Saturday, January 02, 2010

Some good restaurants幾家好餐館

WL來探望本人及側田。她與我去了以下幾家餐廳。
1) 大理
這家餐廳位於胡同裡面。每人收費100元。食客不可選擇吃什麼,一切都由廚師決定。100元一般包括2款涼菜及5款熱菜。坐在胡同裡吃飯幾特別。光是環境已值100元。





2) 小王府
在一公園裡面。據說其餃子是京城最好之一。餐廳亦有提供較便宜的烤鴨(70元半只)。


3) 1949
側田也有去
高級食府。三人埋單要800元(因為叫了幾杯紅酒)。這家餐廳裝修西化,其烤鴨比大董好吃。

WL came to visit me and Justin. She and I went to the following restaurants.
1) Dali Courtyard
The restaurant is located in a courtyard house. It costs 100 yuan per head. You cannot choose what to eat. The chef will decide what you are going to eat. Usually, 100 yuan includes two cold dishes and five hot dishes. It is interesting sitting in the courtyard eating the delicious Yunnan food. The environment is worth 100 yuan.

2) Xiaowangfu小王府
Located inside a garden. Its dumplings is said to be one of the best in Beijing. It also offers roasted Peking duck at a cheaper price (about 70 yuan for half).

3) 1949
Went there with Justin also.
The restaurant is located in a former industrial school site. It is expensive. It costs 800 yuan for three people, including several glasses of wine. The Peking duck is better than Da Dong. It is more like a westernized restaurant serving Chinese cuisine.

景山公園Jingshan Park



今天下雪,特別去了景山公園,從高處望被雪覆蓋的紫禁城。
I go to Jingshan Park today to see a snow clad Forbidden City.

Merry Christmas in Beijing

Merry Christmas
My sister, her husband and two of her friends came here to visit me during Christmas.
Her flight was delayed for almost two hours because of foggy weather in Hong Kong, and she arrived here at about 6pm. We had to skip shopping at a cloth market, and immediately headed to Da Dong 大董restaurant for Peking duck.
The duck was delicious and not greasy. The other dishes were also good and they all looked attractive. A dinner for five people cost 844 yuan.



One dish at Da Dong.

Saturday
Weather was extremely cold on the Boxing Day with temperature dropped to about –10C, but we still went to the Great Wall as planned. We woke up at 7am and rushed to the station for the Great Wall train, which departed at 10am after a 30-minute delay.
Badaling was crowded. A big company organized a tour for its employees, bringing in hundreds of visitors. Some of them wore high-heel shoes, and had difficulty climbing the wall.

All of us were freezing, and we were reluctant to take our gloves off for taking pictures.
We walked for about two hours, and then took a block to go down and take the train departed at 3:30pm back to the city.
After that, we went to Nanluoguxiang 南鑼鼓巷 for a short walk. We went to滿福樓 for mutton hot pot. Fantastic is the word I can think of this restaurant. It has an old Beijing atmosphere. Its service is good, and the mutton is … wonderful. The roasted mutton shashlik should not be missed even though it cost 8 yuan each, four times higher than what the street vendors charge.
We got back to Nanluoguxiang for a Vanilla pancake.

Sunday.
I had to work, and they went to the Forbidden City and Wangfujing.

Monday.
We went to 都一處燒麥, established since the Qing dynasty, in Qianmen. The restaurant is not as good as the tour guide book has described, but it is still worth a visit. They went back to Hong Kong after that.

Thanks sister, for giving me a wonderful Christmas.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

北京人

想說說北京人好的一面。
1) J及T讓我在他們家住了近3星期,真的是白吃白住。在此先謝一聲。
2) 北京的士司機,很多時都不懂路況,常常反問你應該走那條路。不過,他們都很老實,試過有一次,司機多走了路,他就少收車資。
3) 也談談L君。L君是阿姨早前認識,但十分不熟落的人。他知道我來京後,幫我搬屋,還有請了我吃兩餐飯。為人真的很不錯。

北京人不太好的一面
1) 慢。原本約了3時送水機到家,結果5時才到。去中國聯通申請上網,可能要排一小時隊。而中國聯通服務處的門面,很像一間黑店。
2) 隨地吐痰。在街上隨時可看見人在吐痰。在新建的地鐵站可以見到,公車站更常見。以為故宮是文化遺址,應當要保護?照吐可也。

Monday, December 14, 2009

幾首林一峰的老歌

這幾首歌,都是5-7年前的。近來在上班的公車途中聽,Relax。

一﹞ 數三聲


失憶失聲失戀失態怕失去樂趣
各有性格各有問題覺得極疲累
要這要那奢望太多慨嘆無伴侶
數三聲 鬆口氣 揮之則去
找東找西找點安慰再找晦氣
怕老怕痛怕太肉麻怕奄悶怕死
死忍死衝死做結果死火還是你
數三聲 死不了 不必生氣
無陽光 送車尾 壞天氣 不可以避
無人能明白你的身心有多累
皺著眉怨著誰你會老幾歲
心急心嗡心灰心碎快交惡運了
切記教訓太肚餓時腦筋亦廢掉
緊張抑鬱操心過度快要淪陷了
數三聲 笑一笑 細胞沒有減少
世界繼續壞 你要繼續捱
但你會有力量 數三聲 即管笑
當你懂得笑 當你懂得笑 當你懂得笑
二﹞ 給最開心的人



窮途末路之時 我急需的是你聲音
每當天色陰沈 你就像太陽為我暖心
對於朋友 你的細心 已足夠花去半數時間
尚有精神娛樂大家 從沒離群

情路段段不幸 你用辦法沒有上心
還要利用經驗 叫身邊的人勇敢
對於情感 你很有心
卻未曾聽過你埋怨
為了打救旁人幸福 沒時間傷心

感激你 最開心的人
陪伴著我 每個無眠夜深
用你笑聲 修補我不幸
過濾失落 重獲信心
只不過 誰為你認真
習慣了悲哀中救傷的你
沒法放開開心的責任
抱著心事無人問 壯烈犧牲

每當落淚之前 你可想找誰人說話
每當熱鬧之後 你最想誰為你留下
記得有天 你失了蹤
我頓時驚覺我未能夠
像你一半有耐性為旁人粗心

感激你 最開心的人
陪伴著我 每個無眠夜深
用你笑聲 修補我不幸
過濾失落 重獲信心
只不過 誰為你認真
習慣了悲哀中救傷的你
沒法放開開心的責任
抱著心事無人問 壯烈犧牲

多得你 最開心的人
陪伴著我每個難熬夜深
用你笑聲 粉飾了天地
告別失望 無懼氣溫
只不過 誰為你著緊
習慣了悲哀中救傷的你
沒法放開開心的責任
抱著心事無人問 壯烈犧牲

若你想哭 即管放心吧
我不會過問
你可盡情在我肩膊哭泣
做個凡人

三﹞ The best is yet to come ﹝At17版本﹞



永遠有一個吻未嘗 有些燭光未燃亮
若愛太苦要落糖 結他斷線亦無恙
To hug someone To kiss someone
The best is yet to come

若要錯失永不能守
得到也不代表長久
假使快樂有盡頭
痛苦也未會不朽

寂寞半點假如不能承受
這生命註定過得不易
笑與淚 亦有時候
To hug someone To kiss someone
The best is yet to come

若你說不再聽情歌
不想再經歷這漩渦
假使抱住你拳頭
到底也沒法牽手

就是為了追求一時平靜
將感情隔離半點感動都扼殺 沒法承受

永遠有不妥協傷口 有些憾事不放手
若你太刻意淡忘 越會補不到缺口
Why don't you just hug someone
Just kiss someone
The best is yet to come
最好的尚未來臨

Thursday, December 03, 2009

No choice

Weeks ago, my company organized a sports day on a Saturday. The management encouraged all the staff to participate .
I am not a sports enthusiast, and Saturday is a day-off. I don’t want to wake up damn early on Saturday and waste my day off to do something that I am not interested in. And, I don’t like group activity.
I asked whether I could not participate in the sports day.
The answer is “No”.
I am not encouraged, but “summoned” to it.

The extreme weather conditions have affected northern part of China recently. Some poor people do not have enough material to stand the cold weather.
My company organized a donation, asking all staff to give away 30 yuan. The donations will be given to the people in need through a government department.
I don’t mind giving to needy people. I did that after a massive earthquake struck Sichuan last year as many people did.
Can I choose to donate to organizations which I believe can put my money to better use?
The answer, again, is “No, sorry”.

No choice. That’s our spirit.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

紫禁城(故宮)/ Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

上星期六去了紫禁城,當天雖無下雪,但天氣仍十分寒冷,間中有寒風吹來,涷得手也硬了。事後跟J&T說起,他們都問:「這麼冷你還去故宮?」
紫禁城這三個字,對我來說,很有吸引力。我可以不去長城,但不可以不去紫禁城。
紫禁城,從前凡人不得進,裡面的人不得出來,違者處死。現在,只要付40至60元,就可以入內參觀。
原本打算清早入宮,但起床時已是十時,快快在家附近的麥記吃早餐後,便趕上公車。入宮時已是十二時。
紫禁城真的很大,很容易迷路,行了半天都沒有行完。

Went to the Forbidden City last Saturday. It was not snowing that day, but the weather was still very cold. There were gusts of bleak wind and my fingers were nearly frozen. My friends, J&T asked when I was telling them about my trip, “Why did you go to the Palace under such cold weather?”
Forbidden City is attractive to me. I can skip the Great Wall, but I cannot not go to the Forbidden City.
Ordinary citizens could not enter the palace, and those inside were prohibited from leaving. The price for violating the rule is instant death. Now, you can visit the palace by paying between 40 and 60 yuan.
I planned to visit the palace early morning. But it was already 10am when I woke up. I rushed to the bus stop after eating at MacDonald’s. It was 12pm when I entered the palace.
The palace is really magnificent. I always got lost, and I still missed some spots even though I had already spent half a day there.


