Monday, November 23, 2009

Don't Be Greedy

I did not take profit on Motorola (MOT) when it around $9.30 on May 5, 2009, the day before the Motorola Droid launched by Verizon. MOT is my speculate stock. In the stock, I cannot hope. I cannot too greedy.

Monday, October 19, 2009

iDon't, Droid Does

Last night, I saw this ad on TV:


iDon't have a real keyboard.
iDon't run simultaneous apps.
iDon't take 5-megapixel pictures.
iDon't customize.
iDon't run widgets.
iDon't allow open development.
iDon't take pictures in the dark.
iDon't have interchangeable batteries

It's fun. I love to see Verizon offers its customer a smartphone can compete with iPhone. Go The Droid!

Related articles

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Google Inc. Third Quarter 2009 Earning Conference Call.

"The worst of the recession clearly behind us", Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, said in Google Inc. Third Quarter 2009 Earning Conference Call. I believe his statement more than any government official's statement. Follow Jim Cramer's advise, I'm try to listen to the webcast of earning conference call. It's really good and helpful. Google right now at 52-high $549.86, I'm just thinking where the entry for me to buy it. Google has a trong management team, great products, and strong cash flow (2.5 billion).

Google Inc. Q3 2009 Earnings Call Transcript
Google Investor webcast

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Verizon Wireless will have two first Android phones?

I hope at least one of it from Motorola with similar feature as Motorola Cliq. If Verizon Wireless have smartphones running Android-base OS, they can retain their customers. Otherwise, they will lose customers to AT&T and T-Mobile.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

FarmVille is fun

I do not play game much. I did not pay much attention to FarmVille until last week. Before that, some of my friends in Facebook sent me a FarmVille gift, I just left them out. Somehow, the game catched my eye when I surf the internet. I tried and I liked. FarmVille make me relax and have a lot fun. I like this game.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Obamacare" Is a Big, Fat Lie

Just read it in a hurry. Save the link from Fool here to re-read


Monday, September 21, 2009

Mogul’s home sells at $2 million discount

Excerpt from http://lansner.freedomblogging.com/2009/09/21/cell-phone-mogul-sells-newport-mansion/36901/

Two months after his cell phone entertainment company filed for bankruptcy in 2007, telecom executive Peter Adderton put his Newport Coast home up for sale, asking nearly $6.5 million. 
Last month, he finally closed escrow, selling the 5,400-square-foot home for nearly $2 million less.

The buyer is lucky :)
 

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Vietnam first company lists on US exchange

Infrastructure developer Cavico Corp. has been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market Friday, becoming the first Vietnamese firm to list on a US national securities exchange.

Trading of Cavico's common stock commenced Friday under the ticker symbol CAVO, the company said in a statement.

"Following a comprehensive evaluation of all US exchanges, we determined that the NASDAQ Capital Market was the best fit for Cavico Corp," Ha Quang Bui, Chief Executive Officer of Cavico said in the statement. "The listing procedure was a rigorous process, specifically the due diligence conducted by NASDAQ. Cavico Corp. has met and will remain subject to all the NASDAQ listing requirements."

The NASDAQ Capital Market is the largest US equities exchange, with approximately 3,200 member companies.

Founded in 2000, Hanoi-based Cavico Corp. focuses on large infrastructure projects, including hydropower facilities, bridges, tunnels, roads, and mines.

Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 19 September, 2009, 12:25:05 (GMT+7)
http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=52546

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Motorola Sholes

After Motorola released CLIQ, its stock went up to 9 until yesterday. People anxious looking for a new handset Motorola make for Verizon. Is it Sholes? There are rumor that Motorola Sholes will release in next few months?

Motorola need to regain market.

Verizon need to retain existing customer. I saw many Verizon customers jump ship because iPhone.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Chín năm của SSI

http://www.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/kinhdoanh/dautu/23218/

Hải Lý
Thứ Bảy,  12/9/2009, 12:08 (GMT+7)
(TBKTSG) - Công ty Chứng khoán Sài Gòn (SSI) vừa được cấp phép huy động vốn trong nước để đầu tư ra nước ngoài, ông Nguyễn Duy Hưng, Chủ tịch Hội đồng quản trị SSI, cho biết.

Đợt đầu SSI dự định huy động 18-20 triệu đô la Mỹ để đầu tư vào thị trường Hoa Kỳ. Việc tăng mức vốn huy động sẽ được xem xét tùy theo biến động của thị trường chứng khoán thế giới. SSI là doanh nghiệp đầu tiên trong lĩnh vực chứng khoán được phép cung cấp dịch vụ đầu tư ra nước ngoài này.

"Tin nóng" của báo giới

Mùa thu năm 1999, ông Lê Văn Châu, vị chủ tịch đầu tiên của Ủy ban Chứng khoán Nhà nước (UBCKNN), hé lộ một thông tin với TBKTSG: Nhà nước cho phép thành lập công ty chứng khoán tư nhân. Lúc bấy giờ đó là một "breaking news"(tin nóng) vì Việt Nam chưa có thị trường chứng khoán và UBCKNN đang hối hả hoàn thành các văn bản pháp lý cho việc hình thành sàn giao dịch ở TPHCM, đồng thời tìm một vài doanh nghiệp sáng giá để niêm yết. Ba tháng sau cái "breaking news" ấy, SSI chính thức được Ủy ban Nhân dân TPHCM cấp giấy phép chào đời với số vốn 6 tỉ đồng.

Bốn trong số năm cổ đông sáng lập đầu tiên của SSI là các cựu lưu học sinh ở Đức và Liên Xô cũ. Họ tốt  nghiệp các ngành khoa học kỹ thuật và luật, vốn chẳng có nhiều ràng buộc với chứng khoán. Nguyễn Duy Hưng, người góp vốn nhiều hơn cả vào công ty, từ trước đấy vài năm đã cặm cụi, đi đi về về ở Bangkok để tự học chứng khoán. Vào tháng 4-2000, khi được UBCKNN cấp giấy phép hoạt động, SSI cũng chỉ dám triển khai hai dịch vụ là tư vấn đầu tư và môi giới. Có lẽ số vốn ban đầu ít ỏi không đủ để SSI thực hiện hoạt động tự doanh.

Ngày sàn giao dịch chứng khoán TPHCM mở cửa, SSI quá nhỏ bé về vốn so với năm công ty chứng khoán đầu tiên khác của Việt Nam. Các công ty chứng khoán như BIDV, Thăng Long, ACBS đều có ngân hàng mẹ là BIDV, Quân đội, Á Châu đứng phía sau hậu thuẫn. Chứng khoán Bảo Việt thì có cả một tập đoàn tài chính "đỡ lưng". Chứng khoán Đệ Nhất được sự ủng hộ của tỉnh Bình Dương. Thế nhưng SSI lại trở thành nơi đầu tiên để nhà đầu tư nước ngoài chọn mở tài khoản. Tài khoản đầu tiên của Dragon Capital mở ở SSI. Còn nhớ Trần Thanh Tân, Tổng giám đốc VFM hiện nay, đã là khách hàng cá nhân đầu tiên của SSI. Chẳng phải ngẫu nhiên, những cá nhân và tổ chức theo đuổi tiến trình cổ phần hóa và sự thành lập thị trường chứng khoán Việt Nam từ những năm đầu thập niên 1990 lại đặt nhiều niềm tin ở SSI. Cho đến bây giờ, nhiều nhà đầu tư nước ngoài vẫn chọn SSI làm nơi giao dịch. SSI hiện chiếm hơn một nửa số tài khoản của nước ngoài đầu tư vào Việt Nam.

Từ tư vấn miễn phí đến nhà môi giới độc lập

Không phải chỉ những người đầu tư chứng khoán chọn SSI làm nhà môi giới cho họ. Không ít công ty lớn đã sử dụng dịch vụ tư vấn tài chính doanh nghiệp của SSI để niêm yết. Nguyễn Quyết Thắng, cháu nhà thơ Nguyễn Bính, một trong những thành viên sáng lập SSI, ngay từ cuối năm 2001 đã là một trong những người chấp bút cho phương án phát hành cổ phiếu lần đầu ra công chúng của doanh nghiệp lớn nhất có ý định lên sàn lúc bấy giờ là Vinamilk. Doanh thu từ mảng tư vấn không nhiều. Có những thời điểm SSI tư vấn miễn phí cho doanh nghiệp. Đổi lại sự miễn phí ấy là kinh nghiệm cho đội ngũ nhân viên trong quá trình vừa học vừa làm từ thực tiễn.

