This generation that defined American’s tastes and styles is now old. Unfortunately, the new ones, call them X, Y, post-80, whatever, has not taken over the most important reign: money. No wonder entertainment industries still try to wring the last billions out of us, the baby boomers.

Up in the Air, a movie by George Clooney, tells the story of a man who travels over 320 days a year, for over 10 years. The poignant part of the movie was when he explained how all the happy memories are with people and he had none. This is like Lost in Translation: about the sadness of a lonely old man.

Several years ago, I glanced, from the doorway, into that lifestyle. Those membership status were earned with the most precious commodity of all: part of the life. Those black, silver, gold membership cards are badges of hardwork and achievements. The flip side of those glamorous perks — priority queues, preferential treatments, discounts, etc. — is a sad life-style that is unhealthy, exhausting, and lonely.

It’s Complicated was wonderfully written, rich, and satisfying. Meryl Streep certainly was a charming old woman. Unlike Julie and Julia, she was giggling and easily-overwhelmed in this one like a hormone-infused teenager, only in her 50s. It is officially a chick-flick when the only nude scene was Alec Baldwin’s. There were several LOL scenes that had everyone thumping their feet or slapping their thighs. The kids are also wonderfully played, particularly the future brother-in-law. Over-all, this movie was quite enjoyable.

I never quite understood the toll of a divorce; every one of my divorced friends exhibited its weight. I do see its effects on children. The movie set a good guideline: be honest with them. Kids need to deal with the divorce like their parents. Don’t make it worse.

Maybe I should check out options for my sagging eye lids too?

We were all curious on the new tenant. Only the affluent can afford this prime real estate. Yet this new company was clearly beyond the most affluent of us. They leased the whole building, gutted the entire interior, brought in office furniture from the US (this is China, they make stuff here), and devoted an entire floor to a gym and a cafeteria (there is a gym not 100 meters away and the area is teeming with great cheap restaurants). In addition, they installed a neon sign on the top, something we all wanted but couldn’t for years. Flaunting their wealth and influence, who were they?

The sign eventually came up, bright and colorful. It said, “Google.” That was 2006.

Soon, we met them in social settings. Over a dinner, one casually mentioned that he risked being arrested coming to work everyday. “Why would you want to do it here then?” we wondered. Most MNC (Multi-National Corporation) had the policy of obeying all local laws. “Well, we don’t feel their laws are right.” His answer stunned the whole table. We changed the topic and moved on, wondering how long would they last in this jungle. Whatever Google’s objections are today, they knew all about them in 2006. Dr. Li KaiFu’s entrance was spectacular then. Their flamboyant protest is an admission of an equally spetacular business failure.

There have been many books, blogs, war stories, and urban legends on how western companies flamed up in China. They came with superiority, righteousness, and money; they expected to conquer quickly, like how they did in the Opium War. Anything different will be ridiculous, stupid, wrong, and must be changed. In a couple of years, they would have closed down shops, fired everyone, desert their fixed assets, and went back home like the VietNam War. It is impossible, they said, to work with those abstruse Chinese. Why can’t they enforce good laws, abolish censorship, respect human rights, drive nicely, pollute less, float exchange rate, and speak English better? We cannot win because they did not play by the rules.

China, the largest Internet and mobile computing market in the world, is unlikely to hurt from Google’s exit from the country. Many will devour Google’s market share quickly, in search, email, or cell phone handset. This dominant giant in the rest of the world is a small player in China. They couldn’t comprehend or accept their inability to gain market share here. They had the superiority, talents, and money. They also have founders and senior management who insisted on playing by their rules, instead of adopting to China’s.

“One may or may not agree with the laws in China, but nearly all countries have some controversial laws or policies, including the United States,” Bill Gates said. “Now, if Google ever chooses to pull out of the United States, then I’d give them credit.”

