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Money matters
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Snap Shots
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Modern Medicine
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Heart to Heart with Hillary
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Let’s go to the movies
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Money matters:
Graham Macdonald
MBMG International Ltd.
Nominated for the Lorenzo Natali Prize
The Battle is Lost but can we win the War? Part 2
Normally, when there is a recession jobs come back on the
market as the economy continues on in the same direction. When there is a
depression this is not necessarily so. Debts are paid off and the consumer keeps
hold of his money whenever possible. The economy contracts until the time that
debt is back to acceptable levels or a new way of getting growth can be found.
The present problems are not helped by the fact the US Dollar has lost about 25%
of its purchasing power over the same length of time. This can be interpreted to
read that investors have basically lost 25% of their money over the last ten
years. This is not exactly what investing is about - especially as there is a
good chance they have lost their job as well.
People are wondering what President Obama is going to do. He is printing money
at the moment and will have to borrow more. The problem is that if he borrows
too much then the Chinese will object. What to do? He is being very Keynesian
about the whole thing. Is there an alternative?
Well, in the crisis of 1920, President Harding did absolutely nothing. He let
nature take its course. He cut government spending and reduced the budget by
half. He decreased taxes and lowered the National Debt by over 30 percent.
Within two years unemployment was down to just over two percent.
Unfortunately, Obama is president at a time when he is expected to act. He is
also surrounded by people who put their own interests first. It does not look
good that many of those in positions of power at the moment are directly or
indirectly employed by Goldman Sachs. This is the company that recently
announced its profits were four times that of twelve months ago. It has just
awarded payouts of billions. Yet it is advising on toxic assets, TARP etc.
As said in the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs and its “activities have become
more profitable after the crisis reduced competition and governments injected
funds in the banking system.” Goldman can borrow this money at basically no cost
to itself. The bank can use this money anyway it wants to. It can, and I love
this, lend back to the government at a guaranteed rate which is automatic profit
or it can buy commodities or shares or whatever it wants to. It can even
speculate against the US Dollar. It is not surprising gold has gone up so much
this year. If one borrows at basically zero cost then it is a lot easier to make
money from the markets.
The American government has over USD13 trillion financed in various debts. Isn’t
it wonderful that Goldman Sachs gets a cut as well? Not happy with this, Obama
has recently said he wants to send seventy eight million American senior
citizens a cheque for USD250. This is from a government which is losing USD15
billion every 24 hours. Brilliant!
The Wall Street Journal recently asked the CEO of CCB, one of China’s largest
banks, if he was interested in acquiring any western banks. Guo Shuquing said
there was no chance. Carrying on, he said that banks in the west are on a
“downhill path.”
Prices are on the way down in America. They have retreated almost twelve percent
from where they were a year ago. If you remove energy they are still down four
percent. Remember, this is with a US Dollar that is losing value at the same
time. The price of imports should be going up; however, deflation is causing the
reverse.
What happens then if America does what Japan has done and goes into a slump for
many years? Obama’s budget forecast states there will be a quick return to
growth whilst admitting there will still be trillion dollar deficits until 2020
at least. The problem is that if the government is wrong then there are real
problems. There is no increase in tax revenue and spending carries on upwards.
Soon the trillion dollar deficits become multi-trillion. The country cannot cope
and could follow the example of California and go broke.
However, America has one thing that the Golden State does not - a printing
press. The problem is that it is cheaper to go broke than it is to keep printing
money. It is not helped by these moronic figures either.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures about USD4.5 trillion
of banking reserves. The problem is that it actually only insures about USD10
billion. The mathematics is elementary - USD4.5 trillion divided by USD10
billion means that each USD450 dollars on deposit is being insured by one US
Dollar. Put another way, it is way under 1% worth of insurance. The FDIC insures
over 8,000 banks. As of 23rd October 2009, 100 US banks have failed this year.
This is over one percent. There are another 400 on the critical list. The
question is, what happens if another one percent fails? Answer: The US taxpayer
and the printing presses get hit again.
However, it is not only the US that is in the pooh.
