A New Perspective in the World of Investments

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By P Chong                             Wednesday, 20 January 2010

If you’ve been following my blog & reading some of my past posts such as:

  • “If You Stall. . . Others Roar”
  • “US ‘Toilet’ Paper Money”
  • “General Motors Today . . . America Tomorrow”
  • “Plain Old Greed . . . An Unwanted Creed”
  • “The Wind Of Change”
  • “The Gloom & Doom That Zooms”
  • “Empires Rise, Empires Fall In Peace Or In War”
  • “Obama – Bowing to ‘Who’ Or ‘Hu’”
  • “From Capitalism To Socialism”
  • “US Greenback Is Doomed”
  • “The Decade That Was”
  • “What US Can Learn From China”
  • “New US Dollars For 2010”

then these words from the mouth of Steve Schwarzman, Chairman & CEO of Blackstone Capital – an investing titan few people have direct access to, will come as no surprise:

“Everyone knows it’s not just a U.S.-centric investing world any more. The challenge comes in knowing how to separate hype from reality — and profit from global growth in a safe and prudent way.”

He went on to tell CNBC’s listeners of a “new paradigm developing in terms of how one looks at the world.”

I am no investment guru nor do I advocate as to how you should invest. But looking at the present world situation, and looking particularly at China, the emerging dragon, you can be your own judge & jury on how & where your hard earned dollars are to be invested.

Just in case you are not inclined to read & believe everything in the printed media, which is a good principle to live by, you might have missed out a lot of good pointers on the other side of the coin. It’s always best to see both sides of the picture before forming a judgement or opinion. For this reason, I will urge you to read the many past posts of mine on China. They are all there in the Archive.

You’ll learn to widen & sharpen your vision when you read more – whether it’s within your interest or not. Don’t be restrictive & confine yourself to read only articles of your interests. Wisdom is gained through a myriad of experiences. Try to be more venturesome! Follow only the successful ones!

This is a changing world. Nothing remains stagnant or stationary. Everything is in a state of flux & change. Be dynamic. Embrace change. Be positive in outlook lest you’d be entrapped by negatives . . . which is by far a stronger force! 90% of what you read or hear in the multi media are negative. You just can’t escape from it! Only you & you alone can steer your way clear of negatives into yonder horizon of sunshine & brightness!

Doing Good Always Feel So Good!

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By P Chong                         Monday, 18 January 2010

In the 1970s when I was first exposed to Dr. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs through a dynamic pyramid marketing company, I was thoroughly amazed by the insight & power the theory wields in human motivation. This theory basically answers the question what makes a person do what he pursues or drive him to attain his goals. Ultimately what is it that matters most in life?

Helsman Trophy

Since the dawn of mankind, human beings have always been striving for things he wanted or desired – never truly satisfied with the things he possessed. Yonder pastures are always greener . . . that’s where greed and covetousness set in. There’s no denying that men always crave for the pleasures of life, power & authority with no end in sight. Contentment is a difficult word to live by, especially in this current world of excessive materialism.

The everlasting question is what constitute human happiness? It’s such an abstract & complex concept that renders it difficult to measure. It’s the inner joy, the spontaneous flow of great feeling whatever the circumstances, that certain cheer & ready smile that never fail to lighten up the burden. It is gratifying to see a person with joy in his or her heart than to see one of misery.

Men & women all strive for that spark of happiness in life. Is there any secret to finding happiness? What avenues can people resort to in their elusive search? Does happiness come with the fulfilment of dreams?Generally, marriage & career are the two norms followed.

Interestingly, Dr. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides an insight into the various levels or hierarchy of needs that human strive for. The Hierarchy of Needs theory remains valid today for understanding human motivation, management training, and personal development. Many people find they can understand what Maslow says. They can recognize & relate the features to their own experience or behaviour which are true and identifiable.

Maslow has set up a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist. These include needs for understanding, aesthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. It’s to be noted that until the demand of the first level has been met or satisfied, the person would not feel the urge of going on to the second & so on.

