Laundry Care

There seems to be 3 major set of Laundry Care symbols:
1) US FTC,
2) Europe GINETEX
3) Japan

US: the Laundry Care Symbols are Regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro25.pdf

Europe: the standard is managed by GINETEX. Labelling is voluntary!
http://www.ginetex.net/labelling/care-labelling/care-symbols/
http://www.ginetex.net/files/pdf/symboltabelle-e-neu.pdf

Apart from Laundry, the Federal Trade Commission also published definitions on Names of Fabrics
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/textile/rr-textl.htm


Some Usage Tips:
http://www.household-management-101.com/laundry-symbols.html

Some descriptions on the GINETEX symbols:
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/garment/apparel/10krues.pdf

Man-cession

[US] September 2009, the unemployment rate was 9.6 percent for men and 7 percent for women; men have had a higher unemployment rate than women for the last 32 consecutive months

US Bureau of Labour Statistics:
Table A-1. Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm

對於美國，這是較新的現象。至於香港呢？不單只一樣，而且己經是連續五年了...(>60 consecutive months) 。SARS 時，差別最明顯。
http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index.jsp?charsetID=1&tableID=011
http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index.jsp?tableID=014
http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/thematic_long_list/labour/index.jsp



資料來源：香港政府統計處 - 香港統計月刊...
(備注：未能於網上找到2003年之前的數字。我估計自1998年開始，男士失業率己是高於女性。)

值得注意(或學習)的是，美國經濟學家很快就提出這現象。

Related articles:
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/08/great-mancession-continues.html
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/the-mancession/
http://blogs.reuters.com/columns/2009/10/06/the-myth-of-the-man-cession/
http://www.reuters.com/article/deborahCohen/idUSN2149900520091021
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple/art_main.php?iss_id=20090608&sec_id=15335&art_id=12851058

Casualties of 2008 Tsunami - Iceland and.... Dubai!

今次金融海嘯，最傷應數冰島。
一年過後，餘患未消； 連麥記都要全面徹退!!
己發展國家之中，我估只有冰島才將會無麥記，Big Mac Index 點算好？
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/10/27/iceland.mcdonalds/index.html

冰島出事較多人知，原來其次者，要數杜拜!!
它在UAE的獨立地位己成疑問...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a.2e8IrtpImE&pos=12
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE4AN4LG20081124

Home prices are down more than 50 percent from their peak in the third quarter of 2008, Deutsche Bank AG said on Nov. 5. Prices may drop as much as 30 percent more, UBS AG said Nov. 18.

Sheikh Mohammed in February turned to Abu Dhabi, holder of the world’s sixth-largest crude reserves, for a $10 billion bailout. The central bank, which has its headquarters in the country’s capital of Abu Dhabi, bought the entire bond issue.

Dubai is seeking an extra injection of $10 billion by the end of the year, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman of the emirate’s Supreme Fiscal Committee, said Nov. 16. The bond would get “majority government” participation, Mohammed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties PJSC and a member of the Dubai Executive Council, said Oct. 9.

The renewed financial lifeline comes as Dubai and its state-owned companies have to repay $15.8 billion of bonds and loans maturing this year, $9.2 billion in 2010, $19.8 billion in 2011 and $17.3 billion the following year, according to a Deutsche Bank AG report in August.

Dubai’s $80 billion debts are equivalent to 100 percent of the city-state’s 2008 gross domestic product and nine times its 2008 revenue, according to Moody’s.

China's Glass Industry landscape...

之前看過別人的blog, 發現美國對玻璃市場的反傾銷是因個別公司而異的。http://accountboyhk.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1079134

近日想拿來做個例子，引發我做點研究：

2001年中國入世，向中國玻璃業徵收反傾銷稅。信義玻璃及福耀玻璃連同其他數間公司提出反對。
連續打了6年官司，到2007才有最後判決，取消對福耀玻璃及信義玻璃徵收反傾銷稅，對耀皮玻璃及Benxun...徵收1.47% 反傾銷稅， 對中國其他公司徵收124.50%反傾銷稅。

這個判決製基本上造了一個Oligopoly....其實，再看這幾年間的暫收反傾銷稅率，competition landscape可能一早己經形成了!!