To be continued…
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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]
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Snap Shots: by Harry Flashman
Buying a compact for Xmas
 At
some stage in your life you are going to buy a camera. If not for you,
then for your children. With Xmas coming up, the answer is probably
sooner rather than later. So what should you buy?
That question is about the same as “What car should I buy?” You see, the
confusing part is that these days all cameras will produce reasonable
photographs. However, like all cars which will get you from A to B, some
are capable of doing it better than others. The same goes for cameras.
However, before you start rushing off to the camera store, picking up
brochures or thumbing through photography magazines there is one vital
step that has to be done first. How much do you want to spend? It is a
total waste of time looking at a new BMW if all you can afford is a
second hand Corolla. Set a ceiling on your budget and work from there.
The next item in the search for a camera is what you want to do with it.
Sure you want to take photographs, but do you want to be a creative
photographer, or just take snaps of family outings at the beach? If you
do not want to “get involved” with photography, then a simple compact
“Point and Shoot” is all you need. However, if you want to try and
master the art of photography then you must look at getting a digital
SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera, even though some top end compacts will
allow you to fiddle with shutter speeds, etc. Certainly, the top of the
range compacts have lots of features usually only seen in SLRs these
days - but nothing, repeat nothing, beats a DSLR for 35 mm photography.
So now let’s look at megapixels in compacts first. Let’s get megapixels
out of the way first. More megapixels in a compact camera does not mean
that you will necessarily get a better final picture. It is all very
complicated, but I just suggest you look at something between five and
10 megapixels as having more than enough for what you want a compact
camera to do.
Now the lens. Get an optical zoom, rather than a ‘digital’ zoom. Most
compact digital cameras feature a 3x zoom lens, which offers a
reasonably wide-angle setting at one end and a short telephoto at the
other. Some of the larger compact cameras offer a more generous optical
zoom, like the Canon PowerShot, which combines a 12x zoom lens with an
image stabilization system.
I suggest that you look at any one that has a range in the focal length
of the lens. Generally these are called something like 28-70 or 38-105.
This sort of range gives you the advantage of a wide angle lens and a
small telephoto all built in. What to look for here is just how easy is
it to look through the viewfinder and see what you are going to get in
the different lens positions. With most compacts you can also use the
LCD screen to compose your pictures, but remember that the more you use
the LCD, the sooner the camera runs out of batteries.
The majority of compact cameras now come without separate viewfinders,
so a clear and bright LCD is essential for composing shots. With this in
mind, a 2.5 to 3.0 inch LCD is preferable over smaller sizes. Bigger is
better.
Now the ASA that this compact can run under. A good sensitivity range,
typically from 50 to 800 ISO, also gives you the best chance of getting
the shots you want without resorting to built-in flash. However, try as
much as possible to run around 100-200 ASA. You will get better snaps,
without “noise”. Remember this is a snapshot camera, not a DSLR.
Now to batteries. If you are a very disciplined type of photographer,
who always keeps the rechargeable batteries fully charged, then get a
camera which takes rechargeable ones. If, however, this just isn’t you,
then get a compact which allows you to use standard off-the-shelf
batteries which you can buy at any convenience store.
And finally - try before you buy!
Modern Medicine:
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
End of year - and end of life
As we approach the end of 2009, we look forward to 2010 and
have the hope that it will be a better one than this year. I hope so too, as
none of us have been left untouched by the fall-out from the world’s
economic crisis.
However, there are those amongst us for whom New Year 2010 is possibly the
last one they will celebrate. How should those people living with terminal
cancer approach 2010? I prefer to call the situation ‘living’ with a
terminal cancer, rather than ‘dying’ from a terminal cancer. There is a
significant difference, and much more than looking at life through my
rose-colored glasses.
So you have just found out you have terminal cancer. What can you do? The
first thing is to sit down and take stock of your circumstances. All of us
know that the piece of string called “life” eventually comes to an end - but
we don’t know when. The only difference with you is that your doctor has
actually told you when your piece of “life” string is due to run out.
