Promise

In my mail box, there came in a beautiful post card.

It is a beautiful card, with mountains and green trees and flowing water. But, what surprised me and made me happy was the handwriting on its back, familar but seems remote.

It reminded me that you once said, if I could remember you in my next life, we shall fight to be together whatever the cost is, even death.
It is only a post card; it was a promise.

Ok, If I could remember you in my next life, please don't forget what your promised me. You had my answer.


It is only a post card. Was your promise only a joke?

THIS IS FROM A SUMARRY CONTENT OF A POPULAR SONG, IN CHINA. INTERESTING?

IT IS A PROMISE, ANYWAY!

mails

From the news, it was known that last year, the post office lost about 14 million letters out of the total 22 billions they posted.
14 million, is a huge number.

BUT, 22 billion is tremendous, even. Frankly, it is about 1 out of 1,500 mails is lost. Not a big fraction at all.

To the contrary, it sometimes is very important for us, even though, it is just one letter. It might be an offer from the potential employer, or a letter from the will-be employer during the process, or, a true love letter from a missing relative, or a cheque that you can't afford to lose...

So, we just hope those who write to us, please remind us by emails at the same time.
We also hope, there is no lost for non-junk mails...

post and happiness

4 or 5 years ago, I remmbered that I always enjoyed picking up the posts from the floor near the front door at 7:30-8:30am, just about/before my heading out for work.

Sometimes, I enjoyed the benefit of twice delievery a day.

A couple of years passed, I found the mails normally arrive in at about 11:00am, once a day.

Recently, I have to admit that most of the mails came in at 1:00pm, which made me thinking, oh, they are a bit postponed again.

From this week, my posts won't come in until 3:00pm, and today, it was near 3 o'clock. I am just wondering if it is because the regular post man is on holiday, or...is it just another change of schedule?

I am also wondering, what is the latest possible time for mail delivery during the day?

Strangely enough, no matter how umimportant the mails I received are, they always bring in happiness.

Global Warming 2

Since no one would stop the increasing emission of co2, which is believed the main reason of global warming, then we have to get rid of the green gases we produced.

how?

Only the plants are consuming these during the process of photosythesis.

then?

then, we may need to increase the areas of green plants all over the world.

how?

This is a tricky quesion.

Theoretically, the higher the temp. is, (within) the reasonable range, the faster the plants will grow. So, it seems an easy job, but is it really so easy?

Apart from planting more trees and cultivate and protect more rain forest, can we also think:

A: To plant more sea plants since they absorb half our the CO2 human discharged. (http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6164)

B: Find an environment friendly and man made way to convert the CO2 into O2, which seems almost impossible (without consuming huge energy or the limted resource we are alreay struggling with!), but it depends on our scientists.

C: Find an environment friendly way to prevent the green land glaciers to melt, by using some harmless chemicals there?

Anyhow, we have to admit that nothing is so ideal. We have to save energy to save the planet.

Global warming 1

In 1996, Greenland was losing about 100 cubic km per year in mass from its ice sheet. In 2005, this had increased to about 220 cubic km. By comparison, the city of Los Angeles uses about one cubic km of water per year.
(from BBC)

Isn't this amazing and astonishing to know?

People are talking about global warming a lot recently, since more and more people realize this is one of the most serious problems that human kind is facing.

I believe that it is impossible for any nations/countries to stop (or even to reduce) the emission of co2, simple because none of them would like to sacrifice their economic development for environment, the benefit of all.

so, what is the way out?

Will man kind wait until more and more natural disasters happen to force them to stop polluting and act accordingly? It certainly might be too late.

Or, will the natural disasters themselves will balance the needs of the planet so that the emission will equal the cosumption of the plants, etc...?

English speaking

Sometimes, people speak like this:

I haven't done nothing wrong.

Would you give me a little bag?

Thanks very much.

He drinking cocacola a lot, every day.

She do not like it at all.

Anything wrong with these sentences?

Think again.

How to save money

When the ability of making money is fully utilized, sometimes, we have to consider how to save money instead. so that, the outcome will be similar - we will be better off!

Use internet banking rather than telephone banking, so that, you don't need to pay anything!
If you are not very sure of how to set up internet banking, I am sure that you can either visit your bank in person, or visit your bank's website at home.

