Wednesday, March 31, 2010

有关劳斯莱斯杯具

今天下午公司的停车场来了一辆专门接送名牌汽车的托车. 上面停了一辆劳斯莱斯 (Rolls Royce's Pantom Drophead). 司机忙忙活活地准备卸车. 远远望去, 那车的大轮骨差不多能有24英寸, 看到了人都羡慕得不得了, 还以为公司哪位老大最近卖了股票, 要展示一下经济实力....

后来有个同事路过停车场, 顺便问了一下托车司机那车是谁的. 结果打听到, 原来托车司机想把公司停车场上一辆白色的路虎揽胜 (Land Rover's Range Rover) 开到车上 (不知道是哪位同仁的), 因为托车上的劳斯莱斯挡路, 所以先开下来倒一下...当时就晕了. 真是杯具....看来愚人节提前了一天.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

My view of China's Geely takes over 100% ownership of Volvo


Personally, I found it's ironic that Volvo was sold to Geely.  I think this may symoblize a "tipping point" of Volvo's brand reputation in a bad way.

As it says, Volvo cars have long been marketed and stessed their historic reputations for solidty and reliability.  (At least some) Volvo owners praise their ownerships.  You go to a car show, and you rarely find a conceptual and "futuristic" Volvo on display.  The company cuts their car in half, show you the cross-section with in-door frame enforcements and 12-airbags - they emphasize on today's road safety more than anything else.  Most Volvo may look boring from the outside (although they've tried to change in last a few years), but I know people who purchase a Volvo because of the "safety factor" alone.

I "down-graded" the Volvo brand in my mind ever since Ford took over the owernship from its Sweden counterpart in 1999.  I believed the "reliability" part of the brand would start deteriorating because the reliability of Ford's cars suck (period).   I have to say I have a personal bias against Ford.  My family owned a Ford Taurus before.  Although it was a well designed family sedan, it was definitely NOT designed for "Built Ford Tough" - everything falls apart as the car aged, the water pump, the electricals, the A/C, the transmissions, you name it!  However, I still thought Ford would keep the "solidty" part of the Volvo brand.  Ford had the technologies, and Volvo had the design IPs.  Give the car enough airbags, and you get a Volvo that's (still) crash-proof.

...That's until Geely takes over Volvo, 100%.  Those ever used an IBM-made T40 laptop and later changed to a Lenovo-made T60, they know exactly what my worries are!  Chinese products in general are considered as low-quality per reputation.  They are typically not well designed, and they are typically lack of originality and manufacturing quality because Chinese companies tend to treat low-cost of their products as the number one priority.  While the Volvo brand, in my mind, might still have the"solidty" part when it was owned by Ford, I think it would be totally go away after Geekly takes over.  I anticipate Geekly would be more aggressive on the marketing side to grow Volvo's revenue in existing markets and cut back long-term and strategic R&D investments.  One of the vehicles to achieve quick revenue growth is to reduce the price and trade off with design quality.  Geely may also add some "Chinese flavored" design decorations to new product models, so soon enough people will no longer see the design DNA from Sweden or American - Am I being pessimistic?

I think part of the strategy that Geely goes after is to leverage the design IPs from Volvo and transfer them into Geely's home-grown Chinese cars. This will help Geely improve their technology, increase their competitiveness among Chinese domestic car companies (e.g. BYD) and accelerate Geely's penetration to the North American market.  Perhaps in 10 years, if the Volvo brand will last for another 10 years, Geely will sell Volvo as the luxury brand and grow the Geely brand in the North America market, just like how Toyota uses the "Toyota" and "Lexus" names today.

At the moment, it might be too early to tell, but I'm not optimistic about the future of Volvo.  All eyes on Geely.


Thursday, March 25, 2010

是黑是白, 由舆论而定

GoDaddy停止销售带有.cn的网址域名, 在国外读英文的人, 看到的是GoDaddy因为中国政府在2010年后要求提供所有注册.cn客户的照片和个人资料而作出的"抗议"行为 (和谷歌的决定有些类似), 而且受到美国国会的赞赏.