SSI sớm hiểu giá trị của nguồn nhân lực trong ngành dịch vụ tài chính và quyết định đầu tư cho đội ngũ nhân viên. Ông Nguyễn Duy Hưng trả lời phỏng vấn TBKTSG: "Chín năm qua nhà đầu tư cá nhân trong nước đã trưởng thành rất nhanh, nhanh hơn tốc độ phát triển của thị trường". Khả năng phân tích đánh giá doanh nghiệp của nhà đầu tư cá nhân đã tốt hơn nhiều, không còn cảnh cổ phiếu đồng loạt lên trần hay xuống sàn bất kể kết quả kinh doanh cao thấp. Thậm chí một số sản phẩm ở Việt Nam chưa được áp dụng như mua bán khống, họ cũng đã hiểu bản chất của nó và độ rủi ro ra sao. Để theo kịp sự trưởng thành của giới đầu tư, các công ty chứng khoán cần một đội ngũ chuyên viên giỏi. "Những nhân viên tư vấn giỏi không phải là người chỉ cho nhà đầu tư mua bán cổ phiếu A hay B, mà là người cung cấp bức tranh toàn cảnh trung thực về doanh nghiệp để nhà đầu tư tự quyết định", ông Hưng nói. SSI cũng đang mò mẫm xây dựng mô hình nhà môi giới độc lập. Ở các thị trường phát triển, những tay môi giới độc lập của các công ty môi giới có thể đạt doanh thu hàng triệu đô la Mỹ/năm/người và họ chính là những người làm nên tên tuổi lớn của phố Wall ở Mỹ. SSI sẽ tiến tới việc khoán định mức cho nhân viên môi giới, nhưng khi nào thì câu trả lời chưa có được, có thể vì Việt Nam chưa hội tụ đủ những điều kiện cho điều đó. Việt Nam chưa có hiệp hội những nhà môi giới chứng khoán (cũng như môi giới tiền tệ). Hơn nữa, sự chế tài và đạo đức nghề nghiệp của các nhân viên môi giới chưa được điều tiết chuyên biệt bởi các quy định pháp lý.    

Rời bỏ mô hình ngân hàng đầu tư truyền thống

Ba năm trước, SSI đã lấy mô hình ngân hàng đầu tư để làm định hướng phát triển công ty. Tuy nhiên những diễn biến tài chính trong và ngoài nước của năm 2008 đã khiến SSI thay đổi cách nhìn. Ông Hưng giải thích: "Mô hình ngân hàng đầu tư độc lập khó tồn tại trong hoàn cảnh hiện nay. Mô hình định chế tài chính trung gian, kết hợp nơi cần vốn và có vốn, kể cả trên bình diện quốc tế, là tiêu điểm hướng tới của chúng tôi". Chọn được hướng đi đúng đã khó, thực hiện mục tiêu còn khó hơn. Sự cạnh tranh giữa các công ty chứng khoán nội địa ngày một khốc liệt. Gần đây, một số công ty chứng khoán, để thu hút khách hàng, đã chấp nhận cho nhà đầu tư được bán khi cổ phiếu chưa về tài khoản, hỗ trợ tiền ngày T+, ký quỹ ở mức thấp để mua cổ phiếu... Cùng trong lĩnh vực, SSI nắm rõ những sự hỗ trợ "lách luật" đó, nhưng đã không thực hiện, đơn giản bởi "nó không an toàn cho nhà đầu tư" và không phải là biện pháp giữ chân khách hàng lâu dài. Thay vào đó, SSI cạnh tranh bằng công nghệ, mở rộng cổng giao diện kết nối với máy chủ của sàn TPHCM, cho phép lệnh của nhà đầu tư vào sàn nhiều hơn, nhanh hơn. Mua và bán được cổ phiếu khi cần có thể là điều mà nhà đầu tư quan tâm hơn so với các biện pháp hỗ trợ tài chính "lách luật".

Sự thăng trầm của SSI gắn liền với thị trường chứng khoán. Giá trị vốn hóa của công ty cũng "lên thác xuống ghềnh" tùy vào giá cổ phiếu. Trong chín năm qua, cổ phiếu SSI đã có lúc tiệm tiến mức 300.000 đồng và có thời điểm rớt về hơn 20.000 đồng/cổ phiếu. Hiện tại với tổng tài sản khoảng 6.000 tỉ đồng, gấp 1.000 lần số vốn ban đầu, SSI đã là một tên tuổi được dân chứng khoán trong nước biết đến. Trong số những cổ đông sáng lập của SSI, có người đã ra đi, có người ở lại, có người nguyện sống chết cùng công ty. Cho dù đã rời vị trí thành viên sáng lập, thỉnh thoảng họ vẫn nhìn lại SSI, như tìm về một trong nhiều dấu ấn thuở khai sinh thị trường chứng khoán Việt Nam, nơi có những hạt cát đang cuốn vào dòng chảy cổ phiếu triền miên mỗi ngày!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Free medicine for jobless

Excerpt from Free Lipitor, Viagra, other drugs for jobless (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pfizer15-2009may15,0,2216632.story)

The 70-plus drugs covered include several diabetes drugs and some of Pfizer's top money makers, from cholesterol fighter Lipitor and painkiller Celebrex to fibromyalgia treatment Lyrica and Viagra for impotence. The list includes drugs from several other popular classes, including antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungal treatments, several heart drugs, contraceptives and smoking cessation products. Cheaper generic versions are available for quite a few of the drugs.

Why Viagra?

Friday, September 11, 2009

Motorola

Few weeks ago, I watched Motorola. It around 7. This morning 8.50

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Vinaphone gets deals with Ericsson, Motorola to provide 3G services

Mobile phone operator Vinaphone has signed contracts with Ericsson and Motorola Inc. to provide 3G technology and equipment in order for Vinaphone to provide 3G services in Vietnam.

The contract Vinaphone signed with Ericsson last week includes installation and commissioning of the operator's 3G network in the south of Vietnam.

The network, based on the WCDMA/HSPA 2100 MHz standard, will enable Vinaphone to deliver compelling 3G services, such as Mobile Broadband, to customers at speeds of up to 14.4 MBPS.

Vinaphone says it is committed to launching 3G services in the Vietnam market this year.

At the contract signing ceremony with Ericsson, Vinaphone deputy director Hoang Trung Hai said, "With Ericsson's world leading capability in developing and deploying 3G technology across many countries, coupled with their long-standing experience within the Vietnam market, I am confident that the partnership with Ericsson will help Vinaphone bring to mobile users in Vietnam a whole new experience driven by the best quality 3G network."

On August 26, Vinaphone signed a contract with Motorola Inc to provide 3G services in northern Vietnam.

The contracts with Ericsson and Motorola are part of Vinaphone's US$1-billion plan to provide the services throughout the country.

By Minh Tuong
(http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Science_Technology/2009/9/74014/)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

VinaCapital sells stake in Hilton Hanoi Opera

11:00' 08/09/2009 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – VinaCapital Group, a Viet Nam-focused asset management, investment banking and real estate firm, announced yesterday, September 7, the sale of its entire equity stake in the landmark Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel.

The buyer, and the value of the deal, was not disclosed but the company said the sale of the equity stake would result in an investment return rate of 23 per cent over three years.

"After the VinaCapital fund acquired a majority stake in 2006, we were able to quickly improve the hotel's operations and grow profitability," said Stephen O-Grady, VinaCapital's managing director of hospitality.

"Gross operating profits rose 29.5 per cent in two years to reach over US$9.5 million in 2008, which was the peak year of Viet Nam's hospitality market," he added.

"We are extremely satisfied to exit this asset at a value that is about 10 per cent above the March 2009 book value of the property, which is used to calculate the net asset values of our funds," he said.

"We believe this is a clear indication that despite the global slowdown in the hospitality industry, high-quality properties in Viet Nam remain very attractive for both domestic and international buyers because of their strong long-term value."

In July 2006, VinaCapital purchased a 70 per cent equity stake in the Hilton Hanoi, a five-star, 271-room hotel located in the centre of the capital city.

The Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel was voted Viet Nam's Leading Hotel for five consecutive years by the prestigious World Travel Awards, and designated a historic landmark property by the city of Ha Noi.

VinaCapital, through its AIM-traded investment funds VinaLand Limited (VNL) and VOF, is one of the largest hospitality sector investors in Viet Nam, with a portfolio that includes the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Movenpick Hanoi, Movenpick Saigon, Mercure La Gare Hanoi and Sheraton Nha Trang hotels, in addition to several other hospitality projects under development.

VinaCapital Group was founded in 2003 and has grown from a $10 million fund to a diversified investment firm with more than $1.6 billion in assets under management as of July.

VinaCapital manages three closed-end funds trading on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market: Vietnam Infrastructure Limited, VOF and VNL. VinaCapital also co-manages the DFJ VinaCapital technology venture capital fund with Draper Fisher Jurvetson.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2009/09/867434/

Monday, September 7, 2009

A look back

One year ago, I started this blog as a my trading journal. Later I expanded it to cover other areas other than business to express my thought.

As time goes by, I'm a little bit disappointed. Web traffic is too light. But, I'm not discourage. I still hope one day I can reach my goal: Make more money to gain financial freedom.

So help me God.

Monday, August 31, 2009

VN-Index goes past 540 despite fuel price hikes, Asian losses

The Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange Monday ignored increases in fuel prices and losses in Asian markets, rising 1.9 percent to 546.78, the highest since September 4.

Of the VN-Index's 170 members, 143 increased and 11 decreased while 16 were unchanged.

Turnover shot up to nearly 70 million shares worth VND3 trillion (US$168.3 million) from last Friday's 56 million worth 2.2 trillion.

In Hanoi, the HNX-Index climbed 2.7 percent to finish at 172.17.

Elsewhere in Asia, Chinese shares closed down 6.74 percent, Hong Kong shares closed 1.86 percent lower, and Japanese stocks ended down 0.4 percent.

Ngo Huu Hung, chief analyst at Ho Chi Minh City-based Dai Viet Securities, said, "Positive news showing economic recovery in the international markets have heartened Vietnamese investors lately and will continue supporting gains in the local stock market.

"The market may have some days with declines over the next few weeks, but its uptrend will definitely be extended into the next few months, as we have about one more month to go until the time when companies start to release earnings results, and they are expected to be good.

"As for the health of the domestic economy, there has been positive news lately including slowing inflation which may point to the government loosening monetary policy, and that will also support gains in the local market.

"I would expect the VN-Index to reach 600 by the end of October with rising daily trading volumes."

Vietnam Dairy Product Joint-Stock Co. (VNM), the biggest listed company on the exchange, advanced 1.3 percent to VND158,000. The Ho Chi Minh City-based company plans to buy back 15,320 shares, starting Monday, according to a statement on the exchange's website. The purchase will be completed by December 31.

Phuoc Hoa Rubber Co. (PHR), which operates a rubber plantation, rose 0.6 percent to VND48,300. The company's chief accountant Duong Van Khen will buy 50,000 shares, starting Monday to raise his holdings to 0.06 percent from zero, according to a statement filed on the exchange's website.

Saigon Fuel Joint-Stock Co. (SFC), which sells gasoline and other petroleum products, jumped 4.9 percent, the biggest advance since July 24, to VND85,000.

The government allowed oil product importers to raise their retail fuel prices by up to 8.3 percent on Sunday.

Source: Thanh Nien, Bloomberg

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=52200


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

European Cyber-Gangs Target Small U.S. Firms, Group Says

By Brian Krebs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Organized cyber-gangs in Eastern Europe are increasingly preying on small and mid-size companies in the United States, setting off a multimillion-dollar online crime wave that has begun to worry the nation's largest financial institutions.

Read the whole story from Washington Post.

Monday, August 24, 2009

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Friday, August 21, 2009

Cautiously, overseas Vietnamese eye real estate investments

17:14' 18/08/2009 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) will be allowed to purchase real estate in their own names from September 1, 2009. However, experts doubt the new policy will cause any immediate changes in the real estate market.

Ownership transfer transactions will increase

Two months ago, Luong's relative in Germany asked her to help buy another apartment on Hoang Hoa Tham street in Hanoi.

According to Luong, the relative decided to invest money in real estate in Vietnam after he heard that apartment prices in Hanoi keep rising. Luong has purchased five apartments so far this year as 'authorised' by her Viet Kieu relatives.

Luong said that when the new policy on allowing Viet Kieu to purchase houses in Vietnam takes effect on September 1, she will transfer ownership to the real owners of the apartments.

Nguyen Van Tam, Director of GTC Real Estate, part of the TSQ Finance Group owned by a Viet Kieu in Poland, also thinks that when the new policy becomes effective, there will be more transfers of ownership than purchases.

In fact, Viet Kieu have been purchasing houses, apartments and time-shares in Vietnam for a long time as investments. They are well-represented in the most attractive real estate market segments.

The 13 hectare, $59 million 'Viet Kieu Chau Au (European) Village' is a 100 percent Viet Kieu-financed project east of Hanoi City, kicked off in 2007. Another high grade apartment project, TSQ's 'Euro Land,' capitalized at $70 million, is expected to cover an area of 8,200 square metre in the Mo Lao new urban area west of central Hanoi.

According to Tam, 35 to 40 percent of the buyers in Viet Kieu Chau Au village are Viet Kieu. Tam claimed that it is not clear if the Viet Kieu buy the houses and apartments for their own use or for speculation. However, he believes that many of them intend to live in the units because they have been keeping a close watch over the implementation of the project and adjusting the plans to their individual preference.

It is estimated that 60-70 percent of buyers now will be buying the apartments from original buyers instead of purchasing directly from the investor. The apartments are offered at $1,000 per square metre, up from $900-920 per square metre. Villas are now on offer at 55 million dong (about $3000) per square metre.

The director of a real estate brokerage said that speculators well understand the new policy and they have put down deposits on a lot of apartments and villas at the projects which they think will be attractive to Viet Kieu. However, they have been discouraged by the lower-than-expected influx of investment money from overseas Vietnamese buyers.
Lam, a real estate broker, said that the market has been quiet over the last month with very few successful transactions.

The market will not see big changes soon

Commenting about the outlook for Viet Kieu buyers, Tam said that more sales will be made, but big changes won't be evident when the new policy takes effect. In this market, so far characterized by 'underground transactions,' investors will spend some time watching to see how the new policy is implemented and defining the market tendency.

Tam has sold units in Viet Kieu Chau Au Village. He doubts that Viet Kieu house purchases will affect the real estate market in short term. Not all Viet Kieu can afford real estate products in Vietnam. Some experts believe that the prices have been pushed up high by speculators.

Tam said that Viet Kieu always think more carefully than Vietnamese people before they decide to purchase houses or apartments. At first, they will want to see how the revised law is implemented, and be confident that the market will develop in a stable way.

According to the Ministry of Construction, only 140 Viet Kieu have officially purchased houses in Vietnam since 2001, when certain categories of overseas Vietnamese were permitted to purchase houses in a trial basis. However, the revised law drops virtually all restrictions on such transactions. That's why experts believe that in long term, the real estate market for Viet Kieu will see strong growth.

In 2008, the members of the Vietnamese diaspora sent $8 billion in remittances to their relatives in Vietnam, an increase of 19 percent over 2007. Much of this money is invested in small businesses and projects.

It is estimated that some 3,000 businesses which have capital contribution by Viet Kieu and 60 percent of such projects have been going profitably. The figures show the great potentials of the market and make people believe that Viet Kieu investors will put money into many more investment projects.

VietNamNet/TBKTVN

Source: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2009/08/864073/

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

VN’s pharmaceutical industry needs hi-tech investment

Although Vietnam has a treasure of abundant and diverse sources of pharmaceutical materials, including nearly 4,000 herbal plants, the country's pharmaceutical industry currently depends on material imported from China to make up medicines. To exploit its own resources, it is necessary for Vietnam to boost investments in hi-tech extraction technologies.

A technician determines the quality of active element 10 DAB III and Taxol from Taxaceae via chromatography analysis (Photo: SGGP)

Latest statistical reports from the Drug Administration of Vietnam indicated that in 2008, locally-produced medicines meet just 50.18 percent of demand, with eighty percent of materials for the production of medicine imported from foreign countries, mainly from China.

