe the shortage of hope in my current situation.

Sentiments of a Citizen

2006-04-19T12:02:00.000+08:00

After going through these 2 websites "http://singaporedemocrat.org/poverty.html" and "http://singaporedemocrat.org/povertyII.html"
The pictures shown in the websites are very saddening.
I wonder is our government doing a good job?
Are we being deprived of the truth from the press?
The websites above shown me a side of Singapore I have never been exposed to through the local media.
Of course,any citizen would want the better party to govern Singapore.
But the fact is can we differentiate the best one from the rest?
Are we experiencing pork barrel politics in Singapore from the ruling party?
Do we really know what is going on?

Grandma

2006-04-18T15:10:00.000+08:00

As I am writing this post,my grandmother is doing some sewing via the sewing machine.Then I hear a "titititi" sound.I ask her what is that then she took out a handphone.I see her struggle with technology.I think the high tech world is a bit too confusing for my grandmother.
One thing came to my mind.What if my grandmother goes?
That's a scary thought.
I hope she will be converted to become a christian before she does.
I hope she will live for very long.

I cannot imagine life without my grandmother.

Pictures of Haircut

2006-04-16T23:17:00.000+08:00

Before Haircut

After Haircut

Finally I could get these pictures up.Haircut courtesy of QB hairstylist Apple Kwang.

Though the haircut is free but I think its pretty good. =)

A question in mind.

2006-04-08T14:47:00.000+08:00

Today I went for a free haircut.

From QB House,I wonder why do they give me 2 handy plasts as free gift. Is it because they have done a market research and find that people usually didn't stock up their First Aid Kit? http://www.qbhouse.com.sg/ but unfortunately the website has been hacked when I visited it today.I'm sure they will restore the website to its original state in no time.I wanted to insert my photos of my hair in "Before" and "After" segments but it seems that the internet explorer always hang.

I found something to blog about again.I was surfing at http://sgwiki.com

Yeah our own singapore version of wikipedia.=)

I search for Lee Hsien Loong then on Sg Wiki's Lee Hsien Loong page.There's this link http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/pmlee.htm

so effectively it shows the profile,education level,careers and even personal hobbies of the ministers in the cabinet.

http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/

One thing attracted my attention and made me ask a question.That question is why do some civil servants have some advanced degrees(Master Degree) which does not have any connection with their careers.

Let's take George Yeo for example,he has a MBA from Harvard Business School.

What is that MBA for ? I do not know if its funded by the government or not.If it is , I wonder what is the purpose of having that MBA.Because the government's money is the people's money.If the person awarded a degree which is not relevant(examples of Master Degrees which are relevant = Goh Chok Tong with Master of Arts in Development Economics,Teo Chee Heng with Masters in Public Administration)

Why do I react so strongly?

Because if they are sponsored by the government to take non-relevant degrees.

1)Its wasting the country's revenue.The people's money.

2)Studying for a non-relevant advanced degree is wasting time that could be put to better use by doing stuff that produces productivity like

serving the nation in their respective jobs in the public sector

3) A lot of people do not have the money to study and the money is given to people who could have use their time and money to better use like

serving their nation in their respective jobs in the public sector.

4)Irrelevant advanced degrees could at most let that individual life's be enriched with new insights from the knowledge that one has learned from

studying that advanced degree.But that is too high a price to pay for at least 2 years of productive work in the public sector serving the nation and the money that is used to pay for that advanced degree could be put to better use.I believe when a scholarship is given , the recipient is given a monthly allowance too.(Correct me if I'm wrong about this)So all in all at least 2 years is wasted and a hugh sum of money (the school fees and allowance) is wasted on an irrelevant advanced degree?! What is this ?!

During my National Service days,my Commanding Officer has a Master Degree in Engineering from Cornwell.If I'm not wrong, the present Chief of Army has 2 Master Degrees ( Master Degree in Public Administration which I think is not relevant because he's not a politican [at least to me] and a Master Degree in Engineering.What use is a Master Degree in Engineering ?) and the Chief of Defence Force has a MBA.

I wonder why is the government spending all those unnecessary money.All these resources could be put to better uses.

I hope I will get an answer to this question.

Forgive me peeps.

2006-04-08T08:44:00.000+08:00

Last night ,was to eager to blog something but didn't have the energy to do it.It ended up in a mess.When one is doing things under sleepiness,one perceive things differently.I ended up producing four silly posts.This is the consequences of blogging for the sake of blogging alone despite not having enough concentration and strength to do so.