As seen from the diagram, Maslow’s basic needs consist of:

  • Physiological Needs – These are biological needs such as food, water, air etc.
  • Safety Needs – The needs for security & safety.

  • Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness – Gregarious as we are, people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation.

  • Needs for Esteem – These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.
  • Needs for Self-Actualization – A person’s need to be and do that which the person was “born to do” as according to Maslow “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write.”

When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.

In the pursuit of human endeavour, people usually get lost in the maze of knowing precisely what they want in life. Three basic questions to be answered: What is it in life that you really want? What is the price? Are you prepared to pay that price?

In the final analysis, helping others may be as primal as human pleasure like food or sex. It’s difficult for humans to be truly selfless, for generosity feels so good. Doing good always feel so good! To Maslow a “self-actualizing person.” is a fully functioning person, a healthy personality capable of giving, loving & helping others unconditionally & strictly without any personal agenda.

Is this what the philanthropists are trying to achieve or to compensate for their wayward ways?

An interpretation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,

represented as a pyramid with the more basic needs at the bottom.

Reflection In Solitude

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By P Chong


AS IN NATURE, in hibernation I seek

For the survival I need

Contrary to what you may think

It’s my way of life’s process accepting.

Upward I turn, silence prevails

Inward I seek, solace avails.

A fortress of solitude we all need

To reflect and a place for retreat

Seclude yourself from all worldly affairs

In true perspective everything becomes fair.

Originally penned: Thursday, 6 February 1997 @ 6.00 am

The Choice Is Yours!

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By P Chong                                                                             Tuesday, 12 January 2010


The elevator to the top is out of order

‘No short-cut” shout one caller

“You will have to use the stairs!”

Everyone present just stood and stared.


On step at a time

You need to climb

The higher you want to pursue

Greater diligence must ensue.


Go the extra mile

Try always to smile

Even when the going is tough

You must never crouch.

Originally penned: Monday, 14 November 1994 @ 6.00 am

Andrew’s Miraculous Car Accident Escape – A Testimony

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By P Chong                                                                       Tuesday, 12 January 2010

Such accident may cause permanent paralysis to the victim!


It’s strange sometimes how you wake up in the middle of night & have that urge to write & testify to the glory of God. According to my recorded memory, it was the year 1992, December 10 when I penned the following testimony:

“It’s three-thirty in the morning. It will be another hour or so before daybreak. Everybody is sound asleep – peace & quiet reign. I just hope that the noise of my old-faithful Olivetti Lettera 32 type-writer will be sufficiently quiet as not to stir or cause any undue awakening.”

Sleep was much needed after the evening drama we had with our second son Andrew. I had gone to bed before twelve that night, so did everyone else. Undoubtedly, the worry . . . the anxiety as well as the relief & joy drained us all. I slept soundly the moment I hit the pillow, but somehow by about three in the morning I could sleep no more. I guessed the good Lord wanted me to record this dramatic testimony in His glory.

With peace & quiet around, I started to type:

“Last night’s drama certainly had the hand of God in it. The sight of our wrecked Toyota Corolla at the panel-beater’s workshop in Maddington would conjure in the mind of the most horrific of the accident. There could not have been any survivor by the look of the wreck . . . caved-in roof, smashed windscreen & window of the front passenger’s side, the front bumper & bonnet all bashed & twisted, missing back screen, damaged left back door & left tail-end. The car in a word was a complete write-off.

It was after work at Alcoa in Jarrahdale mine site, Andrew taking a short-cut was driving through a dirt track along Anketell Road, when doing about 100km/h he felt the tail of the car swerving. Naturally he tried to slow down & instinctively applied on the brakes. The car however skidded to the right and veered off the track hitting the side bush & shrubs. Everything happened in split seconds. All of a sudden there was this dark tall pillar in the path of the out-of-control vehicle, it hit, and the car surging forward . . . vision seemed to blur and darken on the outside . . . his mind filled with thoughts of disbelief of the happening. The next thing came the realisation that the car was flipping over and ultimately came to rest.

