- HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:
-
Money matters
-
Snap Shots
-
Modern Medicine
-
Heart to Heart with Hillary
-
Let’s go to the movies
-
Health & Will being
-
|
|
Money matters:
Graham Macdonald MBMG International Ltd.
Possibly the Greatest Economic Disaster Ever…
Everybody is listening, hoping that all the
‘expert’ evidence is true. According to the self-styled gurus of the present
market forces, the worst part of the recession is now over and everything will
be better from here on in. It only saddens me that people actually believe such
rubbish. Certain analysts have compared recent events to that of 1929. If this
is true then it must be remembered that the bottom of that market was 1932.
Porter Stansberry stipulated as much at the end of last year. He said, “The
coming great inflation will destroy America’s economic leadership. It will lead
- eventually - to the return of settling international obligations in gold
instead of paper dollars. And this will happen much faster than anyone expects…
The price of gold will be well over $2,500 per ounce… Americans haven’t
experienced anything like this since the Great Depression.”
Please remember this was forecast weeks before President Obama took office and
none of us had any real idea of how he was going to present his economic and
fiscal policies. By the end of January this year we knew there would be huge
deficit spending in 2009. What was not immediately apparent was that Obama also
plans to increase deficit spending over the next decade as well. This means that
the American national debt would double - at least.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has drawn up the table on this page. This
makes comparisons between the deficits of the 1980s and 1990s to present and
future budgets.
If it assumed that Obama stays in office for two terms then the CBO has
calculated the deficit policy will put up the national debt by over USD10
trillion by 2019. To compare this, just think that ten trillion was the total
federal debt just over two years ago. Also, remember that this is just what the
CBO is forecasting. By the time the politicians have finished tinkering with it
the chances are it will be much more.
If all of the above just looks like lies, damned lies and statistics then I
would ask you just to bear in mind one thing. President Obama wants to borrow
more money over the next eight years than all of the other presidents -
combined.
The numbers defy belief. Twenty trillion dollars looks like this -
USD20,000,000, 000,000. How can anyone honestly believe this can be paid off?
When the Republicans were elected in 1980 the total US debt was USD930 million -
less than one billion or not even five percent of what Obama wants to cough out.
In case you’re having as much trouble keeping track of federal spending as I am:
The US government has spent the entire national output, 9 times over. And that’s
without counting contingent liabilities and guarantees!
If the nation were a person earning $50,000 a year, he’d be in debt to the tune
of $461,000 - If that person asked you for a loan, what would you say?
Even more important, this debt cannot be financed indefinitely. Sometime,
someone is going to want to have their money back - preferably with interest. If
the new president has his way then our children’s children’s children will still
be manacled with this debt. If they do not make good roads into it then the US
dollar will go the way of the Reichmark or Zimbabwean Dollar.
There is an argument to say this is already on the way. China, Russia and
several other countries have put forward the idea of a basket of currencies to
replace the US dollar and be the World Reserve Currency (WRC). Okay, this has
not happened but the very idea would have been inconceivable just a few years
ago. President Putin has recommended that gold be used for all international
trade transactions. Given that all the US has done for the planet over the last
few decades the real irony is that no-one wants to be a creditor to America in
case they do not get their money back.
If this happens then panic could ensue as more countries and individuals try to
get out of the American currency. Obama will have to act and the probability is
he will cease free exchange of the USD into different currencies. In fact, the
present president may follow the idea of Roosevelt in the 1930s and ban the
buying or selling of gold.
At the time of writing, gold is not doing well, which is an excellent buying
opportunity to get as much bullion and gold equity into your portfolio as
possible. For any US expats, this time also is ideal for getting as much money
out of the US as possible. Why is this? Well despite not getting a WRC the
Chinese are still not happy. Over the last six years, it has increased its gold
reserves by more than three quarters and is in the top five of countries holding
gold. This is not all. As of the end of Q1 2009, the Chinese had the largest FX
reserves in the world at almost USD2 trillion.
Due to Obama’s policies, the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, is very worried that
the US dollar will weaken thus reducing the value of the US Treasuries that
China now owns. This is now nearly USD750 billion. Many Chinese financiers are
now advocating changing into commodities to protect Chinese investments. Other
Asian central banks are also thinking along the same lines. As Si Kannan,
associate vice president at Kotak Commodity Services Ltd, recently said, “While
the IMF is selling gold, Asian central banks are diversifying into gold. That’s
a good thing, in times of dollar uncertainty and the global volatility in the
forex market.”