Here in China, company’s cafeteria serve three meals a day at very reasonable prices. Since other options are not really more attractive, it becomes a popular dinner solution. Employees usually leave work around 8pm after the meal. On this day, I strolled among them toward my hotel, a casual ten-minute walk, enjoying the winding down at the end of the day. It was already dark and I noticed a line of battery-powered lights along the sidewalk several paces ahead. I expected vendors pedaling toys, gadgets, cheap jewelries, DVDs, or whatever.

As I got close, I found it slightly unusual. The ones behind the table, tending the walkers-by, were young and dressed in suits. Those tables displayed pamphlets and forms, not cheap merchandises. There were people sitting on foot stools filling up forms. The business appeared to be good and my curiosity was aroused.

They were banks. On those cheap propped up tables were laptops powered by a far-away portable generator, which also powered the lights. A USB dongle provided the 3G broad-band connection to the Internet. Clients would sign up credit cards, mutual fund accounts, or other financial services right on the street.

Several paces down the road, there were another cluster of short-tables and stools. The same customers who just applied for a new credit card were probably here getting a bowl of spicy hot-pot (麻辣烫) on-the-go. The tables were about knee-high so the stools were for semi-squatting posture. The lighting was barely sufficient to make out the foods. The patrons were oblivious to the brisk pedestrians and car traffic not more than 5 feet away.

I imagined myself sitting down on one of those tables and shouted out, “One beer, a skewer of fish balls, beef noodles, and two Visa credit card application forms here.” I was amused by the thought, but kept on walking.

Hillary Rodham Clinton stood by Google on its case against China. “Censorship should not be in any way accepted by any company from anywhere,” Mrs. Clinton said. “American companies need to take a principled stand. This needs to be part of our national brand.”

She did not mention that the US government routinely monitor the Web and bring the force of the laws and the ire of the government upon those whom they deemed illegal or threatening to the national security. USA is not alone. All countries disallow certain communications, Internet or not, with legal, political, or administrative means. The citizens usually has three choices: obey the laws by not communcating those topics, do so anyway and risk getting prosecuted, or move to another country that permits them.

Countries mostly agreed that IP theft, child pornography, and terrorism should be banned. Other topics, such as file sharing, privacy, and political viewpoints are of much debate. The general protocol frowns upon imposing one’s values on others. Without this respect for basic sovereignty, countries could only resort to force, usually not pleasant.

Sen. Clinton also said, “Countries or individuals that engage in cyber-attacks should face consequences and international condemnation.” We now have sufficient evidence that the attacks on Google, Apple, Yahoo, and other US companies were well organized, well funded, and sophisticated. They were the act of professionals (the best of them are NSA and CIA, two US government agencies). It is quite rare that those professional leave traces, let alone get caught. Clinton implied that China government initiated those attacks. Did she mean to unleash NSA or CIA upon China as part of those “consequences and condemnation?” Meet evil with evil, an eye for an eye?

The best things to do in Hong Kong are shopping and eating, no fun without a company. When I learned that I would have a weekend free, we arranged to stay with an old friend and she was a great host and tour guide.

Tai Ping Shan (太平山）, overlooking downtown, is prime residential area. Rent average is about 5 to 10 times higher than ShangHai or ShenZhen. The city built a long and winding escalator chain (中環扶梯) cascading to about mid-level, along side the old punishing stairs. The escalators are all one-way. They go downhill before 10am and switch to uphill for the rest of the day. There are hundreds of bars and western restaurants along this winding path: pubs, Spanish, Mexican, burger joints, etc. I could breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink here for a whole month without getting bored.

IFC (International Finance Center) is really a huge mall. In addition to the normal variety of stores, there are also several nice restaurants. Shoppers do not come to Hong Kong for bargains anymore. Instead, this island offers probably the store and selection density. Within a city block, it has unbelievable number of stores selling unbelievable number of goods. All accepting your credit cards with impeccable smiles. It is pleasant to shop here, just wear comfortable shoes and also bring a porter to carry the bags.

Ice House Street (雪廠街) has several historical gems. There are four street lamps, still burning gas, at the corner of a lovely flight of stairs. Half way up is a Starbucks (yes, sorry) in a historical Ice House (冰室 Bing Sutt). Old pictures and posters on the wall give this chain store some unique personalities. The coffee, of course, tasted exactly the same.

