The 10,000-hour rule

I am reading the book "Outliers" of Malcolm Gladwell. It explains why a few people are successful- they are the outliers in a bell shape curve of normal distribution.

Based on many statistics, there is a only small portion of people excel in each area, from violin to programming. He discovered there is the 10,000-hour rule - if a person dedicates to certain thing up to 10,000 hours, he/ she can master on that aspect and out perform the majority exceptionally.

Bill Gates are Beatles are the two of the best examples. The former obsessed in programming since high school, while Beatles spent time on stage more than bands all over the world, since they performed in pubs in Germany red light district.

In your life, do you spend 10,000 hours on any single thing? 10,000-hour can be converted to 416 days, or 1.14 years.

What I believe is, it is not only time, but the interest of certain things 'haunt' people and drive them to be focused. People who have obsession are lucky, sometimes.

Buddies Gathering

People treasure friends more when you are older, especially whom you know for more than a decade, when you all were unpolished and plain. When you get older, you found the long term friendship is rare.

Billie organized a schoolmates’ gathering last night. Grace and Emily even brought along their babies. We all look far different from many years ago, but the feeling is still the same; they are still the bunch of young girls in school uniform I know well.

When I was in Form one, I had not imagined who I would be more than ten years later. I had no single ideas that I would work in a market research firm and having two babies in my 31 years old.

Life is interesting; you can never predict what will happen to you. It is blissful that all my dear friends are happy and the bonding still exists among us.

Billie, thanks for arranging the gathering!!

Lazy bone

I think laziness is human nature. I do not want to work on this sunny Friday.

I am in office, I was working hard in last hour, and now I want to be laid back. Just working hard one hour.....

I am wondering if I am getting old, exhaustiveness seems attaches to me always. Jeff said maybe I am too skinny and lack of energy, I have to make some change. I want to energize myself.

We will move into the new flat soon, I am very exciting. I am thinking how to manage such physically-demanded activity with two little monsters hanging around. Anyway, I am looking forward to move into our lovely nest!

How "mentally retarded" it can be?

I have read the below article from SCMP just now, about the chaotic education system in Malaysia which tortures students and parents, and possibly ruin the kids' competitiveness in the future.

I am wondering if it will happen in Hong Kong... You know, the government sucks. Even our friend who is a teacher said the Hong Kong Education Department is "mentally retarded".

I better send my babies to international schools, and I will work harder in order to pay the tuition fee. I will teach them Chinese by myself.


Language barrier splits Malaysians into classes

English, Malay or Chinese and cost is the poser facing parents
Baradan KuppusamyUpdated on Sep 27, 2008

