Taiwan trip and GlobalTiC Award 2013 (Day 2) Part 4

淡水, Danshui, or Tamshui, is north of Taipei, and is at the end of the red line in the MRT system. In the last trip, I went only to the 'Laojie', or Old Street, to eat, and stroll about, watching the sunset. This time, I researched a little more about the attractions, and found little pockets of treasure here and there.

The first thing we did was buy the 'tiedan', or iron eggs, at Laojie. They are black in colour and chewy, very fragrant. There is a choice between quail eggs and chicken eggs, and I chose the quail eggs. Out of the packet, they are rubbery, and all the eggs are stuck together. I had to remind myself of the cholesterol that comes with eggs, unlike a certain cousin of mine, who can finish a packet of some 20 quail eggs in a day... We also bought grilled squid and boiled little squid to munch on. 

We didn't resume the rest of Laojie, but went walking about in search of an old building inside a university. The journey took some 15 minutes, uphill, through a more busy part of Danshui in terms of cars. We walked the statue of MacKay. We also bought 'Taiyang bing' for my cousin, along with some nougats, form a bakery. Dad was saying that this had better be worth the walk, and he was pretty sure that Mom and I had plotted this to get him to exercise. Haha. All the calories we put in during lunch and last night were all burned off.

Finally, up on a hill, we reached a beautiful university called Aletheia University. Very few people on campus today, so it was quiet and peaceful. Its buildings had a sort of Spanish-Sino architecture. Inside, the garden wasn't big but still nice, had this autumn feel to it. The building I had really wanted to see was facing the gates (large, grey arches), and is called Oxford College. It's built using red bricks, and is primarily Chinese architecture but with some Western influences, especially in the windows. 

Oxford College, Aletheia University

At this time, the sun was about to set, which meant our time there was about up. Downhill we went, back to Laojie. We walked past Fort San Domingo, which we will reserve for another day. Dad's objective is to capture the sunset at the end of Laojie, where some people were fishing. Beautiful scenery, beautiful pictures, and cool weather (it was already evening). 

We too pictures till it was dark. Laojie was lit up, and busy with hungry people. We drank 'aiyu' to cool down. There was reclaimed land, which wasn't there a few years ago. 

It was late, and we were tired. We took the metro back to out hotel. The duo resorted to looking for more food at the Ningxia market later in the night. 

Cheers

zhusun

Taiwan trip and GlobalTiC Award 2013 (Day 2) Part 3

The next thing on the list were temples! One of my favourite places to visit when in any country, even back home. Temples, or any place of worship, offer a wealth of artistry and breathtaking architecture.

After lunch, we took the metro and stopped at Yuanshan Station. It was already afternoon, and just imagine the intensity of the sun's rays. It was scorching hot - I am exaggerating - and the air was so humid, sweat stuck to our skin like positive and negative poles of two magnets. Luckily, I brought a cap, but Dad just refused to wear one, even though he was squinting his eyes to tightly.

The walk to the Confucius Temple would take, as according to a very friendly lady at the tourist information counter at the station, about 10 minutes on foot. So we did go on foot, under the sun (I will stress on this a lot). It felt like a pilgrimage of some sort. Although it sounds uncomfortable, it was pretty fun, walking under the sun like that.

We found out that the Confucius Temple was closed, as Monday is the rest day. On top of that, many other temples were closed as well, except for Baoan Temple. Dismayed as we were, we came here to see a temple, and that was what we were going to do.

We walked past many mechanic shops, a whole block of them actually. When we arrived at our destination, we thought the whole temple was closed, but then found that Baoan Temple was open, just opposite from where we stood. The place that was closed for a while was actually some sort of garden.

The Baoan Temple is different from the temples in, say, Beijing, as it has more Southern Chinese style architecture. This means more colour, more animate figures on the roof, and swallow tail roof ends; Northern Chinese style architecture is less so, if you refer to pictures of buildings in Beijing, you would know what I'm talking about. (Here are two pictures of two different temples for a comparison)

Baoan Temple, Taipei

Lama Temple, Beijing

There were some murals, beautiful carvings, porcelain sculptures (the core of the sculpture could be cement but is decorated with colourful porcelain), figures of the deities, incense, flowers, and devotees praying. 'Baoan' means to ensure safety, peace, health. So generally people come here to pray for those qualities in their lives. For example, a pregnant woman can pray for the safe delivery of her baby.

There weren't many people and was peaceful. It was the same for the garden opposite, opened again at 3, if I remember correctly. There was a large dragon, covered in porcelain scales, spouting water from its mighty mouth. The effect of the porcelain chips is lifelike, very beautiful. Opposite the main entrance there was a wall with a mural, also in porcelain chips. It was quiet, and the shade provided much relief from direct sunlight.

The Confucius Temple, which is Baoan Temple's neighbour, was closed, and a group of tourists were caught in the same situation as us, of having to cross this out of our list and save for, hopefully, another trip. Which left Dad and I to walk to the other side of the Yuanshan Station where a Naruto exhibition was being held. Here's a neat trick, if you haven't tried it already. It's really straightforward. Act interested, stand at the door of the exhibition centre, and feel the blast of cool air blow from above. I refer specifically to the door because of the powerful blast of the air cond. (I think it's a way to keep hot air out).