信義玻璃(868)，如今己成為國內第二大玻璃製造商，僅次於A股上市的福耀玻璃。

http://www.hktdc.com/info/mi/a/baus/en/1X00NZ21/1/Business-Alert-%E2%80%93-US/AD-Notices.htm
Manufacturers/ Exporters Weighted-Average
Dumping Margin
Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co, Ltd 9.79%
Xinyi Automotive Glass (Shenzhen) Co Ltd 0.05%
Shenzhen Benxun Auto-Glass Co, Ltd 9.79%
TCG International Inc 9.79%
Wuhan Yaohua Pilkington Safety Glass 9.79%
Changchun Pilkington Safety Glass Ltd 9.79%
Guilin Pilkington Safety Glass Co Ltd 9.79%
China-wide 124.50%

http://ia.ita.doc.gov/frn/2002/0204frn/02-8166.txt
Automotive Replacement Glass Windshields
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Producer/Manufacturer/Exporter Weighted-Average Margin
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FYG............................................ 11.80%
Xinyi.......................................... 3.71%
Benxun......................................... 9.84%
Changchun...................................... 9.84%
Guilin......................................... 9.84%
Wuhan.......................................... 9.84%
TCGI........................................... 9.84%
China-Wide..................................... 124.50%
------------------------------------------------------------------------


http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-21876.pdf
As the litigation in this case has concluded, the Department is amending the Final Determination to reflect the results of our third remand determination. The revised dumping margin in the amended final determination is as follows:
Exporter Margin (percent)
Xinyi Automotive Glass (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. ............. 0.00

The PRC–wide rate continues to be 124.5 percent as determined in the Department’s Final Determination.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-23961.pdf

Exporter Margin
Changchun Pilkington Safety Glass, Co.,Ltd,.
Guilin Pilkington Safety Glass Co., Ltd.,.
Wuhan Yaohua Pilkington Safety Glass Co., Ltd. .......... 1.47 percent
Shenzhen Benxun Automotive Glass Co.,Ltd. ............................ 1.47 percent

The PRC–wide rate continues to be 124.5 percent as determined in the Department’s Final Determination.

Earliest Asset-Backed Securities?

Erlanger Bonds:

The Confederates needs funds to finance the Civil War, but faces difficulty attracting investors in Europe. There is little trust in its currency.

The French banking house of Emile Erlanger & Company underwrite a bond (known as "Erlanger Bond") priced at 7 percent. The Erlanger Bond was issued in five European cities -- London, Liverpool, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt -- on March 19, 1863 and raised £1,759,894 ($8,535,486). These bonds were printed in four denominations : £100 (Fr2,500 or 4000 lb of cotton), £200 (Fr5,000 or 8,000 lb of cotton), £500 (Fr12,500 or 20,000 lb) and £1,000 (Fr25,000 or 40,000 lb). The bonds sold at 90% of face value, and were redeemable for Confederate government-owned cotton in the Confederacy itself.

At the time cotton was worth twenty-four pence a pound, and the Erlanger loan made cotton available to holders at six pence per pound.

Erlanger cotton bonds was oversubscribed at the time!
However, bond price quickly plunged as news of Confederates defeat at Gettysburg July 1–3, 1863, reached Europe...


http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/191662/Erlanger-Loan
http://mshistory.k12.ms.us/articles/291/cotton-and-the-civil-war
http://www.scripophily.net/costofamb15.html

電纜發聲 - corona discharge

During a short hiking trip yesterday, we've heard loud buzzling sound as we move by electric trsnsmission cables. Quick Research Findings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona_discharge

Problems caused by corona discharges
Coronas can generate audible and radio-frequency noise, particularly near electric power transmission lines. They also represent a power loss, and their action on atmospheric particulates, along with associated ozone and NOx production, can also be disadvantageous to human health where power lines run through built-up areas. Therefore, power transmission equipment is designed to minimise the formation of corona discharge. Corona discharge is generally undesirable in:

Electric power transmission, where it causes:
Power loss
Audible noise
Electromagnetic interference
Purple glow
Ozone production
Insulation damage

The strong electric field at the surface of a high voltage power line conductor ionizes the nearby air and causes a partial breakdown of its dielectric strength. The audible noise you hear is caused by the local sound-pressure level changes due to the individual corona discharges that in turn occur as part of electron avalances. During wet weather the noise level is much higher due to the presence of drops of water on the underside of the conductors. These weather drops break up and the departing portions cause discharges in the water-to-water gap.

Research by Hitachi Cable
http://www.hitachi-cable.co.jp/ICSFiles/afieldfile/2005/11/28/review02.pdf

CORONA NOISE
Actual state of corona noise

Corona noise occurs under rainfall and snowfall and comprises two sound components: one is irregular (random noise) sound, and the other is the pure sound (corona hum
noise) of“buzzing”.

The random sound has a wide frequency band because the impulsive sounds caused by corona discharge overlap randomly. The corona hum noise results from the excitation of ion groups, which was generated from corona discharge, caused by the electric field surrounding the conductors. The predominant frequency of the corona hum noise is double (100 Hz or 120 Hz) the commercial frequency.

