Making Sense Of Beijing's Purge

 We understand that China is still a communist party at heart. Collectively as a force they have managed to move the most number of people from poverty to middle class in a matter of a decade or two. The focus, diligence, exceptional application, intellect, taking bits from the best global practices,  and dedication to strong work ethic - have led to the best infrastructure coverage across the country, thus liberating huge spaces and people, and bringing fervent economic gains overall. China has certainly more than propelled itself to assume the global leadership economically.

Western media latched onto these purges with glee, wincing at every move that seems a huge detriment to basic human rights. That is where we have to appreciate that it is a communist, socialist yet capitalistic country. Still it is capitalistic nation as well. The recent purges across certain industries needed further clarification and understanding. The affected industries thus far:

BIG TECH - dealt with big data and privacy breaches; tries to address low pay scale for gig workers (delivery workers, warehouse workers); the bigger issues are those few big tech companies already exhibiting monopolistic or duopolistic or the more pervasive oligopolistic behaviour; certain companies will have to be dismantled or broken up (you know who you are); this sector will be further purged

EDUCATION - no more listings for education based companies; some private tuition banned; this clampdown is a bit severe and haphazard; hard to justify really, and now they even restrict the amount of time kids can play video games; this is to level the playing field for more parents in the case for tutoring and related costs

CELEBRITIES - those exhibiting too grandiose a lifestyle needs to be reined back apparently; questions exorbitant pays for celebrities as unhealthy; they better pay all taxes and dues; there is now classes for how a celebrity ought to behave and many top notch celebrities have taken them; looks like Beijing wants excesses cut and have celebrities (who have huge followings) to be more conscious of their influence and using that influence to do broader good for society (and not just enriching themselves)

FANDOM - Beijing is like a parent who is pissed that so many young people devote an inordinate amount of time following, liking, supporting, even donating to their idols; Beijing wants to tone down these wasteful activities

GAMING - this is naturally a big scourge, not only a great way to fritter away savings but also lost-investments, and trickle down effects to real economy; Macau is and will be further in deeper stink I think; next targets will be junkets and money transfers; gaming is also seen as a way to launder funds or park China funds outside of the country

LISTINGS - too many so-so companies have listed overseas and created havoc (USA, Singapore and Malaysia... somehow HK has managed to attract better ones from China); they are soiling China's reputation; to remedy that, new more liberal exchanges have been set up in Shanghai and Shenzhen over the last 2 years to take up the slack for tech/high growth companies; will be near impossible to list overseas now unless tacit approval has been obtained (no one wants to answer Beijing's question: why overseas?)

ENTERTAINMENT - tv productions and cinematic productions will have to be more circumspect in having ballooning budgets, paying stars too much, or script being non-conducive to China's interest; film/tv concepts or storylines will have to less evil, vile, violent ... and express proper retribution of course; even reality shows will have to be toned down, less dramatic, no more over-production or falsification to fake the audiences

INDIVIDUALISM - this mainly goes back to celebrities and cinematic/tv producers; Beijing has a big disdain with expression of individualism; Beijing is also concerned with the rising lack of "masculinity" in male artistes (many imitating the fair, pretty boys from K-entertainment) or as they like to term it as "sissyman" (niangpao)

CHARITY - those who have high visibility and wealth, from entertainment or corporate world, will have to show that their wealth are also used for the greater good and social causes, in order to proper together; I think a lot of data collection and notes taking will be happening

BITCOINS - Chinese make up an awful lot of the miners and traders in this sphere; again deemed as an unsustainable industry, luring many to gamble excessively, and many questions as to the leakages to allow for money shifting and laundering ... Beijing has sounded the warning bells, I see an eventual total clampdown in this area ... get out while you can, Bitcoin will plunge if China exercises total shutdown

ALIBABA's CASE - the crackdown on Jack Ma seems unnecessary or random; it is not, it has to do with the fall of Hangzhou (Alibaba's home) party secretary Zhou Jiyang; Zhou's family somehow happens to hold a lot of Alibaba shares; Jack Ma had been criticising China's financial regulators leading up to the IPO of Ant Financial; Jack's rising popularity is also a concern;  too much, too belligerent, too little respect, too cocky for own good ... do not do that in China is the "hidden message" here

