After 2 1/2 years, my notebook's hard disk crashed. All data's gone. Fortunately I do regularly backup my hard disk. The last time I backup was 2 weeks ago. So I lost 2 weeks worth of data. It would be nice if I had a system of real time backup like a mirror hard disk similar to what they have on desktop. A major weak point of a computer is anything that has moving parts. Mechanical parts are its weakest link. It is of not surprised that the hard disk is the first to fail. Just one month ago, my desktop failed too. It turn out to be the power supply. Apparently the fan was making lots of noise prior to the supply shutting down. Obviously it was also a mechnical failure. Such moving parts are guaranteed to fail due to wear and tear. There will be a lifespan. Once it exceeds its lifespan, it will fail. It is not will it fail, rather when it will fail. I remembered in my R&D job prior to jumping into the financial industry, I had to help the M.E. team come up with all sort of complex algorithsm in the firmware to ensure that the printer works in accordance to the specified lengthspan. Really hard work.

 Anyway, it reminds me of the human body. A highly complicated bag of system. Full of mechnical parts and worst of all easily attacked by microorganism and viruses. It is not the matter will the body fail but rather when will it fail. Unlike a computer or notebook which we can just throw away and buy a new one at quite a cheap price, failure of the human body can be extremely expensive to "repair." Worst - the indirect cost such as lost of income is devastating to self and family. Imagine a lost of say an income of $2000 per month is equivalent to $480,000 assuming 20 years of opportunity cost excluding inflation. Is Term enough? Nope.

Insurance can help to reduce the financial lost of a devastating event although it may not completely eliminate all financial lost. Woe to those who does not buy insurance! They are really silly and irresponsible to themselves and family. Even for thsoe who are single also need insurance. If they did not insure themselves and something happens to them, I as a taxpayer will not permit the government to subsidise their carelessness.

Anyway, for clients who had sent me email which is expecting me a reply which I did not do so, please email me again. For those email related to iFAST's letter on MAS' Money Laundering requirement, there is no need to email me again on this. I'll follow up with this as I have all the names of clients affected prior to that letter was sent and will do the necesary follow-up.