It is also the ideal time for American expats to invest using the multi-asset
class approach thus creating a diversification of assets that they have never
had before. By doing this they will be guarding against large increases in
personal and corporate tax, inflation, restricting movement of money and massive
unemployment.
|
The above data and research was compiled from sources
believed to be reliable. However, neither MBMG International Ltd nor its
officers can accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the above
article nor bear any responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any
actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article. For
more information please contact Graham Macdonald on
[email protected]@mbmg-international.com.comm.com.com
|
Snap Shots: by Harry Flashman
Are you ready for a 400,000 baht camera?
 Until
recently, I have always been faithful to Nikons in the 35 mm range of
photography. However, when looking for greater clarity and sharpness, I
have always tended to go to the medium and large format cameras and
slide film, but Nikon has now come up with a camera that, on paper,
makes anything else obsolete, including medium format.
This new camera is the Nikon D3x, a professional level camera and an
update to the company’s professional D3 introduced in 2007. This new
full-frame, 24.5 megapixel camera has a list price of US$ 7,999.95
without lens. (As if the five cents off 8,000 would make you think that
it is in the US$7,000 range!)
The D3x is really designed for studio use, weighing a hefty 1.2 kg
without battery or lens. That is a monster weight, and whilst it can be
toted, it is way too heavy for average outdoors use.
While the D3x more than doubles the megapixel count of the D3, it does
so at the cost of dropping the maximum frame rate from nine frames per
second to five. The one area where it excelled was resolution,
demonstrating remarkable sharpness. The great advantage of the D3x over
most other cameras is its broad array of customizable features and
manual controls, in fact, this very latest Nikon has more features than
the average car! It should also be noted that the D3x, despite its
enormous price, does not have any auto modes. It is a dedicated manual
camera for the professionals who need total control at all times.
Specifications:
Camera resolution: 24.5Mp
LCD screen size: 3.0"
ISO speeds: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Max shutter speed: 1/8000
Min shutter speed: 30/1
Wired terminals / ports: HDMI Output, USB 2.0
The Nikon D3x has theoretically everything you could want in an
all-weather, all-conditions digital camera. A magnesium frame body with
rubber and plastic outer coating is resistant to shocks and drops, and
all the buttons are large and embossed.
The ergonomics and design of the Nikon D3x are largely similar to
Nikon’s D3 and D2X professional models. Two screens on the top and rear
of the camera provide all necessary information about ISO, aperture and
shutter speed. A (640x480) 3" screen is used for Live View, playback and
menu adjustment and is very sharp - it can easily be used for focusing
in Live View mode.
Dedicated buttons for ISO, white balance and quality allow for
adjustments to be made on the run without delving into on-screen menus,
while aperture and shutter speed dials surround both the top-mounted and
side-mounted shutter buttons making the Nikon D3x easy to use for either
portrait or landscape photography.
Now, despite the big spend, the new D3x is not the industry leader in
many other features. ISO settings of 100-1,600 are not as extensive as
the Nikon D3’s 200-6400 range. In continuous shooting mode, it is
significantly slower in its frames per second capability. Sure it is
shooting at double the mp, but the D3 is faster in the field.
To emphasize the complete control that the photographer can have over
the camera can be seen in the three color modes (called Picture Controls
by Nikon): Standard, Neutral and Vivid. Monochrome is also available.
There are substantial customization controls for each mode, and all of
the color modes can have their sharpening and contrast altered as well.
For example, the non-monochrome modes also let you change saturation and
hue, and monochrome can add filters (yellow, orange, red and green) and
tones (sepia, cyanotype, red, yellow, green, blue-green, blue,
purple-blue and red-purple).
One area where this very expensive camera did not perform as well as its
rivals (and some cameras from its own stable) was in white balance,
doing quite well in incandescent light sources, but not as good in
daylight. However, since this is predominantly a studio camera, this
deficiency might not be as great as it would appear.
But in the final appraisal comes the inescapable fact that this camera
is off the planet as far as pricing is concerned, and the results cannot
justify the price.
Modern Medicine:
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
Are you insured? For everything?
A friend of mine is currently fighting his medical insurance
company. It is the case of the little guy against the big corporation. They
don’t want to reimburse, and he says he is entitled. Who is right?
At the outset, I must say I have never been one out of whom insurance agents
grow fat. It has always been my feeling that there was something unbalanced
about my attendant hangers on (AKA children) getting rich at my expense when
I meet my final demise. When you really analyze it, you don’t even get to
enjoy your own wake! No, if anyone is going to benefit from my paying
insurance premiums every year, it is going to be me!
