A Pfennig For Your Thoughts: "But here's another that I came across... Canadian household net worth climbs to C$ 6.0-Trillion in the 1st QTR...
Canadian household net worth increased by 1.3% ($74-billion) in the first quarter of 2010 to C$ 6.0-Trillion. This marks the fourth consecutive quarterly improvement in household net worth and reflects a 96% recovery off the net worth lost during the recent economic downturn.
I tell you all this, not because I want to live there... But to illustrate to you, why investors would look to Canada and the Canadian loonie..."
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Invest in Canada - A Pfennig For Your Thoughts
A Pfennig For Your Thoughts: "I saw a list of reasons why Canada is a great place to be in the Daily Reckoning (www.dailyreckoning.com) yesterday... Among them were these two that I really liked...
4) Freedom to travel abroad where all countries welcome you and like you.
5) A banking system that works. Sorry, no easy way to buy a home without 10% down at least."
4) Freedom to travel abroad where all countries welcome you and like you.
5) A banking system that works. Sorry, no easy way to buy a home without 10% down at least."
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Campbell: paid for his plane ticket to Bilderberg using public money
BC Premiere Gordon Campbell [far right] attending Bilderberg as reported by The Guardian
Source: The Guardian
The following is an outtake from a posting on Bilderberg involving BC Premiere Gordon Campbell.
Last year, I wrote about my visit to Vouliagmeni to see what Bilderberg was all about. It wasn't a happy trip. But in my final piece I asked people to come along in 2010 and help sprinkle the "slug" of Bilderberg with the "salt" of publicity. About 10 or so people took me up on this. Of these 10, one was "Quierosaber", the brave fellow who crawled into the hills before sunrise, with leaves wrapped around his head, and took photos of the delegates (see our Spot the Delegate quiz, and our Bilderberg 2010 Power Gallery). In one of his photos appeared Gordon Campbell, the premier of British Columbia. The Canadian press started asking questions, and discovered that he'd paid for his plane ticket to Bilderberg using public money..
Sure, Campbell was on the quietly published list of attendees, but the difference between a list of names and a photo is incalculable. So there we have it: accountability, transparency, and none of it possible without people like Quierosaber packing a knapsack at 4am, wrapping laurel leaves round a borrowed camera and hiding under brambles
read the whole story on blacklisted news
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Trading FOREX
I want to begin trading foreign exchange - FOREX.
For years I have traded equities before but never forex.
I am opening an account with CMC Markets, but haven't started any trades. I believe they have online training for forex.
I am looking for a good way to learn how to trade.
Who are the “experts”?
I am looking for an online course in forex or a really good, readable book on forex trading.
Any readers who know, please let me know.
Thanks.
For years I have traded equities before but never forex.
I am opening an account with CMC Markets, but haven't started any trades. I believe they have online training for forex.
I am looking for a good way to learn how to trade.
Who are the “experts”?
I am looking for an online course in forex or a really good, readable book on forex trading.
Any readers who know, please let me know.
Thanks.
Monday, 10 May 2010
The Daily Yomiuri's Economic Rescue Plan
The Daily Yomiuri (DY) blasted the front page of their May 8th edition announcing their plan for the rescue of the Japanese economy.
There were five recommendations:
1) End manifesto-accelerated business slump
2) Both concrete and humans are important
3) Employment is source of reassurance
4) Seek domestic and external demand
5) Stay ahead of international competition by developing higher technologies
I couldn’t see the massive front page story on their web site. This editorial comes close [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20100508TDY02T03.htm]
It seems that the DY is more a right-wing publication. They do not seem happy with the DPJ. They ought to be reminded that the Japanese economy has been mired for the past decade. It is nothing new. The right-wing LDP had been in power for fifty years. Certainly it is they who have left the Japanese economy in a shambles.
Here is my interpretation of Yomiuri’s “rescue” plan.
1) End manifesto-accelerated business slump
Comment: I have no idea what this means.
2) Both concrete and humans are important “public works are necessary to escape deflation”
Comment: I have no idea what this means, either.
3) Employment is source of reassurance
This makes no sense. An unemployment rate of 5% means that the employment rate is 95%
4) Seek domestic and external demand
Comment: This is not new or insightful.
5) Stay ahead of international competition by developing higher technologies
Comment: Not just high technologies but higher technologies. Nice. However, to do this you need education. It doesn’t just happen. Your education system educates for conformity not for creativity and innovation. “Let’s work harder” ain’t gonna cut it. The brightest minds are in America and they are not only American, they are from India, China, Korea and Russia. Later, they take that new knowledge and return to India, China, Korea and Russia and launch new businesses.
