也谈简繁体字

最近简、繁体字之争在网上烧的火热，我也忍不住要发表意见。。。

简体字、繁体字，孰好孰坏，我说不上。简体字的优点在于易学易写。我平时写字也以简体字为主，但写自己的姓名却永远都用繁体字。电脑打字则视情形而定，简繁皆用。至于看书嘛，说来好笑，我偏爱繁体字书，原因是简体字书白色部分太多。

很多人认为香港既已回归中国，港人改用简体字是必然之势。我因学摄影而上香港的论坛，却觉得很多港人还是排斥简体字。有的说简体字『睇唔慣』（看不习惯），安装软体选繁体版。有的甚至还把简体字和中国大陆联想在一起。其中一名论坛会员这么说：『見到簡體字可信度馬上打個5折！』这前英国殖民地的人民，只怕不会太快拥抱简体字。

上文提到，简体字的一个优点在于容易书写。但随着中文电脑日益普及，它的优势是否已削弱了呢？

Clueless Malaysian Leaders

As a business student, I have learned that vision is important in mapping a company’s direction and ensuring future success. Many companies have their vision statements (in addition to mission statements).

From Wikipedia:

A vision statement outlines what the organization wants to be, or how it wants the world in which it operates to be. In concentrates on the future. It is a source of inspiration. It provides clear-decision making criteria.

Likewise, the government of a country should have its vision. In 1980s, when the controversial Dr Mahathir was elected the prime minister, he had a vision to make Malaysia a developed nation by 2020. The current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib paraphrases his own vision into two words – 1 Malaysia. While his vision is a wholesome one, it comes four decades too late. Malaysia experienced a bloody racial riot way back in 1969.

And the government is clueless about economy. In 1980s and early 1990s, Malaysia transformed itself from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing one. In late 1990s, however, Malaysia lost the edge to China, which has since become the world’s factory. Until today, the country still hasn’t found a new economic model. Former Prime Minister Abdullah told us to ‘go back to farm’. Agriculture is not bad if we know how to do it the high-tech way. However, I am afraid our farms are not advanced enough.

If Malaysia’s leaders lack vision, their counterparts in Beijing are visionary. Take, for example, China’s bet on clean tech. The Middle Kingdom has the world’s fastest train running from Wuhan to Guangzhou. It is building the world’s largest solar power plant in Inner Mongolia. BYD, the Warren Buffet-backed car maker, was the first company to launch electric vehicles. Beijing’s obsession with clean tech can be explained by the need to reduce pollution, but there are financial incentives too. China is already an important solar panel exporting county, and it wants to be a leader in high speed rail and electric vehicles too.

Back to our country: Malaysia is a tropical nation with ample sunlight. First Solar, the American company which builds the solar power plant in Inner Mongolia, has a factory in Malaysia’s Kulim Hi-tech Park. Why has the government not looked seriously into promoting solar power yet?

Traffic Light

Above: The Way to Heaven


Malaysia has some traffic lights which work in a ‘non-standard’ way. That is: the green light flashes a few times before the yellow light comes on.

Once upon a time, in the city of Ipoh, the abusive police officers issued tickets to motorists who crossed a junction when the yellow light was lit. The obedient Malaysians accepted this as a valid traffic offence. Or they got off lightly by bribing the men in uniform. To help motorists escape fine, the Public Works Department of Malaysia devised a new traffic light system with flashing green light.

In ‘standard’ system, green light means ‘go’, yellow light means ‘prepare to stop’, and red light means ‘stop’. In the non-standard system, however, flashing green light takes on the role of yellow light, while yellow light gives the same message as red light.

Actually, the Public Works Department can install two-set lights without the yellow lamp. That would lower the cost as well as reduce maintenance works. Isn’t that a brilliant idea?

Singapore’s Cosplay Café

One of Japan’s pop cultures which has gained popularity throughout Asia is cosplay – short for costume play. Cosplay fans dress themselves like characters in manga, anime and computer games.

An offshoot of cosplay is cosplay cafés, in which waitresses often dress in French maid outfits. When patrons enter a ‘maid café’, the waitresses would greet them with “Okaerinasaimase goshujinsama”, which means “Welcome home, master!”

Singapore’s A87 Café & Bar is one cosplay restaurant which draws ideas from Japan. Its waitresses dress in angel outfits rather than French maid outfits. The most interesting thing about this café is – for $1 per bite – you can be hand-fed by the waitresses!