Pharmacist Nguyen Tien Hung, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam Medical Products Import - Export Company (Vimedimex) blamed the situation for the fact that Vietnam has not yet made adequate investment in modern separation and extraction technologies to exploit medicinal plants. 

Reality shows that extraction technology of medicinal plants in the country is still underdeveloped. At present, Vietnam does not have any large hi-tech extraction plants. Most oriental medicine businesses build small scale plants, which are suitable for their own production demand.

The main extraction method employed in such plants is just intended for concentrating glues at normal pressure. Extraction plants built in areas where herbal plants are grown as materials, if any, are also small, equipped with rudimentary machines and equipment. Such plants are only used for producing one or two kinds of glues.

Thanks to the growing tendency among consumers to use herbal remedies, a number of oriental medicine businesses have begun to invest in modern plants equipped with controllable heat extraction technology. 

No matter how modern they are, such plants cannot produce high-quality medicinal medicines that can compete with imported products because they are still falling short in extraction processes.

Mr Hung pointed out that last year, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a project to boost the development of the pharmaceutical industry and build a drug distribution system for the stages 2007 - 2015 and 2016-2020. 

The PM also issued two decisions to stimulate the investment in plants to extract active elements from pharmaceutical materials, but no company has gained benefits from these policies. 

It is really a loss for the country because if Vietnam can exploit the resources of medicinal plants appropriately, it can earn millions of US dollars each year.

Cited as an example, Mr Hung said that in 1980s Dr. B. Gluzin, deputy director of Medicinal Plant Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, and his fellow-workers came to work in Vietnam and found a large volume of mangiferin (an anti-oxidant agent) contained in mango leaves. This kind of mango leaf extract is used for making medicines that cures shingles. 

Based on the discovery, Russia decided to partially transfer the extraction technology to Vimedimex and placed an order, under which Vimedimex would supply mangiferin in the form of crude material to Russia. 

In 1998, Vietnam exported mangiferin with a purity of between 75 and 78 percent for the first time. In 2002, Sovipharm Joint -Venture (now BV Pharma) was established and Russia decided to transfer the entire extraction technology to Vietnam.

Hi-tech extraction technologies will help Vietnam produce hi-quality medicines that can compete with imported products(Photo: SGGP)

At present, BV Pharma can produce mangiferin with a purity of 98 and 100 percent. The volume of material and medicines in the form of finished products exported to Russia is worth $1 million a year. 

But it is not merely mango leaves, Vietnam has hundreds of kinds of medicinal plants with high contents of precious active elements. For example, Taxol is found in Taxaceae; Rurin and Troxerutin in Sophora japonica L. and Curcumin and Quercetin in Curcuma. 

Pharmacist Tran Hung, head of Department of Pharmaceutical Materials of the HCMC University of Medical and Pharmacy, said that to boost the development of the pharmaceutical industry and improve the production capacity of specific medicines, Vietnam has no choice but to stimulate investment in high-tech extraction technologies. 

To do so, it is necessary for the Government to have policies to encourage simultaneous investment in material growing areas, high technology and training. 

Since businesses feel hesitant to invest in hi-tech extraction technologies, as they require large investment capital, Mr Hung said that the Government should also issue macro policies related to financial funding and tax incentives to encourage investors.  

By Staff writers – Translated by Phuong Lan

Source: http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Science_Technology/2009/8/73094/

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Cash For Clunkers

I don't think to buy a new car but this program, Car Allowance Rebate System - aka "Cash for Clunkers", from U.S. government sounds good to me. My wife mentioned it during our luch. After lunch, I googled to find more info before head out to car dealers. I can get a voucher of up to $4,500 to trade in my vehicle for new ones that get better mileage.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Google Voice Invitation To Be Given Away

I have an unused Google Voice invitation. I'm thinking to pass this to another. How? When? So, stay tuned here.

Updated #1 (07/24 07:07AM): Below is the copy of Google Voice invitation that I received:
You are invited to open a free Google Voice account. To accept this invitation and create your account, visit (link)

If you haven't already heard about it, Google Voice is a service that makes using your current phones much better!

Here's what it offers:

* A personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call
* All of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email
* Low-priced international calling to over 200 countries and free SMS
* Other powerful features like the first phone spam filter to protect you from unwanted callers, the ability to ListenInTM on your voicemail messages while they are being left, conference calling and more

To learn more about Google Voice before registering, visit: http://www.google.com/voice/about

Please note that Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US.

We hope you enjoy Google Voice,

The Google Voice Team


Update #2 (07/25 07:57AM): I will post the link in the next few days.

Update #3 (07/28 09:55PM): Here the link for Google Voice invitation:
https://www.google.com/voice/inv/RsffJZ-zRDq6ZvNFvnh5Jt5C-Iead4aaXXXXXXXXXX

Update #4(07/29 09:53PM): I just check and see this:
So, someone picked up the link above and used. If I have another invitation, I will post here. If you have an unused invitation to give away, you can post it in the comment area. Thanks in advance.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

18 Million for Recovery.gov

Is it worth or just a waste?

Sunday, July 5, 2009

General Mills (GIS) Q4 2009 Earnings Conference Call

As of July 2nd, 58.50.
Dividend: 0.43
Ex dividend date: 7/8/09

Excerpt from General Mills (GIS) Q4 2009 Earnings Conference Call transcript posted at Seeking Alpha:
Our businesses generated strong cash flow in 2009 and we returned much of that cash to shareholders through share repurchase and increased dividends. Annual dividends per share grew 10% in 2009, and on Monday of this week, we announced a 9% increase in the quarterly dividend rate to $0.47 per share effective with the August 3rd payment.
Click here for webcast.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Long time no blog

Wow! it's almost a month, I did not blog. It's Ok. Other business matter.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Is housing bottom?

Big question. When? Next 3 months? End of year 2009? Let's find out.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to cut more

I thought it's a right thing to do after read these below articles and their comments. California goverment need to do the same thing like the ordinary citizen when their revenue drop: Cut spending while looking for additional job. You cannot make money by increase the tax. Business and working people left California because higher tax and many law and rules.

On the web:

Sunday, May 17, 2009

NO on 1A. Yes on 1F.

1A is a flaw. I'm not happy with any increase in tax even with short-term two years. Sacramento need to balance budget, live within your means, need to learn how to generate state revenue without increase tax burden.
NO on 1A
. YES on 1F.
Period.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Not easy to hunt for cheap houses in US

After read this article "Not easy to hunt for cheap houses in US" published by VietNamNet, see below, I wonder how the foreigner can buy the house in the US.

7:23' 13/05/2009 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – High house taxes have made many Vietnamese people waver over their plans to purchase houses in the US.


The house tax rate in California is 1% per annum, while in Houston, Texas, a medium-class house may be taxed $8,000. If people get profit from selling houses, they have to pay the income tax of 15%. The high tax rates have forced many Vietnamese people who are hunting for houses in the US to reconsider their plans.

Many Vietnamese people want to purchase houses in California for two important reasons. First, this is a state where many Vietnamese people live, and second, the state sets a 'soft' tax rate in comparison with other states, just 1%. However, the 'soft' tax rate is still considered high in the eyes of Vietnamese people.

Bich Lam, the owner of a fabric stall at Soai Kinh Lam Market in HCM City, related that she had returned from a trip to the US in March to learn more about the real estate market and the laws.

"I really wanted a house with four bedrooms and swimming pool, a house with very good interior design in California, priced at $350,000. My husband and I decided to buy the house, but we later cancelled the plan after we realised that the owner of the house would have to pay $3,500 in tax a year," she said.

Lam went on to say that in fact, 1% proves to be not the final tax rate. It is still necessary to upgrade infrastructure of the area (upgrade the water supply and drainage system, build more schools, parks, public libraries). Lam says that once the infrastructure is upgraded, the tax rate may be double, 2%.

Some people who plan to purchase houses in Houston, Texas have also become hesitant. A medium-class house here has to bear the tax of $8,000. And if the owners sell the houses within two years of living there, and if they get profit from the deals, they have to pay a 15% tax.

"The barriers in language, culture and law may put Vietnamese people at a disadvantage," said Hoang Ha Thanh, Deputy Chairman of The Millennium Global Solutions Group.

