Saturday, February 26, 2011

20歲男子無工開樹上睡覺

江蘇無錫一名 20歲的男子日前一個人到南京打工,但遲遲未找到工作,身無分文之下,每晚爬到樹上睡覺。上周四,市民周先生途經南京雨花西路時,聽到陣陣鼻鼾聲,懷疑有人在路邊睡着了,但四處尋找卻不見人,最後抬頭一看,一名男子伏在 3米高的樹杈上睡得正香。
警員接報到場後,男子被吵醒並「涮」一聲動作熟練地下了樹。男子說,他自小在農村野慣了,爬樹睡覺是常事,不會掉下來。有家中開飯店的市民見況,讓男子到飯店當學徒,男子感動不已,連聲道謝。
江蘇《揚子晚報》

資料來源:2011年02月27日蘋果日報

Thursday, February 24, 2011

高慧然:為馬而設的碑

仙台巿,通往青葉城遺址的山腳下,靜靜豎着一個石碑,這碑,不是用來紀念人的,而是用來紀念在戰爭中喪生的馬的。我和朋友在碑前靜默地站立了一會,心中感慨。所有為侵略和掠奪而發起的戰爭都是不義的,但動物參戰,卻是被動的。牠們為牠們不能理解的戰爭獻出生命。紀念軍馬的石碑,亦可視作是後世人對戰爭的反思。
馬是我眼中最漂亮最有靈性的動物,去年八月份,在雲南,我用了三天時間跟當地的馬相處,每天一早去馬場,租一匹馬,行走在茶馬古道。就這樣每天與馬共對五、六個小時。彼此間以一條套在馬頸項的韁繩代替語言進行交流,互讀心事。正值雨季,山路泥濘,窄窄的山道一邊是懸崖,回來重看相片,我有些訝異當時的魯莽。但事實是,當我望着馬們純真的大眼睛,騎上馬背的時候,那種信任便油然產生,不曾有過一秒鐘的遲疑。信任一匹馬,跟信任一個人相比,是太容易的事。
人可以信任馬,馬卻不該信任人。當地馬伕靠出租馬匹維生,但工作一生的馬老去後,卻會被馬伕賣給販子,勞苦功高的馬,最後的歸宿是被人類吃進肚子。馬伕若無其事告訴我,「我們不會吃自己養的馬,只賣給別人吃。」
朋友告訴我另一個故事,大陸曾有電影公司,拍攝群馬墮崖的場面時為求逼真,買了一大批馬,然後,活生生把牠們逼下山崖。
一個對動物沒有惻隱之心的民族,也不可能對弱小有惻隱之心。

資料來源:2011年02月25日蘋果日報

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

口交成為口腔癌元凶

年輕人愛口交,相信是近年口腔癌個案激增的元凶。美國研究人員指, 1974年至 2007年間口腔癌個案增加 2.25倍,當中感染人類乳頭瘤病毒( HPV)引發的個案更超越吸煙,成為最主要的致病原因。新增的患者以年輕男士為主,研究顯示,性伴侶數目越多,因口交而感染 HPV病毒的風險越高,罹患口腔癌的機率也提升。癌症專家建議青少年注射可預防多種 HPV病毒的子宮頸癌疫苗。

資料來源:2011年02月22日蘋果日報

Monday, February 21, 2011

老翁隱居山洞 40年

湖南郴州市飛天山國家地質公園內,一位年約 80歲的老人李高邦(圖)在天然形成的洞裏住了四十多年,自己種菜、耕田,過着世外桃源般的隱居生活。李稱,自己原是祁陽縣人,本名雷龍有,雖然滿足於現在的生活,但因年事已高,他希望能在河邊有一間有門、有窗,能上鎖的房子,那就不怕天冷、蚊蟲和小偷了。他居住的洞穴呈拱形,洞底平坦,長約 20米,寬約 30米,因兩頭對穿,被稱為「穿坦洞」,裏面放着石桌、石床,還有自製的石灶。當地村民說,李身體很好,冬天還可以在河裏游泳,外出打工的年輕人常買東西送他,但他又經常把這些錢物轉送給村裏的人。
湖南《三湘都市報》

資料來源:2011年02月22日蘋果日報

Saturday, February 19, 2011

張大春:高祖母和老奶奶的年話

老奶奶身後留下一個匣子,裡頭擱一錦囊。在老奶奶生前,沒有人見過這物事,此際打開錦囊一看,居然是半截香木。家人們忽然想起老奶奶說過她娘家天妃宮裡的一樁舊聞:
那是道光爺還在的年月,天妃宮掌香火的是個老僧,法號一行。某日,一行從外面回來,發現鍋裏煮著兩個蛋,快要熟了。急忙問小沙彌從哪弄來的?小沙彌回說:「我從鸛巢裏掏來的。」一行趕緊命小沙彌把蛋放回鸛巢。小沙彌說:「蛋都快熟了,放回去還有什麼用?」一行哀憫道:「我並不指望蛋裡頭還能有甚麼活物,但望那母鸛不要太傷心罷了。」

幾天之後,鸛巢忽然出現了兩隻小鸛。一行很驚訝,連忙讓小沙彌把鸛巢取下來一看,果然是兩個蛋孵化的。再仔細一打量,巢中還有一根一尺多長的小木棒,上面交錯著五色花紋,香氣四溢。小沙彌於是便將這根香木供於佛前,日日禮拜起來。
不數年之後,有個叫近衞十三郎的日本人來中國朝貢,船行遇到颶風,停泊在劉家河口,近衞十三郎既然行不得也,就踅進廟裡,燒了幾炷香。拈香之時發現了這根香木,臉上露出了極為驚詫的表情,連忙問值多少錢。一行搪塞道:「這是三寶太監鄭和捐獻的,怎麼敢賣錢呢?倒是──」一行轉念一想,靈光乍現,接著道:「倒是若有人能幫忙興建後殿的觀音閣,這香木就給他也無妨了。」近衞十三郎急道:「我等不了那麼久,我就出錢吧。」於是放下五百兩銀子,把香木拿走了。
幾年之後,近衞十三郎又來到天妃宮,還帶回來了半截香木,說是憑此物救了不少條人命,原物應該奉還原主。近衞十三郎還表示:想拜見拜見一行,可是一行已經圓寂多年,真身都過化了。原先那個小沙彌倒是還在,他一逕不解前事,遂多口問道:「那根香木,究竟是甚麼寶物?」近衞十三郎說:「那是根仙木呀!燒了它可以使靈魂還體,有起死回生之效,人稱聚窟州所產的的『還魂香』便是。」
這一下,家人可有了著落了,趕緊就著老奶奶的靈柩旁點火,焚那半截香木,燒著燒著,火星也嗶嗶剝剝地亮了,白煙也蒸蒸騰騰地冒了,老奶奶忽地一翻身,道:「說不回頭,就不回頭,費多大氣力,周轉這臭皮囊作啥?」
還魂的傳說一向與「過化」相綰結。從煮鳥蛋到焚燒屍身,似乎都少不了火。最著名的一個故事就是八仙之一李鐵拐。相傳他從太上老君那兒得道,一日出外神遊,囑託徒兒看守遺體,約定了七日返魂,不到期不得火化。可是那徒兒──和另一個道教故事裡的杜子春一樣,渡不過母難這一關;到了第六日上,聞知老母在家得了重病,不能不回去照料,於是提前一天把師父的形骸燒了,害得他還魂之時全無依傍,只能臨時尋覓了一個新死的乞丐投託,這死丐邋遢的模樣,自然便是今天我們熟知的、絕不似神仙的李鐵拐了。
皮囊周轉之事,一向是悲劇,縱有無限迴天之力,也總因小小的缺憾、疏失而錯過。讓我們想想那浮士德博士吧,他在目睹一切的理想都付諸實現的那一刻,何以忍不住驚呼:「讓這美好的一刻永遠留駐!」呢?
(之二)

資料來源:2011年02月20日蘋果日報

Sunday, February 13, 2011

He invented the Ugg boot... but all he got was £10,000 and three pairs a year

by Sarah Arnold, Sunday Mirror 13/02/2011

Worn by celebs the world over, Ugg boots should have made their inventor Shane Stedman wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

The furry footwear brand is a hit across the globe and is set to earn an astonishing £500million this year alone.

But Shane, 69, a lifelong surfer who also makes surfboards, missed out on a life of ­wealth and luxury.