The DY’s fuzzy, ethereal rant is tantamount to entering a grocery store and declaring: “let’s eat lunch”. There is food there, but the declaration just leave everyone confused. It is amazing, their piercing prose and obviously professional writing skills of the editorial board of the Yomiyuri. I`m kidding. It stinks. I suggest the editors read and heed the advice of The Economist. I suggest the reader of the DY do the same, along with cancelling their subscription. And finally, the government of Japan ought to do the same as well as heed my advice, of course.
The powers that be do not know how to change the Japanese economy. Or, more likely, the powers that be do not want to change the Japanese economy. They obviously want to keep things exactly as they are. It serves their purpose to keep things as they are. If it didn`t they would change. After all, they are in power, right?
So, what would you do? How would you stimulate and grow the Japanese economy?
Here’s what I would do. First, identify the problem. Second, identify what stimulates and grows an economy. Third, make recommendations that suit the Japanese situation.
First, the problem.
Japan’s strength is now its weakness. According the CIA Factbook, “the two notable characteristics of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labour force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. “ The world has changed. Japan hasn’t. This, coupled with the all too well known economic bubble that burst at the end of the 1980s. They have been hiding / cleaning up from it ever since. Massive public and corporate debt, massive over production and massive over hiring and a protectionist climate all make for massive inefficiency, low productivity and an inability to compete. Add to this a rapidly aging population and a tiny birth rate.
Second, consider what stimulates an economy, any economy.
Well, there is: spending, consumer spending, having money to spend, confidence that you will have a job in the future, having a job now, confidence that the price of a new home will not be cheaper in the future, creating new jobs, and creating new businesses. These are not all but they are quite important stimulants.
Third, here are my recommendations:
1) Introduce and enforce a 40 hour work week. If you can’t get it done in 40 hours then that’s a failure of management. If they really can’t get it done, then hire more people.
2) Introduce and enforce mandatory 8 week annual vacations for all employees, requiring at least one 4-week vacation. People are unproductive already, give them time off to enjoy life, get to know their children and spend money.
3) Deregulate. It is the end of la-la land. Open the economy right up. The reason why there is no growth is because there is no incentive to grow. Fat, bloated, lethargic, and constipated corporations need to be whacked in the side of the head. Efficient and hungry foreign firms are at the gate and they are ready to eat your lunch.
4) Reform the labour laws and allow companies to layoff all the dead weight. Sure it will be tough at first, but it is like removing a band-aid – rip it right off all at once.
5) Institute a national daycare and national eldercare system
6) Introduce hard-hitting punitive damages on companies convicted to wrongful dismissal and gender bias. Time to start utilizing and promoting the smarter half of the population.
7) In a make-work program, send the unemployed to clean up the coastline. It is a disgrace.
8) Remove all highway tolls and implement a 60% tax on all religions and triple the tax on tobacco
9) Do whatever it takes to encourage entrepreneurship – they create jobs and create wealth. Salarymen don’t.
10) And finally... my final recommendation is not to take any advice from the DY.
#1, 2 and 3 sound tough, even impossible. But this country has been through much worse things in its history and it has endured. This ought to start to bring Japan into the 1980’s at least. I’ve got more (it is so easy when there are so many obvious problems with obvious solutions) but I will stop at 10, it’s a nice round number.
Of course none of this will happen. It’s all a dream. Like election reform and universal health care in the US. The reality is people get the government they deserve. In a democracy, if your economy and government stink, it’s your own fault. If you don’t like it then change it. This will never happen in Japan and the powers that be know it. The Japanese people are getting the government they deserve.
The future of the Japanese economy?
At this point, there is no future. I am not alone in this opinion. I encourage you to read any much more informed views of any foreign economist or analysts. The Japanese economy is a rusty ship with a slow leak sailing around in circles in the fog. But there is pachinko. So, re-arrange your deck chairs, there is a fresh copy of the Daily Yomiuri delivered to your table. Enjoy the ride.
There were five recommendations:
1) End manifesto-accelerated business slump
2) Both concrete and humans are important
3) Employment is source of reassurance
4) Seek domestic and external demand
5) Stay ahead of international competition by developing higher technologies
I couldn’t see the massive front page story on their web site. This editorial comes close [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20100508TDY02T03.htm]
It seems that the DY is more a right-wing publication. They do not seem happy with the DPJ. They ought to be reminded that the Japanese economy has been mired for the past decade. It is nothing new. The right-wing LDP had been in power for fifty years. Certainly it is they who have left the Japanese economy in a shambles.
Here is my interpretation of Yomiuri’s “rescue” plan.
1) End manifesto-accelerated business slump
Comment: I have no idea what this means.
2) Both concrete and humans are important “public works are necessary to escape deflation”
Comment: I have no idea what this means, either.
3) Employment is source of reassurance
This makes no sense. An unemployment rate of 5% means that the employment rate is 95%
4) Seek domestic and external demand
Comment: This is not new or insightful.
