雜崩能閱讀報告
JBL Reading Report

Wow. What a statement.

Link

Labels: Interesting

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/30/2006 12:27:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

不知何解在無線劇集中﹐所有情侶總喜歡在教堂結婚。
劇中平時又不見他們返教堂﹐左看右看角色的言行舉止也不似是教徒﹐
為什麼他們可以無啦啦去教堂結婚﹐不是只有教徒才可以在教堂行禮嗎﹖

Exactly.

There are some interesting coments about 肥田囍事 in the original article. Check it out.

Link

Labels: Interesting

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/28/2006 12:55:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

有弟兄e-mail我問，對謝安琪懷孕有何看法。講真，真的有點不知如何回應。

我在想像，如果我是謝安琪所屬教會的傳道人或弟兄姊妹，我會如何處理。

有幾個關鍵的答案是會影嚮判決的。

首先，我是否早知在3月他們已「訂婚」？

第二，我是否早知他們在「訂婚」後便已開始同居？

第三，我是否有向他們教導婚姻的意義？

整件事情最複習的地方在於如何定義「訂婚」。這兩個字對不同人有不同的理解。

按報導，他們視3月的「訂婚」已經彷如結婚一樣，有雙方家長見證，只差未有向政府註冊。是故，懷孕也是正常的事。

關鍵在於，他們的「訂婚」，是否是在神面前舉行的婚禮？

我認為，屬靈上，除了神，沒有人能宣告二人是夫婦，包括父母和政府。所以，如果他們3月時是在神面前「結婚」，又得到教會弟兄姊妹的見証祝福，只是沒有向政府註冊，則做法雖然非一般，但無不可。

但如果二人的結合並非在神面前許下約誓的話，但卻已開始同居，我會認為他們的做法不恰當。那可能是因為他們不明白「婚姻」的真正意義。教會若知道，便有責任教導信徒甚麼是真正合神心意的婚姻，讓他們明白他們的關係並非在主裡的「婚姻」。

但若教會也不知二人同居或「訂婚」，那便是他們二人的行為出現問題，教會有一般的處理方法。

以上只是理性分析，旨在指出這件事在倫理上的複雜性，是以一般人不應隨便定二人的罪。

但感性上，我會覺得失望。

作為基督徒，我覺得應有更適合的做法。

既然他們已計劃有小朋友，也應預計到公眾反應，為何不早些讓人知道他們已婚？又為何不早點註冊？要待事情不能隱瞞時才公開？

基督徒，要比所有人更光明磊落，免得虧缺神的榮耀，叫敵人大得褻瀆的機會。我們不在別的地方，乃在爭戰之中。

News link

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/27/2006 10:11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Think traffic jams are an unbeatable force?
Bill Beaty, an electrical engineer and “traffic physics” enthusiast, doesn’t think so.
After conducting his own experiments, Bill’s discovered a simple trick anyone can do to relieve two common types of traffic jams: the “merging-traffic jam” and the “traffic wave”.
The strategy is to simply maintain a large space in front of you instead of instinctively speeding up to close any gaps. It’s counter-intuitive, but according to his own experiments, it works.

1. Now you know how to drive. Giving way will indeed help yourself.
2. Apply this to other areas of your life.

Link to original article
Link to Beaty's experiments

Labels: Learning

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/27/2006 12:14:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

They collect people's complaints and turn it into music, then perform in public spaces.
What an idea. But I don't know what they are trying to achieve.
Are you suppose to feel disturbed or what? Or is it suppose to be just humorous?



Just a wild idea: how about filling in a beautiful choral music piece with Cantonese foul words and sing it gently? It is so postmodern!
Sorry, I guess I am a bit overwhelmed by all the complaints...

Labels: Interesting

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/26/2006 12:23:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

跟我國的變臉絕技有得fight。

Labels: Interesting

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/25/2006 12:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

7 symptoms of a corroded life

1. Word without Action
   
2. Busyness without purpose
   
3. Relationship without receivasity
   
4. Calendar without Sabbath
   
5. Pastor personality without self-examination
   
6. Processing a natural gift without Spiritual power
   
7. Enormous Theology without Spirituality

Read original article

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/24/2006 01:21:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

來自《阿Lam日記》blog.

