tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44053452925133350712024-03-07T14:53:32.533+08:00Little StoriesNotes from Mr Wang's Daily ExistenceGilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comBlogger525125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-43078726205243862012013-08-01T10:23:00.002+08:002013-08-02T10:11:26.850+08:00Gilbert Koh's Miscellaneous Poetry UpdatesJust for my own records. Before I forget where, when or how my poems pop up.<br />
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<b><i>Little Things: A Poetry Anthology</i></b><br />
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Ethos Books is coming up with a new anthology of Singapore/international poems that "situate poems from Singapore as part of a global literary scene". The editors are Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee and Associate Professor Angelia Poon from the National Institute of Education, and Esther Vincent, a teacher. One very old poem of mine, entitled <i>Durian</i>, will be included. The anthology will be out very soon - this month actually.<br />
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Loh Chin Ee is actually an old classmate of mine from the NUS Law Faculty, but I haven't seen or spoken to her for, uhhh, about 13 years at least. After graduating with a law degree, Chin Ee chose to pursue her passion for teaching and literature, which is why our paths never crossed in the legal profession.<br />
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<b><i>Understanding Literature 2, by Andrew Leng</i></b><br />
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This is a new textbook for upper secondary students in Singapore. It will be published by Pearson Education, with a proposed print run of 10,000 copies over 10 years. It's scheduled for publication in June next year. They want to include one of my poems in this textbook. The poem is <i>My Father Takes My Son for a Walk</i>. <br />
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<b><i>School of the Arts (SOTA)</i></b><br />
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Got some emails from 3rd year students at SOTA and I learned that their homework was to create some sort of model or sculpture based on my poem Construction. Interesting.<br />
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<b><i>NIE Supplementary Textbook</i></b><br />
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In another National Institute of Education book project, Dennis Yeo selected one of my poems (<i>Early Influences</i>) for reproduction in a book to be used to teach the English language. The book will contain poetry, prose and drama. It aims to expose Lower Secondary students to Asian literature.<br />
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<b><i>Project LAVA (Literary Arts - Visual Arts)</i></b><br />
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Another LAVA project. It's organised by the National Arts Council in conjunction with the National Parks Board. Alvin George Khoo will be creating a sculpture from wood, interpreting three poems (one from me, one from Ghani Hamid, and one from Colin Tan). The poem from me is <i>My Father Takes My Son for a Walk</i>. The sculpture will be installed at the East Coast Park sometime this year.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-14562961937567602302013-02-13T11:41:00.003+08:002013-02-13T17:40:40.121+08:00MRT Breakdowns and a Quick Thought on National ProductivityI was more than an hour late for work today, because the MRT train broke down. I boarded the train at Bishan, it was supposed to take me to Raffles Place, but instead it stopped at Toa Payoh and an announcement was made and all the passengers had to get off. This was right during the morning rush hour too.<br />
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Apparently, there had been a fire at the Newton MRT station, so they stopped the train services along the red line. Fire seems to be a new reason for train breakdown - I don't quite recall that they specifically had fires before, but they do regularly come up with new sorts of reasons for trains to break down. So the experience is not that new. It's certainly not the first time I've experienced an MRT breakdown in the past three years or so.<br />
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Catching a taxi at Toa Payoh right then was impossible. There were hundreds of stranded train passengers milling out from underground, getting to the main road, and all of them were trying to queue and call for a cab at the same time.<br />
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I gave up and tried to catch a bus. It took me a while, because I am not familiar with the bus services in Toa Payoh (I hardly ever stop there, except when the train breaks down). Finally, I figured out what bus number I wanted to take, but when it came, I couldn't get on it, because it was too crowded.<br />
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In the end, I took another bus (SBS No. 105) to Scotts Road. That was not where I wanted to go, but I needed to get out of that crowded area at Toa Payoh. I had to stand all the way on the very crowded 105, but hey, at least I was on a bus that could actually move and it wasn't on fire.<br />
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Upon reaching Scotts Road, I tried to queue for a cab at the Far East Plaza taxi stand. But the first five or six of the cabs I couldn't board, as they were changing shifts and not headed to the area where I wanted to go. Finally I managed to get a cab.<br />
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I chatted with the driver and I mentioned that the train had broken down. Coincidentally he had just come from the Newton MRT area. He told me that he had seen some police cars and fire engines there, and there were lots of people getting out of the train station and trying to get a bus or cab.<br />
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The driver said that at the Newton MRT area, he had wanted to stop to pick up a passenger, but he didn't dare to. The reason was that there were lots of policemen and he was afraid he would get a summons for picking up a passenger at the Newton taxi stop. He explained to me the difference between a "taxi stop" and a "taxi stand". Even if there are 50 passengers queueing at a taxi stop, only three taxis can be there at any given time. If yours is the 4th or 5th taxi, you have to drive on. You can't stop even if it's for a few seconds.<br />
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When I finally reached work, I found that several of my colleagues were also late for work, thanks to the train breakdown. One of them had been stuck at Dhoby Ghaut MRT. He had actually managed to get onto the train, but it wouldn't move and for a long time, there were no announcements as to whether it would move or not. So he just stood there waiting and waiting and waiting, and wondering whether he should continue to wait.<br />
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Then I remembered this article which I had read on on Channel News Asia: <br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">S'pore's productivity well below most developed countries: DPM Tharman</span></i></b> </blockquote>
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SINGAPORE: Singapore's productivity is well below that of the most developed countries, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. </blockquote>
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In a Facebook post on Sunday, he noted that restaurants here are experiencing difficulties finding employees. Mr Tharman said some restaurants have raised pay to attract part-timers during the peak Lunar New Year season. </blockquote>
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But most still have difficulty finding people, because the overall labour market is close to full employment. Mr Tharman said these are real problems for businesses, but the solution is not to ease up on foreign worker policies. </blockquote>
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He said the solution has to be more fundamental. </blockquote>
"Fundamental", <i>phui</i>. "Basic" would be a better word.<br />
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Dude, don't get too complex. If 100,000 people in Singapore were one hour late for work this morning because the trains broke down, that's 100,000 man-hours lost.<br />
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How do you expect Singaporeans to raise their productivity, when your public transport infrastructure can't even get them to work on time?Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-38766518150026649412013-02-06T15:50:00.000+08:002013-02-06T15:54:51.148+08:00Shocking Statistics About the Poor in SingaporeHoly cow. Singapore is doing much worse than I thought. An excerpt from the TODAY newspaper:
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Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing gave figures to show that incomes at the bottom continue to rise but said the Government will do more to help low-income Singaporeans. </blockquote>
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He was responding to Nominated MP Tan Su Shan's question on social mobility. </blockquote>
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The real median gross monthly income for employed residents increased 1.3 per cent a year from 2002 to 2012, after rising 2.7 per cent a year from 1996 to 2002, Mr Chan said. </blockquote>
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<b><i>For the lowest 20th percentile of employed residents, their real gross monthly income rose 0.1 per cent each year from 2002 to 2012 </i></b>and 2.2 per cent a year from 1996 to 2002. </blockquote>
0.1 per cent? That's effectively zero. Especially if you are in the bottom 20 percentile.<br />
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Imagine if your real gross monthly income was $1,000 in 2002. Ten years later, your real gross monthly income would have risen to about $1,010 in 2012.<br />
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So after one full decade of "national progress" under the PAP government, your quality of living has increased by the value of <a href="http://www.fairprice.com.sg/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=90001&productId=282935&langId=-1&categoryId=14020&parent_category_rn=14020&top_category=14020">2 packs of toilet paper</a> at NTUC Fairprice.<br />
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I wonder if Chan Chun Sing managed to keep a straight face, when he said in Parliament that "incomes at the bottom continue to rise".
Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-9785826870813195662012-12-21T12:21:00.000+08:002013-02-12T17:09:31.992+08:00Gilbert Koh - Poems Here And There Didn't write much at all in 2012. But the world around me recycled some of my old poems and they got a new breath of life. Recording my poetic momentos for 2012 here:<br />
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<b><u>PROJECT LAVA</u></b></div>
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This month, I was mentioned on the Straits Times' front page. Not only on the front page, but in the headline article. Nice publicity for the literary arts:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Click on the image to see a bigger version.</b></td></tr>
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This was about the National Art Council's <a href="http://www.nac.gov.sg/media-centre/news-releases/news-detail?id=8556d843-23c9-427c-8963-ca69f5b58e87">Project Lava</a>. The idea was to pair up a visual artist with a poem, and have the artist create something based on his interpretation of the poem.<br />
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In my case, the artist was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Liew">Sonny Liew</a> (who has previously illustrated <i>Iron Man</i> for Marvel Comics - how cool!) who created a very large mural (16 x 4 metres) at Punggol Waterway. The mural incorporates an old poem of mine <i>Accident</i>. More details in the follow-up article in the ST's Life! section.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5KkXObhC7rYUspGaZM5QfFLIntrEqpmoNn8kb3Ct9LIsq7PfPGzAmd4Z7Rk_zLBRnn-9o9axYM3MuA00R36yVe4JbCBGreVyFg1vyKObvSpaYiiXhxVgJCMZ4ZlKsSdqoAyjV7LRG-dz/s1600/Inside2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5KkXObhC7rYUspGaZM5QfFLIntrEqpmoNn8kb3Ct9LIsq7PfPGzAmd4Z7Rk_zLBRnn-9o9axYM3MuA00R36yVe4JbCBGreVyFg1vyKObvSpaYiiXhxVgJCMZ4ZlKsSdqoAyjV7LRG-dz/s400/Inside2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i>Accident</i> is a short little poem about a chance encounter blossoming into love. I wrote it around 1997 for my girlfriend (now my wife). Although the poem is only a few lines long, it seems to have made an impression on many readers. In fact, Oxford University Press has previously asked for my permission to reprint this same poem as an introduction to one of their books, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/star-gazing-Languages-Clare-West-Books/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Star%20Gazing&page=1&rh=n%3A275738%2Ck%3AStar%20Gazing%2Cp_lbr_books_authors_browse-bin%3AClare%20West">Gazing at Stars</a> (</i>2011).</div>
