Wednesday, December 3, 2008

VAR OR FIX? DEC/2008 HERE IS A GOOD DISCUSSION:::

In April of 2001 there was a study done that confirmed those with variable rates were better off 88% of the time over the last 50 years. Today’s Variable rates are not the same as they were back then. All variables are now in the prime plus territory rather than prime minus a few year back. Today, the choice is not an obvious one. The fixed rates are almost at their lowest since Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation started collecting data in 1951. The general consensus is that fixed rates are nearing the bottom. It’s more important to analyze your own financial situation and to evaluate your own risk tolerance before deciding on a fixed or VRM term. It’s all about your peace of mind, if your payments increase will you be able to sleep at night?

Monday, November 10, 2008

Fool.com: 60-Second Guide to Index Investing






http://www.fool.com/60second/indexfund.htm

Wanna own shares of some of the best-known companies in America and beat the pants off of most mutual funds? It's shockingly easy with index investing. In the next 60 seconds, we'll show you how to do it.
0:60 What is an index?

The Dow, the S&P 500, the Nasdaq 100, the Wilshire 5000, the finger next to your thumb -- they're all indexes. Each is a group of stocks chosen to represent portions of the stock market (except for your index finger, of course). Most index investments are based on the Standard &Poor's 500 (the stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries) and the Wilshire 5000 (all the publicly traded companies in America). Heard of General Electric, Tupperware, and Microsoft? If you invest in the S&P 500 or the Wilshire 5000, you are a part owner of these companies.
0:50 Why invest in an index?

A broad-market index matches as closely as possible the return of the overall stock market. What's so great about that? Most mutual funds find it hard to do. In fact, less than 20% of actively managed diversified large-cap mutual funds (in plain English: big funds managed by guys and gals in fancy suits) have outperformed the S&P 500 over the last 10 years. Pretty dismal.
0:40 Save money!

One of the reasons index investing kicks butt is because it's so cost-efficient. Index funds just invest in whatever companies are in the index. No MBA-toting analysts needed! This significantly reduces the operating fees the fund must charge shareholders, leaving more of your money to grow, grow, grow.
0:30 Buy the fund or the stock

There are two main ways to invest in indexes: through mutual funds and through "exchange-traded funds" (ETFs), which trade like regular stocks on the American Stock Exchange. ETFs that track the S&P 500 include Spiders (AMEX: SPY) and iShares (AMEX: IVV). The Wilshire 5000 can be tracked by investing in Vipers (AMEX: VTI).

Which are better, mutual funds or ETFs? Performance-wise, it doesn't really matter; the returns are almost identical. But there are a few things about each type of investment that may sway you one way or the other:
Index funds: There are a whole bunch of them. Funds can have high minimum investments, but those are often waved if you enroll in an automatic investment program (which regularly transfers money from your checking account to your fund each month). You can invest in a mutual fund directly through the mutual fund family or through your brokerage account.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): Since they are bought and sold just like stocks, you must have a brokerage account. (If you don't -- or you want to see how yours stacks up -- visit our Broker Center). This means you'll pay a commission each time you buy or sell.
0:10 Keep those fees in check!

Index funds and ETFs charge investors annually for the costs of running the fund. This is known as the expense ratio, and it's calculated as a percentage of the amount you have invested. There's no need to invest in an index fund or ETF with an expense ratio greater than 0.40 (four-tenths of a percent).

Note: Make sure that you invest in a no-load fund, i.e., a fund that does not charge a commission.
Got another minute?
Visit our Index Center to learn about indexes that track small-cap stocks, foreign stocks, and others.
Yearn to know more about mutual funds? Visit our mutual funds center.
Want to boost your ETF IQ? Read "The Age of the Exchange Traded Fund."
Interested in buying some ETFs but don't have a brokerage account? Check out the 60-Second Guide to Choosing a Broker.

Legal Information. © 1995-2008 The Motley Fool. All rights reserved.

亲历华尔街——告诉你一个真实的美国财富传奇(图) JOE ADES














*** GOOGLE / YOUTUBE "Joe Ades"

在华尔街阴云密布的之时,永远不要忘记人类最伟大的动力——那就是梦想和坚持的力量。正如照片上的这个老头,千万不要以为他仅仅是一个街头普通的卖杂物的可怜的无家可归的老头,他可能是世界上最成功的推销员之一,下面由我来告诉你他的传奇故事。

  当太阳光照射着曼哈顿岛高楼大厦,一位白发苍苍的老人,身穿1000美元的高档服装,在纽约某条街的一角正忙活他的生意,他卖的是pototo peeler,把土豆削成薯条的小擦子,只见他拿着土豆和胡萝卜,一边擦一边说的,好像在自言自语。很快一名要去菜市场的妇女停下脚步开始看他,然后又有一个人,他并不理他们,直到他周围已经围满了观看的人群。

  接着他停了下了,拿着土豆对着一名妇女说,“你来试试,这个削土豆器会非常好用”。接着卖货郎继续说,我不会问你要钱,你只要试试就好。那名妇女开始试用他的削土豆器,果然是削铁如泥,非常好用。而卖货郎接着说,这个削土豆器是最好的产品,瑞士制造,只要5美元,现在在这个物价高涨的时代,你不可能花5美元买到什么好东西。

  那名妇女试用后感觉好用,价格也公道,打开钱包准备购买。老人并不急着接钱,他意味深长的说“能够用一生的东西你为什么不买4个呢”,但是那名妇女坚持说她买一个就够用了,卖货郎接着说“你还有4个朋友,这就是你为什么要买四个削土豆器。”那么妇女感到老人说的很中肯,欣然接受他的建议,买了四个。接着不断有人纷纷解囊购买,卖货郎忙的不亦乐乎。

  他叫Joe Ades,今年74岁,纽约街头的一个卖货郎,然而却被人称为“能够把一头正扑向肉的饿狗拉回来买他的东西”。

  你能否相信,他白天在街头卖小零碎结束后,晚上回到曼哈顿park大道的高档公寓(注:很少纽约人拥有自己的住房,特别是曼哈顿岛上的住房,一套像样的公寓高达百万甚至上千万美元,每年的仅税收一项就需缴纳上万美元),穿着考究的前往曼哈顿岛的各个高档餐厅用餐,然后去某个高档酒店听钢琴家的表演,同时买上一杯昂贵的香槟。

  在他公寓内,原来他仆人居住的房间内整整齐齐的摆着一箱箱削土豆器,这就是他现在的仓库。每天早上7点他会准时拉着他的小车出去卖货,一周6天,风雨无阻。

  最近他接受了美国国家电视台的采访,在美国社会引起广泛关注。通过采访了解到他已经从事销售60年,如今的一切都是他60年来成功生涯的最大写照。他说,“不要以为5美元只是很少的钱,积少成多,你最终会成为有钱人。”当被问到他曾遇到过最大的挑战,他回答说是在2月份卖圣诞树,猜猜他如何卖出去的?

  答案是:卖给中国过春节用,你能想到么?

  他把他的成功之道教给他的女儿,如今他的女儿已经成为一个成功的销售员,她在哥伦比亚大学销售教材,日进斗金。

他有3个孙女,他让她们努力学习,因为他很高兴供她们上美国最好的大学,现在这是他最大的希望。

  当他女儿被问到她爸爸最主要的成功秘诀时,她回答说——坚持和耐心。

  当被问到他是否会为自己放假时,他回答说--life is a vacation!(生活就是假期!) ,他的传奇给了如今的美国民众很大的启示---脚踏实地的努力才能拥有真实的幸福生活!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Index funds best for small investor


Index funds best for small investor
As portfolio grows, buy one Berkshire B share
Richard Morrison,  Financial Post  Published: Friday, July 18, 2008

A young colleague asked what stock investments he should own in his self-directed RRSP.
Unless you have some expertise -- perhaps you've passed the Canadian Securities Course, for example -- an independent advisor is your best bet for specific investment advice.
In general, however, an investor with $20,000 or so allocated to equities would not go too far wrong by gradually investing in four index funds or exchange-traded funds: 30% representing stock markets in Canada, 30% in the United States, 30% in the rest of the world and 10% in gold.
Heather Pelant, head of exchange-traded products for Barclays Global Investors in Canada, said she made a similar asset mix recommendation for her younger sister.
"It's a simple and elegant solution," Pelant said. "You're not going to overperform or underperform, you're just going to perform. It's the all-weather vehicle, the little black dress of investing."
We used the Yahoo Finance ETF Center (finance. yahoo.com/etf ) to screen for exchange-traded funds that represent a broad base of stocks and have reasonable management expense ratios (MERs). Small investors must also be able to buy into the funds in odd lots (less than 100 units).
With their low management expense ratios, funds that simply track indexes and don't try to beat them achieve better returns than all but a few managed mutual funds.
Standard & Poor's Indices Versus Active Funds (SPIVA) Scorecard for the first quarter of this year, for example, shows only 8.2% of Canadian equity active managers were able to outperform the S&P/TSX Composite in the first quarter of this year. Over the past three years, only 8.4% of actively managed Canadian equity funds beat the index; the number drops to 4.1% over five years, the S&P study shows.
"The report shows how difficult it is for a fund manager to outperform the index," Pelant said.
For index funds, the Financial Post's online mutual fund listings provide detailed tables of management expense ratios, simple and compound returns, standard deviation and net asset value for more than 400 funds. Go to financialpost.com/markets/market_ data/ index. html and tap in "index" in the "search by fund name/ company" box, which lists 48 index funds in the Canadian equity category alone.
For our young colleague, we suggested the $500-million iShares Canadian Composite Index Fund (XIC/ TSX), which carries a 0.25% MER and holds such Canadian household names as Potash Corp., EnCana Corp., Royal Bank, Suncor Energy Inc., Research In Motion Ltd., Manulife Financial Corp., together with all major banks and energy companies.
In the United States, most index funds are not available to non-residents, but exchange-traded funds are.
The US$10-billion Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI/AMEX) includes the giants of Wall Street: Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Microsoft and so on. Its main attraction is its minuscule MER of 0.07%. Unfortunately, it is off 15.6% this year and 20% over the past year.
The fund comes via the recommendation of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. chairman Warren Buffett, who, speaking after Berkshire's 2006 annual meeting, offered advice for those unprepared to do the research to identify market-beating investments.
"I would just have it all in a very low-cost index fund from a reputable firm, maybe Vanguard," Buffett said in response to a shareholder's question. "Unless I bought during a strong bull market, I would feel confident that I would outperform ... and I could just go back and get on with my work."
The June 6 edition of Fortune magazine describes Buffett's wager with Ted Seides, principal at hedge fund manager Protege Partners LLC. Buffett has bet that even five carefully chosen hedge funds won't return more than the market -- specifically, the Vanguard S&P 500 index fund (which isn't available to Canadians).
Each side put up roughly US$320,000. The total funds were used to buy a zero-coupon Treasury bond that will be worth US$1-million at the bet's conclusion in 10 years, payable to the winner's chosen charity.
Buffett, 77, wrote Seides "my estate attorney is going to think I'm out of my mind for complicating things."
For outside North America, the US$47.56-billion iShares MSCI EAFE Index fund (EFA/NYSE), launched in August, 2001, is a solid bet. It holds some of the largest companies in the world and carries a modest management expense ratio of 0.34%. It's also available in a Canadian-dollar hedged version (XIN/TSX), with a 0.5% MER.
Holding gold bullion has traditionally helped reduce volatility, although it has poor long-term returns. We recommended our young colleague hold 10% of his assets in the giant US$18.26-billion SPDR Gold Trust (GLD/NYSE), now a qualified investment for RRSPs.
Our colleague seemed satisfied with the advice, then asked what he might add once the portfolio grows a bit larger. We recommended a single B share of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKb/ NYSE). The "Baby Berkshires" as they are known, trade at about US$3,800, following a near 20% decline this year. Unlike most mutual funds, Berkshire's manager does consistently beat the indexes.
As Mr. Seides at Protege Partners said in the Fortune piece: "Fortunately for us, we're betting against the S&P's performance, not Buffett's."
--- - Richard Morrison is a senior editor at the Financial Post and a long-time active trader.
Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

