Some new (and old music)

Some of the albums mentioned here actually came from a post that I started last year but never finished :P I couldn't believe I missed the SFJAZZ concert by Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood last month (what else better could I have done instead?)Well, there's another funky group featuring guitar and organ called Organissimo that I "discovered" last year. I must have been in the mood of trio when I started that post because I was also listening to the avant-garde Tin Hat Trio's "Book of Silk" (love the instrumentation with violin and accordion) as well as the Steve Kuhn Trio's "Life's Magic" (Very interested in listening to his 2009 release of "Mostly Coltrane" with Joe Lovano on sax)

I have listened to some more old music of the recently passed away blues rock guitar great Johnny Winter. Alex Skolnick from Testament recommended "Nothing but the Blues" while "Live Johnny Winter And" (what an interesting album name!) topped the Guitar Player's Reader Poll.

Finally, time for more metal: I found Suicide Silence's brand new 2014 album "You Can't Stop Me" on the top of the Billboard's Hard rock album chart. Definitely doesn't sound like commercial B.S. though. Highly recommended.

Live Metal

After reading so much metal history and hearing my friend talked about his trip to Gothenburg (the birthplace of melodic death metal in Sweden), I started to research where to see live metal, especially in Gothenburg. Well, there has been an annual MetalTown festival but it has been cancelled this year. And there is a more melodeath specific festival called Gothenburg Sound in January. Next year the festival will feature Dark Tranquility (just released a new album "Construct" in 2013) and Dimension Zero (founded by former members of In Flames. I listened to their 2007 release "He Who Shall Not Bleed" and I am impressed) I also found an online Metal Travel Guide that lists some interesting clubs/stores in Gothenburg. And I am curious what places it lists nearby and found Thee Parkside, which seems to feature local hardcore/metal bands regularly. It reminds me of the club Metro in Oakland (both websites are very similar too!), which was surprisingly NOT listed on Metal Travel Guide. Finally, there's nothing under Palo Alto, which is sad. There used to be a good club named The Edge (check out the big names that performed there before) I have been there once or twice in the 90s (forgot who performed) and it was gone while I was away (Summer 2000, the heydays of Nu Metal. Papa Roach played the last show)

Carleton Watkins, 吳冠中, Rodin's hands @ Cantor Arts Center, Stanford

炎熱的週日下午歎免費冷氣，除了去mall，還可以去免費museums，例如Stanford的Cantor Arts Center。數月沒去，多了不少吸引的新展品展覽，最意外驚喜是攝影家Carleton Watkins：
坦白說，和油畫相比，我對攝影作品的熱情相差很遠，可能因為我經常被批評技術不濟的關係。除Ansel Adams之外，差不多無一認識；曾經在SFMOMA欣賞過Adams的原作，尤其喜歡他在Yosemite的作品；原來倒不是前無古人！這位Carleton Watkins是最早期的Yosemite攝影家，1860年代他帶著重達2000磅的自製攝影器材（包括大塊感光玻璃板，流動黑房及沖灑用品），由騾隊運載入谷兩度，認真艱巨。其成績與付出成正比，他的作品出色地展現大自然雄奇之美。除了Yosemite，影展還有兩個我都不感陌生的主題：一是三藩市的自然景觀及建築，包括Farallon Islands, Alcatraz, Cliff House等等，二是上月才去過的Columbia River Gorge，他成功地捕捉了Multnomah Falls, Castle Rock等地的神態，"Cape Horn, Near Celilo"的構圖更是特別巧妙。

"Cape Horn, near Celilo" (public domain, linked from Wikimedia commons)

另一個吸引我的是中國藝術部的山水展，既有古代傳統手法的水墨畫，也有新派如吳冠中引入西畫技巧的作品，以及最新一代的攝影及數碼圖像；世界日報原來有介紹此展覽。

最後想提的展覽是從醫學角度探究Rodin雕像中出現的各種病態之手。看過Rodin雕塑作品的朋友相信都會對其人物的獨特姿勢包括手部動作留下深刻印象，其實有部份是因為手部有病而扭曲。該展覽解釋幾種病的成因及治療方法，甚為有趣。

How to toggle input language on iPad when using external keyboard

I bought a Bluetooth keyboard to use with my old Android tablet some time ago. I didn't have a need to switch between Chinese and English because the 3rd party input method natively takes care of that. Now I am using it with the iPad and it's even easier: simply hit Command-Space to toggle between the languages that were previously enabled under Settings. Nice!

