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If the rich, famous and sophisticated can get bilked (and the Madoff scandal makes it clear they can), how can you know whom to trust? Here are 5 red flags that should get your attention. 1. The background check doesn't check out A search for Madoff's company on BrokerCheck betrayed problems that should have raised some concerns for investors. In August, Madoff's firm paid a $25,000 fine for failing to report accurate trading information. Altogether, the company had five complaints against it -- perhaps not enough to scare off investors but enough to merit questions. 2. You don't understand the strategy After Madoff was charged with fraud, some of his investors admitted they never fully understood his investing strategy. But because they were making money , many believed Madoff was simply smarter than they were. But investors are supposed to know the formula, according to the SEC . The agency recommends that investors ask a litany of questions, including several about

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You've got the job, the spouse, maybe a child. Now it's time to grow up. Some dread it. Some embrace it. Some use the big 3-0 as an excuse to do that one last, precious keg stand. Others become an eternal 29 overnight. Whatever your attitude about turning 30, experts say it's a good time to assess your personal financial situation. For many of us, real life is well under way by the time we hit 30. We've usually completed most of our education and have a few years of work experience. About half of us marry before 30 and that most have children by then. The National Association of Realtors says the median age for first-time homebuyers in the United States is 32. And while we all enter our 30s with unique backgrounds and varying goals, experts agree there are some fundamental rules that that can help every young adult participating in a market economy (yes, that means you). 1. Scale back the credit cards. a 30-year-old needs to be "living on your paycheck" -- get

According to Harvard social psychologist, William McDougal, people can be happy while in pain and unhappy while experiencing pleasure. To understand the concept, one must first recognised there are actually two kinds of happiness - feel-good and value-based. Feel-Good Happiness is a sensation-based pleasure. When we joke around or finally gotten the paif of shoes we like, we experience feel-good happiness. Since feel-good happiness is ruled by the law of diminishing returns, the kicks get harder to come by. This type of happiness rarely lasts longer than a few hours of time. This basically means you can make yourself happy by buying yourself new makeup or going for a full body spa treatment but the happiness you get won't last you for years to come because feel-good happiness is not lasting. Value-Based Happiness Value-based happiness is a sense that our life has meaning and fulfills some larger purpose. It represents a spiritual source of satisfactoin, stemming from our deeper pur

Be Happy Where You Are Now Right Now! Be thankful for what you have, instead of moaning about what you lack. Be satisfied with what you have when you are in pursuit of what you want. Thank God and be grateful for things you have and might have taken for granted over the years. Be thankful every day for simple but important things such as a healthy body, a job, family and friends. And even be grateful for the fact that you have time to moan and complain because that means you aren't starving or too sick to do that!

有一家營運相當好的大公司，為擴大經營規模，決定高薪招聘業務主管。 廣告一打出來，報名者雲集。 面對眾多應聘者，招聘主試者說： 相馬不如賽馬 ，為了能 選拔出高素質的人才，我們出一道實踐性的試題：就是想辦法 把木梳賣給和尚。 絕大多數應聘者感到困惑不解，甚至憤怒：出家人要木梳何用？這不明擺著拿人開玩笑嗎？ 於是紛紛拂袖而去，最後只剩下三個應聘者：甲、乙和丙。 主試者交待：「以十日為限，屆時向我彙報銷售成果。」 十天一到。 主試者問甲：「賣出多少把？」 答：「１把。」 「怎麼賣的？」 甲講述了歷盡的辛苦，遊說和尚應當買把梳子，無甚效果，還慘遭和尚的責罵， 好在下山途中遇到一個小和尚一邊曬太陽，一邊使勁撓著頭皮。 甲 靈機一動，遞上木梳，小和尚用後滿心歡喜，於是買下一把。 主試者問乙：「賣出多少把？」 答：「10 把。」 「怎麼賣的？」 乙說他去了一座名山古寺，由於山高風大，進香者的頭髮都被吹亂了， 他找到寺院的住持說：「蓬頭垢面是對佛的不敬。應在每座廟的香案前放把木梳，供 善男信女梳理鬢髮。」 住持採納了他的建議。那山有十座廟，於是買下了10 把木梳。 主試者問丙：「賣出多少把？」 答：「1000把。」 主試者驚問：「怎麼賣的？」 丙說他到一個頗具盛名、香火極旺的深山寶剎，朝聖者、施主絡繹不絕。 丙對住持說： 「凡來進香參觀者，多有一顆虔誠之心，寶剎應有所回贈，以做紀念, 保佑其平安吉祥，鼓勵其多做善事。我有一批木梳，您的書法超群，可刻上『積善梳』三個字，便可做贈品。」 住持大喜，立即買下 1000 把木梳。 得到「 積善梳 」的施主與香客也很是高興，一傳十、十傳百，朝聖者更多，香火更 旺。 感想﹕ 把木梳賣給和尚，聽起來真有些匪夷所思，但在別人認為不可能的地方開發出新的市 場來，那才是真正的業務高手。不同的思維，將引領著不同的作法，導致不同的結 果，時時觀察自己微細的念頭，不要被自己蒙蔽！