奥巴马胜选演说中英文对照 + [文言版]

奥巴马胜选演说中英文对照










Hello, Chicago.

哈罗,芝加哥!

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a placewhere all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of ourfounders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of ourdemocracy, tonight is your answer.

如果外头还有人怀疑,美国是否真的是任何事都可能发生的地方,怀疑我们开国先贤的梦想今天是否依然存在,怀疑我们民主的力量;今夜,就是你们要的答案。

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools andchurches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waitedthree hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives,because they believed that this time must be different, that theirvoices could be that difference.

这是个用这个国家仅见,环绕学校、教堂的无数人龙,所说的答案。这些人,苦等三、四个小时,许多还是生平头一次,因为他们相信,这次一定要不一样,他们的声音就是明证。

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat andRepublican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay,straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message tothe world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or acollection of red states and blue states.

这是个由不分老少、贫富、民主党、共和党;黑人、白人、拉丁裔、亚裔、美洲原住民;同性恋、异性恋人;肢障与四体健全者,大家共同诉说的答案。美国民众向全世界发出信息,我们绝非一盘散沙,也不是由红州、蓝州拼凑而成的集合体。

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

我们现在是,未来也永远是,美利坚合众国。

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so manyto be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to puttheir hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hopeof a better day.

这个是引领国人把手放在历史拱弧,再度让它指向明天会更美好希望的答案。长久以来,这些国人一直被许多人灌输,要嘲讽、害怕和怀疑我们自身的能力。

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did onthis date in this election at this defining moment change has come toAmerica.

这个答案迟迟未出现,但是今晚,由于我们在这个投票日关键时刻的所作所为,改变终于降临美国。

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

今晚稍早,我接到马侃参议员打来,态度非常恳切的电话。

Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's foughteven longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has enduredsacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We arebetter off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

马侃参议员已打完一场漫长艰苦的选战。他为这个他所热爱的国家所打的仗更久,更艰苦。他为美国的奉献牺牲,是我们多数同胞难以想像的。因为有他这位勇敢无私的领袖的奉献,我们才能过比较好的日子。

I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they'veachieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew thisnation's promise in the months ahead.

我向他道贺;也向裴林州长道贺,为他们所成就的一切。我迫不及待想和他们携手协作,在未来数月更新这个国家的许诺。

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned fromhis heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on thestreets of Scranton ... and rode with on the train home to Delaware,the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

我要感谢我的选举搭伴,这位先生全心全意竞选,为与他在史克兰顿街头一起长大的男男女女代言。在前往德拉瓦州的路上,和我一起以火车为家,他就是副总统当选人,拜登先生。

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding supportof my best friend for the last 16 years ... the rock of our family, thelove of my life, the nation's next first lady ... Michelle Obama.

如果没有过去十六年来坚定支持的挚友,我今晚不可能站在这里。她是我家庭的磐石,我一生的最爱,国家未来的第一夫人蜜雪儿·欧巴马。

Sasha and Malia ... I love you both more than you can imagine. And youhave earned the new puppy that's coming with us ...to the new WhiteHouse.

莎夏和玛利亚。我对你俩的爱远超过你们想像。你们已赢得即将和我们一起到新白宫作伴的新小狗。

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching,along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. Iknow that my debt to them is beyond measure.

还有,虽然她已不在我们身边,但是我知道我外婆,也和造就今日之我的家族一起在看。今晚,我想念他们。我知道,我欠他们的,无法衡量。

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters,thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I amgrateful to them.

我妹妹玛亚、艾玛、我的其他兄弟姊妹们,烧高香你们给我的所有支持。我很感谢他们。

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe ... the unsung hero of thiscampaign, who built the best _ the best political campaign, I think, inthe history of the United States of America.

还有,我的竞选经理普罗费,这次竞选的无名英雄,我认为他营造了美国史上最佳的政治运动。

To my chief strategist David Axelrod ... who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

感谢我的首席竞选策略顾问艾索洛,一路走来,他一直是我的得力伙伴。

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics ...you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you'vesacrificed to get it done.

感谢这个政治史上无出其右的最佳竞选团队,你们造就了这项成果,我对你们的牺牲奉献,永存感激。


But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

总之,我绝不会忘记这个胜利真正属于谁。它属于你们大家。它是你们的。

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't startwith much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched inthe halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines andthe living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It wasbuilt by working men and women who dug into what little savings theyhad to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

我从来就不是这个职位最被看好的候选人。刚开端,我没什么钱,也没什么后援。我们参选的念头,并非始于华府大厅,而是来自第蒙市后院,康科市客厅和查尔斯敦的门廊,再经由众多男女,用他们从有限储蓄中拿出,依法所能捐献的五块、十块和廿块美元,共同打造出来的。

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of theirgeneration's apathy ... who left their homes and their families forjobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

经过那些拒绝承认他们是冷漠世代的迷思的年轻朋友加持,它成长茁壮,他们退出家,告别亲人,投入待遇菲薄,永远睡眠不足的任务。

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bittercold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, andfrom the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and provedthat more than two centuries later a government of the people, by thepeople, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

经过那些年纪不算轻的朋友加持,它成长茁壮,他们冒着寒风酷暑,挨家挨户向完全陌生的民众敲门;经过数百万民众自发性的组织,证明这个民有、民治、民享的政府,在两百多年之后,没有从地球上消失,仍在成长茁壮。

This is your victory.

这是你们的胜利。

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

我知道,你们这么做,不只是为了胜选。我也知道,你们这么做,不是为了我。

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that liesahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges thattomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime _ two wars, aplanet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

你们这么做,是因为你们了解,横在眼前的是千万斤的重担。因为即使我们今晚庆功,我们也明白,明天所要面临的是此生最大的挑战:两场战争,一个处于存亡之秋的地球,及百年仅见的金融危机。

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans wakingup in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risktheir lives for us.

即使我们今晚站在此地,我们也知道,为了我们,美国的勇士们正在伊拉克沙漠巡逻,在阿富汗山区出生入死。

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the childrenfall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay theirdoctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

许多父母,在子女进入梦乡后,仍辗转难眠,担心房贷、医疗帐单该怎么付,或该怎么存,才够支应子女的大学教育费用。

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

新的能源要研发,新的任务机会要创造,新学校要建,不少威胁要对付,既有盟邦关系要修补。

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not getthere in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never beenmore hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

未来的路仍遥,路上的坡仍陡峭,我们可能没辙儿在一年,或一任内抵达。但是,美国,我从来没有像今晚的我,对我们的使命必达,更充满希望。

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

我向各位许诺,我们会团结一心,一齐抵达目的地。

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agreewith every decision or policy I make as president. And we know thegovernment can't solve every problem.

一开端,挫折和失误在所难免。有许多人不会同意我以总统身分所做的每一个决定或每一项政策。我们也知道政府无法解决所有问题。


But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. Iwill listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I willask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it'sbeen done in America for 221 years _ block by block, brick by brick,calloused hand by calloused hand.

但我永远会把我们面对的挑战坦白告诉各位。,尤其是在我们看法不同的时候。最重要的是,我会邀请各位添加重塑这个国家的任务,以美国两百廿一年来采用的唯一方法:一砖一瓦,胼手胝足。

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

廿一个月前发轫于隆冬的,不会就在这个秋夜退出。

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance forus to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the waythings were.

我们追求的改变,不仅仅是这个胜利。这个胜利只是给我们机会实现我们追求的改变。我们若走回头路,改变便不会发生。

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

少了你,少了新的服务精神,少了新的牺牲精神,改变就不会发生。

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, whereeach of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not onlyourselves but each other.

所以,且让我们唤起新的爱国心、新的责任感,人人挽起衣袖,更加努力,照顾自己之外,更要彼此照顾。

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it'sthat we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

我们不要忘记,如果这次金融危机给了我们任何教训,那就是在寻常百姓生活困顿下,华尔街也不可能独自繁荣昌盛。

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let'sresist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship andpettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

在这个国度,不论兴衰,都是全国与共,全民一体。我们一定要抗拒诱惑,不再靠已毒害我国政治许久的党派之私、褊狭和幼稚。

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried thebanner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded onthe values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

我们不可忘记,第一个把共和党旗帜带进白宫的男士,正是来自本州。共和党的建党根基则是自立、个人自由及全国统一团结等价值观。

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party haswon a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility anddetermination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

这些也是我们共享的价值观。虽然民主党今晚大胜,我们却始终谦冲自持,并决心弥合阻挠我们进步的裂缝。

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are notenemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must notbreak our bonds of affection.

正如林肯向一个远比今天更分歧的美国所说的,我们不是敌人,是朋友。激情或曾使选情紧绷,却不容它破坏我们之间感情的链接。

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not havewon your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And Iwill be your president, too.

我要向那些我仍须努力争取支持的美国同胞说,或许今晚我没能赢得各位的选票,但是我听到诸位的声音,我需要你们协助,我也会是你们的总统。

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, fromparliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in theforgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but ourdestiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

对那些今晚在海外、从各地国会和宫殿观看美国选情的人士,在为世人遗忘的角落围绕着收音机的人们,我要说我们的故事各不相同,命运却是一体,美国新的领导就要出现了。

To those _ to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you.To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all thosewho have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight weproved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not fromthe might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduringpower of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyieldinghope.

