Man's Last Song - EVENT diary

Man's Last Song
TimeOut Review 19 June 2013 by Laura Besley

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

I recently learned three things from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Hong Kong retreat.

The first thing was mindful eating: chew every mouthful thirty times before swallowing (if the food has not yet disappeared). I had known this for decades, but never put into practice. But during communal meals at the retreat, everyone chewed relentlessly. I did not want to be the first one to swallow, so I munched on doggedly. Then it clicked — a sudden enlightenment!

一行禅师

大概由于福德所限，我对大众化开示布道等活动一向抱有疑惑。今回一行禅师访港，有友人赠票，于是随缘参加。谁料得益不浅，启发良多。

第一个启发是多年来听过不少次，心里亦甚理解，却从未实行的“用心进食”。想不到在禅修营吃了几餐大锅饭，便突然“顿悟”。营友们每口饭都尽量嚼磨至少30下，我唯有本着人家不吞我也不吞的精神，死磨烂嚼，想不到有所得着。

Midlife Triad (Part 1 of 2)

Midlife Triad and other excellent stories by Hong Kong based writers can be found in the HK Writers Circle Anthology: Of Gods and Mobsters.

WHEN Dragon Arm Ah Wah arrived at Dorm L1 of the Tong Fuk Correctional Institution, I was stretching in bed, breathing into my knee tendons.  

Each evening, I’d do some gentle yoga to prepare my body for the damp hard bed, and to create a little mental space while young inmates built up an evening cacophony. The room, nearly full, could incarcerate up to twenty-eight in fourteen bunk beds.

One could tell from his calculated gait — unhurried and confident — that Ah Wah had walked into more troubling situations before. His tiny round eyes, deep-set and intense, scanned the room as he came through the door, taking snapshots. They were cool and alert, but not hostile, even cautiously friendly.

The de facto head inmate Fat Shing, a quiet 30-year-old Wo Kee Gangster bearing an image of the Wheel of Fortune on his back, told him which beds were available. He took the one across the central aisle from mine. The kids’ quarter, though only a few feet away, was nominally noisier. He must have had taken note of that in just a few short minutes. Before settling down, he gave me an assessing glance so quickly that I did not have time to offer a smile back. 

After expertly laying out the military blankets, he took off his shirt, revealing a blue dragon caught in a web of bulging veins, entwining his right upper arm. Dragons, tigers and eagles used to be standard body adornments in gangland. Now they have become classic. Judging from the young ones in the room, nearly anything goes these days: Wheel of Fortune, Tree of Life, Mickey Mouse, Buddha, Popeye. One guy had a plum blossom bonsai across his back. His sobriquet was — as would be expected — Plum Blossom. I was at first surprised that a thug by profession, not gay, not even effeminate in manner, would call himself Plum Blossom; but what did I know. 

Time had changed everything, sparing nothing, not even the underworld.

Ah Wah’s dragon looked weary, slightly crinkled, not as assured as its host.

Midlife Triad (Part 2 of 2)

Midlife Triad and other excellent stories by Hong Kong based writers can be found in the HK Writers Circle Anthology: Of Gods and Mobsters.

Continued from Part 1 of 2 : http://guo-du.blogspot.hk/2013/05/midlife-triad-part-1-of-2.html

So, the first time Ah Wah served in TC, he was fifteen. It was 1983.

The “man” he “slaughtered” was a scrawny Wo Kee kid a couple of years his junior. Thin like a matchstick, his dull yellowish complexion reminded Ah Wah of the greasy preserved ducks his mum used to hang out the window to air on a nice day, except not as lustrous. He was mentally and physically desiccated; no doubt a precocious junkie due to die anytime soon of any excuse. “I became that excuse. Shit karma,” he said, apparently still sore about the injustice of fate.

蛊惑仔的中年危机（上回）

英语版蛊惑仔 Midlife Triad 和其它香港作家的精彩故事，可以在以下链接或 Dymocks 和 Amazon 购买 HK Writers Circle Anthology: Of Gods and Mobsters.

