US Dollars/Carlos Pueblo

 US Dollars/Carlos Pueblo

It is very interesting to think of US Dollars nowadays. The US Dollar is par with the Euro now. One Dollar is equal to 130 Japanese Yen. At Istanbul Airport, you can purchase items with US Dollars. Chinese National banks are paying higher interests for the certificate of deposit in US Dollars higher than their own RMB Yuan. In the US now, Banks are offering higher interests for money market funds or CD, i.e. a one year CD can get 5.4% interest rate. The US Dollar is very attractive now because the Federal Reserve Bank raises short term interest rate to above 4.5% in order to suppress the inflation.

I must pay attention to my portfolio now because that they are mostly in stocks or stocks mutual fund. Once the interest rate getting into 8% annually, investors like to sell stocks to purchase CD to avoid the stressful stock investment. I was happened in the 1980's.

I don't blame the Fed to manage the interest rate in order to manage the inflation. Most people have bad experience with the inflation which I understand; however, in history both side have argued. Some farmers can get better income of their produce because of the inflation. Last year my savings were suppressed by the inflation like 30% yet my oil stock shares were coming back from a 10 years slum.

I do mention of individual finance plan strategy, always working, frugal, savings by investment, and finally let it grows. During the inflation time, my worry is very limited. I live in a pay off old house and I only need to prepare for the real estate tax. I don't need to know the macro-economic theory. My pension savings can pay my frugal life, foods and shelter, even some traveling.

美金／莊峻華

 美金／莊峻華

自從通貨膨脹係數飆高後，世界各國對美金有異類看法，幾乎都在搶購美金，美金對其他貨幣匯率增強，當然這對我並無大影響，我只是一小消費者，但確實能體會到，如旅行日本，美金日幣是一比一百三十，聽聞美金歐元已是一比一，台幣是一比三十一等等，當然美金再強，我也仍舊節儉生活，但美金之受寵，令人愉快。

原因是美國央行提高利率，以壓抑通貨膨脹，有通貨膨脹是因為美國15年連續之經濟成長，最後一年之消條是2008，股市崩盤，因為美金拮据，美國政府借太多錢，和民間搶美金，根據1987年大消條之經驗研究，美金拮据不夠暢通，就多印鈔票應急，所以有很多甦困計劃，幾乎世界各國都跟進，世界經濟慢慢復甦。

經濟成長日久，經濟繁榮，像是登山到頂峰，於是停滯不進反退，這就是山谷期，有為的政府，都想避免飛機之硬著路，要軟著陸，所以增加利息，搶美金使消費緩慢，緩慢物價上漲，這是基本經濟原理，物價高我就不花錢，開25年舊車渡日。

通貨膨脹在歷史上，也有爭辯，農作物價格高，使農人增加收入，我看郵輪單價提高，像一日價錢$40者，已無法找到，最便宜者已是$60一日，因為美國經濟好日久，消費力強，現在郵輪日價$100者多數，同樣服務不同價錢，這是通貨膨脹，這是幣制貶值。

因此我揭橥個人財務安排，工作儲蓄和投資，來對付如此變局，我曾儲蓄投資石油股票，套牢三十年，最近通貨膨脹，油價一度飆漲，於是幫我解套，還有日本股市猛漲，也有可能幫我解套一汽車股。

中國與美國打貿易戰，中國經濟面臨崩潰，習近平將人民幣利息反向降低，目的是促進消費，但台商外商在中國無利可圖，只好撤離中國，造成失業率高，消費緊縮，國家美金收入銳減，於是由國家銀行高利率收購民間美金應急，很有意思，我一直覺得中國仍舊是一貧窮國家，共產專制，無法面對這日新月異之現代社會。

Back to New York City for a day 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Back to New York City for a day 2022/Carlos Pueblo

After a day stop at St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, our ship turn south back to Manhattan. It was the end of my first seven day trip, I booked another seven day of the same route. We call it a back to back with a total of fourteen day trip. There is a day in this Metropolitan City of the world for me. I consider that is a good deal because of the cost of one day in this city in compare to what I have paid to the cruise liner.