5) Stay ahead of international competition by developing higher technologies
Comment: Not just high technologies but higher technologies. Nice. However, to do this you need education. It doesn’t just happen. Your education system educates for conformity not for creativity and innovation. “Let’s work harder” ain’t gonna cut it. The brightest minds are in America and they are not only American, they are from India, China, Korea and Russia. Later, they take that new knowledge and return to India, China, Korea and Russia and launch new businesses.
The DY’s fuzzy, ethereal rant is tantamount to entering a grocery store and declaring: “let’s eat lunch”. There is food there, but the declaration just leave everyone confused. It is amazing, their piercing prose and obviously professional writing skills of the editorial board of the Yomiyuri. I`m kidding. It stinks. I suggest the editors read and heed the advice of The Economist. I suggest the reader of the DY do the same, along with cancelling their subscription. And finally, the government of Japan ought to do the same as well as heed my advice, of course.
The powers that be do not know how to change the Japanese economy. Or, more likely, the powers that be do not want to change the Japanese economy. They obviously want to keep things exactly as they are. It serves their purpose to keep things as they are. If it didn`t they would change. After all, they are in power, right?
So, what would you do? How would you stimulate and grow the Japanese economy?
Here’s what I would do. First, identify the problem. Second, identify what stimulates and grows an economy. Third, make recommendations that suit the Japanese situation.
First, the problem.
Japan’s strength is now its weakness. According the CIA Factbook, “the two notable characteristics of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labour force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. “ The world has changed. Japan hasn’t. This, coupled with the all too well known economic bubble that burst at the end of the 1980s. They have been hiding / cleaning up from it ever since. Massive public and corporate debt, massive over production and massive over hiring and a protectionist climate all make for massive inefficiency, low productivity and an inability to compete. Add to this a rapidly aging population and a tiny birth rate.
Second, consider what stimulates an economy, any economy.
Well, there is: spending, consumer spending, having money to spend, confidence that you will have a job in the future, having a job now, confidence that the price of a new home will not be cheaper in the future, creating new jobs, and creating new businesses. These are not all but they are quite important stimulants.
Third, here are my recommendations:
1) Introduce and enforce a 40 hour work week. If you can’t get it done in 40 hours then that’s a failure of management. If they really can’t get it done, then hire more people.
2) Introduce and enforce mandatory 8 week annual vacations for all employees, requiring at least one 4-week vacation. People are unproductive already, give them time off to enjoy life, get to know their children and spend money.
3) Deregulate. It is the end of la-la land. Open the economy right up. The reason why there is no growth is because there is no incentive to grow. Fat, bloated, lethargic, and constipated corporations need to be whacked in the side of the head. Efficient and hungry foreign firms are at the gate and they are ready to eat your lunch.
4) Reform the labour laws and allow companies to layoff all the dead weight. Sure it will be tough at first, but it is like removing a band-aid – rip it right off all at once.
5) Institute a national daycare and national eldercare system
6) Introduce hard-hitting punitive damages on companies convicted to wrongful dismissal and gender bias. Time to start utilizing and promoting the smarter half of the population.
7) In a make-work program, send the unemployed to clean up the coastline. It is a disgrace.
8) Remove all highway tolls and implement a 60% tax on all religions and triple the tax on tobacco
9) Do whatever it takes to encourage entrepreneurship – they create jobs and create wealth. Salarymen don’t.
10) And finally... my final recommendation is not to take any advice from the DY.
#1, 2 and 3 sound tough, even impossible. But this country has been through much worse things in its history and it has endured. This ought to start to bring Japan into the 1980’s at least. I’ve got more (it is so easy when there are so many obvious problems with obvious solutions) but I will stop at 10, it’s a nice round number.
Of course none of this will happen. It’s all a dream. Like election reform and universal health care in the US. The reality is people get the government they deserve. In a democracy, if your economy and government stink, it’s your own fault. If you don’t like it then change it. This will never happen in Japan and the powers that be know it. The Japanese people are getting the government they deserve.
The future of the Japanese economy?
At this point, there is no future. I am not alone in this opinion. I encourage you to read any much more informed views of any foreign economist or analysts. The Japanese economy is a rusty ship with a slow leak sailing around in circles in the fog. But there is pachinko. So, re-arrange your deck chairs, there is a fresh copy of the Daily Yomiuri delivered to your table. Enjoy the ride.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
The shift in the world’s centre of economic gravity from west to east
This is interesting. A very small entry in the economist weekly news briefing this week. It was the last entry in the email. Short. Sweet. But, it speaks volumes. No, it screams volumes.
If London, the world financial centre, were still booming, if there'd been no credit crisis, would HSBC have made this move? The global HQ will remain in London (for now), but we are moving the CEO to HK?!
Interesting that they are doing this now. Something is up.... HSBC.... Robert Zoellick`s comments this week about the US Dollar... China floating yuan bonds... I feel like Churchill watching Hitler back in the 1930s..
