Real Estates Projects

A project to promote the idea of environmental preservation to the public and to offer everyone an opportunity to protect our degrading global environment. Within the 30 acres land is a long house and several semi-detached chalets to accommodate up to 100 people at any one time and a multipurpose hall to accommodate up to 100 people. There is also an organic vegetable garden, a mixed fruits orchard, an ostrich farm, a herb garden, several fish ponds, a lotus pond, a recreational center and a compost area. All visitors will gain valuable experience from a stay.

Titi Eco Farm ... http://www.titieco.com.my/about_en.php

Situated in the thriving Iskandar Malaysia is Horizon Hills, a 1,200 acre integrated residential township, with gross development value of RM3.1 billion is a low-density development spread over 13 residential precincts. A lush gated development complete with a private 18-hole Par 72 designer golf course.

Horizon Hills ... http://horizonhills.com.my/

Committed to turn Mother Nature into an intimate companion, Setia Eco Cascadia also features the Bioswale, a unique ecologically-attuned facility which filters rainwater before discharging it into the drainage system. On top of that, the linear garden concept links the rear gardens of all residences into a network of dazzling green park connectors, providing dwellers with an enhanced experience with nature.

Setia Eco Cascadia ... http://www.cascadia.com.my/the-project.php

24.4 acres leasehold - An integrated mixed-use commercial and residential development comprising:
- 3 Residential Towers
- 3 Corporate Office Towers
- 1 Serviced Apartment Tower
- 1 Retail Podium
- 3 Clusters of Boutique Offices
- 1 Strate Office Tower

First integrated mixed-use commercial & residential development designed for Gold certification under the Malaysian Green Building Index (GBI) standard.

KL Eco City ... http://www.klecocity.com.my/

One South in Seri Kembangan as a massive 17.89-acre project with a gross development value of RM750 million. Its first planned phase will offer 384 units of shop offices built along a street mall concept where work intermixes with play. With built-up areas from 479 - 2,100 sq ft, prices of its office units and retail lots start from RM350 per sq ft and RM750 per sq ft respectively.

Begin with the end in mind ... http://onesouth.huayang.com.my

我要打十个！

Bumped into this interesting ads while checking out Online Campaign : 10 倍增长个案分析 and doing research for More Campaign and Contests based on Concepts Behind Online Campaign:

Do Not Feed The Ducks

Do not feed the ducks ... I was driven to this ... :)

Abduction

No one believe my abduction story ... :)

Campaign and Contests (21-40)

There will be more to come when retailers and businesses are looking at options to up sales during economic downtown ... listed below are just some examples.

Win Up To 2,000,000 Cash with Public Bank U Save V Reward Campaign

Win Exciting Rewards with Mastercard Shopathon Campaign

Win Samsung Galaxy SII with GSC Watch and Win Contest

Win 2 Free Movie Tickets with GSC-Hong Leong Credit Card

Win Free Movie Passes with Maybankard Debit Card

Win iPad2 or iPhone4 with Tai Thong Sweetest Snapshot Contest

Win A Shopping Spree Worth RM100,000 and A Chance for Additional RM100,000 Cash with OCBC Mega Magic Moments Campaign

Win A Chance to Shop for Free with Maybankard 2 Cards

Win iPhone, iPad2, Sony Cyber-shot with PB Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival 2011

Win iPads and SmartTAGs with BSN Zing PlusMiles Card Happy Driving Promotion

Win A Nissan Teana with Hong Leong FD Promotion

Win A Macau Party Trip with MTV Asia

Win Great Prizes with TM Festive Specials

Win Brand New Perodua MyVi with Public Bank Visa Debit Cards

Win a Car, iPads, iMacs, Laptops and Other Prizes with EUKHost 10th Anniversary Celebration

Win An Ultimate Gateway Tour with Intel Win An Island Promotion

Win A Trip to Jeju Island, Korea with Samsung Double The Deal Contest

Play Cartoon Network Games and Win Prize

Win A SuperStar Libra Trip with Genting Exclusive Deals

Win All-expense-paid trip to Singapore Formula One Race with Proton

Looking at case studies above, there are more campaigns and contests coming up for sure especially during year end and festive seasons.

World Gold Holdings

The U.S. dollar was among the first to abandon the gold reserve system 40 years ago, as part of a series of economic mandates that came to be known as the "Nixon Shock". Since then, every other major world currency has done the same.