為甚麼信仰不可有懷疑的空間﹖
為甚麼我們要堅持在所有事情上只可以有一個“基督徒的立場”和“基督徒的回應”﹖
為甚麼我們基督徒要堅持我們對一切信仰﹐神學﹐道德倫理的問題都已經figure out了肯定的答案﹖為甚麼我們不能容許人去問﹕“假若我們真的是錯了...”
為甚麼我們堅持要把自己放在神的位置﹕去judge, 去論斷: 誰對誰錯﹐誰上天堂誰下地獄﹐誰是在“我們的一邊”﹐ 跟誰要“劃清界線”﹖
為甚麼我們既稱自己為基督徒﹐但做不到耶穌對人的接納﹐寬恕﹐包容﹖
為甚麼我們往往只顧及有多少人在教會之內﹐但對教會以外充滿破碎的世界可以無動于衷﹖
為甚麼我們只會問人“假若你今天死了﹐你知道你會上天堂嗎﹖”而不會問“假若神給你活多十年二十年﹐三十年﹐你會想神怎樣用你的生命去使這世界更美好﹖”
為甚麼作了十六年傳道人的我﹐在教會的圈子中反而感覺到越來越孤單﹖

不必感到孤單。「但我在以色列人中為自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的，未曾與巴力親嘴的。」王上19:18

Read the original post

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/24/2006 12:47:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Earlier this week, the U.S. Mint announced plans to roll out new $1 coins, featuring each deceased president, at a rate of four per year. Mint officials hope this will a.) reacquaint Americans with some of our lesser-known presidents and b.) get people to use those doggone coins.

[...] According to U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy, the U.S. vending machine industry stands to save $1 billion if consumers ditch their flimsy paper bills for $1 coins. The switch would eliminate maintenance on bill acceptance slots.

This was one of those moments that made me realize just how interconnected the business world is...

世界比我們所想的複雜。
Full Article

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/23/2006 01:14:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

我往那裡去躲避你的出現！無處不在的蕭蕭又出現啦！
講笑罷。
蕭蕭(Stephen SIu)是認識多年的好友，也曾在不同的場境下一同事奉。
講真，這篇蕭蕭的專訪，幾好睇，不過好長，所以只貼一小段；有興趣的自己去《畢解》睇吧。

回想走過的路，Stephen覺得最大的考驗不是尋找神的呼召，而是願意放開自己想控制的事情，離開安全地帶 (comfort zone)。「我一直比較清楚神要我做的事情，但是較難有勇氣去實踐出來。」

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Labels: Personal

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/22/2006 12:49:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Why most people who use Mac loves Mac? It is the whole experience.

My Power Book's power adaptor was dead last weekend right before I had to prepare the worship powerpoint. So I had to use a PC to do my power point, it was awful...
No good chinese font in the PC so I had to search for new chinese font for my wife's computer. After the installation, I found that the font did not support some chinese character + the old powerpoint wasnt that user friendly...an hourly job becomes 4 times longer...

So I went back to the apple retailer to exchange my adaptor today, I found that I forgot to enroll my Apple Care, and that's 5.45pm, 15min before the store closed. I throught I have to come back again the other day...and not able to work tonight...
thank God that my lovely wife reminded me that I could still call Apple to do my registration on Apple Care, since they closed at 9pm ET (it was also 15min until they close). I called their toll free number, after 2 levels of pressing numbers, an agent answered my call (no waiting music!!!). I told her I was in urgent so she finished the registration by only asking me 3 questions about my phone no., my PB serial no. and my Apple Care no., it was within 5min and DONE!! Then I tured to the technician and he told me the enrollment might take 5 days to update but after he checked it was updated in the system...within 5min he gave me a new PB adaptor...
An hourly job becomes 4 times shorter...

SEE THE DIFFERENCE NOW???