On the way back to the station form the temple, we stopped at a 7 Eleven to have beer, a much needed beer. We shared a can. most satisfying.

We weren't interested in Naruto, so we headed back to Yuanshan station to get to our most important stop, Danshui.

(To be continued)

Cheers
Zhusun

Taiwan trip and GlobalTiC Award 2013 (Day 2) Part 2

Next stop was a street about 8 minutes walk from the Lin Family Garden. It's called 茶館街, 'cha guan jie', and literally translates into, 'tea house street'. On the map in the Metro, I told Dad that this would be a promising place to look for tea. I could not have been more deceived by a name.

There was not a single tea shop in sight - not that we walked the whole street, but we got the point after observing that all the shops and stalls were selling food, or toys, or clothes, or souvenirs. Despite being a disappointment in being unexpected, it was actually really interesting. The 'Street' is actually composed of a a few lanes. We walked through one lane and all the shops and stalls were selling food and clothes, displaying braised pig's heads, blood cakes, whole chickens. We came across a stall selling toys at a junction, and Dad almost bought a toy car. I almost went on board to buy a set of small army vehicles but decided I already have one set at home, sleeping in some container.

It was already nearly lunchtime, and seeing we were in the company of a wealth of choices of Taiwanese food, we lunch was to be had there, in what I now translate, 茶館街, into 'food shops street'. We had one of my favourite dishes, beef noodles! The soup was brown and very fragrant, noodles were 'Q' or springy, and beef slices were beautifully decorated with a maze of tendon. The taste was heightened with slated veg.

While eating we watched news on the t.v.. The news reporter was expounding on a meteorological matter, called weather. In the weather reports I've seen, the reporter raps out the words out and we're off the weather report before its allocated time is used up. But this weather report was very informational, and long. Sunny Taipei, 2 days down the road, would be rainy and faced with a possibility of being hit by a typhoon. I was beginning to worry; Dad was excited.

For now, it remained sunny clear skied. After lunch we walked to the metro and this time, we walked to the nearer one called 'Fuahong station'. Out next stop was in Datong district.

(To be continued)

Cheers
zhusun

Taiwan trip and GlobalTiC Award 2013 (Day 2) Part 1

Dad and I were up early for the day-tour ahead. We packed our stomachs with a heavy breakfast - braised minced pork noodles with lots of vegetables. The staff are really friendly and again, were more than pleasantly surprised when we spoke to them in Tai-yi. 

Lin Family Garden

The first spot was a recommendation by one of the hostel staff, the Lin Family Mansion and Garden, or 'Banqiao Lin jia', 板橋林家. Also known as Lin Family Garden, 林家花園, or Lin Ben-yuan Garden. Located in Banqiao,  It was a long way from where we were staying so we used the very efficient MRT service. The trains are almost always on time, the trains are clean, and the people are pleasant. The fares are reasonable as well. 

We stopped at Banqiao Station. Referring to the map, we had two destination to go to, one was the mansion and the other was a street whose name sounded promising to tea buyers. It would be a long walk to the courtyard mansion, under the glaring sun, whose heat bit the skin. It reminded me of the Melbourne summer, only in Melbourne, there was intermittent cool breeze and the air was drier. The air in Taipei was humid and it makes sweat stick to your body. Uncomfortable, but something you get used to after a while, and you have to commit yourself to not think about it. Later on we discovered that we could have stopped at Fuzhong Station, which was much nearer to the mansion compared to Banqiao Station. 

Anyway, at first, we tried walking there ourselves, but soon got confused by the landmarks and the confusing roads. I tried asking for directions but the persons either did not know or they spoke too quickly for me to understand - even after asking them to slow down. We thought of taking the bus but none that were going to our destination were at the bus bay. In the end, after basking in the white sun, we decided to take a taxi that was so conveniently parked across the bus station. The taxi trip - albeit being a dangerous one, swerving around corners and breaking just in time for a woman on a bicycle to ride past, unscarred - was about 8 minutes and cost only NT$80.

Entrance was free. It's closed on the first Monday of every month. The courtyard house was impressive. Although I've seen more magnificent structures from the same era elsewhere, the estate was still a delight to explore, having its own character and history. One can only wonder how life would have been like behind these walls so many years ago. It cost a few hundred teals of silver to build back in the mid 1800s by a rich and influential family. It was restored to its original state a few years ago. Some parts are open to public.

It is a typical Chinese courtyard house, composed of many sections, with high walls, trees, brick paths, and gardens neatly trimmed, a large bird cage (occupied), and even a pond holding koi fish and carp. There were many arches and I especially enjoyed taking photos of them, they are like a door to another dimension. Bamboo line the paths, some were thin and tall, and a special variety was short and plump, called the swollen bamboo. The entrance was a long walkway, complete with speakers projecting bird sounds into the quiet air. It was serene until a noisy family came to disturb the peace. Of course, it was a popular tourist attraction, what was I expecting?

There were many buildings but I don't know the functions they served. There was one particular building with many glass windows. Many of the walls had bat or butterfly motifs, some had scrolls, and some had different fruit. I especially liked the gardens. One garden had a small hill, made of tone, with a stone garden set at the top. An ideal place to discuss poetry and sip tea on a cool spring's day, or a good sun bathe on a hot summer's day. Another garden had the pond I spoke of. There were water lilies in blossom, bright pink or purple. The pond was bordered by walk ways and high walls, made into a square, with a gazebo extending from one side of the wall. One part of the walk way was made to resemble a miniature bridge. A local family was picnicking at the gazebo, enjoying the cool shade I guess.

