Feels so different...

Got up at 7am this morning. While it felt comfortable on a warm bed under a thick comforter, the atmosphere seems very different.

Empty. Tua Yee's voice will normally echo off the walls in the morning as she wakes us up for the new "challenges". Xuefeng's sniffing can be heard in the bedroom while I have my breakfast with BBC. Now, I am just having cereals in front of the computer writing this blog while Xueyan lies "concussed" in the next room.

Can't believe the impact the two had on me during this short two weeks. Perhaps I am sentimental. Or I just miss home too much.

They came, saw and left

As I write, Tua Yee and Xuefeng should have just left London on flight QF10. What initially began as idle talk, put to fruition in a space of six months, completed its cycle today as we saw them off at Heathrow.


They came to enjoy two weeks of Europe sight-seeing in the summer but they have also blessed us with their presence. Tua Yee was a pseudo domestic helper who hung our laundry, folded and stacked our clothes and ensured all of us go to bed with a satisfied stomach every night. Xuefeng, despite her initial "homesickness reaction", got into the groove and entertained us with her chirpy humour.


10 cities in 14 days was no easy feat. From our first enticing palate of Venetian rissoto to the last Portuguese Nando's, tobogganing down the slopes of Pfingstegg to punting on River Cam, it has certainly indeed been more than an experience for us all. We calculated that Xuefeng actually spent more than 24 hours (aggregated) on the train during the two weeks here. No more MRT for the next two weeks, I guess.


Finally - No tears at the airport. Only hugs for the sisters and Tua Yee and firm handshakes of bon voyage. Returning to the guest room feels different now (was sleeping on the sofa for the days they were in London). As I tucked under the now-semi unfamiliar comforter, I thank God for His blessings during their time here and journey mercy home.

I am confident there will be more of such days to come.

P/S: We made a sideline bet with Xuefeng that something might happen tomorrow when she arrives in Singapore. If "that" happens, we will say hello to Xuefeng again this December. Only one man can help us. *wink*

Anyone interested?

Business Analyst/Consultant required by one of the biggest independent financial software houses in the world. They specialise in supplying financial analytic applications to tier-1 investment banks. An opportunity has arisen for a Business Analyst/Consultant to join their growing team who produces the leading capital adequacy calculator for investment banks in the UK. This is ideal opportunity for someone with a Financial Services OR FSA audit and returns background to move into a creative and challenging role working on creating new and exciting software (Future options software). We have previously placed candidates with this background and they haven't looked back, having more responsibility, training & support and a clear career path forward, coupled with an excellent package and amazing future career options. The role is based in the Maidenhead area. Based in Maidenhead and paying between £45k & 65k + Bonus + Excellent Benefits.

What a week...

Finally back home after a really long day. While XY, XF and TY had time to enjoy the Phantom of the Opera musical, I had to contend with two CRT monitors. Accompanied by 2 packs of crisps for dinner.

The new role is really very challenging. What I used to think of product control is so different to what I am doing. I spent most of my time writing VBAs and testing self-written crude scripts. Good thing is I have really learnt to automate most manual procedures and, in the process, amaze myself with the effects. Click and see everything run!

Glad that Friday's off for me as we will be going up to Cambridge for a day trip. Hopefully this long weekend of some rest can help me to recuperate from my persistent coughing!

The Lees are coming up!

Just when Xuefeng and Tua Yee are about to complete their two weeks' holiday in Europe, we will welcome Weifu, Merlin and little Jeiel in autumn (22 Aug to 6 Sept).

That period is certainly looking hectic as we are due to visit Iceland from 25 - 29 August and will probably go on a trip with the Lees somewhere (Prague? Budapest?) during their stay.

Just when we thought our guest room will not be used frequently during our stay in London, recent events have suddenly turned this little room into a mini-hotel! Other than XF/TY who are here now, Pei Kang came over to stay just two weeks back. Shaiful and family will also be coming up early August.

Looks like I can't throw un-ironed clothes on the guest bed anymore!

A hardly known Good Deal

I thought I will share a little-known fact re savings after Meng Yang's and Amy's posts about getting the best returns for their investments.

Welcome to NTUC Thrift (how apt!).

This tip was actually published in The New Paper a few years ago but, being a tabloid paper, I guess no one paid much heed to it. It is basically a savings and fixed deposit (low base) account that provide a much better return for low-risk investments as compared to existing savings plans offered by high street banks.

Its 2% interest on normal savings basically thrash any of the rates quoted by MY's research. No service fee. No minimum deposit. All you need is to be a NTUC Thrift member (One-time refundable deposit of $20 to your subscription capital account). The only complaint you can have is that it does not provide Internet banking. Hence it is good for savings which you can set aside on a regular basis. What's more, you actually get a Free LED Light Keyholder on the successful opening of an account.

And you reap greater returns if you are a committed saver - a bonus of 10% to 20% if you save regularly with a fixed amount (at least $30 per month)!

Disclaimer: Meng Yang rightly pointed out that you have to be a NTUC member. There is a yearly subscription cost which I believe can be offset by points accumulated using their Rewards points. Anyone with more information please feel free to add.

Back in London

Finally back in London after a 8-day trip in Italy and Switzerland. From the sweltering heat of Venice to the below-freezing coldness in Jungfrau, this trip has kinda taken me to the extreme. To the point of bursting my nose veins and leaving traces of O+ blood up in Jungfrau.

Very tired now. Will upload pictures shortly.

Exposed!

A recent internal vacancy, advertising for the role of a investment grade credit analyst, got me very interested. After all I had applied for a similar role with the convertible bonds desk, but with no success. I applied, more keen to find out about the role and the nature of the job than optimistic that I will get it. After a week, I all but forgotten about it until a call from HR today!

Turns out that the hiring manager was actually interested in my CV and would like to take it a little further. But I would need to inform my current boss and seek his approval before I proceed. Gosh, I have not actually thought about any positive news and now I will have to break the news to him only after a month into my current rotation.

