Random Thoughts, Random Talks, Random Walks

I'm back here..

2008-09-14T06:19:00.004+08:00

This is sort of interesting - last entry I wrote here few months ago was about typhoon, and after a long pause, here I'm writting another one.

Typhoon Sinkalu got "stuck" at northerneast shore for two days, slashed north part of the island, finally it decided to move in late evening of 13th, Sept. uh, 13th..

Turn back! You are on the wrong path...

2007-11-26T19:28:00.001+08:00

The sky is a bit busy this week - two typhoons are wandering back and forth. I don't remember anything like this happened in the past, typhoons in late November had been rare enough.
And now we got two tangling and eventually both turn 180 degree. Just curiou, what's the mysterious force that drag the typhoons around?

Let's go Tokyo for dinner

2007-11-19T20:48:00.000+08:00

Michelin crowns Japan world's culinary capital
The Internatioal HeraldTribune Published: November 19, 2007
"Tokyo is a shining star in the world of cuisine," Michelin Guides Director Jean-Luc Naret said at a press conference in the capital, after announcing the picks to gasps from hundreds of Japanese reporters gathered there. He declared Tokyo "the world leader in gourmet dining". Read full story
right, I remembered the luxury shabu-shabu... Yummmmy~ :-)

Duck chef sells duck, yummy it says..

2007-11-18T11:19:00.000+08:00

We had a day tour to the hotsping resort in King-Shan for the weekend. We took a walk in the old market of King-Shan after a luxuriant lunch and a relaxant hotspring bath.
This "Duck chef sells duck" status stands outside a food stand, which is extremely famous for duck cooking. It's rather amusing status, don't you think? :-) To Apprise to duck chef's cooking I bought one pack home, and found it's really tasty!

The "Biggest" Full Moon of The Year

2007-10-27T09:53:00.000+08:00

"The 'bigest' full moon of the year is appearing on 26 Oct," said the news reporter with an enthusiastic voice, like it's the biggest news of the century.

So I raised my head and looked at the sky while I was on my way home. Wow! That's really a "big" Moon. See the light spot to the left? That's the Moon. Take street lights as reference, and you can imagine how bright it is.
I called all my friends to appreciate this flawless full Moon. Silly? Yes, I know, but it's interesting to think we all look at the same Moon at the same time even we are not togeter. :-)

San Diego on Fire

2007-10-24T19:48:00.000+08:00

Evacuations ordered for 250,000 households there and thousands more in other areas of Southern California.
By Tony Perry and Michael Muskal, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
8:59 PM PDT, October 22, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- At least 500 homes and 100 businesses have been destroyed in a single San Diego County wildfire, officials announced Monday evening. Read the full story.

The news of San Diego wildfires caught my attention because many friends of mine live in the city. Glad to know they are all fine, though some are evacuated. At least they are all safe with families.

So it's all stirred up by moon..

2007-10-19T19:26:00.000+08:00

International Herald Tribune
Sexy corals keep 'eye' on moon, scientists say
--by Willaim J. Broad Published: October 18, 2007
Scientists discovered the mysterious rite of procreation in 1981 and ever since have puzzled over its details. The moon clearly rules the synchronized mass spawning, which happens during different months in different parts of the globe, but usually in the summer. But how do corals monitor the moon's phases and know when to start mingling? Read the full story.

I found this discovry interesting because we've been working on a under water monitoring project to tap on corals. Hope the moon not just stirred up corals' nerve but also the funding agencies', so they will fund us better. P.A. I want to go Tahiti.. ;-)

No, Sir. I'm not drunk...

2007-10-19T18:36:00.000+08:00

VIENNA (Reuters) - An Austrian motorist too drunk to change a tire phoned a police emergency number by mistake instead of the breakdown service and wound up losing his license, police said on Thursday. Read full story.

Oops! Wrong number. :-)

Shark attack, help...

2007-10-16T19:04:00.000+08:00

These two pictures were taken at ReefHQ Aquarium at Townsville, Australia.

We were playing with aquarium's collections of shark teeth bone, while the receptionist was kindly explaining.

Often time when I feel tired, I look at these pictures and cheer myself up by remembering those fun times and reminding myself how lucky I am.

If You Are Coming To Taipei

2007-10-13T00:27:00.000+08:00

New York Times - Travel - going to Taipei
By MATT GROSS
Published: February 12, 2006
....WHERE TO EAT People in Taipei are so obsessed with food that they won't leave the house without the promise of a dumpling or a plate of stinky tofu (yes, it's a real dish) at their destination. .... Read full story.

This is not a recent article, but it came up on gmail web clip for some reason. I can't help laughing when I read this paragraph. Obsessed with food? Ha, Ha, Ha.... I believe guests we've entertained can't be more agree than that. :-)

2007 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to...

2007-10-11T13:44:00.000+08:00

10 October 2007
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2007 to
Gerhard Ertl
Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
for his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces. Read full story.

Why do I log this one? Hmm... Just a wistful look at chemistry, from a chemist went astray. :-)

Sunflower

2007-10-09T18:05:00.000+08:00

Sunflower is my favorite flower, for its lively image. This picture was taken on the seashore of Rausu (羅臼), Hokkaido, the first time I saw a sunflower grows on seashore. The waved leaves are imprint of flaming passions for life.

The power of words

2007-10-08T18:42:00.000+08:00

No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous. -- Henry Brooks Adams

Found myself easily choose sharp words to express thoughts, and it hurted people's feeling. Sorry my friend, I don't mean it. God bless me if this help.

Chimney is for Santa's exclusive use

2007-10-03T19:10:00.000+08:00

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German man who had been drinking heavily at Munich's Oktoberfest beer festival got stuck in a chimney for 12 hours while trying to climb into a friend's apartment, police said Friday. Read full story.

An amusing story, a great laughter. :-)

Breakfast at a Japanese Ryokan

2007-10-03T18:12:00.000+08:00

Having breakfast at a traditional Japanese hotel is a great pleasure. This picture was taken at Etchuya-ryokan, Otaru, Hokkaido, the ending of my summer trip to Hokkaido, Japan.