After 10 years selling his boots for a few dollars a pair to locals in his Australian town, he signed away the rights to the name.

In return he got three free pairs of Uggs a year for life and just enough money to put his two ­children through private school.

The shoes now sell for at least £120 a pair – up to several hundred pounds for limited edition Jimmy Choo versions. But Shane insists he’s not bitter about missing out on the millions he could have made if he had held on to the rights.

He still wears the boots almost every day, and asks: “Why should I be ­angry? I’m proud to have played a role in making them as big around the world.

“It’s great for Australia. They’re iconic Aussie, even though they’re owned by the Yanks. Plus I get three free pairs a year and got paid enough to put my kids through school.”

Shane has lived in the same modest three-bedroom house in the surfing paradise of Mona Vale, north of ­Sydney, for nearly 50 years. He is a legend among ­surfers worldwide for his ­custom-made boards and still makes about 500-a-year from his small ­workshop.

It was 38 years ago in 1973 that he came up with the boot that evolved into the fleece-lined sheepskin Uggs we know today.

Shane told the Sunday Mirror they were ­originally called “Ugh” because they were so UGLY.

In fact, he says the sheepskins which he used to make the first boots still had bits of sinew and even meat attached.

If they ever got wet they would smell awful and if a dog got a sniff of them they would usually end up as its dinner.

Shane made the boots for 10 years before signing away the rights to US ­manufacturer Deckers in 1983 for around £10,000 – and those three pairs of Uggs a year.

He keeps a pair and gives the other two to son Luke, 33, a pro surfer, and daughter Bonnie, 30 – who has just moved to St Helens in ­Merseyside with her ­boyfriend after running an ­orphanage in Bali.

Talking about how he ­invented the boots, he said: “I’d already been making surfboards for 10 years. A friend of mine called Nat Young came into my workshop where I was making the boards and said, ‘Here’s some card, draw around my foot and make me a boot out of sheepskin’. He wanted to get 10 pairs to sell to his mates, so I made them.

“The sea is bloody cold in the Aussie winter, which is June time. I used to wear football jerseys to keep warm. Trouble was, they nearly drowned you.

“You couldn’t wear wetsuits back then because they were big, thick rubber things for ­professionals only. Your feet used to freeze, so I thought boots for surfers was a brilliant idea. People in the Aussie outback have been ­wrapping their feet in sheepskin for years. Trouble was you couldn’t just wrap the skin around your feet and walk on sandy beaches or roads, it just wouldn’t work. I knew they’d have to be modified.

“I found a man at a surfing competition called Mr ­Spencer who could attach soles to them. After that I never looked back.

“He made them in his garden shed. The ­quality of the sheepskin got better and the design was modified to make them look how they look now. I registered the trademark Ugh because some people’s reactions to them was ‘ugh!’.

“Eventually, Mr Spencer couldn’t keep up with the orders, so I had to find a ­manufacturer in Botany Bay to make more of them.

“We went from producing about 20 to 30 a week to 300. Other footwear manufacturers began ­stealing the idea, which was a good sign, and I was always ­sending letters with a gentle ­reminder they were a ­protected ­trademark.

“In Oz, even if a name sounds like a trademark, it can’t be used. So no one could call their boots Uggs or ­anything similar.”

Shane – who divorced his ex-wife Lynne 20 years ago and has dated girlfriend Wendy Hansen for the past four years – said his Ugh boots really took off when they were banned from ­cinemas in Sydney, along with ripped jeans.

“Because they were banned, the kids just wanted them even more. It was the best thing that could have happened.

“They became cool, ­something that divided ­opinion and that has been the way they have been perceived ever since.”

But he knew the writing was on the wall when the Aussie supermarket chain Coles began selling their own version of the boot.

“They weren’t called Ughs or anything like it, so there was nothing I could do. They were stealing the market.

“Deckers in America had also registered the trademark Ugg and wanted to make the boots to sell internationally and they offered me a tidy sum.

“It was a lot of money at the time, enough to put my kids through five years of private school, so I thought, ‘Why not?’. Trademark rules are different in America, so they could use the name Ugg.

“If I had wanted to make my Ughs the No 1 brand I’d have had to move to the US and work my a**e off in a suit and that’s just not me.

“I’ll never give up Sydney and surfing... it’s my life. So I was happy to let it go.

“Me and my company had taken it as far as we could. We had 10 years of fun with it – and having fun was the main thing.”

He added: “My kids love the story about how I came up with it and it’s great to see the likes of Posh Spice and Paris Hilton wearing them. I’ve got Ugg boots all over my house. I couldn’t live without them. I wear them all the time. Even in summer.

“People say to me, ‘How can you wear them? They’ll make your feet sweat’. I tell them, ‘You never see a sheep with sweaty feet’.

“The fleece keeps my feet cool. They are perfect and I’m proud to have come up with them.”

Shane, who insists on working 12 hours a day, said: “I’ll keep working, I’ll never retire. I love making surfboards and I’m also producing a sun block for surfers called Vertra. Just like Uggs, it’s going to be the next big thing!”

Saturday, February 12, 2011

張大春:高祖母和老奶奶的年話

我高祖母立有家訓一則,曰:「姻緣足以醒世,情分何如知人」,這話宜乎要讓世間戀愛中的男女知曉:先不看男女大倫基於甚麼繁衍後代的目的,情愛的本質是要喚醒人「相知」的能力。這也是為什麼老古人留下了這麼多「再世夫妻」、「他生情定」的故事的原因。畢竟,終人之一生,要與相愛之人相知透徹的話,只有幾十年相守、相處甚或相吵鬧、相廝打的時間大概不頂夠用。

以今天一般人的生命長度來衡量,高祖母中壽而已,那一天除夕,下午老太太坐在二進的明廳裡,問了句:「都來了麼?」意思是兒孫們都到齊了嗎?底下人回道:「還有一多半兒沒影兒呢!」
「那就是忙著咧?」老太太說。
有人催促:「叫人去喚來,讓他們馬前一點!」
「馬前」是個宋代就有的市井俗語,意思就是「趕緊」、「快一點」,叫人當機立斷、勿事遷延,即曰:「馬前」,至今似不復通用。
「別介!」老太太說著時,指了指自己坐的椅子:「我又不走。」
可是才說到這兒,她就走了。
可是往後每天一到了下午未牌、申牌之交,那明廳裡的椅子便發出咿唔之聲,老太太就座了,彷彿還是像平日一般,說她的故事。
我老奶奶——也就是曾祖母——有個姊姊,我要是能當面見著,也得稱她一聲「老奶奶」的。這老奶奶生具陰陽眼,打小就不懼怕靈異妖邪,與高祖母的魂魄最是相得。在老奶奶眼中,滿街滿市摩肩接踵的都是鬼神。這些(我們不能輕易一見,姑且稱之為『東西』吧)這些東西有的大、有的小,用今人明白的話語言之,即是整體上「構造比例」不同。據老奶奶的分析:是有所謂「新鬼大、故鬼小」的說法的。因為死得久了,體氣萎頓,往往在一兩年、三五年之間,就縮小到常人形體之半。再過幾年,縮小到一尺長短,就很快地消失於無形了。這還算鬼之壽考,運氣不佳者,即使是在通衢之上、車馬之間,一旦被不明就裡的冒失鬼橫衝直撞一陣,往往登時碎裂、渙散,那就是徹底的「香消玉殞」了。
不知道是為了安慰那許多思念至親的家人們、還是我高祖母原本天賦異稟,根據老奶奶的描述,我高祖母總也不縮,一逕就是那麼個身形,非但家人視之如常,連院兒裡百把年間日夕出沒的「東西們」也即之如在。
其中有一大仙,據說曾經是頭老狐,老狐有慧根,肯苦行,焚修精潔,頗歷歲月。其法無他,大約是初一、十五,晴月當空之夕,老狐頭頂一髑髏,前肢掌爪捧住了那髑髏,對月而拜,口唸經訣,入夜至曉不絕。有人聽到的段子如此:「葉隨風動,獸隨聲動,道者動靜自隨。」或是:「萬法無常,我即常法。」有又或是:「脫去名枷利鎖,開出清門高戶,但蓮龕子母之丹,不知何時可成?」相傳有那麼一天,當老狐拜月之際,頭頂上的髑髏不需捧按,也掉不下來,那就是修成了。
老奶奶一生就記得這三小段兒,晚輩們問她老人家:「您要是記全了,不也能修一個千年萬年的真身了嗎?」
老奶奶說:「修真身不如奉好茶,解人道路之渴,連這也要我叨唸嗎?」
(之一)

