Wolves 3 Man City 2 ; Coming Back from 2 Down against the Champions ! What a Memory ! Doherty scores the Winner !

 

                                    Sweet Memories are made of these ! 

What a team, what camaderie, what determination, what skills and the support is second to none.

I can only admire the brilliance of the coach Nuno, his coaching staff, the selection of top top players and the vision of world class strategy that is the Old Gold.

For We are Wolves FWAW ! 

Farewell Matt Doherty ; my favorite player in the Old Gold and Black. Time for a rethink about my support ?

The harsh realities of football is that players play in football teams in the Premier League not only to make a living, but also and heartbreakingly so, to make good money.

So it was a rude surprise that Wolves had decided to sell Matt Doherty, the Republic of Ireland wingback who had so loyally served the Wolves through thick and thin. I wish him all the best in his new club Tottenham Hotspur, but football teams nowadays are managed like horses, sad to say and the owners Fosun and the manager Nuno, saw a good deal to sell him off at 17 Million pounds to Tottenham Hotspur.

Fosun, after all is a business enterprise, so it is no surprise that when they see a deal, they make it.

Matt Doherty is a right wingback who plays with consumate passion. A player's player who gives 110 % on the field. True, he does not defend as well as many would have hoped he could but he served a good 10 years in the outfield for Wolves coming from League 1 (Div 3), then the Championship and now the Premier League. He cost only a bargain 75,000 BP coming from Bohemians in Rep Ireland league. What a tremendous asset and player.

His winner against Champions Manchester City wlllforever be etched in my mind as the most satistyfing of all as a recent Wolves supporter, to be very honest.

After 2 seasons in Premier League, Wolves have established themselves as a top half club and many top teams need to invest in new players and get their mojo going. My worry is that they have plateaued and need that super push in terms of new players to break into Champions League territory. The COVID 19 pandemic has taken a big hit on the fans attendance, and many clubs are reeling for lost ticket sales I am 100 % sure of that. How they will recover in 2020-21 season is on everybody's minds.

2020 is the year I will want to make many things right. I may just rethink my support for my childhood team Wolves for a while, as there are many pressing things I have to pursue for these 2 years. 

25th August 2020 Run at MacRitchie Reservoir Park - Singaporeans, take a bow. You have arrived !

My run yesterday at MacRitchie Reservoir park was the first, I believe, in 2020. So many things have happened in 2020, with the COVID-19 messing up so many people's lives, livelihoods, physical, health and mental well being, not to mention, crippling businesses, ruining decades of long established industries in Food and Beverage, Retail, Transport, Travel, Leisure, Entertainment, Hospitality, the list seems endless.

I put aside all the negative thoughts and went for the run. Starting from the tree near the performance bandstand (now long unused), I ran 5.2 km inside the track under the forest canopy and reached the exercise station deep in the forest beside the SICC Sime golf course and then backtracking my steps.

I encountered many muddy patches along the way, the trail run was muddy in at least 10 places, some spots being reduced to thick dark brown sludge. But I persisted and made my way past perhaps less than 10 people.

3 groups of people whom I passed along my run were very polite. One couple (or was it a father and daughter ?), even stopped, stepped aside and allowed me to continue at my regular pace and run through the side of the muddy pathway. Another elderly Chinese gentleman, stopped his walk to allow me to canter past me down one of the slippery slopes, and gave me a toothy grin when I thanked him profusely.

The last couple, upon hearing my panting and footfalls approaching them from behind, created an 'arch' between them (like those of raised swords during a marriage ceremony) and let me run past them. It is a real treat, not to slow down and stop during my run as it disrupts my pace first and foremost and secondly, the sudden slowing down and rapid acceleration can do damage to my soon to be 58 year old joints.

So, this post is a shoutout to these Singaporeans, who have 'arrived' when it comes to social responsibility and do give some thought to the other path users - at least those 3 groups of people.

May we continue this positive and uplifting mindset for our society going forward !

Here below is a picture of my muddy Kayanos.

May I be able to run at all the lovely parks in Singapore for as long as I can ! 

 

A Greek Tragedy - A modern day lesson from the first developed country and democracy to go bankrupt.

 

A sad and scary reminder of the perils of overspending and not keeping to fiscal prudence in the modern world.