With national economies now running on the fiat capital system, in which money is conjured into existence by governmental decree, there is simply not enough of any precious metal to back up all financial transactions everywhere.

But will this stop minor forays back into a gold/silver-backed system?

Clearly not.

Updated July 2011:

1 - USA: 8965 tons
2 - Germany:3747 tons
3 - IMF: 3103 tons
4 - Italy: 2702 tons
5 - France: 2684 tons
6 - China: 1161 tons
7 - Switzerland: 1146 tons
8 - Russia: 915 tons
9 - Japan: 843 tons
10 - Netherlands: 674 tons

Quoted from a friend's point of view:

From the list, we understand that US and Europe has a stockpile of close to 25000 tons of gold while China and Japan has only 2000 tons. After spending 25 years in stockpiling gold and buying gigantic sum of goods from China and Asian countries with dollar debt notes, the elite capitalist understand that the time to cash out has arrived.

Remember, it is not so much what the predominating trend is, or even what is legally mandated, that's important to bull markets...

As common perception starts to reevaluate gold and silver as currencies rather than commodities, everyone from market makers to amateur investors will do what they always do during times of adversity: They will diversify heavily into this once-fringe market.

New demand will drive up prices, and increasing media coverage of inflating currencies will continue to feed the market.

New production will work overtime to feed demand, sending mining and exploration stocks flying.

But with investors hoarding the metals, there will likely still never be enough available to ever back any major national currency again.

So while planning for a global economic reversal to the gold standard is at best premature and at worst, delusional, the prognosis for this market is pretty clear...

Expect gold and silver to not slow down anytime soon. Another 50%-100% growth is possible over the next 12-18 months. And expect any company involved in exploration, mining, and production to see banner years for at least 2011 and 2012.

Good investing,

Luke Burgess
Analyst, Wealth Daily

Property Launch

Years back, Glenmarie Cove in Klang sponsored potential property buyers a river cruise along Klang River, near the project site. Then, The Mines South Lake Heritage project took similar approach where prospective buyers could get a free lake cruise visiting both North Lake and South Lake at The Mines. Both aims at giving potential buyers a feeling of their "future lifestyle" should they buy the property.

Today, The Mirage Experience by OSK Property bring the launching to another level by providing a breathtaking experience of a lifetime to visitors.

Hot air balloon ride, a cruise on the Putrajaya Lake, Cyberjaya city tour, Street magicians, Clown & balloon sculpture, RSVP required, First-Come-First-Serve basis as "limited seats available".

Pretty impressive, as one of my friend is planning for a hot balloon launching just before I received this special "hot balloon shape" flyer.

Of course, as usual, we have better ideas and strategy to complement the launching. It would stand out from the very normal buffet or street party, right?

Pondering The Future of Energy - Solar

The CEO of IBM in 1952 said there would never be a market for more than five computers...Right now is 1952 for solar.

Those who recognize that fact will be tomorrow's Bill Gates. The industry is still maturing, reducing costs, increasing efficiencies, and reaching economies of scale.

To dismiss the long-term profit potential is like saying you wouldn't invest in Apple (NASDAQ: AAPLE) in 1985 when it was $1.84.

You'd have been an idiot who missed out on 19,500% gains.

It'd be like saying personal music players would never catch on when they still looked like this in 1975:

One of my favorite charts showing the forecast growth of solar for the next decade:

Just keep that in mind when pondering the future of energy.

The "here and now" perspective isn't always the correct angle to view the situation.

Advances are being made every day.

And it won't be long before solar goes the way of the iPod...

Everyone will have one.

The key is finding the Apple or Microsoft of the solar industry.

Keep your mind open and your profits large,
Nick Hodge
Editor, Energy and Capital

Related:
Solar Envoy - Turanor PlanetSolar
First Solar Boat Expedition Around The Globe
http://www.planetsolar.org/vision.html

Updates on Penang

A week in review with news related to Penang:

Grants given for George Town restoration and conservation projects
17 August

Some 14 restoration projects within the George Town Unesco World Heritage inscribed zone were given grants worth about RM776,000 from Think City Sdn Bhd.

The grants under Think City's George Town Grants Programme (GTGP) involves projects on physical conservation and restoration, as well as technical assistance and cultural mapping.

Among these projects are the rice mill restoration and conservation project, roof restoration for the Goddess of Mercy Temple at the Kuan Yin Teng Temple, restoration and conservation of the Cheah Kongsi, technical studies for the restoration of boundary walls of the St George's Church, and for the digital art and cultural festival by Badan Warisan Malaysia.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/114008

Music fest on, sponsors sought
18 August (Page 10)

GEORGE TOWN: Tired of waiting for federal funds, the state government has taken the bull by the horns and decided to organise the Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) on its own next year.

