Open Letter

I just want to say thank you for the times you have been with me. I never expected someone so special to appear in my life all of a sudden , but the swiftness came at a price. It's unconscionable to blame anyone here. I gave you my heart and I gave you my word. I gave you love to the extent I'm not sure is possible. I appreciate everything you did and shared together with me.

I'm sorry things didn't work out. Everything I've said to you is true and I meant it with all my heart. I thought the fundamentals of the relationship were there, but I was mistaken, it was the exact thing that kept us from going. You are one of the most wonderful people I've known and I will never forget your presence.

~deyao~

Why Do You Need To Invest?

Previously, I looked at why people were afraid to invest, fear and greed, simple. But I think if you told people that they shouldn't be afraid, its NOT going to be any help. The better question, DO YOU NEED TO INVEST? And obviously, yes. And another yes, no matter what level of wealth you are at. Warren Buffet still invests his money today, worse still, he's still working. Does he need add more to his $50bil estimated wealth? Probably not, but he still does it.

Money matters, we all agree. But it's the perception of it which makes things go wrong. I am afraid people do not see wealth as something increasing but worse still they look at it as something depleting. Do you have control over money? If you have an overnight windfall of $1mil, what will you do? If there's too much hesitation, you're not in control. If you are thinking how to make the $1mil last you for a certain number of years, financially, it's not really a good sign. Put aside the charity and human side of things for awhile. From a financial perspective, if you are imagining and thinking how to grow it to another million, you're on right on track.

There's many ways you can deal with 1mil, keep it in the bank at 2.5% interest, buy a house, put it in equities, give it to someone, buy many years worth of lottery or anything that you know of. This post won't tell you how to use the imaginary 1mil, but the lines above are just to trigger some thinking of whether you are in control.
Before I continue, this post is by no means showing you how I much I know or how much in control I am but just to create some awareness.

Why do you need to invest? Title says....
Just a brief summary
1)Options
2)Uncertainties

Options
Money gives you options, no doubt, we all know that. Although some people may be well-off, but some are not that fortunate, thats why investing may be even more important for some people. Where do we get money from? Our jobs, salary. Anywhere else? If there's no where else, things aren't going to be easy. Not many people can reach top management but almost everyone needs almost the same amount of money. True? That's why, job security today is paramount for many people. But if they lose their jobs in situations of a recession like now, what are they going to live on. Savings would be a blessing, but for those who depend heavily on their monthly salaries, this is trouble. This is serious, not everyone can keep their job all the time. That's why we need to start supplementing our salary with incomes from a different area such as investing.

Difference between investing generally and investing in a business.
Investing generally means money is working for us and investing in business also means money is working for us but indirectly, actually SYSTEM is working for us. Many people do not opt for a business normally because of lack of capital, talents, risk and giving up their jobs. Both investments' return can vary and no method is technically better.
Investing generally is more accessible and easier to learn. Normally, we look at equities (stock market), commodities, mutual funds, real estate, bonds and foreign exchange. There are many more...

Currently, interest rates and inflation are at the lowest in over a decade. Many would be smiling at the lower interest on their mortgages and loans and the lower costs of living. It's not actually a good sign, because these low numbers can go up really fast, I mean really fast. If crude oil prices can rise from $50 to $70 in a month, you have to anticipate interest rates and inflation will follow very very soon. Take advantage of the lower borrowing costs right now because rates will only have an uptrend after this.The economy may still be contracting but its no longer at free-fall. When commodity prices surge in the near future, inflation picks up, interest rates follows and there is goodbye to low cost financing.
So we should be responsible as people who make things happen (invest!), NOT "see it happen" or worst still, saying "What happened?" (quoted from Rich Dad).
What are you suppose to do? Grow your wealth as much as you can right now, unless you are in a very good position and is very comfortable with paying high interest rates on cars, real estate or any other loans in the future.

Uncertainties
Another issue for Malaysians and Singaporeans, after 2011 , our money placed in banks are no longer guaranteed. What??? My money can disappear?? Yes in the event of liquidation, the central bank only guarantees RM60,000. That is worrying for sure. Even banks , our biggest safety haven is no longer safe. Where to put my money then? Now it's your turn to think, I would suggest you put your money in investments that you really understand and feel confident in. Learn to do your homework and from there you could grow your wealth and this will give you more options in life. Be patient of course.
You still might consider hiding it under your bed or in a safe, but it's not a such a good idea.