Thanh said that first off, people should know for sure what they want, real estate for accommodation (houses, apartments), commercial real estate (houses, buildings for lease, supermarkets) or real estate for industrial purposes (workshop premises, developed land).

Thanh has advised people to pay more attention to the geographical positions of the real estate, California, Florida, Boston or Houston, because every state has its own laws on real estate management. The tax rates prove to be quite different for different kinds of real estate.

According to Ngo Thi Xuan Binh, Director of Interland Real Estate Floor, additional procedures may lead to changes in the value of real estate. For example, in areas with no schools and parks, buyers will have to pay 1% in tax per annum. Meanwhile, the tax will be $3,000 or higher for houses in areas with good infrastructure facilities.

Despite the high tax rates, experts still believe that it is now the right time to purchase houses in the US, which have dropped to a record low. A lot of US people are trying to sell houses; advertisement pieces on houses with discounts of 50% can be seen everywhere. It is now not only a dream for Vietnamese people to own a house in the US, it is a realistic dream.

VietNamNet/VNE

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Economic concerns or take profit?

Today, May 13, market goes down 2%. It now at 8300 points. Last week, when the bank stress test released, it was about 8500. I wonder is trader take profit or they actually worry about the economic or retail sales? Any way, I'm looking for a chance to make money by buying a good stock at discount price.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN



I'm going to read this book: Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN by Andrew Wiest and Jim Webb this week.

Related info:
  • Google Book Search click here .
  • Review by Sean N. Kalic
  • "Anh hùng và Kẻ bội phản trong Quân lực VNCH," một tiếng nói mới về chiến tranh VN (RFA)

Friday, May 8, 2009

Bank Stress Test

With the release of result of bank stress test, Dow hit 8500. Bank of America in the 2 digits now $14.50. If I buy it on April, I would make money. The question from last month, still in my head. Should I buy BAC or C now or wait?

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

No Sale: Bank Wrecks New Houses (WSJ.com)

According to an article written by Michael Corkery published in WSJ:

A Texas bank is about done demolishing 16 new and partially built houses acquired in Southern California through foreclosure, figuring it was better to knock them down than to try selling them in the depressed housing market.

Read more here.

Why not let the homeless stay there until you can sell?

Video by visionvictory on Youtube

BREAKING NEWS on the Housing Front: SHOCKING! Part 1:

BREAKING NEWS on the Housing Front: SHOCKING Part 2:

SHOCKING: EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER-DEPRESSION EDITION PART 3

SHOCKING: EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER-DEPRESSION EDITION PART 4

VICTORVILLE MODEL HOMES DEMOLISHED - SHOCKING VIDEO: Part 5

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Chevron Q1 2009 Earnings Call Transcript

Transcript from Seeking Alpha here.
Webcast here.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Overseas Vietnamese back to Vietnam for jobs

According to VNExpress, many overseas Vietnamese back to homeland looking for jobs. I cannot imagine an overseas Vietnamese can get the management job for $5000/month. Below is the article from Vietnamese:

***** Begin quote *****

Lao động Việt kiều rủ nhau về nước tìm việc

4 tháng qua, lượng hồ sơ Việt kiều tìm việc qua các công ty tuyển dụng trong nước tăng khoảng 30-40%. Đánh giá của các chuyên gia nguồn nhân lực, khủng hoảng kinh tế là nguyên nhân đưa nhiều kiều bào về nước. > Việt kiều về nước tránh khủng hoảng

Trung bình một năm, Công ty tư vấn nguồn nhân lực Netviet tiếp nhận khoảng 60-70 hồ sơ đăng ký ứng tuyển của người Việt sinh sống tại Mỹ, Canada, Australia. Song theo Phó giám đốc Tam Thanh Thiên Trang, chỉ từ cuối năm ngoái đến nay đã có gần 200 hồ sơ.

Tác động của cuộc khủng hoảng kinh tế toàn cầu khiến nhiều tập đoàn, công ty trên thế giới cắt giảm nhân sự, nhiều người rơi vào cảnh mất việc, lao động Việt kiều cũng không là ngoại lệ. Trước tình hình đó, nhiều người chọn giải pháp trở lại quê hương.

Theo bà Trang, một số kiều bào gửi hồ sơ trực tuyến, nếu công ty giới thiệu công việc ưng ý, ổn định, họ sẽ thu xếp về nước đảm nhận ngay công việc mới. Tuy nhiên, cũng có một số người về hẳn vì đã bị sa thải và những khoản trợ cấp thất nghiệp ở nước ngoài không thể đảm bảo cuộc sống.

Giám đốc Công ty TNHH dịch vụ tư vấn nguồn nhân lực Mai Anh, bà Trần Thị Phương Linh cho biết, gần 10 thông tin tìm việc của Việt kiều đã gửi đến trong hơn tháng qua. Trong khi những tháng trước, hầu như không có đối tượng này xin việc.

Hàng nghìn lao động đến tìm cơ hội tại Sàn giao dịch việc làm TP HCM
năm 2009. Ảnh: B.H.

Tại Công ty tư vấn nhân sự Loan Lê, lượng hồ sơ của Việt kiều có nhu cầu tìm việc cũng đã tăng khoảng 30%.

Vị trí ứng tuyển đa phần thuộc lĩnh vực ngân hàng, tài chính, công nghệ thông tin, viễn thông, IT, quản lý nhà hàng khách sạn...

Thông thạo ngoại ngữ, phong cách làm việc năng động, tự tin, lại có kiến thức và vốn tiếng Việt sẵn có... đối lượng lao động Việt kiều là ứng viên sáng giá cho các cấp quản lý, nhất là ở các công ty nước ngoài. Tuy nhiên, từ cuối năm 2008, nhiều doanh nghiệp ở Việt Nam co hẹp nhu cầu tuyển dụng, thậm chí ngừng tuyển, trong khi cầu lao động đang có xu hướng tăng.

Chính vì vậy, theo bà Trang, tỷ lệ tuyển dụng thành công ở đối tượng Việt kiều suy giảm đáng kể. Nếu trước đây, giải quyết 50/60 trường hợp, thì nay chỉ giúp cho khoảng 50/200 người có công việc ưng ý.

Trước xu thế cạnh tranh gay gắt giữa lao động trong và ngoài nước, đề xuất mức lương của Việt kiều cũng hạ xuống, còn khoảng 5.000-6.000 USD mỗi tháng thay vì yêu cầu đến 10.000 USD như những năm trước đối với cấp quản lý. Ngoài ra, họ cũng không quá đòi hỏi các khoản trợ cấp khác như trước đây.

Bà Tiêu Yến Trinh, Tổng giám đốc Talennet Corporation cũng cho rằng, chi phí cho người lao động Việt Nam hiện thấp hơn so với người nước ngoài. Người Việt Nam được ưu tiên chọn hơn cho tất cả vị trí nhân viên và cao nhất là trưởng phòng. Song, đối với cấp quản lý, lãnh đạo, người nước ngoài lại có những ưu thế nhất định về kiến thức rộng, kinh nghiệm làm việc ở môi trường quốc tế... vốn là khoảng trống mà lao động người Việt còn cần phải bổ sung. Do vậy, người nước ngoài sẽ được cân nhắc hơn cho các vị trí quản lý cấp cao.

Còn theo ông Phan Thành, Chủ tịch Hiệp hội doanh nghiệp người Việt Nam ở nước ngoài tại TP HCM, lượng lao động Việt kiều về nước tìm việc chưa đến mức "báo động" sẽ làm cho thị trường lao động trong nước cạnh tranh khắc nghiệt.

Cũng cùng ý kiến này, Giám đốc Sở Lao động thương binh xã hội TP HCM Nguyễn Thành Tâm cho rằng, nếu Việt kiều có trình độ chuyên môn kỹ thuật cao về phục vụ cho đất nước là điều đáng hoan nghênh.

Có kế hoạch định cư luôn ở Việt Nam, chị Vy, một Việt kiều từ Mỹ về nước mấy tháng nay thông qua các công ty săn đầu người để tìm vị trí sale, vốn có 3 năm kinh nghiệm ở lĩnh vực này, song vẫn chưa nhận hồi âm. Với mong muốn nhanh chóng có việc, chị Vy cho biết sẽ hạ mức lương đề xuất xuống khoảng 40% (còn khoảng 600 USD) để có thể được tuyển, theo như lời khuyên của nhiều bạn bè trong nước.

