I’m in the hotel in Dameisha. It is very late here so I will upload more pictures from the flights out here tomorrow. This one shows us approaching Seoul for the stop-over before continuing to Hong Kong. Looks like the pilot is giving Pyeongyang in North Korea a wide berth !
Saturday/ carry on those Fragiles!
Carry on your ‘Valuables and Fragiles’, says this instruction at Asisan Airlines’ check-in counter. Yes, and I have a lot of 
those, all stuffed into my computer backpack. And hey, I made it through airport security without pulling a Rand Paul* and without dropping my iPad. Careful, don’t drop it, I always tell myself.
It’s a12 hr flight to Seoul, and then another 4 to Hong Kong .. and it will be 11 pm Sunday night when I arrive at the other side of the world.
*Staunchly libertarian senator from Kentucky that had a run-in with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Nashville International airport on Monday. Paul was directed to a cubicle after refusing a full-body pat down and says he was ‘barked at’ by TSA officials. Says his father and presidential candidate Ron Paul : ‘The police state in this country is growing out of control’.
Friday/ packing up
I’m heading out to Hong Kong via Seoul on Saturday morning. Our project is in the final stretch. The business card holder is from a previous stop at Incheon airport in Seoul. Not much has been in the news about North Korea, but with reports that those caught using a cell phone* during the 100-day mourning period for Kim Jong Il will be treated as ‘war criminals’, I’m sure it’s even quieter than usual.
*of course one has to have one to get caught with using one.
Thursday/ full steam ahead for China nuclear power
After the earthquake-tsunami in Japan in March 2011 and the damage sustained by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor, China officially halted the approval of new nuclear projects. However, the China Daily news reported recently that a revised plan for the long-term future of nuclear power in China is ready .. and that the State Council may approve it in the second quarter of this year. China can take advantage of newer and safer designs. Contrast that with Japan where many nuclear power stations are now 40 years old, and two-thirds of Japanese oppose atomic power. Once the world’s third largest nuclear power consumer, there is now a real possibility that all nuclear power stations in Japan will be shut down or idle by the end of this year (see picture).
As recently as a few years ago, Japan got 27% of its power from coal, 26% from gas, 24% from nuclear, 13% from oil, and 8% from hydro. The remaining 2% is occupied by renewables such as geothermal power stations, solar and wind. So the 24% is a lot of power generation capacity that will have to be replaced ! .. but it’s a number almost the same as the 23% nuclear power made up of Germany’s national electricity consumption, before the permanent shutdown of 8 plants there in March 2011.
So what’s going on in Germany? Well, a lot of things now have to come together for what is called ‘The Third Industrial Revolution’. Check out the Wikipedia entry for the term.
Wednesday/ truths, half-truths and ‘your pants are on fire’
Those are some of the shades of truth that website Politifact assigns to statements (full list in the picture below). Who knows what their contributors’ persuasions are, right? .. supposedly neutral.
They rated President Obama’s statement from Tue night’s State of the Union speech ‘In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005‘ only as Half-True, interpreting the President to be claiming all the credit for it. Then after an outcry it was changed to Mostly True.
What about Indiana governor Mitch Daniels’s statement in his rebuttal to the SOTU speech ‘Nearly half of all persons under 30 did not go to work today’? That rates as a Pants-on-Fire statement, making a ridiculous claim.
Governor Daniels also said
Contrary to the President’s constant disparagement of people in business, it’s one of the noblest of human pursuits. The late Steve Jobs – what a fitting name he had – created more of them than all those stimulus dollars the President borrowed and blew. Out here in Indiana, when a businessperson asks me what he can do for our state, I say ‘First, make money. Be successful. If you make a profit, you’ll have something left to hire someone else, and some to donate to the good causes we love ..’
to which my responses are
-The President does NOT constantly disparage people in business.
-Yes, but those jobs that Apple/ Steve Jobs created are almost all in Shenzhen, China or in Asia. And people work in those jobs under brutal conditions. (A report in yesterday’s New York Times article says buyers of iPhones and iPads could care less. Apple CEO Tim Cook has insisted that conditions are getting better.)
