b.Size of Houses

The last part is here:   Exploration - Town Planning

I just visited Malacca Jonker Walk. Inside there, there were many Peranakan houses. The houses were very long. Usually each house has at least 2 air wells. Two houses were linked back to back with a toilet separating them. I truly wondered how they can clear their shit during shit clearance. My estimate is that they are about 130 ft long and 25 ft wide. Their staircases are unique and rather decorative. At the top of the stairs, it was normally sealed by closing a hatch. In a few occasions, these houses are combined into 50 ft wide or even 100 ft wide.

I have a theory.

Each lot in the white land is usually 50 ft x 140 ft. It usually has a single dwelling house, built-up is usually 1,600 sf (one or two storey). Some have 2 lots side-by-side, i.e., 100 ft x 140 ft. So I guess the fucken definition of 15,000 sf as a good class bungalow is referring to these double lots.

When these single lots are divided into 2 x 25 ft x 140 ft. This becomes rather tiny. So they built them into linked houses. Peranakan houses fell into this class of dwelling.

It is extremely uncomfortable if the dwelling house is made up of 2 storeys. So it should be considered that a proper dwelling house must not have stairs.

When the double lots expand further into 200 ft x 140 ft. It is about slightly more than 1/2 acre in land size. I would consider this house as ordinary. A properly sized single-storey dwelling house can then be built.

I, on the other hand, am interesting in building - 四合院. I would like to emulate the great court of Trinity College, Cambridge.

The Great Court Run 
Great Court, with (from left to right) the dining hall, Master's Lodge, fountain, clock tower, chapel and Great Gate The Great Court Run is an attempt to run round the 400-yard perimeter of Great Court (approximately 367 m), in the 43 seconds of the clock striking twelve. Students traditionally attempt to complete the circuit on the day of the Matriculation Dinner. It is a rather difficult challenge: one needs to be a fine sprinter to achieve it, but it is by no means necessary to be of Olympic standard, despite assertions made in the press. 

It is widely believed that Sebastian Coe successfully completed the run when he beat Steve Cram in a charity race in October 1988. Sebastian Coe's time on 29 October 1988 was reported by Norris McWhirter to have been 45.52 seconds, but it was actually 46.0 seconds (confirmed by the video tape), while Cram's was 46.3 seconds. The clock on that day took 44.4 seconds (i.e. a "long" time, probably two days after the last winding) and the video film confirms that Coe was some 12 metres short of his finish line when the fateful final stroke occurred. The television commentators were more than a little disingenuous in suggesting that the dying sounds of the bell could be included in the striking time, thereby allowing Coe's run to be claimed as successful. 

One reason Olympic runners Cram and Coe found the challenge so tough is that they started at the middle of one side of the Court, thereby having to negotiate four right-angle turns. In the days when students started at the corner, only three turns were needed. 

Until the mid-1990s, the run was traditionally attempted by first-year students, at midnight following their Matriculation Dinner. Following a number of accidents to drunk undergraduates running on slippery cobbles, the college now organises a more formal Great Court Run, at 12 noon on the day of Matriculation Dinner: the challenge is only open to freshers, many of whom compete in fancy dress.

The lawn is about 2 acres in size. Very manageable.

A nice 四合院 has always been my dream.

b.Return on Capital

The last part is here:   Return From Powerful Retreat

During my most recent sabbatical, I have learned one very important point:   Return on Capital is vulgar only if there are restrictions to the game. Otherwise, it is very normally grim.

Some of the investments I have gotten has a return of 5-8 years. To achieve such a great return requires lots of finesse. I must say it was a cooperative effort that came out very fine. The return on capital was stable and non-volatile. The sums involved were also not very large, mostly manageable bite-sizes, which is great for piece-meal engagement.

Even the coming restaurant share investment is also rather bite-size. So it would have made my original premise of not borrowing from the bank possible.

Now is summer time, the land deals in white land is stiff. Summer time is a time where deals are struck as they were able to see and feel their purchases. Speaking from experience, I always without fail would fall in love with the properties I visit. I used to scold Chrysanthemum about her falling in love with the properties she visited. Truly I was no better. So I would give it a short break. Come winter, the deals would have sweetened themselves. Why? In winter, people are less like to travel. If the sellers are desperate for cash, the deals would be better. Now in the shopping malls, more stores are closed and not replaced. Frequently, these voids were not filled till a year later. It is very painful for the whites. Recently they reopened the flooding gates for more immigrants, hoping to reduce their pain.

As the word implies, I am currently torn between investing more cash into businesses or fixed assets. A fine balance is needed. With the recessionary pressures at their greatest, fixed assets are burning and great deals are everywhere. I am simply spoilt for choice. But, business investments must still have to be ongoing, else these businesses will take forever to fruit.

I am holding 50-50 view over the two investment choices.

People management

This remains extremely tricky to me. Most of the people I engaged were cunning and useless. But, therein lie a few gems. These gems interestingly did yield an overall benefit. Just one gem would have make up for the lost time and money invested in 10 other useless assholes. So it is quite profitable. Just be wary of unusual leeches. They come in all shapes and sizes.

g.Emotionally Tested Full Throttle

The last part is here:   Land - Another Worked Example

Tiramisu Queen just told me every one of her ex-boyfriends from year 0 and how she rejected each of every one of them. I wondered what was the intent?

Maybe it was based purely on friendship or was there something more sinister?

Emotionally I am fully drained. I am not interested in a new relationship. In the past, I was hurt too many times. Maybe it was fully my fault, maybe not or shared half-half. I don't really wish to recall.

Too many have left me due to factors that are not emotional. Of course, I was saddened by this, but what to do? Life still need to live. I still need to work and eat.

To sweeten the deal, Tiramisu Queen has promised me a small share in her new huge restaurant in white land that she bought cash. In that fuckened little island, another also proposed giving a half-share of an apartment. In yet another instance in a bigger island, she suggested that she will nurse and feed me for life. So many indecent proposals, I really wonder if any one of these cases can be more emotionally driven as compared to the dollar sign? In short, I also got feelings wan, you know!

As an old fucken, I guess I am no longer young. I can't choose as well as before. But, when I was younger, I did have huge freedom of choice. In the end, I am still a poor fucken and fully fuckened by gals around me.

As a starter, Tiramisu Queen suggested that I throw away all my current sweet young things before engaging her. This was not the first time she tested me. I swallowed hard. She is clever, wor. She claimed that sweet young things are heartless persons and none of these sweet young things will grow old with me, wan. She asked me not to be so silly. As I am no longer young, what I need now is a powerful sugar mummy. Well said. No mincing of words. She has 6 houses, 3 apartments, 1 bungalow and a chained stores.

I guess I need to sleep and fight another day. This world is so well placed with honey-traps. My reputation as an independent businessman is now fully at stake.

a.The Generations Game - A Worked Example

The last part is here:   Capital - How did It All Begin

The news is here:   Penang Monthly - Migrate for What

A short excerpt:

... For migrants who came to Australia back in the 1960s, the 1970s or even the 1980s, their decision to migrate would have benefitted them much more than if they were to do it today. Back in those days, Malaysia was still not adequately developed, modernised and industrialised. Foreign direct investments, education and infrastructure were definitely a far cry from today’s standards. Particularly for the average Malaysian professional, his or her work would have been much more richly rewarded in Australia than back home.

If a Sudanese or Afghan were to migrate to Australia today, then I can say with almost absolute certainty that their lives will be better off. But today’s Malaysians had better think twice. Jobs are moving in big numbers from Australia to Asia; Australian educational institutions are failing many of their own students, with many schools (even public ones) turning to attracting more students from China, Korea and other Asian countries for financial reasons; drug-related crimes and schoolyard bullying are becoming more rampant; and the total cost of income support (i.e. welfare) payment has now (as of 2014) topped A$70bil a year. 

