Plate vs. Glass.

Plate vs. Glass.

"Oi~, get off of me."

"What, like you're superior or something."

"I'm~ I'm, I'm the proud member of China~"

"No you're not, you're just a plate."

"Oh, like you don't know, Chinese discovered the porcelain making process around 600 BCE., made us into art, elegancy, and useful for the world, thus, we are called China! Ha! Like you really don't know that~"

"Right, useful, yet, still, that doesn't make you superior than I'm."

"What!! Wait a min, I, happen to have the greatest China gene within me, it's my heritage, it's my mission, it's all in my DNA, to be the proud member of the family!!  What are you, just a piece of glass.."

"I may just be a glass, but, I'm more useful than you are~ and if this is your way of saying, then I'm older than you, my ancestor can be traced back to 3500 BCE., plus, I'm actually more useful than you do.  Although, I do not know my nationality..."

"As if~ still, I'm more crucial than you, people need me for foods, so, get off of me."

"No they don't, ever heard of pizza? They don't need plates, it just need piece of cardboard and pair of hands. In fact, people need me more than you do, 'cause they, well, sort of need to kiss me."

"Kiss you~ who you think you're, eh, how?"

"Well, they need to drink, therefore, they, hmm, kiss me... whether I like it or not..."

"euh~ you transparent pervert~ hmm, how come no one kiss me??"

"Well, I think only kids lick you, that's all.. don't think it's proper to have everyone lick at you, more so, they just use knife and fork to torture you, how's that feel, Mr. Great China~"

"Oi, also chopsticks to poke me... what a waste of my great gene, I should be worship, I should be in museum, I should..."

"That, is because you're just a plate, a simple, white, low cost plate!!"

"Don't tease me, white is good, white is pure, white is elegant, white is, superior than you naked transparent glass~ so, get off me!!"

"Ha, I'm sorry you went into the wrong factory, therefore, you're here with me, plus, what's that on your plate??"

"Oh, it's the leftover of spinach, that kid doesn't like to finish his food...."

"Ha! Not so elegant, aren't you now?"

"Dude, I'm so depressed already, like you're much better, that kid mixed EVOO and coke inside of you, I saw it with my own plate, how you like that kiss?"

"Well, oily with coke flavor, what you expect, which is why we need to be clean, why else we're doing here."

"Yeah, clean by those amigos, those crunching hangs, totally opposite of elegant and proper, have they got manners? I'm delicate you know, I'm, China!!"

"Dream on~ elegant China are all in the museums, besides, all China are breakable, that's why they are in museums.  Where you think you're, Ritz? dream on, dream on~"

"One day, I'll rise to my shine, just wait you see, and, I'm not breakable, I'm, CorningWare!"

"So.. what's on your left?"

"Oh, chips, it's just my new decoration, you know, I have to be different than others."

"I thought CorningWare don't chip??"

"Yeah, that's what the marketing people said, it chip sometimes, after severe use that is.."

"Oh my god~ you're old, aren't you?"

"Nope, just a few month old..."

"Then, eh, what?!"

"Man, don't you see how sharp those knives are? It's bad enough to have those obese steaks on top of you, with all those smelly potato and wine reduction, then, imagine how those idiots slice and slice on top of you, life is hard you know... and I'm a China, a piece of art!  Wait, how come you didn't know about this?"

"Oh well, not many people order coke in the steakhouse, thus, I'm shy I suppose.."

"Damn you, no wonder you look so good, all shiny and clear.."

"Hey, I'm a glass, I suppose to look this way, you idiot."

"Fine~ you're the shiny glass, able to kiss whoever you want, I'm just piece of China, left on the table, waiting to be tortured. Life sucks! But still, get off of me!"

"Hey man, if I can get off of you, I already did, we are in the bin, waiting to be wash, what choice I have! Therefore, stop whining, you, piece of dirty, chipped China~"

"Ha~ you're just jealous because I'm a China, and you're not! Wait, we could be related you know, all came from Corning!"

"No, we're not, Corning gave up dinning ware long ago, they focus on those high-tech thing nowadays."

"Ha, like glass is high-tech, don't polish yourself too much!"