"HSBC decided that from February its chief executive will be based in Hong Kong. The bank will keep its global headquarters in London. It explained Michael Geoghegan’s move to Hong Kong, where it was founded in 1865, as part of its strategy to ready the group “for the shift in the world’s centre of economic gravity from west to east”."
If London, the world financial centre, were still booming, if there'd been no credit crisis, would HSBC have made this move? The global HQ will remain in London (for now), but we are moving the CEO to HK?!
Interesting that they are doing this now. Something is up.... HSBC.... Robert Zoellick`s comments this week about the US Dollar... China floating yuan bonds... I feel like Churchill watching Hitler back in the 1930s..
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
The Market Oracle
Been turned on to this site a few months back. A fellow with his head in the same place as me kept referring me to stories he'd read on The Oracle. While the topics and view points here offer a refreshingly open and non-mainstream view, some writing does have a bit of a 'whacked out' feel to it. Use your better judgement.
The Market Oracle
The Market Oracle
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Gold and the future of currency
There is a major shift happening right now. It has been happening for the past year. This story is big. really big. A major, fundamental, paradigm-altering shift is occuring. Really big. It is happening at the highest levels of banks and governments on the planet.
If you are Joe Sixpack, not to worry, (likely you are not reading this posting anyway!), keep eating you chicken wings and your pizza. Keep watching football and your "reality" TV. Keep drivin' that big truck.
For the rest of you, that 1% or less, take a look at this:
How to get rich... and why
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article12803.html
[great article, great perspective on it all]
Central Bank Gold Agreement
http://news.goldseek.com/Zealllc/1250269200.php
If you are Joe Sixpack, not to worry, (likely you are not reading this posting anyway!), keep eating you chicken wings and your pizza. Keep watching football and your "reality" TV. Keep drivin' that big truck.
For the rest of you, that 1% or less, take a look at this:
How to get rich... and why
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article12803.html
[great article, great perspective on it all]
Central Bank Gold Agreement
http://news.goldseek.com/Zealllc/1250269200.php
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
still going on about a "recovery"
The media continues to drone on about an economic "recovery". There have been some small signs of positive change. People are so hopeful, not realistic. The full impact of the "credit crunch", the bail out of the US auto industry and the travails of the US housing industry are yet to be realized. You can't force it. There is just too much slack in the system -- too much supply / capacity and not enough demand to absorb it.
We have seen improvements in the US stock markets. This is -not- an indication of a recovery.
I predict that stocks will hem and haw. we will see some increases. typically the summer months (August) is slow as many traders are on vacation. September and October are typically "down" months. No reason to expect any different this year.
We have seen improvements in the US stock markets. This is -not- an indication of a recovery.
I predict that stocks will hem and haw. we will see some increases. typically the summer months (August) is slow as many traders are on vacation. September and October are typically "down" months. No reason to expect any different this year.
Monday, 22 June 2009
Green Shoots?
Here is a term that I'd never heard a year ago. Now, I can not watch the business news without hearing this phrase. What does it mean? Signs of new (economic) growth in business, I suppose.
Time Magazine - 'Green Shoots': The trouble with economic metaphor
Time Magazine - "Whatever is happening with the economy right now green shoots is the wrong metaphor for it"
I quite like this perspective:
The real meaning of "Green shoots"
The Green Shoots Debate
New claims for unemployment (US) There is no hope here. It is an economic winter. Hibernate. Plan. Live off your savings. Live off the nuts you've squirrelled away. What? No savings? Hmmm. That's a real problem.
Everyone is talking about / looking for these "green shoots". I've got news. Listen up. You will not see any sustainable "green shoots" in the US economy for a long, long while. It's a long, cold winter. And, when the spring does arrive and you awaken from your hibernation, don't expect to see the same world that you once did. It will be a different world. And those "green shoots"? They will be plants you've never seen before. Expect change. It is coming. Think differently about the world, about business and about economics. This will help your garden grow.
Time Magazine - 'Green Shoots': The trouble with economic metaphor
Time Magazine - "Whatever is happening with the economy right now green shoots is the wrong metaphor for it"
I quite like this perspective:
The real meaning of "Green shoots"
The Green Shoots Debate
New claims for unemployment (US) There is no hope here. It is an economic winter. Hibernate. Plan. Live off your savings. Live off the nuts you've squirrelled away. What? No savings? Hmmm. That's a real problem.
Everyone is talking about / looking for these "green shoots". I've got news. Listen up. You will not see any sustainable "green shoots" in the US economy for a long, long while. It's a long, cold winter. And, when the spring does arrive and you awaken from your hibernation, don't expect to see the same world that you once did. It will be a different world. And those "green shoots"? They will be plants you've never seen before. Expect change. It is coming. Think differently about the world, about business and about economics. This will help your garden grow.
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