給中七理科班同學的十則箴言：

各位中七理科班的同學，盼望大家時刻謹記以下十則箴言：

1. 我們無法改變環境，但可以改變自己。
2. 遠大的目標是成功的磁石。
3. 求知是積累優勢邁向成功的第一步。
4. 成功屬於堅持到底的人
5. 一生只做兩種事：做正確的事和正確地做事。
6. 時間是一種獨特的資源，根本無法儲存，一旦過去，永不復返。
7. 有偉大成就的人，向來善於自我管理。
8. 我們若無法阻擋變革，就只能走在變革之前。
9. 在現代經濟中，知識正成為真正的資本與首要的財富。
10. 人生並沒有辦不到的事情，只有不去辦的事情。

學生需要擁有什麼條件才能夠在全球化的舞台上立足？

人們常常說，香港沒有天然資源，主要而唯一的資源是人。這是事實，由於地理環境不會改變，在可見的未來，香港仍然將以人力為主。在現今的世界，成功依靠出色的點子、創意、以及有效發揮智慧。這是個靠腦力來推動經濟的世界。知識和經驗當然重要，但我們身處的環境要求除了要努力工作之外，還要精明地工作。

哪麼我們的學生需要擁有什麼條件才能夠在全球化的舞台上立足？

(1) 精神面貌方面要有進取的態度，積極正確的價值觀及高尚的道德操守，並關心社會時事，關懷弱勢社群。做事充滿熱誠，擇善固執，堅守信念和道德標準，應有所為有所不為。
(2) 除了精通本科知識外，還要具備國際視野，掌握其他範疇的知識。
(3) 具備極高的中英文水平。
(4) 有自信心和領導才能。
(5) 有批判思考能力，能夠從多角度了解問題。
(6) 能認真和努力地做好每一件事，這不局限話於認真預備考試和做功課，而是在人生歷程的每一個階段，有否認真做好每一件事。
(7) 人際交往能力：懂得與不同的人相處溝通，有高情緒智商，能夠和別人分工合作。
(8) 科技能力和資訊文明：懂得使用互聯網及其他電腦科技尋找和運用資訊
(9) 創造能力：能綜合資料和不同見解，提出新的觀點看法
(10) 適應能力：能夠處理新事物新情況，在不同環境下發揮所長

除以上條件外，他們要擁有不斷迎接轉變的魄力，因為不少証據顯示，社會的變化周期愈來愈短。我近日適逢在友人的聚會中，與一位在跨國銀行工作的朋友閒談，得知他的同事都有不同的專業背景，有唸工程的，有唸心理學的，也有唸社會科學的。他們曾從事其他行業，但因社會的變化使工作周期變得短暫。在今日的社會，我們不可抱殘守缺，堅信擁抱「從一而終」這種工作態度才是忠於公司的模範員工，「一份工作能夠做到退休」的想法己經不合時宜，年輕新一代要在今天的社會保持優勢，就必須在知識、心態和學習能力方面多下苦功，使自己能夠隨時隨地迎接挑戰。

以上不是什麼新的論點，其實早在一九六九年、現代管理學之父杜拉克(Peter Drucker)就預言知識員工(knowledge worker)的出現。在經濟發展成熟的地區如香港，對高學歷和具專業資格(學位或以上程度)的人才需求甚殷，但中五教育水平或以下者面對極大的失業壓力。所以年輕新一代要爭取得來不易的學習機會，努力裝備自己，使自己成為有良知的知識工作者。

大崩壞

1998年普利茲獎得主戴蒙繼重量級百萬暢銷書《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》後，以更為寬廣的視野，檢視歷史上文明的衰頹與延續之因：何以一些曾經繁榮鼎盛的文明從此殞落、滅亡，走上毀滅之路，而一些文明得以存續下去？我們又能從這些歷史教訓中學到什麼？從復活節島上的玻里尼西亞文化、美洲的阿納薩茲印第安部落與馬雅文明、到格陵蘭島的維京人族群等等，戴蒙試圖從中尋找出這些文明最後滅絕的原因與模式。除了生態環境的破壞、氣候變化、強鄰威脅、友邦的支持等因素之外，他認為最重要的關鍵在於︰一個社會面對環境問題的應變能力如何。一些文明社會沒落了，另一些社會卻找到了解決問題的方法，得以存續發展。

　　今日的人類社會面臨了全球化所帶來的問題，相較於過去，大崩壞的危機甚至更為逼近。戴蒙透過《大崩壞》提供讀者反思現代處境的角度，也提出一個迫切、亟待解決的問題：人類社會要如何避免這種生態性的毀滅？即使我們擁有看似取之不盡的豐富資源，也有強而有力的政治力量，生態界出現的警訊卻開始出現──不論是偏遠如美國蒙大拿州的環境變化、南亞的海嘯劫難，還是颶風所帶給美國的創傷─這些都是尋求社會永續發展所必須深刻思考的課題。本書字裡行間充滿智慧光芒，極具啟發性，引人入勝，勢必成為當代的必讀經典之一。

好評推薦
戴蒙的《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》加上《大崩壞》，是我們這個時代單一作者所完成最了不起的巨著，博大精深，足足顯現作者的博學和創見。──《紐約時報》書評
戴蒙喜歡寫很大的主題……《大崩壞》一書格局宏偉，只有戴蒙才寫得出這麼一本書。──《經濟學人》書評

