Jittery markets. Panicking investors. It’s hardly Oktoberfest if one is in the financial market. Scratch that. The way the crisis is going, it will have far-reaching effects into other aspects of the economy. Take for example the Chinese toy manufacturer (it used to supply Mattel among others) which went out of business late last week. And even The Professor has warned that football will be affected by the financial crisis. Tough times are ahead and apparently the Asian financial crisis a decade ago was a picnic compared to this.
What I find strange and surprising is that the greenback and Thai Baht still remain strong despite the financial crisis and street protests respectively.
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The US former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has officially endorsed Democrat candidate Obama for the US president. Interestingly Powell is a Republican. I’m keeping tabs on this election development because whoever who wins the race will shape the US policies around the globe, like it or not: continued presence in Iraq, future interest in Afghanistan, allies and foes. I’m not impressed with the Republican side’s scare tactics of negative campaigning. I think it’s a cheap shot to fuel public suspicion into a person’s ability to lead a country.
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Two stray cats have now adopted me (how did I let that happen?!), one a tabby cat and one a tomcat. I called the tomcat Ginger Ale because he’s orangey and I added ‘Ale’ just for good measure (also, I find it fun to call out ‘Ginger Ale!’). I haven’t really decided on a name for the tabby because I don’t want her to think she is a permanent fixture (why the double standard, you ask? Well, I doubt tomcats, like their male humans, will stay anyway and it doesn’t matter if Ginger Ale remains nameless or is stuck with a funny name) but may call her Tabitha (which I derived by corrupting the word ‘tabby’, ah genius me).
I went for a morning walk yesterday and let in Ginger Ale hoping it’d to catch the rodent I saw in the kitchen on Saturday evening (I feel so embarrassed, as if I don’t keep the house clean enough!). I’d have preferred Tabitha but she was more interested in the attentions paid by another much bigger tomcat. I came back after a 3.9-km walk around the hilly neighbourhood to a noisy Ginger Ale impatient to be let out and a distinct smell of urine spray of territory marking in the kitchen (had to mop the kitchen twice and I already did that on Saturday!). And the rodent still remains at large.
I should have known better than to trust a male, cat or not. Will try to get Tabitha to do the sentry duty next time – because we all know females usually make things happen.
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Arsenal came back from behind to beat Everton 3-1 at home on Saturday. Wasteful shots by van Persie who kept kicking as if he was playing rugby instead of footie but he later made amends by stooping low and heading in Cesc’s rebound shot. Adebayor was constantly offside: he must have seen replays of The Best Of Filippo Inzaghi too often in his free time.
There are a few injuries picked up by players while on international duty, including poor Cesc who sustained a fractured nose. We travel to Istanbul to meet Fenerbahçe tomorrow – yes, another long round-trip for the Gunners – without Toure, Gallas, Sagna and Bendtner. Scary indeed.
In another sports, Hamilton now stands on the brink of becoming the youngest Formula One world champion after driving the points home in Shanghai. Yeay!
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