King Wan Update

The sudden surge in King Wan's pricing on 20th June 2014 comes to questioning.

It touched a high of 0.370 and closed at 0.355. The strong resistance of 0.340 has been broken within a single trade. Some big fish bought 1628 lots and cleared the 0.340 barrier. King Wan's Volume hit a 1 year high of 9.57m shares that exchange hands. The last time it's volume was so thick was on 29th May 2013 (a year ago) of 18.1m shares.

So the question is who bought and cleared the 0.340 barrier? And a minute later 0.345 is being cleared with another single trade. Some big fish is probably buying up King Wan's share. Could it be an insider buying?

A fellow VBs (Thank you, BestPrice) tested water and sold some of his shares at different prices. CIMB is the opposite transaction. From this, it is most likely a retail investor that is buying up the shares and not insider buying (My assumptions).

The surge in price is also not due to the sales of KTIS because KingWan did not made any news on it. I'm not too sure has KW sold any KTIS shares as of yet. For that I have to confirm with them. Anyway, KTIS is currently trading fairly below it's IPO pricing, hovering around the range of 9.5 - 10 Baht/share.

Right now, these are just short term price movement or maybe some market noises. Meanwhile, I will just ride on it and wait for the next round of dividend which will XD on the 5 August 2014. SGD 0.015 will be issued. So with current price at 0.355, a full year dividend this year of  SGD 0.02 will have a yield of 5.6%. Still quite yummy if you are buying into it now.


Cheers!
Little Boy

Bought Into UMS Holdings

The recent sell down of UMS holdings gave me an opportunity to buy in.

As what Warrent Buffett said, "Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful"

Although semi-conductor is a cyclical industry, I do not believe that the fundamentals will change overnight.

CEO Andy Luong and AMAT sold their shares, depressing UMS holdings stock price. It hit a low of 0.545 on 11th June. AMAT decreased their stakes to less than 5% which means that in future, market will not need to be notified when they sell more of their shares. CEO Andy Luong decreased his stakes from 27.81% to 20.25% (Source). I am not too afraid of this because he has been a consistent seller. The last time he sold 7m UMS shares in the period of March and April, UMS share price gradually increase bit by bit.

Nobody knows the true reason why AMAT and CEO Andy Luong are selling their shares. Of cause, it is compelling and scary that the 2 biggest stakeholders are selling away their shares. Only time will tell. I may be catching a falling knife. But as for now, I am remaining confident that the fundamentals are still in good shape :)

Cheers!

Little Boy

It Is Always Good To Step Out And See The World (Social Skills)

Been out of here for quite sometime. I was having a getaway trip to Thailand.

I always love to travel round the world to see the contrast between Singapore and the outside world. Along the way, I get to sink into their culture and learn many pointers. These are life skills and experiences which are not attainable by books. It is always wonderful to explore and step out of our comfort zone to see something different. I also love to interact with the people there. Though I know nuts about Thai Language, it's funny and cute to communicate through a common language by basic English or Sign Language. The Thais are generally heart-warming and pleasant people. The only disturbing thing was that the locals love to price discriminate against the tourist. If you go for shopping, they will quote exorbitant prices. Taxi will be quoted at a flat rate to tourist. I managed to get on taxi-meter a few times after much persuasion. Hehe, ACHIEVEMENT! Anw, I got to chat up with a shop owner regarding my idea of shipping her supplies over to SG to sell. Seems like the shop owner is keen on it. Hopefully, I can get my Thai friend to help me out on this :)


I believe one factor that may help us in future is this word called "connections". In this world, we are now so inter-dependent. Working alone may not be the key to success anymore. High EQ and good interactive skills are imperative and it may bring you this "golden opportunity". Of cause, luck do play a part too. Sometimes you do see people with highly inter-personal skills climbing the career ladder faster than others with equal/higher credential. Why? Because they know how to network well and win the likes of fellow colleagues and bosses. I don't encourage you to go to the extent of boot licking your bosses and end up creating a scene of office politics. It's definitely gross and disgusting. Yeah, I do see such people too in every places and it is a real turn off.

Have you watch Wolf of Wall Street? With a skill like Leonardo DiCaprio (Sweet talker, superb convincing skills etc.), it can be a deadly weapon. In that movie, apparently he used it the corrupted way, so don't follow his footstep . But if you have that skill, it will definitely be an upper hand compared to your peers and people around you. These are skills that are very powerful because words can inspire. I also love the part how Brad sell the pen to Leonardo DiCaprio too. Cool huh?

What I am trying to say here is that, social skills are not hone within a day or just by reading a book. Yes, you can read all the book in the world. You can even read Dale Carnegie's book where he teaches you confidence and interactive skills. But without applying it in the real world, you will never learn. That is why the best way to interact is to step out and see the world. Travel round Singapore, pick up a few conversations with people, meet more people, learn foreigner's culture and lifestyle, talk to foreigners, understanding human body behavior, reading how people behave etc. Sooner or later, I'm sure you have no problem mingling with strangers. Use it in a good way, it will be a powerful tool.



Cheers!

Little Boy

Nikko AM STI ETF V.S. SPDR STI ETF

It's been awhile since I did my last post. Woohoo, exams are finally over. Yay, FREEDOM :)

I will be doing a summary on the difference between Nikko AM STI ETF and SPDR STI ETF. Some people are still confused over these two ETF. I hope my post can bring some enlightenment.

Basically, these two different ETF are managed by two separate fund companies. The inception dates for SPDR and Nikko AM are 17th April 2002 and 24 January 2009 respectively. Both track the STI ETF as close as possible by replicating the same 30 components. Both are Cash ETF whereby they are bought with underlying cash and not with derivatives.

Difference Between SPDR VS Nikko AM

It works a little similar like a mutual fund but their expense ratio (commission fee) are much lower. Nikko AM STI ETF has a higher expense of 0.39% as compared to SPDR STI ETF of 0.30%. This may seems a little negligible in terms of numerical value, but the power of compounding really can do wonders. Usually the larger the fund size, the lower the expense ratio due to economies of scale. In this case, in terms of lower expense ratio, SPDR is preferred. Moreover, dividend yield for SPDR offers 2.66%.

Both SPDR and Nikko Am works in a way where there is a buy/sell price. SPDR usually trades one cent wide while Nikko AM usually trades a few cents wide in spread. SPDR has a board size lot of 1000 while Nikko AM is 100. This means that small time investors are able to afford Nikko AM.

Tracking error is the discrepancy between ETF performance and Index performance. It measures the annualized standard deviation of daily return differences or to simply put the volatility in difference of performance. For this case it means comparing NIKKO AM STI ETF and SPDR STI ETF against STI ETF. It is quite impossible to perfectly mimic the index and thus tracking error arises. So, we can roughly say that tracking error is a measure of the effectiveness of a manager to replicate the performance of an index.