紫禁城內有不同的展覽,包括介紹末代皇帝溥儀的西化生活。 Various exhibitions are held in the Forbidden City. This one showcases the westernized lifestyle of the last emperor Puyi.

/
我最喜歡的展覽:鐘錶展,當中包括各國進貢清朝的鐘錶。棕色的是滴漏。The exhibition I like most, the watch and clock gallery. Many of the exhibits are gifts presented by overseas countries to the Qing Dynasty. The brown color one is an hourglass.




參觀當日,雪未完全溶化。The snow was not melted.

關於工作 About Work

真的與上一份工很不同,但我不知如何表達出來。這些事情,稍後再說。

Really very different from my last job. I don’t know how to tell the difference. I will talk about it later.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

終於找到房子

10月9日,簽租約,房子600呎左右,月租3,200元。

本地同事說租貴,而且地方又不太近公司,老闆同樣說了這些話,並指公司其中一個外國人,租的房子比較近,價錢又比較便宜。

我一早已預了本地人的房租會較便宜。但,老闆呀,我當初問你有無好AGENT好地方介紹,你又唔話我知,仲話北京D租房唔會好貴,大約4,000左右,你依家又話我貴,想點呀?

住房

初來幾天,住在J&T的房子,房子1,000呎,很舒服。但離市中心十分遠,所以J&T買了這房子7年,一天也沒有住過,寧可住在他們公司的宿舍。

我有考慮過租這個單位,但我天天都上夜班,工作至凌晨一時,北京又不像香港,沒有通宵行走的公共交通,下班唯有坐計程車回家,車資每晚80元。

一星期就400元,令人感到心痛。我也很急找房子租。一天未租到房子,感覺也不太安定。而且每天花80元坐計程車,在香港也不會發生,何況在北京。

而這幾天,剛巧是黃金週假期,地產經紀與業主都放假,找房子的事也就一直未解決。

J&T知道我每天花80元的苦況,容許我在找到房子前,寄居在他們的工作宿舍,計程車費用可以大幅減少至30元左右。

希望盡快找到房子安定下來。

(2009年10月5日)

新開始

自從2007年去印度後,幾乎沒有再放大假。因為我計劃辭職,去一次長旅行,或者專注學阿拉伯文。

在計劃的時候,在北京工作的L來電說她公司招募人手,於是我就發電郵應徵。結果,我就來到北京,就當參加了working holiday。

工作的環境,我只可以用「很新」來形容。

(2009年10月5日)

Monday, November 02, 2009

Snow雪

I was stunned when waking up yesterday morning. There was snow. This is the first snow in Beijing 2009 winter, and also the first snow in my life. Photos taken 12pm, November 01, 2009, Sunday.

昨早睡醒時,感到驚訝。我看見雪。這是北京2009年冬天第一場雪,也是我人生首次看見雪。照片在2009年11月1日星期日中午12時拍。







Friday, October 23, 2009

暫時的居所Temporary Residence

來這裡一個月,租到房子了。今天安裝上網設施。
也弄了一個臨時的網誌,網址為http://blog.sina.com.cn/tedstorytemp。
Sina網誌的內容應該會與這Blogspot的網誌大致相同。
日後會盡量同步更新兩個網誌。但有時未必可以登入blogspot這個網誌,那我便會先把文章放上sina的網誌。

Have been here for a month. Finally rented a house and have internet set up.
Also set up a temporary blog. Blog address is http://blog.sina.com.cn/tedstorytemp.
The content of the sina blog will to a large extent be the same as blogspot blog.
Will try to update the two blogs simultaneously. If I cannot access to blogspot, I will first post the article to the sina blog.

Friday, September 25, 2009

開始

近月事忙,幾乎沒有更新這BLOG。
忙什麼,在忙轉變,是工作上的轉變。要轉工了,新工與現在的有很大的不同,是新的開始。我要試不同的東西,所以轉工了,也當自己是參加了working holiday。
轉工,也可能意味這個BLOG要轉。
在這裡,未能很詳細的交代新工作的內容。我日後會交代。

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Somebody Said A Prayer

Another song from Teoh.

Somebody Said A Prayer - Billy Ray Cyrus

Just a single mom raisin up the kids
Little Tommy's seven now and her daughter Justine just turned ten

Pinchin every cent
laughin and lovin and content

You would never think
a couple years ago
she almost let her job, her kids, her mind, her life go up in smoke

right there on the edge
right before the fall

@ Somebody said a prayer
somebody had some faith
somebody finally hit their knees and asked for help for heavens sake
somebody finally found
someone who really cares
somebody said a prayer

He was seventeen
and his heart was broke
in the middle of the night a bottle full of pills and a goodbye note

Sittin on his bed
but then he bowed his head
now I see him every week
and every now and then

he talks about that night and the peace that came over him
talk about a sign

Can I get an amen
well there were tears on his face
he said look what happened lord

@ @

Can I get an amen Ohhhhhhhh
Can I get an amen Ohhhhhhhh
somebody somebody said a prayer somebody said a prayer somebody somebody said a prayer



somebody said a prayer - billy ray cyrus.mp3 -

Saturday, August 22, 2009

我的工作是怎樣

昨晚收到一電話,他哽咽的說:「剛剛收到一個很不開心的消息,正生書院校監林希聖的住所被廉證公署搜查。」
一直跟進校園驗毒與正生書院的報導,知道這些突破性的發展,理應很興奮,因為有故仔去做,上司亦知你有工作在跟。但收這消息時,我其實很不開心。
正生書院的發展出現戲劇性的變化,源於上星期壹週刊報導。該報導刊出後,關於正生的指控亦陸續出現。
我想,如果大家用一顯微鏡去看正生或其他機構,一定會發現很多問題,但這些問題跟近日對正生的指控是否相對,大家有沒有無限量放大這些問題呢?指控的背後又是否有實際證據呢?當指控正生學費昂貴時,部份報導比較其他戒毒院舍收費,但究竟有沒有衡量過這樣比較是否恰當,有沒有考慮不同機構的服務有什麼不同?指控時有沒有證據證明是當時人侵吞款項?
是否所有機構都用同一尺及標準去度,不符合這把尺的就是不公義?
廉證公署調查,從正面看,是借廉證公署來搞清事件,如果當時人真的做了不公義的事,當然要處理。如果當時人沒有錯,便還他們清白。
不過,假如廉證公署發覺根本無證據支持指控時,傳媒會如何報導呢?或許在稿尾交代幾句。但對當時人來說,在「正生被廉證公署查」的標題下,已造成深遠影響?
我做的工作,究竟是幫人進步或是把人家辛勤的工作化為烏有?
我的另一擔心是,在正生學生眼中,校長校監真的對他們很好,為他們盡心盡力,卻要面對現在的指控,他們的心裡一定不好受。

Friday, August 14, 2009

政 府 的 手 可 以 伸 多 長 ?

驗毒不驗毒。爭拗沒完沒了。
我不知道這篇由龍應台兒子安德烈寫的文章對討論有沒有幫助。
---------------------

政 府 的 手 可 以 伸 多 長 ?

MM(龍應台),
  我 抽 煙 。 我 知 道 你 很 討 厭 我 抽 煙 , 我 也 認 為 這 是 個 很 糟 糕 的 習 慣 。 大 概 十 七歲 那 年開 始 的 , 但 是 究 竟 怎 麼 開 始 的 , 我 也 弄 不 清 楚 ─ ─ 因 為 朋 友 都 抽 所 以 抽 ? 功課 的 壓力 太 大 ? 太 無 聊 ? 或 者 就 是 為 了 想 試 試 看 大 人 說 不 好 的 東 西 究 竟 怎 樣 ? 可 能每 個 理由 都 多 多 少 少 有 一 點 。 反 正 結 果 就 是 , 我 上 癮 了 。
  我 的 煙 友 們 其 實 都 開 始 得 比 我 早 , 大 部 分 在 十 二 、 三 歲 的 時 候 。 還 記 得 那個 時 候 我是 很 討 厭 別 人 抽 煙 的 , 討 厭 那 個 氣 味 。 最 火 大 的 是 , 大 夥 要 出 發 到 哪 兒 去時 , 總 要等 抽 煙 的 那 個 傢 伙 在 垃 圾 桶 前 把 他 的 那 支 煙 抽 完 。 其 實 到 今 天 , 我 還 是 不喜 歡 抽 煙這 回 事 的 : 我 的 喉 嚨 總 覺 得 不 舒 服 , 很 容 易 感 冒 , 衣 服 老 有 去 不 掉 的 煙 味, 我 容 易累 , 而 且 , 肺 癌 還 等 著 我 呢 。
  可 是 , 有 什 麼 好 說 的 呢 ? 不 就 是 我 的 自 由 意 志 選 擇 了 抽 煙 然 後 又 缺 乏 意 志力 去 戒 掉它 。 如 果 有 意 志 力 , 我 早 就 戒 了 。 但 還 是 抽 。 原 因 是 , 每 一 支 煙 , 是 一 個小 小 的 休息 和 釋 放 。 我 喜 歡 離 開 我 的 書 本 , 站 到 陽 台 上 去 , 耳 機 裡 聽 著 一 首 好 聽 的歌 , 看 著海 面 上 大 船 緩 緩 駛 過 ─ ─ 點 上 一 根 煙 。 當 然 還 有 那 「 快 樂 似 神 仙 」 的 「 飯後 一 根 煙」 , 還 有 電 影 鏡 頭 裡 不 能 少 的 「 性 後 一 根 煙 」 。 一 根 煙 , 我 想 說 , 使 美 好的 一 刻 完整 了 。
  所 以 對 我 而 言 , 明 知 抽 煙 不 好 , 但 那 是 一 個 個 人 的 自 由 選 擇 。
  