There was a peculiar structure in a more secluded part of the complex. Like many of the other buildings, this one has a very nice-sounding name. It's called the Moon Tide Water Pavilion, 'Yue bo shui xie', 月波水榭. It is built in the middle of a pond, in a double caltrop shape, witha little bridge as passage-way. It is named after the moon because the moon is reflected in the water. There was a platform on the roof but that was off-limits. 

Some sections were closed, like the entrance to climb a tall stone structure, which I suspect would allow you to walk atop some of the walls. Some parts of the walls had calligraphy on them. Poems, I suppose. But most were plastered or pained over, leaving little sections of the works visible. I wonder why the restorer covered them, or maybe the works were disfigured by the squatters some decades ago?

Information about the Lin Family Garden was plentiful in video screenings in the larger buildings, but I hadn't the patience to watch them. Friendly staff were dressed in purple, offering a friendly smile to the aimless visitor. You could spend a whole morning relaxing there, having only portions of nearby or neighbouring buildings and the fellow tourist remind you of the present day.

Before exiting the garden we had a good rest on a stone bench, and refreshed ourselves with a cold water provided. In a busy, modern city, this is a great green escape into the past. 

(To be continued)

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://en.linfamily.tpc.gov.tw/html/enlinfamily/profile/profile.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lin_Family_Mansion_and_Garden
http://bradttaiwan.blogspot.com/2011/04/banqiaos-lin-family-gardens.html

Taiwan trip and GlobalTiC Award 2013 (Day 1)

I'm fighting a sleepy spell while writing this entry, and procrastination has a silent genius of its own. I planned to write an entry every night whilst in Taiwan, but laziness, sleepiness (I had time to myself only at night) and lack of any mood to write a recount of everyday culminated itself into this, one big lump of blogging homework, but I'm enjoying every typing moment of it!

Why do I say genius? Because I now have a very different opening than I would have if I'd started writing diligently from the first day of the trip. I'm thinking the other version would have gone something like this, 'Ah, Taiwan, my food haven and supplier of good quality CDs!' I think I prefer the opening I used.

Anyway, this was my second trip to Taiwan but this time, I toured Taipei exclusively, visiting some new places and revisiting some old favourites - I can't help but mention 'Danshui' here. This trip wasn't meant to be, but as fate would have it, the tickets were booked and I was in Taipei city before I could get my Mandarin vocabulary in working order - not that I had very little time to prepare.

I was watching a movie one night while Mom and Dad were busy searching for tickets to Taiwan. Dad had to go because he was bringing a team to compete in the GlobalTic Awards. In a stroke of genius my Dad thought bringing me along would be a great idea and Mom agreed enthusiastically. I had no idea of this until Dad asked me to check his passport number. On the screen, expecting to see only one name, I saw two, and it took a while to sink in, that I was going to Taiwan! Then, my Mom remembered something important - my violin exam. I would be coming back on the 25th, and two days later would be the exam day. Talk about great planning. I'm thankful we went ahead with the trip. My parents were cool about it, 'Ah, no problem', they said. This was an experience not to be missed. Mom couldn't go, due to some commitments, but I hope we can all go together the next time.

Since the event was scheduled to be held from 20th to 23rd August, we planned for two days of exploring and self-touring. So Sunday and Monday were days to ourselves.

Dad and I arrived in Taoyuan Airport on a Sunday afternoon. The flight was delayed by half an hour. Dad and I had some difficulty activating the roaming feature in our phone so he bought a local sim card. Outside, a busy Taipei awaited our stomachs and taste buds. It was summer and the heat was no relief, since we just flew in from a tropical country. The taxi driver we hired was quiet at first but after we spoke to him in Tai-yi, he opened up and even recommended some food streets near the hotel. See what a common a language can do?

We checked into our hotel/hostel and went down to the nearby night-market just at the end of our block. There were many food shops and another market on the same block as the hostel, many convenience stores, and even a metro station. Convenience at its best. Eager to start our food adventure, we went down to the crowded street at the end of the block.

Ningxia Night Market

Ningxia Night Market, composing of one food street and one games street, is comparatively small to Shihlin nightmarket, but not lacking in good food. The first thing we tried was the stinky toufu - 'chou doufu' - a must-have when in Taiwan, and we washed it down with some 'aiyu' drink, which would soon become my favourite jelly drink from Taiwan. The drink is sour, plum-ish and lemony, the jelly itself is tasteless except for a hint of sour but is very smooth and fun to squish - a very refreshing drink on a humid summer's evening! After the appetiser, we had another Taiwanese favourite, the Taiwanese sausage ('xiang chang')! Glazed with honey, grilled to a shine, slathered with fresh blended garlic, and succulent from the generous chunks of fat in it, I was in a sausage-lover's paradise! We even got to see a hawker making the sausages. He pours the ground meat - his secret recipe, of course - and fits some tubing, I'm guessing made of pig's intestines, at the outlet. He turns a handle and the tubing gets filled with meaty goodness. He leaves some room to tie a knot at the end, and loosens up the contents.