It could awhile until the next topic comes in mind, How to Invest is something I probably am not capable of writing yet. But at least, the important thing is people to do things for a reason, and I just gave you a few reasons to INVEST. I hope the things I wrote made sense, tell me if I haven't. Thanks for reading.
Reward for reading...
There is no doubt energy demand will rise very quickly in the near future especially when things start to pick up. Look at the energy sector, my biggest tip.

~deyao~

Dispensable but Replaceable?

Regardless whether Ronaldo had lifted the Champions League trophy last month, he is one of the best players around but amazingly his common sense still doesn't communicate with me. I'm only writing this because of the official statement from Utd, again the papers have overstated the meaning of RECEIVED as ACCEPTED. No deal yet but it could be likely. Almost a year ago I predicted Utd will not regain the League without Ronaldo. My predictions on other matters were not as good but I think this one is fair.

Beginning of the season, Utd really slumped without him , having one of the worst starts ever. A so called mediocre season by Ronaldo still saw him become the highest scoring midfielder ahead of the seemingly better Gerrard and Lampard. He scored 18 goals in the league and trailed leader Anelka by one. Goals were a lot short compared to the previous seasons but his influence has an "invisible hand" (Stolen from economics..lol). He is a bit silent on the goal front but when he plays, there's such exuberance with Man Utd, something Arsenal has lacked. The sort of catalyst and game-changing capability that every team is envious about. The question for Ronaldo first, is he making the right move?

YES, HE IS
Well, he has achieved every trophy and award possible at his level and it is fair for him to look for better challenges ahead. He has given so much to the team and he has the say what he wants. Not a very strong argument but he does have a point.

NO, USE YOUR HEAD.
Not many people really agree with the mentality of Ronaldo and what he says. I personally don't have a problem with his arrogance. At 23, still too risky for a move to Real Madrid. A move that has shown evidence players never really achieve their potential or didnt grow as much as they could have. Beckham,McManaman, Woodgate, Owen, Reyes, Anelka, Gravesen, Van Nistelrooy, Robben, Diarra, Dudek, Heinze are the ones that made their way to the Bernabeau. How many really did well? I don't think any of them did exceptionally well. First argument against this, none of them were really so called "best"players. There's some truth but Ronaldo is the best player in the world. The chances of screwing up his career is high apart from the possibility of spending the best years of his career wasted. Plus, Real Madrid has Kaka and can they actually play together. Mouth-watering prospect for an under-achieving team, but for me it is just blind optimism. For Real's sake , I hope it works.

REPLACEABLE?

According to THE SUN, they identified a few players who could replace Ronaldo. Let me take a look.
1. Luis Fabiano
I seen him play before , pretty decent, too far from Ronaldo.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 3/10

2.Antonio Valencia
He has played for Wigan for awhile now and no one is really interested in him. Why will United be?
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 2.5/10

3. Karim Benzema
Now you're talking, excellent playmaker for Lyon but not for France. Superb skills and capability. Has the muscle for the Premier League. Scores goals.Thumbs up.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 8/10

4. Franck Ribery
Good candidate as well. Aggressive style, scores goals and creates too. Not bad.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 7/10

5. Samuel Eto'o
Radically different player, too attacking compared to Ronaldo's creativeness. 28 years of age. Not quite the replacement.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 5/10

6.Carlos Tevez
On the list because not signed permanently. He has played for Utd and we have seen him play. Should sign for Utd but he is not a replacement for sure!
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : N/A

My considerations
Kaka should be on this list but thanks to Real again.

1. Lionel Messi
Some call him the best player in the world, he could be this year. Barca wont sell him for 80mil pounds, but maybe 100? He is top draw , all I can say.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 10/10


2.Diego
Haven't seen to much of him but a playmaker is the concern for Man Utd and he is one which is quite sought after. A third of Ronaldo's price could do it. His speed is a problem here.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 6.5/10

3. Xavi
Man Utd surely knows a lot about him. Great player but different attributes. Don't think Barca will sell again.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 6.5/10

4. Sergio Aguero
Very talented youngster. I haven't watched him play in awhile, but he could be a good buy. Small in size but big in talent.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 7/10

