Assets

Our most important financial asset is our own capacity to earn. If we don't continually invest in improving our own production capability, we severely limit our options.

我們最重要的財務資產就是自己的賺錢能力。如果我們不持續投資於提升自身的生產能力，就會嚴重限制我們的選擇。

lawn mower: a machine for cutting grass on lawns

preserve: to keep something in its original state in good condition

dwindle: to become steadily less

spontaneity: voluntary or undetermined action or movement

​intimidate somebody (into something/into doing something) to frighten or threaten somebody so that they will do what you want

indulge: to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or consideration

leniency: the fact of being less strict than expected when punishing somebody or when making sure that rules are obeyed

permissive: allowing or showing a freedom of behavior that many people do not approve of

mentality: mode or way of thought

meantime: meanwhile

nagging: persistently annoying or finding fault with someone

fascinating: extremely interesting or charming

serendipity: the fact of something interesting or pleasant happening by chance

Online Dictionaries Used:

www.merriam-webster.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Stephen R. Covey "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Typing Exercise

Japan PM vows to continue ruling despite bruising loss

Japan's prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to continue ruling the country despite a bruising loss suffered by his party at the general election.

The country now faces an uncertain political future as the coalition led by the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost its majority in parliament, its worst result in over a decade.

Ishiba was sworn in as prime minister just this month after winning the leadership of his party. He had called a snap election to seal his mandate.

But in a speech on Monday, he admitted the LDP received " severe judgement" from voters, and added his party would "humbly accept" this.

"The Japanese people expressed their strong desire for the LDP to do some reflection and become a party that acts in line with the people's will," Ishiba told national broadcaster NHK.

The LDP and its much smaller coalition partner Komeito, have altogether taken 215 seats, falling short of the 233-seat majority needed to govern.

bbc.com.news

殺鵝取不到卵

Aesop's fable DJ[ˋi:sɔp]

glittering: shining brightly with many small flashes of light

incredulous: not willing or not able to believe something; showing a lack of ability to believe something

fabulously: (informal) extremely well

asset: [usually plural] a thing of value, especially property, that a person or company owns, which can be used or sold to pay debts

wherewithal: the money, things or skill that you need in order to be able to do something

Effectiveness lies in the balance --- what I call the P/PC Balance. P stands for production of desired results, the golden eggs. PC stands for production capability, the ability or asset that produces the golden eggs.

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

打字練習

國際秩序呼喚公平 去美元化任重道遠

【明報社評】金磚國家(BRICS)「擴容」後首次峰會在俄羅斯喀山落幕，大會宣言明確表達了改革當前國際金融架構的強烈意願，並同意研究建立新的跨國支付結算系統。峰會東道主俄羅斯因為烏克蘭戰爭，被西方主導的國際支付系統SWIFT封殺，所以積極倡導金磚國家另起爐灶，但建立新架構倡議之所以廣獲認同，更深層原因在於美國為了維持其全球唯一超級大國地位，一再將美元作為逼迫他國服膺美國利益的外交武器，嚴重損害了國際貿易機制的公平性與公正性，並對其他國家的經濟安全與金融穩定，構成了實實在在的威脅。現時在全球範圍內，「去美元化」聲浪日益高漲，金磚國家探討建立獨立支付系統，正是此趨勢的重要體現。

金磚研建新支付系統

抗衡美極端金融制裁

SWIFT全稱環球銀行金融電信協會，1973年成立，核心職責是為全球金融機構，提供高效可靠的金融通信服務，目前覆蓋全球約200個國家及地區，全球九成以上的跨境匯款業務均通過其系統完成，使之成為全球金融服務業支柱。一旦某國銀行被踢出SWIFT系統，即意味該國失去商品進出口款項收付的便捷通道、外資難以順暢將利潤匯回母國。因此，SWIFT被形象地比喻為「金融核彈」，切斷與其聯繫是極端的金融制裁手段。

儘管SWIFT總部位於比利時布魯塞爾，但由於美元在全球貿易中佔據主導地位，幾乎所有涉及美元交易的銀行，都必須通過美國代理銀行結算，美國於是能夠控制SWIFT作為長臂管轄工具。早在2014年俄羅斯吞併克里米亞後，美國已公開威脅將俄羅斯排除出SWIFT系統，然而貿易是雙向的，制裁也是把雙刃劍，歐洲長期依賴俄羅斯提供石油和天然氣等資源，亦擔心與俄國徹底翻臉會增加自身地緣安全風險與負擔，因此對極端制裁持謹慎態度，直至俄羅斯2022年入侵烏克蘭後，歐洲國家才配合美國，切斷多家俄羅斯金融機構與SWIFT聯繫。

對俄羅斯總統普京而言，推動建立新跨國支付系統代替SWIFT，既是形勢所迫，也是地緣政治棋局中反撃西方關鍵一步。金磚成員國在去年南非約翰內斯堡峰會上倍增至十個，但普京因受國際刑事法庭通緝而未能出席。作為擴容後首次金磚峰會東道主，普京當然期望通過眾多外國政要的參與，打破西方塑造的孤立形象。根據峰會結束後發表的《喀山宣言》，金磚國家同意探討並研究建立獨立跨境結算和存管基礎設施的可行性，各成員可以自願與。相較於俄羅斯會前的積極造勢，宣言的立場無疑更為謹慎，這一定程度上反映金磚國家內部尚未就新支付系統的構建與運作達成完全一致的意見，但其意義仍不容小覷。

