Just to get the word out – Aeste is hiring!
So, if anyone who reads this blog knows any good electronics engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians, etc – please let them know that I am hiring. I am looking to hire several full-time staff this year, depending on how much business I will be getting. My HR policy is real simple – hire good people, pay them well, and leave them alone.
Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply – as long as they possess the correct attitude.
Sometimes, I wonder why it seems that the Pakatan Rakyat are constantly on the defensive. While I understand that they are constantly under siege by the federal government, I sometimes wonder why they choose to be reactive rather than proactive, in handling their problems.
As the saying goes: the best defense is a good offense.
Today, we have the Selangor Menteri Besar, issuing a statement about the current state impasse, where the federal government had played the game well and put their man in as the State Secretary. This is a potentially crippling move if the top civil servant of the state is unable to work with the chief minister of the state.
As a result, the Menteri Besar is seeking an emergency state assembly meeting to amend the state constitution to return the power of state appointments, to the state. I ask myself, if they could think of this problem now, why did they not do it earlier and avoid the potentially crippling situation in the first place.
I mean, the PR governments should realise that the BN government is out to get them by hook or by crook and should behave accordingly. They should be actively engaged in plugging all the potential holes before their enemy lobs one into them. They should realise that the system was designed by the BN government and they know best how to work it. If they sit on their behinds and wait for things to happen, they will.
They really need all the help that they can get.
According to TheStar, “The academic term of the public and private institutions of higher learning (IPT) will start in September instead of July, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.” The reason for doing this is primarily to align our local universities with those from overseas so that our institutions can compete with the offerings from other countries, in attracting foreign students.
Sigh. As I understand it, most local IPTS have multiple intakes in a year, just to tackle this problem, including one with a September time-frame.
The Deputy Minister also realises that this means the SPM/STPM students have more than half a year’s wait before they start off with the next stage of their education. I honestly question the wisdom of such a thing simply because, their brains would have gone rusty by the time they start college, not to mention the kinds of mischief that an idle 17 year old can get into during that time.
What we need is to re-align all our schools to a September start, for both primary and secondary schools. Alternatively, we need to have a filler term, to ensure that these students do not waste their time. In the past, some people would start taking their pre-U courses immediately after the SPM. But in our case, I think that they will just fill the gap with National Service camps.
I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing.
http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf
It is very important to get the right incentives in place to encourage the right behaviour – more so when I am looking to hire some staff. I have been spending some time thinking about many different ways of doing things – some of which are quite different from conventional wisdom. Everyone tells me that I am wrong to do things the way that I want to – but I honestly don’t think so.
Only time will tell.
Another year passes, and I am hopefully – slightly wiser. Anyway, my resolution for 2010 came true – I resolved to quit my job and I did! So, now it is time to make resolutions for the new year and I have just a few.
Ramen Profitability
Ramen profitability – just being profitable enough to survive on instant noodles. It’s just a better way of saying – breaking even. My hope is to generate enough revenues next year, to cover my operational expenses for the year. I am currently talking to several parties on a number of different projects – ranging from SMEs to PLCs.
Assuming that I get a continuous stream of smaller short-term projects from SMEs, I should be on the way to cover my opex. So, this is something that I will work on first. Once that works, I will probably buy some extra equipment and hire some extra help. Then, I will work on getting one of the medium and/or large projects. If I can get them, I will be able to buy instant noodles!
My objective of reaching ramen profitability is to prove my business model and viability. Then, I can focus on growth and expansion. If the model itself isn’t viable, then I cannot possibly scale.
Study Law
Since I generally dislike lawyers, I decided that it was time that I studied law myself. Through my business activities, I find that I am in need of more and more legal advice. So, it made sense for me to be prudent and learn up some law myself. I have no intention of being a lawyer, but I plan to learn it for knowledge so that I can communicate better with my lawyer and advise my clients better.
I have been shopping around for a suitable part-time law course this year and found that, the best option is to take the Bachelors of Jurisprudence from UM. Unfortunately, they are only open for registrations in April. So, I missed the opportunity to sign up this year. Therefore, come April 2011, I will definitely sign up for the course and earn myself another Bachelors degree in law.
While this would not allow me to practise as a lawyer, it would be sufficient for me to understand legalese, at least.
Chartered Engineer
I am an engineer, first and foremost. Therefore, it is only natural for me to qualify myself with a professional qualification, on top of my PhD in Engineering. There are a couple of options for me to do this and after considering them, I decided that I will attempt to qualify as a Chartered Engineer first. The earliest that I can attempt this is towards the second half of 2011.
While having a C.Eng would not necessarily help me to make more money, it is actually another one of my life-goals. If I can check off another life-goal next year, that would be just fine and dandy.
Write a Book
This is actually more a bonus than anything else. I already have quite a lot on my plate next year. However, I am also presently in the process of creating a series of technical courses for the largest technical training company in South East Asia. One reason that I am doing this is to enable me to write a book on this subject.
I have had many people tell me that I write well. So, I thought that I should try my hand at writing a book and since I am technically inclined, I felt that I could try writing a technical book. I plan to use some of the materials from my course inside the book and vice versa. It will be an interesting hobby project.
I will need to find someone to proof read it though.
Even though I do not follow football (neither local nor foreign), reading about our team’s recent victory in the AFF Suzuki Cup, made me teary eyed because it sort of reflected what I felt needed to be done in this country. We need to let the young people in, show their talent and give them room to grow, instead of stifling them. The young are our hope for the future.
While I did not watch the game, our family’s Indonesian maid did. Even she was disgusted at her national team’s performance and was on the phone with her friends back home about it. She complained that they were kicking legs, not kicking the ball.
I think that what our national coach said is right. This is a victory, and we should celebrate it. However, we must also see this as just the first step, in a long journey, to return the pride to your national squad. I have grown sick of hearing the old farts wax lyrical on the good old days of Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh and Soh Chin Aun – where ate EPL teams and Asian giants for lunch.
It is about time that we made a concerted effort, to claw back to our rightful place, as one of the top teams of the region.
PS: I hope that our hockey team would watch and learn.
PPS: With the general elections rumoured to be be around the corner, I hope that our politicians do not exploit the situation and ruin things. But that’s just wishful thinking.
A good friend of mine recommended that I catch this film – Black Swan – when it comes out in Malaysia. Curious, I looked up the trailer and it does look like just the right kind of film for me. I am partial towards stories that screw with my mind and the trailer does set things up just right – a story with enough schizoid tendencies thrown in.
Unfortunately, I do not know how our local film censors will take to the movie. Sometimes, I do wish that people would just learn to take things easy.
Sybreon Ones Nought 