This weekend marks the start of the wedding season. I think of a better way to do it than with two weddings - one at The Curtis Center and the other at Glen Foerd Mansion. These are two of our favorite places to film. And then we have the Trash the Dress on Sunday with the 6 great photographers.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Starting the Season
This weekend marks the start of the wedding season. I think of a better way to do it than with two weddings - one at The Curtis Center and the other at Glen Foerd Mansion. These are two of our favorite places to film. And then we have the Trash the Dress on Sunday with the 6 great photographers.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Retailers call for cut in card charges
EAST of England businesses have joined national retailers in calling on banks to reduce their “prohibitive” plastic card charges as a survey revealed more than half of transactions are still in cash.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which carried out a “cost of collection” survey, has claimed there is a drive by plastic card issuers to kill off cash, and condemned it as a “self-serving attempt to rake in millions more in charges”.
The BRC said customers did not realise the “huge” sums retailers were charged for processing card payments.
On average, a £20 cash transaction costs a retailer less than four pence, while a £20 credit card transaction costs at least 17 pence, it claimed.
Collecting all payments, including cash, cards and cheques, cost retailers £317million last year, with processing of credit card payments accounting for 51% of that, even though they represented only 22% of sales turnover, it said.
BRC director general Kevin Hawkins said: “Banks have long abused their position by imposing much higher charges on retailers for processing card payments than cash. Clearly the banks have spotted that replacing cash with cards would mean a further boost to their profits.
“Retailers are not opposed in principle to cards taking a bigger share of the payments market, but as they try to accelerate that process, the banks should acknowledge their card charges are too high. There should be a lower, fixed fee per transaction which actually reflects the costs of processing.”
David Burch, East of England policy officer for the Federation of Small Businesses, said the charges were “extremely prohibitive” for retailers.
About 23% of their membership in the region was made up of retailers, and most of them supported a range of payment options, he said.
“Most of them wish to see as wide a range of payment options as possible,” he said.
“We would also welcome a reduction in charges for the use of these cards because they are extremely prohibitive to retailers.”
Around 70% of their East of England FSB members still relied heavily on cash and cheques to receive and make payments, he added.
Andy Rayner, a member of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said the issue affected retailers more when they were small businesses.
“For a small, independent business that could certainly hurt you,” he said. “The banks have had it in a lot of ways their own way for many years.”
He called for all costs to be looked at and reduced accordingly.
“It's all about being fair. Everybody has to earn a living and everybody has to make a living in business,” he said. “What we are trying to do as retailers is to offer as many ways to pay as possible. Because you want to make that sale in a lot of ways you swallow that cost.”
Link
IPO Update: Transformers & Rectifiers India Limited
Transforming the power equation
TRIL has entered the capital markets with a public issue of 29.95 Lac shares of Rs. 10 each at a price band of Rs. 425-465 per share through book building process. Investment Guru is of the view that Power transmission and distribution is an integral part of the power sector’s growth story and Transformers play a pivotal role in this process. TRIL is one of the major players in this segment.
However, in this case too the promoters have not left much on the table for the investors as similar companies are available at same valuations in the secondary markets. One can apply for the issue with a view of moderate listing gains on listing. However, from a medium term perspective investment in peers such as Indo-tech transformers is also advisable as the company is operating on better margins.
Let’s take a look at the company
- TRIL is one of the major players in the Indian markets manufacturing a wide range of transformers ranging from power generation, transmission and distribution transformers, industrial transformers and a wide range of speciality transformers.
- TRIL manufacture transformers upto 220 kV Class, having an installed capacity of 7,200 MVA transformers per annum.
- The company currently operate through two manufacturing units, located at Changodar, near Ahmedabad and Odhav, in Ahmedabad, both in Gujarat
- Key customers include utilities and power transmission companies. The company has also exported transformers to countries such as the England, Canada, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
- Company’s business strategy is to focus on manufacturing of high capacity transformers at the proposed manufacturing facility at Moraiya since high capacity transformers command better margins.
- The company intends to leverage its relationships with the power transmission companies to take up turnkey projects for setting up sub stations.
- TRIL has a healthy order book position of Rs.319 crore as on September 1, 2007 with most of the contracts having an embedded price variation clause, shielding the company from adverse movement in prices of key raw materials like copper and steel. TRIL has strong in- house design capabilities which is a key success factor for this industry as transformers are custom built as per the requirements of the customer.
- CARE has assigned a 'CARE IPO Grade 4' to the IPO which indicates above average fundamentals.
- Power transformers constituted 77% of total sales of the company in FY07 followed by furnace transformers (13%) and others (10%). Sales to State electricity utilities constituted 51% of total sales of TRIL for FY07 with the remaining to industrial and other sectors.
- During FY07, TRIL's total income grew by 69% over FY06 on account of increase in sales volume as well as per mva realisations. The company was able to sell higher mva (80 and above) transformers in FY07 as compared to FY06, where margins are better.
- TRIL's PAT margin also improved to 7.99% in FY07 as compared to 5.8% in FY06. ROCE and RONW were high at 62% and 54% in YQ7 as compared to 42% and 43% in FY06 respectively.
- EPS for the six months ended September,2007 (annualized) is Rs. 20.4 (post issue equity) which translates into a PE multiple of 23.
- Return on Net Worth is 41.36 % for FY07.
Issue Opens : December 7, 2007
Issue closes: December 12, 2007
Registrar: Intime Spectrum
Click here to check IPO Allotment Status of TRIL
EntreCard Credits for sale at eBay - Batch #2
After my successful (and profitable) sale of EntreCard (EC) Credits at eBay, I'm at it again. This time, I auction 4,500 EC Credits at eBay with starting price at USD8.15. This is very cheap considering that EntreCard.com themselves is selling the EC Credits at USD9.50 for 1,000 EC Credits. Hopefully, the bids on the auction pickup in the next few days.
For non-EntreCard members, EC Credits can be use to advertise on mega site without paying them with real cash. You trade your EC Credits for a space on their front page. And that process may bring in more visitors to your site. In a mega site, some charge a few hundred dollars daily or month but some of those site is willing to allow you to advertise on their site in exchange for a few thousand EC Credits. Thus, advertising on those site with EC Credits is much more economical.