資料來源:2011年02月13日蘋果日報

黃奕彥:藏文學習心得

問:老師在學習藏語文聽、說、讀、寫的過程中,最大的困難是什麼?如何克服?
答:語言的學習,從易而難依序而言應當是讀、聽、說、寫。初學者需要有較多的時間思考揣摩,最先能夠著力的是文本,因此最簡單的是「讀」;「聽」與「講」要能迅速反應,所以稍難,其中聽懂意義較易,表達意義較難,所以「講」難於「聽」;寫則要綜合多種能力,如累積足夠的詞彙、熟悉文法及藏文書面語的表達方式,乃至於正確的拼字,所以最難。

一、就閱讀而言:閱讀要從拼字始,累積字彙,並了解藏文文法。 累積詞彙比較便捷的方法就是掌握正確的發音,從發音記憶字詞總比從字形快得多。但從發音記字也有危險:藏文也有大量同音字,因拼法不同,意義也有別,有些字只在前加、上加的些許差別,這是特別要注意之處,熟悉以後自然能夠辨認。

累積詞彙的另一個方法是了解藏文的構詞法,除了單一音節的字之外,其他詞彙絕多大數都是源自於特定的構詞法。構詞法不外乎詞根添加詞綴(有些詞綴帶有特定含義,有些則無)、能所構詞、詞根組合、動詞轉化為特定意義名詞,以及簡化法。其中簡化法也可用來解釋詞根組合及能所構詞。詞根背得愈多,並熟悉這幾種構詞法,就能舉一反三,組織化地記憶詞彙。

了解構詞法的重要性,不僅在於更容易記憶生詞,還可從其構成的詞根掌握其在藏文中的意義範疇。單從詞典上找尋其漢文的對譯詞,可能只會從漢文詞彙的既成意義理解。例如聖人一詞,藏文 'Phags Pa,漢文的對譯為「聖者」,該詞的詞根'Phags,又可作動詞的「超越」解,乃超越凡夫地之義。從對譯詞「聖者」字面即無從領略此一意含。所以,只查詞典找出漢文對譯還不夠,應觀察藏文解釋、例句及構詞方式,佛學研究者最好還能花功夫對讀藏文原典及權威譯文,以便掌握更為精確的對譯。

從文法來談,傳統藏文文法書,大多從虛詞與動詞出發,將虛詞區分為rNam dBye 及Tshig Phrad兩類,各別討論每一種虛詞的用法,及動詞的種種性質。而今應可從從句子如何構成的角度出發,再討論相關虛詞。就構句而言,首重動詞與「格」的關聯,而「格」則以詞或詞組、甚至「句的名化」為單位,格助詞的作用就是突顯該詞彙或詞組所扮演的「格」的角色。

所以在學習順序上,不妨從詞組的構成開始,再討論簡單句的構成,說明格與動詞的關聯及格助詞的意義。之後再分兩路,討論簡單句如何藉由連接詞連綴成複句,以及「句子名化」的種種應用。

藏文的長句甚多,其複雜性常是來自於句子名化的用法。如果學習者能從形式結構上思惟,解藏文之長句會簡單許多。近來我教學時開始要求學習者留心動詞,以動詞為線索,將長句分為短句,再從短句區分出與動詞相關的格(屬格除外,屬格是構成詞組的要素而非構句要素)。先解出格的意義,再以格助詞為線索,判斷與動詞的關連,以解出單句的意義。我發現透過這樣的方式可使學習者大幅提高理解的準確度;否則初學者往往以詞為單位直接連綴成句,也許湊巧能連成通順的句子,卻與原意大相逕庭。

學西藏語文要帶著「文法之眼」,因為文法是通則,是語言現象的肌裏;面對繁複的語言現象時,是化繁為簡、以簡御繁的工具。既然一項文法規則可以應用到許多語句,反過來說,從一句話所見到的文法,應當就是某一項具普遍性的文法規則的應用。主動研究、思惟藏文文法,會比單純被動閱讀文法書更為有趣,不時還會有新的發現。 藏文雖有「八大格」等,採取梵文文法的架構,但許多層面卻與漢文相通,如許多虛詞的使用法其實更接近漢文,所以對以漢文為母語的學習者而言,要深入理解藏文,其實不如想像中困難。

二、就聽力而言:培養聽力必須多聽,有些人特別前往西藏、印度,長期與藏僧相處。但如果沒有長期出國的機會,待在台灣一樣可以訓練聽力。目前尚缺乏專門訓練聽力的教學環境,學習者自己要刻意做一些安排,例如學會基礎發音,充實基本語彙。聽藏傳法師講課時,如果准許現場錄音,儘量清楚錄下法師的聲音,事後多聽幾回;或錄製成電腦檔案,運用錄音程式,一段段切割,反覆聽聞。要讀懂藏文須了解藏文文法,想深入藏語,也須了解藏語語法。初學者若不參考前人的藏語語法研究成果,很難領會某些微細的語意表達。

三、就口語表達而言:有機會就要開口表達,一句兩句也好。心中要有一幅句子組成的格式藍圖,像是主格、受格、動詞結構、表示地方或時間的片語或子句等,依著順序將句子的組合片段,一一表達出來,以每個片段作為思考或語氣的停頓點。要注意某些單字的意義、使用的場合,不一定和字典上的中譯文完全符應,這只能藉由「試誤」累積經驗。有時不妨錄下自己在對話過程中的表達,會發現自己並不如想像中表達的好。由於藏語也講究音調,不同音調是辨義的因素之一,從初學就應著重音調的準確性。

四、就書面表達的「寫」而言:這是最為困難的一部份,書面語與口語的表達有不小的差異。基本方法還是從文法着手,閱讀、寫作、藏譯漢與漢譯藏,都脫離不了文法的解析。從閱讀中熟悉文法,掌握藏文構句格式:如何連綴字詞成詞組,連綴格與動詞成句,再連綴句與句成複句;熟記慣用的詞組片語;多背誦範文以培養語感;常琢磨練習,甚至請擅長藏文文章的藏籍學者批改。 如果重在吸收,可先訓練聽、讀能力。「語」、「文」能力實互為助力,因為文字是沉默的語言,有口語能力者更會從藏語文的表達方式去思考文章的意義,在意義的判讀上會更準確。以上只是陳述我作為一個學習者目前所採用的方法,並非從已學成的專家立場說明。

問:即席口譯藏語是否需要語言天份,或具備什麼特殊的條件?

答:我不認為自己的語言天份很好,到目前為止,也不過對西藏語文稍有涉獵。之所以擔任西藏法師講經時的口譯,完全是因緣時運。最初一週只翻譯一兩次,到現在每週平均翻譯六、七個席次,經常的練習下,自然能掌握一些技巧。

如果有意願從事這份工作,需要一些基礎訓練,刻意培養藏語口譯所需的技能。

一、聽力:首要之務,當然是必須聽得懂法師講法內容。西藏幅圓廣大,各地藏語均有地方特色,增加了聽講的複雜度。幸好各教派均有大經院,容納各地學僧,經過幾年的陶鑄,漸漸還是能磨練出統一的口音及用語。

二、教義基礎:漢文中已有大量的佛學詞彙,翻譯時可省去再造新詞的功夫。佛法的基本義理都是相通的,雖然詮釋角度有時會有差異,仍可從漢文資料建立基礎概念(最好先從隋唐時期的譯本著手),待深入時,更可運用雙方面的資料,收相互發明之功。

三、筆記能力:做語譯一定要作筆記,除非自己記憶力超乎尋常的好。尤其一個主題意義,不是幾句話就能表達盡興,法師講了五分鐘、十分鐘,不做筆記究竟還能記得多少?其中如果還有某些引申,子題太多,會干擾記憶,翻譯者轉譯時還得構思適當的用詞用語,都會減低翻譯品質(此處所說的翻譯品質不是指聽眾聽得懂的程度,是指與演講者的表達相符的程度)。