The cradle of democracy which gave the world the Senate and the democratic government of the people by the people and for the people had hit a very bumpy end of the road.

Watch the video and be suitably afraid.

We should never go down this path, now and in the future. 

2011 Marathon ; I have put on weight ; see my 2011 frame versus 2010 frame

 

I had a look at my past marathon photos, and I have decided that enough is enough. My body's metabolism is indeed slowing and unless I do something about it, the weight in kgs will amass and it will not be good for me.

Therefore, I have decided to take on the challenge to lose 5 kg by this year's end. It won't be easy, but I must do this so that my body can feel the effects of a lighter frame, and hence, possibly run faster.

My BMI is in the overweight range, 25.5 so, I need to get this under control once and for all.

If I have succeeded, I will put up my weight strategy for all to see and give their comments on.  

Tackling weight loss is basically done on numerous fronts :

a) lose the hunger urge to snack

b) Count calories for every meal or snack taken. Keep a food log

c) Exercise more and s a result 

d) Eat the right foods. 

I did manage to lose this amount, some 10 odd years ago, but as the body metabolism has slowed, and my eating has not, I have (sadly) gained 1 kg per year on average.

This is not good, as an overweight body will ultimately lead to lifestyle diseases such as 

a) heart disease

b) high blood pressure

c) diabetes

d) cancer (possibly).

Add to that, my family history of cancer, and I am awaiting a not so good end of life, in the years to come, if I don't do anything to my eating habits, my exercise regimen (not enough), and my sleep and stress levels. 

In the following months I will walk through my journey from overweight to somewhat trim and fit.

Care to join me ?? 

8385 Kheong Saik Street Wanton Noodles

 

Good Value for Money Dry Wanton Noodles ; the friend wanton is 'to die for' 

Situated inside a coffeeshop off Kheong Saik Street is this gem of a Wanton Noodle stall. Run by a young man, his wanton noodle stall is called 8385 and his noodles is the best wanton noodle (Mee Kia - or thin yellow noodles) I have tasted in a long while.

$3.50 for a plate of wanton noodle with 2 friend 'sui jiao's (or dumpling). On Saturday I also ordered the 4 piece dumpling (sui jiao) for additional $ 4 ; Yes the price is indeed steep for a side dish, but this is a 'must try'.

First the noodles. They are prepared with just the right amount of chilli oil, and blanched inside with the right amount of al dente or chewiness. They taste great. In addition, there is enough cha siew or roast pork with cha siew sauce to go along with it. 2 fried wantons adorn the dish.

Add some crunchy vegetables I believe, siao bai cai and a lovely soup consisting of 2 wantons, and you have a lovely breakfast for 1.  

The stall is right at the centre of this coffee shop along Kheong Saik Street. 

I was feeling a little greedy, so I decided to add $4 for the crispy wanton and I got $4 for 4 pieces of fried wanton. The wanton is really hot and crispy, being just fried. The minced pork is plentiful and there are some prawn pieces to complete the most tasty wanton I have eaten in a long long while.

I sidestepped the pork lard bits, so all in all my rating of this dish is :

Time of Dining : Saturday Morning 10 am 

Taste     : 4.8 out of 5

Service :  4.5 out of 5

Ambience : 4.0 out of 5

Overall     :  4.43 out of 5    

8385 Cafe ; inside the 2nd coffeeshop along Kheong Saik Street (some Chinese society 

                    clan associations are situated there)

 

Going Hungry in Singapore

 

Friends are the key to a balanced life

 

5th Aug 2020 dinner with Faisal and Albert 

This year marks 33 years since we came out of formal education, the National University of Singapore (NUS for short).I graduated from that University (now there are 6) in 1987 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), having studied the first year at the campus, and then the next 3 years at the newly minted Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) which was then the engineering arm of the NUS, 

Time has surely flown by in a blink of an eye, 33 years have come and gone, we have started out careers, gotten married, have children, bought and sold cars and apartments, started and closed businesses and sadly in the last 10 years, participated and grieved in the passing of our beloved parents, spouses, friends, colleagues and acquaintences.

Throuh it all, friendships with our long time friends are like wine, the relationship is no longer like the sharp fruity aftertaste of the Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs or Chardonnays. In fact, it is the deep, thoughtful and circumspect Merlots and Shiraz the Reds which seem so much more smooth and satisfying to the tastebuds.

