民主女神像 - 20100531

政府又選擇性執法了。

支聯會的民主女神像，不論新舊，一概被冠之以「沒有娛樂牌照」的罪名而充公。其實，民主女神像已被連續展示凡廿一年，早已如風土病般殖根香江。何以食環署與警署不在往時六四強行扣押它？怕人多乎？

也不排除有些人早當六四如娛樂活動，年復年的到維園點洋燭、唱自由花。民主女神也可能有其娛樂性，或吸引力。但是，這不是今年才突變事件，年年如是。

明顯地，香港在那些自由城市的排名將墜入深淵。電檢署將個別電影剪得體無完膚、警察查問社運人士家人、律政司選擇性檢控個別網絡電台. . . . . . 凡此種種，都是近月發生的事。顯而易見，自由空間正不斷收窄。

也難怪，當泛民正在內耗，大陸又樂意分化他們，「自由」已在討論議程裏剔除。今次真是水浸眼眉了。

Revisit - 20100528

Graham Greene's short story The Innocent is interesting enough to recall my childhood.

When I typed in the wording of "Po Chark" in Yahoo Hong Kong, the following website prompted out.

http://www.kcrestate.net/main.htm

Skimming the website, tears were difficult to be held.

* * *

Some years ago, while J and I have exhausted all accessible shopping malls, we went to Yau Tong for a causal walk. Yau Tong, a place which my initial memory was formed and where I lived till seven, has been turned up-side-down. To me, all the old stuff vanished.

Similar to the usual poor, we lived in the illegally built house, situated in the midslope of "Devil Hill". I could still remember the long trip home. Two hundreds steps uphill, maybe. Along the path, the garment factory where mother worked for was located on the bottom. Walked across a bridge, there was a field of vegetables, and the landlord also cultivated rabbits. The smell of soil and animals is still real. Near home, we could see a lot of purple "trumpet" flowers.

I shared most of my time with my elder cousin. Though he diminished for over 10 years, we were then very close. We played hide and seek, my leg was once ripped open by a piece of metal sheet, and a 6-stitch scar was the end product. We went to picked "flower seeds", which were never tasty. We stole porno from my father and got the first thrill at the age of six. The images are still lively as live.

My kindergarten was called Kong Kong. It was quite far away from home. Though the impression was blurry, I particularly remembered a classmate, dark and fat, with surname Law. Then I moved to Po Chark for primary schooling. Po Chark was nearer to home. At the time being, we were obsessed with hourglass. With different color of sand, and different size of containers, my cousin and I gave away quite a few amount of money to the hawker.

Hong Kong was yet to be a hack of skyscrapers.

富士康 - 20100527

半年內，竟然有十二名員工於公司內相繼墮樓，造成十成兩傷，也真夠荒誕。

輿論歸咎公司管理文化有問題，省政府責令富士康要關愛員工。頃刻，富士康變成一間冷漠、甚至冷血的公司。

其實，富士康真的那麼差嗎？看電視，郭台銘到大陸的公司視察，裏面有泳池，而且還有數人在游水呢！試想想，香港有那家公司有泳池供員工使用呢？再者，有人推測跳樓員工以死換取保險金。也不會有十多人做此等傻事吧，大陸不是遍地黃金嗎？說到底，這是命呀。

而且，富士康已經是大公司了，福利理應比一般公司好。我真不相信，成千上萬的山寨廠會比富士康更關愛員工。大陸血汗工場，不是這兩天才發現吧？更何況，公司為什麼要關愛員工呢？別肉麻了。

有理由相信，富士康是大公司，廠房建得夠高，尋死員工因利成便矣；山寨廠工人，在其蚊形工場的頂樓，即二、三樓跳下，是摔不死的。所以，他們想死，也只好選擇其他較低調的方法，如狂吃坑渠油火窩？