"Well, I think I have a cousin call Gorilla, it's kind of in every new smartphone nowadays... You know, no big deal, just couple million each year, I wonder if he would send me a post, let me know how things are at his end.. kind of lost in touch with the family..."

"Right, as if that's true, you just made up those dreams, like glass is superior than China. Say, why aren't they clean us yet?"

"I suppose you have to wait for them to finish drinking and turn the machine on?"

"Dude, what time is it? I want to rest now, also be clean, and get you off me..."

"Well, that would be quite a wait... Oh yeah, how much you cost?"

"eh... $1.29... you?"

"Me, 99 cents."

"So, we both from IKEA huh?"

"Yeah... If we both from IKEA, then, where you made from??"

"eh... Brazil... you?"

"Me, Shenzhen, China... can't you guess?"

"Right.... Can somebody please clean us!!  I want out now..."


** Life little note, which is which? You would never know...

-Tony the idiot.
btw, I love Amigos.. ;)

Abductive reasoning - paradoxical way.

News of the day, from The Wall Street Journal, Fri. May 11th, 2012.:

More Wealthy Chinese Said to Prepare Exits

中國形勢不穩定 有錢人想移民國外

Ads of the day, San Jose Mercury News:

Knowledge is power, learning to "make sense", is what most of us been taught since childhood, at least, that's what school is for...

Making profit, is what business world is all about, it's a way to make living, a survival instinct, that, regardless of race, gender, education level, as long as you're in the business, it's a no brainer...

Compassion for life, well, that's another story, we can omit that part for now...

Logical reasoning, should be the built-in quality for any upper managements of any organization, common sense, is, after all, a common sense, that, everyone 'should know'...

By the way, if you're reading this, congrats, you must be bored...  

Also, if you're Asian, please click away, 'cause you might not like it...

Combining all the little details of the day, it's bit funny and sad, as the logical part of the brain is at work, which just once again proved what I've said for long period of time: 

"Modern day Chinese businessmen are dumb and belong to Planet "i"; nope, not the "i" from Apple Inc., the "i" for idiots."

- Outdated Wintel base laptops: $278 ~ $399; basic Intel Core i5 range laptop, $499 ~ $699, etc.

- Apple Inc. laptops: $999+, etc.

- European designer brands, ex. Prada shoes: $495+

Assuming the labor cost is the same, the operation and manufacturing cost to make a pair of shoe, oh~ I would say, is much, much, much less than to make a, or any electronic products..  

Basically, if you're interested, you can search and compare the annual reports from the industry.

Factories in China, make all sorts of the stuffs, and to be honest, to manufacturing electronic products isn't much different than fashion items, the difference is in the materials and machineries.  Streamline manufacturing isn't much complicate than what Henry Ford invented years ago, it's the basic idea, just fine-tuning to the max.

In term of profit margins, thanks to those Taiwanese and Chinese companies, computer and electric related products are slimmest each day.  While the cost of investment is higher and higher, due to the nano technology and fine precision it required for the process, new and expensive machines.

It is a good thing for consumers, as the cost of owning a piece of electronic is ridiculously low compare to five years ago.  Just think of the compact cameras, well, if anyone still use that..

Is it unfair? As a pair of shoe is more expensive than a laptop??

That, would be a paradoxical question, depend on who you asked...

And yes, I know there are "inexpensive shoes", and how low they cost... 

It's all from China... I've seen them.. Yes, I know..

China, the world factory, making nearly everything people consume everyday, started in mid-90s.  It is amazing how little time it use to changed the country, from poor to somewhat middle class wealth; and now, the wealthiest group wish to leave the country, a country that made them rich.

How amazing is that?

In fact, if you think about it, really think deep about it, that those Chinese companies, are considered as the slave for Western businessmen, once they use up all the resources in China, they hop to another country, to find lower labor, lower operation costs.

Yeah, if you read history, the shift is from Japan to Thailand, to Taiwan/Korea, and China. Now the shift is to Southeast Asian countries and Southern America.  If, you haven't notice, the cost of operation in China is consider high now, foreign companies are slowly pulling out of it.

So are those wealthy Chinese...