"It is said that you cannot put a good man down, so likewise you cannot stop the music from flowing," Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said at a press conference during the launch of the festival at a hotel here.

"Music should not be the victim of politics because music is above it all," he said.

Tickets for the three-day event are on sale and are also available online at www.ticketexpress.com.my

Largest floating book fair opens in Penang on Aug 30
19 August

Logos Hope – touted as the world’s largest floating book fair which carries some 5,000 different books and CD titles - berthed at the Swettenham Pier here today on the first leg of its visit to Malaysian ports.

It will be open for the public from August 30 till September 25.

The ship will be open daily except Monday, from 10am to 10pm between Tuesdays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 10pm on Sundays.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/116644

Lessons

One day, Gandhi was getting off a train when one of his shoes slipped off and fell onto the track. As the train had started to move, he could not retrieved it, so he removed his other shoe and threw it near where the first shoe fell. Asked why, he smiled gently and replied:"Now the poor man who finds these lying on the tracks will have a pair he can use."


We are here to learn lessons and the world is our teacher. Gain wisdom by reading good books, learn from successful people and share with others. Learn to do everything with love and everything will become easier and attainable.

Gandhi said: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Coincidence with what was learned from Money & You program, "For things to change, first I must change"

1. When there is a will, there will be ways.

A young Malaysian woman who has her feet on the ground, head properly screwed on and so fervent about what she has done and passionate about what she wants to achieve ~ R.Nadeswaran ... http://samanthatan.co.uk/ http://myasdsfund.wordpress.com/

2. Rome was not built in a day. Nothing happens overnight.

With some 300 million downloads, the addictive game is heading for global domination. However, success doesn't come overnight. "We built 51 games before Angry Birds so it wasn't like we were an overnight success." said Vesterbacka. Angry Birds Tale

3. Become PLATFORM. 海纳百川，故成其大

Windows (operating system), Flippa, Apps Store etc.

4. Predictable Success

Rental Basis, Multiple Streams of Passive Income


学历代表过去，财力代表现在，学习能力代表将来。所见所闻改变一生，不知不觉会断送一生。

没有目标的人永远为有目标的人去努力；没有危机是最大的危机，满足现状是最大的陷讲。

下对注，赢一次；跟对人，赢一世。

老板只能给你一个位置，不能给你一个未来，舞台再大，人走茶凉。

Of Tech, Riots, and Privacy

Social networking devices seem to play a significant role in facilitating an easy way for strangers to come together for the purpose of organizing a protest. As so many protests around the world have been transformed into more aggressive outbreaks of violence and rioting, several questions and concerns now revolve around these modern social networking vehicles.

Mob Robs During Riots

There's a hot new trend in civil unrest, called Mob Robs, when a mob of people swarm into a store and take everything in sight. The store workers become completely overwhelmed and can do nothing to stop it.

A typical Mob Rob:



These mob robs sound frightening similar to the food riots happening around the world. And the really disturbing part is that they're happening more and more frequently...

Teenage 'flash mob' robberies on the rise in the U.S. The Herald June 19, 2011 — The same technologies that for years have brought together the mostly benign and goofy "flash mobs," in which groups suddenly break into dance at a mall or stumble around like zombies at train stations, are being used to plan and execute bold robberies. Police say the suspects select a time and place and enter the store in droves, taking what they want and leaving before security or police can catch them. Some of the most brazen robberies take place in the light of day and on busy streets despite all the security cameras and the watchful eyes of workers.

How the cell phone jamming works?

It's a classic case of a Catch-22 . Personal freedoms vs. public safety: it'll evolve into a case for the courts to ultimately decide upon.

At the end of the day, social media – like any other tool – can be used for good and for bad. Cars can be used for transporting people to the hospital or for helping robbers make their escape.

Knives can be used to save a life on an operating table or to take a life in a street mugging. But you don't ban cars or knives just because they can be used by bad guys, do you?


Sources:
Don’t shoot the (instant) messenger
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/113996

Cell Phone Service Shut Down to Deter Organized Riots
http://www.wealthwire.com/news/liberty/1692

A new American Revolution

The Fed would wait for the pain to get intolerable and then would reenter with a third round of quantitative easing. Simply said, the Fed will wait for us to beg for the poison that is killing us… more counterfeit money.

