It has been a hectic period of traveling, working and doing things such as cycling, wakeboarding, basketball etc. And as usual, I hardly have time for my folks and even friends find it hard to get me. Many have actually given up messaging or calling me, since my schedule can be packed till weeks later. But this being so, I hope my friends should know, that this is not TAO. I still find time to update FB, blogging, answering to IT queries, fixing PCs and laptops, and even teaching blading! Now I understand why my friends maintain their blogs and FB - to keep their friends abreast of what has been going on in their lives, but of course, not many people out there bother to read!
So hope I haven't offended anyone from the fact that it has been a busy period for me.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
New lessons
Lately with the markets being so volatile, I started to lose about 5% of my overall portfolio on a Facebook application called FSX, which allows me to trade on US markets using "pretend" money. Though I am still up 6-8%, I have yet to master the arts of losing $, and making it sound good. Well our local newspapers always have something for me to learn.
If you think you bought cheap into some powerfulbanks companies which you think might be worth something in the future, its called "foresight and business acumen in seizing opportunities".
If you then realised thatGIC, Temasek a group of EXTRAORDINARY men took just eight days to decide on investing billions of public $, they must be pretty smart. But then again the company's stock tanked 10-20% months later, a new learning statement was issued by a even more EXTRAPOWERFUL man - Long term investment; 20-30 years.
And then I wonder about this other investment which many have lost billions on, some going in thinking of getting a bargain, and perhaps calling it a seizing opportunity, only to find his wealth almost halved.
When billionaire Joseph Lewis started buying into Bear Stearns last year, most thought he was bottom feeding. It turns out that Lewis was getting in near the top. Lewis holds 11.1 million shares of Bear Stearns. He paid about $1.2 billion for the stake. Its value was only worth $22.2 million when announced to sell to JP Morgan at $2/share. Prior to the Bear Stearns meltdown, Forbes estimated Lewis is the world's 368th-wealthiest person, with a fortune of $3 billion.
And ain't UBS and Citigroup also powerful banks? I just hope they can last longer than other powerful banks.
For now I will stick to "pretend" money and buy more AMD shares trading at $6-7 bucks and they were worth $40 a couple of years ago. Perhaps this engineer with no finance background can make or claim to have 600% returns with about a month of analysing of my "hard-earned" "pretend" money and maybe start using long term investment as an excuse; that is if before Facebook gets obsolete in 20-30 years or when USD is no longer in circulation.
Oh by the way, do you think I can apply for a job at GIC or Temasek? Hear the bonuses are good, but then again, I take too long to decide even with "pretend" $. Maybe I should retake a course on Ethics and Public Responsibility; but then again, its my own "pretend" $, I can do what I want - screw transparency.
Anyway these new terms can be used in our daily lives.
Come Saturday and Sunday - Wah never open...buy for next week!
If still never strike after months..
If you think you bought cheap into some powerful
If you then realised that
And then I wonder about this other investment which many have lost billions on, some going in thinking of getting a bargain, and perhaps calling it a seizing opportunity, only to find his wealth almost halved.
When billionaire Joseph Lewis started buying into Bear Stearns last year, most thought he was bottom feeding. It turns out that Lewis was getting in near the top. Lewis holds 11.1 million shares of Bear Stearns. He paid about $1.2 billion for the stake. Its value was only worth $22.2 million when announced to sell to JP Morgan at $2/share. Prior to the Bear Stearns meltdown, Forbes estimated Lewis is the world's 368th-wealthiest person, with a fortune of $3 billion.
The collapse of one of Wall Street’s most powerful banks has deepened concerns about the stability of the financial system.
And ain't UBS and Citigroup also powerful banks? I just hope they can last longer than other powerful banks.
For now I will stick to "pretend" money and buy more AMD shares trading at $6-7 bucks and they were worth $40 a couple of years ago. Perhaps this engineer with no finance background can make or claim to have 600% returns with about a month of analysing of my "hard-earned" "pretend" money and maybe start using long term investment as an excuse; that is if before Facebook gets obsolete in 20-30 years or when USD is no longer in circulation.
