What I have learned today [2015/4/29]

1. Microsoft shows that augmented reality is here. The technology came a far way and yet need to go further. But the possibilities are immense. We won't have to travel as much to meet and talk to people. Giving online classes would be much more fun and interactive. Also, it would be much easier to describe and talk about objects. Awesome.

2. Algorithm can detect drunkenness. This technology could help detect number of drunk people in the streets and prevent crime. Police could be dispatched to send the drunk people home safely and make sure that they don't do anything stupid.


3.Oregon challenged breweries to make beer using treated sewage water. Yup, beer was made because water was unsafe to drink back in the day. Pretty clever idea ^^

4. Reading a textbook on Kindle is No No. The screen is too small and the figures are a bit off.

5. Soon warehouse operations will be mainly run by robots. Lower costs and more efficiency but the we really need to think about training the displaced low skilled workers.




*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/29]

Thank You Jesus for another wonderful day. You have blessed us so much. Let us become more like You everyday and really love our neighbors. We know that we often give too many excuses to not do things. Father, please give us a humble and loving heart so we can love our neighbors.


1. Thank You Jesus for giving me the diligence to maintain a blog. Wow...it is really a lot of work even though I put the bare minimum. Also, lot of creativity extraction but it is good. I think more, I am more disciplined, and I think I write a bit better :D

2. Thank You Jesus for water. Wow...I was thinking how would we live without water....How do we even create water without using so much energy. Water is truly your grace, Father. Let us drink from the well that we will never thirst again ^^

3. Thank You Father for my nice monitor. It is really worth every dime. I'll save up to buy a larger one.

4. Thank You God for my eyes. It takes so much abuse for working at least 10 hrs a day in front of the computer. Thank You God for my eyes. I should really take better care of my eyes. Eat more carrots :D

5. Thank You Father for another quite productive day. I struggled a bit because I didn't want to do research but I was able to force myself to do something productive.

6. Thank You Jesus for the lovely dinner. I love Udon. It was extra delicious because I didn't have lunch :D Ahhh I feel so full.

7. Thank You God for giving a friend who gives me rides. Yes, less congestion, energy saved.

8. Thank You Father for Kindle. I love reading.

9. Thank You God for a lovely day although it was a bit hot but should not complain but be thankful.

10. Thank You for bible study. We are learning more about Your ways. Teach us Your law and let us live by Your law until the end :D

Father, we just want to praise You for everything. We are so unworthy yet You have blessed us so much. Jesus, please be always with us and let us just adore You. Let us keep Your commandments and be a blessing to all nations and Israel.



*From Floating Forests

Give Thanks [2015/4/28]

Thank You Lord for everything. We just want to thank You for everything. Life itself is a blessing and knowing You is overwhelming grace. Father, let us be more humble and love You and our neighbors more.

1. Thank You Jesus for another productive day. I am really making a lot of progress despite a lot of work. Wooohoooo :D

2. Thank You Father for giving me the spirit to pray. Let us pray for all nations and Israel. Jesus give us a humble heart so we can listen to You more and love others more.

3. Thank You Jesus for cup noodle. I was so hungry and yet did not want to cook. Thank You dad for bringing it all the way from Korea. I usually don't eat noodles but yesterday I was hmm....ahhhh so nice noodle.

4. Thank You God for internet. Wow, without it, well, I would read more books and do more exercise but I still learn a lot from the web :p Thank You Google and Wikipedia, you guys are the best!!

5. Thank You for the awesome podcasts. There is so much knowledge and wisdom in the podcasts and it's FREEEE!! So nice!

6. Father, thank You for my lovely bed. Ahhhh...it gives so much good rest. Without it, I will lie on the floor I guess :p

7. Thank You Jesus for the wooden floor. Much nicer than carpet.

8. Thank You Father for corporate public filings. Learn so much when I read the public disclosures.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything because You are such an awesome God. Jesus, let us become more like Daniel, always walking with You. Let us pray like You have prayed with all our hearts. We are very lacking and flawed but please heal us and use us to proclaim Your love and glory ^^



From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/28]

1.Hackers can access the information in your RAM by freezing it and then plugging into another computer.

2.The amount of fluoride in the tap water is being cut.

3. Elder sitters are underpaid yet in shortage. To alleviate this problem, we can professionalize the job by creating standards and certificates to maintain a minimum quality, which will lead to increase in pay. Also, we just have to take better care of ourselves. Please tell your parents and relatives to exercise and stay healthy.

4. Tyson removes antibiotics from chicken. Yup, I think we already ate enough antibiotics. We should demand healthier chickens and be willing to pay a little more ^^

5, Love the food gradient by artist Brittany Wright.


* by Brittany Wright

6. Moving Office space? Interesting idea, but the gas mileage would be very bad....and it better have good security measure or else someone will break in. Still interesting concept but a bit farfetched. We can use RVs time to instead for now?

7. Public companies change names quite often. More than you expect.


*From Penguin Watch

IPO Analysis: Bojangles [2015/4/28]

As a researcher studying IPOs, I like to read S-1s although it gives me a headache due to its length and complexity. However, as I read more, I am getting better. I remember when I first read the 10-K. Well, actually, it was magical but still I struggled. Now time for the S-1s :D

Today I cover Bojangle's S-1.

Here are my notes, I actually go through the filing now.

1. Not a big fan of pictures....

2. Bojangles is 38 yr old. Breakfast menu ears $650,000 per restaurant...

3, Adjusted EBITDA is here...meaning that they are not really making a profit....Revenue is growing at 12% from 2011 to 2014. Net income grew five fold from 2011. to 2014. Hmmm...why don't they emphasize net income growth?!

4. Ok, they say people are loving more breakfast and chicken. I guess it's true, breakfast menu from McDonalds been doing well and chicken seems to be the new beef (?)

5. Population growth in the south is higher than average?! Ok, this is bad comparison, CA is growing quite fast...averages can be deceiving.

