Maybe Home Schooling Isn't such a good idea

Click on the photo. The young boy just won the National Spelling Bee competition- but can't even maintain a social conversation.

Its sad. Parents need to let go of their children and let them grow up. Its like keeping a tree in a hot house under your bed.

Sleeping Dragon

I really missed the mega rally that went from April to now. Missed out on good opportunities to make some serious cash on a number of good counters- stuff like Cosco, Swiber, etc..

Actually I did get Swiber- but I got bounced out by market turbulance. That was a real pity.

Problem is that I've been focusing my attention on only a few stocks- I need to branch out more and look at more stuff.

Having said that - its been a bit hard to focus - and its only going to get worse when more relatives show up next week.

Anyhow, after they've gone- maybe I can get some peace and quiet.

My trading strategy is simple - its called the sleeping dragon approach. The dragon bids his time sleeping. He ignores all the convoys with heavily armed soldiers. But when a good fat juicy caravan - unarmed - shows up near his mountain. He pounces gobbling up fat cows. Easy meat. Then satisified he goes back to sleep.

Its simple. Look for good opportunities that have minimum risk. Then go all in. Right now, however, it seems a bit tough though. So I'm going to take it easy.

 

Leia

My love is like the sunshine after the rain
Bold but sure He comes forth
And embraces me.

The Believer

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

Thanks to the wonders of (Foxtel) cable TV - I got to watch quite a bit of non-conventional movies that otherwise I would not have seen. One of them was "The Believer". Check out a review here : The Believer Review.

Its basically a film about a Jewish boy from a conservative religious family, writhing in self-hatred, who rebels against his faith and culture- and somehow ends up by becoming a Neo-Nazi. Its a difficult film to watch. I did not watch it straight through- there were several scenes which I skipped. But the movie contains several moving moments which really get you.

1. The scene at the religious school where he, as a very young teenager, openly gets angry at the story of God ordering Abraham to sacrifice his son. He gets totally angry and openly mocks God in the classroom- finally challenging God to strike him down if "He were real"- shocking his teacher and fellow students.

2. The torah scene. Read the review- here The Believer Review.

3. The last scene. He's frantically climbing the staircase in his old religious school , he meets up with his religious teacher who tells him that he's finally agreed with his heretical views. He ignores his teacher and keeps climbing and climbing. His teacher calls out to him to come back because there's nothing to see up there, but he keeps on climbing... and climbing... and climbing.

Double Top

Shanghai looks more like a DT now.

Best thing to do at the moment.

Stay away. I'm going out now to do some grocery shopping.

My love

My love is like the Spring that comes forth after dark Winter.

Eager, yet shy, beneath her youthful gaze lies unboundable pure joy.

As she moves, it seems all of Creation walks with her.

<Something I wrote in 2004... I tried adding more lines to it- but they didn't work. I like it as it is. I didn't write this about anyone in particular... Its inspiration can be attributed to several amazing women I was fortunate to meet. Women who exude life (the lifeforce of creation) by their very presence. You know you feel good just being around them- their gentle encouragement causes you to move mountains. The mere sight of them causes you to rejoice for the wonderous joy of being alive.>

How to lose $10,000 by the afternoon

Lol. This is too funny not to tell.

Right so. My source "Mr Z" tells me- hey "buy abc@xx" this morning.

I go... "Huh? You sure? That's a lot of cash. And its a pretty weak stock."

Mr Z, "Ya sure. Hot tip."

So I help put the order in... by late morning the shares have jumped up by 15%. I put in the order to sell - and made $12k for Mr. Z. That's cash. No tax. Less fees- $11,000.

You'd think he'd be delighted.... but nooo...

In the afternoon, without telling me he reenters into the position at the same price.

A mutual acquaintance whispers into my ear after lunch- "Hey did you know that "Mr. Z" has got back in?"

Me: "Really?? But I just sold his position this morning."

MA: "Ya... but he wants more. Got back in. Same price as your sell."

There's nothing wrong about wanting more- but when the evidence is thin on the ground and the China Stock market is down 5% and forming a double top... don't you think it prudent to exercise a little bit of caution?? And the chart looks a bit weak now...

That's what I would have told him. And that's why he didn't call me.

Look I'm not a share trading genius but I do try and manage my risk. My friend however doesn't.

By the close of the trade, the stock went down below the starting price. My friend has on paper- lost that $11k and more. I wouldn't be surprised if the idiot doubles up on his position tomorrow.

As they say, a fool and his money are soon...

well we'll see - let's not pass judgement too hasty. Maybe the share price will triple tomorrow morning and my friend will be laughing at me.

How to make a thousand dollars in 10 minutes

1. Get a "reliable" source who gives you a hot tip. 8.55am... "Ya? Uh... Really? Ok..."

2. Second call your broker. "Hey its me. Get me abc@xxx. Thanks." 8:56am

3. Broker calls back "Ya, its done." 9.02am

4. Read about the company and go WTF??? It does what???? 9.03am

5. Look at the monitor again - ahhh... its up by xx% 9.04am...

5. Call broker... answer the phone damnit... "Hey its me again... Sell abc@xx2... ... done? ok, thanks". 9:04:40am

6. Coffee time 9:05 am...

(Next: How to lose $10,000.00 in 5 seconds) lol...

Move your @ss!!!!

I said to myself - in between several expletives. Move your @ss!!! Gotta move. Gotta go. Put on the shoes. Turn off the damn computer. No! Don't check the email again!!! Move!!!

Its a mental struggle trying to get to the gym. A physical struggle too- my shoulder was  seriously playing up and tormenting me. My knee caps were hurting. A hot bath perhaps... no, no, no. Maybe I should check my email again... NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

So I put on my MP3 and play Aimee Mann - a light push, something surreal, nothing too moody, and off I go. Step out of the door... opps... walk back in again... sunglasses... back out again.

First thing I did when I got to the gym was to get on the treadmill. Crank up "Running One" and off I go. Thump. Thump. Thump. And there I am. Cruising along at speed 10. In a few minutes, I've totally forgot all my previous problems. A slight stomach cramp at the 2k mark. And by the time I reach 3k, my trainer shows up. My knee caps ache a bit- but my shoulder problem is totally gone. Amazing.

"Someone died yesterday", said my trainer. "In this gym.". He looked like he was about to cry.

My trainer was a bit depressed about it- as he was one of several bystanders (including a doctor and nurse) giving CPR to the man. (The medics took 20 minutes to arrive to this city gym). The victim's heart beat was faint when they took him away to the hospital. DOA though.

It could be that he was suffering from dehydration. His throat was dry. My trainer reckons that the deceased was low on fluids so it would have caused his blood to be thick- greatly increasing the pressure on the heart. (Memo: drinking green tea in the morning is suppose to lower the risk of heart attack). Anyhow, my trainer was very upset about it. I didn't ask too many questions. But I let my trainer talk for awhile about it - it helps to relieve whatever is going thru his mind. The deceased was a regular at the gym.

The man collapsed using the treadmill, in case you are wondering.

Something I wrote in 2004

My love is like Spring that comes forth after Winter.

Eager, yet shy, beneath her youthful gaze lies unboundable pure joy.

As she moves, it seems all of Creation walks with her.

Irrepressible, uncontainable, exuberant yet there it is...

(The life force of Eden's first love filled/contained in her earthly vessel...)
or
(The well-spring of life illuminating <from> her earthly countenance)

<<<Work in progress...started in 2004...its basically about a person who is full of life. Not in an annoying silly way- but someone who really does seem like Eden's first creation. Happy to be in this life. Happier than Happiness itself. And just to share that person's company - makes all troubles disappear - all complaints cease - you feel like you can conquer the world - do anything. I'm sure we've met, at some stage of our lives, the other sort - Winter - Dr Doom and Gloom- the sort of person that drains your energy - makes you feel totally depressed etc..  Ack, I used to be like that... ekkk...oh shutup.>>>

Isn't that a double top???

Holy cow. That's a double top isn't it???

That's the chart for the Shanghai SSE A-share index.

Course, it may be a consolidation phase. The other A-share seems to show this... bit hard to attach it tho.

But if the sell-off in China continues- we'll find out soon enough.

17 year old champion dies after crossing finishing line

This is the Today news report on it - better than the ST's subdued  article.

What really saddens me is that -  there appears (according to the mother) to have been no medical staff - or anyone who knew how to perform CPR at the finishing line. If this is so - it reflects very badly on the professionalism of the organizers. The boy's life could have been saved.

However, let us withhold blame, we don't know the full story yet - we don't know whether the boy's heart stopped when he collasped. Was there even an ambulance that took him to the hospital? Did the ambulance or race officials have a defibrillator?
 