对那些想撕裂这个世界的人,我要说:我们会打垮你。对那些追求和平安全的人,我要说:我们支持你。而对那些 怀疑美国这灯塔是否依然明亮的人,今晚我们再度证实,美国真正的国力不是来自船坚炮利、富甲天下,而是来自发乎我们理想、历久不衰的力量,这些理想是民 主、自由、机会和坚持到底的希望。

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our unioncan be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what wecan and must achieve tomorrow.

这正是真正的美国精神:也就是美国能够改变。这个国家的结合可以更完善。我们已经成就的,让我们勇于企盼我们明天能够做到、也必须做到的。

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told forgenerations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who casther ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others whostood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for onething: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

这次大选有许多创举和故事足供世世代代传颂。而今晚浮现在我脑海的,是在亚特兰大投票的一位妇人。她和这次大选无数排队投票以表达心声的选民没什么差别,不同的只有一点,安.尼克松.库柏已高龄一百零六。


She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were nocars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn'tvote for two reasons _ because she was a woman and because of the colorof her skin.

她出生于奴隶时代退出后那个世代;当时路上没有汽车,天上不见飞机;而她这样的人没有资格投票,原因有二:其一,她是女人,其二,她的肤色不对。

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her centuryin America _ the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress;the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed onwith that American creed: Yes we can.

但就在今晚,我想到她在美国这百年人生的阅历:心伤和希望;挣扎和进步;那些人告诉我们我们不能的时候,和那些高举着美国人「是的,我们做得到」的信念奋勇向前的人。

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed,she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot.Yes we can.

身处女性声音受压制、希望被漠视的时代,她这一生亲眼看到女性站起来,表达心声,并争取到投票权。是的,我们做得到。

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land,she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a newsense of common purpose. Yes we can.

就在尘盆地带(指美国大草原的一部分,大致包含科劳拉多州东南部、堪萨斯州西南部、德州与奥克拉荷马州锅柄形冒尖地带)陷入绝望,大萧条席卷美国全境之际,她目睹一个国家以新政、新的任务机会、新的和衷共济精神克服了恐惧本身。是的,我们做得到。

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, shewas there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy wassaved. Yes we can.

当炸弹落在我们的港口,暴政威胁世界之际,她亲眼看见一个世代巍然挺身而起,拯救了一个民主体制。是的,我们做得到。

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, abridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that WeShall Overcome. Yes we can.

在蒙哥马里市(黑人)搭巴士抗争,伯明罕市的水龙(警察以强力水龙对付抗议者),赛尔玛城外的桥上(遭警察血腥镇压),来自亚特兰大的一位牧师告诉一个民族「我们终必得胜」时,她都在场。是的,我们做得到。

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

一个人登上了月球,柏林一道墙倒了,一个世界被我们自己的科学和想像链接了起来。

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen,and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the bestof times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

而今年,在这次选举中,她用手指触碰屏幕,投下她的一票,因为在美国生活了一百零六年,尝遍酸甜苦辣之后,她知道美国能够有什么样的改变。是的,我们做得到。

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is somuch more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves _ if our childrenshould live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so luckyto live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? Whatprogress will we have made?

美国,我们已经走了这么远。阅历了这么多。眼前却还有这么多事要做。所以,今晚让我们扪心自问,如果我们的子女能够活到下个世纪;如果我女儿有幸如安.尼克松.库柏般长寿,他们能看到什么改变?我们又促成了什么样的进步?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

此际正是我们回应那个召唤的机会,这是我们的时刻。

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors ofopportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the causeof peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamentaltruth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope.And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell usthat we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums upthe spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

就在此刻,我们大家要重新开端任务,为我们的孩 子打开希望之门;迎回繁荣并推展和平大业;重新拥抱美国梦并再次确立那基本的真理,也就是我们同舟一命,只要活着就怀抱希望。当旁人嘲讽、怀疑我们,告诉 我们我们办不到时,我们会回以那历久不衰、总结一个民族精神的信念:是的,我们做得到。

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

谢谢大家。愿上帝祝福你,求上帝祝福美国。



-------------------------------------------------------
奥巴马胜选演说·文言版
-------------------------------------------------------

芝城父老,别来无恙,
  
  余尝闻世人有疑,不知当今美利坚凡事皆可成就耶?开国先贤之志方岿然于世耶?民主之伟力不减于昔年耶?凡存诸疑者,今夕当可释然。
  
  今夕之释然,皆蒙美利坚民众之协力——学塾祠庙之外,市井乡野之间,万千父老心焦似焚,苦待竟日,愿献一票之力。其中,平生未尝涉国事者,数亦不少,而今有此义举,皆因一念不衰——今夫天下,非同既往,愿发吁天之声,必成动地之势。
  
  今夕之释然,皆仰吾国同胞之齐心——何谈贫富老幼之差、党社宗族之异,惶论发肤肌体之别、志趣爱恶之分。吾国既以“合众”为名,吾辈则更无疏离之意,红蓝二党并肩而立,数十邦州挽手相合,无分你我,共称一家,昂然于世,齐声一呼,天下乃有此释然。
  
  今夕之释然,皆因愤懑者之镇静,忧惧者之勇气,犹疑者之笃定——平素世间种种,消磨其志向,溃灭其梦想,而值此风云之际,除旧更新,当仁不让,倾力而动乾坤者,更何人哉!
  
  俟之诚久,其志弥坚。幸天地明察,乃有今日,乃有此刻,乃有此一选举,乃有我亿万美利坚大好国民——吾邦之大变革,方得自兹而始也!
  
  倾接参议员麦君凯恩电,虽未得晤,幸有一谈,其言谆谆,其意诚诚,鄙人感佩之至。选战期内,麦君劳碌几重,奔波几许,皆为国家计。诸般求索,时日良多,皆非余所能及。于国于民之惊人牺牲,亦非庸庸如吾辈者所可想见。以麦君之胆魄襟怀,能为吾邦所用,实国家之幸,万民之幸也。前途漫漫,其事未竟,余所盼瞩由衷者,唯共麦凯恩君、佩林君,及诸贤士比肩,会吾等之绵力,成吾邦之大业。
  
  乔君拜登,亦吾所感铭至深者也。竞选之业,艰险不足与外人道,幸有乔君之辅佐,其诚天可鉴之。乔君其人,素言恳辞切,意笃情真,盖尝经斯兰克顿街乡邻之提命,饱聆特拉华州父老之晤教也。他日余既登总统之位,乔君必当副之。
  
  拙荆米氏,追随鄙人凡一十六年,既为爱侣,更为挚友,既为吾阖家之基石,又乃余终生之至爱。鄙人尝自忖度,倘无贤妻若此,今朝阔论高谈于此处者,不知何人矣!
  
  小女萨沙、玛丽,余素深喜之。昔日为父尝与汝等言,此番选战若得一胜,愿购小犬一头相赠,待阖家乔迁总统府邸之日,偕汝等同进吾宅。今当胜负已出,既有一诺在前,必自践行不欺也。
  
  祖母大人虽已仙逝,料必有灵在天,俯察人寰,想应颔首开颜矣。吾奥巴马氏列祖列宗,亦当如是。今日今时,此情此景,鄙人追思之心,乌鸟之情,曷其有极!唯生死陌路,仙凡有别,虽怀反哺之心,而无答报之门也!
  
  至若玛雅、艾玛二姐妹,以及吾家诸同胞,所惠我者,亦属良多,久沐恩德,此当拜谢。
  
  大卫?普劳夫君,大卫?阿克塞罗德君,一为鄙人竞选事务之经理,一为鄙人国事韬略之智囊。余尝自喟叹,左右谋士,余所仰赖者,皆亘古未见之贤才。普阿二君,则更此中之翘楚。区区不才,有何德能,可得膀臂若此?当此功成之际,感荷之心,亦自拳拳。
  
  至于鄙人铭之肺腑,须臾不敢忘怀者,则诸位也。盖今日鄙人之胜绩,实诸位之胜绩,鄙人之荣光,实诸位之荣光!
  
  余素朴陋,虽有参选之心,并无必胜之志。谋事之初,银资乏匮,从者寥寥;起事之地,皆蔽寓荒斋,不在高阁;成事之基,无非寻常百姓,涓滴之献。
  
  今日之胜,有赖一众热血青年,抛其家,别其室,不辞其苦,不计其酬,矻矻于此——“国中青年爱国之心已泯”之谬论,今可休矣!今日之胜,有赖壮志未已之诸前辈,无惧寒暑,行走奔波,劝说民众。今日之胜,乃数百万美利坚民众之胜,察其意,皆属踊跃为国,观其行,处处谨严有序,足堪告慰二百年前开国之先贤——民有、民治、民享之政体,未尝动摇也!
  
  嗟夫!此实诸位之功也!
  
  余知诸君之意非在此一选举,亦非在鄙人一身。盖瞻前路之艰辛,益知此任非同小可也。虽今夕欢贺于此,而明朝酒醒,大患仍自当前,不容有怠——两地烽烟熊熊而起,四海之内纷纷而乱,金融业界惶惶而不得宁。

Monday, November 3, 2008

Canadian businesses score big in China More than $110 million in deals signed

Canadian businesses score big in China
More than $110 million in deals signed
Aileen McCabe, Asia Correspondent
Canwest News Service

BEIJING - In a bid to energize Canada's flagging relations with China, four premiers leading a trade mission of 100-plus business people signed more than a score of deals and agreements with Chinese companies Monday, worth over $110 million.

The premiers decided last summer not to wait any longer for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take the initiative to boost trade with the Asian giant.

They came here under the auspices of the Council of the Federation and they now hope Harper will follow up on their lucrative work.

"We are really pleased to come here on our own as premiers, but at the end of the day, we would love to see our prime minister come here as well," Ontario's Dalton McGuinty said after the first day of meetings.

Harper has never visited China, but promised during the election campaign that he would come - but didn't say when.

McGuinty, who has been to China three times in the past four years, said he would welcome Harper's visit "sooner rather than later."

Moncton Flight College scored the biggest deal of the day, signing a $65-million contract with China's Beihang Flight College that will see 600 to 700 Chinese student pilots trained in Moncton and Fredericton by 2014.

New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham was clearly pleased with the day's coup and looking forward to more.

"It leads to economic prosperity in our province," he said.

McGuinty, Graham, Manitoba's Gary Doer, P.E.I.'s Robert Ghiz and Pierre Marc Johnson, who is leading the Quebec delegation in lieu of Premier Jean Charest, who went on election footing last week and pulled out, met with the vice-governors of the Chinese provinces of Hebei, Henan, Hunan and Shandong.