Below is the breakdown of the sector allocation of the two different asset management company.

 Sector Allocation of SPDR STI ETF

Sector Allocation of Nikko AM STI ETF

Why invest in ETF? 

1. A diversified fund.

2. Lower transaction cost as compared to buying 30 components by yourself

3. Investors who are lazy or don't have time to research

4. Investors who don't have time to monitor

5. Investors need not cherry pick stocks

6. It tracks the performance of the ETF and generally it is an uptrend. 

(Note: Point 3-6, it is still best to do your own due diligence) 

Sources:

Nikko AM STI ETF Fact Sheet

SPDR STI ETF Fact Sheet

Cheers!

Little Boy

Singapore Kindness Movement and Coca Cola Appreciation to Foreign Workers

Not sure any of you have seen this video.

This act of appreciation is simply amazing and touching.

They may have come from a foreign land, but they come with one common purpose and it is to live a life. For their hardship and perspiration, it is really worth commending. I am really appreciative and thankful for what they have contributed to Singapore. They are part of our family and we should treat them with respect and honour. They are taking the roles of Singaporeans' most dislike or hated jobs and yet most of us are complaining about own jobs. There may be some black sheep among the foreigners but we cannot simply write all of them off as "bad" people. Once again, I sincerely like to thank them for their dedication towards Singapore.

I dedicate this post to all foreign workers in Singapore :)
Hope you have a great time in Singapore.


Cheers!

Little Boy

The Only Way To Get Really, Really Rich

Here's The Only Way To Get Really, Really Rich

After reading this article, I felt it made much sense.

Life is a journey and a long one. We should treat our life as though as an investment and make thorough analysis before a decision. Like buying a stock, in life we always have to weigh the downside and upside potential. Remember that we are always given a choice, it is up to us to choose it.

Rich people are the ones that are comfortable getting out of their comfort zone. Ironic huh? They are good at adapting to different environment and willing to experience and venture out. True enough, the rich are those that are entrepreneurs and not those earning salaries.

Where it gets interesting is how the top 400 made their money:

• Wages and salaries: 8.6 percent

• Interest: 6.6 percent

• Dividends: 13 percent

• Partnerships and corporations: 19.9 percent

• Capital gains: 45.8 percent                              - Quoted from the article

Of cause, there is always a risk to starting up your own business. Everything in life has risk but it is how well we manage it. Hope this article brings inspiration to any entrepreneurs-to-be :)


Cheers!
Little Boy

Sell In May And Go Away?

A scary taboo, "Sell in May and go away".

Hmm. I'm just wondering whether this taboo will happen again this year.

It happened last year and it was my 1st year experiencing this encounter. I saw many counters especially the REITS getting whack down. Similarly, STI was at the peak of 3.49 but it came falling down to 3.20 and below in the May Period.

I will hold my war chest at the moment and see what is valuable to invest into. Meanwhile, I will try to stay away from the market for this period (May - July). I predict it will be a very low and dull period during this 3 months because of World Cup. Moreover, the last 3 World Cup have proven this lull period.

So why does this taboo happens? I guess nobody really knows. Even Investopedia cannot really have a definite answer : Sell In May And Go Away - Investopedia Defintion

Happy Investing!

Cheers!

Little Boy

Simple Yet Effective Improvisation

A simple and innovative idea that brings wonder.
I did not know so much harm is done to our Mother Earth. Poor Earth.

Singapore's version uses the detector device system. The device will turn red when parking lot is filled, lights are green when there are empty lots. Similar idea but I wonder how much these devices are spent when the Koreans are using a much cheaper method of Balloons.


Hope this creativity will bring some inspiration to readers here.
Innovation and improvisation at its best!

Cheers!

Little Boy

King Wan Corporation Limited Further Updates On KTIS

I just got a response from King Wan Corporation Limited regarding some questions I raised up to them.

My questions :

I will like to ask some questions relating to the listing of KTIS. I understand that the IPO will be listed on 28th April 2014. Will KingWan be liquidating all it's S$50m worth of KTIS shares? or will be holding onto some?

Another question regarding the loan to associates. I understand that loans made to associates totalling S$54m; S$23m bears interest at 2.5% to 5% per annum, S$26m interest free. What are your views on it?

Here is their reponse

I believe King Wan's management will do their best to monitor the price movement of KTIS and hopefully offload some at the right price. I am confident that they are capable of doing so.

KTIS will be listed at 10 Baht/Share. For every increase in 1 Baht/Share will see an increase in S$4.56m. So timing to release these shares have to be precise. One forum-er in VB has mentioned earlier that another IPO listing of similar industry (Food and Agro Industry), Ichitan Group Public Company which is on Stock Exchange of Thailand has shot up on the first day of release.

IPO Price - 13 Baht/Share.
First day Closing Price - 16.20 Baht/Share.
Now Current Closing Price - 17.90 Baht/Share.

If we are to see KTIS shares to shoot up by 25-35% like how Ichitan shares did, we are looking at another S$10-15m coming in if King Wan are to offload their KTIS shares. Yummy Yummy!


The only question now is, when will King Wan offload their shares?


Looking forward to Monday :)

Similar post:

King Wan Corporation Limited on KTIS IPO Listing
King Wan Corporation Limited - More Upside Potential?

Cheers!

Little Boy

King Wan Corporation Limited on KTIS IPO Listing

It's about time that they finally announce this news.

"On 25 April 2012, King Wan Corporation Limited (the “Company”, and with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, King Wan Industries Pte. Ltd (“KWI”) entered into Sales and Purchase (“SPA”) agreements with KTIS to sell their entire shareholding in Environment Pulp and Paper Company Limited (EPPCO) and Ekarat Pattana Company Limited (EPC), for a total consideration of THB1,224,400,000, 5% of the consideration has been paid in cash and the remaining 95% shall be by way of shares in KTIS when it is listed on the SET. 

The Board of Directors of the Company is pleased to announce that the Office of Securities and Exchange Commission in Thailand ("SEC") had officially approved KTIS’ Initial Public Offer (“IPO”) filing on 18 April 2014 and KTIS’ shares were opened for subscription between 21 to 23 April 2014. KTIS’ shares will commence trading on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on 28 April 2014.  " - Quoted

King Wan Corporation Limited will be allocated with 87,267,000 shares and King Wan Industries 29,051,000 shares. A total of 116,318,000 allocated shares at 10baht/share translate to approx S$45.36m (Using 1 THB = 0.0390SGD). This will represent about 3.01% of KTIS issued shares. With that insight, this will bring very a exciting future ahead especially from FY2015 Q2 onwards. 

