Design is Thoughtful Living

Leaders for Singapore - 2011 election, a sincere thought.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:34:00 +0000

I have been following the news of the coming elections. The heat is on and I can feel it's different from the past. And I hope there will be more new blood coming into the scene. Times have changed and we need a different set of leaders who will effectively and efficiently bring us all to the next lap of peace and prosperity in a new dimension.

I was thinking what kind of leaders we should vote in. And there are a couple that I think is fundamental. Contrary to popular belief, governing a tiny county isn't easy especially if it is in a unique 'waters'. We need some top leader who is brave to lead a pack of very able group of ministers. I think, at this point, we have none though there are many very capable groups of people emerging in this pre-election. And many are from the legal profession. I hope we will see more talent who could sit into the different ministries in a more direct way where the minister will have a direct tertiary training that is straightforwardly useful in his/her ministry. I think it serves the best interest of all to have a direct professional unless we can't find any.

The problems that we have today are of a different nature compared with the problems we have in the past decades. We need to be independent and stand up for ourselves as a very young and extermely tiny country in the future era where the change of political global climate emerges. People tend to pay much more attention to nations that are huge. We can be huge in our own unique way via our courage to chop down the odds and by creating our own set of knowledge and skill sets. People tend to respect countries where her people are brave, righteous, genuine, and innovative. No one respects any country that is pompous, arrogant and throws their might over others. We have a neat social order. But we need more than that -- a society that is very inventive and has a very healthy view of issues.

The leaders we need to pick have to tough. The courage to turn mountains of obstacles and be tough to beat the odds. Not someone who needs any form of say or protection from already a group of seniors. That's not a real leader. Take problems on independently; face the music. Politics or indeed life itself is not at all a smooth sailing one. One cannot expect full protection in comfort. Life isn't a bed of roses where its fragrance will always await you. In reality,it's a bunch of good, evil mixed in shades of grey. Fortunately there is a room for the genuinely good and kind for the law of nature forbids evil intentions.

We need leaders who can uphold justice in the highest order; someone whom everyone, both oppostion and the ruling party, will respect. Finding fine leaders who are not lured by monetary rewards is definitely hard in times when people these days have not rarely gone through destitude and poverty. In times where pragmaticism is around with material comforts are at its highest for many successful professionals; finding the right leader who can comprehend the poor, the needy and the disadvantage is a real task.

I hope the upcoming election will show a few really good men/women who will show us the renewed light for the next 10 years. It will definitely be a different world by then. And whoever is going to be the next prime minister has to be fiercely independent and extremely intelligent. For our survival needs are very different from large countries like China and the US. We need the kind of substance where our leaders can walk down any aisle anywhere in the world with an air of respect that is like no other. -- Karen Fu.

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Design for the New Climate

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:24:00 +0000

Recently, I saw The Ideas Economy's website and posted 2 ideas that I thought it would be useful. One was to design modular mobile smart housing that acts as a self sustainable unit; and the other a kind of 'lead net' that covers the entire nuclear plant in several layers before it actually explodes.

It just came to me after reading and following up the number of natural and man-made disasters that seems to erupt in a short span of 3 years. Regardless if the Mayans had been right about 2012, we have to prepare for a definite real climate that is today and the near future.Highly populated areas, usually in cities, do not have much open space for escape. As such, I am thinking of the many possibilities of designing the units and the 'safety net'.

Climate change does not confine to the natural environment, about melting ice caps and the rise of sea levels. We are now facing another impending problem that is more instaneous and dire: terrorism. While we can add in rows of CCTVs, sending police and guard dogs to patrol at stations, airports, and sub stations; we must first eliminate any possible attack inland. For that reason alone, nuclear plants, oil rigs in danger points should be seriously considered for a permanent removal.The energy that we should use must be some form that we can contain in a much higher possibility. With the recent Fukushima Nuclear accident, signs are begining to show that the spread of radioactive pollution is going world wide. I think that is itself an expensive lesson to take and we have yet to see the full impact of the disaster.

I particularly liked the idea of solar energy. Many may not for the actual costs of producing them as compared to nuclear energy. But recently I have accidentally stumbled upon a paper by the late John O Blackburn, who wrote 'The Historic Crossover:Solar Energy is Now the Better Buy'.(see reference below)
I really wouldn't want to try nuclear in the long term given the change of climates now where there appears to be a rise in the number of earthquakes.Naturally people may doubt about statistics. Despite the nature of hard core research stats, we live under the sky to know what is really happening. Sometimes, a better trust is within us. Within me, myself, I do not believe that nuclear is the solution. It has never been. With the Fukushima Nuclear incident, I am more than adament to vote against nuclear energy. You know how the Japanese work. They are very merticulous and responsible people. If this could happen, I think its serious enough to make a resolution. -- Karen Fu, adapted from my own post to PhD forum.

Reference:
(A) The late John O. Blackburn, Duke University’s Professor Emeritus of
Economics and former Chancellor,
Solar and Nuclear Costs—The Historic Crossover: Solar Energy is Now
the Better Buy’ http://www.azocleantech.com/details.asp?newsID=11407
Obituary of Dr John Blackburn, which reflects his personality:
http://news.duke.edu/2011/01/blackburn.html
Prof Blackburn's paper:
http://www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/NCW-SolarReport_final1.pdf
(B) Nuclear waste recycling problems:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=rethinking-nuclear-fuel-recycling
http://www.nuclearwasterecycling.com/
(C) Nuclear reactors in quake zones: http://tinyurl.com/4kxux8u

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Status of "design" re Japanese nuclear crisis. Are we playing with fire?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:36:00 +0000

Just posted my reply to Fil Salustri on PhD-Design forum list with regards to Nuclear energy.This is related to my ealier blog posts here. Sharing this on my blog and open for comments:

> Forest fires are nature's way. Fires happen all the time, not started
> by humans. Sometimes, humans start bad fires, but nature recovers.
> Read up on the nature, frequency, and response of nature to forest
> fires.
> And yes, nuclear energy is containable. This is evident from the
> history of nuclear energy.
>

I just knew before I shut my eyes to sleep that someone would say this because
I didn't specify 'Fire'. My apolgies for missing the explaination.

Forest fires are natural occurance. But what I was trying to say was that
fire is something we cannot control effectively despite our advancement
in technologies. Fires can be started by humans as they could be started by
nature. With climate change and weather conditions getting drier in places
in California and Australia, prepare for more fires.

And many fires are initiated by humans.
And often it is very hard to recover. Often at the risks of firefighters.
One typical example is the forest fire in California in the US about 2
years back.
It was outrageous. (see reference links below my sig.)
And notably the fire caused in LA was human induced too.

> Nuclear energy is not spontaneous at all. The nuclear fuel is HIGHLY
> manufactured material. Naturally occurring uranium is virtually
> harmless. I have samples of pitchblende in my rock collection. Have
> had since I was a boy. I'm fine.

Naturally occurring uranium is harmless, but after human intervention, this can
become harmful. The same could be said about gun powder. Some cultures use
it for fire crackers, celebration; while some used it to blast their
enemies' heads off.

The hard truth is there are people who have uncanny ways of doing things.
They are all innovative. But the cause for concern is the potential and the
extent of danger that each element poses. It I hold uranium. or even harmless
amount of untouched hydrogen, I am fine. But if I hold just hydrogen
alone and played
with it in huge amounts under pressure, I get a hydrogen bomb. Human ingenuity
can come up with ideas. Just that it has to be on the right track.
Hydrogen is abundant.
Wrong use, and its a terrifying abundant gas used for massive destruction.

> We are imperfect beings. Your demand for "100 percent" containment is
> not rational. It can't be done. Nature can't do it. Humans can't do
> it.

True we are imperfect beings. And also due to our imperfection, we cannot also
be confident and sure that humans can design the best containment to fuels
that are potentially highly combustible. Both nature and humans cannot
ensure 100 percent
containment on any materials that we have to be totally safe. We need
precautions.
If we can prevent a disaster like Fukushima, and we are able to do now; I feel
we should take the precaution now like some of the EU countires are doing now.

> Forget about coal being depleted. What about the health risks and
> GHGs from using coal as an energy source?

Should have added to say that I don't even want coal / fossil fuels and anything
that exhaust fumes. Anyway I've just stated my stand on coal now at
late bedtime.

>
> As far as cost goes, I would like to know where you got your
> information on cost. I expect that given the extremely tight control
> on nuclear plants, that the costs would be higher. But are the costs
> that much higher - proportionally - than other high-tech / dangerous
> technology? I ask out of ignorance. Until I have numbers, I will not
> endorse one side or another of the argument.
>

I am trying to hunt for the stats. It comes with a large world map
showing where the
nuclear plants are. US has lots concentrated in the eastern part of
their country.
Then they show the costs of setting up a plant that is initially high
and covers itself
over a period of time. If memory doesn't fail me, in aroun 5-8 years
time, and its covered.
I should have recorded the link when I read it last week.
I will try to find it.

>
>>
>> In all, why should it be all fission?
>>
>
> Cuz that is, for now, the only game in town.

if thats the only game in town, then we are being utterly uncreative.
How can we be confined by that one source of energy alone when there
are clearly others at hand?

Its like talking about using only force to answer problems in the world.
There are many ways of doing it. Gandhi used peace for India to obtain
freedom for
his people. Singapore used to believe that merging with Malaysia as
the only way to
survive. People used to think that a country that has lots of natural
resources are the ones
which will prosper. It is via human creativity that makes our
prosperity and it is
humanity that keeps our society sustainable.
All these policies/inventions.ideas are man-made. We can change. For
that to change,
we must have guts to go into the unknown and venture. And fortunately for us,
we have other sources of energy that we can source. It may not be quick and cost
effective like nuclear, but we can design it with our expertise of new
forms of energy tio
answer problems. Policies to encourage smart use of energies. My blog
is about that.
If anyone's interested, its below my sig too.