戴蒙在書中提到的社會生存和物種個體生存之別非常重要。我們經常把這兩者混為一談，認為文化價值是個體生存的先決條件。但是經歷兩次世界大戰的浩劫和核子時代的恐懼後，我們已經覺醒：只有學習好好相處、以和平的方式解決爭端，人類這個物種才能存活下去。然而，我們可別忘了這樣的事實：即使我們守法、愛好和平、能容忍別人、有發明創造的能力、熱愛自由、擁抱核心文化價值，我們的作為還是可能危及我們賴以為生的環境，無異於慢性生態自殺，個體最後也就無法生存。──葛拉威爾（Malcolm Gladwell）∕《紐約客》書評暢銷書《決斷2秒間》（Blink）、《引爆趨勢》（Tipping Point）作者
人類在孤絕的復活節島上拚命雕刻石頭巨人，忽略了大自然，最後只是為自己帶來滅亡。同樣的傻事在人類文明史上一再重演。戴蒙這本寫得極其嚴謹、精采的書，探討人類社會崩壞的原因，並告訴我們如何才能轉危為安。如果我們好好讀這本書，保住這個地球，我們的子孫一定會感謝我們。──華特曼（Robert Waterman Jr.）企管暢銷書《追求卓越》（In Search of Excellence）作者
戴蒙以一個又一個令人驚心動魄的故事，告訴我們：如果我們像過去人類社會那樣踐踏生態環境，會有什麼下場？──路易斯（Bill Lewis）麥肯錫全球研究所（McKinsey Global Institute）名譽主任《生產力》（The Power of Productivity）作者
戴蒙的《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》一書帶領我們在人類文明之路上探索，檢視一萬五千年來的人類發展史。接下來，這本《大崩壞》繼續這段旅程。戴蒙以生動的筆法帶我們觀看過去人類文明的起落，並佐以詳盡的史料分析。那些文明的故事不只是過眼雲煙，而可以和今日的盧安達、澳洲、中國和蒙大拿連結，做為殷鑑，讓我們為「進步」重新定義。──卡爾（James Karr）華盛頓大學（University of Washington）教授
戴蒙不只讓我們對古文明的殞落心生悵然，他的考古學與史學論述更讓我們學到寶貴的一課，讓我們知道人類社會曾犯過什麼樣的錯。這是關心人類目前處境者必讀之書。──白伍德（Peter Bellwood）澳洲國立大學（Australian National University）教授
戴蒙結合科學與歷史，寫出令人入迷的文章。他在新著《大崩壞》中演示人類趨吉避凶之道。──普特曼（Louis Putterman）布朗大學（Brown University）教授
過去最繁華、最強大、最有自信的人類社會都不免崩壞，更何況是我們？作者透過古今社會的對照與比較，告訴我們哪些是當今人類社會最大的威脅，教我們記取教訓，心生希望。這是一本可能改變人類歷史的書。──瑞德曼（Charles Redman）亞歷桑納州立大學教授（Arizona State University）教授
人類有史以來第一次面臨全球生態崩壞的危機。在這個關鍵時間點，戴蒙帶領我們進行一趟文明巡禮，讓我們看看面臨類似威脅的古老人類社會如何在環境的挑戰下覆亡。本書是戴蒙繼經典之作《第三種猩猩》和《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》之後的力作，讓我們洞視過去人類社會的不幸，避免同樣的噩運降臨在我們身上。──艾利克（Paul R. Ehrlich）史丹佛大學（Stanford University）教授《步上尼尼微的後塵》（One With Nineveh）作者

作者簡介
◎賈德．戴蒙（Jared Diamond）　　美國加州大學洛杉磯分校（UCLA）醫學院生理學教授、美國國家科學院院士。他除了是實驗室科學家，還是田野生物學家、人類學家，也是當代少數幾位探究人類社會與文明的思想家之一。戴蒙的研究成就使他獲獎無數，包括美國國家科學獎、泰勒環境貢獻獎、日本國際環境和諧獎、麥克阿瑟基金會研究獎助.等。　　戴蒙是全球唯一兩度榮獲英國科普書獎殊榮的作家。他的《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》，同時榮獲 1998 年美國普利玆獎、英國科普書獎與萊南文學獎，探討人類社會不平等的起源與地理成因，與《第三種猩猩》合稱為「人類大歷史」。
譯作者簡介
◎廖月娟：美國西雅圖華盛頓大學比較文學碩士，現專事翻譯研究。　　譯作豐富，包括：《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》、《生命的臉》、《鎢絲舅舅》、《旅行的藝術》、《一個外科醫師的修練》、《旁觀者：管理大師杜拉克回憶錄》等作品。

Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005.

Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 2005.