至於尋死原因，莫衷一是。除了陳腔濫調，還有大把可能。例如，尋死員工，不是八十後，便至九十後，即是「一孩政策」下的產物。他們會否久經驕縱，性格脆弱不堪打擊？

法網 - 20100525

昨天看了點費達拿法網首圈的比賽，他的狀態非常不俗。發球、正反手俱沒有太多失誤，贏來清風送爽。

當然，全世界、就是連費達拿都知道，拿度才是捧杯大熱門。泥地王在本年的三項泥地精英賽俱摘冠，重拾佳態毫無疑問。只要撐著膝蓋傷，拿度左手的重上旋肯定是其他右手球員的惡夢，尤其是單反的費達拿。

是屆法網，儘管有兩大球王在陣，總覺得氣氛稍遜。第一，沒有甚麼紀錄待破。費達拿上年已把法網拿到手，繼而在溫網破森柏斯大滿貫得獎紀錄。就是再奪獎盃，也是錦上添花。第二，次級球手狀態低迷。祖高域上年曾在泥地把拿度迫入死角，惟今年態況如死水一潭；梅利在泥地裹足不前；廸普祖更因傷避戰。因此，單調難免。

不過，要是決賽真的是費達拿對拿度，也定必觀看。每當兩人對戰，除了少數時候，網球都會升華至另一層次。只要費達拿不跌入和拿度對搓的迷思，減低來回球相持，以多變的打法應戰，如放更多短球。費達拿還是有「偷雞」機會的。

Lemon Grass - 20100526

Our office has been harassing by flies. The suspected cause should be colleagues plants.

Those flies, very small in size, would create no noise while hanging around. However, just like every mundane office, as the surrounding is either on white or light grey, while flies pass by, it is in no doubt an eyesore.

Being annoyed, many colleagues have voiced out their dismay in different ways. Say, some of them would mumble on those moving black spots. Others would compete to be "butcher of the day", and my personal high is 3.

This kind of flies could be vanquished effortlessly. I like to bring it down by swirl. Waving a file strongly, the fly could be anaesthetized and then laid dead on the desk. I once transformed the tiny creature into sample, sticking it by transparent tape. However, nobody accepted this gift.

Some of the plant owners have been alerted. Normal ones would check their plants frequently, to ensure that they are not the source of trouble. However, one of them, I would call her "Genius", tried something exotic.

By giving no notice to anybody, Genius sprayed lemon grass gas (or oil?) around. The strong smell of lemon grass has been lingering in our office for 3 days. By then, we were too shy to ask where the smell came from. Some of us suspected that maybe a colleague had a sprained knee, or sort of, and had to do some massage. I thought maybe one of the ladies has put up some newly created perfumes. Anyway, we just acquainted the truth this morning, as Genius admitted her act, when so many of us were on the brink of breakdown.

Nevertheless, the effect of lemon grass to kill flies is dubious. As I still demolished one yesterday, easily.

Battered Bangkok - 20100524

Those disgusting red shirts protesters demonstrate how real violence should be.

Fighting with the army, blood spilled everywhere in the heart of Bangkok. Not only soldiers and their opponents shed blood, several journalists also lost their live while conducting broadcast. As said by our revered leader Mao, "revolution is not treating guests. Revolution causes death". When we look back to the so called "political violence" in Hong Kong, we could be proud of our timidity.

It is very sad to see our beloved shopping arcades burnt to ashes. Central World, so intimate to you and me, was set ablaze by the mob. When I was travelling in Thailand two years ago, we bought bags in Naraya there. Now, it was demolished by arsonists. Nobody could go there anymore. When the news was first heard, I was really stunned. Theoretically speaking, there would be no much difference if Central World was substituted by Harbour City. Luckily, it is very unlikely to be happened.

One just moans when would the saga be ended. In the near future, Hong Kongers would find alternatives for massage and food and flea market. Hopefully, Bangkok could resume to where it has been and we could see those smiling faces once again.

