The 2009 news article below mentions “customers will soon be able to track orders on iPhones.” Wow… isn’t it normal nowadays that we can do absolutely EVERYTHING on our smart phones? As technology advances, people become more demanding and want everything FAST… consequently, people are now becoming less patience than people were 50 years ago.

Online pizza orders boost Domino’s profit
August 19, 2009 (Courier Mail)

• Domino’s Pizza profit up by 30 per cent
• Online pizza orders are driving growth

DOMINO’S Pizza expects to grow profit this year by up to 15 per cent, after posting a 29.7 per cent jump in 2008/09 profit.
NEW stores, a revamped menu and online pizza orders have helped boost profits at Domino’s Pizza, the company says.
The chain expects to grow profit this year by up to 15 per cent, after posting a 29.7 per cent jump in 2008/09 profit.
Domino’s (dmp.ASX:Quote,News) is now the number one food and beverage retailer online in Australia, with 22.5 per cent of sales being generated online.
Customers will soon be able to track their pizza orders using their iPhone, said CEO Don Meij.

The company will also add another 40 to 50 new stores to its retail chain during this year and expects another 15 per cent profit growth this year.

Net profit for the year was $15.35 million, up from $11.83 million on strong network sales growth of 14.4 per cent to $676.4 million.

Strong performances online and across the Australasian and European markets buoyed the 2008/09 result with new menus in Australia boosting same store sales growth to its highest level in six years.

Domino’s added 35 stores to its network during 2008/09, bringing the total number worldwide to 776, including 439 in Australia and 77 in New Zealand.

A strong balance sheet and cash flow mean it has cancelled its dividend reinvestment plan and won’t need to tap capital markets for fresh equity, Mr Meij said.

Online orders are now 22.5 per cent of total sales and that is likely to grow as the company prepares to spend between $15 million to $20 million capital expenditure, including IT upgrades and store refurbishments.

Customers will soon be able to place and track orders using an iphone, Mr Meij said.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/online-pizza-orders-boost-dominos-profit/story-e6frfmbi-1225763718409#ixzz1G0nTQzAd

新年快樂! 住在澳洲的我, 只會說一些基本的祝福語. 上網找與兔年膝關的賀語, 找到以下這些, 轉貼與大家分享:
(from http://im88.tw/?p=5673)

四字部:
玉兔迎春、揚眉兔氣、兔和食得、動如脫兔、福兔賀歲、宏兔大展、
前兔似錦、動如脫兔、兔氣揚眉、兔屬不凡、福兔迎祥、銀兔滿堂

七字部:
玉兔迎春添新象
家有玉兔開曉日
新春旺市迎玉兔
兔躍長天爭春暖
風和兔躍開新運
人逢泰世隨兔躍

多字部:
兔年行大運
新春開運，宏兔大展。
玉兔迎春，好運年年增。
前兔似錦，仕途步步高升！
揚眉兔氣，乎恁事事攏歡喜！
兔年送隻兔，大發利市一定富。
兔年好運擋不住，兔年財源滾滾來！
紅兔祝你事業旺，兔郎望你愛情長！

相關祝福句:
兔腳為你開財路，兔耳為你撞鴻運，兔背為你馱康壽，讓這頭兔伴你左右，永遠動如脫兔，新春福兔送吉祥，銀兔進家富滿堂，肥兔祝你壽延長，奶兔為你送健康，耕兔願你糧滿倉

雜文類:
兔年好運擋不住，兔年財源滾滾來！
春滿東方 前兔似錦
春滿東方 動如脫兔
春滿東方 玉兔迎春
春滿東方 宏兔大展
東方玉兔賀新春

兔在江湖漂，不爽就發飆！祝兔年紅紅火火，生猛生猛！
千羊在望，不如一兔在手；羊上狼不上，馬跳猴不跳；兔年吉祥！
兔年送隻兔，全家樂悠悠。兔腳為你開財路，兔耳為你撞鴻運，兔背為你馱康壽，讓這頭兔伴你左右，永遠動如脫兔！
新春福兔送吉祥，銀兔進家富滿堂，肥兔祝你壽延長，奶兔為你送健康，耕兔願你糧滿倉，紅兔祝你事業旺，兔郎望你愛情長！
在新的一年祝大家兔年大吉，兔耳沖天！動如脫兔！

