Currency Exchange Summer 2008

U$1 / ISGD=U$ .77
.93AUD Australian/.98
1.36 SGD S'pore/ .77
1.36 BNDBrunei $ / .77
3.11 RM M'sian Ringgit/.34
7.00 CNY Ch Renminbiyuan/ .15
7.78 HKD HKG / .13
8.01 MOP Macau/.13
31.68 THB Thai Baht/.03
41.60INR India Rupees/.03
41.65PHP Pesos Philippines/.03
9,200 IDR Indonesian Rupiah/ -

$75 Cash for U from U.S. Bank (Utah only)

I was at Smith's and saw the flyer below, advertising they would deposit their $75 into your account after you show them your receipts showing your expenditure. I find it hard to believe. I contact the bank (see contact info) and they assured me that it is their bank promotion, inviting new customers to try out their bank.
So I went to the bank branch in Pleasant Grove, and was told that they would reimburse my $75 when I spend up to that amount within 30 days or by April 13, whichever came first. I was required to open a minimum of $50 checking and $25 saving accounts. There's no fees bank fee or minimum requirement. There are charges with overdraft. For the purpose of $75 spending, I deposited $100 in checking and $25 in savings. I planned to spend the $75 (and get reimbursed) and leave the $100 untouched after. Other than the bank card, and conducting all my transaction at the bank, I did not have any checks.
I will get my card in the mail within 5 days, and for my convenience, purchase a $75 gift card at Smith's for gas and groceries so I could get quick reimburse using one receipt and spend my money at my leisure. If you choose to take advantage of this OFFER, would you email me and let me know of your experience? (usausak@hotmail.com) Thank you.

Contact Info : Jenny of Pleasant Grove US Bank 801-785-0873
This is the information, but do your own due diligence regarding this promotion.
Though U.S. Banks are nationwide, this promotion is of Utah. I could not find information on their website regarding this promotion, so stumbling upon this promotion was an accident. I vaguely remember another such promotion sometime ago but did nothing with it. I was told they do such a promotion every so often.
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From their flyer :
"Now US Bank is even more convenient with the addition of our new, full-service branches inside Smith's.
To celebrate, we're offering $75 in free groceries when you open a new checking account and use your new U.S. Bank Visa Check Card inside Smith's."
1. Open up a new consumer checking account with a U.S. Bank Visa Check Card
2. Activate the check card you revieve via US Mail by following the directions on the card.
3. Use your new US Bank Xheck Card to make non-PIN purchase(s) at this grovery store within 30 days of account opening.
4. By April 13, 2009, take your grovery store receipt(s) to the U.S. Bank branch and receive credit for the amount of the purchase(s), up to $75.
5. Allow 30 days for $75 credit to post to your account.

"In small prints on the flyer :
$50 minimum deposit to open a U.S. Bank Free Checking. All regular opening procedures apply. Non-routine transaction fees may apply. 1. Offer Terms & conditions: To earn the $75 cash bonus, the customer must open a new Free account between February 26-March 13, 2009 and to use their U.S. Bank Visa Check Card for any non-PIN based purchases at the grocery store within 30 days of the new checking account opening and bring the grocery receipt(s) in the U.S. Bank branch where they opened the account for verification by April 13, 2009. The cash bonus, up to $75 based on the grocery receipt(s) total, will be deposited directly back into the new US bank consumer checking account. Accounts holder is responsible for any applicable taxes. Ony one bonus per household. Offer, amy bot be combined with any other bonus points or marketing offers, and is not valid if you have received other U.S. Bank bonus offers in the past 6 months. Other restrictions may apply. Offer valid at any participating U.S. Bank."

Best Picture "Slumdog Millionaire" & the Hour of Truth Oscar 2009 Predictions (@ the 11th hour) Part 2

Best Picture "Slumdog Millionaire" & the Hour of Truth
Report card of my Oscar 2009 Predictions the 11th Hour- Part 2
Slumdog Millionaire nabbed all but one Oscar (won by ” The Dark Knight” - the late Heath Ledger for best sound editing)
“It is nominated for 9 Academy Awards and, were it to win seven, would equal the record set by Shakespeare in Love, the last British film to sweep the Oscars 10 years ago.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/4783664/Oscars-2009-Slumdog-Millionaire-stars-struggle-to-contain-excitement.html
Guess what? They won 8 Oscars including BEST PICTURE. It surpasses the record set by “Shakespeare in Love”, a British made movie to sweep the Oscars.
My predictions did not include some obscure nominations (foreign movie or documentary) that I was not familiar with.