6. Yes, loyal culture. I know because I lived in NC for longer than I expected :p

7. Average check was $6.68, this is clearly affordable.

8. Emerging growth company~ and controlled company exemption....wow, talk about lack of disclosure. This is bad.

9. Wow, it has an operating margin of 10% and a net income of 5%, this is actually quite impressive for a restaurant!

10. Ok, I literally took this from the S-1.
"Adjusted EBITDA represents company net income before interest expense (net of interest income), provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, items that we do not consider representative of our ongoing operating performance and certain non-cash items"

So Bojangles doesn't pay interest and taxes and there is no wear and tear? Man, I corporate finance was an important part for 99% of the firms....guess not...

11. Chicken price is a major risk. Chicken feed price is rising....Ohh...one supplier. This is a risk...

12. Strict covenants hmmm...

13. Ok...the risk factor section basically puts everything that can go wrong...haha too much. I am surprised that they did not put act of God. Yes, they have one store in Honduras and there are worried about foreign corruption act.

Wow they are even worried about analyst coverage....

14. Don't know how to interpret option tables...what is high? what is low? should study.

15. It is PE backed, a relatively new board...

16. Certain relationships and related party transactions: Advent basically runs the firm..They also have the staggered vote, and all the anti-take over defenses.

17. Nothing much with underwriters, law firms, and auditors.

18. Why the heck does it have such a large goodwill?

19. Ok they have an interest swap for their debt...hmmmm....Adjusted EBITDA does not consider interest rate payment and they have an interest swap...hmmmmm

Love the profit margins but concerned about the lack of transparency and limited growth prospect. Can it go further west or even south?

For now, no recommendation.

PS
Took me about 50 minutes to go over quickly. Please do your full due diligence. I just did this exercise to show how to skim through S-1.  Skimming is never sufficient and can lead to disasters so please do your homework :D


*From Bojangle's S-1

Reforming education by supporting online courses

There is a battle between hedge fund managers and teacher unions about reforming education through charter schools.

It is sad that teacher unions are battling education reform...but we all know that teachers have other incentives besides giving good education.

However, there is a great hope. Already there are many online high quality education including KhanAcademy.org, Coursera.org, edX.org, and Udacity.com. This websites provide great education that I felt demanding a refund to all my schools. Thus, we should further support this online courses in three ways.

First, increase your human capital. Take the courses and become more capable, this will allow to earn more money, contribute more to society and people will naturally know how you learned great stuff from KhanAcademy, Coursera...

Second, raise awareness. Become an evangelist and recommend to others. Use facebook, twitter, any SNS to spread the word. This will increase the adoption of this online courses.

Third, donate! This online courses are not quite profitable for good reasons but they need money to operate. So please donate for a better world.

Eventually, the online courses will become very good and reliable (Coursera already verifies student by picture and typing), which will not only provide great education for everyone but further oust the bad teachers, as a result, increasing education quality and lowering cost :D

So please join me to support the online courses for a better education ^^

 


*From Penguin Watch

Getting the priorities right for food safety

An article in the Atlantic discusses how consumers should be more concerned about high fructose corn syrup and larger portions than GMOs.

I completely agree. The cost of obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases should be much higher than consuming GMOs. I don't think GMOs are good but I don't think that they are terrible either but corn syrup, it is bad....Also large portions, it is bad....

In sum, the public should focus on the immediate and more urgent concerns than GMOs. We should all really either demand lower corn syrup and smaller portions. Or just stop buying such food.

Yes, it is difficult to change taste and culture but we will do it one food item at a time. Make a commitment of buying one sugary item less :D




*From Floating Forests

What I have learned today [2015/4/27]

1. Labor abuse is still prevalent in the clothing industry. We really need to stop this...Please only buy the cloth that you need and at a proper price.

2. The modern tea bag was made by two women in 1901. Such a clever idea ^^

3. Estimated  cost of a cup of coffee is $2.54. Since most coffees are about $3.50 range, hmmm a nice 37% profit. This are nice margins :D I am sure with the labor, rent, and other operation costs the profit would be somewhat lower but still it's a lovely profit margin.

4. Bloomberg compiled a list of super hero items. I just like the bullet proof suit. Also sounds nice.

5. I have learned that people really don't check data. Trash in and trash out...repeat...repeat...






*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/27]

Dear Lord, it was another busy day with some annoyance due to my mistake. Father, thank You for not making me panic or get overly upset. Jesus, let us live a life more dedicated to You and You alone. Let us not compromise our beliefs but Father give us the power and the spirit to be the light of this world.

1. Thank You Jesus for sausage bread. Usually, I don't like to eat bread at night but yummmiee...

2. Thank You Jesus for giving me the will to eat less. Yes, I still eat a lot but I decreased a bit. I should really fast and pray more :P

3. Thank You Father for helping me find a data cleaning error!!!! I thought I wasted time but I sort of managed around it. Thank You for Your wisdom.

4. Father, I just want to thank You for giving me the heart to pray. I know that I don't pray enough but thank You Jesus for allowing me to keep praying.

5. Thank You Lord for Stata without it, data analysis would be much harder.

6. Thank You Jesus for water, I realize that we are fortunate to have running water and drinking water always available.

7. Thank You God for the laundry machine. Wow, I can't imagine doing all the laundry by hand....thank You for freeing up our time and energy. 

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. Because You are so good and so kind. I know that we mess up often and that we forget how much You have blessed us. Jesus, let us not forget Your love but instead becoming more loving everyday. Let us pray for all nations and Israel. Father, let us love our neighbor with all our hearts.



*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/26]

Jesus, we just want to thank You for a wonderful day. Let us just worship You and become more like You everyday. We know that we are inadequate and flawed but Father please heal us and use for Your Kingdom. Give us loving hearts so we can love our neighbors and serve all nations.

1. Thank You Jesus for Psalms 109: 105-112. I was wondering what kind of life I should live before going to sleep yesterday. Today's morning passage answered that question beautifully. Let me live a life of keeping Your Word in my heart until the very end. Yes, I will stumble and mess up but Father, let me repent and become whole again. Let us all glorify You through our lives ^^

2. Thank You God for the wonderful latte. Ahhh..so lovely to start the day with good coffee and cookies. I feel like an aristocrat.  Thank You Father for giving me so much :D

3. Father, thank You so much for giving me wisdom. Yes, I am very foolish but You have been so generous showing Your laws and how to be wiser.

