Malaysian Astro! (Not Idol! Astro!)

I wonder if any of my Malaysian friends will try to enter the MALAYSIAN ASTRONAUT CONTEST. Yes, Malaysia is going to be voting to see who it can send into space. (Yes, forget Malaysian Idol ... you want to tune into Malaysian Astro) :-) Technically, they'll be goin gup wit the Russians, so they will be a Cosmonaut, not an Astronaut. (Have to get the marketing correct!) I'll let you all decide WHO from the blog sphere should be nominated as potential candidates. Actually, suggest a few names here if you like. I vote for KY ... I just figured he might like the opportunity to be first Malaysian in space. Think of the Pictures he could stick on his blog then! :-) (Move the cursor over the pic and it turns into a funny joke involving Mooning and Uranus!) :-)

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The Montreal Gazette has and interesting article about a guy who has invented a Hydrogen Generating Module for cars. What's it mean? Well, less polution, more savings for car owners and combats global warming. Let's hope it works out. I've seen many things like this bought out by the Petroleum cartel in order to keep themsevles in business. Actually, I think the first Petroleum producer to break ranks might actually be the one who will end up making the most money (and even putting a few of their competitors out of business). They really just need to think it through, and time it right, and they will leave their competitors behind. (Maybe they need to buy a car manufacturer too, to make it all come together very fast!)

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Received my acceptance for the Certificate IV in Small Business Management course today! Woo hoo! Another piece of paper to add to my resume! I am so excited! Let's face it, I love to learn new things! (Probably why I READ SO MUCH!) One of the things it says is, 'You may like to bring your own laptop computer.' That's funny, I would like to bring one ... um ... except I don't own one! Darn it! It came with a 'Language, Literacy & Numeracy Assessment Form Certificate Level IV'. Basically a small test to see what level of English and Mathematics you are at! I almost laughed at how easy it was. When I got to the end, I then read the last page - it says you don't have to do the test if you can prove you've completed year twelve or a Cert IV level in anything! Um ... why didn't they say this at the BEGINNING of the test? I can prove I completed Year Twelve, plus I ahve my Marketing and Theology Certs! That's THREE things straight off the bat, and all were sitting in a folder next to me as I did the test! That's the problem with being pro-active. You get something, you react and finish it, and find that you didn't need to! (Believe me, the letter of acceptance said I had to do the test, and the test had nothing else written on the front to say I didn't need to!) I just thought (from the letter) that it had to be done. Anyway, sometimes you turn up to these things and they tell you, you have to do the test anyway! Better safe than sorry.

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I finished 'Moab is My Washpot' the other day.

As I said previously, it is sad in parts. Not that Stephen was after the sympathy vote. He really just tells it like it is, in a humourus fashion, so that we get a good laugh along the way. Not a laugh at his expense mind you, just a laugh, to show that there is humour inmost of life's situations if we look for them. It's more a bitter sweet sort of saddness though. A remorse because of some of the things he'd done, and wasn't proud of. It's given me the hunger to seek out his other writtings (knowing that his fictional novel, 'The Thief' is partially based on his own life). The book also concentrated mainly on his 'school' days and the days shortly after that. I was a bit upset that it wasn't longer and didn't go into greater details of his life after school / University. University and Hugh Laurie are mentioned almost as a footnote at the end of the book. I wonder if he is planning another book from when he started at University, to now. I'm sure he has enough material to do this.

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I also finished reading 'Warren Buffet Wealth', by Robert P. Miles. I can sum up this book in a few lines ... or bullet points.

1. Live below your means.
2. Avoid Debt (no credit cards, loans etc)
3. Purchase VALUE companies and hold them for life.
4. Don't diversify (as it waters down your profits. If you bought the right company/shares etc, then you shoud only be benefiting from them. Diversification is a way to minimising loss from poor decisions).
5. If you can't find a VALUE company, then don't purchase anything.
6. Give back to the community/world.

I feel I must explain a VALUE company (one of the reasons for using capitals & italics to highlight it). A Value company is one which is worth more than it's shares are selling at. Anyone who has done their research will be able to find such companies. (Do a business course or an investment course which teaches how to value companies - or better yet, read some books which explain it - 'Security Analysis' by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd comes to mind). I am fortuitous in the fact that I learnt (while being left on the streets of Sydney) how to live below my means. I saved up, while working in a factory, to return to University (though I then left University, as I realised it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life). Okay, so that was a slight mistake. Actually, I plan to return and finish all my courses one day. (Yes, all six of them!) Plus, add a few others along the way. If you've read my bullet points, then I dont' think you need to read the book (but it is a good read, so grab a copy if you feel so inclined). It does give good examples to back up what it is saying. I was about to say, 'It's not for everyone' ... actually, I did write that, then I deleted it. I think good money management is for everyone. Let's face it, we all earn money, we all want to maximise it's potentials. Good money management should be taught in school while we are still young. Drummed into us. It can certainly help in the 'First World' (Rich developed countries) where most people earn enough to not only feed themselves, but to have a good life. When I was working in a factory earning $12k a year (a pitance even then), I was able to make ends meet, AND save enough to return to University for a year. Anyone in the west earning even a low wage should be able to get by, if only they learn to use their money right. In underdeveloped countries, it is more difficult. Still, it is not impossible and money management doesn't change from country to country. (Starving communities without income it is impossible to do this ... after all, you can't live below your means, if you have no means of support). That's what point six in the list is about. YOU who can earn/save and use your wealth should want to give back, as a humanitarian. I've written enough today ... I coudl go on ... and on ... but I know a lot of readers don't read the really long posts! Defeats the purpose of my writing such long posts! :-)