Talk about user experience. Now think about your church in this perspective. It is not just about the sermon. It is not just about the people. It is not just about the program. It is the holistic experience! Get it?

From ChowMein's blog

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/21/2006 12:48:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

馬家輝在blog裡慨歎自己成為中坑。

上次有記憶我使用這個詞語時大概是25年前。

我幾時會變成中坑？

Link

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/20/2006 02:54:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

事隔這麼多年，再在這裡讀到這篇文章，感覺仍然震憾。做人做教會做機構都一樣，不可以沒有信息啊！

信息衰竭乃謝幕的徵兆 [節錄]
楊牧谷博士

一份辦了廿五年的雜誌因著銷路下跌而停刊，有關機構辦了一個告別會，也許不純是一個「刊物喪禮」吧，因為機構同時宣告：用印刷形式來辦雜誌的時代已經過去，他們正籌辦網上雜誌。同期《時代論壇》主題文章論到教會必須發展網上宣教，報道此事的記者追訪幾個相關同道，問他們有關電子宣教的意見。有些人責備教會是不甘後人的，他們發表的意見不單與雜誌關門的原因無關，與資訊世界的要求相違（亦即是混淆了真相），還毫無忌憚地說：教會永遠都是「慢幾拍」，好像人只要給木乃衣換件流行時裝，他就會復活還陽一樣，這就叫我又悲哀又惘然，謹以幾點淺見與前輩討教。

一個機構，一本雜誌，一個傳道人，它╱他就是一個攜帶及傳遞信息的媒體，假如日久曠廢，信息流失，它╱他就再沒有存在的需要，要退下來便成了自然又合理的結局。給它╱他換件新裝是無濟於事的，就如說：為機構蓋一座大樓，為傳道人換上一套Armani西服，為雜誌由印刷改用電子網絡出版，可以延續它的生命嗎？

按愚見，該雜誌是失於道而求於市，至終亦只有亡於市，為市場所埋葬。創辦該雜誌的前輩亦為筆者所識，她的精神在哪裡？豈不是對香港年輕一輩的不捨？對香港文化一份的悲情？她不單找到弟兄姊妹的回應，在香港市場也找到一份空間？反視雜誌的末段路，先以「福音預工」為名，紮根香港文化為進路，大玩香港週刊低俗的形相，內容空洞，與流行週刊無異，扮相低俗，每次看完都有一份失落感。繼而「雞湯」型書籍流行，該雜誌走「屬靈」路，內容卻鮮有真見，可存活嗎？

一份雜誌的死亡，跟一個機構的沒落，其實也充分演繹了一個傳道人的失落──當他再沒有信息可期待的時候，有些人跑去機構做行政工作，有些人仍霸著教會的要位，做個基督教的老廟祝。

一個沒有信息的傳道人，昨日仍可存活的，今日與明日就要當心了。借電視流行話一用，「慣性收視」是可以被打破的。每週都回到同一禮拜堂的會友，我們可以視之為「慣性收視」單位吧，小心了，這些單位已靜靜起了革命，日本社會學家小田晉稱現代宗教徒是「宗教吉卜賽人」，今天你的檔口水甜草嫩，他就會匯聚到你的地方，明天發覺美境不再，他就會告別離開，連道別一聲都沒有。基本上，牧師是沒有生存保障的，他唯一的保障就是上帝委任他傳的道，失道？他就失了存在的價值，任何解釋都是多餘。

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Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/19/2006 12:35:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

最近看了許多朋友的blog post，都說到他們的不快樂。令我也心戚戚然。

我實在再受不了你們這班人了！

也許其實我要的都很簡單......但可悲又無奈的我們都做不到

it's the season when i feel the loneliness and emptiness... am i gonna survive in this cold-blooded world... i so want to speak but who can i talk to... am i achieving anything or just myself enjoy doing it...