Will our current environmental crisis lead to the economic or social collapse of civilization? In the face of patently unsustainable consumption of natural resources, and the almost complete lack of political awareness of our leaders and most of the public, is this not inevitable? Global warming is now in progress, food production per capita has been declining for decades, oil production may peak in the next five years or so, soil erosion and deforestation are rampant, water tables are falling almost everywhere that it matters.
Alas, there is no single book which really comprehensively examines these questions. But there are three books which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to study the issue, the full references for which are above: Collapse by Jared Diamond, The Collapse of Complex Societies by Joseph Tainter, and Something New Under the Sun by J. R. McNeill.
The latest, greatest, and most readable book is Jared Diamond’s Collapse. Just published early this year (2005), it is already on the best seller lists. Diamond is best known as the author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. In Collapse he focuses on environmental crises faced by past civilizations. Our own culture is not examined systematically, although he does discuss the case of modern Montana. For people who want to know more about what happened on Easter Island, to the Norse settlements in Greenland, or to the Mayas, this is just your book.
At the top of the list of historical examples is the story of Easter Island — probably the classic case of environmental collapse. Easter Island had a large population and a thriving economy complete with forested areas that could have provided trees for boats and supported a much higher standard of living. But through overpopulation and thoughtless destruction of the environment, the trees were all cut down, the population collapsed, and the statues left standing where they were at the time of the collapse — long before the Europeans arrived. Easter Island is only one of scenarios that Diamond considers — he also discusses civilizations from the Maya to modern Haiti. The failed Norse settlements in Greenland actually get the most space compared to any other society.
I appreciated Diamond’s analysis and I am grateful for the compelling descriptions he has of the complexity of the situations which these various ancient (and modern) societies had. There are so many books being published these days, and a lot of it is just trash — it is a waste of the paper it is written on. Here is an author who has achieved some fame with a Pulitzer prize, and probably could publish his letters to his dog if he wanted to, but instead spends his literary capital to draw attention to a problem that is clearly of the greatest significance for the future of humanity.
Some reviewers, such as Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times, have criticized Diamond for arbitrary selection of past case histories. "Why Easter Island and not ancient Rome?" Kakutani asks in her perceptive review. In the case of Easter Island, there was manifest environmental damage done by the humans; but in ancient Rome, environmental influences appear to be minimal, non-existent, or even negative, as population actually decreased in many parts of the empire toward the end.
I think this is a valid point, but misses the thrust of the book, which is to look at a special kind of collapse, the collapse due to environmental pressure, and Diamond has done a pretty good job of that. Collapse due solely to economic and political complications (ancient Rome in a nutshell) is outside the scope of the book.
Into the Twentieth Century
Diamond’s historical approach to past environmental crises leaves us with two further questions.
The first question is, what about today’s society? The failure of the Norse settlements, which at maximum only consisted of several thousand inhabitants, hardly constitutes a model for global collapse, does it? Are these "local" disasters of the past really comparable to the present?
This where Something New Under the Sun comes in. It’s not quite as popularly written as Diamond’s book, but if you want to know what happened to the environment during the twentieth century, this is an excellent history. The book conveys the overall impression, as the title implies, that so far as human alteration of the environment is concerned, something fundamentally different happened in the twentieth century, orders of magnitude greater, which makes today’s situation very different from anything we have faced in the past (and much worse). He looks at the earth’s soil, urban air pollution, global air pollution, water pollution, water diversions and mining, land use, forests and fish, urbanization, energy, and ideas. The only real improvement during the twentieth century has been with respect to urban pollution, at least in the richer countries. When this book is set against Diamond’s, we see that the same kinds of forces at work on Easter Island are at work in the world, are global rather than local, and are intensifying.
To maintain our current standard of living, we are spending down irreplaceable natural capital, and when that is gone — when the land is degraded, the groundwater pumped, and oil production declining — then we will seemingly have no choice but to fall back into barbarism, a Dark Age from which humanity may never emerge. The smart money, I am afraid, says that civilization (as we know it) will not survive. But of course, there’s no point in making such a bet since if you win, the economic system in which you might collect such a bet won’t exist.

談We the Media 與香港媒體

校園讀書會

題目：談We the Media 與香港媒體
(免費網上書本：http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wemedia/book/index.csp)講者：葉蔭聰
日期：2005年4月9日(星期六)
時間：下午二時三十分至四時三十分
地點：香港中文大學崇基學院陳國本樓LT3

自從互聯網出現後，大型媒體不能再壟斷新聞，憑著電腦、手機、數碼相機等，讀者可以變身成記者，把新聞變成互動對辯，這不是天方夜譚，在全世界己出現了不少新的媒體，以這種草根新聞方式運作，例如韓國的Ohmynews!及日本的Janjan。

Dan Gillmor的We the media為我們介紹由網上日誌（或稱作「博客」，Weblog or Blog）發展而成的新資訊工具，它在媒體文化裡，產生甚麼新的可能，藉此，我們可以討論一下香港的發展可能。

粵語主講，歡迎參加，費用全免
詳情及報名，請瀏覽網頁 http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub
查詢：2609-7563 2609-7075 bookclub@cuhk.edu.hk


http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/050409.ram

環境、文化與征服 Jared Diamond, Gun, Germs and Steel

題目：環境、文化與征服講者：陳天機
日期：二零零四年一月十日(星期六)
時間：下午二時三十分至四時三十分
地點：沙田香港中文大學崇基學院李慧珍樓G07室

環境、文化與征服

Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel (New York: Norton 1998)。
中譯本：賈德•戴蒙 (著)，王道還廖月娟(譯)：《槍炮、病菌與鋼鐵》，臺北：時報文化出版企業股份有限公司，1998

這本非常暢銷的書得了美國的普利茲獎。作者是美國生理學教授，也是生物學家、人類學家、歷史學家和有名的科學寫作家；他每年都到新畿內亞研究當地的鳥類。戴蒙在本書裏提出了一個非常耐人尋味的問題：“為甚麼西班牙人征服了美洲，而不是美洲的印地安人征服了西班牙呢？”他所給的答案匪夷所思，牽涉到大陸的形成、生物的分佈、古人類的遷移、文化的發展和病毒的傳播，但竟然不涉及種族的優越。

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/040110.ram

More on Cultural Revolution

For details, watch the RTHK's production《鏗鏘集》警鐘長鳴「文革四十年」，2006年5月14日晚上播出 .

