Gambar Lutfi
9 years ago
Saturday, December 20, 2008
600 or 700?
what is 700 vs 600? it 'bout my friend and my prediction on KLSE CI (Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange composite index). Currently the KLSE CI is about 850++. For me, my firend prediction of 700 is moderate or may be optimist. But for me 600++ is more reasonable... Who will win? I pray and hope that my prediction is wrong..... I love Malaysia.... and hope she will survive in this economic turmoil
Monday, December 15, 2008
Throw shoes incident taken from cnn
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/15/shoe.reporter.profile/index.html
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The brother of the journalist now famous for hurling his shoes at President Bush said his sibling's actions were "spontaneous" and represented millions of Iraqis who want to "humiliate the tyrant."
TV reporter Muntadhar al-Zaidi, in a file photo, was jailed after throwing his shoes at President Bush.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi, who sometimes worked as his brother's cameraman, described the reporter's hatred for the "material American occupation" and the "moral Iranian occupation."
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's feelings were influenced by watching the agony suffered by everyday Iraqis. Most of the reporter's stories focused on Iraqi widows, orphans, and children, said the brother.
Sometimes the 29-year-old journalist would cry. Moved by the tales he reported of poor families, he sometimes asked his colleagues to give money to them. On most nights, he returned to his home in central Baghdad -- one of the country's most violent slums and the epicenter of several of the war's pitched battles.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's reporting for Egypt-based independent television Al-Baghdadia was "against the occupation," his brother said. The journalist would occasionally sign off his stories "from occupied Baghdad."
Yet Dhirgham al-Zaidi said he was "shocked" when he saw his brother hurling his shoes at President Bush at a Sunday news conference after a surprise visit by Bush to Baghdad. Watch Muntadhar al-Zaidi throw his shoes at Bush »
Don't Miss
TV station urges release of shoe-throwing journalist
TIME.com: Worst foot forward
Bush swiftly ducked the flying footwear and later told reporters aboard Air Force One that the "bizarre" incident was not a sign of popular opinion in Iraq.
"These journalists here were very apologetic," Bush said. "They ... said this doesn't represent the Iraqi people, but that's what happens in free societies where people try to draw attention to themselves."
The reporter called his shoe-throwing -- a traditional insult in Arab culture -- a "farewell kiss" to a "dog" who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Watch how people in Baghdad are reacting »
Dhirgham al-Zaidi said Iraqi journalists told him after the incident that U.S. security stopped Iraqis from hitting the reporter.
The journalist was hustled out of the room and arrested. He remains in jail and has been tested for for alcohol and drugs to determine his state of mind, said a government official, who requested anonymity.
The al-Zaidi family plans to retain Egyptian lawyers to defend Muntadhar al-Zaidi. The reporter's brother said the family has not been contacted by the Iraqi government.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi said he is "proud" of his brother whose act, while rash, was a statement of behalf of "millions" of other Iraqis. Dhirgham said the shoe throwing was "Iraq's reaction" to the war and years of U.S. sanctions against Iraq before the conflict began. The reporter was not motivated for personal reasons, or because he has "anything against the American people," he said.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi says his brother started working for al-Baghdadia in 2005 as one of its founding staff members.
Al-Baghdadia is devoting round-the-clock coverage to the incident and calling for the immediate release of the reporter whose co-workers describe him as usually "calm and polite."
In a statement read on the air, Al-Baghdadia said al-Zaidi should be freed "in accordance with democracy and freedom of expression Iraqis were promised by the new era and American authorities."
The channel also ran the reporter's image with what it said were messages of support from viewers in a crawl at the bottom of the screen and called on Arabs, Muslims and Iraqis to support "your brother."
Dhirgham al-Zaidi, who worked with his brother but is now employed by another channel, said his brother was kidnapped in November 2007 as he was heading to work. The kidnappers tied his hands and covered his head, feeding him just two meals in three days. He was released after three days, "in very bad shape," he said.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The brother of the journalist now famous for hurling his shoes at President Bush said his sibling's actions were "spontaneous" and represented millions of Iraqis who want to "humiliate the tyrant."
TV reporter Muntadhar al-Zaidi, in a file photo, was jailed after throwing his shoes at President Bush.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi, who sometimes worked as his brother's cameraman, described the reporter's hatred for the "material American occupation" and the "moral Iranian occupation."
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's feelings were influenced by watching the agony suffered by everyday Iraqis. Most of the reporter's stories focused on Iraqi widows, orphans, and children, said the brother.
Sometimes the 29-year-old journalist would cry. Moved by the tales he reported of poor families, he sometimes asked his colleagues to give money to them. On most nights, he returned to his home in central Baghdad -- one of the country's most violent slums and the epicenter of several of the war's pitched battles.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi's reporting for Egypt-based independent television Al-Baghdadia was "against the occupation," his brother said. The journalist would occasionally sign off his stories "from occupied Baghdad."
Yet Dhirgham al-Zaidi said he was "shocked" when he saw his brother hurling his shoes at President Bush at a Sunday news conference after a surprise visit by Bush to Baghdad. Watch Muntadhar al-Zaidi throw his shoes at Bush »
Don't Miss
TV station urges release of shoe-throwing journalist
TIME.com: Worst foot forward
Bush swiftly ducked the flying footwear and later told reporters aboard Air Force One that the "bizarre" incident was not a sign of popular opinion in Iraq.
"These journalists here were very apologetic," Bush said. "They ... said this doesn't represent the Iraqi people, but that's what happens in free societies where people try to draw attention to themselves."
The reporter called his shoe-throwing -- a traditional insult in Arab culture -- a "farewell kiss" to a "dog" who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Watch how people in Baghdad are reacting »
Dhirgham al-Zaidi said Iraqi journalists told him after the incident that U.S. security stopped Iraqis from hitting the reporter.
The journalist was hustled out of the room and arrested. He remains in jail and has been tested for for alcohol and drugs to determine his state of mind, said a government official, who requested anonymity.
The al-Zaidi family plans to retain Egyptian lawyers to defend Muntadhar al-Zaidi. The reporter's brother said the family has not been contacted by the Iraqi government.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi said he is "proud" of his brother whose act, while rash, was a statement of behalf of "millions" of other Iraqis. Dhirgham said the shoe throwing was "Iraq's reaction" to the war and years of U.S. sanctions against Iraq before the conflict began. The reporter was not motivated for personal reasons, or because he has "anything against the American people," he said.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi says his brother started working for al-Baghdadia in 2005 as one of its founding staff members.