当曾经一度打遍尖沙嘴，江湖上人称 “尖嘴四小龙” 之一的阿华第一次走进塘福惩教所 L1 监仓的一刻，我正在床上拉筋，全神贯注呼吸，气运膝盖，对抗风湿。

每天晚上，当年轻犯人们兴高采烈大话当年的时候，我都会着做些轻松的床上瑜伽，把老骨头整理，准备面对睡眠。我还未完全适应监狱潮湿坚硬的床版。没有足够的“热身”磨合，很难入睡。L1有14张双层“碌架床”，最多可以容纳28个囚犯。

阿华跨过门坎的一刻，有如一个几十年第一次回家的的游子，目光流露着复杂的感情，在陌生了的环境中找寻熟识的过去。不慌忙的步伐，表现出他是见过场面的人，像塘福这种的地方，没有什么大不了。细小而警惕的眼睛，藏在深深的眼窝底，像洞穴里发光的兽眼，虎视着外面的动静。他一手抱毛毯，一手拿着透明塑料袋，里面有些合规格的日用品，在门口顿了一顿，把房间里的情况打量了一眼。一眼就足够了。他似乎对周围的环境比较放心，眼神稍为松懈，甚至带几分试探式的友善。

L1 的总代表“肥星”过来跟他打了个招呼，指出几张空置的床位。肥星大约三十岁，是个寡言的“和记”会员，背上纹有“命运之轮”。健康的牢狱生活令他减了磅；命运之轮缩了水，看上去像洩了气的塑胶沙滩球表面的花纹。阿华挑了我对面的床位，与我相隔一条一米多的通道。年轻的黑帮——所谓蛊惑仔——都喜欢靠里面一点的床位，离开门口的监视窗和厕所较远。虽然二十多人共处一室，声音并无遮挡，然而近门口的都是年纪较大的囚犯，心理上觉得相对宁静。阿华放下铺盖，顺势扫了我一眼。我来不及点头，他已经把上衣脱掉，用熟练的手法把毛毯打开，准备铺床。

他右臂缠了一条瘀蓝色的蟠龙。

从前的黑社会，都喜欢在身上纹上青龙白虎等传统图案，增加江湖味道。现代的蛊惑仔，已经脱离了这些老套花样。摩登三合会会员的纹身，以标奇立异为主，不怎么注重含意或形象。除了肥星的命运之轮，各年轻监趸的胸膛背脊所展示的刺纹，包括了印度教的生命树，迪士尼的米老鼠，佛祖，耶稣，大力水手，豪乳美人，包罗万有。有位相貌堂堂，豪不娘腔的黑道青年，背上花斑斑的刺了一大束红玫瑰。他的绰号理所当然是“红玫瑰”。在未曾沦为阶下囚之前，我绝对不会相信“红玫瑰”竟然是一个跑码头混饭吃的男子汉。很明显，我对黑道上的潮流毫无认识。再者，时间不停的在改变侵蚀一切，连社会里最幽暗的角落，也不会放过。

阿华臂上的瘀龙，看上去意气阑珊，很沧桑，没有它主人的自信。

蛊惑仔的中年危机 （下回）

英语版蛊惑仔 Midlife Triad 和其它香港作家的精彩故事，可以在以下链接或 Dymocks 和 Amazon 购买 HK Writers Circle Anthology: Of Gods and Mobsters.

续上回 。 。 。http://guo-du.blogspot.hk/2013/05/blog-post_10.html

阿华第一次进TC的时候，只有十五岁。那是1983年的往事。

他误杀的对象，是一名和记的小喽罗，年纪比阿华小两岁，骨瘦如柴，面色暗淡，黄里透黑，像只过期腊鸭。但家里环境还可以，妈妈全力供养他扮演三合会会员的开支。他的“大佬”也看着他饮饮食食经常埋单的份上，收在门下。这小朋友年纪虽轻，却是个中毒甚深的瘾君子，身心枯萎，是条发育不全的行尸走肉，随时随地都可以随便找个籍口猝死。

“结果我做了籍口！” 阿华悻悻然地抱怨道。

Ethos - A Highly Recommended Video

Ethos, presented by twice Oscar nominated actor Woody Harrelson, dedicated to the American historian Howard Zinn, is one of the best that I've watched. 

This Youtube presentation is more comprehensive and coherent than most, including Zeitgeist, and presented in an easily understandable fashion. The only weakness is the final few minutes. The "solution" suggested seems far-fetched. If consumers could become wise and responsible en masse, they would change their political tragedy directly rather than exercising consumer power. 

I suppose this contrived conclusion is a reflection of the sad and scary fact that there isn't any solution they could utter publicly; but they feel obliged to put forward something "constructive" at the end of this excellent production.   

In a sense, the American people are the first victims of the Money Emperor. The USA, unknowing to most, is de facto an occupied colony, providing labour and arms to fulfill the grotesque ambitions of the Real Powers That Be to rule the world from their invisible throne. 

