Is it a "MUST" to have at least a degree in singapore?

[JR8]

@Sharpz, kind words indeed... unmerited and not to do with me tho, I just see numbers like pictures, almost in 3D... hard to explain.

I wasn't a pit trader for my whole career, but that was where I spent my first years, based solely on a self-belief that 'I could do that'.

I was shooting from the hip rather on qualifications. I do respect professional qualifications, and agree with you that they are of lasting value. I think I'm tainted by having to work with and manage summer MBA interns who couldn't figure out how to make photocopies, plus were indignant with rage that they had to do such menial chores in the first place. Funny since everyone else up to director level had to do their own copying.

50% of children in the UK now go to university. Does that make them smarter, no. To differentiate themselves they are now increasingly having to do MBAs... and so on = donkeys with expensive badges on. There will come a day when having a PhD and DBA is manadatory to get a job...

Sorry to hear about your financial constraints. My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

Good luck to you.

[QRM]

My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

I would not expect my kids to support me when I am wearing adult nappies and prune like.

Recently my elderly parents came here for a visit and I thought I would chip in to help with the hotel expenses and paid upfront. I received in the post a cheque from my old man, with a note say he never relied on anyone for help, and has no intention to start now.

[JR8]

... Boy do I know a lot who have lost their home in the past 2 years in the US. Course when you live high off the hog, on credit, and somebody pulls the rug out from under the economy, what to do? Even with their higher educations, they still listened to some sweet talking salesman and bank manager who was laughing all the way home, instead of using common sense. They just has to have that Black AMEX and then show it off to their friends over and over!

Can't really blame them for screwing up financially as they aren't financially trained. Especially when money comes easy from the start, it's even less incentive for them to explore the concept of prudence. Well, some life lessons had to be learnt the hard way as and when people reap their own fruits.

'Aren't financially trained'? Budgeting for a household is common sense, wo betide those who have to attend class to learn how to do it.

SMS I hear you. Some (several) of the distant in-laws are like this, get some cash, must spend and flash, buy a 5-room (for a family of two, but many LV handbags oso support ah). Then get repo'd and end up sharing room in 2 room HDB with 8 people. No financial sense at all, being seen by others to have made it is all, even if it is a chimera that only lasts a few months before spectacularly crashing down. I have difficulty finding sympathy.

[nakatago]

My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

I would not expect my kids to support me when I am wearing adult nappies and prune like.

Recently my elderly parents came here for a visit and I thought I would chip in to help with the hotel expenses and paid upfront. I received in the post a cheque from my old man, with a note say he never relied on anyone for help, and has no intension to start now.

but that's not the asian way. just got off the phone with my mom. guess what we ended up discussing.

[sharpz]

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

Network, another important mechanism in the real world. Internal recommendations can really smoothen things up, a lot. You get to bypass the automated filtering process, get to desired department and position, and skip certain stages of interviews. Even in business, network is everything. This is where most 'exam robots' failed epicly haha..

Always loved the Jack Donaghy's quote from 30 rock,
Jack Donaghy: Those are your new interns.
Liz Lemon: Aren’t they a little old and over-dressed?
Jack Donaghy: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off in the economic crash that Nancy Pelosi caused. They’ve got zero real-world skills, but, God, they work hard.

[sharpz]

My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

I would not expect my kids to support me when I am wearing adult nappies and prune like.

Recently my elderly parents came here for a visit and I thought I would chip in to help with the hotel expenses and paid upfront. I received in the post a cheque from my old man, with a note say he never relied on anyone for help, and has no intension to start now.

\

Neither do my parents request my support. But I still provide because it is my duty as a son. I'm a social contract believer myself.

[JR8]

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

Network, another important mechanism in the real world. Internal recommendations can really smoothen things up, a lot. You get to bypass the automated filtering process, get to desired department and position, and skip certain stages of interviews. Even in business, network is everything. This is where most 'exam robots' failed epicly haha..

