Coke Culture

Yesterday, there was a article about the caffeine in soda. Onething interested was the diet coke and pepsi are both higher than ordinary coke and pepsi. Not surprised, my favor Mountain Dew is higher than all these.

The thing is, I suddenly recall this long debated topic. What is the composition of coke? the following question is how people can trust someone who keep selling stuff to you without telling you what's in there, and then people keep buying? so call blackbox product.

The blackbox product is involving in a heated business topic - ethic. Is it business' responsibility to make public aware of the content (to ensure they are no harm), or it is business' propritary but up to the ethic of business to ensure they are safe?

Ethic of business has been challenged signficantly, especially in US. The event of Enron and the increasing corruption in US politic (which of course mix with business) are gradually increasing people's awareness of ethic.

On the perspect which company should disclosure the content, the argument is always public safety. Human being are still exploring the world of science. So, that means we don't have a conclusive list for the materials which are harming. On the one hand, scientist need to strive to identify more. On the other hand, company also need to in corporate wit the new founding to ensure the product is safe. Of course, the power of market could accept or reject a finding, then it is up to public to keep accepting a product or not. However, with a blackbox product, it is all in the invisible hand of the company. Which is the imbalance of market power.

On the other perspective, comapny should be able to keep its proprietaries. Don't have the mandate to disclosure them. But this is under the assumption taht company is like human being, should respect the social value and public safety. This will come back to the debate of categorizing company as a human entity or a set of machinary.

Well, it is just hard to believe in the initial thought that how could people drink an unknown stuff for decades? My answer is a just joking that must be American.

Fiat Punto

I got this car from Hertz@BHX. Initially I thought 'Gee, this is a tiny car' even I sort of recognize it. This car was sold in Asia some time back, but I really had no chance (and no motivation too) to look close.
Ok, here I am. Jump in the car and start my england driving adventure. It eventually took me 4 days to figure out exactly how all the things on dashboard work. Well, it might not be its fault since I was also under pressure and jumped in the car and drive immediately. Other part of the car are relatively straightforward.
I doubt in the beginning how this tiny car is going to behave on highway, it turned out to be pretty well surprisingly. I am not exactly sure it is because of road condition or what. In Germany, the nearly perfect autobahn contributes significant portion of the driving comfort. Driving at 70 or even 80 mph (not kph!), I started to concern the well-handling is making my safety under risk since I am always under the impression that the car at this size will not survive in any crash under that speed. However, it seems many many people in UK are driving at the same speed with the same size car! so, what could I say!? Driving slower probably put myself in jeopardy.
Because of manual, I can control the rpm pretty well and avoid clinches of transmission
other than those mistakes made by myself. And because of the traffic jam near university, it normally get me back to driving lesson 101
every morning (haha embarrassed laugh).
I am also wondering that this car does not have significant characterisitics like other european cars. Drove BMW and Mercedes only in the past, I have to say my exposure to european car is very limited. However, impressed by the different features on these brands (I am not saying these features are necessary better or worse), Fiat does make this car very plain. So plain that next time if you put me in driver seat, I will just purely unrecognize this is a Fiat other than the mark on steering wheel.
Anyway, as a transportation tool, it does provide all the hygiene factors. I cannot complain, it covers well and made me survive in this 7 days challenging adventure :D

Driving in England

Ok, now I am sitting at the airport departure hall. Lay back, relax and have a sip of good coffee. Got to think what could be the gift for my daughter from not-many-options duty free area. It is hard to believe that I have done a driving on the left hand of the road with a manual car for a week. Initial, this seems like something scaring but turned out ok. last time I did this was 7 years ago and I was driving a auto car, which reduced the complexity significantly.
The first challenge is in parking lot. that is the place I continuously lose conscious about that I have to drive on the left side of the road. and that is the place you can see the face of astonished driver front of you. Sort of embarrassed. I think the thing bothering me most is still the roundabout. it seems a mechanism that has a lot of subtle rules built in it. the first time I drove into a roundabout, I got honked. Later, I guess I managed better since I did not get into more troubles. However, if you ask me how to drive through a roundabount in detail? sorry, I just cannot tell. I will say roundabout is a smart design. it works very well when there are not many cars running around. When traffic is getting higher, it seems everyone then has to follow all these subtle rules or it will collapse, and things get slow down significantly.
Pump station and car return upset me a little, they have to come into the shop to pay and there is always a long queue there. But I guess that is normal for europeans since I got the same things in Germany.
I avoided driving in big city, since I know it is not going to be managerial. And it was strongly adviced by friends because of recent change of traffic rules in London. The high traffic area fee is definitely a hot debatable topic. Well, got to go back to air travel and normal right hand side driving soon. I guess surviving for one week is good enough and probably the maximum :D

