Reams of research over the past decade confirm what we all know but prefer not to admit: To women, wealth is sexy.
A survey of 190 women published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reveals that women looking for a man are most attacted to power and finacial resources, followed by kindness and intelligence. Women seeking a one-night stand, on the other hand want muscularity and mucsulinity most (actually, period).
Love doesn't come cheap, however. Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Chicago asked 10,434 women -- all of whom had set their ideal man's height at sic feet -- what it'd take to fall in love with a 5'2" suitor. Their collective answer: He'd have to earn at least $270,000 more per year tham their ideal six-footer.
Why are women so hot for money? Evolutionary biologists have long theorized that females naturally seek man who can provide for the family. But Arizona State University researchers also found that because women have been stuck under a glass ceiling at work, they're attracted to men who can help then to bust through.
So go ahead, use your wealth to woo. Just don't let it come between you later -- financial issues are behind nearly three in five failed marriages.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Love Story
Love Story is a 1970 romantic drama film written by Erich Segal coordinated with his 1970 best-selling novel. It was directed by Arthur Hiller. The film, well-known as a tear-jerking tragedy, is considered one of the most romantic of all time by the American Film Institute (#9 on the list), and was followed by a sequel, Oliver's Story in 1978. Love Story starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal and also marked the film debut of a then-unknown Tommy Lee Jones, who played a minor role in the film.
The novel tells the story of Oliver Barrett IV, who comes from a long line of wealthy and well-respected Harvard University graduates. Partly to break the traditional Ivy League mold, the Harvard student meets and falls in love with Jennifer Cavilleri, a working-class, quick-witted Radcliffe College student. Upon graduation from college, the two decide to marry against the wishes of Oliver's father, who thereupon severs ties with his son.
Without his father's financial support, the couple struggles to pay Oliver's way through Harvard Law School with Jenny working as a private school teacher. Graduating third in his class, Oliver takes a position at a respectable New York law firm.
"Love means never having to say you're sorry."--Spoken twice in the film; once by Jennifer when Oliver is about to apologise to her for his anger, signifying the emotional connection between them. It is also spoken by Oliver to his father when his father says "I'm sorry" after hearing of Jennifer's death. The quote made it to #13 onto the American Film Institute's AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes, a list of top movie quotes. The 1972 screwball comedy What's Up, Doc?, which stars O'Neal, mocks this trademark line. At the end of that film, when Barbra Streisand's character coos "Love means never having to say you're sorry" while batting her eyelashes, O'Neal's character responds with the line: "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."
The novel tells the story of Oliver Barrett IV, who comes from a long line of wealthy and well-respected Harvard University graduates. Partly to break the traditional Ivy League mold, the Harvard student meets and falls in love with Jennifer Cavilleri, a working-class, quick-witted Radcliffe College student. Upon graduation from college, the two decide to marry against the wishes of Oliver's father, who thereupon severs ties with his son.
Without his father's financial support, the couple struggles to pay Oliver's way through Harvard Law School with Jenny working as a private school teacher. Graduating third in his class, Oliver takes a position at a respectable New York law firm.
"Love means never having to say you're sorry."--Spoken twice in the film; once by Jennifer when Oliver is about to apologise to her for his anger, signifying the emotional connection between them. It is also spoken by Oliver to his father when his father says "I'm sorry" after hearing of Jennifer's death. The quote made it to #13 onto the American Film Institute's AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes, a list of top movie quotes. The 1972 screwball comedy What's Up, Doc?, which stars O'Neal, mocks this trademark line. At the end of that film, when Barbra Streisand's character coos "Love means never having to say you're sorry" while batting her eyelashes, O'Neal's character responds with the line: "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
The Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts (香格里拉酒店集團, SEHK: 0069) is a hotel chain based in Hong Kong. It is the largest Asian-based deluxe hotel group in the region.
The group started in 1971 with its first and flagship hotel in Singapore, and now has 54 deluxe hotels and resorts located in key Asian, Australian and Middle Eastern cities with hotel room inventory of over 27,000. The hotel group also has a sister brand called Traders Hotel, established in 1989 to cater mostly to business travellers.