Here's the link: http://youtu.be/bxI1skgga1U  An enjoyable film to watch in any event. 

Guo Du 1 May 2013

The Mystery of Stupidity

STUPIDITY, a 21st century bliss, seems a Darwinian mystery at first. 

Idiot genes don’t serve any obvious evolutionary purpose, yet are present in prodigious abundance. How did that happen, I wonder? Perhaps people supported imbeciles because they’re cute, or pathetic enough for charity? After all, plenty of garbage DNA, such as those that make pooches, are bred for their adorably lack of intelligence. 

Unfortunately, both conjectures don’t stand up to observation. 

People rarely adore idiots like they do poodles. In fact, even dummies despise idiots. Unlike folks sharing other handicaps, there is little evidence of solidarity among the stupid. A possible reason could be that fools, like us, don’t usually know themselves to be one.

Don’t think it’s sympathy either. Even unconditionally liberal and politically impeccable folks tend to be unkind to idiots. Idiots are simply idiots, more commonly fkng idiots. Few other derogatory remarks are made with comparable contempt and exasperation. People refuse to understand that nobody is dumb by choice, so it’s not really the dummies’ fault.

After much thinking, I still have no clue as to why dunces are so prolific. Perhaps, duh. . . Oh dear. No no no. Don’t be stupid. I ain’t dumb; I can make up two explanations for nearly everything. Let me show you.

愚蠢之谜

愚蠢，这二十一世纪的摩登福气，表面看来是个谜。

用今天的眼光去看，笨因子对人类的进化毫无贡献，却在智人的基因库中坐大，实在令人费解。难道古人觉得笨蛋趣怪好玩，所以收养繁殖？又或许傻人一副可怜相，能够博取大众同情？动物世界中也的确存在不少垃圾染色体, 靠蠢来换取生存空间，开枝散叶。城市里家家户户养着宠着呵护着，每条不足五斤重的尖声小狗便是一个例子。

可惜以上两个猜测都与现实不符。

大家对笨蛋都没有好感，不会待之以“狗礼”或施之以爱心。甚至连蠢猪也不会善待笨蛋，经常大骂 “你妈的死蠢猪！” 。我看不出蠢人之间有任何互助互爱的团结精神。个中原因，可能是蠢人都像我们一样没有自知之明，懵然不知所骂者是同类也！

蠢人有赖社会同情而生存这个想法也有问题。眼看社会上最有西洋现代感，平常不论事情大小，不分青红皂白，一律长期充满正义感的人士，也经常开口批评，甚至辱骂各界愚公。难道他们不明白世上没有人自愿笨拙的吗？愚笨既是天意，出于无奈，却为何得不到他们的谅解呢？

苦想不通之余，我开始怀疑自己。莫非笨蛋远在天边，近在眼前，就是镜中。。。不会不会。我自小聪颖，事无大小都有两番理论，又怎会是只大笨蛋呢？千万不可胡思乱想，妄自菲薄！

“蠢者生存” 这个社会现象，似乎与达尔文先生的进化论大相径庭。不过再经分析，则觉得此乃一时异变，长远还是逃不出物竞天择的天罗地网的；时辰未到而已。

Living Ghosts

The following report from Aljazeera (warning: contains disturbing graphics and disgusting content) offers a glimpse of one of the most blatant and evil war crimes in human history： 

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/03/2013315171951838638.html

Meanwhile, the war criminals lecture to a prodigiously stupid world about human rights, democracy, freedom, and . . . oh well, basically everything about their morality, such as free trade, fiscal policy, and banking principles. Surreal?

I have a few stupid questions myself:

What have the Iraqis done to deserve this? Even a tiny fraction of this (assuming all news reports are exaggerated, though the figures reported here are most likely an underestimation by about half)? Is it Weapon of Mass Destruction? Not being involved in the unspeakable terrorism behind the 911 controlled demolition?

Aiya, I’m so annoying. Just a misunderstanding okay? Big deal! 

Perhaps the addled Human Rights Champions who zapped Iraqis of all ages and gender with depleted uranium munitions by mistake would at least say sorry? (BTW, have you read my super-short story APOLOGY? What a joke!) Hmm, if little Japan is not applogising for slaughtering more than 20 million, is Big USA going to express regrets over a mere million? And Iraqis? That doesn’t sound reasonable does it? Lest anyone doubt American resolve, the US Government refuses to even disclose details of their massive bombing campaigns, making clean-up attempts near impossible.

