I'VE been told that Singaporeans don't like it when strangers start conversations with them. I've also heard that Singaporeans are uncomfortable with frequent stranger- to-stranger interaction.
But this has not been my experience.
Recently, I was queueing at a local fast-food joint and sending an SMS on my handphone when a man behind me commented on how slim and fashionable my smartphone looked.
He said he was considering getting the same phone and wanted my opinion of it. This led to a brief but pleasant conversation.
Later that day, a pretty woman in a lift complimented me on my cowboy boots, which led to a friendly chat about where to get the best Hokkien mee at suppertime.
At the lounge in the evening, a nice middle-aged couple nearby asked my friend the name of his strangely coloured drink, which also led to an enjoyable exchange.
When I made eye contact with the couple next to us, they introduced themselves, we chatted and they had the waiter bring more glasses so that we could all share their bottles of wine.
In all these cases, I was the recipient of friendly approaches from perfect strangers. And that was just a single day.
Human beings are social creatures. As Harvard-educated psychologist Daniel Goleman wrote in his recent book, Social Intelligence, human beings are wired to connect.
Extensive research in neuroscience has shown that our brain's very design makes us sociable.
People thrive on social connection. Those who can generate honest, positive interactions will be welcomed anywhere.
Even better, if your society really is cold and closed. Then you will stand out even more as an agent of positive change and a source of warm feelings.
Remember this the next time you're hesitant about approaching a total stranger for a chat.
It's really the natural thing to do.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I need help getting hitched
LOOKING at entertainer Foyce Le Xuan, you wouldn't think she'd need any help finding a guy.
Indeed, the actress/singer/host in her 20s has no problem finding someone to go out with, and has dated fellow celebrities in the past.
But when it comes to looking for a husband, she's doing it the really old-fashioned way - she's using a matchmaker.
'I've always wanted to find a boyfriend, but I don't know why I've never been able to find him from the people around me,' she said.
Foyce is among a growing number of young and attractive single women - people who look like they have dates booked months in advance - who are looking to matchmaking agencies in search of mates.
Dating agencies The New Paper on Sunday spoke to said they have seen an increase in 'higher quality' women signing up with them.
Foyce has signed up for next month's Bedazzled fiesta, a week-long dating convention where the organisers will try to matchmake her with five prospective guys, with whom she will go on one dinner date each.
If all goes well, the man she eventually chooses as the date to the fiesta's gala dinner could very well be her future husband, said Foyce, who intends to get married in two years.
Deciding on a potential husband in one date is a big decision, she admits, but Foyce believes the five guys she will date are already the best people for her because they were chosen by professionals.
Ms Ada Wong, one of the event's organisers, said the five men will be chosen based on how well they fit Foyce's preferences in terms of their finances, hobbies and attitudes.
'Choosing the guy from among the five is a first step towards getting to know him,' said Ms Wong, 30.
'After the event, there's still a long journey ahead for the two of them.'
Trusting the matchmakers is all important, said Foyce, who met Ms Wong at a party two years ago.
Is Foyce still single because she's too picky?
No, that doesn't seem to be the case - all she is asking is that he must be sensible and confident, have strong moral values, and be musically-inclined.
She also hopes he'll be 1.7m to 1.8m tall. She is 1.6m tall.
But he does not need to have a degree, and doesn't even need to earn very much.
'I just want a normal guy,' said Foyce, who has had five boyfriends, all actors or singers.
She says she doesn't want to date entertainers any more because it can be quite complicated.
She added: 'Being in a relationship is something I really want, but as a girl, I can't go around being assertive, right? This way, the organisers do the work for me.'
But why the sudden need for a guy?
Foyce said she wants someone to accompany her on functions, parties and sponsored events, and doesn't want to have to persuade male celebrities to accompany her to such events any more.
'I want someone permanent,' she said.
Another young and attractive woman who has turned to matchmakers is Miss Stella See, 32, who is self-employed. She said: 'I'm so busy working, so I usually don't get to meet more people.
'Matchmaking lets me get to know people outside my comfort zone.'
The practice is 'normal', Miss See insisted, adding that 'everybody does it nowadays' - a trend that dating agencies have noticed.
Mr Kelvin Ong, 36, director of dating agency Singles Mingle, has said that when he started matchmaking two years ago, the women he saw were mostly in their 30s, and early 40s.
Now, he sees women in their 20s approaching him for matchmaking.
'Some of these women are so pretty and beautiful. They've achieved so much in their careers, and some even have Masters degrees,' he said.
Ms Wong agreed, and added that she is often surprised at how eligible and attractive the women who sign up for her services are.
Mr Ong doesn't believe that the higher number of attractive women flocking to dating agencies means they are getting more desperate.
'It has more to do with the growing acceptance of matchmaking, which is why more people are signing up,' he explained.
'More people are also thinking of settling down and having a family early.'
Buck up, guys
However, while the girls seeking dating help have become prettier, the 'quality' of the men remains 'as per normal', Mr Ong said.
'The men still come to our events in T-shirts and jeans, whereas the women now tend to dress up nicely, with well thought-out themes,' he added.
Some feel that one reason why men might find it harder to sign up for matchmaking could be that it is a blow to their ego.
Still, there are guys like finance manager Rick Peh, 30, who see no shame in this because he feels there is much more to matchmaking than finding a mate.
'It is also to increase my social network, and know more people. If I meet someone, then I meet someone,' said Mr Peh.
'If I just go with the specific agenda to find someone, then it's not very healthy.'
He believes matchmaking is becoming more popular nowadays because the media is reporting on it more favourably.
'People are also more open... (to) matchmaking.'
But not everyone is so keen to jump on the matchmaking bandwagon.
Civil servant Johan Wong, 25, said: 'Matchmaking seems artificial. I'd rather see people in their natural environment, which will give me more confidence about whether they are sincere people, and not simply there to get married to somebody they think is eligible.
'Love is still a very personal issue. I won't feel comfortable leaving it to the hands of another person, or even a company.'
Indeed, the actress/singer/host in her 20s has no problem finding someone to go out with, and has dated fellow celebrities in the past.
But when it comes to looking for a husband, she's doing it the really old-fashioned way - she's using a matchmaker.
'I've always wanted to find a boyfriend, but I don't know why I've never been able to find him from the people around me,' she said.
Foyce is among a growing number of young and attractive single women - people who look like they have dates booked months in advance - who are looking to matchmaking agencies in search of mates.
Dating agencies The New Paper on Sunday spoke to said they have seen an increase in 'higher quality' women signing up with them.
Foyce has signed up for next month's Bedazzled fiesta, a week-long dating convention where the organisers will try to matchmake her with five prospective guys, with whom she will go on one dinner date each.
If all goes well, the man she eventually chooses as the date to the fiesta's gala dinner could very well be her future husband, said Foyce, who intends to get married in two years.
Deciding on a potential husband in one date is a big decision, she admits, but Foyce believes the five guys she will date are already the best people for her because they were chosen by professionals.
Ms Ada Wong, one of the event's organisers, said the five men will be chosen based on how well they fit Foyce's preferences in terms of their finances, hobbies and attitudes.
'Choosing the guy from among the five is a first step towards getting to know him,' said Ms Wong, 30.
'After the event, there's still a long journey ahead for the two of them.'
Trusting the matchmakers is all important, said Foyce, who met Ms Wong at a party two years ago.
Is Foyce still single because she's too picky?
No, that doesn't seem to be the case - all she is asking is that he must be sensible and confident, have strong moral values, and be musically-inclined.
She also hopes he'll be 1.7m to 1.8m tall. She is 1.6m tall.
But he does not need to have a degree, and doesn't even need to earn very much.
'I just want a normal guy,' said Foyce, who has had five boyfriends, all actors or singers.
She says she doesn't want to date entertainers any more because it can be quite complicated.
She added: 'Being in a relationship is something I really want, but as a girl, I can't go around being assertive, right? This way, the organisers do the work for me.'
But why the sudden need for a guy?
Foyce said she wants someone to accompany her on functions, parties and sponsored events, and doesn't want to have to persuade male celebrities to accompany her to such events any more.
'I want someone permanent,' she said.
Another young and attractive woman who has turned to matchmakers is Miss Stella See, 32, who is self-employed. She said: 'I'm so busy working, so I usually don't get to meet more people.
'Matchmaking lets me get to know people outside my comfort zone.'
The practice is 'normal', Miss See insisted, adding that 'everybody does it nowadays' - a trend that dating agencies have noticed.
Mr Kelvin Ong, 36, director of dating agency Singles Mingle, has said that when he started matchmaking two years ago, the women he saw were mostly in their 30s, and early 40s.
Now, he sees women in their 20s approaching him for matchmaking.
'Some of these women are so pretty and beautiful. They've achieved so much in their careers, and some even have Masters degrees,' he said.
Ms Wong agreed, and added that she is often surprised at how eligible and attractive the women who sign up for her services are.
Mr Ong doesn't believe that the higher number of attractive women flocking to dating agencies means they are getting more desperate.
'It has more to do with the growing acceptance of matchmaking, which is why more people are signing up,' he explained.
'More people are also thinking of settling down and having a family early.'
Buck up, guys
However, while the girls seeking dating help have become prettier, the 'quality' of the men remains 'as per normal', Mr Ong said.
'The men still come to our events in T-shirts and jeans, whereas the women now tend to dress up nicely, with well thought-out themes,' he added.
Some feel that one reason why men might find it harder to sign up for matchmaking could be that it is a blow to their ego.
Still, there are guys like finance manager Rick Peh, 30, who see no shame in this because he feels there is much more to matchmaking than finding a mate.
'It is also to increase my social network, and know more people. If I meet someone, then I meet someone,' said Mr Peh.
'If I just go with the specific agenda to find someone, then it's not very healthy.'
He believes matchmaking is becoming more popular nowadays because the media is reporting on it more favourably.
'People are also more open... (to) matchmaking.'
But not everyone is so keen to jump on the matchmaking bandwagon.
Civil servant Johan Wong, 25, said: 'Matchmaking seems artificial. I'd rather see people in their natural environment, which will give me more confidence about whether they are sincere people, and not simply there to get married to somebody they think is eligible.
'Love is still a very personal issue. I won't feel comfortable leaving it to the hands of another person, or even a company.'
Meet Dr Love
If you are a woman and think you are good-looking, chances are you are more prone to cheat on your partner.
At least that is what a recent study by social psychologist Norman Li found.
According to the study, done together with another researcher at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, women with higher levels of oestradiol - a key sex hormone -were rated as more attractive by themselves and were more willing to cheat in a relationship, but not more likely to have a one-night stand.
Dr Li, 42, who teaches at the Singapore Management University (SMU), is a specialist in mating, possibly the only one of his kind in Singapore.
His research involves exploring the science of attraction, love and lust in people.
The research headings outlined in his curriculum vitae read like titles of chick lit with catchy phrases such as All For Love? and The Booty Call.
He has even appeared in television programmes such as The Sex Files, which was produced by the Discovery Channel in Canada, and The Science of Seduction, produced by the BBC.
But the American-born lecturer did not get into this line of research for being a Don Juan in his younger days, although he did admit to having his first crush in preschool at age three. Or that is what his mother, a computer systems analyst, told him, since he cannot remember it. His father is a history professor.
He also denied using any seduction tactics when courting his 22-year-old wife, Ruth, who was his student at the University of Texas.
Li had started off as an economics graduate who began his career as a foreign currency options trader, working in the busy exchanges of Chicago and Philadelphia.
He said: "I was just interested in making money at that time. I wanted to find the easiest and fastest way of earning money."
The work was financially rewarding but it was far from easy. Work started as early as 5.30am and he would be on his feet the entire day. He often skipped meals and got little sleep. The environment at his workplace was "brutal", with people constantly shouting at one another.
He quit after a year and decided to pursue a PhD in finance. But that turned out to be too boring and theoretical for his liking and he left after a year of studies.
He then joined an investment consultancy firm which managed pension funds and attended night classes at the same time to "satisfy my intellectual curiosity".
On a whim, he chose to attend a psychology class. From the first lesson, he knew he had found his calling.
"As soon as I took it (the course), I loved it. I've always liked to study how people think, behave and feel. But I didn't realise there was a course of study for that," he said.
He took up more psychology classes as his interest grew. For one of his classes, he designed a project on mate preferences. He found that given a "tight budget" on qualities that they want in a partner, men tend to prioritise looks while women choose social status.
The project proved to be the turning point in his career. His professor was so impressed that he suggested that Li take up postgraduate studies in psychology.
Much to his parents' chagrin, he left his financial career a few months later, at age 30, and spent the next two years taking up more ad hoc psychology classes and helping various professors with their research at Northwestern University in Chicago.
His parents eventually accepted his decision to start a new career from scratch.
He later enrolled in the Arizona State University's social psychology postgraduate programme and got his doctorate five years later.
Said Li: "It has always intrigued me what makes someone attractive to certain people. And now I have the opportunity to study this."
He decided to marry his financial knowledge with psychology and came up with the theory that people constantly but subconsciously make cost-benefit analysis while forming relationships.
He applied his knowledge in economics to the study of how people choose their partners. He found that men see attractiveness in women as a necessity instead of a luxury because subconsciously, they associate beauty with fertility and the ability to bear children.
On the other hand, women regard social status in men as a necessity in their partner because subconsciously, they want someone who can support the children and family.
When asked if this theory is the reason he is married to a beautiful young woman, Li answered: "Yes, she is a beautiful woman. But we also have a lot in common. Both of us value family above all else."
His wife Ruth had put her undergraduate studies on hold to accompany him to Singapore when he got his job at SMU last year. The couple have a three-month-old son, Jasper.
Being a love expert had not spared him from relationship troubles of his own.
He was previously married to a postgraduate course mate, but the marriage did not work out and they separated four years later.
"I may be an expert at initial attraction but I have yet to study relationship maintenance," he joked.
Last week, he started on a new project which will study attitudes towards mating and marriage in Singapore and the United States.
So why are many Singaporeans not getting married and procreating, we asked.
Said Li: "One possibility is that people are caught up with work. Things are expensive here and it is hard for people to feel established and ready to start a family."
For those who have yet to get hitched, he has some tips which could prove very useful.
For one thing, do not expect to find a potential wife or husband at pubs or clubs.
"It's like going to Takashimaya and expecting to purchase something cheap. Chances are you won't find it," he said.
Instead, he suggested that the men take up cooking classes where they can meet women. The women can take up a sport, such as tennis or golf, as they are more likely to meet men in these places.
Men do not necessarily need to be rich but they should find something they are good at, which they will be respected and admired for.
"When you are a big fish, women will like you," he said.
Women, unfortunately, have it tougher as looks play a major role in initial attraction. But with grooming, their chances can be improved.
But here's a consolation. Men also want women who are kind and caring.
After all, it is the pretty ones who are more likely to cheat in a relationship. But this is not deterministic, he stressed.
He said: "It's just one factor among many other factors. There are many other things that influence whether someone is going to be faithful, such as values, religion and opportunities."
At least that is what a recent study by social psychologist Norman Li found.
According to the study, done together with another researcher at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, women with higher levels of oestradiol - a key sex hormone -were rated as more attractive by themselves and were more willing to cheat in a relationship, but not more likely to have a one-night stand.
Dr Li, 42, who teaches at the Singapore Management University (SMU), is a specialist in mating, possibly the only one of his kind in Singapore.
His research involves exploring the science of attraction, love and lust in people.
The research headings outlined in his curriculum vitae read like titles of chick lit with catchy phrases such as All For Love? and The Booty Call.
He has even appeared in television programmes such as The Sex Files, which was produced by the Discovery Channel in Canada, and The Science of Seduction, produced by the BBC.
But the American-born lecturer did not get into this line of research for being a Don Juan in his younger days, although he did admit to having his first crush in preschool at age three. Or that is what his mother, a computer systems analyst, told him, since he cannot remember it. His father is a history professor.
He also denied using any seduction tactics when courting his 22-year-old wife, Ruth, who was his student at the University of Texas.
Li had started off as an economics graduate who began his career as a foreign currency options trader, working in the busy exchanges of Chicago and Philadelphia.
He said: "I was just interested in making money at that time. I wanted to find the easiest and fastest way of earning money."
The work was financially rewarding but it was far from easy. Work started as early as 5.30am and he would be on his feet the entire day. He often skipped meals and got little sleep. The environment at his workplace was "brutal", with people constantly shouting at one another.
He quit after a year and decided to pursue a PhD in finance. But that turned out to be too boring and theoretical for his liking and he left after a year of studies.
He then joined an investment consultancy firm which managed pension funds and attended night classes at the same time to "satisfy my intellectual curiosity".
On a whim, he chose to attend a psychology class. From the first lesson, he knew he had found his calling.
"As soon as I took it (the course), I loved it. I've always liked to study how people think, behave and feel. But I didn't realise there was a course of study for that," he said.
He took up more psychology classes as his interest grew. For one of his classes, he designed a project on mate preferences. He found that given a "tight budget" on qualities that they want in a partner, men tend to prioritise looks while women choose social status.
The project proved to be the turning point in his career. His professor was so impressed that he suggested that Li take up postgraduate studies in psychology.
Much to his parents' chagrin, he left his financial career a few months later, at age 30, and spent the next two years taking up more ad hoc psychology classes and helping various professors with their research at Northwestern University in Chicago.
His parents eventually accepted his decision to start a new career from scratch.
He later enrolled in the Arizona State University's social psychology postgraduate programme and got his doctorate five years later.
Said Li: "It has always intrigued me what makes someone attractive to certain people. And now I have the opportunity to study this."
He decided to marry his financial knowledge with psychology and came up with the theory that people constantly but subconsciously make cost-benefit analysis while forming relationships.
He applied his knowledge in economics to the study of how people choose their partners. He found that men see attractiveness in women as a necessity instead of a luxury because subconsciously, they associate beauty with fertility and the ability to bear children.
On the other hand, women regard social status in men as a necessity in their partner because subconsciously, they want someone who can support the children and family.
When asked if this theory is the reason he is married to a beautiful young woman, Li answered: "Yes, she is a beautiful woman. But we also have a lot in common. Both of us value family above all else."
His wife Ruth had put her undergraduate studies on hold to accompany him to Singapore when he got his job at SMU last year. The couple have a three-month-old son, Jasper.
Being a love expert had not spared him from relationship troubles of his own.
He was previously married to a postgraduate course mate, but the marriage did not work out and they separated four years later.
"I may be an expert at initial attraction but I have yet to study relationship maintenance," he joked.
Last week, he started on a new project which will study attitudes towards mating and marriage in Singapore and the United States.
So why are many Singaporeans not getting married and procreating, we asked.
Said Li: "One possibility is that people are caught up with work. Things are expensive here and it is hard for people to feel established and ready to start a family."
For those who have yet to get hitched, he has some tips which could prove very useful.
For one thing, do not expect to find a potential wife or husband at pubs or clubs.
"It's like going to Takashimaya and expecting to purchase something cheap. Chances are you won't find it," he said.
Instead, he suggested that the men take up cooking classes where they can meet women. The women can take up a sport, such as tennis or golf, as they are more likely to meet men in these places.
Men do not necessarily need to be rich but they should find something they are good at, which they will be respected and admired for.
"When you are a big fish, women will like you," he said.
Women, unfortunately, have it tougher as looks play a major role in initial attraction. But with grooming, their chances can be improved.
But here's a consolation. Men also want women who are kind and caring.
After all, it is the pretty ones who are more likely to cheat in a relationship. But this is not deterministic, he stressed.
He said: "It's just one factor among many other factors. There are many other things that influence whether someone is going to be faithful, such as values, religion and opportunities."
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
恆常致富之路：現金流投資法
寫blog 轉眼有兩年多，這兩年也是資本市場最興奮和最失落的時間，筆者亦經歷了好多變化。牛市末期，孖展抽IPO勁賺幾倍，全個組合的股票都有雙位數字的賺幅 (不用找，因為怕現實生活的朋友看到，早就被刪除了，但看了這個BLOG 兩年的老朋友就會見過)。及時全身而退，再在熊市低潮，大家都心慌意亂時，狂買價值股，至今仍在坐艇，亦心知很多人對前景、對投資、對筆者這類人充滿懷疑，一切也心裡有數。
研究過不同的投資，筆者認為有一個方法，是放諸四海皆準，亦可以做到投資第一步及最重要的一步：跑贏通脹。那就是現金流投資法
不論你短炒長持，短線中線，現金借錢，用甚麼工具都好，最重要還是為投資帶來正現金流。不同時期會有不同最賺錢的方法，例如牛市時用孖展，熊市中期買入反彈即走，熊市很恐慌時大量買入長持...... 無論如何，只要投資為你持續帶來正現金流，就會致富，所以富爸爸的作者，一直強調要有正現金流，而房地產和優質股就是最好的工具。這也是筆者公開內容裡面，最後一篇要和大家分享的東西。無論通脹通縮，只要有資產給你現金流，不但你有金錢可以生活，亦可以有更多積蓄，不用擔心要吃雞而沒有蛋吃。因此，人應該趁自己年青，用盡所有方法，擴大現金流入，讓自己老來無休
研究過不同的投資，筆者認為有一個方法，是放諸四海皆準，亦可以做到投資第一步及最重要的一步：跑贏通脹。那就是現金流投資法
不論你短炒長持，短線中線，現金借錢，用甚麼工具都好，最重要還是為投資帶來正現金流。不同時期會有不同最賺錢的方法，例如牛市時用孖展，熊市中期買入反彈即走，熊市很恐慌時大量買入長持...... 無論如何，只要投資為你持續帶來正現金流，就會致富，所以富爸爸的作者，一直強調要有正現金流，而房地產和優質股就是最好的工具。這也是筆者公開內容裡面，最後一篇要和大家分享的東西。無論通脹通縮，只要有資產給你現金流，不但你有金錢可以生活，亦可以有更多積蓄，不用擔心要吃雞而沒有蛋吃。因此，人應該趁自己年青，用盡所有方法，擴大現金流入，讓自己老來無休
Saturday, January 10, 2009
3 Keys to Meeting Single Women
Most men think there's a magic word they can say to get a woman to talk to them. While there is no such "magic word," there are three keys to communicating with a woman that work every single time.
This is not earth-shattering stuff. What I'm about to suggest to you is a simple approach that has worked every single time I or one of my students have used it.
Here are the three simple steps to communicating with a woman:
Step 1: Observe What She Is Doing.
Take the example of a woman standing behind you in line at the supermarket unloading her groceries. What is she putting on the conveyor belt? If she's behind you in line at Starbucks, what is she ordering? What is she eating?
Notice everything she's doing. Let the environment give you something to say.
Most guys think of something to say that's so random it makes absolutely no sense in a woman's mind. Women actually make fun of these guys and say, "You won't believe what he actually came over and said to me."
Step 2: Act on the Observation.
In order to properly act upon the observation, you need to open her up and evoke a feeling. For instance, if a woman is ordering a double espresso, the thing to talk about is usually the first thing that comes to your mind.
A typical guy might say, "Do you like coffee?" which leads to a yes or no answer. A man who is 100 percent present will look at her and say, "Rough night last night?" or "Busy day ahead?" What you're trying to do is stay inside her head and remain in her current thought process.
It's much easier to have a conversation based upon things she's already experiencing. A woman will share something that's already going on in her head.
Another example: you're standing at a bar and see a woman ferociously texting someone while standing there by herself. You can walk over and make an assumption like "Is your friend late?" This will in turn open up a conversation based upon feelings and emotions.
Women are emotional creatures. They want to bond with you emotionally. They don't want to bond with you randomly. This leads us to Step 3.
Step 3: Listen to What She Has to Say.
In order to have good conversation and bond with a woman, you need to listen to what she says. If you listen to her, you will know what to say next. It's called a conversation for a reason.
A lot of men always think about what to say next, or they have a script in their head about what to say next. That's not a conversation -- that's a bad screenplay.
For example, I was standing with a couple of clients on a corner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There was a woman standing there by herself with a suitcase, obviously waiting for someone to pick her up for a weekend getaway. So what did these two guys do? They observed and they asked her:
Guys: "So where are you going?"
Girl: "New Jersey."
Immediately one of them says, "New Jersey? I'm from Tampa."
That's not a conversation. That is a guy changing the subject to talk about himself. He doesn't care about her right off the bat. The correct thing to say in this situation is this:
Guy: "Where in Jersey are you going?"
Girl: "The shore for the weekend."
Now, in turn, the two guys can keep her present in her head about the weekend and ask her about her trip.
Guys: "Which beach?" or "Wow, how long are you staying there?"
If they listen and stop thinking about how to amuse her by telling her they're from Tampa, they'll actually connect with her and have a conversation about the shore, vacations -- and who knows where the conversation might go.
Men complicate things for no reason. There are no magic lines that you can say, but in reality if men just talked to women like they talk to their closest friends, they would have amazing conversations. Men just need to relax and listen to what women are saying.
Do this and you're going to have great conversations. It's that simple! Get out of the house, observe, react and listen!
This is not earth-shattering stuff. What I'm about to suggest to you is a simple approach that has worked every single time I or one of my students have used it.
Here are the three simple steps to communicating with a woman:
Step 1: Observe What She Is Doing.
Take the example of a woman standing behind you in line at the supermarket unloading her groceries. What is she putting on the conveyor belt? If she's behind you in line at Starbucks, what is she ordering? What is she eating?
Notice everything she's doing. Let the environment give you something to say.
Most guys think of something to say that's so random it makes absolutely no sense in a woman's mind. Women actually make fun of these guys and say, "You won't believe what he actually came over and said to me."
Step 2: Act on the Observation.
In order to properly act upon the observation, you need to open her up and evoke a feeling. For instance, if a woman is ordering a double espresso, the thing to talk about is usually the first thing that comes to your mind.
A typical guy might say, "Do you like coffee?" which leads to a yes or no answer. A man who is 100 percent present will look at her and say, "Rough night last night?" or "Busy day ahead?" What you're trying to do is stay inside her head and remain in her current thought process.
It's much easier to have a conversation based upon things she's already experiencing. A woman will share something that's already going on in her head.
Another example: you're standing at a bar and see a woman ferociously texting someone while standing there by herself. You can walk over and make an assumption like "Is your friend late?" This will in turn open up a conversation based upon feelings and emotions.
Women are emotional creatures. They want to bond with you emotionally. They don't want to bond with you randomly. This leads us to Step 3.
Step 3: Listen to What She Has to Say.
In order to have good conversation and bond with a woman, you need to listen to what she says. If you listen to her, you will know what to say next. It's called a conversation for a reason.
A lot of men always think about what to say next, or they have a script in their head about what to say next. That's not a conversation -- that's a bad screenplay.
For example, I was standing with a couple of clients on a corner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There was a woman standing there by herself with a suitcase, obviously waiting for someone to pick her up for a weekend getaway. So what did these two guys do? They observed and they asked her:
Guys: "So where are you going?"
Girl: "New Jersey."
Immediately one of them says, "New Jersey? I'm from Tampa."
That's not a conversation. That is a guy changing the subject to talk about himself. He doesn't care about her right off the bat. The correct thing to say in this situation is this:
Guy: "Where in Jersey are you going?"
Girl: "The shore for the weekend."
Now, in turn, the two guys can keep her present in her head about the weekend and ask her about her trip.
Guys: "Which beach?" or "Wow, how long are you staying there?"
If they listen and stop thinking about how to amuse her by telling her they're from Tampa, they'll actually connect with her and have a conversation about the shore, vacations -- and who knows where the conversation might go.
Men complicate things for no reason. There are no magic lines that you can say, but in reality if men just talked to women like they talk to their closest friends, they would have amazing conversations. Men just need to relax and listen to what women are saying.
Do this and you're going to have great conversations. It's that simple! Get out of the house, observe, react and listen!
Four Ways to Overcome Dating Shyness
Do you consider yourself shy? Do you walk around and say to yourself, "I wish I weren't shy so I could approach people."
When I hear singles label themselves as "shy," I know they are limiting their dating opportunities. Being shy isn't a physical trait like having brown eyes... you can eliminate it and overcome it.
Here are four tips to help you forever overcome your dating shyness:
1. Eliminate Shyness from Your Identity. If someone asks you if you're shy, what is your answer? Do you say "Yes, I am a shy person." When you say that, you are accepting that being shy is just part of who you are -- that it's part of your identity. By you telling yourself, and others, that you are a shy person, you are negatively affecting your own mindset. It is very limiting. One of the first, and most important ways to overcome shyness is to be conscious about eliminating it as part of your identity. One way to get to that place if you are having trouble is to speak about yourself as if you've already overcome your shyness. The next time someone asks you if you're shy, you can say "I am no longer a shy person." As you continue to say this, you will believe it.
2. Stop Listening to the Monkey Chatter in Your Head. What do you think about when you feel shy? Do a whole bunch of different thoughts go through your your mind like monkey chatter you hear at the Central Park Zoo? Are there what seems like hundreds of monkeys screaming all different things in you ear, none of which are good thoughts? Do you think that you can't talk to members of the opposite sex because you're shy? Do you believe that people next to you are thinking negative things about you because of your shyness, or about how you look or about anything else about you? You need to stop listening to all of this negative talk in your head. Be aware of when your perception about a situation comes solely from these negative thoughts in your head, and then consciously choose to ignore them. You need to stop speculating and assuming things about what's going on around you based on then negative chatter in your head. It will lead you astray every time.
3. Realize You're Not Being Judged. Do you ever refrain from approaching someone because you are worried about what people around you will think about you? Are you worried that they will think you're strange, or pathetic, or a failure, or that they will make fun of you if you approach a potential mate?
Realize that people around you are probably not talking about you or thinking about you at all. They aren't because they are doing exactly what you are doing, i.e., thinking about themselves and what's going on in their own lives. They may be worrying just like you do about their own problems, their own issues and, maybe, about their own shyness.
Have you ever been standing in a grocery checkout line next to someone you'd love to talk to but don't because you don't want to be judged by those around you? These people are not judging you. They are thinking about how miserable they are in their job, how they weren't happy with the latte they were served that morning, and how long it's taking them to get through that grocery line. The only person judging you on your shyness is you. The only person thinking about the thoughts in your head is you.
4. Embrace the Power to Beat Shyness. The truth is that being shy is all about you and your own thoughts about yourself. It's not about anything or anyone else. The good news about this is that you're not stuck being shy ... you have the power to overcome your shyness. Once you understand this, you then need to take the necessary action become more confident. Only you have the power to open your mouth and say hello to anyone.
Being shy really means that you are judging yourself. It means that you are judging yourself to be unworthy and incapable of meeting and attracting someone, which is totally untrue. You need to accept your life. You need to accept yourself for who you are and what you're all about, then go out and talk to others with that confidence. When you stop judging yourself harshly, you will no longer feel shy.