其次應要求自己盡可能鉅細靡遺地筆錄。翻譯不一定做得到字字句句皆譯,(也不須做到,翻譯仍有在不傷及義理表達之下潤飾的功夫),但懸一個高標準,也可不斷發現缺失,尋找方法一一改進。聽了一段講說之後,有時會短暫喪失注意力,有些關鍵詞句或觀念在整段話中占有關鍵地位,未留心會譯錯意思,所以需要保留適當體力及培養長期專注力。有時會覺得法師所講大致相同,不自覺會略過,但是有時即使法師只是換一種句式表達,可能都有重覆強調或幫助理解的效果,所以筆記要刻意力求完整。

往往講者講得快,譯者筆記的速度跟不上,因此譯者要訓練筆記能力。倒不一定要學習正式的速記,而是自己運用一些技巧,如發明一些符號,或運用減省的字詞,來代替某些長串專有名詞或句子。例如我會以「十子」代替「十方諸佛佛子」,以圓圈表示「輪迴」,再附加向上的箭頭表示「從輪迴出離」或「從輪迴解脫」。以向下的箭頭及三槓表示「下墮三惡道-地獄、餓鬼、畜牲」。或以類似文言文的方式表達,如記上「王子,不王,誰王」,意思是「身為王子,不登王位,又由誰來登王位?」。

如果遇到連續兩個句子句式相同,只有少數關鍵詞不同,第一個句子簡單記下後,就在該句之下註記另一句字詞不同處。有些較難表達的哲學用語,雖用簡省的符號,譯時還需要花點腦力回想,如格魯派講唯識師所定義的實有執著:「以為色名之為色之聲詞所詮之事自相成立之執著」(gZugs gZugs Zhes Pa'i sGra 'jug Pa'i'jug gZhi Rang Gi mTsan Nyid Kyis Grub Par 'Dzin Pa'i 'Dzin Pa,若直就原文翻,更為抝口),講者可一語帶過,譯者若對這類嚴格定義下的語句不特別用心處理,原始表達與翻譯結果還是會有令人遺憾的差距。有時譯者不得已得讓它「遺憾」,但若能譯出,也是大功一件(至於聽者聽懂與否,只得請他自求多福)。

以上那句話,我會在記成「色/色詞.自相執」,然後祈禱翻譯順利。字句減省法有時還不夠用,還要兼顧一段話的論理方式、各段主題,所以要用符號標示出句與句的關聯,如因果、證明、假設。在一旁能註記主題,有助於回想內容。有時我可以一邊筆記,一邊迅速復習這一段內容,加深記憶,使口譯時減少遺忘,提高「符合度」。

這些能力在短短時間內都要發揮,確實不容易,臨場時的精神、體力都會影響表現。情況佳時短期記憶力好,思慮敏捷度高,少記幾筆也能回想內容細節;情況差時就更得仰賴筆記,但此時反應既然慢了,又如何做好詳盡的筆記?筆記的目的是為了幫助口譯者回想剛才所聽到的內容,而不是就記下的字作臨場發揮,因為字太簡省,可能誤為其他意義。而且講釋的細微處,也不是少少幾個字就記得下,口譯其實是一邊聽講,緊扣字句、窮追義理,一邊記下可供事後回憶的關鍵字或符號 ,以便事後目睹,能夠回想起來。至於適切的遣詞用語,有時是記筆記時已想到,有時則等到翻譯時才靈感驟發。也有時等到事後才想到應該如何表達才是,只好留待下次再做改進。

作為譯者,就是在實戰經驗中,不斷發現缺失,再發展新技巧以解決問題,以經驗的累積加上事前準備,求得更好的表現。每次翻譯都是一場挑場,自覺翻得不好時,不免懊惱;若覺得譯得還不錯,則一掃疲憊,譯事結束之後反而神清氣爽。雖然國內並無正式漢藏語口譯的訓練中心,但有心者不妨先從聽中文演講做筆記開始,自我訓練快速筆記及事後根據筆記複講的能力。

四、事前準備。若已有文本應事先研究,初學者最好先譯成草稿。相關的專有名詞及觀念力求熟悉。如果等到臨場再求吸收了解,往往延誤筆記速度與品質,而筆記速度及品質與隨後的翻譯品質息息相關。

五、持恆與耐煩:這是深入一切學問與技藝之通則,口譯也須長期的經驗。如果研究佛法出自興趣,且在深入藏文典籍時真有收穫、法喜充滿,又察覺所知還太淺薄,自然會驅策自己繼續走下去。

問:老師學習藏語除了為他們傳譯藏語、傳達佛法使人了解外,在自利方面,老師從學習藏語中,最大的收穫是什麼?

答:最大的收穫,就是曾親近許多具德上師,親聞句句悲心深切的教誨,親眼目睹其修養風範。如果不是從事口譯工作,是沒有機會追隨這麼多上師,研讀重要大論;不靠師長講解,僅憑自力摸索,恐怕費時費力,也難以如實理解。大論義理甚深,我也只能盡量作到文字表面的轉譯,即使如此,也獲益良多。所以時日愈久,愈能體會「道之根本在於依師」的道理。

依止善知識,所學到的不只是言教,還有身教。親自聽聞教誨,總是比閱讀書本要來得印象深刻,加上平日對上師言行舉止的所聞所見,會在腦海中留下不可抹滅的影像。

如堪蘇羅桑安珠仁波切,來台駐錫的幾年有幸為他翻譯,後來仁波切因病圓寂,我與幾位師兄護送上師遺骨塑成的小佛像,回到印度寺院裝臟入塔。頭一天晚上,仁波切的眾多學生在廣場集會,觀看仁波切在圓寂前一天所錄下的最後遺言,許多學僧都紛紛拭淚。早已聽說仁波切過去在色拉寺時,幾幾乎每日教學,從早到晚,一班接著一班,無有間斷;即使到了晚上也不休息,常親自前往辯經場,了解學僧學習的情況,然後才回寮房,作自己的功課。

有一位朋友,也是羅桑安珠仁波切生前在台的學生,出家後到色拉寺學習,他曾告訴我:「有一天作夢夢見了堪蘇仁波切,振奮喜悅難以言表,趕緊央求仁波切教他五部大論,仁波切也同意了,醒來後卻意識到仁波切已圓寂,這個希望不可能實現,不禁放聲痛哭。」聽他這麼講,不禁也心有戚戚焉,很惋惜仁波切在台灣的這段時間沒有機緣跟著他學習大論。有時教學與語譯工作繁重,身心感到疲憊,想到堪蘇仁波切生前的作為,常頓覺自己不再這麼疲倦;這應當就是上師身教的影響力。

在為上師口譯的過程中,事前準備、正式聽講、隨手筆記、轉譯表達、事後復習,其間反覆思惟再三,可以說是在師長親自指導下研讀大論,理解諸大論師的思想奧秘。所以我常覺得,講經的現場收穫最大的往往就是翻譯者。

黃老師的經驗-3之1
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!8XcJg5WIHBPes.G8f.10ZERV.I7F/article?mid=11&prev=12&next=8&;l=f&fid=7

黃老師的經驗-3之2
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!8XcJg5WIHBPes.G8f.10ZERV.I7F/article?mid=12&prev=13&next=11&l=f&fid=7

黃老師的經驗-3之3
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!8XcJg5WIHBPes.G8f.10ZERV.I7F/article?mid=13&next=12&l=f&fid=7

資料來源:印藏西域文化研究

Junk food makes woman have orgasms

Domestic goddess Nigella Lawson made cooking a raunchy, sensual experience but she has nothing on Gabi Jones. When Miss Jones eats to excess, she has an orgasm.

The 25-year-old has now ballooned in weight to 223kg (35st) after eating enough ice-cream, cakes and pizzas to reach the height of sexual pleasure.

She suffers from a medical condition called persistent genital arousal syndrome, where orgasms are triggered without direct sexual arousal.

In extreme cases, sufferers of the condition experience 300 orgasms a day.

She first noticed something unusual was happening as she tucked into a tub of ice-cream.

‘My friends thought I was making it up,’ said Miss Jones, of Colorado, ‘I was stunned but in no doubt of what had happened.’

She has put on 95kg (15st) in the past five years as she gorged and climaxed.

She decided to profit from her affliction by setting up a fetish website where punters pay to watch her scoff herself to orgasm.

Figure: Gabi Jones, 25, has found that stuffing her face with junk food makes her orgasm (Picture: SWNS)
Source: Metro, 11th February, 2011.

