大結局 - 20101129

星期日的晚上，是但台接連播出兩套電視劇的結局。

平日都沒有看這兩劇。那套處境劇在八時放映，我多數都在跑步。昨晚，碰巧吃晚飯，看了大半。劇情淡出鳥來，還在搞甚麼風水屋旺生仔的爛橋段。正常香港人都不生了，有啥寫實？如要暗諷四叔新袍，也太無聊了。

那個交棒儀式更令人搖頭。舊劇演員把鑼棒交到新劇主角手中，搞響銅鑼。其實，可否用腦想想其他方案？

至於另一套以抗日(？)為題的劇集，平日我們也沒有看。媽說不想看日軍殘殺中國同胞。在那時段，我對家裏看甚麼也沒所謂，都一樣吧。雖然此劇的男女主角都是真正演員，更是上年的最受歡迎主角；但是，聞說師奶們今年都希望「公主嫁到」的一對得獎，好搞笑喎。

說回抗日劇，我只看了埋尾廿分鐘，其餘時間都在看小說。報載此劇本非常利害，個個演員讚不絕口。可惜，廿分鐘的結尾，我看不到它和其他同台劇集有何分別。一般煽情。而且，除了登報，尋人也有很多其他方法吧？

Millennium Trilogy: Part 2 - 20101126

I've killed the book in several days.

A page-turner? Definitely.

The story was brilliantly arranged. Like the event of "All the Evil", and the identity of "Zala", the aura of mystery has been created so successfully that one just can't help flipping pages to get the answer. Though "All the Evil" would still cast a big question mark after the last page has been turned. Besides, things developed logically. I love the timing Larsson told those important events. Like Zala's relationship with Salander, which has been smartly concealed until the very end, is not a normal narrative. Nevertheless, the flow of the story has not been affected.

Flaw in it? Must be.

I don't quite understand the value of the first hundred pages, on Salander's encounter in Grenada. The murder, as well as the casual relationship, has not a pence of linkage to the story in Sweden. It should either be cut off, or put together in short story series of Salander, if it is to exist.

As quoted in the back page, someone said the ending was jaw-dropping. When there was still 50 pages left, I was quite curious how the ending would go, because the climate has just been looming. I wonder if any abrupt stuff would happen. The truth is, the story could only be ended in Book 3. Shit, but truly jaw-dropping.

So, at this stage, book 3 is a must.

電子動態版清明上河圖 - 20101124

星期日，因緣際會，到亞洲博覽館看電子動態版的清明上河圖，好一個繞口的名字。

如股票，因為有「世博概念」，此圖的門卷也熱炒起來。香港人，湊熱鬧嘛。又平，當見識下囉 . . . . . . 儘管入場費只區區十元，奈何因排隊而損耗的「機會成本」，卻無從稽考了。

下午三時入場，四時便要離開。人頭湧湧。入場館前，需打一圈小蛇餅。逢數十人過，便作攔截。一個個小單位，如方陣般，徐徐移動。有些師奶，硬是要碰碰撞撞，搶在隊頭，也是無可奈何。幸好，不一會，便入到會場。

千萬黑點在昏暗中搖曳。有的早有準備，如說書人般，向身旁女伴喋喋不休，煩到火起；更多的天真觀眾，一心只是搜索虹橋上的小孩肥豬，找到了，足可樂透半天；最普遍的，是舉起手中相機，拍過不停。駱駝啦、馬啦、牛啦、船啦 . . . . . . 鉅細無遺。

其實，我對創作出來的東西，如汴京城夜景、如小孩肥豬，都不反感。始終這圖的本質是「電玩」罷了，不須道學。不知遲些，會否有動畫版的清明上河圖呢？到時更過癮吧。

Confessions - 20101122

Before the film is getting off the shelf, I managed to watch it last Friday.

The cinema itself is worthy of a remark. Owing to the scarcity of option for timeslot, Chinachem in TST East is virtually the only choice. There are totally three cinema houses, Confessions was showed in House 3. Equipped with around 30 seats, the screen is ridiculously, outrageously tiny. I suspect that some of the home theatres could project larger movies than that. Anyway, I am too old to be rebellious on such a small issue. And to weight the balance,I found the seat reasonably comfortable, at least.