A visibly angry Maimunah Hamid shook her head in desperation as education ministry officials struggled to explain to angry parents gathered at a parent-teachers meeting at a national school in the city last week."I have had enough, I am moving my daughter to an international school," said Ms Maimunah, an accountant with Maybank, Malaysia's biggest bank. "I am sick of this flip-flop policy, why can't you all make up your mind?" Most of the 120 parents agreed with Ms Maimunah, 46, a mother of two daughters aged nine and 12."Make up you mind please ... English or Malay. Don't torture the children," said another parent Kanagaratnam Vellupillai, 39. "This issue has been going on for years and years." In fact the issue - English or Malay as a medium of instruction - has been hotly debated and remains unresolved since the British colonialists left in 1957.After acrimonious debate the matter was settled in 1967 that Malay would be the medium of instruction in all national schools, but that Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools could continue teaching in a mixture of Malay and their own mother tongues. However, in a decision in 2002, which was widely opposed by parents, officials, opposition lawmakers and even civil servants, Mahathir Mohamad ordered the return of English on the grounds that national education in Malay narrowed student minds, retarded economic growth and that if continued, Malaysia's competitiveness would collapse against Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.The return of English was widely supported by middle class parents such as Ms Maimunah and Mr Kanagaratnam, who were already westernised and inclined to want an open, English-based education for their children.However Malay nationalists, Chinese educationists and Tamil parents, who wanted Tamil as medium of instruction for Tamils, strongly objected to Dr Mahathir's desire to bring back English.The veteran politician offered a compromise - only science and maths would be taught in English. All other subjects would be in Malay and vernacular languages.That decision has been hotly debated ever since and the latest round erupted last month with academics, teachers and parents hotly divided over whether to continue Dr Mahathir's policy or revert to teaching all subjects in Malay.The matter remains an emotive issue in this multi-ethnic society divided by race, religion and now mother tongue education.Five years after Dr Mahathir retired in 2003 his successor, Abdullah Badawi, still finds it difficult to reverse the "science and maths in English" policy now widely described as a "silly legacy". At the time it was introduced, the move was strongly opposed by parents, educators and teachers, but Dr Mahathir pressed on. Opposition continued over the years and has reached a peak in recent weeks with top educators openly arguing that the five-year-old policy has seriously damaged students' grasp of not only English but also science and maths. "You cannot study a language by studying maths and science in that language," said Ungku Aziz, a former vice-chancellor of the University Malaya."The tragedy of our time is that students have no idea what is grammar and syntax, they are not proficient in English," he told an education forum this month, adding his weight to chorus of demands to end the policy."English or any language should be learnt as a language on its own right." National Union of Heads of Schools President Pang Chong Leong agreed with the argument against using English as the medium of instruction for science and maths."If the intention is to improve the pupils' English, then they should start with the arts subjects, such as moral studies, and also increase the number of English periods," he said at an education forum last week."Science involves a lot of thinking while maths does not use too much language and vocabulary. It goes against the principles of education and does not achieve any objective." Dr Mahathir reasoned though that by teaching the two subjects in English students would not only master the language but also science and maths to make the economy technology-driven, and implemented the policy against strong opposition in 2003, months before he retired after 22 years as prime minister.Neither aims, however, have been achieved, experts argue.They say English proficiency fell because less time was devoted to it in language study, while grasp of science and maths also suffered after the sudden switch from Malay.English originally was taught five times a week, 45-minutes a session in primary schools, but that time was reduced to once a week under the new policy. The saved hours were used to study science and maths in English, leaving teachers and students in the lurch.The government pressed ahead, spending billions changing school textbooks to English, training teachers to work in the language and at one time even importing scores of teachers from England to fill a shortfall.Over the years several government "review committees" have studied the issue and recommended to end the policy, but Dr Mahathir's influence in the political arena was so great that a final decision was always postponed.Another reason for the indecisiveness is that long-time education minister Hishamuddin Hussein is a Mahathir loyalist and unwilling to embarrass the former prime minister by ending the policy.However, at a teachers' meeting early this month, Mr Hishamuddin promised the government would make a firm decision - abandon English for Malay or continue the policy - by year end.Some parents, such as Ms Maimunah, are not prepared to wait for the government to decide."I want my daughters to have a wholesome, internationally recognised education so they can work and live anywhere in the world," she said."Later this year I am pulling them from the national school and registering them in an international one that follows the English semester system. It's expensive but worth it." However, parents like Mr Kanagaratnam, a City hall bus driver, cannot afford expensive private education. "English is a must for world commerce and the future. We must have a strong grounding in English," he said. "I hope the government keeps instruction in English just for science and mathematics. We don't want out children to return to Malay and play catch up all over again." The government appears reluctant to reverse the policy five years after spending so much money on textbooks and retraining teachers to switch science and maths from Malay to English. "We have already lost one generation switching from English to Malay. By reversing I fear we will lose another," said retired teacher Kathy Fong in a letter to the New Straits Times daily last week.");