Wife: 'What are you doing?' 妻：你在作什麼啊？ Husband : Nothing. 夫：沒作什麼。 Wife : 'Nothing...? You've been reading our marriage certificate for an hour.' 妻：沒作什麼？你看著我們的結婚證書，足足有一小時了。 Husband : 'I was looking for the expiry date.' 夫：我在尋找它的有效日期是到什麼時候。 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------------- Wife : 'Do you want dinner?' 妻： 要吃 晚 餐嗎？ Husband : 'Sure! What are my choices?' 夫： 當然！我可以選擇嗎？ Wife : 'Yes or no.' 妻：要或不要。 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------------------------- Wife: 'You always carry my photo in your wallet. Why?' 妻：為什麼你經常把我的照片放在你皮夾裡？ Hubby: 'When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem disappears.' 夫：當問題發生時，不管有多困難，我看著妳照片就迎刃而解了。 Wife: 'You see how miraculous and powerful I am for you!' 妻：你看我對你有多麼驚人的影響力啊！ Hubby: 'Yes! I see your picture and ask myself what other problem can there be

失落与恐慌 资本主义经济危机爆发时，消极的情绪会在短时间内迅速地在社会中传播开来。这种情绪往往会把危机实际产生的危害无限扩大，但实际上危机带来的萧条不仅确实了哪些创新适于生存，同时也实现了充实货流、改组生产以及增加各阶层收入等一系列的好的转变。 土地拥有者是危机时期的收益人 大量商品在危机中积压，无法实现销售，物价大幅下降，货币的购买力实际上获得了提高。于是，一些长期出租土地的人以及类似的收入相对固定的人群是危机中少有的受益者。

Of course, some say that seeing is believing. The question I have for such people is "Why do you bother paying your electric bill?" Although you cannot see electricity, you can certainly recognize and use its power. If you have any doubt as to whether it exists, just stick your finger in an electric socket, and I guarantee that your doubts will quickly disappear. :D In my experience, what you cannot see in this world is far more powerful than anything you can see. You may or may not agree with this statement, but to the extent that you do not apply this principle in your life, you must be suffering. Why ? because you are going against the law of nature, whereby what is under the ground creates what is above the ground, where what is invisible creates what is visible. As humans, we are a part of nature, not above it. Consequently, when we align with the laws of nature and work on our roots - our "inner" world - our life flows smoothly. When we don't, life gets

资本的利息 资本是企业家和商品世界之间的桥梁，是企业家为实现“新组合”用以把生产指往新方向，把各项生产要素和资源引向新用途的一种杠杆和控制手段，其职能在于为企业家进行“创新”提供必要的条件。利润是企业家实现了“新组合”应得的报酬。而资本的利息便是从这种报酬中支付的，如同对利润的课税。 如果那里的生活没有发展，利息就变成了一个不必要的因素。 贴现 就是票据持有人在票据到期之前以贴付一定利息的方式向银行转让票据兑取现金。银行放款的一种形式。 贴现对持票人来说就是出让票据，提前收回垫支于商业信用的货币资金；对贴现公司或银行来说则是向持票人提供银行信用。

利慾薰心 毒奶和毒券──不義之財，很多人都要。中國有人在牛奶加毒，美國有人在債券加毒，使很多人死得不明不白。 看來應該發生的事，終於發生了 。 金融海嘯──經濟學家都知道美國經濟患了虛胖症，過度的開支不可能無止境的維持下去。但是，大家也沒有想到，一旦爆發經濟危機，竟然是這麼嚴重。 起得愈高，跌得愈重 石油──石油價格一路狂飆，起到每桶140美元。正當人們以為它會一直升上月球時，它卻突然失重，垂直跌進亞利桑那州的大峽谷，目前在40幾美元的低谷中苟延殘喘。 大自然的咆哮 地震和山崩──從四川大地震，到國際山莊的土崩，讓人們驚覺，在大自然面前，人類其實很渺小。所以，人類還是要謙卑一些才好。 鄭丁賢‧精彩的2008 http://opinions.sinchew-i.com/node/8046?tid=5

