Hey Aussies / Kiwis / Japanese, are you still there? :)

[watchkeeper]

I have always considered you Aussie and NZ folks as a final proof of the existence of gravity force. I mean, the world globe on my desk clearly shows that you are hanging upside down and hence should logically fall down from the earth surface. But it looks like you don't. You're still writing on this forum.
So clearly, either your feet and butts are epoxied to the Earth or there must be something in that mass and gravity stuff...

Things are getting nicer here, because daylight time is again getting longer by each day, and the curious conjecture of cosmic things made it start happening exactly on the day when the world should have ended...

Well, time to prepare for NY eve... Wish you all a very happy new year and see you soon here, on the same screen.

All the best,

Slavi

The Globe was originally presented like that because of the Brits, in fact it's upside down...

 

[daiquiri]

Well, Santa has gone back to the North pole, the Mayans are re writing their calendar, and 2012 has left. I wonder what 2013 has upon us. 13 is kind of eery in some parts of the world. I wonder how the doomsayer will connect a link to 2013.

Curiously, in Italy the jinx number is 17, not 13. Therefore, I feel calm about the next year. It can hardly be worse than the 2012 anyways...

It appears than Chinese folks are particularly careful when it comes to numerology. From Wikipedia:

"An elevator in a residential apartment building in Shanghai – floor numbers 4, 13 and 14 are missing; here, there is also a "negative first" floor:"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia

 

[michael pierzga]

Possible that there is no floor 4. It may be a double floor apartment .

Minus 1 is strange

 

[daiquiri]

Possible that there is no floor 4. It may be a double floor apartment .
Minus 1 is strange

I have heard that feng Shui is an important part of chinese culture. But I don't live in china, so can only learn from what others say and write. For example, check the paragraph named "Unlucky numbers / four" in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_in_Chinese_culture
Or this: http://www.kenlauher.com/feng-shui-...-Numbers-for-a-Home-or-Apartment-in-Feng-Shui

Perhaps Watchkeeper or Myark could help with their first-hand experience of living in China.

 

[hoytedow]

Curiously, in Italy the jinx number is 17, not 13. Therefore, I feel calm about the next year. It can hardly be worse than the 2012 anyways...

It appears than Chinese folks are particularly careful when it comes to numerology. From Wikipedia:

"An elevator in a residential apartment building in Shanghai – floor numbers 4, 13 and 14 are missing; here, there is also a "negative first" floor:"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia

Maybe all the 4s got used up on the building next door,

 

[rxcomposite]

Possible that there is no floor 4.

Four sounds like "death" or "die" in Chinese according to Fung Shuei. Maybe watchkeeper can ask his wife if this does sound like that or why they dread the number 4 like the US don't have 13th floor.

 

[daiquiri]

Maybe all the 4s got used up on the building next door,

Could be. But we will never know the truth, as the building next door crumbled to the ground for apparently no reason...

 

[masalai]

Well, the Mayans are re writing their calendar.

and I thought that that 'misinterpretation was the pseudo anthropologists who say "END' and assumed it was more than the length of their own miserable existence... In fact I read of a elder Mayan who suggested the end was of a cycle and that the calendar - being circular - restart from the next (or original start point)...

Although I will admit to a couple of quiet chuckles on my part at the gullibility of the sheeple...

"Wealth Wire", a free subscription I receive by email from USA had amongst other essays and marketing stuff, their '50 predictions for 2013' - some seemed within expectation and a few, to me were quite 'left field', but I am not knowledgeable on USA social customs, politics and stuff...

 

[WestVanHan]

...a few years ago I bought a well abused/engine blown (yes,the 6.5) black Hummer H1 for very cheap. Replaced the engine,bought a large chrome 4, and mounted it in the grill with a chrome grinning skull in the middle.
Named "The Beast"

Expat chinese "new drivers" driving at 25 kmh in Vancouver..guess what filled their rear view mirrors?

They always sped up with me behind them.... regretted selling it.

 

[masalai]

I think you will find it was the "4" as some suggested in another thread on China that 4 sounded like the word for DEATH so in effect you were 'stalking them' as "Death" :!: No wonder they sped off :!:

 

[hoytedow]

People have died after hearing 4, especially on the golf course.

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2010-08/getting-hit-smith-061999

 

[watchkeeper]

13 is considered very unlucky in China. In any buildings the 13th fl is listed as M level.

Number 4 = death

Number 8 = win the lottery

By per coincidence my street address in Aus was 08-18, my yacht rego 882R, my ATM debit card ended 8888.

My staff would come over to shake my hand on their birthdays, NY etc for luck, they are so superstitious it controls their lives

 

[masalai]

Hello World, I am still here - F'd if I know why - but foolishly still here...

I have been reading here http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/01/2013/ where "Please find below former Reserve Bank of New Zealand advisor and multiple CEO, Terry “Macca” McFadgen’s, latest ‘Maccanomics’ article, where Macca provides his outlook for the global economy." and I have found it quite interesting for the view is not fully concurrent with mine, yet quite acceptable...

One key point confirming the need for Australian banks to DEPEND on foreign capitilisation as the donmestic market is insufficient...

"The Worry List
So far so good you might say, but what is there to worry about? Here are the two things high on Macca’s mind other than US politics:
a) The Australasian Dollars
Australia and New Zealand are caught in a nasty trap which is going to get worse as a result of the policy changes just discussed. The RBA and RBNZ are rigidly focused on inflation control. In addition, the two economies are inflation prone and have been quite well protected by strong commodity prices from the ailments affecting the north. Both are highly dependent on foreign financing to keep their banking systems afloat and suffer from house prices which look perilously overvalued."

The key point I have highlighted... - - and goes on to say: . . .

"Both dollars offer extremely attractive homes for northern hemisphere investors. There is a positive yield margin of a couple of percent, and loose monetary policy is not seen as a risk. So the two Antipodean dollars have been strongly bid and are now substantially over priced relative to fair values.

As a result, large chunks of the export sectors of both countries are being destroyed under the weight of exchange rates that are not competitive. In Australia the effects of the punishing exchange rate have been softened by rising hard commodity prices-at least until recently-but that dynamic may now have run its course."

I highly recommend all to read the article as it is of a global view, and paints a broad and interesting picture that opened my eyes a bit (sorry to others for my earlier "doomish outlook" - I hope this is nearer the mark for the safety and comfort of all)...

 

[michael pierzga]

Its the Swiss dilemma. An Overvalued safe haven currency that harms exporters and benefits importers.

Soon you will be charging people to buy Australian dollars, ratcheting up import duties and dumping vast piles of cash into sovereign wealth funds.

 

[masalai]

I.E. as the rest of the world is now doing in FULL FORCE... Oh Dear, Here we go :?: hold on for the ride