Louder than hell: 口述重金屬歷史

作為重金屬fans超過廿年，其歷史算頗為熟悉，由最早期Black Sabbath到今期流行的prog metal band如Mastodon都會留意；讀過相關書籍包括Ian Christe十年前出版的名作Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal, Chuck Klosterman的Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota等等，亦看過2011年的Metal Evolution系列紀錄片。今次讀這本700頁厚的Louder than Hell又有甚麼特色呢？

其一，全書主要是節錄音樂人口述，相當authentic，只有少量「旁白」作串連，不致欠缺連貫性。

其二，全書大致以時期及風格分章，包括的範圍甚廣，連冷門風格如Industrial metal及hardcore樂隊都有提及。

其三，本書提及不少金屬樂隊荒唐生活的細節，成員之間的恩恩怨怨，很多我都聞所未聞。
希望能在圖書館到期還書前讀完！

十年棋事幾番新

由細到大，圍棋都是我十分推崇的遊戲，且在十年前有過一段頗為沉迷的日子：看漫畫，緊貼棋壇發展，當然也有下棋。不知怎的突然完全脫節，連2010年亞運會史無前例後無來者唯一一次的比賽也毫無印象！記得當時中日韓最強棋手包括常昊李世石張栩等等，最重要賽事有豐田杯富士通杯；多年沒有留意棋壇新聞，原來早已面目全非：豐田杯及有廿四年歷史的富士通杯分別於2009年及11年停辦！以上著名棋手亦不及當年雄霸國內棋壇之勇。新一代的冠軍人物如朴廷桓（韓）芈昱廷（中）都是相當陌生的名字，似乎這一代再難出到當年那些棋壇巨人如吳清源趙治勳藤澤秀行小林光一李昌鎬聶衛平。可喜的是「上一代」強手李世石依然屢有佳作，他和中國古力對下的十番棋（十盤目前只下了一半）仍然引人注目。

霍氏新聞 事事旦旦?

見到霍氏新聞標題為維珍尼亞洲教授為女兒成為公主而宣稱在非洲成立王國，以為可能是某學者翻查族譜得悉自己為某非洲皇族後人去取得繼承權之類趣聞，原來只是一名美國白人到非洲某地插旗的鬧劇。撇開此舉如何無謂，令我更驚嘆的是，據後者連結及網上資料顯示，「國王」Jeremiah Heaton是礦業從業員，不是霍氏新聞指的維珍尼亞洲教授。

不過，由於該個標題總算學了一些新知識：
1)「國王」插旗之地Bir Tawil為何不屬相鄰任何一國，即蘇丹及埃及？參考此文，原來該不毛之地側面還有一塊更大更肥沃的Hala'ib triangle，兩國曾兩度訂立條約劃國界，分別把Bir Tawil判給一國及Hala'ib triangle判給另一國，兩國皆想擁有Hala'ib triangle而只承認對自己有利的條約，所以兩國均不願意承認擁有Bir Tawil的條約！

2)美國媒體一直沿用boomer(1943-60), gen-X(60-80), millennials(80-2000)那今年七歲的「公主」所屬世代應如何稱呼？原來並無共識，有所謂generation Z，或homeland generation，現時出生的小朋友均屬此代；似乎比起millennials更被寵壞。

The Winery Dogs

本人算是Jazz Club Yoshi's的常客，雖然近年流失了不少big names給SFJAZZ center，總有不少驚喜，例如父親節的Ginger Baker band（傳奇樂隊Cream鼓手改玩充滿非洲味道的Jazz, 令我有點想看看那套關於他的電影）以及咋天的Hard rock組合The Winery Dogs。這麼多年倒是首次在Yoshi's看非爵士藍調的音樂會。

