The Beautiful Japanese Palm in my Rooftop Garden

This beautiful Japanese Palm is located at the timber deck of my house rooftop. The architect decided to place it there after much deliberation to add some 'form' to the otherwise boring timber deck of the rooftop. I took this picture to test my handphone camera's focussing capability in bright sunlight.

On further thought, I have come to the conclusion that trees, are like people, in certain aspects. Looking at the Palm, its only use or function is to look good in someone's garden or rooftop. Does it serve any purpose such as providing food for say other animals like birds, squirrels etc.. provide shade, or reflecting heat and UV rays back to the atmosphere or do birds nest in their leafy foliage ? No. Its only 'use' is a decorative one. To adorn a person's garden.

Similarly there are people whose only purpose in life are to party, have a good time, and look good. No contribution except to add numbers to the already swelling crowd of so called 'beautiful people' list. So while personal grooming is important, the most important thing in life is to CONTRIBUTE meaningfully back to society. Do not be a beautiful Japanese Palm all your life. 'Nuff said.

Transformation of Singapore River

A clean river and the vehicular Elgin bridge in the distance

About 50 years ago, the Singapore River was polluted with the tonkangs (small bumboats) plying the river to bring the unloaded sacks of rice, foodstuffs, textiles building material and even equipment to be stored in the godowns near the river which is now called the Boat Quay. There were many poor labourers and coolies ekeing out a meagre existence, carrying the bags from the tonkangs to the godowns and sometimes back to the ships. They literally lived beside the river and made their drinking, doing business and dumping waste into the river. In short the river stank of dead animals, faeces, garbage and waste.

Since our Government came into power, they have made many efforts to clean up the river with successive cleanups, moving out of the labourers and coolies as well as developing a world class container port called Port Singapore Authority (PSA) which has the second highest tonnage moved per year in the world. The cleanup of the river started around the 1970s and by the lates 1970s the godowns were all history, being replaced by law offices, architects firms, clan associations and many eating and drinking establishments.

In 1984, a MP for Mountbatten, Major Fong Sip Chee, declared the river 'clean' and swam the width of the river to show that it was indeed clean. His act is still remembered to this day. Its 26 years down the road and I happened to snap some interesting shots of the river outside the UOB tower, the morning was bright and there were fishes in the river and birds searching for 'breakfast'.


A bird and his 'breakfast'

The only boats which ply the river are the tourist bumboats, and the river is clean, and it is on par with some of the rivers in Switzerland in my opinion.Some people even fish by the side, and its complete transformation is indeed a wonder to behold.

What is Home to You ?

Eating a Good Laksa in the comfort of my house

I would like to pose this question to the people who read this blog regularly. What defines 'home' to you ? For the ordinary English people who have experienced the cold, rainy and dreary weather of London, it is perhaps having some tea and scones, and watching Wimbledon on the telly or standing in the terraces of the Dell supporting Southampton (or any other team for that matter) and after that going to the local Pub for a pint or two to celebrate their team's win or drown their sorrows that defines 'home'.

For our neighbours up north in Malaysia, it is perhaps playing badminton,tennis or futsal with your friends and after that spending some quality time having dinner with the family, and later having a 'teh tarik' with your friends at the local coffeeshop and discussing the latest political news and scandals (there are many in recent years).

For me, home is in Singapore, where it feels like its getting more crowded year by year (our polulation stands
at 4.99 million in 2009 up from 3.9 about 10 years ago), the buses and trains are more packed during weekdays and the expressways are jammed (PIE, AYE and CTE for sure) during the peak morning hours and evening hours from 5.30 to 7.00pm
Even what that feeling, the Government has done a decent job (in my opinion) integrating the new migrants into the various stratas or levels of Singapore.

So, to do a 10 to 15km in East Coast Park on a Saturday morning with the wind whipping behind you, running past the scores of young and senior people, jogging, walking, partying, flying kites, roller blading, cycling and at the end of the run, I'm all sweaty and grimy. I head to the nearby club to shower down, in cold water. I then grab a chicken pie, and head home for a 'best in the world' laksa (or meesiam) made by my wife and drinking ice cool water which tastes like champagne. Nothing beats this feeling.

Home is where the family, friends, social networks, work, play and the heartware are.It is a combination of the familiar sights, sounds of the spoken language peculiar to the people, Singlish for example, fabulous foods which are too numerous to mention, the humid weather which I have grown accustomed to, and the efficiency of the society and government organisations which I am so used to. Many friends of my age have gone abroad when they were in there early 20s and a decent number have returned, mainly for family reasons. Perhaps they have a greater exposure to an international culture which I have missed out, but then again, the last 20 years I have been abroad to more than 20 countires on work and leisure and can be considered a global citizen.

I can go to anyplace in the world, but I choose to live here. This is home.

