Happy New Year!!!

For all my friends,

Wish you a happy, healthy, fulfilled new year!

随记

知我与真我
客观与主观
潜力与突破

--与赵萌谈--
远景心
精准度

Those COINs

There are only three major kinds of coins in China: one Yuan, one Jiao and wu Jiao. Here: one Pound, two ponds and MANY small ones which are in different shapes and colours and not easily be recognized - fifty, twenty, five, two and one pence(s)!

I still remember that I got totally confused during the whole first month. My wallet was always too heavy to carry because I never had chance to spend the coins but kept receiving. Even now, I always have chance to keep my bag heavy and I've used special coin bag with wallet at the same time because the speed I spend always slower than the speed the coins come in. However, there is a saying, you can learn a country's history through its money issued. And I do find many interesting things from the coins.

First of all, one pound.
I've already found 12 different types of one pound coins!! Four of them are relatively rare to see but others are popular. I view them in three groups: constructions, plants and fantasies.

The next most interesting thing is one penny. I have a coin wrote "new penny" not "one penny"!!!

Then is two pounds.

If I have to guess the meaning of the different one pounds, different two pounds are really telling stories:

Fifty pences like two pounds but relevantly rare.

Some time coins change little between years. For example, the two pences in 2007 put D.G. to the left of the head side. And the twenty pences added year on the head side while before that they don't have it.

Finally, show the beautiful 2008 pences.

October: the Matriculation ceremony and the Freshers' Fair

Freshers must do several things in Oxford. Top of the list is the "Matriculation" ceremony: wear sub-fusc and go to the hall, listen to Latin formulae. October 18, 2008, the matriculation day of year 2008.

Normally this ceremony will be held in the Sheldonian Theatre, but this year it was put in the Exam School. All the first year students dressed up and grouped by colleges heading to the hall. So our classmates took matriculation from very early in the morning to late in the afternoon because we are in different colleges.

There were too many students grouped to one same place, so besides the organizers from the colleges, the university, police persons were busy there too.

The ceremony in Exam School was less interesting than the ones in the Sheldonian Theatre. However the sun is shining and the coughing companied the announcement in Latin from the very beginning to the very end which added some interest.

The freshers ourselves became one of the sceneries in Oxford that day. When walking through the streets, we were asked to stop and be photoed for several times.

Besides the most important Matriculation, there is another must go event: the Freshers' Fair.

This year, it was also held in the Exam School. And almost occupied all the building: over 200 clubs!!!!

The fair was very well organized. We cued outside for almost half an hour to make sure people inside were "not too many". After the cue, we went through a huge tank to register and get a "gift pack" with many references and coupons from the Student's Union. Then was the real exciting moment: from sport clubs to literary, drama, science, business, public speaking ones.

the Queen's College

Thanks Young, Clarice and I visited the Queen's College on December 11th.

Founded in 1341 and rebuilt in 1730s, the Queen's College is the 8th oldest college in Oxford. I've been in the Queen's during Oxford Pursuit to find out the symbal of this college (eagle). My first impression of the main site of the Queen's is a small one one with buildings around one quad. This time, by the guide of Young, I totally "redefined" this college. Its library and chapel are very beautiful and well contained. And the lunch provided the most or at least one of the most choices among the colleges I've visited.



The second floor of the Queen's college library is full of ancient books! And the ceiling, the book shelfs are so beautiful that it's hard to take eyes away from them.

The first floor is totally different from the second, very morden but cozy and I like it too.

Besides a unique library, there are also very beautiful chapel and dining hall.

Like the name and the statues on the main entrance of this college, I feel the style here is elegance: every where is well taken care of, not grand but beautiful and cozy.

Visiting to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Original the Ashmolean Museum, now the "Oxford University Museum of Natural History", is one of my favratour places in Oxford. Worthy visiting at least three times: once for the building, two times for the collections.

I love this place because of its amazing building! Though it's full of all kinds of collections, some are giant dinosaurs, walked in there, I felt walking outdoor: bright nature light and very comfortable air. And the building itself is grand but full of beauty in every detail that I seldom see elsewhere.

Each pilow has different decarations at the top and in the bottom.