Now whilst the immediate thought is “How do I beat this?” there are many
factors you have to consider in the time ahead, and one of the main ones is
called ‘The Quality of Life’.
It is natural for a person with advanced cancer to feel many emotions
including anger, fear, and sadness. Just as you may need time to adjust to
this new phase of your life, your family and friends may also need time to
adjust to these new circumstances.
Once you were given the diagnosis, the onus is now on you to find out as
much as you can about your particular cancer. Talk with your treating
doctors, and get information from reliable internet sites. Note I say
“reliable” sites. There are always plenty of sites ready to sell you snake
oil. However, I do suggest you read everything and become the world expert
on your own condition. But don’t buy snake oil.
But back to Quality of Life. Now is the time to manage your symptoms. Your
quality of life is better if your symptoms are under control. Talk to your
doctors about the best way for you to manage your symptoms. Analgesics (pain
killers) are important, and there are many with different capabilities. With
some of the patch technology, the pain relief is almost as good as
injections. There’s a lot more than paracetamol.
Do not be afraid to ask your doctors to fully explain any proposed
treatment. Getting an extra two months of life, but at the cost of the
Quality of Life, may not be worth having. Always keep that in mind. Quality
of (the remaining) life is everything. You do not want to spend those
‘extra’ two months in an ICU recovering from major surgery.
Please make your wishes known as well. Making the decision to stop active
cancer treatments can be a hard choice for a person with cancer and their
family. These are personal choices. If you are faced with making these
decisions, talk with your family and doctors about your wishes and explore
all of your options. You are still able to make decisions about your life to
the extent that you desire. Just keep saying that mantra “Quality of Life”,
that is the key to everything at this stage. Don’t forget it!
You may also consider creating a ‘Living Will’ or giving specific
instructions on what your wishes are as your cancer progresses. This process
helps make your end-of-life wishes and desires known to family, friends, and
your doctors and can help ensure that your wishes are honored.
Sorry if the column this week sounds a little deep and dark, but it can give
assistance to those who feel as if all their options have gone. There are
always options. Even deciding not to continue with various therapies is an
option. From my personal point of view, I have taken note of the old phrase
“You can’t take it with you,” and consequently I have decided not to go.
That’s another option!
Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
We have all heard of copy Rolex watches, copy Nike sports wear, and copy Gucci
handbags in Thailand, but like you have yet to see any! Well forget all the
lovelorn letters you get Hillary and try and get to the bottom of this one, copy
Toilet Rolls!
Yes it’s no bum steer I’m giving you Hillary, here is the case in question. I
bought ‘Scott Extra Care’ toilet tissues. They were the best I have ever had in
Thailand, so soft. When I went to purchase toilet tissues again I made sure I
got exactly the same. I even took the wrapper from the previous pack with me to
be sure. To my surprise they were nothing like the previous pack, more like
sandpaper or that Zit brand we can get!
Should I write to Kimberly Clark who are the makers of that brand, or just sit
and bear it?
I guess if I pursue the matter we might see that steam roller that is used to
demolish copy DVDs demolishing mountains of toilet rolls!
Anyway I thought this revelation would be a change from all the usual letters we
get to read. All the every best to you all at ‘The Mail’.
Kind regards
Delboy
Dear Delboy,
How nice to hear from you again. I always enjoy your bright and fluffy emails,
and sorry that you got rolled by some fakes. Obviously these were actually the
John Wayne brand (don’t take no sh*t from nobody). I don’t think I can get any
more double entendres out of this subject – you grabbed them all first.
How is your young monk getting along with his diesel plant? All the best for the
New Year. With the price of fuel going up all the time, perhaps I should be
asking for diesel instead of champagne!
Dear Hillary,
Sorry we can’t come over this Xmas and bring you some French bubbly and
chocolates, but it will have to wait until Easter next year. We always enjoy
your column but wonder are there really that many men so silly as to imagine
that a gorgeous 19 year old falls in love with a 70 year old pensioner? All the
best. Toorah.
