Amiram Hayardeny's My China Experience

Beijing 2008 - Are We Clear Here?

Watching a magician at work, one develops some kind of strange trust.  You know you're being fooled, yet you're confident that the sleeve will produce the queen of spades, and the turtledove will come out of the hat.  That's the way it's always been.  Living in China for the last two and a half years, I always believed that no matter what, on August 8, 2008, the sky will somehow clear, the smog will disappear, the air will be fresh, and a light breeze will move the treetops ever so slightly.

Last night I was watching BBC News.  In a newscast opener on the Beijing Olympics, the reporter measured three times the safe amount of particles in the air, the camera could hardly see the stadium behind him despite his proximity, and some "Greenpeace China" representative claimed that "Plan B", including some severe measures to clear the pollution, will be deployed.  One of those "severe measures" is to take 90% of the vehicles off the roads for the foreseeable future.

This was when it hit me.  The sleeve was empty, and the turtledove suffocated inside the hat.  That guy was no magician.  I'm starting to realize, as millions of others around the world do, cleaning pollution is many times more difficult than creating it, pollution is the inevitable outcome of double digit industrial growth, rebuilding a city for so many years, with little attention to environmental issues isn't something one can simply blow on, in hopes it will disappear overnight.

The descriptions on the web about Beijing pollution are interesting.  "Under a Cloud", "Shroud of Haze", are just a few of the terms used.  In all honesty, these are not understatements.  The city is extremely gray, hot and humid.  It's been weeks if not months since blue sky has been seen here.  We're only ten days away from the opening ceremony.  Am I expecting a miracle?  No.  I'm expecting a wonderful Olympic Games event, a little on the grayish side...

Posted at 09:58PM Jul 30, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[1]

The "Away" Team

Some context.  Keren (17) and Tamary (12) are my older daughters who live with their mother in New Jersey.  We've been living in two different continents for most of their lives.   Frequent phone calls, Skype, Instant Messaging, and the yearly visit takes the edge of the pain of separation, nonetheless, it's always there.  Karen just graduated from a New Jersey high school and chose to spend the year in Israel.  Tamary, like previous years is going to sleep-away camp.  When I think of my two older girls, I always think of them as being away.  Truth is, it is me who is away.  When we moved to Beijing, I felt that the "away" changed a little.  Before, they were in the US and we were in Israel.  They were with my ex-wife and her family, and we were in Israel, with my extended family.  In Beijing, we are away, but "once removed".  We are away from our usual "away" location.  Now, that Karen is going to spend the year in Israel, and Tamary is going to sleep-away camp, I feel that we are away "twice removed".  Indeed, the global village provides many opportunities for convoluted relationships...

I sent the following email to Tamary's camp.  I hope she sees it.  Just in case she doesn't, I decided to post it as well:

Tamary,

Thinking that you are not only away (as you always are), you are really really away, even away from your usual away, is making me miss you twice the usual.  And I miss you quite a lot usually....  I hope that you're having the time of your life, making new friends and seeing old ones, having fun, being happy, being careful.  I love you and I miss you so much, you have no idea.  Everyone here says hi.  Guy is sending his cutest smile, Shiri her curious look, and Dorit is sending her regards.  From me you get a big hug and two kisses...

Be well.  I love you and miss you...

Posted at 01:09PM Jul 30, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[0]

An Unusual High Altitude Experience

It was just another flight for me.  Or so I thought.  I flew from Tel Aviv to Beijing a couple of days ago.  As I boarded the Boeing 767 I expected the usual bore, the occasional shuteye, the discomfort.  But at the other end, Dorit and the kids were waiting for me, and for that I was ready to experience infinite amounts of inconvenience...

A few years back I had a very strange observation about myself.  I was a Pavlovian Dog.  The thought of an airplane would put me to sleep right away.  As soon as I get myself seated, my seatbelt fastened, and the airplane leaves the gate - I fall asleep.  It's truly amazing, but I doubt I experienced takeoff while being awake in quite a few years.

But this flight was different.  As the purser introduced herself, I realized that she must be the mother of a former employee of mine.  A pretty as well as clever employee.  I went over to the purser and introduced myself.  I told her that her daughter and I worked together, that I could see her daughter in her.  I then went back to my seat.  Being the traveler that I am, I quickly went to sleep, forfeiting an airline dinner for for a dream one.  The purser stopped by a few times, but I really didn't need anything, plus I don't like to be given preferential treatment, and the flight was progressing nicely.