調查︰僅19%失業獅城人儲蓄夠維持2年 2008-12-09 18:17 （新加坡）美國友邦保險公司（AIA）週二（12月9日）公佈的最新抽樣調查顯示，只有19%的新加坡人有信心在失去主要收入後，有足夠的儲蓄維持生活超過2年。而在去年，有27%的新加坡人對此有信心。 聯合晚報報導，這項針對1217名18歲以上新加坡人進行的調查報告也指，超過80%的新加坡人越來越清楚，萬一失去了主要的收入來源，自己就會失去經濟能力的現實。 報告顯示，36%的新加坡人認為，他們沒有足夠的儲蓄來應付退休後的生活。大部份國人都是依靠公積金（81%）和儲蓄（74%）來過退休生活。只有9%的人有購買年金（annuities），18%的人有購買其他的退休保險。（聯合早報網） http://www.sinchew-i.com/node/61684?tid=6

Where did this hunger for luxury come from? According to Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster, luxury denoted a history of tradition and superior quality. Goods were produced in small quantities for the wealthy elite who could afford it. How do you create a mega cash cow? Step one: In the early ‘90s, small artisanal manufacturers were bought by public companies. Quarterly profits became the main goal. Price points were lowered to cater to the new middle class target market. Increase in volume resulted in a decrease in quality. Last step: Combine that with glamourous ad campaigns. Brand your items “buy this and you too will have a luxury life”. Profits skyrocketed. Unfortunately, focus was shifted from what the product is and should be to what it represents. The higher end bags are made with the finest materials and with excellent workmanship. Brands like Hermes who maintain the artisanal quality of their products can be seen in their iconic Kelly and Birkin bags. E

17 Ways Rich People Think and Act Differently from Poor and Middle-Class People Wealth File #1 Rich people believe "I create my life." Poor people believe "Life happens to me." Wealth File #2 Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose. Wealth File #3 Rich people are commited to being rich. Poor people want to be rich. Wealth File #4 Rich people think big. Poor people think small. Wealth File #5 Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles. Wealth File #6 Rich people admire other rich and success people. Poor people resent rich and successful people. Wealth File #7 Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people. Wealth File #8 Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion. Wealth File #9 Rich people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their

Sharing from Warren Buffett Subject: Warren Buffett_Buy American ! THE financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary. So ... I've been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I'm talking about, in which I previously owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy.) If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities. Why? A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highl

钱多钱少，够用就好 人丑人美，顺眼就好 人老人少，健康就好 家贫家富，和气就好

DJ-280 (11230) Oil at $103, worries on US financial sector trigger hedge fund selling.

在以色列農村，每當莊稼成熟收割的時候，靠近路邊的莊稼地四個角都留出一部分不收割。四角的莊稼，只要需要，任何人都可以享用。他們認為，是上帝給了曾經多災多難的猶太民族今天的幸福生活，他們為了感恩，就用留下田地四角的莊稼這種方式報答今天的擁有。這樣既報答了上帝，又為那些路過此地又沒有飯吃的貧困的路人給予方便。 莊稼是自己種的，留一點給別人收割，他們認為，分享是一種感恩，分享是一種美德。 無獨有偶，韓國北部的鄉村公路邊有很多柿子園。深秋時節，這處處可見農民採摘柿子的忙碌身影，但是，採摘結束後，o些熟透的柿子也不會被摘下來。這些留在樹上的柿子，成為一道特有的風景，一些遊人經過這都會說，這些柿子又大又紅，不摘豈不可惜 。但是當地的果農則說，不管柿子長得多麼誘人，也不會摘下來，因為這是留給喜鵲的食物。 　　 是什麼使得這裡的人留有這樣一種習慣，原來，這是喜鵲的棲息地，每到冬天，喜鵲都在果樹上築巢過冬。有一年冬天，天特別冷，下了很大的雪，幾百隻找不到食物的喜鵲一夜之間都被凍死了。第二年春天，柿子樹重新吐綠發芽，開花結果了。但就在這時，一種不知名的毛蟲突然氾濫成災。那年柿子幾乎絕產。從那以後，每年秋天收穫柿子時，人們都會留下一些柿子，作為喜鵲過冬的食物，留在樹上的柿子吸引了許多喜鵲到這裡冬天，喜鵲彷彿也會感恩，春天也不飛走，整天忙著捕捉樹上的蟲子，從而保證了這一年柿子的豐收。 　　 在收穫的季節別忘了留一些柿子在樹上，因為， 給別人留有餘地，往往就是給自己留下了生機與希望。自然界的一切，都是相互依存的，一榮俱榮，一損俱損。 給予是一種快樂。因為給予並不是完全失去而是一種高尚的收穫。 給予是一種幸福，因為給予能使你的心靈美好。 留幾枚柿子在樹上，那是一道人間最美的風景。 一個人的價值，應當看他貢獻什麼，而不是看他取得什麼。~愛因斯坦