One good thing Western businessmen are good at is branding, it's the brand that mark their class, make consumers all over the world to "be fan" of it.  European luxury goods, Apple Inc babies, etc.

Why you think GM is number one in China since '07? The only place it made profit while everywhere else falls, that U.S. government had to 'rescue' it.

I'm not sure there's any Chinese brand item that people are crazy about, nearly all Chinese brands are cheap and replaceable, which means, no resell value at all. eBay is your research field.

So, Chinese government want Apple to "pay" for the "iPad" copyright, 'cause some company filed the right for it in China.  That's one way to make profit. A Chinese way...

Actually, Chinese "own" everything, if not, they can reengineer and make it ultra cheap for users.

China blocked Facebook since 2009( or so), blocked Twitter, and all sort of Web2.0 stuffs.  So Chinese companies can "invent" their "own" business model and technology.

Piracy, actually don't exist in China... It's their 'right' to use it.  

Copyright = Copy-Right.

In the end, all those wealthy Chinese, whether it's businessmen/women or politicians, made profit out of squeezing the cheap labors, scandals/corruptions of the taxpayers' money, now want out.  Want to leave the nation, into the freedom world.

Well, if I were Western governments, I'll let those riches come, 'cause they are bring the money back to the Western worlds.

That's a nice operation, just takes time, but, in the end, it work.

U.S., or any Western countries, are not as "free" as people assume, you don't know, because you're not the 'big potato' yet...

Utopia, is in the heart of those compassionate individuals...  

Life is a cycle, which cycle you are in?

In the end, European luxury items or electronics, most likely, all made in China, for now...

btw, those made in Europe, is ultra expensive, have you own one yet? 

Don't you love to be Asian? Chinese in particular, it's wonderful, isn't it? Got to love that...

魯班，會哭死。。

Abductive reasoning,  so... what's the logic behind it??  I want to learn..

-TT
May 11, 2012.

So.. what about Africa?...

So.. what about Africa?...
--

In my honest opinion, I had no idea why I went to Africa, South Africa that is...

I suppose it all began with a courtesy asks, from a relative, long long, long long~ away, in the galaxy call Canada... yeah... that part of the area.. Which, I had no idea what the purpose nor the intention of going into S. Africa... Basically, I was, totally blinded before the trip... All I knew was: yeah, I'm going to Africa.. don't' know why, but I'm going... I think I'm going... therefore, the trip into Africa..

S.Africa, a place I kind of knew, from a good friend of mine since elementary school; all because she immigrated and spent her adolescence there. I still have lots of letters from S.Africa somewhere in my room, those letters, barely mention the lifestyle and challenges she faced back in those years. I suppose it's different than N.America, partly due to the tension between racial groups. It's unsafe, as she once told me, thus most of the immigrants return to their homeland once they obtain the diplomat and citizenship. Also indicate that job market is sparse as well; however, S.Africa is considered the only well fit country in the entire Africa continent.. so, what about it??

Often parents around the world use "Africa", as in term like: "eat your food, there are children in Africa whom don't have anything and is suffering..."

??  Well, in reality, it's not just Africa... suffering children are all over the world, could be in metropolitan New York, or very close to you, just that, you don't care... Why should you care, it's not your issue, it's the African issue and it doesn't concerns you... right? Saving animals are more crucial than helping other human beings... 'cause.. humans are evil, animals are cute... Hello Kitty rule the world...

-- I wonder... if there ever be an African version of Hello Kitty??

Anyway, like all my previous trips to Russia, Thailand, and Cambodia, people questioned my motive and asked why I always go into weird and unsafe places.

Well, I, don't know...

Why people wish to fall in love with Paris? Why Milan is the fashion capital, Why Beijing is the living history, Why New York is the money pot?

Do we have to label each city around the world and put them into categories?? For what purpose? just to belittle others? What a waste of time and brain energy..

One should appreciate each location and culture in the world, regardless how different they are to yours, if they can survive this long, there must be something in it, don't make harsh bias toward things you never been to or seen. It's stereotypes, stereotypes are good for initial understandings, but one must always keep open mind on others' culture, religion, or belief.  It's not easy, but, worth trying... also, would make yourself a lot easier in adapting to things.. whether, you like it or not... C'est la vie,  mes amis.
---

So, what about S.Africa?

