全通翻譯/翻譯社

Rise of the RMB

Late last year, with the Bo Xilai scandal dominating Chinese politics and uncertainty remaining over the PRC's leadership transition, many analysts expected significant depreciation of the Chinese yuan. This was a no-brainer because the trend has been for the RMB to drop in these situations. There was also the added pressure on Chinese exporters who were struggling in the face of a global slowdown.

But then something funny happened. Bo's disgrace was completed with his ejection from the National People's Congress, and Xi Jinping's ascent to the presidency was given the thumbs up. Suddenly there was a climate of stability, and the Chinese yuan soared to a 19-year high of 6.238 to the U.S. dollar. The resolution of the political uncertainties was cited as the prime mover.

Taking Stock of Google─The Evolution of an Internet Giant

It's a testament to the company's pervasiveness that imagining a world without Google is hard. In 1999, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin offered to sell their fledgling company for US$1 million to Excite, which was then a major online presence. In what must rank as one of the worst business decisions ever, Excite CEO George Bell rejected even a revised offer of US$750,000.

Less than 15 years later, Google is worth over US$300 billion and Excite is an Internet irrelevance. Since its 2004 IPO, Google shares have rocketed by more than 700 percent. In May, they closed above US$900 for the first time. Meanwhile, although its search-engine market share has slipped by 0.6 of a percentage point, it is still way out in front with 66.5 percent. It's a similar story for mobile devices, where Q1 figures for 2013 showed Android occupying 75 percent of the market space. 

Formosan Adventures - Taiwan: Past and Present

IN 1544, Portuguese sailors passed a leafshaped island southeast of China. Espying lush,green forests, they recorded in their ship log the words “Ilha Formosa” — the Beautiful Island.

Things have changed dramatically in the half millennium that has passed. The island has gone through Dutch and Japanese colonial rule, half a century of martial law, and rapid industrialization. Taiwan is now famous for its tech know-how, with gigantic science parks producing most of the world's semiconductors. Meanwhile, companies like HTC, Asus and Acer have achieved global status. The cities are crowded and hectic, but there's always something going on, whether it's a colorful and clamorous religious procession or a chance to sample delicious snacks at one of the hundreds of night markets around the island. With the beautiful, rugged interior largely intact, Taiwan remains a relatively untapped treat for nature lovers. Beware, though, this tropical paradise can be ravaged by typhoons from summer to fall.

Acquire or Die: Can Yahoo Buy Its Way Back to the Big Time?

These are interesting times for Yahoo. It has been a year since CEO Marissa Mayer took the reins, and the company's share price is back to levels not seen since 2008. However, analysts remain guarded over whether Mayer can restore former glories.

Yahoo started life in 1994 under cofounders Jerry Yang and David Filo as a directory of other Web sites. It soon became one of the most identifiable online presences through partnerships with leading telecommunications brands and high-profile acquisitions. Amid shareholder discontent, Taiwan-born Yang became CEO in 2007. His tenure was marred by a struggle against a hostile takeover bid by Microsoft, a talent drain and wavering disillusionment on the part of investors.

Office Immobility: A Potential Killer

Remaining immobile for long periods of time has long been associated with various health complaints. These can range from lower back pains to increased chances of a stroke or heart attack, according to some research.

In recent years, a great deal of credence has been given to the notion of Economy Class Syndrome. The idea is that sitting in the cheaper, less spacious sections of an aircraft heightens the risks of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the formation of a blood clot, primarily in the veins of the leg. In actual fact, despite the cramped conditions, budget travelers appear to be at no more risk than other long-haul passengers. This is not to suggest that there is no threat whatsoever. As Dr. Mark Crowther, author of a 2012 study on thrombosis pointed out, “Traveling in economy class does not increase your risk for developing a blood clot, even during long-distance travel; however, remaining immobile for long periods of time will.”

Sao Paulo: A Latin American Giant

It may lack the beautiful natural backdrop of Rio, but Sao Paulo is undoubtedly the cultural and economic heart of Brazil. Although it was founded by proselytizing Jesuits in 1554, Sampa — as it's affectionately known — remained an isolated backwater until the 19th century. Now the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, Sao Paulo is a powerhouse in Latin America, with an economy roughly the size of New Zealand.

The state of Sao Paulo accounts for about a third of Brazil's GDP, much of this coming in the form of a formidable2 service sector. Major corporations have set up shop here, and the city's stock exchange is one of the world's largest. The International Congress and Convention Association rates the city as the most important event host in the Americas, with more than 200 events held daily. Sao Paulo's industrial output is similarly huge. Around 10 percent of the population works in one of the city's thousands of factories, producing everything from textiles and electronics to pharmaceutical products and furniture. 

Taiwanese Cuisine:Simple, Yet Lip-smackinglyh Delicious

BACK in 2011, CNN drew the scorn of Taiwanese netizens with a series of articles that appeared to rag on Taiwanese culinaryculture. First there was a piece ranking Taipei as the most gluttonous city in Asia. Then came a list of the world’s most revolting foods, which featured a local specialty — century eggs. Finally, the icing on the cake was a rating of the world’s top tastes that had the temerity not to include even one Taiwanese dish. Well, it did. But insult was added to injury when stinky tofu was listed as a Southeast Asian snack.

Although night markets are a great place to start for a slice of authentic local cuisine, there's a lot more to Taiwan than roadside stalls. Beef noodles, for example, are treated as a fine art, with top-end, gourmetbowls costing up to NT$10,000 a pop. If you're looking for killer Xiaolongbao, Din Tai Fung is the place. The restaurant chain has earned Michelin stars and now runs branches in 10 countries. Perhaps the best thing about many Taiwanese staples,though, is their simplicity. It often seems like there is nothing to dishes such as sesame noodles, fatty braised-pork rice and egg-drop soup, but therein lies their charm. Find yourself away from Taiwan for any period of time, and you’ll soon be pining for these tasty, addictive comfort foods. 

And Then There Was One: Is Microsoft Being Left in the Dust?

Microsoft Windows was not the first operating system to provide a graphical user interface. Although Bill Gates demonstrated a betaversion of Windows version 1.0 to IBM execs in 1983, it was two years before the OS hit shelves. Their lukewarm response was in stark contrast to the way they had embraced MS-DOS two years earlier. Part of IBM’s reluctancecame from the fact that they were working on their own OS.

By the time version 1.0 was released, two competing GUI systems were already on the market. They failed to attract interest, primarily because of a lack of support from third-party developers. For a while, it looked like Windows would go the same way. Despite major improvements in version 2.0, it wasn’t until the release of 3.0 in 1990 that the OS got the en masse developer support required for critical and commercial acceptance. With the release of Windows 95 — the company’s first OS not to require the installation of MS-DOS — Microsoft cornered the market. Since that time, there has been only one superpower in the desktop OS market. As of June 2013, Windows 7 accounted for 44.37 percent of the market, with the ever-popular Windows XP occupying a further 37.17 percent.