Tuesday 31 December 2013

p.The End of Life and Death

The last part is here:   A Reflection of Year 2013

Each and every one of us have reached the end of this year. Many of us reflecting. Many of us reminiscing. There were so much pain. There were only occasional joy. But, we must always grit our teeth. There is no other way.

Aragorn:   "Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*"

Although a simple count would give me the fact that I have lost much this year, but I did live yet another year. There is never a fresher feeling than a breath of fresh cold air.

I would have loved that some one some where out there would have admired my work. Some one to look at my handicraft. How smarty pants I have been. But, no. It can only be a dream. Little by little, my heart has grown stone cold. Bit by bit, my feelings have hardened. There is never a hope. Every one is in fact of his or her own. There is never a chance for togetherness. If I am rich, then I would have so many around me. If I have been poor, I would have none. It is that simple. Now that, I am alone. It speaks volume of my poor state.

In a poor state, I start to see great vision. Vision I have never seen before. I saw that loneliness as being very me. I start to love the loneliness, the quiet play of my mind.

I am not too worried now as I am still a silverback. But, when I grow older, problems might appear. Anyway, I still have time to manage that.

It is through death that one sees life.  I am now dead, maybe I will see life tomorrow when the new year begins. Maybe it is only through excruciating sadness that one feels true happiness.

The end is near now ... I am now readying my final resting place.

Monday 30 December 2013

b.孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 4) (Part 20)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 3) (Part 19)

謀攻篇

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔全軍為上,破軍次之﹔ 全旅為上,破旅次之﹔全卒為上,破卒次之﹔全伍為上,破伍次之。 是故百戰百勝,非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。
           故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。 修櫓轒轀、具器械、三月而後成,距闉,又三月而後已。將不勝其忿 ,而蟻附之,殺士三分之一,而城不拔者,此攻之災也。故善用兵者 ,屈人之兵而非戰也。拔人之城而非攻也,破人之國而非久也,必以 全爭于天下,故兵不頓,而利可全,此謀攻之法也。
          故用兵之法,十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之,敵則能戰之,少則能逃之,不若則能避之。故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。
          夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。
          故君之所以患于軍者三:不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可 以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士惑矣﹔不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑, 則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。
          故知勝有五:知可以戰與不可以戰者勝,識眾寡之用者勝,上下同欲 者勝,以虞待不虞者勝,將能而君不御者勝。此五者,知勝之道也。
          故曰:知己知彼,百戰不貽﹔不知彼而知己,一勝一負﹔不知彼不知 己,每戰必貽。

Let's continue ...

          故君之所以患于軍者三:不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可 以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士 惑矣﹔不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑, 則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。

Some translation suggested: 
There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army:
(1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army. 
(2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.
(3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.
Moran:   故君之所以患於軍者三 Truly, there are three ways in which a sovereign can be an affliction upon his army:
不知三軍之不可以進而謂之進,:   (1) To be unaware that the three armies will be unable to advance and yet order them to go forward,
不知三軍之不可以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔:   or to be unaware that the three armies will be unable to retreat and yet order them to do so, is called hamstringing the army.
不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士惑矣﹔:   (2) To not know the inner workings of the three armies and yet personally take on the administration of the entire enterprise is to contrive the chaos of the armies and of their officers. PEM: According to the regulations of the Zhou Dynasty, the "Son of Heaven" (the king at this time but later called the emperor), was permitted to have six armies, while each duke or leader of a subsidiary feudal domain was permitted to have three armies. The regulation strength of each army was 10,000 soldiers.
不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。:   (3) To not know the balances of power within the three armies and yet hold responsibility for all of them is to cause the armies and their officers to lose confidence. PEM: The king gets involved and disrupts what his general staff has been trying to get done.
三軍既惑且疑,則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。:   When the three armies fall into chaos and lose confidence, then disaster will come upon one from the lords (i.e., the subsidiary power centers within or near to one's own nation. A typical example would be that of the feudal domains that fought for dominancy in Japan). This is called throwing one's own army into chaos and drawing nigh the victory [of one's opponents].

Let's discuss:

故君之所以患於軍者三﹕ Therefore, there are three ways in which a sovereign can be an affliction upon his army:
不知三軍之不可以進而謂之進,:   (1) Not know that the three armies cannot advance, but choose to advance,
不知三軍之不可以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔:   or not know that the three armies cannot retreat, but choose to retreat and hamstring the army.
不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士惑矣﹔:   (2) Not know the inner workings of the three armies and yet personally take on the administration of the entire enterprise is to confuse the armies and of their officers.
不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。:   (3) Not know the balances of power within the three armies and yet hold responsibility for all of them is to cause suspicions among the armies and their officers.
三軍既惑且疑,則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。:   When the three armies are confused and suspicious, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

Applying these principles in business, SunTzu suggested that the business owner has 3 trouble issues at hand, (1) if he does not know when to advance or retreat and thus created a hamstring-ed business, (2) if he takes all matters of the business personally, not knowing his exact appropriate authority (micro-management) and thus created a confused business structure, and (3) if he does not recognize the different levels of authority within the business structure and thus, created a suspicious organization. If the created business organization is confused and suspicious, the competition will rise up and steal a simple victory.

Essentially, SunTzu concluded that in a business structure, similar to that of a warring state, must have well-considered direction, proper structure and power delegation, i.e., no matter how small the business structure, clear direction and organization is key to surviving the business game.

The lesson learnt here is no matter how tiny the business planner is, to be good and strong, one must be very organized and very disciplined. Only then will the business planner grow from strength to strength. Only then, will the business planner will see the light of the day.

Thursday 26 December 2013

p.A Reflection of Year 2013

The last part is here:   Merry Christmas 2013

Throughout my life, there were many ups and downs. Downs mostly. Whenever I was up, there were always sadness that followed.

Interestingly Year 2013 has been really good to me. Many ups and very little downs.

I don't pray for absolute victories all the time. I just wish for peace.

My wish for 2014 is to strengthen even further and start to help families-in-need.

Finally I am strong enough to offer assistance.

Charity must start from home. Only when the home is strong, only then I can offer assistance to those around me.

Let that be my wish and covenant. I shall not abuse the power afforded to me.

May this coming year be a great blessing to all around me and all who are closed to me. I also wish all who are not so near me find peace in what they do. Hatred is poison to the mind. May there be peace. May there be love too. May all those who are powerful to reflect on the karmic path they are threading. If they are at peace with what they are doing, by all means, go ahead. If tengri decides otherwise, then may karma be the one true path. Hating a person is very negative, loving a person is better. If one can't find love, then leave if one must. I have left.

b.Show - 倚天屠龙记 1986

The last part is here:   Show - 神雕侠侣 (1983) 

The show is here: 倚天屠龙记(梁朝伟)粤语版 1986

The song is here:   深山唱我歌 (1986) - 梅艷芳、梁朝偉
《倚天屠龍記》插曲
作曲:黎小田 填詞:黃霑 主唱:梅艷芳、梁朝偉

男:紛爭世界令我生厭 到深山唱我的歌
女:歌裡溫柔 陪著幽夢 全身輕輕撫我
男:冰天雪地裡未覺得冷 我心有熱有火
女:將我燒溶 融入幽夢
男:甜夢裡香雪海穿梭
女:偷偷
男:偷偷抱住你心
女:偷一世福和禍
男:和你和我
女:我心中注入你生命 熱情如在噴火
男:赤熱 啊 噴火
女:冰山裡
男:火山中
女:高臥
男:側坐
女:歡聲
合:醉倒萬里煙波

Just finished the show. Very happy. I relearned a phrase:   刻骨铬心

How many of us can truly find a love that is 刻骨铬心? Maybe it is only in shows and storybooks ...

