24/07/2014

5 Golden Rules of Investing Success


There are many more people watching share prices than investing in stocks. Most realise that investing is the way out of living from pay check to pay check, but do not know where to start.

Stocks and shares seem to be the reserve of the rich; a risky business where the novice loses their shirt. But there must be away to get started without getting burned?

Here are five rules to stock market investing success to get you started.

Rule 1 – Build a stock portfolio of 30 shares.

Take no notice of the people that say put all your eggs in one basket. A portfolio gives you a certainty that bad luck won’t hurt you and that your choices on average will deliver the return your share picking deserves. This portfolio return over the years will outperform anything a bank will offer you on deposit and will compound.

A diversified portfolio will mean you will miss out on good luck, but investing isn’t about good luck. Bad luck and good luck cancel out over time but if you have too much of your money in too few shares then bad luck can knock you out of the game.

Rule 2 – Until you own at least 30 different shares never buy more than £1000’s worth of any share.

Risking too much on any stock investment is a recipe for disaster, even for the sophisticated stock market investor. Keeping your individual share investments small keeps your capital pot safe and lowers the stress that can make investing unpleasant. Once you have 30 stocks you can grow the scale of each investment, but until that day stay small.

Rule 3 – Get online and get the stock picking tools of modern investing.

A free ADVFN account provides investors with free stock market tools that a few years ago would not even be available to the professional fund manager;
  • Real time share prices.
  • Fundamental information.
  • Portfolio tracking.
  • News.
  • Opinion.
  • Many more free services!
These free services let you make highly informed financial decisions on what share to buy and when to sell them. Researching your stock market investments might seem like work. That is because stock market investing is work.

Sadly investing is not a short cut to wealth, you need to treat it like any other way of making money - with focus and determination. Hopefully you will find it a lot of fun and more like a pastime than a chore.

Rule 4 – Always pick stocks using charts.

There will always be new ways to make money using charts and over time they will stop working. This is the way it is with markets.

To be successful you need to be constantly on the lookout for new methods; old ones are always eaten away by the efficient market. To make gold you must slowly destroy your philosopher’s stone and then make another.

Rule 5 – Invest in shares for the long-term.

Buy shares you think you will hold for three or more years. Do not make your broker rich and yourself poor by trying to trade. When the world’s most successful investor, Warren Buffett, claims sloth as his most profitable investing trait you should take note. Slow and steady wins the stock market investing race. Value investing is a great skill to learn.

Put your investing money in a SIPP or ISA and let the profits roll up tax free. While interest from the bank is taxed, using these tools can protect your stock market profits and dividends from tax; one more reason to let the long-term take hold.

Just remember, by the time you can afford a Ferrari from stock investing you will be too old to want one. You think that’s bad? Perhaps you should wonder if you have any other way to get Ferrari rich at all, before you worry how long it will take.

If you can see stock market investing as a part time job from now until retirement you will do very well indeed from it; it is the short-term forex and share traders that get burnt.

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23/07/2014

Singapore Airlines says sorry for social media posts

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Update 5 Aug 2014: Singapore Airlines plane was minutes away when MH17 shot

A SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) plane was just minutes away when Flight MH17 was blown out of the sky in eastern Ukraine, Singapore’s government says

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew told parliament that Flight SQ351, which was headed to Singapore from Copenhagen, was just 90 kilometres from the Malaysian plane — a distance covered within minutes by passenger jets.

All 298 people on-board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 were killed when it was shot down in rebel-held territory on July 17.

“At the time of the downing of MH17, flight SQ351 from Copenhagen was estimated to be approximately 90 kilometres away,” Lui said, responding to questions from MPs.

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 SIA apologises for social media update on MH17

Singapore’s National carrier Singapore Airlines has apologised for a post that it published on its Facebook page which read “Customers may wish to note that Singapore Airlines flights are not using Ukraine airspace.”

Currently the status has received over 1,200 shares and over 9,000 likes.

In a statement to Marketing, an SIA spokesperson said the post was in response to many requests from its customers who had asked for information about flight routes for their upcoming flights with the carrier.
“We are aware of that our Facebook and Twitter update on Friday morning may have come across as insensitive to some [...] We recognise that the information could have been better communicated and we sincerely apologise if it had offended our customers and anyone else in the online community,” said the spokesperson.
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 Singapore Airlines slammed for insensitive social media comments
An A380 aeroplane from Singapore airlines

SINGAPORE Airlines has apologised over “ insensitive and offensive” social media comments it posted following the Malaysian Airlines MH17 disaster.

The airline claimed that its flights do not fly across Ukrainian airspace following the tragedy which killed 298 people. The remarks drew the ire of many Malaysians, with some taking to social media themselves to condemn the airline.

