Princess in wonderland

Last night my dream man got engaged.
No pain, no surprise. His fiancee is a pretty, sweet BBC girl with a tender smile on face. A face Just like his mum, so soft and pure.
I know he will have such a happy ending since I knew him. Since the year before last year. I told myself he is the right one for me when I saw him in the first sight. But I was also sure I was not the one for him.
We met on the coach to London Heathrow airport, from that day on I have addicted to James Blunt's You are beautiful. I saw a fragile me in his black eyes, and too afraid to go for him.
He has too much good things that I can die for, but a figure that was too high to climb over.Like I am a little 7 years girl, shyly looking up to my prince and waiting for a careless glance.
I wrote him several letters when he was in Hongkong, I went his hometown to cast about any trace from him. I was so crazy for every reply from him. I was so eager to see him for a second time.
Until the day in HongKong.
There he was. Still has long hair covering half of his glitering face,still is so peaceful and bright. But only a little difference.
He is with her.
I hidden myself behide my big Vogue. My heart is beating fast. Oh, I finally see him after almost three hundred sleepless nights.But he has already got a company.
And He did forget me. He even cannot remember my name.
Alright. Mark. Farewell. Please be happy with your pretty young lady. And wish in the next life, you will love me and be with me.

Another sleepless night.
I left my wonderland,my UK and went back to China to be a financial journalist. Just like the other day when I was chatting with Jenny in a great sunny day. Wind whispered and I was painting out what my future might be. I said that I would be some serious-like reporter, working for some financial department while, she thought I was not that right for a position like that. "You are never that kind of person. But I admire ur plan."
But I did it.
Just like most people in my class. She also looked at me as some pretty little things, young , good-looking and simple, with a full in head of fashion icons. "I think you can get a job from a fashion magzine, which is perfect for your kinda people. "
My kinda. Like I was a supersize walking-Barbe, customized for those muscular guys who always have their male hormone overmuch. Like they will like my long slim legs under my mini skirt. Like nobody ever care about if I HAVE BRAIN.
I still remember how hurt and insulting it was when the shity German guy in my class treat me like an easy girl, open enough to have one-night-stand together, while I, stupid enough to believe he might want me to be his soulmate.And the Chinese girl who never consider herself a Chinese. She said she never talk to Chinese or speak any Chinese language, whilst she only had been in the UK for 3 years.
All are big liars. The whole class never told the truth. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT US. Those so-call friendly internationalism. They identified me as empty doll, but never prove if their conclusion are legitimate.
I wanna shout to them, I wanna prove that they are too arrogant.
But I did not do that. I did not even show any of my indignation. Because time can tell.
So that I got a internship in the FT. So that I am now a financial reporter.
And I will do more.
Not just a financial reporter in a top one financial newspaper in PRC, but a great English columnist in a world-famous newspaper like the Times, or the UStoday.
I will give them a big smile instead of showing my anger to those who ever look down upon me.
I will.

I don’t think it is a coincident for Mr. Brown to be the PM. Mr. Brown has an absolutely different character from Mr. Blair. Blair has an attractive personality and also, he is a talent player in diplomatism. While Mr. Brown is thought to be a dour person, good at number game but bad at making his own figure. However, as the country is calling for a leader who can lead it to walk out from the cloud of the Iraq war, Brown is no wonder a suitable guy.
The foreign policy from Brown can show his party is eager to get public support back, as people are question about the Iraq war and lost trust in the Labour party. And his contributions to the economy help him to be trust by middle class. He is now playing a role like a nurse, to help the country to recover.

His policy is more conservative comparing with Blair’s. He wants to keep distance from the US; this is because most people believe to follow a donkey government leading by Bush is not only stupid but also disastrous. He plans an all-party convention means that not the Prime Minister but the party now has more rights, which in another word, more democratic.

At present, to be conservative is a better choice for Britain need a break from the war. Maybe the country won’t as shining in diplomacy as under Blair’s, but what I can be sure is the GDP of the UK will perform well with the governing of Brown. And this, I belive, is the most important thing to the nation by now and in the near future.

China’s fast economic growth over past few years has given a rise to the new wealthy elite of spending spree for luxury goods.
Xing Yan, 30, so-called new wealthy elite in China, is an advertisement producer of a Beijing-based culture communication company. She is on a salary of £2,000 a month plus a share of the company’s business profits. She dresses Prada or Dior, drives a BMW and owns a fashionable apartment in the centre business district of the city. As she has no worries on rent and her income is disposable, she spends almost the entire salary on luxury labels every month. “Shopping for luxuries is a treat for me after the hard work at the office, besides, I bought them for their good quality and my confidence”, said she.

