"Live Your Dreams"

The Video Which Never Fail To Motivate Me - Facing The Giants

2009-10-17T22:42:00.003+08:00

Law Of Attraction - Goals & Dreams

2009-10-05T01:36:00.003+08:00

" To accomplish great things, we must not only act,
but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. "

- Anatole France

Life Insurance - Ditch The Excuses

2009-10-05T00:08:00.002+08:00

Below is a video shared by my friend to me.
Hope It Will Ring A Bell In Your Mind About The Importance Of Insurance.

Mid-Autumn Festival 2009 - 中秋节快乐

2009-10-03T00:00:00.004+08:00

Once upon a time, the earth had ten suns. They burned the crops and people suffered infertility. Houyi sympathized with humans, so he decided to shoot down nine suns and leave one for the benefit of the people. After he shot down the suns, he was treated as a hero. He had a beautiful wife named Chang'e, and they lived happily together. Houyi had a many apprentices; they followed him to learn hunting. One day, on Houyi’s way back home, the emperor of the immortals gave Houyi two pills, each of which granted eternal life as a reward for shooting down the suns, one was for Houyi, and the other for his wife. He warned Houyi, “Make no haste to swallow the pill.” Houyi was to wait until New Years Day, on which he and Chang'e were supposed to eat the pills together. Chang’e put the pill in her jewelry box for safekeeping. But Peng, one of Houyi’s apprentices, discovered their secret and decided to steal the pill. One day, when Houyi and other apprentices went to the mountain, Peng pretended to be sick so that he could stay home. After everyone had gone to the mountain, Peng sneaked into Chang’e’s room and forced her to give him the pill. Chang’e knew she couldn't fight Peng, so she ate the pill herself. However, after eating it alone, she began to float. Unable to come back to earth, she took flight and flew far, far away. She did not want to leave her husband, so she stopped at the moon, which is the body closest to Earth. After Houyi found out what happened, he was very angry and heartbroken. He looked up into the night and called Chang’e’s name. He discovered that inside the moon there was a lady’s shadow that look like Chang’e, so he ran and ran and tried to reach the moon. He failed due to the wind.

There is also a saying, Mid Autumn Festival is the day where Hou Yi And Chang Er Meet. So above is the picture of a Love Story vs. Reality. :) 中秋节快乐

My Biggest Worry

2009-09-09T21:09:00.000+08:00

Interview With Milo

2009-08-07T01:49:00.004+08:00

Today, a short interview is done with Mr. Milo Tan regarding the latest advertising tools use by STARHUB. "Hi, Mr Milo, How do you feel about the jack rusell use in the STARHUB commercial?" Below is his reply... :)

What Is Success?

2009-08-04T21:00:00.003+08:00

Today i attended the Prulink Workshop and one of the FSD told us a story which inspire me alot. The summary of this story goes like this.

"Once upon a time, there was this young men who just came into the society wanting to learn about what is success all about. He when around asking people what is success all about and someone told him that in one of the city in the world there live a very wise man. He should go and pay him a visit.

So, off he goes with much enthusiasim looking for the meaning of success. After going through alot of hardship, he finally reach the city, the destination.

When he came infront of the wise man he ask, "Mr. Wise Man, can you tell me what is success all about?"

"Young man, this have been a long journey and you must be tired. I am busy today and by the way have you visit this beautiful city before? Come, bring along this teaspoon of golden oil and come and visit me tomorrow without spilling the oil." The wise man said.

So, the young man took the teaspoon of oil and he start touring around the beautiful city. He pay no attention on the scenery around him as he is so focus on the teaspoon of oil preventing it from spilling.

Next day, the young man return to the wise man place with the teaspoon full of oil. He asked," So, Mr Wise Man, I have fufill my promise, not spilling the oil and return to understand more about success."

The wise man replied," So, have you seen the city?"

The young man shook his head.

"Go, take the teaspoon of oil and go see the beautiful city again. I will see you tomorrow."

This time round, the young man went off and really walk around the city enjoying the beautiful scenery.

The following day, the young guy came back anxiosly, telling the wise man how beautiful the city was.

The wise man asked," So, where is oil?"

This time round, the young man realise that all his oil was gone.

The wise man spoke," Young man, Success is about focusing on the little things you want to achieve in life, and at the same time get to enjoy the nice things that happen in your life. That is what sucess is all about."

THE END

"Dream Team"

2009-07-26T22:50:00.007+08:00

Today, I found this photo of my dream team. I miss you guys... :(

" A Successful Team Beats With One Heart "

~Anonymous

Congratulations To The Newly Wed!

2009-07-25T23:16:00.003+08:00

Courage To Advance

2009-07-18T23:56:00.007+08:00

"If One Advances Confidently In The Direction Of His Dreams

And Endeavours To Live The Life Which He Has Imagined,

He Will Meet With A Success Unexpectedly In Common Hours"

~Henry David Thoreau

Sow Your Goals, Harvest your Dreams!

2009-07-18T23:41:00.005+08:00

To Look Is One Thing,

To See What You Look At Is Another,

To Understand What You See Is Third,

To Learn From What You Understand Is Still Something Else,

But To Act On What You Learn Is All That Really Matters.

Life Of Choice

2009-07-18T23:37:00.004+08:00

"Live Life Not By Chance But By The Greatest Gift Of Life . . . CHOICE"

~Anonymous

D.R.E.A.M.S

2009-07-18T23:21:00.002+08:00

What are dreams? I guess it can simply means:-

D - Dare To Set Big Goals

R - Ravage On & Re-Visit

E - Engage With Enthusiasm

A - Analyse, Adjust & Adapt

M - MDRT Focus / Mindset

S - Seek With Passion, Action, Determination

"The World Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Dream"

~Anonymous

"Who Moved My Cheese?"

2009-07-17T00:19:00.008+08:00

Today, our leader Micheal share with us a very meaningful video, "Who Moved My Cheese?" It was a very long ago book based on 4 characters, HEM, HAW, SNIFF and SCURRY.

Let me summarise about the story:

Who Moved My Cheese? features four characters; two mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two little people, miniature humans in essence, "Hem" and "Haw." They live in a maze, a representation of one's environment, and look for cheese, representative of happiness and success. Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, paired off and traveled the lengthy corridor searching for cheese.

One day, both groups happen upon a cheese-filled corridor in "Cheese Station C". Content with their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese, slowly becoming arrogant in the process.

One day Sniff and Scurry arrive at Cheese Station C to find no cheese left but they are not surprised. Noticing the cheese supply dwindling, they have mentally prepared beforehand for the arduous but inevitable task of finding more cheese. Leaving Cheese Station C behind, they begin their hunt for new cheese together.

Later that day, Hem and Haw arrive at Cheese Station C only to find the same thing, no cheese. Angered and annoyed, Hem demands, "Who moved my cheese?" Unprepared, the humans have counted on the cheese supply to be constant. After verifying that the cheese is indeed gone they rant at the unfairness of the situation and both head home hungry.
Returning the next day, Hem and Haw find the same cheeseless station. Beginning to realize the situation at hand, Haw proposes a search for new cheese. But Hem is dead set in his victimized mindset and nixes the proposal.

Meanwhile, Sniff and Scurry have found "Cheese Station N", a new supply of cheese. Back at Cheese Station C, Hem and Haw are affected by their lack of cheese and blame each other for their predicament. Hoping to change, Haw again proposes a search for new cheese. However, Hem is comforted by his old routine and also afraid of the unknown. So again he knocks the idea. After many days in denial (including a search for cheese behind the wall of Cheese Station C) the humans remain without cheese. One day, having discovered his debilitating fears, Haw begins to laugh at the situation and stopped taking himself so seriously.

Realizing he should simply move on, Haw enters the maze, but not before chiseling "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct" on the wall of Cheese Station C for his friend to ponder.
Still fearful of his trek, Haw jots "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" on the wall and, after thinking about that, he begins his journey. Still plagued with worry (perhaps he has waited too long to begin his search...), Haw finds some scattered cheese that nourishes him and he is able to continue his search. Slowly losing his denial, Haw realizes that the cheese has not suddenly disappeared, but has dwindled from continual eating, and that the older cheese was not as tasty and had been moldy. After a letdown, an empty cheese station, Haw begins worrying about the unknown again. Brushing aside his fears, Haw's new mindset allows him to again enjoy life. He has even begun to smile again! He is realizing that "When you move beyond your fear, you feel free." After another empty cheese station, Haw decides to go back for Hem with the few bits of new cheese he has managed to find.

Uncompromising, Hem turns away the new cheese, to his friend's dismay. With knowledge acquired along the way, Haw heads back into the maze. Going still deeper into the maze, impelled by bits of new cheese here and there, Haw leaves a trail of writings on the wall ("The Handwriting On the Wall"). These clarify his own thinking and give him hope that his friend will find aid in them during his search for new cheese. Still traveling, Haw one day comes across Cheese Station N, abundant with cheese, including some varieties that are strange to him, and he realizes he has found what he is looking for. After eating, Haw reflects on his experience. He ponders a return to see his old friend. But Haw decides to let Hem find his own way. Finding the largest wall in Cheese Station N, he writes:

Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese
Change
Move With The Cheese
Enjoy Change!
Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again & Again
They Keep Moving The Cheese.

