Recap: Afternoon with Jim Rogers and MTI

Source: KAL cartoon, The Economist

Jim Rogers condemned the bailout us, us bankers should be jailed

• Shorted US Bonds
• Water Treatment
• oil-sands in alberta
• Airlines next to pickup
• Chinese Tourism boom like japanese tourism in the 90s
• Holding on to NZ/AUD currency
• Commodities 16yr bull run , now in 9th year
• More energy need to get energy out from biofuel
• 19th century -> UK , 20th century -> US , 21st century -> Asia

MTI-NUS dialog

• Banks leverage and blow up in cycles , cannot be avoided because of financial innovations
• CPF is self-funded, 1 to 1 system.
• CPF in 2030 due to aging population might experience more net withdrawal then deposit
• CPF buy govt bonds, GIC pays 4% on those bonds,
• Not good to socialise all CFP members’ risk, 20 yr old might have different risk profile from 60 yr old
• Inflation is imported , due to economy of singapore, MAS fiscal policy directed at exchange rate / trade weighted basket of currency rather than an interest rate policy. Pros and Cons cannot control both at the same time.
• Growth = capital + land +Total Productivity Factor (TPF)

An Afternoon with Jim Rogers

Finally got confirmation of a seat for the talk by investment guru Jim Rogers , who appreciates the fact that singapore is a great place with clean air and sound education system. Im not really interested what he thinks of this sterile enviroment but rather of the current environment of ‘fear’ in the financial markets. Has the commoditity bubble bust as he is not solicticing for investments in his argi-commoditites fund anymore.

His advice is most sought after, and I hope to hear more in this talk. Registration are still open I guess but the free seats for students and staff are out.

Meanwhile another very famous personality , Mr Tan Kin Lian is also giving a lecture on financial planning in nus on the 17thoct . This lecture is free to the public , instructions for registation in the image.

Visual Thinking

Best thing that happened on the planet besides the invention of google.
Now you can do mindmaps online and drag stuff around.How coooool can that be
I didnt like to write my mind maps on paper , because it was difficult to organise them. With mindmeister you can drag and drop items around. Useful stuff! My thesis mindmap is online at

http://www.mindmeister.com/maps/show_public/10666540