Coach Carter

I tell our kids all the time:
"If you get one percent better a day, within 100 days you'll be 100 percent better."
it's just a real simple philosophy.

"AVERAGE is just not good enough. Period!"

-Coach Ken Carter,
Richmond High Basketball Coach and Mentor
Motivation Speaker

Don't miss the movie 'Coach Carter' acted by Samuel L. Jackson (based on his real life story).

Eleanor Arroway Testifies About Her Experience

Arroway:

"I had an experience .... I can't prove... I can't even explain it.

But everything that I know as a human being, everything I am tells me that it was real. I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever.

A vision of the universe, that tell us undeniably how tiny and insignificant and how rare and precious we all are. A vision that tells us that we belong to something that is greater than ourselves, that we are not, that none of us are alone. I wish.. I could share that.. I wish that everyone if even for one moment could feel that awe and humility and hope. But -- that continues to be my wish...."

(From: Jodie Foster, in the movie - Contact, 1997)

Money Rules to Live By VII

The role risk plays
Every human endeavor carries some risk, and investments are no exception. What differs is the amount and type of risk and how you're compensated for taking it.
The 30-day Government Treasury bill, for example, is one of the "safest" investments around if you're solely concerned with getting back your original investment. The T-bill is backed by the full faith and credit of the government. But the average return on a 30-day T-bill over the past years is just 3.34%. That's just above the historical 3% inflation rate for the same period; if you factor in taxes, you probably lost money! Don't forget: GST is gearing up to 7% soon!!
Large-company stocks, by contrast, returned an average 10.4% annually during the same period. That handily beats inflation, but as everyone who has invested in the past decade knows, stocks aren't a sure thing. There were plenty of years along the way that the market for large-company stocks dived, and if you invested all your money in a single stock -- say, Enron -- you could be wiped out. That's called market risk.
Here's what you should take away: You'll almost certainly need to take some market risk if you want to grow your wealth and beat inflation over time. But you should also be wary of anyone who "guarantees" a high return on an investment. If you're earning much more than the going rate on a T-bill, you're taking some risk, and you should understand that risk before proceeding.

Ask the Convict

A man went to the police station wishing to speak with the burglar who had broken in to his house the night before.
"You will get your chance in court," said the desk sergeant.
"NO, no, no!", said the man.
"I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife. I've been trying to do that for years!"

Love Letter

My Dear Wife,

I remember the day, my love, when we repeated our wedding vows. I was quite nervous, my palms were sweaty, and I longed for the whole thing to hurry up and end. But at the same time, I wanted it to go on forever. You were so beautiful, my bride. I still remember the sparkle in your eyes as you walked down the aisle towards me. On that day, I promised, before God and the whole world, to love and to cherish you for the rest of your days.

I still stand by that promise, maybe even more now than I did then, for now I better understand the significance of such a vow. Here and now, I promise you that I will be committed to our marriage for the rest of my life.

Because I Love You,

Your Husband.