5. David Villa
Proven capabilities. Has a very big eye for goal. Love to see him in the EPL. Sadly, almost the same argument for Eto'o. Too much of a striker.
Ronaldo "replacementness" rating : 6/10

Whatever the outcomes, someone will celebrate, whether its Ronaldo with the biggest wage cheque in his entire life, the Premier League's other 19 teams or even United (if he stays or they like the money).
Let's hope this fellar does not let success takeover him. Happy decision-making and discussions Ronaldo! Return the glory days to Madrid...haha. (Sorry for being bitter because of the champions league semis)

~deyao~

The Composed Investor

I thought about writing this quite some time ago but it just didn't happen. I've encouraged almost everyone that has been close to me to INVEST. I'm sure I've instilled some knowledge to some people but somehow people feel that investing is risky and never take the first step.

This so called "theory" I thought of many months ago has actually been affirmed by this speaker who came to Taylors. Mr. Ooi Kok Hwa who writes an article about investing every Wednesday on The Star came to give a talk. And the very next day, he wrote a column titled "Control your greed and fear".Click image scan to enlarge above. I was very surprised, greed and fear were the exact words I always thought about.

In this post I will share with you some experience I went through and explain MY theory why people do not invest. My experience is very limited but its growing and I feel it would very appropriate to help out others in this are of great importance in life. I always tell people, INVEST!! But I realised there's always a barrier that prevents people from investing,I do not blame anyone because I've found out why!!

The title Composed Investor was created by me in the shower. I kept thinking what title to put up. But after recalling Benjamin Graham's "Intelligent Investor", I've come up with this. In this post I will share with you the Human side to investing, not telling you what shares or equity to put your money into. 1st theory, COMPOSURE WINS. We all know that but sometimes we lack the composure when we deal with tough situations.
In everything we do today, if we are composed or a simpler word, calm, we usually win. It's very true when we relax we usually do well. But to achieve the level of composure we require, we first need to fulfill the CONFIDENCE level.

GREED AND FEAR
A big reason why people do not invest is definitely not because they don't have the money. It's the greed and fear that takeovers the mind and not allowing it to think the way it should. I call this STEP 1. If you don't pass it, you most likely wont' succeed or invest. People do not pass this step because
1) THEY FEAR THEY WILL LOSE THEIR MONEY

2) THEY ARE WORRIED THEY CAN'T FIND THE BEST INVESTMENT (GREED)

I just gave you the main point about my so-called theory. When I first started investing, these 2 elements clouded my mind, making me so fearful on what instruments or field I will be investing in. I HAVE experienced this. A hypothetical situation for new investors, when we buy a share at $5, the biggest fear and disappointment would be the share falling below $5. We will take this as we have "lost" or would be thinking "I shouldn't have bought it at $5".
That is the biggest problem. We thought we have lost our money but we didn't know the biggest lesson awaits us. LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES. Like Rich Dad said, we learn by playing. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF LOSING MONEY because it is the ULTIMATE way of succeeding in investing. Make the errors early and fix it immediately. Then you will be able to invest with the composure required.

The 2nd element, we always hope to buy things at the lowest price and sell it at the highest. This is the theoratically the best way of making the most money but in real life we must take it as we can NEVER buy at the lowest and sell at the highest. This is GREED. I have experienced it too FYI. I couldn't sleep for so many days last time when it became true I was buying at a rather high price. I was thinking to myself "Damn it, why didn't I wait a little longer". In truth, we will encounter these situations and blaming ourselves for not maximising return. But as I said it will NOT HAPPEN. Never blame yourself for bad judgment as long as you think you have done what was right. Market forces determine the outcomes of the market not YOU and thats why you have to very careful about what the market thinks.

SOLUTIONS
I always believe in solutions and you are pretty lucky to be reading one FOC. How to overcome fear? Do your homework. Quoting Rich Dad again, "You get rich at home not at work". I totally agree. I would love to explain to income diagram he described but I don't think I will. How to do your homework? Read, read, read and read. It doesn't matter where you get the business section from, just read it!! That's your homework. Read and understand what affect the financial markets. Analyse what is written and make your judgment.

