Just sharing...

This is the best explanation I have seen to explain why US automakers are seeking a bailout. Got this from a yahoo group & thought I could share it to others and maybe start the day with a smile --

Subject: American Ingenuity

A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (FordMotors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race. On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile. The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommendappropriate action.

Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 7 people steering and 2 peoplerowing. Feeling a deeper study was in order; American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.
They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 2 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 2 people rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Program,' with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rowers. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses. The pension program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the resultant savings were channeled into morale boosting programs and teamwork posters.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated, the American management laid-off one rower, halted development of a new canoe, sold all the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses. The next year, try as he might, the lone designated rower was unable to even finish the race (having no paddles,) so he was laid off for unacceptable performance, all canoe equipment was sold and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India. Sadly, The End.

Here's something else to think about: Ford has spent the last thirty years moving all its factories out of the US , claiming they can't make money paying American wages.vTOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen plants inside the US. The last quarter's results:vTOYOTA makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses.Ford folks are still scratching their heads, and collecting bonuses.

IF THIS WEREN'T SO TRUE IT MIGHT BE FUNNY Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

Good Thoughts

just a few thoughts for today...


It doesn't matter how often you are right or wrong -- It only matters how much you lose when you are wrong --George Soros

In giving gifts to kids

Here are some tips to help parents fight against materialism:

1. Make them wait. Don't go out and immediately purchase an item your teen/child just HAS to have. Wait a few days to allow the excitement to cool down. This will allow you to see if this item is truly important to them.

2. Know what the priority is. ask your child to prioritize their wishlist list. With most familieson a budget, this will help you figure out where to spend your money that is allotted for other important events/ time.

3. Spend time rather than money on your kids. Instead of your teen spending time aloneon the computer or watching TV, why not take that time and spend it WITH them? The best giftyour teen could receive this Christmas would be time with you and the family.

4. Set the example. Yes, your family IS watching you and how you value the "things" of life. Parents can be just as materialistic as their teens. Keeping our priorities in check will help the whole family.You might know WHAT your teen wants for Christmas, but do you know WHY? These questions might give you some insight. Have your teen/kids make a list of the top 5 presents they want to receive this Christmas. Then ask: 1. What influenced you to rank your presents in this order (advertising, friends,preference, etc.)? 2. Do you think this present will be this important to you next year at this time? Why or why not? 3. Do these presents have any eternal significance to your life or to another's life? Do you think that should matter? Why or why not? 4. If we had the option to give our Christmas budget for presents to a needy family,would you agree to give: a. all of it? b. half of it? c. some of it? d. none of it?

Reduced to zero

After being disappointed last month when my technorati and google pagerank got "demoted" to zero, I'm back again to blogging. I felt I've worked for that pagerank or TA, then just like that, slashed away from me. Sigh... I was about to open an account to pay per post that time. Anyway, nevermind the TA or PR, it's still nice to have blogger friends :)

Coffee break ver 1.29

They say that you will somehow get the picture of a person's character by looking at the things she carries in her bag.Some carry just their essentials. While others seem to carry their lives in their handbags. While most women don't leave their homes without a bag, I know quite a number who would rather be bag-less and just carry a lipgloss in their pockets. In this week's coffee break, let's talk personal.

This answer is really, really super late but here's my take on Jan's Coffeebreak:

• Finance: cash, credit cards, atm cards, IDs, Discount cards, passbook, checkbook, receipts
• Toiletries: tissue, flushuble toilet seat cleaner, 2 pcs emergency toilet seat cover (for the kids), cologne, hanky
• Gadgets: cellphone, Palm TX w/ earphones, Digicam, extra 2G SD card, smartbro & mini-Numbers keypad for laptop (for accounting)
• Others: Prayer booklet, keys, pen, lipgloss
  

With the toiletries, I used to bring with me toothbrush, toothpaste & other girlie stuff when I was working, but am now a work-at-home mom so no need to bring everything. Let's say everything that is essential to us is inside my bag.. Always ready, on the go specially when we tag along the kids to go somewhere.

Thoughts on Happiness

"Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness" -- Chuang-tzu

"Happiness consists more in small conveniences of pleasures that occur everyday, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life." -- Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

Happiness is inside us, in our minds, in our thoughts. It is not external material things or experiences, but the enjoyment of our thoughts and feelings. This is good because our thoughts, and therefore our happiness, are up to us.

