Apr 9th 2009  From Economist.com
Roses rose and Tulips blossomed but flower sales are wilting overall
玫瑰成長鬱金香盛開  花朵銷售卻全面凋零

Mar 30th 2009  From Economist.com

Where teenage drunkenness is most prevalent

I don’t really care much about teenager drunkenness. I had my first beer around 5 and didn’t even get dizzy. Parents have been open-minded(!?) so I always tasted all different kinds of alcohol since teen.

Restricted access / 限制進入

Mar 5th 2009  From Economist.com

Who has the most freedom to travel?

DANES faced the fewest restrictions on travel in 2008: they were able to visit 157 countries or territories without a visa according to an annual report by Henley & Partners, a consultancy. The Irish, Finns and Portuguese were only marginally less welcome abroad, with visa-free travel available to 156 countries. Those with the least freedom were citizens of countries suffering from war, terrorism or repression. South Koreans could visit 144 countries, whereas North Koreans could visit just 29 countries—if only their government would let them out.

Mar 6th 2009  From Economist.com

Who has taken most cocaine in the past year?

YOUNG Americans and Britons are keen cocaine-users, despite being subject to some of the toughest anti-drugs laws among Western countries. Over 5% of 15-34 year olds said they had taken the drug over the past 12 months, according to the most recent data from the European Union's drugs-monitoring arm. Until recently, Spain had been the most coke-hungry nation in Europe, thanks to ready availability: most cocaine destined for Europe is trafficked via the Iberian peninsula. Usage of the relatively pricey powder tends to be lower in the poorer countries of the EU.

Pay and the sexes

Mar 4th 2009  From Economist.com

The gap between pay for men and women in Europe

Thirsty work

Feb 25th 2009 From Economist.com

The water needed to produce everyday goods and beverages

WATER is a precious commodity, as any farmer in drought-besieged parts of China, America or Kenya knows only too well. Consumers may already be aware of the environmental impact of producing goods in terms of energy or pollution, but they might be surprised to learn how much water is needed to create some daily goods. A cup of coffee, for example, needs a great deal more water than that poured into the pot. According to a new book on the subject, 1,120 litres of water go into producing a single litre of the beverage, once growing the beans, packaging and so on are measured. Only 120 litres go into making the same amount of tea. As many as four litres of water are used to make a litre of the bottled stuff. Household items are even thirstier. Thousands of litres are needed to make shoes, hamburgers and microchips.

 
Business this week

Feb 19th 2009   From The Economist print edition

General Motors and Chrysler submitted survival plans to the government, a condition of the $17.4 billion in bail-out funds they received last year. GM intends to close another five factories in addition to the nine it has already announced, reduce its global workforce by 47,000, dispense with thousands of dealerships, phase out its Hummer and Saturn brands if it cannot find a buyer and reduce production of its Pontiac range. It is also trying to sell Saab, its Swedish unit. Chrysler said it would cut capacity by another 100,000 vehicles a year. Both carmakers asked for more government aid: GM wants an extra $16.6 billion and Chrysler a further $5 billion.

Feb 11th 2009  From Economist.com

China's exports dive but its trade surplus grows

IMPORTS to China plunged in January, signaling that demand is shrinking alarmingly: they fell by 43.1% compared with a year earlier, worse than forecast and double the decline in December. But China's trade surplus, at $39.1 billion, is one of the biggest on record because a huge tumble in exports of 17.5 was dwarfed by falling imports. A recovery in Chinese exports is unlikely as the world slides deeper into an economic slump but imports may well pick up—China has resumed importing iron ore after running down stocks in recent months. China's economy could also get a boost from a big government stimulus package.

Belief in evolution
Untouched by the hand of God
Feb 5th 2009   From Economist.com

Lately I have been drinking more wine than liquors. One main reason is that soon-to-be Mrs. France loves wine more than any other alcohols and she introduced us some very good & cheap wines~ Another reason is simple, Costco has tons of cheap wines and every time I go I would grab a bottle or two…

It doesn’t mean I don’t like sake anymore… Daiginjo is and will always be love of my life. Just the loves of my life are always a little too expensive to become a habit…

While wines can be so cheap and still drinkable, it’s easier for a poor tippler like me to drink more.

Few days ago I finally realized I haven’t received any Economist Email for very long. In the beginning, I thought it was because the New Year holiday but the holiday seemed to be too long so I became suspicious.

Then I decided to check my spam, and voila~ all the economists are there~

When reviewing unread titles, accidentally I clicked in this article

The swimming naked awards

Dec 16th 2008  From Economist.com

A year of embarrassment when the financial tide went out

“YOU only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out”, Warren Buffett famously observed.

不知從什麼時候開始  當我們碰上問題的時候

得到的回答從『去翻書』  變成『去GOOGLE』

也因此  現在GOOGLE可以每年都神經兮兮的列出各國十大搜尋排行

今年更是變本加厲  除了關鍵字排行榜外

Sex and the citizen

Dec 15th 2008  From Economist.com

HOW much do sexual habits vary between countries?

Jerry Yang stands down

Nov 18th 2008 | SAN FRANCISCO
From Economist.com

Yahoo!’s boss, Jerry Yang, a nice person

and a pioneer of the web, is quitting

Oct 31st 2008 From Economist.com

Salt is set to be the next trans-fat

鹽巴將是下一個反式脂肪

經濟學人下標題真的超級精準

Oct 30th 2008 From Economist.com

America's economy is shrinking as consumers stop spending

美國經濟跟隨著消費者停止消費而不停倒退嚕

這個標題也害我要動腦  才想出來他的意義

完全正中紅心切中要害  全球衰退的主因

All together now / 當我們同在一起

Oct 22nd 2008 From Economist.com

Beware the temptation to gloat

小心幸災樂禍的渴望

Spreading the wealth

Oct 21st 2008
From Economist.com

Where the gap between rich and poor is the greatest

貧富差距最大的國家

Economist weekly editorial cartoon

KAL's cartoon

Oct 16th 2008
From The Economist print edition