Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Above all, my advice for beginners is this: don’t work in Forex until you’ve had AT LEAST three years of experience studying the nuisances of this business. Choose your broker wisely. Perform a background check. Personally, it took me five years before I started to consistently make money. So don’t get frustrated if the market feels like too much at first. That’s because it is! People dedicate their lives to understanding currency exchange – why shouldn’t you put in a little effort?

In my opinion, Forex, in Indonesia and abroad, is a way to cheat the system. Unlike the stock market, which is fairly-regulated, even in Indonesia, Forex is not licensed. This means they have free range to do as they please with practically no supervision. Recently, the U.S. Government, realizing Forex presents a realistic threat to uninformed citizens, has begun investigations by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the  FBI. It’s difficult to put Forex higher-ups behind bars, because their extensive legal team is quite clever. They protect themselves with signed contracts while walking away with your money.

Indonesia is a mess because of Forex fraud, as is a majority of Southeast Asia. Licenses can be a tricky thing, so make sure you read the fine print before signing your name to a legally-binding document.

Monday, May 28, 2012

More advice to my friend from Jakarta

"Similar to market development in the West, Forex companies began to appear across Asia - Singapore, Pakistan, India and the Philippines. But in the West, people tend to be more educated in market analysis and possess firsthand understanding of how bonds and broker licenses operate. In Asia, however, people tend to be more naive. They have a hard working mentality but their laws are muddy. Government payoffs aren’t out of the ordinary. And ultimately, the paths these Forex firms take resemble those of many Las Vegas casinos -- built on broken dreams and broken homes.

Never underestimate the effects of psychological trauma, either. Forex “clients” can be well-educated, sure, but that doesn’t inoculate them from fraud. Many are shocked to learn how boldly and rudely they have been robbed of their hard-earned money. The moral repercussions, more than the money, leave the deepest scars, too. Turning to the courts, these “clients” are shutout by big shot Forex lawyers equipped with signed documents. Justice, and retribution, become near impossibilities.

But you’ll say, “I want to trade. I’m aware of the risk. I’m a big boy/girl and I can handle the shark infested Forex oceans. Heck – I took a class and read the book. I’m a market expert!”  Not so fast. You see, the Forex people are impervious to discouragement. They’re mentally prepared to effectively communicate with, and pacify, threatening, crying and begging “customers.” Even if you take them to court and win, the settlement – once you factor in court costs and lawyer fees – will be minimal.

These companies are clever. They know exactly who to target. They’re not going after one big fish with a million dollar account. They want the whole school. Besides – if you have a million dollars to invest, you’re probably well versed in market management. No, the type of person they’re after is the regular investor. The entrepreneur with $10,000 to invest. The middle-class American. (A diminishing demographic, I think we’ll all admit.) And worst case scenario, if these companies are brought up on charges, they have the means to evaporate their holdings, open a brand new office in a brand new city in a brand new country – easy money. A sucker born every minute.

Don’t believe in easy money? Just turn on the Discovery Channel and watch predators identify, stalk, and take down the weakest prey in the pack.

Don’t be prey for these Forex frauds.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

A letter to a friend

I have a friend who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. He asked my opinion about firms which draw people of his country into the Forex market. Here’s a brief extract from a letter I wrote him:

"On any professional website providing Forex services, you’ll read that the value of the international market is trillions of dollars, what the major currencies are…., etc. This is true. The global foreign exchange market called the Interbank, and the biggest players are the major banks and governments. Transactions occur frequently. So much so that the involvement of a third party becomes necessary. These third parties number in the thousands, and – to put it politely – aren’t always the sharpest tools in the shed. The brightest crayons in the box. However you spell it out, these people aren’t working in London’s Barclay, with access to key market analysis and information using professional trading terminals. These third party individuals hail from Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and poor parts of the world. And why not? Their $500 aren’t at risk on the Forex market. So they settle into companies that provide Forex services.”

But we’ll discuss that more in depth in my next post. Until then, be careful who you trust with your trading!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Essence of the transaction


I feel very sorry for beginners in the Forex market. Fresh with a college degree and twelve credits worth of economics classes under their belt, a lot of young people feel that they’re ready to step up to the plate. Play the big game.

