Liu Hanxue

Get inspired

2012-12-17T08:18:00.001+08:00

Once in a while, we find ourselves demotivated. We ask if the path we have chosen for life is the correct one; our efforts today will yield the results we want tomorrow. Is the world still a good place to live in, with guns ablazing and the massacre in the Middle East.

Kindness Makes the World Go Round

The good news is, love still makes the world go round. Every day, there are little acts of kindness that may have gone unnoticed. Why not read those inspiring stories and perk up our lives instead?

Better yet, when you leave your home or your office today, do something good. Say "thank you" to the bus driver. Smile at the street cleaner, or any strangers you have come across. It costs you nothing to do it, and it will make both you and your recipient happy.

Here's a story that happened to me a few weeks ago. I was taking the Kelana Jaya-Gombak LRT when a piece of metal fell off the door and started to produce a very annoying screeching sound as it scraped against the rail track. As a typical Malaysian, here's what I did: nothing. I hoped the screeching will stop after a while, or someone else will take care of it. Nobody did. So after 2 stops, I got up from my seat, grabbed that piece of metal and re-positioned it to stop the screeching sound.

But that is not the focus of the story. Shortly after that, a man who was standing nearby took out a pack of tissue from his bag and offered it to me. Honestly, it was an awkward moment. I declined, and told him I will be getting off at the next stop and I can clean my hands then. As much as possible, I avoid using tissue paper to reduce waste. The act of offering me tissue and appreciating my effort was the one that counts. It made me feel good for the rest of the day, and I walked with extra spring in my steps. I am sure it had a similar effect to that man too.

Positive Input = Better Mood

Therefore, instead of reading reading the regular news all the while, try reading something that is inspiring or positive. Even though they may not seem to be important in the eyes of the world, what counts is the impact towards yourself. These are the news / blog sources that I read from time to time to stay motivated:

Likewise, surround yourself with positive, upbeat people. There is always a choice in life, some people choose to stay happy no matter what are the circumstances, and others temporarily cannot find the strength to be positive in the face of adversity. You can always choose to spend more time with happy, self-assured individuals and learn from their actions and speech. Over time, you will find yourself to be more positive and motivated, too.

Regulate Your Lifestyle

Besides being kind and consuming positive content, are there anything else you can do to stay motivated? From my own experienced, regulating my habits and lifestyle makes a lot of difference. Sure, there are nights when I have to spit out code (programming), rush through a presentation and stayed up all night. Then again I will have to pay the price by feeling exhausted for the next few days, or somedays experiencing debilitating headaches.

Every time you change your waking hours and activities, you put your body and mind through a lot of strain. As a result, the extra effort will sap away energy from the tasks that you need to focus on. Except for the rare cases of genuine circadian rhythm disorder, the rest of us can and should regulate our sleeping hours. That is true even if you are a night owl - see the section "Normal circadian rhythm" on this Wikipedia article.

Another added benefit when you have a more structured lifestyle is you do less thinking on habitual activities. The psychological definition of habit is a fixed activity born through repetition, and does not engage in self-analysis. Less decision making on mundane activities, more brain power for important decisions in your life.

Why pile additional stress by having irregular sleeping hours when there is enough stress from other areas in life? Try to find a schedule that fits you and stick to that.

Exercise

Always make sure you have regular exercise. Here's a shortcut: walking a lot every day. Instead of driving out for lunch, why not walk to a restaurant nearby? Likewise, walk to the convenience store to buy your newspaper or bread. Walking has been known to increase your brainpower and indirectly improves your memory. You can improve your mood too.

The reason why I try to walk a lot is because it is a great activity for stacking: performing more than one task at a time. Whilst walking, I can relax my mind and enjoy the surrounding. I can choose to walk with a loved one and spend some quality time, or walk with a colleague and discuss about business issues. At the same time, I am reaching my destination and working out. That's killing many birds with one stone.

Besides walking, try to have some heavy workout at least twice a week. Signing up for a gym membership is a great way - the pain from paying the monthly dues is a big motivating factor! There are cheaper alternatives such as jogging, swimming and other outdoor activities. If you are in the Klang Valley area, do join the KL Hiking Meetup Group - there is an organized hike almost every week, with different difficulty ratings.

I notice that whenever I stop exercising regularly, I actually become less productive, and more prone to mood swings. Even though exercising takes away some time from work, I still gain more by increasing my mental acuity and physical health, or uptime for the geeks.

Here's an insightful quote from Paul Graham:

It's a net win to exercise. You're repaid for the couple hours a week you lose with greater productivity during the remaining hours.

This is the crucial mistake:

"How much time does a bootstrapped company take? All of it."
That's not true. What a startup (bootstrapped or not) takes is 100% of your performance, not 100% of your time. And optimizing for performance means spending some time on maintenance.

Get Inspired

There you go, 3 simple things you can do to get inspired:

Perform small acts of kindness
Surround yourself with positive news and people
Regulate your lifestyle and exercise often

There are 2 weeks left in 2012, so seize the day and make every waking moment count!

Chinese understand humour. Or maybe not.

2012-12-16T16:00:00.002+08:00

There has always been that impression Chinese in general do not understand jokes. Everyone, including Chinese, can connect with a skit such as this one

That's not to say the Chinese do not have a sense of humour. There is a rich literature of jokes and ditties, and if you understand Mandarin you will laugh your guts out with various types of humour performances.

When it comes to English jokes, the language barrier, especially the vast differences in language construct and cultural views makes them hard to be understood by Chinese who are not English-educated.

Kim Jong-un, Sexiest Man Alive

Taking into account with these differences, a spoof as obvious as naming Kim Jong-un as the sexiest man alive ought not result in a 55-page photo spread in the The People's Daily with the following quote

`'With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman's dream come true."

"Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper's editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile

End of the World

If that is not enough, see the Chinese' reaction to Julia Gillard's End of the World spoof. In the 1-minute video, the Australian Prime Minister said,

Whether the final blow comes from flesh eating zombies, demonic hell beasts or from the total triumph of K-pop, if you know one thing about me it is this: I will always fight for you to the very end.

Some of the reactions on Weibo range from

is this video real?

This can't be possible, that a head of state is talking this way.

How many glasses or bottles has Sister Prime Minister drunk?

Why has the Prime Minister of Australia been convinced that all this end of the world business is true when this type of thing has no scientific basis? She's misleading her country.

You know the famous saying about a joke truly worth its value when the listener laugh thrice - once when he listened to it, another time when it is explained to him and finally when he actually understands it? Thanks to YouTube and the Internet, we can now laugh at other people's response to jokes.

Will All Hell Break Loose or Hell Freezes Over

2012-12-12T22:06:00.003+08:00

When you have some free time, go over to Quora and pick up some useful nugget of information. Such as this the big question:

Is Hell Exothermic or Endothermic?

Read Quote of Elliott Payne's answer to Humor: What is the geekiest joke? on Quora

好的事情 Lyrics Translation - Beautiful Moments

2012-12-12T00:38:00.001+08:00

Title: 好的事情 Beautiful Moments
Artiste: 严爵 Yán jué

休息是为了走更长的路
Xiūxí shì wèile zǒu gèng zhǎng de lù
你就是我的旅途
Nǐ jiùshì wǒ de lǚtú
都是因为你我一直漫步
Dōu shì yīnwèi nǐ wǒ yīzhí mànbù

Resting (taking a break) is to prepare for a longer journey
My journey, is actually you
For your sake, I have slowed my footsteps

想要跟你一起走到最后
Xiǎng yào gēn nǐ yīqǐ zǒu dào zuìhòu
但我遗失了地图
Dàn wǒ yíshīle dìtú
谁给谁束缚

Shuí gěi shuí shùfù

谁比谁辛苦
Shuí bǐ shuí xīnkǔ
爱到深处才会领悟
Ài dào shēn chù cái huì lǐngwù

I wish to walk with you all the way to the end
But I lost the map
Who is the one giving comfort?
Who is the one who suffers more?
Only in the throes of suffering will one understand

好的事情最后虽然结束
Hǎo de shìqíng zuìhòu suīrán jiéshù
感动十分就有十分满足
Gǎndòng shí fèn jiù yǒu shífēn mǎnzú
谢谢你是你陪我走过那些路
Xièxiè nǐ shì nǐ péi wǒ zǒuguò nàxiē lù
痛是以后无法再给你幸福
Tòng shì yǐhòu wúfǎ zài gěi nǐ xìngfú

Although beautiful moments do not last forever,
one will be completely satisfied when one is truly moved (by feelings).
Thank you for accompanying me throughout the journey,
the pain stems from my being unable to give you happiness.