未分類:

兔在江湖漂，不爽就發飆！祝兔年紅紅火火，生猛生猛！
千羊在望，不如一兔在手；羊上狼不上，馬跳猴不跳；兔年吉祥！

新春佳節， 祝你兔年大吉大利，大顯身手！

在新的一年祝大家兔年大吉，兔耳沖天！動如脫兔！

因考慮到今天會有鋪天蓋地的祝福短信堵塞網絡，有理想有遠見且智慧過人未卜先知的舉世無雙宇宙超級無敵天才提前恭祝：嗨皮兔野兒！

兔年佳節到，向你問個好，身體倍健康，心情特別好；好運天天交，口味頓頓妙。最後祝您及您的家人：兔年好運擋不住，兔年財源滾滾來！

新的1年開始，祝好事接2連3，心情4季如春，生活5顏6色，7彩繽紛，偶爾8點小財，煩惱拋到9霄雲外！請接受我10心10意的祝福。祝兔年新春快樂！

兔年好運到，好事來得早！朋友微微笑，喜慶圍你繞！花兒對你開，鳥兒向你叫。生活美滿又如意！喜慶！喜慶！一生平安如意！

簡訊類:
如期而至的不僅僅是節日，還有幸福和快樂。日漸增加的不僅是年齡，還有友情和健康。我的心裡一如既往深深祝福：兔年萬事如意！

虎尾繫著金攏財氣，兔首搖著鈴盪福音。風追逐著春天的行踪，雪漫步著溫馨的海洋，燈點亮了回家的路程，無論你在遠在近，我的祝福已經起航：祝你兔年快樂！

總有起風的清晨，總有溫暖的午後，總有燦爛的黃昏，總有流星的夜晚，總有一個人在祈禱世界上所有的美好全部屬於你！祝你兔年快樂，心想事成！

霞是絢麗的，雨是透明的，雲是執著的，雨是深情的，思是揪心的，愛是真誠的，星是永恆的，你是難忘的。真心祝福你——兔年快樂！

星星落下要三秒，月亮升起要一天，地球公轉要一年，想一個人要二十四小時，愛一個人要一輩子，但一句貼心祝福只要一秒：兔年快樂！

綠色是生命的色彩，綠色的浪漫是生命的活力。在這個綠色的世界裡，兔年喜悅盛滿冬季，讓節日的酒紅裝扮清新的綠。兔年有新景象！

兔年祝願天下朋友：工作舒心，薪水合心，被窩暖心，朋友知心，愛人同心，一切都順心，永遠都開心，事事都稱心！

輕輕推開冬季的窗，靜看雪花飄起。於是想起，給你捎個訊息，你還好嗎？真是惦記。祈願你兔年新年快樂甜蜜。

兔年天氣預報：你將會遇到金錢雨、幸運風、友情霧、愛情露、健康霞、幸福雲、順利霜、美滿雷、安全雹、開心閃、它們將伴你整一年

在兔年即將到來之際，願我的祝福如冬日暖陽、春日清風、夏日陽傘、為你擋風阻沙、送去溫暖、捎去清涼、除此別無他求。

晨曦出現的第一縷陽光是我對您的深深祝福，夕陽收起的最後一抹嫣紅是我對您的忠心問候。在除夕來臨之際，送上我真摯祝福：兔年快樂。

(經濟日報)2010年10月25日 星期一
(from http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/101024/23/kw1m.html)

【經濟日報專訊】80後強調work to live（為生活才工作），最怕工作跟生活不平衡，不少中產家庭把孩子送海外留學畢業後，已不願「海歸」，原因是他們怕了香港的OT文化、薪酬低、無晉升機會……有數不盡的不回港理由，寧選擇留居外地闖一番事業。

目前大學畢業生投身本港職場，月薪普遍介乎1萬至1.2萬元，有80後投訴香港薪酬低之餘，工時亦超長，有時早上9時開工，一直到凌晨2點，但晉升機會有限，與其在港「捱騾仔」，倒不如到海外住2,000呎花園洋房，每周工作35小時，毋須太大壓力，月薪也有2萬港元，以下是3名80後選擇到他鄉工作的理由。