I love here also because of the numerious collections.

Mines,

Animals, Plants:

Besides the building and collections, the visitors are also one reason that I love it: many little children were starting their understanding to the nature from this place. These lovely visitors made this old building which represents history full of energy.

And there was an photo exhibition under going, many attractive works.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

疯狂的赛车

发现错过一个好东西: "疯狂的赛车"
还记得"疯狂石头"的惊喜, 可惜就要错过"疯狂的赛车"
朋友们, 请代我多看几眼大笑几场!

节日快乐!

The Perch and the Trout Inn

Thanks Ryan, I had a great time last Saturday afternoon: walked along north Oxford to two Old pubs each has hundreds years history!!!

Besides the two pubs, the road going there was amazing too:

We walked through a very peaceful river side.


We bumped with many geese/ducks(?) flied in a sudden over our heads!


The Perch: A beautiful and cozy house. Full of details with many surprises here and there:

We not just walked, we trekked and jumped

I believe for us, it's a wonderful closing for the first term.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!

第一眼《城客》

没想到这么快就收到杂志
仿佛一份新年的礼物，倍感喜悦

第一眼感受：
一份内容很实沉的杂志阿
耐读有趣
但是编排和设计有待提升

封面：早就看见并不惊讶，与图片基本一致

“人物”：看见轶君的头像还以为她上了封底广告，未料是一份刊外刊，哈哈
很多人从不同侧面描写同一个人，很多相片，配合轶君本人的新闻度，喜欢。但，总是能找到这样的人物么？FTWEEKEND做一个人物年表的那种似乎更易于推广开来

正刊内容：内容丰富多彩，广告比我想象的正式且多，恭喜
只是编排和设计感觉很新手，普通读者或许会在真正体味内容之前被杂乱带走

第一份做到这个水平，非常恭喜！
但还有许多有待改进，加油！
若有订阅，我愿订阅一年

Exams

Learned a lot during the preparation for the final exams

One of the most important ones:
finally had chances to combine these courses TOGETHER!!!

Pretty nice.

年轻人，移情技能、团队技能和领导技能

今日从赵萌的博客看见许多受启发的内容，分享在这里（全文请移步原博客阅读）：

然而直到不久前Ashoka才认识到：除非使年轻人成为社会上一支有力量的群体，除非使她/他们具备移情技能、团队技能和领导技能。
……

Ashoka, “青年创投”（Youth Venture），以及其他合作组织正在采用一种“四层面战略”。

第一层面战略：实现在目标地区的每一所学校和每一个社区里，有0.5%的年轻人能够为其梦想采取主动、持续和有组织的行动，或者说建立“创投事业”。
第一层面预期影响：通过开办“创投事业”，年轻人具备起移情（empathy）能力、团队技能和领导技巧，进而成长为社会中的领袖型人物。

第二层面战略：建立 “创投事业”团队。核心成员通常是3-5人，还有20名进行指导、培训、和宣传工作的相关人员。
第二层面预期影响：不仅是发起者，每一个团队成员都将学到领导经验，即认识到自己能够领导怎样的团队，以及如何操作。他/她们将走出去创建新的团队，从而增加青年领袖的数量。

第三层面战略：做到在目标地区有1%的学校和青年人社群开办“创投事业”。平均团队成员数为25人。两年以内，实现20%-25%的社区成员都参与到“创投事业”当中，从而开始扭转社区的青年人文化。
第三层面预期影响：“创投事业”团队通过雇佣新成员或者转让/出售其事业，能够帮助打破其他社区的态度和认知障碍，从而扭转其他社区的青年人文化。
第四层面战略：社会大众开始讨论现有的青年人发展模式；“青年创投”活动为社会提供榜样和可操作模式；媒体大规模介入。第四层面预期影响：人们开始从新界定青年人生活的内涵，将其看作是一段发起活动，锻炼领导力，和积极创造社会价值的时期。

上述四个层面相互支持，相互促进。该战略成功的关键在于要达到足够大的规模，使得四个层面能够在跨学校、跨社区和跨地区的水平上得到整合，形成一个不可逆的自我增长过程。

赵萌译自: “Everyone A Changemaker – Social Entrepreneurship’s Ultimate Goal”, By Bill Drayton (Chair and CEO, Achoka), in Innovations (2006, Winter), Published by MIT Press with Harvard University and George Mason University.