Ok, enough with the sausage, the next items on the menu were braised (and the fried) large and small pig's intestines, curdled pig's blood with glutinous rice cake and duck's tongues. The selection was quite costly but worth every yuan. The large intestines were fatty and melt-in-your-mouth and so, so tasty; the small ones were more crispy; the blood cake, although slightly different from the type I have back home, which doesn't have glutinous, was very good; and the duck's tongue was fatty and tasty - though I didn't know the correct way of eating it, oh well. Some of you may be disgusted, while some of you may be watering in your mouths. Either way, I hardly have to tell you this, but my taste buds were thoroughly satisfied.

Ah, next was my Dad's favourite, 'lu rou fan', or braised pork (minced) rice. The pork was fragrant and the rice was the short, pearl type. Under the light, the oily rice had that beautiful glint you see in Chinese recipe books. Dad and I were too well-behaved we only shared one bowl.

It was clean for a night market, unlike the food streets back home, which are more wet and have litter everywhere. One way they keep their street clean is having a good sewage system. All the water from the sinks go down to the sewers through piping that is attached to a small manhole. Each stall is located near one and they can remove the piping and cover the holes after they close. There's a general civic conscious to keep the streets clean, but of course, you still get rubbish on the ground.

The twilight sky slowly turned to the starry night sky, but the city didn't seem to be slowing down. In fact, the night life was just getting started. By eleven Dad and I were full and quite - due to the heat and humidity. We shared a beer, which brought immediate relief to our throats and the heatiness. We were sticky all over but we're quite used to that feeling already. We headed back and called it a day.

(To be continued)

Cheers
zhusun

Grade 8 Violin Exam, ABRSM

(I'd like to dedicate this blog entry to my violin teacher - a very patient and creative man, my accompanist - for being patient as well, and especially Mom - who practised the aural section with me and gave me pointers for my pieces, and for being the wonderful music teacher that she is.)

Woke up at 5 in the morning even though the alarm was set at 6. Spent some time reading through the aural specimen tests, and some butterflies started to flutter their wings the more unusual terms I saw. But sitting there and letting the mind occupy itself would have made the butterflies flutter faster - thinking too much of the exam. I tried not to remember that I only got back on Sunday and had only yesterday to run through everything. During my week-log trip in Taiwan, I forgot about my violin exam almost completely - I said, 'almost'.

The journey to the venue wasn't pleasant. What could have been a 15-20 minute journey turned into a 45 minute one due to the traffic. It was 7 a.m. when we left the house and were met with the second wave of office-goers. The constant jerking of the car, closing the gap between our car and the one in front, and the air-conditioned air of the car made my head a bit dizzy and my stomach a little uncomfortable. I hate it when this happens... Dad was very kind to walk to a nearby 7-Eleven to get me some sweets. The minty Mentos does wonders.

My examiner looked pleasant, and spoke in the Queen's English, clear and music to my ears. She's from the Royal School, go figure. Whilst in the exam room, my hands felt cold all of a sudden, and a slight tingling started to run through my fingers. After tuning my accompanist had to wait outside because my first piece, Partita 2 by Bach, was a solo. Considering this was the first time I played the piece ever since waking up - I am not a morning person, by the way - I think I did alright, albeit having shaky hands. The problem was having a shaky right hand, my bowing arm, which made some parts sound like my violin was hiccuping - a potent skill, I must add. I was relieved when Mom said it sounded not bad, she could at least hear the expressions and some double melodies.

After I was done I invited my accompanist back in and we proceeded to rock out the second piece, Swediesche Tanze, 5th, 6th and 7th movements. Te 5th and 7th movements were more up-beat, and I hope I portrayed the overall feeling clearly. The 6th movement is a sweet piece, and I just hope it didn't sound like a chicken being slaughtered. I took a deep breath before starting the last piece, Sonatina 1st movement, by William Alwyn. A very romantic piece, and my Mom describes it as lovely. I thought I played this better than the first two pieces. Mom agrees, remembering that yesterday's playing was a sleepy murmur.

The scales section was up next and I'm thankful I went through my own drills yesterday. Sight-reading was fine, though I played arco when I was supposed to play pizzicato, and played one part too loudly as I missed out the piano direction. But I think the overall feeling was just right. Don't even talk about the notes, I can't tell you how out of pitch I was.

Then came the most dreaded section, aural. I think I got my cadences wrong, and my modulations as well, even though it was the easiest thing they could ask. I hope my description of the piece in the last question was acceptable! I even asked for my examiner's autograph. I am insufferable...

Coming out of the exam room, I felt a big boulder tumble off my shoulders, and was happy to see Mom and my violin teacher standing a few rooms away - it was held in a hotel. He came to cheer me on, after getting in caught in the traffic jam. Thank you! Ah well, I won't be seeing him for a while. I've decided to put violin on hold for the moment until I get my degree. Maybe I'll go for classes every no and then.

Now that this is over and done with I'm starting to think what the nervousness was for. I would've played better and enjoyed myself more, but I'm satisfied with what I've done - I shouldn't speak so soon. I can now start writing on my 'short' account of my exciting trip to Taiwan. So stay tuned!

Cheers
zhusun

Kick the SOCCKET for Light!

