Search the Community

I've always been drawn to the wilderness. It's perhaps a sense of adventure, but perhaps also an understandable response to growing up in our painstakingly curated and unyieldingly artificed Singapore. The wilderness represents an otherness, a mystery, a case of what-could-be. I've also been fortunate enough to have had opportunities to spend time in various remote landscapes, far away from the vicious machine of modern civilization. It's never truly wild, but it's a stark contrast to the glass-and-concrete jungles we walk daily. Recently, I've somehow fallen into something of a 'rewilding' Youtube rabbit hole. To oversimplify, rewilding is a form of ecological restoration that tries to increase biodiversity in areas to support and accelerate natural processes. To think about it a different way, it's effectively to give the land back to itself. Now, I will immediately raise my hand to concede that I am no eco-warrior. I have not given up meat, I still very much partake in consumerist behaviour, I don't do the greatest job in recycling, I still ride a large-capacity petrol-burning motorbike. I have in recent years tried to be a little bit more mindful about my general carbon/waste-footprint, but I will also admit that my using a dabao box when eating lunch at the office is perhaps equally about saving the 30 cents each meal as it is reducing the use of waste and single-use plastics. Call it selfish (a fair assessment, potentially), but I've also never really spared much actionable thought about conversation and like. I support it and acknowledge the value and importance of sustainability and green-focused action, but I also have never volunteered or donated to green initiatives. Never really done anything about it, basically. So, I have been thinking about why is it that over the past days, these rewilding videos have suddenly dominated my screen time. I suppose part of it is that some of these projects are equal parts surprising and inspiring - delivering seemingly simple and obvious solutions to complex and long-standing problems. Whoever thought that digging a bunch of holes in the ground would be the solution to regreening areas of Africa undergoing rapid desertification, with the additional impact of increasing food security and guarding against the expansion of the Sahara. (The high production value and beautiful scenic shots are a nice plus.) There are admittedly some rather hyperbolised and clickbaity titles (well, I clicked, so it worked), but at the heart of the effort of these organisations is a sense of drive and purpose that I find quite heroic. It is, in my eyes, quite an ethical and moral endeavour, but ultimately made more heroic because of how they are trying to push back against the sheer and unceasing exploitative and consuming nature of modern industrial society. There's a 'goodness' about these people and these efforts that feel like a refreshing and welcome break from the bleakness that seems to perpetually swirl about our lives (I almost don't dare to read the news these days, nothing good seems to happen). And the fact that these efforts work, that solutions are possible, is certainly a cause of celebration. And, I've also found it plenty educational. For example, learning about monocultures, and how actually perhaps a lot of the 'nature' that we see is actually unnatural. That some of the beautiful tree-covered scenery that we covet on holidays are in fact plantations sucking life out of the places. For example, I remember being wowed by the Scottish scenery when I holidayed there some years ago, but have just that a majority of woodland in Scotland is planted, non-native trees. Plantations, not forests. Really makes you wonder. There is, however, a cognitive dissonance. While I wholeheartedly support and admire what these organisations are doing, I cannot help but wonder about the futility of it all. For so long, humans have been exploiting and consuming our surroundings, accelerated by industrialisation and our pursuit of more. For all the non-climate change deniers out there, we should be plenty familiar with the science already out there. The world is burning, suffering, dying, and that's mostly because of our species. And the cynic in me cannot help but ponder if we're already too far gone - is this all too little too late? Have we already done so much damage that recovery, in spite of small triages here and there, is fundamentally unachievable? Furthermore, how effective can these efforts be, when the giant foot of capitalism continues its metronomic march? Do we even dare to believe that the Musks and Zuckerbergs and Bezos' of the world will trade shooting themselves into the sky in spaceships to instead plant trees and support communities in remote, poor regions? It's certainly easy to feel hopeless and futile - and perhaps also why many people (possibly myself included) thus tend towards apathy. Ahh, what can even be done ~shrug~. It is, at its core, another story of David vs Goliath. The earnest, well-meaning, hopeful Davids of the world vs the numerous Goliaths of corporations, power-hungry politicians, and bureaucratic stasis. I reckon what speaks to me is that struggle, that fight against overwhelming odds - the underdog story. And perhaps it is also the successes that are a flickering light of hope - of what is possible if people try. It's a reminder about small wins. Many of the problems we face are so grand in scale, but there are no grand solutions and magic wands. (Heck, just considering one particular area I'm more familiar with, EVs, is plenty telling.) And it is perhaps also because recent times have felt increasingly bleak that I want to believe in hopeful people, even if I may not be one myself. I'm not one for making new year resolutions. But as the calendar soon flips over, I am thinking about what I can do. As Michael Jackson famously sang: "Heal the world, make it a better place." I have no grand ambitions about saving the world, but perhaps making it better is something worth at least thinking about. These little Davids remain steadfast in their fight, taking small steps and yielding small wins, and maybe so can I. Small steps, then. I guess the first is this, just to talk about it and hopefully have just one more person start thinking more about it. And I guess I could drink on or two fewer beers each month and instead support one of these organisations with that money. And sure, that's not going to surely make the world a better place. But if any effort I can make can make my world feel just a little bit better, those small wins must surely count for something.