I have also been very lucky with my choice of careers. Being a medico does
have advantages. If I couldn’t fix my skin rash or whatever, I could always
ring a classmate who could (or should) be able to. Medications and drugs?
Again no worries, just a quick raid of the samples cupboard in my surgery
and I had everything I needed.
What about hospital in-patient insurance? I passed on that one too. After
all, the only foreseeable problems that could stop me working were massive
trauma following a road accident or suchlike, or a heart attack. In either
case you don’t care where you are as long as there are wall to wall running
doctors and plenty of pain killers. In Australia, the “free” public hospital
system is fine for that.
So I blithely carried on through life insuranceless. I did spend one night
in hospital with a broken leg 30 years ago, so as regards personal medical
costs versus proposed insurance premiums, I was still miles in front.
And then I came to Thailand. Still I blithely carried on, after all, I was
ten foot tall and bullet proof. Then a friend over here had a stroke and
required hospitalization. Said friend was four years younger than me and I
was forced to review the ten foot bullet proof situation to find I was only
five foot eleven and my anti-kryptonite had expired. Thailand was a
completely new ballgame.
Enquiries as to hospital and medical costs showed that they were
considerably less than the equivalent in Oz, but, and here’s the big but,
there’s no government system or sickness benefits to fall back on. Suddenly
you are walking the tightrope and there’s no safety net to stop you hitting
terra firma.
So I took out medical insurance. Still it was no gold plated cover. But it
was enough to look after me if I needed hospitalization, and that came
sooner than I imagined. I had always subscribed to the “major trauma”
theory, but two days of the galloping gutrot had me flat on my back with the
IV tube being my only life-line to the world. We are only mortal - even us
medicos.
Do you have medical insurance? Perhaps it is time to chat to a reputable
insurance broker! Yes, reliable insurance agents and reliable insurance
companies do exist, but you need help through the minefield.
You also need help when it comes to filling out the application forms, in my
opinion. And you also need to be 100 percent truthful. Yes, insurance
companies will check on your records, and if it is found that you have been
sparing with the truth over pre-existing conditions, expect a shock at
settling up time at the cashier’s desk.
I cannot emphasize enough the advisability of getting a broker. It is no
cheaper dealing direct and when it comes to a fight with the company, you
need someone on your side.
Remember too, that just because you have an insurance card does not
automatically signify that ‘everything’ is covered. This is why private
hospitals will ask you for a deposit on admission. If the insurance company
later verify that you are indeed covered for that ailment or condition, then
you’ll get it back, but you have to prove that you are covered, not the
other way round!
And remember that incredibly cheap insurance premiums means you are only
getting partial cover.
Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
I would first like to say I love your column. I enjoy it every week. I read your
article from the Thai Girl. In some ways I agree with her. I have married a bar
girl and have been happily married for going on 12 years. And yes the Thai Girl
is right in some respects the foreign man likes to have his cake and eat it too.
I visit Thailand at least 3-4 times a year and apart from visiting family, my
wife and I visit her friends at the bar even though the girls change throughout
the year as expected. But my wife always includes me on her outings and hides
nothing from me. Our marriage is very happy and she has told me that she is
happy.
I do not deny her many things and that I do say no to she understands. All it
takes is a little co-operation between each other and that goes along way.
Oh before I forget Hillary I am currently in China with my wife - do you require
anything? We will be in Pattaya early July so just give the word and we will
bring you a present.
Hillary keep up the good work. I believe you have all of the readers by the
short and curlies just reel them in when you want to.
Baza and Jana
Dear Baza and Jan,
Well, aren’t you the sweetest thing? A present from China? I don’t think they
make champagne over there (yes, yes, I know that “champagne” can only come from
the champagne area in France), but I haven’t heard of Chinese ‘methode
champenoise’ wines, but it might be fun to try? Getting real (for a change), you
have hit the nail right on its head when you say, “All it takes is a little
co-operation between each other and that goes along way.” That’s what Thai Girl
was looking for, and you too admitted that “the foreign man likes to have his
cake and eat it too.” If there were more foreign men like you, the world would
be a happier place. Finally, Baza, are you from Australia? Your spelling is
atrocious. You will see I have corrected the mistakes!
Dear Hillary,
I was just wondering, is there a new Hillary? The style of writing seems to have
changed. Ms. Hillary does not seem as sassy. I trust all is well. BTW: I read
Pattaya Mail via on line.
