Copper, Tin, Anyone?

Traditionally, copper has been used in the electrical industry and closer to home, the as the plates in the humble but crucial car batteries.

http://lite.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/copper-soars-to-us10000-supply-fears-dominate-mood

But let us look at the fine print regarding such a shortage, shall we?

Remember the earthquake in Chile a while back? I recalled reading something which said that the quake affected the transport links to the mines itself.

I wonder how long this trend will continue. Mines are really expensive to start and those existing ones are definitely looking at the law of decreasing returns.

The effects of such price rise also has a spill over effect in Malaysia itself. I wonder which of the areas or properties near the tin mines in Perak as going for a song right now?

WHY CHINA ? PLUG IN NO 2

Greedy guy writing again.

Today (Jan 2011), China purchases more cars and mobile phones than the US and soon will buy more computers.

Nomura Securities estimated that by 2014, retail sales in China may surpass that of the US.

China has also announced that it will spend USD 1.5 trillion on high speed rail and nuclear power. Not all at once but normally within 5 years (the basic 5 year plans mah!)

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/china-plans-to-spend-big-on-nuclear-power-high-speed-rail/

Simple language folks :

China's infrastructure currently is a BIG MESS and yet there are still hitting low double digit growth rates (due to FDI).

There are insufficient rail lines for their own citizens to get back home for CNY that some ppl are resorting to wearing diapers as some have to stand 17 hours on a packed cattle class train. In addition, certain rural areas in China, overloads occurs when people more than 5 households switches on their air-cond/chandelier/ etc.

But what happens when China upgrades its infra and fully capitalises on 1.4 billion of its own internal market?

FDI + Huge Market internally = >10% growth (current growth at slightly over 10%)?

Using simple maths, China's market growing at 10% annually will just DOUBLE after 7 years!!!

Folks: Another thing? China will be buying raw materials and consumables in order to manufacture USD 1.5 trillion worth of infra - what will be the effects of this buying binge on commodities prices?

Buy some Chinese based unit trust + commodities funds!

Inflation fears - PLUG NUMBER 1

Both NST and Malaysian Insider shows this:-

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/2infdeepens/Article/index_html

I understand that the prices of raw food commodities (there goes my banana leaf rice budget) and oil are now increasing - some by 20% for the last 6 months alone re Paul Krugman (Nobel prize winner for New Economics).

Marketing wise, does this show that the 'powers-that-be' are hinting that inflation is to be expected especially after the sudden increase of RON 97 to RM 2.50/liter post-Tenang? Are they preparing us mentally to be hit in the most sensitive location for all men and women : our pocketbooks?

A good friend remarked that after every by-election win, the prices of cooking gas, RON 97, sugar, evaporated milk, etc. seemingly rise almost the very next day.

My shameless commercial plug? Buy some commodity related unit-trusts frens!

HOW TO KILL A WOMAN LEGALLY.

There is actually a legal way to kill a woman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtfi0LGvYR8&NR=1

I find it a bit difficult to believe - gulp.

TEE Courses for 2010 is out !!!!!

Just follow this link to view the new TEE schedule for 2010.

http://www.stm.edu.my/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=663&Itemid=87

"Bible Scholars ...."

You ever saw in the movies how the good guys or the bad guys were being ambushed?











Experienced it recently.


So, a friend invited me to visit a talk, one evening, and there I was hunkering down in a meeting. Unfortunately the meeting coordinator was not very welcoming in a sense with genius remarks such as:-


a) ' ..... there are other things you can do besides being a bible scholar ....',

b) ' I have seen the best and the worst of the bible seminaries ......',

c) ' While Europe burned to the ground, the monasteries were busy shutting themselves out ....' (SORRY, THAT PERSON DID NOT SAY THAT - just a another genius remark from a different person).

Well, excuse meeeeeeee............

Some points to note :-

a) This is my first time in your meeting - thanks for your warmth and tact.

b) If Bible scholars were so unwelcome or their works are so underappreciated, we should at least follow up on it with these actions :-

i) Burn the books written by seminarians - Herr Hitler performed somthing like that.
ii) Uproot the intellectuals aka seminarians - both Comrade Mao and Mrs Mao - been there and done that.
iii) Better yet, kill the intellectuals aka seminarians - Khmer Rouge Comrade Pol Pot did it in Year Zero.
iv) Disband the church structures - the Books of Discipline are one way or the other written by the seminarians at one time or another.

But let's not be so negative about things shall we. Let's see what some other jokers are saying about Bible scholarship (?)

Future of Christianity depends on theological education. says report

Proper theological education is of strategic importance for the future of Christianity. So is ecumenical formation for the future of active Christian cooperation, says a world report on the future of theological education.


The key issues were highlighted by Dr Dietrich Werner, coordinator of the Ecumenical Theological Education programme of the World Council of Churches (ETE/WCC), and expressed in a World Study Report on Theological Education released in Nairobi recently.


The 90-page report subtitled "Challenges and Opportunities for Theological Education in the 21st Century – Pointer for a New International Debate on Theological Education" was produced by an international study group as part of the Edinburgh 2010 process during the last 12 months.

The report was released at a meeting of the newly created Advisory Committee on Theology, Ecumenical Formation and Interfaith Issues of the All African Conference of Churches which brought together around 20 key representatives of theological education and regional associations of theological schools in Africa.

Their goal was to start a new initiative for cooperation in theological education in Africa and for the production of new theological textbooks on crucial themes for African Christianity. The report has been published in a Joint Information Service of the World Conference of Associations of Theological Schools (WOCATI) and ETE/WCC.

The world report on theological education – as well as accompanying papers – is available in a shorter and an extended version. It includes case studies on various regions of the world and key recommendations for the future of theological education.

The report states that "theological education is the seedbed for the renewal of churches, their ministries, and their commitment to the unity of the church. If theological education systems are neglected or not given their due prominence, over the following decades the church will experience a decline in the competence of church leadership and in their capacity for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and for dialogue between church and society."

It has become clear, say the authors, that ecumenical learning "is not just the addition of elements of ecumenical theology into the curriculum, but the key question is whether and to what extent the basic orientation of theological education reflects the fundamental relational nature of being the church, its vocation to live with other Christian communities and with the wider human community."

See the World Study Report on Theological Education, short version:http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/documents/p5/ete/E2010_summary_World_Study_Report11_2009.pdf

Conclusions :

Stop bible scholarship in order to stop church growth. What a brilliant thought indeed.