自古以來

香港作家陶傑是個不折不扣的『大漢奸』。

在《人格魅力》一文中，他這麼寫：

1960年，法國總統宣布讓北非的阿爾及利亞獨立。然而阿爾及利亞的一批極右法國愛國軍官不服。他們不滿戴高樂分裂國土，認為阿爾及利亞、摩洛哥、突尼西亞『自古以來』都是法國領土的一部分，總統讓這些當年拿破侖之後并吞的殖民地獨立，大逆不道。『愛國』的大旗舉起來，法國人都覺得有點道理。

為何陶傑在『自古以來』四字前後加上括號呢？很明顯的，他是在映射中國陳腔濫調的說法：『西藏、新疆、臺灣自古以來都是中國領土不可分割的一部分。』說到愛國，除了韓國人，又有誰比得上中國人？

陶傑繼續寫道：

後來戴高樂開腔了。他解釋為甚麼要讓北非獨立，因為時代變了；為甚麼阿爾及利亞應該自主，因為北非本來是武力搶來的，不是法國的領土。然後，戴高樂用低沉的聲調高呼：『法蘭西萬歲！』張開雙臂：『法國的每一位公民，請幫助我！』

當然，中國應該爭取民心，以和平的方式力保領土統一。但如果藏民和新疆少數民族堅持獨立，中國人應該以平常心看待。英國人、法國人、荷蘭人、俄羅斯人都經歷過殖民地獨立或國家分裂的痛苦，但他們并沒有因此而倒下去。

P/S

在今天，巴黎國際機場就叫戴高樂機場。法國人並沒有把這位前總統視為『法奸』。

Half-Generation Gap

I came across a blog of a young lady recently. She had just completed her undergraduate study, but was reluctant to search for a job. Procrastination – that’s how she described herself.

After years of working, I returned to school to take up MBA. I observe that many younger students, like the blogger just mentioned, are in no hurry to earn money.

How things have changed! When I was an undergrad, many students secured a job before they even completed their study. I personally reported to duty one month after my last exam paper.

Is the younger generation spoiled? Do they lack work ethics? Or perhaps the older generations simply work too hard. We do not know how to “enjoy life”.

In whatever the case, I strongly believe the youths who don’t work should make use of their free time wisely. They can, for example, be social workers helping the less fortunate people. Alternatively, they may want to travel around the world – like what Kikey is doing – and come back with their stories.

My advice to the younger generation is:

Don’t be idle. You are only young once.

Evening Edition

The two Chinese characters read “evening news”.

Despite the availability of online news, I still read the traditional, printed newspapers. However, I find that, more often than not, I read them in the evening.

My typical workday is like this:

I leave my house at 7.30am. On my way to the office, I pick up a copy of The Star in the gas station. I flip through a few pages while waiting at the traffic light. Nonetheless, it is only in the evening, after I have my dinner, that I read the newspaper in details.

I can read printed newspaper in the sofa, on the dining table or inside Starbucks. There is some sort of flexibility online news cannot provide. Furthermore, after working in the office for hours, I just wish to take away my eyes from the computer monitor.

Every major newspaper now has online version. Online news slowly, but steadily, eats into the market of the printed versions. Perhaps printed newspapers’ future is in their evening editions.

Portrait - Jan 2009

Shanghai Disneyland – Bad News for Hong Kong?

Just as Hong Kongers lament shrinking of their wealth due to the bear market, the year of 2009 brings another bad news – Walt Disney is going to build another theme park in Shanghai.

The 3 year-old Hong Kong Disneyland is already underperforming. Its visitors largely come from mainland China. Will it survive once the Shanghai Disneyland opens in 2013?

Compared to Shanghai, Hong Kong is at disadvantage. Mainland Chinese require permits to enter the Special Administrative Region, but they can go to Shanghai at any time. Furthermore, Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest of all Disney theme parks. If Shanghai Disneyland is bigger, it certainly will have an upper hand.

As an ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, I understand that Chinese like to compete among themselves. Infighting is common. The building of Shanghai Disneyland exemplifies this characteristic.

Japan has a Disneyland located at Chiba, near Tokyo. Osaka, the third largest city in the country, has a Universal Studio. The two theme parks complement each other. One wonders why Shanghai does not choose to open a Universal Studio instead.

Hong Kong Disneyland - will it survive?

Related post:

揽住一齐死

Causes on Facebook

I came across this report in a newspaper:

One recent controversy is that over Sammy the Shark, a young whale shark that was caught in the Arabian Gulf and then transferred to the aquarium at the Atlantis Hotel [in Dubai], which opened [in November 2008] with a 20mil pound party and firework display.

More than 16,000 people joined a Facebook group calling for its release…

- A Waste of Energy, The Star, December 30, 2008

More than 16,000 people joined a Facebook group calling for the release of the shark? So what?

There are many “causes” on Facebook. Some examples are “Stop Global Warming” and “Save the Ocean”. I personally have got a few invitations to support the causes. It was easy to sign up. All I did was just a few clicks. I did not need to fill up a form or make donation. In fact, I didn’t even bother to read the details. Do I have any follow-up actions? You bet!

Back to Sammy the Shark. I doubt the Facebook group made any impact. The Facebook members who signed up did not boycott Atlantis Hotel. (I doubt many of them can afford it anyway.) Nor did they travel to Dubai to stage protest. Why should the hotel management fear them?

Facebook is a hugely popular social networking site, but you just have to know its limitations.

P/S This writer is aware of the global warming issue, but joining the Facebook cause makes no difference to him.

Facebook Stop Global Warming

More than 2 million members, but raised only $29,984. What a joke!

Chinatown Singapore – part III

[Part I, Part II]

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is not shown in my 2005/06 Singapore street atlas. Upon checking on the Internet, I understand that the temple, located at the island republic’s Chinatown, was only built in 2005. It was completed in early 2007.