同样这件事, 让大陆媒体报道, 就变成了GoDaddy因为人力资源和资金问题而作出的商业决定. 掩盖了英文版本报道和强调的内容.

舆论的力量, 是常常被忽视的. 同样一件事, 从不同的角度, 有时看是黑,有时看是白. 到底谁对谁错, 在涉及到敏感话题的政治新闻面前, 是根本分不清的. 

Consumer Reports explains "Throttle Override System" in plain English

Monday, March 22, 2010

Sand Storm Fashion - 2010


恰到好处

今天逛到郑渊洁的微博, 想起小学的时候很喜欢他的作品. 80年后的人都应该知道《童话大王》, 皮皮鲁、鲁西西、舒克和贝塔都是小学生读物里的经典人物. 现在看看郑渊洁的作品, 其实他的文学功底并没有象"主流"作家那么深, 但是他的作品之所以这么受欢迎, 是因为他的东西都是从读者, 也就是儿童的心理角度出发. 文学修辞不需要很华丽, 很深奥, 是因为小学生不一定看得懂. 他的故事语言有情节, 有内容, 充实易懂, 这就足够了.

很多产品的成功秘密, 不在于它的技术水平或成本含量与其它的同类产品比较有多大的优势, 而是因为这个产品适应了消费者的品位. 从消费者的心理角度做到恰到好处.  一个公司或个人定义一个产品, 就要从这一点出发, 过多地强调某个特点, 就会失去产品综合指标的平衡, 而达不到最受欢迎的目标.

Beijing Sand Storm Shot - 3/20/2010


It was a good thing that the 2010 Beijing Olympic did not take place in spring time.


Thursday, March 18, 2010

Palm stock roller coaster


Palm's stock raised 5.21% today during trading hours.  Then, at the after-hour earnings call, Palm posted $22M Q3 loss, and its stock tanked 14.51%....



Thursday, March 04, 2010

十种经典川菜的秘制方法

一、生爆盐煎肉
材料:
去皮后臀尖猪肉250克、青蒜苗100克、郫县豆瓣1汤匙(15ml)、豆豉2茶匙(10ml)、盐少量、糖1 茶匙(5ml)、油2汤匙(30ml)
做法:
1、 将去皮的连肥带瘦的猪肉切成大薄片。
2、 青蒜苗洗净斜切成段,郫县豆瓣和豆豉剁碎。
3、 锅烧热放入油,放入肉片和盐翻炒。
4、 炒到肉片稍变色出油
5、 加入郫县豆瓣和豆豉炒匀
6、 加入蒜苗炒匀,加入糖调味即可。

 
二、香煎五花肉
材 料:
猪五花肉500克、生菜适量、大蒜、青椒、五香油(做法详见水煮鱼)、盐、花椒面
做法:
1, 将五花肉的肉皮去除,不然煎或者烤出的肉皮部分咬不动,这个步骤最好让卖肉的同志帮忙完成,肉皮可以做肉皮冻。
2, 将大块的五花肉平放。
3, 由肉的一段开始,将五花肉向内卷起,尽量卷得紧一些。
4, 用保鲜膜将肉卷包起来,包紧,放入冰箱冷冻室将肉卷冻硬。
5, 取出冻硬的肉卷,横向切成薄片。
6, 取一只平底煎锅,不用放油,烧热,将切好的五花肉片平放在平底锅内,用中火将肉片煎得两面金黄。
7, 煎好的五花肉会溢出大量的油,可以放入蘑菇、洋葱等蔬菜煎熟,很香。
8, 用五香油、盐、花椒面兑成椒盐油蘸食五花肉,或者用韩国豆酱、辣酱蘸食也很好,最好用生菜将调好味的五花肉以及辣椒、大蒜包起来吃,很好吃。
 自:Club.ChinaRen.com

三、小炒肉
材料:五花 肉400克、辣椒100克、八角4粒
调味料:豆豉1大匙、酱油、料酒、糖、盐
做法 :
1. 将五花肉烫煮10分钟左右,呈半熟状态:
2. 取出晾凉,切片:
3. 辣椒斜切成段,豆豉剁碎:
4. 炒锅烧热,不放油,将辣椒煸炒至表面发白,盛出待用:
5. 炒锅烧热放适量油,放入肉片煸炒出油:
6. 加入豆豉、八角、酱油、料酒翻炒:
7. 加入辣椒翻炒片刻,用盐和糖调味即可

