李嘉言
2009-12-28

哥本哈根氣候變化峰會
Copenhagen Climate Summit (7-18 December)

歐洲多國在聯合國哥本哈根氣候變化峰會開幕前夕，紛紛爆發大規模示威，呼籲各國採取行動，對抗全球暖化，包括要求發達國家須承諾在 2050 年前，大規模減排溫室氣體。 爆發示威城市包括英國倫敦、法國巴黎、德國柏林、比利時布魯塞爾、瑞典斯德哥爾摩和愛爾蘭都柏林等。香港的劉毅芸, 將擔任由Global Campaign for Climate Action舉辦的Adopt a Negotiator國際項目，氣候Tracker, 並出席聯合國氣候會議，並會把會議實況報告給在港和內地的民眾。想知更多氣候tracker最新消息，可到: http://www.facebook.com/climatetracker

Just before the Copenhagen Climate Summit kicks off, demonstrators flooded the streets in most of the European countries to protest against global warming. The people forged large scale protest movements to urge the governments from developed countries to take serious and immediate actions on climate protection campaigns, of which including the pledge of extensive reduction of greenhouse gases emissions by 2050. Activists who participated in such a huge movement are from London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Stockholm and Dublin. For more undated information, please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/climatetracker

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12月1日國際愛滋病日
December 1 World AIDS Day

Dr. Gao Yaojie, the world renowned Chinese gynecologist impresses everyone not only because she is one of the very first to denounce AIDS in China but also her courage and energetic endeavors. At the age of 80, she flew to United States as a consistent anti-AIDS activist, who also had her book ‘Yiwan Feng Xin (Ten Thousand Letters)’ published in Hong Kong. Upon the revelations made in such an influential work, the Hong Kong medical circle also reported the facts and data about AIDS, claiming that male homosexuals are the most vulnerable. The validity of the report is unquestionable, yet the repeating message about homosexuals may indirectly imposed homophobia to the general public… Is there a hidden agenda in the report referring gay men as sexually casual people? Or labeling them as a deviant group in the society being discriminated? Who to judge their personal lives and exploit their rights to enjoy their social lives--- just as the heterosexual does?

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蘇童《河岸》奪亞洲文學大獎
Su Tong’s The Boat to Redemption Wins the 2009 Man Asian Literary Prize

Su Tong received spotlights from all over the world due to his acclaimed novella Wives and Concubines, of which was very soon adapted by Director Zhang Yimou as the Academy Award nominated film, Raise the Red Lantern. The Man Asian Literary Prize is now in its 3rd year, and the writer won the 2009 Man Asian Literary Prize with his long story The Boat to Redemption. Staged with the Cultural Revolution in China, the story is about the banished lives of a former Officer in the Communist Party and his son. It is the father’s story being framed and illustrated by the son’s perspective; having ‘sex’ as the subject matter as indicated by Su that it is a big problem during Cultural Revolution. During the dark times, people were ruined, repressed and suppressed by distorted values--- in particular when sex is being used as moral excuses.

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文化當年今日：龍門酒樓的美麗傳說
Culture now and then: the Legendary Dragon Gate Restaurant (Lung Moon Restaurant)

與酒樓老臣子李耀先生說起灣仔的龍門酒樓在11月30日關門大吉，令他憶起美麗傳說。龍門酒樓常客黃心帆是粵劇作曲家，他替當時一位在茶樓賣唱的小明星鄧曼薇(三水人)作了很多戲曲。抗戰時期，鄧曼薇不能在港再以賣唱為生，於是回流廣州，在西關槳欄路的添男酒樓繼續賣唱。那時她身患重病，有人勸她休息。但她說：「唱死總好過餓死」，結果一曲《秋憤》成永別。有傳痴情黃心帆，長年憶念鄧曼薇而決定終身不娶，天天獨個兒上龍門酒樓飲早茶飲到90多歲。

Those were the memories that make the Wanchai Dragon Gate Restaurant legendary. As the restaurant closes on November 30, one of the most beautiful stories was being recalled by the longtime restaurant worker Mr. Lee Yiu, which is about a romance initiated by music in the restaurant. Mr. Wong Sum Fan, a Cantonese Opera writer who is also a regular of the restaurant, wrote many nice pieces of work for the pretty singer Ms. Tang Man Mei (San Shui Ren), of whom the famous songbird of the restaurant at the time. During the Anti-Japanese War, Tang can no longer stay in Hong Kong and went back to her hometown Guangzhou, and there on Xiguan Paddle Lan Lu she continued her singing career in Tim Lam Restaurant. The poor singer was seriously sick by then and people persuaded her to rest, but she insisted and told others that she would rather die singing but not of starving. And so the song ‘Qiu Fen (The Autumn Anger)’ is her last farewell. There are rumors about the dedicated Wong Sum Fan did not get marry because of Tang, seems that is true for he kept going to Dragon Gate Restaurant every morning even he turned 90.

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沙田紅與白
The Shatin Park: Red and White Balls

沙田公園近日不斷出現巨型球體呀!先是11月22日出現過千紅球，是身為人父的David Biddlecombe 要向政府的過度管治表態。公園是讓市民消閒的公共空間，政府連在公園打球也是明文禁止的，於是David邀請大家一同在那天打球。(http://freedomball.blogspot.com)另一邊廂，由現在至1月31日，公園天空又出現多個白色氫氣球，是中文大學藝術系學生為民政事務處所舉辦一名為《冬日綻放》的公共藝術展，《夠膽發夢》。作品似乎是學生通過田野考察訪問了公園內的市民而創作的。一個個水泥座上放置了市民的「打格仔」形象附以其個人的文字描述。如果能一睹格仔下的真人面目，想必使觀眾與作品的距離更接近。當然，學生要下更大的功夫要求訪者「露面」了。

There are so many ‘Don’ts’ notices in our Parks which are against the ideal public spaces shared by us, so David Biddlecombe invites the public to join the campaign calls Freedom Ball on November 22 in Shatin Park, which serves as a protest against the government on the overly restrictive rules (http://freedomball.blogspot.com). On the other hand, you will all see a lot of white big balloons in the Shatin Park on January 31, 2010 because the students from the Arts Faculty of CUHK organized a public art fair calls ‘Dare to Dream’ for 冬日綻放 Budding Winter hosted by the Home Affairs Department. The works that will be exhibited seems to be inspired by fieldtrips and interviews conducted in the park targeting local community. The blurred images of the citizens are presented on concrete installations, each of them attached with illustrations made by the subject matter. The viewers and the subjects will definitely be drawn closer if the faces are revealed, but of course, the students will have to work much harder to seek consents from the people being ‘presented’.