Al-Baghdadia is devoting round-the-clock coverage to the incident and calling for the immediate release of the reporter whose co-workers describe him as usually "calm and polite."
In a statement read on the air, Al-Baghdadia said al-Zaidi should be freed "in accordance with democracy and freedom of expression Iraqis were promised by the new era and American authorities."
The channel also ran the reporter's image with what it said were messages of support from viewers in a crawl at the bottom of the screen and called on Arabs, Muslims and Iraqis to support "your brother."
Dhirgham al-Zaidi, who worked with his brother but is now employed by another channel, said his brother was kidnapped in November 2007 as he was heading to work. The kidnappers tied his hands and covered his head, feeding him just two meals in three days. He was released after three days, "in very bad shape," he said.
throw shoes incident (Bush)
I read comments from various website discussing this topic. Some see as humiliation acts, funny things bla bla bla. and so on. To sum it up, some see that whatever george Bush did during his tenure, he deserve respect and treated as the leader of the greatest nation on earth, however, for some, they see this as a way to treat a person who make his decision base on loose and false information causing pain to many iraqis, american and other parts of the world. Thousands dead unjustly (for the cause of freedom ?, is it really a freedom?). Thousand of billions (may reach trillion as forecast by stiglitz) spent and will be spend on Iraq war. At the end? ..................
Make peace no war..... hehhehehehe
Make peace no war..... hehhehehehe
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hi again
Ah it's almost five weeks since my last post. I hope i will active again.
see you in next posting.
see you in next posting.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Horrror news
cited from Malaysian insider
First full-year slump since 1940s, says IMF
LONDON, Nov 7 - In its bleakest assessment yet of rapidly worsening global prospects, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that industrial economies as a whole will shrink through next year by 0.3 per cent, in the worst such slump of the postwar era.
The IMF said that the toll imposed by the downturn across the West would sap the strength of the world economy and cut global growth next year to an anaemic 2.2 per cent. That is down 0.8 points from its last forecast, made only a month ago, and is below the 2.5 per cent threshold at which the world economy is judged to be in the grip of global recession.
Shares plunged on Wall Street, in London and across Europe as the IMF's grim prognosis fuelled alarm among investors about the economic peril now confronting the world.
In London, the FTSE 100 index plunged by another 258.33 points, or 5.7 per cent, to 4.272.41, leaving it down by more than a third so far this year. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average of leading US blue chips sank by nearly 5 per cent, and the broader-based S&P 500 index fell by a similar percentage.
In Europe, Germany's Dax index sank 6.8 per cent, while France's CAC 40 closed down 6.4 per cent.
As leaders, finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's key Western and emerging market economies prepare for two weekends of crisis talks — with “G20” meetings in São Paolo this weekend and in
Washington next Saturday — the IMF urged governments to ramp up tax and spending measures to shore up global economic activity.
“There is a clear need for additional policy stimulus relative to what has been announced so far,” the fund said. “Room to ease monetary policy should be exploited.”
It said: “Financial stress is likely to be deeper and more protracted than envisaged in October.”
The fund's call for still more far-reaching measures to boost global growth came as it drastically cut its already dire forecasts for all of the world's big economies. It now predicts that the US economy will shrink by 0.7 per cent next year, compared with its October forecast of meagre 0.1 per cent growth. In the eurozone, GDP is expected to drop by 0.5 per cent, down from the fund's October expectation of a 0.2 per cent expansion. Germany's economy is expected to shrink by 0.8 per cent.
Britain is now forecast to bear the brunt of the global slump, with its GDP plunging by 1.3 per cent in what would be the worst year for the UK since the economy shrank by 1.4 per cent in 1991.
In emerging and developing countries, the IMF now expects growth next year of 5.1 per cent — down a full percentage point from its October view as the knock-on impact of the West's plight ripples around the world. Even China, the powerhouse of Asia, has had its forecast growth reduced to 8.5 per cent, from 9.3 per cent.
Olivier Blanchard, the IMF's chief economist, said that although action by the world's governments and financial authorities to stem the crisis had been aggressive and comprehensive, further flare-ups in the economic crisis were likely. “We can't be sure that there are no landmines left in the field,” he said.
Blanchard added that the spectre of Japanese-style deflation also loomed over the developed economies of the West, although he so far believed that the probability of such a trend, with prices generally falling on a sustained basis, was still small.
Blanchard cautioned that in some countries, such as the United States, where official interest rates now stand at 1 per cent, there was only limited room left to shore up activity with cuts in interest rates, so that governments would have to resort to using fiscal policy through tax cuts or public spending increases. “When you get to zero, you are done in terms of using interest rates,” he said. - Times of London
First full-year slump since 1940s, says IMF
LONDON, Nov 7 - In its bleakest assessment yet of rapidly worsening global prospects, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that industrial economies as a whole will shrink through next year by 0.3 per cent, in the worst such slump of the postwar era.
The IMF said that the toll imposed by the downturn across the West would sap the strength of the world economy and cut global growth next year to an anaemic 2.2 per cent. That is down 0.8 points from its last forecast, made only a month ago, and is below the 2.5 per cent threshold at which the world economy is judged to be in the grip of global recession.
Shares plunged on Wall Street, in London and across Europe as the IMF's grim prognosis fuelled alarm among investors about the economic peril now confronting the world.
In London, the FTSE 100 index plunged by another 258.33 points, or 5.7 per cent, to 4.272.41, leaving it down by more than a third so far this year. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average of leading US blue chips sank by nearly 5 per cent, and the broader-based S&P 500 index fell by a similar percentage.
In Europe, Germany's Dax index sank 6.8 per cent, while France's CAC 40 closed down 6.4 per cent.
As leaders, finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's key Western and emerging market economies prepare for two weekends of crisis talks — with “G20” meetings in São Paolo this weekend and in
Washington next Saturday — the IMF urged governments to ramp up tax and spending measures to shore up global economic activity.
“There is a clear need for additional policy stimulus relative to what has been announced so far,” the fund said. “Room to ease monetary policy should be exploited.”
It said: “Financial stress is likely to be deeper and more protracted than envisaged in October.”