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<b><u>GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN</u></b> </div>
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Jeremy Boo made an excellent documentary in 2011 about dementia (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_We_Forget">Before We Forget</a>). </i>He followed up in 2012 with a book on the same topic. The book is a collection of stories, photos and essays, from Singaporeans who have had a loved one suffer from this disease. </div>
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Jeremy not only included one of my old poems, <i><a href="http://readerseye.blogspot.sg/2005/08/grandmothers-garden-in-later-years-she.html">Grandmother's Garden</a> </i>in this book, but also entitled the book after my poem. So there you have it - <i><a href="http://theartshouse.com.sg/Programmes/EventPage.aspx?EventID=1713">Grandmother's Garden and Other Stories</a></i>. </div>
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Inside the book, there is also an evocative, abstract, black-&-white, vaguely disturbing, artistic interpretation of my poem. (Hmmm, I wonder if there's something about my poetry which attracts artists who want to create pictures about poems). The illustration shows the contours of an old woman's face rendered as a garden, with a huge tree growing out of her eye, blocking out the old woman's view of reality. Well, dementia is like that. </div>
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The book launch for <i>Grandmother's Garden</i> was quite an interesting event, that one. Partly because of the historical legacy of the venue. I was allocated an honorary seat and got to sit in the chair of former Deputy Prime Minister <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Keng_Swee">Goh Keng Swee</a>. MP Denise Phua was the Guest-of-Honour and spoke sincerely and movingly about her own mother, who is suffering from advanced dementia. Book sales at the event were very brisk, I autographed many people's copies, and all sale proceeds went to charity.</div>
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<b><u>MY BEDTIME MONSTERS</u></b> </div>
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I was invited to write a poem for the kids' section of the Sunday Times. I've never really written anything for kids before, so I decided to give it a shot. Besides, they promised to pay me a few hundred bucks (hmmm, I just realised that I still haven't received payment).</div>
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The result was <i>My Bedtime Monsters</i>. I really enjoyed myself writing this poem, and my kids enjoyed the poem a lot too. I think that in the hands of a skilful teacher, this poem could make a very fun and enjoyable lesson for young children around the kindergarten age. With a group of kids, you can recite this, sing it aloud, dance to it or act it out: </div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">My Bedtime Monsters</span></i></b> </blockquote>
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Look at the monsters beneath my bed!<br />
One is purple and the others are red.<br />
Their eyes are bright and their claws are long<br />
They play all night, as they sing their song:<br />
<i>"RoOo-ah woO-ah RooOo!" </i></blockquote>
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They hide in the day from dear old Mum<br />
When Dad's around, they're rather glum.<br />
When I'm alone, they giggle so loud <br />
From under the bed, they come tumbling out<br />
<i>"RoOo-ah woO-ah RooOo!" </i></blockquote>
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They hop on my pillows and dance on the floor,<br />
But first they will always close the door.<br />
They don't really want my parents to know<br />
How loud they are, when their voices go:<br />
<i>"RoOo-ah woO-ah RooOo!" </i></blockquote>
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There's Starky the Stink, and Polly the Plump<br />
Fannie the Fink, and Grolly the Grump.<br />
They're fun and friendly, like friends should be<br />
And I'm so glad that they're friends with me<br />
<i>"RoOo-ah woO-ah RooOo!"</i></blockquote>
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<b><u>GARDEN CITY</u></b></div>
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My poem <i>Garden City </i>was first published in <a href="http://www.qlrs.com/poem.asp?id=130">Quarterly Literary Review Singapore</a> about eleven(!) years ago. It's nice to know that there are people still interested in it today. This year the National Institute of Education featured the poem in <i><a href="http://www.nie.edu.sg/files/ell/News_Events/Enlight/Enlight%20Vol%202%20Issue%201.pdf">Enl*ght</a>, </i>its publication for secondary English Literature teachers.<br />
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<i>Garden City</i> was analysed and compared to the poem <i>The City Planners</i> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Atwood">Margaret Atwood</a>. Since Margaret is an internationally acclaimed writer who has won awards such as the Booker Prize, I feel somewhat honoured. An excerpt:</div>
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<i>In this article, we will look at Gilbert Koh’s “Garden City” and Margaret Atwood’s “The City Planner”, both written by two people from very different contexts and cultures, and examine how despite such differences, the two poems indisputably share distinct similarities as they comment on the role of nation-building and to a larger extent, modernisation and urbanisation via social engineering. This article takes apart the two poems to provide a guided comparative analysis and suggested questions which may be used as a resource in the classroom. </i></blockquote>
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<i>This poetry pairing activity is targeted at the Upper Secondary level, and may potentially yield interesting and rewarding results should teachers design relevant activities to help their students relate to and engage personally with the themes and issues present in the poems.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>... Both poems are similar in the sense that they are </i><i>critical of modernisation, urbanisation, and its dehumanising effects on the individual. While “Garden </i><i>City” evokes biblical allusions to satirise the nation’s </i><i>‘fall from grace’ – Paradise, the true Garden of </i><i>Eden – in her “steel and concrete” quest to “expand” and “develop” into a city, “The City Planners” </i><i>juxtaposes vivid imagery with an oppressive silence </i><i>and lifelessness to effectively explore the binary </i><i>oppositions of rationality vs. insanity, and order vs. </i><i>chaos in order to comment on the unnatural dehumanising effects of city planning on both inhabitants </i><i>and planners.</i></blockquote>
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It was a little disappointing to me, though, that the article steadfastly refused to comment on the political aspects of my poem. I am sure that the commentator knew that the poem is actually about Lee Kuan Yew and the control he exerted over the creation of modern Singapore. But this, after all, was the National Institute of Education, and so the article carefully refrained from making any overtly political comments. Lee's name was mentioned nowhere.</div>
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<b><u>OLD FOLKS HOME</u></b></div>
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Then there was <i><a href="http://www.qlrs.com/poem.asp?id=179">Old Folks Home</a>.</i> For several years now, the Ministry of Education has featured the poem in the print version of its <i>Literature in English Lower Secondary Resource Kit</i>. So a fair number of young Singaporeans today have had to study my poem in class. If I recall correctly, one year Cedar Girls School (or was it Saint Nicks?) even used it as an exam question. </div>
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In 2012, the new development was that the Ministry wrote to me again and asked for permission to include the poem in their upcoming online <i>Guide to the Literature in English Teaching Syllabus 2013</i>. This guide is for Upper Secondary students. I said yes. I think that these are official online resources for Literature teachers only, so I will probably never see how the poem is presented or discussed. But it's nice to know that the poem lives on somewhere.<br />
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It's a gently ironic poem, about the unbridgeable distance between the young and innocent, and the old and dying.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000;"><span class="titlesize" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 23px;">Old Folks Home</span> </span></blockquote>
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All day long they lie on the<br />
straight rows of white beds or sit<br />
in the heavy-duty wheelchairs<br />
pushed out into the breezy sunshine<br />
of the gardens. </blockquote>
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Resigned to the prisons<br />
of their own failing bodies,<br />
they drift in and out of the haze<br />
of senility, half-forgetting<br />
themselves in the patient wait<br />
for death. </blockquote>
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Still the bright-eyed teenagers come,<br />
on Saturday mornings, by the busloads,<br />
sent by their schools<br />
on compulsory excursions<br />
to learn the meaning<br />
of compassion<br />
as outlined in the CCA syllabus. </blockquote>
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They bring gifts of Khong Guan biscuits,<br />
they help to mow the lawns,<br />
they clap their hands performing happy songs<br />
and valiantly they attempt the old dialects<br />
trying to communicate. </blockquote>
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Later they will clamber noisily<br />
back up the departing school buses,<br />
and next week in class<br />
they will write startlingly<br />
similar essays<br />
on what a meaningful,<br />
memorable experience they had<br />
at the old folks' home<br />
last week</blockquote>
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Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-27117053346892516622012-10-30T10:23:00.000+08:002012-11-18T08:24:32.869+08:00The National Cost of Growing Old .... Is Perhaps Not That Large<br />
<div class="Headline">
<a href="http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC121030-0000019/Greying-population-could-cost-Govt-S$13b-more-by-2025">An article from Today</a>:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Greying population could 'cost Govt S$13b more by
2025'</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
by Teo Xuanwei </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
SINGAPORE - By 2025, public services for what will be a greyer Singapore
could cost the Government S$79 billion, or S$13 billion more than what it spends
today, according to a new report released by global management consultancy
Accenture. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Even as the Government has highlighted the effects of the dramatic
demographic shift in the coming years, including higher social spending, this is
the first time an estimate of the cost has been worked out. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
According to Accenture's report, which covers 10 countries, the increased
spending in public services - defence and public safety, education, housing and
healthcare - will come up to the same percentage of gross domestic product (GDP)
in 2025 as it stood last year at 12 per cent. </blockquote>
<br />
The less-informed reader might feel scared. "Oh my goodness," he will say, "How can Singapore afford all these costs?"<br />
<br />
There are many possible ways. For example, as senior citizens form an increasing proportion of the population, younger people form a decreasing proportion. In other words, there will be fewer young people for the government to look after. Increased expenditure on the old can be offset by decreased expenditure on the young. For example, if Singapore has fewer young people, government expenditure on education must logically decrease.<br />
<br />
Also, fiscal spending isn't necessarily a bad thing (although the PAP will never be heard to tell you that). Government spending on areas such as geriatric healthcare must surely create jobs and stimulate economic growth to some extent. For example, there will be more jobs for nurses, doctors and other people who run and manage hospitals and old folks homes.<br />
<div class="bodyText">
<br /></div>
Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-54985171757217962142012-09-15T14:43:00.000+08:002012-11-18T08:20:40.421+08:00A Singaporean in ShanghaiI remember a HR article about how men and women look for joba. On average, a man will apply for the job, if he feels able to at least 30% of the job specifications. However, a woman will apply, only if she feels able to meet at least 70% of the job specs. <br />
<br />
I am more like the average woman. When I look back on my career, I realise that there have been more than a few occasions when I "self-disqualified" myself from a new career role, because I had felt that I lacked some necessary skill or ability. <br />