經歷了半世紀的年月,經歷了許多情感的波瀾, 也看過了許多人世的滄桑,我發覺這世上最可歌頌、 最刻骨鉻心的還是愛。 且不論那愛發生得早或晚,只要是生死與之, 在當時能慷慨面對的,即使後來失敗了、後侮了, 甚至回想起來全然是無知與荒唐。 那愛,依然是愛,如同『玻璃的心屝』, 即使被打碎了,仍然曾經是個玻璃的心扉。 愛,沒什麼好悔,它只是那樣發生、那樣進展、 那樣消逝,或一一那樣老去。 今日不可能預測明日的愛,明天也不必否定今天的愛。 愛像是腳印,我們踩著、印著,走到今天。 回頭,即使腳印印在泥濘之中, 或早已湮滅,不復可尋,仍然知道, 那是我們走過來的愛。 每個年齡有每個年齡的愛。 愛沒有尊卑、沒有貴賤, 沒有成熟與不成熟。 人的一生能有多長, 人的一生就能有多少愛。

When life's grindstone is turning, one may have no time for love. But, when life's grindstone stops turning, there is no more life left to love. To hunt alone is sad, to hunt with a burden is sadder.

Wednesday 25 December 2013

b.Politicking in Business (II)

The last part is here:   Politicking for Business

Politics is a really, really a bad word.

Stoop very low and be subservient, but, always at the most appropriate time, show that you can have alternatives. Suggest that you may decide to play in other sandboxes too.

Politicians no matter how strong, still need to play with the business people. So you should not feel too strange to stand a little taller at times, although mostly subservient.

This kind of play requires practice. So for a start, deal with the younger ones first before trying for the old hags.

Do not try to bribe too early. Anyway, bribing is too low tech. You must rise above that. Instead you should learn to trade in relative benefits. At all times, different people has needs and benefits. Learn to arrange to trade them among themselves. Be the best mediator. Bribing is low tech and criminal, so don't go there.

There is always a way to do politics without playing too much into their designated sandboxes. These sandboxes are illusions and need not be too strictly adhere to.

One specific warning is never to deal with the opposition parties. 断人衣食,犹如杀人父母。So be super worried. The ruling party is ruthless when it comes to dealing with opposition parties. Don't get involved in the cross-fire.

Sunday 22 December 2013

p.14 yo Girl's hand crushed in sugar cane machine

The last part is here:   Holocaust II - Japanese Women Not Interested in Sex 

A 14-year-old girl's hand was crushed in a sugar cane machine on Sunday evening. Eyewitnesses said the incident happened when the girl was helping her father out at his sugar cane stall at a hawker centre. They said the girl's right hand was stuck in the machine when they arrived. Rescuers had to use tools to release her hand. She was then sent conscious to hospital. The injuries sustained were from her fingers to wrist area and her bones were crushed. 

foreseer:  man... those things are dangerous i thought about it before it's just a matter of time 

GuyFawkesNight:  This kind of things u thought only happen in Sg during 1980s, 90s. Now 2013 still got father stupid enough to ask young daughter to work at the hawker stall with that dangerous machine. Father is going to feel guilty for the rest of his life

kcarry:  should wear armored gloves b4 handling the sugarcane


Esmond Wan Mo Peh:  cannot give handjob liao


alchemist_acid:  sinkies weekend only can help father press sugarcane ft weekend eat drink piak

xocrrer:  Her father is fugged up.

Outliers:  quite surprised the dad allows her to use the machine. 14 yr old very young leh. the dad guilty for life liao, how to return that hand.. You rather earn more money and risk her safety... quite sad. hand gone is scarred for life liao leh.. wth..

matthew9000:  is that a legal age for working?

GuyFawkesNight:  Quite super amazing that you think the father is not to be blamed.

AshleyRiot:  Seriously...**** you guys who made those dumb and insensitive comments... you are no different from a few idiots who videotaped the whole thing when the firemen were there trying to rescue her... I was there at the scene when it happened just now and it is not at all funny...Was queuing for the Hokkien mee opposite the sugar cane stall and I heard a sudden scream...I turned my head and saw the poor girl's right hand stuck in the machine and she kept repeating it's painful. The most sad thing was I couldn't do anything but just stand there stunned..helpless feeling..and it's an awful feeling No...I don't have pics and don't ask me for any...It is not one bit funny if you were there to witness this...

Chiong:  sinkies must find something to blame when things happen. i see u learn well from our masters. we comfy comfy at home, sometimes also must think got ppl outside more unfortunate. not everyone grew up in luxury.

game goondu:  sibei sad... i'm quite sure its daughter helping her father and at the same time have some father-daughter bonding... father must have regretted not stopping her daughter from helping... on the other hand, i hope its not because of some stupid carelessness on the daughter part that got her in trouble... eg. 1 hand putting the suger cane into the machine, the other hand holding her phone read facebook...

xocrrer:  By putting a 14yo risking operating a machine? I hv only seen small boys n gers just doing cashier job. This is her father negligence clearly...

R3ally Stupid Idiot:  you also fug up wor~! you never call ambulance for help~? can at least calm her down and look for first aid box nearby wor~!

kasosei:  really sad. how will aware twist this case to benefit them again?

Gabriel_23:  hahaha nice, ganna daiji blame the machine blame the father curse and swear at him, when younger generations help out their parents you say why allow the kid to work such hard labours such as a hawker AND if they dont help out you all say strawberry generation la blah blah blah ? what the fark you want? 

Whisper:  Child labour lah leh!

dannytan87:  handling blades should be adult job in the first place. nv think thoroughly

laksaboy:  Now that's a fruitful way to spend your school holidays.

Mystery:  Cham, felt sorry for her and school is starting in two weeks time.

nutbush:  ya, the father is at fault, never tell her the danger and caution her enough of the machine.

laksaboy:  Now her dream of becoming a drinks seller at a hawker centre has been utterly crushed.

SgGoneWrong:  Laksaboy u are an extremely selfish idiot to say that of a child helping at her father's small business and met such an unfortunate accident. I bet u are a legless armchair critic who moves around in wheelchair or is bedbound and hence cannot feel any sympathy for anyone other than yourself. 

My Comment:

After such a sad, sad incident. What did the forummers say? It is so deviant. The society is slowly crumpling to the ground. It has reached the point of no-return. There is no longer compassion. There is no longer hope. If you dropped dead on the spot, be sure that only the vultures come visiting. 仆街, 冚家鏟! 屌你老母! 冚家富貴! Repentance? LOL. Even an ant outperforms a fucken in compassion.

