It’s that time of the year, when things quiet down, for a reflection of the year that was 2020. It is truly a unique and memorable year in many ways one for the history books. Generations from now, books (and documentaries) will be produced to try and figure this year out. Academicians and storytellers will try to dissect this year to distill its lessons and meanings for the future of humanity.
Continue reading “Reflections on 2020”Working from Home
It’s been close to 4 months now since we started working from home. Right now, we are currently in a 3-team rotation.
I love working from home. There’s no tedious need to travel, thinking about how to appear not to dress up while dressing up and physically showing up for meetings that have no particular reason to exist. Yes, life now tends to be more straightforward. Sure, we lose the “personal” touch thing but I do feel (at least for now) that this is somewhat over-rated. Or perhaps this is the inner introvert me speaking.
Continue reading “Working from Home”Is 2020 going to be the year of the COVID?
It has been only 2 and a half months into 2020 and the world is already in turmoil. The new year started literally with a bonfire that ravaged through large swathes of Australia in January. Just before fresh images of singed cute koalas fade from our minds, Malaysia’s barely 24-months old liberal government was toppled by a rebellion within their own ranks. And before the cursed Sheraton Move fade from the people’s minds, the most consequential once-in-a-generation global pandemic broke out in March.
Suddenly, everyone who is not from China just woke up to the fact that a deadly novel coronavirus has been spreading within their borders and infecting large numbers of their population. Now, I have a lot to say about all of these events. But it is the last one that just boils my blood.
Continue reading “Is 2020 going to be the year of the COVID?”Black Hole
On 10th April 2019, humans got their first photograph of an actual blackhole. After years of seeing black holes in sci-fi blockbusters (though to be fair, the most accurate depiction on screen has to be the black hole from Interstellar), the real image seems underwhelming to say the least. But what we have achieved is a major milestone in our understanding of our universe.
Continue reading “Black Hole”Book Review: Billion Dollar Whale
Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World
** spoiler alert ** Wow. My brain is fried from reading this.
I’ve been following the 1MDB scandal closely ever since it was raised by Sarawak Report. And I have talked to innocent acquaintances who had worked there as well. But nothing could have prepared me for the scale and scope of the 1MDB scandal that has been vividly retold in this grippingly well researched book.
Continue reading “Book Review: Billion Dollar Whale”Something’s amiss with Apple
I’m using and have owned various Apple products through the years. I’m typing this blog post on an iPad Pro that is tethered to my iPhone 6S Plus while regularly checking my Apple Watch to ensure that I don’t miss my next appointment. When I get home, I watch Netflix on my TV via an Apple TV and then check my emails on my iMac before I go to bed.