Tom Jones 的sex bomb溜冰版

雖然Tom Jones是媽媽那個年代的歌星,但是他的sex bomb 一直是我的最愛.偶然發現這位老兄為sex bomb為編舞溜冰,除了不是很合我味口的健美先生身材外,他的舞藝與幽默感真是一絶呢!

AFP: Taiwan to cut military spending amid warming China ties: report

這是一篇來自AFP的報導,有關台灣軍購與外交預算大幅刪減的新聞。

Taiwan plans to scale back its military spending in 2009 amid warming ties with rival China, it was reported Saturday.

找了半天似乎都沒有字典有載明scale back這個phrase,但是當scale為動詞時,其解釋是這樣的:

size or measure according to a scale

這似乎是最符合原文的解釋了.所以scale back大概和中文的"向下調整"有異曲同功之妙吧!

It will account for 17.2 percent of next year's government budget, the report said, but the move has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers.

根據Encarta的解釋account for有以下3個解釋

1. explain something: to provide an explanation for something
And how do you account for his behavior?

2. be responsible for something: to be responsible for something or be an important factor in something
Export sales account for at least half of our total business.

3. kill or destroy somebody or something: to be responsible for killing, destroying, or neutralizing somebody or something

當然在這裏第2個解釋才符合原文嘍!

自己造句:光是批改作業就用掉了至少30%的上班時間.

Grading papers account for at least 30% of office hours.

文中還有幾個與現今外交策略有關的用語

1. cement ties with existing diplomatic allies鞏固友邦 ...我看再強的水泥也無法鞏固這些只向錢看的"友"邦吧?

2. in line with Ma's call for ...呼應馬先生的外交休兵政策

The foreign ministry said the budget cut was in line with Ma's call for an end to the decades-old competition for diplomatic recognition between Taipei and Beijing.

Right, and Beijin government's is repeating deny to Taiwan's bid for any international body is in line with Mr. Ma's friendly approach? Sounds promising, Mr. Ma...

游芭絲_彎延山路上的清新小店

補阿里山遊記

從溪頭往阿里山的路上,我們臨時起意想彎進達娜伊娃谷.這一臨時起意就是一路一斷的蜿延山路.在路上就看到了這個在山路邊邊的小店,挺醒目.但是未停留,後來證明有點失策.

到了達娜伊娃谷,有些...怎麼說...失望.達娜伊娃谷是個園區,前陣子登上新聞的原因是當地鄒族人努力護魚最後成功的故事.也許是非假日的關係,園區內人影稀少,更突顯出建築物的破敗與了無生氣.這是一個讓人看得玩興大減的地方.我連相機都很懶得拿出來拍.

我們後來就只走到第二護漁區,看到一群群的魚種在清徹的溪裏悠游,的確是一個明顯的護漁果實.但是週遭的環境不十分的kid-friendly,我們又帶著幼鹷孩童.所以放棄繼續往上走第一護漁區,後來和游芭絲的老闆小聊一下才知道第一護漁區才是最美的地方...唉,好吧,只能說走進園區內的前半段破敗的景象把我的冒險心都磨掉一半了...而且聽老闆說在他們這裏買入園券有打折哦!早知道就先在這裏用餐啊!

旅途結束後才上網找找有關鄒族人護漁的資料,發現這個有田野研究性質的山美日記有些挺有趣的觀點和不太會在媒體上看到的觀察記錄.

喜歡游芭絲的店面設計,座落在半山腰上,正好給駕駛在彎曲山路上的旅人一個清爽小憩的地方

軒軒很高興終於可以下車喘口氣,她一路喊著脖子痛,真怕她真的在車上吐出來.

太喜歡這種狗啦!

喜歡他們擺放水果的方式

從游芭絲往外看的景色

烤山豬肉就在這樣的大圓盤上烤!

超出預期的好吃的檳桹花(抄的),山豬肉和竹筒飯,好吃!

Reconciliation

"Taiwan president promotes peace with China in speech"

An article from m&c reports about a speech Mr. Ma made while attending the 50 anniversary of the kingman battle. 

"In his speech entitled, From Killing Field to Peace Square, Ma said cross-strait reconciliation which began when he took office on May 20 has paved the way for peace, and both sides must gradually build up mutual trust."

reconciliation

n. the action of reconciling, which is to restore to friendship or harmony

synonymous: settle, resolve

Ma has certainly very keen on practicing his softer approach toward the Beijin government. Let's hope he doesn't forgett that it's the Taiwanese who got him to the presidency, not the Chinese.

