從 “美女廚房” 到 “美女班房”

香港人短視﹐急功近利的心態又一鐵證﹗

醫療如是(傷風鼻塞都要打針食特效藥﹔多倫多醫生只叫你飲多D水同埋休息)﹐現在連教育也如是。

Sex sells 似乎已是放諸古今中外皆準的道理﹐一定有招徠。但是﹐“美女班房” 這一招﹐在一年之後放榜之日便知掂唔掂。

香港現在的教育制度 ---- 求學只是求分數 ---- 比我們小時候所經過的慘痛日子還更甚。若果 “美女班房” 不能把學生成績帶到更高峰的話﹐Ken Sir 出年又要再諗新招了。

不過更可怕的是﹕如果 “美女班房” 這一招駛得的話﹐則連教育補習業都要 “性化”﹐下一步更不敢想像。

Bizzare Accident On Yonge Street in Richmond Hill

According to bystanders, a white car was travelling northbound on Yonge Street (at Arnold Crescent, north of Major Mackenzie) this morning at 7:30am, but for some unknown reasons, slammed and levelled a lamppost, a tree, and then spinned and tilted 90 degrees - sitting on its side and almost crashed into a barber shop.

From looking at the the situation of the accident scene and the photos I took, the car must have been travelling at a very high speed. However, on a weekday morning and virtually at rush hour, how could a car have been travelling at such a high speed? Well, I guess only the driver and the cop who questioned him/her could tell.

A few months ago I heard in the radio that from the automobile industry they are (or have already done so) developing a "black box" for cars. This automobile version of the "flight recorder" will record all the statistics such as speed of the car and the direction it is travelling within the last 5 seconds before the accident happens. The device is called VER (Vehicular Event Recorder) or something like that.

So if available, the VER will be able to tell what really happened this morning.

Nevertheless, there are opponents in everything. VER is no exception. But then again, it's all about privacy issues.

航空旅行面臨嚴重安全威脅，有咩應付o既好辦法?

時局到了這個田地﹐平民百性的各樣生活方式﹐包括集體運輸(航機, 地鐵, 公車)都受到影響。今日最 update 的手提行李 no-packing list 連水都帶不得上機﹔下一步將會怎樣﹖航機上將不會有飲料供應﹖

有咩應付o既好辦法?

曾經聽過一個方法﹐理論上是完美﹐實際上當然不可行啦﹗不過當笑話聽囉。在壓力這麼大﹐這麼困擾的一天作為一點調劑也不算是壞事﹕

答案﹕天體航機。

無錯。天體航機﹗

正所謂 “道高一尺﹐魔高一丈”﹐科技日新月異﹔今天有液態炸彈﹐誰知日後恐怖份子會不會研製成 “衣料炸彈”﹖把炸彈材料製成衣履著在身上﹐又然後在半空中引爆﹖

所以各位乘客登機時﹐只可以用透明膠袋裝住身份證明文件﹐其餘所有東西﹐包括身上所有底面衫褲鞋襪﹐都要 check-in 寄倉。大家在機上肉帛相見。包安全。

除非恐怖份子把炸彈放在體內﹐好似以前的人體運毒咁啦。不過咁是否成為變相了的 “肉彈” 呢﹖﹗﹖

生化柴油 (Biodiesel)

剛讀完張慧慈小姐 2006 年 8 月10 日 在香港“頭條日報”的專欄﹐再回想過去一年多以來高處未見高的氣油價格﹐相信都令大家﹐得別是有車階級﹐對這個題目再感興趣。

第一次聽到關於 biodiesel 是 2001 年﹐ 當時仍然運作的 MojoRadio (即現時的 Talk640) 其中一個節目談及美國加州有人到快餐店收取不能再作煎炸用的 “萬年油” ﹐然後注入柴油 (即油渣) 汽車的引擎﹐便可作普通柴油使用行車﹔據報汽車噴出來的廢氣還會發出炸薯條的氣味云云﹗