Once you understand what being shy really is and how it can control you, you can change your thinking and your emotions to eliminate it from your life permanently. Don't let a poor mindset hold you back from meeting someone new.
When I hear singles label themselves as "shy," I know they are limiting their dating opportunities. Being shy isn't a physical trait like having brown eyes... you can eliminate it and overcome it.
Here are four tips to help you forever overcome your dating shyness:
1. Eliminate Shyness from Your Identity. If someone asks you if you're shy, what is your answer? Do you say "Yes, I am a shy person." When you say that, you are accepting that being shy is just part of who you are -- that it's part of your identity. By you telling yourself, and others, that you are a shy person, you are negatively affecting your own mindset. It is very limiting. One of the first, and most important ways to overcome shyness is to be conscious about eliminating it as part of your identity. One way to get to that place if you are having trouble is to speak about yourself as if you've already overcome your shyness. The next time someone asks you if you're shy, you can say "I am no longer a shy person." As you continue to say this, you will believe it.
2. Stop Listening to the Monkey Chatter in Your Head. What do you think about when you feel shy? Do a whole bunch of different thoughts go through your your mind like monkey chatter you hear at the Central Park Zoo? Are there what seems like hundreds of monkeys screaming all different things in you ear, none of which are good thoughts? Do you think that you can't talk to members of the opposite sex because you're shy? Do you believe that people next to you are thinking negative things about you because of your shyness, or about how you look or about anything else about you? You need to stop listening to all of this negative talk in your head. Be aware of when your perception about a situation comes solely from these negative thoughts in your head, and then consciously choose to ignore them. You need to stop speculating and assuming things about what's going on around you based on then negative chatter in your head. It will lead you astray every time.
3. Realize You're Not Being Judged. Do you ever refrain from approaching someone because you are worried about what people around you will think about you? Are you worried that they will think you're strange, or pathetic, or a failure, or that they will make fun of you if you approach a potential mate?
Realize that people around you are probably not talking about you or thinking about you at all. They aren't because they are doing exactly what you are doing, i.e., thinking about themselves and what's going on in their own lives. They may be worrying just like you do about their own problems, their own issues and, maybe, about their own shyness.
Have you ever been standing in a grocery checkout line next to someone you'd love to talk to but don't because you don't want to be judged by those around you? These people are not judging you. They are thinking about how miserable they are in their job, how they weren't happy with the latte they were served that morning, and how long it's taking them to get through that grocery line. The only person judging you on your shyness is you. The only person thinking about the thoughts in your head is you.
4. Embrace the Power to Beat Shyness. The truth is that being shy is all about you and your own thoughts about yourself. It's not about anything or anyone else. The good news about this is that you're not stuck being shy ... you have the power to overcome your shyness. Once you understand this, you then need to take the necessary action become more confident. Only you have the power to open your mouth and say hello to anyone.
Being shy really means that you are judging yourself. It means that you are judging yourself to be unworthy and incapable of meeting and attracting someone, which is totally untrue. You need to accept your life. You need to accept yourself for who you are and what you're all about, then go out and talk to others with that confidence. When you stop judging yourself harshly, you will no longer feel shy.
Once you understand what being shy really is and how it can control you, you can change your thinking and your emotions to eliminate it from your life permanently. Don't let a poor mindset hold you back from meeting someone new.
Monday, January 5, 2009
通过财富获得自由
从政治舞台上被迫谢幕的范蠡，决意使自己成为商界的奇葩。《史记》记载说：范蠡乘船飘海到了齐国，更名改姓，自称"鸱夷子皮"。他曾长叹道："计然的策略有七条，越国只用了其中五条，就实现了雪耻的愿望。既然施用于治国很有效，我要把它用于治家。"
他带领家人在海边耕作，吃苦耐劳，努力生产，父子合力治理产业。过了不久，就积累财产达到几十万之多。齐国人听说了他的贤能，就选拔他做了国相。范蠡叹息道："住在家里就积累千金财产，做官就达到卿相高位，这是平民百姓能达到的最高地位了。长久享受尊贵的名号，太不吉祥了。"于是有一天他就偷偷归还了相印，将自己的全部家产发散给了知音好友和同乡邻里，自己则与家人包裹着贵重财宝，秘密离去。他们到陶邑住下来，范蠡改名为朱公。
范蠡认为陶邑居于天下中心，与各地诸侯国四通八达，交流货物十分便利，交易买卖的道路通畅，经营生意可以发财致富。而且齐国的商业政策，的确适合范蠡这样的人物发财致富，成为一代财神。
自管仲、晏婴以来，齐国所创立的商业环境为范蠡提供了暴富的机会。于是范蠡就治理产业，囤积居奇，随机应变，与时逐利，而不责求他人。他又约定好父子都要耕种畜牧，买进卖出时都等待时机，以获得十分之一的利润。过了不久，他的家资又积累到万万，成为当时世界上财富最雄厚的人，以消费力相比，其财富应当不亚于今天的比尔·盖茨。从此天下人人都称道陶朱公。
司马迁对陶朱公范蠡极为钦敬，他说："善于经营致富的人，要能择用贤人并把握时机。十九年期间，他三次赚得千金之财，两次分散给贫穷的朋友和远房同姓的兄弟。这就是所谓君子富有便喜好去做仁德之事了。范蠡后来年老力衰而听凭子孙，子孙继承了他的事业并有所发展，终有了巨万家财。所以，后世谈论富翁时，都称颂陶朱公。"
范蠡的商业思想可以概括为"范蠡八法"：一是预测行情，窥其先机；二是贵贱复反，贱买贵卖；三是实物上种，质高货真；四是薄利多销，无敢居贵；五是旱则资舟，水则资车；六是加速周转，行如流水；七是多元相济，综合经营；八是富而好德，仗义疏财。
范蠡在经商中常对人道："越国善蚕桑、齐国善耕锄、秦国善冶炼、赵国善土木，各国有各国的长处，经商就是促成各国交流。"他曾将自己的经商之道刻写成书为《致富奇书》，可惜如今已经遗失。明清之时，人们根据传说把范蠡的《致富奇书》、《陶朱公术》加以发挥、充实、演绎、细化，撰写出了《理财致富十二法则》、《理财致富十二戒律》、《商场教训》、《经商十八法》等，并统称之为"商人之宝"。
后世的人曾因范蠡能够看出勾践只可共患难不可共富贵，就谣传范蠡有相人之术。事实上范蠡并非什么相面先生，他只是一个通达的士人，对于政治和人生的局势都分析得淋漓尽致。他知道自己在特定的时间和空间里该扮演什么样的角色，当自己的表演完成之后并不追求一定获得掌声与鲜花，更不追求频频谢幕时的自我陶醉。他将自己的人生看得异常清晰，而自己也活得圆润通透。他把这人生的大经验放在商业的小行动上，自然可以把握大的原则，赚取世间最浑厚的财富了。
活得像范蠡一般通透的人，能够自由出入于内心和外部世界之间的人，在各个领域都能够成就伟大事业的，除了端木子贡和他之外，在整个中国的先秦时期，不做第三人想。至于后世的白圭，能够将政治和战略上的谋略应用于商业之上，虽然也出任过魏相，却始终未在政治和军事上面取得伟大成就，与子贡和范蠡相比，又稍逊一筹了。
他带领家人在海边耕作，吃苦耐劳，努力生产，父子合力治理产业。过了不久，就积累财产达到几十万之多。齐国人听说了他的贤能，就选拔他做了国相。范蠡叹息道："住在家里就积累千金财产，做官就达到卿相高位，这是平民百姓能达到的最高地位了。长久享受尊贵的名号，太不吉祥了。"于是有一天他就偷偷归还了相印，将自己的全部家产发散给了知音好友和同乡邻里，自己则与家人包裹着贵重财宝，秘密离去。他们到陶邑住下来，范蠡改名为朱公。
范蠡认为陶邑居于天下中心，与各地诸侯国四通八达，交流货物十分便利，交易买卖的道路通畅，经营生意可以发财致富。而且齐国的商业政策，的确适合范蠡这样的人物发财致富，成为一代财神。
自管仲、晏婴以来，齐国所创立的商业环境为范蠡提供了暴富的机会。于是范蠡就治理产业，囤积居奇，随机应变，与时逐利，而不责求他人。他又约定好父子都要耕种畜牧，买进卖出时都等待时机，以获得十分之一的利润。过了不久，他的家资又积累到万万，成为当时世界上财富最雄厚的人，以消费力相比，其财富应当不亚于今天的比尔·盖茨。从此天下人人都称道陶朱公。
司马迁对陶朱公范蠡极为钦敬，他说："善于经营致富的人，要能择用贤人并把握时机。十九年期间，他三次赚得千金之财，两次分散给贫穷的朋友和远房同姓的兄弟。这就是所谓君子富有便喜好去做仁德之事了。范蠡后来年老力衰而听凭子孙，子孙继承了他的事业并有所发展，终有了巨万家财。所以，后世谈论富翁时，都称颂陶朱公。"
范蠡的商业思想可以概括为"范蠡八法"：一是预测行情，窥其先机；二是贵贱复反，贱买贵卖；三是实物上种，质高货真；四是薄利多销，无敢居贵；五是旱则资舟，水则资车；六是加速周转，行如流水；七是多元相济，综合经营；八是富而好德，仗义疏财。
范蠡在经商中常对人道："越国善蚕桑、齐国善耕锄、秦国善冶炼、赵国善土木，各国有各国的长处，经商就是促成各国交流。"他曾将自己的经商之道刻写成书为《致富奇书》，可惜如今已经遗失。明清之时，人们根据传说把范蠡的《致富奇书》、《陶朱公术》加以发挥、充实、演绎、细化，撰写出了《理财致富十二法则》、《理财致富十二戒律》、《商场教训》、《经商十八法》等，并统称之为"商人之宝"。
后世的人曾因范蠡能够看出勾践只可共患难不可共富贵，就谣传范蠡有相人之术。事实上范蠡并非什么相面先生，他只是一个通达的士人，对于政治和人生的局势都分析得淋漓尽致。他知道自己在特定的时间和空间里该扮演什么样的角色，当自己的表演完成之后并不追求一定获得掌声与鲜花，更不追求频频谢幕时的自我陶醉。他将自己的人生看得异常清晰，而自己也活得圆润通透。他把这人生的大经验放在商业的小行动上，自然可以把握大的原则，赚取世间最浑厚的财富了。
活得像范蠡一般通透的人，能够自由出入于内心和外部世界之间的人，在各个领域都能够成就伟大事业的，除了端木子贡和他之外，在整个中国的先秦时期，不做第三人想。至于后世的白圭，能够将政治和战略上的谋略应用于商业之上，虽然也出任过魏相，却始终未在政治和军事上面取得伟大成就，与子贡和范蠡相比，又稍逊一筹了。
Fed, ECB to tackle deflation
OFFICIALS from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank on Sunday vowed to fight the damaging effects of deflation as the global economy suffers a deep and lengthy recession.
In just a few months, central bankers' concerns have flipped from fighting inflation to staving off possible deflation - a condition in which falling prices cause consumers and businesses to delay purchases, resulting in an even steeper economic downturn.
Both Ms Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, and Mr Lucas Papademos, vice-president of the ECB, highlighted the risks of deflation at the annual meeting of the American Economics Association.
'It is increasingly likely that inflation will fall to undesirably low levels,' Ms Yellen said at the meeting in San Francisco.
She said the Fed would likely expand its raft of unconventional monetary policy measures now that its cycle of interest rate cuts has hit rock-bottom.
She also urged an aggressive spending program by the administration of President-elect Barack Obama, as she gave a dismal assessment of the economy. Ms Yellen appeared to discount some current forecasts that US growth would start to recover in the second half of 2009.
'The financial and economic firestorm we face today poses a serious risk of an extended period of stagnation - a very grim outcome,' she said. 'Even with vigorous Fed action to restore credit flows, an extended period of economic weakness is likely.'
'I'm strongly supportive of a substantial fiscal stimulus package,' Ms Yellen said. 'If ever, in my professional career, there was a time for active, discretionary fiscal stimulus, it is now.'
The ECB's Papademos, meanwhile, said that more ECB interest rate cuts may be needed to support the euro zone economy and keep deflation at bay.
'We will do what is necessary, in terms of the timing and in terms of the size (of interest rate policy action) to ensure that price stability is preserved,' he said.
Unlike the Fed, which in December reached the zero-bound on interest rates and is pushing headlong into a type of 'quantitative easing' to support US growth, the ECB still has some arrows left in its rate-cutting quiver.
The ECB has cut its benchmark interest rate by 1.75 percentage points in the past two months, to 2.5 per cent.
Markets now expect another 50 basis point cut at the bank's next policy meeting, on Jan 15.
Support for stimulus
Ms Yellen was the second Fed official this weekend to urge aggressive fiscal measures to complement the central bank's ongoing monetary policies.
On Saturday, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said that programs to support growth 'must be large in order to be effective and to instill badly needed confidence,' given the severity of the downturn.
Ms Yellen and Mr Evans are both voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee in 2009.
Mr Obama has said that signing a major economic stimulus package will be his first priority when he takes office, with a goal of creating or saving 3 million jobs over two years.
Democratic lawmakers say the plan now under consideration in Congress will cost about $775 billion (S$1.12 trillion), but Republicans predict a tab of up to $1 trillion.
Renowned economist Mr Martin Feldstein, former head of the National Bureau of Economic Research, said on an AEA panel that stimulus of some $300 billion to $400 billion in both 2009 and 2010 was warranted.
He forecast that the US downturn would probably be judged the worst since the Great Depression, and the United States would be 'lucky' to return to growth in 2009.
'Speed of the outlays is an important concern,' Mr Feldstein said. 'One that spends quickly and then finishes is ideal.'
Vicious cycle
Papademos told reporters that the ECB will not let inflation fall 'significantly below 2 percent for a protracted period of time,' adding that he did not expect such an outcome based on present analysis.
Cutting interest rates to low levels has long-term implications for price stability, he said. Still, on a panel discussion Mr Papademos said that inflation would weaken sharply in the coming months.
In the United States, Ms Yellen referred to the vicious cycle, whereby weakness in the US economy intensifies distress in the financial sector, and vice versa.
In both speeches on Sunday, Ms Yellen's highlighted a risk that, as inflation expectations fall and benchmark rates are held near zero, 'real' interest rates will actually rise, at the worst possible time.
'A decline in inflationary expectations when economic conditions are weak is pernicious ... because any downdrift in inflation expectations leads to an updrift in real interest rates and a tightening of financial conditions,' she said.
In just a few months, central bankers' concerns have flipped from fighting inflation to staving off possible deflation - a condition in which falling prices cause consumers and businesses to delay purchases, resulting in an even steeper economic downturn.
Both Ms Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, and Mr Lucas Papademos, vice-president of the ECB, highlighted the risks of deflation at the annual meeting of the American Economics Association.
'It is increasingly likely that inflation will fall to undesirably low levels,' Ms Yellen said at the meeting in San Francisco.
She said the Fed would likely expand its raft of unconventional monetary policy measures now that its cycle of interest rate cuts has hit rock-bottom.
She also urged an aggressive spending program by the administration of President-elect Barack Obama, as she gave a dismal assessment of the economy. Ms Yellen appeared to discount some current forecasts that US growth would start to recover in the second half of 2009.
'The financial and economic firestorm we face today poses a serious risk of an extended period of stagnation - a very grim outcome,' she said. 'Even with vigorous Fed action to restore credit flows, an extended period of economic weakness is likely.'
'I'm strongly supportive of a substantial fiscal stimulus package,' Ms Yellen said. 'If ever, in my professional career, there was a time for active, discretionary fiscal stimulus, it is now.'
The ECB's Papademos, meanwhile, said that more ECB interest rate cuts may be needed to support the euro zone economy and keep deflation at bay.
'We will do what is necessary, in terms of the timing and in terms of the size (of interest rate policy action) to ensure that price stability is preserved,' he said.
Unlike the Fed, which in December reached the zero-bound on interest rates and is pushing headlong into a type of 'quantitative easing' to support US growth, the ECB still has some arrows left in its rate-cutting quiver.
The ECB has cut its benchmark interest rate by 1.75 percentage points in the past two months, to 2.5 per cent.
Markets now expect another 50 basis point cut at the bank's next policy meeting, on Jan 15.
Support for stimulus
Ms Yellen was the second Fed official this weekend to urge aggressive fiscal measures to complement the central bank's ongoing monetary policies.
On Saturday, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said that programs to support growth 'must be large in order to be effective and to instill badly needed confidence,' given the severity of the downturn.
Ms Yellen and Mr Evans are both voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee in 2009.
Mr Obama has said that signing a major economic stimulus package will be his first priority when he takes office, with a goal of creating or saving 3 million jobs over two years.
Democratic lawmakers say the plan now under consideration in Congress will cost about $775 billion (S$1.12 trillion), but Republicans predict a tab of up to $1 trillion.
Renowned economist Mr Martin Feldstein, former head of the National Bureau of Economic Research, said on an AEA panel that stimulus of some $300 billion to $400 billion in both 2009 and 2010 was warranted.
He forecast that the US downturn would probably be judged the worst since the Great Depression, and the United States would be 'lucky' to return to growth in 2009.
'Speed of the outlays is an important concern,' Mr Feldstein said. 'One that spends quickly and then finishes is ideal.'
Vicious cycle
Papademos told reporters that the ECB will not let inflation fall 'significantly below 2 percent for a protracted period of time,' adding that he did not expect such an outcome based on present analysis.
Cutting interest rates to low levels has long-term implications for price stability, he said. Still, on a panel discussion Mr Papademos said that inflation would weaken sharply in the coming months.
In the United States, Ms Yellen referred to the vicious cycle, whereby weakness in the US economy intensifies distress in the financial sector, and vice versa.
In both speeches on Sunday, Ms Yellen's highlighted a risk that, as inflation expectations fall and benchmark rates are held near zero, 'real' interest rates will actually rise, at the worst possible time.
'A decline in inflationary expectations when economic conditions are weak is pernicious ... because any downdrift in inflation expectations leads to an updrift in real interest rates and a tightening of financial conditions,' she said.
Small/Mid Cap Strategy: Survival of the fittest
We see the bear market rally that started in 4Q08 extending into 1Q 09. Our 1Q strategy focuses on companies with strong balance sheets that give them the ability to ride out the recession.
Markets managed to find a short-term low in 4Q08 as investors bet that 1) the frozen credit markets may start to thaw following recent aggressive measures by central banks to inject liquidity, 2) valuation has fallen to previous crisis troughs, the recent stock market correction has priced in weak FY08 earnings and poor economic data and 3) global efforts to pump prime economies could shorten the global recession.
Still, we remain mindful of the current credit crunch on small and medium size companies. With earnings downgrades still an on-going process, our stock selection adds focus on companies with strong balance sheets that should enable them to weather and emerge from the current crisis as stronger entities.
We take a positive view of recent plans to review capital expenditure by Ezra as well as its improved charter rates that are backed by long-term contracts. We also like ASL Marine's good earnings visibility and net cash position in FY09.
Among S-chips, we view the Chinese government's initiatives to shift its weight from exports to domestic consumption as positive for China Hongxing, which is backed by 17Scts net cash per share. We also pick water treatment company, Epure for its more defensive business model and good net cash position.
Our final pick is Raffles Medical in light of the defensive nature of the healthcare sector, the company's strong operating cashflow and net cash position.
Markets managed to find a short-term low in 4Q08 as investors bet that 1) the frozen credit markets may start to thaw following recent aggressive measures by central banks to inject liquidity, 2) valuation has fallen to previous crisis troughs, the recent stock market correction has priced in weak FY08 earnings and poor economic data and 3) global efforts to pump prime economies could shorten the global recession.
Still, we remain mindful of the current credit crunch on small and medium size companies. With earnings downgrades still an on-going process, our stock selection adds focus on companies with strong balance sheets that should enable them to weather and emerge from the current crisis as stronger entities.
We take a positive view of recent plans to review capital expenditure by Ezra as well as its improved charter rates that are backed by long-term contracts. We also like ASL Marine's good earnings visibility and net cash position in FY09.
Among S-chips, we view the Chinese government's initiatives to shift its weight from exports to domestic consumption as positive for China Hongxing, which is backed by 17Scts net cash per share. We also pick water treatment company, Epure for its more defensive business model and good net cash position.
Our final pick is Raffles Medical in light of the defensive nature of the healthcare sector, the company's strong operating cashflow and net cash position.