Such a case is by no mean of particular in Beijing, in fact, in most big cities in China, quite a number of white-collar employees would spend spree on the expensive hand bags, outfits or other luxuries. Those famous brands, like Prada, LV and Gucci, which have dominated European continent for hundreds of years, suddenly become a fashion among the new wealthy elite Chinese. The country is now the third biggest consumer who accounts for an estimated 12 percent of global luxury market, second to Japan, 41 percent and the US, 17 percent1.

According to a survey from Ernst & Young, the China luxury market currently generates more than US$ 2 billion in sales a year2. It is expected to grow 20 percent3 annually until 2008, and then 10 percent4 per year until 2015. By 2010, China is expected to have 25 million5 consumers who can afford luxury products and the sales are expected to exceed US$11.5 billion6. What is more, if the high living continues as expected, China will surpass the US to become the second-largest buyer of luxury products by 2015, with the 29 percent account7 of the world’s luxury sales.

It is a feast that nobody wants to absent. Driven by the huge potential of China’s luxury market, brand makers are rush to expand their stores in China to pursuit greater profits. Cartier, whose earnings in China almost doubled 2005, is planning to expand the number of outlets from three to 15 in next two years. Chanel, who was a latecomer to the Chinese market, has increased its cosmetic stores from two cities—Beijing and Shanghai in 2002 to 23 cities today, and plan to be in 40 cities by 2008. Also, BMW sold 23,595 marques8 in 2005 and 50,199 marques9 in 2006, which is a significant turnover compared with three years ago.

“There are a lot of people who are willing to buy the luxury goods in China now,” said Miss Tang, public relation manager of Chanel (Shanghai) Corp, “the number of our cosmetic shops has increased to 60 and we are planning our third flagship store to open this year.”

Does China really have a luxury market with almost 10 million consumers? According to report from China State Statistics Bureau last year, nearly 20 percent10 of the population--over 9.5 million individuals or households11--hold nearly a half of the country’s savings worth than 10 trillion yuan12 (£667 billion). They earn as much as 240,000 yuan13 annually and have between 300,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan in savings14. These wealthys help greatly on the evolution of China’s luxury products market.

A survey from the China Association of Branding Strategy (CABS) indicates that in general, China’s luxury consumers can be divided into two groups. One group is comprised by young wealthiest who are able to earn high salary as much as £2000 per month. They are often well-educated, have a taste of fashion, and seek for personalized services. They frequently visit luxury stores for the newest offering without caring for price. The second group consists of white-collar employee. They often work in the foreign companies, with salary about 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan (£200 to £330) a month but dare to spend the entire salary on a single purchase. Both groups are under the age of 4015.

Surprisingly, the survey found out that males are no longer the traditional buyers of luxury goods in China. Young white-collar females (under the age of 30) become a significant force on consuming luxury goods as they achieve greater economic independence in recent year.

But consumers in China seldom know what behind the luxury products and why they spend money for. They tend to buy luxury products without study or research, compared with European consumers, who tend to focus on the real value of what they purchase.

Xing Gao Ping, 24, secretary of a foreign trade company in Guangzhou, earns 3,500 yuan (£230) per month. “Two third of my salary spends on brands. I used to save up 3 months’ salary to buy a new arrival Prada bag, because it attracts a lot of envy from my girlfriends. They will think I am well-paid or I have a rich boyfriend or my family are wealthy.”

“People like to show off with luxuries in China, they want to impress others by showing off their expensive handbags, cars,” said Shelley Chen, the lifestyle columnist of FTchinese.com, who wrote a number of articles about the new wealthy elite in China, “they think luxury products can raise their social status.”

“However, they lack of the knowledge of luxury goods. Yes, they may know Hugo Boss suits, BMW marques and LV bags. But they buy these luxury goods just for the high price that can show their finance success. They often go into the shops, look around and say I want this one. Or ask about whether the product is a famous brand. They probably will pay as soon as they get the positive answer. They are in a selfish mood.”

However, sociologists in China show their worries about the increasing of luxury goods consumption. A new phenomenon in China is that the income gap between rural and urban Chinese has grown wider and wider during the last 5 years, despite the swift economic growth. At present, there are still 30 million farmers who are still in the poverty. Consumption tax collection on luxury goods on luxury products, which is one of the effective ways to shrink the gap, has no longer plays a potential role in adjusting incomes distribution.

The tax rule covering only 11 categories of luxury goods16, made luxury brands easily to escape from the heavy tax. Besides, luxury goods companies do not manufacture in China, which means the country cannot levy on the process of circulation. Therefore, they can price their goods to a rich profit, as well as to keep their customers happy. Moreover, the rule proves a far drop behind the consumption growth—we pay consumption tax on cosmetics, jewelleries, cigarettes and alcohols, but not on some even more expensive luxury goods like a private yacht.

