颠倒

前阵子，有幸听到一个有关发扬古代中华文化的讲座。主讲人幽默且一针见血的说词确实让我了解到现今社会的人文颠倒，有中莫名的感慨、悲痛。以下略举一些让我印象深刻的例子，与大家分享，借镜思考、检讨。

教育：
古大德所提倡的尊师重道，在拜师求学时表现得淋漓尽致。
古代： 父亲带着孩子行三跪九叩礼，恭敬地奉上礼品，请求老师教导自己的孩子，对老师的供养与尊敬，做到百分之百。供养的经过看在孩子眼里，可刻到他的心坎里了。看到自小尊敬的父亲对眼前这位老师又磕头又行礼，还不对这老师更尊敬更钦佩吗？往后老师所教的所传授的，通通都学好，毫不存疑。
现代： 在道德风气日渐败坏的今天，不但家长不信任老师，还禁止老师对孩子实行一些管制。看到自己的父母这么般对待老师，孩子还会对老师尊敬吗？还会低心受教吗？

古时候的老师也确实不简单，受称为尊者，待人接物处事样样都得以身作则，为社会大众做最好的榜样。经过长时间的熏修，修行功夫之了得，无论在为人、学问上皆让人钦佩，更为学习的好榜样。秉着自度化他的态度，认真培育下一代。在看看现今社会， 所有教育皆为速食面， 所‘培植’出来的教育人员也是机械化的‘教育工具’，少了品德上的滋补，又怎能以德服人？

用餐：
古代： 家中长辈尚未开动，所有人皆不能开筷
现代： 饭前想尽办法说服小皇帝、小公主吃饭，所有长辈都须等待小皇帝、小公主开动才开始用餐。

古代： 开饭时，为人父母者虽有小孩，但都会在第一时间把最好的食物夹到公婆长辈的碗里，为孩子作最好的榜样。
现代： 为人父母者都在第一时间把最好的食物夹到小皇帝、小公主的碗里，无视公婆的存在。

古代： 饭后，家中长辈尚未离桌，所有人皆不能离开。
现代：服侍完小皇帝、小公主吃饭后，小皇帝、小公主就擅自离桌。长辈们还得吃下孩子们吃剩下的饭菜。

有说[万恶淫为首，百善孝为先]，用现代方式教养出来的下一代，不但不知道尊师重道，就连最基本的孝道都不晓的，只知道自私自利，以自我为中心，社会怎么会和谐呢？一个连自己的父母、长辈都不知道孝顺的人，又怎么与他人有圆融的人际关系呢？更别说再组织自己的家庭，教育下一代 -- 难不成教导下一代如何违背自己？

还有一些其他举例，下回再与大家分享！

Shell Life (Part 11: The Review of CForce Life)

My long-lasting project, CForce, often provides me the chance of traveling to get the job done. The exciting intercontinental traveling often took place where I was required to fly from US to India after 1 week stay in US; I got to travel to UK and SG within a month time. Even, traveling between 3 countries (India, Malaysia and Singapore) within 19 days! Printing my footprint in different continents including Asia, Australia, Europe, North America have opened my eyes to different culture, different civilisation, different languages that lead to different way of lives!

I'm really grateful to my project which exposed me to various kind of opportunities - from traveling, people management, to virtual working environment. Though it turned out to be painful overnight rescue and tonnes of pressure at times. Well, I guess that's how people learn and progress better in life. The more difficulties we face and the more we fell, the better we survived. I had been 'lucky' enough to be involved in dynamic projects or tasks that required extra efforts and times ever since my first job (in telco industry) playing as marketer, till now a Business Analyst in IT world, within oil industry. It has been great challenge for me to cope, adjust, learn and contribute, and... I did it all the time! Great achievement often comes with great challenges and great fall. I am pleased that I was given the chance, the challenge, and the extreme exposure.

Finally, the project has come to its end. Bidding goodbye often comes with tears, gratitute, and uncertainty. My one-year plus project assignment has provided me the maximum exposure to Shell Life, and with no regret, I embraced it all. It was a wonderful journey, with the supportive teamates and dynamical project environment.