The SOCCKET

Energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be transferred. That was what I learned from my science classes back in school. Hence it is possible to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy. This knowledge is not new, but how a team of scientists applied this knowledge has given new meaning to 'the power of  play'.

As you might have guessed, the SOCCKET generates electricity whenever it is moved.  Unlike the dynamo on a bicycle, the SOCCKET has a pendulum inside it which swings and converts kinetic energy into electrical energy which is then stored in a rechargeable battery. Like a dynamo, it powers a light source - an LED in particular - when connected to the charger. It is estimated to be able to generate 3-hours of light from 30-minutes of play.

There is no need to worry about fragility. After all, it was designed to function like a regular soccer ball. It is actually more durable than the conventional soccer ball, in that it will not deflate, as it is made of a specialised foam.

The inventors, Jessica O. Matthews and Julia Silverman, founded a social enterprise called Uncharted Play in 2011, which mass produces the SOCKKET. However, the initial patent for the invention is held by Matthews and Silverman, along with Jessica Lin, Hemali Thakkar and Aviva Presser, who are alumni of Harvard University. The project has almost raised $100,000 on Kickstarter, a fundraiser.

I first came across the SOCCKET a few months ago when my Dad showed me a commercial for it on Youtube. I hope the SOCCKET becomes a more readily available especially in countries and places where children and people in general are poverty-stricken, or have limited access to electricity.

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://unchartedplay.com/
http://www.ecogeek.org/human-powered/3858
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5gqoYkL8To

TV Series: The Thin Blue Line

I've recently watched the last episode of a British comedy series, The Thin Blue Line, having found the little treasure about two weeks ago. Running between November 1995 and December 1996, I was a little too young to understand anything if I'd watched it then, except maybe recognising a familiar Mr. Bean in police uniform.

The Thin Blue Line, Season 1

I enjoy dry humour. The show's content was not heavy, although it did touch on some serious topics. It was a good filler for a boring afternoon. The comedy  centres round the life of the police force at the Gasforth police station, a fictitious town near London. The main character is Inspector Fowler (Rowan Atkinson) whom I would describe as an effete, old-fashioned and a prim and proper policeman. Sometimes seeming very rigid in the his views and of the law, but proved a few times in the series that he can find ways around it. He reveres the Queen and worships the Mayoress, which greatly annoys his girlfriend, Sergeant Dawkins. The latter character loves Fowler and gets jealous easily if she sees him with other women. Sometimes the woman is Constable Habib, who is of South Asian descent, being very intelligent and witty, often presenting arguments methodically. She is criticised by Fowler as being prone to take the leftist view of things. She is the love interest of Constable Goody, a easily-confused and dim-witted police officer who has a good heart, and is a bit soft. They are joined by their older colleague, Constable Gladstone, who was born in Trinidad and can make a good laugh out of a sexist joke. They are the uniformed squad.

In the other corner of the Gasforth police station, the CID unit is seen in casual clothes and often laughing at the uniformed squad. It is headed by Detective Inspector Grim, an 'ethnocentric' in terms of thinking the CID superior to the uniformed unit. He is often seen at logger heads with Inspector Fowler. He is very conspicuous about letting his desire of some crime actually happening in Gasforth and his desire to get a promotion. He sometimes appears to be silly, which is amplified when is with Boyle or Kray, his subordinates - Boyle replacing Kray in the second season. Boyle and Kray are quite cynical and like using their police status to get special treatment. The differing views of the different units are often the source of conflict between them.

The Thin Blue Line, Season 2

The mix of such characters is a recipe for disaster at the police station and yet the town of Gasforth seems like a pretty safe place to be. It has hilarious conflicts especially between Inspectors Fowler and Grim, often resulting from their differing views, Fowler being a patriotic upholder of the law while Grim being ignorant and loud, and sometimes downright silly. It is also laced with innuendo. Some of the characters, such as Inspector Grim, are given 'tag-lines', which in his case, "fannying about" and "hoity-toity". The jealousy displayed by Dawkins is laughable. I especially enjoyed the character Goody, who is a real comic relief in the already comedic show, bringing a little slapstick comedy into the show. Witnessing how they get things done is an amusement in itself.

Having only 2 series and only 14 episodes, half an hour each, watching an episode a day and squeezing in another did not feel like a chore. The only drawback is that is it was too short. I don't like long, dreary dramas, but this one was left hanging in mid-air somewhat. There was a new agenda for each episode, but it didn't seem to be heading in any particular direction. Most of the characters' goals were clearly portrayed but there lacked an obvious inclination that they were going to achieve them after all
14 episodes. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed it and even learned some new words, including some British slang words, and understood a bit more of British culture, I hope.

Defined very clearly in the first episode that the thin blue line separates order and chaos, this series was a comedic take on the many characters in the police force and in society in general. Opening each episode with a jolly jingle, I highly recommend it for a good laugh.

Cheers
zhusun

Further Reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(TV_series)
For a more critical view of the show, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thethinblueline/

Star Wars Fans Rejoice!

Scheduled to be released in 2015, the new Star Wars instalment will the seventh in the saga that is already 36 years old.

Anyone up for Star Wars Mickey Mouse and Gang?

Rumoured to star the cast of the original Star Wars saga, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Anthony Daniels, just to name a few, who might reprise their roles as some of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars saga.