Bạch Hường

***** End quote *****

How do you think?

Sunday, April 26, 2009

UC Admissions Change

Few days ago, I read an AP article "New UC Admissions Policy Angers Asian-Americans" published in CBS News. As a Vietnamese-American, I have no problem with new UC admissions policy. With new policy, as a parent, I don't need to spend $20 for each subject test. Two SAT subject tests cost $40. My kid will not need spend time to study for SAT subject test. The Ivy League Colleges do not ask for two SAT subject tests, why UC bother?

The money and time save from SAT subject test will use for better SAT Reason test. SAT Reason test is required by most of universities in the nation. You're make money by saving.

Change or not change, my kids always have a chance to get in UC if they want. They are hardworking student. It's not a big deal. No fear. Be careful when listen to community leader. Look into the fact.

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/eligibilitychanges/

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Missed a chance

Missed a chance today. If I sold AUY at the open and bought BAC at the earlier today, I would make money

Monday, April 20, 2009

Bank of America

Few weeks ago, news from Wells Fargo Bank lifted the financial sector and stock market. At that time, I wonder the market will continue up or will go down. That week, market continued went North. Now, news from Bank of America make market down. Time to buy BAC or wait?

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Next week, market up or down?

After Wells Fargo (WFC) announced they will have good earning report, the market up more than 200 points. Many traders made money if they bought some financial stock at discount few days or few weeks ago. I just wonder which stock in financial sector will make the market goes down?

MarketWatch: Financials surge as Wells Fargo reports record results

Monday, April 6, 2009

Market Data for Viet Kieu in the United States

Excerpt from http://coldwellbanker.com.vn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=122:

The most recent Census Bureau figures show that Vietnamese-American is estimated at 1,599,394 for 2006 American Community Survey. This is a 26% increase from 2004 American Community Survey of 1,267,510 total Vietnamese-American populations in United States. The population of Vietnamese-American will continue to increase by double digit per year. Vietnamese-American median age of 34 years; however, 17% of the Vietnamese-American are at the age of retirement. The median household income for Vietnamese-American is $52,408 and the per capita income of $20,805 is higher than other race in the United States.


Friday, April 3, 2009

Make Money by Refinance

You can make money by refinance your mortgage with lower rate. With the 30 years-fixed rate going down to 4.5%, you can save a little bit more. The less money you pay to the bank, the more money on your hand. You can use this cash power to invest, to make more money. More money, more freedom.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Thanks Obama

You just stop the bull. I have a change to buy good stock at discount. On Friday, March 27, Dow Jone downed 148 points. Today, at some time, it went down to 300 points. Is market head down to 6000 again? If it is, I have answer for my question in previous post. 

Friday, March 27, 2009

Is market bottom?

After went down to 6547 on March 9, 2009, the stock mark up almost three weeks. Is market bottom? Should we put money back into stock? Anyone make money on stock market this month?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mortgage rates drop again

Excerpt from "Mortgage rates drop to record low" written by Alan Zibel, AP Real Estate Writer, posted on finance.yahoo.com :

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rates on 30-year mortgages fell this week to the lowest level on record after the Federal Reserve launched a new effort to assist the staggering U.S. housing market.

Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac said Thursday that average rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 4.85 percent this week, from 4.98 percent last week. It was the lowest in the history of Freddie Mac's survey, which dates back to 1971 and was down a full percentage point from a year ago.
...................

How low they will go? Below 4.00%?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Dr. Trung Dung

Found some old articles on the internet about Dr. Trung Dung, one of the succesful Vietnamese-American businessman. He is a the first multi-millionaire Vietnamese-American, I guess. His success in business inspires me.

* * * * *

Excerpt from "Vietnamese refugee a success on the Internet" written by Michelle Locke, The Associated Press, in March 2000:

It took Trung Dung three tries before he escaped Vietnam on a fishing boat. He then spent a year in a refugee camp before landing in America with a sprinkling of English and $2 in his pocket. Looking back, he remembers hope, not hardship.

"When I grew up, it's just like there is no opportunity. There is no future," he said. But on coming to the United States, "suddenly, I see all this opportunity that I have."

Fifteen years later, Mr. Dung (pronounced Young) is an Internet success story, founder and chief technology officer of the software maker OnDisplay Inc., which has seen its stock triple since going public in December.

. . . . . . . . .

Chick here to read more.

* * * * *

Below is the article from Viet Nam Net written by Khanh Ngoc published in 2006:

Trung Dung and Vietnam dream

VietNamNet – "This is a talented and very special man!" That's the first thing I heard about Trung Dung, and it made me curious.

As a habit, the first address I search to satisfy my curiosity is Google. Surprisingly, the first search result I saw was the Wikipedia page, the most popular electronic encyclopedia in the world.

Apart from a photo of Trung Dung is brief information: born and grew up in south Vietnam and migrated to the US at the age of 17; the founder and managing director of two big software companies in the US, On Display Inc., and Fogbreak Software; earned the Gold Torch award for outstanding Vietnamese-American at the annual congress of the Vietnamese-American community held in Washington D.C in 2004.The story of Trung Dung's life and career has been published in many famous newspapers: Forbes, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is also one of the 17 examples of success for immigrants in the US listed in Dan Rather's book "The American Dream".

I also found a series of results on Google about this young man: one of the most successful young Vietnamese-American businessmen in the US, the founder and member of the management board of the DICentral Software Company, the outstanding person of the legal organisation on immigration and an honourary member of many Vietnamese-American associations in the US.

"I have a dream…"

The road to success for Trung Dung was up and down. He came to the US with only $2 in his pocket and did not know any English. At that time he was only 17.

More than 20 years later, sitting in the living-room of VietNamNet, he is a 'big boss' in Silicon Valley. He owns two big software companies worth billions of US dollars. Before our eyes is a simple and calm man, who has a deep, warm voice and humble manner. These may be the characteristics that have not changed much since he came to the US.

"Luck is a very important factor. But the more important factor is one must have a real dream and know what he wants to do. Martin Lurther King had a famous statement – 'I have a dream'. I think all of us should have a dream and try to pursue it, and hope that one day we can realize it."

The greatest dream for Trung Dung, the 17-year-old student, at that time, might have been escaping from poverty by getting a university diploma.

Though Dung's English was modest, his knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences helped him get into Massachusetts University. Not squandering the opportunity, he studied very well though he had to do many jobs - he was a waiter in restaurants, a cleaner at hospitals, etc. - to have money to pay school fees, to maintain his life and send money to his family in Vietnam.

Graduating from Massachusetts University, Trung Dung continued his studies and obtained a Doctorate of Computer Sciences, and then found a stable job in a software firm in Massachusetts.

He could have been satisfied with what he had, but realizing that there was an opportunity to develop his idea on network business, Trung Dung gave up his job to follow his new dream - giving up an opportunity to have assets of shares worth US$1mil.

OnDisplay, Trung Dung's first software company, was based on a very simple concept: producing a software product to process information from other websites, then re-clarifying the information to convenience users. As the first person to suggest the idea, and being inexperienced in the business world, Trung Dung was refused by many investors.

In its most difficult hour, OnDisplay caught the eye of an expert in e-commerce, Mark Pine, the managing director of an important division of Sybase, a big data management software company. "I see potential in Trung Dung and believe in him," he said, after he met Trung Dung for the first time.

Mark Pine agreed to work as the managing director of OnDisplay. Two week later, the value of OnDisplay soared. This company quickly had over 80 clients, including the big e-commerce and e-portal service company, Travelocity. OnDisplay also cooperated with IBM and Microsoft and newly emerging firms like Ariba, BroadVision and CommerceOne.

In 2000, a group bought OnDisplay for $1.8bil.

However, Trung Dung's dream wasn't finished. Moving to California, the cradle of technology in the US, the young man invested in his second company, Fogbreak Solutions, which specialised in applications to optimise the production capacities of production lines. Fogbreak was invested in by big firms as Matrix Partners, Greylock and Sigma Partners.

Luck was an indispensable factor on the road to success for this overseas Vietnamese, but there is one thing that we can't deny. This is the 'luck' of the ones who have broad vision, character, work hard, and know how to grasp opportunities.

This is the first time Trung Dung has returned to Vietnam since he left the country in 1984. "I'm very happy and really surprised. I've heard that Vietnam is developing very fast and has changed much but I couldn't have imagined the extent of development and changes in the country".

