2010-09-28
2010-09-21
Tale of two cities
That Penang helped Malaysia improve its rankings in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, coupled with investments of over RM1 billion, seem to cement the fact that irrespective of your political leanings, this state government seems to be doing something right.
Having set the bar high, Penang has become the benchmark that all Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states to live up to. Just like Shanghai is to China, Penang is a showcase state to PR.
However, it may be a victim of its own success as the ordinary Joe finds it more difficult to own a home on the island. With development geared towards high-end residential property, developers are targeting the rich as well as expatriates.
At the end of the day, the theme from the World Expo, "Better City, Better Life" should remind us that economic progress should also mean an improvement to one’s overall well-being. And this includes doing the necessary for us to live in harmony with the elements as well as one another.
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=52010
Having set the bar high, Penang has become the benchmark that all Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states to live up to. Just like Shanghai is to China, Penang is a showcase state to PR.
However, it may be a victim of its own success as the ordinary Joe finds it more difficult to own a home on the island. With development geared towards high-end residential property, developers are targeting the rich as well as expatriates.
At the end of the day, the theme from the World Expo, "Better City, Better Life" should remind us that economic progress should also mean an improvement to one’s overall well-being. And this includes doing the necessary for us to live in harmony with the elements as well as one another.
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=52010
2010-09-17
And We Lived Happily Ever After
... what is "happily ever after". It would certainly be an easier sell for the public – happily-ever-afters are so uncomplicated, while stories where the princess does not get the prince are much more difficult to explain to your child, because it would mean explaining about life, about different routes to happiness and about compromise.
... Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid has the capacity to teach us about sacrifice, and about choosing goodness and what is morally and ethically right over personal desires, even over one’s own life.
... Most of the time, there is just one category of people, who can alternate between "good" and "bad" according to the choices they make.
... The original story has far more to teach us about real life and the pursuit of happiness than Disney’s pretty tale.
... Have we, as a society or in different pockets of society, brought into being a myth of what the constitution says and does not say, until we do not recognise the actual document?
Do you know how much your understanding of the constitution matches reality?
... what could we learn from the original provisions that were in our constitution, and what prompted the changes that have been made to it?
Our constitution – what it was and what it is – has more to tell us about the truth of who we are than any fairy tale or political myth. Isn’t it time you learned the true story?
http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-we-lived-happily-ever-after.html
... Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid has the capacity to teach us about sacrifice, and about choosing goodness and what is morally and ethically right over personal desires, even over one’s own life.
... Most of the time, there is just one category of people, who can alternate between "good" and "bad" according to the choices they make.
... The original story has far more to teach us about real life and the pursuit of happiness than Disney’s pretty tale.
... Have we, as a society or in different pockets of society, brought into being a myth of what the constitution says and does not say, until we do not recognise the actual document?
Do you know how much your understanding of the constitution matches reality?
... what could we learn from the original provisions that were in our constitution, and what prompted the changes that have been made to it?
Our constitution – what it was and what it is – has more to tell us about the truth of who we are than any fairy tale or political myth. Isn’t it time you learned the true story?
http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-we-lived-happily-ever-after.html
2010-09-16
Playing Catch Up
I use the Web to save time, simply because time is money, and the older I get, the more important time becomes.
People are now looking for the most efficient ways to access the information they need - apps - instead of spending hours searching for it for free.
I love apps and content-rich web sites and will pay for the content because to me time is money, and I have more money than time. I'm not a researcher. I'm an entrepreneur. Just give me information I can use, and I'll pay you for it.
The Web and the Net give all of us the power to overpower the COR. I'm playing a little catch up in the world of tech.
People are now looking for the most efficient ways to access the information they need - apps - instead of spending hours searching for it for free.
I love apps and content-rich web sites and will pay for the content because to me time is money, and I have more money than time. I'm not a researcher. I'm an entrepreneur. Just give me information I can use, and I'll pay you for it.
The Web and the Net give all of us the power to overpower the COR. I'm playing a little catch up in the world of tech.
2010-09-15
2010-09-14
Run for Your Life
NYT: "One of the phenomena of the last decades has been the rise of the individual investor."
