I am an Idiot to think about Retiring...

I am an Idiot to think about Retiring....

When there so much to do. OK my age says, slow down. My physical is condition is far from perfect, after a stroke and a broken leg [see my post 'In China with Broken Leg'], but siting a front of my Laptop I can do anything, if it doesn't require much movement especially on my feet. Although 'stuck' in China at the moment, I have managed to get back to Perth, Australia every three months for over two years. This has meant 9 trips in an aircraft, from Shenzhen to Perth and 9 trips back again, usually a couple of days later. Some times 'one trip' means two flights with an eight hours wait in Kaula Lumper, both ways. It depends on if I go via Hong Kong, only 25 kilometers away, but so many hassles going over the 'border'. It is OK with immigration, you can virtually walk right through. But that's the problem, you have to walk, about a kilometer and go upstairs & down again in the customs hall on either side. Then you have to repeat it in 20 meters again on the other side of the border! H.K. is still a different country, or so we are told... It takes about 2 to 3 hours depending on the 'local' traffic of Chinese workers that number around a million going backwards and forwards each day.

The easy way out of Shenzhen is via the International airport situated about 40 minutes away from where we live. But the only flights to Australia have a long wait in K.L. It is not the best fun staying in a departure hall for 6 to 8 hours with your suit case and carry on case in a wheelchair. And being one handed as well. But I have done this a number of times, up to 4 times plus the return trip, every year.

 I use the 'LCC Budget Terminal', not the Main KL Terminal,  because of costs.I used to sit in McDonald's for eight hours, because they had the best.....air/cond, [not food!]. But then my good friend Clive told about a V.I.P.Lounge  that had opened on the 'air-side' in the Budget Terminal. The problem with is you can't check into an Australian flight more than 2 hours before. Why? no idea. If it is anywhere else, no problem. But after approaching the Management and telling them about the problems, they said, OK, just 'check in' via the Big/Large Cases and INSIST that you can do this because you are using the VIP lounge. And it worked. You have to pay about $30 'every six hours', but you can get all the food and drink you want and in comfortable surroundings. It is called the Plaza VIP Lounge. I think I used to spend more than $30 while in Maccas....ugh!!!!!

Why to do I have to travel so frequently? Being an Australian citizen and having a disability pension, my Lords & Masters, Centrelink, who give me my pension every two weeks INSIST that I do not go away from Australia for more then three months. They get very upset about it.... This is in spite of saving the Australian government heaps of money by me being 'away'. In fact they get upset with me on anything, saying I HAVE to inform then when I want to ANYTHING.

If I lived in Perth all the time, I would have to live in a nursing home, or get somebody to come and wash me and dress me every day. I could do 'most' things before breaking my leg, but know because of the stroke in that side, it has stopped me from bending it sufficiently to put my shoes & socks on, etc. Also after the break and two operations, my right side is 4 inches shorter. This makes walking without the 'special raised' shoe nearly impossible.

I have Lianny and her family to care and look after me in China. They do this very well and of course very cheaply. But Centrelink insists that I am trying to use a 'loophole' or take advantage of "their" generosity!! In my working past, as a business owner having six furniture stores and also being a commercial pilot, I paid heaps of taxes of various kinds, to the states and the federal governments. Now when I have a pension,  I must accept 'their' rules and live in a nursing home! Even I don't want to...

But this is IF you can find a nursing home with a vacancy! Because when my dieing wife, Geraldine, was terminally ill with M.S. for seven years, I tried for four years to get her admitted to ANY N.H. in Perth. I made repeated phones calls and wrote to so many, I was an embarrassment, but I couldn't find her a place. Because my wife was bed-ridden, I had to turn her over every 2 or 3 hours. She couldn't swallow either, so I had to feed her by a tube thru' her stomach as well. I had no help from anyone. We have a son but he is bloody useless. It took him all his time to phone his mother once week, never mind to visit her.

To make Geraldine happy, I used to send her flowers, and put one the 'message card' they were sent by our son!!! Now he and I do not speak. I think it's because I am disabled and I 'like' all things that are Asian, including the Asian ladies!!

Just before Geraldine died, I had a stroke!! My doctor said, it's not surprising... I spent six months learning how to talk and walk again.

So after all this, the Australian government, through Centrelink, think I have found a loop-hole in the system. They should try the travel 4 times a year, one handed in a wheel-chair...

Now apart from this rant about my pension, I want to tell you about retiring. Everybody tells you, 'when you retire, keep busy.'  This has been no trouble for me. I am now more busy than ever. Even with the stroke, but before breaking my leg, I managed to visit Bali, Malaysia and China for many weeks and months both with friends and on my own. The secret for me, was to find the 'back-packers' hotels online. They can be so cheap, but very comfortable, with hot & cold everything, including if you want air/cond. The average price for a room is about $15 to $20 a night. There are thousands online and I have never been disappointed with the ones I used for some 5 years. Plus using these 'cheap' hotels, you see more of genuine people & country as opposed to staying in the same old 5 star, that is exactly the same as the ones at home.

To be concluded in part two soon;
When I shall talk what keeps me busy now;

Foreign Exchange Trading and Making Money Online

       

I am a real idiot to do this: I would be a complete Idiot not to do this...