What about the heartless apologists for the war criminals? They voted them into office, and continue to defend their atrocious policy even with hindsight. Do they have Iraqi (forget Afghan and Libya and  . . .) blood on their hands?

I know many informed Americans are just as disgusted about this as anyone else; but they are the minority, and are powerless, as is increasingly the case in democracies. Would it be more conscientious for them to actively refuse partaking in election charades in the future, endorsing one of two effectively identical puppets with separate voice boxes? Should they refrain from reflexively echoing the sales speeches of Democracy from now on?

活冤魂：http://guo-du.blogspot.hk/2013/04/blog-post.html

Guo Du 14.4.2013

活冤魂

Aljazeera 的这篇报导 http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/03/2013315171951838638.html（小心：内有令人呕心照片）对当代人权民主老大在伊拉克的暴行作出了简短介绍。与历史上科技落后的战犯相比，老大的杀伤力当然前无古人！不过更令人惊叹的，不是杀人如麻的武器，而是当今世上的超级蠢人！他们被老大悉心繁殖培养之下，头脑笨，声浪高，忠心耿耿，是股大势力！老大和喽罗们屠杀抢掠完毕，纵火强奸之余，照例口沫横飞地指导世人有关民主人权的重大道德问题。世人不单只没有喷之以饭，还听得津津有味，频频点头称是，蔚为奇观。

我还有好几个愚蠢的问题，老想不通：

伊拉克人究竟犯了什么太岁，搞到如此下场呢？因为没有大杀伤性武器？因为与911背后灭绝人性的恐怖阴谋拉不上关系？还是因为藏油量太高？

哦，既然是一场误会， 老大来句 sorry 了事，伊拉克大方一点，过往恩怨一笔勾销又如何？混帐！小日本屠宰两千多万人还没有道歉，要大美国为俱俱百多万伊拉克人（畸形的还三口六面的好好活着，不能计算在内）say sorry？做梦！（有空点击这里看看我的“道歉”笑话）还不止呢！无毒不丈夫：大佬到现在还不肯公开当年狂投貧鈾彈的位置质料，让事后治理工作不能进行，这份跨代式赶尽杀绝的决心，相信连希特拉也要甘拜下风！

我另外还有个疑问：支持这帮战犯，为他们辩护的超级大国公民，把恶毒一票投给他们的选民，手上究竟有没有伊拉克人的鲜血呢？他们和他们的后代，须不须要面对良心和因果报应呢？

虽然有人性的帝国公民仍然不少，但他们始终是少数，在所谓民主的骗局之中，极之无奈。投票无非替后台老板充撑场面，在两个披上人皮的候选政棍之间点指兵兵，毫无意义。既然如此，他们是否应该从现在开始停止惯性地帮口售卖民主膏药，兼且拒绝参与选举闹剧，好对自己的良知有个交代呢？

Living Ghosts: http://guo-du.blogspot.hk/2013/04/living-ghosts.html

过渡 13。4。2013

HK Vista: The Centre 香港现象之：中环中心

It was a rare occurrence: I saw the shot in my mind when passing by during the day, and actually returned with the camera to capture it at dusk. This is a very Hongkong vista to me. Rather than interpreting too much into it, I'd like to just share the colourful contrast with you. 

白天路过路此处时，在脑海中浮现了这个景象。难得的是到了黄昏时分，竟然会拿起照相机跑回去捕捉这个我觉得颇有香江色彩的情景。不过希望与你分享的，是动感丰富的对比，而非太多的联想。

Gravity still exists! -- a small triumph for 911-Truth 英国法官对 911 的间接判决

Three cheers for the Britons who achieved this small but significant recognition of Sir Isaac Newton's laws of statics and dynamics. They are lucky to have judges who recognise the impossible as being impossible; it's not something that can be taken for granted! 

Check out the Architects and Engineers’ latest report on the ruling in Horsham on Monday 18 March 2013. Watch the video interview of Tony Rooke: http://www.ae911truth.org/en/news-section/57-news-releases-by-others/715-small-but-significant-triumph-for-911-truth-activist-in-uk-court.html

911 这出违反牛顿定律的荒诞骗局，经美国工程师和建筑师们十多年来的不懈努力，开始渐露原形。英国法官在 2013年3月18日的判决，间接承认了BBC发有烟大炮的事实，有可能是整件世纪血案的一个转捩点，可大可小。可惜香港的民主应声虫们，没有有足够水平学习它们最崇拜的来路 avtivist 们寻求真相的科学精神。http://www.ae911truth.org/en/news-section/57-news-releases-by-others/715-small-but-significant-triumph-for-911-truth-activist-in-uk-court.html

Kissinger's "On China" - Not Quite A Book Review

Instead of a proper review, this is more like a sketch of the thoughts which struck me while reading Henry Kissinger’s On China.

