Michael Liew's Blog

Just watched finish the sitcom - Friends, feeling sad when I was watching the last episode of it. I do learn a lot of Amercian English from it. There are some statements which I'll never use if I never watch. For example, if someone ask you,"Are you seeing someone?" means that that guy is asking whether you have boyfriend/girlfriend. Sounds cool! Haha~~!

So friends, if next time I ask you,"Are you seeing someone?" you know what I mean. Or I said I'm seeing someone means what I have a girlfriend already.

I watched this sitcom for a few weeks, using a couple of weeks to watch the whole 10 series, got laughs and tears. What a sitcom!

Below are the characters in this sitcom:

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green

Just watched finish a movie - ShangHai Fever - How the people speculate in the stock market. The speculators spend their time in the stock market everyday and spend less time in their family. End of the movie, there is a song which is very good. The lyrics telling the people should think carefully before they involve in this "gamble world".


《股疯》主题曲《浮沉人世间》歌词： 　　
　　
　　请你一定得要想清楚
　　身份地位权势名利
　　一切都会因此而改变
　　有时飞啊飞上天
　　也有时碎的一翻两瞪眼
　　就像大海浪潮
　　涨涨跌跌
　　永不歇
　　算算计计快点趁势追
　　日日夜夜担心又憔悴
　　输输赢赢总在一念间
　　酸甜苦辣滋味随人去感觉
　　前一分钟谁也追不回
　　后一分种无人能分解
　　起起落落竟是老天爷
　　捉弄苍生 浮沉人世间
　　
　　
　　如果你要玩这游戏
　　请你一定自己睁大眼
　　人云亦云随波逐流
　　不会给你成功的机会
　　有人苦不堪言
　　也有人从此鸡犬升天
　　总是几家欢乐
　　几家哀愁
　　永不变
　　算算计计快点趁势追
　　日日夜夜担心又憔悴
　　输输赢赢总在一念间
　　酸甜苦辣滋味随人去感觉
　　前一分钟谁也追不回
　　后一分种无人能分解
　　起起落落竟是老天爷
　　捉弄苍生 浮沉人世间

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

Buy American. I Am.

By WARREN E. BUFFETT
Published: October 16, 2008

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. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.

1. mess - n. A disorderly or dirty accumulation, heap, or jumble.
2. leak - v. To escape or pass through a breach or flaw.
3. gusher - n. One that gushes, especially an abundantly flowing gas or oil well.
4. falter - v. To walk unsteadily.

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.

5. philanthropy - n. The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.

Why?

A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And 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. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now.

6. dictate - v. intr. to issue orders or commands.
7. widespread - adj. Spread out over a large area.
8. gripping - adj. catching and holding the full attention.
9. wary - adj. on guard; watchful; categorized by caution.
10. entity - n. The fact of existence; being.
11. prosperity - n. The condition of being prosperous.
12. hiccup - n. A short-term disruption within a longer-term plan, goal, or trend.

Let me be clear on one point: I can’t predict the short-term movements of the stock market. I haven’t the faintest idea as to whether stocks will be higher or lower a month — or a year — from now. 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.

13. substantially - adv. to a large extent, considerably.
14. sentiment - n. A thought, view, or attitude, especially one based mainly on emotion instead of reason.

A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a marked-down price.

15. deteriorate - v. To become lower in quality, character, or condition.
16. rage - v. to speak or act in violent anger.

Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.

17. endure - v.tr. to carry on through, despite hardships.
18. traumatic - adj. Of, pertaining to, or cause by injury.
19. epidemic - n. A rapid spread, growth or development.

You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy.

20. hapless - adj. luckless; unfortunate.
21. queasy - adj. not feeling well; not comfortable.

Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. Indeed, the policies that government will follow in its efforts to alleviate the current crisis will probably prove inflationary and therefore accelerate declines in the real value of cash accounts.

22. opt - v. to make a choice from a number of alternatives.
23. virtually - adv. in fact or to all purposes; practically; almost buy not quite; nearly.
24. depreciate - v.tr. To lessen the price or value of.
25. alleviate - v. to make less severe or more bearable.

Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”

26. cling - intr.v. to remain close; resist separation.

I don’t like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in the short term. Nevertheless, I’ll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and then advertised: “Put your mouth where your money was.” Today my money and my mouth both say equities.

27. opine - v. intr. To express an opinion.

"Last night", I went to Stock Exchange with my friend.

At there, I'm thinking of create an account and invest security instead of the stock.

I asked the broker about the security, he explained to me how to earn money by investing the security.

At stock exchange, I decide not buy or invest anything at there but I just reminded myself to write on my blog once I have created an account and invest security at there.

When I opened my eyes, I realised it was just a dream. :D

Since in my dream I promised myself to write a blog when I create and invest in stock exchange, I decide to put it down here, although it is different case. :))

Just find a nice website: http://www.pyzam.com/

For those who want to change the template of their blogs, come here and look for it!

No matter you are using blogspot, friendster, spaces or others. There are plenty of them.

There is only one disadvantage, when u use their template, you will always see a bar on top of your blog (Either is good or bad, depend how you look at it. I find this website by seeing the bar on other's blog also). Anyone knows how to remove it?

Regards!

Just trying to search some negotiation quotes in the internet. Surprisely, find out some quotes which I feel are very useful not only in business, but in life too!

FISH STOCKS
Sep 18th 2008

Scientists find proof that privatising fishing stocks can avert a disaster

FOR three years, from an office overlooking the Atlantic in Nova Scotia, Boris Worm, a marine scientist, studied what could prevent a fishery from collapsing. By 2006 Dr Worm and his team had worked out that although biodiversity might slow down an erosion of fish stocks, it could not prevent it. Their gloomy prediction was that by 2048 all the world's commercial fisheries would have collapsed.

1. avert - verb. to change the direction or course of.

FISH STOCKS
Sep 18th 2008

A new way of saving fisheries shows it can work; it deserves more attention

BEFORE 1995 the annual fishing season for Alaskan halibut lasted all of three days. Whatever the weather, come hell or--literally--high water, fishermen would be out on those few days trying to catch as much halibut as they could. Those that were lucky enough to make it home alive, or without serious injury, found that the price of halibut had collapsed because the market was flooded.

1. halibut – n. A white fish, Hippoglossus spp.
2. come hell or high water – adv. in spite of all obstacles; Synonyms – no matter what happens, whatever may come.
3. literally – adv. Usage problem (Used as an intensive before a figurative expression).

Like most other fisheries in the world, Alaska's halibut fishery was overexploited--despite the efforts of managers. Across the oceans, fishermen are caught up in a "race to fish" their quotas, a race that has had tragic, and environmentally disastrous, consequences over many decades. But in 1995 Alaska's halibut fishermen decided to privatise their fishery by dividing up the annual quota into "catch shares" that were owned, in perpetuity, by each fisherman. It changed everything.

4. fishery – n. A fishing business.
5. disastrous – adj. Extremely Bad.
6. in perpetuity - Idioms For an indefinite period of time; forever.

BREAM OF SUNLIGHT
Despite their salty independence, even fishermen respond to market incentives. In the halibut fishery the change in incentives that came from ownership led to a dramatic shift in behaviour. Today the halibut season lasts eight months and fishermen can make more by landing fish when the price is high. Where mariners' only thought was once to catch fish before the next man, they now want to catch fewer fish than they are allowed to--because conservation increases the value of the fishery and their share in it. The combined value of their quota has increased by 67%, to $492m.

7. incentive – n. Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort.
8. mariner – n. One who navigates or assists in navigating a ship.

Sadly, most of the rest of the world's fisheries are still embroiled in a damaging race for fish that is robbing the seas of their wealth. Overfished populations are small, and so they yield a small catch or even go extinct. Yet the powerful logic in favour of market-based mechanisms has been ignored, partly because the evidence has largely been anecdotal. Now a study of the world's 121 fisheries managed by individual transferable quotas (ITQs), one form of market-based mechanism, has shown that they are dramatically healthier than the rest of the world's fisheries. The ITQ system halves the chance of a fishery collapsing.