The reality is do we need to really use
that much energy? Of course we don't. Thats another topic.

Its already 3:20 am here. I need to get some sleep. I only login an
hour ago. Shouldn't have.
But I did. So I might as well complete at least this email. I have
books to cover and notes to take
tomorrow.

>
>>
>> I'm fully awake...
>> Karen Fu
>>
>
> I hope you get a good night's rest.
> Try a shot of whiskey. That always helps me. :-)
>

Thanks for the advise. But I don't drink.
I only use wines for culinary purposes.
And I don't take caffeine to wake me up.
I use excercise. It works. : )

I'll look for the infographic and the stats and post later.

Karen Fu
elfin blog: http://daringtochange.wordpress.com
Other blogs can be traced from here. Your adventure may vary.

My sleepy links are for your reference. I shall endeavour to look for more.
But for now, let me have my slumber.... (thanks)

1. California Forest Fire, New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30wildfires.html
2.What causes forest fires:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-causes-forest-fires.html
3. Human caused wildfires increases in Calif
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wildfires/2009-05-14-human-caused-wildfires-increasing_N.htm
4. Eyeing Japan, Countries reassess Nuclear Plans:
http://www.greatenergychallengeblog.com/blog/2011/03/15/eyeing-japan-countries-reassess-nuclear-plans/

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An Energy Question to ask -- aftermath of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0000

Just threw the question to the list, and I thought I might as well put it here as I am looking for answers.

'Happen to miss some important emails and now I ended up a living Owl.
I just answered Fil offlist and I thought it would be nice to ask the
list a few questions:

1. are we playing fire when we suggest that nuclear energy is containable ?
We can't even effectively control fire, something that is an ancient
fuel that we have been using
for millions of years. Forrest fires in the States and in Australia
are clear recent examples. They burned for
days with huge social costs.

2. Knowingly that nuclear energy is the most cost efficient and
therefore the attractiveness of making lots
of money is one strong advantage, at least from the commercial point
of view. And that natural resources like coal is depleting, offers
another point for Nuclear, how about the cost of playing nuclear
energy which is tonnes more spontaneous than fire.
Can we be afford it? What is the safest nuclear plant design that
would contain possible accidents?
Reading the accidents and news daily, can we trust people to play god?
Or at least the master of something
that we cannot 100 percent contain?

3. What is the real benefit of having a nuclear plant? Why is it that
we cannot make other forms of energy cheap? Why has it got to be
nuclear? Sun is abundant source of energy in many parts of the world.
Why not tap and transfer this energy?

In all, why should it be all fission?

Hope this is taken in good candor.

I'm fully awake...
Karen Fu'

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Status of "design" re: Japanese nuclear crisis?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0000

Thought I paste my reply to a forum post which I think is important. I've found Clive Dilnot
Professor of Design Studies from the School of Art Design History and Theory Parsons School of Design, New School University; more than thoughtful. This is only my answer to the initail part of his email post to PhD forum. I have suggested an initail idea of a multilayer lead net to contain radioactivity. But I believe the more important issue is to change the minds on consumption and the way we live. The psychology behind is to focus both in policies and products.

here's the copy of my reply, open for crit:

Can't help it but to want to post thoughts on Clive's email after seeing how the Japanese community here
felt and how I come to shock of the latest events in Japan. All these, despite natural disaster, has
a strong link to human error in design.

In regards to the unfolding double tragedies in Japan, Donald Norman’s
“leap-to” diatribe in defense of engineers completely misses the
point. In fact, it is part of the problem (in that, as the subsequent
replies showed, it diverts the real question in all the wrong
directions—no Virginia, building a 100-metre sea wall is not the
answer).

Totally agree on this aspect. But unortunately many scientists, engineers etc
do not think this way. Despite the prowess of what advance science and technology can do,
the ultimatum is still human factors. I see this tragic event the result of systemic loopholes.
The other thought that came to my mind is that we over emphasis about nuclear energy and being
awfully over confident about our abilities to contain such technology. Our human complacency can
often misquide us to think that advanced know-how is the solution to all, which unfortunately isn't.
Its often like a problem left to the open thinking that you could swat them with a large net, forgetting that
the problem may be larger and more powerful in strength. When all these add up, it mutates into
a snowballed problem that could have been sorted at base point.
Nuclear energy is by far, I think, the most dangerous form of energy to use. It may be economical from a commercial standpoint, but the opportunity cost is often devastating. Apparently Fukushima had mechanical problems way back in the 70s. But strangely, they have not been totally cleared off. It makes me wonder how could engineering problems such as pressure and cooling systems were solved. I would have thought policies or products to encourage alternative fuel sources with possible policies to cut down unneccessary consumption would greatly reduce the need for electrical energy. On many levels, psychology may well be the most fundamental aspect in solving energy problems.
The immediate thought was to design a kind of 'lead net' that covers the entire nuclear plant in several layers before it actually explodes. Damn thick wall, but I suppose it is better than nothing or leaving 50 brave Japanese rescuers choosing to risk their lives to look for survivors. I think its utterly unfair to these people. The persons who design
the reactors and those who allowed the faulty systems to be in place for so long should be the ones
to take on most of the responsibilities.

My original post asked two questions. The first was open—what does the
word “design” mean when it is used in connection with the design of (or
what I would call the configuration) of the Japanese nuclear plants?
What is “design” here? What is that in the nuclear plant or as a quality
of the plant, that causes commentators to talk of its ‘design”?

Design here would simply mean to be responsible; be wise & honest to know the risks; be
intelligent to fit all the demands with a solution that has a backup for possible accidents despite the
magnitude.
No design is considered even passable, when any kind of problem is overlooked.
The age of the reactors may be a problem. But I think the system in place is a greater problem.
The thinking of those people who design the policies and the physical product are the most
important factor. Everything grows old with age. But why is it that some products/buildings could last
while some don't? Simply because the strict attention to every design detail in compliance to
different kinds of human environments & our common natural environment keeps it good.

Only have this bit of bedtime for the long torso and tail bit of Clive's detailed thought on the mega accident.
It's actually a wake up call not only for Japan but to everyone of us on this globe. We have not yet figure out
the pending danger it poses to the environment. Looking at the line of eathquakes that have happend,will there be a string of other similar earthquakes waiting to errupt ?
Pretty frighteining stuff if you pile all these up with what Dr Stephen Hawkings had mentioned that
our future is in space. But instead of lining up to fly to Mars or wherever into the unknown, we need to solve the problem that is inherent within us. I see it as a root problem. For if it is not solved by the root, your evergreen tree cannot grow, and nevermind if it would last.
That's how I see it.
Night night all,
Karen Fu

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Aid offer bonds old foes - compassion dissolves war.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:52:00 +0000

THE earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern Japan may ease strained relations with China, allowing the rivals for the moment to look past lingering territorial, economic, military and historical disputes.

When news of the disaster spread, Chinese leaders offered condolences and support. China is also prone to earthquakes and Chinese officials put a rescue team in place to send to Japan if needed.

China's Defence Minister, Liang Guanglie, called his Japanese counterpart, Toshimi Kitazawa, to offer military assets. Chinese premier Wen Jiabao also had a telephone conversation Friday with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and offered China's condolences and help.

Advertisement: Story continues below

China's show of sympathy and solidarity towards an Asian neighbour in distress contrasts with the heated rhetoric of the past half-year, which saw anti-Japan demonstrations and the cancelling of ministry-level exchanges and tour groups.

Officially sanctioned editorials talked about shared pain and what China can learn from Japan's response to the disaster. Commentary from state-run Xinhua, recalled how Japan assisted China after the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province.

''The virtue of returning the favour after receiving one runs in the blood of both nations,'' commentary said.

WASHINGTON POST

via smh.com.au

When I read news that China is offering help to Japan, I felt a great sense of comfort. At least, it isn't what I have been hearing from certain groups of people who seem to think that the Tsunami in Japan is a sheer kind of retribution. Regardless if it is one or not, I wouldn't think we should say that. And I think China has made the right move in sending words of concern and sympathy; and more vitally real action of assistance by mobilising teams to help Japan.

It would have been very wrong to stay aloof at Japan's current plight. Not to mention about feeling totally mean about the neuclear explosions and the massive physical devastation to their infrastructure. In Singapore, I heard there is a national team of peoplw who will be meeting up at Raffles Place this Wednesday to pray for the Japanese. I don't know what exactly that is, but if time permits I want to join in too.

Compassion yields compassion. Perhaps at this very trying time in Japan, these actions of help might well be a source of light that shines globally that humanity still exists. Doesn't matter if you are Caucasian, Asian, African, Hispanic, Mexican, Indian or Chinese; in times of need, when you feel lost, there will be ready help when one needs it. It should be a change of emotional tide about the past grudges about who did what to who. Trying to line up the atrocities only breed further anger that might end up engulfing both parties.

What we should learn about history is about what went wrong. And not counting foes and wrongdoings for 'revenge'. Surely there are uncountable misgivings. My grandparents, like most others, have suffered tremendously during World War 2, when the Japanese occupied Singapore. It wasn't any peach and roses. Many went to fight against the Japanese and had been killed on the spot or sent to the notorious massacre at Hong Lim Park or the Changi beach. Even today, Asian countries are still wary of Japan.

Personally I have thought about the historical impact and I can honestly say that I do not like some of the ways the Japanese are, typically their history texts about the World War. But I also know that many Japanese are not mean and know where their flaws are. The Japanese community here in Singapore are very modest and extremely hardworking. And I know with their industriousness and perseverance, they will survive this natual calamity well. It will be difficult but if they can survive 2 atomic bombs from the US, and come up from the ruins after the war; then they can recover and survive this current one.