僅是聽﹐有點不相信。再過了兩年﹐在 Discovery Channel 看到英國的研究人員﹐把一輛富豪 (Volvo) 柴油車的燃油系統洗淨﹐然後注入普通不過的煮食用菜油﹔啟動後﹐汽車照樣 “健步如飛” ﹗ 今次真是看見為信。

及至去年﹐又再從收音機聽到關於使用煎炸油來行車的消息﹕在日本﹐有人使用炸過天婦羅 (tempura) 的食油注入汽車引擎﹐效果一樣可行﹗

生化柴油現時仍是研究階段﹐相信還有很多問題尚待解決﹐例如汽車性能表現﹐對空氣及環境的污染和影響等等﹔希望科學家們日後打出個未來﹐造福大家﹐特別是可以減輕有車階級的經濟負擔。

趣味連結﹕

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel

http://www.greenfuels.org/biodiesel/index.htm

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/cars/biodiesel/

kahoo.ca (Simon Li's website)

今晚聽 “一本政經”﹐李家豪公佈了他的網頁。

正﹗上星期睇到 Sharon 的 blog﹐ 今個禮拜多倫多既華人 journalist/commentator 也跳出這麼一步﹐在網上空間整番個 high tech, high touch 的 website. 從此又再拋離其餘的行家一大步。

記得毓民曾經講過﹕做網頁﹐最緊要係內容 ---- content is king. 家豪這個網頁﹐內容無需置疑﹐不過愚見認為 layout 則可以略加改進。

當中留言區亦有網友講及白底灰字 (grey text on white) 雖然係幾 cool, 不過睇網頁時睇得幾辛苦。

還有﹐字體好細﹐應該用較大的字體。我記得當我報讀 EPC (Elder Planning Counsellor) 專業資格時﹐其中一堂講及長者的需要﹐包括所有通訊 (網頁在內) 的字體應在 12 points 或以上。kahoo.ca 雖然不是 target 長者﹐但是長者亦極有可能是 audience 之內 (蘇博士已是其中之一啦﹗)﹐所以亦請家豪留意。

超哥五個 “E”

“超哥” (梁煥超) 每早的小環節大致上都幾 motivational. 今早他講到五個 “E”。由於我在中間插入﹐不是從頭開始聽﹐所以我猜想他所講的是養生之道。

五個 “E” 是﹕

Eating - 正常飲食
Exercise - 要運動
Vitamin E - 維他命 E (我想包括其餘的抗氧化劑 Anti-oxidants)
Emotion - 控制情緒
Examination - 每年體檢

一早起身聽到這些 “超哥版” 的 “心寧雞湯” -- Good start for the day!

阿伯阿婆 IKEA 買五個早餐﹐點食﹖

奇景﹗確是奇景﹗

咁大個仔第一次食 IKEA 的超級 $1.99 特價早餐﹔兩條小腸 (名乎其實的小) + 一個小型牛角飽 + 一小殼炒蛋﹐再加上少少炸薯仔。好食唔講得﹐總之就係平。

今天早上在 North York 的 IKEA 裡面餐廳﹐排隊在我前面有一對講廣東話的阿伯阿婆﹐兩夫婦竟然拿取了五碟 $1.99 的早餐﹗百思不得其解﹐一對耆英怎可能吃下這麼多東西﹖減食了的我現在是否吃得下第二碟都成問題。

排隊付款找到桌子坐下之後終於真相大白﹕這對「耆英人肉吸塵機」並不是連吃五個早餐﹐而是每人吃一個之前﹐先用預早帶來的膠盒子「打包」三個﹗

唔明。究竟華人是否「刻意」保存知慳識儉的美德﹖抑或直接講一句﹐就是 cheap ??

