Snohomish County 的華人似乎越來越多了. 剛來這個郡的時候, 聽到的亞洲人說話, 大多是說日文. 五六年前, 韓文開始氾濫. 對不起, 文字的敘述不好. 我的意思是說, 說韓文的人似乎就在幾個月之內, 隨處可聽到. 速度之快, 令人吃驚. 可能和說韓文的人, 有集中性的居住有關. 從去年開始, 聽到說華文的機會慢慢的增加了. 不習慣這種感覺. 總覺得似乎是到了南加州才有的現象. 我想還是要慢慢的習慣的. Side Note: City’s home prices to keep soaring School closures: Parents’ strategies differ: Shoreline School District More U.S. teens want it all Some coffee stands get steamier: 檳榔西施要在這裡開拓新領域了…咖啡西施??? 報紙上報導的 Espresso Stands Cowgirls Espresso, The Sweet Spot Cafe. Moka Girls Beware the trap of zero percent credit Legendary bar moves, affordable housing rises along Broadway Medical Side Note: Bone breaks linked to antidepressants
Printer Room
任何公司內有印表機的地方是最容易洩密的地方. 銷售報告, 預算, 計劃表, 列印的電子郵件, 甚至於私人社會安全號碼, 信用卡等等資訊. 實在是很難想像, 那麼多人印了這些敏感的內部資訊卻沒有來拿? 隨便一個訪客, 假借拿支筆, 筆記本或訪客自己的列印, 就可以”不小心”的看到這些資料. 這個只需要”經過”就隨手可得資訊的地方, 也是我常常”散步”的地方之一. Side Note: Why gas prices aren’t falling Medical Side Note: Norovirus brings sharp increase in stomach-flu cases
Board Meeting
每季在公布公司的財務報告前, 總是會有個 Board Meeting. 當然, Board Meeting 和我這種公司最低層的員工來說, 一點關係也沒有. 不過經由 Board Meeting 外的排場, 多少就可以猜得出, 公司上一季的營收狀況. 多了些什麼東西? 少了些什麼東西? 不用等到對外公布的財務報告.
又是一個下雪天…
不過情況比前幾天都好得太多了. 好可惜, 雪要開始融化了. 
太多學區關閉好幾天了, 小朋友們今年大概要上課到七月初了… 
Side Note: Schwarzenegger Seeks Citrus Disaster Aid Freeze wipes out oranges, produce across California: 70% 的加州柑橘(約 15% 的全美冬季的柑橘產量), Avocado, 草莓, 檸檬等受到嚴重的寒害. 不過要注意的, 這個多少也影響到其他的冬季蔬果. 任何從加州來的蔬果將在兩三個星期內開始漲價. Men more likely to be killed on road than women North Dakota rethinks ban on cohabitation: 在這幾個州 Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia 和 West Virginia, 同居(一對男女沒有結婚而居住在一起), 是犯法的行為. 儘管法律沒有真的很認真的執行. 但是在任何時候都有可能有無法預測的不便. Medical Side Note: Women More Likely to Inherit Risk of Stroke “The new study found that women who had strokes were 40 percent more likely to have at least one close relative who suffered a stroke than were men with strokes. Having a mother who had a stroke was 80 percent more common in women stroke patients than in men.” “Age was also a factor. Women whose mothers had a stroke at an early age were more likely to suffer a stroke at about the same age.” State lowers cervical cancer rate Cancer deaths drop for 2nd straight year
[新聞] Travelers paying up as new passport rules kick in
Travelers paying up as new passport rules kick in
“Starting Jan. 23, all travelers — including U.S. citizens — who fly between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Bermuda will for the first time need to carry their passports to re-enter the country.”
“As early as 2008, the rules will get even tougher: People traveling between the U.S. and those countries by car or ship will have to show a passport or an alternative security identification card.”
Side Note:
A majority of U.S. women are living life spouse-less
Procrastination is one thing we're not putting off
Selling your home in winter takes extra effort
One-quarter of Americans dream of owning a business
Medical Side Note:
Study links gene, Alzheimer's risk
Growth hormones not worth risk, study finds
公車拋錨
聽說慈濟明天(1/13/2007)的中文學校取消了??? 可以打電話確認 (425)822-7678. ========================= 昨天公司有近半的人沒有出現. 也好, 昨天下午兩點半就給走人了. 反正理由很光明正大, “我想要在太陽下山前, 平安的回到家.” 我並不擔心在雪上或冰上開車. 我覺得下雪是在讓我複習, 以前在中西部雪地駕車的技巧. 最擔心的反而是那些棄車逃跑的人. 因為他們把車子在路上一丟, 已經不大的道路就更寸步難行. 這些堵在路上的車, 就算知道如何在雪地駕車, 也是沒有用處. 今天早上遇到了第一次的公車拋錨. 公車是在下高速公路後才故障的. 那個奇怪的噪音, 是在下高速公路前幾分鐘突然開始出現. 聽起來像是物體相互撞擊的聲音. 聲音越來越大聲. 就在公車下高速公路的交流道時, 一個斷裂的聲音, 那個噪音就消失了. 公車在紅燈前停了下來. 綠燈後, 無論公車司機再如何的踏油板, 公車已經是不會動了. 就只聽到引擎的加速聲. transmission 壞了? 司機打開車門. 下車後, 立刻就看到一班公車. 沒有誤點. 運氣真的很好.
似乎越來越有經驗了… :-p
星期三凌晨的雪並不大, 學區的學校還是有上學. 天氣的預報完全的錯誤…還說 Snohomish County 是 Convergence Zone. 根本沒有什麼雪. 反而 Pierce County 下得比 Snohomish County 還多. 不過看看網站上的天氣空照圖, 和天氣的預報的更新, 星期三下午和傍晚時刻可能會有另一波的雪. 儘管天氣預報常常出現誤差, 還是要寧可相信. 所以臨時決定把車子停在 Everett Station, 傍晚搭火車回家. 星期三下午四點半提早下班, 準備趕去 King Street Station 搭火車. 一出公司門口看到雪花飄呀飄的. 到了 King Street Station 就只見一排想要臨時買票的長龍. 似乎很多人都有想搭火車, 而不要擠在高速公路上的想法. 火車準時的出發, 準時的到站. 還好是猜對了, 選擇了火車, 而沒有搭公車. 至於今天星期四, 是個大太陽的日子. 雖說是低於冰點的氣溫, 還是決定搭公車就好了. Side Note: Standards set for charity care “Under the new guidelines, anyone with income at or below the poverty level ($13,200 for a couple; $20,000 for a family of four) will receive free care. Those with incomes up to twice the poverty level will pay just the hospital’s cost.” Medical Side Note: Cold, cough medicines dangerous for babies