World End's Garden

After years of rumors and waiting, iPhone finally reveals itself. In Mac World this year, Steve Jobs presented the opening as usual but what happened later on was far more astonishing. iPhone sets the new definition of cell phones.

Who would think about replacing the key pad with touch screen? Even billions of dollars are invested in development, cell phone industries never jump out of the frame--customers must squeeze their fingers pressing uncomfortable buttons and keep looking at the tiny screen at the same time in order to do just a few simple things--message and dial number! Some phone companies provide keyboard accessory but why you need it when the keyboard can change the layout itself.

Perhaps iPhone would make those phone companies fire their design groups. Wide screen, slim body and a software keypad, plus Apple's super killer--iPod inside. If you think that is all about that, then you have underestimated Steve Job's power. Besides regular cell phone functions, this mini gadget also builds in several high technologies. The wide screen is able to detect the way you hold the phone and rotate itself automatically; the software keypad is able to change the layout smartly according the function you need; also the phone will detect the light source and adjust the brightness of the screen; when you listen to the phone, the touching screen will shutdown itself preventing customers from operating them accidentally.

For those cell phone makers, it is unfortunate that they and iPhone were born in contemporary. For us, it is a great fortune. It is an honor of us all to witness another revolution of technology.

China has been known of its dense population, giant market and boost economic. However, foreign investments is not able to satisfy China now. China wants to play big! It has begun reached out its hands to the world in recent years. While U.S. is struggling in the mud of Iraq, China has continued to growth--10% economic increase since the open of market. And this situation will not change in any time soon.

Some people already predicted that China will be able to compete with U.S. in 21st century but no one expected it would happen that fast. The power of effect of America has gradually declined since 1990 after Soviet Union dissolved. When U.S. was busy on dealing with Muslim world and Middle East, China has slipped into the vacuum in South East Asia. Right now you can see various of Mandarin advertisement in order to attract Chinese businessmen, and Chinese becomes a common language in this region. Even U.S. has to yield to China in certain policies. The most notable one is "One China" policy against the political course of Taiwan independence.

What role can Taiwan take part in the future years? What is our strategy against the tide of change? We both speak same language and have common culture, which is a undeniable advantage. Ironically, when our government keeps advertising its democracy achievement, our policy toward China is always lagging behind a step or two. The lack of flexibility and nonstop national identity argument were once the reason we mocked at China, but now they become the excuse for China refusing democracy while Taiwan is tripped by its inner barricade. We have gradually lost our stake in this cross-strait game.

Nevertheless, we haven't totally lost yet. China has faced its internal problems that it has never deal before. Chinese 'one-party' government is getting harder and harder to control their people. There were tens of thousands social insurgencies happening last year. Most of them were under censor controlled but still few of them leaked out of the net. The gap between the poor and the rich is also getting wider and wider. Over 90% of GDP was contributed by only less than 10% of population. Even in 21st century, more than half of China is still remain uncivilized.  While Chinese government  pushes their  boundary  over the world,  turmoil  awaits. Taiwanese government is far more skillful to deal social problems than China. Therefore Taiwanese experience is crucial for China.

There is no eternal enemy. Taiwan and China may continue to against each other in future years but not for long. China relies on Taiwan is just like Taiwan relies on China. They are two matching competitors and aspire  the other's every energy at each game. Perhaps those politicians may not realize this fact now but time will determine everything.

My parents were nagging me again. They though that I ought to study but not watch DVDs. I though I had passed the age of being nagged. I rent three DVDs--Kingdom of Twilight, Night Watch and Merlin. But I could 100 percent guarantee that they would never appreciate. One is an ancient saga from the Nordic; another one is the extraordinary novel from Russia; about Merlin, well, we all know about the story when we were young.

Do they know how much important to me keep touching this fantasy world. It keeps my brain cool and fresh, giving me more knowledge creating better fantasy games. Do they know what creation is? Or they only know how much salary I should yearn. I pay my sympathy to my parents and this stupid traditional Chinese conviction.

When I was playing Valkyrie Profile, a PS2 game published by SQUARE-ENIX, I came into interest with mythology of North Europe; then I ran into the movie. The story is about a cursed ring. Because the power of the ring was so great that would risk Odin's strength, the lord of Gods, Odin wanted to have the ring. To get the ring, Odin managed a plot. He lured a human warrior, called Siegfried, forged an unbeatable sword, Nothung, to slay the dragon Fafner who guarded the treasure; yet, the warrior occupied the ring even though he had been warned. He longed to give the treasure to his lover, Brunnhilde and he had promised Brunnhilde that he would find her in Iceland. However a dark magician wanted this treasure to stay. Meanwhile, he knew his sister, Gutrune, love Siegfried. He persuaded his sister into letting Siegfried drink a magic potion which could make people forget their love one. And Siegfried did and fell in love with Gutrune. In the end, Brunnhilde found Siegfried no longer love her and she swore to revenge. Until she found out Siegfried was poisoned, she realized all of these were no more than a plot directed by Odin...

The fable was so great that it even inspired Tolkien with his the Lord of the Rings, which is also about a powerful ring how to tempt mortals. Well, at least LoTR wasn't as sad as Nibelungen. But the love story inside Nibelungen is impeccable. Nevertheless, there will be new fantasy stories keep coming in the future; no matter how trilling they are, the state of Nibelungen is implacable.

In this world among human beings, there are Others, people who have supernatural power. Others have to choose their side, Light and Darkness. Once they decide their sides, their destinies have been made and they have to be faithful toward their side permanently. Both sides have held the war against each other thousands years ago and dispatched millions of lives.

Then there comes the Treaty which keeps peace and balance between the two great forces. The agents of Light establish the Night Watch, observing nocturnal activities where the servants of Dark form the Day Watch, monitoring the day. The story happens in contemporary Moscow. Vampires, shape shifters, sorcerers, magicians and many others linger on the streets but nobody knows of. The Night Watch gives licenses to the Dark to do 'bad' things where the Day Watch does the equal term. Vampires may hunt humans for extending their lives under permission but also they can donate their blood; dark magicians may heal people but with evil purpose and white magicians can also spell a curse in opposite. Everything has its own right to live, even a vampire. Then what's the different between Light and Dark?

This book gives you different perspectives of views. When vampires become your friends but you have to hunt their same kind; when you though the Light ought to love and help people but they are also as bloody as the Dark, extinguishing a wounded monster without mercy.

Light and Darkness... Which side do you choose?