霧都杏花村

This is where I live in spring.

View from my window last night:















View from my window this morning:















This is how it should like during a normal day:




















My hobby these two days is to empty the dehumidifier!

Remember the Milk

I just updated my Remember the Milk. According to my tasks list, I have 22 tasks at work tomorrow, 10 of them are prority No.1. Where's my time?

Sunday night blue......

25 things you may or may not want to know about me

Rule: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

***** *****

1. I am a real Pisces. Pairs of extreme characteristic co-exist inside me. I have great difficulty understanding myself.

2. I have a friend who can understand me inside out.

3. I have no sense of direction whatsoever. I go everywhere with a map or just follow others.

4. I don't want to use my brain after office hours. Going to a trip is therefore an anxiety for me.

5. I need a timetable so that I know what to do on an hourly basis during weekends or holidays or I will be very disoriented. However, I never follow those timetables.

6. I don't eat vegetables.

7. Cats is my No.1 enemy.

8. Summer without an air conditioner is the end of my life.

9. Night time gives me a depressive feeling, especially Sunday night.

10. I used to think the best date to die is the day before turning 30. Now, I am proudly approaching 40.

11. Please try to stop me from buying any useless expensive or inexpensive toys. I am trying to save for my retirement.

12. I am still using the same alarm clock since Grade 5. I think I saved my pocket money to buy that at Wing On Department Store. (The clock was bought at Wing On for sure and I had looked at it many many times before I bought it. I am not quite sure I used my own money or Mom bought it.) I like it so much that it follows me everywhere. Sadly, the alarm function broke some times ago and it's now only a clock. I have been searching for a decent smart looking new alarm clock for a while but am still not successful.

13. To echo someone's French dictionary since Grade 5, I still have the English-Chinese pocket dictionary Mom bought me when I was in primary school. I think that's my very first dictionary. I now use only on-line ones. (I wanted to throw that dictionary away but my sis said to keep it. If you have gone through her 16 tags, you will know why she had said so.)

14. I spent my happiest and saddest time in Canada.

15. I still feel regret of not completing my master in transportation engineering.

16. I am a railway manic. I believe the entire HK should be networked by railway system. Other public transits should only be supportive.

17. I used to think I would be a writer or a painter. But at least, I am the writer, editor and publisher of the Facts and the Myths of the Tse Family!

18. I THOUGHT I was very gifted in needlework. However, don't imagine I would ever cook.

19. I rarely go to cinema, but theatre very often.

20. I am a good secret keeper that you can trust. Not that I won't tell, but I won't discuss your secrets with people who know you. So your secrets are well kept and I won't be too stressful of keeping your secrets :P

21. I don't use terms like "normal" / "abnormal". I use "average", "majority", etc. Simply being part of the majority doesn't make you "normal".

22. Now, I don't believe in hero. I think everyone has his/her own unique characteristics and strength that deserve our appreciation. While I don't believe in hero, I believe everyone can be a hero.

23. I always think I have dyslexia. Hence, I almost never read things that I wrote. The words just seem jumping on the piece of paper for me.

24. I like to read others' 16 tags or 25 tags. But PLEASEEEEEE, make the words bigger and leave more space. I can't read when so many words crowded together. I feel dizzy.

25. Thanks for reading to the end. You are a true friend!

香港基督教右派的意識形態

I read this article from a friend's friend in FB. A good one indeed, especially at the time when the so called "right wing" Christians trying to stage their "holy war" in HK, challenging values and mission of a true Christian.

***** *****

陳士齊
香港浸會大學宗哲系高級講師

引言

本文要嘗試討論的是一個很大很複雜的題目。首先的難題在於如何界定甚麼是香港基督教的右派。雖然表面上，要指認香港基督教的右派，似乎很容易：那些反賭波的、反同性戀、抗拒就反性傾向歧視立法的基督教派，因是香港基督教的右派，再加上近期的《中大學生報》事件，那些堅持《中大學生報》犯錯的教徒，就是香港基督教的右派。但事實上，只是直到近期，香港基督教右派的身分，才如此清晰明顯可以指認。但不清楚指認不代表我們已清楚界定這些信徒為右派的特質是甚麼。因為這些香港的基督教右派與在美國的基督教右派之間，也有著一些明顯的區別。美國的基督教右派是小布殊的頑固支持者，但香港的基督教右派，卻沒有明目張膽的親美表現，雖然香港基督教的右派，其文化根源在很多方面都來自美國的基督教右派。這可謂是帶有中國文化特色的基督教右派。

不是所有基督教的正統派別，都可劃為基督教右派。天主教會固然不是，雖然天主教會在許多世俗課題的立場上，都與基督教右派接近，彼此的立論和取態卻不盡相同。最明顯的是香港的天主教會並未在反同性戀、反賭波、反《中大學生報》等課題上小題大做。天主教會對進化論的認可立場，也令她不用推廣甚麼「智慧設計論」。同樣香港基督教中早有年資的大宗派，如聖公會、信義宗、循道會、崇真會等，也並不算為香港基督教的右派，雖然一些宗派中的不少信眾，在日常基督徒生活上、文化上，可能深受香港基督教右派的影響。

因此，本文的主旨是要指出香港基督教右派的某些思想行為與社群特徵，從而令我們對這一深刻影響香港社會進入保守轉向的宗教運動，有些初步的了解。

不安

首先從一個社群心理的角度，基督教右派的出現，是源於基督徒處於一個科技與經濟不斷急促發展的社會中，所產生的焦慮與不安。這個科技經濟社會的思想基礎，是源於啟蒙運動的現代精神及後續的「後現代精神」。當然基督徒也留意到這種社會的發展基礎（即啟蒙運動及後現代精神中），也包括很深的基督教精神，但基督徒右派對此也並不大理會。他們對啟蒙運動及其後的後現代精神之評價，大多是負面的。

這種不安，主要是源於一個急促發展的科技經濟社會，對傳統社會秩序及倫理的衝擊。基督徒作為一個古老傳統的繼承者往往認為這些衝擊會帶來失序，及對包括基督教在內的各種傳統的挑戰。