4. Thank You Jesus for the wonderful sermon today. Let us all live a life like Daniel always walking with the Holy Spirit.

5. Thank You God for another productive day. I realize that I need to do further data cleaning but I am getting there. Thank You for enabling me to do research and giving me these wonderful data managing skills.

6. Thank You Lord for a lovely curry lunch. Yummmm...I love curry :D

7. Jesus thank You for my lovely car. Ahhh...sometimes, it's very nice to drive. I felt lazy today....I should exercise more.

8. Thank You God for Kindle. I really love reading. I just wished I had more time to read but thank You so much for giving me the time to read.

9. Thank You Jesus for a great bible study and awesome fellowship. We are all very fallible and weak but together, united under Christ, we will do great things :D

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. Thank You so much for giving us the Holy Spirit. We are very flawed and unworthy but You have called us and healed us. Jesus, we pray that we become more like You everyday. Let us know Your heart so we can spread the love and gospel to all nations.



*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/26]

1. Many criminals that claim insanity are not actually insane...now this is scary.

2. In Chile, developer can go to prison if the building collapses.

3. Colombia has a culture of really objectifying women, overly emphasizing beauty. Wow...where are the feminists when we need them? Should pray Colombia and help them abandon the distorted expectations about women.

4.Casino did not pay $41.8 million to a slot machine winner claiming that the slot machine had computer glitch. Somethings are just too good to be true.

5.Security experts hacked surgical robots. This is scary, they hacked the pacer before now surgical robots. The chances of someone hacking surgical robots is very low but I guess it could happen....would be a good Hollywood movie plot.

6. A French company going to make custom perfume that smells like someone you like. Ohhh imagine the good memories from the smell but also the confusion if you smell it from unexpected places. Also, I can see people trying to use this perfume to get attention from potential spouses or clients. It could happen...Must ensure that the perfume's secrecy is well kept.

7. So many errors in the IPO data....wow.

8. The modern credit card was created by Diner's club.




*From Floating Forest

What I have learned today [2015/4/25]

1. Google Alerts are very useful but often deliver completely off news links :P

2. According to the journal written by  Abu Musab al-Sur, Al-Qaeda had all sort of trouble with Taliban and other operational aspects. Yup, it is hard to be a terrorist...you really have to be filled with hate to go through a lot of difficulties.

3. Transparent solar panels are here. They have an efficiency of 10% but given how much surface skyscrapers have, this is definitely exciting. Wow, imagine the energy savings ^^ I just hope conducting energy by glass leads to some kind of fire hazard...


4.  The sound from cracking knuckles is likely to come when gas forms in the fluid within the joint.

5. Due to low snow levels, other western states are also running out of water....Yup, we should conserve water now...like really now.




*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/25]

Jesus, we just want to thank You for another blessed day. Thank You for the rain. It is so refreshing. It didn't rain much but Lord please make it rain. But more importantly, Jesus I pray that You pour down the blessings on all nations so all of us can be united in You and worship You :D


1. Thank You Jesus for another productive day. Ooohhh finally getting ready to run some analysis :D

2. Thank You Father for an awesome bible study. I am learning more how to become more humble and loving.

3. Thank You God for my good legs. I had a great walk after the rain.

4. Thank You Lord for the rain. SoCal really needs more rain ^^ I pray that it rains at least once a month.

5. Thank You Jesus for the new boxers. My mom bought them while ago and I finally try it on. Awww...so nice.

6. Thank You Father for Kindle. Awww...so nice to read lying down in the bed.

7. Thank You Jesus for donuts, hamburger, and hot dog. Yup, that's what I had for breakfast....I need to lose weight.

Father, we want to thank You for everything because You love us so much let us become the light of this world. Let us abandon our old dark habits but become the light that shines through darkness and save all nations.



*From Floating Forests

13D Watch: PRGX [2015/4/25]

Time to learn from the masters. Let's see why Becker Drapkin Management, L.P. filed a 13D regarding PRGX Global Inc.

I think it's good exercise to understand how activists think and act. You will become a better investor and increase the possibility of making more money ^^

So first, let's look at the most recent 10-K of PRGX.

10-Ks are good tools to learn about the firm, business, and the world because has it has a lot of information about the firm.Warren Buffet advised that reading 10-Ks is one of the best ways to learn about the business and investing. And I agree that is the advise that I took and I have been reading 10-Ks ever since. 

1. Let's start with Item 1. Business, where it gives the overview of the company.

Recovery service firm, it collects delinquent accounts. From the item 1 service and technology description, and strategy, I have no idea whether it has a competitive edge.
Well, they have 30 years of experience, so they can't be that bad.

Competition is small players and two larger firms.

2. Item 1A. Risks.  Usually, it is a boiler plate written by lawyers but you can spot out the most obvious risks.

1) Internal recovery department getting smarter...
2) Customer concentration risk. 30% 
3) liquidity: credit facility with strict covenants..
4) Dependence of Medicare. Well, Medicare won't go away but there is some regulatory risk.

3.Stock chart. The stock has been around $3-#7...but mostly around $5. And it has underperformed NASDAQ and benchmark, no wonder activists are banging on the door. Lost 4% from 2009 to 2014 while NASDAQ gained 123% and the benchmark gained 93%. 

4. Financials. Revenue is shrinking. There is operating loss in 2014. And a big loss from foreign currency translation...hmmmm..they don't know how to hedge? Operating profit is about 3%, ok....this is really razor thin business.  

I would usually stop researching here...because it does not seem to be a good business due to low operating profit and it has not been doing well for the past four years...but let's see the MD&A

5. MD&A. Management discusses the firm and its future.Nothing much here. 

6. Notes. Where all the interesting and dirty stuff are hidden. 
I am cruising through and I don't find bleeding red flags. But lot of acquisitions, which you should really question because acquisitions can be used to boost earnings and do other accounting tricks.


For me, PGRX is a pass. Because it is outside of my circle of competence and it looks like a terrible business with low margins and lot of competition plus regulatory risk. 
However, my intuition says that the activist will force the firm to sell either itself or a division, just my gut feeling.  I am sure Becker knows much more than me and we'll see how the investment plays out. 
  
