Discrimination or not??

This was featured in The Straits Times on 22 Dec 08

'Carriers shouldn't marry'

KUALA LUMPUR - HIV carriers should not be allowed to marry, in order to avoid having sick children, a top Malaysian politician was quoted on Monday as saying.

'Somebody who is very sick like that should not be allowed to get married,' Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, chief minister of northern Perak state was quoted as saying by New Straits Times newspaper.

'If there's any breeding, sorry for having to use that word, the embryo will also carry the same virus. So that is even more unfair because you are actually passing that disease on to the child.'

He had been asked to comment on a statement by an official of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia that Muslims who test positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, would still be allowed to marry.

An aide to Mr Nizar, who is a member of the opposition Islamist party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), said the minister was referring to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted last week as saying all Muslim couples in peninsular Malaysia must undergo HIV screening before getting married.

The debate on the right of HIV/AIDS carriers, especially Muslims, to marry comes as mostly Muslim Malaysia is struggling to allay concerns of a rise in hardline Islam.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said last month Muslims are allowed to do yoga but without chanting, reversing an outright ban that had caused a flap in the country.

The government has also threatened to shut down a Catholic newspaper for using the world 'Allah', saying it could inflame the country's Muslim population.

Politically dominant ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of the population of roughly 26 million, while the ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. -- REUTERS

Should this be considered an act of discrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers?
Is it a move that makes sense to protect the future generations born into such families?
or is it a statement that claims inability of HIV/AIDS carriers to be responsible when it comes to family planning?

after all, marriage is about a union of two individuals and does not in all cases lead to the couple having children. A couple comprising a HIV/AIDS carrier can still share the same food, can still kiss, hug and hold hands, can have sex (precautions can be taken but there are no guarantees of course so it depends on the couple) and spend the rest of their lives together in love, till death does them part...

Reminds me of the huge debate about Proposition 8 in California, USA regarding gay marriages...

What do YOU think?

About my previous read and my current read

I finished "The Book of Five Rings" the same day I started reading it... wasn't too long in terms of content but like most books that touch on zen, messages can be short but extremely powerful... I felt it was a very thought-provoking book, and constantly reminded me of my times training in martial arts some years back... I think I will get more out of the book if I knew more about Zen teachings, or had someone or something to guide me through in terms of the deeper contexts and messages within the statements... so all in end, it was an enjoyable read though unfortunately I do not feel like I have fully been able to interpret its deeper teachings...

nevertheless, I have moved on to a new book: "Capitalism at the Crossroads" by Stuart L. Hart

It actually belongs to Shirley, who lent it to Rina who didn't manage to return it back.... and Rina didn't actually manage to read it till now so I borrowed it after learning from Shirley that it's with Rina (phew what an explanation haha)

anyway, the sub-title reads "Aligning Business, Earth and Humanity" so the book essentially looks at sustainable development and the role businesses can and should play in enabling it... not only does it introduce concepts, but it also explains these through actual case studies and interactions with corporate leaders...

Should be an interesting read, and I'm happy to be able to start learning more in this field!!

My latest read - The Book of Five Rings

I was clearing up the files and folders in my laptop, and came across an ebook I got quite some years back.. I don't even remember who passed it to me...

The book is titled "The Book of Five Rings" or "五輪書" or "Go Rin No Sho" written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi in 1645.

In general, it presents his teachings on sword-fighting strategy and Zen philosophy but like Sun Tzu's "Art of War", it's applicability extends into life and all forms of competition (including businesses).

in any case, should be an interesting read.. update and thoughts after I am done :)

My Video "productions"

As mentioned in an earlier post, I was helping out with the organizing of the AIESEC Singapore Gala Dinner 2008. This year being the global 60th Anniversary for AIESEC, the celebrations in Singapore were aimed at being much much bigger too... so yes the Dinner was held on 13th Dec 2008 to great success, with a total turnout of almost 300 people...

I'm happy that my videos were screened during the dinner as well so here they are.. all these are made using the Pinnacle Studio 12 software... I can't say I'm an expert in video editing but at the least I'm much better than when I first started using the software :)

Opening Video to Gala Dinner 2008


History of AIESEC Singapore - 1972 to 2008


Tribute To Mr. Mike Gorrie


and this is something outside of the Gala Dinner, the introduction video to Developing Leaders Day 2008

Back from KL!

I'm back from KL! the trip was a short one, we left Singapore on Friday afternoon and got back on Sunday night... so all in all, really just a 2 day trip...

But what a great 2 day trip it was! From catching up with old friends by dropping by the MyLDS site for 1 night stay over, to heading to KL city and checking into a backpacker hostel I stayed at in 2005, to eating LOTS of yummy yummy food, to enjoying fantastic AIESEC Malaysia RACE Dinner (formal dinner) and taking photos plus catching up with old friends, to all the random conversations had with the boys I was traveling with and to the fulfilling massage...

what a great trip... am totally refreshed coming back :)

next big thing: AIESEC Singapore NLDS! am interested to see how I will adapt to playing a non-faci role (the last time I was a full delegate was in 2004... I have been agenda manager and facilitator for all NLDS since then) but looking forward to it!

Out of Town...

I'm going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to sight see a bit and to attend the RACE 2008 Dinner! (that's the AIESEC Malaysia Gala Dinner)

on a slightly related note, next week is Singapore NLDS!

So will be disappearing from the blogging scene for a while :)

Questions Questions

Found this on wan xin's blog and I was bored so decided to do it...