思考及意識機制

究竟基督徒是選擇如何去面對這種不安與挑戰的呢？只有少數的基督徒會選擇將固有的信仰傳統加以改造，以迎接科技與經濟發展帶來對傳統的挑戰。大部分信徒會非常被動地仰望一些信仰權威的人士，向他們的保證現代科技與經濟政治並未來對基督徒信仰的科技基礎產生根本性的動搖，因此基督徒信仰的基礎，以及種種衍生的倫理安排，都仍然是可以維持的。而這一切保證的背後，靠賴的是一套「絕對真理」的機制。在此機制中，基督徒右派相信聖經是絕對無謬誤的，是「絕對的真理」。並產生了一連串的思考概念和機制，去維持這個「絕對真理」。這樣說起來有點令人困惑──既然是「絕對真理」理應（一般來說）不證自明，如「這世界有絕對的真理」這樣的命題，而毋需大費周張地推廣這「絕對真理」。但事實的確如是，原因是聖經是一本內容複雜的文化經典集合，因而不可能如一些哲學命題一樣，（至少看起來）是不證自明的。要捍衛聖經作為絕對真理的無誤性，基督徒右派很需要在不同層面或戰線作戰：在科學上，要努力建立「智慧設計論」的合法性，而與進化論分庭抗禮，令信徒可以繼續相信創世記第一章在科學上的真確性。在倫理上，要竭力推翻同性戀至少可能部分是先天的論據，以證明任何同性戀者都是可以變「直」的，以維護聖經中數處「批評」同性戀的經文。簡言之，當聖經任何部分的經文面對不斷進步，不斷推陳出新的科學理論的挑戰，更可能造成傳統倫理之失序或面臨修改等，相信「聖經無謬誤」的基督徒右派，都需要維護任何這樣的經文，批判新出現的科學理論及定理，甚至攻擊以致擊倒之。因此，有時基督徒右派甚至「被迫」採取先發制人的手段，對產生這些日新月異科學理論的一整套思潮，如啟蒙運動、現代主義及後現代思潮，加以解析及批判。另外，也要建立一套普通人都可以應用的解經原則，以表明聖經中的經文，都是些「不證自明」的「絕對真理」，而毋需一般信徒求教學者如「教廷」等的更高信仰或神學權威，來為一些困難的經文章節進行「合理性」的解讀或辯解。當然這樣的做法，面對的困難和所花的精力著實不少，但這做法也有其「收益」，那就是：那些領導一般信眾的神學家、聖經學者及教牧，便不需要反過來大費周章向一般信徒解釋為何聖經不能一字一句都根據字面來解讀，也不用信徒認識一個個艱深的神學系統來輔助他們閱解聖經。

基督徒右派的特徵與態度

但這樣的信仰認知文化或秩序，卻造成一種更深層的問題或現象，那就是：基督徒右派並不能很「實事求是」地、很自由地、安心地、創意地、充滿信心地在各時代，尤其是急劇轉變的時代，將社會文化的最新發展與發現，與基督教信仰的核心來源──上帝在主耶穌基督裏的啟示──作有效的整合。當然，整合（integrate）並不代表照單全收，但卻代表對當前文化的一種智慧的篩選。相反，基督徒右派卻需要處處提防，處處設限，以防止最新的社會文化發現與發展，對基督教信仰帶來衝擊滲透與變易。例如到今天還有某些基督徒群體不鼓勵信徒看電影。對他們來說，教會不啻是被世界所圍攻。

這樣一種自我防衛的機制，造成基督徒右派一種明顯的處世態度──繃緊神經，非常嚴肅（認真？），不苟言笑（至少對其害怕的一些事物），不能及不肯從另一個甚至多角度看問題，甚至對他們所反對的事物帶點侵略性。這當然頗諷刺：因為一個講愛心的宗教，到此竟然走到愛的反面去對他們所反對的群體進行侵略性行為，如美國的基督徒右派中，不時有人是去槍殺墮胎診所的醫生，而他們中間，支持美國人可繼續帶槍的更大不乏人。對他們來說實在很難對這些「真理之讎」不共戴天的非信徒甚至信徒講愛心。若這些信徒竟然支持墮胎、離婚、同性戀或《中大學生報》，則對他們是否真正的基督徒也要懷疑。這樣一種防衛機制，長遠發展下去，只會刺激與「防衛」心態有關的一連串行為和態度──不能寬容，對社會和教會不時進行「捉女巫」（witchhunt）行動。

當然，這樣一種自我防衛機制之能成立，底下有賴那種強烈的心態，就是確信他們捍衛的，是一個「絕對的真理」。這樣的確信，不自覺造成三種心理狀態。首先，他們也一定要同時相信，他們對這「絕對真理」的內容，非常了解，以致不會出現誤讀誤判的情況。這有賴於他們相信這些聖經真理非常明顯，不證自明。但實情是他們將聖經的「絕對真理」與他們自身作為「真理的詮釋者」完全等同。這樣，在聖經及對聖經的解讀之間，沒有留下一定的空間，予其他人或群體（如同性戀者，如婦女神學家，如教會中的自由派）就聖經真理作不同的演繹和詮釋。結果就衍生了他們的第二種心態，那就是屬靈上／精神上的或狂妄（spiritual pride or arrogance），即認為他們所採取的立場或結論，是一定對的，是毋庸置疑的。對那些不抱相同意見的信徒，尤其是那些他們認為以「高言大智」去企圖扭曲或掩蓋聖經中不證自明的「絕對真理」的信徒，他們是極難容忍的。結果就會在教會內產生捉妖捉魔（witchhunt）的行動，將那些稍有異議的信徒或牧者逐出講壇或教會／宗派。而第三種心理狀態，與第二種連成一起的，即為一種屬靈上的魯妄／是非不分（spiritual indiscretion）。對任何稍與傳統立場不一致的新理論或道德，都十分敏感，不加分辨就加以攻擊，以致出現死守聖經字句而違反信仰精神的場面。

基督徒右派的社群基礎

分析到這裏，似乎暗示基督徒右派是一群缺乏安全感，社群力量薄弱的一群，才會作出如此自保的行為。但實情剛好相反：基督右派的大部分信眾，不是香港這個大都會中的無知小輩，而是許許多多有知識有專業的中產階級人士。問題是這些在本身專業或事業都卓有成就的人，為何會選取聖經作為「絕對真理」的立場來捍衛。這問題十分有趣與微妙，亟需深入探討。但一些初步的推測是：對於這些西化程度較深，但又未能完全西化的中產信徒，基督教信仰提供給他們傳統儒家及基層式的民間道佛信仰以外，最明顯的信仰與道德及群體的選擇。說這是「信仰與道德及群體」的選擇實不為過，因為在選取參加教會的時候，這些中產人士不但選取了信仰，還選取了一整套與傳統儒家非常相近相適應的道德，而且也加入了一個溫馨的群體，也提供了空間／天地予這些中產人士在一個群體中發揮領導甚至創立另類企業的機會。

但當然這樣的選擇不是沒有代價的。但這種代價，並非如一些睿智的基督教神學家如潘霍華的立場：「一個被基督呼召來追隨祂的人，是要追隨基督的死。」對中產信徒來說，代價是如何捍衛聖經無謬誤的立場及隨之而來的一些特殊的理論工作及政治性社會行動。於是便出現了一些由平信徒主理的組織與行動，給信徒推介智慧設計論以否定進化論，向市民大眾宣傳挪亞方舟的「發現」、向社會發出基督徒的「明光」見證、反同性戀反賭波反《中大學生報》的淫褻及不雅等。