Here is part of the wikipedia's definition on the impact of the Cultural Revolution:

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/文化大革命

對教育的影響

十年文革令全國所有的學校進入停課狀態，大學入學考試取消。高考直到1977年文革結束後才舉行，那一年考生的平均年齡是最大的，錄取率也是最低的。文革中，知識分子不被尊重，大多數被下放進行體力勞動，有些則遭到殘酷對待，財產被沒收。 也有些人的意見認為當今中國人普遍難以建立信任關係問題，以及道德淪喪問題，甚至腐敗成風問題都是文革時期人整人，人鬥人，互相出賣，互相揭發，互相批鬥的教育結果。因為不論是當時無法無天的紅衛兵還是被批鬥的知識分子現在已經為人父母甚至祖父母。這些經受了精神折磨的人的子女普遍繼承了他們的思想和性格，也就是說沒有經歷過文革的一代甚至幾代人都在承受着文革的負面影響。

對中國文化的影響

毛澤東思想在文革中成為中國的主導政治理論，截止到1967年12月，已經出版《毛主席語錄》3.5億冊，這可能對在中國掃除文盲起到了一定作用。毛澤東的威望空前高漲，任何修正主義傾向都會受到批評和批判，全國盛行「造反有理」的口號，法律完全受到漠視。很多當權派利用和歪曲文化大革命的政策，形左實右，甚至挑起「武鬥」，使文革初期整個國家陷入無法無天的混亂狀態，全國大量文物受砸毀，古跡被破壞，對中國，以至人類文化遺產造成無可彌補的損害。出身成分論在文革中十分流行。工人農民等勞動群眾成為文藝歌頌的主角。提出了「破四舊」,「開門搞科研」，「人民代表以工農兵為主體」等眾多新觀點，提倡「大鳴，大放，大辯論，大字報」的大民主。數不清的歷史文物、私人古玩，甚至祖輩遺物在「破四舊」的口號下被紅衛兵野蠻砸爛；科學工作者被迫下鄉，研究工作因而停頓。文革後期的「批林批孔」，則是直接對準了中國文化中影響最深遠的儒家文化。

Susan Blackmore, The Meme Machine (Oxford: Oxford University Press 1999)

Susan Blackmore, The Meme Machine (Oxford: Oxford University Press 1999)
自私摹媒控制下的機器
一本暢銷的科學通俗著作，可惜在香港難找，而且未見中文譯本。書前有道金斯教授的序文；道金斯是“自私基因”和“摹媒”兩名詞的發明人。
作者：Susan Blackmore 蘇珊。布賴模
Reader in Psychology, University of the West of England, Bristol.
布賴模是英國女心理學家，以研究特異現象（例如“瀕死經驗”）見稱。本書可能是三本討論摹媒的權威著作之一。作者從常識的角度介紹自己的觀點，文筆流暢直率，清晰可讀，富幽默感，有點“英氣逼人，”使讀者感覺自己早應該看出她提出的觀點。布賴模在書裏也毫不隱蔽自己（她篤信佛教禪宗；在牛津大學時曾受停學處分）。

粗略的大綱： 1. 略談文化與認同（庫安2000）。
2. 略談自私基因（道金斯1976）。
3. 略談自私圖報（瑞德來1996）。
4. 略談自私摹媒（道金斯1976；本書1999）。
5. 不太成熟的意見和一點反思。

參考書目
1. (布賴模) Susan Blackmore, The Meme Machine (Oxford: Oxford University Press 1999).
2. (道金斯) Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene (2nd ed.) (New York: Oxford University Press 1989). 中譯本：Richard Dawkins著，趙淑妙譯：《自私的基因──我們都是基因的俘虜？》台北：天下文化出版股份有限公司，1995。（他是“自私基因”和“摹媒”兩詞的發明人，但比布賴模較為保守。）
3. (庫安) Carl Coon, Culture Wars and the Global Village, a Diplomat’s Perspective (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books 2000). (退休外交家談爸爸的專長：文化人類學。)
4. (瑞德理) Matt Ridley, The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation (London: Penguin Books 1996)。（動物學家發揮“ 相互利他(reciprocal altruism)”理論的暢銷名著。）
5. (克朗克) Lee Cronk, That Complex Whole (Boulder: Westview Press 1999). (文化人類學家精悍的小書（130頁）。)

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/030111.ram

Coastal Ecology

Do you know this snail species? Why do they hide in the rock crevice?

學生應學些什麼

要適應新時代的變化和社會的需求，未來的大學在不同方面都要有充分準備。在面對人生的態度上，他們要有頗高的適應能力，能夠在不同的環境和工作崗位中發揮所長。今天基本上巳經沒有人服務一間公司直至退休，轉工甚至轉行是常態。今天在香港工作，明天到內地上班，後天往海外打拚，都不是稀奇的事。年輕人要不斷學習，充實自己，迎接新挑戰。今天很多工種，大學畢業只是入門的學歷，要更上層樓便要進修，甚至念個碩士學位，知識面要橫跨人文和科學各領域。

一個稱職的大學生，精神面貌方面要有進取的態度，積極正確的價值觀及高尚的道德操守，並關心社會時事，關懷弱勢社群。做事充滿熱誠，擇善固執，堅守信念和道德標準，應有所為有所不為。