Once entering into the country, it felt quite modern, from the airport to the infrastructure, and to the area where we stayed in.  It wasn't the Africa people thought of it, nope, it's not Lion King or Jungle Book. Yes, South Africa is different than other countries in the continent.  Modern and Western to a degree that countryside feel and look just like California.  The scenery is as green as it can be, mountain range as similar to Sierra mountains. And its people, ehh, ok, people are different, but wait, that's Indians I saw!!!  What?? There are Indians in S.Africa??? And they work at the airport!!!  

Ok, what country I entered?? Is the 24hr flight delay took me to different country???

As it turn out, Indians came to S.Africa during the 19th century's sugar plantation era, thus grow into one of the wealthy population, along with Chinese to make up 2.9% of the Asian/Indian population.  S.Africa also has 5 million illegal immigrants, and its confusing racial tensions between tribes and Whites or Colored, it's just, too much info for a weeks' learning.. According to many I talked to, it's a time bomb you just don't know how or when it will trigger.  Yeah, that's a huge social problem that don't have an easy solution.

So... Why am I interested in this??

Duh.. Economy and social welfare.

For a society to maintain balance and progress, a stable environment is a must.

No doubt that South Africa has rich resources and potential labor force; however, without a stable economy, it can't go very far.

If, most of the wealthy person or industry all move their wealth offshore, and kept a well escape plan, what good it does to the country where they reside? It just can't.

On top of the umbrella, there's that situation. So, what about under the umbrella?

For all the village and communities we visited, I can see the poverty and lack of material resources. To the eyes of the Westerners, the living conditions are unbearable, the hut, is the most basic structure to prevent rain and winds, water is sacred, there's no well, and I think most is collected from rains.  Bathroom never existed, restroom is the camping style, in addition, there are many ill patients.

My cousin was amazed by the restroom and burst into tears when visiting villagers on the first day, seeing couple patients and their living condition.  Yes, it's harsh and rough, can easily trigger one's compassion into high gear.  It is injustice, it's unfair, it's inhumane, it's.. wait, this is Africa, isn't the awareness started like 50+ years ago?? How come it's still like this today???

Isn't education or AIDS awareness suppose to be well known by now? Then how come the rate is still at large? that newborn babies are infected?

What have they done in the last 50 years?? Isn't there TONS of organization "trying" to help the situation? That Doctor Without Borders visited country after countries each year?

??? puzzled at that moment, my brain just froze and observe the situation...

hmm, interesting...

And then I realize, probably, most of the villagers do own lands, it seems that way to me. I think I'm right on this, that most of the villagers do own lands, as the land is distributed by the tribal chief; therefore, even though people live in the hut, yet they do own lands.  Some are having agricultural business, and some wish to turn it into bed and breakfast for tourism.

In my little mind, if you do own lands, are you still considered as poverty??

I could be bias, maybe very bias; that most people in China do not own lands, and people in Cambodia and Laos, or Thailand are in situations much worse than the communities we visited.  Not to mention, some community in Hong Kong and New York aren't much better than what we seen during this trip.

Yes, for my harsh judgement, South Africans aren't poor, it's actually far from poor.  It has tremendous resources and huge potentials that its residents don't know how to utilize to its maximum, all because the illusion of poverty blind a lot of people.

That, is what I felt on the first day visiting the communities.  Throughout the week, each places I visited, sort of proved my initial observation. Honestly, I felt terrible about it, 'cause I was right.

Sometimes, it's difficult to see the potential and not able to tell the one in the circle, 'cause that bubble is difficult to get out of. Especially they are so proud of what they were doing, anything that's not compliment their actions will upsets them. Yet, when the vision or scope is limited or will have hurdles in the near future, and they don't sees it, it's just difficult to let them know.  Might as well not say anything at all..

Since I was less informed about the trip and what it's about, I end up gave away things I never thought I would.. but, at the situation and knowing their lack of basic material goods, it's the most logical thing for me to do.  If I'm well informed before the trip, I could bring more to give. I suppose the organizers are still learning, wasn't sure what reality lies at hand, and don't have a direction.