In the past, writers were often individuals who saw things differently. Being different helped them to highlight alternative perspectives and popular social ills. Once in a while, they turned out to be right, and even listened to; and their visions delivered impact. Nowadays, books are written for a mass market. Guided by publishing preferences, more and more writers build their positions on opinion polls and market surveys. It is therefore refreshing to read Kissinger who, at nearly 90, has neither the time nor incentive to appease popularised prejudice.

并非书评：基辛格的“有关中国”

其实这不是书评，而是读基辛格的“有关中国”（On China）壹书时的少许感受。

从前著书立说的人，多少有几分知识分子的倔强和社会使命感，往往为了针对时弊而不惜对抗潮流唱反调。现代商业社会的文人，写作除了要寻求出版谋生，还希望卖好电影版权上电视，以求名利双收。当今作家的立场和见地，越来越多是因应出版商的意思而建立，迁就着民间爱好和市场调查而出发。基辛格先生年近九十，曾经参予策划大时代的转变，再没有哇众取宠的时间和必要。他的说话除了有亲身经历的权威之外，还有一股罕有的真诚力量。

西方的出版界原则上自由开放，不过想找一本对中国的政治发展比较客观持平的英文原著，绝不容易。一般作家，假使不顺
从企业传媒塑造的“主流意见”，将会扼杀自己在"自由市场"的宣传空间。基辛格名气大，在这方面享有极大优势，所以能够畅所欲言。一般的西方著作多少带点文化偏见去评论中共的革命家和领导人，甚至用现代的西方眼光将他们妖魔化。“有关中国”一书在这方面有些反潮流：基辛格客观地描述这批跟他共同创造过历史的风云人物，将他们人性化之外，更适当地刻画了他们当时面对的严峻环境，和不可分隔的历史背景。

1949年的中国，名字是新的，国家是破旧的。经过了一个世纪的屈辱，由两次鸦片战争，八国联军到日本侵华到长期内战，这个刚刚轮回再世的新国家，一出生已经疲累不堪。外面的先进世界充满敌意。里面的国民饱历风霜，拖着沉重的传统，面对着陌生的国际秩序，彷徨感觉可想而知。当时中国的文盲率高达85％；人均寿命只不过36岁。

Elgin Street and the Old Summer Palace

Sipping sangria in a tapas bar at Hong Kong’s Soho District, looking out the window, one could spend hours watching cosmopolitan humans spewing out one of the world’s longest elevator systems. Next to it, a street sign reads “Elgin Street.” Hardly anybody knows who Elgin was, or what he had done to deserve a street named after him. If not because of a recent deliberation with a quaint academic about Hong Kong’s early colonial days, I would not have bothered to research about him either. By reading up on the history which embroiled the life of this forgotten character, however, I’ve discovered the justice in history.

伊利近街和火烧圆明园

坐在充满不同国家民族色彩的香港苏豪区的一家西班牙餐厅，一边喝 Sangria， 一边看络绎不断，由行人电梯冒出来的各色人种，我可以看上一个下午。在这幅充满活力的浮世绘的旁边是一个小小的路牌，上面用中英文写着“伊利近街”和“Elgin Street”。留意到这条小街名字的人不多。知道个中历史的人更是少之又少了。假如不是最近有位殖民地遗孀出奇地跟我 “辩论” 鸦片战争和早期的香港殖民地景象，我也不会发现 “伊利近伯爵” 这个有纵火狂的大英帝国精英。

春节掠影 Chinese New Year Snapshots

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Snake Year! 

I hibernated during the holidays. But between indulging meals and fitful naps, I did make some notes and jot down a few writing ideas. Slithering through the scattered pages now, I’m discovering that writing doesn’t necessarily work better with organisation. I normally just turn the computer on when an idea strikes me. It’d be done and sent before I have a chance to regret or fully appreciate the pointlessness of it. Now that there’s a list in front of me, all my good ideas look kind of tired, like gourmet dishes that have turned cold and unappetising. Perhaps I’d be hungry enough to reheat one in the microwave in a day or two. 