Together, the governors represent 350 million Chinese, almost 50 million more consumers than in the U.S., Canada's largest trading partner.

The premiers were understandably awed by the prospect of doing business with them.

Graham said that as the U.S. economy slows, "it is imperative New Brunswick and Canada continue to look abroad for opportunity."

The business people in the delegation were drawn from the several sectors, including education, environment, agri-food and transportation. The Canada-China Business Council, which is hosting the mission, matched them with appropriate Chinese businesses and throughout the day they held a series of workshops, information sessions and private meetings.

The Canadian businessmen on the mission are a mixed bag, representing big and small companies, with some new to China and some already doing business here. The common denominator is that they are all looking for opportunities and happy for the leg-up a political trade mission can give them.

Corey Diamond, president of Summerhill Group, an environmental company in Toronto with 45 full-time employees, is new to the China scene and hoping to make contacts and establish a relationship that might allow him to expand his company overseas.

By contrast, Hugh MacDiarmid, president at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., is already doing business here but still happy with the doors a political mission like this can open for him.

For AECL, "it creates a venue, it creates an opportunity," he said.

"There is no question that geo-politics enters into nuclear reactors, so it is very important for senior political leaders to be part of the whole process."

AECL has two CANDU reactors currently in operation in Shanghai, but is looking "to be part of the growth" as China expands from its existing nine reactors to, perhaps, 50 or more by 2030.

The premiers and businessmen move on to the mega-city of Chongqing Tuesday to meet with more Chinese politicians and companies and end their mission in Shanghai on Thursday.

© Canwest News Service 2008

MY WEB CLIP NOV/3/2008

:)

山寨熊猫
http://news.wenxuecity.com/messages/200810/news-gb2312-724183.html

创业英雄
http://news.alibaba.com/specials/ibdm/leisure.html?src=ibdm_d03p0044e02r11

VANCOUVER
中國食肆大獎
http://chineserestaurantawards.com/index.php

自己姓名竟然是一个武器 都进来看看~

看看你的名字代表什么武器!!!

  例如:"王二小"="WEX"="九天丧门锤"    
    
  附:从姓氏开始找,再往下找名。若是只有两个字的,便从"姓氏"与"结字"中各找一个。

  若是三个字的,便先从"姓氏"找起,再往下找两个名;姓名后两个字是重复的就在"结字"中取一。

  复姓者在姓氏中取2字。    
    
  姓氏:

  A:奇门 B:玄天 C:日月 D:毒龙 E:夜叉 F:葵花 G:纯阳 H:玉女
  J:六合 K:天罡 L:天羽 M:八卦 N:太乙 O:落英 P:鹰蛇 Q:太极
  R:回风 S:混沌 T:乾坤 W:九天 X:神门 Y:百变 Z:逍遥     
    
  中字:

  A:拂穴 B:降魔 C:霹雳 D:阴阳 E:丧门 F:真气 G:修罗 H:碎石
  J:九九 K:绵 L:无痕 M:两仪 N:五神 O:穿云 P:破玉 Q:奇
  R:迅雷 S:伏魔 T:游身 W:连环 X:无形 Y:神 Z:无双     
    
  结字:

  A:钉 B:棒 C:掌 D:刀 E:拳 F:掌 G:爪 H:指
  J:斧 K:钩 L:棍 M:杖 N:鞭 O:剑 P:镖 Q:索
  R:刀 S:拳 T:手 W:功 X:锤 Y:枪 Z:剑


起个贱名好养活,快来查一下:你叫啥?
中国自古有个习俗,就是给孩子起一个贱一点的小名,好养,根据你的出生月份和日期(阴历)看看你叫什么~~~     

月份:1长.2旺.3大.4来.5狗.6司马.7傻.8福.9呆.10二.11胖.12欧阳    

日期:1儿.2丫.3腿.4妹.5球.6坑.7日.8叉.9剩子.10姑.11娃.12儿.13肥子.14乖.15怪.16狗.17花.18毛.19定.20蛋.21牛.22奶.23.美丽24才.25财.26仔.27猪.28拿.29头.30妞

[世界日报] 温哥华市议会31日通过“巷道屋”实验计划

世界日报

  编译吴四明温哥华报导

  温哥华市议会31日通过“巷道屋”实验计划,创北美地区的先例。让温哥华市的居民在整修房屋时,又多了一种选择。

  建商与屋主可以申请将所拥有的房地产做地目变更;将车库改建为适合二人左右居住的住宅。理想的室内面积在400至700平方尺之间。

  目前温哥华市共有7万户独立屋符合申请巷道屋的资格,但最后会有多少人会提出申请并改建,目前尚言之过早。

  巷道屋适合用来维持有点粘又不会太粘的家庭关系。可以自己住;或是给想独立生活但经济能力还不够的年轻子女;也可以盖成工作室。可出租,但不可出售。

  北温市是另一个有计划推动巷道屋构想的城市。事实上,北温市市长穆沙托本人就是巷道屋的实际使用者。他原来住在一栋双拚屋中,后来他所住的那一边让给他父母住;自己就搬到院子里改建的巷道屋里。

  虽然温哥华市已率先通过巷道屋的议案,但穆沙托认为,未来北温市还是可能领先温哥华市,先完成地目变更及制定完成相关法规。

Laneway Housing

http://www.vancouver-ecodensity.ca/content.php?id=42

DOCS IN CHINESE,

http://www.vancouver-ecodensity.ca/content.php?id=10

【明報專訊】短期的延遲繳交地稅計劃 Premier announces tax deferrals for homeowners

Premier announces tax deferrals for homeowners
Assessments to be kept at 2007 levels, Campbell says
Les Leyne
Times Colonist

WHISTLER - Premier Gordon Campbell announced four more measures today at the B.C. Liberal Party convention to protect people from the impact of the economic crisis.

The moves are designed for homeowners and seniors facing mandatory conversions of their RRSPs into annuities.

The government is going to fix the assessed value of property in B.C. at 2007 levels, rather than the figures calculated for 2008. The decision will have the effect of lowering the officially assessed values from what they might have been at July 1, 2008.

Assessments are done every July 1, but the housing market slumped sharply after the 2008 assessment was completed. Relying on the this year's assessment would have meant homeowners would be getting assessment statements early next year that were far higher than the real market value of their homes.

The move is expected to avoid a deluge of appeals from owners who think the assessed value is too high.

As well, property owners who can't afford their taxes will be able to defer the bill for up to two years, an option formerly available only to people over 55.

"We're saying that if you're in a tough financial time right now and you just can't make the ends meet on your property tax, you can have a deferral for a year or two years ... as long as you have a 15 per cent equity in your home," Campbell told 1,050 party members at the convention, held at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

The effective loan will be at the prime rate, he added.

Campbell said he will also advocate in Ottawa next week for a federal-provincial conference devoted to the idea of eliminating the mandatory conversion of retirement savings to income funds at age 71.

People reaching 71 now are being forced to convert their RRSPs after historic drops in value over the past few months.

As well, B.C. will be protecting RRSP deposits in banks from creditors, as such funds deposited with insurance companies already are.

Campbell said there are more moves to come in the weeks ahead as the economic crisis becomes the dominant item on the provincial agenda.

New Democrats support the RRSP measure, but said Campbell was scrambling to do damage control.

"This is take two," NDP house leader Mike Farnworth said, referring to Campbell's Oct. 22 announcements of tax breaks and temporary ferry-fare cuts. He said the premier's earlier speech clearly "didn't resonate with the voters" and forced Campbell to "scramble to repair his image" after the Liberals lost two byelections to the NDP Wednesday.

The Opposition will remain focused on homelessness, education and student debt load, he said.

NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston said the four "policy wonk points" need much more elaboration.

Much of Campbell's high-octane, partisan speech was an enthusiastic denunciation of the NDP, with ominous warnings about the decision to be made at the election next May.

"It took seven years to fill up the debt hole the NDP dug and we're not going to start digging again," he said, in the course of multiple standing ovations.

Campbell also confronted skepticism in his own party about the carbon tax, insisting it is the right thing to do for future generations.

Organizers cued live video of Campbell's newborn grandson to show on the seven big screens in the hall as he urged delegates to think of future generations.

- With a file from Canwest News Service

lleyne@tc.canwest.com

【明報專訊】繼早前推出保護本省經濟的10點策略後,省長金寶爾(Gordon Campbell)昨日再提出一系列新措施,協助本省的業主及耆英渡過經濟難關。

首先,省府宣布將物業估值凍結在2007年的水平,適用包括個人、商業、市府所擁有的物業。各市府每年都根據省府的物業估價,向居民來收取住宅及商業地稅。

金寶爾說,省府知道,卑詩的物業價格自從對上一次的估價、即2007年7月後,出現了很大的波動,為避免出現估價高過物業市值的情況,以及穩定人心、減少混亂,且讓各市府易於策劃地稅,省府決定將物業估價凍結在2007年的水平,讓物業市場有時間穩定下來。

此外,省府還推出一項短期的延遲繳交地稅計劃,容許擁有其資產值15%、又能提出證明自己正因為目 前的金融海嘯而出現嚴重財務困難的業主們,延遲繳交地稅兩年,這些欠稅會以最優惠利率(prime rate)計算。如果業主不將物業出售,則在這期間內 毋須立刻繳交所欠稅款,另業主也可選擇提前繳稅。

金寶爾說,這項措施可以避免「手頭緊」的業主,將物業按給銀行來支付地稅,又可以確保各市政府可以收到稅款。此外,又因為延遲繳交地稅計劃屬於低風險的「安全貸款」(secured loan),因此也不會影響到省的財政預算。

除了保護業主外,省府也宣布,保障省民透過銀行購買的註冊退休計劃(RRSP)的投資,即是說,債主追債,也不能追到省民的RRSP投資中,保護省民的退休金。

金寶爾說,其實類似的保障計劃,一直適用於透過保險公司購買的RRSP投資,因此省府此次只是將同類的保障,擴大至透過銀行購買的RRSP投資而已,同時也填補了RRSP投資保障的空白。

金寶爾也說,在即將舉行的全國首長會議中,將會向總理哈珀提出召開全國特別會議,提議毋須國民必須在71歲時,將所有RRSP及註冊退休收入基金(RRIF)取出。換言之,即使超過71歲,國民仍然可以在RRSP中繼續儲蓄,並可享受RRSP的稅務優惠。

Friday, October 31, 2008

www.reportonbusiness.com > B.C. housing heads downhill

B.C. housing heads downhill

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

VANCOUVER — Canada's most expensive housing market is hitting a significant slump, with home sales numbers falling and prices declining, the British Columbia Real Estate Association said Wednesday.