Wish all members here have an excellent year ahead, in term of career, wealth and health. And since this is a car forum, I personally hope COE can revert to a more Saint level soon.😊

Happy Chinese New Year to all MCFers! Wish all of you have a prosperous year of Ox. May you be as tough and determined as the hardworking Ox. Let all stay safe and strong.

I believe 2019 has been a rough year for some, at least for me. I am looking forward to a brand new year, which happen to be the beginning of a new decade as well as start of the Chinese Zodiac cycle (year of rat). I would like to wish all MCF members The best of Luck The best of Health The best of Wealth The best of everything to come! Happy New Year!! May 2020 bring you happiness, prosperity, and inner peace.😊

'Lucky' stall at Chinatown bazaar goes for $13,899 – highest in six years This is highest in 6 years; stallholders believe the stall is 'lucky' as it is a hotspot for visitors at the Chinatown market A stall at the Chinese New Year festive bazaar in Chinatown next year went for a whopping $13,899 in rental. This is the highest bid in six years. The bid was for the "lucky" stall in the Chinatown Chinese New Year festive street bazaar, which will be held from Jan 18 to Feb 4 next year. Stallholders said the location of the stall at the junction of Smith Street and Trengganu Street is a hotspot for visitors at the market, and thus can bring in the most money. There were three bidders for the "lucky" stall at the 2019 bazaar, and the lowest bid was $2,700. The minimum bid for a stall at the bazaar this year was $1,850. The lucky owner of the stall is Mr Ye Wei Qiang, who has been setting up his stall at the festive bazaar for close to 30 years. He was also the owner of the "lucky" stall this year, which he won with a $8,399 bid. Mr Ye, 55, told The New Paper yesterday: "This year, I decided to up my stakes by $5,500. But I did it without hesitation because I got wind that my competitor had recovered from his sickness and would be bidding this year." He said that he and his rival has been at odds for close to 10 years, and would fight over the "lucky" stall every year. He had lost out to his competitor in the 2017 bazaar. At the bazaar next year, Mr Ye said he will be selling mostly pomelos at his "lucky" stall. His pomelos can range from $6 for a regular pomelo to $12 for a large one. Mr Ye said he will be also renting the stall across the "lucky" stall for about $5,000. This brings the number of stalls he will have at the bazaar to five, managed by him and four other business partners, and bringing his total rental expenditure to at least 20,000. "I rent the space opposite the lucky stall as a backup plan. There were some years I couldn't get the lucky stall, but at least I had the one opposite. "It is very important to get the space near the lucky stall because there is a lot of traffic around that area," he said. Mr Ye will be selling Chinese sausages and other snacks at the opposite stall. Despite the high rent, Mr Ye is confident that he will be able to make a profit. "I make a profit every year, and I have a few other stalls around the bazaar as well. "It is expected that the profit will dip slightly due to the high rent, but we have regular customers, and business is so good at that location. We can sell baskets at one go," he said. Mr Ye added that he sees about $5,000 to $6,000 in profit every year. On regular days, Mr Ye is a durian seller at Katong. The Festive Street Bazaar 2019 is managed by the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2019 Organising Committee, a sub-committee under the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens' Consultative Committee. There will be 313 stalls filling the streets, selling all sorts of food and decorations for the Chinese New Year celebrations. The market will be open from 6pm to 10.30pm from Jan 18 to Feb 3, and from 6pm to 1am on Feb 4, the eve of Chinese New Year. https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/stall-chinatown-bazaar-goes-13899-highest-six-years huat ah !