安 靜 思 考

還記得看完記者會後,我們3人沒有半個人講話.空氣凝重得像可以用一把刀切開.這幾天的sequal更是讓人confuse, anxious and heartbreaking.

落井下石不必花力氣,但是理智的思辨似乎總是無法博得媒體版面.什麼時候媒體才能正視問題的本質,從制度面思考而不必個人的出身血統左右歷史包袱下的情緒?我們須要的是法制,而非人制.我們須要的是共同的前景,而非英雄.

我們還沒從台灣前50年的領袖崇拜中學到任何教訓嗎?

Chinese cheers pose a dilemma for Taiwan's athletes

這一篇是英國Guardian報導有關中國觀眾在北京奧運為台灣女子舉重選手加油的報導.

Some of the Chinese crowd applauding the crop-haired Taiwanese contender said it was "natural" to do so.

在問到為何為台灣選手加油時,這名任工廠經理說"因為台灣是中國的一部份,所以如果她得金牌那也算是中國的!"

"I don't think she's as strong as the Kazakh woman. But Taiwan is a part of China, so if she wins gold that also counts as ours," said Li Rufeng, a retired factory manager from northeast China, speaking before the results were decided.

記者在比賽結束後問到盧映錡來自中國觀眾的加油是否讓她士氣大振?她很低調的回應"這太敏感了,我不知道"

Taiwan's athletes must tread carefully between the mainland embrace and their home island's proud distinctiveness.

根據Cambridge dictionaries online的解釋

tread v.

1. walk/tread a tightrope

If you walk/tread a tightrope, you have to deal with a difficult situation, especially one involving making a decision between two opposing plans of action:

2. tread carefully/gently/lightly

to speak or behave carefully to avoid upsetting or causing offence to anyone:

ex. The government know they have to tread carefully on this issue.

2種解釋有些微的不同,但是都是小心翼翼,左顧右盼的意思.尤其是第2個解釋.

運動和政治真能分得開嗎?我看是一廂情願吧?!

8 essential skills they didn't teach you in school

 

 

Heritage classroom in Beaconsfield Mine Museum, Tasmania, Australia

A peak of the old school classroom. Look at those cute writing board for each kids!

 

 

Schools, some hate it, some love it for the achievement or the attention, some work for it, some work against it. I'm currently work for it but I can see why there are people work against it. I wouldn't deny the value of schools and I do value the skills I learnt at school but I can't ignore the fact that school education in general have a pretty big gap from the real world.

I came across this article 8 essential skills they didn't teach you in school from Lifehack, one of my favorite blog. It mentions networking, personal financing, negotiating, self-learning....etc. to be the less cultivated field in school system. I feel so true when reading the part about the people skill.

The shy folks lurking in the corners at cocktails parties will never reach their full potential as human beings because our school system didn’t place enough value on “being social”. President Bush didn’t get the best grades at Princeton, but boy did he know how to network, and look where that got him.

Some would claim that people skill is something inherited. That's only partially true. I believe people skill needs to be practiced, discussed like any other subjects.

What about learning to be money smart? I hate math doesn't necessarily mean that I hate organizing my finance. I would probably find math more interesting if I can apply it in my future money management.

This is an interesting post for both educators and parents. It's also an interesting reflect for those adults who already done with school!

Taiwan succumb to panda diplomacy

Taiwan yesterday finally succumbed to the appeal of panda diplomacy, saying it would accept a pair of the world's favourite bears offered as a token of friendship by China.

今晨看到英國Telegraph的其中一則關於台灣的消息.我想要是台灣的媒體大概不會用succumb這個字眼在中國送熊猫的新聞...

按照Cambridge dictionary 的解釋succumb的字義是:

verb

to lose the determination to oppose something; to accept defeat.

怎麼看都是相當負面的意思.在我看來,台灣最近向中國投降的恐怕也不只是一對熊猫吧?

文中提到三年前陳總統以台灣為亞熱帶氣不宜熊猫居住為由間接的否定北京的"好意",但其實真正的原因是-

A more significant but unspoken reason was the fact that China's last "panda gift" was to Hong Kong to mark its return by Britain in 1997.

在97回歸之前,中國也致贈香港熊猫過,等於是相當明示的宣示主權.

熊猫終將落腳台灣.台灣是否也將漸漸走向香港的歸途呢?

1981-1982年間的National Geographic雜誌

家裏書籍太多了,我們整理了一些給圖書館,一些準備回收,而這一些古董雜誌該怎麼辦呢?丟也不是,不丟又相當佔空間. 如果你喜歡,就給你嘍!有興趣的人email給我吧!