Just remember that the history of civilsations, that every one of them has done some misgivings at some point. It would be a dire and regretable mistake to repeat them mainly because of revenge.

Can't type too much for now. I need to get up super early and I am now left with 5 hours of sleep. But I sincerely hope Japan recovers and that from this nightmare comes a dream of true hope, where peoples' compassion will dissolve all woes of the past. --- Karen Fu

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Dare you make this Change: Quick Excerpt of Life Lessons from Teresa Hsu Chih

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:40:00 +0000

I just couldn't resist taking the time to pick out the important lessons off from her talk when she

received her commendation from Venerable Jingkong some 3 years ago. I may have missed a couple of points,but I think I

have somewhat covered most of the pointers. I only have pockets of time to do this and I thought the best format would be in the form of

a 'poetry'. And I call this 'Dare You Make This Change' -- Lessons from Hsu Chih. She is an extremely humble person, but I thought she's got

lots of cool factor that is humble yet gutsy; old yet young. Here's my shot for the day:

想年轻就年轻!

Think young and thou shalf be young!

吃
很浪费时间

干嘛
买菜洗菜
又煮菜
餐餐洗碗
多麻烦！

Eating is a waste of time

Why waste it on

Buying food, washing them

& cooking them

After whish

the hell of washing follows

What a chore!

不如看书
做有意人的事情更妙 !

Might as well read books

Do chores to benefit mankind Such is a pure wonder!

她
只有爱人的宗教
没有别的
心清静
头脑只为为众生

She

Only harbors the idea of Love

Love is her religion

Nothing else.

The heart is at peace

And the mind is for humanity

切勿动干火!
因为
发脾气浪费时间
伤害自己伤害别人

Boil not your head

'Cos

Fuming churns away your time

Harms yourself & others

不拿病人的钱
人家给她的钱
她全给其他穷人
交水电房租
买粮食

Not taking patient's money

Whatever money that is given to her

She passes it on to the poor

To pay for bills, rent

To buy food.

她从不浪费

因
照顾的人很穷，

所以
一定一样跟他们一样的穷

She never wastes

'Cos

there are many poor people to take care of

That's Why

she feels she needs to be as poor as them

爱
她信仰是个‘爱’
永远爱世人爱众生

Love

Is her mantra

Always love humanity, love all fellow beings

她投其四好：
存好心，说好话
行好事，做好人
百年功绩
就在她执着的博爱

She focuses on mainly four beliefs:

Keep a good heart, say the wise words

Do the good deeds, practice being a good person

100 years of achievements

lay on the principle of compassion.

苦人太多，贫穷人太多
跟最穷的人一起往来
她的生活要比他们好，她的心不安
这是真的，不但自己心不安
穷人看了会怕；

Sad people are many, poor people are many

Mingle among the poor and interact with them

She feels uneasy when she is better than them

This is real: Not that she feels uneasy

The poor who sees the better off are uneasy

必须过和他们同样的生活
跟大多数人打成一片
就是和平共处的苦心状举！

Henceforth the effort to experience the poor's life

Be part of the majority

Such heartfelt emphathy is the foundation of peace !

-- compiled in the stanzas in the middle of the night by Karen Fu...

Night All !

PS: The basis of peace formed by Teresa Hsu may be a tall order. If not almost impossible, but I believe that if we could move towards the basis of empathy in her direction, we would have sorted out a lot of problems in life. The essence of thrift, sharing and compassion could take us all out of misery that is stemmed out from jealousy, greed and poverty.

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Snappy shots on her idea of Life: 'Daily meditation of 110 years Teresa Hsu Chih - by the 'NewBuddhist'

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:34:00 +0000

This is a diect excerpt from The New Buddhist by Disney July 2010 . And I'm doing a quick highlight on the original post to enhance the points. I have to say I am silly to miss this post only to find it some 10 minutes ago. A very unique woman for her time and even today when so many people are still blindly following routines of what is 'success'. Surely, there are many ways to cater to one's life. It needn't be just the common one and definitely not one that is being dictated by any being. Despite an abusive father who abandoned her entire family for another woman, she didn't grow up to be a damaged person of cynicism. A trait that is very hard to find in today's society. Her intelligence in creating a sustainable life can be daunting to most. But what we could perhaps learn is her way of simplicity in both mind and body.

Here's a quick cap of the original:

(A) The idea of Love

Love Makes Life Younger - 110 years Teresa Hsu Chih

A 10 -years old newspaper clipping from Borneo Bulletin featured on

Mdm Teresa Hsu Chih at 100-years-young. She had a specially interview

coverage by CNN and received an award given by Her World magazine

at the same year, for her lifetime work with the poor. For her, there is no retirement.

(B) The Idea Of Youth at 100 Years:

" Be good.Live with love in your heart,"said Hsu Chih

" Avoid harsh words and unhappy feelings." Simple words - do others dare live by her example?"

(C) The Idea of a Fearless Life:

As she recieved her award , the reported thought."This woman has only $39 in her bank account.

Yet she 's completely fearless.She's the most powerful person i 've ever met."

Instead of giving an answer, she asked a question in turn.

"What are you afraid of?That is the first question you must ask yourself. Does fear help anybody?

No,So why spend so much time on fear?"

"Fear is crippling. Fear takes all the joy out of living."

(D) Her LifeStyle

Mdm Hsu Chih begined each day at 4am. She credited her youth to a simple lifestyle.

She has been a vegetarian all her life. She takes only one meal a day - mainly raw

vegetables and fruits, which she blends and drinks as a juice. She believes cooking

spoils the nutrition. Drinking this juice has been her daily habit since 1947. In this,

she was decades ahead of medical opinion. Recent scientific research has discovered

such a diet is rich antioxidants,which are life-strengthening substances that prevent

diseases and slow down ageing.

Daily meditation is " as important as a healthy diet".A peaceful mind is the

foundation of good health,she says;" i never time myself - i just meditate until i feel really drunk on peace"

Even when she was working and pressed for time, she always devoted one hour

each morning to meditation. Night is different. " Then , the time was mine. Once,

I started at 11:30pm and discovered it was 5 am when i finished. The deep quiet is

very refreshing and better than sleep."

Every morning and evening , one will find her with her feet in the air, doing yoga.it has kept her body supply.

She started when she was 69 and is now a yoga teacher.

Further Reference:

1. Blog post on Teresa Hsu Chih (Xu Zhe)

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Quick thoughts about 'Abandon Earth—Or Face Extinction' by Stephen Hawking

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 05:04:00 +0000

video via bigthink.com

Can't help but feel compelled to make this draft into the a formal post straight away. Might not be doing much impact but I thought I might as well write it anyway.

I feel Dr Hawkings has over emphasized in the logic of hard core Sciences for survival. For if there is lack of humanity in various ethical thoughts, that our human race would perish despite technological advances.

There are certain uncanny ways about how life and the universe works which perhaps is incomprehensivable even by science. Despite the rules that human mind research could delve into in their individual ways and feelings about how things work. I think we have not developed till that stage where the entire universe can be fully comprehend, else we will not have developed new problems that need new solutions to solve. If we have genuinely understood the root concept of problem solving, we will not problems sprouting out from existing ones. We could have simply sort the problem spot on.

Many of these problems simply morph in form. Not loosing an ounce in essence, the solutions usually require a far more complex way of solving.

If we need to sustain our race beyond the next 100 years or so, we need to find the root problem as to why we have come to this dire point. The thinking process doesn't require a mere escape in the physical space we live.

I have no doubt that one day our race will eventually be left with no choice but to emmigrate to space. That is if we cannot change what what we have been doing in time. The future living space may well be mars; it may well be a human made platform or synthetic space ground for our future generations to live on. Under a totally new environment, a brand new set of problems will sufface if we cannot face out our own humanisitc problems in thought which controls our decisions that shape our living space on earth.

There is no doubt that the brilliance of the human mind could also solve some of the toughest scientific problems around. However, I have the feeling that we may be dwelling in linear thought or rather we are moving into a history old, seemingly genetically formulated code in our genes into digging more deeper holes and simply swapping spaces for our root problem ---- the pertinent issue that we refuse to face the daunting thought that we have been bending rules of nature which is the result for our current dire situation.

We have not changed much in the area of survival. Human greed has not been changed much for centuries and let history be told, whether in total truth or with partial biasness, that our forebearers have merely altered their way of being selfish and that technological knowhow has been used to further exploit in the most uncanny of ways.

There is no doubt that we would eventually be living in space if our existing problems cannot be eradicated in time. It may well be we cannot sort them at all. Climate and land changes have proved in reality of the impending outcome of extiction if we still live on this planet. We have almost depleted our natural resources and also at the expense of other living species in any form for the sole selfishness of just one specie, and that is us.

We need to be truthfully honest about what we and our forebearers have done and how our past and existing thinking had maketh us our own assassinators for our own sustainable survival.

Our knowledge in humanities, science & technology should continue advancing in depth and in width. But we need a source of change that directs us to genuine sustainablity. And that is to make a real conscience about who we are and what we need to do. Not with the impurity of new so-called colours that smudge; but with the eventual outcome of being totally pure as light that will shine us into ever lasting exisitence.

And that one of the several human components may well be a far simpler thought: and that is ethics of sharing, loving and to be far less menacing & hypocritical in today's fast advancing, pragmatic life of selfish materialism. We are all in a way guilty. Perhaps via the way of doing bit of good everyday and have a far more daring gut toadmit fault & make every modest good step forward; we may perhaps create a miracle that science and religion will be most happy to jot down in our human history.

It's really a collaborative effort.