Seeing with his own eyes the changes in Vietnam, Trung Dung is not only proud but also has hopes and expectations. "This time I returned to Vietnam to determine the potential of the software industry, the Vietnamese market in general and investment opportunities. Though I am only staying here for a short period of time, I feel the energy of a busy and bustling life in Vietnam. Investment opportunities are not only in the hi-tech industry but in other fields," he said.

"The issue that overseas Vietnamese businessmen like me attach importance to is the laws on investment and economics. The clearer they are, the easier it is for us. This is more important than preferential policies because preferential policies are temporary," he added.

Trung Dung reads Vietnamese newspapers very often and pays special attention to economic issues, especially the equitisation of state-owned enterprises. "This is a very important move for our economy and it also creates opportunities for people like me".

However, the road of return for this successful businessman is not limited to business. "There are many things I want to do to help Vietnam. In the future I will assist the education sector, especially primary and secondary education. This field of investment is not for profit. It is a serious task requiring serious thinking to change the social environment," he said.

Trung Dung has begun investing in Vietnamese education by joining the management board of the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF).

When you left Vietnam in 1984, did you think that one day you would return like this? he was asked. Of course, he answered unhesitatingly. "I knew that I would return. I was just not sure when I would have an opportunity".

Looking into his eyes, I understand his next dream is the dream of Vietnam, the dream of return.

Khanh Ngoc


Monday, March 23, 2009

Free stuff

If you're looking for a free stuff to save money, read this artice wrote by Lori Bongiorno posted here.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Tuoc Luong

When I read this entry 5 Years of Yahoo Search! from Yahoo! Search Blog, the name Tuoc Luong, SVP, Search Engineering, Yahoo! Search, caught my eye. Another successful man. Do Google search, I find a story published by Thanh Nien News about him. Below is an excerpt:

Searching for success

After more than 25 years in the IT business, Yahoo vice president Luong Vinh Tuoc has become a world-renowned search engine specialist.

More than 29 years ago, on his first day at Berkeley University, California, Luong Vinh Tuoc (also known as Tuoc Luong) asked his instructors: “Which job is the easiest to find?”

Tuoc ultimately chose computer science – as recommended by his professors.

Little did he know it, but that first step into the world of information technology (IT), would eventually lead Tuoc to become the executive vice president (EVP) of world renowned Yahoo!, Inc.


Here is the excerpt from Viet Nam News on July 31, 2008:
(31-07-2008)

Yahoo! expert focuses on connecting Viet Nam

Internet search giants such as Yahoo! and Google are accelerating their presence in Viet Nam, where the Internet search industry is still in its infancy. Viet Nam News reporter Phi Hung spoke with Luong Vinh Tuoc, Senior Vice President of Search Engineering and Interim Lead for Yahoo! Search Products, during his recent visit, about how Viet Nam can develop its search industry while promoting itself on the World Wide Web. Tuoc, an American of Vietnamese origin who has returned to Viet Nam after 41 years, said he really wanted to "Vietnamise" the Yahoo! search engine, not only in a business sense, but also to give back to his ancestors.

Can you tell us the purpose of your visit to Viet Nam ?

Globally speaking, I see Viet Nam as a potential market for Internet-related services. While the country’s population is at 85 million, the number of Internet users is only at 19.5 million. Thus, there is a lot of room to develop the Internet here.

During this visit, I wanted to make specific plans to optimise our search engine in the Vietnamese language. I have spoken with the Ministry of Science and Technology, specifically with Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Lang, about how to optimise the Vietnamese language in the Yahoo! search engine, and how to find materials for Vietnamese structure and annotation.

The next step will be to program our "robot" on how to read and understand the Vietnamese language.

Why do you think the development of search engines in Vietnamese has not had the same success as other languages?

In my experience, a small search service will be difficult to develop because of its limited resources. It will face many difficulties if the engine wants to develop on a larger scale. The resources I mention here are human and financial resources.

First off, building a search engine requires a large number of qualified scientists specialised in this field, and a small company will have a hard time coming up with sufficient people.

Second is the investment. A real search engine requires a huge investment in thousands of servers, which will again be difficult for a small company.

There are many young scientists in Viet Nam who know a lot about the Vietnamese language, a language that is difficult for foreign scientists to thoroughly understand. However, limited financial resources will prevent Vietnamese scientists from investing in the search engine infrastructure.

What will be the next generation of search engines?

At present, most search engines operate under the same mechanism: typing in keywords and then receiving the results relating to these key words.

But the next generation of search engines will be smarter. They will understand what the user really wants to know when typing in a key word.

Yahoo! has many other assets, such as Mail, Messenger and 360, not just a search engine. All of these programmes will become more intelligent.

What do you think about the use of the Internet with businesses in Viet Nam?

When I came to Viet Nam, the Tourism Administration of Viet Nam and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) invited me to make a presentation to local small and medium-sized tourism firms in Vung Tau on how to use the Internet to advertise on the World Wide Web.

According to statistics from the General Statistics Office, two million foreign tourists came to Viet Nam in the first six months of this year. I told my staff to check the Yahoo! database to find out how many people searched for information relating to tours in Viet Nam.

The results showed there were six countries and territories with the most inquiries about Viet Nam tourism: Japan, Taiwan, mainland China, South Korea, the US and Thailand.

I then calculated the number of queries per week in each country and the results showed that the US was on top with 27,000 queries per week, which means 1.5 million queries per year. The most common keywords were "hotel Vungtau," "hotel Da Lat" and "the best tour in Viet Nam."

However, when I searched for "hotel Vungtau," I was unable to find any direct results. I could only find a few indirect hits from foreign websites. That means that hotels in Vung Tau had lost opportunities to advertise themselves to about 1.5 million queries from the US. — VNS

Friday, March 20, 2009

Mortgage Rates to Fall Further: 7 Things to Know

The article written by Luke Mullins, US News explains more about Fed's action on Wednesday, April 18:

And you thought 5 percent was a good rate? After already bringing mortgage rates down near 50-year lows, Fed Chief Ben Bernanke unleashed a surprise attack on the housing slump Wednesday by announcing aggressive steps that should make home loans even more attractive. Lower rates, of course, can help push timid buyers off the sidelines so they can mop up the excess inventory that's been driving down home prices. "This is a huge step forward," Ian Shepherdson of High Frequency Economics, wrote in a report shortly after the announcement.

Read more here.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Shame on AIG

I am so disgusted with the news that AIG pay hundred million dollars in bonus to the executive (Marketwatch: AIG plans bonuses to financial-products employees). Shame on you. Why you can award our tax money to the top level executive and laid off the middle management and low level employee? Can the AIG executive get the bonus money if we don't bail out?

I agreed with senator Dodd: "You can write a tax provision targeted specifically at 98 percent of the taxable proceeds." (Fox News). Let do it, Congress.


Saturday, March 14, 2009

Make Money Online

Make money online is NOT easy. Use "make money online" as keyword to search on:
Google: 201,000,000 results
Yahoo: 2,090,000,000 results
Live.com: 348,000,000 results

Ok. I got to go. Will be back.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Mortgage rate drops again

Check out this article: 30-year fixed mortgage rate slips for detail. Time to shop around. Ditech is 4.5% with 2.125 points. Countrywide is 4.750% with 1.250 points. Others from Bankrate.com are not good.

Any lender has 4% for 30-year fixed with no point?

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Scandal sparks inspections of bottled water, ice makers

Following is the article from Vietnam News Agency:

(11-03-2009)

HCM CITY — The municipal Health Department and the HCM City Preventive Medicine Centre will inspect bottled-water plants and ice-making factories from now until the end of the month.

Health Department deputy director Le Truong Giang said health inspectors working with relevant agencies would examine water sources in 24 provinces to ensure an acceptable standard of bottled water.

The work would include the collection of samples for further tests.

Violators of health ministry regulations would be punished and offending factories closed if warranted, he said.

"Those who fail to meet the required standards and damage people's health will have their work immediately suspended."

Health department inspector Nguyen Minh Hong said inspections were made two or three times each year depending on the prevalence of complaints.

In Ha Noi, Health Department chief inspector Nguyen Viet Cuong said unannounced checks of production in the city's plants and factories would be made during summer.