I just pray that tengri helps the gal in need ... in metta ... fuckens around her have failed badly ...

b.孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 3) (Part 19)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 2) (Part 18)

謀攻篇

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔全軍為上,破軍次之﹔ 全旅為上,破旅次之﹔全卒為上,破卒次之﹔全伍為上,破伍次之。 是故百戰百勝,非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。
           故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。 修櫓轒轀、具器械、三月而後成,距闉,又三月而後已。將不勝其忿 ,而蟻附之,殺士三分之一,而城不拔者,此攻之災也。故善用兵者 ,屈人之兵而非戰也。拔人之城而非攻也,破人之國而非久也,必以 全爭于天下,故兵不頓,而利可全,此謀攻之法也。
          故用兵之法,十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之,敵則能戰之,少則能逃之,不若則能避之。故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。
          夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。
          故君之所以患于軍者三:不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可 以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士 惑矣﹔不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑, 則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。
          故知勝有五:知可以戰與不可以戰者勝,識眾寡之用者勝,上下同欲 者勝,以虞待不虞者勝,將能而君不御者勝。此五者,知勝之道也。
          故曰:知己知彼,百戰不貽﹔不知彼而知己,一勝一負﹔不知彼不知 己,每戰必貽。

Let's continue ...

          故用兵之法,十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之,敵則能戰之,少則能逃之,不若則能避之。故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。
          夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。

Some translation suggested: 
It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him. 
Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force, in the end it must be captured by the larger force.
Now the general is the bulwark of the State; if the bulwark is complete at all points; the State will be strong; if the bulwark is defective, the State will be weak.
Moran:   So the method for using troops is as follows:
If your strength is ten to their one, then surround them. If your strength is five to their one, then attack them. If your strength is double theirs then divide them.PEM: Later he says that if you surround an army you should give it a way to escape the blockade — the idea being that you would rather have them go back where they came from, or, if they seem not likely to go home and stay home, then a corridor of flight may be offered to them, and it can be a long killing field through which their troops will continue to flee even as the near end of the corridor is being closed off and as they are being culled from both sides as they flee.
If one is their worthy opponent, then one can fight them. If one is numerically inferior, then one can (flee them)/(take a completely defensive posture with regard to them). If one is not at all a match for them, then one must strive to become able to avoid them entirely. PEM: There are two versions of the text at this point.
PEM: To "avoid them entirely," one's intelligence service must be equal to the task of telling your soldiers where to go and where not to go.
So by obdurateness a minor combatant can become the captive of a major combatant. PEM: Continuing the idea above, why would a numerically inferior army willingly meet a superior force on an equal footing? The only way the numerically inferior army can win is by ambush or other stratagems that prevent more than a small portion of the other army from getting at them.
Now a general is an aide to the nation. If his assistance is well-rounded, then the nation must be strong. But if his assistance has lapses in it, then the nation must be weak. 

Let's discuss:

故用兵之法,:   Therefore, the method for using troops is as follows:
十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之;:   If the troops are ten times that of the target, surround the target. If the troops are five times that of the target, attack the target. If the troops are double that of the target, divide the target.
敵則能戰之,少則能逃 / 守之,不若則能避之。:   If the troops are comparable to that of the target, stay and fight. If the troops are numerically smaller to that of the target, flee / defend the position. If the troops are no match to that of the target, avoid conflict.
故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。:   Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small hardened force, in the end it must be captured by the larger force.
夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。:   A general is the pillar to the nation. If his advice is well-analyzed, then the nation must be strong. But if his advice has cracks, then the nation must be weak.

SunTzu meant that in business, if the size is 10 to 1, do not engage the target directly, produce full compatible products and surround the target's market place. If the size is 5 to 1, attack the target directly by aggressive marketing and market grabbing. If the size is 2 to 1, concentrate on taking on target's products that have significant market share. If the size is 1 to 1 parity, stand and defend own turf. If one is slightly smaller in size, flee to other suitable market space or defend own turf. If one is truly small in size, avoid direct confrontation with the major business. A small business, no matter how clever, will always be captured / killed by the large business. Therefore, a carefully considered plan and execution by a business steward will strengthen the business, otherwise, the steward shall weakened the business' resources.

Generally, I feel that this is quite common business sense. Frequently, I would say that most businesses one conducts no matter how big is still small compared to major business empires (as in controlled by the state enterprises). Therefore, it is not ideal to fight. It is always about defending one's turf. I don't believe in fleeing. If you flee, you just go into another business-type. In that new business-type, you will meet its head honchos there. The problem set is still the same. If that is the case, why don't you, after so much careful considerations in the current business-type, always stand and fight. Sometimes, the answer lies not in warfare, but in co-operation. Give the large entities the feeling that they are advantageous in the dealings. Grow your strength from there.

In many cases, the mom-and-pop store (I am staring at one right now) in a very small town will do roaring business. The service provided is very friendly and personal, but extremely expensive. The next nearest similar store is 100 km away. But, given time, the town will grow and soon the big-box store will arrive, driving out the very mom-and-pop store out of business. The big-box store is cheaper, bigger range and has more accurate delivery of business ethics. The decades of hard work and build-up of branding of the mom-and-pop store are nullified by its entry.

You are not to be fooled by this approach. Battle-hardened yourself through proper product development.

Saturday 21 December 2013

b.Pure Complaints and Anger

The last part is here:   Strategy - The Art of Anger Management

This is my contribution to those who are in need this Christmas. (._.)

I see too much anger and too many complaints. Too much negative energy has flown through the veins. This is not good for the soul. Life is not about living for others. Life is not about hitting the expectations of others. Life is not about working another guy's dream.

When you are down, you must pick yourself up. Grit that teeth. Even your closest friends might play you out at this point. You will have no friends. You will have no solace. Your blooded relations will leave you. You have nobody but yourself to fight. You and yourself are the only soldier left standing. You cannot fail. If you need to drive taxi, you do it. If you need to pick rubbish, you do it. If others laugh at you over your weakness, smile back. Never let anger and bitterness win you over.

Gather your inner strength.

If you dare to do the unspeakable, apply to white land. If you are lucky, you might get it. Do loads of studies before making that leap.

You wouldn't realize that you can survive in white land without power, water and heat. But, if driven hard enough, you would have the gumption to do it. If I can do it, so can you.

This is a rather repetitive essay, but one that comes from my heart.

I wish all those in need well ... in metta ...

If you do show that you have worked hard, who knows, some one might extend an olive leaf to you ... But, first show me that you have that gumption.

There is always hope ...

p.Merry Christmas 2013

The last part is here:   Matters fo the Heart

I am away for Christmas. Hopefully can have turkey for Christmas lunch. The lunch is going to be no heat, no power and no water. Only log fire. 3 feet snow. -45degC. 100 km/h wind. The picture shown above is far from my miserable truth. LOL. But, we will always have hope. It is like Oliver peeking through the windows of warm houses and hearing vaguely Christmas carols echoing in the wind.
I never have had a spartan white Christmas for a long long time. This is going to be fun especially living in such spartan life style. Sparta is nothing compared to the Ice Circle.

It's been a long time I have talked about gals ...

A blooded relation just told me a story about a pretty kimchi gal. She's 29 yo, just came to white land for studies. She had problems back home with her dad, wanting her to get married immediately. She escaped by coming to white land. She claimed that she had never been touched or in a relationship with guys. But, barely 4 days after knowing a guy friend of the blooded relation. The guy friend said she is intimately attached to him already. The blooded relation was confused. He asked me whether there is truth in her statement. I just smiled.

Sigh ... I suspect the guy friend of his is going to get hurt.

He asked me what can he do to help him. I answered, "Everyone must grow up according to a plan. There is neither good or bad in the plan. The plan is always meant to seek one's conscience. Some find it early, many find it late. But, all will find their conscience along the way. Just hope that it is never too late."