Like: LLOYDSTSB www.lloydstsb.com
BARCLAYS www.barclays.co.uk
NATWEST www.natwest.com
HSBC www.hsbc.co.uk
NATIONWIDE www.nationwide.co.uk
HALIFAX www.halifax.co.uk
ABBEY NATIONAL www.abbeynational.co.uk

After which, you should be able to set up an online saver, some banks call it e-saving, easily. by doing so, you can transfer you cash between the online saver and your current account 24-7, to make you more interest than only holding a current account.

If you like to chat with friends on the phone, then make your mobile phone a contract one rather than a pay as you go.
or, use your home phone more, since normally it saves by using landline rather than cell phone. It is always cheaper to call during off peak time than peak call time.

If you are calling abroad, why not try 08448619898, the service from www.telediscount.co.uk, or 18866 services which could be found here www.18866.co.uk. That will definatly save you a lot.
Be aware that some landline offers you a package of hourly phone call, by charging say 6p an hour, at off peak time. NOT ALL THE TIME!
MOST of the contract cell phones have some free minutes allowance, at any time any network OR OFF PEAK TIME ONLY.

Don't forget that you need to switch your computer, tv, heating, etc. off before your leaving your room. (They are enviromental friendly actions, I love that!)

Like the Tv ad. says, Every penny counts!

Credit card debt?

From today, you have to remember your pin for shopping using your card.

A credit card is a card that a financial institute issue to you under the name of your credit. You should only use it when you know that you can afford it since the money is not really yours.
You can benefit from its convenience, interest free period, free travel insurance and even cash back...but the good advice is: To pay it back in full when the free interest period is due, so that you can use it again next month and no need to pay a penny extra.

If you are really in some trouble in paying back the debt on credit card, apply a small loan to repay it but don't use the loan for further luxury consuming anymore, since it may induce you into deeper trouble. The reason for this is: normally, the credit card interest charge (out of the 40-56 days free interest days) is very high, say 15%-30% as a range, but the loan is about 6-8% annually.

In one word, don't use the money which is not yours. Be thrifty, it isn't a bad thing at all. It can save some for some rainy days; it can save for a romantic and enjoyable holiday; it saves for the enviroment as well.

eh? Don't you think?

Anne Robinson

The first time I watched the weakest link, I was astonished to see the hostess’ attitude and her way of speaking. How rude that was! How could viewers bear with this sort of behaviour!

Up to no reasons, I have been watching for some times of this programme. Little by little, I feel in love with this fantastic show. I got to know, later, that this programme attracts about 6 millions viewers!
What a figure!
A: you will never mind her ‘rude humour’ but will think that she treats everybody equally! B: this game will give you as much knowledge as other quiz show, if no more!

Anne Robinson is one of the highest paid journalist in the UK. It is hard to explain why people like her so much, from teens to very senior people, including males and females. The only possible way to dig out the reason is to watch the programme yourself.

She uses her own way to make herself the art of a hostess, the era of a journalist.

railway

As British, do you have any idea when and where was the first intercity passenger railway in the world?

1830s?(wow, I wasn't born yet.) From Manchester to Liverpool, for about 30 miles long?

To know more and exactly, pls click the following:

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

enjoy

London Tube

Do you come across to realize that London undergroup railway is the oldest underground system and one of the three largest in the world?

Do you know how many stations it has? How many passengers it serves daily? How wide its network covers?

Check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground

Oh, have you ever been to here, www.tfl.gov.uk ? an amazingly useful website for travelling in London. That shows the advantages of internet, doesn't it?

Enjoy.

OLD Smith

My wife called her colleague's home, ''Is Old Smith home, please?''
''Speaking...'', but my wife didn't think that was her colleague's voice but much older...!?

Then she said, ''W Smith?''
''Oh, No, that is my son, he isn't in today, can I take a message?''

In Chinese culture, sometimes you call your close pal ''Old sth.'', but it doesn't necessarily mean that he/she is very old. And, quite often, this colleague is mature among his/her colleagues, but definatly not in front of his/her father.

so, old smith sometimes = young smith.

celebrations

oh, forgot to tell you that I have passed all the courses and the thesis for my MSc in England. so, another reason to have a little drink...

