David's BLOG

It was across the Pacific Ocean when SARS broke out and struck many Asian countries 6 years ago. This time, the swine flu occurs just in the neighbour country.

It was first mentioned to me by Auntie Grace (masami) on Saturday's call and I didn't know the severity of this outbreak.

Here are some information forwarded from my former colleage in UMC-USA.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/life/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=191665

豬流感 QA 吃豬肉有無關係？

【綜合整理】

Ｑ：什麼是豬流感？
Ａ：豬流感是豬隻常見的疾病，近期發現的豬流感主要為H1N1。豬隻染禽流感、人流感和豬流感後，病毒株發生基因變異成為新的病毒。

Ｑ：豬流感跟一般流感的差異？
Ａ：單從症狀難以分辨，兩者都有發燒、咳嗽、喉嚨痛、全身痠痛等症狀，但豬流感的消化道症狀比較明顯，會有腹瀉症狀。

Ｑ：豬流感會不會人傳人？
Ａ：會。感染途徑與人類流感相同，主要透過咳嗽、打噴嚏飛沫傳染。

Ｑ：不接觸疑似流感症狀患者，就不會染豬流感？
Ａ：是的，但因豬流感患者在發病前一天到發病後七天都有傳染力，旁人可能在無症狀下遭感染。

Ｑ：如何預防豬流感感染？
Ａ：加強手部及呼吸道衛生，避免接觸疑似病患；自美、墨返國旅客，若有發燒、咳嗽、喉嚨痛、全身痠痛及腹瀉等症狀，要儘早就醫，並告知旅遊史。

Ｑ：防豬流感，打現有流感疫苗有用嗎？
Ａ：因病毒株已突變，保護力極有限，提升免疫力、加強手部及呼吸道衛生更重要。

Ｑ：豬流感有沒有藥可醫？
Ａ：豬流感對舊的抗病毒藥物已有抗藥性，但因對新抗病毒藥物（克流感跟瑞樂沙）尚未出現抗藥性，目前毋須擔心沒藥可醫。

Ｑ：豬流感大規模流行的風險有多高？
Ａ：豬流感病毒有可能與人類流感病毒結合並突變，變成能夠輕易在人類間流傳的病毒，世界衛生組織聲明，豬流感可能爆發全球性傳染。

Ｑ：吃豬肉有沒有關係？
Ａ：世界衛生組織表示，以攝氏七十度以上溫度烹煮豬肉，就能殺死豬流感病毒。衛生署長葉金川表示，此次案例是豬流感變型，在人與人之間傳染，吃豬肉沒有問題。

【2009-04-27/聯合新聞網】

A surprising lost and found. Last Tuesday (4/21) is a spare-air day. So I decided to bike to work. It has been a while since last time I bike to work (due to laziness, short daylight in winter, and cold weather).

Upon arriving the bike rack at office. The first thing I noticed is that "my badge is gone". OMG. Although today's route is my normal route, but because I haven't bike for a long time, I also stopped by gas station to re-inflat the tires. It would be hard to locate where the badge got lost.

The first thing I did was to report to the facility manager and request for a replacement. And, then, I realized there are paperwork needs to be done. Of course, I called home to check if I accidentally left it at home - of course, that was no the case.

This thing bothered me ever since and I couldn't focus on the work 100 percent.

While talking on the phone in the early afternoon, someone (with an unfamilar phone number) tried to call me. Running between meetings & discussion, I finally had a chance to listen to the voice message from that unknown caller.

Horray! A surprising call from a lady who said that she had found my badge on the sidewalk. I called back immediately and got her permission to visit her house to pick up my badge... (one thing I didn't understand was how did she get my phone number? I don't recall there is any phone number on the badge).

Anyway, I skipped next meeting and jumped on my bike. Her house is about 15 minutes away from the office. When her answered the door, this lady told me that she is actually a former Cisco employee. She called her old friend in Cisco and found my direct phone number.

Thank you, Chris (or Kris). You have save me a lot of trouble.

My family checked in Super 8 Dixon on Thursday afternoon, and I ran into an unbelievable bad experience (a few disputes) with a hotel employee, who later claims she is the owner.

The first instance is that this lady wanted to imprint my credit card. Because we booked our stay through online web site with advance payment made, I didn't understand what she wants and was confused.

She explained that the transaction was done by third-party (the online web side), and the hotel doesn't have my credit card #, which they need, on file. Thinking of that is a reasonable request, I let her imprint my credit card.

Unbelievably, she further demanded my signature. Not knowing the true intention, I refused to comply the request at the beginning and we ran into the first dispute. As I have paid the charge in full already, I see no point to sign the credit card slip which makes my feel like giving out a blank cheque. Without giving a convincing reason, she started to blame me and labeled me "a irritating guest".



This lady told me that the room was reserved for two and they have to charge me extra for the third person (as we have three people)! Wait a minute. Shouldn't such requirement be set earlier while I was making my reservation online?

Not knowing if that is really the Super 8's policy, I complied and paid the extra charge with my credit card. Naturally, I asked for the receipt after the charge is made.

And another surprise stroke. This lady refused to give my receipt back. Asking why can't I have the receipt, she replied that that is the policy. Been irritated, I asked her to show me the policy. And, guess what was the response I got? She replied "I am is the owner of this property and I set the policy".

OMG. What a unreasonable lady. I was completed defeated, but I decided to, at least, post my experience here so that, hopefully, there will be no future victim like me.


If you would like to have a pleasant stay in Davis/Dixon (California) area, take my advice, stay away from Super 8 Dixon.

Time to know more about all those colleges as the deadline, May 1st., to determine which college to attend is fast approaching.

04/04 UC Santa Cruz, "Spring SpotLight" @ UC Santa Cruz campus
04/05 UC Irvine, "Discover UCI in Santa Clara!" @ Santa Clara Marriott
04/17 & 04/18 UC Davis, "Decision UC Davis" @ UC Davis campus
04/19 UC San Diego, "Bay Area Welcome Reception" @ Oakland Marriott City Center

What a busy April.

Isabel has reached a major milestone. She is accepted by all 6 universities she applied. In the order of arrival of offer of admission letter are,

San Jose State
ICU 国際基督教大学 (東京都三鷹市)
UC Davis
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego
UC Irvine

Congratulations! おめでとう！