I say it was the change in the tax code, a change in the rules of retirement that began in 1974 and evolved into the 401(k) (or other retirement funds around the world). What caused this change? Employers saying that their employees' defined benefit (DB) retirement plans, paying a worker a paycheck for life, were too expensive and that they weren't going to pay any longer.
The rich lobbied Congress, and like magic, employees were turned into investors - regardless if they wanted to be investors or had any financial training.
Today, millions of investors have lost billions of dollars, and millions of workers won't be able to afford retirement.
NYT:"For a lot of ordinary people, the economic recovery does not feel real."
How can you feel good if you're out of a job or afraid of losing your job? How can you feel good if the price of your home - if you still own a home - has gone down?
If the NYT doesn't know the real reason why the little investors is in the stock market in the first place, we have very poorly-educated journalists. Why don't our schools tell kids that the rules of retirement changed in 1974? Why do journalists call it a phenomenon that small investors are in the stock market rather than what it really is, a conspiracy of the rich (COR)? Why do schoolteachers continue to bring in bankers and financial planners, agents of COR, to brainwash kids into saving money and investing for the long-term in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds?
The small investor knows they've been set up. They know that they're being screwed. They may not know how or why they've been set up - but they're not stupid. They're not just fleeing the market, they're running for their lives.
I say it was the change in the tax code, a change in the rules of retirement that began in 1974 and evolved into the 401(k) (or other retirement funds around the world). What caused this change? Employers saying that their employees' defined benefit (DB) retirement plans, paying a worker a paycheck for life, were too expensive and that they weren't going to pay any longer.
The rich lobbied Congress, and like magic, employees were turned into investors - regardless if they wanted to be investors or had any financial training.
Today, millions of investors have lost billions of dollars, and millions of workers won't be able to afford retirement.
NYT:"For a lot of ordinary people, the economic recovery does not feel real."
How can you feel good if you're out of a job or afraid of losing your job? How can you feel good if the price of your home - if you still own a home - has gone down?
If the NYT doesn't know the real reason why the little investors is in the stock market in the first place, we have very poorly-educated journalists. Why don't our schools tell kids that the rules of retirement changed in 1974? Why do journalists call it a phenomenon that small investors are in the stock market rather than what it really is, a conspiracy of the rich (COR)? Why do schoolteachers continue to bring in bankers and financial planners, agents of COR, to brainwash kids into saving money and investing for the long-term in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds?
The small investor knows they've been set up. They know that they're being screwed. They may not know how or why they've been set up - but they're not stupid. They're not just fleeing the market, they're running for their lives.
2010-09-13
Dogs Dog Breeds (31-40)
40. Belgian Tervuren dogs
39. Bedlington Terrier dogs
38. Belgian Malinois dogs
37. Black and Tan Coonhound dogs
36. Bearded Collie dogs
35. What Should I Be Aware of When Buying A Boston Terrier
34. Boston Terrier dogs
33. Bernese Mountain Dog
32. Bichon Frise dogs
31. Miniature Australian Shepherd dogs
39. Bedlington Terrier dogs
38. Belgian Malinois dogs
37. Black and Tan Coonhound dogs
36. Bearded Collie dogs
35. What Should I Be Aware of When Buying A Boston Terrier
34. Boston Terrier dogs
33. Bernese Mountain Dog
32. Bichon Frise dogs
31. Miniature Australian Shepherd dogs
2010-09-12
Is Your Money Safe?
The biggest investment market in the world is the bond market, not the stock market.
The problem is that the Federal Reserve Bank is printing money, the US Treasury is borrowing money, and many US tax payers are going broke. How can we keep borrowing and printing money and have the world trust us to pay our bills? Who will lend money if the world stops trusting the US to manage its economy?
In late July the premier Chinese bond rating agency, Dagong Global Credit Rating Company downgraded US sovereign debt to AA. For reference, Dagong rates Chinese debt at AA+ and Germany and Japan are AA-. The action wasn't mentioned in Western media.
"This downgrade marks a new beginning for reforming the irrational international rating system. The essential reason for the global financial crisis and the Greek crisis is that the current international rating system cannot truly reflect repayment ability." ~Dagong's Chairman, Guan Jianzhong.
