等待

等待，不是永久的；等待，也尽可能绝非短暂。等待，是因为有所期待，等待，是因为有希望存在。友说，人总是处于等待，可能是等待一个季期；也可能是等待完结的到来。在一个起点与终点的之间，就是等待。

如果等待是永久，那还叫等待么？我们都是一生的旅人，路过的，为了完成一个使命的。那如果一季还没结束，另一季又能够启发么？又有人说，可能是要有另一季的到来，那现有的一季才能真正宣告截止。那试问在一季结束后到另一季的之间，又称为什么呢？

那每一个时间，每一霎那，是否只允许一个旅程，一个季？或者说，每一个人生的一幕，又可能是有几个季的重叠。或是在这一面的季，只处于起点，而另一个同一时间进展着的季，已陆续到了重点。

季节的来临，是无法控制的。相等的，等待也可能是必然的。对我来说，可以控制的可能是渡过季节的步伐，快与慢；是有旨地等待，还是荒废的悠游。如果决心的截止一个季，另一季可能在你不知觉中，已在身边了。

Gold, silver and copper

Yesterday, was reading Matthew 10:9,

Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts... (NASB) - the version i read
Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start (The Message)
Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses (King James)
Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts (NEW King James)
Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins (New Living)

At first, I was intrigued, because Gold and Silver are precious metals, and understander-bly used as a medium of currency/buying. But behold, copper is categorized as quite precious too. I am learning alot about copper in my job and that caught my attention.

As I search on more of the different versions, look at King James that says "brass". Brass is an alloy that contains copper and zinc. Then i wonder would it be that the root word bears the same meaning for both copper and brass?

While copper is fetching very high prices now, it was not much of a precious metal during the olden days, although being one of the oldest trades of mankind. So naturally i thought of it being a medium of exchange that represents value comparable to gold and silver, so the only thing that can do that is to validate it as currency. while looking at the New Living translation, it states "copper coins".

Matthew is a "publician", or tax collector, as he penned down his own occupation as. He is well-versed with money. So shouldn't be any error there. If you read other gospels, there's mention of the bags and belts (Mat 10:9b), while no mention of money. A little occupational hazard there.

I like the Message version, do not go on a fund raising campaign. Food for thought isn't it, for us to go out there like "sheeps among wolves", with no financial support at all, no extra 2 coats, no bags (prob to carry food and coat, water bottle even), no belts (to carry money), no staff (defensive weapon maybe). Basically, nothing. Doing the Lord's work starting with nothing at all. However, without any of these sorts, we are still required to be "shrewd as a serpent and gentle as dove".

In investment, its always high-risk, high-reward; low-risk, low-reward. In this endeavor, we start with nothing, we end with nothing (of this world), naked we come from the womb, naked we depart, as travellers. But we gain treasures in store for us in heaven. A rather good investment proposition there, wouldn't you think so?

梁与朱

My friend told me that this singer is nice, so i went to listen, 曹格。 so i searched for his song for those 试听ones and saw this song, so i tried to listen. its called "梁山伯与朱丽叶". its quite catchy chinese pop music, i haven't been listening for a while, so the chorus goes like this:

Fill in the blanks:
我爱你，你是我的____________;
我愿意成为你的______________.

MCQ choices
a) 罗密友与朱丽叶
b) 梁山伯与祝英台
c) (any other glorious love story couples you can think of...)

I must confess that after losing touch with the chinese pop scene (my friend mentioned the name of the singer, i said "oh the one with the superwoman song ah?" then my friend say, wah lau.. now so many more albums got superman already.. i thought pulling my leg.. superman, actually really have one), its quite catchy la the tune, keep playing in my head now haha..

I should listen to less complicated things like this more, makes me more human probably haha..I was quite boh liao so try to put some of the lyrics on my MSN personal msg like "我爱你，你是我的朱丽叶".. then after a while, i also feel 不好意思 so took it off.

I mean to give credit, im sure there are much better songs that he sings ( I trust my friends' taste, and also he is a Malaysian.)

Bloomberg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2007
No. 205
www.nyc.gov

STATEMENT BY MAYOR BLOOMBERG ON PARTY AFFILIATION

“I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party. Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our City.