Meanwhile, a few pictures to mark the New Year. Two of them are by my great friends Anne-Marie and Richard. I'm fully responsible for the goofy titles. 

恭喜发财新年好！

过去一个多星期好像间歇冬眠，在吃喝与小睡的循环中度过。偶尔有个合适的念头出现，便随手拿纸笔写下，等假期过后再处理。谁料现在对着清单上的课题，有如一盘盘凉了的饭菜，算它珍馐百味也失去了原来的胃口。现在才知道写作也得靠一股劲。平常念头一动，便赶紧开电脑动键盘，趁热情未冷把内心的说话写出，来不及自觉多余便完成上载；原来冲动是我写作的一种动力。清单上冷冰冰的几道菜式，可能要再过几天才弄热再吃了。

暂时借几张春节掠影（其中两张是我的老友曲卫东和安玛丽的大作，但标题是我胡乱加上去的）祝大家蛇年身心舒畅，逢凶化吉！

Empty Lantern Flowers 空心灯笼花

“Fishy Talisman” by mon ami Amazing Anne-Marie
朋友安玛丽的大作 “一帆风顺”

New Year Revolution
春节大革命

“Hong Kong Big Bang” by Richard Kok
老友曲卫东大作：爆到七彩

Lucky Hong Kong Birds 幸福的“港鸟”

Hong Kong’s suffocating pollution, human density and hyperactivity are well known. Less known are its pockets of natural beauty which only exist to those who look. These pictures were recently taken by Richard Kok at Yuen Long.After the pictures is a little story about Lucky HK Birds.

香港混浊的空气，稠密的人烟和过敏的社会神经是人所共知。鲜为人知的是香港还有很多优美漂亮的大自然。这几张照片是我的老友曲卫东最近在元朗拍到的。在美丽的照片之后，我有个关于“幸福小鸟” 的闪灵小故事。

F l a s h  F i c t i o n :  Lucky Hong Kong Birds

A mere forty-minute drive away, in busy  Central, sparrows and pigeons were having a sophisticated meal next to an affluent garbage bin, twittering. They momentarily scattered when a sweaty man in three-piece suit walked hurriedly by. He threw a colourful paper bag at the bin and missed. A pigeon expertly unwrapped it. “Look! More than half a burger!” A few of his friends fluttered in to join.

“Humans often don’t  finish their lunches on muggy days like this.” An old pigeon commented insightfully. “When they sweat, they lose appetite.”

“We should be thankful for these ready meals you know,” a chubby one said, pecking leisurely at a piece of fish burger a scrawny lady on high-heels had deposited. “Little egrets up north have to hunt their own fish. Sometimes they fly and fight all morning without catching even a minnow.”

“And when they do, they eat it raw, without ketchup,” said a little sparrow with a chunk of buffalo fries between beak. “Can you imagine swallowing a live fish, feeling it wriggling all the way down your throat?”

“Yuk! That’s barbaric. Disgusting. I wish some animal-right activist would do something.”

The old pigeon hopped on top of the garbage bin with a full stomach, gazing northward with compassionate eyes. “The humans are building more cities up there. Let’s hope the poor egrets would be able to eat like us civilised birds one day soon.”

闪灵短篇：幸福的港鸟

离开元朗不过40分钟车程，在繁荣热闹的中环，有几只麻雀和白鸽在富裕的垃圾箱旁共进午餐，吱吱喳喳地谈天说地。一个身穿“三件头”西服，打着领带，满头大汗的男人匆匆而过，打断了它们的话柄。那男人顺手把一个纸袋扔向垃圾箱，但并未命中。一头鸽子熟手地把纸包弄开：“看！大半个汉堡包！” 它的几只朋友连忙半跳半飞过来分享。

一只阅历丰富的老鸽说道：“今天天气闷热，有体面的人胃口都会较差。”

“大家应该感恩我们每天三餐无忧哦，”一只胖得差不多飞不起的白鸽一边说，一边吃着刚才一位拉直了脚踝穿高跟鞋的女士扔的鱼柳包：“北方的小白鹭还要自己觅食。飞一个早上，又打又叫，弄得一身湿透，有时候连鱼毛也抓不到一条。”

“就算抓到也要生吞呢！” 一只叼着薯条的麻雀尖叫道。“酱汁也没有。你可以想像吞食一条活生生在喉咙里拼命挣扎的鲜鱼吗？”

“哎唷！别说了！太恐怖太野蛮了！简直是虐禽！为什么没有维护动物权益的人出来说句话，做点事情呢？”

那老鸽刚吃够了，一跃跳上垃圾箱顶向北凝望，眼中充满感慨和同情。“听闻他们会加快北部城镇化。但愿那些可怜的白鹭很快便可以像我们一样幸福，有文化有尊严地吃饱肚子吧！”

过度 22.01.2013

Hong Kong's Colonial Flag

“Never the Twain Shall Meet” at the Post Magazine was last week’s Editor’s pick.

