Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Quote for the day
“If you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it'll spread over into the rest of your life. It'll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being.” - Bruce Lee
Monday, 29 September 2014
Quote for the day
“When there is a stock-market boom, and everyone is scrambling for common stocks, take all of your common stocks and sell them. Take the proceeds and buy conservative bonds. No doubt the stocks you sold will go higher. Pay no attention to this— just wait for the depression which will come sooner or later. When this depression— or panic— becomes a national catastrophe, sell out the bonds (perhaps at a loss) and buy back the stocks. No doubt the stocks will go still lower. Again pay no attention. Wait for the next boom. Continue to repeat this operation as long as you live, and you'll have the pleasure of dying rich.” - Fred Schwed
Sunday, 28 September 2014
5 Things You Can Learn From Other Top Investors
By Murray Newlands
Buy and Hold Good Stocks Over Trading Fast
Many investors would rather have their money go through the market and back into their pockets in a rapid-fire manner. While this can be a good way to turn a profit on stocks, you should hold on to stable stocks to limit a risk in your investment portfolio. They're a good way to keep a hold of some wealth while you experiment with another segment of your wealth.
Do Not Buy Into Hot Stocks
Just because a stock is doing well one year does not mean that that track record will continue in the future. In fact, a stock peaking radically one year generally means that it will crash in a few years to come--many "hot stocks" of the year can be risky investments in the future that become worthless stocks in good time.
Diversifying Your Portfolio Is Not Hollow Advice
Though you have heard it time and time again, you can always improve your investment standing by diversifying your portfolio. This does not mean just having stocks from different areas of the market, but it means diversifying your sources of wealth (having mutual funds in addition to single stocks, venture capital, et cetera) as well.
Raise Your Exposure to Surprises That Will Increase Your Wealth
Sometimes taking a small portion of your wealth and investing it into a risky area can expose you to stocks that will raise exponentially in value. Though this is not how you should rely on making your money on the market, it definitely has its place in increasing your invested wealth.
When it comes down to it, there are plenty of tips and tricks that you can take from other top investors to increase the value of your own investment practice, but the five tips listed above will lie at the core of other more tailored advice for where your investment portfolio is focused. By adhering to these five tips, you are sure to find success in your investments, no matter what the state of the market is!
Successful investing is tricky; here are fives ways that you can learn from top investors to get the most out of your portfolio.
No matter how well your investments may be going, there is always room for improvement. There's always something that you can learn from other investors in any field--after all, watching your competitors is always the best way to learn. You can avoid masking the same mistakes that they've made and even commandeer their successful strategies for your own benefit. These are five things that you can learn from other top investors to help you improve your own portfolio.
No matter how well your investments may be going, there is always room for improvement. There's always something that you can learn from other investors in any field--after all, watching your competitors is always the best way to learn. You can avoid masking the same mistakes that they've made and even commandeer their successful strategies for your own benefit. These are five things that you can learn from other top investors to help you improve your own portfolio.
Buy and Hold Good Stocks Over Trading Fast
Many investors would rather have their money go through the market and back into their pockets in a rapid-fire manner. While this can be a good way to turn a profit on stocks, you should hold on to stable stocks to limit a risk in your investment portfolio. They're a good way to keep a hold of some wealth while you experiment with another segment of your wealth.
Keep Up On Your Quarterly Statements
Use these to monitor your fees and back out of areas that are becoming too expensive in order to manage your money better and maximize the returns going into your pocket. Banks and brokerages know that not many people read the statements that are sent to them, so be one of the few that is in the know on information that is publicly available!
Use these to monitor your fees and back out of areas that are becoming too expensive in order to manage your money better and maximize the returns going into your pocket. Banks and brokerages know that not many people read the statements that are sent to them, so be one of the few that is in the know on information that is publicly available!
Do Not Buy Into Hot Stocks
Just because a stock is doing well one year does not mean that that track record will continue in the future. In fact, a stock peaking radically one year generally means that it will crash in a few years to come--many "hot stocks" of the year can be risky investments in the future that become worthless stocks in good time.
Diversifying Your Portfolio Is Not Hollow Advice
Though you have heard it time and time again, you can always improve your investment standing by diversifying your portfolio. This does not mean just having stocks from different areas of the market, but it means diversifying your sources of wealth (having mutual funds in addition to single stocks, venture capital, et cetera) as well.
Raise Your Exposure to Surprises That Will Increase Your Wealth
Sometimes taking a small portion of your wealth and investing it into a risky area can expose you to stocks that will raise exponentially in value. Though this is not how you should rely on making your money on the market, it definitely has its place in increasing your invested wealth.
