Coffee Alley, Chung Hsiao E. Road, Taipei

The coffee culture and western cuisine have been growing rapidly in Taipei but I really can't appreciate this kind of food and drink places.  Apparently the menu and the deco. resembles The Classified.  I'd prefer the classic style of Taiwanese tea house.  This coffee alley has been a talk of town in HK with long lines.  After I tried this one in Taipei, I found it very disappointing.  The coffee is too milky and their signature berry frosty drink too sweet (and the funny thing the shop waitress warned me of this drink being very sour as it's a berry).  The waffle isn't good either - the inside isn't done well and the outside is just a look as if it was quite crispy.  It wasn't at all.  I'd just go back to those classic Taiwanese restaurants.

2014年7月9日，台北的天空

七月九日, 炎炎日照台北市, 有一個公聽會, 上千數百位資深作者, 儘管天氣有多熱, 也蓋不了他們的怒氣.  擠進這公聽會.  為的是捍衛他們的產業在電子綱絡世界巳完全摧毀至邊緣下一點委屈的尊嚴 - 著作權!  這群作者的怒吼及他們的陳述, 令人感慨良多, 每每想起, 氣湧心頭.  俳佪在智能世界自我單向沉抑的恐懼, 難以與週遭的人舒發對智能世界某些恐懼, 一些不對的事情正正是大多數人在做, 原來可以捏曲成對時, 只好繼續單向沉抑.  然而這天台北天空太陽高照， 耀眼炫目， 灼喚那沉抑的情懷，喜悅這裡有這些聲音，可笑的是香港，還有那些世界英雄大國對這七月九日在台北市發生的這一切，隻字不提 － 諸位亞洲卓越出色的作者（如方文山－周杰倫的顆伴填詞人，陳樂融 － 80／90年代台灣多產創作人等）在綱絡世界裡被那大多數人認定的對下再被踐踏反撲的怒吼！  這是什麼樣的傳媒 － 選擇性的言論自由，雙重標準的國度，可笑的智能世界 － 原來還是文明倒退的自我陶醉。  我們常笑著某些國家對婦女強暴視作等閒，倘若有一天剩下你一個人，而在身旁的數百人認定強暴是對的，你會怎樣⋯⋯  

好了，仍要活著，雖然逆風而行，有點吃力，但隨心而行，簡單的一份快樂。

以下節錄自台北市一群創作人的聲音：

時下風行利用他人著作改編的KUSO，智慧財產局僅正面思考，認為此種著作利用行為，屬意見、思想或言論自由表達之範疇，不知是在公門修行而不諳社會黑暗面，思慮不周，或已習慣為利用人解套，率即引進部份歐洲國家的立法例，將其利用行為合理化，但法律一體適用的結果，固然幫未取得原著作人授權改作之詼諧仿作者化解了難題，但也幫魔鬼們開了一扇除罪的方便門。

為嘲諷或詼諧仿作之目的，即可利用他人已公開發表的著作__多麼神聖的目的呀？多少扭曲、醜化、謾罵、毀謗、侮辱、霸凌、汙衊他人的行為，假汝之名，即可合理合法而堂而皇之地利用改作我等創作人的心血，化為暗器利器神器，去遂行醜陋惡意的算計！

其實，時下利用他人著作改編的KUSO，只要確為詼諧仿作之作，且不踰越紅線，一般被引用的原創作人大抵皆一笑置之，鮮少會為此興訟，但若係惡意改作利用去攻擊他人或改作為不堪入目入耳者，此教原創作人情何以堪？__改作後之衍生著作，縱使未取得原創作人之授權改作，仍可依著作權法第6條第1項規定，取得衍生著作之著作財產權，更教人情何以堪！

草案條文所謂「利用」，當然包括「改作」，而著作人專有將其著作改作成衍生著作之權利，此為現行本法第28條所明定，故「改作」他人著作當然必須取得原著作人之授權或同意。

時下網民利用他人著作改編的KUSO，從來都不曾取得原著作人之授權或同意，難謂合法，惟我英明的智慧財產局明知KUSO改作者恐不明須事先取得授權之法律規定，又不敢宣導教育之，深怕網民不理性謾罵攻擊(如封鎖非法境外網站IP事件)，影響官員考績前途，乾脆引用外國立法例，將網民之KUSO改作，美名為言論自由，而合理化兼除罪之，犧牲著作人專有之「改作」權及著作人格權，亦在所不惜__IPO的魯莽作為比不作為更令人擔憂、嘆氣、心寒。。

如第55、56條(原46、47條)反對修正理由所述，當知「改作」所涉層面之複雜及嚴重性，稍有不慎(如褻瀆回教)，甚有可能爆發種族屠殺及戰爭之嚴重後果，且禍延原著作人，此絕非不諳產業實務之行政機關及其諮詢委員們所能片面瞭解、輕忽怠慢！更遑論本條「嘲諷或詼諧仿作」之改作，其不可測之風暴，絕非「一般」改作可及，絕不可等閒視之！

Tan Shui, (淡水), Taiwan

The first time I was here, this place wasn't yet that developed.  Subway still couldn't reach here.  Not many shops, not many tourists, and no traffic jam.  This time I chose to come here in the morning time. There I found the tranquil of this place again.