Got to run off now. It's a very quick one-off draft. I want to write more. But I have to go off for now. ---- Karen Fu

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The Idea of being Gifted

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:26:00 +0000

I am sitting in front of my PC and am reading this brouchure that is sitting on the table. It says 'P3 GEP Prep course'(GEP-- Gifted Education Programme) & highlighting a variety of different courses to train superior writing skills & arithmetic. I am impressed by the types of courses available for these young students and they are indeed stretching their minds. It is a far cry from what GEP was some 26+ years ago, when the first batch of students go in for their kill with no professional coaching.Nonetheless, they still managed to understand the Qs and made their replies. If memory doesn't elude me, it was a test selectively for those top PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) kids who had scored at least 3 A*s. They were fished out & given some hundreds of test questions to complete in the stated time. 100 students out of the entire PSLE chohort of some 30,000 students were picked up as GEP students, who would then placed into Raffles Girls or Raffles Institution for their secondary education.

Today GEP is expanded to 9 selected Primary schools which will train youngsters who are merely 9 years old for rigourous academic training and mind stretching. They do Olympiad Math, Science and participate in various mind camps. It is also expanded to secondary schools and junior colleges in Singapore. All these are great but what is not so great is that students begin to compare with themselves and start to differentaite between GEPs and non-GEPs.

Seriously, if Gifteds are gifteds, would they need to get trained that much ? If they were trained to ace those test papers, then are these students trained in a restricted frame of taught thinking strategies and minds that are planned in their taught subjects?

Gifteds or naturally talented individuals are trained primarily by themselves. Their minds could formulate ideas and methods with minimal guidance. While these kids do need a condusive and stimulating learning environment to grow their minds; I thought such paper chase training has inherent flaws. One main concern is that it could be unhealthy habit to society as a whole where compeition becomes fierce and people start to actively compete on the main basis of proving one's superiority. Students should learn to grow in a humble environment, made aware of different social issues. If you are gifted, great. If you are not, that's fine 'cos everyone has their own strengths.

We have successfully groomed very academically abled student bodies at different levels of education. There is no doubt about it. But the idea of superiority in a so-called gifted programme can actually ruin the lives of many whom fail to understand what is really important in life.

Test papers simply cannot identify every form of giftedness. It cannot exactly give an overall view of smartness 'cos smart means how you react in different situations, not just test situations on paper.

The world's a big place yet it is also small in many ways. -- Karen Fu

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A few new mooncakes that I like

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:34:00 +0000

black sesame snow skin rum raisin lin yoong

has a very mellow sweet taste that is both cooling and refreshing.

Almost taste like ice-cream, the centre filling goes excellently

with the seasame seed 'cold skin'. One of the best for new

mooncakes.

'Salt' moon cakes (suyan yuebing) is the one on the top right hand corner,

which has a delicate sweet, salty and clean taste that is like no other.

You'll have to taste it to understand. It doesn't bear with the extra rich

taste like a lot of other traditional mooncakes. Yet it has a classic

taste and bite that will linger in your mouth even after a long while.

black diamond mooncake bamboo charcoal

has a single yolk in the centre with lotus paste and a little mix of nuts.

Covered in edible bamboo charcoal, the taste bears contemporary flavour that

is now considered as one of the most popular mooncakes in the market.

5 kernel moon cake (wuren yuebing)

is healthy as it is delicious. As the name implies, the mooncake consists of 5 differnt kinds of seeds

and nuts chopped into finer pieces. The mixture is then mixed with maltose to hold them up together in a paste.

This mixture can differ from dialect groups in the Chinese race. Some add in delicate pieces of jinhua huotui (ham)

and further sweeten with wintermelon. It is usually the best among the traditional mooncakes

and it is usually the most expensive too.

I didn't have a lot of time enjoying the Moon cake festival this year.

But it seems that I have a few very nice surprises for mooncakes that

cheer my days up. --- Karen Fu

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Mooncakes that I like for this year.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:10:00 +0000

black diamond mooncake bamboo charcoal

black sesame snow skin rum raisin lin yoong

Hainan - 5 seeds moon cake (wuren)

Hainan - Salt moon cakes (suyan)

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Posterous Problem - Note: previous post on education is void.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:32:00 +0000

The post on 3 September about Education in Singapore was autoposted to all my four sites that were registered with Posterous; though I had specified it was for private.... It is still in draft mode but anyway, I probably will not use Posterous as much as I have done so far. Something seems to be wrong with the system. Or maybe its just me and my own posterous??

However, I've decided to leave the post to this blog intact as a record. I have also keep a record elsewhere...

So this post on 'Thoughts on Revised Education System' is void...

Thoughts on the revised education system in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Highlights of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's speech in English
By Lee Jia Xin and
Amanda Jayne Lee

(Continued from National day Rally Part 2)

(8.59pm) - PM LEE announces the setting up of a new Population and Talent Division in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The new division will manage our immigration, talent and population policies.
He gives assurance that Singaporeans will benefit from the policies. The new division, which will be on a ministry level, will be overseen by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng.

It will be similar to the Public Service Division.

Education

(9.01pm) - PM Lee acknowledges that immigration will be a continuing issue for Singapore and that there will be problems along the way. However, he says that we will have to manage, monitor and adjust as we go along. 'But remember we ourselves are all descendants of immigrants.' he said.
If our ancestors had not come to Singapore, said PM Lee, we would not have today's Singapore.

(9.03pm) - PM Lee begins speaking on the importance of education for Singaporeans. 'We already have a very good education system,' he says, and the system gives students a strong foundation, especially in Maths and Science.
However, he says Singapore can do better. Instead of a system that caters to top students, Singapore has one that caters for all. Students should have a 'tailored, holistic education that includes academic, moral, physical, art, a sense of belonging and identity'.

'We are realising this ambition', PM Lee said. Schools in Singapore should be equipped with modern facilities and staffed with good teachers.
(9.05pm) - PM lee shares some interesting programmes in schools from all over Singapore.
For Art, Haig Girls' created a Wall Mural with sketches conceptualised by students, Maha Bodhi's Visual Arts Programme teaches students how to create Batik paintings (he shows a picture of a little boy very pleased with his painting) and Naval Base Secondary received the third prize for a floral display in the Singapore Garden Festival.

In music and dance, South View Primary held a concert musical, 'Mulan' and Zhenghua Primary brought students to Hong Kong Disneyland for a cross-cultural dance experience. Riverside Secondary also integrates hip-hop dance with PE.

In the Science department, Dunman Secondary includes DNA testing as part of their Life Sciences programme, and Lian Hua Primary holds Robotics classes for students.

PM Lee mentioned speaking to a certain principal of a school that employs such creative measures, when he asked the principal on why he employed such creative methods, the principal replied, 'Give us a chance to show what we can do for you children.'

(9.09pm) - PM says while maintaining traditional strengths in Maths and Science, the education system must also develop and strengthen 'soft skills' like oral expression and instill confidence in pupils speaking both in English and mother tongues. Help students give a good account of themselves.
More teachers will be recruited for PE, Art and music, hence improving teacher-student ratios and giving more attention to PE, Art and Music.

(9.10pm) - PM Lee also raises another concern, the PSLE hurdle that students have to go through at Primary six. While important, it is not meant to be a 'do-or-die test that determines the whole future of a child'.
If students do less well than he hoped in PSLE, they will still have opportunities to catch up in secondary school.

(9.13pm) - More schools will offer programmes that students want, and more paths will be created for students to move within the system. The Integrated Programme (IP) will be extended to seven more schools, up from the initial 11, for express students.
This is for students confident of making it to university and will allow them to go straight to the A-levels or International Baccalaureate (IB), skipping the O-levels.
All these new 7 schools will have a dual track, both IP and non-IP tracks allowing students to switch in-between.

(9.14pm) - Less academically inclined students will not be left behind, says PM Lee.
In fact, Secondary education will be enhanced for them. The enhanced Normal Technical (NT) programme will begin in three schools, Bedok Town, Shuqun and Si Ling Secondary Schools.

The programme will see more practice-oriented curriculum, industrial attachments and internships.
Based on the feedback from NT students, who say that they prefer the ITE approach and environment, PM Lee says that it is hoped that students will be more engaged and motivated, with lower absentee rates.
Also, based on the success of the Northlight School and Assumption Pathway School - both which cater to the small number of students who do not pass PSLE - PM Lee says that two more specialised schools will be set up for NT students.

(9.17pm) - It is important to ensure that students graduate with relevant skills, says PM Lee. Which is why there are many routes for students to take at post-secondary level.
PM Lee says with the five polytechnics doing well, and with more 'high quality' students applying, $700 million will be spent to expand the existing polytechnics and upgrading the older ones.
A through-train programme will be started for Normal Acadamic (NA) students to go to polytechnics. Students who do well at N-levels can opt for a one-year Foundation Programme at Polytechnic instead of the O-levels. 'This is something Normal Acadamic students should strive for.'
Polytechnic Students will also be able to pursue good degrees from overseas universities. Singapore Institute of Technology, which started this year, is offering 500 places.

Degrees will also be offered for young Singaporeans with talents in the arts, media space and design through NAFA and LaSalle who will team up with good overseas institutions.
(9.20pm) - With more Singaporeans being able to make it to universities, it is important to offer top students excellent local options for tertiary education.
PM Lee says that students should spend their formative years in a top class local university to create bonds with their peer group.

PM Lee gives an update on some of the new education plans.

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), a collaboration with MIT and Zhejiang University, is currently recruiting and classes will begin in 2012.
A NUS University Town is being developed into a 'college system' like Cambridge and Oxford. PM Lee says it will be a 'beautiful, well-equipped campus' where students can come together to learn and interact better. (PM Lee shows an artist impression of the new University Town)
A third medical school will be set up in NTU. It will tie up with top university, Imperial College to train more local doctors.

'We need them.' PM Lee says, 'because we have an aging population.'