"Samples of the Ha Noi Water Trading Company's Hapuwa and Sai Gon Pure Water Joint Stock Co's Sapuwa bottled water had undergone health and safety checks," he said.

Both had been granted a licence.

The chief inspector said 241 licensed plants and more than 20,000 agents would be checked during summer to avoid contaminated water in the city's markets.

Inspectors of the HCM City's Department of Health (DoH) have suspended the operations of two more bottled water factories for violating safety and hygiene standards.

The two companies are Ke Ba Co Ltd in Binh Tan District and Lien Phu Phat Co Ltd in District 8, according to inspector Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai.

The certificate of sanitary inspection and quality registration for Ke Ba, which produces bottled water with the brandname of E-Ba, had expired in 2007, Mai said.

Lien Phu Phat Co's quality registration certificate had also expired, and none of the inspected bottles had expiration dates.

Bottled water with the brand name of Aquaran was manufactured in an environment that did not ensure sanitary conditions, the city said.

Last week, the DoH suspended the operations of five other bottled water factories.

On March 3, the department recalled bottled water of three companies: Tam Dang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd in District 6, which produces Aquaphar; Tan Tan Duc Co Ltd in District 7, which makes Golf; and Thuan Huy Co Ltd in District 1, which manufactures Aguavida. — VNS

(Source: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=04ECO110309)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Dow Jones Industrial Average up more 300 points today

Can it continue tomorrow? Should I sell my holding today and buy back later?

Big questions.

Friday, March 6, 2009

My mistake

On the way to work, I'm thinking to sell all my holding. The market continue to decline. I should sell all my stock when Obama won the election.

Bloomberg news: ‘Obama Bear Market’ Punishes Investors as Dow Slumps (Update2)

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Setting the Record Straight on South Vietnam

It's a title of general Lam Quang Thi's article post in http://news.newamericamedia.org/. Below is excerpt from that article that I like most:

I left Vietnam when Saigon fell in 1975 and joined my family who fled a few days before me in America, got an MBA a few years later, and became a trust officer for Bank of America and raised my family in the suburb north of San Jose. Later on I retired and taught at local high schools in the San Jose area. I taught French, English, Math and PE. I also hold a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do. I still practice at 76, almost everyday, and I go regularly to the gym and play tennis on the weekend and in summer time swim.

After retirement, I was reluctant to write a book about myself. I agree with the French proverb that "le moi est haïssable," [The me is detestable]. But I changed my mind.

The literature in the U.S. regarding the Vietnam War is one-sided. Books written by American soldiers, journalists, historians, and public officials only view the war from the American perspectives while the perspectives the South Vietnamese army, their former ally, was often ignored or worse, portrayed as cowardly and weak, despite the fact that more than a 300,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died during the course of the war as compared to 58,000 American soldiers -- our toll and suffering was far greater than what Americans cared to imagine or know.

Many American journalists were antiwar. The war was presented from the most unfavorable angles with the media sensationalizing the news and distorting the truth if necessary to achieve its antiwar objectives. It is no secret that, for one reason or another, the U.S. media was biased – if not outright hostile - to the Vietnam War. They carry that attitude toward looking at the history of the Vietnam War as well.

Even the Vietnamese communists had written quite a few books, which were eagerly translated into English by many American professors, to brag about their military and political achievements after the war. North Vietnam's Gen. Van Tin Dung's "Great Spring Victory," for instance, is widely circulated. Truong Nhu Tang, a former cabinet minister in the Viet Cong provisional revolutionary government wrote "Memoir of a Viet Cong," to tell the story of his life and frustration with the heavy tactics of Hanoi. There's an American fascination with the only enemies who defeated them. Even former defense secretary Robert McNamara went to Vietnam years later to talk and interviewed his counterparts. The South Vietnamese who fought alongside the U.S. army, McNamara never bothered to talk to, and many live near him in the U.S.

Only a handful of books had been written in English by journalists, public officials and soldiers from the former Republic of Vietnam, despite the fact that the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam is here in the U.S.

I believe that it was time to set the record straight. That was when I wrote my memoir, "The Twenty-Five Year Century: A South Vietnamese General Remembers the Indochina War," published in 2000. It was my take on what happened and how Saigon fell.

Now, seven years later, I'm finished with another. It's called, "Hell in An Loc." It's a less-known battle in 1972 when the communist army attacked from the east, from Cambodia, via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. An Loc, a small town, was defended by 6,900 South Vietnamese soldiers who fought against 30,000 North Vietnamese and 100 tanks. Against heavy odds they withstood 94 days of horror and prevailed at a tremendous cost.

My memoir I dedicated to my grandchildren, Amy, Eric, and Brandon, all born here in the U.S., innocent and with no memories of Vietnam. I wish to leave something lasting and a record of what happened so when they're old enough, I hope they will read and learn something of their heritage.

It is an great article. Thanks general Lâm Quang Thi.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Is making 200K per year a rich?

I don't think so. Make 200K a year in Los Angeles or New York is same as people make less than 100K in Ohio, Alaska. Make over 150K, you are not qualify for Work Pay Tax Credit. Make more than 200K, you pay more money to Uncle Sam.

So why we need go to work?

On the Net:
Diana Olick (CNBC): When $250K Really Doesn't Feel Rich

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Target Corporation Q4 2008 Earnings




This morning when I read this news: Target 4Q profit falls 41 percent amid downturn, I smiled. I did not buy additional shares yesterday. I'm a trader not a gambler. I don't like to gamble with earning report.

Related info:

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Coca-Cola Raises Dividend by 8% (KO)

While other companies reduced or suspended their dividend, this company increase. Thus, Coca-Cola may a good stock. Let do homework before buy.

On the Net:

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Get Mortgage Rates at 4.5%

Get Mortgage Rates at 4.5%
By John Weise

Lobbyist are pressuring the Treasury Department to prepare a plan to purchase current portfolios of mortgages from banks in hopes of lowering mortgages to as low as 4.5%.

Last week, the Federal Reserve announced it would buy $500 billion in mortgage backed securities from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac a Ginnie Mae. Response was immediate as mortgage rates dropped.

If there is an increase demand to b buy mortgage backed securities, this would prompt mortgage rates to go lower and it would allow homeowners to refinance immediately and take advantage of lower payments.

Last week's Fed announcement drove mortgage rates down to 5.5% from 6.06%. Mortgage applications more than doubled as of result and more homeowners are still looking to refinance as of now.

However, Fed current aim is to exclude homeowners who want to simply refinance, but provide this plan only to new homebuyers. Criticism sparked quickly over this plan and Fed is currently considering more options.

For one, only borrowers with good credit would be able to take advantage of this programs and lenders qualification guidelines has changed and credit score of at least 720 is needed to get a loan and thus refinance.

Borrowers whose credit score is bad would not be able to take advantage of this program and that is where Fed is stuck. As long as banks loan qualifications remain frozen, Fed only choice is to allow such program made available anyone who can qualify.

Primary buyer of new program for mortgage rates would be government and with low interest rates Fed is able to allow bring more homebuyers into market, thus slowly let housing market correct itself as more buyers' means higher demand and slowly real estate prices would increase.

There are pros and cons to this plan as of right now and questions remain how it will all work. Industry groups have been pressuring President-elect Barack Obama and lawmakers to lend a helping hand to the housing market.

Low rates might be the answer to current real estate crises as low rates accelerate the process of quicker recovery, which is needed in current time. However; the plan does not specify for how long the rates would remain low and if only those who act quickly can take advantage of low rates.

This proposal will do little to none for those who are behind on their payments, have no equity in their homes or have no income due to job cuts. Credit standards still remain high and troubled homeowners will not be able to take advantage of this situation as of yet.

For some homeowners recession is proving a good thing as many are taking advantage of low mortgage rates. Just three years ago mortgage rates were around 6.65% and today you can get 5.5% which results in great savings over life of the loan.

If this plan comes into affect it will bring an enormous advantage to current homebuyers.

Mortgage rates has not fallen below 5.37% in more than 45 years so refinancing boom and new purchase boom may be coming soon.


John Weise represents RateTake Refinance Mortgage marketplace. RateTake matches consumers with multiple lenders offering low mortgage rate quotes. Visit free Mortgage Quote marketplace to get your current mortgage rates.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Weise
http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Mortgage-Rates-at-4.5%&id=1755675