Usage: Polite or Impolite? Past VS Present -- Part 1

DISTANCING

Sorry, I haven't been keeping my blog updated as promised. This is due to my busy schedule (that the school is making full use of my time), as well as the time needed to do the research in this topic.

Again, some of you have already heard me mentioning this topic in class, but I would like to go a little deeper this time, so I will break this topic into a few entries, so that I can answer as many doubts as possible.

First, let me state that, in general, past tenses are more polite than present tense, as many of you might have already known, which further implies that past tenses are not only used for telling actions happened in the past.

Past tenses play a very important part in Distancing.

The main reason is that past tenses give people a 'distance' from 'now', thus the listener will feel less 'pushed' by the speaker because it sounds less direct.

eg. At a high-end brand shop, a salesperson might say...

1. "How many handbags did you want to buy? (more polite)" to a customer who speaks Mandarin
2. "How many handbags do you want to buy? (less polite)" to a customer who speaks Cantonese

eg. At a jewelery shop, a salesperson might say...

1. "How much did you intend to spend? (more polite)" to a customer who wears gold all over the body
2. "How much do you intend to spend? (less polite)" to a customer who wears T-shirt and flip-flops.

eg. When a boy sees a girl he likes ...

1. I wondered if you were free this evening.

When a girl sees the boy she doesn't like...

1. I wonder if you have ever looked at yourself in the mirror.

So much for today, think over and digest a bit! See you in a few days! (My time for bed)

Picture resources:

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rma/lowres/rman202l.jpg

Resources:

Practical English Usage by Michael Swan

News Article: If You Must Know: How Did the Chinese Create Snow?

Quoting entirely from the original website:

If You Must Know: How Did the Chinese Create Snow?

By DAN FLETCHER – Tue Nov 3, 9:55 am ET

"Everybody complains about the weather," the old saying goes, "But nobody does anything about it." That is, until now. A Nov. 1 snowfall in Beijing - the city's earliest since 1987 - is due, Chinese scientists say to a campaign of "cloud-seeding" to encourage precipitation. If true, it's the wettest success yet in a long-standing effort to bring moisture artificially to the parched northern regions of China. So how'd they do it? (See pictures of the science of snowflakes.)

AFP – Pedestrians make their way across the snow in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on November 1. Chinese …

For those who haven't had a meteorology class since middle school, a quick review of Weather 101: Colder air encourages precipitation, so when the temperature drops at high altitude, water naturally condenses out of the air. Clouds are formed when this moisture, suspended in tiny droplets or crystals, meets a condensation nuclei - small particles of dust or ice that are blown about the upper atmosphere. Without these small particles, clouds can't form.

The method of cloud-seeding used by the Chinese involves dosing the atmosphere with silver iodide, a chemical solution either dropped from planes or shot up from the ground. (Other methods use salt or dry ice.) The silver iodide particles supercharge cloud formation, as they act as excellent condensation nuclei. Once clouds form, they also start a positive feedback effect. As droplets freeze and are added to the cloud, they release their heat, creating an updraft which draws additional moisture from the ground into the atmosphere.

That's the theory, anyway. The effectiveness of cloud-seeding is still disputed, because it's difficult to say with any certainty that cloud-seeding is responsible for a storm rather than Mother Nature. But if you choose to believe in cloud-seeding, the Chinese scientists may have even overdone it. The snowstorm lasted for 11 hours, disrupting flights in and out of Beijing and hampering shipping off the Chinese coast. Still, expect few complaints from the generally dry region; it's the most accumulation the city's seen in a decade, and further proof the Chinese may be becoming the world's best at managing weather. In a 2008 experiment, scientists seeded clouds in advance of the Beijing Olympics, successfully ensuring clear skies for the opening ceremony.

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Vocabulary:

cloud-seeding (n) -- producing clouds by using chemicals

precipitation (n) -- rain or snow

long-standing (adj) -- long-time

parched (adj) -- (of land or crops) very dry

disputed (adj) -- disagreed

accumulation (n) -- collection of water from rain or snow

************************************************************************

If you have been paying attention to the weather these days, you would have realised that this year, the rainfall in Hong Kong has been very little. In fact, we are soon facing a very bad drought due to 14% less rainfall in the first 10 months of the year in the entire Guangdong[1]. As you should know, most of our drinking water comes from Dongjiang and that is provided by the Guangdong provincial government under contract signed, but when there is not enough for the people in Guangdong, there won't be enough for people in Hong Kong. Sooner or later, Hong Kong may also need to ration (to limit the use of) water.

I was actually hoping for the previous two typhoons to hit Hong Kong, because that could have brought us a lot of water (and hitting concrete city like Hong Kong is better than hitting other less storm-protected countries), but unfortunately, they never came. If silver iodide(AgI) works for Beijing[2], we might still have a chance to improve the situation, but it all looks bleak (almost hopeless) when dry wind is blowing from the north during our winter time. I guess we will need to see what happens when spring comes, when the air gets a little wetter.

