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Showing posts from October, 2008

sf street

sf street

famous cable car @ sf

levi's @ sf

apple store @ sf

taco, taco, more taco

I love various kind of foreign foods, including Mexican food taco. I ate my lunch at Rubio's. We used to eat in this place quite a lot when we were in Pasadena. There is another Taco Del Mar restaurant nearby the hotel. So taco, taco, more taco. Wonderful. This device is new. After you order the food, take it with you. When your order is ready, it vibrates to remind you. I saw this in several restaurants now.

Cathouse@HBO

My goodness, this is really shown on TV? I can't believe my eyes. It is fun to watch though. It is a reality show for prostitutes in Bunny Ranch brothel. The show even has scenes of actual sex activities.

How cheap it can go?

This brand of shoe is listed at $39.99. At local store, it is on sale for $15.99. With buy one get one half price deal, it is $7.99. So how exactly this shoe costs? 3 bucks? I believe it is the case. The cheap labor factories in China get just one tenth of the money in the chain.

some walking today!

It was quite some walking! when I was on the way back, I was really hoping a taxi, and luckily got one eventually. This is the part US sucks. It is a tourist scene, no food/drink stands? no taxi? Those are good business opportunities. View Larger Map

golden gate bridge

dog, cat and mouse get along

sea lions @ pier 39

san francisco street

fenway park

Red Sox

On Bullshit

Ain't we so used to bullshitting in these days? Take an example of media coverage of current US presidential election, and global economic recession. Do they really know what they are talking about? Also back in China, these talked on TV about house price, stock market. Those are really bullshit.

Palace Hotel, San Francisco

The current ("New") Palace Hotel (opened in 1909) is an historic hotel located in San Francisco, California , at the SW corner of Market Street and New Montgomery Street, immediately adjacent to BART 's Montgomery Street Station , the Monadnock Building, and across Market Street from Lotta's Fountain . It replaced the original Palace Hotel which stood at the same location from 1875 until it was destroyed by fire on April 18 , 1906 , as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake .

HD TV broadcast

See the sign? The TV in the hotel is not HD ready for sure, since the quality is still just as analog. "SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / BCN) ― Bay Area residents watching broadcast television on CBS 5 and other stations Tuesday evening may be surprised by a minute-long interruption of their nightly programming to warn them about the upcoming switch from analog television to digital television. "

Bay Bridge

Macy's

G1 hits San Francisco store

I saw a whole bunch of people waiting in line in front of one mobile phone retail store at the corner of Market and 3rd streets. They are waiting to get the Google G1.

Trip to SFO - Day 1

In PuDong airport gift shop, I saw one fine wood bead bracelet made by 印度小叶紫檀. The price is CNY700. After I saw the price, I smiled. The sale asked me why I was smiling. I showed her my bracelet. It is exactly the same quality and same style made by the same wood. The price is around CNY80. The flight is UA858 direct from Shanghai to San Francisco. As I was told, the seat is not roomy for transatlantic flight. After 11 hours' flight, I was back to US. Last time I left US was 2005. Many things happened in these couple of years. The sky is still crystal blue, and the air is still refreshing. However, the economy in US is really deteriorating. The old buildings. The homeless on the street. Right after landing, I came to office. I managed no sleep for 24 hours on the first day. Chao, more to come.

San Francisco, here I come

beckman@caltech

8GB, 8GB, 8GB!

The reflection gets popular after Apple rejuvenation. It is popular because sometimes it tells the truth.

Got the passport and visa

After the interview, the passport and visa are send through EMS. You can choose to let EMS send to your home or office, or pick up on your own. I chose to pick it up on my own. I was misled by the info the invitation materials lawyer gave. On one document, it mentions the post office is conveniently located across the street of Consulate, which is not! It is located one subway station away. The address is No. 915 JuLu Road. I searched on Google Didu, and got misled again. The spot is marked totally wrong. It is located right on the north of JingAn Temple Station, but on the map, it is marked at least 600 block numbers away. The 50CNY fee is paid on spot.

To apply a B1 visa in Shanghai

The most important thing is the official invitation letter from US. There are many other supporting documents, such as family photo, marriage certificate, bank saving, income tax receipt, to name a few. Based on my experience and guideline from company, those are optional, but prepare and bring along just in case. Another important item is fee - remember to pay 904CNY in any CITIC branch. I did see someone on hot spot realized he didn't pay the fee, especially after hours of waiting in the line! To apply for a visa in Shanghai, first I need call to make reservation. The call is pre-paid. I got my reservation number and scheduled time. Both are useless. Only the date is important. On that day, I arrived the Shanghai USA Consular. It is conveniently located nearby Metro #2 West Nanjing Road station, and surprisingly on 8th floor in the Westgate Shopping Mall. First waited outside in the line. Squeezed in the elevator. Another waiting in the line in elevator lobby. After reservation c...