Predicted 21 out of 24, missed 7 but accurately predicted 14 Oscar Winners. Had I place my money where my mouth is, I would have won myself some money at Intrade (http://www.intrade.net/market/listing/showEventGroup.faces?eg=162).

Oscar Winners (in bold type versus my italicized predictions) of The Academy Awards Feb. 22, 2009 in the order of appearance are :

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 1
Amy Adams, Doubt; Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; Viola Davis, Doubt; Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 2
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt; Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh; In Bruges, Martin McDonagh; Milk, Dustin Lance Black (Gay Mormon from TX); WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 3
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth; Doubt, John Patrick Shanley; Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan; The Reader, David Hare; Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE 4
Bolt; Kung Fu Panda; WALL-E

BEST ANIMATED SHORT 5 (no prediction)
La Maison en Petits Cubes; Lavatory — Lovestory; Oktapodi; Presto; This Way Up

BEST ART DIRECTION 6
Changeling; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; The Duchess; Revolutionary Road

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 7
Australia; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Duchess (Michael O’Connor); Milk; Revolutionary Road

BEST MAKEUP 8
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; Hellboy II: The Golden Army

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 9
Changeling; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; The Reader; Slumdog Millionaire

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT (no prediction) 10
Auf der Strecke (On the Line) ; Manon on the Asphalt; New Boy; The Pig; Spielzeugland (Toyland)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 11
Josh Brolin, Milk; Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight; Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt; Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 12 (no prediction)
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon); Encounters at the End of the World; The Garden; Man on Wire; Trouble the Water

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT 13
The Conscience of Nhem En; The Final Inch; Smile Pinki; The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS 14
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; Iron Man; How did I do?

BEST SOUND EDITING 15
The Dark Knight; Iron Man; Slumdog Millionaire; WALL-E; Wanted

BEST SOUND MIXING 16
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; Slumdog Millionaire; WALL-E; Wanted

BEST EDITING 17
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Dark Knight; Frost/Nixon; Milk; Slumdog Millionaire

Humanitarian Award given to Jerry Lewis

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE 18
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat; Defiance, James Newton Howard; Milk, Danny Elfman; Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman; WALL-E, Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SONG 19
''Down to Earth,'' WALL-E; ''Jai Ho,'' Slumdog Millionaire; ''O Saya,'' Slumdog Millionaire

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 20
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany); The Class (France) ; Departures (Japan) ; Revanche (Austria) ; Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

BEST DIRECTOR 21
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire; David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Stephen Daldry, The Reader; Gus Van Sant, Milk

BEST ACTRESS 22
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Angelina Jolie, Changeling; Melissa Leo, Frozen River; Meryl Streep, Doubt; Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST ACTOR 23
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon; Sean Penn, Milk; Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST PICTURE 24
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Frost/Nixon; Milk; The Reader; Slumdog Millionaire

Notice how many women wear a one shoulder dress – what a tribute to the First Lady.
Kate Winslet, Marisa Tomei (what an incredible dress) Queen Latifah

Oscar 2009 Predictions (@ the 11th hour)

This is the 1st year that I care to predict.
Why? Hugh Jackman will bring glitz and fun to the Oscar, versus stale jokes and token audience laughter. And love that Slumdog Millionaire, the feel good movie has brought Bollywood to the Oscars

BEST PICTURE : Slumdog Millionaire (this but I also like) The Reader
BEST DIRECTOR : Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTOR : Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
BEST ACTRESS : Kate Winslet, The Reader (this but I also like) Angelina Jolie, Changeling
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY : In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY : Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE : Bolt
BEST ANIMATED SHORT : not familiar with this category
BEST ART DIRECTION : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (this but I also like) Changeling
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY : Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN : Australia
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE : not familiar with this category
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT : The Final Inch
BEST EDITING : Slumdog Millionaire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM : The Class (France)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT : not familiar with this category
BEST MAKEUP : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE : Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
BEST ORIGINAL SONG : ''Jai Ho,'' Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND EDITING : Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND MIXING : Slumdog Millionaire
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

* Slumdog Millionaire (particularly because we are in economic depression and such feel good movie is the call of the day)