Creative Award

Thanks Ems for this award :)





The rules are:
* The winner may put the logo on his or her blog.
* Put a link to the person you got the award from.
* Nominate five blogs.
* Put links to the blogs.
* Leave a message to the nominees.

I’m passing the award to nawie bloggers.

World Class Profession

it took some time... thanks for the tag CA tque

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Copy and paste everything to a new post and Add your name next to your profession (or profession-to-be for undergrads) in the list. Make sure your name is linked to your blog/webbie.

Tip: For easier capture of links, paste into your blog using the “Visual” (for WP) and Compose (for Blogger) modes (not Edit HMTL or HTML).

2. If your profession is not in the list then simply add it to the correct alphabetical place. For example, if you want to add PLUMBER then it should be placed in between ONCOLOGIST and QUEEN.

3. Tag as many people as you can and witness how your technorati will explode!

4. Don’t forget to link back . In your case, link back to Anna.

THE WORLD CLASS PROFESSIONS

Blogger -

Doctor -

Nurse - Mckhoii,

Stay-at-Home-Mom - Mai, Alpha, Yen, Mommyallehs, C.A.,

Secretary- Arlene

Spot Currency Trader- Anna

Teacher -University Employee- Suzanne

Work-at-Home-Mom- Liza,

Tagging the ff: happy, Kerslyn, maia, rocks, Pat, Sheryll, thea, thet

Financial Institutions

So far, from the start of last year's US finacial market fiasco, these are some of the list of financial companies who has declared billions of write-downs, losses or bankruptcy until some have received a golden ladder as rescue.

* AIG

* Lehman Brothers

* Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac -- by Sep 5, 2008 The US Government takeover is now a done deal

* Freddie Mac

* Bear Stearns -
- Aug 2007 Bear Stearns Hedge Funds filed for bankruptcy.
- March 16, 2008 -- J.P. Morgan announces it has acquired Bear Stearns for $2 per share, or about $236 million.
- March 14, 2008 -- The federal government and J.P. Morgan Chase bail out Bear. The company says it sought the emergency funding after realizing it would not be able to keep up with a spike in demand from lenders.


* Merril Lynch
- Sept 2008 Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Bank of America Corp., the biggest U.S. consumer bank, agreed to acquire Merrill Lynch & Co. for about $50 billion as the credit crisis claimed another of America's oldest financial companies. Bank of America will pay $29 a share for New York-based Merrill in stock, 70 percent more than the Sept. 12 closing price, the company said in a statement today. Merrill, battered by $52.2 billion in losses and writedowns from subprime- mortgage-contaminated securities, has plunged more than 80 percent from its peak of $97.53 at the start of last year.
- Jul 2008 -Merrill Lynch & Co. reported a $4.65 billion second-quarter net loss late Thursday as the brokerage firm was hit by more write-downs on large mortgage-related exposures.
- Jan 2008 - Merrill Lynch had sold $6.6 billion stakes to foreign investors including the Korean and Kuwaiti governments.
- Oct 2007 (Bloomberg) -- Merrill Lynch & Co. reported the biggest quarterly loss in its 93-year history after taking $8.4 billion of writedowns.


* Morgan Stanley
- Sep 2008 -Japan's biggest bank said that it planned to spend as much as $8 billion for a 20% stake in investment banking firm Morgan Stanley in New York. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in Tokyo is one of a number of Asian banks that appear primed to seize buying opportunities.
- Jun 2008 - Morgan Stanley, the second-biggest U.S. securities firm by market value, was cut one level to A+ from AA- by Standard & Poor.
- Dec. 2007 -- Morgan Stanley posts a $3.59 billion loss, its first quarterly deficit in 21 years, amid a $9.4 billion write-down on its mortgage assets. The firm receives a $5 billion investment from a Chinese fund in exchange for a 9.9% stake



* Citigroup
- Jan 2008 -Citigroup’s disclosure of a $12.5 billion investment came as the banking giant reported its long-awaited fourth-quarter results, which included an $18.1 billion write-down on its subprime mortgage-related exposures. The figure was much higher than its early November estimate of $8 billion to $11 billion in write-downs, but below the $24 billion cited in a report. Citi’s enormous write-down led to a $9.83 billion loss for the fourth quarter, the largest quarterly loss in the firm’s history.