Long may we keep the good ties, bad jokes, horrible one liners and gentle jibes going on for the longest time. 

   

  

Money Supply M0 M1 and M2 - Khan Academy Primer for my understanding

Fascinating, at my age, I do not even know the basics of economics ; I'm playing catchup 

 

Wolves Take on Sevilla for Europa Cup Quarter Finals on Tuesday 12th August 9pm Germany Time

This is the climax of Wolves fantastic season, the win or bust of the Europa League QuarterFinal held behind closed doors, Wolves started this League playing Republic of Ireland's Crusaders in July 2019 - more than 1 year ago !

Sevilla, Seville's football team has won the trophy 4 previous times. Wolves are but debutants to the 'ball'.

With a brilliant manager and support team, Wolves will definately be the underdogs.

However, the 'unknown factor' or unfamiliarity of their opponents and vice versa, is in my opinion, going to be the game changer 

They will win this all important match 2 - 0 ; I am  sticking my neck out, but the team will sense that history is in the making and will produce the game of their lives.

2 - 0 ; Wednesday 12th August 3.00 am kickoff time.

Carpe Diem Wolves !  

Happy 55 Singapore. No more a youthful or young nation ; Maturity, Wisdom and Thoughtful Action is needed from our leaders.

Singapore is 55 years of age today. We have been blessed since our inception in 1965 by a great leader and statesman Mr. Lee Kwan Yew that with each year after his passing, I am more and more awestruck at his contribution to raise this little backwater of an island in the midst of (then) unfriendly neighbours and having to fight numerous battles on the economic, social and political front it is something of a miracle that we have this unlikely metropolis which I proudly call my home.

Let us reflect on this fact on Singapore's birthday. I am grateful for having a giant of a man who led Singapore for the better part of 30 years as Prime Minister then taking the back seat as Senior Minister, and finally Minister Mentor in his final days. He was a brilliant statesman, leader extraordinaire, loving husband and super salesman of the country. True, he had to enact the Internal Security Act during Operation Coldstore, but the greater good of Singapore has been achieved  in barely 30 years. We are now a first world country with one of the highest GDP per capita, freest economy where business is concerned, clean, green and a place where the world expects Singaporeans to stand up and be counted upon. He and his wonderful team achieved this starting in mid 1960s for a poor island struggling after the Second World War with no hinterland, little farmland, no rare earth resources, no water. 

Malaysia had decided to 'kick out' this island at the south by an immediate amendment of the Constitution, fearing the rise of Communist enclaves, and racial disharmony amongst many other issue. In the late 50s and early 60s, Singapore was subject to the Hock Lee Bus Riots, the racial riots, the Konfrantasi between the then Malaya and Indonesia, the Chinese Middle School protests and the worrying rise of the Plen (plenitentiary) who had started the Malayan Communist Party and was eyeing on radicalising Singapore's young urban poor.  

In 1967, the British decided to pull out all of their bases, Naval and whatever land forces they had. Poverty was rife, gangsters and triads were plentiful and people were left after the 2nd World War with no jobs, lack of security, sanitation and a bleak future.

Only through the amazing vision and steely willpower of a great man, a no nonsense taskmaster and his desire to pull this unlikely nation by its bootstraps from the Third World to First World did Singapore 'make it'. 

My salute to you, sir. 

Singapore - The origins of the name ? 

I am also struck that the name Singa Pura is taken from a Sanscrit word and Singa meaning 'lion'. Historically and from wildlife records from hundreds of years ago, there have never been sightings of any Lions in the Lion City. According to folklore, (again it is all heresay and handed down stories which Man is very good at altering to his exaggeration to make the story more 'tall' and awe inspiring), the Majapahit ruler Sang Nila Utama came to this island one day to hunt, and lo and behold, the saw the Lion when he landed, hence the name Singa in the Singa Pore name. The jungles of South East Asia only record Tiger sightings and Lions domain or sanctuary is the Savannah in Africa. Strange isn't it ? 

An unlikely formed country with an even more unlikely origin for a name, with a brilliant leader statesman all at the same time. The odds of that happening is probably less than one in a million years. 

I prefer the more accurate Temasek from the Indonesian  language whereby the meaning is the Land surrounded by the Lakes. This is much more apt. 