盡管國內成長有放緩跡象，但國內銀行體系游資仍相當充裕，國行此舉，旨在降低銀行同業的中介成本，以把銀行的沖擊力減至最低；換句話說，也是力保銀行賺幅的舉措。 商業銀行在國行降息后，把基貸率從6.75%調降至6.5%，調幅達0.25%，但真正的降幅 為3.7%（0.25%除以6.75%再乘以100%）；而12個月定存利率則從3.70%下調至最低的3.50%，調幅達0.2%，但真正降幅為 5.4%（0.2%除以3.7%乘以100%）。 以上述貸款利率的降幅及定存的降幅計算，定存的降幅較高，降息行動對銀行還是有利。 此外，0.5%法定儲備金的降低，銀行將釋放的資金，估計高達26億5000萬令吉，以3至5%回酬率計，更為銀行製造了7800萬至1億3300萬令吉的盈利。 減息一般要9個月至12個月才能反映在市場上，國行的最新降息行動，不會這麼快顯現。 整體而言，國行最新的貨幣政策舉措，對市場發放貨幣政策或發出進一步寬鬆的正面訊號，為低迷經濟行情注入些許振奮劑，但對經濟的實際作用，或許不大。 國行在照顧銀行利益之餘，也要兼顧振興經濟，魚與熊掌，是難以兼得的。 http://biz.sinchew-i.com/node/18550

As a general rule, good debt,good expenses, and good losses all generate additional cash flow for you. For instance, debt taken to acquire a rental property, which has a positive cash flow each month, would be good debt. Likewise, paying for legal and tax advice are good expenses if they save you thousands of dollars in reduced taxes from tax planning. An example of good loss is the loss generated by depreciation from real estate. This good loss is also called phantom loss because it is a paper loss and does not require an actual outlay of cash. The end result is a savings in the amount of tax paid on the income offset by the loss.

Investors control. Everyone else gambles. The rich are rich because they have more control over their money than the poor and middle class. The moment you understand that the game of money is a game of control, you can focus on what is important in life, which is not making more money but gaining more financial control. 1. Earned income 2. Passive income 3. Portfolio income It is important because the characteristic of the income is what separates the rich from the working class. The poor and middle class focus on earned income, also called wages or paycheck income. The rich focus on passive income and portfolio income. That is the fundamental difference between the rich and the working class, which explains why control of the C (characteristic) is a fundamental control, especially if you plan on being rich.

A sole proprietorship, a partnership, and an S-Corporation are all part of you. They are, in simple terms, an extension of you. When you do business, you want a clone of you actually doing the business. You do not want to do business or own anything as a private citizen.. If you want to be a rich private citizen, you need to be as poor and penniless as possible on paper. The poor and the middle class, on the other hand, want to own everything in their name. "Pride of ownership," they call it. I call anything with your name on it " a target for predators and lawyers. " The rich do not want to own anything but want to control everything. And they control via corporations and limited partnerships. Proper financial planning for both the family and the business might - through the use of insurance,trusts,limited partnerships, or corporations - have prevented this family from losing its livelihood.

If you want to be a savvy investor you need to know how to exit an investment as well as how to get into the investment. (exit strategy) The odds are 50% of all marriages will end in divorce and the reality is nearly 100% of all marriages think they will beat those odds. Always remember that when you are excitedly buying an asset there is often someone who knows more about the asset who is excitedly selling it to you! When you buy an investment you should also have an idea of when to sell it, especially investments offered to Accredited Investors and above. In the more sophisticated types of investments, your exit is often more important than the entry strategy. When getting into such investments you should know what will happen if the investment goes well and what will happen if the investment goes bad.

If a person's financial foundation is weak, his or her self-confidence is also weak. The main reason people do not want to look at their personal financial statements is that they might find out they have financial cancer. The good news is that once they cure the financial disease, the rest of their lives also improves - and sometimes even their physical health too. -------------------------------- The difference between a rich person and a poor person is much more than how much money they make. The difference is found in their financial literacy and the standards of importance they put on that literacy. Simply put, poor people have very low financial literacy standards, regardless of how much money they make. People with low financial literacy standards are often unable to take their ideas and create assets out of them. Instead of creating assets, many people create liabilities with their ideas just because of low financial literacy standards.

