SOS Overachievers

A HK drama series about a rich family with 4 kids.  The eldest (S1), most capable in business, is adopted (he did not know he is being adopted).

The second son (S2), from the first wife (W1), who have already passed away.  He is not capable in business and look down by his own father (F1).

The third son (S3 or G1), who is moderate, but its a gay, from the second wife (W2) (who is still alive)

The last, a daughter (D1), also from the second wife.

The FATHER (F1) remarried a young personal assistant (W3) from his own company, gave birth to son.

F1 treated badly and expect a lot from S1.  S1 started his own business and was about to expand in a big way with a new partner but he was trick by one of his close partner and F1, because, F1 bribed his close partner (also best friend P1), to trick S1.  In the end, S1 was made bankrupt by the F1, meanwhile, S1, also lost HALF of its accumulated assets to his wife who is asking for a divorce.

While, father of the new wife (W3), made the 3 brothers brotherhood become stronger, worrying W3 will play out W2 and the S2, and S3.

After one year of regretful life being BETRAYED by his best friend and out smarted by F1, he decided to joined back his F1 to expand its business, not knowing, he is not the real son of F1.  S1 did very well in his father business and become recognise and more popular than the farther, meanwhile S3 is taking drugs due to his gay friend split with him.

W2 also worry about that his son S2 losing out to S1, backstabbing S1 in front of the father and reminded him that S2 is his real son, not S1.  Even then, the father also become a bit of JEALOUS of S1 because of his popularity AND S1's side business in apps.  Hence, the father again, outfoxed S1 again and made bankrupt.

PRINCIPLES

The show is pretty complex about human life.  It really exposed many human attachments:

1. Sentimentality
2. Lust
3. Jealousy
4. Envy
5. Fighting for pride and fame
6. Bully
7. Looking down on others
8. Competition
9. Cannot let go of money
10. Letting go freedom for comfort

(to be continued)

SOS Searching for the Alchemist?

In the middle of the book called The Alchemist.  Pretty interesting subject brought up in the story.  The story line is not only interesting and it is kind of a little bit of inspiring.

It talks about personal calling or Personal Legend, a journey where you find yourself (if I got it right).

One that I can remember clearly is the word used, "Maktub" means it is written, I believe, it is more appropriate to interpret it as "predestined".

The shepherd, who's dream is to travel around the world and see the world and met a King who disguise as an old man who tells him how to find the treasure he is looking for in Egypt.  And all he has to do is to follow the omen.

All his money he got from selling all his sheeps was cheated the moment he crossed the straits from Southern Spain to North Africa.  He felt embarrassed and ashamed for himself for a while until he braved himself that it is an omen, instead of behaving like a victim, he should take it as part of his journey to realise his dream, to find the treasure in Egypt, at the Pyramid.

There are many life issues discussed in the story which is fascinating.  I believe some may understand it differently from another because of it reflect a person's own experience.  On surface, it sounds simple, however, I believe, there are many great life principles to be learned.  Of course, it also touched on the most unanswered question in the world, i.e. what is the purpose of life, naw, I made that up?

Do read it, I am at page 73 now.   It may "inspire" you on your journey of life.

SOS Rich

A statement made by someone:

"If you were in my shoes, every month has passive income coming in and it will continue after I pass away.  Why do I have to worry about making more money by investing."

The issue here is, if your passive income is more than your expenses, even more than you can spent for next life, would you be worry about making money by investing.

No, if you have no one to inherit to.  (so sad)

Yes, if you wish to inherit it to your children or family members.

However, I agree with the statement that "you do not need to worry about making money by investing."  But, as a financial planner, we believe it is a rational move to allocate your assets into different assets, disregard how rich you are.

You ask any billionaire to retire, they will ask you to …… To them, the motivation as an entrepreneur is no longer about money, could be leaving a legacy behind or even helping others.