Happy 55th Temasek Island 

The first 2 Acts have come and gone - 

Now comes the Hard Part...... 

 

Morse Code ; a 100 year old 'language' ; I just learnt it for fun

 

In the days of the smart phone, people are dumbing down, because everything is within reach of your handphone. Many people take for granted basic methodologies like mathematics, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. I have also noticed a decline in cognitive thinking and rational debates either in the spoken word or in essays. 

Yuval Noah Harari's prediction that the world is gravitating towards a superclass of humans (called Alpha Humans) who control everything in the world using Artificial Intelligence and Biometrics. Robots will be the Working Class,  eventually taking over menial and repetitive jobs such as driving (cars, buses, Grab and Uber), navigating (Google Maps), food delivery (Food Panda, Uber Eats and Grab Food to name 3), cleaning, data entry, big data and so on.

At the bottom, there will be grow a subclass (underclass) of humans with nothing to do. It is scarily prescient but its only still in the distant future.

 

In addition, there are many apps such as Grammerly which help you with phrasing, punctuation and horrors, in the domain of end to end encrypted communication such as Whatsapp, and Snapchat, there are these horrible things called emoticons which - you guessed it - give emotion to our boring phrases, IF we can even be bothered with writing in grammatically correct and syntax free sentences.

So, we are subconciously being dumbed down, to becoming unthinking, lazy beings.

I DO NOT WANT THAT ; Not in my lifetime.

Hence, I have decided to learn languages with my free time (my target is to learn 5 speaking and writing fluently) , and this is my hobby and target.

Starting with Morse Code, a useful code language whereby through a series of dots and dashes you can write out, albeit slowly, sentences when you do not have a handphone and the next person is quite a distance and there are some physical structures such as walls, or metal structures between the both of you.

Its so fun, and I have developed my way of memorising the dots and dashes and now I am looking for a Morse Code group to try out my latest language ! 

2009 December Egypt Memories

 

2012 50 Birthday Get Together with the Saints

The First Hour

I am aware that the first hour of the day is the time when the mind is at its most acute and cognitively, the most focused and clear. 

Hence, for us, we have only this time to get the most important of things done.

For the spiritual, Christians like to use the first hour as 'quiet time' to communicate with God by either reading his word (the Bible) and hence setting the day right.

For others unaware of their cognitive bearings, it passes on like any other - a loss of the mind's capability to do the most important task of the day.

Some days I waste this first hour by relaxing or doing trivial things.

Nowadays, I believe it is imperative that I use this first hour to stratagize and plan ahead for the day, week, month and till the end of the year.

Useless musings ?  

Not where I am concerned. 

 

Debt to Equity Value for Companies

I am embarking to attain first financial literacy and then financial competancy as I realise I am a dumb ass in this field 

The more competant I get, I will realise whether I can make it in the business world. 

How to Win even the toughest Sudoku challenges

This 'diabolical' game took me 3 hours to complete on a humid and hot Sunday afternoon in my house attic. The difficulty of the game ratings given by the Daily Telegraph depend on the day of the week each game in played. 

Monday is 'Gentle' or easy Beginner level. Tuesday and Wednesday is 'Moderate' for Intermediate, Thursdays are 'Tough', Friday and Sundays are 'Diabolical' meaning next to impossible or Gamer Advanced and Saturdays are 'Moderate'   

I've been a fan of the Japanese puzzle game for almost 10 years now, I believe.  Sudoku is the innocuous looking 9 square puzzle where there are numbers from 1 - 9. There is no number zero used in this game.

Rule of the Game 
The objective of this game is simple. In the 9 squares, the player must fill in each row and each column ONLY ONCE the number 1 to 9. There cannot be a repeat of the number on any row or column. In addition, each outlined box can only have the number 1 to 9 appearing only once ! 

                                                              Tricks and Tips

Unless you are very experienced and clever, I would advise to print out the game, and write the possibilities of that number coming out in the square - for the diabolical or very difficult levels.

a) Print Out the Puzzle

Write out all the possibilities inside the small square for easy recollection and deduction later in the game. 

b) Use the elimination level method to fill in the empty square. 

