Manchester United 2 Cardiff City 0

Woke at 3.30am to make milk for the kids and then decided to catch the rest of the match.

A 2-0 win with goals from RVP and a fantastic Ashley Young strike sealed the win.

1) Mata Debut

Was not perfect (no goal), but he got an assist and was very lively. His presence really gives a livelier impetus to the team. In fact he was so keen to impress, that he was also actively helping out in defence! Something he's been not really known for while at Chelsea. A good debut nonetheless.

2) RVP Is Back

And how much we miss his class. With him up front, there is so much difference in out potency going forward. Hopefully he can continue to stay fit and help us win games.

3) CM Still Running On Empty

With Mata running the show, it was easy to overlook the fact that our midfield was anchored by Giggs and Jones. Now IMHO, Jones individually is pretty ok as a DMF. But pairing him with Giggs means zero chemistry and no horsepower from one leg. Sadly, as much as I love Giggsy, the time has come for him to call it a day. Fletcher would have been a better choice. And Cleverly? Don't get me started on him.

4) We Need A New LB

We all love Evra. But like Giggs, he is way past it. It is time for change and Buttner is not gonna cut it either. Otherwise our defence of Rafael, Smalling and Evans is pretty perfect.

5) It's Only Cardiff

Hold your horses, Cardiff is not exactly strong opposition and we were expected to win this game at home! Greater tests lie ahead. Every game is precious now.

GGMU!!!

2014 Dividend Accumulator I

Well I did state that one of my resolutions for 2014 (albeit a very ambitious one!) was to amass at least $500 worth of dividends per month from my stock investments.

So from the rest of this year, each time I get credited a dividend, I will add it up using the above titled post.

This is what I have since the start of the year:

01 Jan $155.23
10 Jan $1.22

Total $156.45

Really hope I can hit my target by year's end!

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Caught the movie while in Surabaya over the weekend.

Also slightly more than halfway through the book.

1) True To The Book
The movie follows very closely with the events and descriptions in the book. Some names have changed though.

2) Cuts Galore
I heard the Singapore censors cut about 5mins worth of debauchery and nudity footages, which is quite a shame. But in Surabaya, the Indonesian censors cut 15mins! That's really alot man. And you can tell as the cuts were quite obvious. The movie's even banned in Malaysia.

3) Jordan Belfort Is A Dick And A Star
The life of Jordan Belfort is but one of the many excessive banker stories we've heard so many times. Sometimes they are inspiring (yes, its true!) and other times they can be plain dumb. Noentheless these stories are always fun to read.

4) Leonardo DeCaprio Is Brilliant
I've always loved Leo as an actor. So watching his films have always been a pleasure. Here he is no different and he makes alot of the characteristics that make Jordan Belfort so real. One particular scene I love was the one where he was absolutely stoned and had to drag his body from the clubhouse to his car.

5) Good Film, Better Book
In spite of the movie being quite good, as always, the book is far better particularly with its descriptions. Afterall, screen adaptations are based on personal (the director's) interpretations anyway. I will definitely recommend the book to anyone, and can't wait to move on to his 2nd book, Catching The Wolf Of Wall Street.

Juan Mata

This is truly a statement of intent.

At £37mil he is cheaper than what Arsenal paid for Özil and if he can galvanize the team and inspire them back to sharpness and form, then it will be all worthwhile.

Formation-wise, everyone's been talking about a 4-2-3-1 formation where he plays with Januzaj and Rooney in support of RVP. Totally delicious. 

Now all we STILL is a good and proper DM. At least we have Fletcher back and he's really been like a new signing.

Hopefully Mata is a total success with us!

Binary Indexes Up/Down And 20pt Ladders

Last night I bought some Binary Options.

I bought the Binary Indexes Up/Down and 20pt ladders. Basically I had the view that the DJIA was going to fall by more than 100pts at night when the futures only indicated a 40pt fall during the afternoon.

So I bought the equivalent of a $100 payout for a Binary of the Dow falling >100pts for a premium (price) of $36. This means for $36, if I'm right, I'll receive $100. This would also equate to Singapore Pools-styled odds of 2.78 which is not bad.