9. embroile – tr.v. To involve in argument, contention, or hostile actions.
10. extinct – adj. No longer existing or living: an extinct species.
11. mechanism – n. An instrument or a process, physical or mental, by which something is done or comes into being: “The mechanism of oral learning is largely that of continuous repetition” (T.G.E. Powell).
12. Anecdotal – adj. Based on casual observations or indications rather than rigorous or scientific analysis; informal.
13. Halve – tr.v. To lessen or reduce by half.

By giving fishermen a long-term interest in the health of the fishery, ITQs have transformed fishermen from rapacious predators into stewards and policemen of the resource. The tragedy of the commons is resolved when individuals own a defined (and guaranteed) share of a resource, a share that they can trade. This means that they can increase the amount of fish they catch not by using brute strength and fishing effort, but by buying additional shares or improving the fishery's health and hence increasing its overall size.

14. rapacious – adj. taking by force; plundering.
15. Steward – n. An official who supervises or helps to manage an event.
16. Brute – adj. of or relating to beasts; animal.

There are plenty of practical difficulties to overcome. In theory, for instance, you should allocate shares through auctions. But if fishermen do not agree to a new system, it will not work. So fishermen are typically just given their shares--which can lead to bitter, politicised arguments. In Australia, a pioneer in ITQs, a breakthrough came when independent allocation panels were set up to advise the fishing agencies, chaired by retired judges advised by fishing experts. The next test will come in November, when two large American Pacific fisheries decide whether to accept market management.

17. allocate – tr.v. to set apart for a special purpose; designate.
18. auction – n. An auction in which an item is initially offered at a high price that is progressively lowered until a bid is made and the item sold.
19. typically – adv. In an expected or costomary manner; for the most part.
20. chaired – tr.v. To install in a position of authority, especially as a presiding officer.

ITQs, and other market mechanisms, are not a replacement for government regulation--indeed they must work within a well regulated system. And they will not work everywhere. Attempts to use ITQs in international waters have failed, because it is too easy for cheats to take fish and weaker regulations mean there are no on-board observers to keep boats honest. And ITQs will not work in slow-growing fisheries, where fishermen may make more money by fishing the stock to extinction than they ever would by waiting for the fish to mature. But in most of the world's fisheries, market mechanisms would create richer fishermen and more fish.

There was a time when fishermen were seen as the last hunter-gatherers--pitting their wits against the elements by pursuing their quarry on the last frontier on Earth. Those days are gone. Every corner of the ocean has been scoured using high technology developed for waging wars on land. Politicians and governments still seek to cope with fishermen's poverty by subsidising their boats or their fuel--which only accelerates the decline. Instead governments should promote property-rights-based fisheries. If fishermen know what's good for them--and their fish--they will jump on board.

21. pitting – v.tr. To set in direct opposition or competition.
22. Wit – n. The natural ability to perceive and understand; intelligence.
23. Quarry – n. A hunted animal; prey.
24. Frontier – n. A region just beyond or at the edge of a settled area.
25. Scoure – v.tr. To clean, polish, or wash by scrubbing vigorously.
26. Cope – intr.v. To contend or strive, especially on even terms or with success.

See this article with graphics and related items at http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12262197

家后 郑进一 作词：郑进一/陈维祥　作曲：郑进一

有一日咱若老 找无人甲咱有孝
我会陪你坐惦椅寮 听你讲少年的时袸你有外贤
食好食歹无计较 怨天怨地嘛袜晓
你的手我会甲你牵条条 因为我是你的家後

阮将青春嫁乎恁兜 阮对少年随你随甲老
人情世事己经看透透 有啥人比你卡重要
阮的一生献乎恁兜 才知幸福是吵吵闹闹
等待返去的时袸若到 我会让你先走
因为我会不甘 放你为我目屎流

有一日咱若老 有媳妇子儿有孝
你若无聊拿咱的相片 看卡早结婚的时袸你有外缘投
穿好穿歹无计较 怪东怪西嘛袜晓
你的心我会永远记条条 因为我是你的家後

阮将青春嫁乎恁兜 阮对少年随你随甲老
人情世事己经看透透 有啥人比你卡重要
阮的一生献乎恁兜 才知幸福是吵吵闹闹
等待返去的时袸若到 你着让我先走
因为我吗不甘 看你为我目屎流

Just watched finish the movie - Money No Enough II. I think this is the first movie so far that I keep crying from the beginning of the movie until end part of it - and I believe I'm the only one in the cinema. The lady sit beside me also cried, is just that not as much as I was.

