weblog #12 China's Panda Diplomacy With Taiwan

According to China's Panda Diplomacy With Taiwan, Beijing has sent two pandas to Taiwan as a present.

Sending the pandas to Taiwan may seen friendly, but people all know that there are much more motives and reasons why Beijing and our president would agree with this lovely present. Besides, putting the wild animals in cases in the zoo is actually not doing them any good. Main land China is claiming its sovereignty and our president Ma is trying to show friendliness.

Talk about something more practical. How much money did the government spent to greet the two guests? How much money can the zoo earn from them? How much money does it need to feed them? How many people can they attract, after almost everyone has seen them? To be honest, I am not interested in these two animals at all, although I am really an animal lover. I have seen pandas on TV and pictures for a lot of times. In addition, they are not as new as penguins or koala bears. Therefore, I do not think the panda storm will last long.

Come along with this news, the two sides of the strait began direct daily flight on Dec. 15, which took the two pandas. Finally people come and go freer than before, but there may be many problems coming along, and that is another article.

weblog #11 First Face Transplant Performed in the U.S.

According to First Face Transplant Performed in the U.S., Cleveland Clinic surgeons have performed the nation’s first near total face transplant.

In this case, the recipient of the facial transplant surgery was suffering from facial damage. If not for the surgery, no one could imagine what would happen on the woman. Many people may think that it sounds like a plastic surgery, but, in my opinion, the surgery was done not for good looking but for medical purpose. The series of the surgery had been done in China and France. Later on, similar surgeries were done in these two countries.

Nevertheless, there is something that might be troublesome. The rejection of the foreign tissue transplanted from another body. Recipients have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives, but it may be risky if the effectiveness decreased.

Medical technology is now improving fast conspicuously. As a result, people are able to live longer and longer. After human-to-human organ transplant, now scientists are doing research on animal-to-human organ transplant. Scientists implant human genes into animals’ cells and then gene manipulated animals would be born. These animals’ will carry organs that are genetically similar to humans’ organs. Afterward, scientists are hoping to transplant the organs to humankinds as soon as possible. However, there are some moral issues that are still under discussing.

weblog #10 Google updates search index with old magazines

According to Google updates search index with old magazines, Google has added a magazine rack to its Internet search engine.

Google has been extending its business domain ambitiously. After trying to buy , this time it turns to books. They cooperate with libraries and publishers after the copyright problem was solved. I think the program is really a beneficial idea. It will make us easier to find information without looking through piles of books. Of course if they extend the program to more books and magazines or even research paper, it will be so much more convenience for researchers and students to do their work.

The other service they provide is the newspaper online. It may be useful, but there are already many similar services on different websites, so I wonder how it will be different from those on serving.

As to the pictures, it looks like the same idea of the newspapers. However, one reason why it is different I thought of is that pictures usually has right of portrait which keeps people from spreading and celebrities who have the right can made a lot of money by selling their own pictures to publishers.

There are some other problems. Some of the magazines already have their own websites. Would Google buy them, too? And how will other search engines react?

weblog #9 Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health

According to Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health, exposure to media sources makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking.

After televisions are invented, people are getting more and more used to staring at screens for a long time and teenagers are the most group which is accepting those information. Research were conducted which revealed that watching TV would make kids become stupid. When computers emerged, the condition has more chance to happen. People keep staying in front of screens longer and longer. Some of them even get addicted to it. I think I am maybe addicted to screens, too. I could sit on the sofa and watch TV for a whole day or use the computer until my eyes are sore.

However, my grade was not too bad but I think I am not a person that can do critical thinking. I can think of practical things when others are dreaming but I cannot give any opinions after I watched a movie or read a book. I have been thinking this for a while.
Maybe it is because I watched too much TV so I am not able to think more. Then I made a decision. I will not have TV in my house after I have children. In this way, we can do many more meaningful things instead of getting stupid and fat.

weblog #8 A Plan For Hard Times: Print Cash

According to A Plan For Hard Times: Print Cash, residents in Riverwest will print their own money to keep the area economy humming.