<br />
One of those skills/abilities has been my Chinese language proficiency. I speak Chinese well enough, for everyday purposes. However, I am in the legal profession. My work involves analysing laws and drafting legal contracts. This kind of work calls for higher language standards. You don't merely have to read the small print - you need to be able to write it too. I have that kind of proficiency in the English language, but I've not felt that my command of Chinese was sufficiently strong. <br />
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<br />
I've just returned from a business trip to Shanghai. This was my first time there. The business and financial district of Shanghai looks extremely modern and developed. The place reeks of consumerism and wealth. You can tell from the number of luxury cars whizzing by on the roads, and also the types of shops that line the streets. Gucci, Cartier, Apple, Louis Vuitton, the Ritz Carlton and the like. <br />
<br />
To prepare for this trip, I had brushed up on my Chinese language. This trip was an important one from a work perspective. So I took the trouble to learn various technical terms in Chinese that are relevant to my type of work. For example, credit risk management (信用风险管理), interest rate swaps (利率互换), clearing house (清算所), events of default (违约事件), regulatory requirements (监管要求) and risk exposure limits (风险敞口险额). <br />
<br />
In the two weeks before my business trip, I had set the target of learning 5 to 10 technical phrases per day. By the time I stepped foot on the plane to Shanghai, I had mastered about 80 such terms and phrases. At my meetings in Shanghai, I was pleased to find that this newly-expanded Chinese vocabulary of mine comfortably got me through. <br />
<br />
Now, looking back on my school days, I wonder why Chinese had seemed so difficult back then, whereas the learning seemed relatively quick and painless this time round. Then the answer struck me. But of course. Here I was learning for a specific purpose - I knew why I wanted to learn, and what I had to use the learning for. I needed to know how to say the things that I needed to say. <br />
<br />
Whereas in school, Chinese had been difficult because it didn't seem to have any purpose, beyond exams and tests. 默写,in particular, had seemed quite pointless - you basically had to memorise long sentences and regurgitate them for the sake of scoring marks. <br />
<br />Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-73424618004862493412012-09-06T15:30:00.001+08:002012-09-06T23:09:48.747+08:00Homosexuality & Nature - A Tale of Two RabbitsMy daughter had long wanted to have a pet. Cat, dog, hamster, whatever - she wasn't fussy, as long as she got a pet. Back in March, during the school holidays, I finally relented. We went to several pet shops, looked at many different animals and after a lot of hemming and hawing, decided to get two rabbits.<br />
<br />
I gave clear instructions to the shop assistant that we wanted two rabbits of the same gender. Both could be male, or both could be female. The main thing was that I didn't want the pair to be able to make new baby bunnies.<br />
<br />
The pet shop assistant helped us to pick two rabbits. She assured me that they were male. This wasn't obvious to me, as both rabbits were still young and sexually immature and their private parts were small (and furthermore, all covered up in fur). But I trusted the shop assistant.<br />
<br />
Back home, we put both rabbits in the same cage. Soft, cuddly and cute, both were also very happy to be carried around in our arms like a newborn baby. Everyone in the family loved the two new pets. We named them Blackie and Chocolate.<br />
<br />
Then one day, Blackie bit my maid Neslie.<br />
<br />
It was quite a bad bite. Small but deep. I saw the drops of blood, falling one by one, from Neslie's finger, onto the floor. I was shocked. Up to then, both rabbits had always been very docile and gentle.<br />
<br />
I asked Neslie what had happened. She said that she had seen the rabbits having sex. Neslie knew that I didn't want any rabbit pregnancies, so she tried to catch Blackie and carry him off Chocolate. Evidently, Blackie got angry and proceeded to bite. Or so Neslie claimed.<br />
<br />
"But that can't be right, Neslie," I said. "They couldn't have been having sex. Both are male. The woman at the pet shop said so."<br />
<br />
But the next day, I saw it with my own eyes. Blackie had clambered on top of Chocolate again, and was excitedly wiggling his rear end in an unmistakeable manner. I got scared. Two pet rabbits is fine with me, add another six or seven babies and that's just too many for me.<br />
<br />
I quickly got another cage. I separated Blackie and Chocolate. I was thinking that the pet shop assistant must have made a mistake, and that Chocolate was actually female. In fact, I felt rather annoyed with the shop assistant for causing us all this extra trouble.<br />
<br />
<center>
** ** ** ** ** ** ** </center>
<br />
Months have passed. I now know that the pet shop assistant had not made a mistake.<br />
<br />
Both Blackie and Chocolate have reached adulthood. Their reproductive organs have become quite conspicuous. In particular, it's become clear that Chocolate definitely has testicles, just like Blackie.<br />
<br />
We still keep the rabbits in separate cages. They have grown bigger, so they do need the extra space. But sometimes we put the two rabbits together to play. During many of those times, Blackie still goes after Chocolate. It is definitely a sexual thing, not just playing or fighting. For we can see that Blackie gets an erection.<br />
<br />
Chocolate never shows any sexual interest in Blackie. Chocolate just looks puzzled when Blackie tries to hump him. Sometimes Chocolate will run away and sometimes Chocolate will just get annoyed and manoeuvre around to get Blackie off his back. At other times, Chocolate just sits still and contemplates the universe and chews on a bit of hay while Blackie carries on enthusiastically.<br />
<br />
<center>
** ** ** ** ** ** ** </center>
<br />
It is well-known that homosexuality exists widely in nature. Scientists have observed homosexuality in many different species. According to Wikipedia, these species include sheep, swans, penguins, vultures, dolphins, giraffes, bison, bed bugs, elephants, lizards, dragonflies, fruit flies, monkeys, chimpanzees etc. <br />
<br />
So I guess that Blackie's sexual orientation should not be that surprising and is perhaps not that uncommon.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I still feel that Blackie is pretty special. A gay rabbit! Fancy that. It makes my children laugh, just to talk about it.<br />
<br />
I just wonder what a fundamentalist Christian would say about this whole matter.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-77137682028852485822012-07-11T16:32:00.004+08:002012-09-06T15:43:55.780+08:00Monsters and Dementia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Oh my poor, neglected blog. I had nearly forgotten that you exist.<br />
<br />
Anyway, a quick one for this virtual scrapbook. The National Arts Council contacted me some time back ago and asked if I would write a poem for young children. This was for a project between the NAC and Singapore Press Holdings. I haven't ever written a poem for kids before, so I thought I would give it a shot. I came up an idea, let it brew in my brain for a couple of days and then wrote it all out.<br />
<br />
The result was <i>My Bedtime Monsters,</i> which takes a young child's fear of the dark (and its imaginary monsters) and turns into a humorous, light-hearted poem instead. The poem is very enjoyable if read aloud, and can easily be used for a fun-filled speech-&-drama session for young kids. It was published in the Sunday Times two Sundays ago.<br />
<br />
Shortly after that, someone by the name of Dr Elizabeth Pang contacted me. She works at the Ministry of Education and her area of speciality is literacy development for preschool children. Elizabeth had seen my poem in the Sunday Times and she asked if I would allow the MOE to republish it, as a book for very young children.<br />
<br />
Yes, an entire book. It's going to be a book for kindergarten students, the kind of kiddie book that has big, colourful illustrations and just a few lines per page. I said yes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center>
* * * * * * *</center>
What else?<br />
<br />
One year ago, two young people, Jeremy Boo and Lee Xian Jie, ran a series of activities to raise public awareness about dementia. Among other things, they made a documentary (<i>Before We Forget</i>) which premiered at the Southeast Asian Film Festival 2012 and was screened at the Singapore Art Museum.<br />
<br />
They also organised public exhibitions which featured poems, photos and real-life stories, from family members of dementia patients. Xian Jie also featured <a href="http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.sg/2011/06/before-we-forget.html">one of my blog posts</a>, where I had written about my (now deceased) grandmother, who had also suffered dementia.<br />
<br />
This year, Xian Jie and Jeremy have been working on a new book, which will be launched in conjunction for World Alzehimer's Day in September. The book compiles a variety of writings from family members of dementia victims. It will include an old poem of mine, <a href="http://readerseye.blogspot.sg/2005/08/grandmothers-garden-in-later-years-she.html"><em>Grandmother's Garden</em></a><em>, </em>and the book itself will be entitled <em>Grandmother's Garden and other Stories</em>.<br />
<br />
I must admit that I never watched the documentary <i>Before We Forget</i>, even though I was invited to the screening. I only saw a trailer. It looked very good. However, it also looked terribly sad. That is why I decided not to go. <br />
<br />Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-42201738708841737882012-04-15T08:42:00.004+08:002012-09-06T17:14:12.546+08:00Two Duds on a Friday MorningWhere was I, at that time?<br />
<br />
Up on a hilly park called Nam-San, somewhere in Seoul. My Korean colleagues had assured me that this was the peak of cherry blossom seasons, and that here at Nam-San, I should be able to see some really pretty sights like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NcN98flb9S3KEKcDkpwVZgR3QAGqbfmqqtE7u4rVc2bDUULnUeHbMoZWluFrvKavgqxGCwQJ4Chfl5Bmb6VKeDPABhdWxqfaRZ_DQZZAkmgr8zltz_ZW4rKIHO4kDOYgxXlqhP7Z3-Bt/s1600/cherry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NcN98flb9S3KEKcDkpwVZgR3QAGqbfmqqtE7u4rVc2bDUULnUeHbMoZWluFrvKavgqxGCwQJ4Chfl5Bmb6VKeDPABhdWxqfaRZ_DQZZAkmgr8zltz_ZW4rKIHO4kDOYgxXlqhP7Z3-Bt/s200/cherry.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
So, two colleagues and I had gotten up extra early, left our respective hotels and taken a cab to Nam-San that morning. We saw plenty of cherry blossom trees, but unfortunately no blossoms. Except for one single cherry blossom tree in full bloom (this tree must have been either clueless or rebellious by nature), all the trees were leafless and flowerless. The winter had been too cold, and the blossom season was delayed.<br />
<br />
What a dud.<br />
<br />
So we took a little walk around the park anyway, although now it wasn't that much fun. And then suddenly, my colleague got a news alert on her Blackberry, stating that North Korea had just launched its rocket. It was just a one-liner news alert. She got a little nervous and said that maybe we ought to head back now.<br />
<br />
I was thinking to myself that this wasn't much of a game plan. If a rocket were to hit Seoul (I know that isn't supposed to be North Korea's game plan at this time, but then you have some crazy people up there), it probably wouldn't make much difference whether you were in a park, or back in the hotel or office. It would be a bloody mess anyway.<br />
<br />
Later we learned that the North Korea launch that Friday morning was just like the Nam-San cherry blossoms. The missile did take off, but it didn't quite work. A short time after take-off, it proceeded to break up and crash harmlessly. So that was another dud, and a clear indication that North Korea's missile technology is still a long way off from posing any real long-range nuclear threat. At the least, <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june12/nkorea2_04-13.html">in the words of one expert observer here</a> - "It certainly degrades that threat considerably." <br />
<br />
Internationally, North Korea's rocket-related behaviour had caused (and is still causing) a lot of international consternation and worry, receiving plenty of attention at the U.N level and also from the U.S. and China. But how do the South Koreans themselves feel about the matter? One might imagine that the South Koreans should be the most worried people of all. After all, North and South are enemies, and if the North actually had missiles that worked, the South would be their most obvious target. <br />
<br />
If you talk to the South Koreans though, you'd see that they don't care that much. They have lived with their crazy neighbour up north for so many decades that by now, they have grown somewhat numb to the whole situation. Life has to go on, and it does, for the South Koreans, who have no intention of postponing their usual lives and activities to get all worried and upset, every time North Korea says or does something about missiles and rockets.<br />