Cautious from past experience, Haw now inspects Cheese Station N daily and explores different parts of the maze regularly to prevent any complacency from setting in. After hearing movement in the maze one day, Haw realizes someone is approaching the station. Unsure, Haw hopes that it is his friend Hem who has found the way. So, Identify which characte are you and Start Changing your life! :)

Perserverance, Courage, Passion - Derek Redmond

2009-07-13T15:03:00.005+08:00

Today, I went for my mid year retreat for our own MSG group. :) During the retreat, we were introduce to a character call Derek Redmond. It is a touching story which i hope I can share with more people hoping his story can motivate people to move on in life and have the courage to strive for the better.

How many people have the courage to carry on running after a great fall? I hope you do... Life is a long race, complete it and never give up at any point of your life. :)

"You Aren't Finished Until You've Finished"

~Anonymous

Savings Interest Near 0%

2009-07-10T15:29:00.004+08:00

Bank Interest of $10,000 per annum is only $12.50

Local banks saving interest rate have reduce, nearing 0%. If one is to place a saving of $10,000, one only get to enjoy an interest of $12.50 after 1 year.

Following after many local and overseas banks, DBS and POSB bank also reduce the interest rate of the savings account starting 1st July.

For POSB saving account holder, the declared interest for the first $50,000 is now 0.125% compare to the previous 0.25% .

While DBS saving account ( Saving Plus ) holder, will enjoy an annual interest of only 0.1% for the first $50,000 savings.

So in another word, for every $10,000 in POSB and DBS bank, will only have an interest of $12.50.

Public shows great disappointments on our local bank reducing their interest rate. So in this depressed market, how are you going to find a safer and more reliable source to save your money and at the same time enjoy more interest?

Below will be a few tips you can consider...

Changing to Fixed Deposit

Transfering funds from your normal savings account to a Fixed Deposit account and allow you to enjoy a better interest. Example, DBS Fixed Deposit rate saving ranging from $10,000 to $19,999 with a 12 month period every annum will be 0.45% ( Starting 1st July )

Deposit into Overseas Bank

Even for Fixed Deposit, overseas bank also offer a higher interest. Example, RHB bank Fixed Deposit rate with a 12 month period every annum will be 0.75% ( Starting 1st July )

Purchase a Saving Plan from Overseas Insurance Company

Purchasing a Saving Plan with a sum assured of at least $20,000, with a term of 5years, you can enjoy an interest of up to 5% to 8% per annum. Example like England Based company like PRUDENTIAL or AVIVA will be a good choice.
With their saving plans, Capital Guranteed features can also be enjoy.

Putting your savings into Money Market Funds

Through some financial institution, putting your money into Money Market Funds can enjoy a better returns compared to current saving banks.

Vesak Day!

2009-06-16T00:24:00.003+08:00

Vesak, the most important day in the Buddhist calendar around the world, celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautam Buddha. Its significance lies in it being associated with the Buddha and His universal message of peace.

So in order to celebrate this great day, I went to KAI SAN TEMPLE as a COOK! :)

Try having to cook for 1000 of people starting 8am. Although I only fry Spring Rolls and Tofu, its still a super tiring job.

Lets pray for those who ate the food i cook and no toilet is needed after that....

Official Opening - 07th May 2009

2009-05-07T11:00:00.001+08:00

After waiting, waiting and waiting, its finally the official opening of our new agency UNIQ-CLAS under the STRATEGIC PARTNERS belonging to Mr. Michael Seow Team. Our leader, the one leading the team is Mr. Bernard Lam who have been in this business for more than 22 years.

Firstly, a great Thanks for all the people and friends who came and give us their support out of their busy schedule. As for my side, I want to thank my friend and family for their full support for me. They are May Lim, Zhong Yu and friend, Susan Chiam, Thomas Ong, Alvin Soong and wife Jacqueline, Father and Uncle, Sherlene. I really appreciate it. :)

Secondly, I am happy that I can finally start on my business here. A new start, a new journey.

After my move here, I start to have bigger dreams, bigger goals. A few target to run for is things like A&H, Fast Track, Quality Club. I am determine to qualify for all of them so i can have a comfortable income and get to bring my family overseas.

Lets 'Chiong' hard for this rest of the year and all the best for me and my team.

Lastly, a poem dedicated for My Leader, Mr. Bernard Lam & Miss. Windy Tay.

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow-
-You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out-
-The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
-It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

THE FIGHT HAS JUST BEGUN!"

Happy 6th Birthday Milo!

2009-05-06T23:16:00.010+08:00

Happy Birthday Milo Tan!

Today its my Best Friend Birthday!

" Milo, I am sorry I never bring you out for any celebration but i promise i will make it up for you soon! Its your 6th birthday already. Lets hope you can accompany me till your 60th birthday... I Love You Milo! :) Happy Birthday! "

- Winston Tan

Marina At Keppel Bay - Paradise For The Rich

2009-04-24T22:10:00.008+08:00

Today, I went to a new landmark in Singapore and realise it was a new "Hangout Place" for the rich.

At first, my initial intention was to accompany Jason to attend the Asia Dive Expo 2009. Unexpectedly, the exhibition is actually divided into 2 sections. Mainly on diving trips and equipments, and another section will be on my new dream in life - Yacht!

This is my 1st time to the Boat Asia 2009 exhibition. Its an amazing sight. Its a place where the rich people "shop" for their Boats. Can you imagine those cars at the carpark? Audi R8, BMW Convertable, Jaguar etc. With my Nissan Latio, I feel much inferior parking beside their vehicle. :)

Marina at Keppel Bay is one of the 1st place I think anyone who aim to be rich should aim for in Singapore. The place is enclose with nice sea view and its just a 5 min walk away from Vivocity. So ladies and gentlemen, if you have the time, do find some time and go down and see the place "my future home" will be and let the spectacular view 'WOW' you!

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."

- Anatole France

Dedicated To My Mentor - Mr. Bernard Lam Chia Yong

2009-04-19T15:44:00.007+08:00

A Gift From Mr. Bernard Lam

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”

- Oprah Winfrey

Tony Gordan's - "It Can Only Get Better"

2009-04-03T19:14:00.008+08:00

Lately just started reading a book by Tony Gordan which i feel like sharing with my friends.

As i share the same career with him, I felt the book was really useful in the sense that it reminds me of the basic fundamental as a financial consultant we may have overlook.

The difference between success and mediocrity is simply this; successful people discipline themselves to do the things that mediocre people don't like to do.

Consistence of activity always produces consistency of results.

"If we are not producing at the level of Million Dollar Round Table membership then we are not doing justice to ourselves, our families and our clients, because we are just not doing enough."

"We can achieve anything we want to achieve if only we have the courage to believe we can achieve it."

This few statements do kept me thinking and thinking about this business. I always encounter my colleague telling me, "I didn't earn enough, sales is bad" End of the day, we should always ask ourselves are we doing enough? This business is not just all about money. Its such a wonderful business and our role is to help people understand more about their financial situation and how financial goals can be met and how financial risk can be managed. So, MDRT to me is not just about earning lots of money but we can see MDRT in another angle like:

M - Mindset

D - Drive

R - Resilience

T - Tenacity

Or,

M - Master

D - Doing

R - Right

T - Things

So, my friend who are in this field of business. Understand that we are a banch of "Doctors" who are not well like by the public YET. Our aims is to let more people understand about their own "Financial Illnesses" which can be treated with the right prescribtion. So don't give up and you will see success in the near future. :)

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. "

- Conrad Hilton

Lifestyle Of A Typical Singaporean

2009-04-01T23:08:00.002+08:00

1. Night - Sleep with air-con; Day - Bathe with heater on

2. Day - Cannot Wake up; Night - Cannot Sleep

3. Cigarettes - Convenient to buy; not convenient to smoke

4. Chewing Gum - Can Chew, Cannot buy? (Chewing Gum banned)

5. Smell Of rubbish besides Letter boxes; Rubbish inside Letter box

6. Private Cars - Cheaper & Cheaper to Buy, harder & harder to Maintain

7. Education - Teachers teaching Less but expects students to learn More

8. High-tech barbaric Singaporeans - know how to use state-of-the art equipment, but dunno how to use a simple dustbin or a toilet

9. There are quite a number of rich/poor in Singapore - They have Car, Credit Card,
CPF (Gov't forced savings for old age) ....but no Cash and lots of loans

10. Translation is needed between Singaporean Chinese (Singlish) and Mainland Chinese

11. Singaporean never like to vote, but like to complain

12. Half Singaporeans rushed to buy Hello kitty, but the other half busy killing stray cats

13. Public Bus - Half the Crowd squeeze in front section of the Bus,Second section is for Carrying Ghost passengers (No one likes to move to the back of the bus)

Great Heights

2009-03-15T00:07:00.003+08:00

Recently, I went to one of my favourite place in Singapore, RAFFLES PLACE.
Those sky scapers never fail to motivate me to work towards a greater height in my life.
Lets hope these pictures I took will let you feel the same too... :)

"Man can climb to the highest summits, but he cannot dwell there long. "

~Robert Browning

Rest Day

2009-03-14T23:46:00.004+08:00

Today is my "Official" Rest Day for me. Although i still went down to let my client sign a form but I did enjoy myself today at VIVOCITY.

Its always wonderful to take a break once in a while. So guys, remember to keep a balance in your life too. :) Enjoyz~!