基督徒右派的困局

一切的努力，其實只造成一個總體的效果，就是基督徒右派變成一個自閉的群體，在自我想像出來的世局與社會空間中行動；然而那真正的基督徒使命與責任，卻未能實踐，包括那追隨基督至死而應有的關愛弱小以至政治神學的實踐。對教外人來說，卻顯得蠻不講理與霸道。由於右派教徒中許多中產人士，因而他們其實擁有非常強大的實力與社會資源。於是他們一經組織起來行動，每每能左右政府的政策。因為連很多政府高官也是教徒或與他們意識形態相近的人。有時其效應是好的，如在反賭波一事上，至少迫令政府要做一些相應撥款以協助病態賭徒戒賭的門面工夫。但在另一些範疇，卻引起社會中其他人的強烈反彈，反同性戀及反《中大學生報》就是明顯例子。而《中大學生報》事件激起上千人投訴聖經為不雅物品，可說已造成「後欄失火」的局面。這點恐怕是起初一往無前地投訴《中大學生報》不雅的信徒所始料不及。

但基督徒右派採取的立場所造成的困境，其實遠比這來得更深。雖然有同情教會的高官出來撐著，終免於將聖經送審，但聖經也有不雅及可厭惡言論的情況一經進入公眾意識，將對傳福音活動造成極大的不利。而由許許多多過分熱心的大專畢業基督徒及專業人士組成的「聖經真理立場」捍衛隊，能否勝任維護「聖經」無謬誤的立場，恐怕大成疑問。

聖經的問題，其實在西方已討論了幾百年，故此斷不可能由一些對問題認知不深，對經文也讀得不夠的平信徒，憑著在教會圈子傳習回來的一些現成回應，就可以令聖經的所有內容都屹立不倒，不被質疑。其實過去幾十年，一代一代經西方深造回來的神學家及聖經學者，其中大多數都深知聖經的內部問題，因而都不會隨便以聖經為「不證自明真理」的態度來建立信仰及社會倫理的立場。但面對香港教會中龐大的右派潮流，面對著許多「信心爆棚」的平信徒專業人士，也不好意思揭破聖經無謬誤的立場，以及由此立場過分直接衍生的社會倫理立場的「不可建立性」（untenability）。一如真正讀過生物學的信徒，很難告訴一般教會信徒甚至神學家進化論在理論方面的堅韌性，以及智慧設計論在理論方面的「不能操作性」（unoperationability）。由於「聖經無謬誤」立場所造成的「死門」，基督教右派延續了一個過分簡化，因而也過分律法主義（legalized）的基督教。由於缺乏一個開放思想的神學體系，以隨時吸收轉化社會文化科技經濟發展所衍生的新事物、新概念──比如經過數十年的科學探討後，終究發現同性戀不是罪不是病而是生物多樣性必然有的現象。如此，基督徒的思想，對事物的認知，便永遠停留在慢社會一拍，永遠被動地要去回應，甚且要去「抗衡文化」的反動（reactionary）局面。對基督教右派來說，要保持現有的道德人倫秩序也來不及，遑論以基督教神學為社會的將來開拓出一個願景（vision）。

同時為了捍衛聖經無誤及由之衍生的一連串假問題（pseudo-questions），基督教右派也被抽走寶貴的精力或資源去處理一些真的問題。例如不再去爭論進化論還是智慧設計論的問題，而是在一個明顯帶有智慧設計但也有明顯進化性的生物圈中，如何面對全球暖化對現有物種造成的打擊。又例如，不是去繼續反同性戀，而是去關顧香港社會的上進機會面臨停滯下，許多打機成癮的「電車男」下一代。又例如，不是去企圖將自己宗教內持有的立場理據，強行推出以令社會大眾接受，從而造成一種基督徒的社會道德霸權，而是嘗試向社會推薦一種寬容文化，好讓寬容的文化，至終成為保障一切弱勢及少數社群（包括基督徒！）的屏障，成為民主社會的基石。

香港的基督教右派，在企圖維持一個符合傳統儒家道德的基督教時，凸顯不出真正的基督教，一個遠超儒家非禮勿視勿言勿聽、不准誨淫誨盜，而是包容、愛心和關顧的基督教。

在企圖維護傳統道德中，這個基督教的派別，失掉了寬容和關愛，而不自覺變成了壓迫者。這是「你雖不殺伯仁，伯仁因你而死」的可悲局面。同樣，許多被基督教右派導引的信徒，骨子裏並沒有壓迫同志的意思，但同志卻因你們的壓迫而抑鬱而自殺！為的就只是因為聖經中有那麼幾句看來批評同性戀的經文。這是一種思想上的荒謬，也忘記了聖經本身說：「律法本是藉著摩西傳的，但恩典和真理，都是由耶穌基督來的。」（約一：17）

在持守傳統道德中，最後傷害了的是基督的福音，因為失去了寬容與關愛，便再感動不了人信福音。如美國的基督教右派，最後演變成一大群自私一族。當人們扭開收費電視上的God TV，看著他們在表演。人們看見一些盡力在扮演上帝的人，只是看不到那變成人子的上帝──耶穌基督。

成於2007年7月2日約旦

於登上尼波山之後

***** *****

Source:
http://www.hkci.org.hk/database/sze106-6.html#article

A gift for friends' baby boy

But I am afraid he might not fit. If so, I promise to knit him another one for his fifth birthday. (This is a very realistic goal in view of my time constraint and number of order.)

「岩」上的波兒

如果有久石譲在紅白的片段則更好，我看過一次便沒有了。

還有，我一直以為戲名叫「岩上的波兒」。

大香港

讀書的時候辦 variety show 唱過這首歌（我是SM，沒有份唱），之後不見了歌詞，一直在想辦法找回，卻偶然在 Youtube 看到原裝片段。

黃霑先生的詞自然精彩，選曲也特顯了香港特色，只是現在聽來，未免大香港得要命。

Sewing Class

Believe it or not, I am taking sewing class starting from today.

That's what we did during the first class this evening -- trying to do stitches in straight lines and circles! My eyes were so tired after the first 15 minutes or so.

P.S. I wanted to name this post 工廠女工 (female factory worker), but then I realize that my skill is far from a 工廠女工.

2009 is コンスタンス Year

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2009!

P.S. If you like this character and want a コンスタンス 2009 calendar, leave me a comment or send a message to the creater. Enjoy!

Engineering Hope for a New Sichuan

Exhibition of the
Engineers without Borders Hong Kong

Date: 2 to 4 January 2009
Time: 10am to 9pm
Venue: Covered Piazza, Times Square, Causeway Bay

Openning Ceremony: 12pm, 2 January 2009

P.S. I will be there during day time on 2 Jan. Should you be around, please drop by and say hi.