Oh by the way, do you think I can apply for a job at GIC or Temasek? Hear the bonuses are good, but then again, I take too long to decide even with "pretend" $. Maybe I should retake a course on Ethics and Public Responsibility; but then again, its my own "pretend" $, I can do what I want - screw transparency.
Anyway these new terms can be used in our daily lives.
Wah, accident again...wait (slowing down the car to be concerned and see if any assistance needed) SCD4567X, wah new car, $2 big $2 small- foresight, this weekend sure strike! ..seizing new opportunities
Come Saturday and Sunday - Wah never open...buy for next week!
If still never strike after months..
Long term investment; 20-30 years, sure make back one!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
NBA playoffs is here!
Spiting the stupid Sports channel on Starhub, me and my friends have mostly canceled our sports channel..we can afford it, just hate the fact it is covering more soccer than anything else!
Anyway NBA playoffs is here..was watching double header games everyday while I was in China, HK, Macau, which is the the reason why I did little touristy stuff, half the day spend in hotel room glued to the TV yelling.
In all aspects - go PISTONS!
Damn I need to find a job in China or US, just to get more basketball!
Anyway NBA playoffs is here..was watching double header games everyday while I was in China, HK, Macau, which is the the reason why I did little touristy stuff, half the day spend in hotel room glued to the TV yelling.
In all aspects - go PISTONS!
Damn I need to find a job in China or US, just to get more basketball!
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
You are what you drive? - Cycling is the way to go!
Akin to you are what you eat, I guess taking care of your ride shows the personality of the driver? I beg to differ. Driving a car you desire over what you can afford is probably the deciding factor instead of the specs under the hood or aesthetic reasons. Especially in Singapore where the cost of driving any vehicle is ridiculously more expensive than most parts of the world...which leads to a totally unrelated piece of serious information.
Increasing fuel prices have driven many to alternative fuels such as CNG or biofuels. And the rush to biofuels which in turn have driven prices of commodities like grain up. George Bush wants 15 per cent of American cars to run on biofuels by 2017, which will mean trebling maize production. Europe has a set a transport fuels target of 5.75 per cent from biofuels by 2010. As a result, the price of corn has begun to track that of oil quite closely. And because cattle and chickens are fed on corn – it takes 8kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef – the price has risen as well for meat. So riots are occurring all over the world as most vulnerable people are facing starvation as food shortages grow and cereal prices soar. It threatens to become the biggest crisis of the 21st century. All because of the need to drive.
How did a simple question of are you what you drive lead to such a serious topic of increasing food costs and possible worldwide famine? Well, I guess what led me to this serious post was that I wanted to indicate that my car is getting dirty, 2 weeks of neglect from being too busy and traveling, and the sunny days of May are here, it is covered with dirt and bird poo. And indeed if the car represents the driver, I am indeed a dirty boy! :P But what's more important is to drive safe and to drive less.
Which leads to the fact that Singapore should build more bicycle tracks for alternative mode of transportation other than for recreation - which will then show that the government is understanding and serious about world peace. As the Singapore government has so declared back in 1971 at the Commonwealth meeting.
So effectively by allowing alternative modes of transportation, we will cut down usage of petrol and the dependence of oil which will lower the need for biofuel which will then drive the price down...blah blah..which will lead to world peace.
So gahmen - DO YOUR PART!
Increasing fuel prices have driven many to alternative fuels such as CNG or biofuels. And the rush to biofuels which in turn have driven prices of commodities like grain up. George Bush wants 15 per cent of American cars to run on biofuels by 2017, which will mean trebling maize production. Europe has a set a transport fuels target of 5.75 per cent from biofuels by 2010. As a result, the price of corn has begun to track that of oil quite closely. And because cattle and chickens are fed on corn – it takes 8kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef – the price has risen as well for meat. So riots are occurring all over the world as most vulnerable people are facing starvation as food shortages grow and cereal prices soar. It threatens to become the biggest crisis of the 21st century. All because of the need to drive.