好的事情也许能够重复
Hǎo de shìqíng yěxǔ nénggòu chóngfù
感动时分就算纷纷模糊
Gǎndòng shí fèn jiùsuàn fēnfēn móhú
不要哭至少你和我记得很清楚
Bùyào kū zhìshǎo nǐ hé wǒ jìde hěn qīngchu
爱是为彼此祝福
Ài shì wèi bǐcǐ zhùfú

Beautiful moments can happen again too
I was truly moved even though there was confusion
Please don't cry, at least we remembered clearly
To love is to be happy for one another

想要跟你一起走到最后
Xiǎng yào gēn nǐ yīqǐ zǒu dào zuìhòu
但我遗失了地图Dàn wǒ yíshīle dìtú
谁给谁束缚

Shuí gěi shuí shùfù

谁比谁辛苦
Shuí bǐ shuí xīnkǔ
爱到深处才会领悟
Ài dào shēn chù cái huì lǐngwù

I wish to walk with you all the way to the end

But I lost the map
Who is the one giving comfort?
Who is the one who suffers more?
Only in the throes of suffering will one understand

好的事情最后虽然结束
Hǎo de shìqíng zuìhòu suīrán jiéshù
感动十分就有十分满足
Gǎndòng shí fèn jiù yǒu shífēn mǎnzú
谢谢你是你陪我走过那些路
Xièxiè nǐ shì nǐ péi wǒ zǒuguò nàxiē lù
痛是以后无法再给你幸福
Tòng shì yǐhòu wúfǎ zài gěi nǐ xìngfú

Although beautiful moments do not last forever,
one will be completely satisfied when one is truly moved (by feelings).
Thank you for accompanying me throughout the journey,
the pain stems from my being unable to give you happiness.

好的事情也许能够重复
Hǎo de shìqíng yěxǔ nénggòu chóngfù
感动时分就算纷纷模糊
Gǎndòng shí fèn jiùsuàn fēnfēn móhú
不要哭至少你和我记得很清楚
Bùyào kū zhìshǎo nǐ hé wǒ jìde hěn qīngchu
爱是为彼此祝福
Ài shì wèi bǐcǐ zhùfú

Beautiful moments can happen again too
I was truly moved even though there was confusion
Please don't cry, at least we remembered clearly
To love is to be happy for one another

不要哭至少你和我记得很清楚
Bùyào kū zhìshǎo nǐ hé wǒ jìde hěn qīngchu
爱是为彼此祝福
Ài shì wèi bǐcǐ zhùfú

Please don't cry, at least we remembered clearly
To love is to be happy for one another

What Does It Mean If A Girl Smiles At You?

2012-12-07T21:03:00.001+08:00

Here's an age-old question: what does it mean when a girl smiles at you? Does it mean she likes you? Or she is just being friendly to everyone she sees, including you?

Why wonder when you can use Mathematics, or more specifically Bayes theorem to answer it.

Read Quote of Anon User's answer to What does it mean when a girl smiles at you every time she sees you? on Quora
Find this answer hilarious? Find meaningful ways to spend your free time by visiting Quora today.

Microsoft and Intel's Public Lobbying in Malaysia

2012-10-21T17:58:00.002+08:00

Does anyone know how much and in what form of public lobbying for large enterprises such as Microsoft and Intel's lobbying in Malaysia? The reason I am asking is because SKMM's tender for Phase 4B of the 1Malaysia netbook project specifies using Intel CPUs and Microsoft software. Understandable if it specifies Windows 7 as a choice, but it goes to the extent of specifying "Microsoft Digital Learning Suite inclusive of Office 2010".

As a government agency, SKMM has no rights in determining which software vendor's solution should be used. Interestingly enough, it does not prescribe a preferred broadband service provider - which is the way it should be done.

The tender stinks of suspicion, especially looking at Microsoft's poor records in using underhand tactics to promote it's products. See for example, Microsoft's indirect lobbying against OpenDocument Format (ODF) back in 2008, in Malaysia and the Phillipines.

Interestingly enough, Microsoft's annual report declares how much of contribution to politicians it gives, down to individual House of Representatives and Senators' names. Surely it can do the same on lobbying on a per-country basis?

Election time SMS spam

2012-10-19T12:17:00.001+08:00

I have been getting these really annoying SMS'es:

Number: +60179318269
Date: 19-Oct-2012
Time: 10:50:21 AM GMT+8
Message: RM0.00 Untuk Selangor kerajaan mana yg bagus,PR ke BN? For Selangor which govt is good, PR or BN? Sila jwb, cajnya 1sen shj. Dari penganalisa bebas.

Number: +60135222629
Date: 16-Oct-2012
Time: 04:02:02 PM GMT+8
Message: Setakat ini kerajaan mana anda suka, PR atau BN? Up to now which govt you like, PR or BN?Sila jwb caj 1 sen shj. dari penganalisa politik bebas.

Number: +60179312740
Date: 06-Oct-2012
Time: 01:50:54 PM GMT+8
Message: Siapakah yang terbaik untuk Selangor, PR/BN pada PRU13 akan datang? (Kaji selidik ini dikendalikan oleh pikah ketiga)

I have tried calling and SMS'ing these numbers various times but with no response. I wanted to know who they really are before I respond.

As far as I know, the real NGOs in Malaysia are almost always cash-strapped and barely have enough resources to pursue their goals. None of them will have the additional time and resource to conduct such mass surveys - and for what purpose?

I suspect these surveys are actually conducted by a market survey firm, funded by a political coalition. Which political coalition? Your guess is as good as mine ;-)

Dilemma - to eat or not to eat

2012-10-18T17:17:00.002+08:00

So I am finishing up my McDonald's McValue meal with some french fries left and thinking to myself - should I finish the fries or not? I know I should not waste food when 35.7% of the world is living in poverty. On the other hand, the number of people who are obese is fast increasing (35.9% of the adult population in US in the period 2009-2010) and it is not healthy to eat more than is necessary.

So what should a rational person do?

Now this may sound like a trivial example, but we often get into such a dilemma. More often than not, we act in a reactive manner: "Ah, sod it, I am just gonna finish up the chips, to hell with my cholesterol reading. I paid for the chips after all". Or perhaps, "Well, I donate to charities and contribute to the society through my work, and I cannot use these chips to feed any hungry children can I? So I am going to bin this."

Either decision is not a wise one. I shall explain why.

The act of decision making process is just as important as the decision itself. After all, being one of the few living beings with a well-developed cerebral cortex and not using it akin to what Goethe said, "He who cannot draw on 3000 years is living hand to mouth".

Let's recognize the facts around this dilemma

The McDonald's meal has x amount of food, of which you cannot finish the fries
Over-eating is bad for health
There are poor and hungry people all over the world

You also know that

Eating more than necessary is bad for your health
Actually, eating a McDonald's meal is bad for health
You cannot use the additional food to feed someone
You can, however, be sensitive to the choices that you make and the suffering of other less fortunate people

So the solution is easy, isn't it? Do not order more than necessary and you will not even fall into this situation. To actually have the dilemma shows that you are conscious of your actions - a very good scenario to be in. You are also reminded of the poor and make it a point to do something about it. For example, you can loan money through Kiva.

Now go out and enjoy the beautiful world, and do some good to yourself and the rest of the world!

How to sell Covered Calls?

2012-10-18T12:50:00.000+08:00

You have probably heard of stock options and trading in options. A very small minority of people made a lot of money from trading in stock options, while a lot of people have lost money. That is primarily because most stock traders use it to leverage profit/loss, instead of the original purposes of stock options: using it to hedge risks.

I have not traded options because of the simply reason that I have only gone long on stocks (that is, purchasing a slice of a company or fund with the expectation that the price will go up so that I can pocket the profit). Now that I have read more from Stansberry Research newsletters, I am convinced that using options in a considered manner can bring profit in a low risk, almost "guaranteed income" manner.

Today's S&A Digest has an excellent explanation on covered calls:

Let's say you buy a piece of property for $200,000. You then turn around and sell someone the right to buy it from you anytime in the next three months for $210,000. For that right, you charge a premium of 4%, or $8,000. You pocket the $8,000 immediately. It's your money now. You are also obligated to sell the property for $210,000 if the buyer chooses to exercise his right.

This scenario has three possible outcomes…

1) The property goes up in value, and the buyer exercises his right to buy. In this case, you've pocketed the $8,000 premium, and you'll be selling the property for $210,000. That's an $18,000 gain (9%) in three months. You'll have to buy another piece of property in order to continue the strategy.

2) The property keeps its $200,000 value. In this case, you keep the $8,000 premium. Since the buyer won't be willing to pay $210,000 for a property that's only worth $200,000, you'll keep the property, too. You've made 4% in three months, and you can sell the right to someone else for another three months, repeating the process.

3) The property falls in value. In this case, the $8,000 premium you received helps to offset the loss on the property. The property can fall $8,000 in value before you lose any money. The buyer walks away when the right expires, and you're free to sell another right for another time period.