Blogger's Block

2006-04-08T06:49:00.000+08:00

All I can say is I have not been sleeping since last night.I have 2 cups of coffee.

In case

2006-04-08T03:38:00.000+08:00

you didn't make sense of what I was blogging in my two previous posts.
I try to make it clear in this post.
If you didn't see the relation between why I was feeling afraid ( as stated in my previous post ) and why I mention the imprisonment of the political detainees.(the name referred to by the interviewer)
It is because I was afraid of being imprisoned for publishing the post entitled "Queries" (and "I was afraid" though I didn't worry too much about the "I was afraid" post,I was more concerned about "Queries")
I know it seemed rather irrational.

I was afraid

2006-04-08T03:21:00.000+08:00

Ahhh ,I 'm finally blogging properly.
What a relief!
If you can sense my feeling when I click on the "Publish Post" button(on my previous post) accurately,you will probably sense some fear from my writings.

Why was there fear?It was because I read this excerpt from this website
http://www.newsintercom.org/index.php?itemid=59&catid=5

"T: Can you provide a brief history of the political exiles/detainees in Singapore?
C: About 150 people were arrested during Operation Cold Store in 1963. Many were former PAP members who had left the party and formed the Barisan Sosialis. Among them was the late Mr Lim Chin Siong, who was popular with Singaporeans then. He was imprisoned for several years and was later exiled to the U.K. He returned to Singapore and passed away in the mid-1990s. In 1966, Mr Chia Thye Poh, an opposition MP, was imprisoned for 23 years without given a trial. He was detained in Sentosa for another nine years. All this time he was accused of being a communist. No evidence was produced and Mr Chia steadfastly refused to kowtow. There are many others who sacrificed their personal liberties for the sake of democracy for Singapore. I cannot recount them all in this limited space but I try to describe as much of the happenings as possible in To Be Free. I hope that Singaporeans, especially the young generation, will make an effort to acquaint themselves with this part of history and not just rely on the version from officialdom. "

I realise I was just being silly after a while.Wow detained for a total of 32 years(9 years in Sentosa!) Just now I was very afraid when I saw the above paragraph about people being imprisoned for so many years.I am laughing now when I read that someone was being detained in Sentosa for nine years.A minute ago,I was saying to myself "Detained there then he do what ? Have foam parties?"
I know I'm being childish for a moment.Seriously I don't know somebody could be detained in Sentosa.
I wonder what really happened.

Queries

2006-04-08T01:47:00.000+08:00

I did mention about wanting to blog something political , but first before doing so.I want to know what are the limits.What are allowed and what are not allowed?
Anyway I will blog about this in a "referral" manner , meaning.I shall put up a link instead of describing in words so that I will not be looked upon as "Anti-Singapore"
These are the things which I chanced upon while going to www.sgforums.com

http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=184808
The above is about a video that is supposely banned by the Singapore Censorship Board.

I went to wikipedia to find out more about Chee Soon Juan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chee_Soon_Juan
The Straits Time (or the Life Section, I cannot remember which) on one occasion mention about Wikipedia saying something like its not very accurate.(All that I typed quoting from the Straits Time is what I recalled,sorry if I recalled wrongly)
So I didn't believe everything that is written in Wikipedia though a large amount of every article I personally believe is accurate.
I also read an interview with Chee Soon Juan that is posted on Wikipedia's page on Chee Soon Juan.
http://www.newsintercom.org/index.php?itemid=59&catid=5
The Wikipedia page also states that he has a personal blog
http://cheesoonjuan.blogspot.com/
I did visit his blog.
Initially I stated in my post Now "http://jeromematthewlam.blogspot.com/2006/04/now.html" I was trying to post pictures (still pictures of the Singapore Rebel) but now decided not to do so, in case I am being accused of "promoting" the show.

My personal take is that its quite interesting to see a video that is banned(but somehow its on the sgforums thread)

Darn!!!!!!

2006-04-07T13:48:00.000+08:00

What is it with Human Resource ( usually HR personnel will do the advertising of recruitment ) personnel?

It is alright if they want a female personnel.

I'm wondering why can't they put it clearly stated instead of informing the people who wanted jobs at the phone ?

Won't it waste their time and the people seeking jobs?

