26 August 2008

激励我国体育健将 张思乐建议75万奖金加码


http://realtime.zaobao.com/2008/08/080825_29.shtml



激励我国体育健将 张思乐建议75万奖金加码


(2008-08-25 4:45pm)


   (综合讯)为我国赢得奥运银牌的乒乓女队,除了75万元奖金外,有次长和议员建议提高额外奖金,以激励我国体育健将迈向另一高峰。


  根据新加坡奥理会设定的“百万元奖励计划”,我国乒乓女队可获团体银牌的75万元奖金,但随着全球体育的蓬勃发展,有次长和议员建议探讨奖金是否具备吸引力。


  昨晚回国的社青体部高级政务次长张思乐今早接受《联合晚报》受询时说,我国奥运奖牌的奖励计划是在多年前设定,全国奥理会接下来可探讨奖金值和分配架构,并检讨奖金是否仍具吸引力。


  他说,奖金是对运动员的奖励,从形式上来说是必要的,也应达到鼓励其他运动员积极投入、勇夺奖牌的效应。


  奥运期间一直在北京为我国女乒乓选手加油的张思乐坦承,我国一面金牌的奖金100万新元,金额目前居全球之冠。


  不过他指出,新加坡不如美国那样,有强大的商家赞助奖牌运动员。


  “美国水神费尔普斯(夺奥运游泳8金)拿一块金牌才得奖金2万5000美元(约3万5000新元),但他的广告赞助费是2000多万美元,我国运动员目前夺奖牌还是以奖金为主,商家的赞助没这么多。”


  丹戎巴葛集选区议员马炎庆也表示,我国乒乓女队在本届奥运表现不俗,如有商家和团体给予额外奖励,是大家喜而乐见的事。


  他说,拿奖牌不全是为了奖金,但如果民间自发给运动员额外奖励,是件好事。


《联合早报网》
(编辑:黄秀茱)



李佳薇打算 明年赴北大念书 但需与乒总详谈才决定
http://2008.zaobao.com/pages1/spore080823ba.shtml


郭秀芳、张君(2008-08-23)


  我国乒乓女球将李佳薇考虑明年到北京大学深造,修读媒体方面的大学文凭课程。


  李佳薇昨晚在奥运会乒乓球女单铜牌战中,以2比4栽在中国好手郭跃拍下,再次与奖牌擦肩而过。


  李佳薇昨晚在比赛后透露,这应该是她最后一次参加奥运会,并感谢新加坡对她的栽培。


  可是,李佳薇今早接受本报的电话访问时说,她将在今年10月份代表北京大学俱乐部打球,因此,有考虑到北大修读大学文凭课程,不过,一切都还没定下来,她会在回国后与乒乓球总会会长李美花商量后,才做出一个决定。


  “打了这么多年,我也有点累了。而且,我27岁了,这些年来,有很多东西失去了。也没有读书,所以想读点东西。到北大练球,有搜集一些课程方面的资料。可能会修读媒体方面的课程。不过,会先回去和会长商量。就算要开课,我是外国留学生,也要到明年4、5月才开课。”



我国乒乓女球将李佳薇考虑明年到北京大学深造,修读媒体方面的大学文凭课程。


  下来比赛已排满


  李佳薇透露,她回国后可能会休息一下,不过,接下来的比赛已经排得满满了。


  她将在下个月参加世界杯乒乓赛和上海乒乓公开赛,在10月份参加超级联赛,并在12月份参加另外一场国际联赛。至于明年,她说,则会同乒乓总会讨论后才做打算。


  李佳薇说,之前,乒乓总会说,这次比赛过后,会给球员两个月的假期,后来又说1个月,所以,她也不知道最终自己可以休息多久,现在她只希望自己能有时间休息。


  至于自己会怎么花这次比赛赢来的奖金,佳薇说,她还没有想过。


  对李美花支持 佳薇特别感动


  李佳薇透露出有退役的意愿后,社青体部部长维文医生、高级政务次长张思乐、国际奥委会执行委员黄思锦等人都表示,希望李佳薇能够继续努力,参加下一届奥运会。


  维文说:“我希望她不会,但是最终的决定还是她自己的。我能做的是确保只要运动员全心全意投入的话,我们会继续投资在他们的身上,也会尽力给他们机会,这也是他们应得的。”


  李佳薇受访时说:“张志贤、维文医生等部长一直都很关心我,会长李美花也对我非常关注。继续参赛也是应该的,毕竟我在新加坡长大,新加坡培养了我这么多年。”