-Nov. 2007 -- Citigroup, seeking to restore investor confidence amid massive losses in the credit markets and a lack of permanent leadership, receives a $7.5 billion capital infusion from the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government.

-Oct. 2007 -- Citigroup posts a 57% drop in profit, as the bank is hit with write-downs tied to mortgage-backed securities and loans to fund deals that were delayed.


* HSBC
- Sep 2008 From yahoo news recently, HONG KONG (Reuters) - Global bank HSBC Holdings (HSBA.L) is cutting 1,100 jobs in its investment banking operation, or 4 percent of the unit's total, as it weathers the global financial crisis. "We're doing it because of market conditions and the economic environment, and our cautious outlook for 2009," Hong Kong-based spokesman Gareth Hewett told Reuters on Friday.
- Aug 2007 -London-based HSBC, Europe's largest bank by market value, closed a U.S. mortgage office after failing to finance new loans. HSBC's provisions for bad loans climbed 63 percent to almost $6.4 billion in the first half of 2007, HBSC said in July.
- Mar 2008 - $17.2 bn loss after the decline in the US Housing Market hit the value of its loans, credit crisis loss;
- Mar 2007 -- EUROPE’s biggest bank, HSBC, is to write off $11 billion to cover mounting losses in its troubled American offshoot, HSBC Finance Corporation.
- - Feb 2007 US loans problems shake HSBC, US branch.

Many are saying the worst is yet to come, more misery will be felt in that part of the world.

Biggest Corporate Bankruptcies

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.’s Chapter 11 filing is by far the largest corporate bankruptcy case in the U.S., measured by total assets before the filing. Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday after falling under the weight of $60 billion in soured real estate holdings. Its filing listed $639 billion in assets as of May 31.The list includes the date of the company’s bankruptcy filing and its assets at the time of filing. The Enron assets were taken from its quarterly Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Nov. 19, 2001; the company announced that the financials were under review at the time of filing for Chapter 11. The amounts are not adjusted for inflation.
1. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., Sept. 15, 2008, $639 billion2. Worldcom Inc., July 21, 2002, $103.91 billion3. Enron Corp., Dec. 2, 2001, $63.39 billion4. Conseco Inc., Dec. 18, 2002, $61.39 billion5. Texaco Inc., April 12, 1987, $35.89 billion6. Financial Corp. of America, Sept. 9, 1988, $33.86 billion7. Refco Inc., Oct. 17, 2005, $33.33 billion8. Global Crossing Ltd., Jan. 28, 2002, $30.19 billion9. Pacific Gas and Electric Co., April 6, 2001, $29.77 billion10. UAL Corp., Dec. 9, 2002, $25.2 billion11. Delta Air Lines Inc., Sept. 14, 2005, $21.8 billion12. Adelphia Communications, June 25, 2002, $21.5 billion13. Mcorp, March 31, 1989, $20.23 billion14. Mirant Corp., July 14, 2003, $19.42 billion15. Delphi Corp., Oct. 8, 2005, $16.59 billion

More About Hubby

Thanks Thea for this nice tag

Are you deeply in love with your spouse or boyfriend/Girlfriend? If you do, let’s try how well you remember the moment of your life with him. But before you put yourself in the hot seat please read the rules of this tag first.

RULES:
1. This tag should be passed on to your closest friends.
2. Visit the blog of the person you’ve got this tag.
3. Leave a comment on her/his tag post. Be sure to thank her/him for this tag.
4. Highlight and link all the list of people who accepted this tag by visiting their blog site.
5. There are 10 questions that you need to answer but you will be the one to write the 10th question for the next person you want to pass this tag.

Here are your questions: Be Honest and True!

