p.劣根性

The last part is here:   Red Sorghum Wine

From what I observed no matter how much education one gets, it would never change the 劣根性 of chinaman.

Why do I say so?

I noticed some students who were educated in the west; when they returned, they were amazingly eloquent and very smooth at getting to where they wanted to reach. Once they have reached those places, they became very arrogant and unfeeling towards other "lesser" beings' plights. What grow them such arrogance? God knows. Most of the early immigrants were labourers and menial workers. They all came from very humble beginnings, but, when the next generations came and stepped on their daddies' shoulders to reach new horizon, they totally forget that they were once from very humble beginnings. If not for their forebears' hard work, they wouldn't have reached what they have. Let alone, a rich meal on the plate.

This is not a plea for their change of superiority. The sight of them disgusts me totally.

But, one thing I truly enjoyed is that they like to buy very expensive dwellings to show their purchasing power. They all went into millions. Beautiful. They have to por lumpar all the way. The moment they stopped. Their income stopped. They would be dead. What a beautiful methodology. They all lived under constant stress and worry that they might be discovered as fake supporters of the white fucken regime, i.e., they must never be discovered as fakeys. LOL. So they would cry on national TV like our dear leader North Koreans. Even if they die their own father, die their own mother also not as sad as their dear leader illy dies.

Their commitment to the banks is so heavy that they have no choice but to fail.

Recessions or financial crises will come every 5 or 10 or 15 or 20 or 25 or 30 years. Each cycle more severe than the next. I love it deep deep because most of their loan periods are in the 30 years. If the 5-year cycle don't fuck you, the 10-year would. If the 10-year cycle don't fuck you, the 15-year would. If the 15-year cycle don't fuck you, the 20-year would. If the 20-year cycle don't fuck you, the 25-year would. If the 25-year cycle don't fuck you, the 30-year would. I am merely watching an extended serials.

Another thing I noticed - Anger. Some of them were so angry that I am not interested in joining their meals. They couldn't show off to me that they have arrived to places that were way better than mine. I was sad. I was just a mouse. I was a no-body. There was no need to compare. Yet, there were no true friendship. I am not a Jones. 劣根性?

My time to return is nigh. I would be burning away some of my candle to warm one or few people. I know I am just a poor fucker. But, I still have 40 years to go. If I finally managed to start this year, I just hope that I am not so late. I would never live my life in vain.

b.xox - Considering The Hotel

The last part is here:   xox - Considering Oil-Palm Farming

I have the good fortune of talking to a 8-hotel owner in white land. He has given me many hours of joy. I am indebted.

Owning a hotel is a sexy idea. So is owning a police station. I am actually tempted to buy a former police station just to show off. Well ... another cute story for another time.

Let's begin the analysis (I am against it, it is too high a capital as well it wouldn't last - Hilton was sold and many others):

• Large capital outlay - Comparing to other property types, each hotel room is expensive to build and own. I am actually sucker for land size. So, a hotel is densely geared, i.e., it has a dense plot ratio compared to other property type. I don't like this because it leaves no quarters to move, i.e., it has already reached its maximum plot ratio usage. The land use is maximum and further improvement is limited. There is no more leeway.
• High manpower needs - Over time, the staff needed to run the hotel is so expensive that a slight mistake would cost the hotel a fortune.
• High plot density - As discussed already with high capital cost. Never invest in maximum cost item. It would clearly return a negative when the economy dives.
• Ultra high land cost - If there is no traffic, no hotel would be built. If there is, then the land cost kills.
• Expensive complimentary services - Some complimentary services are needed to compete for guests. They involve good restaurants, shopping malls, banks and limousine service. In some part, gal services such as pubs and clubs are a must-have. 

In conclusion, of course you may conclude otherwise, it doesn't matter, I just wish you good luck, I am still a sucker for land as first priority, followed by low plot ratio property, followed by property with an attached business. It proved that I am weary of businesses that involved too many manpower needs. I don't trust human in general. They proved problematic when the business improves. They are okay if the business is bad but who likes the business to be continuously bad? Crazy.

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.Show - Jobs (乔布斯)

The last part is here:   Shows - Mongol (蒙古王) and 止杀令 

The show is here:   Jobs (乔布斯)

This is one of the most important shows that you must watch.

Let's not concentrate on his negativity. To be great, he needs to be an asshole. Doing business is a battle that will consume your entire life. If not careful, even if your enemies didn't consume you yet, it might then consume you with the death sentence - cancer. Therefore, never go into battle unless you are absolutely clear about what you want to achieve. Do your temple studies.

I am not saying you must be a bastard when doing business. What I am driving at is You must never look down on what ugliness can be brought against you when you are down and out. There is simply no charity show.