As things go in Singapore- this sort of tragedy - will most likely be buried in red tape. But I urge all runners in any (soon to happen) races - to wear a small black cloth band around their arm, to remember the dead boy and to make a protest statement if asked.

I attached the Today article here in full.

Monday, June 25, 2007
RJC athlete dies after SEA Games trials

Cheryl Ng
sports@newstoday.com.sg

 

He had just qualified to represent Singapore in the triathlon at the South-East Asian Games in December.

.

But moments after crossing the finish line during a time trial yesterday, 17-year-old Thaddeus Cheong collapsed unconscious. The Raffles Junior College student was rushed to Changi General Hospital. Ninety minutes later, he was pronounced dead.

.

The time trial began at the Tanah Merah Country Club at 6.45am and saw 12 triathletes swim 1.5km, cycle 40km and then run 10km along Changi Coastal Road.

.

Thaddeus had been with the national squad for two-and-a-half years. He came in third yesterday with a time of 2hrs 9min, booking, for the first time, his ticket to the games. The qualifying time was 2hrs 12mins.

.

Last night, Thaddeus' mother Angeline Wee struggled to keep her composure as she told Today: "His heart had already stopped beating when we reached the hospital.

.

"He collapsed at the end point and there was no medical help. No one knew how to do CPR."

.

She added: "We're not blaming TAS (Triathlon Association of Singapore) but we hope that they should ensure that no one will ever experience the pain we're going through again."

.

Mr David Hoong, honorary secretary of TAS, said no CPR was administered because they were unsure what had caused the collapse and wanted to rush Thaddeus to hospital.

Psalm 139...

There are times in my life where I do feel the hand of God guiding me and protecting me, heming me in. (I heard his voice once during the start of 10km race - heh, He hems me in.)

Despite all my complaints about God, I resign myself to His will, to his purpose. May He use me, inspite of myself.

Its a struggle to trust God- to believe that He knows what He's doing - and to believe that He is a God of love inspite of all the counter evidence. That takes faith. Its not something that can be sustained by human will power - its more like something you have to pray for.



1 My LORD, you have searched me
       and you know me.

 2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.

 4 Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O God.

 5 You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.

 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain.

 7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
       Where can I flee from your presence?

 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
       if I make my bed in the darkness, you are there too.

 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
       if I dwell in the depths of the sea,

 10 even there your hand will guide me,
       your right hand will hold me fast.

 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
       and the light become night around me,"

 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
       the night will shine like the day,
       for darkness is as light to you.

A dream.

I'm walking on a flat grassy plain. No trees. No scrubs. No landmarks. I'm just walking. Its a sunless sky... kind of cloudy... not blue ... everything seems a dark tinge of yellow, the grass the sky, everything.

I seem to be thirsty but I don't feel like drinking. Am I going somewhere? There's a vague sense of purpose but I seem to have forgotten what it was.

The only thought on my mind is this:

I miss her.

I want her.

I wish I could be with her right now.

Its not painful. This feeling. Just a sad sense of loss. An emptiness which can't be truly filled.

I lie down. I'm so tired. I close my eyes and then I wake up...

Pontang Gym

No gym for me today. I went to an accupresure masseur during lunch and had a decent rub down- boy did some of it hurt. Felt totally relaxed afterwards- went back home - stopped trading and went to sleep.

I just feel tired. I'm going to lie down, stretch out my back, and get an early night's sleep.

My love

My love is like the Spring that comes forth after Winter
Full of life, with every step she takes, all Creation follows
Undaunted, unashamed, in full readiness she walks
Full of confidence, full of life, exuberant,
She warms my heart like sunshine on a cold day
Her mere presence fills me with life
And her voice
Her sweet voice melts my heart
And drives my demons away.

Hot Fuzz

Rating:	★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

Boring comedy show. There were some funny bits- the opening sequence... the chase thru the gardens... the scene where they found a collectors' unusual collection. Then it got very tedious...

I found a lot of it very staged, painful, and about as funny as an unscaled smelly fish in a kitchen sink.

I couldn't wait for the show to finish. Best to rent this on video- you're going to need to fast forward and pause button a lot.

And the accents.... ouch... as another character once said: they spawned the language but they can't speak it!!!

Bill's Party

Start:	Jun 30, '07 4:00p
End:	Jul 1, '07 01:00a

Bill D's having a US Independence Day party..., starts at 4... BBQ until about 7 and then go watch a big fireworks show then party on some more!

Scuba Stories

I was suppose to be at frisbee today... but I met this diver - Alvin - whose been diving all around the world for over 10+ years. And he really had an incredible story to tell... Many years back, the doctors diagnosed him with cancer and gave him 4 months to live. So what did he do? He bought a boat and went diving in Mauritius. He didn't die so he kept on diving and exploring new stuff.

He went to Sipadan and Mindano- and found a site where you could see live wild Nautilus.

Its a shell fish thats normally seen at depths of over 300m- impossible for divers to reach. Its also suppose to be extinct for over half a billion years.

Apparently, he befriended a local village chief who showed him one of his shellfish collection which included several Nautilus' shells. So he got the chief to get him one. $10 to be exact. The chief constructed a trap, lowered it at the jetty; then after a few days- they slowly brought it up to the surface. Low and behold- he saw it. The creature that Darwin's Evolution totally forgot about. Apparently, its not changed for over 500 million years- or so the Scientists claim. I guess God goofed up, huh? lol.

Once news of this reached the divers' community. Everyone went nuts and wanted to see it. So the village chief had his hands full, catching the shell fish and releasing them for the ang-mo divers... and with the proceeds put his children through University :^)

His stories were quite riveting- so missed the frisbee game today. Maybe its a good thing- my knee caps still hurt from the lunges and squats my trainer got me to do last Thursday.

Time Heals All Wounds... Eventually

My Gym trainer is out doing public demos sessions, so nothing today. I thought of going for a run- but my knee caps hurt. I should go for a good swim... but where?

Had to turn down another wedding invite (here in Singapore) today. The groom called me up... but I had to decline. Its sad that I can't go. Its been over 20 years since I last saw him and his family. We grew up together. But our fathers had a terrible "disagreement" many years ago... yes, I know its silly and so medieval. But he broke my father's heart and now my father is dead, and he is still alive, cocky and loud as ever.

I'd just be real uncomfortable during the whole wedding thing. I'd be force to fake the smiles and shake hands and pretend everything is OK. But its not OK. My father trusted him and he was betrayed. So there it is.

Will past animosities carry on to the next generation? No, of course not.

I've done my prayers and forgiven them in my heart - but it still rankles me to hear the old man speak and laugh. I will not endure a dinner spent in his company nor share his bread.

So at the moment, time has to take its course.

I hate paperwork and accounting

I really really really can't stand paperwork and accounting. I know its important. But it really bores the hell out of me. Every second I do it - it feels like a thousand ants are crawling up my back. The Australian side is even worse- thanks to their bloody idiotic accounting complex rules set up by a bunch of bureaucratic boof heads who have never done any share trading in their lives.

One thing tho. Whenever I do this. I really am on my knees praying to God for help. Quite literally- since my floor is covered in paper work, contract notes.

I need to go for a good swim. I wonder whether the old ACS Baker Road pool is open to ex-students???

Canice Group

How CLOSE did he get again???

That's a white tip shark- roughly 1.3m in length. Not harmful to human beings... unless provoked or desperate.

Here are some pretty amazing shots by Canice's group who were with us at Kapalai May/June 2007. Same dive, different boat. That shot with the shark is pretty amazing!!!

(Update: I've also included photos of the place we all stayed at- Kapalai Water Village - which is a resort built into a sunken atoll in the middle of the ocean.

You can check out her site here

http://public.fotki.com/canice82/dive-trips/sipadan-30may07-03jun07/

Photos were taken using an Olympus D C7070WZ

1:53am

Just great. I can't sleep.

I've been cutting down on my coffee intake for the last 2 months. And today in the evening I had a java arabica- just one cup... and now I can't sleep.

Maybe its cos I'm also worried about one of my distant relatives who is in over her head. She's quite a nutcase- and I  think she's going to do some serious injury to herself... not physical.

You can see it coming, y'know. I've been trying to warn her of the consequences of her actions - but at the moment- everything is all sunshine and roses for her. Whatever she does, succeeds.

But eventually, when things start slowing down, and she's still involved- she's going to get a very rude shock. Problem is, she just lacks the maturity to deal with such problems- and she'll only end up digging herself into a deeper hole.

