Brazil finally gets the Gold for Football at home in Rio 2016

5 times World Cup Champions Brazil have never won the Olympics Gold Medal in football, Never. So it was so sweet a feeling when they finally beat arch-rivals Germany 5 - 4 in penalties to seal and claim the Gold after 90 minutes of regulation play which ended in 1 - 1 and another 30 minutes of extra time and finally the dreaded penalty shootout.

Never mind the fact that Germany send their U - 23 squad, finally Neymar and company can restore their pride as the top class footballing nation again.
  

100m Final

I do not own the rights to this video. But what a race, 9.81 secs of pure adrenalin.

Usain Bolt 100 m Legend

Once in 100 years - a legend, Usain Bolt 

The man they call Lightning Bolt has done it again, Usain Bolt, the fastest man on this planet has done it again. In the split 9.83 secs, he retained his Olympic Gold for the 100 m century sprint for the 3rd time, a feat unparalled in modern day sport. 

Some athletes have cheated in the past with doping, but Usain Bolt is a natural gifted athlete. Winning in its purest form, is the best way to show the world that Sports unifies us. It brings out the best in people, and everyone loves a winner.

But spare a thought for the remaining  7 in the finals (and the other 49 who did not make it in the heats, and semifinals) who raced alongside him, their decades long suffering, sacrifices and toils just to make it  to the pinnacle of world sporting arena. They go home knowing they have proudly represented their country and done in their eyes, their very best. 

The world needs more sports to unify us as one.  

Our Proudest Moment ; First ever Gold for Joseph Schooling in 100 m Butterfly 13 Aug 2016. Well Done !

         This is the first blog post in some time for me. I am so proud to share in the reflected glory of our young countryman, Joseph Isaac Schooling, 21 years of age who beat the "best of the best" Michael Phelps (USA), Chad Le Clos (S Africa) and Cseh (Hungary), all who are taller, have longer reach and more, much more experience than our "Jo". 

His time of 50.39 sec. is not only a personal best, but an Olympic Record, an Asian Games record, and the string of other records. The most amazing thing is that he beat not 1 but 3 great Olympians, including the great Michael Phelps who will retire with 22 Golds after this Rio 2016 Games as the most gold medalled athlete ever in the history of the Games. 

Michael Phelps, Thomas Cseh, Joe Schooling, Chad Le Clos.

All of them Olympic champions past and present. 

This is the "dream team". 

        His win has finally put Singapore's sporting ambitions on the world map, as this is the FIRST EVER gold medal in our 51 years as a nation, and everyone, regardless of race, social standing and gender is so proud of him. 

       Behind his win, is an army of support people, firstly his family, his Mum and Dad must be so proud of him, his fomer school, ACS whom I have friends, his coaches in US, and in Singapore, the team of physiologists, medical staff, masseuses, chefs, friends, and countless others who are beaming with pride an joy this young man has brought to Singapore.

      The almost 2 decades of hard training, (he started swimming at 3), the mental and physical strengths (mental discipline is the hardest), the hundreds of thousands of hours of training leading up to this 50 secs of pure joy made each and every Singaporean so proud.

     Well Done Jo !    A true Champion !   

The Moment of Victory is so Sweet 

10.20 pm 12 August 2016

Rio de Janerio 

   

Chinese New Year 2016 ; Time for Reflection and to Make Major Changes in Life ; Also to pass the life experiences on to the younger geeration

                                                   Sunday 1st Feb Certificate Presentation

This Chinese New Year, my resolution is to make changes in business direction, as well as in  my personal outlook. The Great Global Crisis is upon us, and only the adaptable will survive, let alone thrive. We have no choice, as small companies, we do not have any buffer against the strong headwinds which have been hitting us for the last 7 - 9 months.

I will continue to radically tweak the model of the company I manage, together with my partner, and venture into areas where we can and will survive.

It is also time to look into more sustainable business opportunities which will require little overheads and positive cashflow. I have several on my mind now. For the Fire Monkey, this will be a most challenging year ahead.

Finally, I want to be a force for giving the young people the benefit of my past 20 years business experience good and bad , it has been a good ride, some good years, some tough ones and crises aplenty. To experience and savour what truly is success, one must taste the bitter fruit of failure.  
  
I hope to impart and talk to the many young people coming out into the workforce like my elder son, and his cohort ; the 'marketplace' has truly changed , our mindsets, especially mine, must face and adapt and capitalise on these new work paradigms - it is a 100% change of the old ways of the working world - else we become irrelevant 

Happy Chinese New Year 2016 All !!!

Happy New Year of the Fire Monkey 2016 !

       Here is a typical Chinese New Year song which will be played countless times ad nauseum at malls, houses, anywhere there is radio and will dominate the 'muzak' background for the next weeks till end of February.

      I believe there are many visitors of this blog from foreign countries, so here is the Guo Xin Nian song by local TV artistes.

     Enjoy and Happy Chinese New Year everyone !!!

La Mer - Chantal Chamberland

I don' t own the rights to this song, but its a great piece. Great to unwind after a hard day's work with a glass of Shiraz, some Gruyere hard cheeses and the sultry voice of Chantal Chamberland.