The film itself was very entertaining. The theme was on revenge. A teacher's daughter was murdered by two of her own students who were under the age of 14. Legally speaking, those kids are incapable of murder and thus no real legal punishment could be casted upon them. The teacher, by arranging a series of event, seemed to have punish the two murderers successfully. By interweaving monologues, or confessions, from different characters, the perceived events and consequences twisted rather dramatically.

Japanese have the gut to tell the truth. They constantly produced works which reveal the dark side of human beings. The Queen's Classroom is an outstanding example. Confessions pushes the stuff even nearer to the limit. Human beings are just one of the animals. Morality is one of the tools to control our animal traits. However, it may not be equally efficient among all of us.

It is arguable, in the legal perspective, juveniles lack mens rea to commit crime. Children are precocious nowadays. The murder of James Bulger by two 10-year-old boys in UK sets up a strong counter-argument.

Never underestimate the evil of children.

奴才的頂撞 - 20101119

今天讀了兩篇佳品，分別是陶傑的專欄及練乙錚的文章。將之並排看，更令人會心微笑。

陶傑稱，中國的中產階級是奴才，要忍氣。縱是如此，還有大把人爭著做；練乙錚的文章，分兩天刊出。主要是論述左派對趙連海冤獄的反響、或勸諫，程度有高有低。

我國「中產階級是奴才」 - - - 高論也。要認識奴才的心理活動，練乙錚有活潑描述。比較葉國謙、田北辰及梁振英就趙連海冤獄的反應，就如照妖鏡般，看得一清二楚。

奴才之為奴才，大前提是為了保著中產位置。他們清楚知道，平日的大老板是中共，奴才們都是一派阿諛奉承，狐假虎威。老板的想法，就是皇法；自己的想法，不須表達。

有時，小老板的心，也要兼顧。例如選舉。沒有小老板今天的支持，奴才以後如何狐假虎威？此時，小老板所想，就是奴才所想。如趙連海冤獄。以香港「範式」看，火滾理所當然。奴才既要攫取小老板歡心，又要避免觸怒大老板，當要取得平衡。

因應情況，葉國謙的「希望」、田北辰的「懇求」及梁振英的「滑頭」，便應運而生了。

Millennium Trilogy: Part 1 - 20101117

So, I borrowed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo from CityU in early November, and finished it off in a week.

The book is, without any doubt, exciting. Also, Stieg Larsson has mixed up the traditional and modern elements so well that a crime thriller should possess.

The protagonists have been intelligently designed. Mikael Blomkvist, a left wing journalist, is the incarnation of virtue, though sometime timid and fragile. Lisbeth Salander, an anarchistic hacker, has special talents but with flawed attributes. They are heroes, humanly ones.

All the characters are casual to sex, some are perverted. The scenes of Salander being raped by Bjurman are particularly breathtaking. However, I rather doubt that whether a woman, like Erika, could be peacefully shared between two men in reality. Unless there is only lust but love.

Overall, the plot has been logically and detailedly crafted. The labyrinth of the expanding list of victims, ended in the survival of the presumed death, is somehow fascinating.

That costed me a hundred bucks for Parts 2 & 3.

道風山 - 20101116

因為出席婚禮，上星期日到沙田道風山一遊。

由銅鑼灣山口入，路經豪宅三兩。過盡庸俗樓房，轉入道風山單程路。蜿蜒曲折，林蔭處處，是短線行山的好地方。不一會，便到達教堂。

婚禮舉行之處，全名為「信義宗神學院」。四週環境清幽，不在話下。建築物是中西合壁：青磚瓦頂，配白色牆身，應是教會為尊重各地風俗而建的混合體。池塘與水池禪味十足，霎眼還以為進了優雅的佛堂。教堂對出有空地，非常開揚。下覽沙田全景，上接開闊天空，天人合一，不過如此。

翻查網頁，神學院提供不同程度的神學課程，由學士到博士，一應俱全。神學，不是大學的水泡科嗎？有志者能在如斯環境靈修，當是福份；無緣者如我等能偶到此地，稍稍洗滌，也是好事。

最奇怪，是找不到那碩大的十字架。

Recognition - 20101111

It is quite a common practice for large organizations to implement some kinds of "staff recognition scheme". The scheme is like this: a staff member could nominate another colleague who is good, kind enough etc for praise. Any reason suffices.

Superficially, the scheme is of good intention. Everybody is busy. Nobody would suddenly be grateful to others. The scheme seems to provide a channel, or act as a remainder, for us to say thank you to deserved ones.

