Nov 11 in History: Embracing the No-Frills Flight: A Business Perspective on Spring Airlines' Success
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Section 1: Business and Economic Observations
2009-11-11: Back from Xiamen via Spring Airlines: This entry explores the success of low-cost airline Spring Airlines, focusing on its business model of prioritizing cost reduction over passenger comfort and analyzing its potential for future growth.
2008-11-11: Nice Day for My Business: This entry captures a day in the author’s life as an entrepreneur, highlighting business milestones and personal reflections on work-life balance.
2004-11-11: Going Back to China?: This entry delves into the hot topic of overseas Chinese returning to China, offering a comprehensive analysis of the cost of living in Shanghai and exploring opportunities for returnees amidst China’s rapid economic growth.
Section 2: Silicon Valley Encounters and Reflections
2006-11-11: Chat with Tina and Jin: This entry chronicles a stimulating conversation with two individuals in Silicon Valley, covering diverse topics like the history of Palo Alto, the startup ecosystem, and the culture of innovation in the Bay Area.
2006-11-11: Missed the Lecture on Stanford: This entry recounts the author’s experience navigating Stanford’s campus, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere and the high level of student engagement at a public lecture.
Section 3: Personal Experiences and Travelogues
2006-11-11: Jet Lag? Finally Found Out the Cure: This entry offers a personal anecdote about overcoming jet lag, advocating for listening to one’s body and challenging conventional wisdom.
2005-11-11: Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascots: This entry presents the unveiling of the Beijing 2008 Olympic mascots, sparking diverse opinions and discussions in the comments section about their design and cultural significance.
2003-11-11: Appologize from Baliforyou: This entry addresses an encounter with comment spam, showcasing the author’s commitment to ethical online practices and his willingness to acknowledge positive responses from those involved.
2002-11-11: Flying over the Pacific: This entry provides a detailed account of the author’s journey from Shanghai to Seattle, capturing observations about Japan, the Pacific Ocean, and his arrival in the United States.
Nov 10 in History: From Passports to Postcards: Exploring the Evolution of Travel and Communication in a Changing China
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This episode explores the intersection of personal experiences and broader societal shifts in China during the late 2000s, as reflected in blog posts from November 10th across several years.
The episode starts with a glimpse into the author’s participation in the Young Leaders Forum in Xiamen in 2009. He reflects on how this experience broadened his understanding of China beyond his familiar Shanghai.
Moving back to 2008, the episode shifts focus to a heartwarming anecdote about a postcard received from a friend in the US military. This simple gesture prompts a discussion on the changing modes of communication and the enduring power of personal connections.
The same day in 2008 also saw the author experimenting with Google Custom Search Engine, highlighting the growing influence of technology in everyday life.
A poignant entry from 2007 recounts the author’s experience at a Shanghai hospital while caring for his mother-in-law. This personal story serves as a springboard for a broader conversation on the challenges and disparities within China’s healthcare system.
Traveling back to 2006, the podcast examines a travelogue chronicling the author’s experience of traveling to the US without carrying any local cash, relying solely on his credit card. This anecdote reflects on the increasing globalization and the interconnectedness of financial systems.
However, this ease of cashless travel is contrasted with the author’s experience in Australia, where cash remained king, and further compared to the necessity of cash in Shanghai. This comparison underlines the uneven pace of technological adoption across different parts of the world.
This episode concludes with an intriguing look at the changing dynamics of foreign currency exchange in China.The author recounts his earlier trips to the US in the early 2000s, where exchanging a large amount of USD was a common practice due to its strength and limited accessibility.
Fast forward to 2006, and the landscape has transformed. The author notes the increased freedom in trading USD, the ability to pay USD credit card debts with RMB, and the weakening of the USD, making it less desirable to hold.This personal narrative offers a fascinating window into the economic changes sweeping through China during this period.
Finally, the podcast episode ends on a note of reflection, with the author musing on his own experiences as a microcosm of the larger changes occurring in Chinese society.
Overall, this episode uses personal anecdotes from the blog to paint a vivid picture of life in China during a period of rapid change and development. It offers listeners a unique perspective on topics ranging from technology to healthcare to the evolving financial landscape.
Nov 9 in History: Lost in Translation: GPS in China
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Introduction:
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Start the episode by introducing the topic of GPS and map accuracy. Briefly explain how GPS works and its reliance on satellite signals.
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Introduce the concept of map projections and how they can sometimes lead to slight discrepancies between digital maps and the real world.
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Transition to the main topic: the unique situation in China where Google Maps and other mapping services display locations that are significantly offset from their actual positions.
The Discovery:
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Recount blogger Jian Shuo Wang’s discovery of the offset in 2008 when Google added a traffic map feature to its China service.
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He observed that while the traffic data aligned perfectly with the street maps, it didn’t match the satellite imagery, revealing a noticeable shift.
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Wang’s investigation showed the real location could be anywhere from 0 to 500 meters north, south, east, or west of what’s displayed on the map.
Theories and Speculation:
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Explore the various theories put forward in the blog’s comment section to explain the offset.
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Intentional Distortion: Many commenters, including some claiming to be Chinese natives, suggest the Chinese government mandates this distortion for security reasons. The offset is seen as a way to make foreign maps less useful for military purposes.
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Different Coordinate Systems: A commenter with cartography expertise argues the mismatch stems from China using a different coordinate system (Krasovsky or Xi’an 80) for its street maps compared to the WGS84 system used for satellite imagery.
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Commercial Interests: Another theory is that the offset aims to protect the market share of local Chinese mapping companies by making foreign services like Google Maps less reliable.
Evidence and Examples:
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Highlight the evidence presented in the blog post and comments to support the theories.
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Apple Maps: Some users point out that Apple Maps on iPhones seem to be accurate in both street and satellite views, suggesting the problem isn’t with GPS itself but with the map data provided to Google.
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ABC Maps: A Chinese mapping app called ABC Maps emerged, claiming to automatically correct the offset. This lends credibility to the idea that the distortion is deliberate and can be reversed with the right adjustments.
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GPS Device Issues: Commenters sharing their experiences with GPS devices purchased outside of China describe experiencing the offset. This supports the theory of government control over GPS chips or map data.
Impact and Solutions:
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Discuss the implications of the map offset for people living in and visiting China.
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Mention the frustration and inconvenience it causes for navigation and location-based services.
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Explain the emergence of solutions like ABC Maps and firmware patches for GPS devices.
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Note that while the exact cause of the offset remains somewhat unclear, the sources strongly indicate it’s a deliberate measure, potentially for security or commercial reasons.
Conclusion:
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End the episode by summarizing the mystery surrounding the Google Maps offset in China.
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Reiterate the various theories and the evidence supporting them.
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Leave listeners with a sense of intrigue and encourage them to research further or share their own experiences with mapping services in China.