Dr Yang Xing, director of economics and socials studies in Jinan University, Guangzhou, said, “China's personal incomes have increased rapidly these years, which influence the consumption habit directly. Unfortunately, the consumption tax has failed to keep pace with the changes. If there are no acts on establishing the new tax rule, the gap between the rich and the poor will become larger and cause the imbalance of our social structure."

“To encourage consumption is right, and I am not against people to buy some luxury products to improve their life quality. However, our state should do something to narrow the income gap. High-grade consumption goods should be levied with consumption tax. ”

Though the State Administration of Taxation is currently considering a proposal to revise the categories of goods subject to consumption tax, it is still very hard to make contribution to narrow down the income gap. The disparity income growth in China still gives people the impression that those who can afford the luxury goods are all upstarts.

Thanks to the market economy, people in China now have chance to wear Prada. You can buy whatever you want as long as it is something you can afford, but before doing that, can you think about those farmers who struggle in surviving with only ten percent of your salary for just one second?

If the European Commission pass the recent Green Paper on an EU-wide standardized legal definition on labor law, our freelancers could lose their freedom to be self-employed.

According to the Commission, “Four out of ten EU workers are now on non-standard contracts or self-employed and reality is rapidly outpacing regulation in the EU workplace”.

The Green Paper states that “the modernization of labor law constitutes a key element for success of the adaptability of workers and enterprises”.

However, such a proposal for refined labor law has been claimed that it would lead to “a full scale assault on the right to be self-employed”. UK labor law has a distinction between employment contracts and commercial contracts, with wide space left to cover the uncertainties in the future. Its application depends on a mass of credible tests which have been developed by court for a long time, which has been long proved to be a consentient principle.

Called himself Crazystart58 on ebay.co.uk, the 34-year-old Welshman has had his online PDA （Personal Digital Assistant—like Blackberry）business for over 5 years. He told Welsh Globe that, “There are not so many rules to be an online seller. And if there is any, I won’t feel so free to start my own business.” Freelancers like him in Wales can reach several thousands（Sub:I can’t find the data） and the population is still increasing. Self-employment is one of the best ways to release the pressure caused by the year-after-year rising unemployment in Wales. Research from Welsh government has confirmed that the contribution rate of the self-employed is as same as employed one. A one-size-fits-all labor market model can restrict contractors and freelancers’ enthusiasm, as they have been comfortable with the free commercial atmosphere for such a long time.

Eu-wide definition of self-employment may be a helpful way to modernize the economies of different countries along with Wales, unless a new and clearer law on employment status is to be introduced to the UK as a whole.

So far, a great number of freelancers have submitted their opinions by sending emails to empl-labour-law-green-paper@ec.europa.eu.

Rosie Swale Pope, the world round runner has reached to Wisconsin, US this week. The 60-year-old Welsh woman has achieved two-thirds of her trips so far.
Started from her 57th birthday on 2nd October, 2003, Rosie has spent three and a half years on this self-supported voyage. She has neither back up team nor solid sponsors.
It was Clive, her husband’s death which inspired her to set off the journey to raise money for cancer charity. After her husband’s death, she realized how precious life could be and would like to do what she can do while it is still possible. She planned the journey to run over a complete circle of the earth. She has now run across Eastern Europe, Russia and Siberia, Alaska, Canada, reaching Baraboo, Wisconsin three days ago. Her continuing destinations will be Greenland, Iceland, Ireland then return to the UK.
The toughest section she faced so far was in Russia, where her entire life nearly been taken away. She had to fight against insects in the forest every single second during the summer and battle for temperatures of minus 45 and below in the winter. She was diagnosed with double pneumonia and forced to take a break from her trainers for a while to recuperate. But she carried on as soon as she got on her feet.
Tossing behind the most testing stretch of her route, the prospects are looking rosy and the runner is still in great spirits.
More information can be found from the website: www.rosiearoundtheworld.co.uk.

Dried nuts will be used to replace the plastic buttons. Howies, the famous environmental products company recent come up with the idea.
In order to solve the plastic waste problem, the ethical Welsh company begins to use tagua nuts to be the buttons on the clothes. The nuts come from a certain kind of palm tree called Phytelephas Macrocarpa in South America. After gathered and dried out for four to eight weeks, these nuts will be selected and cut carefully, to be prepared to sew on the clothes.
As nature and non-toxic as just-picked-up from the tree, the nuts are thought to be the perfect environmentally-sound products for clothes-making. A lot of them have been sewn on to tops, trousers and jackets for the coming summer season.
Howies was bought by Timberland early this year. The takeover didn’t change its original aim and helped to put plans into action better. The company still has passion on being the pioneer of producing environment friendly clothes as well as giving part of its turnover to environmental and social projects.
Besides dried nuts, Howies is also starting to use other materials for replacement, such as to introduce hemp into its jeans to please vegan customers, for some vegans may allergy to the leather patch at the pack of jeans.
One of the biggest actions of Howies is to open up a printmaker in the abandoned shed on its property, Ceredigion. The previous one was in Turkey.
An open letter to Welsh First Minister about making Wales the first organic country in the world is Howies’ recent emprise. It says “The idea is to make all foods produced in Wales organic. That’s right, convert the whole country.”