風骨 - 20100520

昨日，唐英年到官立庇理羅士女子中學推銷政改，遭通識科教師吳美蘭質詢，官員不投票會否樹立壞榜樣。及後，吳老師更高舉「我要有權選特首！」的標語。

此之為真英雌。

官校老師，即是公務員。一般香港公務員給人的印象是：縮骨、怕事、少做少錯。就是五月十六日舉行的五區補選，公務員總工會便說，因特首不投票，若公務員投票，便會有壓力，怕秋後算帳。

試想像，若果吳老師是那些一般公務員，要說服她安靜的理由有千百樣。例如：怕家長投訴其激進行為教壞學生、公務員應該政治中立、怕被校長照肺、怕無職升 . . . . . . 可是，吳老師就是頂著壓力，作其義舉。

政府這麼鬼喜歡叫人發揮獨立思考，理應大肆宣揚吳老師這個發揮獨立思考的實例了。他們會嗎？不知是幸抑或不幸，政府叫庇理羅士女子中學不要秋後算帳。一說便穿了，正常機構都會對不聽話的員工秋後算帳，如早前的女青年協會，這是本地文化。

另外，如此大膽行為，在香港的亦確只有女子敢幹。香港男人，不是小男人，就是電車男，又或是維園阿伯了。

By-election - 20100519

By-election of five seats in the Legislature was completed on 16 May 2010. As expected, the five then resigned LCs were re-elected. However, the 17% voting rate was disappointingly low.

Hong Kong People are in general unenthusiastic about politics. They are particularly uninterested in this one. Some of my colleagues said no one was electable in their constituency. Some of my civil servant friends were afraid of being punished. Some just tore the election notice once received.

Few are clear about the aim. The move from LSD-cum-Civic parties, in the name of realizing universal suffrage of both CE and Legislature, with content too hollow to follow. People simply don't know the proposal rendered by the government. Discussion could hardly be seen. On the contrary, we are so tired of Raymond Wong's combat, on matters regardless importance. As such, the voting rate is as low as it gets.

Our government sucks, as usual. Once again, they acted as a proxy of Grandpa. Donald Tsang, during his election campaign, notoriously claimed that he would "玩鋪勁" for the election reform. Sadly, either he is too conservative, or bluffing, his proposal is anything but bold. In addition, by absence in the by-election, Donald & Co completed castration in their own hands. Anyway, Donald Tsang is only responsible for the 800-electorate, not common people like you and me.

The only winner of the by-election should be the Central Government. By manipulating those pro-Beijing parties to stay away from the by-election, the low show came true. So, hat-off to Grandpa.

怪談 - 20100518

雖然是老生常談，但一日未死，還真的會聽到令人驚奇的事。

話說昨夜與中學同學吃飯，言語間，一人提及我老友的初戀情人，竟然與老友的朋友結了婚。即時與老友求證，他稱是，但他亦只是在二人結婚請飲時才得悉此事。

老友、初戀情人及朋友是中學同學。老友與初戀情人中四始認識，中六拍拖，大學一年級甩拖；至於初戀情人及朋友，中一至中三時是同學，中四、五不同班，至中六重聚；而老友及朋友則中六始認識，大學亦同科。

其實，老友早兩年已結婚，朋友亦有份做兄弟，所以，就是知道朋友與初戀情人相好，也無尷尬吧。何以朋友要把事情隱瞞呢？

也無所謂吧。不過，也不得不對驚訝緣份的奇妙。朋友與初戀情人，自初中已認識了，正常地，要是發展，早也發展。我不懷疑男的早對女的有feel。至於初戀情人，莫名其妙地，算是萬人迷。可是，靠等待，十多年後，竟也能開花結果。

玄妙。

V. S. Naipaul - 20100517

Naipaul is a tremendous writer. Born in Trinidad, with Indian ancestors, Naipaul has sharp eyes on the colonial stuff.