Contrary to my fears, the meeting actually turned out quite well as he touched on the interesting bits about research but also the fact that I may be turning my back on great prospects within the Finance world. After all, I am only 7 months aways from my programme completion and a (almost) certain promotion at the end of it. Nonetheless I asked for an interview opportunity and he agreed to it.

Just well I thought everything was hunky-dory, he came over and asked for a quick chat. Looks like I am IN TROUBLE. Finance HR got wind of this and my rotation programme manager is apparently not too pleased. After all, we have just got moved into our present roles and there are not many left on this programme (just eight of us). They might not be keen to release me at all. Worst scenario - I may have to resign to leave the programme for the interview AND if I fail the interview, I will be out of job!

So what initially seems like an ideal world got me on tenterhooks for the rest of the day. I never know an innocent application can have such repercussion.
Pray for me my friends.

More Travel (free!)

Got a letter from Ryanair today, confirming that I have qualified for a free flight give-away (excl taxes). Yes, one free return flight as soon as I spend £250 within 90 days of opening a Ryanair credit card account. That's not all. For every £1000 or £3000 spent in one calendar quarter, one can get 1 or 2 free return flights. Looking at my online statement, I have just qualified for another free flight which makes two!

Moreover if you are a frequent traveller or often travel with a group of friends, you can get one additional free flights for every five booked (up to a maximum of five), regardless of who the travellers are. Adding up, one can get up to 14 free flights a year!

This is somewhat similar to the credit card rewards programme in Singapore, however, the rewards are usually tied to the underlying products of the issuing company eg Ryanair in this instance. For most basic credit cards from the banks such as Citibank/HSBC, they do not usually come with any rewards. This irks me especially since we spent a substantial amount using the credit card every month and would have benefited if we were in Singapore. To qualify for those cards with reward schemes in the UK, one usually had to be a resident for a few years. So as soon as I qualify, I signed up for the cards (just for the rewards!).

Spending has never been so rewarding. =)

Holidays

Travelling is a big part of every Londoner's life, more so for the Singaporeans and Malaysians who are posted to London on secondment, like myself. The opportunity to see Europe in a relatively cheap way, courtesy of Ryanair and Easyjet, meant weekends are usually spent somewhere in a city outside London and, increasingly, in previously exotic East European town (I use previously as the proliferation of budget airline has led these cities becoming increasingly accessible and losing that bit of exclusivity).

We love to travel and share our exploits with our friends. However, with Xueyan's preparation for CFA exams, we usually have to shelve travel plans for a good 3-4 months and wait with bated breath for THAT first Saturday of June (CFA exams!). Hence we try to plan and book holidays way in advance during those action-less months. Using the holiday as proper motivational tools help us survive the daily mundane work and allow us to witness the colourful European culture, history and participate in sacred true-Singaporean gastronomic appreciation.

And so we are kinda set from now till August, with Brussels/Bruges in June, Edinburgh/Glencoe in July and Iceland in August. And we are not done yet! The coming summer looks really good (despite fears of a looming 23-25C, we definitely dun mind it!) and we are probably going to see more of UK. It's quite odd how we have been in London for 17 months and have not ventured out of London, other than to Cornwall and Hastings.

Work doesn't seem so boring after all!

Earthquake in UK

A rare earthquake hit south-eastern part of UK (Kent) this morning, less than an hour from London. It measured at least 4.3 on the Ritcher Scale.

"All our street shook...the seagulls went crazy " - Karol Steele

Well, I slept through it and had Macs for breakfast today.

The Lord gives and takes away...

M'sian man escapes car crash and calls wife
Wife gets hit by another car on way to make police report with him

This article screams into my face. Most might say this man is very suay. I am however reminded of the fragility of life (I am sure most of you are, especially with the passing of Uncle Jeffrey and the VT students/professors).

Many people challenge the existence of God and how He seems to be toying with Man; the most immediate question, in light of the innocent lives, is why do BAD things happen to GOOD people taken. Perhaps we should stand from another angle and ask:
"Why do GOOD things happen to BAD people like us?"

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end"

Hot-desking

I am sure many of us, working adults (especially in audit), are used to sitting in a cramped place, constantly staring at the PCs/documents and have often lost sight of time. While some call it dedication and focus, the fact remains "we all know it's not good for us".

And now a study has shown that a certain linkage between obesity and time spent in front of the PC or at the desk (now I know why I am horizontally challenged, I have been too hardworking!). But more importantly, this article also highlights potential career moves that can contribute towards a healthy lifestyle without suffering too much pain with the contraction in the bank account.

So who wants to be a veterinarian?

A Weirder World...

Just when everyone seems to be recovering from the VT shoot-out, the world just got weirder with a very public disposal of personal assets. We were left scratching our heads over the death of innocent lives taken by a boy who has not lived to tell his story and, now, this incident just shows why the world has gone all wrong.

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." - Psalm 39:4

More update on the biggest (ever) bank deal

CNN calls it the biggest bank deal ever but definitely not done and dusted.

BBC writes on the hurdles ahead.

Bidding War on the cards.

The Boards of Barclays and ABN AMRO have finally agreed to a merger in a deal worth £45bn. This merger will create one of the world's largest banks, with a total value of £94bn but 12,800 jobs would be cut as a result of the merger, while a further 10,800 jobs would be moved to low-cost locations.

But it's not over until the fat lady sings. A consortium headed by the Royal Bank of Scotland is ready to open discussions with ABN AMRO for a better offer.

The war has just started.

Customer Service

Amy's recent comment on her blog re the deteriorating level of customer service in Singapore had me thinking whether she has been too hard on Singaporeans. This, especially since she has been in Tokyo for a good one year, does not seem to make meaningful comparison as the Japanese are known for their impeccable customer service quality. Well, after giving it some serious thought and gaining insights from personal experience, I guess it is not that harsh after all.

I made a purchase last Friday for a window wiper from Robert Dyas. I got home only to realise that the landlord has provided me with two. Gosh a waste of £6 or so I thought. I went back to the store today and proposed an exchange. To my amazement, the counter staff said: "if you don't need anything, I can give you a full refund instead. You don't have to exchange for anything else." Amazed? Maybe I shouldn't. This is not the first time I had an exchange/refund from Robert Dyas. The last was only 2 months back when I found out that I bought the wrong light bulbs.