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A visibly angry Maimunah Hamid shook her head in desperation as education ministry officials struggled to explain to angry parents gathered at a parent-teachers meeting at a national school in the city last week.
"I have had enough, I am moving my daughter to an international school," said Ms Maimunah, an accountant with Maybank, Malaysia's biggest bank. "I am sick of this flip-flop policy, why can't you all make up your mind?" Most of the 120 parents agreed with Ms Maimunah, 46, a mother of two daughters aged nine and 12.
"Make up you mind please ... English or Malay. Don't torture the children," said another parent Kanagaratnam Vellupillai, 39. "This issue has been going on for years and years." In fact the issue - English or Malay as a medium of instruction - has been hotly debated and remains unresolved since the British colonialists left in 1957.
After acrimonious debate the matter was settled in 1967 that Malay would be the medium of instruction in all national schools, but that Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools could continue teaching in a mixture of Malay and their own mother tongues.
However, in a decision in 2002, which was widely opposed by parents, officials, opposition lawmakers and even civil servants, Mahathir Mohamad ordered the return of English on the grounds that national education in Malay narrowed student minds, retarded economic growth and that if continued, Malaysia's competitiveness would collapse against Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The return of English was widely supported by middle class parents such as Ms Maimunah and Mr Kanagaratnam, who were already westernised and inclined to want an open, English-based education for their children.
However Malay nationalists, Chinese educationists and Tamil parents, who wanted Tamil as medium of instruction for Tamils, strongly objected to Dr Mahathir's desire to bring back English.
The veteran politician offered a compromise - only science and maths would be taught in English. All other subjects would be in Malay and vernacular languages.
That decision has been hotly debated ever since and the latest round erupted last month with academics, teachers and parents hotly divided over whether to continue Dr Mahathir's policy or revert to teaching all subjects in Malay.
The matter remains an emotive issue in this multi-ethnic society divided by race, religion and now mother tongue education.
Five years after Dr Mahathir retired in 2003 his successor, Abdullah Badawi, still finds it difficult to reverse the "science and maths in English" policy now widely described as a "silly legacy".
At the time it was introduced, the move was strongly opposed by parents, educators and teachers, but Dr Mahathir pressed on. Opposition continued over the years and has reached a peak in recent weeks with top educators openly arguing that the five-year-old policy has seriously damaged students' grasp of not only English but also science and maths.
"You cannot study a language by studying maths and science in that language," said Ungku Aziz, a former vice-chancellor of the University Malaya.
"The tragedy of our time is that students have no idea what is grammar and syntax, they are not proficient in English," he told an education forum this month, adding his weight to chorus of demands to end the policy.
"English or any language should be learnt as a language on its own right."
National Union of Heads of Schools President Pang Chong Leong agreed with the argument against using English as the medium of instruction for science and maths.
"If the intention is to improve the pupils' English, then they should start with the arts subjects, such as moral studies, and also increase the number of English periods," he said at an education forum last week.
"Science involves a lot of thinking while maths does not use too much language and vocabulary. It goes against the principles of education and does not achieve any objective."
Dr Mahathir reasoned though that by teaching the two subjects in English students would not only master the language but also science and maths to make the economy technology-driven, and implemented the policy against strong opposition in 2003, months before he retired after 22 years as prime minister.
Neither aims, however, have been achieved, experts argue.
They say English proficiency fell because less time was devoted to it in language study, while grasp of science and maths also suffered after the sudden switch from Malay.
English originally was taught five times a week, 45-minutes a session in primary schools, but that time was reduced to once a week under the new policy. The saved hours were used to study science and maths in English, leaving teachers and students in the lurch.
The government pressed ahead, spending billions changing school textbooks to English, training teachers to work in the language and at one time even importing scores of teachers from England to fill a shortfall.
Over the years several government "review committees" have studied the issue and recommended to end the policy, but Dr Mahathir's influence in the political arena was so great that a final decision was always postponed.
Another reason for the indecisiveness is that long-time education minister Hishamuddin Hussein is a Mahathir loyalist and unwilling to embarrass the former prime minister by ending the policy.
However, at a teachers' meeting early this month, Mr Hishamuddin promised the government would make a firm decision - abandon English for Malay or continue the policy - by year end.
Some parents, such as Ms Maimunah, are not prepared to wait for the government to decide.
"I want my daughters to have a wholesome, internationally recognised education so they can work and live anywhere in the world," she said.
"Later this year I am pulling them from the national school and registering them in an international one that follows the English semester system. It's expensive but worth it."
However, parents like Mr Kanagaratnam, a City hall bus driver, cannot afford expensive private education. "English is a must for world commerce and the future. We must have a strong grounding in English," he said.
"I hope the government keeps instruction in English just for science and mathematics. We don't want out children to return to Malay and play catch up all over again."
The government appears reluctant to reverse the policy five years after spending so much money on textbooks and retraining teachers to switch science and maths from Malay to English.
"We have already lost one generation switching from English to Malay. By reversing I fear we will lose another," said retired teacher Kathy Fong in a letter to the New Straits Times daily last week.

