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Friday 28 March 2008

Economic difficulties may last for one year: Deputy PM

VietNamNet Bridge – “We are facing a rather bad situation,” Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said during the opening of a government press conference on March 27.

He said Vietnam can’t surmount economic difficulties within several months and a 7.5% GDP growth rate is perhaps high for this year. In this situation, it is very difficult for Vietnam to accomplish the growth targets set by the National Assembly for 2008, under which the GDP growth rate is 8.5-9% and inflation lower than GDP growth.



“The global economy is declining but we have to keep calm. In the first three months of the year, foreign investment in Vietnam was US$5.4 billion, up 31% year on year. It shows that Vietnam is still a favourable destination,” Hung said.



The Deputy Prime Minister said the government’s top priority is controlling inflation. High inflation (over 9% in the first three months of 2008) greatly affects imports, exports and the people’s trust. From now to July 1 the government will not increase petrol, electronic and coal prices. If the world’s oil prices stay at the current levels, the government will have to spend VND12 trillion (US$750 million) to compensate for petrol losses this year. The government will ask ministries and state agencies to cut around 10% of their regular spending.



“The government will meet with economic corporations and big groups. It will be a problem if every corporation asks to increase prices. Economic difficulties will last for around one year and we have to suffer high inflation, but we will try to reduce inflation month by month,” Hung said.



He said the government will report to the National Assembly the adjustment of economic and inflation goals for 2008. In the first three months of the year, GDP growth reached 7.4% compared to 7.7% of the same period last year.



At the press conference, a representative of the Finance Ministry confirmed university and college fees will not increase in the next academic year. The Ministry also asked Hanoi to delay raising clean water charges. Previously, Hanoi planned to increase the water charge by 10-30%.



On March 25, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung decided to loan VND30 trillion ($1.875 billion) to poor students in the next five years. The government will subsidise petrol for fishermen and help them buy new fishing boats.



(Source: VNE, VietNamNet)

Sunday 9 March 2008

How do you become more social?

I found this question on Yahoo answers.
This queustion is impressed me!
"How do you become more social?"
And Here are some answers:

*go out and meet new people, go to church, to the mall ,bowling, go see a movie.
*Just put your self out there and be positive and start striking up conversations with people.
*you just go out and do stuff that puts you around people.

if your nature is not social though, you won't feel comfortable, and you can't change that.
*Try getting a job that forces u to come out of yourself. I worked as a waitress for years and I went from being soooo shy I couldnt get a word out, to being able to walk up to anyone and talk no problem.
It definitely takes practice!
*join more group activities and also work on starting your own, go out to bars and pubs and parties whenever asked and always try arrange your own and invite everyone you can.

Remember birthdays, christmas cards, occassion days like anniversaries for people by a card or even a friendly gesture such as a drink or saying something from them.

Go to festivals, community activities and protests.

Do voluntary work and offer to help friends with odd jobs and things.

And finally, ask people if you can join them: ask if you can visit them, if they want to arrange trips away as a group say to the beach or to visit a town or a discount shopping mall (biecester in the UK for eg) or visit a landmark that you have never seen or an exhibition you havent seen and want some company for. If you dont ask you dont get, no one will mind read your thoughts, you have to ask them.

Question everytime you are at home alone, where else could you be, is there anything else with other people you can be doing?

Monday 3 March 2008

walkout

Fifty Days and Counting

The workers at Flemming Steel, who went on strike fifty days ago, are still striking. The walkout began when Chuck Roste, Chief Executive Officer, announced a cut in wages. The plant's employees had already agreed to a temporary decrease in wages to help keep the plant open during its financial difficulties. However, when a proposal for additional cuts was made, the workers objected, and many threatened to quit.


Flemming Steel has been trying to handle this problem for the past several years. At one point, there was even talk of closing down the plant.

Employees were faced with a choice of either losing their jobs or accepting wage cuts. Chuck Roste explains: "Foreign competition has nearly shut us down. We couldn't have predicted the effect of this competition. Under the circumstances, there just wasn't any other choice but to lower salaries."

Hank Wiskowski, who represents the employees, disagrees: "The management should have seen how the industry was changing. If they had been more aware of the strength of the competition, we would all be in the plant now, working."

So far negotiations have been unproductive. The two sides agree on one thing, though.

Neither Flemming Steel nor the strikers want the plant to close down. As one striker's wife says, "If it weren't for the plant, many people in this region wouldn't be able to make a living. If it weren't for the loyalty of the workers until now, the plant would not have survived as long as it has."

It seems that Flemming will either have to find a solution to its problems or close its doors for good.

Sunday 2 March 2008

Restaurant Reviews

Recommendations

- Is the food good here?
- I believe so. Betsy and Paul eat here all the time.
- In that case, I'm certain the food is horrible.
- What do you mean?
- Have you forgotten? Their recommendations are always terrible.
- I suppose you're right. We'd better go somewhere else.

Going Out

Lunch

- Wow! That lunch was delicious.
- Yes, it was. I'm full.
- Well, I've got to get back to work.
- Me, too.
- I'll speak to you soon. Take it easy.
- Thanks. Take care of yourself.
- Bye.
- See you.

Nice Meeting You

Nice Meeting You

- I have to go. I have a meeting.


- Bye, Dan. It was nice to have met you.
- It was nice meeting you, too. Take it easy.
- I hope we see each other again soon.
- Me, too. By the way, I wonder if you could take care of the check.
- Wait! Dan! Just a minute.

A Helping Hand

Do You Need Help?

- Ma'am, do you need help lifting your stroller onto the bus?


- No. I'm fine, but thanks, anyway.
- Then at least let me help you carry those bags.
- No, thanks. I can really manage by myself.
- Please. I enjoy helping people.
- Well, OK, young man. You can lift those heavy bags for me.

Problems At Work

Quitting

- Are you thinking of quitting?

- Why do you ask?
- I heard someone say that you were planning to leave.
- They were wrong.
- Well, I'm thinking of quitting, myself!
- You're kidding! I'm very sorry to hear that.
- Don't be. I hate this place!
- Yes. There's too much gossip.

Sport And Fitness

Ten Miles


- I just ran ten miles! I'm exhausted.
- You shouldn't have run so far.
- And now I'm going to do some weight lifting!
- By yourself?
- Yes.
- You shouldn't lift weights without a partner nearby. It's dangerous.

Divorced

- Tony and I are getting divorced.


- You're kidding! I'm very sorry to hear that.
- Don't be. We've both decided that we don't love each other anymore.
- Well, as long as you both feel the same way,
I suppose divorce is the best thing.