Josephine Teo’s data of Singapore Elderly’s Low CPF Payout is Depressing?

We see what we want to see.

It reminded me of the story why steel helmets for soldiers were reintroduced to soldiers during WW1.

During medieval sword fighting times, of course everyone uses metal helmets. But with the invention of the muskets and other firearms, metal helmets and armour were considered obsolete...

In 1914, there were in fact no major armies using a steel helmet.

Once hostilities started, steel helmets were quickly deployed.



You wouldn't have guessed based on the battleground statistics of the injured soldiers at the beginning of the conflict before steel helmets were reintroduced.

On the list of the injuries sustained by injured soldiers during combat, few injuries belonged to head wounds.

If head injuries were low on the list of injuries, why then the focus to offer protection to the heads of soldiers?



Make a guess why?

If you genuinely clueless, its probably a tell why you suck at fundamental investing... You can't read the numbers.

Subject-based banding - 地球上的星星

Who knew O' levels would be scrapped in my lifetime?

Subject-based banding to replace streaming?

Now that's what I call progress!

I'm happy for youths of tomorrow.  



Respect to big daddy for recognising the unintended problem of "labelling" from the streaming model. Yes, streaming cuts down the number of school dropouts, but it created a "caste system" in its wake..

Regular readers know how I feel about "labelling". Yup, calling yourself an "investor" does not make you more competent or skilled. 



For those of you who understand Mandarin, you can watch this Youtube clip:

《地球上的星星》    -  20 minutes long.


For those of you who can read English, if interested, you can watch the full Hindi movie with English subtitles here:

Taare Zameen Par      -  2.5 hours long.



If the actor looks familiar, he also appeared in my ancient blog post here:

The 3 idiots - Inspirational and philosophical movie!




No. What we have done is not "new" or revolutionary. Many other countries and education titans have discussed and explored it before. Both today and during ancient times - think Confucius and Socrates. Yeah, that old!   

The biggest difference is big daddy dare to squeese the trigger and implement it on a nationwide basis. Power!

Feels good and proud we no longer need to rely on the Cambridge "halo" after so many decades...

Singapore is already an education hub for the region today. Just look at the diversity of foreign students that come to Singapore to study - from primary to the tertiary level.

I guess just putting Singapore on our certificates and diploma is enough to win academic respect from employers and foreign universities alike. Wink.



Don't pretend you were surprised with the changes. You knew it was coming. 

Where got people during national day rally speech talk about competence and down playing of paper qualifications?

You forget the speech by pinky about O' level holders being generals and CEOs already?

Wanton Mee 加面包？

We had a new promoter that joined us this week.

He left Singapore to study in Canada and stayed there for over 20 years.

Came back to Singapore 3 years ago as his mom is ill...

Our story almost same same.

I must share this hilarious culture shock story about him getting use to Singlish and Singdarin all over again!

While waiting in line to buy our wanton mee, he heard the lady in front of him placed her order.

"Wanton mee 加面包."



Puzzled, he asked the hawker when his turn came, "Do we add bread to wanton mee nowadays?"

The hawker looked just as lost and puzzled. Then burst out laughing!

"Orh! Its wanton mee 加面 (additional noodles); 包 (takeaway) lah!"

That's the hallmark of Singlish and Singdarin!

We super efficient or what?

Cut out lots of extra words and what grammar?

Use the bare minimum of words to express oursleves.

A lot of blanks for missing words are "understooded".



We also like to rojak everything.

Wanton is Cantonese.

Mee is Hokkien.

加面包 is Mandarin.




Come to think of it, although I call myself a "trader", I'm very Singlish and Singdarin when it comes to my investing and trading!


LOL!