They are no exception. I bought a DVD player and a universal remote, on two separate occasions from Dixons and got a refund for both purchases even though they were working fine (but not with my gadgets). No questions asked. Compare this with a DVD player bought from Akira Singapore. I had this purchased and shipped over to London, only to get a lemon. I emailed the company and asked for a replacement (it comes with a warranty). I even mentioned that I will get a friend to pick up a replacement. Guess what? Not even a reply (if you get peanuts, you get monkeys.

Maybe Singaporeans are used to the treatment accorded by the businesses back home, especially the 10% service charge on the bill since they can't argue much about it. Over here, service is not normally included in the bill and it's up to the diners' discretion to pay. And we do pay for good service provided and it will usually be met with a smile.

I believe we are still some way from the Japanese's level of service and we might not need to get to that level (that could be their strategic advantage plus the high cost of living is not something worth importing!).

Perhaps the next time you receive the bill with the 10% service charge, ask yourself if it's ever worth that much.

London Marathon

The Floral London Marathon takes place today. And I write, both the men's and ladies' champpion have been decided. The 26-mile run, which starts in Greenwhich and ends in Westminster (near Buckingham Palace), makes it way past Rotherhithe, Canary Wharf, Tower of London and Big Ben. It passes by our place (Boardwalk) near the 19.5 mile mark.

I was scheduled to make my maiden marathon run this year until I injured my knee last October in a football game. Well, there's always "a next year". So if I can't join them, then shoot them!












Zhou Chunxiu on the right - the first Chinese woman to win the London Marathon










The male runners sprinting down Trafalgar Way (from Canary Wharf)










Martin Lel - the eventual men's winner on the left (in red).


A small neighbourhood band, comprising the very young and old, entertaining the crowd and cheering on the runners.

More news on the London Marathon here.

Need your help

I have problems uploading photos to Yahoo! Photos recently. I do not want to pay for data space (e.g. Flickr !) nor do I want to load pictures at a site where my friends have to sign in to view (e.g. Kodak).

Can you recommend a good site?

Deja vu?

I thought Maradona was resting in the hospital?...

If you can't convince, confuse...

Having taken the time to digest and for my anger to simmer, I was ready to write about the recent furore regarding the ministerial salary increment. Until I realise what I write probably count for nothing. And potentially too many "serious" things to write about - contrary to the ethos of this journal.

So I bring to you qualified comments from Mr Wang's blog and Mr Brown . The latter more funny than a "eloquently and convincingly" statement. Quite below the belt.

So just a short remark from me. We need to raise ministerial salaries so that it reduces the chances of corruption sipping into the government. Singapore is regularly ranked at the top in terms of her fight against corruption and the low level of corruption in the country. So why do we need to raise their pay now?

Because the much-glorified system of assessing ministerial candidates cannot be trusted to work properly?
Because they face equal risks of entrepreneurs and businessmen and thus should have a share of the pie?
Because they were forgetful to tell the public about the low pays they were getting during the elections last year?

Cake-sim.

P/S: Found this on the internet. Have a read.

I have watched 300...

Very sure that it's NOT the movie of the year and even more sure I will not be seeing Weixiong as a film reviewer any time soon.

Stockholm Splendor

We arrived in Stockholm in the early morning of Sun (8 May), which we hoped will herald a great start to a rather uneventful past two days (we spent the night on the cruise playing some card games with drinking beer/tequila pops as forfeit). The cruise into the Stockholm harhour seems promising. Great sunshine, nice harbour views and looking extremely clean, even from the ship. Just as the bus was to depart from the harbour to the city, I realised that my trusted Nokia was in the ship cabin! Good thing I managed to get it back from a frantic search-and-rescue.

With too much drinking and eating from the Helsinki/cruise, we headed straight for the Gamla Stan (Old Town) despite the zen comfort of the Freys Hotel (I would recommend this for anyone who's travelling to Stockholm). The old town was buzzing with activities and people. The boys walked and played on the cobbled streets while the gals went about buying souvenirs. Again, we met a Malaysian lady at Hard Rock who gave us tips on making the most out of the two days we have in Stockholm.










We then rushed to the Royal Palace to catch the change of guards, a somewhat dramatic pomp with all the music and cannons. We bought student tickets @ SEK600 for ten, which would have been SEK1300 and went on a good guided trip in the Royal Palace. I did not know Sweden was such a powerful war nation in the past (they had Finland before the Russians conquered them) and had a mighty navy. I finished the day with a leisure walk to the small islet, Skeppsholmen, which had a good view of Stockholm from Kasstellholmen.










The chilly morning air woke me up, only to realise it was snowing. Yes, despite the bright sunshine it was snowing. Myself and Andy had to get tickets for the archipelago cruise, then rush to Vasamuseet to get tickets. The Vasamuseet houses the oldest/largest warship from the 18th century (see pictures above). Ironically this ship barely cruises for a mile before sinking just 100m from the southern tip of Djurgarden, where the museum is housed. It took them over 300 years to retrieve this long-forgotten glory. We then proceeded to Skansen to visit miniature, old Sweden and saw wild native animals like reindeer, elks, otters and bisons. Time seems to pass very long and before long, we were on a taxi to Arlanda Airport.

Hasta la Vista, baby!

Helsinki (Part I)

The Easter weekend came and left like the searing winds in Helsinki. We are finally back in London - tired but happy. The four days of travelling in Helsinki and Stockholm were almost non-existent. Helsinki started really slow that we were wondering if there are things to do over the long weekend and it suddenly switched to us leaving Stockholm in a rush, almost missing the taxis that were to fetch us to Arlanda Airport.

I had mixed feelings about this trip because the experiences in both cities were totally different. In Helsinki we spent more time in the cafes and had more desserts/coffee breaks than what we would normally have done during a month back in London. In Stockholm, we were literally rushing from point to point just so to catch as many sights as possible and that included walking in heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures.