I have emailed their IR regarding on their decision whether to keep part of KTIS shares or to liquidate all of it. I hope they can get back to me.

King Wan's Current Closing Price on 25th April 2014 : 0.335

You can also refer to my previous entry on King Wan
King Wan Corporation Limited - More Upside Potential?

Sources:
http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/KingWanCompletionofIssuance25Apr2014.ashx?App=Announcement&FileID=293446

http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/KingWanPressRelease25Apr2014.ashx?App=Announcement&FileID=293453

Cheers!

Little Boy

Individual Personality Test - Self Assessment

Ever wonder how you actually fair as a person?

Sometimes I'm rather curious about myself and I wonder what others think about me. Most people around will give positive remarks or compliment one another because we always love to hear the good side and filter the negatives. It's very hard to come by "criticism" from people which I love to receive them in open arms. Ironic huh? What I meant are genuine comments or constructive suggestions made by close people around you. I prefer to hear them and look forward to work on it.

More importantly I want to know how I behave and fair as a person. I believe we need to deeply understand our inner self and personality before we can actually develop and change for the better. Each an everyone have an Achilles heel and a strength in us. It's always good to focus on our strength and work on our weakness. Now, the BIG question lies on whether how well you know about yourself. Not knowing yourself well enough can be managed, BUT the thought of you knowing FULL of yourself is worst! That is why some people don't change or a leopard never change it's spot.

Okay, so here are some test that are available to gauge your personality. Please try to answer truthfully to get the most optimal and accurate result. Try not to think too much over 1 question. Let your first thought and follow where your heart goes in answering the question. By the time you hesitate in answering a question, it may change your mind.

https://www.talentoday.com

Here is my test result. 

Quite accurate but not entirely true for some probably because some questions are rather "tricky" to me. For example, "choosing between earning money or spending time with your friends/family". Of cause I will definitely choose the latter, but that doesn't mean I don't want to earn money. I guess that explains my low ambition test results. HAHA! Anyway, it is still quite a good rough gauge to know yourself better. At least some points are true which I know it myself, so I should jolly well work on it :)


Here is another test I did before which I read it from a book. I forgot what book was it.
Same rules apply, answer them truthfully and give a agga-ration (estimation) of points you score in each question.
Each question is appoint 10.
1 for worst - 10 for best.
If you are hestitating between a score of Eg.8-9. I will score myself the lower point.

Here is a sample of what I did.
I did it a few years ago, when I was really free. I stapled them all together and place it somewhere I can refer to whenever I need them.

Happy Self-Assessing !

Cheers!

Little Boy

Fraser CentrePoint Trust 2QFY2014

Fraser CentrePoint Trust just release their 2nd Quarter 2014 Report.

Yet another good performance by FCT.

Increasing quarterly DPU.
2QFY2014 announced a DPU of 2.88 cents, up by 7% from last year 2QFY2013.
DPU year-to-date totaled 5.38 cents compared to 5.1 cents for last year.

Ex - Date will be on 28th April 2014 
Payment Date - 30th May 2014
Investors REJOICE! YAY!

Gearing level stood at 27.7%
(Total of S$589m; S$25m due by Feb2015, S$564m due > 1 year)

Weighted Average Debt Maturity at 31st March 2014  - 2.75 Years
All these debt are not inclusive of Changi City Point acquisition.

Net Asset Value increase to (S$1,466,633,000 / 825,400,343 shares) = $1.776

FCT's Portfolio occupancy rate at 96.8%
Bedok Point occupancy rate at 77.0% 


Number of leases expiring in FY2014 - 89
[50% from CauseWay Point (43), 25% from NorthPoint (22)]

Number of leases expiring in FY2015 - 231
Have to keep a look out.
Causeway Point(77) and NorthPoint(80) - Accounts 31.6% and 50% of gross rent of mall respectively.
Not to forget Yewtee Point(41) accounts 54.8% of gross rent of mall

Causeway Point and Northpoint are the 2 biggest contributor for FCT
S$15.49m from Causeway Point
S$8.88m from Northpoint (HUAT ah, lucky number)


2QFY2014 have not included Changi City Point in their portfolio as of yet. I'm looking forward to Changi City Point as the 6th Mall in their portfolio which will definitely bring more future economic benefits.

My disappointment is still with Bedok Point. Ever since the opening of Bedok Mall which is a stone throw away from MRT, Bedok Point has been badly hit. Occupancy rates are lower and rental rates are lower because of ongoing refurbishment work. FCT expects Bedok Point to recover to above 95% in the 2nd half of 2014. I hope the management will work on it although Bedok Point is a small percentage of FCT's portfolio. Hopefully, they can convert Bedok Point into a niche shopping mall, focusing on maybe say education hub (Tuition Centres), or electronics or to accomodate the neighbourhood around.


Sources:
Financial Result
Press Release
Result Slides


Cheers!

Little Boy

King Wan Corporation Limited : More Upside Potential ?

This counter is especially interesting.

I am still waiting for their news on the IPO listing of Kaset Thai International Sugar (KTIS). King Wan have not make a official announcement regarding the IPO yet.

The latest news I seen is the link here - 4th April
 http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/403301/ktis-to-build-more-plants-with-ipo-cash

I'm not too sure how much this source can be trusted. When this source was published on the 4th April, King Wan price shot through and break the downtrend resistance. It hit a high of 0.315 and closed at 0.300. The last closing price on 17th April 2014 is 0.320.

From the source " Its debut on the Stock Exchange of Thailand has been slated for April 28"

I do hope it is true. I'm eager for any official news that KingWan can provide soon. Hopefully, this will unlock further potential that I'm looking forward to. The IPO has been delayed for months and the only latest news KingWan announced was on 17th Feb 2014 regarding the Approval for KTIS to list their IPO by 15th August 2014 (Link provided).

EDITED : * KTIS to list their IPO on 28th April 2014  * 10 Baht/share
(Credits to MISSLEE1137, Thank you very much)

How does KTIS listing affects KingWan Corp Ltd?

Reason being:  King Wan sold their entire holdings in Environment Pulp and Paper Company (EPPCO) to KTIS through the proceed of 5% cash and the remainder through the listing of KTIS Shares ($50m worth). It doesn't really matter if the IPO price is high or low. If it is priced low, they will be compensated with more shares. So, once KTIS IPO is listed, KingWan will receive their shares which I guess most investors are waiting for this moment. KingWan can either choose to liquidate all of their shares or keep part of it. Liquidation of KTIS shares will probably mean more upside to dividend. Hehehe! Investors can expect special dividends to be coming in :)

Current dividend yield (Using 1.5cents)
= 0.015 / 0.320
= 4.6875%

A predicted special dividend of 1.5 cents will translate to a dividend yield of 9.375%. Yum Yum!