在基本能力方面，同學在多方面要達到一定的水平，其中包括：一、語文能力：兩文(中、英文)三語(廣東話、普通話、英語)必不可少，在讀、寫、聽、講方面都能應付自如；二、表達能力：可以用口語、文字、圖像和不同媒體表達自巳的意念；三、分析能力：有足夠的常識見聞，懂得發現和提出問題，運用分析方法，掌握數理邏輯，對事物有個人見解和批判思維；四、科技能力和資訊文明：懂得使用互聯網及其他電腦科技尋找和運用資訊；五、創造能力：能綜合資料和不同見解，提出新的觀點看法，得自我學習提高；六、適應能力：能夠處理新事物新情況，在不同環境下發揮所長；七、跨媒體能力：掌握文字、聲音、影像、網絡等媒體的持性，自由游走於不同媒介；八、人際交往能力：懂得與不同的人相處溝通，有高情緒智商，能夠和別人分工合作。

章詒和《往事並不如煙》

讀書會
日期：2005年10月7日（星期五）
時間：7:00p.m.-9:00p.m.
地點：中環美國銀行中心1樓A，中大校外進修學院演講廳

章詒和《往事並不如煙》
李怡主講 陳求德主持

作者寫劃出共產黨極權下，一群知識界精英對權力及各種政治運動的形態及醜態。這些知識份子都是我們從文憲書本中所曾認識的，但是，從章詒和這樣近距離的描述，則是令人嘆為觀止，不愧為桐城文章的優美傳統。


http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/051007.ram

銘記文革兩大教訓：實行黨內民主輿論監督

銘記文革兩大教訓：實行黨內民主輿論監督 (明報社評)

40年前，毛澤東為鞏固權力基礎，發動了一場文革浩劫，造成中國10年動亂。文革結束30年了，今天，中國通過改革開放，成為當今世界的經濟強國，顯示文革耽誤的經濟建設時間可以追回；可惜，文革造成的中國文化大破壞、國人道德價值體系的大崩潰，迄今未能彌補。

回看文革浩劫，可以從許多角度去觀察思考，但我們最希望看到的，是中共作為執政黨，能夠真誠地徹底反思文革一事、銘記教訓，為今後探尋黨內民主、國家的民主政治發展，開創新思路，避免文革這樣的歷史悲劇重演。

中國共產黨迄今對文革的反思，點到即止，絕不徹底。中共試圖將人民對文革的記憶，定格在1981年中共十一屆六中全會通過的《關於建國以來黨的若干歷史問題的決議》；然而，文革的幽靈仍在中華大地遊蕩，文革歷史悲劇重演的因素並未根除。

文革悲劇之所以發生，源於中共建政後一黨獨大，對毛澤東的個人崇拜發展到全國狂熱，黨內民主被毛澤東的一言堂所取代。

由於對文革的反思不徹底，文革後，仍然因為鄧小平的一言堂，導致六四事件那樣的歷史悲劇發生。同樣是由於對文革的反思不徹底，中共的黨章，今天仍然要寫入所謂「鄧小平理論」、「江澤民三個代表」等內容。而且，中共領導層還要將這些內容寫入憲法，使得對中共領導人的個人崇拜遺風變成全國人民的選擇，國家的根本大法，變成對中共領導人歌功頌德的記事簿。

今日的中共，比40年前進步；今天的中共領導人，也比40年前的中共領導人務實開放，而且談論到要使黨內民主的發展與中共的執政黨地位相適應。然而，今日中共的黨內民主與人民期望之間的落差，依然巨大。

今天紀念文革40年，不但是為了銘記教訓，更期望明年召開的中共十七大，以胡錦濤、溫家寶為代表的中共領導層，能夠徹底打破「個人崇拜」、「領袖威權」、「強人政治」等人治迷思，為中共的黨內民主開創新思路，同時為國家的民主法治建設，作出中共作為執政黨所應當作出的貢獻；而且，胡溫這一代領導人應當有勇氣和遠見，從此不讓自己的名字進入黨章和憲法，為後代樹立好榜樣。

今天紀念文革40年，要銘記的第二個教訓是，要使輿論監督真正在中國的社會、經濟、政治發展進程中，發揮積極作用。文革悲劇發生的一個原因，是毛澤東操控傳媒，製造輿論，使傳媒淪為自己愚弄民眾的得心應手工具。

文革結束30年來，中共領導層仍然認為，對傳媒的嚴密控制，對言論自由的無理箝制，是社會保持穩定的重要因素。雖然胡溫領導層在主政之初，曾經在控制傳媒方面有所鬆動，同時至今仍表示要使輿論監督在懲治官員腐敗、貫徹依法治國原則方面發揮積極作用，但我們也不能不遺憾地指出，內地傳媒在最近兩年多次遭到整肅，已使外界對中國放寬言論自由尺度的期待大打折扣。
如果沒有真正的言論自由、沒有真正的輿論監督，中國將無法擺脫人治的窠臼。如此，誰能排除文革悲劇在中國重演的可能性？



Cultural Revolution
FOUR decades ago , Mao Zedong , to consolidate his power base , launched the Cultural Revolution . He plunged China into ten - year - long turmoil . The disaster ended three decades ago . China , which has carried out reforms and pursued its open policy , is now an economic power . It has made up for the time it lost during the Cultural Revolution for economic development . However , the Cultural Revolution wreaked havoc on China's culture and crumbled Chinese people's values . China has yet to repair such enormous damage .

One may look back on the disaster which lasted ten years from many angles . However , we want most to see the Communist Party of China (CPC ) , the ruling party , review the history of the disaster honestly and draw lessons from it . It should come up with new ideas for increasing intra - party democracy and democratising China's political system lest the nation should see another Cultural Revolution .

