Not SM(A)RT anymore

"... it was not meant to be, so don't be unhappy....."

A friend on facebook posted a message about "income opportunity" and I asked her if she was short of cash and she told me the background to it. I didn't realize it was a joke. She explained to me and I saw where she came from. Report shows that following the huge 5 hours long disruptions, SMRT in the midst of clearing off huge passengers backlog, tried to mobilise its taxi drivers to help with transportation and inappropriately termed this as "income opportunity". It is always interesting to observe happenings in Singapore and see how people react. The reactions, in my opinions, would be what shaped up Singapore's thinking in the future. This should evolve over time and become part of our values. Interesting also is the integration of social media in the process moving people in the right and wrong directions.

To me, any "mistakes" made by the public services in Singapore is a "shock" because these were meant to be "perfect" and people have "high expectations", remembering and reasonable enough, Singapore also live by it's international rating of its quality and standard. I think sooner or later, we will all have to come to term with this and appropriately face it. Unfortunately, this made a lot of people not able to and not know how to "let go" and kept being hung up or angry over it all because we want it to be perfect. Honestly, this is just public transports, there has got to be more important things in life other than this, can we not just put it aside. I am sure the media will report lots of this and people will be reminded again and again.

By international standard, the "mistake" is quite normal. Over here, people face disruptions in transport very often, things do happen, and people also unhappy but accepting to it. Disruption due to weather, strikes, technical, etc, you can name it. The quality of underground also not as good as in Singapore MRT. Singapore may be one of the world's fastest growth economy, but there is no "short cut" coming to public transports, it is still a very steep learning curve. So, we ought to be patient and even to forgive those who claim about "income opportunity", inappropriate as it may seem, SMRT also not experience handling "shock". I am sure as time passed, people are also likely to face such things again, not to say we compromise on the standard, as things do happen and this is a fact. It is better we get ready to revise expectation and face this realistically.

Can we not be a bit "international" when facing this? Why not adopt a sense of humour, take it easy, take it in our stride and let your fiery reaction find a place to be put at rest. Stop reading how people wrote or react to this online or Twitter as this only makes you more angry and this is bad for your soul. Still, social media is good in shaming the bad behaviour (though in my view is forgivable) of SMRT. Having said that, we have to be very careful about how we are affected by social media.  If there were things that made you unhappy already, why add on to the list. Perhaps we should just take things one at a time and face everyday as if a new beginning.

The disappointment of that white coat boy

 ".... all because he asked me to collect my urine in that BIG container..."

I have to fast this morning and delayed my breakfast because I have registered myself to take part in one experiment, that is about testing for dehydration in a human body. This took place in the School of Sports and Exercise Science, in the CW Building. I was a little intrigued because CW Building looks like a normal venue for lecturing and tutorial, what else could happen in there, I wonder. When I arrived, I was received by a student and being escorted up to the level where the experiment took place. I must say I was quite impressed when I knew where all these are going to happen, it was at the top floor on the other side of the building, totally well "wrapped up" like a sort of CIA location, quite protective and secretive I must say, and when I reached there, I was taken take by another guy in white coat, yes, as in doctor attire. He appeared kind of proud of his outfit, hinting to me as if "hey now i am the doctor and you are my patient" and then he says hi to me and introduced himself. That was fine. Then I followed this white coat boy through a few doors and meeting a few other white coat specialist, saying hi here and there. Then we reached a room, where the whole experiment began. I was then asked to collect my urine in a rather huge container, which was not quite the same like a tube normally GP will use. Then My blood sample was taken and I filled in even more forms.

I chat with the white coat boy and  then  I knew that this experiment was required as part of his final year dissertation project and he needs a lot more sample to complete the dissertation. It was about the study of the contributing factors to dehydration. I was then asked to collect urine samples for the next 7 days. I was then given with 4 EVEN LARGER containers, almost as big as those 2 ml in capacity! I was asked to collect them using each of the 4 containers each days, and to bring back and exchange for another 3 next Tuesday. Also, My first pee of the day must be into the container of the previous day and only my second pee is into the new container. I thought that was so complicated and I have to take down some notes. He also gave me a booklet and showed me to record my foodstuff I took every day, take down the times, what i ate and also how I felt before i eat those stuff, am I happy or not, between a scale of 1 to 5, also am I with friends and where I was, etc. I thought that was a bit daunting, but I decided to give it a go. Then I left and went back to my office.

