Ambiguity

The future is ambiguous. It is vague and uncertain, cruel to those unprepared.

Financial strategies and family planning are not topics somebody my age would love to talk about for 3 hours or more at the mamak. On the contrary, we do.

A sit down with these future CEOs taught me a lot. Terima kasih rakan - rakan.

So, for the next 10 years i have carefully drawn out my plan (Mind me if you think its bullshit)

Plan 1

Finish acca by the age of 21

Plan 2

Find a place in Pricewaterhousecoopers singapore

Plan 3

Work my way to Pricewaterhousecoopers london

Plan 4

After 4 - 5 years return home and apply for a post in Exxonmobil

Plan 5

Get married and get fat

The end

Legacy, digitally.

His brainchild becomes our inheritance. One of them is the advent of digital age.

"Somewhere within the first paragraph of Jobs' legendary accomplishments should be his ability to get major record label executives to agree on terms for selling their music digitally. Jobs knew that 99 cents was the ideal price point for mp3s, and he worked his way into their good graces with three strategies, according to Knopper. First: charm and steely-eyed determination. Second: Apple's relatively small market share compared to Windows made the labels believe the platform could work as a test market. Third, of course, was the tens of millions of dollars Apple was promising to dump into marketing. Labels were going to be able, Jobs promised, to ride the lengthy coattails of Apple's revolutionary new gadget back to a promised land of profits. This is Jobs' true genius, compressed: irresistible persuasion disguised by a cult-creating approach to aesthetics."

- Pitchfork (Oct 6th, 2011)

Rest In Peace,

Steven Paul Jobs

(February 24, 1955 - October 5, 2011)

Untamed

Two years ago, Gallup did an analysis of what made a country grow. They decided it is talent. They noted that in the 1980s, economists projected that Japan and Germany would overtake America. They did not. The reason? America was attracting talent from all over the world. So whether China will be the most powerful nation will depend on whether it can attract foreign talent and retain its own talent.

We must attract and retain talent. Talent does not mean only bright academics. Talent includes football stars, tennis stars, singers, rock stars, whatever. Then we have vibrancy. A country grows by building one city at a time. A city grows by building one sector at a time. They analysed four categories of talent : innovators, entrepeneurs, mentors, super-mentors. Americans beat the others because the Americans have all four types. They have developed a culture that brings in the talented.

- Lee Kuan Yew

Hipsters

I recently read a blog post by a friend of mine and told myself, "Finally, somebody made a point."

This is an extract from his article, or should i say, the whole extract of the article :

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"I liked that band way before it went mainstream."

"Have you ever heard this phrase before? Or maybe something similar. Well they are usually said by people who are classed by society as "Hipster". Well, to any hipster that is reading this, I only have three words to say to you; "WHAT THE FUCK?" I mean come on, even though you did listen to the band when they were still in their diaper, you do know that they wanted to go mainstream. I mean they may play for passion, but they still need to pay the bills. So without us non-Hipsters, your band would probably be begging for coins outside a shopping mall, or sucking balls in back alleys just to make a quick dollar. So what if I like a song that was played 10 years ago but just listen to it recently. I am sorry if I had a life when the band was starting.

It is not only music that they want to claim that they heard it first. It is also movies, clothing, technology and now even youtube videos. To me it is al bullshit. People have lives. They tend to get a little carried behind. But who are you to judge them. Screw you hipsters. I have screwed your mom way before everyone else did but you dont see me bragging."

- Afeef Rahman

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Sorry baba aku copy paste article kau. Harap kau tak marah.

This friend of mine made a clear point, which i have had the intention to say before but was refrained because of the fear of 'melukakan hati pihak tertentu'.

Civilization

I have been absent in Malaysia for the past whole week, which i can perhaps say, too long a period for a trip to India.

India, the land of spices they say.

A week there gave me experience that projects my understanding of the nature, environment, and of course, their culture. Too much to write, but i am not constrained by the limitation of space, it is just laziness that limits me.

What i reckon most of India is, maybe, their regards to the study of science and technology. And most of them understand and speak English quite well too, which i can say, are better than Malaysians as a whole. The Brits had done them quite a favor i guess.

Foreigners are not advised to rent a car should they want to travel there. Indians are damn good drivers, scared me a lot when they drove me around the town. Taxi is a good choice, and touts too, but not their public buses. Never ever.

Bangalore

Their environment and its cleanliness was quite a concern. The pavements smelled of urine, and its a fact. I had to watch my steps carefully as to avoid dog poo, or worse, human peeing site. Likewise, public toilets? Forget about it.

But the Indians were nice, approachable people. Really great people to converse with. Their friendliness may surprise you, as to some, i repeat, some, Indians in Malaysia are quite cold-harded and stuck up. This is not racism, its a fact.

All in all, the trip to India was a great one. Not much problems we encountered along the way. And my father had fun with his 'tut tut' ride, so i guess that's great. Laugh out loud.

(Sorry for any statements that you may find a bit racist in this article. It was intended to no one, and every race has its flaws. So do mine.)

Appresiasi

Wujudnya usaha maka bergeraknya suatu daya. Daya membawa badan kita ke depan. Bukan arah lain, hanya depan.

Ini lah dia. Satu tribut halus saya tujukan kepada komrad saya, dalam usaha beliau mengukir nama dalam bidang pujaan hati. Tabik spring sama lu mal.

Akmal Hakim

Cubalah dengar siapa yang sudi,

Kalau dengar pun apa yang rugi,

Tiada duit diminta diberi,

Hanya pinta hati klik lah di sini.

Cubalah dengar. Cuba.

Words

What are words? What are words when you can't speak or write them? What are words when your only medium of communication is your body language?

What are words when you can only speak, or scream, or whisper in your heart, not having the chance to say them out loud to the person around you?

Because they say, it is better to shut your mouth like a fool, than to speak and be thought of as a fool..