Copy the list below and bold all of the ones you have done.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing (rock wall yes, rock no)
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest (I didn't wear the costume.. just helped make it)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle (does riding as a passenger count?)
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing (I once slept through takeoff and flight but woke up before landing)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ (at AIESEC Conferences! Haha)
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours (I thought of it but couldn’t get a cat haha)
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap (I carved it out of chalk)
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz (learnt it but I suck at it)
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Cost of pulling in the IMF

The following is extracted from Dawn.com, the online edition of the most popular newspaper in Pakistan:

IMF conditions may result in 3m job cuts: economists
Sher Baz Khan
Saturday, 29 Nov, 2008 | 10:36 AM PST |

ISLAMABAD: Conditions attached to the $7.6 billion International Monetary Fund loan are expected to cause up to three million job cuts in different sectors and push another 5.6 million to 7.5 million Pakistanis into poverty over the next two years.

This was stated by the chief economist of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Mr Sakib Shirani, at a discussion on the IMF loan organised here on Friday by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). A number of economists and industrialists attended the discussion.However, Mr Shirani, who was part of the talks held in Dubai between Pakistani and IMF officials, said the government was left with no option but to seek the IMF ‘standby arrangements’.

The topic of the discussion was ‘IMF: pain or panacea’.

When asked about the immediate fallout of the conditions which was aimed at slowing down the import-led economic growth, Mr Shirani said that two to three million people would lose their jobs in various sectors, including fertiliser, manufacturing and services.

He said the GDP growth was expected to slow down to 3.4 per cent this year. ‘Some 5.6 to 7.5 million people will be added to the existing number of poor’.

...

CRSS executive director Dr Farrukh Saleem said Pakistan was facing three problems — trust deficit, budgetary deficit — the government raises Rs1.5 trillion as revenue and spends Rs2 trillion — and trade deficit — the country imports goods worth $35 billion and exports goods worth $20 billion. ‘Pakistan is now like a patient who is suffering from a severe heart attack and the only doctor around is the IMF.’

He said that over the past 64 years the IMF had been following a standard prescription: increase taxation, reduce government expenditure and devalue currency. But, he said, a large majority of the IMF recipients, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand and Congo, had failed to implement these measures.

The panelists were of the view that an increase in taxation would mean a further slowdown in the economy which would mean an increase in unemployment. ‘Same thing is with the rate of interest. The high cost of capital leads to closure of a number of industrial units, meaning more unemployment.’

to read the article in full, click HERE

Having read "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein (see previous posts HERE), I find the contents of this article quite disturbing... I am not an economist, and probably am extremely clueless about how to fix fiscal deficits and such... but speaking as a person on the street, I wonder about the very high costs associated with the option of receiving aid from the IMF. It is sad that pumping this money into this economy will make life harder for those who have been working hard on driving the economy all these while... I wonder also, if such dire consequences would have been predicted if the government of Pakistan had gone with some other option of funding...

My heart goes out to all the locals who will be suffering from these painful measures in the next few years...

Knots in the heart...

some steps have been taken...

but can these knots really ever be sorted out?

The Geek in Me

I've recently been trying out some new softwares and new ideas...

well not entirely new software.. my laptop has had Macromedia Flash installed since I bought it in March, but I never got down to learning how to use it... but now, I'm happy to present my FIRST ever Flash banner!! It's there on the left of my sidebar, for the AIESEC 60th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in December 2008 :) yes, yes it's very simple but hey, I'm still proud of it! unfortunately, it is only viewable on Firefox and not IE.. I have no idea how to fix that so drop me a message if you do know! (you can out it on your blog and website too! Just click HERE)

Have been 'revising' some of my Dreamweaver and HTML techniques too with the new website for the same event, at www.aiesec.org.sg/60th/ again, very simple website and the most challenging thing was to get the photo slideshow to work properly

Have also recently acquired Pinaccle Studio 12, a movie editing software that is more powerful than Windows Media Player...

And yes I am still going through, albeit quite slowly, my Dummies Guide to VBA Programming in Excel 2007...

So yup! these few days will be spent playing around with Flash, Pinaccle Studio and VBA for Excel..

I'm so excited! :)

Another book finished!

I have (finally) finished my book "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein... it's been quite an intense read, with the author tracing through history and approaches by various institutions across the world as nations seek to embrace capitalism and free markets.

I've never studied or read much details about free markets or the role of governments before this but I have to say the book is quite an eye-opener, especially right now after the US elections (and the various promises on the future and attacks on Bush made by Mr Obama) and now as global economies start melting down.

There's a lot of content in the book, which I won't be divulging... but it's all presented in an easy-to-follow flow... it starts off first talking about research into torture tactics and its translation into a step-by-step guide used by the CIA and many other institutions around the world. Using the principles from torture and shock tactics, the author draws the link between such individual actions and collective actions taken by governments and institutions in a bid to speed up implementation of the free-market model as expounded by the University of Chicago Economic Faculty, a model which is a brain child of Milton Friedman, famed Economist.

The book looks at how true democracy and people rule have rarely prevailed in the bringing in of 'free markets', and how this particular model works on the basis of true non-intervention in the market. This ultimately suggests that the government should not interfere with market forces even in areas such as health-care, education and infrastructure. Rather, governments should focus on de-regulation and let market forces take over. Due to the rather drastic nature of such a market model, the author argues, through examples in Latin America, South Africa, China, Middle East, post-Soviet Poland and Russia, of how such measures have been forced into implementation by coups, violence, dictatorships and pressure from the IMF and US government.