The blood relation also asked me why the most beautiful gal in his social circle didn't ask him for a date? I replied that a man must have man toys. Without man toys, his results are limited. He then asked again, "Isn't there true love?" I sighed ... So repetitive.

I so replied,
"Love is a many-splendoured thing, 
It's the April rose that only grows in the early spring, 
Love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living, 
The golden crown that makes a man a king. 
Once on a high and windy hill, 
In the morning mist two lovers kissed and the world stood still, 
Then your fingers touched my silent heart and taught it how to sing, 
Yes, true love's a many-splendored thing."

The song is here:   Love Is A Many Splendored Thing - Andy Williams
Merry Christmas to every one ... May all who need to find love find their true love ...

May all good things befall on you and family ... May you have good health and fortune to last a lifetime ... May man be kind and magnanimous to his own kind. May tengri eliminate the hatred that befalls man in that fucken little island ...

b.The Curse of Employee

The last part is here:   仆街 , 冚家鏟! 屌你老母! 冚家富貴!

The fucken old guy would call the employees daft, stupid, lack of spurs and many other names, except the correct ones.

He simply had no respect for guys who worked for others. He had been boss for too long. He wouldn't know that employees are also smart blokes. Just that they enrich themselves using another path. In a stable country, it is a good path. Nothing wrong with that. But, the strategy comes short when they are near 40 years of age. During this mid-life crisis, these aging employees start to question themselves about their unwavering dedication to the corporation might have been a mistake. Nowadays the boss seemed to like to rub nose with the sweet young things than to take lunch with the aging employees. All the years of cultivating that loyal employee-pleased boss relationship don't seem to work any more. Time seemed to move more slowly. The office politics more viscous and unforgiving. Your time as an advancing apple-of-the-eye employee had passed. From age 40 to age 90, you still have a fucking 50 more years to go. How to feed the family, kids and insatiable wife / gfs?

Just a passing story ...

She worked for a good couple of decades and had super fast promotions. Yet, the boss didn't bat an eye when she finally had enough and resigned. It was sadness all round.

Initially she was full of zeal. She had plans. For the first 2 months, she travelled like hell and try to establish her base as a young boss. She failed. For the next 4 months, she stayed at home for the lack of funds. She slept all day and all night.

Finally, she woke up one day and said that she had no choice but truly wants only to be boss. Little by little, she changed. She became smoother. She now knows that being boss and owned the job where no one can sack her is the most important decision.

She is now a baby boss. She is hard working. She is creative. She has another 10 years to go to become a true and successful boss.

She will soon find rest ...

I wish her well ...

The trend is getting worse, even age 35-ers are forced to leave their jobs.

Friday 20 December 2013

b.Strategy - The Demise of Brands

The last part is here:   Strategy - 见人说鬼话, 见鬼说人话

Luxottica Group S.p.A. is the world's largest eyewear company, controlling over 80% of the world's major eyewear brands. Its best known brands are Ray-Ban and Persol. It also makes sunglasses and prescription frames for a multitude of designer brands such as Chanel and Prada, whose designs and trademarks are used under license. Luxottica also makes sunglasses branded Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Stella McCartney, Versace, Vogue, Miu Miu, Tory Burch, and Donna Karan. Its prime competitor is the Safilo Group S.p.A.  

Luxottica Group originated in 1961, when Leonardo Del Vecchio set up Luxottica di Del Vecchio e C. S.a.S., which subsequently became a joint-stock company under the name of Luxottica S.p.A. Having started out as a small workshop, the Company operated till the end of the ‘60s as a contract producer of dies, ferro-tagli, metal components and semi-finished goods for the optical industry. Leonardo Del Vecchio gradually widened the range of processes until he had an integrated manufacturing structure capable of producing a finished pair of glass. 1969 saw the crucial turning point, the launching of the first frames under the Luxottica brand: the contract producer became an independent manufacturer. 

Shortly afterwards, the presentation of its first collection, at Milan’s MIDO (an international optics trade fair), made the brand a definitive success.

I have mentioned this several times over various essays, if you have been in original product business, you would have noticed your retailers will always like to play your ass. The moment you are successful in your brands, they will play you by rising discount, so even if you make loads of sales, the deeper discount would have nullified your profits. You are just working for free for the retailers. If you continue to be successful, these retailers would try to create house brands using your products. If you want to continue to trade with your retailers, you have no choice but to agree. So now you have CUNT peanuts and Tong Garden peanuts at exactly the same shelves. CUNT peanuts is the same peanuts as your Tong Garden peanuts, selling at a dollar cheaper than the original. Even the quality of packaging is the same. Of course they would taste the same, because they were from the same fucking machinery.

I have mentioned before, don't fight the retailers. Agree with them, in fact, I would even withdraw Tong Garden peanuts from the shelves making CUNT peanuts the only selling peanut brands. So the sale for CUNT peanuts would be at all time high.

What's the ploy? No retailers no matter how smart and / or rich can ever produce the peanuts on their own. The resource and research&development needed are too great for each product. The most they can do is to switch the peanuts supplier to someone else. If you are not good enough, you are destined to die anyway. But, if you are worth your salt, these retailers would have no choice but to continue to buy peanuts from you and brand it under CUNT. You have now developed a symbiotic relationship with the retail chain (this is the smart case for all china products, the middle kingdom yellowskins are most cunning, those who stayed must be more yellowskin than those yellowskins who quit).

If you now move on to develop connectivity with other retail chains, you would be extremely successful, because the way you dealt with CUNT was a good philosophy. Other retail chains would like the style too. In less than 50 years, you are Luxottica supplying to all established retail chains-of-the-day in the world. You are most well-known no-name brand. Even more brand owners would hook up with you, allowing you to access their markets.

In life, it is easy to lose one's way if you are prideful and refuse to think for your enemies. The retailers are actually very insecure. They knew that they are mere traders, as compared to original product developers. As pure traders, they are as easy to replace as the wind changing direction. Fortunate for them, retailers are normally members of the ruling family. They would be able to stay for a while longer. Nonetheless, they are very insecure. Sad ...

This is one strategy you cannot ignore ... think deeper if you must ... savour its taste ...

b.Land - Rights

The last part is here:   Land - The Waterfall 

Each land has different rights. Learn to defeat each right.

Tenure
means you must get estate-in-fee-simple, i.e., freehold land. Leasehold is a joke and never fall for it no matter how cheap. You don't actually own the land but you have tenure in freehold. You are like a knight given control of land masses by the king and may collect taxes.
Surface rights 
are “every right in land other than mining rights.” It is quite normal for you when purchasing land to have surface rights. This is a powerful right.

Someone who owns surface rights to land owns not only the surface but also the air space above it (subject to the rights of others, such as airlines) and any sand, gravel, peat, clay or marl which can be excavated by surface operations.

However, surface rights do not include ownership of minerals. Someone who owns mineral rights to land may own one specific mineral, several specified minerals or all of the minerals (except gold and silver, which, with few exceptions, are the property of the country).

Mining rights
are “the right to minerals on, in, or under the land.” This right is normally not given to the land purchaser (90% of the land masses). You must learn to defeat this right.

Miners will try to stake the land by applying to the land office. Normally this right is granted to the miners for a fee per year. The fucking miner will dig here and there for minerals and the miner need not even give notice to the landowner for the activities. Most of the time, he don't even cover back the holes he drilled.

