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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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.

Read More...

Summary only...

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

Read More...

Summary only...

Prescription for a Smile

Men Health May09. Couple of stuff that I find useful here.

Love your lungs - dont smoke
Go with the protein
Social security - friends!
Sweat on it - Exercise
Cut the junk - no sugar drinks and eat grains, veg and fruits
Root cause - eat vitamins
Oil's well - Fish oil
Dry and high - Dont drink so much
Let it shine - Hv a bit of sun and go for swim.

Read More...

Summary only...

Interesting article on Men and Women

Saw this on Straits Time today.
http://www.wow-her.com/

The joy of sex talk - Remember that old saw 'Men give love to get sex, women give sex to get love?' Well, it's here to stay By Chua Mui Hoong

As you read this on a Sunday morning, chances are you've come across conversations like these in your life, or been told of such exchanges:

She: You don't love me anymore. We never talk.
He: You talk all the time. We never have sex. You don't love me anymore.
She: I'm not in the mood for sex when I feel you don't love me.
He: I want to have sex with you all the time, isn't that proof that I love you?
She: See! You can only think about sex. You don't love me as a person anymore.
He wants sex to feel loved, she needs to feel loved to feel like having sex.

We say such differences spring from the gender gap. Men are from Mars, women from Venus. In the eternal conundrum that is the dance between male and female, there are many theories as to why the sexes differ in modes of communication, in the way they love and in their approach to sexual bonding.

Is it social conditioning? Evolutionary biology - where evolutionary pressures conspire to shape the behaviour of men and women over the centuries? Or are such differences hard-wired into the brain? I did my usual 'research' on topics like these: I read perfunctorily. I talk to friends. I consult myself.

A fascinating book, The Female Brain, by neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine, sums up recent research on this topic. According to her, brains of men and women are hard-wired differently and respond differently to hormonal and chemical changes, and these differences affect the way the sexes respond. When it comes to sex, the area in male brains devoted to sex is three times as large as a woman's. Enough said.
Studies of the prairie vole, small furry animals said to belong to the 3 per cent of species of mammals which are monogamous in habit (the percentage apparently includes humans), help shed light on the brain chemistry in love.

Prairie voles get into a frenzy of non-stop mating for 24 hours when they meet - and then bond for life, nesting together and raising their young together.

Scientists say mating releases two key hormones influencing social behaviour - oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin is well-known among readers of women's magazines as the 'bonding' hormone. When under stress, women gather in groups and talk things out. When I go through an emotional upheaval, I call close friends for breakfast, dinner or supper, and inflict the hows, tos and wherefores of my situation on sympathetic ears. (I do the same for my friends.) Never mind that all that talking doesn't solve anything. The bonding releases oxytocin and makes us feel better able to cope.

Men don't have that kind of patience. A friend went to meet a childhood buddy who had just gone through a divorce. He told the grieving husband: 'I give you 15 minutes to moan. After that, get on with your life.' Then they went on to talk about school days and guy stuff. Apparently it's considered acceptable to make your friend condense his misery into 15 minutes flat. And then expect lifestyle changes to be made, problems solved. 'Otherwise, don't call me next time.'

When my former schoolmate wanted to talk about her boyfriend problems, we met for lunch, stayed for tea, then had dinner. We were together for eight hours. We had a great time and left cheerful, rejuvenated - and no nearer a solution. Oxytocin makes women feel bonded, secure, loved, making them more inclined to feel sexual. In other words, they are in the mood when they feel loved.

Men's social attachment however is influenced by vasopressin, a hormone that boosts a man's energy, attention and aggression. Sex releases vast amounts of vasopressin in males, triggering pleasure centres in the brain, and strengthening attachment to the female engaged in the activity. In other words, sex makes him feel more loving. Thus the dictum about a woman needing to feel loved before she wants sex, and a man needing sex to feel and express love may be grounded in brain chemistry, fuelled by the different actions of brain chemicals.

Studies of prairie voles show that sex releases oxytocin and vasopressins in males. Oxytocin makes him recognise and feel bonded to one particular female (and not just any female he has sex with). Knock off that gene and the creature forgets not only who its partner is, but also who its friends are. Oxytocin and vasopressin both activate the pleasure chemical dopamine, which sets off a positive feedback loop - whereby more coupling with one particular partner releases more of the hormones which activate the brain's pleasure centre - bonding the pair strongly for life.

Scientist speculate that a similar biochemistry loop of love takes place in humans. In fact, some scientists think there is a 'monogamy gene' for men. Prairie voles which are monogamous, have a tiny piece of DNA other varieties of voles lack. When the montane vole - a different species of voles with multiple partners - is injected with this missing gene, it suddenly turns into a devoted partner, and spends more time frolicking with its offspring. Such genetically modified voles are less inclined to run off with a younger female.

Might the same be true of human males? Could the propensity for monogamy be - at least in part - genetically determined? If so, women might want to ask for a DNA test for their men to ascertain if they have enough of the requisite vasopressin gene. With bewildering theories on gender gaps, what's a man and woman to do, in the daily communication battlezone?

In the interest of preserving gender harmony, let's just consider the important facts: Men's sex centres are three times the size of women's. When men have sex, they feel bonded and relaxed - the way women do when they talk to their friends.
Why, women should just see sex with their husbands as similar to a good heart-to-heart talk with their girlfriends: As a (male) form of communication.