So, does, that mean this billionaire do not need to ALLOCATE his assets, like put a portion for investments. Yes, he need not worry about it, because, he cannot finish using the money he made.  Neither should he be worry of letting his money to work harder for him, i.e. getting a better return on money.  I am of the opinion that it is RATIONAL and RESPONSIBLE to let your money work harder for you, of course, not to the certain extent that you are worry for it.

Investment, to me, is merely an avenue to let you excess savings to work harder for you.

Investment in good value EQUITY if done rationally, systematically and prudently, will provide you a higher yield than merely FD.

It would be a bit overly optimistics that you will get your passive income forever, when you group gets old, some may not want to continue the biz, their next of kin may not want to continue it, so the group will become smaller and smaller.  Or during a crisis or world depression, people may run out of work, and sale of the product may not be good for a period of time.  Hence, isn't it RATIONAL to invest, part of your hard earn money, so that, the money can work harder for you.  Of course, not to the certain extend you have to worry for it.

The principle here, I believe, is No everyday is SUNDAY.  The world do not move in a linear way, it happen in a mysterious way.

SOS Frustration

Frustration comes from:

1. own desires
2. did not turn out as one expected
3. others doing (kids, spouse, relatives, colleagues).
4. require to do something that the person do not like
5. things did not go well

Causes of frustration can comes from many angle.  Family life, work life, daily social life, even during games.

How do people find peace when facing with so many types of frustrations in their daily life?

So we must let go of attachments and also practice truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.  There are many attachments we need to let go:

1. jealousy
2. envy
3. competitiveness
4. selfish
5. lust
6. to food & beverage
7. temptations

And there is a long list of it.

LET IT GO, LET IT GO.

SOS Greed

World share market lately loss a few trillion dollars, due to the recent corrections of stock markets all over the world.  The world market is about say USD65 trillion, a 5% drop will cause someone USD3 trillion, whether realised or not.

This is the result of Greed.  You may ask, how may greed arise?  Well, there there a lots of hedge funds out there who speculate in the markets with borrowed money.  When sentiment change, there will be the first to dump and run.

Greed is a social ill.  Why are most people, young or old, is greedy?  Is this human nature born with?  When I said most, of course, I was referring to 99.9% of the people I know, not the 7 billion people.

There is no good consequences of being Greedy, period.  Some are just more serious than the other.  Anyway, one must learn to let it go.


The lesson here is DON'T be greedy in all aspect of life.

SOS Temptations

Life is full of temptations.

Normally temptations will overcome RATIONAL thinking, or shall I say, emotional thinking takes over.  Emotional thinking, or lack of rational thinking will cause the person make MISTAKES.

Principle - don't give into temptation if it is within your control.  As the word temptations, it is due to weakness to control RATIONAL THINKING.

For example, your spouse is nagging about something, so, if an opportunity arise to stop that temptation to stop the nagging, one may give in to their own principle to please their spouse.  Hence, they will find a solution, although it may be against its own principle, they will still do it and regret later.  It could be an expensive lesson.

Similarly for kids, due to temptations of playing electronic gadgets such as iPhone, iPad, computer games, they give in into this temptations, playing electronic gadgets instead of doing REVISION, which is their responsibilities.

Although most parents may agree that you should not force your kids to do something they do not like, the kids tend to suck in by temptations, because at their age, they are not aware of their responsibilities. Unfortunately, for kids, even after we discipline them about not give in into a temptations, they seems to forget and make the same mistakes all over again.  The never seems to learn.

Exactly like ADULTS, about investment.  The element of greed or the element of temptations to make fast money always make the same MISTAKES.  So, for adult, they don't seems to be responsible themselves and then expect their kids to be responsible.

Anyway, this is a work TEMPTATIONS can be view from another angle.  Basically it is a TEST for us to hold a GOOD PRINCIPLE like being honest.  Human tend to lie to protect themselves.  And unfortunately, if a person is honest, others will call them "naive", "stupid", "slow".  In the end, it is expected or natural or it is alright to be dishonest to protect their self interest.  Hence, the standards of todays moral is very much different from the ancient times.