四、蒜泥白肉卷
材料: 猪腿尖肉250克、黄瓜1根、葱1段(切丝)
调料:蒜泥25克、红酱油25克、辣椒油50克、味精少量、香油5克、糖10克、姜片10克、葱段 10克
做法:
1,锅中放入适量水(能没过肉)和姜片葱段,水滚后,将猪腿尖肉放入汤锅中煮熟(约8-10分钟,用筷子能插透肉)
2, 关火后将肉浸泡20分钟
3,捞出肉晾凉沥干,切成大薄片
4,将黄瓜洗净切丝,葱切丝
5,将黄瓜丝和葱丝放在肉片上,卷起 来,摆盘
6,将蒜泥、红酱油、辣椒油、味精、香油、糖兑成调料,浇在肉卷上即可

五、回 锅肉
材料:连皮猪腿肉300克(我用的是五花肉),青蒜(成都叫蒜苗)50克,油25克,甜面酱10克,酱油(红酱油最好)10克,料酒10 克,白糖5克,郫县豆瓣15克、豆豉2.5克、姜片、葱段
做法:
1,将猪腿肉洗净,锅中放入适量水和姜片、葱段,水开后放入肉煮至刚 熟(约10分钟,用筷子能戳透肉),捞起用冷水稍浸,沥干
2,将肉切成约4厘米宽的大薄片
3,豆瓣、豆豉剁碎
4,青蒜拍 碎,切段
5,炒锅烧热,放油,下肉片略炒,至肉片稍卷
6,下豆瓣酱
7,下豆豉、甜面酱、酱油、糖
8,放入青蒜段 炒至断生即可

六、香糟肉
材料:猪五 花肉400克、葱10克、姜15克、醪糟50克、花椒10粒、冰糖25克、老抽25克、肉汤600克、盐适量、油1匙
做法:
1,将五 花肉洗净切成5厘米长,4厘米宽,厚1厘米的片(差不多救行)
2,炒锅下油放入冰糖,转小红将冰糖熬成深红色
3,放入肉片翻炒,将肉 片煎至金黄(此时可以转大火了)
4,加入肉汤、花椒(用料包包起来,没有的话最后要拣出)、老抽、葱段、姜(拍松)、醪糟烧开,盖盖转小火
5, 待汤汁收浓后,拣去姜葱和花椒不要
6,肉片摆盘,汤汁浇在肉片上即可

七、培根香菇卷
材料: 培根5片,香菇2至3朵,色拉油
做法:
1,将长条的培根分成两半,香菇切片
2,用培根将香菇片卷起来
3,在不 沾锅中放入少量的色拉油,油烧至五成热时放入肉卷,中火煎约一分钟
4,将肉卷翻一面,小心不要弄散

八、鱼 香青笋肉片
材料:
猪瘦肉200克、青笋200克、水发木耳25克、葱25克、蒜15克(约3瓣)、姜10克、泡红辣椒25克、盐适 量、白糖1汤匙(15克)、醋5克、酱油1茶匙(5ml)、肉汤(或者水)50克、湿淀粉25克、食用油50克
做法:
1,将木耳用温 水泡发,洗净泥沙,去蒂,用手撕成小片待用,葱切成长约3cm葱段,蒜切蒜片,姜切片,莴笋去老皮,洗净切成片,用1茶匙盐将莴笋片稍稍腌制,去除多余水 分待用;
2,猪瘦肉切片,用少许盐和10克湿淀粉将肉片稍腌;
3,将泡红辣椒切成丝;
4,将15克湿淀粉、少许盐、白糖、 醋、酱油、肉汤兑成汁待用;
5,炒锅烧热,放入油,倒入肉片炒散;
6,加泡红辣椒丝、蒜片、姜片炒香;
7,加木耳、莴笋片 翻炒均匀;
8,倒入芡汁和葱段炒匀即可,如果需要在出国以前再淋入1勺的明油。