A mining claim cannot be staked out nor can prospecting be done on the part of the land if any of the following is done:
  • house/residence/cottage/dwelling
  • church 
  • cemetery 
  • public building 
  • spring
  • artificial reservoir
  • dam or waterworks 
  • outhouse 
  • manufactory
  • a garden, orchard, vineyard, nursery, plantation or pleasure ground or where crops can be damaged
The last exemption is the most important and the one used to defeat this mineral rights:
  • Crop: Crop is given a broad interpretation and includes grass and hay fields. ‘Orchard’ can consist of several fruit trees on the land. You need at least 14 fruit trees to form an orchard.
  • Vineyard: “Plots” that are managed in the usual agricultural sense for personal or commercial purposes.
  • Nursery: “Nursery stock” are coniferous or hardwood seedlings, transplants, grafts, or trees propagated or grown in a nursery and with the roots attached, and includes cuttings with or without the roots attached. Nursery stock grown for sale as: 1. any place where fruit trees, fruit stock, or ornamental plants are propagated for sale; 2. a place where plants other than herbaceous plants are grown, for the purpose of marketing. 3 Plantation: A woodlot.
  • Pleasure Ground: Grounds for recreation, including summer resort locations. 
  • Waterworks: Any public, commercial or industrial works for the collection, production, treatment, storage, supply, and distribution of water or any part of any such waterworks.
  • Waterworks system: Any system of plants, wells, structures, equipment, pipes, apparatus or other things for the obtaining, treating, purifying, disinfecting, distributing or supplying of water intended to be used for human consumption or in swimming pools and, without limitation, includes aqueducts , cisterns, culverts, cuts, flumes, m a ins, pumps, reservoirs, tanks, engines, and machinery used in connection with the system.
That is, start improving the land as soon as you have connected or not power into the land. The best is to plant hardwood seedlings. It cost only a couple of thousands of dollars to start and finish.

Timber rights
reserved means that all the timber (trees) standing on the property are not included with the property. These trees are reserved to the government- or to an individual. This includes all tree species except Pine trees.

Although the government owns the trees they do require the permission of the property owner to harvest those trees. If the property owner wishes to harvest the trees on the parcel, the owner must call the government. A stumpage fee is owed to the government when harvested. When timber rights are included, the property owner owns the trees- except the Pine- unless the deed states, “all pine rights are included”. Pine trees are reserved to the government- meaning that all Pine trees standing on the land are owned by the government. The property owner does not own these trees. To harvest Pine trees you must contact the government. The Pine rights can be purchased from the Government.

This right is not too biggie although timber rights should always be alienated.

My Comment

It is alright to buy land only with the surface rights. But, you must defeat the other rights immediately by doing something to it. Normally a simple improvement to the land would allow you to have the cake and eat it. But, if you are lazy, you are waiting to be fully defeated. A lazy guy has no place in town.

If ever possible, I would fully establish an alpaca farm on it. An alpaca farm is not very monied in nature but yield enough for full-time workers. You can then alienate a small part of the land to conduct high money items such as ginseng, truffles, fox, deer velvets or wine. 

The song is here:    白狐 (正式版) - 陳瑞
我是一隻 愛了千年的狐
千年愛戀 千年孤獨
長夜裡你可知 我的紅妝為誰補

紅塵中你可知 我的秀髮為誰梳

我是一隻守候千年的狐
千年守候 千年無助
情到深處 看我用美麗為你起舞
愛到痛時 聽我用歌聲為你傾訴

寒窗苦讀 你我海誓山盟銘心刻骨
金榜花燭 卻是天涯漫漫陌路殊途

能不能讓我為愛哭一哭
我還是千百年前愛你的白狐
多少春去 春來 朝朝暮暮
生生世世都是你的狐

能不能讓我為愛哭一哭

我還是千百年來不變的白狐
多少春去 春來 朝朝暮暮
來生來世還做你的狐

我是一隻守候千年的狐
千年守候 千年無助 
情到深處 看我用美麗為你起舞 
愛到痛時 聽我用歌聲為你傾訴

寒窗苦讀 你我海誓山盟銘心刻骨
金榜花燭 卻是天涯漫漫陌路殊途

能不能讓我為愛哭一哭
我還是千百年前愛你的白狐
多少春去 春來 朝朝暮暮
生生世世都是你的狐

能不能讓我為愛哭一哭
我還是千百年來不變的白狐

多少春去 春來 朝朝暮暮
來生來世還做你的狐

多少春去 春來 朝朝暮暮
來生來世還做你的狐

來生來世還做你的狐

Let's enjoy the song ...

(Another very quiet night for me ... It is so difficult to grind the nose alone) 

Thursday 19 December 2013

b.Strategy - 见人说鬼话, 见鬼说人话

The last party is here:   Strategy - Racism Continues

Usually it is said that:

"见人说人话,见鬼说鬼话。" means 看人们在说话办事的过程当中应变能力很强。能够做到见风使舵。( 略带贬义)

Sometimes, it is even extended to ".. 混的“好”的,都是见人说人话、见鬼说鬼话、见神说神话。"

It simply means be extremely flexible when dealing with people. Pander to their dreams and desires, all shall be given unto thee.

If you do that, you would be miserable. It essentially means that you will always be trying to please. When you try to please, your attitude is automatically subservient to their lordships. This is not good for negotiation.

Unless you appear an equal and hence, valuable, you would never be able to extract a good bargain.

Do note that different groups have different agendas. The folks in the government-of-the-day would be driven by powers, promotions and accolades. The business folks would be driven by market territories and monetary maneuvers. Their low-ranked employees don't matter.

Hence, in order not to fall into the mistake of being too subservient to any groups, you must employ a newer tact - 见人说鬼话, 见鬼说人话。

见人说鬼话, 见鬼说人话。 means you use the other groups as counter-weights. If you are with the business group, talk incessantly about your dealings with your government-of-the-day groups. Express your connectivity and your friendship. There is no need to discuss your current desires. They simply can't wait but to ask you. Say it in one simple sentence and leave it hanging. They would agree to assist you with money and pleasures, of course with no string attached. They simply wanted in at whatever the cost. They can't let a fat cow slipped by.

On the other hand, if you are with the power group, talk incessantly about your dealings with your business groups. Express your connectivity and your friendship. There is no need to discuss your current desires. They simply can't wait but to ask you. Say it in one simple sentence and leave it hanging. They would agree to assist you with approvals, of course with no string attached. They simply wanted in at whatever the cost. They can't let a chance to gain promotion and fame due to a successful business-type to slip through. You might be the next bill gates helping out in full employment.

This method will allow you to walk and stand tall. Because any faults are finger-pointed towards the other group. You are humble and simply a message postman. You are therefore blameless and if there are any gaps in expectation, you simply can't help it, it is the problem of the executing group. But, of course, you can help to resolve the outstanding issues through mediation and zeal. Frankly with full government-of-the-day approvals and money, no business-type will fail, unless it is poorly conceived.

At the end of the day, 人鬼神 are all you.

Footnote:   Never employ this method to your true friends. They are not to tricked.

Wednesday 18 December 2013

b.Politicking for Business

The last part is here:   I am Promoted

It is almost impossible to avoid politics in business. Even working as a taxi driver or a hawker, you are subjected to the invisible hand of god. Your annual license renewal depends on it.