The fund's call for still more far-reaching measures to boost global growth came as it drastically cut its already dire forecasts for all of the world's big economies. It now predicts that the US economy will shrink by 0.7 per cent next year, compared with its October forecast of meagre 0.1 per cent growth. In the eurozone, GDP is expected to drop by 0.5 per cent, down from the fund's October expectation of a 0.2 per cent expansion. Germany's economy is expected to shrink by 0.8 per cent.
Britain is now forecast to bear the brunt of the global slump, with its GDP plunging by 1.3 per cent in what would be the worst year for the UK since the economy shrank by 1.4 per cent in 1991.
In emerging and developing countries, the IMF now expects growth next year of 5.1 per cent — down a full percentage point from its October view as the knock-on impact of the West's plight ripples around the world. Even China, the powerhouse of Asia, has had its forecast growth reduced to 8.5 per cent, from 9.3 per cent.
Olivier Blanchard, the IMF's chief economist, said that although action by the world's governments and financial authorities to stem the crisis had been aggressive and comprehensive, further flare-ups in the economic crisis were likely. “We can't be sure that there are no landmines left in the field,” he said.
Blanchard added that the spectre of Japanese-style deflation also loomed over the developed economies of the West, although he so far believed that the probability of such a trend, with prices generally falling on a sustained basis, was still small.
Blanchard cautioned that in some countries, such as the United States, where official interest rates now stand at 1 per cent, there was only limited room left to shore up activity with cuts in interest rates, so that governments would have to resort to using fiscal policy through tax cuts or public spending increases. “When you get to zero, you are done in terms of using interest rates,” he said. - Times of London
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Wow I found a brilliant movie website
I Just watch The mummy three which pass to me by a friend. It was brilliant. At the screen it appears that it was taken from http://www.iwannadownload.com/ . I thinks i wanna apply for membership. so if you guys wanna see free movies, this website provide the right media for you.
Friday, October 31, 2008
No budget
Yesterday I try to surf to find any conference related to real estate call for papers. I found two , which most interested. One in US organised by two prominent bodies in Real estate, America and Asia Real estate society. On top of that, presenter might have a chance to present his/her paper at University of California Berkeley. Another one is Organize by European Real Estate, which will be held at Stockholm.
For me, both conferences are A+ conference in Real Estate. At first, I think I wanna send them my paper. But.... looking at the flight ticket, pheeww.... I don't think my financial situation permit it. As a PhD student in UPM, I will get sponsorship to present in International Conference but the budget they give just RM 3000. What can I do with RM 3000? It won't even able to cover flights expenses... So, I think I've to be reasonable and ..... just forget it......argggghhhhh.
For me, both conferences are A+ conference in Real Estate. At first, I think I wanna send them my paper. But.... looking at the flight ticket, pheeww.... I don't think my financial situation permit it. As a PhD student in UPM, I will get sponsorship to present in International Conference but the budget they give just RM 3000. What can I do with RM 3000? It won't even able to cover flights expenses... So, I think I've to be reasonable and ..... just forget it......argggghhhhh.
Monday, October 20, 2008
When to buy?
I don't know. I used to play in the Kuala Lumpur stock Exchange, until I lost a few thousands. uhuk uhuk. After that, I totally lost apetite at stock market. InsyaAllah, i think i want to grab the opportunity of this market condition.
So, my strategy is simple,
1) use excess cash (not even from saving), that mean I 've to wait next year as my financial condition is not permissable right now.
2) I'll only play in the stock market if the KLSE index drop half from it maximum point. The maximum KLSE achieve is early this year, 1200++ . Therefore i will wait it drop until 600 points. Is there any basis of what I'm doing? NOPE. I just want to make sure that what ever i invest, I will get more then 100% gain hahahahahhahahahah. Will it drop to 600 ? I don't know, remember during 1998 Financial crisis, KLSE index drop from 1100++ to 250++ . But I hope it never happen again. Personally I don't think it will drop to 600.May Allah protect it from happening.
So, my strategy is simple,
1) use excess cash (not even from saving), that mean I 've to wait next year as my financial condition is not permissable right now.
2) I'll only play in the stock market if the KLSE index drop half from it maximum point. The maximum KLSE achieve is early this year, 1200++ . Therefore i will wait it drop until 600 points. Is there any basis of what I'm doing? NOPE. I just want to make sure that what ever i invest, I will get more then 100% gain hahahahahhahahahah. Will it drop to 600 ? I don't know, remember during 1998 Financial crisis, KLSE index drop from 1100++ to 250++ . But I hope it never happen again. Personally I don't think it will drop to 600.May Allah protect it from happening.
Value Investing?
I read from CNN (sorry forgot the exact date and article) about advice given by warren buffet that the time has come to buy stocks as the stock price is cheap or under value.
I really fancy this guy, since my ex MBA lecture Associate Prof. Dr. Rokiah mention his name and investment style in the class. I adore him and even buy his value investing approach. What is value investing? to wrap it up , this strategy is about looking at the undervalue stocks i.e. the real price is much more lower than the market price. To determine real price, Warren will do assessment base on fundamental analyses approach with a medium to long term view. Once the decision has made, he won't sell it regardless of market condition as he sees market as the place of people spreading rumours (lies?) and manipulate the market. Fundamental is what more important then the temporary / short period price volatility. For me, this is in line with Islamic investment approach. You should not gambling but should invest. Sometime (frequently ) people act irrationally and influence by the panic scenario rather then looking at the fundamental of the company. Yeah market change and we have to act quickly. But are we act base on fundamental basis or sentiment?
Back to Warren Buffet advice , that it's a time to buy. Sorry sir, I respect you and adore you, but I don't think now is the right time to buy. Why? Only very few people who really assess fundamental. Majority , even academician behave base on market sentiment. Don't you forget sir, what is technical analyses is base upon? Dow theory..... all factors will be discount on the price movement .... .
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Another good article
US confronts possibility of long, deep recession
NEW YORK, Oct 16 - The United States has not endured a deep and prolonged recession in more than a quarter century — enough time for many Americans to forget what one feels like.
But unlike the last two relatively short recessions, this one could be much longer and more severe, potentially bringing with it anxiety and job losses not seen in many years.
“In thinking about recessions, people will naturally think back to the last couple” in the early 1990s and in 2001, said Paul Ashworth, senior US economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. “What they should be looking back at is further.”