永遠懷念塔可夫斯基 - 灣仔差館奇遇記

(記載何山阿p二人12月23號到灣仔警署的奇遇經過)

片: 德國藉影像作家格勒戈爾.森武沙(Gregor Samsa)
曲: 阿p + 何山
詞: 阿p
編: 何山

十二月廿三號去見差人
佢哋問嗰個柴可夫斯基有d乜嘢人
我一路忍住笑一路聽佢哋繼續問
關於聖誕半裸派對會點進行

因為見到報紙登左呢單新聞
寫我哋係搞半裸派對嘅網民
我哋逐步遂步解答佢哋嘅疑問
最後相信我哋係搞創作嘅人

然後佢話我哋個場地無攞license
我話次次indie show都係咁進行
佢話今次唔同因為上左新聞
警方有機會被插到遍體傷痕

所以強烈勸籲我地返去諗諗
唔係就會觸犯第一百七十二章條文
最後嗰句覺得佢係有d口痕
佢話唔好覺得俾緊壓力你兩個人

警察掃黃可接受手淫
微型音樂會卻是罪行
簡化報導傳媒有什麼責任

半裸派對就萬萬不能
警察卻有權全裸搜身
傳媒警方聯手讓音樂不能發生

《聖誕半裸派對》

有沒有聽過 My Little Airport？有沒有聽過 Pixel Toy？

最近，My Little Airport 的 P 和 Pixel Toy 的何山組成「永遠懷念塔可夫斯基」，其中一首歌就叫《聖誕半裸派對》，音樂會原名也是叫《聖誕半裸音樂會》。

結果是，經過傳媒炒作之後，何山被邀請到警署協助調查。

再結果是，音樂會延期及改名為「健康道德聖誕樂融融音樂會」。

再再結果是，「永遠懷念塔可夫斯基」寫了一首叫《灣仔差館奇遇記》的歌，其中幾句歌詞大約為「警察掃黃接受手淫，微型音樂會卻是罪行／半裸音樂會萬萬不能，警察卻可全裸搜身」。

幽默感，香港人從來都欠奉。

My Christmas Project

A summer dress for two friends' baby girl when she's two years old.

P.S. The little princess is due in Feb 2009.

Elmo's Countdown to Christmas (3)

Elmo's Countdown to Christmas (2)

http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=OXOi70HDlfI

Elmo's Countdown to Christmas (1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-QATGekLL4

施比受更為有福

The last parcel was sent to Australia today.

Some times, it's more excited sending out Christmas presents than receiving one.

P.S. There were much more people this afternoon than two weeks ago, mostly non-Chinese. It's time to send your Christmas wishes.

First Christmas tree I see this year...

... as the economy goes downhill, the scale of Christmas decorations at shopping malls also go down.

Note: Picture taken last Saturday.

They are here, they are here!

This is the outside.












This is part of the inside.

The bulk print had arrived on Friday, and will arrive your mailbox in another month :)

P.S. I'd showed Dad and Aunt 9 the trial copy. Even my dad is very excited about it.

Typos! Troubles!

See at the Post-its? They are all typos in the trial copy.

So, I corrected them.

It went OK when I changed it off-line. When I double checked the corrections on Sunday morning and went on-line, hoping to upload again when it's done, the Booksmart told me there's a newer version of the software.

So, I downloaded and installed the new version.

BOMB!!!!! The format of the book changed almost on every page under the new version of Booksmart. So, I formatted the book again. However, the new Booksmart doesn't seem to be ready for release yet. Very often, it shutted down every time I clicked on the text box. Even more frequent, I couldn't even boost it up.

So, I uninstalled the new version, and installed the previous version again, and it worked.

I eventually uploaded the book again and sent for a bulk print on Sunday night. However, I have to say I was too tired and too bored for the proofreading. I am sure when I corrected some typos, there should be some new ones after changing to different versions of Booksmart, but I don't care.

So, I am expecting the books by mid-November, and hopefully they will arrive the recipients' mailboxes by New Year, if not Christmas.

It's here, it's here!

After sending an email to Swiss Post to check out the whereabout of the book, the trial print of the Facts and the Myths of the Tse Family has finally arrived today!














I will let you see one of the pages:














The book is much smaller than I expected, although I had taken out a ruler several times trying to figure out how big is 7" x 7". (Don't blame me for that. You guys voted for it!) Quality of the pictures really depends on the quality of the "raw photos". The one of our Cho Uk is real good, but not for the old pictures.

Anyway, I will take a look and send it out for bulk print soon. Make sure you drop me your mailing address!

P.S. In case someone will say I am 自戀狂, the alphabets were there to hold the book or it couldn't open itself.

P.P.S. Quality of the camera of my new phone doesn't seem very good. Very disappointed.

Typhoon HAGUPIT

The cartoon can hardly tell how strong is Typhoon Hagupit. When I was at the door downstairs from my apartment, the wind blew me away just like the cartoon!

I hope everyone is safe.

殘奧田徑蘇樺偉奪金兼破世績 (Updated)

15.09.2008 17:50
北京殘奧會，田徑男子T36級200米跑決賽，港隊的蘇樺偉，以破世界紀錄的24秒65，取得金牌。

***** *****

15.09.2008 19:19
港隊今日在殘奧會奪得一金一銀一銅。其中蘇樺偉就在男子200米T36級決賽，刷新世界紀錄，取得金牌。他對自己的成績表示高興，但承認賽前有點緊張，幸好起跑後即專心作賽。而余翠怡和范珮珊，分別在輪椅劍擊女子A級重劍奪得一銀一銅，上屆金牌得主余翠怡，在決賽面對國家隊的張春翠，輸5比13，只能奪得一面銀牌。余翠怡賽後表示，落敗並非受網球肘影響，認同對手發揮比較自己優勝。而范珮珊就在銅牌賽以15比14險勝匈牙利選手。在北京的民政事務局長曾德成祝賀本港選手奪標。

***** *****

Hong Kong's track and field athlete with disability So Wah-wai won a gold medal at the 200m T35 race at the BJ Paralympic this evening by breaking his own world record. My mom and sis would say it's because they were there to cheer for So :P

By now, HK has won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the Paralympic. Still a big gap from last time, but it doesn't really matter.

Here's an interview of So by Andy Lau, who has been supporting athletes with disability since 1996 and employer of So:

Legislative Council Election 2008

Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights --

Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions:

(a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives;

(b) To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors;

(c) To have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his country.

Situation in HK: Only half of the 60 seats in the Legislative Council are returned by universal suffarage, while the other half and the Chief Executive are returned by an elite class of people.

Your action: To vote and to express yourself is your basic right. Regardless who you are going to vote, don't forget to cast your vote before 10:30pm today.

Fu Niu LeLe...

... is finally centre of stage!