What Steve Jobs has done is absolutely correct. He must be. He made his company the most valuable company in the world in 2011-2012. He never fight the market, he fought only himself. He would not bring to this world any sub-standard products. He only wants the very best (sometimes, he even steal the best for you). That is the most important aspect of business - quality and of course, quality includes creativity. Lot of businesses failed because they are trying to be the same as the others, but try to be cheaper and quicker at it. Herein lies the paradox - how can something be good and yet can be constructed at a lower cost than the existing products? You are assuming the rest of the playing field are dumb. I am afraid that can hardly happen. You must assume your competition to be smart, if not smarter than you, only then will you find the best way. The mantra about Cheaper, Bet­ter, Faster obviously speaks ill of the originator. He was quite dumb and clueless about business.

I noticed a deep link between Steve Jobs and Genghis Khan. Both were enslaved by their companies. Both were very ambitious. Both achieved super greatness within a very short time. Both died at the same young age. Both legacies didn't last. I should not discuss further on this point. I leave it as an exercise for the young minds to practise. The question is: Why didn't the legacies last?

It was the mantra of quality that I have been practising for the last umpteen years. I can tell you with no uncertainty. It works 100% of the time. With quality, price will come later.

Steve Jobs has burnt his life force to bring us the goodies. But, I don't wish to die at age 64. I do believe there is however a better way. (._.)

Let's enjoy the show ...

b.The Hope in Stupidity

I have always wanted to write this post for the longest of time.

Now is a good time.

I have asked a colleague to source for a suitable vendor.

She began sourcing. As usual she hit road blocks all the way. Some of the quotations she got was so ridiculous, we seriously either doubt her communications skills in handling the task at hand or the vendors were too fat and complacent that they don't need any more new business. She showed no sign of despair and gave a very dry smile whenever we question her about the progress of the ongoing task during board meetings.

Three months later, she found 2 really suitable vendors of reasonable costings and the process was smooth henceforth.

Deep down I knew that she was sad and unhappy with herself. She didn't seem to blame us for giving her no morale support. This I must apologise for our insensitivity. We should have been a lot more supportive of her hard work and industry.

This is truly a very fine example of stupidity won us all. Indeed we have disrespected her. Her wit in fact is beyond the normal range.

In another instance, I have asked another colleague to source for property for purchase.

She found property after property ceaselessly for 3 solid months too. Some of the properties she listed were so interesting that even I have to reach my deepest pockets to get the cash so that I don't miss out on the opportunities.

During her search, she was ridiculed to the maximum by people around her as unrealistic and impossible. She has nothing but a pure grit of her teeth. Not an easy thing to do. Finally, even estate agents took their hats off to her when she mentioned the deals she has put together. It only showed her extreme dedication to the task at hand. Although she has zero training in real estate sourcing, she has unusual zeal in pursuing her task.

This is another super nice example of stupidity won us all. 

Conclusion

There is no such thing as a newbie to the task. As long as one is willing to learn and humble to his/her assigned task, with perseverance, there is no task too difficult to fulfill. There is always hope for stupidity. In fact, the final laugh belongs to the humble and hard worker. 若非一番寒澈骨 那得梅花撲鼻香

p.UBAH - The Change

Went to Sarawak there and back.

Bought this tee and wore it through the streets and customs. Then, read the news that a guy was caught wearing such a tee while driving a car registered for that little island. He was released only after he was established as a not-that-little-island-dweller. If he were to be that-little-island-dweller, he would be jailed for interfering with domestic politics of another land. Membership with that-little-island is indeed a curse.

Luckily, I was not caught.

I will now wear this tee during sleep and in white land.

A guy from another land once told me that he will always be voting for the opposition. I questioned him why?

He said power always corrupts. After a few years in power, one would be tempted to corrupt to his very core. It is therefore good to UBAH (change) all the time so as to minimise pain to the ordinary folks. He and his family were wise beyond their years.

Change is indeed the only permanent ingredient to success in business.

My partner and I have instituted change permanently in our product life-cycle. Every time we reproduce a new order of the same product range. We always incorporate some improvements and changes into the products. Interestingly, our customers love the new products so much that, they overhaul their entire wardrobe to accommodate our newly "improved" products.

Effectively, our products have taken on the new mode of sale - subscription. So instead of trying out other competitive products, our customers look eagerly forward to our new revamped products for their fixes.

The  incorporated change is minimal, but it works fine with our customers. Our customers are willing to "invest" in our latest range even though they are not too much different from our older range. They use our products for trade. We have finally become willing partners to the trade. Our products have integrated with our customers in one seamless weapon-of-choice.

Our sales has again improved further this year. With additional play budget, we now will invest more towards magazine advertising and other feel-good-gadgets.

Some wrong samples in time:

iPhone 5 (USA) has no more improvements after Steve Job has moved on. Apple stopped to become the largest company on earth.

Nokia (Finland) has fallen from the top dog position after failing to play less golf and have more product improvement meetings.

Sony (Japan) is becoming more and more dull with no more new product launches.

Some good samples in time:

Samsung (SKorea) is very strong now with new product launches every other month. but, they have to be careful, their newer product lines such as camera-on-the-go are getting off-the-beaten-track.

Asus (Taiwan) has beaten Msi (Taiwan) in the notebook business. They are becoming interestingly strong. Very sexy.