When it comes down to it, there are plenty of tips and tricks that you can take from other top investors to increase the value of your own investment practice, but the five tips listed above will lie at the core of other more tailored advice for where your investment portfolio is focused. By adhering to these five tips, you are sure to find success in your investments, no matter what the state of the market is!
www.inc.com/
Quote for the day
“Wisdom consists of seeing many things and concentrating on one thing.” - Dickson G. Watts
5 Investment Rules No One Ever Told You
By Murray Newlands
There's lots of investment advice out there on the Internet, but these are the five things that you should know that you've never been told.
Everybody knows the most basic rules of investing--buy low, sell high, read the business plan, etc. These pieces of advice are certainly helpful and can help you avoid failure, but there are some other tips that you've likely never been told before. These untold rules of investing can help you take your portfolio to the next level and ensure that you get a great return on every dollar spent. Understanding these five rules and applying them can help you generate an ROI that you never though possible, even if you're investing with a small amount of capital. These are the five investment rules that no one ever told you.
Pick the Investment Opportunities That Work Best For You
While it's always a good idea to diversify your portfolio, you're still going to want to invest in things that you know. Even if you know nothing of investments, you can still find investment opportunities that are in your area of expertise or that have to do with businesses that you know something about. If you want to try to expand your portfolio and venture outside of your own expertise, it's a good idea to consult financial investor to make sure that your investments are safe and sound, and are worth your hard earned money.
Connect With Your Personal Habits
Why is this important, you ask? Well, if you make going to a certain business a daily habit of yours and you notice others doing the same, it could be a good indicator of a smart investment to make. Even though buying stock in large companies will generally not be the way to strike it rich, having some safer, more popular stocks in your portfolio makes a good buffer against riskier investments. When it comes to investing, it's a good idea to stick to what you know and things that you're personally invested in.
Be Aware of the People Running the Companies You're Investing In
Knowing an executive's past performance record is important to note with their current business venture. A string of failures behind them is generally not a good sign for their current business. In addition to that, you should want to invest your money into someone that you can trust to handle a business and grow a company, and you should evaluate that based on not only their professional career but their personal track record as well with donating to causes and similar things.
Start Simple
Though you may see many different options for investing and want to try them all, going into an investment half understanding what it entails is a means to certain financial ruin. So, if you're just getting into investing, or you're looking to a market or an industry that you're not familiar with, start simple and build your investment from the ground up.
Successful investing is tricky and requires a great deal of expertise and an understanding of current trends and markets. Of course, traditional investing tips can help you make sound decisions, but these five lesser know tips can help you ensure a great ROI on your hard earned money.
There's lots of investment advice out there on the Internet, but these are the five things that you should know that you've never been told.
Everybody knows the most basic rules of investing--buy low, sell high, read the business plan, etc. These pieces of advice are certainly helpful and can help you avoid failure, but there are some other tips that you've likely never been told before. These untold rules of investing can help you take your portfolio to the next level and ensure that you get a great return on every dollar spent. Understanding these five rules and applying them can help you generate an ROI that you never though possible, even if you're investing with a small amount of capital. These are the five investment rules that no one ever told you.
Pick the Investment Opportunities That Work Best For You
While it's always a good idea to diversify your portfolio, you're still going to want to invest in things that you know. Even if you know nothing of investments, you can still find investment opportunities that are in your area of expertise or that have to do with businesses that you know something about. If you want to try to expand your portfolio and venture outside of your own expertise, it's a good idea to consult financial investor to make sure that your investments are safe and sound, and are worth your hard earned money.
Connect With Your Personal Habits
Why is this important, you ask? Well, if you make going to a certain business a daily habit of yours and you notice others doing the same, it could be a good indicator of a smart investment to make. Even though buying stock in large companies will generally not be the way to strike it rich, having some safer, more popular stocks in your portfolio makes a good buffer against riskier investments. When it comes to investing, it's a good idea to stick to what you know and things that you're personally invested in.
Be Wary of Overly Technical Jargon
While there will probably be terminology that you don't know if you're new to investing, an over use of technical jargon could be a means to hide poor performance or undesirable attributes of an investment opportunity. Companies know that not many people understand corporate lingo, so they will use that to try to dazzle potential investors to hopefully gain some capital back. If you can spot technical jargon and avoid it, you'll likely have a safer investment on your hands.
While there will probably be terminology that you don't know if you're new to investing, an over use of technical jargon could be a means to hide poor performance or undesirable attributes of an investment opportunity. Companies know that not many people understand corporate lingo, so they will use that to try to dazzle potential investors to hopefully gain some capital back. If you can spot technical jargon and avoid it, you'll likely have a safer investment on your hands.