Our host brought us to an authentic tea restaurant (茶餐厅): neighborhood diners that serve comfort foods. These pragmatic establishments focus on speed and high-quality ingredients, instead of decor or services. They fill a gap in Hong Kong’s over-populated life; no one has a decent kitchen or time to cook. These tea restaurants feed Hong Kong, cheaply and quickly. The menu reflects Hong Kong’s melting pot culture. We saw spaghetti in Chinese broth. Noodles with sides of sunny-side up eggs and toasts.

In the morning, we bid farewell to the friend and boarded the ferry back to ShenZhen. I am probably 5 pounds heavier from all those decadent indulgences. No regrets. So nice to have an old friend in Hong Kong.

Becoming Human http://www.becominghuman.org/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/

PBS recently aired this 3-part series of human evolution. The style and structure are like other PBS documentary/educational programs: a narrator with impeccable voice, interviews with impressive experts, and revelations of break-through knowledge. This subject, human evolution, is of interest, so I watched, yes, all three episodes.

We knew that apes became bipeds (primates that walk with two hind legs), then became human. My surprise was that there were many kinds of bipeds that had the advantage of walking more efficiently and seeing farther away. Bipeds, therefore, can hunt in the prairie; unlike their 4-legged cousins that can only gather in the forests. If there were many bipeds, how come there is only one human being now?

Then Africa went through a period of drastic weather changes: drought, flood, and back to drought, repeated many times over several thousand years. Those weather cycles eliminated those bipeds that cannot adopt and only Homo Erectus survived. They have larger brains and adapt better. Homo Erectus migrated from Africa to Europe and pretty much the whole world. They had less hair for more efficient heat disipation over the long distance. They could chase fury animals until the prey became too hot to move. After the kill, their two-legged efficiency enabled them to carry the carcasses back home. The hairlessness and walking capacity were unique advantage for day time huntng. When the sun sets, they built fire to fend off predators. That created communication and social skills. But we are not Homo Erectus, we are Homo Sapiens. Home Erectus went extinct too.

When Africa became desert, Homo Erectus couldn’t survive. Only less than few hundreds went to the coast side and learned to fish. They became smaller (more energy efficient) and even smarter. Several thousand years later, they became Homo Sapiens. In the mean time, those Homo Eractus dominated the rest of the world: Europe, Asia, etc.

Gradually, Homo Sapiens wandered off Africa in search for better food sources. Somehow, when they encountered Homo Erectus, their genetic cousin vanished. They consumed the same foods and therefore are natural rivalries. Homo Sapiens became the dominant resident of this planet some 200,000 years ago.

The most interesting fact is that others have dominated the world for far, far longer time: bipeds and Homo Erectus all survived over 500,000 years. History predicts that Homo Sapiens’ domination will be of limited time. One day, Homo Sapiens will exist only in fossil form.

I will, of course, be long dead. I wonder what would they think when they found the fossil that was me.

其實我忘了水滸的結局了. 小時候看到招安,就義憤填噟,摔書不看了. 這次耐性的一回回的聽完了. 中國的四大小說,設計都是說書的型式. iPod,正好提供聽書的環境.

戰死沙場的也就罷了,船伙張橫的英魂,武松的左手,都令人嘆息. 但那是打戰的代價. 方臘那邊,不也死了許多嗎? 平方臘後,水滸散將,一個個走了. 李俊赴船出海. 武松出家. 燕青也消遙而去. 這些都能令人暗嘆佩服. 但宋江,盧俊義被奸黨毒害,沒得好死. 是不是施耐庵暗示宋江的領導錯誤? 只是陪上了李逵,花榮,當了副將.

最悽涼的是吳用. 他雖無武功,但在梁山,征南,宋江給了他舞台. 從此只是一介文人,滿腹雄韜,沒有發揮的可能. 那就罷了. 現在連能說話的朋友都沒了. 於是鬱悶到了無生趣,自盡忠義堂.

