Category Archives: Books & Reviews

A bit too long…

Posted on January 4, 2010 by sinyaw

Avatar James Cameron We all went to the bathroom before the movie started and stayed away from any liquid during the entire show. That was a good plan. We came out of the theater with different opinions. She shrugged, “It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

Saving Dolphins

Posted on December 20, 2009 by sinyaw

The Cove 2009 Documentaries are so annoying. They disrupt my normal, ignorant, and blissful life. Now I think of this cause and must deal with the emotions that this film provoked: sadness, anger, and this thing that pinches your heart … Continue reading →

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

Earphones

Posted on December 15, 2009 by sinyaw

For years, I struggled to sleep on long flights to and from China. With many experiments, I nailed down the ambient noise to be the key culprit. That led to an iPod investment and the quest for a good pair … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews, Witness to my life | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

2012

Posted on December 4, 2009 by sinyaw

2012 John Cusack Disaster is a well understood and typically formulaic genre. The special effects are the main draw. Audience wants realism: scary scenes that fool the brain into believing. Next the plot must could happen. Lastly, there should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

水滸: 管理觀念

Posted on December 1, 2009 by sinyaw

宋江原來在梁山經營個小公司,生意蒸蒸日上. 但是他覺得前途不好,於是想被併購. 汴涼的徽宗趙佶是他的理想對象. 於是三次協商,簽訂併購合同. 梁山泊的CEO,搖身成為宋朝的個中級主管. 商業併購,十之八九,被併購的主管,在兩年內離開. 文化隔閡太大,管理理念相隔太遠. 宋江原來的假想敵是徽宗. 大公司動作慢,又官僚,其實容易競爭. 他可以在大傘下,打下自己一塊江山. 被併購後,他的對象是江南方臘,另一個中小公司. 這下就難些了. 回頭看他如何在大宋中存活呢? 宋江其實沒有大公司的資歷. 那些高俅,蔡京,身居EVP,都是在大公司打滾過來的好手. 宋江以為做事好就能被賞識,其實公司內部的人事關係,比做事實力更重要. 他自己不就是靠李師師,才搞定那併購的嗎? 轉眼,他就忘了要下工夫聯絡好高俅和蔡京,只會去打仗. 一下子,梁山的大寨主頭把金交椅,變成了只知服從,不敢抗命的大宋奴才. 宋江要是自己繼續經營梁山公司,能打下足夠的市場,與宋朝分庭抗禮嗎? 其實還有另一個大公司,金朝,也在這市場競爭. 宋江如果局勢分析好了,應該知道和宋朝併購,不如在方臘,宋,金三面經營. 也許梁山能左右世局呢? 讀史,即使是小說,也真有用.

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

The Lost Symbol

Posted on November 26, 2009 by sinyaw

The Lost Symbol Dan Brown ISBN-13: 9780385504225 Almost all KungKu fictions, a large genre unknown to westerners, describe how the masters, heroes or villains, acquired their superior skills. The methods are well categorized: some magic elixir, a rare script or … Continue reading →

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

Wicked

Posted on November 19, 2009 by sinyaw

Wicked Teal Wicks, Kendra Kassebaum The strategy did not quite work: find a mid-week matinee, take public transportation, enjoy a less attended show. The possibility of rain changed our minds on taking CalTrain. We arrived Orpheum Theater and found a … Continue reading →

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

Stephen King’s Old Charm

Posted on November 11, 2009 by sinyaw

Different Seasons Stephen King ISBN: 978-0451167538 I have many lost books: those I bought, kept, but never finished. This one holds the record. I bought it on a business trip no less than 20 years ago. I read one of … Continue reading →

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

水滸:吊林沖

Posted on November 6, 2009 by sinyaw

這麼好的個英雄,死的多麼悽涼. 先病倒,再醉酒自殺. 他是死也不下梁山的. 想想,他好好的在京裏當官. 被逼上梁山. 一肚子深仇大恨,柔情萬丈,英雄武藝,落的個孤零零的醉死. 這也是施耐庵的伏筆了. 招安一定沒個好下場. 一開始,就死個大將. 水滸的悲劇,就此舖開. 少年的我,到了這就不看下去了. 記得我看三國,關公一死,我也就看不下去了一樣. 現在的我,嘆口氣,繼續.

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

Vienna Teng 史逸欣

Posted on October 27, 2009 by sinyaw

  Based on Wikipedia, She was born to Taiwan parents, studied piano since five, grew up in Saratoga, California, got a CS degree from Stanford, and worked in Cisco for two years as a software engineer. Then she quit and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Reviews | Tagged , | 4 Comments