Lunar New Year: Day 2

Unknowningly I was strucked with an Asthma Attack. The initial plans of day 2 of Chinese New Year was for visitation, but due to my unfortunate unforseen circumstance, my parents and I had no choice but to rest at home.

I was rushed to an overnight clinic yesterday to get an AeroChamber treatment. It didn't help much. Please pray for me.

HAPPY CHINESE DAY2 NEW YEAR!

Lunar New Year: Day 1

Relatives started streaming in at 10am. We had to entertain about 30 guests of all ages. Haven't seen them for ages and many of the kids have grown so much and of course the elders have grown older too. One of the highlights of visiting my house is the great food that my mother cooks, it is definitely something that every family cannot miss!

My red packet harvest has shrunked compared to the previous years. The Tan families have a rule about red packet giving...
1) If you are married - You are elimited from the entitlement of receiving a single red packet.
2) If you are working - The amount given is significantly reduced.
3) If you are above 21 years old - The amount given is also significantly reduced.
Therefore, only the young ones will enjoy huge blessings! I'm off that league.

I must say that the fellowship today was rather different, I felt that the bonding between one relative with another relative has gone up another level. They chatted happily while feasting on the dining table. The food must have played a big role!

HAPPY CHINESE DAY1 NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Reunion Dinner

A chinese tradition practiced every Lunar New Year's eve. It is a time of fellowship and reconciliation. Family members will gather for a king's feast. Some prefer to eat out, some prefer to have it the steamboat style and some prefer to have it the normal dinner way. Whatever the style might be, it is who that is sitting around the table that matters.

This year's reunion dinner is a little special for me because my uncles are all present! That is an amazing miracle as they are always caught up with their own lives. I can just see the smile on my grandmother's face.

There has been many break-ups, unhappiness and misunderstandings between my relatives. I pray that today shall be a new beginning for everyone. So may the 8 of us have a warm time together at the dinner table!

It's Lunar New Year!

I would like to wish all my family members and friends a very healthy, prosperous and happy Chinese New Year! May your bank account increase exceedingly, business bloom exaggeratingly and for those of you who have yet to find a love partner, this year is your year!

Let's have faith that our lives will be so blessed this 2006! I'm tired of bad times.
I am yearning for a breakthough. I am hoping for some fruitful fellowship time with my relatives. For the past years after receiving red packets I'll hide in my room. This year I shall make a stand to appear and be a nice boy!

Stock Pick: Biosensors & DMX Technologies

As posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006, I mentioned that I bought Biosensors at $1.045. After stagnating for 3 long days, I finally sold it at $1.06 and earned a miserable sum of S$103.00.

Well, I shall not despise the small amount because it is money after all. I am still at my learning phase, slowly but surely I will one day achieve the goal of becoming Singapore's youngest and most successful stock market extraordinaire!

Yesterday I invested on a bullish counter called DMX Technologies at $0.9624. DMX Technologies is a 'system architect,' which they define as the business of designing and providing network solutions to customers with specialized products and services. This evening the counter closed at $0.970. I am hoping to take profit around $0.995. The long term outlook seems promising. Check out what DBS Vickers got to say about this sweetheart.

"DBS Vickers keeps Buy on DMX, ups target price to $1.20 from $1.07 as "it''s positive for DMX to have credible shareholders like Venture". Says Venture views DMX as a business with good potential. Earnings likely to grow at CAGR of 35% over next 2 years. Keeps FY05 net profit forecast at US$14.9 million, FY06''s at US$20.8 million vs US$10.1 million in FY04. Shares +1.1% at 91.5 cents."

Matters of The Heart - Say “NO” to poverty!

Say "NO" to poverty!

The time has come! let us be on our journey to become rich!
The Unemployment Rate in Singapore was 3.3% in September 2005. That works out to be approximately 143,550 unfortunate people that are currently not receiving income.

Research shows that many of these unemployed ones were given job opportunities but due to the nature of the job they refuse to accept it. I have an uncle who is now unemployed, it is his duty to feed his family of four. My mother wanted to help him so she got him an above average paying job of cleaning and clearing plates at a particular swimming complex. He resigned after 2 months of work because he did not like the job environment. Now poverty have seems to be a choice.

Have you heard of a saying “A fat woman is a lazy woman?” let me introduce you a new one, “A poor man is a lazy man”. Poverty is not for us! Inside of everyone is the potential to become someone great in life. Some people just want to cruise through life and therefore being unemployed is not an issue to them. Some people just want a simple life – 5 room flat, 1 wife, 2 kids, 1 car and 1 dog. And there are those who know clearly that there is only 1 short life and they need to live the very best they can in this 60 years.