There are some scenes the audiences keep laughing but actually I'm quite upset when I watched it (maybe I'm someone who are getting serious easily when come to this kind of matters). The director, Jack Neo, was trying to use a humourous way to express the serious subjects. The movie is about three brothers and their mother. The mother is a very important character in the movie. The reason I keep crying is because of her.

The three brothers represent different family backgrounds in Singapore. By revealing the way they treat themselves and the way they treat their parent satire the society life and the definition of "falial".

There is one scene I remember the most. The eldest brother asked her mother,"Mother, will you look down on me if I'm not manager?" (I cried when I heard this.) His mother answered, "Son, what kind of question you are asking? I'll never look down on you! Because you are my son!"

Another one, there is one question asked in the movie:"Do you know what is mean by poorer than poor?" "It means that there is no one love you."

If you haven't watch the movie, go and watch it! After that, we should know what we should do to our parents - spend more time with them, when they are still alive.

Well, recently I learn that a lesson. There is a chinese proverb, "You need parents when you are at home, you need friends when you are at society." Now I really know the power of that proverb.

What are the benefits when you have a lot of different kinds of friends?

Firstly, you'll able to get help when you told them your situation. Take for my example, I just moved to a new home recently. My friends know about this. They provided the information which I feel is valuable for me and secondly, they try to offer me good thing with good price or just give me for free! I cannot imagine how much I need to pay if I want to get them all by myself!

Secondly, you'll able to gain knowledge from different kinds of people or professionals. There are so many people in the society you can learn from them. As long as you talk with them, they could provide you the information which you don't know when you need but is very valuable to you in one day.

Make more friends and ask! You'll gain a lot of different knowledges!

Now is nearly 3am in Singapore... Just moved all my stuff to my new home...
There are too many things happened around my network circle, including myself. Some people not doing good in business, some people working very hard but the process is not in their wish, some people's stuff has broken down, etc.

I'm just thought that sometimes we have to be realistic when we want to deal with someone or we want to settle somethings. Compare them one by one, figure out which is the best to solve your problem before you make any decision.

Think yourself first, Michael! If not you are wasting your time!

A lot of people (or nearly all of them) know how to protect themselves but not you. Think which is the best way to achieve your target. Network with more people and learn from them. You can make it!

Thanks for those who help me move to my new home. Especially the one who know who I am talking to. Again, many thanks! :-)

Today there is a thought come into my mind. I can understand why this will come into my mind. I'm someone who has ex-post regret mindset. Sometimes I would think if I never do this, if I never do that, then I'll become better for my life. But at the same time, I would say this to myself: "If I never do this, I'll never learn the lesson and I'll regret if I never do anything. At least, I have done it." Quite confusing right?

Ok, come back to the thought. The thought is quite simple. I just imagine I can go back to the past. Go back to find "me" who are talking to an ugly, dirty, disgusting and whatever-dirty-words-you-can-think-on-him person at Starbucks Coffee Shop. I'm transparent and fly to "my" back and whispered to "me", "Leave him now! He is a bad guy. You are wasting your time and money, because......!"

Then suddenly, there is something in my mind stopped me from imagined this. It is simple. Everything happened on me is because of... ME! My characteristics have put myself into the situation I have now. No one in the world force me to do if I refuse to do them. Then I remember a movie - Bufferfly Effect. In the movie, the leading actor has the ability to change what he did in the past by reading his diary. He kept going back to his past to change what he has done and he thought these could help his and his friends' lifes become better. But no matter how many times he changed, there would be someone been hurt, including his loves one. End of the movie? He choose to burn his diary so that he cannot change anything anymore. Leave everything back to nature. Leave everything to himself.

There is a chinese proverb - "Not to worry about slowing, but standing". Simple but truth. If I keep thinking about the negative side, I'll never improve and I'm wasting my time. I still have a lot possibilites. I can choose to have a better path and working hard to change my life. I feel fortunate to know what I have known today.

My feeling now? These are them:
I feel thankful I have a healthy body.
I feel thankful my parents are still with me.
I feel thankful for my parents because they provide my education.
I feel thankful that I have the ability to work.
I feel thankful what I have learnt from the valuable books.

Thank You!

In June 2008, I have an apportunity to work in a shop - Green Garden, a shop that sell fruit-related-drinks.

Never expect I would spend so much time at here. At the beginning, my friend asked me to help him for about one week. I agree.

Frankly speaking, I never want to pay so much attention at here. So my attitude is not that good at learning how to cut the fruit and put them nicely (and because there is another friend who is helping the friend who starts this business is very good at cutting fruits and ready the stuff before business). In the process, I do learn a lot of things.

I find out I'm quite good at selling the drinks (maybe the belief of sell is the main in business causing this happened). I keep shouting and shouting, giving flyers to the passengers. The results of the sales improve.

Doing business is not easy, you have to the prepare jobs yourself, you have to deal with the supplier, you have to do the presentation to the clients, you have to deal with the partners how to do better, you have to learn to make the products and give to clients, you have to make sure the floor is clean, you have to wake up early in the morning and close late at night. Phew, what a business!

At the end of June 2008, my friend has come out the herbal teas. I feel the tastes are good and they are good for health, too!

Anyone of you want to try the drinks? This is the address:
Block 713 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 #01-4050, just a few buildings away from AMK Hub. Cheers~! Hope anyone of you can go and try. :-)

I still remember, when I was 19 years old. My friend introduced to me to read a book call "Rich Dad Poor Dad". I was amazed with it and decide not to study too hard because I don't think it can help me to achieve financial freedom.

After that, within a few years, I have tried MLM, Adult Self-Improve Training, Internet Marketing, real estate agent. And the result? Zero.

I do still remember about 1 or 2 years ago, I have a feeling on reading. I don't feel reading is important, most of them never help me in my career or life. Why? From the books I have studied,

I have learnt need to set a target if you want to become successful;
I have learnt need to smile and praise other people when you meet or they have done something;
I have learnt sales is very important if you want to become success or you want to do business;
I have learn that to become successful, definitely I'll have a lot of challenges;

I read books, I took courses, I take action on what I learnt. The result? None, which means zero. If you look at the "things" I have learnt above. You might say: "You have spend so much money and time, and these are what you learnt?" Yes, I have spend nearly 6 years and more than S$10,000 to go all through these. Conservatively, I would say more than 90 per cents of them are useless. What I can tell to those who want to try or go through the path I have been passed through what I learnt from there. The answer is "Not worth it." If that is the case, why I should spend so much money and time on it if I know after a few years I find up they are useless? I would rather save the money and find a nice job to work, instead of spending so much money on it. I feel shame on this.

I have a good friend, he told me that I have gone into too much by reading the book "Rich Dad Poor Dad", I only go and do other stuff instead of studying hard. By that time, I still don't accept what he has told me, but now I agree.

I do regret I never spend time on studying but go and do other stuffs. Luckily, I still able to graduate as a diploma holder by my friends' helps. After that, I'm still very stupid, choose to go back to MLM company again and this become one of my darkest period in my life! I have done something wrong on here which I wish never happen in my life. I'm really sorry for the people I have hurt. Fortunately, althought I have made mistakes, they are not that serious or destructive enough to ruin either my friends' or my life. I really hope I can go and apologize to the people I have hurt.

To become successful in career, work hard is very important. Maybe I have not working hard enough, that's why I have never achieve what I want in my career. Must be patient! That's what I told myself.