  [b]政 府 鐵 金 剛
  [/b]最 近 , 我 的 自 由 選 擇 被 剝 奪 了 。 二 零 零 七 年 一 月 一 日 零 時 , 香 港 開 始 在公 共 場所 禁 煙 。 政 府 的 說 法 是 , 為 了 防 止 二 手 煙 危 害 不 抽 煙 者 的 健 康 , 禁 煙 的 地 點包 括 公園 、 餐 廳 、 學 校 、 酒 吧 . . . . . . 當 然 包 括 了 我 的 大 學 。
  我 一 點 也 不 意 外 。 這 正 是 兩 年 前 我 的 德 國 高 中 發 生 的 事 情 。 你 知 道 , 德 國法 律 規 定, 十 六 歲 以 上 的 人 抽 煙 飲 酒 是 合 法 的 , 所 以 大 部 分 的 高 中 都 劃 定 了 吸 煙 區, 學 生 在那 裡 吸 煙 。 但 是 在 二 零 零 四 年 黑 森 州 的 文 化 部 長 推 動 校 園 禁 煙 , 結 果 如 何呢 ? 我 們必 須 多 走 五 百 米 到 校 園 外 圍 的 人 行 道 上 去 吸 煙 。 我 們 同 學 裡 沒 一 個 人 戒 了煙 , 但 是學 校 外 圍 那 條 人 行 道 上 從 此 滿 地 是 煙 蒂 。
  沒 多 久 , 全 德 國 都 要 在 公 共 場 所 禁 煙 了 。 所 以 , 在 禁 煙 的 作 為 上 , 香 港 和德 國 是 一樣 的 , 但 是 我 注 意 到 一 個 根 本 的 差 別 , 那 就 是 , 在 德 國 , 公 共 場 所 禁 煙 令下 來 之 前, 社 會 有 很 廣 泛 、 歷 時 很 長 的 辯 論 。 香 港 卻 沒 有 , 政 府 基 本 上 可 以 說 做 就做 , 而 且, 香 港 政 府 好 像 有 一 種 特 異 功 能 , 只 要 是 它 想 作 的 事 情 , 都 可 以 把 它 塑 造成 「 萬 眾一 心 」 的 樣 子 , 香 港 政 府 簡 直 是 個 所 向 無 敵 的 鐵 金 剛 。
  如 果 你 問 我 , 我 是 否 對 禁 煙 政 策 不 滿 ? 當 然 , 因 為 現 在 我 必 須 繞 很 多 路 去抽 一 根 煙。 可 是 如 果 你 問 我 , 我 認 為 禁 煙 政 策 對 不 對 ? 我 會 說 , 當 然 對 , 沒 話 說 。我 喜 歡 煙霧 繚 繞 的 小 酒 館 或 酒 吧 , 因 為 那 是 一 種 迷 人 的 氣 氛 。 但 是 我 完 全 贊 成 在 餐廳 裡 禁 煙, 因 為 煙 味 會 破 壞 了 食 物 的 香 氣 , 我 心 甘 情 願 走 到 餐 廳 外 面 去 抽 煙 。 所 以說 來 說 去, 公 共 場 所 禁 煙 對 我 不 是 問 題 。 不 過 我 想 談 的 其 實 不 是 禁 煙 的 政 策 或 者 香港 強 大 的政 府 , 因 為 , 沒 有 普 選 , 反 正 你 拿 政 府 沒 辦 法 。
  
  [b]媒 體 棄 守
  [/b]我 想 跟 MM 表 達 的 是 , 我 對 香 港 的 媒 體 覺 得 很 奇 怪 。 香 港 沒 有 民 主 , 但是 有 自由 , 媒 體 的 獨 立 跟 批 判 精 神 , 還 是 被 容 許 的 吧 ? 公 共 場 所 應 不 應 該 禁 煙 , 在德 國 媒體 上 起 碼 辯 論 了 三 、 四 年 , 學 者 、 專 家 、 評 論 家 翻 來 覆 去 全 民 大 辯 論 。 香 港媒 體 上也 有 一 些 討 論 , 但 是 很 少 , 很 零 星 ─ ─ 當 然 , 我 主 要 說 的 是 兩 家 英 文 報 紙 ;而 且 ,你 知 道 嗎 ? 香 港 的 討 論 說 來 說 去 都 停 留 在 禁 煙 的 「 執 行 」 層 面 : 說 抽 煙 族 會跑 到 人行 道 上 去 抽 , 二 手 煙 的 問 題 能 不 能 解 決 , 說 酒 吧 餐 廳 可 以 怎 樣 領 到 「 准 煙 牌照 」 ,說 空 氣 污 染 會 不 會 變 好 。 可 是 我 很 少 看 見 有 什 麼 認 真 的 討 論 是 衝 著 「 公 民 權」 來 談的 。 問 題 的 核 心 反 而 好 像 沒 人 在 乎 : 政 府 應 不 應 該 有 這 樣 的 權 力 去 規 範 公 共空 間 的使 用 ? 政 府 有 沒 有 權 利 這 樣 高 姿 態 地 去 「 指 導 」 人 民 的 生 活 方 式 ? 不 吸 煙 的「 大 多數 」 有 沒 有 權 利 這 樣 去 壓 制 吸 煙 的 「 少 數 」 ?
  嚼 檳 榔 的 人 , 是 否 政 府 也 該 管 呢 ? 以 此 類 推 , 不 刷 牙 的 人 , 用 了 馬 桶 不 抽 水 的 人 , 老 是 放 屁 的 人 . . . . . . 是 不 是 政 府 都 要 管 呢 ?
  我 知 道 討 厭 煙 的 人 很 多 , 我 也 知 道 吸 煙 有 害 健 康 , 我 更 知 道 禁 煙 可 以 帶 來 比較 好 的空 氣 環 境 。 但 這 不 是 重 點 , 重 點 是 , 當 一 個 如 此 侵 犯 個 人 空 間 , 如 此 衝 著 弱小 族 群( 吸 煙 族 絕 對 是 「 弱 小 族 群 」 ) 而 來 的 法 要 通 過 時 , 你 會 以 為 , 這 個 社 會 裡的 自 由派 會 大 聲 抗 議 , 強 烈 反 對 , 要 求 辯 論 。 奇 怪 的 是 , 一 點 都 沒 有 。 MM 你 告 訴 我, 難道 香 港 沒 有 「 liberal 」 的 存 在 嗎 ? 我 讀 到 的 評 論 , 簡 直 像 中 學 生 的 作 文 : 先幾 句正 面 的 , 然 後 講 幾 句 負 面 的 , 然 後 一 個 軟 綿 綿 的 、 四 平 八 穩 的 總 結 。 媒 體 的 尖銳 批判 性 , 在 那 裡 啊 ?
  