P.S.
Took me 30 minutes to quickly go through the 10-K while writing the post :p 
 If I had more time, I would have looked at the management. 




*From Snapshot Serengeti

What you don't want to see on 8-Ks

I subscribe to firm alerts and...today, I found that American Science and Engineering, one of the firms that I was interested investing is being investigated by GSA and Department of Defense for its contract.

Hmmm....not good...but it may be a investing opportunity. We always need a catalyst for investing...we will see.



*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/24]

Dear Lord, thank You for a blessed Friday. It was a bit busy but I got a lot of work done. Thank You Father for everything :D

1. Thank You Jesus for blessing me with so many awesome ideas. I will pray for more wisdom because all wisdom comes from You :D

2.Thank You Father for a drive without traffic and good parking spot. Father, thank You so much for saving me from traffic and parking havoc.

3. Thank You  God for giving me the ability to help others. I am very weak and naive but thank You for giving talents to really help others.

4. Thank You Lord for a nice cloudy weather. I like cool weather. Makes me feel more alive.

5. Thank You Jesus for California Pizza Kitchen. The pizza is a bit more expensive and a bit small but it is still good. yummm....

6. Thank You Father for running water. I am always thankful when there is water flowing from the faucet.

7. Father, thank You for YouTube. Yes, I waste some time but it is quite fun. I will cut down time on YouTube.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. You have called us and made us whole. Let us live a life of light and abandon the life of darkness. Jesus, let us be Your true disciples and hasten Your return.



*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/24]

1. According to HFR, there are 10,149 hedge funds. Hmmm...there can't be so much alpha with so many hedge funds. I predict that hedge funds are more likely to underperform with so much crowding. Time to take money of out HFs.


2. Many S&P500 firms being adversely affected by Venezuela's economic crisis including Coca Cola and Pepsi.

3.Pension footnotes are a whole new adventure...

4. There is always a reason to be lazy and procrastinate... :(

5. When investing in Lending Club loans, do your due diligence by checking if the reported income reasonable for the reported job. Sometimes you get wildly high number, which makes you wonder...




*From Floating Forests

What I have learned today [2015/4/23]

1. Four Seasons has a private jet travel tour (about 16 days) that costs $119,000. It is uber luxurious and of course, I just wonder if it is all necessary. Isn't part of traveling about being a little uncomfortable and pushing your boundaries?

2. Internet of everything will require massive storage so investing in data storage companies would be a good investment idea.

3. Americans have on average 3.4 credit cards. I thought that they would have more.

4. Hawaii gets as much as 12% from solar energy. I would thought either Arizona or CA would have more solar energy.

5. There is lot of magma under Yellowstone. Hmmm...I guess natural disaster insurance premiums would go up?




*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/23]

Jesus, we thank You for everything. Thank You for giving us so much. We often forget how blessed we are. Thank You for reminding us how much You love us. Father, I pray that You always fill our hearts with love so we can spread Your love and gospel.

1. Father, thank You for the awesome parking spot. What a present! wooo hooo!

2. Jesus, thank You for the uber productivity yesterday. It was a very productive day.

3. Thank You Lord for ramen. I love ramen. It is not a good source of nutrition but it is easy to make and delicious :p


4. Thank You God for giving me the heart to pray. Let us pray more and be more loving.

5. Father, thank You for giving me the strength to fast yesterday. Eating only noodles was not the best idea...but I managed after lying in bed for a while then using my last energy.

6. Thank You Jesus for the informative blogs. Yes, there is  lot of noise but these blogs really do help you think about things.

7. Thank You God for water. I drank a lot of water yesterday and I just realized how grateful I should be for water. Father, let us drink the water that comes from You so we will never be thirsty.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything because all good things come from You. God, thank You so much for blessing us. Thank You for helping us know You more and know Your heart better. We know that we have to train ourselves more to be more like You. Lord, I just pray that You fill us with the Holy Spirit so we can hasten Your Return.



*From Floating Forests

How to stop overspending with credit cards

An article on the Atlantic discusses how Americans overspend when they use a credit card and how financial literacy has not done much.

A credit card is a good financial tool that enables you to smooth your spending and maintain proper liquidity (in need of urgent cash). Plus, certain cards even offer cash backs and other types of rewards. However, credit cards only a good tool if you pay it on time or do not incur much interest. Once you start incurring interest than the credit card company will own you....

So the point is to not overspend and spend wisely. How can we do this? The best way is to be financially savvy and to budget and ensure not to overspend. I use Mint.com to keep my spending in check and always try to not spend money. Also, once you realize that you don't need much money to be happy, you will be able to control your spending.

However, such mind control may be difficulty. In such case, here are some helpful tips that are better than freezing your credit card.

1. Stay away from temptation. If you tend to spend a lot online then try to stay away form the computer as much as you can. If you buy a lot on mobile then don't enable mobile payments. Also, try to stay at home as much as possible, trust me you will use less money automatically.

2. Keep yourself busy. If you are busy then you will have less time to spend money. Try to get a new hobby that doesn't cost much. Spend more time with your family. This will all save you from spending excessively.
 

3. Find out what makes you spend. People do not realize this but we consume excessively, in a vein attempt to fill in something that is missing. Try to find out what is missing what makes you go on shopping sprees. May be you had certain trauma of being behind the fashion, in such case, address the cause and you will likely to spend less.

We live in a capitalistic society and credit cards are not going to go away. Thus, be wise and spend wisely ^^





*From Floating Forests

Give Thanks [2015/4/22]

1. Thank You Jesus for providing with a friend who I can share rides with :D Yay, less waste and traffic in LA.

2. Thank You God for a great bible study about Israel. Let us pray for Israel and let all churches unite and pray for the return of Jesus, our King.

3. Thank You Lord for great researchers who openly share their skills and wisdom.

4. Thank You God for kimbab, I love kimbab yummmieee.

5. Thank You Father for great coffee...Ah yes, I love my milk frother. It is such a blessing to start the day with a nice warm latte.

6. Jesus, thank You for giving me the wisdom when I was stressed about work. Let me finish my work quickly so I can spend more time spreading Your love.