-Of course business is about making money. But don’t screw up the environment, and treat workers fairly.
Tuesday/ unpacking all my souvenirs
Alright, here are most of the little souvenirs I collected along the way in the last trip. It’s always fun to open one’s suitcase and go Yes! Now, where to put it? (Or maybe it is ‘Why the heck did I buy it?’)
I posted the 2012 Year of the Dragon bear previously; here are the three I now have posing for a group picture.
.. and this Tintin book was still missing for my collection so I got it from a Hong Kong book store (could have just ordered it on Amazon, I know).
The paper craft items are from Narita airport in Tokyo. This cute cut-out-and-fold kit is called ‘Maternal Dilemma’. Check out the worm – item 37!
And this mini paper model of Matsumoto Castle one boggles the mind. From Wikipedia : Matsumoto Castle, also known as the ‘Crow Castle’ because of its black exterior, is one of Japan’s premier historic castles. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail. Got to love the ‘For Your Friend Abroad For a Present’. Yes, but will I still have a friend after this present drove him or her bananas?
One more card bought in Shenzhen .. I cannot have enough dragons, especially not if they are cut out like this.
This little guy with his dragon was not cheap (about US$50), but it’s real porcelain and hand-made and hand painted.
Some Yubari melon Kit Kat for you? Kit Kat is Japan’s most popular candy bar. The name sounds similar to the Japanese phrase ‘Kitto Katsu’ or ‘Sure to win!’ Children bring them into exams for good luck.
I have no idea what the characters on this New Year’s tassle says but I will try to find out. I just liked the colors.
Finally, this little book that is really intended for Japanese visitors to Germany but hey, it had English in as well, and I couldn’t resist it after taking a look inside. Check out the kleine Dampflokomitive at the bottom right of the second picture. The literal translation is ‘little vapor locomotive’ which of course is really ‘little steam locomotive’.
Monday/ the Dragon is here!
Monday marked the first day of the 2012 Year of the Dragon across Asia. This year it is a water dragon. Previous dragons were wood (1965), fire (1977), earth (1989) and metal (2000).
I bought this cool new year’s card in Shenzhen two weeks ago.
Sunday afternoon/ across the Pacific
My fellow trans-Pacific voyagers and I made it into Seattle late this morning. We started out in Hong Kong and arrived at a wet Narita airport (Tokyo).
The Asian airlines all serve terrific meals – these red pimentos stuffed with cream cheese were delicious.
At Narita airport I checked out the offerings at the airport stores as usual – a Newsweek in Japanese for you? (Pages are from back to front). Dried baby octopus? No? Then surely the hand-rolled Hermès silk scarf with the animal playing-card motifs will do. (Be prepared to pony up about US$385, though).
From Tokyo we were on a Boeing 777 to Seattle where it also rained, and there is still snow on the ground. I jumped in and cleared the walkway to my front door, and some snow and ice off the sidewalk. Cannot have the mail-man break a leg! (even though all he brings me is junk mail).
Sunday morning/ Kung Hei Fat Choi
Alright, it’s the last day of the old Lunar Year, and the first day of three holidays in many Asian countries, to usher in the new Lunar New Year. Kung Hei Fat Choi (May Prosperity Be With You) says the South China Morning Post. I am at Hong Kong airport and about to depart for Narita airport in Tokyo and then on to Seattle.
Saturday/ Tintin displays in Hong Kong
It was gray and rainy today in Hong Kong, so I went to the International Commerce Center at Kowloon station. The ICC is the tallest skyscaper in Hong Kong at 108 floors, and the 4th tallest in the world. The mall in its basement had two Tintin displays going : one based on ‘The Blue Lotus’ and the other on ‘Destination Moon’. (These are titles in a series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé with Tintin, his dog snowy and captain Haddock). Check out the golden dragon’s detail .. very nicely done ! The tree circled by the dragon is in the lobby entrance to the offices of ICC.
