这篇是在cnn上找到的。
Alibaba is not the Amazon of China
September 16 HONG KONG
Forget what you've read, Alibaba is NOT "the Amazon of China."
The analogy has been used widely as Alibaba prepares for its IPO. But it is only partially accurate, and masks big differences in business models.
Sure, Alibaba (BABA) and Amazon both do business on the Internet. They both enable consumers to buy huge volumes of goods without stepping foot in a store. And both have a stranglehold on their home markets.
But that's pretty much where the similarities end. Unlike Amazon (AMZN, Tech30), Alibaba does not own most of the items sold on its platforms, it does not maintain massive distribution centers, and it has only a fraction of the 132,000 employees on Amazon's books.
"Amazon and eBay are e-commerce companies, and Alibaba is not an e-commerce company," Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma said last year. "Alibaba helps others to do e-commerce. We do not sell things."
The point Ma was trying to drive home is that Alibaba excels at connecting buyers and sellers. Alibaba is not the seller.
Related: Meet four kings of Alibaba's online retail empire
The company's largest digital marketplace -- Taobao -- allows consumers to buy goods directly from small businesses. Tmall, Alibaba's other major shopping marketplace, connects larger brand retailers to consumers.
Alibaba makes money on Taobao by selling advertisements and search placement to retailers (kinda like Google (GOOG)). The company takes a commission from the larger retailers that operate on Tmall (think eBay (EBAY, Tech30)).
The model means that Ma doesn't have to obsess over keeping prices low the way Amazon founder Jeff Bezos does.
Related: Should you buy Alibaba shares?
The structure also makes Alibaba more of a pure Internet play, a trend reflected in the company's bottom line. Compared to Amazon, Alibaba's revenue is small (but growing faster). And investors are salivating over the company's much higher profit margins.
Investors have also been enticed by Alibaba's success at building what Ma calls an Internet "ecosystem."
The network of services allows consumers to move seamlessly between the company's online retail marketplaces and mobile apps used to process payments, buy movie tickets, call a taxi or invest in a money market fund. Alibaba even has a corporate cousin in the logistics business that handles most of the shipments generated on Tmall and Taobao.
Related: 7 things Alibaba users can do
In the end, Alibaba's biggest strengths may stem from overcoming broader problems in China's retail sector.
Ma has said that e-commerce in the U.S. is about transferring an existing business onto the Internet (think Amazon and books).
"E-commerce in the U.S. is like a dessert. It's just supplementary to your main business," Ma said. "In China, because the infrastructure of commerce is [so] bad, e-commerce becomes the main course."
What will happen when Alibaba and Amazon find themselves fighting for the same consumers? Here they are similar: expect both founders to come out swinging.
"Lying behind the massive allure of the capital market, there is unparalleled ruthlessness and pressure," Ma wrote in a letter to employees earlier this year. "In this market, only a small number of outstanding enterprises can maintain a gallop."
By Charles Riley September 16, 2014 00:54AM EDT
经济学人：加拿大的住宅市场
Finance and Economics; 财经；
Canada's housing market; 加拿大的住宅市场；
Time for a bigger needle; 该出手时就出手；
The latest attempt to prick a bubble;戳破泡沫的最新举措；
经济学人：
Canada's reputation for financial regulation is starry. Its banksgot through the crisis unscathed. According to Moody's, a ratings agency, Royal Bank of Canadasits alongside HSBC and JPMorgan Chase in the top tier of global banks. And Canadianpolicymakers are old hands at pulling “macroprudential” levers of the sort now in vogue amongrich-world central banks.
加拿大的金融监管一向广受赞誉。它的银行业在这场危机中做到了独善其身。根据评级机构穆迪的报告，加拿大皇家银行与汇丰银行以及摩根大通同列，跻身全球银行界的第一梯队。同时，加拿大的政策制定者也是运用宏观审慎政策的老手，这一政策如今也常被其他富国的央行使用。
But questions still nag. Some say that Canada's banks are flattered by a huge indemnity offeredby Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC), a public institution that insures mortgages witha loan-to-value ratio of more than 80%. CHMC's book grew to 567 billion Canadian Dollar(557 billion Dollar) in 2011, up from 345 billion Canadian Dollar four years earlier. And Canada'shousing market looks very frothy on some measures: The Economist's analysis of price-to-rentratios suggests that Canadian properties were about 75% above their long-run “fair value” in thefirst quarter of 2012 (see chart). Although less than 0.5% of CHMC's mortgages are in arrears, such exuberance is a worry. The central bank recently labelled housing as “the most importantdomestic risk to financial stability in Canada”.