The Shangri-La Group was set up by Mr. Robert Kuok. His nephew, Mr. Edward Kuok Khoon Loong is the Chairman of the Board for Shangri-La Asia Limited.
Shangri-La Asia Limited is incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability. It is traded on Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited as stock code 69, traded on the Singapore Exchange as stock code Shang and Asia 2kHK$ and on American Depositary Receipt traded as SHALY.
Shangri-La Hotels (Malaysia) Berhad, is incorporated in Malaysia with limited liability. Traded on the Bursa Malaysia as stock code 5517.
Shangri-La Hotel Public Company Limited, incorporated in Thailand with limited liability. Traded on the SET Stock Code Shang.
Traders is a four-star brand managed by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, stands for business class accommodation and services. Traders is geared to satisfy the needs from the fast growing mid-market traveller segment. The first Traders hotel opened in Beijing in 1989.
The group started in 1971 with its first and flagship hotel in Singapore, and now has 54 deluxe hotels and resorts located in key Asian, Australian and Middle Eastern cities with hotel room inventory of over 27,000. The hotel group also has a sister brand called Traders Hotel, established in 1989 to cater mostly to business travellers.
The Shangri-La Group was set up by Mr. Robert Kuok. His nephew, Mr. Edward Kuok Khoon Loong is the Chairman of the Board for Shangri-La Asia Limited.
Shangri-La Asia Limited is incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability. It is traded on Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited as stock code 69, traded on the Singapore Exchange as stock code Shang and Asia 2kHK$ and on American Depositary Receipt traded as SHALY.
Shangri-La Hotels (Malaysia) Berhad, is incorporated in Malaysia with limited liability. Traded on the Bursa Malaysia as stock code 5517.
Shangri-La Hotel Public Company Limited, incorporated in Thailand with limited liability. Traded on the SET Stock Code Shang.
Traders is a four-star brand managed by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, stands for business class accommodation and services. Traders is geared to satisfy the needs from the fast growing mid-market traveller segment. The first Traders hotel opened in Beijing in 1989.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Affection
Affection is defined by the Random House Dictionary as "disposition or state of mind or body." It has given rise to a number of branches of meaning concerning: emotion (popularly: love, devotion etc); disease; influence; state of being (philosophy); and state of mind (psychology) Affect (psychology).
"Affection" is popularly used to denote a feeling or type of love, amounting to more than goodwill or friendship. Writers on ethics generally use the word to refer to distinct states of feeling, both lasting and spasmodic. Some contrast it with passion as being free from the distinctively sensual element. More specifically the word has been restricted to emotional states the object of which is a person. In the former sense, it is the Greek "pathos" and as such it appears in the writings of French philosopher René Descartes, Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza, and most of the writings of early British ethicists.
Numerous behaviors are used by people to express affection. Some theories suggest that affectionate behavior evolved from parental nurturing behavior due to its associations with hormonal rewards with research verifying that expressions of affection, although commonly evaluated positively, can be considered negative if they pose implied threats to one's well being. Furthermore, affectionate behavior in positively valenced relationships may be associated with numerous health benefits.
"Affection" is popularly used to denote a feeling or type of love, amounting to more than goodwill or friendship. Writers on ethics generally use the word to refer to distinct states of feeling, both lasting and spasmodic. Some contrast it with passion as being free from the distinctively sensual element. More specifically the word has been restricted to emotional states the object of which is a person. In the former sense, it is the Greek "pathos" and as such it appears in the writings of French philosopher René Descartes, Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza, and most of the writings of early British ethicists.
Numerous behaviors are used by people to express affection. Some theories suggest that affectionate behavior evolved from parental nurturing behavior due to its associations with hormonal rewards with research verifying that expressions of affection, although commonly evaluated positively, can be considered negative if they pose implied threats to one's well being. Furthermore, affectionate behavior in positively valenced relationships may be associated with numerous health benefits.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy by William Shakespeare from early in his career. It has the smallest cast of any of Shakespeare's plays, and is the first of his plays in which a heroine dresses as a boy. It deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity. The highlight of the play is considered by some to be Lance, the clownish servant of Proteus, and his dog Crab, to whom "the most scene-stealing non-speaking role in the canon" has been attributed.