Below are EC Credits for sale by EntreCard owners:
EzRich Project Updates:
* Jun 14, 2008: Making real cash with EntreCard credits - Part 2
Related posts:
* Making real cash with EntreCard credits
* How to make money with EntreCard Credits
* List of EntreCard Credits for sale at eBay
EntreCard Credits being auctioned at eBay
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Why is it one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise your business
Ever heard of affiliate programs? These are forms of Internet advertising that rewards the affiliates for driving traffic to the advertiser or for other transactions. The advertiser pays the affiliate to place a link on their website, and the affiliate sends traffic to the advertiser in return. Simply put, it's about paying commissions to people who help you make sales. It's that easy. NOT.
Affiliate marketing has its ups and downs. It could be draining if you are not armed with updated information and the technical how-tos. But this article's sole objective is to reach out to you and not to badmouth affiliate marketing.
Here are the following reasons on why web marketers go gaga over affiliate marketing as a form of Internet advertisement.
1. Low cost
Many are scared to go on a home based business because of the capital required. In affiliate marketing, you don't have to spend much to start raking in moolah.
2. Inventories not included
Product management fuss could be very stressing. An inventory is not asked to be maintained. The merchant does the maintenance required.
3. Unlimited income through leverage
When you have a paid job, your monthly income mainly relies on whether you go to work or not. With affiliate marketing, your affiliates could all just lead traffic to your site without having to lift a finger after providing them your ad copy and links. Though not every web marketer earns limitless, it still is a fact that all the necessary matters for the advertiser or Internet marketer are all there to be successful.
4. Go worldwide
With affiliate marketing, you are dealing with a global market place. All you have to do is choose a niche product and prepare all the necessary tools for your affiliates to lead traffic from just about anywhere to your website.
5. Low risk
The very main reason for Internet marketer's enthusiasm with affiliate marketing is its having a low risk factor. Especially for those with low budget set aside for advertising, affiliate marketing is just the way to do it.
6. No closing time
With affiliate marketing, your business works every single second of the day while targeting a worldwide market! What could be better than that?
But all of these will be put to waste if you don't have the right niche product and all the other important tools to make it big in affiliate marketing, i.e., well-SEO-ed website. So better work on this first before ever considering those benefits.
Career Management - How to Create Mini Celebrity-Status in Your Industry
1. Potential exposure to future "dream" positions - they contact YOU!
2. Establishment as an expert in your industry
3. Widen your network
4. More ability to garner positive references and testimonials
5. More control over who you work with and how you work
Different points will stand out as meaningful to different people. The real point is, managing your career gives you options....options you may not have had otherwise.
So, where do you start? Here are three quick and easy tips:
Tip #1 Get a Platform
It's easy to get a platform to express your option and ideas about your area of interest in your industry - by starting a blog! www.wordpress.com is a free site where you can set up your blog in minutes (very easily by the way - even if you are like me i.e. not technical).
Another option is to sign up for a linked in account (e mail me and I will invite you to my list!) Linked in is a business-oriented networking site. Once you have set up your profile you can answer questions other business people are asking on various topics. A quick way to establish your credibility!
Tip #2 Rub Shoulders with High Performers in Your Industry
Get involved in a corporate volunteer group or industry association. These are two wonderful portals filled with people that care deeply about industries and issues - just like you! Not only will this broaden your networking circle but it will keep you growing in your career!
And remember if you attend an industry luncheon to listen to a great speaker - introduce yourself to him or her after their presentation. Give them your business card as well - and gulp, ask for theirs! It's the little things you do as you "put yourself out there" to be open to new opportunities, friendships and possibilities that will pay off in the long run.
Tip #3 Grow Your Knowledge Base
What was the last certification you received? How about on going training?
I recommend making sure that each year you commit to 2-3 actions that result in your learning a new tool for your trade. To make sure you will be motivated to do this - make it that one training, certification or learning experience that has been in the back of your mind to master! You know the one I am talking about. Check with your employers ongoing education benefits to find out if your training might be a covered expense!
Establishing mini-celebrity status doesn't mean you have a gigantic ego. It's simply a wise business move that opens doors of possibility for you. You will be amazed how putting these simple tips into action will quickly change-up your career status!
Career marketing expert Mary Elizabeth Bradford is "The Career Artisan". Mary Elizabeth delivers simple ways for career seekers to focus on, find and land the job they want. She has over 13 years experience in career marketing, coaching, resume writing and executive recruiting. For free tip on getting more interviewing, bigger offers and reaching your career goals quickly and easily visit http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com
Chinese Yuan Carry Trade Basket Update - July 20, 2007
This is an update on the performance of the Chinese Yuan Carry Trade Basket. The experiment was started with a base of $100,000 on March 20, 2007. I have included the performance figures for both of the experiments that I have been running, although they are the same in composition, I have leveraged them differently.
Since Inception (5 times leveraged basket):
Increase (decrease) in Account Balance: $11,019.70
Increase (decrease) in Unrealized Gains: $23,221.74
Increase (decrease) in Net Asset Value: $34,241.44
Total Portfolio Value: $134,241.44 +34.24%
Since Inception (10 times leveraged basket):
Increase (decrease) in Account Balance: $22,039.40
Increase (decrease) in Unrealized Gains: $46,443.47
Increase (decrease) in Net Asset Value: $68,482.87
Total Portfolio Value: $168,482.87 +68.48% +55.87%
In 17 days since the last update, the portfolio has increased by 12.61%, which has been due to the continued weakness in the US Dollar versus all major currencies.
Monday, July 14, 2008
How To Make Regular Income Online
Making money online is now all the rage and its not as difficult as you think. If you like the idea of making some extra cash with your own home based business then you have already taken the first step towards working for yourself. The second step is to find something you are able to easily do that will generate regular income.
Making Money Online
As you browse the web you will find loads of get rich quick and money making schemes. Generally as a rule if it sounds too good to be true, it normally is. Making money offline or online is not as simple as pushing a button or the whole world would be doing it and spending the day at the beach and the evening out partying. However if you know where to look and what to do and have the right tools, it is only a matter of determination, a little hard work and the correct methods and you can make a good income online.