Friday/ to Hong Kong
The lamp posts with red lanterns are from Shenzhen. My colleagues and I made our way to Hong Kong to take a few days out from the project over the Lunar New Year holiday. In the next picture we are on the Tsing Ma suspension bridge on the way to Lantau Island. The dragon on the magazine is from my Marriott Sky City hotel room. I canceled my plans to go to Korea for a few days. I really need a little dose of home, even though it’s only for 5 days or so. Besides, Seattle will have temperatures of 4 to 8°C (40 to 47°F), a whole lot warmer than the – 10 to -3°C (14 to 27°F ) forecast for Seoul ! (picture from KBS TV).
Thursday/ snow in Seattle (not ‘Snowmageddon’)
My home city of Seattle was in the US news with snow this week. Yes, we are not used to – and cannot handle – a lot of snow. But calling it ‘Snowmageddon’ sounds like overblown media hype. I cannot say for sure since I was not there, of course! But even the statement ‘A record setting day at Sea-Tac! The snow total for today at the airport is 6.8″, far exceeding the old record of 2.9″ back in 1954′ is misleading. Wikipedia notes that in the largest snowstorm on record from Jan 5–9 in 1880, snow was drifting to 6 feet in places at the end of the snow event. It’s just that there was no Sea-Tac airport back then. Then there are the events that just unfolded in Nome, Alaska (red A on map) with one of the harshest winters in decades. Snow had piled up 10 feet or higher against buildings after a massive storm in November followed by temperatures dipping to -30 F (-34 C). This storm prevented them from getting their pre-winter barge fuel delivery. So the U.S. Coast Guard’s only operating Arctic icebreaker, the Cutter Healy, escorted a Russian fuel tanker called Renda through the ice-covered waters in the first-ever attempt to supply fuel to an Alaska settlement through sea ice. The fuel was delivered last week.
The weather here is mild and very nice .. the picture is from my commute in to work on Wednesday, of the Shenzhen Bright Oil pipeline supplying marine oil to a ship under broken clouds with the sun breaking through.
Wednesday/ KA-BOOM !
The Yantian Sports Center is from my walk around 8.00pm last night, so it is here in Dameisha. The big exploding firecracker is one of two or three dozen, viewed from my hotel balcony at 10.00 pm last night. It makes a <<<REALLY BIG BANG>>> ! Take coverrr! LOL. That’s the Dameisha Beach ‘Evil Eye’ Tower in the background. (The tower is not evil – it just reminds me of that tower with the eye in the Lord of the Rings movies).
Tuesday/ step away from the ‘car’
I am using the Audi Locus 2011 Concept Car as a metaphor for the SAP system we are building (both are German systems, after all). Yes, our system has zeros and ones – not nuts and bolts – and is not as shiny .. but we are putting the finishing touches on the Construction (phase). Next up are the final rounds of Testing. So team members come up to me and ask ‘Can I change the instrumentation panel?’ No, you cannot – then the training manual for driving the car will also have to be changed. ‘Can I change the tyres?’ No – we don’t have time for testing the new ones. ‘Can I buff the paneling one more time?’ Alright – but please don’t scratch it ! .. and so on. As with building a house or finishing up a painting, it can be hard to stop .. but you have to. Tinkering further with it, risks damaging it. Stop it!
Monday/ spice yourself
Here are two more cute signs from the large cafeteria where we have lunch every day. Yes, spice yourself up instead of ‘Blame yourself’ as one of the Republican presidential candidates used to say! But for the record, I steer clear of any more spices in my food from the self-service counter. What’s already in there is all I can handle!
Sunday/ a tree for the Lunar New Year
Our hotel lobby has gotten this striking Lunar New Year tree with the little hong bao envelopes. These are handed out at family and social gatherings such as those for the Lunar New Year (the ones on the tree are just for decoration and as symbols of prosperity). Some pointers : the amount of money in an envelope should end in an even digit but not a 4, and it is best to put a single crisp note in (so that the envelope is not bulky). I bought the little envelope with the happy guy on just for fun – there are many many different designs available but the color is always red. The classic red lantern is from the entrance lobby of our offices at work.
