tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68975138862111975092024-03-09T05:43:43.117+08:00Singapore Man of LeisureWhy stand when you can sit? And why sit when you can lie down?
醉生梦死Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.comBlogger1252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-10188002947588785662023-06-28T15:01:00.005+08:002023-06-29T21:11:51.633+08:00Hello SP Group, I'm Back!<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yup, I've moved back to Big Daddy's electricity provider this month.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To recap and have a better sense of context, you may want to read my previous 18 Oct 2021 post:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://singaporemanofleisure.blogspot.com/2021/10/sp-wholesale-versus-electricity.html" target="_blank">SP Wholesale versus Electricity Retailers</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been "lucky" for the past 2 years - paying a mere $0.168/kWh - despite the rising quarterly Electricity Tariffs...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But that 2-year honeymoon ended this month.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My current electricity provider tried to "entice" me to renew the contract for another minimum 18 months with an extra "discount" for repeat customers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Good try.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't sweat the small stuffs like downloading apps to enjoy extra discounts for Kopitiam or points for free burgers at McDonalds...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But for my monthly electricity plans? I bothered to do some quick research. Wink.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For historical electricity tariff prices, click the excel file from SP Group below: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.spgroup.com.sg/wcm/connect/spgrp/e0b9800a-c39b-4f41-8664-2bbe8e2ca826/Historical%2BElectricity%2BTariff_Oct+18%28w+GST%29.xls?MOD=AJPERES" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center; transition: color 500ms ease 0s;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Historical Electricity Prices</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Those of you who see better with pictures may want to convert the data into charts yourself. (What? I don't spoon-feed one OK?)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What do you see?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Locking prices for the next 18 months at current electricity prices is like buying near a market top...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I just can't bring myself to do it. (Occupational hazard of a trader)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But why return to SP Group?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's because <b><i>no</i></b> independent electricity retailers are now offering variable plans!!!???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember when we can choose independent electricity retailers for the first time?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We were offered "fixed" and "variable" plans right?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll let you figure out why <i><b>no </b></i>independent retailers are offering "variable" plans to us anymore...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, no worries!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hello SP Group, I'm back!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course I can be wrong!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll have eggs on my face if next quarter's electricity tariff goes up...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But if you are a Trend Follower like me (<a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lower-electricity-bills-in-q2-2023-as-tariff-falls-by-54-per-cent" target="_blank">Lower electricity bills from April to June as tariff falls by 5.4%</a>), then <i><b>not</b></i> locking-in our monthly electricity is the way to benefit from future lower deflationary electricity prices.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">P.S. Since I'm not Buy-and-Hold but a Man-Whore Market Timer, once electricity prices have dropped to the low 20s (break below 20 even better), I'll start flirting with the independent retailers again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-91269164573695557802023-06-14T10:09:00.002+08:002023-06-14T10:12:46.199+08:00Sunrise and Rainbow at Dawson<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Woke up slightly before 7am this morning due to the sudden chill in the air.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thought it would rain as menacing dark storm clouds looms...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I saw this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C08w0jcvIX3uCG9v0AvmaWwc-mG2-QS4_Mc2TTcUA1YHSTIEG7ncsMrlB8rqDCnPmxlMvkuPJS-Qxr_6pnjZu_MRoxqwn3yOQHnaydzBFr70P4jrIBIamtsT2ccnX4zkF436brbEQMAzqdlj9kiDoac8ceVXkveVRYK8FLcQ1Wk6-HT7TpYdiefP/s4080/IMG_20230614_071149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C08w0jcvIX3uCG9v0AvmaWwc-mG2-QS4_Mc2TTcUA1YHSTIEG7ncsMrlB8rqDCnPmxlMvkuPJS-Qxr_6pnjZu_MRoxqwn3yOQHnaydzBFr70P4jrIBIamtsT2ccnX4zkF436brbEQMAzqdlj9kiDoac8ceVXkveVRYK8FLcQ1Wk6-HT7TpYdiefP/w400-h301/IMG_20230614_071149.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over Orchard Road </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Weather nowadays quite a tease.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yup, the dark clouds just blew on by. No rain for Queenstown today!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As consolation, the heavens gave me this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaegZ2WNGfLUbupYORYFIYdcJwL_tqbYXr8VjXHEYy1viKgmTm5Dn07pMsjYAD5s9WDI0XeSVbBsTndlVYhBZwoetD7iFZEaWRa2k1H2CS-13SfHz6FZyxQRwqYGC427hAZKS3LOcHIbYorAH2w9lDbFV680PQfMa8XL5rhnb3-TzUSgzx6QTun0D/s4080/IMG_20230614_073503.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaegZ2WNGfLUbupYORYFIYdcJwL_tqbYXr8VjXHEYy1viKgmTm5Dn07pMsjYAD5s9WDI0XeSVbBsTndlVYhBZwoetD7iFZEaWRa2k1H2CS-13SfHz6FZyxQRwqYGC427hAZKS3LOcHIbYorAH2w9lDbFV680PQfMa8XL5rhnb3-TzUSgzx6QTun0D/w482-h640/IMG_20230614_073503.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from balcony towards West</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I then dragged myself down to the 35th floor Skygarden to snap the other side of the rainbow:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0Kw05LK8H63JBRgAOeiWmeDMH1VBj14BHbCMEcSN-6I_QNhV1BfsWxJxqyztFUWxHlPwViz_H8SSIpOtFGtpqan5kLVh5S7hNg6cT-1eEygcUVX_zzLlJLEgIdIKSFEHLjMApE0PvSY5JXB19jjQv3gHhYPFvfZkV38-rqrX_Zzr6dr3Xn0frgfV/s4080/IMG_20230614_073902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0Kw05LK8H63JBRgAOeiWmeDMH1VBj14BHbCMEcSN-6I_QNhV1BfsWxJxqyztFUWxHlPwViz_H8SSIpOtFGtpqan5kLVh5S7hNg6cT-1eEygcUVX_zzLlJLEgIdIKSFEHLjMApE0PvSY5JXB19jjQv3gHhYPFvfZkV38-rqrX_Zzr6dr3Xn0frgfV/w482-h640/IMG_20230614_073902.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I showed mom the pictures.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">She happy; I happy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Simple pleasures of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-81594993917160740292023-06-03T08:37:00.001+08:002023-06-03T08:39:24.592+08:00Sunset and Dusk at Dawson<p><br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As requested by Sy, here are some pictures of sunset and dusk at Dawson:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkzkGDh8WS_5W3UG1kEZefSqiwDG_eVsTX6P5JEdzunxm-Yb8YQQH71VJXKxsh_f6R6d1pfcO9bsDAWCTz6DyGg2hVMDri0oo2zFWDtOHhsCnwB2LbBx-kp73Il7p5x6FxvRzJKITxTsU32zzmG6_l0utVBbkn0SMDDqVAQAHciIWnJBdPXS6d0Yk/s4080/IMG_20230524_185224%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkzkGDh8WS_5W3UG1kEZefSqiwDG_eVsTX6P5JEdzunxm-Yb8YQQH71VJXKxsh_f6R6d1pfcO9bsDAWCTz6DyGg2hVMDri0oo2zFWDtOHhsCnwB2LbBx-kp73Il7p5x6FxvRzJKITxTsU32zzmG6_l0utVBbkn0SMDDqVAQAHciIWnJBdPXS6d0Yk/w400-h301/IMG_20230524_185224%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLNq-4FJ-2cVLDfaTTKWM_cWygH1A_JcViPVvZbKgz-y57rY1M4Bri6ZawvA6LklVTWAV5ZhQfKMcpv1Z32P066VmOsTYOj1K0AvcdLszqmY8HaN3q_4Zot6bP51-2lruoiuR97_O7XJNv5146zpNtw27L3ystHEuqAtRvx0EZLjFxIQrc3Lx2wYa/s4080/IMG_20230530_192817%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLNq-4FJ-2cVLDfaTTKWM_cWygH1A_JcViPVvZbKgz-y57rY1M4Bri6ZawvA6LklVTWAV5ZhQfKMcpv1Z32P066VmOsTYOj1K0AvcdLszqmY8HaN3q_4Zot6bP51-2lruoiuR97_O7XJNv5146zpNtw27L3ystHEuqAtRvx0EZLjFxIQrc3Lx2wYa/w400-h301/IMG_20230530_192817%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mJgbn4TMrTr5vbU36xI66jich84hSy45oL2bHSr-DEl1-Q5KBBWTrqRGbM3siintlEr8YgfCtltJqwuPi3oWZ9-pjjZinRRSy0FdZisesAEWGfKQzD7BwsMWixm1YReFwo-0UjFy0IH3bY2eg6DUkATKcNBYo27iPOzT67YmN2tTyu_DT2bMG8Px/s4080/IMG_20230601_192134%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mJgbn4TMrTr5vbU36xI66jich84hSy45oL2bHSr-DEl1-Q5KBBWTrqRGbM3siintlEr8YgfCtltJqwuPi3oWZ9-pjjZinRRSy0FdZisesAEWGfKQzD7BwsMWixm1YReFwo-0UjFy0IH3bY2eg6DUkATKcNBYo27iPOzT67YmN2tTyu_DT2bMG8Px/w400-h301/IMG_20230601_192134%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Pictures taken standing on my balcony looking left (West) towards Holland Village direction.