Broadway shows - Part 2

Now, I just finished my 'ok' chinese dinner, took a short walk to charing cross station and on the way back to hotel. The chinese dish was quite authentic kaundong cuisine . the reason I had it is just 'ok' is because of the size. a 6 pounds dish (about $12) means it should be huge in US already.
As I had, this is sort of reflection. 7 years ago, I was at the same corner of the earth, and enjoy the same joy. Before I decided to walk into Prince of Wales, I was keep wondering should I find a nice coffee shop to sit down and just review what had happened in past 7 years. Oh ya! I believe there are a lot and worthful to review!
Anyway, I decided to take MaMaMia! the famous musical which use ABBA's songs as the main character.
Well, I won't say it is bad. but definitely not reaching the excellent mark per my standard. It is just there is a distance between myself and ABBA, age and culture, all of them contribute to that I am sort of knowing their music, but less enthusiastic than the majority of the fans in the theater, including the japanese ojisan sitting next to me. oh! last time in NY for Phantom, the lady next to me was just 'excited'. This time, the old ladies on the other side is truly a frenetic fan. Ojisan was retired, just travels alone and enjoys himself. Made me wonder whether he is part of the 'block era' who just retired and divorced :p
Anyway, I enjoyed. and when I saw the single mother on the stage describing her longness and sadness for past 20 years, I was really happy to see my past 7 years was so fruitful, with a lovely family and really enjoyed my life. And I think I managed it well enough that I still can come back and be in the moment, at the place and have the entertainment.
So, I enjoyed the show, the music, the passion and the entertainment offered. And I certainly appreciate it is taking a long way to get here and I need to guard all these continuously.
Out of four major musicals, I only had two, cat and miss saigaon are missing. it is sad that cat is not in NY anymore otherwise it is much easier to access. Anyway, with my lovely kids, I guess I won't have chance like this easily. it is good that I am taking a slow train, allowing me to key down and capture all these moment. now, I got to say 'Yes, I love musical'

Broadway shows - Part 1

Am I a musical fan? I would say no. I do love these shows and sometimes would like to sing some of the famous lyrics. My broadshow experience went back when I was 27, which is drfinitely not earlier than most musical fan. some of my friends had them since childhood. Well, consider a kid grew up in the country side in a far away asian country, I already appreciate the long way to get here. and oddly, my first musical experience wew quite intensed - 3 in rows, in the place I did not have anything to do abount - London, and the interesting timeing - Chinese new year eve when I was watching the Les Miserable ..... interesting!? mmm.... that is definitely a moving but depressing musical.
My musical experience went back much ealier. some of my high school classmates used to sing some of weber's lyrics. 'Weber? what the heck he is' I was wondering at that time. of course, my life at that moment probably spent more time to study the context of Gundam 0089 rather than the background of Les Miserable ( french revolution!? the knowledge sufficient for exams is enough)
My first musical was chicago. I have to say that I did not fully grab the story until I went back to restudy. however, the one really impressed me was Les Miserable. I will say it is the one who lure me to be interested into the world of musical. the sophistication and the depth of storyline are still by far the best. It was Les Miserable to show me how effective it could be to use the mix of scene, script, music and vocal to express the feeling of human being, the sadness of poor, the poweless to fight with bureaucratic system and politics, and the loves for people and the rights which supposed to be embeded but get rip of because of systems (and ironically these are all built by humen).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCZywEwbvo



Now, after 7 years later, around chinese new year timing, I am standing in the Leicaster square again and wondering what I ought to do.

France

>From long time back, I did not have every good impression to France. think it is over the hill and arrogant culture.
now I am still stuck in Paris waiting for my connection flight to England.
Urr... of course, this is not solely Air France's problem. Continental booked the flight with only one hour connection and underminded the inefficiency of Charles de Gelle. and I did not wait to take the direct flight to London because of long driving distance.
anyway, since stuck here, I did some shopping and walk around in terminal, even I am pretty much exhausted.
other than good food and some fashion good. I might hope to explore some more about people and culture here. But I might... because I guess the language is the major barrier and they are realy NOT nice to those non-france speaking foreigner (espeicially english speaking)

baby boom

Ok, so I am expecting a boy baby this June. well this put another type of anxious since we are justing getting to be familiar with how to managing a girl. It as quite funny that my wife went a little bit panic on the ultrasound table saying 'how we are going to deal with a boy' 'I have never had a brother'... well I have a brother but I have to admit the way I manage our relationship is not that great. anyway, the nurse practioner in turn trying to clam her down (it is easy just a pair of jean he can survive for a week). well, I was not sure that I was that easy to manage.
anyway, my point is: other than this news, my friends start calling each other and sharing good news. and jaw dropping is, three of them simultaneously saying they are all expecting babyies in Sept!! one in japan, one in chicago and one in california. hehe.... well... X'mas or new year party baby is understandable.... but this more seems like a global baby boom. Other than the one in california which is too crowded already, all other should be celebrate by local authorities. the one in chicago could move to minnesota. it definitly will help local economics. The one in japan, the government should really cerebrate and reward them since this is the second kids, an outlier in japan already. as for mine, I definitely welcome the new challenge. as for local authorities. I guess don't bother since they are still fighting with iraqi war and who should apologize for the slavery 200+ years ago. welcome welcome, I guess mother earth is welcoming these new comer in the case if earth is not deteriorating too fasr because of human being.

Mazda 6

recently, I seldom come into office. so, not really have much time to 'type' on my MDA.
Last time I drove this Mazda 6, and funny is I got a same onr this week.

overall, it is a ok car. the interior is ok. generally better than Ford even they are sharing chess. the manuvouring is pretty good. I think the main problem still the power of engine. By kicking down, I can easily drive up RPM