“The bull market in housing is over in British Columbia, and it's been over for several months,” said Cameron Muir, the group's chief economist.

The association, in a forecast published Wednesday, said prices could average $453,000 in B.C. this year. But for 2009, prices are predicted to slump 9 per cent to an average of $413,000 – with much of the decline taking place before the end of this year.

The market peaked in the spring, the forecast said. Over the summer, cracks began to show. Consumer confidence wavered. People would go to open houses but wouldn't buy. Sales fell almost 50 per cent in July, compared with a year earlier, and fell more than 50 per cent in August. Prices weakened. And then the credit crisis hit – and B.C. and Vancouver prices kept falling.

Other forecasts are more dire. Last week, Credit 1 Credit Union estimated average B.C. housing prices at $385,000 in 2009 and in 2010 at $366,000 – down about 20 per cent from this year's peak.

In 2002 and 2003, when the B.C. boom started to take off, the average price of a home in B.C. was roughly $250,000.

The B.C. market, like others in North America, was powered by low mortgage interest rates. However, the region also had numerous other factors at work, including explosive demand following an economic slump from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, the desirability of the province as a place to reside, and the influx of foreign money and speculators.

The slump could make the city and the province more affordable for other Canadians who have considered moving to B.C., and for businesses that see an advantage in locating in the region. Civic business leaders for years have said a major challenge in attracting new businesses is the lack of affordable housing.

The current situation also quells the mantra that accompanies all booms – “This time it's different” – said Paul Boenisch, a real estate agent at Prudential Sussex Realty in North Vancouver.

“I heard people say, ‘There's no more land left to build. We're a global destination now in the world.' We have to keep in mind that five years ago, before home prices doubled, we were still the same city,” Mr. Boenisch said.

Outside Vancouver, B.C.'s market was beyond hot as oil money rolled in from Alberta, with energy executives and engineers buying up lakefront property in the Okanagan in the province's interior. Prices in such areas could see large declines.

In the resort of Whistler north of Vancouver, the market has been mixed for several years since the boom sparked by the low Canadian dollar petered out around 2002.

Today, particularly since the credit crisis erupted, the market in Whistler is subdued, said Ron Mitchell, an agent and owner of Sutton West Coast Realty Whistler.

“The last three weeks have been quiet – there's no question,” said Mr. Mitchell, who added that the winter is likely going to be slow because residents in and around Vancouver used to use home equity loans on their principle residences to secure resort property.

With Vancouver prices down, this option is gone.

The soaring supply of homes, accompanied by weak demand, is driving down the prices.

In Vancouver, it was similar to the frothiest moments in Toronto's real estate boom this decade, when bidding wars would see homes sold for tens of thousands of dollars more than the asking price.

No longer: The B.C. Real Estate Association predicted sales will be down about 30 per cent this year in Vancouver and around B.C.

Mr. Boenisch's experience is even more severe, saying sales are already down as much as 50 per cent.

“When you have 80 per cent more inventory with half the amount of buyers, this is a dramatically different market,” Mr. Boenisch said.

Last week, the Canadian Real Estate Association said that housing prices in September fell 6.2 per cent from a year earlier in 25 major markets across the country, though analysts noted the size of the decline could largely be blamed on B.C. rather than a nationwide meltdown.

Due to recent experience, the B.C. housing market has been considered something that only goes up, never down. However, there have been two long slumps in the past several decades.

After a steep rise in the late 1970s, prices fell from 1981 to 1986. From there they took off again, peaking in 1995, when they fell through 1999 and were stuck in neutral for three more years, according to research from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.

Monday, October 27, 2008

<<纽约时报>>:巴菲特对于股市的评价:我买美股

THE NEW YORK TIMES
October 17, 2008
OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

Buy American. I Am.
By WARREN E. BUFFETT

Omaha

THE financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been
leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term,
unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.
So ... I’ve been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I’m talking about, in which I previously
owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway
holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy.) If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net
worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities.
Why?
A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.
And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right
to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the
long-term prosperity of the nation’s many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed
suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5,
10 and 20 years from now.
Let me be clear on one point: I can’t predict the short-term movements of the stock market. I haven’t the
faintest idea as to whether stocks will be higher or lower a month — or a year — from now. What is likely,
however, is that the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the
economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over.
A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions,
though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market
had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going
badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied
fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy
was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a
marked-down price.
Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two
world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions
and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow
rose from 66 to 11,497.
You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by
such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt
comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy.
Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible
long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. Indeed, the policies that
government will follow in its efforts to alleviate the current crisis will probably prove inflationary and
therefore accelerate declines in the real value of cash accounts.
Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those
investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting
for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to
be, not to where it has been.”
I don’t like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in
the short term. Nevertheless, I’ll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and
then advertised: “Put your mouth where your money was.” Today my money and my mouth both say equities.
Warren E. Buffett is the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.

Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
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《时代》周刊:美元为什么出人意料地日益坚挺?(图) 新华网

《时代》周刊:美元为什么出人意料地日益坚挺?(图) 新华网

新华网消息:美国《时代》周刊10月27日(提前出版)一期发表文章,题目是“美元为什么坚挺”,摘要如下。

为遏止金融危机而付出的成本继续飙升。美联储已向金融系统注资8000多亿美元;财政部除了出资2000亿美元支撑“房利美”和“房地美”之外,还实施了 7000亿美元的金融救援计划;拯救美国国际集团可能耗资1200亿美元以上。目前已十分庞大的预算赤字预计明年将高达1万亿美元,经济衰退也不可避免, 你有理由认为,美元也会一蹶不振。

然而,尽管近几个月的事态发展令人震惊,美元却出人意料地日益坚挺。美元对欧元比价自7月初降至低谷以来,已经回升了16%,美元对澳元、韩元及其他货币 的比价也大幅攀升。对此有种简单的解释:这不是因为人们希望持有美元,而是他们更不愿意持有其他货币。近期美元对欧元的走强并无奥秘可言。2006年7月 1日至2008年7月1日之间,由于欧洲大陆的经济状况优于美国,美元对欧元比价降低了 19%。随着欧洲开始应对自身的银行危机和市场不景气的问题,比价也随之改变,因此美元在遭到大规模抛售后又开始反弹。

10月20日,在美国华盛顿国会山,美国联邦储备委员会主席伯南克(右)出席国会众议院预算委员会举行的一场关于经济复苏的听证会。伯南克20日表示赞同美国国会考虑出台新的经济刺激方案,指出经济前景仍然非常地不确定。 新华社/路透

另一个不太明显的因素是,全球对冲基金和其他非银行金融实体对美元的支撑作用。这一影子银行系统贷款数万亿美元用于投资。然而,金融危机引发大规模提前还 贷,由于这些贷款必须用美元进行偿付,对美元的需求随之增长,由此带动美元升值。受此影响的并非仅有对冲基金。持有1 2万亿美元资产和债务的外国银行也陷入了“去杠杆化”的循环。

这都有助于解释美元近期的走强。然而,随着美联储再次降息、美国铸币局加紧印钞来支持救援计划,美元不会迅速贬值吗?也许不会。随着财政部7000亿美元 救援计划的实施,银行应该可以调整资产负债表,并重新以能吸引国内外投资者的利率发放贷款。尽管美国的经济衰退似乎不可避免,金融系统的稳定应该可以保证 经济在明年开始复苏。这对美元来说也是利好消息。

然而,真正推动美元的是中国,以下几个理由可以充分证明中国有助于美元的稳定:中国是美国最大的债权国之一;中国持有约5190亿美元的美国短期国库券 (仅次于日本的5930亿美元),且中国不希望看到这些投资由于美元贬值而缩水。除此之外,中国也越来越担心,美欧的经济不景气会遏制本国出口的增长,从 而使本国经济遭受重创。为保持出口产品价格的竞争力,中国改变了3年前开始实施的人民币对美元逐渐升值的政策。2008年上半年,人民币对美元汇率增长了 6.4%,但7月以来一直保持平稳。

不仅如此,尽管货币市场是套复杂的系统,但中国、日本等国已向美国贷款数万亿,它们似乎不太可能在近期停止购买美国国债。除美元外,它们可用来维持经济正常运行的货币工具寥寥无几。

以目前的金融危机为依据来卖空美元并不可靠。在未来几个月内,美元甚至可能成为全球经济风暴中的避风港。

RBC creates banking package for newcomers to Canada

RBC creates banking package for newcomers to Canada

http://www.rbc.com/newsroom/2008/1021-welcome.html

Products and Services

    • Monthly fees waived up to 6 months with RBC Signature No Limit Banking account, including features such as: unlimited banking transactions, monthly refunds for 3 non-RBC ATM transactions, 2 free monthly email money transfers, a $50 annual travel certificate and more.
    • Annual fee rebate for selected RBC Visa cards
    • One-year free rental of standard safety deposit box
    • Interest rate bonus on a non-redeemable GIC for one year
    • Online and Telephone banking, including basic service in 150+ languages when calling 1-800 ROYAL 1-1 or dedicated service in Mandarin and Cantonese at 1-888 ROYAL 9-8.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

British Columbia Q2 2008 Residential Sales Summary

Landcor Data Corporation is pleased to issue the British Columbia Q2 2008 Residential Sales Summary, a comprehensive report reviewing the latest real estate trends across the province.
Some Key Findings
  • Sales prices throughout B.C. have continued to adjust, with median price changes ranging from -3.8% to 15.6%, depending on the region and property type.
  • The lack of affordable detached single-family homes has skewed buyer preferences in some regions. For instance, 48% of all residential homes purchased in BC this quarter were condominiums or attached homes, an increasing trend.
  • Out-of-province purchasers remain hesitant about investing in BC, with purchases from the US and the rest of Canada (non-BC) down 24% since 2007.

What does this mean?

After years of sky-high prices, the residential real estate market continues to cool, leaving buyers in the driver's seat for another quarter. With political change on the horizon, the immediate future remains uncertain. Trust Landcor to keep you up-to-date with accurate, timely data on BC's ever changing real estate market.

Click here to download the full report (1.6 MB)
Thank you for your continued interest in Landcor Data Corporation, and have a great day.