Then I also bought Binaries of the Dow ending at 200-220pts, 220-240, 240-260, 260-280. All at $4 each, giving me odds of 25times payout ($4 earns me $100) if I'm right.

The Dow last night ended down 1.96% last night, or -318pts.

So I only got one Binary right and earned $100. Total cost, $36 + $16 = $52.

If this isn't gambling, I don't know what is. I have no idea why the MAS allows Binaries to be offered to retail investors.

March Madness Punt To Win A Billion

Has anyone read this?

Warren Buffett is offering one billion dollars to anyone who can fill out a perfect March Madness bracket.

This means predicting every single game's winner in every single round, right up till the end.

Sounds like fun!

Where do I sign up?!

Chelsea 3 Manchester United 1

As expected, we lost. I knew it was coming but I stayed way past midnight to watch it anyways.

1) It's Not All Gloom & Doom

First things first, we didn't play as badly as I'd expect. If we keep this type of tempo up consistently, we can only improve. We pressed well and attacked constantly, showing an intent to win. In fact we had some of the better chances all throughout the match. So what went wrong?

2) Poor Finishing

To say Danny Welbeck had a poor day in the office would be a little harsh, but he had the best chances and couldn't really trouble Petr Cech. Everyone else also looked scared to take the final shot. We should be more gutsy trying to go for goal instead of always looking for the final pass.

3) Poor Defending

Our defending was seriously horrendous. Vidic made three mistakes all game resulting in them scoring twice and getting himself sent off. Tony V sucked offensively and defensively. Evra got injured and then Smalling was no LB.

4) Poor Tactics

Press, win the ball, restart at centre, distribute to wing, cross into box, hope for header or toepoke. Route one active from dear David Moyes. Maybe Januzaj had the license to do things differently but that aside, thats the only tactic we seem to know. Very disappointing, especially when our wingers have a terrible game. Yah both did.

5) Januzaj The Bright Spark

Considering that there will be a summer clearout, this 18yr old is our lone bright spark. Maybe Phil Jones, DDG and Rafael as well, but else there is nothing much else to look forward to this season unless we win the League Cup or UCL, both looking very unlikely.

Nonetheless, GGMU!!!

Value Investing Summit 2014 Review

Was there over the two day event at the Kallang Theatre. Here are some thoughts:

1) Was It Worth It?

I only read about the event on another blogger's post and decided to take the plunge based on his past year's description of the annual event. Paying the early-bird price of $239 for two pax, I did have pretty high expectations of learning things that I could not simply find on the internet or didn't already know. As such the jury is still out on this question. 

Out of the 7 speaker line-up over two days, I felt that probably only 3 were really interesting to listen to. Ken Chee, the event organizer was a definite joy to listen to. He has very good charisma and was funny and engaging. Eric Kong, of Aggregate Investments, was also interesting, although part of his material was somewhat recycled from his colleague Teh Hooi Ling's earlier research that was covered in the papers. The most interesting IMHO, was Roy Chong, who was a last minute replacement but yet gave the most insightful presentation.

The worst presentation was probably by Benjamin Goh from CIMB, not that his presentation material or skills were bad, but to give general outlooks and general broker recommendations was the last thing anybody really wanted in this event, not me at least. These were information that those who read the news everyday would've been able to sum up themselves. For the other presentations, either there wasn't that much I didn't already know or the entire presentations came off as being 'salesy', so I wasn't very impressed.

2) The Good

I enjoyed the case studies. They were probably a contributor to whether going to the event was worthwhile or not. Ken presented them very well, with good and compelling reasons as to why he felt the companies covered were undervalued. I wish there were more of these, but over both days there were only 3 case studies, which was a disappointment, to say the least.

Aside from that the general organization of the event from the presentations on stage to the volunteers shepherding the participants was very well coordinated and orderly. That's something I really appreciated.

3) The Bad

There were many instances where the presentations reeked of hard selling, which was something I didn't really appreciate. Even though alot of the presenters said they weren't selling anything or gave stuff out for free, you knew the underlying gist was to simply whet your appetite and wow you into finding out more about their courses or products. Ken Chee obviously had his MIP (in fairness he didn't pitch it that much in the auditorium), Chris Chan had his insurance reviews, Benjamin Goh had his colleague, the CIMB broker come ask everyone to open an account, Attlee Hue had his REIT Program, John Chan had the Iskandar projects (terrible IMO).