1. How did you meet your husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend?~ Thru a common friend.
2. Where did you go on your first date?~ in a Restaurant in Quezon City.
3. When was your first intimate kiss?~ sorry, can't remember.
4. How many girlfriends/boyfriends he/she had in the past? Do you honestly know?~ He had so many flings. As in so MANY .
5. What is his/her ethnicity?~ Filipino
6. What is his/her favorite food?~ Kare-kare
7. What is he/she like if he/she is mad?~ his eyebrows kinda gets darker.
8. What are the things he/she did you thought is the most romantic thing he’d/she’d ever done?~ When he was still playing classical music, he always played for me, parang informal na harana, haha thanks for this tag for reminding me.
9. Describe how he/you proposed to you.~ Nothing fancy. The usual.
10. (My question) Is he rooting for Celtics or Lakers? -- he's not really into basketball. at masisira daw yung little muscles nya for playing either classical guitar man or electric.

THEY PLAYED ALONG:
1. Soujourn
2. Pinay Mom in Czech Republic
3. See Me for What You Will
4. Lainy’s Musings
5. Our Journey To Forever
6. Sheng’s Simple Thoughts…
7. Pinay WAHM
8. Me and My World
9. coicoi’s World
10. BLOGSILOG
11. A Mother’s Horizon
12. Because Life Is Fun
13. Dzoi
14. A Reality Bite
15. Thea is bloggerhappy
16. Coffeenchoclate
17.

come on, snag it! I’m tagging everybody in my blogroll

Budgeting

Got this from a yahoo group, just want to share it to those interest....

Lecture of Mr. butch Salvador
Recorded / transferred /edited


BudgetingI believe this is one thing that a typical pinoy knows but always fail to apply. Especially now that Christmas is about to come where bonuses, 13 month pay etc. is awarded to most employees. Paano nga ba? It is actually so simple yet it would take a big amount of discipline to do it. Lets make it step by step para mas madali natin maintindihan. Now, lets not just know it but practice it.

STEP 1: know how much your monthly income is.I would assume here that everybody goes with a monthly budget. However, this budgeting system may be adjusted to whatever length of time you wish to.How much do you have is the question. This would be the first step because we couldn't really spend more than what we earn. Get all your resources together and find out how much do you really earn and capable of spending every month. This would come from your income, whether from a side line, business, salary, padala, supporta, galling sa tatay, nanay, bf, gf etc… basta yung regular na natatanggap mo bwan bwan. This will be your Monthly income. Ang total nito ang iyong magiging total monthly regular income.

STEP 2: List all your necessary expenses.Here we have to only list down "necessary" expenditures like bills, food, rent, maintenance… yung mga gastusin na hindi mo na pwedeng hindi bayaran. Wag tayo mandaya at ilagay ang shopping ditto at e justify that we really need it. After listing this, get the total amount and name it monthly necessary expenditures.

So now we have :
MONTHLY INCOME
MONTHLY NECESSARY EXPENDITURE

Now, you must not have expenditure more than your income. Hindi po pupwede na mas malaki ang gastos sa kinikita o natatanggap. And incase that it is more than the income , then you are in trouble! You must adjust and reduce whatever expenditure you have to make it fit your income. Kung nag air con ka, aba eh di mag electric fan muna… o kung nag FX ka, eh di jeep muna…at kung may gatas ang kape mo…. Black coffee muna. O baka naman pwedeng hot water muna… WHY? Eh hindi kasya eh!!! Wag mo pilitin kung hindi kaya.

Hindi po kulang ang pera nyo! Kulang kayo sa disiplina! Money was never the answer! If you think it is, then you are no different with people who makes welga welga on the streets! Asking for additional pay! Budgeting at disiplina ang kailangan natin!

Pilipinos always borrow money to catch up with their expenditures. Did you know that 70% of what we buy isn't really necessary? Bibili ka ng plastic container na maganda kulay , tapos iisipin mo… san ko kaya pwede gamitin ito? Mali di ba?

So, reduce and make it fit to your income and LESS! Kung maigsi ang kumot… mamaluktot.

STEP 3: Yung iba titigil na dito, kasi ala na eh,,, ubos na budget… wag po lets continue with the 3rd step. Meaning, dapat adjust natin an gating gastusin. Youll see, in doing so, youll realize that you may transfer other unnecessary expenses to necessary or useful expenditure.So the third step is yun nay un… ADJUST YOUR EXPENSES.Here you will see na madami ka palang nawawalang pera na hindi mo alam saan mo ginastos. Can you relate? Do you often hear you say "bakit naubos yung pera ko dito? Ano ba yung binili ko?"again… NECESSARY LANG HA! Then adjust.