CONCLUSION

Don't give in to TEMPTATIONS.  Like eat a lot, while over weight.  In the end, you will have to PAY for giving in to TEMPTATIONS, and you really have to pay more.  Anyway, it is not a coincidence, it is a predestined, it is just a test whether one is enlighten to this principles.  Today, i learn the hard lesson of temptation and can be avoided should I use my RATIONAL THINKING.

So, remember, in whatever we do, we hold the consequences.

SOS Khazanah 12 points plan to turnaround MAS

Tony Fernandes asked, "My point is that if you are running a private company, could you afford to cut 16% of your costs and still lose RM1 billion?" (18 Feb 2014).

"It's only because it is taxpayers' money that one can afford to do that.  And this isn't solving the issue"

Khazanah 12 points plan to turnaround MAS came up in early September 2014.

My 2 sen thoughts:

Nothing have changed and nothing will change based on track record.  If we can read between the line, Tony said it's because it is taxpayers' money. Period. (Accountability not required)

Khazanah, is alway been and always will be, using taxpayers' money.  Head I win, tail you lose.  Taxpayers' is always bearing the brunt for the government.  This is not the first time, neither this will be the last.  In respect of the 12 points have given us hope, yes, it gave us what exactly we need, 12 hopes.

Of course, someone said, do you have a better idea? I said yes, merged it with AirAsia or let the single largest be held by private owner, instead of substantially held by taxpayers' money.  That is REAL CHANGE, not same old wine in different bottles, it was the wine, not the bottle that it didn't taste right.


(Will look back many years from now to see my judgement is correct, I mean my basis of coming to that judgement, track record and ownership and accountability)

SOS Crash? Crash? Crash?

Why would Warren Buffett stay invested significantly.

The answer is simple, he look for a wonderful company at a fair price instead of a fair company at a wonderful price.

He said, stop trying to predict the direction of stock market, the economy, interest rates or elections.

Since 1965, he turned USD1,000 into USD6.3 million in 48 years, compounding at about 20-23%p.a.  He is able to do it because in USA, there are many wonderful companies to select from.  Example, Mac Donald, Berkshire, Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Boeing, etc which has more than 50 years of fantastic history and has global biz.

Focus on ROE not EPS.

Buy companies which has strong histories of profitability AND with a dominant business franchise, hence able to improve their profit MARGIN.

SOS The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

An interesting movie starred by Ben Miller.

His name is Walter Mitty.  Worked with LIFE Magazine for 16 years as a Negative Asset Management, processing film negatives for "Sean O'conner" a famous photographer for LIFE.

It is about his journey of life looking for Sean O'conner for the missing piece of negative No.25 that was sent to Walter.  Meanwhile, LIFE is going through a transition of being taken over by a new owner, where LIFE will published its last physical issue with the cover taken by Sean in the negative No. 25, which is MISSING.  The new management was turning old fashion physical copy of LIFE into LIFE online, a digital copy.

"While there is Life, there's hope" the motto of the first issue of LIFE Mag. (not in the movie)

It is an interesting journey had when he followed the motto of the LIFE Mag,

To see the world…….

SOS Robin Williams

Robin Williams passed away on 12 August 2014 at 63.

Suspected suicide.  News said it was due to depression.

One of the best comedian.

Life is such a fragile.

A celebrity and from the perception of the public, he has it all.  Of course we will never know what he has sacrificed to be there.  News said that in real life, he is a very generous and a kind man.  It is indeed a sad day for most.

Sometimes, we will never understand.  Tribulations are everywhere, and they sees no rich or poor, high or low is status in the society.

SOS Aftershock Investors

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAYS?

The latest book by David on AFTERSHOCK painted a very ugly picture about US recovery which the bubble will burst between 2013 to 2015.