Casino Story - Another One bites the Dust

View from Marina Boulevard

Last week there was a newspaper article relating how a businessman went to the casino as a high roller and lost a total of S$ 26 million in a matter of 3 days. There is a joke about the casino, "how does one leave the casino with a small fortune (big some of money) ?, enter it with a BIG fortune (huge some of money)."

The issue with legalised gambling at our doorsteps is that it reduces the inconvenience one needs to take in order to gamble, previously Singaporeans had to travel to Genting highlands, a trip which normally takes about 3 hours, our take a cruise ship from our Harbour Front to 'nowhere' or international waters between Singapore and Sumatra and one can then gamble to one's heart or wallet's consent.

This is another story of a scion (son of a wealthy business founder) who gambled away his inheritance in 3 days. He will be making a legal case against the casinos whereby the casinos were supposed to check on his background on his credit limit before extending further credit to him. Apparently according to newspaper reports, he lost up to $ 11 million in one sittint alone. The legal case, in my humble opinion is weak because it is like taking a case against your favourite Mutton Soup hawker who served you Mutton Soup you ordered for say 10 years and you knowingly had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Is the service / food provider to be blamed for your stroke ?

There should be more safeguards for people, like higher entrance fees ($500 perhaps) to deter all and sundry from entering to 'have a go'. It may and already spells financial disaster or even a slow financial meltdown for many thousands of people who go and play each week losing say hundreds per trip.

Bottom line is this, the casino has many tricks and rules of the gambling game to ensure that it has an 'unfair' advantage, take blackjack for example, if you score 17 and the house scores 17, the house wins. There is no 'draw' game.

Slot machines can be tuned to give better payouts in the starting months to lure bored housewives and once they are 'hooked' the slot machines are one of the biggest money generators for the casino, or many a social, swimming or glof club. I should know, I have seen the annual audited reports of 4 clubs and even was on the Management Committee for one for several years.

 
Perhaps the MBS is a nice venue to have an exhibition but its just not my cup of tea.

Gym with a View - Bangkok

View from the Gym

On the 25th floor of the Ratchatewi Tower in Central Bangkok, there is a gym with a fantastic view of the city. My friend Michael Lim and I were fortunate to gain access to use it. My Thai colleague's friend was able to get us to use the gym and as we had an afternoon free, decided to try it out.



Cycling Machine


There were cycling machines and 2 running machines on and a small range of gym equipment ranging from shoulder press, lateral and deltoid machines and the ubiquitous barbells. To top off the exercise, we also had the free use of the sauna,jacuzzi and steam room. Imagine having the entire gym, sauna and jacuzzi all to ourselves! These pictures were taken around end of March 2010, just before the situation between the red shirt protestors and the Government soldiers got out of hand, and all hell broke loose, leading to fighting at the Ratchaprasong intersection which is very close to this area. The casualties and death toll was almost a hundred with over a thousand wounded.



Michael sweating it out

I'll be heading back to Thailand again next week, this time for a new venture which hopefully will yield results for the investors in the coming months. Keeping my fingers crossed !

Passing the Values from One Generation to Another

Andrew and I

When I was young,I was self centered and egotisitical,expecting to reap the most material benefits from the world. Now that I am in my 40s and with 2 teenage children, I have encountered a paradigm shift whereby material things do not matter as much. This is because I have come to realise that life is fragile and people indeed have spiritual and compassionate sides to their lives which they should accept and discover more.

So what has this got to do with the passing of values to the next generation, well, one can pass one money to the next generation but, far more than that, I think it is my purpose in life to teach the next generation, my children and their children, the values which I have been taught by my father and mother.

1. Honour your parents (one of the 10 commandments in the Bible)
2. Work hard for your place in society. Nothing comes for free or on a silver platter
3. Be true to your word and honest in your dealings
4. Stand up for your country, family and friends
5. Respect for your colleagues, business associates and people you come across everyday.
6. Thrift, Generosity, Tenacity and Resilience are learned and earned

A passage from the Bible is very apt.Proverbs 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will never stray from it".

Farewell to a truly wonderful Lady

Terri (in wheelchair) was 95 this year

My aunty Terri passed away last Friday 13th August 2010, on the day of her 95th birthday. She was a wonderful lady who lived her life first as a teacher and then during her retirement years, enjoyed them doing by singing in the St. Andrew's Cathedral choir (at least for close to 20 years), touring the world, spending alot of quality time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren in Australia. Married for 73 years to my eldest uncle Paul (who is 96 this year), she was his soulmate and confidante.I recall her shrill voice calling me during the old days in her bungalow in Pasir Panjang, and made it a point to remember my wedding anniversary and birthday every year including this year 2010 without fail !

We had some very lovely memories of celebrating my uncle Paul's and her birthdays when I was a young boy and teenager. Although, my cousins Ruth,Shanta and Elizabeth were easily 15 or more years older, we were always welcome to their house and enjoying family and fellowship, singing Christian hymns and songs with prayers and praise. She always gave me advice on family and spousal matters and was truly a special person.