“If you slap somebody in the face, they are going to take a defensive attitude to save the face…I do not know why the United States is doing this in public, that never worked, especially with Asians.”
Archives of “united states” tag
rssTech Gained $1.7 Trillion in 2017
“Between the FAANG quintet and China’s rivaling BAT companies, gains in the world’s top technology shares are nearing a whopping $1.7 trillion in market value this year.
That’s more than Canada’s entire economy, and exceeds the worth of Germany’s biggest 30 companies put together. The eight tech giants — Facebook Inc., Amazon Inc., Apple Inc., Netflix Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc., as well as their Asian peers Baidu Inc., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. — have amassed as much money in 2017 as Pacific Investment Management Co., one of the world’s biggest fund managers, has done in about 46 years.” (emphasis added)
The chart nearby shows some comparison veresus, DAX, Pimco and Canada!
Monster Tech Gains 2017 YTD
click for ginormous graphic
Great excerpt from Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin. A story of he and Adams sharing a bed one night.
10 Motivational Thoughts
1. You’re going to kill it today
I love this phrase because it puts you in the right mindset. You will kill it today. Youcan push yourself harder and finish that monumental task you’re facing.
2. Think outside of the box
There’s a reason this phrase exists. Creative thinking is what can help you form a strategy in business that actually works, rather than relying on the same old approach.
3. This is your moment
What does it mean to say this is your moment? For starters, both you and Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk have exactly 60 seconds to spend in a minute. You are equals. Make the most of the time you have.
4. The issue you are facing is not insurmountable
Most of us don’t face the challenge of how to get to Mars and back or invent a new mode of transportation. The challenge you are facing today is likely not as insurmountable as you think it is, especially in comparison to other tasks.
5. You are surrounded by a smart team to help you achieve great success
Look around you. Make sure you take account of your employees and co-workers and the skills they offer, because they can help you press ahead and succeed.
6. Dig hard, and you will find the right answer
Stress is often caused by not having an answer to a burning question. Start your day with the attitude that you will find the answer. Make the assumption you will solve problems.
7. You are the only person with your exact blend of talents and skills
China Announces Huge Trade Deficit
China announced on Saturday the first trade deficit within the last six years. Although a deficit was expected, nobody anticipated the numbers would reach $7.24 billion.
The last trade deficit in the country came in April of 2004 and was $2.26 billion.
For the month of March, the country’s imports totaled $119.35 billion and exports reached $112.11 billion. Both of these numbers are up drastically in comparison to March of 2009.
The deficit will more than likely turn around within the near future, but the numbers are enough to spark concern in the eyes of the Chinese.
The deficit in March mainly came from China’s trade with Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, Customs said, while it continued to run surpluses with the U.S. and the European Union. Those big trading partners have been among those arguing that China’s practice of keeping the yuan effectively pegged to the U.S. dollar gives its exporters an unfair advantage and contribute to the large trade surpluses.
All of this comes at a time when the United States and leaders throughout Europe are pushing China to increase the value of the yuan, which economist suspect is nearly 40% undervalued.
Atlanta Fed first quarter GDP estimate drops even further
Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow falls to +0.5%
The Atlanta Fed’s tracking estimate for first quarter growth continues to point to a dismal start to the year.
Officials cut the tracker to +0.5% from +0.6% last wee
“The forecast for first-quarter real consumer spending growth fell from 0.6 percent to 0.3 percent after this morning’s retail sales report from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Consumer Price Index release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,” the release said.
$15 Trillion
Someone’s illustrated all the various types and layers of debt we enjoy here in the United States of Indentured Servitude. That pile below next to the Statue of Liberty is what $15 trillion dollars would look like all stacked up:
Steve Jobs Refused Transplant of Tim Cook’s Liver
The latest biography of the legendary tech-guru, Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution Of a Reckless Upstart Into a Visionary Leader, covers the different key phases of Steve Jobs’ life. Written by Brent Schlender and Fast Company executive editor Rick Tetzeli, the book also offers insights into Jobs’ closest friendships, epitomized by a heart-warming anecdote about his relationship with successor, Tim Cook.
Excerpts released from the book revealed that Cook, upset by his mentor’s struggle with cancer, offered him part of his liver in 2009. Although Jobs was terminally ill from a rare pancreatic cancer, he vehemently rejected the offer.
“He cut me off at the legs, almost before the words were out of my mouth,” Cook recalled. “‘No,’ he said. ‘I’ll never let you do that. I’ll never let you do that.'”
The incident, according to Cook, was a true testament to Jobs’ selfless nature. (more…)
Visualizing The Global Rush To Build Skyscrapers
In the last two years, 39 skyscrapers taller than 300m have been constructed, with five of the them eclipsing the height of the Empire State Building.
Global skyscraper construction has increased a whopping 402% since 2000.
HIGH-RISE HOT SPOTS
China
Nearly every sizeable Chinese city has skyscrapers under construction, and the numbers are staggering. Since 2012, China has added 38 skyscrapers over 300m (~1,000 ft) in height, and there are another 16 skyscrapers on the way in 2018.
In particular, the Pearl River Delta megaregion, which is anchored by Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, has seen an astonishing commercial construction boom. Today, 20 of the 100 tallest buildings on earth are located in just this one urban megaregion of China. (more…)