Olympic Manic

My Olympic souvenirs, fresh from Beijing!













Fu Niu LeLe (mascot of the BJ Paralympic) phone strip. It will go nicely with the pink LG KC550 I am going to get. I hope LeLe will get along well with Elmo.






A 4G JingJing USB. The pink strip comes with LeLe though. Don't know what to do with it yet as I have several smaller USB drives, but combining them all together might not be good from the security angel.

The Power of Typhoon NURI

Broken branches in Heng Fa Chuen. The first picture is the same view as taken from my bedroom window, although it's taken on the street. And more importantly, the first picture is not "out of focus" as in most of my other pictures. It's so windy yesterday noon that I couldn't really stand up right.

Grandma and Grandpa

So we have been talking about Grandma and Grandpa. Have you ever thought of how they got married?

The Marriage

I think you won't reckon they met each other naturally, dated, married and had kids. This is a version from my mom, who claims that she heard about it from Grandpa when she's just married (or even before she's married).

Grandpa had school in HK. When someone's decided to have Grandma married Grandpa, they sent someone to HK to ask Grandpa to return to Kaiping and get married. However, Grandpa refused. He said he had to finish school first. Hence, Great-Great Grandma (Grandma of Grandpa!) pretended she's sick and sent someone to ask Grandpa back to visit her. When Grandpa's back, everything (including the wedding banquet) was there waiting for him!

So here we are. Grandpa said before they were married, he had secretly gone to Grandma's school to have a peek of her :)

When Grandma was married, I think she's only 17, and she still didn't know how to wash her hair. Hence her grandma told her to find an excuse to return to the maiden home when she wanted to wash her hair, so that Great-great Grandma could wash her hair for her.

The Relocation

Grandpa used to be a truck driver. When the Community Party came into power in 1949, Grandpa was working in HK. Later one day when Grandma received the info that she could join Grandpa in HK, she bought train tickets and left with Goo-ma, Uncles 3, 4 and 5 immediately without bringing any luggage nor telling anyone in the neighbourhood. It's only later that Great Grandma, Dad and Uncle 2 stowed away to HK to join them. Aunts 7, 8, 9 and Uncle 10 were born in HK.

Quiz 8

We haven't had a quiz for a while. This time, again, can you figure out who's who in the two pictures? The first one is pretty easy, but there're some controversies in the second one. May be we will need to ask those MIGHT be in the picture.

***** *****

This should be the last post for the hard copy of the Facts and the Myths of the Tse Family, or I won't be able to send you the books before Christmas. However, the on-line version will continue provided I am not running out of topics.

This is how we welcome Typhoon NURI

By taping all the glass doors and windows :)

Typhoon NURI is expected to be the strongest typhoon this year, and hit HK head-on. With only the Typhoon Signal No.1 on, I could barely open the door down stair when I was back home this evening.

We have made different contingency plans in the office today, in case we are stuck home tomorrow. This includes packing stuffs to work at home tomorrow.

你今日睇佐未？Have you watched the Olympic today?

One of the many ways that HK joins in the BJ Olympic manic is to set up big TVs, both indoor and outdoor, to show the live broadcast so that people can cheer together.

We have one in Heng Fa Chuen too. Even in the morning, there are lots of people. Beside the TV area, there's a small Italian grocery store, selling also gelato (kids' favourites here). I hope they can make a little fortune these two weeks.

I myself is trying my best not to watch any, to avoid the sub-standard narrators and the rather irrational nationalism.

In search for a notebook, from a gender perspective

Incident (1)

Because of a sudden impulse, I am thinking to get a new notebook, and have been looking around for several weeks.

Today, I set my eyes on a new pink Sony Vaio (VGN-SR15G/P). It’s thin, it’s light, and it’s around my budget (although to the high side). Most importantly, of course, it’s in PINK. It’s the nicest pink notebook I can find.

Unfortunately, this pink Sony Vaio has only 1G RAM. There’s a faster variation of the same line with more RAM and bigger harddisk. However, IT’S ONLY IN BLACK!!!!!

Incident (2)

I was watching the seven-episode LG promotional five-minuters on their new notebooks over the weekend. It’s sort of like a series of music videos – beautiful people, beautiful sceneries, nice music, etc. all under soft lens :) The series is about two men chasing the same woman.

My question is – is it targeting to men or women users? Isn’t IT commercial usually targeting to men? If that’s so, should it be two women chasing a man? If that’s the other way around, does it mean that women become a big market for IT products?

Incident (3)

I was at the Wanchai Computer Centre one day hoping to get a portable harddisk. I have to say it isn’t a very women-friendly place to start with. All the sales and customers are men, and they simply don’t want to talk to women, especially those don't look like knowing anything about computers. (I believe young beautiful girl is an exception.) Suddenly, I heard a female voice talking to me.

I was relieved.

I think there's really a big service gap for women IT sales.

The Root

Now, the Tse's are (or will be) scattered around different part of Australia, Canada and China. Our hometown, however, is in Kaiping (開平), a county-level city in the Guangdong province of Southern China.

Kaiping

Kaiping has a long tradition of sending their people to work overseas, in particular the North America. At the end of the 19th century to the early part of the 20th century, Kaiping was poor and had a serious problem of banditry. Hence, people went to work overseas and send back money to support the families.

I think this explains why we have been in Canada for so many generations.

In the old days, we were a landlord in the village. Because Great-Great Grandpa and Great Grandpa worked in Canada, and sent money back to support the country, we were able to survive a number of political turmoils at the turn of the 20th century. But of course, we finally fled to HK like many others did in the 1940s-50s when the communist party came in to power.

Diaolou (碉樓)

One special feature of Kaiping is the thousands of Diaolous (see the picture). A Diaolou is a fortified multi-storey tower. Those worked overseas sent money back to build these towers, and also brought back the western architectural style. Apart from being a beautiful house, it also has a defensive purpose. See the balcony in the middle? Mom said there are holes on the floor, so that those standing on it can shoot through the holes thieves or other invaders underneath.

In 2007, Kaiping Diaolou and the village is added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Our Cho Uk

So, are you wondering why my mom knows this little feature of a Diaolou? It's because our real "cho uk" is a Diaolou itself. The picture in this page is not from a tourists website nor from the UNESCO homepage, but our "cho uk". That means, when Goo-ma, Dad and the older uncles were still kids, they actually LIVED IN a world heritage site!

When I was a kid and Sara was still a baby, we were there once. All I can remember now is that the house was dark and full of cats! (Scary!) Mom said the stairs at the time was half broken and my feet then were way too short, and hence I had a hard time climbing the stairs.

Around our "cho uk", there's a gate made of good quality steel. When China was at war, the gate door was taken away to produce weapon. (There're different versions here. Mom said the gate door was taken away by us to support China at the Korean War in the 1950s. But I think I had heard Grandma saying that the door was taken away by the Japanese army during WWII.)