The CPC's appraisal of the Cultural Revolution is anything but thorough . It wants people's memory of the Cultural Revolution to remain in line with the Resolution concerning Several Issues of the Party's H istory that Arose after the Foundation of the People's Republic , which was adopted at the sixth plenum of the CPC's 11th Central Committee in 1981 . However , the spectre of the Cultural Revolution still roams China . Factors that may lead to another Cultural Revolution have yet to be rooted out .

China saw the tragedy called the Cultural Revolution because the CPC monopolised power after it had founded the People's Republic . Mao worship became a mania , which spread to all parts of the country . Whatever Mao said prevailed . There was no intra - party democracy to speak of .
Because the CPC had failed to re - examine the Cultural Revolution thoroughly and Deng Xiaoping's words overrode any other's , the June 4 incident , another tragedy , took place . Because of the same reason , the CPC's constitution contains "Deng Xiaoping Theory" and "Jiang Zemin's Three Represents" . The CPC leadership intends to have such things included in the constitution of the People's Republic so that the worship of leaders will be the people's choice , and the fundamental charter of the nation , a eulogy of CPC leaders' virtues and achievements .
The CPC has made much progress over the past four decades . CPC leaders now are more pragmatic and liberal than those who held the reins of power four decades ago . They have even talked about developing intra - party democracy so that it would befit its ruling - party status . Nevertheless , the CPC's intra - party democracy still falls far short of the people's expectations .
We mark the Cultural Revolution now not only because we want to heed lessons of history but also because we hope the CPC leadership (headed by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao ) will do away with such "rule by man" myths as "personality cult" , "authoritarian leadership" and "strongman politics" . We hope CPC leaders will come up with new ideas for incrreasing intra - party democracy . We hope the CPC will democratise the nation's political system and consolidate its rule of law . We hope it will make contributions that become its ruling - party status . Chinese leaders of Wu and Wen's generation should have such vision and courage as to set a good example for posterity by preventing any of their names from being included in the constitution of the CPC or that of the People's Republic of China .

The second lesson we have to bear in mind when we mark the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution is that China should allow its press to play a positive , supervisory role in its social , economic and political development . One reason why China saw the tragic Cultural Revolution was that Mao Zedong had the nation's press under his control and used it to mould public opinion . He managed to fool people just as he pleased .

The Cultural Revolution ended three decades ago , but the CPC has clung to the idea that it is essential for maintaining social stability to keep the press strictly under its control and unreasonably deprive the people of fre e speech . Shortly after Hu and Wen had come to power , they slightly relaxed the CPC's control of the press . They still say they want public opinion to play a positive , supervisory role in having corrupted officials punished and preventing the government from placing itself above the law . Regrettably , we cannot but point out that , because of the crackdowns the Chinese government has had on the press over the past couple of years , people have lowered their expectations about China's tolerance of free speech . Unless its people actually enjoy the freedom of speech and can supervise its government through a free press , China cannot extricate itself from "rule by man" . If this remains the case , can anyone say for certain that China will never see another Cultural Revolution ?

How stressed is your kid?

Want to know if your child is under too much pressure, whether from school, the crush of homework and extracurricular activities, or the burden of parental expectations? Then take this test designed in conjunction with TIME by Catherine McBride-Chang, a professor of developmental psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Give yourself one point for every (a) answer, two for a (b) answer, three for a (c). Then check below to see what your responses indicate.

1. Does your child have some time to relax every day? (a. Often b. Sometimes c. No)
2. Do you frequently find yourself in conflict with your child over schoolwork? (1. No b. Sometimes c. Often)
3. Is your love for your child influenced by his/her school performance? (a. No b. Somewhat c. Yes)
4. Do you express dissatisfaction with your child's grades, even when you know he/she tried his/her best? (a. No b. Sometimes c. Often)
5. Do you view schooling primarily as a means to an end rather than an opportunity to learn? (a. No b. Somewhat c. Yes)
6. Do you allow your child to pursue his/her own interests after school, even if they do not match your own? (a. Often b. Sometimes c. No)
7. Does your child feel more than usual anxiety at the prospect of failure at school? (a. No b. Sometimes c. Often)
8. Has your child lost interest in cimmunicating with you, or become more shy than usual? (a. No b. Somewhat c. Yes)
9. Does your child exhibit signs of illness (headaches, insomnia, irritability, stomach pains, etc) without any clear biological cause? (a. No b. Sometimes c. Often)
10. Do you make efforts to monitor your child's psychological well-being as well as his/her school performance? (a. Yes b. Sometimes c. No)


Scoring

23-30 Ease up. Reflect on the activities and habits causing your child stress, including demands you make. Adding some downtime and reducing pressures at home (especially around exam periods)should help your child feel more in control.

16-22 Stay aware. Though your child is not exhibiting extreme signs of stress, maintain an open dialogue, keep a close eye out for developing problems and make sure he/she knows you're there to help. Encourage activities that your child enjoys and that bolster his/her confidence - not just those you choose.

10-15 Your child's stress levels don't seem problematic. Keep communicating and brainstorm solutions together when difficulties arise. As always, be aware of your child's viewpoint and don't assume that mon and dad always know best.