國內假期安排

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/091103/4/ezle.html

2009年11月3日 星期二 15:20
香港大學民意研究計劃的最新調查顯示，特首曾蔭權的民望下跌至上任以來的新低。調查在十月二十至三十日進行，樣本數字為1005人。結果顯示，市民對特首評分為48.4，

如果曾特首宣佈：公共假期碰上星期六可補假，參考中國政府假日安排，作出調動，為市民製造長假期，我相信民望即時回升! 哈哈!

http://big5.gov.cn/gate/big5/www.gov.cn/zwgk/2008-12/10/content_1174014.htm

國務院辦公廳關于2009年
部分節假日安排的通知
國辦發明電〔2008〕42號

各省、自治區、直轄市人民政府，國務院各部委、各直屬機構：
　　根據《國務院關于修改<全國年節及紀念日放假辦法>的決定》，為便于各地區、各部門及早合理安排節假日旅遊、交通運輸、生產經營等有關工作，經國務院批準，現將2009年元旦、春節、清明節、勞動節、端午節、中秋節和國慶節放假調休日期的具體安排通知如下。
　　一、元旦：1月1日至3日放假，共3天。其中，1月1日（星期四、新年）為法定節假日，1月3日（星期六）為公休日。1月4日（星期日）公休日調至1月2日（星期五）。1月4日（星期日）上班。
　　二、春節：1月25日至31日放假，共7天。其中，1月25日（星期日、農歷除夕）、1月26日（星期一、農歷正月初一）、1月27日（星期二、農歷正月初二）為法定節假日，1月31日（星期六）照常公休；1月25日（星期日）公休日調至1月28日（星期三），1月24日（星期六）、2月1日（星期日）兩個公休日調至1月29日（星期四）、1月30日（星期五）。1月24日（星期六）、2月1日（星期日）上班。
　　三、清明節：4月4日至6日放假，共3天。其中，4月4日（星期六、農歷清明當日）為法定節假日，4月5日（星期日）照常公休。4月4日（星期六）公休日調至4月6日（星期一）。
　　四、勞動節：5月1日至3日放假，共3天。其中，5月1日（星期五、“五一”國際勞動節）為法定節假日，5月2日（星期六）、5月3日（星期日）照常公休。
　　五、端午節：5月28日至30日放假，共3天。其中，5月28日（星期四、農歷端午當日）為法定節假日，5月30日（星期六）照常公休；5月31日（星期日）公休日調至5月29日（星期五）。5月31日（星期日）上班。
　　六、國慶節、中秋節：10月1日至8日放假，共8天。其中，10月1日（星期四）、10月2日（星期五）、10月3日（星期六）為國慶節法定節假日，10月4日（星期日）照常公休；10月3日（星期六）公休日及中秋節分別調至10月5日（星期一）、10月6日（星期二），9月27日（星期日）、10月10日（星期六）公休日調至10月7日（星期三）、10月8日（星期四）。9月27日（星期日）、10月10日（星期六）上班。
　　節假日期間，各地區各部門要妥善安排好值班和安全、保衛等工作，遇有重大突發事件發生，要按規定及時報告並妥善處置，確保人民群眾祥和平安度過節日假期。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　國務院辦公廳
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　二○○八年十二月四日

港珠澳大橋 Part 1

2008年2月28日 三地就港珠澳大橋融資方案達共識，預計造價422億人民幣，36年半才回本。
http://www.thb.gov.hk/tc/psp/pressreleases/transport/land/2008/200802291.htm

另一方面, 2008年5月1日 建成的杭州大橋全長36公里，造價不過118億人民幣。总投资预计超过161亿元
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%AD%E5%B7%9E%E6%B9%BE%E8%B7%A8%E6%B5%B7%E5%A4%A7%E6%A1%A5

Part 1 - 基本資料
Part 2 - 可否更具經濟效益?

Part 1 - 基本資料

港珠澳跨海大橋“石散石灣(北線)拱北/明珠”橋隧結合方案

全長為49.968公里，總投資727億元。
主體工程總長29.6公里，包括6.7公里的海底隧道及22公里橋梁，總投資約376億元，預計建設工期5年半。
長約6.7公里的海底隧道,造价约211亿元人民币，隧道占到大桥主体工程预算投资额的近一半，其最深处离海平面40米左右，将确保30万吨级油轮和15万吨级以上集装箱顺利通航。
採用雙向6車道高速公路標準設計，含息總投資逾60億元。

口岸及連接線部分由粵港澳三地政府投資興建，總投資約350億元。
兩個人工島, 總填海面積將逾216公頃,124億元用於填海.

東面大橋由大嶼山撒石灣連接到人工島，西面大橋由另一個人工島連到澳門及珠海，兩個人工島以隧道貫通。

港珠澳大橋12月20日動工
http://www.zhuhai.gov.cn/xxfw/zhdt/zwyw/200908/t20090831_86382.html
港珠澳大桥海底隧道方案敲定 造价占总预算一半
http://city.cctv.com/html/chengshiyaowen/af5ab6ff8e4984091f7d3e14e7723338.html

港珠澳大橋設計建議及融資
http://www.thb.gov.hk/tc/policy/transport/issues/cbt_3.htm