After reading A Bend in the River, I turned to Half a Life. Both novels are set in the background of colony, and I am so impressed by Naipaul's honest and distinctive observation.

The snobbery revealed between different classes is so real. Half-black Eurasians could bully those all-blacks so naturally. In A Bend in the River, the colonial state suffers after independence. Leaders toyed their countries by guns and bombs nonchalantly. Hong Kong readers, like me, would be amused to the deja vu.

Half a Life is a model of concise English. Sentences kept short and clean. Nevertheless, the story flows. Naipaul is a witty guy, the upper portion of Half a Life is especially hilarious. The characters in the book are usually of mix-raced, or mix-casted. The clashes among castes and races are coolly reflected to readers.

Some people, like Edward Said, criticized Naipaul of offering no help to the suffered colonies. It may not be the responsibility of Naipaul. To me, one of the factors to judge upon a writer's work is their ability to reveal the truth. And truth has different faces. Naipaul is a master to present the dark side of it.

Requesting writers to improve the disadvantages is over-zealous. They are neither social workers nor humanitarians.

又黎港姐 - 20100513

不驚不覺，新一屆港姐開始面試。又是報紙忙為佳麗改花名的時候。

也不得不佩服娛記的小聰明。先將參賽者分成天堂組與地獄組。天堂組只是配角，焦點一定是地獄組成員。甚麼鬼如花 2.0、酒凹耀揚、紅粉射喱姊、膠袋花姑 . . . . . . 看圖索驥，夠同事們樂上半天。

港姐質素持續低迷，人盡皆知。雍容華貴、大方得體，就算不是傳說，也早已掃入歷史。況且，港姐的定義，應該隨時代變遷有所不同。死守老遊戲規則，是為港姐無眼睇的主因。

其實，要「活化」港姐，不如將之改變為「港女選舉」。一想到選港女，起碼電車男會抖擻精神。至於選舉形式，可考慮鬥化妝。一眾港女，拚命的把頭髮染金電曲，戴不同花款的大眼仔。泳裝環節不必剔除。港女們除了鬥事業線長短外，也可考慮邀請大班龍友加入「互動」，既影相又俾分，增加客觀成份。至於內涵測試，可以用微博形式，為各港女選手開設帳戶，和公眾一起討論。話題不用扮高深，例如應避免討論甚麼0靚模、後現代的東西。取而代之，可試談援交與召妓的異同。

「港女選舉」，應該有得做？

Hung Parliament - 20100512

So, we learnt a new term from the latest UK General Election, "hung parliament".

Though Tories did obtain the plurality, without holding the majority seats, they could not control the parliament effectively. Thus, the newly crowned PM, David Cameron, has to form a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, to reach the line of majority.

UK demonstrated how effectively democracy could be. Once the huge parliament was formed, Nick Clegg, the head of Liberal Democrats, overtly said that the Conservatives were of a higher priority to discuss with them to form the coalition government. Although practically speaking, Labours and Liberal Democrats together could also form a coalition government with the majority seats, Clegg knows that Tories are too popular to be ignored.

And the Labours' head Gordon Brown, though reluctantly, stepped down his post swiftly after the defeat.

If hung parliament is to be occurred elsewhere, the situation could be very different. The loser may refuse to exit, and call for strike and demonstration. Also, votes are likely to be requested for recount. For certain, the hung parliament would be lingered way longer than UK.

UK General Election was held on 6 May, and the problem solved on 11 May, albeit tentatively. Instead of bluffing, the issue settled in 5 days.