The book also takes an extensive look at the US economy under the Bush administration in terms of out-sourcing contracts and functions to private companies, and the role that the Iraq war has played in the creation of new, super-wealthy individuals and companies while local Iraqis watch helplessly as their country and wealth get pillaged openly. Looking at the current state of the US economy with recession fears widespread, a huge and growing national debt, established banks and auto companies falling like bricks, one does start to wonder about the approach towards 'free market'.

Finally, the book looks at how natural disasters such as the Asia tsunami in 2004 and Hurrican Katrina in the US have paved the way for erasure of old life and presented an opportunity for 'free market'-hungry institutions to push through the debris and rebuild their ideal models from scratch, at the expense of improving the lives of thousands of affected citizens.

Some might say that the book makes for perfect conspiracy theories, and leads one to doubt the motives behind governments and supposed-impartial global institutions. Nevertheless, the book offers hope too as we look at countries who have rebuilt themselves from the ashes and chaos from this particular economic model. It also highlights how with information moving across the world faster, people are more cautious and aware should similar measures be forced onto them.

Personally, I find it heartening that governments are starting to question again the meaning of free markets, and the role that governments, the IMF and World Bank have in ensuring stability in their own nations and around the world. While the answers will probably take quite a while to sort out, we can only hope that current fears of 'de-regulation' and certain 'free market' models will not drive us to the extreme of severe protectionism and control.

A Great Watch!

I caught Avenue Q - The Musical at the Esplanade on Sunday with a bunch of the AIESEC interns and I have to say, the kind-of-pricey ticket was totally worth it!

The musical had great songs, great visuals, and a really simple but cute plot... not to mention the extremely politically incorrect content featured that kept us laughing for most of the 2 hour show...

and I especially appreciate the nature of the show's content considering that we never get such uncensored versions ever in mainstream Singapore media...

Definitely a high recommend from my side!

To find out more, click HERE

Why Barack Obama has made history

Pangea Day

In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common.

Pangea Day seeks to overcome that — to help people see themselves in others — through the power of film.

Check out http://pangeaday.org/index.php and watch the featured films... some of the films are quite short... but very powerful in terms of the messages sent across...

I was particularly struck by this one film titled "More", which tells the story of an old inventor who lives a grey, gloomy life and how he pursues bliss in his life -> Click Here to watch More

Another great film is titled "Papiroflexia" (Spanish for “origami”) and is about shaping the world with our own hands -> Click here to watch Papiroflexia

so funny

this is so funny :)
found on http://www.feministing.com/archives/011676.html

Photos from my travels

I finally took the time to sort my photos and to upload them on Facebook...
so with that, let me introduce a new addition to this blog!!

Check out the side bar, with the drop down menu for My Travel Album

I am still in the process of uploading photos from the various countries I have visited (mostly thanks to AIESEC, and mostly from July 07 to July 08) so stay tuned as the list grows!

Countries listed so far include:
Skopje, Macedonia - Feb 08
Ohrid, Macedonia - Feb 08
Sofia, Bulgaria - Feb 08
Tokyo, Japan - Mar 08
Guang Zhou, China - May 08
Bandung, Indonesia - June 08
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - July 08

Shortest and longest

Following a comment that I have never had long hair all this time in AIESEC, I decided to showcase proof of when my hair was shortest, and longest :)

This is me in March 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. and yes my hair was long enough to tie up...

This is a little bit more close-up...

And finally.. the shortest I think in my whole AIESEC career as you can see from this shot in May or June 2006...

Latest Read

My latest book acquired is The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein...

In THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, Naomi Klein explodes the myth that the global free market triumphed democratically. Exposing the thinking, the money trail and the puppet strings behind the world-changing crises and wars of the last four decades, The Shock Doctrine is the gripping story of how America’s “free market” policies have come to dominate the world-- through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries. Click here to read more...

Here, you can also find a short video about Naomi Klein's research on disaster capitalism...



Hopefully the book proves to be an interesting read...

In a fit of randomness...

What Sharon Means

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic “Type A” personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Potrayal of Singapore from a different perspective

I found the World Report 2008 by the Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization based in the United States. You can find out more about them at http://hrw.org/about/whoweare.html

If you're free to check it out, go to page 321 and read what they have to say about Singapore.

It's always interesting to see what others say about us from their perspectives...

it's also interesting that if you read the section on Malaysia, you will find no mention of their law on sodomy; whereas in the section on Singapore, you will find a section on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights due to the existence of law 377A...

Book Review and thoughts...

Having finished the book "Jihad - The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia" sometime last week, this post is a summary of my thoughts about the issues highlighted in the book.

In General
The book is an interesting read, especially for those interested in the history of the region, in foreign policies and the power play among neighbouring states, and in the evolution of people's mindsets about Islam. What makes it an even more captivating read is that information is presented in a relatively un-biased way. The author presents facts from bureaucrats and militants alike, he presents facts from the history of these nations and their interactions with each other, he presents information about the different branches of Islam. All these coming from a Muslim and a journalist with years of experience in the region lends credibility and also removes possibility of the information being mis-interpreted in a negative way. (you get this with some books written about Islam by non-Muslims)

Collaboration VS Self-interest in Power Play of Countries
The author makes a very clear point that countries such as the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, Turkey etc all have keen interest in the Central Asian states. This is largely due to the huge reserves of oil and natural gas that these states are sitting on. While international aid has been extended to the Central Asian states and some states are making an effort to draw in foreign investment, these moves have yet to translate into real economic and social reforms that benefit the average citizen on the streets due to overriding presence of corruption. The author also points out that much of these aid and investments are not conditional on reforms taking place, and this reflects the gap between the profit-driven and self-interest mindsets that exists as opposed to the a bigger-picture and socially responsible mindsets that are needed.