BeiJing

I didn't like big cities at all, before.
I hate big cities because they are not: easy to remmber where we are and where we have been. and, normally, people are indifferent there... Normally, big cities are also crowded, seems dangerous, seems dirty, seems in chaos...

I recently have been to Beijing, (I passed by that city many times before) and, I stayed there for about two weeks. A close friend showed me around, not to the famous sight seeings, but to some places that strangers will never be able to find.

A Pub called, pass by, locates in an old Hu Tong. It seems in a very old building, with an old style, mixed with eastern and western culture. It definatly has very nice taste of western food and reasonable priced drinks and so on.

We have been to many restaurants with China's local styles. They have food more than meat or fish or delicious vegetables can make, but made from colorful cultures, different styles and certainly unique tastes. Oh, right, their prices are so much acceptable compared to the luxury hotels or decent decorated restaurants... you might be surprized! So, call a friend before adventuring there...

Beijing still has the traffic that won't please you, but people's behaviours are far better than other middle sized cities in China.

I am falling in Love with it.

parents' life

It was them who brought me up, fed me, encouraged me to study hard for university, for the life in cities.
Now, I am quite far away from them. They do NOT understand my life anymore but they care about me. I don't get used to the life they are living anymore, but I try to help to improve their living standard.
Many cheques arrived, they just deposited them and claiming to save for me for a house, in the future.
I want them to spend some to make their life more comfortable, but they said they were fine with it, now; they are very happy for what they have.

When I am home with them, their home, I hardly do anything. Not because I don't want to help, but because I couldn't help much. I sat there, listen to their lives, listen to their chores and stories with neighbours and people around them. Sometimes, we talk about stories happened before in the small village where I was born. They are happy, I am happy.
Most of the time, I only sat there, around the stove, staring at the slim but bright light through the gap, recalling the old stories and colorless scenes.

Before, they told me what to do. Now, I give advices to them on how to deal with people and things. They are glad to hear them more than to adopt them.

They are more used to their own life.

HaiNan Island

This is a beautiful island in the very south part of China. I went there in winter time, on the new year day.

the temperature there was around 20 degree centigrade. And, in its southern city, San Yan, the temp. is 30!

I did sea diving there, with loads of water pressure and scareness. But the most embarrass thing is refusing your instructor on selling you the DVD or pictures taken while you were under the water, which costs you hundreds.

This island is very beautiful and green itself, naturally. There, you have got a chance to taste so many natural drinks. I had none bottled water or coca for the whole week there, but only fresh coconut. Wow, that is an experience..

The island is green, again, is absolutely no pollution. So, it is highly recommended for traveling around. The thing is, half of our time, is in shopping and you will never have the perseverance to refuse all the recommendation from your travel guide. But, one thing you need to remember: ONLY BUY THOSE YOU NEED, YOU WANT OR YOU THINK IT is WORTH TO BUY!

unfortunately, the development of tourism industry has turned the poor countryside residents to profit pursuing people only, with some rudeness. That is a shame.

But, as the tour guide said, themselves as well as Hainan residents are mainly living on this industry, so, please buy something if you fancy them.

So, I bought some coffee, some sweets, some teas, a pearl necklace; I joined the sea diving, I joined the Lady Boy performance... Wow, it seems I spent money wherever the guide recommended...

but, we had a very nice away week...

Tea

A friend of my wife who is from South Asia just had dinner together with us. She sat there and a friend of her kept pouring tea to her pot for her for being polite. She then kept drinking it, certainly, the friend will keep pouring more tea for her while it was drunk.

Then, later, she said, she was afraid that she couldn't drink anymore. Another Chinese friend then understood her and told her that she was NOT obliged to drink it at all.

In China, if i were the host, or a close friend of you who sat near you, I would be taking good care of you for drinking and eating for politeness. It donesn't necessary mean that you must drink all the tea that I pour for you.

What a tea culture that would be.

sorry, readers

Dear readers,
I should appoligize for being lazy, being travelling around, being unable to access to the blog, being TOO BUSY, so that I missed writing in my blog. there are so many so called reasons that you can name it.
but sincerely, I am back.

How many stories that I get here ready to tell you?