澳洲工作 比香港快樂
個案一︰ 許君碩（Kingsley）
年齡︰28歲
工作地點：澳洲
不回港理由︰ 澳洲工作比香港開心

Kingsley中學年代移居澳洲，04年大學畢業曾計劃回港發展，但發出求職信全無音訊，最後留在澳洲開展事業，後來才發現，原來在澳洲工作，比香港快樂。

在當地政府擔任IT工作的Kingsley，每周工作35小時。他笑言，曾有香港的中學同學向他大吐苦水，說在港工作壓力大，平均工時最少達45至48小時，難怪他說：「我們在這裏輕鬆得多！」

工時短之外，部分澳洲機構為開拓亞太區市場，願意招攬當地中國人加盟，若懂說中文，有機會獲得更高薪酬，「好像招聘前線員工，若能說中文，年薪會比澳洲人高1,000元澳幣（約7,600港元）！」

另一吸引之處，是澳洲的居住環境一流。Kingsley早前以280萬港元在悉尼購入約2,000平方呎的房子，三房兩廳連花園，但在香港，相同的金額只能買到沙田第一城一個500多平方呎單位。

港工時長 人工遠遜美
個案二︰ 陳國梁（Alfred）
年齡︰24歲
工作地點：美國
不回港理由︰ 香港人工低工時長

Alfred於08年在美國印第安那大學經濟系畢業，隨即回港在4As廣告公司工作，但半年後已決定離職返美國搵工：「香港工時太長，朝早9時半到凌晨2時，人工只1萬元，換了在美國，這樣的工時，足夠可搵到兩份工！」

現於拉斯維加斯一家銀行按揭部工作的Alfred，每日工作8小時，月入2萬港元。他說，在香港要賺錢，要選擇金融業，但在美國，修讀生物科技工程等香港較冷門行業，年薪有5、6萬美元（約39萬至46.8萬港元）。他坦言，短期內不會回港工作。

學好外語 歐美機會多
個案三︰ Erica
年齡︰25歲
工作地點：日本
不回港理由︰ 學好日語機會更多

Erica拔尖到北京大學唸書，主修英文，1年前成功獲日本一動漫公司聘用，負責活動統籌及協助開拓中國市場，她想趁著年輕，體驗不同國家文化，又相信日本工作經驗可帶來更多機遇︰「學懂了日文，又在另一國家工作過，以後往歐美工作，可能較容易。」

日本工作節奏與本港同樣緊湊，需經常加班，但她並不介意，因日本公司對新人培訓較本港好，例如每位新入職員工，會獲一位前輩指導，關心其工作及生活。

她最深印象是，其前輩日花2小時糾正其日文語法錯誤，又跟進語言學習進度，對方更主動為她爭取公司資助進修日文，目前她已能操一口流利日語，提高職場競爭力。

(from http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20100908-29685.html)
Looking to get lucky on the dance floor? German scientists have found men who dance vigorously with a fast-moving right knee and large, varied movements of their neck and torso are more attractive to women.

The discovery, which should get some shy shufflers moving with reckless abandon, was announced Wednesday by researchers from the University of Göttingen and colleagues from Britain’s Northumbria University.

A supple neck and torso, exercised by energetic movements, along with a high-tempo right knee and strong varied movement of the left shoulder and wrist were the key indicators that push women’s buttons when a man is on the dance floor.

The researchers believe that these movements send signals about a man’s reproductive strength by conveying health, liveliness and physical strength.

Previous studies had shown that women found men with physically strong dancing styles attractive and judged such men to be assertive, said Bernhard Fink, a behavioural scientist from Göttingen who was part of the research team.

The new study was further evidence “that dance conveys signals about a man that are decisive in partner selection,” Fink said.

The research team used a 3-D camera system to film 19 men aged 18 to 35 who danced to a basic rhythm. The moves were then mapped onto computer simulations, so-called “avatars” that had neither faces, nor distinct body qualities – removing the possibility that women were drawn to the men’s physical features.