Except…they’re not. 70-80% of college graduates are struggling to make it on their own. The job market is slim. Opportunities are limited Most are forced to move back in with their parents. So, what solution have they been turning to in droves?

The Forex market. Try to make money from the comforts of the living room couch.
The problem, though, is that beginners generally fail to ask the question, “who am I really working with?” when deciding on a broker. The market is so complex that it’s difficult to understand all of the little intricate working components. Therefore, we trust a broker with our portfolio, our finances.

What happens when this trust is broken? Empower yourself by taking the time to educate yourself on how the market  works. Let’s start simply: what is the essence of the transaction?”

Forex offers the following definition in some of their promotional materials: the purchase, and management, of currency and foreign-exchange holdings. In actuality, and in accordance with the terms of agreements concluded by the majority of Forex companies, you DO NOT BUY your own currency, but try to guess where the quotes will move - up or down. You then pocket the difference between the current price and the exchange rate, which can rise at any point in the future! Ownership of the currency is never transferred - the client only receives the right to require the currency.

My advice for beginners: NEVER work with a broker who:
1)
fails to explain the essence of the transaction,
2)
fails to give you license for work in the foreign exchange market.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Stay informed

The more informed you are, the greater threat you pose in life. In society. But, it's difficult to keep up to date with everything nowadays. As soon as you buy the latest Apple product, they've released a better, faster one. As soon as you learn the name of the country the government just invaded, they've declared war on someone more terrifying. So, how does the average person stay informed with a 9-5 or kids or a music career,like me? The right software. Because that's the beauty of technology - it helps us stay up to speed. For some, it still moves too fast. But I just teamed up with Forex's new Da Vinci trading system, and I'm not embarrassed to admit that it makes me look good. The display helps me keep track of the stock market while offering unique forecasting perspectives. Don't know a lick about stocks, currency trading, or computers in general? That's OK. You still trust yourself over any anonymous trader, don't you? Besides, it's fun to learn money things. And the more you know, the greater threat you pose.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Did you know that gold rose by .5% last week while the GLD etf rose by .64%? Yeah, I had no idea what this meant either. That's why, when investing my money, I wanted to partner up with someone who really understood the market. That someone turned out to be someTHING...in the form of Da Vinci's new currency trading software. The layout simplifies the day's transactions, as well as market trends, and helps me make informed decisions. In the end, that's what's most important to me. I want to know exactly where my money is going. What it's doing. And where it's going to go next. So don't feel dumb when reading the market section of the newspaper. We have technology to make us LOOK smart nowadays.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Turn it off!

Google's chairman Eric Schmidt challenges recent graduates from Boston University to turn away from a careen for one hour a day. "Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation," he pleads. Maybe the sad part is that he has to ask in the first place...

Friday, May 18, 2012

Facebook went public today - you buying in? I've been busy making trades with Da Vinci's new currency platform, by Forex. So simple to use, and it tracks every trend, every change, and every trade for me. Because I have a feeling Facebook's stock will pull a LinkedIn - spike with curiosity, then dip drastically once the fervor is over.

Thursday, May 17, 2012


Re-claim control of your portfolio


Remember back to 2008? The economy collapsed. America sank into its greatest depression in nearly a century. The culprit? Corruptible individuals entrusted with other peoples’ money.
DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!
Da Vinci's Trading System empowers the average citizen to manage their own financial portfolio. Why trust a broker when you can broker trades from your Smartphone? Da Vinci’s innovative platform makes manipulating the currency market faster, easier, and more secure than ever before. The trading terminal maximizes the user experience and can increase the efficiency of any business that offers online trading. With Back office, specific reports for every type of business entity cover events generated by you, other users and the system.
But what good is technology with reliability? Every professional has been in that situation where the system crashes. Java melts down. You’re waiting on that pivotal trade but for whatever reason, it’s taking forever to execute the transaction. These issues result in unnecessary stress on you and your clients. Worst of all – you’ve lost credibility. And in business, credibility is everything.
Da Vinci eliminates these typical pitfalls with the most advanced, stable and fast online currency-trading platform available to date. Delivering real-time exchange rates, Da Vinci utilizes multiple graphs and charting functions simultaneously, all with minimum data streaming. Because even the slightest delay can mean the difference in hitting it big, and losing it all. A sophisticated algorithm automatically manages counterparty risk between trading clients and liquidity providers. The Matching System is specifically engineered to limit risk by eliminating the potential for human error – something 2008 desperately could have used.
So go ahead – take back control of your financial destiny. Whether you’re a seasoned broker or a first-timer, Da Vinci gives you flexibility in trading, so you can focus more on your portfolio, and relax... 