However, it doesn't work. Human beings are both lazy and selfish. Even they have spare time in office, it would be exhausted by chatting and web-surfing. Completing a recognition form for others benefit is anti-Darwinism.

Plus it leads to rigging or bribe, depending on the approach is top-down or vice versa. If management would like to glorify somebody's profile, that somebody is prone to get exposure in this kind of situation. On the other hand, if the colleague yearns for something, and the scheme could help out, spectators' forms would be bought in.

So, please say thank you in the act when you want to.

期望 - 20101110

昨天，太陽報頭版以「萬性節」為標頭，刊登了疑似港大、理大及城大學生的「淫照」。

港大那幾張，只是一對男女在陸佑堂外接吻。兩人衣履完備，只是男的疑似摸女的胸脯，女的疑似托好胸罩罷了。理大呢？舉舉中指，和把女子的頭扮按在男的跨間罷了。城大又如何？照片所見，兩男生像是在拔恥毛罷了。

都是小兒科得不得了的東西，唯有本地報紙會將之放在頭版。

最可笑是張文光議員，可能一見記者訪問便亢奮，說甚麼「大學生做出『過激』親熱行為有礙觀瞻，希望大學生為自己行為負責」。這老傢伙，日日關德興上身似的。但是，博見報前，也請先動動腦筋。

一：如何證明照片中的是涉校學生呢？大學從來是自出自入的。查了學生證否？
二：何謂「過激」親熱行為？問關德興，可能掂下手仔也是「過激」的。
三：何謂有礙觀瞻？問關德興，搭膊頭都有礙觀瞻啦。
四：有何責任要負？刑責？？？如否，是否說來多餘？

我對大學生沒甚麼崇高期望。反而議員，至少也應擁有常識。

算吧，張議員是工能組別的產物，和黃中指及廿蚊張是同類。

In the Gutter - 20101109

In his latest article on Apple Daily, Mr T L Tsim quoted one of Oscar Wilde's maxims, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars".

The image is romantic. Particularly at the time of Wilde, pace was slower, sky was darker, and the stars were more shiny.

Today, in Hong Kong, however, we have to search for stars. The contamination of light is so serious. Sky scrapers that are full of bright spots, laser light that fills the Victoria harbour, and homes that are occupied with late sleepers. Hong Kong is a city never sleeps. The night here is so luminous that makes stars dull.

And the gutter here is overcrowded. With more and more mainlanders move in, buying either milk powder, i Pad or luxury apartment, the gutter is not only packed, but also filthy, stinky and noisy. Under such circumstance, not many people would still dare to look up the sky, in case we would smell others breathe.

And stars. Where are the stars? We are used to treating everything that glitters as nothing but gold.

百物騰貴 - 20101108

為飲宴張羅一件恤衫，慨嘆百物騰貴。

只想買一件普通白恤衫，再加少許細節，例如有些黑線，或加些領花，僅此而矣。去過百利，一件起碼三、四百元，質地奇差，手工別提，還要充滿MK味。到Giordano的Concept One走一轉，嘩，嚇死，還以為到了甚麼名店呢，五、六百元才有交易。本想放棄，隨便找一件舊恤衫便算。昨天，無心插柳到G2000看看，反而完成任務。但是，也要放低二百多元。

也不知道多少年沒有走進G2000了。偏見是此店都是老套廉價東西。再者，也沒有多少穿suit的機會。直至昨天，才知道它改變不少。設計是改進了。而且，縱是沒有減價，逛店的人也不少，大陸人可能佔一半。進更衣室，臭狐味彌漫，中人欲嘔，難為了長駐於此的售貨員，他們應獲逆境工作津貼。也可能因此，和早幾年比，價格也提高了不少呢。

再想想，生活上很多東西都賣貴了。樓是永遠的黃腫腳。食呢？我喜愛的黃興記豬手撈麵，一年內已加價兩次，由廿八蚊加到三十，再到近期的三十二蚊。地鐵、隧道費樣樣加。衣食住行，無一幸免。

不加的，看來只有人工，頂。

Bitterness - 20101104

During today's lunch, one of my colleagues muttered at the bitterness of her coffee. She has already added a bag of sugar in her drink. I opted for the same stuff, sugar free as usual, and enjoyed it alone.