The article contrasts the opposing views of Niall Ferguson and Pankai Mishra on the contribution and influence of the Anglo-American social-economic model on emerging Asian countries and ex-colonies. 

Ferguson who seems to shoulder a phantom “White Man’s Burden” is happy that some of Asia’s “success” is due to practices downloaded from the “West”. Naturally, he would be right to a certain degree; there were many things the world could learn from the Anglo-American century. But everyone has been learning from each other since alien tribes came into contact. The Arabs helped Europe’s theocracies to emerge from the Dark Ages by reintroducing mathematics, astronomy, even Greek philosophy. Japan was culturally indebted to China for nearly everything before redirecting its emulating talents at America. 

The “benefits” cited by Ferguson are dangerously shortsighted. In the long-term, a consumption and growth based economy is anything but “beneficial”. However, anyone who dares to slow down in this globalised game of collective destruction would be enslaved and consumed RIGHT NOW. The inventors (and enforcers) of the rules of this game have not done any human a favour, so should not expect a “thank-you card”.

殖民时代香港旗

南华早报最近的一篇文章 “Never The Twain Shall Meet” 是两位作家对于“西方制度” 对亚洲国家和前殖民地的影响和贡献的相反论调。这两位作家是热衷帝国旧梦的 Niall Ferguson 和印度裔的 Pankai Mishra。

其实国家民族之间一向互相学习，并不值得大惊小怪。一个聪明的国家会视乎国情，把人家的长处吸收，敝处借鉴。比较笨的可能会由于偏见或傲慢而自封。更愚蠢的则把人家的一套不论好歹，合适与否也照单全收，自寻死路。

新“发展”国家的经济体系均有西方“资本主义”的影子，是十分自然的事。英美帝国过去一两个世纪的成功有其原因；有很多地方值得学习。Ferguson 为此感觉自豪，我也替他开心。不过假如他认为亚洲国家和前殖民地有今天的成功，要多谢前帝国霸权的殖民政策的话，则欧美应该跟阿拉伯国家叩头才对。当欧洲从黑暗迷信的中世纪苏醒过来的时候，全靠阿拉伯人把天文，数学，甚至曾被一把圣火烧掉的希腊哲学，再次介绍给西方，间接把他们引领到科学逻辑的轨迹上发展。至于日本嘛，在未曾把抄袭改良的天份西向之前，欠下中国的文化债简直多不胜数，难道又会向中华文化说声 “阿哩咖多”？

再者，Ferguson 所指出的“好处” 带有强烈偏差，目光也比较短浅。帝国列强所定下了的国际经济“游戏规则”，现时是顺者暂生，逆者即亡。这是历史带下来的客观现实。从长远的角度看，Mishra 对“肆意资本主义” 的定论是正确的，后果也是必然的。越来越多的消费社会，早晚会为了争夺日益短缺的天然资源拼个你死我活。相反地，Ferguson 相信“有钱能使鬼推车”，认为资本主意激励出来创意，自然会解决人类面对的种种困难。这想法很天真，对环境极限和人类的相对渺小似乎了解不足。

Till Death Do Us Part 生死相许

Plant Romance: Till Death Do Us Part

落叶岂无情     生死两相依

End of the World 2012

I wondered why I had come to yet another alumni gathering. Year after year, we repeated the same dumb stories on things we might have done thirty years ago, to the best of fading memories, and laughed with undiminished vigour. Luckily, I was seated next to Ah Ken during dinner. I knew I could count on him to disrupt our pathetic nostalgia. I wondered why he had come as well. 

“The world’s ending next week again,” he said when appetiser was served.“How are you guys spending the last few days?” We were at the end of a long table with Vincent and Jill.