I am thinking maybe they didn't put the gender required because its illegal to discriminate when a job suitable for male and female is advertised.Or they just like to waste their own time and even other people's time ?

Now

2006-04-06T20:10:00.000+08:00

time for a quick blog.
I wanted to blog about something political earlier but because the internet explorer hang when I try to insert my pictures.
Nevertheless,I found something to blog!

Just now when I saw Fann Wong on the Tv practising "sandwriting or sand designing" making some shape out of sand for a fund raising show.

It brings me to one question.
Are celebrities losing something when they perform in fundraising show ?

Let me analyze.
Suppose Fann Wong is suppose to perform an act for NKF.

What are the oppotunity costs for her ? (intangible costs included)

From the surface,it may seems that she will lose time (Say 2 weeks of rehearsal.So she cannot commit to filming any shows)
But is she the biggest loser?

Let's analyze.

Fann Wong (Singer,Model , Actress) on the surface might lose time for recording songs, shooting advertisements and filming shows.

The Tv likes to emphasis how these artistes are losing time so to raise funds.Very noble indeed ,they said.The tone which they express that is like saying those celebrities lose something.Something big but is it so ?
Let's see Fann Wong's P and L statement verus the average citizen.

Fann Wong's Profit and Loss Statement
Lost:
Time ( 2 weeks of working time )
Strength(doing acts for fundraising needs energy too)

Gain:
A new skill( which the average citizen needs to pay to learn )
Tv Time (If any average citizen wants himself/herself to appear on the Television,he/she has to pay the media a lot in the form of advertising time)
Good Image and exposure(In the entertainment line ,a good image is important. Exposure is important too,say exposure [in Fann's case] to music label's owners,songwriters,marketing director of products and services,Film Directors)
Fitter self (those acts need strength to carry out)
I'm sure the expenses (meals and transport) that those artistes incur while learning new skills could be offset by the gains but for the average citizens there are no such gains.The artistes may even be reimbursed as well.

So are celebrities losing out?
With gains like learning new skills,free Tv Time,good image and exposure for free while in the name of charity.
It seems like those celebrities receive charity instead.

Of course , I'm not saying these people are not charitable.
Are they charitable or they just using this fund raising as a platform to
drive their career to new heights?

I will never know if they are charitable or not.
I am just thinking why they volunteer for such things.
It could be for charity,I will never know.

But if they want to convince people who are skeptical,they got to donate more money to offset their gains.
Why do I mention more ?
Say I am a celebrity who wants to convince everyone , I need to donate
x amount of money that's higher than the cost of learning a new skill,the cost of advertising Tv Time .
Of course the last 2 things like good image and exposure , its hard to put a cost to it.
But if the celebrity wants to go all out to convince,they should do that.
Because if you do something which benefits yourselves and you ask people to donate , people naturally be wary.
I think a good idea is to show transparency of the amount of money donated by the celebrities performing the acts.

Suppose if Li Nanxing did a singing act in Tamil and Malay and the Transparency System showed that he donated the minimum say $5 . Then
after the show , he urge everyone to donate.When he sees that the targeted amount isn't reached,then he will take the microphone and say"Please donate , these people are suffering"
I imagine a group of people from the audience standing up to exclaim "
You donate $5 only , now when everyone in the audience donated at least $5 each and you still want us to donate ?"
When the average citizens donate say $5 , he/she is taking money which he/she can spend on a luxury and he/she earned it in the hard way.
I personally think the transparency idea is a good idea.

Here is my 2 cents for now.
I just blog non-stop for 21 minutes and I didn't stop short to take a look to see if my words might be misinterpreted but I trust myself.

I wish someone could make a diagnosis.

2006-04-03T02:39:00.000+08:00

Its so weird , for the past few days I have been having liquid stools when I pass motion.The weird thing is there are no symptoms of anything like tiredness or anything.I hope this will go away soon! =)