九、麻辣肉片:
材料: 猪瘦肉250克(最好是猪里脊肉)、油菜100克、姜末3克、碎花椒2克(约半茶匙)、辣椒油1大匙(15ml)、糖少量(小半茶匙)、酱油1大匙 (15ml)、郫县豆瓣1.5大匙(约30克)、淀粉2茶匙(约10克)、肉汤适量(约3大匙,没有用水代替)、盐少量(小半茶匙)、油300克(实耗 50克)、香油10ml、鸡蛋清1个
做法:
1, 将猪里脊片切成厚约0.3厘米的大薄片,放入碗中,用蛋清、淀粉、盐拌匀,腌制待用;
2, 郫县豆瓣酱剁碎;油菜清洗干净;将酱油、糖、淀粉、肉汤兑成芡汁待用;
3, 炒锅烧热,放入1大匙(15ml)油烧热,放入油菜炒至断生,用少许盐调味;
4, 将炒好的油菜铺在盘子底部;
5, 炒锅洗净,烧热,放入较多的油,烧至6成热时放入肉片滑炒;
6, 待肉片变色,将多余的油滗出;
7, 放入豆瓣酱和姜末炒匀,炒出香味;
8, 倒入调好的芡汁炒匀;
9, 放入辣椒油和香油炒匀即可,盛出铺在油菜上面。

十、水煮肉片
材料:
猪 肉(或者牛肉)瘦肉250克、白菜(或者其他时令蔬菜,在四川通常使用莴笋)200克
郫县豆瓣50克(3汤匙)、料酒25克(1.5汤匙)、淀 粉25克(1.5汤匙)、盐2克(约1/2茶匙)、鸡精少量、干辣椒10克、花椒20粒、葱适量、肉汤400克、油100克、酱油3克(1茶匙)、糖5克 (1茶匙)、蒜4瓣(去皮,切成末)、姜5克(切末)
做法:
1, 将瘦肉切成约5厘米长、2.5;厘米宽、0.3厘米厚的大薄片(只是大概,不用严格衡量,总之薄一些会比较好),如果觉得不好切,可以将肉放入冷冻室稍 冻,待肉有些硬时切片,用淀粉、料酒、盐和少量水将肉抓匀稍腌待用。
2, 白菜洗净,叶用手撕成大片,白菜帮子用刀斜切成薄片;葱洗净切成葱段;干辣椒用剪刀剪成段待用;郫县豆瓣剁碎待用;
3, 炒锅内倒入30克油,放入干辣椒段和花椒用中火炸至呈棕红色,捞出待用。
4, 转大火,将葱段放入炒锅内炒香,再放入白菜炒断生,铺在大碗内待用。
5, 锅烧热,再倒入30克油,放入郫县豆瓣和姜末炒香,直到炒出红油。
6, 加入肉汤,烧沸。
7, 将腌好的肉片放入锅中,用筷子拨散,待肉片煮至散开变色时,加入酱油、鸡精、糖调味。
8, 将肉片和汤汁一起倒入铺好白菜的大碗中。
9, 将事先炸好的干辣椒和花椒剁碎,撒在肉片上,蒜末也均匀撒在肉片上。
10,锅洗净擦 干,放入40克油,烧至9成热(冒烟),然后将热油均匀浇在肉片上即可。

Monday, March 01, 2010

Worst Yahoo "Best Answer" I've Ever Read


I love Yahoo Answers because it gives quick and easy results for some questions that are not common/formal enough to be addressed by a "professional" website.  However, the problem is that Yahoo Answer is all about opinions and word-of-mouth, so one needs to take the information with grain of salt.  Here is one of the worse answer I've ever read, and it's the "Best Answer" for the question (I wonder if Yahoo ever reviews these Best Answers):

...LG's parent company is Samsung and Samsung is very good, the difference is that Samsung is 1/2 Japanese and 1/2 korean...

This particular User has made 517 answers on Yahoo Answer (as of today). It kind of gives you an idea...

By the way, for those who don't know, Yahoo's parent company is Google.  Google is a very good search engine.  The difference is that Google is 1/2 Chinese and 1/2 Canadian.