Coming for the Party?

Sam had been in business for 25 years & is finally sick of the stress. He quits his job & buys 50 acres of land in Alaska as far from humanity as possible. Sam sees the postman once a week & gets groceries once a month. Otherwise it's total peace & quiet.

After six months or so of almost total isolation, someone knocks on his door. He opens it & there is a big, bearded man standing there.

"Name's Lars... your neighbor from forty miles away.... having a party Friday to celebrate the new Millennium.... thought you'd like to come... about 5..."

"Great," says Sam, "after six months out here I'm ready to meet some local folks. Thank you."

As Lars is leaving, he stops. "Gotta warn you... there's gonna be some drinkin'."

"Not a problem... after 25 years in business, I can drink with the best of 'em."

Again, as he starts to leave, Lars stops. "More 'n' likely gonna be some fightin' too."

Sam says, "Well, I get along with people. I'll be there. Thanks again."

Once again Lars turns from the door. "I've seen some wild sex at these parties, too."

"Now that's really not a problem," says Sam. "I've been all alone for six months! I'll definitely be there. By the way, what should I wear?"

Lars stops in the door again and says, "Whatever you want, just gonna be the two of us."

Enjoy your Work Lately?

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."

- Dale Carnegie

Wonders with Numbers

Check this out:

1 + 2 + 34 - 5 + 67 - 8 + 9 = 100
12 + 3 - 4 + 5 + 67 + 8 + 9 = 100
123 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 + 8 - 9 = 100
123 + 4 - 5 + 67 - 89 = 100
123 + 45 - 67 + 8 - 9 = 100
123 - 45 - 67 + 89 = 100
12 - 3 - 4 + 5 - 6 + 7 + 89 = 100
12 + 3 + 4 + 5 - 6 - 7 + 89 = 100
1 + 23 - 4 + 5 + 6 + 78 - 9 = 100
1 + 23 - 4 + 56 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 100

Today's One-liner humor

Always wanted to be a procrastinator, but never got around to it.

The Sinning Painter

The church steeple in Port Gibson is very high & was being painted on a rather hot day. The painter was about half way down &, as the steeple was widening out, was taking more paint. The painter felt that he might not have enough paint to finish. Since he was hot & tired, & did not care to make another trip to the ground, he decided to stretch the amount of paint by adding some paint thinner to it.

When finished, he lowered himself to the ground & went about cleaning up. Then he looked up to see the results of his work & noted that the area with the thinned paint looked decidedly different. He was pondering about what to do about it when the sky turned dark & there was a lightning flash & loud thunderclap.

Then in a loud, booming voice from the sky came the words, "REPAINT AND THIN NO MORE!"

(compare to: Repent & sin no more)

Malaysia: Hotter than Hot!

Country: Malaysia
Capital: Kuala Lumpur (KL)
Population: 26.6 millions
Predominant Religion: Islam
Currency: Ringget
Weather: Hot
Economy: Hotter than Hot!

I have reasons to believe that Malaysia will be one of the fastest-growing islamic economies in the world. The country’s largest industry is manufacturing, which accounts for 30.7% of the economy. Malaysia boasts booming auto manufacturing businesses, vibrant furniture factories, & thriving electronics & semiconductor chip makers.

Tin & base metals account for another 15% of the economy, & the country’s financial services industry now comprises another 16%. Other important areas are agriculture (palm oil & rubber), trade, construction, & tourism. Malaysia’s economy expanded at a very healthy 5.9% last year, more than twice as fast as the U.S. economy.

With only $39 billion in gross domestic product, the country is tiny by comparison, but its GDP looks set to keep soaring in the years ahead. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Malaysia is also exploding higher, reaching a record $5.7 billion in 2006, up more than 12% from 2005.

Malaysia clearly has an economic advantage because of its vast natural resources in agriculture, mining, & oil. It also has strong roots in British law, largely due to the British occupation from 1795 to 1957, after which the independent Malaysia was formed. They have a large English-speaking population too, & this widespread use of English is a huge plus, especially when you put it into the context of economic growth.

But Malaysia has another unique advantage that I believe will help push its economy ahead at solid growth rates for several more years: It is home to the largest Islamic capital markets in the world! The Malaysian government has always been sensitive to the Islamic religion, &, unlike many other Muslim countries, it has kept the religion’s principals in mind when it comes to monetary matters.

Case in point: Malaysia is the first Islamic country to have its own Islam-based stock exchange, the Bursa Malaysia Berhad. This subset of the country’s main stock market was launched on March 18, 2005. The exchange lists equities, derivatives, & offshore markets — but only those that adhere to Islamic tenets. For example, companies cannot actively seek revenues from interest income, gambling, life insurance, tobacco, or alcohol.

In short, Malaysia has done what no other country has done — accommodated the tenets of Islamic law in its economy & its stock market by setting up separate listings. These companies allow the devout to invest with a conscience & help foster the Islamic economy.

Interestingly, this Malaysian system wouldn’t work in many other areas of the world. But it gives tens of millions of Muslim investors a unique solution to today’s rapidly changing financial markets. There are over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world today, representing 24% of the world’s population. Key developments like Malaysia’s Bursa Berhad help to bring them into modern society while addressing their religious needs.

My take: Malaysia’s economy is poised for loads of growth in the years ahead. Its stock markets have recently pulled back, & now look very attractive to investors. Considering also the fact that China is crunching out almost 1 million cars a month, where are they going to get the rubber they need to make tyres? Fact: Malaysia is one of the 2 major exporter of rubber, besides Indonesia. Every one vehicle will need four of those wheels (some need 5!). You do the maths.

Unconditional Commitment

"If you make the unconditional commitment to reach your most important goals, if the strength of your decision is sufficient, you will find the way and the power to achieve your goals."

- Robert Conklin
Teacher, Author & Speaker

Health is a Choice

"The first wealth is health."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
-Jim Rohn

Health & energy, our two most prized assets (besides time) is at stake. Taking care of ourselves can seem daunting. When does anyone have the time to manage & maintain our level of energy & health these days? How do some find the determination?

Well, we can spend time asking these questions, or developing a laundry list of reasons why we are too busy. Truth is: our health is totally in our hands & this is a key factor in our lives' momentum. We must be healthy beings to have healthy lives. Eat well, think well, rest enough, enjoy activities & drink occasionally!

It's all in your choices. Do it or don't; don't try to be healthy. It won't work cost our mind don't really recognize the word "Try".