来自一代商圣范蠡的管理启示
司马迁所撰的《史记.货殖列传》说：昔者越王句践困於会稽之上，乃用范蠡、计然。修之十年，国富，厚赂战士，士赴矢石，如渴得饮，遂报强吴，观兵中国，称号「五霸」。
历史上的范蠡，不但是春秋时越国政治家卓越的政治家，还是创造了无数财富且富可敌国的商圣。无论是作为政治家、还是弃官从商，都体现了它那因时乘势，不拘一体的思想风格。从它神话般的三聚三散成为天下首富的商业生涯中，不仅告诉我们物价的贵贱涨落，与供求关系的有余和不足息息相关，还能通过把握影响这些变化的各种因素，就能游刃有余，轻松自如的获取成功。
多元化、发展停滞、行业衰退和经济危机带来的影响
对于投资者来说，最大的梦魇莫过于像九七亚洲金融风暴一样的经济危机。整个社会性的经济衰退迅速波及到东南亚各国，一时之间所有的投资都大副缩水，导致大部分的投资者破产。
而相对于企业的战略决策者而言，如何规避经济衰退带来的影响和行业衰退、发展停滞带来问题，成了首要思考的问题。
范蠡的投资理念，植根于中国古代道家思想和《周易》的圜道思想。它的思想不但充满了对客观现实的充分尊重和利用，还强调把自身作为整体系统的子系统来看待，真正达达到了从战略意义上的利润最大化。
《吕式春秋·圜道篇》曰：“日夜一周，圜道也。”，日往则月来，月往则日来，日月相推而明生焉。寒往则暑来，暑往则寒来，寒暑相推而岁成焉。范蠡认为，天时、气节随“阴”“阳”的运动而变化，商业活动的兴衰也在不断的呈周而复始的循环。对待投资，涉足一个行业，都要从整体行业和经济循环的角度来看，以决定在有利的时机、并采取适宜的策略，创造有力的条件，使形势朝着有利的方向转化。
万事万物均有阴阳盛衰的变化趋势，就是事物妖祥之兆，抓住了它，就掌握了事物吉凶变化的规律。而影响事物变化的原因归根结底，就是阴阳运动，由阴阳两种属性的因素集合，共同主导作用于事物变化。比如，商品的价值是由其供给和需求决定的。那么供给的单位价格和数量就是属于“阴”属性因素，而需求的单位价格和数量就是“阳”属性因素。正是这两个因素集合的因素的共同作用和力量对比的变化趋势决定了当前物品的价值和未来的价值走向。
《范子计然》曰：“天下六岁一穰，六岁一康，凡十二岁一饥”。由此可见，范蠡把事物放在自然环境、社会、乃至经济系统的圜道循环中来看待。这样，通过研究事物内部阴阳运动和与外部自然环境中各要素的相互影响，就能有效的预见和利用事物发展的规律。比如，我们就可以利用这样的自然规律，天下大旱的时候，积绪买入舟船；而天下遭水灾的时候积绪买入木车。在事物需求还没有来到且价值不高的时候，买入；在需求来到，就可以买出，获取高额利润。
天地间生活着多种多样的动、植物和人类。它们不论是飞禽、还是走兽、或者是飞翔于天际，或游弋于大海，都有各自的兴衰生灭的周期。而且互相供养、依赖，而各得其所，最终都得到平衡、发展。而商业投资也一样，不同的行业、不同的国家、不同类型的市场，都有不同的发展周期，综合利用这种发展周期就可以平衡局部单一市场周期的风险。
事物的发展轨迹就像大江大河里面的水，它有着自己的发展规律。这种发展的规律，就像大禹治水一样，是挡不住的。反而是越挡得多，对自身越是危险。那么，不如顺应这种规律，并利用这种规律，即成全了事物，又成全自己。这就像商业中对待合作伙伴一样，把共同投资中的大部分利润放到自己的口袋里，就会挫伤合作伙伴的积极性，就没有下次的合作了。所以，在分配利润时，要根据各自投入多少，来公平的分配。这样，对自己和合作伙伴都有利，就能长久的合作，利润也就会源源不绝的持续下去。
天下巨商的独特秘决
天地圜道---经济周期循环的奥秘
每一个行业，都有它自己的发展规律。这种发展规律从内在而言，表现从生疏到熟练、从小到大、从投资到收获都有一个过程，并且是无法跳跃的必然过程；那么从外在而言，它则表现为一定的经济周期循环。就像经历了1927年美国经济危机的汽车工业，迎来了它发展的黄金时代。到了九十年代，又因日本汽车的影响，陷入了发展的缓慢时期，等到完成了汽车工业的再次变革以后，则又进入高速发展阶段；再从整体而言，它又具有自己的新兴、发展、成熟、衰退到退出市场的这样一个生命周期。
不同的行业，或是不同地域的经济环境下的相同行业，都有不同的经济发展周期。通过石油和旅游行业的比较，就能清晰的看到这样的事实：旅游业，特别是以风景人文为主的旅游区域经济，受季节和法定假期的影响比较大。而石油业，则主要受国民经济的影响和世界石油价格影响，它的发展周期则比旅游业要明显缓慢得多。再者，旅游业来说，不同国家和地区的旅游经济周期也不一致。比如说，中国东北的长白山旅游景区和东南亚的马尔代夫渡假胜地，长白山受季节性影响较大，而马尔代夫则受季节影响比较小。
我们看一个处于发展低潮的行业，对其影响力最大的因素就是供给大于需求。造成这种现象的因素或是因为整体发展环境的影响，或是因为生产厂商过多导致竞争过剩，或者是暂时性的投资风潮等因素的影响。但随着行业中一部分企业的放弃、破产和其他不利因素的影响力减低，缓解了供需矛盾的行业环境，将会再度冲向发展高潮。
事物的变化发展是一个螺旋上升的过程
任何事物的发展的过程，都有一个持续的阶段。这就像种植苹果树一样，不能说一种下去就能够开花结果。它需要一个时间，由小到大，并需要经历许多个春夏秋冬，长会长大、成熟。不根据这个规律来种植，则很可能出现成语“揠苗助长”那样的笑话了。投资生涯也一样，无论是投资一个行业还是投资一个企业，都有一个过程。你不能说IBM的总资产价值1000亿美元，你拿出1000亿美元明天就能组建一个IBM来。是的，拥有资本可以买来IBM的设备、厂房和部分人力资源，但仍有许多东西，诸如品牌、核心技术储备、与政府、公众和客户的关系等，你买不来。
投资的世界，未来充满了诸多的不确定性因素，不顾事物发展的规律，一下子投资进去，风险相当的大的。对任何一个新兴的行业来说，不是有资本投资就行了。投资是需要考虑回报和安全的，而且这也是我们的投资的主要目的，而且任何一个新兴行业的发展都充满了许多的不确定性因素。比如网络行业，刚刚开始发展的网络行业，行业内竞争与传统行业相比，并不激烈，而且前途一片光明。但是，竞争不激烈的同时，也存在着其消费市场容量非常有限，并且短期内增长有限。那么，盲目的安排大资金进入，就非常危险，不要说赢利无法保证，而且资金的安全都成了问题。
根据事物发展的这一特性，我们应该如何规划投资战略呢？在充分考虑到全球或区域经济环境的前提下，充分、深入认识行业发展的规律，来逐步安排投资。比如，在投资一个新兴行业，或是一项陌生的投资领域时，可以小额的进行投资，以便先期积累行业发展的经验。以后根据行业发展的具体情况，再逐步增加或撤消投资。这样，既能充分把握新的、未知的领域所蕴藏的机遇，又能有效的规避风险。一旦将来整体形势发展不好，也可以很快退出。如果形势和前景良好，则因为有了前期的经验和技术、人才等积累，能够很快的形成规模，比别人快一步抢占市场份额。
中环集团总裁翁明显便是遵循这一规律经营事业的成功范例。在1996年，翁明显投资Junglee十万美元，是他首次投资网络相关产业。这十万美元，在Junglee并入亚马逊书店(Amazon.com)后换成了四万股亚马逊股票，翁明显在1998年卖出，为他带来新台币三亿元的报酬。翁明显说，当你踏入一个新领域时要慢慢来，万事起头难，一开始总是要缴学费的。
天地万物循环周期运动的规律
事物的发展并不是简单的由小到大、再到消失的抛物线，它是一个复杂，甚至是一个曲折的过程。单从一个行业的整个生命周期来看，它基本像一条抛物线轨迹。但深入到具体层面来看，则它将呈现出许多大小不同的循环层叠嵌套的情形。比如，房地产业，它就呈现出非常明显的周期规律。房地产业的开发、发展模式由于受银行宏观调控政策和通货膨胀等许多因素影响，因此会呈现出短期的反复起伏。但，从长期而言，它却是随着城市人口的增长逐渐发展的。
从宏观的角度看，小到企业、企业的发展，大到国家的发展都呈现出这样一种规律。韩国三星电子的首席执行官尹钟龙先生在CCTＶ的《对话》栏目接受采访时说：三星集团在三十五年前，没有人也没有技术，是从白手起家的。一开始不要说核心技术，连应用技术，产品设计技术都没有，不就是从一个组装技术开始的吗，然后有了产品设计技术，再有产品核心技术，经历了这些过程，其实这个过程，不只是企业发展，国家的发展也是同样的。英国的产业发展过程，是这样的，后来超过英国的美国和德国，也是这样的，之后的日本也同样如此，都是以五十年为周期。
正如上面我们所说，这种发展规律呈现出这样的不规则性，那么企业该如何来规避来自它的影响呢？我们先来看看两千多年前，范蠡在其著作《范子计然》里面如何论述的：面对周期性的自然灾害。根据自然界的变化规律，预先做好准备。再大的自然灾害都可以克服的。同样的，投资或是经营企业也是可以通过平时的储备来克服周期对企业造成的影响。
深圳华为技术有限公司总裁任正非，在2000年网络行业正在繁荣的形势下，在《华为的冬天》里预言了网络泡沫对全球IT业的深远影响。当时，在一片春光灿烂中，任正非如是说：“沉舟侧畔千帆过，病树前头万木春”。网络股的暴跌，必将对两、三年后的建设预期产生影响，那时制造业就惯性进入了收缩。没有预见，没有预防，就会冻死。那时，谁有棉衣，谁就活下来了。这样说，主要不是说谁正确预言了什么，关键在于企业家需要一个正确的居安思危的意识。当然，这个意识不仅仅是口头层面的，而必须向华为一样，有实际可行的操作方案，来避免、或减少客观环境的规律带来的不良影响。
向投资规律
从《范子计然》中，我们可以清晰的看到：仅仅是意识到积蓄储备应对客观规律带来的影响是不够的。在深入了解事物的发展规律以后，我们还可以利用这种规律进行反向投资。范蠡给我们说了这样一个故事：闹旱灾的时候，就要购进船储存起来；闹水灾时，就要购进车储存起来。夏天要买皮衣存起来，冬天要买丝衣存起来。有旱则有水，有水则有旱，过了冬就是夏，过了夏就是冬，自然界的事物都是循环的。在别人不用的时候，预先购进货物储存起来，待价而沽就叫做囤积居奇。这就是做买卖的道理。
著名的华人世界首富李嘉诚先生，就善于利用这个规律进行投资。在神州大地正处在文化大革命的非常时期，作为东方明珠的香港，进入了一个非常黑暗的时期。当时，谣言四起，在“遍地菠萝”及引爆“可疑物体”的恐吓声中，人心浮动，百业萧条，地产有价无市。许多人因为目光短浅，纷纷逃往美国、加拿大和东南亚等地，把工厂、商店、酒楼、住宅以极其低廉的价格出售。在这种动荡不安的形势下，李嘉诚却独具慧眼，坚信整个地区经济环境必然会在不久的将来好转。因此，它一面小心翼翼的控制财务，一面又利用这“千载难逢”的机会，充分利用经营塑胶工业的丰厚利润，把资金都投到地产上，以极低的价格购买了许多楼宇，不但为它赚进了天文数字般的财富，也为以后的发展积累了丰富的地皮储备。
阴阳运动---事物变化的内在因素
从事物的发展规律来看，无论是有形的事物如花鸟虫鱼，还是无形的事物，如市场价格、经济周期规律这样一些事物，它们的内在变化规律，都是在阴阳这两种对立力量的相互作用下发生的。比如，以股票价格的上涨、跌落来说：买入量和购买价格就是支持股票上涨的“阳”的因素集合；而卖出量和卖出价格就就是导致股票下跌的“阴”的因素集合，是这两个因素集合的综合作用力决定了当前的股票价格。
无论事物的内部构成如何复杂，都可以用阴阳这一概念来进行分解。如，企业发展停滞这样的问题，就可以用这样一对概念进行分析：首先，是行业发展的周期的影响，这个影响中，总体客户需求和购买力的发展趋势是阳的因素集，而总体产商供给产量和成本的发展趋势则又是阴的因素集；接着再看来自经营环境的影响，在这里面，对企业有利的所有因素，可称为阴的因素集，而对企业不利的所有因素，又称为阴的因素集；一切推动企业产品质量提高和提高管理效率的因素集，可称为阳的因素集，而一切阻挠企业产品质量提高和提高管理效率的因素集，则可称为阴的因素集。如此等等，可以无限细分下去。
其实，阴阳这一对概念，可以追溯到古代的阴阳思想。它通过将影响事物发展的因素划分为阴阳两个范筹，来圆融统一的概括、解释宇宙万物之间的变化关系。它的基本关系可以概括为阴阳的互相对待、互相依存、互相消长、互相转化等四个方面。这样，就从理论上给我们提供了改变事物的原则和方法，而我们也可以通过这一原则入手，就能改变事物的发展态势，为商业投资服务。
从事物的总体发展趋势入手，促使事物向有利于我的方向发展
从上面我们知道，事物是不断向前发展的，这种发展趋势就会相关的因素。这种规律表现在一个行业的变化上，就会对业内的所有企业和上下游厂商产生影响。比如，苹果电脑公司在个人电脑这个行业发展初期，在媒体上做宣传，在繁华的街区设立时尚的专卖店，使苹果电脑率先进入教育行业。这种行为，这种方式是会动整体行业的发展起有益的影响。包括苹果电脑、IBM电脑、微软和其他个人电脑生产商都会在相当长的时间内受益的。
当然，去创造客户需求，毕竟需要强大的实力，而且风险很大。相比之下，我们更崇尚引导、顺应整体行业的发展趋势，并从中得益。正当太平洋战争进行得如火如荼的时候，可口可乐也和一大批民用经济一样，陷入了前所为有的困境。一位回国述职的老兵的随意的一句话，让可口可乐看到了引导庞大的军用需求的机会。于是，它们开始展开宣传攻势，并将可口可乐与枪泡弹药相提并论。结果，五角大楼最终同意，不论在世界任何一个地方，凡有美军驻扎的地方，务使每一个战士都能以5美分喝到一瓶可口可乐。这样，可口可乐就随着美军的作战，深入到了世界的每一个地方。
阴阳的相互运动促使事物变化
对于商业投资来说，事物的状态受其内部阴阳两者的运动的影响。也可以说，它受事物内、外部的多种因素的共同影响。简单的说，就像供给需求原理一样：提高供给的价格和减少供给的数量，都会使价格上涨，而交易量减少。反过来也一样。改变事物就是这一样，任何一个部分的变化，都足以导致整体事物状态的变化。
《商道》里的有个故事，说的是林尚沃于1809年在北京进行了一场别开生面的人叁交易。当时，北京市场没有人叁，而朝鲜的人叁又都为林尚沃所垄断。于是，林尚沃就想借这一时机，将人叁交易的价格提高。当北京市场的商人，知道人叁价格为一斤40两白银时，便集体抵制人叁价格。提出让价格回落到以往的水平的要求。在离林尚沃回朝鲜的前两天，他不仅不理会北京商人们的抵制，还把价格提高到一斤45两白银.在没有一笔交易的情况下，林尚沃便在旅店院子里开始焚烧人叁。在烧了一半以后，北京商人终于投降了，不但按照林尚沃开出的价格买了剩下的人叁，还连被焚烧的人叁也以同样的价格购买了。最终，林尚沃通过改变人叁交易市场的供求关系，赢取了商业生涯中的一次辉煌。
天人合一---环境与我的利害关系
范蠡的思想体系同中国传统文化一样，非常注重个体与整体的相互关系。这也就是古人常说的：天人合一，意思是指从自然、社会、国家、人文等角度来看待个体在其中的位置和关系。最终通过充分考虑与各方的关系的前提下，来决定个体的行为。而个体则通过与整体系统的关系，将付出的代价最小化，而取得最大化利益。比如我们上面说到的经济周期循环规律，我们不是孤立、片面和一厢情愿的去根据我们自身的情况去改变客观现实，让现实来适应我们。而是，实事求是的从客观的角度出发，充分考虑整体系统的发展规律，最终利用客观规律去用最少的代价实现投资目标。
整体的自然、社会系统是一个与诸多的经济、政治、文化和科技等子系统互相作用的动态系统。它自身由于身诸多不确定性的因素的影响，因此它的最终状态也呈现出不确定性。比如，自然气候决定了陆地上的植物的荣枯盛衰，但反过来，大面积的植物也会影响着自然气候的稳定。事物的系统就是这样，大系统影响着诸多的小的系统，诸多的小的系统又反过来影响着大的系统。
在所有影响系统的因素中，由影响力最大的因素决定系统的主要状态。比如大自然的春夏秋冬四季，虽然它受陆地植被、环境污染程度等的影响，但对它影响最大的却是地区围绕太阳转动带来的影响。因此，它的主要状态就呈现出四季的差异来。但是，其他因素也对它产生了影响，因此在它在主要状态以外，也呈现出受其他因素影响的结果。比如说四季的气候异常等等。
诸如以上论述的，整体系统与个体系统是相互影响的，也就是说事物是可以改变的。比如，我们对投资项目的资金供给量的控制，也可以控制投资项目的发展趋势。它为我们改变自然提供了一个依据，比如我们说的引导客户需求，就是属于这样。但是，也不是说，人力的因素就能够决定事物的属性。就像人无力改变春夏秋冬四季的更替一样，它并非是不可以改变，而是人没有足够的力量去对它造成影响。但是，我们可以在顺应这种自然规律的同时，花费最少的力量去影响它的发展趋势，来为我们服务，却是可行的。
系统协作产生更大的价值
单一人或是一个群体的力量，创造的价值其实是非常有限的。与一个整体对比起来，它创造的价值是非常有限的。而许多事，我们想要做成，就不得不考虑与环境、社会、国家和其他竞争者的开放式合作。有一个关于范蠡运马的故事，则很好的说明了问题。当时，范蠡要把一大群马运到南方去，又怕半路上遇强盗。于是，他就把马卖给一个贸易商，那个贸易商去的地方，恰好的范蠡的目的地。后来，那些马帮贸易商把货物运到目的地以后，范蠡又把马卖了回来。这样，马匹既安全到达目的地，又一路有人照顾。
当然，个体系统与整体系统协作，产生更大的价值，是建立在对各方都有利的基础上的。1979年9月25日夜，香港长江实业集团主席李嘉诚宣布：长江实业以每股7.1元的价格，购入汇丰银行手中的22.4%的9000万普通股的英资财团和记黄埔有限公司的股权。此举被新闻界戏称为“蛇吞大象”，都认为是李嘉诚一举战胜了英资财团。其实，这是李嘉诚与英资财团，特别是汇丰银行的互利互惠的合作。他们经过考察，认为李嘉诚能够让和记黄埔发展更好，赢利更丰，因此就将手中股票转让给他。而李嘉诚只是取得经营权，未来能怎么样，需要看李嘉诚的出色经营能力。而最终的事实，不但证明了李嘉诚的卓越经营能力，而且双方都赢利颇丰，也证明了汇丰银行棋高一招。
万物和谐---万事万物的相溶共生
对于投资来说，集中于一个行业，虽然能够获取比较高的利润，但却不容易平衡同样高的风险。在一个国家或区域经济环境下，投资活动经常受行业周期、政治和整体国民经济的影响。如，1997年东南亚金融危机，它的主要影响区域主要在东南亚和对金融、外汇市场高敏感的行业。而全球的其他地方的许多行业，仍然没有受多大影响。这样的危机下，对于业务全球化的企业，所受的损失肯定比非全球化的企业要小得多。
不同的行业有着不同的经济周期，也就意味着有不同的投资回报周期。这样，在一个行业的投资赢利陷入低潮的时候，能够得到另一个行业的投资赢利的支援，这样不但能够平滑总体赢利，而且还能够对所有的行业投资有意想不到的助力。
不同经济周期互补，还需要考虑行业的关联程度。关联程度过高的多元化，就其本身而言，是达不到多元化的分散风险和平滑盈利的目的的。这样，一旦遇到周期性的影响，则很可能把整个投资全部拖垮。而且不要迷恋任何一项投资，而一旦你迷恋任何一项投资，你就无法理智的去进行判断。甚至还会因为挽救一项事业的而把所有事业搭进去。
对待投资项目的损失，要有必要的限度。任何投资都不会是一帆风顺的，一定会遇到困境。但是，在困境里面，有的困境是可以挽救的，而有的却是无法挽救的。如果对无法挽救的事业不采取顺其自然的态度，反而徒劳挽救，最终可能把庞大的多元化投资全部葬送。
以互补的经济周期来获取整体的发展
可以利用区域经济、不同行业的周期发展规律来分散、规避风险。不同的区域经济、不同的行业它们的发展周期是不一致的。有的发展周期长，有的发展周期短，有的处在发展的高峰时，另外一些却处在发展的低潮。这样，就可以利用投资的分散来平衡不同的发展周期带来的风险。
以整体来解决局部发展缺乏资金支持的瓶颈
投资分散的好处不止于此，它在于能够在众多的不同行业投资的支援下，可以集中优势资金发展一个行业。这就像下围棋一样，单独的一颗子是没有多大威力的，但是它一旦几个连在一起或是做成劫，就能发挥超常的整体力量。这样的整体力量，就会被赋予整体中的每一个点，任何一个点都能得到来自所有点的共同支援，这样就为它的发展提供了强有力的支持。
被英国《世纪大典》评为20世纪10名世界首富之一的清末商人王炽，可以说它的商业帝国就是沿着分散风险，以不同行业的利润互相支援这条轨迹发展的。王炽早先是以赶马帮起家的，马帮上了轨道以后，就开始向零售延伸。因为，马帮风险高，周期性影响大，因此开始涉足零售业，这样既可消化马帮运输带来的货物，为马帮带来稳定的业务；又可以为运输的货物卖个好假钱，更重要的是有了马帮的支持，就为进入零售业积累了资本。后来更涉足金融和矿山，都是从为了平衡各个行业风险的角度出发的。
人利我的选择
顺其自然，特别是顺应事物的发展规律，是寓意颇深的学问。日出月升，春去秋来，中国古代的人们很早就知道顺应自然环境，并利用自然来达成我们的目的。《苟子·王制》记载：春耕、夏耘、秋收、冬藏，四时不失时，故五谷不绝，而百姓有余食也。就是最早的通过顺应自然的发展，来发展农业的记载。其实，不仅仅是四季农时如此，天下的许多事物都是如此。如，整个社会的经济发展、人的生老病死、科学研究等都是。
顺应事物的发展，首先体现在对待事物本身的发展规律上。人只是自然界很渺小的力量，即使是整个人类社会在宇宙中也是微不足道的。而一个人在社会经济中，更是影响有限。那么一个人要在社会中生存、发展，就必须顺应事物的这种发展规律。如，栽种郁金香，必须正确看待这种植物的生长规律，然后根据其生长规律，来确定如何促使这种植物长大，开花。
在商业投资中，是不是花费巨额的资金和精力来打造一个投资项目，就能得到很好的结果。答案是否定的，因为这是一种外无视事物发展规律的低效率行为，而即使这样做了，也仍有可能失败。我们说顺应事物的发展规律，不但在于我们遇事要顺应事物的发展规律，而且还要善于利用这种规律来为我们服务，这才是效率最高、价值最大化的选择。比如，利用人才的事业心，来为我们共同的事业奋斗，这也是充分利用事物的发展规律和人才的发展规律的做法。
顺应事物的发展规律
在商业投资中，违反事物的发展规律后果是非常严重的。这个道理很简单，但在实际的商业投资生涯中，仍然有许多人明知故犯，结果让投资蒙受损失。其实，最重要的地方，不在于发现和应用这个规律，而在于在投资生涯中始终遵守这个原则，这是最重要的，也是最困难的。
曾经在中国金融市场有着赫赫威名的德隆国际，就是一个很好的例子。德隆曾经豪言壮志的宣称要以产业为基础、资本为纽带、金融为核心的模式，就是通过金融筹集庞大的资金支持产业发展。但实际上，它忽略了不同的行业之间的差异，特别是金融与实业之间的差异。金融行业的流动天然的要比实业流动要快得多。所以违反了事物的发展规律，最终付出了痛苦的代价。扶危定难，根据事物的发展，适时的纠正事物的不良发展势头。
成人之美，充分顺应人的发展意愿
在商业投资活动中，最困难的是与合作伙伴的相处。而每个合作伙伴都有自己不同的发展之路、资源和利益，这就需要公平的照顾每个合作伙伴的利益空间。最重要的是各取所需，不要去阻止合作伙伴的发展规律和意愿。比如，你和你的创业伙伴、或者是得力的员工之间。他们因为自身的发展，有了新的决定和安排。你强留他们可能会收一时之效，但却最终伤害了他们的利益，这样其实不利于双方长期的合作。
有一本书里讲了华人首富李嘉诚的一个有趣的故事。说有一次李嘉诚在董事会上讨论拿多少股份的问题，他说：我们公司拿10%的股份是公正的，拿11%也可以，但我主张州拿9%的股份。并且还说经商不是简单的1+1那么简单，你想拿11%反而发不了，只有拿9%，财源才会滚滚而来。从这里可以看出，华人首富李嘉诚充分考虑合作伙伴的利益的经营之道，这大概也是促使他成功的原因之一吧!
扶危定难，使事物朝有利的方向发展
适时对事物进行干预，纠正不良发展势头。顺应了事物的发展趋势，虽然是效率最高、价值最大化的方法。但有许多时候，事物发展仍会偏离目标。在这样的时候，就需要对事物的发展方向和趋势进行干预，纠正其不良发展势头，使其回到正确的轨道上来。比如，虽然我们为项目配备了良好的管理人才结构，但是其中一部分人仍然可能做出一些损害所有人的利益的人，这时就必须纠正这种行为。
历史上的范蠡，不但是春秋时越国政治家卓越的政治家，还是创造了无数财富且富可敌国的商圣。无论是作为政治家、还是弃官从商，都体现了它那因时乘势，不拘一体的思想风格。从它神话般的三聚三散成为天下首富的商业生涯中，不仅告诉我们物价的贵贱涨落，与供求关系的有余和不足息息相关，还能通过把握影响这些变化的各种因素，就能游刃有余，轻松自如的获取成功。
多元化、发展停滞、行业衰退和经济危机带来的影响
对于投资者来说，最大的梦魇莫过于像九七亚洲金融风暴一样的经济危机。整个社会性的经济衰退迅速波及到东南亚各国，一时之间所有的投资都大副缩水，导致大部分的投资者破产。
而相对于企业的战略决策者而言，如何规避经济衰退带来的影响和行业衰退、发展停滞带来问题，成了首要思考的问题。
范蠡的投资理念，植根于中国古代道家思想和《周易》的圜道思想。它的思想不但充满了对客观现实的充分尊重和利用，还强调把自身作为整体系统的子系统来看待，真正达达到了从战略意义上的利润最大化。
《吕式春秋·圜道篇》曰：“日夜一周，圜道也。”，日往则月来，月往则日来，日月相推而明生焉。寒往则暑来，暑往则寒来，寒暑相推而岁成焉。范蠡认为，天时、气节随“阴”“阳”的运动而变化，商业活动的兴衰也在不断的呈周而复始的循环。对待投资，涉足一个行业，都要从整体行业和经济循环的角度来看，以决定在有利的时机、并采取适宜的策略，创造有力的条件，使形势朝着有利的方向转化。
万事万物均有阴阳盛衰的变化趋势，就是事物妖祥之兆，抓住了它，就掌握了事物吉凶变化的规律。而影响事物变化的原因归根结底，就是阴阳运动，由阴阳两种属性的因素集合，共同主导作用于事物变化。比如，商品的价值是由其供给和需求决定的。那么供给的单位价格和数量就是属于“阴”属性因素，而需求的单位价格和数量就是“阳”属性因素。正是这两个因素集合的因素的共同作用和力量对比的变化趋势决定了当前物品的价值和未来的价值走向。
《范子计然》曰：“天下六岁一穰，六岁一康，凡十二岁一饥”。由此可见，范蠡把事物放在自然环境、社会、乃至经济系统的圜道循环中来看待。这样，通过研究事物内部阴阳运动和与外部自然环境中各要素的相互影响，就能有效的预见和利用事物发展的规律。比如，我们就可以利用这样的自然规律，天下大旱的时候，积绪买入舟船；而天下遭水灾的时候积绪买入木车。在事物需求还没有来到且价值不高的时候，买入；在需求来到，就可以买出，获取高额利润。
天地间生活着多种多样的动、植物和人类。它们不论是飞禽、还是走兽、或者是飞翔于天际，或游弋于大海，都有各自的兴衰生灭的周期。而且互相供养、依赖，而各得其所，最终都得到平衡、发展。而商业投资也一样，不同的行业、不同的国家、不同类型的市场，都有不同的发展周期，综合利用这种发展周期就可以平衡局部单一市场周期的风险。
事物的发展轨迹就像大江大河里面的水，它有着自己的发展规律。这种发展的规律，就像大禹治水一样，是挡不住的。反而是越挡得多，对自身越是危险。那么，不如顺应这种规律，并利用这种规律，即成全了事物，又成全自己。这就像商业中对待合作伙伴一样，把共同投资中的大部分利润放到自己的口袋里，就会挫伤合作伙伴的积极性，就没有下次的合作了。所以，在分配利润时，要根据各自投入多少，来公平的分配。这样，对自己和合作伙伴都有利，就能长久的合作，利润也就会源源不绝的持续下去。
天下巨商的独特秘决
天地圜道---经济周期循环的奥秘
每一个行业，都有它自己的发展规律。这种发展规律从内在而言，表现从生疏到熟练、从小到大、从投资到收获都有一个过程，并且是无法跳跃的必然过程；那么从外在而言，它则表现为一定的经济周期循环。就像经历了1927年美国经济危机的汽车工业，迎来了它发展的黄金时代。到了九十年代，又因日本汽车的影响，陷入了发展的缓慢时期，等到完成了汽车工业的再次变革以后，则又进入高速发展阶段；再从整体而言，它又具有自己的新兴、发展、成熟、衰退到退出市场的这样一个生命周期。
不同的行业，或是不同地域的经济环境下的相同行业，都有不同的经济发展周期。通过石油和旅游行业的比较，就能清晰的看到这样的事实：旅游业，特别是以风景人文为主的旅游区域经济，受季节和法定假期的影响比较大。而石油业，则主要受国民经济的影响和世界石油价格影响，它的发展周期则比旅游业要明显缓慢得多。再者，旅游业来说，不同国家和地区的旅游经济周期也不一致。比如说，中国东北的长白山旅游景区和东南亚的马尔代夫渡假胜地，长白山受季节性影响较大，而马尔代夫则受季节影响比较小。
我们看一个处于发展低潮的行业，对其影响力最大的因素就是供给大于需求。造成这种现象的因素或是因为整体发展环境的影响，或是因为生产厂商过多导致竞争过剩，或者是暂时性的投资风潮等因素的影响。但随着行业中一部分企业的放弃、破产和其他不利因素的影响力减低，缓解了供需矛盾的行业环境，将会再度冲向发展高潮。
事物的变化发展是一个螺旋上升的过程
任何事物的发展的过程，都有一个持续的阶段。这就像种植苹果树一样，不能说一种下去就能够开花结果。它需要一个时间，由小到大，并需要经历许多个春夏秋冬，长会长大、成熟。不根据这个规律来种植，则很可能出现成语“揠苗助长”那样的笑话了。投资生涯也一样，无论是投资一个行业还是投资一个企业，都有一个过程。你不能说IBM的总资产价值1000亿美元，你拿出1000亿美元明天就能组建一个IBM来。是的，拥有资本可以买来IBM的设备、厂房和部分人力资源，但仍有许多东西，诸如品牌、核心技术储备、与政府、公众和客户的关系等，你买不来。
投资的世界，未来充满了诸多的不确定性因素，不顾事物发展的规律，一下子投资进去，风险相当的大的。对任何一个新兴的行业来说，不是有资本投资就行了。投资是需要考虑回报和安全的，而且这也是我们的投资的主要目的，而且任何一个新兴行业的发展都充满了许多的不确定性因素。比如网络行业，刚刚开始发展的网络行业，行业内竞争与传统行业相比，并不激烈，而且前途一片光明。但是，竞争不激烈的同时，也存在着其消费市场容量非常有限，并且短期内增长有限。那么，盲目的安排大资金进入，就非常危险，不要说赢利无法保证，而且资金的安全都成了问题。
根据事物发展的这一特性，我们应该如何规划投资战略呢？在充分考虑到全球或区域经济环境的前提下，充分、深入认识行业发展的规律，来逐步安排投资。比如，在投资一个新兴行业，或是一项陌生的投资领域时，可以小额的进行投资，以便先期积累行业发展的经验。以后根据行业发展的具体情况，再逐步增加或撤消投资。这样，既能充分把握新的、未知的领域所蕴藏的机遇，又能有效的规避风险。一旦将来整体形势发展不好，也可以很快退出。如果形势和前景良好，则因为有了前期的经验和技术、人才等积累，能够很快的形成规模，比别人快一步抢占市场份额。
中环集团总裁翁明显便是遵循这一规律经营事业的成功范例。在1996年，翁明显投资Junglee十万美元，是他首次投资网络相关产业。这十万美元，在Junglee并入亚马逊书店(Amazon.com)后换成了四万股亚马逊股票，翁明显在1998年卖出，为他带来新台币三亿元的报酬。翁明显说，当你踏入一个新领域时要慢慢来，万事起头难，一开始总是要缴学费的。
天地万物循环周期运动的规律
事物的发展并不是简单的由小到大、再到消失的抛物线，它是一个复杂，甚至是一个曲折的过程。单从一个行业的整个生命周期来看，它基本像一条抛物线轨迹。但深入到具体层面来看，则它将呈现出许多大小不同的循环层叠嵌套的情形。比如，房地产业，它就呈现出非常明显的周期规律。房地产业的开发、发展模式由于受银行宏观调控政策和通货膨胀等许多因素影响，因此会呈现出短期的反复起伏。但，从长期而言，它却是随着城市人口的增长逐渐发展的。
从宏观的角度看，小到企业、企业的发展，大到国家的发展都呈现出这样一种规律。韩国三星电子的首席执行官尹钟龙先生在CCTＶ的《对话》栏目接受采访时说：三星集团在三十五年前，没有人也没有技术，是从白手起家的。一开始不要说核心技术，连应用技术，产品设计技术都没有，不就是从一个组装技术开始的吗，然后有了产品设计技术，再有产品核心技术，经历了这些过程，其实这个过程，不只是企业发展，国家的发展也是同样的。英国的产业发展过程，是这样的，后来超过英国的美国和德国，也是这样的，之后的日本也同样如此，都是以五十年为周期。
正如上面我们所说，这种发展规律呈现出这样的不规则性，那么企业该如何来规避来自它的影响呢？我们先来看看两千多年前，范蠡在其著作《范子计然》里面如何论述的：面对周期性的自然灾害。根据自然界的变化规律，预先做好准备。再大的自然灾害都可以克服的。同样的，投资或是经营企业也是可以通过平时的储备来克服周期对企业造成的影响。
深圳华为技术有限公司总裁任正非，在2000年网络行业正在繁荣的形势下，在《华为的冬天》里预言了网络泡沫对全球IT业的深远影响。当时，在一片春光灿烂中，任正非如是说：“沉舟侧畔千帆过，病树前头万木春”。网络股的暴跌，必将对两、三年后的建设预期产生影响，那时制造业就惯性进入了收缩。没有预见，没有预防，就会冻死。那时，谁有棉衣，谁就活下来了。这样说，主要不是说谁正确预言了什么，关键在于企业家需要一个正确的居安思危的意识。当然，这个意识不仅仅是口头层面的，而必须向华为一样，有实际可行的操作方案，来避免、或减少客观环境的规律带来的不良影响。
向投资规律
从《范子计然》中，我们可以清晰的看到：仅仅是意识到积蓄储备应对客观规律带来的影响是不够的。在深入了解事物的发展规律以后，我们还可以利用这种规律进行反向投资。范蠡给我们说了这样一个故事：闹旱灾的时候，就要购进船储存起来；闹水灾时，就要购进车储存起来。夏天要买皮衣存起来，冬天要买丝衣存起来。有旱则有水，有水则有旱，过了冬就是夏，过了夏就是冬，自然界的事物都是循环的。在别人不用的时候，预先购进货物储存起来，待价而沽就叫做囤积居奇。这就是做买卖的道理。
著名的华人世界首富李嘉诚先生，就善于利用这个规律进行投资。在神州大地正处在文化大革命的非常时期，作为东方明珠的香港，进入了一个非常黑暗的时期。当时，谣言四起，在“遍地菠萝”及引爆“可疑物体”的恐吓声中，人心浮动，百业萧条，地产有价无市。许多人因为目光短浅，纷纷逃往美国、加拿大和东南亚等地，把工厂、商店、酒楼、住宅以极其低廉的价格出售。在这种动荡不安的形势下，李嘉诚却独具慧眼，坚信整个地区经济环境必然会在不久的将来好转。因此，它一面小心翼翼的控制财务，一面又利用这“千载难逢”的机会，充分利用经营塑胶工业的丰厚利润，把资金都投到地产上，以极低的价格购买了许多楼宇，不但为它赚进了天文数字般的财富，也为以后的发展积累了丰富的地皮储备。
阴阳运动---事物变化的内在因素
从事物的发展规律来看，无论是有形的事物如花鸟虫鱼，还是无形的事物，如市场价格、经济周期规律这样一些事物，它们的内在变化规律，都是在阴阳这两种对立力量的相互作用下发生的。比如，以股票价格的上涨、跌落来说：买入量和购买价格就是支持股票上涨的“阳”的因素集合；而卖出量和卖出价格就就是导致股票下跌的“阴”的因素集合，是这两个因素集合的综合作用力决定了当前的股票价格。
无论事物的内部构成如何复杂，都可以用阴阳这一概念来进行分解。如，企业发展停滞这样的问题，就可以用这样一对概念进行分析：首先，是行业发展的周期的影响，这个影响中，总体客户需求和购买力的发展趋势是阳的因素集，而总体产商供给产量和成本的发展趋势则又是阴的因素集；接着再看来自经营环境的影响，在这里面，对企业有利的所有因素，可称为阴的因素集，而对企业不利的所有因素，又称为阴的因素集；一切推动企业产品质量提高和提高管理效率的因素集，可称为阳的因素集，而一切阻挠企业产品质量提高和提高管理效率的因素集，则可称为阴的因素集。如此等等，可以无限细分下去。
其实，阴阳这一对概念，可以追溯到古代的阴阳思想。它通过将影响事物发展的因素划分为阴阳两个范筹，来圆融统一的概括、解释宇宙万物之间的变化关系。它的基本关系可以概括为阴阳的互相对待、互相依存、互相消长、互相转化等四个方面。这样，就从理论上给我们提供了改变事物的原则和方法，而我们也可以通过这一原则入手，就能改变事物的发展态势，为商业投资服务。
从事物的总体发展趋势入手，促使事物向有利于我的方向发展
从上面我们知道，事物是不断向前发展的，这种发展趋势就会相关的因素。这种规律表现在一个行业的变化上，就会对业内的所有企业和上下游厂商产生影响。比如，苹果电脑公司在个人电脑这个行业发展初期，在媒体上做宣传，在繁华的街区设立时尚的专卖店，使苹果电脑率先进入教育行业。这种行为，这种方式是会动整体行业的发展起有益的影响。包括苹果电脑、IBM电脑、微软和其他个人电脑生产商都会在相当长的时间内受益的。
当然，去创造客户需求，毕竟需要强大的实力，而且风险很大。相比之下，我们更崇尚引导、顺应整体行业的发展趋势，并从中得益。正当太平洋战争进行得如火如荼的时候，可口可乐也和一大批民用经济一样，陷入了前所为有的困境。一位回国述职的老兵的随意的一句话，让可口可乐看到了引导庞大的军用需求的机会。于是，它们开始展开宣传攻势，并将可口可乐与枪泡弹药相提并论。结果，五角大楼最终同意，不论在世界任何一个地方，凡有美军驻扎的地方，务使每一个战士都能以5美分喝到一瓶可口可乐。这样，可口可乐就随着美军的作战，深入到了世界的每一个地方。
阴阳的相互运动促使事物变化
对于商业投资来说，事物的状态受其内部阴阳两者的运动的影响。也可以说，它受事物内、外部的多种因素的共同影响。简单的说，就像供给需求原理一样：提高供给的价格和减少供给的数量，都会使价格上涨，而交易量减少。反过来也一样。改变事物就是这一样，任何一个部分的变化，都足以导致整体事物状态的变化。
《商道》里的有个故事，说的是林尚沃于1809年在北京进行了一场别开生面的人叁交易。当时，北京市场没有人叁，而朝鲜的人叁又都为林尚沃所垄断。于是，林尚沃就想借这一时机，将人叁交易的价格提高。当北京市场的商人，知道人叁价格为一斤40两白银时，便集体抵制人叁价格。提出让价格回落到以往的水平的要求。在离林尚沃回朝鲜的前两天，他不仅不理会北京商人们的抵制，还把价格提高到一斤45两白银.在没有一笔交易的情况下，林尚沃便在旅店院子里开始焚烧人叁。在烧了一半以后，北京商人终于投降了，不但按照林尚沃开出的价格买了剩下的人叁，还连被焚烧的人叁也以同样的价格购买了。最终，林尚沃通过改变人叁交易市场的供求关系，赢取了商业生涯中的一次辉煌。
天人合一---环境与我的利害关系
范蠡的思想体系同中国传统文化一样，非常注重个体与整体的相互关系。这也就是古人常说的：天人合一，意思是指从自然、社会、国家、人文等角度来看待个体在其中的位置和关系。最终通过充分考虑与各方的关系的前提下，来决定个体的行为。而个体则通过与整体系统的关系，将付出的代价最小化，而取得最大化利益。比如我们上面说到的经济周期循环规律，我们不是孤立、片面和一厢情愿的去根据我们自身的情况去改变客观现实，让现实来适应我们。而是，实事求是的从客观的角度出发，充分考虑整体系统的发展规律，最终利用客观规律去用最少的代价实现投资目标。
整体的自然、社会系统是一个与诸多的经济、政治、文化和科技等子系统互相作用的动态系统。它自身由于身诸多不确定性的因素的影响，因此它的最终状态也呈现出不确定性。比如，自然气候决定了陆地上的植物的荣枯盛衰，但反过来，大面积的植物也会影响着自然气候的稳定。事物的系统就是这样，大系统影响着诸多的小的系统，诸多的小的系统又反过来影响着大的系统。
在所有影响系统的因素中，由影响力最大的因素决定系统的主要状态。比如大自然的春夏秋冬四季，虽然它受陆地植被、环境污染程度等的影响，但对它影响最大的却是地区围绕太阳转动带来的影响。因此，它的主要状态就呈现出四季的差异来。但是，其他因素也对它产生了影响，因此在它在主要状态以外，也呈现出受其他因素影响的结果。比如说四季的气候异常等等。
诸如以上论述的，整体系统与个体系统是相互影响的，也就是说事物是可以改变的。比如，我们对投资项目的资金供给量的控制，也可以控制投资项目的发展趋势。它为我们改变自然提供了一个依据，比如我们说的引导客户需求，就是属于这样。但是，也不是说，人力的因素就能够决定事物的属性。就像人无力改变春夏秋冬四季的更替一样，它并非是不可以改变，而是人没有足够的力量去对它造成影响。但是，我们可以在顺应这种自然规律的同时，花费最少的力量去影响它的发展趋势，来为我们服务，却是可行的。
系统协作产生更大的价值
单一人或是一个群体的力量，创造的价值其实是非常有限的。与一个整体对比起来，它创造的价值是非常有限的。而许多事，我们想要做成，就不得不考虑与环境、社会、国家和其他竞争者的开放式合作。有一个关于范蠡运马的故事，则很好的说明了问题。当时，范蠡要把一大群马运到南方去，又怕半路上遇强盗。于是，他就把马卖给一个贸易商，那个贸易商去的地方，恰好的范蠡的目的地。后来，那些马帮贸易商把货物运到目的地以后，范蠡又把马卖了回来。这样，马匹既安全到达目的地，又一路有人照顾。
当然，个体系统与整体系统协作，产生更大的价值，是建立在对各方都有利的基础上的。1979年9月25日夜，香港长江实业集团主席李嘉诚宣布：长江实业以每股7.1元的价格，购入汇丰银行手中的22.4%的9000万普通股的英资财团和记黄埔有限公司的股权。此举被新闻界戏称为“蛇吞大象”，都认为是李嘉诚一举战胜了英资财团。其实，这是李嘉诚与英资财团，特别是汇丰银行的互利互惠的合作。他们经过考察，认为李嘉诚能够让和记黄埔发展更好，赢利更丰，因此就将手中股票转让给他。而李嘉诚只是取得经营权，未来能怎么样，需要看李嘉诚的出色经营能力。而最终的事实，不但证明了李嘉诚的卓越经营能力，而且双方都赢利颇丰，也证明了汇丰银行棋高一招。
万物和谐---万事万物的相溶共生
对于投资来说，集中于一个行业，虽然能够获取比较高的利润，但却不容易平衡同样高的风险。在一个国家或区域经济环境下，投资活动经常受行业周期、政治和整体国民经济的影响。如，1997年东南亚金融危机，它的主要影响区域主要在东南亚和对金融、外汇市场高敏感的行业。而全球的其他地方的许多行业，仍然没有受多大影响。这样的危机下，对于业务全球化的企业，所受的损失肯定比非全球化的企业要小得多。
不同的行业有着不同的经济周期，也就意味着有不同的投资回报周期。这样，在一个行业的投资赢利陷入低潮的时候，能够得到另一个行业的投资赢利的支援，这样不但能够平滑总体赢利，而且还能够对所有的行业投资有意想不到的助力。
不同经济周期互补，还需要考虑行业的关联程度。关联程度过高的多元化，就其本身而言，是达不到多元化的分散风险和平滑盈利的目的的。这样，一旦遇到周期性的影响，则很可能把整个投资全部拖垮。而且不要迷恋任何一项投资，而一旦你迷恋任何一项投资，你就无法理智的去进行判断。甚至还会因为挽救一项事业的而把所有事业搭进去。
对待投资项目的损失，要有必要的限度。任何投资都不会是一帆风顺的，一定会遇到困境。但是，在困境里面，有的困境是可以挽救的，而有的却是无法挽救的。如果对无法挽救的事业不采取顺其自然的态度，反而徒劳挽救，最终可能把庞大的多元化投资全部葬送。
以互补的经济周期来获取整体的发展
可以利用区域经济、不同行业的周期发展规律来分散、规避风险。不同的区域经济、不同的行业它们的发展周期是不一致的。有的发展周期长，有的发展周期短，有的处在发展的高峰时，另外一些却处在发展的低潮。这样，就可以利用投资的分散来平衡不同的发展周期带来的风险。
以整体来解决局部发展缺乏资金支持的瓶颈
投资分散的好处不止于此，它在于能够在众多的不同行业投资的支援下，可以集中优势资金发展一个行业。这就像下围棋一样，单独的一颗子是没有多大威力的，但是它一旦几个连在一起或是做成劫，就能发挥超常的整体力量。这样的整体力量，就会被赋予整体中的每一个点，任何一个点都能得到来自所有点的共同支援，这样就为它的发展提供了强有力的支持。
被英国《世纪大典》评为20世纪10名世界首富之一的清末商人王炽，可以说它的商业帝国就是沿着分散风险，以不同行业的利润互相支援这条轨迹发展的。王炽早先是以赶马帮起家的，马帮上了轨道以后，就开始向零售延伸。因为，马帮风险高，周期性影响大，因此开始涉足零售业，这样既可消化马帮运输带来的货物，为马帮带来稳定的业务；又可以为运输的货物卖个好假钱，更重要的是有了马帮的支持，就为进入零售业积累了资本。后来更涉足金融和矿山，都是从为了平衡各个行业风险的角度出发的。
人利我的选择
顺其自然，特别是顺应事物的发展规律，是寓意颇深的学问。日出月升，春去秋来，中国古代的人们很早就知道顺应自然环境，并利用自然来达成我们的目的。《苟子·王制》记载：春耕、夏耘、秋收、冬藏，四时不失时，故五谷不绝，而百姓有余食也。就是最早的通过顺应自然的发展，来发展农业的记载。其实，不仅仅是四季农时如此，天下的许多事物都是如此。如，整个社会的经济发展、人的生老病死、科学研究等都是。
顺应事物的发展，首先体现在对待事物本身的发展规律上。人只是自然界很渺小的力量，即使是整个人类社会在宇宙中也是微不足道的。而一个人在社会经济中，更是影响有限。那么一个人要在社会中生存、发展，就必须顺应事物的这种发展规律。如，栽种郁金香，必须正确看待这种植物的生长规律，然后根据其生长规律，来确定如何促使这种植物长大，开花。
在商业投资中，是不是花费巨额的资金和精力来打造一个投资项目，就能得到很好的结果。答案是否定的，因为这是一种外无视事物发展规律的低效率行为，而即使这样做了，也仍有可能失败。我们说顺应事物的发展规律，不但在于我们遇事要顺应事物的发展规律，而且还要善于利用这种规律来为我们服务，这才是效率最高、价值最大化的选择。比如，利用人才的事业心，来为我们共同的事业奋斗，这也是充分利用事物的发展规律和人才的发展规律的做法。
顺应事物的发展规律
在商业投资中，违反事物的发展规律后果是非常严重的。这个道理很简单，但在实际的商业投资生涯中，仍然有许多人明知故犯，结果让投资蒙受损失。其实，最重要的地方，不在于发现和应用这个规律，而在于在投资生涯中始终遵守这个原则，这是最重要的，也是最困难的。
曾经在中国金融市场有着赫赫威名的德隆国际，就是一个很好的例子。德隆曾经豪言壮志的宣称要以产业为基础、资本为纽带、金融为核心的模式，就是通过金融筹集庞大的资金支持产业发展。但实际上，它忽略了不同的行业之间的差异，特别是金融与实业之间的差异。金融行业的流动天然的要比实业流动要快得多。所以违反了事物的发展规律，最终付出了痛苦的代价。扶危定难，根据事物的发展，适时的纠正事物的不良发展势头。
成人之美，充分顺应人的发展意愿