  李佳薇说,她几乎每场比赛都听到李美花(上图)在大声呼喊她的名字,为她打气,这点令她非常感动。


  谈到这次奥运会的表现,李佳薇说,她们在团体赛中发挥出色,至于个人赛,可以是成为四强当中唯一的新加坡人,也是蛮感动的。


  李美花:她才27岁 有能力再打一届


  新加坡乒乓球总会会长李美花昨晚受访时说:“我觉得李佳薇今天的表现非常出色。比赛失利我确实感到很伤心,因为我们失去一面奖牌,但我们还有机会,毕竟她只有27岁,有能力再打一届。”


  李美花也透露,新加坡乒乓球总会将在奥运会结束后,马上进行重组。


  “我将在下星期进行面试,寻找适合总裁和技术主任等职位的人选,并将与参加奥运会的选手们一对一面谈,了解他们的情况,并给予适当的帮助。”


  李美花更进一步解释说:“其实,我们需要一个系统的体制,来发展接下来的计划。早在奥运会前我就了解到乒总的内部有问题。‘高宁事件’则督促我要加快改革的步伐。”


《新明日报》
(编辑:黄秀茱)



25 August 2008

漂葉

印順導師的思想,我沒有什麼研究,他的自傳的一個比喻卻令我放在心裡,每每想起來都讓我激動不已。

他在他的自傳寫到:“自己如水面的一片落葉,向前流去,流去。忽而停(),又忽而團團轉。有時激起浪花,為浪花所掩蓋,而又平靜了,還是那樣的流去。為什麼會這樣?不但落葉不明白,落葉那樣的自己也不太明白。只覺得──有些是當時發覺,有些是事後發現,自己的一切,都在無限複雜的因緣中推移。因緣,是那樣的真實,那樣的不可思議!有些特殊因緣,一直到現在,還只能說不可思議。”*1

我在寫《流浪者之歌》的閱讀報告有提到,從已經知道結局的角度來問問題,會落入死角。很多事後孔明,在討論三國志的大師們,是不是也落入了另外一個死角?或亦是作為聽眾的我們,自己陷入自己挖掘的死角中,大師們只是帶我們上路罷了。

翁山蘇姬/昂山素姬/翁山淑枝(Aung San Suu Kyi)2008年6月被軟禁滿5年(最新的一輪),很多緬甸的人民都因為她繼續被軟禁而失望。當我讀到一則新聞,有緬甸人說她是緬甸的唯一希望時,我心裡打了一個冷顫。如果從已經知道結局來看問題是個死角,從現的狀況在來看未來不是也是如此嗎?我們只不過是很多片的葉子,不小心漂浮在水中罷了。誰浮誰沉,誰起誰落,誰知道?

台灣的前總統當年不是一個台灣之子嗎?今天怎麼變成了台灣之恥呢?當然我不斷定翁山蘇姬會像阿扁一樣,只是深感在時間的流逝中,無論你是誰,我們只是一片葉子罷了。

再多的偉業,再多的話語,我們只是一片在飄流的葉子罷了......

====================================

*1. 印順導師《平凡的一生》,台灣新竹‧正聞出版社,2005年

 

15 August 2008

Diminishing Memories 悄逝的记忆


http://diminishingmemories.spaces.live.com/


《悄逝的记忆1、2》将于九月份艺术之家公映
《悄逝的记忆》与其续集篇是两部追述甘榜记忆的纪录片。

将于九月十九日起,在艺术之家上映!



“《悄逝的记忆2》说的是林厝港,但是它不是纯粹的怀旧,而是更深层的探讨了发展的主题,以及人们如何对“发展”的观念习以为常,并且十分配合它的游戏规则。”

~~ 李慧玲,《联合早报》采访组主任

Lee Huay Leng, Lianhe Zaobao Local News Editor




纪录片导演——翁燕萍以个人叙述的角度去探讨在新加坡迅速发展的过程中,早期居民逐步从甘榜(乡村)搬迁到组屋区里生活的种种遭遇与代价。新加坡建国四十多年后的今天,真正的甘榜早已不复存在,其记忆也在悄悄地消逝当中。



为了寻回往日的童年记忆,燕萍毅然拿起摄像机回到了她出生、长大的地方——林厝港。虽然只在林厝港生活过短短九年的时光,燕萍对这个曾经陪着她走过人生最快乐时光的“童年玩伴”久久不能忘怀。原来林厝港对燕萍来说,不只是个地方而已。它的名字早已刻在燕萍幼小的心灵中。



今年九月份,新加坡首个农场住宿将在林厝港诞生。娱乐农场里也将提供香薰治疗浴(Spa)的服务。在欢庆国人又多了个家庭休闲好去处以外,有多少人了解这块土地的风貌、社群和其精神面貌的变迁?