Our trip did not get off to a good start from the moment we left our hotel (Grand Scandic). The town seems so "dead" that we were wondering if we were in the right place. As we approached the marketplace, a TV crew (Channel 4) came over to interview us, asking why we are in Helsinki. He went on to explain that there are not much activities in Helsinki over Good Friday and his programme is probably to highlight travellers that visit Helsinki over Good Friday (cue idiots) and taking a piss at us. We were then faced with a hail storm that emerged out of no-where and were left scuffing for our lives.










Though we had less stuff to do in Helsinki, the coffee and desserts were great. Even Andy, who's from the Swiss-chocoland, exclaimed in sweet wonder at the quality of the chocolate desserts (rum & chocolate, bailey's, lemon and chocolate, white choco with peach and so on). We also had our first try at reindeer meat, a taste that crosses beef and mutton. Our first and last.

We also called on Kynsilaukka Ravintola, an all-garlic restaurant that myself and Xueyan were hesitant about visiting. It ended up a wonderful experience (maybe our expectations were low). The food was fantastic (though the portions were weird-sizes). I must say garlic beer is a no-no for those who are ever curious.










There were not many sights to see but you can't miss Suomenlinna, a sea fortress. As Francine (our Helsinki "tour coordinator") kindly explained that this is the second-best sea fortress in the world, we were left scratching our heads (and hairs) over which is the best. Gibraltar, anyone?

We also met several Singaporeans on our cruise to/fro Suomenlinna and it always goes:

"Are you guys Singaporeans?"

"Yah, why? And how do you know?"

"Oh, from your slang!"

Well, you can always take a Singaporean out of the heartlands, but you can never take the Singlish out of him. ;)

Too tired but the Lord spoke

It has been quite a change from the last rotation. Most in my current department are married and a number have kids or are expecting - a drastic change from my former department which is mainly filled with "kids" fresh from college and constant discussion re spring breaks, Facebook and marathon drinking. But with that, you tend to get a more vibrant and lively atmosphere as compared to the dullness here.

Perhaps it's month-end and Q1; everyone is busy with passing journals and financial submission. I have not gotten into the hang of things, other than to play around with VBA. While I used to sashay in at 9+ in FI Exotics, getting in at 8:30am for the last few days meant that I was the second last person (other than my boss) in Credit. Not good, not good.

As mentioned earlier, I have gone somewhat cold and am hoping for a total change of environment, especially in the work that I am doing. Product Control is so different from what I used to do and, worse, what I expected. And in times of need, like many others, I consulted God and prayed. Nothing seems to "work" until I prayed for a specific word last night and Psalm 37 came. Not in the exact situation as David but you get the drift (selected verses).

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;

so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

4 Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

23 Our steps are made firm by the LORD,

when he delights in our way;

24 though we stumble,we shall not fall headlong,

for the LORD holds us by the hand.

Great news prior to travelling

We will be travelling to Helsinki and Stockholm this long weekend, along with 8 other friends. The last long trip (excluding our Singapore CNY rendezvous) had us experiencing our first flight cancellation and disruption to travelling plans.

Now, we are faced with some discouraging news prior to our travels. You are right, we are flying BA. Looks like insurance is a definite yes for us now.

Another fresh start

I will begin my final rotation tomorrow. Amazing how the last 16 months just passed in a flicker of the eye. I had a word with my new boss last Thursday, sharing with him my concerns about joining Product Control. Yes, can't believe I actually have second thoughts about it - 16 months into the program.

I will start off in the High Yield Credit business, before moving on to Structured Illiquid Credit Trading. Funky names but freaky roles. I spoke to a CG friend who works in Sales on the same desk. Her reply on hearing my role?

"Err... Good luck. All the best... I will tell you all about it."

Pray for me.

Removing the Middle-man... not as easy as it seems...

A long time ago (fictional), Mr Patel and friends brought some exotic fruits from the north to Singaporeans. Citing health benefits and fresh ingenuity, they encouraged interest from the masses and, slowly, created a sizable market for the fruits. Seeing the developing interest and the huge market appetite, Mr Goh set up a hyper-supermarket for the suppliers and buyers, cutting away the middle-man. This ensures that buyers/sellers alike are able to buy and settle directly at the super-market. Turns out Mr Patel and friends were not too happy about it and refused to endorse the supermarket. Their continued non-appearance at the market caused a lot of concerns. IS there something wrong with the supermarket?

Some think so, at least for the first listed credit derivatives exchange market.

What's a credit derivative? A credit derivative is a contract (derivative) to transfer the risk of the total return on a credit asset falling below an agreed level, without transfer of the underlying asset e.g. if I were to buy a bond issued by Mama Megacorp and am afraid of the bond defaulting, I can buy "protection" by entering into a credit derivatives swap with a bank to pay them a certain fee every period (eg quarterly). In return, should the bond issuer defaults, the bank will have to buy the bond from me (at par) regardless of whatever the trading price of the bond is now. Hedge funds also use it to gain synthetic exposure to certain names at a cheaper cost of funding.

I guess the banks are probably not keen on sharing the billion-dollar pie with someone else and hence not interested in supporting this initiative. Buy-in is especially important for such an exchange as the purpose of having such an exchange is to improve liquidity, eliminate mis-pricing and generate interest.

As my mama says, the first step is always the hardest.

Got work, no pay?

A long time since I last blogged. This was supposed to be a most ideal week since I am off work for training. That means a regular 9 - 5 (sometimes less) hours where I can spend more time at home and think less about snowballs, skylines, DRAs and volbonds. Then Murphy's Law came in.

The internet went down.

I have been expecting this for some time since I terminated my subscription back in early Nov last year. However, the ISP has not cancelled the line and I have since been using it for "free" (some problems on the payment but too lengthy to share). And it finally came back or so I thought on Monday. I "crashed". No news to read, no emails to check, no blog to write - I ended up getting a better rest every night! In my desperation I went to sign up a new contract with another ISP which I thought was a good deal. Suddenly, last night...