英超收爐 - 20100511

今季英超，一如所料，車路士奪得冠軍。至於紅魔鬼以一分飲恨，並不足惜。

雖說車路士捧杯不意外，但全季能入超過一百球卻令人甚為驚訝。須知道，藍戰士自摩連奴起，成功靠龜縮。如條件反射般，每次知道車仔贏波，賽果十成十是一比零。但是，今季在安察洛提帶領下，他們竟能以進攻稱王，實令人嘖嘖稱奇。原因之一，是杜奧巴鹹魚番生。即使曾在季中離隊，參加非洲國家杯，魔獸仍能趕過朗尼成為神射手，絕對實至名歸。另外，一直被投閒置散的馬路達，被肥安如意國古蹟般「活化」，亦是關鍵。不要忘記，我心目中的車仔最佳球員艾辛今季還長期因傷缺陣呢。

相比之下，曼聯便進退失據了。中場缺乏創造人物，至季尾始重用蘭尼也有點姍姍來遲吧。我不明白人們為何經常批評貝碧托夫，說來說去也是鬧他懶走動。只要平心看，有貝碧的紅魔鬼進攻流暢多了。話說回來，我們曾幾何時看過人埋怨更懶惰的簡東拿？於我而言，貝碧托夫的技術絕不亞於大帝。另外，費格遜的調動也實在丈八金剛。每對強隊，不論主客，必打朗尼單戰頭。殊不知C朗一去，曼聯中場全是防守類。保守如此，你會旨望他們擊敗同級對手嗎？就是僥倖勝了，也覺沒趣。

至於降班三隊，般尼和侯城乏善足陳，不看也罷。反而樸矛如非財困，扣減九分影響軍心，其大上大落足球還算刺激。云云倖存者中，狼隊值得一提。雖然質素平庸，還幸領隊麥卡菲避重就輕，忍辱負重。縱受雲加謾罵，指其對曼聯未盡全力，惟於其後戰勝同級般尼，以至現在護級成功，麥卡菲用兵應記一功。

PIIGS - 20100510

First we got Greece. Portugal, Italy, Spain and Ireland seem following suit. All the five countries are on the brink of bankruptcy.

It is unimaginable how a country could go bankrupt. After reading some of the related articles, a blurry picture has been formed.

Similar to a company, the financial situation of a country could be glanced through its balance sheet. Under the column of revenue, tax would be one of the great sources of income. According to news report, Greeks love evading tax. On the other column of the balance sheet, the Greece government have not contained its expenditure very successfully. Their civil servants have been lavishly paid. Thus, combining the ineffective tax system and excessive payroll, Greece need extra money.

Bond issuance is a convenience way to gather the additional cash. However, Greece is at the time so poor to repay the interest due. As a result, existing bond holders are worry of owning a bundle of bond-turn-rubbish paper; and moreover, nobody would buy their less-than-sound bonds. If the situation goes on, that no money could be borrowed through the medium of bonds, to fill in the deficit between salary paid minus tax received, the country could go bust.

The European Union is considering to set up a fund to lend money for member states which are financially precarious. However, the proposal is in loggerhead. Healthy states, like Germany, are reluctant to help their poor brothers. No politician is willing to place their heads on the razor in return of a mere thank.

公告 - 20100506

昨天，壹周刊踢爆林建岳的女友懷疑偷食；今日，他倆公告早於兩年前已分手，不及早公開只是為了保護女兒，又說條留追究周刊權利云云。

無稽之談。真不明白，若果他們早於兩年前如實地公佈分手消息，女兒會受甚麼傷害，難道她會因而被狗咬嗎？也不要低估女兒的能力吧。她的有錢同學，有幾個父母從一而終？再者，也不明白周刊有甚麼責任可被追究。至少，Monica和人牽手、咀咀，也應該不是杜撰出來的？

其實，岳少也沒甚麼要和公眾交待。他算是公眾人物嗎？有點模糊。大家對岳少的印象是：有錢佬、好多女、林伯個仔等等。但是，他既不是政客，亦不是明星，他幹甚麼也不會對我們有絲毫影響。當然，很多人對岳少有這麼多索女伴恨得牙癢癢。但是，這能力他與生俱來，想學也學不到。

那Monica也真大膽。從來只見岳少飛女，未見過「岳女郎」換畫，Monica似乎做到了。也難怪，長年累月啃肥羔，不爆血管也吃膩了吧？有時，錢也不是萬能的吧？身子要緊。

Bigot - 20100505

By honestly describing a female support as a "bigot", but negligently forgot to remove the mic on his lapel, Gordon Brown is setting to be ousted from 10 Downing Street in the coming election.

