It's going on three days now back in the States, and I've been using the time to reconnect with a number of things, such as book stores stocked with titles in languages that I can read, craft beers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Pop Tarts, maple bars and TV cartoons intended for mature audiences...and my family, of course, but then that's a given. The temperatures have been not much above freezing, but the freshness of the air makes the outdoors feel much more comfortable than it usually is back in Taiwan 台灣 during the Lunar New Year 春節. The beautifully clear skies we've been having so far certainly help, but though it's only a matter of time before the rains fall again in the Pacific Northwest (Thursday probably), it's been good to be back.
Meanwhile, back on the island of Formosa, Kyōdō News 共同通信社 has another article on developments on the local chipmaking front, which I have lifted from the pages of Japan Today ("Elpida to buy all DRAMs made by Powerchip Technology"):
"Elpida Memory Inc エルピーダメモリ株式会社 said Monday it has reached a basic agreement to buy all dynamic random access memory chips produced by Taiwanese semiconductor maker Powerchip Technology Corp, a move that will enable the Japanese chipmaker to boost its output capacity without new capital spending. Elpida has farmed out the production of DRAMs for personal computers to Powerchip since 2003 and currently buys half of the output, equivalent to 80,000 300-millimeter wafers per month. It also allows the Taiwanese firm to sell the remaining half under its own brand. When the agreement is finalized, Elpida will purchase all DRAMs produced by Powerchip and sell them under its brand. Powerchip is also licensed to buy 30,000 of 85,000 DRAMs produced per month by Rexchip Electronics Corp, a Taiwanese joint venture set up by Elpida and Powerchip in 2007, and sell them under its brand. Elpida will purchase all DRAMs from Rexchip for sale under its name when the final agreement takes effect. In addition, Elpida will study measures to turn around Powerchip’s ailing management such as purchasing its core plant."
On a completely unrelated note, the Stone Brewing Company's Stone IPA is one of the finest suds I've had the pleasure to enjoy so far on this visit home Now I'm on the lookout for Arrogant Bastard Ale and Stone Ruination IPA. Thanks for the tips, Gary!
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