我慢慢學懂了一回事：快樂與否，其實並不是重要的事情。

當你的人生中沒有更重要的事情時，個人的感受當然佔據整個思考。但若生命比自身更大，當生命裡尚有更多更大的事情需要我去投身，當生命裡面的不自是我一個人，我一己的快樂與否再不是重要的考慮。

生命不在乎是否快樂。生命在乎是否發光。

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/18/2006 10:38:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

又或，你今年聖誕打算用幾多錢購物？

這條問題的答案，如何反映出你的信仰價值觀？

又或，你的信仰價值觀，如何影嚮你對這問題的答案？

Labels: News, Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/17/2006 10:16:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

總覺得基督徒應該堅持祝人「聖誕快樂」，堅持只買寫「聖誕快樂」的賀咭。為何連我怎樣祝福你也要管？
換了另外一個宗教的節日被要求「去神化」，只能稱為holiday，你猜會有何後果？
為何只有基督徒可以被歧視？難道是因為我們過去歧視人太多，現在有報應？

美連鎖超市宣佈再度使用「聖誕快樂」賀詞

去年聖誕節因所使用的祝賀詞而閙風波的美國連鎖超級市場Wal-Mart，週四預先向其員工宣佈今年可以再度以「聖誕快樂」來跟客人打招呼，而不再用「假期快樂」。

Wal-Mart發言人Linda Blakley對《USA Today》記者表示：「說實話，我們從去年的風波中得到了教訓。我們不再害怕使用『聖誕快樂』，而且我們會更早一點使用，並更多使用。」

去年一名女士投訴Wal-Mart在聖誕節期間以「假期快樂」來代替「聖誕快樂」的祝賀詞，因而引起了一場激烈的宗教辯論。這位女士收到Wal-Mart的電郵回應有關投訴，信中Wal-Mart指其公司是以國際機構，所以必須要小心使用賀詞，又說全世界大部分地方的習俗仍然跟傳統「聖誕節」有很大的差別。

比較保守的組織對此反應非常激動，American Family Association 和Catholic League對所有以「假期快樂」代替「聖誕快樂」的零售商，包括Wal-Mart，採取聯合抵制行動，呼籲大衆不要購買他們的貨品。

Wal-Mart繼去年的事件之後，今年會大力宣傳「聖誕節」，下周開始會推出一個有關的電視廣告。另外，Wal-Mart旗下所有門店也會把其節日佈置部門的名稱由"The Holiday Shop"改成 "The Christmas Shop"。

原文來自基督新報

Labels: News, Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/16/2006 01:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

終於有人講真說話了。
盲目追捧永遠都是最容易的。
要反潮流說真相有見識擲地有聲特立獨行又不嘩眾取寵，講的是修養。
還有幾多人在乎修養？

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/15/2006 12:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

負責香港文化政策的民政事務局局長何志平回應拆卸天星碼頭問題時說：

我們到底要保留的是什麼？是保留一塊磚頭呢？還是保留我們的記憶呢？還是保留它內在的價值呢？我們保留磚頭，是不是攬住個磚頭瞓呢？如果那樣社會不用發展了。

按這邏輯，大部份歐洲國家都不用發展了。
按這邏輯，中國要發展，最好是拆掉紫禁城，讓出寶貴的地段來發展地產。
蠢。

Labels: Discontent

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/14/2006 12:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

昨晚去了看影音使團的新片恐懼森林。未去前其實沒甚麼大期望，結果很驚喜。有幾年沒有看影音的電影，很高興看到他們進步了很多。

恐懼森林的故事其實很簡單，要拍成90分鐘的電影，如果處理不好會很拖，但恐懼森林處理得不錯。我只是嫌故事的後段有點鬆散，不夠一氣呵成。

我最appreciate這套電影的是劇中角色的authenticity。有很多福音電影犯的錯誤就是不夠authentic。生命的轉變是需要時間和空間的，故事中的如此改變是真的可能如此發生嗎？現實中也沒有超人，沒有人是絕對的好，也絕對的壞的。但偏偏許多編劇並未掌握這道理。

恐懼森林終於擺脫了stereotyping。劇中的每一個人都有立體感（除了彭冠期），有正面也有反面，比較貼近真實。戲中主角在歸主後也沒有即時變身，卻仍要掙扎，跌倒，像現實一樣。