《悄逝的记忆1》带你走入时光隧道,一同缅怀我们逝去的甘榜生活与记忆。

《悄逝的记忆2》有崭新的内容——探访目前在林厝港默默耕耘的农民们的困境,以及林厝港最新的“娱乐农场”发展计划。里头还有一段理性与感性的挣扎。失去的童年与消失的岁月,唤不回。我们该如何面对与释怀?



《悄逝的记忆1、2》是两部发人深思、有诚意的作品。影片以中、英、潮语访谈为主,华语旁述并且附中、英文字幕。门票现已发售!



导演将在六场放映会中亲临现场与观众交流,也会将她的首映会票房收入,全部捐给电力站(The Substation) 与亚洲电影资料馆(Asian Film Archive)。



电影网址:http://diminishingmemories.spaces.live.com



放映日期:

星期五(19/9/08, 03/10/08)- 7:30pm

星期六(20/09/08, 04/10/08)- 4pm, 7:30pm



放映地点:

艺术之家(旧国会大夏)

1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore 179429

(最靠近地铁站:莱佛士地铁站)



票价:

S$8.50(成人)

S$6.50 (学生、乐龄人士)



门票在艺术之家售票处出售

或可上网定购:http://www.theartshouse.com.sg/event_details_2008.php?id=826



订票热线:6332 6919 或电邮 tickets@toph.com.sg



欢迎学校、团体集体购票:6332 6912 或电邮 martini@toph.com.sg




Diminishing Memories I (50mins) - a look at the former Lim Chu Kang community and landscape. The use of archival photographs, the old 16-mm film footage, interviews of former residents on the good old days, and some animation have pieced together our memories of kampong life that is almost unheard of today. Diminishing Memories I sees the director’s honest attempt to re-capture her lost childhood.



Diminishing Memories II (49mins) - brings the filmmaker to Lim Chu Kang, to explore and investigate the development of Lim Chu Kang in response to the announcement made by the Singapore government to transform Lim Chu Kang farms into the tourist attractions. With fresh contents and interviews with the new investors and tenants of Lim Chu Kang, the film provides an insightful and thought-provoking look at the fast-changing Lim Chu Kang.

Screenings will be followed by Q&A sessions with the filmmaker


Diminishing Memories I & II are two thought-provoking and sincere documentaries by Singaporean filmmaker, Eng Yee Peng to document and relive her lost childhood in Lim Chu Kang and her coming to terms with the reality. Follow this filmmaker’s personal journey in her attempt to preserve her fading memories and her struggle in letting her beloved kampong go. Both films are narrated in Mandarin and subtitled in English, with interviews conducted in Chinese, English and the Teochew dialect.



Tickets are already selling, you will pay for one single ticket price to view two films back-to-back.



Film Screenings:

Fridays (19th Sept & 3rd Oct)- 7:30pm

Saturdays (20th Sept & 4th Oct)- 4pm, 7:30pm



Venue:

The Arts House, Screening Room

Address: 1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore 179429

(Nearest MRT- Raffles Place)



Ticket Prices:

S$8.50 Full

S$6.50 Concession (students & Senior Citizens)



Tickets are available at The Arts House Box Office



Ticket Bookings:

The Arts House Ticketing Hotline: 6332 6919 or email tickets@toph.com.sg

Bulk Booking Orders: 6332 6912 or email martini@toph.com.sg

01 July 2008

Analysis: Will ERP mean 'every road pay' ? - Yahoo! Singapore News

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20080629/tap-357200-231650b.html


Channel NewsAsia - Monday, June 30
SINGAPORE:


Some six years ago, former Speaker of Parliament Tan Soo Khoon took a peek into the future when he spoke on the hot topic of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) during a budget debate.


He said then: "Sir, the Government’s policy has been that the cost of ownership of cars would be reduced over the long run, but the cost of usage will increase. Hence, we have increases in ERP charges. We have ERP almost everywhere, or soon—to—be everywhere, (and) we are going to have ERP day and night. I think very soon, ERP will mean ’every road pay’.


"Sir, the day will be quite soon when the only safe place to leave your vehicle is at home, if you are lucky enough to own a landed property. You can well imagine that, one day, if I drive out of my house, the first thing I hear would be this ’beep’ sound coming from the little device on my dashboard, and everywhere you go, you will be hearing ’beep, beep, beep’, instead of car horns."