So you see how much global warming can change the planet? We must do our parts and heal the world!

Resources:

[1] http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-10/30/content_8871215.htm

[2]http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/time/wl_time/storytext/08599193409000/33952691/SIG=12o685kou/*http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1934090,00.html?xid=rss-fullworld-yahoo

Website: Time.com Online

Found this marvellous website www.time.com while reading an article on weather control by China. I think it is a great thing to share. Article later, check out the website first! It has articles to read and videos to watch! Yet another great website for first hand news!

Resources:

http://www.time.com

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1934090,00.html?xid=rss-fullworld-yahoo

Movie & Song: This is it & Earth Song

Image from blogspot.com

Recalling an entry I wrote about Michael Jackson, I think I have learnt more about him and have higher praise for him after watching his latest movie, THIS IS IT.

First of all, I do like Michael Jackson, but I was once bothered by this throwing-his-son-out-of-the-balcony incident and sleeping-with-children-is-a-wonderful-thing interview. However, after watching this movie, I have a totally new impression of the King of Pop. I truly believe that the media largely distorted his words and doings in the past, and this movie has spoken out for the real him.

If you are looking for wonderful MJ moonwalk, 45 degree lean and powerful dances, then I am sorry, you won't see any of these. Well, he was 50 years old. But at 50 years old, he still had the best body flexibility and lightning fast feet, now that's not easy!! His voice was still brilliant, a voice lying in between masculine and feminine, changed from warmth and smoothness to his typical burst yells, he still had all those.

But what absolutely stunned me, was that I got to see, for the first time, that he actually knew much more than these. At one point of the movie, he was doing his rehearsal dance on stage, when suddenly I saw him doing some steps that I had never seen before, and all those young and top professional dancers were all yelling and cheering MJ from below the stage. When MJ finally ended his dance, saying "I like that, I like that too," I then realised MJ had not planned for this part at all! He was create new steps and moves right on the spot just by dancing according to his feelings!! And that was completely unbelievable because it was as smooth and lithe as if he had been practising for a thousand times.

Image from news.msn.com.tw

He also impressed me a lot when he was giving the professional guitarist and pianists advice on how to improve their music, taking their music to a new height. MJ also knew every single note of his songs, and he could hear music that seemed so perfect to me but turned out to be "(emotions/feelings) it's not there" for him. He IS a real genius!

I was most touched by the part he introduced the video opening of his song, Earth Song, which he talked about how bothered he was by knowing the speed of which the rainforests are being destroyed. He mentioned that he loved greens, he loved the animals, and that was a really true-hearted speech. Even when he was thanking the team for their painstaking rehearsal, he voiced out that "heal the world" message, saying that the world must be healed within 4 years or there will be no way back. At these parts, seeing the green forest being destroyed by a log harvester, I almost burst out in tears. MJ and I are both green, animals and peace-loving people.

He was always gentle with his co-workers, even when he was upset with someone, he would still say "God Bless You" to them. This may sound ironic, but there is no better punishment than to God Bless the person he actually felt upset with. He was so kind!

Rest in peace, Michael.

****************************************************************************

Here's the song and lyrics for you to feel his love for nature:

Earth Song

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaah

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaah

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaah

Hey, what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can't even breathe
(What about us)
What about the bleeding Earth
(What about us)
Can't we feel its wounds
(What about us)
What about nature's worth
(ooo,ooo)
It's our planet's womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
We've turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
We're ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can't we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can't you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about babies
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What was us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn

Resources:

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/vocabulary-news-article-jackson-friends.html

Earth Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOnL5c8LMqM

Earth Song Lyrics:

http://www.lyrics007.com/Michael%20Jackson%20Lyrics/Earth%20Song%20Lyrics.html

Investment: Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 3

Investment: Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 3

China Opportunities

Here's a recap of the last two entries:

1. Electric cars, supported and promoted by the many countries in order to cub global warming, will be the next battlefield for investors.
2. Considering America, large companies like General Motor(GM), Ford and Chrysler may have more resources (borrowed money?), but small ones like Tesla and Fisker have ground-breaking technology.
3. The barrier to entry is not high for the car manufacturing industry.
4. The new era of electric cars will bring along a race to cheaper and greener energy to reduce CO2 emission.

The Short Run

In the short run, the biggest problem faced by the electric car industry is really how to make the car goes fast, so whoever gets the best battery wins. And a faster rechargeable battery is more important than the lifespan, which in turn is more important than the charge capacity and the size of the battery.

Lithium

If the batteries are so important, at the end of the day, the first industry to benefit is the Lithium industry due to the strong demand. Since 1966, the price of Lithium in the US has gone up from a low US$7.50 per pound to 1998 US$43.33 per pound[1]. The countries with the largest Lithium reserve are Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina[2].Unfortunately, there aren't any specific Lithium production companies listed in Hong Kong. But a tip is, most of the large Lithium reserves are found in Qinghai and Sichuan. [3] There is a company listed in Hong Kong which produces rechargeable batteries for motorbikes and is looking into the possibilities of manufacturing batteries for the electric cars, but the batteries they produce uses Lead(Pb), a highly dangerous element which has caused poisonings of villagers in China[4], so I wouldn't choose that.

