Now we know...

Bike

To think that I just read yesterday of some guy who ran across the expressway, and caused a motorcyclist to get killed when he got caught under a lorry when he / the lorry tried to swerve...

I was driving home today along the PIE in the jam that occurs pretty much everyday between Toa Payoh and the BKE exit... there was a motorbike around 4 metres in front of me, and suddenly the bike skidded right in front of me and slid a few metres on the road... thank goodness there was a jam and everyone was going slow, otherwise, err....

Really goes to show (i) when its your time, its your time, and/or (ii) you can be the most careful driver on earth, but if you are suay1, no one can help you even if its not your fault at all....

Trade 0001/2009

I have not bought nor sold shares in at least 10 months, but today was the first time I dipped my toes in the water again... I still think the downward bias will continue for quite some time, but bought some Straits Asia Resources at 80.5 cents.. let's see how it goes!

0951 hrs: 82 cents :D

Sabo

CAPITALAND , Southeast Asia’s largest developer and Singapore’s biggest mall operator, will pay part of its managers’ bonuses this year in shopping vouchers.

‘Staff will receive shopping vouchers in March, and the amounts range from $750 to $10,000,’ a CapitaLand spokeswoman said.

‘About $1 million worth of vouchers will be distributed in total.’ CapitaLand earlier this month said it will raise around $1.84 billion via a rights issue after reporting an 88 per cent slump in fourth-quarter net profit due to weaker sales in Australia and China. — REUTERS

Whoever is outed as being the person in HR who proposed paying bonuses in shopping vouchers confirm kenna a hundred thousand curses yesterday :D

Weight loss

2009 has been my most serious attempt at weight loss to date, which, unfortunately, is not too serious. But I have been exercising 3 times a week, and trying to cut down on food intake at dinner.

Also bought a digital weighing scale some 2 weeks ago, so I know about each daily 100 / 200g change in weight. Now I know how I pretty much fail in my attempts to lose weight... I lose weight 4 days a week, and gain weight the other 3 days...

090212

Today was my first overseas trip since I got back to Singapore... was only to KL, but was really looking forward to being able to get out of the office...

Was supposed to meet someone at KLCC, but he was urgently called away somewhere else, so we had to meet at the National Heart Institute instead! :D Imagine signing documents hunched over a little desk in a hospital...

And, aviation deregulation sucks! I didn't know that my air ticket now is valid only on SQ, but not Malaysian Airlines nor Silkair, which mean that although I showed up at the airport at 3:45pm, I could not get on the 5:30 MAS nor 6:00 Silkair flights!!! Angry...

Just realised in the cab on the way back home that the cab company now programs the GPS system to inform the cabbie that he's speeding... talk abt nanny states and Big Brother....

Noooo....

I'd be the first to agree that the script for Grey's Anatomy sucks, but Dr. Izzie Stevens is so eye candy, especially now that the stupid Denny ghost thing is over... I'm definitely not watching it after she's gone!

youth

I've forgotten what it feels like to be that age... so love... haha

DBS

I guess it's easier for me to feel this way since I'm not a victim of the debacle (neither am I a DBS shareholder), but the below forum letter hits the nail right on the head. Let's see how our friends respond / try to squirm out of this one:

DBS financial products: Why must shareholders absorb the loss?

IT WAS reported that DBS has completed its review of complaints related to structured financial products. The amount is estimated to be $80 million.

The report said the bank will absorb the loss. In fact, it is the shareholders who ultimately absorb the loss. Throughout this saga, I, as a shareholder, have seen no specific communication from management to assure me that my interests will be well taken care of.

There is either mis-selling in each case, or there is not. If there is, the bank should indeed compensate investors. However, as a shareholder I must insist that there is assurance that those responsible are also held accountable - this could include (but may not be limited to) the relationship managers in question, the head of wealth management or equivalent (there must be leadership and accountability, not to mention that the bonus would surely have reflected 'successful sales' over the past few years), and, to some extent, the risk or compliance manager who approved the policies and procedures that were supposed to prevent misselling.

Surely the shareholder cannot be left to suffer this loss alone, without those responsible being taken to task.

We have heard little so far from DBS management. Perhaps it is time we heard explanations.

Kevin Kwek

WTF

I went to the UOB ATM to try to withdraw $500, but it said that the max was $400, so I withdrew $400. Next thing I know, I get 40 $10-notes!

At least tell us there are no more $50 notes lah!

Temperate country education

2 very important things I learnt whilst living in Europe:

a. there is special anti-freeze windscreen wiper fluid

b. look up at the roof to check for falling snow before you step in or out of the door

To Do List

1. Greasy fried bee hoon
2. Fish bee hoon
3. Dim Sum
4. Chicken rice at Wee Name Kee
5. Bak Kut Teh - Keppel or Balestier
6. Nasi Padang
7. Fried oyster cake
8. Chai Tau Kway
9. Roti Prata - 1 egg and 1 kosong
10. Indian rojak
11. Popiah - Balestier
12. Congee
13. Otah
14. Satay
15. Chinese mutton soup
16. Nasi lemak
17. KFC
18. Yong Tau Hoo

Argh!