Friday, February 11, 2011

They pulled the wool over our eyes! Sheep are so intelligent they can make 'executive decisions'

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:50 PM on 11th February 2011

Sheep aren't as stupid as previously thought, according to researchers.

Never considered particularly intelligent, sheep are actually so smart they make 'executive decisions' and have long memories, remembering friends for two years.

They can remember faces, be they other sheep or human, and can recall faces when looking at photographs, University of Cambridge scientists said.

Sheep can also pass psychological tests that monkeys would fail, according to their study.

Dr Laura Avanzo and Dr Jennifer Morton were studying neurodegeneration with a focus on Huntingdon's disease, an inherited disorder that leads to nerve damage and dementia, when they stumbled on their findings quite by accident.

As part of their research they studied a new breed of genetically-modified sheep that carry a detective gene that causes Huntingdon's in people. They also needed to study normal sheep in order to compare and contrast their findings with the GM sheep.

So they subjected seven female domestic sheep - or Ovis aries - to a series of tests normally carried out on humans with Huntingdon's.

What they found amazed them.

The scientists placed pairs of different coloured buckets in front of them; with one containing food each time.

They them switched the food from bucket to bucket, while also alternating the colours and, eventually, changing the shapes of the buckets.

The sheep learnt to recognise different patterns in colours and changed their behaviour according to the pattern they were looking at. They also altered their behaviour based on the various shapes placed in front of them.

Only humans and other primates find these kind of responses easy; most other large animals struggle with them, the scientists said.

Successfully completing the tasks relies on the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain larger in humans than other animals, New Scientist reported.

Animal behavioural specialists have for decades focused their attention on monkeys during testing.

Dr Avanzo and Dr Morton believe this is because sheep, like many humans, behave differently when in a flock compared to when alone.

Dr Morton said: 'Sheep live in a flock, and in a flock they’re rather silly. When you work with them as individuals, they behave very differently.'

Figure 1: Underrated: Sheep are actually so smart they make 'executive decisions' and have long memories, scientists said
Source: Daily Mail

Is the real-life Da Vinci Code about to be decoded? Scientists finally work out age of mystery manuscript

By Daniel Bates
Last updated at 3:30 PM on 11th February 2011

The bizarre sequence of symbols, charts and figures have baffled the world of science for the last 100 years.

But now thanks to carbon dating, researchers have finally begun to pick apart the secrets of the Voynich manuscript, the most alien artifact of its kind in the world.

They have been able to determine for the first time that it was written in the early 15th century, more than 100 years earlier than previously thought.

And while they are no closer to understanding what the complex text actually means, putting a date on it takes them a huge step closer to discovering what it is really about.

What is known sounds like the plot from a film and makes the Da Vinci Code pale by comparison.

The manuscript was discovered by rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich in the Villa Mondragone near Rome in 1912 as he was trawling through a chest of books.

He spent the remaining 18 years of his life trying to decipher its mixture of plants, circles and humans praying to the fountain of youth but died before completing his task.

The manuscript has been passed down through generations of scientists since then who have concluded that it is some kind of language - even if they don’t know what it means.

The latest to take up the challenge were a team from the University of Arizona who dissected four 1mm by 6mm sections from four sample pages they were given by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Yale University, which is where it is being stored.

Other experts also looked at the paints and inks that were used by the mysterious author.

Dr Greg Hodgins, an assistant research scientist and assistant professor in the UA's department of physics, who led the project, said that they found some of the colours were consistent with those used in the Renaissance.

But what really helped was the carbon dating process, which is where scientists measure the amount of radioisotope Carbon 14 which occurs naturally in objects and decays at a predictable rate, making it possible to use it to date things.

That process allowed Dr Hodgins to pinpoint the early 15th century as the only time the manuscript could have been written.

‘I find this manuscript is absolutely fascinating as a window into a very interesting mind. Piecing these things together was fantastic.'

'It's a great puzzle that no one has cracked, and who doesn't love a puzzle?’ he said.

‘Is it a code, a cipher of some kind? People are doing statistical analysis of letter use and word use - the tools that have been used for code breaking. But they still haven't figured it out.’

Dr Hodgins added that he found the text shows ‘strange characteristics like repetitive word use or the exchange of one letter in a sequence.

‘Oddities like that make it really hard to understand the meaning.

‘Who knows what's being written about in this manuscript, but it appears to be dealing with a range of topics that might relate to alchemy.

‘Secrecy is sometimes associated with alchemy, and so it would be consistent with that tradition if the knowledge contained in the book was encoded.

'What we have are the drawings. Just look at those drawings: Are they botanical? Are they marine organisms? Are they astrological? Nobody knows.'

Figure 1: Voynich manuscript: Thanks to carbon dating, scientists have finally discovered that the most alien artifact of its kind in the world was written in the early 15th century, more than 100 years earlier than previously thought.
Figure 2: Puzzle: While researchers are no closer to understanding what the complex text actually means, putting a date on it takes them a huge step closer to discovering what the manuscript is really about.
Figure 3: Discovery: The manuscript was found by rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich in the Villa Mondragone near Rome in 1912 as he was trawling through a chest of books
Source: Daily Mail



資料來源:一期一会的相册

Thursday, February 10, 2011

高慧然:執善固執的日本人

日本人內斂,性格被動,然而善良、執着,在仙台數天,我們好幾次向當地人問路,或者打聽別的東西,即使他們自己不知道,也不肯放棄,必定設法替我們解困。
我們曾向不同的人問路:老伯、婦人、女孩、少男……路線複雜、溝通困難時,他們的共同做法是帶我們走一段路。某次我在一棟住宅樓下攔住一個單車少女問路,那女孩踩着高踭鞋,推着單車陪我們走了一段路,確信我們弄明白了去向,這才騎上單車,往相反方向而去。在松島新幹線站外,我們向一位老伯打聽去蠔屋的循環旅遊巴,老伯小跑着去一個建築物內打聽,再小跑着過來告訴我們,旅遊巴沒有了。我們打算去坐的士,他卻一再搖手,然後做了一個轉身步行的動作。我和朋友看不懂他的身體語言,上了的士。的士轉了幾個彎後,在蠔屋停下來,我才恍然明白老伯的意思,他是認為路程不遠,沒必要搭的士,想帶我們去蠔屋!我也試過在便利店外向一個青年問路,他很抱歉地搖頭。事情本該至此結束,誰知他一直站在便利店外向進出的人打聽,直至遇到一個認識路的人,兩個人小跑着追上來為我們指路。
另一個有趣的經歷發生在居酒屋,我和朋友看不懂餐牌,一位略諳英文的客人主動為我們做翻譯,替我們點菜。為了向我們解釋菜餚,那客人和老闆商量了好久,結果,老闆用手機的翻譯功能,搜索出日本菜名及英文解釋,展示給我們看,終於為我們解惑。

2011年02月11日蘋果日報

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

「吊高嚟賣」俘擄女人心

情場如戰場,想做萬人迷,俘擄女人心,原來要懂得欲擒故縱、「吊高嚟賣」:美國研究發現,比起開門見山表示好感的人,態度含糊的男士更能吸引異性。
研究員測試 47名女大學生,向她們訛稱一群男生看過她們的 facebook個人頁面,並向她們展示其中四男的 fb頁面。然後研究員將女生分三組:告訴 A組女生說,四男對她們很有好感;告訴 B組女生說,四男覺得她們很普通;對 C組女生則含糊其辭,沒明確說出四男對她們的想法。
結果顯示, A組女生較 B組對四男有較大好感;但對四男最有興趣的卻是 C組女生。專家指出,掩飾自己的心意,能激起對方的好奇心和興趣。
英國《每日郵報》

2011年02月10日蘋果日報

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

阻海浪侵蝕懸崖 「陶侃」搬石 14年

英國一名退休工程師,為了拯救懸崖免被海浪侵蝕, 14年來竟扮演現代版「陶侃運磚」,每天將一塊塊石頭搬到懸崖底, 14年來搬了數十萬塊石頭。但隨着無石可搬,他終於要忍痛結束行動。
73 歲肯尼迪(圖)自 14年前退休後,發現諾福克郡亨斯坦頓懸崖底的石灰石和白堊被海水嚴重侵蝕,每年向後移 30厘米,於是變身環保急先鋒,每周六風雨不改,花兩小時將至少 18公斤重的石頭,搬到崖底。他花了 8,736小時,將幾十萬塊、逾 200噸重的石頭搬到懸崖底,聲稱此舉既可保護環境,又可鍛煉體魄。
英國《每日郵報》