When you first set out to turn your ideas into your personal fortune, many people will say,"You can't do that". Always remember that nothing kills your great ideas more than people with small ideas and limited imaginations. 1. They say "you can't do that" even if you are doing what they say you cannot do, no because you can't do it but because they can't do it. 2. They say, "You can't do it" because they cannot see what you are doing. The process of making a lot of money is a mental process more than a physical process. Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. ~ Einstein Great ideas only become great fortunes if the person behind the idea is also willing to be great. You must have a very strong spirit to withstand the doubt of those around you. But your spirit must be even stronger when you are the person saying to yourself "You can't do that". This does not mean that you plough blindly

The problem with new investors If history holds any stories, then we should be in for one of the biggest crashes the world has ever seen. Sir Isaac Newton who lost most of his fortune in the South Sea Bubble is quoted as saying, " I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people. " It is not the crash that is so bad but the emotional panic that occurs at the times of such financial disasters/opportunities. The problem with most new investors is that they have not yet been through a real bear market ... since this current bull market started in 1974. It is not possible to predict the market, but it is important that we be prepared for whichever direction it decides to go. Bull markets seem to go on forever, which causes people to become sloppy, foolish, and complacent. Bear markets also seem to go on forever causing people to forget that bear markets are often the best times to become very, very rich. That is why you want to be a qualified investor

The bull comes up by the stairs and the bear goes out the window. A bull market will rise slowly, but when it crashes, the market is like a bear going out the window. Tehcnical investors are excited about market crashes because they position themselves to make money quickly when average investors are losing their money, money that often increased very slowly. Dow falls 427 as stocks hit 5-year lows http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/market-dispatches-111908.aspx

There are investors who buy assets and there are investors who create assets. If you want to solve the 90/10 riddle for yourself, you need to be both types of investors. "I can't afford this land either, but my business can." The business was being created in his head and that ability to create businesses in his head was the reason he would go on to be one of the richese men in Hawaii. Rich dad solved his 90/10 riddle by creating assets that in turn purchased other assets. That plan was not only rich dad's investment plan, it is the investment plan for most of the 10% who make 90% of the money, in the past, in the present, and into the future. Again the formula is to create an asset that buys other assets and that formula is the reason why McDonald's owns the most expensive real estate in the world. It was all part of the plan. "If you want to solve the 90/10 riddle for yourself, you need to be both type of investors. You need to be a person who knows how to

Forbes magazine defines rich as $1 million in income and $10 million in net worth. Rich dad had a tougher definition: a consistent $1 million in passive income, which is income that comes in regardless of if you work or not, and $5 million in assets, not net worth. Net worth can be an elusive and much manipulated figure. He also felt that if you could not maintain a 20% return from capital invested, you were not really an investor. The price to reach dad's goal, starting from nothing, is actually measured in rich dad's 3 E's: Education Experience Excessive Cash It starts with a Plan have a plan, be focused, and play to win. the data and the dollars are derived from having a dream, being dedicated, and having the drive to win. Money is just an idea. If you think money is hard to get and you'll never be rich, then it will be true for you. If you think that money is abundant, then that can be true. Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Richard Branson: they did not become billionaires

I believe we're through the worst of the current bust. I know there will be more aftershocks, and the news will continue to be pessimistic for at least two more years, possibly until the summer of 2010. But the upside to this is that it gives us at least two years to do our market research and find the next big stock or real estate bargain. Before buying, I strongly suggest you study, read books, and take courses on your asset of choice. If your choice is stocks, take a course on stocks or options. If it's real estate, take a course on real estate. Now is the time to learn; not only will you know more than the average person and be in a good position when the market turns, but you'll also meet people with a similar mindset. You have about two years to get into position. Opportunities this big don't come along often, so this is your time to get rich.

You can become rich by being generous. The more people I serve, the richer I become. The problem with being on the E and S side of the Quadrant is that you can serve only so many people. If you build large operating system in the B and I quadrants, you can serve as many people as you want. And if you do that, you will become richer beyond your wildest dreams. If I am a doctor and I know how to work with one patient at a time only, there are just two ways for me to make more money. One is to work longer, and the other is to raise my rates. But if I keep my job and work in my spare time to find a drug that cures cancer, then I will become rich by serving many more people.

If you got noticed, the installment period for cars had been pro-longed or extended to longest 9 years, which is not available during 70s or 80s. 3 years 5 years 7 years 9 years What is happening ? Prices are going up, salary or income of majority is not catching up ! the same goes to housing loan ... .... I am writing this just to create awareness.

