Your say (07-03-2008) Nation needs better public transit to combat traffic mess The Viet Nam News readers who offered their views about the best way to defeat traffic congestion all agreed that improved public transport is the key to any solution. Today, we publish a sample of what they had to say. Dr Walter Molt, Ha Noi, writes: The capacity of any road is limited to the type of vehicles used on it. Traffic in Ha Noi and HCM City can still move because most people use motorbikes – 80 per cent in Ha Noi. The motorbike allows an incredible number of people to move and is seven times more efficient than the private car in the use of road space. Public transport by bus is 10 times more efficient. As more and more people move to the city and people have more money, which is good, more and more are using cars – yearly growth is 20 per cent – and this is not so good. Next week’s topic: The stock market crisis The seemingly endless fall of the VN Index has prompted … [Read more...] about Nation needs better public transit to combat traffic mess
Ways to improve your credit score
Plagiarism an easy option but does the perpetrator no credit
Last week, we asked our readers how they viewed plagiarism and how they avoided it in their countries. And what should be done in Viet Nam to protect copyright and stop intellectual robbery. Below are several responses: Jade Claxton, Richard Harris, British, Ha Noi Plagiarism generally is a bad thing because it disrespects the hard work people have done to create articles, write books or make films. In England, we have strict copyright laws. Authors know if their work is their own, but others might not be aware of what plagiarism means, especially students. It has become so easy to copy and paste information from the internet! There is an initiative in British high schools to teach more about plagiarism because it is just too easy to go to Wikipedia and copy your homework from there. This week Thai authorities have rescued 14 Vietnamese women who had been hijacked to Bangkok by a gang running a surrogate-baby racket. The surrogate mothers, aged from 19-26 were all from southern … [Read more...] about Plagiarism an easy option but does the perpetrator no credit
EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 15-31 (daily updated)
Screening of “Annie Hall” Sat 31 Aug 2013, 2 pm TPD Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents 51 Tran Hung Dao Str (4th floor), Hanoi On Saturday August 31th 2013, TPD Centre will host next session of Two Thumbs Up Movie programme. We will screen Annie Hall (1977), directed by Woody Allen. Annie Hall is a 1977 American romantic comedy film directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay he co-wrote with Marshall Brickman. The director co-stars as Alvy Singer, who tries to figure out the reasons for the failure of his relationship with the film’s eponymous female lead, played by Diane Keaton. Allen has described the film as “a major turning point”,which, unlike the farces and comedies that were his work to that point, introduced a level of seriousness where, he says, he “had the courage to abandon … just clowning around and the safety of complete broad comedy. I said to myself, ‘I think I will try and make some deeper film and not … [Read more...] about EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 15-31 (daily updated)
Social News 25/6
Ministry calls for improved staff and human resources Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to review the employment, management and assessment of State employees’ performance to improve government workers’ skills. The review is also expected to detect any shortcomings and to suggest measures to improve the legal framework governing State employees. The ministry has been asked to cooperate with other ministries and agencies to develop policies to attract talented people to State offices. The employers should also pay attention to assessing and recognising capable personnel. Deputy PM Binh urged the ministry to speed up the streamlining of State employees as part of efforts to implement a resolution by the Politburo of the Central Committee of Vietnam Communist Party last year, which calls for at least 10 percent of government staff and officers in ministries, localities and government agencies on the State payroll in various sectors to … [Read more...] about Social News 25/6
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/2
Central bank pledges $2b in soft loans The HCM City branch of the State Bank of Viet Nam will offer enterprises low-interest loans from a fund totalling VND40 trillion (US$1.89 billion) approved by the central bank. Deputy Governor Nguyen Phuoc Thanh told a recent meeting between the municipal People's Committee with the local banking sector that the fund would be disbursed under a programme that links local banks and enterprises. All the city-based banks would be encouraged to participate in the scheme. "The programme will continue to focus on preferential loans to enterprises involved in prioritised sectors, with priority given to those that want to upgrade production technology and equipment or apply high technology, or are involved in support industries," Thanh said. "This year, the programme will create conditions for more customers to get access to preferential loans with the interest rate of less than 9 per cent per year. "They may include small traders, students, households … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/2