Be Aware of the People Running the Companies You're Investing In
Knowing an executive's past performance record is important to note with their current business venture. A string of failures behind them is generally not a good sign for their current business. In addition to that, you should want to invest your money into someone that you can trust to handle a business and grow a company, and you should evaluate that based on not only their professional career but their personal track record as well with donating to causes and similar things.
Start Simple
Though you may see many different options for investing and want to try them all, going into an investment half understanding what it entails is a means to certain financial ruin. So, if you're just getting into investing, or you're looking to a market or an industry that you're not familiar with, start simple and build your investment from the ground up.
Successful investing is tricky and requires a great deal of expertise and an understanding of current trends and markets. Of course, traditional investing tips can help you make sound decisions, but these five lesser know tips can help you ensure a great ROI on your hard earned money.
www.inc.com
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Quote for the day
“There is nothing like losing all you have in the world for teaching you what not to do. And when you know what not to do in order not to lose money, you begin to learn what to do in order to win. Did you get that? You begin to learn!” - Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
Friday, 26 September 2014
Quote for the day
“The market usually leads because there are people who know more than you do.” - Bruce Kovner
Thursday, 25 September 2014
Quote for the day
“Economic history is a never-ending series of episodes based on falsehoods and lies, not truths. It represents the path to big money. The object is to recognize the trend whose premise is false, ride that trend, and step off before it is discredited.” - George Soros
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Quote for the day
“What is imperfect can be improved. Accepting the uncertainties connected with our fallibility opens up the vista for infinite improvement.” - George Soros
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Jack Ma: If you’re still poor at 35, you deserve it!
You are poor because you have no ambition.
Jack Ma: Before I founded Alibaba, I invited 24 friends to my house to discuss the business opportunity. After discussing for a full two hours, they were still confused — I have to say that I may not have put myself across in a clear manner manner then. The verdict: 23 out of the 24 people in the room told me to drop the idea, for a multitude of reasons, such as: ‘you do not know anything about the internet, and more prominently, you do not have the start-up capital for this’ etc etc.
There was only one friend (who was working in a bank then) who told me, “If you want to do it, just try it. If things don’t work out the way you expected it to, you can always revert back to what you were doing before.” I pondered upon this for one night, and by the next morning, I decided I would do it anyway, even if all of the 24 people opposed the idea.
When I first started Alibaba, I was immediately met with strong opposition from family and friends. Looking back, I realised that the biggest driving force for me then was not my confidence in the Internet and the potential it held, but more of this: “No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself.” You have got to keep trying, and if it doesn’t work, you always can revert back to what you were doing before.
As with this quote by T.E. Lawrence – “All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream in the dark recesses of the night awake in the day to find all was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, and make it possible.”
Jack Ma: People lose out in life because of these 4 reasons:
- Being myopic to opportunity
- Looking down on opportunities
- Lacking understanding
- Failing to act quickly enough
You are poor, because you have no ambition.
Ambition is living a life of great ideals; a magnificent goal in life that must be realised.
In this world, there are things that are deemed unfathomable, but there is nothing in this world that cannot be done. The depth of one’s ambition determines the potential of one’ future.
The Story of Juliet Wu Shihong – one of China’s first-generation professional managers, who gained success by working her way up the ranks from a cleaner, a nurse, a marketing executive, through self-education and learning on the job.
She had been the general manager for the world’s most famous multinational IT groups’ Chinese branches (Microsoft 1985-1998; IBM 1998-1999). She is also China’s first successful international corporate executive to join the executive team of a domestic private firm. Wu was seen as a symbol of the new generation of business executives that China has produced in its economic reform and opening-up.
When Wu started off in a big company working from the lowest ranks, her daily job was to pour tea and sweep floors. Once, because she forgot her staff pass, the company’s guard stopped her at the door and denied her entry. She explained to the guard that she was indeed one of the company’s employees, and that she had merely left the building for a short while to purchase office supplies.
Despite her pleas, the guard still did not allow to enter. As she stood at the gate, she watched as those of similar age to her, but smartly dressed in business attire walking through without having to show their passes.
She asked the guard, “Why are these people allowed through without producing a pass?” The guard dismissed her coldly nonetheless.
That was the turning point for Wu – she felt great shame, her self-esteem trampled on.
She looked at herself, dressed in shabby clothes and pushing a dirty push cart. Looking back at those dressed in smart attire, her heart felt a deep ache from the sudden realization of the sorrow and grief from being discriminated. From that moment, she vowed never to allow herself to be shamed like this again, and to become world-famous.