Most of the time, you would have no choice but to toe the line drawn by the government-of-the-day.

The solution?

Just be a spineless dog and serve the government-of-the-day?

Herein lies the problem. To toe the line drawn by the government-of the-day means to employ their own kakis to do our work for us. The cost is extremely high and exorbitant, simply because these fuckens are the official flag-bearers. The rates they charged are beyond this world.

On the other hand, the non-sanctioned workers are cheap, affordable and extremely reliable. But, if you ever engage them, once the government-of-the-day gets the wind of it, you will lose the next year's license renewal.

Such is a heavy price and a bad dilemma.

I am still having headache over its choice. It is not funny if your business depended on it.

Play both sides? You die faster.

My Solution

Play it right on the side of the government-of-the-day at the initial stages.

I noticed almost no god-of-the-day last very long. As a business, you would easily out-last the mini-gods. Build on the good-will. Once these mini-mes disappear, the newer mini-mes would not be so quick on the job profiling. You can then play a little bit further away from their sand-boxes.

Use time to win your contacts and business power. Once your business power is strong enough, the government-of-the-day can accept that you play both pro and con sand-boxes.

b.孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 2) (Part 18)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 1) (Part 17)

謀攻篇

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔全軍為上,破軍次之﹔ 全旅為上,破旅次之﹔全卒為上,破卒次之﹔全伍為上,破伍次之。 是故百戰百勝,非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。
           故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。 修櫓轒轀、具器械、三月而後成,距闉,又三月而後已。將不勝其忿 ,而蟻附之,殺士三分之一,而城不拔者,此攻之災也。故善用兵者 ,屈人之兵而非戰也。拔人之城而非攻也,破人之國而非久也,必以 全爭于天下,故兵不頓,而利可全,此謀攻之法也。
          故用兵之法,十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之,敵則能戰之,少則能 逃之,不若則能避之。故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。
          夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。
          故君之所以患于軍者三:不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可 以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士 惑矣﹔不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑, 則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。
          故知勝有五:知可以戰與不可以戰者勝,識眾寡之用者勝,上下同欲 者勝,以虞待不虞者勝,將能而君不御者勝。此五者,知勝之道也。
          故曰:知己知彼,百戰不貽﹔不知彼而知己,一勝一負﹔不知彼不知 己,每戰必貽。

Let's continue ...

           故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。 修櫓轒轀、具器械、三月而後成,距闉,又三月而後已。將不勝其忿 ,而蟻附之,殺士三分之一,而城不拔者,此攻之災也。故善用兵者 ,屈人之兵而非戰也。拔人之城而非攻也,破人之國而非久也,必以 全爭于天下,故兵不頓,而利可全,此謀攻之法也。

Some translation suggested: 
Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.
The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war, will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more.
The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.
Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire, and thus, without losing a man, his triumph will be complete. This is the method of attacking by stratagem.
Moran:   For that reason, the highest level of warfare attacks the enemy's planning. The next level attacks the enemy's communications or alliances. The next level attacks their soldiers. At the level below that one attacks their fortifications. Attacking fortifications is only to be done when there is no other alternative. "fortifications" literally means "walled city."
The preparation of paveses, mantlet wagons, and all the siege tools necessary for attacking fortifications requires three months. A pavese is an extremely large shield for (usually) a single archer or other soldier to take shelter behind. A mantlet is a multi - soldier shield. The Chinese made four-wheeled vehicles that had canopies made of rough lumber covered with rawhide. These vehicles were used to shield workers bringing loads of earth to the edge of fortifications to build up attack ramps.
Piling ramps against the enemy's walls will require an additional three months.
Supposing that the general could still not slake his fury (after the time required to make the aforesaid preparations), and required his troops to swarm over the walls like ants pouring out of their ant hill, and for that reason killed off one third of his officers and common soldiers, and was yet unable to take out the fortifications of the opposition, that would be a calamity brought on by his own attack.
So those who are good at warfare:   Subjugate the other side's soldiers without fighting. Take out the other side's fortifications without making an attack. Destroy the other side's nation without a prolonged fight.
Ultimately, one must make a complete engagement with all under Heaven, so in this way one's soldiers will not lose their edge and yet benefits can be maximized. This is the method of attacking [solely] through the use of planning. The character-by-character translating of the first phrase would be: "Must use all/complete struggle/contend in heaven below." Some take this statement to mean that one must use keeping whole as one's principle while contending against the world, and some take this statement to mean that one must use an all out struggle against the world. If the only issue were keeping one's army with the least possible losses, something that Master Sun in deed advocates, there would be no need to mention the world (i.e., "all under heaven"). Taking the second alternative, "Your aim must be to take All - Under - Heaven intact." But that interpretation suggests a military campaign to conquer the world, an undertaking that would be bloody and costly under the best of conditions. The surface meaning suggests that Master Sun was talking about all out warfare. But 爭 can mean "to contend," and it is this broader sense of working out opposing interests that is relevant to Master Sun's real world situation. His country, Wu, was small, was faced by other nations that might want to conquer it, and needed to plan and operate to maintain its own security.
Master Sun has in mind the pursuit of a grand strategy. An example of such would be the strategy of containment first put forth by Ambassador George Kennan to deal with the expansive tendencies of the USSR. 
One way to understand parts of the text above would make them inconsistent with previous text. He first says that one should fight only as a last resort. Subsequently he lists priorities that favor situations with no-fight no-lose conclusions, but then it appears that he could advocate making a war all over the world as it was then known. If he does not mean to express such an aggressive and unrealistic ambition, then I believe that he has to mean that the best general will have a total battlefield awareness of "all under Heaven" and will wage his struggle entirely on the level of being so well defended and so well prepared that nothing in the world can sink a barb in to his nation. Going forward with the aim of contending for and achieving supremacy over all under heaven would, for Master Sun, be a fool's mission. 
Master Sun cannot hope to minimize losses to his nation without achieving a strategic capacity to anticipate and stymie all potential attacks. And he cannot maintain his capacity to defend his nation over the long run unless he minimizes losses to his troops. To achieve both objectives he must, on the highest plane of planning, maintain an integral web of diplomacy and intelligence over his entire world. The following discussion is on the lower, more specific, scale of inquiry: How can one best maintain one's capability for future military actions while succeeding in currently needed operations?
 

Let's discuss:

故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。 攻城之法為不得已。:   Therefore, the most ideal warfare is to attack enemy's stratagem. Next, then attack enemy's connections. Next, then attack their soldiers. The lowest level is to attack their walled city. Attacking walled city is only done when there is no other better alternative.
修櫓轒轀,具器械,三月而後成,:   Preparing paveses, mantlet wagons, siege towers and all the tools needed for attacking walled city requires three months.
距閩又三月而後已。:   Piling earth ramps against enemy's walls requires an additional three months.
將不勝其忿,而蟻附之,殺士卒三分之一,而城 不拔者,此攻之災也。:   At this juncture, if the general still has not slaked his fury, he would then direct his troops to swarm over the walls like ants pouring out of their ant hill. Consequently, the conquest would have lost at least one third of his officers and soldiers, but yet the walled city remained intact. The general would have calamity brought unto him.

