Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Sombre & solemn words of some facing death...


TOKYO - Hirotsugu Kawaguchi, a 52 year old Japanese father of three, wrote several notes to his children aboard a Japan Air Lines flight 123, a few moments before his Boeing 747 crashed, killing 520 people. The notes were addressed to his son, Tsuyoshi, 21 years old and his two daughters Chiyoko, 17 and Mariko, 24 years old.

"Be good to each other and work hard, Help your mother.I'm very sad but I’m sure I won’t make it.

It’s been 5 minutes now.I don’t want to take any more planes.To think that our dinner last night was the last time.There was smoke that seemed to come from an explosion in the cabin
and we began making a descent.
Tsuyoshi I am counting on you.

Mother-- to think something like this would happen.
It’s too bad. Goodbye. Its 6:30 now
The plane is rolling around and descending rapidly.
I am grateful for the truly happy life I have enjoyed until now."

"PLEASE LORD HELP ME"

Dr. William Hunter

Dr. William Hunter
"If I had strength to hold a pen I would write down how easy and pleasant a thing it is to die"
Stonewall Jackson

Stonewall Jackson
"Let us pass over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees"

Isaac Newton, Christian Scientist

Isaac Newton
"I don't know what I may seem to the world.But as to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than the ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.

Leonardo da Vinci:Italian inventor and artist, died in 1519

Leonardo da Vinci
"I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have"

Nurse Cavell

Nurse Cavell
Before facing a German firing squad in 1915,"Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

Henry Ward Beecher:
"Now comes the mystery."

Thomas Edison, American inventor

Thomas Edison
"It is very beautiful over there."

Goethe, German Poet:
"Light, More light!"

John Newton

John Newton
Originally a slaver, he had a dramatic mid-ocean change of heart that led him to turn his slave ship around and take the people back to their homeland. He became a Presbyterian minister and preached against the slave-trade, inspiring William Wilberforce who brought about the abolition of slavery in Britain and its colonies. He is most famous for having authored the words to the hymn "Amazing Grace".
As he neared his end, exclaimed, "I am still in the land of the dying; I shall be in the land of the living soon."

A Chinese Communist

A Chinese Communist,
who delivered many Christians to their execution, came to a pastor and said:
"I’ve seen many of you die. The Christians die differently. What is their secret?"

What will you say, as you near death?
What is your perspective towards life?
What do you need to do before you die?

Sunday, March 4, 2012

World's Richest Governments


We know the world's richest man is Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, after the two richest men in the world, Bill Gates and Warren Buffetgave away most of their fortune to charity. You'll have to check with Forbes for the rest.

How about governments?

Which government is the richest (having most money that is, in US$)?
If you are expecting North American and European nations, wrong .........
While the countries may look rich, wealthy European nations can't withstand a prolonged major financial crisis, just like Greece .
The USA might have the biggest economy, but the American government is not at all rich; (in fact,it can't even take out US$150bn if asked to now without resorting to borrowing.)
To date the US government has borrowed $14.5 trillion!
The UK , likewise, while the country/people are well off, the government isn't.
The UK government's debt stands at$9 trillion now!

The World's Richest Governments immediately after the 2008-2009 financial crisis are: -

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1.P R of China
National reserves: $2,454,300,000,000

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2.Japan
National reserves: $1,019,000,000,000

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3.Russia
National reserves: $458,020,000,000

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4.Saudi Arabia
National reserves: $395,467,000,000

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5.Taiwan(ROC)
National reserves: $362,380,000,000

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6.India
National reserves: $279,422,000,000

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7.South Korea
National reserves: $274,220,000,000

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8.Switzerland
National reserves: $262,000,000,000

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9.Hong Kong, China
National reserves: $256,000,000,000

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10.Brazil
National reserves: $255,000,000,000

