The timing is ironic, just as Apple has taken the mantle as the world's biggest market cap company from Exxon Mobil. Jobs has been so influential globally for the last 20 years at least. The best thing I got from him is you do not give your customers what they want ... you create what they don't even know they needed. MBAs and people who manage via data and surveys will never achieve greatness, these are ass-covering jobs which they do when the projects or ideas they implement were to fail (oh no, but we did the survey and consumer testing ...). Greatness comes from knowing deep inside of you something you should do that you think will work.
“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
“The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste. They have absolutely no taste. And I don’t mean that in a small way, I mean that in a big way, in the sense that they don’t think of original ideas, and they don’t bring much culture into their products.”
“My job is to not be easy on people. My job is to make them better.”
“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.”
“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
I don't know why, but when I heard the news today, this song suddenly appeared in my mind, I think its the word "quest" ... from now on this song from Man of La Mancha will always make me think of Steve Jobs ...
Finally, the bike I want is on the road ... the Tron bike and almost all electric. Looks to be a bit hard to ride, but hey, gaya mesti ada ...
Its not often you get great songs written for the movie, and its magical when the two become intertwined. Was browsing through the internet and came across an old movie that brought back such wonderful memories. It used to be that to be able to go on a movie date with the opposite sex is a "major thing". Plus, we have to wait for the right movie some more.
The first one is Ice Castles, ask any auntie over 35, they will remember who Robby Benson is, a bit like Leonardo de Caprio and Justin Timberlake put together. The final sequence where Lynn Holly Johnson dances to the Love Theme From Ice Castles (she accidentally got blinded prior to her competition).
... and we also had Melissa Manchester singing the theme song beautifully for that movie, composed lovingly by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager.
The second movie that always stayed with me was The Boy In The Plastic Bubble, starring a very young John Travolta. Based on the true story of Tod Lubich who must stay in a bubble as he has a deficient immune system. Its a wonderful love story of strength, character, determination ... in the end he walked out of the bubble not knowing whether his immune system is sufficient to face the living world, but he chose to live and love rather than be in the bubble. The final scene where he walked out to meet his girl. The song then was sung by Paul Williams in the final sequence ... but John Travolta's version was done at the credits.
The theme song, wonderfully sung by John Travolta, way before SNF and Grease ... What Would They Say, beautifully composed by Paul Williams.The final one, which is secretly everybody's favourite movie of all time if they really cared to admit it, Somewhere In Time. Way before Back To The Future came on board, we had time travel romance. Jane Seymour, everlasting beauty and Chris Reeve, what a story, there's a sense of completeness.The film score was famous because it ties in brilliantly with the period movie and languid scenery. I don't think lyrics was composed for the theme song at the time of the release of the movie. Naturally you will find a few versions with lyrics to them. Funny. There was one sung by Nonoy Zuniga, a famous Filipino singer, his version is better than Michael Crawford.
Unfortunately this very recent very long interview, almost biographical documentary of his life and views, is in Mandarin only. What a great man. I don't say this lightly, I do not worship rich people, it is ten times more important how they obtained, nurture and spend their wealth ... and how they lead their lives.
I have been hesitating to blog about this place for months because its a tiny place and I am very afraid that if more people find out, their macaroons will run out quickly. But, they are too good not to share. The best place for coffee for me in KL also happens to be the best place to get macaroons. I have had so many macaroons that are supposedly "good" but rate only a passable 5 to a tepid 6 out of 10. This place gets a 9.5/10 on their macaroons.
I cannot reveal my favourite flavour as then they would be the first to vanish next time I am there. But they all range from good to very good anyway, although my favourite flavour is another class above the rest. So you have to go and try every flavour, and tell me your favourite.
The place is cleverly called WHISK @ Empire in Subang Jaya. Their coffee is easily leaps and bounds above the fray. I usually drink very good coffee Americano style, and as I also have a very credible Nespresso at home, it takes something special to top that coffee range. The coffee at WHISK is so good because they make it painstakingly correct. Plus they use the "right milk" (go find out why), and they care enough to whisk the milk to a certain "correct consistency". Its so good I always get Flat White or Cap, no need for any sugar, believe me, its got that slight milky sweetness to balance out the excellent coffee.They have other delectable pastries and cakes as well ....