Focus

2009-03-10T04:35:00.003+08:00

"Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it.

Make your mental blueprint and begin."

~Robert Collier

Leadership

2009-03-09T23:07:00.003+08:00

"Eagles don't flock - you have to find them one at a time."

~H. Ross Perot

Every Failure is a Step closer to Success

2009-03-03T13:50:00.004+08:00

People who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed. Experiencing failure is inevitable on your journey to be successful.

Every defeat is merely an installment to victory. You'll find that the number of times you succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times you fail and keep trying. You won't be judged by the number of times you fail, but by the number of times you succeed.

Failure is nothing but education, nothing but the first step to something better. You can't be a winner and be afraid to lose.

Opportunity is all around you!

2009-03-03T13:45:00.003+08:00

The people that really succeed in the world are the people who look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, they make them.

The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity in your life is where you are right now. Properly perceived, every situation becomes an opportunity for you.

Your destiny is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of the choices you make. Being successful is not something you wait for, but rather something you achieve with effort.

Things won't turn up in this world until you turn them up. You develop your opportunities by applying persistence to your possibilities.

Determine Your Time Worth

2009-03-03T13:31:00.004+08:00

Everyone has the same amount of time capital. You cannot borrow or buy time. All you can do is invest the time you have to achieve an outcome. How happy you are with this outcome in return for time invested is the measure of your effectiveness in using your time capital.Your productivity is a direct measure of how wisely you invest your time to achieve a desired outcome.

An hour is lost if you don't use it productively.

You cannot recover lost time. Many prople do not realize they could be wasting many hours each day on unproductive activities such as watching meaningless TV program. Identify time you now waste everyday and use them wisely on areas of importance to you. Think how much this would improve your personal productivity and get the most from yourself.

When you understand the worth of your time, you are better able to concentrate your efforts on items that offer the highest worthwhile payoffs. As a result, you accomplish more of the important objectives that bring high profits.

We only have exactly 24 hours a day.

Food Paradise II

2009-03-02T23:15:00.005+08:00

Looking for place with nice food and nice ambience at neighbourhood area? Try This...

Address

345A Old Nelson Road #01-02

Singapore 758692

Directions

Take the MRT to Sembawang MRT

For those who drive - Parking is FREE!

Telephone: +65 6257 1184
Fax: +65 6257 0583
Email: info@admiralbargrill.com

The Greatest Salesman in the World - Og Mandino

2009-03-02T02:56:00.002+08:00

Today I finished reading the book The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. This particular paragraph I find it quite motivating for me telling about how one can pray as a salesman. I thought it will be good to share with you all. It goes in this manner -

Oh creator of all things, help me. For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me I will wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness.

I ask not for gold or garments or even opportunities equal to my ability; instead, guide me so that I may acquire ability equal to my opportunities.

You have taught the lion and the eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw. Teach me how to hunt with words and prosper with love so that I may be a lion among men and an eagle in the market place.

Help me to remain humble through obstacles and failures; yet hide not from mine eyes the prize that will come with victory.

Assign me tasks to which others have failed; yet guide me to pluck the seeds of success from their failures. Confront me with fears that will temper my spirits; yet endow me with courage to laugh at my misgivings.

Spare me sufficient days to reach my goals; yet help me to live this day as though it be my last.

Guide me in my words that they may bear fruit; yet silence me from gossip that none be maligned.

Discipline me in the habit of trying and trying again; yet show me the way to make use of the law of averages. Favour me with alertness to recognize opportunity; yet endow me with patience which will concentrate my strength.

Bathe me in good habits that the bad ones may drown; yet grant me compassion for weaknesses in others. Suffer me to know that all things shall pass; yet help me to count my blessings of today.

Expose me to hate so it not be a stranger; yet fill my cup with love to turn strangers into friends.

But all these things be only if they will. I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet thou hast made me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me. Guide me. Help me. Show me the way.

Let me become all you planned for me when my seed was planted and selected by you to sprout in the vineyard of the world.

Help this humble salesman.
Guide me, God.

Turn Market Downturn To Your Advantage

2009-02-27T11:29:00.003+08:00

Long-term, regular investors benefit from depressed market

Global markets and economies continue to depressed due to recession.
Is there a reliable strategy that will tide us through both good and bad times?
Long-term investors should follow a strategy of regular savings during both good and bad markets.
During market slumps when prices are low, you can accumulate more units. By holding till markets are at attractive levels, you reap benefits over the long-term.
Choose a regular savings plan that is well diversified globally and by asset classes, well managed with low expenses.
About 70% of your long-term retirement funds should be in such well diversified, low-cost schemes.
Over the long-term, your regular savings in such funds should give you stable and attractive returns of about 4-6% per annum.
Investing in capital guaranteed funds is the current rage, which is not surprising considering that many investors' fingers have been burnt by volatile equity investments.
But one must understand the rising of the inflation rate especially last year which hit a new high of about 6-7%. With this, how can one be able to hitch against inflation and maximise the return one can get. Diversification is something investors can try to practice in a long term to minimise the loss one may suffer.
As one of the leading country over the world, education in this investment strategy in Singapore is still lacking.
As Warren Buffet say: "We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful."
So what are you waiting for? Act now and not wait till the Spring is over.

Rainbow After The Rain

2009-02-25T23:12:00.006+08:00

Guess what I saw after the heavy rain today? A Rainbow!

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.

Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. "

~Gilbert K. Chesterton

- Condolence & Deepest Sympathy -

2009-02-24T22:54:00.001+08:00

Rebecca Lee ( 1987 - 2009 )

Smilez

2009-02-19T17:49:00.003+08:00

"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.

It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. "

~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Food Paradise I

2009-02-19T16:58:00.008+08:00

Looking for place for nice DESSERT? Try This...

Jurong Point

1 Jurong West Central 2 #03-58/59

Jurong Point Shopping centre

Singapore 648886

Tel:+65 6791 2155 Fax:+65 6791 1512

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thur: 10:30am – 10:30pm

Fri , Sat & Eve PH : 10:30am – 11:30pm

Millenia Walk

9 Raffles Boulevard #01-23/24/25

Millenia Walk

Singapore 039596

Tel: +65 6837 2422

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thur: 10:30am - 10:00pm

Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30am - 11:00pm

Northpoint

930 Yishun Ave 2 #01-44

Northpoint Shopping Centre

Singapore 769098

Tel: 6755 8122 Fax:6755 7125

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thur: 10:30am – 10:00pm

Fri , Sat & Eve PH : 10:30am – 11:00pm

Paragon

290 Orchard Road #02-09

Paragon

Singapore 238859

Tel: +65 6333 6647

Operating Hours: Sun to Thur: 10:30am - 10:00pm

Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30am - 11:00pm

Suntec City

3 Temasek Boulevard #B1-016

Suntec City Mall

Singapore 038983

Tel: +65 6338 4656 Fax: +65 6338 2606

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thu: 10:30am - 10:00pm

Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30am - 11:00pm

Takashimaya Food Hall (Takeaway Counter)

391 Orchard Road#B2-08-04

Takashimaya Department Store

Singapore 238872

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thur: 10:00am - 9:30pm

Fri & Sat: 10:00am - 10:00pm

UE Square

81 Clemenceau Ave#01-15/16/17

UE Square Shopping Mall

Singapore 239917

Tel: +65 6738 6992 Fax: +65 6738 6092

Operating Hours:

Mon to Thurs: 10:30 am - 9:00pm

Fri: 10:30am - 9:00pm

Saturday & Eve of Public Holiday: 9:00am - 9:00pm

Sun & Public Holiday: 9:00am - 9:00pm

United Square

101 Thomson Road #01-07/60

United Square

Singapore 307591 (near Novena MRT Stn)

Tel: +65 6251 5550

Operating Hours:

Sun to Thur: 10:30am - 10:00pm

Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30am - 11:00pm

VivoCity

1 HarbourFront Walk#01-207 VivoCity

Singapore 098585

Tel: +65 6438 8700

Operating Hours: Sun to Thur: 10:30am - 11:00pm

Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30am - 12 midnight

Growing Up

2009-02-19T16:17:00.006+08:00

Remember the time when you were A KID,

you always dream of being someone...

Now, you realise you can only be yourself.

Remember the time when you were A STUDENT,

you always thinking of so much things to do...

Now, you are tired after work and don't want to do anything.

Remember the time when you were A TEEN,

you always thought of changing different type of hair style...

Now, you realise natural hairstyle is the best.

Remember the time when you were A YOUNG ADULT,

you always tend to love so many people...

Now, you realise when it come to true love, one is enough.

Joke Of The Day - Sardar Jee

2009-02-16T01:20:00.003+08:00

Boss: Where were you born?
Sardar: India ..
Boss: which part?
Sardar: What 'which part'? Whole body was born in India.

2 sardar were fixing a bomb in a car.
Sardar 1: What would you do if the bomb explodes while fixing.
Sardar 2: Dont worry, I have one more.

Sardar: What is the name of your car?
Lady: I forgot the name, but is starts with 'T'.
Sardar: Oh, what a strange car, starts with Tea.
All cars that I know start with petrol.

Sardar joined new job.
1st day he worked till late evening on the computer.
Boss was happy and asked what you did till evening.
Sardar: Keyboard alphabets were not in order, so I made it alright.