Dream big, think big, be creative, have a goal on who you want to become and one day you will produce greatness. Eliminate laziness and you will obtain the way towards richness. What is your take? Should we just cruise through life or should we buy a ticket towards excellence and one day become an icon in the world?

Matters of The Heart - Friends

Friends

The dictionary defines the word “friend” as:
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
4. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement: friends of the clean air movement.

Friendship is sacred. A friend is someone who knows you well, who likes you, who trusts you and this friend will always be there for you during your time of need. Unfortunately, many of us are guilty of misusing this word. We call a hi-bye schoolmate a friend, we call an overly nice auntie who sells bread under our HDB block our friend and we call our girlfriends’ friend our friend.

It seems like everyone in the world has become friends with one another but the reality is, someone can only be called a friend only if there is an element of trust, like, know, alliance and love.

I myself have misused the word “friend” in many instances. But are we wrong to do so or is the dictionary over zealous in defining the word? Must a person fulfill all the requirements before he can really earn the title of “friend”?

Eight years ago, Roger made friends with this guy called Wilbur. Their friendship grew stronger and stronger each day as they were always spending time together doing what they enjoy. Slowly both of them began to understand one another more and both parties learnt that sacrificing for one another is necessary in this friendship. As the old saying goes: ”Hey what are friends for?”

Three years later, Wilbur met more new friends and started to neglect Roger a bit. Due to the negligence, Wilbur started not to know Roger as much as before. The trust between the both of them faded and Wilbur cannot be there as often during Roger’s times of need. The question here is, Wilbur is not fulfilling the standards of the definition of “friend” now, so are the both of them still friends or they should address one another as schoolmates? Think about it…

Matters of The Heart - Money. Your Life Purpose?

Is Money Really Our Life Purpose?

An average Singaporean works about 50 hours a week all in the name of earning money. Most carry the responsibility of feeding their family, pleasing their partners, satisfying their personal desires and fulfilling medical bills. We work like crazy but at the end of the day the hard earned money still flows back into the economy.

Work like crazy -> Receive Salary -> Feed the economy -> Work like crazy -> Receive Salary -> Feed the economy -> Work like crazy -> Receive Salary -> Feed the economy -> Work like crazy -> Receive Salary -> Feed the economy and the cycle goes on.

Many make money their life purpose unconsciously. But is there more out there for us to look forward to when we wake up from our bed instead of just pay day? Some count life as a journey and working is part and parcel of that walk we need to take to become an experienced member of society so that the younger generation would have a mentor to hold their hand.

Money is never my life purpose. In my opinion, love, family and friendship are on the top of my list as they are priceless compared wealth. At least when I wake up I do not feel empty from the inside of me knowing that when I fail in certain battles such as earning big money, I have people who would still accept me for who I am.

How about you? Is money your number one priority in life or life isn’t really all about money?

Clan Brothers Rules & Regulations

Official Clan Brother Rules & Regulations Guidelines

The clan must strictly abide to every rules and regulations stated in this guideline for the sake of effective administration and strong clan growth. Rules are not meant to tie any members down but to help them stay on track for further promotion.
This rules and regulations guideline is subjected to change.

1. The High Council System (Diplomacy)

1a) The High Council is highly responsible for the facilitating of the clan. Facilitating includes but not limited to promotion / demotion of ranks, arrangement of DotA matches, public relations, inter-clan diplomatic relations (alliances), arrangement of clan matches, trainings, arrangement of participating in competitions, etc.
1b) The High Council does not hold a dictatorship concept, usually most issues are voted in a High Council meeting.
1c) The chieftain is entitled to 1.5 vote counts, the shamans are entitled to 1 vote count each.
1d) A High Council member must inform The High Council if he/she would be inactive for 10 days or more due to reasonable commitments such as but not limited to studies, family crisis etc.
1e) A High Council member is considered as inactive if he/she has not been found in the Battle.Net premises (channel “Friends”) for a period of 10 days and will be demoted.
1f) A High Council member who is on official leave is not entitled to vote for any matter considering the clan but should be focusing fully on the reason of leave.
1g) Any High Council member should be easily contactable. Any e-mails sent should be replied within 48 hours.

2. Clan Etiquette

2a) A member of Clan Brothers should carry his/herself appropriately regardless its in-game or out-game.
2b) Taunting of other players is strictly not allowed.
2c) Personal quarrels should be done privately and never in the presence of the clan.
2d) The clan does not tolerate any form of cultish behavior or satanic worship.
2e) No one should be forced to join the clan.

