Are You Keen 2 Be Interviewed by Straits Times

Hi Members

We are proud 2 annouce that we had received an invitation from a Straits Times’ reporter who would like 2 interview our members on their interests n likes. Here’s the invitation :

"Basically, I’m working on a special report on the Silver Dollar Industry. We want to highlight that this group of people (babyboomers in their 50s and 60s) are a very viable group of people who are willing to spend on their hobbies, interests, and things like traveling. Too often they are forgotten and neglected when actually they are the people with the spending power as well as the ones providing demand for niche services or activities.

So I would be curious to interview members of your club who are very passionate about certain hobbies, e.g. appreciating wine, collecting luxury items, painting, gardening, skiing, extreme sports or even chasing idols – most importantly they must be people with a passion who are willing to spend and invest on their interests and hobbies.

Would really appreciate it if you could put me in touch with a few like minded people who are willing to be interviewed and photographed, in a group if they prefer.

Now for the questions:

What is the median age of members in the Silver Hairs Club?
Why was it set up, and by whom, when?
Besides sports, what other activities are organized by the club? Are there wine and dine trips or food appreciation, art appreciation, golf trips?

And for those who are willing to be personally interviewed, What are your spending habits like? Are there hobbies you spend on, for example, collecting figurines, gardening, golf, or fishing? How much do you spend on your hobbies in a month?

Apart from the daily necessities, what kind of items do you spend on on a regular basis?

Has the current recession affect in any way these spending habits? How? Do you find that you travel less or is travel considered a must-do for you?

Do you think that companies out there have are selling products that look into your needs as an older person? Why and how?

What are some of the products that you wish you could buy but are not available in the market? (eg. big sized font books.)

If you are interested, please give your names n topics here. Successful members will be notified. Closing date Mon, 13 Apr 2009.

YK (Admin)

  1. Francis (Dancing)

26 thoughts on “Are You Keen 2 Be Interviewed by Straits Times”

  3. Hahaha!!
    ST is running out of items to publish about the siver-haired generation!

    It’s time the authorities really do something about the large numbers of seniors (and now unemployed ones, too) and give them the recognition and respect they deserve.

    I’m able to draw my CPF at 55 (the balance after Minimum Sum), get a cinema concession, but not a bus pass until I’m 60. My Minimum Sum or annuity will only pay out after I’m 63 (currently), but my government clinic/hospital subsidy only kicks in when I’m 65! Oh yes, I can have a maid levy concession only if I’m 62. So when am I a senior citizen?

    To my mind, the SHC should be about members sharing a better way to live, work, travel, save/invest and take care of our health. To heck with all the others!

  4. #03

    Hi KennethT,

    My feeling is mutual. I share your sentiments.
    Why is ST so kaypoh. Why dont they write about the imbalance of life in Singpore where the poor and destitutes, many cannot even have a proper meal. As a volunteer and champion for the poor, I see the sad and unwholesome life of the under-privileged hanging in the balance in a society where the higher echelons of society can only give lip service and publicise the good achievements, overlooking the very portals of our vein.

    We SHCians will do our little part for society and enjoy our years of quality lives without agenda of mis-representation and stay as low a profile as possible.

    This is my personal viewpoint. It may not concur with any other person’s judgement. To each his own.

    LeePatrick (Don Juan)

  5. “…..It’s time the authorities really do something about the large numbers of seniors…..now unemployed….give them the recognition…..I’m able to draw my CPF at 55 …..but not a bus pass until I’m 60….”

    Kenneth, you chum liao, they are reading you…….

    Since you’re bored with retirement & want a job, dont get a bus pass till 60, want recognition, and you are griping, they will make you a bus driver (so you dont need to wait till 60, dont need a pass to use a bus & be paid for using it somemore). And for the recognition you crave, they’ll not sew yr name above the uniform pocket but hang a placard round your neck with your full name written on it, a foto of you, a fist drawn next to yr name & foto, and the words “I want recognition !”

    Hehe.

    Btw, it’s more likely for us at our age to worship idols for longevity than to chase idols and so chase away long-life. If the ST is looking for someone to tell them how to chase cats, crows and pigeons loitering at heartlands, I am ready to teach them how without getting chased back by the cats & birds.

    Seriously, seems to me that there’s this belief that baby boomers are loaded sugar daddies and honey mummies with moeny stashed everywhere to spend. And so the interview might help them to give some inklings to the buz out there on these nouvrre riche’s spending patterns.

    No, I prefer to share with them how to chase cats & birds, and to sell the potentially lucrative biz of mating animals with their feathered friends…………

  8. I share the sentiments of Ivan, Kenneth, Patrick & Tim. And my sweet dear friend Clara has a beautiful song to dedicate. How appropriate! So now, our Dancing King can dance to the new tune, with his sexy partner.. and appear on Straits Times, with the SHC singalong band, and the SHC line dancers in the background. How sweet! Someone, pls capture this on video, quick.

    Hee…hee……

    Seriously, i think ST has a hidden agenda. They just want to sniff out the people who has the spending power..

    quote
    … most importantly they must be people with a passion who are willing to spend and invest on their interests and hobbies… unquote

  9. Hi Guys

    We are looking for willing members 2 come forward 2 share their interests n likes through interviews conducted by ST.

    We sincerely wish that your criticism n negative comments will come after the articles are published. It’s a rare opportunity that SHC received this invitation 4 many members 2 be interviewed.