4) The Ugly

What is with the throwing of frisbees with money and giving out $10 angpows to the first 10 who would run on stage to grovel? It was such a disgusting sight to witness the ugliest of Singaporeans flying down the steps of the auditorium culminating into a scrum right below the stage hoping to be lucky enough to be given a $10 red packet! Then the next 100 pax has a surprise here and there yada yada, cue pandemonium and stampede-in-the-making. I mean if the VIS organizers wanted to do this right, either they give freebies that everyone could share (yes, every single participant) like in those on talkshows like Oprah or Ellen. Else don't give anything and let those ugly Singaporeans keep their dignity. From the looks of the crowd, not that many were interested in those limited freebies anyway.

5) Would I Come Back For Value Investing Summit 2015?

At this stage, it's a 'no' for the wifey and a 'maybe' for me. If they can line-up better speakers and content that would not be repeated, plus more case study types, I might actually pay to come back. The investment ideas and knowledge gained was refreshing (even if it weren't as much as I expected) and I guess it may be a small price (the entry ticket) to pay to potentially discover a strategy or stock idea that could change or heftily improve my fortunes.

I will continue to monitor developments via their website for next year's event.

HUAT ah!!!

Time To Short Gold Again?

I think the time is ripe to short gold again. At the current price, it looks like gold will make its next big move soon after this period of consolidation. And that move is downwards.

Huat ah!!!

CYS Investments Inc

My latest big investment towards trying to make better passive income for myself is CYS Investments Inc. It is a US stock dealing in MBS (Mortgage-backed Securities).

Of course in a rising interest rate environment, these mortgage companies which function like REITs are more exposed due to their gearing. However, CYS seems like it is well managed and can whether the gradual rise in US interest rates in time to come.

More importantly, it currently offers a dividend yield of 17%! And this is after it has recently been rerated and adjusted downwards! I have received one quarter's worth of dividends already and it is quite a chunk! After mandatory withholding tax, the yield works out to approximately 13%. Still far better than anything in my Singapore stock passive income portfolio.

Hopefully CYS can survive and pay good dividends for a long long time!

HUAT AH!!!

Manchester United 2 Swansea 0

After 3 consecutive losses, I sure wasn't expecting much. Watching the match at 1.30am was a huge risk of wasted sleep...

1) Januzaj MOTM

First things first, we are so lucky to have him. At 18yrs old, he was the best and most inspirational in the team, so much so that it shows how poor every one else is playing. His passing and vision were superb and should have gotten on the scoresheet too. Just hope others can step up to relieve the pressure currently on his shoulders. Did I mention he's only 18?!

2) Fletcher The Stabilizer

What a relief to have him back. He's almost like a new signing. Plus with him in place of Cleverly, we have more experience, patience and control in the midfield. Sure we don't have creativity with a Carrick-Fletcher midfield, but it was almost our most stable and assuring combo this season, and that says alot. Welcome back, Fletch!

3) Kagawa Blossoms

Only in the 2nd half when Januzaj switched places with Kagawa, who shifted to the no10 role, that he showed some magic. He played arguably his best football all season. If he can keep this up, we might not miss Rooney as much when he fucks off to Chelski next season. Unfortunately he has even utterly inconsistent.

4) The Bad

For all the good play in the 2nd half, the 1st was a total bore where the players were absolutely uninspired. This was a home game and we had only 37% possession and weren't pressing at all?we cannot have sure performances if we want to get into the top four. For all their good attacking skills, neither Evra nor Buttner are doing their jobs proper. Hopefully Coentrao signs in Jan and comes good. Tony V's crossing was terrible as usual, and Welbeck always seems a step slow when the chance to burst or shoot comes.

5) One Home Win Isn't Enough

Next up, Chelsea away. It could all go back to square one if we lose again next week, and that sure looks likely. We need to build on this win somehow otherwise David Moyes will again be under pressure. Hopefully we can see an inspired performance.

Turbulent times indeed!