How did a simple question of are you what you drive lead to such a serious topic of increasing food costs and possible worldwide famine? Well, I guess what led me to this serious post was that I wanted to indicate that my car is getting dirty, 2 weeks of neglect from being too busy and traveling, and the sunny days of May are here, it is covered with dirt and bird poo. And indeed if the car represents the driver, I am indeed a dirty boy! :P But what's more important is to drive safe and to drive less.
Which leads to the fact that Singapore should build more bicycle tracks for alternative mode of transportation other than for recreation - which will then show that the government is understanding and serious about world peace. As the Singapore government has so declared back in 1971 at the Commonwealth meeting.
The Declaration of Commonwealth Principles, 1971
Issued at the Heads of Government Meeting in Singapore on 22 January 1971
1. The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, each responsible for its own policies, consulting and co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace.
So effectively by allowing alternative modes of transportation, we will cut down usage of petrol and the dependence of oil which will lower the need for biofuel which will then drive the price down...blah blah..which will lead to world peace.
So gahmen - DO YOUR PART!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
What's right with the Slingers! - Parts 1 and 2 of the Trilogy Series
Contrary to my previous posts of what's wrong with the Slingers - Parts 1 and 2 ; I've added what's right with the Singapore Slingers based on the recent media attention it has been generating in the mainstream media. (The final installment of the what's wrong Trilogy post will come later prior to the start of the season as I observed more of what's to come).
I have been so busy recently with traveling and lots of cycling, I have yet to post much on the Slingers. But here's making up for it - so what's been making head waves lately on our shores is going right for the Slingers. They have generated the correct media attention by signing up Darren Ng #8, whom I have missed meeting and having free beer, but Jase has it all cover in his post. This is so unfair...but then I am not like the official spokesperson for Slingers and their lives should revolve around my vacation schedules..haha
Why is Darren Ng an attraction for the media?
1) He is not bad looking - and without Michael Wong this season, we needed a local face (though Darren is born in Adelaide) which the crowd can relate to.
2) Darren is hard to get - it took the Slingers 3 times before he agreed to come and you know what they say about Men who are hard to get...hahah
3) He is going to be a Doctor soon - what attracts most girls would be brains and sports and this guy has it all. Most girls I know that watch basketball have the smarts, as basketball contains lots of numbers which translate to making the game so interesting. Like the Field Goal, Free Throw percentages, what's the scoring average of the player - which leads us to
4) Darren Ng can play basketball! In my post on the game which Darren played, he was one of the reasons Slingers lost.
He averages 13.3 points per game (PPG), 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in the 2008 season. You probably think you can do better, but this sort of stats translated in NBA standard, Darren will be akin to Tayshaun Prince of Detroit Pistons or Jermaine O'Neal of Pacers.
Other media coverage about Darren:
1. Channel NewsAsia - Basketball: Singapore Slingers hoping for a better season with new signings
The article highlights that Singapore's only professional basketball outfit have lined up new signings in 25-year-old Australian Darren Ng, 1.90m, and another Australian, 2.24 metre-tall Sam Harris. It also mentions the possibility of getting Filipino John Castro which would cater well to the huge Filipino community in Singapore.
2. The Straits Times, 25 Apr 08 - Slingers sign Ng on third attempt, H20
The article highlights Darren Ng as the Slingers' marquee signing for the new season, having been courted by the team for the past 2 seasons. It also states that Darren is currently a medical student, which adds credibility both to him and the team as a whole especially when Singaporeans mindset is "Study first, sports second". The article also mentions that the Slingers are also looking to sign another small forward in Jason Castro, the Philippine Basketball League's Most Valuable Player, and two American signings to form a team to compete for honours in the NBL. Lastly, the article quotes Chuck Harmison, NBL CEO, saying "the Slingers having a real bright future in the years to come."