  [b]集 體 變 笨
  [/b]這 麼 寫 , 會 讓 很 多 香 港 人 跳 起 來 。 我 其 實 一 點 也 不 想 說 德 國 多 麼 好 ─ ─ 他 們 搞爛 的 事 情 可 多 了 。 可 是 就 媒 體 而 言 , 每 個 報 紙 都 有 它 的 批 判 立 場 , 在 公 共 場所 禁 煙這 個 議 題 上 , 保 守 的 法 蘭 克 福 匯 報 和 激 進 的 柏 林 每 日 新 聞 就 會 有 截 然 不 同 的鮮 明 立場 。 我 訂 過 香 港 的 英 文 南 華 早 報 , 看 了 幾 個 禮 拜 以 後 就 退 報 了 。 我 要 的 是 一份 報 紙, 對 於 香 港 的 事 情 有 深 入 的 分 析 和 個 性 鮮 明 而 獨 立 的 評 論 , 可 是 我 發 現 報 紙的 內 容和 電 視 新 聞 基 本 上 差 別 不 大 , 多 半 也 只 是 浮 面 報 導 而 已 。 那 我 何 不 脆 看 看 電視 新聞 就 算 了 。
  你 大 概 要 說 , 是 因 為 長 期 的 殖 民 , 缺 民 主 的 環 境 和 素 養 , 所 以 會 這 樣 。 我想 問 的 是, 那 改 變 要 從 那 裡 開 始 呢 ? 報 攤 上 花 花 綠 綠 的 雜 誌 報 紙 , 大 多 是 影 星 藝 人的 私 生 活探 密 , 不 然 就 是 飲 食 、 賭 馬 跟 名 流 時 尚 。 MM , 如 果 媒 體 不 維 持 一 種 高 度 的批 判 精神 , 一 個 社 會 是 可 以 集 體 變 「 笨 」 的 是 不 是 ? 香 港 的 媒 體 在 做 什 麼 呢 ? 我 看見 很 多香 港 人 很 辛 苦 地 在 爭 取 普 選 , 可 是 媒 體 還 是 把 最 大 的 力 氣 和 錢 花 在 影 星 八 卦上 。 那些 力 氣 和 錢 , 為 什 麼 不 拿 來 為 香 港 的 民 主 做 點 努 力 呢 ? 提 供 公 開 論 壇 , 激 發公 眾 辯論 , 挑 戰 政 府 決 策 , 培 養 年 輕 人 獨 立 批 判 精 神 . . . . . . 老 天 , 不 要 再 討論 禁 煙區 要 多 大 、 准 煙 牌 照 要 多 少 錢 , 比 這 重 要 的 事 , 太 多 了 吧 。 真 煩 。
  
  你 的 安 德 烈

Friday, August 07, 2009

清泉

李城壁中學中七女生鄭詠欣,就內地維權律師許志永寫了這一封公開信,明報日前刊出。
---------------------------------

請用法理來說服我
──為許志永老師給溫家寶總理的公開信
前言

今年4月,與中六級通識教育科的同學到北京考察交流,我們走訪了「公盟」,許志永博士與我們一行30名同學談了個多兩個小時。
學生知道了維權律師們正為「結石寶寶」、「黑磚诖」的受害者、川震豆腐渣工程遇難者家人、不少上訪者等等,進行法律訴訟;也知道公盟也教育社區市民法律知識從而參與社區內的管理工作。
公盟裏除了律師學者,更多的是比學生們大不了多少的大學生和年輕人。他們所做的,其實不過是個志願機構或是壓力團體的角色,可悲的是,在內地這卻成為了走鋼線、打擦邊球的活動。然而傾談間,許博士仍有信心地告訴同學,維權活動和民間社會未來的活動空間是樂觀的。想不到數月後,繼公盟被「抄家」之後許博士更身陷囹圄,於是,同學們的憤慨是必然的了。
──張銳輝老師

溫總理:
斗膽用這個標題,因為我現在的心境,與龍應台教授執筆寫《請用文明來說服我──給胡錦濤先生的公開信》時有類似的感受;龍教授的文章,溫總理想必已經讀過了。我雖然只是一個高中學生,對國事的了解、對文字的掌控,當然不比龍教授,但仍希望能透過自己手上微弱的筆,表達對政府處理「公盟」及許志永先生的手法的不滿。

溫總理,提起你的名字時,人們都會說你是平民總理,辦事以民為本,站在人民利益那方。有些小朋友還會被你的親民作風所吸引,叫你一聲溫爺爺,視你為模仿的對象。
但是當我一想起你任內被捕、被禁、被整頓的媒體和異見人士,如劉曉波先生、程翔先生、《冰點》雜誌、《南方都市報》等等時,我卻又不得不質疑你作為純真善良小朋友學習對象的資格!難道我們國家的教育,是要教小朋友與其他人意見不合時就要對付對方,而非講求中國人千百年來堅持的仁義觀?

近日被政府盯中的是許志永先生和他所領導的「公盟」。公盟是由一群關注中國發展的律師及學者所組成的民間組織,他們透過學術研究就國家的法制改革提 出一些意見和建議,推動國家實現民主法治。他們另一項為國人所熟知的工作,是為一些弱勢群眾如上訪者、被徵地者、毒奶粉案的受害者等等提供法律援助,幫助 他們透過現有的司法制度去取得公義。單從近日稅局搜查後曾獲得幫助的民眾紛紛勇敢地到公盟辦事處聲援一事,任誰也看到「公盟」是站在人民那邊的!為何溫總 理你所領導的政府仍要做出這件不合民情的事呢?

據我所知,「公盟」的工作是非牟利的,他們曾經想登記為民辦非企業單位,但遭到當局拒絕,被迫申請為有限公司。在國際社會,這種團體並不需交稅,而 其捐獻者更能獲得免稅優惠。但由於公盟的成員是守法的律師,明知制度的不合理仍舊依規定納稅。在被稅局指控漏報稅項時,亦坦誠地承認錯誤。為何溫總理你所 領導的政府仍要向他們徵收最高的罰款,並過分地在公盟辦事處以「搜證」為名而檢走所有維權資料呢?更令人感到無法理解的是,許志永先生突然在召開第二輪聽 證會之前,遭公安與便衣從家中帶走,並扣留在看守所中,不能與家人及律師聯絡,同時更要公盟關閉其網頁,這實在是對公民基本權利的無理剝奪。

溫總理,你經常說要「依法執政」、「依法治國」,我想請問你一下,執法機關是根據哪一條法例去帶走許先生的?我對中國法律的認識十分膚淺,但仍知道 憲法是國家的根本大法,具有最高的法律效力。在我國憲法的第35條列明,中華人民共和國公民有言論、結社的自由,第37條更清楚指出中華人民共和國公民的 人身自由不受侵犯,禁止非法拘禁和以其他方法非法剝奪或者限制公民的人身自由。就我對上述條文的理解,我認為許先生現在應該可以自由地留在家或身處辦公室 辦事的。

今年4月,我和其他同學到北京考察交流時,有幸在未被搜查的公盟辦事處與許先生談論中國政治。看見他願意無私地為中國在法治民主領域上努力,並對於 中國的未來充滿了希望,令我深受感動。猶記得考察時,我們曾到過永定門內國務院信訪辦的門前,親眼目睹不少惡形惡相的截訪者和情可憐的上訪者。因此,在 傾談中有同學便問了許先生一句「為何中央政府會容忍那些截訪者存在呢?」你知道許先生怎樣答嗎?他說上訪人數遠遠超過信訪部門所能承受,所以中央政府亦唯 有容許截訪者存在,以免信訪部門的工作量極嚴重超標。在訪問中他多次提醒我們中國政府已很努力,要對政府有多點耐性。

許志永先生就是這樣的一個人!他充滿理想但不狂妄,他看到很遠的目標仍堅持穩重地一步一步走下去,他不怕只有一點一點微弱的力量在慢慢地付出,堅信中國終有一天能實現法治民主與自由。

溫總理,我真的十分不解為何你們的心如此的狠。為何要用這方法去對付這樣一個體諒政府、理性論政的學者呢?他所做的事只是在現有的遊戲規則下安分守 己地為弱者去爭取憲法賦予的權利。他做的事情無一不是愛國為民!為何中央連這樣的一個人物也不能放過呢?為何不容許他和公盟透過公開公正的司法程序去處理 這事呢?

溫總理,看覑你為四川地震災後工作努力、關心礦工工作環境之時,我總想叫你一聲「溫爺爺」的。但當看覑這麼多不合法不合理的事情在中國發生,我實在叫不出呀!但願有一天這樣的事情能夠圓滿解決並不再發生,我相信那一天海內外同胞才會由衷地振臂一呼「中國萬歲」的!


身體健康
香港中七學生
鄭詠欣 敬上
-----------------------------

電視新聞昨天訪問了鄭詠欣及她的老師與同學。看報導,我想起去年5月時及早前,一大堆青年人,包括大學生,發表一大堆令人錯愕的言論。在他們的眼中,國家經濟發展強大,沒有問題。即使有問題,那些問題都在其他地方發生,因此,不是問題。
有人問,中國有千千萬萬個許志永,但究竟有多少個鄭詠欣?我想,有一個鄭詠欣總好過一個都沒有。
我想像有人會問,鄭詠欣妳這個小女生,憑什麼挑戰一個國家的總理?促使一個國家作決定時的種種複雜原因妳究竟明白多少?為什麼妳要好管閒事?答案的重點,關係到兩個字 – 良心。而且,這些事一點也不閒,用內地的術語,這是反映一個國家有沒有足夠的軟實力。
鄭同學,妳不用跟那些十優會考生,要立志做什麼記者政客醫生。我祝願妳將來升大學及投身社會工作後,仍然跟隨自己的良心,即使妳要回內地工作。
很多學校搞的所謂國情教育交流團,都只叫學生認識國家的強盛發展,經濟飛躍,神七太空人是如何的振奮人心等。李城壁中學卻帶學生認識國家的另一面,值得讚賞。

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Results a morale booster at Zheng Sheng

Went to Cheung Chau early morning yesterday for the result release of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. Eleven students of Zheng Sheng College, the city’s only drug rehabilitation school, took part in the exam this year. Again, there are some touching stories.

Let me talk about the location of the college. The main campus is located in Chi Ma Wan. Reaching there is quite a complicated process. First, you need to go to Cheung Chau by boat. Then, you need to get on to a connecting sampan to reach the college.

There was heavy rain yesterday. The connecting sampan could not reach the college because of strong tidal wave. Some of the students could not get their result slips in the morning.