2011年02月09日蘋果日報

基因解密 夢遊由遺傳引起

【本報訊】醫學界估計每 10名兒童中,就有一人受夢遊困擾,但此病的成因一直未明,美國科學家最近透過基因解密技術,在一個四代人也受夢遊困擾的家庭中,發現引致夢遊的元凶是在第 20號染色體的異常基因。惟藥物研發面對不少困難,估計要 10年才有成果。

22名直系家人 9人患病
夢遊常見於兒童及青少年時期病發,不少患者會自行痊癒,但也有部份人會延續至成年,故每 50名成人中,也有一人持續受夢遊困擾。華盛頓大學的研究人員跟進了一個四代也有人患上夢遊的家庭,並以最新的基因排序技術,發現該家族大部份人的第 20號染色體也出現異常,相信引致夢遊的變異基因是潛藏於此;進一步的基因研究顯示,相信有多於一個基因,甚至可能多達 10多個基因是與夢遊有關,導致在藥物研發上將要面對不少困難,但希望可在未來 10年內有成果。
研究人員表示該個參與研究的家庭,由曾祖父母年代已記錄有家庭成員夢遊,四代 22名直系家人中,有 9人經常會夢遊,現時最年輕的夢遊成員只有 12歲,病發時因會開門離家,走到街上做出危險動作,家人因太擔心,故安排她接受治療;這名女童一名叔叔也受夢遊困擾,雖然不會做出危險事,但習慣從衣櫃找出八雙襪子穿上;也有親人曾因夢遊跌傷要住院。

2011年02月09日蘋果日報

Monday, February 7, 2011

Have scientists finally found the facelift in a jar? Cream claims to get to the root of wrinkles

By Fiona Macrae
Last updated at 8:12 AM on 7th February 2011

It's hailed as the magic beauty ingredient that can take years off your face.

And collagen, the skin-plumping protein said to smooth out laugh lines and crow’s feet, seems to be in most anti-wrinkle creams on the market these days.

But what if it were possible to target your skin’s own ‘collagen factory’ and coax it to pump out more of its own?


That’s the claim, at least, of a cream which is being touted as the first to get to the root of wrinkles.

Its makers say it will be the first anti-ageing cream to pinpoint the collagen-making cells which are vital to youthful skin.

Rubbed into the skin once a day for eight weeks, it tricks ageing skin cells into pumping out levels of collagen normally seen in a much younger body. This plumps up the skin, reducing the depth of wrinkles, according to its makers L’Oreal.

The weapon which targets the key cells is a sugar called rhamnose(鼠李糖). It is found in an Amazonian vine called uncaria or cat’s claw and, closer to home, in the sap of the silver birch.
'I'd say the suspect is aged somewhere between 16 and 70'

While many types of cells make collagen, those made by cells called papillary fibroblasts contribute the most to the skin’s bounce and texture.

L’Oreal said its scientists screened thousands of naturally-occurring compounds to find one that boosted production of collagen.

The French firm says its product is the first to zero in on these key cells. The cream, called LiftActive Derm Source, which will be launched under the company’s Vichy label in April and will cost about £27 a pot, has been tested by hundreds of women.

When they used it daily for two months, their wrinkles became shorter and shallower by up to a fifth, L’Oreal said.

Julie McManus, the company’s head of scientific affairs, said: ‘For us this is a breakthrough because we have found a compound which can produce an effect on this very important group of cells.

‘Other collagen-stimulating creams work in a relatively untargeted manner. We’ve shown that we’re having an effect exactly where we want it.’

The worth of anti-ageing creams that simply contain collagen, rather than boost its production, has been questioned by scientists.

They said the collagen molecules in such creams are so large that very few make it through the skin.
Dr Blanca Sengerova, an Oxford University protein biochemist, said: ‘It really frustrates me when I see adverts for anti-wrinkle creams containing collagen.

‘Although collagen is structurally important, the protein molecule is far too large to pass through the barrier posed by the skin.’

As a result, the collagen molecules sit on the surface of the face until they are rubbed off or washed away.

Jonathan Hadgraft, professor of biophysical chemistry at the University of London, said: ‘If it did penetrate the skin and get into the blood, it would have to be classed as a medicine.’

Research from another skincare firm, Olay, shows that lines formed by laughing can quickly become permanently etched on our faces.

And the drier the skin is, the quicker the wrinkles take hold, with our 20s and 40s being the prime time for developing lines.

Figure 1: L'Oreal is to launch a new anti-wrinkle treatment called Lift-Activ which they say has been validated by scientific research.
Source: Daily Mail

睾丸素高易患自閉

男性荷爾蒙與自閉症關係密切,男女童患自閉比例為四比一,醫學界一直相信與男性荷爾蒙有關。澳洲一項研究就證實女孩子在胎兒期,於母體內接觸較高水平的男性荷爾蒙「睾丸素」,患上自閉症的風險會上升,研究追蹤 383名女童及其母親健康狀況逾 10年,在女童兩歲時進行自閉症測試,證明母親在懷孕時檢測到睾丸素水平較高的女童,自閉症比率較高;這組女童成長後,也較另一組人平均遲半年來經,顯示睾丸素影響持續多年。

2011年02月08日蘋果日報

Friday, February 4, 2011

楊絳:魔鬼夜訪楊絳

昨夜我临睡要服睡药,但失手把药瓶掉了,只听得“格登”一声,药瓶不见了。
我想瓶子是圆形,会滚,忙下床遍寻,还用手电筒照着找,但不见踪迹,只好闹
醒阿姨,问她要了一板睡药。她已经灭灯睡了,特为我开了灯,找出我要的药,
然后又灭了灯再睡。

我卧房门原是虚掩着的,这时却开了一大角,我把门拉上,忽见门后站着个
狰狞的鬼,吓了一大跳,但是我认识那是魔鬼,立即镇静了。只见他斜睨着我,
鄙夷地冷笑说:

“到底你不如你那位去世的丈夫聪明。他见了我,并没有吓一跳!”

我笑说:“魔鬼先生,您那晚喝醉了酒,原形毕露了。您今晚没有化妆,我
一见就认识,不也够您自豪的吗?”

他撇撇嘴冷笑说:“我没有那么浅薄。我只问你,你以为上帝保佑,已把我
逐出你的香闺,你这里满屋圣光,一切邪恶都消灭无踪了?”

我看他并不想走,忙掇过一把椅子,又放上一个坐垫,我说:“请坐请坐,
我知道尊腚是冷的,烧不坏坐处。您有什么指教,我洗耳恭听。”

魔鬼这才乐了,他微笑着指着我说:“你昏聩糊涂,你以为你的上帝保佑得
了你吗?可知他远不是我的对手哩!你且仔细想想,这个世界,属于他,还是属
于我?”他指指自己的鼻子说:“我是不爱敷衍的。”

我仔细想了想说:“您的势力更嚣张。不是说:‘道高一尺,魔高一丈’吗
?如今满地战火,您还到处点火。全世界人与人、国与国之间,不都在争权夺利
吗?不都是您煽动的吗?不过我也不妨老实告诉您,我嫉恶如仇,终归在我的上
帝一边,不会听您指挥。我也可以对您肯定说:世上还是好人多。您自比上帝,
您也无所不在,无所不能,那么,您还忙个啥呀?据我看,这个世界毁灭了,您
也只能带着崇拜您的人,到月球上抢地盘去!不过谁也不会愿意跟您下地狱、喝
阴风的。魔鬼先生,我这话没错吧?”

魔鬼冷笑说:“你老先生不是很低调很谦虚吗?原来还是够骄傲的!你自以
为是聪明的老人了!瞧着吧,你能有多聪明!”

我笑说:“领教了!也请勿再加教诲了!我已经九十九高龄。小时候,初学
英文,也学着说:‘I will not fear,for God is near.’其实我小时候是害怕
的。上帝爱护我,直到老来才见到您,可是我决不敢自以为聪明的。魔鬼先生,
领教了。”

魔鬼冷笑说:“这是逐客令吧?”