Completing Surveys
Completing surveys is probably the easiest form of online income that you can do. Big brand companies are dying to know what you think about different products that they or they competitors supply. Do you like to wear it, does it make you look nice, do you feel confident when you have it on, would you recommend it to your friends all of this information is important to their marketing campaigns so they can target their markets correctly and generate more sales. Filling in a survey is as simple as answering the questions, but you must provide an honest answer. The more truthful and honest you are the better the results the company will collate and the more surveys they will ask you to complete. Different companies pay different amounts for each survey that is completed depending on the types of questions asked and length.
Using reputable companies
As with everything in life, you only get what you pay for. If you join a paid survey membership site you will have direct access to high focus groups and paid surveys. This will save you a lot of time searching the net looking for surveys to complete. Instead you can use this time to complete more surveys and make more income. I know what I would rather do with my time, making money instead of finding where I can make money. As with all things on the net it pays to look around and find reputable companies that you can join. It is often a good idea to visit review sites and see what other people have to say before joining. Remember, always check to ensure they offer a money back guarantee in case you change your mind or you do not receive what you have paid for.
Making money online appears rather difficult to many people, but with the right ideas and tools, namely software, it can become a good income. By completing surveys you do not have to invest a large amount of money or learn new skills to get started. For less that one hundred dollars you can be filling out high paying questionnaires with the best software tools and getting a quick return on your investment. You just have to answer the questions honestly and be yourself .
Now how hard is that?
Markets bogged down by negative sentiments
Inflation, Global cues take the toll on Indian Markets
Sensex closed shop at 15,515 down by 448 points. As I discussed in my earlier post on market update, markets are going through a whole lot of negative sentiments and today's carnage was in line the same. Govt's announcing price hike in petroleum products has raised fear of higher inflation. European markets were trading lower. The fall was pretty much across the board. I am of the view that sensex may see a further fall of around 800 points from here in a worst case scenario and that would be tempting levels for buying into the equity markets.
Some stocks that are on my radar for price movements and possibilities of buying at lower levels are Punj LLoyd, Shipping corporation, Skumar, NTPC , Lanco Infrastructure, Cairn energy,Welspun Gujarat, Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Reliance Industries.
Crossing Over
I'm waiting in an FBO. I do more waiting than flying. I've figured out which local newspaper carries the New York Times crossword puzzle, and so I ask if it's available. It's not, but they offer me another local paper. I have no idea which is the left wing or the right wing paper and have no wish to accidentally disparage one political side or the other, so I admit that I'm just looking for the NYT crossword puzzle. "Oh," offers the receptionist. "We have the New York Times." That will do nicely, and for more than just the crossword.
It carries a thoroughly fascinating article on an Armenian Albanian practice of women becoming cultural men. In societies with firmly ingrained gender roles, women cooked and cleaned and had babies while men owned property, worked at good jobs, had authority, and carried out vendettas on those who had wronged their families. This cultural segregation forces poverty on women who have lost their male protector, but Armenia Albania has a medieval custom that allows families that consist only of women to continue. A woman may take a vow of virginity and live her life as a man.
The fascinating thing is that in a society with such strict gender roles, the artificial ceremony of simply acting as a man, in dress and mannerisms, is enough for the woman to be accepted as one. It's as if male society has no objection to someone with a woman's biology owning property, carrying a weapon, or working in construction. The objection is instead to a woman who wants the best of both worlds. If you want to be a sexual woman, and a mother, you have only that role, but if you put aside that role entirely, you can have the other. I'm trying to look at my own society and see if men are more accepting of women in traditionally male roles if they do not have sex lives, babies, or wear feminine clothing. Maybe there's something more than tradition to the pilot uniform of slacks, shirt and tie.
You get the authority of the sex you act like? While I ponder it, I shift the computer on my lap, uncross my ankles and sit with my feet wide apart. The article was actually about the practice ending in Armenia Albania, because the modern world has come even there, and it is no longer necessary to deny being a woman in order to have authority. After a while I cross my ankles again. My knees are more comfortable that way.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Top 5 Tax saving Mutual Fund Schemes
Invest in these Schemes for best of Safety and Returns
Most of us have received emails from our HR/Admin asking us to submit the proof of Investments for the purpose of Tax Savings before a specified date and I am sure a lot of us are still in thinking mode as to where to invest for Tax savings. I had written a post last year (How to Invest for Tax Savings?) on the various avenues of tax savings and one more post on Top 5 tax saving funds. Well things have changed from last year in terms of stock market performance and it's right time to review which tax saving or ELSS (Equity linked saving schemes) should we invest in. Well, when I compared the tax saving schemes last year, I concentrated on the Top performing funds over a 5 year and 3 Year timeframe. We are currently going through such a phase in the stock markets which makes us think of saftey of our investments too. Hence I have introduced one more filter in terms of Risk profile of each fund (based on Standard deviation) and Yes, there are new entrants this time and postions have shuffled. Though we normally look at a Three year reutrn for determining which fund to invest in for tax saving purposes, I would suggest that we give some weightage to 1 year return also this time around. Why ? Because, this year had a good mix in terms of both sharp upside moves and sharp downside moves. So position as of 5th February would give an idea of how successful was the fund to manage this situation. we will have an idea of how the fund was able to withstand bouts of volatility. So let's have a look on the top 5 tax saving funds worth investing for purpose of claiming tax benefit under Sec. 80C of Income tax Act.
No. 5 Franklin India Taxshield
NAV : Rs. 174.1
Risk Rating : 3
Overall rating : 5
This is a new entrant in our Top 5 pipping Sundaram BNP on acount of excellent Risk Rating.
The fund has above 35,000 crore Avg. Mkt. capitalisation and equity exposure is more tha 97& of the assets. Top holdings include Reliance Industries, HDFC, L&T, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel. Financial Services, Technology and Energy are the top sectors where the fund is invested.
No. 4 Birla Equity
NAV : Rs. 76.47
Risk Rating : 5
Overall rating : 4
Another new entrant in our list of Top 5 tax saving schemes. Birla Equity offers excellent returns from all parameters,but standard deviation of 24.42 , this growth comes with comparatively high risk. The fund has 9394 crorr of AMC with high exposure in Engineering, Services and Financial service sectors. Top holdings include ABB, TRF, Gammon India, Welspun Gujarat and Goodyear India. Top 5 holdings constitutes 20% of its portfolio.