First of all, it has to do with the name itself. If you know the meaning behind the name, and you learn about psychology, you have had half of the idea. Nike literally means victory in Greek mythology. It was a goddess who embodied triumph. While Nike started up its business selling sneakers, it reasonably hit the tipping point when the strong and sticky message which has a direct impact on human’s subconscious worn by top athletes and runners. When the gold medalist in Olympic tells the world,” Nike sneakers have brought me to the new level of mastery and achievement, Goddess of Victory of Greek was standing by my side. ” Imagine the impact it would then brought to the end market. *We will cover the topic tipping point sooner than later but if you can’t wait to discover the secret of how a message spreads uncontrollably, read The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. You can get it at MPH or any other big book shop bestseller section. A book which the content alone worth multi-million do

To master the mind game, it is vital for you to take in words and think critically, I have just said THINK CRITICALLY so you’re not a “spoon-feedee” ( as in payer and payee. You know what I mean. ) Let’s play a little psychology game here in #1 brand success case study. You’re not playing the game with me right here right now but in your lunch time later on, and you’re going to play with strangers. This is a very simple yet fun game which exposes you to how magnificent Nike is. Yes, you certainly know how magnificent it is, but you don’t have the clearest idea how big it is yet. Besides, this game trains you a little in the sense that it helps strengthen your guts whereby successful entrepreneurs use this trait in them to pull things off quicker than ordinary and conventional business men. Conventional here would mean those who open a shop, and sit there waiting for customers to come. Everyone knows how to do the type of business which investors dump money in and do nothing but wait.

Let me tell you why I think we're looking at something other than a normal recession and what that means for investors. Recessions are a normal part of the capitalist business cycle. Recessions wash out excesses in the system by shaking out inefficient companies, thus clearing the way for new competitors, and they work to keep supply and demand in sync over the long term. In the past 50 years, we've had recessions (or recessionlike economic downturns) in 1969-70, 1973-75, 1980-82, 1990-91 and 2001. ( notice the short period of 1-3 years timeframe ) Some of these have been relatively mild: The 2001 recession saw three quarters of negative growth, but the economy contracted by just 0.6%, 1.6% and 0.3% in those quarters. Some have been much more painful: In the second and fourth quarters of 1981 and in the first quarter of 1982, the economy contracted by 2.8%, 4.6% and 6.5%, respectively. Some downturns are extremely brief: The recessions of 1990-91 and 2001 lasted for just three

Bear markets are Darwinian: They kill weak investors, but the strong get rich. And as we are learning anew in this decade, bear markets can be both grueling and extremely, extremely long. For the U.S. stock market, the 1960s and 1970s were Lost Decades, and the current one is about as bad. The major indexes, in fact, have been trading lately well below their levels of 10 years ago. These Lost Decades include monster bear markets -- those of 1973-74, 2000-02 and 2007-present -- during which the S&P 500 Index ( $INX ) plunged more than 40% each time. Those are the only such monsters since the Great Depression, and two of them have come in this decade. And the immediate future, at least, looks even more perilous. When the S&P 500 was at its low of 855 on Friday, it was 45.8% below its peak of October 2007, and foreign markets have recently been battered even worse than our own. The headlines have described a "global panic." The good news: Some investors have managed to p

The terror of rumours has stemmed from their intangible yet rapidly propagating killing power. Those who have hands-on experiences with, or have been hurt by rumours, definitely have an overwhelming abhorrence for unfounded rumours. The famous quote from the late diva Ruan Lingyu, "words of man are the most fearful thing," remains relevant to this day. Renowned Korean artiste Choe Jin-sil took her own life simply because of venomous rumours. Having said that, a society without rumours could be utterly monotonous. Stock market, capital world, entertainment and political circles have been so enchanting because of various sorts of rumours and gossips. Rumours can send stock prices to the heavens, but can as well throw them into the deepest hades. Thanks to the rumours of foreign exchange losses, IOI Corp's shares suffered a huge single-day drop of 20% last Friday, the worst in a decade. .... http://www.mysinchew.com/node/17834

Sometimes we love change and sometimes we hate it. Regardless, it always takes a little bit of courage to leave something familiar and try something new. Why is change difficult for most of us? Because change necessitates that we move out of our comfort zones. Since the ego, or protective mind's job is survival, it will always prefer safety and security over the untested and unproven. It likes to keep things the same. It has us believe "the devil I know, is better than the devil I don't know." In short, "if I stay with what I know and what is familiar, I won't get hurt." This belief system is simply not true and goes directly against the laws of nature. Most people are not totally happy and successful, yet they continue to do the same things over and over hoping someday things will be different. Realize if what you've been looking for was where you've been looking, chances are you'd have already found it! Doing more of the same even harder an