The author presents a lot more points regarding the power play between states interested in the region, as well as the self-interest attitudes of governments within the Central Asian states themselves so I won't reveal them all.

Something that really struck me was the difficult balance facing states and governments in today's highly globalised world. These institutions generally pursue the concept of globalisation, especially since it facilitates so much of our trade, investments and economies today. Yet at the same time, there exists the 'general understanding' of a non-intervention policy outside of our own countries, which in basic terms simply means that as my neighbour, you are free to comment on what's happening in my house but you don't shouldn't take any action or interfere too much since it's not your house, even if my actions may be causing you discomfort.

There's no better example of this difficulty than that of the financial crisis happening right now. As the melt-down of Wall Street in the US sends shockwaves through the global community and governments and banks scramble to take action, we see how on one hand, the IMF is calling for a coordinated approach among European nations and on the other hand, Ireland and Germany have gone ahead with their own stands and actions. So on one hand, we can see how it makes sense that these countries are acting to protect the interests of their own people, and on the other hand, we see how sensitive it is when there are expectations (in the union) to make a collective stand for the greater good.

'What counts above all is coordination and the will not to act each for himself as we have seen a little bit in some European cases.'
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND CHIEF DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN

So while globalisation has taken off, along with the flourishing of trade laws, global governing bodies and international standards, we are still struggling with the other doors that globalisation opens up. How do we manage the safety and interests of our own countries while taking a consistent stand on the actions of other countries whose actions impact us? If trade and economic relations are such key drivers for the opening of a country's doors to the world that they can easily become the trump card for placing pressure for positive change, why then has the concept of social responsibility still only remained within the sphere of companies and businesses instead of being extended between states? instead of something driven together by both government and companies?

Reflection...

in AIESEC, we talk about the AIESEC Experience and the stage of Heading for the Future... it's kind of the last stage in the whole AIESEC Experience, and is important because it is the point where you take time to reflect on your journey in AIESEC to see how much you have grown (or not) as an individual, to reassess where you stand with regards to your personal goals, and to see how you can move on to other things in life while continuing to pursue those goals... it's like reflecting and writing the last chapter of your AIESEC story...

I have recently fully experienced the wonders of this stage... having finished my President term for AIESEC Singapore in early August, I have been taking this 1 month or so to just chill, take things a bit slower, as well as to start the process of finding an internship abroad through AIESEC...

and I truly appreciate the fact that things move much slower now.. such that I have the time to really think back on the past 5 years of AIESEC involvement... to question myself on whether I have changed, how I have changed or more fundamentally, who am I?

after all... if I am made up of the experiences of my past, then 5 years is quite a lot of impact on who I am today...

since I am still occassionally helping out the AIESEC members, I now look at things and present my thoughts from a different perspective... I have been having some very interesting realisations and thoughts stemming from there...

it's hard to explain, and I am sure more thoughts and insights will be made as time goes by... but I am happy with how my brain is being active in this sense nowadays...

on a slightly different note, my brain is also happy as it is actively reading.. books, internet, articles... I am expanding my thoughts and perspectives!

Dead Poets Society

This is one movie that has made my top ten best movie to watch list... so yes it's in the list alongside others such as the Shawshank Redemption, Remember the Titans, The Usual Suspect, Gattaca to name a few..

Set in 1959 in an extremely traditional prep school in the US, it tells the story of how an English and Poetry teacher (played by Robin Williams) inspired and forever changed the lives of a group of his students... by means of unorthodox methods of teaching, this teacher challenges all that the boys knew about life... I won't spoil the story for you in case you want to watch it or read the book... but here are some lines from the movie that will surely give you a taste of how artfully written the story was...

"Carpe Diem - Seize the Day"

"Did they wait till it was too late? to make of their lives just one iota of what they were capable of?

"Only in dreams are men truly free"

Really really inspiring movie about life, opportunities, finding who you are, and challenging perspectives... Watch it if you can!

Nature in Singapore

There's a lot to be said about how adaptable animals are and how easily they keep up with the many additions that human beings make to the so-called 'natural surroundings"

So here's the evidence of the latest urban resident of Singapore...

Animal Name: The Singapore Cat
Natural Habitat: in the lower racks of display shelves outside NTUCs and provision shops


The Singapore Cat is a highly evolved urban creature. Unlike the traditional wild cat species which shun and are highly independent of human beings, it prefers the artificial, dry and cosy environment created by snuggling among packets of human-processed food. The Singapore Cat shows a high resemblence to particularly famous cat by the name of Garfield, especially in terms of its unexplained liking for potato chips.

My latest read...

I am currently reading a book titled "Jihad - The rise of militant Islam in Central Asia".

It is written by Ahmed Rashid, who is a journalist based in Lahore, Pakistan and is the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review and the Daily Telegraph. He also writes for The Wall Street Journal.

It's been an interesting read so far, and has gotten me quite intrigued in the history of Central Asia. It's also rekindled the interest I had in Islam from the days of doing research in undergraduate days for a Sociology professor...