水灾：是天灾还是人祸

昨晚，小姨从家乡打电话来告知河堤的水位经过几天断断续续地豪雨，已逐渐上涨，极有可能暴发第二次水灾。在载送堂妹回家的路上也从电台新闻报道中获知南部的部分地区难逃此劫，经已被洪水淹至交通瘫痪，无法通行。佳节已近在眉稍，水灾却是一波未停又接一波，人民叫苦连天之际又得为佳节做准备功夫，看来今年的新年得扣紧腰包，好好地体会开源节流之理财知道。

上一此水灾发生之快与凶，让家乡的灾黎措手不及，无以适从。这都是多得那些无良心的发展商及见钱眼开的执法人员，为谋取私利将多块沼泽地纳为私用，作为房屋地产业发展。把这些原本可供予积水的天然大容器填平后，溢出的洪水转而侵袭市区、住宅区，促成此劫，是天灾是人祸，有目共睹。
百年罕见的大水灾所造成的损失，无论在经济上、精神上给予无辜灾民们的打击，又岂是这些从中套利的小人所能理解的。

最令人感到悲痛的是由执法人员发起的救济行动竟把持着他族第一，不理其余种族死活的理念，把救人救灾的精神与种族意识画上等号！从极端的国家政策直至单纯的救济行动，除了维护着他色民族利益之外，还趁机从其他种族身上谋利！想知道什么叫做求救无门；想知道什么叫做趁‘水’打劫？！救一家三口五百大元，五口以上一千大元；三千大元拨一通求助电话；皆是因为肤色不同！在面临汪洋大水的夹击，店铺的金器物品也报被偷，试想有哪个小偷会冒着生命的危险在此时横行霸道？！若没有横行于水上的交通工具，试问哪个小偷有此能力。光天化日之下，明目张胆地向灾民，借救人为题，行强盗所为！可恨之际，也无可奈何。幸好我族有群喜欢钓鱼的发烧友，动用有限的钓鱼游艇分头救人。他们无私无畏，冒险地付出更显示出当今执法人员的贪婪与无能。我族被边缘化的课题有实无虚，在国内已是靠边站的二等公民，出国在外，又何望他国人民会同等对待。在世界任何一方都只能配称二等子民，尊严何在？

执法者通过电视转播的‘到灾区一游’的慰问片段，岂不是想借此向国人告知‘我还是以行动表示了我是关心群众的执法人员’？什么动用万元基金救济灾民，救灾行动之缓慢让无辜的灾民受尽苦头。我居住的地区位置较高，虽免幸于水灾，但是断电制水也为当地居民带来居多不便。然而执法者的救灾行动偏爱于部分族群也让我村的居民看不顺眼，自行号召了救济行动，供应食品、日常用品于受难家庭。执法者动用了多架直升机由高地区（我村也首当其冲成为其中一个转运点）载送物品到灾区，理当助于提高拯救效率。试问一架载满工作人员的直升机能加载多少物品。被村人问起为何运载这么少物品时，有关人员的回答竟是‘此机乃救人所用，非载物，乃顺道运载’。如果真是救人，此回答乃理所当然。可是一架已载满工作人员的直升机既然无法加载物品，何以救人？加上直升机盘旋于我村上空的次数之频密，物品之多，已将此谎言不功自破。唉，救灾人员啊，为满足个人乘坐直升机之乐趣竟睁眼说瞎话，如果不是当今执法者的无能与纵容，也难辞此咎。

再者经由电台电视台号召的捐款运动，又有多少能传送至灾民手中。华小拨款三万变三千的事件会否会重演，我们也不得而知了。要不是多方私人机构无私的捐献，单靠执法者的救济，伤亡损失之严重，更无法估计。撇开直接受害家庭不谈，此次灾劫间接殃及其他地区，水电源供应暂停为期几天，日常生活作息都倍受影响。执法当局因此派送食用水，本应大大表扬，怎知所提供的水竟‘水上漂油’，又给当局的救济行动大打折扣。执法人员一方面不断地提醒人民应在灾难发生时注重卫生防范，一方面在提供的食品上无法达至应有水平，这又是何等悲哀？

种种的现象都突现出当今执政者的腐败，贪污、种族主义意识与特权从马时代至拉伯时代，是增是减，见仁见智。无辜的人民犹如沾板上的鱼肉，任执政者宰剁。当今执政者会打击这酝酿已久风气，还是继续助虎为伥，趁大权在握时大捞一笔，免得大势已去之时被后起之秀裁截发财之道，凡众如你我他就不得而知了。这也并不是在博客上写几篇文章就能改变的事实。可悲啊~

Shell Life (Part 10: 29Oct-12Nov: London, UK Trip; 04-09Dec: SG Trip)

Though it wasn't my first time to London and Singapore, but it was the first time I took photo with my very own camera in these cities.