<br />
Over lunch that same day, a Korean lawyer remarked to me that the blase-ness with which most South Korean citizens view the North Korean threat is perhaps not that healthy. She said, "Perhaps we have grown too complacent,. We have become used to the threat, but now perhaps we might be forgetting that the threat <em>is</em> actually real."<br />
<br />
But a short time later, as we were still talking about the failed missile launch, she laughed loudly over her kimchi and said, "I knew that was going to happen. I already told all my friends - that rocket is going to crash or stall or explode right after take-off, or something. The North Koreans - they can't get anything right."<br />
<br />
In other words, a dud.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-51782026003856400442012-04-10T14:13:00.006+08:002012-04-10T14:30:20.019+08:00Show and Tell in Korea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciKbS7WDcPADVwbC94_yl0W62t-yHfHLBJ6MRA83iJ6HyN9OiYrU5NvvmIWBpeXqqvxwLFWr5ju9DA6KaFS9XJ0pg215yDS4h9XaXQgGd6oZTXfcs66uOy53evinM_LsVsf4VdD9QlN3w/s1600/cherry+blossom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciKbS7WDcPADVwbC94_yl0W62t-yHfHLBJ6MRA83iJ6HyN9OiYrU5NvvmIWBpeXqqvxwLFWr5ju9DA6KaFS9XJ0pg215yDS4h9XaXQgGd6oZTXfcs66uOy53evinM_LsVsf4VdD9QlN3w/s200/cherry+blossom.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>Flying off to Seoul tomorrow, on a working trip. Hopefully, it is cherry blossom season. It's also the time for <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17661219">North Korea's rocket testing</a> - sigh, occupational hazard. Keeping my fingers crossed.<br />
<br />
I'm headed to Korea to conduct training. I have half a day to talk to my colleagues there about some new laws in the U.S., the EU and Korea itself - laws which will greatly change the way they do business and run their operations. <br />
<br />
My daughter asked me why I am going to Korea. I told her that I am going there to do a "show & tell". That is perhaps the easiest way to explain to her the purpose of my trip. "Show and tell" is something that she herself has had to do several times in school.<br />
<br />
In primary school, "show and tell" means that the student picks a topic, brings the relevant object to class and gives a speech in class. She might, for instance, bring a photo, a toy, a favourite book, or a holiday souvenir and tell the class about it - what it is; where she got it from; what's unusual or special about it etc. In a more advanced version of "show and tell" (like the one my son - an older child - had to do recently), the student might be asked to use Powerpoint slides.<br />
<br />
If you look carefully at "show & tell", you'll see that it calls for several different skills. Among other things, it requires voice projection; linguistic ability and the confidence to speak before an audience. But the child also needs to find ways to make her speech engaging to her audience. She has to think of interesting things to say; she may have to do some research about her topic, and find a logical way to present her points. She may want to try little ways to polish up her speech, for example, say, by posing a question or telling a little joke or using an appropriate hand gesture at certain times.<br />
<br />
"Show & tell" is an important thing to learn. In adult life, "show & tell" has practical applications when you have to interview for a job; pitch for a sale; conduct training; present a business proposal; or explain a product, policy or procedure to your colleagues. In fact, every teacher who needs to stand before a class and teach a topic - whether it is science, math, geography or biology - is also doing a "show & tell".<br />
<br />
One problem for adult Singaporeans today is that they never did "show & tell" when they were kids (well, my generation didn't, at any rate). It just wasn't part of the school programme back then. "Show & tell", I think, is a relatively new phenomenon in Singapore schools. Traditionally, we have emphasised rote learning and memory work and easily gradeable forms of assessments (such as MCQs), over less-structured and more "free-form" types of schooling, such as show-&-tell.<br />
<br />
What's the consequence? Well, I can only make some anecdotal observations. In a country where there are ever-increasing numbers of foreigners, it seems to me that nowadays, it's common for Singaporeans' contributions to be undervalued in the workplace. I see situations like this quite often - the Singaporean does most of the hard work, he has a strong sense of responsibility and his work is technically sound and reliable. But somehow he doesn't get the credit. Instead some FT waltzes in and takes the limelight. And the FT is usually someone who is more articulate and outspoken (basically, a better show-&-teller).<br />
<br />
Hence locally, we often hear the observation that ang mo's are NATO ("no action, talk only"). I don't think that this is entirely fair - because I certainly know a few ang mo FT's who are very good at getting things done. However, I do also think that:<br />
<br />
(1) the average Singaporean works harder than the average ang mo; and<br />
<br />
(2) the average angmo is generally much more articulate than the average Singaporean (especially when it comes to talking about one's own work accomplishments). <br />
<br />
It's because of the communication factor that the angmo leaves a much stronger impression than the Singaporean at the workplace. The angmo came from a different background - one where he was, from an early age, much more encouraged to speak up, state an opinion, communicate clearly and express himself. In contrast, the Singaporean was expected to just shut up and get his homework done.<br />
<br />
The consequence today? The quiet, hardworking Singaporean may end up getting few marks for the plenty of work that he has done (because in the workplace, there are no exams, and if there are no exams, you will not be assessed on your grades, but only on what people <em>know</em> you have done - and not what you have <em>actually</em> done). <br />
<br />
Meanwhile the louder, more articulate angmo gets full marks for the relatively little work that he has done. Because whatever he has actually done, he is much more able, due to his communication skills, to make it known to his bosses or supervisors, and to present it in the best possible light.<br />
<br />
So the angmo gets ahead; and the Singaporean gets overlooked. That's one reason why Singaporeans are losing out in their own country.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-78677042808819387902012-01-06T17:33:00.008+08:002012-01-06T18:28:12.198+08:00Grace Fu Should Consider ResignationSingapore has the world's most highly-paid ministers. If I recall correctly, they have held this world record for about the past 20 years. It is a record that has caused a huge amount of public unhappiness. Especially in the past decade, during which the government didn't ever seem to be particularly impressive or outstanding.<br />
<br />
Now, finally, ministerial salaries are going to be cut. Mind you, after these cuts (which are quite substantial in percentage terms - about 36%), the ministers will STILL hold their world record. Which must surely suggest to any half-intelligent person how grossly overpaid the ministers have been all along. <br />
<br />
But then you get the likes of Grace Fu (who is our Minister of State for something or the other). Writing on her own Facebook wall, Fu says:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">“When I made the decision to join politics in 2006, pay was not a key factor. Loss of privacy, public scrutiny on myself and my family and loss of personal time were. The disruption to my career was also an important consideration. I had some ground to believe that my family would not suffer a drastic change in the standard of living even though I experienced a drop in my income. So it is with this recent pay cut. If the balance is tilted further in the future, it will make it harder for any one [<em>sic</em>] considering political office.” <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gracefu.hy/posts/227076997368383">Grace Fu</a>.</blockquote>Now, lots of Singaporeans are angry with Grace Fu. The comments have come thick, fast and furious. As of right now, her Facebook post has drawn about 1,300 comments (that's about 650 times the average number of comments on her other Facebook postings). And of course, there is plenty of negative media attention, online and in the newspapers too.<br />
<br />
Putting aside the other issues for now, I'm startled at Grace Fu's lack of political sensitivity. It was really, really stupid and unnecessary of her to write such a thing. Fu wasn't even under pressure. It wasn't as if she was at a press conference, and a belligerent journalist had just thrown an unexpected and difficult question at her, and she couldn't think fast enough about what best to say.<br />
<br />
Instead - we can imagine it - there she was, relaxing in her living room, playing with her iPad, sipping a nice cup of tea, logging in to check her messages. And then suddenly, Fu decided to write what she wrote. On <em>Facebook</em>. Not in a private journal, not in a personal memo, but on <em>Facebook</em>.<br />
<br />
She must have totally failed to foresee what would happen next. <br />
<br />
What poor judgment! What a severe lack of foresight. And she's a minister, for goodness sakes. Who knows what other horrible errors she might have spoken or written, on other past occasions.<br />
<br />
Now, of course Fu is backpedalling and she has made a statement that she had been "misunderstood". This is damage control .... for completely self-inflicted damage. LOL, that is funny. <br />
<br />
Imagine this - you are a minister, and you say something, the public is shocked and angry. And then you say, "<em>Oh, all of you tens of thousands of people, you've misunderstood me. I am the poor, unfortunate, misunderstood one."</em> Sing me another song, birdie.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxQp9fazoRm6-oMjImPfypzbVX5n7_DzHVns7oCYIqEf9boqY8Bm_ujWVyvOAQLa2f1N3uSrEII83QD9wIAcQPbukBXC3CkXr-1oHbUkpUoso2dQiFiyH8xRo4DJ4VhwuFZ2nhc5U8qpO/s1600/jane-burton-domestic-chicken-white-leghorn-cockerel-crowing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxQp9fazoRm6-oMjImPfypzbVX5n7_DzHVns7oCYIqEf9boqY8Bm_ujWVyvOAQLa2f1N3uSrEII83QD9wIAcQPbukBXC3CkXr-1oHbUkpUoso2dQiFiyH8xRo4DJ4VhwuFZ2nhc5U8qpO/s320/jane-burton-domestic-chicken-white-leghorn-cockerel-crowing.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>"Me talk cock. Also can sing song.</em></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>How much you pay me?"</em></strong></div><br />
<br />
If Grace Fu can be so badly misunderstood, then that surely says something about Grace Fu's communication skills. It is extremely difficult to get thousands of people to misunderstand you. I am sure that I could not possibly succeed in pulling off such a feat. (But then I am not a PAP minister, I lack such talent).<br />
<br />
However - and this will surprise many of my own readers - I am not actually angry about the <em>content</em>, the actual <em>substance</em>, of Grace Fu's statement.<br />
<br />
Why am I not angry? <br />
<br />
Look - this woman is merely a product of the system. And what is the system that I speak of? It is the PAP recruitment system that Lee Kuan Yew decided to create, 20 years ago. A system that deliberately entices job applicants with world-record-setting amounts of money.<br />
<br />
The inevitable result - the PAP attracts many talented political wannabes whose main interest is in the money. (Meanwhile, talented political wannabes who just hope to serve the nation can join the Workers' Party - like <a href="http://www.smu.edu.sg/news_room/smu_in_the_news/2011/sources/AFP_20110505_1.pdf">Chen Show Mao</a> did).<br />
<br />
And when the money gets cut, well, you can naturally expect the PAP ministers (at least, the more money-minded ones) to get upset. Isn't that logical? If <em>you</em> had come for the money, then you WOULD be upset by a pay cut, surely. <br />
<br />
My blog post is entitled "<em>Grace Fu Should Consider Resignation</em>". Sounds sensationalist, doesn't it? But it isn't really. (I'm not that kind of blogger, lah). Let me just explain my thinking. <br />
<br />
It goes like this - if any minister is really very unhappy with his or her pay, then he or she can always quit. It's not like they are being forced to be ministers. <br />
<br />
Unhappy employees don't perform well - we know that from our own experiences in working life. It is better for the company if they quit. It is better for themselves too, for they can go elsewhere and find another job that is more satisfying for them.<br />
<br />
Why would we expect things to be any different for our ministers? If they are not happy with their pay, they won't perform well. They should just quit and get a more lucrative job elsewhere (if they can, of course). After they resign as ministers, Singapore can replace them with new ministers who care less about the money, and care more about serving the nation.<br />