If the investment goes up, we sell it for a gain. If the investment stays the same, we profit off the premium. And if the investment drops in value, the premium helps offset the loss.

All this still sounds like rocket science to you? Let's take a real world example:

Here's how it worked with an actual trade Jeff recommended to Advanced Income readers…

In his January issue, Jeff identified for subscribers how gold exploration company Paramount Gold (PZG) held more than $11 billion in precious metal resources… but had a market cap of just $320 million.

The huge discount set up an excellent opportunity to sell covered calls on the company. Jeff's subscribers were able to buy shares of Paramount Gold at $2.35, and sell his recommended PZG June calls with a strike price of $2.50 for $0.45 each… (Remember, with options, you trade in increments of 100 shares.)

This meant subscribers who followed Jeff's advice paid $235 for 100 shares of Paramount Gold… and immediately received $45 for the calls. Those calls obligated subscribers to sell their stock at $2.50 a share (that's the "strike price") if Paramount shares sold for more than that by June 15 (the day the option would expire). Otherwise, they'd keep the $45 and still hold the shares.

In fact… Paramount shares closed June 15 at $2.37 a share. So subscribers kept the upfront payment (known as the option "premium") and continued holding shares.

Before you make the leap to selling covered calls, take note of 2 important risk factors

Underlying equity could fall in value. It may mean you lose 50% or even 100% of your money. Therefore, sell covered calls only on stocks with great value (Walmart, Intel, etc)
Limited upside - the stock may increase by 500% but you are limited on the premium you earn

思念 (Yearning)

2012-10-17T20:33:00.003+08:00

Yearning by Tanya Chua

思念 - 蔡健雅

堆积所有对你的思念

Duījī suǒyǒu duì nǐ de sīniàn
把思念推进个黑暗的房间
Bǎ sīniàn tuījìn gè hēi'àn de fángjiān
房间就在厨房的后面
Fángjiān jiù zài chúfáng de hòumiàn
没人会发现
Méi rén huì fāxiàn

Thinking of all the longing I have for you,
I'm pushing these feelings into a dark, dark room
(room) behind the kitchen
Where no one knows

烟不离手把自己灌醉
Yān bùlí shǒu bà zìjǐ guàn zuì
醉醒过后笑自己有多狼狈
Zuì xǐng guòhòu xiào zìjǐ yǒu duō lángbèi
泡的咖啡有苦的滋味
Pào de kāfēi yǒu kǔ de zīwèi
我睁开了眼　忘记你是谁
Wǒ zhēng kāile yǎn wàngjì nǐ shì shuí

Smoking non-stop and getting myself drunk
Feeling wasted after the hangover
Even the coffee I make is filled with bitterness
When I open up my eyes, I forget who you are

让风筝自由干脆剪断了线
Ràng fēngzhēng zìyóu gāncuì jiǎnduànle xiàn
让它往蓝天空　随风而飞
Ràng tā wǎng lán tiānkōng suí fēng ér fēi
越飞越高直到看不见
Yuè fēiyuè gāo zhídào kàn bùjiàn
像电影里的画面
Xiàng diànyǐng lǐ de huàmiàn

I'm cutting off the string of the kite, letting it float without restraints
Oh, let it be blown by the wind into the blue, blue sky
As it floats higher and higher and vanishes from my sight
Just like in a movie

这样也许能让我好过一些
Zhèyàng yěxǔ néng ràng wǒ hǎoguò yīxiē
把你当做风筝　随风而飞
Bǎ nǐ dàngzuò fēngzhēng suí fēng ér fēi
越飞越高直到无所谓
Yuè fēiyuè gāo zhídào wúsuǒwèi
我剪断了线　不再对你怀念
Wǒ jiǎnduànle xiàn bù zài duì nǐ huáiniàn

Perhaps this may make me feel better
Pretending that you are a kite, floating freely
As it flies higher and higher, but that is all right
I have cut the string loose, and will no longer miss you

让风筝自由干脆剪断了线
Ràng fēngzhēng zìyóu gāncuì jiǎnduànle xiàn
让它往蓝天空　随风而飞
Ràng tā wǎng lán tiānkōng suí fēng ér fēi
越飞越高直到看不见
Yuè fēiyuè gāo zhídào kàn bùjiàn
像电影里的画面
Xiàng diànyǐng lǐ de huàmiàn

I'm cutting of the string of the kite, letting it float without restraints
Oh, let it be blown by the wind into the blue, blue sky
As it floats higher and higher and vanishes from my sight
Just like in a movie

这样也许能让我好过一些
Zhèyàng yěxǔ néng ràng wǒ hǎoguò yīxiē
把你当做风筝　随风而飞
Bǎ nǐ dàngzuò fēngzhēng suí fēng ér fēi
越飞越高直到无所谓
Yuè fēiyuè gāo zhídào wúsuǒwèi
我剪断了线　不再对你怀念
Wǒ jiǎnduànle xiàn bù zài duì nǐ huáiniàn

Perhaps this may make me feel better
Pretending that you are a kite, floating freely
As it flies higher and higher, but that is all right
I have cut the string loose, and will no longer miss you

爱总是让人心碎　让我无法入睡
Ài zǒng shì ràng rénxīn suì ràng wǒ wúfǎ rùshuì
我又忍不住走进了房间
Wǒ yòu rěn bù zhù zǒu jìnle fángjiān
我闭上了眼　又被思念包围
Wǒ bì shàngle yǎn yòu bèi sīniàn bāowéi
又被思念包围
Yòu bèi sīniàn bāowéi

Love, only result in broken hearts, no longer able to sleep peacefully
I cannot stand it any longer, and walk into my room
As soon as I close my eyes, I am ensconced by longing
Again, ensconced by longing

那些花儿 - Those Flowers

2012-10-15T22:23:00.001+08:00

I first heard this song sung by Richie Ren in my university days. Even in those relatively carefree days, it evoked memories of longing when looking at the endless sea, warmth of relationships, splendid sunsets, coolness of the morning mist, growth and renewal of the forests. Shared memories with loved ones that is forever gone, their body turned to dust, but the dollops of love they leave in my heart will forever keep me warm in the coldest winter, spurring me to always act in compassion when facing challenges, resentment and hatred.

那些花儿 (Those Flowers)

那片笑声让我想起我的那些花儿
Nà piàn xiào shēng ràng wǒ xiǎngqǐ wǒ dì nàxiē huā er
在我生命每个角落静静为我开着
Zài wǒ shēngmìng měi gè jiǎoluò jìng jìng wèi wǒ kāizhe
我曾以为我会永远守在他身旁
Wǒ céng yǐwéi wǒ huì yǒngyuǎn shǒu zài tā shēn páng
今天我们已经离去在人海茫茫
Jīntiān wǒmen yǐjīng lí qù zài rén hǎi mángmáng

Sounds of laughter remind me of those flowers
Opens up every single corner of my life
I thought I can forever hide beside him (her)
Now, ensconed in the busyness of life

他们都老了吧?
Tāmen dōu lǎole ba?
他们在哪里呀?
Tāmen zài nǎlǐ ya?
我们就这样各自奔天涯
Wǒmen jiù zhèyàng gèzì bēn tiānyá

Are they already aged?
Where are they now?
We each seek our own paths, to the ends of the world

啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…想她.
LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa…xiǎng tā.
啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…她还在开吗?
LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa…tā hái zài kāi ma
啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…去呀!
Lā lā lā lā lā lā lā lā…qù ya
她们已经被风吹走散落在天涯
Tāmen yǐjīng bèi fēng chuī zǒu sànluò zài tiānyá

Lalalalalala..I'm missing her
Lalalalalala... is she still blooming?
Lalalalalala...going there
Blown by the wind, they are scattered to the ends of the world

有些故事还没讲完那就算了吧
Yǒuxiē gùshì hái méi jiǎng wán nà jiùsuànle ba
那些心情在岁月中已经难辨真假
Nàxiē xīnqíng zài suìyuè zhōng yǐjīng nán biàn zhēn jiǎ
如今这里荒草丛生没有了鲜花
Rújīn zhèlǐ huāngcǎo cóngshēng méiyǒule xiānhuā
好在曾经拥有你们的春秋和冬夏
Hǎo zài céngjīng yǒngyǒu nǐmen de chūnqiū hé dōngxià

Let's just forget, the stories that have not been completely told
Those deep feelings over the years, so hard to tell which is true, and which is false
Fresh flowers no longer bloomed, weeds have grown in their place
So glad of the Springs,Autumns,Winters and Summers that I have spent with you

啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…想她.
LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa…xiǎng tā.
啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…她还在开吗?
LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa…tā hái zài kāi ma
啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦…去呀!
Lā lā lā lā lā lā lā lā…qù ya
她们已经被风吹走散落在天涯
Tāmen yǐjīng bèi fēng chuī zǒu sànluò zài tiānyá

Lalalalalala..I'm missing her
Lalalalalala... is she still blooming?
Lalalalalala...going there
Blown by the wind, they are scattered to the ends of the world

他们都老了吧?
Tāmen dōu lǎole ba?
他们在哪里呀?
Tāmen zài nǎlǐ ya?
我们就这样各自奔天涯
Wǒmen jiù zhèyàng gèzì bēn tiānyá

Are they already aged?
Where are they now?
We each seek our own paths, to the ends of the world

Where have all the flowers gone?