More thoughts after I am done with the book...

Update on FBI Game

Dey has kindly enlightened me further on how this game should be played! It needs to be asked in real-time, such as face to face, or on MSN, Skype etc... The idea is not to give that person a lot of time to think before answering!

so if you still wanna play, drop me a note somewhere on MSN or in a comment :)

In response....

This is a reply to the comment of the previous post... hehe...
Thanks Nicholas for the 3 questions!! as much as it's less than 10, it's better than none! hahahah

1. What do you see in your future - maybe 5 years from now.
this question reminds me of applications.. for AI, for TNs etc etc hahaha...

Career wise: I'm interested in going into Business Process Management.. it's a field that presents itself in many job titles in the market, ranging from consultancy to risk analysis to information system to business strategy and so on. I think I'm just quite hooked on working with diverse brains to understand bigger pictures, to identify gaps and to create and implement solutions that help the bigger picture :)

social wise: I dunno about getting married by then but at the very least... have a boyfriend... I imagine my mom will be getting more and more anxious as the years go by... typical haha...
am still thinking which form of martial arts I'll be keen in by 5 years later... for now, I feel like I'm still exploring and finding a style that fits...

2. Is what you have done in the past 2 years in line to what you want to achieve for the next 5?
(Something less serious)

I think I found what I wanted to do in the next 5 years within the past 2 years... which make sense really cos part of my motivation for doing MCP full time was to have more working time to travel, to attend meetings and networking events, to understand what's happening out there, to talk to more people... and from those experiences, plus the thrill of doing all that was done in the term really helped me decide that "Yes! this is where my passion lies, and that regardless of my academic background, it is something I can achieve if I work hard at it!"

3. What is the one movie that you want to watch?
I just had a conversation with my brother that the new movies showing right now aren't attractive at all... I'm quite sure there's a list of must-watch movies that I have heard from friends but I can't remember any right now...
so the only answer that stands out in my head at this moment is... Wall-E by Pixar :)

the FBI Game

I came across this on Dey's blog (http://allingreen.blogspot.com/)

The FBI Game ~
You Have 10 Questions.
You Ask One By One And I Answer One By One with TOTAL Honesty.
You don´t have to answer any questions.
Unless you want me to ask you as well after I have answered all yours.
My goal is to get to recognize myself better through my answers to your questions.
And get to know a bit more about your perception of me through your questions.


Now isn't that quite an interesting concept? really forces you to come to terms with who you are... and it's definitely much deeper than spotlight (since that game usually just focuses on relationships)

I think I don't mind playing this... so.. who wants to ask? :)

Random thoughts

I was out of the house yesterday and just wanted to do a collection of some thoughts that popped into my head when I saw or heard certain things...

upon seeing women's underwear with butt padding (to make ur butt look bigger and perkier)...
"If someone with not much of a butt wore that and sat for a long time, will the pad get dented when she stands up? that will be an interesting sight"

upon seeing a lesbian couple on the MRT...
"I wonder if their parents know and what their parents think.. I wonder how the other passengers will react if they start PDA-ing (PDA = Public Display of Affection)

upon seeing devotees in the Guan Yin Temple asking for divine lots...
"Does it happen that someone shakes the container and ends up dropping a bunch of lots? Does it happen that someone shakes for a looong time and nothing ever drops out?"

upon seeing a random cat on the streets...
"what would cats say if they could speak?"

Writings from the past

Found this article that I had written (just for fun) in 2004 after finishing Junior College...

INERTIA AND FORCE

Inertia (noun): the reluctance of an object to stop moving when it is in motion or to start moving when it is stationary.

It is strangely coincidental how a word so commonly used in the study of physics is actually so predominant in our daily lives. Yet it is highly ironic that while so many of us may be able to identify this occurrence when answering physics questions, so few of us really recognise how much impact it has in our social lives.

Imagine this scenario: you are flipping through the pages of your secondary school autograph book when you suddenly come across the page contributed by a very close friend of yours. As the memories flood back into your mind, you realise how long it has been since you spoke to this friend of yours. Yet, you hesitate to give him or her a call. A little voice at the back of your head says, “it’ll be so awkward” or “maybe next time when I have more time”; and you obey that voice.

That voice, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, is inertia at work. So often, we get caught up in the nitty gritty details of our hectic lives. We unknowingly become so used to rushing around and getting things done that we are reluctant to stop and focus on something that is very much closer to our hearts: friends.

The very people with whom we once played catch, the people who stood by us when we felt low and vulnerable, the people with whom we shared so many highs and lows, happy and sad, wacky and crazy times. I think it is such a pity that so many friendships casually die off because inertia becomes too powerful to overcome. I feel sad that even during gatherings, some people cannot turn up or do not bother to because inertia is so overbearing in their lives. It’s like driving on an expressway without wearing a seat belt: we become aware of inertia only when the driver is thrown through the windscreen upon a sudden stop. Similarly, by the time we become aware of this inertia in our social lives, more often than not the damage is already done.

But as in physics, inertia can be overcome by the introduction of a force in the correct direction. A force is a push or a pull exerted to change the state of an object. If exerted on a stationary object for example, the force can allow the object overcome its reluctance to move.

I have a lot of respect for those who are able to create this force and propel themselves to overcome inertia. They are able to gain strength from the thought that the goodness which comes out of maintaining that friendship is worth the extra effort. They try continually, ever so determined to bring back remnants of those good old memories. I salute them for their tremendous efforts and their faith in the human spirit.