Thirty-nine women watched the virtual dancers and assessed the quality of their dancing.

British psychologist Nick Neave, who also took part in the study, said: “This is the first study to show objectively what differentiates a good dancer from a bad one. Men all over the world will be interested to know what moves they can throw to attract women.

“We now know which area of the body females are looking at when they are making a judgement about male dance attractiveness. If a man knows what the key moves are, he can get some training and improve his chances of attracting a female through his dance style.”

The researchers now plan to use the same method for a reverse study to see what effects female dancing has on men. Their findings were published this week in Britain’s Royal Society Journal Biology Letters.

Taxpayers support lavish Hillsong lifestyle
Refer http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sunday-telegraph/taxpayers-support-lavish-hillsong-lifestyle/story-e6frewt0-1225896526584

THE tax office wants a special national body set up to monitor “not for profit” charities, admitting that churches – such as the multi-million-dollar phenomenon Hillsong – are literally “invisible” to it.
And the sector is expanding so rapidly that $31 billion a year is now being drawn out of the federal Budget in tax exemptions to the ever-growing list of groups claiming church and charity status.

The push to put not-for-profit groups under greater fiscal scrutiny comes amid revelations that senior pastors of the Hillsong mega-church and their families are enjoying lavish lifestyles virtually tax-free.

Critics say Hillsong – which makes millions by routinely demanding its followers hand over at least 10 per cent of their salaries for the church coffers – exploits tax exemptions designed to help small, struggling churches.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Hillsong founder Brian Houston uses a not-for-profit company – Leadership Ministries Inc (LMI) – to fund a burgeoning, tax-free global preaching empire.

LMI and other tax-free companies in the Hillsong network are able to provide housing, cars, overseas travel, accommodation, credit cards and other perks free of fringe benefits or income tax.

And since LMI was set up in 2001, the Houston family’s relationship with the company has included:

Property deals that have earned Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie $1.4 million. The Houstons are still tenants of waterfront properties at Bondi Beach and the Hawkesbury River that they sold to LMI.

A $1 million, fringe benefits tax-free expense account each year for five people, including the Houstons.

The use of vehicles worth more than $120,000.

Fully funded overseas tours where Brian Houston can earn $US20,000 a speech in “love offerings” on the preaching circuit.

The refund of all goods and services tax paid by the Houstons in their pastoral duties back to LMI.

The creation of a network of Hillsong subsidiaries in South Africa, Britain, Sweden and Ukraine.

The Sunday Telegraph has also learnt that the Australian Taxation Office reviewed LMI’s tax-free status this year and has re-affirmed it, despite growing concerns about a lack of accountability in the not-for-profit sector.

ATO Assistant Commissioner Michael Hardy told a recent Senate inquiry he lacked the staff to monitor religious organisations.

Once tax-free status was granted, churches were “technically invisible to the tax office”, Mr Hardy said.

On the push for a special national body to oversee charities, Mr Houston told The Sunday Telegraph: “I would welcome a charities commission … to avoid continued speculation surrounding charities doing legitimate work in the community.”

Mr Houston said his total salary was “just over $300 000″.

The ATO defines salary as cash payments, excluding fringe benefits and exemptions.

Pentecostal preacher Philip Powell, a critic and former Assemblies of God national secretary, said Hillsong, which has a congregation of more than 20,000, should be stripped of its tax-exempt status.

“It should be recognised for what it is: a corporation, not a church,” Mr Powell said. “Hillsong is really just a sales and marketing operation.

“If you took out the religious aspect, a company like that would have to pay thousands of dollars in fringe-benefits tax each year.”

Lobby group Taxpayers Australia spokesman Roger Timms wants the Government to adopt Treasury secretary Ken Henry’s recommendation that tax exemptions for churches be replaced with direct grants.Under the Tax Act, there is no cap on the amount of expenses churches can pay ministers of religion before incurring fringe-benefits tax.

Mega-churches such as Hillsong have taken full advantage of this, rewarding its leaders tax-free, the pastor of a church aligned to Hillsong says.