Silent lane, Yi Zhang Street, Taipei

Zen and Central World BKK - suspended in time in google map

As when I have been finding out a number of images on google map weren't updated for years, I then came to check on Zen and Central World. Happy to see the suspended image of Zen and Central World (check photo 1 below). Zen is on the lower left. Big C on the top right. Seems like there weren't any fire. No fighting. No fire. No destruction.

Further on are images of some places of a few years ago. Photo 2 shows ICC (Kowloon West) was still under way. Photo 3 shows Hotel Palais de Chine and the mall The Station in Taipei were still a construction site. Photo 4 shows Yai Ya Hua Hin wasn't there - should be on top of Sheraton (Yai Ya has been there over 2 years). Photo 5 shows the factory outlet is still a wasteland and Blue Lagoon was named Sun Villas. Photo 6 shows The Bale' Bali wasn't with its new extension of the Deluxe villas on the top right. Photo 7 shows St. Regis Bali wasn't there either (on the right). Thanks to Google map not being updated for years. We can see Zen and Central World in its old time.

Shin Yeh Taiwanese restaurant, Chung Hsiao E. Rd. sec. 4 欣葉台菜，忠考東路四段靠近大安路

Shin Yeh is almost like my must-visit restaurant whenever I am in Taipei. The only Taiwanese dialect I can speak is this chilled clam in garlic wine soy sauce (photo 1), as "Na Ayr". I can take one whole dish by myself. However, not many people like it since it is served chilled and with some wine aroma in it. My second favourite is the veggie, egg with crushed peanut roll (潤餅). I can take 1 whole order (2 rolls). Again, not too many people like this one since there is some parsley inside. I love this magic mix of all these ingredients.

The 3rd thing is their stir fried rice noodle and 4th is their deep fried squid balls. Both are done very nice every time I try.

Wu Min Tze congee and small dishes shop 無名子清粥小菜, Fu Xing S. Road, Taipei

Another cycle - 15 years later I revisited this shop, but that doesn't mean this one is bad. It's all because the next door Yung He soy bean drink shop often got on my first choice in this area. As I stayed just opposite to this area, I gotta give a break for my favourite soy bean drink shop. Actually I had daily soy bean drink during my stay.

This shop and the other shops on this section of Fu Xing S. Rd. (between He Ping E. Rd 和平東and Shin Yi 信義路Rd.) *remarks: supposed the pronounciation should be Her` Ping, not He Piing, but just the local spelling is He Ping, same as Yung He (should be Yung Her`), offer midnight dining until 5-6am. They had some prepared dishes and some order-to-cook dishes with free unlimited Yam congee 地瓜(番薯)粥. In the old days, this area was also crowded with some local creative people and some singers/artists. As the local entertainment got more westernized, those people tend to go to hotel cafes or some hip lounges.

1. Pickled veggie, ginger and pig's intestine hot pot. My love-and-hate dish! The shop made it very tender and clean too. The pickled is nice too. Very aromatic.

2. Various dishes from stir fried veggie to pickled veggie with five belly pork.

3. Squid with Chinese celery and yam congee.

4. See how many varieties they have.

5. the shop entrance.

國父紀念館 Dr. Sun Memorial Hall Taipei

Yung He soy bean drink shop Fu Xing South Rd 復興南路永和豆漿

Though I posted this shop before, I need to say it's still the best soy bean drink shop in town to me. My friends (local & Angel) and I spent much time on searching the best soy bean drink shop in Taipei in the mid. 90's ane early 00's, and found this shop the most consistent one. This time I was glad to have seen the chef who made the best sticky rice roll still in the shop. Check photo 3 - the one in the middle front. It's him who made the best sticky rice roll and all the nice baked pastry like photo 2 (燒餅夾肉鬆). This time I am also pleased to see this shop crowded with longer line of customers, but they still keep the good quality.

Taipei Fullerton South 馥敦飯店, Fu Xing S. Road Taipei Taiwan

13 years ago, after Les Suites Taipei got popular, I came to try a hotel called Dynasty 朝代 which was one of the few medium size business hotel among all those Little Sherwood, Kodak groups. After I booked this Taipei Fullerton, my local friend refreshed my memory of its former one - Dynasty Hotel. Strange that I was brought back to this hotel on the same routing from Les Suites Taipei to here again. I should have further rewinded to Far East Shangrila and Regent Formosa.

This hotel is very near to my most favourite Yung He soy bean drink shop on Fu Xing S. Road (near the intersection with Xin Yi Rd.). It was renovated, with a nice reception area and a complimentary coffee with snack area. The room is very clean and nicely furnished, good sound proof and with my love-and-hate Sony LCD TV (best in quality but worst in life).