3D printing

      The development of technology has changed our life rapidly.  20 years age, personal computer went into the world. 10 years ago, cell phone jump out. Now, 3D printer is coming to the next new star.

pls see following link,
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/09/3d-printing

but I prefer the articles in《今周刊》as below.
http://www.businesstoday.com.tw/v1/content.aspx?a=W20130305320

1. Have you ever heard about 3D printer? Have you used it to print anything before?

2. It seems that 3D printer can print everything. What kind of  things do you want to print out?

3. 3D printer can make vehicles, too. What is your opinion on these? Will you try it?

4. What's your imagination about future world? Do you have any new ideas may change the world?

Fake It Till You Make It

The behavior of imitating confidence itself will generate real confidence. Sounds too good to be true.

You may learn similar advice through some self help books, but now a psychologist proved it is scientifically fact. This week i am curious to know the tips how you conquering fear and gain your confidence.

reading you might find useful:
http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/faking-it-till-you-make-it-actually-works

discussion questions:
1. What do you do to gain enough confidence for the situation you need? Provide 3 tips.

2. Any advice about how other people conquer their fear? Have you found it useful?

3. Have you found someone is faking to be confident? Is it acceptable or not?

4. What is the drawback when people are faking to be someone they would like to be?

5. what is your strategy when entering a new business, new environment, or new position?

White lies

Our daily lives are full of lies. White lies, usually small and non-hurt lies, make our life easier, reduce several quarrels and promote world peaceJ. Almost everyone tells white lies carelessly or deliberately and in the same time listens to white lie. I pick an article, which gives an example of white lie. The doctor in the story told a white lie to earn more time for her patient. I hope that you find that interesting!

Reading:

Jane Fibber, M.D.: Why Do Doctors Tell White Lies?

Discussion:

1.  Some say women prefer lies to truth. Do you agree with that? Do you prefer ugly truth or white lie? Why?
2. Describe a situation you have to tell a white lie.
3. What is the reason making you to or not to tell a white lie?
4. Some consider white as a social manner, while some think little white lie hurt, too. What’s your opinion?
5. Who benefit from the white lie?

Does Mobile cause cancer?

Following link has been forwarded through email in Taiwan recently. It warns people not to use mobile too often and be better to keep it away because  wave could cause cancer.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/lisa-920904/article?mid=-2&prev=1925&l=a&fid=8

This article cited a report from The World Health Organization and said mobile is classified as 2B level, which is a serious level that cause cancer.

http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

I also want to show following article, which introducing more about the level and wave couldn't cause cancer.

http://www.emfsite.org.tw/news_detial.php?level1_id=6&bbsId=181


1. What' your habits of using mobile? Do you keep it away from you? Or always bring it with you?

2. Do you think the wave of mobile could cause cancer based on this two articles?

3. Will you forward the letter to others when you get it?

4. There are many forwarded mails in daily life, will you check the truth?

5. According to the last link, base station couldn't cause cancer. Do you believe that? Will you still live near base station if there is one near you house?

A Walk in the Clouds

The term 'cloud computing' has been hot since 2011.

Instead of buying out a software or hardware for your own, now you can use the remote service from any device without spending a lot of money on upgrading. 

You can log in from any device and work under the same platform, the internet could bring everything you need at door.

For example, youtube actually counts as cloud service.

you don't need to save all the videos in your computer but just watch it through the net. That is even a better idea for sharing.

Some questions we may use for discussion:

What kind of cloud service are you using now?

What is the best cloud service you like or you expect to have?

What is the side effect this service may bring to us?

What is the threat and opportunity this trend is bringing to taiwan tech companies?

related Ref:

cloud computing as a threat to older tech companies

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/cloud-computing-endangers-older-tech-companies/

Taiwan Data Center

http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/taiwan/

http://www.techbang.com/posts/8901-google-zhang-bin-data-centre-earth-night-remaining-energy-to-cool

The power of media

Facebook is a enormously powerful website, which was approved again this week. Business Week post a news that 7-11 decided to postpone Business Week selling just because a report which was attacked 7-11. Within less than one day, numerous webzines started to boycott 7-11. The whole news reminds me a video.  This video is from CBS WKBT News anchor, who responded viewer’s critical/advised (depends on how you see it) email on her show. 

Question:

1.  Do you see this email as a malicious critics or a neutral advice?
2.  Do you think a public personality/celebrity has responsibility to maintain health physical condition?
3. The anchor said this email could be seen as a bully behavior. Do you agree with it?
4. The anchor categorized obesity, skin color, sexual preference, and disability together. In fact, all them list above except for obesity are born of nature. However, obesity is not. People can get rid of it if they make up their minds to change lifestyle. Do you think this anchor misuse media’s power as a weapon?
5. Share with us your thought about Business Week v. 7-11 event. 

Growing Tax Burden for the Wealthiest

     The economic of the whole world is implicated by the economic of the United States.
A few weeks ago, Obama fought for fiscal cliff and striving for getting agreement with the Republican.
Finally, he made an agreement with the Republican and launch the new tax increasing plan.

According to this new plan, only the highest-earning Americans will be influenced, with about 99.3 percent of households experiencing no change in their income taxes. But the Tax Policy Center estimates that the average family in the top 1 percent will pay a federal tax rate of more than 36 percent this year, up from 28 percent in 2008. That is the highest rate since 1979.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/business/after-fiscal-deal-tax-code-may-be-most-progressive-since-1979.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/05/business/growing-tax-burden-for-the-wealthiest.html?ref=business

Not only the United States, France also released the tax increasing plan. It seems becoming a trend.
Therefore, let's talk about the latest news this week.

How do you feel about the economic of the world now?
Are you afraid of Financial tsunami of 2008 happened again?
What's you idea of the future (since 2012 not the end of the world....)?
What's your opinion on tax system in Taiwan?