Musings and Amusings

Neuroscience, still a relatively new science is examining “the benefits of enhancement” through drugs. They theorise that cognitive enhancement is already practised by most of us. We drink coffee, eat nutritious foods, train our brains and get a good night’s sleep. Taking drugs they say is simply a little further on in the continuum. Wouldn’t you want the surgeon whose mind is extra sharp, a pilot who’s extra alert or the medical researcher whose...

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Everyday Money

If you are struggling with finances, particularly paying your mortgage, here are some ideas to help ease the burden.• Sell luxury items or household goods that you don’t need, if you are a two car household reduce to one. Any money you save or make should go to reduce your mortgage.• Look at ways to reduce your outgoings - is there anything in your budget you can do without.• Look at how you might increase your income – part time work, take in a...

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Who’s counting

A conversation overheard in a bar;Gentleman 1: “I believe in what you are saying 110%. Howard.”Gentleman 2: “Ugh.”Gentleman 1: “What?”Gentleman 2: “Why not 120%, or 130%, or more?”Gentleman 1: “Okay, I believe in you 140%.”Gentleman 2: “Anything beyond 100% is meaningless.”Gentleman 1: “Okay, now I’m down to 90%.”Gentleman 2:”That’s better.”You can’t give more than 100% in anythi...

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Finance and Investments

You have survived 2008 and are feeling shell shocked. Here are some tips to help you through 2009 and beyond – you should of course have a financial plan.Tip 1 - The share market is still cyclicalIt is not different this time, all asset classes have cycles. You just forget about it after five years of positive growth with few corrections.Tip 2 - Volatility will continueYou cannot call the highs and the lows. Dollar cost average, that is buy every...

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Womenomics

I have been wondering who or what will bring Mugabe down. An article towards the end of last year made me wonder if it would be women.The rare demonstration of resistance was fuelled by some 200 women hoisting placards and demanding an end to the cholera epidemic. The women only marched a couple of hundred yards before dispersing, foiling the security services who only found flyers blowing along the Harare footpath.The contrast between the concerns...

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Why?

Why do we always feel so guilty when we eat fat? Fat is one of the most joyous things to eat; think butter on Vogel’s (how could you eat popcorn without butter?), crunchy crackling on pork, bacon (said to be the one food which tempts vegetarians).Then there are butter based sauces, think French beurre blanc on a whole sole. If you are still with me I can recommend Jennifer McLagan’s cookbook entitled “Fat.” The book is split into four sections: butter,...

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