That requires dredging up memories of the economic slides in the 1970s, when an Arab oil embargo starved the nation of energy, and the early 1980s, when unemployment and inflation soared.
The last recession — coinciding with the collapse of the tech stock bubble and the terrorist attacks of 2001 — lasted just eight months. It was known more for the slow “jobless” recovery that followed than for the depth of the downturn.
Many economists agree that the nation won’t be so fortunate this time.
“I don’t think we can escape damage to the real economy,” former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker said this week in Singapore. “I think we almost inevitably face a considerable recession.”
The Fed’s current chairman, Ben Bernanke, delivered a more measured, but similarly grave assessment to economists, saying the recent financial turmoil “may well lengthen the period of weak economic performance and further increase the risks to growth.”
The signs of stress are starting to show: The US has lost 760,000 jobs since late last year, and retail sales in September plunged 1.2 per cent, the largest drop in three years.
Every recession is driven by its own dynamic and psychology. The current slump started with the collapse in the housing market and got worse with sharp restrictions on credit that pressured consumer spending and businesses.
That is a different environment from 1973, when an oil crisis was the culprit, squeezing US businesses and consumers. In the early 1980s, raging inflation and high interest rates took their toll.
Both periods saw millions of Americans out of work. In 1975, the unemployment rate peaked at 9 per cent. In 1982, it jumped to 10.8 per cent.
Most economists forecast a sharp increase in the number of people who lose their jobs. But they do not see it leading to unemployment on the scale of either the 1970s or 1980s.
The jobless rate is currently at 6.1 per cent, and many economists expect it to rise to about 7 per cent early next year — a level the country has not seen since 1993. Some analysts believe the unemployment rate could eventually climb close to 8 per cent, which hasn’t happened since 1984.
But this recession could begin to feel like those of the past not just because of lost jobs, but because of fear about the future.
In the 1980s, as the nation struggled with inflation and a transition from a manufacturing economy to one based on services, Americans had “a huge amount of uncertainty and anxiety that lingered on for a long period of time,” said Bart Van Ark, chief economist for The Conference Board.
“That element I find comparable to what we’re seeing today, but some of the underlying dynamics are very, very different.”
In 1973, the US economy had been growing for three years and unemployment had dropped to well below 5 per cent.
Then, on Oct 6, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched surprise attacks on Israeli-held territory while Jews were observing Yom Kippur. Arab members of OPEC soon cut off shipments of oil to the US and other countries that supported Israel.
Oil prices rose sharply and forced rationing of tight supplies. Drivers lined up at filling stations on odd or even days depending on the number on their license plates. Some stations ran out of gas.
A recession is typically defined as a period in which the economy shrinks for two quarters in a row. In the 2001 recession, the quarters weren’t even consecutive.
But in the 1970s, the recession stretched on for a year and a half. Nearly 2.2 million people lost their jobs. By the end of 1974, the Dow Jones industrial average had lost more than 40 per cent of its value. At the same time, the nation was focused on the Watergate scandal and the vacuum left by President Richard Nixon’s resignation in August 1974.
The economy began to recover in spring of the next year. But inflation, which had eased as the oil embargo was lifted, spiked again. By 1980, prices were rising at an annual rate of 13.5 per cent.
Anxious about a hostage crisis in Iran and President Jimmy Carter’s administration inability to tame inflation, Americans elected Ronald Reagan president. But it wasn’t at all clear how his plan to increase defense spending would cure the economy’s ills.
Volcker, appointed by Carter to lead the Fed in 1979, took on inflation by sharply raising interest rates. It worked, but made life even more difficult for consumers at a time when the nation was doubtful about its economic future.
“That was the feeling at that time: hopelessness, in terms of how do we get out of this situation,” said Anthony Campagna, author of “The Economy in the Reagan Years.”
The next recession did not come until 1990, as preparations for the Gulf War drove up the price of oil. But the 1.6 million jobs lost was much less severe than in the previous downturn, and this one lasted for just eight months.
When it recovered, the economy staged its longest expansion on record — 10 years of growth. The next recession, in early 2001, was similarly short-lived. The number of people out of work rose sharply, but compared with some past recessions, unemployment rate was relatively mild.
The fact that the last two recessions were so short, the damage relatively limited and the preceding good times so long has helped many people forget the pain of a more severe economic slump.
“We’ve become a little spoiled, actually,” said Todd Knoop, a professor at Iowa’s Cornell College and author of “Modern Financial Macroeconomics: Panics, Crashes and Crises.”
That could make this recession feel particularly intense.
Said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wachovia Corp.: “I think no matter how you measure it, this coming recession will be worse than the last one.” - AP
NEW YORK, Oct 16 - The United States has not endured a deep and prolonged recession in more than a quarter century — enough time for many Americans to forget what one feels like.
But unlike the last two relatively short recessions, this one could be much longer and more severe, potentially bringing with it anxiety and job losses not seen in many years.
“In thinking about recessions, people will naturally think back to the last couple” in the early 1990s and in 2001, said Paul Ashworth, senior US economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. “What they should be looking back at is further.”
That requires dredging up memories of the economic slides in the 1970s, when an Arab oil embargo starved the nation of energy, and the early 1980s, when unemployment and inflation soared.
The last recession — coinciding with the collapse of the tech stock bubble and the terrorist attacks of 2001 — lasted just eight months. It was known more for the slow “jobless” recovery that followed than for the depth of the downturn.
Many economists agree that the nation won’t be so fortunate this time.
“I don’t think we can escape damage to the real economy,” former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker said this week in Singapore. “I think we almost inevitably face a considerable recession.”
The Fed’s current chairman, Ben Bernanke, delivered a more measured, but similarly grave assessment to economists, saying the recent financial turmoil “may well lengthen the period of weak economic performance and further increase the risks to growth.”
The signs of stress are starting to show: The US has lost 760,000 jobs since late last year, and retail sales in September plunged 1.2 per cent, the largest drop in three years.
Every recession is driven by its own dynamic and psychology. The current slump started with the collapse in the housing market and got worse with sharp restrictions on credit that pressured consumer spending and businesses.
That is a different environment from 1973, when an oil crisis was the culprit, squeezing US businesses and consumers. In the early 1980s, raging inflation and high interest rates took their toll.