No. 3 HDFC Tax Saver
NAV : Rs. 179.05
Risk Rating : 4
Overall rating : 3
This fund was at No. 2 in the last year Top 5 funds ranking of Investment Guru. But has slipped to No. 3 this year. Well, the fund is second best in terms of 5 year return but scores poorly on 1 year return. Moreover, the Risk rating at 4 is the major reason for it slipping to No. 3 slot. So new filters had a impact on its ratings.
With Avg. market capitalisation of Rs. 23204 crore, the fund has top holdings in Basic Engineering, Financial Services and Energy sectors. Top 5 holdings include ICICI bank, L&T, ITC, Crompton greaves and Reliance Industries.
No. 2 HDFC Long term Advantage Fund
NAV : Rs. 114.99
Risk Rating : 1
Overall rating : 2
Well this chap has overshdowed its elder brother " HDFC Tax saver funds" and has emerged as the star performer from the HDFC stable. Top holdings include ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Blue Star, SBI and Crompton Greaves. But why, HDFC Tax saver fund has better 5 Year, 3 year and 1 Year retrun than this scheme, so why Long term Advantage fund at No. 2 ? Well in the year when investors are realising that saftey of investmnet is as important as the return, why would a fund that has got "THE BEST" risk rating should not stand at No. 2 in our rankings. With standard deviation of 19.84 this scheme has outperformed all the others in Top 5 by a big margin. So for those of us, who places safety as the utmost important factor, HDFC Long term Advantage fund offers the best place to invest. But wait, what if you are OK with second best in Safety and No. 1 in returns ......read on
No. 1 SBI Magnum Taxgain
NAV : Rs. 61.65
Risk Rating : 2
Overall rating : 1
The True leader in its class, SBI Magnum Taxgain has managed to remain at No. 1 even this year. With Standard deviation of 22.13 it has managed to be second best in terms of satefy of returns. In terms of performance it has beaten its nearest rival HDFC or any of the Other 4 Top picks by a big margin.
With Avg. mkt. cap of above 27000 crore and with equity to debt mix of 88:12, the fund has Reliance Industries, JP Associates, Welspun Gujarat, Reliance Communications and L&T as its major holdings. The Top Three sector in which the fund has exposure are Energy, Financial Services and Diversified.
My advice would be to go for SBI Magnum tax gain for claiming tax benefits under sec. 80 C of the Income Tax Act. The fund not only provides excellent safety in terms of "Low" risk but also offers highest return on all parameters among the Top 5 schemes.
For those who want capital appreciation can go for Growth option. Those like me who are willing to get regular liquidity in form of tax free dividends, opt for Dividend Payment option.
Japanese Imported Cars - Never Test Drive A Jap Import Vehicle Without ?
Are you trading in your old motor car because the engine has seized up - for one of those Japanese imported cars shipped over from Japan to the UK, if so, then you need to know more on the specific make and model of the vehicle you tend on sitting behind the driver's wheel of. Japanese imported cars are not only designed for speed, (high performance) Different types of transport from the orient come specially designed for the family man.
Jap imports are classed as used cars ferried over by cargo tankers to the UK. A motor trade survey stated that Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Mazda, Honda are the most highly ranked Japanese cars driven on the roads. The yellow race hides no secret by showing no interest in second hand ownership (used vehicles), and it is because of this which allows the British motorist to buy Japanese imported cars cheap. For those who dreamt of parking a Nissan Skyline on the drive - must remember dreams can come true. Car dealers parking lots or garage forecourts who trade and deal in overseas imports will have all the information you need on the foreign paperwork.
Japanese imported cars need to be legalized to meet with safety adaptations issued by the DVLA. Before driving off in one of those Japanese imported cars make sure to finalize any car finance details or collect a receipt for a cash sale. Imported cars arriving into this country usually have no vehicle licence plate (registration) so therefore the motor vehicle will have to be checked over at an SVA centre to be serviced i.e. a "harsh mot" which is required by law to meet with British road safety standards for motorists. More details on what an SVA inspection consists of can be found online.
Japanese imported cars should not be ignored as to being a boy racers car; in fact they are highly recommended and directed towards the family man because of their reputation for reliability
Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Mazda, Honda may come highly ranked but - also on Britain's motorways so does the reliable Toyota and stylish fast super quick Subaru Impreza. Because of the affordable prices - the demand for these turbo speed models is phenomenal, therefore showing that Japanese imported cars is on the increase. Roadworthy cars as such - when the accelerator is pressed to the floor handle and perform well on most types of road surface in and around bends.
The suped up might fast Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first brought to our attention by Subaru in 1993. There are several definitions to the meaning of the word Impreza. The Italians descriptive word means a feat or an achievement whereas the Polish meaning of the word Impreza means to party or celebrate. If you are not familiar with Japanese imported cars then you need to be, purely because certain models have been built for speed. Remember speed kills and it is also against the law to break any speed limits enforced under British ruling.
Fast and Super Fast Cars http://www.japimportsonline.com Vehicles Vehicles and more Vehicles http://www.onlinedrivingeducation.com
Chart, BOT : Foreign currency reserves and exchange rate, until 27 june
Long time we didn't have a look on the foreign currency reserves of the Bank Of Thailand. Here is an update (datas BOT).
Left scale : the total of the foreign currency reserves (in millions USD) + the net forward position (futures buying contracts that the BOT will have to honor).
Right scale : the official exchange rate USD-THB (the BOT gives also the total value in THB of the foreign currency reserves in USD).
Watch out : the total foreign currency reserves is given in USD, but it doesn't mean that the reserves are 100 % in USD... Actually, officially the bank says that USD compose around 60 % of the total reserves (the BOT keeps Euro too for instance).
The chart “speaks” a lot, I think. If you follow this blog since one year, you should know the whole story (capital controls in december 2006, the BOT buying mountains of USD, to weaken the THB, in order to boost thai exports...and then issuing mountain of bonds to “sterilize” those liquidities...).
On january 2007, the total (reserves + net forward position) was 71 billions USD... One year later, it reached 105 billions... And march 2008... it was the peak at 128 billions. And then the BOT removed the capital controls... Plateau...
And then the USD starts to gain some strength on the world market... The BOT starts to intervene... but in the other way ! To support the THB versus USD (read here)...
