"The word 'meaningful' when used today is nearly always meaningless." - Paul Johnson

***

SSRN-The Optimal Design of Ponzi Schemes in Finite Economies by Utpal Bhattacharya - "As no rational agent would be willing to take part in the last round in a finite economy, it is difficult to design Ponzi schemes that are certain to explode. This paper argues that if agents correctly believe in the possibility of a partial bailout when a gigantic Ponzi scheme collapses, and they recognize that a bailout is tantamount to a redistribution of wealth from non-participants to participants, it may be rational for agents to participate, even if they know that it is the last round. We model a political economy where an unscrupulous profit-maximizing promoter can design gigantic Ponzi schemes to cynically exploit this "too big to fail" doctrine. We point to the fact that some of the spectacular Ponzi schemes in history occurred at times where and when such political economies existed - France (1719), Britain (1720), Russia (1994) and Albania (1997)."
This could be the story of International Finance. How prescient.

Chocolate for a Woman’s Sex Drive - "Diane Kron, former chocolatier to First Lady Jackie Kennedy, has developed the only chocolate advertised to increase a woman’s sex drive - some are calling it Viagra for women - she calls it K Sensual... "These quarter sized treats are made with three kinds of cocoa beans, and exotic Chinese herbs, including something called 'horny goat weed.'""

Chocolate raises libido - "Women are always likely to compare chocolate to sex, now their assumption has been proved by Italian researchers. After questioning 163 women about their consumption of chocolate and their sexual fulfilment, urologists from Milan's San Raffaele hospital have discovered a scientific link between the two. According to their research, women who eat chocolate regularly have the highest levels of desire, arousal and satisfaction from sex. That means female chocolate lovers have a higher sex drive."

Britons 'saving money with sex' - "As the credit crunch bites, Britons may be turning to sex as a cheap way to pass the time, a charity says... Around one in 10 respondents to the survey, carried in November, said their favourite free activity was window shopping and 6% chose going to a museum as the cheapest way to pass the time. But the sexes differed on their priorities, with women preferring to gossip with friends while men had sex firmly at the top of their list."

Do Women Enjoy Chocolate More Than Sex? - ""Women's sexual motivation is far more complex than simply the presence or absence of sexual desire... Women with desire disorder had self-esteem that was weak or even fragile, emotional instability, anxiety and neuroticism." She adds that sexual arousal and orgasm, especially in a partner's presence, require a certain degree of vulnerability, which is impossible for some women who "cannot tolerate feelings of loss of control generally, and loss of control specifically of their body's reactions."... A study found U.S. college students are more likely to be addicted to the Net (and alcohol, cigs, gambling and TV) while young women troll for -- you guessed it, a chocolate fix... "American culture encourages disproportionately more chocolate cravings among females than males."... "We now talk about being bad on the weekend as a ménage à trois with a bucket of Ben and Jerry's"... "Food, in some ways, is a better lover. It's comforting, pleasurable and distracting. Until the inevitable guilt. It's a very complicated cycle""

Foreign branding - Wikipedia - "The foreign-branded item need not have a name that would appeal to native speakers of the language. For instance, Pocari Sweat, a popular sports drink marketed in Japan by the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., has a name that to many English speakers would imply that the product actually contains sweat, rather than the intended meaning of a beverage intended to replace the electrolytes lost in sweating. In some cases the foreign name may even be offensive to native speakers. There are an inordinate amount of car models that can be used as examples: The Mitsubishi Pajero had to be renamed to Montero in Spain and Hispanic America, since pajero is a Spanish slang term equivalent to "wanker," or even "faggot." However, Mitsubishi originally got the Pajero name innocently from the pampas cat, Leopardus pajeros. Another example is the Honda Fitta ("cunt") in Sweden and Norway (the car was later renamed.) Buick had to rename its Lacrosse the Allure in Canada, because it was a euphemism for masturbation in Quebec. The SEAT Málaga was marketed in Greece as the Seat Gredos, because the word Malaga was considered very similar to Malaka, an extremely common Greek swear word which translates as "jackoff" or "wanker". Similarly, the primarily-US fast food chain Taco Bell formerly sold a burrito called a chili-cheese burrito. Its name was switched to this when many people became aware that the original name, chilito, is often used as a slang term for penis in Mexico."

Malaysia- dirtiest among 7 nations - "A recent seven-country survey conducted by the Hygiene Council, a global panel of medical experts, found that Malaysian kitchens were more bacteria-infested than bathrooms... A total of 140 samples were taken from homes of families across the income spectrum in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, India and Malaysia... Hygiene Council consists of experts in microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, immunology and public health. They found almost 70 per cent of Malaysian samples were highly contaminated. Sixty per cent of plastic toys in Malaysian homes were infested with E. coli, a bacteria commonly found in faeces, and 25 per cent with S. aureus, an organism found on the skin, nose and throat."
Malaysia Boleh!