Later that morning, the more I thought about this, the more I felt it was not quite right. Collection of urine in this huge container everyday means I have to go to the toilet with that BIG container and pee. What would my colleagues think about this, I cannot imagine. Even if i do it in my office, I still have to keep my urine in my office and that will smell horrible, and what if I have people in my office, that felt so wrong, and then at the end of the day, I have to bring my pee back keeping the BIG container in my bag, it was so weird. I decided that I am not going to do this quite quickly, call that white coat boy, and brought the container back to him, and explaining to him, and I can see his disappointment, and I gave him a pat on his back, implying to him "good luck" and I left and felt glad I don't have to keep my urine in those rather shockingly BIG containers. Perhaps those BIG containers are really not meant for me, hahahaha!

Never Wrestle with a Pig

"... I can already relate to the title as I already identified a couple of "pigs" in my workplace."

This is a new book I bought today. The title, Never Wrestle with a Pig, is cool and I just only found out what it meant. Well, never fight with a pig because even if he won't win, he gets dirty, he is happy, but you would not. As they all say, we all have something new to learn everyday and I just had mine today. One might think where else would one apply such an idea? actually it's everyday life. This quote actually refers to certain type of people who never want to move on, refused to see the big picture and are just plain stubborn. This could be very hard-headed parents or strict headmaster. It's an addiction to them holding on to their thinking as they refuse to change. The truth is that they will extinct in no time, even if they don't they will increasingly become miserable.

Okay, so what is this book about? It's about your workplace. Have you ever come across people in the workplace who like to argue even on the slightest unimportant things? They just dragged you on and on, drained you down and down. So this is a book about how to behave so that every step is in the right direction to build your career or business

The tips from the book includes the following
* End your day on time
* People who say they can keep a secret usually can't
* It pays to overestimate your competition
* The best ideas cannot be stolen
* Know when to say "It's none of your business"
* Get paid for thinking rather than doing
* Time in front of the customer is the best time of all
* Be wary of unanimous agreement
* Not every budget deserves your respect
* Learn the art of picking up the check

Obviously it is up to the readers to interpret the message the author tries to convey in this book. I just had a chance to read two of the chapters. "Friends don't ask the impossible of their friends" and "Develop Genius for Friendship". These two chapters talk about friends in business/professional contact, what's the expectation and what's the consequences of outcome and how to deal with it. It also talks about how to build friendship, and what it means when "giving people favor".

I can already relate to the title as I already identified a couple of "pigs" in my workplace. WF told me dealing with those "pigs", one can only be as polite as possible, and hope that they get pass you as soon as possible.  Those "pigs" are not very active in research, but more in teaching and administration. They like argument in this sort of similar areas to prove and show their sheer importance and existence, but they are just not very value added. So I am sure this is the book that I will enjoy reading and finding it very useful. I will come back again in the future should there be interesting stuff to share. I can already see a chapter on "time management", a topic thousands talk about and with thousand ways to deal with. I am curious about the perspective of this author. Surely his style and his perceptions will make all the difference.

P/S: Oh I forget to tell you. This book costs me only £0.10, and which I got it from a Charity shop this afternoon, even cheaper than the £0.20 "happiness" book, all of good value and of course, good bargains. :D

Who would say NO to a FREE meal?

"...... of course, unless if you are a fish. :D"

I am a bit under the weather last few days and start to cut back on meeting friends or going out, so I end up spending time at home with parents and doing some stuff on the web. I recalled people that I met last one week and count those who "paid" for me when dining out, like with my former lecturer. There were quite a number of them. Mom didn't like the idea of "being treated" for dining or meal. I think the Westerners will normally graciously say "thank you" to that. Traditionally, I think Asians or those more conservative one, regards "being treated" for meals as a sign of "people belittles you", so one must "return" that. As a result, people like my mom who detest such idea, think that is paisay (i.e., embarrassed) to have people treating you for something. I think this is an "attitude" issue. I didn't beg people to do the same to me, it's happen and when people do that, they are happy to do so, unless people do with an ultimate motive, which can be quite obvious from the start, and for that, I will stay away or avoid, but these are quite rare, how would one say no to someone want to give you a treat?! :D

The other days, a friend was telling me about vides and how they are magnetic and attract people. I then began to think about my vides and how it "attracts" people to "treat" me. Well, I am borne in the year of dog. Dogs are generally likable and they are man's best friend. I like to think that, perhaps these are the two qualities that attracts people around me. However, dogs are also great assets to man, like they guard doors, lead the blinds, hunt the dead, etc, so as long as "keeping an account balanced" is not necessary, as in, the person who treats me lunch, expects me to return the treat, I (i.e., dogs) am quite hamless and friendly, except a bit needy at times. LOL. I don't believe in keeping the accounts balanced, though I try to do so as best as I can, but somehow find it hard especially "repaying" to a senior as I don't know how to handle it when people, especially a senior becomes very "persistent" and "decline my kindness" to repay. To "compensate" for that, I normally would pass the "good deeds" forward.