HK - the purge will get worse for HK now that they have "control", beware

Basically, the purge will continue for sometime. But they will all be traced back to the mantra:

INCOME INEQUALITY,  SHARE/COMMON PROSPERITY

Opinion: I can see the justification for many of the purges. Maybe hold back a bit or introduce measures over time. Beijing has correctly capture what's wrong in many industries? But, didn't Beijing "allow" that to flourish in the first place? These things doNOT happen overnight. You allowed your garden to have weeds for such a long time, and then go to the garden and shout at the weeds ... when you should have trimmed the weeds when they were sprouting. Shouldn't there be some collective responsibility here?

While we are at it, these may be the "ills of society", but Beijing should also address inherent big problems of their doing. The massive number of state corporations doing xxxx all and having gargantuan debts, with banks not daring to move on them. The healthcare system which is still based on a for profit model ... pot calling kettle black. Should do things fairly - inside and out.

FAQ - Andropause Succor

Composition

1) What does it consist of?

The main ingredients being Tongkat Ali, Cordyceps, Pomegranate and Zinc.

2) Why these ingredients?

Following the research findings thus far, we found that artificial T injections or creams only work sparingly and does not address the root causes of andropause. Andropause is mainly a result of aging and the body winding itself down in the reproductive cycle. Thankfully, we have formulated a mostly herbal supplement to counter the effects effectively. Our formulation was based on the need for better circulation, restarting normal sperm production, reducing chronic inflammation ~ basically an anti-aging strategy that happens to restore testosterone to normal levels.

3) How is it different from other similar supplements?

Firstly the composition is revolutionary. Secondly, it addresses the inner working of our body functions rather than address the symptoms. Thirdly, our manufacturing facility has been able to better extract the herbs by a factor 5x using nanotechnology. The said manufacturing process is being patented as the time of writing. In terms of potency, it will be hard to match.

https://andropausesuccor.com/

Dosage

1) How many can be taken a day?

It is recommended to take 2 a day for the first five days, to be taken in the morning following a meal. After the first five days, you may revert to one tablet a day.

2) How long before it becomes effective?

Boosting testosterone levels is not an overnight thing. You should have a blood test before taking and then have another blood test after a month to measure your testosterone levels. However, you should have better overall wellbeing within 2-4 days, in particular with the quality of erections and libido.

3) After my testosterone levels are up, does it mean I can stop?

Yes and no. If your T levels are near to 10/30, you may want to bring that closer to 20/30. Once that levels have been reached you may reduce the dosage to one a day. If you were to stop once you have reached desirable levels, and you maintain the same lifestyle choices as before, you will find yourself grappling with low T again within 3-4 months.

4) Why so bitter?

The experts will tell you that the more potent Tongkat Ali is, the bitterer it will be. We have decided against using artificial sweetener in our formulation. You may want to take the tablets with fruit juices to better cope with the bitterness. Most will get used to it after a few days.

5) How long will the supplement stay in my body?

As it is largely herbal, your body is likely to flush them out within 24-48 hours.

6) How will I know it is effective without measuring my T at a clinic?

The first few days should result in overall better wellbeing. You should experience better sleep, more energy, better libido, improved quality of erections. Longer term you will be able to better build and retain muscle mass, lose some of the visceral fats, and have a better temperament. There are other benefits, too many to list, which has to do with reducing inflammation. Reducing inflammation goes a long way to reducing the risks to many other diseases (esp. the heart).


Testosterone Booster

1) Testosterone supplements boosting vs. anabolic steroid
Even if the goal is the same (more testosterone), there’s a key distinction in the method. With steroids, you’re putting more testosterone into your body from an outside source. With boosters, you’re trying to trick your body into making more testosterone on its own.