At the scene of an accident a man was crying: O God! I have lost my hand, oh!
Sardar: Control yourself. Don't cry. See that man. He has lost his head. Is he crying?

Sardar: U cheated me.
Shopkeeper: No, I sold a good radio to u.
Sardar: Radio label shows Made in Japan but radio says this is 'All India Radio! '

In an interview, Interviewer: How does an electric motor run?
Sardar: Dhhuuuurrrrrrrrrr. .....
Inteviewer shouts: Stop it.
Sardar: Dhhuurrrr dhup dhup dhup...

Valentine Day 14th Feb

2009-02-12T18:14:00.014+08:00

Valentine is around the corner and its just 2 more days before the actual day. So have you get anything prepared for you love one? :) So what is Valentine day all about? Below is just a slight history about Valentine Day.

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)
Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

Lastly, to end this post on Valentine Day, I have include a few pictures of the "LOVE TOKENS" from my soon-to-be married brother to his beloved girlfriend. Do hurry up to prepare some surprise for you love one and let them know how much they meant to you. :)

Happy Valentine Day To All The Readers & To All The Lovers... :)

My Best Friend - Milo

2009-02-10T02:04:00.010+08:00

For those who doesn't know my best friend, my darling... Let me introduce him to you. His name is MILO. :) He is a jack rusell from AUSTRALIA. His birthday falls on 06/05/2003. :)

I am actually his 3rd Master. Remember the time when he 1st came into my family he was so quiet and innocent. But now, he is like a KING in my home. He can roam freely in the house, his empire, his kingdom. Haha... Its been so long when I last bring him down for a walk. See the SADNESS in his eye everytime he look out of the window.

He is always the one who keep me company when I long for a companion and he is actually the one who give me a warm hug everytime when I am lonely. :)

That is why there is a saying that DOGS ARE MAN BEST FRIEND. INDEED. I really cannot imagine one day he wont be around for me. I hope that day wont come.... Not any time soon I hoped.... :) I LOVE YOU MILO!

Food !

2009-02-10T01:32:00.006+08:00

Yesterday I went to the new SEMBAWANG Shopping Centre. Pretty normal there but with extraordinary shop. They have actually not much stall for shopping but they have quite a few nice resturant people can dine in. Example like Fish and Co. , Ajisen, Astons and a few more.

As for me, I dine in at Astons with Esther and I find the food quite not bad with a very reasonable pricing. Strongly recommended. :)

Holiday Mood

2009-01-30T00:44:00.004+08:00

Today mind still in some holiday mood so went MALAYSIA JB with my colleague for a movie and look for some books. Ended up just came back with a stomach full of sushi and DVDs. :) Luckily enough got some books when we were back in singapore at the SUNTEC CITY BOOK SALES... Read, Read, Read... :)

A Book A Day Keep The Doctor Away. :)

Chinese New Year~!

2009-01-30T00:25:00.004+08:00

This year new year didn't collect much Ang Bao... Only around $200+ only... Getting a bit bored aready... No more new year mood anymore... :/ Hoping other people enjoy theirs.... :)

My New Year Ang Bao 2009 :)

This year I receive some stuff which I find quite nice for a start of the year...

Box of Cherries worth $100+ :)

1st Ang Bao from my client :)

Its always nice to receive stuff from your client and you know your client value my service for them. SHIOK AH ~! :P GONG XI FA CAI !

New Year, New Room !

2009-01-29T23:20:00.005+08:00

My First Post in 2009... To kick start this new year, I just revamped my room... Below is some pictures of the NEW LOOK... All DIY by myself... :)

My Cosy Bed :)

My Work Station :)

You all can try doing it up yourself... Its fun! :)

Latest Promotion~!

2008-12-13T14:31:00.003+08:00

Ladies & Gentleman,

Do Look Out For The New Up-Coming Star...
He Will Lead The World, He Will Be Famous, He Will Be Rich!
Lets Put Our Hand Together And Welcome...

World AIDS Day 2008 - Wear a Red Ribbon

2008-12-01T02:40:00.003+08:00

Same Investment, Some Win Some Lose... Why?

2008-12-01T01:13:00.004+08:00

The same investment, why some people earn while some lose? Actually, the main difference is their attitude and the process. According to the past investment experience, below is the summary of the main 5 common mistakes investor commit:

Mistake 1: When the market readjusts, people stop the investment or even surrender.
The value of the funds will not always grow steadily. There will be times when the prices falls, and that's the best time to test the determination of the investor.
Actually the best way to face the price fluctuation will be to understand the reason.
It will need our analysis, whether the market is suffering from any downfall or it’s just a short term fluctuation.
If we cannot predict the reason, but still have faith on the market, the more we should not stop the savings or even surrender.

Mistake 2: Having a short investment time frame and hope to make a profit in 6 months.
Investment into funds basically is a long term savings to reach one financial goal. So one should have to cultivate the "long-term investment" mindset.
Example, for the first half of the year for those investor who have entered the market at a higher price, they bound to face a loss in the capital. If they only hope to see the return in just 6 months, might as well "admit defeat" and surrender.
Actually, regular investing should be at least until a time frame of 7-11 years, mainly to practice dollar cost averaging, and to diversify the investment so as to neutralise the risk.

Mistake 3: Only invest in the best performance fund.
The history performance doesn't reflect the future performance. A lot of investor should have heard of this at least a dozen times already. But, people tend to overlook the real meaning of it.
As our local financial institute progress over the years, investor will notice that the ranking of the funds will have quite a big change.
A fund for regular savings is one which can hitch inflation, and overtake other similar funds for a long period of time. One which only have short term returns and become the "Best Performance" fund might not be the best choice for regular savings.

Mistake 4: Showing favouritism
Buying into just 1 fund is like putting all the eggs into just 1 basket. But then, diversify your risk also doesn't mean investing into different company funds.
Try thinking, if you buy the same type of funds from another company, we will be gambling with our own money, our own investment which doesn't make much difference.
We don’t encourage investor to overly invest into too many different funds, but if we really wish to achieve diversification, the investment should have a combination of a few different zone and different characteristics so as to achieve a diversification of the risk.

Mistake 5: Invested but didn't monitor.
Although investment into fund is a long term investment, what we have to remind people is that, it also doesn't mean that after we start investing, we can just ignore totally about it.
Changes in the financial trend, the changes in the market, the changes in the fund managers or the company, will also result in a downfall.
So one should also monitor the funds regularly, and do necessary changes depending on individual financial goals and risk appetite along the way.

Happy Investing! :)

Momentum

2008-11-18T18:02:00.000+08:00

When you've gone a little ways, keep going a little ways more. When you've made some progress, use that progress to make some more.

Multiply the power of your actions with momentum.

Once you get yourself going, follow through on the commitment and keep yourself going.

Often, the most difficult part of a task is the act of getting started. The fewer times you have to go through that process of starting yourself back up, the more you can get accomplished.

When you've enjoyed one success, that's the best time to start working on another success. Once you have momentum on your side, take full advantage of it. One of the biggest benefits of achievement is that it opens up the door for greater achievement. Even a small success is a big deal, because of where it can lead.

Get yourself going and then keep yourself going. And from there, you can go anywhere.

To All Married Couples and Singles Who Intend to Get Married

2008-11-18T17:52:00.002+08:00

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and
said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again
I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know
what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She
didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, "why?"

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks
and shouted at me, "you are not a man!"

That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she
wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly
give her a satisfactory answer; I had lost my heart to a lovely girl
called Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated
that she could own our house, 30% shares of my company and the car. She
glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten
years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her
wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had
said for I loved Dew so dearly.

Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to
see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce
which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer
now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something
at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell
asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew. When
I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care
so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want
anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She
requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible.. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's
time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage..

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to
recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She
requested that everyday for the month's duration I carry her out of our
bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy.
Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. I
told Dew about my wife s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and
thought it was absurd. "No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face
the divorce", she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was
explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms.
His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the
sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my
arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; "don't tell our son about the
divorce." I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the
door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my
chest.. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I
hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was
not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was
graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered
what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy
returning... This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.
On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was
growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It became easier to carry her
as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few
dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses
have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that
was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me; she
had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart.

Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the
moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his
father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life.
My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I
turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this
last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through
the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and
naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held
her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I
drove to office... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door.
I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind... I walked upstairs.
Dew opened the door and I said to her, "Sorry, Dew, I do not want the
divorce anymore."

She looked at me, astonished. Then touched my forehead. "Do you have a
fever?", She said. I moved her hand off my head. "Sorry, Dew", I said, "I won't
divorce". My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't
value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other any
more. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding
day I am supposed to hold her until death does us apart.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up.. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the
floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The
salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote:
'I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart'

The small details of our lives are what really matter in a relationship.
It is not the mansion, the car, the property, the bank balance that
matters. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot
give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you, but if you do, you
just might save a marriage.
Relationships are made not to exploit, not to be broken.

We teach some by what we say
We teach some more by what we do
But we teach most by what we are
- Unknown

You don't get to choose how you are going to die, or when, but, you can
decide how you are going to live, here and now.

Remember:
People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did...
But people will never forget how you made them feel....