Saturday/ i want to ride my bicycle, i want to ride my bike
Shenzhen’s first government-funded bicycle rental system has started trial operations here in the Yantian District. The bikes in the picture are from right across the street from my hotel. A total of 3,000 bicycles would be put into use in the early stage of the operation and will eventually reach 5,000. We – the lǎowàis (foreigners) – are not sure we will qualify for the rental cards that are issued for using the bikes. Residents are to pay 200 yuan (US$32) of deposit for the card while others need to pay 500 yuan (US$80) for each card. Then it is free to rent a bike for up to one hour, after which each additional hour will cost 2 yuan each.
Will the program be a success? That is not at all assured .. here’s a report from Paris, France in Wikipedia’s entry (search for ‘Bicycle Sharing Systems’) :
A resurgence in bike sharing programs is attributed by many to the launching in 2007 of Paris’s Vélib’, a network of 20,000 specially designed bicycles distributed among 1450 stations throughout Paris. Vélib’, inspired by Lyon’s seminal Vélo’v project, is now considered the second largest bike sharing system of its kind in the world. While the Vélib’ program may be considered a success in terms of rider usage (daily use averages between 50,000 to 150,000 trips), a staggering 80 percent of the original 20,600 bicycles have been destroyed or stolen. Some Vélib’ cycles have been found in Eastern Europe and North Africa, while others have been dumped in the Seine River, hung from lampposts, or abandoned on the roadside in various states of disrepair, forcing the City of Paris to reimburse the program operator an estimated $2 million per year for excess costs under its contractual agreement.
Friday/ mandarins and more dragons
This traditional little mandarin tree with red gift envelopes was at the entrance of the Dameisha Sheraton on Friday night. During Chinese New Year, mandarin oranges and tangerines are considered traditional symbols of abundance and good fortune. I had my usual beer but some of us had a gin and tonic. The back of the little bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin with the 10 ‘exotic’ ingredients generated some discussion. (How exotic can almond and lemon peel be?). The gin was introduced in 1987 by Bacardi. And of course after that Bombay became Mumbai (in 1995). I ran into the Nestlé dragon display in the local grocery store on the way back. I wonder if I would have gotten in trouble if I had taken down those yellow price signs so the dragons’ faces could be seen clearly!
Thursday/ work etiquette in China
‘Impress your boss in China’ says a recent Bloomberg Businessweek article (picture from article), with some pointers. So of course I could compare notes with my own experience here.
Greetings : (Bloomberg) Reach for your boss’s hand first. (Me) It’s last name then first name, and use the full name, preferably with a title. So Jiang Wang would be mister Wang Jiang for you, mister !
Business Cards : Receive with both hands and have yours ready to give in return.
Numbers : 4 is bad and 8 is good.
Food : Just eat it!
Hand Gestures : This one I still didn’t know (yikes) – do NOT use your index finger to point or gesture. It is very rude. Use your whole hand.
Smoking and Drinking : This I know very well – at dinners one can get away with not smoking; not so with drinking!
Feng Shui : Explains the square ‘dragon’ holes in buildings.
One more. The article fails to mention the important concept of ‘losing face’ in business relations. Avoid confrontations, and the ones that would make someone look bad in front of his boss or colleagues, almost at all costs. (Come to think of it, this applies almost anywhere in the world).
Wednesday/ too big to fail?
I love the graphics that NHK World uses with their TV shows. The first picture shows the General Election is Nov 6 with the Republican candidate still a question mark. Also that the last Republican primary is June 26, and the Democratic and Republican National Convention dates (at which the candidates are officially announced). Next picture has Republican candidates Mitt Romney*, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum (no Newt Gingrich, hmm). Never mind angry birds^, check out the angry donkey (Democratic mascot) and the big angry elephant (Republican mascot). The last picture shows the 2008 outcome when Obama’s ‘Yes, we Can’ campaign prevailed 53% over 46% over John McCain.
*with his solid New Hampshire primary win, ‘Mitt Romney has become what every capitalist dreams of: he has become too big to fail’ says a writer for politico.com.
^the smash hit Finnish computer game.