A former Assemblies of God pastor, who declined to be named, said: “It’s what many of the AOG churches are doing. Hillsong can legally pay all of Brian Houston’s salary as fringe benefits, so he can end up paying no tax whatsoever.”

A Hillsong spokesman said: “We do not pay Brian Houston or any ministerial staff 100 per cent, or anywhere close to that amount, in fringe benefits.”

Mr Houston added: “My salary has been consistent throughout the year and includes fringe benefits. I pay personal income tax.”

Assemblies of God pastors typically take at least 75 per cent of their salaries as tax-free benefits.

This provision was meant to help small churches retain low-paid staff, not for those like Hillsong, which earns $50 million a year.

“The Government has an opportunity to make the tax system more fair by closing the loopholes that exist for churches,” Mr Timms said.

House prices post largest fall since April 2008
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/property/house-prices-post-first-fall-since-april-2008/story-e6frfmd0-1225899002446#ixzz0vAOWPxCv

• House price values fall 0.7pc in June quarter
• Beginning of “period of price consolidation”
• Homeowners safe from rate hike on Tuesday

AVERAGE house price values have fallen for the first time in 17 months as interest rate hikes begin to bite.

Prices across the nation’s capital cities fell 0.7 per cent, latest research from RP Data shows.

But experts say there is unlikely to be a significant downturn – as constantly predicted by a range of overseas experts – because of a national housing shortage.

In the three months to June, all capital cities experienced virtually no growth or a fall in values, with the exception of Adelaide, the RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Home Value Index has found.

Despite being the largest monthly fall since April 2008, RP Data’s Tim Lawless said the result was not surprising.

“We’ve been seeing the writing on the wall, because we’ve also seen auction clearance rates deteriorating, we’ve seen housing finance commitments falling, suggesting demand in the marketplace has been abating,” Mr Lawless said.

ANZ economist David Cannington also said the result was expected given the market had undergone so many months of continuous growth.

“While there was a fall in the month, still in annual terms, house prices are still 10.5 per cent higher than what they were a year ago,” he said.

Bubble won’t burst

The past few months have seen numerous predictions that Australia was experiencing an unprecedented and unsustainable housing bubble.

The Economist magazine earlier this month declared that Australian property had the poorest return on investment of the 20 countries it evaluated and US financial commentator Edward Chancellor estimated Australian house prices were more than 50 per cent above their fair value.

But local experts questioned these assertions, pointing to an undersupply of housing in the country.

Australian Property Monitors estimates there is a shortage of 200,000 dwellings in Australia, which has helped to put a floor under house prices.

ANZ’s Mr Cannington said predictions of a sharp fall in house prices were incorrect.

“We think the underlying fundamentals of the Australian housing market support house price growth, so we don’t think it’s going to pop and house prices are going to collapse,” he told news.com.au. “The Australian market is entering a period of flat growth or some consolidation.

“I think it’s the end of the levels of growth that we saw last year, that’s pretty clear, but I don’t expect that we’ll see entrenched falls in house prices.

“This is just part of the cycle of coming back from those high growth rates.”

Mr Cannington said the slowdown showed the recent round of interest rate increases had impacted housing affordability.

“I don’t think (the RBA) wanted to see house prices growing at the rates they were growing at,” he said.

RP Data’s Mr Lawless said basic housing market fundamentals remained “relatively healthy”.

“If we were seeing mortgage default rates escalating then that would set off some alarm bells,” he said.

Quiet market ahead

Mr Lawless said with pre-listing activity slowing down, buyers could expect fewer properties entering the market.

“We may see further declines, we may see some further increases, but it’s essentially going to be a flat market going forward,” he said.

There would be “more power” returning to buyers in coming months.

“It’s more swinging to a buyer’s market, because vendors have certainly had the power over the past 18 months or so,” he said.

He said the Reserve Bank would be pleased with the result, with homebuyers almost guaranteed to be safe from a rate rise after next Tuesday’s monthly board meeting.

“Concerns about housing affordability and inflation have certainly been top of mind for the RBA,” he said.

A weaker than expected inflation result earlier this week, combined with a housing market slowdown, would stave off an August rate rise, he said.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/none/all-dogs-go-to-heaven-church-sign-debate-funny-512895/