These trends and developments are here to stay, and the shift of fortune from the West to the East is an irreversible one. Investor Jim Rogers frequently remarked that if you were smart in 1807, you would go to London, if you were smart in 1907, you would go to New York, but if you were smart in 2007, you would go to Asia. (In 2007, Rogers moved his entire family to Singapore.) 

So I wonder, why on earth are we still leaving Malaysia? What are we actually running away from? While most of us think that we are running away from some potential or real political threat, the actual fact might well be that we are running away from some real lifetime opportunities! With market saturation and an ageing population in the EU, US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China, the Asean region, with its population size, relatively young median age and richness in natural resources, is poised to grow like never before. ...

Interesting read. These people are still trying to time the market.

There is no such thing as timing the market. One would get lucky once a while. Just like in the casino, one can ride a 25-times BIG roll of dice. But, the curtains would fall one day, the dice would go the other way. Every great city would meet its demise, so would one empire.

If one must time the market, then if one judges that there is no hope in a turn-around. Just pack the bags and move. Which is true in the case of that fuckened little island. No resource, no future, no intelligence and still dare to suck my cock. Disgusting.

10 years is too short an example to a generations game. Even 20 years, my acquaintance is planning to return to her ex-home country. I am not helping her to stay even if I am just new to the game. Why? Too frequently mere acquaintances take dim looks of new immigrants. They felt that the new migrants must feed the older migrants or the older migrants feeding the locals, otherwise, the locals would have voted the government-of-the-day out. I am into packed hunting. Not only in business, also in gals. Co-operation is a powerful tool to deploy.

Let's take a look at Australia's opportunities (I am a blur-fuck in Australia's opportunities, but I am willing to try understanding her from the outside):

• Cities - Her cities are not as crowded as the Asian's, hence, they stand a great chance to win if one is early. That fuckened little island did talk about famous katong laksa. Overnight 4 stores competed in the exact same location for the customers. Today only one left. Dense cities are not for the faint-hearted. Try your hands in Chinese cities, one would be eaten whole without much of a second glaze from the predator's neighbours.
• Glass Ceilings - Of cos there are glass ceilings. Tell me frankly, how many non-Chinese dine in Chinese restaurants here and overseas. Zero! How many Japanese or Koreans can one spot in a Chinese restaurants? Please. How many non-Chinese staff can one see in a Chinese restaurant's kitchen? The conclusion: Every business are owned and operated by their kinship, make no mistake. Even in my work, I employed no non-Chinese even though all my work involved the whites and white agents.
• Property Investments - White properties are way cheaper but appreciate much slower. First, one must start with a house home. After that, investment houses for passive returns. After that, lands for long term potential. Malaysian properties are super nice. I can't finish enjoying each of them. But, so are the white properties.
• Businesses - Not easy to start but once started, it is easy to sustain. 30 years is a good investment.
• Employments - Nothing wrong with that. But one needs to start young. If reach the white shores at 40-50yo, then be prepared to reinvest the money that one's gotten or ill-gotten from ex-home country to plant the first seeds.
• Back Doors - I always keep a back door for myself. I am still fully invested in the ex-home country and her neighbours. I am still doing passive incomes from each and every asset in my command. Over time, these assets might deteriorate due to lack of care. Minding them occasionally will bring them up once more.
• Generations Games - Bring forth the next generations to fulfill key business positions in the own business structure. Let them fail and guard them to better success than the parents.
• Intellectually Dumb - There is a need to be intellectually dumb. Never question why but just do the jobs. In the Malaysians' case, they allowed their anger for lack of opportunities in their ex-home country to cloud their visions. They like to do total in and total out. Yes. Total in and total out are grand moves. These are showy steps. Admired by all. But, yield very little results. The mantra is Things Take Time.
• Education - Educating kids are not the job of the school but that of the parents. There is no such thing as good school but good parenting.

It is easier said than done. But, that's what generations game is all about. Very slow. Very unfortunate. Very disgustingly degrading. But, one will find the footing soon enough. Evreywhere I see, as long as you are 30yo immigrants, you are alright. So be brave and stick to the original game plan. It is not that hard. Be early and smell the rose.

I do understand why muds left mudland due to the madhatter. Now that with ahJip kor in charge, things are super rosy. People are now tempted to return. Nothing wrong, just be invested in both countries lor. Better, globally. One can never tell when is the next mass exodus.

Yes. I finally got it. There is indeed a timing issue in the generations game, i.e., be early. Wow ... what a revelation. But, 30 years can recover this mistake, i.e., once you reach 30 years in migration, you are classified as early. Nice.

Always remember that fuckened mafia boss was a Baba-Nyonya. So don't play with him on that little island, now that he is strong. Wait for him to go, then replay the generations game again lor. One has all the time in the world lah. Do battle using extended families mah.

p.The Nice Path Ahead (Next Part)

The last Part is here:   The Nice Path Ahead

The acquaintance mentioned before this essay gave me a food treat. I rejected. She suggested that if I ever needed anything, please feel free to ask and it shall be complied. I smiled.

In the past, I have spent hundreds if not a couple of thousands on her to please her. In exchange, I asked for occasional favours. But none of these favours asked were returned. Every one of these favours was non-monetary in nature. Sad. She made a final attempt on me and said she would be leaving for her ex-home country for good. She has burnt 20 years of her stay in white land, achieving nothing. I am sorry that I couldn't help her. She is beyond help. I can't teach her how to suck eggs. Her path is hers alone to choose. I don't wish to help.

The time has come for me to say goodbye to this unwanted relationship. She talked for hours on end. Her companion even claimed that the relationship could go on if I choose to. I just smiled with no facial expression. I am indeed a poor actor or was it that I am just plain lazy.

Another acquaintance just popped up to meet me at 500 km from his place. He will bring along resources to help me to manage my work. No question asked about compensation. No hint of extracting favour from me. This is called a true friend. Not because I received unasked favours but a friend don't question return but just do them. There is still hope in mankind.

Tiramisu Queen as usually gave me a dangerous look. She claimed if she had met me earlier in her life. Her life would be so different. I smiled. My intensive pheromone perfume worked. I was expected to say something but I resisted. Chrysanthemum gave me one tight slap on my face and said I should not be ambivalent about relationships. Women are like cats, they clawed their ways around.

Noticing that I was quiet thereafter, Tiramisu Queen offered me to buy a small share in her newly setup lucrative restaurant.

I guess if I can please a gal enough, she will feed me food.

I felt so blessed.

p.The Nice Path Ahead

The last part is here:   p.Show - 衣锦还乡

I am loving every moment of this.

A get-together with an acquaintance yielded that he was very angry. He had spent 20 years of his life in white land. He is now just an odd-job labourer with some small licensing ticket in white land. Of cos, he has a small house to boot. He has achieved this house purchase through his hard work in his previous home country. He told me that during his more tender years, he did not listen to his seniors before him. They have suggested to him businesses that might have worked for him in white land. He did not listen to them. He claimed he was stubborn. He explained to me that all my current projects are too big and too wide-spread. He don't believe I will ever succeed. His tone was bitter.

I smiled.

He told me nothing. Being my senior, he taught me nothing. I never did expect anything for free. But, since he taught me nothing and has no cash, I can't be serious with him.

But of course, during his earlier encounters with me, he has hoped to find some common projects to play with me.

But he played me out time and time again over small test matters. I don't trust anyone who failed my little tests. I have no spare cash to lose. Hence, the little tests. I am cunning and extremely careful about who I want to go to bed with. I then blocked all entrances to my projects. I gave him no hope.