Those pills your doctor prescribed? They may be placebos. A new study found that half of the doctors in the U.S. prescribe placebos regularly without telling their patients. LONDON - About half of American doctors in a new survey say they regularly give patients placebo treatments — usually drugs or vitamins that won't really help their condition. And many of these doctors are not honest with their patients about what they are doing, the survey found. That contradicts advice from the American Medical Association, which recommends doctors use treatments with the full knowledge of their patients. "It's a disturbing finding," said Franklin G. Miller, director of the research ethics program at the U.S. National Institutes Health and one of the study authors. "There is an element of deception here which is contrary to the principle of informed consent." The study was being published online in Friday's issue of BMJ, formerly the British Medical Journal. Placeb

任何國家的政府政策，尤其是財經政策，絕對要符合3個條件：1. 方向正確，2. 時機精準，3. 對多數人有好處。 請問，50億令吉公積金局的“貸款”，符合了上述3個條件的哪一項？ 注意，我把“貸款”加上開關引號，因為我也不確定這是哪一種貸款；政府公佈的資料，沒有說明償還期，也沒注明利息、抵押等，又多了一層疑問。 我不是保羅格魯曼，也不是巴菲特，不敢斷言政府的措施是錯的。但是，政府的救市措施，至少要有基本的說服力，讓人們能夠信任才行。 尤其，50億令吉來自公積金局，也就是動用上千萬打工仔的老本。 打工仔是社會中低下層，擁有比率最低的社會財富。 用窮人的血汗錢去救富人的投資？想到這裡，國內1000多萬名公積金局的會員，隱隱約約，感覺手腳有點冰冷。 股市不是不能救，只是太難救，往往都是徒勞無功，還要賠了夫人又折兵。 ....... 大馬股市說大並不大，但是，說真的，在金融海嘯的狂潮中，幾十億令吉丟進去，可能還看不到水花濺起。 50億令吉對股市不會有顯著作用，對經濟也沒有振興效果；既然不能救大市，充其量，就只能撐扶少數公司的股價。 問題來了，要 讓誰享受這種好處？讓誰得以從海嘯中脫身？ 如果只能惠及少數，那就不符合公眾利益。 這又再應證，用百萬窮人的血汗，來拯救幾個富人的身家。 股市下跌，有一定的規律，要救也救不了，最怕是賠上更多的無辜。 政府要關注的，是通過宏觀調控，緩和大環境的衝擊；放寬管制，落實開放，激勵經濟，振興企業。把50億令吉花在這些方面，才能發揮真正的價值。 http://opinions.sinchew-i.com/node/7459?tid=7

KUALA LUMPUR: Owners in the Klang Valley are having a hard time selling their houses as buyers are staying away, hoping that prices would drop further. This has been the scene in the past four months as buyers chose to "wait and see", anticipating further price drops next year.Even though experts say prices will not dip much, some real estate agents are in jitters over the prospects for the economy next year.Many real estate agents interviewed believe that the property market will only go downhill. "Business has been bad. It's hard for us to sell houses nowadays," said one real estate agent.He believes prices of condominium flats will drop heavily, after experiencing rise of RM1,000 to RM2,000 per square foot in the past two years, He said those most likely to be affected are middle-income property owners who have difficulty in servicing their housing loans . He said prices of middle range homes might be stagnant for a couple of years. Another real estate agent,

The rich get richer partly because they invest differently than others; they invest in investments that are not offered to the poor and the middle class. Most importantly, however, they have a different educational background. If you have the education, you will always have plenty of money. You know you are financially smarter or increasing in sophistication when you can tell the differences between: 1. Good debt and bad debt 2. Good loses and bad losses 3. Good expenses and bad expenses 4. Tax payments versus tax incentives 5. Corporations you work for versus corporations you own 6. How to build a business, how to fix a business, and how to take a business public 7. The advantages and disadvantages of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, businesses, real estate and insurance products as well as the different legal structures and when to use which product.

We were criticised by everybody, but we believed strongly we only had the people of Malaysia to answer to," former finance minister Tun Daim Zainudding said last Friday in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur. "We had seen what had happened with African nations that had taken aid from the IMF; they never are free ." Malaysia defied the prevailing orthodoxy of the day and closed its doors to outside aid even as Asian financial markets, including its own, were collapsing. Even Daim credits part of Malaysia's turnaround to the country's ability to export oil, electronics and textiles. But most economists agree that at the very least the plan did not sink the economy into further depths.

All that money you've lost — where did it go? Is it a matter of it all vanishing into thin air? Some would say yes NEW YORK - Trillions in stock market value — gone. Trillions in retirement savings — gone. A huge chunk of the money you paid for your house, the money you're saving for college, the money your boss needs to make payroll — gone, gone, gone. Whether you're a stock broker or Joe Six-pack, if you have a 401(k), a mutual fund or a college savings plan, tumbling stock markets and sagging home prices mean you've lost a whole lot of the money that was right there on your account statements just a few months ago. But if you no longer have that money, who does? The fat cats on Wall Street? Some oil baron in Saudi Arabia? The government of China? If you're looking to track down your missing money — figure out who has it now, maybe ask to have it back — you might be disappointed to learn that it was never really money in the first place. http://howtze.blogspot.com

A Million Dollars is the starting point Being a millionaire today does not mean that much. Today, $1 million is just the starting point to beginning to invest like the rich. Being financially smart included knowing when to be frugal and when not to be. Many people become rich by being very smart with knowledge from the B and I quadrants. Many of these individuals operate behind the scenes and manage, control, and manipulate the world's business and financial systems . Millions of people faithfully place their retirement savings and other monies into the market. However, the decision-makers of the marketing and distribution system of the underlying investments actually make the large sums of money, not necessarily the individual investor or retiree . As rich dad taught me years ago, "There are people who buy tickets to the game, and there are people who sell tickets to the game. You want to be on the side that is selling the tickets." Own the corporate ladder rather than c

Winston Churchill: Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. Regret over past financial decisions can have a powerful hold on you. At 23, you may regret running up $20,000 in credit card debt during college. At 35, you may regret never having gone to college. At 45, you may regret having never started that consulting business you always dreamed of pursing. And at 65, you may regret not having saved more for retirement . In recent days, many financial chickens have come home to roost. Regret, financial or otherwise, can have a powerful grip on your life. For most, the question is not whether you have financial regret. The question is how you harness the power of that regret to make sound financial decisions today that you will not regret tomorrow. Here are some ideas to help you do just that: Stop beating yourself up over past financial mistakes. We all have made stupid financial decisions. Even Warren Buffett has made dumb investments, which

I am so rich because I've made more financial mistakes than most people. Each time I made a mistake, I learned something new. In the business world, that something new is often called "experience". But experience is not enough. ( just like if you have 10 years of playing basketball in the football field doesn't make you an expert ). Many people say they have a lot of experience because they keep making the same mistake over and over again. If a person truly learns from a mistake, his or her life changes forever, and what that person gains instead of experience is "wisdom". People often avoid making financial mistakes, and that is a mistake. They keep saying to themselves, "Play it safe. Don't take risks." People may be struggling financially because they have already made mistakes and have not learned from the mistakes. So they get up everyday, go to work, and repeat the mistake and avoid new mistakes, but they never find the lesson . These peo

After a housing slump that has pushed values down 30% in some areas, roughly 12 million households owe more than their homes are worth. By The Wall Street Journal The relentless slide in home prices has left nearly one in six U.S. homeowners owing more on a mortgage than the home is worth, raising the possibility of a rise in defaults -- the very misfortune that touched off the credit crisis last year. The result of homeowners being "under water" is more pressure on an economy that is already in a downturn. No longer having equity in their homes makes people feel less rich and thus less inclined to shop at the mall. And having more homeowners under water is likely to mean more eventual foreclosures, because it is hard for a borrower in financial trouble to refinance or sell a home and pay off the mortgage if the debt exceeds the home's value. A foreclosed home, in turn, tends to lower the value of other homes in its neighborhood. ........ The declines have made homes more

Just remember the frustration you went through as you struggled to learn how to ride a bicycle. All your friends are riding but all you are doing is climbing on the bike and immediately falling off. You make mistake after mistake. Then suddenly, you stop falling off, you begin to peddle, the bike begins rolling, and then suddenly like magic, a whole new world opens to you . That is the magic found in mistakes. Street smarts versus school smarts Yet each time he made a mistake, instead of being depressed, he often seemed happier, wiser, more determined, and even richer from the experience. "Mistakes are how we learn. Every time I make a mistake, I always learn something about myself, I learn something new, and I often meet new people I would never have met." On the street, you are given the mistake first then it's up to you to find the lessons, if you ever find it. On the street, you are smart only if you make mistakes and learn from them.