淘宝上同一品牌手机的不同版本

1大陆行货(A行):主要是中国生产,销售于中国市场的称为大陆行。国内所有的大陆行货机都可以在所设的客服中心进行免费的保修服务。部分地区保修要出示购机发票,NOKIA大陆行不修发票可以保修。索爱没发票也可以保,但只能保修一次。索爱有发票复印件可以多次保修,不需要原件也可以。大陆行货机都有进网许可证。该证可紫光灯下显示仿伪。 2 大陆行货(B行):通常是指把港行机器写软件改串号改成大陆行货,绝大部分的机器可以享受全国联保。 3 香港行货:主要是香港货源,进口较多,在香港销售及保修,现在NOKIA和摩托罗拉港行可以在大陆保修(但需要香港发票原件)。没有的就只能在香港保修了。有简体中文和繁体中文两种。 4 原装水货(欧版机、水货):在香港大陆都没保修,销售欧洲地区,所以叫欧水,一般都是英文版改了中文所以有的叫欧改机。一般按键没有中文笔划,说明书和包装都是英文版,多数是简体中文输入。 5 亚太水货:在香港大陆都没保修,销售新加坡,或马来西牙地区,所以叫亚太,一般都是中文所以有的叫香港水货不是港行小心卖家冒充。一般按键有中文笔划,说明书和包装都是英文版,多数是简体中文输入。 6 翻新机:就是二手机换个壳加个包装,水货行货都可以反新,有水货翻了当行货,行货过了保不想保修的翻新了当水货的都有,翻新或主要当新机卖。现在做翻新的都比较专业。一般都用原装壳原装配件,但因包装没有原装货拿。所以 多数都是组装,工艺比较粗糙,说明书的纸制也没原装的那么精美。翻新机主要供给新机市场,翻新了卖二手只有亏本,所以不会当二手机卖。因此买新机的玩家要多注意,主要 是不要贪小便宜。因为翻新机和全新机有很大的差价,很容易吸引想便宜买到新机的玩家们。

春秋战国时期的宝鸡

宝鸡不仅是历史久远,而且在当时也是很不错的大城市啊。估计那时候上海香港之类的还在海里呢。 东周列国志里的一段,见 第二十六回 歌扊扅百里认妻 获陈宝穆公证梦 。前面有一段,和诸葛亮在隆中何其相似! 穆公曰:“宝夫人何为者?”廖对曰:“臣闻先君文公之时,有陈仓人于土中得一异物,形如满囊,色间黄白,短尾多足,嘴有利喙。陈仓人谋献 之先君。中途遇二童子,拍手笑曰:‘汝虐于死人,今乃遭生人之手乎?’陈仓人请问其说,二童子曰:‘此物名猬,在地下惯食死人之脑,得其精气,遂能变化。汝谨持之!’猬 亦张喙忽作人言曰:‘彼二童子者,一碅E一雄,名曰陈宝,乃野雉之精。得雄者王,得雌者霸。’陈仓人遂舍猬而逐童子,二童子忽化为雉飞去。陈仓人以告先君,命书其事于简, 藏之内府,臣实掌之,可启而视也。夫陈仓正在太白山之西,君试猎于两山之间,以求其迹,则可明矣。”穆公命取文公藏简观之,果如廖之语。因使廖详记其梦,并藏内府。 次日,穆公视朝,群臣毕贺。穆公遂命驾车,猎于太白山。迤逦而西,将至陈仓山,猎人举网得一雉鸡,玉色无瑕,光采照人。须臾化为石鸡,色光不减。猎者献于穆公。内史廖 贺曰:“此所谓宝夫人也。得雌者霸,殆霸征乎?君可建祠于陈仓,必获其福。”穆公大悦,命沐以兰汤覆以锦衾,盛以玉匮。即日鸠工伐木,建祠于山上,名其祠曰:宝夫人祠。 改陈仓山为宝鸡山。有司春秋二祭。每祭之晨,山上闻鸡鸣,其声彻三里之外。间一年或二年,望见赤光长十余丈,雷声殷殷然,此乃叶君来会之期。叶君者,即雄雉之神,所谓别居 南阳者也。至四百余年后,汉光武生于南阳,起兵诛王莽,即汉祚,为后汉皇帝,乃是得雄者王之验。

春秋战国时期的吃人现象

最近在读东周列国志, 发现那个时候吃人肉是个比较普遍的现象。有几种情况。一种情况是乱臣贼子,被剥夺性命后(车裂,斩首,蒸煮,刑法林林总总),做成包子肉膏之类的让大家品尝。 另外两种情况是吃的人不知道吃的是人肉,吃完才发现。谄媚小人易牙,把自己儿子煮了,给小白吃。小白吃的津津有味,吃完也很感动。 献肉的也有忠臣。 重耳那一阵子四处逃难,几个月别说肉, 连饭都吃不饱,都到了象农民讨饭的份,人家农民还不给! 介子推从自己大腿片下肉来,给重耳炖了一个肉汤。最后自己还被烧死了。 可以想象,那个连年征战的年代, 老百姓吃人肉就更加普遍了。