Andrew, fortunately conscious & still holding on to the steering wheel, strapped to the seat by the safety-belt, was suspended upside-down! After the initial shock, he tried to open the car door but it was jammed. Fearing any danger of explosion he turned off the engine and the radio which was filling the air with sweet sound of music from Sonshine FM. Undoing the safety-belt, then winding down the window, he crawled out & miraculously found himself without a scratch! He had not quite realised the seriousness of the accident until he saw the turtle position of the car.

It was amazing. Not a scratch could be found on his body, though the car was in a wreck-beyond-salvage condition. Praise the Lord. Go was surely riding with him. The car was not comprehensively insured, but thank God Andrew was safe & sound.

The guy who picked him up & gave him a lift to the nearest Caltex service station at the junction of Nicholson & Thomas Road said surprisingly, “You’re so lucky to be alive!”

Yes indeed!

It was not just luck. God’s hand was upon Andrew.

Praise His holy name on high!


(Andrew was at that time on a “work experience”with Alcoa. The Company refused any form of compensation).

Why Do I Blog?

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By P Chong                                                                                            Saturday, 9 January 2010

To me, blogging is undoubtedly the purest form of journalism. With due respect to all the news media, how much of what we read is believable or is questionable.

Blogging provides me an avenue to have my printed word, not mere verbal convention, for all to read freely without restraint. I could blog just about anything with the freedom of content.

Why People Blog?

It’s an ideal place, without any external imposition & with complete freedom to work out my feeling about different things, be it political, economical, social or any other.

Blogging affords me the opportunity to be a part not only of the community in which I live but also the world at large. Electronically speaking, the world indeed is a small place. Talk about globalisation . . . blog enables me to achieve that.

I write & speak without restraint to a faceless audience, who may know me increasingly if they have been following my blog, and as I said in my blog:

With a lifetime of experiences to share with the world at large, I am electronically transferring all my thoughts & philosophy onto the blogosphere – to be accessed by one & all globally. Interestingly & provokingly, readers will have both the leisure & pleasure of savouring a wide range of subjects in:

love & romance

arts & science

facts & fiction

reminiscences & presence

greed & creed

economics & politics

fancy & reality

nature & venture

spiritual & secular

life & travel

poems

Remember to leave behind a line or two of your comments that I may know of your coming & going. It’s like signing my Guest Book which I would eternally treasure.

Having lived a greater part of my adult life in a pathetic country like Malaysia, and now living joyously in the “Lucky Country” of Australia, the concept of “All men are created equal” takes on a better perspective & understanding.

The Scale of Equilibrium in justice & fairness must prevail.

Corruption, cronyism & nepotism not to assail.

Please circulate & share my blogosphere with one & all.

Paul Chong

A Chinese by Descent

An Australian by Consent

(Dedicated to God for Guidance, Power & Strength)

Persistence

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By P Chong                                                                                         Friday, 8 January 2010

Statue of Abraham Lincoln

A log cabin in Lincoln’s time

The story of persistence is best told through the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America. He dreamt of being the President even in the days when he was sleeping in his log cabin.

A lesser person would have quit and died incognito. To him, however, success was a persistent achievement, not just a mere dream. His genius lay in the power of exerting everlasting effort – staying on the track even though the odds were impossible & defeats were ever present.

Lincoln failed for period of 30 years as from 1831. He failed in business in 1833, congress in 1848, and would you believe it, he entered the Black Hawk War as a captain & came out as a private. He was absolutely and totally prepared for failure. Yet while others failed & gave up, he went on to become the GREATEST PRESIDENT OF AMERICA in 1860.

His life story was indeed remarkable, beginning with his humble origin and culminating with his dramatic death on April 14, 1865.

HIS WAS A PERSISTENT SUCCESS.

THOUGH DEAD & GONE, HIS NAME & FAME LIVE ON.