水滸悲劇,給人最大的感嘆,是英雄慘死,奸黨得勝. 讀者及聽眾的不平,也就是水滸流傳不衰的重點原因了.

這是我重讀四大小說的第一本. 老實說,我紅樓從來沒看完過,也不會去看了. 但三國西遊,現在十分嚮往開讀哦.

Yes. That was a jolt, I stood up quickly, walked to the office door, and waited.

Earthquake Center: A light earthquake occurred at 10:09:35 AM (PST) on Thursday, January 7, 2010.
The magnitude 4.1 event occurred 11 km (7 miles) ENE (58 degrees) of Milpitas, CA.
The hypocentral depth is 11 km ( 7 miles).

An office neighbor exchanged a glance with me. Yep, we understood what’s going on and were both waiting. About 10 seconds passed and we went back to our seats without a word. Loma Prieta was October of 1989 and the memory was fresh as yesterday. That day, I fought four hours of impossible traffic to get home. My very pregnant wife, her mother, and a young daughter, were sitting in the front yard, with candle lights, chatting and waiting for me. I was so happy to see them and joined their snack party immediately. There were some broken dishes. Electricity came back late that night. TV tumbled but still worked.

Life in California.

Many economists believe that the US will have a short-lived recovery and head right back to recession once the stimulus money runs out. They think the “multiplier” effect of the stimulus is about one, or even a bit less. This means the stimulus wouldn’t have lasting effects on the economy. When the spigot turns off, the economy will snap back to where it was, or even overshoots to a worse state. The US needs a longer-term and sustainable solution.

The attention turns outward to China. They don’t play fair. They dumped goods on us. They subsidized with artificial exchange rate. They are stealing our jobs. Even prominent economists, such as Paul Krugman, are considering protectionism. All these are still short-term thinking.

This matter is classically about basic productivity (value of output divided by costs). If Chinese productivity is higher than Americans – by producing more with the same or the same with less – then they will continue to win. The productivities can equalize by increasing the costs on the Chinese side or the productivity on the American side. (It is not interesting to entertain the concepts of decreasing the Chinese output, per capita, or American’s costs.) I am quite certain that costs on the Chinese side will steadily rise, since all of them want richer lifestyle for themselves and their offspring. But how do you increase the productivity for Americans, or any society?

There are really only three ways to do it: introduce new technologies, build infrastructure, and educate the people. (There used to be the fourth way: exploit natural resources by extracting what’s in the dirt below you or having interesting geographic control points. Most of them have been fully exploited by now.) We observed China spending almost its entire stimulus package on those areas. As far as I can tell, the US spent practically none (half went to banks, the other half ? I have no clue.)

Protectionism will not increase American’s productivity. It adds costs to Chinese side artificially. It works only for the short-term, since refusing lower-costs goods is an invisible tax to the whole society. I do believe America need some short-term relieves, but doing nothing for the long-term is, well, short-sighted.

Avatar James Cameron

We all went to the bathroom before the movie started and stayed away from any liquid during the entire show. That was a good plan.

We came out of the theater with different opinions. She shrugged, “It’s OK.” I thought it was just slightly shy of Star Trek, the best movie of 2009.

James Cameron pushed computer animation to a new level. The visual effects would be worth a ticket or two already. The facial expressions, sceneries, animals, plants, integration of real and animinated characters were all perfectly done. In fact, I felt Jack Sully was dull as a real character than his avatar.

The plot was quite simple and not something to linger over. The conflict was simplistic. The villain was thinly developed and stereotyped. So was the “suit” character; of course he has to be shallow, but not flat.

Pandora was magical. It is really the the main character: the mysteryy gradually unveiled, relationships developed, and the main characters impossibly trapped, torn, and changed. The flying scene was a cool moment. It reminded me a famous Kung Fu fiction in which the main characters rode a pair of large birds together. The bonding was so nicely magical.

A computer graphicist commented that in a couple of years, the effects will wear off and people will realize it is just a so-so movie. Guess there is no point arguing a prediction, since time will have the final say. I think you will enjoy it no matter what. Just go to the bathroom before it starts.