... the connection resurrected! Now I am back to less sleep and more surf! Carrying a vociferous appetite to devour all news that I missed over the last 4 days, I went onto BBC, CNN, ABC, Asiaone. This article caught my attention for a longer-than-usual time. Unlike Singapore, London is a huge contractors' market where a number of people prefers to work as self-employed and temporary instead of going permanent on the pay roll as the salary is significantly higher. This is so as staff benefits such as insurance, healthcare and holiday eave are crystalised into cash benefits and imputed into the hourly/weekly rate. Taxes are also much lower as cash flow management is done via the set-up of a limited company. As I am posted over, I can't choose this option. Ms Wee however is one such example.

Most of these staff are paid weekly (usually on a Friday), so this technical glitch is bad news. Bad news especially since I need Ms Wee to pay off the rental, buy the latest gizmo and my weekly MacDonalds treat.

Sigh, I just have to wait for my toys.

Jesus' unanswered (yet) prayer...

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe you have sent me." John 17:20

Today's preaching was based on this passage where Jesus was praying for himself, his disciples and believers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Why is it still an unanswered prayer? Because the Christian world today is so fragmented, broken up into hundreds of denomination.

I was puzzled - that though we may have different opinions on doctrines, essentially we are still serving and worshiping the one same God. Yet the unification is more than just the God we worship but a unification of the same spirit, working together in humility and not getting sidetracked over divisive matters (I agree that the last has been a problematic issue).

I am not sure why Pastor Chua chose to speak on this today. We were certainly not prepared for this. Has there been a divisive spirit in the church? I am hardly aware of such in the church but as he touched on unity and support for a new senior pastor (Elder Loo) and the soon-to-be independent Chinese congregation, you could sense a certain undercurrent.

To lead is to serve. And to be of one, there cannot exist a situation where a part of the body think it's superior to the others. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet... I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

The next event shocked us. Pastor Chua, all of 70+ years, suddenly knelt down before a Chinese congregation leader and Mrs Loo (as Peter was not around) and wiped their shoes (as the two were not told). And he asked to be able to serve them and to submit to Peter's authority (when Pastor Chua hand over this senior pastor's position).

That brought tears to everyone. Someone whom the church respect. A fatherly figure to many. As he continued, leaders in church started to clean the feet of the lay people. I saw my CGL cleaning the feet of Shu Kar and Richard. It was indeed an amazing sight to behold. Humility and servanthood personified.

From heaven you came, helpless babe

Entered our world, Your glory veiled

Not to be served, but to serve

And give Your life that we might live


This is our God, the servant King

He calls us now to follow Him

To bring our lives as a daily offering

Of worship to the servant King

Absolute Clanger

As I have mentioned earlier on the miss of the season, here's the clip promised. His expression tells it all.

The day has arrived...

Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. - Benjamin Franklin

There is one more certainty in London. When Friday comes around and you suddenly hear applause in the office in the late afternoon, you know someone is leaving. The "clapping" appears rather frequently during the year and peaks just after bonus. You know why.

So I was not surprised when I heard clapping in the afternoon. Well, it's Friday afternoon and someone in FX PCG seems to be leaving. Suddenly I noticed a crowd around me. Yes, the time has come for me. The day which I thought was never to come 8 months ago came. And now, time just happened to fly past me like lightning.

Unlike corporate culture in Singapore, colleagues in London pool some dough to "celebrate" the departure of a colleague and the leaving colleague in turn buys drinks at the local pub. As I was not leaving (just moving on to another department), I did not quite expect this. After all, that did not happen in my last rotation. To see 15 people gathered around me and having my boss to give a speech about my stay in the department can be quite daunting. And I have to give a speech as well. They did however buy some stuff for me, even though I had no drinks on the agenda.



A shirt from T M Lewin, hair gel and some soap bars plus a card. Weird? Yeah but it was a very nice gesture and something we can all learn from.

For some strange reasons, I hung around for a while even though it was time to go (that was what my colleagues said). Maybe when you like something, it is harder to let go.

Why bother with explanations?

Following my earlier post re the Government's intention (actually a foregone conclusion) to review civil servants' salaries, one of the highest paid civil servant in the world has came out to suggest he wants a bigger piece of the cake.

Why don't they do this in election year?

Wastage has began...

Democratic primary has not really commenced but the fight has started.

(p/s: the second clip is funnier)

She might be smarter than you think...

We know her natural affinity towards anything thick, bouncy and comfy. Her ability to engage in deep discussion with the unknown and effortless proficiency to slip away into the dark. Now, there is more than all these we reckon. The British Government actually thinks quite highly of her to consider her a highly skilled migrant. This means she can continue to work in the UK until March 2009 (maybe that is when we will return?).

God has certainly been very wonderful in all of this as an application typically takes between 5 to 9 weeks to process. We only submitted the passport 2 weeks back and were worried that we might not get it back in time for our next trip over Easter. God answered our prayers!

Will I be outta a job soon?

(Lets go to the shop there to get our new jerseys)

The inevitable has to happen as one seeks the higher echleon of the banking system. Organic growth has its limitations in an environment marked by incessant mergers and acquisitions. One would say it's a dog-eat-dog world. Like vultures preying on injured lambs, the one who swoops early catches (and enjoys) the prize. So Barclays takeover talks with ABN Amro does not surprise me. There were earlier talks and rumours of ABN Amro as a takeover target given its less than flattering results. Netherlands' biggest bank? Time for a new successor.

Have a read and I will pen my thoughts to this over the next few days.

Xueyan's 25!

It's easy to be slack in a relationship especially when we have been dating for 6 years and have known each other for more than 10. Still, it's the little things that count in a courtship and remember the reasons why we are together.

So we decided to have a good evening meal together where neither of us have to cook and to have it at a nice place - Gaucho Grill at Canary Riverside, overlooking River Thames. We arrived promptly at 7, having done the reservation yesterday. We had a selection of bread to begin and there was this thick, cheesy bread which went down really well.

Although Gaucho is known for steak, we gave it a pass as we were not into beef. I had Adobo Chicken which is a boneless marinated half-chicken, served with garlic confit potato puree. Xueyan ordered a delightful Zarzuela De Mariscos, a seafood platter served in a saffron broth with asparagus, potato and toasted poilane bread. Very nice. Not before I had a glass of Weinert 'Montfleury’ (rose wine), a good aperitif before the main. The ever-obedient Xueyan stuck to her diet Coke.