He is now very, very angry. Angry that he made no head ways in white land. He is now angry that he has spent 20 years of his youth in white land achieved nothing. Not even one extra house in his name. The current house that he stayed was purchased with funds from the sale of his own house back in his ex-home country. He is still under heavy mortgage. His entire 20 years did not yield a single additional house. In fact, he harbours the thoughts of returning to his own ex-home country for good.

He has no true friends. In fact, he has none that I know of. Why? One asked. It is simply because he was never a true friend to boot. He don't help others from his own heart and he expects others to help and pay for him. Such leecher can't hope to have true friends to die for him.

He is now extremely angry. I did not offer any projects for him to play as I don't trust him at all. I told him that all my projects are deadly expensive and takes forever to reach fruition. Yes. He then answered his own question by saying he and I don't have many more 10-years to game.

Yes. I did misinform him on the progress of my projects. Yes. I did not give hope.

My Comments:

In all battle planning, one needs to address the negativity raised: The long gestation of my projects and the thin-spread of my investment capital.

Contrary to common misconception, I did have a very strong business type that I draw my strength. This business type currently carries the full load of my income. Right now, due to my slightly lack of attention, it has weakened slightly. I have to refocus on it to get it up again. My discussion with my business partner yielded that this business type did have a limit and we have to address it. It was based on this limit that I need to diversify to more business types. But, each business type investment need at least 10 years to fruit.

The ultimate game as we all know is land and lesser extent, properties. Every business type is meant to achieve land ownership. It is with land ownership that one can be confident with one's future. In fact, I have achieved far more unencumbered land mass than most now.

The thin-spreading of the investment capital is intentional. Since I am able to poke my finger in every pie, why not? This thin-spread will allow me to have very low exposure to any one investment type. Hopefully I won't cause jealousy in any one I encounter. 

I still want my peace.

I am water. I flow into every crevices of the mother nature. I may not be able to enjoy the full fruit during my physical life, but I am sure those that take over me will finally find peace and serenity.

I may be wrong in spreading the capital too thinly. But, I am truly enjoying myself. So I am kind of stuck in thinking otherwise. Let time be my ultimate guide. I never had so much now than before. Before I was battling with uncertainty. Now, every asset is acquired with pure cash, I sleep well every night. Yes. There would be storms ahead of me. Yes. There would be uncertainties. But, with my unyielding hardworking hands, I believe I can brave all fears.

When the last leaf falls ...

b.Land - Another Worked Example

The last part is here:   Bank Lelong (Auction)

I had a very interesting conversation with Tiramisus Queen today. As mentioned before, she came to white land for a good 30 years. She now owns a nice little chain of stores and lives in a huge bungalow. She just bought 4 houses priced around $400k each last year, with down payments ranging from 20% to 35%. Her instalments are less than $1k monthly each but rented at $2.5k or more, giving her a net cashflow position of $1-$1.5k each each month all the time. Now she is intending to let go if needed at $500k or more to the right buyers. She already had the buyers. She said that with these positive cashflows, she can steam-roll for more.

A recent discussion with a blood relation yielded that she might go on doubling up, which will increase the risk much more. 

The return-on-investment (income over capital)  is $2.5k x 12 / $400k = 7.5% or 13.3 years to recover the full capital. Hehehe ... even my worst performing properties took only 8 years or less or 12.5% or more. The only difference I don't gear, hence, I have less flexibility in property types. Because I am so cheapo, my investments normally double in less than a year.

She was sad that at my age, I am still working on my primary businesses. Each of my businesses are uncertain and takes at least 10 years or more to fruit. It is too slow. She suggested instead why don't I be like her and join her to invest in properties in white land. She said it is easy and she trusts me. I smiled.

I am very happy for her.

Hehehe ... She didn't realise that for the better of 30 years she had slogged hard and quiet. She cried every single phone call she made to China. Now I felt that she needed to show to the world that she has indeed arrived. Well ... she did arrive. I am very happy for her.

My Comments (This is not meant to degrade her investment returns, but rather to debate the other side of the same coin):

• Gearing:   This is one very important lesson. In a booming market, all is well. But, once it fails, say 1986, 1997 or 2008, all must die. The rental will disappear. The fire sale by bank is 20% of its original value. Why I know, you asked? Well ... I was at the receiving end in a not-too-long-ago past.
• Margin:   Every time one trades, there are commissions and legal fees payable. That's why although I did made quite a killing in the stock-and-shares booming market, I lost much more on the way down (The house (brokerage) always wins).
• Buying New:   Almost all honkies, fuckies, mudlanders or chinamen love to buy new properties. The margin of error is very low indeed as compared to buying oldies. Only buying oldies can give a capital-return of 5 years or less.
• Bank Loan:   Banks are never our friend. They are vicious. As long as there are economic growth, notice they make record profits. How can a bank always make record profits from loans alone. These record profits must come from the loan repayments. Who? Us !!! How can we give record profits to the banks? If we give record profits to the banks, we must not be making record profits ourselves. It just can't. Some may argue unless we make record profits ourselves, else we can't give record profits to the banks. True. If we too make record profits, it must therefore comes from the tenants. If the tenants give us record profits, then they must not be making record profits themselves. What if the tenants make record profits too in order to give us, the landlords, record profits. It must then come from consumers. Somewhere somehow would not be making record profits in order that the others may make record profits. This is definitely not sustainable. Sad.
• Boom-and-bang:   Every boom must end with a bang and vice-versa.

Every investment strategy has its pros and cons. I, for one, am willing to fore-go super growth in portfolio with super safety in my porfolio. Very slow and steady as like a tortoise. A hare race is too much for my blood pressure and sleepless nights.

How about deploying a middle-of-the-road strategy? By gearing at 50% (i.e., loan from bank at 50% loan quantum)? No way, the recession bites normally at below 50%, the banks would force-sale at 20% of the original value. There is no escape. Better don't try.

p.Kiyosaki's little Cashflow Game

The last part is here:   Many a Big Project

Let me do some advertisment today. There is no intention to promote or dismiss him. This is only my opinion of what's good for a guy.

I have tested the android Cashflow Game by Kiyosaki.

He was made famous and very rich by his book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". If you want to read more, just google him.

In the game, the goal is to make financial freedom by making the passive income exceeds expenses. For a lowly-paid guy ($3,000-$5,000), it usually takes about 70 turns to be financially free (i.e., 1.5 years). For a higher-paid guy ($8,000-$10,000), it usually takes about 100 turns to be financially free (i.e., 2 years), which is nonsensical. No one can achieve financial freedom in 2 years. Fuck! Also, a highly-paid guy will find financial freedom way faster. His expenses may have been higher but he is way more capable and have great lifestyle.

Here are my observations:

•  Final Cash Position:   At the end, it doesn't matter how much, a guy has in his bank account, as long as his passive income exceeds his expenses, he stops. With a strong final cash position, one can easily buy any cashflow assets.
• Stocks and Shares:   I didn't bother about investing in stocks and shares. I think they are bullshit.
• ROI:   The ROI calculation was too simple. It simply calculated the return-on-investment, simply by dividing the income with initial investment. It was not a good indicator/assessor of good returns. If one pays, 5% down. The ROI would be greater than a 10% down.
• Risk:   This was one of the worst areas. The game only allows 5-10% down payments. The rest are bank-loans. This is very dangerous. If the asset goes more than 5-10% down, the bank is going to recall the loan as the asset is not giving a good cover to their outstanding loans. In financial downturns, one would lose the rental income too. If these properties are on loan, one would be 冚家鏟!

Overall, the game was too simplistic. But, maybe this was intended as a game for newcomers new to the investment game and the broad idea behind passive incomes. If that was the intent, then the game did serve its function.