7. Father, thank You for the lovely babies at our church. They are so beautiful and adorable. I pray that You protect them and raise them to be mighty warriors of faith ^^

8. Thank You God for R, what a great program. Yes, I know it is sometimes slow and yes I forget the syntax all the time but such a powerful program and nice graphics too. And it is freeeeeeee!

9. Thank You Jesus for Kindle. I just love reading ^^

10. Thank You Father for oranges. Yumm...I miss the vitamin C. Need to go shopping more often.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. You are the alpha and the omega, and we just want to worship You. Jesus, we are very flawed but yet you make us whole. Father, I pray that You heal us and use us to further Your Kingdom.




*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/22]

1. Tesla which has arguably the best battery technology is introducing home/ utility batteries. If these batteries are good then Tesla's stock will skyrocket. Also, it would be an awesome efficiency gain for the world. Imagine powering remote places or developing nations, wow, I am very excited ^^ Also, I will consider investing in Tesla if they become a battery company :D

2. Japan's Taco Bell has some interesting menus including shrimp burritos, fajita stuffed quesadilla, and  cinamon tostada chips...hmmm...they sound interesting and somewhat delicious but I wonder if Japanese will like them. I am sure Taco Bell did some market research and experimenting but the menu does not seem to be geared to Japanese...Looks like a menu that I would find in LA.

3. People are 1.4x times more likely to watch ads when watching YouTube on mobile. I am not surprised because you can't really open another window to do something and you are probably bored anyway so even the ads are better than sheer boredom. But I wonder how many actually recognize the ad though...should do a test whether not skipping is really related to brand/ product awareness.

4. Arab Youth survey shows that they want to live in UAE. I just wonder how many the youth surveyed actually lived abroad or at least traveled. Of course, Dubai is very nice but other countries also offer a lot as well.

5. People tend to hold on to whatever minimum authority that they have to show their power and worth....I think this is basic survival instinct but this creates absurd bureaucracies and a tsunami of inefficiencies.



*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/21]

1. You can clean dirty carpets with thick salt. Rub it hard and the dust will come off.

2. Coffee with butter may be good for you? The argument is that butter and caffeine work well together and makes you super energetic.Putting on my to do list :p

3. Mr. Womack was a rice farmer and hog raiser who never lost money in market for 40 years. He invested in undervalued solid companies when markets were crashing. The principle is solid but implementing is quite difficult. Now we face more competition from smarter investors and screaming undervalued firms are rare. Also, it is really hard to define what is a solid company. A company may seem great for one person but look quite risky to another. So in sum, Mr. Womack's lessons are important but hard to implement...

4. Very soon machines will replace a substantial number of  minimum wage workers...

5. Wow...did not know that restaurant profit margin was about 4%. According to a journalist estimate, 36% goes to labor, 30% for food, and 30% for other operational costs...

6. America's population is aging fast, meaning senior residential properties will be good investments. I also predict that adult diapers will be a good investment. You can already buy them in bulk in Costco.

7. Matching data is trickier than you think :p Randomly  looking data does not imply randomness....




*From Penguin Watch

Give Thanks [2015/4/21]

Thank You Father for another wonderful day. I know that I complained and was ungrateful often but Lord please touch my heart so I can be more loving and worthy. Work has been stressful but Jesus let me pray to You when things get tough instead of trying to devise things on my own. Jesus, I pray that You bless us and use us to hasten Your return.

1. Thank You Jesus for a very productive day. I had some migraines but overall I did a lot of stuff done.

2. Thank You God for Kindle, I am reading lot more now and I am enjoying too. I feel like I found my lost love again. Well, I did, actually, reading :D Just want to thank You because all wisdom comes from You Jesus.

3. Father, thank You for my computer, laptop, tablet and etc. They really make my work possible. We often forget how this powerful machines make our lives easier.

4. Thank You Jesus for helping me park well. Wow, I am finally parking slightly better ^^

5. Thank You Lord for the house of prayer. It is such a blessing to have a place to pray together. Lord, I pray that You bring more people to the house of prayer so we can all pray in Your name and bless all nations.

6. Thank You God for internet and podcasts. So many interesting things going on the world. Father, I just pray that I consume this material wisely and only use it to glorify You.

7. Jesus, I just want to thank You for Your Word. It is really our daily bread. Let us be more holy and loving by keeping Your commandments.


We just want to thank You for everything Jesus. We know that we are sinners and lack so much. Yet we know that through Your grace and Your grace alone, we are healed and called to further Your Kingdom. Jesus, let us be more loving. Let us pray more and serve others with all our hearts. Bless us and use us to spread Your love and gospel. In Jesus' name we pray :D




*From Floating Forests

Give Thanks [2015/4/20]

Jesus thank You for another wonderful day. I wake up sort of tired but managed to get a lot of things done. It was a busy day yet I was able to pray in Your name. Jesus, let us be more loving and spread the gospel to all nations.

1. Father, thank You for helping me arrive on time for the meeting. Thank You for giving me strong legs for running.

2. Thank You Jesus for great parking spots. I had a good parking spot at school and near my house. I also parked very well today. Most of the times, I go back and forth hahahaha. I should really learn how to park better.

3. Thank You God for a very productive day. Lot of meetings and work but I managed to pull it off.

4. Thank You Jesus for great financial podcasts. I am learning so much.

5. Thank You God for giving me the power and the will to pray. I know that I am very lazy and stubborn but thank You for touching my heart so I can pray for our neighbors and all nations.

6. Thank You Lord for the great leftover tacos. Yes, I still love them yummm.

7. Father, thank You for Kindle. I just love reading Kindle on the bed. I just hope I don't drop it on my head.

8. Thank You God for a good professors. They push me hard and I have improved a lot. Of course, sometimes I get tired and annoyed but Lord I know that this is all part of Your training so let me be more thankful and use the talents that You have given me.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. Let us be more loving and worthy. Let us declare Your glory and spread Your love.



*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/20]

Another very busy day but learned a few things :p

1. Dual momentum investing uses both relative and absolute momentum, makes you avoid bear markets

2. Billions of blue jelly fish wash ashore in CA. I hope this is really normal, not some messed up change in nature.

3. Pension footnotes are quite dizzying but contain important and interesting information.

4. According to Mark Yockey, the US will do better than the rest of the world. I sort of agree with his logic since the recovery is sort of here but I am not sure what mess in the other side of the world will affect the US economy (e.g. Europe...).

