10打之1

69(44)是誰...?

霸王別 Play

@ Saturday 10:00 好天到呢...
網總想點, 霸王6個場又唔用.

vanderKamp

I like this guy. He makes me smile. Disclaimer: not that I agree with whatever he says.

High-speed rail a costly joke for sake of national pride
Jake van der Kamp
South China Morning Post, 24 April 2008

"Hong Kong will become the southern gateway to the nation's high-speed rail network with the approval yesterday of a HK$39.5 billion plan to build an express rail link to the border."
SCMP, April 23
This project had a cost figure of HK$15 billion when first mooted. It is now HK$39.5 billion, even before the detailed surveying gets under way. Any takers on HK$60 billion before the first concrete is poured?
Let's do an item by item review of some of the things said about this white elephant in our report on the news yesterday:
"Services will begin in 2015, halving the journey time to Guangzhou to 48 minutes."
Well, not quite to Guangzhou. The existing rail link may take you to the centre of the city but the terminus for this new one will be the Shibi station, well south of the city centre.
And not quite to Hong Kong either. The terminus on our side will be somewhere in West Kowloon, at present the site of much compacted mud and little else aside from government promises of a transport hub. This it will indeed have to be, as there is no reason to stay there. When you get off this new train, you will want to find something else to get on again immediately.
"'We are optimistic about this line as we expect users of the line to include patrons of the West Kowloon arts hub.'"
That was Transport and Housing Secretary Eva Cheng speaking and I am now obviously compelled to withdraw, retract and take back my previous comment that there is nothing to do in West Kowloon. Within just a few years, West Kowloon will be the featured site of Brazilian pottery exhibitions and shows of Romanian modern art.
I can't wait and neither, obviously, can millions of mainland tourists. Our transport facilities in that part of Kowloon will be inundated, just swamped, you hear me, by the throngs waiting to get through the turnstiles of those art museums. We need that new rail link now. Thank you for seeing the need in time, Ms Cheng.
"Trains will operate at an average speed of 200 km/h."
Elsewhere we have that as a maximum speed and I also see a reference to a maximum speed of 160 km/h within Hong Kong, which isn't really very high at all for a train.
But you know the sudden ka-pop you feel in your ears when the Airport Express gets to the tunnel at Tsing Yi. This new line will be mostly tunnel and I wouldn't mind hearing what aerodynamics engineers have to say about energy bills, leave alone sore ears, when a train pushes a column of air through a long and narrow tunnel at more than 200 km/h.
Oh, but of course we don't need to build it as a narrow tunnel. We'll build it big and wide, Chunnel style, with cost overruns to match.
"The MTR is expected to pay HK$28.1 billion for the operating rights."
Well, of course it was the MTR Corp that got stuck with this one. In case you hadn't realised it, our bureaucrats have long given up on even the pretence that the MTR is a joint stock company with obligations to give its private shareholders a proper return on their investment.
As another joke, the government assumes there will actually be a profit from this line. They haven't even come up with a fare structure yet. They first have to negotiate it with mainland authorities, which will mean low fares, particularly as mainland authorities don't care about petty things like cost and Hong Kong is committed to it anyway.
Eva, I have a question for you. If the government is to take most of the profits (hah-hah), is it also prepared to compensate the MTR for net losses? And, by the way, madam, have you taken into account that the MTR's existing East Rail service makes all its money by stinging passengers outrageously when their final destination is the border?
If this new line undercuts the East Rail fare structure with its stop in Shenzhen, you will have another financial drain on the MTR to take into account. If not, you will have to take account of rising competition from much cheaper cross-border bus services. Have you thought about these conundrums?
Let's be frank about it. We are to build this line because Beijing wants a high-speed rail network across the country. This has more to do with national pride than with economic sense, but we in Hong Kong are happy to fall in line because our government needs to keep functional constituencies sweet, which is done by wasting taxpayers' money on otherwise pointless infrastructure projects.
We have the money, however, as we have the obligation to be obsequious to Beijing bureaucrats and the need to keep political factions with crucial votes quiet this way. I understand it. I only wish that just once it would be billed for what it is.

Whose Fuels

Reminded me the cover story at TIME 2 issues back, about biofuel and crops production.