Whether or not you like Star Wars, its characters are well-known, and even those who have never seen the movie can imitate Darth Vader and his trademark low voice and heavy breathing. The new instalment, I think, will feature an aged Luke Skywalker and Leia Skywalker, and the much-loved C3PO.

Last year, it was announced that The Walt Disney Company had acquired LucasFilm for $4.05 billion. That, however, doesn't mean that George Lucas will not be involves in the production. He will, in fact, become the creative consultant. It is also said that Disney hopes to make Episodes 8 and 9. But we'll have to wait a few more years to see those.

Till then... May the force be with you!

Cheers

zhusun

Scientists Echo the Gecko Feet

The gecko feet have gripped scientists - and countless surfaces with ease - for a long time and is one of the animals scientists are trying to mimic. I hope you like lizards!

A gecko's foot and a sheet of Geckskin

The invention in mind is the Geckskin. Named as one of the top scientific breakthroughs of 2012 by CNN Money, it is a truly gripping piece of biomimetic innovation. (Biomimetic, biomimicry or bionics means mimicking nature to design and engineer new man-made materials. Put another way, Geckskin is a biologically inspired design.)

From left: Al Crosby, Dan King, Michael Bartlett and Duncan Irschick
Background: Geckskin

The team behind this innovation is from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst. The team comprises Al Crosby, Dan King, Michael Bratlett and Duncan Irschick. The interdisciplinary team was not the first of scientists to develop adhesives from mimicking gecko footpads. What makes Geckskin different from other innovations is that it tries to mimic a different structure under the gecko feet, particularly the tendons. As explained by UMass researcher Al Crosby, the tendons are directly connected to the skin and hairs (called setae) on the gecko's footpad. The product is a sheet of adhesiv covered in these structures.

The Geckskin successfully emulates the gecko's feet. A sheet of gecksking the size of an idex card can hold up to 700 pounds and can be removed with minimal effort. What makes it even more practicable is that it is reusable and does not leave any residue behind when peeled off. I especially like the last listed feature, because I find adhesives such as cellophane tape a pain sometimes.

The reason why it was listed as the top 5 breakthroughs by CNN Money is because it is seen as extremely marketable. The research was also partially endorsed by US Defense Research Projestcs Agency. So there is a lot of potential for the Geckskin in application in all sorts of areas.

I'm guessing that the Geckskin might be used in outer space where super strong adhesives are needed to hold parts together - you wouldn't want vital pieces of equipment floating aimlessly around in space. Also, maybe in heavy industries and movie productions. It would definitely aide Tom Cruise's character in Mission Impossible, Ethan Hunt, on missions where climbing buildings is involved. Households consumers like us might even find use in this. We might need smaller versions that can be used to hold TVs up, maybe even to stick vases to the table - especially in households with hyperactive children running around. The additional helpful feature is that it won't leave a mark on your expensive crystal-ware.

Anybody up for making a Gecko-man? He could become Spiderman's buddy.

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://www.umass.edu/umhome/feature/little-lizard-could
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57401164-1/the-holy-grail-of-adhesives/
http://www.umass.edu/loop/content/cnn-money-names-geckskin-top-science-breakthrough-2012
http://www.cns.umass.edu/about/newsletter/may-2012/inspired-by-gecko-feet-scientists-invent-super-adhesive-material
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216165500.htm

Fabulous Fabiola

To some of you, the name might ring a bell, while to others, it's just anther play on words. To those who have been following updates and advances on arguably the most exciting scientific discovery of the decade, the first name in the title belongs to a woman, Fabiola Gianotti, whom as you'll find out, is no ordinary person.

The spectacular scientific discovery in mind is the discovery of a Higgs Boson - like particle. The Higgs Boson a.k.a God particle is named after the British physicist, Peter Higgs, who first proposed the 'Higgs Theory'. In mid 2012, a particle that has very similar properties with the Higgs particle was discovered in a collider at CERN. By the way, CERN stands for Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire, or European Council for Nuclear Research. 

Fabiola Gianotti
(Source: Time Magazine)

So where does Fabiola Gianotti come in? Well, she played an important role leading up to the discovery of the Higgs-like particle. She headed the ATLAS experiment - consisting of 3000 scientists from 37 countries - at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN where the discovery was made. The ATLAS experiment was one of two experiments that were searching for signs of the Higgs Boson. In light of this, she was voted the runner-up person of the year 2012 in Time magazine.

Born to a geologist, Fabiola Gianotti is an Italian particle physicist by profession and was a physics coordinator at ATLAS from 1999 to 2003. After working at CERN for 18 years, she was elected to become spokesperson and coordinator of the ATLAS experiment. Surprisingly, Fabiola Gianotti's early education had little to do with physics. Her secondary education focused primarily on ancient languages, art history and literature.

Only during university did she opt to study physics. Having studied philosophy as a teenager, she says the two fields are very much alike as they both pondered on the very basic questions. Growing up, she had always been a very curious person and loved nature at the same time. So it seemed right that she pursued a filed which requires the hunger to know and understand all things around us.

Besides being a leading physicist, she also holds a professional music diploma in piano from the Milan Conservatory. Being well-immersed in both the arts and science, Gianotti thinks that art and physics are not so very different because, as she is quoted saying, 'art is based on very clear, mathematical principles like proportion and harmony. At the same time, physicists need to be inventive, to have ideas, to have some fantasy.'