The place is cleverly named, cleverly designed, and you will have to tip ... cause they are so smart ... look at the photo below for the tips jars. Either you are a die hard Red Devil fan, or you are a die hard "anything but Red Devil" fan ... either way, you have to tip!!! Sooo ... smart and clever.
When you wanna relax, grab a book or a magazine, get a nice cuppa and a few macaroons for a lovely time ... and let your gf or wife go shopping or do their hair.
There is apparently a proposal by Bank Negara to change the way mortgages are calculated, which will greatly reduce the amount the public can borrow. The computation is supposed to be based on net income and not gross. That could reduce the amount that can be borrowed by 37%.
I think its an excellent idea. The only people who think this is bollocks are those with 2 properties or more. The affordability ratio has gone through the roof. Some may argue that a hike in real property gains tax would be a better move - I think not as it takes more than lesser profits to calm the property markets.
Property rides on expectations. If everyone expects prices to rise in the foreseeable future, its get in now or forever they will be out of your reach. That is the dangerous potion brewing in Malaysia and many Asian property markets. That kind of expectation has be neutered.
When you take things too high, the fall be greater, remember 1993-1997, the swath of liquidity just kept getting bigger and bigger. Just remember that when liquidity is sucked out of the system, you get a corresponding deflating effect, in multiplier effect.
Why property prices needed to be eased down? A survey done by The Edge on housing affordability saw property prices increasing from 5.9x income in 1989 to 10.9x in 2010. Left unchecked, it will soon climb to 15x your annual income.
The Global Property Scam
A massive transfer of income to the very rich has occurred while middle class real incomes stagnated. The middle classes only tolerated this because Central Bankers created housing booms to keep the impoverished middle classes borrowing and spending to give them the illusion of prosperity and stop them from revolting.
How do you do that? You do that by keeping interest rates very low, keep printing money, keep the system very liquid - some have gone to equities but by and large the biggest beneficiaries have been property markets throughout most of the world. Yes, you see obvious bubbles in Singapore, HK, parts of China, Canada, Australia and even certain places in Malaysia. We thank our lucky stars that our property markets did not go through the same correction as the major developed nations - but is that because we did not have a massive contraction in liquidity brought on by a financial scare?
How is this scam hurtful? Well, you propel property prices higher and higher with low interest rates and excess liquidity. It serves to fan the flames of property prices higher, causing a bull run for the prices, causing people to chase and get some action before its too late.
Its never a zero sum game. Much of the froth in pushing prices higher has to be in much much bigger mortgages that people are taking to participate in the run. As long as the public can pay down their mortgages, you won't see foreclosures or a major correction. You and I know that prices have basically gone out of reach of the young and working.
We must applaud Zeti to have the foresight and strategic thinking to tackle this before it gets out of hand. Property owners may sigh and bitch but seriously, there is a price for everything - imagine the price of sugar and flour rising 10x, putting them out of reach of at least half the population. Nothing good can come from that.
Its not that property prices cannot be rising, they are actually a critical wealth builder and saving device for many families. Ask most people, all they are looking for is a few percentage gain a year over the longer term - when its nearly double digits every year for a few years, you know something is out of whack.
While we cannot stop people punting and chasing for homes to buy, we can at least address the amount of leverage they get. If Malaysia's average credit card debt per household gets to the RM80,000 or RM100,000 level, you cannot tell me that is not a problem. Why is it when its property loans, its your business only and not the government?
The great things about these talent shows is that sometimes we discover something that is greater than life. Emmanuel Kelly, a victim of chemical warfare survivor from Iraq, doesn't know how old he is but has managed to become a wonderful singer. Emmanuel Kelly's mom worked alongside Mother Teresa. She dedicates her life helping disabled children. She was nominated Australian of the Year twice!
Emmanuel, the adopted son of Children First Foundation boss Moira Kelly, wowed Ronan Keating, Spice Girl Mel Brown, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Guy Sebastian with his heartfelt performance of the John Lennon classic Imagine.
Emmanuel and his brother Ahmed were adopted from Iraq, both suffering limb deficiencies as a result of chemical warfare. They were abandoned at an orphanage and rescued by Ms Kelly, who is also the guardian of the once-conjoined Bangladeshi twins, Krishna and Trishna.
Is there anyone more worthy to sing Imagine? ... Yes, this just makes everything you worry about almost pathetic.
There is no war that is justifiable, no matter how noble the cause .....