My Comments:

• Cash Purchases:   I am still a fan of cash purchases. I simply hate leveraging. I knew many people leveraged and won big time. But, I am also knew of many more, myself included, to have lost big time. Call me a chicken, call me once-bitten, twice-shy. I am not playing the leveraging game ever. Even credit cards are shunt, because it will eat greatly into the cashflow. If no ready cash, just spend less.
• Property Game:   It is a very long term game. It will stretch 20-40 years, if on bank loan. During this period, there would be multiple financial calamities that one has to face. Please don't tell me that you are too smart and are smart enough to avoid them. One may be able to avoid one, but multiple, I sincerely doubt.
• Stocks-and-Shares:   Please stay far far away.
• Intellectual Businesses:   Very hard to start and very hard to sustain, although it is very cheap to begin in one. In fact, Kiyo suggested working for big companies and grow the passive income from the active income earned. Business-building is for the extremely brave.

b.Many a Big Project

The last part is here:   Longevity Businesses

I have been questioned by a blood relation:   Have I spread myself too thin involving in so many huge projects?

The answer is NO. I have too much unspent energy. So much so that not every project occupies my entire time. During the gaps, I have to fill it with something. The best part is that the projects I needed them to move quickly frequently ended up the slowest and don't really eat up too much of my time. For those unexpected progresses, they usually yield very pleasant results. For the unexpected delays, because I don't borrow, they normally ended up okay by a mile. Some things are best handled in slower time cycles.

Take for example:   I took a long road trip up to the Siam border. The key performance indicator is I should take notes on the swiftlets' paths. Along the way, I reviewed both housed properties and vacant lands. Based on common assessment, running a birdhouse is more challenging than buying a human house. I need to source for proper birdhouse plans before I can build and hope like hell I can harvest. Since this birdhouse project needs further discussion on expertise requirement. I have no choice but to hold it back till I can get a better visibility.  Luckily I do review houses along the way. The purchase of human houses now taken a forefront. This showed how fun it is to have multiple concurrent projects. Just when I thought human houses are boring, they jumped started my fun. Now these houses can be purchased and minimally fixed and immediately rentable. Why? You asked. Well, my earlier house purchase was finally fixed after one solid year. Immediately I had neighbours plying my door everyday asking me to release the rental unit to them. They don't mind negotiating on the rental once I am okay to rent. My investment has started returning immediately. What a fun way of employing cash. In very short years, my capital would have returned completely, with free freehold properties in my name.

Cashflow Android Game:   I just replayed the Kiyo's little game. His premise is that one should invest in cashflow property game as soon as possible. In normal times, this is a perfect game plan. But, one has forgotten that every 10-20 years, there would be a tsunami playing one's ass. Since this game plan takes at least 20 years to realise, one's ass would have been torn to bits. So it is not easy to win in this cashflow in a simpleton manner. I played the game by trying to buy properties cash. Kiyo punished me for being conservative and slow to react. Next I buy only properties that have at least 50% returns. Again Kiyo punished me by giving very slow cycle returns. If by simply playing kiyo's cashflow game, one gets ahead, then truly there would be no more poor bastards.

p.Return from a Powerful Retreat

The last part is here:   Longevity as Religion

A good Taiwanese show:   世界第一麥方

I cried while watching this show. The Taiwanese got it right. If one is stupid, one can only stupid stupid follow the way laid down by the teacher. By going along the narrow straight path, only then one day, one will see the true way. I have always been stupid.

I have gone for a 3-month retreat. I have fully rejuvenated and now I am ready to go at it again.

Many things and concepts have changed over the 3 months. I am humbled by the experience.

One most important concept I have learnt is the FLOW. If that fucken little island has no more opportunities, you can beat yourself to death, you will still not have new opportunities.

Therefore, build that bridge urgently. That's why there are so much emigration going on. Humans are not stupid.

Just today, a very old man talked to every air hostess on the flight making smart lewd remarks. He lived in white land for 35 years and he was smirk about his happiness. These air hostesses shunted him like a flea dog. Obviously he has made it well in white land by being early in the generations game. But, to what ends, by irritating every air hostess for free drink is not the way. I guessed he showed no sexual powers, hence, the gals are not keen to fuck him. One has to show sexual powers if one wants to date the young things. Smart lip service won't help.

On an important note:

I want to thank Chrysanthemum for her unwavering trust in me. In reality, I was rewarded with unbound freedom. This freedom opened my eyes to a world of opportunities.

She showed me a piece of 200-acres freehold land in Borneo that is selling for RM$1.5m that foreigner can buy. I am happy for her.

g.Searching for a mate

The last part is here:   衣锦还乡

These few days brought the rarest snow to this white land. It has been snowing non-stopped. To snow at this time is like 六月飞霜. Something bad is going to happen to me.

True enough. My friend just spoken to me and professed that she lobe me deep deep. I swallowed hard. Not again. She said that she intends to settle down in white land permanently. She said in exchange for that, she will cook and care for me. I smiled. Why does this sounded so familiar, almost an worn record repeats itself every few years.

Two things can happen:

• She keeps me as her pet.   This, my dear, cannot really happen. She is not rich enough to keep me. I am rather high maintenance and have strange habits such as going to funny places for holidays.    
  
• I keep her as a pet.   This I presume shall start as trivially as having a good afternoon restaurant lunch and she will just ask me to pay as she has forgotten to bring her purse. 

When I was conducting this convo, Chrysanthemum was lying carelessly beside me and listening intendly to every minute detail of the convo. Gals are like cats, so very curious about possible competition.

Immediately after the convo, Chrysanthemum pounded on me asking for my decision. I just lied that I am going ahead with the plan to "help" a friend.

Chrysanthemum turned in her most glittering inverted doe-eyed look and exclaimed that, "Dear, you can't do that! This is very dangerous." I asked, "Why?"

She replied, "What happen shortly after she settled in, she would ask you to fetch her a towel, while keeping the bathroom door ajar." Such imagination.

I said I wouldn't be interested. Chrysanthemum was adament that no guys can resist free stuff. But, I told her I am not that guy. I prized my sperms.

Throughout the settlement convo, Chrysanthemum showed a rare sadness enveloping her entirely. That's when I decided to give her a little comfort. I told her that I am not a wicked guy. I don't toy gals' feelings.

It is crazy that in this age and time, all kinds of gals wanted to stay clear of that fucken little island at all cost. These gals are never stupid. Not at all. Love is never on their mind, it is just a pretext to get what they needed most, a passport out of that fucken little island.

With the world in doldrums, it is hardly surprising.

Just the other day, I went downtown to look at some stuff. Half the second floor of a very popular shopping mall was unoccupied. Even Chinatown was having greater number of shops unoccupied. Unless the government-of-the-day does something real soon. The city is indeed falling apart.

b.Longevity as a Religion

The last part is here:   Longevity Businesses

I apologize for not being able to blog as frequently as I wanted to. There are simply too many physical world things that I need to take care of.

Nowadays I have accumulated quite a follower-ship of believers. They now just sit quietly by my side and listen intently to my preaches.

I guess this is how Jesus started it all. First, talked cock and then, suddenly he found that people do listen to his cock-and-bull stories. But, as time went by, his cock-and-bull stories cannot hold his audience anymore. He started to dish out his mythology cock god father. Everything he claimed he did, he did it for his father. If there were any mistakes, it was his own, but, his father in heaven would have corrected him in time and he would be rewarded beyond this world.

After a while, even this cock-and-mythology also cannot hold the audience further. He went for the final suggestion that he is god reincarnated. If he had lived, he would probably have to go on further to more bullshit, after his execution at age 33.

I am now in the stage where everyone wants to jump onto this longevity wagon. They literally want to listen more. My appointments for longevity talk are filling up fast. Just today, at one stage, even the waitresses stopped serving and started to listen attentively, oblivion to their master's calling.