This again proves that the college needs relocation very urgently. Would the Heung Yee Kuk and Mui Wo Rural Committee stop being ridiculous and drag on the relocation problem? Please, let the college relocate immediately.

Here is the story

Results a morale booster at Zheng Sheng

HONG KONG: HKCEE results proved the makings of an exciting day for students trying to put their lives back together at the city’s only drug rehabilitation school.
Students at Christian Zheng Sheng College didn’t qualify for Secondary Six admission, but to the 11 students from the school who sat the exam, the results were something to treasure.

The youngsters felt they had made a remarkable achievement, and at the same time, proved to their families that they are reforming.

The college’s highest achiever was 20-year-old Auyeung Pui-lam, who came to the college four years ago after a conviction for theft. He scored eight points on the exam, passing all seven subjects for which he sat.

“I got all passes. I have not expected that. I have passed the one worrying me most, English,” Auyeung yelled over the phone to his mother.

Auyeung had worried that he would not get his results slip yesterday because of the heavy weather. He said he prayed Tuesday night, and woke up at 5:40 am yesterday. When he got the results, tears came to his eyes.

“My effort is not wasted,” he said.

Auyeung want to offer the slip as a gift to his deceased grandmother, who reminded him always to study hard. The one-time problem youngster once considered giving up. The example of Zheng Sheng graduate Wilson Wong, who will enter Lingnan University to study accounting in September, proved an inspiration. “I would not be who I am today without the help of Zheng Sheng,” he said.

Auyeung decided to pursue career development for a few years before going back to his studies.


A tearful Auyeung Pui-lam and the college principal Alman Chan Siu-cheuk

Thirty-year-old student Tsang Wai-ngor looked disappointed after learning about her result. She scored zero points in the exam, well below her expectations. She had hoped she could pass the Chinese Language exam.

Tsang has been through difficult times in her life. She abused drugs for a long time before pledging to quit the habit when she came to rehab and accepted Christianity. A romantic entanglement pushed her right back into drugs.

Adding to her feelings of despair, her mother and younger brother were killed in 2003. One year later, determined to reform, she entered Zheng Sheng.

Tsang found studying extremely difficult. Her ability to concentrate was impaired by her past history of drug abuse. She is still on meditations to cure systemic lupus erythematosus and the effects of drug abuse.

“I keep thinking about my mother whenever I face difficulties,” she said. “I think she would be happy about what I become now.”

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Books 書

The annual book fair has just concluded on Tuesday. I have tons of unread books. I purchased these books because I thought I would love reading them, but put them to the bookshelf after flipping not more than 20 pages.
Don’t wanna to buy books that I will not read. I am refrained from buying books after merely a glance of the covers.
I have bought seven books, of which five are about my favourite subjects. These books are The Reader (I like the movie very much), 村上春樹(Murakami Haruki)的「關於跑步,我說的其實是……」,莊曉陽(Chong Hiu-yeung)的「42公里的風光」(Chong is a reporter. I buy this book because the stories in his blog are good and I am interested in the scenery and people of other countries),一本名為「愛國無罪」的書及李鵬飛回憶錄(Two books only cost HK$5)
And I have bought a book named The Reluctant Fundamentalist. I have read a shortened Chinese translation of the story online already.

My friend Matt bought me a bag of coffee powder from Vietnam and the filter. I am making Vietnam coffee for dinner at office. The quality is not as good as what I have tasted in restaurants.
I need a book about making coffee.

一年一度的書展在星期二完結。
我在家中已囤積了一大堆未看的書。買這些書時,很多時都因為封面或書名吸引,沒有細看內容,結果在家中看不這20頁就不再看。
今年限制自己買一些封條吸引但不知內容是什麼的書。
買了7本。當中5本的題目真的是自己有興趣的。這些書包括「讀愛」﹝我喜歡那電影﹞、村上春樹的「關於跑步,我說的其實是……」﹝簡體字版,25元﹞、莊曉陽的「42公里的風光」﹝莊是前行家,不過,買這書是因為他的blog好看,以及我對各國人景物有興趣﹞、一本名為「愛國無罪」的書及李鵬飛回憶錄﹝兩本書才5元﹞。
還有一本名為「拉合爾茶館的陌生人」的書。買前已在網上讀過中文翻譯濃縮版。

朋友Matt在越南買了咖啡粉及過濾器。在辦公室吃晚飯時就弄一杯咖啡,自家製的品質不比餐廳的好。
我要一本咖啡的書。

Saturday, July 18, 2009

深圳唱卡拉OK

折磨了我38個工作天的龔如心爭產案證人作供終於完畢,雙方律師在9月結案陳詞,之後法官擇日宣判。
當天下班後,立即會一班同樣被小甜甜折騰的行家唱K。
翌日週末,與兩位友人W及U到深圳拜會舊上司M,又名Spit。
飯茶,按摩(嘉洋城/ 不錯)再晚飯(毛家菜,6個人才295元,好食及便宜)及唱K。
沒有想過會去深圳唱K。
深圳唱K也很便宜,六個人唱了兩小時才120元。
是日消費(除了按摩外),全由M及他的朋友負責,有點不好意思。
愉快的一天。
星期一,又是煩人的工作。

Monday, July 06, 2009

More Songs by Gurrumul Yunupingu

WIRRPANU


11 - Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wirrpanu.mp3 -

Yi, yi, yi, yi
The thunder has formed, there at Bawuduwudu Naypinya
Dhanurryuna threw it, the python Garrawananu Liliplyana
Yi, yi, yi, yi

Dad to dad, when will we return to Dhamdham (Goulburn)
Because the time for thunder is here
Come let’s return to Mawi

The thunder has formed, there at Bawuduwudu Naypinya
The thunder sent his mind back, the python Garrawananu Lilipiyana

MARWURRUMBURR


06 - Gurrumul Yunupingu - Marwurrumburr.mp3 -

now it has cooled, the country
his night has come for ..
ya, ya, ya, the cat

also he will, climb into funeral shelter
the cat will travel, the cat will travel
the cat will travel, the cat will travel

the cat will travel, the cat will travel
the cat will travel, the cat will travel

dit dirri rriri, dit dirri rriri dit dirri rriri, dit dirri rriri

the scent of the smelt by Wtitj
the scent of the smelt by Wtitj

Bininyala ya, ya the cat

the cat will travel, the cat will travel
the cat will travel, the cat will travel

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Everyone makes mistake

The controversy over Christian Zheng Sheng College, the city only private boarding school for young drug abusers, goes on and on over the past weeks. It is late for me to write on that topic, again. I have been locked inside the court room for almost the whole week and I just don’t have the time to write.
The college in Chi Ma Wan is in an urgent need to relocate because its campus is overcrowded (120 students at the capacity of 60) and shabby. Residents of Mui Wo, the site where the college applied to use, strongly opposed the college application. They say they support rehabilitation services, but they also need to use the site for education of their own children and they fear that the “drug addicts” will impose negative influence on the community. They somehow show the “Not In My Backyard” mentality.
I paid a visit to the college last Saturday for a story. The college is running down. No hot water is available for bathing and it is overcrowded.
I did not need to go through security checks to enter the college. No one accompanied me walking around – I could walk freely inside the campus WITHOUT fearing that the students might do something harmful to me.

Students are preparing food.

Here is the story.
----------------------------
Getting back to the straight and narrow
There are no security checks for visitors at Christian Zheng Sheng College in Chi Ma Wan. Visitors can go unescorted, wherever they choose on the campus, where young drug abusers are undergoing rehabilitation. Visitors may even take photos of students.
It’s the city’s only private boarding school for young drug abusers.
Though many of the students have committed crimes that go beyond the taking of drugs, they are treated with respect and expected to take responsibility for themselves.

He is the first student greeting me.

Principal Alman Chan Siu-cheuk stresses that students are not incarcerated and should not be considered inmates, though most have been referred by probation officers for stays of about 30 months.
“We are not afraid that the students will be in dispute with visitors. We are confident about our students,” he said. “They are empowered if we stress that they are just students who made mistakes, but not inmates who committed crimes. The students’ identity motivates them to work hard for exams and integrate with community.”
Lau Yin-chun, a 17-year-old who is at the college for three months after committing theft, wants to be thought of as any other normal person.
“I was a set of numbers in the rehabilitation center where I stayed before coming here. Now, people call me by my name,” said Yin-chun, who did not hesitate to open up when he was approached by a reporter.
The school does not use medications in its rehabilitation therapy. Responsibility and self-discipline are the cornerstones to the treatment. The 120 students of the college get up every morning at 6:30. They have morning assembly and Bible reading. By lunch time they have put in three hours of academic study. After lunch they work another three hours and have a couple of hours of free time before dinner. Bed time is 10 pm.Students and teachers share dormitories and the bathrooms which have no hot water.

The shelves will collapse during heavy rains and typhoons.