但是，仍有问题缠身。部分人士认为，加拿大的银行被加拿大抵押和住房公司（CMHC）提供的巨额补偿金美化了，CMHC是一家为贷款估值比率超过80%的抵押贷款提供保险的公共机构。在2011年，CHMC的抵押贷款额从四年前的3450亿增长到了5670亿加元（合5570亿美元）。并且，从一些指标来看，加拿大的房地产充斥着泡沫：《经济学人》以房价租金比所做的分析显示，在2012年第一季度，加拿大的物业价格高出它们的长期公允价值75%。纵然仅有低于0.5%的CHMC抵押贷款存在拖欠的情况，但这样的繁荣仍让人忧虑。最近，央行也冠以楼市 “危及加拿大金融稳定性的最大国内隐患”。
Repeated efforts by policymakers to take the heat out of housing have not had a noticeableeffect. So on June 21st Jim Flaherty, the finance minister, had another go, his fourth in fouryears. Some of the new measures were cosmetic. Buyers of homes worth more than 1m Dollarhave been able to get mortgage-default insurance from CMHC with a downpayment of only 5%. In practice, it is hard to find buyers in this bracket who do not have lots of equity in their homes. But after July 9th mortgages for homes of this value will not be eligible for CMHC coverage.
政策制定者们给楼市降温的不断尝试并无明显成效。于是，在6月21日，加拿大财长吉姆·费拉逖，在四年来第四次出台了一些新举措。新措施中的一些不过是表面功夫。价值过百万美元住宅的买主能得到由CMHC担保的债务违约保险以及首付仅付5%的优惠待遇。而事实上，很少有这类购房者在购房时不以大量自有资金支付价款的。不过，在6月9日之后，这类住宅将不再适用于CMHC的保险范围。
Other measures have more teeth. The maximum amortisation period for a mortgage will now be25 years, down from 30. That should hurt demand: last year about 40% of new mortgages werefor terms longer than that. Refinancing a home will be allowed only up to 80% of its value, downfrom 85%. Homebuyers will have to demonstrate their housing costs are no more than 39% oftheir gross household income. On top of Mr Flaherty's measures, the Office of theSuperintendent of Financial Institutions, Canada's banking regulator, slapped a loan-to-value limitof 65% on borrowing against home equity.
其他那些则更为有力。抵押贷款最长还贷期限如今将从30年降低至25年。这势必将减少需求：去年约有40%的新贷款的期限是超过25年的。允许的房屋再融资的上限从房屋价值的85%降至只有80%。购房者还须证明他们的住房支出不超过家庭总收入的39%。费拉逖的举措中，紧随其后的是，加拿大的银行监管部门，联邦金融机构监督办公室，将贷款和自有资金间的贷款估值比率的限制猛降至65%。
Craig Alexander, the chief economist for TD Financial Group, estimates all this will be theequivalent of about a 1% rise in mortgage rates for most homebuyers. He believes that willproduce a slow unwinding of the housing market. If he is right, and Mr Flaherty's variousinterventions avoid the collateral damage that would be caused by an actual interest-rate rise, Canada's admirers will have another thing to swoon over.
多伦多道明银行金融集团首席经济学家，克雷格·亚历山大估计，所有这些措施对于购房者而言将等同于抵押贷款利率上升1%。他认为这将促使房产市场缓慢回归。如果他的观点正确，并且费拉逖的各种干预手段能够避免可能引发实际利率上升的附带伤害，那么如此一来，加拿大的崇拜者们又将有一个可以津津乐道的话题了。
奥巴马麦凯恩激辩金融危机
据《今日美国》报道，在周二的总统辩论中，约翰－麦凯恩和巴拉克－奥巴马互相攻击，并提出了各自的应对美国金融危机的方案。
John McCain andBarack Obama exchanged blame and offered proposals to address the nation'sfinancial crisis during Tuesday's presidential debate, USA Today reported.
麦凯恩承诺对那些苦苦挣扎的房主们施以援手，而奥巴马则表示政府必须确保国家大规模救市方案按计划实施。
McCain promisedaid to struggling homeowners and Obama said the government must assure themassive federal financial rescue package works as planned.
二人辩论的主题很快便集中在经济问题上，当晚辩论主要围绕着这一话题进行。
The debate focusedimmediately on the economy and stayed on it for much of the night.
麦凯恩提议财政部有条件地买进按揭坏债，并根据目前的房价和房主们进行再次协商。
McCain called forthe Treasury Department to buy up troubled mortgages — with some conditions —and renegotiate them with homeowners at the current value of homes.