We tackle physics questions concerning inertia and forces with apparent ease. Let us one day be able to tackle our social problems regarding these same two concepts with that same kind of ease. Let not a simple misstep on our part tear down years of friendship and love.

Ties that bind...

Yesterday was the Mid Autumn Festival celebration in my Junior College... this photo shows people from at least 5 generations of members from the Wushu club... says a lot about the kind of experiences we had in our 2 years in wushu...

I have no life....

Songs...

You know how there are just some songs that trigger memories of people or places? Just randomly came across my mind...

Everything I do I do It for You by Bryan Adams - Julie and Vietnam
Tong Hua by ... (I forgot his name!) - Anisha
My Wish by Rascal Flatts - AP MCPs 0607
My Love by Westlife - Phayao, North Thailand
Fixing a Broken Heart by Firehouse - Huimin from Wushu
Nothing's gonna stop us now by Starship - NYGH Council Sec 2
When We Believe - NYGH Council Sec 3
At the Beginning - NYGH Council Sec 4
Wu Ding by Jay Chou and some woman (haha) - HCJC Wushu and climbing the rooftop

there's a whole bunch of others... but they're not triggered at the moment...

Poem that intrigued

Saw and heard this from a Channel News Asia advertisement.. will reveal more of its meaning shortly...

I saw a peacock with a fiery tail

I saw a blazing comet drop down hail

I saw a cloud with ivy circled round

I saw a sturdy oak creep on the ground

I saw a *pismire swallow up a whale *[ant]

I saw a raging sea brim full of ale

I saw a Venice glass sixteen foot deep

I saw a well full of men’s tears that weep

I saw their eyes all in a flame of fire

I saw a house as big as the moon and higher

I saw the sun even in the midst of night

I saw the man who saw this wondrous sight

‘A Person of Quality’, Westminster Drollery (1671)

The stories we haven't heard

Singapore has won the first ever Olympic medal ever since our independence in 1965. Thanks to the table tennis trio, we've broken the 48 year wait for this medal...

As usual, there's a lot of discussions about being Singaporean and Singapore citizens, about importing sporting talent and all that...

yet I'm sure a lot lies behind each of their decisions to come to Singapore... and this was actually covered in a China CCTV program that interviewed Li Jia Wei and Feng Tian Wei and traced their table tennis journeys right from their childhood...

http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=426895254

very inspiring... and definitely makes me wonder that despite all the glory they have brought back, we as Singaporeans have never seen this side of their stories...

To each his own...

In this century, most of us will find it normal that in so many aspects of our world, numbers make the difference... the numbers are the indicators for success, for winning, for being Number One in the family, the company, the economy, the country, the world...

which makes it amusing to see so much happening now on deciding which is the REAL way of tallying the medals won at the recent Olympics in Beijing...

There is of course, the reputation of being the world's largest and most powerful sporting country at stake.. but well see for yourself:

1) Gold Medal Won
This list ranks countries by the number of Gold Medals won, since the Gold Medal is indicative of being Champions in the sport. By this list, China leads hugely with a total of 51.

2) Total Medals Won
The USA ranks top in this list, coming in with a total of 110 to the 100 by China. This ranking is done in the USA.

3) Total Points Gained
The following is taken from an article on The Straits Times

The New Superpower, 25 Aug 08

"the US Olympic Committee, by paying US$25,000 (S$35,000) for a gold medal, US$15,000 for silver and US$10,000 for bronze, provides a fairer gauge: 25 points for gold, 15 for silver, 10 for bronze.

By that method, China have 1,870 points and the Americans 1,830."

4) the REAL Olympic medal tally
This tally does not include sports where the final results are entirely decided by referees and judging (e.g. diving, gymnastics, tae kwon do...) The final total medal tally puts US ahead of China 76 to 48.

5) Medals per capita
This takes total medals won divided by total national population and thus ranks US and China way back in the list.

I'm sure a further search on the internet will reveal more methods...
Now that the Games are over, the sports war is done...
Let the numbers game and statistics war begin...

Life and How to Survive It

Fantastic convocation speech at the NTU Convocation 2008 for the School of Communications and Information.

For original, please visit here -> http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2008/08/life-and-how-to-survive-it.html


Life and How to Survive It

I must say thank you to the faculty and staff of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for inviting me to give your convocation address. It’s a wonderful honour and a privilege for me to speak here for ten minutes without fear of contradiction, defamation or retaliation. I say this as a Singaporean and more so as a husband.

My wife is a wonderful person and perfect in every way except one. She is the editor of a magazine. She corrects people for a living. She has honed her expert skills over a quarter of a century, mostly by practising at home during conversations between her and me.

On the other hand, I am a litigator. Essentially, I spend my day telling people how wrong they are. I make my living being disagreeable.

Nevertheless, there is perfect harmony in our matrimonial home. That is because when an editor and a litigator have an argument, the one who triumphs is always the wife.

And so I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you’ve already won her heart, you don’t need to win every argument.

Marriage is considered one milestone of life. Some of you may already be married. Some of you may never be married. Some of you will be married. Some of you will enjoy the experience so much, you will be married many, many times. Good for you.

The next big milestone in your life is today: your graduation. The end of education. You’re done learning.

You’ve probably been told the big lie that “Learning is a lifelong process” and that therefore you will continue studying and taking masters’ degrees and doctorates and professorships and so on. You know the sort of people who tell you that? Teachers. Don’t you think there is some measure of conflict of interest? They are in the business of learning, after all. Where would they be without you? They need you to be repeat customers.