And despite apologising for the comments, the offensive post still remains on Singapore Airline’s Facebook and Twitter pages.


 Singapore Airlines apologises for insensitive Facebook posts after MH17 shot down
Singapore Airlines has apologised for "insensitive' posts on social media. Photo: Craig Abraham

After getting a drubbing on social media for making statements deemed "insensitive" after the downing of flight MH17, Singapore Airlines (SIA) issued a public apology on Saturday and expressed solidarity with families affected by the air tragedy.

Hours after the Malaysia Airlines jetliner was shot down in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, killing 298 people, the airline's Facebook and Twitter updates said its own flights were not using Ukraine airspace.

That triggered a flood of angry responses, with many lambasting the airline for not offering condolences to the victims' families and for mounting what some perceived as a publicity stunt during a crisis involving its neighbouring country's flagship airline.


Use of Ukrainian airspace: SIA replies

Singapore Airlines is deeply saddened by what happened to Flight MH17. Our thoughts are with the passengers and crew, and their families. We share the outrage of the public and the entire aviation industry.

Decisions on the use of airspace are made based on numerous factors, such as weather, safety and security conditions, advisories from international and regional bodies, and any restrictions that may be imposed by the national authorities responsible for the safety of the airspace.

In the case of Ukraine, the particular airspace that MH17 used was cleared by the national authority managing it.


Stop Flying Over Ukraine

As the tragedy of MH17 unfolds, the world is now treated to accusations on both sides of the Ukrainian conflict. Both sides in Ukraine's civil war are accusing each other of shooting down the plane with a missile.

One thing is clear however; airlines are STILL flying over Ukraine. Honestly, when I first heard the plane went down I wondered why the hell was the plane even flying in the area. Everyone knows the Ukraine is in the midst of a civil war so why was a plane carrying civilian passengers in the middle of a hot warzone.

Later I read that the route MH17 was on was a common one and that many airlines fly over the area. This is because the route is the shortest route from Europe to Southeast Asia and everyone uses it to save cost. The Sydney Morning Herald even reported that immediately after MH17's crash, four other airliners followed the exact same route and none of them re-route. These four were from Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Kazakhstan Airlines and Etihad.

related: Another Crash


SIA didn't fully address concerns

SINGAPORE Airlines' reply ("Use of Ukrainian airspace: SIA replies"; yesterday) does not fully address the concerns of Singaporeans and those who fly regularly with our national carrier.

What they really want to know is why SIA did not re-route its flights after the conflict in Ukraine broke out, while some other airlines did so.

SQ351 was very close to MH17 at the moment the latter was shot down ("SIA flight 'over Ukraine about the same time' "; last Saturday). Only after the horrendous incident did SIA re-route its flights


Singapore Airlines apologises for social media remarks it posted after tragedy
Obstructive: Pro-Russian separatists have blocked international monitors at the crash site

 Hours after Flight MH17 was shot down on Thursday SIA posted Facebook and Twitter updates saying its own flights were not using Ukrainian airspace

 In a statement on Saturday, a spokesman from SIA said, "We are aware of that our Facebook and Twitter update on Friday morning may have come across as insensitive to some."

 The statement added that SIA had received many requests from customers seeking information about routes for their upcoming flights, however.
"We recognise that the information could have been better communicated and we sincerely apologise if it had offended our customers and anyone else in the online community."
related: Malaysia Airlines crash updates as anger grew over "disrespectful" treatment of bodies by rebels


Putin must stop supporting Ukraine rebels, says Cameron

Russian president Vladimir Putin must immediately stop supporting pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists and help recover the bodies of those killed in the Malaysia Airlines tragedy or face tougher sanctions, Britain will demand today.

However, the shape of any proposed sanctions is unclear, with Downing Street acknowledging it has only agreement to discuss the changes with Paris and Berlin, in advance of today’s EU meeting of foreign ministers.

The British are proposing the introduction of so-called “Tier 3” sanctions, which would block Russian companies from selling oil or gas, or carrying out financial trading – effectively cutting Russia off from EU markets industry by industry. The argument being made by London is that the EU has been too slow and weak to stand up to Mr Putin since the Ukrainian crisis began, thus increasing his appetite.


UN approves resolution calling for probe
July 20, 2014: Ukrainian Emergency workers carry a stretcher with a victim's body in a bag as pro-Russian fighters stand in guard at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine.AP

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Monday demanding international access to the site of the plane downed over eastern Ukraine and an end to military activities around the area, following intense pressure on a reluctant Russia to support the measure.

The resolution calls for a "full, thorough and independent international investigation" into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 carrying 298 people in Hrabove. It calls for pro-Russia separatists to allow access to the site of the crash. And it demands that armed groups who control the crash site do not disturb debris, belongings or victims' remains.