Food price surge a blessing, not a curse
Tom Holland
South China Morning Post, 21 April 2008

To most people, the current surge in global food prices is a disaster in the making. Just last week, for example, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for urgent international action to tackle rising prices. Meanwhile, Premier Wen Jiabao ordered his government to step up efforts to fight inflation after food prices on the mainland rose 21 per cent over the year to March.
But despite the widespread air of panic, not everyone agrees that higher food prices are a bad thing, at least for China.
According to Stanford University agricultural economist Scot Rozelle and his collaborator Huang Jikun of the Centre for Chinese Agricultural Policy, rising food prices represent nothing less than "an opportunity for China to eliminate rural poverty completely".
Dr Rozelle has no doubt at all why Chinese food prices are rising so steeply. He blames the US government's misguided subsidies for biofuels.
With the price of oil at a record high of US$117 a barrel, as much as 40 per cent of the US corn crop is now being used to produce ethanol, says Dr Rozelle, crowding out food and animal feed cultivation.
As a result, prices are going up. "What happens to the oil price happens to food prices," he says (see the first chart below).
And what happens to international food prices happens in China. Dr Rozelle has little patience with the often cited argument that because China only imports 1 per cent to 2 per cent of its food, domestic prices are not affected by international fluctuations.
He points out that although the state interferes in the pricing of some staples such as wheat and rice, most food prices are set by the market and there are few barriers to international trade. As a result, prices in China closely follow global food prices (see the second chart below).
With energy prices expected to remain high indefinitely, that means China had better get used to more expensive food for the foreseeable future. Unlike most observers, however, Dr Rozelle and Dr Huang believe higher food prices have positive implications - provided Beijing can resist the temptation to tinker with the market.
Although higher food prices are not popular with city-dwellers, with wages rising at close to a 20 per cent annual rate, few urban workers have been left substantially worse off by the recent increases, says Dr Rozelle.
In contrast, the structural shift to more expensive food driven by rising energy prices will encourage investment in the agricultural sector and significantly raise rural incomes.
So far, Beijing has sought to keep a lid on grain prices by selling from reserves. But that is short-sighted, argues Dr Rozelle. For one thing, the policy cannot continue indefinitely and, for another, by artificially holding down the price of grain, the government is encouraging farmers to switch to other crops such as soya bean, which risks creating a grain shortage in the future.
If Beijing would just butt out and leave the market to do the work, the fundamental structural shift in global agricultural markets driven by energy prices will help narrow the income gap between China's cities and countryside and go a long way to alleviating rural poverty. Now that would hardly be the disaster so many observers are predicting.

大陣象

20080404 晚飯 @ 九龍城

因mud事要勞動3架警車, 2架鐵馬...

原來抄牌啫, 仲要唔係最繁忙阻街嗰幾條食肆街, 而係至邊邊嗰條啟德道, 成條街都係得我地去開間泰菜叫做有啲人氣, 又無咪錶位, 得個細細爛鬼空地俾不知何方人士夾硬做個要放低車匙嗰種所謂"停車場". 我就親眼見過該"停車場"的泊車哥哥撞咗(兩)架車...

一嗌走鬼, 我地間泰菜館湧出十幾廿人, 都幾誇張 - 畢竟間餐廳都係得十零張枱.

完全包抄 feel, 1架警車1架鐵馬停在街頭; 其餘2架警車1架鐵馬就由街尾 'com'上(連同半打咖啡人), 真周到.

清場咗.

