A scene I saw a couple years ago on the way home at night after work: a lady sitting on the bench while her husband (or boyfriend) standing right in front of her. She was asleep with her head resting on his palm. The man kept as still as he could even though his hand was obviously numb already. The sweetest pillow I have ever seen.
歸根究柢，蝗蟲的出現，並不是蝗蟲本身的錯。蝗蟲也並不是某地特產，其實各地都有，只是搶的對象不同而已。問題其實不在蝗蟲的出現，而是「為什麼會變成蝗蟲？」那是因為對身處環境的現狀與未來不安，對前景感到惶恐，只能盡一己之力，自求多福，急功近利，惟恐今天不享受，明天可能連僅有的都失去。這一切，不全是蝗蟲的錯，真正的錯，在造成令蝗蟲不安的在上位者。如果對前景充滿信心，在自家家園感到安心，誰要離家出走？要不是為明天憂慮，誰要把子女往鄰居送？如果家裏的食物能吃，誰要出家門搶買？所以，我們要反的，其實不是蝗蟲，這是治標而不治本的。
我們要反的，應該是造成不公、不義、不安的源頭。
再說，如果看門人不開門，你以為能出家門嗎？某林君早前說政府的人口政策成功，是很成功的，但那是自訂的人口政策嗎？政治、經濟、民生，其實都不在我們手裏，現在勉強能說法治還在，但某自稱孔子後代的教授，早前不明說了對法治的蔑視嗎？他那視頻，重點不在動物，而在對法治的蔑視。蝗蟲怎麼突然來了？這個時候，這個情勢，是蝗蟲生存的最佳條件嗎？蝗蟲根本不是主角。我們還要反蝗嗎？那其實無關痛癢。
我們要反的，應該是造成不公、不義、不安的源頭。
我所使你們被擄到的那城，你們要為那城求平安，為那城禱告耶和華；因為那城得平安，你們也隨著得平安。（耶利米書29:7）
這一節，從沒如此明白過。
In the end, the occurrence of locusts is not the locusts’ fault. Locust is not a special species born in one particular place. In fact, they exist everywhere. The things they consumer maybe different, though. The question is actually not the occurrence of locusts but “why did they become locusts?” It is due to the anxiety towards the present and the future of where one is in. The fear for what may come drives one to do whatever he/she can to grab whatever he/she can grab now. For if they don’t grab it now, they may lose even the only bit in their hands tomorrow. All this is not the fault of the locusts. The real fault lies in the one up there who made the locusts unrest. If the future is bright and home is nice, who would run away? If not being anxious about tomorrow, who would leave their children to their neighbors? If food at home is edible, who would take food from their neighbors? What we should go against, therefore, is not the locusts. It is not the core of the problem.
What we should go against, is the origin of unfairness, unjustness, and unrest.
Besides, if the doorkeeper did not open the door, how could one go through the door and leave the house? Some Mr. Lam said earlier that the population policy of the government has succeeded. Yes, indeed. But which government? Politics, economics and livelihood: none of these is in our hands. We can only say that we still have judicial independence. However, one Prof. Kong, who claimed himself to be a descendant of the Confucius, publicly showed his loathing of law. In his video, which was aired on an internet video station owned by a national company, animal was not the main character but his loathing of law. Why did locusts come? Is this time, this circumstance the best living condition for locusts? Locust is not the main character. Are we still going against them? This is irrelevant.
What we should go against, is the origin of unfairness, unjustness, and unrest.
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jeremiah 29:7)
I have never understood this verse better before.
I’ve been using the iPhone for nearly 3 years and iPad for nearly two years, and I’ve bought NUMEROUS apps. But, which apps do I actually use frequently or find them useful? I’ve finally decided to make a list:
Apps that I use on (almost) daily basis
Apps that got both an iPhone version and iPad version (universal or not):
Mail and Safari: Indispensable.
Calendar – I use a Mac. It syncs really well across my iMac, iPad and iPhone.
Reminders – I’ve got tons of to-do apps but eventually I’m using Reminders. Simple and syncs well and …Siri integration on iPhone.
BibleReader (universal)- A Bible app that I’ve been using since Palm era. The NIV Bundle that I bought almost 10 years ago is now working on my Mac, iPhone and iPad. Notes and highlights can be synced across platform. The best Bible app so far. In-app purchases work on all platforms as well. I’ve bought Bible dictionaries and various commentaries already. I like the split screen option that allows me to pull up both NIV and Expository Commentary at the same time. The way it shows up linked scripture is unobtrusive and intuitive. Really helps in studying the Bible. It actually makes me want to read the Bible more often.
MobileRSS – I like the iPad version more but it’s easier to read on iPhone on a crowded train.
GoodReader – This app just gets better and better. I really regret having bought iAnnotate like two days before GoodReader enhanced their annotation UI and tabbed view (=_=!). The ability to add two different DropBox accounts and various FTPs is really helpful. It also allows you to edit TEXT files. It supports a WIDE range of file formats as well.
Facebook – Well, what else can you do with Facebook other than… Facebook-ing?
IM+ – Stay connected with friends on MSN, Facebook, ICQ, AIM…etc (And stay invisible when I want / need to)
iPhone:
Clock – I do use the clock to set alarms.
Phone and Messages – I do use Messages a lot more after iMessage is activated.
Camera – I use it mostly for video taking in lesson (taping my students’ playing – I teach piano and violin) or when I need quick snaps. For still photos, I use the next one below…
Camera+ - Extremely useful camera app. Nice filters with good integration with Facebook and Twitter.