5. The US college system should really educate the students better. I was quite shock by the fact that many college students were not able to either frame or analyze a problem properly....We really need to teach students to think analytically.

6. Kenyan food mainly consist of corn, maize, potatoes, and beans.

7. No number exists...it is an agreed abstract concept between people....that was deep...should learn more philosophy and math :D



*From Penguin Watch

What I have learned today [2015/4/19]

1. How are old books more expensive on Kindle!!! ugh!! I can see may be a price difference of few dollars for convenience but older print version costs only 1 cent...

2. Meritocracy, patience, careful planning and relentless execution produces jaw dropping results. Please read my review.



3. Almond is the most desired agricultural product in CA and it consumes 10% of CA's water.

4. Creating insightful and interesting content is hard :p Need to read more, synthesize, then work on the writing ^^

5. Guinea pigs usually live five years (hmm..i thought it would be shorter).



*From Chicago Wildlife Project

Give Thanks [2015/4/19]

Thank You Jesus for another blessed day. Today we learned that if we will receive anything that we pray in Your name. Father, let us know Your heart more so we can do the things that please You. Let us pray for the restoration and the return of our King Jesus. I pray that You bless us and use us to further Your Kingdom.

1. Father, thank You for an awesome worship. I am such a sinner yet Your grace is so overflowing that You heal me and make me whole again. Jesus, we want to thank You for Your unending love and grace.

2. Jesus, thank You for a nice weather. It was very pleasant today. I had to work but yet lovely weather beats not so good weather :D

3. Thank You Lord for uber efficiency. Data cleaning has been quite draining but I am closer now. Also, thank You for helping me focus instead of drifting away to YouTube.

4. Thank You God for the leftover food. Ahhh...free good food. No need to cook and tastes good.

5. Thank You Jesus for Kindle, I just finished reading my first book on Kindle and I am reading voraciously ^^ Man, I missed those days that I would be just lost in books. Kindle is sort of helping me get there again.

6. Thank You Father for a nice parking spot ^^

7. Father, thank You for the great worship songs on YouTube. Bless those who upload the nice medleys.

Jesus, we just want to thank You for everything because all good things come from You. Let us become more holy everyday and bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Let us share those with our neighbors and proclaim Your awesomeness :D


*From Floating Forests

Give Thanks [2015/4/18]

Jesus, thank You for another wonderful day starting with prayer accompanied by an overflowing lunch. Father, I know that I am very lazy and quite judging often. Please soften and enlarge my heart so I can be more loving and really follow You Jesus. Lord, I pray that You bless our church so we can make disciples of all nations.

1. Thank You Jesus for the cool weather and wow really lovely breeze. I can't even express how nice it was to walk today ^^

2. Thank You Father for a great fellowship at our pastor's place. Good taco and wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. The sun was scorching but it is LA so :p

3. Thank You God for a refreshing nap. Wow, that was such a sweet nap. Thank You for the lovely bed. Thank You Amazon Reviews ^^

4.  Father, thank You for the babies at church. They are so adorable. Just playing with them fills me with joy. I pray that You bless them and that You make their faith growth so that they can serve Your Kingdom. I pray that You protect them from evil and that You use them as Your mighty tools.

5. Thank You Jesus for Stata and other statistical programs. Wow, without them, I would be running analysis by hand....Man...that would be scary.

6. Thank You Lord for helping me write this post. It is so time consuming and tiring to keep up a blog. Thank You for the discipline. Yes, I know I still have to finish many posts. Father, I pray You give me the time and the wisdom so I can finish writing the unfinished posts.

7. Jesus, we want to thank You for everything because You have loved us so much and You have died for our sins. We pray that we too can carry the cross and become more like You day by day. Father, please get rid of our wickedness and fill us with the Holy Spirit. Let us be the generation that hastens Your return :D




*From Snapshot Serengeti

What I have learned today [2015/4/18]

1. Google+ failed due to lack of understanding of basic marketing. Google did not understand why normal people liked SNS. They focused Google+ towards nerds and geeks, mostly not the average Joe...Google+ is great for organizing and analyzing information but it's not a really a socializing platform. I like it though :p

2. Uber, Lyft, and other on-demand economy companies are being sued for taking advantage of workers through classifying them as contractors not employees. The lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan has a point that on-demand economy companies may be taking advantage of the workers but she has to remember that no one is forced to work for Uber or any of the on-demand economy companies. Yes, there are minimum commitment hours but that is to ensure consistency and quality rather than trying to make the employee bound. I believe that an efficient solution would be for Uber and other on demand companies to enable good workers those who are good at their job receive more for their skills. Also, Uber and other on demand companies can set up certain rainy funds for certain workers who meet certain skill and time commitment to the company (e.g. worked over three years).

3. When negotiating for ransom be always firm yet cordial. Avoid publicity, and try to find a middle ground as soon as you have certainty that the hostage alive.


4. Wow...there are people who collect tax related antiques.

5. 31.5% of student debt is at least a month behind their payment...pray for the best, this won't be pretty.

6. Gravity Payment's CEO will raise wages about $70,000 to make his employees happier. Ok, this is sort of noble but I think he is making a mistake that everyone needs at least $70,000 to be much happier. Well, actually, it depends on the people, some may need more and some may need less. I think a better way would be to have more meritocracy rather than just raising the money. Also, we have to remember that people adapt very quickly to new circumstances, so it would be interesting to see how effective this program is.

7. I learned that there are intricate formulas for creating number of bins. Math is awesome :D



*From Floating Forests

Give Thanks [2015/4/17]

Dear Father, thank You for another blessed day. It has been a very busy day but thank You for watching over me. Lord, I know that I lack a lot of love and that I am very lazy but Father please make me whole and use me to hasten Your return. Let us be the generation that truly worships You and prepares Your return.

1. Jesus, thank You for great lunch. I love tofu. Also, thank You for coffee. It is such a privilege to drink good coffee every day. ^^

2. Father, thank You for helping me start a wonderful day. The fasting yesterday helped me wake up more cheerfully. I should really fast more often and really eat less before sleeping....