Both periods saw millions of Americans out of work. In 1975, the unemployment rate peaked at 9 per cent. In 1982, it jumped to 10.8 per cent.
Most economists forecast a sharp increase in the number of people who lose their jobs. But they do not see it leading to unemployment on the scale of either the 1970s or 1980s.
The jobless rate is currently at 6.1 per cent, and many economists expect it to rise to about 7 per cent early next year — a level the country has not seen since 1993. Some analysts believe the unemployment rate could eventually climb close to 8 per cent, which hasn’t happened since 1984.
But this recession could begin to feel like those of the past not just because of lost jobs, but because of fear about the future.
In the 1980s, as the nation struggled with inflation and a transition from a manufacturing economy to one based on services, Americans had “a huge amount of uncertainty and anxiety that lingered on for a long period of time,” said Bart Van Ark, chief economist for The Conference Board.
“That element I find comparable to what we’re seeing today, but some of the underlying dynamics are very, very different.”
In 1973, the US economy had been growing for three years and unemployment had dropped to well below 5 per cent.
Then, on Oct 6, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched surprise attacks on Israeli-held territory while Jews were observing Yom Kippur. Arab members of OPEC soon cut off shipments of oil to the US and other countries that supported Israel.
Oil prices rose sharply and forced rationing of tight supplies. Drivers lined up at filling stations on odd or even days depending on the number on their license plates. Some stations ran out of gas.
A recession is typically defined as a period in which the economy shrinks for two quarters in a row. In the 2001 recession, the quarters weren’t even consecutive.
But in the 1970s, the recession stretched on for a year and a half. Nearly 2.2 million people lost their jobs. By the end of 1974, the Dow Jones industrial average had lost more than 40 per cent of its value. At the same time, the nation was focused on the Watergate scandal and the vacuum left by President Richard Nixon’s resignation in August 1974.
The economy began to recover in spring of the next year. But inflation, which had eased as the oil embargo was lifted, spiked again. By 1980, prices were rising at an annual rate of 13.5 per cent.
Anxious about a hostage crisis in Iran and President Jimmy Carter’s administration inability to tame inflation, Americans elected Ronald Reagan president. But it wasn’t at all clear how his plan to increase defense spending would cure the economy’s ills.
Volcker, appointed by Carter to lead the Fed in 1979, took on inflation by sharply raising interest rates. It worked, but made life even more difficult for consumers at a time when the nation was doubtful about its economic future.
“That was the feeling at that time: hopelessness, in terms of how do we get out of this situation,” said Anthony Campagna, author of “The Economy in the Reagan Years.”
The next recession did not come until 1990, as preparations for the Gulf War drove up the price of oil. But the 1.6 million jobs lost was much less severe than in the previous downturn, and this one lasted for just eight months.
When it recovered, the economy staged its longest expansion on record — 10 years of growth. The next recession, in early 2001, was similarly short-lived. The number of people out of work rose sharply, but compared with some past recessions, unemployment rate was relatively mild.
The fact that the last two recessions were so short, the damage relatively limited and the preceding good times so long has helped many people forget the pain of a more severe economic slump.
“We’ve become a little spoiled, actually,” said Todd Knoop, a professor at Iowa’s Cornell College and author of “Modern Financial Macroeconomics: Panics, Crashes and Crises.”
That could make this recession feel particularly intense.
Said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wachovia Corp.: “I think no matter how you measure it, this coming recession will be worse than the last one.” - AP
This article just to affirm why alcohol is Haram in Islam
Taken from CNN (retrieved on 16/10/2008
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/14/healthmag.alcohol.brain.shrinkage/index.html
Does drinking alcohol shrink your brain?
Story Highlights
A small decline in brain volume, 2 percent a decade, is a natural part of aging
Researchers hoped to find alcohol protected the brain from age-related shrinkage
Instead, any level of alcohol consumption led to a decline in brain volume
The effect was more pronounced in women than men
Next Article in Health »
By Theresa Tamkins
What's good for the heart may hurt the brain, according to a new study of the effects of alcohol.
According to the study findings, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the brain volume.
People who drink alcohol -- even the moderate amounts that help prevent heart disease -- have a smaller brain volume than those who do not, according to a study in the Archives of Neurology.
While a certain amount of brain shrinkage is normal with age, greater amounts in some parts of the brain have been linked to dementia.
"Decline in brain volume -- estimated at 2 percent per decade -- is a natural part of aging," says Carol Ann Paul, who conducted the study when she was at the Boston University School of Public Health. She had hoped to find that alcohol might protect against such brain shrinkage.
"However, we did not find the protective effect," says Paul, who is now an instructor in the neuroscience program at Wellesley College. "In fact, any level of alcohol consumption resulted in a decline in brain volume."
In the study, Paul and colleagues looked at 1,839 healthy people with an average age of about 61. The patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and reported how much they tippled. Health.com: Ten best foods for the heart
Overall, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the brain volume, with abstainers having a higher brain volume than former drinkers, light drinkers (one to seven drinks per week), moderate drinkers (eight to 14 drinks per week), and heavy drinkers (14 or more drinks per week).
Men were more likely to be heavy drinkers than women. But the link between brain volume and alcohol wasn't as strong in men. For men, only those who were heavy drinkers had a smaller brain volume than those who consumed little or no alcohol.
In women, even moderate drinkers had a smaller brain volume than abstainers or former drinkers. Health.com: Six reasons why a little glass of wine each day may do you good
It's not clear why even modest amounts of alcohol may shrink the brain, although alcohol is "known to dehydrate tissues, and constant dehydration can have negative effects on any sensitive tissue," says Paul.
"We always knew that alcohol at higher dosages results in shrinking of the brain and cognitive deficit," says Dr. Petros Levounis, M.D., director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke's -- Roosevelt Hospital Center, who was not involved in the study. "What is new with this article is that it shows brain shrinking at lower doses of alcohol." Health.com: Type 2 diabetes and alcohol: Proceed with caution
However, the study did not demonstrate that the smaller brain volume actually impaired memory or mental function, notes James Garbutt, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
And the differences between brain volumes in drinkers and nondrinkers were quite small -- less than 1.5 percent between abstainers and heavy drinkers.
Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Alcoholism
"We're talking very small differences here," says Dr. Garbutt, who was not involved in the study. "We're not seeing 10 to 20 percent shrinkage."
