[Post 557] Malaysia's Young Farmers Venture Into Agriculture With Premium Tropical Fruits | CNA Correspondent

Summary

Malaysia hopes to boost its exports of premium tropical fruits by cross-breeding high-quality strains. The golden rock melon is the iconic fruit of the state of Terengganu. It can fetch a market price of about 10 US dollars each. Another hybrid - the 'nangchem' that hails from Selangor's fruit valley - is fast gaining popularity. In the northern state of Perlis, the aromatic 'harum manis' is now the most expensive mango variety in the country. It is regarded as among the finest in Southeast Asia, if not globally. With the promise of lucrative returns from their efforts, a new generation of young farmers has been inspired to venture into the agricultural sector. 

[Post 556] Surviving Bangkok’s Heatwave: From The Homeless To A Business Owner | An Unequal Heatwave

Summary

The month of April saw record temperatures in Bangkok, Thailand, with the heat index hitting 52 degrees Celsius. It has exacted a heavy cost, in very different ways, from the city’s most vulnerable as well as business owners.

Among the large homeless community in the Trok Sa-ke district, some of the able-bodied like Teera help fellow rough sleepers - many of them elderly and sick. They depend on the goodwill of volunteers, like the NGO Issarachon Foundation. Meanwhile businesswoman Saleena looks after 100 employees and deals with heatwave-damaged equipment, plus rocketing electricity bills.

[Post 555] Our Japanese Bakery In A Hawker Centre: Meet The Shio Pan Sisters | On The Red Dot - I Am A Hawker

Summary

It had always been 28-year-old Danielle Tan’s dream to be a baker and own a bakery. She honed her skills by baking and selling cakes at pop-up stalls both as a student and a working adult. After two years of working, Danielle decided to start her own pastry business, specializing in “shio pan” – a Japanese salt bun. Teaming up with her 32-year-old sister Serene, they opened Butter Town.

Butter Town quickly became a roaring success, consistently selling out their breads within two hours of opening. However, their small oven, single mixer, and few trays couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming demand. Within three months, the sisters faced the urgent challenge of scaling up their operations to meet their customers’ needs.

[Post 554] India’s Extreme Heatwave: How Mumbai's Urban Poor And Affluent Are Coping | An Unequal Heatwave

Summary

As the city of Mumbai, India, bakes in an extreme heatwave in 2024, how does where one lives impact one’s capacity to cope? In the suburb of Bandra, the affluent live side by side with residents of the slums. We find out how successful  entrepreneurs Shraddha and Raghav, who live in a spacious apartment, as well as auto rickshaw rider Feroz and his family, deal with the extreme heat. 

Can one NGO’s roof initiative help slum dwellers, who have no access to air conditioning or expensive home retrofits, deal with extreme heatwaves forecasted in the years ahead? Vivek Gilani of the Fairconditioning Foundation talks about the solutions needed.

[Post 553] Why Shake Shack Is Testing Its Premium Brand With Drive-Thru | WSJ The Economics Of

Summary

Shake Shack built a $4 billion business as an alternative to fast food, with gourmet cachet and lofty prices. But as the fast casual restaurant expands, it’s embracing a tested fast food strategy: drive thru, and hoping it won’t get in the way of its premium branding.

WSJ explains how the burger chain is trying to speed up operations and expand, while keeping a more premium image than fast food chains like McDonald’s. 

[Post 552] How can risk-averse investors overcome their fears? | Money Talks podcast

Summary

Fixed deposits and government bonds are top choices for Singapore investors. But there are many other opportunities to grow wealth outside these tried and tested vehicles. But to do this, investor education is critical says Jo-Ann Chia, Asia Fixed Income Senior Portfolio Manager at Nikko Asset Management. 

[Post 551] Dog Parties, Cat Hotels & Pet Spas: More Ways To Indulge Your Fur Kid | The Business Of Pawrenting

Summary

Pet cats and dogs are going for parties, daycare, cruises, spa treatments, gym sessions and much more. Do they really benefit from such activities? And what should pet owners look out for?

Rising pet ownership in Singapore has stoked demand for more diverse products and services.  This series looks at some of the more premium and unusual offerings that enterprising businesses have created for furkids here. Find out what’s driving pet parents, or pawrents, to splurge – and what a vet, a nutritionist and a behavioural expert have to say about what is truly best for these animals’ happiness and well-being.