Since then, she used every opportunity to enrich herself. Every day, she was the first to arrive at work, and the last one to leave. She made every second count, spending her time learning the ropes. Her efforts soon paid off; she was made a sales representative, and quickly progressed to being the regional general manager of this multinational company in China. Wu did not possess strong academic qualifications, and was revered as the ‘Queen of Part-timers’. Subsequently, she assumed the position of GM of IBM China. This is the Wu Shihong, the heroine in China’s business circle.
If not for the incident, Wu Shihong would not have had the ambition to become rich, and her life would have taken a very different path then.
- You are poor because you do not have the desire to become successful.
- You are poor because you lack foresight.
- You are poor because you cannot overcome your cowardice.
- You are poor because you lack the courage and determination.
- With ambition you can overcome all inferiority and maximise your potential!
- With ambition you can persevere, continuously learn new things and strive for perfection.
- With ambition you can defy all odds, and create miracles when others daren’t.
No matter how poor your family is, do not doubt your own abilities and lose sight of your ambition.
- When your family deems you worthless, no one will pity you.
- When your parents do not have money to pay the medical bills, no one will pity you.
- When you are beaten by your competitors, no one will pity you.
- When your loved ones abandon you, no one will pity you.
- When you have not accomplished anything by the time you are 35, no one will pity you.
Go big, or go home. Otherwise, you’re wasting your youth.
The article is originally published in Chinese, and is translated into English. If you think this was helpful, feel free to share it with your friends.
About Jack Ma: Jack Ma is a Chinese Internet entrepreneur. He is the Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, a family of highly successful Internet-based businesses. He is also the first mainland Chinese entrepreneur to appear on the cover of Forbes Magazine and ranks as one of the world’s billionaires.Ma was named the Financial Times’ 2013 Person of the Year because he personifies the Chinese internet, referring to him as the “godfather of China’s scrappy entrepreneurial spirit.”.
Source: zerohedge
Source: zerohedge
Quote for the day
“Most investors have a remarkable and deeply fascinating ability to blame others for their mistakes whilst giving themselves credit for all the correct investment decisions.” - Niels Jensen
Monday, 22 September 2014
7 Numbers Shaping Tomorrow's World
How trends connected to elderly people, single people, Asia, Internet of Things, internet search habits, mental health and global demand for water shape tomorrow's world? Take a look.
Source: http://www.visualistan.com/
Quote for the day
“Learn from your mistakes. Don't be misled by the day-to-day fluctuations in your equity. Focus on whether what you are doing is right, not on the random nature of any single trade's outcome.” - Richard Dennis
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Quote for the day
“Most men fail, not through lack of education or agreeable personal qualities, but from lack of dogged determination, from lack of dauntless will.” - Orison Swett Marden
11 Quotes That Illustrate The Strange, Relentless Genius Of Alibaba Founder Jack Ma
Alibaba, the enormous Chinese e-commerce company, is expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange this Friday.
At its helm is founder Jack Ma, a charismatic leader who started the company with 18 friends out of his small apartment in 1999. Although Ma is no longer CEO of Alibaba, he's still the face of the company.
Ma has succeeded because he is relentless, and some of his more memorable quotes — "Today is cruel, tomorrow is crueler" — illustrate how that relentlessness has formed his thinking.
On not giving up: "Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful."
On past mistakes from "the dark days at Alibaba": "If you don't give up, you still have a chance. And, when you are small, you have to be very focused and rely on your brain, not your strength."
On teamwork: "If we are a good team and know what we want to do, one of us can defeat 10 of them."
On having a larger mission: "It doesn't matter if I failed. At least I passed the concept on to others. Even if I don't succeed, someone will succeed."
On perseverance: "We will make it because we are young and we will never, never give up."
On work: "If we go to work at 8 a.m. and go home at 5 p.m., this is not a high-tech company and Alibaba will never be successful. If we have that kind of 8-to-5 spirit, then we should just go and do something else."
On competition: "You should learn from your competitor but never copy. Copy, and you die."
On Alibaba.com's 2007 IPO: "Alibaba is not just a job. It's a dream. It's a cause. Let the Wall Street investors curse us if they want."
On starting a company: "If you want to grow, find a good opportunity. Today, if you want to be a great company, think about what social problem you could solve."
On the benefits of his technological ineptitude: "Intelligent people need a fool to lead them. When the team's all a bunch of scientists, it is best to have a peasant lead the way. His way of thinking is different. It's easier to win if you have people seeing things from different perspectives."
On growth: "In carrying out e-commerce, the most important thing is to keep doing what you are doing right now with passion, to keep it up."