A Quick Calculation On Financial Ratio

• Net Asset Value = (84,870,159 / 349,176,870) = 0.243 
• P/E Ratio = 14.74
• Current Ratio = (59,497,059 / 40,742,999) = 1.46
• Debt to Equity = 8.99%

Things to take note

Loans made to associates : S$23m bears interest at 2.5% to 5% per annum, S$26m interest free (Keeping an eye on this)

This S$54m loan out is very substantial because the group revenue for 3Q2014FY was S$25m. (The loan is twice as much as what they gain in revenue)



A Quick Business Summary of King Wan Corporation Limited

King Wan Corp Ltd started off as a construction firm. Now it operates in 4 different segments. Investing in this stock is some what a diversification already.

1. Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) engineering services for construction and building industry. (Core Business)  Eg. Installation distribution, alarm system, air-conditioning, fire protection, M&E design, mechanical ventilation system for buildings. Up to today, they secured a total worth of S$166m M&E contracts till 2017.


2. Services (Provides rental for mobile chemical lavatories) So far I have not seen a mobile toilet by them yet.

3. Property (Engages in the development, marketing and sale of residential and commercial properties in SG, China and Thailand)

4. Vessel ownership and Chartering (Chartering of vessels to third parties)


(Vested)
Disclaimer: This is not a buy or sell call. Please exercise your own due diligence before making any decision. I will not hold responsible for any gains/losses you make.

Cheers!

Little Boy


More sources can be found at the links below.

OSK-DMG Brokerage Report on 8th April 2014
http://www.remisiers.org/cms_images/research/Apr7-Apr11_2014/0408_OSK_Morning_Matters.pdf

OSK-DMG Brokerage Report on 16 August 2013
https://research.osk188.com/attachments/36/osk-report-sg-king-wan_1qfy14-good-things-are-worth-the-wait_20130816-xjiE202892333052116608cfba0.pdf

How To Earn Money By Clearing Your Stuff?

Do you have lots of white elephant lying around?
Do you have anything that you always want to clear?

Recently, I been hooked to this app called Carousell.
Both Apple and Android market are able to download for free.

Basically I love this app because it allows me to sell my unwanted stuffs through Carousell's Community with much ease. You can sell whatever junks or crap you have that a lying around your house (Clothes, accessories, books, souvenir, toys, IT gadget Etc.). And I seriously mean ANYTHING. Even people sell tuition services or some other services.

The good thing about this app is that it makes selling of your stuff online so much easier. With just a few taps on your Iphone, you are able to post your sales in the market. It is 100% idiot-proof.

Step 1: Take photo of your goods
Step 2: Key in details of your goods (Pricing, Location of deal, Condition of the good. etc.)

AND VIOLA! DONE!

That simple.

And you can sit back, relax and wait for buyers to contact you via personal message in the app.

In addition, privacy is not an issue. You do not need to leave your HP number or any particulars down.

So far, I managed to make a few sales through this app. I used to sell my unwanted stuff on HWZ or VR Zone (Forums) but the chances of selling in these forums are rather low because there are lots of spam in there. I guess this app is a much better alternative now.

I also know a few people who actually make recurring income every month through Carousell. They use this platform to resell clothings/apparels where they get from suppliers/distributors. Carousell can be another alternative to blogshops. Moreover, these are "rent"-less avenue where small start ups or entrepreneur can establish their mini business through this app. Some day maybe, I wish I can get such lobangs and start up a small scale one.

But first, I have to focus on my studies. Exams are just round the corner.
I guess I will do it after my exams :)



Cheers!
Little Boy

Fraser CentrePoint Trust to Acquire Changi City Point

Finally, FCT will acquire Changi City Point for S$305 Million

Seems like this is gonna happen sooner or later anyway.

FCT is considering to finance this acquisition through debt and equity financing. Undertaking private placement :( to finance part of it. The remaining may be through loans.

"So as to ensure that the acquisition will provide overall DPU accretion to unitholders while maintaining an optimum level of gearing" - quoted 

Here are the links:

http://infopub.sgx.com/Apps?A=COW_CorpAnnouncement_Content&B=AnnouncementToday&F=HZZ0S30BZRMDVZWR&fileId=Press%20Release%20(Acquisition%20of%20Changi%20City%20Point).pdf

http://infopub.sgx.com/Apps?A=COW_CorpAnnouncement_Content&B=AnnouncementToday&F=HZZ0S30BZRMDVZWR&fileId=FCT%20-%20Proposed%20Acquisition%20of%20Changi%20City%20Point%20(8%20April%202014).pdf

Cheers!

Little Boy

Win A Trip To Australia

What a coincidence! Just after posting my previous entry about Australia, New South Wales. I happen to see this lucky draw contest to win a trip there.

Here is the link:
Win a 4D3N Free & Easy Package to Sydney, New South Wales!

No harm participating in this contest since it takes only less than a minute to fill up my details

Hope I can win :) Hehe! Then it will be my chance to go this time.

Best of luck to any one participating too!

Cheers!

Little Boy

Australia (Cultural & Monetary Value)

My parents just got back from Australia, New South Wales not too long ago. Great that they are enjoying their golden years and traveling around the world together. They had quite a handful of oversea trips after their retirement already.

Both of them shared with me their stories about their recent Australia trip. It is fascinating to hear about the cultural differences between Singapore and other nations.

Here are some interesting findings my parents encounter.

1) People
The Australians are very warm-hearted and courteous people. They will greet strangers on the street with a smile lit on their faces; "Good Day Mate". They are very munificent and helpful citizens too. For instance, my uncle was asking one of a passerby for toilet directions. He was so willing to help to the extent that he literally guide my uncle to the nearest toilet which was quite a distant away. These small little help may not be of a big thing, but it really shows how much their people are willing to go an extra mile to help strangers or even to brighten a person's day.

V.S

It is quite rare Singaporeans do that. I am not trying to say Singaporeans are not polite or generous because they do not greet people. It may be due to our conservative environment that we are brought up in or our shy nature. I believed Singaporeans are equally polite and kind hearted but we express in a different manner. I seen many honest, humble and polite people in Singapore and also a fair share of uncouth Singaporeans. We cannot simply write off Singaporeans as unfriendly people because of these minorities.


2) Transportation
They still rely on train conductors; A little backwards in terms of technology as compared to Singapore where we uses EZ-link card. Their payment system based quite a lot on trust. Their payment for the train goes like this:

Train Conductor steps into the train.
Train Conductor: "Who haven pay your tickets, please raise your hand."

