Astrology Compatibility

Since the Rabbit and the Rooster are opposites on the Chinese Horoscope, they will have to work very hard to create a fulfilling relationship which can be sustained. As lovers the Rooster's need for control and penchant for nagging may well chase the Rabbit away. Their overall compatibility rating is 20%.

More abt Rabbit

Sociable, Discreet, Refined, Shrewd, Perceptive, Sensitive, Aloof. Meticulous, Efficient, Orderly, Conscientious, Intelligent, Honourable, Notoriously Candid.

While they may not like it, the Rabbit is a timid, attractive being who is usually non-confrontational. Rabbits are very popular with friends and family. They are inherently compassionate and protective of those they care about. Rabbits idealize their relationships and may give far more of themselves than is healthy. Fortunately the Rabbit surrounds itself with friends and family who will help it regain its balance when thrown off emotionally.

Rabbits are a bit fragile and need a solid social foundation in order to thrive. Without a strong family and close friends the Rabbit will not stand up well to adversity. Rabbits are so sensitive to their feelings that any emotional upset may make them physically sick. Rabbits can be pessimistic if they feel as though their lives are at a stand-still. By nature they are insecure about their place in the world. Rabbits move through life at their own pace. They are both contemplative and often procrastinators.

Rabbits love the home life. Within a strong family environment the Rabbit may find the security it needs to blossom and become more self-assertive.

More abt Rooster

Meticulous, Efficient, Orderly, Conscientious, Intelligent, Honourable, Notoriously Candid.

The quick thinking, ingenious Roosters are a pragmatic lot who prefer not to take any risks. Roosters are so aware of what’s going on around them that some may believe them to be psychic. It is not easy to sneak anything by a Rooster. These beings are a frank, honest lot who do not pull any punches and admire those who are truthful with them.

Roosters do not play games and are not likely to create facades to hide behind. They are honest, open and keep their word. Roosters are perfectionists and like to be in control. Their appearance is of great importance to them. Roosters do love to be noticed and love socializing with those who love them.

Roosters expect and will fight for control of their surroundings and those who fall within its boundaries. They are extremely neat and expect their family members to be the same. By nature, Roosters are conservative, and loyal, trusting and supportive to those who earn it. Those close to the Rooster who do not live up to their standards will find themselves henpecked incessantly.

Roosters who learn to let others be what they are will have an extremely gratifying life.

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The New Silk Road - Ben Simpfendorfer

Read this book by the RBS economist.
Interesting read on the history between China and the Middle East.

The New Silk Road - The Arab World Rediscovers China
... China only joined the WTO in 2001 and grew from 300bn to a 3tn economy in a couple of years. The Arabs facing US sanctions in 2001 and redirecting investments to Asia and London whereby the listings are less onerous.

Chinese Petrodollars and the competition for oil.
... The Arab has 28% of the world oil reserves. Chinese consumption going higher cos of domestic car sales. China strategic oil reserves and the export oil factories. US and China have 27% and 9% for the global oil consumption. Saudi wants to reduce dependency on the US but also needs technology from them as well. Looking for African oil but also vulnerable to the regimes. China policy of non-intervention.

The Arab Wealth Funds and the rise of an "Islamic Corridor"
... The Arab funds have abt USD 1.4 tn. ADIA hv 800bn and smallest out of the 7 UAE countries. Saudi with abt 300bn while having a population of 20mm. KIA with abt 260bn. Investing in the Islamic corridor from the Africa through the ME and then Asia. China stk mkt from 580bn in 2001 to 2.2tn in late 2008. The SAFE and the CIC were well covered except for the Arab funds.

Syria learns from China while the Chinese goes "Global"
... Damascus is one the most ancient cities. Trade along the Silk Road dried up in 1600s after the collapse of the Timurid Empire in Central Asia. Ming Dynasty also faced attacks from the Northwest. Car convoy arrived in Syria in 2006 to open up the market. Arab economies collapsed in the 1700s bcos of the European sea powers and the switching of most Asia trades to the African Cape route. The Chinese construction companies are capable of large infrastructure project like ports, utilities and roads. Japan Korea and TW had transferred 300bn of investment into china while providing managerial expertise.
... Egypt and Syria competing for influence in the mkt. Exports to Egypt grew from 800m to 3tn between 2000 to 2006. Huawei influence in Egypt and its expertise in building a telecoms infrastructure.

Young women and the the future of the Arab world
...Young women btw 15-29 accounted for over 30% of SZ 9mm population. Extremely entrepreneurial and all over the world. Mao Zedong transformed women during the revolution bcos of their support. Joblessness in the middle east is of a concern. Wheat prices are a concern bcos the ME is a net importer. ME demographic dividend is a big potential.

The New Public Relations War : "Al Jazeera"in China
... The no of Chinese officials who can speak Arabic versus the Americans and the Europeans. Need to monitor the Arab news as well.

Arabic and the Language of Globalization - formal Arabic or fusha

Implications for the West - A new centre of gravity
... Muslims in China - the extremists are just a very small potion.
... The economic center of the world is beginning to shift from Europe and America to the Middle East and Asia.