3. Thank You Lord for internet. I learn so much from the internet. Thank You for giving us such an awesome tool.

4. Thank You Father for my car. Thank You as I can give rides to my friends and go to places. We often forget how blessed we are.

5. Thank You God for kindle. I really love reading. I wish I would have bought it earlier so I would have read more. I was really cautious in buying because it is definitely not cheap and I am quite busy with research and work.

6. Thank You Jesus for an awesome church. Thank You Lord for blessing us so much. Let us pray more and love our neighbors more. I realize that You really want our hearts and I feel that our church is really trying to get to know You more. Father, we are weak and naive so please help us and let us be the light and the salt of this world.

7. Thank You Father for providing safety at night. Our neighborhood is quite safe and we can enjoy walking at night, which is not always the case in LA. Thank You for the neighborhood safety.

Father, we just want to thank You for everything. You have loved us so much. Jesus, let us really be more loving and more courageous. Often we are timid and lazy but Lord let us get rid of our weakness and become Your mighty tool. Also, Father let us not be judging but more loving.




*From Snapshot Serengeti

What I have learned today [2015/4/17]

1. Crickets not the magic bullet for food safety. There are some tweaks needed for optimal production of crickets as protein sources. I am not so surprised because nothing is really perfect and requires constant improvement.


2. You can die from a broken heart. Rush of stress hormones can shock the heart. The immune system suffers. Wow...better guard my heart...


3, Music has different effect on different people when sleeping. Yup, nothing is a one size fits all solution. Need to experiment with yourself. I like listening to slow and low praise songs before sleeping.


4. Venezuela and Iran heavily subsidize oil prices to win political support. Excessive subsidies are never a good idea because it creates inefficient consumption (e.g. waste) and high opportunity costs (money that could be on education). Well, given the historical low oil prices, it does make sense to slowly decrease the subsidies for a better future.


5.  George Soros' investing styles include  investing in markets that there are disruptions and exploiting politics. Well, it makes sense but in market disruptions, you really don't know what is going on. Often even experts are wrong. Also, exploiting politics? Hmmm...not my cup of tea.



*From Snapshot Serengeti

Random Thoughts and Reactions [2015/4/17]

1. After playing Snapshot Serengeti, playing Chicago Wildlife Watch is quite boring...no exciting animals...and most of the times, I am just marking people and cars. But still documenting and studying urban ecology is still important.


*oh, a standing squirrel...
*From Chicago Wildlife Project

2. Quora is an awesome tool to ask and answer questions but often we see questions that are obviously written by too lazy people who cannot or refuses to use Google or Wikipedia.

3. Ideas sound good when you talk among friends but instantly face sudden death when we try to write it down and work out the details.....Oh why....does it only sound good in my head.


*This is how I feel like when my ideas are actually examined...
*From  Wikipedia entry

4. Do not fear because the Lord is with You :D

5. When investing always think of the downside, what could go wrong.

Give Thanks [2015/4/16]

Thank You Jesus for another blessed day. I was able to focus more on You today. I believe that fasting does make you more holier by not only sharing the pain but being able to be thankful for everything you have given us. Plus, I need to lose some weight :p
Father, we just want to thank You for everything for blessing us so much. We love You so much. Let us be the generation that hastens Your return :D

1. Thank You Jesus for another extremely productive day. I managed to find more mistakes in the data base. Yay...it was grueling but someone has to do it. Thank You Jesus for giving me the ability and the patience to clean data.

2. Thank You Father for the excellent SoCal weather. Wow, I love the breeze today. No wonder we don't want to do anything except relax at the beach. Again, thank You so much for blessing us with an awesome weather.

3. Father, thank You for providing me great street parking spots. It is always an adventure to park on the streets but I have managed to park reasonably close to school and my home yesterday ^^

4. Thank You God for kindle. Wow, I am reading a lot again. My favorite activity is to lie down and read and then doze off. Ahhh that feeling thank You.

5. Thank You Lord for great legs. As I walked, I just wanted to thank You for blessing with good legs. It is such a blessing to be able to walk and enjoy the scenery.

6. Thank You Jesus for Lending Club. Now we can lend better and help those in need and alleviate the burden of interest. Also, thank You for the nice returns. I have lost a lot in the beginning because I had no idea but thanks to Your wisdom, I am managing better.

7. Father, I just want to thank You for great friends. They keep me engaged and happy. I pray that You bless them and that they too can believe more in You. They still don't know You well but I pray that You open their hearts so they can know what a loving and awesome God You are ^^

8. Thank You Jesus for pouring down Your wisdom. I am realizing so much these days about Your heart and how the world works. I am having almost daily epiphanies. Things that I used to complain about now I understand. Lord, I proclaim that all knowledge and wisdom comes from You. Father, let me pray more and live by Your Word. Please bless us all with Your wisdom so we can further You kingdom and bless all nations.

Jesus, we just want to thank You for everything. We are weak and we can't do anything without You. Father, give us a loving heart so we can love our neighbors more. Jesus, please give us the courage and the will to expand Your kingdom. God, we just want to be Your humble and faithful servants. Please bless us and let us glorify You every moment ^^


*Snapshot Serengeti

What I have learned today [2015/4/16]

1. Most internet connection is done by undersea cables because it is most efficient. We do enjoy wireless but the main infrastructure of the internet is still cable :D

2.Apple watch may cause social awkwardness or tension, when you have to keep looking at it to check messages.

3. IBM collaborated with the Nazis. The punch cards helped the Nazis to track down the Jews. Wow...we really need to be more ethical when doing business...

4. Airbus can now put 11 passengers in one row now. Well, yes it is cramming but it does give us a choice of cheaper flights :D

5. Fasting dinner makes you fee great in the morning ^^





*From Snapshot Serengeti

Give Thanks [2015/4/15]

Thank You Jesus for another blessed day. Thank You for loving us so much and making us more whole everyday. We confess that we are still very weak and foolish but please give us strength and wisdom so we can love You and our neighbors more :D

1. Father, thank You for soda. Ahhh so nice to drink Coke on a hot sunny day.

2. Jesus thank You for allowing me to park not so far away from my house :D

3, Thank You God for giving me the idea to contribute to Wikipedia by filling missing details about firms. I use Wikipedia to get quick information about firms and realized that often some information was missing, which could be easily filled in. Thank You for giving me the wisdom.