Also the new medical school will create more places for Singaporeans who want to study medicine.

(9.23pm) - The new programmes will be expensive, says PM Lee, explaining the need to build up donations and endowments.
The donations will go into funding students who need financial support, scholarships, bursaries and loans for promising students. Fees will be kept affordable for everyone.
PM Lee encourages alumni from all tertiary institutions to donate to their Alma Maters to help build up endowments for schools. This is for all universities, polytechnics and other institutions.

The governement will match all donations 3-to-1 to endowments for new projects and 1.5-to-1 for existing universities and polytechnics.
PM Lee says government will commit $4 billion over the next 20 years to build up endowments. A Singapore Universities Trust will also be set up with $2 billion to be set aside in the Trust to ensure financial support through economic downturns.
'We want the best for our kids,' says PM Lee, and that the endowments will go to ensuring that students will get a good education wherever they go.

The Singapore Spirit
(9.25pm) - PM Lee says that besides education, we have to instill the Singapore Spirit into future generations as well.
The Singapore Spirit is based on 'shared values like multi-racialism, meritocracy and respect for every talent', says PM Lee. It is a shared loyalty and commitment to Singapore.
PM Lee recites statement written by the late S. Rajaratnam, who drafted the National Pledge: 'Being a Singaporean is not a matter of ancestry. It is conviction and choice.'

PM Lee says that we must maintain a Singaporean core in our society and gather talent and resources around this core to build a better Singapore.
He likens this to a kernel. 'Protect the kernel, but adapt and extend the system as circumstances change'.

(9.28pm) - PM Lee says Singapore youth must be exposed to such a spirit, and develop a social conscience.PM Lee shows some examples of yoths releasing horseshoe crabs back into the ocean.

PM Lee cites the example of Mr Alvan Yap, who has hearing impairment but graduated from NUS and now works in the publishing industry. He is active as a volunteer and went on SIP's Singapore Volunteers Overseas programme to Dili, Timor Leste. He taught deaf children proper sign language as well as basic literacy.

A video was shown of Mr Yap's students and him wishing Singapore a happy birthday. PM Lee commends Mr Yap and hopes more young people like him will venture forth.

(9.33pm) - PM Lee worries that Singapore youth are not tough enough as Singapore has created a 'safe cocoon' for the youth. Youth not being tough enough was also a worry of the late Dr Goh Keng Swee.

A video was shown of Dr Goh making a speech in 1984 about the new generation that has committed some gross misdemeanour in not facing hardship.

PM Lee says that the younger generation knows too little of what Dr Goh has done and how much Singapore owes him.
(9.34pm) - To honour Dr Goh, who was instrumental in building up the SAF, the Singapore Command and Staff College (SCSC), which is the highest institution for training senior officers in the SAF, will be renamed the 'Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College'.
Also as the Education Minister in 1979, Dr Goh revamped the entire education system creating the 'first class education system admired around the world'. PM Lee says that he was the foundation for all the new plans mentioned earlier for education.

(9.35pm) - A new Academy of Singapore Teachers and specialist academics for English Language, PE, Sports and the Arts will be set up as well. It will be named 'Goh Keng Swee Centre for Education' in honour of Dr Goh. The new centre will help upgrade the professionalism of teachers, says PM Lee. And it will be the 'nerve centre' of Singapore Education.
(9.39pm) - Sharing more about Singapore's history, PM Lee says that Dr Goh did not make his contributions alone, he was part of a team of founding fathers who build the nation and that through this multi-racial team Singapore has scaled new heights and taken steps towards becoming a global city.

PM Lee says it is important to remember Singapore's founding fathers so as to stay true to their ideals to to continue to strive to be 'one united people, regarless of race, language or religion.'

He then looks to the future and says Singapore has indeed 'scaled many new heights'. Citing examples such as the new city centre taking shape at Marina Bay.

(9.41pm) - On the just-concluded Youth Olympic Games, PM hails Singaporeans for taking part in the inaugural YOG with enthusiasm, and gives the volunteers top marks for a magnificent job done.

(9.45pm) - 'The IOC, youth athletes and vistors were all impressed' said PM Lee.

(9.47pm) - PM Lee winds up speech by saying that even though Singapore is a young nation, it has distinguished itself by looking forward, and daring to transform the city again and again.
'Our future is bright,' he says. While he cannot promise an 'effortless cruise', he says Singaporeans can expect good leadership, and a close-knit team.

'We will seize the opportunities around us' and 'take our nation to the next level,' says PM Lee.

Tags: engilsh, national day rally, speech

via blogs.straitstimes.com

Am listening as I extract this National Day Rally Speech here. I have some thoughts as I have been through a unique case where I've been to top schools and been through the non-conventional route to do what I really enjoyed doing -- creative design, teaching and writting; which not a lot of people would have dared to take up during my time in the early 90s. Everything then was still very much the formulated way and to do anything outside it was somehow discriminated. And there are still a number of prejudices alive. And for that very reason, I made my own life career that I think still has room for improvement. I have scored top grades and I have also did lack lustre ones. I know grades do not mark a person's ability. But somehow grades are usually being tracked back. Today I may score an 'A', but tomorrow if I am unfamilar of the playing grounds, I may score a 'C'. But people usually do not see in that light. They only see it in a fixated view that an 'A' will always be an 'A'. Someone who is an Oxon or Cantab grad/Harvard/Stanford garad will always make the right solutions. Those in red-bricks, new universities, non-Ivies are the 2nd or 3rd class schools. And they are usually 'graded' as a whole.

In any case, it sounds like great news from what PM Lee has mentioned for education, mainly in these areas:
1. exams are not the ultimate guide to various students potential;
2. everyone has a talent we can groom.
3. different types of schools and systems set up to cater different abilities; grooming not only the cream de la creme academically brilliant students; but to groom arts and technical students.
4. an education system that meets the challenges of the world.

The 3rd point is by far, in my opinion, the most concerned. People tend to regard graduates to these fields academic failures and rarely see this group as smart. Arts / technical studies are usually taught at non-ivy schools and ironically at establishemts that are usually have a raw reputation for other subject areas and suffers from the generalised ranking which covers up the real quality of individual apartments.

I hope all these will soon be realised like what the Prime Minister Lee has promised. I hope the long term stigma against graduates who do not fit into the steoreotypical formula of success would go in the near future; since the definition of 'talent': go to the top academic school, go to the so-called top universities listed on the what may well be a subjective list of 'recognised colleges of higher learning'.

I feel this stigma of subjective classification needs to be eradicated, if we were to progress as a truly open and creative society that is adaptive to different game rules of the world. The world is constantly changing and the game rules are different in various parts of the world. We need to have skills and more importantly a nimble and receptive mind to learn and adapt. How else can we progress if we have rankings and discimination of schools and ideas? We are in a knowledge based economy where learning should not go by fixed formulars like preprogrammed formulars on a computer.

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Some snappy thoughts on MM Lee's ideas on intellectual class & working for life..

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:40:00 +0000

There should be no retirement age: MM Lee
By Imelda Saad | Posted: 28 July 2010 2230 hrs

Video

There should be no retirement age: MM Lee

SINGAPORE: Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has said that there should be no retirement age for workers.
He made the point at a dialogue session with over 900 senior managers, government officials and unionists on Wednesday.
The session was held in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).
Minister Mentor Lee got the audience in stitches when he made the bold suggestion - no retirement age for Singapore.
He said: "You work as long as you can work and you will be healthier and happier for it. If you ask me to stop working all of a sudden, I think I'll just shrivel up, face the wall and just that."
The 86-year-old said old people should be more productive.
Mr Lee was responding to a question on challenges Singapore may face with an aging population.
He said that at his age, he may have aches and pains but he can keep going.
He said: "Many of our workers have a preferred retirement, and then they die early! It won't be long before the message sinks home that if you keep doing what you're doing for almost the whole of your life, the chances are you will stay interested and engaged in life, there's something to do tomorrow and you keep going. If you start saying,'oh! I'm old!' And you start reading novels and playing golf or playing chess, well, you're on the way down."
From 2012, employers in Singapore will have to offer workers re-employment when they hit the retirement age of 62.
Mr Lee said older workers will need to come to terms with the psychological switch - that is, working for less pay and very likely for a younger boss.
He said: "That's life! You know American Generals - they don't do well, they get fired and they give them a medal, they send a new general! I think we have to develop that approach to life. (When) you have reached the maximum you can do at your age in that position, you move sideways and you take less pay and you move gradually, (getting) less and less pay because you are moving slower and slower, especially when you're doing physical work."
Mr Lee stressed the need to continue learning even as one gets older, adding "I'm still learning."
Attracting talents was another hot topic at the dialogue session. Mr Lee said foreign talents come to Singapore because of the opportunities it offers.
Their numbers will add to what Mr Lee called a growing "intellectual class".
Mr Lee said: "We are going to have an intellectual class, about maybe three times as big as what you have now and that will give us the dynamism, the powerful engine to carry us forward faster."
Mr Lee added that Singapore's attraction as a liveable, safe city with good infrastructure will support its push to enhance productivity.
The 45-minute dialogue was engaging and peppered with personal anecdotes. For example, Mr Lee shared how many of his ideas were gleaned from his travels.
He noted how a lot of policies in Singapore were the result of his experiences overseas. For example, deciding on having an underground train system over a network of tunnels for buses.
- CNA/ir

via channelnewsasia.com

I wonder how people will read this.

They probably were having butterflies fluttering in their stomachs, when MM Lee suggested that there should be no retirement age. For most people work is a dreadful course of life where one has to escape the clutches of their bosses and perhaps their colleagues. Many would tell you that they have to deal with different kinds of problems daily to make their businesses work; that they'd wish they could just strike the lottery somehow and go into early retirement.At least for many, they would wish they could make a lot of money when they are young, and retire as soon as they hit their targets.