At the end, the waitresses thanked me for enlightening their lives with hope. I smiled. I am on my way to become god.

b.Longevity Businesses

The last part is here:   Passion Business I - Trust 

I felt sad today. The decision to kill off a poisoned branch is made. Although there is a chance of losing another 5%, I guess I have to do it. Right now, the opponent is trying his best to salvage what's remaining. I had given him more than 3 chances in the past to make good, but he failed to do so. He loved to bully a youngling.

Along the way, I met more proprietors that are willing to go on the longevity wagon. Maybe things may not happen, maybe things might happen. At least, I am not bound by the old issues.

The path towards building longevity has so far been met with great comfort. I just met another proprietor having issue of 气. He was hospitalized for it. He was very excited about the prospect of high-value longevity farming. He proposed ideas of meeting more people in the same interest. He simply wanted to commercialize immediately these longevity concepts.  I smiled.

I said if the cost of investment merely managed to make you live longer by 20 years, wouldn't that be sufficient return? Lots of businesses cannot stand the sands of time because the younglings are unable to cope with the continuance of businesses. Say, an old fucken guy in an old fucken island, if he had a choice of living another 20 years, his fucken younglings wouldn't be so hapless. This fucken would have owned the entire enterprise for a long, long time to come.

He finally understood my longevity idea. He now understand that if we ourselves cannot be old fuckens, how dare we preach longevity to others. If what we believed, works. Then, we need not even be trading it. It could be used as a weapon against all odds. A business brewed for another 20 more years under the same stewardship would be scary to our opponents. Imagine you char kway teow, instead of 20-80 years (60 years), it is 20-100 years (80 years), who can hope to punish you in your arena. The last 20 years is to kill off the succeeding younglings of the competition in one single stroke.

The thought is simply mind-blowing.

Another proprietor showed me 2 canisters of honey which she declared of high value. I said that two canisters can't even hope to complete one bottle of mead. She swallowed hard. She had prevented even her kins to consume it like sugar. Imagine what life-giving would a well-fermented and aged bottle of mead will do to her health? She was floored.

I told her. Even with great daily exercises, it is still insufficient to have longevity. One must consume daily supplements. Some of these essential supplements are so expensive that only the kings and queens find them cheap enough, hence, the only way is to get at them is to farm them on a continuous basis.

After she listened to my list of supplements and how I intend to farm them all in all parts of the world. She agreed that she will help me to the fullest.

I smiled.

b.Passion Business I - Trust

The last part is here:   Passion Business I - Taste 

The time has come to decide on trust. The factory is ready. The deals are struck. The labourers are few but capable.

Many opinions have suggested against the new partnership. I think so too.

As in all deals, there would be good parts and bad parts. If the bad parts weigh over the good parts, I guess the decision would be easy. If the weightage is balanced, then the decision making is also easy, just abandon the deal. It is hard if the majority of the deal is good, but with a few bad major parts.

My current decision point is this partnership is weak. But, the greater good part is that I will have company. I guess I need to be strong. Very strong.

Tomorrow would be the day of reckoning. I will have to decide on the issue of trust.

It is ok that I go at it alone. There was nothing in the past of me and there is nothing in front of me. So why be so concerned? I have been so alone. I don't need to be so concerned about loneliness. Yes. Loneliness is sad. Loneliness is draining. Loneliness eats the soul. But, why must I be so afraid? Loneliness is just a state of mind.

Warmth may be a super tempting commodity at all times. But, I needed a trusted partner not someone whom I have to guard against always.

If tomorrow is indeed a good day to negotiate, I will drop all pretence and ask for the one important question - trust.

If the answer is truth, I will go forth with this partnership. Else, I will plot my separation and severence.

I have walked this question of trust before. I shall walk once more.

It is very interesting that now that I have spoken about it, I felt so much better in dealing with it. Thank you.

b.孫子兵法 (虛實篇第六) (Chapter 6 - 1) (Part 29)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (兵勢篇第五) (Chapter 5 - 4) (Part 28)

虛實篇

孫子曰：凡先處戰地而待敵者佚，後處戰地而趨戰者勞。故善戰者， 致人而不致于人。
          能使敵自至者，利之也﹔能使敵不得至者，害之也。故敵佚能勞之， 飽能飢之，安能動之。
          出其所不趨，趨其所不意。行千里而不勞者，行于無人之地也。攻而 必取者，攻其所不守也。守而必固者，守其所不攻也。
          故善攻者，敵不知其所守。善守者，敵不知其所攻。
          微乎微乎，至于無形，神乎神乎，至于無聲，故能為敵之司命。
          進而不可御者，沖其虛也﹔退而不可追者，速而不可及也。故我欲戰 ，敵雖高壘深溝，不得不與我戰者，攻其所必救也﹔我不欲戰，雖畫 地而守之，敵不得與我戰者，乖其所之也。
          故形人而我無形，則我專而敵分﹔我專為一，敵分為十，是以十攻其 一也，則我眾而敵寡﹔能以眾擊寡者，則吾之所與戰者，約矣。吾所 與戰之地不可知，不可知，則敵所備者多，敵所備者多，則吾之所戰 者，寡矣。
          故備前則後寡，備後則前寡，故備左則右寡，備右則左寡，無所不備 ，則無所不寡。寡者備人者也，眾者使人備己者也。
          故知戰之地，知戰之日，則可千里而會戰。不知戰之地，不知戰之日 ，則左不能救右，右不能救左，前不能救後，後不能救前，而況遠者 數十里，近者數里乎？
          以吾度之，越人之兵雖多，亦奚益于勝敗哉？！
          故曰：勝可為也。敵雖眾，可使無鬥。 故策之而知得失之計，作之而知動靜之理，形之而知死生之地，角之 而知有餘不足之處。
          故形兵之極，至于無形﹔無形，則深間不能窺，智者不能謀。
          因形而錯勝于眾，眾不能知﹔人皆知我所以勝之形，而莫知吾所以制 勝之形。故其戰勝不復，而應形于無窮。
          夫兵形象水，水之形避高而趨下，兵之形，避實而擊虛，水因地而制 流，兵應敵而制勝。故兵無常勢，水無常形，能因敵變化而取勝者， 謂之神。
          故五行無常勝，四時無常位，日有短長，月有死生。

Let's continue ...

孫子曰：凡先處戰地而待敵者佚，後處戰地而趨戰者勞。故善戰者，
致人而不致于人。
          能使敵自至者，利之也﹔能使敵不得至者，害之也。故敵佚能勞之，
飽能飢之，安能動之。
          出其所不趨，趨其所不意。行千里而不勞者，行于無人之地也。攻而
必取者，攻其所不守也。守而必固者，守其所不攻也。
          故善攻者，敵不知其所守。善守者，敵不知其所攻。
          微乎微乎，至于無形，神乎神乎，至于無聲，故能為敵之司命。