在商业投资活动中，最困难的是与合作伙伴的相处。而每个合作伙伴都有自己不同的发展之路、资源和利益，这就需要公平的照顾每个合作伙伴的利益空间。最重要的是各取所需，不要去阻止合作伙伴的发展规律和意愿。比如，你和你的创业伙伴、或者是得力的员工之间。他们因为自身的发展，有了新的决定和安排。你强留他们可能会收一时之效，但却最终伤害了他们的利益，这样其实不利于双方长期的合作。
有一本书里讲了华人首富李嘉诚的一个有趣的故事。说有一次李嘉诚在董事会上讨论拿多少股份的问题，他说：我们公司拿10%的股份是公正的，拿11%也可以，但我主张州拿9%的股份。并且还说经商不是简单的1+1那么简单，你想拿11%反而发不了，只有拿9%，财源才会滚滚而来。从这里可以看出，华人首富李嘉诚充分考虑合作伙伴的利益的经营之道，这大概也是促使他成功的原因之一吧!
扶危定难，使事物朝有利的方向发展
适时对事物进行干预，纠正不良发展势头。顺应了事物的发展趋势，虽然是效率最高、价值最大化的方法。但有许多时候，事物发展仍会偏离目标。在这样的时候，就需要对事物的发展方向和趋势进行干预，纠正其不良发展势头，使其回到正确的轨道上来。比如，虽然我们为项目配备了良好的管理人才结构，但是其中一部分人仍然可能做出一些损害所有人的利益的人，这时就必须纠正这种行为。
Market Focus: Equity Strategy: Fire sale
The market is oversold, and poised for a rebound on cheap valuations. But uncertainties continue to lurk amidst a tough operating environment, as recession hits and job cuts continue to rise. The bears will prevail in 2009, and we expect the STI to trade within a band of 1250 to 2100 as it base-builds towards a more convincing recovery in 2010.
Poised for technical rebound off low valuations. Post the meltdown in October 2008, the market is cheap by all measures. At current levels of 1740, forward PE of 11x is close to the regional crisis low and dividend yields of 5.2% has surpassed previous lows of 3.5%. An expansionary budget to be unveiled in January 2009, coupled with optimism over Obama’s fiscal measures to boost the US economy are key catalysts for the rebound in 1Q09.
But the bear market persists. The economy is not out of the woods yet, and bad news from the corporate sector will cap performance. We expect the STI to trade within a range of 1450 to 2180. The low end of the range reflects a P/B from the mean, which is -2 standard deviations. This is consistent with recession year valuations.
Stick to survivors of the fittest with the tenacity to ride through this recession. These will be companies backed by relatively resilient earnings, strong cash flows, and cashed-up balance sheet. They are in a favourable position to acquire cheap assets as deflation runs its course into 2009.
Our preferred picks are SMRT, SIA Engineering, SPH and ST Engineering. We would sell asset plays including property and shipping companies on the rebound, as the process of de-leveraging will lead to asset devaluation in 2009. Distressed valuation levels will spur M&A activities, potential candidates can be found among technology, oil and gas and S chips.
Poised for technical rebound off low valuations. Post the meltdown in October 2008, the market is cheap by all measures. At current levels of 1740, forward PE of 11x is close to the regional crisis low and dividend yields of 5.2% has surpassed previous lows of 3.5%. An expansionary budget to be unveiled in January 2009, coupled with optimism over Obama’s fiscal measures to boost the US economy are key catalysts for the rebound in 1Q09.
But the bear market persists. The economy is not out of the woods yet, and bad news from the corporate sector will cap performance. We expect the STI to trade within a range of 1450 to 2180. The low end of the range reflects a P/B from the mean, which is -2 standard deviations. This is consistent with recession year valuations.
Stick to survivors of the fittest with the tenacity to ride through this recession. These will be companies backed by relatively resilient earnings, strong cash flows, and cashed-up balance sheet. They are in a favourable position to acquire cheap assets as deflation runs its course into 2009.
Our preferred picks are SMRT, SIA Engineering, SPH and ST Engineering. We would sell asset plays including property and shipping companies on the rebound, as the process of de-leveraging will lead to asset devaluation in 2009. Distressed valuation levels will spur M&A activities, potential candidates can be found among technology, oil and gas and S chips.
Dow tops 9,000 in classic late-December/early January rally. But now the harder work begins.
After a strong start to the new year in very light trading, Wall Street gets serious.
The weeks ahead will prove the true test, as market pros return from the holidays to digest a barrage of bad economic news, a smattering of corporate profit warnings -- and possibly a new economic stimulus plan.
But with many of the negatives factored in already and the market primed for near-term gains after 2008's battering - analysts say the advance could stretch out a few more weeks.
"In the short term, I think it's sustainable," said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services. "Investors are looking to the inauguration, a lot of tax-loss selling is out of the way, which is massive, and the recent advance, although on light volume, has been across the board."
But beyond that, he said it's likely Wall Street will drop back down to the lows of last November, or fall even further, as the focus on the recession resumes.
Stocks have rallied over the last week, experiencing the classic Santa Claus rally, as identified by the Stock Trader's Almanac. Almanac research shows the combination of the last five trading days of one year and the first two of the next has yielded an average return of 1.5% for the S&P 500 since 1950. So far, the S&P 500 has gained 7.3%, with Monday the last day of the period.
Labor market blues: In a heavy week of economic news, this week's big standout is the government's December unemployment report, due Friday.
Employers are expected to have cut 475,000 jobs from their payrolls after cutting 533,000 jobs in the previous month. The unemployment rate, generated by a separate survey, is expected to have risen to 7% from 6.7% in the previous month.
"Investors should be prepared for the worst in terms of the labor market," said Matt King, chief investment officer at Bell Investment Advisors. "The unemployment rate could rise to more than 7% this month and may go to 8%, 9%, or 10% in the year ahead."
Despite the scary numbers, King thinks investors have likely already accounted for this amid the deepening recession.
Separately, the ADP survey of private sector employment is due two days ahead of the national report and will also be in focus.
And on Thursday, the latest weekly reading on initial claims - the number of jobless who are filing for unemployment - is due out before the market opens and it is expected to continue showing steep increases.
On the docket
Monday: November construction spending is due shortly after the start of trading. Spending is expected to have fallen 1.2% in November after falling 1.2% in the previous month.
Monthly truck and auto sales figures are due throughout the session.
A hearing into the Bernard Madoff scandal -- which cost investors at least $50 billion - gets underway in the House on Monday.
Tuesday: The Institute for Supply Management's survey of the services sector of the economy is due shortly after the start of trade. The December index is expected to have dipped to 37 from 37.3 in November, remaining deep in recessionary territory.
The government's November factory orders report is due around the same time. Orders are expected to have fallen 2.6% after dropping 5.1% in October.
Data on November pending home sales, a leading indicator of housing market activity released by the National Association of Realtors, is due out at 10 a.m. ET. In October, he number of homes under contract to be sold fell by a mere 1% year over year. Analysts had expected pending sales to slip by 3.6%.
Also, the Federal Reserve will release the minutes from its Dec. 15-16 policy-making meeting. At that meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee established a target range for the federal funds rate of 0% to 0.25% and said it would likely keep rates at that level for some time.
Wednesday: The House Financial Services Committee meets to discuss how the next administration might make use of the remaining TARP funds, amid criticism that the $700 billion bailout has not been working.
Also Wednesday, a House panel holds an economic recovery plan hearing that will feature testimony from some of the nation's top economists.
Thursday: The nation's chain stores will be releasing December sales reports, giving investors a better sense of how badly the consumer has been hit amid the recession.
Separately, the Fed is slated to release its monthly consumer credit report at 3 p.m. ET. Consumer credit, a measure of consumer borrowing, for November is forecast to show an increase of $0.5 billion. In October, consumer credit fell by $3.6 billion.?
The weeks ahead will prove the true test, as market pros return from the holidays to digest a barrage of bad economic news, a smattering of corporate profit warnings -- and possibly a new economic stimulus plan.
But with many of the negatives factored in already and the market primed for near-term gains after 2008's battering - analysts say the advance could stretch out a few more weeks.
"In the short term, I think it's sustainable," said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services. "Investors are looking to the inauguration, a lot of tax-loss selling is out of the way, which is massive, and the recent advance, although on light volume, has been across the board."
But beyond that, he said it's likely Wall Street will drop back down to the lows of last November, or fall even further, as the focus on the recession resumes.
Stocks have rallied over the last week, experiencing the classic Santa Claus rally, as identified by the Stock Trader's Almanac. Almanac research shows the combination of the last five trading days of one year and the first two of the next has yielded an average return of 1.5% for the S&P 500 since 1950. So far, the S&P 500 has gained 7.3%, with Monday the last day of the period.
Labor market blues: In a heavy week of economic news, this week's big standout is the government's December unemployment report, due Friday.
Employers are expected to have cut 475,000 jobs from their payrolls after cutting 533,000 jobs in the previous month. The unemployment rate, generated by a separate survey, is expected to have risen to 7% from 6.7% in the previous month.
"Investors should be prepared for the worst in terms of the labor market," said Matt King, chief investment officer at Bell Investment Advisors. "The unemployment rate could rise to more than 7% this month and may go to 8%, 9%, or 10% in the year ahead."
Despite the scary numbers, King thinks investors have likely already accounted for this amid the deepening recession.
Separately, the ADP survey of private sector employment is due two days ahead of the national report and will also be in focus.
And on Thursday, the latest weekly reading on initial claims - the number of jobless who are filing for unemployment - is due out before the market opens and it is expected to continue showing steep increases.
On the docket
Monday: November construction spending is due shortly after the start of trading. Spending is expected to have fallen 1.2% in November after falling 1.2% in the previous month.
Monthly truck and auto sales figures are due throughout the session.
A hearing into the Bernard Madoff scandal -- which cost investors at least $50 billion - gets underway in the House on Monday.
Tuesday: The Institute for Supply Management's survey of the services sector of the economy is due shortly after the start of trade. The December index is expected to have dipped to 37 from 37.3 in November, remaining deep in recessionary territory.
The government's November factory orders report is due around the same time. Orders are expected to have fallen 2.6% after dropping 5.1% in October.
Data on November pending home sales, a leading indicator of housing market activity released by the National Association of Realtors, is due out at 10 a.m. ET. In October, he number of homes under contract to be sold fell by a mere 1% year over year. Analysts had expected pending sales to slip by 3.6%.
Also, the Federal Reserve will release the minutes from its Dec. 15-16 policy-making meeting. At that meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee established a target range for the federal funds rate of 0% to 0.25% and said it would likely keep rates at that level for some time.
Wednesday: The House Financial Services Committee meets to discuss how the next administration might make use of the remaining TARP funds, amid criticism that the $700 billion bailout has not been working.
Also Wednesday, a House panel holds an economic recovery plan hearing that will feature testimony from some of the nation's top economists.
Thursday: The nation's chain stores will be releasing December sales reports, giving investors a better sense of how badly the consumer has been hit amid the recession.
Separately, the Fed is slated to release its monthly consumer credit report at 3 p.m. ET. Consumer credit, a measure of consumer borrowing, for November is forecast to show an increase of $0.5 billion. In October, consumer credit fell by $3.6 billion.?
Year of the castrated bull?
We read with despair that an ox is a castrated version of a bull. This perhaps reflects our view of a sustainable upside only from 2H09 onwards. For the first half of the year, investors should remain defensive in all countries, as we expect datapoints to continue limiting risk appetite and result in more downgrades. Once this is fully and comfortably priced in, we recommend to start switching to the cyclicals that are unfairly price to generate negative returns for an unrealistic period of time. As it stands, the risk-reward ratio looks attractive, with an 80% probability for an upside to valuations and 20% downside. A few more months and it could get even better - that is when outsized returns can be made in equities.
5种男人受前列腺癌“青睐”
今天是父亲节，举家为爸爸欢庆自然是件好事，也说明健康是多么宝贵。
由于饮食、生活习惯的诸多改变，加之视觉与心理的刺激，一些癌症的发病率也变高。前列腺癌，正在慢慢“吞噬”5种男人。
第一种：肥胖
一项新的研究发现，与体重正常的人相比，肥胖男性患前列腺癌的风险高出一倍。
法国一所大学附属医院的研究人员，对194名前列腺癌患者和194名正在接受治疗的非癌性前列腺增大或良性前列腺增生（BPH）患者进行了研究。
这份日前发表在《英国国际泌尿科学杂志》的研究报告称，尽管单纯超重的男性患前列腺癌的危险并不一定会增加，但肥胖（BMI体重指数超过30）仍能使患前列腺癌的危险增加2.5倍。
由于饮食、生活习惯的诸多改变，加之视觉与心理的刺激，一些癌症的发病率也变高。
第二种：秃顶
秃顶男性患前列腺癌的概率是不秃顶男性的两倍。
研究发现，脱发可能是由青春期时的睾丸激素水平所导致，男性患前列腺癌的风险可能与体内的睾丸激素水平有关，这种隐患最早在青春期时就已藏“埋伏”。
第三种：性刺激
罹患前列腺癌的病因日前尚未有定论，但许多临床资料显示，此病与雄激素有关。
雄性激素分泌旺盛，造成体内激素失调后会引起病变，而激素分泌不只与饮食有关，外界的性刺激也可以使雄性激素分泌旺盛，这就包括了视觉与心理刺激。
第四种：性放纵
英国一项调查发现，男性年轻时性生活混乱，可增加日后患前列腺癌的机会。
这项调查指出，若男性在20岁左右时就有许多性伴侣，便会增加感染人类乳头瘤病菌（HPV）的几率。该病菌通常在几十年后引发基因突变，从而导致癌症。
第五种：上晚班
日本针对1万多名男性所作的一项10年跟踪调查显示，日夜颠倒、上晚班的男性，患上前列腺癌的几率是普通上白天班的3.5倍。
不规则的上班时间造成人体生物钟紊乱，导致具有抑制前列腺癌细胞增殖的褪黑激素分泌量下降。
游泳能提高抗病能力 有助前列腺炎症的消退
1 每天游泳半小时
美国最新报道称，男性每天游泳30分钟，患前列腺癌可能性比骑脚车、体操等运动低30％。
游泳能提高抗病能力，促进前列腺局部血液和淋巴循环，使前列腺液分泌更旺盛，有助于前列腺炎症的消退，也可让患者更好地吸收药物。
2 多吃豆类食品
豆类食品中的天然雌性激素可弥补男性自身的缺陷，而豆类中的雌性激素则对前列腺有保护作用。
3 多吃维生素
维生素D能抑制前列腺癌细胞的繁殖和分化，维生素D3对正常前列腺组织的生长和分化也起重要作用。
由于饮食、生活习惯的诸多改变，加之视觉与心理的刺激，一些癌症的发病率也变高。前列腺癌，正在慢慢“吞噬”5种男人。
第一种：肥胖
一项新的研究发现，与体重正常的人相比，肥胖男性患前列腺癌的风险高出一倍。
法国一所大学附属医院的研究人员，对194名前列腺癌患者和194名正在接受治疗的非癌性前列腺增大或良性前列腺增生（BPH）患者进行了研究。
这份日前发表在《英国国际泌尿科学杂志》的研究报告称，尽管单纯超重的男性患前列腺癌的危险并不一定会增加，但肥胖（BMI体重指数超过30）仍能使患前列腺癌的危险增加2.5倍。
由于饮食、生活习惯的诸多改变，加之视觉与心理的刺激，一些癌症的发病率也变高。
第二种：秃顶
秃顶男性患前列腺癌的概率是不秃顶男性的两倍。
研究发现，脱发可能是由青春期时的睾丸激素水平所导致，男性患前列腺癌的风险可能与体内的睾丸激素水平有关，这种隐患最早在青春期时就已藏“埋伏”。
第三种：性刺激
罹患前列腺癌的病因日前尚未有定论，但许多临床资料显示，此病与雄激素有关。
雄性激素分泌旺盛，造成体内激素失调后会引起病变，而激素分泌不只与饮食有关，外界的性刺激也可以使雄性激素分泌旺盛，这就包括了视觉与心理刺激。
第四种：性放纵
英国一项调查发现，男性年轻时性生活混乱，可增加日后患前列腺癌的机会。
这项调查指出，若男性在20岁左右时就有许多性伴侣，便会增加感染人类乳头瘤病菌（HPV）的几率。该病菌通常在几十年后引发基因突变，从而导致癌症。
第五种：上晚班
日本针对1万多名男性所作的一项10年跟踪调查显示，日夜颠倒、上晚班的男性，患上前列腺癌的几率是普通上白天班的3.5倍。
不规则的上班时间造成人体生物钟紊乱，导致具有抑制前列腺癌细胞增殖的褪黑激素分泌量下降。
游泳能提高抗病能力 有助前列腺炎症的消退
1 每天游泳半小时
美国最新报道称，男性每天游泳30分钟，患前列腺癌可能性比骑脚车、体操等运动低30％。
游泳能提高抗病能力，促进前列腺局部血液和淋巴循环，使前列腺液分泌更旺盛，有助于前列腺炎症的消退，也可让患者更好地吸收药物。
2 多吃豆类食品
豆类食品中的天然雌性激素可弥补男性自身的缺陷，而豆类中的雌性激素则对前列腺有保护作用。
3 多吃维生素
维生素D能抑制前列腺癌细胞的繁殖和分化，维生素D3对正常前列腺组织的生长和分化也起重要作用。
Fastest, most efficient way to get across the Causeway?
From Monday, you can get from Tanjong Pagar Railway station to Johor Baru (JB) for less than it costs you to get from Bukit Panjang to Punggol by train.
The standard train fare from Bukit Panjang to Punggol costs $3.20.
But, for just $3, you can hop onto the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to Danga City Mall in JB. The journey takes about 90 minutes, including time spent clearing immigration.
In a bid to provide alternative modes of public transport between JB and Singapore, trains which can carry up to 200 passengers will ply the route before continuing to Kempas Baru.
You can buy tickets at KTM stations. You can also book tickets online or through SMS.
But is the train the best way to get to your favourite shopping centres in JB?
Some, like undergraduate Hansel Chen, felt that the shuttle service was a good idea and would use it to beat the jam at the Causeway.
Others, like student Pang Meiqin, 20, who travels to JB twice a week to visit her family members, are less enthusiastic.
She said: 'I prefer to take bus service 950 because I can take the bus from the stop near my home in Woodlands, and the fare is less than $1 using my ez-link card. Furthermore, Danga City Mall is quite out of the way, and there are no other malls nearby.'
The New Paper checks out the various routes:
KTM train
Time taken: 90 minutes to Danga City Mall
Cost: $3
Advantages: The Tanjong Pagar railway station is just off the central business district. You also get to beat the frequent traffic jams at the Causeway and avoid the 200,000 commuters and motorists who use the Causeway daily.
Only an average of 300 people take the KTM train from Tanjong Pagar to JB daily.
There is only one stop at Woodlands for customs and immigration clearance.
Disadvantages: Miss your train and you are in for a long wait. There are only four trains departing from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station daily - at 5.35am, 7.40am, 2pm and 7.10pm.
When you reach Danga City Mall, you will have to take a five-minute taxi ride to malls like City Plaza and Plaza Pelangi.
Bus 950 from Woodlands regional interchange to Johor Baru checkpoint
Cost: $1.20
Time taken: 20 minutes (excluding time taken to clear immigration).
Advantages: It is the cheapest way to JB, with only seven bus stops along the way. The service runs from 5.30am to 11.30pm daily.
Disadvantages: If you do not live in the north, you would have to travel there to take the bus, which only passes by Woodlands and Marsiling.
Bus 170 from Queen Street to Larkin terminal
Cost: $1.60
Advantages: The service runs from 5.20am to 12.10am every day from Queen Street terminal to Larkin terminal.
Disadvantages: This is not the way to go if you have bulky luggage. The bus will not wait for you to clear immigration at the Singapore and Malaysian checkpoints, so you will have to keep taking all your belongings with you.
It is also a long journey as there are several stops along the way.
After clearing immigration, you can either walk straight into JB or hop on the next Service No 170.
You have to keep your bus ticket so that you don't have to pay again if you intend to catch the next bus 170.
Car
Time taken: Depends on the Causeway jam. It can take more than an hour if it is bad.
Advantages: Takes you straight from your doorstep to anywhere you want without the hassle of having to wait for public transport.
Disadvantages: Long waiting time to clear immigration with cars stuck bumper to bumper in heavy traffic at the Causeway.
The standard train fare from Bukit Panjang to Punggol costs $3.20.
But, for just $3, you can hop onto the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to Danga City Mall in JB. The journey takes about 90 minutes, including time spent clearing immigration.