Source: www.businessinsider.com
At its helm is founder Jack Ma, a charismatic leader who started the company with 18 friends out of his small apartment in 1999. Although Ma is no longer CEO of Alibaba, he's still the face of the company.
Ma has succeeded because he is relentless, and some of his more memorable quotes — "Today is cruel, tomorrow is crueler" — illustrate how that relentlessness has formed his thinking.
On not giving up: "Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful."
On past mistakes from "the dark days at Alibaba": "If you don't give up, you still have a chance. And, when you are small, you have to be very focused and rely on your brain, not your strength."
On teamwork: "If we are a good team and know what we want to do, one of us can defeat 10 of them."
On having a larger mission: "It doesn't matter if I failed. At least I passed the concept on to others. Even if I don't succeed, someone will succeed."
On perseverance: "We will make it because we are young and we will never, never give up."
On work: "If we go to work at 8 a.m. and go home at 5 p.m., this is not a high-tech company and Alibaba will never be successful. If we have that kind of 8-to-5 spirit, then we should just go and do something else."
On competition: "You should learn from your competitor but never copy. Copy, and you die."
On Alibaba.com's 2007 IPO: "Alibaba is not just a job. It's a dream. It's a cause. Let the Wall Street investors curse us if they want."
On starting a company: "If you want to grow, find a good opportunity. Today, if you want to be a great company, think about what social problem you could solve."
On the benefits of his technological ineptitude: "Intelligent people need a fool to lead them. When the team's all a bunch of scientists, it is best to have a peasant lead the way. His way of thinking is different. It's easier to win if you have people seeing things from different perspectives."
On growth: "In carrying out e-commerce, the most important thing is to keep doing what you are doing right now with passion, to keep it up."
Source: www.businessinsider.com
Saturday, 20 September 2014
This Is The Man Making Bill Gates So Rich
His secret weapon is a man you have probably never heard of: Michael Larson.
Michael Larson
Gates hired Larson 20 years ago, when his net worth was a relatively paltry $5 billion, report Anupreeta Das and Craig Karmin at the Wall Street Journal, who just wrote a profile on the notoriously secretive Larson.
Larson runs Gates’ personal investment company Cascade Investment LLC, funded solely by Gates.
At one time, Gates wealth depended solely on Microsoft. But for years he’s been selling off his Microsoft stake. The common perception is that he’s been using the proceeds from those sales directly for charity. That’s not entirely how it works.
Although Gates makes his own investments in tech, it is Larson, through Cascade, who has taken Gate’s money and diversified it. Gates now has vast holdings in real estate and non-tech companies like the Canadian National Railway Co., AutoNation Inc., and Republic Services Inc. It is these vast holdings that help fund the Gates’ donations.
And although Gates has given an astounding $38 billion to his charitable foundation, thanks to Larson, he’s getting richer faster than he can give his money away.
His $81.6 billion is nearly $6 billion more than it was as of March 2014, when he was worth $76 billion, we reported at the time. And $76 billion was $9 billion more than he was worth in March, 2013.
In February, Gates celebrated 20 years of this partnership by throwing a gala to honour Larson at his Seattle mansion, reports the WSJ. It was a rare occasion where the two men socialized with each other. Apparently, they aren't buddies and don’t hang out much, sources told the Journal.
At the party, Gates told guests he has “complete trust and faith” in Larson, meaning that Larson invests Gates’ money, buying and selling, with completely autonomy.
And he does it all under a cover of such ferocious secrecy that he’s been nicknamed “the Gateskeeper.”
Although publicly traded companies do reveal when Cascade has invested heavily in them, Larson has all sorts of tricks for keeping Cascade’s and Bill Gate’s names out of other investments, sources told the Journal.
For instance, he makes employees sign confidentiality agreements which cover them even after they leave. He farms out more than $10 billion to up to 25 outside money managers. This helps him find new investment ideas, but it also helps cover the trail. When Cascade was part of an investment group that bought the Ritz-Carlton hotel in San Francisco, the publicist didn't even know Cascade, and Bill Gates, was among them.
He’s also been known to fire up a limited Limited Liability Corporation to make real estate purchases, to keep Cascade’s name off the deal and the deed.
He’s so good at hiding the trail that most people don’t know that Gates, through Cascade, owns a significant stake in the Four Seasons luxury-hotel chain.
And he’s frugal with the bosses’ money, too. Apparently Cascade employees, of whom there are about 100, are not allowed to stay at the Four Seasons when travelling on business, even if that business is on behalf of the Four Seasons. They must choose a lower-cost, less luxurious hotel.
“Melinda and I are free to pursue our vision of a healthier and better-educated world because of what Michael has done,” Gates told guests at the party.