++++++++++++++++++
List of nominees & the Academy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 22.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20254167,00.html

090207 Obama donates Presidential Income?

Pres. O, Would you consider donating your $400K presidential income (Y) to charter schools / charity. Your gesture would put shame on the preposterous CEO & their ridiculous pay & arrogance (who think that their colleagues'd go to foreign banks if their high Y demands are not met). Mercenary CEOs would bleed their co & bankruptcy graves than make temporary sacrifices to save co & the nation. You'd be hailed in history, & secure 2012 reelection. It's tax ded. for your bk Y & compel Hse to act reasonably on the stimulus package.
(And perhaps prompt the U$2M incomes of the Singapore cabinet.)
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

February 6, 2009 Anticipated Hollywood Strike not going to happen

It is unlikely that there will be a Hollywood actors strike in 2009 or the subsequent months as predicted below. As the American economy has gone down south, hurting ALL Americans, and for those exorbitantly paid actors to demand more financial benefits and royalty from all sources of media (DVS, online streaming, etc,). Their strike would backfire on them, labeling them as greedy bourgeois and part of the American problem of financial disaster.

Damages Season 3- 2010: After the first season of the series had finished its run, FX announced that Damages had been renewed for a third season as well, with 13 episodes. The air date has not yet been announced, and with another possible Hollywood strike on the horizon, this time from the actors^[3], Damages may be pushed back again, assuming that FX chooses January 2010 to begin airing of season 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Damages_episodes

Obama caps $500K Execute Pay tied to Bailout money

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iYX--wRrv7CQhjxb9FFjidsIvjLQD9653GGO0
About time!
While American hangs on to dear economic life, and fat Wall Street cats are rewarded with whopping milions in bonus for failed performance that plumet American economy!

Obama's take was, "There is a deep sense across this country that those who were not responsible for this crisis are bearing a greater burden than those who were."
It's about time someone slaps the door shut on pilaging the American tax dole-out!

USA Financial Meltdown - keep on globe-trotting

I wanted to add an addendum email to my off –the- cuff response to your email, hoping it would prompt in-depth assessment about returning to the States.

Last email I guess you did not expect to receive an “enthusiasm void” email when you announced your return to USA. Contrary to your expectations, I encouraged you to continue your global trekking and stay in SE Asia. Your return, I assume, is not due to illness in the family or such concerns. With regards to “growing roots”, I recommended holding it off for at least 6 months or longer, giving this reeling nation a chance to stabilize. Fall 2007 you liquidated and “cut ties” to be free to roam, and 15 months at your pace falls short of halfway across the world (India, China, Indonesia, Australia, NZ and a whole continent of South America?) Upon your return, the accompanying euphoria would smack against the palpable dire climate and unemployment could frustrate and depress anyone and you’d wish you were still in SE Asia. It is unlikely you’d turn around at that point, or could afford it.
I’m writing you again because of my concerns for you, and wish to share with you some insightful information about the American financial climate* you’d be impacted with. Were I you, I’d wish for a “messenger” to provide me a clear perspective of the dire financial catastrophe America is in. Consult your ex-colleagues and close friends who know money for their candor before deciding to come home to the States. It is unlikely you’d have any employment opportunities waiting for you. At job fairs, for every job offered, there are hundreds of people applying wanting to work, having waited and camped overnight. Were there any anticipated, promised or presumed expectations of having employment, they no longer exist. Long term job employment, retirement or severance packages seem to evaporate, and good luck to those that hope company policies and the law could protect them. Folks are cutting out wants and focus on needs or in some cases, surviving. Fortune 500 are announcing layoffs by the hundreds and thousands daily/ weekly (Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Macy’s; Circuit City and Mervyn’s filed bankruptcy and there were/ are more). Not sure how much online reading you have done but this is the America Reality Check.

