Long time no speak

Posted on May 19, 2013 by

Sorry for the lack of entries recently, have no idea what’s happened. Seems like East London living has been getting progressively more busy and adventurous. Will make an effort to blog an update on my life. I have now been flat-sharing as a household of three for over 7 months, picking up valuable lessons from dealing with the likes of mice and thin walls. Been exploring all the sites and partying with many different crowds. Obviously I work pretty hard too at my day job, of which I proudly walk to (35mins) every morning now that summer’s approaching. Living for the weekend is something that I embrace whole-heartedly. I initially enjoyed some pretty decent nights out in the west end when I was a London-newbie, going to top-notch commercial venues that were everywhere to be found in the district and being flattered to have drinks bought for me by people with interesting lives. However, when I became a little disillusioned with the capitalist aspects of going out in those locations, I changed tracks and ventured to the east end, frequenting “shabby but chic” warehouse-esque venues that offered more spiritual abandonment, and surprisingly awesome deep house raves. Self-indulgence aside, I still like to make time to visit my parents at least once a month to chat and absorb all their relentless wisdom, while sponging off them for food and a listening ear to all my irreverent problems. Not that I have much to moan about, except my lack of direction and abhorrent indecisiveness regarding decision-making. One good action I have taken in the past month is joining Gymbox (the day after the London marathon). Despite the horrific membership costs, it has induced a lot of physical and spiritual happiness in me. I now take regular yoga classes (mega stress release), and even started amateur boxing lessons – could turn into a new hobby there. I signed up for ‘Run to the Beat’ half marathon in September and have vowed to run 30 mins 3 times a week, upgrading to 60 mins twice a week in July/August. With all this adrenaline pumping through my veins, I’m getting less sleep these days. Maybe I’ll channel all that insomniac energy into blog creation.

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Anonymous letter found expressing random kindness

Posted on March 23, 2013 by

You and I don’t know one another. We may never sit and laugh over cups of coffee. We may never dance in the same circles or yawn together by the midnight hour. None of that really matters to me. It is so small and meaningless to the things I wish you would know on a daily basis: that you are lovely. That you are worthy. That those hands of yours were made for mighty, mighty things.

You probably think I am crazy. You are probably sitting here with this letter in your hands thinking, you cannot know that… you don’t know me… you don’t know a stitch of me. Yes, you’re right. But I know all the things I thought I never deserved. I know how very hard it once was to love myself and value myself and even find myself worth the reflection in the mirror. And so I know I am not alone in needing a boost some days, in needing to know that I matter to someone somewhere.

You matter to me. In a way I cannot explain, you matter to me. And you, you are a marvel… you and all the parts of you.

Love

Image

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Africa Haiku

Posted on February 10, 2013 by

In honour of the conclusion of David Attenborough’s Africa series of which I’ve enjoyed immensely, I wrote a poem in haiku format (my latest poetic obsession) to engage with some themes regarding this diverse continent…

 

Deserts rocks and sand

Landscapes you can’t imagine

Wildlife running fast

 

An exotic land

Step to the beat of the drums

Rhythmic music cast

 
Life can be unplanned

Corrupt are institutions

Elites profit vast

 
War famine withstand

Apartheid with decades lost

Best left in the past

 
Child holds out her hand

Searching for development

Only to come last

 

LG

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The Problem with Consumption

Posted on December 5, 2012 by

Sorry for my complete lack of blogging since August, I’ve been utterly consumed with starting a new job and moving to a new city. Came across some interesting articles about world poverty and consumption today, which got me thinking about where my personal priorities lay in terms of what I spend my money on, and what kind of things I want on a day-to-day basis. Below is some information from the UN about the matter – they can probably sum it up better.

The Conclusion: Global inequality is predominantly found in consumption choices and preferences of wealthier individuals in the world.

Inequalities in consumption are stark. Globally, the 20% of the world’s people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures — the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3%. More specifically, the richest fifth:

  • Consume 45% of all meat and fish, the poorest fifth 5%
  • Consume 58% of total energy, the poorest fifth less than 4%
  • Have 74% of all telephone lines, the poorest fifth 1.5%
  • Consume 84% of all paper, the poorest fifth 1.1%
  • Own 87% of the world’s vehicle fleet, the poorest fifth less than 1%

Source: Human Development Report 1998 Overview, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

And consider the following data, which reflect stark world priorities:

Global Priority $U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States 8
Ice cream in Europe 11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States 12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States 17
Business entertainment in Japan 35
Cigarettes in Europe 50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe 105
Narcotics drugs in the world 400
Military spending in the world 780

And compare that to what was estimated as additional costs to achieve universal access to basic social services in all developing countries:

Global Priority $U.S. Billions
Basic education for all 6
Water and sanitation for all 9
Reproductive health for all women 12
Basic health and nutrition 13

(Source: The state of human development, United Nations Human Development Report 1998, Chapter 1, p.37)

Posted in Business, Economics, Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment

China: Industrial Powerhouse to Technology Hub

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

Ranking just behind the US in terms of world dominance regarding its economy, China has diversified from its traditional strengths in industry towards participating in a tech-led economy. These changes have reflected gradual regulatory and economic changes since the late 1970s, and have been been marked by China’s changing relationship to the world market as a manufacturer, exporter, and investor. Vital to these changes has been China’s combination of centralised state control and willingness to boost its national economy through global business and international investment.