If for example the 2 9 x 9 squares have the same number which are above and below that of the empty square when extrapolated, then there is the high possibility that square will show up that number. (Its very hard to explain in writing).

c)   When a square within the box has the same 2 numbers, they are 'booked' meaning 

This means that within the 9 square box, these 2 squares can only have these 2 numbers, hence by logical deduction, the remaining 7 other numbers need to be filled either within the 9x9 square, the column or row   

e) Count each line and column to ensure there is only 1 number between 1 to 9  

This is the hardest thing for me to do. There are so many lines and columns (9+9 or 18), so it tries my focus thinking to the maximum and this is where I reap the greatest benefit, I can easily spend 1 - 3 hours (not continuously but with breaks in between) on a game, but normally most times I can finish the most difficult sudokus within 30 minutes PROVIDED

 

> my mind is clear and focussed

> I have had a good sleep the night before

> I have no other distractions  

d) Gwendolin's Thread 

Finally, when all else fails, when I have deduced and eliminated all the other possibilities and put in all the 'given' or confirmed numbers, I am left with a puzzle where there are about 10 - 20 possibles and the rest are 100% givens and filled in, I will do what Princess Gwendolin did, 'guess' (either a 50 /50)

and circle the possible number at the top corer of the square and try to finish it. There will be a 'thread' or a path where I can backtrack using the 'string' I had placed for myself especially if the path turns out to be wrong one. I do not want to be going in circles and coming to a dead end and encountering 2 number 9s along the same row or column. 

So,  if along the way, I find there are (for example) 2 number 8s along the same row or column, then I will need to backtrack to where I first made that guess. 

It is obviously the wrong route, so I will erase my error, and start back to the original point where I chose one number out of two (a 50 / 50). I will then proceed to take the other number and proceed on from there.  

Normally I will be able to finish the game this way.

So that's it folks 

Sudoku Game De Mystified !

Have Fun Playing ! You only challenge yourself on time and patience.

Becoming a Top Level Player is not difficult. 

2nd August 2020 Afternoon Musings

Its a warm and humid afternoon. We are well into the 2nd half of 2020, and this year on all fronts has been nothing short of a disaster, economically, socially and healthy wise. Singapore has registered 2 quarters of contractons and is in a recession, probably the worst since it was an independent country in 1965, 55 years. The USA, the world's largest economy is also experiencing the worst economic situation since the Great Depression 90 years ago. 

The COVID -19 which had started out as a 'bad 'flu' from Wuhan in early January has evolved into a global pandemic killing almost 500,000 and infecting 16 million people with many more expected to fall sick in the coming months and possibly years as countries race to find a vaccine and possibly handle this as best as they can.

Its so easy to blame countries for the start and then once it is released, the scenario gets so convoluted with each country taking tough steps such as lockdowns of cities, states and enforcing wearing of masks in all enclosed places such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and restaurants. 

The countries which supposedly controlled it well, China, New Zealand, S Korea, Hong Kong, Auatralia, Japan and Vietnam are experiencing second and third waves of the dreaded disease as people start moving back into the workforce, moving between states, and again cramping together in popular dining areas.

People are slow learners. So used to habits and the need for mingling, we inadvertedly revert back to our 'bad' old days of crowding for the sake of saving a few minutes (to take the next lift) or eat at the restaurant which is full to capacity after almost 3 months lockdown  - where everything was shut and only takeout was allowed. (Late March till 18 June) 

There is the usual talking after eating and drinking, merriment and exchanging of long grandfather stories.

The virus lurks in unknown places, in people who are asymptomatic carriers and those who have caught it, but decide to shrug if off and soldier on - a cardinal sin - all in the name of not wanting to 'lose out' or miss the long anticipated reunion of classmates, someone's birthday and a celebration.

The New Normal is upon us. We need to be mindful 100% about the risks when going anywhere. I sound neurotic but only the paranoid survive (as Andrew Grove of Intel so aptly puts it).

Currently in China, the country which the virus first originated, is facing massive flooding in the Yangtze basin. Its so sad to watch the millions of people along the basin (AnHui district for one) who have lost their livelihoods, their homes, their businesses and their community as the floods continue unabated for at least another few weeks.

Its impossible to comprehend their suffering and  sense of helplessness. 

2020 -  Will we see any happy end to the year ? A vaccine would be at least a hopeful sign and something for us to look forward to.