蔣介石和毛澤東在信義鄉農會把酒言歡

走進信義鄉農會時看到的這個角落著實讓我...想吐.

這2個人放在一起是多麼的諷刺啊!果真沒有一世的朋友,也沒有一世的敵人.不過,看看開放兩岸直航後中國人的旅遊人數統計,恐怕也不值得台灣人這麼熱情相待吧?!

本來看到梅子就受不了的我,和爸媽逛完一圈後兩手空空的出來.爸爸說農會裏面很多產品的產地地名標示已經改成 台灣地區了...

還有比自降國格更悲哀的事嗎?

在這裏吃到最好吃的東坡肉啦!The best Pork Belly I've ever tasted-Stillwater in Launceston, Tasmania

我是是搭維珍航空到Launceston的,很喜歡維珍的性感女標織.但是這種budget flight的座椅可就不怎麼性感了.雖然短短3小時的航程我卻坐的腰酸背痛,再加上每回落地時的耳鳴,難怪W總是說我下機時的神氣活像打完仗的士兵狼狽不堪.

不過,美食總是能解決一切.我們第一晚住的Lesiure Inn Penny Royal的對面就是當地相當有名的Stillwater restaurent.

餐廳的建築物可是挺有歷史的,是原建於1830年的磨坊工廠整修而成的.Launceston和Hobart 一樣很有些歐洲的味道,從我們坐的位置往窗外看,冬日的Tamar River很有些蒼涼清冷的感覺.

我和W各點了Asian styled pork belly和Asian Styled salmon.哇,這真是我吃過最好吃的東坡肉了!真希望愛吃東坡肉的弟弟也可以來此品嚐啊!順便學到東坡肉的英文-Pork belly

Stillwater雖不算便宜,但還在可以接受的範圍內,和Fee and me比起來算便宜的啦! 記得我和W共花了快60澳幣吧!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Tasmania,stillwater,eat

Tasmania,stillwater,eat

史上最貴的晚餐帳單-168元澳幣....

我應該在看到Fee & me這個奇怪的名字時就有警覺的,現在想起來這個奇怪店名和用餐後嚇人的fee還真貼切啊!

之所以會再一次造訪Tasmania是因為上次愉快的Hobart行.這次我們到北邊的Launceston停留3天.Launceston長年以來一直在和Hobart處於競爭的狀態.但以一位外國人的觀察,我想還是Hobart勝出!

行前我上了Tripadvisor查了當地好玩好吃的地方,有個餐廳Fee & me一直出現在眼前,看看各方的Review除了食物非常impressive,帳單也很嚇人.我和W還是想看看這個被大家一提再提的餐廳到底長什麼樣...

已經晚間5點多了,還得再等1個多小時,此餐廳7點才供餐,而且只供晚餐哦!照這張照片時我已經在"忍耐"饑餓..

餐廳座落在市區較安靜的角落,有個挺可愛的花園,花草茂盛,從街上是看不到室內的,建築物顯得有點貴氣....

嗯...我這樣是不是也算是"考察建築服務"呢? 鄺縣長,下次帶我一起去吧!我也有記筆記哦!

門上的告示寫著

3 courses 21 dollars

才21元?那還好嘛!於是我就很豪氣的電話訂位.

好不容易等到7點,穿著體面又挺有氣質的服務生帶進用餐廳,打開menu才知道

是21 dollars for "each" course,所以我們一人就吃掉63澳幣...

雖說如此,既然來了就享受吧.這家餐廳用餐環境宜人,桌間的距離很大,是個很安靜又有隱私的地方.當然,我的相機在這裏是完全不敢上場的.感覺很怪

每個人點3道菜後,廚房會依這3道的口味依清重陸續上菜.每一道的份量都相當的"日本料理",我和W交換著吃,所以總共吃了6道,每一道的確都是相當的有創意,我會給它打90分.

離開時總共付了168元澳幣....完全不想算合台幣多少....

The nursery

園藝在澳洲是相當大的產業,地廣人稀的澳洲當然不愁沒地方弄花蒔草嘍! Flower Power是相當普遍的園藝品牌,從花草到石材在這裏都可以找到.我很喜歡來這裏逛逛找點子.

W去年在院子裏的種的橘子樹居然結果了!而且還挺好吃的!很適合我這個愛酸的人 啊! 橘子樹趕快長大吧!旁邊那株Australian Native plant長相很是有趣,我叫它spider flower,看看他的莖就知道了!老實說近看時有點噁心,本來想剪來插花的,後來還是做罷.