愛國

信報, 11 April 2008
左派愛國人士對李柱銘的攻擊有欠公允
練乙錚
信報財經新聞有限公司版權所有

左派及愛國陣營喜歡罵李柱銘是「漢奸」、「賣國賊」，有欠公道，這點早有論者指出，原因當然是中共自身從起家第一天到立國之後，很大程度依賴蘇俄領導及其人力物力支援，就是直到今天，黨國最高領導人還是稱幾位西方共產主義運動之父為「老祖宗」。中共這一切言行，在在說明它本身並不反對「裏通外國」，只要對它有好處，它是隨時願意接受外國領導、按照外國指示進行政治和武裝活動的，唯其如此，中共的革命才能成功，新中國才得以建立。以此比照李柱銘到外國呼籲支持香港民主運動，後者簡直是小巫見大巫。左派愛國人士對李的攻擊，是對自己歷史的選擇性失憶。
筆者花了一些時間搜集有關歷史資料，今天選擇一部分與左派愛國人士重溫一下，希望大家有所反省。為了取信主要讀者，這批資料，全部來自國內或蘇俄，一些是內地學者研究所得、另一些則是九八年莫斯科前蘇共歷史檔案解封後披露出來的，都很有價值。
下面按歷史時間順序，列出中共與蘇俄及其指揮的「第三（共產）國際」的關係中的若干大事：　　
一、中共創黨初期：一九二一年七月，中共召開第一屆創黨大會，決議文中首度提出「聯合第三國際」；翌年召開的第二屆全國代表大會，通過了《中國共產黨加入第三國際決議案》，成為共產國際的「中國支部」。這一決議，非同小可。去年九月，中共中央黨史研究室的姚金果撰文指出：「中共加入共產國際同時，也就接受了《第三國際的加入條件》，其中包括（一）共產國際與各國共產黨之間是上級與下級，領導與被領導的關係；（二）共產國際對各國共黨的指示必須得到執行；（三）共產國際有權將違反紀律的政黨、團體和個人開除；（四）共產國際派往各國的代表有權監督各國共產黨的工作。」這種關係，今天看來，無疑駭人聽聞，但中共始終甘之如飴。姚金果續說：「通過加入共產國際，中國共產黨得到了聯共悉心指導和大力幫助；可以說，中國共產黨探索的每一個步伐，幾乎都伴隨著共產國際的足跡，中國共產黨書寫的每一頁歷史，幾乎都有共產國際的烙印。試想，如果中共當時拒絕加入共產國際，那麼它有可能被反動勢力消滅，被國民黨吞併，或者因內部矛盾而分裂。如果沒有加入共產國際，就不會有中國共產黨的今天。」（註一）。中、蘇共六十年代反目成仇，中共罵蘇共以「老子黨」自居，如今回味當年歷史，「父子之情」卻又油然而生！
二、「大革命時期」的上海工人武裝起義：一九二六年十月到二七年三月，上海工人在中國共產黨領導之下先後發動三次武裝起義。長期以來，人們不知領導後面的推手是誰；莫斯科檔案提供了答案。上海師範大學徐剛撰文指出：「（共產國際特派員）維京斯基確定借助浙江省省長夏超起義（宣布獨立），提出『上海地方非有一次民眾暴動不可』；中共中央遂決定組織上海聯合暴動。」可惜，這次起義失敗了。接下來的第二次暴動，又失敗了；第三次暴動，配合了當時由國民黨領導的北伐軍進入上海，卻成功了。徐剛續說：「上海工人暴動成功後，共產國際和蘇聯作了大量的宣傳報道。三月二十二曰《真理報》頭版（標題說）『上海是我們的了』。上海特別市市民政府成立了，可以說是圓了共產國際的夢。上海工人連續舉行的三次武裝暴動，是得到共產國際的直接指導和具體幫助的，中國共產黨是共產國際的一個支部，中共領導的暴動決策是根據共產國際的指示進行的。」（註二）
三、一九二七年的「秋收起義」：與上海工人武裝起義幾乎同時發生，有湖南、江西一帶的「南昌暴動」和「秋收起義」，前者失敗而後者成功了。黨史說，起義是毛澤東、朱德、周恩來領導的。湖南省瀏陽市文物管理局的何春平指出：「南昌暴動得不到共產國際的支持，相反，共產國際及其代表羅明那茲幫助中共起草了《最近農民鬥爭決議案》，為「秋收起義」的具體實施提供了前提條件。共產國際還專門派出代表馬也爾來長沙，具體幫助湖南省委發動起義。」（註三）　　
讀者有必要知道，當時蘇俄對中國有領土野心，根本不懷好意。一九二一年六月，也就是中共一大召開之前一個月，蘇俄未經中國政府允許，派軍進入當時仍為我國領土的外蒙古，與前沙俄支持成立的「蒙古自治政府」簽訂《俄蒙條約》，承認其獨立權利，外蒙古從此脫離中國版圖。蘇俄此舉，比今天西方各國的行徑壞多了，但中共還是在一年之後甘心成為蘇共在中國的一個支部。（註四）　　
四、抗戰時期：此期間，中共與蘇共一度失去正常交通管道，後來還因斯大林為了與西方國家聯手對付德國，解散了第三國際，中共幾乎失去後盾。儘管如此，由於有中共中委伍修權在新疆、甘肅一帶成立了與第三國際交通線，及時爭取到一些軍事物資和情報，運往延安；此交通線亦是中共高級幹部往返中、俄之間的安全通道，周恩來當年受傷到蘇俄醫治，便是由此線往返。（註五）　　
五、建國之初：二次大戰之後，駐在中國東北威海衛和長春鐵路線上的蘇軍賴著不走，四九年解放後，毛澤東即往蘇京見斯大林，二人於十二月十六日的一段對話，亦在莫斯科檔案中曝光。斯：「我們表面上（遵守雅爾塔協定）維持蘇軍駐守威海衛，事實上可由中國政府提出要求撤軍。長春鐵路駐軍也一樣處理。中國同志不滿意的話，可提異議。」毛：「我們對目前的威海衛和長春鐵路駐軍狀況是滿意的，駐軍符合中國利益；不要修改雅爾塔協定的駐軍條款了，威海衛等地撤軍事不急。」毛真是心領神會。然後二人就談中國向蘇俄借款三億美元的事，斯氏欣然同意。（註六）　　近年中共領導人對馬、列的提法包括鄧小平尊稱馬、列為「老祖宗」（註七）；胡錦濤去年在中央黨校重要講話中亦重複：「我們說老祖宗不能丟，就是馬克思主義不能丟，馬克思主義科學方法和世界觀不能丟。」可見從思想上看，中共至今仍然是一個「外來政權」！
筆者並不完全反對中共當年接受蘇俄領導和援助，因為有些行為是有益於中國反帝、反封建的。同理，中國今天仍有很多人權問題難以解決，個別人士在國際上找尋聲援，只要沒有違反法律，都應該受到保護和尊重；提出反對或批評當然可以，但動不動就罵「漢奸」、「賣國賊」，就不僅有欠公允，而且是「數典忘祖」，雙重標準了。左派愛國人士，是不是都應該反省一下呢？