宣傳資料稱之為超級組合(supergroup)絕不為過，皆因三位成員均大有來頭。大家可能不知早在我玩結他之前我是玩bass，學生時代的bass guitar hero是Billy Sheehan（另一位是Stu Hamm）還記得當年踏遍九龍尋找極度冷門的Billy Sheehan前樂隊Talas的作品（結集成"The Talas Year"，包括名作Sink your teeth into that和Shy Boy)他被香港音樂雜誌譽為King of two-hand tapping。結他手Richie Kotzen在80年代末在專推技術型結他手的Shrapnel Records推出純器樂的處女作一鳴驚人（也在我當年搜索之列），其後加入Poison取代原本的結他手，作曲能力備受賞識。至於鼓手Mike Portnoy（我的Berklee校友:P)，乃係殿堂級前衞金屬樂隊Dream Theater始創成員，也不用多作介紹。

老實說，超級組合往往有雷聲大雨點小的問題，Sheehan和Kotzen兩位均曾為Mr. Big成員，和該樂隊同期誕生的supergroups還有Blue Murder及Bad Land，成績皆強差人意，和期望有一段距離。當然，當時正值金屬沒落Grunge興起，可謂生不逢時; 但另一方面，過份強調技術及樂手名氣而忽略樂曲可聽性亦是一個原因。可喜的是The Winery Dogs全無此問題， 當日我在由新界到小西灣的長途巴士上聽他們首張大碟，就已十分欣賞全碟充滿著回到基本搖擺的精神，而Billy Sheehan複雜的bass line盡顯技術之餘又不會喧賓奪主，襯托歌曲豐富的旋律感恰到好處。有趣的是Richie Kotzen唱主音彈結他，模樣有點像Chris Cornell，其實The Winery Dogs的音樂既有classic rock元素，也似受Soundgarden等grunge band影響。在Yoshi's看live，感覺又更上一層；移走平日最近舞台那排枱作舞池，我和其他觀眾站得離表演者不遠，伸手可及（事實上也和Sheehan握了手）音樂會又cover了Jimi Hendrix名作Hey Joe及encore時段Talas的Shy Boy。

Metallica and good sense of humor

Metallica is one of those band that I really really like before they made a huge hit, i.e, the commercial "Black" album. I just don't care for anything they released after "And Justice for all" I did listen to St Anger and Death Magnetic a few times.  While the former didn't sound anything like their original stuff, and the latter did, I don't particularly dislike one way or the other. To quote one of their song title: "nothing else matters." And their hard stance against Napster only made things worse. It is easy to imagine the negative reaction they got from the fans of the UK Glastonbury Fest (traditionally a metal-less event) It IS surprising to me that Metallica responded with selling a T-shirt with quotes from their haters on their own webstore. I guess any opportunity to make money, even off the haters, work for them. Still, I respect them as a hard working band without too much nonsense. 

The most emotion provoking roll of toiler paper

... other than the time I need to use one and it ran out, is this:

Martin Lubner, Last of the Toilet Paper, 2011-14, oil on canvas, 11 x 14" 

 

Saw it from the gallery exhibition promotion page.

丹尼士巨龍巴士退役

這個型號的巴士絕對是我們年代長大人士的集體回憶！這款巴士特色為「3+2」座位（一邊是三座位緊靠，另一邊則是雙座）全港僅餘三輛，於6月25日完成歷史使命，正式退役。

圖片來自香港巴士大典

頗有印象在初中年代常坐這款巴士往返九龍塘站及沙田第一城，路線好像是82M（請看此帖介紹九巴行走沙田路線的歷史），後來高中多坐火車從沙田站轉乘巴士回第一城；之前小學則是坐城巴62R，那時城巴還只提供「邨巴」尚未成為專營巴士公司呢，原來該線是促成後來城巴大幅度擴充業務的功臣！此路線至2013年9月30日方停辦，由於對沙田第一城的居民意義重大，因此第一城業主委員會特地舉行歡送活動，當日早上城巴免收此路線乘客車資，並派發朱古力批及紙包飲品答謝乘客支持，更安排最後一班開往九龍塘站的巴士（07:45由第一城開出，由車隊編號179「大食鬼」行走）在抵達九龍塘後額外免費接載乘客返回第一城。而因當日為公益金服飾日，駕駛該車的車長更穿上舊款城巴制服，令最後一天服務更添特色，可見香港有人情味的一面。

