My company's retrenchment finally kicked start yesterday. The news that 53,000 staff to be cut worldwide has rocked everybody's life here.
The retrenchment for our business group, Global Wealth Management, first took place in the front/middle offices yesterday and today. The process is very simple and quick.
Firstly the staff will receive phone call and will be told to proceed to the meeting room., then he/she will see the manager and HR there. After a few minutes of discussion, the staff will go back, pack personal stuff and surrender his/her staff pass. He/she will be monitored by somebody from Control. An IT guy will help remove the staff's access to the company system and shut down everything. The whole process must be finished within 2 hours as required. Then finally the staff will be escorted out of office by the Control person. The actual process may vary a bit because I haven't experienced that yet! Sigh...
Many people cried when they saw their colleagues packing their personal stuff, because their colleagues were just gone like that in a sudden. And the most frightening part is when you are waiting anxiously for the phone call, like a prisoner waiting for death execution. You have no idea whether you would be the next. In this case, no matter what, we should be well prepared ourselves first. If it's coming, so be it, we can't change it.
Heard that there would be another round of retrenchment in Feb next year, just after we finish celebrating Chinese New Year. It sounds cruel, isn't it? Sigh....

When we embrace what lies within, our potential has no limit.
The future is filled with promise; the present rife with expectation.
When we deny our instinct, and struggle against our deepest urges, uncertainty begins.
Where does this path lead? When will the changes end?
Is this transformation a gift or a curse?
For those who fear what lies ahead, the most important question of all: Can we ever really change what we are?

~~ Heroes season one, episode "The Fix"

Dow Jones Industrial Average 2008

20年前，日本爆發泡沫經濟危機，金融、產業及一般民生陷入絕境，是財經界一場日本病。

當時，美國加緊向日本施壓，在日本艱難時刻，迫日本改變這樣，放棄那樣，樣樣要做到合美國標準又合美國心意。

日本的金融與企業一片慘狀，翻看舊時報刊，當時，分析家90%以上批死日本從此沉沒，也有高興日本完蛋的大批文章見報。

只有香港知名的評論家何亮亮，他深知日本人的深層底力，在人人叫喊日本沉沒的時刻，他獨唱異議，說日本不日克服艱難，將再次站回財經世界的前方來。

過后，何亮亮的話說對了。

日本人克服了几近絕望的金融災難，又返回經濟大國的前方來了。

這回是美國陷入金融危難，一下子拖累全球一同受害。在先進國當中，越來越多人在問，日本有難，日本人沒向外國求救，也沒因為日本發生金融病就拖累世界各國陪著病，為什麼美國金融界病了，美國人自己治不好自己的病，又再禍害天下？

日本當年的金融危機，原因是銀行利息低到几近零的地步，美國的金融有病，卻因為美國過份用外來錢支撐自己表面好看，其實虛空的生活。

更重要的，是日本怎麼搞金融經濟，始終不放棄技術與製造產品的傳統生活技能。今日，連一枝原子筆，仍然有日本國產品，而且品質最佳。

美國早就不重視雙手造物這麼老土的生存技藝，美國製造的物品已經不多，原子筆早就不製造了，要不是涉及國防安全問題，可能原子彈也委托其他國家製造了。

日本人因此自力克服艱難，而且不拖累天下。昨天，日本病過了，今天，美國病重，明天，輪到誰？

~~ 游枝：朝日隨筆 -- 金融界的美國病(9) (www.chinapress.com.my @ 18 Nov 2008)

许多美国人都想成为 Warren Buffet 第二，通过股市迅速致富，而不是脚踏实地去白手起家。
没有坚持和要求，想通过时间的考验是很难的，像 CYMA 广告所说：“未曾经历，如何懂得。”
来得太快的财富，其实是灾难的开始……

今天 7 点起床，陪女友吃早餐，然后送她到 Gombak mrt，回家之前还买了 Mr. Bean 的豆花汤圆，吃完了就继续睡觉。
不用上班的日子真的很悠闲，喜欢做什么就做什么。下午去了 Bugis 逛逛、拜拜神，希望家人健康平安，自己也能心想事成。
买了一本书叫做 Investing For Dummies，亦即写给 "sei chun" (死蠢) 的投资书籍，作者是一名 MBA，里面有关于各种不同类型的投资，从股票到房屋地产，由浅入深，相当的 hands-on。买之前考虑了蛮久，因为 Dummies 这个字眼好像不是很称自己，我应该不属于 "sei chun" 的行列吧。不过，当读了几页的内容后，才发觉自己懂的其实不多，只算是略懂而已。在银行里做了四年，学到的只是皮毛而已，真惭愧。投资的范围也太广了，各种类型的投资都能帮你赚钱，是一门活到老学到老的游戏。
其实现在 inflation rate 这么高，bank saving rate 和薪水的 increment rate 又这么低，不学点投资的技巧又怎么能够生存呢？虽然说投资这种东西不是包赢的，有时糊里糊涂的人会赢钱，很会计算的人反而输到损手烂脚，不过懂得多比较可以避免踩到地雷，你比较会知道自己在买什么，我也不想等到年老时把毕生的储蓄付之一炬。



Noble Group 在 2006 年的电视广告 —— Hands On Supply Chain Management，蛮有趣的。Hands on 很重要，动手做的过程中会加深对掌握技能的印象，比凭空想象和空口说痴话好多了。所以凡事都要动手做，你才能了解当中的"苦"。

Watching English Premier League (EPL) live match is not an easy thing, especially when you have been a loyal supporter for the team for many years. When things are not in your team's favor, you may grumble all the way till the match finishes. If the team lose badly, you may throw the TV controller away, or hit the sofa so loud that the neighbor knocks your door for complaint.

You gotta accept ups and downs, which they happen in our life as well. No one can always win. No one is always the losing side too. This is the universal rule God always convey to us through real life experience, isn't it? However, to understand it is easy, to do it is a bit difficult, at least for me.

Maybe this is a game designed by God for those people with low EQ. Isn't it funny to see these people throwing their tempers just because of a soccer ball? I always say this to myself after I have calmed down.

Well, okay, I'm just a human, with inadequate evolution yet.

Do you always think of being the superhero for yourself or your love ones?
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