Always loved the Jack Donaghy's quote from 30 rock,
Jack Donaghy: Those are your new interns.
Liz Lemon: Aren’t they a little old and over-dressed?
Jack Donaghy: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off in the economic crash that Nancy Pelosi caused. They’ve got zero real-world skills, but, God, they work hard.

Genuine LOl! thanks

p.s. As a trader I always thought investment bankers were pussies too

[JR8]

My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

I would not expect my kids to support me when I am wearing adult nappies and prune like.

Recently my elderly parents came here for a visit and I thought I would chip in to help with the hotel expenses and paid upfront. I received in the post a cheque from my old man, with a note say he never relied on anyone for help, and has no intension to start now.

\

Neither do my parents request my support. But I still provide because it is my duty as a son. I'm a social contract believer myself.

Totally opposite view in 'the west'. They brought you into this world (their choice, their fault), if able they will do what they can to support you.

The idea of funding my parents as a matter of cultural obligation, like I'm some pension plan for them, is repellant to me (as it would be to them).

Maybe one for a separate thread?

[sharpz]

... Boy do I know a lot who have lost their home in the past 2 years in the US. Course when you live high off the hog, on credit, and somebody pulls the rug out from under the economy, what to do? Even with their higher educations, they still listened to some sweet talking salesman and bank manager who was laughing all the way home, instead of using common sense. They just has to have that Black AMEX and then show it off to their friends over and over!

Can't really blame them for screwing up financially as they aren't financially trained. Especially when money comes easy from the start, it's even less incentive for them to explore the concept of prudence. Well, some life lessons had to be learnt the hard way as and when people reap their own fruits.

'Aren't financially trained'? Budgeting for a household is common sense, wo betide those who have to attend class to learn how to do it.

SMS I hear you. Some (several) of the distant in-laws are like this, get some cash, must spend and flash, buy a 5-room (for a family of two, but many LV handbags oso support ah). Then get repo'd and end up sharing room in 2 room HDB with 8 people. No financial sense at all, being seen by others to have made it is all, even if it is a chimera that only lasts a few months before spectacularly crashing down. I have difficulty finding sympathy.

Wow why the rage? Chillax Budgeting is not as simple as it seems, especially when it come to execution part and when you have loads of money at your disposal. Even for a person with strong finance background like me i tend to deviate from my plan, let alone those with minimal finance sense.

The world has developed in a weird way that sometimes what appear to be common sense to one may not to another. Great example: A group of rich Asian friends of mine who got so bored in life they went and experimented how much cash it takes to generate sufficient heat to cook a bowl of instant noodle. And they got the result: approximately RMB 16K worth of RMB 100 notes.

Some may find this act disturbing and insulting, but given the same situation we may behaved the same way as well. I'm just neutral on all these cuz sooner or later we will reap what we sow. No point exerting all these negative emotion on ourselves for someone elses' actions.

[JR8]

Can't really blame them for screwing up financially as they aren't financially trained. Especially when money comes easy from the start, it's even less incentive for them to explore the concept of prudence. Well, some life lessons had to be learnt the hard way as and when people reap their own fruits.

'Aren't financially trained'? Budgeting for a household is common sense, wo betide those who have to attend class to learn how to do it.

SMS I hear you. Some (several) of the distant in-laws are like this, get some cash, must spend and flash, buy a 5-room (for a family of two, but many LV handbags oso support ah). Then get repo'd and end up sharing room in 2 room HDB with 8 people. No financial sense at all, being seen by others to have made it is all, even if it is a chimera that only lasts a few months before spectacularly crashing down. I have difficulty finding sympathy.

Wow why the rage? Chillax Budgeting is not as simple as it seems, especially when it come to execution part and when you have loads of money at your disposal. Even for a person with strong finance background like me i tend to deviate from my plan, let alone those with minimal finance sense.