A new research warns that the species of Welsh streams and rivers are in great danger because of the climate change.

The 25-year study by Cardiff University warns that the rising temperature cloud have a knock-on effect on stream macro invertebrates, including crustaceans, snails and larval insects such as stoneflies.

According to this research, number of small invertebrates like mayflies and stoneflies could fall by as much as 21 persent for every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature. This would lead to a corresponding reduction on species which live on them—birds, fish and bats for instance. More over, as current predictions point out temperatures will rise by two and three degree Celsius in next few decades, the number of species may fall by 12 to 25 percent in next 50 years.

Such findings are important messages on the effects of Global warming, since that streams and rivers are quiet sensitive to climate, which indicates that Wales has got much hotter than 25 years before.

This project is the longest and most detailed investigation of the effects of global warming on Welsh fresh water systems, which was funded by the Countryside Council for Wales. Such a study is the first and one of the oldest studies of its kind in the world. The team leader, Professor Steve Ormerod from Cardiff University told Welsh Globe, “I and my colleagues were surprised by our findings. True evidences show that (Welsh) rivers are heating up and （the rising）temperature is the cause for this. Our government should take serious action on how to solve the problem, saying investments on technologies and policies on environment control.”

A paper on the study is published in Global Change Biology, calling for a range of mitigation efforts from Welsh Government.

Supply and demand: that is how the scam marriage came out. There are always some people in the world who are not satisfy with the situation in their own countries and would like to escape at all costs. And there are accordingly a number of people who realize this and would be willing to risk their own freedoms for the riches that immigration fraud can offer.
It is an insult when marriage is set up to get round immigrations laws. However, blinded by quiet large sum of money—the earning can be as high as £5,000 to arrange a marriage which will give a bride or groom greater rights to stay in the UK—those people are willing to take chances to marry with somebody they have never met before, even they knew that immigration fraud is a crime. After all, love is hard to trace and prove, and no one bother to investigate until the crime raise to a huge amount—3,578 suspect marriages were reported to the British Government by registrars in 2004. It is therefore the new immigration marriage rules have been introduced to stop the marriage fraud.
Though the number of scam marriages went down sharply after the British Government introduced the new immigration marriage rules in 2005, it is still very hard to crackdown such crimes. According to the British senior registrars, before the new legislation launched in February 2005, there could have been at least 10,000 scam marriages a year. Registrars at Brent Council in north London, one of the most diverse areas of Britain, suggested in 2005 that a fifth of all marriages there were bogus, with officials able to spot couples who barely knew each other. Moreover, Scotland on Sunday of Last month reported that scam marriage in Scotland is still taking place every day.

Trial scam marriage is hard, because nobody knows how to scale it in a scientific way. In most of cases, the involving UK-citizen accepts a one-time payment from the foreigner, usually they will have a wedding and live as roommates, or at least to set up a family that make them appear to live together. Such cases are the hardest to uncover, since doing so would require a great deal of manpower and resource. Still, some people who commit this crime believe it as good thing for helping someone out.

Not matter how a scam marriage will benefit a fake couple, it is still a serious crime and will be punished by jail. Those who give up their freedoms to scam marriages seems seldom have happy ending. After all, freedom is never free.

Mike Ruddock has agreed with a three-year contract to be the new coach of Worcester Warriors on 1st May. The multimillionaire and club chairman, Cecil Duckworth, met him last week and made his return to full-time rugby at Sixways.
Ruddock, 47, was said to restore the fortunes of Welsh rugby by coaching the 2005 Grand Slam winning team but surprisingly stepped down mid way through their defence of the title. Duckworth believe his outstanding coaching can help the team play better.
In his “anything is possible” speech, Ruddock shows his ambition to mould Worcester into a major domestic and European force. Being one of the only two English teams occupying this season’s European Cup final, Worcester Warriors is facing its biggest challenge. Ruddock is their new hope after losing eight successive games resulted in Coach Anthony Eddy leaving the club.

Duckworth considered Ruddock as an eligible leader to coach the team to get the Heineken Cup at the end of the season. Thus Ruddock successfully takes over John Brain, who left the club on Monday, just 48 hours after masterminding Warriors' Guinness Premiership survival by keeping one point above relegated Northampton.

Ruddock is eager to start his coaching work, concentrating on the new signings to follow New Zealand centre Sam Tuitupou, who arrives at Worcester after the World Cup.
It is believed Ruddock will be given substantial funds to strengthen the Warriors squad with immediate signings. Under his leadership, Sixways is expected to reach a new era.