That concludes Part 1 of the " What's right " series.
Now the start of the double header Saturday series (This is a term used for 2 back to back NBA basketball matches being shown live on TV).
Did you know that basketball is the most popular spectator sport in the Philippines, but not the USA, where more people attend professional football, baseball and bowling matches. So Philippines love basketball more than the Americans and let's not even start with Singapore which has focused on soccer way too much. Did you also know that
Philippines has won the SEA games gold medal for basketball since 1977 except for 1989 when it lost to Host country Malaysia; and Singapore actually used to play well and won once for its only basketball medal ever (Bronze) in 1979.
The Singapore Slingers have managed to sign on reigning two-time Most Valuable Player of the Philippines Basketball League (PBL) - 21-year-old sensation Jayson Castro (NOT the American Idol 7 finalist!!).
Jayson Castro (173cm-Point Guard-1986), one of the top amateur basketball player in the Philippines and many time national team player, is the latest Filipino import of Singapore Slingers. The 5-foot-8 Batang Pier playmaker became the first Filipino to play in the Australian National Basketball League.
Let's list out Jayson's Honor List:
MVP of the Philippine Basketball League Silver Cup 2006
MVP of PBL Unity Cup 2007
First Team Silver Cup ALL-PBL 2006
First Team Unity Cup ALL-PBL 2007
2006 SEABA Club championship (Jakarta Indonesia)
2006 PBL Silver Cup finalist
2007 PBL Unity Cup Champion
This is indeed good news for the basketball crazy Filipinos here. There is a reportedly large following of about 100,000-strong Filipino community in Singapore.
I used to play in the Filipino Friendly league over at Chua Chu Kang and these guys are really good. Even on the Spartan team we have 3 fabulous Filipinos who can shoot and handle the ball exceptionally well. I cannot imagine with Jayson's achievement so far as a 21 year old, how good he would be on the court. And by growing with the team, this will indeed be a step forward for the expansion team. Jayson will don his usual #17 Jersey and given the opening season game on the 17th September, this bodes as a good omen.
Jayson's average per game numbers are : Avg PPG 14.5 with 35% 3 point accuracy, 5.2 rebounds and 4 assists.
Now that's real stats similar to Darren which makes Jayson Part 2 of what's of to come...Slingers are really making the right moves and rippling the right waves.
Bob Turner the managing director of Slingers, flew into Philippines to watch Castro play in the PBL and I applaud Bob for the recent 2 Asian sign ups. This is indeed news worthy and a thumbs up to local/asian basketball. I hope more Singaporeans/ Filipinos will turn up to watch and in turn give basketball a chance in this soccer crazy island. For now I can't wait for September to come!
I have been so busy recently with traveling and lots of cycling, I have yet to post much on the Slingers. But here's making up for it - so what's been making head waves lately on our shores is going right for the Slingers. They have generated the correct media attention by signing up Darren Ng #8, whom I have missed meeting and having free beer, but Jase has it all cover in his post. This is so unfair...but then I am not like the official spokesperson for Slingers and their lives should revolve around my vacation schedules..haha
Why is Darren Ng an attraction for the media?
1) He is not bad looking - and without Michael Wong this season, we needed a local face (though Darren is born in Adelaide) which the crowd can relate to.
2) Darren is hard to get - it took the Slingers 3 times before he agreed to come and you know what they say about Men who are hard to get...hahah
3) He is going to be a Doctor soon - what attracts most girls would be brains and sports and this guy has it all. Most girls I know that watch basketball have the smarts, as basketball contains lots of numbers which translate to making the game so interesting. Like the Field Goal, Free Throw percentages, what's the scoring average of the player - which leads us to
4) Darren Ng can play basketball! In my post on the game which Darren played, he was one of the reasons Slingers lost.
