'recycled' lighter

Lighter is prohibited from being taking on the plane with carry-on luggage since 911.
With the approaching of Chinese Olymic 2008, the airport security is heavily enforced at the Shanghai and Beijing International airports. Like most of international airports around the world, lighters are collected upon security check point.

In the United States, such a collection along with any suspicious items, like (sealed, unopened) bottle of water,etc) will be directly trashed. However, people can opt to choose one(1) free lighter of their choice upon their baggage claim. I have to admit that it might be a better way of 'recycling' these lighters than throwing them away. The small free lighter station is overcrowded with passengers. Some of them would spend up to 2 minutes to dig out every possible styles. It seems that they don't really care about any potential danger the lighter may carry, but more about which one is more expensive or better-looking.

a play of consumer psychology and marketing tricks

The high or the low all depends on how you look at it!

Tappening Now: http://tappening.com/

Love it or Leave it

"LOVE" used in automobile marketing.
The 'PreLoved" Volkswagen doesn't really look depressed but more anxious to be loved again

Do You See the Sign?

A sign is to be seen. I, 5'3 tall, can see seven(7) unrepeated signs in the above picture while I am standing in this lavatory on a US Airways plane.

However, if I bend down at least 45 degree, I saw another squarish sign, warning what can be and can not be thrown in the trash bin.

Let's imagine our experience of taking a lavatory break on an airplane and possible activity routine there. We either want to quickly finish our job (sitting on the toilet facing towards the door or standing against the door) and wash up your hand or refresh yourself by toothbrushing, face washing or doing makingup using the mirror.

Chances are if you are not observant enough, the sign wouldn't be seen even when you are sitting on the toilet seat. Wouldn't agree?

Then, my question is: the sign is designed for whom to see?
for Kids, you may say, of age ranging 1-7 whose height may fulfill the requirement to see the sign. I may buy your answer. However, in real life, we observe that kids of 1-7 are normally under parents' companion to take the lavatory break and they normally do what an adult guides them to do.
If my reason stands, shouldn't this sign be designed mainly for users of teens or older? Thus, the human factor issues for the sign design should be reconsidered.

Left or Right?

If you take a close look at the picture taken at Phoenix Skyharbor airport, US, the freewalk way on the left side of the escalator, people habitually walk on the right side. However, the sign hanging down from the ceiling is clearly warns/guides people to 'Walk On Left, Stand On Right", which is aganist people's daily behavior routine/habit. Even just passing the warning sign, people still naturally Walk On the Right (as seen on the picture). If you have ever experienced this escalator, you will probably agree with me that when you do walk on the left, it is awkwardly user unfriendly to have someone pass by on the right. To make the experience worse is when the person is pulling a luggage.

Update: on my recent trip to Japan, surprisingly I found that the sign guides customers 'Walk on Right, Stand on Left'. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the sign.

Update:
My friend, Dr. Hana Smith, gives me the following helpful and insight explanation.
I have to say, it does make sense! But when you are near airport next time, try it out and tell me which way you feel more pleasurable/comfortable, i.e. "walk on left, stand on right", or "walk on right, stand on left".

" The 'Walk On Left, Stand on Right' refers strictly to the escalator path, and follows the same convention freeways and interstates follow. Except instead of 'slower traffic keep right', it is 'standing persons keep right'. Either way, faster or moving traffic pass in the left lane of the highway (cars)or walking on the left side of the escalator (people). "

'STANDBY' Mode

A Vivid Laptop'Standby' Mode Demo. A slim beauty like Apple Air has to 'stand' wide open!

A Display of Political Relationship

It seems that this "Cart Pool' board at Narrita Airport, Japan is a diplay of Political Relationship . Hierachical order of countries that are (important/friendly) to Japan are USA or any English-speaking country (in English), Korea (Korean), and China(Chinese)! What is also interesting to me is the translation and its of a simply warning 'Use at your own Risk". Korean is the longest, followed by Japanese and Chinese. I don't understand Korean and Japanese, but the tone of the Chinese version is much more polite and humble than 'Use at your own Risk'.

Charging Party at Airport

Finding an easy-to-access power plug-in at airport is always a pain in the stomach! All these laptops are in desperately hunger of being fed.

'GPS' a Restroom

A Japanese restroom sign is clearly identified with a distance of 50M from the entrance of the exit hallway. Do we need this acruate GPS locating? :)

'loud' Restroom sign

a very 'loud' restroom sign in Narrita Airport, Japan that is of impressively big size.