The main was very filling but we could not help ourselves to dessert (Singaporeans mah). My chocolate truffle cake was especially thick and sweet. Xueyan's foray into a Dulce de Luche cheesecake did not fare too badly as I eyed it with envy throughout dessert time. We ended up extremely full. On a even better note, the final bill turned out to be very kind.

London experienced hailstones today which meant we had the chance to burn off the calories for our brisk walk home. Conclusion - a amazing meal and glad that her birthday doesn't come around every week!

On a separate note, Tua Yee and myself bought presents for Xueyan. Which do you think was from me?

What a miss!

The scoreline reads 3-3. You receive the ball. No defenders around. You gallop towards the goal and dribble past the goalkeeper. The goal in sight! You speed towards the net, and with the ball on the goal line, you raise your hands in premature celebration, in full knowledge that millions of people around the world are watching and eagerly anticipating the glorious flourish. Then something else happen.

You trip over the ball and the ball is cleared away!

Well, that didn't happen over the weekend in the English Premier League. But something similar happened to a Mr Juan Manuel Leguizamon, an Argentine playing in the Rugby Union League in front of a record crowd.

(clip to follow once it's available)

That reminded me of what I consider the worst miss ever in football. For your viewing pleasure.

State of Healthcare in UK

I am a typical-armchair critic of Singapore's general policies. But there is one thing I have grown to appreciate Singapore ever since I came over - health care.

The costs of health care is a teething issue in Singapore and has been a source of debate in the parliament house, in the newspapers and at the local void deck coffee shops. What's indisputable is the quality of health care in Singapore (yes, there were a few wrongly-diagnosed cases but those are outliers).

There was a huge protest over the weekend by doctors (doctors? Doctors?). The introduction of a centralised allocation system to allocate junior doctors to their specialisation. Basically 30,000 junior doctors going for 22,000 places with their life careers determined by an Intel chip and a home-grown software. Even the government thinks it has done wrong somewhere but this new allocation system still went through.

How it works.

Until last year junior doctors went through three stages of training - pre-registration house officer, senior house officer and finally specialist registrar.

Under the government's 'Modernising Medical Careers' reforms there are now just two training phases - a two-year foundation programme followed by a specialist training programme.

After the foundation stage, the junior doctors will choose their area of specialisation and in the preferred areas for their training. They will submit an online application which makes no reference to their results or feedback from senior doctors. After that? Pray for an interview.

I had lunch with an ophthalmologist (Mr A), who is a soon-to-be specialist registrar. He shared with me this view on this system and I have tried to present them below as far as my memory can hold.

1. Junior doctors cannot re-apply for their preference once allocated by the system. As in Singapore and UK previously, junior doctors can always re-apply if they are not selected for the specialist training. Now in UK, it's take-it-or-leave-it.

2. As there are only 22,000 jobs for 30,ooo junior doctors, some choose to play safe by applying for specialisations which they think are unpopular OR going to certain parts (Mr A said God-forsaken) of UK where they have a higher chance of getting their preferred specialisation. But that means uprooting to go to Scotland for example.

3. Specialists having to train "new people" or "disinterested juniors". The senior specialist can previously use his sphere of influence to "enroll" interested juniors or use his judgement to determine if a junior doctor is suitable. Now even if he finds a highly-talented or motivated potential neurosurgeon, the system might think otherwise and may end up working with someone like me (I usually play safe).

4. Loss of jobs for non-UK or EU citizens. It's natural to give locals preference and I think that's fair. Even Singaporeans complain of "foreign talents", so it's only understandable that the system trends towards the UK/Europeans. Some of Mr A's Malaysians/Singaporeans colleagues have been told to leave, in full knowledge that they will not be allocated an interview or position. Some of them have been training for 5-6 years and is THAT close to becoming a registrar, only to be told that their contract will end in August-07 (when the new system kicks in).

So fellow Singaporeans, be glad that we have interested specialists in Singapore, available to us at an affordable cost (ignore fly-by-night Bangkok "specialists").

Have a great weekend

The Ang Mohs love you

Well, not exactly just the ang mohs but expats who work in Asia has voted Singapore as the best city to live.

Surprised? Not so for me considering the factors (eg climate, air quality, health services, housing and utilities, leisure facilities, infrastructure, personal safety and political tensions) that were used in the compilation of the survey results. Hmmm, so what's left out of this survey that could potentially affect our ranking - work-life balance (OT anyone?), political/social democracy? That aside, my British friends often praised Singapore for her clean, sunny state and some have verbalised their intentions to work in Singapore in the near future. I, too, would one day want to return to the best city in in Asia (not so much for the work though). Moreover, this is not a one-off "victory" for Singapore to hao lian about since the sunny island was also voted the best city last year.

So what's the real deal here? This is, after all, a survey involving Asian Expats, not working Singaporeans. While they might like it here, they tend to be transient as compared to a normal working Singaporean. Things that matter to a Singaporean might not be of relevance to an expat (eg education, democracy). Similarly, I would think London is a great place to work/live but not necessarily as a final destination to plant roots here.

Knowing how the press works in Singapore, here's the other side of the coin.

Interesting Read

In light of the recent furore re flats purchase, I recommend an interesting read on Andrew's blog. I have also added my comments to this perennial debate of good (HDB) vs evil (condo).

We had contemplated getting a condo on our return to Singapore. My personal preference is a landed property. But is it worth it? Share your views.

Call to arms - be a civil servant

When I was young, my mum used to say - 长大后,要用功读书,才能找到政府工. Iron rice-bowl, some say.

What a change it has been for the government to suggest a review (why use review, use increase!) of the civil servants' pay. Another shameless excuse to milk the cow.

It is also a move to lower resignation rates of civil servants, especially those at entry level, where one in four quit in 2006.

Has the government ever considered that it might not be the pay? Take for example the latest(exaggerated) film by Jack Neo, Just Follow Law. It depicts the "battles" within a typical statutory board when people work to cover their backs, scholars are offered with opportunities aplenty and staff are perpetually punctual - at knocking off. My friends who are/were in civil service agreed with the portrayal. If that is indeed the case, why wouldn't people quit? Resignation is not often based on pay. Other factors such as job challenge, personal fulfillment and career progression are equally important.