Sports high and lowlights: MLB, WC, Stanley Cup and NBA Final

First of all, may MLB hall of famer Tony Gwynn rest in peace. It's sad to see him leaving at such a young age (54) probably due to chewing tobacco usages. I saw his Padres playing against the SF Giants many times during his playing year. What an exciting player to watch as he always seem to find a way to get on base. Even after retirement from pro-ball, he still contributed to the sports by coaching his Alma Mater (San Diego State)

Speaking of the Giants, I took the kids to the park and witnessed Giants' gigantic collapse in the 9th inning (led 4-2 and ended up letting the Rockies to score 5 in that half inning) Closer Sergio Romo was not in his usual "shut-you-down" mode. Who knows if this might be the turning point of the season (which I expected the LA Dodgers would catch up and win the division hands down with their star-studded lineup)? The Giants haven't won a game since then. (And lost 6 out of 7)

As usual, this world cup is full of drama, including the surprising landslide defeat of Spain (to Holland and Chile) and Portugal (to Germany.) However, the biggest story here is of course USA beating their nemesis from the last 2 cups, Ghana, 2-1 (Even the sports radio host Jim Rome who is known for bashing soccer mentioned the game in his promo!) The USA's first goal came way too fast (< 1 min) and seemed too easy. Then their players went down one-by-one (weather, physical play) and finally gave up the equalizer to Ghana. At that point a lot of fans would be happy with a draw but that's obviously not what the team thought and they fought back with the game winning goal.

World Cup fever obviously overshadowed the Stanley Cup final (yeah, LA Kings, the team I really dislike, beat NY Rangers, the team I really like and won the cup 2-times in the last 3 years. Still remember watching LA beating NJ for the cup in a Dallas hotel on that rare biz-trip 2 years ago) and to a certain extent, the NBA final (San Antonio Spurs, the team I really respect, beat Miami Heats, the team I really don't care, and won the championship for the 5th time while the latter went 2-for-4 in the finals during the last 4 years. Gotta be considered as a disappointment given the Miami "Big 3" made it such a big deal joining force 4 years ago)

走過西北大地

數年前小朋友入學後，每逢暑假，與其留在本地開工並付費讓他們參加暑期活動班，倒不如安排出外旅行，這幾年去過夏威夷、東岸、香港，今年攪攪新意思：開車遊訪美加西北幾個城市。其中舊地重遊的有西雅圖及溫哥華（上次已是十幾廿年前了），新地方則有波特蘭及Eugene (Oregon)，九天行程供大家參考：
Day 1: Bay Area -> Crater Lake -> Eugene
Day 2: Eugene -> Seattle
Day 3: Seattle
Day 4: Seattle -> Vancouver
Day 5: Vancouver
Day 6: Vancouver
Day 7: Vancouver -> Portland
Day 8: Portland
Day 9: Portland -> Bay Area

我把本旅程寫成四篇專題如下：

• 教育篇 
• 單車篇 
• 飲食篇
• 名勝篇

走過西北大地:教育篇

今次旅程我們衝出加洲，踏過三個洲省均有著名學府：

U of Oregon - 其教育學院排名甚高

U of Washington - 醫學及工程均享負盛名

U of British Columbia - 語言及經濟學最有名，工程亦強

老實說我們出發前對以上所知甚淺，雖然認識幾位校友（UO是我們中學英文科老師的母校）帶著小朋友去遊校園，主要也是欣賞下各座建築物，UO不乏歷史悠久國家地標級建築，可謂古色古香；UW亦然，況且那是廿五年前我首次踏足美國第一所參觀的大學，感情份外不同。有點可惜錯過了UBC有名的MOA(Museum of Anthropology)因為遇著畢業禮event parking及小朋友反對。