“A nonpartisan approach has worked wonders in New York: we’ve balanced budgets, grown our economy, improved public health, reformed the school system and made the nation’s safest city even safer.

“We have achieved real progress by overcoming the partisanship that too often puts narrow interests above the common good. As a political independent, I will continue to work with those in all political parties to find common ground, to put partisanship aside and to achieve real solutions to the challenges we face.

“Any successful elected executive knows that real results are more important than partisan battles and that good ideas should take precedence over rigid adherence to any particular political ideology. Working together, there’s no limit to what we can do.”

-30-

Contact: Stu Loeser (212) 788-XXXX

--------------------

I really like Bloomberg and how he managed New York. If he runs for presidency, I would have voted for him (if im an American). I first knew him through using a Bloomberg terminal (of course), the financial terminal with the biggest market share, then later found out more about his company and read his book, Bloomberg by Bloomberg. He came from the golden era of Soloman Brothers (read: Liar's Poker by Micheal Lewis). Business times has a very good writeup on him last week.

There is no better way to manage a city/country like a business entity really. Look at Singapore, able to establish itself in different economic frontiers by establishing an edge, competitive advantage. The GIC and Temasek are now the de facto of managing foreign exchange reserves and country assets, with China, with the world's largest reserves, wanting to model after Singapore.

A Good Year

Rented "A Good Year" last Sat evening, a show that i wanted to watch when it first came out but missed it. Really liked it. A story about life's simple pleasures, with a tint of romantic overlay, based in a picturesque setting of Château La Canorgue during the 2005 harvest in the Luberon area of Provence.

Was it the punchlines that Max Skinner delivered, or the cinematography, or the clever yet entertaining details, or was it because Max Skinner's profession is one that i can identify with, yet the background of summers in a small town setting is nostalgic, or was that love Max has for his uncle? I'm not sure really, but I really enjoyed this show, surprisingly, a so called love story. But really, the main theme of it may just be about kinship, Max's posture towards the uncle, the daughter that Max's uncle never knew, the warm servants, the meaning that little things bear for a person all because of the memories that is attached to it. Afterall, maybe men's needs has always been that need to relate, which without it as a foundation, any other higher tier need like money and status, will just be built shaky.

Not new, but still have a dream to own a vineyard. I am working towards it, many more than just this thing from this film.

Pardonne mes lèvres. Elles trouvent la joie dans les endrois les plus inhabituels
Forgive my lips. They find joy in the most unusual places

早雨

如果有一个愿望
那怕多么远，名华权就又算什么？
在这深处又渴望些什么？

被祝福，因他取力于祢
深居祢圣殿里，祢的住居是多么美丽
生命渴望祢的一切

就似山谷变成一道溪
似早雨盖过是祢的祝福

与祢一天豫胜过一切美丽
让我站在祢殿门守候，直到见到了祢

Horse steak, pig innerts and such

"If the president ever apppoints you liaison to the intelligentsia or if you find yourself at the Havard Faculty Club for any other reason, you will be well advised to order the horse steak. That shows that you are one of us. The horse steak has been on the menu since the World War II meat shortages, and the Harvard cognoscenti, always alert for new taste thrills, found it gamier and more interesting than plain old cow streak, especially when washed down with an amusing little Australian Pinot Chardonnay. So it stays on the menu, a permanent fixture. Horse steak is the symbol of the open, questing mind, which is how Havard likes to think of itself" (quoted, The Money Game, Adam Smith)

Eccentricities signifies abnormality, undeniably any form of eccentricities possess a measure of exclusivity. While in many cases, more desirable emotions of eclusivity is being projected to overshadow the un-norm. The westerners digusts at Chinese that eats everything, but have you ever wonder why Chinese eat every single part of a pig, from head to toe? Because they are poor, and have to make full use of the whole animal, during the olden day war times, that's my theory. Therefore, it becomes a "permanent fixture" on the menu, not unlike the horse steak. The Germans' eat pig trotters, the French eat Foie Gras etc.

Well, probably the chinese is just happy and contented to enjoy their own pig innerts and trotters and not care about what others say about them (乐在其中), while giving it a twist will definitely increase the taste of exclusivity, as a delicacy.

