On Du-BAN-i, the new Gulf Emirate formerly known as Dubai. The party is over

Can’t stay away from the news these days, can you? A friend sends me a message forwarded to her from Dubai. She looked into moving down there as a Retail Manager for a fashion house down there, but the conditions where apocalyptic, lucky enough she had her father’s employer’s legal department have a closer look [...]

On bonuses, RBS, and how to improve going forward

So the UK government decided to scrap the bonuses at RBS (FT.com).
UK gov, or its tax payers, owns 68% of the bank, so they say they are going to honour the contractual bonuses and scrap those directed to anyone related to the credit debacle (and slap wrist to the executive directors, they’ve been naughty, naughty, [...]

On Madoff’s list of conned and now, publicly shamed

I am sad. I am not in it. I can’t even afford to own property (or rent) and the addresses included on the list. I am poor.
I am still amazed at the fact that the milion and billionaire investors who has been published. With what seems personal addresses.
I don’t get it… If losing all you [...]

On Jim Rogers, Britain’s demise and parenthood in the 21st century

Jim “Commodities supercicle/bull in China” Rogers has done it again.
Last week, he told a gloom story for any gloom-seeker journalist who wanted a headline story.
Summarising, UK Plc has nothing to sell. It’s main exports (namely financial services and North Sea oil) are gone or near-gone, so according to him, it is time to move out [...]

On Steve Jobs and decoupling the man from the business

Last January 5 Steve Jobs posted a letter on Apple’s site stating that he had a “hormonal imbalance” that caused him lose of weight. The guy is a genius, let’s face it (being a Pixar addict as I am, I owe him my only hours and hours of amazement in front of a non-computer related [...]

On learning something once and for all, bankers wouldn’t make it as bricklayers, Madoff’s $50bn lesson to the mortals of the world

Hobbes, in June last year we bumped into one of my girlfriend’s friend and her husband.
Me, an amateur entrepreneur (if that is possible) trying to make ends meet.
Him, a successful London-NYC currency trader friends with movie stars, up and coming successful Spanish tennis players, and hooked on luxury hotels, cars and vacations.

It’s Good to Know: Financial Times interview with Jim Rogers

Browsing, browsing, browsing I have found on FT.com a very interesting interview to Jim Rogers, George Soros’ Quantum Fund founder.
Comodities, water recycling in China, hyperinflation on the making, the dawn of the dollar… I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, I am pretty sure that the 20′ are worth your while:
From South [...]

On governments mimicking Buffett, funding pension shortcomings with part-nationalisations

Long life to capitalism! So first Warren Buffett and now Wells and Fargo gets the upper hand.
That’s a bit of hope for those who still believe in human nature, not shooting in the dark with no ideas or control.

Amongst all this turmoil, I  don’t get yet why in free markets like UK or US they [...]

On the rise of the cost of living and the ones who really carry the can

Going back to how to spend it you have plenty [On billionaires spoiling artists and the hard life of the super-rich, May 26], from 2000 to 2007 the super-rich (dwellers of the 95th percentile of the income distribution) saw their real wages increase about 9% compared to an average 3% for the rest of mortals. [...]

On billionaires spoiling artists and the hard life of the super-rich

Do you remember rule number one of the courteous traveller? Ask for permission before taking someone’s picture. Some people are not very keen on being the star of your holidays in a forgotten corner of the world. Some even fear losing their soul to the flash.
I wonder what Sue Tilley’s thoughts are on the matter. [...]