MoneyWell - I use MoneyWell on Mac to keep track of my expenditure and income. They sync through DropBox.
Whatsapp – Stay connected! (And stay invisible when I want / need to)
iPad:
ForScore - Indispensable app for musicians and music teachers. I’ve put MANY scores (in PDF) in this app (1.1GB now) but it rarely crashes. It has half-page turns which is really useful. It also allows you to annotate the score with musical signs and high-lighters. It also provides a way to mark DC, DS, repeats, and Coda so that you can jump to where you need to by one tap. US$4.99 well spent.
Noteshelf – Best note-taking app I’ve tried so far. I’ve bought TONS of note-taking apps (I’ve even written a detailed review on all these apps) but this is the app that I use most frequently. It takes hand-written notes and, with the latest update, typed notes as well. Images can be imported into the app for annotation. Notes can be exported as image or PDF. Export options include Email, Dropbox, and Evernote. BTW, the UI is really beautiful yet with no compromise whatsoever on functionality. US$4.99 well spent again.
Apps that I don’t use on daily basis but find really useful:
Apps that work on both iPhone and iPad
PlainText – A nice universal FREE app for simple note-taking. Integrated with DropBox. Clean UI made just right.
Pages – I take meeting minutes with Pages on iPad. I have QuickOffice too but I rarely use it. Pages is way more elegant. I usually just send minutes right from my iPad to my PC-user colleagues and they never complained. So… I think compatibility is not an issue. (Well, I do avoid using tables but lists are just fine.)
iBooks – I guess it’s because I never really bought books from Amazon so iBooks is the app I turn to when I read ebooks. And I do buy ebooks from iBookStore. I don’t read PDF on iBooks, though. I use GoodReader instead.
AppShopper – INDISPENSABLE app for all iDevice users. (Well, there’re many apps for the same purpose out there. They’re all good… just grab one you like!)
iPhone:
Japanese – A well-built Japanese dictionary, phrase book, and study tool app.
Dictionaries – Oxford Music Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary…etc. I usually buy dictionaries when they are free (Oxford Music Dictionary is probably the only one that I actually paid for). Besides, now we have built-in dictionary on iPhone and iPad (select word > define). I have a couple French and German dictionaries as well.
Cardmon – a nice little app for making cards to email or post on Facebook. (I got it when it’s free.)
Flava – a nice little journal app that takes photos, map clips, text notes etc. Integrated with Facebook, Evernote, Twitter etc. (Again, I got it when it’s free.)
Genius Scan – Best scan app I’ve tried so far. Excellent B/W rendering. Creates clean and crisp PDF / JPEG images.
iPad:
Skitch - Great Free app for quick annotation on pictures / maps / web clips.
(I began writing this entry on WordPress web version on Safari but it was PAINFULLY SLOW. Adding hyperlink to text is such a cumbersome work. Eventually, I opened up the long-forgotten MacJournal app and phew… so much easier. I begin to like MacJournal…finally.)
Got an email from IRD that I should login to eTax and fill out the tax form. So I headed over to eTax…just to find out that it is…
NOT working again.
Lion is too big a cat that our government can deal with.
商台政府交通安全宣傳聲帶：
（嘈吵音樂聲）
甲：喂，睇車呀～
乙：睇車呀～
（車輛警示聲）
旁白：呢d警示，佢全部聽唔到，因為佢掛住聽MP3….
（車輛煞車聲，緊接撞車聲）
電話內：喂…喂…喂…?
********************************************************
我有問題如下：
1. 誰在講電話？司機？聽MP3的路人？其他？
2. 根據”播音劇”內容，合理假設是撞車受傷的路人，問：他不是在聽MP3嗎？難道一邊聽MP3，一邊講電話？
3. 假設不是聽MP3的路人，而是司機，問：是否用了免提？
商台政府反性傾向歧視宣傳聲帶：
女：黃總，聽講你公司最近請左個同性戀者喎…
男：係呀…
女：唔怕有問題咩？
男：唔怕，其實……….（下略）
************************************************************************
我有問題如下：
1. 黃總公司如何得知最近聘請的員工的性傾向？
2. 別家公司的人如何得知該新員工的性傾向？
One day, we can stop counting; One day, we can count in another way.
One day, this day will become a day of celebration; One day, those who have been crying may become joyful and smile.
That day has yet come. We are still counting: 8035 days since the day some died, some disappeared, some survived, and many others cried.
Today is the fourth of June. It has been 22 years. We still remember.
On bus. The lady next to me had a white iPhone in hand and a non-smartphone Nokia on her bag, busily calling out contacts from her Nokia then entering them manually into her obviously new iPhone.
I’m glad that I started using PDA in pre-mobile era. My first PDA was a Sharp PDA. I don’t even remember if it syncs with computer. Most likely not. I’m not sure if Palm has landed HK yet.
Then came Palm. My first Palm was probably a m100 passed to me from my uncle. Then I stick with Palm as their pretty loyal user for years. My last Palm was Zire72.
Then Palm One was no more.
I started using Symbian phones. I loved Nokia phones. They are very durable. I used it along with Palm. I entrusted then with all my info.
In 2006, as my Windows PC kept failing to boot up and I got sick of the numerous problems I had had with it, I decided that it’s time to convert. I bought my first iMac, which is still serving my mom faithfully. The next year I got a free iPod Touch when I bought a MacBook with back to school program.
That changed everything.
I resisted the first iPhone and even iPhone 3G. Finally bought my first iPhone (3GS) in 2009.
That changed everything again.
Lol
