Tuesday 26 October 2010

足球的生日 Party...

係星加坡,其中一樣會比較易做既,係踢波。

可是踢一場波,絕不便宜!一個人一場(兩小時左右)太約要 S$10 - S$15,萛港紙差不多要 $50-$80。在香港,一係一分錢都唔洗(街場),一係是市政局,貴極有個限度 - 如果有本事訂到場的話。

相對貴既場租,好處係獲得場地的方法比較簡單,有錢就得啦。而係近年係星加坡興起的室內五人足球場,好似愈起愈多。睇尼就係因為有得做。呢 D 球場,雖然多數都唔係特別就腳(同香港一樣),但係一到晚上和假日,必無吉場!而除除左五人場,亦都有稍大,場租更貴的七人場,不過從本人所見的出空置率來看,五人場應該更受市場歡迎。

另外,可能因為市場競爭的關係,場地的’草地’雖是人造草,但是’草’的質數好像比香港的高一點。
另外還有像餐廳一樣的生日優惠,比較有趣。



註 1: 跟據 http://www.thepitch.com.sg,一場波一個鐘 S$80 (Peak Hour, 7pm-2am weekday, all day Sat, Sun and public holiday)。最少兩個鐘,即係一場波要 S$160 要大約 $930,如果 15 個人分 (三隊),就要每人 $60。

Sunday 11 July 2010

Google in China

節錄至信報 7 月 10 日。

扭粒糖 跌間廠

若果谷歌豁出去,切切實實退出中國,至少樂得一個自由捍衞者的美名,對他開發其他新興市場未嘗不是一個正面宣傳,跌個橙,至少執番個桔。豈料上月底,谷歌最終還是向中國政府申請續牌,承諾遵守中國法律,並接受監管。兜個大圈,演場大戲,卻走回原點,損兵折將,又把賺回來的名聲一次過擲回垃圾桶,令人想起一句,「又要威,又要戴頭盔」。

但細路曳曳,大庭廣眾地發癲,扭阿媽計買糖食,唔拉返屋企打餐懵,都起碼跪地主,唔俾食一餐半餐飯。呢啲係中國人教仔方法。洋人又係唔明。

If Google had taken a big leap and had withdrawn from China, it could at least earn the name of being a liberty defender which might serve it well in developing other emerging markets. Losing a big orange, you nevertheless pick up a small mandarin in return. However, at the end of last month, Google finally applied to the Chinese government for a renewal of its license, promising to follow China’s laws and to accept regulation. After making a big fuss, Google returned to square one, throwing all the goodwill gained to the garbage bin.

If a naughty child throws a tantrum and makes a big scene in public so as to force his mother to buy him candies, well, he’s only asking for trouble. He would probably be dragged back to the house, beaten severely, forced to knee in front of the land god, and won’t be given any dinner. Foreigners would never understand the way the Chinese use to teach the children.

Thursday 17 June 2010

1Q84

近幾年,都嘗試每一年最少看一兩部長篇小說。

2010,第一本看的是村上春樹的 1Q84。

看村上春樹的書不多,只有挪威的森林。

1Q84 就是 1984 的意思。故事是圍繞住兩個主角 - 天悟和青豆,的故事。
兩個主角在兩條平衡的故事線上各自發展著,卻又彼此交錯。

看過這樣有兩條故事線的書也頗多,好像有董啟章的《天工開物》。

1Q84 故事緊張精彩,一頁一頁的翻下去停不下來,卻又好似到最緊張的時候完了,而村上春樹本來是沒有計劃 1Q84 的 Book 3 的。

現在側期待著 Book 3 的中文版快點而世。

Saturday 22 May 2010

沒有 Palm 的日子,買什麼電話好?

早一陣子心愛的 Palm Treo 680 跌爛了,尋找了 Treo Centro 好一陣子都找不到。一心打萛等 Palm Pre (或者任何 Palm Web OS)的機有貨才買。

結果,等不了,因為連我的 Nokia E71 也死了。
今次的死因是因為電話沒理由的發熱(在我的 E71 很正常),熄機以後開不了。

馬上去了 Nokia (星加坡),一小時後的回答是,我們要把你的機 Esculate 去 L2 Support (咁上下),但係即係 27/5 一定拿唔到。

只得一部 Sony Ericsson K750i,對我來說都沒有太大問題,但 K750i 跟著我很久了,也跌了很多次,又給我好幾次大雨之中使用。還沒死,但是話音已經變得很不清。

沒電話用,只好買一部。

我本人買電話的要求很簡單,一個有 Qwerty keyboard 的電話,有聲,有 Email,可以跟 Outlook Sync 就可以。

但是,在沒有 Palm 的日子,這樣一個電話原來都不易找。

iPhone 沒有一個實在的 Qwerty keyboard,從來沒有考慮。

最開頭是考慮 Google (Android),後來聽聞 Google 有 Engine 會調查電話使用模式(即是去什麼 Web Site 多,做什麼多)。而 Google 是做呢一行 (Data Mining) 起家,絕對有可能。打消念頭。

Windows Mobile 也沒有考慮,很久以前用過兩前 Windows Mobile 都是幾個月便賣機,再加上 Windows Mobile 7 不會向下兼容 Windows Mobile 6.5,更不會考慮。