In writing The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare drew on a Spanish prose romance Diana Enamorada by the Portuguese writer Jorge de Montemayor. This work was published in 1559, was translated into French in 1578, and was published in English in 1598, though the translation was made several years earlier. It is believed that Shakespeare could have read the story in French, or in an unpublished English version, or could have learned of it from an anonymous English play of 1585, The History of Felix and Philiomena, which is now lost.
In the second book of Diana Enamorada, Don Felix loves Felismena, and sends her a letter. Like Julia, Felismena pretends to reject the letter, and to be annoyed with her maid. Like Proteus, Felix is sent away by his father, and is followed by Felismena, who, disguised as a boy, becomes his page, and has the pain of learning of his new love for Celia, and of being sent to Celia as a messenger for Felix. The two lovers are reconciled at the end, after a combat in a wood, though Celia, having no counterpart to Valentine (or to Sebastian in Twelfth Night), falls in love with the supposed page, and dies of grief.
In writing The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare drew on a Spanish prose romance Diana Enamorada by the Portuguese writer Jorge de Montemayor. This work was published in 1559, was translated into French in 1578, and was published in English in 1598, though the translation was made several years earlier. It is believed that Shakespeare could have read the story in French, or in an unpublished English version, or could have learned of it from an anonymous English play of 1585, The History of Felix and Philiomena, which is now lost.
In the second book of Diana Enamorada, Don Felix loves Felismena, and sends her a letter. Like Julia, Felismena pretends to reject the letter, and to be annoyed with her maid. Like Proteus, Felix is sent away by his father, and is followed by Felismena, who, disguised as a boy, becomes his page, and has the pain of learning of his new love for Celia, and of being sent to Celia as a messenger for Felix. The two lovers are reconciled at the end, after a combat in a wood, though Celia, having no counterpart to Valentine (or to Sebastian in Twelfth Night), falls in love with the supposed page, and dies of grief.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Vinegar valentines
Vinegar valentines are greeting cards, or, rather, insult cards, that come in the form of an insult, decorated with a caricature and, below that, an insulting poem. Ostensibly given on Valentine's Day, the caricature and poem is about the "type" that the recipient belongs to--spinster, floozy, dude, scholar, etc.
Some people mistakenly call them penny dreadfuls, although that term in fact refers to a form of potboiler fiction.
One Pop culture reference to vinegar valentines is found in Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Calvin often gives Susie Derkins vinegar valentines so as to hide his true affections for her under a veil of immature distaste.
The cards are usually simply a sheet of thin, colored paper, about the size of a modern greeting card. They were later also produced in the form of postcards.
The cards were first produced in the late Victorian era and enjoyed their greatest popularity in that period and in the first quarter of the 20th century.
Some people mistakenly call them penny dreadfuls, although that term in fact refers to a form of potboiler fiction.
One Pop culture reference to vinegar valentines is found in Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Calvin often gives Susie Derkins vinegar valentines so as to hide his true affections for her under a veil of immature distaste.
The cards are usually simply a sheet of thin, colored paper, about the size of a modern greeting card. They were later also produced in the form of postcards.
The cards were first produced in the late Victorian era and enjoyed their greatest popularity in that period and in the first quarter of the 20th century.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Computer Science
Computer science (or computing science) is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems. Computer science has many sub-fields; some emphasize the computation of specific results (such as computer graphics), while others relate to properties of computational problems (such as computational complexity theory). Still others focus on the challenges in implementing computations. For example, programming language theory studies approaches to describing computations, while computer programming applies specific programming languages to solve specific computational problems. A further subfield, human-computer interaction, focuses on the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable and universally accessible to people.
Some universities teach computer science as a theoretical study of computation and algorithmic reasoning. These programs often feature the theory of computation, analysis of algorithms, formal methods, concurrency theory, databases, computer graphics and systems analysis, among others. They typically also teach computer programming, but treat it as a vessel for the support of other fields of computer science rather than a central focus of high-level study.