However, he says, reduction in brain mass is an interesting finding. "But we have a long way to go to figure out the implications of it."
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/14/healthmag.alcohol.brain.shrinkage/index.html
Does drinking alcohol shrink your brain?
Story Highlights
A small decline in brain volume, 2 percent a decade, is a natural part of aging
Researchers hoped to find alcohol protected the brain from age-related shrinkage
Instead, any level of alcohol consumption led to a decline in brain volume
The effect was more pronounced in women than men
Next Article in Health »
By Theresa Tamkins
What's good for the heart may hurt the brain, according to a new study of the effects of alcohol.
According to the study findings, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the brain volume.
People who drink alcohol -- even the moderate amounts that help prevent heart disease -- have a smaller brain volume than those who do not, according to a study in the Archives of Neurology.
While a certain amount of brain shrinkage is normal with age, greater amounts in some parts of the brain have been linked to dementia.
"Decline in brain volume -- estimated at 2 percent per decade -- is a natural part of aging," says Carol Ann Paul, who conducted the study when she was at the Boston University School of Public Health. She had hoped to find that alcohol might protect against such brain shrinkage.
"However, we did not find the protective effect," says Paul, who is now an instructor in the neuroscience program at Wellesley College. "In fact, any level of alcohol consumption resulted in a decline in brain volume."
In the study, Paul and colleagues looked at 1,839 healthy people with an average age of about 61. The patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and reported how much they tippled. Health.com: Ten best foods for the heart
Overall, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the brain volume, with abstainers having a higher brain volume than former drinkers, light drinkers (one to seven drinks per week), moderate drinkers (eight to 14 drinks per week), and heavy drinkers (14 or more drinks per week).
Men were more likely to be heavy drinkers than women. But the link between brain volume and alcohol wasn't as strong in men. For men, only those who were heavy drinkers had a smaller brain volume than those who consumed little or no alcohol.
In women, even moderate drinkers had a smaller brain volume than abstainers or former drinkers. Health.com: Six reasons why a little glass of wine each day may do you good
It's not clear why even modest amounts of alcohol may shrink the brain, although alcohol is "known to dehydrate tissues, and constant dehydration can have negative effects on any sensitive tissue," says Paul.
"We always knew that alcohol at higher dosages results in shrinking of the brain and cognitive deficit," says Dr. Petros Levounis, M.D., director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke's -- Roosevelt Hospital Center, who was not involved in the study. "What is new with this article is that it shows brain shrinking at lower doses of alcohol." Health.com: Type 2 diabetes and alcohol: Proceed with caution
However, the study did not demonstrate that the smaller brain volume actually impaired memory or mental function, notes James Garbutt, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
And the differences between brain volumes in drinkers and nondrinkers were quite small -- less than 1.5 percent between abstainers and heavy drinkers.
Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Alcoholism
"We're talking very small differences here," says Dr. Garbutt, who was not involved in the study. "We're not seeing 10 to 20 percent shrinkage."
However, he says, reduction in brain mass is an interesting finding. "But we have a long way to go to figure out the implications of it."
words , carefull with your words
I just wanna share with you with my experience on what happen two nights before Raya. I was very frustrated with one old uncle. He wear a very smart and expensive T shirt and pant. His attire and car (mercedes = compressor) shows that he is somebody and very rich guy. I was at one clinic in Kota Bharu to take some medicine for my children who caught with flu and fever. So I asked my wife to go to the clinic while i'm waiting in my car. I know that i should park my car inside the parking space, but I hesitate to park at the parking space as it was too small and I'm afraid that i may scratch other people cars. So, I let that old uncle to park his car on that empty space. He went to the same clinic and guess what? My wife have too wait nearly twenty minutes to get the medicine, but not for this uncle, he just go and have first class treatment and no need for him to que to get his medicine (he use same tactic = don't want to see doctor as it take time and on top of that we have to pay consultancy fee). Less than 10 minutes i guess (or maybe just 5 minutes?) he got what he need.
Now, he reversed his car, I don't know what happen to me (may be because of my head spinning) i didn't react properly. My car wasn't blocked his way, but may block his view of coming cars. He horned me several times. But as I mention, my headache really slowing my reactioned. He came out from his car. At first he carefully choose proper words to request me to reversed. Out of shocked, I reply I'm afraid that if I reversed I may bang another car at my back (but still at a very soft tone). Suddenly, he drastically change his tone, he use harsh and vulgar words, ........ idiot.... stupid.... etc. I did'nt respond just saying enough (still using soft tone) and reversed my car.
I think, he might change his approach because he saw whom he dealing with. A guy, who is young, skinny, physically and mentally weak. This guy is nobody, driving a cheap car (just Proton Waja). I really felt insulted. I don't think that i deserve to be treated like this. I really angry and I really intend to say " Pakcik, it's very nice if you use a proper words that match with your age". But if I really utter this words.... maybe I'm not be able to write in this blog hehehhehehe (being hospitalised)
But, this incident really give me a lesson. If (Allah will), I will be somebody one day, I must remember this incident and ensure that I would not behave like that old uncle.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
hehehehe well said article
Despite pressure, Malaysia refused outside aid to fix its ailing economy
OCT 12 - As more countries become enveloped by the financial pandemic that began in the United States, some in the Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia are warily watching the events with a dose of schadenfreude.
After all, it was just a decade ago that the commodities-rich exporter was lambasted for ignoring the blueprint world leaders and the International Monetary Fund had urged.
Instead of taking tens of billions of dollars in aid from the IMF, Malaysia did what was viewed then as a radical move: it self-prescribed its recovery. It stopped outflows of capital for one year, stabilized its volatile currency rate by fixing it to the US dollar and refused to rein in spending."We were criticized by everybody but we believed strongly we only had the people of Malaysia to answer to," said former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin yesterday in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur. "We had seen what had happened with African nations that had taken aid from the IMF; they never are freed."
Malaysia defied the prevailing orthodoxy of the day and closed its doors to outside aid even as Asian financial markets, including its own, were collapsing. It also took over the toxic debts of its banks, banned short-selling of stocks and lowered interest rates - moves US regulators have implemented here in the last month to stave off a credit market meltdown.
Months after Malaysia implemented its rescue plan, markets rebounded and the economy grew.
As world financial leaders gather in Washington this weekend to discuss the global financial crisis, there continues to be debate over whether Malaysia's approach worked or if its recovery was simply luck.