Untitled

2006-04-02T23:10:00.000+08:00

Oh!I'm feeling very full now.I just came back from Tampines Mall.Just now I was very bored after staying home the whole day.I went on an eating binge just now.My stomach is superful.I wanted to go to Times just now but when I went there.I went there too late.I stay at home longer than usual and went out late because I thought my brother is returning home today from an Army overseas training.I know when he is back he will occupy the computer for a very long time.I wait and wait.He didn't come back.It is kind of weird.I assume that he would come back because my friend's bf is from the same camp as him.From the commandoes. How many commando camps are there in Singapore.Only one.I was thinking is it my friend's mistake.Anyway I ordered grape Yogurt Drink from Sweet Talk and I went to Pavilion's ground floor Nasi Lemak's store and eat.After that I went to Burger King and eat Rendang Set Meal.
I'm not in a good mood then I went for a binge but it didn't help.
Still feel my tummy bloated from all the food , the feeling is very uncomfortable but bearable.Its a discomfort I can do without.I didn't regret ,not that binging on food is a right choice.But there's no point in regreting.It doesn't help.The root of my unhappiness is.........Proverty.
Recently my father told me that he's in debt.
My heart sank.
My ambition was to be an entrepreneur but now my dreams are dashed.
Credit card debts,automobile debts and mortages.
Still have to factor in the compounding interests.
People inherit fortunes.I inherit debts.
I'm now considered poor.
Some people might say there are poor people who have to support the parents.
I also have to and I have to repay the debt for them too.
I pity those whose parents have terminal illnesses or parents who are disabled.
I live in a five room resale (not new)flat, parents own (not the right word because there are debts) a Hyundai Sonata and have credit cards.
May not sound wealthy but at least sound or look like the 'above average'
But this is nothing but an empty shell.
Debts.Debts.Debts.
I have effectively an 'N' level certificate though I studied Sales and Marketing in a private school.
I'm born in 1982.
I belong to the look good,Asset(as in accounting terms not Robert Kiyosaki's definition) rich,cash poor,debt ridden family.
Because I live in a five room flat but the money that the government is giving out is dependent on the size of the flat.If the flat is a five room flat , it will get lesser than the occupants of a three room flat.
Looks are just looks,they are empty.
Fortunately I have a younger brother to share the load but he's still undergoing his National Service.
He's going to be ORD somewhere at this end of this year.
I yearn to have an education but cannot afford to.
I'm in a situation that I can't qualify for loan due to my parents' debt and even if some financial institutions are willing to give me an education loan.My parents cannot support me while I study.
I have this friend who I'm not going to name.
We had a chat on msn.(He has a diploma in IT)
D(My friend)
J(Me)
J:I heard you are going to study in NTU.
D:Yes.
J:What course of study.
D:Mass communication.
J:Your parents paying or you taking loan.
D:No la.I'm poor
(Note: after one or two weeks after this conversation,he left for Japan for holiday)
I wished I was as 'poor' as him.
Another friend of mine , who I'm not going to name.
Let's call him J1 and his gf J2.
He asked me out to one of the MLM meetings at Tanjong Pagar by the name of CosLab.
Went thru the sales pitch and everything.Then I decline to join.
Reason why.
1)I don't have enough contacts.Contacts is essential for a MLM company.
2)I don't have the money to.It requires a $200 for every new member to buy their products.

I remember at that time,I like this MLM company called NuSkin because
its linked to Harvard ,Stanford and even sponsor some Olympics Event.
Even on one of their launch , there is Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong present!What strong branding it has,I thought!
Anyway the long and longwinded conversation goes like a salesman to his prospect.I cannot remember the actual conversation,so I paraphrase the conversation.
(J2 wasn't present at that time,she went somewhere.I talk to J1 without her presence because I don't know her well and its not good to have a debate with 2 people who wants to sell the benefit of their company)
J:Hey J1 I'm not against MLM but I prefer NuSkin because it has a good branding.Harvard is no.1 university in 2004 and 2005 and Stanford is in the top ten.The presentation is nice but I like to seek wealth in other ways as this path is not for me now as I don't have enough contacts.Contacts is essential for MLM company.
J1:Yeah but you're my friend and I like you to get rich.
J:I know.I just don't have what it takes now to be successful in the MLM business.Why not try Harvard,they are the No.1 university,any JC student will know about Harvard.
J2:But we're not like going to study in Harvard(My point for mentioning Harvard is so that its a selling point ,like a brand)If you want to work in a job all your life,then go ahead.I wish to study in a foreign univerity thats why I join Coslab.I'm don't come from a rich family.

Well in the past , I like Nuskin but after thinking for some time I like coslab,why ?Why the sudden change? Its because in coslab you don't have to sell.Your upline will sell.
In Nuskin,you sell.
Coslab is not a organisation which say you to sell.
Anyway my purpose of mentioning this incident is not to sell MLM.
It is to show that my friends J1,J2(his gf) and D.
These 3 people's definition of poor and many middle class defintion of poor is the same.They are poor,yes.Then what am I ?
I must be poorer.