Growth of government debt is 10-15% over the last 5 years, whereas GDP growth is around 1-2%.

Well, this is ONE of the most interesting topics (Market CRASH since 2008) among investors.  Marc Faber has been talking about it for the last 3 years, Gary Shilling has been talking about it for the past 3 years, Robert Prechter has been talking about it for the last 4 years.

Timing wise, none are near.  However, each gave similar reasoning, printing of new money driven growth, will not last forever, period.

I am not going to add in more since the experts have said it.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

That does not mean you cannot continue to invest in Bursa because you must always remember to diversify your portfolio into a few categories such as, CASH, STOCKS, PROPERTIES or GOLD.  So, within STOCKS, always choose good companies (with high ROE) at a good price (lower than peers) or at a fair price with GOOD GROWTH POTENTIALS.

Of course, within STOCKS if we think the market is overheated (too high PE like over 20 x), one can reduced to say 60 or 70% invested.  But one must always stay invested if you can find company with GOOD ROE and GOOD PRICE.  When the market is high, you will realise it is harder to get this type of companies.  However it is advisable to stay invested, at least 60% (if we seriously think the market is overheated) since this is your PORTFOLIO allocation.

SOS RIP MH370 & MH17

Two tragedies for Malaysia in a span of 132 days.  This is unprecedented and sad for the families that lose their love ones in MH370 and MH17.  One happen on 8 March 2014 and another on 17 July 2014.

A total of 534 lives are killed (239 + 295).  Air transport used to be the safest transport in the world, now, no longer one.  If you do a search on wikipedia, you may be shock to find out that in a year, an average of 10-30 commercial flights accidents happen,  nearly every year.  For 2014, up to July 17, there are four commercial flight accidents.

So, and both may not even be due to technical problems.  One was missing and one was shot down.  It is man-made disasters.  What is happening?

Let us hope no more for many years to come.

SOS Spain in Trouble

June 5-13 (2014)
Sevilla-Mija-Cordoba-Segovia-Madrid

A shock defeat of 5-1 by Spain in the world cup 2014 to Holland on 13 June 2014.

A little visit to the outskirt of its tourist spots shows that Spain is over built with Condominiums.  Some are left empty and some are not completed.  Nevertheless the outskirt of Spain is beautiful and scenic.

Food we should try in Segovia is the suckling pig, it taste much better than its look.

Of course, the rest is the Paella, tapas and curros.  Of course they have their (other top 10 dishes in Spain) Gazpacho (cold tomato soup, with chopped onion, tomato, bread crumps) and Bean Stew Soup.  The Gazpacho is cold and sourish, hence it is very refreshing while the Bean Stew Soup is rather saltish, I suppose taken with bread and the bean to reduce the saltiness.

Of course they are many other dishes that we have missed.  During our visit to Spain, the conversion is around Euro 1 = RM4.50

SOS Secret of finding out Education Funding?

Education Funding

Kid = 3 years old, Assumed 19 years enter Uni, Investment return = 5.058%, Course inflation = 6%

1. Find FV of fee when your kid is age 19.  PV(course fee today), I (inflation), N (no of years to Uni)

2. Find PV[when kid reach 19] (for 3 years course fee) (BGN)  PMT (204,000), I (5.058-6/1.06), N (3 years course) = 826,000

3. Find PV(now required) = PV (826,000), I = (5.058%), N = (years to 19 years = 16)

SOS The Secrets that most people trying to avoid in their life?

Dear readers (not that it exist anyway),

Well, what is the secret?

It is call FP?

When you are sick, who do you go to?

When your car have problem, who will you call?

So, who is FP?

Do you ever spent a bit of time thinking whether you have enough money for your retirement?

Or for your kids education?

Frankly, with such a stressful day you have in work, and busy catching up with your family, who have time for such a thing, trying to find out the ugly truth?