South Korea and Thailand were strengthened under strict controls by the IMF. Even Daim credits part of Malaysia's turnaround to the country's ability to export oil, electronics and textiles.
But most economists agree that at the very least the plan did not sink the economy into further depths.
"It's very difficult, even with the benefit of hindsight to say the Malaysian controls were effective because they closed the stable doors after the horses had bolted," said K.S. Jomo, an economist now serving as secretary general for economic development at the United Nations.
As US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. announced yesterday that the government would be willing to take equity stake in some banks, some questioned whether there's a double standard for western nations and everyone else.
"I remember how well we were told never to bail out failing companies…better still they should be sold at fire-sale prices to American investors," former Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed wrote last week in his personal blog.
Malaysia's unique history in the emerging markets financial crisis of the late 1990s began after Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea all agreed to deregulate their financial institutions to attract more foreign capital, raise interest rates and tighten fiscal budgets - remedies prescribed by the IMF.
Those fears also hit Malaysia, where the stock market index fell from 900 in 1997 to 200 in 1998, and the currency dropped by about 40% in a year.
The pressure was intense for Malaysia to follow suit. At the urging of then IMF director Michel Camdessus, French President Jacques Chirac met with Mahathir and Daim to try to convince them to take aid from the IMF and restructure its policies, according to Daim.
"It was clear that what the IMF was doing in Asia was trying to save Wall Street, which is what the Paulson plan is doing now, and the Malaysians were saying no way," said Joseph Stiglitz, former chief economist for the World Bank and Nobel prize recipient in economics.
Malaysian leaders ignored international pleas. The nation took over the bad debts of its 35 banks, consolidated them into 10 banks, and recapitalized them by loaning them money at low interest rates. Malaysia lowered its key interest rate from 9.5% to 8%.
"This was very important to restore confidence in the market," Daim said.
For small and medium-sized companies, the government provided low-interest loans.
The international community balked over Malaysia's grip on capital flows and refusal to tighten fiscal spending.
Then US Treasury secretary Robert Rubin said Malaysia's strategy "concerns me very deeply . . . the global economy has benefited enormously from both trade liberalization and the flows of capital that have taken place over the last 10 or 15 years."
The IMF warned in its October 1998 World Economic Outlooks report that Malaysia's plan "may also turn out to be an important setback not only to that country's recovery and potentially to its future development, but also to other emerging market economies that have suffered fromheightened investor fear of similar actions elsewhere."
Yet in one year, the economy stopped its downward spiral and began to rebound. In 1999, gross domestic product rose 5.8% compared with a contraction of 7.4% in 1998.
Retired from government service, Daim said the United States' failure started with its decision to let Lehman Brothers go bankrupt.
"That was the critical piece that set the dominos falling," he said. "They needed to bring back confidence two weeks ago." - The Washington Post
OCT 12 - As more countries become enveloped by the financial pandemic that began in the United States, some in the Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia are warily watching the events with a dose of schadenfreude.
After all, it was just a decade ago that the commodities-rich exporter was lambasted for ignoring the blueprint world leaders and the International Monetary Fund had urged.
Instead of taking tens of billions of dollars in aid from the IMF, Malaysia did what was viewed then as a radical move: it self-prescribed its recovery. It stopped outflows of capital for one year, stabilized its volatile currency rate by fixing it to the US dollar and refused to rein in spending."We were criticized by everybody but we believed strongly we only had the people of Malaysia to answer to," said former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin yesterday in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur. "We had seen what had happened with African nations that had taken aid from the IMF; they never are freed."
Malaysia defied the prevailing orthodoxy of the day and closed its doors to outside aid even as Asian financial markets, including its own, were collapsing. It also took over the toxic debts of its banks, banned short-selling of stocks and lowered interest rates - moves US regulators have implemented here in the last month to stave off a credit market meltdown.
Months after Malaysia implemented its rescue plan, markets rebounded and the economy grew.
As world financial leaders gather in Washington this weekend to discuss the global financial crisis, there continues to be debate over whether Malaysia's approach worked or if its recovery was simply luck.
South Korea and Thailand were strengthened under strict controls by the IMF. Even Daim credits part of Malaysia's turnaround to the country's ability to export oil, electronics and textiles.
But most economists agree that at the very least the plan did not sink the economy into further depths.
"It's very difficult, even with the benefit of hindsight to say the Malaysian controls were effective because they closed the stable doors after the horses had bolted," said K.S. Jomo, an economist now serving as secretary general for economic development at the United Nations.
As US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. announced yesterday that the government would be willing to take equity stake in some banks, some questioned whether there's a double standard for western nations and everyone else.
"I remember how well we were told never to bail out failing companies…better still they should be sold at fire-sale prices to American investors," former Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed wrote last week in his personal blog.
Malaysia's unique history in the emerging markets financial crisis of the late 1990s began after Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea all agreed to deregulate their financial institutions to attract more foreign capital, raise interest rates and tighten fiscal budgets - remedies prescribed by the IMF.
Those fears also hit Malaysia, where the stock market index fell from 900 in 1997 to 200 in 1998, and the currency dropped by about 40% in a year.
The pressure was intense for Malaysia to follow suit. At the urging of then IMF director Michel Camdessus, French President Jacques Chirac met with Mahathir and Daim to try to convince them to take aid from the IMF and restructure its policies, according to Daim.
"It was clear that what the IMF was doing in Asia was trying to save Wall Street, which is what the Paulson plan is doing now, and the Malaysians were saying no way," said Joseph Stiglitz, former chief economist for the World Bank and Nobel prize recipient in economics.
Malaysian leaders ignored international pleas. The nation took over the bad debts of its 35 banks, consolidated them into 10 banks, and recapitalized them by loaning them money at low interest rates. Malaysia lowered its key interest rate from 9.5% to 8%.
"This was very important to restore confidence in the market," Daim said.
For small and medium-sized companies, the government provided low-interest loans.
The international community balked over Malaysia's grip on capital flows and refusal to tighten fiscal spending.
Then US Treasury secretary Robert Rubin said Malaysia's strategy "concerns me very deeply . . . the global economy has benefited enormously from both trade liberalization and the flows of capital that have taken place over the last 10 or 15 years."
