Two Fools

There are two fools in this world. One is the millionaire who thinks that by hoarding money he can somehow accumulate real power, and the other is the penniless reformer who thinks that if only he can take the money from one class and give it to another, all the world's ills will be cured.

Henry Ford

To Achieve, You Must Regard

"For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Mental Vacations

I had a wonderful time catching up with an old varsity friend yesterday. He happened to stay in the same hall with me during our freshman year. We have some common grounds: We love to play tennis, married, in the financial industry, and ... damn good-looking! (okay okay, I admit, ... I am the good-looking one: I am good at looking at others)

During our conversation, he was surprised to learn that I actually have a detailed plan for my entire life right up to age 75! What car I drive when I am 40, what house I will be in (with picture of the house), how much I set aside for vacation, household expenditures, languages to master, income I take home, ...etc.

He said I am one in a million in such approach. I agree. He ask me why. I say, "Why not?" He questioned the validity of planning so far ahead & in such vivid details. My answer is profoundly simple & simply profound: Life have to be lived forward, but it has to be understood backward, develop upward, contribute outward, & enjoy inward. This is my holistic approach & philosophy to living my life.

When was the last time you took a trip to a truly amazing place? I know mine is coming soon. I am planning a trip to KK, one to HK, & a near-term one to NYK. But do you know what is an even more amazing trip to take? A trip to your future!

Think about it: How amazing can your future be? Your past will never change; it is your past. And your present is what it is. But... your future can be anything you want it to be.

Have you thought lately about what you want your future to be? And I don't just mean seeing a wealthy person on TV and then "wishing" it was you. I mean really sitting down and envisioning your future. "Seeing" it so clearly in your mind's eye that you can actually "visit" there often?
Did you know that one of the keys to successful people achieving what they do is that they see the future before it becomes their present. And they spend their present creating that future they desire.

So, take a good vacation this year, but be sure to visit your future often so you can begin to create it today. And when your tomorrow becomes today, you will be glad you took that mental vacation! As for me, I do this daily, and such trips are healthy.

"The man who has no imagination has no wings."
- Muhammad Ali

And I must add that "he who has no moral foundation has no roots".
- Eagleboy

What's the point of achieving your highest dreams at the expense of moral bankruptcy. May we find wings and roots in our relentless pursuit of life's dreams!

Cause of Recent Volatility

As you can see from the above chart, the real culprit is the US subprime lending! Subprime lending surged amid low interest rates and rising home values. The increase in the average home pricing in turn caused more to take up loans to get more homes, ... etc.

But then again, what's the cause of the recent market volatility and subprime?

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Ans: Delinquencies.

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As you can see from the above chart, delinquencies in the subprime sector is going up. It will continue to chart up over the next few months. This is going to lead to a very gory financial mess. Believe me...

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Source: JP Morgan Chase, Mortgage Bankers Association of America

Fear Not Being Alone

Before I can have any joy in being alone with God I must have learned not to fear being alone with myself. Shrinking from any deep self-scrutiny is by no means an uncommon thing, and often goes far to explain the feverish restlessness with which a world-loving heart plunges into perpetual rounds of gaieties and dissipations; they serve as an escape from troublesome questions about the soul, and help to get rid of the clamours of conscience.

G. H. Knight

What Does BMW Stands For?

BMW ... what does it actually stand for?
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Best Man Wins!
Be My Woman!
Buy Me Wine!
Blame My Wife!!
Brings More Worries!!! (from the monthly car instalments)
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Well, BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke or Bavarian Motor Company. The company was established in 1913 and based in Munich, Germany. It started out as an aero engine manufacturer, hence the company logo.
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The logo comprised of four quadrants of alternating white and blue color. It is a stylized representation of an airplane propeller spinning against the clear blue sky. The logo represents a white propeller blade against a blue sky. It reflects the origins of BMW as a maker of military aircraft engines during WWI. Also, white and blue are the traditional colors of Bavaria.
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Disclaimer: The BMW logo is a registered trademark of the BMW Corporation. Use of the logo here does not imply endorsement of the organization by this blog.

一路向北 - 周杰伦

歌曲：一路向北
歌手：周杰伦 (头文字d 电影插曲)

词:方文山
曲:周杰伦

后视镜里的世界
越来越远的道别
你转身向背
侧脸还是很美
我用眼光去追
竟听见你的泪
在车窗外面排徊
是我错失的机会
你站的方位
跟我中间隔着泪
街景一直在后退
你的崩溃在窗外零碎

我一路向北
离开有你的季节
你说你好累 (方向盘周围)
已无法再爱上谁 (回转着我的后悔)
风在山路吹 (我加速超越)
过往的画面 (却甩不掉)
全都是我不对 (紧紧跟随的伤悲)
细数惭愧
我伤你几回 (停止狼狈就让错纯粹)