So, we have a list of necessary expenditures, total monthly income that must be over the expenditure and we have adjusted our expenses.

STEP 4 is dapat may sumobra… or there has to be an excess Ganito yun…you must adjust the expenditure that there must be an excess amount. Now, I am sure. This is possible. Let me illustrate: sa P15,000.00 / month na income…

INCOME: P15,000.00

EXPENDITURE:
Electric bill: 1,500.00
Water bill: 500.00
Cellphone: 600.00
Palengke: 3,000.00
Grocery: 2,000.00
Rent: 3,500.00
Mineral water: 300.00
Etc… : 600.00 PWEDE! Pero kaya pa I adjust…

Bawasan ang cell phone: (kaya naman eh…)

RULE: KUNG HINDI KAYA …. WAG! Hindi naman kayo mamamatay kung dalawa lang pantaloon mo eh… o ipa repair mo pag nasira eh… o kung luma cellfone mo eh… did u know that I saw mr. gullermo luz at makati… a year ago… naka 5110. KABAYAN… hindi na baling mukha kang walang per. Ok lang yun.

TEKA, lets sum up and review… May INCOME, GASTUSIN na dapat naka pasok at tama lang sa natatanggap at DAPAT MAY % na hindi dapat galawin para sa savings or investment.

STEP 5: INVEST; Inegosyo mo yung sosobra (actually , the capital isn't necessary . You can start a business even without capital). If you do not have excess and no capital… I advice, MAKI NEGOSYO! Tamad lang ang ayaw gumawa nito. THERE ARE LOTS OF BUSINESSES THAT NEEDS MARKETING! Go to a village that is being developed. Talk to the architect, ask their requirements… tapos lumapit ka sa isang HARDWARE at hingan mo ng COMMISSION. O… ano puhunan dun? O kaya sa mga ka groupo, ka opisina, kapitbahay na may negosyo… DUDES , ANG DAMI NYAN!

I hope your getting the picture. ..

STEP 6: what to do with your extra income… O TEKA… HINDI SHOPPING. STILL live within the old budget. Thets the problem we pinoys have, pag may sumobra… gagastusin. NO! NO! NO!

You were able to live before with that amount, still live with it. Set aside your extra income and if you find whatever business you went into doing good… then use the money and invest it on that business since you have already seen a market for that business na "NAKI BUSINESS KA".

STEP 7: ADD TO YOUR LIABILITIES , HE HE … eto ang masarap. If you start generating extra income from your investment. You may now get a percentage of that income and add it to your budget. This means… you may already buy that new jeans you've always wanted… or that shades that adds pogi points… well… maybe, as long as it fits to that percent. But most importantly, you are elevating. If before burger mc do ka lang… aba, ngayon… quarter pounder na… (tagalan mo pag nguya ah… feel it).

If you want to be financially free, then start now! Discipline yourself and your family. Explain this to them . It is so hard to change PINOY values when it comes to money. Especially if it has been handed down from generations to generations… but it has to change. And it has to change now! Do not save for something you want to buy, instead, save for an investment. And you'll see how this would change your life.

Life is more important than money… but you need money to support life. Don't love money and work for it for the rest of your life… instead, plan your financial future. Create a money source that will be there even as you grow old. Don't rely on others investment, plans, projects… but study a system that you can run and pass on to your children…

Spreading the Christmas Spirit

got tagged by Meng. Here’s something nice to go around to spread the spirit of Christmas as early as now. Starts here. It’s so simple. Copy the photo below then write your blog and your wish this Christmas 2008. Your wish has to be something PRICELESS and SELF- LESS… something that money can’t buy… something that another person will treasure dearly.

1. Bits and Pieces by Jan :: I wish Gino and I will be able to convince friends to help us sponsor a simple Christmas party for the children of White Cross Children’s Home in San Juan.

2. The Wifey Diaries by Jannesse : My birthday falls on the 22nd of December. I have always wished to spend it with orphaned or abandoned kids. I’d be super happy to spend my birthday with them. That way, they get early Christmas presents from me. Oh, and can I wish for a baby, too? Please?