3. Clan Channel Etiquette

3a) Quarrels should be taken to a private realm and never in the channel main.
3b) Channel moderators will be prosecuted if found abusing powers.
3d) Flooding is not allowed. Any continuous repeated sentence / symbols / punctuations / words / blank space(s) for more than 4 lines will be considered as flooding.
3e) No explicit / sexual / violent conduct should be displayed in any of the channels.

4. In Game Etiquette

4a) A member is encouraged to not be a leaver of the game.
4b) Arrogance will not be tolerated.
4c) Insulting others regarding their disability will not be tolerated.
4d) A member must abide to every rule of the game as set up by the DotA team.
4e) Do not blame others for your death, you are responsible for your own life.
4f) Using of third party programs for the purpose of having an upper hand in the game will result in an exile.

5. Promotion & Demotion

5a) Please do not pester The High Council for any promotion/ranks, promotion and respect are earned, not begged.
5b) The High Council will promote accordingly, if you are a regular and a good member you will be spotted.
5c) Holding a leadership position requires you to take care of other younger members, if you do not wish to be committed in this area, please reject the promotion at once.
5d) Impersonation of a High Council or any ranks than the rank that was designated to you will result in a demotion or an exile.
5e) A demotion will occur on any inactive members and members not abiding to the rules and regulations guidelines.
5f) A rank / position is not for anyone to boast around, we are brothers we help one another grow for the better.

6. Members

6a) Every member is responsible to take ownership of the clan, every member is a shareholder of Clan Brothers.
6b) Every member must take the initiative to read the Clan Channel’s Message of The Day.
6c) A member is considered inactive if he/she has not entered channel “Friends” / “Clan Bros” for a period of more than 20 days.
6d) A member must e-mail any High Council Members to inform of their inactivity due to reasonable reasons such as but not limited to family commitments, school activities.
6e) A member status is obtained only when the freshmen has reached the “Clan Member” rank.

Note: * Please feel free to ask if you do not understand any part of the rules. * Please feel free to recommend if you feel that there should be other laws implemented. * Please feel free to correct if there are any spelling mistakes. e-mail to holymyths@yahoo.com if the above 3 point concerns you.

Matters of The Heart - Foam Sprays & Party Perverts

Foam Sprays & Party Perverts

Definitely, those perverts who take joy in touching innocent girls in enjoyable parties should be dealt with harshly. Singapore has a reputation of a -clean- and green society. The authorities are considering to ban foam sprays and some very cautious citizens have stepped out saying that crowded parties should also be banned. Is that too much?

In my opinion, banning crowded parties or foam sprays is too extreme as a measure to stop molestation. Is it so unfair to destroy fun just because of a few perverts, it is totally not worth it. On the other hand, isn't it interesting to see how girls love to wear bikinis and seductive outfits to such parties and expect no one to get turned on? I am not saying that a turned on person is entitled to satisfy his desire anywhere and anytime but it seems like it always takes two hands to clap.

A regular forum poster said: "we should step up police enforcement, and try to reduce this if possible. No way it'll be stopped completely". I totally agree. There can be measures taken to reduce these dirty happenings but it would be impossible to stop such things completely.
Innocent girls should be more aware of their dressing and their surroundings. Everyone can play apart, when you see someone getting touched unnecessarily, feel free to give a helping hand to the helpless girl. New Year / Christmas parties are meant to be enjoyed. Down with the perverts!

What is your take on this? Punish the perverts harshly or we should just ban fun parties? You might have a better idea to handle this, share it.

Matters of The Heart - Gambling

Gambling

Gambling is defined as a vice internationally. It is known to destroy families, educated individuals and even multi-millionaires. Singaporeans are relatively being held away from the darkness of gambling due to the strict control of our government. However, in addition to the current 4D, House Racing, TOTO, Soccer and Jackpot room gamble, Singapore will go ahead with the plans to build two Integrated Resorts (casinos) on Marina Bay and Sentosa. This matter will definitely open more doors for gamblers to maneuver in.

Without knowing, you gamble in a way or another everyday. Check this out, you have a higher chance of dying from driving a car to work compared to you catching SARS or the Bird Flu, yet many still drive. Entrepreneurs start businesses with tens of thousands of dollars with no confirmation that at the end of the day they will receive a return of a hundred folds yet still they proceeded with undocumented faith. A guy proclaims his love to a girl, knowing that if he fails he might set into depression and rejection but yet he would still go on without knowing the final destination.

So is gambling morally right or wrong? Should people gamble responsibly or should they not gamble at all just in case they fall deeper into temptation to take up a higher level of gambling? What is your stand?