我頗喜歡那個有點ambiguous的結局。破鏡能重圓嗎？不一定。現實也不一定是大團圓的。

Authentic的電影，比在影像中的完美世界，更能觸動人心。

Labels: Recommend

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/13/2006 01:08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

今天是國殤日，對我有兩點影嚮：
1. 居然在星期六有假放！
2. 在回家途中被步操隊伍阻擋去路。

當然有許多人會比我更投入國殤日的氣氛當中，例如阿Joh的兩個女兒，以"O Canada"大戰"Hallelujah"，總比我嫌步操隊伍阻住我回家好。
她們的對戰令我想起一點。

記得以前初到美國讀書的時候，參加一間頗傳統的教會敬拜，留意到禮堂裡面掛有美國國旗。後來到了七月四日，教會也有特別的崇拜去記念國慶。本來我也沒有甚麼上心，以為這可能是美國人的習慣吧。但後來才知道，這當中所涉及的神學問題。

話說，在二次大戰前，納粹黨滲透教會，宣揚愛國主義。本來，愛國是好事，所以許多教會都沒有防備；結果，納粹旗在教會內被掛起，真理被扭曲，教會淪陷了。

當然，你可以說，現在又不是這麼誇張，共和黨又不是納粹黨(...!)，在教會掛一支美國旗，有甚麼大不了。但作為一個意象，這支國旗到底在傳達甚麼潛信息？國旗被掛在敬拜神的地方，這代表甚麼？有令人錯誤聯想到國家就是神的使者或是任何其他意義嗎？

基督徒要愛國，這是無可推諉的，是公民應有的素質。但在敬拜神的地方，我們不需要任何東西去分享神的榮耀。

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/11/2006 11:02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

At Least He Was a Consistent Hypocrite
Chuck Salter

Before he was exposed as a hypocrite about homosexuality, Ted Haggard, who resigned last week as head of the National Association of Evangelicals amid a drug and sex scandal, was already a hypocrite about the environment. As we described last spring in a story called Moving Heaven and Earth, Rich Cizik, the NAE's longtime Washington lobbyist, had a conversion a couple of years ago on the issue of global warming. Unlike conservatives who don't buy the scientific evidence, he became convinced, and he believed that fighting climate change and protecting the impoverished populations who suffer the brunt of it should be central to the evangelical mission.

So Cizik helped form the Evangelical Climate Initiative and draft a call to action. In February, 86 evangelical leaders signed the statement, sending shock waves through a community regarded as a unified voting block. Haggard told Cizik he agreed with the ECI's position but he wouldn't sign. When more conservative evangelical leaders wrote a letter expressing concern over the NAE's (read: Cizik's) involvement, Haggard went along with the decision that prevented Cizik from signing his name as well.

That was Haggard's style: Instead of leading an organization that represents some 30 million evangelicals to embrace an effort that continues gaining momentum (as Bill Moyers' excellent special "Is God Green?" illustrated last month), Haggard followed the old guard, which included James Dobson of Focus on the Family. No doubt Haggard thought he was protecting himself by appeasing them. Now he's discovering the fragility of that alliance. On Monday, Dobson, who had been named part of the team counseling Haggard through his current crisis, announced that he wouldn't be participating after all. Dobson said he didn't have time.

落井下石的人永遠都多。傳媒不會對基督徒有愛心。所以行事為人要切切小心！

Link

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/09/2006 12:10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

影子
米迦

從 Ted Haggard 事件中得不少提醒。

看了 Ted Haggard 寫給他教會的道歉信 (可按這裡閱讀)，心裡十分難過，憐憫這位主內弟兄。看了他的道歉信後，我選擇不以「偽君子」的角度去判決這位弟兄，我選擇相信他信裡面的內容，相信他是在沒有好好面對生命的黑暗的情況下繼續真心侍奉，多於選擇認為他是說一套做一套來全心欺騙他的會友。