That is something I agree on. I think art and science are very much related, except that the former is more abstract while the latter is more concrete and quantifiable. This has lead most of to think that art  or the arts is all about emotions, aesthetics, culture and creativity while science is often viewed as mathematical, absolute, and 'dead' even. Both fields are immensely broad, and intercept every now and then. Take architecture for example, it is considered a visual art yet employs mathematics and physics to design.

It is also interesting to note that female scientists only make up about 30% of the research scientist in Europe and a quarter in the US. That means it is more statistically unlikely for a woman to excel in a science career. Eventhough reports have shown that underachievement by girls in mathematics has narrowed drastically and is non-existent in some countries, girls typically lose interest in science very early on in secondary school and few want to pursue a science career. Some girls still believe they are not as good as boys in mathematics. However, Gianotti has proven that with passion and the right attitude, you can achieve just about anything. 

That should leave you with something to think about. For now, a round of applause for Fabiola Gianotti for her contributions in science and art, and for being curious.

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/runner-up-fabiola-gianotti-the-discoverer/
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/04/tech/physics-higgs-particle/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabiola_Gianotti
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/03/business/fabiola-gianotti-leading-women

China, the Manufacturing Capital of the World... to-be (Part 4)

(Continued from Part 3)

Another point to remember is that China is an emerging economy whilst USA's is a developed economy. China is seen to 'emerge' because it is still in transition from a planned economy to a more market economy, and by doing so it has taken on economic reforms and policies that support development, as discussed in Parts 1 and 2.

Being an emerging market, China would receive more FDI than USA, and it is interesting to note that much of it comes from the USA, about $60.5 billion in 2010. USA, being a developed economy, would normally receive less transfers and FDIs - China's FDI in the USA was only $3.2 billion in 2010. Besides that, the population growth in China, most startlingly, was 0.48% compared to USA's 0.9% in 2012. Although the rate population growth is usually higher in developing and emerging economies, in China's case, I think it is urbanisation that really counts (discussed at the end of this paragraph). Lastly, the transition from an agricultural economy to a more industry and service based economy is still an ongoing process in China, with many millions from the rural areas in China migrating to urban areas every year, with a rate of 2.3% between 2010 to 2015.

Therefore, as of 2012, China remains the second largest economy in the world, not because it does not have the capacity to but because it is still emerging and transitioning. Some predict China will overtake the USA to become the largest economy in the world by the end of this year, while some say by 2015. Then there are also those who are worried about the Chinese economy imploding the way Japan's did about 2 decades ago. In my opinion, China's rise to become a leader in manufacturing seems inevitable, but for how long China can remain in the number 1 spot is anyone's bet.

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
http://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/china

China, the Manufacturing Capital of the World... to-be (Part 3)

(Continued from Part 2)

For 33 years since 1979, China had grown at an average of 9.9% a year. It is estimated that China's GDP expanded by 7.8% in 2012. China is also the largest exporter of goods to the USA, totaling $399.3 billion in 2011. Its exports in 2012 totaled $2.021 trillion and a labour force of 795.4 million. When talking about China, it seems that everything is in big proportions.

With all the impressive statistics, the title of this series of blog posts may be questionable, if not unsuitable. Coupled with the hype surrounding China's ability to become a manufacturing powerhouse in such a short time, it is easy to overlook other statistics.

It is important to remember that manufacturing in the USA is not, well, dead. With the advent of whole manufacturing communities becoming 'rust belts' since the 1980's, it is easy to assume that USA has grown out of the industry. But removing manufacturing from USA is near impossible. Some are talking about a revival in manufacturing. The cities leading in this revival include Seattle, Salt Lake City and Austin in Texas. Manufacturing in USA is still very much alive. Only, now the focus is directed more towards R&D and producing high value added products.

Last year, the real GDP growth of USA was only an estimated 2.2%. Compare that with China's growth, it is unenviable. However, economic growth rate is just one part of the comparison. There are other measures which would make the reason why China is not yet the largest economy and the manufacturing capital on earth.

Most noteworthy is the difference in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) between China and USA. The definition of PPP provided by Investopedia, is the estimated amount of adjustment needed on the exchange of countries so that the exchange is equivalent to each county's purchasing power. Last year, China's PPP was $12.28 trillion while USA's was $15.66 trillion. Additionally, China's GDP in official exchange rate was $8.25 trillion while USA's was $15.65 trillion. Considering China's exchange rate is said to be very much depressed, $8.25 trillion is a lot! Hence, although China's manufacturing sector is expanding at an incredible rate, it still has not overtaken USA's.

(To be concluded in Part 4)

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/ppp.asp
http://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/china
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2012/05/24/seattle-is-leading-an-american-manufacturing-revival/

China, the Manufacturing Capital of the World... to-be (Part 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

In 1978, China underwent widespread economic reforms. The government relaxed on investment policies, encouraged foreign investment and private-ownership. These reforms were initiated by the Communist Party of China, at the time time led by Deng Xiaoping. The reforms comprised of two stages. In the first stage, the government opened China up to foreign investment, encouraged more entrepreneurial activities by permitting more business start-ups and decollectivising agriculture. In the second stage, many state-owned industries were privatised, lifting of price controls and abolishing protectionist policies and regulations. The result of the economics reforms was a new economic climate which was more competitive, productive and dynamic.