In a bid to provide alternative modes of public transport between JB and Singapore, trains which can carry up to 200 passengers will ply the route before continuing to Kempas Baru.
You can buy tickets at KTM stations. You can also book tickets online or through SMS.
But is the train the best way to get to your favourite shopping centres in JB?
Some, like undergraduate Hansel Chen, felt that the shuttle service was a good idea and would use it to beat the jam at the Causeway.
Others, like student Pang Meiqin, 20, who travels to JB twice a week to visit her family members, are less enthusiastic.
She said: 'I prefer to take bus service 950 because I can take the bus from the stop near my home in Woodlands, and the fare is less than $1 using my ez-link card. Furthermore, Danga City Mall is quite out of the way, and there are no other malls nearby.'
The New Paper checks out the various routes:
KTM train
Time taken: 90 minutes to Danga City Mall
Cost: $3
Advantages: The Tanjong Pagar railway station is just off the central business district. You also get to beat the frequent traffic jams at the Causeway and avoid the 200,000 commuters and motorists who use the Causeway daily.
Only an average of 300 people take the KTM train from Tanjong Pagar to JB daily.
There is only one stop at Woodlands for customs and immigration clearance.
Disadvantages: Miss your train and you are in for a long wait. There are only four trains departing from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station daily - at 5.35am, 7.40am, 2pm and 7.10pm.
When you reach Danga City Mall, you will have to take a five-minute taxi ride to malls like City Plaza and Plaza Pelangi.
Bus 950 from Woodlands regional interchange to Johor Baru checkpoint
Cost: $1.20
Time taken: 20 minutes (excluding time taken to clear immigration).
Advantages: It is the cheapest way to JB, with only seven bus stops along the way. The service runs from 5.30am to 11.30pm daily.
Disadvantages: If you do not live in the north, you would have to travel there to take the bus, which only passes by Woodlands and Marsiling.
Bus 170 from Queen Street to Larkin terminal
Cost: $1.60
Advantages: The service runs from 5.20am to 12.10am every day from Queen Street terminal to Larkin terminal.
Disadvantages: This is not the way to go if you have bulky luggage. The bus will not wait for you to clear immigration at the Singapore and Malaysian checkpoints, so you will have to keep taking all your belongings with you.
It is also a long journey as there are several stops along the way.
After clearing immigration, you can either walk straight into JB or hop on the next Service No 170.
You have to keep your bus ticket so that you don't have to pay again if you intend to catch the next bus 170.
Car
Time taken: Depends on the Causeway jam. It can take more than an hour if it is bad.
Advantages: Takes you straight from your doorstep to anywhere you want without the hassle of having to wait for public transport.
Disadvantages: Long waiting time to clear immigration with cars stuck bumper to bumper in heavy traffic at the Causeway.
Detox diet - fact or fad?
An Internet search for the phrase "detox diet" will throw up thousands of websites offering a plethora of dietary products and advice.
Cashing in on the belief that the body accumulates harmful toxins over time, the majority claim to be able to cleanse your system while promoting weight loss.
Such diets are now part of the growing multi-billion-dollar wellness industry worldwide. Many pharmacies and health-care providers here say their detox-related services and products are proving to be popular.
null
Guardian Health & Beauty pharmacies said the chain has seen a "healthy growth" in sales of detox diet products like herbal supplement capsules and liquid formulas.
In March this year, Raffles Hospital began offering a four-week Weight Detox Programme to help patients eat right, lose weight and improve their overall health.
The programme has been seeing about three patients a month since it began, said a programme spokesman.
Players like slimming salons have joined in.
Ms Theresa Chew, chief executive officer of Expressions International, said that last year, at least 2,000 people here either signed up for her company's detox programme or bought one of its three-day detox diet starter kits.
She claimed that apart from reducing weight and cleansing the body of toxins, detox programmes help improve one's lifestyle.
"Most customers who detox for three to six months find that their appetite changes and their body no longer tolerates unhealthy food," she said.
What are detox diets and do they really work? Mind Your Body spoke to some advocates and critics.
What is a detox diet?
Diet detoxification is based on the idea that a change in one's diet can flush out the body's accumulated toxins.
Most detox diets involve increasing one's intake of fruit and vegetables, along with cutting out processed foods, red meat and reducing overall carbohydrate intake.
The increased fibre from such foods can supposedly improve a person's bowel movements, leading to the purging of waste from the digestive system.
Liquid meal replacements, or supplements, are often used in detox programmes. Some detox diets give instructions for meals that comprise only fruit and vegetables, or their juices, which a person is supposed to comply with ranging from a few days to a number of weeks.
Proponents say...
At the Nu.Reflections Medical Aesthetics clinic in Tanjong Pagar, Dr Ivan Tan offers a three-day detox diet programme that involves a low-calorie tea-syrup liquid formula as a meal replacement.
The formula, which has glucose and other nutrients like magnesium, sodium and potassium, is mixed with fresh lemon juice.
The lemon juice not only provides vitamin C but also serves as a mucolytic, that is, it helps break down stomach mucus and cleanses the intestines, he said.
"The intestine's mucus lining may be clogged up with a lot of toxins and impurities from the food we eat and the environment," he said.
"Once you cleanse your body of the toxins, you'll be healthier."
Dr Tan, who is in aesthetics practice, said that such low-calorie diets can help maintain a healthy weight. With the diet he promotes, a person's daily calorie intake is reduced to around 800 to 1,000 kilocalories, compared to the average person's daily caloric requirement of between 1,500 and 1,800 kilocalories.
He argued that while there are off-the-shelf detox diet kits, the success rate is much higher with professional counselling.
Ms Yondi Lee, a nutritionist with Ascension Healing, also advocates detox diet programmes for some of her clients. In the two years she has been running her business, she has helped about 100 clients with detox diet advice, the majority of whom are women aged between 30 and 60.
She tailors her programmes to the individual's needs, based on a diet and lifestyle assessment.
For elderly clients, or those with digestive problems, she advises against a rapid detox programme.
For most customers, she usually recommends a diet of fish, lots of fruit, vegetables and water, for about two weeks to a month. Nutritional supplements that support liver function, like vitamin B and C, can also be taken during this period, along with Western herbs like milk thistle and some amino acids.
"During this time of cleansing, it is important to make sure the liver is functioning well," she said.
Changing one's diet to a healthy one, she added, can help with health problems like high cholesterol, diabetes, insomnia and even stress.
Detractors say...
Doctors and dietitians contacted were all for a healthy diet. However, many were sceptical about the detoxifying claims of detox diets.
Dr Alexius Chee, a gastroenterologist in private practice, said: "There's no scientific evidence that these diets actually detoxify the system. It's a bit of pop science."
He said that while increasing your fibre intake can enhance your bowel movements and help clear your system, too much fibre can actually lead to constipation, especially if you don't consume enough liquids.
Drinking too much water as part of your detox diet can also cause water-intoxication and electrolyte imbalances, he said.
It can also cause your gut to become "lazy" and lose its tone through repeated liquid dieting.
"The human intestine is not like a pipe. It's always moving, secreting mucus and doing other things at the same time," he said.
"The idea that it can end up crusted and blocked is a myth."
Dietitian Nicola Porter, a consultant with Nutri-Style, a nutrition and image consultancy firm, is also critical of detox diets.
She pointed to how the human body already has its own system to detoxify itself.
"Our digestive system prevents bacteria and many toxins from entering the body and those that do enter are detoxified in our liver and excreted via our kidneys," she said.
She also said that detox diets tend to be very "nutrient and energy" restrictive and some are potentially unhealthy. She added that most of the weight lost from such diets is water and hence easily put back on once the diet is stopped.
Any sensible diet will promote the eating of more fruit and vegetables and the avoidance of unhealthy foods, alcohol and caffeine, she said. She also observed that many people think of detox diets around January, after they have indulged over the festive period.
"Some may find a detox diet useful to kick-start a healthy diet and to break the cycle of bad dietary habits. However, in reality, all you really need to feel better after a few weeks of heavy eating is a glass of tap water, a return to a healthy balanced diet and an early night," she said.
Cashing in on the belief that the body accumulates harmful toxins over time, the majority claim to be able to cleanse your system while promoting weight loss.
Such diets are now part of the growing multi-billion-dollar wellness industry worldwide. Many pharmacies and health-care providers here say their detox-related services and products are proving to be popular.
null
Guardian Health & Beauty pharmacies said the chain has seen a "healthy growth" in sales of detox diet products like herbal supplement capsules and liquid formulas.
In March this year, Raffles Hospital began offering a four-week Weight Detox Programme to help patients eat right, lose weight and improve their overall health.
The programme has been seeing about three patients a month since it began, said a programme spokesman.
Players like slimming salons have joined in.
Ms Theresa Chew, chief executive officer of Expressions International, said that last year, at least 2,000 people here either signed up for her company's detox programme or bought one of its three-day detox diet starter kits.
She claimed that apart from reducing weight and cleansing the body of toxins, detox programmes help improve one's lifestyle.
"Most customers who detox for three to six months find that their appetite changes and their body no longer tolerates unhealthy food," she said.
What are detox diets and do they really work? Mind Your Body spoke to some advocates and critics.
What is a detox diet?
Diet detoxification is based on the idea that a change in one's diet can flush out the body's accumulated toxins.
Most detox diets involve increasing one's intake of fruit and vegetables, along with cutting out processed foods, red meat and reducing overall carbohydrate intake.
The increased fibre from such foods can supposedly improve a person's bowel movements, leading to the purging of waste from the digestive system.
Liquid meal replacements, or supplements, are often used in detox programmes. Some detox diets give instructions for meals that comprise only fruit and vegetables, or their juices, which a person is supposed to comply with ranging from a few days to a number of weeks.
Proponents say...
At the Nu.Reflections Medical Aesthetics clinic in Tanjong Pagar, Dr Ivan Tan offers a three-day detox diet programme that involves a low-calorie tea-syrup liquid formula as a meal replacement.
The formula, which has glucose and other nutrients like magnesium, sodium and potassium, is mixed with fresh lemon juice.
The lemon juice not only provides vitamin C but also serves as a mucolytic, that is, it helps break down stomach mucus and cleanses the intestines, he said.
"The intestine's mucus lining may be clogged up with a lot of toxins and impurities from the food we eat and the environment," he said.
"Once you cleanse your body of the toxins, you'll be healthier."
Dr Tan, who is in aesthetics practice, said that such low-calorie diets can help maintain a healthy weight. With the diet he promotes, a person's daily calorie intake is reduced to around 800 to 1,000 kilocalories, compared to the average person's daily caloric requirement of between 1,500 and 1,800 kilocalories.
He argued that while there are off-the-shelf detox diet kits, the success rate is much higher with professional counselling.
Ms Yondi Lee, a nutritionist with Ascension Healing, also advocates detox diet programmes for some of her clients. In the two years she has been running her business, she has helped about 100 clients with detox diet advice, the majority of whom are women aged between 30 and 60.
She tailors her programmes to the individual's needs, based on a diet and lifestyle assessment.
For elderly clients, or those with digestive problems, she advises against a rapid detox programme.
For most customers, she usually recommends a diet of fish, lots of fruit, vegetables and water, for about two weeks to a month. Nutritional supplements that support liver function, like vitamin B and C, can also be taken during this period, along with Western herbs like milk thistle and some amino acids.
"During this time of cleansing, it is important to make sure the liver is functioning well," she said.
Changing one's diet to a healthy one, she added, can help with health problems like high cholesterol, diabetes, insomnia and even stress.
Detractors say...
Doctors and dietitians contacted were all for a healthy diet. However, many were sceptical about the detoxifying claims of detox diets.
Dr Alexius Chee, a gastroenterologist in private practice, said: "There's no scientific evidence that these diets actually detoxify the system. It's a bit of pop science."
He said that while increasing your fibre intake can enhance your bowel movements and help clear your system, too much fibre can actually lead to constipation, especially if you don't consume enough liquids.
Drinking too much water as part of your detox diet can also cause water-intoxication and electrolyte imbalances, he said.
It can also cause your gut to become "lazy" and lose its tone through repeated liquid dieting.
"The human intestine is not like a pipe. It's always moving, secreting mucus and doing other things at the same time," he said.
"The idea that it can end up crusted and blocked is a myth."
Dietitian Nicola Porter, a consultant with Nutri-Style, a nutrition and image consultancy firm, is also critical of detox diets.
She pointed to how the human body already has its own system to detoxify itself.
"Our digestive system prevents bacteria and many toxins from entering the body and those that do enter are detoxified in our liver and excreted via our kidneys," she said.
She also said that detox diets tend to be very "nutrient and energy" restrictive and some are potentially unhealthy. She added that most of the weight lost from such diets is water and hence easily put back on once the diet is stopped.
Any sensible diet will promote the eating of more fruit and vegetables and the avoidance of unhealthy foods, alcohol and caffeine, she said. She also observed that many people think of detox diets around January, after they have indulged over the festive period.
"Some may find a detox diet useful to kick-start a healthy diet and to break the cycle of bad dietary habits. However, in reality, all you really need to feel better after a few weeks of heavy eating is a glass of tap water, a return to a healthy balanced diet and an early night," she said.
黄海:知识到了最高境界 其实是相通的
前国会议员黄海年轻时候的履历表内容丰富。他先在美国和新加坡商学院任教，后来离开大学到商场吸取实战经验，曾任职于华侨银行的温兄弟和虎豹企业。他也是前南洋理工大学商学院院长。
黄海的下半部人生，一样精彩。50岁以后，仍然孜孜不倦，学习华文、中医，以15年时间考获中医药学博士，并且开设中医诊所，启动文化论坛，致力于中华文化的探索和传扬。黄海在牛车水开设的“仁海堂诊所”近日将正式开张。他接受本报专访，畅谈从“英文人”转为“华文人”，学习华文和中医的历程和想法。
■记者：黄教授，语文，你掌握了英文和华文；学问，你从工程、经济，到中医药；工作，你从大学教授、企业总裁，到中医师。你的人生经历这么多转折，请问你是怎样掌握这些迥然不同的范畴？
■黄海：我从小喜欢读书，学习对我来说，是一件快乐的事，也是我的爱好，我对不同领域的学问有好奇心，很有去探究的兴趣。走过这大半生，学习了这么多，我认为知识到了最高境界，其实是相通的。在中医学里有哲学、文学、社会学、管理学、医学，不同领域的学问实为一体。苏东坡就是一位文学家、美食家，还是一位中医师。我的硕士论文研究对象嵇康，更是魏晋南北朝动乱时代，其中一位最杰出的文学家和思想家。他写的《养生论》和《答养生难》，继承了老庄思想和中医养生道理，我是读了他的作品，才建立起现在这套养生理论。最近我在美国认识一个德国人，他什么都会，也在学中医，也有意了解更多有关中医的知识。所以，我认为所有学问都是相通的、相关的，并非迥然不同，各自独立。
■记者：你是“英文人”，50岁才开始学华文，有困难吗？
■黄海：困难是一定有的。最辛苦的是年纪大了，记忆力衰退，很多生字，字典查过了，认识了，可是很快就忘记了，字也写不出来。幸好我有一群讲华语的好朋友，大家经常见面聊天，很多生字生词是这样记住的。我认为学习任何东西，兴趣最重要。就像学滑雪那样，也是很困难。初学者会不断跌倒，必须不断爬起来，一试再试，才能掌握滑雪的技巧，没有兴趣的话，很快就会放弃。我对中华文化一直很有兴趣，从前用英文读《红楼梦》、《水浒传》、《唐诗三百首》，可是总觉得不够味。直到50岁那年，才下定决心，利用两个月假期，到北京大学语言中心去学华文。
这两个月学习非常有用。从北京浸濡回来，我竟然可以读《联合早报》了。虽然我的词汇量还不够，却已经不再恐惧华文报纸。我继续请老师补习华文，那年12月，我报名参加汉语水平考试，通过了中级试，表示已经有了入读中国大学的语文资格。第二年我再去北京语言大学浸濡两个月，回来，通过了汉语水平考试的高级试。1997年在新加坡中医学院报名读中医学士课程前，我特地到北京中医药大学去请老师讲学、补习，做好开始钻研中医的准备。可是后来，还是觉得华文水平不够，不能了解中医学深奥的理论，才再去新跃大学选读了和中国北京师范大学合办的汉语言文学学士和硕士课程。
2005年硕士快读完，我开始在北京中医药大学进修博士课程。论文交了，答辩也顺利过关了，题目是《以西方科学哲学角度探讨中医核心理论的哲学范畴》。论文同时将翻译成英文出版，向西方科学家传播中医理论的科学性。
■记者：你怎么兴起学中医的念头呢？
■黄海：因为过劳和饮食不当，有个时期我的身体很差，肾阳虚，脾气虚，经常生病，感冒咳嗽久久不好，吃了太多抗生素，身体更伤。后来，我去看中医，经过中医药促进会会长谢木昌医师的调理，我的身体逐渐好转，这引起我学中医的兴趣。谢医师建议我何不去中医学院听课，了解中医理论。我去旁听了几课，觉得很有趣味，就报名做起学生。没想到一晃过了六年，成了执业中医师。学中医，我把身体养好，还把华文学好，这是我始料不及的。
■记者：你交给北师大的学士论文谈《水浒传》的“义气”，对今天中国政商界的影响，可以谈谈吗？
■黄海：我认为《水浒传》的主要思想内涵是个“义”字，小说强调的是“义气”，而从古至今，讲义气就是中国人的文化特点之一，它的根源是儒家思想里的“仁义”。梁山好汉是一群讲义气的人，他们之间的密切关系，和今天中国各种团体人与人之间的关系是一类型的。我认为中国政商界常见的“关系”现象，就来自“义气”，而不是送礼请客那么简单。两方讲“义气”，就有了好的“关系”，在社会上有了好“关系”，一切事情就好办了。
上世纪70年代，中美建交后，很多美国跨国公司陆续到中国投资。他们在中国营运的状况，显然和很多华侨在中国建立事业的情况不同。美国人开始研究之间的歧异，发现在中国事业辉煌的华侨，如香港的李嘉诚、霍英东，泰国的谢国明，还有马来西亚的郭鹤年，都和中国政商界建立了绵密的“关系网络”。欧美商学院的学者，开始热衷研究中国商界的“关系学”，至今乐此不疲。
他们主要以商学理论和个案研究方式，来了解中国“关系学”的意义和使用。我的论文的角度和他们不同，我是从文学的眼光来看“关系”，通过研究《水浒传》里的思想内涵，以及《论语》和《孟子》中的儒家思想，来分析“关系”的渊源。我把阅读《水浒传》，对梁山好汉能为彼此两肋插刀的崇高义气的感受，和我平日与中国政商界的接触、我对“关系”的体会结合来谈。
我现在兼职为南大硕士班的学生讲企业管理，主要教他们中国文化和中国管理哲学。“南洋学子（Nanyang Fellows）”班的学生，很多来自越南、印尼、缅甸、印度、巴基斯坦，他们都是国家有潜质的未来领导人。我告诉他们中国儒家文化“礼义廉耻忠孝仁爱诚信和平”等价值观，都是现代企业的管理哲学。对工作的企业忠心，对合作伙伴有义气、讲究诚信，对下属仁爱，人与人相处以和为贵，这些难道不是现代企业追求的至善境界吗？
■记者：你的硕士论文谈嵇康的养生思想与其文学创作，又集合了你学中医的体会。
■黄海：我研究嵇康，发现了他写的《养生论》和《答养生难》两篇文章，于是决定把他的文学创作和养生思想牵在一起，这是一般研究嵇康者所没有采用的角度。我认为嵇康的养生思想是他继承了老庄思想并加入了汉代中医养生道理，通过自己的高峻人格和魏晋时代黑暗世界精神压迫碰撞而升华的。他毕生追求自由自在、闲适愉悦，与自然相亲的理想境界。可惜他疾恶如仇、刚肠傲气，豪放不羁，终使他难逃死于非命的厄运。
我认为他的医学学问虽然渊博，却忽略了社会就像一个人体，体中有阴阳对立、阴阳互根的必然。道家属阴，儒家属阳，两者看似对立，应是互补。嵇康“越名教任自然”的思想，可看做是以阴克阳的过盛，但要使社会达到平衡，不宜完全排斥名教。如果嵇康了解儒道虽然对立，却必须共存，人生应该追求两者平衡，阴阳调和，他也许就能避过灾祸。
■记者：你因此常以能不能“阴阳调和”来给现代企业看病。
■黄海：是的。“阴阳调和”不只适用于管理企业，还适用于国家管理、社会管理。东亚社会重视阴阳调和，刚柔并济，这实在是个大学问，在中国、日本、韩国都很讲究。日本人处事偏阴，说话很间接、含蓄；韩国人处事偏阳，处事比较火爆。中国人处事有阴有阳，和他们相处，分寸要懂得拿捏。我认为偏阴、偏阳，并没有好坏，要看时况。风平浪静的时候可以用阳刚处理法，强硬、透明度高；波涛汹涌的时候则要偏阴，身段放软，灵活处理也许才是最好的方法。我感觉美国候任总统奥巴马有阴阳调和的能力，他可以把两种完全不同的意见糅合在一起处理，刚柔相济其实是管理的最高境界。
我给南大硕士生讲课，经常用中医诊断法来看企业的病，他们对我这个讲法很有兴趣。给他们出题做文章，六条题目，有25%的学生选择跟中医管理法有关的题目，让我很高兴。
黄海小档案
● 纽西兰肯特伯里大学工程学士、美国哈佛大学公共行政硕士、美国卡内基梅隆大学经济学博士，曾任教于全美商学院第一的美国西北大学凯洛格商学院和新加坡国立大学商学院。
● 上世纪80年代离开大学，到华侨银行的温兄弟和虎豹企业担任总经理和总裁。
● 1987年至1991年从政，为勿洛集选区国会议员。
● 1994年到北京大学华语中心学习华文。2004年考取新加坡管理学院开放大学部门（现是新跃大学）北京师范大学汉语言文学学士。2006年取得北师大硕士。
● 1997年学中医。2004年成为执业中医师。今年开设中医诊所，并考取北京中医药大学博士学位。
● 前南洋理工大学商学院研究院院长和南大商学院院长。现仍在南大兼职。
黄海的下半部人生，一样精彩。50岁以后，仍然孜孜不倦，学习华文、中医，以15年时间考获中医药学博士，并且开设中医诊所，启动文化论坛，致力于中华文化的探索和传扬。黄海在牛车水开设的“仁海堂诊所”近日将正式开张。他接受本报专访，畅谈从“英文人”转为“华文人”，学习华文和中医的历程和想法。
■记者：黄教授，语文，你掌握了英文和华文；学问，你从工程、经济，到中医药；工作，你从大学教授、企业总裁，到中医师。你的人生经历这么多转折，请问你是怎样掌握这些迥然不同的范畴？
■黄海：我从小喜欢读书，学习对我来说，是一件快乐的事，也是我的爱好，我对不同领域的学问有好奇心，很有去探究的兴趣。走过这大半生，学习了这么多，我认为知识到了最高境界，其实是相通的。在中医学里有哲学、文学、社会学、管理学、医学，不同领域的学问实为一体。苏东坡就是一位文学家、美食家，还是一位中医师。我的硕士论文研究对象嵇康，更是魏晋南北朝动乱时代，其中一位最杰出的文学家和思想家。他写的《养生论》和《答养生难》，继承了老庄思想和中医养生道理，我是读了他的作品，才建立起现在这套养生理论。最近我在美国认识一个德国人，他什么都会，也在学中医，也有意了解更多有关中医的知识。所以，我认为所有学问都是相通的、相关的，并非迥然不同，各自独立。
■记者：你是“英文人”，50岁才开始学华文，有困难吗？
■黄海：困难是一定有的。最辛苦的是年纪大了，记忆力衰退，很多生字，字典查过了，认识了，可是很快就忘记了，字也写不出来。幸好我有一群讲华语的好朋友，大家经常见面聊天，很多生字生词是这样记住的。我认为学习任何东西，兴趣最重要。就像学滑雪那样，也是很困难。初学者会不断跌倒，必须不断爬起来，一试再试，才能掌握滑雪的技巧，没有兴趣的话，很快就会放弃。我对中华文化一直很有兴趣，从前用英文读《红楼梦》、《水浒传》、《唐诗三百首》，可是总觉得不够味。直到50岁那年，才下定决心，利用两个月假期，到北京大学语言中心去学华文。
这两个月学习非常有用。从北京浸濡回来，我竟然可以读《联合早报》了。虽然我的词汇量还不够，却已经不再恐惧华文报纸。我继续请老师补习华文，那年12月，我报名参加汉语水平考试，通过了中级试，表示已经有了入读中国大学的语文资格。第二年我再去北京语言大学浸濡两个月，回来，通过了汉语水平考试的高级试。1997年在新加坡中医学院报名读中医学士课程前，我特地到北京中医药大学去请老师讲学、补习，做好开始钻研中医的准备。可是后来，还是觉得华文水平不够，不能了解中医学深奥的理论，才再去新跃大学选读了和中国北京师范大学合办的汉语言文学学士和硕士课程。
2005年硕士快读完，我开始在北京中医药大学进修博士课程。论文交了，答辩也顺利过关了，题目是《以西方科学哲学角度探讨中医核心理论的哲学范畴》。论文同时将翻译成英文出版，向西方科学家传播中医理论的科学性。
■记者：你怎么兴起学中医的念头呢？
■黄海：因为过劳和饮食不当，有个时期我的身体很差，肾阳虚，脾气虚，经常生病，感冒咳嗽久久不好，吃了太多抗生素，身体更伤。后来，我去看中医，经过中医药促进会会长谢木昌医师的调理，我的身体逐渐好转，这引起我学中医的兴趣。谢医师建议我何不去中医学院听课，了解中医理论。我去旁听了几课，觉得很有趣味，就报名做起学生。没想到一晃过了六年，成了执业中医师。学中医，我把身体养好，还把华文学好，这是我始料不及的。
■记者：你交给北师大的学士论文谈《水浒传》的“义气”，对今天中国政商界的影响，可以谈谈吗？
■黄海：我认为《水浒传》的主要思想内涵是个“义”字，小说强调的是“义气”，而从古至今，讲义气就是中国人的文化特点之一，它的根源是儒家思想里的“仁义”。梁山好汉是一群讲义气的人，他们之间的密切关系，和今天中国各种团体人与人之间的关系是一类型的。我认为中国政商界常见的“关系”现象，就来自“义气”，而不是送礼请客那么简单。两方讲“义气”，就有了好的“关系”，在社会上有了好“关系”，一切事情就好办了。
上世纪70年代，中美建交后，很多美国跨国公司陆续到中国投资。他们在中国营运的状况，显然和很多华侨在中国建立事业的情况不同。美国人开始研究之间的歧异，发现在中国事业辉煌的华侨，如香港的李嘉诚、霍英东，泰国的谢国明，还有马来西亚的郭鹤年，都和中国政商界建立了绵密的“关系网络”。欧美商学院的学者，开始热衷研究中国商界的“关系学”，至今乐此不疲。
他们主要以商学理论和个案研究方式，来了解中国“关系学”的意义和使用。我的论文的角度和他们不同，我是从文学的眼光来看“关系”，通过研究《水浒传》里的思想内涵，以及《论语》和《孟子》中的儒家思想，来分析“关系”的渊源。我把阅读《水浒传》，对梁山好汉能为彼此两肋插刀的崇高义气的感受，和我平日与中国政商界的接触、我对“关系”的体会结合来谈。
我现在兼职为南大硕士班的学生讲企业管理，主要教他们中国文化和中国管理哲学。“南洋学子（Nanyang Fellows）”班的学生，很多来自越南、印尼、缅甸、印度、巴基斯坦，他们都是国家有潜质的未来领导人。我告诉他们中国儒家文化“礼义廉耻忠孝仁爱诚信和平”等价值观，都是现代企业的管理哲学。对工作的企业忠心，对合作伙伴有义气、讲究诚信，对下属仁爱，人与人相处以和为贵，这些难道不是现代企业追求的至善境界吗？
■记者：你的硕士论文谈嵇康的养生思想与其文学创作，又集合了你学中医的体会。
■黄海：我研究嵇康，发现了他写的《养生论》和《答养生难》两篇文章，于是决定把他的文学创作和养生思想牵在一起，这是一般研究嵇康者所没有采用的角度。我认为嵇康的养生思想是他继承了老庄思想并加入了汉代中医养生道理，通过自己的高峻人格和魏晋时代黑暗世界精神压迫碰撞而升华的。他毕生追求自由自在、闲适愉悦，与自然相亲的理想境界。可惜他疾恶如仇、刚肠傲气，豪放不羁，终使他难逃死于非命的厄运。
我认为他的医学学问虽然渊博，却忽略了社会就像一个人体，体中有阴阳对立、阴阳互根的必然。道家属阴，儒家属阳，两者看似对立，应是互补。嵇康“越名教任自然”的思想，可看做是以阴克阳的过盛，但要使社会达到平衡，不宜完全排斥名教。如果嵇康了解儒道虽然对立，却必须共存，人生应该追求两者平衡，阴阳调和，他也许就能避过灾祸。
■记者：你因此常以能不能“阴阳调和”来给现代企业看病。
■黄海：是的。“阴阳调和”不只适用于管理企业，还适用于国家管理、社会管理。东亚社会重视阴阳调和，刚柔并济，这实在是个大学问，在中国、日本、韩国都很讲究。日本人处事偏阴，说话很间接、含蓄；韩国人处事偏阳，处事比较火爆。中国人处事有阴有阳，和他们相处，分寸要懂得拿捏。我认为偏阴、偏阳，并没有好坏，要看时况。风平浪静的时候可以用阳刚处理法，强硬、透明度高；波涛汹涌的时候则要偏阴，身段放软，灵活处理也许才是最好的方法。我感觉美国候任总统奥巴马有阴阳调和的能力，他可以把两种完全不同的意见糅合在一起处理，刚柔相济其实是管理的最高境界。
我给南大硕士生讲课，经常用中医诊断法来看企业的病，他们对我这个讲法很有兴趣。给他们出题做文章，六条题目，有25%的学生选择跟中医管理法有关的题目，让我很高兴。
黄海小档案
● 纽西兰肯特伯里大学工程学士、美国哈佛大学公共行政硕士、美国卡内基梅隆大学经济学博士，曾任教于全美商学院第一的美国西北大学凯洛格商学院和新加坡国立大学商学院。
● 上世纪80年代离开大学，到华侨银行的温兄弟和虎豹企业担任总经理和总裁。
● 1987年至1991年从政，为勿洛集选区国会议员。
● 1994年到北京大学华语中心学习华文。2004年考取新加坡管理学院开放大学部门（现是新跃大学）北京师范大学汉语言文学学士。2006年取得北师大硕士。
● 1997年学中医。2004年成为执业中医师。今年开设中医诊所，并考取北京中医药大学博士学位。
● 前南洋理工大学商学院研究院院长和南大商学院院长。现仍在南大兼职。
保持多钾少钠饮食习惯
研究证明，饮食中若是钠的含量过高，人体内钠钾的比例就会失衡，并因此有可能引发多种心脑血管病。增加钾的摄入量，能增强人们的抗癌能力。哪些食物含较多钾？慢性病患又应注意什么？
误区1、饮食中钠的比例较钾高
现代人一般爱吃一些较为精致、处理过的食物，包括火腿、蛋糕、饼干等，这些食物其实不宜多吃，原因是，许多精致食物的钠含量往往高出钾的5倍至10倍以上。
钠和钾都是人体所需的两种矿物质，医学研究证明人体内的钾至少应是钠的两倍。不过，现代人的饮食习惯却往往造成相反的结果。食物加工过程往往是增加了钠而少了钾。所以，含钾较多的饮食是那些未加工食物。
高钾蔬菜包括西兰花、香菇等。
研究证明，饮食中若是钠的含量过高，人体内钠钾的比例就会失去平衡，并因此有可能引发高血压、冠心病、中风、脑血栓等心脑血管病。同时，钠钾比例不当，还能诱发癌症。增加钾的摄入量，能增强人们的抗癌能力。专家说，癌症患者的饮食中如果有大量的钾如蔬菜水果，便有助于恢复钾钠的均衡状态，从而防治癌症。
近年来还有研究显示，每天吃一些香蕉可降低中风的危险几率，研究人员经长达12年的研究发现，每天吃1至2只香蕉，可使中风发病率减少40﹪。
虽然还没有人确切地知道，钾是如何防止中风的，但根据专家的说法，它也有助于清除血液中的钠。专家们认为，钾摄入量较多的人会清除血液中更多的钠，从而降低了他们的血压。因为降低了的血压最终降低了中风的危险性。
每天吃一些香蕉可降低中风的危险几率。
要改变人体内的钾钠比例，最好少吃含钠食物，多吃含钾食物，也就是说，在日常生活中，饮食习惯应保持多钾、少钠的饮食结构。
什么食物能够摄取到含量较高的钾？营养师吕莉菱说，许多蔬菜和水果都含钾较高，尤其是颜色较为鲜艳的蔬菜水果、如香蕉、柑桔、南瓜、枣、芒果、木瓜、石榴、橘子等都含较高的钾；其他如海产类食物，包括海带、紫菜、海藻，高钾蔬菜包括西兰花、菠菜、苋菜、菠菜、冬菇、金针菇、木耳等。多吃这些食物，可明显提高人体内钾的含量比例，纠正体内不合理的钠钾比例，使身体形成对癌细胞的高度抵抗力。
蛋糕、饼干等不宜多吃，原因是许多精致食物的钠含量往往高出钾的5倍至10倍以上。
误区2、慢性病患吃错水果
一些糖尿病、高血压、高胆固醇患者会为了摄取钾或其他维生素而吃错水果，必须记得的是，许多水果虽然钾的含量高，但所含果糖、饱和脂肪其实也不少，例如香蕉，虽然是含钾高的食物，但香蕉糖分高，糖尿病患者就不应多吃，摄取的分量不能太多。同时，香蕉最好不要空腹过量食用。患有肾炎、肾功能不全者，也不适合多吃。
糖尿病病人都知道，饮食应尽量少吃甜食，因此在选择水果上，不少病人以为类似杨桃之类的水果不甜偏酸，可多吃，但事实上，水果都含有一定量果糖，不可单凭口味带酸来判断果糖的含量很低。
对胆固醇过高的病人来说，水果和蔬菜虽然是很好的饮食选择，但有些高脂水果同样需要节制，包括榴梿、椰子、鳄梨等，这些水果也会增加血液中总胆固醇及“坏胆固醇”的含量。
误区1、饮食中钠的比例较钾高
现代人一般爱吃一些较为精致、处理过的食物，包括火腿、蛋糕、饼干等，这些食物其实不宜多吃，原因是，许多精致食物的钠含量往往高出钾的5倍至10倍以上。
钠和钾都是人体所需的两种矿物质，医学研究证明人体内的钾至少应是钠的两倍。不过，现代人的饮食习惯却往往造成相反的结果。食物加工过程往往是增加了钠而少了钾。所以，含钾较多的饮食是那些未加工食物。
高钾蔬菜包括西兰花、香菇等。
研究证明，饮食中若是钠的含量过高，人体内钠钾的比例就会失去平衡，并因此有可能引发高血压、冠心病、中风、脑血栓等心脑血管病。同时，钠钾比例不当，还能诱发癌症。增加钾的摄入量，能增强人们的抗癌能力。专家说，癌症患者的饮食中如果有大量的钾如蔬菜水果，便有助于恢复钾钠的均衡状态，从而防治癌症。
近年来还有研究显示，每天吃一些香蕉可降低中风的危险几率，研究人员经长达12年的研究发现，每天吃1至2只香蕉，可使中风发病率减少40﹪。
虽然还没有人确切地知道，钾是如何防止中风的，但根据专家的说法，它也有助于清除血液中的钠。专家们认为，钾摄入量较多的人会清除血液中更多的钠，从而降低了他们的血压。因为降低了的血压最终降低了中风的危险性。
每天吃一些香蕉可降低中风的危险几率。
要改变人体内的钾钠比例，最好少吃含钠食物，多吃含钾食物，也就是说，在日常生活中，饮食习惯应保持多钾、少钠的饮食结构。
什么食物能够摄取到含量较高的钾？营养师吕莉菱说，许多蔬菜和水果都含钾较高，尤其是颜色较为鲜艳的蔬菜水果、如香蕉、柑桔、南瓜、枣、芒果、木瓜、石榴、橘子等都含较高的钾；其他如海产类食物，包括海带、紫菜、海藻，高钾蔬菜包括西兰花、菠菜、苋菜、菠菜、冬菇、金针菇、木耳等。多吃这些食物，可明显提高人体内钾的含量比例，纠正体内不合理的钠钾比例，使身体形成对癌细胞的高度抵抗力。
蛋糕、饼干等不宜多吃，原因是许多精致食物的钠含量往往高出钾的5倍至10倍以上。
误区2、慢性病患吃错水果
一些糖尿病、高血压、高胆固醇患者会为了摄取钾或其他维生素而吃错水果，必须记得的是，许多水果虽然钾的含量高，但所含果糖、饱和脂肪其实也不少，例如香蕉，虽然是含钾高的食物，但香蕉糖分高，糖尿病患者就不应多吃，摄取的分量不能太多。同时，香蕉最好不要空腹过量食用。患有肾炎、肾功能不全者，也不适合多吃。
糖尿病病人都知道，饮食应尽量少吃甜食，因此在选择水果上，不少病人以为类似杨桃之类的水果不甜偏酸，可多吃，但事实上，水果都含有一定量果糖，不可单凭口味带酸来判断果糖的含量很低。
对胆固醇过高的病人来说，水果和蔬菜虽然是很好的饮食选择，但有些高脂水果同样需要节制，包括榴梿、椰子、鳄梨等，这些水果也会增加血液中总胆固醇及“坏胆固醇”的含量。
男人该怎么吃?