Sometimes I find myself in situations where I can see a disaster looming- but am unable to prevent it or even say (too much) about it. The more I talk about it with her- the worse she gets. I think I just need to let go. And pray.

(Sidenote: getting her peers to talk to her is delicate. I got one of her best friends to speak to her on the matter- the last time - and she threw that person out of the house).

The whole thing saddens me deeply.

"My Love is like the Spring that blossoms"

My Love is like the Spring that comes forth after Winter
Eager, yet shy, beneath her youthful gaze lies pure joy.
Each step she takes, and the whole life-force of Creation move with her
As she smiles, time itself stopped to admire her
The flowers blossomed when we kissed
The butterflies came as she sang.
Oh, how she enchanted me so.

3.40am

I just woke up with the worse case of reflux I have ever had. Before I went to sleep I got a bit hungry- and decided ah what the heck- lets eat the two curry puffs I brought back (for mum... she didn't want them in the end). Then on top of that - I had a cereal bowl of honey-smacks. Yes, that hungry.

Now at nearly 4am... I had a reflux attack- my stomach semi threw it up- filling my nose and head cavities with hot bile. GROSSS.... I had to spend 10 minutes cleaning my head (literally).

How can I go back to sleep now? No, I don't have ENO in my cupboard... wait I'll go check...

nope dun have.

got to sit upright 4 awhile now. @#$%

Life behind the Veil and the Padlock:

Feminist author, Ayaan Hirsi, Ali speaks of her life and her courageous fight for freedom.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali speaks at the Sydney Writer's Festival. Hear her speech: Click here

From Wikipedia

Ayaan Hirsi Ali (pronunciation (help·info); Somali: Ayaan Xirsi Cali; born Ayaan Hirsi Magan 13 November 1969^[2] in Mogadishu, Somalia) is an African feminist and political writer, daughter of the Somali scholar, politician, and revolutionary opposition leader Hirsi Magan Isse. When she was six, her family left Somalia, eventually settling in Kenya. After she was forced into an arranged marriage with a cousin, she sought and obtained political asylum in the Netherlands in 1992, under circumstances that later became the center of a political controversy.

She is a prominent and controversial author, film maker, atheist, secularist and critic of Islam. 

She has received numerous awards for her human rights work, and in 2005, was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The Emperor Pulp Fiction style

Most funniest thing I've seen all week.

Its got some swearing in it tho- so don't watch it if you're at work.

The Emperor learns about the 1st Death Star's fate - Pulp Fiction style

Running with the Bulls

Snapped my losing streak on the SGX with a good win with Stanford Land- got it yesterday at 59.5 - chart looked good. It gapped up today- and I exited at 65.5. 10% and $6k in 24 hours. Could have held onto to it... but ah... just show me the money, thanks.

Right Next... have a holding with Raffles Medical at $1.34. Temasek and an Arab Co. took a 5% stake in it at $1.30 yesterday. Went up by over 10%... closed at $1.55. The local brokers reckon the deal is crap. But hey, its Temasek! The lady in charge is a shopper and I don't think she'll stop at 5%. JP Morgan issued a strong buy on it at the end of the day- and claims its worth over $2. Hmmm... So hopefully that will net me some more dosh.

Still think the market is running on shite. Well it is a bull run. You've seen bull runs haven't you?  Check them out here: bull run Exciting. Heart Pumping. And plain Stupid. A whole mob of people doing really dumb things. But if you get caught- then you get another extra hole in your bum. Lord knows I've copped one too many... :)

On other fronts, did my training session with Daniel at CF today. Run... Kick, stretch, stretch kick. Its slow but we're getting there. I could do with a good sauna and sports massage. Might reward myself with that at the end of the week. There's this place in Paragon- Andana Orchard - 6th floor- which is suppose to be good and clean. There's also a sauna and spa at the gym at CF- but due to the peculiar culture at CF- I won't step foot in there.

Totally In or Out or Somewhere inbetween

Gym yesterday was pretty good. Did plenty of cardio whilst waiting for my trainer to show up. Turns out he injured his legs and back and had trouble walking. We had to take the lift. lol.

After the workout- I spent another 20 minutes or so running on the trendmill- I covered 3.5km. My MP3 player kept me going. I like running music that has a good solid rhymic beat to it that helps me keep my pace and even increase it. I'll post up some of my running music later in the evening if I have time.

I would have liked to carry on but I didn't have dinner. Making my way back home I tried to take a shortcut pass Cathay Buildings to my home at Mt. Sophia but the security guard stopped me. What an autobot. The carpark - has the big words - Mt Sophia carpark - but she kept on saying "Dis iz Kathay carpagug - go back to Dhoby Ghout 4th floor, 4th floor pleze"... I spent a good 5 minutes trying to explain to her that I wanted to get to Mt Sophia not Dhoby bloody Ghaut... arggh!!! Waste of time trying to talk to her.

Feel like doing a 10km run. But I detest running in Singapore with the heat, humdity, dense moist air filled with pollution, and smoggy cars. But golly I got to get rid of my pot-belly if that's the last thing I ever do. I've already cut out carbos from my evening meals- wasn't all that hard really- just eat white meat and veg for dinner. Could do with more fruits tho.

Trading wise- it ain't so sweet. For personal reasons, lately, its been hard for me to concentrate and focus. I also have an extremely demanding relative staying over- and its really testing my patience. Traders have to be free from as much emotion and stress to do their job properly.

Empire Strikes Back

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

This is by far one of the best movies ever made - even better than Star Wars- and certainly better than the new prequels. It had great pace, plot, dialogue, action sequences, brilliant soundtrack, solid performances by the actors and a killer twist that even Hitchcock would kill for.

Its worth noting that Lucas handed over the bulk of the directing and script writing to industry veterans. The person who wrote much of the script was Leigh Brackett (who wrote the classic film - The Big Sleep - 1946 starring Bogart and Bacall). The main director, Irwin Kershner, was Lucas' teacher at film school.

Some of the famous lines and actions were also improvised on the set: namely the deliciously hilarious scene where Solo hits the cockpit wall when his ship system fails- and succeeds to restart it. And that line- where he says the simple but poignant reply- "I know" - when Leia confesses her love for him. In the original script, Lucas wanted Harrison Ford to reply- "Yes, omg I love you2, your skin is softer than sand (or something to that effect :) "- but Ford ad-libbed the shorter and more elegant reply on set.

Three things that make this film truly great.

3. The best chase scene in sci-fic - the Millenium Falcon outrunning the pursuing Imperial fighters by flying into an asteroid field. Watch it here: The Chase. Together with that incredible soundtrack which even Wagner would take a bow - its pure movie classic. Even after a period of over twenty years- the special effects still look great.

C3PO: "But sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1.
Han Solo: Never tell me the odds.

Princess Leia: You don't have to do this to impress me.
Solo: Well, you wanted to be around when I made a mistake.

2. The best love chemistry. Sci-Fic films, filled with face eating monsters, psycho robots, freaks from outer space and plain sicko scripts, is hardly the place to find true romance. But check it out- Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford really had it going. The heated exchanges
between the two, the looks they gave each other, acknowledgment of love, and the final kiss - show it all.

Leia: "I love you"
Solo: "I know." (Its the way he says it - just perfect)

It which speaks volumes on their relationship. It explains why he - a pirate, drug smuggler - stuck around the Alliance all this while- fighting for an apparently doomed and unprofitable cause. It also explains his frustration and hostility toward Leia who kept on cloaking her feelings for him.

You can watch it here: I know

Lastly... big spoiler here...


1. The best mind-blowing twist when Vader reveals to Luke that he's his daddy.

"No, I am your father."

Apparently, in the early version (serious) Vader was suppose to say- "Obi-wan killed your father". But Irvin Kershner, the director, advised Lucas to write it differently to improve the plot and character development. Thankfully, Lucas agreed and thus we get Jedi and the other three prequels.

Pity Lucas did not follow thru and let him (or other directors like Kershner) handle the rest of the sequels and prequels.

Sipadan

I want to swim in the sea of blue
Amidst the infinite fishes at Sipadan
To wander in the coral forest
To see the sun eclipsed by swarms of silver fish
To gaze at the deep depths patrolled by sharks
To wash my face in the sea of tears
To bath in the light of the golden morning sun
And to look back and see you smile

Sipadan

I want to swim in the sea of blue
Amidst the infinite fish at Sipadan
To wander in the coral forest
To have the sun eclipsed by swarms of silver fish
To gaze at the deep depth patrolled by sharks
To wash my face in the sea of tears
To bath in the light of the golden morning sun
And to look back and see you smile

Switching over to Multiply

Hi,

I'll be switching over most of my blogging over to multiply.com

You can check it out here http://ymchiam.multiply.com/

Its a bit more media friendly than blogger- you can easily post videos and share photos (without doing too much editing).