The IMF warned in its October 1998 World Economic Outlooks report that Malaysia's plan "may also turn out to be an important setback not only to that country's recovery and potentially to its future development, but also to other emerging market economies that have suffered fromheightened investor fear of similar actions elsewhere."
Yet in one year, the economy stopped its downward spiral and began to rebound. In 1999, gross domestic product rose 5.8% compared with a contraction of 7.4% in 1998.
Retired from government service, Daim said the United States' failure started with its decision to let Lehman Brothers go bankrupt.
"That was the critical piece that set the dominos falling," he said. "They needed to bring back confidence two weeks ago." - The Washington Post
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
greedy & speculation =mother of all evil
All economic turmoil, since the great depressions, even before the birth of Isa a.s. (a.k.a. jesus) could be attribute to the greedy and speculation. Greedy will make people insane and to certain extend they willing to sacrifice everything; dignity, religion, belief, families for the sake of achieving their target. This machivelism ( end justify the means ) act sometimes bring suffer not just to other people but also to oneself. Speculator, sometimes create speculation, unlogical, baseless or excessive prediction (not forecasting) and to certain extend spread rumours to take advantage of naive investors. This will bring a snowball effect and creating bubble. All fundamentals will be put aside. What is more important is how well you predict the market sentiments. Forward, Futures, Options and other types of financial instruments has been manipulated to create so called profit. Sometimes you do not need cash to get profit (short sell). When the bubble burst......... not just the market participants suffer, but also all the people around the four corner of the earth will suffer. ...... That's why Islam prohibit speculation.....
Thursday, September 25, 2008
700USD Billion Bailout?
Am I agree with the 700 USD bailout? partly yes. I think the market need the capital injection and what is more important is market confidence. However, some issues need to be tackle carefully as it involve other effect s.a. the effectiveness of the bailout, the monitoring mechanism, the plan b....plan c...plan d approach, the source of fund, the amount of deficit in budget, and the list will go on. However, if this strategy fail, hemmmmmm , the economic scenario will become chaotic (or is it the beginning of apocalypse? economic chaotic -> political instability -> social unrest-> ........)
I remember when Malaysia use similar strategy in Asian Financial crisis 1997, many so-called economists (especially the free market warlords)condemn the mechanism as it perceived as cronysm and anti free market. BULLSHIT. They condemn capital control as anti establishment, they condemn tight regulation. Now they use the same medicine to cure their economic headache. By the way, Malaysia government has established one company (known as Khazanah) and this company has bailout few companies and Non performing Loan from Malaysia Banks. This has help to stabilise the Malaysian Banking systems. In fact after the crisis and until now, Khazanah has been a well establised as a successful government investment arm, not just in Malaysia but also at the international level. since early 2000 and until now, Khazanah has make a handsome profit. All the NPL acquired has been successfully restructed and sell at a higher price.
I remember when Malaysia use similar strategy in Asian Financial crisis 1997, many so-called economists (especially the free market warlords)condemn the mechanism as it perceived as cronysm and anti free market. BULLSHIT. They condemn capital control as anti establishment, they condemn tight regulation. Now they use the same medicine to cure their economic headache. By the way, Malaysia government has established one company (known as Khazanah) and this company has bailout few companies and Non performing Loan from Malaysia Banks. This has help to stabilise the Malaysian Banking systems. In fact after the crisis and until now, Khazanah has been a well establised as a successful government investment arm, not just in Malaysia but also at the international level. since early 2000 and until now, Khazanah has make a handsome profit. All the NPL acquired has been successfully restructed and sell at a higher price.
sub prime crisis
Everybody discussing the current financial turmoil. Damn i hate capitalist and imperialist. it make rich people richer and poor people become poorer. All things done will be justified as "nothing personal it just business (Donald Trump trademark=i really hate this guy, arrogance)" or this is free market, market will determine everything. In my humble opinion, all this happen due to greedy !!!speculators speculate the market and sometimes influence the market by creating unnecessary panic. Sometimes they making profit even without they actually have money on hand e.g. short selling. No wonder in Islamic finance (the real one not the conventional repackaging system hehehhe) speculation is haram (prohibited). I still remember in one interview between BBC and George Soros in the late 90s, the interviewer ask the justification of George Soros attacking the Central Bank of England in 1992. As usual , free market and fundamental flaws has been the main excuses. Then , the interviewer condemn him as his act cause many people jobless and the England economy face set backs. Soros try to justified by saying he is a philantropist...... damn .... are you trying to say you are a good guy? or you are robin hood? ask the interviewer ... hheheheh Soros did not reply his question. Asian financial Crisis in 1997 really make our life hard. We still feel the pain, and yet another crisis come. Oh my God.
aku nak belajar english dan release stress
Ish, this is the first day I start my blog. I enjoy reading other people blogs and I think today is the perfect day for me to knock off officially my first blog and so call "website" hehhehhhe. Why I am blogging? there are few reasons :-
1) Practising English: I will use this blog as a means to improve my English proficiency level. My english is suck. actually my writing and speaking is suck not my reading, listening and comprehension. when I sat for IELTS last year i got 8.5 for comprehension and 8.5 listening (heheheheh very proud of myself). But when it comes to writing and speacking it sucks!!! So any comments on my grammartical errors are most welcome.
2) Releasing stress: currently I'm doing PhD in Finance. This semester is quite stressful to me and I think blog could help me to express what down deep in my mind.
This blog will not have any specific agenda or specific area of discussion. I will write whatever come across in my mind. What i want to do is just replicating one of the method I learn during schooling time, (which some sort of homework by my english teacher): write your journal everyday in English and submit on the last school day every month.
Thanks for visiting my blog
enjoy
1) Practising English: I will use this blog as a means to improve my English proficiency level. My english is suck. actually my writing and speaking is suck not my reading, listening and comprehension. when I sat for IELTS last year i got 8.5 for comprehension and 8.5 listening (heheheheh very proud of myself). But when it comes to writing and speacking it sucks!!! So any comments on my grammartical errors are most welcome.
2) Releasing stress: currently I'm doing PhD in Finance. This semester is quite stressful to me and I think blog could help me to express what down deep in my mind.
This blog will not have any specific agenda or specific area of discussion. I will write whatever come across in my mind. What i want to do is just replicating one of the method I learn during schooling time, (which some sort of homework by my english teacher): write your journal everyday in English and submit on the last school day every month.
Thanks for visiting my blog
enjoy
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