Students do their own cooking and laundry. Part of their responsibilities require that they help clean up the grounds and assist in renovations. The place is short on regular facilities.
One project took several years as students of succeeding classes removed rocks from an outdoor basketball court. It proved to be good endurance training. They work side by side with teachers, feeling more like equals than subordinates or inferiors. There are no special privileges for teachers.
“The senior students who are the leaders are often the last ones to receive gifts. They are serving others and taking more responsibility,” Chan said.
There’s also some vocational in addition to academic studies. There’s pizza making, photography, video production, design and logistics. Some teaching facilities are pretty sub-standard. A lot of chairs are broken. On the other hand by not replacing broken chairs the school has been able to buy state-of-the-art equipment rarely seen in mainstream schools. The 20 MacBook Pro computers, the HK$48,000 camera and the HK$18,000 lens are some examples.
“I cut staff pay for that. Teachers here are only paid 60 percent of salary offered by other schools,” said Chan whose pay is also 40 percent less. The Christian Zheng Sheng Association has businesses in Cheung Chau, including a pizza shop and tea house. It gets orders for producing videos, T-shirts, and printing names on mobile phone. Even the Macao government asked the association to produce a video about taking drugs.

Students are heading to Cheung Chau for video production.

The businesses have an annual turnover of about HK$1 million.
“We are a social enterprise,” Chan said, adding that students emerging from the school will become more competitive in the job market because of the training they have received.
There are other advantages. Some students were taken on an exchange visit to the United States. Chan said more than 70 percent of the school’s graduates do not return to drugs. “They dare to face the camera. They are achievers. They do not consider themselves criminals,” Chan said.
------------------------

I am impressed by the students and the staff of the college. I hope the college will continue being blessed no matter whether they will move to Mui Wo. It is expected that the students and staff are under pressure to continue performing well. Given that huge support for the college is pouring, a single and minor mistake can of the college will disappoint many and jeopardize the college image.
Everyone makes mistakes, and they should be welcomed if they have corrected.

Estate battle

The most important witness of the Nina Wang estate battle started giving evidence this week. This means my “tragedy” has started. I have to arrive at the High Court at 7am everyday – three hours before the hearing starts – in order to get a seat in the small and heavily packed court room. The hearing ends at 4:30pm, and I have to write the stories until 10:30pm.
In addition to the long working hours, the content of the hearings is really something that I can't bear.
Chan, a married man, already started an affair with Wang and living in Wang’s quarters when his wife was bearing his first son.
Chan named his son “Wealthee” because his mother moved to a luxury housing unit “Wealthy Heights” and he believed “Wealthee” meant a man of blessing.
Then, we hear that Wang would burn real bank notes for fun, and Wang would call Chan as “Hubby Pig” and “Hubby Kin”. Chan had his “first occasion” with Wang in 1992, and they recreated the “first occasion” every night.
The hearing goes on and one with Chan saying his identity as a fung shui master is just a smokescreen covering his secret intimate relationship with Wang and denying that he is a eunuch.
Part of the transcript of a video taken by Chan to prove his relationship with Wang was read out in the court. Chan said the word “beautiful” for more than 40 times. One of the sentences is “真係好靚嘅。好靚,好靚,好靚,好靚,好靚,真係好靚,啊,好靚。你可以--係呀,真係好靚。所以 呢套衫真係好靚嘅,影得你。Oh, really very beautiful. Very beautiful. Very beautiful. Very beautiful. Very beautiful. Very beautiful. Oh, Very beautiful. You can….really very beautiful. You look really very beautiful in that outfit.”
I shivered when I was hearing the terms like “Hubby Pig” and writing.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Two songs by an Australian aboriginal singer

Teoh recently sent me two songs by Australian aboriginal musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. Excellent piece. Calm me down when I am tensed.

1) Wiyathul


Wiarthul - Gurrumul Yunupingu

English Translation.

Two scrub fowl crying out, looking for Guwalilna
the calls like women crying, looking for Murrurrnawu
the cries returning his mind to the jungles at Mutimutina

oh place Guwalilna, Warradika, Yumayna, m…m

Oh the old man cries, from this drink
oh dad Kampa-Djundjuna, home Mayan-naraka bright in his mind
oh my two mums, beloved mums, hold Ruypu Milinditj
oh my two mums, beloved mums, cry for the sacred spring Burarrapu
oh the place Guwalilna, Warradika, Yumayna, m...m

*Djilawurr, the orange footed scrub fowl are family and relatives to the Gumatj Nation

2) Gurrumul History (I was born blind)


Gurrumul - Gurrumul Yunupingu

English Translation

I was born blind, and I don’t know why
God knows why, because he loves me so
as I grew up, my spirit knew
then I learnt to read the world of destruction
united we stand, divided we fall
together we’ll stand, in solidarity

Narranydja dhuwala Batuman (I am ancestor)
Narranydja dhuwala Diarrami (I am ancestor)
Narranydja dhuwala Djenarra
Narranydja dhuwala Gurrumulna (I am ancestor)
m…m

I heard my mama, and my papa
crying their hearts in confusion
how can I walk? Straight and tall
in society please hold my hand
trying to bridge and build Yolnu culture
I’ve been to New York
I’ve been to LA
I’ve been to London
narranydja Gurrumul

United we stand, divided we fall
together we’ll stand in solidarity

Narranydja dhuwala Barrupa
narranydja dhuwala Dhukulul
narranydja dhuwala Maralitja
narranydja dhuwala Nunbununbu

Y…e, wo wanawu Garrapala (of the country Garapala)
Dhamutjpirr, Dhamunura

Friday, June 05, 2009

20 Years

Remarks: This article, a long piece, is not well written. It is not insightful and there is no new view offered. But I have to stress that I write it sincerely (not suggesting that I am not serious to the other pieces I have written) and wholeheartedly.


I am very glad that there is no significant development in Nina Wang estate battle today. I can manage to finish work earlier and arrive at Victoria Park at around 9pm.
I cannot manage to get inside the Victoria Park. I can only stand in the outer area.
I can neither see what's happening inside the park nor hear what the people on stage are talking about. But I am excited, really excited, when I heard Szeto Wah announcing that there are 150,000 people attending the candle light vigil for June 4. I should be glad that I can only manage to get into the outer area because it is an indication that there are really many people showing up. It is a record-breaking turnout.
I am just one of the small persons in the large crowd, but the power of this large crowd of small persons can make history and show the world that we have not forgotten even though the government wants us to forget.
I am glad that I was among one of them, paying respect to June 4 victims. In Hong Kong.

I keep recalling what has happened to me over the past 20 years these days. I was just a primary school student spending most of my time doing homework and playing video games. Similar to my classmates, I just did not care what was reported in the newspapers and TV.
What happened exactly this month two decades ago changed the way I and my classmates behave. We read newspapers and listened to radio news in schools even though the content was complicated and incomprehensible to us. In class, the teachers put aside the textbooks and told students about what was happening in Beijing. Some even broke down to tears before the students.
We understood that there were a large group of students living far away from us demanding better changes.
Back home, I watched TV news with my family. My brother, who is four years older than me, took to the street. The whole family watched and recorded the marathon concert 民主歌聲獻中華 (Concert for Democracy in China).
We always heard of the serious corruption in China. I got an impression that those living on the mainland were poor and backward, which is the reason for my father coming to Hong Kong. Seeing the students on hunger strike, we knew that there were people with true compassions fighting to make the nation a better living place. Hope. We really hoped that the nation would get rid of problems and better respect its people. The hope was growing stronger and stronger. Until it was crushed on June 4.

Throughout these 20 years, there are many changes in the society. My parents have not talked about June 4. My brother, who took to the street two decades ago, even believes that the crackdown is helpful to China’s present development.
Our schools do not about June 4. The history textbooks only briefly mention about it. Teachers are reluctant to talk about it. Students are unaware of it.
I am more aware that the students’ leaders have made mistakes and I was somehow affected by the negative comments against those who escaped to overseas countries. I was puzzled why some people always took to the street to express what they want and why some people gathered in Victoria Park year after year demanding a vindication of June 4. Yes, it is a tragedy and it is sad that the students died. But what’s the point of the vindication? How can the vindication “benefit” me? Shouldn’t we let bygones be bygones and move “forward”?
When I think deeper into it, I understand more. I am not saying that I got a very in-depth understanding of the nation and Hong Kong. I am still not familiar with China’s political and economic system.
China’s economic development is amazing. The living standard of many people has improved. China’s rapid growth is increasingly important to the future of Hong Kong. The nation has also made some tremendous developments. The space missions and the Beijing Olympics are among them.
However, we should not forget that the nation has impressed many with its problems. Put it sarcastically, we have learned melamine from the contaminated milk and other chemicals from other products scandals. We have learned how the poor people have their interest ignored because of corruption. We have learned that Chinese people are generous and sympathetic to the people in need from last year Sichuan’s earthquake, but we have also learned that how inhumane and uncivilized the government is as parents of children died from sub-standard schools are banned from expressing their grievances and no officials are held accountable for the construction of those schools.
And on this special day, we have learned from news that a sister whose brother was killed 20 years ago is banned from paying tribute. And we have the following item that makes me feel ashamed and question whether we really have a civilized history of 5,000 years.



Yes, we have to move forward. But how can we actually move forward if we do not dare to face and settle our past. Yes, China’s economic development is rapid. But that does not mean that we have to support and accept what we believe is immoral and wrong. Yes, the students’ leaders 20 years ago had erred. But this is not a justification for sending troops and tanks against the people. Yes, we have long history and our ancestors have taught us many good lessons that can convince other nations to respect us. But we have to stop all the ridiculous incidents if we want to make people respect not only our economic power. Yes, it is painful recalling the tragedy of June 4. But how can we teach history to our children and ask other people to respect history if we are not courageous enough to face our ugly past. Yes, we have seen corrupt and bad officials being arrested and removed from office. But there will be corrupted officials coming to power if we do not improve our system. Yes, there is no perfect system in the world and all countries have their own problem. But striving for excellence should always be our dream and ideal. Yes, we are benefited from the nation’s development. But we deserve to be respected and have our demands and views listened.