NTUC Income Roadshow Poster

2008-11-03T09:36:00.006+08:00

Ladies & Gentleman,

Do Look Out For NTUC INCOME Roadshow Around Singapore & Try To Spot This 2 Poster Done By Me! Do Drop By And Say Hi & Fabulous Prizes Will Be Given Away. Quick! :)

ERP Complaint

2008-10-23T20:03:00.004+08:00

Due to recent adjustment in our ERP charges, this is how this will affect our life...

Diary Of A Blonde

2008-10-20T12:25:00.004+08:00

Self-discipline

2008-10-20T12:18:00.004+08:00

The objective of this unit on Self-discipline is for you to discover how to take control of your life by setting goals and taking concrete steps to achieve them.You will be exposed to new perspectives and new ways to lead a happier, healthier and more gratifying life; a life where you know what you want, set realistic goals and work to achieve them.

"Goal setting is the strongest force for human motivation. Set a goal and make it come true."

Definitions of self-discipline

What is self-discipline? How can you achieve it? Self-discipline is one of the hardest quality to achieve in character education. Having self-discipline means that you must have the ability to control yourself. For example, instead of going out with your friends, you must be able to control yourself, make yourself stay at home and study instead of going out. Tough isn't is? Self-discipline means that you have to be very determined to achieve the goals you have set.To be a self-disciplined person, you have to be able to control your feelings and desires and also behave with responsibility without orders. Another example is, let's say your teacher gives you 2 months to complete a project. Do you have discipline to start early, make fully use of the two months to do your project? Or would you leave it to the last minute? (Like me :o)) If your answer is the first one, then you are a really self-disciplined person. ( This kind of person are really rare nowadays) or if your answer is to do it in the eleventh hour, then you should start practicing self-discipline. Finally, a self-disciplined person must have the ability to correct himself for the sake of improvement. As you can see, it is not easy to achieve self-discipline, but nothing is impossible, if you have the determination to learn to be self-discipline, then congratulations, you have already begun learning what is self-discipline.

Warren Buffett is buying US stocks even as market fears spreads

2008-10-20T12:07:00.002+08:00

Warren Buffett, the world's richest man according to Forbes magazine, is is buying US stocks even though the American economy is in a "mess".
Buffett, 78, who has become known as the "Oracle of Omaha" because of his fortune building skills, said he has been buying into US companies even as "fear spreads".
"The financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher," the head of Berkshire Hathaway Inc conglomerate wrote in the New York Times.
"In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary," Buffett added.
"So ... I've been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I'm talking about, in which I previously owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy)."
"If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities."
The reason, he said, is a key maxim in his outlook: "A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.
"Most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense," Buffett said.
"These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records five, 10 and 20 years from now."
Buffet stressed that he could not predict how the market would ride out its roller-coaster days in the short-term.
But he said "what is likely, however, is that the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over."

Terrible F1 Accident‏

2008-10-02T22:50:00.002+08:00

Where it actually flipped over... Not for the faint hearted... :)

Singapore's Top 10 Food Listings

2008-10-01T20:26:00.006+08:00

Chilli Crab
Matter Road Seafood Barbecue
#-01-55 Old Airport Road Temporary Hawker Centre
Operating Hours
4.00pm to 11.00pm Closed Tue & Wed

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥
Fresh crabs in spicy chilli sauce which the owner takes two days off a week just to make. They were originally called Mattar Rd seafood but the ang-mo educated signboard maker had better ideas and erased their heritage. Trivia…there's no Matter Rd in Singapore.

Chicken Rice
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Maxwell Road Food Centre, Stall 10
Operating Hours
11am to 8pm Closed Mon

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Its detractors lament on its deteriorating standards but we suspect they may be put off by the rude service at times. To us, it's still one of the best - tasty and good quality rice, tender chicken and great chilli. The New York Times calls theirs a " chicken rice shrine".

Satay
Warong Sudi Mampir

Blk 14 Haig Road #01-19 Haig Road Food Centre
Operating Hours
10am - 5pm on Sat, Sun & PH, closed Wed & Thu

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Finally, a huge chunk of meat (not minced) that's well marinated and quite soft.The peanut gravy is chunky.

Bak Kut Teh
Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh

Blk 22 Sin Ming Rd Eng Ho Hup Coffeeshop
Operating Hours
7.00am to 4.00pm

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
According to the grapevine, he is the mentor to other successful bak kut teh stalls like Eng Kee and Joo Siah. Simmered in a cheng soup base, the curvy long pork ribs and chunky liver pieces are the main draw. The ter ka is good too.

Rojak
Toa Payoh Rojak

#-01-25 Old Airport Road Temporary Hawker Centre
Operating Hours
12.00pm to 8.00pm Closed Sun

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
This old husband and wife team simply serves rojak with fresh ingredients. When you make your order, he immediately puts the you char kueh onto the charcoal grill and proceeds to create the sauce mix. His wife then shaves the pineapples, bung kuang (turnips) and vegetables onto a plate. She then carefully discards the cores and the slices she is not happy with for one reason or another (some mothers don't even do that). In the end, when the choice vegetable and fruit cuts are mixed in with his piquant assam hay ko sauce and topped with hot roasted you char kueh, you will forgive him for the 35 minutes peak hour wait.

Laksa
Sungei Road Laksa

Blk 27 Jalan Berseh #01-100 Jin Shui Kopitiam
Operating Hours
9.00am to 6.00pm Closed 1st Wednesday of the month

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥
He still uses charcoal fire to keep his gravy warm. Claims that this is his one and only stall. So now we know that the rest of the Sungei Road laksa franchise outlets are just cashing in on the name without substance. His style is not too lemak and the taste of stock permeates. Folks call this the Chinese style.

Fish Head Curry
Karu's Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant

808/810 Upper Bukit Timah Rd
Operating Hours
10.30am to 10.00pm

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥
A very unassuming place located amongst old shop houses selling hardware stuff and car accessories. Had it not been for the aroma of curry drifting out of its dark glass doors, we would have missed it. Packs in a very good lunch crowd. The curry has 'kick' and is slightly different from other Indian-style curry as it adds more assam than curry powder to its curry. One word of advice: the briyani is dry and costs $2.50 per pax. So it's better to opt for the plain rice.

Char Kway Teow
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow

Blk 531A Up Cross St #02-18 Hong Lim Market & Cooked Food Centre
Operating Hours
7.00am to 4.30pm Closed Sun & PH

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
His char kway teow seems to get better and better with increased human traffic. Maybe more practice makes a better char kway teow too! You can have it with or without the sweet black sauce. He does not use any stock and just relies on a very good frying technique.

Roti Prata
Thasevi Food Famous Jalan Kayu Prata Restaurant

235/237/239 Jalan Kayu
Operating Hours
24 hours Closed Fri (12pm-2.30pm for prayers)

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥
The original Jalan Kayu Roti Prata and they keep insisting that they have no branches. Their prata is comfortably smaller, crispy yet soft inside and very tasty with good optional , pricey curries. Packed on weekends with roti afficionados piling in for their rich curries with stacks of rotis.

Carrot Cake
Chey Sua Carrot Cake

Blk 127 Lor 1 Toa Payoh #02-30
Operating Hours
6.00am to 1.00pm Closed Mon

Rating : ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Served looking like a pancake. Carrot cake is cut into tiny pieces. It's fried such that it's super crispy on one side while soft on the other. Chilli is casually dabbed on top of the carrot cake. Despite the number of people queueing at the stall, the lady looks cool and unflustered, and takes her time to cut each piece and fry them into nice pancake sizes.

News

2008-10-01T19:54:00.003+08:00

29,000 people to be automatically banned from Singapore’s casinos 01 October 2008

SINGAPORE: Some 29,000 Singaporeans will be banned from visiting the casino next year when the first integrated resort opens its doors. The first casino at Marina Bay is expected to open in the third quarter of next year.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will start receiving applications for casino exclusion orders in January.
And from January 2009, families may also apply for their members to be excluded.
When an application is submitted, both the family member making the application, as well as the person to be excluded will have to go for counselling before a committee of assessors. The committee will then hold a hearing to determine if an exclusion order should be issued.
So far, 60 grassroots leaders and social service professionals have been shortlisted to join the panel of assessors. Each assessing team will be made up of two of them, together with a council member from the NCPG.
The assessors were selected based on their age and maturity, years of experience in the social or community service, the ability to make proper and fair judgement, and minimum academic qualifications of O—levels and above.
Casino exclusion orders are issued by the NCPG under the Casino Control Act.
Samuel Ng, a member of the panel of assessors and executive director of Family Service Centre, said: "I don’t think this act alone can solve or eradicate this whole problem. I think what this act attempts to do is more to prevent or more to manage the problem so it will not escalate.
"At this time, we cannot anticipate the volume of applications, but my concern as a social worker is that we should not take it as a punitive measure, but rather as a preventive measure.
"One of the possible problems could be that it will create more family conflicts. Within the family dynamics, certain family members can use this Act as their weapon."
The NCPG will launch an extensive public education campaign on casino exclusion next year. — CNA/vm

Hari Raya Aidilfitri

2008-10-01T18:50:00.004+08:00

Hari Raya Aidilfitri (also Hari Raya Puasa, literally "Celebration Day of Fasting") is the Malay term for the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr. Hari Raya is also known as Lebaran. Muslims in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world. The term "Hari Raya" literally means "Day of Celebration" — it is also occasionally used to refer to Eid ul-Adha in the form of "Hari Raya Aidiladha". The main greeting used by Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore is "Selamat Hari Raya" which means "Happy Eid" in Malay. Another greeting is "maaf zahir dan batin" which translates loosely to "I seek forgiveness (from you) physically and spiritually", for Hari Raya is a time to reconcile and renew relationships with others.