When did I savour the taste of bitterness? The answer could never be told. I guess I was quite used to this unpleasant taste, even in my young age. To quench coughing, bitter Chinese herbal soup was my routine recipe. However, the assimilation of bitterness only started in recent years. The most obvious reason is the recede of sharpness of my aging tongue. Now, I would comfortably quote black coffee and balsam pear as two of my favorite food.

It seems paradoxical for ones to like negative things. Whilst things could be described, like pain, sadness, or the aforesaid bitterness, the "negative" feeling tagged to those things is just generalization or stereotype. Like sadness, the attribute of negativity is easily understandable. Nevertheless, isn't it quite enjoyable to relief oneself through crying in the sadness? Catharsis is omitted.

The Chinese proverb "one who could swallow the bitter of bitterness is the best of the best" could never be testified. However, under the overwhelming tide of sweeties, bitterness is needed to resist the cajolement.

大家樂 - 20101103

近來，大家樂成為眾矢之的。先有「無聲無色」的加價，後有「加人工卻扣飯鐘」之舉。有人因而搞罷吃日。

其實，只要客觀一點點，便知道針道大家樂之無理。

先想一想，有那家店加價會大鑼大鼓的宣傳呢？應該沒有。那麼，大家樂的「無聲無色」，也屬正常不過之舉，何堪吵鬧？市場競爭激烈，亂加價只會趕客。大家樂是上市公司，為向股東交代，管理層萬大事要以公司利益為先，當會珍惜羽毛。

至於「加人工卻扣飯鐘」之非議，亦屬無謂。政府表明，所謂扣飯鐘之舉，並無違法。另外，據大家樂發言人稱，扣飯鐘是行規。即是說，以前給飯鐘錢是bonus。如此吵鬧，是否要迫所有公司不用給「額外」福利員工，否則，他日收回成命，便受批鬥？何況，在「加人工卻扣飯鐘」之後，員工收入，有升有跌，並非全蝕。

政治叫人厭惡在此。如無「最低工資」之壯舉，便無今天聲討大家樂之景象。再者，如果因為罷吃大家樂而改吃大快活、麥當奴等連鎖快餐店，更是無邏輯。因為，他們是一丘之貉。

Reading - 20101102

While travelling by Metro in Taipei, it was discovered that poem(s) and prose(s) were posted, officially, inside train compartment.

People in Taiwan seem to like reading a lot. Those round-the-clocking operating Eslite bookstores prove Taiwanese voracious appetite on books. The Metro's articles are just other pieces of evidence on it.

Hong Kong has always been advocating the tide of reading. However, except the annually-attendance-record-breaking book fair, is there any other trait of book lovers in HKSAR? I am afraid I could not find a bit. While there is free time, at the moment, we just love to fondle our i phones. By either downloading numerous useless apps, or repeating repetitive motions on stupid games, our leisure is filled.

What if MTR does the same thing as Metro Taipei? It would still be quite hopeless, I must say. Sleeping, i phones, or even Cable broadcasting are way too attractive than those tiring literature stuff.

台北行 - 20101101

十月廿二日至廿五日，到台北小歇四天。起初擔心颱風鮎魚直撲，影響行程。猶幸有驚無險，旅途平安愉快。

* * *

十月廿二日(星期五)

乘長榮客機準時於早上十一時許到埗。搭飛狗巴士，由桃園機場去捷運中山站附近，到知名的肥前屋吃一碗鰻魚飯。沿途一片寧靜，一般食店客人疏落。兜兜轉轉，肥前屋終於活現橫巷內。店子古樸，人聲鼎沸。點了鰻魚飯及天婦羅各一客。和香港的冰冷死實鰻魚相比，差天共地。現烤活鰻熱辣軟熟，滋味一流。

飯後，到酒店check-in。是次下榻八方美學，算是間hip hotel。地點方便，步行到捷運站只須五分鐘。房間裝潢簡潔，早餐也不俗，絕對是好選擇。小休，到敦化南路走走。先到明曜百貨，為晚上的自助餐訂座。沿電梯下樓，百貨店無甚看頭。

不過，到敦化南路漫遊，卻是喜出望外。街道井然有序，地舖店子各有個性，就是下著毛毛雨，步行也是趣味盎然。

散步畢，回到明曜百貨吃自助餐，店子曰嚮食天堂。魚生非常新鮮，其他食物選擇極多，價錢只及香港的下午茶自助餐，抵也。

十月廿三日(星期六)