Fisher称许多小型金融的客户会富裕起来并形成全新的客户群体。银行家们谈的不是消除贫困，而是增加人们的融资能力，这是指开展针对穷人的银行零售业务，包括贷款、储蓄、保险、汇款等。“希望有一天人们不再关注‘小型金融’，而是谈论谁在为谁提供金融服务。”Annibale 说道，“银行的服务对象是每天收入3美元以上的群体。每天收入2美元的人是非营利小型金融机构的客户群，我是否也应该为他们提供服务？我还不能确定。但我想强调的是，我们所讨论的只是如何加强人们获取金融服务能力的问题。”

赵萌译自NewYorker, By Connie Bruck, "Millions for Millions",10/30/2006

What's the next "golden mine"?

I didn't update this blog for two weeks, because--
My laptop didn't work in a sudden!!!

However, I do have a lot of things to write
First of all, is about the future

Nov 22-23, SBS hold a "360 degree Silicon Valley". Many executive managers of companies in Silicon Valley came and delivered speeches.
During one of its panel, the president did a poll among audience and the speakers: "How long will this financial crisis be?” Most people chose 2-3 years, some chose 5 years, and very few chose less than one year or 5-10 years.

Interesting!

Let's say this crisis will last 5 years, then why the whole society worries so much? If only 5 years, you can just prepare yourself enough food and money and go through it.

--

For me, I think first of all, the damage of this crisis is not yet clear now. Professor Tomo discussed different ways of dealing with bad debt which is quite helpful to understand the more and more serious situation recently (Citi might be bankrupt, UK interest rate cut again, etc): reveal the bad debt right now or later. I will write a separate blog for this topic.

Secondly, how long will it lasts?

Thirdly, what this world will be in the future?
I think the finance sector will no longer be the top "golden mine". Such "clever guys' games" won't stop, however, with more government regulations and more conservative investors will keep the clever guys' game in a certain level and no longer extremely higher and higher .

Then, what will be the next "golden mine"?

--
About carbon trading: Why this is helpful for this planet?
It's just a delay of decrease CO2.
What will this industry be after 2012?
Will it still exist?

Frost and Long shadow

Time flies.
After saw the first frost in Oxford last week

Roofs looked white because of the frost

Leaves and grass on the ground with frost

Today, I saw every one on the street with very long "tail" and it's noon!

This is very rare to me.

So the sun spends much of its time around the ground since now.

Winter winter winter...

Asian Food Festival

Because of last night's successful Friday Cooking Night(?), today is all about foods.

First, I tried "Microwave Fried nuts". This is what Biru taught me several weeks ago. It's very simple: First mix the nuts with one spoon oil then microwave them. That's it! However, today I found it was not so easy as it sounded.

Nuts with oil

haha, see? Those black ones were failures.

Pick them out.

The rests are quite nice!! I ate them with the beautiful sky this afternoon.

Later I went to the "Asian Food Festival" at evening. Emmm...many people cued at the door and it was freezing!

Even entered the college, people still had to cue to enter the dining hall. What a successful Festival!




Finally, after about half an hour's waiting, we stood in front of the foods. There were different clubs provided about eight types of foods: Chinese, HK, TW, Japanese, Korean, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia.

My dear classmates

I even met a friend from club OUSAS (em, we watched stars together):

In all, I tried some Vietnam dessert(good), HK noodle with meat (yummy), Korean Spicy chicken with sticky rice cake (nice), Malysia Meat(oh, too dry and cold...)

"MBA phenomenon"

When we cued at the door, I was stopped by Nancy and then we stopped more and more MBAs. People said in "Turkish night" on Friday there were also full of our classmates. emmm...are MBAs really so active?!

I don't think so. This only reflects we are so different in this university, haha:

1. we have more than 200 people, such a huge group makes us higher posibility to bump each other in this relevant small town;

2. we have similar time schedule and most of our time are filled with classes that we easily go out at a same time!

Allow me finish with Hang's sweet smile.