GGMU!!!

Good Reads For 2014

The Wolf Of Wall Street and Crazy Rich Asians.

Should last me till mid-year, haha!

Whoever said the paperback was dead sure hasn't seen the crazy queues at Kinokuniya lately!

Rainbow Dino

Dunno which is nicer, my drawing, or his colouring :)

Divestment Of Tiger Airways

With its recent announcement that it would sell its Philippines subsidiary to Cebu Air, I decided to take the opportunity to sell off my entire stake as well, when the price bounced back above 50c.

I think the budget air travel industry is going through a very tough period and have already been looking at an opportune moment to exit. My reasons for buying into the stock 6 months ago weren't very clear as well and it was always like a black mark in my current portfolio.

Moving forward, with a better rationalized format of choosing my stock holdings, I doubt I would get into a counter so rashly again.

UFC Fight Night 34: MBS Singapore

First time in SEA, bloody expensive tickets ($288 for Cat B), last Saturday evening.

I'm just glad I was there to witness the real deal. 

Compared to the OneFC events I've been to, UFC really was a whole new level in terms of the fighters' skilsl, technique, fitness and violence (aggression). Enough to actually make up for all the other grouses below. And that's saying something.

What was lacking was better commentary and a better venue. Compared to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the MBS Exhibition Hall was crappily amateurish. Seats were just pre-arranged ballroom chairs at ground level. Also the tv screens were too few and too small. Beer stands were few (only two) with extremely slow service, and charged $12 a cup of Tiger.

Nonetheless it was still a good experience and the bunch of us had tons of fun. Saw a few stars in attendance too, like Stefanie Sun, Jamie Yeo and Otelli Edwards.

Will be looking forward to the next one if it comes back to our shores!

How Soon Would Change Come?

Last night's 1-2 loss to Swansea in the FA Cup looks like the final straw for many fans.

It's been one tough season, really.

In a good sense, this whole crisis will help weed out the fair weathered fans from tha real ones.

GGMU!!!

Gunning For Stock Dividend Passive Income

It is my wish to obtain at least $50,000 per annum in passive dividend income from my stock portfolio within the next 3 years.

This is quite a tall order but if achieved, will allow me to 'retire' early and start on the many things I've always wanted to do later in life. That's because it translates to an approximate monthly take-home 'pay' of ~$4.2K, which is pretty decent on its own.

So how am I supposed to get there?

Well to receive $50,000 in dividends annually, assuming a realistic average combined dividend yield of 5% on my portfolio, I will need to have $1mio in stocks. If we assume a more pessimistic average combined dividend yield of 3%, then I will need to have about $1.65mio. On the optimistic end, a yield of 7% means I will need only about $715K.

What this implies is that:

1) Stock selection is crucial

Getting into a stock that not only pays a high dividend but also has enough growth prospects to sustain this dividend for years to come.

2) Value investing

Investing based on good value with plenty of margin of safety will be very important too.

3) Taking profit/cutting loss at the right time

This is also important because discipline will ensure that money is saved. It is always important to know when to get off a sinking ship.

4) Read, read and read somemore

As much research and annual reports as possible, to know the latest news and updates about potential acquisitions and current holdings.

5) Save as much as possible

This is where the 'ammo' comes in. So it is important that while I still have my day job I have to try and save as much as I possibly can.

Hopefully with these rules I will be able to achieve my target.

Trade safe!

Resolutions 2014

After some careful think-through, here are my famous five resolutions I hope to achieve when I look back come end of 2014.

1) Achieve 100% Increase In AUM
With the whole trading less resolution of last year done and dusted, I think the time is ripe to increase what I have amassed. I think this is possible but it will take alot of trying, scrimping, sound investing and saving, in order to achieve. Won't be easy.

2) Achieve $500/mth Dividend Income Stream
This new ideal means I have to create some passive income for myself and not rely solely on my day job. If this year is successful, then it will prime me up for a far larger jump in 2015, assuming things go as planned. A $500/mth dividend income stream means a full year dividend payout of $6,000. This would roughly translate into an dividend investment portfolio of at least $120,000 being able to deliver a 5% yield on a yearly basis. Another resolution that won't be easy.