I also did some snoopying around online, reading various comments from many sources with regards to the above post. I suspect this would not be stomached in very well. It really depends on individual's situation: For people who love their work, their work are their lives. Not working at all could mean the end of their lifelong careers & also their health*. He cited a Chinese proverb: ' 活到老，学到老' [ huo dao lao, xue dao lao] meaning that as long as one lives, one should embrace learning throughout their lives. His notion wasn't wrong at all. It is true that when one stops working, their health deteriorates. And often people don't live that long after they retire - they usually kick the bucket soon or their health takes a nose dive. These are true facts. But I think for a large majority, many of whom are not making a 6 figure income, the idea of continue-working is a pain, especially when they also need to struggle to make ends meet. This is also a true fact as costs are rising and pressure mounting from all facets of life for the commoner. Also especially true are those whose careers are not exactly what they would have liked to do. So this idea of working for life is going to hang them right in there. Hence this notion isn't really palatable. In fact, it would be almost unthinkable to them.

The intellectual class idea of taking in a lot of both China's and India's youngsters into our educational system could act as a double edged sword. Why? In theory, when we focus on taking the bright Chinese and Indians in, they should add to our intellectual pool. That is only possible if they will stay in the country. It would not be true, if they 'jump ship' elsewhere. Malaysians who flocked to Singapore also contributed to a lot of added talent. The talent pool is unrestricted to just from China and India though the possibility of getting a top talent from a larger population is higher.

I can see what MM Lee's point of view. But I also know from a great pool of the common public and others, that this might not mean well. People may not welcome foreign competition, especially true if it has a threat / is being perceived as taking the local's opportunities away.

We have a lot of local talent who are located abroad. I think they are valued elsewhere as fine talents whose billingualism and discipline are very well taken in. I know a lot of them are not willing to return as they have formed close ties there. So a small population may not exactly mean a limited talent pool. It could well question on our abilities to retain good and very able people to stay or at least return more frequently to contribute to our intellectual class here. If we need to progressively move on to create a large healthy intellectual pool, taking in foreigners is a must given if they will stay here and not elsewhere. Their loyalty must be towards the new country that spends time and effort to groom them by offering opportunities that make them whom they are now.

I often like to study MM Lee's policies and his ideas. Regardless of his many controversial ideas, he really shows his intelligence. Despite many negative feedbacks on certain forums, he is recognized worldwide as an Asian giant, whose mind doesn't framed around with just one context & is often able to solve any problem very effectively. Many come to oppose his ideas, yet many also applauded his ideas. A very interesting person to study when it comes to reading his mind/ideas.

Also is the fact that a tiny country usually faces several challenges when it comes to growing a sizable intellectual pool. It is far harder to keep talent compared with other much larger countries where living quality / unique opportunities are the same or better than us.

Although I cannot agree with all his ideas, I must admit that his brains are some of the finest and his credibility belongs to one of the highest - when he means something, he does it in full force and usually excels in it.

Health*

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Opinions about life based on an 11 year old 'demon'.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:24:00 +0000

I have come across an 11 year old who is really bright. He read about metaphysics at his age and asked questions about time travelling. Not the usual kid but he also had a heart that was so evil that it made my eyes pop: he basially thinks that people can only survive long by attaining both power and longevity, which includes getting rid of anyone who blocks his path. He doesn't want to die since dealth would take away all he has. This kid appears to look up to me for answers. He said he basically wanted immortality and be powerful and he wanted to know how to have this power. To add to his list, love was to him an evil thing that made people weak and too vulnerable for any kind of success.
His intelligence on many scientific concepts was astounding for his age. Equally 'astounding' was his selfishness in life and the fear for mortality.I was both terrified and angry. But as you start to learn about his background, your anger would simmer down.
I gave him my heartfelt feelings about life. He seemed to be tinkered somewhat towards the brighter side. But appeared to still remain in his negative mode because his parents' lives overshadowed him with all the bad sides of life -- monetary greed, extramarital affairs, deceit and discrimination.
So what did I tell him?
** Longevity is dependent mainly on a healthy thought for people and oneself. This includes how you want to live your life. It all comes in a cycle. The mind, I feel, is the most crucial. People, who tend to be really kind harbour few or no negative thoughts, are usually healthier in both body and mind. When the flow in your body is fluid and less stressful, your health will be in an optimal state of balance.
**Wealth also doesn't guarantee you a long and happy life. I have seen a lot of wealthy people consuming lots of tonics, spending huge amounts of money looking fit but none could really compare to those centenarians whose lives are simple and pure. It sometimes doesn't even have to mean you eat healthy organic foods every day such as this longest living centenarian whose life defies almost all orders about healthy eating. But she didn't defy one order: that is to lead a simple happy life free of negative stress.
**Being mean could get you to power. But no one's an idiot. Everyone knows how to spot the negatives. And when you step over people's toes, one day they will come back to you. If they don't, life will sort you out somehow, usually via health issues since your mind is always in an imbalance of complexity. (plotting to harm is unbelievably complicated; if you start to think about it, thats added stress that is un-needed.)
** regardless of whether you are religious or not, the bad habits don't pay. It doesn't pay well scientifically, social-economically, artistically etc.Tell me and give me examples of any bad minds of thoughts give you a truly sustainable solution ? (he couldn't give me any. Maybe he was too young. But can anyone here tell me ?)
** the more you are scared of death, the more likely you'll going to die sooner. Fear is a poison to good health.
Got to pop in to bed now. Life may not be a bed of roses. People can be somewhat crazy but as long as you know how life rules in the long term, I bet you'd choose to be simple and be plain nice. I've got plenty to learn about simplification of life and I am still learning everyday.

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Ah, we are from the Planet C. Why Are We So Complex In Mind ?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:11:00 +0000

[pic source: www.macmothership.com]

@GreatestQuotes: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." Albert Einstein

Just retweeted it. Thought I add a few thoughts about the perplex layers of the human mind. We've come across great men and women whose paths have been obstructed because they have been different. Einstein was not alone. Together with many other great minds in innovation and invention, politics and literature; thinking different often means opposition. And its true even today when we are supposed to fully evolved and morphed into this new kind of cacoon which it should be born a free and beautiful butterfly.

The type of butterfly that is supposed to be from the new age, new born, new minds that are big and open.

But are we?

Everyday we could read from our papers (doesn't matter where the heck you are on this little blue planet of ours) there must be some kind of fights: from domestic violence to national disputes; from toilet politics to international politics; from simple words of simple thoughts blown out disproportinately into complex thought & fights. Some people appear to be able to just find fault in some people somehow. I often think we are all weird speices of the strangest kind. First off, we could see the bad in others. Next off, most of us fail to see the good in others and third off, we can't see the bad in us. Well maybe we do. Just that we forget all about it very soon after.

I think this is negativity in the worst form. Its venom seeps into the mind in making it far more complex than it really should be.Ever wondered why the crazy human mind has rarely evolved beyond being genuinely nice? And why there must be shades of grey in every kind of human relationship? I believe most of it comes from self defense - the kind of defense that links to the way one feels that they might be walked over, and hence must do a plot or a con in self defense, often in the name of 'survival'.

I think that is an excuse.

And we need to requestion about what is real 'survial'.

'Survival' actually really means to allow what is good for us to prevail. Great minds and ideas to flourish. Not there because of certain hidden interest.

Societal problems, like different kinds of discrimination, has never really eluded us. Most of the time, it has been haunting us. Kingdoms have formed and take over the weaker races / dynasties to create a variety of social classes. Its how one forms power. It has always been happening and I'm afraid it will continue to happen. In the many books I've come across, people do take sides. And often at a discriminative account. History has never been really fair in making 100% truthful accounts.Then again, history is written by us -- human beings.

For as long as the idea comes from a human being, I supposed it will not be 100% fair. It'll most likely be from Plant C (Complexity) where simple issues would be wired from one to another; into several volumes of history, rarely wanting to look just simple and clear.Which really would be the ultimate form of sustainable survival. Agree?

PS: CHANGE is actually about facing reality. To deliver the truth and admit flaws would be the real guarantee for the future.

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Quickie thought on Types of Creativity / Preferences and Uses

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:12:00 +0000

|.....Creativity.....|

There are many different kinds of creativity - from the way we take care of ourselves to the way we handle the world. Some forms of creativity may seem as unacceptble depending on the individual's preference, which is affected by ones culture and inborn qualities.

This just came to me while I was reading the various sources of news and have been thinking.

Singapore has started the IR (integrated resorts) 3 years ago; and it does seem to have worked very well despite concerns. Economy expanded far more than the expected 6% to a whopping double digit range of 12-15%. Banks are coming in to share the pie and it does look that people take up the positive economic sentiment to move to bigger and far more exlusive private residences that commands at least 3 times psf than your ordinary public housing. Prices for public housing on the other hand, has been rising very fast.

Creative thinking, as in innovative thoughts in education, health, arts, dramma and the sciences and technologies, are often more touted as being useful. Creative problem solving that sorts pollution problems are too. But it doesn't appear to me that as many people are thinking creativity on an ethical value, which is a little strange.

Creativity must bear some form of positive output else the creativity is nothing but graffiti.
Than again graffiti can also be seen as an art in its own right, which is true. Art in museums have their value too. So are art forms that the layman does for a therapeutic reason. The only creative sin I could see is to use negative lateral thinking to do harm to the environment / another living being with no good reason apart from mere personal interests via exploitation.

Creative thinking in solving problems is another. Everyone's creative. Its just a matter of quality and the direction that creativity is heading to.

Should we have preferences in creativity? What kinds should we retain, change and strip? I wonder. Or let certain acts of creativity eat us up?