故善用兵者,:   So those generals who are good at warfare:
屈人之兵而非戰也。:   Subjugate enemy's soldiers without fighting.
拔人之城而非攻也,:   Take out enemy's wall city without making an attack.
毀人之國而非久也。:   Destroy enemy's nation without a prolonged fight.
必以全爭於天下,故兵不頓而利可全,此謀攻之法也。:   Ultimately, one must use wholesomeness to conquer one's heaven and earth (world). Only so doing, one's soldiers will not lose their edge and yet maximizing benefits. This is THE method in attack by stratagems.

SunTzu suggested in this text that warfare strategies must occur at the highest form - mind warfare. Only after lack of better alternatives, lengthy preparation and given a long period of cooling-off, that physical attacks are conducted as the last resort. Even at this level, the aim is still to engage and win without actual fighting. This is the only method in attack by stratagems.

The silent text behind this was SunTzu after playing for such a long time in warfare. He felt no success in absolute battles. Whether as the victors or the losers, once they engaged in battle, they have all lost.

In business, it is not easy not to engage in warfare. No one in business would have thought that engaging in business warfare would take one's life. Hence, the liberal engagement. Little do they know once you have lost in a business warfare, you not only have to pay back what you have lost first before restarting again. This will set you back by at least 15 years. In the meantime, your spouse and children will leave you.

No many guys can take this lying down. Some took their lives by jumping off buildings and charcoal burning.

So the idea behind this text is you should never try to engage in business battles, unless you absolutely have to. It is lethal and life-threatening.

Find a way to collaborate than fight in business. It is hard. It is not easy-going. But, this is THE method in attack in stratagems in business.

If you have conducted your temple studies as in chapter 1 of SunTzu, your cunning would be way higher than your business collaborators, you should be safe from attacks. But, never employ cunning for dishonourable applies. Those around you would smell you from 10 miles away.

p.Show - The Hobbit II - The Desolation of Smaug

The last part is here:   Show - 神雕侠侣 (1983)

Just went to see The Hobbit II - The Desolation of Smaug. It was way better than Part I.

The show was enthralling to watch. However, there was not much theme, just loads of fighting. Multi-threaded.

Sometimes one shouldn't question why the things are demanded in the way it should. I must just possess blind-faith, grit my teeth and move on. There are many things I would like to question why. But, not all questions have answers.

Recently I have been gaming online. I lost many battles. So many players were much better player than I am. So many hustlers as well. It showed that in the real world, there are many many guys out there that would fake anything just to have a cheapo win over you. There is no honour in the game. To these guys, there is only one word - win at all cost (SunTzu's 孫子兵法).

But, I don't believe in that approach. Honourability is still to me key to the ultimate prize.

Monday 16 December 2013

b.孫子兵法 (謀攻篇第三) (Chapter 3 - 1) (Part 17)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (作戰篇第二) (Chapter 2 - 6) (Part 16)

謀攻篇

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔全軍為上,破軍次之﹔ 全旅為上,破旅次之﹔全卒為上,破卒次之﹔全伍為上,破伍次之。 是故百戰百勝,非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。
           故上兵伐謀,其次伐交,其次伐兵,其下攻城。攻城之法為不得已。 修櫓轒轀、具器械、三月而後成,距闉,又三月而後已。將不勝其忿 ,而蟻附之,殺士三分之一,而城不拔者,此攻之災也。故善用兵者 ,屈人之兵而非戰也。拔人之城而非攻也,破人之國而非久也,必以 全爭于天下,故兵不頓,而利可全,此謀攻之法也。
          故用兵之法,十則圍之,五則攻之,倍則分之,敵則能戰之,少則能 逃之,不若則能避之。故小敵之堅,大敵之擒也。
          夫將者,國之輔也。輔周則國必強,輔隙則國必弱。
          故君之所以患于軍者三:不知軍之不可以進而謂之進,不知軍之不可 以退而謂之退,是為縻軍﹔不知三軍之事,而同三軍之政者,則軍士 惑矣﹔不知三軍之權,而同三軍之任,則軍士疑矣。三軍既惑且疑, 則諸侯之難至矣,是謂亂軍引勝。
          故知勝有五:知可以戰與不可以戰者勝,識眾寡之用者勝,上下同欲 者勝,以虞待不虞者勝,將能而君不御者勝。此五者,知勝之道也。
          故曰:知己知彼,百戰不貽﹔不知彼而知己,一勝一負﹔不知彼不知 己,每戰必貽。

Let's continue ...

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔全軍為上,破軍次之﹔ 全旅為上,破旅次之﹔全卒為上,破卒次之﹔全伍為上,破伍次之。 是故百戰百勝,非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。

Some translation suggested: 
Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
Moran:   Master Sun said:  In all cases, the principles for the use of warfare are as follows:   Maintaining the integrity of the [target] nation is more valuable than destroying it. Maintaining [a target] army whole is more valuable than destroying it. Preserving an entire battalion is of greater importance than destroying it. Maintaining a company is of greater importance than destroying it. The standard strength of a company was 100 soldiers. Maintaining the existence of a squad is more important than destroying it. The standard strength of a squad was 5 soldiers. For the above reasons, to achieve one hundred victories in one hundred engagements is not the highest good. To not engage and yet to subjugate the other side's soldiers is the highest good.

Let's discuss:

This chapter is about planning offensives.

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,全國為上,破國次之﹔   Sun Tzu said: In all cases when employing warfare, the principle must be to capture the target nation whole than to destroy it.
全軍為上,破軍次之﹔:   Capture a target army whole than to destroy it.
全旅為上,破旅次之﹔:   Capture a target battalion whole than to destroy it.
全卒為上,破卒次之﹔:   Capture a target company whole than to destroy it.
全伍為上,破伍次之。:   Capture a target squad whole than to destroy it.
是故百戰百勝,非善之善者也﹔:   So although you managed a hundred victories in one hundred engagements, it is not the most suitable outcome.不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。:   Therefore, to not engage and yet subjugate the target army is the most suitable outcome.

This chapter deals with Attack by Stratagems. This chapter is the most quoted for SunTzu.

This idea of capturing the target army or nation whole is an idyllic notion. In business, this is not easy. When you fight in business, it is usually very bloody. This concept of trying to capture the target whole is truly enlightening.

Let's try to use this principle in corporate mergers / acquisitions. This is almost true that the dominant player will try to exert its influence on the weaker player, change its culture. This is a hard dilemma. The reason why the weaker player is acquired or merged is due to its poor business idea or culture. If its culture is destroyed in the process of take-over, very likely its employees would feel intimidated and work poorly thereafter. It would be almost like buying a bad apple, one would rather build the entity from scratch. Hence, historically, many corporate mergers / acquisitions seldom end well.

There is no quick methodology to capturing targets whole, but, if one is mindful about its potential benefits, one should rise up strong.

A business leader is strong when he is magnanimous. Never treat an enemy as an enemy but treat him as a friend. During my younger days, I treated some of the competitions as enemies, but, it was not useful. By treating them as friends, you are laying a path for him to come to you without feeling small and weak. Once that is done, you will not only win his respect but his resources at your peck-and-call. Do think about it. It is good notion.

Another thought process is if you have captured the target by force and deny him totally of his food and resources thereafter, the target would put up the bravest defence. But, if you are shown to be magnanimous and that even after capture, you will leave his assets as still under his command, but, only collect your basic food and taxes. Thus, once the target leader fronts a great invading army, I am sure the target leader would think twice about fighting but consider surrender as the notion of surrender is nothing more than paying taxes to the conqueror. In exchange for the taxes, the target would feel safe as he would not be invaded again as the target is now under the official "honourable protection" of the conqueror.