理論上，一個國家的貨幣匯率與其經濟繁榮程度呈正關連，但美元在國際金融體系中佔據絕對主導地位，其走勢不僅受美國經濟興衰影響，還取決於美國內部與外部經濟的相對強弱。2008年金融海嘯，全球見識了美國如何利用其金融霸權，將內部經濟危機轉嫁給其他國家。此後，改革國際金融系統呼聲此起彼伏，但美國憑藉美元霸權輸出危機的趨勢也日益加劇。尼克遜時期美國財長康納利的名言「美元是我們的貨幣，卻可能是你們的麻煩」，如今仍是世界金融秩序的諷刺寫照，然而美國作為世界最大經濟體卻無視大國責任，反而頻繁將美元武器化來維護自身政經利益，必然刺激其他國家萌生建立替代系統的意識。美元對全球宏觀經濟的溢出風險，包括使新興市場面臨長期貨幣眨值和通脹上升等威脅，早已使金磚國家充滿警惕。

中西世界觀交鋒

全球治理見真章

中國早在2015年已推出人民幣跨境支付系統CIPS。中國設計CIPS固然有地緣政治考量，但更多是未雨綢繆，而非直接謀求對抗。中國作為全球最大貿易國，每年國際貿易額達六萬億美元，對SWIFT的需求遠大於年貿易總額僅約七千億美元的俄羅斯，輕言取代SWIFT顯然是不切實際。對中國而言，相較於徹底排他的抗衡，積極擴展CIPS的適用範圍，同時致力擴大對SWIFT的影響力，是更為務實的策略。就在喀山峰會前夕，SWIFT國際銀行營運大會年會十月二十一日在北京開幕，是該年會舉辦四十四屆以來首次在中國召開。事實上，正因為與中國相關的國際交易在全球佔據重要份額，SWIFT對中國「大有所求」，為中國加強其在SWIFT治理結構中的地位提供了機遇。

可以預見，只要美國繼續濫用美元獨特地位作為地緣政治武器，相應的反制力量也將不斷增強，惟美元作為全球主要貨幣的地位，也不會一時三刻改變。美國早已用行動表明，它不會接受霸權的衰落，金磚國家推動新支付系統，美國必視之為重大挑戰，並會千方百計阻撓。更何況，金磚國家內部並非鐵板一塊，印度作為在國際地緣政治博弈中與美國走得最近的金磚國家，雖然同樣質疑美元霸權，但也對自己在金磚的地位缺乏安全感，尤其對中國充滿戒心。

喀山峰會的主題是「加強多邊主義，促進公平的全球發展與安全」，清晰表達了拒絕單極霸權思維的立場。國家實力的強弱，決定了國際秩序的主導權，而強國在行使權力時更需要自我克制，才能維護全球的公平與穩定。西方媒體對金磚的解讀，往往側重於將其視為對抗西方的「同盟」，突顯對立意識；相比之下，國家主席習近平在峰會的發言強調了擴大國際合作在全球治理變革中的重要性。在此背景下，關於跨境支付的討論，不僅關乎國際金融體系的變革，也是東西方兩種世界觀的較量。國際秩序面臨重塑，而對每個國家來說，擁有選擇權必然優於無法自主。至於哪種秩序更符合人類普遍期望，「全球南方」在國際事務中的聲量日益增強，或連已經給出了答案。

The maturity continuum

piecemeal: in pieces or fragments

psych-up: (informal) to prepare somebody/yourself mentally for something difficult or unpleasant

My sense of worth would not be a function of being liked or treated well.

nevertheless: however

enthrone: to assign a high status or value to

avowed: openly acknowledged or declared

pedestal: foundation

smack: to strike so as to produce a smack

shackle: something (such as a manacle or fetter) that confines the legs or arms

forsake: to renounce or turn away from entirely

renounce: to give up, refuse, or resign usually by formal declaration

assert: to state clearly and definitely that something is true

True independence of character empowers us to act rather than be acted upon. It frees us from our dependence on circumstances and other people and is a worthy, liberating goal. But it is not the ultimate goal in effective living.

真正的人格獨立讓我們有能力行動而不是處於被動。它讓我們擺脫對環境和他人的依賴，是一個值得追求的解放目標，但這並不是有效生活的最終目標。

obscure: to conceal or hide by or as if by covering

Online Dictionaries Used:

www.merriam-webster.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

《與成功有約》25.10.2024

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle said.

weave: to make (something, such as a basket) by intertwining

transfix: to make somebody unable to move because they are afraid, surprised, etc.

superlative: utmost degree of something

eventful: momentous

critical: inclined to criticize severely and unfavorably

willpower: the ability to control your thoughts and actions in order to achieve what you want to do

But knowing I need to listen and knowing how to listen is not enough. Unless I want to listen, unless I have the desire, it won't be a habit in my life. Creating a habit requires work in all three dimensions.

Online Dictionaries Used:

www.merriam-webster.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

《與成功有約》24.10.2024

sidestep: bypass

empower: to give official authority

latitude: freedom of action or choice

trustworthy: reliable

precede: in front of

futile: serving no useful purpose

stagnant: not flowing in a current or stream

shape up: to develop in a particular way, especially in a good way

conscience: the part of your mind that tells you whether your actions are right or wrong

T.S. Eliot said, "We must not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for the first time."

我們絕對不能停止探索，而所有探索的終點就是抵達我們開始的地方，並第一次認識這個地方。

DeepL Translate

Online Dictionaries Used:

www.merriam-webster.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com