So when you want to find out whether you can achieve your Financial Goals, you consult a qualified Financial Planner.  That is what FP is all about.

Well, in Malaysia, it is still at the infancy phase, typical Asian, shy to reveal their wealth. Scare of being  mug?

No actually, scare to find out that you may not have enough to for your kids education funds and retirement funds.

Well, actually, not that Asian is shy, actually they always wants FREE stuff, even for financial planning.  The first thing is that they will ask, what is the fee?  They never think about the BENEFITS of doing a financial planning.  

So, what is the point of finding out that you may not have enough savings for your kids or retirement?

Did you have a plan if something bad happen to you? Such as Death or Critical Illness? Is your spouse, kids or parents well PROTECTED if you are the breadwinner of the family?

Never bother right?

What happen if you find out your are UNDER coverage for your insurance?

Well, like doctors, FP will diagnose your financial health, talking about your net surplus, savings, debt servicing ratio, liquidity, debt over assets etc, just like testing your blood, if , one you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, other sickness it might shown in your blood or other health screening test.

Similarly, FP is your financial health doctor.  You have to see a FP regularly when to know if you are Financially in good health.

When was the last time you wrote or update your Will?

Can you name or your nominees in your life insurance policies or EPF?

Have you any idea what is your yearly expenses? Or how much you need roughly for your retirement, say you may live up to 80 years old?

FP is actually a PROCESS.

It is a financial planning process, called EGADIM.

E is for establishing and defining relationship with the client.

G is for gathering client data.

A is for analysing and evaluating client's financial information.

D is to develop and presenting the Recommendation

I is for implementing the financial plan recommendations

M is monitoring or reviewing the implementation of the financial plan.

EGADIM is actually all done and reported in the Financial Planning report consisting of:-

1. Executive Summary
2. Personal Data
3. Planning Assumptions (Introduction on EGADIM, the 6 step process of Financial Planning process)
4. Existing Financial Situation (Cash Flow/Net Worth/Financial Ratio/Tax Analysis/Investments/Risk Management/Estate Planning)
5. Achievability of Financial Goals
6. Recommendations and Action Plans
7. Disclaimer
8. Appendix (EGAWII)

SOS US Dollar vs toilet paper

There were many articles written on the US Dollar will collapse after all the QE after 2008.  6 years after, 2014, there is no sign of collapse and many experts continue to make such theory that US Dollar will one day become toilet papers.

This is actually a trillion dollar questions.  Will US Dollar become toilet one day.  Can the experts be right.  They have all the arguments and facts and logic behind it, but today, it stays as strong as what is 2008 against the Euro, at least.

US Dollar is widely used.  This is a fact.  Petrol dollar, how much transacted in USD? When Iraq, threaten to used Euro to transact petrol in Euro, Iraq is invaded and torn apart.  When Libya threaten to use Euro  to transact in Euro, Gaddhafi is assassinated and Libya has a new leader.  Any country that do not toll the line, they will be wipe off.

So, besides oil, what else is mainly traded in USD?  Don't forget, forex trading, traded about USD3 trillion a day, all done in USD, who can actually replace it?  Not China, not Europe, not Japan, not any country actually.

Yes, not even gold can replace USDollar.

I am not an expert, but I believe the argument made by Robert Prechter and Gary Shilling are correct.  Their line of argument is correct.  US Dollar is like a commodity widely used in the WORLD.  Whether you like it or not, it is not easy to be replaced.  They were talking about Bitcoins etc. The answer is UNLIKELY.

Here is why, America has issue Trillions of DEBT.  This DEBT will gradually become BAD.  This DEBT amounted to more than USD100 trillions.  A lot of it will turn BAD, i.e. non performing loan, gradually over the years, and each DEBT issued must be accounted for, either by the lenders or the borrowers.  Gary Shilling called it in his booked called, THE AGE OF DELEVERAGING.