Monday, May 14, 2012

Not Feelin' Greek

Leftist in the Greek government shot down a proposal today to switch to a technocracy - a government controlled by scientists and the best and brightest in technological fields. I mean, why would you want someone with a genius IQ in control of society anyways? The greasy politicians are doing such a great job already... NOT.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Patch job

Adobe released an emergency update today to fix a glitch in their Flash Player for Windows. The glitch allows hackers to crash or take control of affected machines. Needless to say, concerns over the sale of personal information have arisen. Just hope you don't see your social security number for sale on the dark side of Craigslist. And yes, there's a dark side of Craigslist, no matter how much they clean it up. Cleanup your act and sure up your computers security with Vault Revolution.

R.I.P. Adam Yauch

Founder of the 'Beastie Boys', Yauch passed away today at the age of 47. He battled cancer for three years. A recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Yauch added his truly unique voice to a generation.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Don't hold your breathe...

The jury is still deliberating in the much anticipated Oracle v. Google case. Oracle claims that up to nine lines of computer code in the Android operating system were lifted from Java, infringing on their copyright. Google argues that the code constitutes fair use -- code should be made available to all so it can be manipulated and reimagined. As of this afternoon, the jury is still out, and some experts suggest that once they reappear, if they see their shadows, we may be in for one long spring..

Word of the day: contextualism

When Google steals your data, it's to help themselves. When Apple does it, it's to help guys creep on girls with an app.

Read more about how Apple has decided to join Google in the controversy pool HERE.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Get an Ivy League Education...for free!

Harvard has announced plans to offer an array of curriculum to ANYONE interested in learning. Price of admission? Nothing at all! Just a determined attitude if you plan on making it all the way to finals. Harvard's involvement follows MIT's announcement in December that it was starting an open online learning project to be known as MITx. Its first course, Circuits and Electronics, began in March, enrolling about 120,000 students -- some 10,000 of whom made it through the recent midterm exam. Those who complete the course will get a certificate of mastery and a grade, but no official credit. Similarly, edX courses will offer a certificate but will carry no credit. So...you don't get that all important degree the modern job market demands. But you will expand your mind. And in the end, life is learning. Now that the Ivy League has started to tap into the web's true potential, let's hope more universities, corporations and government agencies wise up.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Make a mistake? It's OK, the government has your back

I'm almost tired of typing the word "Google" on this blog. But how can I help it? Each day they come up with a way to outdo themselves. Leapfrogging from patent suits to privacy scandals- you'd think this would have a negative affect on the company. You'd think... But this is America. A world so concerned with everyone receiving their participation trophies that they forget competetivness is the key to staying on top. So we bail out the auto companies. Rubberize the ground in our parks. Make sure no one gets hurt, no matter how flagrantly they mismanage their vehicle's MPGs or swing for a monkey bar that's well out of reach. People fall. Knees get scrapped. Getting back up used to be American. Now things are handed out. Google just signed a big email contract with the U.S. government, beating out Microsoft. Wasn't Google just in the news... Something about leaked passwords... Well let's just hope that doesn't include nuclear launch codes in the future...

A Face and Name to go with it!


Marius Milner: aka the man the knows "too much about Wi-fi." Finally, the FCC has concluded  its investigation into Google's Mapping scandal, and revealed Milner to be the "rogue" programmer responsible for the code that  "scooped" up user information. Read more about the face that launched a thousand clicks HERE.