4. Thank You God for giving me a calm heart. I used to get very stressed when work got stuck but now. I am more relaxed. I should really pray more and seek your wisdom.

5.  Father, thank You for teaching us about Your grand plans. The bible study was great and I learned that You really have great plans to restore Your kingdom. Let us be the faithful servants that keep Your commandments.

Jesus we just want to thank You for everything. You have saved us and You have called us to be the vessel of Your glory and blessings. We just pray that You always be with us and that we share Your true and mighty love with all nations.




*From Snapshot Serengeti

What I have learned today [2015/4/15]

1. IRS help desk is low on people. This is quite shocking because I would expect the Uncle Sam to do everything to collect taxes but I guess not.


2. Dang....74 million dollar worth of restricted stocks granted but valued at zero.
If that was the case, then the CEO should be indifferent about receiving the restricted stock or not...This is just really bad corporate governance practice....

3. Paulson defends that banking is a noble profession. I completely agree that banking is a noble profession but it has been tainted by mercenaries and skewed incentives.

4. Wow...the US spends combined 54% of taxes on military and health?! This is disturbing. The US has already the mightiest army in the history of humanity. Is the US trying to conquer Mars? I have high respect for the military but I think we can cut down a bit on the military. Wow! Health insurance, really? Better start a new health movement. Or start taxing high caloric foods more.



5. Greatest trading mistakes of great investors. I am always humbled by the humbleness of great investors. The ability to admit that one made a mistake is critical in investing :D If not the market will humble you....



*From Snapshot Serengeti

Productivity Hacks: Knowing a lot of random stuff

Friends often ask me how I know so much random stuff....I am assuming that it is a complement. Here is how I keep myself informed.


1. Read, read, read. I love reading. I used to finish two books a month. I have been very lucky since my parents are both voracious readers and reading was just a natural thing to do when I was growing up. So try to read as much as possible. I will discuss more about reading techniques in a latter post.

2. Listen to podcasts. I regularly listen to about ten podcasts and I learn so much from listening to them. I don't understand everything that is said on the podcast but I pick up stuff, which relates to somethings that I know already. This helps me further build my knowledge base. Please see my post of about podcasts.

3. Read the news. This sounds obvious but people don't follow the news as much. Also, a lot of news is actually noise, not much information. These days, I tend to read news shared by my friends on facebook or those that are highly liked. They are not always the most informative but they are somewhat interesting. I will share about new reading techniques in a future post.

4. Listen....Listen...Listen to others. People love to talk about themselves and their work. All you have to do is to remain quiet and let them talk. I have learned so much from people telling me about their work. I just asked a few questions and they talked for a good half an hour. So ask others about themselves and their work, they will enlighten you about things that you were never familiar with. For instance, I talked to an entrepreneur before and he told me all the bad stuff he had to go through and how he persevered. His insights were really helpful and I was able to advise other friends who were thinking of creating their own startups.

5. Write it down! Now! This is actually the most important point. Input of information is only the beginning, value is only created when you process the information and integrate it to your knowledge base. In my case, I use three methods. First, I keep notes for each subject. For finance, I have a whole series of notes that I loosely organize by topic. I keep adding new information and occasionally I would go over the material. Second, I keep a diary. In the diary, I write about things that I have learned today and how that applies to me and to the world. It is more intimate and less censored. Finally, I write the "What I have learned today" posts. This forces me to learn new stuff everyday and also pushes me to organize the information.

Well, I hope you have found these tips useful. Please share your productivity hacks in acquiring new information in the comment section :D 





*From Floating Forests

Snapshot Serengeti Photo Parade Continues

The Snapshot Serengeti Photo relay continues :D Such beautiful images. It took me a while but I really love this pictures. Such beautiful creatures ^^
Adding visiting Serengeti to my bucket list :D

What I have learned today [2015/4/14]

1. Tainted water kills at half a million people  a year.

2. ATMs are here to stay by automating tasks done by humans before.

3. There are super luxury vans equipped with luxurious chairs and media centers that can cost almost a million. This is the ultimate pimp my ride :D With all the equipment, the gas mileage should not be so wonderful :p

4. Many popular titles are not available on  Kindle Unlimited :( Not even the very very old good ones....This really upsets me. Still I love Kindle.

5. I have learned that I am sometimes too lazy even to grab the weights right next to my desk :( The inertia is overwhelming Ooooooohhhh.

6. I have learned that in Exodus, there were times that Pharaoh hardened his heart and other times when God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Given what I know about God, I believe that God allowed Pharaoh to be wicked but then again we never know everything about God's intent. However, I believe that God is good and somethings we still do not understand very well.

7. I have learned that I should thank more because we are so blessed. Jesus thank You for everything including water, food, electricity, internet, and other amenities. Father, never let me forget that all things comes from You and let me be always joyful in You. Lord, I pray that You bless us and use us to spread Your gospel and love.




*From Snapshot Serengeti

Give Thanks [2015/4/14]

1. Thank You Jesus for the great causal inference notes :D Thank you great and generous professors for sharing your notes and codes.

2. Thank You Lord for another reasonably productive day. Yes, I slacked off but at least I got some work done ^^

3. Father, thank You for Kindle. I am reading more once again. I missed the days that I would read at least an hour everyday. With Kindle, I am reading a bit more :D

4. Thank You God for giving me the ability to help others. Yes, I am still very naive and foolish but thank You for giving me enough wisdom and knowledge to help others.

5. Thank You Jesus for my chair. What a good chair at a reasonable price. Thank You Costco.

6. Lord, thank You for a wonderful weather. We often forget the good weather we are endowed with.

7. Father, thank You for reconnecting with an old friend, especially with good news. She doesn't know you yet but Father I just pray that she gets to know You and that through You she become healed and whole.

8. Thank You God for the food dehydrator. I can make tasty dried onions yummmieee

9. Father, we just want to thank You for everything. You are such a generous God yet we are so ungrateful. Lord, I just pray that You humble our hearts so we can love You and our neighbors more.








*From Snapshot Serengeti