And you can see on the chart, it's very clear, the total foreign currency reserve starts to decline. Coincidence ? I don't think so. It's the proof that the BOT continues to “play” with the exchange rate (they sold some USD).
[ time for a few days of rest. I will be back online sunday 13 july ]
Cards For Colleagues
by EditorsChoice
First impressions do last. But it would last even longer if along with that first impression is a little something to remember you by. Like newfound friends giving friendship bracelets, couples exchanging rings and some people trading each other's pictures, business colleagues give away calling cards. These cards are primarily for contacting purposes but they can also serve as a reminder or even as a form advertisement. That is basically why having a calling card is a very effective way of competing in the industry.
There is a wide range of business cards available today. If you are an employer then you have to think about getting one for your company. If you are a high-ranking employee who usually represents the company during corporate affairs, then you should have one. Here are some pointers that could help you when you have decided to have a calling card made.
Dimensions
Calling cards are made to fit in a person's wallet. In this case, there is a high possibility that that person will remember you. So if you are thinking of giving off a lasting impression by getting an enormous card, then you should think twice. The standard size is 2 x 3.5.
Information
If you are the employer, start with the business name, business type, a catchy slogan of your company, hours open, your name as the owner, contact information, address and company website. If you are the company's representative, put the company's name first, followed by your name, position, the company's address and contact information, as well as yours, and website.
Design
Depending on what the company's line of work is, you don't need to place a symbol of the profession. You could try various designs and patterns that are not hard to place a connection with your company. For instance, if you organize parties and events, you could tell people of how fun and exciting your parties are by making your business card look cool and definitely not boring at all. The important thing is that you show people what you mean and that is business. Avoid putting too much distraction in the card.
If you find having someone else make your business cards such a hassle, you could always make your own. All you need is software, some creativity and a lot of patience. Once you have your cards, give them away for people to see. Pretty soon, people will start going to you to have their business cards made. The next thing you know, you have just started up another business.
Link
International Trade – An Overview Of Import And Export
The changing face of international trade, mainly due to e-commerce, is forcing a new approach towards import and export as a consequence, although international trade is necessary for prosperity immaterial of its direction. First, international trade, along with import and export is shown to shrink states' ability to control the economy thanks to global forces. However, if international trade is what you want to get into, you must be aware of controlling forces like exchange rates, governmental policies and how global sourcing operates. For example, services sector is the rapidly growing international trade, of late.
International trade barriers are being broken and the world is moving closer to an integrated global economy of free international trade. There are indications that complementariness between whole ownership and intra-firm import and export leading to reduced global sourcing costs by coordinated global operations, regulatory changes. However, researches point to conditions which allow global sourcing, international trade or bilateral import & export only when preferential agreements are permitted and conversely, the same global sourcing, international trade or bilateral import & export is declined when preferential trade agreements are forbidden.
On a macro scale, import and export provide significant job opportunities multilaterally. Import and export operators, have a social role to play, by providing training along with jobs. International trade has been omnipresent and its economic and social importance can be felt from the rise in increased multilateral import/export triggered by excellence of global sourcing.
International trade thrives much on Ricardian model of comparative advantage the economies will gain through import/export and global sourcing activities and is probably the critical concept for marching ahead. In simple terms, import and export dwells on those goods that make thorough use of domestic advantages and disadvantages respectively through global sourcing strengths of either of the parties.
-Factors Affecting International Trade and Global Sourcing
The premise that demand driven international trade and global sourcing will ensure efficient production and growth differ hugely for lesser countries pointing to the significance of other factors.
Global sourcing, like international trade, helps countries obtain products by import/export route from another country. Besides, international trade allows countries to partake in a global economy. The bottom line is, import and export, like international trade is reinforcing global communities through managed international trade system to produce expected outcomes.
The two faces of international trade- free trade and protectionism keep clashing. It is a critical component of wealth creation.
http://news.tootoo.com, which is the shortcut to China's industrical resource belonging to China's leading B2B Portal and Vertical Search Engine, http://tootoo.com.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
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7.22 Carat Pear-Shape Diamond for $13 Million
A 72.22-carat diamond, so large it could fill a tablespoon, is expected to bring up to $13 million when it goes on the auction block next month.
Cut from an original rough diamond, the D-color, flawless gem is prized for its pear shape and GIA-graded excellent polish and symmetry. D-color is actually colorless and considered the most highly valued.
It was previewed in Manhattan on Monday and will be offered on April 10 at Sotheby's Hong Kong galleries, which estimates its value at $10 million to $13 million. The buyer has the privilege of naming the stone.read more...
Choose A Prepaid Phone Card With The Best Rate
Prepaid calling cards have been one of the latest technological innovations in our telecommunications this generation. The use of prepaid calling cards has given us a new way of constantly communicating with other people, whether they are our friends or loved ones, and makes it more convenient and efficient as supposed to using the basic long distance carriers.
It is important to remember, however, that not all prepaid phone cards offer the same advantages as other prepaid calling card phone companies would in their prepaid phone cards. There are a lot of different prepaid phone cards out there, each one with its own advantages, perks and features. In order for you to get the most bang of your buck, you need to make sure that the prepaid phone card that you are buying (or using) is the right one for you, and if it offers you the best rate that you can get from your money.
Before choosing what prepaid phone card you are going to use for your calls, you must first decide from which provider/s you are willing to buy these prepaid phone cards from. It is important that you choose those providers that are reliable. There may be a lot of cheap prepaid phone cards out there, but if you find that they are from companies which have a questionable character, then you should probably think twice about purchasing prepaid phone cards from them, especially since you cannot guarantee the quality of the product that you are buying.
Once you have chosen from which prepaid phone card providers you are going to purchase your phone card from, you must now research about the prepaid phone card that you have set your eyes on. Make sure that the features of the card are exactly what you need, if not more. It is always a good idea to know a little something about the item that you intend on purchasing before you actually purchase it.
This is the time when you need to inquire about the rates of the prepaid phone card that you are going to purchase. Keep in mind that calls directed internationally may be billed at a much higher rate as compared to calls made locally. Also, you need to make sure that the prepaid phone card that you have purchased does not have any hidden charges and fees that will eat most of the credits in your card, making spend more than what you actually thought you would be spending on a cheap prepaid phone card. There are also some cards that round the number of minutes that you have used in calling, thereby making you pay for minutes that you haven’t even used. You end up spending more than necessary.
