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$20

I got this from an e-mail forwarded by my English teacher, Mdm. Oon. It has never been more timely! Thank you, teacher!

With the release of the SAT scores and the tonnes of university/college applications to work with, many of us are really stressed out by the external challenges and circumstances.


To all those who feel they are like a crumpled $20 bill:

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by: holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, 'Who would like this $20 bill?' Hands started going up... He said, 'I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this . He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, 'Who still wants it?' Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, 'What if I do this?' And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe... He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. 'Now, who still wants it?' Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. You are special - Don't EVER forget it.' If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring. Count your blessings, not your problems. '

YouTube Symphony - 香港中樂團 Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra - Eroica

香港中樂團應邀作為 YouTube 交響樂團合作夥伴。 本片為香港中樂團演奏譚盾作曲之Eroica中樂版。 由樂團副指揮周熙杰編曲，藝術總監兼首席指揮閻惠昌帶領85人樂團演奏。

HKCO is a partner of YouTube Symphony Orchestra project. HKCO is playing the Chinese music version of Tan Dun's "Eroica", re-arranged by Chew Hee-chiat (Associate Conductor, HKCO) and performed by 85-member HKCO under the baton of Yan Huichang (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, HKCO).

http://hk.youtube.com/symphonyhk

Rate cut! FD interest rate down!

Bank Negara has a very far-sighted, highly responsive and responsible lady Governor called Zeti Aziz and a team of caliber economists (no sarcasm intended). In November 25th, 2008, Bank Negara cut its benchmark Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 3.25% from 3.5%, and signaled it was ready to cut the rate further.

The central bank of Malaysia cited reasons for the rate cut as “the heightened downside risks to growth” and “the diminishing inflationary pressures”. Well said. On top of that, Bank Negara also cut the statutory reserve requirement (SRR) for banking institutions, the first time in a decade, from 4.0% to 3.5% - effective December 1.

I laud the pre-emptive and proactive measures taken by the central bank in view of the future and current global economic situation and the international financial conditions. The rate cut is especially instrumental to maintain stability in market prices to avert the spiraling down of prices. Thus, I see the assertive intervention by Bank Negara as timely and effective to give assurance and confidence to investors. Though, like many other members of society, my savings in the FD accounts will earn lower interest as a result of the rate cut. I guess that Bank Negara really wants us to shift the saving funds into other investments that will directly stimulate economic growth, for instance the Amanah Saham. We would have to compromise as a microcosm in the economy to support growth in the macroeconomic environment.

Currently, ten banks have already reduced their fixed deposit (FD) rates, following Bank Negara’s recent cut in the key interest rate and more are expected to follow suit.

Effective Nov 25, the minimum rate set by the central bank for 12-month FD is 3.5% per annum. The minimum rate set for one-month FD remains at 3% per annum.

As cited by the business, banking and financial community, we can expect more rate cuts ahead as the economy slows down, and yikes, lower interest rates in our FD accounts, unless we shift the funds to other profitable investments! For that matter, education on investments would be needed!

References:
Loong Tse Min (Tuesday November 25, 2008) 'Overnight Policy Rate lowered to 3.25%', The Star Online (cited December 11, 2008)

Yap Leng Kuen (Wednesday November 26, 2008) 'Market expects more interest rate cuts', The Star Online (cited December 11, 2008)

Landslides of Ethics and Common Sense

^ The Star Online: Massive landslide hits Bukit Antarbangsa in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. - 6 December, 2008


I've decided to join in the muckraking (picked up the term from the SAT U.S. History Subject Test) as a muckraker who muckrakes. A muckraker is defined as a journalist who exposes scandals, social injustice, and corruption in the hopes of encouraging reform.

3 days ago (December 6, 2008), at around 3.30 a.m., a landslide of conscience and common sense took place in Bukit Antabangsa, Ulu Klang. Barely 12 hours after the retaining wall in Jalan Semantan, Kuala Lumpur came crashing down, Bukit Antarabangsa witnessed yet another landslide, bringing down soil, burying at least 4 people alive, and destroying 14 bungalows. Lest we forget the landslides in Ulu Yam Perdana, near Kuala Kubu Baru and Damansara. Fears of subsequent landslides immediately spread to places like Ampang, Cheras, Kajang in Selangor and Batu Feringghi in Penang, prompting local authorities to issue stop-work orders on various hillslope development projects which are deemed hazardous upon inspection.

^ The Star Online (December 6, 2008): Landslip at Jalan Semantan, Kuala Lumpur


^ The Star Online (December 1, 2008): Firemen removing the body of one of two girls who were killed when tonnes of rubble and soil from a hillside crashed into their bungalow in Ulu Yam Perdana yesterday (November 30th, 2008). Noratirah Roslan, 16, and Nurul Intan Sarina, nine, were sleeping in their bedroom when the landslide hit.


In these few days, many seem to be pointing fingers at each other. Most of the blame is hurled at federal, state and local authorities, town planners, developers, contractors, surveyors, architects and engineers. No doubt it is true that for own personal financial gains, they have lost their moral reasoning, and are partly responsible for their criminal negligence, in which profits are placed above human lives. But, what about the buyers who initiated the demand and supply cycle of the hillside homes? Haven't the buyers remember that we are in Malaysia, that the current attempted reforms to weed out incompetencies in the various authorities and agencies involved are slow in progress? Whatever had happened to the common sense of the public?

However heart wrenching the following statement may be to those victims who live in hillside areas, consumers should wise up. The onus is on the buyer to zero the demand, thus zero the supply of hillside homes. Common sense can tell without an economist telling that, without demand, there will be no supply. FOMCA (Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations) has it right to call on that the most effective means to halt hillslope projects in the future is to boycott hillslope property.

Last updated: 2:17 PM, December 10, 2008