2) How does Andropause Succor compare to other testosterone booster supplements?
Testosterone booster just boosts the level of testosterone. That is like curing the symptoms but not addressing the cause. Andropause Succor is a more holistic approach to countering the effects of andropause by "reclaiming body functions as a younger person" (including sperm production, higher metabolism, better anti-inflammatory platform for cells to thrive and not breakdown).

https://andropausesuccor.com/

3) Is it more than an andropause reversal remedy?
Actually yes it is, but we stop short of claiming it is anti-aging as that brings forth a lot of needed studies and clinical research confirmation. However, we have strong reasons to believe that by reversing the andropause cycle naturally, we also address the need to contain the "inflammation" aspect of cells - both we think are crucial in any anti-aging therapy.

Not a week goes by that I am not asked about testosterone levels. Especially one of the following questions:

—”How can I raise my testosterone?”

—”Can supplements actually boost testosterone?”

—”How do I know if I have low testosterone?”

The questions are endless. Testosterone is a hot marketing area for men, that strikes at the core of machismo and male health. Attach testosterone to any product with some hyperbole, and you can market it effectively.

But truth be told, testosterone levels are critical for male health. Low testosterone causes:

Low energy
Low sex drive
Low strength
Anxiety, depression, and general lethargy
There are no advantages to having low testosterone. Zero. Nada. In fact, hypogonadism (which is when your body is not producing enough testosterone) is linked to:

Alzheimer’s disease
Dementia
Cardiovascular disease
Recent research even points to low testosterone being a precipitating factor for prostate cancer.

With all this in mind, it’s concerning that testosterone levels have been dropping in men worldwide for decades.

The reasons for this are legion:

Environmental endocrine disruptors, plastics, contaminants; lack of sunlight and solar radiation; lack of key micronutrients, skewed diets; lack of exercise, lack of sleep, increased stress; the list is long.

And this drop in testosterone is not only seen in humans, but animals as well. Across the world, environmental pollutants are affecting animal life and disrupting sex hormones.

The pragmatic reality is this:

Our environments and lifestyles do affect our bodies. And many men are slowly castrating themselves through their lifestyles.

Increasing your testosterone levels, and thus your general vitality, should be of paramount focus for all men.

High testosterone levels are a representation of overall good health.

You have everything to lose and nothing to gain by ignoring your hormone levels.

Others

1) Where can I buy Andropause Succor?

We intend to make it available only online.

2) Will there be other products?

Yes. We intend to release two more products by 2022. One is an all herbal mouth spray. The other is another herbal supplement that helps with female constipation.

3) Is Andropause Succor a bit on the pricey side?
Ask anyone who knows about supplements. Once you start to add more components to your formulation, the cost adds up. The other to bear in mind is the superior production facility which allows for up to 5x better extraction. The production process is already in the process of being patented and that explains the cost.

Local Market Jitters

The last few days have seen the local bourse getting the shivers. At first glance no one could see what was troubling. Basically it was due to two factors, one was unnecessary, the other plausible.

1) Parliament conducted the second reading of the Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Bill 2020 in the Parliament Order Paper published on Tuesday. And that has frightened the corporate world and investing fraternity.The bill’s first reading was conducted in December 2020. We had something similar for palm oil in the past. You may argue that we should have one for glove makers. The jitters go so real that even highly profitable companies got dragged down: such as Press Metal and electronic segment.

Generally, I wouldn't advocate a windfall tax as most businesses go through cycles. Periods of tilted supply/demand will eventually correct itself. Under supply will attract new entrants. Any windfall tax will be short sighted.

A windfall tax hampers sentiment and the negative sentiment will result in deflated liquidity and valuation for the whole market - the "gains" from the windfall tax WILL ALWAYS be dwarfed by the losses (and indirect losses) from lower liquidity and stagnant valuation. Depressed market conditions will have a cascading effect on corporate exercises and investment.

Let the market decide, a stock market is where parameters have been set to allow for proper valuations. Too heavy handed interference will be viewed as highly negative.

Zafrul has said it will send the wrong signal to the markets. 

2) The very high death rates over last few days: This has to be answered properly by the right people responsible. Glitches in data collection or reporting? We are still NOT addressing vaccination for undocumented and/or illegals in the country properly. I mean, we are talking about at least 2m-4m people. 

While we are on that, why suddenly stop the private clinics from giving out vaccination. Unjustified and unreasonable. 