我笑说:“也是真正领教了,不用再加教诲了。”

魔鬼说:“One word to the Wise is enough.”他拿起我遍寻不见的睡药瓶
子,敲敲我的梳妆台说:“瓶子并未掉地下,只掉在台灯旁边,请看看。”

魔鬼身上的荧荧绿光渐渐隐去,我虽然看不见他,却知道他还冷眼看着我呢


第二天早上,我刚从床上坐起,就发现我遍寻不见的药瓶,真的就在我台灯
旁边,并未落地。魔鬼戏弄我,并给了我一顿教训,我应该领受。以前我心目中
的确未曾有他。从此深自警惕,还不为迟。

2009年11月29 日

Thursday, February 3, 2011

人類亦是「殺蜂兇手」

養蜂業已經不是第一次遭遇挫折。自上個世紀80年代以來,養蜂人忍受了兩次大規模的蟲災,許多養蜂愛好者從此不再養蜂;而遠至1894年以來,共發生過3次無法解釋的蜜蜂「失蹤」事件。但與此次不同,那些事件都只局限在十分狹小的範圍內。

其實,真菌和病毒並非僅有的「殺蜂兇手」。由於人類過度使用殺蟲劑,使蜂王所產下的工蜂數量減少。僅與幾年前相比,蜂王的壽命已經縮短一半。

另外,從外地進口的大量蜂蜜抑制了蜂蜜的價格,這使歐美的養蜂人不得不去找更多的果園授粉工作來養家活口。每年,養蜂人要在路上運輸幾百億隻蜜蜂。研究人員擔心,遠距離地在全國頻繁搬運蜜蜂會導致病毒和害蟲迅速擴散,從而使蜜蜂更易死亡。

手機影響蜜蜂行為 德國藍道大學的研究人員也發現,蜜蜂若靠近電線,行為就會改變。研究顯示,蜂巢附近若有手機,蜜蜂就會拒絕回去,顯示手機也可能是造成蜂群失調的原因。科學家分析說,手機發出的輻射會擾亂蜜蜂的導航系統,使這些戀家的蜜蜂再也找不到回家的路。

此外,隨著農業朝向大規模單一作物發展,負責傳粉的蜜蜂,其工作也開始「現代化」:為了有效利用蜜蜂,每年會有幾百億隻蜜蜂被卡車載著隨花季遷徙;為了產生更多蜜蜂,蜂農會強迫蜂后吃大量人工配製的營養品;基於商業篩選,蜂農引進產蜜量高或是比較不具攻擊性的蜜蜂,同種交配。

長時間遷徙舟車勞頓、蜜蜂長時間食用同一種花粉、同種交配,都有可能造成蜜蜂無法獲得足夠養分,或抵抗力變弱、幼蜂無法順利成長、工蜂無法負擔起保衛蜂巢任務,甚至可能因為體力智力變弱,外出採蜜的蜜蜂根本回不了家。基因改造作物、電磁波干擾、氣候變遷、生態能源、寄生蟲、傳染病等,都可能導致蜜蜂神秘消失。

(綜合報道)

2010年10月9日大公報

古法樹頂養蜂產有機蜜

【法新社】潮流興環保,波蘭養蜂業重用一種有千年歷史的古老生產方式,在當地森林生產有機蜂蜜。這種方式生產不但生產出質素高的蜜糖,而且不破壞環境。長遠而言,當地有意把這種產自樹頂的有機蜂蜜在歐盟註冊,成為波蘭特有產品。

蜂場設在距離首都華沙約一百公里的斯帕瓦森林,設有二十個蜂巢。蜂農依據古老方法,在大樹上鑿洞吸引蜂群築巢,再以人手爬上樹頂收割蜜糖。這方法實行至今已第二年,每棵樹最多可生產三公斤蜂蜜。雖然產量遠比商業蜂場少,但工作人員都盼望終有一天在波蘭全國設置更多樹頂蜂巢,令計劃發揚光大。

世界自然基金會發言人表示,森林蜂蜜含有一般蜂蜜七倍的微量元素,色澤較深,味道不會太甜。十九世紀波蘭商業蜂場一度完全取代古老的森林養蜂方式,令森林養蜂在八○年絕迹。

資料來源:2009年10月07日太陽報

女屍:畫妖

有個姑娘拜訪了多次,我皆閉門不出。

自己獨享清淨世界,對拜訪者的打擾總是敏感到令人厭惡的地步。畫室一角換了待改的新畫,是肉體豐滿潤澤的瑜伽空行母;滿墻的民國舊照和昭華永逝的舊式美人,一成不變地笑成一個符號,從那個世界我每每體會到流光須臾停滯的美,便愈發地任自己不要回來。

昨日「雷頓石」居所處的室友敲門,我假寐不理他,不想開門。後來凌晨一點又來敲門,說是公寓鎖匙落在了家中不得入去,來問我借大門鑰匙。我才胡亂裹起一件長袍去應了門,一副睡眼蓬鬆衣冠不整略微不悅的樣子。大概他敲了四小時的門,也有些惱,得了鎖匙便匆匆走了,也未如平日一樣喝杯伯爵茶再走。

後來我耳邊好似響起了德彪西的「月光曲」,室友的影子剛消失,但見那姑娘順勢登門。白皮,細細的眉眼,睫子低垂了側身進來,抬眼瞧我,波光潋滟間募地見雙剪水秋瞳。仔細描繪了的小巧唇角勾起一點笑。

我見她穿著一襲復古的綢衣,珠光粉的緞面上針繡了暗銀色的雲氣紋樣,曲襟蝤蛴小領和短而寬的肥袖滾了邊,是啞金色。下擺上就著光又瞧見淡翠色的纏枝寶相花。下身是朱赭色闊腿裙褲,滾了金和黑的雙邊,細看刺繡是縝密的鎖子紋,腿擺處陡地空出了一片,做了幾團大片的聯珠紋樣,因繡線是銅色的絲線,一時也混在朱赭色的緞光裏,看不清那是花是鳥。

我又見她的黑髮是短到耳根的樣式,有幾個略為服帖的髮卷,用鑲了黃晶的小夾別到一邊,一手一環岫玉的鐲子,蔥似的小手上一顆葡紅色碧璽石戒子。衣領外邊掛了一串黑色的煤精石珠子項鏈。

俏生生立那,也不言語。一副有點因自己的唐突而羞赧了的神色。巧辦妝容的程度讓我懷疑她不像是活著的人,倒活脫脫是我墻上畫中走出來的民國女子。

我覺得哪裡確實是響著德彪西的「月光曲」,想著,不應是二樓的畫家彼得吧,他一向是放些雷鬼音樂才是。

這曲子真是催情。小布爾喬維亞什麽的,最討厭了。

她終於踟躕地開了口: 可是靈樹姊姊呀?

咦? 你怎知...算了,你是誰,來看畫,還是有事? 我暗暗壓下對這姑娘的喜歡,一副久未見生人的沒教養的粗鄙女人的樣子。暗想,應看茶待客才是。

這,靈樹姊姊幾周前訂了我們家的明式常服,還有這件玉色的褂子...你看。她手上多了個提包,從裏面尋出兩件紙包來,又道,客戶要求:手工刺繡。紋樣是您要求的綬帶紋,系扣去掉改系帶,對嗎? 她淺淺笑著,熟稔地報出一連串製衣名詞來。難怪穿成那副亡國的樣子,我偷笑著想,還以為哪個墓里跑來的鬼少女呢。

姊姊看看滿意不滿意呀。她嬌嬌俏俏地接著講了這樣一句。

我呆了片刻,著緊請她進門落座,又一邊手忙腳亂給電熱壺接水,一手尋了茶杯刷洗,應著:妹妹喝綠茶還是紅茶? 語畢又想,該死,牛奶用光了,還是給她泡綠茶好了。旋身立起腳去看架子頂上,友人前日從「賽爾弗里奇」百貨商店買來送我的鐵盒裝曲奇哪裡去了? 哎呀呀,連個乾淨盤子也沒有!

姑娘「噗」地掩口一笑:姊姊不要忙了呀。看了我一眼,驀地羞紅了臉。

我低頭一看,原來因為匆忙給室友送鎖匙,胡亂披起的黑色袍子裂開了大口。我也有點臉熱。

茶端了來,放了曲奇的小盤子就手遞給她。她推了一推,怯怯接下了。環繞四周:姊姊是畫畫的呀,畫得真好呢。我看著她笑了一笑。說道:也不好,剛剛畢業不久,還匠氣的很。她道:我是外行人看不出好不好,就覺得畫裏面的女孩子都像真人似的,嘻嘻。我又笑了一笑。看她走近一張新作旁邊,還小心地將端了茶杯的手往旁邊讓了讓,生怕茶湯潑灑出誤傷到畫,真是細心的女孩子。

這畫裡穿雲龍紋黑袍的是靈樹姊姊! 她忽然好像發現了新大陸,轉頭看我,又看畫。可是....