I'll still be posting the odd stuff here.

Cheers,

Yau

Its Fathers Day today

Its Father's Day today. Dad died 12 years ago - October 10th 1995. I think he thought he was going to live to 140. But he died - age 62.

It was a terrible time. But in the end I got over it.

Dad was brilliant student and a disciplined hard worker. His studies disrupted by WWII, he still managed to study up and score a scholarship to Manchester Uni. to do Chemical Engineering- this he did - and came out with a Masters- then a PhD in record time. Came back got a top job with Shell, etc.. Me? I was still struggling to finish my damn MA thesis when he passed away.

Unfortunately we weren't close. I wouldn't be surprised if he despised me. (Strangely, doesn't bother me now) I was very much different from dad in many ways. I'm a slow learner and need everything explained to me at the start. He just picked it up and ran. I'm spontaneous, instinctive; he was more methodological.

He didn't teach me much.  It was actually frightening when he tried. He'd go thru some math sums with me - and just get so exasperated that I didn't understand. Memo to parents - Yelling at a kid won't help them understand math any faster but will certainly drive their self-esteem lower.

What else? Didn't play ball with me. Despite being a top tennis and badminton player- nope not interested. Wasn't really his style. He learnt everything-  by himself - and expected us to do the same. Do it yourself was his catch-cry. Strange though, he would be willing to teach other people.

He was a pretty good tennis player- and when he got older he switched to badminton- together with Uncle See Tong- they won the competitions year after year- against men half their age.

He did teach me how to play chess- taught that to me at age 5 or 4. But he seemed to relish beating the crap out of me. He hated losing. Then when I started beating him at chess - he lost interest in the game. lol. Maybe its a coincidence eh?

We never ever had a father-to-son, heart to heart discussion. He didn't really seem at all interested in what I liked. But then again, his father (my grandfather) was worse- distant, impersonal, and only interested in what he had in his own two hands. He rarely communicated with us. Sadly, on his death bed, Kong Kong died with tears in his eyes trying to scribble a message. He couldn't do it; God knows what he wanted to write or say.

Apparently I'm the splitting image of dad- check out the photo. it was taken when dad was about 16 years old. Quite alike huh?

Dad was an exercise and health nut. He'd go running virtually everyday. He'd outrun 18 and 20 year old men when he was 60. When we had a dog, a Doberman, he used to take it running- but stopped when - it nearly got mauled by the neighbors' dogs one day. He had to pick up our dog and run to escape. But man, what he an exercise freak. He was fretting over eating biscuits in hospital because he was worried he'd get fat - he was already dangerously low in weight.

He was also very careful over the sorts of food he ate. I remember once we ate soya bean soup as part of our main meal for an entire year- cos he reckoned it had various benefits.

It didn't help him though. He didn't smoke, drink etc.. But he died from pancreatic cancer - that must have pissed him off so much to know that despite all the exercises he done- it didn't much help. He used to laugh at some of his peers who were overweight, unfit, on medication - they're still alive today though. The irony. Today I try very hard not to mock other people's failings.

He was also a supporter for the underdog- and for just causes despite all the overwhelming opposition. You've got to give him that. We Chiams have a tradition of supporting lost just causes. My Great-Grandfather - Chiam Seng Po, Pastor, Confucian Scholar, Poet, Rebel, apparently took part in an uprising against the Manchus. It failed. That's how we ended up here in Singapore.

But life goes on, y'know. You learn whatever you can from the past, from your parents, try not to repeat their mistakes and try and not make new ones of your own.

I wonder how I'll make my end. I thought that if I ever developed cancer or some form of incurable disease- I'd take a trip to the North or South Pole by myself of course - somewhere white and very cold. And just go for a last walk with a handful of painkillers. How morbid. Sorry.

Nonetheless, I got to hand it to him- he had vision and foresight- and if it wasn't for his efforts- I'd be god knows where by now. I've also inherited quite a lot of stuff from him- one of them being good genes- god knows why, but we don't age. Dad never bothered with sunscreen or any creams or tonics- but his hair was still jet black when he died- and his eye sight actually improved as he grew older. He looked like he was in his 40s when he passed away at age 65. I regularly get mistaken for being 10 - 20 years younger. :) I wonder whether I'll still look this way when I reach 100... anyone seen the movie Highlander? heehee...

So cheers to you Dad. Happy Father's Day.

Ultimate Frisbee

Back from UF - great game today we had a good turn out of people- despite the threatening clouds. But the weather was actually perfect- no afternoon sun- it wasn't hot - and the cool wind helped to ameliorate our humid weather.

Once again I had trouble catching the short passes ... its bloody embarassing. All those years of not playing any sports when I was a kid is finally catching up to me - lol. Its not that I have poor eyesight- I have 20/20 vision - I can shoot out a target at 50m dead easy- but I just have a problem doing the hand and eye coordination catching... might also be related to my back problems...

Met this dude at the frisbee game who used to dive a lot in Singapore waters- apparently there's plenty of coral and marine life around these areas if you know where to look. He also goes diving with a group which includes a chef that specializes in seafood! HUZZAH!!!! Cool, admire fish and eat them too! Alright. Hopefully I've got my next scuba trip already lined up.

Sipadan Spencer's Cam

The Jacks are members of the Carangidae Family.

Spencer's camera shots at Sipadan (May 31st - June 3rd). The school of yellow fin was taken underneath the Kapalai Water Village Resort. The fish love to seek sanctuary underneath.

24C in Singapore

Incredible the temperature is 24C - here in Singapore. (well, at least in my area which is next to the Istana) It rained like crazy all night long. Absolutely cool now. One of the few nights where I didn't turn on the aircon. Sweet sleep.

Feel like going for a run now. But I've got to be in church by 10. Hopefully Aunty LL will invite me to her place for lunch. She's a master chef and her home is outstanding. She's also a divemaster and has dived at the best marine reefs in the world including Truk, Micronesia etc. Maybe she'll get me in touch with my next big dive. Now that would be an adventure- sailing by boat to the Coral Sea and go diving down to sunken warships.

Just don't feel like staying at home today. I'll end up brooding. and thinking about tomorrow's trading day- what to do- buy back in?

I got hungry for carbs last night. Didn't help that I passed by Bread shops with lovely and fattening dounuts. Couldn't run away fast enough cos my thighs and ham strings are still painful.

Mount Emily

Woke up this morning... omg... still thinking about J. Had to quickly get out of bed otherwise I'd end up wasting the whole morning.

Went for a quick walk to Little India Tak Kar market- bought 2 hum chim pangs- and a bag of mangosteens ($5 for 2kg). The Hcps were awesome- but I could feel the oil rolling down to my gut

The walk up Mt Emily was a killer though. I haven't recovered from the lungers and leg presses my gym instructor put me thru last Friday. In my last set of leg presses my trainer got me to do 120kg (x 10). Holy freaking cow!!!! I think I said a couple of phrases that would make a construction yard worker blush. Need to remind myself- no swearing... no cursing... no foul language... I'm a Christian gaddamnit.

Anyhow, yeah... Mt Emily. A nice park and drive up at Sophia Road. Doesn't have much of a view- but its close to the Istana, Plaza Sing and Little India. Secluded... and has ... apparently a cool restaurant - Wild Rocket - at the Emily Hideout. http://www.wildrocket.com.sg/

I got to see my physio today... fell asleep on his massage table... Nice cat nap. He got me to do an extra exercise to help with my sub-scap tissue. Let's see how it works. Also turns out he's the official physio for the Ultimate Frisbee competitions here in Singapore. ...

Donnie Darko - Teenage Angst, Love, Predestination - what more can you ask for?

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

I liked it. You probably won't. It doesn't make sense. But in a way, it doesn't matter. Its a mad world... What is it about? Its a film about a teenage boy who realizes he can save the world by staying in bed and being hit by a falling 747 jet engine teleported from the near future.

Donnie Darko- the hero of the story- is an intelligent kid who has emotional problems but otherwise comes from a great supportive family. He sleepwalks and has weird hallucinative dreams- where a tall man with a hideous bunny mask instructs him to do things and warns about the end of the world.

The script is sublime:
Donnie: How does it feel to have a wacko for a son?
Mrs Darko: It feels wonderful (with a smile, not sarcastically)

Gretchen: "My parents got divorced. My mom had to get a restraining order against my step dad. He has emotional problems."
Donnie (excitedly): "Oh, I have those too!"