The Dialect

We Kaiping people speak a Taishan dialect (Taishan is another city next to Kaiping). Even today, when the older ones want to discuss something that don't want us to understand, they talk in the Taishan dialect. I don't know if they have ever realized that the Taishan dialect is actually not very different from Cantonese. I at least can understand 99%, if not 100%!

P.S. Sara had suggested right from the beginning to include this post in the series, but I had tried my very best to avoid it, cause I don't know much about our hometown. But since Rose had sent me this picture, I might as well give it a try.

Extended reading:
Kaiping in Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiping
Diaolou in Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaolou
UNESCO World Heritage -- http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1112

The Tse Family "Cho Uk" (祖屋) – Part 5 of 5 -- The Tse Family Treasures

Uncle and Aunt 2's house is a good place for treasure hunt. When I stayed there last December, I found my Autocad (Release 11!) book still on the shelf! That book is 16 years old and I used it at my first year of college!!!!!

The Treasure (1)

Comparing to what Rose had found, my Autocad book is nothing:

Cheque book of Great Grandpa's grocery store!

Great Grandpa had a grocery store in Edmonton. When he's getting old, Uncles 2 and 3 went to Edmonton to take care of him and also to inherit the grocery store. The brothers later on started their own career and therefore the grocery store was shut down at the end. It would be fun, I think, to check out the place where the grocery store had been some times :)


The Treasure (2)

The next item is even more exciting! Drum roll, please......

Pictures of young Grandma and young Grandpa!!!!!

For the top left picture, Rose said it stated at the back that Grandpa was 14 at the time. For the one in top right, it said on the picture that it was 1940 in HK. Mom said Grandpa went to school in HK, so that might be why the picture was taking here.

For Grandma's pictures, they were taken before Grandma and Grandpa were married. Great Grandpa used to put up these pictures, and told everyone that his daughter-in-law was prettier than any calendar girls!

The Tse's in Canada

I always thought Great Grandpa was the first one in Canada, but Grandma and Uncle 2 said it's Great-great Grandpa (i.e. Dad of Great Grandpa, Grandpa of Grandpa, or Great Grandpa of your parents :) who first landed on the Canadian soil.

Great-great Grandpa first settled in Saskatchewan, and opened a cafe. (Rose suspected it was the one in the picture above.) When Great Grandpa was a kid, he somehow got into trouble with another kid so they sent him to Great-great Grandpa as some kind of punishment or an "escape". Great Grandpa first helped in the cafe as well, and then returned to China to get married. Great Grandpa somehow relocated to Edmonton later and started the Jay Grocery.

When I was a kid, I heard a story about how Great Grandpa took a month to travel from China to Vancouver on a ship, and then another week from Vancouver to Edmonton on a carriage. But now with the Saskatchewan cafe kicking in, I am confused whether the week-long trip was to Edmonton or Saskatchewan.

So this wraps up the series on the modern "cho uk". Let's talk about the real "cho uk" next time.

P.S. Special thanks to Rose who digged out all these pictures and "researched" most of the content of this post from Grandma and Uncle 2. More of Rose's findings in the following posts.

《天水圍的日與夜》

上星期在電影資料館看了《天水圍的日與夜》。很好看。而且一定要在電影院看。

What happen when you go shopping without an objective

I'd already exercised some self-control for not buying some even more useless stuffs.

The Tse Family "Cho Uk" (祖屋) – Part 4 of 5 -- The 3rd special item of the house is...

... the girls' room!

From one generation to another

I think this is the first time someone called it the "girls' room".

It is the bigger of the two rooms in the basement of Uncle and Aunt 2's house. The first occupants of the room were Aunts 7, 8 and 9. When they started to move out, Rose and Di occupied the room and I also joined in the crowd during college years. It's a room full of silly girlish talks :)

In the past, there were a single bed and a double-decker bed, couple of small desks, a big build-in closet (big enough for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), etc. Most of the furnitures were there since Aunts 7, 8 and 9's time and are still in the room except the beds. Now, instead of two beds for three people, there's one double bed instead, and it also becomes a guest room when Rose and Di moved out.

Starry, starry night

One of the additions Rose and Di made to the room was the glow-in-the dark starts on the ceiling. (I tried to take some pictures but obviously was not very successful.) During the twin's first visit, we showed them the stars, but they were still at the age that would scare of the dark, so they would only stand at the door and held our hands tight with a very amazed smile.

One day, again, when I was reading in the room, Dai Mui came.

"Can you read outside?" The toddler asked.

"No." And so Dai Mui's gone.

After a while, she came and asked again, "Can you read outside?"

"No."

"I want to see the stars."

I can't remember if she succeeded this time, but Dai Mui sure was an assertive baby.

On a rainly day...

明明我已晝夜無間踏盡面前路
夢想中的彼岸為何還未到...

今晚在《頭條新聞》聽到這首歌...

All you really need to know, you learned it in kindergarten......Part 3

Always show your appreciation. One looks more beautiful when you always remember the good sides of others.

The Dentist -- Part 2 and more to come

I visited another dentist, who is a relative of a friend, yesterday.

This 2nd dentist is more experienced and the nurses are more fun. I also took an x-ray. The dentist explained to me the root problem of my teeth and how every problem springs from there.

So, the conclusion is, I don't need to extract the wisdom tooth at the moment but need to have an "endodontic treatment" (pulp treatment) for the problem tooth. (That's exactly why I was hesitated to take out my wisdom tooth last week. The other dentist asked me to extract a wisdom tooth which I don't feel anything wrong, but leave the one that's killing me for days untouched!)

I still need to go several more times before the treatment is done, and more scaling is needed! (Sooner or later, the dentists will scale out all of my teeth!) Then the dentist also asked me to brush my teeth with the small brushes in the picture. It can go all the way through the teeth spacings. Very scary.

P.S. Stuck at home because of Typhoon Fengshen (God of Wind, what a name for a typhoon). And also salute to those keep working under bad weather to keep the city running.

The Dentist

I'd been to the dentist three times on the last four consecutive Saturdays. There's an extra one cause the clince was drowned by the heavy rain and couldn't be recovered till the following Monday.

So, what had I done? I'd had two tooth fillings and had my teeth scaled. Spacings between my teeth were wide to begin with and now, after some very substantial scaling, it's even more spacious. I can even feel the water running between my teeth and have some difficulty to speak properly :( For a while, I think I will need to stay on an "old people diet" (i.e. fish, tofu, egg, minced meat, etc.) before I am used to it.

The dentist suggested me to extract a wisdom tooth (which I now have three). I am a bit hesitated. What do you think?

P.S. Couple of months ago when I watched Babies of Our Times of BBC, the small group of six or seven years old kids all thought Tooth Fairy was real while Superman was fictional. Interesting. I can't remember if they thought Santa was real or not.

