世界貨幣收藏

這本雙週刊是剛在香港有售。第一期內容不算豐富，但是能詳細地介紹五分法郎和壹角中華人民共和國紙幣，並附有該貨幣在雜誌的末頁，提升讀者的興趣。

只可惜雜誌不易找。

《世界貨幣收藏》。香港：迪亞哥。

誰說 Engineering 是水泡科

書中結集了香港科技大學工程系畢業生的故事：由中學選科、到大學生活、再到進修、求職和職場挑戰等。

當中讓我大開眼界的，還有對不同工程系的介紹：

化學工程

土木工程

計算機工程

機械工程

工業及物流工程和

電子工程

對今選科的中六同學來說，是一個較為全面的介紹。

《誰說 Engineering 是水泡科》。香港：出版企劃工作室有限公司。

The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy

Sushi has been our favourite dish since the economic boom in the early 90s, but how much do you know about Sushi? Do you believe that our appetites could change the whole world in cultural, economical and political spheres?

Do you know that:

(1)   sushi was originated from the southeast Asia? (p.63)

(2) sushi, in its original form, was fish preserved with salted rice and when the fish was ready to be eaten, the rice was scraped off and thrown away? (p. 65)

(3) a little over a generation ago, red tuna was worthless in most parts of the world and was used only for pet food? (xii)

(4) with the development of freezer in the 1960s, Japanese boats had forced the opening of fishing waters around the world for bluefin and bigeye? (p.28)

(5) rich and creamy avocado was oddly satisfying as toro substitute as it was not always available in America in the 1960s? (p.90-91)

(6) fish could certainly not be served raw in the 1960s, it was a West Coast movement that advocated health consciousness and an appreciation of natural foods that helped to create an appetite for sushi in America? (p.96-97)

(7) handrolls, the cone-shaped, seaweed-wrapped tolls were uncommon in Japan? (p. 102)

(8) “the Nixon Shock” (the devaluation of dollar after the abolition of the gold standard) meant the cost of importing bluefin tuna into Japan fell by 15 percent overnight and caused Bubble economy? (p.38)

(9) the strong Japanese yen put Japanese companies at a disadvantage in 1985 and well established traditional sushi restaurants began to close? (p.103 – 104)

(10)  the Japanese fish auctions in Tsukiji are the most materially backward institutions among technologically advanced countries? (p.52)

(11)   due to overfishing, ranching the biggest, fastest and toughest fish, tuna, has became one of the biggest challenges of Japanese scientists in the early 2000? (p.202 – 205)

This book tells you how our passion for sushi, in particular for toro, could change our world in unexpected ways.

Issenberg, Sasha. (2008). The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy. NY: Gotham Books.

贏一場沒有波的比賽

愛踢西瓜波的你，又或是英超聯的死硬派粉絲，應該不會對他的聲音感到陌生吧。近年有不少本地球星和評述員出書談及他們在體壇的故事。這本書卻甚少直接評論體壇，作者只是以運動、球星為背景，分享他的一些觀點和個人感受。我不太懂足球、籃球，但在書中也找到不少共鳴。

作者認為球賽雖是一個群體運動，講求合作，但個人的質素也很重要，就好像荷蘭足球一樣。這也是他所强調的「找自己」、「做自己」、「Show自己」和「超越自己」。

現今的風氣迷信領袖訓練，推崇個人主意，個個都是主人，人人都是領袖。卻忘了球隊中的隊長只得一位，加上後備及其他的後勤支援人員，在近百人的團隊中領隊亦只得一個。一窩蜂的上領袖訓練課程，强調自己「勝人一籌」，大聲疾呼聆聽我的心聲、推銷自己的意見，看似跟現實有很大的落差。我始終深信，一位受人景仰的領袖，不單單靠溝通技巧、伶俐辭峯，淵博學識和卓越材華；領袖的魅力是發自內在，懂得分辨善惡的智慧 (林尚義)、有擇善固執的堅毅 (碧咸)、接納及信任每位隊員 (雲加)、欣賞別人的胸襟 (候活) 和承擔責任的勇氣 (姚明)。這些特質不是上十數堂訓練班便可，而是需要慢慢的培養、耐心的教導。只可惜在今天講求即食的快餐文化，忘了古人百年樹人的道理！

在高中經濟學的教科書中分工合作、生產力等的概念多簡單地建基於二級工業的工廠環境，對於今日的香港來說，分析顯得不夠全面；若要在服務業中達到傲視群雄的境界，那麼管理層也得擁有以上的領袖特質了。在 “047. One From the Heart” 一文中提及的星巴克正是一個好例子。

書中亦有好幾篇文章值得向大家推薦，首推為〈我的球會〉(p.100-104)，還有〈波士文：二號 愛主義者〉(p.169-170)、〈鋤樽之鋤强扶弱〉(p.82–83)、〈不要離我太遠〉(p.156–159) 和〈碧咸：三號 目標主義者〉 (p.171-175)。

馬啟仁 。(2009)《贏一場沒有波的比賽》。香港：文化會社。

Breakazine 002：想買就買 Just Buy It?

口渴了，就要喝水！

從功能角度看，喝水自然是為了解喝，以維持生命。

無味的水，只要乾淨就能滿足生理需求。

但走入商舖，卻發現各式各樣、價錢差距達十數倍的水。

你會選哪一杯？

(1) 價錢：接近免費

(2)「No-frills (簡約、沒裝飾)。」價錢：$1.80/750ml

(3)「700萬人點滴共鳴。」 價錢：$3.20/700ml

(4)「No.1揀 No.1。全港銷量第一。」 價錢：$3.90/500ml

(5)「105度，是一種態度 — 105℃高温蒸餾，超越基本渴求。」 價錢：$3.90/430ml

(6) “Taste of USA”價錢：$6.50/500ml

(7)「來自阿爾卑斯山脈雪山的礦泉水。」 價錢：$11.00/500ml

(8) “Delightfully still ~ an English natural mineral water of exceptional taste.”價錢：$12.00/330ml

(9)「幫助你回復身體的平衡狀態。」 價錢：$13.00/300ml

(10)「硬度250。採於沖繩久米島外2.3公里612m深海底。」 價錢：$19.00/500ml

(註：本篇所列的牌子及部分廣告標語於 2009年 6月記錄)

(Source: Breakazine 002：想買就買 Just Buy It? 香港：突破有限公司。 p.26-27)