Post-1970s deregulation

The People’s Republic of China that emerged in 1948 aimed to both close off China from the wider international economy, and to implement a highly controlled Communist Government that could be self-sustainable through agriculture and industrialisation. China aimed to control economic growth through nationalised telecommunications and technology industries. Late 1970s saw China beginning to target regulatory and economic reform as a means of increasing both its GDP and presence in world markets.

The reforms of the 1980s consequently looked towards increasing Chinese exports, anchored by the prolific production of steel-mining, coal, and other products. Moves were made to modernise regional economies, control prices and integrate state-owned enterprises. Growth via making cities like Shenzhen and Hong Kong more open to private investment aimed to increase China’s competitiveness against its economic rivals. This process continued through the 1990s, as China was able to weather the storm of the 1997 financial crash in the Asian economy and also join the World Trade Organisation in 2001.

2000s to the present

The modern China has been able to mobilise both its huge labour force and centralised state planning to support domestic subsidies incorporating diversification in line with an open world market. While around 47% of China’s GDP is still based around traditional engineering and state owned enterprises, Chinese FDI and exports have meant that the country has become the world’s biggest lender, holding many US securities and hedge funds. International lending and trade plays a major part in China’s current prosperity but officials must not undermine the maintenance of a stable internal economy, while the China Development Bank continues to boost revenues.

Watch this space

Adjusting the correct balance of technological growth and national stability has been a major concern for China, as an emerging technology leader in the 2000s. The People’s Republic has long monitored broadband, TV and phone, making similar efforts to censor the Internet and the Press. State censorship is still a major concern with regards to human rights, freedom of speech and democracy in China.

The consequences of China’s economic boom will arguably have a significant impact on many other nations. This is especially due to the substantial size and centralisation of the Chinese economy, as well as Chinese graduates and PhDs training in the US and Europe, and then using those skills upon return to China. The next few years are likely to see China seeking to consolidate its growth, while furiously guarding state-owned control of its economy.

The author of this article believes that with better communication via social media technology, China can grow from dominating in the manufacturing sector to prospering in international capital markets, financial services, and multinational business development. 

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Challenges of Using Digital Technologies

Posted on August 3, 2012 by

Data, digital marketing, social-media, cloud computing and mobility are areas where managers often spot opportunities to improve their businesses. They are seeing digital business trends more as proactive strategic weapons than background noise. While such trends are becoming strategic priorities there’s still a long way to go before their potential is fully exploited.

According to McKinsey, 50% of companies are not investing enough resources in the digital realm to generate much impact. The lack of IT capabilities create barriers to providing essential technology to companies. In the long term, keeping to traditional marketing, IT and HR practises may obstruct a dynamic approach to digital business, where flexibility and speed are crucial to generating maximum value. By embracing the digital, big data analytics could improve overall performance in customer targeting, new product strategies, pricing, forecasting, operations and R&D.

Here are 5 challenges to using digital technology effectively:

  • Organisational structures may not be suited to taking advantage of digital priorities
  • Lack of digital infrastructure and outdated business practises
  • Lack of willingness by management to change current practises
  • Difficulty acquiring technical talent
  • Lack of quality reliable data

The social journey for businesses can be summed up as follows:

Monitor –> Respond –> Amplify –> Lead

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Why Monitoring Social Media is Hard

Posted on July 24, 2012 by

They say that a new branch of social media analysis, known as ‘sentiment analysis’, is embryonic and set to take centre stage in the era of intelligent society. I did an introductory project on this topic during my political internship with a PR institution in 2010 titled: “Sentiment analysis of social and political data found in Hansard”. It basically discussed whether it was possible to track and aggregate MP opinions on company clients during parliamentary sittings (recorded in Hansard). At that time the government and businesses were doubtful about the use of emotional ‘+/- sentiment’ signals in identifying trends and conducting analysis. Indeed, I left it alone for a while. A few years on, my curiosity is being set alight once more.

Below are some brief notes on why it’s hard to keep track of ‘social’ buzz:

Volume: There are probably thousands, or millions of posts about a product, service or brand online. Add in competitors and it’ll be even more. How can you cover it all?

Topics: You need to know how much people talk, more importantly still, what they talk about. This is perhaps the toughest challenge of all. How do you understand all the discussion out there and analyse what really matters to people?

Sentiment: You want to know how people feel about you, but measuring sentiment is not easy. Slang and style vary and can produce erroneous data. Irony and sarcasm makes categorisation almost impossible. Multiple languages create inconsistencies. How do you score it all accurately and in aggregate?

Languages: Online discussion spans every language; if you are global then so is the discussion. How can you understand it all? How can it be ensured that data from one country is measured the same way as another?

Sources: Social media is a complex landscape, with many different types of sources. You want to make sure they’re all covered reliably. But how do you cover everything from Facebook to Twitter to review sites and blogs?

Posted in Business, Emotion, Politics, Social Media | Leave a comment