差幾多唐英年就要死？

For my international readers, the title reads "for how much more that Henry Tang will need to die?"

Background

Henry Tang is the current Chief Secretary for Adminstration of the HKSAR Government. When he first became the Financial Secretary in 2003 (which was almost the worst economic downturn in HK history) he had once mentioned that the unemployment rate in HK would never get back down to 2.2% as long as he stayed alive (有生之年，失業率都不會回落到2.2%). No doubt he's being critized as mean (or "black heart"), and he also considered it as one of his most serious mistakes in his political life.

Latest Progress

Today, the unemployment rate of the previous quarter was annouced. The newest number is 3.3%, lowest in the decade. The title is what a FB friend sent me after learning the news.

Jobless rate stays level at 3.3%
http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/atschool/080617/html/080617en02002.htm

雙方似並行直線，從交叉角度相遇

Again, no special meaning. Just that this song got stuck in my head these few days, and the lines are beautiful.

But then, the next lines sing "曾經交錯但離去後，不會再遇".

Isn't it life all about?

P.S. I thought of translating the lines, but not successful.

The Most Delicious Dragon Boat Dumplings

The other day a colleague asked if I had eaten any Dragon Boat dumplings this year.

I said no, cause my Grandma made the most delicious Dragon Boat dumplings in the world that I didn't eat anything else.

I am not being exaggerated. I tried one mouthful of dumpling that was made outside the family, and I had never tried another ever since. My mom and aunts learned how to make Dragon Boat dumplings from Grandma, but none was as pretty and as delicious as Grandma's (no offense, just telling the truth :)

It's our tradition to make Dragon Boat dumplings during Dragon Boat Festival (very obvious), and, interestingly, during Chinese New Year (don't ask me why). Grandma only made a small amount of Dragon Boat dumplings before CNY for some traditional ritual. However, making Dragon Boat dumplings before Dragon Boat Festival was a serious matter. It took Grandma weeks of preparation -- to soak the leaves, pick the best ingredients (they were all over the place), boil the dumplings, etc. It took long time to boil the dumplings. The fire in the kitchen heated up the whole house, and the entire apartment smelled like Dragon Boat dumplings :)

Grandma's dumplings were simple in one way, but not that simple in another. They were simple cause there're only salty ones, no sweet dumplings ever. They were not that simple cause there were a lot of ingredients -- salty egg yolk, peanuts, fat pork, dried Chinese mushroom, dried scallop, etc. and the sticky rice was stirred with salty egg white before hand, so even the sticky rice was very delicious. Grandma would make tonnes of dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival that they easily became my nightmare every year -- dumplings for breakfast and weekend lunch at least for another month :(

However, the most amazing part of Grandma's dumplings is that she tailor-made for our picky stomach. For example, the one I and Ed ate had only lean pork and dried scallop (I didn't eat the other ingredients). Those that Aunts 8 and 9 ate didn't have peanuts. Grandma would tie different knot to identify the dumplings but usually it's only she who could decode the knots.

As Grandma's getting old, she hadn't made any dumplings or other traditional festive food for a number of years. I heard that Aunt 7 is making Dragon Boat dumplings in Grandma's style as well and they taste "almost" the same. May be someday I will try some.

Support BJ Olympic

《天安門母親的呼喚》

在陽光燦爛的五月裏......

　　在陽光燦爛的五月裏，我們絕食了。在這最美好的青春時刻，我們卻不得不把一切生之美好絕然地留在身後了，但我們是多麼的不情願，多麼的不甘心啊！

　　然而，國家已經到了這樣的時刻：物價飛漲、官倒橫流、強權高懸、官僚腐敗、大批仁人志士流落海外、社會治安日趨混亂，在這民族存亡的生死關頭，同胞們，一切有良心的同胞們，請聽一聽我們的呼聲吧！

　　國家是我們的國家，

　　人民是我們的人民，

　　政府是我們的政府，

　　我們不喊，誰喊？

　　我們不幹，誰幹？

　　儘管我們的肩膀還很柔嫩，儘管死亡對於我們來說，還顯得過於沉重，但是，我們去了，我們卻不得不去，歷史這樣要求我們。

　　我們最純潔的愛國感情，我們最優秀的赤子心靈，卻被說成是「動亂」，說成是「別有用心」，說成是「受一小撮人的利用」。

　　我們想請求所有正直的中國公民，請求每個工人、農民、士兵、平民、知識分子、社會名流、政府官員、警察和那些給我們炮製罪名的人，把你們的手撫在你們 的心上，問一問你們的良心，我們有什麼罪？我們是亂動嗎?我們罷課，我們遊行，我們絕食，我們藏身？到底是為了什麼？可是，我們的感情卻一再被玩弄，我們 忍著飢餓追求真理卻遭到軍警毒打……學生代表跪求民主卻被視而不見，平等對話的要求一再拖延，學生領袖身處危難……

　　我們怎麼辦？

　　民主是人生最崇高的生存感情，自由是人與生俱來的天賦人權，但這就需要我們用這些年輕的生命去換取，這難道是中華民族的自豪嗎？

　　絕食乃不得已而為之，也不得不為之。

　　我們以死的氣概，為了生而戰。

　　但我們還是孩子，我們還是孩子啊！中國母親，請認真看一眼你的兒女吧，雖然飢餓無情地摧殘著他們的青春，當死亡正向他們逼近，你難道能夠無動於衷嗎？

　　我們不想死，我們要好好地活著，因為我們正是人生最美好之年齡；我們不想死，我們想好好學習，祖國還是這樣的貧窮，我們似乎留下祖國就這樣去死，死亡 決不是我們的追求。但是如果一個人的死或一些人的死，能夠使更多的人活得更好，能夠使祖國繁榮昌盛，我們就沒有權利去偷生。

　　當我們挨著餓時，爸爸媽媽們，你不要悲哀；當我們告別生命時，叔叔阿姨們，請不要傷心，我們只有一個希望，那就是讓我們能更好地活著，我們只有一個請求，請你們不要忘記，我們追求的絕不是死亡！因為民主不是幾個人的事情，民主事業也絕不是一代能夠完成的。

　　死亡，在期待著最廣泛而永久的回聲。

　　人將去矣，其言也善；鳥將去矣，其鳴也哀。

　　別了，同仁，保重！死者和生者一樣的忠誠。

　　別了，愛人，保重！捨不下你，也不得不告終。

　　別了，父母！請原諒，孩子不能忠孝兩全。

　　別了，人民！請允許我們以這樣不得已的方式報忠。

　　我們用生命寫成的誓言，必將晴朗共和國的天空！

　　絕食原因：第一抗議政府對北京學生罷課採取麻木冷淡態度；第二抗議政府拖延與北京高校對話代表團的對話；第三抗議政府一直對這次學生民主愛國運動冠以「動亂」的帽子及一系列歪曲報道。