其中有一處很提醒我，內裡談到他承認沒有持續處理生命的 一個黑暗角落，結果這黑暗越發越大，最終帶他做了背判信念的事情︰

[…] I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I’ve been warring against it all of my adult life …

[…] When I stopped communicating about my problems, the darkness increased and finally dominated me. As a result, I did things that were contrary to everything I believe …

我認同這個道理。人裡面往往存有黑暗的一角。處理的過程多數都痛苦的，不容易。但若我們決定停止處理這個黑暗，它便會擴散，最後佔據我們。

再看一篇評論 Haggard 事件的文章，以「影子」來描述這份我們自己既討厭但又卻偏偏在我們裡面存在著的東西︰

[…] the essential idea is what you repress and hate most, you are. And if you don’t “own” your shadow, and raise it into your conscious, waking life you’re going to get busted in one way or another!…

中文意思大概是︰
你在人家身上所討厭的，往往也在你身上能找得到 (你也是這種人)。如果你不把這個影子帶進你的意式裡處理，你生命將會破釘。

那個「what you repress and hate most, you are」的說法我很認同，套到 Haggard 身上，那就是說︰Haggard 一直很討厭同性戀行為。因此他平日在教導上很強調要反對同性婚姻。但偏偏這個他討厭的傾向就發生在他身上。

而我亦發現我自己也是這樣。我發現，別人最易挑釁我有憤怒的行為，往往也會在自己身上出現，自己也會這樣幹，而自己又很討厭自己這樣，而且這個更往往是最難戰勝的。

這個「影子」道理，既真實，又人感到很荒謬。何解一樣自己最討論的東西反而會一直出現在自己身上都不知呢？這真有趣。

說回自己，我坦言也有這種不易戰勝的影子。我想，就正因為我很討厭這個影子，我會更有動力去戰勝它。

靠著主的大能，我必能得勝！

閱讀原文

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/07/2006 02:49:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

百多位灣區牧者同工為華人宣教復興禱告

百多位來自三藩市灣區的牧者同工昨日濟濟一堂，參加一年一度灣區基督徒聯合禱告大會。當全場同心為華人宣教復興禱告時，聖靈感動很多人悔改。
由專業人士福音協會(PRO Ministry) 主辦，灣區基督教華人同工聯禱會及灣區研經培靈委員會協辦，禱告大會的主題爲「宣教兩百年 禱告得復興」，剛好配合近日在三藩市區舉行的「馬禮遜入華宣教二百年歷史圖片展」。

Link

Labels: Worship

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/07/2006 12:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

一道小學三年班題目，要求把以下五句話用關聯詞連接：

1. 阿珍；
   
2. 頑強地學習；
   
3. 學會了多門外語；
   
4. 學會了針灸；
   
5. 癱瘓了。
   

正確答案應該是：阿珍雖然癱瘓了，但頑強地學習，不僅學會了多門外語，而且還學會了針灸。

結果孩子們的答案可說千奇百怪：

• 雖然阿珍頑強地學會了針灸和多門外語，可她還是癱瘓了。
  
• 阿珍不但學會了外語，還學會了針灸，她那麼頑強地學習，終於癱瘓了！
  
• 阿珍之所以癱瘓了，是因為頑強地學習，非但學會了多門外語，甚至學會了針灸！
  
• 阿珍是那麼頑強的學習，不但學會了多門外語和針灸，最後還學會了癱瘓！
  
• 阿珍學會了多門外語，學會了針灸，又在頑強的學習癱瘓！
  
• 阿珍通過頑強的學習，學會了多門外語和針灸，結果照著一本外文版針灸書把自己刺到癱瘓了！
  

Labels: On the light side

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/06/2006 03:01:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

I'm now typing this blog post on my new MacBookPro. I am so impressed by the level of details that Apple went into to create this laptop.