I been to Australia once before too. I remembered that their payment for buses are by cash too. They are more carefree, laid back and "slower in pace". Commuters will line up to make cash payment to the bus driver and change will be given back to you. This process can take up a few minutes before the bus starts proceeding on it's journey.

V.S

In Singapore, we have a vast network of transportation. Most part of SG is convenient and accessible. Apart from our frequent SMRT breakdowns (These few days keep breakdown ARGHHHH!) which results in many angry commuters to curse and swear, our public transportation is rather efficient. At the expense of being much faster in pace, sometimes we do get nasty remarks or signs of impatience when we hold up commuters behind us. You may encounter some "death stare" or people behind you making this "TSKKKK" sound. It gets worse if you hold up the peak hour traffic commuters. End of the day, this question arises in my head, "So does technology actually improves our life?"


3) Shops
In NSW, all or most of their shops close at 5pm. Only on Thursday, some of them are open till 9pm.

V.S

In Singapore, most shops close around 9pm or latest 10pm on a daily basis.  

4) Food
Food wise; minimum cost per casual meal is about 10-15AUD. Usually a rather large portion is served which can be shared by 2 medium eaters. NSW have very little variety of food, most of it are Western Food which are deep fried and oily. Their staple food seems like French Fries. I wonder how they are able to indulge in such unhealthy food everyday.

The most worth meal my parents had was Golden Rooster (KFC-alike). They have the biggest chicken portion ever. Tender, crispy and finger licking good. Unlike SG KFC, our chicken seems to be abused and underweight.

The most ridiculous meal my parents had was at a Chinese Restaurant.
A. Broccoli with prawns (28AUD)
B. Duck slice (36AUD)
C. Noodle using curry powder seasoning (Forgotten)
They mentioned that the Chinese food was terrible. It was some ordinary shop, so standard of food may be explainable. But, the price of the food is sky high. It is literally day light robbery.

5) Car Park Charges
Apparently, New South Wales seems to have higher charges for parking. My initial assumption was that Australia being a country with abundant land and space, parking should be relatively cheap. Did not seems to be in this case; car park fee is particularly expensive. On average, most places charges around 6AUD per hour. Some of their parking system is also a little different whereby some car park only limit a maximum of 0.5/1/2 hours of parking. If you exceed the time, you will get fine. The highest car park fee my parents happen to see was 50AUD per hour. That is one huge burn in the pocket. Interestingly, they also have "ERP" but my parents are not sure how they actually work.

V.S

Singapore have considerably expensive car park charges too. As long you own a car in Singapore, be prepared to spend and do some damages to your wallet. We have both the gantry payment system and our very own coupon parking system. We have our distinctive "summon" aunties too. Their presence always brings panicky and funny sightings. Suddenly, you will be able to see people rushing to the car park. At some locations (Eg. Coffeeshop, Restaurants), they provide "informants" to spot for "summon" aunties. Hahaha. Quite an adorable way Singaporeans work together hand in hand to fend them off. We are indeed uniquely Singapore.


Nutshell

It is always good to understand and learn other country's culture. You never know when you need these knowledge. As for me, I am very curious and inquisitive. I love to find out and hope to sink into other country's unique culture. I find it awe-inspiring. Besides that, each an every nation have their pros and cons. No country is perfect but every country got their own distinctive culture and lifestyle. Some of it will defines us from others and that is what makes it so special. Like every human beings, we have a purpose in life, a talent and that is where we should specialize and strengthen on it. Work on your strength!

Cheers!

Little Boy

Straco : Did Someone Queue to Buy At A Wrong Price Today?

Did somebody queue to buy Straco at a wrong price this morning?

Yesterday closing was 0.595.

Today it open at 0.670 and 2 lots were traded.

I bought 1 lot at 0.580, queue to sell (Limit Order) yesterday at 0.600 and SCB managed to fill my order at 0.670 to match the opening price of today.  I was shocked to see my order filled at 0.670, I thought probably it was some error. Phew, it wasnt.

The spread today is so wide, it drop back to a low of 0.615.

This is more of a speculative trade which I bought, thus only 1 lot. I will consider this a very fortunate trade. And I wouldn't dare to say I am proud winning this trade, it is really fluke.

I used to own this darling stock at 0.300 with quite a big allocation to it. Sold it quite long ago at 0.340, thought it will drop back because of the strong resistance and illiquid nature. I was wrong, it bust through the roof and rocket higher each week. It hurts to see the stock I have faith in the most to rise higher and higher each week. I could be sitting on few thousand dollar profit by now. But ohwell, money earned is better than money lost.

It taught me some very important lesson :

1. To trust my analysis and not my instinct that it will drop back.
2. Let my profit run, don't be too hurry on taking profit.
3. Be patient.
4. Don't let emotions take over you. I was too quick in wanting to cash out too; I was looking in terms of monetary value/profit and not how much the share is worth.

I will cherry pick this share if it ever drop back to a 0.500 or lower. I believe Straco is still a very strong fundamentally sound company with further room to grow. Hmm, probably? They are undergoing a bid for a new project which may be a further catalyst to it. As for their current tourism-related projects such as the underwater world and aquarium, recent and last few earning reports show dramatic rise in tourist inflow, thus the drastic increase in profit. But, one question is how much can they still grow?



To sum up

I hope I will be more wise in riding on my profits next time. Still, a very happy and lucky trade I gained today.

Cheers!
Little Boy

UMS Holdings : Bonus Share 1 to 4 / How Will It Affect?

UMS just announced yesterday that they are proposing to issue out 1 Bonus share for every 4 existing ordinary shares held by shareholders which are subjected to approval.

"The proposed Bonus Shares issue is subject to the in-principal approval of Singapore Exchange Securities Limited (SGX - ST)" - Quoted from the announcement

A quick summary of the important points

1.Based on current issued shares of 343,654,327. Up to 85,938,581 Bonus Shares will be issued out.

2.The Bonus shares will not be issued at any cost and it will rank pari passu with all existing shares.

3."The bonus shares will not be entitled to any dividends, rights, allotments or distributions, the record date of which falls before the date of allotment and issue of such Bonus Shares." (My assumption: Bonus Shares will not be entitled to receive the upcoming dividend of $0.035 dividend)

4. Bonus shares issued to increase share capital base of the company to reflect the growth and expansion of the group's business and to increase trading liquidity and more participations by investors

All these information can be found in full details here : UMS Announcement - Propose Bonus Issue



My Take

Not to worry, bonus shares are deem as a sign that the company is expanding and doing well. It does not dilute the shares because each existing shareholders are getting the bonus shares. It is the increase of share base capital.

For example in UMS Holding's case, If I own 4000 lot. I will be entitled to 1000 lot of bonus share.

Before Bonus shares issued :
(4,000,000 / 343,654,327) x 100% = 1.16%
Means I possess 1.16% ownership of UMS Holdings

After Bonus shares issued:
(5,000,000 / 343,654,327 + 85938581 [Bonus Shares issued] ) x 100% =1.16%
Eventually, I will still end up possessing the same amount of ownership of UMS Holdings

In accounting term, Bonus shares are issued out from either General Reserves or Share Premium of the company (Can be mixture). In General Reserves it is further sub branch out into Retained Profit (Accumulated from the earnings through the years) or Profit for the year.

What effects does Bonus Shares contribute to?

1. Price of shares will reduce accordingly after bonus shares XD.

Eg. Take for example UMS Holdings' case again (If I own 4000 lots of UMS). Let's say UMS Bonus XD on this monday 31/3/2014. Based on last closing price of 0.770, the price will fall accordingly to :

($0.770 x 343,654,327) / (343,654,327 + 85938581 [Bonus Shares Issued] ) = $0.6159

Market Capitalisation remains the same. You can work backwards.

And

You will still have the same amount worth of UMS shares:

4,000,000 x $0.770 = 5,000,000 x $0.6159



2. Net Asset Value and Earnings Per Share will decline due to the increase amount of shares.

Eg. Take for example, UMS issued out Bonus Shares. (Extracting values from the latest report FY2013).

NAV
Current NAV = $0.556

EX-Bonus NAV
= (0.556 x 343,754,327) / (343,654,327 + 85938581 [Bonus Shares issued])= $0.445

EPS
Current EPS = 8.40 Cents

EX-Bonus EPS
= (0.0840 x 343,754,327) / (343,654,327 + 85938581 [Bonus Shares issued]) = 6.72 Cents

Importantly, do take note that there may be a drop in NAV and EPS in following reports of UMS after issuing of Bonus Shares. It will be unkind and injustice to judge UMS performance base on the drop of EPS and NAV, we have to take into account the drop in EPS and NAV due to bonus share issued. The greatest/best case scenerio ever, If UMS maintain a EPS of 8.40 cents in following FY, which translate to a net income increase of ($0.084-0.0672) x 429592908 = $7.2m . I can only dream. But of cause, dreams do exists and it may be possible.

Do take note too that, if profit does not increase, dividend yield will be affected too.

Why do companies issue bonus shares?

1. Increase liquidity for more trading activity because there is an increase of share base and the reduced or cheaper stock price may be more affordable for many other investors.

2. Reward shareholders in the form of shares instead of cash

3. To show that the company is looking forward to expand. Like I said, increase in Bonus Shares will lead to decrease in NAV, EPS and even Dividend yield. So if a company is proposing to issue Bonus shares, it goes to indicate that they are able to handle the bigger share capital base and provide more economical benefits in the future.



Cheers!
Little Boy

Retirement : Enjoying the fruits of your labour

Just thought of sharing this story and a little about my background since most people in this financial community are discussing about retirement. From Investopedia, definition of retirement means it is the period when a person chooses to leave the workforce. My definition of retirement is a very big word and a whole new and different step in life. It is the point of enjoying your life forever and ever without financial worries. It is probably the last phase of your life, a carefree one with the least stress ever throughout your existence.

Other than being a child with no worries or stress. I guess the next best phase will be retirement.

Examples of  the worries you have in your phases of life
Teen:  school, homework, studies, getting A's
Young adult:  financial, work, studies, building up a career.
Mid age adult: housing, loans, spouse, marriage, financial.
Adult with kids: children, financial, building a family.

I'm not too sure what worries do retiree have as I have yet to reach that stage. One day, if blogs still exist and I have retired, I will share and note it here :) But right now, from what I observe from my parents, they are really living the life.

Both of my parents have retired for quite some time already. My father about 5-6 years while my mother join in the "retirement" club about 1-2 years later. I would consider us as an average or above average earning income family. My dad was a civil servant serving the nation for 37 years which was his first and very last job. My mother hop around a few jobs, got retrenched once during the SARS period if I recall correctly. Fortunately, my father had an iron rice bowl. Both of them balance their work and family commitment very well, providing ample family bonding time together. We never lack of food, have a roof over our heads and basic necessities are not a problem. I am very privileged to grow up in this family and fortunate to be living in such state. I wouldn't dare ask for more and I am very contented with what I have now.

Now, both of my parents are enjoying their golden years and fruits of labour. I guess they do not have anymore financial worries and stresses because both of my sisters are financially independent already. I am very happy and glad for my parents, they really deserved this life. Having seen them relax and take their time to do whatever they like really makes me envious. There was once my father spent a few weeks flying his kite that he made which reminisce his youth days. He always proclaims to us that during his younger days he was the best kite flyer and he was able to cut down many other kite flyers who competed with him. He always shares with me lots of his real life stories that brings plenty of moral values to it. I roughly can recite a few of his stories because he do repeat them at times. Hahaha. Maybe I should dedicate a blog post to him some day.

Here is another short write up about SGYI's family background. I sincerely respect him for not being afraid to share his background. I sympathize for him because his background is not as fortunate and privileged as mine. But it is great to hear that he is doing very well now, with a positive mindset and a goal in mind.
A little story on SGYI's family background


To end it off
Retirement all depends on personal preference. It is not a rat race whereby whoever retires first is the winner. One can choose to retire at any age as long as you know whether you are capable of doing so. Some people choose not to retire because they rather kill their time at work or they simply love their job too much. Ultimately, one must not forget to enjoy life even if you are retired or working. As long as you are living and breathing, we should lead a happy and go lucky life. Bring a smile along where ever you go. It will not only lighten your mood and brighten your day, it also helps to cheer up the environment around you :)

#YOLO

Cheers!
Little Boy

Earning Money Through A Healthy And Active Lifestyle

Am I pulling your leg?

Nope, not at all. Our government is rewarding us for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.

How?
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Guess what, it is specially for men only.
Hmm, government must be bias and unfair against the ladies.

I presume you might have guess it already.

IPPT!

This is a great initiation from our government.
An incentive that rewards you for obtaining different class:

Pass : Allowance          
Bronze : $100
Silver : $200
Gold. : $400

I really feel this is considerably a large sum of money the government is rewarding individuals. $400 is a big sum to me and I hope it is for most of you reading here. Every dollar counts for me. Imagine getting Gold for 10 consecutive years. That will be $4000. Ahhar! With this amount, don't you think you can do a lot of things with it?

I do not know the exact amount our government actually fork out annually for this incentive. (Please haters of government don't bash me). I understand these are tax payers money too. So whatever that we are rewarded are actually coming out of our pocket? Hmm, yes it does make sense. But I like to see in this case where, if there is a chance to take money back from the government, I will try all means to take it back. For this case, I will work my very best to get Gold.


Indeed I got gold for my Year One IPPT last weekend.

I'm very proud of myself because I really work EXTREMELY hard to obtain this goal of mine. During my army days, the best I got was Silver. And running was the only factor that stopped me from getting Gold. Ironically, I seems fitter after ORD than I was in army. I did not come up with a regime or routine to train myself for IPPT. I just remained discipline and run at least twice a week. With a mixture of intervals and long distance running I slowly saw improvements to my 2.4km timing. This is not a 1 day trick, it takes time and patience to see the result. $400 in 1.5 hours is my best paid salary ever! Feel free to ask me any other tips regarding IPPT, I will be more than willing to help :) 

I understand some people dread and hate taking IPPT. Please don't give up. AhGong / Free money is for you to collect, so don't waste this opportunity. You may not have to aim for gold, but if you happen to set a goal and manage to achieve it, you should really feel proud of yourself. I also do understand some people may proclaim they have insufficient time. Hey but wait up, YOU choose your life, and YOU make your own choice. The very next time you come up with such excuses again, please smack your face up down left right and center! Hahaha. Okay, on serious note, I believe time can always be set aside for your own health. Don't neglect your health just to attain some other stuffs. Have a work - life - health balance. 

At least one of my checklist is being tick for my new year resolution. You can see them here : LittleBoy's New Year Resolution. And of cause, I will still continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Remember, wealth is nothing without health AND health is the greatest wealth!  

To end it off, a simple message to you readers out there. This is one of my key motivation to get me moving and kicking alive! 

If he can do it 

SO CAN YOU! 

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish (The Greatest Fool of All)

Have you heard of this quote before "Penny Wise, Pound Foolish"? 

I give you a simple story that my father once shared with me many years ago. One fine day, my father was invited to play Mahjong with my neighbours next door. So the conversation (summarize) goes something like this:

Neighbour: Wanna play mahjong?

LittleBoy's Father: How much?

Neighbour: $2-4

LittleBoy's Father: HUHHHH?

Neighbour: Ahhh, too little ah? Okay loh, $4-8.

LittleBoy's Father: It's alright, I shall give it a pass. 

My father thought that out of courtesy he could join them for a game so as to have a mini neighbours' bonding session. Astoundingly, the bets were too high. I swear my father is a very good Mahjong player. He is a mind reader and an intelligent player. But his intention was not to win their money, so he rejected their invitation politely. If you know about Mahjong, you will understand that that is a huge bet for a average earning income family. In worst case scenario, the lost can amplify up to a thousand or vice versa if you win. 

Here comes the contradicting and hilarious part. 

Another fine day, my mother went to the market to shop for groceries. She overheard my neighbour bargaining persistently with this store owner selling vegetables. Guess how much she was bargaining? I won't kid you. She bargained and asked for a discount of 5cents. The store owner at first was very reluctant, but eventually give in to her. Poor thing!  Isn't it very contradicting? You can bet so big in Mahjong and you want to make life difficult for a store owner selling veggies. It is a true example of the literal meaning of Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. 

I guarantee that there are many other funny Singaporeans out there with this mentality, Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. Another example can be that some Singaporeans are so willing to spend on luxury and lavish car brand. When it comes to car park, they can go the extra mile to park at cheaper locations to the expense of having to walk further or even to the extent of cheating car park coupon timing. Please don't tell me you are guilty of that. I understand every dollar save is a dollar earn, but isn't it absurd you were once so willing to fork out so much on car, when you can actually save much more by buying a cheaper car? My father always tells me that a car main purpose is to fetch you around. A car is meant to work for you, not the other way round. Nowadays, it seems as though humans are enslaved to their car. 

I hope that you understand where I'm coming from. Some of us are guilty of having this mentality but we can always work on it for the better. I have said this a few times in my blog. In life, what we need is to have moderation. Sometimes, we cannot be so calculative and be so nitty gritty on very minor details. We need to give and take. And most of the time, we cannot be so "Pound Foolish" too. Having impulse buying behaviour is definitely an unhealthier habit and we need to weigh the pros and cons before throwing our hard-earned money into something so expensive. I'm not saying you should not invest and spend in yourself. By all means go ahead but please do it moderately. Just don't be the greatest fool of saving so much yet spending away prematurely on unnecessary lavish items in life.

Cheers!
Little Boy

Our Neighbours: Malaysia Johor Bahru (Money Value)

Recently, I went to Malaysia Johor Bahru for a day trip and discovered some intriguing and captivating experience. With our Singapore Currency strengthening against the Ringgit, the exchange rate at the money changer was approximately 2.56 (1 SGD = 2.56 Ringgit). Ah har! I feel so much like a mini king in JB. The increase in income effect and purchasing power seems as though I have double in value of money.

I ventured around City Square JB. Apparel, clothing, accessories, bags, or fashion as a whole are roughly the same pricing as Singapore. Food wise or basic necessities (In RM term) is relatively more pricey too. A normal meal cost 5-10 RM, where in Singapore we can get it from 3-6 SGD. Not too surprising because City Square JB is directly located just outside Malaysia's JB Custom. It is just a stone throw away and inter-link from the custom. This comes to my first point: With such expensive pricing (In terms of RM) I was kind of curious how people in Johor Bahru are surviving?

While I was exploring some of these shops in the mall, I happen to see this shop hiring part timers for 7 RM per hour. It is shocking. That is estimated to be around $2.70 SGD, much lower than our current Singapore part timers' average pay. Even Macdonalds in SG is offering much more. I feel sympathetic for those Malaysian Part-Timers and at the same time, I feel much more appreciative of the value of money. I sense the blood and sweat of every Malaysian having to work twice as hard so as to compensate Singapore's money value. Now I understand why so many Malaysians are crossing over the borders to accept relatively lower wages. A considerably lower wages in SG of about $2000 is equivalent to about a manager's wages back in Malaysia.

I noticed some dreadful scenes along the way too. There appears to be a handful of beggars along the outskirt of the mall. I was greeted by a mid age lady with a child begging for money. I did not "donate" not because I am selfish or could not care less. I believed it was not right at all. Tagging a child along and begging for money from strangers. What/How will the child grow up into? Won't it lead to a poverty cycle? Will it solve the problem ultimately? I may be harsh with my words, but I feel that if the lady is still capable of walking around or still able, she should exercise some form of responsibility to work and provide for the child. Be it even selling tissue paper, it is still a form of "working". That is why, I am very gracious those people who sells tissue paper. At least they are "working" and not begging for money. Fair enough, I may not know the underlying reason and I will gladly apologize dearly to these people for my misjudgment.