    Appreciate your understanding n co-operation. Let’s do our part 4 SHC not 4getting our founder, Terence who had gone thru pain, heartaches, headaches, sweat, blood n tears 2 bring this Club 2 its level 2dy.

    YK (Admin)

  10. “We sincerely wish that your criticism n negative comments will come after the articles are published.”

    There may not be any criticism or negative comments after the article is published….there is no clairvoyant to foretell what will be in the article.

    However, from what I read in the interview offer, it does slant on the side of business, targetting interviewees willing to spend (which was repeated several times), and smacks of arrogance when it describes us as “often forgotten and neglected”. We are not and it’s this noble objective of mutual help that SHC will strive for members to assist each other in need as the many donations to charities have shown.

    “It’s a rare opportunity that SHC received this invitation 4 many members 2 be interviewed”.

    Not everyone accepts every invitation. Ultimately the decision is left to whoever wants to accept an invitation.

    I wont accept this ST invitation as much as I reject a time sharing firm’s invite to a gift handing out talk.

    Make no mistake abt it : I take issue with the 2 statements, not the writer whom I know is volunteering to administer this forum.

  11. #8,#10

    ST definitely has an agenda as Lydia did propounded. “people willing to spend and invest” – what are ST looking for-millionaires of SHC. Ours is a club of even platform, no profolio and simple people of working class and retired. ST must have found the wrong platform.

    We speak of frankness and with liberal connotation.
    To Admin: Thank you for adminstering this forum. We do not take issue with you. It is the ST.

    LeePatrick (Song Juan)

  12. Just as the last interview Terence has, I believe there will be free advertisement for SHC. I would anticipated more people getting to know about SHC as a platform for single and couple to meet.

    Go ahead, there nothing to lose but every thing to gain. Whether they are out to assess our spending power or whatever go for the free publicity.

    Dan

  13. I guess no one is stopping whoever from SHC who wants to be interviewed by Straits Times (ST.) Individual freedom in a democratic setting.

    We are just deliberating our feedback.

    Anywhere we got a gallant knight in Francis who willingly
    volunteer already.

    LeePatrick

  14. I believe that Singapore SilverHairs are generally clear in their minds how they would spend their savings, what they would do with their assets and how they see themselves among fellow countrymen. One group believes they are in a position to run their own lives when they reach their mid lives, and are comfortable taking care of themselves in the Singapore enviroment. The second group may not speak up as much, but tries to live within their means and wishes that more assistance is available to help them live through the month.

    Many in the Silver industry eyes the needs of the baby boomers and the demands of getting older. One area I see of importance is spending on medical services. It’s something we need to spend, at some stage of our later lives. Guess we will not come to a conclusion as we do not know what lies ahead for us.

    For some of us, we want to enjoy before we die. We golf, we eat, we travel, we relax, we read, we drink, before we cannot enjoy further or our hands and legs cannot take us to. For me, I hope to see more opportunities available for us to make a choice, be it retirement, medical needs or social activities.

    Have fun. Terence Seah

  15. There were a number of comments on ST’s hidden agenda. May I know who the reporter is? Could be someone we know.

    My experience with reporters is that often, they would like to provide information for all who are keen (may be an idealistic view) and hopefully, be able to come up with articles that will be accepted by the editors. I thought it may be a good idea for others to know the unique SHcians.

    Great to have Francis voluntering.

    Cheerios!

  17. YK # 16

    “The closing date 2 submit is on coming Mon(13th April 2009). Once the list is finalised, interview date shall be arranged.”

    Today is 20th April 20, 2009. Would you like to let me know the latest position for me to plan for the interview?

    Thank

    Francis

  18. Hi Francis

    Your name had been submitted to the reporter who I believe will contact u shortly. Sigh! we had only 1 name 2 submit instead of the many. Thanks for doing us SHCians proud.

  19. Yew Kwong # 18

    Thanks for submitting my name to Strait Times Reporter.

    The latest position as follows:

    I had an interview with the reporter yesterday 21st April 2009. Since I am into dancing, she wanted a dancing picture of me with my sexy dance partner. I will be emailing her the picture.

    I will keep you informed about future development if any.

    Francis

  22. Francis

    You did well with your unwavering interest.
    You have given yourself the best shot with the reporter.
    and bring SHC beyond the Third Age.

  23. Charles Chua # 21

    “Photo too tame lah. Must have dirty dancing pose lah”

    Of course, photo too tame. Why?

    The photo is for public view. If published in Strait Times, photo is for view of million eyes. Then how I am going to face my friends and relatives? especially my family members?

    Dirty dancing pose for private view only. Since you are my good friend, I do not mind showing dirty dancing pose pictures, if you are comfortable to view ha ha.Just joking

    Thanks for your nice comment “Well done”

    Francis

  24. Yew Kwong,

    The latest development is as follow:

    The Strait Times Reporter called me today and asked for more detail about myself and my hobby.

    So, I have been keeping my fingers crossed for the publication of my interview with or without picture in Strait Times in the special report on the Silver Dollar Industry.

    Francis

  25. Yew Kwong,

    The latest but final development is as follows:

    My interview and my picture have been published in Strait Times today (16th May 2009 Saturday) in page 4 of Part D.

    I thank Silverhairsclub, especially founder Terence Seah, for the great help.

    Francis

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