Because in a free market, WalMart would not exist. It is not for lack of trying. WalMart entered the Hong Kong market and ran away after two years with its tail between its legs. The freer the market, the less need for a WalMart. WalMart is touted as a free market success story, and I will be the first to admit that where WalMart shows up, the standard of living rises. It has been demonstrated when people save a buck a week times 50 consumer items, they spend the $200 savings on upscale products. Those small companies who go upscale when WalMart comes to town thrive. This is one of the delights of a fascist economy.
Aside from the assists WalMart gets from the social welfare network supporting its employees, and the fact that it can convert private property of others into its own private property by means of compliant city councils abusing the condemnation process, WalMart is an example of survivorship bias in a country where the public policy is "get big or get out." As more and more rules are designed to crush small business, large businesses thrive on economies of scale. Retailers are obliged to test clothes for "lead and phthalates" which WalMart can afford but is a killer to small businesses. These small business killers are in place for every aspect and sector of the USA economy. In an economy which features a big business/big government cooperation, WalMart thrives. Where the economy is in some measure freer, WalMart has a harder time. In the freest economy on earth, Hong Kong, Walmart did not stand a chance.
It is said in USA we talk Jeffersonian but act Hamiltonian. Well, some of us do. And the hamiltonian structures are crashing around us. The solution is the Jeffersonian ethic we once held. We need to roll back the fascist state and resume the path we left ten, twenty, fifty years ago... The irony is Hong Kong and USA were formed by the same people of the same ethic at the same time; Hong Kong stayed true to form, USA has been distorted by the Hamiltonian elements.
In a free market, small business innovates and large businesses lower the cost and widen the access to material benefits and services, a natural social justice network, an example of spontaneous order out of chaos.
In Hong Kong, in the measure it is a free market, you can get low cost anything at anytime, where you need it. Hong Kong also offers high cost innovation as well. The symbiotic relation between the economic conservators and the innovators is alive and well. Hong Kong welcomed WalMart's effort in the territory, but the monster could not thrive where people are free to offer what they want, and where customers live under caveat emptor. That is the natural order.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Why No WalMart In Hong Kong?
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Downturn Ahead Forecast
Even the mainstream economists are saying we are headed into a second downturn, worse than the first. Your only defense is also the only solution: get self employed. Rabbi Daniel Lapin has a fascinating book that lays out how the bible urges you to success in business. I highly recommend his book, especially a part where he talks about asset allocation (in particular "something to sell") and teaching the next generation. (No kids yourself? Well, teach kids who have no adults around.)
Lapin bills himself as YOUR Rabbi, so he is accessible through his blog and also shows up giving speeches in front of the widest groups of people imaginable, even sworn enemies. There are two ways to accomplish this feat: one is to pander to each group, that is to agree with them, the other is to teach something so radical (in the sense of root, genuine) that each group naturally agrees with you. Lapin does the latter, which takes courage.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Free Trade Zones, of which Hong Kong is the granddaddy, spread in China, then to India, and now to Arab states. I wonder when we will get Free Trades Zones (not FTZ Foreign Trade Zones) in USA? Here is one in KSH.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Bunker Fuel Charges Rising
To: All Valued Global Container Line Customers
From: Global Container Line and Global Transportation Services, Inc.
Re: Increase of BAF & IFS (2nd Quarter 2010)
Re: Increase of BAF & IFS (2nd Quarter 2010)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please be advised that we have been notified by our steamship partners of upcoming amendments to:
Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) INCREASE
Inland Fuel Surcharge (IFS) INCREASE
These amendments are due to changes in costs and current market conditions
______________________________________________________________________________________
BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) (INCREASE)
Except as otherwise provided, a Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) surcharge shall apply as follows
From: China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Oman
To: United States
USWC
Per W/M, M, W $10.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $10.00)
Per 20 Ft. Container $294.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $278.00)
Per 40 Ft. Container $368.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $348.00)
Per 40 Ft. High
Per 45 Ft. Container $466.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $441.00)
USEC
Per W/M, M, W $15.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $10.00)
Per 20 Ft. Container $582.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $551.00)
Per 40 Ft. Container $727.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $689.00)
Per 40 Ft. High
Per 45 Ft. Container $920.00 (1st Quarter 2010 rate: $872.00)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
IFS - (Inland Fuel Surcharge) (INCREASE)
In order to recover increased costs incurred by Carrier for inland (truck and rail) transportation in connection with intermodal ("IPI"), reverse inland point intermodal ("RIPI"), West Coast & East Coast Local Store Door Delivery ("SDD") shipments, an Inland Fuel Surcharge will be applicable to all cargo from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, for the following amounts:
$61.00 per container for West Coast and East Coast Local SDD cargo
(1st Quarter 2010 rate: $58.00)
$211.00 per container for IPI (via USWC)
(1st Quarter 2010 rate: $200.00)
$106.00 per container for RIPI (via USEC)
(1st Quarter 2010 rate: $100.00)
$7.00 W/M for LCL IPI, RIPI and MLB cargo
(1st Quarter 2010 rate: $7.00)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Mudassir Turns In An Assignment
Mudassir checks in from the San Francisco Bay Area with a project he is working on, which he turned in as an assignment for the online class.
John,
Please find my attached idea for making paper valuable.
The one company already doing it, but me with the passion of User
Experience Designing I came to know few things which really really
beneficial again it is my "What if they just..."
Check out what they are offering:
http://www.uistencils.com/iphone-sketch-pad.html (Existing Idea)
The difference in my idea and there is simple, for an iPhone Application
there are two type of viewing mode, Landscape and Portrait, and then in
their sketchbook User Experience Designer, Developer, Designer are
limited and they need to tilt it, that is not so sketch-friendly.
Second thing, they are missing the important part, the area where I can
"define" the screen that I just sketched, reason? So anyone can use the
piece of paper from my sketchbook on there sketching-board
and tells the story of their product.
I will put it up for sell on my website: http://www.Qurtaba.net We usually focus on "Improving User Experience" instead of just another shop to get your software / web app done.
Take Care,
Mudassir
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