沒有方向燈的金龜車怎麼打方向呢?

現在台灣幾乎都看不到這種金龜車了,記得高中時有個老師就是以這種圓滾滾的車代步的.

在雪梨郊區的路上看到這台粉紅金龜,W要看注意看看它待會換lane時怎麼指示(因為粉紅金龜沒有方向燈!).原來車體外的前座和後座窗戶的中間有隻桿子,在換lane時就會舉起來,看起來就像隻手一樣,很可愛呢!

不知道為什麼,在路上看到車齡20-30年的車子不算稀奇,而且都保養的相當好,每次看到那種只有在老電影裏才看到的classic sedan奔馳而過,就覺得這也算是澳洲一景吧?!

wow! Hamma! A long one!雖然油價高漲,但是開的起悍馬車的人還是不少.這一台加長型的悍馬可真是氣派啊!

step backward....

I can't help feeling angry and sad when reading the news about prosecutors indicte four DPP legistators for their roles in trying to stop KMT lawmakers from entering DPP campaign headquaters. I see this country is steping backward, gradually, to the state that no one wins but our aggressive neighbor.

The court belongs to whom?.....Are we going back to the state that only bearing a KMT certificate can gurantee our equality in law? Where is the rationality and justice of all these surpression of freedom of speech and privacy in the name of LAW?

Is this democracy?

Interesting string of comments from Michale Turton's opinion, which makes me wonder, are we the only one that are blindfolded from what's happening in front of us?

舊空間再利用 Sydney Olympic Park-Armory Gallery

去過雪梨的人大概都會去Olympic Park 走一走.這個地方和澳洲大部份的景點一樣,就是一望無際的spacious....大到有時讓人覺得挺無聊的.

不過,若是能有機會一步一步的探索,這麼大的園區,也是觀察澳洲文化縮影的好去處。

這次我們又再騎單車從Silverwater沿著Parramatta River騎著,驚訝的發現才一年河岸邊又多了些新的建設.有瓦斯烤肉架(不用聞臭木碳/化學碳味道),有搭著棚架的戶外桌椅,伴著當月南美音樂週現場演唱的樂隊,真是舒服啊!

 

烤完肉後去新整修好的Newington Armory園區逛逛，這裏原本是製造彈藥的基地，因此處處可以看到警告標語，這裏的建物也多是這樣厚重磚造的，數十年後這麼個火藥味十足的彈藥基地變成輕鬆宜人的親子園地，也是有趣。

目前在藝廊展出的是從毛澤東時代到現代中國，穿過這個隧道後就是藝廊了。展出內容有毛主政當時的大字報等文物及至今現代中國的藝術品。不知道策展人是什麼背景，看來是對中國懷抱綺麗幻想的人。當我看到一張海報上的大男孩做出英雄般有為青年之姿，寫著＂黨要我做什麼，我就做什麼＂時，不禁雞皮疙瘩起來。

  

Technorati Tags: sydney,olympic park

送禮送什麼好?

這次去澳洲本來想買日出鳯梨酥的,但是時間太趕而且我也很想試試Yilan的產品,所以就買了他們的台灣土產水果乾禮盒.嗯,自己嚐過後只能說文案形容的比較好吃!送水果乾禮盒給W也是個大失策,他只問我一句: Why having dried fruit when we have fresh fruit? 所以包裝精美的禮盒他最後只留著禮盒部份,裏頭的東西就我獨自享用,再送泰國朋友2包...嗯,下次還是買日出鳯朵酥啦!超好吃的!W一家人也都很喜歡呢!

shhhhhh.....shut up!

透過簡余晏的部落格得知王明哲的專輯發表會消息.於是昨天和Mia冒著大雨去華山藝文中心.雨中的華山藝文中心有些突兀的殘敗美感.幾乎每個賓客都濕漉漉的抵達.

在這之前我對王明哲是誰是完全沒有頭緒的.後來才知道他是台灣魂,海洋國家等歌曲的作曲或作詞者,我對他的第一印象是:(這人應該也是屬於難搞型的artist),他講話時很小聲,再加上我的台灣聽辨能力只有50%,實在難以聽懂他在說什麼,但是一演唱起來就是截然不同的一個人,尤其是那段吹口哨的部份,很喜歡:-)

第一次近距離的看到一堆綠大頭,整個場子像是綠的同樂會.不算小的廳堂也幾乎坐滿了,當氣質美女王美琇最後說出我們每一個人都應該心懷希望,永遠有夢,而這個夢就是有一天我們的國家名字會是台灣時...