Blood ties: Yakuza daughter lifts lid on hidden hell of gangsters' families - "She quickly rose up the ranks of the Tokyo hostess scene, but it was her decision, in her early 20s, to tattoo the top half of her body, yakuza-style, that marked the end of her emotional and physical dependence on the men of violence, and the beginning of the new life she has since made as a writer and, now, as a mother... She does not believe she is alone among yakuza offspring in having had a turbulent childhood. "Japanese society looks very calm on the surface, but underneath it is in turmoil," she said. "Discrimination is rife." Though she is not ashamed of her tattoo she knows even a tiny patch of tell-tale ink poking out from beneath the cuffs of her shirt is enough to invite looks of disgust. "Musicians and artists can get away with showing off their tattoos, but a delinquent like me does her best to hide them.""
From elsewhere: "Being a gang member is not illegal in Japan, and until recently the gangs were known for openness. Their offices even posted signs with their names and membership lists inside. Gangs cooperated with police, handing over suspects in return for police turning a blind eye to yakuza misdemeanors"
Okay, cutting yourself is one thing, but tattooing your torso...

Blogging in the wake of terror - "Bloggers have reacted to the multiple terror attacks on Mumbai by logging on to express their views, share information and offer help to people looking for missing friends, relatives and colleagues... Bloggers have also criticized coverage on local television stations. "In a lot of the blogs I've read, people are really angry with one or two news channels in particular who they say have created panic," Viswanathan said. "Trust me, they're on full panic mode right now. It's not helpful when the city's already reeling from terror shocks. Blogs have approached this with calm more so than the mainstream media has.""

Author: Society forces women to lie - "From Susan Shapiro Barash, the best-selling author of "Tripping the Prom Queen," comes a provocative look at the reasons behind female deception. "Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets" reveals how society doles out mixed messages to women, fostering the lies they tell... 'A woman’s lies to friends, children, husband, lover, adult siblings, and coworkers are societally induced — it’s a tool used when we’re missing out, when the life we dreamed of eludes us, when the going gets tough. It’s interesting how women recognize a lie coming from another woman (men often miss the lie, as do children, especially sons) and often endorse the behavior. Unless a woman’s lie deliberately hurts another woman, it’s as if we all belong to the same club, where the expedience of our lies proliferate and rule the day... Where a man will lie for a secret as a quick fix and be sloppy in his lie, a woman will carefully guard her secret — this secret is a part of her existence, it can make her feel powerful... we’ve been taught by our grandmothers, mothers, and other female role models that a shade of gray is the standard, rather than white against black... Women justify how they profit from a lie, using it as their armor and shield. This falls into the “greater good” theory, a safeguarding of family or ourselves, and therefore has an ethical explanation... A woman lies with intentional deception because she is convinced of the exigency of her lie. A woman instinctively perfects her lie, which offers the advantage of not being detected or criticized. A female lie appears much more satisfying than a male lie.'"

YouTube - cookingwithdog's Channel - "Cooking show hosted by a DOG named Francis! The show currently focuses on how to make popular Japanese dishes."
Damn Japs.

Cursos de Ingles Gratis: OM OPERA-Argumentos de Operas-Opera Stories and Plots - "Operas may have ridiculous plots but their music is sublime and passionate. To help you follow the action OM Personal has collected virtual and written information from different sources and outlined the stories from the most frequently performed operas with a sense of humor in an entertaining way."
They have: Setting, Plot In Three Sentences, Highlights, Death Toll, What To Say In A Loud Voice At Intermission, What To Say In The Pub

Australian TV journalist jailed 10 months in Singapore for drugs offences - "An Australian television correspondent who said he was traumatised from covering wars and natural disasters was jailed 10 months by a Singapore court on Tuesday for drug offences... Haq argued that Lloyd was suffering from post-traumatic stress because of his work as a journalist covering wars and disasters in Asia, including the 2002 Bali bombing. Lloyd "is not a drug abuser as such" but took methamphetamine as a way of dealing with nightmares caused by the tragedies he had covered, Haq said. "In trying to deal with this... ice became a form of self-medication for him. He does not do it for recreational purpose," the lawyer said... Singapore's attorney general last month withdrew a charge of trafficking"
I'd like to see someone else use that excuse.

狮城芽笼红灯区偷拍（图） - "上面是正式进入红灯区路上拍的... 出现2个，那个胖子也是，口味不同嘛 我接受不大了 这些是最便宜最低级的...
来自学校的姐们曾经很多次碰到同校同学尴尬啊！ 再次鄙视这个****社会 ... 同学 认出我了？ 呈请一下 我不喜欢去哪里，我也不爱好这个。我只是住这里，这里房子便宜，所以……"
HAHAHAHAHAHA and whose fault is that?