The good news is that they’re wrong.

The bad news is that you don’t need further education because your entire life is over. It is gone. That may come as a shock to some of you. You’re in your teens or early twenties. People may tell you that you will live to be 70, 80, 90 years old. That is your life expectancy.

I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I’m here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.

You may be very happy to know that Singapore is currently ranked as the country with the third highest life expectancy. We are behind Andorra and Japan, and tied with San Marino. It seems quite clear why people in those countries, and ours, live so long. We share one thing in common: our football teams are all hopeless. There’s very little danger of any of our citizens having their pulses raised by watching us play in the World Cup. Spectators are more likely to be lulled into a gentle and restful nap.

Singaporeans have a life expectancy of 81.8 years. Singapore men live to an average of 79.21 years, while Singapore women live more than five years longer, probably to take into account the additional time they need to spend in the bathroom.

So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper.

Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they’re 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn’t meet their life expectancy.

I’m here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy.

After all, it’s calculated based on an average. And you never, ever want to expect being average.

Revisit those expectations. You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that, as graduates, you should expect to find a job paying so much, where your hours are so much, where your responsibilities are so much.

That is what is expected of you. And if you live up to it, it will be an awful waste.

If you expect that, you will be limiting yourself. You will be living your life according to boundaries set by average people. I have nothing against average people. But no one should aspire to be them. And you don’t need years of education by the best minds in Singapore to prepare you to be average.

What you should prepare for is mess. Life’s a mess. You are not entitled to expect anything from it. Life is not fair. Everything does not balance out in the end. Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.

Don’t expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live. Your life is over as of today. At this point in time, you have grown as tall as you will ever be, you are physically the fittest you will ever be in your entire life and you are probably looking the best that you will ever look. This is as good as it gets. It is all downhill from here. Or up. No one knows.

What does this mean for you? It is good that your life is over.

Since your life is over, you are free. Let me tell you the many wonderful things that you can do when you are free.

The most important is this: do not work.

Work is anything that you are compelled to do. By its very nature, it is undesirable.

Work kills. The Japanese have a term “Karoshi”, which means death from overwork. That’s the most dramatic form of how work can kill. But it can also kill you in more subtle ways. If you work, then day by day, bit by bit, your soul is chipped away, disintegrating until there’s nothing left. A rock has been ground into sand and dust.

There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”. No, they’re not. They’re dying, frittering away their fast-extinguishing lives doing things which are, at best, meaningless and, at worst, harmful.

People will tell you that work ennobles you, that work lends you a certain dignity. Work makes you free. The slogan "Arbeit macht frei" was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps. Utter nonsense.

Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.

Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.

I like arguing, and I love language. So, I became a litigator. I enjoy it and I would do it for free. If I didn’t do that, I would’ve been in some other type of work that still involved writing fiction – probably a sports journalist.

So what should you do? You will find your own niche. I don’t imagine you will need to look very hard. By this time in your life, you will have a very good idea of what you will want to do. In fact, I’ll go further and say the ideal situation would be that you will not be able to stop yourself pursuing your passions. By this time you should know what your obsessions are. If you enjoy showing off your knowledge and feeling superior, you might become a teacher.

Find that pursuit that will energise you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don’t, you are working.

Most of you will end up in activities which involve communication. To those of you I have a second message: be wary of the truth. I’m not asking you to speak it, or write it, for there are times when it is dangerous or impossible to do those things. The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating. There is also great skill. Any child can blurt out the truth, without thought to the consequences. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.

In order to be wary of the truth, you must first know it. That requires great frankness to yourself. Never fool the person in the mirror.

I have told you that your life is over, that you should not work, and that you should avoid telling the truth. I now say this to you: be hated.

It’s not as easy as it sounds. Do you know anyone who hates you? Yet every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross.

One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it’s often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one’s own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the centre and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong.

The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.

I didn’t say “be loved”. That requires too much compromise. If one changes one’s looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We’ve taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work – the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn’t happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.

You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don’t, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.

Don’t work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.

You’re going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there’s no life expectancy.

Lazy Singaporeans?

Read more at http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_261297.html July 25, 2008
Tray Return initiative at Suntec food court struggles
Food Court drive to get diners to clear their trays and dishes is ignored by patrons
By Elizabeth Wilmot
AN effort to get patrons at a food court to return their trays has had dismal results so far. Launched two weeks ago, the Tray Return Movement at Suntec City's Fountain Food Terrace has left even one of its organisers disappointed. The drive was spearheaded by property consultants Chesterton International Property Consultants, a subsidiary of Suntec Investment, which owns the food court. It is supported by the Singapore Kindness Movement. So far, though, little has changed. Many customers still leave their trays piled on tables, leaving cleaners with more work, and inconveniencing other diners. Said Mr Ricky Sim, managing director of Chesterton International: 'Of course it's discouraging seeing people not returning their trays. It is an uphill task we're facing.' He added: 'It's not easy. There are a lot of problems because people's habits do not change overnight.' When The Straits Times visited the food court yesterday for an hour-long lunch-time check, only a few customers were spotted returning their trays and used crockery voluntarily - and all but one did so simply to free up space on their tables. This was despite the presence of eight tray return points and posters promoting the movement everywhere. Even patrons seated directly in front of the tray return carts ignored their presence.

Out of town

Will be in Vietnam from 8th to 22nd July...