3. The Versoza Inc. by Con: I’d like to have a simple Christmas party for all the children of our employees. Times were hard on our company this 2007, but still, the Christmas Spirit should not be overpowered by it. Christmas is about family. So our Christmas party should not be for employees only, but for their families as well. Also, I wish our clan would make it a tradition to have a Christmas gift giving project. My Tita Doi started it last year with the Antipolo church children. I am looking forward to this year .

4. Mommy On Top: I wish I could help a couple of kids (both are related to my kids’ nannies) finish their education so they can, in turn, help their family earn a living. I could try and help them find a job, but without finishing their studies, they can only go too far. With a diploma or at least some certificate of formal education, they could do so much and reach farther. I hope my efforts in hooking them up with this certain NGO will come out with favorable results.

5. Coffeenchoclate : We hope to sustain an extended help for a few elders and be able to increase aid to another few elders before the year ends.

6. Your Link Here.

I'm tagging my blogging friends christine, gracey, gwen, heidi, lena, lisa, mandy, rocks, sheng, sheryl

Winning Trade today

ok, my previous trades I have not been able to save, but yesterday's trade, finally I didn't get to forget to save.

More Tags

Wow, thanks for the tag maia, I enjoyed it :)

The rules are simple. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing 10 years ago? On our 4th year with hubby(then BF) as business partners

What are the 5 things on my to-do list today?

Answer the tags

communicate with contact person in London

Go to the bank

Go to notary public

Analyze the currency market

Snacks I enjoy: Chocolates, coffee, crepe, pizza, anything pasta

Place where I lived: Quezon City, LB, Makati & Pasig

Things I’d do if I were a billionaire:

* Build foundation for deserving but financially challenged kids

* Empower less fortunate women thru free education on how they can improve their family, financial & personal life
* Will work only as a hobby or personal enrichment but spend most of my time with my family, friends & extended family

* Invest more * Give more

I am passing this to everyone in my blogroll . . . for being a part of my amazing blogging life!
come on, snag itI’m tagging everybody in my blogroll

Entrecard

Guys & gals... for those who are into entrecards, sorry for not replying, got the read how it works pa ha.. still don't know how to go about it. I'll be back ! :P

Just me

Instead of digiscrapping my kids again, I have decided to make some layout of me for a change. This photo was last year, we've renovated the office just before the chinese new year last month. (background paper by vinnie pierce & ameliescrap. blue, black paper, frame overlay & swirl freebie by designer digitals, brush by michelle of little dreamer).

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

Love Quote

Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love; that is the soul of genius. ----Wolfgang Mozart, 1756-1791 ~ World Famous Composer of Classical Music

Pivot Points for this Week

For those who use pivot points in trading, I hope this would be helpful instead of computing all pivots (R3, R2, R1, Pivot, S1, S2, S3) for major currency pairs

Latest FCM Financial Data

For those who trade the world currency markets, this info would be very vital in choosing your brokers.
click on the attachment here to view the financial data

Good Thoughts

Winning trades are never an accident... It is always the result of intelligent effort
--- Author Unknown

Oil Comment

Technical Repor t :

We had another ‘outside day’ yesterday with a close well below Monday’s low which is a very bearish chart pattern. Another bearish factor is that we crossed down and closed below the 100 day moving average, the first time we have been below that since early February. The fact that we took out the low of 05/06/08 ($121.32)is a worry for the long term trend as we need to see higher peaks and troughs for the trend to remain intact .

The short and medium term trends are down while the long term trends remain bullish.



Support: $120.88 (Yesterdays low) Resistance: $130.50(low of 10/06/08)

Support: $117.56 (high of 25/04/08) Resistance: $126.79 (yesterday’s high)

Support : $114.31 (low of 05/05/08) Resistance: $126.61 (9 day moving average)



Summary:


Earlier in the month the news of explosions in two pipelines in Nigeria would have sent us to t he moon. Especially with Shell calling Force Majeure on Nigerian shipments, the continuing concerns of the Middle East and Hurricanes flying around but we broke through major support on the basis of a strong dollar and a technically weak chart . As mentioned before it is not so much the news but how the market reacts to it that is important and we can see that there is not a great appetite for Oil at the moment and the continuing bearish technical picture should suggest a further test of support levels. As always on a Wednesday, the DOE stats could send us rapidly in any direction.