If the government decides to match public sector salary with the findings from SMU's survey, it will have to pay entry-level civil servants at least $2,850 a month. That is the average starting pay of SMU graduates in 2006, which is 13 percent more than their 2005 counterparts.

This had me laughing and equally amazed at the suggestion offered by the writer. SMU is primarily a business institution and as we all know, graduates with business-related degrees tend to enjoy a higher starting salary. Hence applying the average increase of business graduates' starting pay to the biggest employer of Singapore's labour, who hires from all functions, is akin to comparing apples with durians (not even oranges!).

On that note, there is nothing you or I can do about it. It's all about getting the excuses to facilitate a FOREGONE conclusion. Watch the announcement in April.

Telegraph-Eurostar Promotion

Eurostar is currently running a promotion with Telegraph. Trip to Paris costs £90 for two (fairly good deal). Managed to book two tickets for Xuefeng and Tua Yee for Paris and ourselves in June for Brussels. Seems like the whole world is on it ever since the four passwords were released today.

Anyway for those who want the passwords.
1. Discover
2. Wine
3. Indulge
4. Cuisine

Have fun!

Zero-sum Game

There are always winners and losers in the stock market, akin to a zero-sum game. I remember losing a good part of my savings during NS days when I was so caught up in the trading frenzy and especially after making small contra earnings. I am glad my demise did not turn out as bad as this young man. Because I do know someone in the exact same situation back in Uni, who is still paying back his loans (and losses).

Let this be a good warning.

If God wants you, your credentials dun matter...

Ashley's recent post touched me. Not because I was particularly sad about her Shell rejection. Rather, I also went for an "informal chat". I have been very successful at interviews ever since I first applied for a scholarship with SAF. Then came Arthur Andersen, Amex Tokyo, KPMG, and now (and last) being Barclays Capital. In the small, safe environment of Singapore, I have always felt confident. Until now.

I always thought my credentials were strong until I met the likes of Oxbridge and Imperial College graduates, MBAs from LBS, Insead and the Ivy leagues, Phds in mathematics and quantum physics in my small circle of friends/colleagues. Now I (and you) know who I am up against. So applications have not been very successful here and I have never felt so low before in confidence. Conclusion? A case of misplaced confidence and lack of awareness of God's blessings (so far).

But "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

This has encouraged me. That it doesn't matter who I am up against or what I am supposed to do. Because God use ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things. The more I rely on my own strength, the harder it is. God desire active obedience. Networking does matter, building up a CV does, having the confidence to talk does. But God can do more without any of these.

Be remembered as a person after God's heart. Not one who tries to be like God.

I thought I was supposed to be studying

Our first weekend at gym has finally taken its toll on us. Xueyan swam for more than an hour while I ran, biked and bulked for the same time. Having a sumptuous dim sum lunch with CG friends after the workout session certainly helps in re-channelling the few remaining blood cells from the brain to stomach.

What to do? Sleep loh.

The wait is over...

The long agony has finally ended or so it seems from the reports coming out from the PMA 2007. Ever since Olympus launched the E-1 back in 2003 and caught the world by storm, Olympus fans (myself included) have been waiting for its successor. This is especially in light of new SLRs from gimmicks maker Nikon and Canon. Unlike these unworthy competitors, Olympus does not believe in making slight improvements (eg upgrade from 5 megapixels to 7 megapixels) and thereafter launching a new model to squeeze dry their fans.

As such the new successor is eagerly anticipated (after 4 years). The previous range of lenses has produced superior lenses and has won over many new fans but lost some as the successor has not arrived despite many speculation.

I do agree that the E-1 is lacking behind (after all it has been 4 years) as the N&Cs have been very diligent (and profitable) in releasing new models every 6 - 9 months.

Fret not, the new model (and worthy successor) has arrived. The wait is finally over.

The adventure begins...

After a seemingly long discussion about Ms Xuefeng's grad trip, we have finally kicked off the travel bookings. Today we have confirmed the air tickets to Venice from London (6 May, 630am) for £145.70 (for 5!). Plus a junior suite at Hotel Al Piave @ EUR295/night.

So we are done with 3 days of the 14-day Europe trip. Time to hit the train/hotel bookings for Milan, Lugano, Luzern, Interlaken, Basel, Paris and Amsterdam!

Is this what I want?

Got a phone call from Maria (HR) today. The call that tested the extremes of my emotions - one that I have been eagerly anticipating and one that I dread to pick up. It's the placement for my third and final rotation.

Just two weeks back, I learnt that I will not be going to Planning. All my hopes hinged on this desired position as I have not considered any other options (although I did put down Credit Derivatives (CD) and Structured Capital Markets as the next two preferred options). This has dampened my enthusiasm for the third placement, hence one that I dread to pick up.

The inevitable has to happen. The voice on the other side said, "you know we have been going to and fro on this. So you will be going to Credit Derivatives. But I suggest you speak to so-and-so". I specifically told Maria that I wun want to be posted to this particular dept within CD. After all, the last two "rotatees" in this dept have tendered. My, am I gobsmacked!

Too bad, as part of the rotation programme, I will have to move (although management can do something to keep me in my present dept).

So is preparing P&L flash and posting journal entries going to kill me? Pray for me.

Differences between men and women

1. NAMES

If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Sara go out for lunch, they will call each
other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Sara.
If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will affectionately refer to
each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT

When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in £20, even though it's only for £32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY

A man will pay £2 for a £1 item he really needs.
A woman will pay £1 for a £2 item that she doesn't need, but it's on sale.

4. BATHROOMS

A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott Hotel.
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS

Women love cats.
Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

7. FUTURE

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.

10. DRESSING UP

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the rubbish, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING

Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

13. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

Keeping fit

1. Life is good in London isn't it?
2. Can't tell that you have not been exercising...
3. Wah, you look a lot rounder now huh!