The greatest solution. DO IT. DO IT. DO IT. There's no better way of learning to ride a bike than actually doing it. Afraid of losing money? I tell you what. Set aside maybe $1000 and invest. What's the most you can lose? $1000. What you will learn, invaluable. When we do it more often, we gain confidence and we will gain more composure about things. We will be less affected by what the "Broker's Call" column says, Top Stock Picks column or what your friend tells you to buy. You make your own decisions because YOU CAN AND KNOW HOW TO. When you cross STEP 1, the path to choices and options in life will broaden. Start investing now!! Post queries if you have any.

Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy and Greedy When Others Are Fearful - Warren Buffett

~deyao~

My Baby

Since I haven't introduced my baby, here she is..CHUA CHU SHYEN




She is with the baby maltese in Eu Ween's house.


With teddy and pig.
I love you baby.

~deyao~

Video Recommendation by Sylvia

It has been real busy for me in many ways for the past few weeks. But it has been mostly good. I've never written about what happened during the day or anything like that before and I think I will keep it that way. This video was recommended by Sylvia yesterday and I thought it was pretty awesome. I have always loved and admired musicians all the time and this video continued to prove to me that I was partly wrong not to continue with the piano a Very Long Time Ago. The piano is the ultimate instrument that touches the heart, hands down.

The video was done by a Jon Schmidt and his friend Steven Harp Nelson. They combined two of biggest hits in the past year, Taylor Swift's Love Story and Coldplay's award winning Viva La Vida. It took me awhile to really appreciate Viva La Vida until I saw Boyce Avenue do a cover which is very impressive.

The composition and creativity on of this performance is quite unbelievable. I shall leave it here with 3 videos.
1. THE VIDEO
2. Viva La Vida by Boyce Avenue <-- Check this out
3. Taylor Swift's Crazier for the Hannah Montana Movie.









Thanks again to Sylvia for sharing.
enjoy
~deyao~

Right On Track

Arsenal's win over Villareal this morning may not be very intriguing, but it was very convincing. Theo had a wonderful finish which turned out to be the match winner. Arsenal fans got to see Legend Robert Pires play. His contributions are not forgotten at all and Wenger's comment on him being the best player in his position at his prime is totally true.The return of Cesc and Ade as I mentioned before would be huge catalyst and indeed it was as expected. The most exciting prospect for Arsenal fans would be finally seeing a squad which has more room to stretch than before. Any team would be fearful of the Arsenal bench - Diaby, Eduardo, Vela, Bendtner, Ramsey and Denilson were all on the bench this morning. This is one hell of bench. Oh yea, we got red-hot Andrey Arshavin at our disposal too .

The team standing in our way next is Man Utd. It's a little history for me, not sure they have met in European Cup before, but I certainly haven't seen both teams clash in this competition. But more imminently, we got Chelsea this weekend. Chelsea has got an extra day off compared to Arsenal, but Arsenal were less worked out and this is when the bench comes in again.
Meetings with Man Utd
EPL - Away
UCL - Home and Away
FA CUP - Wembley final(probable)

Meetings with Chelsea
FA CUP - Wembley
EPL - Home
UCL - Rome final (probable)

We would be meeting them two more times than expected. And they will play the biggest role in preventing us from achieving anything this season, vice-versa. I've heard Alan Parry use the immaculate so many times this morning. On other days he prefers astonishing. Both Chelsea and Man Utd would start as favourites based on their league positions and past achievements but Arsenal might be giving them a real shocker.Not forgetting Arsenal's record against them this season has been immaculate...haha, totally tempted.

It's the 2nd time we reached the semi-final which is comparatively inferior to Man Utd and Chelsea. But the fact that we are in very good shape and form would definitely give us an edge ahead of the matches. The 2 John Carew goals for Valencia, a Steven Gerrard penalty, an Alex header, a Wayne Bridge sidefoot goal and Belleti's final match winner still drives so much frustration every time the Champions League is concerned. Can we finally do it....yes please.

~deyao~

Taylor and Fearless Win Big !

Read the good news in the papers. Congratulations to Taylor Swift for her 3 awards won at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (AS ARTIST AND PRODUCER) and

CRYSTAL MILESTONE AWARD

The Crystal Milestone Award is awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Country Music. Only Garth Brooks,Tim McGraw and Faith Hill has won this award. Btw, she is also the youngest ever recipient of the Album of The Year at 19 years old.
Not surprising as Fearless has gone Triple Platinum (3 million copies) and is the best selling album in 2008!Videos from the event







More details will be added later like pictures.

~deyao~