A fan from the states
Dear A fan from the States,
My sweet petal, I am the same Hillary, and just as sassy when I see you don’t
even remember to put a capital letter (that’s the big ones, sweetheart) at the
start of the “States”. That’s short for the United States, Petal. If you write
“states”, that relates to any old state you like. I’m glad you can read better
than you write. There you are, sassy enough?
Dear Hilary,
Well, you have inadvertently disclosed something about yourself in making a
“Freudian slip”. By admitting Freud was a friend of yours you most certainly
must be a very ancient crone, as the man cashed in his mortal coil in 1939, that
is 70 years ago to save you consulting your abacus. Or was this claim of
friendship untrue, and you were merely seeking fame by association? Nothing is
documented in his memoirs that he knew of your existence, but you are certainly
of great age to even allege you were of his acquaintance !! It is a great pity
wisdom did not accompany your ageing process. Now, what would Freud have made of
you ? The mind boggles. As Freud once profoundly said in his book titled “Agony
Aunts Are Always Abysmal” (it was awarded 5A ratings in the best sellers list),
“There’s many a slip between hand and hip.”
And you have leapt to some unwarranted conclusions. By asking if I still have my
rocking horse is akin to asking a total stranger “When did you stop beating your
wife?” Of course I still have that memory of a very happy childhood, and his
name is “Giddyup”.
But back to my original subject - the flaunting lady. Circumstance has forced
her to cease her shameless behavior of showering in full view of neighbors. The
other night, while performing her normal erotic ablutions, she unfortunately
tripped over her Zimmer frame and sustained such injuries that she was whisked
off to hospital on a stretcher. I haven’t seen her since, so perhaps the medics
are having difficulty in putting her back together. However, knowing your
penchant for such things, I do have photographs which I’ve saved especially for
you to view.
Puritanical Pattaya Parishioner
Dear PPP,
You are indeed a very sick puppy. Whatever gave you the idea that I would be in
the slightest interested in photographs of someone being whisked off on a
stretcher? Or were you offering photographs of your rocking horse? Once more you
have made conclusions not based on sound facts. There’s more than one Freud in
this world, my peeping Petal. At last count there were 84 in the Austrian phone
books. My friend Ziggy Freud (amateur psychologist) should not be confused with
Sigmund Freud (professional psychologist and erstwhile author). I am glad your
next door neighbor has now left you in peace, and this closes the correspondence
on this subject.
Let’s go to the movies:
by Mark Gernpy
Now playing in
Pattaya
State of Play: If indeed it shows up – it was unsure at press
time. If it’s here, see it! It’s a highly-regarded thriller about an
investigative journalist (Russell Crowe) in the midst of a vast
conspiracy – engrossing, smart, unnerving, and timely. The excellent
cast includes Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jason
Bateman, Jeff Daniels, and Helen Mirren. Generally favorable reviews.
Up: US (Disney/Pixar), Animation/ Family – I loved it, and it seems
so does everyone else! By far the most loved film of the year up to
now. It’s an animated fantasy adventure about a 78-year-old balloon
salesman (voiced by Ed Asner) who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of
a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and
flies away to the wilds of South America. He discovers all too late
that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: 8-year-old
Russell. Also starring Christopher Plummer, and a speech-assisted dog.
Another masterful work of art from Pixar – an exciting, hilarious, and
heartfelt adventure, impeccably crafted and told with wit and depth.
Reviews: Universal acclaim.
Drag Me to Hell: US, Horror/ Thriller – Terrific! Director Sam Raimi
is in outstanding B-movie form. Get into your horror-film frame of
mind, and go for a lot of laughs and chills. Alison Lohman stars as a
loan officer who becomes the victim of a curse, with evil spirits on her
trail and certain damnation in her future – unless she can break the
spell. The film is a wickedly good time: blood-curdlingly scary and
ghoulishly funny, it’s also taut and timely. The best-reviewed horror
film in years. Reviews: Universal acclaim.
Dek Khong: Thai, Comedy/ Drama – The “King Kong Gang” is a powerful
and invincible gang that rules and terrorizes all the kids in the
kindergarten, led by a boy of such immense size that a high-school girl
who thinks he’s in high school falls for him, rendering him incapable of
leading his gang.
Roommate: Thai, Romance/ Drama – About three young females and two
young males who live together and play together in a rock band named
Roommate. Sequences of the band’s music are included as well. (In Thai
only/ no English subtitles.)
Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins: US/ UK, Action/ Sci-Fi –
Primarily for action junkies and gamers. In this fourth installment of
The Terminator film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018,
Christian Bale stars as a man fated to lead the human resistance against
Skynet and its army of Terminators. If you’ve seen any of the other
three installments of this series, you know what to expect: Plenty of
chases, explosions, and great effects. Mixed or average reviews.
Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian: USA/ Canada,
Action/ Comedy – If you liked the first adventure, you’re sure to like
this one even more – bigger, better, and with fantastic special
effects. First it was the New York Museum of Natural History, now it’s
the Smithsonian after some of Ben Stiller’s resurrected friends were
shipped to Washington for storage. He finds himself in the middle of a
vast conflict between many of the museum’s most noteworthy historical
figures, so in part it’s a mild history lesson, mixed in with the
foolishness. Mixed or average reviews.
Angels & Demons: US, Crime/ Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller – A tight,
taut thriller. The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci
Code returns for this highly anticipated follow-up, based on the
bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard
symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with
ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance
their goals. Ron Howard again directs. The film has been written as a
sequel to follow after events in The Da Vinci Code. Mixed or
average reviews.
Star Trek (2009): US/ Germany, Sci-Fi/ Action – All new! I think
it’s a great deal of fun, for fans of the series, and also for those who
are not. This highly-rated film is a reboot of the series, going back
to the series’ ’60s roots by depicting the formative experiences of the
legendary heroes Kirk and Spock. The young James Tiberius Kirk is a
wild Iowa boy whose father sacrificed himself at the helm of a spaceship
at the very moment he was being born. He is convinced to attend the
Starfleet Academy and join the crew of the Enterprise. Meanwhile,
headed for the same destination, is Spock, with a troubled background as
a half-human, half-Vulcan. How these two very opposite figures become
mutually trusted colleagues is the basic story of the film. It’s very
well done, and I found it engrossing. See it! Reviews: Universal
acclaim.
Blood: The Last Vampire: Hong Kong/ Japan, Action/ Horror – A
thoroughly disgusting mess of violence and killing. Skip it!
Rated R in the US for strong bloody stylized violence. In English,
mostly.
Health & Will being: Swine Flu (A H1N1 2009) - Infectivity and Virulence
Dr. Iain Corness
When looking at any epidemic it is important to differentiate
between “infectivity” and “virulence”.
Infectivity
When any infection spreads quickly throughout the world, its infectivity
is high. The World Health Organization (WHO) has several levels in
looking at the infectivity, with the top one being Level 6 and this is
called a “pandemic”.
WHO has now declared Swine Flu to be a pandemic (Level 6). WHO’s
declaration of a Level 6 pandemic simply means the virus is spreading
across the world.
WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan said the pandemic declaration did not mean
the virus was causing more severe illness or more deaths. The WHO levels
do not predict the severity of a virus.
It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the
world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and
Chile. Currently, it has been detected in 74 countries.
As I write this, there has been around 30,000 cases identified globally,
but there are probably more.
Virulence
The virulence of any virus refers to just how powerful it is, and
ultimately, how likely it is to be lethal.
Out of the 30,000 cases of Swine Flu, there have been less than 150
deaths world-wide, so whilst the virus is spreading, there is currently
no evidence that it is very virulent, or increasing in its severity.
It should be remembered that every year in the United States, on
average: 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the ‘flu’; more than
200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications; and
about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes.
Compare that with the 150 deaths from A H1N1 2009.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Rapid blood tests are available to test for Seasonal Flu A and Flu B.
Those who test positive for Flu A can then be further screened for A
H1N1 2009.
There is medication which can be taken to reduce the symptoms of all
viral flu infections.
Immunization is recommended for Flu A and Flu B, though currently there
is no vaccine for A H1N1 2009, but this is currently being developed.
General precautions to avoid Flu A 2009 Flu
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through ‘droplet
infection’ by coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw
the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or
sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. Stay home from work or school and limit
contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds
and other social distancing measures.
Vaccines and Anti-virals
The Bangkok Hospital Pattaya has stocks of Seasonal Flu vaccine and
anti-viral medication (Tamiflu), and prices have been lowered to make
these more affordable for everyone.
|
|
|
|
News | Business | Features |
Columns | Mail Bag |
Sports | Auto Mania
Our Children | Travel |
Our Community | Dining Out & Entertainment
Social Scene | Classifieds |
Community Happenings | Books Music Movies
Clubs in Pattaya | Sports Round-Up
E-mail: [email protected]
Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
62/284-286 Thepprasit Road, (Between Soi 6 & 8) Moo 12, Pattaya City
T. Nongprue, A. Banglamung,
Chonburi 20150 Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596
Copyright © 2004 Pattaya Mail. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
|
|
