ririamu lite: Sake x Karada Meguri Cha

Sake x Karada Meguri Cha

A strange iced beverage, but a strangely tasty summer drink nevertheless. And I am not a fan of alcoholic drinks in general. Perhaps you can consider it as the Japanese version of whisky x Red Bull (which I would never dare try because it sounds like I would get a heart attack from it)? Even though it's still an alcoholic drink, it's rather mild and healthy. The tea component of the drink hides the strong fragrance of sake, so it's very easy to swallow (haha overly easy for someone).

In case you're adventurous, sake shouldn't be hard to find, but Karada Meguri Cha (http://meguricha.jp/ , a Coca-Cola Japan product) is if you're outside Japan. Ginseng tea should be a good replacement however. Only tastes good when chilled. Thank you Manami S. for this interesting combination.

Start of Another School Year

It's the start of another school year for students in many countries, best of luck with your studies. And in general, this also means the recruitment season for consulting staffs across many firms have begun. When considering a career in consulting, do remember to keep a few things in mind:

1) do you truely love to travel when demand arises?

2) can you afford to give up some degree of work-life balance?

3) do you prefer the comfort of doing recurring task with a long term team or would you rather move from project to project?

4) are you disciplined enough to shape your own career?

5) will you adapt well to a very competitive and constantly changing environment?

Pro Bono Publico

Pro Bono Publico

Perhaps some corporations never got the meaning and definition of the Latin term "Pro Bono Publico", or "Pro Bono" as it is usually referred to as. Literally, the phrase is defined as "for the good of the public". The effort involves voluntary professional services for those in need but are unable to afford the service. Charging reduced rate to a NGO and then marketing the effort as a pro bono service to glorify a firm's social contribution does not cut it. The intent of pro bono service is lost.

A professional firm has the social responsibility to serve the communities in which it operates. The endeavor should be genuine and without thought in any form of return. Unlike SOX, compliance to social contribution is not mandatory. However, when committed to pro bono services, a firm should do so by heart.

Improving the Quality of Living in Hong Kong

While New Jersey serves as a "lower cost living buffer" to New York and Yokohama serves as the Tokyo counterpart, that seems to be something missing for the population in Hong Kong. As a result, many find it very difficult to afford even marginally spacious apartment flats.

What is a "lower cost living buffer" after all? By nature, New York and Tokyo are crowded and estate costs are extremely high. For people with entry level positions, living within these cities is very difficult. And demanding moderate space is often a dream. However, New Jersey and Yokohama, provides low cost land and housing for people in working in the metropolitian cities. The mobile population works in NYC and Tokyo during the day, and returns to NJ and Yokohama by night. Transportation is convnenient and without buffer. Amtrak serves to connect between NJ and NYC, whilst express JR trains allow the commute between Yokohama and Tokyo city to be cheap and efficient.

The same cannot be said for Hong Kong. A land surrounded by sea in three directions, the only ways to expand habitable space are through sea reclamation or into the North. Reclamation is less than environmentally friendly, however, and room to build new city centers in New Territories, the last of available space to expand within the Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), is severely limited.

As a long term solution, Hong Kong and the province of Guangdong should be jointed, such that Guangdong serves Hong Kong the same way that NJ and Yokohama provide more affordable living space to the working population of NYC and Tokyo respectively. Removal of the custom between the HKSAR and Guangdong is necessary to make everyday transportation more seamless, and a high speed transportation system must be available to connect the two places. Law, culture and other infrastructures needs to be unified, which is much easier written than done. The availability of affordable real estates will improve the quality of living for those in Hong Kong and provide added opportunities for those in Guangdong.

Expect Longer Delays

Expect Longer Delays

Recall the frustration when the flight status changed to 'DELAYED' or 'CANCELLED' on your last business flight to the client site? If you believe that you're the unlucky exception, you can be rest assured that many travellers are keeping you company. On average, 25% of the flights in the United States are not leaving the ground on time. Consider yourself lucky if your flight is just delayed, because airlines are trimming routes with minimal warning for the passengers, which means that your UA 1132 flight from Chicago to some rural town might not exist anymore by the time you are ready for your travel at the airport.

But don't blame on the airlines just yet. An aging continential air traffic control system backed by a congested sky means that some planes just have to stay put for a little longer, for your safety. More severe weather around the year isn't your favorite airline's creation either. The increase in business and leisure travellers, despite the recent skyrocketing fuel surcharges, puts strain in international airports which have not grown in capacity for a while.

The solution?

1. Have a favoritism with your clients on the west coast. Delays in the western half of the continent are generally less severe. The worst locations are flights entering and leaving Washington DC, New York and Chicago.

2. Fly through Canada. As much as Canadians complain about delays as well, problems are less severe and better regulated.

3. Don't complain when the air fare increases at rates matching credit card interest rates. The average cost of air fare have halved over the past decade while fuel cost have increased many folds. Heightening air fare helps reduce passengers and unprofitable flights, which will help clear the congestion in the sky and reduce delays.

4. Leave buffer time for the next flight and bring with you a good book to read while you wait. Delays often exist to ensure your safety when you're up at 33,000 feet above sea level. Be glad that taking a flight is much safer on average than driving on the road.