Then came the time known as the 'readjustment period', from 1979 to 1981. Its agenda included stimulating agricultural production, expanding exports and overcoming logistics and electrical power issues. Policies were first introduced by the government experimentally on a small scale. If proven effective and successful then the policy would be applied on a large scale.

Farmers in China
(Source: http://english.people.com.cn/90002/95589/6512380.html)

In agriculture, an interesting policy called the 'contract responsibility system' or 'household contract responsibility system', that would allow farmers to own and work a small piece if land. The farmers were motivated to produce more and cut costs because they would keep the profits earned.

Besides that, policies that encouraged innovation and competition were also introduced to the industry. Enterprises could be collectively owned or individually owned, which was significant because during the Cultural Revolution, individual enterprises were almost non-existent.

Most importantly, foreign trade was very much encouraged. From easing foreign trade procedures to legalising interactions with foreign firms in China, systematic steps were taken to prepare China for the world stage once again. International trade would become a very important aspect in China's rise to become the manufacturing capital of the world.

(To be continued in Part 3)

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China#Reform_of_the_economic_system.2C_beginning_in_1978
http://english.cri.cn/3126/2008/10/31/53s419817.htm

China, the Manufacturing Capital of the World... to-be (Part 1)

America was once very much like China, the manufacturing power-house of the world. America's manufacturing sector enjoyed being the world's largest and the most advanced starting from the late 1890's, surpassing Britain. Some say the wars helped boost America's economy, especially after the Great Depression of the 1930's, due to higher production of uniforms, weaponry etc.

A Cultural Revolution poster
(Source: Wikipedia)

It was not until the late 1970's that America started off-shoring manufacturing jobs to counties such as China because that was when China started relaxing regulations and encouraged foreign investment. During that time, China was undergoing economic reforms to make it more efficient and stimulate higher economic growth. At this time, many people in China were still very poor and had dismal living  conditions. You could say that this low standard of living was due to the communist regime and the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76. The Cultural Revolution aimed to make China more communist and 'modern' but the effects were devastating as economic activities slowed and stopped. Therefore, it was important for China to have economic reforms to try to bring China out of an economic slumber.

(To be continued in Part 2)

Cheers

zhusun

Further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_industrialization#Industrialization_of_the_People.27s_Republic_of_China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

What are Regional Currencies? (Part 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

That is not to say the residents of the respective regions took in the new currencies with open arms. As it is with human nature, the residents were weary at first, reluctant to participate but after 8 years, as in the case of the Chiemgauer, things took off. The Chiemgauer in its fledgling year had a dismal turnover of €75,000, but by 2011, its turnover increased to €6 200 000. Now over 600 businesses in the region accept the currency and according to reports, the residents are happy with it. After all, 1 Chiemgauer is exchangeable for 1 euro, so I guess the residents don't lose out at all.With the Berkshare, it is another success story. Last year, over 400 businesses accepted the Berkshare. In just 30 months from its launch, about 2.2 Berkshares were issued.

Berkshares
(Source: Wikipedia)

Chiemgauer
(Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1540939/Rival-to-euro-as-Germans-cash-in-on-currency.html)

Regional currencies are introduced for several reasons - although the Chiemgauer did start out as a school project, it has brought benefits to the region's people and economy. Similarly, the Berkshares have gain immense attention from non-users as the financial cirsis hit the Western world in 2008. It seems that with the Berkshare, the Berkshire economy was able to stay relatively intact and stable, although the Berkshare is still backed by the US dollar, the local currency still succeeds in retaining wealth within the community. 

However, there are downsides as well, the BerkShare, being backed by the US dollar, is still vulnerable to volatility in the US economy in general. The Chiemgauer does present a catch, if the note is not used within 3 months, its value depreciates and renewing the expired requires the holder to pay a sort of penalty.

I think having regional currencies is a good idea if the people in the community are willing to participate and support it fully. Otherwise, it would be hassle trying to pay for some goods at a local shop. The regional currency, of course, has many limitations, such as not being accepted outside of the specific region. I wonder, if any regional currency ever got to a stage of being so influential that it could match even a quarter, or even one tenth, of the country's currency turnover or profit, would it be a significant threat to the country's currency?

(Concluded)

Cheers
zhusun

Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_currency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiemgauer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BerkShares

What are Regional Currencies? (Part 1)

On September 19th 2012,  the latest city in the UK to have its own regional currency is the city of Bristol. It is known as the Bristol Pound (£B) and it comes in four denominations: 1, 5, 10 and 20. Good news for the residents of Bristol, because one Bristol Pound is exactly exchangeable for one pound sterling. The Bristol Pound denominations are complete with designs submitted by those in the community. 

Bristol Pound denominations
(Source: http://bristolpound.org/news?id=3)

There are many synonyms for 'regional currency', including local currency, community currency and alternative currencies, though they do not necessarily have the exact same meaning. We will focus on local currency and regional currency here. 

Two of the most well-known local/regional currencies include the Chiemgauer and the Berkshare. The Chiemgauer is used in Prien am Chiemsee, Bavaria, Germany and was introduced in 2003; the Berkshare was introduced in September 2006 in the region of Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA. They are popular with residents of respective regions.

(To be continued in Part 2)

Cheers
zhusun