Jimi Hendrix's guitar @ EMP Museum

不過今次也有博物館深受我家小朋友歡迎，甚至被視為旅程No.1景點！那就是西雅圖的EMP Museum。對我這個樂迷來說，西雅圖最重要的音樂legacy是Jimi Hendrix和Grunge，是我參觀EMP的主要原因：EMP有兩個展覽，分別關於Jimi Hendrix在倫敦的歲月，及以Nirvana為主的Grunge時代回顧，我在館內的巨型營光幕（名為Sky Church)觀看了一套Beatles 50年前首度訪美的片段，以及一套探討當年西雅圖之音(大體上就是Grunge）如何發展以至爆發的紀錄片；展品當然包括大量Jimi Hendrix及各位大師的結他，我看得津津有味。（雖然我不是Nirvana fans，Grunge樂隊我其實比較喜歡Alice in Chains，不過夾band玩過不少Nirvana作品，也算有感情）似乎單靠兩隊樂隊很難撐起一間大型博物館，所以它也有其他展覽，包括科幻小說，奇幻文學，還有恐佈片！前兩者均是我家小朋友喜歡閱讀的類別。臨走前我們玩了On Stage，一個讓訪客「扮」夾band的活動，小朋友一向玩古典，感受一下做rock友相信十分過癮（作為主音的我唱Twist and Shout可不是咪咀呀）

另一個在西雅圖市郊（Everett）相當值得一遊的地方是Boeing tour（網上關鍵詞是Future of Flight Aviation Center) 波音公司出產飛機人人皆知，生產如此高科技產品當然採用最先進的技術和方法模式。從事製造業或科技界的成年人固然對此很感興趣，連小朋友也覺大開眼界。就算不至於激勵他們投身科技行業，起碼也會推動他們努力賺錢得以乘坐這些先進豪華飛機吧。

Treetop adventure @ Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

在本篇寫溫哥華名勝Capilano Suspension Bridge Park皆因該公園花了不少功夫解釋森林自然生態保育的觀念和知識，其實除了那條著名的吊橋，園內還建設了環繞高樹讓遊人從高處觀賞的Treetop adventure及沿崖而建之行人道Cliff walk，為此名勝增色不少。

走過西北大地:單車篇

從俄勒岡洲Eugene市在網上的介紹得知沿Willamette River踩單車是其中一個attraction，不過搜尋路線圖也花了一點功夫，關鍵詞原來是Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail, 找到有停車場及可進入單車徑的trailheads包括Skinner Butte Park及圖中的Alton Baker Park

我們只帶了兒子踩慣的私家車，反正也不太佔空間，餘人懶得租車，只有他可在Eugene一展身手。

到了溫哥華，駕車駛過Stanley Park見不少單車友，興起踩單車之念，在網上搜索到附近有多間租單車：

• Spokes Bicycle 1798 W Georgia St
• Bayshore Bicycles 745 Denman St

決定整個下午用來踩單車，那就不止踩只有五英里的Stanley Park單車徑了，再加一段來回外型和金門橋相似的Lions Gate Bridge，一段來回Canada Place，一段來回Granville Bridge橋底，十八英里才像樣嘛。有趣的是我們在Stanley Park花了很多氣力才找到上Lions Gate的路，一位太太見我拖著兩個小朋友，甚表擔心呢，幸好Lions Gate有行人單車專用sidewalk，其實頗為安全。兒子以一架單速車完成路程，值得自豪。

最後一站我們重回俄勒岡洲的波特蘭，該市被譽為全美最適合踩單車的城市，酒店又提供免費單車，我當然不會錯過！踩的是一條繞市東北部，有少量斜路的路線，以我能力配合酒店那部單速車已是極限（這次也是我首次踩一架只有腳剎沒有手掣的單車，踩起來有點戰戰兢兢）雖然如此，路線本身也夠有趣：有過河的橋，有可一覽全城的小丘，有沿高速公路而建的單車徑，有壯觀的哥倫比亞河峽等等，總共廿八英里，也算消耗一點旅程美食帶來的卡路里。