In other words Jianzhong is politely saying, "The world cannot trust US bond rating systems. It was this rating system that caused the crisis in the world."
Prior to the subprime crisis, rating agencies Moody's and S&P were highly respected. After the mortgage market crashed, it was discovered that they were rating subprime debt - mortgages made to people without jobs and based upon overvalued appraisals - as prime AAA. We've heard a lot about AIG, Bernie Madoff, and Lehman Brothers but little about Moody's and S&P. Without their blessing, there'd never have been a subprime crisis.
And guess who owns Moody's? Warren Buffet.
Warren is a very smart man, but he's not the most forthright. Today, even after Moody's deceptive rating practices have been exposed, Warren continues to be portrayed as the kindly, folksy grandpa - the sage of Omaha - encouraging people to have faith in America while his company deceives the world.
This is why Jianzhong's statement, "This downgrade marks a new beginning for reforming the irrational international rating system," is important.
The once powerful countries of US, England, and Japan have a new sheriff in town, a Chinese rating agency known as Dagong.
If the world economy is to recover, we need more honesty in global finance.
Since all government money is now debt, dependent upon the global bond markets and their rating agencies, it's best to have some real money - gold and silver.
The problem is that the Federal Reserve Bank is printing money, the US Treasury is borrowing money, and many US tax payers are going broke. How can we keep borrowing and printing money and have the world trust us to pay our bills? Who will lend money if the world stops trusting the US to manage its economy?
In late July the premier Chinese bond rating agency, Dagong Global Credit Rating Company downgraded US sovereign debt to AA. For reference, Dagong rates Chinese debt at AA+ and Germany and Japan are AA-. The action wasn't mentioned in Western media.
"This downgrade marks a new beginning for reforming the irrational international rating system. The essential reason for the global financial crisis and the Greek crisis is that the current international rating system cannot truly reflect repayment ability." ~Dagong's Chairman, Guan Jianzhong.
In other words Jianzhong is politely saying, "The world cannot trust US bond rating systems. It was this rating system that caused the crisis in the world."
Prior to the subprime crisis, rating agencies Moody's and S&P were highly respected. After the mortgage market crashed, it was discovered that they were rating subprime debt - mortgages made to people without jobs and based upon overvalued appraisals - as prime AAA. We've heard a lot about AIG, Bernie Madoff, and Lehman Brothers but little about Moody's and S&P. Without their blessing, there'd never have been a subprime crisis.
And guess who owns Moody's? Warren Buffet.
Warren is a very smart man, but he's not the most forthright. Today, even after Moody's deceptive rating practices have been exposed, Warren continues to be portrayed as the kindly, folksy grandpa - the sage of Omaha - encouraging people to have faith in America while his company deceives the world.
This is why Jianzhong's statement, "This downgrade marks a new beginning for reforming the irrational international rating system," is important.
The once powerful countries of US, England, and Japan have a new sheriff in town, a Chinese rating agency known as Dagong.
If the world economy is to recover, we need more honesty in global finance.
Since all government money is now debt, dependent upon the global bond markets and their rating agencies, it's best to have some real money - gold and silver.
2010-09-11
More options for Asia’s shoppers...
"Cross-border shopping is on the rise, as consumers are increasingly exposed to international fashion, cultural and technology products.’’
It has been predicted that by 2012 China alone will have 200 million online shoppers, with a report just released by the China e-Business Research Centre also claiming e-commerce will account for turnover topping 4.38 trillion yuan (RM2 trillion) by the end of the year.
More options for Asia’s shoppers...
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=51406
It has been predicted that by 2012 China alone will have 200 million online shoppers, with a report just released by the China e-Business Research Centre also claiming e-commerce will account for turnover topping 4.38 trillion yuan (RM2 trillion) by the end of the year.
More options for Asia’s shoppers...
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=51406
2010-09-07
True Wealth - Context (Bucky)
Commit "Ego Suicide". Work only for Everybody.
Generalized Principle #1: The more people I work for, the more effective I become.
Generalized Principle #2: The principles are disclosed by the decisions themselves...