Gary said that these trillions will be gradually wipe off the market.  That means this US Dollar debt ISSUED to the borrowers, will become NON PERFORMING, hence, trillions of US Dollars supplied to the market will be wipe off vs the printing of US Dollar, the dollar that turn bad is far HIGHER than the printing of new US Dollar to a tune of more than 10 times.  Hence, the AGE of DELEVERAGING argue that US Dollar in fact will become stronger over the years, against other major currency like Euro.

Similarly, after 2008, not only US has inject trillions into the market, so is Euro, so is China, so is Japan.  The concept remain the same, US Dollar in the MARKET cannot be replaced, period.  So, the proponent that US Dollar will become toilet paper, sadly, will not come true.  So, majority will be shock in future to find out that US dollar become stronger instead.

This may not be what majority wants to hear, but it is the most logical deduction.  US Dollar, is a commodity, that is supplied to the market in most transactions.  I have not mentioned derivatives, mainly transacted in US Dollars, comes to a tune of USD600 trillions, 10 times the world GDP.  You tell me, who can replace this much of toilet papers?

SOS what do practitioners said about practicing Falun Gong

Types of people that practices Falun Gong

Account Executive - Cary Dunst
Artist - Vivian Song
Psychotherapist - Jeanne Mitchell
VP, Strategic Planning - Li Pinyi
Personal Trainer - Tysan Lerner
Marketing Director - Dan Chen
Physician - Dr. Zhiyuan Wang
Former Model - Pea-Mara Norris

What do they said about the practice?

The biggest lesson I learn is to look within myself and find something to improve instead of angry and complain about others.

Instead of looking outward on what I dislike about others, I think more how I am responsible of controlling my thinking.

It provides the inner peace for me.  I am not worry about anything that happen around me, because I have values and principles to abide to and I sense of inner security, calm and peace that I didn't have before.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FALUN GONG

visit: www.falundafa.org

SOS Disclaimer

Disclaimer

The suitability of the financial strategy and the appropriateness of the investments used, tax planning services, estate planning services, accountants and other professional services to meet the financial needs with conjunction with the strategy vary depending on the individuals facts and circumstances.

The information presented is based on the interpretation of the laws and regulations to date and it is no substitute to the tax advisors, estate planning advisors and other professionals that you may have engaged.  Materials used in the report is based on reliable sources and no representation is made on its accuracy and completeness.  The information and ideas must be discussed in detail with the individual advisor prior to implementation.

Cover page

Comprehensive financial plan
for
Mr Lim
as at

Presented by ABC Sdn Bhd
(licensed by Securities Commission of Malaysia)

Content

1.0  Executive summary
2.0  Personal Data
3.0  Planning Assumptions
4.0 Existing Financial Situation
      4.1  Cash Flow Statement
      4.2  Net Worth Statement
      4.3  Financial Ratio Analysis
      4.4  Tax Analysis
      4.5  Investments
      4.6  Risk Management
      4.7  Estate Planning
      4.8  Debt Restructuring (if any)

5.0  Financial Goals
6.0  Recommendations and Actions Plan
7.0  Disclaimer
8.0  Appendix

SOS What's happening?

It has been a while since I blog.

Nothing much has been happening.  The world it treating me well.  No complain.

Any new adventure, basically, taking CFP.  Learning something new.

Will be in UK again in June.  I remember on June 5 when we were there, there was a bombing of 4 tube stations and a bus station.  I was shock to learn that it was a coincident an company specialised in "explosive" was doing its exercise at the same 4 tube stations.  For what  you know, the explosive was planted there.

Lately, in March 8, Malaysia has her own share of tragedy. MH370 went missing while flying from KL to Beijing. In April 18, an accident killed Karpal Singh.  And before Karpal sink, a ferry in Korea also sank, about 300 missing (not including 24 dead).

What will happen next?

Positives or negatives?

SOS Six Emotions and Seven Desires Part 2

Notions are formed post birth.