London in Winter:
It was such a wonderful weather throughout the stay in London, except the raining nights when I just came out from a musical show with my colleagues and when I was on my way back from an Italian coffee house. It was freezing cold eventhough it was just drizzling. The most challenging part was I got to share my little umbrella with my colleague (uncle is the name I call him), 'escorting' him back to his hotel before I could walk back to my hotel, haha.. thanks to his forgetful nature that I got the honor to be the 'gentle-lady' ;)

I really love the musical show that I watched in London, eventhough I had watched the same movie twice - Chicago, the movie that revolve around the society, the women, the press and and the bribery. It was an impressive act with the talented vokalists and dancers! I enjoyed it so much!

Singapore with its constant humid + hot weather
It was the festive month when I landed in Singapore - my last visit to Singapore in year 2006. It was well-decorated, charmed with festive song and shopping crowd. I was loaded with project task and can hardly find time to walk around the city - plus it was a week-day trip. However, my last night at Orchard road did provide me with a good photo opportunity. Having said Singapore is a small city, I still haven't 'printed' my footprint at every part of the city. It would be my next mission if I were given the chance to step onto this wonderful land again!

Well, thanks to my project that had provided me with the traveling opportunity. Though it was an intensive trip loaded with work-related tasks, I enjoyed my every moment!

Shell Life (Part 9: May,June,July, Aug 2006: Bangalore, India Trip)

Being in a complex project (yet simple application) had contributed to my enormous trip to partner's office based in Bangalore, India. Can't recall the exact traveling dates to Bangalore between May till August - my nicely kept boarding pass would be able to help me with that :)

My initial thought on business trip had been a good one - staying & relaxing in a decent hotel, finding and tasting the best local food, wandering and getting lost in a unknown city after office hour and during weekend, experiencing and learning the culture and language differences, feeling and touching the phase of intellectual and economic development; all had been well-dreamt in the Utopia of mine, until I experienced mine with my project, so-called a challenging, exciting, and dynamic IT-CRM project, supporting the delivery of the streamlined process in a B2B business world.

Working through late nights and weekends (the precious off hours & days that I could do wonder in a foreign city) had never been called for a stop by anyone in the project team, be it the working team at the bottom of the team hierarchy (like me) to the leaders at the top of our reverse triangle hierarchy, as delivery has been put as the highest priority on each of our shoulder. Knowing the root cause of having numerous late nights and weekend did not stop all the interested governing parties sending their best spokeperson to manipulate the decision to their favor, while it became the best political-playground in maneuvering the deliverables quality to the advantage of each party.

One of the worst experience was the 19-day non-stop working-marathon over 2 weekends and late nights, took place in 3 different countries, from India, to Malaysia, to Singapore and back to Malaysia. This long-run journey really pushed me to the limit - wonder what would happen if I didn't insist to have a break on my third weekend.

Work-life-balance has been my dream every since my first job as marketer in the telecommunication industry. Being in the renown oil based company would have helped in fulfilling my dream, especially when it is being 'embraced' by management. However, with a project that managed by third party contractors plus delivered by outsourcing partners had thrown me back to the reality. Nothing is more important than delivering to the need of the project, no matter how work-life-balance is being stressed at different working level.

Nonetheless, the project had broaden my view and widen my eyesight to the whole new working-politics (30:70 in ratio) world. And though I did stay in one of those expensive hotel during the stay in Bangalore - rank after London & New York, I hardly had chance to explore and enjoy the great ambience, except coming back in late night for late "supper" and to catch some sleep before the start of another crazy day. Not to mention about having a relaxing bath in the big bath-tab provided.

Unstoppable Long-Distance-Shots... 无法抵挡的远射

It was the fascinating long-distance-shots that brought Germany to celebrate their FIFA bronze, contributed by their young midfielder, Schweinsteiger Bastian who had amazed the world while putting Portuguese Top Goalkeeper Ricardo in great pain.

The undefeatable swerving shots from middle-left of the pitch crowned Schweinsteiger the Man of the Match who had successfully injected the 'Cardiotonic' into Germany's blood, turning the match in German's favor 11 minutes after 2nd half of the match. The cheering crowd had their emotion being aroused into another level when Schweinsteiger powerful free kick lead-to an 'own-goal' by Portuguese midfielder, Petit, marking a regretful stain to Portugal defencing form. Left wing would have been Schweinsteiger lucky field when his 3rd attempt from the far-left-end of the middle pitch (the 2nd 'own-goal' was resulted from his strong free-kick from left-middle-pitch), perfectly soared toward the far-right-corner of the net, giving Ricardo no chance of safe.