The world has developed in a weird way that sometimes what appear to be common sense to one may not to another. Great example: A group of rich Asian friends of mine who got so bored in life they went and experimented how much cash it takes to generate sufficient heat to cook a bowl of instant noodle. And they got the result: approximately RMB 16K worth of RMB 100 notes.

Some may find this act disturbing and insulting, but given the same situation we may behaved the same way as well. I'm just neutral on all these cuz sooner or later we will reap what we sow. No point exerting all these negative emotion on ourselves for someone elses' actions.

And why do you consider these utter morons friends?

[sharpz]

@Sharpz, kind words indeed... I'm sure I don't deserve most of them!

I wasn't a pit trader for my whole career, but that was where I spent my first years, based solely on a self-belief that 'I could do that'.

I was shooting from the hip rather on qualifications. I do respect professional qualifications, and agree with you that they are of lasting value. I think I'm tainted by having to work with and manage summer MBA interns who couldn't figure out how to make photocopies, plus were indignant with rage that they had to do such menial chores in the first place. Funny since everyone else up to director level had to do their own copying.

50% of children in the UK now go to university. Does that make them smarter, no. To differentiate themselves they are now increasingly having to do MBAs... and so on = donkeys with expensive badges on. There will come a day when having a PhD and DBA is manadatory to get a job...

Sorry to hear about your financial constraints. My SGn wife has to part-support her own parents from her paltry income. I don't 'get it' ... but it is the Asian way...

Good luck to you.

Thanks, and don't be sorry. At least I know I'm not. Every person has different life setting and it's up to us to select the best way to live our life, and I believe I am on the right track, or at least I gave my best.

[sharpz]

'Aren't financially trained'? Budgeting for a household is common sense, wo betide those who have to attend class to learn how to do it.

SMS I hear you. Some (several) of the distant in-laws are like this, get some cash, must spend and flash, buy a 5-room (for a family of two, but many LV handbags oso support ah). Then get repo'd and end up sharing room in 2 room HDB with 8 people. No financial sense at all, being seen by others to have made it is all, even if it is a chimera that only lasts a few months before spectacularly crashing down. I have difficulty finding sympathy.

Wow why the rage? Chillax Budgeting is not as simple as it seems, especially when it come to execution part and when you have loads of money at your disposal. Even for a person with strong finance background like me i tend to deviate from my plan, let alone those with minimal finance sense.

The world has developed in a weird way that sometimes what appear to be common sense to one may not to another. Great example: A group of rich Asian friends of mine who got so bored in life they went and experimented how much cash it takes to generate sufficient heat to cook a bowl of instant noodle. And they got the result: approximately RMB 16K worth of RMB 100 notes.

Some may find this act disturbing and insulting, but given the same situation we may behaved the same way as well. I'm just neutral on all these cuz sooner or later we will reap what we sow. No point exerting all these negative emotion on ourselves for someone elses' actions.

And why do you consider these utter morons friends?

Cuz we were friends before I really get to know their weird antiques. Besides, they still have other positive personalities. It's like observing the wildlife, one observe but doesn't interfere with the natural way of life of different species of animals. Just as long as they don't do anything illegal or make me join acts that i deem unacceptable, then I'm cool.

Hmm.. seems like we're turning this thread into a chat room now.. hope I'm not breaking any forum rules here.. :S

[JR8]

Chat room ok ah, I far from SG enjoy tok cock oso

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hmm.. seems like we're turning this thread into a chat room now.. hope I'm not breaking any forum rules here.. :S

Wat chu talkin' 'bout holmes!

This is one of the better exchanges of ideas/attitudes we've had without it descending into the pits! I wish they all could remain as as open & restrained at the same time as this one is.

[QRM]

But I still provide because it is my duty as a son. I'm a social contract believer myself.

Hmm maybe I should have 10-15 kids and make sure they all are brought up in Asia, I can spend my retirement days zimmer framing around to all their houses getting a cup of tea and pay back cash.

Is it OK to squeeze cash out of grand children once they start work or is that pushing the boat out a bit too far?