可是什麽呀。我問。

姊姊都不笑.....有點兇。

我啞然失笑。對這個天真的姑娘起了更多好感。我說,又不是拍照片,哪來那樣多傻笑。何況,我平日照相也不怎樣笑呢,都說我的外號「女屍」是名副其實了。

她就又掩口咯咯地笑了,又收了點笑顏:呀呀,「女屍」這個名字...好嚇人。

常人這樣說的話,也許我就變一變臉色不作言語了,往往心里還想著,懂屁,嚇死你算了,不喜歡就爬開。這次我卻被她那小臉的吳儂軟語弄得心頭一陣軟,不僅不見怪,還不在意,還漾起了笑意。

那旁邊這個女孩子是誰呀。她又指著「我」旁邊的一個畫中人,我有點怔怔地,不知怎麼回答。

這是「外行人」也常常提出的問題:你畫的是誰。其實畫家們常常畫一個人在布上,卻連他們自己也不知道畫的是誰。

見我不語,她便乖巧地不再問。走過來拿起紙包,姊姊,你看看訂製的衣服還可以嗎?

我這才驚醒,拍了拍腦袋,哎呀,這位妹子,我該怎樣跟你講。當時我訂了這兩件衣,寫了要求之後,才看到價格...有點超出我的承受範圍,所以又取消掉了.......呃,沒想到你們還是做出來了。

姑娘露出驚訝的神色,道:我們這裡并沒有看到客戶取消訂單的字樣呀,而且您也留下了很詳盡的送貨地點姓名.....她珠圓玉潤的手指頭不安地捏緊了手上的紙包。

我心虛地一想,當時確實是取消了,但是隨後網頁又刷不出來,誰曉得到底成功確定交易與否。我咬咬牙,跟姑娘說道:既然做出來了,那也不好為難你......一共是多少錢哪? 心想,奶奶的,沒准兒下個月房租要完蛋。

姑娘巧笑倩兮,報出個數字,隨即又擺擺手:姊姊如果一時沒有現金,下次給也可以。你先穿上試試,可能有些地方還要根據你的實際體型做出修改呢。

聽了那個數字,我頓時覺得有些懊惱,後悔一時心軟答應了她,應該堅持講說我取消掉訂單了嘛.....唉,都是這個軟妹子,害得我思考不能。我不悅地想著,也不顧她在旁邊,賭氣似的把袍子一脫,接過她遞過的常服套上,她微微紅了下臉,卻走近了,幫我系起了腰側的細帶。又拿了軟尺量身。

我站著沒動,看著近處的她膚若凝脂,氣若幽蘭。也不知是否用香薰過衣服,抑或這溫香暖玉中自有花語。無骨柔荑就在我身上遊走,一吐一納吹拂進我頸間,香得酥骨。我特意不規避,趁她站定我身前測量胸圍時,呼了絲氣到她小巧玲瓏的耳。她假裝不知我盯她,耳廓卻慢慢地紅了,粉粉地想叫人咬一口。

姊姊的后腰好凹呢,衣服腰身還需改細。她垂目喃喃道,指尖輕輕劃過我腰的曲綫。一串微的電流激在腰間,電光火石間好像哪裡又響起圣菲利普少年合唱團尖銳高亢的「聖母頌」,電閃雷鳴間姑娘的神色變了變,一絲妖樣的神情在她臉上一閃而過,快得好像不是真的。

鏡頭晃動起來,一幀一幀地飛逝著,我只覺得意識在脫落,意識又在巨變,意識竟在行走。

我看見「我」和她鬢雲亂灑,又酥胸半掩;我看見「我」在和她擁吻糾纏,又纏綿悱惻,「我」和她嬌喘連連,又香汗淋漓;我看見「我」又牽了她在另一個花花世界遊走,風流蘊藉,又百媚叢生。

然後又一瞬,「我」氣喘吁吁地回來了,還是立于此,她還是那個姿勢,指尖剛剛劃過我腰間曲綫的末端。

我卻已不是那個「我」!



良久,她卷起尺,收入袋,又幫我將衣服除下,包起,落入袋,一氣呵成,不留情面。

那麼。她揚起小臉,卻已無羞赧神色,自若地笑著道:衣服改好后我會派店裡的人送來,到時請麻煩您備好現金了,本店不收支票喔。

多謝茶點,靈樹姊姊,再會。





我睡了很久,久到起床后看著天窗不知是何年何月。

想回「雷頓石」的公寓去,想起鎖匙還在室友處,便打了電話叫他送來。

室友驚道:

我何時問你索要過鎖匙?

我忙再檢查手包:手機,香水,口紅,便箋......鎖匙。

不自覺地,我抬眼看到不久前揮就的新作,雲龍紋黑袍的「我」,旁邊的畫中人,短髮,珠光緞衣和朱赭繡花闊褲,俏生生看著畫外,眼裡藏了分妖氣。














女屍二O一一年于倫敦哈克尼維克區工作室,以上。

來源:2011年1月27日女屍的日記

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

服柏金遜藥 法漢變同志色情狂

法國一名 51歲男子,聲稱服用柏金遜症藥物後,行為與性情大變,不只嗜賭成癮,而且變成同性戀色情狂,入稟法院向英國葛蘭素史克藥廠( GlaxoSmithKline)索償。
律師指有兩名孩子的讓巴爾( Didier Jambart), 2003年開始服用葛蘭素史克生產的處方藥物 Requip(圖),不久就流連賭博網站,賭到不能自拔,輸光身家,最後更靠偷竊賺錢滿足賭癮。
嗜賭之外,曾三度自殺不遂的讓巴爾,更變成強迫性的色情狂,不只在網上露體和易服反串,而且為滿足性慾,不顧危險與陌生人進行同性戀性行為,終於受到強姦。
讓巴爾在 2005年停藥,但在國防部工作的他已被降職,而且之前的賭癮和性癮,已令他心理受創。他入稟法院,指控葛蘭素史克出售「有缺陷」藥物,以及控告醫生未有告訴他該藥的資料,向藥廠和醫生索償 45萬歐元(約 481萬港元)。
律師指醫療界一直知道 Requip有不良副作用,但藥廠到 2006年才在包裝上印上警告字句。葛蘭素史克不願對案件置評。
法新社

資料來源:2011年02月02日蘋果日報

冬運熱潮減 逾百雪橇犬遭屠殺

加拿大爆出恐怖雪橇犬大屠殺!在 2010年冬季奧運的主辦城市溫哥華,專辦野外活動的惠斯勒野外冒險( Outdoor Adventures Whistler)公司,疑因冬運落幕後生意減少,將上百隻雪橇犬或槍斃或割喉,然後將狗屍扔入亂葬崗。警方和愛護動物協會已介入調查。
當地傳媒前天報道,惠斯勒一名員工在去年 4月,花兩天時間用獵槍及刀屠殺雪橇犬後,患創傷後壓力症,向勞工部門索償。他聲稱要向狗頭開槍,但有失手,有受傷的狗奮力爬出亂葬崗躲到狗群中,亦有其他狗目擊這宗慘劇。
美聯社

資料來源:2011年02月02日蘋果日報

-5℃半裸暈倒 醉漢肚內酒精保命

酒後駕駛害己害人,但在嚴寒中飲到酩酊大醉,卻可保命。 32歲波蘭人安杰伊( Aleksander Andrzej),被發現在-5℃的嚴寒晚上,僅穿內褲倒卧在華沙公園長椅上,但竟然沒凍死,全靠有一肚子的酒充當他的「防凍劑」。
呼氣測試顯示,安杰伊每 100毫升血液中,有多達 1,024微克酒精,幾乎是駕駛人士法定最高酒精水平的 30倍。醫生指安杰伊其實極之幸運,因為一般而言, 100毫升血液有 300微克酒精已足以奪命,但這次超量酒精卻反而助安杰伊保住性命。
英國 Orange網站

資料來源:2011年02月02日蘋果日報