男人在家庭和社会都肩负重大责任，经常运动,饮食得当有助男性维持身心健康,面对生活挑战。
番茄红素、锌和维生素E是男性很需要的营养素。
番茄红素可清除前列腺中的自由基，保护前列腺组织。这种天然类胡萝卜素主要存在于番茄、西瓜、葡萄柚等红色食品中，一个成年人每天食用100―200克番茄，就能满足身体对番茄红素的需要,熟的番茄更容易充分吸收。
锌是人体必不可少的一种元素，它与新陈代谢、生长发育以及其他多种生理功能的关系极为密切。男性精液里含大量的锌，体内锌不足，会影响精子的数量与品质。含锌丰富的食物还有鱼、猪肝、牛肉、虾、贝类、紫菜、芝麻、花生、黄豆和豆制品。
维生素E保护心血管。男性的胆固醇代谢经常遭到破坏，因此他们更易患高血压、中风等疾病。维生素E能预防胆固醇堵塞血管，清除体内垃圾。粗粮、坚果、植物油中都含有维生素E，因此男士们应多吃这类食物。
在日常生活中，男性也不能忽视其他营养素的摄入。含镁食物有助于降低血压、提高生育能力，男士在早餐可加入牛奶、燕麦粥和香蕉；酸奶、乳酪等食品富含钙；全麦面包富含B族维生素，有助于缓解压力。精神紧张者，每天可吃3至5枚鲜枣补充维生素C应付工作。
番茄红素、锌和维生素E是男性很需要的营养素。
番茄红素可清除前列腺中的自由基，保护前列腺组织。这种天然类胡萝卜素主要存在于番茄、西瓜、葡萄柚等红色食品中，一个成年人每天食用100―200克番茄，就能满足身体对番茄红素的需要,熟的番茄更容易充分吸收。
锌是人体必不可少的一种元素，它与新陈代谢、生长发育以及其他多种生理功能的关系极为密切。男性精液里含大量的锌，体内锌不足，会影响精子的数量与品质。含锌丰富的食物还有鱼、猪肝、牛肉、虾、贝类、紫菜、芝麻、花生、黄豆和豆制品。
维生素E保护心血管。男性的胆固醇代谢经常遭到破坏，因此他们更易患高血压、中风等疾病。维生素E能预防胆固醇堵塞血管，清除体内垃圾。粗粮、坚果、植物油中都含有维生素E，因此男士们应多吃这类食物。
在日常生活中，男性也不能忽视其他营养素的摄入。含镁食物有助于降低血压、提高生育能力，男士在早餐可加入牛奶、燕麦粥和香蕉；酸奶、乳酪等食品富含钙；全麦面包富含B族维生素，有助于缓解压力。精神紧张者，每天可吃3至5枚鲜枣补充维生素C应付工作。
Thursday, January 1, 2009
香港旭日集团董事长杨钊：企业家的两个文明建设
他拥有“香港裤王”的美誉，他旗下的旭日集团是一个年营业额高达50多亿港元，并在内地200多个城市拥有900多间“真维斯”休闲服饰连锁店和在美国、加拿大、新加坡以及中国内地、香港拥有地产业务的多元化跨国集团。
他巧妙地将东方智慧和现代经营理念结合起来，并始终恪守实践着“取于社会，用于社会”的信念，追寻着古往今来有识之士“穷则独善其身，达则兼济天下”的梦想。
他拥有60多亿资产，并累计为祖国各方事业捐资超过2亿多港元；他事业有成，但仍然孜孜不倦奋勇攀登。请看，第九、十届全国政协委员、香港旭日集团董事长杨钊如何演绎塑造其以“旭日精神”打造名企和产业报国的传奇.
一代裤王，打造国际集团
时间回到1991年，这一年，杨钊因为工业领域的卓越成绩，荣获“香港青年工业家奖”。评委们写给他的评语是“正直精明，能干苦干的企业家”。从白手起家直到今天的成绩，“香港裤王”杨钊名播国内外。
1947年，杨钊出生于秀山丽水的广东惠州西子湖畔。1967年，不到20岁的杨钊来到香港，经亲戚介绍，进入一家制衣厂当杂工，日薪6元。他十分珍惜这份工作，整日苦干，10多天后就被调为熨衣工，工资也升到每天16元。杨钊工作更加努力，认定“只要勤力，不会吃亏”。由于工作踏实，勤奋好学，心灵手巧，杨钊受到老板赏识，被升为领班，很快又升为经理直至厂长。这一段打工经历，使杨钊成为精通制衣业务和管理工作的行家里手，为日后建立自己的制衣集团打下了坚实的基础。
1974年，27岁的杨钊拿出自已省吃俭用的积蓄，加上朋友资助的10多万元，开设了一家小型制衣厂，他给制衣厂取名“旭日”，寓“旭日东升，光芒万丈”之意，希望制衣厂蓬蓬勃勃，前途光明。
不久，一单美国格仔牛仔裤的生意，不仅给制衣厂带来了丰厚的利润，也给杨钊带来了历史机遇。
当时，一位美国服装商来到香港，寻找厂家加工美洲流行的方格牛仔裤。这种裤料很厚，且需要手工缝制，加工困难，大部分厂家不愿意承接。愿意承接的也开价到550元。杨钊经过仔细盘算，竟然以299元接了定单。
这份订单价值相当于衣厂当年一年营业额的33倍。由于人手缝制成本高，杨钊研究出机器缝制的办法，缩减了成本，提高了效率。两年间，杨钊就赚了600万港元。随着七十年代中期格仔牛仔裤风行世界，杨钊的旭日制衣厂声名鹊起，杨钊“牛仔裤大王”的美誉也传遍四方。
此后，他的制衣集团果然如同旭日东升，杨钊开始将事业向海外拓展，先后在菲律宾、印尼、孟加拉及柬埔寨等地建立了庞大的服装生产基地，在东南亚国家迅速亮起“旭日”大旗。
杨钊认为：“人要有事业心、决心、恒心。事业心即立志，不立志，万事难成；决心即破釜沉舟，不能退缩；恒心就是要坚持到底。年轻人最易犯的毛病就是沉不住气，熬不得苦，往往功亏一篑。”
这种观点让杨钊带领着旭日集团不断前进，30年间，集团已发展成为一个融服装零售、制造、贸易、房地产、投资为一体的大型跨国企业集团，总资产超过60亿港元。仅在世界各地的物业投资就接近7亿美元，全球雇员3万余人。在纺织制衣方面已形成生产、贸易、零售“一条龙”服务。产品除牛仔裤外，还发展出梭织、针织等不同工艺的男装、女装等各类休闲服装，打出了名牌产品“真维斯（JEANSWEST）”。
杨钊说：“人生追求不应有终点，而是不断创造，不断改善，使生命中不断地增添新的力量，永远不划句号。”他领悟的人生真谛同样融进了企业的发展战略中，那就是“人无我有，人有我优，人优我转”，体现着杨钊独特思维和极强的创造力。
1983年到1984年间，香港地产市场不景气，当时是杨钊贸易生意最顺利之时。但杨钊以智慧、经验和判断力决定，拿出一半资产投资地产业。
实践证明，杨钊为旭日集团所作的决策是正确又有远见的。旭日集团以不到3亿港元在1986年购得的10层星光行和位于旺角的钟意商业中心，在1994年出售后达到19.5亿港元。当年用3亿港元购得的长沙湾贸易广场，现在每年租金收入就有1亿港元左右，而在美国、加拿大、新加坡，旭日集团分别拥有不同的优质住宅楼及购物商场。
1996年9月，当旭日集团在香港联合交易所挂牌上市时，创造了超额认购236倍的空前纪录，显示了市场对其发展潜力的广泛认同。
旭日集团正如当年创办时寄托的寓意那样，冉冉升起、蓬勃光明。
投身祖国建设，两个效益双丰收
事业取得成功后，杨钊积极实践着“达则兼济天下”的信念。近年来，杨钊对内地文化教育、扶贫救灾方面的捐款超过2亿多港元。
跟随杨钊多年的人这样评价他：“他从不会标榜自己怎样爱国，但他用实际行动为祖国做了不少事”。
1978年，中国大地改革春风乍起，杨钊敏锐的感到，改革开放将带来经济的大发展，祖国将迈向富裕振兴之路，作为中华儿女，报效祖国的机遇来了。1978年，他怀着对祖国和家乡的炽热情怀，抱着对国家改革开放政策的坚定信念，投资逾百万在广东顺德容奇镇建立了“大进制衣厂”，成为港商到内地投资设厂热潮的“始作俑者”和改革开放的“排头兵”。领风气之先，创办了全国第一家来料加工、补偿贸易工厂，更显名声大振。
一花引来百花香。在随后10余年间，大批的港澳商人以同样方式在珠江三角洲投资办厂，很好地促进了当地经济发展，促进了两地经贸合作，还缓解了香港劳工短缺对工业制造业造成的困难。
几年间，旭日集团在内地11个省市建立了18家制衣企业，员工15000多人，“真维斯”服装企业连锁专卖店备受消费者青睐。
当时对于旭日集团在祖国内地的发展，杨钊一直信心十足。他认为：“投资者不仅要考虑国家的短期政策变化，更要着眼于其中长期的方针政策。国家的长远目标，就是实现现代化和国家统一，这是从来不会改变的。”他还强调：“参与内地建设，一定要做到实实在在的投资，而绝不是巧取豪夺的投机”。
为了更长远地推动中国的制衣业，增加服装出口，杨钊又把培养制衣专业人才作为当务之急。他捐资3000多万港元，在家乡惠州建立“西纺广东服装学院”，这是上世纪70年代全国第一所采用国际高等服装教学标准的学院。
“西纺广东服装学院”的建立不仅引进了国际先进的服装教育标准，填补了国家的空白，也为引进国际应用教育模式开创了先河，更成为企业参与教育事业的倡导者和实践者。
在事业取得骄人成就的同时，杨钊时刻不忘“达则兼济天下”的古训。他说：“经济条件好了，这时候就要兼济天下，这也是一种安身立命之道”。
1993年，他捐资1000万港元给惠州大学建教学楼；同年还捐资1000港元万给上海纺织大学建实验大楼；2002年6月14日，旭日集团为素有“光明使者”之称的健康快车捐资300万港元，为祖国偏远贫困地区的白内障患者提供免费手术治疗，期望他们尽早复明；多年来旭日捐资的中、小学有10多所；2002年捐资700万给四川成都建成爱道堂；2002年捐资2600万元给河北柏林禅寺建佛殿及教学楼；2002年，内地第一家佛学研究中心在具有深厚人文研究传统的南京大学成立。“南京大学旭日佛学研究中心”主要致力于佛学人才的培养和重大佛学专题的研究，以推动中华传统文化和传统道德。中心数百万元的经费都由旭日集团提供。
同时，杨钊还在不停地为祖国默默奉献着：为内地华东水灾捐款300万港元，为华南水灾捐款300万港元，为广东阳山县大良乡扶贫捐款200万港元，2003年捐资300万给中国职工发展基金会协助解决东北三省失业人员问题。向广东惠州市教育基金捐款300万港元，去年抗非典期间，他捐资2000万港元给卫生部及佛教界协助应付非典等等。
实实在在的善举，实实在在的爱心，多年来，杨钊已捐献2亿多元港元建学校、助残疾、扶贫困、救灾民，支持祖国的科学文化及相关事业。他提出的“将西方科技和东方智慧结合起来解决人类物质和精神两大问题”的哲理命题已产生广泛影响，尤其将东方智慧引入企业文化中更是一种创造。杨钊带领着旭日集团，事业蒸蒸日上，取得了很好的经济效益和社会效益，赢得了财富与道德的统一，用他自己的话讲，“不只获得了物质财富，还赢得了精神财富”。
兼济天下，已经让杨钊领悟到一名企业家履行社会责任所带来的莫大的人生快乐和满足。
旭日精神：闪耀中华文化之光
旭日集团能够迅速发展取得骄人成就，与杨钊推行的一整套经营管理思想和模式有着密切联系。深深领悟到中华文化之精髓的杨钊在总结自己管理方面经验时认为，是中国优秀传统文化与西方现代工业文明有机结合的必然结果。
据此，杨钊概括出完整的富有特色的“旭日企业文化”，如发展战略为“人无我有、人有我优、人优我转”；工作策略为“分轻重、随机应变、事缓则圆”；员工守则为“学习工作、学习生活”，“不断学习、不断改善”等等。
从1985年3月起，杨钊创办了公司内部刊物《旭日之声》，他每期必在篇首著文，以自己在学习、工作、生活和参与社会事务中积累的人生经验，向员工传授、解惑。
这些多年商场经历中总结出来的关于分析和处理问题的方法称为“旭日三招”，杨钊把支撑旭日成功的力量称作“旭日精神”，他说这是一种不屈不挠的精神，依靠集体的力量去处理前进中的问题，他称赞旭日创业者们大都具备勤奋、肯吃亏、乐于助人、有责任心的精神。
在杨钊富有特色的管理下，旭日集团于1999年被美国财经杂志《福布斯》评选为全球300家优质中小型企业之一，并于同年获得香港管理专业协会颁发的“1999年优质管理大奖。”
杨钊外表俊朗，谈吐不俗，气质儒雅，一双岭南人特有的眼睛发出思想的光辉，给人一种是企业家又为学者的印象，曾有记者这样描述“杨先生的含笑，很平静、透彻，看不到一丝的风霜或骄灼或任何的故作姿态。”
杨钊生活淡泊，鄙夷奢侈，不尚虚名。读书占据他生活中许多时间，尤其喜爱读哲学和宗教方面的书。在物质方面，杨钊不追求名利，在精神方面追求思想和道德的收获。因此他说自己过得很快乐，精神上很富有。“已所不欲，勿施于人”、“老吾老以及人之老、幼吾幼以及人之幼”，深受中华传统优秀文化的熏陶影响，在事业有成后，杨钊逐渐从佛学找到了生命的归宿，将自己的人生价值取向定位于“为众生、为人群、为社会”且一经定位便身体力行，坚定不移，一步一个脚印地踏踏实实走下去。
杨钊对命运的看法更具思辨性和现实性，他强调人的主观努力对于事物发展的影响和作用。他常常引用古代哲人所言“今天之运气，是昨天的努力，今天之努力，又是明天的运气。”
作为一名全国政协委员，杨钊认真履行职责，他独具慧眼，宏观地看到内地和香港之间巨大的互动关系。他和香港有识之士一道积极建言和推动内地与香港建立更紧密经贸关系政策的实施。
对旭日今后的展望，杨钊说：“旭日会继续坚持人无我有、人有我优、人优我转的经营策略，不断发展高新科技，开发新品种，挖掘新市场，继续成为21世纪企业经营者的先驱。”
他巧妙地将东方智慧和现代经营理念结合起来，并始终恪守实践着“取于社会，用于社会”的信念，追寻着古往今来有识之士“穷则独善其身，达则兼济天下”的梦想。
他拥有60多亿资产，并累计为祖国各方事业捐资超过2亿多港元；他事业有成，但仍然孜孜不倦奋勇攀登。请看，第九、十届全国政协委员、香港旭日集团董事长杨钊如何演绎塑造其以“旭日精神”打造名企和产业报国的传奇.