And ultimately, the money will go to charity. Bill and Melinda Gates have vowed to donate 95% of their wealth to their foundation, as part of Gate’s Giving Pledge.
But until then, Larson is making it grow.
Source: http://www.businessinsider.my/
The Evolution of Chat: Stone Scribbles to Swipeable Screens
This year, the Oxford English Dictionary has added a slew of new words to the dictionary, from “amazeballs” to “YOLO.”
Cue the defenders of the English language, who take these “cray” new words to signal the dumbing-down and ultimate demise of the English language.
But self-proclaimed defenders of language have been bemoaning its decline for hundreds, even thousands of years: “Our Language is extremely imperfect,” complained Jonathan Swift in his 1712 essay, A Proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue. “Its daily Improvements are by no means in proportion to its daily Corruptions.”
George Orwell agreed in 1946: “Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way.”
But linguists agree there’s never been a “golden age” of language.
In fact, if anything, humanity’s ability to communicate with each other has improved over time. Linguists theorize that the first spoken language, the mother tongue of all languages today, had a simple vocabulary and grammar system, and was spoken at a slower speed, compared to languages today.
Yet from that one Stone Age dialect, humanity has evolved to speak thousands of distinct languages across the globe. Today we’re still discovering new languages all the time, showing humanity’s determination to communicate with each other.
Every language in the world is a living thing, ever changing and evolving.
That includes written language as well, first developed from images drawn on cave walls. Back when those detailed pictures started to develop into more of a symbolic shorthand, there were probably language purist cavemen who protested against the decline of pictorial communication.
As much as language has evolved and changed throughout the centuries, it’s not going anywhere: Humanity has been using some form of language or other to communicate with each other for thousands and thousands of years. Though the specific medium of communication might change, we’ll never stop chatting.
Cue the defenders of the English language, who take these “cray” new words to signal the dumbing-down and ultimate demise of the English language.
But self-proclaimed defenders of language have been bemoaning its decline for hundreds, even thousands of years: “Our Language is extremely imperfect,” complained Jonathan Swift in his 1712 essay, A Proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue. “Its daily Improvements are by no means in proportion to its daily Corruptions.”
George Orwell agreed in 1946: “Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way.”
But linguists agree there’s never been a “golden age” of language.
In fact, if anything, humanity’s ability to communicate with each other has improved over time. Linguists theorize that the first spoken language, the mother tongue of all languages today, had a simple vocabulary and grammar system, and was spoken at a slower speed, compared to languages today.
Yet from that one Stone Age dialect, humanity has evolved to speak thousands of distinct languages across the globe. Today we’re still discovering new languages all the time, showing humanity’s determination to communicate with each other.
Every language in the world is a living thing, ever changing and evolving.
That includes written language as well, first developed from images drawn on cave walls. Back when those detailed pictures started to develop into more of a symbolic shorthand, there were probably language purist cavemen who protested against the decline of pictorial communication.
As much as language has evolved and changed throughout the centuries, it’s not going anywhere: Humanity has been using some form of language or other to communicate with each other for thousands and thousands of years. Though the specific medium of communication might change, we’ll never stop chatting.
Source: http://www.whoishostingthis.com/
Quote for the day
“The real-time experiment turned out to be a very good idea because it stimulated my thinking. Having to explain my reasons for making decisions forced me to become more coherent; it imposed a certain discipline on me, which was very helpful.” - George Soros
These 44 Apps Will Make You More Productive
This is a selection of apps, broken up into specific categories which can all be used to increase your productivity in all areas of your life.
Source: http://www.visualistan.com/
Friday, 19 September 2014
Quote for the day
“The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth—that the error and truth are simply opposite. They are nothing of the sort. What the world turns to, when it is cured on one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one.” - H.L. Mencken
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Company Fact Sheet: Expolanka Holdings PLC - EXPO:N0000
About the company:
Established: 2003 Quoted Date: 2011-06-13 Sector: Diversified Holdings
Expolanka Holdings PLC is a Sri Lanka based holding company engaged in carrying out investment activities and providing management and administration services to other companies in the group. Through its subsidiaries, the Company operates in four business segments: Transportation, International Trading, Manufacturing, Strategic Investments and Others. Transportation is the Company's core business sector with main business operations including freight management, airline general sales agencies (GSAs) and travel and tours. Its international trading segment mainly involves exporting tea, fresh and desiccated coconut. Its manufacturing segment involves herbal pharmaceuticals and eco-friendly paper recycling. Its strategic investments segment mainly engages in business process outsourcing and tertiary education. Effective May 9, 2014, SG Holdings Global Pte Ltd (SG) of Singapore, a unit of SG Holdings Co Ltd acquired a 30.00% stake in Expolanka Holdings PLC.