For the past few months, I have read a series of books. One of the books written a story: Thomas Edison likes to read a lot of books when he was young. He read different kinds of books, he went to library to read and study as much as he could. Until one day, a librarian told him that instead of reading so many different kinds of books. Why don't just pick a certain books that he likes the most to read? Then, Thomas Edison become Thomas Edison, become a great scientist, a great inventor.
The author of the series of the book wrote that when he was studying in secondary school, he did read a lot of books. His story is different, he has never meet any librarian told he to study what he likes the most. When he was studying an US University in year 1, one of his professors told him to choose the author of the publications instead of reading everyone of them. So that he could be able to use the less time to know the most that what has happened in the world and the future trend. Usually he would ask himself 3 questions he try to pick a book and study it:
1. Is the publication logical?
2. Is the publication rational?
3. Most important, is the publication (which the author call 50-year rule) after 10 years, 20 years or 50 years from now, the readers still find the content is valuable?

How truth is this! Maybe I'm not a smart guy (or I'm a stupid guy), I try to do what I have learnt from the books or courses, but most of them are useless. I'm very upset on this. If I know about how to choose to read the books or publications, maybe I will make the different choices or decisions.

If you want me to find a book which I find is valuable for the past few years, there is one and only one. The book is "Decoding Buffett: The Investment Guide From 100 to 10 Billion Dollars". I still remember when I bought this book, I bought together with another book "Decoding Soros: The Investment Guide That Takes Care A whole Life Time". Both of the books are the same author. The first book I read is "Decoding Soros: The Investment Guide That Takes Care A whole Life Time", it is a very exciting book, I feel like reading a story book when I was reading it. After that, is "Decoding Buffett: The Investment Guide From 100 to 10 Billion Dollars", frankly speaking, I do feel this book is boring, and I was very slow (not as fast as reading the book talking about Soros) reading it. The book talking about principles and rules, don't have too much story on it, and that time due to don't have enough financial and business knowledge. There are some parts I don't understand when I was reading both of the books, but at least - I have never step into stock market after I have read the books. For the past few years, when I was reading newspaper, I can find advertisements that telling people they can earn money by using "option" or anything like that. (Frankly speaking, in the bottom of my heart, I do still believe "a little bit" that maybe it is true.) I refuse to attend the seminar, because I don't believe. As simple as that.

In year 2007, I have a friend who is very smart and talented invest in stock market. He has come and talked to me to invest together. He said he has a friend know how to use technical analysis to earn money in the stock market. I told him that for current moment, no matter who go and invest definitely will earn some money, because right now is bull market. I choose not to put money into the stock market together with him. 2 months later, he lost money.

In year 2008, I have another friend who speculate in stock market but I don't know (if not definitely I would stop him). He played "contra" and again - lose money.

I'm a lucky guy on investing, but not for others. Althought I have never put any money in the stock market but put I choose to put the money in other areas. The result? I have written above. If there is someone write a few or only a book talking about other areas and I fortunately lucky able to read it. My life maybe will be different, but...

Life is life. Life is exciting because we don't know about our future. Learn from the mistake and keep moving forward. That's what I talk to myself.

Never late to study.
Never late to start a business.
Never late to improve myself.
Never late to invest to become financial freedom.

Have to be positive! Plan well for the life, I still can be better!

Recently there are too many things happened to me. I'm feel pressure and helpless. I cry for it. Sometimes I do feel I'm a stupid guy, wasting so much time and money. If I'm be a little smarter, I'll never put myself into this pressure and embarrassing situation. That's why I said I am negative recently.

Positive side? I am only 25 years old. I still have many years to go - is not a big issue for the challenges I have met. That's what I talked to myself. As long as I start to plan well and follow the plan, I still can achieve my dreams and targets.

Moving to a new home soon. Hope can clear my stuff and somethings which are useless, go to a new home and start a new life. A life which can achieve my financial freedom! :-))

A young boy from Britain, Declan Galbraith, sings beautifully for the song - Tell Me Why.



A young little, who is 6 years old, Connie Talbot sings very beautifully in "Britain's Got Talents". I even cry when I hear her singing.



A mobile phone salesman, Paul Potts, in Britain's Got Talents, singing Opera. So touch and enthusiastic!

I have just read finished Dr John Mak's "Strategies for the Intelligent Investor". I have picked a few parts and summarize which I personally feel that it is very important.