無論如何﹐這三個打包早餐極有可能成為他們的午餐﹔就算是他們知慳識儉﹐委實也不健康﹕這麼多炒蛋﹐加上煎炸油膩﹐還有膽固醇。雖是便宜的食物﹐但是會否得不賞失呢﹖

Sharon's Blog

住在加拿大真係可以好 OUT﹗ Sharon 個 blog 原來 up 左好耐﹐都係到今日才知道。

無問題﹐慢慢逐日逐日追番佢過去呢幾個月的大作。

Spy Shots of 2007 Honda CR-V
Time really flies as we are already in the second half of 2006 and the 07 models have started to come out.

Being a 2006 CR-V driver and knowing that it is the last model year, I am eager to find out what the 07's will look like. Thanks to the internet, all I need is to google.

It looks like the car has become more "executive looking" and less rugged as the spare tire is hidden away from the hatch.

Personally I still prefer my 06. I believe an SUV should look more rugged than being just a "jacked-up version" of an executive sedan.

男人的十個 “發”

零至十歲﹕ 發芽期﹔
十一至二十歲﹕ 發育期﹔
二十一至三十歲﹕ 發春期﹔
三十一至四十歲﹕ 發 TEE TON (因為無婚結)﹔
四十一至五十歲﹕ 發騷期 / 發瘋期 (發到出黎﹗)﹔
五十一至六十歲﹕ 發 MUNG 期 (更年期)﹔
六十一至七十歲﹕ 發酵期 (開始作下作下多病)﹔
七十一至八十歲﹕ 發癲期﹔
八十一至九十歲﹕ 發軟期 (發軟蹄)﹔
九十一至一百歲﹕ 發霉期 (霉 - 音 MOLD)。

女 人 的 十 個 “風”

最近在地庫執拾﹐找到這張筆記﹐源至幾年前 “冬叔” (夏春秋) 在 “王亭之春秋” 裡所講的 “女人和男人的十個”﹐頗為有趣抵死。

女 人 的 十 個 “風”

零至十歲﹕ 風趣可人﹔
十一至二十歲﹕ 風姿綽約﹔
二十一至三十歲﹕ 風華絕代﹔
三十一至四十歲﹕ 風騷入骨﹔
四十一至五十歲﹕ 風采依然﹔
五十一至六十歲﹕ 風韻尤存﹔
六十一至七十歲﹕ 風濕骨痛﹔
七十一至八十歲﹕ 瘋瘋癲癲﹔
八十一至九十歲﹕ 風燭殘年﹔
九十一至一百歲﹕ 風光大葬。

下次講 “男人的十個『發』”。

Ode To My 2000 Honda Accord

After six and a half years of faithful service, this week will see the last bout of my Accord (actually my second Accord after my 1991's).



These photos were taken yesterday at the Sunset Beach.

The car will be transferred to Nick as his second car.

TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP (follow up)

It was generally a success. Good feedback from everyone.

Comments from Grace that there could have been more tequila as there was not enough sauce judging from the amount of shrimp.

TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP

I picked up this receipe from the in-flight magazine (SkyService) on our returning flight to Toronto from Cancun, Mexico on June 5.

I am going to try it during our small group meeting tonight at Spencer and Grace's home.


TEQUILA LIME SHRIMP
(Courtesy Mexico Tourism Board)

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp tequila
juice of 1 lime
1/s tsp crused red pepper flakes

(note: I will use the white tequila given to us by the hotel, and as I do not have red pepper flakes at home, I will be using paprika available at Grace's home.)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in tequila, lime juice and pepper flakes. Cook 2 minutes or until about half of the liquid evaporates and shrimp are pink and glazed.

Serves 4-6 as a main course.

木瓜 與 青檸

木瓜 - 很多人都說有益。不過個人覺得其氣味 ...... 禮貌說是“獨特”﹔老實說是“難頂”﹗

.

最近杜太介紹﹐切開木瓜之後﹐灑上青檸汁在其上﹐可 “劈” 去其 “難頂” 的氣味。 小弟昨晚試過﹐所言甚是。

關於木瓜及其氣味﹐還有一個有趣的小發現﹕小弟是四月出世﹐涼銘及其夫人示詩亦是四月出世。三人同覺木瓜因其氣味而難食。
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如果我們可以找到第四個四月出世的人都是怕吃木瓜的話﹐則差不多可以作出結論﹐逢四月出世的人都是怕吃木瓜的!