I am a real idiot to do this: I would be a complete Idiot not to do this...: "I was going to write a blog post for newbies like me. But then I discovered I have this article about blogs that is very good. So I would be..."

I would be a complete Idiot not to do this...

I was going to write a blog post for newbies like me. But then I discovered I have this article about blogs that is very good. So I would be an idiot to try and put it better or not to use it.

I am the first to say these are not my words below. I do not know where they came from. But I want thank the author who ever it is. I think Mr Bryan Winters passed it to me.


It is Called:

Blogging 101

If writing is an art, then, blogging is one way of using words to come up with an art. This is because people who are into blogging are the ones who are artistic on their own sense, carefully choosing words that would best describe their feelings, sentiments, wishes, desires, and everything.

Basically, blogs were first introduced as weblogs that refer to a “server’s log file.” It was created when web logging hit the virtual market. Since its inception in the mid-1990s, web logging gradually saturated the virtual community making the Internet a viable source of greater information.

However, with web logging, you still need a web site and domain names, but with blogging, you do not need anything just an account with blog providers. In most cases, these kinds of blogs are free of charge.

With the onset of blogging in the industry, personal journaling had been a common ground for people who wish to be known all over the world. However, not literally famous as this is not a case on being popular or well-known personality.

Generally, blogs are created for personal use. Like a journal, people can write their daily adventures, sentiments, and whatever ideas they want to express online.

Nevertheless, with the advent of the online businesses, blogs had gradually taken the limelight in providing businesses a chance to boost their productivity online. This is where the business blogs have taken the limelight.

Business blogs are, basically, created to advertise the services or products of a certain web site or online business in order to increase online sales.

Moreover, business blogs are also one way of promoting the company so that the other readers will know that a certain company exists online. With blogs, entrepreneurs are able to establish a name in the virtual market through articles that can be very useful in the reader’s life.

From there, you can make money out of blogs by simply syndicating it to your business’ web site. This can be done through the RSS technology.

So, if you are thinking to create a blog, whether for business or for pleasure, you need to know some tips that could help you get through and make your blog one of the interesting blogs online.

Here’s how:

1. Consider your audience

Even if your blog is generally personal, still, it would be better to consider the minds of your readers. You have to think of something that would interest them.

After all, most of the reasons of people who write blogs are not at all confined to their own personal motives. Most of them would love to be “heard” (or read) and would love to be known, in some way or another, even for just a minute. Hence, it is very important to come with a write up that everybody can understand, not necessarily that these people can relate to it but they can understand it.

2. Pictures speaks a thousand words

To make your blogging worth the browsing effort of your readers, it would be extremely nice if you will put some pictures in it. It does not necessarily mean you have to place a picture of yourself. Any photographs will do as long as it does not pose danger or insult to anyone who will be reading your blog.

3. Make constructive and beneficial blogs

Even if you are free to write anything you wan to say to the world, still, it would be better to create some write-ups that would be beneficial to your readers.

After all, its information technology that you have there so better be inclined to provide information rather than sheer quirky entertainment.

4. Avoid making multifaceted and complicated blogs

In order to have an interesting blogs, try not to use some highly technical and highfalutin words. After all, it is not a science discourse or a debate that you are making, so better stick to simple facts and short blogs.

Bear in mind that most people who use the Internet usually do more scanning than scrutinizing each site word for word. Therefore, it would be better to come with blogs that will not bore your readers just because you have these lengthy articles.

5. Make it interactive

As much as possible and if your capacity will allow it, make your blog interactive. Yu can do this by placing some video or audio clips in your blog.

You can even place an area for comments or for some feedbacks. In this way, you can get some impressions or reactions of other people. Who knows, you might even gain some friends just by making them feel at home in your blog site.

Indeed, blogs are not created just for the mere fun of it. It also has its own purpose in the world of the Internet.
Therefore, for people who wish to harness their craft, as far as writing is concerned, blogs are the best way to do it.

As they say, blogging is the contemporary term of creative and commercial writing.

I must be an Idiot to Trade Forex Automatically

Trading Introduction

I have been a Trader of Shares, Futures and Foreign Exchange [Forex] for longer than I care to remember. I have made a lot of money and I have lost a lot of money. But throughout all the years, say 14,  I have longed for an automatic system to trade for me.

14 or 15 years ago this was unbelievable to even think about, but now in trading every body is using them. Or trying to use them. I say trying, because although I have used, tried, tested many, many automatic systems 99 to 100% of them fail.

In Forex it is understandably the rage, because this market trades for 24 hours nearly six days a week. It takes a lot of willpower to 'stare' at a pc screen for even 5 or 6 hours. But most Forex Intraday Traders are 'glued' to their screens 12 to 15 hours a day. Believe me, I have done this for many years and I know hundreds of traders that do the the same. It plays havoc with a social or a married life. But there are thousands of traders doing this week in, week out.