The business of America's business had become passing paper around, a process called "securitisation". The financial sector (lending money) contributed 44% of US corporate profits; only 10% came from manufacturing.

Billions of profits from money-lending allowed the finance industry to buy all the politicians it wanted, and keep the media docile. Financial regulation barely functioned and banks were allowed to lend US$35-40 for every US$1 deposit. Managers of the huge pools of unregulated capital called hedge funds had to pay only 15% tax while ordinary workers paid double, or more.

Washington's answer was more debt to cure the problems caused by too much debt. (so we have QE, QE2... check out inflation explained.

Money should not be made on money, but by creating and selling things of value. Bankers once played a useful role in financing long-term capital projects like roads, dams, bridges. They still can do so through the type of Islamic "sukuk" bonds in which banks share risk in projects they are financing and receive equity interest.

But today, much of the west's banking industry has become a parasitic scourge that is bleeding the economies of the US and Europe. The current financial crisis is due to runaway government borrowing, poor banking credit controls, and galloping greed.

The United States will likely remain mired in Japanese-style economic stagnation and deflation until the power of Wall Street is broken. I say this as an economic conservative, private fund manager, and long-time investor. ~ Eric S. Margolis

Needed: A new American Revolution
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/112633

Related readings:
How Japan was taken down: 一个协议击溃一个国家的经济
http://howtze.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post_05.html

Online Campaign : 10 倍增长个案分析

This is what we call Facebook / Social Media Marketing!

Facebook/社交网站/网络推广活动不是简单的 Status Update 或进行一些“欢乐大放送”之类的奖赏活动而已，它是一个有目的、有系列、有策略地进行的商业活动，配合一干的品牌效应、营业目标与跟进发展等工程项目。

只要用对的人、对的策略，它绝对是一个事半功倍的良好投资！

《红蕃茄》网络推广案例

从7月5日至8月16日（两个月内），粉丝从1,431人

有图为证：https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyvthhqmZIvTR21wcCzr71cl6RIvvjUiiCXlO_xTMnL7XZCwiD1885vigX4pUf-SE10bb_6GyRrgMrUp5VpdTCt5yTvA6nvR9hh5xoa7cAdqvWKJCmu7VYsuVI5NuiFlxCNnfSGOoJ7A/s640/1431-RedTomato-Pre-Launch-20110704.jpg

增加至目前的 10,829人（网络即时：http://www.facebook.com/redtomatonews），

大约 ~650% 增长，换句话说：

1。从7月5日开始，至少有多 9,398 个 ( 10,829 - 1,431) 网络社群用户知道《红蕃茄》免费中文报的存在。

2。只要善用网络社群的分享力量，可以有效地聚集市场学里大数法则中潜在客户量。

图解：在
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2lUgHMJhU2yXwMRIBDnus9BIES0T_aWHXYexoDH20bN4HOVkXHOODTWZiYOLcleW2drO-1479jF6zWTvCbCFW8tBRumJ-AZgXZgjVGWu9QbcNYOId1bFvGZKE12BQdnrsZrlNiOSgVk/s1600/online-campaign-concepts-conversion-rate.jpg
Prospect 一栏

3。用对商业策略，在网络进行自动化品牌与推广活动是一个事半功倍的项目。

在接下来的商业战役中，只要懂得变现（盈利化），风险-回酬率 (risk-reward ratio)将是一个可观的数目。

网络社群系统，一些网络商店系统等，甚至是电子邮件，都可以是“免费”使用的东西。但是，要找到对的团队执行更深层次的商业运作，却不是所谓“低成本”或“免费”的。

运用得当，小小十万的 A&P 预算不止可以很快回本，还可以把整个自动化系统变成一个“生财工具”！

如果一味认为网络都是“免费”或低成本的东西，可能会“偷鸡不成蚀把米！”

反面教材：这应该是只会技术但没能完全整合市场营销与商业策略的“他人”作品：

http://www.facebook.com/yunnammy

这里不作分析，看官自行思考。娱乐付费，学习付费，天经地义。:)

More Campaign and Contests

Win RM88,000 in Cash With AmBank GR8 Festive Celebration

Win All Expense Paid VIP Trip to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi with Shell Helix

Win Firefly Holiday Vouchers and Body Shop Gift Set Worth Up To RM23,500!