To my surprise, Vincent seemed instantly animated. “We—” being devout and single, his “we” referred to the tribally specific Brotherhood of Dongguan Christians “— will be dining together on the 21st.” He answered through a mouthful of salad, flashing a kaleidoscopic mixture of masticated lettuce and colourful capsicums.

“You guys plan to enter Heaven as a tour group?” Ah Ken asked. 

“That’s right,” Vincent replied good-naturedly, sucking his teeth.

世界末日2012

我又不期然地参加了今年的旧生会聚会。一班从小相识却平时甚少往来的初级老人家，每年一聚，重温三十多年前的傻事，却一年比一年笑得投入。再过几年，部分人开始老化的眼膜，将会在笑声中不随意地落泪了。幸好今年我被安排坐在阿坚旁边。他可能是最能够摆脱这 “话当年” 困局的人。

今年搞新意，食西餐。阿坚和我，阿娇， 和自幼虔诚，绰号“神棍”的沈冠坐在长饭桌之末。刚上沙拉之后，坚仔突然发问：“还有几天又世界末日了，大家有什么打算？”

想不到他的一句戏言，引起了沈冠一阵的兴奋。他来不及咽下口中的沙拉，便抢答道：“21号晚我和团契弟兄们会一齐食饭。” 语气带有身负重任，所以 “不好意思，先走一步” 的告辞意味。他口中的生菜和各种灯笼椒经过局部咀嚼，五色缤纷，乍看有如拆散了的万花筒。

阿坚问：“你们打算组团登天堂？”

沈冠似乎不觉得被讽刺，咂着牙齿，神气十足地答了一声 “没错！”

Update 911, Nazis, and Cultural Revolution

Truth seeking is a human spirit most amazing to some, but damn annoying to others. 

For centuries, European scientists who pointed out Earth was not the centre of the universe got thrown into Papal dungeons, but they never gave up. One wonders how something so plainly observable, once shown, could have been rejected by Galileo’s learned peers. Whatever the reason for their blindness, it is still with us today, more prevalent than ever. 

More than 10 years after the 911 drama, some continue to question how the impossible happened. Many have a background in science and engineering. They face professional pressures from government contracts, and get arbitrarily labelled “conspiracy theorists” by those who wish the issue would just go away.

The following Danish production (with English sub-titles), is an intelligent presentation of the painfully obvious that the world has chosen not to see. The professor in it said ignoring the truth threatens our civilisation. It certainly does. But the Tolstoy quotation at the end summed up the apathy and blindness well.

It's a short video: http://undergrounddocumentaries.com/911-the-sensible-doubt-a-danish-view-of-911-full-version/ 

If you like it, do consider making an exception and circulate it. That unfortunately is the only way to breach the Iron Curtain drawn over the "Free World", by the "Free Press". 

Another “conspiracy theorist” is Ferdinando Imposimato, the Honorary President of the Supreme Court of Italy, former Senator who served on the Anti-Mafia Commission in three administrations, author or co-author of seven books, and a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy.

An excerpt of a letter written by him (http://www.journalof911studies.com/resources/2012-September---Imposimato-letter.pdf) has been posted by a group of American architects and engineers who have been corrupted by (anti-American?) ideas such as gravity, mass balance, thermal dynamics, symmetry etc. at AE911Truth: http://ae911truth.org/ 

These days, more and more “Conspiracy Lunatics” are from the normally conservative professional elite, I wonder why.

In addition to the reasons previously speculated in Why People Believe in 911, I have observed that the majority, regardless of education level, would hesitate to call black black if they think (think?) that everyone else is calling it white. Eventually, mind over matter, black becomes white through the sheer power of flock mentality. Politicians who know how to manipulate this democratic distortion can use it to release greatly destructive forces.

I’m beginning to understand how civilised and disciplined Germans could become Nazis, and normally homey Chinese who had spent all their lives avoiding troubles and confrontations could feed the frenzy of a Cultural Revolution.

UPDATE April 2013

Skyscraper Engulfed By Fire, Does Not Collapse  http://www.infowars.com/skyscraper-engulfed-by-fire-does-not-collapse/ …

Comparing with WTC Building 7 (the fainthearted building that collapsed by itself at near free-fall speed without even being hit during the 911 drama), this skyscraper in Checnya is evidently superior. For safety reasons, and to prevent loss of American lives, the US should adopt Chechen building technology until its own has caught up。

Guo Du 10.12. 2012
8.04. 2013

Chinese Version: 911, 纳粹党与文革：http://guo-du.blogspot.hk/2012/12/911.html