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As for sunrise...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm a late sleeper. That'll have to wait until those rare occasions I manage to wake up naturally before 6.00 am. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-25233864712917237562023-05-16T09:00:00.002+08:002023-05-16T09:02:15.219+08:00Welcome Rain!<p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn3aVJ38x84EVfSUzremOdrhf80czMv-6p3wBuwbKeZIAR3JfrXmjh70EKfQi4UwR01w_4awYN0Rgc3sxlt4ppFck50oUDBEBObXRbPFfVcCvPTdGxhsKrJIZFjzX23O74Xxd0THjmJ_hKPASaKe6YIuHZ95pszRjYnVtyUTlI_yhIAbXA4aJMtW6/s3264/IMG_20230516_085213%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn3aVJ38x84EVfSUzremOdrhf80czMv-6p3wBuwbKeZIAR3JfrXmjh70EKfQi4UwR01w_4awYN0Rgc3sxlt4ppFck50oUDBEBObXRbPFfVcCvPTdGxhsKrJIZFjzX23O74Xxd0THjmJ_hKPASaKe6YIuHZ95pszRjYnVtyUTlI_yhIAbXA4aJMtW6/w400-h300/IMG_20230516_085213%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">First of all, it's a colour photo; not black and white.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can't tell you how happy I am to see the dark clouds over my balcony right now...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Especially after the recent 2-3 days of crazy heat!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let it rip!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Please don't got sound and fury, then disappoint with a few drips...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-27988050034867218862023-05-07T08:46:00.002+08:002023-05-07T08:47:55.802+08:00Everyone Says Different Things - Who To Believe?<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">During my weekend sales gig, I sometimes get customers telling me it's all so confusing!!! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Every sales promoter says different things!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Who to believe???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">These "confused" customers are bei kambings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are knowledgeable and can think for yourself, of course you can separate the wheat from the chaff!. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you ever bought an item where you know more than the average sales promoters? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Got right? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You chuckle to yourself as you watch snake oils try to dissuade you from your purchase and switch to their brands instead...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then there are also times when you walked into a store intending to buy Brand X, but you walked out with Brand Y!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This only happens when you're <i>new</i> to a product category, no?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then there are those customers who don't trust their own feet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They go round asking sales promoters which brand is the most popular?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Others buy what, they buy what. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Safety in numbers!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then again, they are often the most confused customers too...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Every sales promoter will say their brand is the best selling!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-19175825010548447102023-05-04T08:20:00.000+08:002023-05-04T08:20:37.930+08:00Warren and Charlie poking US Business Schools<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uZc9g_OYdaA" width="320" youtube-src-id="uZc9g_OYdaA"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When Charlie said they "morphed" into buying better companies <i>when</i> they were underpriced...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll leave it to you to decide whether that's "<a href="https://singaporemanofleisure.blogspot.com/2023/05/market-timing.html" target="_blank">market-timing</a>". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-13251260458266756202023-05-02T10:10:00.004+08:002023-05-04T08:10:56.909+08:00Market Timing<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are 2 groups of people who would shill it's pointless to do market timing:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1) The "too free" and no skin in the game academics; and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2) the sell-side investment snake oils targeting mainly retail clients.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Academics</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's start with the obvious. In your financial freedom journey, the last thing you would want is to be like them. Correct?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">No? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">OK, name one academic that's your No. 1 fan favourite when it comes to Earn More/FIRE/Investing... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm not a fan of Warren Buffett (I like Charlie more), but I can't help but love the humorous "pokes" Warren and Charlie often make at the expense of the academics. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not just the so called financial "wisdom" taught in Business Schools, but quite a lot of the management "bullshit" taught that don't quite make sense to Warren and Charlie (those that actually run businesses)!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For those who love to parrot what others say to appear "smarter", I mean, who dares to question academic thesis like the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Market Efficient Theory; Time in the Market; Modern Portfolio Theory; etc?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But the awkward fact remains to top performing Hedge Funds and well-known investors (like Warren and Charlie) out there, most do the opposite!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Which makes intuitive sense... How can anyone outperform others if they just do the same as everyone else???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ding!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Sell-Side Snake Oils</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I feel embarrassed to even mention it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I would think it's so obvious to everyone and anyone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But the sad reality is that many have never worked in sales before, and have no clue what talking me...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Look, if I'm a competent sell-side snake oil, and I see risks of a market correction coming, I would advise my own family members, best friends forever, and best clients to raise cash and dial down risky positions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But to new bei kambing retail clients, what you expect me to say?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tell them don't buy? Come back to you after a market correction?