Where the flowers gone?

Where have all the young girls gone?

Where did they all gone?

Where have all the young men gone?

Where the soldiers gone?

Where have all the graveyards gone?

Where have all they gone?

This beautiful version is sung by Fan Weiqi, although I prefer the original by 朴樹.

Winter

2012-10-12T09:34:00.003+08:00

And then it is Winter.

You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly

and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young,
just married and embarking on my new life with my mate.
And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago,
and I wonder where all the years went.

I know that I lived them all...

And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams...
But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...
How did I get here so fast?
Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well...
seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people
were years away from me and that winter was so far off
that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...

But, here it is...
my friends are retired and getting grey...
they move slower and I see an older person now.
Some are in better and some worse shape than me...
but, I see the great change...
Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...
but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks
that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!
And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory!
Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...
now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared
for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability
to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...
this I know, that when it's over... its over...
Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...
things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done.
It's all in a lifetime...

So, if you're not in your winter yet...
let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think.
So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly!
Don't put things off too long!!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today,
as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life... so,
live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...
and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things
that you have done for them in all the years past!!

"Life is a gift to you.
The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after.
Make it a fantastic one."

LIVE IT WELL!
ENJOY TODAY!
DO SOMETHING FUN!
BE HAPPY! BE THANKFUL!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold or silver."

~ Anonymous ~

Little girls deserve to go to school too

2012-10-11T17:00:00.000+08:00

This morning a friend tagged me on a Facebook post, that has this haunting photograph of Malala Yousufzai

The caption that comes with it goes like this:

Easy guys, we're about to get serious (very briefly).

This is Malala Yousufzai. She's fourteen years old, and lives in Pakistan. Today, she was shot in the head for speaking out against the fact that under the Pakistani Taliban, women are not educated.

She was shot in the head for saying she should be able to go to school.

According to various news sources, the bullet did not enter her brain and she is stable.

It's very nice for us to sit here, and talk about how much we fucking love science. Almost every one of us had the opportunity to go to school, and to learn (even if some of us didn't appreciate that opportunity at the time). Yet on the other side of the world, children are dying for the right to go to school.

I don't mean to preach, and I'm sorry if I'm bumming you all out. I just thought this should noted by us: value your education. Value that you've had the opportunity to fucking love science. Some never get that chance, and some would die for that chance.

Malala Yousufzai, speaking in 2009 aged eleven: "I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education. And I'm afraid of no one."

For more information on how she is:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19893309

This really saddens me. No child deserve to be left behind, what more to be shot at, in a blatant attempt to murder her. She was simply speaking her mind and asserting her rights as a fellow human being, just like everyone of us.

A friend proposed to fly her to Malaysia so that she can have the education that she deserves. We can share the original Facebook post. We can even hold protests, design large placards carrying strong messages. How much of impact will those actions cause? A lot, in the short run. But will it solve the long term problems?

I do not think that is going to make much of any difference in the long run. Pakistan has a population of 185 million people. 37.2% of them are children 15 years and below, that makes 68.78 million children. Half of them female, that is 34.39 million female children - more than the population of Malaysia. Suppose we manage to bring Malala here. What difference does it make to the 34,389,999 girls left behind?

Imagine what kind of political uproar and backlash innocent girls will face if we brazenly fly Malala to another country to ensure she has access to education.

We need Malala and her likes to stay in Pakistan and keep speaking out. We need to show our love and solidarity with them. We can do it by applying pressure. Whether directly by writing to the Pakistani government, or indirectly through our own government and NGOs.

So here's what I have done; I have written to the Pakistan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, and this is the letter reproduced in full.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hanxue Lee
Date: Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 2:46 PM
Subject: Protest over treatment of Malala Yousafzai
To: pahickl@gmail.com

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am a Malaysian citizen and I read with concern about what happened to Malala Yousafzai http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19893309

Every child deserves to be educated, irregardless of his/her gender. Referring to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Pakistan is a signatory country, Article 26 states that:

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Similarly here are selected points from the UN's Declaration of the Rights of the Child:

1		The child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this Declaration. Every child, without any exception whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights, without distinction or discrimination on account of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, whether of himself or of his family.
2		The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.
3		The child shall be entitled from his birth to a name and a nationality.
4		The child shall enjoy the benefits of social security. He shall be entitled to grow and develop in health; to this end, special care and protection shall be provided both to him and to his mother, including adequate pre-natal and post-natal care. The child shall have the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.
5		The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.
6		The child, for the full and harmonious development of his personality, needs love and understanding. He shall, wherever possible, grow up in the care and under the responsibility of his parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security; a child of tender years shall not, save in exceptional circumstances, be separated from his mother. Society and the public authorities shall have the duty to extend particular care to children without a family and to those without adequate means of support. Payment of State and other assistance towards the maintenance of children of large families is desirable.
7		The child is entitled to receive education, which shall be free and compulsory, at least in the elementary stages. He shall be given an education which will promote his general culture and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity, to develop his abilities, his individual judgement, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society. The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with his parents. The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavour to promote the enjoyment of this right.
8		The child shall in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief.
9		The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form. The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.
10		The child shall be protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any other form of discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be devoted to the service of his fellow men.

I wish to understand the Pakistan government's stand in this issue, and what are the concrete steps that will be taken to ensure such a tragedy will not happen again, and all 68.78 million Pakistani children has equal access to education and safety from extremists.

This shall be an open letter that will be published on the Internet, and I am confident to hear positive replies from you.

Best regards,

Hanxue

I have also written to the Foreign Minister of Malaysia and my own MP. Let's see if they take action.

If I were the only one, I do not think there will be much impact. But if each of you reading it take just five minutes of your time, and copy the email above and send it through the correct channel, it will certainly have an impact.

We live in an open word today, and no government can afford to ignore the masses. In fact, most of us always complain that the government holds all the power. The fact is the power is in our hands. We just need to take it back and exercise it with wisdom.

Do yourself, Malala and all Pakistani girls a favour: write to the Pakistani government and your own Member of Parliament today.

I just want to walk your dog. Really!

2012-10-07T18:15:00.001+08:00

Fanciful Quora answer that made my day

Read Quote of Lisa Lin's answer to Craigslist: What are the best Craigslist advertisements of all time? on Quora

Laziness and Tiredness

2012-10-05T18:40:00.003+08:00

We often feel lazy. It's a Sunday afternoon and why not just turn on the television and flip through channels, or listen to some random music? Scroll through Facebook updates or randomly call up a friend. Oft-times we even become lazy not by doing a completely relaxing, non-productive activity, but by avoiding the harder tasks and instead check our work email, submit the claims report and so on.

Whenever I see a friend complaining about being lazy, I tend to chastise them. At the same time I will never advocate pushing to body to the limits or beyond. So how to resolve these seemingly conflicting thoughts?

Laziness is from the heart

We feel lazy due to a conscious decision. Instead of washing the dishes immediately after dinner, we choose to procastinate and watch the television. We may feel tired after a long day's work, but we certainly still have the full ability to do the task (washing dishes, taking a shower, walk the dog, etc). Somewhere in the depths of our brains, or what is left after surviving the Malaysian education system, a thought arises and tempts you with, "You know, the world will not end if you don't walk your dog. Surely you don't want to miss out on what's happening on Facebook when it's a Friday evening and everyone's talking there". Then you decide to ignore your responsibility and escape from reality for a bit.

Somewhere in our heart, we have that niggling feeling that something is not right. That's our conscience speaking, asking us to move our lazy butt and do the right thing. That is also another decision point - do you go ahead and do the right thing, or procastinate and be irresponsible for a while - sometimes with negative consequences?

Let me try to connect this with my own spiritual practice. When I go for a guided meditation retreat, drowsiness is always a problem. Some of it stems from genuine, physical tiredness - which I will touch shortly. Most of the time though, is simply the mind feeling restless and not actively doing anything for a long period of time, long being 1-2 minutes sometimes. The trick is to patiently sit through the drowsy periods and the drowsiness will go away. So make sure you get enough sleep in such a situation, and keep waking up at 4.30 am to condition your mind. You will notice your mind becomes more energetic even after the meditation retreat.

