Brainy Quote

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Look Yourself in the Mirror Before You......

.....start criticizing others. Are you being a hypocrite?

I have been following the SGX buy over of the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) with great interest. It has become highly politicized. And I was appalled by some of the statements made by some Australians especially by people in high positions in the Australian Government. The nationalistic sentiment is understandable. But of the statements are just double edged swords. They claim that Singapore's capital punishment of hanging those who committed serious crimes is in-humane. I say, its what we call it "Justice".... "An eye for an eye". What have the Australians done to avenge the precious their fellow country men's lives lost in Bali other than protesting that the terrorists be brought to justice.The terrorists are having a holiday in the prisons with probably a ten course meal.

It is because of too much of "Freedom of Speech" that you can't build consensus. It is because of liberal rules that there are a lot of Australians who live on "DOLE". Who pays for it....the hard working Australians which includes millions of of PRs and new citizens from Asia, Middle East, Europe, America and others.

They accuse Singapore of violating Human Rights laws. Look at what White Australians have done to the Aborigines. When I meet them in the streets, I feel sorry for them. They are worst off than some of the poor African- Americans in United States.The "Lost Generation" - children of Aborigines forcibly taken away from their families to work for the whites about 50 years ago....the Australian PM had to apologize for it only recently.

For a bunch of people whose forefathers who were a bunch of prisoners, these guys sit on their high horses and complain about the SGX-ASX merger is laughable. There are many things not right about Australia as well. Australia needs to address those issues. You don't see Singapore telling Australians how to run their lives. And if we did, we do it diplomatically. YES, Australia wants to become a "Financial Hub". I think Singapore is well positioned and experienced enough to assist them achieve that goal.

I love Australia and I like going to there regularly for holidays. I have met a lot of lovely Australians. But for some these highly positioned Australians to accuse Singapore of the above things is just unfair. Singapore has done what it needs to, have law & order so that we all can focus on growing the economy and well being of the nation. A friend of mine joined the Australian Police Force but he quit and came back to Singapore and this is what he had to say....the guys on the Australian Police Force are nice but the Australians by and large do not show respect to the Police. It is sad. In Singapore, people show respect to the Police because we need the Police to do their job so that we can live in peace. We can walk on the streets in the middle of the night and feel relatively safe.I don't think you can say the same about Australia.I value my family's security more than I care about freedom of speech. At least I can go out and enjoy with family without any fear of being mugged.

So the next time you want to accuse someone else of a mistake or crime, think before you speak. Ask yourself, are you being a hypocrite? Others wise, you might look like a fool.....Mel Gibson (the famous Aussie actor now infamous used to be a favorite actor of mine) comes to mind. Nobody wants to be associated with him anymore. His mouth is a "Lethal Weapon"...every time he opens his mouth, he shoots himself in the foot or his backside. Ouch!

No country can have a perfect system or government and you can't please everybody but at least Singapore has become a role-model for many countries around the world.

As for the SGX-ASX merger, I hope it goes through because I see it as "win-win" for both countries.


G'Day Mate!

Mark

Monday, October 18, 2010

Happiness...... What is Happiness?


Khushwant Singh at his best. The rationale applied to each preference is absolutely top class.

EIGHT CLUES TO HAPPINESS
By- KHUSHWANT SINGH

Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a person should strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a few essentials which I put forward for the readers' appraisal.

1.     First and foremost is GOOD HEALTH. If you do not enjoy good health you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from your happiness. 

2.     Second, A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE. It need not run into crores but should be enough to provide for creature comforts and something to spare for recreation, like eating out, going to the pictures, travelling or going on holidays on the hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be only demoralizing. Living on credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one's own eyes. 


3.     Third, A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Rented premises can never give you the snug feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides: if it has a garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with them. 

4.     Fourth, AN UNDERSTANDING COMPANION, be it your spouse or a friend. If there are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your peace of mind. It is better to be divorced than to bicker all the time. 


5.     Fifth, LACK OF ENVY towards those who have done better than you in life; risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be very corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others. 

6.       Sixth, DO NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE to descend on you for gup-shup. By the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.


7.     Seventh, CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES which can bring you a sense of fulfilment, such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to meet celebrities is criminal waste of time. 


8.     Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes to INTROSPECTION. In the morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling the mind and then five in listing things you have to do that day. In the evening, five minutes to still the mind again, and ten to go over what you had undertaken to do. 