註：（一）《上海黨史與黨建》二○○七年九月號姚金果文章〈充分認識中國共產黨加入共產國際的意義〉；（二）《上海黨史與黨建》二○○一年九月號徐剛文章〈共產國際和上海工人三次武裝起義〉；（三）《湘潭師範學院學報》二○○七年五月號何春平文章〈論秋收起義與南昌起義之區別〉；（四）《史學月刊》二○○四年二月號河北大學劉敬忠文章〈蘇俄佔領外蒙古及對華外交活動〉；（五）《蘭州學刊》二○○○年五月號龔成瑾文章〈伍修權與第三國際交通線〉；（六）加州大學洛杉磯分校亞洲研究所「冷戰國際歷史計劃」資料；（七）《鄧小平文選》第三卷369頁。

Khalil at Star Hall

Talk about backlog as a always does (oh well, "stop talking start doing" la)... I went to Khalil's concert some time ago on 31 March, in StarHall. Got the tickets the very last minute with the help of 13/F ac. Though seats not ideal (last row of the most expensive tickets), still good show, Khalil very talented. And, people started standing up very soon with his latest plugged but moderately-tempoed Love Song. hohohooo... feel so good.
Bonus: bumped into v. She's helping in the show. I thought she's now on the indie business but not mainstream... okok... then Khalil is not THAT mainstream.

The kids in front brought these...!

Though not really late after show... deserted Kowloon Tong MTR (on the way to the 'east-rail' line)

明年今日

爸爸出國1年training, 時間緊迫, 期間回港的機會不大.
跟小姊弟解釋: 1年呢, 大約就是會再過一次生日, 家姐6歲, 上小學...
5歲的家姐c是明白了, "咁都好耐喎..."
"我知道啦, daddy已經同我講咗啦,"4歲的弟弟 p 也 acknowledge, "咁 daddy 今晚幾時返?"
...

Spring

My dear teammate didn't believe that it was quite sunny last Sat that I could play tennis.
Give myself a tick.

Again, deserted.

30C!

Wish another good day tomorrow.

整

外面很大霧.
可能昨日真的有丁點 caffeine overdose, 大好涼涼爽天氣都睡得很差. btw, 報紙日前剛有報導說香港的BB睡眠質素是最差的.
上半晝分析員"佈道"會, keep 住飲咖啡, 細細杯不知不覺都乾了5, 6杯.
Lunch去了排隊出血, 懶懶地吃了簡單的星巴巴, 又1杯.
5點鬆和千年蛋在 office 樓下PC歇歇又1杯.
晚上爸生日飯在飯堂, 又飲了不少普洱.
加加埋埋... hmm...

生日飯餐單, 簡簡單單都是平日慣點的:
~ 嚮螺翅(爸媽), 蟹皇翅(豆我)
~ 片皮鴨半隻 (其實飯堂的片皮鴨相當得, 比那些"京菜系"要有味幼細得多)
~ 鴨二食之炆涼瓜 (好得, 即使不太吃苦瓜如我. btw, 我們一直叫苦瓜苦瓜, 但侍應們一直叫涼瓜涼瓜, 哈, 可能是忌諱?)
~ 宮廷醬烤骨 (這道菜近來有點失色, 我只吃了饅頭)
~ 黃金蝦
~ 椒絲腐乳通菜
~ 壽包. 楊枝甘露(太甜). 番薯糖水.
晚飯是前哨, 好戲在後頭 - 週末出征 Venetian Macao for mom's 生日. (況且a兄居然有'任務'文托, 緊要!)

講開飲咖啡, 雖然已是4月2, 仍然難逃被"整"遲來的 April's fool.
在PC掀開杯蓋加奶才發現, 那些小朋友居然俾咗杯熱水我!
怪不得昨日他們的表情那麼詭異, 又猛問點解尋日冇嚟呀咁...
中招了. 是今年已知(!)被整的唯一.

Tough

W said the pear was tough.
I dunno if I should feel sorry for w;
or should I feel sorry for the pear indeed.