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Great Brains in (n) types of design - a quick draw review on 'America is Rotten & China is Awesome? '

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:56:00 +0000

[pic source: www.gmtmag.com/en/]

I read this article: 'America is rotten and China is awesome?' by G.E Anderson at the Forbe's website just a while ago; and felt compelled to write quickly about my 2 cents on innovative & creative thinking. I'll zap it straight to the point.

We all know we need to know enough and have solid foundations in our subject areas. Yet we also need to know how to quickly think via various channels in different scenarios. From an outsider's immediate point of view, many American students seem to lack the former and the Chinese students lack the latter. Having taught both nationalities before as a teacher tells me that certain curriculums need to be changed. But that again, it has always been difficult to say how and why because I always feel difficult to put in my comments especially when I do not come from a big country. And that coming from a tiny young one makes everything all the more difficult.

Americans, like many other Western countries, tend to have more creative minds that could twist and turn to create ideas of thoughts, innovative solutions etc. But having lack the depth in both Math(s) and Sciences is going to stunt them in the near term and we can start to see the effects even now, where a lot of foreign students who have graduated in the States are now working in the US developing niche products and services. All this new preference for the humanities and the arts by the Americans come from somewhat a natural distaste for numbers & physics. I also suspect that it has a lot to do with affluence where looking towards the arts where social sciences would be more interesting to learn than fomulas in math(s) and the sciences (especially Physics and engineering sciences). Natural sciences, however, doesn't seem to be much of this kind of problem. However the reality is many advancements in technology, typically with the ones that directly affect us in phyical life, requires one to be superior in these subjects.

Chinese students, on the other hand, are masters with numbers and logical thinking. Too again with many other Asian countries and typically with Russian students, where mathematics to them are like playing magic with figures.They are not uncreative but they do not appear to learn how to sit and think of other ways to come up with new solutions. Everything appears to have evolved from similar or the same common base. I attribute this problem to the way the society and economy works. When you are striving to get out from poverty to become extremely well off, the first thing you need to do is to just follow the path that will send you fastest to sucess. And that does not often allow you time to think and try. In certain instances, daring to think in a different path may be a personal economic risk, where your time and effort may be grounded to a far less profitable result. From another flip point, countries which are industrially established in the east, still tend to carry on the safe path of thinking where you focus on the safe path to climbing up the social ladder. Creativity is often set aside after you attain your financial freedom, which is exactly the formula to stunted creativity as it is better to start early and have it in our living surroundings.

In the States or indeed in the west as a whole (bearing in mind the different cultures in the west) have more accessibilities to innovation as far as the culture of free thinking / sources of various information goes. Free, also as in the freedom of not having to worry about the basic needs -- as in the society allows you the luxury of time and money to truly try different things in store.

Personally, I do not have a preference for whom is going to be the super powerhouse of the future. I think if you were to clear your minds a little, thinking a little far a little, the optimal that will keep the world sane and healthy is to actually not have any single super powerhouse in innovation. It simply isn't healthy. Creativiity, in my opinion, depends on a rich array of experiences that we can share under the common umbrella of the skies, where different creed, people etc will offer you various insights of true wonder that our own cultures may fail us in seeing what could be the best solution. We cannot be benifiting anyone, if we think true innovative thought must come from a certain part of the world.

Great brains, in my modest opinion, is one which is not only solid in the fundamentals of as many subject areas possible; but also in the way it develops over time to be fluent in the nth number of ways to come up with solutions despite under any circumstance. (politically, economically, socially etc). Innovative thinking has to make the world as one, where it shows sensitivity to the rest of the world and other people's needs. You can't do this when you start to brand one another, or trying to sit somebody off.

So in a way no one is exactly rotten and no one is exactly awesome. We have everything to share and learn from everyone. And the brain that has the ability to sort nth number of problems has got to be also a brain that is very open to all.

Quick draw at one go. Doubt a lot of people would read about it. But I thought I might as well hit the keys since I have been interested in such topics for a long long time. I don't believe in certain stigmas and a crazy few dogmatc thinking egos. My approach may somewhat look slow, but it has gained me a lot of invaluable insights and train me to think fast.

Got lots to say but I really need to pop into bed. Its 2.25 in the morning ! -- Karen Fu, some little nobody sitting on the equator, in front of her PC, smattering away from tiny Singapore.

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Social Media - the importance of patience and positiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Just posted 2 posts on the blog topic and I think there are a few pointers that are important fundamentals to a thoughtful living - namely patience, positiveness and actually I should have added genuine receptiveness. What we do online is what we would actually do offline. Its basically our character.

Social media – the importance of patience and positiveness

Social media – the importance of patience and positiveness -2

Hope I have made sense here. It's actually a great lesson learnt.

MERRY CHRISTMAS VIDEO - Fireworks that caught at the door by a mobile phone..

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:35:00 +0000

I was supposed to get back to the viewing area with a proper video camera. Before the final 50 mintues before the show started, I went off to look at some of the green designs nearby at VIVOcity thinking I could easily get back in time. By then I return a little too late to pass the door. It was already jamming soon after I left the area. Jammed with the rest of the crowd with a mobile phone, this was the video I could get...

Happy Hanukkah anyway ! And MERRY CHRISTMAS! ....... Enjoy the view at the waterfront nonetheless. - @karen_fu 21 Dec 2009 Singapore.

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Quick thoughts about COP15 Copenhagen Climate Talks « Daring to Change

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Picture originally from: www.linfield.edu - burning earth

Its in the news: disappointment is shown on many faces around the world. Why have we become so complex that a simple progressive solution cannot be found? Actually sustainability is not difficult to achieve. It is so because people have different agendas to fulfill in an incredibly complex system. Many people refuse to compromise.The system becomes tedious that we have to satisfy various economic and political agendas before we can progress. How did we get to this point? While there are the usual arguements about material comsumption of goods and services that increase the carbon footprint which are very relevant, I often think the real root cause is right in our minds. The thoughts are the ones that create the unsustainable culture of consumerism. The use and throw culture is one of those. The others are to create products and services that are really more fad than really useful. Our minds have to come clean before we can talk about saving the earth. Sustainability to me does not only restrict to how to cut down pollution of the physical environment. It should really include cleansing polluted minds of deceit, selfish and scheming thoughts to plot for individual material attainments.

All we need is just to be considerate and wise in the way we live life. Count around how many products and services you really want. Bang on those. Discard festish products and ideas that wastes energy. If many more would make use of public transport, fewer people would need the usual car that much. If public transport is not possible because of a lack of safety, then think of some policies to run the place safe. We should think along these lines. Its far less smokey, costs less, way more healthy and better still, the generosity of being self giving will recipocrate. How hard is that ? The way we live is actually a reflection of how we would treat people. The way we treat people will in turn affect how others will treat the rest. Its infectious. They are all linked. Treat all under the fairness of justice, and people will not be disappointed enough to fight. Unless there is an abuse of such fairness, then we should need to instill in peace and explain. People rebel because they feel they are disadvantaged.

I’m not very good in western philosophy, but there is one Chinese saying that’s really applicable to the last respect on treating people:
泛爱众：凡是人，皆须爱，天同覆，地同载。
Basically it means regardless of race, language and creed etc, equality of treatment should apply to all. We are sheltered under the same blue sky and we all walk on the same common earth. Hence we must treat all as equals without selfish and cunning schemes. So is our treatment to animals and the ecological systems around us. Both the natural and the artificial environments are part of our survival. I feel that we should not keep thinking about improving the products and services all the time. We need to think about the moral education which we instill in our students and in the people. That’s where our real roots of evil/good start.

Hope I’ve made sense..

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Sanguine - a synergy to both work and life.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:35:00 +0000

Recently some friends and I had this conversation in our own online group. The notion was "how should you live your life; and how would you want others to live their lives?"

I thought it was a very good question. As a designer, a teacher and a non-paying adviser to some of the most expensive questions. (I really should demand some service fee, it shouldn't have been free but they are my old school mates), other than the skills and experience to do the job well and value add human and humane living; it has to be the ability to deliver happiness to people.

So my quick reply to that question focused on 3 aspects: 'Fun, cheery and happy'. Why would I insist on that ? People these days take things too seriously. Over seriousness has its pros and cons. While it does provide the propensity to work efficiently, it usually builds up tension that forces people to do things pretty differently, usually negatively & ineffectively.

Life is such that people take every damned word too seriously. They take too much emphasis on being serious and powerful, aiming on climbing the social ladder. Medical studies show being cheerful extends life. Being funny and humorous has an enormous positive energy in both personal and work life. It probably does more on improving the quality of life as a whole at a much smaller cost.

We often talk about service, and we often talk about products to improve life. While these processes are important, we may well need an often overlooked soft skill that empowers us - 'being sanguine'. It cost nothing but it can be hard to develop this unique quality. Being genuinely sanguine requires one to be truly carefree and be open to different people. That itself is one sheer power in keeping this world a much fun and peaceful place, as most hatred and war stems out on the disability on how to take life easy and simplified.

If you can't laugh at yourself, you can't do anything very much.
If you can't laugh and enjoy life, you also shorten your life...
Hope all this makes sense.

reference:

Humor proved to extend life : http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/studien/bericht-75728.html

betraying humanity = betraying the planet

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:16:00 +0000

I don't know what else to say other than bemused by the usual social reaction of people. I have been asked (in sophisticated work terms, 'consulted') on how to handle people. It just so happens that in my Inbox there is a thread at PhD-Design Forum that discuses about human nature and the world we are living in. Not a new topic. Other than shaking my head & smiling at the posts, I have nothing to say. Just a daily discourse of merry go round. The reference was nice but it made think of the old reference lists as being pretty much useless, because most people do not preach it honestly. They either do it out of their own benefit for power in the name of 'good' or they do it for money. If people did follow the callings to do good and act upon studiously, we'll not have a civilized mess that we have today.