Here are the rest, in million US $:
11 Singapore / 203,436
12 Germany / 189,100
13 Thailand / 150,000
14 Algeria / 149,000
15 France / 140,848
16 Italy / 133,104
17United States/ 124,176
18 Mexico / 100,096
19Iran/ 96,560
20 Malaysia / 96,100
21 Poland / 85,232
22 Libya / 79,000
23 Denmark / 76,315
24 Turkey / 71,859
25 Indonesia / 69,730
26United Kingdom/ 69,091
27 Israel / 62,490
28Canada/ 57,392
29 Norway / 49,223
30 Iraq / 48,779
31 Argentina / 48,778
32 Philippines / 47,650
33 Sweden / 46,631
34United Arab Emirates/ 45,000
35 Hungary / 44,591
36 Romania / 44,056
37 Nigeria / 40,480
38 Czech Republic / 40,151
39Australia/ 39,454
40 Lebanon / 38,600
41 Netherlands / 38,372
42 South Africa / 38,283
43 Peru / 37,108
44 Egypt / 35,223
45 Venezuela / 31,925
46 Ukraine / 28,837
47 Spain / 28,195
48 Colombia / 25,141
49 Chile / 24,921
50 Belgium / 24,130
51 Brunei / 22,000
52 Morocco / 21,873
53 Vietnam / 17,500
54Macau/ 18,730
55 Kazakhstan / 27,549
56 Kuwait / 19,420
57 Angola / 19,400
58 Austria / 18,079
59 Serbia / 17,357
60 Pakistan / 16,770
61New Zealand/ 16,570
62 Bulgaria / 16,497
63 Ireland / 16,229
63 Portugal / 16,254
64 Croatia / 13,720
65 Jordan / 12,180
66 Finland / 11,085
67 Bangladesh / 10,550
68 Botswana / 10,000
69 Tunisia / 9,709
70 Azerbaijan / 9,316
71 Bolivia / 8,585
72 Trinidad and Tobago / 8,100
73 Yemen / 7,400
74 Uruguay / 8,104
75 Oman / 7,004
76 Latvia / 6,820
77 Lithuania / 6,438
78 Qatar / 6,368
79 Cyprus / 6,176
80 Belarus / 6,074
81 Syria / 6,039
82 Uzbekistan / 5,600
83 Luxembourg / 5,337
84 Guatemala / 5,496
85 Greece / 5,207
86 Bosnia and Herzegovina / 5,151
87 Cuba / 4,247
88 Costa Rica / 4,113
89 Equatorial Guinea / 3,928
90 Ecuador / 3,913
91Iceland/ 3,823
92 Paraguay / 3,731
93 Turkmenistan / 3,644
94 Estonia / 3,583
95 Malta / 3,522
96 Myanmar / 3,500
97 Bahrain / 3,474
98 Kenya / 3,260
99 Ghana / 2,837
100 El Salvador / 2,845
101 Sri Lanka / 2,600
102 Cambodia / 2,522
103 Côte d'Ivoire / 2,500
104 Tanzania / 2,441
105 Cameroon / 2,341
106 Macedonia / 2,243
107 Dominican Republic / 2,223
108 Papua New Guinea / 2,193
109 Honduras / 2,083
110 Armenia / 1,848
111 Slovakia / 1,809
112 Mauritius / 1,772
113 Albania / 1,615
114 Kyrgyzstan / 1,559
115 Jamaica / 1,490
116 Mozambique / 1,470
117 Gabon / 1,459
118 Senegal / 1,350
119 Georgia / 1,300
120 Panama / 1,260
121 Sudan / 1,245
122 Zimbabwe / 1,222
123 Slovenia / 1,105
124 Moldova / 1,102
125 Zambia / 1,100
126 Nicaragua / 1,496
127 Mongolia / 1,000
128 Chad / 997
129 Burkina Faso / 897
130 Lesotho / 889
131 Ethiopia / 840
132 Benin / 825
133 Namibia / 750
134 Madagascar / 745
135 Barbados / 620
136 Laos / 514
137 Rwanda / 511
138 Swaziland / 395
139 Togo / 363
140 Cape Verde / 344
141 Tajikistan / 301
142 Guyana / 292
143 Haiti / 221
144 Belize / 150
145 Vanuatu / 149
146 Malawi / 140
147 Gambia / 120
148 Guinea / 119
149 Burundi / 118
150 Seychelles / 118
151 Samoa / 70
152 Tonga / 55
153 Liberia / 49
154 Congo / 36
155 São Tomé and Príncipe / 36
156 Eritrea / 22

Big national reserves doesn't guarantee prosperity however, for instance, the yearly expenses for China 's government is $1.11 trillion, their government must always think of economic growth and making more money. The PRC overspent $110bn last year, much of it towards modernizing their military, if it goes on like this their reserves can only last for 22 yrs.
The Malaysian gov't overspent $13bn last year, if it goes on like this their reserves can only last for 7 yrs.
The Singaporean government overspent $3bn last year, much of it rescuing their banks from financial crisis, if it goes on like this their reserves can last 68 yrs.
The Swiss gov't overspent $1bn last year, if it goes on like this their reserves can last 262 yrs.
A country normally can borrow up to 100% its GDP. A very strong industrial country or very financial stable nation can borrow up to perhaps 200% its GDP, debts over 250% GDP the country is bankrupt.
Greece's debt is113.40%GDP, indangeras it is not considered a strong industrial or financial country, as we already know.
Iceland’s debt is107.60%GDP, also incrisisas it is not so strong industrially or financially.
Singapore’s debt is113.10%, not in hot water due to its global financial hub status, and also its financial strength. It's only dangerous for Singapore when it reaches 200%.
Japan’s debt is189.30%, still under radar as a powerful Industrial nation. It needs to panic only at around 200%.
The US has the world largest debt, but it is only 62%of its GDP, it is not in any immediate danger of bankruptcy.
Zimbabwe’s debt is 282.60%GDP, it is a kaputnation.
Malaysia’s debt is currently At 53.70% GDP.... would have been much better if not for billions wasted thru corruption and mismanagement by UMNO.
Hong Kong and Taiwan are doing pretty good with debts at32-37%GDP.
South Koreais even better with debts at 23.5%GDP.
Chinais very stable with debts at16.90%GDP.
Russiais like a big mountain with debts @ only at6.30%GDP.

There are only 5 countries with no debt, and are all comparatively small: Brunei, Liechtenstein , Palau , Nieu, and Macau ( China )

Chinese to Chinese


Chinese speaking to a Chinese operator...


Caller: Hello, can I speak to Annie Wan? 


Operator: Yes, you can speak to me. 


Caller: No, I want to speak to Annie Wan! 


Operator: Yes I understand you want to speak to anyone. You can speak to me. Who is this? 


Caller: I'm Sam Wan. And I need to talk to Annie Wan! It's urgent. 


Operator: I know you are someone and you want to talk to anyone! But what's this urgent matter about? 


Caller: Well... just tell my sister Annie Wan that our brother Noe Wan was involved in an accident. Noe Wan got injured and now Noe Wan is being sent to the hospital. Right now, Avery Wan is on his way to the hospital. 


Operator: Look, if no one was injured and no one was sent to the hospital, then the accident isn't an urgent matter! You may find this hilarious but I don't have time for this! 


Caller: You are so rude! Who are you? 


Operator: I'm Saw Ree. 


Caller: Yes! You should be sorry. Now give me your name!! 


Operator: That's what I said. I'm Saw Ree….