All 15 council members voted in favor of the Australia-proposed measure in a televised meeting



MH17 plane crash: The intelligence trail examined

The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution demanding access to the crash site of a passenger plane downed over a rebel-held area in Ukraine.

Pro-Russian separatists earlier allowed bodies from the Malaysia Airlines crash to be taken to the city of Kharkiv and handed over to international experts.

Western nations say the rebels struck MH17 with a Russian-supplied missile, killing all 298 people on board.

related:

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 SIA has apologised over “ insensitive and offensive” social media comments

 "We recognise that the information could have been better communicated and we sincerely apologise if it had offended our customers and anyone else in the online community."

 According to Flightradar24, an online flight-tracking service, 66 other carriers flew hundreds of times in the area where MH17 was shot down in the last week.

 Malaysia flew there 48 times and Singapore Airlines 75 times. The flight-tracking service also published an image showing a Singapore Airlines flight from Copenhagen to Singapore was about 25 kilometres from MH17 when the Malaysian jet was brought down.

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 SIA must explain use of 'danger' route

 THE crash of Malaysia Airlines MH17 is a terrible tragedy with international repercussions yet to be fully played out. Our hearts go out to the 298 victims and their families.

 I am disturbed that despite clear evidence that Ukrainian transport planes travelling at altitude had been shot down by rebel forces in this region of Ukraine, some international airlines continued to use this route.

 A radar map widely circulated on the Internet showed SQ351 within 25km of the downed MH17 - just two minutes' flight time from disaster.

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 Netizens Bash SIA Site Over Insensitive Statement

 The Singapore Airlines (SIA) social media site has been bombarded by angry netizens over its insensitive remarks hours after the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 tragedy took place on Thursday night.

 n Friday, the airline in its Facebook and Twitter pages posted “Customers may wish to note that Singapore Airlines flights are not using Ukraine airspace”.

 The post had garnered angry responses from its customers, bashing the airline for being insensitive towards the people involved in the tragedy

 It is believed the airline had published the statement in response to customers query on whether the airline used the same route as MH17.

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22/07/2014

Dealing with your little picky eater

Is your child always hiding from the food you give him?
There are several reasons why a toddler may be a fussy eater. One, a toddler gains weight slower than he did during his first year, thus needing less food. Second, a toddler is always on the go so sitting still might prove difficult. Third, a toddler is beginning to discover his independence — mealtime is one way to express this sense of self-reliance. While this is all part of his growing up, feeding him can become a frustration. Feeding him healthy food can be an even bigger frustration. A bowl of cereal may be satisfying enough for baby, but there are ways to go around his pickiness to ensure he maintains a healthy diet.

Make dining entertaining. Use rice moulds to transform ordinary rice into cute bites! Star-shaped rice, triangles or circles can amuse the little one. Make over sandwiches with cookie cutters then decorate each sandwich with colourful toppings such as heart-shaped cheese or red bell pepper confetti.

Present baby with a nibble buffet. Instead of one full plate of pasta, why not offer her a little of this and that? Using an ice cube tray, fill it with a variety of foods such as cheese squares, banana slices, hard-boiled egg wedges, cereal and other nibbles. Since he can get tired easily of eating the same thing in one meal, offering him a myriad of healthy munchies can encourage him to eat more.

Dunk it and dip it! Babies are messy eaters, but that’s a given. Introducing him to the fun of dipping food can make eating even messier, but it can boost his interest in eating more. Try out healthy dips such as cream cheese, guacamole, yogurt or pureed fruits or vegetables. Serve it with his favourite crackers, toast slices or cereal.

Serve it bottoms up! A drink can be a sneaky way of upping the toddler’s healthy meal quotient. Mix fresh fruits and milk in a blender. Serve the smoothie in his favourite cup to make it more fun for him. Consider experimenting with drink concoctions such as fruit and yogurt or vegetables and fruits.

Slip the veggies into his favourite foods. Since my son was a big on spaghetti, we slipped in diced vegetables into the usual tomato-based sauce. I also cut up vegetables such as spinach or bok choy into really small pieces and mixed them with his buttered rice.  He never suspected a thing.

Have other kids join the meal. Eating becomes more fun for kids when they share a meal with other kids.  When my then two-year-old son shared a meal with his older cousin, we observed he ate more when they were seated together. In this case, he became more curious about what another child was eating and ended up more motivated to eat too.

Be a good example. If you don’t like to eat your greens, there’s no chance your toddler will grow up liking them too. Instead, show him how Mummy and Daddy are genuinely enjoying their chicken and broccoli and he just might imitate you.

Don’t give up! There will be days when he’ll eat like there’s no tomorrow, then hardly touch his plate the next. It may take your toddler several tries to get used to the new taste of foods introduced to him, so hold on tight. It’s a trying time for every parent, but the best thing to do is try again next meal.

