全通翻譯/翻譯社

A Matriarchal Future? 

When Bill Clinton recently outlined his reasons to be cheerful about the future, many people noticed number four on the list: Women Rule. The former U.S. President observed that no society could afford to stifle the efforts of half its population. The good news, he added, is that in all corners of the globe “women are gaining social and economic power that they never had before.”

The Lowdownh on the 

The beginning of 2013 marked the imposition of the securities gains tax, which fomented heated debate in Taiwan last year. The levy is categorized under capital gains tax. It comes on top of the existing transaction fee on the buying and selling of shares, and the security transaction tax on the disposing of stocks on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The issue has been broached several times over the last 20 years, but has proved so sensitive that it led to the resignation of two finance ministers. As the debate rages on, we examine the rationaleh behind the tax, as well as its possible impact.

The Lowdownh on the 

The name Amsterdam derives from the dams built by traders around the Amstel River, a clear indication of the Dutch capital's origins. The first recorded use of the name is from 1275, when the location was little more than a fishing village. However, by the Dutch Golden Era, when the Dutch East India Company dominated maritime trade, Amsterdam had become one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

It's My Treat!

The etiquette of who should pay the bill for a meal or drink can vary even within individual cultures. Things can get doubly tricky when one is visiting or doing business in a foreign country.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. --- George Washington 
若言論自由被剝奪，那麼引領我們的可能是寡言與沉默，而我們就如同待宰的羊隻。--- 喬治‧ 華盛頓

The Lowdown on the Securities Gains Tax II

OPPONENTS of the securities gains tax think Taiwan runs the risk of fund outflows and shrinking business scales for the securities and financial sectors. Given the degree of f inancial internationalization nowadays, it is natural for institutional and retail investors alike to make their investments in places which are expected to yield the highest returns.

Bangkok: Fun and Culture in the Big Mango

There's no doubt that Bangkok is one of the world's tourist hotspots. Major surveys routinely rank the Thai capital up there with London and Paris in terms of international visitors. A staggering 6.33 million tourists arrived in the City of Angels in the fourth quarter of 2012. Altogether, Bangkok netted close to US$50 billion in tourist revenues.

Head in the Clouds? HP Faces Uncertain Future

A year before his death, Steve Jobs went for a stroll around his neighborhood with Mark Hurd, who had just been ousted as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. The late Apple cofounder offered to contact each member of the HP board individually to get Hurd reinstated. In five years at the helm, Hurd had made HP the largest tech company in the world and continually increased profits. Yet, the board had still forced his resignation over claims of sexual harassment and misuse of his expense account. Larry Ellison, Jobs and Hurd’s mutual pal, labeled the move “the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs.”