Year 2008 started promisingly, reaching its peak with the successful completion of the Beijing 2008 in August 2008 with the host nation China emerging as the overall champion in terms gold medals haul. Then things started to go wrong dramatically. First to go wrong was Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These 2 national home loan institutions contacted US Congress for help. Deviating from the past, the US government lend its helping hand. Then, AIG sounded out its distress signal and followed by Lehman Brothers and many... many more ....
Being the advocates for world free market, the US Government decided to forego Lehman Brothers, created the first tsunami waves into the financial sector. As we know today, Lehman Brothers was already in the history book. That did not stop there but the force continue its destructive approach towards the European continent. Then, Iceland went bankrupt! There was even comparison between 24 Oct 2008 to 24 Oct 1929 (the Great Depression).
The hero was of course the UK Premier Gordon Brown. Flexing his power on government treasuries war chest, he invested into troubled institutions to stem the bleeding. That temporarily restore some level of confidence but not for long .... as nobody know how deep or extensive this sub prime will prevail.
Then, in November 2008, the turbulence hit home in Singapore with the announcement of DBS Banking group axing 900 staff. Other corporates soon followed. Fresh hiring was almost non-existence.
What will happen in December 2008 and beyond? Could it be worse? Or could it be the turning points?
We crossed our fingers and prayed. For there shall be rainbows after rain pour be the prelude for good times to come.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Jeremy Golden Effort
On 30 Nov 2008, Jeremy, my eldest son scored an impressive golden effort to secure his gold certificate in the national swimming survival certification (http://www.swim21.com/Certifications.html ) This was a remarkable achivement for a boy who is 8 years and 6 months old to complete the gruelling ritual of the test. Let me tell you more ....
Jeremy first took swimming lesson at the age of 5 under the guidance of teacher Patrick. The coach has initially express reservation for his young age. But he has somehow demonstrated strong adaptability to water and soon pass the bronze and silver respectively. Then, he hit a threshold where he was not improving much. He was consider a borderline case with reference to the gold certificate, completing the 100 metre full geared in pyjamas in 3min 2 sec, being the fastest and the 6+6+8 laps under 43 minutes. The pre-requisite was 45 minutes.
One phone call on 25 Nov 2008 afternoon changed all these. Teacher Patrick contacted me to enquire whether I would like to fill Jeremy for the test. I checked with him and the mother Huey Ting. He sounded positive and would like to give it his best shot. Immediately, I brought him down to Warren Swimming Pool to re-establish his capabilities, and most importantly, his self confidence.
One the first day, he did 3min 5 seconds being the fastest. One the second day, we did 2 min 59 sec and the third, 2 min 53 second. Huey Ting was Jeremy beacon and he demonstrated his unwavering desire for success and completed the 2 laps under 2 min 52 seconds. 4 successive records all in 4 days!
Finally, on the very day of the test, he came in 2 min 41 sec and completed the gruelling 6+6+8 all under 32 min 46 seconds. Many adult would be ashame as not all of us can complete 20 laps with that timing. Moreover, he overtook 4 bigger and stronger testees in the process although he was last from his backstroke, his weakest links.
We are certainly proud of him. May his strong will and desire persist in him to bring out his inner potential to achieve greater heights. Along the process, he shall bring out the similar virtue from his brother, Jared.
Once again, well done Jeremy!
Jeremy first took swimming lesson at the age of 5 under the guidance of teacher Patrick. The coach has initially express reservation for his young age. But he has somehow demonstrated strong adaptability to water and soon pass the bronze and silver respectively. Then, he hit a threshold where he was not improving much. He was consider a borderline case with reference to the gold certificate, completing the 100 metre full geared in pyjamas in 3min 2 sec, being the fastest and the 6+6+8 laps under 43 minutes. The pre-requisite was 45 minutes.
One phone call on 25 Nov 2008 afternoon changed all these. Teacher Patrick contacted me to enquire whether I would like to fill Jeremy for the test. I checked with him and the mother Huey Ting. He sounded positive and would like to give it his best shot. Immediately, I brought him down to Warren Swimming Pool to re-establish his capabilities, and most importantly, his self confidence.
One the first day, he did 3min 5 seconds being the fastest. One the second day, we did 2 min 59 sec and the third, 2 min 53 second. Huey Ting was Jeremy beacon and he demonstrated his unwavering desire for success and completed the 2 laps under 2 min 52 seconds. 4 successive records all in 4 days!
Finally, on the very day of the test, he came in 2 min 41 sec and completed the gruelling 6+6+8 all under 32 min 46 seconds. Many adult would be ashame as not all of us can complete 20 laps with that timing. Moreover, he overtook 4 bigger and stronger testees in the process although he was last from his backstroke, his weakest links.
We are certainly proud of him. May his strong will and desire persist in him to bring out his inner potential to achieve greater heights. Along the process, he shall bring out the similar virtue from his brother, Jared.
Once again, well done Jeremy!
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