People in Riverwest decided to print their own local money as recession fears grow. The money can be used only in that area and has local landmarks instead of presidential portraits on it. Dozens of such systems flourished during the Great Depression. They emerged as a solution in order to against globalization by keeping wealth in local people’s hands. It is a very attractive and maybe useful idea when the economy looks so hopeless now. The method benefits residents through an exchange process. The money they print costs less than traditional dollars. And when businesses agree to value the local currency the same as the greenbacks, they also get a free stack to kick-start spending.

At first, it may sound like the consumption vouchers that will be provide later in Taiwan.
However, the differences are that their local money will increase in value but consumption vouchers won’t and consumption vouchers’ using has a time-limit which the other does not have. Nevertheless, there is one thing I am worrying about. Both of the ideas are producing money. Wouldn’t there be a problem of inflation? And then I think: maybe in the experience of the past this situation has never happened before.

weblog #7 Consumer Prices Fall on Drop in Energy Costs

According to Consumer Prices Fall on Drop in Energy Costs, consumer prices dropped by the largest amount in 61 years in October as gasoline pump prices dropped by a record amount.

The economy condition this year has been a tragedy. Many people or companies have lost a large amount of money. Since savings has decreased, people have been less willing to spend money. Therefore, people will do their best to cut down expenses on what costs the most, such as food and energy. What wonders me the most is why on foods and energy? Should not it be clothing or entertainment? It seems that Americans usually place priority on clothing or entertainment, no offence. Take myself for example, if I am in that situation, I would prevent myself from looking for new clothes and have entertainment that is for free, such as surfing the Internet or go watching movies in the library.

Recently, our government announced a new policy which is to provide consumption vouchers valued at NT$3,600 to each citizen hoping to stimulate consumer spending to help revitalize the domestic economy. Japan has carried out similar policy before. As to America, it may be hard to put into practice because of the serious recession which happened early this year. However, the policy did not reach the officials expectation very much.

weblog #6 Pepsi Ice Cucumber, Anyone?

According to Pepsi Ice Cucumber, Anyone?, products in Japan are always replaced speedily and are various in kinds.

Japan is a already developed country, over developed, in my opinion. People are always working samely day after day. They need more stimulation to infuse themselves some vigor and power. Therefore, business men have been racking their brains to satisfy these picky and fickle consumers. I have been to Japan a few times and what I have seen is that they certainly are working very hard. Any snack or beverage can have more than three flavors in order to encourage people to buy, but some of them really confusing. For instance, cucumber cola or pumpkin cream puffs are seemed really unable to be found in western countries but are simply so normal all over Japan.

The culture in Japan is so special that even international corporations have to take special measures to match up with Japanese shopping habits. However, there are disadvantages. The inconvenience of unable to find replaced flavor can be upsetting and discouraging. In Taiwan, the situation is not as extreme as the original country so customers do not have to worry about what choices to make. Nevertheless, we have less choices and the shelves in stores seems to have less creativity, innovation and, especially, vitality.

weblog #5 Google looking to invest in energy sector

According to Google looking to invest in energy sector, Google is increasingly looking at the energy sector as a potential business opportunity.

Google is hoping to complete tools to provide consumers better decisions about their energy use. The company has planned a thorough project to support their ambition. They hired specialists from many kinds of fields to put on the research. The purpose of the plan is not only benefits but also environment protecting. However, the avant-garde scheme inquires a lot of fund, which may worries the investors at this moment of recession. Although the beginning aim was philanthropic, when it comes with profit-seeking, different judgments are showed.

I am always an environment-protecting person. Knowing that a powerful corporation wants to do something is certainly cheering in this poverty gap age. As the famous saying goes in the movie “Spider Man,” ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ For instance, Bill Gates and his wife have donated so much for minorities. Although the money is not worth mentioning for the rich couple, it might save a lot of underpriviledged peoples’ lives. Seeing many wealthy merchants living luxuriously and disregarding those needy families always irritates me. Why cannot they just be more considerate and sympathetic? Thinking only about luxuriousness, those entrepreneurs are really pathetic, in my opinion. I hope there can be more enterpriser contributing, so the works of god can last for a long time

weblog #4 Boy, 16, dies after knife attack in Liverpool

According to Boy, 16, dies after knife attack in Liverpool, a 16-year-old boy died after being stabbed outside a youth club.