RICHNESS is not Earning More, Spending More  Or Saving  More, but ... 

"RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE"

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Comeback Kids- Weight Loss by Stars

Hi All,

I was watching a show on TV where they were showing Hollywood stars who put on weight and are able to lose that weight with some help, easily. Some stars put on weight because their movie role requires them. Other stars just eat and eat and eat and do minimal exercise. It was really interesting. This includes Matt Damon, Marie Osmond (Donny & Marie Show), Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Mathew Perry and a few others. Others who have had to deal with the weight issue is Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, Kirsty Alley, Kate Winslet, Clay Aiken, Alec Baldwin, Beyonce, Renee Zellweger, Kate Winslet, and the list goes on.

If they can put on weight and lose it, us normal human beings can do it too........I mean lose it and keep it off. If you are really serious about losing weight you can. You don't have to be rich like the stars to have a stunning body. In fact, it may be easier for us because we do not have to attend Movie Premiers, wine and dine everyday, pretend to look important and be scrutinized by the Media and Paparazzi.

What are some of the things you need to do to achieve your goals: 

1) You need to recognize that you have a Weight Problem.

2) Draw up a plan on how you want to tackle the issue. Set some definite goals e.g. you want to lose 12 kg in six months. No drastic weight reduction like 30 kgs in 3 weeks.

3) You need to tackle from two areas- Diet and Exercise. You need to Exercise more and Eat Healthily (Not Less e.g. skipping meals is bad.).

4) Proper rest is also important part of weight management. And keep the stress level down to a minimum. Some people who get stressed or depressed tend eat more.

5) Tell your friends and family about weight management plans Enlist their help.

6) Be disciplined. You can achieve your ideal weight provided you stay the course possibly for the rest of your life. If you do it for a short period then you will on a roller-coaster ride with your weight going up and down. Frankly, this can drain your energy and you may give up easily. Slow and steady wins the race.

7) Track your progress. Have a "Report Card".

8) Check with your Doctor before you embark on any Weight Management program. He/She may be able to advice you on how to tackle the weight issue without harming your health. Speak to a dietitian as well to ensure you take the  right approach because we are not experts.

Everybody needs to manage their weight after the age of 30. It becomes increasingly difficult as you age. This is especially so because our metabolism slows down. If you let the weight increase like a runaway train, then other problems will creep in like diabetes, blood pressure, heart problems, etc. You will feel lousy and your energy level will be low. So take charge of your life and energize your life by managing your weight.

The Holiday Season is almost here, so increase your exercise regime if you think you are going to indulge in the merry making by eating and drinking. Do everything in moderation and you will be fine.

Take Care and Good Luck!

Cheers,
Mark

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Here's a Joke ......Laugh!

Behind this joke is a moral to the story

 The Pastor's Ass
    The Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won.

     The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again and it won again.

     The local paper read:     
PASTOR'S ASS OUT IN FRONT.

     The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.

     The next day the local paper headline read:    
BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.


     This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Pastor to get rid of the donkey.

     The Pastor decided to give it to a Nun in a  nearby convent.

     The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: 
  NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

     The Bishop fainted.

     He informed the Nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey so she sold it to a farmer for $10.


     The next day the paper read:  
NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10.

     This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.

     The next day the headlines read:

     NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.
  

     The Bishop was buried the next day.


 
       The moral of the story is . . .

     being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery . .    even shorten your life.

     So be yourself and enjoy life.

     Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!

     Have a nice day…




Sunday, October 3, 2010

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves!

Whether you believe in God or not, this applies to to everyone. You have a goal or objective that you want achieve. But if you just sit there and pray. Nothing is going to happen. You can stand upside down and you can cross your fingers and toes, nothing will happen. You can't blame God or anybody else but yourself. Do not wallow in self pity.

You need to take action or what motivational speakers would say "TAKE MASSIVE ACTION".

If you are hungry you need to either cook or buy the food. If you are not well you need to see a doctor and get medication. If you want lose weight you have to have a exercise and healthy diet plan. If you are not well you need to see a doctor and get medication. If you want lose weight you have to have a exercise and healthy diet plan. You need money you need to work or withdraw money from the bank or ask your parents (only if you are still in school. If you an able bodied adult and you still ask your parents money....shame on you!). You can take up two jobs if you need to. Or give tuition or offer your skills to earn some extra pocket money.

The rule is very simple - you want something in life, just analyse what action you need to take to achieve that something. If you need to be proactive.

Good Luck!

Mark