Uneasy Partners: The Conflict Between Public Interest and Private Profit in Hong Kong / Leo F. Goodstadt

Uneasy Partners: The Conflict Between Public Interest and Private Profit in Hong Kong
In Uneasy Partners, Leo Goodstadt draws on his vast experience of government and business in Hong Kong to put forward a provocative and challenging account, part praise, part indictment, of how government and business in Hong Kong transformed a poor refugee community into one of the world’s great cities and created a hugely successful economy.
The core of the book is a penetrating appraisal of the often paradoxical partnership between government and business and its considerable political and social costs. The principal actors in the story are the colonial rulers who were prepared to sacrifice Britain’s diplomatic interests and the interests of British companies in order to ensure Hong Kong’s survival, and their chosen allies from the Chinese business elite.
British officials believed that economic growth and the survival of colonial rule depended on collaboration with Chinese capitalism and cooperation with China’s communist rulers. The book identifies how the community set limits to these relationships, preventing the blatant sell-out of the public’s wellbeing to British, Mainland or local business interests. It reviews how colonial officials defied London’s proposals for political and social reform, fought for economic and financial autonomy and refused to protect the pound sterling. It identifies Beijing’s financial gains from the colonial policies that provided China with a secure international business base throughout the Cold War. Other chapters assess the belated drive against wholesale corruption, the decline of British commercial conglomerates, the ascendancy of HSBC, and the contribution of businessmen from Shanghai.
The story goes on beyond the British departure and explains how the Chinese Government’s decision to retain the political system of the colonial era handicapped the new leadership in responding to the changing political and social expectations of the community.
About the Speakers
Leo F. Goodstadt brings to this book personal experience of policy making at the highest levels and extensive access to decision-makers and business leaders since 1962. As Head of the Central Policy Unit, he was chief policy adviser to the Hong Kong Government from 1989 to 1997 and involved in a wide range of major reforms including elections, welfare, administrative efficiency and budgetary policies. He has had a successful career as a consultant economist to leading business corporations both before and since his government service. He became well-known for his incisive reporting on Hong Kong and China as Deputy Editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review and Hong Kong correspondent for Euromoney. His academic research has been widely published. He is now an adjunct professor in the School of Business Studies, Trinity College, University of Dublin and an honorary fellow of the University of Hong Kong.

For video review of the book talk, please refer to

mms://vod01.lib.hku.hk/all/bt20060223.wmv

Myths & Might : Understanding the Middle East Conflict

Myths & Might : Understanding the Middle East Conflict
‘From Beirut to Jerusalem’ by Thomas Friedman
Presented by Dr Susan Chu,
27th July 2002


Outline

1. Introduction
2. Lebanese history and civil war
3. Israeli Palestinian conflict up to 1980
4. Convergence of Lebanese and Israeli Palestinian conflict in Beirut 1982
5. Life in Dante’s inferno : Would You Like To Eat Now Or Wait For The Ceasefire?
6. Myths and might – driving forces behind the scene
7. Arafat and Sharon – Round One : Beirut 1982
8. American peacekeeping in Beirut
9. Beirut aftermath - Symbiotic paralysis
10. The first intifada – whose country is this anyway ?
11. Getting a seat on the Metro – a territorial conflict
12. Friedman’s proposed solution
13. Arafat and Sharon – Round Two: Jerusalem 2000
14. Endgame – latest efforts for peace
15. Globalisation and fragmentation – what hopes for world peace?

錄影片段

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/020727.ram

林健忠公開講座：「科學的價值」

網上重溫
本講座以普通話主講，錄影版本長約一小時，需要使用 Internet Explorer (IE 5.0或以上) 或 Windows Media Player (7.0或以上) 播放，歡迎網上收看，請選擇寬頻或撥號上網下載。



講座內容
科學的價值問題是一個科學哲學命題，從古代科學到近代科學，甚至包括現代科學的某些成果，它們的價值並未體現為現實生產力，基本上體現在認知層面。科學的認知價值，曾經而且依然體現在對人類思想解放的推動。技術從誕生之初，就體現出推進人類物質文明進步、保障人類生存與發展的價值。在當今世界，技術價值的內涵也有了極大地擴展。19世紀中後期，特別是20世紀以來，科學的價值已不再局限於認識論的範疇，在推動現實生產力方面也有了明確的體現。正確把握科學的價值內涵，不僅具有認識論上的意義，更是我們制定合理政策促進科學技術創新的前提。


路甬祥教授生於浙江寧波，1964年在浙江大學畢業，後負笈德國亞琛大學取得工程科學博士學位。回國後在母校浙江大學歷任講師、教授、研究實驗室主任、研究所所長、副校長及校長。1990年當選為第三世界科學院院士，翌年當選為中國科學院院士，1994年當選為中國工程院院士，並由1993年起出任中國科學院副院長，現為院長、中國科學院學部主席團執行主席、國務院學位委員會副主任委員及中國機械工程學會理事長。由2003年3月起出任全國人大常委會副委員長。路教授是流體傳動與控制學家，在國內外發表過二百五十多篇重要的科學研究和工程教育論文及兩本科學著作，曾在歐美和中國獲得二十餘項專利，研究被中國、德國、日本、瑞典等多國列入教材和手冊專著，更獲德國頒授多個獎譽，包括魯道夫．狄塞爾金質獎章、洪堡獎章、聯邦德國星級大十字勛章和洪堡基金會維爾納．海森伯格獎章等，今年更獲頒義大利總統科學與文化金質獎章。香港公開大學將於今年十二月十五日第十三屆畢業典禮上向其頒授榮譽理學博士學位。

Welcome to the reptiles' world (Part II)

These reptiles are found in Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden.

Why Universities Must Change: Meeting the Demands of a Knowledge-based Economy

About this Lecture

The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) is proud to be able to offer a public lecture by Dr Tony Bates (http://www.tonybates.ca/), who is visitingHong Kong to receive an honorary degree (Doctor of Social Sciences, honoris causa) from the University. Given the current state of higher education in Hong Kong , this public lecture is particularly timely. In his address, Dr Bates will focus on the educational needs of knowledge-based economies, the role of e-learning, and the transformational change needed in higher education.

