Six central banks have cut their interest rates by half a percentage point. The US Federal Reserve has cut rates from 2% to 1.5% and the European Central Bank (ECB) trimmed its rate from 4.25% to 3.75%. The UK trimmed the interest rate to 4.5% from 5%. The central banks of Canada and Sweden …
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Author:astraea
Evolution is over and we’re living in Utopia.
An interesting perspective on how evolution of humans has ended: genetic mutations have declined, natural selection has been extinguished (by medicine and philanthropy) and may be being reversed, and biological differentiation has diminidhed by the density of humanity on the planet. Read Evolution is complete: so where do we go from here? from yesterday’s Telegraph.
A review of the crash, as the developed world enters recession …
It is becoming clear to most people that the gluttony that we have enjoyed over the past decade is now leading to a depressing hangover. The following links offer a simple record of the crash. Finance crisis: in graphics The layman’s finance crisis glossary Timeline: Global credit crunch We will discuss the outlook in upcoming …
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Thinking recession … feeling it yet?
The past couple of weeks people have really started to pay attention to the dislocation of financial markets and their impact on the economies, especially those of US and Europe. People have started to say they think we’re in a recession. I’m afraid this is the beginning only. We will start to feel the pain …
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The mess mapped
Another graphic showing the devious route we travelled to build a sub-prime house of cards … Source: Chain of fools Matt Miller The Deal.com, October 3, 2008 at 4:52 PM http://www.thedeal.com/newsweekly/features/chain-of-fools.php
Obesity is in the mind.
New research suggests again that diet is important to physical condition. US researchers said poor diets may trigger a signalling system which prompts the body to consume even more. The research focussed on certain a protein that appears to influence inflammation. The BBC news report here reinforces the understanding that mental condition strongly influences the …
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Living in Hebron: A work of fiction. But only just.
A new film shows the reality of life for people in the middle east. A simple story of students breaking curfew to go to a school reunion it brings to life the tension and impossibility of humanity in the middle east. It will not be released till April, but this review gives a sense of …
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India bans smoking in public …
India has banned somking in public. This is a bold move. On the upside it will reduce deaths and illness from both passive and active smoking, will encourage healthier lifestyle and will also support a transition to a more enlightened social dynamic (as the “cowboy” image is depreciated). But it will not be easy to …
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IMD MBA top of EIU ranking
OK, so there’s a vested interest … but its nice to see my alma mater, IMD, top of the list 🙂 Also, it is good to see HKUST high up the rankings (11). Here’s the list.
How the bail-out affects you.
Here’s an extract from a Q&A on the BBC website about the proposed, but rejected, bail-out plan. You will see why it was not popular: How would the bail-out have affected me? If you live in the United States, another $2,300 would have been added to your share of the national debt. The bail-outs were …
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