Another story I have often heard is Ajahn Chah often made his disciples sit through long Dhamma talks or sitting session until 1 or 2 am, yet the monks still need to continue to wake up at the usual time (3.30 am if I am not mistaken) the next morning. The reason Ajahn Chah does that is to teach his discipline to maintain the calmness of the mind under any circumstances, including trying ones. For that is an effective way to mould the heart.

Tiredness is from the body

How about genuine physical exhaustion? If what I said above is true, then why not force ourselves to go with less sleep? Try out some body hacks? That is unfortunately another extreme. I know in the West people like to do things according to scientific methods, to maximize productivity and so on. However, maximizing your physical ability without figuring out the meaning of your life is like turbo-charging your car that is going to the wrong direction - you will only suffer more. We see more and more people suffering depression even though the quality of life in most parts of the world has never been better, because people feel lost. Now, body hacking is something that in general I avoid; it is far better to patiently train your mind and mold your heart than to squeeze every bit of "performance" out of your body.

How do you deal with laziness

So how can we tell if it is real tiredness? Easy - that is when we do not have any conscious thoughts of escaping our responsibilities, and we do not feel any guilt at all when resting. Personally I have gone through a punishing schedule this week. Yesterday morning while walking towards the LRT station, I can feel the sole of my shoes dragging on the road. Even when I was consciously trying to speed up my foot steps because I was late. That, to me, was a clear sign that my body is screaming to get more rest.

When you know you are being lazy, how do you react? Make sure you do not punish yourself excessively. We are only humans and we pick up bad habits from so many sources. Forgive ourselves and remind ourselves that the next time a similar situation arises, we will avoid procrastinating. By chastising yourself too harshly, you will only allow feelings of guilt to grow, and begin a vicious cycle of avoiding responsibility and blaming yourself.

Let me leave you with the quote below. Have a great weekend!

Laziness is from the heart, tiredness is from the body. All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!

P/S: I would like to hear from you too. You can comment below.

Just Do It - Inspiration from Pa Sang Style

2012-09-24T15:20:00.000+08:00

Have you always have an awesome idea, really wanted to do it, and then let it wither away and regret about it? Well, don't. Just go and do it. Yes, we have our commitments to family, to work and other social responsibilities. Sure, we only have 24 hours a day and it already fills up to the brim. But is your idea great enough that you are willing to stay up an hour or two later than usual? Putting off trimming the lawn or any other non-critical tasks?

Better yet, instead of spending time on social networking sites such as Facebook, or watching another television programme, why not seize the moment and just execute the idea? Turn your dream into reality. Contributing to something amazing, something creative and something useful.

Excuses

We often find all kinds of excuses for ourselves. Such as, "I am already so busy.", "This idea will not bring me money", "The rest of the world will laugh at me". Especially the last one. Living in a capitalist society, we often put dollars and cents onto everything. I used to do that too - should I attend that event? Spend time washing my car for an hour when someone else can do it for me for RM8 whilst I do something else? Will this project earn me anything or help polish my CV?

Well, don't. Stop for a moment with all calculation and thinking about what others will perceive. Humour yourself. Can you not spend a bit of time and effort just to make yourself a bit happier? It can be an oil drawing that you have always wanted to paint. No one's asking you to sell it to an art gallery or hawk it on eBay. Just spend some relaxing "me-time" and do what you enjoy. In fact, the diversion will trigger of neurons in different parts of your brain that will help you be mentally sharper and more creative - but that is another topic for another day.

Pa Sang Style

That is why I wish to share this video with you. I do not know the people who created the video. But I know that they are from Klang, my home town. A place where it is not exactly known as a creative hotbed, where people seem to be concerned more about making money (and talking loudly about it) than anything else.

I find the video funny, but that is probably because it shows scenes from my hometown, and highlight the characteristics of a Klangite. You may find it mind-jarring, silly and filled with slapstick humour. That's OK.

Because what I wish to point out is that the people involved in the video production (if you watch until the end, everyone involved is actually introduced) looks like they are youth or teenagers. Surely they are just starting off in their nascent careers. Perhaps they are university/college students. Instead of spending time shooting the video, when there are already so many copycats around, they could have been enjoying life. Watch other YouTube videos. Play more DOTA or other computer games. Go hangout at a mamak, or a gazillion other things that young people do. Perhaps even just talk about their idea with friends and keep saying "How I wish I can shoot a Klang version of Oppa Gangnam Style".

But they didn't. They actually went out and shoot the video. Perhaps they get laughed at. Perhaps the video has more dislikes than likes right now. But does it matter? They have created something, at least which pleases themselves and one other person - yours truly.

That is not all. With the skills gained, they can show this in their portfolio of projects. They are honing their skills. They are putting in the effort for the necessitate 10,000 hours to be excellent in what they are doing, be it script-writing, acting, audio-mixing, videography or post-production. I am sure there is a lot of hardwork involved. I am sure also as humans they have doubts. Doubts that it may flopped. It may give them a bad name. But look what they have achieved - released a video on YouTube. Turns out to be popular too.

Now go and turn your dream into reality.

Naked Soldier - Bubblegum Kungfu Action

2012-09-24T14:51:00.001+08:00

I have not been catching up with what's showing in the cinemas, and apparently Naked Soldier is one of the more popular films a couple of months ago. Initially I thought it is one of those sexploitation film where an erotic title, girls with guns and hints of nudity is used as the magical formula to trick you into parting your precious ringgits and waste a few hours of your life.

Turns out that even though it has a bawdy title, there is very minimal sexploitation in the film. No nudity (phew), and even though a few of the costumes can be sexy, the film actually try to deliver a storyline. Don't ask me what it is because it is lame enough for me to skip most of it.

Action

The kungfu and action scenes are very enjoyable though. Do not expect realistic kungfu moves. Then again, we have had too much of realistic blow-by-blow action in wuxia movies lately. I enjoyed such fluffy kungfu scenes, and I can actually suspend reality and rationality for a bit while enjoying the fun. There are shooting scenes and hand-to-hand combat galore, so pick up a bag of popcorn and enjoy yourself.

Review

I do not review films, for a good source of film reviews, try LoveHKFilm. Frankly speaking, I fast-forwarded through most of the scenes and focused only on the action shots.

You can watch it here

One year closer to Death

2012-09-23T23:41:00.003+08:00

The day has finally come. I am celebrating my big day, a little bit more significant than the past 9 years because it is the big Three-Oh. A couple of months back when I realize my birthday is in a few months' time, I cannot help thinking that I only a few more months of my youth left. That perhaps I have squandered away the best years of my life. That thought as well as being inspired by people who have done amazing things, sparked the determination that I want to make full use of the rest of my 20s, and do something meaningful. That time passed cannot be regained, yet every day I have a new slate to begin with, and I can choose the type of life I want.

Why Talk About Death, Then?

So why does such a happy day evoke thoughts of Death? Something so unpleasant, so horrible, so endless and totally unknown as death. Is it because I am fearful of my mortality because I have just moved from my twenties - an age of youth, passion, energy, hope - to my thirties - of settling down, building a career and family, becoming wiser and melding into the society proper? Or because I am depressed, or even *gasps* suicidal?

No, none of the above. In fact, I have been happier than ever. Thanks to the many kind souls around me, and through serendipitous meetings, I have learned to climb out of the black hole that I got myself into. But that is another topic for another day. Today, let's talk about death.

I used to wish close friends of mine on their birthday, "One year older, and one year closer to your death. May this be your last lifetime and you will never have to be reborn again." Thinking back, I dare say most of those friends thought as usual I kid around and like to say weird things to jarring effects, save one or two closer, practicing Buddhists. When I wish them that, I am totally sincere and the wish comes from my heart. This stems from our shared faith in what the Buddha taught, which is the causes of suffering in life and how to overcome them to live happily. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, though if you put a knife against my throat, I would honestly tell you that I take an agnostic view to this as I do not have any direct experience or memory of rebirths, and neither have I seen any conclusive evidence proving or disproving re-incarnation. For a good, scientific read on re-incarnation, try this book by Ian Stevenson.

Putting aside the idea of re-incarnation, we know that we are mortal. Life is like a flickering flame, so precarious that with a gust of wind it is doused. Why plan to be a millioniare, retire by 35, the richest person in the world and so on, when the next moment your life could just be snuffed out? Just like that? Why hanker for worldly riches when we cannot bring it to our next life? For those of you with a nihilistic view, neither can wealth be useful when you are at the end of your journey.

Death Is Always One Step Behind

I do not advocate living a life of fear. I first had a deep impression and fear of death when I was around 4-5 years old, when I heard about someone else's death. That got me thinking: what happens when I die? Does everything end? Do I forget everything? Do "I" even exist? How people actually die? The feeling then is like staring into a gaping black hole, endless and terrifying. I have kept asking the same questions since then. I would not say I have figured out the answer, and really, the answer to those questions are not important, because what counts is now and what we choose to do with ourselves. To quote Confucious:

Don't know Life, How know Death?