Overall, relax. If he’s hooked on his O-shaped cereal for one whole day, let it go. Just continue to offer him healthy meal options and who knows? He just might bite.

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21/07/2014

Char: One of a kind Char Siew!

Char Siew
Sio Bak
Claypot Roast Pork Bean Curd

Char Siew is not easy to define. When you see it, you know it. But if I were to try to describe it in terms of its attributes, it would not be so easy. It's most basic description might be that of sweet strips of pork that is sliced crosswise and served. That is just about the only common feature of the myriad versions of Char Siew available. It can can be made in a charcoal oven or a wok. It can be boiled or roasted. It can be fat or lean. It can be from any part of the pig from belly to butt. It can be sticky sweet or dry. It's colour can range from bright red to dark brown. As such there is no single classic recipe for Char Siew. The only ingredient that is present in all forms of Char Siew is sugar. You don't even need the pig, some people even make Chicken Char Siew. The rest of the ingredients can be a permutation of hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, fermented bean paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, fermented bean curd, salt, rice wine, rose wine, HP sauce, 5 spice powder and the list goes on.

Why the lengthy pre-amble? Well, I just wanted to pre-empt those of you who might argue that the Char Siew served at Char isn't really Char Siew but roasted Kong Bak. (Braised pork) In Singapore, most Char Siew is quick roasted in a Charcoal oven such that the meat retains some springiness and the fat is still bouncy. The Char Siew here is not like that at all. It is made from pork belly which has undergone 4 different cooking processes over 2 days to transform the fat into the texture of bone marrow fat that is sandwiched between layers of tender meat and encased in a charred, treacly sweet sauce.

It's reminiscent of the Char Siew I had at Overseas Restaurant in KL execept that it is even softer. If you don't like fatty Char Siew, then don't waste your time and money going to Char because half of it will be left on the plate. But if you love the unctuous, smokiness of charred fat, then you'd be in Char Siew paradise!

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20/07/2014

The Essential Survival Kit for Dads


You’ve read the books, you’ve scoured the internet, you’ve done all you can to ensure your kids’ well-being for every contingency imaginable, from floods to haze to a zombie invasion. All that is left is to keep the following items on hand to cement your Superdaddy status to your kids.
Ziploc bagsThese bags are the best small-toy transport solution around. Action figures? LEGO bricks? Hot Wheels vehicles? Zip them up and you would never have to fret about losing one tiny piece when you are out. Better yet, it seals in the odour when you got a stained diaper on hand with absolutely no bins in sight—don’t you hate it when that happens?
Batteries, batteries and batteriesHow many times did I have the unpleasant task of telling my kids that I have ran out of batteries to power back up their electronic toys? Enough times for me to rip my hair out. So now I ensure I have a healthy stash of low-cost sustainable power for the dozens of non-essential playthings scattered throughout the house. And yes, I would rather have that back-flipping toy dog go yapping incessantly. It’s a lesser of two evils kind of thing.
Small screwdriversAlmost exclusively for battery replacement and toy repair. And that activity alone ensures that you’ll be reaching for one at least once every week. Oh and while you are at it, it certainly helps to keep a small needle-nosed pliers on hand too. Toys in kids’ hands means breakage and a significant percentage of child-initiated violence on harmless toys puts an excessive amount of strain on limbs, joints, springs and other essential small moving parts. Needle nosed pliers will be able to do what your elephant fingers could never accomplish.
SuperglueEverything about this product is scary. The smell that can kill house pets. The oh-gosh-how-do-I-stop-it-from-over-flowing when all I ever did was to give the tube a gentle squeeze. The eerily smooth feeling when it dries on your fingertips. But this is also one bugger that can help you alleviate and avert potential disasters when your kid breaks anything that can be broken. And you know what the funny part is? They only break the toys they love. So it is in every dad’s best interest to get that toy back into play-ability.
An ‘Instructions’ folderLet me tell you something: the moment my sons finish constructing that huge Ninjago playset, they will most certainly break it when they start to wage wars on one another’s creations. So to keep my sanity intact, I maintain a file folder where all the LEGO instructions and other toys’ instructions go to rest. In the likelihood that my kids demand their playthings be reset to their original form, I whip that folder out and go make myself a great cup of coffee.
$2 Daiso toysThe obvious functionality of a stockpile of random small toys is for spur-of-the-moment gifts. But the true intrinsic value of such toys is their ability to buy you 15 to 30 minutes of peace. 45 minutes if you are really lucky. It will be like that “break glass in case of emergency” item in your bag of tricks. Unexpected traffic jam? Stuck in the plane and facing a meltdown? Stuck in a painfully long queue? Whip that out and you will be able to complete whatever you need to do before the excitement of this new distraction wears off.

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