Chairman : Mr N.Kondo
Director / Group CEO : Mr H.Yusoof
Board of Directors:
Mr O.Kassim
Mr H. Amarasekera (Independent Director)
Mr S Kulatunga (Independent Director)
Mr N.Kawasaki
Mr Y.Matsubara
Mr M.Matsuzono
Mr T Shiho (Independent Director)
52 Weeks Low: 6.60 52 Weeks High: 10.80
Average Trading Volume: 115,900
Company Financial at a glance:
Click Table to Enlarge
1. On 13/06/2011 1,954,915,000 Ordinary Voting Shares were listed by way of IPO.
Total shares in Issue as at 30-06-2014: 1,954,915,000
The percentage of Shares held by the Public as at 30th June 2014 was 32.70%.
The percentage of Foreign Holding as at 31st August 2014 was 53.42%.
Quote for the day
“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.” - Fred Brooks
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Company Fact Sheet : Alufab PLC - ALUF:N0000
About the company:
Established: 1979 Quoted Date: 1981-01-01 Sector: Manufacturing
Alufab PLC is engaged in building contracts for the fabrication and installation of glazed aluminium windows, doors and partitions. The Company is a manufacturer and suppliers of architectural aluminium products in Sri Lanka, specializing in the custom-made manufacture and professional installation of aluminium windows and doors, enclosures, shop fronts, enclosures, facades, louvers and awnings. The Company's solution includes Curtain Wall solutions, Frameless glass facade with stainless steel tension rod trusses, Automatic sensor doors, Clean room toilet compartments with doors, Access flooring systems, Partitioning systems, Fire doors and fire partitions, Metal, Aluminium door and windows and Sunshades and sun control systems.
Chairman :Mr M. Radhakrishnan
Managing Director : Mr T.N. Dole
Board of Directors:
Mr P.J.Claesson
Mr D.V. Press
52 Weeks Low: 12.20 52 Weeks High: 21.80
Average Trading Volume: 30,370
Company Financial at a glance:
History of Rights Issues:
Total shares in Issue as at 30-06-2014: 12,058,200
Top 20 Shareholders as at 30/06/2014
The percentage of Shares held by the Public as at 30th March 2014 was 38.06%.
The percentage of Foreign Holding as at 31st August 2014 was 68.98 %
Quote for the day
“Instead of withholding judgement until an exhaustive search for data is complete, I will force myself to make a tentative forecast based on the information available, and then systematically tear it apart, using the insights gained to guide my search for further indicators and information.” - Paul Saffo
Monday, 15 September 2014
Quote for the day
“Every generation has its characteristic folly, but the basic cause is the same: People persist in believing that what has happened in the recent past will go on happening into the indefinite future, even while the ground is shifting under their feet.” - George J. Church
9 Things Successful People Won't Do
LinkedIn Influencer, Dr. Travis Bradberry, published this post originally on LinkedIn.
My last post, How Successful People Stay Calm, really struck a nerve (it's already approaching 1.5 million reads here on LinkedIn). The trick is that managing your emotions is as much about what you won’t do as it is about what you will do.
TalentSmart has tested more than a million people and found that the upper echelons of top performance are filled with people who are high in emotional intelligence (90% of top performers, to be exact). So, I went back to the data to uncover the kinds of things that emotionally intelligent people are careful to avoid in order to keep themselves calm, content, and in control. They consciously avoid these behaviors because they are tempting and easy to fall into if one isn’t careful.
While the list that follows isn't exhaustive, it presents nine key things that you can avoid in order to increase your emotional intelligence and performance.
1. They Won’t Let Anyone Limit Their Joy
When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something that they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take that away from them.
While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain—you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.
2. They Won’t Forget
Emotionally intelligent people are quick to forgive, but that doesn’t mean that they forget. Forgiveness requires letting go of what’s happened so that you can move on. It doesn’t mean you’ll give a wrongdoer another chance. Emotionally intelligent people are unwilling to be bogged down unnecessarily by others’ mistakes, so they let them go quickly and are assertive in protecting themselves from future harm.
3. They Won’t Die in the Fight
Emotionally intelligent people know how important it is to live to fight another day. In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you severely damaged. When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.
4. They Won’t Prioritize Perfection
Emotionally intelligent people won’t set perfection as their target because they know it doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure, and you end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently instead of enjoying what you were able to achieve.