[Post 550]Bespoke Pet Fashion, Food & Furniture: How We Spoil Our Dogs & Cats | The Business Of Pawrenting

Summary

How are pet owners indulging their cats and dogs when it comes to everyday comforts like food, furniture, fashion, enrichment feeders and tech gadgets? And what do experts have to say about what is actually best for these animals? 

Rising pet ownership in Singapore has stoked demand for more diverse  products and services.  This series looks at some of the more premium and unusual offerings that enterprising businesses have created for furkids here. Find out what’s driving pet parents, or pawrents, to splurge – and what a vet, a nutritionist and a behavioural expert have to say about what is truly best for these animals’ happiness and well-being.

[Post 549] How We Became Digital Nomads: Tips For Remote Working Abroad | Money Mind

Summary

Southeast Asia is a popular destination for digital nomads from western countries. They're drawn by the lower cost of living and the tropical weather. But what happens when you travel in the opposite direction? Meet Fauzan and Yasmin, a Malaysian couple who have been working and traveling around the United States and Europe. 

[Post 548] Can AI In Fitness Soon Help You Save On Healthcare Bills? | Money Mind | Healthcare

Summary

Can AI give you the data you need to help cut your healthcare bills as you grow older? Dawn Tan puts herself through the paces to find the number that could help cut medical costs.

[Post 547] Investing In Singapore REITs: Key Sub-sectors And Indicators To Watch In 2024 | Money Mind | REITs

Summary

Down but not out - why market watchers are optimistic about S-REITs.

[Post 546] From Hospitality Graduate To Noodle Hawker: My COVID Career Switch | On The Red Dot - I Am A Hawker

Summary

26-year-old Catherine graduated with a degree in hospitality, while her sister, 27-year-old Chong Kai En is a nursing graduate. Neither imagined that they would end up running a hawker stall specialising in noodles when finding a job during the COVID-19 period proved extremely challenging.

Neither sister knew how to cook, so they had to learn to cook the dishes, handle tough customers, and deal with financial struggles. Despite all that, they managed to grow their one noodle stall into three noodle stalls, a vegetarian food stall, and even a vegetarian restaurant. How did these sisters beat the odds and thrive in the competitive hawker scene?

[Post 545] Ultimate World Cruise: What's it like to spend 9 months on a cruise that goes to 60 countries?

Summary

What is it like to live 274 days on a cruise ship that's been closely followed by the entire world on TikTok? CNA Lifestyle talked to some passengers from Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise to find out, during a recent Singapore stopover. (Video: Joyee Koo)

[Post 544] Indonesia building more dams to boost food, water security

Summary

Indonesia is building more dams to address food and water security concerns in the country. Its Public Works and Housing Ministry has a target to build a total of 61 dams by the end of this year. These dams also provide low-carbon hydroelectric power, contributing to the clean and renewable energy mix in Indonesia. Saifulbahri Ismail reports.

[Post 543] Preparing your finances for a career change | Money Talks podcast

Summary

Making a career pivot may seem scary, regardless of your age or station in life. How should you plan and manage your finances before making the leap into a new career? In this week’s episode of Money Talks, Peter Tan from Unicorn Financial Solutions shares some tips on how to navigate the change without disrupting your finances.

[Post 542] Is Pet Insurance Worth Paying For? | Money Mind | Insurance

Summary

Medical bills for the four-legged members of your family can go into the four or even five digits. So is it worth buying pet insurance for your pets?

[Post 574] Boomers Own Half of U.S. Wealth. So Why Are We Seeing More Homeless Boomers? | WSJ

Summary

Baby boomers have the highest median net worth by generation, holding about half of U.S. wealth—with much of it tied in real estate. And while many of these older boomers aren’t moving out of their homes, younger boomers reaching retirement are increasingly facing homelessness. 

WSJ breaks down this trend and explains its impact on the housing market and the U.S. economy. 

[Post 573] The Incredible Logistics of the World’s Biggest Live Music Event | WSJ Countdown

Summary

Imagine if American Idol met the Olympics and was broadcast live to more people than the Super Bowl. That is Eurovision – the world’s largest live music event. 