So again, it just proves that human beings are prone to committing errors. With Brown being the prime minister of UK, once "the empire on which the sun never set", it just can't help people agreeing that things dwindle. Of this kind of "talent" as the leader of our beloved kingdom is as comical as Wilde's satires. How dare would those personal comments be slipped out of the mouth of any English gentlemen?

Could the remark be treated as gaffe? Realistically yes. Labour Party is more likely to change side with Tories in the Parliament after the event. However, if we are just looking into the word bigot itself, the conclusion may not be that obvious. According to Merriam-Webster, a Bigot is "a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices". Logically speaking, someone could either have or have not a view on a certain event. If you have a view, and you are Churchill, we would use "steadfast" instead of "bigotry".

Anyway, political correctness rules the media.

六點半新聞 - 20100504

是但台把六點半新聞的體育時段「精簡」掉了。體育主播們被主播取代。

其實，六點半新聞的對象是誰呢？一般白領，幸運的也至少七時才回到家吧；家庭煮婦是一班消失中的族群；學生不會看電視 . . . 六點半新聞，還真的有存在價值嗎？

再者，連是但台也有廿四小時新聞了。現今資訊爆炸，要知道即時新聞，潮人用i-phone，普通人上網；就是科技盲，乘火車也能收看有線新聞了，誰個有必要被限制在六時半才能得悉新消息？

不過，是但台的體育新聞實在不看也罷。首先，最受歡迎的足球新聞，是但台慳得連英超西甲的入球片段大多不播放，內容流於閱讀賽果；此外，最可恨是用普通話譯名。一大堆甚麼鬼貝達思科瑟德林，聽得香港人一頭霧水。摧毀一國兩制，是但台居功不少。

用主播取代，缺點係人都知。例如早兩天，羅馬泥地網球賽，決賽明明是拿度對同胞費拿。嫩口女主播，不知道是口民之誤，還是懶醒，錯說費拿為費達拿。

算了吧，個台有名你叫。

A Scary Run - 20100503

Yesterday when I went running around noon, a black dog pursued me for 15 minutes.

We encountered in a silent corner around the flyover separating Cheung Wah Estate and Wah Ming Estate. The black dog, a comparatively large one, with neck collar, originally poached on the pedestrian pavement. Once our eyesight met, the dog ran to me immediately. I used my sole to resist the dog to sniff me, nevertheless in vain. I slowly retreated, and the dog followed me. At that moment, another runner passed by, I ran side by side with him and thought that the dog would stay. However, this black dog has not given up.

It followed me and just neglected the other runner. I accelerated, it speeded up; I walked, it slowed down. I suspected other people would think that the dog was my pet. When I saw the second runner ahead, jogging in a slower pace, I dashed in the hope of getting rid of the black dog. I changed the direction and ran up to another bridge. When I turned my head back, it was right behind me.

I intended to run to Wah Ming Estate, where much more people would be around and I hope that the dog would leave me alone by then. While on the way to my destination, a cycler was riding slowly. I thus ran shoulder to shoulder with the cycler. After a while, before I entered Wah Ming Estate, the black dog diminished mysteriously. I changed my mind at once to run back home.

The experience was quite bizarre, as I was a bit frightened on one hand and had to keep my head clear at the same time. If the dog was an even bigger one, like rottweiler, I would retreat home with no hesitation. My feeling was mixed, I thought the dog could be manipulated; and maybe deep in my heart, I yearned for a pat dog to be my daily running partner.

Still, I was quite worry of being bitten in that 15 minutes.