經過 E71 的經驗後,再加上 E52 更差,Nokia Symbian 又不考慮。


結果發現竟然沒有選擇。


結果,買了一個 Blackberry。

爆冷。


沒有 Palm 的日子,買一個電話竟變得這樣難。

Wednesday 12 May 2010

當天的心

表達不出的話。
沒說出口的心情。
被遺忘的承諾。
未能實現的原望。
落空的憧憬。
今天的心。

Tuesday 4 May 2010

理財第一波:九十後的消費故事

轉至蘋果日報五月四日財經版
理財第一波:九十後的消費故事
中大酒店及旅遊管理學院會計與財務高級導師 李兆波
有則真實故事,看出兩位十來歲青少年不同的消費智慧。
兩個同學要上學,甲說:「明天一起上學?」乙 答:「好,一起在港鐵站等。」甲說:「港鐵又擠,乘港鐵後更要走 15分鐘才到學校。不如乘小巴較直接。」乙說:「港鐵便宜 2元,早些出門便能省點錢。」結果他們各自回校。
到了學校後,甲和平常一樣,先到小食部花了 6元買蒸餾水後才上班房,乙同學則直接上班房,因為走了 15分鐘累了,便拿出從家裏備來的冷開水來喝。
甲和乙相約一起午膳,到了茶餐廳,冷飲需 加兩元,他們同樣喜歡凍奶茶和熱華田。甲叫了牛腩 麪和凍奶茶,乙則叫豬扒飯和熱華田,最後甲付 22元,而乙需 20元。
第二天是假期,丙生 日,甲和乙相約先一起晚膳,然後才到丙家與大夥兒一起慶祝,大家都說好了各自要帶點零食。乙出發前先到超市買了數包優惠價的薯片和糖果,把袋子裝得滿滿的 共花了 50元。他們上了一家西餐廳用膳,冷熱同價,乙這回選了冷飲。晚膳過後,甲才猛然想起忘了買零食,匆忙間到便利店買了小量薯片和糖果,花了 70元。

有計劃地花錢 收穫大

到月底,甲乙兩人約了一班女同學們到咖啡店,乙因為這個月省了不少錢,有些小積蓄,慷慨地請了女孩們喝咖啡,她們當然很高興。甲差不多把這個月的零用錢花光,只有餘款供自己飲用。
年輕 人常說零用錢不夠花,可能是不經不覺地浪費了零用錢。像甲般,完全不注意生活上的細節,錢便無緣無故地流失。乙懂得把錢花在應花的地方,把花錢的時間和地 點作適當的計劃,他的智慧及得到的收穫比甲的更大。

My comment:
一個月慳慳埋埋有兩舊水到 (10 * 5 * 4 + 20),家下 D 咖啡夠膽死成四十蚊一杯,請一班女同學飲咖啡食件 'Cake',分分鐘一次過洗突....

Monday 3 May 2010

Taxi Fare in Singapore

Up till now, 1 year and 6 months in Singapore. There are few things identified cheaper than in Hong Kong.

Taxi Fare is one of the these few things, although most of my friends in Singapore (Either HK or Singaporean) do not agree.

Let's take a look to Singapore Taxi Fare.
http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/getting_around/transportation/taxis.html

In summary, the major cost are:
1: Flag Down: $3.00
2: $0.2 for every 385 / 330 meters.
3: Peak hour / overnight surcharge.
4: CBS / Airport surcharge.
5: ERP surcharge.

Taking the SG-HK exchange rate today (9-Nov-2009): 5.58. So it means:
1: Flag Down: HK$ 16.8
2: HK$1.1 for every 385 / 330 meters

In HK, taxi fare is much simple.
1: Flag Down: HK$ 18
2: HK$1.5 for first $HK70.5 and HK$1 after the first $HK70.5

If we convert to a comparison, the it will become.
1: Singapore: HK$2.85 (First 10km)/ 3.3 (After first 10km) for every 1km
2: Hong Kong: HK$7.5 (First 9km)/ $5 (After first 10km) for every 1km.

So it means Taxi fare in Singapore is definitly cheaper than Hong Kong.

It is a common mis-understanding, like the MTR in Hong Kong is more expensive than MRT in Singapore...

Monday 1 March 2010

I fixed my iTunes

Following the purchase of the new laptop, I had setup all the software again.

It was so troublesome and I got probelms for every software that I installed, including iTunes.

After the installation of iTunes 9.0.3, it started without any major problems. But the GUI showed Chinese. Then I changed the GUI language to English.

After the switch of the language, the iTunes could not start! It showed "iTunes cannot run because some of its required files are missing. Please reinstall iTunes." when I started it. iTunes could not start, of course.

With so many uninstall and install, it did not work. The same error message kept. Then I decided to dig into details - I monitored the iTunes configuration.

I found that the language preference was actaully written into registry HKCU\Software\Apple Computer, Inc.\iTunes\LangID.

Nothing would be there with the default language was being used, while it would added / updated when another prefer language was used. When I set the iTune to English, iTunes could not start with the error message about. When I removed the registry, or change to 1028 which was the LangID for Chinese, iTune could start.

The miracle began here. I tried to switch every possible languages to see what happen. Simplified Chinese - did not work, English (UK) did not work also.

Next, I tried Swedish. iTunes could start !
I changed my preferred language to Swedish, iTunes could start!

And last but not the least, the language of the interface was still in English.
An iTunes installed on a Windows 7 with Hong Kong as system locale should use Swedish as the preferred language so that it displayed English properly.
This is so unbelievable!!!

Funny....Anyway, I don't really care.

But, the voice over did not work again!

Wednesday 24 February 2010

九寨溝

去得成九寨溝,首先都係要感謝 Virgina 小姐的準備。
沒有她就跟本去不成。 


九寨溝,聽了很多,照片都久不久都會看到。但是很多東西真的沒有去過,看過是真的不相信。
很多相看起來很假,但是就是這樣。
黃色的樹,綠色的林,青色的湖,紅色的花,藍色的天。
稀來往樣的人,就只有圖畫才有的顏色和構圖,都竟然在這兒看到。






Pentax DA12-24

初秋的九寨溝已帶著涼意,再加上地理關係和各樣客觀的條件。旅行的頭幾天是不容易的。