But then she came over and made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  Not in a million years.  She offered me to spend some time at the cockpit.  I enthusiastically accepted.  Mind you, it isn't very easy to get into the cockpit.  There are two doors between the cabin and the cockpit, and they can't be both open at the same time.  But the space between them is too small for the two of us to stand, so one of us had to go to the bathroom.  Needless to say, it was me.  But a short minute after that, I was in the cockpit, where the sun was shining, and the captain and the first officer were all smiles.

I must have been too excited to say anything of significance, and I believe I mumbled something.  The two men, obviously comfortable with the monster they were in control of, showed no surprise.  They were nice and welcoming, and shortly after I came in, a conversation developed.  We spoke about flying airplanes (I took flying lessons a decade ago, but were too scared to pursue the hobby), developing software, the computing power of the airplane and the automation.  Indeed, they informed me, an untrained person can land the aircraft with instructions from the ground.  I was relieved.

During my stay at the cockpit, we changed altitude from 37,100 ft to 39,100 ft.  We also changed course (was part of the original flight plan), were alerted of nearby aircraft, which we later saw, and had some conversations with several control towers somewhere in China.  I have no idea how long I spent in the cockpit, but I'm pretty sure it was well over an hour.  It was an outstanding, exhilarating experience.  I would like to use this opportunity to thank Captain Avi, and his First Office for an unforgettable experience.  Also, I would like to thank the purser for giving me this opportunity.

Flying in the cockpit of a Boeing 767 from Tel Aviv to Beijing - Outstanding!

Posted at 12:36PM Jul 21, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[0]

Sad Day in Israel - Happy in Lebanon

A sad day in Israel.  A prisoner exchange deal is taking place.  Israel is expected to receive two bodies and some body parts collected by the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon.  But given the Hezbollah did well in not disclosing the state of the two prisoners, and given that Jews don't lose hope that easily, to the last minute there was still hope that at least one of the soldiers would be returned alive.  Israel would return five live terrorists, and a couple of hundred bodies of Hezbollah members killed during the second Lebanon war which took place precisely two years ago.

The suspense was incredible.  At 9:00, the entire state of Israel was watching TV, listening to the radio with a minuscule hope.  All hopes were shredded to pieces when a black van was opened, and two coffins were taken out.  The dead soldiers were driven to a nearby military base for identification.  Once the identification is complete, the rest of the deal will be completed.  199 bodies and five live terrorists will be handed to the Hezbollah.  The deal was brokered by the UN and the International Red Cross.

Seemingly, just another prisoner exchange deal following a war.  But is it?  Let me point out the differences.  Israel was willing to give everything for the remains of two of its boys.  Lebanon celebrated the return of a child killer.  That pretty much sums it all, but let me explain.

Einat Haran and Samir Kuntar met on Saturday April 22, 1979.  It was their first and last meeting.  Einat was four years old at the time, Samir was sixteen.  He shot her father Danny in the back, and then smashed her head with his gun.  When he saw she was still alive, he hit her again and again until she was dead. (http://www.samirkuntar.org/)

Child killers are not very common.  Thankfully.  But they do exist.  People around the world dislike them.  What's there to like, right?  Furthermore.  Child killers serve their sentences, and those who don't get the death penalty may eventually be released from prison and go on with their lives.  But I have absolutely no recollection of a child killer whose release was celebrated by a country.  Do you?  Lebanon is littered with flowers in honor of a child killer.  What does that say about Lebanon?  What do you think?

Samir Kuntar was released yesterday from an Israeli prison after twenty nine years of being imprisoned for killing Einat Haran, her father Danny, and a couple of others who were unfortunate to have met him that night.  Israel released him in good shape, well groomed, even a little chubby.  Israel had released him and four other live terrorists for the remains of two soldiers.  They aren't well groomed like Samir Kuntar, they weren't fed and their rights weren't respected.  Nobody will ever know how they died, and whether they have received proper medical care.  All we will know is that they are dead, and that they will find their final rest back home.  Their parents, family and friends will have a grave to visit and place flowers on.  They will have closure.