I have watched a public affairs program in TVB on how youngsters think about June 4. A secondary school principal said his school does not touch on the sensitive subject because there is no sufficient data on many things, such as the death toll of June 4, and a responsible educator should not only base on media reports when teaching.

This is such a RIDICULOUS comment. The reason behind the lack of sufficient data is because we do not dare to face our past. Isn't it our job to get the whole picture and collect information from our own sources, especially when officials are reluctant to do that? I am afraid that most historical events, not only June 4, will be forgotten if the officials are not willing to give us the data.

I am glad that I am born in the 1970's. I am glad that I was a primary school student in 1989. Not mature enough to understand what the students in Beijing were doing at that time, but I was able to watch news from media organisations which did not exercise self-censorship as they do today and I was able to know how my primary school teachers felt about the incident.

Last year, we had the successful Olympic Games. We had a massive torch relay in Hong Kong. We had a HKU student staging protest during the torch relay in HK and also demonstrations in overseas countries. A public affairs program by RTHK interviewed some youngsters who are proud of the torch relay. In the eyes of these youngsters, there are only positive developments in the nation.

I do not totally agree with the protesters. But how these youngsters talk worries me. I am glad that I am born in the 1970's and I have a different perspectives from these youngsters.

20 years now. 20 years. Not a short period of time. But I am willing to wait, and we have to wait. We must continue doing that year after year. We are doing that because June 4 MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

I really like this song named 自由花 (The flower of freedom). English translation of the lyrics will come later.

忘不了的,年月也不會蠶蝕
心中深處始終也記憶那年那夕
曾經痛惜,年月裡轉化為力
一點真理,一個理想永遠地尋覓

We cannot forget, nor will time wear away our memory;
Deep in our heart we always recall that day in that year.
We felt the pain, but time has turned it into strength.
One bit of truth and one ideal are what we will forever seek.

* 悠悠長長繼續前航不懂去驚怕
荊荊棘棘通通斬去不必多看它
浮浮沉沉昨日人群雖不說一話
不想清楚分析太多真心抑意假

We continue on a long long journey but we know no fear.
We will cut away all hindering thorns, not minding them one bit.
People of yesterday went through thick and thin in silence;
They didn’t want to hear more reasoning, be it true or unreal.

# 但有一個夢,不會死,記著吧
無論雨怎麼打,自由仍是會開花
但有一個夢,不會死,記著吧
來自你我的心,記著吧

But there is a dream that will not die - remember.
No matter how hard it rains, freedom will still bloom,
But there is a dream that will not die – remember.
It comes from your heart and mine – remember.

忘不了的,留下了不死意識
深深相信始終會變真某年某夕
如此訊息,仍賴你跟我全力
加一把勁,將這理想繼續在尋覓

We cannot forget, as has prevailed our undying belief.
We deeply trust some day it will finally turn real.
This message, depends on you and me,
Doing our best, to keep searching for that ideal.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

New name and layout

I don’t actually like two former names, An ordinary diary and I want to record, of this blog. Have come up with a new name and changed the layout.
I like both black and white colors, and I finally decided to use Black. I cannot explain the reason.

Nina Wang

I spent the entire week in the High Court covering the probate trial which will decide who – Chinachem Charitable Foundation or fung shui master Tony Chan – can inherit the estimated HK$100 billion estate of late Asia’s richest woman Nina Wang.
When Nina died two years ago, most people thought her estate would be used for charitable purposes based on a will dated 2002. However, to the surprise of Wang’s siblings, Chan – an unknown person before the saga – suddenly came out, claiming himself the sole beneficiary of Wang’s fortune based on a will dated 2006.
Chan claimed himself the secret lover of Wang, whose husband Teddy was declared legally dead after being kidnapped in 1990. The court heard that Wang was attracted to Chan because the fung shui master claimed that he could locate Wang’s husband, but Chan denied that his fung shui knowledge is very limited.
Fung shui, Chan claimed, is only a smokescreen covering his romantic and intimate relationship with Wang. Chan presented video, audio recordings, Wang trademark pigtail and love letters to the court to prove the relationship. Awaking many reporters who were bored to fall asleep in the court room, Chan’s counsel said one of the videos could prove that Wang wanted to have a baby with Chan.
I somehow cannot understand how these rich people think.
Wang, a person known for her frugality who treated police or staff helping her with only a simple meal that even the poorest people can afford, spent millions of dollars in fung shui. She asked for the transcript of court document to be prayed on, and the color of the bundles be matched with fung shui advice. She gave Chan HK$700 million over a few years in cash transported by car. HK$700 million in cash in addition to HK$2 billion and fees to other fung shui masters!! I don’t think I can make it in my life.
A former legislator, who introduced Chan to Wang, said he gave Chan some HK$750,000 a year for fung shui advice and burned some HK$500,000 real bank notes to get rid of legal problems. The result – he was still sent to jail. If I had HK$500,000, I would quit my job for studying or travelling or taking rest, or use it for investment. I would definitely not burn them. Burning real money is unimaginable and insane.
I cannot live without money. Maybe if I am as rich as these people, I will feel more insecure with more money I have.

Friday, May 22, 2009

王丹:曾蔭權64發言不當 不適任香港特首

〔中央社〕中國大陸民主運動人士王丹今天表示,香港特別行政區行政長官曾蔭權對1989年6月4日天安門事件發言不當,不適任香港特首。

曾蔭權日前說,他明白港人對「64事件」的感受及看法,但事件發生至今已多年,期間國家在各方面的發展成就傲人,香港也經濟繁榮、社會穩定,他相信,港人對國家發展及「64」事件,經過一段時間後,會有客觀的評價。

王丹下午出席台灣新社會智庫於台北市市長官邸藝文沙龍舉辦的「兩岸民主改革20年」座談會後,接受媒體訪問時表示,客觀評價應不只是看經濟發展,還要看國家政治與人權狀況,這才是成熟的人民。

他說,曾蔭權作為香港特首,不應這麼污辱特區人民智慧,也從未見過地區首長這麼看輕人民智力,曾蔭權不配當特首。

媒體詢問王丹,今年是否可能前往香港?王丹笑說,「當然不能,我都這麼罵了,還能去嗎?」

Sunday, May 17, 2009

天水圍的日與夜/夜與霧及金錢帝國

天水圍的日與夜
這戲很悶嗎?不是。很好看嗎?又不是。電影的情節,不只適用於天水圍,它還適用於深水埗、旺角、灣仔、沙田等等,甚至是全香港。母親日出而作,日入而息,兒子放暑假,在家中無聊度日。母子間的溝通平淡,但雙方關係良好。誰說在悲情城市的單親家庭問題必定問題多多。

天水圍的夜與霧
把年前轟動一時的家庭滅門血案重演一次。老夫在大陸娶來少妻,妻子努力工作,夫卻終日無所事事,加上心術不正,以致悲劇發生。

金錢帝國
先看電影的英文名字 “I Corrupt All Cops”,就知是為了 “ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption)”而硬砌出來,究竟誰是”I”呢?不知道。這英文名讀起來十分不順口,很爛。
電影情節亦十分爛。電影主要描述六七十年代香港警方貪污風氣十分嚴重,到後來ICAC成立後,情況才得以大大改善。
究竟ICAC是如何打擊警方貪污及查案呢?對不起,電影的交代不多。ICAC成立時,引起警員不滿,甚至發生警廉衝突。那警廉衝突是如何平息呢?平息警廉衝突時引起什麼爭議呢?ICAC是如何搜集證據呢?面對警員的恐嚇,ICAC調查員又怎樣維持士氣呢?電影只是簡單的交代。
過半的電影時間,就是交代主角如何的娶了十個老婆及華探長是如何的意氣風發等。
影評說這是王晶認真之作。我則覺得乏善可陳,看TVB的廉政先鋒好過。

Saturday, May 16, 2009

To Chief Executive

I know it is late for me to write this, but I really want to say something regarding your remarks about June 4 in the Legislative Council question and answer session on Thursday.

Responding to a question raised by Civic Party legislator Margaret Ng on your stance of June 4, you said you understand Hong Kong people’s feelings about June 4.

But you went on to say that the incident happened many years ago, and the nation’s development has achieved tremendous results and brought economic prosperity to Hong Kong since then. You said you believe Hong Kong people will make an “objective” view of the nation’s development.

Perhaps you can think about this. Can you ask the protesters who march to Japanese consulate in every December to have an “objective” view of Japan’s tremendous economic development over the past decades, which brings benefit to Hong Kong, and forget about Nanjing Massacre?

Well, I have not expected, and will not expect, you will join the pan-democrats in suggesting the need to vindicate the incident. Your response to Ng’s question is what I have expected.

But what touches my nerve is the following statement you have made.

“My view represents the general opinion of Hong Kong people, and the opinion of the public will also affect my view,” you said. “The Hong Kong people I represent is the general Hong Kong people.”

