Home-made croissants using bread machine

These are the giant croissants who's dough was produced from the Hitachi bread machine. Then, numerous steps followed. It used 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter. Quite greasy and fluffy!

Quotes

Liberty-Tyranny

When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

Thomas Jefferson

Seek The RIGHT Answer

Let us not seek the Republican answer, or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.

John F. Kennedy

[I wish those in office today would remember these words.] 

Our Inner Wealth

Often, we tend to compare ourselves with those who are wealthier, healthier, better-looking and generally better off, which leaves us feeling underprivileged and at a disadvantage - feelings which then become fertile ground for greed and desire. If, on the other hand, we compare ourselves with those who are worse off, this will help us generate contentment and a sense of our own inner wealth and resources.

~ His Holiness Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje

The world is becoming more and more materialistic. This has, of course, a positive side to it, but at the same time there is a tendency to fall into the extreme of materialism. So therefore, to still see such devotion in the Buddha Dharma in all of you is something that truly inspires me. And so I hope and I request all of you to maintain the devotion that you have.
~ His Holiness Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje

竊聽風雲2 (Overheard 2) (2011, Movie)

《竊聽風雲2》裡面的地主會與 Rothschilds 家族沒有神似，也有幾分相像。 地主會操控著香港的股票金融，他們一致對外，他們結黨營私，同樣，他們也互相傾軋，故事也從此一觸即發。這片的主題，也就是吳彥祖的複仇計劃。 司馬念祖是一個信奉“開弓沒有回頭箭，一將功成萬骨枯”的男人，他 ​​冷靜縝密臨危不亂，為扳倒地主會步步為營精心謀劃。

金陵十三钗 (The Flowers of War) (Movie, 2011)

這是一個具有傳奇色彩的悲劇故事，其附著的特殊歷史背景對電影人具有天然吸引，看的時候笑中有淚，淚中有恨，時而沉重，時而抑鬱，時而幽默，時而感動。這絕對是張藝謀最好的作品。以細微的切入點詮釋了宏大的主題，戰爭的殘酷與人性的光輝展露無遺。實力派演員 Christian Bale 的加盟，更讓表演上了一個明顯台階，但約翰前晚爛醉調戲玉墨，第二天醒來就大義凌然的變成保護女學生的英雄了；變臉太快，有點接受不了。 

人再囧途之泰囧 (Lost in Thailand) (Movie, 2012)

有笑點但大部分生硬三俗。這真是一個人人猛於消費流行語和微博段子的時代。這部徐崢同時擔任了編劇、導演、監製、主演的“處女作”讓他變得備受關注，徐崢很喜歡把自己“愛演”和“愛管閒事”的特點都歸結於“表現欲驅使”。在他只是一個演員時，他總是說“我不想只做純粹的演員，我想表達自己的想法”；而當他的創作欲終於得到了滿足後，他又說“我不想做一個職業導演，我當導演都是被逼的。” 這改變其實正是他成長為一個全能型導演的特殊方式。

一代宗師 (The Grandmasters) (Movie, 2013)

講的是一段武林往事，王家衛在影像上的懷舊味與故事的魂是契合的。可以看成是逝去的武林或是民國傳奇，帶著舊味和距離感。 ”為什麼王家衛拍電影速度奇慢？" 大概是因為他試圖在每一秒的畫面中都營造出高度風格化的詩意氛圍。他是造夢師，他是時光雕刻家，但是實在無法理解這片子的整體結構，影片敘事仍過於細碎跳躍。