麦凯恩说：“我们都清楚，只有我们稳定了美国的家庭价值观，我们才能去创造就业机会、恢复我们的经济。
McCain said,"We all know, my friends, until we stabilize home values inAmerica,we're never going to start turning around and creating jobs and fixing oureconomy,
此外，我们还得重建对美国的信任和信心。”
and we've got toget some trust and confidence back toAmerica."
奥巴马称最近的经济低迷为“大萧条后最严重的金融危机”，他表示政府必须确保签署的金融救市方案按计划实施。
Obama called thecurrent downturn "the worst financial crisis since the GreatDepression" and said the government must assure that the financial rescuepackage signed into law worked as planned.
他说：“我相信这将是对过去8年来布什政府高调推行的失败的经济政策的最终审判，而参议员麦凯恩就是这一政策的支持者。”
"I believethis is a final verdict on the failed economic policies of the last eightyears, strongly promoted by President Bush and supported by SenatorMcCain," he said.
辩论开始前几小时，道琼斯工业平均指数又暴跌508点。辩论在一片金融阴霾中展开。
The debate beganhours after the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled another 508 points, andthe resulting financial anxiety is looming large over the debate.
麦凯恩指责奥巴马是参议院中收取房利美和联邦住宅贷款抵押公司捐款的第二大个人，而这两大公司正是目前名誉扫地的抵押贷款行业巨头。
McCain accusedObama of being the Senate's second-highest recipient of donations fromindividuals at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two now-disgraced mortgageindustry giants.
奥巴马回击称，麦凯恩竞选团队经理戴维斯在华盛顿一家政治公关公司持股，直到最近，该公司每月都从联邦住宅贷款抵押公司收到成千上万的资金。
Obama shot backthat McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, has a stake in a Washington lobbying firm that receivedthousands of dollars a month from Freddie Mac until recently.
路透社报道，两位候选人均誓言致力于使美国能源独立。
Both candidatesvowed to focus on making theUnited Statesenergy independent, Reuters reported.
麦凯恩表示，核电是一项无污染能源，也将是解决气候变化的关键。他还对奥巴马进行了嘲讽。
McCain saidnuclear power was a clean source of energy that would be key to battlingclimate change and mocked Obama.
奥巴马支持发展核电，并将其作为一个大能源计划的组成部分。
And Obama said heapproved of nuclear power as one element of a broader energy plan.
美联社报道，辩论话题还涉及外交政策方面，其激烈程度不亚于经济和国内事务。
The debate alsoveered into foreign policy, and the disputes were as intense as on the economyand domestic matters, AP reported.
麦凯恩称他的对手“在伊拉克和进军问题上的观点是错误的。”
McCain said hisrival "was wrong aboutIraqand the surge.
“在俄罗斯侵略格鲁吉亚问题上，他（奥巴马）对俄罗斯的看法是错误的。”
“He was wrong about Russia when theycommitted aggression against Georgia.”
“他的职业生涯很短，他还不了解我们国家在安全问题上所面临的挑战。”
“And in his short career he does notunderstand our national security challenges.”
“而我们没有时间来进行在职培训。”
“We don't have time for on the jobtraining.”
奥巴马略带嘲讽地回击说，他确实不太了解一些事情，例如：多年来美国已经在伊拉克耗费了数千亿美元后，今后，美国要如何面对阿富汗问题的挑战。
Obama counteredwith a trace of sarcasm that he didn't understand some things — like how UScould face the challenge inAfghanistanafter spending years and hundreds of billions of dollars inIraq.
据路透社报道，辩论后哥伦比亚广播公司和美国有线新闻电视网的一项快速调查都显示奥巴马在辩论中胜出。
Two quick pollstaken immediately after the debate, by CBS News and CNN, both judged Obama thewinner, Reuters reported.
路透评论道，麦凯恩可能不会再有扭转竞选局面的机会。
McCain could berunning out of chances to recast the race, Reuters commented.
离大选只有4周的时间，两位候选人将在10月15日进行最终辩论。
With only fourweeks to go until the election, the two candidates will meet for one finaldebate on October 15.
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金融危机激增MBA申请人数
眼下的华尔街可谓哀鸿遍野，而美国各地的商学院却因此振奋不已：全日制MBA课程的申请人数在2008年激增。
Business is bad onWall Street, and business schools across the country are bracing for theimpact: A surge in applications this year to their full-time M.B.A. programs.
金融市场一片混乱，美国经济放缓，华尔街正在经受深刻的结构性变化。很多人决定，现在是回学校充电的好时候。
With financialmarkets in turmoil, the economy slowing down and Wall Street undergoing aprofound structural change, many people are deciding that now is a good time tohead back to school.