Some translation suggested:
Sun Tzu said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him. By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or, by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near. If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him; if well supplied with food, he can starve him out; if quietly encamped, he can force him to move. Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected. An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not. You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack. O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible; and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands. 
Moran:   Sun Tzu said:   It is always the case that those who first occupy the battlefield and await arrival of the enemy have ample time on their hands, whereas those who arrive later and must scramble to engage will endure toil. 【PEM: Note that the ideal situation for meeting the enemy may be a pass or other such opening leading to an open space where a strongly shielded ambush has been laid.】
So those who are good at warfare will draw in the enemy and will not permit themselves to be drawn in by the enemy. If one is able to cause the enemy to arrive, that is done by offering him some benefit. If one is able to cause the enemy to be unable to arrive, that is done by offering him injuries. 【PEM: The Sichuan Basin was one part of China that was never conquered by the Japanese during World War II. The reason was that Sichuan was entirely surrounded by mountains except for the water route provided by the Yangtze River. The water flow was very rapid, and the sides of the channel were precipitous. Therefore any forces trying to enter would have had to to go upstream and through miles of ambushing forces on higher ground.】
So if the enemy is at ease one can cause him to toil, if he is well fed, one can cause him hunger, and if at rest one can cause him to have to be on the move. [ To do so,] appear out of the places to which the enemy must hasten to defend, and hasten to the places where you will not be expected. Those who go for a thousand li without toil are those who pass through areas where there are no people. 【PEM: During the Pacific campaign in World War II, one prominent motto (associated with General MacArthur) was: "Hit 'em where they ain't!" Well defended islands were not attacked, but were cut off from being resupplied. Poorly defended islands were captured when useful to the Allies for any purpose. Otherwise, the fleet moved through the open waters.】
In cases where one must succeed in an attack, strike the points at which the enemy has no defenses. In cases where one must firmly defend a position, defend a position that the enemy will not attack. 【PEM: Peaks are easily defended. With preparation, mountains can be hollowed out to provide living spaces for entire armies.】
So in the case of those who are good at attack, their enemies will not know where their defenses ought to be located. And in the case of those who are good at defense, the enemy will not know where they ought to attack. 【PEM: One of the difficulties in guerrilla warfare is that insurgents disappear among the ordinary farmers and other citizens. They have no fortress to attack, no camps to overrun. One alternative to highly concentrated emplacements in mountains and man-made fortifications is to disperse troops so widely that no one point of attack is better than any other. Between these extremes are defenses such as the tunnels constructed by the Vietcong that were hard to find, and sometimes so extensive that defenders could leave by another portal when attackers made entry at any point. This strategy is probably millions of years old. Some trapdoor spiders maintain parallel vertical tunnels, one with the "front door" covered by a carefully constructed plug-like, hinged door, and the other, joined to the first by a short horizontal tunnel with its own door near the bottom and a false top such that the spider would need to dig the last bit through to the surface to escape via the second tunnel.】
Subtle, oh subtle, to the point of being formless. Spirit-like, oh spirit-like, to the point of being inaudible. Thereby one is able to function as the grim reaper of the enemy. 

This chapter is about false and real.

孫子曰﹕   Sun Tzu said:
凡先處戰地而待敵者佚，後處戰地而趨戰者勞。:   If one occupies the battlefield first and awaits the arrival of the enemy relaxes, whereas if one arrives later and scrambles to engage toils.
故善戰者，致人而不致於人也。:   Therefore, a good general directs the enemy and not the other way round.
能使敵自至者，利之也﹔   To direct the enemy, offer him bait.
能使敵不得至者，害之也。:   To not attract the enemy, offer him damage.
故敵佚能勞之，飽能飢之，安能動之。:   Therefore, if the enemy is resting, toil him; if well-fed, hunger him; if at peace, disturb him.
出其所必趨，趨其所不意。:   Stay in places where the enemy must hasten to defend, and hasten to places where the enemy must not expect.
行千里而不勞者，行於無人之地也。:   To travel a thousand li and not feel toiled is to pass through areas where there are no defence.
攻而必取者，攻其所不守也。:   To attack and win is to attack places where the enemy does not defend.
守而必固者，守其所不攻也。:   To defend and survive is to defend places where the enemy does not risk attacking.
故善攻者，敵不知其所守。善守者，敵不知其所攻。:   Therefore, if a good general attacks, the enemy would not know where to defend. If a good general defends, the enemy would not know where to attack.
微乎微乎，至於無形；神乎神乎，至於無聲，故能為敵之司命。:   Subtle, oh subtle, to the point of being formless. Spirit-like, oh spirit-like, to the point of being inaudible. Thereby, one is able to function as the grim reaper of the enemy.

Sun Tzu stated in his first chapter in his Art of War is that 兵者，詭道也。Basically, this entire chapter explained the beauty of deceit and termed it the true path to success in warfare.

Sun Tzu suggested that you must arrive at the battle ground early and make preparation. Move thy enemy using bait, but not be tempted nor moved otherwise. Attack the enemy when there is no defence, defend when the enemy has no attack. If the enemy is happy make him sad, if the enemy is sad, made him happy. Be formless and silent always, kill the enemy with the grim reaper.

In business, I also agreed that deceit is the key to success. Sun Tzu had thus far suggested numerous of times that deceit is the way to go. I would like to express a word of caution here. It is not a problem if you are strong to use deceit, because winning is only natural for a stronger force. Therefore, using deceit and trickery is to minimize cost of attack. But, if you are weaker comparatively, using deceit would not be advisable. Concentrate your forces and bear the brunt of the main enemy force truthfully, only then will you have a chance to survive the attack. Do not be swayed by the deceit of the enemy.

In the 48 laws of power, it was also stated in the law 3 that one should not reveal the intention, i.e., be deceitful. In fact, many laws were derived from Sun Tzu's Art of War. So this is a circular argument.

Throughout my dealings in business, I noticed that even at partner level, the partners still probe me for information that will make them break free from my strategic influence. I don't like it. I have expressed no intention to play them out. But yet, they fear me. I am way too strong a potion for their liking. It is both a curse and blessing. A curse because I felt being tested all the time. Blessing because I always formed part of their future equation.

At the end, I still believe I stand by my own conviction - my weapon-of-choice is still honesty. With honesty, it is near impossible for enemy to employ deceit on me. They will fall flat in their face.

From the above Sun Tzu's piece, I concluded that to survive completely, one must dig in at places where the enemy can never attack. This, I believe, I have achieved to some extent for one of my business-types. I am currently not venerable to attacks, but, I need to keep shoring up my defence to ensure absoluteness in power.

My current business-types can survive a thousand years each. Hence, it is near impossible for my enemy to dig me that easily. Take for example, my ginseng farm (passion business II), right now there are already more than 3 strong investors wanting to come in. But, I didn't confirm with them as I feel that to be my partner, one has to show honesty. Only with honesty can we grow our business for a thousand years. I have land, I have a good partner-in-crime, I have money, I have contacts to make the channels and I have great ginseng seeds suppliers. I have absolutely no problem, but, I have not one thing - time. I need opt - other people's time.

My hands are also tied in some business-types, for example, cryptocurrency (passion business VII). My partner-in-crime stated categorically that this business-type is out-of-bound to all other partners. Although the business-type worth $200trn might take a good 20 years to mature, he is willing to wait and he is not willing to share. I understand where he's coming from. We both owe it to ourselves that we are 千古河山棋一局，是真名士自风流。

p.Enemy at the Gate

The last part is here:   Terrible Start of Year 2014 (con't)

A blood relation chided me for being a bastard in the way I treated my adversaries.

I smiled.

I explained to him that you can try your best to be honest and good. You treat everyone fairly and honorably, but not every one will return that honesty. When driven and tested to the extreme, the adversaries will turn vicious and ugly. They have no choice as they were driven by their own higher needs than to be honest. They schemed and they scammed. Although they behaved perfectly in front of you all these times, but once tested, they failed bad.

I have likened this phenomenon to car accidents. On the road, you could have been the most safe pedestrian. You watch your roads and you obey all traffic signs. But, an intoxicated car driver could mount a curb, beat the lights and hit you on the wrong side. Here you are perfectly obedient, perfectly safe, but your adversary is not. He hits you with no better reason than being drunk, which again got nothing to do with you directly. But, you are involved with him in the end with an accident.

What I am trying to say is when the guy turned adversary, you can't reason with him anymore than talking to a raging bull. You have to execute a kill.

