jimini

The Potential Impacts of Dubai's Financial Crisis

What is important is that Dubai represents just one of the many skeletons that many governments are hiding in their closets. As the recession drags - we will see more skeletons falling out from the closets all over the world. The more excesses there were in the boom years - the more skeletons there are to hide. No amount of government money can shore up government-linked businesses or institutions that are operating at a loss all the time.

It is like a society maintaining old disease bodies of their founding fathers on live support hoping that the institutions that they've built will remain unchanged and relevant. It would have been better to let the old disease bodies fail and give them a good state funeral and build a good masoleum; and use the resources to build better institutions and to educate a new generation that are better able to adapt to the changes that are coming.

The monetary easing that we are seeing in the major countries have become a drug that cannot be withdrawn lest the "old disease bodies" fail. Amen.

Nu Skin: Rapid Aging of World Population Portends Strong Future Growth

MLM like Nu Skin sells hope via network marketing. It is easy for them to get media to write positive review about them as they are able to reward them via advertising or other near-cash incentives.

They are the modern day snake oil sellers. Most important is that their product are tested for toxicity i.e. it will not poison you. As to its efficacy - "Buyers Beware"!

China's Luxury Goods Market May Escape the Worst of the Global Economic Crisis

I think the report by CMR are overly optimistic. Todate import of premium imported liquor has all tanked in China because many of the consumers of premium imported liquor have switched to cheaper local Chinese brandies or wines. Chinese are also buying alot of 2nd hand branded leather wares or imitations as a result of the recession. China contribute less than 5% of global GDP unlike the US, EU & Japan (around 50%) - and all these markets are in a recession. I would seriously relook at any research number that is coming out of China painting a rosy picture at the moment - for research companies are paid to report good news.