Entrance...

Ceiling...



Images of Buddha/Bodhisattva...

The New Monopoly

If you want to know how the world is attached to credit cards, just buy the new Monopoly game.

The old game I played when I was a kid used paper money. The new game comes with cards and an “electronic banking unit”.

I am not a fan of the new Monopoly though, for the following reasons:

• It is pricey.
• Transaction with the cards is pretty slow, which in turn slows down the game.
• The players do not know how much value their cards have unless they are read by the electronic banking unit.
• The cards look identical save for their colors.
• The electronic banking unit is fragile.

On top of these, the kids who play the new Monopoly game probably will never understand that “cash is king” and may become slaves of credit card.

酱都有罪？

日前在一个中文部落格看一篇贴子，题目是《不用“酱”，多打一个字会死吗？》，作者是 thepplway，以下为摘要:

~~~~~~~~

我极度讨厌那些轻蔑母语与中文的人，对最好的朋友我也会告诉他们不要污染了纯洁的语文。

有几个字我比较敏感的是这样他们写成酱，这是严重的污蔑了字源与加上对马来西亚华教的严肃斗争中的轻浮态度。

~~~~~~~~

Wah，不是呱，为了酱的小事大动肝火，太偏激啦。。。

于是，我打下了一个留言：

“讨厌”是“讨人厌”的意思，你应该写“我厌恶。。。”

The Case for More Holidays

As a multi-cultural nation, Malaysia has lots of public holidays. There have been calls by politicians and industrialists to reduce the number of such holidays so that Malaysians can be more “productive”. We need to work harder in order to compete with China and India, or so they say.

Unfortunately, as a working adult who studies MBA part-time, I can’t have enough holidays. I spend between 15 and 18 hours every week on my study. Those people who call for fewer holidays probably think that I am very lazy.

Do you still remember that, not too long ago, former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir declared Saturday off for government officers? The move was immediately imitated by the bankers. Dr. Mahathir’s reason for more holidays was to boost domestic tourism.

Consider this hypothetical example:

An amateur photographer travels to every corner of the country during weekends and public holidays. He publishes a book to showcase his works. A European reads his book and finds Malaysia a beautiful country. He decides to spend his winter holidays in this tropical country with his family…

So, is the amateur photographer unproductive?

We can’t compete with China and India on hard work and wages, so we need to compete on ideas. The government, rather than reducing the number of public holidays, should encourage the people to engage in activities that are beneficial and productive.

One thing you can do during the holidays is to be a voluntary social worker...

Chinatown Singapore – part II

[Part I is here.]

Tourists in Chinatown…

Hawker center…

Roasted chestnuts…

Chopsticks…

Stone-carving…

Playing Chinese chess…

How is Singapore’s Chinatown compared to the one in Kuala Lumpur, i.e. Jalan Petaling (茨厂街)? Personally, I find Singapore’s Niucheshui to be more interesting. However, if you want to buy counterfeited goods, Jalan Petaling is the haven.

I noticed that many businesses in Singapore’s Chinatown were run by recent migrants from China rather than local Chinese. Chinese Singaporeans have their own distinctive culture, which is reflected in the Chinatown. It would be a mistake if the government turns it into a Beijing-look-alike.

Comfort Zone

数年前，我在美国工作时，有位同事是中国人，名字叫 Wilson。Wilson 的英文也不差，但他平时上网浏览，都以中文网站为主，周末甚至驱车到华人区买中文报。

大马博客欣子姑娘到泰北旅行，学当背包客。她出发前买了台湾人写的旅游指南，到了当地才觉得书的资料不太适合。或许有人问：“为何她不买 Lonely Planet，毕竟那才是背包客的圣经。”

问题就在这里：欣子姑娘是以中文写作，中文是她的 comfort zone。出国旅行要买旅游指南，很自然的就想到台湾版中文书。

在大马，多拜“华教斗士”数十年来的努力，中文已成为许多华人的 comfort zone。这些人平时阅读的是中文书报，上的是中文网站，看的是港台电视剧，听的是华、粤语歌，偶尔也唱唱《爱拼才会赢》。即使忽然对 Harry Potter 感兴趣，也只会选购中文译本。若是向朋友借了英文原版来，只看几页，就会觉得“周身都唔舒服”。总而言之，英文嘛，能免则免啦。

其实，我也是过来人，中学时不看英文书，阅读的科幻小说、福尔摩斯等等，全部是中文译本。到了中四、中五时补习英文，程度才有提升。大学时，参考书九成都是英文写的，避都避不来。大学毕业时，我总算是走出了中文的 comfort zone。

华教斗士大力提倡母语教育，美其名是多元文化主义 multiculturalism。但是，当他们说什么“华人必须讲华语”，不讲华语就被贬为香蕉人，他们根本就对多元文化不感兴趣。

P/S

No offense to 欣子.

Chinatown Singapore – part I

It had been a long time since I last visited Singapore’s Chinatown, or Niucheshui 牛车水. When I returned to the cultural heart of Chinese Singaporeans on the Boxing Day of 2008, I noticed that it had undergone tremendous changes.

The pre-war shophouses had been restored or torn down and rebuilt. They now look anew, and colorful, as you can see in the pictures below…

I came across a ‘kungfu teahouse’ in the Chinatown. I think it belonged to a chain with headquarter in China…

The three Chinese characters on the side of the table read “Shaolin School”…

As we all know, the Shaolin Temple in China is noted for its monks who practiced martial art.

Shaalin kungfu belongs to a category known as ‘external style’, or hard style. In contrast, Wudang School’s soft martial art is of the ‘internal style’. The kungfu teahouse also has one table for Wudang School…