For what is is worth…
Considering the disastrous American crisis, it is wise to take advantage of the maximum elasticity of US dollars to buy/ live a fuller and richer lifestyle in SE Asia. As oxymoron as it may sound, this is the BEST time to live and learn (get an education or degree) and travel because you are already there. You’ve uprooted once (temporarily, and almost all globe trotters voluntarily do that once in their life), and best to continue and complete your journey. Under the current circumstances, for another globe trotting opportunity to come up again is very unlikely and it is more difficult now than ever to accumulate the $$$ to do it. I’m drawing from experience and extensive travel background. Unlike most, I’m blessed with financial IQ and void of “wanting stuff” so I always find the means and ways to travel (and yeah! now HC & CS is part of the travel equation) because I have the “I can” and fearless attitude and personality to ensure travelling flourishes in my life. So much about me…
Traveling in third world countries (where you are generally among the average or poor communities), you may not feel the punch of this major meltdown because out there there’s always a want for money. But “when America sneezes, the rest of the world has a cold,” there will be global economic rippling heading your way, hurting tourism in a BIG way which increased your negotiation power** for food and lodging (see below).
I am very disheartened by the current depression that is too palpable. The economy will not see any upswing any time soon. At the end of the year, if as a nation we grasp the balance of a national budgeting, economy and employment, (too bad Mitt Romney- and Ross Perot- timing of presidential running are off as these two men willing to run for presidency have a clear understanding of money while America was selling their future for today’s trinkets) we may see some stability.
Now what?
Were I you …
1. I’d stay put. Food and accommodation are cheap, and $10-15/ day. You cannot get by with 10 times that here, and certainly not the interesting lifestyle.
2. Contact 5 star resorts/ hotels and offer your services in exchange for food, lodging (suite) and stipend (and/ or hotel frequency miles that you could use at a chain hotels anywhere. (Plenty of rooms at Resorts as tourism dives. )
3. Services : English teacher (to hotel employees), activities co-coordinator (Club Med, resort), scuba instructor, web design and a whole host of expat / farang jobs. Also Freelancing : http://freelancer.com/ http://getafreelancer.com/ http://www.englishtown.com/Sp/lp/Home.aspx?bhcp=1
4. Craigslist- offer guided motorbike tours, professional “nanny” for young expat boys (activities: play, football, scuba dive, etc) -
5. Learn native language, local university for class to take or teach
6. Negotiate for 2 or 3 weeks on a week off so you can travel.
7. A month’s expenses back home could easily provide several months of wonderful living in Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia (countries with a lot of ocean opportunities with mega and “rich” tourists descending) and with some employment, you have no expenses.

In the past year while communicating with you, I feel we have made a connection and I consider you a “close friend” who I care about. Someone like yourself who is willing to sacrifice his material lifestyle and creature comforts for a global education garners my respect, admiration, envy and affection. Sometime in the not too distant future, I’d like to embark on such a journey myself. Now is not the time. I have a greater priority to be home for my daughter.
Your time is now. You have flourished exponentially since your Asian adventures that I can see.
Consider it seriously before booking a flight.
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PS – Should you return (but DO NOT THAT anytime soon), and you’re in need of room by bartering your home-improvement skills, (but CHOOSE SE Asia for another 6 to 12 months). I promise you will not regret staying longer in Asia.
Besides, who else am I going to criss-cross India, Burma and China (I could be talked into it) with this summer? Aaah… the hidden agenda…Why else would I spend precious time trying to convince you not to make a HUGE mistake by returning to the States come March.

Added Notes:
*The dire depressed economy is palpable, unlike the 80s or even the 90s crises. Then I was under the radar and was unscathed, but this time around, my portfolio has been negatively impacted – and that causes dramatic anxiety. Fortunately, my nice neighborhood unlike many other neighborhoods is not ostentatious or fervent in trying to keep up with the Jones or living above our means. However, there is no stopping the waves of financial disasters resulting in loss of jobs, hours, homes and overall loss in financial lifestyle that America used to know. Utah requires staff to take unpaid furlo to cut state budget. I don’t expect America to recover before the end of the year, and rebound to the level prior to the Wall Street disaster and SubPrime loan crisis for a few years.

* Fall 2007 – Liquidating your assets -very timely, probably best home offer
* late 2008- 2009 – probably the worst year to jumpstart a career.

**You may benefit from low tourism, and better bargaining power for accommodations, etc), but I am very disheartened by the current depression that is very palpable.

Singapore visit (if interested, & very much worth your while as it is a “ShangriLa”- almost crime-free & U could eat off the streets):
Contact Couchsurf Lim Boon Huat for couch surfing – seems like a great party organizer and lovely host. If interested, I’d send more for hosting or coffee.
My siblings speak Mandarin and workaholics, and CS is as foreign as Mars to them.