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Like that who will pay for your mortgage next month? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Put food on the table tonight?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And allow you to bring your whole family to Europe this coming summer?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, it's any time is a good time to invest!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">P.S. Anyone would like to hazard a guess why I left out trading for this statement below?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"OK, name one academic that's your No. 1 fan favourite when it comes to Earn More/FIRE/Investing..."</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-645268212845017042023-04-29T09:19:00.004+08:002023-04-29T22:31:14.560+08:00Sunbird on my laundry?<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-uHHjgCPF3imm23tzgHjBAN92P3_udUZi-4dO9nNWhb0s38D3oVybpr-rYqrJI4rqrodAiTkUkyWN5xPAfMk1s0vkUoOTO8sG4Zvm3WjJ9fuoEF4JGWAEn4riQeFr2CnKs4usOiavuHuQym0YnB5c-cqoFkaeo4NUGj3ZzZQIqcaUO1A8eE2uYtw/s4080/IMG_20230426_190514%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-uHHjgCPF3imm23tzgHjBAN92P3_udUZi-4dO9nNWhb0s38D3oVybpr-rYqrJI4rqrodAiTkUkyWN5xPAfMk1s0vkUoOTO8sG4Zvm3WjJ9fuoEF4JGWAEn4riQeFr2CnKs4usOiavuHuQym0YnB5c-cqoFkaeo4NUGj3ZzZQIqcaUO1A8eE2uYtw/w482-h640/IMG_20230426_190514%5B1%5D.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclDxY1RbRGNXzY7jrXVV3NegDU7AcdUs9vRoj2_nURpL0UC6zIIcQu120LPvEOODdsuBcEEiW8XpKJWDAUzxG5FskK2eaXFaYEGg3d7sHnr0KZS_j0wGdr7-L1syMrFD6NTQTDyYyqHzANW3bh_haVnCbGk8aTz01lVR1dE6ldK0lND6tpli8Kg0H/s4080/IMG_20230426_190351%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclDxY1RbRGNXzY7jrXVV3NegDU7AcdUs9vRoj2_nURpL0UC6zIIcQu120LPvEOODdsuBcEEiW8XpKJWDAUzxG5FskK2eaXFaYEGg3d7sHnr0KZS_j0wGdr7-L1syMrFD6NTQTDyYyqHzANW3bh_haVnCbGk8aTz01lVR1dE6ldK0lND6tpli8Kg0H/w482-h640/IMG_20230426_190351%5B1%5D.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to the <a href="https://ebird.org/species/olbsun4" target="_blank">eBird</a> website that I stumbled onto while writing my Dawson birdwatching post, I am guessing this little bird that flew onto my laundry is an Olive-backed Sunbird?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It looks like a fledgling. So I can't be sure.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I was showering in the evening at around 7 pm when I heard a series of loud and sharp chirpings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I thought there must be a bird on the ari-con ledge or something.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I went to my laundry yard, this little Sunbird (can fit on your palm) was resting on my laundry along the horizontal laundry bars.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It looked sleepy and tired. I left it alone after taking the pictures with my mobile.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You know what?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It slept the whole night there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Only flew away in the morning when I checked on it around 6.30 am while making coffee.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It brought a smile to my day,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Little pleasures of life!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-40650669204537143882023-04-26T11:29:00.004+08:002023-04-26T13:33:01.204+08:00Retirement Income Model - End Game Walking Down The Mountain Strategy<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In gacha gaming, there're early-game, mid-game, and late-game strategies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Often, newbies to a gacha game get themselves all tangled up when they watch late-game players play and try to copy or replicate their play styles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's how some get burned-out or discouraged and left the game after a few months.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Similarly, when it comes to FIRE or retirement planning, there's walking up the mountain and walking down the mountain strats.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Before I begin, I would like to remind everyone <i>words</i> are very powerful as they do affect our thinking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Be an open umbrella</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Noticed I removed the Dividend from Dividend Income Model?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Dividends locked us parochially into equities only. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As some may have already discovered, once we just use a broad and grey definition like Income, we have a lot more options as in interests from fixed deposits, bonds, CPF; etc.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then there's also income from rentals. Don't just think and limit yourself to properties. Anything you owned that you can "rent" to others also can! (Illegal money lending is a crime OK! So don't get carried away...)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How about private annuities to complement CPF Life for those who want to pump in more beyond the CPF Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS) limits? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We can also continue working beyond retirement (freelance, part-time, ad-hoc); that's Retirement Income too. No? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Passive my foot!</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Long time visitors to this watering hole know how I feel about passive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, no one stopping you if you really believed no need do anything and money will drop from the sky to you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe you're best friend forever with your God/Gods? Or Luck is your superpower!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hence there will be no Passive in front of Retirement Income Model for me too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Walking Up The Mountain</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I noticed some youths have a goal to have $100K by age 30.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's use that as Index 100.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you wish to FIRE at age 35 or 45, do you think an Investing/Retirement Income Strategy would help you get there? Or in gacha gaming, is that a meta strat?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">OK, you enjoy your day job and not into early retirement and all that jazz; you just want financial independence when you retire.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you just aiming for 1M65, that's probably doable. But if you want 4M65, would an Income Strategy help you now?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It won't take you long after doing the math that an Investment Income Strategy works better when you're doing splendidly in your day job; or you have your own business that's growing exponentially. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's <i>where</i> the major compounding comes from - it's the annual cash injections into your Investment Income Portfolio!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Walking Down The Mountain</u></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Once we have got our hands on the whatever amount that's "enough" for you, it's a lot easier to switch to the Retirement Income Model.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You think why I wrote <a href="https://singaporemanofleisure.blogspot.com/2023/04/look-at-goldfish-instead-of-modelling.html" target="_blank">Look at Goldfish instead of Modelling them?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you bother to look under the hoot and at actual Goldfishes, the Retirement Income Model is not how most walked up the mountain in the first place.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Most got there through properties.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How many suck at their day jobs? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A well-paying job means more cash injections annually for the win! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Save More can oredi!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How many can show 10 baggers like our fisherman CW? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If day job sucks, must make up for it at investing/trading! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Earn More. Period.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">P.S. After 10 years of journey, we are starting to see and read former youths starting to doubt their Investment/Retirement Income vehicles...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's not surprising; it's science.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Same strategy, but it's different when you're walking up against gravity; versus when you're walking down with gravity now on your side. Wink.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-35950656172787265152023-04-23T08:39:00.001+08:002023-04-23T08:39:30.964+08:00How to ensure your money never runs out in retirement?<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Die early.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">FIRE at 35, go sell salted eggs before age 37.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Retire "early" at 55, bye bye after 58.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Forced to quit and rot at home after hitting 70, up lorry age 71.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember when our official retirement age was at 55?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's because that time most retirees meet their makers in their late 60s or early 70s.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That meant their retirement nest eggs just have to last them for 15 years? 20 years tops!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now what's the actuarial age given by big daddy on when they "expect" us to live to? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Around 85 right?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some have probably figured out why big daddy switched to CPF Life at this point. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The old Retirement Sum Scheme (RSS) is like planning our retirements using the Withdrawal Rate model - or what I prefer to call killing our Golden Goose slowly though a thousand cuts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you spot the biggest fly in the ointment for this solution?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So when you gonna die?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Die early no problem; live long long like Dr Mahatir could be problem!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Big daddy's solution is to "socialise" retirement - take the bricks from East wall to patch the holes at the West wall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You can do that too!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you're a couple on the 1M65 path, the minimum PC requirement sums may not last the <i>both</i> of you till your 90s...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But if one of you goes in your late 60s or early 70s...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What? Don't look at me! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You should pay more attention to your partner if he/she looks at you funny...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The alternatives?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Work beyond your 70s and never retire. I don't see anything wrong or sad with it if you're doing what you love.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or just see the 1M65 for what it is - a bait and switch routine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nobody makes money off 1M65, but if its 4M65... kaching!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Better you pivot and capitulate on your own to chase the recommended PC requirement sums in your youth than to do so in your 60s!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe we don't exercise; don't eat healthy; do our best to wear and tear our bodies through wine, women, and song?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yup, don't have to worry money not enough during retirement if we sayonara in our 60s!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Grasshoppers and crickets unite!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sarcasm aside, if you can spot bad advice masquerading as "in your best interest advice", you'll be OK.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You're not bei kambing anymore. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-49103516377352167112023-04-20T11:17:00.003+08:002023-04-20T11:20:17.549+08:00Look at Goldfish instead of Modelling them?<p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I often shared this Goldfish story about this Professor who asked his students <i>how</i> they would go about learning more about Goldfishes?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you never heard this story before, try it yourself. (Don't peek below)</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">OK. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Professor's students all gave various "standard" answers like go library and research published articles or books on Goldfishes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or watch YouTube videos and documentaries on Goldfishes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then the Professor reached down and lifted up a bowl of gold fishes and plonked it on top of the podium.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"How many of you bothered to look at the actual Goldfishes?" the Professor asked.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Eh...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is not new for those familiar with our 5,000 years of Chinese wisdom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember the story of the man who don't trust his own feet when buying shoes? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">He already at the shoe shop, but realised he left the measurements of his feet back at his home. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">He hurried back to retrieve them.... Huh???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I see lots of examples in our community.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Talk like maciam got dragons and phoenixes about Goldfishes, but have they actually looked at a live Goldfish before?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's take this topic on how to be financially secure during retirement?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you interviewed and listened to actual retirees? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ideally not freshly retired for 1-2 years, but those who have been retired for more than 10 years and above. The longer the better!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">No need to look far. Have you talked to your grandparents or grand uncles/aunties how they survived their retirements?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Senior citizen neighbours?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Retired elders in your church, temple, mosque?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There's this Buddhist story about a distraught mother who lost her young child and was so angry and upset that she confronted her Abbot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead of "wah kali gong" or giving sermons, the Abbot asked the mother to knock on 100 households to find how many families have never lost a family member.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After knocking at tens of households, the distraught mother soon discovered the "truth" on her own. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ownself cured her ownself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just saying.