Sex with car - "The 20 year old is in love with his Volkswagen Beetle – and has been having sex with it for four years. Despite never having kissed a girl before, virgin Jordan has become an experienced lover, covering his car with kisses and caresses before having penetrative sex with the exhaust pipe... "When I told my dad I was sexually attracted to my car, he just said that there are lots of different people out there who are attracted to lots of different things."... Jordan is one of just a handful of extreme car lovers in the world known as mechaphiles, and says his obsession was fuelled as a child... Now he has spent a further £200 on a “boy” car, a Trans Am he calls Todd, and is experimenting with a “gay” relationship."
Even better: Man admits 'having sex' with 1,000 cars

YouTube - symphony's Channel - "Play your part in music history. Interested in joining the first-ever collaborative online orchestra? Professionals and amateur musicians of all ages, locations and instruments are welcome to audition for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra by submitting a video performance of a new piece written for the occasion by the renowned Chinese composer Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). We have tools to help you learn the music, rehearse with the conductor and upload your part for the collaborative video."

Red pen too aggressive, Queensland teachers told - "Queensland's Deputy Opposition Leader Mark McArdle told parliament today that teachers were being advised to reconsider their pen choice because it may offend children."

Most Sung-About Body Part? The Eyes Have It - "Visual artists Fernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg analyzed over 10,000 songs to find out which parts of the human body were mentioned the most and broke down the resulting data by genre... Across all of the categories, the eyes are most frequently mentioned body part (Hall & Oates, "Private Eyes"), with the exceptions of hip hop, which places a firm emphasis on the posterior (Sir Mix a Lot, "Baby Got Back") and blues (Louisiana Red, "Keep Your Hands Off My Woman") and gospel music (The Gospel, "Put Your Hands Together"), which are respectively focused on the keeping off of one's hands and the clapping or raising of one's hands."

ARIANNA ONLINE - Books: The Female Woman - "The author believes that Women's Libbers are confused middle-class intellectuals who project their own neuroses and hang-ups onto all women -- and thereby do great harm. In her well-written and lively book, Miss Stassinopoulos makes the point that though men and women may be equal, they are certainly different... women are better at certain tasks than men, more comfortable in certain roles, more like each other -- as a group -- than they are like men. The author believes in women's emancipation which insists on equal status and equal opportunity for distinctly female roles. Liberation, which she scorns, forces women into male roles and devalues femininity. It makes women who enjoy family life feel guilty and glorifies the run-of-the-mill nine-to-five job, at the expense of a career in the home. The author says: "Calvin wanted to turn the world into a monastery, while Women's Lib wants to turn it into an orphanage." What is so glamorous, Miss Stassinopoulos asks, about working as a file clerk -- even at Ms magazine? Furthermore, though Women's Lib sees men as a highly privileged group, the oppressors of women, the author holds that man's fate is much more extreme than woman's. Men may be more privileged some of the time, but they are often more deprived. Not only is it hard to be a man, it is also harder to become one."

PDFfiller. On-line PDF form Filler, Editor, Type on PDF ; Fill, Print, Email, Fax and Export - "PDFfiller lets you fill PDF Forms on-line: Fill in Form online. Fast, Easy, Secure."

The Best Hotel in Hell - "Dinnertime at the Peace Hotel finds the chef, immaculate in white hat and freshly pressed apron, waiting personally on his guests. He serves up a feast of curried fish fillet, french fries, camel meat and spaghetti with ground beef, washed down with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, cold sodas and bottled waters. Dessert is a bowl of fruit accompanied with hot sweet, milky tea. The palm trees that sway in the salty sea breeze all around us do little to reveal the improbability of this sumptuous meal tranquilly consumed in this city whose name has become a synonym for anarchy. The reminder that we are in Mogadishu rather than in a beach resort in Mauritius comes in the form of the artillery shells and mortar rounds that whiz above our heads like red shooting stars, and the sound of gunfire and screaming from nearby Bakara Market."

Hetero woman: Feminism turned me into lesbian - ""I was never unsure about my sexuality throughout my teens or 20s. I was a happy heterosexual and had no doubts," said Wilkinson. "Then I changed, through political activity and feminism, spending time with women's organizations. It opened my mind to the possibility of a lesbian identity." Wilkinson divorced her husband and has lived with her partner, Prof. Celia Kitzinger of York University, for the past 17 years."

Bacteria make major evolutionary shift in the lab - "A major evolutionary innovation has unfurled right in front of researchers' eyes. It's the first time evolution has been caught in the act of making such a rare and complex new trait... sometime around the 31,500th generation, something dramatic happened in just one of the populations - the bacteria suddenly acquired the ability to metabolise citrate, a second nutrient in their culture medium that E. coli normally cannot use. Indeed, the inability to use citrate is one of the traits by which bacteriologists distinguish E. coli from other species... Lenski's experiment is also yet another poke in the eye for anti-evolutionists, notes Jerry Coyne, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago. "The thing I like most is it says you can get these complex traits evolving by a combination of unlikely events," he says. "That's just what creationists say can't happen.""
I want to have Lenski's bacteria. (And infect Creationists with them)