一代裤王，打造国际集团
时间回到1991年，这一年，杨钊因为工业领域的卓越成绩，荣获“香港青年工业家奖”。评委们写给他的评语是“正直精明，能干苦干的企业家”。从白手起家直到今天的成绩，“香港裤王”杨钊名播国内外。
1947年，杨钊出生于秀山丽水的广东惠州西子湖畔。1967年，不到20岁的杨钊来到香港，经亲戚介绍，进入一家制衣厂当杂工，日薪6元。他十分珍惜这份工作，整日苦干，10多天后就被调为熨衣工，工资也升到每天16元。杨钊工作更加努力，认定“只要勤力，不会吃亏”。由于工作踏实，勤奋好学，心灵手巧，杨钊受到老板赏识，被升为领班，很快又升为经理直至厂长。这一段打工经历，使杨钊成为精通制衣业务和管理工作的行家里手，为日后建立自己的制衣集团打下了坚实的基础。
1974年，27岁的杨钊拿出自已省吃俭用的积蓄，加上朋友资助的10多万元，开设了一家小型制衣厂，他给制衣厂取名“旭日”，寓“旭日东升，光芒万丈”之意，希望制衣厂蓬蓬勃勃，前途光明。
不久，一单美国格仔牛仔裤的生意，不仅给制衣厂带来了丰厚的利润，也给杨钊带来了历史机遇。
当时，一位美国服装商来到香港，寻找厂家加工美洲流行的方格牛仔裤。这种裤料很厚，且需要手工缝制，加工困难，大部分厂家不愿意承接。愿意承接的也开价到550元。杨钊经过仔细盘算，竟然以299元接了定单。
这份订单价值相当于衣厂当年一年营业额的33倍。由于人手缝制成本高，杨钊研究出机器缝制的办法，缩减了成本，提高了效率。两年间，杨钊就赚了600万港元。随着七十年代中期格仔牛仔裤风行世界，杨钊的旭日制衣厂声名鹊起，杨钊“牛仔裤大王”的美誉也传遍四方。
此后，他的制衣集团果然如同旭日东升，杨钊开始将事业向海外拓展，先后在菲律宾、印尼、孟加拉及柬埔寨等地建立了庞大的服装生产基地，在东南亚国家迅速亮起“旭日”大旗。
杨钊认为：“人要有事业心、决心、恒心。事业心即立志，不立志，万事难成；决心即破釜沉舟，不能退缩；恒心就是要坚持到底。年轻人最易犯的毛病就是沉不住气，熬不得苦，往往功亏一篑。”
这种观点让杨钊带领着旭日集团不断前进，30年间，集团已发展成为一个融服装零售、制造、贸易、房地产、投资为一体的大型跨国企业集团，总资产超过60亿港元。仅在世界各地的物业投资就接近7亿美元，全球雇员3万余人。在纺织制衣方面已形成生产、贸易、零售“一条龙”服务。产品除牛仔裤外，还发展出梭织、针织等不同工艺的男装、女装等各类休闲服装，打出了名牌产品“真维斯（JEANSWEST）”。
杨钊说：“人生追求不应有终点，而是不断创造，不断改善，使生命中不断地增添新的力量，永远不划句号。”他领悟的人生真谛同样融进了企业的发展战略中，那就是“人无我有，人有我优，人优我转”，体现着杨钊独特思维和极强的创造力。
1983年到1984年间，香港地产市场不景气，当时是杨钊贸易生意最顺利之时。但杨钊以智慧、经验和判断力决定，拿出一半资产投资地产业。
实践证明，杨钊为旭日集团所作的决策是正确又有远见的。旭日集团以不到3亿港元在1986年购得的10层星光行和位于旺角的钟意商业中心，在1994年出售后达到19.5亿港元。当年用3亿港元购得的长沙湾贸易广场，现在每年租金收入就有1亿港元左右，而在美国、加拿大、新加坡，旭日集团分别拥有不同的优质住宅楼及购物商场。
1996年9月，当旭日集团在香港联合交易所挂牌上市时，创造了超额认购236倍的空前纪录，显示了市场对其发展潜力的广泛认同。
旭日集团正如当年创办时寄托的寓意那样，冉冉升起、蓬勃光明。
投身祖国建设，两个效益双丰收
事业取得成功后，杨钊积极实践着“达则兼济天下”的信念。近年来，杨钊对内地文化教育、扶贫救灾方面的捐款超过2亿多港元。
跟随杨钊多年的人这样评价他：“他从不会标榜自己怎样爱国，但他用实际行动为祖国做了不少事”。
1978年，中国大地改革春风乍起，杨钊敏锐的感到，改革开放将带来经济的大发展，祖国将迈向富裕振兴之路，作为中华儿女，报效祖国的机遇来了。1978年，他怀着对祖国和家乡的炽热情怀，抱着对国家改革开放政策的坚定信念，投资逾百万在广东顺德容奇镇建立了“大进制衣厂”，成为港商到内地投资设厂热潮的“始作俑者”和改革开放的“排头兵”。领风气之先，创办了全国第一家来料加工、补偿贸易工厂，更显名声大振。
一花引来百花香。在随后10余年间，大批的港澳商人以同样方式在珠江三角洲投资办厂，很好地促进了当地经济发展，促进了两地经贸合作，还缓解了香港劳工短缺对工业制造业造成的困难。
几年间，旭日集团在内地11个省市建立了18家制衣企业，员工15000多人，“真维斯”服装企业连锁专卖店备受消费者青睐。
当时对于旭日集团在祖国内地的发展，杨钊一直信心十足。他认为：“投资者不仅要考虑国家的短期政策变化，更要着眼于其中长期的方针政策。国家的长远目标，就是实现现代化和国家统一，这是从来不会改变的。”他还强调：“参与内地建设，一定要做到实实在在的投资，而绝不是巧取豪夺的投机”。
为了更长远地推动中国的制衣业，增加服装出口，杨钊又把培养制衣专业人才作为当务之急。他捐资3000多万港元，在家乡惠州建立“西纺广东服装学院”，这是上世纪70年代全国第一所采用国际高等服装教学标准的学院。
“西纺广东服装学院”的建立不仅引进了国际先进的服装教育标准，填补了国家的空白，也为引进国际应用教育模式开创了先河，更成为企业参与教育事业的倡导者和实践者。
在事业取得骄人成就的同时，杨钊时刻不忘“达则兼济天下”的古训。他说：“经济条件好了，这时候就要兼济天下，这也是一种安身立命之道”。
1993年，他捐资1000万港元给惠州大学建教学楼；同年还捐资1000港元万给上海纺织大学建实验大楼；2002年6月14日，旭日集团为素有“光明使者”之称的健康快车捐资300万港元，为祖国偏远贫困地区的白内障患者提供免费手术治疗，期望他们尽早复明；多年来旭日捐资的中、小学有10多所；2002年捐资700万给四川成都建成爱道堂；2002年捐资2600万元给河北柏林禅寺建佛殿及教学楼；2002年，内地第一家佛学研究中心在具有深厚人文研究传统的南京大学成立。“南京大学旭日佛学研究中心”主要致力于佛学人才的培养和重大佛学专题的研究，以推动中华传统文化和传统道德。中心数百万元的经费都由旭日集团提供。
同时，杨钊还在不停地为祖国默默奉献着：为内地华东水灾捐款300万港元，为华南水灾捐款300万港元，为广东阳山县大良乡扶贫捐款200万港元，2003年捐资300万给中国职工发展基金会协助解决东北三省失业人员问题。向广东惠州市教育基金捐款300万港元，去年抗非典期间，他捐资2000万港元给卫生部及佛教界协助应付非典等等。
实实在在的善举，实实在在的爱心，多年来，杨钊已捐献2亿多元港元建学校、助残疾、扶贫困、救灾民，支持祖国的科学文化及相关事业。他提出的“将西方科技和东方智慧结合起来解决人类物质和精神两大问题”的哲理命题已产生广泛影响，尤其将东方智慧引入企业文化中更是一种创造。杨钊带领着旭日集团，事业蒸蒸日上，取得了很好的经济效益和社会效益，赢得了财富与道德的统一，用他自己的话讲，“不只获得了物质财富，还赢得了精神财富”。
兼济天下，已经让杨钊领悟到一名企业家履行社会责任所带来的莫大的人生快乐和满足。
旭日精神：闪耀中华文化之光
旭日集团能够迅速发展取得骄人成就，与杨钊推行的一整套经营管理思想和模式有着密切联系。深深领悟到中华文化之精髓的杨钊在总结自己管理方面经验时认为，是中国优秀传统文化与西方现代工业文明有机结合的必然结果。
据此，杨钊概括出完整的富有特色的“旭日企业文化”，如发展战略为“人无我有、人有我优、人优我转”；工作策略为“分轻重、随机应变、事缓则圆”；员工守则为“学习工作、学习生活”，“不断学习、不断改善”等等。
从1985年3月起，杨钊创办了公司内部刊物《旭日之声》，他每期必在篇首著文，以自己在学习、工作、生活和参与社会事务中积累的人生经验，向员工传授、解惑。
这些多年商场经历中总结出来的关于分析和处理问题的方法称为“旭日三招”，杨钊把支撑旭日成功的力量称作“旭日精神”，他说这是一种不屈不挠的精神，依靠集体的力量去处理前进中的问题，他称赞旭日创业者们大都具备勤奋、肯吃亏、乐于助人、有责任心的精神。
在杨钊富有特色的管理下，旭日集团于1999年被美国财经杂志《福布斯》评选为全球300家优质中小型企业之一，并于同年获得香港管理专业协会颁发的“1999年优质管理大奖。”
杨钊外表俊朗，谈吐不俗，气质儒雅，一双岭南人特有的眼睛发出思想的光辉，给人一种是企业家又为学者的印象，曾有记者这样描述“杨先生的含笑，很平静、透彻，看不到一丝的风霜或骄灼或任何的故作姿态。”
杨钊生活淡泊，鄙夷奢侈，不尚虚名。读书占据他生活中许多时间，尤其喜爱读哲学和宗教方面的书。在物质方面，杨钊不追求名利，在精神方面追求思想和道德的收获。因此他说自己过得很快乐，精神上很富有。“已所不欲，勿施于人”、“老吾老以及人之老、幼吾幼以及人之幼”，深受中华传统优秀文化的熏陶影响，在事业有成后，杨钊逐渐从佛学找到了生命的归宿，将自己的人生价值取向定位于“为众生、为人群、为社会”且一经定位便身体力行，坚定不移，一步一个脚印地踏踏实实走下去。
杨钊对命运的看法更具思辨性和现实性，他强调人的主观努力对于事物发展的影响和作用。他常常引用古代哲人所言“今天之运气，是昨天的努力，今天之努力，又是明天的运气。”
作为一名全国政协委员，杨钊认真履行职责，他独具慧眼，宏观地看到内地和香港之间巨大的互动关系。他和香港有识之士一道积极建言和推动内地与香港建立更紧密经贸关系政策的实施。
对旭日今后的展望，杨钊说：“旭日会继续坚持人无我有、人有我优、人优我转的经营策略，不断发展高新科技，开发新品种，挖掘新市场，继续成为21世纪企业经营者的先驱。”
揭秘陶朱公范蠡的经商秘诀
陶朱公就是范蠡，春秋时期越国的大政治家。在越国被吴国灭亡时，是他提出降吴复国的计策的，并随同越王勾践一同到吴国为奴，千方百计谋取勾践回国，成为辅助勾践灭吴复国的第一谋臣，官拜上将军。
但当勾践复国之后，他了解勾践是一个可以共患难但不能同安乐的人，于是他急流勇退，毅然弃官而去。首先他到了齐国，改名为鸱夷子皮。但是齐国人知道他有很好的品德和很高的才能，就请他当宰相。由于他退归林下的决心已下，不久又辞官而去。他到了当时的商业中心陶（即今山东的定陶县）定居，自称”朱公”，人们称他陶朱公。他在这里既经营商业，又从事农业和牧业。很快就表现了非凡的经商才能。在19年内有三次赚了千金之多。但他仗义疏财，他赚了钱，就从事各种公益事业。他的行为使他获得”富而行其德”的美名，成为几千年来我国商业的楷模。
陶朱公很有经商的头脑。他根据市场的供求关系，判断价格的涨落，即”论其（商品）有余和不足，则知（价格）贵贱。”他发现价格涨落有个极限，即贵到极点后就会下落；贱到极点后就会上涨，出现”一贵一贱，极而复反”的规律。这就很符合现代市场规律的。因为一种商品价格上涨，人们就会更多地生产，供应市场，这就为价格下跌创造了条件。相反，如果价格太低，就打击了积极性，人们就不愿生产，市场的货物也就少了，又为价格上涨创造了条件。故他提出一套”积贮之理”。这就是在物价便宜时，要大量收进。他说”贱取如珠玉”，即像重视珠玉那样重视降价的物品，尽量卖进存贮起来。等到涨价之后，就尽量卖出。”贵出如粪土”，即像抛弃粪土那样毫不可惜地尽是抛出。
但是价格涨落的原因在哪里呢？
陶朱公生长在农业经济时代，农产品是市场的最大宗、最主要的商品。农业有很强的季节性，每年气候不同，产量了就不同，对市场价格有重大影响。所以满足农业需要、为农业服务，就成为他经商的主要方向。他根据季节规律，提早储备物资，即所谓”知斗则修备，时用则知物”。就是说，像作战之前要做好准备一样，根据季节的需要（时用）就可以预知市场所需要的商品（知物）。
季节和气候变化是有规律的。他引用我国早已有的一条关于气候变化的规律性的古语，作为预知农业丰歉的依据。这条古语说：”六岁穰、六岁旱，十二年一大饥。”这是说，每六年有一年风调雨顺的上好年景，也有一个旱年，每十二年有个大旱年，也有一个水年。
根据这个规律，他丰年就大胆收进。因为不会年年丰收，收进的货物不愁没有机会售出。同样，在大旱年物价上涨时，他就尽量抛售，不愁以后没有进货的机会。就这样，他不但自己致富，也为平抑物价、避免丰收年谷贱伤农与饥荒年民不聊生做出了积极的贡献。
陶朱公的故事告诉我们，气候资源的变化会造成丰收与歉收两种状况，对人们都有不利影响，并且通过商品交流这种不利影响会扩展到全国、全社会，但是，只要人们掌握了这个规律性，采用商业手段，通过贱买贵卖，是可以协调的。陶朱公也许是世界上第一个在认识上和实践上都注意到气候变化、气候变化对农业的影响、农业对市场的影响，以及在该领域的对策研究上取得重大成就的人。
但当勾践复国之后，他了解勾践是一个可以共患难但不能同安乐的人，于是他急流勇退，毅然弃官而去。首先他到了齐国，改名为鸱夷子皮。但是齐国人知道他有很好的品德和很高的才能，就请他当宰相。由于他退归林下的决心已下，不久又辞官而去。他到了当时的商业中心陶（即今山东的定陶县）定居，自称”朱公”，人们称他陶朱公。他在这里既经营商业，又从事农业和牧业。很快就表现了非凡的经商才能。在19年内有三次赚了千金之多。但他仗义疏财，他赚了钱，就从事各种公益事业。他的行为使他获得”富而行其德”的美名，成为几千年来我国商业的楷模。
陶朱公很有经商的头脑。他根据市场的供求关系，判断价格的涨落，即”论其（商品）有余和不足，则知（价格）贵贱。”他发现价格涨落有个极限，即贵到极点后就会下落；贱到极点后就会上涨，出现”一贵一贱，极而复反”的规律。这就很符合现代市场规律的。因为一种商品价格上涨，人们就会更多地生产，供应市场，这就为价格下跌创造了条件。相反，如果价格太低，就打击了积极性，人们就不愿生产，市场的货物也就少了，又为价格上涨创造了条件。故他提出一套”积贮之理”。这就是在物价便宜时，要大量收进。他说”贱取如珠玉”，即像重视珠玉那样重视降价的物品，尽量卖进存贮起来。等到涨价之后，就尽量卖出。”贵出如粪土”，即像抛弃粪土那样毫不可惜地尽是抛出。
但是价格涨落的原因在哪里呢？
陶朱公生长在农业经济时代，农产品是市场的最大宗、最主要的商品。农业有很强的季节性，每年气候不同，产量了就不同，对市场价格有重大影响。所以满足农业需要、为农业服务，就成为他经商的主要方向。他根据季节规律，提早储备物资，即所谓”知斗则修备，时用则知物”。就是说，像作战之前要做好准备一样，根据季节的需要（时用）就可以预知市场所需要的商品（知物）。
季节和气候变化是有规律的。他引用我国早已有的一条关于气候变化的规律性的古语，作为预知农业丰歉的依据。这条古语说：”六岁穰、六岁旱，十二年一大饥。”这是说，每六年有一年风调雨顺的上好年景，也有一个旱年，每十二年有个大旱年，也有一个水年。
根据这个规律，他丰年就大胆收进。因为不会年年丰收，收进的货物不愁没有机会售出。同样，在大旱年物价上涨时，他就尽量抛售，不愁以后没有进货的机会。就这样，他不但自己致富，也为平抑物价、避免丰收年谷贱伤农与饥荒年民不聊生做出了积极的贡献。
陶朱公的故事告诉我们，气候资源的变化会造成丰收与歉收两种状况，对人们都有不利影响，并且通过商品交流这种不利影响会扩展到全国、全社会，但是，只要人们掌握了这个规律性，采用商业手段，通过贱买贵卖，是可以协调的。陶朱公也许是世界上第一个在认识上和实践上都注意到气候变化、气候变化对农业的影响、农业对市场的影响，以及在该领域的对策研究上取得重大成就的人。
文财神 - 由来
正财神赵公明掌管辅佐财帛星君和辅佑范蠡为正文财神。
文财神范蠡。他是春秋战国之际杰出的政治家、思想家和谋略家，同时也是一位生财有道的大商家。
范蠡，字少伯，天资聪颖，少年时便有独虑之明。后被越王勾践拜为士大夫。越国兵败于吴国，范蠡与越王一同去屈事吴王夫差。回国后又辅佐越王富国强兵，终于打败了吴国。灭吴之后，越国君臣设宴庆功，群臣皆乐，唯独勾践面无喜色。范蠡察此微末，立识大端：越王为争国土，不惜群臣之死，而今如愿以偿，便不想归功于臣下。于是，范蠡毅然向越王辞官隐退，带领家属随从，架扁舟，泛东海，来到齐国。
范蠡父子在齐国海边耕种土地，勤奋治产不久，就积累家产数十万金。齐人闻其贤，请为其相。范蠡叹息：“居家则致千金，居官则致卿相，此布衣之极也。久受尊名，不祥。”于是，它归还了相印，将钱财尽分给了朋友和乡邻，只带上最贵重的物品，暗自离开齐都，悄悄来到陶地。范蠡认为，陶地处天下之中，为交易的必通要道，由此可以致富，以为后半生的保证，自此居住下来自称陶朱公。（“陶”，指陶地，或说隐语“逃”；“朱”，一说为富翁的象征，或说寓己曾做高官；“公”，一说是对尊长，平辈的敬称，或说寓己曾做为公爵）。范蠡父子靠种地、养牲畜，做生意又积累了数万家财，成为陶地的大富翁，后又两家分财于百姓，天下人都赞美陶朱公，拜其为财神。
陶朱公的经营智慧历来为民间所敬仰，于是有许多经营致富术托与陶朱公名下。如经商十八忌……十八忌多是为商家经验之谈，托名陶朱公，由此可见，他作为财神在民间商人心目中的智慧形象。范蠡一生艰苦创业，积金数万；善于经营，善于理财，又能广散钱财，故称其为文财神也..就理所当然了。
文财神 - 奉祀旧时称财神赵公明神诞之日为三月十五日(亦有称正月初二的)，道教徒多於神诞之日到道观中奉祀财神，祈求五榖丰登，财源亨通。不过，民间传说正月初五日为财神下凡、巡察人世的日子，因此，民间多於初五清早放鞭炮、舞狮子，俗称「接财神」，祈求春节以後开市大吉，财源滚滚。
文财神范蠡。他是春秋战国之际杰出的政治家、思想家和谋略家，同时也是一位生财有道的大商家。
范蠡，字少伯，天资聪颖，少年时便有独虑之明。后被越王勾践拜为士大夫。越国兵败于吴国，范蠡与越王一同去屈事吴王夫差。回国后又辅佐越王富国强兵，终于打败了吴国。灭吴之后，越国君臣设宴庆功，群臣皆乐，唯独勾践面无喜色。范蠡察此微末，立识大端：越王为争国土，不惜群臣之死，而今如愿以偿，便不想归功于臣下。于是，范蠡毅然向越王辞官隐退，带领家属随从，架扁舟，泛东海，来到齐国。
范蠡父子在齐国海边耕种土地，勤奋治产不久，就积累家产数十万金。齐人闻其贤，请为其相。范蠡叹息：“居家则致千金，居官则致卿相，此布衣之极也。久受尊名，不祥。”于是，它归还了相印，将钱财尽分给了朋友和乡邻，只带上最贵重的物品，暗自离开齐都，悄悄来到陶地。范蠡认为，陶地处天下之中，为交易的必通要道，由此可以致富，以为后半生的保证，自此居住下来自称陶朱公。（“陶”，指陶地，或说隐语“逃”；“朱”，一说为富翁的象征，或说寓己曾做高官；“公”，一说是对尊长，平辈的敬称，或说寓己曾做为公爵）。范蠡父子靠种地、养牲畜，做生意又积累了数万家财，成为陶地的大富翁，后又两家分财于百姓，天下人都赞美陶朱公，拜其为财神。
陶朱公的经营智慧历来为民间所敬仰，于是有许多经营致富术托与陶朱公名下。如经商十八忌……十八忌多是为商家经验之谈，托名陶朱公，由此可见，他作为财神在民间商人心目中的智慧形象。范蠡一生艰苦创业，积金数万；善于经营，善于理财，又能广散钱财，故称其为文财神也..就理所当然了。
文财神 - 奉祀旧时称财神赵公明神诞之日为三月十五日(亦有称正月初二的)，道教徒多於神诞之日到道观中奉祀财神，祈求五榖丰登，财源亨通。不过，民间传说正月初五日为财神下凡、巡察人世的日子，因此，民间多於初五清早放鞭炮、舞狮子，俗称「接财神」，祈求春节以後开市大吉，财源滚滚。
Comparison of smartphones
Hardware and OS
Model CPU Internal Flash RAM OS Size Weight Screen resolution Keyboard Camera Other
Apple iPhone[1] 620 MHz ARM1176JZF-S (underclocked to 412 MHz) 4, 8, 16 GB 128 MB iPhone OS 2.2 81.4 cc 135g 3.5" 480x320 Soft QWERTY 2.0mp
Apple iPhone 3G[2] 620 MHz ARM1176JZF-S (underclocked to 412 MHz) 8, 16 GB 128 MB iPhone OS 2.2 88.2 cc 133g 3.5" 480x320 Soft QWERTY 2.0mp
Asus P565 800 MHz Marvell PXA930 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 120g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
E-TEN Glofiish X-900 533 MHz Samsung S3C6400 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 146g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Wizard (aka HTC Prodigy, T-Mobile MDA US) 195 MHZ Texas Instruments OMAP 850 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 5.0 ? 168g 2.8" 240x320 Full slide-out QWERTY 1.3mp miniSD
HTC TyTN (aka AT&T 8525, HTC Hermes)[3][4][5] 400 MHz ARM920T 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 6 143cc 176g 2.8" 240x320 Full Slide-Out QWERTY 1.9mp AF MicroSD
HTC TyTN II (aka AT&T Tilt, HTC Kaiser)[6][7][8] 400 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 126cc 190g 2.8" 240x320 Full Slide-Out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Touch Pro (aka AT&T Fuze, HTC Raphael)[9] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 512 MB 288 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 94cc 165g 2.8" 480x640 Full slide-out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Touch Diamond (aka HTC Diamond, HTC Victor)[10] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 4 GB 192 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 59cc 110g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.2mp AF aGPS
HTC Touch HD (aka HTC Blackstone) 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A 512 MB 288 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 146g 3.8" 480x800 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Motorola RIZR Z8[11] ARM 11 ? ? Symbian OS 77cc 112g 240x320 Numeric with T9 2mp
Motorola RIZR Z10[12] ARM 11 ? ? Symbian OS (UIQ) 60cc 100g 240x320 Numeric with T9 3.5mp
Motorola Q9c[13] 312 MHz Intel XScale PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 6.0 90cc 115g 2.5" 320x240 Full QWERTY 1.3mp
Nokia E63 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 113 x 59 x 13 mm
87 cc 126g 2.4" 320x240 Full QWERTY 2mp MicroSDHC
Nokia E71 [14] ARM11 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 processor 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 114 x 57 x 10 mm
66cc 127 g 2.4" 320x240 Full QWERTY 3.2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia E90 ARM11 332 MHz MHz Freescale MXC300-30 processor 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 132 x 57 x 20 mm
140cc 210 g External:
2" 240 x 320
Internal:
4" 800 x 352 Full QWERTY 3.2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N95 8 GB 332 MHz ARM1136 8 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 110cc 128g 2.8" 240x320 Numeric with T9, Multimedia 5mp, Auto Focus and Flash aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N96[15] 264 MHz ARM926EJ-S 16 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.3 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 113cc 125g 2.8" 240x320 Numeric with T9, Multimedia 5mp, Auto Focus and Dual LED Flash aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N97 ? 32 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.4 Series 60 5th Edition 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9-18.3 mm 150g 3.5" 360x640 Full QWERTY 5 MP aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.4 Series 60 5th Edition 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm
83 cc 109g 3.2" 320x640 Touchscreen 3.15 MP aGPS, MicroSDHC
Palm Centro[16][17] 312 MHz Intel PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Palm OS 5.4.9 107cc 125g 2.2" 320x320 Full QWERTY 1.3mp MicroSDHC
Palm Treo 755p 312 MHz Intel PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Palm OS 5.4.9 ? 160g 2.5" 320x320 Full QWERTY 1.3mp MiniSD
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9000 624 MHZ Marvell PXA930 1.1 GB 128 MB RIM BlackBerry OS 4.6 ? 136g 2.6" 480x320 Full QWERTY 2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
RIM BlackBerry Storm 9500 624 MHZ Marvell PXA930 1.1 GB 192 MB RIM BlackBerry OS 4.7 ? 155g 3.3" 360x480 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SGH-i907 Epix 624 MHz Marvell PXA310 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 125g 2.5" 320x320 Full QWERTY 2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SGH-i908 Omnia 624 MHz Marvell PXA310 16 GB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 122 g 3.2" 400x240 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SCH-M495 T*OMNIA 806 MHz Marvell PXA312 16 GB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 131 g 3.3" 480x800 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 (aka HTC Venus)[18][19] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 512 MB 384 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 99cc 158g 3" 800x480 Full slide-out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
Toshiba Portege G900 520 MHz Marvell PXA270 ? ? Windows Mobile 6.0 156cc 196g 3" 800x480 Full slide-out QWERTY 2mp with front VGA camera for video calls MiniSD
HP iPAQ 910c 520 MHz Marvell PXA270 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional ? 146g 240×320,touch-able QWERTY 3.2mp microSD
Model CPU Internal Flash RAM OS Size Weight Screen resolution Keyboard Camera Other
Apple iPhone[1] 620 MHz ARM1176JZF-S (underclocked to 412 MHz) 4, 8, 16 GB 128 MB iPhone OS 2.2 81.4 cc 135g 3.5" 480x320 Soft QWERTY 2.0mp
Apple iPhone 3G[2] 620 MHz ARM1176JZF-S (underclocked to 412 MHz) 8, 16 GB 128 MB iPhone OS 2.2 88.2 cc 133g 3.5" 480x320 Soft QWERTY 2.0mp
Asus P565 800 MHz Marvell PXA930 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 120g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
E-TEN Glofiish X-900 533 MHz Samsung S3C6400 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 146g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Wizard (aka HTC Prodigy, T-Mobile MDA US) 195 MHZ Texas Instruments OMAP 850 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 5.0 ? 168g 2.8" 240x320 Full slide-out QWERTY 1.3mp miniSD
HTC TyTN (aka AT&T 8525, HTC Hermes)[3][4][5] 400 MHz ARM920T 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 6 143cc 176g 2.8" 240x320 Full Slide-Out QWERTY 1.9mp AF MicroSD
HTC TyTN II (aka AT&T Tilt, HTC Kaiser)[6][7][8] 400 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 126cc 190g 2.8" 240x320 Full Slide-Out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Touch Pro (aka AT&T Fuze, HTC Raphael)[9] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 512 MB 288 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 94cc 165g 2.8" 480x640 Full slide-out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
HTC Touch Diamond (aka HTC Diamond, HTC Victor)[10] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 4 GB 192 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 59cc 110g 2.8" 480x640 Soft QWERTY 3.2mp AF aGPS
HTC Touch HD (aka HTC Blackstone) 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A 512 MB 288 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 146g 3.8" 480x800 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Motorola RIZR Z8[11] ARM 11 ? ? Symbian OS 77cc 112g 240x320 Numeric with T9 2mp
Motorola RIZR Z10[12] ARM 11 ? ? Symbian OS (UIQ) 60cc 100g 240x320 Numeric with T9 3.5mp
Motorola Q9c[13] 312 MHz Intel XScale PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Windows Mobile 6.0 90cc 115g 2.5" 320x240 Full QWERTY 1.3mp
Nokia E63 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 113 x 59 x 13 mm
87 cc 126g 2.4" 320x240 Full QWERTY 2mp MicroSDHC
Nokia E71 [14] ARM11 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 processor 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 114 x 57 x 10 mm