Win More Than RM100,000 in Prizes with Indocafe’s Drink & Win Contest

Win Up To RM300,000 In Cash and Prizes With Dutch Lady’s Drink More Do More Contest

Win RM15,000 Cash with Johnson’s Baby of The Year Contest

Win A World Tour Trip with BSN An Naim Campaign

Win A Chery Car with The Store Pacific 43rd Anniversary Promotion

Win A Volkswagen Polo with Maybankard Debit Card

Win Honda Insight with AEON Jom Raya Contest

Solar Updraft Tower

As the turbines spin, clean renewable energy will flow into the power grid.

In short, it's an interesting mix of the best of both solar and wind power; but unlike solar and wind, the mechanical energy created by Davey’s machine allows the unit to operate 24/7.

As for cost, the project has a $750 million price tag. According to a 2005 industry report, this would imply about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is roughly one-third the cost of electricity from current solar cells and almost half of the cost from nuclear power.

Financial models suggest the tower will pay for itself in 11 years; engineers believe the tower will have a life span of 80 years.

Once it’s built, Davey’s tower can be expected to produce power with virtually no maintenance. Better yet, it requires no "feed stock" — nothing but air and sunlight spin the turbines...Instead, hot air rushes out of the huge, towering mouth of Davey's creation — enough hot air, in fact, to turn a massive turbine that can generate enough power to supply electricity to about 150,000 homes.

Think of it as physics in action, but without the potential for disastrous side effects.

Set to come online in 2015, the output from the first solar tower in Arizona has already been pre-sold in a 30-year agreement with the Southern California Public Power Authority.

While the road ahead looks bright for Mr. Davey, the next challenge is to actually take it off the drawing board and make the tower turn a profit.


For any entrepreneur, that is the ultimate test. Dreams can only take you so far...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower

p/s: Coal, oil, natural gas, wind, nuclear, and now solar towers, every source is a piece of the greater energy puzzle. Each has a role to play — and that's not a bunch of hot air.

Riots

Some coverage on food, financial mess, riots...

The haves and have-nots

Whatever the cause, what we have seen is how socially excluded groups of people have take to the streets and for that suddenly been given the time of day by the media, those in authority and the world is paying attention – willingly or unwillingly.

Large generations of Malaysian young adults enter the workforce with a heavy load of debt for basic needs and are unable to buy homes and cars without their parents help.

What will then happen to the next few generations? Will they have to pay off a generational debt?

When people are hungry for basic necessities, have worked hard and still do not make enough to live, it is only a matter of time before they reach their tipping point – and then what?

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/108243

Japan Food Riot Fears on the Rise

The price of 60 kilograms of rice had a reference price of $13,700 (£8,399) for delivery in 2012 but it reached more than $19,210 on the Osaka exchange, which carried on trading.

No one knows for sure how the markets are going to deal "with a potentially smaller edible harvest after decades of trying to keep output in check."

http://www.wealthwire.com/news/headlines/1660

Worldwide Riots: A Breakdown

Watching footage of the riots in the United Kingdom, you'd be forgiven to think that you're experiencing déjà vu. Riots and protests have been happening all over the globe as financial catastrophe meets repressive governments.

We saw it with the Arab spring in Tunisa, Egypt and Libya. We also saw a huge backlash to draconian economic bailout policies in Greece, Spain and Portugal...

Now that anger and frustration is simmering in the streets of the UK, Israel and Syria; three very different countries...

http://www.wealthwire.com/news/global/1656

When ordinary folk turn looters

Prime Minister David Cameron had one sentence to describe the people behind the mayhem – "There are pockets of people in our society who are sick. This is nothing but criminality – pure and simple."

This quite explains why two girls who took part in Monday night's riots in Croydon had the audacity to go on camera and say that they were showing the police and the rich that "we can do what we want." While speaking to BBC's Leana Hosea, they were sipping wine looted from a nearby store.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/109652

Enemy of The State

3 not so related yet somehow related info ...

Amazon Predicts Riots

Can Amazon be used as a crystal ball... an online Cassandra able to predict future events? The important of DATA MINING & Business Intelligence System...

http://www.wealthwire.com/news/headlines/1662

Enemy of The State

A lawyer becomes a target by a corrupt politician and his NSA goons when he accidentally receives key evidence to a serious politically motivated crime.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/plotsummary

Gold in the Land of the Free (Lunch)

It's a simple play: Buy an at-the-money GLD call with a month or two to run. Sell it when you are satisfied with your gains. Then buy another one, and another one... until the day Washington forces us by law and by gun to give up gold and keep worthless dollars.