Some universities teach computer science as a theoretical study of computation and algorithmic reasoning. These programs often feature the theory of computation, analysis of algorithms, formal methods, concurrency theory, databases, computer graphics and systems analysis, among others. They typically also teach computer programming, but treat it as a vessel for the support of other fields of computer science rather than a central focus of high-level study.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Baybayin or Alibata
Baybayin or Alibata (known in Unicode as the Tagalog script) is a pre-Hispanic Philippine writing system that originated from the Javanese script Old Kawi. The writing system is a member of the Brahmic family (and an offshoot of the Vatteluttu alphabet) and is believed to be in use as early as the 14th century. It continued to be in use during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines up until the late 19th Century. The term baybayin literally means syllables. Closely related scripts are Hanunóo, Buhid, and Tagbanwa.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Equilateral triangle
In geometry, an equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have equal lengths. In traditional or Euclidean geometry, equilateral triangles are also equiangular; that is, all three internal angles are also equal to each other and are each 60°. They are regular polygons, and can therefore also be referred to as regular triangles.
Equilateral triangles are found in many other geometric constructs. The intersection of circles who's centers are a radius width apart is a pair of equilateral arches, each of which can be inscribed with an equilateral triangle. They form faces of regular and uniform polyhedra. Three of the five Platonic solids are composed of equilateral triangles. In particular, the regular tetrahedron has four equilateral triangles for faces and can be considered the three dimensional analogue of the shape. The plane can be tiled using equilateral triangles giving the triangular tiling.
A result finding an equilateral triangle associated to any triangle is Morley's trisector theorem.
An equilateral triangle is easily constructed using a compass. Draw a circle with radius r, place the point of the compass on the circle and draw another circle with the same radius. The two circles will intersect in two points. An equilateral triangle can be constructed by taking the two centres of the circle and either of the points of intersection.
Equilateral triangles are found in many other geometric constructs. The intersection of circles who's centers are a radius width apart is a pair of equilateral arches, each of which can be inscribed with an equilateral triangle. They form faces of regular and uniform polyhedra. Three of the five Platonic solids are composed of equilateral triangles. In particular, the regular tetrahedron has four equilateral triangles for faces and can be considered the three dimensional analogue of the shape. The plane can be tiled using equilateral triangles giving the triangular tiling.
A result finding an equilateral triangle associated to any triangle is Morley's trisector theorem.
An equilateral triangle is easily constructed using a compass. Draw a circle with radius r, place the point of the compass on the circle and draw another circle with the same radius. The two circles will intersect in two points. An equilateral triangle can be constructed by taking the two centres of the circle and either of the points of intersection.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Culture of China
The Culture of China (Chinese: 中國文化) is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex civilizations covering a history of over 5,000 years. The nation covers a large geographical region with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces. Chinese culture (Chinese: 中華文化) is a broad term used to describe the cultural foundation, even among Chinese-speaking regions outside of mainland China.
Many ethnic groups have existed in China. In terms of numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the Han Chinese. Throughout history, many groups have been assimilated into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. At the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. The term Zhonghua Minzu has been used to describe the notion of Chinese nationalism in general. Much of the traditional cultural identity within the community has to do with distinguishing the family name.
Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism with a combination of conservatism. The subject of which school was the most influential is always debated as many concepts such as Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism and many others have come about. Reincarnation and other rebirth concept is a reminder of the connection between real-life and the next-life.
Many ethnic groups have existed in China. In terms of numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the Han Chinese. Throughout history, many groups have been assimilated into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. At the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. The term Zhonghua Minzu has been used to describe the notion of Chinese nationalism in general. Much of the traditional cultural identity within the community has to do with distinguishing the family name.
Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism with a combination of conservatism. The subject of which school was the most influential is always debated as many concepts such as Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism and many others have come about. Reincarnation and other rebirth concept is a reminder of the connection between real-life and the next-life.
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