Best Regards,

Rudy Nielsen, R.I. (B.C.) F.R.I
President & Founder
Download new Landcor report
Questions for Landcor?
Press Kit
More About Landcor

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

MANAGING YOUR OWN CREDIT IN CANADA: HOW TO ESTABLISH, ACCESS, REPAIR, AND MONITOR YOUR CREDIT

在加拿大生活, 大家对自己的信用纪录要有一定的认识。不少客户由于对信用纪录缺乏了解造成贷款时候的困难,信用被盗用而不知情, 甚至发现问题之后不知道如何找谁修改,处理, 维护。

1. ESTABLISH 建立信用纪录
对于新移民来说, 您在银行开户,申请信用卡时您的信用纪录就已经生成了。由于这个动作是电脑自动作业,所以好多人改变不知道报告的存在。还有一个误解是:很多人认为如果没有任何
债务信用纪录肯定好。 事实是没有债务的话也就没有纪录。 好的信用纪录是长期“有借有还”的纪录。

2. ACCESS 获取您的信用纪录
您可以通过 trans union 公司付费购买信用纪录报告。或,
您在银行申请任何一种贷款产品时,可以要求银行和您谈您的信用。
银行在您的授权下可以通过连网的软件来获取您的信用纪录。
http://www.transunion.ca/ca/home_en.page

3. REPAIR 纠正信用纪录
就像所有的系统一样,您的信用纪录也是会出错的。 很多时候,
您会发现您的纪录上有不属于您的贷款, 信用卡, 或其他债务。
还有,您的名字拼写,生日,工卡号,地址,电话等等都有可能有错。
这时候您就要主动和 trans union 公司联络。您可以填写这份表格
http://www.transunion.ca/docs/personal/Credit%20Investigation%20Request%20Form_en.pdf

寄到,
TransUnion Consumer Relations Department
P.O. Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 7W2

或, 传真到,1 (905)527-0401

http://www.transunion.ca/ca/personal/creditdisputes_en.page

Make sure you provide the following information:
  • Full name
  • Current address
  • Previous address (if less than two years at current address)
  • Date of birth
  • Social Insurance Number (optional)
  • Employment information (optional)
  • Telephone number (optional)
  • Name of the company you have a dispute with (from your credit report)
  • Account number, if available, of the disputed item (from your credit report)
  • Reason for your dispute (e.g., you have paid the account, etc.)
  • Documentation to support the amendment you have requested. If the amendments are to your personal information (e.g., name), please provide supporting identification documentation, such as change of name certificate, marriage certificate, etc.
trans union 公司会在收到您的要求之后进行调查。如果情款属实,它们会修改或更新您的报告。
例如,您有一张信用卡欠款的纪录,但是您已经将余额还清并关闭了这个户头。您可以提供信用卡公司关闭户头的确认信给trans union 公司做为辅助材料。

4. MONITOR 监控及维护
在您清理了您的报告之后,难免以后又有错误的信息被加到您的报告里。
trans union 公司提供一种监控的服务:每次有资料被加到您的报告里,它们会email
通知您。 如果资料错误,trans union 可以马上调查,更改或移除。
http://www.creditprofile.transunion.ca/services/cmu/example.jsp?lang=en&loc=2042

==============

联络Trans Union 信用公司,
http://www.transunion.ca/ca/personal/consumersupport/contactus_en.page

还有一家主要的信用公司,叫: equifax
https://www.econsumer.equifax.ca/ca/main?link=OPIEM&lang=en
性质和 trans union 一样。

RBC推多语言电话服务 2600译员待命

RBC推多语言电话服务 2600译员待命
日期: 2008-08-26
新闻主题: 消费指南

新闻来源: 北美中文网 WWW.WESTCA.COM

【多伦多讯】为确保来自不同背景的加拿大人,能以他们喜欢採用的语言去处理自己的财务事宜,加拿大皇家银行(RBC)现正推出一项多种语言电话服务,用150多种语言为客户提供协助。

RBC这项崭新的多种语言电话服务,是由一个超逾2,600位专门传译员组成的网络,协助处理客户对一些日常基本理财服务的查询,例如开设账户、缴付账单 或索取外滙资讯等。顾客只需致电一个号码1-800-ROYAL 1-1,便可使用RBC的代理人协办服务,并於数分鐘内,透过三方保密电话会议,与传译员进行对话,非常方便。

RBC多元文化市场总监Mark Whitmell表示:「一直以来,我们都不断寻求一些更为简便的方法,令客户与我们之间的业务往来变得更加轻鬆容易。现在,有了这项多种语言电话服务, 不同背景的顾客便可以按照自己的语言致电查询。此举是要让我们的客户可以用自己选择的语言来进行沟通,从而使他们感到备受欢迎,舒心愜意和充满信心。」

该服务自四月推出以来,虽然只是透过口头推广,每月已平均接听了500个电话,而当中最常要求提供传译的语言是西班牙语,紧随其后的依次为俄语、越南语、 普通话及韩语。事实上,RBC早已特别设立华语客户电话专线1 888 ROYAL 9-8,为客户提供粤语和普通话服务,每月收到的电话查询更超过20,000个。今次推出的这项全新服务,则可发挥补足作用,使服务更为全面化。此 外,RBC优惠证券(RBC Direct Investing)亦有提供粤语和普通话的电话买卖和客户服务,电话号码为1-800-667-8668。

有关上述及其他为新移民而设的服务,详见於RBC特为加拿大新移民重新设计的网站www.rbc.com/canada,该网站备有英文、法文及简体中文 版本,每月瀏览者逾70,000人次。这个网站早在2005年开始推出,目的是要为新移民提供量身订做的相关资讯,让他们在过渡到加拿大的每个阶段:由抵 埗之前,到安顿下来,以至为将来筹划,都有信心为自己作出各项财务抉择。

这个全新设计的其中一项特色,是顾客现在可於约主网页maps.rbc.com找到一间有三位或以上僱员,与他们操同样语言的分行。此外,加拿大新移民更 可瀏览findingyourhome.ca,输入他们心仪社区的邮政编码,从而比较不同社区的一些主要资料,例如区内族裔组合、平均房屋价格、居民平均 收入、学校和医院名单,以及所提供的社区服务。

本月,RBC 亦透过其分行及网站,为新移民提供以14种不同语言撰写的资料,从新移民的角度,介绍多项加国理财產品和服务。据Whitmell解释,RBC在过往几年已从新改革,通过引入专为协助新移民过渡新生活而设的各种不同產品和服务,与新移民建立更良好的关係。

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News Releases
RBC now offering telephone service in any language
More than 2,600 translators standing by round-the-clock


TORONTO, August 25, 2008 — To help ensure that Canadians from diverse backgrounds can address their financial affairs in their preferred language, RBC is offering a multi-language telephone service that can assist clients in more than 150 languages.
RBC's new multi-language telephone service makes available a network of more than 2,600 specialized interpreters to help with day-to-day basic banking inquiries such as opening an account, paying bills or requesting foreign exchange information. Customers call one convenient number at 1-800-ROYAL 1-1 to access the RBC agent-assisted service, and within minutes can be chatting with an interpreter via a three-way confidential conference call.
"We're always looking for ways to make it easier for customers to do business with us," said Mark Whitmell, director, Cultural Markets. "Now with a multi-language telephone service, customers of diverse backgrounds can make the call on their terms. This is really about helping our customers feel welcome, comfortable and confident by enabling communication in a language of their choosing."
Through word-of-mouth alone, the service introduced in April has been averaging about 500 calls per month, with the most common language requested being Spanish, followed by Russian, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Korean. This new service complements RBC's dedicated phone line (1 888 ROYAL 9-8) set up for Chinese speaking clients, which offers service in Cantonese and Mandarin and fields more than 20,000 calls per month. RBC Direct Investing also offers telephone trading and customer service in Cantonese and Mandarin at 1 800-667-8668.
These and other services for newcomers are featured on RBC's newly redesigned website dedicated to new Canadians (www.rbc.com/canada), which is available in English, French and simplified Chinese and receives more than 70,000 visitors a month. The site, first launched in 2005, provides newcomers with relevant and tailored information to give them the confidence they need to make financial decisions at every stage of their transition to Canada - before they arrive, as they get settled and as they plan for their future.
As part of this new redesign, customers can now locate a branch where three or more people speak their language at maps.rbc.com. In addition, by visiting findingyourhome.ca, new Canadians can insert the postal code of their desired neighborhoods and compare locations based on a number of key criteria, such as the cultural composition of the area, the average housing price, average income of residents, as well as available schools, services and hospitals.
This month the bank also released through its branches and website new step-by-step fact sheets in 14 languages, introducing Canadian products and services from the perspective of a newcomer. RBC has been reinventing itself over the past few years to better connect with new immigrants by introducing a variety of products and services designed to help newcomers transition, explained Whitmell.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

警惕你的房屋产权被盗

http://www.westca.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=175899/lang=schinese.html

时间: 2008-8-14 10:39 标题: 在加拿大 华人需警惕你的房屋产权被盗

来源:加拿大都市报 董清霞/李海涛

  最近,70多岁的卑诗省烈治文市居民格特尔(Norman Gettel)的房子被骗子盗卖,并被拿走抵押贷款60多万元。报案后,格特尔虽然追回了房屋产权,但却需要承担每月2600元的银行供款。案件披露后, 怎样防止房子被骗卖,成为业主非常关心的话题。我们虽住在安河,但这一事件也许能给我们一些警示。

  你的房子产权安全吗?这个问题让业主们平添担忧。从格特尔的房子被骗卖到现在,为了保护自己的产权,到卑诗省田土厅申请产权证副本的业主增加了三至四倍。电话查询产权证副本问题的人也增加了15%-20%。业主们和专业人士如何看待和防范房屋被盗卖的风险?

  业主:对产权有点不安

  在房屋骗卖案件被媒体披露后,记者采访了几个在大温地区拥有房产的业主。一些拥有房产的业主不禁问:“产权诈骗是否会发生在自己头上?”