Having said that, still interested to taste the horse steak with chardonnay. Besides trotters, one of my favourite dish of my mum's cooking, maybe i would say i quite like pigs ear.

Jackpot

In the questions, most will choose the second option, with some kind of hope of hitting the jackpot, but however, when counted with probability, the expected outcome is the same for both options.

Men are never rational are they? Very willing to take their risks when there is a perceived return (often when calculated with expected return, is not higher than not taking the risk at all). This goes for the stock market, and all sorts of speculation like buying toto, and maybe even, going after a girl?!? haha..

well well, or it simply shows that men are just bad in mathematics. hahaha... (that was my point to defend mankind from the person that showed me this article)

In Nietzsche's book Beyond Good and Evil, he said that "Madness is something rare in individuals -- but in groups, parties, peoples, ages it is the rule" However, have you ever realize that alot of times, when you are left to make your own decision, you look for some affirmation of your choice? Easily swayed, that is why madness exists when there is groupthink, as Barton Biggs mention in his book Hedgehogging, groupthink is groupstink. But i digressed.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:24,25). The world celebrates that you have a mind of your own, you have your conviction in making decisions, your own perspective, going after your own passion. Maybe afterall, we fall unconsciously under the spell of groupthink, sub-culture, follow the crowd. If anyone would hear the words of what is written in the Book, and followed, one would have escaped the groupthink trap.

Rain comes down on the top, wind blows lateral, and streams rose from below. He said that if those words are being put into practice, one will be able to stand against adversaries from all sides and not sway.

Rational Choices #1

Senario #1:
There is 3 choices in an experiment, one being:
a) you get 100 bucks straight away
b) you toss a coin, if its heads, you get 250, if you get tails, you have to pay 50 bucks

Senario #2:
There is 2 choices,
a) you originally have 500 bucks, but 100 bucks got stolen
b) you have 400 bucks originally, you toss the coin, if you win, you get 200 bucks

Senario #3:
There is 100 bucks to be devided between 2 person
a) if you agreed to divide, you have to take the other person's terms
b) if you disagree to divide, both get nothing
his proposal will be for you to take 1, and he take 99.

give your answers now! write it in the format of the questions. e.g. a,b,b OR a,b,a OR b,b,a etc

The answers and findings will be in the next blog

adapted from: 读者2006 #8

What if what you paint is real

I have not painted for ages, these are obviously quite brief strokes and a little half-hearted, bacause i didn't even bother to outline with pencil, just draw and paint at the same time with colours.
This sketch of a girl that i found in one of my drawing blocks, must have drawn it long long time ago, added colours, she does look a bit pale without "makeup", especially the lips. Now i know why girls need to put make up.

Hmm, what if what you paint can become real? Okie, the old man no need. haha..

Chronos VS Kairos

Chronos, has to do with calendars, seasons, dates, clocks, chronometers. It is the time as defined, quantified and grasped by men, as concept of time. It is also the linear time, a time that goes in a straight line, and does not turn back.


Kairos, is to do with the fullness of time, when circumstances are right for something to take place.


It has always been men's dream to be able to time the Kairos moment correctly, drawing a parallel, the top and bottom of the stock market, most can detect a trend (trending up or down), which has to do with Chronos, but not the Kairos. Gadwell called it tipping point, mathematicians call it maxima/minima. Maybe deep inside us, there is this desire to see the best timing, which is God's timing. we chase after what is seemingly Kairos, as defined in the things of the world.


Maybe Kairos is so elusive that men has given up chasing for it. I like the way its being defined, "the fullness of time", when the time is right. Men also tried ways to find out that, if you know from the formula that Kairos will happen when the "fullness" is reached, you will seek after what makes the fullness and tries to detect it. Similarly in the markets, people try to see overbought/oversold signals, the drying up of liquidity that signifies fullness/emptiness, etc.


Its all so very interesting, because i realize that everything is linked. Men has always have a deepest desire in their hearts to chase after the things that matters to God. However, men are impatient, short-termed, selfish; which makes them substitute something of God to something created by men, to simulate God's things. Markets, fortune telling etc.


Maybe that's why also people could not live without a conclusion, a closing, an ending? Because all those things signifies the fullness, the Kairos? Well, i don't know, but this is all too interesting because its all linked. Elusive, but you can't escape it.