Invasion by destruction, according to SunTzu, is a weak answer to conquest.

p.Article - Kim Jong-un's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed for treason in North Korea

Kim Jong-un's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed for treason in North Korea 

A special military tribunal found the second most powerful man in the secretive state guilty of treason, North Korean state media said
PUBLISHED : Friday, 13 December, 2013, 6:27am 
UPDATED : Saturday, 14 December, 2013, 2:39am 
Staff Reporter and agencies 
Jang Song-thaek, North Korea's vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, at a meeting in Beijing last year. Photo: AP

The North’s official KCNA news agency said Jang Song-thaek had been executed after a special military tribunal found him guilty of treason, only days after he was stripped of all posts and expelled from the ruling Workers’ Party.

Conservative lawmaker Lee In-je of the ruling Saenuri Party told South Korean media on Thursday that he believed two North Korean vice premiers, Ri Mu-yong and Ro Tu-Chol, have sought refuge in China.

Other unconfirmed media reports claim one or more of Jang’s aides had defected to South Korea. The South’s spy agency says it has no knowledge of any such defections.

South Korea expressed deep concerns about a series of occurrences in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the execution of Jang Song-Thaek, uncle-in-law of DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said on Friday.

“The government is closely monitoring the series of incidents, which are happening in North Korea (DPRK), with deep concerns,” Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Eui-do said in a televised statement.

North Korean politics are virtually impenetrable from outside and the reason could also easily be a falling out between Kim and his uncle, or even with Jang’s wife.

If true, the execution caps a spectacular downfall for a man who had long been a fixture in North Korea’s leadership.

"The accused Jang brought together undesirable forces and formed a faction as the boss of a modern day factional group for a long time and thus committed such hideous crime as attempting to overthrow the state," KCNA said.

"The special military tribunal of the Ministry of State Security of the DPRK ... ruled that he would be sentenced to death according to it. The decision was immediately executed," it said, using the North’s title of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Photo of Jang's trial released by North Korean state media. 

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper also on Friday carried a photograph of Jang in handcuffs and being held by uniformed guards as he stood trial. It is not known how the sentence was carried out.

Jang was a vice chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission and a member of Workers’ Party politburo.

Married to the sister of Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, Jang had been considered the man who could help his nephew establish himself in power but at the same time presented the greatest threat to the young and untested leader.

"This is a man who could have competently executed a coup in North Korea," said Mike Madden, an expert on the North’s power structure and author of the North Korea Leadership Watch website and blog.

"He knows how the body guards work, how the security forces in Pyongyang work, how state security works - this guy had very intimate knowledge about very key nodes of control in North Korea," Madden said.

Earlier this week, North Korea stripped Jang of his power and positions, accusing him of criminal acts including mismanagement of the state financial system, womanising and alcohol abuse.

"From long ago, Jang had a dirty political ambition. He dared not raise his head when Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il were alive," KCNA said, referring to leader Kim’s grandfather and father, the previous rulers of the dynastic state.

"He began revealing his true colours, thinking that it was just the time for him to realise his wild ambition in the period of historic turn when the generation of the revolution was replaced," it said.

Regional powers have watched the purge of Jang and his associates - conducted in a rare, publicly prominent manner - for implications to regional security.

South Korea’s presidential Blue House was holding a ministerial meeting to review the developments.

The United States said it was following the developments in North Korea and consulting with allies in the region.

"If confirmed, this is another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime," said Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council.
A still image taken from North Korea's state-run KRT television footage shows Jang Song Thaek being forcibly removed from a WPK meeting in Pyongyang. 

China's state-run news agency Xinhua also reported his execution. Jang was known to have had close ties with North Korea's main trading partner. 

He accompanied Kim’s father and predecessor Kim Jong-il on three trips to China in 2010 and 2011 and is known to have led the country’s Commission for Joint Venture and Investment tasked with attracting foreign investments – mostly from China.

Last year, then Chinese President Hu Jintao praised Jang expressed his appreciation for Jang's contributions to "the development of good neighbourly relations between China and North Korea".

Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry described Jang's downfall as “an internal affair" in a statement last week.

North Korea is expected to hold the central mourning meeting on Monday to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il, the South Korean newspaper Joongang Daily reports. Kim Jong-un is expected to pay his respects at is father's and grandfather's mausoleum, the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, it said.

Meanwhile, in a move seen as reinforcing Kim Jong-un's hold on power, North Korea released an upbeat music video called "We Will Only Know You" on Friday.

My Comment:
This is a classic “飞鸟尽,良弓藏,狡兔死,走狗烹”. Of course, I have heard of brutal examples from other races, but yellowskins have one of the very best torture styles. I last heard this cute uncle had been eaten alive by dogs. Do I pity him? No. He who eats salted fish must tolerate his thirst.

Be a commoner. It is still the best to life's wonders. As a commoner, you don't have power that elites envy. So no harm will come your way. You might be suppressed. You might be disadvantaged. But, the great tengri will always give you a way out.

Walk the land mass, there are still wonders of the world that are yet explored.

If I can find a guy who can survive on only $100 per month in temperatures of -45degC, surely there is nothing we with our yellowskin resourcefulness and hard work cannot achieve.

Please don't be too quick to try to join the Joneses, there are way cheaper routes if you are patient enough. 

I have just learned another sad lesson in over-spending.

Sunday 15 December 2013

b.孫子兵法 (作戰篇第二) - 故智將務食于敵

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (作戰篇第二) (Chapter 2 - 5) (Part 15)

故智將務食于敵。食敵一鐘,當吾二十鐘﹔箕杆一石,當吾二十石。

Today, I did a good job. But, I don't know if I have done the magic 故智將務食于敵。I have made participants in my project pay up front for a share of the project and yet I didn't give any physical shares away. The money they put up is about 3-10 times greater than my total investment. In return, they would share only a small percentage of the investment returns. If the invested monies are lost, I bear no responsibilities.

I hope to achieve if I consume 1 part of the enemy's food, I would have saved 20 parts from my own resource.

b.Contract - Roughing In

The last part is here:   Contract - The Art of Bargaining

I thought I am the yellowskin smart-ass. I am dead wrong. There are indeed people who go beyond logic and reason.

This person I know brought the art of bargaining to god level. He got 20 vehicles all in working conditions for FREE, while I paid thousands of dollars for just one. He bought 8 freehold housed properties for a total of a couple of thousands of dollars just few years back, while I paid several tens of times for just one. He's now my fucking neighbour, beside me. He paid $20 per full door (new) while I paid $300 per pop and still thought I got a devil's bargain. He paid $200 for 300 pieces of lumber, while I paid $5 per piece = $1,500. WTF! I really must remove my stench from that fucken little island. My lenses are now tinted by the high prices.

So being humble is important to learn from these great artistes. He is no con-man. He's deadly friendly and sincere in his dealings.

Now, because of his help, I managed to rent rooms while I travel for $200 per room per month with full speed internet, heating, cooking and washing.

Now the white agent has been touting me to do my passion business VI - rent-to-own. She said there are millions of renters waiting for my suggestion.

With this neighbour's help, I am sure this passion business vi will fruit.

There are earth-worms and there are more earth-worms. Seek them out. All things shall be given unto thee ... (for free)