Please note: Everything I have written at here at pick from John Mak's book. For those who want to study investing. Please read the original book instead of just reading what I have written here. This blog is only use for sharing. Thanks!

"The Intelligent Investor thrives in the stock market due to two big reasons: others' follies, and our discipline."- Warren Buffett

1. The Power of Compounding
If we have $10,000, and we invest this money in great company which can bring us 24 percents annual income. After 11 years, we would have $100,000, after another 11 years, we would have $1,000,000. And another 11 years, we would have $10,000,000. This, is the power of compounding! No matter Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist in the twentieth century said that, "The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest."

2. To Finish First, First You Must Finish
(Rule No:1, Never Lose Money; Rule No:2, Never Forget Rule No:1)

Rule No:1, Never Lose Money - To invest, first have to inflation-proof before rising our assets' value. Intelligent investors never believe the rumours, gossips or other things that would cause them to take their money out of their pockets, no matter the one who tell them are their parents, husband, wife, best friends, brothers, sisters, or those who are white collars in great positions in big companies or whoever they know or don't know! Intelligent investors only invest in a great company that they understand and have great earning powers.

Rule No:2, Never Forget Rule No:1 - Rule no:1 is so important that everyone of intelligent investor would never forget. Even they know someone who earned in a market that they never know. They would still be happy, because - at least they never lose any money. And this will never happen to them if they always remember rule no:1 - Never Lose Money.

3. Bet Seldom, But Bet Big
There are only three kinds of people want other people to keep betting continuously. They are
a) Speculators
b) Securities Exchange
c) The Public Companies

a) Speculators - Speculators are those who bought the stocks and then they put the rumours in the market to lure more people to come and buy the stocks they have already bought. They left the market once the people come and buy their stocks.

b) Securities Exchange - There is a Stock Research Department in Securities Exchange which there is only one purpose - in increase the quantity of transaction of stock market. The more transaction means they can have more "service charge".

c) The Public Companies - The owner or management of the public companies has always has the first hand information of their companies. They can know how is deal going on, when is the deal is going to confirm, when the product they order is going to come in etc. And they asked someone they believe to "earn money" in the other way. These kind of companies are not the companies that intelligent investors should invest!

Intelligent investors only pick the companies they feel great (or at least good) before they put their hard-earn-money into the company and they have a mindset that when they invest in a company. They'll never sell their ownerships(stocks) for at least 10 years. Because, the power of compounding!

4. Intelligent Investors Never Sell Their Ownerships (Unless...)
As stated above, intelligent investors never sell their ownerships (stocks) for at least 10 years. But if the companies they invest are overvalued and at the same time they find a great company which is undervalued, they would/may sell the company which is overvalued and invest the company which is undervalued.

5. Intelligent Investors Never Predict The Market (But...)
Neither anyone in the world would know what could happen in the future nor anyone could predict what will happen to the stock market. Every prices of products/commodities are set by supply-and-demand (as long as there is no third party involve in the market, e.g. government). As long as the supply is more than demand, the price go down. And vice-versa, as simple as that. Theorically, the prices of the stock market are also set up by supply-and-demand. The main point is that, we could never know what is in other people's mind! The prices of stock market are set by thousands and thousands of people. When most of them want to buy, the price go up; when most of them want to sell, the price go down. We, as a human, cannot know what is in one person's mind. How could we able to know thousands and thousands of people's mind? Intelligent investors know that they can never make it, so they would never predict the market.

But the intelligent investors would sell their ownerships(stocks) in the "right timing". What is mean by "right timing"? The companies that intelligent investors invested are already overvalued and at the same time they found a great company which is undervalued. They would/may sell the company which is overvalued and invest the company which is undervalued. This is calls the "right timing". Even Warren Buffett has the experience by the time he sold the ownerships(stocks) of a company, the prices of the stocks (which he felt is overvalued) still moving up; or by the time he bought the ownerships(stocks) of a company, the prices of the stocks (which he felt is undervalued) still going down.