5. They Won’t Live in the Past
Failure can erode your self-confidence and make it hard to believe you’ll achieve a better outcome in the future. Most of the time, failure results from taking risks and trying to achieve something that isn’t easy. Emotionally intelligent people know that success lies in their ability to rise in the face of failure, and they can’t do this when they’re living in the past. Anything worth achieving is going to require you to take some risks, and you can’t allow failure to stop you from believing in your ability to succeed. When you live in the past, that is exactly what happens, and your past becomes your present, preventing you from moving forward.
6. They Won’t Dwell on Problems
Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves performance. Emotionally intelligent people won’t dwell on problems because they know they’re most effective when they focus on solutions.
7. They Won’t Hang Around Negative People
Complainers are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to complainers because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral. You can avoid getting drawn in only by setting limits and distancing yourself when necessary. Think of it this way: if a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers. A great way to set limits is to ask complainers how they intend to fix a problem. The complainer will then either quiet down or redirect the conversation in a productive direction.
8. They Won’t Hold Grudges
The negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event involved sends your body into fight-or-flight mode. When a threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when a threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Learning to let go of a grudge will not only make you feel better now but can also improve your health.
9. They Won’t Say Yes Unless They Really Want To
Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Saying no is indeed a major challenge for most people. “No” is a powerful word that you should not be afraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, emotionally intelligent people avoid phrases like “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.
Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world’s leading provider of emotional intelligence tests, emotional intelligence training, and emotional intelligence certification, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.
My last post, How Successful People Stay Calm, really struck a nerve (it's already approaching 1.5 million reads here on LinkedIn). The trick is that managing your emotions is as much about what you won’t do as it is about what you will do.
TalentSmart has tested more than a million people and found that the upper echelons of top performance are filled with people who are high in emotional intelligence (90% of top performers, to be exact). So, I went back to the data to uncover the kinds of things that emotionally intelligent people are careful to avoid in order to keep themselves calm, content, and in control. They consciously avoid these behaviors because they are tempting and easy to fall into if one isn’t careful.
While the list that follows isn't exhaustive, it presents nine key things that you can avoid in order to increase your emotional intelligence and performance.
1. They Won’t Let Anyone Limit Their Joy
When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something that they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take that away from them.
While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain—you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.
2. They Won’t Forget
Emotionally intelligent people are quick to forgive, but that doesn’t mean that they forget. Forgiveness requires letting go of what’s happened so that you can move on. It doesn’t mean you’ll give a wrongdoer another chance. Emotionally intelligent people are unwilling to be bogged down unnecessarily by others’ mistakes, so they let them go quickly and are assertive in protecting themselves from future harm.
3. They Won’t Die in the Fight
Emotionally intelligent people know how important it is to live to fight another day. In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you severely damaged. When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.
4. They Won’t Prioritize Perfection
Emotionally intelligent people won’t set perfection as their target because they know it doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure, and you end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently instead of enjoying what you were able to achieve.
5. They Won’t Live in the Past
Failure can erode your self-confidence and make it hard to believe you’ll achieve a better outcome in the future. Most of the time, failure results from taking risks and trying to achieve something that isn’t easy. Emotionally intelligent people know that success lies in their ability to rise in the face of failure, and they can’t do this when they’re living in the past. Anything worth achieving is going to require you to take some risks, and you can’t allow failure to stop you from believing in your ability to succeed. When you live in the past, that is exactly what happens, and your past becomes your present, preventing you from moving forward.
6. They Won’t Dwell on Problems
Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves performance. Emotionally intelligent people won’t dwell on problems because they know they’re most effective when they focus on solutions.
7. They Won’t Hang Around Negative People
Complainers are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to complainers because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral. You can avoid getting drawn in only by setting limits and distancing yourself when necessary. Think of it this way: if a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers. A great way to set limits is to ask complainers how they intend to fix a problem. The complainer will then either quiet down or redirect the conversation in a productive direction.
8. They Won’t Hold Grudges
The negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event involved sends your body into fight-or-flight mode. When a threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when a threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Learning to let go of a grudge will not only make you feel better now but can also improve your health.
9. They Won’t Say Yes Unless They Really Want To
Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Saying no is indeed a major challenge for most people. “No” is a powerful word that you should not be afraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, emotionally intelligent people avoid phrases like “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.
Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world’s leading provider of emotional intelligence tests, emotional intelligence training, and emotional intelligence certification, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.
Sunday, 14 September 2014
Quote for the day
"A lot of people would rather understand the market than make money.” - Ed Seykota
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Quote for the day
"The crowd is bargain hunting in what was; the knowing are buying what will be." – Justin Mamis
Friday, 12 September 2014
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