He averages 13.3 points per game (PPG), 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in the 2008 season. You probably think you can do better, but this sort of stats translated in NBA standard, Darren will be akin to Tayshaun Prince of Detroit Pistons or Jermaine O'Neal of Pacers.
Other media coverage about Darren:
1. Channel NewsAsia - Basketball: Singapore Slingers hoping for a better season with new signings
The article highlights that Singapore's only professional basketball outfit have lined up new signings in 25-year-old Australian Darren Ng, 1.90m, and another Australian, 2.24 metre-tall Sam Harris. It also mentions the possibility of getting Filipino John Castro which would cater well to the huge Filipino community in Singapore.
2. The Straits Times, 25 Apr 08 - Slingers sign Ng on third attempt, H20
The article highlights Darren Ng as the Slingers' marquee signing for the new season, having been courted by the team for the past 2 seasons. It also states that Darren is currently a medical student, which adds credibility both to him and the team as a whole especially when Singaporeans mindset is "Study first, sports second". The article also mentions that the Slingers are also looking to sign another small forward in Jason Castro, the Philippine Basketball League's Most Valuable Player, and two American signings to form a team to compete for honours in the NBL. Lastly, the article quotes Chuck Harmison, NBL CEO, saying "the Slingers having a real bright future in the years to come."
That concludes Part 1 of the " What's right " series.
Now the start of the double header Saturday series (This is a term used for 2 back to back NBA basketball matches being shown live on TV).
Did you know that basketball is the most popular spectator sport in the Philippines, but not the USA, where more people attend professional football, baseball and bowling matches. So Philippines love basketball more than the Americans and let's not even start with Singapore which has focused on soccer way too much. Did you also know that
Philippines has won the SEA games gold medal for basketball since 1977 except for 1989 when it lost to Host country Malaysia; and Singapore actually used to play well and won once for its only basketball medal ever (Bronze) in 1979.
The Singapore Slingers have managed to sign on reigning two-time Most Valuable Player of the Philippines Basketball League (PBL) - 21-year-old sensation Jayson Castro (NOT the American Idol 7 finalist!!).
Jayson Castro (173cm-Point Guard-1986), one of the top amateur basketball player in the Philippines and many time national team player, is the latest Filipino import of Singapore Slingers. The 5-foot-8 Batang Pier playmaker became the first Filipino to play in the Australian National Basketball League.
Let's list out Jayson's Honor List:
MVP of the Philippine Basketball League Silver Cup 2006
MVP of PBL Unity Cup 2007
First Team Silver Cup ALL-PBL 2006
First Team Unity Cup ALL-PBL 2007
2006 SEABA Club championship (Jakarta Indonesia)
2006 PBL Silver Cup finalist
2007 PBL Unity Cup Champion
This is indeed good news for the basketball crazy Filipinos here. There is a reportedly large following of about 100,000-strong Filipino community in Singapore.
I used to play in the Filipino Friendly league over at Chua Chu Kang and these guys are really good. Even on the Spartan team we have 3 fabulous Filipinos who can shoot and handle the ball exceptionally well. I cannot imagine with Jayson's achievement so far as a 21 year old, how good he would be on the court. And by growing with the team, this will indeed be a step forward for the expansion team. Jayson will don his usual #17 Jersey and given the opening season game on the 17th September, this bodes as a good omen.
Jayson's average per game numbers are : Avg PPG 14.5 with 35% 3 point accuracy, 5.2 rebounds and 4 assists.
Now that's real stats similar to Darren which makes Jayson Part 2 of what's of to come...Slingers are really making the right moves and rippling the right waves.
Bob Turner the managing director of Slingers, flew into Philippines to watch Castro play in the PBL and I applaud Bob for the recent 2 Asian sign ups. This is indeed news worthy and a thumbs up to local/asian basketball. I hope more Singaporeans/ Filipinos will turn up to watch and in turn give basketball a chance in this soccer crazy island. For now I can't wait for September to come!
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