Higher unseating death rates may question the moves to reopen the economic sectors swiftly. Already the "logjams in the supply chain" caused by Malaysia is making big waves globally. I am certain there's a lot of pressure from other jurisdictions on Malaysia to open faster. Be real, let us know the real numbers. 

While getting the country vaccination rates towards 80%. We should start implementing booster shots immediately.

Conclusion, the scares are overdone. There's better stability in the "government" now. Vaccination rates are better than most... we just need to address some "issues" cited above. Valuation wise, we are lagging our neighbours. 

Tall Poppy Syndrome & Self Check

 

Never have I receive so many SMS for a simple innocuous photo incident ... and its of an electric car purchase.

The tall poppy syndrome is a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise, or sabotage those who have or are believed to have excessively high opinion of oneself or their importance - "cutting down the tall poppy".  It describes a draw towards humility. 

Commonly in Australia and New Zealand, "Cutting down the tall poppy" is used to describe those who deliberately put down another for their success and achievements, due to being perceived as egotistical, vain or displaying self-adulation.

Egotistical (tick), Vain (maybe but inconclusive), displaying self adulation (tick).

The metaphor, though popular in Australia and NZ, is also popular almost everywhere else on earth, though they may or may not have a similar worth metaphor.

In Ireland, it is prevalent within the culture to encourage humility in yourself and others. People perceived to be tall poppies will often be described as "getting notions about themselves" and the cautionary words of "don't go getting notions about yourself" will meet any boast
ful remarks.  This culture is most obvious in the Irish people's cutting-down of Irish celebrities.

You will find the tall poppy syndrome almost everywhere but Europe, which has a more egalitarian culture and system. 

Distinction

Nobody likes it when flouting is involved, in particular when it is undeserved or obtain via dubious means. Say a corrupt politician (am I being redundant) showing off his new Ferrari. To be outraged would be fair game.

However if the person flouting is not a criminal, but probably became wealthy from his own efforts largely (nothing is absolute). Then to disparage him flouting the Ferrari would probably reflect more on OURSELVES (jealousy, bitterness, spitefulness, discontent). 

Side note, it is not even an extravagant purchase relative to his net worth. I mean, I do not have much affection for the guy but how he runs listed company may not be 100% splendid but nothing sinister or criminal.He did build a beautiful company from scratch. The way he ran the company was his own discretion. He has done well already considering that most airlines that still survived mostly needed huge capital injection from their governments ... not his. 

Some say its the refunds/salary ... halloooo.. one is corporate the other is personal. Apalah ...  you mean he should put his private funds into his company? Where's this coming from, what warped thinking. If he still  rubs you up the wrong way,... don't invest,  ... don't fly in his planes. Why the hatred?

Check our own attitudes, why are we jealous, bitter, spiteful, discontent. Justifiable in any way?

We live in a capitalistic world, and that's how we operate. People CAN get rich and enjoy. The POOR is in the system because they also can be rich. 

The system does not come with instructions that you have to be humble, contrite, apologetic, modest, diffident ... That's character, that comes from your family, friends, culture and most importantly ..
self-introspection.

LIFE is not fair, but you know that already. As Cristiano Ronaldo beautifully said: "Money does not make people wealthy. In fact, some of the people are so poor all they have is money".

Some examples of extravagance spending (USD) below. How does that make you feel? Why? You can pissed off thinking of better ways to spend the money ... well, its not yours to spend. We attach our value system on material things and monetary value - again, not your call, you can only attach those things to your things.

So do you also hate all of them below?

Bono: $1,500 Plane Ticket for His Hat

Kate Middleton: $2,350 Stroller

Mila Kunis: $7,000 Diamond Facial

Madonna: $10,000 Monthly on Holy Water

Paris Hilton: $25,000 Designer Dogs

Victoria Beckham: $33,000 iPhone

Nicolas Cage: $270,000 Dinosaur Skull

Kylie Jenner: $432,000 Diamond-Studded Handbag

Kanye West: $750,000 Gold-Plated Toilets

Angelina Jolie: $900,000 a Year on Nannies

Rihanna: $1 Million a Year on Hairstyling

Celine Dion: $2 Million Humidifier