Even this happened to intelligent investors, they will never care about it, because The First Rule Is Not To Lose.

Conclusion
1. Investing is Simple, but Simple Doesn't Means is Easy. The Most Important Characteristic is Self-Discipline.

2. Everyone Can Be Rich if They Know How to Invest in a Correct Way.

Yesterday I received a call from someone, telling me that he want to buy a unit at Citylights with low floor. During the conversation, I can feel that he is a nice guy. He told me he is a serious buyer and want to buy a unit there.

So before I went for view in this morning, I was thinking that I maybe can close a deal. When I reached the entrance, I try to pass a personal item to the security guard to change the pass card for entering Citylights. What surprise me is that the security guard said no need, I just need to sign in on the book is enough. By that time, I have taken out my wallet already. After that, I cannot remember anything about it anymore.

I realised my wallet is not with me when I was on the way going up to view the units at Citylights. I ran back to all the way back to entrance, I look at every corner and asked the security guard. He said he never see any wallet.

After the view in, my colleague and I had gone around the place to search for it but still fail.

Now I have make the report for the police, cancal my credit card, NETS cards and debit card. I estimated I have lost around S$100 for this case. What a "wonderful" day for me!

I have just read finish one of John Mak's publications 'Kao Ba Fei Te Zhi Fu' (Taiwan Version).

So far I have read 3 of his publications (1 is still reading):
1) Investing, Berkshire & Buffett I
2) Investing, Berkshire & Buffett II
3) 'Kao Ba Fei Te Zhi Fu' (Taiwan Version)
4) Strategies for the Intelligent Investor (Reading)

These are the summaries (or important points that I feel):

1. The power of compounding: Knowing the power of compouding is still not enough; must bear in mind the importance of the power of compounding. Never and ever invest if never think to invest in a company for at least 10 years (15 years is better).

2. There are 2 kinds of companies what intelligent investors would invest:
a. The brand-name companies: The companies that the consumer would always think to buy because of the quality of product/service and/or the feeling of importance after they have bought the product/service or etc.
E.g. Coca-Cola company, Wal-mart has done an experiment before to ask the consumers to drink Coca-cola, Pepsi Cola and a soft drink, Sam's Choice which is produce by Wal-mart itself. After the experiment the consumers cannot differentiate which soft drink brand they are drinking. After that Wal-mart has put their own soft drink, Sam's Choice nearer to the entrance of their thousands of shops with the price only 50 per cent of the other 2 brands. But the consumer still choose to buy Coca-cola instead of others! This, is the company that intelligent investors like to invest.

b. High-productive/Low-cost operator companies: Warren Buffett always like to invest in the companies which are low-cost operator, e.g. GEICO, Borsheim's, Wal-mart etc. Low-cost operator companies are always the companies which are the most competitive in the industry and contribute the most for the society. When the economy circumstance is good, this kind of companies may not earning the most, but when the economy is bad, everyone can sees the difference! This, again, is the company that intelligent investors like to invest.

3. Intelligent Investors are those who are patience: to wait for the best timing for investments, to wait the companies that Intelligent Investors like to invest have a very low P/E ratio. The amount of money that intelligent investors invest will affect the result after the power of compouding.

4. Real estate is not the best choice for intelligent investors: In stock market, intelligent investors invest the companies have 24 per cent return on investment, which means 11 years will have 10 times, 22 years will have 100 times, 33 years will have 1,000 times, 44 years will have 10,000 times! Real estate is nearly impossible to increase its value in such a speed, if they do, the persons who would cry are the residents in that area/country.

5. Never and ever invest in computer-related companies, either hardware or software:
a. No matter how strong or how old the computer-related companies are, it may end up one day defeated by some young teenagers who are playing computer in their homes! Only invest in the companies that have long-term competitiveness in their industry.

b. For the computer companies which produce hardware products, when the economy circumstance is good, either the production companies or their 'mother' companies are very happy. But when the economy is bad, the computer companies are those who will suffer, because they have invested a lot of hardware machines in their companies. ("A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse - not a remarkable mathematician." by Warren Buffett)

How do you feel about these points? Welcome any comment! Thanks!