Gretchen: "Donnie Darko? What the hell kind of name is that? It's like some sort of superhero or something."
Donnie: "What makes you think I'm not?"

Gretchen: "You're weird."
Donnie: "Sorry."
Gretchen: "No, that was a compliment."

Ah, Gretchen. Why didn't I get a girlfriend like that in High School?... hmmm... maybe because I was in an all boy boarding house school. Damn.

There's also a theological plot behind the whole story (believe it or not).

You can read it here: Lawrence Pearson - at the end of his review.
http://www.locusmag.com/2003/Reviews/Person04_Darko.html

Nikos Kazantzakis' novel Last Temptation of Christ is briefly alluded to in the film-

The book refers to a last hypothetical temptation of Jesus Christ- that the Devil tempts him to come down from the cross, erase all memory of his divine purpose and simply live a normal life as a carpenter, husband and dad. But Jesus ultimately rejects this "false reality" and returns back to the cross to die willingly for the sins of the world.

In the film, Darko, is in a similar position of sorts. At the end he realizes his fate is to stop the end of the world- but to do so - he has to die. To this end, God - disguised as "Frank the Bunny" - gives Darko a month to experience love, sex etc.. and leading him to a place where he knows his divine life purpose and how to fulfill it. What a great story!! :)

Gattaca

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

Philosophical but more stylish. Superb photography. Great sets and locations. And extraordinary performance by (the then unknown) Jude Law who plays a disenchanted "designed" elite human being.

The story is set in the "near- future" where humans can design their offspring- deciding whether they are good in math, athletic, good looking, and even "well hung down there"- are not psychotic, murderous or have any other flaws etc..

As the geneticist explains- "We want to give your child the best possible start. Believe me, we have enough imperfection built in already. Your child doesn't need any more additional burdens. Keep in mind, this child is still you. Simply, the best, of you. You could conceive naturally a thousand times and never get such a result."

Vincent however - isn't. He's an "invalid" - someone born the normal way - not in a laboratory- but determined by God's chance.

However the parents find that their child's chances are already marked down- even at birth. All invalids are reckoned to be less capable and are actively discriminated against. So the parents resolve to have another child the new way. And this new child seems to prove to be everything his father hoped to be - stronger, taller, etc..

Vincent despite his weakness- wants to become an astronaut - and after a climatic battle with his brother - determines his route. He will take on a new identity by borrowing one (illegally). Here comes Jude Law- who (even I thinks) looks totally mesmerizing. lol.

Their charade comes to a big bump however when the director of the space program gets brutally murdered- and everyone suspects an invalid did it. Uma's character also develops a crush on Vincent and threatens to expose his double life.

Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman - have a love interest - but no apparent chemistry (despite the fact that in real-life, they are lovers).

All in all- a great film- but could have been better. The plot could do with some work. A bit more edginess/ bloodymindness in Ethan's character would make more sense. (See for example - The Talented Mr Ripley). And more thought could have been put into increasing the film's tension and suspense.

Strangely, the last scene where Jude Law's character disappears - tho it seems crazy - is somehow very poetic and moving. Maybe it has to do with the haunting soundtrack. But I love that moment.

Tsunami

See how it slumbers, the monster sea

One day it may awake and swallow thee

(ymc 2005)

Where I want to be

I want to be in a place where I can see the blue sky
In a place with trees and butterflies
Where the only sound I can hear is the beat of my heart
The sound of birds singing in the distance
I see the lushness of the forest
and feel the caress of the soft breeze of the wind
mingled with the fragrance of the trees.
I hear the growing stillness of the night
And the whispering of the leaves...

(And sitting here in my balcony- it feels just right)

J

She charms me so...
How?

Is it her scent?
Maybe.

The nearness of her smooth tanned skin?
Could be.

Her presence as she lingers next to me?
Quite likely.

The way she walks as her sarong embraces her graceful hips?
... Possibly :)

Her smile when she looks at me?
Yes, indeed. Absolutely.


ymc

The Princess

Friday, December 15, 2006
The Princess

Her shield her intelligence
Her rapier her wit
How dazzling her armor
How she moves with confidence and grace
She brushes aside the arrows
She leaps over the battlements
Capturing Hearts,
Crushing foes.

The Young Prince

The young prince

The young prince lived in a castle. The castle was magnificent, ornate, filled with wonderful furniture, jewels, arms and armor, wealth, and riches beyond compare. Its library was vast and had more books that a year has seconds. Outside its walls was a large splendid garden with beautiful roses and fields of colorful poppy flowers.

But the prince was alone, he searched in vain for other young people but there was no one to be found, not even a squeaky mouse. The prince tried many times to leave but he found he couldn't. The castle wouldn't let him. In the day he walked out, but when he fell asleep he found himself right back in his ornate chamber bed.

One day, the young prince found a baby boy in the garden, asleep among the roses. Amazed, he took him in and raised him up, teaching the orphan all he knew. Then one day, unexpectedly, the prince died; and orphan and castle mourned for him. All the flowers died and a mighty wind carried their petals, scattering them. The heavens opened, the sky grew dark, and it rained, and rained, and rained.

And then the orphan knew what he had to do.

He took the crown of the dead prince, and placed it on his own head. He said, "Behold I am the prince let me reign." The rain stopped as if on command, the sun shone, and the flowers bloomed.

But the young prince wept.

J

She charms me so...
How?

Is it her scent?
Maybe.

The nearness of her smooth tanned skin?
Could be.

Her presence as she lingers next to me?
Quite likely.

The way she walks as her pink sarong embraces her graceful hips?
Hmm... Probably.

Her smile when she looks at me?
Yes, most definitely. Absolutely.

In the green I walk

Sunday, November 26, 2006

In the green I walk
Past lush forest trees
The air is wet with their scent
Moss covers them like robes for royalty
I stay silent and listen
Listen

...


As the trees whisper their ancient song

Modern Romance

With words unspoken
With lips untouched
We pass by each other
Like passing ships at dusk

Swan Lake

Start:	Dec 20, '07 8:00p
End:	Dec 23, '07

New production of Swan Lake - staged b y Janek Schergen.

Hmmm... looks good. I've seen Swan Lake several times already- 2 times by the Royal English Ballet- and 2 times by the Russians. 1 time - Australian production. Hopefully this one will be good too.

Tickets available at SISTIC

16th century French chansons

Start:	Jun 30, '07 7:30p
End:	Jun 30, '07 8:00p
Location:	The Auditorium- Singapore Arts Museum - 71 Bras Basah Road

The music choir, Ab Oriente, takes you on a musical tour of French chansons by composers such as Josquin des Prez, Clément Janequin and their contemporaries, and will briefly introduce you to the history of music printing and publishing which continues to play such a significant role in enriching our lives.

Saturday, 30 June 2007
Two sessions:
7:30 - 8:00 p.m. & 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. I might give this a miss... Bill's party is on the same day... :(

Hard Eight

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

Its a mysterious story about how a hard edged gambler befriends a young drifter who just lost all his money in Vegas. This is PT Anderson (Boogie Nights) first film which he also wrote and directed. Low budget, minimal plot- but sleek directing/editing and outstanding performances by veteran actor Philip Baker Hall, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson who plays a sinister crook to the T.

However, its Phillip B. Hall - who plays the role of the retired gangster - that steals the limelight. Watching him is like savoring a glass of fine red wine. Its truly remarkable how he can bring presence onto the screen with just simple gestures and laconic phrases. The hypnotic and funky soundtrack music also gave weight to the ambiance.

My favorite line in the movie?

The way Sydney (P.B. Hall) says this line: "Hey John... there's something I need to tell you. Its something you need to know. Its important. ... I need to tell you... I love you John. I love you like you're my own son."

Watch it you'll see why.

Yau's Poems

http://thekindsmile.blogspot.com/
I like poems. TS Eliot, Emily Dickinson, etc.. I also like writing them. Short- sweet- capturing a moment in my mind. Hope you enjoy reading them.

The Tempest

She broods
She broods
And Darkness Fills the Sky
In the distance thunder rolls softly by

Gym, life and fuckall

Went to the gym to work out today despite being dog tired. Did the silly cross trainer for 30 minutes until my batteries in my MP3 player went dead. Argh. I tried carrying on but the Gym background music really irritated the heck out of me. So I left - walked to the MRT- then realized I forgot to borrow library books for mum (she's here visiting from Australia... so whatodo?) - walked back but lordgodalmighty I was so buggered. I went to the "Coffee Club" next to Cal and had a bowl of lobster pasta. Not too bad. Then trudged off to the library.

Oh God I feel really fucked up. Just feel depressed. Had a few snafus on the share trading front. Didn't lose much money. But missed out on the huge rally that's taking place right now. Worse, starting to feel the effects of a rejection of sorts from a female friend. Then I had the horrid sense of feeling adrift. I took recent stock of my personal situation and I go WTF?? But my friends tell me I worry too much. Chill out. Take it easy. breathe deeply you moron.

For some reason I feel like learning French. Did u see the last part of the movie Last of the Mohicans where the characters have an intense discussion in French? Amazing dialogue. The way the Huron Indian (villan) spoke French was totally commanding.

Blade Runner (Director's Cut)

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

Blade Runner is an excellent science fiction noir - similar in a way to the noir films of like the Maltese Falcon (1941). Its got great style - the soundtrack, film sets- create that ambiance that you're in a surreal futuristic world. We also get to see Harrison Ford - aka Han Solo - in different role - an anti-hero assassin with insecurities about his job. Its not the sort of film that you might like in the first watching- however its a film that ages well and can be revisited. Its got a special beauty to it- a certain sensitivity to life's questions. Why are we here? Who made us? This issue was addressed by the artificial human played by Rutger Hauer Fiery - and the scene where he finally goes- is one of the most poignant moments of the film.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die..."

Wonder what your last words will be?

Market Commentary

Amazing. The Dow just went up big time. One good fat piece of info and the buyers just jumped right back in. But what's more amazing is that China's markets ignored the recent downslide on Wall Street and just kept on climbing higher- despite the interest rates hikes and other shaky news. Some people will argue that it shows that China's markets are stronger than Wall Street and a sure sign that it will one day overtake the latter's importance. Others will argue that it shows a market that has rampant speculation fueled by excess liquidity.

Over here- stocks like Swiber and China Aviation Oil - have jumped over 10% in early morning trade.

I don't know exactly what to do at this stage. Jump in now? - but prices are so high. I'm edgy. Very edgy.

Harry Met Sally

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Romantic Comedy

One of the best romantic comedies ever made. Beautiful photography of New York too. And good performances by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. The opening sequence showing Billy kissing- was a tad uncomfortable for some reason. The character development of Crystal was also pretty good- from a sleazebag to a conscientious friend who gets upset over sleeping with his female friend.

Best part of the movie was when Billy's character runs back to Meg at the New Year Eve's Party and gives that amazing proposal.

Time flies

I'll be turning 39 this year. Shocking. Sometimes I feel like I'm still 21 (and act it). I still look very young by comparison to my peers- good genes I guess. I eat junk food, hardly exercise (in the last 20 years) - so those two factors can be ruled out.

Occasionally I bump into people who think I'm 25 or younger. When i tell them my age- they reckon I'm having them on.

I don't exactly blame them. I don't have age wrinkles. My hair is still relatively black (I do have some white hair- but that was caused by a recent tragedy), I still look relatively fit- and occasionally I've got the energy of a 20 year old. Sometimes I even surprise myself.

My back has been giving me trouble tho. My trainer spotted a problem with my sub-scap- the shoulder blade muscle. Basically my chest muscles are way superior to my back muscles. So the back shoulder are being pulled forward. Saw a sports doctor who said it wasn't a serious problem- and recommended me to a physio whose helping me fix it. Seems to be working. But I think I may have to take up swimming again to ease the strain.

Gotta go to gym now. One of my goals is to get rid of the embarassing gut I've been having since I was a kid. It seems that if you're fat- u get sloppy- u get untidy- everything falls apart. So Goal One: Get fit, look good... and still feel young. :)

How times flies

I'll be turning 39 this year. Amazing. Sometimes I feel like I'm still 21. I still look very young by comparison to my peers- good genes I guess. I eat junk food, hardly exercise (in the last 20 years) - so those two factors can be ruled out.

Occasionally I bump into people who think I'm 25 or younger. When i tell them my age- they reckon I'm having them on.

I don't exactly blame them. I don't have age wrinkles. My hair is still relatively black (I do have some white hair- but I reckon that was caused by a recent tragedy), I still look relatively fit- and occasionally I've got the energy of a 20 year old. Sometimes I even surprise myself.

My back has been giving me trouble tho. My trainer spotted a problem with my sub-scap- the shoulder blade muscle. Basically my chest muscles are stronger compared to my back muscles. I just have inherently good chest muscle tissue. So the back shoulder are being pulled forward. Saw a sports doctor who said it wasn't a serious problem- and recommended me to a physio whose helping me deal with it. Seems to be working. But I think I may have to take up swimming again to ease the strain.

Gotta go to gym now. My aim is to get a good sixpack and a good physique before I hit the dreaded 40. Who knows? Maybe I can even get onto the cover for Men's Health.

Hearing God's voice

Monday, June 11, 2007

Hearing the voice of God

This is the bible verse that impressed me today.

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30: 20-21.)

There are times in my life- when I really do hear that still small calm voice. Once I heard it - nonstop during my share trading - around the time of the tech crash. But I think God preferred if I just wandered off and did things by myself without Him looking over my shoulder all the time.

Hear Him Speak
Our Lord is close
Manifest in the Beauty of Creation
Hear Him Speak
God is near
Yet sometimes seems so distant...

Another wacky week

Friday, June 08, 2007

Another wacky week on the share market

Totally bizarre - that's what its all about. First- China goes down- and Wall Street goes up - then Wall Street plunges and China goes up.

The volatility is increasingly getting too fracky.

I thought this week would be a damn good easy run up. Just buy on Monday and sell on Friday - smooth sailing - no bumps. Sleep easy money.

Unfortunately not. It was about as crazy as a roller coaster ride.

I still made some money - unbelievably. Could have made more if I had just closed my eyes and ignored all the fracking warning signals. But I've done that before and got royally screwed.

But I've lived thru over 3 major crashes- 1997, April 2000, and 9/11. And that's just taught me one thing- manage your risk. Be careful and when the price is right on good quality stocks- buy.

The time now is to remain liquid, and cool.

Exercising at the California

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Exercising at California Gym

The person or people who put the music on at California Gym Orchard Road ought to get a good beating. Damnit, how is a man suppose to do his training sets lifting weights whilst in the background Ricky Ashley/Samantha Fox etc.. is playing??? And do they have to play Brother Louie Louie for the 10th time in a bloody row??? Hardly the sort of music that helps you lift weights for a set of six reps. Who the hell chooses these sorts of music. Yeah i know... ;)

After gym I was dog tired. I went back home took a shower (why I don't shower at Cal is a subject I'll talk about some other time). Went out - got a bite to eat- usual stuff - steamed chicken with ginger and chilli. My arms felt like falling out of their sockets when I opened the door.

Someone invited me to join her group for another scuba diving trip. See details below... thinking about it... but I hardly know the people who are going.

Talked with an uber aunt who goes diving- she's over 60 - amazing woman. But she reckons its no fun, too deep, nothing to see, and current too choppy.

Probably can't go- my sis is coming down for a visit with her husband and (now) 3+ year old son. Will spend some qtime baby sitting the liitle man- he adores me. ;)



2 days / 2 nights 7 Skies wreck / Anambas island on White Manta

Price per diver: S$590 per diver

Include: 2 nights twim or quah share cabin, all meals, tanks, weight belt, dive guide, coffee, tea, Milo, snacks, fruits.

BRIEF ITINERARY

Friday - Meeting at Tanah Merah ferry Terminal at 6.30pm. We hope to sail off by 7.00pm

Party is Over - 6th June

Looks like the Party is over... for the moment

Morgan Stanley issues triple sell warning on equities
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Last Updated: 1:34am BST 06/06/2007

Morgan Stanley has advised clients to slash exposure to the stock
market after its three key warning indicators began flashing a "Full
House" sell signal for the first time since the dotcom bust.

Morgan Stanley warns the 'mid-cycle rally is over'

Teun Draaisma, chief of European equities strategist for the US
investment bank, said the triple warning was a "very powerful" signal
that had been triggered just five times since 1980.

"Interest rates are rising and reaching critical levels. This matters
more than growth for equities, so we think the mid-cycle rally is
over. Our model is forecasting a 14pc correction over the next six
months, but it could be more serious," he said. Mr Draaisma said the
MSCI index of 600 European and British equities had dropped by an
average of 15.2pc over six months after each "Full House" signal, with
falls of 25.2pc after September 1987 and 26.2pc after April 2002. "We
prefer to be on the right side of these odds," he said.

The first of the three signals Morgan Stanley monitors is a "composite
valuation indicator" that divides the price/earnings ratio on stocks
by bond yields. It measures "median" share prices that capture the
froth of the merger boom, rather than relying on a handful of big
companies on the major indexes.