我忍不住感動到頭皮發麻起來.

我大概不會是去搖旗納喊的人,也不會是走上街頭的人,但是我真心希望這些對操作媒體還嫌幼稚的綠人們可以早日重新掌舵.帶領台灣走向自立自強的方向啊!

最後阿扁來了,現場此起彼落的"總統好",可以看見他卸任後的魅力仍在.專輯發表會在他和現場的貴賓一起合唱海洋國家時落幕.但是我覺得我似乎無意中看到了什麼....

話說在專輯發表會中還有一群來自台東的一所教會學校的小朋友合唱表演.那位帶隊的老師長相甜美也很積極的要把場子抄熱.在最後大家大合唱時,她大聲喊出"台灣獨立!阿扁是我們永遠的總統!台灣加油"等.這時有位長的像公關的胖小姐(相信我,公關人的臉真的挺好認)馬上衝上台去做出制止她講話的手勢.那位老師停了一下,又笑笑的開始大喊台灣獨立勻勻,那位胖小姐再度衝上台去制止,最後拿走了她的mic.

我不知道其他人有沒有看到...好奇怪啊??為什麼要制止那位老師講話呢?又不是在公家機關也不是在學校啊!我還以為台灣是言論自由的國家呢?

什麼時候變了?


你可以在這裏試聽王明哲的創作

美麗Formosa的現場演唱片斷(影像品質實在不佳,收音還可以)

那些還沒學會的人生的道理

前些日子參加了華語教師輸出的計劃徵選。爸爸媽媽都很鼓勵我試試看,雖然我教中文的資歷嚴格說是"相當淺",但是看著自己被列入超額名單內,眼看沒多久時光就有可能捲舖蓋"走其他路",我也就抱著姑且一試的態度。

沒想到連過了2關,到第3關時是美國官員來面訪,理當我要有些緊張的,但是卻出其的放鬆。我自認表現不賴,雖然在回答一些問題時真是"直"的可以,例如

"How many years can you stay?"

"I think for one year to start with..."

.....過了幾分鐘又問了一次

"So what's the prospect of you to stay after the end of the contract?"

"I really can't give you a definite answer now...sorry about that"

去參加徵選這件事W的反應有些消極,我其實也能理解。但是一年前回國後過了一年我又開始坐不住,我很想換個環境,體驗新的文化,用新的眼光去觀察新的教育環境。但我也對自己教華語的能力有些虛心,畢竟教外語的經驗告訴我,會教不一定會講。所以,得與不得我似乎都能接受,但我知道到頭來落空的話,我還是會有點小失望吧!

所以那天心急的打給主辦單位表明因出國在即卻不知道自己是否榜上有名有些困擾,那位小姐首先質疑我怎麼已經買好機票,我說買機票是在apply這個工作之前的事,更何況他們的報名表中說明6月底會公佈決選名單啊!那小姐才有些心虛的說:"哦? 是嗎?"

當時教室吵的要命,又是小人們的追逐嘻鬧聲,又是校園廣播的聲音,我實在不確定她有沒有聽清楚我的名字,只是當她說"你的名字沒有在名單上哦",我頓時感覺有些糗,就馬上說謝謝掛電話.

幾天後,也就是今晚,爸爸才知道我在公佈決選名單前私自打了電話。

"我不知道你會去打這個電話,唉,以後你不應該這樣。"

"可是我很急嘛,就快要出國了還不知道到底有沒有中?!"

"你這樣很容易被人搓掉知不知道?"

??? 怎麼搓啊?

爸爸才說像這種只有口試沒有筆試的考試是有很大的灰色地帶的。有人先打電話去,對方可以直接說你沒上(若他/她真是小人的話),然後把你從名單中刪除,換另一個人上。反正你也不知道...你也無從查起...

原來如此...看來我當初還真是直線思考啊?!

又上了一課。

A letter to the person who might never read it

I put down the phone as if we have come to an agreement. I'm speechless about the situation yet I can't ignore the growing anxiety of where we are going. I'm the kind of person who need something to fight for and currently I can't see the goal. I don't want to drag you through my emotional and mental crisis yet I need the dialogue to clear my head.

For the past 4 years we've been flying back and forth to each other's country as a routine like one of those migrating birds. I don't know if birds get tired of the same traveling pattern but I do. I hate flying alone I hate the airplane food I hate saying goodbye and knowing it's another 6 month to see this face again.

I won't give up on us so easy but I won't cling on the expectation of joining you in the near future. It has been a great journey for me but I've learned that sometimes you just can't beat the reality. It's time, babe.