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-77372680707527333712023-04-17T09:45:00.004+08:002023-04-17T10:15:07.033+08:00Ah! Its Grey-rumped TreeSwift Fledgling at Skyville@Dawson<p> </p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><a href="https://mothership.sg/2023/04/margaret-drive-grey-rumped-treeswift/" target="_blank">Birders flock to Margaret Drive car park to photograph cute Grey-rumped treeswift fledgling.</a><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">No wonder I can't spot anything the last time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mentally, I was trying to locate a traditionally bowl-shaped bird nest made of twigs or straws...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Now I know why I've missed quite a few opportunities in my life! </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had pre-conceived notions of what I expect or assumed opportunities "should" look like....</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And opportunities were right in front of me all along!!!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I just didn't have an open mind to recognise them... (Please don't let it be cryptos!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I didn't know treeswifts let their young ones live their lives so on a knife's edge???</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Nest?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">What nest???</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Not afraid a gust of wind or a thunderstorm will just knock the fledgling from its perch?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Then again, if the fledgling survives to adulthood, it would be better prepared compared to those other fledglings that have been pampered or coddled all their lives... </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Snowflakes and strawberries anyone?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-59602493182669701692023-04-12T16:12:00.003+08:002023-04-12T22:57:55.110+08:00Aren't You Glad You No Longer In School Today?<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember streaming?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now no streaming.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Full subject-based banding anyone?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">From "<i>precision</i>" in PSLE school results to reducing <i>fine differentiation</i> in students' examination results at a young age.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">From credentials and paper qualifications to skills and competencies?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you noticed it's moving in the direction of grey?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The muddier the better?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Look, big daddy is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) employer of their own "creations".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It got a front row seat in receiving immediate crash got sound feedback whether we Singaporean employees can make it or can't make it...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mind you, our Singapore education system is highly respected worldwide. Our students often come out on top globally in Math and Science.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hence this post is not a knock on big daddy; in fact its complimentary. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are tertiary educated in your 40s or 50s, and feeling very stressed with the constant changes and competition globally (using FIRE to escape), you may want to take the time to understand why big daddy spending some much time and resources making all these education reforms over the years?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Why the emphasis by big daddy today is not the first 15 years of our youths' formal educational years, but the last 50 years of their working lives? </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Hint to youths - retirement age 70 is coming for you)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps it's to prepare our children so they don't become like us?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Very easy to tell whether our youths of tomorrow will become better prepared than us old fogeys.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll be very surprised if this FIRE thingy will be still a thing 10-20 years later.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Who will pay up to be told how to trade/invest when youths of tomorrow can think for themselves and get themselves educated on their own? </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Isn't that having the joy of learning and continuous education all about?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And why FIRE when we are happy doing the things we love?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Financial snake oils, you are on borrowed time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But no worries, you just have to relocate to countries where the people there are mostly bei kambings that love to be told what to do. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I say this post is complimentary to big daddy?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you imagine how hard and difficult it would be to govern and rule over cats of the future???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But the good thing is that when citizens can think for themselves, we would more likely have the common sense to be like the Swiss who voted against Unconditional Basic Income in June 2016.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you trust the majority of Singaporeans saying no to "free" money today? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some would probably declare they have reached LEAN FIRE if the Universal Basic Income is similar to CPF Life as in $1,000 plus per month?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Take the money and "retire" to Bali or Phuket on the cheap?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-54043642624383456372023-04-09T23:55:00.003+08:002023-04-12T16:23:16.194+08:00Fare Thee Well, Old Friend<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the two little dots in the Tao symbol has move on...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For years, we have been poking and bantering with each other. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">All in good fun as it didn't take long for the two of us to figure out we are actually two opposing sides of the <i>same</i> coin!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In our community - where most "yalor, yalor" out of politeness, or to insulate themselves in the echo chamber of reinforcing beliefs - you are the rare voice of rebuttals!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I thank you for your sense of humour, and tolerance to suffer the slings and arrows of my "no big, no small" pokes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Blogging would not be the same without you...</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">See you in the stars! <a href="https://createwealth8888.blogspot.com/2023/04/in-loving-memory.html" target="_blank">CW the fisherman!</a></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And unspoken things.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FULRdn9khmM" width="320" youtube-src-id="FULRdn9khmM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-19526422210434060612023-04-05T16:22:00.003+08:002023-04-05T18:08:03.620+08:00Skyville@Dawson Bird Watching<p><br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This morning, while walking back after buying breakfat at Magaret Drive Hawker Centre, I spotted a group of photographers around Skyville@Dawson.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RVTaoZZWOs8DaXoKFJAgoRTL6Qj2Y8LadjzSqqxmCakwWtdvEpXNL7go6QeFEsBLzunEuwUJsC31UkNHZc7A-o3OfY6WPRkrp1pun7Yo0muJhwT-Ht4QJ_wQ7kAA2Q-PXpRu1qJf6hPLW9c4RWEbNdsIWaOJu9tMv6_UiM0aCaj9Qn6Vo53u4Dbq/s4080/IMG_20230405_123406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RVTaoZZWOs8DaXoKFJAgoRTL6Qj2Y8LadjzSqqxmCakwWtdvEpXNL7go6QeFEsBLzunEuwUJsC31UkNHZc7A-o3OfY6WPRkrp1pun7Yo0muJhwT-Ht4QJ_wQ7kAA2Q-PXpRu1qJf6hPLW9c4RWEbNdsIWaOJu9tMv6_UiM0aCaj9Qn6Vo53u4Dbq/w482-h640/IMG_20230405_123406.