Generalized Principle #3: Unity is Plural and at minimum Two (2)
The words UP and DOWN have absolutely NO meaning. If you use the words "up" and "down", you are completely hooked by the dark ages conspiracy!
The proper words are IN & OUT. OUT is any direction, IN is always pointtoable, always specific. by using the words IN and OUT you come into a COMPLETELY NEW WORLD.
You're going to "tune in" very much more than you've ever done before. "TUNABILITY"
The six positive and negative degrees of freedom
1. Axial rotation
2. Orbital rotation
3. Expansion / Contraction
4. Torque (Twisting)
5. Inside-Out (Inside-outing)
6. Precession
Generalized Principle #4: PRECESSION is the effect of bodies in motion on other bodies in motion.
Things you've NEVER understood before, you suddenly begin to understand, once you understand - FEEL - Precession personally.
Society is continually thinking the "180 degree-ness" and practically NOTHING operates that way.
Much of social behaviors that have NEVER been understood become completely understood once you understand / feel precession.
------------------------
Bucky tells of the tragic events that led to his radical "shift" in thinking. This led to his discovery of "The Generalized Principles of Universe," and ultimately to him becoming who he is.
We present a few of these principles that relate to business in our "True Wealth" programs.
As all Bucky material, you'll have to watch this several times before you begin tp "get it."
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1561374149814
Generalized Principle #1: The more people I work for, the more effective I become.
Generalized Principle #2: The principles are disclosed by the decisions themselves...
Generalized Principle #3: Unity is Plural and at minimum Two (2)
The words UP and DOWN have absolutely NO meaning. If you use the words "up" and "down", you are completely hooked by the dark ages conspiracy!
The proper words are IN & OUT. OUT is any direction, IN is always pointtoable, always specific. by using the words IN and OUT you come into a COMPLETELY NEW WORLD.
You're going to "tune in" very much more than you've ever done before. "TUNABILITY"
The six positive and negative degrees of freedom
1. Axial rotation
2. Orbital rotation
3. Expansion / Contraction
4. Torque (Twisting)
5. Inside-Out (Inside-outing)
6. Precession
Generalized Principle #4: PRECESSION is the effect of bodies in motion on other bodies in motion.
Things you've NEVER understood before, you suddenly begin to understand, once you understand - FEEL - Precession personally.
Society is continually thinking the "180 degree-ness" and practically NOTHING operates that way.
Much of social behaviors that have NEVER been understood become completely understood once you understand / feel precession.
------------------------
Bucky tells of the tragic events that led to his radical "shift" in thinking. This led to his discovery of "The Generalized Principles of Universe," and ultimately to him becoming who he is.
We present a few of these principles that relate to business in our "True Wealth" programs.
As all Bucky material, you'll have to watch this several times before you begin tp "get it."
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1561374149814
2010-09-06
Let's Get Our Facts Right
I don’t propose to know everything and in spite of what I do, I cannot claim to be an expert on a particular topic. But of course I may be more informed on some issues as in the course of my work I gather lots of information. Granted this information needs to be sieved to filter the truth and the facts from presumptions, fiction and outright lies.
So it’s a tough job sometimes getting the true picture.
Fact-checking is crucial as once the words leave your mouths or keyboards, it is hard to take them back.
And this is the guiding principle that bona fide journalists live by.
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=51401
So it’s a tough job sometimes getting the true picture.
Fact-checking is crucial as once the words leave your mouths or keyboards, it is hard to take them back.
And this is the guiding principle that bona fide journalists live by.
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=51401
2010-09-01
Banks feasting on bankrupt customers
For those who underestimate the power of the banking lobby as financial "reform" weaves its way through Washington, one need only look back five years ago to see how influential banks are at pressing their agenda.
Helped by the 2005 bankruptcy law, banks pushed consumers into too much credit, collected fees along the way and then went after them for defaulting.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/BankruptcyGuide/banks-feasting-on-bankrupt-customers.aspx
Helped by the 2005 bankruptcy law, banks pushed consumers into too much credit, collected fees along the way and then went after them for defaulting.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/BankruptcyGuide/banks-feasting-on-bankrupt-customers.aspx
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