George and Mabel
Dear George and Mabel,
You are correct. 70 year old pensioners should not be taken in by 19 year olds
but should look for a 70 year old Thai woman to settle down with. The Thai woman
by that stage will be a grandmother and her daughters will be sending her money
each month, so this is an extra income on top of his pension, and he can play
with the grandchildren and pretend they are his and then help with their
homework.
It really needs Hillary to get up to Suvarnabhumi and direct the traffic.
Perhaps a ‘Silly Old Pensioners’ gate after they’ve been through the ‘Aliens’
gate could be a good idea. I could match them up with some old dears from
up-country and charge a small ‘finders’ fee, which I could spend at the
champagne counter of the duty free at the airport. I might even be able to
stretch it to some chocs as well, if I can grab a couple of the old codgers.
Thank you for the great idea, and have a nice Xmas and a great New Year too.
Dear Hillary,
I am an American and I want to buy a house here in Thailand, but I believe it is
not possible for me to do this. Is this right? If so, is there a way around this
problem because I really would like to do this, as I have met a fabulous little
lady and would like to have a home for us. I want to make sure I am the legal
owner, just as I would check back in the States.
Chuck
Dear Chuck,
I don’t know who told you this, my Petal, but they are wrong. Buying a house is
very easy for foreigners here, it’s just ‘owning’ it that is a little more
difficult. Let me explain, even though any reputable real estate person could
give you this advice better than I can. ‘Buying’ means giving somebody (known as
the seller) a pile of money, for which they will give you a pile of bricks
sitting on a lump of dirt. To do this very quickly, I suggest you go to the
nearest beer bar and ask to see one of the female real estate consultants there
who can be recognized by the fact they will invite you to “sit down please, sexy
man”. This young lady will help you through the paperwork and Thai laws and
statutes, and at the end of the time you will have managed to complete your
dream of buying a house here in Thailand. The only catch is that the title deeds
will be in her name, not yours, but up till the time of the title deeds being
issued, you will also have a very faithful companion. After the issuance of said
title deeds, things generally change somewhat. That gets us back to the
differences between ‘buying’ and ‘owning’. Please go and ask for a reputable
real estate agent, and not in the beer bars.
Let’s go to the movies:
by Mark Gernpy
Now playing in
Pattaya
Avatar: US, Action/ Adventure/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – From
director James Cameron, his first feature film since Titanic.
The story involves a band of humans pitted in battle against a distant
planet’s indigenous population.
I haven’t seen this yet, since it only opened in most of the world
yesterday, so until I do I must depend on others’ early reports. And
the reports are very good indeed, with review after review praising the
film on multiple levels. Variety’s is typical: Todd McCarthy writes,
“James Cameron’s long-gestating epic pitting Earthly despoilers against
a forest-dwelling alien race delivers unique spectacle, breathtaking
sights, narrative excitement, and an overarching anti-imperialist,
back-to-nature theme that will play very well around the world. Cameron
delivers again with a film of universal appeal that just about everyone
who ever goes to the movies will need to see.”
Another reviewer writes, “Rich, soulful, and exciting in the way that
only comes from seeing a master artist at work.” However, he and many
reviewers highly recommend that viewers see the film only in its
intended 3D format.
In the UK, where it has opened early, a reviewer at The Sun raves, “It’s
a 3D movie people will look back on in years to come to comment on how
it transformed cinema.” And he continues to say, “The only reason that
Avatar won’t top Titanic at the box office is that there
are not enough digital screens around the world to show it in all its 3D
wonder.”
Sounds like the movie to see this week!
The Box: US, Horror/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – Just delicious! That’s my
overall impression: a film to be savored. And in particular, a tasty
performance by Frank Langella that will make you drool. Delightful
fun! James Marsden and Cameron Diaz play a suburban couple with a young
boy who receive a simple wooden box as a gift. The box promises to
bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But,
pressing the button will simultaneously cause the death of another human
being somewhere in the world; someone they don’t know. It’s a curiously
haunting tale that will intrigue your brain with attempts to decipher
the connections between events that you are sure are connected,
and fathom the meaning of events that you are sure have meaning.