With up to 26 countries plus interval acts performing live each night, a lot of planning goes into the time between acts. Every few minutes, the stage crew brings props, artists, dancers and pyrotechnics on and off stage all before the cameras cut back to live TV. 

WSJ traveled to Malmö, Sweden to go behind the scenes at Eurovision with the senior floor manager, Pernilla Isedal, and the senior stage manager, Tobbe Berg, to follow the incredible high-speed logistics of the 50-second stage change.

[Post 572] Former College President Explains the Funding Strategies Behind Universities | WSJ

Summary

Colleges and universities need a lot of money to operate—and how they get that money is complicated as wealth disparity in higher education is massive. Five schools—Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton and the University of Texas—make up a quarter of the U.S.’s 839 billion endowment dollars. So how do smaller institutions afford to stay afloat?

Former Northwestern President Morton Schapiro breaks down the finances and shows how university funding has changed in the last few years and what that change means for the future.

[Post 571] Inside Nvidia HQ: What a $2T Company’s Office Looks Like | WSJ Open Office

Summary

At Nvidia’s headquarters, the AI chips that propelled the company to a $2-trillion valuation were used in custom software that helped design the space-ship-like buildings. The tech company’s office in Santa Clara, California, is now one of the most sought-after places to work. 

WSJ took a tour of the campus - and chased down a robot - to find out what an office with over one million square feet looks like. 

[Post 395] The man who eats IKEA food for a living gives us insights on their famous meatballs and more

Summary

Ever wondered how IKEA makes its famous meatballs and popular chicken wings? How do they come up with new menu items? IKEA Singapore’s food manager Aeson Ong invited us into the kitchen to find out – and even got us to try some of their brand new dishes.

[Post 394] What to do if you get retrenched | CNA Explains

Summary

What should go into your severance package? Are non-compete clauses enforceable? We asked HR experts on what you should know if you get retrenched

[Post 393] The private driving instructor who's retiring after 48 years on the job

Summary

Sunny Kang has been working as a private driving instructor for 48 years. He retires on Apr 27 when he turns 75, the age limit for private driving instructors. And their numbers will only dwindle - Singapore has only about 305 such instructors left, since it stopped issuing teaching licences in 1987. 

[Post 392] Employment rate for private university graduates falls but median salaries rise

Summary

The employment rate for graduates from private education institutions fell, even as they earned more money. This, according to a SkillsFuture Singapore survey of 2,400 students who graduated between May 2022 and April last year. Monthly median salaries rose to $3,400 -- up $200, or slightly more than 6% from the previous survey. But fewer are finding full-time jobs. Over 58% found permanent employment within six months after graduation -- a drop of more than two percentage points from the previous cohort. The percentage of those unemployed crept up to over 16%.

[Post 391] How To Manage Your Money On Payday: The 50-30-20 Rule | Money Mind | Personal Finance

Summary

Can three simple numbers help you manage your money better on payday?

[Post 390] $13 For Restaurant-Style Fine Dining In An Yishun Hawker Center? I Am A Hawker | On The Red Dot

Summary

33-year-old Asyraffie Bin Mohamed Shukor is an accidental chef who fell in love with the art of fine-dining cooking while working in the modern European restaurant Iggy’s. When his dream to start his own restaurant fell through, Asyraffie, decided to continue his fine-dining journey in a hawker centre, blending haute cuisine techniques with the vibrant flavours of local street food.

From serving six customers a night in a private fine dining restaurant to serving 200 plates in four hours in a hawker centre,  Asyraffie has not compromised in his cooking techniques that brought him fame and acclaim. He serves a dish called Nasi Kerabu, which is unfamiliar to most Singaporeans. Yet it has attracted customers from across the island. So, why are people willing to pay more than $10 a dish and queue for up to 45 minutes for an unknown dish in a hawker stall? 

[Post 389] Dupes Vs Originals: We Test Make-Up, Hairdryer, Headphone & Activewear So You Don’t Have To

Summary

What is a dupe that you’ve tried that’s good value for its price? Or is it more worthwhile to spend more for the original instead? 

In this #TalkingPoint experiment, we test dupes against the originals to see if dupes are worth buying.