Category: Ashes of Time

Change the world

Back in 1997, Apple ran a TV commercial with a slogan – “Think Different”. The last line in this famous ad was …

… the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do …

In 2000, a team of professionals thought they could change the world and they got together, developed one of the most sophisticated Internet-based e-Government infrastructure at that time in Asia. And the rest is history. There were many naysayers in the industry all along, and they were just all talk and no action. But we are the one who really delivered the system, who spent countless days and nights to make it work, to maintain it and to serve 7 millions people in the city …

It’s really a great experience to work with you all in the last 8 years and I would like to thank every single one of you. You know who you are. As a token of thanks, following is one video captures all the beautiful moments I have …

http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1294739649&f=Pm7qBJT7F3UcDAErvBDSGA&d=55&m=b&r=f&i=w&options=

We changed the world around us, but it’s time for me to move on. Thank you again and see you all around …

It’s not over till it’s over

The 7 years long project is finally over. And frankly, I still cannot believe it …

Hundreds of man-years’ efforts were invested into this project and we did do something incredibly amazing. Thanks to those who walk along with me all these years … and it reminds me a (crap) song from Starship:

It’s not over ’til it’s over
It’s not over ’til we get it right

The odds are against us
They say we don’t stand a chance
But there’s no giving up, no giving in
When push comes to shove
You got to fight for what you love
You do what you must, do what you can

1982

I am helping one organization in town to organize an event to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. In other words, back in 1982 a group of bright minds founded the organization. So I asked myself … what other big events happened in 1982? A couple of searches from Google and Wikipedia … and I found …

January

  • The San Francisco 49ers defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI. Joe Montana Go Go Go !!!

March

  • Syzygy: all 9 planets align on the same side of the Sun.

April

  • Falklands War begins.

June

  • The 1982 FIFA World Cup is opened in Spain.
  • The Falklands War ends.

July

  • Coca Cola introduces Diet Coca Cola
  • Italy beats West Germany 3-1 to win the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. Rossi rules !!

August

  • Commodore 64 released !! My first Personal Computer !!
  • The first Compact Discs (cd’s) are released to the public in Germany.

December

  • Thriller album by Michael Jackson is released, becoming the biggest selling album of all time in entertainment history.
  • Time Magazine’s Man of the Year is given for the first time to a non-human, the computer.

A City Without History – Part 2

One by one, we demolish our city’s landmarks … piece by piece, we let go our memories and histories …

Queenโ€™s Pier

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

Stand By Me

My faith was so much stronger then
I believed in fellow men
And I was so much older then
When I was young
When I was young
When I was young
…

When I was Young