As for me?

The last time I talked about this sort of thing in public, I got a visit from some folks in black suits with badges, briefcases, guns, and an attitude...

Not the local cops. Not the SEC.

The FBI.

No joke.

Good luck and good hunting,
Adam Lass

Gold, Forex, Property for Those Fleeing Stock Market

Alternative investments ... self learning or reading up information on finance is also important.

Look at all asset classes and keep an eye for equity opportunities.

One of forex REAL Account live result: http://www.myfxbook.com/members/alcyonefx/fxvenus-real/122271

What Makes A Good Company?

Frank Robinson was a bookkeeper who worked for Dr John Pemberton. Robinson gave the mixture of caramel-coloured syrup and carbonated water the name, Coca-Cola. He wrote out the name in his distinctive cursive writing. Today, 125 years later, the name is written in exactly the same manner as Robinson first wrote it. Now that is sustainability.

1. Sustainability
Is the business sustainable? Is the business one that is likely to be around in years to come?

2. Innovation
What is the company's philosophy towards innovation? Innovation ensures that a company and by extension, its investors, will not stand still.

Two ways to determine the importance a company attaches to innovation:
- to examine the company's history of rolling out new products,
- to check the annual report for the amount of annual spend on research and development.

3. Corporate Governance
How serious is the company about corporate governance? Does management walk the talk? How strong is the board and what skills do the independent directors bring to the company? Are they discharging the duties they were elected to discharge by the shareholders?

4. Cash Flow
How strong is the company's balance sheet. How much debt does the company carry and is the level of debt reasonable relative to current and future earnings?

5. Cash Conversion Ratio
What is the company's cash conversion ratio (that is how much of its annual earnings is typically converted into cash)? Companies with a cash conversion ratio in excess of 90% are more likely to be in a portfolio of a pension fund or high net worth individual than one which has a low cash conversion ratio.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/103980

以2万亿美元的外汇资产来解析滥发钞票赖账与通货膨胀

假如中国拥有2万亿美元的外汇资产，而人民币对美元比价为 8：1，那么以这些资产为抵押发行了16万亿人民币，这些“毒素超标”的美元资产收据经过银行系统的放大作用已经流入中国的经济体内，并广为大众持有。

如果在美国的压力下，人民币被迫升值到 6：1，会发生什么呢？做个形象的比喻：

如果2万亿美元在国际市场上能够换回16万亿个面包，那么人民币升值前的每一张收据可换一个面包。

现在面包价格突然变为用12万亿张新收据可买16万亿个面包，貌似升值后的新收据购买力提高了，但实际上当人们用这个比价关系去换取面包时，会突然发现在前12万亿张收据取走了16万亿个面包后，“还有4万亿张收据什么也换不到了！”

在人民币升值的那一瞬间，强制12万亿张“新币”等价于16万亿张“旧币”，意味着“旧币”对于存量资产的购买力的暴跌！

这与蒋介石1:200兑换沦陷区的伪币，和苏联1：10兑换旧卢布一样，都是对旧币持有人的财富剥夺！

更糟糕的是，由于美元滥发，导致了国际商品价格上涨，2万亿美元以前可以买到16万亿个面包，如果现在只能买到10万亿个面包，其结果就是16万亿张旧收据可索取的真实财富从16万亿个面包下降到10万亿个面包，这意味着升值前的人民币持有人的实际购买力大幅缩水。

这就是为什么人民币对外“名义升值”，而对内的真实购买力却在贬值的原因。

当货币以美元为抵押发行时，美元的贬值将最终传导到货币持有人头上！

从表面上看，美元储备资产被政府拥有，但这些资产的最终收据却掌握在人民币持有人手中，因此，这些“劣质毒美元”资产的实际拥有者是老百姓，而政府仅仅是“代持”。

最终拥有美国债权的并不是政府，而是广大货币持有人，因此，美国赖帐的最后埋单人是老百姓！

当大众的视线被吸引到贸易平衡或汇率操纵等话题的时候，真正上演的其实是货币升值对国家几十年来所有存量资产进行价格重估的大戏。

相关资讯：

Inflation Explained - movie

你被A了嗎？
我國的外匯儲備簡單來說主要分為美元和黃金。我們拼死拼命存錢──假設存了100美元藏在枕頭底下，門外，老美的印鈔機卻“砰砰”聲在印鈔票，一夜之間，枕頭下的100美元變小了。老美繼續“嘿嘿嘿”，全球跟它一起分擔苦痛，同時間它所承擔的債務隨著美元眨值而減輕了。