In my search for the meaning of life, I have found Lao Tzu's Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) to be a very sublime guide, filled with wisdom on how to attain happiness in life. Since these pearls of wisdom cannot be easily transferred via words, they need to be contemplated upon deeply - let's leave that aside for now. I have also found Buddhism to be a realistic and practical path to attain happiness, as well as to answer all the Big Questions on "self" and "existence". Specifically, I read this book while I was in university

One of the key concepts that really resonate with me is the fact that we should accept death as part and parcel of life, and how to use it to ensure we can live a happy, meaningful life. I was really inspired by the story of the monk who ask his disciples not to build a bridge across the swamp he has to cross daily, because he might die on the following day. Or the grandfather whose granddaughter is breathing her last, yet she gently tells her that, "Do not be fearful and stay calm. Remember what our teachers teach us and keep practicing until you pass on", then went ahead with his morning market purchases whilst the grand daughter peacefully passed away.

After that, I went for a meditation course that has set my life's direction very clearly, even to this day. Coming back from the course, I went for the regular talk at the Buddhist Society of Victoria. So happened the resident monk spoke about contemplation of death as a way to practice the teachings of the Buddha. I thought that would have been simple and I am ready to take on anything, since I have just came back from a meditation course, all peaceful with myself. Boy, how wrong was I! As I contemplate on how my body rots after death, I experience a lot of fear and actually did not have the courage to continue on.

That was an experience that left a deep impact on myself. That all of us fear death, even though some of us can rationalize the fear away, the fear still lives deep down inside.

Utilizing Fear of Death for a Happier Life

What I have learned is to try to be always aware that I could die at any moment. Therefore, I want to make sure every waking moment is used for doing something meaningful. To contribute back in any small way I can. To love life and avoid wasting time. To avoid regrets since what has passed cannot be changed, but I can decide what to do now.

I hope you too, will remember that Death is always one step behind you, and therefore live a meaningful life.

I For You - Luna Sea

2012-09-10T13:35:00.001+08:00

I For You is one of my favourite songs from the 90s'. A classic example of really good love songs composed and performed by rock bands.

Muzicons.com

Here's the lyrics

I For You

ねぇ本当は誰も

Nee, hontou wa dare mo

ねぇ愛せないと言われて

Nee, aisenai to iiwarete
怖がりのキミと出逢い
Kowagari no kimi to deai
やっとその意味に気づいた
Yatto sono imi ni kizuita

"You cant truly love anyone"

all of your surroundings made you shiver

thats when i met you

And finally, i know why

傷つく為今二人出逢
Kizutsuku tame, ima futari
ったなら悲しすぎるよ
Deatta nara, kanashi sugiru yo

If the two of us met to hurt each other, that makes me sad

心からキミに伝えたい
Kokoro kara kimi ni tsutaetai
きっとただ本当のキミの姿を求めて
Kitto tada hontou no kimi no sugata wo, motomete

From my heart, I want to tell you

I just want to see the real you

まだ不器用に笑うね
Mada, bukiyou ni warau ne
まだ悲しみが似合うから
Mada, kanashimi ga niau kara

キミと出逢う為だけにそう
Kimi to deau, tame dake ni sou
生まれたなら変えられるかな…
Umareta nara, kaerareru kana

You still have that smile on your face

Because you can still see the sadness

I was born to meet you, can I change you?

心からキミに伝えたい
Kokoro kara kimi ni tsutaetai
傷つきすぎたけどまだ間に合うよ
Kizutsuki sugita kedo mada ma ni au yo
心からキミを愛してる
Kokoro kara kimi wo aishiteru
キミに降る痛みを拭ってあげたいすべて I for You
Kimi ni furu itami wo futte agetai subete
I for You

From my heart, I want to tell you

you've been hurt, but don't give up

From my heart, I love you

I want to wash away the pain that falls apon you....all of it.

I for you

心からキミに伝えたい
Kokoro kara kimi ni tsutaetai
キミの笑顔いつも見つめられたら
Kimi no egao itsumo mitsumerareta o
心からキミを愛してる
Kokoro kara kimi wo aishiteru
キミに振る光を集めてあげたいすべて I for You
Kimi ni furu hikari wo atsumete agetai subete
I for You

From my heart, I want to tell you

If I can see your smile forever...

From my heart, I love you

I want to take away those tears, all of them....I for you

You can download the MP3 from here.

Argentina will be the next country in Crisis?

2012-09-06T22:42:00.000+08:00

Will Argentina be in the in doldrums again? I quote the article from Daily Wealth in full

Just over a decade ago, Argentina spectacularly unraveled with the biggest default in history – $100 billion.

Dollar deposits were converted to pesos. Then, overnight, the peg of one-to-one with the dollar was broken. The unpegged currency was immediately devalued. Savings were wiped out. Banks were set alight. And locals took to the streets in protest.

That crisis created the biggest buying opportunity of a decade. During the ﬁre sales, you could have picked up a historic, high-end property in Buenos Aires or a vineyard in Mendoza for a song.

Today, Argentina is back in a bind. There is a strong possibility of another crack-up within the next year. And then we'll have the same opportunity we had a decade ago.

The signs are all there. The streets of Buenos Aires have recently seen the return of the backstreet currency exchange.

According to the ofﬁcial exchange rate, which is subject to capital controls, 4.4 pesos buys you a dollar. But on the street, people are happy to pay up to 6.7. Inﬂation runs at 25%. The purchasing power of an Argentine's peso savings is going down by one-quarter each year.

The government claims inﬂation is 9.9% and has outlawed calculating or quoting any other inﬂation rate. Forty percent of dollar deposits have been withdrawn from Argentina since last October. Now there are capital controls. You need special permission to move your dollars overseas.

To take a foreign vacation, Argentines have to apply to a bureaucrat for permission and explain where they got the money for the trip. And there are rumors that it will be made illegal to talk about the existence of the shadow market exchange rate for dollars.

But a lot of Argentines' dollars and pesos don't reside in bank accounts. Property transactions typically take place in special rooms in lawyers' ofﬁces, and they're cash deals. There's that much distrust of banks. They are ﬁne for day-to-day things like paying your electric bill. Not for your savings, though.

And these transactions more often than not take place in dollars... If you pay in dollars, you could get 25% off the price of property. The government has outlawed this, making the buying and selling of real estate in dollars illegal. Just one more rule Argentines will ﬁnd their way around.

By some reports, if an Argentine company complied with all the taxes and tariffs it faces, they would eat up more than the company's pretax proﬁts. So the shadow economy thrives... by necessity, it seems, rather than greed to pay less tax. Middle-class day-trippers take the ferry to Uruguay to put their savings in deposit boxes. The rich spend millions on condos in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

For Argentines, real estate is their bank. They understand inﬂation and expropriation from bank and pension accounts. If they have some spare cash, they'll buy an apartment. Or a beach home across the Río de la Plata in Uruguay. Or a condo in Miami.

Now, fewer Argentines are using local real estate as a hedge against inﬂation. New construction and permit applications have fallen off a cliff. They just want their cash out.

The government claims that the rate of outﬂow has slowed. But with every passing week, companies and individuals ﬁgure out new ways to get their cash out. For instance, companies buy ﬁnancial instruments locally in pesos that they immediately resell in New York for dollars.

Argentines have seen it all before. When a government and a banking system take your life's work with the stroke of a pen, you don't forget. If you're lucky enough to rebuild your savings, the next time you will be ready. And the harder the Argentine president, Cristina Kirchner, tries to keep assets in the country, the more they'll be siphoned out.

Meantime, Argentina is all but frozen out of international debt markets. The government hasn't reached a settlement with the group of creditors (known as the Paris Club) since its last default. So the country and the banking system desperately need these deposits to stay aﬂoat.

But they continue to do incredibly dumb things. Two years ago, President Kirchner seized private pension accounts. Now she is going to lend $4.4 billion of this money, at a rate of one-tenth the inﬂation rate, to new home buyers. A lottery will decide who gets the loans – not capacity to repay.

Argentina has major competitive advantages in beef production. But land under beef farming is contracting. Beef producers face large and complicated export tariffs and are forced to sell cheaply to the domestic market. Many have moved operations to Uruguay or switched to soya.

It's one crackpot idea after another. And the cycle repeats. Expropriating your citizens' savings or international companies like YPF (a subsidiary of Spanish oil company Repsol), which President Kirchner nationalized last April, might buy you some time. But not much. The writing is on the wall.

In the last crisis, the trigger event was Argentina's massive default on its sovereign debt. This time around, Argentina doesn't face that scenario. Government spending has to be funded from printing presses, taxes, and expropriation of personal or company assets. It's hard to see how the government can collect more taxes. The printing presses are already causing the inﬂation and the rush to backstreet currency-exchange brokers. There's a limit to what you can expropriate.