早上乘台鐵到瑞芳，遊玩平溪支線。對慣坐港鐵的我們而言，平溪小火車風味絕佳。單軌行車，路軌穿插民居。穿著整齊的鐵道員於途中查票。有些疑似居民的老婆婆坐在左右。

到過菁桐，閒逛平溪，再蹓躂十分。其實，這些車站都非常「遊客區」，尤其十分。遊人走到路軌上拍照，不能免俗。賣天燈的店如雨後春筍，散落十分站兩旁。吊橋商業味濃。不過，撇開這些吹毛求疵，平溪線是個一天遊的好地方。

在平溪線上，吃過油炸秀珍菇、炭火烤的大腸包小腸及古早味粿，都美味。

回到瑞芳，已是四時許。胡亂選一店吃牛肉麵當遲來午餐。味道實在而不花巧，比永康街的好。

稍息，乘台鐵到基隆。和台北相比，基隆落伍多了。似舊澳門，一出車站便是港口，週邊建築殘舊，味道濃厚。遊基隆的主旨是到廟口夜市。距離火車站約十五分鐘步程，未入其門，已見迫滿遊人。進去，食店分左右兩列整齊地排開。食物各異其趣。左衝右突，吃了一杯土耳其雪糕，煙韌有緻。再到舒國治介紹的十九號店吃魯肉飯。此店異常文靜，店東夫婦默默工作，和隔壁猛拉客的店相比，相映成趣。因為太飽，只吃了魯肉飯及高麗菜，此倆物一濃一淡，實是絕配。

搭台鐵回台北，遊師大夜市。此夜市人更多，九成是年青人。賣衣服的店比賣食物的多太多了。雖則人多，也不是太吵鬧，街道也一貫地清潔。

臨回酒店，吃了Mos Burger。台北的Mos Burger似很受落，廿四小時營業的比比皆是。

十月廿四日(星期日)

早上乘捷運到淡水一遊。淡水就如長洲，本土的遊人頗多。也因為太像長洲，逗留一會已足。

之後，到永康街散步。和敦化南路一樣，永康街也是品味的台北。不過，和一年前比，疑似豪宅零星的、突兀的長了出來，有點美中不足。吃鼎泰豐作午餐，當然美味。不過，香港其實也有很多可堪媲美的店，如金滿庭。

吃飽了，繼續在永康街一帶散步。街上的店子各具個性，和香港千篇一律的商場，分別大多了。就連Birkenstock，也是很型棍的。店外設有金魚池，店裏木具處處，略帶禪意。行到一住宅，頗為搞笑，不知曰「師大禮居」，還是「居禮大師」？後上網查證，應屬前者。

晚上逛西門町。到所謂的潮流集中地 - - - 萬年商業大樓，名牌手袋、波鞋，疑真似假；玩具嘛，毫無興趣。旋即下樓。買了老天祿鹵味和手卷當晚餐，都可口。

十月廿五日(星期一)

因為艋舺，早上到龍山寺。城市如人，應立體多面。如台北，美好一面當是敦化南路、永康街；而陰暗面，龍山寺也可算其一。我們早上十一時到達，在街上見到的中年流鶯，起碼十、八。有些街道，尿燥味濃烈。這裏根本是廟街的deja vu。

想去天母，巴士找來找去也找不到，惟有再去敦化南路，為了度小月。上年一吃，已驚為天人；今次重溫，沒有走味。擔仔麵是吃了兩碗才能止癢，那湯既濃且鮮，想起也流口水。其他炸物如花姿丸、蚵仔，皆乾身味美。

亂逛一會，到誠品稍息。非書類的東西如衫如袋，都不落俗套，但價錢頗貴。霎眼看到一電腦櫈，坐位由厚厚的木頭製，支架鐵造，配滑輪，形態有點樸拙，非常漂亮。在星期一的三時許，看書人也不少，有此客路，怪不得誠品已成台灣icon。臨走看見一堆蔣友柏大頭封面的書，恨得咬牙切齒。

離開，忽然下起雨來。到不知名咖啡店歇腳。後買芭樂與鳳梨酥作手信。

乘飛狗返機場。航程稍延，肚子餓得連飛機餐也極速嚥下了。

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台北真好。吃的多樣，逛的舒適。既有文化氣息，亦不千篇一律。如果有人送我一間永康街的apartment，我也想移居於斯。