I disembark early in the morning walked across the terminal to wait on a bus to the Port Authority Station on the Subway to change to Chinatown Canal Station. I have done it for many times and it is very in-expansive. I was too early for the restaurant to wait on me. I was going to have a bowl of seafood rice noodle and a plate of marinated duck, a famous Chao-Chou delicacy. I have been to this restaurant in Manhattan Chinatown for many years. IN the 1980's, I could even brought three whole ducks back to Houston. Usually, I would walk to the restaurant near by Moss Street and sit down to have the noodle and a plate of duck. It is always very busy day and night. More than two chefs would take turn to chop 180 ducks in a day. Ducks are grown nearby at Long Island.

There are fresh shrimp, squid, crispy fish balls, pork liver, and kidney, etc. in it with unique delight soup. If there is a beer or wine to be accompanied, it can be a very good treat.

After the rich lunch, I had to make a hurry back to the ship because I was not quite familiar to the city's rest room system in case I had to use it. The foods are a little bit greasy in compare to those on the ship.

到紐約逛唐人街2022／莊峻華

 到紐約逛唐人街2022／莊峻華

上次我說到新英格蘭加拿大兩省兩港行，是2022年九月底的事，船在新布蘭斯維克省的聖約翰港就回程南下紐約市，有一整日海上行程，我是精算過，選擇兩次行程，因此有一日在紐約市，晚上住在郵輪上，想想一夜在紐約之大都會花費，我就更加滿意。旅行紐約市許多次，都是靠親戚朋友招待介紹，但幾十年來打攪，現在開始羞怯起口，因此我就準備逛曼哈頓之唐人街，因為我喜歡一家中國潮州滷鴨河粉，現在一碗要$20，我喜歡的潮州滷鴨一隻要$23，但我不能帶上船，郵輪有禁令，否則船有紅酒佐配，日本人曰酒肴，很是享受。

我先在碼頭對面，找到一市巴士站，搭車到附近之地鐵站，我想是港務局站，然後就進入地鐵系統，車向曼哈頓方向，唐人街就在運河站下車，很便宜巴士和地鐵一次票，又讓我愉快一次。從運河站到滷鴨店走是有一段，過去都是榮祥帶路，很快就到，這次自行又問路，是麻煩一些，但我也經過一些熟悉店面，還有那小座公園，有華人打太極。有一水果攤是越南華僑經營，我有深刻印象，現在已經五，六攤，賣許多時鮮水果蔬菜，子女都有好教育，而且是醫生專業。

這滷鴨餐廳在莫街附近，一日廚師們要剁180鴨，手都剁受傷，而且要換師傅剁。我好不容易等到一個座位，然後就點一碗三鮮河粉，一盤滷鴨，慢慢品嚐，每次來訪紐約，都來光顧，已經有40年，女老闆娘都已過世，現在是大公子掌櫃，榮祥認識他，若榮祥同來，我們的三鮮料會多些，三鮮包括豬肝腰花，鮮蝦，和潮州魚丸一粒等，比我在師大龍泉街那碗更豐盛，當然價錢不同。

食畢摸著原路回碼頭，我不敢久留唐人街，因為食物油膩，深懼胃腸不適，紐約廁所不普遍，還是趕回船上安全，雖是蒼促急忙，也是有趣之一日。

How to manage the individual finance/Carlos Pueblo

 How to manage the individual finance/Carlos Pueblo

There are three factors to be satisfactory of our individual finance, first you need to have the capital, you need to invest such capital, and finally you need to let it grow and I call it the duration. 

How do you accumulate such capital? I assume that you just like me without any opportunity to inherit any fortune and started with zero. We must work all the time and before getting to work, we must prepare ourselves very well at the school. We can't kid ourselves at schools and waste our time.