3) Improve My Social Circle
This was the only resolution of last year that I failed. Maybe because I'm lazy. Maybe because I'm not one of those 'tryers' who go the distance to maintain friendships. I guess what I will try to set out to do this year is either make new friends or reconnect with old ones. A modest target is to do one of either at least once a month and log them in this blog. Probably the hardest of the resolutions at this stage. Haha.

4) Continue Exercise Regime
There's nothing like staying healthy and being able to do the things I always want to do. Particularly, playing and jumping around with my kids, exercising, playing sports and be physically free as far as the limbs would allow. The target is to maintain a minimum of two exercise sessions on a weekly basis.

5) Appreciate My Wife and Family More
I guess this new addition is something I set for myself, with no tangible targets. The wifey and my whole family have been so instrumental with my current routine (juggling kids, work, social life et al) and it is something I must admit I have taken for granted at times. So 2014 is hopefully the year I can make everyone of them feel abit more apprecaited for helping make my life less turbulent and trouble-free, caring for my kids so unconditionally. We like to speak of our own unconditional love for others and not expecting anything in return. Yet we need to also appreciate those around us that provide that same unconditional love on ourselves to make our lives so much better and more fulfilling.

And there you have it! Hopefully I can achieve all of them this year!

The Jurong Bird Park

Can't remember the last time I visited the Singapore Jurong Bird Park. For some reason we decided to bring the kids there on New Year's day, hoping there's not much of a crowd.

For a start, it soon dawned that birds are not exactly the most interesting creatures to wah and awe at. Then we were a little afraid that it was too old and would be a waste of the long drive there. Finally we were afraid it wasn't family-friendly. 

Well we needn't have worried too much because all those concerns were pretty well allayed. 

The array of exhibits was impressive, from the standard parrots and pigeons, to the exotic ostriches and penguins, and then to the awesome owls, eagles and pelicans. For me and the wifey it still was shock and awe, but for the kids they pretty much lapped up everything with wonder.

The park is also a very old park, opening in 1971, but it has been renovated several times and while it does not look and feel as well maintained as the Singapore zoo, it was still very high in quality (compared to the many parks I've visited overseas). Nonetheless some structures were probably too expensive to entirely remove, and therefore looked like the abandoned structures in the Jurassic Park movies. It is undergoing renovations in various parts too. But things work, so there isn't much to worry about.

The park has come under the wing of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which run the zoo, River Safari and Night Safari, so there is alot of similarity with its amenities. Toilets are ample, footpaths and pram-friendly, and there are sufficient benches and shaded rest areas for the tired child-carrying parent. Prams, wagons and wheelchairs are also available for rent.

My personal highlight was the Waterfall Aviary which I've been to before when I was very young. The 100m tall waterfall is still as impressive and the aviary really looks like a natural jungle with birds able to fly freely.

I only have two pieces of feedback if any one cares to bother. 

The first is that I left the bird park feeling that flying birds should not be caged. No matter how big or high their enclosures are, they were born to fly, and alot of the exhibits, in particular the eagles and vultures, really look enslaved for man's entertainment. Compared to a land roaming creature who could at least run in circles around their enclosure, some of the flying birds can't even take flight at all, where they're caged. The worst were probably the penguins, which were house almost exactly like the ending of the movie, Happy Feet. Overcrowded cold climate simulating enclosures, with mirrors and peeling picturesque wallpaper.

The second was more of a marketing perspective. It is good for these parks to solicit for donations towards conservation of wildlife and I'm pretty confident that a large portion of the visiting public would gladly drop a few dollars to such a cause. This is where the bird park fails quite spectacularly. Maybe they should hire me as its donations coordinator. They need a good salesman to solicit and tug at the piblic's heartstrings. The donation boxes are so discreet (seriously, screw the damn pangolin!) no one notices, and while the enclosure information boards shout of conservation but none asks for even a simple contribution. It could do alot better in this department.

All in all it was a good trip.

Here are some pictures! Enjoy!

Oh, and I even saw a huge yellow crane that was not in captivity! Haha, geddit?!

2014

Towards #21. Let's win some trophies in 2014!

GGMU!!!