Anyway I am fortunate that I have good looks.
Some people who I met in the army.(Because army have very little degree holder conscripts) told me that they thought that I was from JC.
But when I told them I'm only an N level holder.They replied " But you don't speak and looked like one"
Some of my friends said I look like a rich kid ( Not from what I wear but from how I look) People who just know me even taxi drivers after some banter thought that I graduated from University.
I'm fortunate that I looked rich and I looked like a graduate.
I mean I'm glad.Its better to look rich than look poor.
Its good but looks are afterall looks.
The reality is far different.

Anyway something to add in my blog which I found quite interesting and its quite relevant to this entry.I read some articule somewhere,I think readers digest or National Geographic Magazines.
Its about interviewing this woman from a poor country.
The interesting part is she say (I paraphrase)
"Though I'm poor ,I'm glad I am fat"
Why is she glad , she is fat? Because the
old notion of prosperity is the presence of fat.
In the past, the poor must be really skinny.
Though she says she's glad,I'm not sure if she really is glad.
But having fats like a social artifact like in Singapore the 5Cs
(Cash,Career,Condo,Credit Card and Car)
In America,having the American Dream.(Children,Home,Car,Career)
As for me,I'm sad for her because she might have health problems because she don't have access to health care and medical checkups.

No Title Post = )

2006-04-02T18:56:00.000+08:00

The above bowl of noodles is something which I had 15.75hours ago.Its Sour and Spices Shrimp Tom Yam Flavour Noodles.The other bowl in my previous blog is Lemon Grass Chicken Flavour Noodles. Yum Yum I am hungry just looking at the unopen packets of noodles.
This is me 15.75 hours ago.Tired me , unable to open my eyes fully!HaHa =)

Earlier on,was a bit frustated because the website hang on me a number of times.My usual way of blogging is to blog when I have something in my mind.But when the website keep on hanging and I keep on getting increasing frustated.By the time the website registered my photos in smoothly,I kind of forgotten what I want to blog in the first place.

No title post ( modelled after No Signboard Seafood Restaurant)

2006-04-02T03:41:00.000+08:00

Yummy Noodles!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The shortest post I ever posted!!!

S-A-L-E-S ( even those who recommend can earn $$$) =)

2006-03-31T16:47:00.000+08:00

Okay now for the product introduction.
There are two items that are on sale.First is the
Cuvee Dom Perignon Moet and Chandon Vintage 1990 Champagne.
The second item is the whole of my DJ set which consists of
2 Vestax CDX-05 , one Vestax PCV-002 Mixer ,Stanton DJ PRO 101 Series [one sided headphone]( with bag ) , one Panasonic DJ100 Headphone, a mircophone Daiyo DM 121 and a custom made DJ set rack made by my uncle which is priceless.

For more information on the Vestax Cdx-05 go to
http://www.decks.co.uk/products/cdplayers/vestax/cdx05
For Vestax Pvc-002,go to
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DJ/Gear/Lighting/DJ/Mixers?sku=633203

The quality of Cuvee Dom Perignon Moet and Chandon Vintage 1990 Champagne is in good condition, the plastic wrapper is not even removed.

For the DJ set,its about one year old ,hardly used and in good condition.

For the selling price for the Champagne is $350 but I sell it at $300 when anyone buys it from Arpil 1st 2006 to Arpil 30th 2006 period.
When someone refers me to a ready buyer for the Champagne , the person who refers will get $50 from April 1st 2006 to Arpil 30th 2006 but after this period the person who refer will get $25.

For the selling price of the whole DJ Set ( plus the DJ rack ) it will be $1900 but when someone purchases the Set during Arpil 1st 2006 to April 30th 2006 ,the person will only pay $1700 for it ( provided the buyer is not recommended by anyone)

Anyone who refers a ready buyer for the set will get $200 from April 1st 2006 to Arpil 30th 2006 but after this period the person who recommend gets $100.

During the period of Arpil 1st 2006 to Arpil 30th 2006 when a buyer buys both the champagne and the Set (provided no one refers this buyer to me) , he will pay 300+1700= 2000 - 100
$1900

During the period of Arpil 1st 2006 to Arpil 30th 2006 when a person who recommend a ready buy for the champagne and the DJ set, the person who recommend will receive additional $100 that is 50 + 200 +100 = $350

Please go out and compare prices.