The call rates of prepaid cards can vary, depending on your location and the location of the person that you are calling. So make sure that you are aware of the different rates for the calls that you may make just so you wouldn’t be put in a position wherein you unexpectedly cut your calls because you have much less talk time than what you expected.
Link
Friday, July 11, 2008
$16.26 Million For A Chopard Blue Diamond Ring
We've already featured colored diamond, in fact one of them is blue diamond. We also know that blue diamonds are among the rarest of naturally colored gems.
That’s why this oval-shaped diamond ring, with triangular-shaped diamond shoulders and a pave-set diamond band in 18-carat white gold, will set you back about $1.7 million per carat. This unique and pricey diamond ring is a good alternative to the typical engagement ring.
Although this diamond ring is quiet expensive but I'm sure your girlfriend will like it and won't hesitate to marry you once you propose to her.via
11 Steps to the Job of Your Dreams
How to Not get the Job Let's start with how most people look for a job. If you like wasting time sending out endless resumes, be like everyone else. Go to Monster.com and apply to everything you see. Don't take the time to research the company. Don't modify your resume to fit the position. Sit back and wonder why your phone doesn't ring...I call it the shotgun approach to job hunting.
Or you can do something even worse. Use a resume blaster. If Monster.com is a shotgun, this is a nuclear device!
If you want a job, don't apply to job postings It only gets you thrown into the black hole known as Human Resources. Their job is to screen out applicants to a reasonable level. This is a case where you want a sniper rifle, not a shotgun. It may seem counterintuitive, but the fewer jobs you pursue the more successful you will be.
11 Step Strategy to Land your Dream Job Here is my 11 step strategy. It has almost always gotten me the job. Everyone I know that has used it found it to be the easiest job search of their careers.
It may seem like more work, but it isn't. You put in 10 hours up front and blow away your competition. You impress your future boss. You go in offering a solution to their problems, not asking them to help you with a job.
You also find the "hidden" jobs. The best jobs are filled internally. If they go out to the general public it is because they are required to do so by HR. They already know who they want to hire.
- Identify 10 companies you want to work for.
- Do basic research on these companies and the industry. Talk to friends. Ask family what they know. Google them. Your goal is to weed it down to 3-5 that are strong candidates.
- Now you start the real work. Dig deep into each company. Go to the library and research them. Look up news articles and press releases. Get their annual reports.
- Do the same for the industry. You want to be an industry expert.
- Research their competition. Know thy enemy...
- Get an informational interview with several people in the company. You need to know more about the company and your future boss. You may find you don't like what you see, and now is the best time to change your mind.
Do not try and turn this into a job interview. You need to be honest and be doing research. Often this will lead to an interview. They may ask you back for an official interview, but you are not ready yet. Push it out a few days out so you can get ready.
Not only are you gathering info, you are getting to know the management team. You want to go in as a known candidate, not as one of the masses sent by HR. Also, if you meet several people and come across informed and capable, multiple jobs will appear. - Put together your portfolio focusing on how you and your skills will help the company succeed and grow. Things to include:
- Resume/CV
- Letters of recommendation: go to family friends, coaches, professors, ministers, etc...
- certificates of accomplishment
- diplomas you have earned
- a copy of your transcript
- executive summary of the company
- executive summary of the industry
- executive summary of the competition
- summary of the projects you have worked on (listed last because it is the least important thing).
- Think of ways you can help the company. Come up with several thoughtful questions about the company and the interviewer. Go through common interview questions and come up with good answers. Practice with friends.
- Call your future boss and tell him you love the company. Let him know you have been researching the industry and think you have some ideas to help them ______(fill in the blank with your newfound industry knowledge and info from the informational interviews). Be polite and professional.
- Go dressed in a suit. Shine your shoes. Get a hair cut. Look your best.
- Send everyone you meet at the company a thank you card. Don't email, write it out by hand.
Brandt Smith is Senior Editor at Wealth and Wisdom, a website focused on achieving a successful-balanced-life. Their advice on wealth, personal finance, personal development, and life balance can help take you to the next level. You can also read more of his thoughts at his blog.
More candids from Philly Trash Bash
Samantha really got some great shots. She just snapped away and ended up with some very special moments during our day. Here are two more cool photos. I dropped them into Photoshop to make them look a little better.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
How to price EntreCard credits
If you are involve in selling EntreCard credits at eBay, you might want to ask yourself how much to price EntreCard credits, after all, everyone seems to have their own pricing system. That's is okay since the auctioning process is based on willing seller, will buyer.
What is not right is at time, your auction price is being undercut by someone else. Suppose your EntreCard credits of 5,000 ec with starting prices of $50.00 is listed first then 2 days later, another fellow list his EntreCard credits of 8,000 ec with starting prices of $40.00. Your item will be ignored and probably staled when the auction ended since all the buyers attention is at the other item. I think you'll get the picture.
So what is the fair price for EntreCard credits?
For me, my pricing starts with $2.00 for 1,000 ec. That's mean if I'm auctioning 4,000 ec, the starting price would be $8.00. On a good day, the selling price will be double when the auction ended.
Selling EntreCard credits for less $2.00 for 1,000 ec is way too low unless there is an oversupply of EntreCard credits item at eBay listing.
The owners of EntreCard is selling 1,000 ec for $9.50 (and 5,000 ec for $47.50) so even putting the price at $2.00 per 1,000 ec is consider cheap and attractive. Anything below that is spoiling the market prices of EntreCard in eBay.
If you have a better pricing system or what ever formula to determine the calculation of fair price for the EntreCard credits, please do comment .
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Is it the right time to buy stocks ?
Start picking Fundamentally strong stocks
Well the great Indian stock markets continued their southward journey. Today they reached Kanyakumari but realising they have gone too far returned back to settle at Bangalore. Jokes apart, today was one more day of high drama at the dalal street with trading coming to halt within minutes of opening. The street was market with scary scenes ( or do I say pleasant stock prices for those sitting on cash !) with tickers pointing losses tuning to 10 to 20% and even worse for a majority of stocks. Well, in my post "Stock Markets- New Year, New Horizons" dated 13th january, I had mentioned that the Indian markets will see profit booking in the month of January. But then hardly could I imagine that the extent of fall will be of this magnitude and speed. I was expecting the markets to correct by around 2000 points but as I write this post the markets have already corrected by more than 4000 points on sensex. Though the trigger was FII selling , the things got worse with similar downtrend in asian counterparts and margin calls getting triggered. So what does this great fall of sensex teaches us and how should we proceed further ?
