Month: December 2025

How To Find Your Next Book To Read?

Christmas is around the corner and it’s about time to create my 2026 reading list.

I used to rely on the “Customers who bought this also bought that” feature. While efficient, it has a significant downside: homogenization.

Algorithms tend to feed us more of what we already know. If we all rely on the same suggestion engine, we end up reading the same books and thinking the same thoughts.

That’s not discovery; that’s reinforcement.

To find truly fresh ideas, I go offline. Before I download anything to my Kindle, I tour physical bookstores – specifically the Translated Books section.

The Logic:

If a local publisher is willing to acquire rights, pay for translation, and print physical copies, that book has passed a rigorous vetting process. It implies the content is valuable enough to justify significant financial risk outside its home market.

I browse the shelves to find these gems, then head home and buy the original English versions for my eReader.

It’s a powerful strategy that hasn’t failed me yet. How do you prepare your reading list?

ReadingList #BookLovers #Kindle #ContinuousLearning

AI vs Human Creation

We often describe AI as cold or synthetic. But that’s a misconception.

AI isn’t “creating” in a vacuum; it is remixing everything we have ever written, drawn, or coded. Its training data is, in fact, a mirror of us.

Because of this, I believe authentic human creation is more valuable now than ever before.

To celebrate that human touch, I am proud to share my sixth photo book. I’ve been embracing on-demand printing since 2008 to bring my digital work to life, but this volume feels special. It marks the finale of my three-part photo story:

👁️ Eyes like a shutter
🧠 Mind like a lens
❤️ Heart like a film

To me, there is something irreplaceable about the smell of ink and the weight of paper. While I use digital tools every day, seeing these three books side-by-side reminds me that some stories just need to be held in your hands.

I’d love to hear what you are working on. What is your latest creation?

HumanCreativity #AI #GenerativeAI #Creativity #Storytelling

The Hidden Risks: When the Safety Layer Becomes the Danger 

The devastation in Tai Po has left our city in mourning. Like many of you, I am heartbroken by the loss of life.

Experts have noted that the bamboo scaffolding itself likely wasn’t the primary culprit. While I have always admired bamboo for its flexibility and strength, this tragedy highlights a critical truth: structural integrity alone is not enough.

This offers a sobering reflection for the technology sector.

We often obsess over the “Bamboo” – our core logic, algorithms, and new AI features. Meanwhile, we treat the “Netting” – our security guardrails and compliance, as secondary wrappers.

But as this tragedy reminds us, system integrity isn’t just about the skeleton. It is also about the quality of the protection.

  • The Bamboo (Core): The functionality we build. It must be resilient.
  • The Netting (Protection): The governance we apply. If this layer is substandard or implemented merely to “pass inspection,” it doesn’t just fail to protect – it can become a hidden accelerant for disaster.

True engineering artistry isn’t just about building high; it’s about ensuring that every layer, especially those meant to keep people safe, is real, resilient, and fire-tested.

(Image: A photo I took years ago in Tsim Sha Tsui, a somber reminder today that the core holds strong only when the layers around it are sound.)

#EngineeringSafety #SoftwareArchitecture #RiskManagement