Secondly, we must be frugal and live within our means. Our balance sheet must be in positive all the time. We only borrow money when we think that we can get it back such as a home loan, Now, I have doubt about auto loan seriously. While we are working, we can join pension plans such as 401k or individual IRA, etc. You must be in the stock market for investment and your knowledge of the security comes in to help you, especially the mutual funds.

Now, you are working all the time and let your saving investment grow. I have been witness almost every professional such as engineers make it to millionaire class when they retire in their pension saving. I know that it is very difficult to save the same on after tax money because IRS needs more from us to pay the huge expanse in the US governments.

如何應付個人財務局？／莊峻華

 如何應付個人財務局？／莊峻華

最近兩家美國大銀行，找我作生意，邀我一直無利息之銀行現金，轉到新活期存款，享受4.2％利息，而且希望我讓他們管理我的證券投資。我到葡萄牙里斯本旅行，途經土耳其伊斯坦堡機場，買份便當，餐廳收美金。小姨母女旅行歐洲，發現歐元美金已經一比一，還有六角五美金可抵一元加幣，非常有趣，美國央行為控制通膨升息，益使美金強勢，全世界都在收集美金，還有一美金值一百三十日幣，值三十一元新台幣，當然這些都屬總體經濟，我們如何應付個人財務局？此甚重要而且實際實用。

第一，要有工作，現在美國失業率低，3.4％，幾乎是全民就業，有了工作，就老老實實把握機會，絕對不能辭職。

第二，要儲蓄，要省吃儉用，養成習慣，累積資本。

第三，要投資，起先要灌足退休金。

美國國民退休制度，十分週全，一般國民工作到退休年紀，都可以儲蓄累積一筆相當之退休金養老，而且有老人健康保險，像我現在年老，無憂無慮，因有退休金有社會福利金，都是當年工作工資等累積，立於不敗之地。

通貨膨漲是必然，固然幣值稍降，但有些投資升值，像能源股票，像農產品農價增高，有人也蒙受其利，央行升息，主要是要銀行收回一些美金，免得在市場作怪，一般人只要準備好地方稅金，按時交房產稅，然後坐觀其變，通貨膨脹後，會有消條。

Presidential Election in Taiwan iin 2024/Carlos Pueblo

 Presidential Election in Taiwan in 2024/Carlos Pueblo

Taiwan National Election has been started now, National President as well as the Legislative House. Three parties shall chase for the President seat and the majority of the House. Currently the incumbent Democratic Progressive Party nominate William Lai, the incumbent Vice President, Taiwan People's Party will have its Party Chairman, former Taipei City Mayor, Dr. Ko Wen-jer to run, while Chinese Nationalist Party(Chiang Kai-sek's old Chinese exile force) will nominate New Taipei City incumbent Mayor Hou Yo-yi to run. I prefer Dr. Ko and there are several reasons.

He has his unique ideas to run the Nation and he clearly describes it on his books, speeches, and showing it during his 8 years mayor in the Capital City of Taipei. He is a very well learned person with sense of hummer. He can explain complicate issues in a simple and understandable way. He believes that Taiwan must talk to China for a main reason of cultural influence even though most of the population refuse to identify themselves as Chinese yet current Taiwanese are more Chinese than Communist ruled Chinese in China. He is for Taiwanese Independent away from one China. He doesn't believe we can cut off Chinese influence immediately. We need talk to China like the US still attempt to talk to China even the economic sanction is still in progress. He is pragmatic on every front yet he has a principle which is non  negotiatble which is Taiwan is an independent Nation from China.

In his 8 years tenure, I don't see the current KMT Mayor finds any corruption cases on him and his team. This the first time showing in Taipei for a long period of time, as a matter of fact since DPP's Chen Sui-bien left Taipei City Hall in 1998. 

He has a very adorable solid education and medical career in the University of Taiwan. He also has a very good traditional Chinese civilization influence as well as his parental Japanese cultural discipline while he has learned it from Taiwan University Hospital. He does what he says or he says what he means. He can improve Taiwan like he has improved Taipei in an excellent way.