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Talk about "powderful" lenses... Some are humongous! So big! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I can empathise with the man in front in the grey shirt, "Shit! My one smaller than others..."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3TjMXhU1mirpwzHPWo9s2pSwZZfoe-6ot9KOmwaIxOlP8wFR0IhSwoLtr5MRdTRKD2SwjoCflFWrWoPXvCKhDb0RH0Z8oykFqFk2py6Zvr9-M7u7LNcADlif28riPlgpGA64-4wa1qlhXpYCJKjSR9pGVPBA_sf9gVfGU3Xu2cXxm8MDlVWHpuvm/s4080/IMG_20230405_123537.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3TjMXhU1mirpwzHPWo9s2pSwZZfoe-6ot9KOmwaIxOlP8wFR0IhSwoLtr5MRdTRKD2SwjoCflFWrWoPXvCKhDb0RH0Z8oykFqFk2py6Zvr9-M7u7LNcADlif28riPlgpGA64-4wa1qlhXpYCJKjSR9pGVPBA_sf9gVfGU3Xu2cXxm8MDlVWHpuvm/w482-h640/IMG_20230405_123537.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Star gazers? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">No. It's broad day light. What are they looking at???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE-rpyy_6zXd-KSW4xiE4Th6TaTExGQwR6TFPFDABj-MpVS3xTOZ9A1KZ7vCqKH3eHdlz4OLbvXGnxKjx6MwiAqvpAkfJi8ttXzEUzzFG4wDcEpt7wi2eK0ij7VZjyo-lIYniKL0PoOT7uWL-sFDqnaQhs-O9TlnjpLsABwX2U0yW9AUD2yNfTPOA/s4080/IMG_20230405_123743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE-rpyy_6zXd-KSW4xiE4Th6TaTExGQwR6TFPFDABj-MpVS3xTOZ9A1KZ7vCqKH3eHdlz4OLbvXGnxKjx6MwiAqvpAkfJi8ttXzEUzzFG4wDcEpt7wi2eK0ij7VZjyo-lIYniKL0PoOT7uWL-sFDqnaQhs-O9TlnjpLsABwX2U0yW9AUD2yNfTPOA/w400-h301/IMG_20230405_123743.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I walked in closer with my Xiaomi mobile to have a better look.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nope. Couldn't see a thing. I must be blind. Then again, there's only so much we can do with a mobile digital zoom...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I realised they may think I'm trolling them with my mobile, worn-out T-shirt, slippers, and most damning of all, my "dabao" breakfast for mom in the other hand...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I nonchalantly backed-off into the back pretending nothing happening. No eye contact, no eye contact.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gGaLBwkEwgh--Vp_wEYoqzdUU33pfCcsAILg_b_fyuyGQ4jfGmOQfi7cx62Hf0lEuVTZjzgX8YtMSCUj-dV948zf5byesJ_tyGZrkkdrpBO8vwp5611TDID3ExkhrwQvWz8KO-R5stFLoSD1m90gocMitP1fA59J3GVS-ucjPQzTQUV9O0PluEoc/s4080/IMG_20230405_123822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gGaLBwkEwgh--Vp_wEYoqzdUU33pfCcsAILg_b_fyuyGQ4jfGmOQfi7cx62Hf0lEuVTZjzgX8YtMSCUj-dV948zf5byesJ_tyGZrkkdrpBO8vwp5611TDID3ExkhrwQvWz8KO-R5stFLoSD1m90gocMitP1fA59J3GVS-ucjPQzTQUV9O0PluEoc/w482-h640/IMG_20230405_123822.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9_F6ExBJ5q9e0phrlDUftbWl095oqAeHaEnAumzwrIpb7eKvNvecF2JonhtY9KVhP5tSqiJi1lwdSTrzms27_uGNdbPE66lcl53k4UbuRVbcoxtBf9O8cx0tfAiiBYhvjdnSl4kftUc2ZnpyWH8OUTQaqZBr7LXRn-Y_E8n6z3Yi-C79FRFHZ916/s4080/IMG_20230405_123845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9_F6ExBJ5q9e0phrlDUftbWl095oqAeHaEnAumzwrIpb7eKvNvecF2JonhtY9KVhP5tSqiJi1lwdSTrzms27_uGNdbPE66lcl53k4UbuRVbcoxtBf9O8cx0tfAiiBYhvjdnSl4kftUc2ZnpyWH8OUTQaqZBr7LXRn-Y_E8n6z3Yi-C79FRFHZ916/w482-h640/IMG_20230405_123845.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After going home, I goggled and found this website <a href="https://ebird.org/region/SG" target="_blank">eBird</a> where I found Skyville and Alexandra Park Connector are known sites for bird spotting in Singapore.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I not into bird watching, but I'm into people watching. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">P.S. Me with my mobile is a bit like when we were bei kambings starting out in trading/investing, isn't it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ah! Those were innocent days indeed!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's until we discovered we were competing with other craftsmen with their monster lenses!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-51734142070251209332023-03-30T08:38:00.002+08:002023-03-30T08:39:16.539+08:00Crypto Monotheism Versus Polytheism<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't own cryptos or shares of companies related to cryptos.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hence, I'm not talking my own book here.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But I'm impressed with the price action of cryptos recently during the banking troubles in US and Switzerland. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Aren't you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've noticed an interesting phenomenon amongst the crypto believers. There are 2 major camps - the Monotheists and the Polytheists.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Monotheists believe there is only ONE true crypto. Everything else is just bullshit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Polytheists believe in anything and everything. Just as long the story is compelling! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As a crypto "atheist", I'll just stand aside and watch from the opposite bank with interest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I mean even if you into crypto, it's something you ultimately have to resolve amongst the believers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Crypto believers out there, are you a Monotheist or Polytheist?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's like real life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Even if you believed in religion, your fate isn't better than the atheists and agnostics out there if you died and discover,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Shit! Wrong religion!"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-24852847277467560622023-03-24T09:54:00.002+08:002023-03-24T09:55:07.292+08:00You Can't Avoid Risks - Even If You Save More<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And that's the frustrating and super exasperating experience for risk averse savers, isn't it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine waking one day to discover there's a bank run on the bank you have most of your savings in!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or to learn the insurance company you have bought all your insurance policies from is going bankrupt?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And the kicker is you not even a speculator on the Earn More path!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine telling your Save More family members they got to monitor the financial well-being of their banks and insurance companies (if CPF must follow Singapore's economy/population statistics)!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They would probably tell you if they must do all these due diligences, they might as well just hop on the Earn More path and speculate on the shares or bonds of these financial institutions instead!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wait a minute... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now that's a thought!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-44721655823040605152023-03-18T09:29:00.003+08:002023-03-18T09:31:22.377+08:00Don't Ever Say... <p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How to spot those "investors" who have decades in "retail investing" but actually are those "grey old lambs" that have 1 year "investing" experience times 30? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"If this stock/listed company fails, Singapore will collapse too lah!"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, Credit Suisse is the no. 2 in Switzerland.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There's also Deutsche Bank but that's a story for another day... Rising interest rates in the Eurozone should help them out (for now). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For those of us who went through Lehman 2008, remember AIG?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">AIG was rescued, but the shareholders only got back 10 cents on the dollar.