This time around, the trigger event for a full-scale crisis will be the country running out of hard currency. There will be no money to pay for imports. Argentina can make do without more Porsches and Gucci handbags, but the country will grind to a halt if industry and energy-producers can't get their hands on crucial imports. The factories will shut.

Things will have to get really bad before we're in a "buy" situation. Pay attention if you turn on your TV and see news ﬂashes of burning banks and of factories that don't have hard currency to buy raw materials, locking out their workers. If you turn on your TV a second day and see similar reports, then book your ﬂight. Your dollars will go a long way.

Comparisons between the high-end neighborhoods of Paris and Buenos Aires are correct. It's a world-class capital, with a wealth of cultural activities, ﬁne dining, and shopping. Buy when the Argentine capital is in turmoil, and you'll be sitting on prime real estate in one of the world's ﬁnest cities.

If you've ever dreamed of owning your own vineyard, I can think of no better place than Mendoza, Argentina's most famous wine-producing region. Mendoza sits at the foot of the Andes, 600 miles west of Buenos Aires. Soil and climate are perfect here for wine production.

Argentina long held promise. In 1900, it was the world's sixth-richest country – richer than the U.S. Immigrants ﬂooded from Europe. The British came to build the railways. They brought along Irish and Italians. The Spanish came.

What followed is textbook mismanagement. When it comes to a head again, we'll have a full-blown crisis. And an opportunity to pounce once more.

Regards,

Ronan McMahon

I subscribe to the Daily Wealth Premium. Everyday there will be in-depth analysis of a macro-economic or micro-economic issue: from the state of the economy of a country, to an industry's trend all the way to in-depth analysis of a specific company. Occasionally there is insightful information on investing advice too. The Premium recommendation includes actionable investment advice. You can sign up for the free version here.

I want to know your faith

2012-09-04T12:04:00.002+08:00

Recently there has been a debate between Atheists and Christians in Malaysia. That is a good sign, as we need more interchanges between people of different faiths to foster understanding and acceptance. Here is my reply to a Buddhist mailing list, where I also share my faith and point of view.

We need more of that - debates, discussions, discourses and civil sharing of different points of views. That will only strengthen our own faith as well as disperse the negative effects of religion. I used to not engage in any of these discussions, because some of them can degenerate into a "Holier than thou" shouting match, especially if insecure individuals are involved. But I think I ought to offer my opinion and share my experiences in the hope that it will foster understanding, acceptance and celebration of differences. We have to move beyond the stage of silent toleration in order to build a diversified, civil society.

In my humble opinion, it is crucial to distinguish between faith and religion. Faith is the when we have the overwhelming conviction to believe in the Tipitaka, or Jesus, or Allah and so on. Religion is when we step into dangerous territory: which is to blindly believe without investigating, to hang on to a specific version of "truth" to the exclusion of all other points of view.

Perhaps an example to clarify my point. Faith is when I believe in what the Buddha taught. Religion is when I proselytize to Christians and people of other faiths that what believe is untrue, and they will keep getting reborn and suffer, and never achieve the bliss of nibbana. Another example is when a Christian friend shares with me his/her love with Jesus, encourage me to come to Church and accept Christ because he/she genuinely does not want me to fall into Hell after I die. That, I appreciate. It is only those insecure evangelists who try to force their dogma down my throat that annoys me. By the way, if you have such difficulty, I have a solution for you: wear Buddhist beads and those strings you get during Wesak.

A little bit of a digression, I wear those things for only 3 reasons: (1) to remind myself to keep to the 5 precepts and the qualities of the Buddha, (2) to keep away religion fanatics, (3) to tone down my ego. Because in the professional world, who would wear all these ornaments? So it gives a bit of a "kampung boy" appearance and serves to remind myself that I am only a simple man. About the protection and all those stuff? I am not sure I really believe it - I leave it open, I am an Agnostic.

Which brings me to the point, Buddhists, or whomever practice what the Buddha taught should be Agnostics. I am not sure about you, but after being a practicing Buddhists for ~10 years, I still have my doubts about rebirth, spirits and Naga, etc. At the same time, I feel perfectly comfortable to have those doubts, because I have full faith in the path to attain Nibbana. When I practice what the Buddha taught, I can see the effects here and now, and for the long term too. Didn't the Buddha taught us to carefully investigate the truth before accepting it in the Kalama Sutta?

A word of caution, though. It is important to find a wise teacher, preferably a wise monk/nun in the Sangha. Even the Kalama Sutta is widely misinterpreted. See this discussion for further details: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lostinquotation.html

I was a Christian once. I am am no longer a Christian not because it is wrong/bad, but I simply could not believe whole-heartedly. Yet I have learned and grow so much during the times I attended church. There are some very elegant principles such as the "have faith and everything will be provided for", "11th hour theory", "ask and you will be given", "those who gain will be given more", "forgiveness", etc which are really sublime if you try to live it. Some of my bestest-est friends had been and still are Christians.

Recently when I share my thoughts about what the Buddha taught and how I try to apply it, I was surprised to get reactions like "I never know that". Our friendship grew because of better understanding of each other's beliefs. I hope that will be applicable to all Malaysians too.

So yes, I am a practicing Buddhist but not the pedantical, religious type. In conventional sense, that makes me an Agnostic.

Eight Thousand Miles of Cloud and Rain

2012-08-31T12:35:00.001+08:00

Facing an opponent,
I estimate my odds.
Preparing myself,
stepping forward to challenge.

Facing 10 opponents,
braving myself, scheming, thinking.
Spotting weaknesses, utilizing the terrain,
I step forward to battle.

A horde of 10,000 opponents,
with head tilted towards Old Heaven, roaring a laughter.
Lifting my spear, like a dancing dragon,
I charge to the midst,
courage burning through my blood.
Fearlessly I will fight for All Under Heaven,
or die trying.

Courage

2012-08-22T17:46:00.000+08:00

Have you always wanted to do something, a strong intent and feeling that keeps arising, coming from deep inside your heart? Yet you know it is not practical, it is not safe. Your family, friends, even your loved ones - oh, the despair! - look askance and persuade you not to do it. Just be content with what you have. Yet you know deep in your heart you are not doing yourself and the world justice if you do not pursue your dream.

Just go ahead and do it. You know it is right if you feel calm, peaceful and happy doing it. You also know it is right if it brings good to yourself and others, and does not bring harm to yourself and others.

What is stopping you now - fear of failure? Fear of the unknown? Supposedly yours is a brazen dream. That will not bring any "economic value". That entails risks and unknown results. Why give up a comfortable lifestyle and successful career for it?

I will tell you why. Because when you pursue your dream and pour your utmost, you will not lose anything, yet have a lot to gain. Even if it results in failure, you have learnt. You have gain some skills, experience something new, and have a bit more wisdom.

Have faith in yourself. Just do it.

To quote John Lennon:

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Battleship the Movie

2012-05-05T02:06:00.000+08:00

I have not been frequenting the cinema lately and usually do not recommend any movies. Battleship is such a good movie that I feel compelled to share with those looking for a reprieve from the drudgery of daily life to go and spend an enjoyable 2 hours at the cinema.

Its been a while since there are any notable movie that really excite us like Avatar, or touches our heart and embalm us in the warmth of humanity, love and hope. Movies such as Transformers: Dark of the Moon has been a big disappointment, unless one's road to salvation comprises of robots mindlessly tearing each other apart, and flashes of cleavage.

More often than not, entering the cinema is akin to entering a fun fair when we are young. Allowing ourselves an opportunity to suspend believe in the mundane laws of nature, to believe that the world is always a good place to live in, good always triumph over evil and love conquers all. If I want to see realistic representation of the world I live in, I would rather tune in to CNN, or Fox News in the unfortunate event that I have go undergo lobotomy.

That's the premise of Battleship: sit tight, let the action roll and enjoy the triumph of human spirit against adversity. With plot holes and logical flaws as big as US and EU debts combined, don't even try to fathom why events turned out that way.

Hop along the exciting ride with Alex Hooper, from an irresponsible, egocentric bum to an irresponsible, egocentric officer in the United States Navy. When disaster strikes, that's when the least likely of all persons surfaces to save the world. With non-stop action and seamless CGI, its a truly pleasant ride. With the mild exception of speakers producing 100db sounds. Dear TGV, whilst I appreciate a realistic experience, reproducing the roar of gattling guns to the point of causing ringing in the ear actually reduces the joyful experience.

Grab some popcorn and a drink, and treat yourself to 2 hours of fun with Battleship.

Do Malaysian Job Applicants Have Such Poor English Proficiency?