T minus 4 weeks

Tomorrow, Saturday, marks the 4 weeks I have left before I go home. Perhaps the reality hasn't fully sunk in yet, but I'm actually quite looking forward to being back in Singapore. I have been continuing with my work for the Asia business unit during my time here in Europe, so I know what's going on. And it helps that I start with a promotion :D

But in many ways, Europe has been the land of milk and honey... the money was fantastic, I get an apartment and a nice car, and I don't really have to worry about taxes next year since those for my time in Europe have been covered by the company. Before this year, the only places in Europe I've ever set foot were London and Paris, and yet in my 8 months here, I've been seeing various parts of Europe pretty much 80% of the weekends. Too bad there's the Schengen agreement, otherwise my passport would likely have been 90% full by now... heh....

It's funny that Oslo felt somewhat like home after some time, but Geneva never really gave that feeling. Funny, because I had a stream of visitors in Geneva, or maybe that's actually the reason - that I was surviving on my own in Oslo and therefore had to root myself... In Oslo, I knew what my favourite part of the city was (Frognersteren), but I can't quite say the same for Geneva.

Apart from these 2 home bases, the 2 cities I thought were the nicest to visit were Berlin and Barcelona.

I'm thankful for the friends and family who visited, and will be visiting. It was a really nice feeling when my brother and I travelled together, and stayed with me in Oslo. I remember the Jap curry rice and spaghetti I cooked those evenings, which he gave the thumbs up to. K was the first friend to visit, back in the end of Sept, followed by YB in November. After living alone for months, it was nice to have laughter in the middle of the night, having someone to warm my feet again my pressing against her, etc :D

Come 15 Dec, there will be 7 people staying in my apt at the same time! And 6 girls at that! Imagine how we'll have to fight for the use of 1 bathroom... heh...

I let a young Singaporean whom I got to know here stay over at my place this past week so that she does not have to pay for a whole month's rental at her place, given that she's going to be travelling for the next 3 weeks. It scares to think that living alone has made me grouchy in the sense that I want things done my way and am un-accomodative, etc.

I go back to staying with my parents in January... quite a few people have asked if this is possible, but to me, there was no realistic alternative... it's nice having other people around, even if I don't talk to my parents that much... plus someone to do the laundry, and saving at the very least $2000+ in rent a month...

I've kinda decided to buy a car... am eyeing the 1.8l civic so as not to be extravagant, since I hope to buy another apartment sometime after end 2009, and hope to get another expat contract at some point in the not too distant future... it was a little disappointing to see the list price shift from $72k in the last round to $75 this week... but I guess generally speaking the price can only move down, given that we haven't seen 20% of the bad times yet...

Guess that's it for now... have decided to go to Milan tomorrow, notwithstanding the fractured foot.... let's see how far I get!

0.816%

My housing loan just got repriced yesterday for the next 3 months at a "princely" rate of 1.516% :D

That's 0.816% (which is SIBOR) + 0.7% -- if that ain't low, I don't know what is... living overseas in the past 8 or so months makes one realise some of the things we otherwise do not know we should be grateful for... my colleagues owning apartments in Norway usually pay 8 or 9%!!

Quick sayang me!

It's official - I saw the doctor today, and he confirmed I have a fracture in my foot.

The 100m I walked from my apartment to the car park, and the 80m from the clinic to my office, were the slowest since I was 3 years old probably...

But what's amazing is how nice these atas clinics are! The doctor comes out to the waiting room to bring you in, and even though I'm not registered in the clinic's database / state social security system, they said they will send me an invoice by post! Don't want to see what the bill is tho!

Think before you say yes

A colleague parked his scooter illegally / improperly in the airport over the weekend when he went to Paris, and had it impounded. I was not too busy today, so I said yes without thinking twice when he asked me to accompany him to the yard to collect the scooter, and I'd drive the car back whilst he rode the scooter.

It was only 3 min from the yard that I realised, once again, that the car in question was a manual and I have not driven one in the past 11 years, except (i) for 5 minutes when HJ was supposed to go to ROM and needed a driver, but gave up and drove himself and his bride, when he saw how rusty I was, and (ii) for 15 seconds this year in Oslo when I got my company car, which I nearly rammed into the wall when I did not step on the clutch (and the rental agent left in first gear) when I turned the ignition switch.

Said colleague was not amused, and declared that he was not going back to the office to get another colleague to help out, and I could either ride the scooter or drive the manual car. Smart me thought that the scooter would be easier, but I promptly lasted for all of 25m before I fell.

So it was the car. I'm surprised I did not maim anyone, though I might have accelerated the demise of the car in question. Stalled it 3 times during the 20 minute drive, which is actually quite amazing. But twice, it was cos I did not realise I'd slotted it into 3rd gear and not first, and created some burning smells in the cabin :S Not to mention the embarassing rev-ving noises during the first 3 minutes when I re-learned 11 years of un-learned half-clutch-ing.

On hindsight, it was a little reckless. At 1 or 2 points, I'm sure I was too pre-occupied with handling the manual beast to fully check the side mirror when I switched lanes, etc.

In fact, the victim today was me. Still have a foot which hurts quite a bit when I walk and try to flex it.

Moral of the story: Think before you give answers.