走過西北大地:飲食篇

俄勒岡洲一帶釀啤酒業聞名全國，今次旅程順道到了多間microbrewery或其附設的餐廳試酒及開餐，包括：

• Ninkasi brewery (喜歡其Maiden the Shade, Spring Rhein)
• Deschutes brewery (Inversion IPA, Black Butte Potter)
• Georgetown brewery
• Granville Island brewery
• Steamroom (Pilsner)
• Rock bottom brewery (Belgian-style Dubbel)
• Old Town brewery (Bravado Brown)

沿途也光顧了不少賣甜點大受歡迎（大排長龍）的店舖：

• 俄勒岡洲的Voodoo Donut以新奇味道及出位造型聞名
• 溫哥華Canada Place附近的Bella's Gelato
• 波特蘭Salt & Straw icecream, 我們來個雪糕tasting，味道包括chocolate chip, chocolate brownie, coffee, salty caramel, cinnamon等等

質素不俗的中餐也品嘗不少：

• 西雅圖華盛頓大學旁的鼎泰豐(Din Tai Fung)小籠包果然不負所望，只是其他菜式份量較輕。
• 溫哥華鄰近Richmond Shanghai River泡飯及菜飯皆美味
• Richmond金粵軒(Empire)早茶早開門兼有折扣，點心也有水準。
• Richmond新瑞華乳鴿及北京鴨均佳

最後想提的是，在西雅圖那天我們為了趕及Elliot's Oyster House三至四時的$1 Oyster happy hour行到氣來氣喘，晚飯無意再戰，決定從渡輪碼頭附近的Ivar's買外賣回酒店吃，炸魚及薯條十分不錯，實屬意外驚喜。

走過西北大地:名勝篇

Crater Lake

今次旅程參觀過的名勝，既有人為的，也有自然的。第一站Crater Lake就是後者，此湖乃全美最深，藍藍的湖水美得無與倫比，連小朋友也十分欣賞；相比之下，當晚帶他們行一個Eugene downtown historical landmark walk，實在失色許多。

The historic Eugene Hotel (now a senior home)

University of Oregon

第二天匆匆參觀過俄勒岡大學校園後就北上，在波特蘭Deschutes Brewery試完酒及午餐後直踩西雅圖W酒店，相當幸運地分到一間遠眺Space Needle的房間！之後那天一早我們步行到該處花了半小時左右，九時左右天朗氣清人少，我們得以在塔頂盡情觀賞西雅圖一帶處處波光水色的美景。

下一站溫哥華亦是被水圍繞，駕車幾經迷路終得好心路人提示找到臨海一角的Granville Island，該處有大量藝術家工作坊，雖然我們到達時值黃昏，全部均已關門，但從門窗窺看仍可感受到濃濃的藝術氣息。

A store at Granville Island

Digital Orca

之後一晚的黃昏我們則在溫市的Gastown區閒逛至郵輪碼頭Canada Place，一睹視覺藝術家及詩人Douglas Coupland（其名句為everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything）的著名雕塑Digital Orca。

Latourell

Bridal Veil

離開溫哥華後我們花了七小時（包括半小時左右過關）抵達波特蘭市郊的哥倫比亞河峽(Columbia River Gorge)該區河光山色連綿不絕，我們事先搜尋過，由Hwy84出Exit 17到Troutdale市作為起點，可駛進The Historic Columbia River Highway至Corbett，不久即達Portland Women's Forum State Park viewpoint，可觀賞整個河峽，下一點Vista House景觀亦類似。接著就是一系列的瀑布，在路邊即可見Latourell, Bridal Veil則需行一段來回2/3里的山路。眾多瀑布中最著名的要算是620尺全美第四高的Multnomah Falls，該處有路可行至瀑布之頂。，原訂路線是到the Dalles後才過橋到北岸的Maryhill，不過我們發覺時候已不早，唯有縮短行程，在Bonneville Dam後就過收費一元的Bridge of the Gods（其名有段相關的印第安傳說）到北岸，上Route 14(Lewis and Clark Memorial Highway)向西返回波特蘭。