<br />
So I say this to all the ministers - if you're not happy with your pay, please quit. Now, rather than five years later. Do yourself a favour, and do the country a favour. Just get out.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com98tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-74124026743184833662012-01-05T16:17:00.004+08:002012-01-05T17:11:27.437+08:00How to Get $100 Worth of Free Vouchers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiwHYySGdZ9lduH-ZJ7y2RU6I7Fo3kFyAutdYEwspV0-PpeZr7KWHZguOL8PZVlr103j329cJvZg7OjbdV1r5b0ExxS7C08PrqkhA8RsiBKD5OyUcZ6XJXS2xBvZ83rohvJcNhW9fNf8h/s1600/free.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiwHYySGdZ9lduH-ZJ7y2RU6I7Fo3kFyAutdYEwspV0-PpeZr7KWHZguOL8PZVlr103j329cJvZg7OjbdV1r5b0ExxS7C08PrqkhA8RsiBKD5OyUcZ6XJXS2xBvZ83rohvJcNhW9fNf8h/s200/free.bmp" width="150px" /></a></div>This might have happened to you before. It happened to me several days ago (and it wasn't the first time either).<br />
<br />
A person calls up on my handphone. I have no idea how she got my number. She says, "Congratulations! You are very lucky to have won $100 of NTUC Income vouchers!".<br />
<br />
Of course, there is a catch to it. The catch is that in order to collect the vouchers, I have to go to a certain place and listen to a 75-minute presentation. I get to collect the vouchers only if I stay to the end of the presentation. Also, I need to bring my wife. If she doesn't come along, I get only $50.<br />
<br />
So at the appointed date and time, Mrs Wang and I go to this place. We fill up some form which asks some questions about where we live, how much we earn and so on. We are asked to show a credit card - no details are taken, they just want to see that we actually have credit cards.<br />
<br />
Then we are whisked away to a small meeting room. There a salesperson goes through a detailed questionaire with us. There are questions about how often we travel; what kind of hotels we like to stay in; which countries we have visited in the past few years; how much we spend on our airfare, and so on.<br />
<br />
Then the salesperson starts talking about his product. Some kind of holiday club. Pay an upfront fee (which is quite hefty), get a 15-year membership, and for the next 15 years, you will be able to enjoy big discounts on hotel accommodation, airfares and land tours all over the world. At the end of 15 years, get your entire membership fee back.<br />
<br />
I won't bore you with the details, because the specific details are not that important. Many different kinds of companies use such a marketing strategy nowadays. They sell different things - land banking; timeshares in holiday houses; spa services; golf club holidays; travel services, and so on. <br />
<br />
The point is - they REALLY give you the $100 vouchers at the end of the presentation. Some even give you a choice of vouchers (Carrefour or Takashimaya?). Or they give you a free massage for two, if they are pitching a spa membership. You have no obligation to actually sign up as a member or to buy the product. What they want is a fair chance to thoroughly pitch their product to you, for 75 minutes. <br />
<br />
I think that these are very good deals. All you have to do is listen. If the product/service meets your needs, then you could sign up. If it doesn't, then just firmly say "No" at the end of the 75 minutes, and ask for your vouchers. The main thing is that you must keep a clear mind and not allow yourself to be persuaded into buying something that you later regret.<br />
<br />
Mrs Wang and I firmly said "No", at the end of the presentation. For us, it was a rather interesting presentation and we asked many questions (Mrs Wang and I often like to study how different types of business models and figure out how they try to make money). <br />
<br />
But in the end, we simply said, "No". We collected our vouchers. We left. The salesman was courteous and friendly throughout the time. And now I have $100 of NTUC vouchers to buy groceries, yay.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-89315215689134848972012-01-04T22:53:00.003+08:002012-01-05T09:39:31.131+08:00Onwards with the Plan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWC_V4AH4EokNRmaoqGWzazpEZYfQMNPk5ILxeFJyybQsBwp364uIOx6JmPQDn2LbgRSt12-3N94BxqQnaOMB7bP_ts_v8gkwuCCddyBgRTEuTMWY6H2wJ3XgasRwYNdDlTVSlJhTZ3P7/s1600/dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWC_V4AH4EokNRmaoqGWzazpEZYfQMNPk5ILxeFJyybQsBwp364uIOx6JmPQDn2LbgRSt12-3N94BxqQnaOMB7bP_ts_v8gkwuCCddyBgRTEuTMWY6H2wJ3XgasRwYNdDlTVSlJhTZ3P7/s200/dog.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>Three working days have passed since I began my project. And on all three working days, I was able to leave at 6 pm sharp. So that is a success.<br />
<br />
Of course it is early days yet. The new year has just begun and the pace of work is still slow as some people are still away on leave. The challenge will be to increase my productivity so much that even when business is in full swing, I am still able to leave at 6 pm.<br />
<br />
I have already implemented <a href="http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2011/12/project-begins.html">all the seven productivity ideas</a> mentioned in my earlier post. Here are three additional ideas that I will be implementing.<br />
<ul><li><strong>Using the Blackberry while commuting</strong>. On most days, I use public transport to go to work and to return home. So I will use this time on the MRT or bus to read my emails and draft replies. For example, if I leave office at 6 pm and the bus or train ride takes 40 minutes, I can use those 40 minutes to check my emails.</li>
<li> <strong>Having lunch early or late</strong>. I can beat the lunchtime crowd either by going for lunch early, or very late. This means saving the time that would otherwise be spent queueing to buy for food and waiting for a place to sit. I can then use the regular lunch (12:30 to 1:30 pm) to do more work in the office.</li>
<li><strong>Using a to-do list</strong>. I have often used some sort of to-do list, but now I am trying to be more consistent about it - in other words, to use it every day. Using a to-do list helps to track my work and also prioritise the different matters. There is an art and skill to using to-do lists effectively. This merits a separate blog post for the future. </li>
</ul>Anyway as I am typing this, it is 10:45 pm. I am at home and I am waiting for the clock to show 11:00 pm. The reason is that at 11 pm, I need to dial in for a conference call with some colleagues in New York and Frankfurt. <br />
<br />
These are the perils of working in an extremely international organisation. I estimate that in a year, I might do about 16 conference calls at night (after 8 pm Singapore time). I don't think that it is really possible or desirable to avoid these calls - in fact, they tend to be quite important - even though they are not in line with the spirit of my 6 pm project.<br />
<br />
On the plus side, I am usually able to take these calls from my home. So they do not technically interfere with the 6 pm target.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-57221338977169022872012-01-01T10:24:00.010+08:002012-01-01T11:07:51.113+08:00Flooding in Singapore - We Need Solutions, Not ExcusesIt rained heavily on 23 December and there was flooding in several parts of Singapore. However, the PUB claimed that there was no flooding at Orchard Road. I quote the exact words from their press release: "<em><u>There was no flooding at Orchard Road.</u></em>"<br />
<br />
I don't understand how government authorities in Singapore can tell such blatant lies. It is shocking and it makes me worry about what this country is coming to. It is normal for a country to have problems, and I think it is ok to say, "We have a problem, and we will be taking action to solve it." But to tell an outright lie, such as "<em><u>There was no flooding at Orchard Road</u></em>" ... What does that tell you about our government? <br />
<br />
It indicates dishonesty. That's bad enough. But it also shows stupidity. This is also very worrying, for we are in serious trouble if we have a stupid government. Why do I say that the Orchard Road incident reflects the government's stupidity?<br />
<br />
I say so, because the lie was so stupid. This is the Internet era. Anyone in Orchard Road at that time could easily have pulled out his or her handphone, and taken a photo of the floods and posted it on blogs, forums, Facebook, Stomp etc. <br />
<br />
And the lie would be completely exposed. If you were dishonest and you also actually had some brains, you should be telling your lies with a little more skill, surely.<br />
<br />
Indeed, at Orchard Road, buildings such as Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza were flooded, and people did take photos and post them on the Internet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnZ8EEjuwrs7r9wiIJMpzholNhkaXEeVRcoVUfQYnOtP1wzuLJoFtjsdX2vb-VxRo3OOc2hGIrSiKUdP8jwJAnQ5-HbhDNnXwawD9-kp4Rq9QgjQ3zEeG1p3RmsgI5GSX7UbgkVtVVbeA/s1600/liattowersdec-liattowerse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnZ8EEjuwrs7r9wiIJMpzholNhkaXEeVRcoVUfQYnOtP1wzuLJoFtjsdX2vb-VxRo3OOc2hGIrSiKUdP8jwJAnQ5-HbhDNnXwawD9-kp4Rq9QgjQ3zEeG1p3RmsgI5GSX7UbgkVtVVbeA/s320/liattowersdec-liattowerse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><em>Not a flood ... Then what is this?</em></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>A new water catchment area in Orchard Road?</em></strong></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj515yhiC1KfTOH9NBe9CJ13Wy2vOqFGsc7A6GEHvRsjles0e-cDlv6BZSNLtrQBXvaFk2gveN7krYsR_Pj4UXoqkPj5CFUuwEwAakxcjc-Zdd7981oq1Ap8U6lHnhyJTCdys-Q9v0YKoze/s1600/lucky+plaza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj515yhiC1KfTOH9NBe9CJ13Wy2vOqFGsc7A6GEHvRsjles0e-cDlv6BZSNLtrQBXvaFk2gveN7krYsR_Pj4UXoqkPj5CFUuwEwAakxcjc-Zdd7981oq1Ap8U6lHnhyJTCdys-Q9v0YKoze/s320/lucky+plaza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>Lucky Plaza's new design for a water fountain.</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>Works only on rainy days.</em></strong></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"></blockquote>It took a full week, but later the PUB decided that it had better admit that there were floods at Orchard Road. Their new press release on 30 December stated: "<i>The sustained heavy downpour resulted in the <strong><u>flooding</u></strong> of several roads including the Thomson/Cambridge areas as well as the basements of <u>Liat Towers</u> and <u>Lucky Plaza</u>.</i>" <br />
<br />
Oooh, the magic word has suddenly appeared in their statement. There was "flooding", after all, and at Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza, which are in the heart of the Orchard Road area. <br />
<br />
But you can still smell the stubborn PUB attempt at obfuscation - they won't say the words "Orchard Road" and they insist on inserting the word "basements".<br />
<br />
Well, of course, it is the BASEMENTS that are flooded. Basements are the lowest floors of any building. Isn't it bad enough that the basements are flooded? What does the PUB want - does it expect the 2nd floor or 4th<em> </em>floor to be flooded? Bah.<br />
<br />
In the aftermath of the event, it's also distressing to see how the Straits Times reported the event. To me, it felt like the top ST priority was to defend the reputation of the PUB and the government. Look at the way the Straits Times chose to entitle its article - "<em>Half a Typical December's Rain Fell in Three Hours</em>". The first two paragraphs of the article read as follows: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">"In three hours last Friday, the rain that pelted down on Orchard Road was half of what December typically gets in the entire month.<br />
<br />
Between 2.20pm and 5.20pm, 152.8mm of rain fell in the area. The long-term average for December - the wettest month in the entire year - is 287.4mm."</blockquote>Okay, let me deconstruct that for you. In the context of all the flooding events that occurred in the past year, the underlying message from the Straits Times is:<br />
<br />
1. The rain on 23 December was really, really extraordinary.<br />
2. Don't blame the government for the floods at Orchard.<br />
<br />
But was the rain on 23 December really that extraordinary? Was the flood at Orchard all that different from all those many floods that we have seen in the past few years, in different parts of Singapore? Including Orchard Road itself?<br />
<br />
To understand what a "typical" December rainfall is really like, we can investigate the source of the ST's claim. It comes from the PUB press release on 30 December. The PUB states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">"On the afternoon of 23 Dec 2011, a total of 152.8mm of rain fell from 2.20pm to 5.20pm at the Orchard Road area. This is equivalent to about half the average monthly total (287.4mm) of rain recorded for the entire month of December <u><strong>over the last 142 years</strong></u> (1869 to 2010)."</blockquote>So their idea of typical December rainfall is based on the average December rainfall over the past 142 years. Dating back to the time when Lee Kuan Yew's father's father's <em><u>father</u></em> had just emigrated to Singapore.<br />