Fasting
During the Muslim month of Ramadan leading up to Hari Raya, it is mandatory for Muslims to fast from dawn to dusk. All Muslims except the young, old or infirm must fast. Many Muslims also abstain from pleasures such as cigarettes and sexual activities during the daylight of the fasting month.
Widely, markets, or 'Ramadan bazaars' are held in many areas around the country, where all sorts of food and kuih — traditional Malay delicacies — are sold for breaking fast or buka puasa. Hotels and restaurants have also exploited this situation to offer exorbitant Ramadan buffets. This practice of overindulging has been criticised by Muslim clerics, notably the mufti of the state of Kelantan.

Preparation
On the eve of Hari Raya, Muslims will recite the takbir, which is held in mosques and surau (smaller place of worship). In some communities, there will be congregations reciting the takbir from house to house.
In big cities and towns, shopping malls and commercial centres will hold big promotions and price discounts for festive shoppers as people purchase clothes and supplies. Decorations are hung in public areas and Hari Raya songs will be played in shopping complexes. The media, such as the television will host various programs in conjunction with the celebrations.
Many people also traditionally return to their hometown generally from big metropolitan cities to rural areas. This is known as balik kampung — literally going back to one's home town to celebrate Hari Raya with family and friends. At many times, the flux of vehicles on the roads nationwide increased the number of car accidents, including deadly ones, occurring during the festive season. Road safety campaigns are often launched by the authorities ahead of the festivities in the effort of lowering the discomforting number of accidents.

Celebrating
Usually on the eve of the celebrations, family members, especially mothers and housewives, will be busy preparing food, cakes, sweets, biscuits and various delicacies to be served on the day of Hari Raya. Delicacies such as ketupat or rice cake and a meat cuisine called rendang are among the most famous cuisines that are served during this day. Other family members will help in other chores such as decorating and cleaning up the house.
Days before Hari Raya, house compounds, particularly those in the countryside will be lit up with oil lamps known as pelita or panjut. This display of oil lamps will reach its height on the 27th night of Ramadan, called the Tujuh Likur night. 'Likur' literally meaning a figure between 20 and 30, hence 'tujuh likur' means twenty seven. Originally during the early days of the arrival of Islam among the Malays, the purpose of lighting the oil lamps was to attract spirit of passed relatives and angels to descend to people's homes during the night of Lailatulqadar. However after ages has passed, such misconception is regarded counterfactual as much understanding of Islam were obtained. Nowadays the oil lamps are lit solely for decorative purposes.
It is customary for Malays to wear traditional Malay costumes. The dress for men is called baju Melayu while the women's are known as baju kurung and baju kebaya. Traditional textiles such as songket and batik are worn favourably during this day.
Muslims will attend Eid prayer in the morning and consecrate together harmoniously while taking the chance to meet and greet each other. Once the prayer is done, it is also common for Muslims in Malaysia to visit the grave of their loved ones. During this visit, they will clean the grave, perform the recital of the Yasin — a chapter (surah) from the Qur'an and also the tahlil or prayers for the deceased. All these are done in hope that their loved ones are blessed by God and they are spared from the punishment in the grave.
The rest of the day is spent visiting relatives or serving visitors. Hari Raya is a very joyous day for children for this is the day where adults are extra generous. Children will be given token sums of money, also known as duit raya from their parents and elders.
During the night, there are often celebrations with sparklers and firecrackers, albeit restrictions on playing firecrackers enforced by the authorities. Most firecracker stocks are purchased and smuggled illegally from black markets. Safety issues, especially among children are raised and alarming cases relating to injuries caused by playing firecrackers are often reported, which initially led to the banning of playing firecrackers. Despite of the enforcement of banning firecrackers, more Malay children turn to home-made firecrackers such as meriam buluh (bamboo cannon) as alternatives to commercial fireworks. Usually the lighting of firecrackers begins a few days before the end of Ramadan, and continues for about a week afterwards.

Muhammad Ali - "The Champion"

2008-09-30T20:25:00.003+08:00

“ To be a great CHAMPION you must believe you are the BEST.

If you’re not, PRETEND you are.”

– Muhammad Ali -

The Fight Has Just Begun

2008-09-30T20:10:00.004+08:00

As the cloud of uncertainty crept through your heart

that symbolic tint of doubt moisten in your soul

tell yourself, my friend

that... the fight has just begun
As others criticize you, when you clamber the ladder of success

question you, as if every single step you take is wrong

tell yourself, my friend

that... the fight has just begun
The fight to be the best

The fight to be No.1

The fight for every dominant soul to give the best to the society

...must continue
Every fall is another step forward

Every sprint is another leapt onwards

Every barrier is meant to be a breakthrough

Every endeavor will lead to your success

Every sales will be a close

Oh yes...my friend...

The fight has just begun.
You will climb mountains

You will trudge hills

You will swim oceans, dive seas

if that is needed, to pull it through.
No one... no one can EVER deny you of

the opportunity to be courageous

to be focus

to be decisive

in your valiant attempt to be the number 1 in the industry..
The fight, indeed has just begun...

-Helmi Hakim-

Speed Skating 1,000 Meters - Steven Bradbury 2002 Winter Olympics

2008-09-30T01:08:00.010+08:00

Feeling Down?

Feeling Low?

Feel Like Giving Up?

Think Again ... :)

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Mass migration of Stingrays - AWESOME

2008-09-22T05:42:00.006+08:00

Can you IMAGINE seeing this in person? Awesome........
Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico
The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.
Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula .
Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

'It's hard to say exactly how many there were but in the range of a few thousand.

'We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too.
'I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experienced nature at his best.'
Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.

They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance.
Despite having poisonous stingers they are known to be shy and non-thr eatening when in large schools.
The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan

F1 Grand Prix Singapore 2008 Craze - 27th September 2008

2008-09-21T19:06:00.002+08:00

Lets us join in the 1st F1 Formula Night Race Fever in Singapore.

News

2008-09-21T18:47:00.003+08:00

Singapore suspends sale of Chinese dairy products 20th September 2008

SINGAPORE - Singapore suspended the sale and import of all Chinese dairy products Friday after several items tested positive for a toxic chemical, widening a crisis over tainted food in China.

Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, known as AVA, said tests revealed traces of melamine in samples of a Yili-brand yogurt bar and Dutch Lady-brand strawberry milk manufactured in China. Authorities said they plan to destroy all samples of the two products in Singapore.

Officials also warned local food manufacturers against using milk products from China as ingredients.

"AVA is suspending the import and sale of all milk and milk products from China with immediate effect," the food safety authority said in a statement. "Retailers and importers have been instructed to recall these products."

The Chinese dairy industry thought it had contained the crisis to tainted milk powder that was blamed for four infant deaths and illnesses in 6,200 others.
But about 10 percent of liquid milk samples taken from Mengniu Dairy Group Co. and Yili Industrial Group Co. _ China's two largest dairy producers _ contained melamine, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Friday. Milk from Shanghai-based Bright Dairy also showed contamination.

Melamine is a toxic industrial chemical that caused kidney stones in many of the Chinese babies who drank formula laced with it.

Adam Khoo's Philosophies And Investing Insights

2008-09-18T15:35:00.008+08:00

Why I Love Market Crashes and You Should Too!
September 18, 2008 By Adam Khoo In Uncategorized

The US market is going through it’s WORST financial crisis in decades. The US market indexes like the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq have plunged more than 25% from its highs! Once revered ‘indestructible’ financial giants like AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stears, and Merrill Lynch are/have come crashing down. Citigroup that once traded at $50, is now down to $13. Lehman Brothers than was once $90 is now bankrupt. Merrill Lynch that was once $80, is now $20. AIG that was once $80, is now $2. Global corporate Layoffs have just started (BT report 17 Sept: HP to slash 24,000 jobs worldwide).

In Singapore, the Straits Times Index is down MORE than 30%. UOB, once at $24, is now at $15. Capitaland, from $8 is now $3+. Property prices are down 10%-20% from a year ago. The last quarter of Exports have contracted, and Singapore could be facing another technical recession in the coming months (Straits Times Report 17 Sept).

While many people are panicking and fear can be smelt in the air, Far-sighted Entrepreneurs and Investors like myself are LOVING IT! (not that we ate any McDonalds’s burgers)

So Why Do I Love These Downturns?

I may sound crazy, but most people do not realize that economic slowdowns and financial crisis are where fortunes are really made.

It was the last two crashes of 1998 and 2002 that gave me the opportunity to make my first $1.5 million; by buying into great stocks at huge discounts and turning an $8,000 investment into a $30m a year business. It was the recession that allowed me to hire so may great people at such low salaries, take up a 12,000 square foot office in the heart of CBD at just $4 per square foot. It was during the crashes, when NOBODY wanted to own stocks that I bought great blue chip stocks at 50%-80% discounts below their true value. It was during the last downturn that I bought my Semi-D at $1.6m, which is now worth $3m!