  在温西拥有一座独立屋的Daniel说:“那天看到报纸上的消息我吓了一跳,马上把文章看完,还和同事们讨论了一番。不过,我的房子虽然已经供完了,但房产证是与太太联名的,骗起来可能有难度,而且我还抵押房子贷了点款装修。”所以,他也认为自己的房子产权比较安全。

  已经供完公寓贷款的Jenny说,她一直在追踪关于房屋骗卖的报道,还和朋友们探讨了解决的办法。她说,一般来说,解决的办法有三个,一是考虑办产权 证副本;二是办产权保险;三是将房子抵押贷款,贷而不用,若骗子要卖房,还需要到银行解除条件,增加了难度。她会在这三种办法中选一种,增加自己房产的保 险系数,只是最近太忙,还没去办。

  根据专业人士的分析,骗子对有贷款的或是几个人联名的房子兴趣不大。

  田土厅:可申请权证副本

  卑诗省田土厅(Land Title Office)的史密斯(Ian Smith)表示,当局有非常完善及安全的保护产权系统。过去18年来田土厅处理了1500万宗产权交易,只有两宗涉及诈骗。他认为业主不必过度紧张。

  史密斯建议对目前的保障系统不放心的业主办房屋产权证副本(Duplicate Land Title Certificate),在申请副本后,如果业主要出售房屋、转名或把房屋借贷给银行时,都需要提供房屋产权证副本,因此如果业主自行保存副本,不法之 徒无法进行上述行为,业主可以保护房屋产权。

  他表示,如果房屋仍然有按揭和写有出售协议,业主就无法申请房屋产权证副本,只有无按揭及其它借贷时,才能申请。一旦副本发出,就不能对业权登记作出任何改动,直至该副本交还田土厅为止。

  他提醒业主如果选择自行保存副本,一定要把副本放置安全地方;如果遗失则无法把房屋出售、转名或借贷,同时还得花费金钱和时间补救。

  据了解,安河也有相类似的保护产权系统,有关详情查询可登录安省政府服务网站www.gov.on.ca,进入serviceontario网页中的Land Registration栏目浏览相关内容。

  办产权保险可防万一

  怎样保护自己的产权安全?记者采访了成鹤鸣 heming@woodwindlaw.com 律师。成鹤鸣律师说,烈治文居民格特尔的房子被骗卖事件,是骗子盗用了事主身份骗卖了房子。在卑诗省,产权 证可从律师事务所及网上的房地产数据库申领。从网上的数据库中,也可以看到房子的业主是谁,有什么样的权利等。如果要改动产权证的名字,通常律师、公证人 或政府,在业主的授权下,才有这个权力。她认为,冒名卖第三方的房子,业主自己住在房子中时,不易发生。冒名贷款则难以绝对避免。谈到保护自己的房产免遭 骗卖,她说,对作假的身份证件,律师、公证人并不能绝对辨认。申请产权证副本也不一定是好办法。她说,副本也有可能遗失或被偷走。最好的办法是办产权保 险,这样在发生被骗卖的情况时,可受到全额补偿。当记者问起为什么被骗业主格特尔在警方确认他被骗卖房子后,仍需负担被骗的贷款时,成律师说,业主不能免 除责任,是因为银行是第三方善意贷款人,受法律保护。她举了个例子,如果有人偷了车卖给别人,如果买车的人不知道车子是偷来的,买车人是受保护的。即使案 子被侦破,也不可强行让买车的人将车子还给原车主。在加拿大,法律是保护善意的购买人的。

  多伦多华裔律师杨如意也表示,近几年她经手的官司中遇到过多起房产被盗卖的案例,受害人也都是华裔。

  他们都是身份资料被别人盗取之后,房产随之被变卖。至于身份如何被盗则不得而知,这种盗卖行为也一般不是个人所为,往往背后是一个巨大的犯罪团伙一条 龙式地作案,买家卖家都蒙在鼓里。不过她也指出,房产交易中都有保险公司在提供保护,她经手的几起代代买案例,最终也都由保险公司妥善处理,因此居民也不 必惶恐不安。

  地产经纪:业主不必太担心

  谈到最近发生的房地产骗案,地产经纪Haidy Lu说,房屋注册手续很严格,这种案子很少会发生。买家也不必太担心买到骗卖的房子。如果在市场上看到该卖50万的房子卖了30万,就要小心购买。如果是正常价位的房子,则不必太担心。

  地产经纪陈素芬指出,要防止房屋土地被冒充身分盗卖或遭人假冒身份申请房贷,可购买所有权状保险(Title Insurance)。该保险可以保障业主如因受欺骗、伪造文件、所有权状失误、测量图问题,或人为过失而导致交收延误、不能成交或数年后发现所有权状出 现问题,都可获赔偿。她说,业主还可以自费到田土厅取得房屋证副本自行保管,而卑诗省田土厅有了申请副本的记录,可保障房屋或土地不会遭到盗卖或被用作向 银行取得房贷。

  陈素芬说,卑诗田土厅规定,屋契在转名的过程中,买卖双方是要在律师或公证人监管下签名及盖印章,既有第三者确认交易毋误,交易便是合法。田土厅是不会核对签名的。业主为了保障自己,在交易过程中,最好向卖方索取两张有照片的证件以证明对方身份。

Monday, August 18, 2008

恭喜您,您的贷款已经审批合格了!

from rbc royal bank: jason.wang@rbc.com

恭喜您,您的贷款已经审批合格了!贷款总额是,加币 $$

接下啦的程序是由皇家银行将您的贷款文件及贷款的汇票送到律师楼为您办理过户的手续。现在需要您签署以下几份文件授权银行将正式的贷款文件送到律师楼:

*** 所有的贷款申请人都必须单独签一份。请不要多人签在同一张表格上。***

1) CLIENT AGREEMENT 客户(信用调查)协定

客户协定的重点就是信用调查的确认。由于再贷款申请的过程中银行做了信用调查,您在客户协定上的签名就是确定,认可这“一”次的信用调查是为了这“一”份贷款。为了尊重您个人的隐私,银行是不可以随意做信用调查的。所有的贷款申请人都必须单独签一份。请不要多人签在同一张表格上。

2) HOME PROTECTOR APPLICATION 房屋贷款的人寿,伤残保险
房屋贷款是您的新的债务,如果供款人有任何意外,这将有可能给家人带来很大的经济压力。所以您需要重新评估您的保险需要:例如,您现有的保险额度,或资产,是否能够解决您新的债务?也许您现在没有任何形式的保险?如果意外发生,您的家人是否能继续维持每个月的供款?这些都是需要您未雨绸缪,在贷款开始前思考的问题。皇家银行的贷款保险可以保障您在意外发生後,由保险公司付清您所有的贷款余额,或为您提供受伤期间的部分、全部供款。这类保险保费较低,大多情况下无需身体检查,保额和您的贷款额度一样,而且和您的贷款同时启动。很值得考虑。

但是,皇家银行并不强迫您参加这项保险。您可以考虑之后,接受或拒绝。但是,不论您是接受或拒绝,您都需要签名,明确表态。因为在法律上银行有一定的责任然您知道这样形式保险的存在。所有的贷款申请人都必须单独签一份。请不要多人签在同一张表格上。至于保险的细节及保费,请和我索取中英文版的保险合约:小册子或PDF 格式的文件。

细节:
http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/products/mortgages/home_protector_insurance.html
费用:
http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/RBC:SOCD4I71A8UAHTCEEtM/products/mortgages/homeprotector/cost.html

Life Insurance Premium Rate Chart

Monthly premium rate per $1,000 of initial mortgage balance.

Age Single Coverage Joint Coverage
18-30 $.09 $.13
31-36 $.13 $.18
37-41 $.20 $.29
42-45 $.29 $.41
46-50 $.40 $.57
51-55 $.52 $.73
56-60 $.70 $.98
61-65 $.95 $1.33
66-69* $1.63 $2.28

Provincial sales tax will be added to your premium where applicable.
*Age Band Rates 66-69 apply to refinancing clients only - new clients are not eligible.

例子: 客户年纪29岁, 贷款300,000。00,那么home protector / life only, 的保费是
0。09 * 300 = 加币27元/每月

----------

注意1: 如果您选择需要home protector, 从您签字那天起,到房子成交这段期间,没有保费,
但是保险却有效,也就是说,是免费的。

注意2: 其他的保险产品往往需要3个月才生效。所以建议您至少参加3个月。而且,同时利用这段时间review自己目前的保险是否足够。


3) INTERBANK DEBITING AUTHORIZATION 跨行取款授权

您每月的供款是由皇家银行自动划账的。我们强烈建议您在皇家银行开户并使用这个户头支付皇家银行的房屋贷款 - 这会给您带来很大的方便。使用这个皇家银行户头支付贷款是免费的,而且不需要填写这张表格。我可以帮您联络客户经理为您开户。如果由于特殊情况,您必须使用另外一家(加拿大)银行或金融机构的户头自动划账支付贷款,那么我们需要您签字受权皇家银行跨行取款。另外,请您附上银行的户头的支票。注意: 并不是每一家银行的每一个户头都允许别家银行跨行取款的。这需要您到那一家银行咨询。通常支票户头是可以的。如果没有定支票,您可以让银行提供一张户头细节,包括:

银行代号(3位数)
分行代号(5位数),
及户头号码(数位不定)

4) HOW RBC WILL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU
REGARDING THE COST OF BORROWING (DOCUMENT)
皇家银行如何将贷款文件寄给您(们)

  • 选项1: 寄到同一个地址;
  • 选项2:分别寄到不同的地址;(每人一份)
5) CLIENT ID AND EMPLOYER ADDRESS FORM 身份证号码及工作地址
(不用签字, 请提供工作地址,以及2份id 号以及过期日)
  • driver license # and expire date
  • Sin#
6)最后,请您提供您律师公证人的联络资料。

company name, lawyer name, address, tel, fax, email;

每一个物业都不一样,具体收费需要您自己致电律师楼咨询。律师在计算好最后的付款余额後会和您约时间交钱,签字。律师只收银行汇票,不受个人支票,信用卡,或现金。在您去律师楼前,律师会告诉您具体金额, 您再到银行开汇票。汇票可以多张,只要总额对就可以。汇票的抬头要写【律师楼的名字,例: abc】-IN TRUST (托收)建议您在成交前1周就把首付准备好,并且提早和律师索取一份贷款文件在家先看一遍。如果有错误请尽早提出,在成交的当天是无法再修改改变贷款文件的。

请您尽快签好以上的文件,表格,并传真或EMAIL给我。
我的EMAIL是: jason.wang@rbc.com 谢谢。
(请email索取传真号)

rbc mortgage calculator, 贷款计算器:

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cgi-bin/mortgage/mpc/start.cgi

*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONLINE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE VARIABLE OR FIX RATE MORTGAGES.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

RBC MTG PYMT CALCULATOR,

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cgi-bin/mortgage/mpc/start.cgi

*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONLINE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE VARIABLE OR FIX RATE MORTGAGES.