With Forex anybody with $50 can start trading. Most [but not all] traders use Technical Analysis/Trading. Where the Foreign Exchange Currency are displayed on a chart in various time scales, from 1 minute to 1 day or 1 week.The most popular Intraday time frame is 5 minutes to 60 minutes. Those who don't use Technical Analysis use Fundamental Analysis. The means rather than plotting a chart with things like Support & Resistance or Moving Averages & other Indicators the Trader uses the physical news about the currency.  The 'chart' packages are freely available from any of the thousands of brokers, especially the ones promoting Metatrader. This is a free charting package and is used from many thousands and probably millions of amateur and professionals alike.

The Forex Market is the biggest market in the world. Currencies of between 2 to 3 trillion dollars change hands every day. It starts off in Asia time zone with Australia, New Zealand & Japan etc, moving on to the European zone with London time zone being the biggest, when it merges with the New York, American market later. Then when the USA market is closing, it's time for the Asian market to start a new day again.

Forex trading has leverage for the trader. This means you can trade 100 to 200 times [or more] your account balance. This is great when your are winning, but it soon makes your account zero when you loose.

Automatic Trading

So most of the traders, especially the 24 hour Forex traders, want to find an automatic system. Metatrader makes this easy with software. They have built into it a function called an Expert Advisor, called an EA or Bot for short. Software writers make thousands of EA to try to trade like a person, or try to trade better than a human trader. In theory this is very manageable. An auto EA will take out all of the stress and the difficult decisions and just trade the market conditions as the software writer planned. That is in theory. I like many thousands of traders know in practice this isn't so. We have tested and tested thousands of EA Bots, all of them we hoped would set us free from watching the screen for many hours.

It doesn't matter if the auto EA is free or costing a lot of hard earned cash, most do not work. It is a sad fact of life they are hundreds of auto EA being sold online for $77, $97 or more, but 99% do not work. Or do not work for long, like 3 months or so. And to try to get these auto EA to work they ALL have a very big Stop Loss. That means for example, the EA will win say $10, but every time it losses it probably has a loss of some $200 or more!!

Part of trading is to accept a loss. That's OK, you cannot win 100%, I know plenty of traders that have a win to loss less than 50%. But their wins are bigger than their losses. That is the 'secret' of trading. But in all the thousands of EA I have tested and used, it is the other way around. So you back is 'against the wall' before you start. In many cases an EA will have a winning run of some tens of trades, but for a small amount and then when you are thinking, 'this is easy', the EA will have a huge loss, sometimes wiping out you whole account. Believe me, it happens every day.

Conclusion

If you thinking about trading, be very careful. It is the hardest job I have ever done and that includes being a commercial pilot. But it can be rewarding, if you learn to walk before you run. Actually you should never run at trading. There are Bold Traders and Old Traders, but never the same....

And do not put your trust into an automatic EA, until it's proved itself for 3 to 6 months on a Demo account.

I do not want to stop people from trading, it's a 'fun' way of making some money, but it is hard and it's very unforgiving, especially for the new people. There is no real structured learning path. Every one has to find a way from all  the 'stuff' online or from a broker or a mentor.

In China with a broken leg...

There I was in a foreign country, China, could only manage two or three words, with a broken leg and only knowing a few people there. To say that panic didn't go thru my mind once or twice an hour [or minute] was not true. But even though I was on my back with a huge fracture of my femur [thigh bone] it seemed though I had plenty to do.

At first in the Shenzhen hospital it was about making sure I had enough money for the doctors and surgeons to keep performing and making sure my leg and health were on the right path to get well.

Then it was just living in a Chinese hospital. The nurses and doctors only do what is required to manage the health of the patient. The only orderlies there provide the drinking water and move the beds and patients around. There is no other services provided, like food and meals or washing and cleaning of the patients. All this is done by the patient family. Every patient has a family member with them night and day, 24 X 7. The family take it in turns to provide round the clock care in shifts and they provide the meals as well. A lot of the meals were by take-a-way as well. Around every meal time there is a throng of delivery people bringing the latest meals for the patient and the family members aw well in some case.

When evening comes, there are camp beds brought out from hidden closets for the family member, who is on shift, to lie in. These were placed in-between every bed.

To say the was a culture shock etc is an understatement. Because with out my friend and wife to be, Lianny, I was completely on my own, without any idea of what was what. And of course no real way of conversing.

But I survived, with Lianny's 100% care, help and being with me 24 X 7. To say I was amazed was an understatement again. I could only offer a somewhat tear jerked 'thank you' every time she performed any task like to wash and feed me. Lianny's reply was, stop saying thank you, we Chinese do this and we have to. It is in our culture to act this way. If we didn't, every one would think we are so bad. But we like doing this. We like caring for family and friends.

After a three days in the hospital, the operation took place. It took nearly six hours, but it went ok, according to the surgeons. However, Lianny told me later she was very worried after about 'programmed' three hours were up and the doctors would not tell anything. It appears the surgeons had a difficult problem with the fracture and how to stop the leg being short. In the end they could do much about it. I awoke to find my damage leg some 4 inches [in the old money] short.

After another 7 days I was permitted to go home. The trouble was my home was 12,000 kilometers away. But Lianny came to the rescue once again and said, you are coming back to my home and that is where you will stay!!! So I did that...