Yes.  It is that important to Jews and Israelis to be brought home, at whatever shape, for proper burial.  It is so important that we're willing to give up murderers, terrorists, in a seemingly completely unfair deals, just to have this closure.  Some of Israel's enemies mistake it for weakness.  They are unequivocally wrong.  The willingness to do anything and everything to get closure is, in my mind, a sign of strength.  Celebrating the return of a child killer is a sign of weakness.

Lastly.  Yes indeed, we are all grieving the death of Eldad and Udi.  But take a short look around the middle east.  As an Israeli, would you want to trade places with any of Israel's neighbors?  The answer, again, is unequivocally, absolutely, categorically: NO.  The freedom, the freedom of speech, the freedom to vote, the freedom to wear what you like, to go places, to travel, to work, to study is precious to us.  The value of human life, any human life is so dear to Israelis that they will do anything to preserve it.  Where would you choose to live?

One last observation.  When the Hezbollah representative handed the dead soldiers to the Red Cross, I was watching him.  He looked like your next door neighbor, like someone you could meet at the local grocery store or at the movies.  He was wearing a fare colored jacket and pants, no tie.  His beard was well groomed and short.  He was fluent, and his message was clear.  It was obvious, the guy was well trained with the news media, I'm almost ready to bet that he has a degree in communication or marketing, even an MBA.  But wearing a suit does not give anyone a free membership to the human club.  For that you have to have values.  I'm afraid the Hezbollah representative's application to the human family was rejected.

Posted at 01:12PM Jul 18, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[0]

Airport Musings

Someone smart once suggested a cure for depression.  Simply go to the nearest airport and just stand for an hour at the international arrivals hall and observe the reunion of friends and families.  You'd think the world is a happy place.  So much love, so much happiness.  Hugs and kisses, pure joy.  One cannot remain indifferent, happiness guaranteed.

Granted, quite possibly, arrivals hall is the happiest place on earth.  But usually one flight down, or up depending on the airport, you'd find sadness at its best.  Hugs and kisses, tears and pain, promises and hope.  Separations from loved ones are hard, even for short periods.  Certainly for long ones.

Indeed, I'm writing this post at the airport, after experiencing one more ceremonious goodbye from my immediate family, Dorit, my wife, Guy and Shiri.  We say our goodbyes, a tear forms in my eye, another in Dorit's.  Shiri looks worried, and Guy is being himself, messing with the laughing guards.  Another kiss, another hug, and off I go and so do they.  I turn around, and they are still there waving.  We go our separate ways.  I turn around one more time, and Guy is walking forward but looking back, waving, smiling.  I stand there until they make the turn.  I'm on my own.

I've been traveling for thirty years now, and it was never easy.  There was a time that Shiri, when she was much younger, would cry every time she'd see a taxi driving up our road.  She was sure that it came to take her dad away on one of his trips.  I found that wherever I go, I leave someone behind.  When I come back, I still leave someone behind.  It could be family, it could be friends.  As for me, I'm a special case.  And this particular trip is even more special.

My family lives in three continents.  My wife Dorit, Shiri, Guy and I live in Beijing, China.  We've been living here for more than two years.  My other daughters Karen and Tamara live with their mother in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA.  My father, my mother, my sister and brother and all the nieces and nephews all live in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Yes indeed, I'm a man of the world, at the same time I'm a nomad.  A man with no country, with no home.

To make it simple, I declare my home to be where my wife and children are.  The ones who live with me.  That would make me Chinese.  For others, who declare their homes by their hometown, place of birth, I would be an Israeli.  For those who define home by citizenship, I am an American Israeli.  If you choose to go as far as country of origin – that would make me Russian-Romanian-Spanish-Turkish.

No matter where I am, I always cherish the company of the people I'm with, and yet I always miss someone, I always yearn for someone who's not around.  Of course, you may say, grow up, this is life.  To which I would say, as I grow up, the pain of separation and departure grows respectively.

Does it have to do with a horrible accident we've seen in Da-Tong a few weeks ago?  Possibly.   Does it have to do with difficulties transitioning to my new job?  Again, very plausible.  Maybe it's because I'm traveling, on my own, to my hometown, to see my father ailing father?  Likely.  A combination of all of the above? Bingo.

So here I am  at the amazing Beijing Capital Airport, spilling my guts to my Mac.  New tear are forming in my eyes, but I decided not to let them come out this time.  I live in a new world.  I live thousands of miles from where I was born, thousands of miles more from where I raised two of my children.  And I spend my life being one place, missing a couple of others.