<br />
Rainfall levels over the past 142 years may be of some meteorological interest to the meterologists. To the general public, it can't be. Singapore has been suffering from floods for the past few years now, and even prime shopping areas and tourist attractions like Orchard Road are getting hit. This is NOT the first time in recent memory that Orchard Road is getting hit.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>To the PUB:</u></strong><br />
<br />
We don't care what happened 142 years ago. We don't even care what happened 50 or 30 years ago. Singapore has a flood problem TODAY. And it is your responsibility to fix it. Even if global warming is causing climate change and heavier rains nowadays, it is STILL your responsibility to fix the flood problem.<br />
<br />
You should spend less time worrying about how to protect your public image. And more time actually working to solve the flood problem. You'll probably make more progress that way. And the people of Singapore will appreciate it. So please stop being stupid, and go and do the right thing.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-31405062618032296602011-12-29T17:30:00.003+08:002011-12-30T22:50:06.459+08:00The Project Begins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKZuoJmv3NPTTW_AYDq29QRN9Yd7RHQ3rHwyXAwNlAzbBuVhqiAFszAXLr0X4tygK7NCNuCyWjGCvQBH2gu-mQ0JNiU7W-9DsTiklfjJGeajHGXSwFfqoRvbJehlqk3Esvm5l5gE4s8Pu/s1600/sixoclockbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKZuoJmv3NPTTW_AYDq29QRN9Yd7RHQ3rHwyXAwNlAzbBuVhqiAFszAXLr0X4tygK7NCNuCyWjGCvQBH2gu-mQ0JNiU7W-9DsTiklfjJGeajHGXSwFfqoRvbJehlqk3Esvm5l5gE4s8Pu/s200/sixoclockbook.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>I have started on my <a href="http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-six-oclock-project.html">6 PM Project</a> and I wanted to tell you about the first few steps that I am taking. <br />
<br />
Firstly, I am aiming not merely for a Clean Desk, but for an Almost Bare Desk. No piece of paper shall be on my desk, unless it actually requires me to take some specific action on it. Once the action is taken, the document must be thrown away or filed away.<br />
<br />
Next, I am tidying up my hard disk. I am setting some new rules to create a more rational system for organising all my soft-copy reference materials. This will save me time whenever I need to search for something. <br />
<br />
One new idea is not to just save one copy of a document, but to make multiple copies, and cross-file; them in all relevant folders. For example, if I have a document concerning commodity derivatives in Thailand, I would not file it just under my "Commodity Derivatives" folder, nor just under my "Thailand" folder, but in both folders. So in future, the document should be easier to locate.<br />
<br />
As for relevant information available from public online sources, I will continue to use my blog, <a href="http://asianbankinglawyer.blogspot.com/">The Asian Banking Lawyer</a>, to hyperlink to them. I will also be making greater use of Google's <a href="http://www.google.com.sg/alerts?hl=en">Email Alert service</a>, to track industry developments relevant to my work. <br />
<br />
You might be impressed to know that I usually have less than 10 emails in my office email inbox. I have a system for processing my emails quickly. They are rapidly filed away in a system of moveable folders and subfolders in Lotus Notes. These folders and subfolders themselves become my to-do list. Low-priority matters are pushed to the lowest parts of the list, while important matters go to the top.<br />
<br />
I am setting an alarm in my iPhone to go off at 5:30 pm, from Mondays to Fridays. The alarm is to remind me to start wrapping up my work, in preparation for leaving the office at 6 pm.<br />
<br />
I will be getting an alarm clock and placing it on my desk. If I need to focus on an important piece of work, I will hang up my phone and set myself a definite time (eg 45 minutes) to tackle the piece of work. I won't be taking any calls during those 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
I have printed out a monthly calendar. This one gets to stay on my desk. I will tick the days on which I do succeed in leaving at 6 pm sharp. For the days on which I fail, I will jot down the reason why. After a few weeks or maybe a month, I think that I will have some useful data to to identify any recurring obstacles for my 6 pm project.<br />
<br />
That's it for now. I expect to roll out more ideas in the near future, for greater efficiency and effectiveness.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-7366022006005470862011-12-27T14:06:00.003+08:002011-12-27T14:14:44.518+08:00My Six O'Clock ProjectWhen I was a kid, my parents often emphasised the importance of hard work. My mother would even say, "<em>It doesn't matter if you score badly in your exams, so long as you had studied hard and tried your best</em>". At first sight, this philosophy sounds plausible enough. However, upon closer scrutiny, you might find that it doesn't quite hold up.<br />
<br />
Consider your workplace. Make a list of the most successful people (those who are on the promotion track, those who got the biggest bonuses, and so on). Then for each of these people, write down what you think are the top 3 reasons for his or her success. I suspect that you'll end up with quite a variety of different reasons. For example:<br />
<br />
"<em>good interpersonal skills</em>",<br />
"<em>smart and talented</em>",<br />
"<em>very experienced</em>", <br />
"<em>handles the high-profile work</em>"<br />
"<em>outstanding problem-solving ability</em>"<br />
"<em>because he has plenty of important clients</em>"<br />
"<em>excellent communication skills</em>"<br />
<br />
Less politically-correct reasons (which is not to say that they are invalid) may include:<br />
<br />
"<em>his skin is of the right colour</em>"<br />
"s<em>ucks up to the Boss</em>"<br />
"v<em>ery good at taking credit for other people's work</em>"<br />
"h<em>er father is the CEO</em>"<br />
"<em>PSC scholars always get promoted even if they are idiots</em>"<br />
<br />
Anyway, my point is that there is little correlation between hard work and career success. People who actually get ahead in the workplace may get ahead for a wide variety of reasons, other than old-fashioned hard work. <br />
<br />
<em>Laziness</em> is probably detrimental to your career progression. But diligence is definitely no guarantee of success. To see if this is true, check your workplace again. Make a list of the most hardworking people. You'll probably notice that some of your colleagues work very hard, but don't seem to even get appreciation, much less achieve career success.<br />
<br />
(Actually, this is true of our education system as well. There are plenty of students who slog very hard and produce only mediocre grades).<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, many Singaporeans are culturally conditioned to work hard. I say that this is unfortunate - because as I've already pointed out, hard work doesn't necessarily get you anywhere. On the contrary, there is a personal price to pay for hard work (think migraines, heart disease, stomach ulcers and hypertension). And excessive diligence at work will also deprives you of your personal time, including time with your family.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So ....</span><br />
<br />
Come 2012, I am going to launch a new personal project. I call it my 6 p.m. project. My mission is to leave the office at 6 pm sharp as often as possible. Ideally, 5 days a week, for most weeks. I'll even keep a log. <br />
<br />
On average, in 2011, I left the office around 8 pm. So if I now succeed in leaving at 6 pm instead, I save 10 hours per week, or 40 hours per month. That sounds pretty good to me.<br />
<br />
I don't intend to get sloppy with my work. I do intend to become more efficient and productive. I plan to find good ideas and clever ways to get all my usual work done on time and done well, despite my working 40 hours less per month. <br />
<br />
How exactly will I do that? Stay tuned. I'm still figuring it out myself. As the 6 p.m project progresses, I'll let you know the details.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_3CG6MY1WnapYDe31YZ7CpFSK-LmpfevMytwJRIYiwtxr0pXMh6geMPcQJHQjUvkN7JFtWA8ROKbuvI1uMxOdBuISViLcS4aP-PgK9glcsnU6ZEnF9wmo37YrpeueLvKfxhCafWE4IL0/s1600/Dilbert_time_wasting_morons_book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_3CG6MY1WnapYDe31YZ7CpFSK-LmpfevMytwJRIYiwtxr0pXMh6geMPcQJHQjUvkN7JFtWA8ROKbuvI1uMxOdBuISViLcS4aP-PgK9glcsnU6ZEnF9wmo37YrpeueLvKfxhCafWE4IL0/s400/Dilbert_time_wasting_morons_book.jpg" width="375px" /></a></div>Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-62192980210317971752011-12-19T18:29:00.007+08:002011-12-20T11:38:04.319+08:00Poetry by the People<em><a href="http://movingwords.sg/">Moving Words</a></em> was a literary project that launched in Singapore earlier this year. I was one of the 12 featured poets in Phase One, which meant that a poem of mine was chosen and displayed on a billboard featured at various MRT stations. If you are a regular train user, you've probably seen some of those poems from the different writers.<br />
<br />
This was part of the promotional publicity for Phase 2, a writing competition which was open to all members of the public. The response was quite excellent, and the organisers received nearly 2,000 entries. In the final phase of <em>Moving Words</em>, about 125 of these entries were selected for publication in a book, which was then launched during the Singapore Writers Festival. The editor was <a href="http://www.softblow.org/alvinpang.html">Alvin Pang</a>, a well-known face in the Singapore literary scene.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmNv4jGUdEZ1MtJd86qDVk98ECEYR3Z2PbXuvFUhU8haPwJUz0_u9zQ6snjOf3iB0kOj_WxHL_8zZ1vVTdhCBqPZj6q0_dm7cBTOFVqcycO9QYGcSZsoYz5HCfjt7V7qS6dKxYCeanywz/s1600/book_moving_words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmNv4jGUdEZ1MtJd86qDVk98ECEYR3Z2PbXuvFUhU8haPwJUz0_u9zQ6snjOf3iB0kOj_WxHL_8zZ1vVTdhCBqPZj6q0_dm7cBTOFVqcycO9QYGcSZsoYz5HCfjt7V7qS6dKxYCeanywz/s320/book_moving_words.jpg" width="244px" /></a></div><br />
One interesting thing about such a book is that it shows you new, fresh writing by people whom you had never even heard of before. The vast majority of writers featured in the anthology have not previously published their own books nor won any literary award. Nevertheless the quality of writing remains decent, for these are, after all, the best 125 pieces culled from a much larger pool of nearly 2,000 entries.<br />
<br />
As <em>Moving Words</em> was a multi-lingual project, the poems come in four languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. All the non-English poems in the book also come with an English translation. The editor You can order the book directly from the publisher <a href="http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=280">here</a> or from <a href="http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/getTitle.aspx?SBNum=052699">Select Books</a>.<br />
<br />
From the book, I offer a sample poem, written by one Gan See Siong, who is a lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic. It's a rather mischievous poem, with a particularly naughty ending.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>You Need Me</strong></span> <br />
<br />
"You like to enter me in the wee hours of morning <br />
That part of yours in protective sheath <br />
And go romping with me <br />
Three to four times a week. <br />
<br />
A gentle man you are not <br />
For without warning you would spread me wide <br />
To accommodate the full extent of you. <br />
<br />
You strapped me up <br />
With those dexterous fingers <br />
So close I can see your grim determination <br />
The even rise and fall of your chest. <br />
<br />
And just like that <br />
You would head me <br />
Down the pleasure road <br />
Growing all hot and hard in me. <br />
<br />
If only you knew how I long for these sessions, <br />
They are the reason why I even exist," said the pair of running shoes.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-70070407748228048372011-12-18T21:18:00.002+08:002011-12-18T21:30:41.954+08:00The Ups and Downs of 2011 for MeAs the year draws to a dark and rainy close, I thought I would pen a few thoughts about how 2011 has played out for me. <br />
<br />
It wasn't the best of years. It wasn't the worst. The biggest change was moving to my new house, getting all the renovations done and helping everyone to adjust and adapt to the new home. It wasn't always easy, but now we are nicely settled down and I'm grateful.<br />
<br />
We had a few incidents with unpleasant neighbours. There were also various unhappy incidents between other neighbours (not involving me). One of them reached the point when a defamation lawsuit was actually threatened. I spoke to friends and acquantances and it seems that such unhappy incidents aren't exactly that uncommon in cluster houses. <br />
<br />