在美元面前，我們都是價格接受者，美國才是價格製定者──price-setter。你害怕了嗎？嘿嘿嘿，恐懼感向來都是美國人最大的娛樂泉源──歡迎全球共赴這場淫靡的燒錢派對。
http://www.chinapress.com.my/node/240670

美國降級‧亞股崩盤‧馬股跌27點
美國最大債權國的中國股市首當其衝，上海一度重創滑瀉近5%，而持有大量美債的亞洲，因降級引發恐慌情緒，韓國股市受創最大，一度暴跌7%至1800點，收市略好轉至跌3.82%；台灣一度重瀉逾5%，收市挫3.82%；香港一度大挫逾800點，2萬點岌岌可危，收市跌2.17%；澳洲和日本各跌2.71%和2.18%。東南亞股市也重傷2至近5%。
http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/215264?tid=1

I Don't Understand Women

I don't understand women.

I'll just pretend I do.
Garfield：Yeah, that's always worked.

The Mines Heritage Service Residence

Libya

From a different point of view, source from non mainstream media ...

Follow up:
From ally to devil in six months | theSundaily

Oil is a potent aphrodisiac. Libya has vast reserves of premium, low-sulphur oil and gas, and a hundred-year supply of ancient artesian water. Energy-rich Libya will become an important market for European consumer products and industrial exports, as well as a huge major supplier of investment funds from its estimated US$50 billion worth of annual oil exports. There are more prizes to be had: Libya's gold reserves, estimated at US$4-5 billion; and its nearly US$100 billion of foreign deposits and investments. The files of its intelligence agencies which may reveal the true story behind the bombings of a French and US airliner in the 1980's.

Food Price

Ever wonder why Malaysians are paying more for food, even living in a blessed country that could grow crops all year round?

Check out some facts:

The most significant factor affecting food prices is the lack of investment and focus on the agricultural sector. In Malaysia the public development in agriculture fell from 22% in 1980 to 3.8% in 2007. Agriculture’s contribution to gross domestic product fell from 22.9% in 1980 to 7.7% in 2007. The result was a greater dependence on food imports. Malaysia’s import bill increased from RM11.6 billion in 2003 to RM21.5 billion in 2007, an increase of 85% in just four years.

As the writer of the letter, N. Marimuthu, President of Fomca suggested: "to reduce dependence on food imports and to ensure affordable food prices and more important food security, the government needs to invest and give higher priority to food and agricultural development."

The various measures need to be undertaken as suggested are:

1. Land Reform

2. Government to help producers deal with weather and market risks as well as put in place a regime of incentives framework that will reach all producers efficiently.
(Due to various anti-competitive practices in the market such as market collusion, licensing and APs, the prices of food and other items are too often distorted. Through market collusion certain traders or groups of traders are able to manipulate prices thus preventing prices to be determined by an open and free market; prices are thus higher than they would be in a free and open market.)

3. Strengthening farmer and consumer institutions such as farmers and consumer cooperatives. Example, the expansion of the Pasar Tani.

4. Low price consumer market mechanisms at the retail end.

5. Consumers awareness, such as to better understand how the market works and how prices are determined; to be more open-minded and critical about their consumption patterns and lifestyle; to learn the knowledge and skills to better manage their consumption and their finances, often differently from the past, to face these challenging times.

Source: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/100100

Campaigns and Contests

Just to have a look on industry movement, quite a lot of new contests and campaigns around lately, and they are very generous because the grand prizes are CARS, yet not cheap one but LEXUS, Insights, and Vitara!

Check these out:


10. Win iPad2 with I Love SmartHeart Crossword Game

9. Win RM100,000 Cash and Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

8. Win Hong Kong Disneyland Trip With Castrol Malaysia

7. Win Audi A5 Coupe With Maybankard I Want Audi Promotion

6. Win A LEXUS CT 200h With American Express Malaysia

5. Win A LEXUS CT 200h With Panasonic Eco Raya Promotion

4. Win A LEXUS CT 200h With ICI Dulux Colours of Hope Contest

3. Win A Brand New Honda Insight

2. Win A Suzuki Vitara 2.0 With MPHOnline Read & Reap Contest

1. Win A Suzuki Alto With Bausch + Lomb Freedom To Look Hot Contest

Angry Birds Tale

Angry Birds involves catapulting cartoonish birds into fortresses built by egg-stealing green pigs but Vesterbacka (chief marketing officer of Angry Birds creator Rovio) said Rovio is "not a games company".