Learning that basic material goods are limited, many things we take for granted is hard to "find" in South Africa communities, it's just heartbreaking, that it's such a bipolar nation that top and buttom society are so far apart... it's sad, just sad..

It doesn't matter what and how I said it, if you weren't there, you can't sees it. Whether you feel it or not, it's also depend on the person.

My cousin and I all had mutual agreement not to take much photo on the communities, for one, we don't feel it's necessary nor crucial for it, as modern day people careless about it, therefore, no need to disturb others' happy life.

Those who care, will always care. Scenery photo it is then, as always...

Like I told many, international volunteering isn't about helping others, it's, always about helping self.  It's the self reflection process, that, maybe to reshape a person, for better or worse, for richer or poor..

It's a bipolar scenario, on one hand it's poor, on other it's rich, a mix of everything, in the symbol of tai chi, one within another, and, it's normal.

Life on Earth has many forms, which version or which angle is always an art, an abstract art.

South Africa, has potentials, as well as issues, like rest of the world, just, typical...

-TT

追。

追。

追過那分離的落葉，追過那微離的清風，追過那分秒的時空，是什麼，讓那顫抖的心，時而清冷，時而動蕩？

強風落葉，釋然釋情，揮揮手，望望眼，一切都由風。

萃金黃的稻米，隨風搖擺，脆弱又堅強；稲穀養萬人，誰珍一寸米？

蒲公英紛飛擾，落地望根深，枝節寸寸長，轉眼又循環，誰人把根留，呵護無價寶。

日葵把面陽，不知陰暗處，朝陽何其焰，拓展尺方間，孤草片野竄，奈何身高矮，末有眾人緣。

陰月偶遇鬼，把酒顏歡笑，朝醒方知曉，眾人皆無淚，孤高遙遠望，山海無盡處，奈何壽命近。

破曉時分，一分萬秒似流沙，暮鼓晨鐘，二敲四撞扣心懸，霸業偉圖，六面玲瓏欠兩情。
-

火雞啊火雞，是什麼原因讓你年年上供桌？挨槍割骨火上身，命喪眾口悠悠然，鶴冠雞群首當先，它人恩感獨下手，豈由你我共翻供，只尋口味何為鮮。

何為鮮？恥為先，之乎者也夢老莊，瀟湘笛音洗滌清，萊子綵衣因何故，莫有它心異軍起，荀子無語一字破。
恩為重，莫遲疑，朝朝暮暮艷陽時，淒淒慘慘生死鬥，雲開月明禪止錄，西東北南處處路，三遷孟母斷織子。
破為首，立為後，太極陰陽手中轉，百家爭鳴眾歸一，寶典無字瞎忙乎，惟心所指塵埃起，落定香山起干戈。
儒為旨，奉八德，心性無常只待定，乾坤運轉生道一，不息不滅陰陽火，湘水不盡狂龍起，風雲際會縱雲梯。

-
恩感眾德，稀哩嘩啦，塗鴉遍野。。

-木桐，Thanksgiving, 2011, @Asia.

Techmania or Marketing?

Techmania or Marketing?

--

2010-07-05: 联想柳传志：苹果正错过中国商机

“我们很幸运，因为史蒂夫•乔布斯(Steve Jobs)的脾气很坏，没把中国市场当回事。如果苹果花在中国消费者身上的功夫与我们一样，那我们将会有麻烦。”

Link: http://tech.163.com/10/0705/07/6AQH57PQ000915BD.html

2010-7-13: 柳传志PK乔布斯 一场毫无悬念的战争

Link: http://blog.caijing.com.cn/expert_article-151493-8592.shtml

2011-3-6: 柳傳志坦言沒能力學習蘋果不適合

Link: http://www.v131.com/applenews/2011-03/2934.htm

2011-8-18: Apple surpasses Lenovo in China sales

Link: http://www.tuaw.com/2011/08/18/apple-surpasses-lenovo-in-china-sales/

----

時間是個很奇妙的東西，反覆看都會有諷刺的因素在裡頭。。

去年看到聯想總裁的發言時就覺得，這人是怎麼當上老大的？？ 沒事買了個地攤貨還很開心的炫耀，他人不到你家叫賣你也不明市場影響就算了，還沒事叫囂一番。。總之是個關起門來當老大的樣子。。跟那位自認為是海上之虎的代工藩王一樣無知。。