DOE Stock Estimates (Change in millions bbls)


Crude -0.9 Gasoline +0.1 Distillate +1.7

Rule of Fours

The Rule of Fours
Tag time! Friends, thanks for all the tags! I will try to do all my backlogs as soon as i can! Promise! For now, here's one from Yvelle. Thanks sis!

4 Jobs I Have Had Travel Agent , then an "All Around" managing our business - Accounting, Sales & Marketing, General Manager

4 Movies I Watched Over and Over Again The Matrix Trilogy, LOTR Trilogy, Devils Advocate, Glass House,

4 Places I Have Lived Quezon City, Makati, Manila, Pasig (Philippines)

4 Shows I Watch HBO Original movies, CSI, ANC Cashflow, Bloomberg

4 Places (Countries) I Have Been Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore

4 People Who Email Me Relatives & Friends

4 Favorite Things to Eat Coffee, Chocolates, Crepes, Pasta

4 Places I would Rather Be at home with my family, visit my brother in Canada.

4 Things I Look Forward to This Year my daughter's birthday, Christmas, Our wedding anniversary

. 4 People To Tag sheng, jown, liza, dexie




::

Weekly Pivots

Current Pivot Points for Week July 28 to Aug 1, 2008 for the following currencies: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, AUD/USD, GBP/JPY, EUR/JPY

Daily Pair Priority

First Priority

EUR/JPY - Waiting for Bearish continuation
GBP/JPY - waiting for bearish Reversal
CHF/JPY - bearish continuation

Second Priority
GBP/USD - Bullish Retracement
EUR/USD - Waiting for Bullish retracement
EUR/GBP - waiting for Bearish continuation
AUD/USD - Waiting for Bearish continuation

Quotes for Today

Wherever you are is home
And the earth is paradise
Wherever you set your feet is holyland
--Author unknown

Why do we need friends

This is from one of my friend here in the wonderful world of blogging! Thanks, sheng :)

We need friends for many reasons,

all throughout the season.

We need friends to comfort us

when we are sad,

and to have fun with us

when we are glad.

We need friends to give us good advice,

We need someone we can count on,

and treat us nice.

We need friends to remember us

one we have passed sharing memories

that will always last.

Spread the poem of friendship.1. Everyday Life 2. Words of Love 3. Sheng's Simple Thoughts . . . 4. good thoughts, good trades 5. YOU!

I am passing this to michelle, ummi, emz, rhea, john & everyonein my blogroll . . . for being a part of my amazing blogging life!

A slow start again...

can't believe almost 2 months since my last blog! To my blogger friends, don't kill me yet :P ... i'll start visiting your blogs one at a time to catch up. I missssed blogging!

EUR/USD Weekly Outlook

Despite edging higher to new record high of 1.5983 last week, EUR/USD was once again limited below 1.6 psychological level. Friday's sell off left the rise from 1.5671 to 1.5983 in three wave structure, invalidating the prior discussed scenario that price actions from 1.5902 are in form of an ascending triangle consolidation that's completed at 1.5671. Indeed, based on current information, with bearish divergence condition in 4 hours MACD and CCI as background, the most likely scenario is that correction from 1.5902 completed at 1.5342. Subsequent price actions from 1.5342 is in form of a diagonal triangle which will conclude a larger five wave rally.

Have said that, 1.5983 is likely at least a short term top. Further break of 1.5671 support will add much more credence to this case and bring deeper decline towards 1.5342 cluster support first (38.2% retracement of 1.4309 to 1.5983 at 1.5344). Meanwhile, even if a stronger than expected rebound is seen from here, outlook won't change until sustained break of 1.6000 psychological resistance. That is, even in such case, the next rise will be weak and short-lived and another steep fall should be around the corner.

In the bigger picture, focus now turns to 1.5342 cluster support. Sustained break will also have 55 days EMA (now at 1.5396) taken out too. That will be another sign of a medium term top and in such case, will encourage deeper decline to 1.4309/4966 support zone. On the upside, as mentioned above, firm break above 1.5983 is now needed to reinitiate that case the recent rally is still in force.

