The vicious circle in Taiwan

Let me explain the definition of vicious circle first: a complex of events that reinforces itself through a feedback loop toward greater instability. (Actually I found it from Wiki) When a country fall down into such situation, it is difficult to heal and reverse the status even we got the new president. Before critisizing, I want to emphasize another circle in United States but it is a positive, good and improvable one. USA attracts a lot of people around the world for many years who are seeking the better life and would like to adapt the American dream. The economic crisis nearly did not destroy the circle but just slow it down a little bit. In my opinion, the mature democratization forms the society a tolerable environment and anyone could speak out loud his point of view without worrying radical response. People here respect to each other and have great patient to listen. In fact, they encourage people to think different, provide brandnew idea or question the exiting rules and norms. Such open-minded culture whlich creates the positive circle contributes the great and powerful America today.

Back to Taiwan. It seems that all the topics and issues have less important then the independent or united issue. All politicians here always try to tell the public that they truly love Taiwan and oppositions are not. It is ridiculous, naive and pretty much like the children fight in the elementary school. They know that doing such unmeaninful things makes no benefit with Taiwan but they keep doing so to enegize the contrast and enmity between two major groups of people just in order to win the election. These politicians only see the profit they could gain by being someone in government or a seat earning from election and raraly have the vision to the future and the passion to improve our country and society. People are misleaded by these politicians and believe the slogan they claimed thoroughly. Partial people even have great enmity against their oppositions and sometimes violent insident would be happened. It enforces the split up effect in the society and more politicians use the supporters from onesided in their campaign to win the election. Therefore, the vicious circle have been formed and constantly hurt the island.

It is obviously that the vicious circle won't be reversed in a short time because nobody wants to stop the chaos. Some people may argue that Taiwan has the diverse conditions to America's so we should not compare them. But I say that we need to reverse the vicious circle to correct the bad condition we are dealing with. Otherwise, Taiwan will be the island with hopeless and lose the ability to stop briliant people abandoning the country.

You must be kidding me! Insurance sales.

Several days ago, I saw one of my MSN contactor changed his ID to some kind of "Come to buy our found, it will insure your seed capital and interest". I immediately thought that it is another exaggerative commercial term in order to attract more innocent people who already losed a lot of money on recent economic crisis. Does she has no moral or ethic in their mind? Or just another ignorant financial worker? I hope that it is not the second one. A common sense tells us that if we saw one cockroach in our home then it must has more in the shadow. If it does have many stupid insurance workers in Taiwan then there is no hope for us to establish asian financial center submitted by our government again because our quality of financial human resource is poor.

Any fiancial product has its risk even the time deposit savings account. We should say no to those insurance institution to force them improving the technique of their employees and sales. We are in the biggest economic storm and recession since last one. I fully understand that financial institutes want to extract more money either from government bailout or consumers to stay alive but they should not break the moral and ethical principles. And only for those which insist to stay honestly and sincerely can survive from the crisis and open an new era.

People are greedy. And greediness leads greedy peoeple to the destruction. Anyone and institude who try to use such humanical defect is evil. If you can read Chinese, you may want to see this article which is about a confession of a piror structured note trader in JPMorgan: http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/webarticle.php?id=34657&p=1

Brilliant but no crucial feature to new MacBook (Pro)

Ok, the show of new MacBook (Pro) is over. (For further information about MacBook event, check related report from Gizmodo.) We saw how Apple embellishes the new MacBook (Pro) to a higher level no doubt. It looks more brilliant and is even lighter then the past one especially in its weight by using the same technic they did in the MBA. And I must say the new multi-touchpad really impress me a lot. However, the truth is, we just have upgraded MacBook (Pro), that's all. No astounding feature like blue ray or attractive prices. The stock price also proves my supposition.

Here is the stock price when Apple started the MacBook event:


And here is the stock price when Apple ended it: (It's dropping)

Well, you may concludes it is the opinion of investors though about the new MacBook (Pro) or put it to the economic crisis if you want.

Another clone in TW

You may wonder what new stuff will be introduced to the fans of Apple during the MacBook event 2008. In order to bring more fun to the event, GIZMODO has launched a BINGO game and winner could get a free pizza! (Yap, only a pizza.) Game participants should print out the BINGO card, cut off the card piece by piece and arrange the order into another 5x5 square randomly. You may click the BINGO image below to check it out:
I guess someone from Chinese division of Engadget saw the creative activity held by GIZMODO so they decided to copy the idea and establish their own one. Here is their work:
I must say that copying someone's idea is not a honorable thing but one exception capture my eye balls. Yap, its the prizes. The winner could pick up 2 from 5 MacBook plus items. They are not so expensive but much valuable then a pizza, huh?

Who is Neel Kashkari?

I believe that many of you have heard this name for many times recently especially for those suffered the nearly economic crisis. Neel Kashkari, a former Goldman Sachs executive, has become celebrity due to his new position on Treasury department of United States. He is in charge of 700 billion rescue effort for financial institution temporary. I am not surprised by his ultimate power and authority but his career background. He was an engineer before switching to financial related. He even involved in several high tech projects and had a chance to cooperate with NASA during that time. His story tells us that don't be afraid to tracing your goal even it is far from your track right now. If you want to know more detail about this man, check this link: http://www.treas.gov/organization/bios/kashkari-e.html

Apple is failed to go green currently

Ok, in our memory, we must say that Apple seems to be a model of green company. All its products are full of creativities and have simple, clean and easy to use designs. And you may remember that Apple launched "Go Red" project last year to give a great support for public welfare of AIDS. However, all actions above show that Apple establishes a good example for of building a firm reputation and appearance, but have no relationship with environmental protection.

For those Apple fans, they probably claim that Apple does pay attention to environmental issue and public just don't know it very well. Part of the assertion is true: it is difficult for consumers to figure out how much to what degree that a company invest in green topic. Besides the announcement made by any company, people know nothing about the production line and materials or chemicals they used in producing process. For us, it's a black corner and should be investigated entirely.

According to the latest report of Green Peace which is the famous and the most positive environmental protection organization, Apple did not reach the quality of green company and be scored at the lower section. Astounding? Yes. Even Acer earned a better score then Apple in the report. If we digging the report further, we may find out the most bad worst score comes from production process. which It also proves the assumption made earlier in this article true. It's a warning sign to the OEM companies in Taiwan and China. Almost all products of Apple are made in these areas for cheaper manpower and any criticism on Apple in the future would transfer to them at the end. They had better be working work on this part right away, or else it will be too late to correct when trend has switched. For a better earth, we all have responsibility.
Guide to greener electronics from Green Peace