I had a call today from a toastmaster friend, who suggested that we go for a meal on Friday with his family and friend, and that he openly says he will buy it for me. I told my mom about this and my mom told me me a junior should treat the senior. I told her, in that case, if I got chance, I will treat my junior peers then, students, friends, relatives, etc. Yes, like I said before, passing the "good deeds" forward and more people will enjoy the "fruits" and that should "balance things up". :D

Cabin Fever

Today is a typical day as if "working from home'. I worked on my research all day, spending time on the Excel spreadsheet and not leaving the flat. In the UK, this would have been bad as 'too isolated' could cause 'cabin fever". You could go bad just like Jack Nicholson in 'Shining'. Watch the Trailer and imagine what "cabin fever' felt like, scary huh? :D



In any case, it also rained almost all day. And it poured, unlike those rains I experienced in the UK, as if spitting. Actually, 'doing some work' is good during the holiday as it helps "holiday-work" balance and allow you to feel 'in touch' and 'control' on your research. Of course, you are enjoying this as you find good spirited moods taken over your emotion following you completion of a certain set of work, and then to leave some for later, :D

While I was waiting, ....

"... this is not the tail of the dog, rather the tail (risk) of hedge funds..."

She came at about 5 pm, and I waited her for about 4 hours in total. The visit was a quick one. She took the pad, asked me few questions, including, "so how long you plan to stay here". I told her, long term I supposed, why you asked, is this because the owner wants to sell the flat. then she said, no, no that is just the routine. Fine! Then she walked round the flat, which was well kept and tidy (as usual) and 15 minutes later, she left. I was like the last flat she visited today and as I heard her singing on the way out, I just hope that she is really happy about the visit, rather than I am the last flat she is visting for the day.

I didn't totally waste my 4 hours while waiting. I was surfing the web mostly, searching for information on statistical test that seems not able to be executed on SPSS. So I called the University's helpdesk and they said perhaps the "mathematics education" department can help. It is interesting that they have an in-house statistical drop-in/consultancy session, so I booked for a time to meet one of the guys on Thursday. I also did some search and find all sorts of story about "tails" which I am sure JL will be very interested. It's quite funny the way they relate the statistical theory to "tail", which make sense. This paper that I read and found quite hilarious, "the tail that wags the hedge fund dogs". I cannot help laughing. This "tail" is about "risk", this is an area of research that I am currently doing. Just that, this is not the tail of the dog, rather the tail (risk) of hedge funds. :D

Should we "teach Gordon Brown a lesson"?!

Sometimes I just love the drama in this country, even the Prime Minister can be "a bully" and in the midst of this accusation leads to another drama involving the national bullying helpline nearly has to close down.

Today I was preparing my lecture material and came across a news article about the losses made by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) recently of about £3.6 billions. RBS is one of the UK banks to be nationalised following the credit crisis. Now it is 84% owned by the taxpayers, which make me part of the owners of the bank, since I pay tax. I thought of using RBS as an example to explain the application of present value concept in the valuation of stock prices, and I found that I could also crack a joke about "teaching Gordon Brown a lesson", that the theory of capital structure has to be re-written now that it includes the taxpayers, do we even care about the returns at all? In any case, I am not going to discuss the economic situation on this blog. It is just the use of the example that make me smile as I thought this would be quite funny.

All else, I think I am slowly moving towards getting material more organised this week about the lecture. LM so kindly engaged a "spy" and give me feedback about the students who attended my lecture, which I think have been very helpful, at least from him, I can see that students still enjoy my lecture, which I am quite reassured, so something must have been done right. So, next Tuesday the lecture will be filled with quite a number of examples to work out and explain the time value concept, annuity and the perpetuality evaluation. I quite enjoy it as I prepared them today and hope it brings out well in the lecture next week then.