In the longer term picture, there are various interpretations of the medium term up trend from 1.1639 but none of them is really convincing yet. Rather than focusing on the structure, we'd like to emphasize the pattern of a series of higher highs and higher lower since 1.1639 and as long as this pattern remains, the up trend from 1.1639 is more likely in progress than not. In other words, focus is on 1.4309 cluster support (38.2% retracement of 1.1639 to 1.5983 at 1.4324). As long as this support cluster support holds and before any other clear sign of medium term reversal, this rise from 1.1639 is still expected to extend further. And, such rally is is treated as resumption of long term up trend from 0.8223 (00 low) to 1.3668 (04 high) and could still extend to 100% projection of 0.8223 to 1.3668 from 1.1639 at 1.7084, even prolonged medium term consolidation will take place before resumption. However, sustained break of this 1.4309 cluster support, which will also have 55 weeks EMA (now at 1.4423) taken out too, will argue that the whole up trend from 1.1639 has already completed and have medium term outlook turned bearish.

Habit

I am your constant companion,
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.

Half of the tasks that you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done.
After a few lessons, I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people
And the regret of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine but I will work with all its precision
Plus the intelligence of a person.

Now you may run me for profit or you may run me for ruin.
It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me and
I will lay the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

I am called Habit!


--author unknown

US CFTC Financial Data

For the latest financial data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as of March 31, 2008, click here. You wouldn't want to trade foreign exchange when the broker is not in this list just like last year's PIPC scam.

Weekly Pivots

The pivot points for this week, which can be used as support & resistance lines for the major currencies such as EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, AUD/USD, GBP/JPY. Trade well!

Quotes on Optimism

Optimism is an intellectual choice -Diana Schneider.

A positive mental attitude is rooted in clear, calm, & honest self-confidence

Optimism is what you do, how you live-- Andrea Dworkin

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy--Anne Frank

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows --Helen Keller

Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, & knows not that it brings abundance to drive away hunger -Saint Basil

Life has its ups and downs... sometimes, the sun shines, sometimes the rain pours.... but don't forget that it takes both the sun & the rain to make a rainbow-unknown

tagging is fun!

thanks to farah for this tag.

~~Begin Copy~~This is the easy way and the fastest way to :1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.2. Increase your Google Page Rank.3. Get more traffic to your blog.4. Makes more new friends.Rules :1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog (for bloggers paste on the "compose" not the "edit html" part in posting blogs so it will be linked automatically).2. Put your own blog name and link.3. Tag your friends as much as you can. 1. Picturing of Life 2. Juliana’s Site e3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future. 4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space 5. Starz in De Sky 6. My Charmed Life 7. Denz Techtronics .8. Denz Recreational 9. Life’s Simple Pleasures 10. My Blog 11. Because Life is Fun 12. In This Game of Life 13. Scribbles of my Life 14. Changing Lanes 15.coffeenchoclate 16. YOU'RE NEXT ~~End Copy~~

I am tagging my new blogmates : chinoh, gracie, gracey, gracey2, jasa, jhen, joytoy, kerslyn, natz, renz, retche

Blog Awards

It took some time but better late than not at all right :) got these from Happy. thanks

And this one I received from farah

I'm giving these out to bloggers who've been frequent visitors in my blog that I haven't given any awards yet like butchay, dexie, divine, emz, jhen, heidi, huseyin, malyn, michelle, renz, sheryll

have a great day!

Rule of 72

The 'Rule of 72' is a simplified way to determine how long an investment will take to double, given a fixed annual rate of interest. By dividing 72 by the annual rate of return, investors can get a rough estimate of how many years it will take for the initial investment to duplicate itself. For example, the rule of 72 states that $1 invested at 10% would take 7.2 years ((72/10) = 7.2) to turn into $2. In reality, a 10% investment will take 7.3 years to double ((1.10^7.3 = 2).When dealing with low rates of return, the Rule of 72 is fairly accurate. This chart compares the numbers given by the rule of 72 and the actual number of years it takes an investment to double.

Notice that, although it gives a quick rough estimate, the rule of 72 gets less precise as rates of return become higher. Therefore, when dealing with higher rates, it's best to calculate the precise number of years algebraically by means of the future value formula.