考虑迈入校门的人有些是此次金融业大裁员的牺牲品，另一些则觉得他们的饭碗即将不保。
Some would-bestudents are the victim of layoffs roiling the financial industry. Others thinktheir jobs could disappear soon.
即使目前工作还算稳定的MBA申请者也认为，利用这段时间攻读研究生文凭是个不错的选择－－因为未来几年的升迁和跳槽机会都会比较稀缺。
Even someapplicants whose jobs are currently stable are deciding that it makes sense togo for a graduate degree now: since promotions and new opportunities could behard to find in the next few year
商学院还没有关于申请人数的统计数字，因为大多数顶尖学校的第一轮招生截止日期是在10月中旬。不过，许多商学院表示，今年咨询MBA课程的人增加了很多。
Schools don't haveapplication tallies yet -- as deadlines for the first round of admissions arein mid-October for most top-tier schools -- but many already are reporting bigincreases in interest.
纽约大学斯特恩商学院称，今年参加其校外MBA推介会的人员增加了30%。
New YorkUniversity Stern School of Business reports a 30% increase in attendance atoff-site information sessions this year.
西北大学凯洛格管理学院的申请人数目前已增长22%。
NorthwesternUniversityKelloggSchoolof Management has had a 22% increase inapplications so far.
芝加哥大学工商管理研究生院表示，其网上咨询和推介会参加人数都有显著上升。
Universityof Chicago GraduateSchool of Business says it is seeing significant increases ininquiries online and attendance at information sessions.
今年，GMAT考试的注册人数也在增加。
People are alsoregistering for the Graduate Management Admission Test in greater numbers thisyear.
美国研究生入学管理委员会位于弗吉尼亚州McLean市，成员包括165家商学院。
According to theGraduate Management Admission Council, a McLean, Va.-based membershiporganization of 165 graduate business schools,U.S.
该机构称，2008年1至9月GMAT考试的注册人数达到129,902人，比去年同期上升5.1%。
GMAT registrationvolume for the first nine months of this year totaled 129,902, up 5.1% from thesame period last year.
这些数字反映出一种与以往的经济衰退期类似的趋势。
The numbersunderscore a trend that has occurred in previous economic downturns.
商学院和经济学家说，研究生入学人数是反经济周期的，也就是说，它与经济景气程度背道而驰。
Graduateadmissions are countercyclical -- meaning that they move in the oppositedirection of the economic cycle, business schools and economists say.
由于次债风波的连锁反应，这批MBA研究生毕业时，将面对一个完全不同的华尔街，就业市场可能很不乐观。
When this year'sM.B.A. applicants graduate, they will enter a dramatically different WallStreet and potentially smaller job market that has been altered by the rippleeffects of the credit crunch.
今年即将毕业的研究生已经感受到就业市场的低迷。
This year's newlyminted graduates already encountered a tougher job market.
科尔说，在芝加哥大学，2008年毕业生中找到工作或有公司邀请加盟的人数比去年下降了约3个百分点。
At the University of Chicago, the percentage of 2008graduates that either had offers or had already accepted them dropped roughlythree percentage points from the previous year, Ms. Kole says.
一些商学院表示，由于毕业后的就业前景不确定，因此目前有稳定工作的申请者可能会放弃进入商学院的机会。
Indeed, schoolssay not knowing what the job market will look like upon graduation could detersome prospective applicants who have stable jobs from applying.
有些申请者则打算碰碰运气。
Some applicantsare taking their chances.
其他研究生院也都预计申请人数会增加。
Other graduateschools are also expecting increases in applicants.
学员们今年还要考虑另一个问题──次债危机使学生贷款很难申请。
Also a factor forstudents to consider this year: The credit crunch has roiled the market forstudent loans.
一直关注这一领域事态发展的FinAid.org负责人马克-坎特罗维兹称，2007年，有144家民间和政府教育贷款机构暂停了学生贷款。
In the past year,144 education lenders have suspended private and federal loans, according toMark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org, who has been following thedevelopments.
不过，坎特罗维兹说，商学院的学生应该可以找到贷款，因为很多贷款机构只是对本科生和成人教育学生暂停发放贷款。
Still, Mr.Kantrowitz says business-school students should be able to find loans. Manylenders, he says, have suspended loans for undergraduate and continuingeducation students but not graduate loans
对这些贷款机构来说，“研究生贷款项目是最有利可图的，因为贷款质量最高。”
For lenders,'graduate student loans are the most profitable because the loan balances arethe highest,' he says.
然而，学生要想获得私人贷款，可能需要提供更多的信用证明，而且贷款利率也会上升。
But students mayface tighter credit requirements in getting private loans and pay higherinterest rates.