But don't get me wrong.  I will never trade my life with those who choose to stay put.  Those who only need to take a short walk or a short car ride to be with their loved ones.  Those whose tears from for different reasons.  I've seen a lot, learned a lot, I met people of all kinds, many countries.  I'm never bored – for better for worse.  I like my life.  I only have this small wish.  I wish I could have everyone I love travel with me everywhere I go.  But then again, don't they already?  They have all been downloaded and burned into my heart, and everywhere I go, they do too.

Posted at 11:50AM Jul 12, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[0]

Sales and Marketing Observations

Have you noticed where are the milk refrigerators in any supermarket or convenience store around the planet?  At the back of the store of course.  Where is the bread and the unpacked vegetables?  Close to the entrance.  The diapers?  All the way in the back.  Why?  So on your way to get the milk and the diapers all the way in the back, you will smell the bread and the basil, get starved, and buy more stuff.  Cookies, beer, peanuts and some other stuff you don't need.

Why do supermarkets remodel four times a year?  The answer is simple.  If you shop frequently and always at the same supermarket, you might actually become a trained rat.  You might actually go directly to where you know things are.  Get what you need and get out.  This strategy doesn't work for supermarkets and superstores.  The less you know where to look for stuff, the more likely you are to buy more.  A whole lot more.

When I was in college I realized something interesting.  Virtually ALL the textbooks had a new version twice a year.  Naive as I was back then, I was under the impression that new and frequent discoveries made it necessary for a new version to be published.  Later on I learned of course, that the only discovery involved was the publisher's.  He discovered that students can by used textbooks at a fraction of the price at the local student union, or on the web.  What better way to prevent that than to publish a new version with a few addition, but a completely different page numbering scheme?  Imagine that: the professor says to the students: "please turn to page 153".  Half the students are seeing something completely different than the intended page.  How long will it take for them to purchase the newer version?

If your cellular rings and stops after one ring, pay attention.  It could be your lost cousin.  It could also be that head hunter with the incredible offer.  But most likely, it's some telemarketing guy, calling from some dump and hanging up.  The thought behind it is that YOU would actually call HIM back, pay for the call, and listen for his telemarketing bull.  Don't call back if you don't recognize the number.  Your cousin, as well as the headhunter will call back.

If you go to the store and get a package of your favorite product, find out at the cashier that unlike many other products, yours didn't get more expensive.  Your happiness will quickly change once you find that the price remained, but the quantity had shrunk.  Not an unknown, although unacceptable sales trick.  Keep the price, change the packaging.

The price of one litter of gasoline in Israel is NIS 7.00 (roughly $2.10).  This makes it about $7.50 per gallon (1 Gallon = 3.61 Litter).  The price in the US, as everyone knows, is $4.00 per gallon.  On average, Europeans are (and were for quite some time now) paying as much as twice as Americans for every hit the pump.  Twice.  The answer: taxes.  The Crude Oil, yes that one that comes in barrels that cost $145.00 a barrel, is only small part of the price.  Taxes are the more substantial ingredient.

The "new version" trap.  Do you have something, anything, you're happy with?  Does it have all the features you need and like?  Is it's performance reasonable for your needs?  You don't HAVE to upgrade to the latest and greatest.  Indeed, many would like to sell you that newest thing for a good price.  But once you get it you may realize that one: the old one was good enough, or worse: the old one was better.  In short, before you upgrade, try to understand what you're missing, and whether the new version covers it.  Then consider.

Last but not least.  That African prince that promised you a nice profit if you only give him a small advance up front, isn't real (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud).  The small installment you give him will never turn into millions of dollars.  And if supply your bank information as well, you may wake up one morning to a zero balance.  Many people fall into fraud because they hope to become rich quickly and without effort.  To all of you who are still waiting, let me break the news to you.  Getting rich overnight may take years, sometimes generations...

Posted at 08:02PM Jul 08, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[1]

My Kinda Guy

He's the kind of guy who's stubborn and soft at the same time.  He would give you an exhausting argument about some really unimportant issue, but come for a hug a minute later.  He would hide from you and make sure you find him.  This guy is clever, meticulous, and focused.  When this guy has a project to complete, he doesn't take his eyes off of it.  He sticks his tongue out, like his paternal grandmother while he's concentrating on some unfinished task.  He is a perfectionist, yet a free spirit.  He writes with both hands, but refuses to eat with a fork and knife.  Or chopsticks for that matter.  This guy has a definite preference for eating with his hands.  He dresses on his own, but will only wear well coordinated colors.  Only recently, this guy agreed to give up his pacifier.