3 most common comments when I was back in Singapore. Basically it boils down to being out-of-shape. While Xueyan had the "fortune" of being told she has lost weight, I had to "suffer" the comments. For someone who used to lead an active lifestyle back in school and grew up laughing at my (formerly)plump sister, it was payback time.

So on our return we signed up at the nearby Reebok gym, a stone's throw from our place with the latest sports facilities such as climbing wall, heated pool and Pilate's classes. So are we THAT worried about being fat? To be honest, no. It's more of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, in line with dietary sensibilities. With news like heart diseases and diabetes making the rounds in the newspapers, it's always wise to be on the precautionary side. As said, we used to run regularly back in Singapore (even while we were in audit), so there is no reason to cease that. Always good to stress the heart and to enjoy the adrenaline rush.

What's next after signing up for the gym? Commitment to use the gym and maintain dietary discipline!

Win liao loh

No offence to the MIW and the government, but isn't this a little too sensitive when people were just complaining of the rise in GST and the insufficient monetary support provided for in the latest budget?

As for aligning wages to performance, what defines performance for the civil service? GDP?

GDP = consumption + investment + (government spending) + (exports − imports)

I know this is a little far fetched, but if civil service salaries up = government spending up = GDP up = salaries up?

I am truly confused by this now.

Ministerial, civil service salaries expected to go up

No uniform revision this time; wages will also be more closely tied to performance

By Zakir Hussain
Mar 03, 2007
The Straits Times

THE pay of ministers and civil servants is expected to go up soon, after the Government announces salary revisions next month.
But there will not be a 'uniform, across-the-board large revision' for all 60,000 civil servants.

This is unlike 2000, when pay went up by an average of 13 per cent across the board.

This time round, increases will depend on how far civil servants' pay has lagged behind the private sector, said Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, who oversees civil service matters.

Services with pay lagging significantly behind the private sector will get bigger adjustments, while those closer to the market will get smaller ones, he said.

For example, pay in the Administrative Service has not been revised since 2000 and has fallen sharply behind private sector salaries in the past two years.

Such civil servants are likely to get bigger rises to keep pace with the private sector.

Salaries of ministers, judges and statutory appointment-holders are pegged to the Administrative Service salary structure, so their pay is also expected to rise when the changes are announced.

Another important change is that salaries will be linked more closely to performance.

Mr Teo disclosed these changes in Parliament yesterday following questions from several MPs.

'As private sector wages rise, the wages of civil servants cannot remain stagnant,' he said.

'We do not aim to lead private sector salaries, but we must keep pace.

'If we are not responsive, we will lose our ability to recruit and keep able people. This will do great harm to Singapore as we would have lost one key advantage over other countries - a clean, competent and effective civil service.'

Mr Teo said the public sector had felt the impact of the tightening labour market. He made a similar point in November last year, when he said salaries were likely to rise.

For example, more civil servants are resigning. The resignation rate rose from 4.8 per cent in 2005 to 5.7 per cent last year.

The problem is more severe in some services. The management executive service for graduates saw resignations rise from 7.4 per cent in 2005 to 10.6 per cent last year. At entry grade, the resignation rate is 25 per cent.

While attrition rates in other services are not yet high, 'we should not wait till these services are bleeding badly before we move to retain and maintain competitiveness', said Mr Teo.

Ms Annie Yap, CEO of recruitment firm GMP, said salaries tend to be higher in the private sector.

While starting wages in the public and private sectors are similar, private sector salaries tend to be 10 to 20 per cent higher for top wage earners, she said.

Mr Teo explained that the new salary structure will tie pay more closely to performance, in line with private sector practice, where about 25 per cent or more of pay depends on performance.

This is a good principle to follow, to 'reward deserving civil servants and sustain a high-performance culture in the civil service', said Mr Teo.

Asked how the civil service ensures good outcomes, he acknowledged that it has no financial bottom line. But part of senior officers' pay is linked to Gross Domestic Product growth.

'We feel that is also a good way of getting senior civil servants...to focus on outcomes of that type,' he said.

Survived the first week...

Finished late tonight. Thought I was late but I actually under-estimated the workaholic (?!?) Ms Wee. Turned out month-end work has her knocking off at 845pm. As per the last few nights, we went to eat out. This time at Itsu, a Japanese restaurant near our place. Warm sake, teriyaki eel and chicken rolls taste so good. Or perhaps it's more of us surviving the first week of work. The bill came up to £23.40. Oh, an undercharge of two items! Too tired of asking for a new bill, we returned the difference as tips.

Work-wise, the two weeks away have brought about some significant changes at my work place. A colleague has resigned and my direct boss has requested for a transfer. The team also got into trouble with the traders last week for not doing something properly (as I have been doing it and not handed over adequately). Basically it has bee fire-fighting. Throw in the confusion re my next rotation as my preference for Strategic Planning has been turned out. My replacement boss has also been trying to talk me into staying, instead of rotating out. I am confused. What to do next?

Hmmm, I am just glad I survived the first week.

How do I know I'm back in London?

Ouch. The water was not hot. But my upper lip hurts. Din realise that my lips are cracked and drinking water actually hurts. I had a look at my hands, the skin around the knuckles are very dry and appears to be in the very same state before I left for Singapore. Bleeding.

I know I am back.

I had ham and cheese croissant for lunch today. Dinner on Monday was Thai home delivery, Tuesday was Nando's and last night was MacDonald's (nice chicken strips though) and tonight's Japanese takeaway. No one is in the mood to cook yet, probably too tired (or lazy). Having good food in Singapore is clearly taking its toll on us.

Hmmm, can hear Xueyan at the door. It's 8pm. Time for TV and dinner.

Who cares as long as it works...

Bought a new DVD player during lunch yesterday - MATSUI DVD320. The cheapest, multi-region player I can find in the store (Currys). Bought my first Matsui 15 months ago when I first moved to London, only to find it failing after 2 days. However the loss of my Acoustic Solutions remote control meant that I need a solution - quick (and cheap).

My colleague was understandably excited when he saw the Currys pack and rushed over to have a look. I told him it's a Matsui. He said, "time for a upgrade" and walked away rather disappointed.

As for me? Who cares as long as it works.