In a way, you must always have a drawer plan to execute a kill at all times.

They will turn in the most vicious arguments and disregard any kindness you have extended to them in the past. They have no regard to your good character and might even use that good character to tuck at you making a mistake.

Execute that drawer plan with exact timings and resources. There is no other way.

My blood relation smiled back. He understood the issue at hand.

b.孫子兵法 (兵勢篇第五) (Chapter 5 - 4) (Part 28)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (兵勢篇第五) (Chapter 5 - 3) (Part 27)

兵勢篇

孫子曰：   凡治眾如治寡，分數是也﹔鬥眾如鬥寡，形名是也﹔三軍之 眾，可使必受敵而無敗，奇正是也﹔兵之所加，如以碫投卵者，虛實是也。
          凡戰者，以正合，以奇勝。故善出奇者，無窮如天地，不竭如江河。 終而復始，日月是也。死而復生，四時是也。聲不過五，五聲之變， 不可勝聽也。色不過五，五色之變，不可勝觀也。味不過五，五味之 變，不可勝嘗也。戰勢不過奇正，奇正之變，不可勝窮之也。奇正相生，如環之無端，孰能窮之？
          激水之疾，至于漂石者，勢也﹔鷙鳥之疾，至于毀折者，節也。是故 善戰者，其勢險，其節短。勢如張弩，節如發機。
          紛紛紜紜，鬥亂而不可亂也。渾渾沌沌，形圓而不可敗也。
          亂生于治，怯生于勇，弱生于強。治亂，數也﹔勇怯，勢也﹔強弱，形也。
          故善動敵者，形之，敵必從之﹔予之，敵必取之。以利動之，以卒動之。
          故善戰者，求之于勢，不責于人，故能擇人而任勢。任勢者，其戰人也，如轉木石。木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。故善 戰人之勢，如轉圓石于千仞之山者，勢也。

Let's continue ...

          故善動敵者，形之，敵必從之﹔予之，敵必取之。以利動之，以卒動之。
          故善戰者，求之于勢，不責于人，故能擇人而任勢。任勢者，其戰人也，如轉木石。木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。故善 戰人之勢，如轉圓石于千仞之山者，勢也。

Some translation suggested: 
Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something, that the enemy may snatch at it. By holding out baits, he keeps him on the march; then with a body of picked men he lies in wait for him. The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy. When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped, to go rolling down. Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height. So much on the subject of energy. 
Moran:   Truly, those who are good at moving their adversaries around do so by giving a form to things such that the enemy must follows those structures. 【PEM: The enemy army is a source of energy in itself. Originally that energy is being directed in ways intended to be hurtful to the defender. The defender, however, can create structures (sometimes little more than illusions) that channel the enemy's energy the way dikes and dams channel the energy of a river.】
If I offer something, the enemy must take it. That is using benefit to move him. But one has soldiers in wait for him. 【PEM: The Zhuang Zi mentions a general Daoist strategy called 兩行. Literally those words mean "two displacements," i.e., going by two different ways. At a deeper level it means doing something that will have two potential outcomes. Both outcomes depend on what one's counterpart does. Consider two different examples. (1) A house is discovered to have been booby-trapped by installing bomb triggers in random places in the cellar. After discovery, the bombs are secretly removed, but the police would like to know which of several aides to the owner of the house has planned the assassination. Questioning anyone would reveal that the plot has been discovered. So the owner of the house is instructed to invite each of the aides to come to dinner with his wife and children on a particular night. Each time, the family dog is in an adjacent room. It has been taught to bark incessantly as soon as people come into the dining room. So soon after dinner starts the host calls out to the housekeeper, "Martha, please put Fido down in the basement." (2) In an unprovoked fight the defender notices that the attacker has a pattern of using a left jab as a feint and following with a solid right. Defender therefore throws a left jab. The opponent then has a choice of treating it as a feint and immediately going in for the kill, or defending. If the left jab is indeed blocked, defender has lost nothing. If, however, the jab is not blocked (perhaps defender made it appear to be a half-hearted attempt), following through will strike the attacker. One does not have to have mastered a three inch knockout blow to create enough damage to permit escape from the whole situation, or at least set one's opponent up for a strong counter attack with the opposite hand.】
So those who are good at warfare seek it through power configurations and do not put the onus on individuals. They are therefore able to select individuals to take charge of those power configurations. 【PEM: — Like the man whose finger pulls the crossbow trigger.】
【PEM: One example of what Sun Tzu is talking about in this section might be optical illusions. If objects are used, they may be real objects. If lines are drawn they will be real lines. However, the conclusions that eyes draw from optical illusions are incorrect. The arrangement of components forces the eyes to see what is not really there.】
Those who are given responsibility for operating a power configuration are warriors, and they are like rotating wood or stone (in the trigger mechanism of the crossbow). The natures of wood and stone are to be still if things are at peace, but to move if they are under duress. If they are square, then they will not turn, but if they are round then they will move. 【PEM: The trigger mechanism of a crossbow is formed of rectangular elements that are designed to retain their positions in resistance to considerable force, and curved elements that are designed to move without having to be subjected to much force.】 
Therefore those who are good at the power configurations of war are like those who can set a round stone that is poised on the top of a thousand rod mountain to rolling — it is a matter of power configurations. 【PEM: The stone must be round if it is to be easily rolled off its stable perch, but the lever and the fulcrum need to be "square" so that they will hold their positions as force is applied.】

Let's discuss:

故善動敵者，形之，敵必從之﹔   Therefore, those who are good at moving their enemy around do so by giving him a military shape such that the enemy must follow this shape.
予之，敵必取之。以利動之，以卒待之。:   If bait is given, the enemy would take it. Hence, use bait to move the enemy, use ambush in wait for him.
故善戰者，求之於勢，不責於人，故能擇人任勢。 Therefore, a good general seeks result from employment of strategic influence and not lay blame on individuals, hence, he chooses the individuals to take charge of these strategic influence.
任勢者，其戰人也，如轉木石。:   Those selected to take charge of strategic influence are called warriors, they rotate like rounded wood or stone.
木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。:   The nature of wood and stone is still when rested and move when stressed. Square items resist motion, round items move in the direction of stress.
故善戰人之勢，如轉圓石於千仞之山者，勢也。:   Therefore, a good general adopts influence liken to setting free a rounded large rock down a tall mountain — strategic influence.

Again the translation was not well done.

Sun Tzu basically said here that a good general engages by adopting strategic influence, and not by any other means. Strategic influence if used correctly is like letting a huge rounded rock roll down a tall mountain, its momentum and hence, its outcome is never stoppable. To do that, he suggested luring the enemy to a particular spot by baiting and attack in absoluteness by ambush.

In business, attack must be conducted using absoluteness by overwhelming strategic influence. After the attack there is always retaliation from the fallen enemy. If the defeat is not absolute, its retaliation would be strong and potentially fatal. If the defeat is absolute, its retaliation would be feeble and of no consequence.  Therefore, what Sun Tzu said had great value. Never defeat an enemy feebly. Its retaliation would be so strong that you might lose the subsequent battles and ultimately end in defeat yourself. Hence, assume absoluteness in strategic influence, only then can you be assured of a complete victory.

b.Passion Business VII - Cryptocurrency Programming

The last part is here:   Passion Business VII - Cryptocurrency (II)

Don't Buy Bitcoins

Don't Buy Bitcoins, Part 2

BITCOIN The Biggest Scam In History?

Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given socio-economic context or country. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past, a standard of deferred payment. Any kind of object or secure verifiable record that fulfills these functions can be considered money.

The videos said it all. Bitcoin or any current cryptocurrencies is just rare but not valuable. It has no intrinsic value. There is no legal power to rule its conduct. There is therefore no chance of this cryptocurrency to take off.