What it means is how a person sees the world is INFLUENCE by his experiences after birth.  Indirectly, a person is controlled by the his own NOTIONS instead of by his own main consciousness.

One may ask, what is the big deal.

It is actually a very BIG DEAL.  It is like you surrender your TRUE SELF (i.e. your main consciousness) to be control by your own NOTIONS.

NOTIONS of todays world is full of jealousy, greed, dishonest, competitive,

SOS The seven emotions and six desires Part 1

Ancient Chinese used to said human is govern by the seven emotions and six desires. That was thousands years ago.  In today's world, it could be seventy emotions and sixty desires, or more.  What I would like to emphasise here is to explain why over last few thousand years, human beings becomes very much more materialistic as compared with the ancient people, who are more god fearing and believe in spirituality.

Let us explore the statement made by Buddha Sakyamuni that 500 years after his passing, humankind will be facing its Dharma Ending Period.  Dharma is referring to the teachings of Buddha.  Dharma Ending Period generally means that the Dharma that is taught no longer is effective to the modern society like today.

Some of the factors that we are entering the Dharma Ending Period is because over the last few thousand years, the Dharma has been misinterpreted, omitted, misunderstood, evolved to suit the latest culture.  Another factor is the establishment of empirical science has further distance humankind towards the materialistic development instead of towards the spiritual sides.  Modern science believes that anything that cannot be proven exist physically phenomena is deemed as superstitious, or something that is not proven yet by science, is deemed superstition.  Of course, over the course of thousand of years, involvement of politics in religions also has corrupted the origin of religion and used it as a tool to manipulate the people.  On top of that, communism also has destroy the ancient culture of Chinese who is god fearing into what the communist's main tenet of people struggle and turn 1 billion people into atheists, and brain washed the people into believing the Chinese Communist Party is more important than their parents, spouses, siblings or children.  Of course, over the many years, through development of science has made human being reliance more towards comforts, and increase many new inventions that made people shun away from spirituality.

As we can see, there are many factors that caused the downfall of spirituality, which directly linked to the deterioration of morality of humankind.  Hence, these factors have caused, what Buddha Sakyamuni in predicting that his teachings is no longer effective to the modern people.

Look at the drugs, casual relationship, homosexuality, prostitutions and many other crimes, which are countless as compared with far more fewer in the past.  Why?  Ancient people live more happily due to their simple living and lest materialistic.

To be continue………………………..

SOS Plantation forecast for 2014

Average CPO price  for 2013 is RM2371

K&N Kenanga forecast 2014 = RM2800

YWC forecast 2014                = RM2200 to RM2500

Well, this is for record only, just to see whether my prediction is accurate.  The basis is principally based on long term CRB Index, which is on a down trend over the last 3 years, hence, projecting that it will continue its downtrend over the next few years.  This basis is a 2 minutes thoughts, no research done on the demand and supply.

SOS Memory with Clear and Clean Mind

This is what I can remember.

(recite)
The Buddha Fa is the most profound.  Among all the theories in the world, the Buddha Fa is the most extraordinary and intricate science.  In order to explore this domain, you have to fundamentally change your conventional thinking.  Otherwise the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery to human kind, and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundary delimited by their own ignorance.

(actual)
The Buddha Fa is the most profound; among all the theories in the world, it is the most intricate and extraordinary science.  In order to explore this domain, humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking.  Otherwise, the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery to humankind, and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundary delimited by their own ignorance.

SOS Enlightenment

A lot has been written about Buddha Sakyamuni or Gautama Buddha attaining enlightenment under the  bodhi tree.  However, not much was documented about what Enlightenment means.  From the perspective of a Buddhist, I suppose, when one is enlightened, it is referring to the awakening to the truth of the universe through cultivation.

Even with the existing evidence of Gautama Buddha, there are still many who disbelieve that the Dhama can help a person to attain Enlightenment.

Why so?