2011-10-06T23:57:00.002+08:00

I was browsing jobs at Jobstreet, and out of curiosity wanted to apply for a job. Surprisingly, some jobs has a mandatory requirement of an assessment of English proficiency. You may have thought that the job is somehow related to a good command of the English language, say Lecturer in English Literature, Translator or something similar. Perhaps the assessment will give a more accurate view of each candidate's written English.

The assessment turn out to be questions on common, rudimentary use of English! I also wonder how effective is the test since it is administered online, without any form of supervision. For example, I was not quite sure which word can be best used to describe salt, pepper and sauces, so I looked up the definition of condiment on Google.

How simple to "cheat" and get answers online. Or even ask a friend to answer the questions.

If you are curious on what kind of questions is being asked, see below.

Assessment

Section: Conversational

Instruction: Please complete the conversations with appropriate remarks

Questions 1 to 10

1) Did you happen to come across the list of names I left here?

I crossed out already.

I am going to cross it soon.

Yes, I happen.

It is with me.

2) I answered all the questions pretty well!

You are pretty too.

Thanks for calling me pretty.

What, you aren't well?

That calls for a celebration.

3) Do you go to bed before ten?

That's correct.

It is 9pm now.

Are you mad?

I am not 10 yet.

4) Waiter, there is hair floating in my soup.

Just remove it with a spoon.

It's not my hair.

Yes, I see that.

Sorry, I'll get you another bowl.

5) The One-day Sale is on again tomorrow!

Did you go?

Why not?

We'll take a long lunch break tomorrow.

Only one day?

6) I hear you had a presentation today. Did you get the thumbs-up?

Yes, bottoms up!

Yes, I bombed it.

Yes, my thumb was up.

Thumb tacks?

7) Can you see me later at dinner?

Farewell.

I can't see well.

Good night.

Why not?

8) Do you know all the words in the list?

I am glad you do.

Yes, I do, how about you?

How do you know?

No, I do. Just like you.

9) Yum! What's that smell?

Are you accusing me?

Something nice of course.

Don't look at me.

Something bad of course.

10) Waiter, I asked for hot soup. This soup is cold.

The soup got cold on the way.

Cold soup is better than hot soup.

I apologize. I'll get another one.

Really?

Questions 11 to 20

11) The essay has been written in a coherent _____.

approach

manner

conduct

behaviour

12) She was disappointed at not _____ the race today despite her record-breaking attempt.

losing

joining

finishing

winning

13) The panacea to all the country's economic woes is zero inflation. The word "panacea" can best be replaced with _____.

method

way

strategy

remedy

14) Philip was caught _____ through the front door during school hours.

squeaking

flipping

sneaking

reserving

15) Illegal _____ has caused many forests to disappear worldwide.

weeding

seeding

planting

logging

16) We must not be _____ citizens who dump rubbish indiscriminately.

irresponsible

irregular

popular

responsible

17) Salt, sugar and pepper are known as _____.

ingredients

spices

condiments

sauces

18) The svelte movie star caught the attention of every film maker in town.

The word "svelte" in the above sentence can best be replaced with _____.

fashionable

slender

skilful

unimpressive

19) The resort offers a range of eastern and western _____ delicacies.

variety

culinary

budget

inferior

20) Pete is a talented singer who sings a wide _____ of songs.

number

repertoire

amount

transcendence

Questions 21 to 30 Time Left: 13:32 minute(s)

21) _____ it looked like it was going to rain, I decided to take a raincoat along.

Since

For

Although

So

22) I have _____ to finish my assignment.

already

yet

anytime

still

23) I am shocked that we have _____ cases of food poisoning in our school canteens.

many

much

a little

little

24) How _____ books have you read?

a few

many

little

much

25) Aedes mosquitoes _____ the carriers of the dengue virus.

are

was

is

were

26) Heather was warned _____ by her boss for shirking her duties.

serious

with stern

stern

sternly

27) The school football team arrived _____ bus.

by

on

in

with

28) _____ is the highest building in the world today?

How

Why

Which

When

29) The gentleman sitting by the window has fallen _____

sleeping

sleepy

asleep

sleep

30) I gave him some _____ this morning.

advice

advise

advises

advices

Section: Comprehension

Instruction: Please answer all the questions below

Questions 31 to 40

31) The price of food is soaring so the threat of hunger and malnutrition is growing. Millions of people worldwide are at risk and so an effective and urgent response is needed.

Why is an effective and urgent response needed?

To stop food prices from escalating.

To stop malnutrition and feed the people.

To feed people and stop them from being hungry.

To reduce the food prices and stop hunger pangs.

32) Everyone was rushing for the sales at the hypermarket. It has become a yearly event.

What is false?

All hypermarkets were having sales.

There is an annual sale at the hypermarket.

Everyone was rushing to the hypermarket.

There was a sale last year.

33) The computer gaming industry is growing by leaps and bounds throughout the world. Yet, industry experts are asking sceptically whether Malaysia has got what it takes to grab a piece of the cake.

The industry experts are sceptical about _____

The progress of the gaming industry.

Malaysia's ability to grab the cake.

the gaming industry in Malaysia.

Malaysia's role in the world.

34) The cosy tone of Billy, Bob and Blair's exchanges reflects their decade-long friendship.

This means that the three are _____ .

are exchanging friendships

comparing the tone of their voices

having a conversation

are sitting on a cosy chair

35) Toyota reports that there is an increase in the sale of their cars in the year 2007, especially their Toyota Vios. The increase on this particular model is due to its fuel consumption which is very economical.

What is true?

There has been a decrease in the sales of Toyota cars in the year 2007.

Many people prefer cars manufactured by Toyota.

Many prefer the Vios due to its low fuel consumption.

Many people prefer Toyota cars due to its economic fuel consumption.

36) After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Centre in New York has become Ground Zero.

This means that _____

Fire razed the whole building.

The ground became empty.

The ground became zero.

The whole building perished.

37) After the rubber tappers had used the specially designed knives to get the latex, it is important to send them to a factory quickly to prevent it from hardening. At the factories, water is added to make the latex thinner whilst formic acid is used to convert the latex into rubber.

What is true?

Water is added to latex to make it thicker.

Rubber hardens when water is added to it.

Latex is made into rubber with formic acid.

Tappers use special knives to make rubber.

38) Many tourists like to visit the High Mountain Waterfalls as it is a fascinating spot. Its unspoilt natural beauty offers tourists a great experience. Tourists bring home with them memories that last a lifetime.

Which is not true?

Many tourists enjoy the experience of going to the waterfalls.

Many tourists go back with wonderful memories.

Many tourists bring home lifetime souvenirs with them.

Many tourists like the waterfalls because it is untouched.

39) The much taken for granted Brussels sprouts is actually a vegetable which has cancer preventing properties. Scientists have discovered that this vegetable, if consumed regularly, keep this dangerous disease away.

Which statement is true?

Brussels sprouts have cancer-causing agents.

Brussels sprouts are not vegetables.

Brussels sprouts should not be eaten regularly.

Brussels sprouts can help prevent cancer.

40) Known as soldiers who never sleep, anti-personnel landmines are deadly military weapons that kill 25,000 victims annually, the majority of whom are civilians.

What is false?

Landmines are known as soldiers who never sleep.

25,000 civilians die annually because of landmines.

The annual death-toll rate of landmines is 25,000.

Landmines are deadly military weapons.

Don't you think it is reasonable that anyone who has passed SPM to have perfect scores, perhaps with a mistake or two. These are really conversational English with basic grammar rules.

If it matters, here is my result. Inferring from the percentile I am in, I am surprised that there are not many more people who obtained perfect scores. We can also infer that exposure to an English-speaking country such as Australia does help to improve the level of English proficiency.

Your result:

Total Questions Attempted: 40

Total Questions Correct: 40 (Conversational:10; Vocabulary:10; Grammar:10; Comprehension:10)

Publish to Facebook

See how you performed compared to other test takers:

You did better than:-

99% of all other test takers.

99% of test takers from Malaysia.

99% of test takers from Malaysia who are specialized in IT/Computer - Software.

99% of test takers from Malaysia who are in the position of Senior Executive.

99% of test takers from Malaysia who are with Bachelor's Degree certification.

99% of test takers from Malaysia who studied Computer Science/Information Technology.

97% of test takers from Malaysia who graduated in Australia.

99% of test takers from Selangor, Malaysia.

Congratulations! You have just completed the assessment. Please note that you will not be able to take any assessment in the next three months. If you wish to have more practice, please proceed here.

If you are an employer hiring on Jobstreet, please do not bother with assessing the level of English proficiency online. There are just so many ways to cheat. If your advertised role require English proficiency, a simple way to filter out is by reading the candidate's resume or cover letter.

Really, employers should not discriminate a candidate based on her English proficiency, unless it is for a role that requires it, such as customer service or translator.

Liu Hanxue

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