Thank you for taking the time to take a look! =)

Any questions , leave a comment.

Pictures thru the coloured lens

2006-03-31T14:53:00.000+08:00

Hi,I just took some pictures yesterday ,wanted to upload it immediately after taking them but my computer internet explorer hang again.Now its alright!!!
The first two pictures are pictures I took with my Palmtop Zire 71.I don't know what's the thing I took a picture of,called.Is it considered a window if it is.It is a rather uncommon or unconventional one.The last picture is something I called the "Camera Trick",as you can see in the wallpaper is a lap top.
The title of this post is called "Pictures thru coloured lens" is because everything we perceive is thru our social make up which we are exposed to.
This is why the "poor gets poorer , the rich gets richer"
It is because the knowledge that the rich have the poor do not.

2006-03-31T00:52:00.000+08:00

An interesting question.

This post is suppose to be up around 7 hours ago but my internet explorer keep hanging.I just came back from work,but I post an interesting question here first before going to eat my supper!

Do you people ever wonder why is Tammy ( the girl above ) shamed in this incident and not her boyfriend.(though thru logic and experience in life, one can say that the cause of a sexual intercourse is usually initiated by the male.Guys are usually hornier ( if there's such a word) and I can attest to that. :P )

But why??!!

Why?!!

Why is the girl the most affected ?

Okay ,let us look at the social construct.(a word I took out of Blinkymummy's blog) of the society.

If the guy have a lots of sex , he is considered a stud.(stud = a person with high social status)

If the girl have lots of sex,she's considered a slut(slut= social outcast[sort of ])

Say for example.We examine a pair consisting of 2 sexually active people,a girl and a guy.They both have ten sexual partners in their lives each.

The conclusion of this statement is for the existence of this stud,there has to be 10 sluts.

For the existence of this slut , there have to be 10 studs.

So we can see how biased and unfair the society is to the female.

As a budding economist,I can predict three ways of handing this 'problem' by three kinds of people.

One group , the feminists who thinks that sex is a sacred thing and should not be given to any Tom,Dick or Harry .( Or Jane,Theresa or Isabelle)For this group of feminists they will try to downplay the prestige of being associated with being a stud or even shame the role of a stud.

The second group,the Male Chauvinist Pigs .They will maintain the status quo because they want to play the field.When they get sick of playing the field , they want to settle down with a girl who in her life rather die then do things that associated her with being a slut.

The third group is another group of feminists.For them they will raise the status of a slut from a 'cheap whore' to a 'dignified woman' so this will level the playing field and not restrict the women to whatever sexual rights that the men have.

This post is to make you think.I'm not providing any answers because the answer that I have is only for myself.This post is not meant to traffic in morality nor to impose any personal views onto you.This post is meant to make you think about the societal norms of the society and how it worked to the advantages and the disadvantages of the people.I want you to form a notion of the objective merits of this case.

I like to quote Steve Levitt of Freakonomics "if morality represents an ideal world,then economics represents the actual world"

This post is quite messily written , a part of my thoughts here , a part of my thoughts there but I know I got my message across ! =)

Crazy World .... Crazy people living in First World.

2006-03-22T02:26:00.000+08:00

Yeah I'm talking about crazy people in the First World but I'm not talking
about educated terrorist who blow themselves up.
I'm talking about people who hire maids.
Why crazy you would say.
Oh that thought occur when I'm reading this book entitled "Gobal Woman" Edited by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russel Hochschild.
It talks about women from Third World or post communist economy who
travelled to the First World to be nannies of other people's family.
But why do the other family want to hire a maid or nanny.
Its because the First World woman want to compete in the working world
where long hours are put in and stuff like doing homework and taking care of children will give their male colleagues an advantage.So they outsource the "care" job to women in the Third World.
The saddening part which is written in the book.
'Says one migrant mother who left her two-month old baby in the care of a relative. "The first two years I felt like I was going crazy.You have to believe me when I say that is was like I was having intense psychological problems.I would catch myself gazing at nothing,thinking about my child."
Recounted another migrant nanny through tears,"When I saw my children again,I thought,'Oh children do grow up even without their mother.'I left my youngest when she was only five years old.She was already nine when I saw her again,but she still wanted me to carry her" '

I feel we do do more for the Third World Countries.We should try to create solutions for this tragedy to cease.
Of course this book includes stuff about sex workers.
Yes,sex workers volunteered to come into a foreign country to earn big bucks.But there is another side to this.Some sex workers are enslaved into doing so.
I really hope something could be done about this.