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The same for Silicon Valley Bank - the depositors were bailed out like those insurance policy holders at AIG, but if you were the shareholder or bond holder...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then for our very own Hyflux, you'll see in the forums how some expected to be bailed out - thinking water is "strategic" to Singapore...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bei kambings we don't say as it's their first crash got sound experience with major losses,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Eh? Stocks don't always go up???"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But some who lost money in Hyflux have decades of "experience"...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How else to explain except first year experience times 30?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Equities and bonds are Earn More vehicles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The problem is when we treat them as Save More vehicles...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Especially those who have been on the "passive" Save More path for decades. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In their late 50s or 60s, flushed with lots of cash, suddenly feel they should Earn More as compared to their peers who made a lot more with properties or equities, they have fallen behind quite a lot... (Selective perception - only see those who made money, ignore those who lost until pants drop)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's like the iceberg analogy. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What you don't see when Earn More craftsmen made money are those chopped fingers (like Yakuza members), battle scars, and nights of stomach churnings when they bought while others sold; or sold while others bought...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sure. Walk in nonchalantly with just a goal and a plan. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, they worked for Save More, doesn't it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yup. It sure does!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But you forget. Save More most of it is within your control. Discipline anyone?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How many factors of Earn More are within your control?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ding!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-34176215622042135262023-03-14T10:46:00.002+08:002023-03-14T10:47:33.801+08:00Deja Vu<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Talk about volatility and whiplash!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A few days ago, markets were re-pricing higher interest rates for longer (no thanks to Powell), and now it's back to pricing in rate cuts before the end of this year!? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For those of us who lived through 2000 and 2008, it's a bit like deja vu, no?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Over-priced tech and fears over the solvency of financial institutions - 2 in 1?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yeeks!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mai lah!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-21473078634836899602023-02-24T11:15:00.002+08:002023-02-24T11:18:31.409+08:00To play it safe or to take on more risks?<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's easy to set goals and make plans.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Come to think of it, anyone and everyone can do it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Say, say only who cannot?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But when it comes to doing reviews and being honest with oneself, then not everyone and anyone can or willing to do it....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I like Real People Real Stories (stolen with pride from CW).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Below I'll link 2 interesting perspectives from 2 bloggers in our community:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.my15hourworkweek.com/2023/02/22/buying-a-modest-home-has-been-a-poor-wealth-building-advice-for-the-past-10-years/" target="_blank">1) Buying A Modest Home Has Been A Poor Wealth Building Advice For the Past 10 years </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://learninginvestmentwithjasoncai.com/2022/12/23/6-lessons-learnt-after-losing-551k-in-10-years-of-investing-options-trading-what-newbies-should-know-they-start-investing-trading/" target="_blank">2) 6 Lessons Learnt After Losing 551k In 10 Years Of Investing & Options Trading</a> </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's back to the Earn More or Save More paths to take right?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It would great if someone is willing to share their CPF voluntary contribution review versus if they had passively dollar-cost-averaged the extra funds into STI or S&P 500 ETFs over the past 10 years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or compare CPF versus dividend investing?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One thing is clear even without doing any reviews.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In bull markets, Earn More will beat Save More hands down. That's provided if you know <i>when</i> to take profits!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In bear markets, Earn More practitioners would have wished they never invested in the first place... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So what if inflation is eating into your purchasing power long term since interest rates are negative in <i>real</i> terms?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The more you invest the more you lose hurts a lot more!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then again, knowing Earn More is a necessary evil to beat inflation long term (you think why CPFIS was introduced if Save More was enough) is meaningless if you have the self-awareness that you are risk averse.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's why is always back to KNOW YOURSELF.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Self-awareness is hard. We often own self lie to own self.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Harmony is when we are at peace with who we are and our chosen vehicles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jobs anyone and everyone can do, that's why they pay the salary they do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Careers that few can do - like fighter pilot or surgeon - that's why they can command that kind of compensation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We all know this intuitively. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then pretend it does not apply to the realm of Earn More....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-37416159830465231912023-02-20T13:42:00.001+08:002023-02-20T13:42:23.452+08:00Big Daddy Volunteer CPF Contributions For You!<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Big daddy good or what?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">See?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">By raising the CPF limit from $6K to $8K, some who are already doing voluntary contributions to CPF today can save the trouble in future...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Big daddy will ask your employer to do it for you!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now that's service or what!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Good, better, best!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As for those who are transferring their CPF funds <i>out</i> to bank fixed deposits or treasury bills, presumably there are better vehicles than CPF out there, be glad you can still transfer them out!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Think of those who want to preserve more take home pay to speculate in cryptos, options, futures, overseas properties, baseball cards, Hello Kitty collectibles, antiques, fine wine; etc...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, sorry. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's for your own good.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Why does big daddy need to raise the CPF limit?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To keep pace with inflation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I see.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To hedge against an asset that loses its purchasing power over time, the solution is to accumulate more of it???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nanti dulu...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-45763335420060399042023-02-16T09:50:00.002+08:002023-02-16T09:52:24.226+08:00What's So Great About Being 55?<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I turned 55 end of last year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, I qualify for 2023's Cost-of-Living Seniors' Bonus this coming June!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I'm "officially" Senior Citizen now?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not really.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To qualify for Senior Citizen discounts at the supermarkets and take concession travels with our public transport, I have to wait till I'm 60.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I guess this COL Seniiors' Bonus is salve for constantly being reminded I look old at the supermarket checkouts,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Sir, do you have your Senior Citizen Card?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe it's a "conspiracy" to get me to use the self-payment machines???</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Poke me until I cannot tahan no choice die die have to use the self-payment machines just to avoid the annoyance of being reminded I'm old fogey oredi :(</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Hello! I look so old meh?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes, I do look old.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So what's so great about being 55?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nothing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm still the same me. Mentally at least. But the body...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">All things being equal, if a genie appeared to let me choose whether I would like to be 18 again, but I would lose everything financially I've built-up, I wouldn't hesitate one second!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's like pressing the reset button on your favourite role-playing game.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Would you do it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-231631178291959302023-02-13T13:47:00.001+08:002023-02-13T13:47:49.304+08:00Mask Free At Last!!!<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Even happier is I got confirmation this morning from my sales colleague next weekend no masks needed too!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3 years...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nope. Not gonna wear masks on the trains and busses later on when I go out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But I will wear a mask in public when I visit the doctor or not feeling well going forward. That's being socially responsible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't want to spread my illness to others. Even if it's just the common cold.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I do hope Singapore will become like Taiwan or Japan in this regard. But I not keeping my hopes high...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll just do my part. I not going to Indian Chief others what to do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then what's with this "arguing with the STOP sign" post?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Notice there's quite a lot (maybe majority) of Singaporeans thought wearing masks can "protect" them from the Wuhan virus?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I on the other hand belong to the camp that sees wearing masks as a way to prevent us from "inadvertently" spreading our illnesses to others.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Same, same; but different.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One group is motivated by "greed". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Greed for life... I, me, and myself come first. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The other side is more torn apart by "fear".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine the guilt to know you have caused others harm... No matter how inadvertently...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Knowing what buttons to press is key if you want to influence others.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you're a fledgling snake oil, don't say old fogey snake oil me never support you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've just revealed a bit of cleavage; I don't do full nudity.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The rest you figure out for yourselves!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As always, make money don't forget to buy me kopi!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-34680266345210800112023-02-10T08:06:00.003+08:002023-02-10T08:08:34.189+08:00To Serve Man<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can't assume all readers to this watering-hole are from my generation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of the words and stories I've shared in the comments may flew over the heads of younger readers who don't share the same context and experience growing up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I would like to share this very memorable Twilight Zone episode to you - To Serve Man.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zvno6f7F6Rw" width="320" youtube-src-id="Zvno6f7F6Rw"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That is why I cringe whenever I hear some snake oil proudly shares it's his "mission" to create X number of millionaires in Singapore!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I immediately think of this Twilight Zone episode. Wink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">By the way, if you are financially literate, you wouldn't want anyone and everyone to be a "millionaire" in Singapore. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That would be pointless.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just visit Indonesia or Vietnam. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyone and everyone there are Indonesian Rupiah or Vietnamese Dong millionaires!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"></script>
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</script>Singapore Man of Leisurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13774067113884418001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897513886211197509.post-3170642251387147712023-02-07T16:41:00.000+08:002023-02-07T16:41:01.317+08:00This One Better Than The Monkey Trap!<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I was going to write about the Monkey Trap (you can google yourself if you want).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">However, I chance upon this YouTube video that's even more power!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll let you watch without commentary:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rSzESxTcP44" width="320" youtube-src-id="rSzESxTcP44"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Does that not remind you of the group behaviour you see in the investment/trading community?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Notice how the trapped monkeys rushed to the smaller cage in the end?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you relate and link this "2nd dip" reflex action to actual examples you may know?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you share yours; I'll share mine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-0094989996517855"
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