As we sow, so we Reap
Well, when the markets skyrocketed from 16000 levels to 21000 levels, the reason quoted was that there is a flood of funds in the markets and the rally was driven by liquidity. Did anyone wondered what happens when liquidity drives the markets ? Yes, all of us were surprised by the sharp upward movements of the market, but were eventually caught in the momentum euphoria and started picking stocks even though it was clicking somewhere in the mind that the price is quite high. The fundamentals were forgotten, everybody wanted to make as much money as possible without realising that even the correction can be equally or even more sharp then the upward journey. Well, the lesson is while riding the momentum, don't overlook the fundamentals.
Overcome the Greed and Fear factors
I have been advising on many occasions through my posts that one should keep on booking profits at reasonable intervals. The greed to earn few more bucks often ends in loosing the handsome profit that one could have booked. On the other hand, equally important is not to fear in times of crisis like this. If one makes a informed decision while buying into a stock, this situation will not arise. I may sound to be a preacher but this is hard fact that one should imbibe in order to avoid disappointments in times of steep falls. It would be foolish to sell at current levels as we know that eventually the markets have to cover up and move ahead. We have seen such falls in the past and the lesson learnt is that such falls are accentuated with lot of factors and hence a bounce back, sooner or later is imminent. How long can Reliance hold at 2300 levels, how long can L&T hold at 3600 levels ...? So what if the FII's sold ? Will they not reinvest the money back in India? What about billions of rupees lying accumulated with various funds ? Will they keep sitting on the cash ? Think about it ? Markets are meant to be volatile...a smart Investor is one who makes use of such volatility to improve his wealth.
Where are the markets headed ?
I don't know. If I had known for sure, I would have taken a position in Nifty futures and earned handsome money. No body knows, what one says is his guess built purely on his or her imagination and nothing else. None of the experts could have foreseen today's fall. But let us understand that in view of what has happened in last seven days, it will take time for things to settle. We may or may not see more downside from current levels, but the path to recovery would not be an easy one. So what should one do in such circumstances ? Well, take stock of your stocks. For those who are fully invested wait for the recovery to happen and by that time identify fundamentally strong stocks in your portfolio and get rid off the speculative ones as when you get better prices.
Should I but at current Levels ?
For last few days, I had a tough time explaining friends and well wishers the reason for the fall in markets and which stock to buy at current levels. One of them was quite enthusiastic about buying. When I asked what he intended to buy, he told Reliance Petroleum. I asked him why ? He told me that the stock has come down from 250 levels to 125 levels so he finds a value buy (!) in the stock. I asked him if he knows why the stock ran up from 130 levels to 250 levels , he said he didn't have any idea. I asked him if he knows that RPL is yet to commence its operations, he said no he didn't knew about it. This is one of the basic mistake one often makes while taking a decision to buy or sell a particular stock. I was not against his buying the stock, but the fact that this person doesn't know why he is buying and what he is buying makes me understand that why people burn their fingers quite frequently in the markets.
Coming back to the question whether it is the right time to buy, I would say "Yes". So what should one buy ?
Stocks to buy at current levels
Now that's a tricky question. Today was a mouth-watering day if one was looking at the stock prices to decide which one to buy. It was like a big end of season discount sale happening and you wish you could have bought a lot of stuff but your pocket is not allowing you. There was also a scene where it was difficult to decide which one to buy and which one to leave. Such a scenario is also a tricky one and one may end up buying nothing at the end of the day !
Well coming back to the topic, I would suggest that investors should remain cautious and not take things lightly. It is the time to awaken and understand that things may change from good to worse in no matter and hence one should not invest in just stocks, one should invest in a business. Think of the business you are going to invest in and not just the stock prices. understand if the business can give you a stable return in term of growth rate and whether it can withstand rough weathers. Apply your mind to know if the management has the ability to drive the company to greater heights amidst all roadblocks backed by its past performance. Understand that the sector that you are investing in has the potential in terms of providing the company a room for achieving a higher growth rate. Let's look at some fundamentally good stocks which have fallen significantly and hence offer good entry points. This is not an exhaustive list . This is just a few out of the list of stocks I track. We will discuss individual stocks in forthcoming posts.
Again, a good strategy would be to do a staggered buying so that you may get better prices for the stocks.
Wish you happy shopping !
miiSTOR Diamond Encrusted USB Drive
USB drives are NAND-type flash memory data storage devices integrated with a USB (universal serial bus) connector. They are typically small, lightweight, removable and rewritable. USB flash drives offer potential advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly the floppy disk. They are more compact, faster, hold more data, are more reliable due to their lack of moving parts, and have a more durable design.
Just like this new diamond encrusted USB drive. This USB drive is a direct invitation to all bling lovers to give some feats to their eyes and rest to wallet. This valuable addition of diamond encrusted USB drive to your kitty is a must-have accessory to be flaunted amongst the group of geeks.
This striking creation by miiSTOR is been identified as ICE. The sparkling USB drive is formed out of Hallmarked platinum and is packed with 456 white diamonds. Delightfully designed, this concrete and communicative ICE USB drive can be yours on a drop of £15,000.via
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
ICT Minister and police want to arrest “illegal websites operators”… even abroad
A very nice Lunacy Of the Day. Consider this :
Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Man Pattanotai yesterday handed over a list of illegal websites including pornographic sites, sites violating copyright laws, gambling sites and sites endangering national security totaling 100 sites to Deputy Commander of the Central Investigative Division of the Police, Police Major General Panya Marmen (????? ??????) for processing.
Police Major General Panya stated that police would pursue transgressors, including issuing warrants for any site operators located abroad.
Police will also continue cooperating with the ICT to shut down websites in violation of laws after working with the ICT's various database departments to apprehend a multitude of malicious websites. Authorities revealed that they have been able to process 90% of cases begun in the past year. (PRD)
It's coming from the propagandstaffel of the government (Public Relation Departement).