66cc 127 g 2.4" 320x240 Full QWERTY 3.2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia E90 ARM11 332 MHz MHz Freescale MXC300-30 processor 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 132 x 57 x 20 mm
140cc 210 g External:
2" 240 x 320
Internal:
4" 800 x 352 Full QWERTY 3.2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N95 8 GB 332 MHz ARM1136 8 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.2 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 110cc 128g 2.8" 240x320 Numeric with T9, Multimedia 5mp, Auto Focus and Flash aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N96[15] 264 MHz ARM926EJ-S 16 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.3 Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 113cc 125g 2.8" 240x320 Numeric with T9, Multimedia 5mp, Auto Focus and Dual LED Flash aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia N97 ? 32 GB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.4 Series 60 5th Edition 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9-18.3 mm 150g 3.5" 360x640 Full QWERTY 5 MP aGPS, MicroSDHC
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic 369 MHz Freescale MXC300-30 256 MB 128 MB Symbian OS 9.4 Series 60 5th Edition 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm
83 cc 109g 3.2" 320x640 Touchscreen 3.15 MP aGPS, MicroSDHC
Palm Centro[16][17] 312 MHz Intel PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Palm OS 5.4.9 107cc 125g 2.2" 320x320 Full QWERTY 1.3mp MicroSDHC
Palm Treo 755p 312 MHz Intel PXA270 128 MB 64 MB Palm OS 5.4.9 ? 160g 2.5" 320x320 Full QWERTY 1.3mp MiniSD
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9000 624 MHZ Marvell PXA930 1.1 GB 128 MB RIM BlackBerry OS 4.6 ? 136g 2.6" 480x320 Full QWERTY 2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
RIM BlackBerry Storm 9500 624 MHZ Marvell PXA930 1.1 GB 192 MB RIM BlackBerry OS 4.7 ? 155g 3.3" 360x480 Soft QWERTY 3.15mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SGH-i907 Epix 624 MHz Marvell PXA310 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 125g 2.5" 320x320 Full QWERTY 2mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SGH-i908 Omnia 624 MHz Marvell PXA310 16 GB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 122 g 3.2" 400x240 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Samsung SCH-M495 T*OMNIA 806 MHz Marvell PXA312 16 GB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 ? 131 g 3.3" 480x800 Soft QWERTY 5mp aGPS, MicroSDHC
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 (aka HTC Venus)[18][19] 528 MHz ARM1136EJ-S 512 MB 384 MB Windows Mobile 6.1 99cc 158g 3" 800x480 Full slide-out QWERTY 3.15mp AF aGPS, MicroSDHC
Toshiba Portege G900 520 MHz Marvell PXA270 ? ? Windows Mobile 6.0 156cc 196g 3" 800x480 Full slide-out QWERTY 2mp with front VGA camera for video calls MiniSD
HP iPAQ 910c 520 MHz Marvell PXA270 256 MB 128 MB Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional ? 146g 240×320,touch-able QWERTY 3.2mp microSD
勤劳致富的财神爷范蠡
春秋末年，吴国与越国展开了一场争雄的战争。结果是越国消灭了吴国，取得了中国东南霸主的地位。在这一场战争中，越国大夫范蠡起到了关键的作用。他出谋献策，帮越王勾践平定了吴越之地，然后又及时地功成身退，种田经商，三致千金，并把挣来的钱财分散给贫民，成了千古传颂的佳话。
《史记·越王勾践世家》记载范蠡从越国功成身退，浮海到了齐国，他“耕于海畔，苦身戮力，父子治产。居无几何，致产数十万。”
范蠡和他的儿子们在齐国的海边找了一块地方，以耕种为业，亲自参加劳动，没多少时间，得到了数十万的产业。
《史记》记载很明白，范蠡的“财”是“苦身戮力”也就是勤劳致富的结果。他虽然在越国担任丞相，是有职有权的。但他此时是在齐国，是一位无职无权的亲自参加劳动的普通劳动者。
他在齐国呆了大约两年，又移居陶地，他为什么要到陶地呢，《史记》记载，他“以为此天下之中，交易有无之路通，为生可以致富矣。”
他选择了一个好的地理位置，陶地位于“天下之中”，也就是位于当时各诸侯国的交通要道，可以搞“国际贸易”。历史上，此地西、北有三晋（赵、魏、韩），东有齐国，南有越、吴、楚，正是搞“国际贸易”的好地理位置。《战国策》上的秦国的穰侯封地在“陶”，正是陶朱公的陶，也是秦国口头相许燕国相国：“封君于河南，为万乘，达途于中国，南与陶为邻”的陶。“河南之南”，今安徽涡阳的陶朱公的墓地地理位置正与《战国策》的记载相符。陶朱公的“陶”不在齐国，陶在齐国就不是“天下之中”了，只能说是“齐国腹中”了。①
他在“陶”，把自己的名字改为“陶朱公”，“复约要父子耕畜”，依然规定是父子劳动，耕地和养畜。靠的依然是勤劳致富。
不过，他还经商，“废居，候时转物，逐十一之利。”
《史记》记载的他经商的这三条原则尤其值得我们注意：
第一，“废居”，就是起居无时，早晚摸黑的干，靠的是勤劳；
第二，“候时转物”，依据市场的变化，看哪个国家，在什么季节，多余了什么，又缺少什么，把货物及时的转运过去；
第三，“逐十一之利”，现代人都说“做商人就要黑心”，错了，范蠡与他的子弟不是这样的，他们的规矩是“逐十一之利”，也是几千年来的通行的规矩，这规矩就是范蠡定下来的，做一百元的生意，你只能赚十元钱，那时没有税务所，完全是商业的自律。范蠡就是这样的一个人。
他这样做，赚不赚钱呢？请看《史记》说：“居无何，则致资累巨万。”
在陶地居住也没有太长的时间，他的资本积累已经达到了“巨万”，“巨万”是什么意思呢？就是万万，用今天的话说，就是“亿万富翁”了！于是，“天下称陶朱公”，天下的人，指当时的诸侯各国，都知道了有一位亿万富翁叫“陶朱公”的人了。
“废居，候时转物，逐十一之利。”是陶朱公范蠡经商的三原则。
他的成功不仅仅是他有了钱，他的流芳百世在于他的勤劳，还在于他对社会的奉献。“十九年三致千金，再分散与贫交疏昆弟。”三次挣到的“千金”，再一次次地分给穷人，在那个时代是难能可贵的，司马迁称赞他是“此所谓富好行其德者也。”
所以，我称他是“中國慈善事业的第一人。”
后世广为流传的《陶朱公生意经》，被商人奉为经商宝典。《陶朱公生意经》有人称作《陶朱公商经》，也称作《陶朱公商训》、《陶朱公经商十八则》等，文简意胲：
生意要勤快，切勿懒惰，懒惰则百事废。 接纳要谦和，切勿暴躁，暴躁则交易少。
价格要订明，切勿含糊，含糊则争执多。 账目要稽查，切勿懈怠，懈怠则资本滞。
货物要整理，切勿散漫，散漫则查点难。 出纳要谨慎，切勿大意，大意则错漏多。
期限要约定，切勿延迟，延迟则信用失。 临事要尽责，切勿放任，放任则受害大。
用度要节俭，切勿奢侈，奢侈则钱财竭。 买卖要随时，切勿拖延，拖延则机会失。
赊欠要识人，切勿滥出，滥出则血本亏。 优劣要分清，切勿混淆，混淆则耗用大。
用人要方正，切勿歪斜，歪斜则托付难。 货物要面验，切勿滥入，滥入则质价低。
钱账要清楚，切勿糊涂，糊涂则弊窦生。 主心要镇定，切勿妄作，妄作则误事多。
工作要细心，切勿粗糙，粗糙则出劣品。 说话要规矩，切勿浮躁，浮躁则失事多。
文中也反映了范蠡的经商首先强调了勤快。其实，“十八则”都是以“勤快”为基底的。
范蠡功成身退以后,并不消沉,他仍以积极的人生对待自己。他运用自己的智慧和他的老师老子的教诲,在农业与经商上重整旗鼓并且取得了令当世人与后世人称道的成就。特别是范蠡是以勤劳致富的，要引起我们的注意。
二十二年谋吴,十九年三致千金是范蠡人生的二个阶段。
《史记·越王勾践世家》记载范蠡从越国功成身退，浮海到了齐国，他“耕于海畔，苦身戮力，父子治产。居无几何，致产数十万。”
范蠡和他的儿子们在齐国的海边找了一块地方，以耕种为业，亲自参加劳动，没多少时间，得到了数十万的产业。
《史记》记载很明白，范蠡的“财”是“苦身戮力”也就是勤劳致富的结果。他虽然在越国担任丞相，是有职有权的。但他此时是在齐国，是一位无职无权的亲自参加劳动的普通劳动者。
他在齐国呆了大约两年，又移居陶地，他为什么要到陶地呢，《史记》记载，他“以为此天下之中，交易有无之路通，为生可以致富矣。”
他选择了一个好的地理位置，陶地位于“天下之中”，也就是位于当时各诸侯国的交通要道，可以搞“国际贸易”。历史上，此地西、北有三晋（赵、魏、韩），东有齐国，南有越、吴、楚，正是搞“国际贸易”的好地理位置。《战国策》上的秦国的穰侯封地在“陶”，正是陶朱公的陶，也是秦国口头相许燕国相国：“封君于河南，为万乘，达途于中国，南与陶为邻”的陶。“河南之南”，今安徽涡阳的陶朱公的墓地地理位置正与《战国策》的记载相符。陶朱公的“陶”不在齐国，陶在齐国就不是“天下之中”了，只能说是“齐国腹中”了。①
他在“陶”，把自己的名字改为“陶朱公”，“复约要父子耕畜”，依然规定是父子劳动，耕地和养畜。靠的依然是勤劳致富。
不过，他还经商，“废居，候时转物，逐十一之利。”
《史记》记载的他经商的这三条原则尤其值得我们注意：
第一，“废居”，就是起居无时，早晚摸黑的干，靠的是勤劳；
第二，“候时转物”，依据市场的变化，看哪个国家，在什么季节，多余了什么，又缺少什么，把货物及时的转运过去；
第三，“逐十一之利”，现代人都说“做商人就要黑心”，错了，范蠡与他的子弟不是这样的，他们的规矩是“逐十一之利”，也是几千年来的通行的规矩，这规矩就是范蠡定下来的，做一百元的生意，你只能赚十元钱，那时没有税务所，完全是商业的自律。范蠡就是这样的一个人。
他这样做，赚不赚钱呢？请看《史记》说：“居无何，则致资累巨万。”
在陶地居住也没有太长的时间，他的资本积累已经达到了“巨万”，“巨万”是什么意思呢？就是万万，用今天的话说，就是“亿万富翁”了！于是，“天下称陶朱公”，天下的人，指当时的诸侯各国，都知道了有一位亿万富翁叫“陶朱公”的人了。
“废居，候时转物，逐十一之利。”是陶朱公范蠡经商的三原则。
他的成功不仅仅是他有了钱，他的流芳百世在于他的勤劳，还在于他对社会的奉献。“十九年三致千金，再分散与贫交疏昆弟。”三次挣到的“千金”，再一次次地分给穷人，在那个时代是难能可贵的，司马迁称赞他是“此所谓富好行其德者也。”
所以，我称他是“中國慈善事业的第一人。”
后世广为流传的《陶朱公生意经》，被商人奉为经商宝典。《陶朱公生意经》有人称作《陶朱公商经》，也称作《陶朱公商训》、《陶朱公经商十八则》等，文简意胲：
生意要勤快，切勿懒惰，懒惰则百事废。 接纳要谦和，切勿暴躁，暴躁则交易少。
价格要订明，切勿含糊，含糊则争执多。 账目要稽查，切勿懈怠，懈怠则资本滞。
货物要整理，切勿散漫，散漫则查点难。 出纳要谨慎，切勿大意，大意则错漏多。
期限要约定，切勿延迟，延迟则信用失。 临事要尽责，切勿放任，放任则受害大。
用度要节俭，切勿奢侈，奢侈则钱财竭。 买卖要随时，切勿拖延，拖延则机会失。
赊欠要识人，切勿滥出，滥出则血本亏。 优劣要分清，切勿混淆，混淆则耗用大。
用人要方正，切勿歪斜，歪斜则托付难。 货物要面验，切勿滥入，滥入则质价低。
钱账要清楚，切勿糊涂，糊涂则弊窦生。 主心要镇定，切勿妄作，妄作则误事多。
工作要细心，切勿粗糙，粗糙则出劣品。 说话要规矩，切勿浮躁，浮躁则失事多。
文中也反映了范蠡的经商首先强调了勤快。其实，“十八则”都是以“勤快”为基底的。
范蠡功成身退以后,并不消沉,他仍以积极的人生对待自己。他运用自己的智慧和他的老师老子的教诲,在农业与经商上重整旗鼓并且取得了令当世人与后世人称道的成就。特别是范蠡是以勤劳致富的，要引起我们的注意。
二十二年谋吴,十九年三致千金是范蠡人生的二个阶段。
财神范蠡
道教是一种具有多神信仰的民族宗教，它的某些重要神灵往往有多种形象，名称不同。例如财神就不止一个形象，有武财神与文财神之分。武财神不止一个，有赵公明、关公。文财神也不止一个，有比干、范蠡。又有五路财神，不同时代或不同地域的五路财神的形象又不同。财神还有财公、财母、和合二仙、文昌帝君等。在各种各样的财神形象中，我个人最欣赏的财神是范蠡。范蠡并不是财神中影响最大的，他也不曾保佑我发了大财，我欣赏他，是因为下面几个原因。
一、传奇人生，典型的道家人格
范蠡（公元前525-455）是楚国南阳人，春秋末期杰出的政治家。他通晓天文地理，善于机变，文韬武略，无所不精。越国曾被吴国所灭，越国君勾践穷途末路，在吴国身为奴仆。范蠡随勾践一起在吴国驾车养马，向他讲述复国之道。勾践返国后，拜范蠡为相国。范蠡在越国“十年生聚、十年教训”，使越国财富兵强。公元前480 年，越国开始对吴国进行报仇之战。范蠡在战斗中身先士卒，亲冒矢石。公元前473年，越国终于灭了吴国，成就了霸业。
道家创始人、道教教主老子曾说：“功遂身退，天之道”（《道德经》第9章），范蠡实践了这一道家提倡的人格。打败吴国后，他不居功、领赏，为官，传说他带着西施，逃到齐国去了。范蠡走前，向勾践告别，勾践说：“你走了我依靠谁？你如果留下，我分你一半国家；你如果真走，我杀掉你的妻子。”范蠡于是不辞而别，“乘扁舟泛于江湖”。走前留给越国重臣文种一封信，说，“飞鸟打光了，好的弓箭该收藏起来；兔子打完了，就轮到把猎狗烧来吃了。越王这个人，可以跟他共患难，不可以共安乐，您如果不逃走，将被他所害。”文种不信，继续做官。有一天，勾践派人给他送来一口绝命剑。文种后悔没听范蠡的话，只好自杀了。
二、最早的财神，最早的道商
范蠡到齐国干什么呢？他从事商业与农畜业生产，发了大财，成为巨富，自号陶朱公。他为什么能发财致富呢？因为他有经营之道。《史记》说他在生产方面会用人才，掌握时机；在货物交易方面，他知道何时积货，何时卖出。他富而有德，用赚的钱资助贫困。在19年的时间中，他曾三次成为巨富，三次将财富散于民众。晚年他将生意交给子孙们经营，自己专心修炼。儿孙们将财富积累到亿，而他自己则活到130岁。司马迁时代，范蠡已被作为财神看待：“故言富者皆称陶朱公。”
当前商界大讲儒商、佛商、道商。儒商是坚持儒家理念的商人，如李嘉诚被评为中华第一儒商。佛商是坚持佛教理念的商人，目前已成立世界佛商联合会。道商是坚持道家与道教理念的商人，北京大学王博在深圳做关于道商的讲演，他说：“什么是道商？所谓道商我觉得就是‘道魂商才’。我有道家的灵魂，我从事的是商人的事业。”当代最成功的道商是谁？一个是青岛海尔公司的总裁张瑞敏，二是成都恩威公司的董事长薛永新。他们都是运用老子与道家的思想来管理和经营企业，创造了巨大的财富。谁是中国历史上最早的道商？范蠡！这是公认的，毫无疑义的。
三、与其他财神比较
我欣赏财神范蠡，还因为他比其他的财神，更符合我心目中的财神理念。
1、他确实大发其财，名垂青史
赵公明，俗称赵公元帅，大约明代开始被民间祭祀为财神。他的形象是顶盔披甲，穿着战袍，骑着黑虎，执鞭威仪，黑面浓须。关公，也称“关圣帝君”，是三国时的战将。关公最讲义气，遵守信用，商人因此而尊奉他。文财神比干，其形象头戴宰相纱帽，五绺长须，手捧如意，身着蟒袍，足蹬元宝。比干是商代纣王的叔父，为人正直，敢于直言，被纣王挖心而死。他们在历史上都是名人、战将、贤者，但是他们都不是商人，也不是巨富。只有范蠡，大可以让一国致富，小可以使一家一人致富，有这样的经历与才能，祀为财神是名副其实的。
2、他只是财神，没有一身多任
赵公明一身而多任，既是财神，又是道教的护法四帅之一。传说其在汉代时曾为张天师守护丹室，故又被民间祀为门神，民间将其神像贴在门上，镇邪祈福。关公也是道教的护法四帅之一，他一生可能不曾经商，是过五关斩六将的将军，死后首先被祀为武神，后尊为财神。清末关公在江南一带是保护神，百姓受内忧外患之苦，向关帝求雨，求药，求驱灾降魔，也求关公保国安民，除暴安良。这一信仰传入台湾，关公被民众视为玄灵高上帝崇拜。
我个人的欣赏角度，往往更喜欢功能单纯、形象稳定的神灵。假定我们在一户人家的墙上看见一幅关公的神像，我们很可能不知道这幅神像是武神还是财神。还有五路财神，其形象就不止一个系列。据胡孚琛《中华道教大辞典》称：五路财神有三种说法，一为元末何五路，抗倭寇而死；二为五祀中的行神，五路指东南西北中，皆可得财。三为宋代的五显神，原为兄弟五人，后被民众祀为财神。
范蠡作为神灵被祭祀，他只是财神，功能单纯，也没有别的神灵面孔，形象稳定。
3、他精通谋略，是个智慧的财神
财神大多表现出忠诚信义的品格。如赵公明，传说是终南山人。在神话中，他原是日精之一。古时天有九日，九日被后羿射下后变为九鸟，墬落于青城山，变成九鬼王。八鬼行病害人，只有赵公明独化为人，隐修蜀中。张陵在青城山炼丹时，收赵公明守护丹室。因其忠诚，天师命其永镇玄坛，故号为玄坛元帅。关公与刘备、张飞桃园三结义，互相忠诚，把信义看得比生命还重要。中国古代提倡“武死战，文死谏”，即武官最高的荣誉是死于战场，文官的最高荣誉是死于向皇帝公开提出批评。比干具有愚忠、死于谏的品格，他多次批评商纣王，被剖心而死。
在财神中，只有范蠡具有谋略家的品格。在这一点上，他与老子有相同之处。在政治上，他有卧薪尝胆、以弱胜强、以及美人计等谋略，保住了越国没有灭亡。在军事上，他有“后则用阴，先则用阳，近则用柔，远则用刚”（《国语•越语》）等一系列谋略，打败了吴国的军队。在商业上，他有用人与生财的谋略，特别善于掌握买进卖出的时机，成为那个时代最成功的巨商。当前社会上非常提倡与探讨商战谋略问题，范蠡作为一个有谋略的智慧型财神，自然受到一些企业家的关注。
一、传奇人生，典型的道家人格
范蠡（公元前525-455）是楚国南阳人，春秋末期杰出的政治家。他通晓天文地理，善于机变，文韬武略，无所不精。越国曾被吴国所灭，越国君勾践穷途末路，在吴国身为奴仆。范蠡随勾践一起在吴国驾车养马，向他讲述复国之道。勾践返国后，拜范蠡为相国。范蠡在越国“十年生聚、十年教训”，使越国财富兵强。公元前480 年，越国开始对吴国进行报仇之战。范蠡在战斗中身先士卒，亲冒矢石。公元前473年，越国终于灭了吴国，成就了霸业。
道家创始人、道教教主老子曾说：“功遂身退，天之道”（《道德经》第9章），范蠡实践了这一道家提倡的人格。打败吴国后，他不居功、领赏，为官，传说他带着西施，逃到齐国去了。范蠡走前，向勾践告别，勾践说：“你走了我依靠谁？你如果留下，我分你一半国家；你如果真走，我杀掉你的妻子。”范蠡于是不辞而别，“乘扁舟泛于江湖”。走前留给越国重臣文种一封信，说，“飞鸟打光了，好的弓箭该收藏起来；兔子打完了，就轮到把猎狗烧来吃了。越王这个人，可以跟他共患难，不可以共安乐，您如果不逃走，将被他所害。”文种不信，继续做官。有一天，勾践派人给他送来一口绝命剑。文种后悔没听范蠡的话，只好自杀了。
二、最早的财神，最早的道商
范蠡到齐国干什么呢？他从事商业与农畜业生产，发了大财，成为巨富，自号陶朱公。他为什么能发财致富呢？因为他有经营之道。《史记》说他在生产方面会用人才，掌握时机；在货物交易方面，他知道何时积货，何时卖出。他富而有德，用赚的钱资助贫困。在19年的时间中，他曾三次成为巨富，三次将财富散于民众。晚年他将生意交给子孙们经营，自己专心修炼。儿孙们将财富积累到亿，而他自己则活到130岁。司马迁时代，范蠡已被作为财神看待：“故言富者皆称陶朱公。”
当前商界大讲儒商、佛商、道商。儒商是坚持儒家理念的商人，如李嘉诚被评为中华第一儒商。佛商是坚持佛教理念的商人，目前已成立世界佛商联合会。道商是坚持道家与道教理念的商人，北京大学王博在深圳做关于道商的讲演，他说：“什么是道商？所谓道商我觉得就是‘道魂商才’。我有道家的灵魂，我从事的是商人的事业。”当代最成功的道商是谁？一个是青岛海尔公司的总裁张瑞敏，二是成都恩威公司的董事长薛永新。他们都是运用老子与道家的思想来管理和经营企业，创造了巨大的财富。谁是中国历史上最早的道商？范蠡！这是公认的，毫无疑义的。
三、与其他财神比较
我欣赏财神范蠡，还因为他比其他的财神，更符合我心目中的财神理念。
1、他确实大发其财，名垂青史
赵公明，俗称赵公元帅，大约明代开始被民间祭祀为财神。他的形象是顶盔披甲，穿着战袍，骑着黑虎，执鞭威仪，黑面浓须。关公，也称“关圣帝君”，是三国时的战将。关公最讲义气，遵守信用，商人因此而尊奉他。文财神比干，其形象头戴宰相纱帽，五绺长须，手捧如意，身着蟒袍，足蹬元宝。比干是商代纣王的叔父，为人正直，敢于直言，被纣王挖心而死。他们在历史上都是名人、战将、贤者，但是他们都不是商人，也不是巨富。只有范蠡，大可以让一国致富，小可以使一家一人致富，有这样的经历与才能，祀为财神是名副其实的。
2、他只是财神，没有一身多任
赵公明一身而多任，既是财神，又是道教的护法四帅之一。传说其在汉代时曾为张天师守护丹室，故又被民间祀为门神，民间将其神像贴在门上，镇邪祈福。关公也是道教的护法四帅之一，他一生可能不曾经商，是过五关斩六将的将军，死后首先被祀为武神，后尊为财神。清末关公在江南一带是保护神，百姓受内忧外患之苦，向关帝求雨，求药，求驱灾降魔，也求关公保国安民，除暴安良。这一信仰传入台湾，关公被民众视为玄灵高上帝崇拜。
我个人的欣赏角度，往往更喜欢功能单纯、形象稳定的神灵。假定我们在一户人家的墙上看见一幅关公的神像，我们很可能不知道这幅神像是武神还是财神。还有五路财神，其形象就不止一个系列。据胡孚琛《中华道教大辞典》称：五路财神有三种说法，一为元末何五路，抗倭寇而死；二为五祀中的行神，五路指东南西北中，皆可得财。三为宋代的五显神，原为兄弟五人，后被民众祀为财神。
范蠡作为神灵被祭祀，他只是财神，功能单纯，也没有别的神灵面孔，形象稳定。
3、他精通谋略，是个智慧的财神
财神大多表现出忠诚信义的品格。如赵公明，传说是终南山人。在神话中，他原是日精之一。古时天有九日，九日被后羿射下后变为九鸟，墬落于青城山，变成九鬼王。八鬼行病害人，只有赵公明独化为人，隐修蜀中。张陵在青城山炼丹时，收赵公明守护丹室。因其忠诚，天师命其永镇玄坛，故号为玄坛元帅。关公与刘备、张飞桃园三结义，互相忠诚，把信义看得比生命还重要。中国古代提倡“武死战，文死谏”，即武官最高的荣誉是死于战场，文官的最高荣誉是死于向皇帝公开提出批评。比干具有愚忠、死于谏的品格，他多次批评商纣王，被剖心而死。
在财神中，只有范蠡具有谋略家的品格。在这一点上，他与老子有相同之处。在政治上，他有卧薪尝胆、以弱胜强、以及美人计等谋略，保住了越国没有灭亡。在军事上，他有“后则用阴，先则用阳，近则用柔，远则用刚”（《国语•越语》）等一系列谋略，打败了吴国的军队。在商业上，他有用人与生财的谋略，特别善于掌握买进卖出的时机，成为那个时代最成功的巨商。当前社会上非常提倡与探讨商战谋略问题，范蠡作为一个有谋略的智慧型财神，自然受到一些企业家的关注。
財神的由來
范蠡，字少伯，又名鴟夷子皮或陶朱公，生卒年不詳，有說約為楚平王十二年（西元前517年）。以經商致富，廣為世人所知，後代許多生意人皆供奉他的塑像，稱之財神。
春秋楚國宛地（今河南南陽）人，是歷史上早期著名的政治家、軍事家和經濟學家。他出身貧寒，但聰敏睿智、胸藏韜略，年青時，就學富五車，上曉天文、下識地理，滿腹經綸，文韜武略，無所不精。
然縱有聖人之資，在當時貴胄專權、政治紊亂的楚國，范蠡卻不為世人所識。
周景王二十四年（西元前496年），吳國和越國發生了槜李之戰（今浙江嘉興），吳王闔閭陣亡，因此兩國結怨，連年戰亂不休，周景王二十六年（西元前494年），
闔閭之子夫差為報父仇與越國在夫椒（今江蘇太湖中洞庭山）決戰，越王勾踐大敗，僅剩5000兵卒逃入會稽山。范蠡遂於勾踐窮途末路之際投奔越國，「人待期時，忍其辱，乘其敗……」
「持滿而不溢，則於天同道，上天會佑之；地能萬物，人應該節用，這樣則獲地之賜；扶危定傾，謙卑事之，則與人同道，人可動之。」他向勾踐慨述「越必興、吳必敗」之斷言，
進諫：「屈身以事吳王，徐圖轉機。」被拜為上大夫後，他陪同勾踐夫婦在吳國為奴三年，「忍以持志，因而礪堅，君後勿悲，臣與共勉！」
三年後歸國，他與文種擬定興越滅吳九術，是越國「十年生聚，十年教訓」的策劃者和組織者。為了實施滅吳戰略，也是九術之一的「美人計」，范蠡親自跋山涉水，
終於在苎蘿山浣紗河訪到德才貌兼備的巾幗奇女——西施，在歷史上譜寫了西施深明大義獻身吳王，裡應外合興越滅吳的傳奇篇章。范蠡事越王勾踐二十餘年，苦身戮力，
卒於滅吳，成就越王霸業，被尊為上將軍。
范蠡認為在有功於越王之下，難以久居，「飛鳥盡，良弓藏；狡兔死，走狗烹」。《他深知勾踐為人「長頸鳥喙」，可與共患難，難與同安樂，遂與西施一起泛舟齊國，
變姓名為鴟夷子皮，帶領兒子和門徒在海邊結廬而居。戮力墾荒耕作，兼營副業並經商，沒有幾年，就積累了數千萬家產。他仗義疏財，施善鄉梓，范蠡的賢明能幹被齊人賞識，
齊王把他請進國都臨淄，拜為主持政務的相國。他喟然感嘆：「居官致於卿相，治家能致千金；對於一個白手起家的布衣來講，已經到了極點。久受尊名，恐怕不是吉祥的徵兆。」
於是，才三年，他再次急流勇退，向齊王歸還了相印，散盡家財給知交和老鄉。
一身布衣，范蠡第三次遷徙至陶（今山東定陶西北），在這個居於「天下之中」（陶地東鄰齊、魯；西接秦、鄭；北通晉、燕；南連楚、越。）的最佳經商之地，
操計然之術（根據時節、氣候、民情、風俗等，人棄我取、人取我與，順其自然、待機而動。）以治產，沒出幾年，經商積資又成巨富，遂自號陶朱公，當地民眾皆尊陶朱公為財神，
乃我國道德經商——儒商之鼻祖。史學家司馬遷稱：「范蠡三遷皆有榮名。」；史書中有語概括其平生：「與時逐而不責於人」；世人譽之：「忠以為國；智以保身；商以致富，成名天下」。
范蠡的軍事宗旨：強則戒驕逸，處安有備；弱則暗圖強，待機而動；用兵善乘虛蹈隙，出奇制勝。為後世稱道並沿用。
范蠡著名的經濟思想：「勸農桑，務積穀」、「農末兼營」、「務完物、無息幣」、「平糶各物，關市不乏，治國之道也。」、「夏則資皮、冬則資絺、旱則資舟、水則資車，以待乏也。」
等至今對現代的經濟建設也有積極的現實意義。
著作有《計然篇》；在《國語．越語下》《史記．貨殖列傳》中均有記載；《漢書．藝文志》記有范蠡兵法二篇，但皆已流失。
陶朱公著有《陶朱公理財十二則》(可能是後人所托)，內容如下：
1.能識人：知人善惡，賑目不負。
2.能用人：因財器便，任事可賴。
3.能知機：善貯時宜，不致蝕本。
4.能倡率：躬行以率，觀感自生。
5.能整頓：貨物整齊，奪人心目。
6.能敏捷：猶豫不決，到老無成。
7.能接納：禮義相交，顧客者眾。
8.能安業：棄舊迎新，商賈大病。
9.能辯論：生財之道，開引其機。
10.能辦貨：置貨不拘，獲利必多。
11.能收帳：勤謹不怠，取討自多。
12.能還帳：多少先後，酌中而行。
根據陶朱公的經商思想加工整理而成的《陶朱公生意經》，又稱《陶朱公商經》、《陶朱公商訓》或《陶朱公經商十八則》，至今仍在定陶一帶流傳。《陶朱公生意經》內容如下：
1.生意要勤快，懶惰百事廢。
2.用度要節儉，奢華錢財竭。
3.價格要證明，含糊爭執多。
4.賒欠要證人，濫欠血本虧。
5.貨物要面驗，濫入質價減。
6.出入要謙慎，潦草錯誤多。
7.用人要方正，歪斜託付難。
8.優劣要細分，混淆耗用大。
9.貨物要修正，散漫查點難。
10.期限要約定，馬虎失信用。
11.買賣要隨時，拖延失良機。
12.錢財要明慎，糊塗弊端生。
13.臨事要盡責，委託受害大。
14.賬目要稽查，懈怠資本滯。
15.接納要謙和，暴躁交易少。
16.主心要寧靜，妄動誤事多。
17.說話要規矩，浮躁失事多。
18.工作要精細，粗糙出劣品。
結論:
中國大陸以前拜的財神是范蠡，台灣是拜關公做財神，實在想不出拜關公做財神是什麼道理，拜范蠡做財神很有道理。
當時，范蠡幫助越王勾踐復興越國，復興之後，他知道越王勾踐可共患難不能共富貴，所以他就開溜了。
從此改名換姓，帶著西施住在陶這個地方，所以也稱為陶朱公。他做生意，發大財，然後把錢財全部布施出去，歷史上記載「三聚三散」。
他散財之後，再從小生意做起，過了幾年又發了，發了財馬上就散財，他三次散財，他得的果報是置千金之產五次，這是真正的聰明人。
有錢大家享福，大家都擁護你，不會害你；你有錢自己享福，所謂「一家保暖千家怨」，不曉得多少刀在那裡圍著你，你還會有好日子過嗎？
世間許多有錢人，在我眼當中，他們是可憐人，可憐在哪裡？
他們外出要有好多保鑣，唯恐別人殺他。住在旅館先要搜查，怕人家放炸彈，提心吊膽，身心不安。
哪有我們這麼自在，上街東逛西逛沒人管你。他不知道他被錢害了，如果把錢財布施出去，不就沒事了嗎？果真能散財布施，你走到哪個地方，人家都歡迎、都會照顧，這才是真正大自在。
實在講，死了一分錢也帶不去。這是世間最可憐的人，他不覺悟。
春秋楚國宛地（今河南南陽）人，是歷史上早期著名的政治家、軍事家和經濟學家。他出身貧寒，但聰敏睿智、胸藏韜略，年青時，就學富五車，上曉天文、下識地理，滿腹經綸，文韜武略，無所不精。
然縱有聖人之資，在當時貴胄專權、政治紊亂的楚國，范蠡卻不為世人所識。
周景王二十四年（西元前496年），吳國和越國發生了槜李之戰（今浙江嘉興），吳王闔閭陣亡，因此兩國結怨，連年戰亂不休，周景王二十六年（西元前494年），
闔閭之子夫差為報父仇與越國在夫椒（今江蘇太湖中洞庭山）決戰，越王勾踐大敗，僅剩5000兵卒逃入會稽山。范蠡遂於勾踐窮途末路之際投奔越國，「人待期時，忍其辱，乘其敗……」
「持滿而不溢，則於天同道，上天會佑之；地能萬物，人應該節用，這樣則獲地之賜；扶危定傾，謙卑事之，則與人同道，人可動之。」他向勾踐慨述「越必興、吳必敗」之斷言，
進諫：「屈身以事吳王，徐圖轉機。」被拜為上大夫後，他陪同勾踐夫婦在吳國為奴三年，「忍以持志，因而礪堅，君後勿悲，臣與共勉！」
三年後歸國，他與文種擬定興越滅吳九術，是越國「十年生聚，十年教訓」的策劃者和組織者。為了實施滅吳戰略，也是九術之一的「美人計」，范蠡親自跋山涉水，
終於在苎蘿山浣紗河訪到德才貌兼備的巾幗奇女——西施，在歷史上譜寫了西施深明大義獻身吳王，裡應外合興越滅吳的傳奇篇章。范蠡事越王勾踐二十餘年，苦身戮力，
卒於滅吳，成就越王霸業，被尊為上將軍。
范蠡認為在有功於越王之下，難以久居，「飛鳥盡，良弓藏；狡兔死，走狗烹」。《他深知勾踐為人「長頸鳥喙」，可與共患難，難與同安樂，遂與西施一起泛舟齊國，
變姓名為鴟夷子皮，帶領兒子和門徒在海邊結廬而居。戮力墾荒耕作，兼營副業並經商，沒有幾年，就積累了數千萬家產。他仗義疏財，施善鄉梓，范蠡的賢明能幹被齊人賞識，
齊王把他請進國都臨淄，拜為主持政務的相國。他喟然感嘆：「居官致於卿相，治家能致千金；對於一個白手起家的布衣來講，已經到了極點。久受尊名，恐怕不是吉祥的徵兆。」
於是，才三年，他再次急流勇退，向齊王歸還了相印，散盡家財給知交和老鄉。
一身布衣，范蠡第三次遷徙至陶（今山東定陶西北），在這個居於「天下之中」（陶地東鄰齊、魯；西接秦、鄭；北通晉、燕；南連楚、越。）的最佳經商之地，
操計然之術（根據時節、氣候、民情、風俗等，人棄我取、人取我與，順其自然、待機而動。）以治產，沒出幾年，經商積資又成巨富，遂自號陶朱公，當地民眾皆尊陶朱公為財神，
乃我國道德經商——儒商之鼻祖。史學家司馬遷稱：「范蠡三遷皆有榮名。」；史書中有語概括其平生：「與時逐而不責於人」；世人譽之：「忠以為國；智以保身；商以致富，成名天下」。
范蠡的軍事宗旨：強則戒驕逸，處安有備；弱則暗圖強，待機而動；用兵善乘虛蹈隙，出奇制勝。為後世稱道並沿用。
范蠡著名的經濟思想：「勸農桑，務積穀」、「農末兼營」、「務完物、無息幣」、「平糶各物，關市不乏，治國之道也。」、「夏則資皮、冬則資絺、旱則資舟、水則資車，以待乏也。」
等至今對現代的經濟建設也有積極的現實意義。
著作有《計然篇》；在《國語．越語下》《史記．貨殖列傳》中均有記載；《漢書．藝文志》記有范蠡兵法二篇，但皆已流失。
陶朱公著有《陶朱公理財十二則》(可能是後人所托)，內容如下：
1.能識人：知人善惡，賑目不負。
2.能用人：因財器便，任事可賴。
3.能知機：善貯時宜，不致蝕本。
4.能倡率：躬行以率，觀感自生。
5.能整頓：貨物整齊，奪人心目。
6.能敏捷：猶豫不決，到老無成。
7.能接納：禮義相交，顧客者眾。
8.能安業：棄舊迎新，商賈大病。
9.能辯論：生財之道，開引其機。
10.能辦貨：置貨不拘，獲利必多。
11.能收帳：勤謹不怠，取討自多。
12.能還帳：多少先後，酌中而行。
根據陶朱公的經商思想加工整理而成的《陶朱公生意經》，又稱《陶朱公商經》、《陶朱公商訓》或《陶朱公經商十八則》，至今仍在定陶一帶流傳。《陶朱公生意經》內容如下：
1.生意要勤快，懶惰百事廢。
2.用度要節儉，奢華錢財竭。
3.價格要證明，含糊爭執多。
4.賒欠要證人，濫欠血本虧。
5.貨物要面驗，濫入質價減。
6.出入要謙慎，潦草錯誤多。
7.用人要方正，歪斜託付難。
8.優劣要細分，混淆耗用大。
9.貨物要修正，散漫查點難。
10.期限要約定，馬虎失信用。
11.買賣要隨時，拖延失良機。
12.錢財要明慎，糊塗弊端生。
13.臨事要盡責，委託受害大。
14.賬目要稽查，懈怠資本滯。
15.接納要謙和，暴躁交易少。
16.主心要寧靜，妄動誤事多。
17.說話要規矩，浮躁失事多。
18.工作要精細，粗糙出劣品。
結論:
中國大陸以前拜的財神是范蠡，台灣是拜關公做財神，實在想不出拜關公做財神是什麼道理，拜范蠡做財神很有道理。
當時，范蠡幫助越王勾踐復興越國，復興之後，他知道越王勾踐可共患難不能共富貴，所以他就開溜了。
從此改名換姓，帶著西施住在陶這個地方，所以也稱為陶朱公。他做生意，發大財，然後把錢財全部布施出去，歷史上記載「三聚三散」。
他散財之後，再從小生意做起，過了幾年又發了，發了財馬上就散財，他三次散財，他得的果報是置千金之產五次，這是真正的聰明人。
有錢大家享福，大家都擁護你，不會害你；你有錢自己享福，所謂「一家保暖千家怨」，不曉得多少刀在那裡圍著你，你還會有好日子過嗎？
世間許多有錢人，在我眼當中，他們是可憐人，可憐在哪裡？
他們外出要有好多保鑣，唯恐別人殺他。住在旅館先要搜查，怕人家放炸彈，提心吊膽，身心不安。
哪有我們這麼自在，上街東逛西逛沒人管你。他不知道他被錢害了，如果把錢財布施出去，不就沒事了嗎？果真能散財布施，你走到哪個地方，人家都歡迎、都會照顧，這才是真正大自在。
實在講，死了一分錢也帶不去。這是世間最可憐的人，他不覺悟。
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