Photo of the Day: On the Walk to Tamsui
May 31, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Comments Off
It’s not often that we see contrasts in Taipei, but in the walk on Saturday, we came across this sharp contrast: traditional setting in the front, modernity rearing its head behind!
In the foreground, there’s a large pond filled with bullfrogs. In the middleground, a family house that’s been there for years - who knows? There are other even older settlements now abandoned in the area, including redbrick farm houses in the traditional Taiwanese style. In the background, three towers from the Shang-Hai Community that was just completed, which is selling for approx. NT$300K per ping. If I remember rightly, this is probably what the farmhouse would have cost when it was first built in the ’70s.
Tamsui was, in the words of one friend, just rice fields, trees and farmers when Tim first visited our area in the early ’80s. Since then it’s been transformed at least twice, with electronics factories; and now, residential units. I’m in the search for early photographs of HongShulin and Zhuwei from that period. There’s not much online yet.
Buzz: How did you choose your hosting company? 5 Things I’d Do Differently Now!
May 30, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Read these 3 comments
For those starting up a blog or online business or website or community website…, the first consideration typically given is cost. Most of us are paying for our online plans out of our pocket. Having hosted for four years on several hosts, and a free-host for many years previously, I’ve come to look back on my initial concerns with the benefit of hindsight!
Of course, reading up on such things beforehand is always going to be nearly as good as 20/20 hindsight, and web hosting tutorials are always helpful! A good ratings site can help but you need to find one that offers unbiased, detailed, and critical reviews to help you decide which host is appropriate for you.
These are five things you will need to remember that I wished I had known five years ago when I started looking…
- 1. Be sensible in your expectations: Don’t choose plans that offer unlimited everything (usually something will not work so well, and it could be crucial to you). It’s better to purchase a plan with clear limits so that you know when you are approaching those limits without unduly taxing the shared server, and drawing the attention of your webhosting admin who asks you to upgrade or close your account.
- 2. Find a responsive company. I approached a well-known company with a sales query that took three days and a follow-up email to persuade them to answer my ticket. Can you imagine how long it might take them to get my server working again, if it was out? So give the likely candidate a quiz.
- 3. Choose several companies: If you are hosting several sites, choose several hosting companies so that you can compare and contrast the features, support, and stability. It might cost a little more at the outset, but it is something I wished I had done. Split the sites up initially. When you figure which host is better, then use that host for the more important websites.
- 4. Find a coupon: When you sign up for many webhosts, you will often see the place for a coupon code. Use it. You can save a truckload of cash on many hosting companies for the first year. This will help ease your financial burden as you try out the different hosting companies. Of course, the really cheap sites may not have any coupons because the deals are just spectacular.
- 5. Find a GOOD host: Cheap hosting can be good, expensive hosting can be good, too - if the hosting company is good. Finding a good host is more difficult than finding either an expensive or a cheap host. Both ends of the market include companies that have terrible reputations.
Of course, you could just go to a good review site for your initial overview of the market. You’ll find many of the top hosts listed there once the site formally launches.
This post was originally to be sponsored but unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to the required non-disclosure that the advertiser wanted, as a result I’m now removing all the links. Steve who was talking to me a few months ago about this was quite ’shocked’ at the quality of most review sites for other products, filled with spurious reviews, and testimonials. Since he was also looking for good hosting, he is quite skeptical about the value of 99% of the hosting websites out there. Perhaps he is right.
Credit Card Bills: May 2008
May 30, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Comments Off
Well, it’s here… It’s the latest credit card bill, and I was horrified/pleased… I took one look at the total, and I was staggered. Over NT$15,000, and I can’t remember why… Oh, wait! I’m looking at one of them… Oops! Both. So what happened?
Yes, that’s right… each one cost NT$6500 and I bought TWO… Was I crazy?
I don’t think so… But I DID hide one of them for nearly a week before I brought it out so that my wife wouldn’t scold me TOO much. Does it help? In actual fact, it does. It helps to make me more productive: using two CPUs and systems is always going to be more productive than one SUPER processor. I had intended to buy bigger monitors (22″ LCDs) but was worried about the optimal settings for the monitors on my graphics cards. Turns it wasn’t an issue. The computer configured the display automatically.
I don’t have to have multiple windows open all the time: switching between numerous windows just helps one to lose focus on the primary task - that’s already a challenge on the Internet. Second, I can allow one computer to carry out several functions: playing music, uploading files, downloading programs, looking at my brokerage account… whatever. The other computer can be the main task I’m doing right now: but a quick glance at the other screen is often all that I need to help me focus and finish the task. Neat.