A contractor told me point-blank that in his experience, the owner of the largest unit always has problems with neighbours (I happen to own the largest unit). According to the contractor, the underlying cause is their jealousy. Well, I put all that unpleasant stuff behind me now. But there is a particular neighbour whom I will completely ignore for the rest of my life. Either that, or I will give her a cold glare. My children call her the "fat bitch". In this particular instance, I won't object to their language.<br />
<br />
I was pleased that at the start of the year, we managed to get our son transferred to a better primary school. He is now a Catholic High student. He has adapted well to his new school and enjoys being there. At his previous school, he was shy and quiet and had been targeted by bullies more than once. Catholic High seems to have given him more confidence and he has even assumed a leadership role as class monitor.<br />
<br />
My daughter had a great Primary 1 year in school and enjoyed herself thoroughly. She isn't in one of the top schools, but sometimes maybe things work out better that way. She's having a fun time being one of the top students. It's a self-esteem building experience which she probably couldn't have had, if she had gone to a more competitive school.<br />
<br />
At work, I had two surprises in the early part of the year. The first was a surprise of the disappointing kind. Despite many earlier promises and positive words, I didn't get promoted. The second surprise was that I received what was a rather large bonus (considering the state of the financial industry these days). <br />
<br />
I think that to some extent, the organisation was trying to make up for my non-promotion by giving me a bigger bonus. Oh well. All in all, not such a bad deal, after all. Between an improved corporate title and a big sum of cash, I'll take the cash anytime.<br />
<br />
The work itself was pretty interesting. I did a lot of legal work relating to very new developments in the industry, concerning how the governments in various countries are creating new laws to regulate the OTC derivatives industry, post the 2008 financial crisis. I think I've carved out a niche in this area. I was invited this year to speak at a conference on such topics, and I have another invitation to speak at a conference in April next year.<br />
<br />
I took another CMFAS exam, and passed. I am now qualified to be both a stockbroker and a personal financial adviser. Not that I have any concrete plans to do so anytime in the near future, but hey, everyone needs some kind of Plan B. In 2012, I may sign myself up for more CMFAS exams.<br />
<br />
I didn't travel much this year. I did take the family to Penang and Langkawi in June, and to Korea this month. Penang has plenty of good food, and a temple or two that's worth a look, but otherwise it's still a rather sleepy town. I found Langkawi more interesting, for the eco-tourism aspects. We explored a bat cave and fed some eagles and visited a fish farm, things like that. <br />
<br />
It was very cold when we visited Korea. The temperature was down to -2 degrees in Seoul, and even colder when we went to the mountain area to see their national park. But the kids had plenty of fun in the snow and ice. We also went to the northernmost point of South Korea, where after passing several military checkpoints, we got to peer at the mysterious land of North Korea, using telescopes at an observatory. <br />
<br />
On the writing front, I had a few old poems published in new anthologies. I was a featured writer in the Singapore Writers Festival. I was also part of the Moving Words project, and had a poem featured on Singapore's MRT trains. Those were the highlights, but overall it wasn't a great year as I hardly wrote anything new.<br />
<br />
A dear old aunt of mine passed away in February. Colorectal cancer. I worry sometimes about my uncle (her husband), who's in his 80s and now lives all alone in a little HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio. I know that he was very, very affected by my aunt's death. I hope he's gotten over it by now.<br />
<br />
It waa a crap year, as far as my own health and fitness was concerned. For a while, it appeared that I had borderline high blood pressure. I resolved to exercise regularly, but it didn't quite work out that way; I just never managed to stick to the plan. All the good intentions would peter out in a few weeks, then two months would pass, then I would try again, then the cycle would repeat.<br />
<br />
I did succeed in eating more healthily (I now often have a salad for both breakfast and lunch). My BP has fallen back into the normal/healthy range, but whatever the reason was, it sure wasn't because of exercise.<br />
<br />
I'd say a few things about Mrs Wang's year too, but she's told me not to. She likes her privacy.<br />
<br />
My happiest moments of the year were the same kind as the happiest moments of the past seven years or so. Private moments with my two children - playing with them, talking to them, hugging them. I love being a dad, and watching them grow up.<br />
<br />
P.S. My daughter just asked me why my blog is known as "Mr Wang Says So", and not "Mr Koh Says So". Long history, my dear. Tell you another time.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-80029620474824547022011-12-18T11:54:00.007+08:002011-12-18T18:36:52.032+08:00The MRT Train Breakdown - Passing the Buck in a Blame GameOne year ago, I had already written several posts about the falling standards of public transport in Singapore. Of course, those posts attracted a few of the usual criticisms that I was irrationally anti-PAP.<br />
<br />
Well, as you know by now, the MRT trains broke down very badly a few days ago. Service was disrupted for many hours. Passengers were trapped in darkness without ventilation. Someone had to use a fire extinguisher to smash the glass panel of the train door, so that everyone else could breathe. Passengers had to force the doors open themselves, in order to get out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjlYPTrEGQCsJYzy8FrHDxDmI708iJqXfPzsYZ2lz2yCYwM3dovIJSOGr9TQY5_W3aUj25sgc1BaT7jD7UFbk3cM77ADbqa84WAUgBRBRkAPU46_0V2JJ1gM7RuwhDDpZdLQX1N65VaQt/s1600/door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjlYPTrEGQCsJYzy8FrHDxDmI708iJqXfPzsYZ2lz2yCYwM3dovIJSOGr9TQY5_W3aUj25sgc1BaT7jD7UFbk3cM77ADbqa84WAUgBRBRkAPU46_0V2JJ1gM7RuwhDDpZdLQX1N65VaQt/s320/door.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Problems like that don't happen overnight. They never do. They are just symptoms of deeper systemic failures. What those failures are, we'll eventually know - if the goverment actually reveals its findings in an honest manner. But the point is that when something like this happens, it's typically the result of an extended period of time over which the trains are badly managed. If the train system had been regularly inspected and properly maintained, it wouldn't just massively break down like that.<br />
<br />
I read the news, and I see that Mr Lui Tuck Yew, the Transport Minister, is making a big hue and cry. Oh, how clever. Immediately, he shoves all the potential blame at SMRT and talks about how he's going to get a panel of experts to inspect SMRT and find out the problems <em>yadda yadda yadda</em>.<br />
<br />
Well, I'm sure that SMRT is to blame. But what about the PAP government itself? After all, this is public transport. Mr Lui, do you mean to say that the government has no regular role in making sure that the public transport actually works? That the trains run properly, that buses are safe, and so on? Come on, Mr Transport Minister. What has your ministry been doing all this time?<br />
<br />
I'm scared, you know. I am a regular train user. I don't want to be trapped underground, for who knows how long, in the dark, without ventilation, on a crowded train, with oxygen running out. <br />
<br />
If Lui and the SMRT can't solve the problem quickly, I suggest that as an interim measure that every train must be equipped with emergency torchlights and sledgehammers. The torchlights are for lighting, and the sledgehammers are to prevent suffocation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7c8vTIskSl-TFqanUiY3riDHRB-7y68WhbvetZMYP1cLf-swt9Ilv5knamTg4bCIyE20V_Jy6jFUgfolrr-rMJk56nsZFEAt5zj0s68qmlB_K9sLGx9cnwMlre98pexmT4VYhsklS12_/s1600/SledgeHammer1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7c8vTIskSl-TFqanUiY3riDHRB-7y68WhbvetZMYP1cLf-swt9Ilv5knamTg4bCIyE20V_Jy6jFUgfolrr-rMJk56nsZFEAt5zj0s68qmlB_K9sLGx9cnwMlre98pexmT4VYhsklS12_/s320/SledgeHammer1.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<center><em>"Singaporeans must be self-reliant and not expect the </em><br />
<em>Government to do everything for them."</em> </center>Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-15906876172543849652011-11-26T17:30:00.004+08:002011-11-26T19:34:29.128+08:00Commodity Derivatives in a Rapidly Changing World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aCjtmmPdYrinGtvPZQkZO7UDo8qDRmRdU4NJIBV_ksJVQST6s9MA1R-ahz2fn439huB0ND-gIOpMpCRig3SkSHMsi5bfjSznfckMTJYkaH9iuk7rOdvqLFjAlj1d1IBCq3iK_EOuAQkv/s1600/commodities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aCjtmmPdYrinGtvPZQkZO7UDo8qDRmRdU4NJIBV_ksJVQST6s9MA1R-ahz2fn439huB0ND-gIOpMpCRig3SkSHMsi5bfjSznfckMTJYkaH9iuk7rOdvqLFjAlj1d1IBCq3iK_EOuAQkv/s320/commodities.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I just got invited to speak at another conference. This one is about commodities and will be held in April next year. The organiser is <a href="http://www.marcusevans.com/">Marcus Evans</a>.<br />
<br />
My topic will be something along these lines - "<em>The Global Regulatory Landscape: Developments for OTC Commodity Derivatives</em>". <br />
<br />
I'll be speaking on recent developments in the U.S., and then I will move on to talk about Europe. Finally I'll wrap up by discussing a few countries in the Asia-Pacific region. <br />
<br />
I will probably have just one hour to cover all that. So the talk is going to be quite "big picture" and "high-level". <br />
<br />
I used to do a lot of legal work relating specifically to commodities - oil, gold, sugar, steel and coal, for instance - but I haven't done much of it in the past year. However, I have been doing plenty of work relating to the <a href="http://www.isda.org/uploadfiles/_docs/Impact%20on%20Asian%20Institutions.pdf">G20 commitments</a> made in September 2009. <br />
<br />
The G20 commitments aim to revamp the derivatives industry worldwide. To a greater or lesser extent, they will affect all classes of derivatives, including commodity derivatives. And for the purposes of my April conference, the commodities angle is what I'll be focusing on.<br />
<br />
From a career perspective, many people in the derivatives industry are worried about the G20 commitments. Potentially, the changes might greatly benefit the exchanges (such as SGX). But they will hurt many bank employees currently working in derivatives-related jobs. I predict that many of those jobs will eventually disappear, perhaps by as soon as the end of 2012.<br />
<br />
As for myself, well, I too am a bank employee working in a derivatives-related job. So I think that I am at some risk too. But for at least the next two years, I should be okay. That's because with a little luck and strategising, I've managed to position myself as an expert on the legal issues arising out of the G20 commitments. In other words, I'm still needed to guide and advise my employer - on those very same developments that will eliminate many other people's jobs.<br />
<br />
In fact, because the legal developments from the G20 committee are so new and complex, there are still relatively few lawyers who know them well. That's why I even get invited to be a conference speaker on such topics.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-83106629799065287732011-11-23T12:01:00.002+08:002011-11-23T17:12:19.977+08:00What Shall I Do With This Blog?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvW1QjfXHIwplUoMnGwWxVjxELzCyaj6JqqvaEIb1yn76YYDkcZXiG-iZn9WxIm105VZTQELR7AYKKIdD6Aj_6QqZYrFBbqWOYm2blnqkQ4hmAl8ya-zlWumLW_P5oHL7GF5jinfITBSX/s1600/puzzled_cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvW1QjfXHIwplUoMnGwWxVjxELzCyaj6JqqvaEIb1yn76YYDkcZXiG-iZn9WxIm105VZTQELR7AYKKIdD6Aj_6QqZYrFBbqWOYm2blnqkQ4hmAl8ya-zlWumLW_P5oHL7GF5jinfITBSX/s320/puzzled_cat.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>I really don't know. I do know that I am not interested in blogging about social issues and political stuff anymore. On the other hand, I'm also not the kind of person who will blog freely about my private life, for anyone in the world to see.<br />
<br />
I could blog about my various interests. On the other hand, I have many varied interests, more than most other people. Over time, this blog could grow rather incoherent and messy, just because my interests are so varied. <br />
Then again, since I am not aiming to make a living from Google Adsense, do I care if my blog grows incoherent and messy? Probably not. <br />
<br />
I thought I might use this blog as a platform for my creative writing. Some draft poems, some excerpts from draft short stories and so on. The first problem is that I don't do much creative writing anymore. The second problem is that I have to get used to the idea of putting draft work out into the world. Most writers don't like to show their raw, unfinished pieces to the world.<br />
<br />