　　絕食要求：第一要求政府迅速與北京高校對話團進行實質性的、具體的、平等的對話；第二要求政府為這次學生運動正名，並給予公正評價，肯定這是一場愛國、民主的學生運動。

　　絕食時間：五月十三日下午二時出發。絕食地點：天安門廣場。

　　不是動亂、立即平反！立即對話、不許拖延！為民絕食、實屬無奈！世界輿論、請聲援我們！各界民主力量，請支持我們。

北京高校絕食學生
一九八九年五月十三日

***** *****

這些年來，共和國都好像沒有怎麼晴朗過 (如果不更加黑暗)。

北京奧運遇上四川地震，就好像命中注定。

P.S. 傳甚麼奧運聖火都只是虛火，政府如何善後、人民如何協力，才最見真章。

Identity and Violence

During the recent heat of rational and irrational patriotism among Chinese around the world, I think of this book, Amartya Sen's Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny.

Basically, it stresses the different faces of a person, and the danger it creates when we start to group, label and stereotype people.

For example, I am a Chinese woman born in HK. However, my seven years of schooling in Canada also has a great influence of my values and how I see things. While I may support the Beijing Olympic so that China can has a taste of the international society, I am also deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the Mainland. I can have many different, or even conflicting, characteristics but it's still me.

Unfortunately, very often, we focus only one side of a person, and by simple deduction, we believe that s/he must believe in or do certain things. You may not see the impact when that's only me, one person. However, when we single out a big group of people and start to antagonize them, conflict arises. This happens when the book was first written after 9/11, when persons with Islam background or look like an Islam or simple carry some Middle East features are easily labeled as terrorists. The same happens in our everyday lives too.

Not only people have many characteristics, issues can be discussed from many perspectives too. Lately, however, we can only be one way or another.

Identity and Violence is part of the "Issues of Our Time" series. At the end of the preface, the editor Henry Louis Gates Jr. wrote,

These are books, accordingly, that invite the reader to reexamine hand-me-down assumptions and to grapple with powerful trends. Whether you are moved to reason together with these authors, or to argue with them, they are sure to leave your views tested, if not changed. The perspectives of the authors in this series are diverse, the voices are distinctive, the issues are vital.

When the world is becoming more complicated, only one voice is allowed.

了解．關懷一百萬人的故事 (Understand and Care the 1 Million People)

It's a TV programme in HK that attracts a lot of discussion even after the first of the five episodes was aired on Monday.

Basically, it's a programme produced by the most popular TV station in HK and broadcast during prime time. In each show, TV or movie stars interview those in HK living under the poverty line and show us how the poor faces everyday challenges. We have around 7 millions people in HK. According to the statistics, unfortunately, around 1 million are living in poverty.

Ever since I first watched the promos, I was expecting the programme, although I also expect it to be sentimental and shallow.

The programme doesn't fail me on this. What I didn't expect is the tremendous impact. After only the first show, a facebook was created, and if you search the internet using the programme name, hundreds of people have already written about it.

When we watched the first episode, my mom wet several pieces of tissue. At one point she asked if it's inevitable to have the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer as a society develops. I said yes, but others are not as mean as we HK people.

Don't know since when, we start to hate the rich and are not sympathetic to the poor either. We don't like anyone that's different from us. While "we" have to be right and normal, those that are different are undoubtedly abnormal and unreasonable. There's one popular newspaper in HK that criticizes almost everyone and everything everyday, including the government and the civil society, including the politicians from left to right, including the rich and the poor. I finally understand why it's so popular.

The TV programme attracts a lot of criticisms too. For example, the interviewers (i.e. the TV and movie stars) are so ignorant and insincere. Very often I feel that the TV station is only using the poor as a gimmick. However, I do hope that more people can realize that poverty does exist in our society, and don't tell me why the poor can't work harder. Most have already worked hard enough. They just still can't make a living.

Wall Colouring

This is what I did yesterday, except having a minor car accident in the morning.

After a year of idling, I did wall "colouring" with the Arts in Hospital again for two Saturday in a row. Yesterday, we went to the Haven of Hope Holistic Centre, a place for hospice care.

Volunteers have been working on the project for three months already. Along the wall of the corridor, we could see some HK scenery, such as the Lion Rock. Inside each bedroom, we did a border similar to this along the top of the wall. What I did yesterday was to stand on a chair and colour the green leaves. I know you think it's easy. But trust me. It's more difficult than you thought. The actual size I did was about twice as big and I spent my whole Saturday from 11am to 5pm on it! Since we needed to hold up our arm and turn up your head to reach the height, your neck hurt and your arm felt tired simply after the first five minutes.

At first, I thought there was similar wall paper on sale in the market. It might be even cheaper if we counted in the coordination done by the staff and the volunteers' time. But than I thought might be it's the human touch the mattered and couldn't be substitute.

P.S. I am OK. It's just a car crushed on the taxi I was on under heavy rain and typhoon signal no. 3. I didn't go to the doctor although I was a bit dizzy and wanted to vomit at first. Holding up my head to paint was a bit difficult at first cause my neck hurt a bit with the crush.

棒球狂想曲 in YouTube

真係 YouTube 乜都有

Level Playing Field

This morning, the cleaning lady asked if she could have the foam board I wanted to dispose for a while so that her kids could use it for a school project. Her daughter was more than delighted when I said yes, and told me foam board was expensive. It costs HK$10 a piece.

When middle-class parents are sending their kids to overseas study tours in summer holiday, we can't deny that our income disparity is becoming more and more serious, and it's getting more and more difficult to climb up the social ladder. What make me most upset is not we have poor people in the society, but we have no sympathy. While our "Asian values" do not appreciate the concept of "individuals", we are also expert in distinguishing "you" and "me", "my money" and "your money".

I watched the first episode of RTHK's "Life on the Margin" (活在邊緣) last week. Although it's not perfect, I do hope that it can make a couple of people less indifferent. I also read 呂大樂's 《四代香港人》(Four Generations of HK People) lately. Although I don't usually like Lui's work and nothing he wrote in the book is something you have never heard of, it provides a structured account of the similarities and differences of the different generations of HK people. I do hope that it can make a couple of people to realize that we can't no longer apply the standard in the 60s to the Asia's World City in the 21st century.

日唸唐詩三百首

These are what I got today -- kids version of some old Chinese literature.

The wonderful part is, all the Chinese characters in the books have Putonghua pin-yin!

YEAH!!!!! Exactly what I wanted.

The collection has 10 books in total, but I could only find eight today. If you happen to see 三字經 and 成語故事, make sure you let me know!

Spring Resolution

Off-line by 11pm and sleep by mid-night.

P.S. Mission fails on the first and second days :(