It's difficult to understand, it's badly written, it's certainly not reliable, but it's definitely and highly entertaining.
And its shows the mindset of those people... Scary.
Arrest illegal website operators, even abroad, “processing...“...
You were thinking that a court decision was necessary to block a website, to declare a website “illegal“... apparently the bozos at ICT Ministry and in the police don't care. At all.
Dollar Slides as US Housing Recession Deepens
The lack of improvement in the housing sector continued to weigh on the US dollar, and kept traders from bidding the currency before the extended holiday weekend. Looking at price action, the low yielding Yen and Swiss franc rounded up the biggest gains against the US dollar. In turn the euro regained its footing and pushed back to yesterday highs just short of 1.58. The British Pound however held steady throughout the session as growth concerns led the currency to hold in the 1.98 range. The greenback also declined against the Australian and New Zealand dollar as commodity prices pushed higher - though the Canadian dollar didn't join the crowd as traders squared their books for the weekend.
On the economic front, the National Realtors Association's existing home sales report dampened hopes that the worst housing recession in a quarter century may be coming to an end. Sales fell 1.0 percent in April - posting its eighth consecutive decline in the past nine months. And, though this figure did have a positive side in that it was better than the 1.6 percent drop forecasted, the details of the report clearly spelled out a deteriorating market. Buyers continued to search out bargains though the median housing price dropped 8.0 percent from the same month a year ago. Interestingly enough, prices actually rose on a monthly basis for the second time, which may have in turn led inventories to rise to a new record high.
Rising commodity prices mixed with falling home prices pressed on the stock markets, and led investors to cutback on high risk-reward investments. As a result, the DJIA fell 145.99 points to 12,479.63 points, with 27 of the 30 components declining. The broader S&P500 also slipped 18.42 points to hold off at 1,375.93 points, with 172 stocks falling to a new 52 week low.
Heightened economic concerns fueled demands for US Treasuries, and led risk-adverse investors to seek the safe haven of risk-free bonds. As a result, the benchmark 10-Year yield fell to 3.852 percent from 3.911 percent, while the 2-Year yield plunged to 2.446 percent from 2.528 percent.
US capital markets will be closed through Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday; and the dollar will suffer from the low liquidity and could experience high volatility in turn. When US-based traders return to the markets, fundamentals will be there to meet them. Tuesday is packed with the S&P/Case-Shiller housing data, new home sales report and consumer confidence. Looking over the entire week's listings, there will be particular interest in the first quarter GDP revision which is expected to benefit from a boost in consumer spending and exports.
DailyFX
Conflicted
The day after my interview I get e-mail from a woman looking for a ferry pilot, with a link to a picture and specs on a cute, tiny, airplane. I'm not even sure it counts as an airplane under Canadian law. It cruises at 85 mph. I can't even rotate that slowly. Throw in normal winds and it's like driving across the country. It makes me giggle. I'm loving it.
Her need matches my schedule. I am all over this. It occurs to me after I send the e-mail that I am more excited about her trip than I am about the possibility of Bilby hiring me. There's something wrong with that. Perhaps this jet job isn't the right one for me. Or maybe there's a difference between being a grown up and doing a job and taking a few days to fly a cute fun little airplane. Is it time to grow up?
The Dollar May No Longer Be King
Constantly rising oil prices may cause an energy crisis that will eventually lead to a new world financial system based on multiple currencies instead of the U.S. dollar, according to a Rice University study. The dollar can no longer buy what it used to, most economists believe that in the very near future most countries if not all will start to diversify the currencies that they buy oil with, Iran and Kuwait have already started the process of excepting Euros and Yens, all in all this would be a huge step forward in fair trade and ending the U.S petrodollar monopoly.
Rising inflation fed largely by oil-producing countries will force Western governments to tighten monetary policies, undermining export-driven economies in China and India, according to a study released by the Houston-based University’s Institute for Public Policy. That would undercut energy demand, ending cheap credit worldwide that is fueled by so-called petrodollars and further undermining the global economy. "We think that energy markets may play an important role in bringing about a financial crisis that may transform the global financial system," the study's authors wrote. The U.S. dollar's status "would likely come to an end."
German business confidence rose in May despite record oil prices and the U.S. slowdown affecting some parts of Europe's economy. German Ifo Business Climate Index came in at 103.5 from an expected 102.1, 8:00 am GMT. EUR/USD currently trading at $1.5728 as of 8:30 am, GMT and expected to rise. Moving on to Britain, billionaire investment guru George Soros said that Britain has yet to suffer the worst fallout from the credit crunch. The acute phase of the global crisis may have passed but the real economy is only just starting to feel the impact. Mr. Soros added the world was set for a period of greater instability with British house prices likely to fall, and no one knows how bad it’s going to get. Delivering his gloomy assessment on BBC Radio, he insisted: “The degree of uncertainty is also uncertain”. GBP/USD currently trading at $1.9666 as of 8:30 am, GMT.
Finotec Group Inc.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
$1.3 Million Diamond Jeans Made By Secret Circus Clothing
Would you wear a jeans with diamonds in the pocket? It's hard to wear a jeans like that especially in a place with a crowd. But Secret Circus Clothing made a pair of jeans and its back pockets were crusted in diamonds.
The jeans are encrusted with 15 gorgeous diamonds to it. Specifically, a 4.63 carat marquise cut diamond worth £102,000; two 6 carat round brilliant cut diamonds worth £250,000 each; one 5.09 carat princess cut worth £104,000; one 5.27 pear cut worth £134,000 and finally, 10 single carat diamonds worth £50,000.
Irma Matulionyte modeled them at the label’s launch at London Fashion Week in February, and since then, the brand has stirred up quite a buzz… but they’re not giving out many details! Their name couldn’t be more fitting as they’ve already become famous for posting private parties, and keeping new launches on the down low. They also won’t reveal the identity of the customer who purchased the jeans, but we do know they had a 27” waist.
A lot of high end retailers don’t offer anything spectacular to go along with their luxury price tags, but Secret Circus sure does. Most recently, the company has collaborated with the Monaco and British Grand Prix to design outfits for the racing events… but again, they’re not giving the public the scoop yet!via