科技市場，晶片，軟體，創意，專利，行銷，都在 Silicon Valley... 說穿了，都在美國為眾。。

三十年下來，還沒有哪個國家或團隊有震撼過這塊發源地，而這美國舊金山下的一塊小小地方，卻改變了全世界。。

改變的是，讓妳乖乖的奉上金錢與信仰，就是要能跟上風尚與潮流。。

歐洲戰略，名牌物件風領全球，

美洲戰略，科技先進侵略全球，

亞州戰略，壓迫勞工錢送它國。

非洲。。 嗯，窮苦扮相吸金全球。。 應該也算戰略吧？？

說起來，這角色扮演的倒也還挺稱職的，各司其職，互不干擾。。

那麼，全球就這麼運轉也該沒事吧？？ 反正也不會有太大的突破，頂多就是一些零星的事件發生，你抄我，我告你，你關門，我數錢，總之全球律師公會皆大歡喜，法院政府歡喜圍爐過年。

--

幾年前有朋友跟我說，台灣的科技先進，電腦電子類的東西是全世界最便宜的，因為都在台灣研發，所以要買要在台灣買。。

聽了半天，我沒說什麼，但我還是先去做個市場調查再評論。

大街小巷逛完後我也還是沒說什麼，畢竟，有理想，有信心是件好事。。

戳破他人信仰是件不道德的事。

--

美國，是個手段，策略很精狠的國家，沒利益的事，它沒興趣。。 雖說一般民眾算很樸實，但關係到國家利益時，你再去跟它講理吧。。它侵略的方式，都是淺移默化的。。 不知不覺中你已中毒了。。

這點，世界多走幾趟，我想，有知覺的人，應該會發現的。。

--

@ St. Petersburg, Russia:

"快快快，頭轉過來～ 拍個照！！"

基本上，這位北方大娘手裡拿的是 iPad 2, 白色版本。。。

“這啊，這個設計的好啊～～ 你看，螢幕這麼大，照像多清晰啊！！！"

我想，柳傳志或是眾位山寨上的好漢們，應該可以考慮改個方向，研發大螢幕的照相機，這市場，應該不小。。

將來各位到中國，或是各地旅遊時，見到超大相機時，別驚訝，別懷疑，那是 iPad 2...

順理据推，日本相機市場，也該要萎縮了。。。

--

市場，是個奇妙的東西，總是會導引你的生活，不管你要不要，它就是會侵略。。

可惜的是，操盤手，鮮少是亞裔。。

-TT

@ Moscow, Russia.

夕牽

夕牽

煙雨朦朦，情牽兩地思相愁，本喻喜鵲歡相聚，卻讓銀河遷苦拆，誰人能夠話從頭，哪根琴弦斷了線？ 那邊相思未斷了？

細雨飄飄，草牛異地嘟犁田，斗星高照水映月，千織萬串紅情長，哪面白鬢簑中藏，豈知她心是否故？哀怨小鵲千山重。 若有情牽，欲示何緣，幾轉乾坤，欲待如何？朝陽明月，雨露甘霖。

--

If wind flow without trace, then life without sense;

What drags heart beat, it will drug your mind, until eternal;

Let it flow without sense, then it will hunch back with reason;

Open up the feelings, close out the gaps, hang together with shares;

Life would be love, only if two gets the sense;

Wishing upon the stars, where tinkle all around;

Just linger in two, until the end, if it must ends;

Strike with the arrow in pink, through the reds we go;

Wounds heal in time, only fresh for thee, as purple as it will;

Shout out the word, send out by wind, to you by heart;

In heart we see, red purple pink, all in one we care, love for thee...

--

Happy Chinese Valentine, Love from Russia... literally...

-TT@ Moscow, Russia

Vox Angeli - J'ai Demande a la lune