"If you look at all shares, the p/e ratio is at an all-time high of
20," he said.

The other two gauges measure fundamentals such as growth and
inflation, as well as risk appetite. "Investors are taking far too
much comfort from global liquidity. Markets always return to
fundamental value, so people could be in for a rude awakening. This is
the greater fool theory," he said. "The trigger may be rate rises by
the Bank of Japan, or a widening of credit spreads. There are lots of
little triggers."

Morgan Stanley is not predicting a recession, believing bond yields
will fall during a correction and act as an "automatic stabiliser" for
the world economy. Once the market shakes off the latest excesses,
it's back to the races.

Public Swimming Pool, Cholrine, children's lungs

Swimming may harm infants' lungs

In recent news... http://www.reuters.com
Thursday June 7, 06:54 AM
Indoor pools 'may harm infants' lungs'

Infant swimming lessons in an indoor pool may have the unintended effect of raising some children's risk of asthma later on, new research suggests.

In a study of 341 schoolchildren, Belgian researchers found that the 43 children who had been enrolled in a swimming program as infants were about three times more likely to have asthma or suffer recurrent bouts of bronchitis than children who did not.

The problem, according to the researchers, is that chlorine byproducts may irritate infants' developing airways, causing changes that make them more susceptible to lung disease later in childhood.

Lead author Dr Albert Bernard and colleagues at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels report the findings in the journal Pediatrics.

Past studies have found that competitive swimmers and people who work around indoor pools tend to have elevated rates of asthma. Experts suspect that the air quality around pools - particularly indoor ones - is to blame.

When the chlorine used to disinfect pools combines with swimmers' sweat, saliva or urine, irritating chlorine byproducts are formed. One of these is a gas called trichloramine, which is released into the air, giving indoor pool areas their distinctive "chlorine" smell. Trichloramine is known to irritate the eyes and upper respiratory tract.

friends and holidays

You know what makes a great holiday?

Going to see great works of art, architecture is great. But its also the company you keep. There's something about the people you meet and the friends you make - that make holidays even more special. Its not just meeting people- its also about making connections with other people- and finding common ground - and resonance.

I fell into a total blue today. I tried getting it out of my system by going to the gym and running myself silly. But ended up TIRED and depressed. haha. I keep on daydreaming about the whole trip to Sipadan... but most especially the friends I made.

Let me tell you something about myself. I don't know whether you experienced it before- but have you ever been in a place with people who didn't like you or - treated u with indifference- like you weren't there? Most of my growing up years were spent like that- in isolation and in hostile or in indifferent company.

That's why I really appreciate it when I meet up with people who are gracious, friendly and accepting of me. I try and never take such acts of kindness for granted.

Anti-war protestors return back to Iraq

Amazing news- it brought tears to my eyes reading about the bravery of these men

Read the story here Anti-war protesters return back to Iraq to meet their captors.

The British military announced today that they had air-dropped former hostages Norman Kembler, James Loony and Harmeet Singh Sooden into the Iraqi desert, just a week after their rescue from a house west of Baghdad. The men had been held by insurgents for four months.

Since their release, the three men, all from a Christian Peacemaker team, have spoken with deep admiration and respect for their captors, while not offering any degree of gratitude to the British commandos who risked their lives to save them.

“We realize now that we made a huge mistake,” said Captain Ian Coates of the British Army, “and it was time to return these men to the people they love and respect.”

Coates wistfully related the story of how the former hostages were told of the decision to reunite them with their brethren in Iraq.

Their eyes were as big as saucers, and Kembler even wet his jammies in excitement!”

The men were whisked by military jet back to a British Military base in Kuwait, and flown by helicopter into Iraq at dawn. Captain Coates struggled to keep his composure as he described the reunion.

“The air drop was a remarkable moment, something I was honored to see,” he said. “The men were writhing around, screaming and crying with joy. There wasn’t a dry eye in the helicopter as we rolled them out.”

The British Military was concerned that the men would not be picked up quickly, leaving them to wander in the dessert. So each man was given a bright red parachute emblazoned with one of the famed Danish Mohammed cartoons.

“The cartoons really did the trick,” said Captain Coates. “As they drifted downward, you could see the insurgents gathering to welcome them. Some had even set fires to help guide them as they landed. We could hear the chants of welcome even over the whir of the rotors. Did you ever see Born Free? It was like that, but better.”

My Love is like The Spring

I sent this poem in for a competition being organised by the Elephant and Coral in Singapore last year July 2004. I got invited by the organisers to a wine, chesse and oyster party in September. But I couldn't go as I was already in Melbourne.


"My Love is like the Spring that blossoms"
Spring comes forth like my young Love.
Eager, yet shy, beneath her youthful gaze hides unboundable pure joy.
As she walks, the whole life-force of Creation moves at one with her
As she smiles, time itself stopped to admire her
The flowers blossomed when we kissed
The butterflies came as she sang.
Oh, how she enchanted me so.

Start

Hi all,

I thought I'd have a blog where I can put up my "poems"- most of them don't match the traditional style though... hence the quotes.

I liked writing poems... short simple, encapsulating that moment of emotion: grief, happiness, thoughtfulness...

Its like a photograph into your psyche - a snapshot of the mind.

I've been writing the stuff since high school. Hope u like it.

Hearing the voice of God

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30: 20-21.)

There are times in my life- when I really do hear that still small calm voice. Wish it happened in my share trading though. haha. Actually it did happen - around the time of the tech crash. But I think God preferred if I just wandered off and did things by myself without Him looking over my shoulder all the time.

Hear Him Speak
Our Lord is close
Manifest in the Beauty of Creation
Hear Him Speak
God is near
Yet sometimes seems so distant...

Anti-war protestors return back to Iraq

Amazing news- it brought tears to my eyes reading about the bravery of these men

Read the story here Anti-war protesters return back to Iraq to meet their captors.

The British military announced today that they had air-dropped former hostages Norman Kembler, James Loony and Harmeet Singh Sooden into the Iraqi desert, just a week after their rescue from a house west of Baghdad. The men had been held by insurgents for four months.

Since their release, the three men, all from a Christian Peacemaker team, have spoken with deep admiration and respect for their captors, while not offering any degree of gratitude to the British commandos who risked their lives to save them.

“We realize now that we made a huge mistake,” said Captain Ian Coates of the British Army, “and it was time to return these men to the people they love and respect.”

Coates wistfully related the story of how the former hostages were told of the decision to reunite them with their brethren in Iraq.

Their eyes were as big as saucers, and Kembler even wet his jammies in excitement!”

The men were whisked by military jet back to a British Military base in Kuwait, and flown by helicopter into Iraq at dawn. Captain Coates struggled to keep his composure as he described the reunion.

“The air drop was a remarkable moment, something I was honored to see,” he said. “The men were writhing around, screaming and crying with joy. There wasn’t a dry eye in the helicopter as we rolled them out.”

The British Military was concerned that the men would not be picked up quickly, leaving them to wander in the dessert. So each man was given a bright red parachute emblazoned with one of the famed Danish Mohammed cartoons.

“The cartoons really did the trick,” said Captain Coates. “As they drifted downward, you could see the insurgents gathering to welcome them. Some had even set fires to help guide them as they landed. We could hear the chants of welcome even over the whir of the rotors. Did you ever see Born Free? It was like that, but better.”

Hearing the voice of God

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30: 20-21.)

There are times in my life- when I really do hear that still small calm voice. Wish it happened in my share trading though. haha. Actually it did happen - around the time of the tech crash. But I think God preferred if I just wandered off and did things by myself without Him looking over my shoulder all the time.

Hear Him Speak
Our Lord is close
Manifest in the Beauty of Creation
Hear Him Speak
God is near
Yet sometimes seems so distant...

Euen likes Classical Music

My then 2 year nephew came over to stay for a few days. I got him to "play" on the electric keyboard - and he seems to have a good feel for classical music. Should get a good teacher for him.

Euen humming Mozart's Turkish Waltz

Euen- 2 years old - amazing nephew. He played with the keyboard a few times- and started humming the Turkish Waltz in tune... amazing. He's not following the music- he's actually anticipating it and humming in total harmony with it- that's the extraordinary part.

Complilation

My (then) two year nephew came over to stay for a few days- and "played" the electric piano. He seemed to have a good feel for the music.

In this short compilation, I batched together the videos of him playing and stuck on a Beethoven piece. lol

Another wacky week on the share market

Totally bizarre - that's what its all about. First- China goes down- and Wall Street goes up - then Wall Street plunges and China goes up.