Jack's message hit home.

2006-03-01T00:24:00.000+08:00

I just came back from watching a move.
"I'm not stupid too!"
It was a nice movie.
Its (His) message hit home.
The movie reminded me of my schooling days.Remind me how I missed those days.
Of course not to go back to those times but to go back to study and make use of
studying.Of course not study just for the sake of studying.Studying is fun.
Those friends in school.Cool.
I'm not stupid too is about parents who don't know how to parent well.
Either because of ignorance or work too much.
I'm in such a family too.
I'm glad Jack produce such a movie.
Steven D. Levitt's book hit me too.
Robert Kiyosaki ( message ) hit me too.
All these mentors, sifus of mine. =)

Concept of Ideas

2006-02-15T00:09:00.000+08:00

Hey , I know today's the 15th at 1211am .
I just came back from work.
I want to blog about something that happened on the 13th of Feb.
I cannot remember the time the incident happened.
After collecting my pay from Magi ( the outsourced company that promotes UOB and ABN credit card)
Some Prudential Financial planner approached me carrying a clipboard in her hand.
She said something like "Hey are you a student.
I went "No"
Financial Planner:"You working?"
Jerome:"Yes"
FL"Do you save?"
J"Hmmm no."
FL"Have you heard of this plan before?"
I gave her a dirty look.
FL"By your look I think you heard it before"
J"Well when I was in the army some financial planner told me about this plan and I didn't signed up for it.On hindsight I think its a good thing"
FL"Why?"
J"Its because when I became Operationally Ready.I'm broke and if I have signed up , I won't have the money to pay for it.Besides the interest is really low"
Fl"3 percent is considered high"
J"Well,if I put in 10k.It would take 24 years for my money to become 20k( in other words double)"
FL"The power of 72.?"
J"Yes"
FL"Well you can have higher interests rates if you engage the services of our fund managers"
J"Well if a fund manager is so good, then he doesn't have to work.I quote you an example.Like the founder of the MacDonalds Franchise,he don't have to work.He's at home resting"
FL"Well then how to get rich?"
J"All it takes is an idea"
FL"MLM(Multi Level Marketing)?"
J"No, I'm not into MLM.I don't have so many contacts.To suceed in MLM, one must have many contacts,and good ones too"
FL"To open a business you need money"
J"No, all you need is an idea(or ideas)"
FL"Tell me how"
J"Like the founder of the MacDonalds Franchise"
FL"How?"
J"You don't know about his story meh?"
Fl"Tell me"
J"The founder was a milk shake machine(or blender) salesman.Then he heard that a restaurant in San Franciso , ermm San Bernado bought 8 of his milk shake blenders.At that time french fries was of of consistant quality...(I was cut at this point by the financial planner)"
FL"Thank you , you are good at Siao Kian(I'm not sure if this is the exact word she use.But she meant I know how to spin a story.)ByeBye. =)"
Then I was a bit confused because I was telling what she wanted me to tell her.
She's one of the minority,judging from her reaction.
One who lives for a paycheck,one source of income and thinks it is okay.
The one who goes into bad debt and thinks its normal.
Buy liabilties instead of assets.
When things go wrong,blame the government,her parents,her friends and maybe her company.
May she see the light! =)

Another Day!!!

2006-01-23T00:04:00.000+08:00

Well,
Yesterday night,someone called my mobile saying that
she has a job offer for me.Fine.
I met her at Funan IT mall at 1600.
Then what job is IT?????
Its MulitLevelMarketing!!!!!!!
I have nothing against it but its not a job.
I need a job to survive.
But overall its a fine day because I have this inspiration.
A new business idea.

Signed off,
Jerome

New Blog !!!

2006-01-22T23:52:00.000+08:00

The bottom part is supposed to be in another blog but because I forgotten the password to the previous website.That's why I cut and paste the below from my former blog.
Written on 14th January. =)

Hey all.This is my first post.
This host site of blogs is much better than Friendster's one.
I like the fonts.
Its so easy to set up.
Yeah.Decided to set up a blog because its so easy to update.
Later I'm going to go to Tampines to promote Credit Cards. :)
Okay , nothing else.

Signed off,
Jerome