Tech Watch: Depositing, without an envelop, at ATM

这里是中文译本。

This morning, I went to a bank branch to deposit two checks at an ATM.

A new ATM, with the touch screen, is quit eye-catching.

As usual, my hand is searching to get an envelop. Envelopes? Where are all that envelopes for deposits? From top to bottom, from side to side, none. Then I headed to the in-door ATMs, hoping some lucks to find one. None, again.

While in the lost, I suddenly found that there is a sign, saying: deposits without envelopes, multiple checks together. Really?

Dubious, I chose the option "deposit". Crashing my expectation, the ATMs did NOT ask for the deposit amounts, at all, but simply sucked in all my cheques, then the screen, surprise-surprise, shows: Two cheques and the their amounts - Machine Handwriting Recognition!

After confirmation, the transaction continued. Here is the receipt:


While in the university, we were hotly debating when computers could recognize handwriting. We are also used to today's smart phone's accepting handwriting. Now banks are beginning to utilize this technology. We have to acknowledge that handwriting recognition is mature enough for the financial industry, which are essential and critical to our daily life.

Once again, we feel the solid pace of the modern technologies, marching!

新鲜：支票裸存！

For English version, please click here.

今天早上到银行自动取款机存两张支票。 新的自动取款机， 触摸屏。信封？ 存款的信封在哪里？上上下下，左左右右， 没有。转到室内的自动取款机，也没有。茫然中豁然发现，有一注释贴在那里：存款不用信封， 多张支票要叠罗在一起，一次送入！当真？

半信半疑，我选了“存款”，自动取款机竟然没有要求输入支票面值（？！）， 径直吸入支票，而后屏幕显示出：支票两张以及各自面值 - 机器手书识别。确认后，存款继续，这是最后的收据：

大学时，我们还在激烈争论何时计算机才能识别手写。 我们也知道当今智能手机已经能够识别手写。现在银行也敢玩这个了，想必他们对计算机手写识别已是信心满满的了。 再一次感受到科技时代的步伐。

地下室里的发霉气味

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请问贵府地下室里有没有一股发霉的味道？

-- 没有？恭喜你，可以多去几次地下室了。 -- 有？恭喜你，来对了地方。看看拙文可否帮到您。

通常霉味是湿度太高造成的， 温度越高， 空气中水分越多。 夏天才有霉的问题。我们试过“开窗通风” 和 “放苏打”， 都不管用。 还是买一台吸湿器， 才解决了问题。

作了好多研究比较， 最后选择了这一款： Kenmore MD 70 pint dehumidifier

使用一周霉味明显减轻。两周后霉味全无。

通常一天或二天就会吸满一水箱。倒水时， 要用手托住水箱底部。据说水箱上的提手很容易拉团断。

很静。 放地下室， 楼上根本听不到。

希望本文能够部分地帮助解答你的这些问题：

--- 怎么去除地下室的霉味？ 如何去除地下室的潮汽和霉味？ 如何清除潮湿的地下室霉味， 地下车库霉味，仓库霉味？

--- 有哪些吸湿机评论或除湿机用户点评？哪个牌子的除湿机效果好？ 哪家吸湿器质量好？

A Little Ant And A Watermelon

这里是中文译本。

There was a picture book, which has been influencing me, since my childhood. I read it when I was about 6 or 7 years old, while I was in grade 1 or 2. I have tried to search the internet, hoping that I could find it published on the internet, but unfortunately, I could not. Here is the brief story that I can recall:

One hot summer day, a mother ant and her child were walking in a watermelon field, and the child ant was getting thirsty. The mother ant pointed to a watermelon, said, this is called watermelon, watery and sweet. You go and eat it, and I'll take a rest under the shade.

The little ant clamped onto the watermelon, walking around and around, tried biting again and again, nothing tasted good. The hard shell nearly broke the little ant's teeth. After one hour's fruitless, eagerly and hurriedly rounding and rounding, the little ant stopped.

He woke his mom, and said sadly, sorry mom, but I have to wake you up. I rounded and rounded. And I have to say that the watermelon is not watery, nor sweet. it is hard and no taste at all. After knowing what his son had being doing, the mother ant said, honey, let's focus on one spot, and persistently dig. With a lots of efforts, they dig through the green hard shell. Deeper and deeper, they dig through the white layer. Suddenly, a stream of red sweet juice splashed onto them. It is the first time in his life, child ant tasted the world's most delicious fruit.

By the focus and persistence, the sweet results follow.

菜谱： 西瓜皮凉菜

For English version, please click here 许多人吃完西瓜后，把西瓜皮扔掉了。且慢！

你知道吗，可以用西瓜皮做一碟凉菜。削掉硬皮，切成小块儿，放盐适量。

放入冰箱过夜。

明天早餐可就多了一盘清爽的凉菜呦：

请尝尝。 另外：还可以添加蜂蜜或其他的你喜欢的东西。 你听说这个《小蚂蚁吃西瓜》故事吗？

魁北克省的 Cascades 公园

For English version, please click here.

你见过切片石头，一致倾斜地倒向一边吗？

我推测，这些石头一直站立那里有数万年。有一天，突然一个外力（地震？），这些石头，像切片面包那样， 倒向同一侧：

人们躺在暖洋洋的石板上，或浸泡在凉爽爽流水中。

还有许多的小瀑布。这个别致的地方就是魁北克省的 Cascades 公园。

这里距离蒙特利尔有大约一小时的车程。

不过，我还是要提醒你， 早启程30分钟，途径附近的一个小镇那里，塞车严重。 成人收$7门票费，得一个腕带。有了这个腕带， 您还可以游玩附近的另外两个公园。 再看一下这个海滩。不要忘记读读信息板（尽管是法语， 还是可以猜个大概。）：

Grow bean sprouts, without using any bean sprout machines

这里是中文译本。

1. Take a small cup of green beans, wash. Soak into the water, covered, leave it overnight.

For about 12 - 24 hours:

2. Choose a container with holes at bottom. Spread beans at the bottom evenly. Watering. Pressure with weight. Cover.

3. Change the water every morning and evening.

4. after 4 days, harvest. Cut the root.

Too much work? Please see [Grow bean sprouts, by using a bean sprout machine]