One possibility I am considering is writing reviews about the books I read. "Reviews" may be an overstatement - I don't want to write real, heavy-duty reviews - it's more just like sharing some observations and thoughts and excerpts about any interesting books that I come across. <br />
<br />
Mmmmm, with a bit of work, that might get me to the point where publishers send me free books, to entice me to give them some publicity. Done some of that in the past, but I didn't quite sustain it long enough to get that many free books. I did get a couple though, hahaa.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-27635348966261850232011-11-09T18:16:00.003+08:002011-11-09T18:46:07.720+08:00Investing in DeathOne year ago, I engaged a financial adviser. We had a review of my portfolio this week. The portfolio has done well. I made about 8% over one year, which is very good, considering how disastrous the year 2011 has generally been, for stock markets around the world.<br />
<br />
This performance has been possible, because a good part of my portfolio was not in the traditional sort of equity funds. In fact, a good part of the portfolio was not in equities at all. The advantage of being an accredited investor is that I get to invest in more esoteric instruments that may not be accessible for ordinary retail investors.<br />
<br />
Of course, this doesn't mean that esoteric instruments always make money. They can lose money too. However, they do significantly broaden your diversification options.<br />
<br />
My financial advisor is now recommending that I consider a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_settlement">life settlement fund</a>. I already know about these. I've never invested in these before, but I've read about them. In principle, they make sense to me. However, they have been the subject of some controversy in the US (which is also the only major market for such investments). How do they work?<br />
<br />
A life settlement fund invests in life insurance policies. Where do they get these policies? They buy them from the policyholders. Who are these policyholders? Typically, they are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viatical_settlement">people with a low life expectancy</a>. They could be very old, or they could be suffering from some terminal illness such as AIDS or cancer.<br />
<br />
So let's say you have a life insurance policy that promises to pay $1,000,000 when you die. And you happen to be very ill. You can't get the money while you're alive. And the money will be useless to you, when you die. You would rather have the money now, which you can immediately use either for your medical treatment, or just to enjoy what's left of your life.<br />
<br />
In that case, the life settlement fund could buy the policy from you for, say, $800,000 (I have no idea what the typical pricing is like - I'm just using the $800,000 figure as an example). You get $800,000, to spend as you please. Two years later, you die. <br />
<br />
The life settlement fund then gets to collect $1,000,000 from the insurance company. So essentially, over a two-year period, the life settlement fund has made a $200,000 profit, out of its $800,000 investment (less the premiums that the fund paid over that period).<br />
<br />
This is the kind of investment that a life settlement fund makes. Of course, it does not just invest in one or two policies. Instead it invests in large numbers of life policies.<br />
<br />
It's rather morbid. The faster these people die, the more money the life settlement fund makes. Conversely, the longer these people live (and who knows, a few people may even manage to recover from their supposedly terminal illness), the less profitable the fund will be. A "good" investment is someone who is very ill, has high chances of dying soon and owns a policy with a large payout.<br />
<br />
For the investor, what are the advantages of investing in a life settlement fund? Well, it is excellent for diversification purposes. There is very little correlation to equity markets, or bond markets, or commodities, or other more-traditional classes of financial investments. Thus your investment could continue generating good returns, even if stock markets collapse badly.<br />
<br />
The way they did, this year.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-27447726073377108742011-11-09T17:56:00.000+08:002011-11-09T17:56:22.230+08:00The Children's PoemSo I did write that poem for the Straits Times (they wanted a children's poem). I still don't know whether they will select it, but chances should be reasonably good. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://rlv.zcache.com/bk_funny_purple_monster_ipad_case_speckcase-p176658906986087606vu9ql_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" ida="true" src="http://rlv.zcache.com/bk_funny_purple_monster_ipad_case_speckcase-p176658906986087606vu9ql_400.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div>The Straits Times is increasing its fee to $300. This is for wider copyrights to the poem. They want permanent copyright to the poem, which means that they can use it as many times they like and they can publish it in other SPH publications too. <br />
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Oh well, whatever. I'll take the $300.<br />
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It was an enjoyable experience - writing a poem for kids. I wrote one that had plenty of action, drama and sound effects. It would be fun for kids to read and act it out in a kindergarten class. My poem is entitled "The Monsters Under My Bed". I would like to reproduce it here on this blog, but I think I'm not supposed to.<br />
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Anyway, I tested it out on my kids and the response was good. My son kept laughing out, as he read it, which meant I achieved the desired effect (it's supposed to be a humorous poem).Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-67999057721506987932011-10-31T18:13:00.001+08:002011-10-31T18:18:24.216+08:00Why Facebook Killed The BloggerThe Singapore Writers Festival has just ended. I was a "Featured Author" (that's the term they use) for an event on the last day. It was a panel discussion at the National Museum. The other panellists were <a href="http://blankanvas.bypatlaw.com/">Pat Law</a> and <a href="http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/index.php?option=com_php&Itemid=70&id=144">Yu-Mei Balasingamchow</a>, and the moderator was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwee_Li_Sui">Dr Gwee Li Sui</a>. The session was provocatively entitled "Why Facebook Killed The Blogger".<br />
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When I first showed up at the venue, it struck me as rather large. I had expected a smaller venue. To my surprise, people streamed in steadily and the seats were filled up pretty quickly. It was almost full-house by the time we got started. I didn't do an exact count, but I estimate that about 100 people showed up for our one-hour discussion (which was about writing on the Internet). <br />
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I spotted a number of other writers in the audience, including <a href="http://blog.worldprime.org/post/felix_cheong">Felix Cheong</a>, <a href="http://www.ghazalpage.net/2005/mooney-singh.pdf">Chris Mooney-Singh</a> and <a href="http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=88">Dave Chua</a>. The audience was very lively during the Q&A session, and the questions came thick and fast. There were questions about whether the popularity of Facebook was rendering the blogging platform obsolete; and the importance of writing quickly about hot topics in order to get high readership. <br />
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Someone asked about whether prolific bloggers were better off spending their time writing actual books and getting them published. Another person asked if blogging (as well as other electronic media such as Twitter and SMS on phones) was lowering the standard of written English. Juz cos many guys n gals will rite like dis, u know. :)<br />
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It was an interesting session, and we eventually ran out of time. I didn't get to respond to all the questions as thoroughly as I would have liked, but I guess that was somewhat inevitable. The National Arts Council paid me $250 for my time, which is nice because I do several talks in different capacities on different topics every year, but I rarely get paid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB6IQfKN6b8zA08gHwFmSJMOEjP-4cCp85LkWHIjRono1qPtdi7soMWsaujq7JdCkpMUeyKjMezoqWuSgNaJDP1sV4O5TECUAq0QzyO83o3TPnY1aV-PKveUSyr1-67X2jkOxZZ-hMdJz/s1600/SWF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB6IQfKN6b8zA08gHwFmSJMOEjP-4cCp85LkWHIjRono1qPtdi7soMWsaujq7JdCkpMUeyKjMezoqWuSgNaJDP1sV4O5TECUAq0QzyO83o3TPnY1aV-PKveUSyr1-67X2jkOxZZ-hMdJz/s320/SWF.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>The guy standing on the left of the billboard is </strong></em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Lee"><em><strong>Aaron Lee</strong></em></a><em><strong>. </strong></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Mr Wang is one of the folks shown on the billboard itself.</strong></em></div>Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-44227759333958664542011-10-28T07:49:00.005+08:002011-10-28T08:03:22.700+08:00Poetry, Music and Some MemoriesSo last Tuesday night, I found myself back in my old secondary school. At least that's what it's used to be. Today it's more commonly known as the Singapore Art Museum. I had a few small moments of nostalgia, wandering through its hallways trying to figure out where the school canteen and the P.E. room used to be.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtLvkMGydkYmei-ohjJipLnx5USI8NQvcWNX-Z_OlLzD0rQG6htTnzqvLippM1gL7rxRn_PMw1CYfmoVTIpqzhjsockte3hyphenhyphenKU7GlwsbqU8h3kajRJw_tPz01buMad0-Ox4eM-mLqkOqY/s1600/museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtLvkMGydkYmei-ohjJipLnx5USI8NQvcWNX-Z_OlLzD0rQG6htTnzqvLippM1gL7rxRn_PMw1CYfmoVTIpqzhjsockte3hyphenhyphenKU7GlwsbqU8h3kajRJw_tPz01buMad0-Ox4eM-mLqkOqY/s320/museum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was there for the 10th anniversary celebration of the <a href="http://www.qlrs.com/">Quarterly Literary Review Singapore</a>, held in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/">Singapore Writers Festival</a>. QLRS is a website founded by my friend and fellow writer <a href="http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/">Toh Hsien Min</a> which over the past decade, has published a rather impressive collection of poems and prose from <a href="http://www.qlrs.com/contributors.asp">many writers, both local and foreign</a>.<br />
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It was a pretty decent turnout. I estimate that there were more than 100 people in the audience. I was one of the invited readers, and I chose to read three of my old poems published in QLRS 10 years ago. Here's one of them:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Garden City</strong></span><br />
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Let there be trees, the man said, and lo and behold,<br />
there were trees – rain trees, angsanas, flames of the forest,<br />
causarinas, traveller’s palms and more – springing up against<br />
the steel and concrete of the expanding city.<br />
Even as the true towers of the city climbed higher<br />
and higher for the heavens, the trees were planted, replanted,<br />
transplanted, watered, fertilised, and groomed to grow<br />
and grow. They appeared overnight, abandoned the<br />
chaos of jungle, bent to the will of man, grew in straight lines, <br />
in squares and rectangles, in allocated corners,<br />
in car parks, along highways, outside banks and buildings, <br />
faithful to the commandments of urban developers.<br />
The hard lines of architecture were softened,<br />
the rain did fall, the green did gently, gently grow, <br />
and in his seventieth year, the man was pleased,<br />
as he rested, as he viewed his work, as he felt the weight<br />
of a nation’s soil run slowly through his old green hands.<br />
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The poem is about Lee Kuan Yew and one of his pet projects - the greening of the Singapore cityscape. At the same time, the poem also alludes to his vast power and his grip on the country, and reminds us of the extent of social engineering that goes on in our interesting little island-nation. <br />
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At the QLRS event, apart from the literary readings, there were also musical performances. One of them was by Kelvin Tan - a writer, singer & songwriter who is also a part-time lecturer at the Lasalle School of Fine Arts. Here is Kelvin's folksy, unplugged performance, of one of his own original songs: <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nbyRStIa0RE" width="420"></iframe><br />
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I liked that. It starts off on a quiet note, but gets more exciting later. Yes, if you want to be fussy, you can quibble about some details - but overall, it was a very good performance, done with passion and feeling. And Kelvin's hat is so Elton John-ish. :)Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.com2