On a lighter note, I had a great time heading over to Malaysia with my friends. We managed to scout for cheap and pleasant bargains which made our day. These entertainment expenditure will burn a hole in our pocket if we enjoy it back in Singapore. I have calculated an approximate cost of $80 SGD. Guess what, I only spent a total of $35 SGD for the list below. That is HALF! Talking about crazy deals and saving, this is A HUGE saving with the same entertainment value you can enjoy in SG. I may even consider going back JB just to catch a movie or to relax a day over there with my friends.

Here is my list of "damage" for the day:

1. Lunch [Japanese Food] ~ 34 RM ($13.30 SGD)
Sushi King
Cheap, delicious, filling and yummy sums it all. I ate till I nearly exploded, it shows how much $13 SGD can get you.

2. KTV [Neway] ~ 38 RM ($14.80 SGD)
3 hours of singing, 1 drink of your choice, 1 set meal of your choice.
I wonder where else in Singapore to get such bargain. Singapore's KBox/Party World lose to this KTV hands down. Moreover, Neway's KTV system is updated to the latest music and well equipped with a good mix of English/Chinese Music with original Music Video (MTV). KBox/Party World has a poor and limited selection of English songs. Not to forget, their MV are absurdly hilarious (Fake MV; Usually those classic video whereby a woman stroll in a park). You should get what I mean if you ever sing Karoke in Kbox/Party World.

3. Dinner [Street Food] ~ 11 RM ($4.30 SGD)
Satay, Mutton Soup, Maggi Goreng, Kwayteow Hailam

Ordered a handful variety of food to have a taste of their street food. Tried out their satay : beef, mutton and chicken. Frankly, this is one of the best satay I had so far. One word, SALIVATING! The generous amount of fatty piece of meat they chunk in one stick plus the juice that ooze out whenever you take a bite leaves your mouth in coma. Perhaps if the satay sauce is great, that will be the best satay combination ever. Their satay sauce is so-so standard. I still prefer Singapore's Pineapple Satay Sauce that some SG satay stalls provide. The rest of the food were still fine and to my liking but not to the standard worth commending. Overall, a reasonable price worth trying out.

4. Movie ~ 12 RM ($4.70 SGD)
Cathay Cinema
Spacious and comfortable. There is ample leg space for you and a cosy armchair to sink into. It is not only a huge theater, it looks rather grand and appealing too. The theater is just as good as Singapore, it live up to Cathay's standard. For the price of $5 SGD and zero hassle to get available slots, what more can I ask for.

To end it off
These are some of the interesting sights I seen just in a day in Malaysia, Johor Bahru. Sinking into their lifestyle for a day has made me learn quite a bit and widen my perspective. It teaches me the importance of valuing money and I grab away some moral values with me. It taught me not to take things for granted. I hope I will revisit JB again and wish to take away more learning points.

Cheers!
Little Boy

Being RICH is not about how much you have, BUT about how much you GIVE.

I happened to chance upon this video from Facebook and I learned a new quote today, YAY! It's my first time hearing this and I am deeply empowered by this quote. It is really meaningful. I am very sure there are living examples in our world as depicted in the video. Please don't say you have lose faith in humanity. It is a simple, short and sweet video which brings so much sentimental values. I only disagree to the part where by his father is so cold to his own son, while he can be so supportive to other kids. I always believe Charity begins at home. Help yourself before helping others. The reason why his very own son reciprocate to him this way when he grows up is probably because of having a not so loving and caring father. But, still a very touching clip (I nearly got moved to tears :X)

While many Singaporeans are working their ass off for money. We do forget at times about the less fortunate people. Giving is also part of receiving. For my small part for example, I do buy tissue papers from aunties/uncles/handicaps which I see this as a form of little giving. I also donate to victims of natural disaster.


On another part, we are moving so quickly nowadays that we tend to overlook all the small details around us. I feel we ought to stop by a moment and think about little bit and pieces of details and enjoy little small things. How often do we get to enjoy the view by the sea, the sounds of bird chirping, the rustling of trees. We are now in the era of instant gratification.

To end it off,  life is all about moderation

Cheers!
Little Boy

Russian & Ukraine Situation

For the benefit of those who are living under the rock or don't read up to any current news. Let me share with you that Russia & Ukraine are in the brink of going to war which I definitely hope not (Fingers crossed). I do not want to see blood shed and the killing of own human species. Sometimes I do wonder, in this 21st century, why are there still so many political crisis going on? Don't people learn from past mistakes?

A quick summary on why it happen

From my own knowledge and own reading through online news (Please fill me in if there are more details to it), the underlying reasons for the Russia & Ukraine crisis are the decades of tension between Europe and Russia. Since Ukraine is sandwiched between Russia and Europe, Russia wish to cast a dominating figure over Ukraine and certainly hold as much control over Ukraine. 

So how did this situation escalate so quickly that Russia invaded Crimea?

1. Back in November 2013, Ukraine President rejected a trade deal with the EU and instead favour Russia deal. This led to 3 months of massive protest and the eventual ousted of President Viktor Yanukovych.

2. President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrow on the 22 February 2014.

3. A new political leader arise which was generally supported by the West.

4. Not to forget Eastern Ukraine are closer to Russia side and most people speaks Russian or of Russian descendant root. These people loyalty lies more towards Russia. Hence, the uprising of the new interim government spark unhappiness and anger in them, leading to further demonstrations. 

5. This feeling was more intense and hugely demonstrated in Crimea. 

6. Russia made use of this reason to invade Crimea and claimed that they are merely "saving the people". (Honestly, I don't think that is a very valid reason. They may have other motive which I am unsure of)

So I guess this pretty much sums up what happen these few weeks. I hope I have enlightened some people here.

Anyway to keep you updated. This very latest piece of news I read.

"KIEV - Russia's Black Sea Fleet has told Ukrainian forces in Crimea to surrender by 5 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Tuesday or face a military assault, Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry as saying."

(This is extremely worrying and I do not wish to see a WW3. A war will see stock market crash and to many other ripple effect.) 

Some interesting insights:

End of the day, I doubt the US and Europe have the financial capabilities to go into a war now. Even if sanctions are to be made by the West. It will still be the West who are deeply affected and not Russia. Besides that, Russia have their neighbours China and other smaller countries like Cyprus for economical support. 

So is sanctions enough to stop Russia? I don't think so. 

I am hoping for a mutual agreement or a peace agreement. And If that does not work out, "THEY" always believe war is the last resort. 

(All of these are based on my own analysis, reader discretion advised)

Cheers,

Little Boy