Solar vs Wind

Like I have said in the previous entry, Lithium battery itself doesn't solve the problem of CO2 emission and global warming, so eventually, renewable energy is the key to total success. I choose solar to be the first choice, not only because it is unlimited (except at night or in very dark rainy days), it has a much better flexibility in installation over wind (windmills). Solar panels can be big or small, can be installed in large deserts, rooftop of skyscrapers, or even in calculators or toys. Now, of course, you can't expect the solar panels on your car's rooftop can generate enough power to run the entire journey as you drive, but you sure can install the solar panels at home and use the electricity generated to recharge your car![5] But if you are going to install a windmill at your home's rooftop, you will have to see if your home is located in a very windy area or not. Solar wins.

PS: Although I said you can't expect solar panels on the car's rooftop, Toyota has a car named Prius that at least powers the air-con.[6] Who knows what it can power in the long run?

Advancing technology in crystalline silicon production

Solar power comes from the sun, but to transfer that sunlight into electricity you need polysilicon (or polycrystalline silicon). The cheaper the production price, the better. As technology advances, production cost will only get cheaper and cheaper. With the push from governments all around the world, the larger the company, the more capital they have for research and development (R&D), and the better chance for success.

Chinese Opportunity

Investors can follow the trend of the global new energy through the Wilderhill New Energy Global Innovation Index (NEX) , which "is comprised of companies worldwide whose innovative technologies and services focus on generation and use of cleaner energy, conservation and efficiency, and advancing renewable energy generally. Included are companies whose lower-carbon approaches are relevant to climate change, and whose technologies help reduce emissions relative to traditional fossil fuel use. "[7]

From its report, only one company in this index is listed in Hong Kong -- the China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co (0658.HK), but the price of this company is way too high, being 5 times the Net Asset Value(NAV). However, there is still another company which is very cheap (below NAV) and is unaware by the general public.

Due to the conflict of interest (because I have already owned some), I cannot tell you which company it is, but I can list out some details of this company and you can do some homework to find out.

From the interim report 2009 of this company, it is the largest polysilicon supplier in China and Asia, and currently ranked 3rd largest in the world.

Despite the economic downturn, the company managed to achieve a 250% increase in the profit attributable to owners of this company.

As China is paying more attention to the renewable energies and the development of the low-carbon economy[8], the company is looking forward to meeting their targets -- 18,000 million tonnes (MT) by the end of 2009, and 21,000MT by the end of 2010.

The company also has 66 wind generator units for its Wind Power Plant located in Xilin Gol in Inner Mongolia, which is expected to commence operation in the second half of 2009.

Its polysilicon production cost has decreased from US$66/kg in 2008 to US$36/kg for the month of June 2009, and it is expected to drop even further as technology advances.

So, is this company worth investing? You need to see for yourself and do some homework. But how about the industry?

Ask George Soros[9]. Watch him on this Bloomberg new: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HexQpH-mYfo[10]

Picture resources:

http://www.solarpowerninja.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/solar-furnace.jpg

Resources:

[1] http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/lithium/450798.pdf

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium

[3] http://lithiumabundance.blogspot.com/2008/03/china.html

[4] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/20/china-children-mass-lead-poisoning

[5] http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=29

[6] http://current.com/items/89079393

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

[7] http://www.nexindex.com/

[8] http://www.mckinsey.com/locations/greaterchina/mckonchina/reports/china_green_revolution_report.pdf

[9]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5992BJ20091010

[10]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HexQpH-mYfo

Investment: Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 2

Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 2

Electric Cars and What's Next?

So after reading my previous entry[1], BYD may not necessarily be the best company to invest in. Then which one(s) will be the best?

For those of you who have read one of my previous entry on Hydrogen Future, you should understand well that electric cars don't really solve the problem of global warming, rechargeable batteries don't really reduce the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission, because generating electricity from the burning of fossil fuel is not economically beneficial -- that is, the electricity generated actually produces less power than burning the fossil fuels.[2]

So to make electric cars genuinely environmental-friendly, you need to rely on renewable energy or green power. And that, will be the ultimate fields to put your money in.

Can you name some?

They are the solar, wind, wave, hydroelectric, tidal, biomass, biofuel, geothermal, in order of my personal preference. How do I come up with the order? Tell you the details in the next entry.

But now, let us welcome Obama to give his lecture, and you'll probably find some strong reasons.

Your homework is: Watch the following movie clip.

Resources:

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/10/investment-electric-cars-vs-future-part.html[1]
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/science-technology-hydrogen-future.html [2]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j21hWUxdRIU

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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