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电脑设备笑话

电脑设备笑话
Monitor 说：我好惨呀，每天给人看
Keyboard 说：我更惨呢，每天给人打
Mouse 说：我才惨咧，每天给人摸
USB 说：我最惨了，每天给人插
Diskette 机说：我更惨，现在没人插我
Thumbdrive说：谁有我惨？这边插完就去那边插，一不小心还要被感染
CPU电脑主机说：不要以为我被很多东西插，我会很爽。它们插了以后都不动了。那才是难受啊。最后。。
Speaker器说：还说呢。。明明是你们被插，为什么都是我在叫呢？

Somthing funny that Anson sent me in the afternoon.

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Using CPF for property nvestment

What are the criteria required to be able to use CPF savings to buy a home?

For Private Property - As long as you are not an undischarged bankrupt, you can withdraw all your CPF savings in the Ordinary Account and the monthly CPF contributions that are paid into your Ordinary Account for the purchase of the property and/or payment towards your housing loan subject to the prescribed limit.

You can use your Ordinary Account savings, and the future monthly CPF contributions in this account to buy a property and/ or to pay the monthly instalments of the housing loan up to 100% of the Valuation Limit (VL). The VL is the lower of the purchase price or the value of the property at the time of purchase.

If your housing loan is still outstanding when your total CPF withdrawals towards payment of the property had reached the Valuation Limit, you may continue to use your CPF savings up to the applicable Housing Withdrawal Limit to repay the housing loan, provided you are able to set aside half of the prevailing Minimum Sum.

You may use your CPF to pay the purchase price of the property after you have paid the first 5% of the purchase price in cash.

What important factors should you be aware of when using CPF to repay a housing loan?

In addition to the CPF housing withdrawal limits which define the amount of CPF that can be used for housing, members should also be aware of factors like the CPF Minimum Sum requirements when they reach 55 years old, the effect of changes in housing loan interest rates, reductions in the amount of contributions to the Ordinary Account as they get older, etc.

Private Property

Before you sell, mortgage or transfer your private property, you must obtain the consent of the Board. When the property you have bought with CPF is sold or transferred when you are below the age of 55, you have to return the CPF savings you have withdrawn as well as the accrued interest to your CPF account.

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Funny article on Financial Times

Funny article on Financial Times abt positive incentives.
Is sex really dead after marriage and kids?

Dear Economist: Should my wife use ‘positive incentives’?
August 1, 2009 2:43am
Now that we have completed our family, my wife wants me to have a vasectomy, strongly hinting that she will withdraw all sexual favours unless I comply. For a long time now, the amount of sex we have been having (about once a month) has been less than I would like (a couple of times a week). While I am not an economist, I have read that positive incentives are important. Wouldn’t my wife have more chance of persuading me to have the snip if she promised me more frequent sex rather than threatening to withdraw it altogether?
Dave, London
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Dear Dave,

In traditional economics there is no important motivational difference between stick and carrot, and so I can hardly accuse your wife of bad economics in that respect.

But, even if your proposal is accepted, you face a serious problem. Your vasectomy is a one-off operation, for which you seek an ongoing future incentive. How can you be sure that your wife will stick to the deal? Economists call this the “hold up problem”.

You are hoping for an extra 90 bouts of intimacy per year. Since I give your marriage five more years, tops, this adds up to an extra 450 sexual encounters in total. But there is no guarantee that, after you have your operation, you will experience any of them.

The obvious answer is a performance bond. Your wife could deposit, say, £45,000 with a lawyer. Whenever the two of you contact the lawyer to confirm that intercourse has occurred, he will release £100 to your wife.

Perhaps that seems unromantic, so I have a better idea – simply secure payment in kind upfront. If the two of you get busy, you should get through 450 lovemaking sessions within a year, perhaps sooner. You might even find you enjoy it so much that this troubled marriage perks up. I suggest you get started at once.

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Ten Thoughts on Whole Living

~ Stress can push your internal resources to the breaking point. Make time to unwind.
~ Yr core supports the whole body. Explore ways to keep it strong.
~ Just becos a task is important doesnt mean it cant be fun.
~ Missteps are part of any process. Stay focus on where u re headed.
~ Cultivate the art of knowing when to move on.
~ Dont shrug off compliments. Honor and remember them.
~ Resist the urge to overanalysze every experience. Live each moment instead.
~ With herbs, nature shows us that health and flavor go hand in hand.
~ Let pleasure expand yr perspective.
~ Make this the day u stop dreaming and start doing.

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The Great Crash, 1929

The Great Crash, 1929
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Great Crash, 1929 is a book written by John Kenneth Galbraith and published in 1954; it is an economic history of the lead-up to the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The book argues that the 1929 stock market crash was precipitated by rampant speculation in the stock market, that the common denominator of all speculative episodes is the belief of participants that they can become rich without work and that the tendency towards recurrent speculative orgy serves no useful purpose, but rather is deeply damaging to an economy. It was Galbraith's belief that a good knowledge of what happened in 1929 was the best safeguard against its recurrence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Crash,_1929

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