This guy melts me with a smile and with those big gray eyes of his.  When those big tears show up in those big eyes, all I want to do is to take the pain away.

This guy speaks three languages, Hebrew, English and Chinese, at different levels of fluency.  He's multilingual all the way.  He loves candy, ice cream, and salami, and he mixes his mashed potatoes with rice and ketchup.  If he finds anything that resembles a vegetable is his food, that's the end of it.  This guy would insist on ordering fried chicken and fries, but would only eat the chicken.  He doesn't like to share his belongings with anyone else, but completely supports sharing of others' belongings with himself...

He plays the XBox, and falls asleep in the living room.  He loves Sponge Bob, Looney Toons, Tom and Jerry, and believe it or not - Mr. Bean.  This guy has a personality, a sense of humor, he's a character.  He has his own computer, and Blue's Clues is his favorite game.

This guy isn't just a guy.  It's my kind of guy.  He's my favorite guy in the whole wide world.  He's My Guy.

Posted at 10:58PM Jul 03, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[0]

Thoughts About The Upcoming Olympics

Preparing for the Olympics Games of 2008, it is commonly accepted that Beijing had gone through the most outstanding makeover in modern history.  There are more construction projects in Beijing than in any other city around the globe.  The face lift is an amazing achievement as it is spectacular.  Living in Beijing for well over two years, I can say that the change is massive and comprehensive, and the results are outstanding.  Beijing moved itself forward by a century in just a few years.

In fact, in the last few years, the world's largest airport terminal was built here.  Beijing Capital International Airport holds quite a few titles.  The largest airport terminal and the largest enclosed public area to name a few.  But there are a few more records the city now holds.  The largest swimming facility, and the largest (also most spectacular, almost futuristic) National Theater for the Performing Arts.  The Bird's Nest is a unique structure, and even the Olympic Village, with the torch shaped building and the train of shorter buildings just behind it, resembling a dragon, is nothing short of breathtaking.

The amounts of money, engineering, talent and sheer force invested in preparing Beijing to the Olympic Games of 2008 are mind boggling.  It is obvious that China wants to re-introduce itself to the world.  That introduction, in my opinion, is going to be spectacular.  (I know that I'm using an unusual amount of superlatives.  Breathtaking, spectacular - multiple times, outstanding, mind boggling.  But in all honesty, my description falls short of the reality.  I feel the limitation of words in writing this post).

Yet the weather, for some reason, refuses to cooperate.  The clear day index for June in Beijing was 1.  I remember that day.  It was a Sunday, and there was blue sky hanging atop Beijing.  Everyday, we wake up to some gray matter in the sky, with low or no visibility, precipitation on a daily basis, thunder and lightning.  It's miserable.  Like London all year round.  But I wouldn't be completely surprised if a rabbit does jump out of the hat on August 8.  A rabbit in the shape of a clear blue sky, dry pavements and roads, sunny skies, without a shred of a cloud, smog, fog, or pollution.  I have learned to expect the unexpected.

In the meantime, though, being the comic that I am, I came up with a list for all athletes planning to participate in the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008.

   1. I'm not sure whether Nike makes galoshes, umbrellas or raincoats.  They should consider though.
   2. Include some blindfold in your training regimen.
   3. Bring a state-of-the-art GPS system with you, just in case you get lost.
   4. Bring a large bag of bread crumbs.
   5. Alternatively, bring a large bag of pebbles.
   6. Consider a guide dog and a cane.
   7. Instead of running, use a taxi, but make sure that it has an odd/even license plate depending on the day of the week.
   8. Train barefoot, it may help you feel the track.
   9. No matter what your sports is, train in swimming.
  10. Beware of seeded clouds, they get nauseous in the first trimester.

Jokes aside, I don't know why I feel that way, but I do.  On August 8, 2008, the Beijing sky will be blue, clear, with no shred of a cloud, no pollution, no rain.  The air will be clear, smooth and sweet.  Why?  Because.

Posted at 10:36PM Jul 03, 2008 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[2]