Mr Tan’s sagacity is well—known.


While Mr Tan’s worst—case scenario has yet to emerge, from July 7, motorists will have to face higher ERP charges and even more gantries in operation as the traffic authorities respond to growing congestion on our roads. Their argument: If ERP charges do not go up, the growing traffic congestion will have an adverse impact on the economy.


From July 7, family life in Singapore should improve, at least for those who pass through traffic gantries. Businesses, too, will become more competitive as the cost of crossing these gantries goes up, leading to faster travel times, which should then lead to lower transport costs overall.


So said Land Transport Authority chief executive Yam Ah Mee in a recent media interview: "Faster travel times lead to overall lower transport costs and ultimately, help businesses to remain competitive. Congestion also adversely impacts family life, as people spend more time on the roads."


The LTA claims that traffic speed along major routes like North Bridge Road, South Bridge Road, Stamford Road and Bras Basah Road have fallen by 22 per cent in the evenings, compared to two years ago.


Few would deny that the ERP system has helped in smoothening traffic flow, especially in the Central Business District. The main quarrel with the timing of the new round of increases is that it comes in the wake of higher petrol prices and insurance costs. Many would argue that traffic congestion here is still tolerable compared with the traffic jams in Bangkok, Jakarta and even Kuala Lumpur.


In fact, some contend that traffic in Singapore could be even smoother but for the ubiquitous road works, tree pruning and numerous traffic lights. The LTA itself has admitted that in calculating traffic speed, it included the waiting time at traffic lights, and as everyone knows, Singapore probably has more traffic lights per kilometre of road than anywhere else in the world.


And, as for business benefiting from a lower volume of traffic, why, then, is it that businesses were the first to voice their opposition to the increases? Just ask the merchants on Orchard Road and elsewhere in the CBD whether they prefer to have the car parks in their malls full, or empty. It was only when the authorities decided to introduce a "window period" in the mornings between 9.30am and noon that business at the malls in the Orchard Road area improved.


Perhaps a survey on whether motorists prefer to pay more for a smoother ride or put up with crawling traffic would have helped.


In any case, why raise costs when inflation is already raging at record levels?


And if the authorities want you to switch to public transport, why do buses and taxis also have to pay ERP charges?


Last year, SBS Transit had to pay $2.9 million (same as the previous year) in ERP charges, $5.8 million in road taxes ($5.4 million previously) and absorbed almost $37 million in output GST (up from $28.5 million). Figures for ERP charges paid by taxis were unavailable. After all, the LTA claims that the ERP system is not a revenue—raising exercise.


The present solution to smoother traffic flow also smacks of elitism, and will only serve to widen the gap between the haves and the have—nots.


And why is the preferential additional registration fee (Parf) on cars, for which the owner claims the benefit when the vehicle is de—registered, still paid with a voucher to be redeemed with the purchase of another car?


If the authorities want to see fewer cars on the road, surely a cash rebate, which may not end up with another car purchase, makes more sense.


— TODAY/so


Cat's In The Cradle - Harry Chapin




Cats in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."


And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."


My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."


And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."


Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"


And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."


I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.


And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

30 June 2008

君掌盛无边,刹那含永劫

 

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
——英国诗人威廉·布莱克(William Blake)(1757-1827)著


一花一世界,一沙一天国;
君掌盛无边,刹那含永劫。
(李叔同译)

23 June 2008

牽一隻蝸牛去散步

Rating:★★★
Category:Books
Genre: Religion & Spirituality
Author:張文亮

上帝给我一个任务,
叫我牵一只蜗牛去散步。
我不能走得太快,
蜗牛已经尽力爬,每次只是往挪那么一点点。
我催它,我唬它,我责备它,
蜗牛用抱歉的眼光看著我,
彷佛说:「人家已经尽了全力!」
我拉它,我扯它,我甚至想踢它,
蜗牛受了伤,它流著汗,喘著气,往前爬。
真奇怪,为什么上帝叫我牵一只蜗牛去散步?
「上帝啊!为什么?」
天上一片安静。
「唉!也许上帝抓蜗牛去了!」
好吧!松手吧!反正上帝不管了,我还管甚么?
任蜗牛往前爬,我在后面生闷气。
咦?我闻到花香,原来这边有个花园。
我感到微风吹来,原来夜里的风这么温柔。
慢著!我听到鸟叫,我听到虫鸣,
我看到满天的星斗多亮丽。
咦?以前怎么没有这些体会?
我忽然想起来,莫非是我弄错了!
原来是上帝叫蜗牛牵我去散步。