It's been a hectic 2017 , some had enjoyed much , some wished 2018 the new year would be better ! A short trip is indeed a refreshment to perk up your drive for the many days ahead. Hong Kong , a bustling city of people , culture , modernization with an intense blend of the old . A walk down the streets of Hong Kong is never dull albeit the old houses . Enjoy the walk of life through Hong Kong as I filmed the transition of Hong Kong from 2017 to it's new year 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XETBVO7t48 Totally low powered after editing this film, which took 5 days of sightseeing and walking filming the scenes whenever I had the chance. As I took into my shock , I had more than 30 Gigabyte of 4K footage to edit and process. But it was pretty much satisfying to produce this short film as a remembrance for myself and my family to look back in the future. It is all memories. The new year also allows me to inject some spices into my old mediocre style of film production and I departed from my usual in this first 2018 new short film. Hope you ladies and gentlemen will enjoy !

Happy New year to all MCF-ers. Where will you go countdown tonight? Five places in Singapore to count down to the New Year https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/where-to-countdown-to-the-new-year-singapore-9813238 1) MARINA BAY SINGAPORE COUNTDOWN 2018 2) PRUDENTIAL MARINA BAY CARNIVAL 3) SILOSO BEACH PARTY 4) COUNTDOWN BY THE QUAY: A WANDER SOIREE 5) NIGHT IN

Been to town over the weekend and the festive spirit is in the air already. Went into a shop and heard this song by Michael Buble playing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zPBpvy4m1I Lovely song! What's your favorite Christmas song?

Looking back, many things happened this year, a mix of good and bad events for me. Starting with the bad one first, this is the first time I lost count of the number of funeral I have attended this year, close to 10, if not more. Some gone just so suddenly (diagnosed with final stage cancer, asthma leading to brain-dead, fallen into water), leaving behind their loved one in shock and lost. Imagine in one case, a family photo (a grand one with ~50 pax) suddenly short of 3 members in a span of 4 months time… sigh And after so many years of constant reminders, my mum still got scammed by those door-to-door sales person, as that “auntie” is very willing to lend her a listening ear, but little did she know that it is part of scammer’s tactics to fish info from her, making her walk into their trap unknowingly. Lucky for us, we manage to recover the full sum eventually (with police report made), but not without a lot of leg work, data collection and banging tables (CASE inclusive)… Lessons learned: Spend more time with your family, be patient with old folks especially, listen to their grumble/complaint with an open mind, as you will never know what is in their mind if they don’t speak out (whether we can solve their problem is a separate matter). Try to put ourselves in their perspective when suggesting solutions, instead of insisting we are right / they are wrong! I know saying is easier than done, but I don’t want to have any regret on the day they are gone… … OK, now on the better part, I managed to finally bring my family for a trip in Europe, something that I have wanted to do so many years back, but financially challenged (it is not just about affordability for me). I am not born with silver spoon, every cent were hard earned, and the more I have to plan my spending carefully, so that I would still have enough for rainy days and retirement. And more importantly, I don’t want to let my young ones to take things for granted. A small surprise for me after the trip when my son came to me, saying: “Daddy, we have spent so much recently, do you still have enough saving?” With this simple statement, I know my preaching (on financial prudent) has been effective… Work wise, my willingness to take new challenges (different job function) has landed me with a new role and exposure. Although no promotion or increment, but I am happy with what I am doing (including the strong support from my superior), and I have also picked up a new skill, why not? Lessons learned: Do not hesitate to try out new things, you have nothing to lose actually. Knowledge and experience will follow you for life, unless you choose to “abandon” them. OK, that all for me. What about yours? BTW, an early season greeting. Wish all of you and your loved one a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Anyone interested in Feng Shui ? let me start something for discussion and sharing . 2016 , Year of Red Monkey ...... Not a good year . Be vigilant zodiac ranking in 2016 ???

Happy 2016 to everyone! May your family and you be well!