I think the time is really changing. Even teenagers can do something so harmful. Why this thing could happen, parents had a lot to do with it. How can they let teenagers wandering outside at night? Usually these kinds of family have some problems, such as single parent, alcohol abuse or domestic violence. Some of the teenagers of these kinds of family cannot receive enough love, so they walk on a wrong path to look for reliance or the meaning of living. They hang out with bad guys like bullies or even gangsters. Gradually, they learn to do the bad things.

The ways to improve this condition are a lot. One is to better the families’ economical situation. Once it is changed, plenty of the domestic problems can be readily solved. Second is to let social workers care for them. They can guide the families to mend their mental or physical problems like those stated above. Third is to give the teenagers the proper educations that particularly suit each of them. After they learned what they really want to learn, which is like fulfilling their dream, they found something to rely on, something that is meaningful and interesting. At the end, the number of teenage violence might decrease.

weblog #3 US military: Afghan policeman kills US soldier

According to US military: Afghan policeman kills US soldier, an Afghan policeman opened fire and tossed a hand grenade on a U.S. military patrol in eastern Afghanistan, killing an American soldier.

It seems like that American soldiers are still in the dangerous zone. Lasting so long, the war still is not ended. The long enmity has been claiming a lot of casualties including several women and children. You shoot me. I kill you. Your comrade kills me. My comrade kills your comrade. When will these things stop? No one knows the answer. The insurgents kept up their assault day after day. Possessing heavy ammunitions, their force can hardly be worn down. Even the NATO-led troops cannot make any effective influence.

However, what are all these assaults about? Things always happen with a reason. Afghanistan president, his USA backers, the Nato, frictions between them is so complicated that it has been difficult to handle. There is nothing we can do but to observe from the sidelines. If we want to help so many the wounded civilians, the goods might be intercepted by the government or the insurgents. I feel useless for I cannot do anything to help but to sympathize and pray for them. Everyone wants world peace, but I cannot see any influential groups stand up to do something influential, to make the world more wonderful.

weblog #2 Drugmakers: No Cold Meds for Kids Under 4

According to Drugmakers: No Cold Meds for Kids Under 4, drug companies are not giving over-the-counter cold and cough medicines for fear of children would ingest them wrong.

I think it might be the rightest thing that has been done recently. After the “melamine event”, somebody decided to do something correct, finally. The measure was approved by many people in the circle including pediatricians, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Baltimore's Health commission and so on. In addition, the drug makers said they will add a warning to their products that parents should not give children sleeping pills in order to make them feel sleepy. Before this, many children are sent to the hospital because of serious side effects or overdose, so the industry is now trying to educate parents to be more careful.

Now in this century, it is very rare to have business people to have such kind of hearts. In compare with what the milk powder makers had done, the righteous deed is indeed moving. Disregarding their own profits, the drug makers attached importance to consumers` and themselves` health. On the other side, parents should always be cautious with medicines. Giving children adults` medicine is seriously inappropriate, because the dose and ingredients may not be proper. It should already be a common sense, while, ironically, my parents had given me their unfinished medicines before. I knew it is wrong but I could not say no. Fortunately, nothing serious happened on me.

weblog #1 Tainted Chocolates Found in Hong Kong

According to Tainted Chocolates Found in Hong Kong, there were two chocolate products in Hong Kong were found containing melamine. The other is that Iran has banned imports of all dairy products from China.

I think it is really ridiculous that after the melamine contained dairy products scandal broken out there were still poisonous food for sell. Although Chinese government's fecklessness is notorious worldwide, they still didn't want make efforts to remedy the tragedy. The things that they have done might be suppressing the media and claiming that everything is fine and that there is nothing to worry about. The ingredient suppliers are to blame, too. Didn't they know what they have done would claim lives? They should be punished for disregarding others and themselves lives.

About Iran, I think they have done a great job to ban on imports of dairy products from China. They did what every country should do to protect their people from conscienceless products. There have been four babies killed in China. Other countries that had imported dairy products should already be aware. In Taiwan, people had been so scared that they do not eat or buy things that might have milk powder as ingredients. Companies use milk powder from Australia or New Zealand instead of the ones from China. However, I did not stop eating food that has milk powder because those foods that do contain melamine are already stopped selling. In this way, there should be nothing to be worried about.