Directed by Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko). Mixed or average
reviews, but highly recommended. At Major Cineplex only.
New York, I Love You: France/ US, Drama/ Romance – An anthology
joining ten short films by ten directors, all love stories set in New
York. The rules: No more than two days’ shooting time. One week of
editing. An eight-minute time limit. If one film isn’t working for
you, just wait a few minutes. Rated R in the US for language and sexual
content. Mixed or average reviews. At Pattaya Beach only.
The Fourth Kind: US, Horror/ Mystery/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – “There are
four kinds of alien encounters. The fourth kind is abduction.”
Fact-based (?) thriller involving an ongoing unsolved mystery in Alaska,
where one town has seen an extraordinary number of unexplained
disappearances during the past 40 years and there are accusations of a
federal cover up. Despite a somewhat gimmicky presentation, it has some
decent shocks. If you’re already reading this before seeing the movie,
it’s nearly too late. Do yourself a favor and don’t read anything more
about the film before you go in. This is a movie that needs to be taken
in with a blank and open mind to be appreciated. Generally unfavorable
reviews.
The Founding of a Republic / Jian guo da ye: China, Drama/ History –
The film was made to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Chinese
Communist Party founding of China. The film boasts the most number of
China’s movie stars in one film – many of the country’s top stars were
invited to star as leads, supporting characters, or just a cameo in the
film, reportedly including some of the top Chinese stars like Jackie
Chan and Jet Li, who only have one shot or one line in the film. This
political drama begins in 1945 and chronicles the Chinese Civil War,
which eventually led to the Kuomintang’s retreat onto the island of
Taiwan, as well as the Communist Party’s establishment of the new
country in 1949. The film makes no pretence of doing anything other
than recounting history, and may prove to be a refreshing introduction.
At Big C only.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol: US, Animation/ Drama/ Family/ Fantasy –
If you at all like animation, don’t miss it. It’s a faithful recreation
of the Charles Dickens classic – one of literature’s most haunting tales.
Mixed or average reviews, but I can’t recommend it highly enough. Shown
in 3D, which in this case is a marvel, and only at SF Pattaya Beach.
The Echo: US, Horror/ Thriller – A moody piece of work, a slow
burner rather than a big shocker. It’s a remake in English of the
Filipino horror movie Sigaw with the same director, Yam Laranas.
Rated R in the US for violence, disturbing images, and brief language.
In Thailand, 15+. At Major Cineplex only.
Pai in Love: Thai, Romance/ Comedy – Thai ensemble romantic comedy
of six short films centered about a group of friends who all happen to
take a winter vacation to the same place – Pai, northern Thailand’s
hippie retreat. Somehow, in that small province, they all find the true
meaning of love. Unfortunately only in Thai.
Yam Yasothon 2 / Hello Yasothorn 2: Thai, Comedy – Thai down-country
comedy with popular comedian Mum Jokmok and the usual TV comedians,
engaged in rustic humor. In Isan dialect, with Central Thai and English
subtitles.
Ninja Assassin: US/ Germany, Action/ Crime/ Thriller – A
blood-soaked combination of physical stunts and digital trickery,
featuring the shyly expressive Korean pop star Rain. Not recommended,
unless you’re easily delighted by ultraviolence for its own sake. Rated
R in the US for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and
language. 18+ in Thailand. Generally unfavorable reviews.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon: US, Drama/ Fantasy/ Romance – It’s for
teenaged girls with raging hormones who want very safe romance, with
just the vaguest threat of titillating danger. Vast numbers of people
love this movie. It’s really just a matter of taste. Mixed or average
reviews.
2012: US/ Canada, Action/ Drama/ Thriller – The end of (almost) the
whole world, as only Director Roland Emmerich can show it, and very well
done indeed. The director’s had lots of practice. Mixed or average
reviews.
Yom Pee Poa: Thai, Comedy/ Drama – A mischievous orphan becomes a
young monk in a temple where the ghost of his father appears to ask him
for help. (15+) At Pattaya Beach only, and in Thai only.
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