Mr Chief Executive, you come to power after you have been elected by a committee consisting of 800 members. You are not elected by universal suffrage. How can you say that you represent my views? My views are different from yours. I do not share your views. Please just don’t impose your views on me.

You “apologized” after the Q&A session, saying you have used wrong words.

It is not a matter of language. I feel disrespected and offended by you.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

豬流感

昨天五一公眾假期,打算做完政府每天下午4:30的豬流感記者會後可以輕鬆收工,怎知就在下午4:30,在現場的新聞官說因為官員要開緊急會議,記者會要延誤幾小時。當下心知不妙。眾多高官也立即回政府開會。
結果:特首在晚上8:45才公佈香港﹝其實是亞洲﹞首宗確診個案,衛生官員在晚上9:30才公佈個案詳細資料,晚上10:45記者會才完結。快速地在凌晨12時完稿,但結果卻是白費心機。
--------------------------------

在首宗確診個案出現前,政府天天介紹如何防疫,說會提高警戒級別,又再推出全城清潔大行動。公司一位被稱為經驗老到的人,建議去找一些評論,說當局的反應過快過敏。
確診個案出現後,當局決定封鎖病者入住的酒店七天,進入酒店的人要被困酒店七天,接受醫學檢查。
據報,有旅客抱怨安排混亂。當中一對來自廣州的夫婦,昨晚因無法返回酒店而大發雷霆,丈夫不滿地說:「唔係咁大件事,都搞到咁大件事。」他認為封鎖酒店是一個混亂的措施。
另一位內地旅客張太與兒子及同事一行四人來港旅遊,傍晚返回酒店時才發現已被封鎖,其後在酒店外等消息。她表示不擔心受感染,因此不會進入酒店接受隔離,會按照計劃外出觀光購物,更形容「係你哋啲香港人懶緊張」。不過,張太反而擔心返回內地時,深圳政府知道她曾入住維景酒店會將她隔離。

我想問,什麼是過快過敏,六年前的香港,是如何的被沙士襲擊,你們知道嗎?如果當局在過去幾天都沒有工作,昨天才突然宣布首個病例,政府一定備受批評。
旅客門,要被隔離七天,當然不好受。若是我的影響行程及受心情,我也會發火。但現在疫情開始緊張,你們堅持外出觀光購物,其實很自私。要知道,六年前,就是有一位已感染沙士的中山大學教授,悄悄地來了香港,當局沒有防範,當然也沒有即時封鎖他入住的酒店,病毒就極速的擴散。結果:1,755人受感染,當中299人死亡,部份人成為單親家庭或孤兒,部份康復者因為類固醇的副作用而患上骨質疏鬆症。

Saturday, April 11, 2009

差劣的翻譯

對電視劇與電影的翻譯要求不多,但求讓觀眾理解劇中對話便可。
在看過的vcd及在優酷網自ER時,發現令人啼笑皆非的翻譯。

例子一
主角A說:「Have you got a job?」主角B回答:「I don’t have one。」
翻譯出來的竟是:
主角A:「你有工作嗎?」主角B回答:「我‧沒‧有‧一。」
例子二
醫生說:「I will be right back。」
翻譯版本是「我剛回來。」
例子三
醫生說:「What’s going on?」
你以為翻譯是「正在發生什麼事?」但字幕顯示的竟然是「正在繼續什麼?」
例子四:
But she is not even your baby.
但是她沒有妳的嬰兒。
例子五:
You really don’t want to give her away? Do you?
你不想給她活路,對嗎?
翻譯的意思與原文完全相反。
例子六:
We will admit him to the hospital.
我們將承認他。
把admit這個字譯為承認,沒有理解一字多義。
例子七:
You make me sounds like some kind of a nuts.
你讓我聽起來像個堅果。Nuts譯為堅果,沒有理解nuts亦指發瘋。
例子八:
Would you turn that thing off?
你將為那事情離開嗎?

錯失多不勝數。
一些醫療術語,很艱深,翻譯真的很困難。但以上的例子,絕對沒有醫學用語。

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

ER

ER﹝港譯仁心仁術,內地譯急診室的故事﹞早前在美國大結局了。十五年的電視劇,以一次意外,把傷者送往醫院急救的畫面終結,喻意電視劇雖然完結,但生活仍然繼續。

近幾天,我也在優酷網重溫以前的ER。

這套劇,好像每一個角色都很吸引人。

我特別留意Abby,曾多麼希望她可以跟Carter一起。

MSN

MSN為什麼一下子會變得正面呢?原因很簡單。
我如何捍衛我的私人空間呢?

Saturday, April 04, 2009

禮儀師之奏鳴曲


在外婆的喪禮上,那個殯儀經紀服務週到,樣樣打點妥當,但你不會很尊敬他,因為他只是很純粹地做一單生意。你記得,在守夜的那一天下午,那個經紀致電姨,以服務顧客的口吻提醒:「你今天記得下午三時來到嗎?」你不預期他悲傷,但對他的提醒感到莫名其妙。
你在想,從事殯儀業的人,見慣場面,麻木了。而且,他們天天面對死屍,怎麼說也不是一個愉快的工作。
看「禮儀師之奏鳴曲」後,多多少少也對殯儀從業員心生敬意,畢竟他們是幫助先人走最後一程。
電影主角在誤打誤撞的情況下成為「禮儀師」,負責在葬禮上清潔遺體和整理儀容等的入棺儀式。這份厭惡性職業,令主角被人看不起,太太也曾一度離開,因為丈夫接觸屍體,不潔淨。
那天,主角朋友媽媽走了,主角奉命執行任務,心懷敬意地為先人沐浴及化妝,再為先人帶上常用的頸巾,讓先人光鮮地走。主角的朋友在懷念先人之時,亦感謝主角。主角的太太亦改變了對「禮儀師」這負面工作的觀感。
主角的爸爸,拋妻棄子,離開三十年,使主角心生怨恨,連生父的樣子也遺忘了。但蒼天卻安排了主角要為父親送行,在替父親沐浴及化妝時,主角也回憶起父親年輕時的樣貌,落淚。
這電影,打動人心,但不造作。
電影中呈現的日式喪禮,莊嚴但平淡寧靜,讓人靜思先人的過去。我在想,為什麼中式的喪禮好像永遠都很嘈吵,要大鑼大鼓地奏樂,再有源源不絕的各種儀式。生人能夠在吵耳的樂聲中悼念先人嗎?



我的身後事
我,不期待風光大葬。喪禮最好在離世後幾天進行,儀式要簡單一點,祈禱祝福便可。喪禮在細小的場地進行便可。如果遺體化妝及得上電影「禮儀師」裡的水平,可以給我化一個妝。如果未及那水平,不必了,因為我覺得香港的遺體化妝,往往不像先人在生時的模樣。
火葬海葬皆可。

Saturday, March 21, 2009

NUTS NUTS NUTS NUTS NUTS 忍忍忍忍忍

最近,我深明做人做事要按部就班的道理,未懂行,卻急於去學跑,自己可能會有跳班的自滿,卻令其他人吃不消。

比如說,若你現在要介紹印度的歷史與其國父甘地,你最少也要閱讀幾本相關書藉及甘地自傳,甚至與印度人傾談,才可完成任務。你總不能夠因為去過當地旅行兩次就當自己是印度通吧!

如果你連基本的背景也不查考,便班門弄斧,只會使其他人知道你的虛實。你的談吐可能很有自信,舉手投足都好像在下達指令,你可能真的是一個深不見底的人,但人家就不信服。

我在這裡舉一個例子,為什麼你在反問為何要關注青年劫妓女時,卻那麼在意一個家庭的家事?又為什麼你在察覺不到股價動蕩的重要性時,卻在意六十萬元?

我從前在星球遇見的外人,的確,他們都有不了解的地方,而他們有時也很堅持己見,甚至自大。但他們最少在表面上聆聽你,你也可以嘗試在他們的言詞及你的見解中間上找一個平衡點。他們當然也有不濟的時候,但你也記得,他們亦曾經把你腐朽的工作化為神奇。而他們的想法,是有理由的。

在你面前,我好像什麼都不是,你根本不想知道我的想法,你只是在溫和地下達指令。

Saturday, March 14, 2009

大展鴻圖

敝館銳意改革,從外招來有能之士,要令業務蒸蒸日上。
有能之士花數月把脈,後決定每星期開班授徒,發施號令。
有能之士言詞內容實在,引經據典,直指門生的最基本職責,對外為挑戰權貴。人,不挑戰其他人,不能成大器。對內要與同僚及主事者唇槍舌劍,把真理越辯越明,把方針弄清。
言猶在耳,你躊躇滿志,欲匯報工作,預備詳細說明事情來龍去脈,以簡潔易明言詞解釋複雜內容,豈料對只反應一句,說他從網站中已大慨知道事情發展,後不再言語聲兒。
同僚告知,他確實與主事者詳談,但談的內容是要解釋盤古初開的背景,討論,仍然久奉。
挑戰權貴以成大器,有誰不想。你記得你嘗試過,但事後被勸導,要留意某同事的情況,前車可鑑。
得知主事者無意討論,你語塞,走開。在電腦前靜靜地以自認為合適的方式工作,這方式是否符合公司的期望,你不知道。完成後,你靜靜地離去,在路上細想號令如果不實行,頒發的意義何在。