Follow up to 2013 Views

Interesting panel in Davos where Ray Dalio speaks to the new global competitive environment similar to how I've been describing:

Views on 2013
"Education has been 'democratized' and is available globally. The set of corporate laws, strategies, infrastructures and overall economic "setups" are becoming more similar and copied across business and countries internationally as well. We will all be playing by the same rules."

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/no-growth-easy-money-navigating-the-new-normal
Listen to Dalio around 20:45 minutes: "The issue will come to productivity... the economics of 'how do you become competitive'..."

Or here is a transcript:
https://www.santangelsreview.com/2013/01/27/transcript-of-ray-dalios-comments-at-davos/


Again, every country is moving closer together on:

• Government structure
• Legal, financial, corporate setup
• Healthcare
• Education
• Technology

There are basically a series of "best practices for setting up a country" and "best practices for running a global multinational corporation" and anyone is going to be able to put them into place to become more competitive and productive.

More Japanification Links

 The Rise of the Permanent Temp Economy
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/26/the-rise-of-the-permanent-temp-economy/

Underemployed (And with College Loans)
http://economy.money.cnn.com/2013/01/28/overeducated-and-underemployed/?iid=Lead

Follow up to this post:
http://zebrainvesting.blogspot.com/2012/11/japanification.html

Stock Purchase 1/18/2013

More stock:

BOUGHT RDS.B ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC 1/18/13 $71.89

Over time trying to add holdings in companies with "stuff in the ground"... commodities, real estate, oil & gas and other tangible natural resources.

Stock Purchase: PCL, CVX

I thought I'd add a post whenever I buy or sell something in my portfolio, and try and write down my reasons for doing so, so I can look back on it later. Here are the first two of these posts, retroactively:

BOUGHT PCL PLUM CREEK TIMBER CO INC 11/07/12 $43.28

BOUGHT CVX CHEVRON CORPORATION 11/07/12 $107.86

Over time trying to add holdings in companies tied to commodities, real estate, energy and other tangible natural resources.