Hypocrisy is very common; so is the aged old selfishness. While there are as many crap in the world, there is fortunately a good handful of people who are willing to make their modest amount of good. And honestly life has treated them very well. A good example would be Teresa Xuzhe. I can't help to mention her every time such topic arises. The other is the Venerable Jingkong Monk & Mother Teresa. All these people along with many good natured modest citizens around the globe have their own deserved blessings. Strangely life has a way of dealing 'human lies' and that lies will be retributive in a way.

I've always believed that human beings are mostly and mainly evil. It is a pessimistic view but a practical one that cannot be dismissed. As I have mentioned in my non phd style post, there are 2 fundamental ways in which people deal with conflicts: 1. To clobber them by force or 2. To educate the sinful with as much love and patience as you can.

Most people do the former as its faster, and more aggressive way to silence the opposition. Its not just in authoritarian states, but also in other non-authoritarian ones too. Just in daily lives, it is easily seen that many more people do not tolerate opposition, that is why violence is common.

Maybe we should also ask why people act that in a negative and even destructive way. Then maybe perhaps we could work backwards and untie the uncanny knots. There is always a story behind every 'bad' act as with every every 'kind' act. Including those who say such and work on something completely off. IMHO, instead of trying to prosecute the bad and punish them which will never really work, we might as well take the good side of them and use it to work for the good. It has worked so far, and I believe this is a good way to go into. Human nature is such. If you fail to direct them to the good path when they were teachable, I'm afraid punishing them isn't going to be of much use. It will just repeat itself.

If one can even work and turn around odds with this kind of people, please hire the person and elect him/her as a leader. We need such talent to turn the tides and save what is the remains of the day.

Short post note: The simple basis is to merely start from a micro level-self and move up to contribute bit by bit by being good and just nice every day. A genuinely nice person can accept a lot of different people and treat them non-discriminatingly. They are able to judge what is right / wrong and brave to do the distinction. If such a sign is amissed, be sure to expect the junk of the thrash, a typical human of the lowest kind.

I also believe that bullying and discrimination are 2 main issues that are still very much alive despite the campaigns and efforts. I've just had a case where someone just broke down in front of me in a way that it could wrench your heart. It was devastatingly a mental meltdown. And believe me he is not the only one who suffered so. People who extort to bullying tactics to get where they are should be apprehended or at least make to pay for the grievances they have caused.

My blog post reference ties to : My 'unscholarly' post : PHD-DESIGN@jiscmail 5 July 2009 (Singapore Time)

Selected Extract:

Rightly so, which is why the elfin nature off me. If we take close look into the
peculiar nature of the human mind, then you would agree that are many ways of handling different kinds of people in different sectors of the industry. I believe the art of managing people is very important. How else could you solve problems which are basically made by people? You can't solve problems purely on 'tools' like 'infrastructures', 'policies' or even with 'sound theories' without tactfully sort out people. Some people think its about clobbering and hammering down; some people think its about using all the patience in the world to educate the flawed human race.
I think there must be an element of 'urgency' to get people working through uncanny and even humorous ways. The recent implementation of using 'obvious acknowledgment' of people's 'kindness' and 'generosity' works really well in getting positive energies to come in.

that's why I still adamantly feel that simple fun diplomacy works.. How to be fun and serious is really a skill. Before we all startto blow one another up with missiles and bombs from somewhere north, maybe we need to consider something *unconventional*.Maybe we should also ask why people act that way. Then maybe perhapswe could work backwards and untie the uncanny knots. There is always a storybehind every 'bad' act as with every every 'kind' act.Including those who say such and work on something completely off.
If one can even work and turn around odds with this kind of people,
please hire the person and elect him/her as a leader. We need
such talent to turn the tides.

Full Paper Part 2 review: About Entrepreunership alertness (EA)

noreply@blogger.com (Karen) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

In continuation of Full Paper Part 1 review: About Entrepreunership astuteness. :

Readers, who are going for this thought provoking full paper, will be interested in their detailed findings of different character traits of their targeted sample. I shall leave you to go hunt for the full paper online, which will figure out the intricate details of their findings. In the meantime, I would like to humbly share my views after reading the full paper: Life, as with entrepreneurship, is about optimal risk taking. Once you've decided to take up the risk, its all about giving all unconditionally to your cause and belief in what needs to be done. The impending business climate or indeed in any kind of physical surroundings is actually the prime condition for various decision making to be executed. In fact, the current economic crisis is the best time to affect change. In Chinese, there is a this common saying that means 'the current times make a hero': Shi shi zao ying xiong.(时事造英雄) . There are different trying times that one needs to change and adapt. And the desired character set which is the very means to fit into different changing environments is exactly what this paper is looking at. The alertness, or rather in my terms 'astuteness', requires a keen sense for information and execution of ideas. Anyone who can identify the need for change and use found information and known circumstance will make an innovative move in both the process and the end product. After reading the paper, I also have to agree that Entrepreneurship is very difficult to teach. The best way of approach would have to be hands on and intuitive rather than starting straight from the books. I would be keen to learn how these courses are run as I am imagining how they work in reality. You've got to be very creative and fun about teaching such topics. As Prof Birgit Jevnaker of the Norway School of Management's Innovation Department has put it, 'Entrepreneurship is also about transforming or revitalizing existing businesses and seizing new opportunity for and with others.' The width and the depth of the discipline itself requires several abilities to master it well. In some ways,certain traits like motivation, determination and original creativity cannot be taught. The idea of seeing beyond is hard to teach, however the business tools are feasible to deliver.

Going back to the paper, we must remind ourselves that the paper objectives aim at:

-refining the definition of EA by case studies, in 2 main geographical areas, looking into the ability to identify such opportunities and the ability to exploit and make use of such information as opportunities for new ventures.

-what is such alertness/astuteness; and how does it derived from ?

-the main study focus on Austrian school of economics, behavourial and cognitive areas

All these make you ponder about the differences within the topics themselves : such as theories that support classical liberalism; the "invisible hand" that governs both business and many different political environments; and voices that have asked for a reduction in government intervention, and allow the market self-regulate et cetra. These form the various viewpoints to understand Entrepreneurial alertness (EA) The paper relates all 3 studies to understand how one sees and conceives an idea and explains how one approach and derive a method of approach to business ventures. The Austrian School of Economics portrays a liberalism of thought. Via behavioral studies, it involves the nosing into one's behavior in gathering information, relating to how and why one behave differently to various business decisions. The very ability to use given information how one is keen in gathering information source reveals how one acts and reacts upon such given information. And explains why certain people could filter our unimportant information /keep / exploit crucial aspects of the given information. Paper goes through concisely on Kaish and Gilad/ Busenitz/ Given plots and methods of thinking.

Personally, I think it is very complex and difficult to analyze in this manner. Even if we were able to map every point on the different character traits of a venturing mind, we should try to derive our own methodology or risk the high probability of churning out similar strategies or thinking methodologies. However what is good about this paper is to study how different people think. But it should not be read as a means of looking to be like Richard Branson, Bill Gates or Li Kai Shing. Its a matter of self-discovery from reading the paper. The method of plotting ones way in a business is almost uncanny and perhaps that is why in the Chinese sense, it is often said that politicians and business people are 'cunning' by nature. I often feel that intelligence could be used in a different way. What the paper may have approached is to see how businesses could be done in an ethical way. You can be really smart in getting what you do for profit making, but could you be genuinely kind as well ? It's probably my wishful thinking since that is not the nature of most people..

Their chosen case studies with samples taken from both the US and China, which are 2 large geographical regions bearing more than 30% of the world population. Within the masses, there are different sub-cultures, especially in China where there is no one Chinese but several types of Chinese. Each and every behavior and societal trends are different. And hence every method of tackling innovation and adaptation to businesses will be different. Some, as I am aware, do not follow a particular pattern. They are simply fast to morph and quick to change. The level of education does affect one's style of business - at least from a social class point of view. To sustain a venture, one has to able to mingle within the group. When I was reading this paper, I was hoping that the ethical aspects was added in as a main concern. We have too many unscrupulous businesses going on which we do not want. While neglecting ethical aspects will not exactly hinder the motivation to success; it does bring in a negative return in the long run. This would come in the form of unsustainable social, economic and natural environments that we cannot afford to have. All these play a profound impact on the type of social-economic environment that we are in. Further, I truly believe that for an enterprising climate, you need a free thinking society with a sideline sense of order to keep the society in harmony. But the sideline sense of order should not meddle with personal freedom of thought which is the essence of creativity. The paper comes in a timely fashion of what I think about creativity and entrepreneurship. One cannot expect the country to be enterprising without liberal thoughts. Neither can you grow creativity in a formulated way. As selfishness is part of the human nature, we have to come up with a way to confine evil and promote the good. To offer total liberalism is too idealistic and impractical. Neither can we clobber people down in an authoritarian manner. There must be an optimal way of balancing the two. This paper has chosen a good time to publish. We are all in this hot pot of boiling soup where few economies in the world can withstand its current turmoil. As more jobs are taken away, the venturing spirit is a more important means to survive. The character of the person has to be one of sheer astuteness -- the way one sees the surrounding environment and how one reacts to it. It is also the original source of change in new markets and new trends, industrious in looking for new information and be really good at thinking and inventing new ideas and processes. On top of that, an outstanding character of motivation and determination. In short, intelligence and holistical approach of thinking in a wide array of subjects and ideas would aid in situations where there is a shortage or an excess of information; where one would be reorganizing resources in order to gain profits. Skills, political powers, regulatory rules, prosperous economy and changes in societal trends all contribute to how new information is gathered. If you are as curious as me, you'll go hunt for the details of the research methods by contacting the authors of the paper. And just maybe you will also post some ideas here on this blog...