Author Archives: sinyaw

Tax season is here

Posted on January 10, 2007 by sinyaw

China Daily reported recently that China's tax revenue for 2006 grew by almost 22%. Over the same period, GDP grew by 10.7%. Both numbers are impressive by any measure. The discrepancy between them is most curious. Since GDP is the … Continue reading →

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The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

Posted on December 8, 2006 by sinyaw

The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel Diane Setterfield ISBN: 0743298020 Pub. Date: September 12, 2006 Publisher: Atria “Dad, do you ever read books with a plot?,” asked my smart-tongued kid. She concluded that my books are all boring. I must admit … Continue reading →

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Guardian Lions

Posted on November 29, 2006 by sinyaw

Everywhere you go, a pair of lions guards the entrance of a respectable establishment, be it a temple, restaurant, government agency, bank, or simply a residential house. The most common material is stone. Some of them are made with iron … Continue reading →

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First snow

Posted on November 24, 2006 by sinyaw

Last winter, the first snow fell on January 12th. This one, today. They say it is going to be a warn winter. I like snow.

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The Diamond Cutter

Posted on November 23, 2006 by sinyaw

The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life Geshe Michael Roach ISBN: 0385497911 Pub. Date: Reprint edition (July 15, 2003) Publisher: Doubleday “grok.” Jargon File 4.2.0. 18 Nov. 2006. Dictionary.com /grok/, var. /grohk/ vt. … Continue reading →

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Be Selfish

Posted on November 17, 2006 by sinyaw

Be Selfish Ootober 31st, 2006 Managers deliver business results. All other things support this singlton goal, nothing else matters. First, you must understand what business results are. Young, and often junior, managers do not get this. They focus on secondary … Continue reading →

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In China's Shadow

Posted on November 7, 2006 by sinyaw

In China's Shadow: The Crisis of American Entrepreneurship Reed Hundt ISBN: 0300108524 Pub. Date: October 16, 2006 Publisher: Yale University Press Reed Hundt was Chairman of FCC during the Clinton administration. This book has a good thesis. It is well … Continue reading →

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Stuck in Africa

Posted on November 1, 2006 by sinyaw

My usual route to work was jammed solid this morning. The alternative was too. The 3rd option across town managed to miss my lst meeting only by 15 minutes. Whew! This is not the normal Beijing traffic. Red balloon lanterns … Continue reading →

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Double 9 day

Posted on October 30, 2006 by sinyaw

WANG Wei (701~761) is one of my favorite poets. On this 9th day of the 9th lunar month, long, long time ago, he wrote this famous poem. It became an instant classic and spread all over China. 王維《九月九日憶山東兄弟》 獨在異鄉為異客， 每逢佳節倍思親。 … Continue reading →

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Definition of Poor

Posted on October 18, 2006 by sinyaw

According to China Daily, Beijing's average income per capita is US$2,508 per year. That is about the same purchasing power of US$7,550 as the person is living in US. US poverty line is US$9,800 for a single person. The definition … Continue reading →

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