Writing on the wall for PCs

Too soon the call the end of the Desktop or Notebook PC but the writing is on the wall.

I will not trade away my PCs for an S8. It is not ready for prime time yet but I am sure it will get there. What is most important for me in a smartphone is the camera.

The business of nations is no longer business

Up until the Great Financial Crisis caused by the Americans or a few years before, the business of nations was business. Post crisis, it was trying to stay above the floodwater and getting back to business. Then politics quietly asserted itself and became clear with Brexit and Trump's election. Race and culture has supplanted business. Identity and preserving one's way of life, real or imagined as the Americans fantasied is the trend now.

China is Australia's most important trading partner but the Aussies are telling the Chinese thank you for your business but we are more different than the same.

Most of us here are Chinese Singaporeans and we are more Singaporean than Chinese too especially if your language at home is Mandarin.

See NYT article.

Parents overwhelmed by fear

I get an email every day about some good ebooks going for a steal. This is one of them which I no longer or perhaps never needed. On the other hand I could think of many friend who would have benefited but I guess it has come many years too late. More importantly I don't think it wold have made a difference. Their lives are rules mostly by fear of losing out and reason is a poor antidote to fear.

On Tuesday I came across this picture and whatsapp it to my daughter.

It would be very difficult if fear become entrenched in her before she is vaccinated. I am starting to constantly cajole her not to exaggerate danger or risk as she leaves the safety of the MOE school system. The temp job her aunt helped arrange before she matriculate has been a godsend training opportunity. Her immediate boss a Harvard trained scientist told her she is very fortunate to get such exposure at such a young age. 

LKY passing two years later

The daughter took this photo with her phone camera from quite faraway on the 23rd, the second anniversary of LKY passing.

I passed by today and it is no longer there.

Well we visited the exhibition of the founders' memorial twice when we went to enjoy the cherry blossoms at the Flower Dome. It was just beside the dome.

I hope they do a first class job of the memorial which is likely to be located at Gardens by the Bay East.

The way to remember what our founding fathers have done for us is to keep this place going well.

Syrian refugees: Big Hearted Canadians

This is the last installment of the stories how Canadian families opened their hearts, wallets and often homes as well to Syrian refugees in a project lasting one year.

Truly admirable! And realistic as well.

Natgeo feature: Cherry Blossoms

You can't do this at our Flower Dome. I got this from Natgeo.

We popped by thrice to enjoy the cherry blossoms this year at GBB but the place to go enjoy this more fully is probably Japan. Unlike most times when I prefer peace and quiet, I think it is great to be in the company of lots of people savouring this together.

Trump pattern of failures beginning

The guy who supposedly knew how to win did the childish and stupidest thing as a politician. He confused politics with business which is by far a much easier enterprise than government.

Democratic politics anywhere but especially in America is about compromise. More important to get what you want you have to acquire and grow your leverage which is the strongest form of political capital. Trump failed to see that he has a lot more to lose than the lawmakers of his own party playing poker with them. This is basic and he didn't know. Well he didn't know that healthcare was so complicated. He mostly doesn't know what he is talking about.

He will surely go down in US history as the worst  president. What has happened with his first legislative initiative will be repeated many times. 

See Bloomberg story.








Update: March 26 8:05 pm

The simple takeaway is that when push comes to shove, Donald Trump always adapt. This begs the question is can he? There is not route to success with his disunited party. He would have to work with the Democrats, and why would they unless they can get their pound of flesh?

We shall see.