Why I love my job

In 1 year of doing AIESEC full time, counting 1st July 2007 till 4 August 2008 (when I officially finish as per my service terms), I will have

Visited 9 countries

• Taipei, Kao Shiung, Tai Dong, Taiwan - July 07
• Istanbul, Capadokya, Turkey - August 07
• KL, Malaysia - October 07
• Skopje and Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia - February 08
• Sophia, Bulgaria - February 08
• Tokyo, Japan - March 08
• Guang Zhou, China - May 08
• Jakarta, Indonesia - June 08
• Next stop: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - July 08

9 moments of amazing conference experiences

• Chair, Taiwan SNCF 2007
• Delegate, International Congress 2007
• Facilitator, Singapore Jump Start! Induction Conference 07
• Facilitator, Asia Pacific HEROES Conference 07
• Facilitator, Singapore NLDS 2007
• Delegate, International Presidents Meeting 2008
• Facilitator, Asia Pacific Exchange Leadership Development Seminar 2008
• Chair, Asia Pacific EVOLVE Conference 2008
• Facilitator, Asia Pacific Member Committee Transition Camp 2008

Managed

• budgets that are in 5 figure amounts (SGD for some, Euros for some)
• projects that have impacted more than 2000 youths from Singapore and around Asia Pacific
• to attend enough company meetings and networking events to give away more than 150 of my name cards
• to build a network of friends from more than 103 countries and territories in the world
• to gain hands-on experience in project management, team management, budget management, external relations and marketing, PR, strategic planning and governance, coaching, website management and programming, talent management
  

Presented

• A 2 hour discussion on "Youth Opinion in South East Asia" to a room of 30 HR professionals from companies around Singapore
• Opening Address to a room of 40 youths and professionals at the "Business Leaders in ASEAN" Alumni Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia
• Opening speech at AIESEC Singapore Gala Dinner, attended by 120 members, alumni and partners
• Opening speech at EVOLVE Gala Dinner, graced by Mr. Baey Yam Keng, Minister of Parliament, and 100 other guests (members from Singapore and Asia Pacific, alumni and partners)
• As part of panelist in a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia alongside Mr. Hermawan Kartaja (one of 50 World Marketing Gurus, President of World Marketing Association, 5 times co-author with Philip Kotler)

all this at the age of 23 and 24 years old... what more can one ask for? :)

Travel again...

Will be jetting off to Jakarta, Indonesia at 4pm today to attend



























Will be back on Monday about 3.30pm..

The Displacement of Reason

This is an amazing article written by Alex Au, owner of Yawning Bread (http://www.yawningbread.org/) for a forum titled "A Christian response to same-sex attraction"

Fantastic article and very thought-provoking argument...

http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2008/yax-888.htm

Random

Am sitting here at Starbucks with 4 of my MC VP elects...

they're discussing their session for national planning...

and I'm sitting here feeling nolstagic, highly amused.. and well just reflective :)

Random post

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

The power of delegation...

Martial Arts Expert

Thank You...

I am alive!

Here's another quick update, considering that the last one with slightly more content was done in early March..

So yes I am doing well as always... since IPM in Macedonia, followed by the short trips to Bulgaria and Turkey, I've visited Japan as well to facilitate at the Asia Pacific Exchange Leadership Development Seminar, a 1 week conference for Asia Pacific... (I had 1 week in Singapore from the previous trip before jetting off again) it was a great experience seeing highly motivated and very fresh members from all over AP, and also experiencing the diversity and professionalism of like 12 other facilitators from around the world.. not to mention the 5 days we spent in Tokyo after the conference... highlights include Disney Tokyo, Kamakura, lots of walking, lots of sushi and lots of photos :)

Getting back in end March saw crazy preparation for the AIESEC Symposium 2008, that we were proud to be hosting together with AIESEC International. with 60 corporate representatives and 30 AIESEC youths from Asia Pacific, we convened in the Fullerton Hotel for a day of speeches, sharing, discussions and networking around the topic of Youth Talent: Leadership and Innovation.... really enjoyed myself... such an eye-opening and fulfilling experience...

after that, it was great times with Shirley who was in Singapore on country visit... I think the elects were really challenged and have emerged wiser and more motivated... it was crazy social times too with what felt like the world visiting Singapore... Cyrus from HK, Sandy and James from Malaysia, Won from Korea, Aman and Rishabh from AIESEC International, Fish from China, then Pui from Thailand, Yuichi from Japan... fun times :)

so yeah.. here's the update thus far... will be in conference from tomorrow onwards till 11th May... Am chairing the EVOLVE Conference (5 days, 120 delegates of which 105 are foreign, lots of external particitation)... after that, will be leaving for Guang Zhou for Asia Pacific Member Committee Transition Camp 2008 from 20th May till probably end of the month...

stay tuned!

Hail all moms in the world!

Life is a gift - some really powerful stuff

Quick Update

Just so you know, I am alive and well...

currently writing this from the airport in Istanbul...

this has been quite an intense travel experience...

from Singapore to Istanbul to Skopje to Ohrid,

and the Ohrid to Sofia (Bulgaria) - 8 hours plus of bus
Sofia to Istanbul - 10 hours of bus
Istanbul to Dubai - 4 hours flight
Dubai stopover - 8 hours
Dubai to Jakarta for quick stop and then Singapore...

Looking forward to home :)

more updates maybe in April...

Next stop... Leaving for Japan on 13th March!!!