Now…it is ALL HAPPENING AGAIN!!!! In fact, this crisis is turning out to be even more severe that the previous two. For those of you who know how to take advantage of this will become the next group of new millionaires once the market turns around.

How Do You Take Advantage of This?

Remember that history ALWAYS repeats itself. After every bull run (rally), there will be a pullback/correction/crash (which is what is happening now). After every crash, it will be followed by the next rally/bullrun. In other words, the market will ALWAYS RECOVER and GO EVEN HIGHER!

However, NOT ALL stocks will recover. The weak and fundamentally damaged stocks (i.e. Like AIG) may never recover. The secret is to learn and start buying up the fundamentally strongest stocks when they are cheap & NOBODY wants them (during the downturn). When the market turns around, they are the ones will recover even stronger and make you your fortune.

Let me give you a free tip here. Before the crisis, there were Five Big Investment Banks in the US: Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Bear Sterns and JP Morgan. Now that Lehman (bankrupt), Merrill (bought over By Bank of America) and Bear Sterns (bought by JP Morgan) are gone, guess who is going to benefit and become even stronger after the crisis…the survivors! i.e Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.

In Singapore, now that AIG is so badly damaged, guess which local insurance companies in Singapore is going to benefit when the market really turns around? Great Eastern Life, Prudential, AXA Life etc… When a leader dies, the others will become stronger and bigger. If you want to take advantage of Great Eastern Life, buy OCBC bank stock (OCBC owns GE)! And OCBCs shares are down 26% from their highs.

In Wealth Academy (My Live Event, next one is Nov 13-16), I teach people how to identify the strong companies from the lousy ones and to buy them up cheap, when the whole market is fearful. When the market turns eventually, they will reap handsome profits from putting their money on the strong horses.

I have also invited Five of the Top Investing and Trading Experts from Wall Street down to Singapore for Asia’s First Investors Superconference from 25-26 October. Check it out at www.akltg.com/superconference. So, if you want to be one of the smart ones who will protect your wealth and benefit from this crisis (instead of being fearful of it), some come and join us for our live events.

“ Be Fearful When Others are Greedy and Greedy When Others Are Fearful” - Warren Buffett, World’s Richest Man

The Best Time to Start a Business is in a Recession

Another reason why I love recessions is because it is the BEST TIME to start a new business is in a downturn. Why?Let me give you a few reasons:
1) In times of recessions, the company you work for may decide to lay you off (to cut their costs), the best way to protect yourself is to already start thinking of building additional income streams…like a part time business. I teach people ways to start businesses with little or no capital…just hardwork and ideas put into use.
2) Recessions are when you can get really cheap rentals and hire great talented staff cheap. Think of the so many people who just got retrenched because their company went bust. There could be more to come..
3) IN recessions, many customers look for cheaper alternatives, which gives you the best chance grab market shares from the market leaders (the bigger, more expensive companies)
4) In recessions, the bigger players become more defensive, scaling back on their advertising and staff, which gives you the best opportunity to again, grab their market share
5) In recessions, interest rates are really low which means you can borrow money cheaper to finance your investments! When I bought my properties during the last downturn, my interest was only 1.5%!

I wish you the best in making your fortune in this downturn

Recommendation - Money Not Enough 2

2008-09-18T15:35:00.004+08:00

Lately I watched a show which showcase the lifestyle and problems facing in our society. Highly recommended.:)

Elements of Greatness

2008-09-18T05:13:00.002+08:00

"Unleash your potential; unless you flap your wing, you don’t how high you can fly."

The "Don't Quit" Poem

2008-09-18T05:03:00.001+08:00

"When the nights seem to be darkest, it means the sun will soon rise up. Press on, don’t give up!"

News

2008-09-18T04:27:00.010+08:00

Stocks News: Lehman Brothers Bankrupt, Merrill Lynch and AIG losses 16th September 2008

Be prepared for the strong possibility of more selldowns in the weeks and months ahead. The US financial sector and therest of the economy could take a couple of years to clean up and consolidate.
Unemployment will go up, housing prices continue to drop, more mortgage loans will be foreclosed, domestic consumption may shrink and economic growth in the US could go to zero or turn negative for at least several quarters.
During the Asian Financial Crisis, the STI crashed from above 2,000 points in July 1997 to a bottom of about 800 by September 1998. It recovered strongly from November 1998 and throughout the whole of 1999 and hit a new record high of about 2600 on the first trading day of the year 2000. The recovery of the STI after hitting its low in the Asian FinancialCrisis was truly spectacular.
Lehman Brothers file for the biggest bankruptcy in history and Bank of America buy Merrill Lynch in a $50 billion deal.The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 290 points.The Standard & Poor’s 500 (SPX) index lost 1.3% and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) lost 2.5%.
Bank of America also announced early Monday that it will acquire Merrill Lynch (MER, Fortune 500) for $50 billion in stock. with net losses of more than $17 billion over the lastfour quarters.
AIG (owns part of AIA) big sell-off and announces a restructuring plan that will include selling off part of its business to raise desperately needed cash and boost investors’confidence. The subprime mortgage crisis has caused AIG to lose more than $18 billion in the past nine months, and it could face a credit downgrade unless the firm is able to raise money. Over the past three quarters, AIG has recognized some $25 billion in writedowns tied to the firm’s promises to guarantee the mortgagebacked debt issued by others. But if the firms made bad bets on mortgage-related securities .
Bear Stearns was acquired by JPMorgan Chase . Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae collapsed followed by Lehman Brothers and Merill Lynch. AIG suffered huge losses. What’s next? The finacial market is going to brave through a long storm
Sources from CNNMoney.com

AIA Policyholders Panic in Singapore

2008-09-18T04:27:00.009+08:00

A scary sight following from the AIG massive drop in shares, AIA was flooded with people for surrender of policy. Watch:

Promotion

2008-09-17T02:07:00.004+08:00

Ladies & Gentlemen, Just to update on the Current Promotion by NTUC INCOME. :)

The 12.5 Values of a Sales Professional

2008-09-17T00:42:00.005+08:00

1.The value of creating a difference between you and the competition.

The key is perceived value.

The biggest difference is the difference they perceive in YOU!

2.The value of knowing the difference between satisfied and loyal.

Satisfied customers buy anywhere. Loyal customer stay, fight for you, and refer.

Will they order again? Will they recommend you to others? That is the measure.

3.The value of your ability to speak and be compelling.

If your sales message is boring, they pass. If it's compelling, thay want to buy.

Engage them with great questions and ideas.

4.The (value) of knowing everything or being too busy to learn.

Stay a student - every day. All the information you need to succeed already exists.

You may not be exposing yourself to it.

5.The value of establishing a friendly relationship.

All things being equal, people want to do business with their friends.

All things being not quite so equal, people still want to do business with their friends.

6.The value of your humor.

If you can make 'em laugh, you can make 'em buy. Study humor.

7.The value of your creativity.

Your key to being perceived as different lies in your creativity.

Creativity can be learned.

8.The value of asking for the sale.

It's so simple, no one does it.

9.The value of your belief in yourself

To make a sale, you gotta believe you work for the greatest company in the world,

You gotta believe you have the greatest products and services in the world,

You gotta believe you're the greatest person in the world.

Three key words, you gotta believe.

10.The value of being prepared.

Most salepeople are half prepared.

They know everything about themselves, but they know nothing about their prospect.

11.The value of not whining and not blaming.

You may think you're the greatest - but if you whine and blame others, no one will like you, or respect you.

12.The value of an apple a day.

An hour of learning a day will make you a world class expert at anything in five years.

12.5. The value of a YES! Attitude.

Attitude is EVERYTHING - to you and your success.

You become what you think about.

Your attitude is at the core of every action you take.

Business Quotes by the Rich Dad, Poor Dad

2008-09-17T00:31:00.002+08:00

I have a problem with too much money. I can't reinvest it fast enough, and because I reinvest it, more money comes in. Yes, the rich do get richer.Robert Kiyosaki

A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth, to say no. That's where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully. It's having backbone.Robert Kiyosaki

Academic qualifications are important and so is financial education. They're both important and schools are forgetting one of them.Robert Kiyosaki

Money is kind of a base subject. Like water, food, air and housing, it affects everything yet for some reason the world of academics thinks it's a subject below their social standing.Robert Kiyosaki

We go to school to learn to work hard for money. I write books and create products that teach people how to have money work hard for them.Robert Kiyosaki

News

2008-09-16T22:59:00.004+08:00

Lehman Brothers closes its doors in Singapore 16 September 2008

SINGAPORE: Lehman Brothers' Singapore operations came to a halt a day after it filed for protection from bankruptcy.

The Singapore Exchange has suspended the firm from taking new securities and derivatives positions, and the Singapore central bank has also directed Lehman entities in Singapore to seek its approval before paying out any of their own funds to third parties.

The bank has suspended other operations in the region and has ceased to trade on the Hong Kong securities and futures market.

However, the fate of the employees at its Suntec City office remains uncertain. Outside Suntec Tower Five, business seemed to carry on as usual.

But on Lehman Brothers' 11th floor office, the mood was likely to be far bleaker.

Channel NewsAsia was refused entry into the building, but sources say the firm is unwinding its current trading positions, and is no longer taking new ones.

There has been no indication about whether the bank's 270 staff in Singapore have already lost their jobs.