RATE SALE,

5YR FIX RATE 5.35% = 1.4 OFF FROM CURRENT POST RATE
(MUST CLOSE IN 30 DAYS)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

REFINANCE AND/OR SWITCH, 增加贷款或转贷款,请提供 >>>

(from jason.wang@rbc.com)

FOR REFINANCE AND/OR SWITCH, PLEASE PROVIDE,

增加贷款或转贷款,请提供 >>>

1. PERSONAL INFORMATION: 个人资料:
RBC CLIENT CARD # IF YOU HAVE IT: # 皇家银行客户卡号码:
(如果您是皇家银行的客户:普通账户或VISA账户)
FULL / LEGAL NAME: 全名(和ID 上的相符)
SIN#: 工卡号:
BIRTHDAY: 生日:
SPOUSE > FULL / LEGAL NAME:SIN#: BIRTHDAY:
副申请人的全名(和ID 上的相符)工卡号:生日:
ADDRESS W/ POSTAL CODE, 地址:
EMAIL1, EMAIL 2,
TEL, 电话 HOME (家里), WORK(公司) ,
CELL1: (手机1)CELL 2: (手机2)
COPIES OF TWO ID: IE, PASSPORT, SIN# CARD, DRIVER LICENSE,
两份ID的COPY, 例如,护照,工卡,驾照,

2. INCOME: 收入
EMPLOYMENT LETTER, PAY STATEMENT, 工资收入:提供工作信,工资单,
FOR SELF EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS PLEASE PROVIDE T4/T4A/NOA/T1 GENERAL. 自雇人士:过去2年的T4A, NOA, T1(个人报税), T2 (公司报税)
(如果您有会计师为您报税,您可以让会计师EMAIL 一份 T1 、T2 的PDF COPY 给我:JASON.WANG@RBC.COM )
2 YR EMP HISTORY INCLUDING CURR EMPLOYER:
EMP NAME, ADDRESS, TEL, PAYROLL DEP TEL #, WEBSITE, EMAIL, YOUR POSITOIN AND PAY
过去2年的工作经历:公司,地址,网页,收入,职位,电话,

3. DOWNPAYMENT AND OTHER ASSETS 首付以及其他资产
: BANK STATEMENT WITH 90 DAY HISTORY – PLEASE DO NOT JUST PRINT OUT A BALANCE. NEEDS YOUR NAME + BANK’S NAME ON THE STATEMENT PLEASE. WEB, ONLINE BANKING PRINT OUT IS OK. 银行月结单,过去90天的交易记录,请不要仅仅提供余额,您的名字,银行的名字,地址,网络打印出来的也可以。
IF THE FUNDS ARE GIFTED, PLEAES SIGN THE GIFT LETTER.
如果您的首期是赠与的,请让赠与人签赠与信

[其他资产] > 包括,定存,股票,基金户头, 请提供月结对帐单,
尤其是liquide assets, 现金类, 对您的贷款有很大的帮助。
房产证,(政府估价),车子,等。。。

4. information about current property & mortgages 有关现有房子的资料:

  • CURRENT VALUE OF YOUR HOME (IE, RECENT BC ASSESSMENT);
  • 房子目前的价值(最新政府估价);

  • MORTGAGE BALANCE (IE, RECENT MORTGAGE STATEMENT);
  • 贷款余额(贷款文件);

  • PLEASE SIGN "PAYOUT STATEMENT REQUEST FOR DISCHARGE PURPOSE" ;
  • 签署注销现有贷款的授权以及申请;

  • IF IT IS A RENTAL PROPERTY, PLEASE PROVIDE A COPY OF EXISTING RENTAL AGREEMENT; IF IT IS NOT RENTED YET, WE CAN ORDER "ECONOMIC OF RENT" LETTER FROM AN APPRAISAL COMPANY FOR YOU; PLEASE ALSO PROVIDE: PROPERTY TAX /YR, MANAGEMENT FEE /MONTH, --- FOR EACH RENTAL PROPERTY....
  • 如果这是一套出租房请提供现有的出租合同;如果出租房目前是空置的,我们银行可以让估价公司对租金进行评估; 同时也请提供每一套出租房的地税以及管理费细节。
------------------------------------

PLEASE FAX OR SCAN/EMAIL THE ABOVE INFORMATION TO ME AT JASON.WANG@RBC.COM IF YOU ARE SCANNING THESE DOCUMENTS, PLEASE SCAN IT AS A PDF FILE. PLEASE DO NOT USES COLOR MODE. 10 PAGES OF DOCUMENT SHOULDN’T BE >1MB IN A PDF FILE. PLEAES CHECK FILE SIZE BEFORE YOU ATTACHES IT. THANK YOU!

请将整理好的文件扫描,EMAIL 给我。我的EMAIL 是:JASON.WANG@RBC.COM 请将多页文件扫描到一个PDF 文件,大多数的情况下这份文件不会超过1MB.

==============================
皇家银行贷款简介(中文)
http://jason.westca.org/chinese.mtg.basic.info.pdf
==============================

RBC MTG PYMT CALCULATOR,

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cgi-bin/mortgage/mpc/start.cgi

*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONLINE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE VARIABLE OR FIX RATE MORTGAGES.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

申请贷款所需提供的文件

RBC ROYAL BANK MORTGAGE 申请贷款 (買房)所需提供的文件:
buying a home (from jason.wang@rbc.com)
==============================================

1. PERSONAL INFORMATION: 个人资料:
RBC CLIENT CARD # IF YOU HAVE IT: # 皇家银行客户卡号码:
(如果您是皇家银行的客户:普通账户或VISA账户)
FULL / LEGAL NAME: 全名(和ID 上的相符)
SIN#: 工卡号:
BIRTHDAY: 生日:
SPOUSE > FULL / LEGAL NAME:SIN#: BIRTHDAY:
副申请人的全名(和ID 上的相符)工卡号:生日:
ADDRESS W/ POSTAL CODE, 地址:
EMAIL1, EMAIL 2,
TEL, 电话 HOME (家里), WORK(公司) ,
CELL1: (手机1)CELL 2: (手机2)
COPIES OF TWO ID: IE, PASSPORT, SIN# CARD, DRIVER LICENSE,
两份ID的COPY, 例如,护照,工卡,驾照,

2. INCOME: 收入
EMPLOYMENT LETTER, PAY STATEMENT, 工资收入:提供工作信,工资单,
FOR SELF EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS PLEASE PROVIDE T4/T4A/NOA/T1 GENERAL. 自雇人士:过去2年的T4A, NOA, T1(个人报税), T2 (公司报税)
(如果您有会计师为您报税,您可以让会计师EMAIL 一份 T1 、T2 的PDF COPY 给我:JASON.WANG@RBC.COM )
2 YR EMP HISTORY INCLUDING CURR EMPLOYER:
EMP NAME, ADDRESS, TEL, PAYROLL DEP TEL #, WEBSITE, EMAIL, YOUR POSITOIN AND PAY
过去2年的工作经历:公司,地址,网页,收入,职位,电话,

3. DOWNPAYMENT AND OTHER ASSETS 首付以及其他资产
: BANK STATEMENT WITH 90 DAY HISTORY – PLEASE DO NOT JUST PRINT OUT A BALANCE. NEEDS YOUR NAME + BANK’S NAME ON THE STATEMENT PLEASE. WEB, ONLINE BANKING PRINT OUT IS OK. 银行月结单,过去90天的交易记录,请不要仅仅提供余额,您的名字,银行的名字,地址,网络打印出来的也可以。
IF THE FUNDS ARE GIFTED, PLEAES SIGN THE GIFT LETTER.
如果您的首期是赠与的,请让赠与人签赠与信

[其他资产] > 包括,定存,股票,基金户头, 请提供月结对帐单,
尤其是liquide assets, 现金类, 对您的贷款有很大的帮助。
房产证,(政府估价),车子,等。。。

4. OFFER: 买卖合约:
ALL PAGES. IF IT IS TOO DARK PLEASE ASKS YOUR REALTOR TO WRITE A CLEAR COPY FOR YOU (CLEAR COPY DOES NOT NEED ANY SIGNATURES)
请提供完整的买卖合约,买卖合约必须清晰可读,如果更改多次,请地产经纪提供清晰,打印的一份

mls# from (www.mls.ca)

PLEASE FAX OR SCAN/EMAIL THE ABOVE INFORMATION TO ME AT JASON.WANG@RBC.COM IF YOU ARE SCANNING THESE DOCUMENTS, PLEASE SCAN IT AS A PDF FILE. PLEASE DO NOT USES COLOR MODE. 10 PAGES OF DOCUMENT SHOULDN’T BE >1MB IN A PDF FILE. PLEAES CHECK FILE SIZE BEFORE YOU ATTACHES IT. THANK YOU!

请将整理好的文件扫描,EMAIL 给我。我的EMAIL 是:JASON.WANG@RBC.COM 请将多页文件扫描到一个PDF 文件,大多数的情况下这份文件不会超过1MB.

==============================
皇家银行贷款简介(中文)
http://jason.westca.org/chinese.mtg.basic.info.pdf
==============================

RBC MTG PYMT CALCULATOR,

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cgi-bin/mortgage/mpc/start.cgi

*** PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONLINE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE VARIABLE OR FIX RATE MORTGAGES.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

FTHB/PTT/E LIM INCREASES TO $425M

Good Morning,

The Government has issued amended First Time Home Buyers requirements.

The qualifications for the exemption have changed. A first time home buyer can now qualify for a full exemption with a purchase price of less than $425,000.00 (previously $375,000.00).

A partial exemption is available if the purchase price is more than $425,000.00 but less than $450,000.00.

Also, there is no longer a requirement for any financing.

For more information, please see:

http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_library/bulletins/PTT_004.pdf

THANK YOU.

JASON.WANG@RBC.COM

对于浮动贷款lock-in or convert-to-fix 的误解

----------------
对于浮动贷款
lock-in or convert-to-fix 的误解。
----------------
by: jason.wang@rbc.com

由于最近prime rate 的下滑,不少客户采用浮动的贷款产品。
但是我发现不少朋友对于将来利息如果高了再去锁定这个动作
又误解。

例子, 目前p = 5.75, 银行折扣 -0。5。 拿到的利息是5。25。
如果p 下滑到 4%。 再-0。5 = 3。5%。 不少人认为在这个时候,
如果觉的利息滑到底了,
可以选择 把 [3。5%]固定下来。 锁定 x 年。。。这个概念是错误的。
没有一家银行会这么做。

真正的操作方法是:::

1。 银行浮动的产品是5年的合约(打个比方)
2。 如果在合约的第二年 p 下滑=4, 4-0.5 = 3.5%, 您觉的够低,,想“锁定”的话,
银行[只允许]您锁定,或 叫做 convert 到 那时 5-2=[3 年 (remaining year) 的固定利息]。
没有其他选择。
不可以锁定 3。5%,
不可以锁定 1,2, 4, 5 年的固定利息--- 尽管1,2,4,5 年的fix rate 可能比3 年的低。--- 那时的3 yr fix rate, 也可能比
4-0.5=3.5 还要高。

简单的说,您的选择是,

either convert to x-yr fix rate OR stay variable
x = remaining year of the variable close term.

*** 如果您的variable 合约是fully open, 那么这些条例
并不需要follow. 您可以lock.in or convert to 任何fix rate。

*** 我相信在这一点上大多银行做法是一致的。
至少royal bank 是这样的。
如果某家银行做法有所不同,我并不是说不可能。只是请您再确定。

谢谢。

jason.wang@rbc.com