Several airlines in the United States have warned that the C-band signal of the 5G network may affect flight safety and cause flight disruptions. (Photo from Euronews)

(We Chinese in America Media Editor Tang Zhao, January 18, 2022) All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines announced on the evening of the 18th that they had cancelled some flights between Japan and the United States due to the possible impact of the 5G signal in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and several airlines have previously warned that 5G airwaves could cause malfunctions in aircraft instruments and systems.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that two airlines flying Boeing 777s on the America Line will cancel flights that cannot be changed to other models. All Nippon Airways pointed out that it learned from Boeing on the 18th that due to the influence of 5G radio waves, the system that controls the posture of the 777 aircraft may malfunction when it is flying at low altitudes.

"Asahi Shimbun" reported that ANA announced on the 18th that with the start of 5G services in the United States, due to Boeing's request to suspend the operation of 777 aircraft, it is currently canceling Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago and other 20 flights connecting with Japan's Haneda and Narita airports, including passenger aircraft and 10 freighter flights each, and about 650 passengers were affected.

According to ANA, U.S. aviation authorities pointed out in December that 5G airwaves could affect the plane's altimeter, and on Jan. 13 revealed the airports that might be affected. Boeing notified all airlines operating its 777s to limit operations because it could affect airframe control as the planes land. Japan Airlines also canceled some flights due to this impact.

(Source: Compiled from Online Information)

The U.S. government is scrutinizing Alibaba's cloud business to determine whether it jeopardizes national security. (Photo from Reuters)

(We Chinese in America Media Editor Tang Zhao, January 18, 2022) The U.S. government is reviewing Alibaba's cloud business to determine whether it jeopardizes national security, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The review focuses on how Alibaba stores U.S. customer data, including personal information and intellectual property, and whether Chinese officials can access that data. In addition, Beijing authorities may interfere with the access rights of American users, which is also one of the potential concerns of the United States.

Reuters reported that the U.S. could eventually force Alibaba to take steps to reduce the risk to U.S. national security from its cloud business, or completely ban the use of Alibaba Cloud services by Americans at home and abroad.

Alibaba's cloud business is small in the U.S., with annual revenue estimated at less than $50 million, according to research firm Gartner. Well-known American companies that currently have business relationships with Alibaba Cloud include Ford Motor, IBM's Red Hat, and Hewlett-Packard.

(Source: World Journal)

U.S. stocks opened lower today. (Photo from Associated Press)

(We Chinese in America Media Editor Tang Zhao, January 18, 2022) The market is worried that major central banks may raise interest rates faster than originally expected, driving U.S. Treasury yields soaring and triggering selling pressure on the stock market. The three major U.S. stock indexes fell about 1.5% in early trading on the 18th, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 500 points. Large technology stocks were slammed, the Nasdaq composite index fell 1.9%, the Philadelphia semiconductor index fell 2.6%, and the TSMC ADR fell 3.9%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 552 points to 35,359 in early trade. U.S. 2-year Treasury yields, the most sensitive to Fed rate moves, rose above 1 percent for the first time since February 2020, while 10-year Treasury yields also climbed 5 basis points to 1.8305 percent, surging two points higher. highest level in years.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, fell 3.8%, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, fell 2.9%, Amazon fell 2%, Microsoft fell 1.5%, and Apple also fell 1.3%; Goldman Sachs’ trading revenue in the last quarter was less than expected, and its stock price plummeted 8%. It also weighed on bank stocks.

The Financial Times (FT) reported that the Fed has kept the federal funds rate near zero since March 2020, but interest rate futures contracts show traders expect interest rates to exceed 1% by the end of the year.

The majority of respondents to Deutsche Bank's monthly survey see a bubble in U.S. tech stocks and are more bearish on tech stocks as the Fed turns hawks and U.S. bond yields rise.

Investors speculate that the Fed will tighten monetary policy more aggressively, said Aberdeen Standard portfolio manager Aberdeen Standard, and he thinks the mood in the market is due to JPMorgan Chase CEO Dimon saying last week, “The Fed is likely to raise rates six or seven times this year to curb inflation.”

(Source: Compiled from Online Information)

Dining with Asian Food & Wine - PEKING DUCK in the LUNAR NEW YEAR - “THE YEAR OF THE TIGER”

by

Ronald Jan, M.D.

Celebrating the NEW YEAR has been challenging in the midst of a pandemic. Still, it reems reasonable to acknowledge some of the traditions that come - paying bills before NEW YEAR’S DAY, cleaning the house before NEW YEAR’S DAY. Described by wine expert and author, Janet Z. Wang, dining with family on NEW YEAR’S EVE is a critical part of tradition “…epitomized by the scene of parents, husband and wife, siblings and children sitting around the table with steamy dumplings (especially in the North China) and NEW YEAR delicacies, accompanied by the sound of laughter and the clinking of wine cups and chopsticks. (It) is the most important family occasion of the year, charged with emotions and the symbolism of love, safety, comfort and filial piety.”

In restaurants a knife is taped to the wall to appease the Kitchen God, Zao Wang. 

kitchen God, Zao Wang (Photo from Yan-Kit So’s Classic Food of China)

So that cooks can safely use knives in preparing delicious food, for example, whole fish (homonym for bountiful), birds nest soup (for youthfulness), noodles (for long life), yuan bao (boiled dumplings for wealth), and duck (promoting happiness).

Peking Duck from Sacramento’s Hong Kong Islander Restaurant (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

And more than chicken or turkey, the Peking Duck can present more richness and texture enhanced by the crispy skin. The Peking Duck at Sacramento’s Hong Kong Islander Restaurant met the expectation with the umami savoriness of the fat and the oiliness being tempered by the acid of the Twomey Vineyards’ 2014 Pinot Noir from Russian River. The rich flavor of the Peking Duck and hoi sin sauce’s sweetness was enhanced by the fruitiness of the 2014 Pinot Noir from Russian River whose soft tannins were softened even more by the 8 years of ageing.

2014 Twomey’s Pinot Noir (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

Dining with food and wine, family and friends during the Chinese New Year Celebration helps all of us to endure this pandemic and leaves us with hope for a brighter year ahead -

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER

Embroidery TIGER (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

About the author: Dr. Ronald G. Jan who specializes in Vascular Surgery is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine. As a hobby, he holds WSET level 3 certification in wines and has been writing and publishing wine commentaries.