Employees declined to comment on the situation.

For many professionals at Raffles Place, the latest collapse has raised many doubts.

"To a certain extent, it's quite worrying. Looking at the current situation, we don't know who will be the next target," said one of them.

The second said, "It's very unfortunate that the credit crisis which started last year has opened a mouth big enough to engulf such a giant." The third said, "You don't know know who is going to go down next.

Speculation is rife that it could be anyone. It could be AIG, there are so many entities people are talking about". Singapore's three lenders DBS, UOB and OCBC have said their exposure to Lehman Brothers is insignificant.

News

2008-09-16T22:32:00.007+08:00

Singapore says local AIG unit can meet liabilities 16th Sept 2008

SINGAPORE - Singapore's central bank said Tuesday the local unit of embattled insurance giant American International Group Inc. has sufficient assets to meet its liabilities as nervous policyholders lined up outside the company's offices.

AIA Singapore, a subsidiary of AIG, is required by Singapore law to maintain enough funds to cover its polices, and these funds must be separate from its parent company, the bank said. "AIA must maintain sufficient assets to meet all it liabilities to policyholders," the central bank, known as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said in a statement. "The value of these assets is not linked to AIA's or AIG's financial condition, but like all investments, their value may be affected by general market conditions."

AIG, the world's largest insurer, has been hit by a wave of downgrades by credit-rating agencies worried that the deteriorating housing market is further undermining the company's battered finances.

All three major agencies _ Standard & Poor's, Moody's Investors Services and Fitch Ratings _ cut AIG's ratings at least two notches Monday. While the new ratings are all still considered investment grade, the downgrades add to the pressure on AIG as it seeks billions of dollars to strengthen its balance sheet.
About 100 policyholders on Tuesday waited outside AIA offices in Singapore to check the status of their policies.
The bank called on policyholders to stick by the company, and said it was "monitoring the situation closely."
"Policyholders should not act hastily to terminate their insurance policies with AIA as they may suffer losses from premature termination," the bank said.
AIG Singapore, founded in 1931, has more than 2 million policies in force.

Some Pointer On Financial Planning

2008-09-16T14:29:00.002+08:00

Financial planning requires a long-term commitment from you and your Financial Planner to ensure that you succeed and achieve desired results. Hence, it is vital that your Financial Planner and you have a good understanding of your own needs, your financial objectives and your goals. To help you get started on your financial planning process, here below are some pointers on financial planning that may be useful for you:

Setting specific financial goals - The primary step to any plan is setting goals or targets that you want to achieve and deciding when you want to see the results materialize. For example, if you would like to retire at age say, 55 years; you need to draw up specific plans of what you want to accomplish then and the kind of lifestyle you wish to lead. When you set your financial goals, you have to ensure they are measurable so that you will know when you have reached your goals.

Be realistic in your expectations - As we have pointed out earlier, financial planning requires a long-term commitment in order to reach your goals. You cannot expect your financial situation to change overnight or within a short period of time. Inflation or short-term changes in the stock market or interest rates cannot be predicted.

Start early - It is always wise to start your financial planning early in life. By cultivating a good habit of saving or investing small amounts of money early, you will find it easier to reach your financial goals. Compared to someone who decides to wait till a later stage of their life, by starting early, you will not only find yourself achieving better returns but also better prepared to meet life changes as well as cope with unforeseeable emergencies.

Be aware of the effects of your decisions on your financial plan - As financial planning is all about achieving your life goals, it is necessary to shape it around your life cycles. Naturally then, each financial decision you make can affect the other areas of your life. For example, your decision to buy your dream home may affect your retirement goals or your estate planning in terms of the tax implications that may be associated with it.

Monitor and review your financial situation at regular intervals - Your lifestyle will change at various points in your life. These changes could be due to marriage, the birth of a child, change of career, buying a new house or car. You need to re-evaluate your financial plan periodically so that you stay on track and achieve your long-term goals.

Why Is Financial Planning Important

2008-09-16T14:22:00.000+08:00

These are milestones in life which we will have to come to grips with and which we must prepare for.

Singapore's baby boomers of the 1960s and 1970s are aging. The reality for any 35-year old young professional today is that in thirty years' time, he or she will be one of 706,000 elderly aged 65 years and above.

It is not sufficient to rely on the support of the state or your children, not when the number of economically active persons able to support each elderly person is projected to fall from 10 to only 3 in 2030.

With continuing advances in genetic science, life expectancy can only increase. The possibility of living beyond our means is very real.

Building and protecting your assets entails systematic planning and discipline. Whatever your aim, chances of success can be dramatically increased by taking an informed and organised approach. Take charge: Get a good Financial Planner.

Come talk to us. Find out about our role and evaluate how we can help you. We believe that good advice starts with listening to the client.

What Is Financial Planning?

2008-09-16T13:47:00.003+08:00

Financial Planning is about devising and preparing strategies to achieve your financial goals. It is an interactive and ongoing process shaped around your financial life cycle needs, for example, your children's education, buying your dream home, supporting your ageing parents and preparing for your retirement. Financial Planning can be divided into 3 areas:

Personal Risk Protection
Should the unfortunate happen such as, being struck by a major illness, disability, total permanent disability or death, what will happen to you and your family? Are you well protected against the unpredictability of life? When misfortunes happen, they can result in huge expenses incurred for hospitalisation, medication and often the situation is aggravated by the loss of personal income.
Personal risk protection is a vital element in financial planning. It looks into protecting you, and minimising erosion of your net worth and protecting your family from the consequences of those events. With NIINA - NI Insurance Needs Analysis, we assess your risk protection needs accurately and maximise your protection at the lowest cost.

Asset Accumulation
Have you ever thought of what you want in future? At what age do you think you would like to give up your career, retire and lead an easy life? What would you particularly like your lifestyle to be when you retire? Or perhaps you might want to think of the changes you would like to see in the next five to ten years? If you have children, the cost of their university education must surely be a cause of concern.
Asset Accumulation helps to provide for your future cash needs or prepare for your retirement by means of building your wealth through investments. With the NI Wrap, we help you assess your investment needs and actively manage your investment portfolio to ensure that you achieve your financial objectives.

Asset Distribution
There are certain decisions in your life that are vital and which you have to make in advance of your death. Such decisions could involve the maintenance, disposal and use of your estate, cash, investments, business possessions and life insurance.
Asset Distribution assures that your estate is distributed efficiently according to your desires.

A comprehensive financial plan includes Cash Flow Planning, Personal Risk Management, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, Tax and Estate Planning. A change or more in any of these areas may affect you in achieving your financial goals.

As you can see, financial planning is a tedious process. You might prefer to start with your financial plan based on specific needs first and gradually build it to a comprehensive financial plan. The main focus of your financial plan should be setting realistic financial goals and objectives and achieving them.

At New Independent, our financial planners are equipped to provide you with the most effective financial planning solutions, whether to meet a specific need such as an investment plan or a more comprehensive one which optimizes for both your asset accumulation and personal risk protection needs.

YES! Attitude

2008-09-16T01:29:00.001+08:00

A YES!Attitude is your ability to think, listen, speak, and react in a positive way.
Your YES!Attitude is permission. . .

To see the good in things, not the bad.

To see how to make bad things good.

To see the opportunity and the resolve when an obstacle faces you.

To see things from what is right side, not the what is wrong side.

To treat others the way you want to be treated.

To encourage others when they need support.

To never let the negative things affect you for more than five minutes.

To (almost) never have a "bad day."

To have something nice or humorous to say.

To be internally happy.

To work at mantaining your attitude everyday.

When you can replace "To" with "I" and add "all the time" at the end of each sentence, then you've got a YES!Attitude. Put it into practice, and decide and commit that you want to win for life - that you will do whatever it takes to make it happen for youself.

" You become what you think about all day long." -Earl Nightingale

Read, Read, Read

2008-09-15T18:29:00.001+08:00

For those who wonder what books to read, feel free to take a look at these books i read lately. :)

Motivation Quote

2008-09-15T18:17:00.000+08:00

Below is some quote shared by our metor:

1. It’s not whether you get knock down; it’s whether you get up again.

2. Unleash your potential; unless you flap your wing, you don’t how high you can fly.

3. When the nights seem to be darkest, it means the sun will soon rise up. Press on, don’t give up!

4. Keep the faith; you don't see the stars twinkles at night. It doesn’t mean they are not there. They are just hidden behind the clouds, and you surely see them shine again.

5. Seize the day; do not grieve over the past for it is gone, do not worry about the future, for it has yet to come. As long as it’s called today. Live this day as if it was the last, and you will find each day worth living for!

6. You can do it! “If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you’re right.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t, it is almost certain you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a person’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can!”

Why is it that people tend to avoid the subject of Life Insurance or abhor discussing it?

2008-09-15T18:14:00.000+08:00

It is really not that difficult to make out the reasons behind this thinking. Life insurance deals with death, disability, old age and critical illness, none of which are joyous occassions.Although, these are facts of life, the reality remains that the subject of life insurance reminds people of tragic events. And because of this, it is only natural that people tend to avoid the subject of life insurance.Unfortunately, in doing so, they invariably also avoided a vital part of financial planning for their families' future. Cases are abound where families were left to suffer for numerous years as a result of no or inadequate life insurance coverage on the breadwinner who died unexpectedly.