Multnomah Falls

旅程最後一個名勝是波特蘭佔地甚廣遍植玫瑰品種繁多的International Rose Test Garden。

LFP全球挑戰賽香港站

這個在香港舉行的足球比賽戲碼實在不弱，有兩支西甲勁旅華倫西亞及維拉利爾鬥港甲標準流浪。不過賽制和大家熟悉的循環賽及淘汰賽有所不同；今次賽制是三角賽：每場賽事各打45分鐘，每場比賽勝方會有三分，和波各得一分，而每入一球都有一分。

據報導，原來足總及康文署堅持旺角場不可以進行「雙料娛樂」（即同一個比賽日有兩場比賽於同一球場連續進行），導致華倫西亞與維拉利爾今次不能獨立各踢一場，只能盡用足總及康文署容許的135分鐘進行三角賽，坊間評論直指兩支西甲勁旅來港竟然作如此怪雞賽制安排實在「嘥料」，但流浪會方仍希望球迷多多支持。

何解不可以進行「雙料娛樂」？我搜尋了一輪，只找到一篇去年報導，羅傑承表示，按亞洲足協的職業聯賽指引，不鼓勵聯賽復行「雙料娛樂」，不過應和這次比賽無關；另找到FB一個帖中有人討論時指出，連續兩場90分鐘比賽，球場草地會不勝負荷，可能也有道理。至於賽制方面，三角賽算是正式規範化，倒也不是香港方面亂攪一通。不過，各報導都沒有提及LFP就是西班牙足球聯賽，可說是宣傳上一敗筆。

Trigger warning

WARNING: if you are an educator who got into trouble because of trigger warning issue, please stop reading this post as it might bring back bad memories.

I gotta admit I don't watch enough US news as I was completely unaware of the debate about trigger warning in college course material. I don't even know what the term means until today! Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is certainly a serious illness that no one should ignore. On the other hand, how far could schools go to prevent course material from triggering it in its students? This article against it made some good points: for one thing, it is an inadequate solution to a medical problem. And the cost is huge: college professor will be hamstrung when it comes to picking good material to teach. I am sure its supporters have their counter-arguments too. As a bystander of the college environment, fortunately I don't need to take side. 

Jazz clubs in SF

As a jazz fans, nothing beats living in Manhattan, the capital of jazz IMO. SF is probably the second best in US though. While living in the SF bay area, I could count on a few clubs for good jazz most of the time. Yoshi's has been a staple in the East Bay. The old Claremont location has its charm and it got bigger and better after moving to the Jack London Square. It was basically THE place for big names to play for decades (Milt Jackson, Chick Corea, Regina Carter, Charlie Haden to name a few) From the 90s to early 00's, SF has Jazz at Pearl's. In the past few years, Yoshi's SF (its 2nd location) has fill the void after Jazz at Pearl's went out of business. Pat Metheny, Pat Martino, McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove, Pharoah Sanders ...... were among some of the remarkable concerts I saw there. However, I sensed a changing of the guard ever since the grand opening of the SFJAZZ Center last year. Regina Carter and Hiromi no longer played at the Yoshi's. I saw both of their recent performances at SFJAZZ.

I foresaw clubs like Yoshi's losing big names to SFJAZZ when I learned about the plan in 2011. And my worry was rightfully justified: it's indeed more expensive to go to a concert at SFJAZZ than at Yoshi's. For comparison, tickets I bought for my SFJAZZ concerts ranged from $25-$75 (mostly in the middle) while it's $20-$50 at the Yoshi's (mostly on the lower side) So, what does the media say about these competitions? East Bay Express published an article about the rise of non-profit, which included SFJAZZ and the Sound Room in Oakland. In addition, it mentioned Yoshi's SF's financial situation and switching focus from jazz, which sounded rather sad to a long-time fan like myself. The days of big names playing 2 shows per night at the Yoshi's in Oakland from Thursday to Sunday are over too. Still, there are big names. Just for this month, Hiroshima, Cassandra Wilson and Arturo Sandoval play there.  Nevertheless, I will check out the less well-established acts at the Sound Room when I get a chance. While researching this topic, I've also found an article about another SF jazz club dealing with changes. I am putting Savannah Jazz on my list of clubs to visit.