As the videos suggested, the present currencies are enforced by the current governments-of-the-day as legal satisfaction of payment of taxes. Any person found not satisfying the legal obligation of paying taxes would be thrown into jail. With such a powerful requirement, how can one not recognize that the issued currency as a medium of exchange.

Therefore, to properly produce a cryptocurrency, one must rely on two basic properties: a legal infrastructure and a store of value.

Cryptocurrency cannot be just a play on number, even the miners of the coins expending large amount of energy and computational infrastructure to maintain the trust system are not considered economically active. Their efforts are useless in the eyes of the economic market. To be rewarded with coins, the miners must participate in economic activities, not just sit around and crunch numbers. They are no economic activists.

So I really enjoy this whole thing. I have spoken to my partner-in-crime and he fully endorsed this passion business. There is therefore a go for take-off.

One side of the total scheme of things was already being implemented in Taiwan before and was forced to close. When the one-sided scheme of things was implemented in full in Taiwan, the direction of things were excellent, they had proper stores and they had trust, the consumers were extremely happy and they commit in the hundreds of millions. But unfortunately, the trust was misplaced. The companies implementing this one-side of scheme closed down one after another and the consumers were extremely annoyed that their monies were not refunded. This caused a huge retracement of market trust. This one-side of scheme collapsed and never return.

From my assessment, even with the one-side of things, the scheme should have already worked beyond one's wildest dream. But, the schemers were dishonest, they took it as a scam scheme god-sent. They scammed the consumers to no ends.

Business can only be conducted using honesty. Honest business means profits can only come normally and not extraordinarily. The good news is honest business will last and feed one for more than a lifetime. The bad news is honest business will need a long time to establish the trust.

Unfortunately, the Taiwanese crowd couldn't see through the scheme of things. This same one-side of scheme was also implemented and tested in HK. Again, the schemers took it as a scam scheme at its best. This one-side scheme of things again fell flat.

If one were to evaluate this one-side scheme of things, one would realize that the business proposition is indeed a sound one. Everybody is supposed to be benefited in full in the end. It is an absolute win-win situation. But, due to external factors, the schemers couldn't maintain their part of the bargain. The scheme becomes ultimately a scam. The schemers couldn't see through the scheme that it is indeed a scheme that would have given the schemers the ultimate dream comes true.

If the schemers couldn't pull through the first half and if the schemers were to include the second half (this is unique as the second half is invented by me), the scheme would be even hasher to the schemers. There is therefore currently no existing schemers that can implement this scheme in full. This scheme is now perfect.

My partner-in-crime was very cute today. He mentioned that we must never include any third party into the scheme no matter how trusted the third party is. I cutely asked why not? He mentioned that the full scheme is too easy to implement and there is no guarantee that that third party wouldn't play us out by collaborating with another merchant. I smiled.

I must say I respected him a lot. I immediately consulted a Taiwanese to understand the true reason in the failure of the first-half of the scheme. After analysing, I realized that the first-half of the scheme failed because the schemers were made greedy after a while when the scheme was successfully implemented for a while. The schemers let their guards down and start to spend a bit more freely. In short, the schemers assumed the status of god and became fearless. As these were blood money, the schemers fell flat on their face.

If ever the second-half of the scheme is to be implemented (never implemented before in the market), the harshness of the scheme would drive even the best market schemers to shame. This is the key reason why the full scheme was never implemented in the market.

There were so many smart schemers in the market, but many schemers unfortunately believing that they were smarter than the market. Unknowing to the schemers, the market is perfectly intelligent. The market can never be outwitted. The collective wisdom would floor any smart alec. Therefore, the only way to survive in the market place is to follow its rule and toe that fucking narrow path.

My partner-in-crime fortunately understood this principle very well. He also influenced me that if we were to keep to the narrow path, we would be rewarded. Anything simple to implement in the market would be punished for being shallow.

Hehehe ... Why then does he then worries that this full scheme would be so easily copied and defeating us? If so many schemers have failed in their half-part before us, what make you think that this scheme when implemented in full would be so easily defeated?

But, retrospectively, my partner-in-crime has one of the most evil minds on earth. He would be the best person in implementing the scheme in full. Having a partner-in-crime like him is indeed my fortune.

In conclusion, I don't believe the scheme in its full flavour would be venerable to attacks or copies, but I do respect my partner-in-crime's concern. My lips are sealed.

May this full scheme see light in 20 years' time. Welcome to the $200trn Scam.

p.Terrible Start of Year 2014 (con't)

The last part is here:   Terrible Start of Year 2014

The battle was fought and I lost 5% in total. It was a very, very lucky recovery.

New proprietors were engaged. The damage reduced to almost zero.

I have gained in other aspects. So, hopefully, this episode will settle in time as a valuable lesson to me.

Let me repeat the statement:    "故其疾如風、其徐如林、侵掠如火、難知如陰、不動如山、動如雷霆".

p.Terrible Start of Year 2014

The last part is here: The Ultimate Bet 

OMG !!!  Year 2014 has a terrible start for me. A roof fell on me! Luckily due to my advanced years I managed to follow my own inner voice - "故其疾如風、其徐如林、侵掠如火、難知如陰、不動如山、動如雷霆".

In life, there is no need for anger and pain. These are for the sentimentalists. When a decision needs to be exercised. Do not argue your view point, although it is perfectly sound to reasonable persons, exercise the Sun Tzu's Art of War immediately. When engaging in a battle, the enemy does not subscribe to reasons as they know they were beyond reasons. They can't engage reasons as they know full well that they must be unreasonable to start a battle. They would just stick to their monochromatic view point and totally ignore your plight, they will just knife it into your throat.

You have two choices:  

One, become angry and kick up a ruckus. You wouldn't win as they had expected you to do so. They would hold on to your two ding dongs and play their hard ball game.

Two, calmly declare that the situation is new to you and you needed time to react. Ask for time. Ask for their new and unreasonable terms. Pretend to bargain as hard as you possibly can so that they think that they had you hooked line and sinker. Move slightly away and get time alone. Plot the reaction. You must sound extremely calm and since the new situation is going to get you, you need to ask for external help. Ask them for time to locate external help and feedback some time later. Ask for a deadline as late as possible without sounding insincere. Accept some of the terrible terms as if you have no choice, try very hard to reject the other terms. The key to this is that you are trying to bargain. By bargaining, they will feel secure.

Move away for some time alone. Plot a time line that is just short of the actual deadline.

Return with all smiles and said that your friends are great pals. Your friends are with you all the way. But, their help is going to be marginally beyond the deadline agreed on earlier. The enemy will begin to savor the important victory although it might come a little later than expected.

With that concession, immediately move 75% of your pieces out of harm's way. The enemy wouldn't complain as they felt they can still hold on to your 25%. Start to spread thinly all your assets across the entire boundary. Give the illusion you are staying on their terms of contract.

Over the remaining period, remove your assets 5% at a time under their noses. Potentially you might lose the final 5%, but in all warfare, you can't expect not to lose any assets. Just give the illusion that you are still very much engaged.

On days just before the actual and original deadline (not the negotiated later one), move out totally and restart your life with another proprietor.

This is the tactics used by Sun Tzu as he must stay as still as the mountain and move in one SINGLE stroke as swift as the thunderclap. Only then, can you return least harmed.

This roof falling was fun. It tested simply my ability to react to situation. I have matured over time and life.

Happy New Year, everyone, though I am a little bruised.

I am now engaging new proprietors with terms that are even better than this former proprietor. Nothing too bad came out of this. But, this is my new year celebration. I am not supposed to fight and engage in battles. But, one can never drop the guards for too long. Sigh ... Life is ...