Photo by The Straits Time

I have learned that Starbucks doesn’t just sell coffee, or even service. Rather, it sells experience. A87 is another example of experience business.

I know, some of you would see this as gender-discrimination. I personally would feel uneasy being hand-fed…

Guys, do you like to be hand-fed by teenage angels?

Link: Akibanana

Giant’s No Plastic Bag Day

When I saw this banner in front of the Giant Supermarket near my house, I couldn’t stop laughing.

This supermarket used to disallowe its customers from bringing reusable shopping bags into its premises, presumably due to the concern of theft. That was, despite the fact it sold its own brand of reusable bags!

Came 2010, the state government of Selangor announced that every Saturday is ‘No Plastic Bag Day’. This store has no choice but to conform to the new rules…

My feeling has been mixed, though. While I always support using fewer plastic bags, I am not sure if a total ban – on Saturday – is too drastic. I think we still need plastic bags for vegetables and fruits…

Nexus One Google Phone

The hottest tech news in the beginning of 2010 must be the launch of Nexus One smart phone by Google on January 5.

On January 7, I searched the Web for this new gadget. I could see the ‘latest results’ coming in every few minutes.

Nexus One runs on Google’s own Android operating system (OS). This is not the first Android phone, but it generates far more attention than its predecessor. This is by no means that Nexus One is better than those marketed by Motorola or HTC. Rather, Google’s strong brand makes all the difference.

Before the launch of the Google phone, people were asking, “Will it be the iPhone killer?” Now the product is out. Most reviewers think that Nexus One, while very good, still can’t dethrone Apple iPhone.

One advantage iPhone has over the Android phones is that the former has far more applications – more than 100,000 versus about 20,000. However, I suspect Android OS already has some of the most commonly-used apps. As far as average users are concerned, the difference hardly matters. Now, with Google coming into picture, the gap should narrow.

Expect Steve Jobs to respond aggressively.

Are you considering a Nexus One or iPhone?

Random Notes on Singapore

I went to Singapore on the first day of 2010. Last year, I flew to the island republic with Firefly. This time, I made a last-minute decision to travel. Hence, I had to drive.

There were two immigration buildings at the checkpoint – block 1 and 2. I drove through block 2. The immigration officer told me that the ‘road tax’ of my car had expired, and asked me to renew it at the office. I parked my car at the side and walked to the office, but found nobody working there. Thus I had to walk to the office in block 1. The officer in block 1, in turn, went to block 2 to check at my car! The whole process wasted 20 minutes. Singapore’s government is known for its efficiency, but I had experienced its inefficient side!

After leaving the checkpoint, I continued my journey along PIE – Pan Island Expressway. I observed rows of rain trees on both sides of the road, and even ‘on’ the divider. Rain trees shaped like an umbrella, and were very shady. In this tropical nation, they helped to lower the temperature.

By comparison, driving along the North-South Expressway in Malaysia on a sunny day can be uncomfortably hot...

School Uniform

I was reading a book written by Yolanda Chen, a Taiwanese woman who lived in Finland. Her kids were studying in English schools in the Nordic nation. Finland is famous for its education system. Finnish students persistently rank top in international exams. Finnish students do not wear uniform in school. According to Chen, this may have to do with the nation’s history. Uniform conjures up totalitarian rule of Russia in the past.

Like their counterparts in Finland, American students also do not wear uniform. Thailand, on the other hand, goes the other extreme. In the Land of Smile, even university students have to don uniform.

Malaysia takes the middle-way. Primary students and secondary students wear uniform.

I am probably a bit conservative on this topic. I believe that uniform has certain benefits. Imagine this: a student from a well-off family – let’s say her name is Ann - goes to school in branded outfits, and shows off to her friends. Jealous of Ann, another girl – named April – returns home and tells her mother, “Mum, I want Guess jeans for my Christmas!” Such scenario is less likely to happen if uniform is a rule.

However, I do think that uniform is not suitable for tertiary institution. At their age, undergraduates should be given the freedom to express themselves through fashion. Of course, they should adhere to some forms of dress codes. Revealing dress is no-no in classrooms, and students should wear shoes inside laboratories.

So, what do you think? Should students wear uniform?

Japan’s high school uniform: nice, huh?