To give you a broader perspective on Persistence, here are more illustrations:

This is the proverbial statement written by Calvin Coolidge in 1919:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common

than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved & will always solve the problems of human race.

Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance. – Samuel Johnson

If there is no struggle there is no progress. – Frederick Douglass

In golf, there’s always a chance that favours those who persist.

And not least of all, if she should run away, pursue & persist in your pursuit!


You can thus see that Persistence is totally indispensable.

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

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By P Chong                       Thursday, 7 January 2010

Time Is Money!

There’s a Chinese saying which mentions that “One inch of time is inch of gold”. In developed countries,all professionals & even tradesmen charge for their services according to the time expended. They place a great value on their time. What about you? Do you value your time? Do you just spend it or waste it?

The only thing we can do with our time is to spend it – once spent it’s gone for good. But how we spend it determines how much it’s worth to us.

It’s been pointed out, for example, that a plain bar of iron is worth about $15.00.

* Made into horseshoes, it becomes worth $31.50.

* If made into needles, its worth multiples to $1,065.00.

* It multiplies by almost ten again to $9,855, if made into knife blades and,

* If wrought into balance springs for watches, the identical bar of iron becomes worth $750,000!

Perhaps we all can’t turn time into balance springs, but we owe to ourselves to at least try for needles or knife blades. The important thing is:

We all start with the same bar of iron

It’s what we do with it that counts!

TIME IS MONEY!

Eagle & Eaglets: The Push

On By Paul1 Comment


Even Eagles Need A Push

The Power of Encouragement

A Story By David McNally

Very often we human can learn a thing or two about raising our young from nature.

God in His ever loving kindness demonstrates this through His eagles – birds of prey that command the sky. Before that status could be attained, young eaglets

have to be pushed to overcome their initial fears of  flight.

This is the story that you’ve got to learn that “you’ve got to be cruel in order to be kind” or why it is necessary to understand “roots to grow & wings to fly’.

The old adage of “Spare the rod & spoil the child” is also aptly applied in this story.

The eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest.

Her heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging.

“Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the fear of falling?” she thought.

This ageless question was still unanswered for her.

As in the tradition of the species, her nest was located high upon the shelf of a sheer rock face.

Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of each child.

“Is it possible that this time it will not work?” she thought.

Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental mission was all but complete.

There remains one final task . . . THE PUSH.

The eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom. Until her children discovered their wings, there was no purpose for their lives.

Until they learned how to soar, they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been born an eagle.

THE PUSH was the greatest gift she had to offer. It was her supreme act of love.

And so, one by one she PUSHED them . . . And they FLEW.

Eagle is most majestic in flight!


SOMETIMES WE NEED THE PUSH.

IT CAN BE THE GREATEST GIFT YOU EVER GIVE.

IT WILL CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER.

Related Article: Please Read

The Importance of Knowing Why “Roots to Grow, Wings to Fly”.

The Centre Of The Bible

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Here’s something about the Bible that’s really strange. Be amazed.

Even if you’re not religious you should read this.

Believe it or not?

Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalm 117

Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalm 119

Q: Which chapter is in the centre of the Bible?

A: Psalm 118

Facts: There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118.

There are 594 chapters after Psalm 118.

And these numbers add up to 1188!

Q: What is the centre verse in the Bible?

A: Psalm 118:8

Does this verse say something significant

about God’s perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would

like to find God’s perfect will for their lives

and that they want to be in the centre of His will,

just send them to the centre of His Word!

Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Now isn’t that odd how this worked out . . . or was God in the centre of it?

“Father God, bless my friend in whatever

it is that you know

he or she may be needing this day!

May their life be full of your peace, prosperity & power

as they seek to have a closer relationship with You.

Amen.”

If this message & prayer touch your life, share it with your loved ones, relatives & friends. Then sit back and watch the power of God at work in your life for doing the thing you know He loves.

Let Go and Let God

Man can only do the possible

God does the IMPOSSIBLE!

May God Bless You Abundantly in 2010