She: I'm really tired. I need a cuddle and a heart-to-heart talk to de-stress.
He: Sure, let's cuddle and talk my way. Then we'll talk your way.

Read More...

Summary only...

Human Expressions

I want someone who let me call the shots but ended up making all the decisions for me. I want to find someone who does everything I tell him to do but make me want to do the same for him. I want to be a successful career woman but I dont want to hv to work that hard.

其实我想找一个什么事都让我拿主意但又最好什么事他都帮我做主。
我想找一个他全部都听我的话，但我又很想听他的话。
我想做一个事业成功的女性，但我又不想做得那么辛苦。

如果上天给我许下三个愿望..
我愿第一个愿望，晋升今生今世和你在一起。
第二个愿望，来生在世和你在一起。
第三个愿望，永生永世和你在一起。

Read More...

Summary only...

男人和女人的德行

一個男人要在三個女郎中選定一位作為結婚對象，他決定做一個測驗，
于是 他給了每一位女郎五千元，并觀察她們如何處理這筆錢……

第一位女郎從頭到腳重新打扮，她到一家美容沙龍設計了新的發型，畫了美麗的妝，
還買了新了首飾，為了那位男士把自己打扮的漂漂亮亮. 她告訴他：她所做的一切都
是為了讓他覺得她更有吸引力，只因為她是如此深愛著他
男人非常感動..

第二位女郎采購了許多給那男士的禮物，她為他買 了整套的高爾夫球球具，一些計算
機的配件，還有一些昂貴的衣服..當她拿出這些禮物時，她告訴他之所以花這些錢買
禮物只因為她是如此地愛他.
男人也大為感動..

第三位女郎把錢投資到証卷市場，她賺了數倍于五千元的錢……然后把五千元還給那男
人，并將其余的錢開了一個兩人的聯名賬戶. 她告訴他：她希望為兩人的未來奠定經濟基礎，
因為她是如此地愛他……
當然，那男人再度大為感動..

他對三位女郎的處理方式考慮了很長的時間，
然后他決定了……娶其中胸部最大的女郎為妻!!

PS：男人都是這個死德性!

-----------------------------------------------------

一個女人要在三個男人中選定一位作為結婚對象，她決定做一個測驗
于是她叫每個男人拿五千元出戶頭，并觀察他們如何處理這筆錢……

第一個男人把錢又存了起來
他告訴她, 他是個顧家的男人絕不私自花費一分錢;
女人非常感動..

第二個男人把錢買了鑽石戒指向她求婚;
他告訴她, 他所有的錢都只為她一個人花;
女人大為感動..

第三個男人把錢買了好多東西孝敬了丈母娘,
他告訴她, 他愛她包括她的家人!
女人相當感動..

她對他們三人很難判斷, 苦苦思考了很長時間,最后決定:
她決定嫁給他們中最有錢的!

PS:女人都是這死德行!!

Read More...

Summary only...

Map of China

The most promising place on earth.

Read More...

Summary only...

Map of India

Problem abt me is that I cant remember all the areas in India.
Will really like to backpack there one day.

Read More...

Summary only...

Private Equity 2008 summary

Summary from FT article.

• Asia PE deals wre in for a rude awaking in 2008, including rescuing portfolio companies and renegotiating bank covenants on deals signed in headier days.CVC had to invest extra 225mm into PBL media; recap plan was shunned by Packer family to focus on gaming interests.


• TPG had problems in BankThai, Taishin Financial Holdings and Japanese finance company NIS gp. Core expertise lies in turning around financial business.
  Carlyle group in july abandoned plans to invest in Xugong.


• Permima splashed out 840mm for a 20% stake in Galaxy at HK$8.42. Now its at HK$1.
  Relative winners were those that kept powder dry, closed new funds or managed to make divestments ahead of downturn.


• Affinity Equity and CCMP had exit Mando, a SK car parts maker, before the global motor industry took a nosedive.


• KKR had hired Sanjay Nayar to step up investments in India.PE reassess how they invest in INDIA after racking up big losses in India PIPEs.


• China PE largely focused on growth capital because of the ongoing reluctance of state-owned enterprises and entrepreneur-led companies to yield control. while the consumer, power and manufacturing sectors continued to benefit the most from private equity investment, more than 80 per cent of respondents expect far higher levels of activity in to China’s clean energy sector.


• KTB Securities, South Korea’s biggest private equity fund, is aggressively seeking to penetrate south-east Asia and the US to become a leading investment bank in the region. Started in 1981 by a ex gs guy. It has made investments in about 1,100companies since its inception. Among others, it has bought substantial stakes in Siltron, a semiconductor parts maker; SKM, an audio tape producer; Byucksan Engineering & Construction, a local builder; and Pantech & Curitel, a handset maker.
  
• Advantage Partners - one of japan's largest domestic PE. The scale of the market ... the range of sectors and technologies that are here, has the potential to become a solid private equity buy-out market,” .Changing attitudes to business in Japan were making M&A and private equity – often seen historically as forms of asset stripping – more acceptable as ways of adding economic value. PE of Japanese M&A was only about 4 to 5 per cent, it would grow to the US level of about 25 per cent.

Read More...

Summary only...