Patriotism and tainted milk scandal

After 11 years of the return of Hong Kong sovereignty to China, how do you tell others your identity? A Chinese, or a Hongkongese, or both?

Patriotism in China means loving the ultimate authority system of mainland, a dirty, corrupted system which allows tainted milk to poison their own next generation simply for the sake of fulfilling chimerical greed.

Can you love someone governs you but feeding you contaminated food? Can you accept someone who think it is appropriate to fake the public in the Olympic ceremony by replacing the little girl performer to a prettier one, for the sake of "maintaining the public image"?

Looking at that bureaucratic system of this country, I understand why independent thinking and honesty are precious.

To be, I feel ashame but I am a Chinese, I hope I can still be a Hongkongese, if Hong Kong can maintain its uniqueness and core values.

Returned from the Taipei trip

Haven't got strength and time to come back to this little piece of piece land - blogger in the past week.  

Me, Jeff and Lucas had been joining the company incentive tour in Taipei, and we stay behind in the city for another two days.  Both me and Lucas were having serious flu and coughing, we could still manage to have fun in the trip, even though we had totally burnt out.  (On the second day, we received wake-up call at 5:45am in the morning, that almost took our lives).

It was a totally interesting experience, especially for Lucas, after all, it was his first overseas trip, his first time to sit in an aeroplane.  People said he would have no memories of these few days ashe is too small, however, I know him well, I am sure the feelings, the excitement had already imprinted in his mind.

I had very good impression to Taiwan from this trip, people are nice and friendly, food is delicious, and you can experience both cosmopolitan and outdoor leisure life within three hours travel distance from the city centre.

Taiwanese just love reading, we can see 誠品書店 in many places, and books are much cheaper than Hong Kong.  We bought a lot of books, one is "THE COMPLETE PEANUTS: 1950 TO 1952" (the Peanuts comics), a discount offered and which is just cost NT$300.

We are planning another trip, this time we wish to bring Linus along.  We missed him terribly, next time we should let him to join us!!

My sons, I want you two to explore the world always, you know what, you two have your own national identity but you are also citizens of this global village, the more you experience others' cultures, the more open-minded you are, and the more happy you will be.

Mamma Mia

Today I am slightly better, the sore in throat seems vanishing, but still have dizzy feeling.

I have seen Mamma Mia last Friday and the melodies of those golden songs swirling my head always. I have seen the broadway show in Hong Kong several years ago, this movie is also captivating.

I love the two main casts – Meryl Streep (Donna) and Amanda Seyfried (Sophie). Meryl is 59 years old this year but she is just gorgeous. Self confidence is always the attraction of women in this age. I read something about “aged gracefully” from some articles before. Surely Meryl can achieve this.

Amanda fits the character of Sophie a lot, she looks mischievous and sweet, and her voice is the best in the movie. I can hardly believe she was one of the mean girls in the movie Mean Girls (2004) before. Definitely she is more charming in her honey tone skin.

This is a movie for everyone but I have a strong feeling it is more for women, a very feminine film about friendship, love and family – from female point of view.

I also spot that since the past decade women play more positive and wise roles in sitcoms and movies. Female are no longer just subordinate or sex objects of the main male characters, instead, some of them independent, intelligent, at the same time they don't lose the characteristic of women, they are sensitive and emotional.

I think all these changes are caused by the improvement of economic independence of women overall, and the increase of participation in the movie/ TV show production – not only in acting, but in directing and production, which make the world more interesting.