The volatility is increasingly getting too fracky.

I thought this week would be a damn good easy run up. Just buy on Monday and sell on Friday - smooth sailing - no bumps. Sleep easy money.

Unfortunately not. It was about as crazy as a roller coaster ride.

I still made some money - unbelievably. Could have made more if I had just closed my eyes and ignored all the fracking warning signals.

But I've lived thru over 3 major crashes- 1997, April 2000, and 9/11. And that's just taught me one thing- manage your risk. Be careful and when the price is right on good quality stocks- buy.

The time now is to remain liquid, and cool.

Another wacky week on the share market

Totally bizarre - that's what its all about. First- China goes down- and Wall Street goes up - then Wall Street plunges and China goes up.

The volatility is increasingly getting too fracky.

I thought this week would be a damn good easy run up. Just buy on Monday and sell on Friday - smooth sailing - no bumps. Sleep easy money.

Unfortunately not. It was about as crazy as a roller coaster ride.

I still made some money - unbelievably. Could have made more if I had just closed my eyes and ignored all the fracking warning signals.

But I've lived thru over 3 major crashes- 1997, April 2000, and 9/11. And that's just taught me one thing- manage your risk. Be careful and when the price is right on good quality stocks- buy.

The time now is to remain liquid, and cool.

Exercising at California Gym

The person or people who put the music on at California Gym Orchard Road ought to get a good beating. Damnit, how is a man suppose to do his training sets lifting weights whilst in the background Ricky Ashley/Samantha Fox etc.. is playing??? Hardly the sort of music that helps you lift weights for a set of six reps. Who the hell chooses these sorts of music. WTF.

After gym I was dog tired. I went back home took a shower (why I don't shower at Cal is a subject I'll talk about some other time). Went out - got a bite to eat- usual stuff steamed chicken with ginger and chilli. My arms felt like falling out of their sockets when I opened the door.

Someone invited me to join her group for another scuba diving trip. See details below... thinking about it... but I hardly know the people who are going.



2 days / 2 nights 7 Skies wreck / Anambas island on White Manta

Price per diver: S$590 per diver

Include: 2 nights twim or quah share cabin, all meals, tanks, weight belt, dive guide, coffee, tea, Milo, snacks, fruits.

BRIEF ITINERARY

Friday - Meeting at Tanah Merah ferry Terminal at 6.30pm. We hope to sail off by 7.00pm

Saturday - Diving at Anambas island, 7 Skies wreck

Sunday - Diving at Pinnicales , and Jack Rock, arrive TMFT about 9pm

Looks like the Party is over... for the moment

Morgan Stanley issues triple sell warning on equities
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Last Updated: 1:34am BST 06/06/2007

Morgan Stanley has advised clients to slash exposure to the stock
market after its three key warning indicators began flashing a "Full
House" sell signal for the first time since the dotcom bust.

Morgan Stanley warns the 'mid-cycle rally is over'

Teun Draaisma, chief of European equities strategist for the US
investment bank, said the triple warning was a "very powerful" signal
that had been triggered just five times since 1980.

"Interest rates are rising and reaching critical levels. This matters
more than growth for equities, so we think the mid-cycle rally is
over. Our model is forecasting a 14pc correction over the next six
months, but it could be more serious," he said. Mr Draaisma said the
MSCI index of 600 European and British equities had dropped by an
average of 15.2pc over six months after each "Full House" signal, with
falls of 25.2pc after September 1987 and 26.2pc after April 2002. "We
prefer to be on the right side of these odds," he said.

The first of the three signals Morgan Stanley monitors is a "composite
valuation indicator" that divides the price/earnings ratio on stocks
by bond yields. It measures "median" share prices that capture the
froth of the merger boom, rather than relying on a handful of big
companies on the major indexes.

"If you look at all shares, the p/e ratio is at an all-time high of
20," he said.

The other two gauges measure fundamentals such as growth and
inflation, as well as risk appetite. "Investors are taking far too
much comfort from global liquidity. Markets always return to
fundamental value, so people could be in for a rude awakening. This is
the greater fool theory," he said. "The trigger may be rate rises by
the Bank of Japan, or a widening of credit spreads. There are lots of
little triggers."

Morgan Stanley is not predicting a recession, believing bond yields
will fall during a correction and act as an "automatic stabiliser" for
the world economy. Once the market shakes off the latest excesses,
it's back to the races.

Swimming may harm infants' lungs

In recent news... http://www.reuters.com
Thursday June 7, 06:54 AM
Indoor pools 'may harm infants' lungs'

Infant swimming lessons in an indoor pool may have the unintended effect of raising some children's risk of asthma later on, new research suggests.

In a study of 341 schoolchildren, Belgian researchers found that the 43 children who had been enrolled in a swimming program as infants were about three times more likely to have asthma or suffer recurrent bouts of bronchitis than children who did not.

The problem, according to the researchers, is that chlorine byproducts may irritate infants' developing airways, causing changes that make them more susceptible to lung disease later in childhood.

Lead author Dr Albert Bernard and colleagues at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels report the findings in the journal Pediatrics.

Past studies have found that competitive swimmers and people who work around indoor pools tend to have elevated rates of asthma. Experts suspect that the air quality around pools - particularly indoor ones - is to blame.

When the chlorine used to disinfect pools combines with swimmers' sweat, saliva or urine, irritating chlorine byproducts are formed. One of these is a gas called trichloramine, which is released into the air, giving indoor pool areas their distinctive "chlorine" smell. Trichloramine is known to irritate the eyes and upper respiratory tract.

Read the rest here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKRA67435120070606

Exercising at California Gym

The person or people who put the music on at California Gym Orchard Road ought to get a good beating. Damnit, how is a man suppose to do his training sets lifting weights whilst in the background Ricky Ashley/Samantha Fox etc.. is playing??? Hardly the sort of music that helps you lift weights for a set of six reps. Who the hell chooses these sorts of music. WTF.

After gym I was dog tired. I went back home took a shower (why I don't shower at Cal is a subject I'll talk about some other time). Went out - got a bite to eat- usual stuff steamed chicken with ginger and chilli. My arms felt like falling out of their sockets when I opened the door.

Someone invited me to join her group for another scuba diving trip. See details below... thinking about it... but I hardly know the people who are going.



2 days / 2 nights 7 Skies wreck / Anambas island on White Manta

Price per diver: S$590 per diver

Include: 2 nights twim or quah share cabin, all meals, tanks, weight belt, dive guide, coffee, tea, Milo, snacks, fruits.

BRIEF ITINERARY

Friday - Meeting at Tanah Merah ferry Terminal at 6.30pm. We hope to sail off by 7.00pm

Saturday - Diving at Anambas island, 7 Skies wreck

Sunday - Diving at Pinnicales , and Jack Rock, arrive TMFT about 9pm

Looks like the Party is over... for the moment

Morgan Stanley issues triple sell warning on equities
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Last Updated: 1:34am BST 06/06/2007

Morgan Stanley has advised clients to slash exposure to the stock
market after its three key warning indicators began flashing a "Full
House" sell signal for the first time since the dotcom bust.

Morgan Stanley warns the 'mid-cycle rally is over'

Teun Draaisma, chief of European equities strategist for the US
investment bank, said the triple warning was a "very powerful" signal
that had been triggered just five times since 1980.

"Interest rates are rising and reaching critical levels. This matters
more than growth for equities, so we think the mid-cycle rally is
over. Our model is forecasting a 14pc correction over the next six
months, but it could be more serious," he said. Mr Draaisma said the
MSCI index of 600 European and British equities had dropped by an
average of 15.2pc over six months after each "Full House" signal, with
falls of 25.2pc after September 1987 and 26.2pc after April 2002. "We
prefer to be on the right side of these odds," he said.

The first of the three signals Morgan Stanley monitors is a "composite
valuation indicator" that divides the price/earnings ratio on stocks
by bond yields. It measures "median" share prices that capture the
froth of the merger boom, rather than relying on a handful of big
companies on the major indexes.

"If you look at all shares, the p/e ratio is at an all-time high of
20," he said.

The other two gauges measure fundamentals such as growth and
inflation, as well as risk appetite. "Investors are taking far too
much comfort from global liquidity. Markets always return to
fundamental value, so people could be in for a rude awakening. This is
the greater fool theory," he said. "The trigger may be rate rises by
the Bank of Japan, or a widening of credit spreads. There are lots of
little triggers."

Morgan Stanley is not predicting a recession, believing bond yields
will fall during a correction and act as an "automatic stabiliser" for
the world economy. Once the market shakes off the latest excesses,
it's back to the races.