Category Archives: Books & Reviews

阜杭豆漿

Posted on October 7, 2011 by sinyaw

幾年前就聽人說這是台北最棒的豆漿. 小時住永和,有事沒事就去吃中正橋豆漿,24小時營業,豆漿,燒餅油條,飯糰,都是便宜東西. 吃吃走路,從來不覺得有什麼大不了. 長大了搬去台北,常想起中正橋豆漿,但嫌路遠,不常去. 後來到處都是”永和豆漿大王”,心裏常納悶,一樣嗎? 我們吃的是”四海豆漿”å•Š.可是沒幾年,中正橋的豆漿也都沒了. 想豆漿變成了個遺憾事. 來美國後,找燒餅油條成了個嗜好. 聽說哪裡有,就得長途去試試. 驚聞Mountain View有家推出了油條,一早開車去,等上一小時,這是什麼油條啊,簡直是炸麵棍.難怪英文叫Chinese Donut. 過了好些年,慢慢有幾家做的像些了.但是總是差上那一點,最常的就是冷了.燒餅油條,冷了就只是油味,吃不下去了. 所以每次回台北,必找家燒餅油條店解解鄉愁.街角的都行,每一家都地道. 久了朋友就開始推薦了.這家如何,那家怎樣,我們變成了品燒餅. 吃來吃去,就是這家阜杭沒吃了. 這次來,反正有時差,一早起來,直奔華山市場(善導寺對面),跟著人潮(六點半!)到了這間燒餅油條店. 厚燒餅是用老式泥爐一張張貼上烤出來的,皮脆裏軟,蔥香有咬勁. 其實不該夾油條,空口吃最過癮. 鹹豆漿花結的剛好,料剛夠沒太多,清的部分有鮮味,結的部分像豆花. 蟹殼黃(焦糖燒餅)皮脆糖甜芝麻香. 我覺得飯團太鬆,蘿蔔絲絣味道太重. 聽說薄燒餅也好吃,但我們實在吃不下了. 七點多吃完,看隊排了十來人.據聞九點時能排到樓下去. 台北人真瘋. 想當年信步走到橋頭,坐下就吃的閒興. 回憶嘍.

Posted in Books & Reviews, Tour guides | Leave a comment

三國(3): 愚忠

Posted on September 25, 2011 by sinyaw

常山趙子龍,入千軍萬馬如無人之地. 殺到血染全身,精疲力盡,逃出重圍. 要不是張飛在長坂坡喝退曹兵,他一員虎將,也被蟻兵捉去了. 這仗,是為了救他”主公”劉備的兒子阿斗,後主劉禪. 這是中國的故有美德: æ„šå¿ . “為人臣子”,必須聽話,絕對效忠不二. 如果”忠孝不能兩全”,那只有犧牲孝了. 孔子的倫理,”君臣”第一,”父子”第二. 從老闆的角度看,這太美了. 不論手下人多有能力,市場價多高. 他們一絕對不能”不忠“,也就是不能叛變. 他們還得絕對聽話,所有的能力,判斷力,都只是對外的. 到了老闆面前,每個都是白癡,只有老闆是對的. 而且他們都是”家臣”不是”å“¡å·¥”. 他們存在的目的是保護老闆個人,或家人,的利益. 而非公司或國家. 三國中,劉備是最爛的老闆,曹操,孫權比他強多了. 若非關張趙,及諸葛亮的愚忠,那可能成三國之勢? å¿ ,當然是個美德. 但不是”忠君”,而是忠於個理念. 美國是第一個把這觀念搞清楚的國家. 所有的政府員工,他們效忠的對象,是美國憲法,而不是任何組織或個人. 三國時期,根本還沒這觀念呢. 當然,趙雲有他的職責,其中之一,就是保護糜甘二夫人及少主.所以他是忠於他的職責. 劉備“故把親兒擲馬前” 換來趙雲的“雖肝腦涂地,不能報也.” 也是不錯的管理手段.

Posted in Books & Reviews, China, Peek into my mind | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Lost Gate

Posted on September 17, 2011 by sinyaw

How nice to be sucked into a book, particularly by Orson Scott Card. This is not really a SciFi, but a fantasy. I am not entering any debates on their differences. The plots and characters are clever and vivid. Orson … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

三國(2): 官渡之戰

Posted on September 4, 2011 by sinyaw

聽完過五關宰六將,真是過癮. 劉備三兄弟終於團圓,又得趙雲. 評書人,袁闊城,話頭一轉,說起曹操破袁紹. 官渡之戰是最精彩的一段,曹操以近十分之一的兵力,隔水對抗袁紹. 對壘多時後,他夜襲烏巢,把袁紹的糧燒了. 袁紹想稱機拿官渡,但不料曹操烏巢的兵大勝而回,反而首尾受敵. 結果十萬大兵,只剩800人退回黎陽. 這一戰,奠定了曹操的地位,也毀了袁紹. 小時看三國,只想諸葛亮打勝仗. 一面看一面氣,為什麼又輸了. 現在的角度不同了,官渡之戰的關鍵,是許攸倒戈,他有烏巢的資訊,曹操因此出兵夜襲. 而許攸倒戈,是因為袁紹沒有管理能力. 歷史雖以成敗論英雄,但是袁曹的人格及管理能力,在這官渡之戰呈現無疑. 從管理的角度看,官渡是雙方的”決定性時機”. 但袁紹以為可以用兵力致勝,而掉以輕心,留下了烏巢這弱點. 曹操要以少致勝,必然想出奇.袁紹低估了對方. 但曹操的膽識,必須佩服. 敢以十分之一兵力對敵,也有”執行能力”,信任許攸,打下烏巢. 這是得霸業的能力,不是運氣.

Posted in Books & Reviews, China, Peek into my mind | Tagged , | Leave a comment

It is over. Finally!

Posted on August 17, 2011 by sinyaw

Honestly, by Book #7, I was not anticipating its release. J.K. Rowling wrote lengthier and darker as Harry Potter saga continued. The books became adult-level effort with teenager level enjoyment. But I am the guy who read all six of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews, Witness to my life | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Not so random walk down the Wall St.

Posted on May 22, 2011 by sinyaw

There are golden rules on investing: Allocate your assets: Divide your investment into piles that have different risk and reward structure: real estate, cash, equity, insurance, etc. Think of their relative proportions and keep them. Diversify: Within each pile, have … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews, Peek into my mind | Tagged , | Leave a comment

My First Baldacci

Posted on May 14, 2011 by sinyaw

He seems like a prolific writer and I enjoyed the movie “Absolute Power.” Political thriller is really not my usual genre, but I was on a Kindle binge and in exploration mood. So, with a click and its whisper net, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Rho Agenda

Posted on April 27, 2011 by sinyaw

“Do you have a book by Richard Phillips titled ‘Rho Agenda’?” A Barnes and Noble is between the bus stop and home. I was curious on what the book really feel like. It does not hurt anybody to take a … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews, Peek into my mind, Witness to my life | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐

Posted on April 21, 2011 by sinyaw

The art is in chopsticking. Pick it up gently and slowly. the friction of chopsticks will do the works; you need to provide the patience. The dumpling will sag like a small water balloon and you will crane it to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews, Peek into my mind, Seattle, Tour guides | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Where Good Ideas Come From

Posted on April 15, 2011 by sinyaw

Steven Johnson’s book is really a historical one, as in the tag line “The Natural History of Innovation.” The premise is that human and nature innovate in striking similar ways. If we accept that, then we can cultivate innovation by … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Leave a comment