• the hidden indicator light
  
• the backlit keyboard controlled by a hiddne ambience sensor (now I can type in the dark on my bed)
  
• the Maglock power adaptor (so that you won't knock the computer on the ground when you are kicked over by the power cord)
  
• it is lighter and thinner than my old PowerBook
  
• the screen is a lot brighter
  
• But, most importantly, it automatically copies all my software applications, files and documents, my whole iTunes and iPhoto library, preferences, settings, drivers, **everything** from my old computer so that when I first start up my new MBP, it looks exactly like my old one and everything is already in place, up and running, without me installing anything. It takes about an hour, and in the mean time I don't need to attend to it (and I prepared Bible study). This is truly an experience.
  

The point is, you don't need to go that far. Nobody expected it. But when you have a heart to create the very best thing, you'll want to walk that extra mile.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/05/2006 12:02:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

For the Mac fans out there.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/04/2006 12:20:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

老闆
陳嘉上

一提起不合理的老闆或上司，共鳴的人可不少。電台節目以此為題目，電話就響過不停。但平常我們卻有不少時候在當一個老闆，我們又怎樣表現？你在消費時是一副甚麼臉孔？我意思是當你在接受人家服務時，你是個好老闆嗎？你有沒有試過大罵一些大公司的職員，儘管其實犯錯的不是他本人，而是他的同事又或者他那不合理的大老闆。你對抗不了不合理的制度，卻找一個小員工來發洩？在食店用餐時你對侍應生們是甚麼態度？你是不是在想我在付錢，你要聽我的？人家做生意的要員工相信顧客永遠是對的，作為顧客，你真相信嗎？香港是個服務消費城市，我們享受服務的機會很多。但我們算好老闆嗎？每次我在消費場所看到一些顧客對服務員的態度惡劣的時候，我都懷疑，如果他的老闆用這樣的咀臉對他，他會怎樣想？我們說生活迫人，有沒有想過我們也會是迫人的一部份。

真令人慚愧。我從來沒有從這個角度想過。
前幾天，我往某大連鎖店買一副耳筒和一部揚聲器。我重覆問了那售貨員兩次那耳筒是否適用於我的mp3機，他說ok。回到家，果然是不配的。連揚聲器也是壞的。我氣沖沖的回去refund，本來是一肚氣的（明明問了兩次！），但不知怎的，去到時，居然變了和顏悅色，還show給他看為何不work，他也道歉了。只道是神保護我。

原文

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/03/2006 12:00:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

By using compact fluorescent bulbs.

[...] if every one of 110 million America households bought just one [compact fluorescent] bulb, took it home, and screwed it in place of an ordinary 60-watt bulb, the energy saved would be enough to power a city of 1.5 million people. [...] In terms of oil not burned, or greenhouse gas not exhausted into the atmosphere, one bulb is equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the road.

Just one [bulb] per home. The typical U.S. house has between 50 to 100 "sockets" (astonish yourself: Go count the bulbs in your house). So what if we all bought and installed two [compact fluorescent] bulbs? Five? Fifteen?

By changing the incandescents bulbs in all the ceiling fans on display in all WalMart store to compact fluorescent bulbs, they saved $6 million a year. How much can you save if you change all your light bulbs in your home? What is certain is that, these bulbs will pay for themselves with the savings in electricity bill in about 5 months.

Go change your light bulbs!

Link to original article

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/02/2006 04:46:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I was reading an article about the near future development of the Web. The author presentated something very logical and interesting. This is what the author thinks will be the next big thing.
If you can still remember (if you were born already), before we have the Internet, we go online by joining services such as CompuServe, AOL etc. You can visit only whatever is offered by your service provider. It is a closed system. But the launch of the "Mosaic" and later "Netscape" browser broke down barriors between these online spaces and allow anyone to access anywhere (figuratively) on the Web. Thus the birth of the liberated Internet.
Now, we are detecting the same pattern. Many people go online now and play in virtual spaces of online different games. What if these virtual spaces can be linked together, and people can move freely between "worlds"? Or if there is only one big "world" and people play different games in there?
This is not "Matrix". There are already software company working on this.
The Internet now is still more or less a 2-D space. If the above is actualized, we will have a truly 3-D virtual world. The whole eco-system will change. The impact will not be less than discovering America.
Be prepared.

Labels: Learning, Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 11/01/2006 12:05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments