Today, the Dow rallied and rose 240 points on the back of news from BoA that they will be profitable this year and GE may not need the government bail-out afterall....
Is the rise sustainable? Are we over the hurdle?
Are people happy with job losses and are still spending? Is consumer spending stable and looking on an uptrend?
Or is it because we have just put a screen over ourselves again and eased accounting rules?
Are we just fooling ourselves into another patch of financial accounting ingenuity?
Fundamentally I think most companies aren't making money from core operations and a significant chunk of profitability from yesteryears could be from financial engineering....
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Reflection.....
Can Malaysia ever grow and emerge from its shadows of corruption and inefficiency?
In my humble opinion....yes!
But - and a BIG BUT - it will take tremendous efforts and re-education / cleansing of "certain" way-of-life currently being practiced.... which will certainly take years to eradicate
Whilst there are certainly benefits to corruption and inefficiency that could accrue to individuals, I am quite sure society as a whole suffers....as social good is diminished through such "practices"
So what can a humble citizen do in such situation? Wage a personal war? Succumb and join the dark side?
In my humble opinion....yes!
But - and a BIG BUT - it will take tremendous efforts and re-education / cleansing of "certain" way-of-life currently being practiced.... which will certainly take years to eradicate
Whilst there are certainly benefits to corruption and inefficiency that could accrue to individuals, I am quite sure society as a whole suffers....as social good is diminished through such "practices"
So what can a humble citizen do in such situation? Wage a personal war? Succumb and join the dark side?
Monday, March 09, 2009
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Seeing from the other perspective
Grey is the new black....
I believe that in the recent surrounding economic turmoil, one can no longer make judgment calls solely based on "black-and-white" quantitative facts. Grey issues such as human psychological patterns must also be considered.
In trying to solve the world's economic problems, I feel that the regulators may have neglected to consider the human and media aspects, and have instead been fixated on facts and figures. The decision makers may have "lost touch" with human and psychological factors.
For instance, what can the British government hope to achieve by printing and circulating more money? Create artificially higher inflation?
As long as the general public remain skeptical and highly pessimistic on the general outlook of their own economic situation and hold deep doubts on keeping their jobs, they will not spend.
It is human nature for people to retreat into their "safe harbor" and conserve cash during bad times. They will not spend even if they view future money as being worth less tomorrow than today's (i.e. negative real interest rate) as they believe fundamentally that $1 saved today will go a longer way in the event of job loss.
Hence the most imperative act for most governments is to create jobs. Once peopel feel secure, they will start spending again.
I believe that in the recent surrounding economic turmoil, one can no longer make judgment calls solely based on "black-and-white" quantitative facts. Grey issues such as human psychological patterns must also be considered.
In trying to solve the world's economic problems, I feel that the regulators may have neglected to consider the human and media aspects, and have instead been fixated on facts and figures. The decision makers may have "lost touch" with human and psychological factors.
For instance, what can the British government hope to achieve by printing and circulating more money? Create artificially higher inflation?
As long as the general public remain skeptical and highly pessimistic on the general outlook of their own economic situation and hold deep doubts on keeping their jobs, they will not spend.
It is human nature for people to retreat into their "safe harbor" and conserve cash during bad times. They will not spend even if they view future money as being worth less tomorrow than today's (i.e. negative real interest rate) as they believe fundamentally that $1 saved today will go a longer way in the event of job loss.
Hence the most imperative act for most governments is to create jobs. Once peopel feel secure, they will start spending again.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Wandering lust strikes again....
I have a lust for traveling...
Traveling satisfies my curiosity and desire to know about places, cultures, people, food, languages....
I like to be caught in a new place....being unprepared...having to adapt...
Am I strange? Most people like to visit places prepared....I don't!
I feel that it takes away the mysteries of the places....
I like to be challenged, to go down the different paths each step will take me
However paradoxically, I like to be safe and make sure I am prepared for contingencies...
Being adventurous doesn't mean that I like to look for danger. I avoid danger at all cost.
So where should I go next? Do I have the $ to go?
Traveling satisfies my curiosity and desire to know about places, cultures, people, food, languages....
I like to be caught in a new place....being unprepared...having to adapt...
Am I strange? Most people like to visit places prepared....I don't!
I feel that it takes away the mysteries of the places....
I like to be challenged, to go down the different paths each step will take me
However paradoxically, I like to be safe and make sure I am prepared for contingencies...
Being adventurous doesn't mean that I like to look for danger. I avoid danger at all cost.
So where should I go next? Do I have the $ to go?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Leopard Print or Pink?
Men's Lingerie is apparently the latest craze in Japan....
You can get them wild or tasteful.....
Leopard print for the wild at heart....or sweet pink for the demure. White is also a good seller....
Apparently gender equality exists after all in Japan. The modern Japanese male is not afraid to embrace their femininity....
Yay they embrace breast support!
I wonder whether there are many choices available.
Front and back straps for the bras? Oooh....they have the choice! And with diamante buckles....
I am impressed...
How about the different types of underwear/panties? G-strings, bootleg, high cut, low waist? I don't see many choices available there...
Each set of bra and underwear retails for approximately US$30.
Clearly the focus is on bras.....and the importance of breast support....
I need to brush up on my Japanese now...to see whether the bras come in different cup sizes....
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