A leading figure in the use of technology in higher education, Dr Bates is President and CEO of Tony Bates Associates Ltd, a private company specializing in consultancy and training in the planning and management of e-learning and distance education. He was Director of Distance Education and Technology in the Continuing Studies Division of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canadafrom 1995 to 2003, having spent the previous five years in a senior role at the Open Learning Agency of British Columbia. Prior to that, he was Professor of Educational Media Research at the British Open University, where he worked for 20 years as one of the founding members of staff. He has a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of London, England, and has been awarded honorary degrees by the Open University of Portugal (1995), Laurentian University, Canada (2001), and Athabasca University, Canada(2004).

Dr Bates is the author of eight books, including 'Managing Technological Change: Strategies for College and Universities Leaders', and (with Gary Poole) 'Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education', both published by Jossey-Bass. His research groups at the UKOU, OLA and UBC published over 350 papers in the area of distance education and the use of technology for teaching. He is on the editorial board of six journals specializing in distance education and educational technology. He has worked as a consultant in over 30 countries. Clients include the World Bank, OECD, national ministries of education, and several U.S. state higher education commissions.


The video of this lecture is in English and about one hour long. It can be viewed with Internet Explorer (IE 5.0 or above) or Windows Media Player (7.0 or above). To start viewing, please choose broadband or dial-up to suit your connection speed.


Please click on here to download Windows Media Player.

泰寧學術講座:「觸摸創意 ─ 陌生眼睛看世界」

講座簡介

『現在流行講創意。 "創意" 在那裏？ "創意"，說有就有嗎？ 是的，"創意" 在我們四周。 問題是：我們會不會與 "創意" 失諸交臂。』

講者簡介
盧瑋鑾，原籍廣東番禺，1939年於香港出生。筆名小思、明川。1964年香港中文大學新亞書院中文系畢業，獲文學士銜。1965年獲羅富國師範學院教育文憑，任中學教師多年。1973年赴日本，任京都大學人文科學研究所研究員。1981年獲香港大學哲學碩士銜。1979年起任教於香港中文大學中文系，教授現代文學和香港文學，2000年獲校長模範教學獎，2003年獲香港教育學院傑出教育家獎。2002年7月退休，改任香港中文大學榮譽研究員，現任香港中文大學香港文學研究中心主任。著作有：《豐子愷漫畫選繹》、《承教小記》、《香港故事》、《香港家書》、《夜讀閃念》、《香港文縱--內地作家南來及其文化活動》、《香港早期（1921-1937）文藝雜誌目錄》、《舊路行人--中國學生周報文輯》等。

本講座以廣東話主講，錄影版本長約四十五分鐘，需要使用 Internet Explorer (IE 5.0或以上) 播放，歡迎網上收看，請選擇寬頻或撥號上網下載。

Video Link:
http://learn.ouhk.edu.hk/~etpmsp/tai_ning/lo/part1/Default.htm#event=1#nopreload=1

A visit to Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

Do you know these animals?

Leopard cat, white belly sea eagle and black kite are all indigenous species found in Hong Kong.

Robert Levine, A Geography of Time (New York: Basic Books, 1997); and Maureen Perkins, The Reform of Time (London: Pluto Press, 2001)

校園讀書會
香港中文大學大學通識教育部、校外進修學院、第二書店合辦

Robert Levine, A Geography of Time (New York: Basic Books, 1997); and Maureen Perkins, The Reform of Time (London: Pluto Press, 2001)

主講：馬樹人
日期：2006年3月25日（星期六）
時間：下午二時半至四時半
地點：香港中文大學崇基學院王福元樓UG LT4

甚麼是時間? 它是個客觀存在的東西, 還是個相對的概念? 我們的時間觀念是
如何形成的? 量度時間的方法是個科學問題, 還是個文化現象? 時間制度能改革
嗎? 它和社會政治秩序有何關係? 讓我們從一些關於時間的故事, 談談這些問
題。

錄影片段

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/060325.ram

由「清貧思想」到「用心去活」

由「清貧思想」到「用心去活」
主講：管仲連先生
日期：2004年10月8日(星期五)
時間：晚上七時至九時
地點：中環美國銀行中心1樓A中大校外進修學院演講廳
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

人生八苦，等待成空。
空等待，固人生一苦，但空追逐、妄追逐、迷糊追逐，亦一苦也！
機關算盡、白髮半頭、取到的、摸到的，原來不是真正想要的，苦乎！
若獨立蒼茫，思前想後，驚覺已經半生蹉跎，來日未知還有幾許，懊惱往日之應做未做、不應做却做，哀傷時光欸逍逝、生命之浪費而追悔莫及，則更苦上加苦矣！
「清貧思想」作者引述日本筆記文學經典「徒然草」之一句─「歲月蹉跎，日暮途遠，正是放下諸緣之時也」，誠一語中的。
放下諸般人事緣，非看破出世，而是看破世間寵辱，不理他人指點，也不貪多務得，東攀西靠，總之專心致志，不計得失，沉著做好自己真正想做的事，此之為「用心去活」。
澹泊以明志，寧靜以致遠，諸葛亮與陶淵明，二而一也。此二書所記述者，便是如此實在生活的一些世間人物。
「飽食終曰，無所用心」者，焉得不苦！

錄影片段

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bookclub/video/041008.ram

Welcome to the bugs' world

Here are photos of some local butterflies and bugs. Can you identify all of them?