與君一夕話﹐勝讀十年書

Wow! What an evening!

三十年前開始認識的中學同學﹐十多年沒有見面﹐今次能在多市重逢﹐實屬榮幸。

除了聚舊﹐update 一下自己和各舊同學的近況外﹐我們還談到最切身的話題﹕健康。

Ken 兄除了演藝了得外﹐更醉心鑽研另類療法及隱世醫術﹐身體力行﹐自己親身嘗試﹐把第一身的經驗與我們分享﹐相當可取。

Alex 兄貴為化學工程師﹐對水質問題素有研究﹐工作亦與水質處理有關﹐不讓時下的甚麼「水質測量師」專美。昨晚客觀道出淨水, 純水, 軟水及炭過濾水面面觀﹔硬水, 軟水, 熱水, 涼水, 酸鹼度﹔對人體的影響。

今次聚會再次挑起我對健康食品, 自然及另類療法的興趣。健康不單是自身尤關﹐更是家人和朋友的切身議題。家母的失眠問題﹐Ken 兄都有好的提議給她試試。

Ken 兄說得好﹕如果可以幫助到別人﹐以至他回來對你說他的身體已漸趨健康﹐不用再服藥﹐這就是最開心不過的。

談話間他多次從隨身的背囊拿出治療方給我們﹐樣子十足一個懸壺濟世的醫師﹗無怪 Alex 兄叫你「陳大夫」﹐你公司的同事叫你「陳醫師」了﹗

希望在下週菁姐從滿市回來後﹐你回港之前﹐可以再多見一次面吧﹗

My First Sudoku

So I completed my first (ever!) Sudoku today!

Yeah, it has been really quiet at the Centrepoint ... So quiet that I almost fell asleep! Thornhill was quiet too as I phoned there and Antonella told me that.

Before signing off, I told her to work on her Sudoku as I saw her doing the other day. And she replied she was in fact working one!

After I hang up, I thought ...... hmmm! Maybe I should work on one too because for one, this will keep me awake! And two, it's good brain exercise.

Yes ... my very first one. Tough at first, but hey, seems fun.

I guess I am hooked now!

WWOOOOO! What a feeling! Thanks to Evite!! Thanks to my former classmates too!

Love the net! Love Evite!!

Because of that, and my classmates who used Evite to set up the event, I made contact with a long lost classmate who has been working in Japan for so many years. However, when he received and replied to my email, he's on business in Seattle! How cool is that!

The internet is amazing.

P.S. Thank you Mr. Yick as well.

High School Reunion in HK

Is it that I am starting to get older that I am becoming more and more sentimental??

Just got an "evite" (via www.evite.com) that there will be another high school reunion in HK on April 1, 2006. Nevertheless it was 25 years ago that we graduated from SPCC there.

Too bad that I am all tied up with family, business and church work here in Toronto. It's not easy to go to the other side of the globe in such a short notice. I wish we can do something similar here in Toronto too in order to renew some looooong lost friendship.

Still remember back in 2002 when I was in HK, after dinner and drinks with some of the old classmates, Dr. Lie drove us home. He mentioned something like we really want to treasure these reunion moments - the opportunities are harder and harder to get ...... something like one of his fellow dentistry classmates died of cancer at a really young age.

If you miss one (of these opportunities), you really miss one.

Gee......

hotspot WiFi-ing

This is great! 

 

With a laptop and a WiFi card (if your laptop is not equipped with that internally), you can virtually hop onto the internet - checking your emails, blogging, listening to radio programs worldwide and net surfing, etc.

 

New found fun for me .... although a lot of tech-inclined people would have been doing for a long long time.

 

Blogging at the Starbucks @ BCE Place, next to the Hockey Hall of Fame.