So here’s the bill for May 30th.
- 2 19″ LCD Monitors - NT$13,000
- 1 Phone Bill - NT$376
- 4 CDs - NT$1,222
- Life Insurance - NT$2000
- Total = NT$16,598
That’s it. No interest fees, no late penalties, no outstanding balance. And some bonus points.
Fast-Teks: What do you do when your PCs crap out?
May 29, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Read these 2 comments
The past few days have been quite taxing: why? I’ve been having trouble with my PCs. Between my school and home, I have to manage seven different pcs with OSes from XP to XPSP2 and in English/Chinese and mobile/desktop. It’s a nightmare to say the least as none of the other users is competent in managing anything but the basics: start, login, run Word, print, browse, and that’s it!
This week I’ve had to troubleshoot at least three technical problems, each of which needed a competent computer technical support service! My Flickr upload software was crashing my PC, or at least I thought so… Turned out to be the heat overheating my CPU fan… Then I had to install the tax filing software… except it wouldn’t install on ANY of my nine machines, even with the most recent updates of Windows XP; and now one of my home PCs is slow booting, and I don’t know why. On top of that, two machines need new CPU batteries to help keep the time… Oh, and don’t get me started on the Anti-Virus software situation, now.
This is when I wish I had a good company on call, esp. as we usually have to fix problems on the two days of the week when we are the hardest pressed for time: Wednesdays and Fridays. Of course, as a small business, we don’t have access to the IT departments and big budgets of large companies… we pretty much have to Jacks of all Trades.
So it would be nice to have a company on hand that can provide prompt, professional, affordable and convenient service on your doorstep (esp. as we work odd hours). Am I dreaming? Perhaps not…
Who do you call when your PC craps out?
- Your wife/husband/tech partner…
- Your PC salesperson…
- Your personal life guru…
- Your 17-year-old…
Fast-Teks brought you this post… but I brought you the stories!
Stock Brokers: Which online brokers can YOU use?
May 27, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Read these 2 comments
There’re a lot of good sources of information on brokers for those who live (’reside’) in the UK or US. But what about those of us who “don’t qualify”?
Are you NOT a US Resident? Oops, I’m sorry… We can’t help you.
Look no further. I’ve done a little research from the SmartMoney’s Annual Broker Survey, and not surprisingly they are listing a number of well known companies, newcomers and upcomers… But the list is ABSOLUTELY NO USE, if you are not a Resident of the United States nor a citizen.
I won’t go into why this is silly, but suffice to say, the lower the price of trades, the less likely the broker will accept international clients, like you and me. At least that was the rule, now it’s not so clearcut.
From the original 16 listed brokers, I’m making my own list of InvestorBlogger’s Short List of Brokers who accept International Clients (i.e. non-resident, non-U.S. citizen investors who would like to trade the U.S. markets).
- 1. ETrade: One of the first brokers I applied, too. They approved my application, but the service wasn’t great then. It should be now.
- 2. TDAmeritrade: Where my current brokers’ account is held. Fast, lots of resources. Service is available, but somehow distant.
- 3. Charles Schwab: Did consider them, but they have quiet higher initial requirements, or at least did. You do have to register through their one of their international sites, not from the US site.
Other Serious Contenders included,
- 4. FirstTrade also offers International clients trading services.
- 5. OptionsXpress would allow me to register and fund an account, which was a surprise. They have branches in different countries, including Singapore
- 6. Interactive Brokers allowed me to register, but I never completed the applications. I should have. The service allows you to trade many markets, not just the US.
7. Sogotrade, Zecco, Banc of America, all had slightly fussy processes or requirements but at least welcomed international investors.
One of the problems was finding the information. Often sites would require you to hand over your email address without stating clearly that you would be able to then register for an account. Other sites had the information hidden away in Help files or FAQs. Still others didn’t say openly that they accepted international investors, or directed me to ‘international sites’ which wasn’t helpful, (yes, you, Fidelity!).
I would strongly suggest that you read through the websites to find the best deals, the markets you want to trade, though the application requirements for most accounts are pretty similar:
- 1. passport copy;
- 2. proof of address;
- 3. an application form;
- 4. a W-8BEN form (for the IRS); and
- 5. minimum account funding (at least!)
Once you register, you won’t have access to the full-range of US products, either such as IRAs or other accounts/services because of legal restrictions. But if you are in a country with a tax-treaty arrangement with the US, this may not be an issue!
Disclaimer: I’m a satisfied customer of TDAmeritrade, but there are no affiliate links in this post.
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