What we are building here is the next generation of entertainment franchises.

With some 300 million downloads, the addictive game is heading for global domination.

However, success doesn't come overnight.

"We built 51 games before Angry Birds so it wasn't like we were an overnight success." said Vesterbacka.

Rovio has successfully expanded the Angry Birds franchise from the virtual world to the real world despite being repeatedly advised that it would not work.

"We've been told time after time that we're not supposed to do movies, books, toys," he said. " We sold like 8 million toys."

It's not "rocket science". If you are a strong brand, if you have a strong following of fans you can do anything.

Could Rovio dethrone mobile phone maker Nokia as Finland's most important company?

Sukuk and Bond

Two interesting yet somehow related news:

1. Innovative sukuk offering
- The global offering - the first to be structured on wakala principles - has set many milestones

2. Greek bailout Mark II - it's a default

It's about the whole "Euro-PIIGS" crisis (that's Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain, for those you who were on vacation for the past 18-months or so), and note the difference in "interest rate" for the "borrowings" below:

On one hand,

The sukuk, which was assigned a credit rating of A- by Standard & Poor’s and A3 by Moody’s, was offered in two tranches with the five-year US$1.2bil (RM3.6bil) paper priced at 2.991%, and the 10-year US$0.8bil (RM2.5bil) at 4.646%.

On the other hand,

The situation in Italy is serious. At US$262bil, total sovereign claims by international banks on Italy exceeded their combined sovereign exposures to Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, which totalled US$226bil...the yield on Italy's 10-year government bonds had risen to 5.6% on July 20, and Spain's, to 6%, against 2.76% on German comparable bunds, the widest spread ever in the euro era.

Excerpts from the two columnists' article:

-------------------------------------
During the roadshow, the teams highlighted Malaysia’s strong ma-cro-economic fundamentals, the strength, depth and stability of the financial and capital markets as well as the comprehensive structural, government and economic transformation programmes to attain a developed and high-income nation by 2020.

The size of the order book grew rapidly to reach over US$9bil (RM27bil) within eight hours of its launch, reflecting an oversubscription rate of 4.5 times.

The final allocation was well-spread out globally to 320 investors, with Middle East investors taking up 29%, Malaysian investors 27%, other Asian investors 22%, European investors 14% and US investors 8%.

Malaysia has again demonstrated leadership in Islamic finance by offering longer tenure sukuk under wakala principles.

By TAN SRI DR WAN AZIZ WAN ABDULLAH
Source: http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=atyourservice&file=/2011/7/30/columnists/atyourservice/9169982&sec=At%20Your%20Service
-------------------------------------
Greek bailout Mark II – it’s a default

For the first time, investors became aware of the chains of contagion and are only now beginning to really think about them.

This europeanisation of the Greek debt lends some credibility to the programme. Other new features include:

(i) reduction in interest rates to about 3.5% (4.5% to 5.8% now) and extension of maturities to 15 years (from 7 years), to be also offered to Ireland and Portugal;

(ii) the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), its rescue vehicle, will be allowed to buy bonds in the secondary market, extend precautionary credit lines before States are shut-out of credit markets, and lend to help recapitalise banks; and

(iii) buy collateral for use in the bond exchange, where investors are given four options to accept new bonds carrying differing risk profiles, worth less than their original holdings.

They are all expected to state Greece is in default when it begins to exchange its bonds in August for new, long-dated debt (up to 30 years) at a loss to investors (estimated at 21% of their bond holdings).

This is not a comprehensive solution. It shifted additional risks towards contributing members with stronger finances and their taxpayers as well as private investors, and reduces incentives for governments to keep their fiscal affairs under strict check.

History suggests growth and austerity just do not mix. In practical terms, it is harder for politicians to stimulate growth than cut debt.

The surest way to build confidence is to get recovery onto a sustainable path only growth can do that. Without it, the risk of a double-dip recession increases.

By TAN SRI LIN SEE-YAN
Source: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/30/business/9202091&sec=business
-------------------------------------

In summary, Latest warnings from the financial markets in Europe and Wall Street send the same message: get your acts together and grow. This needs statesmanship. The status quo is just not good enough anymore.

Check out also on the Dollar crash for some reading pleasure. Remember, the crash of the USD doesn't necessarily mean the end of the American empire.