Nuno Gomes' header goal from a great cross by Figo at the very last 4 minutes of the match that flew through Kahn's arms had brought the match with 2-goals margin in favor to Germany. Despite with good ball possession, the Portuguese who had made the games even in 1st half had not been capitalizing their possession and strength much, which opened up the scoring opportunity to German from distance. The selfishness in Klose who aimed for Golden Boots had cause in lost of few goalscoring opportunities when his teammates were in better place. Nonetheless, sitting at the top of the scoring chart with 5 goals in hands, Klose should be close to his dream of Golden Boots unless the French player, Henry pierce through Italian's defence wall twice.

A Ticket to Final Awarded by Referee... 由裁判赠送的决赛权

Until now, almost 10 hours after the match, I still couldn't believe that France had advanced to Final with a debatable penalty given by the South American Referee. One forward went to the ground eyeing to goal under one defender's challenge, both fell on the penalty box concurrently, both with their legs extended for the ball and for the fall, one forward being smart enough to 'run towards' the defender and being 'tackled', one referee with his eyes 'witnessing' the moment from his angle, one foul given to the defender, one penalty awarded to the forward... and, one goal being made by one Midfielder who claimed his last World Cup this season. What a moment of 'hurrah' or 'damn' that promised the seat to 2006 World Cup Final, don't think this would impress most of the fans.

Both team played the games very well, with Portugal holding better position in ball possession and goalscoring chances. Great defence wall by French was challenged few times by Portuguese, however, with no luck on Portugal side, all the attempts ended with great sigh of disappointment. France on the other end, leveraging on their magnificent international appearance and experiences, played in their own style, with their impeccable defensing moves, dispossessing Portugal's goalscoring opportunities that could lead the games to extra time. It is undoubtful that few shot attempts by French that had nearly shaken Portuguese defensing form, had again pronounced the players scoring ability. A even game by both team, which shouldn't be destined by a penalty.

Portugal's destiny was almost defined 12-minute before to game, when their captain, their symbol - Figo, headed over with the goal, resulting from Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range-fine-free-kick. Continuous challenge was forced by Portuguese from their 2 wings and crosses as time ticked away to complete the 90min games, had only pressured French to strengthen and hold out with their defence force. No single luck was granted to this small country despite their thrilling performance at World Cup stage.

There is one thing about football match at this kick-out round - winner or loser, enjoying the good fortune as hero or leaving as villain where you could either come back to shine on the stage 4 years later, or bit the international field a big goodbye like Figo, in vain.

Italy Advanced to FIFA Final... 意大利夺得决赛权!!

下半场的加时赛，最后的两分钟，两个妙传，两个不同角度的进球，一位后卫，一位候补前锋，一个失守的龙门，一场拥有上亿见证人的赛事，捍卫了意大利每十二年进入世界杯决赛圈的命运。

早晨3点钟的闹钟声准时地把我叫醒，让我没有错过这场精彩的赛事。双方顽强的踢法，即攻又守，球员们都把持着标准体育精神，完成了90分钟的正场奔跑--特别是意大利队，在加时赛才更换球员。赛前被看好德国队，持着高大的体魄，强攻死守，抹杀了好几个敌队的角球，硬梆梆地阻挡了来势汹汹的意大利队。反观意大利队，身材比起德国要矮上一个人头，可在拥有超高控球、传球技术下，无惧于德国主场气氛的欺压，漂亮地制造了一个又一个的进球机会。必须强调的是，双方的守门员，并没有摸黑世界级最佳守门员的头衔，成功地拦截了好几个险球。

正时赛双方的表现已充分体现出他们杀进四强的实力。虽然意大利队在下半场的表现有所保留，其刚厚的守卫墙却让德国队无从下手，无奈地让球赛进入加时赛。意大利教练看来是吸取了阿根廷对垒德国的教训，并没有在正时赛更换任何球员，适当的观察力及战略上的揣摩，让意大利球员准确地把握时机，在进入加时赛后，把攻守技能发挥的淋漓尽致。

在加时赛进入了最后3分钟，当世人--观众（全世界哦）也好，球员也罢，都以为点球将是决定性的关键时，意大利抢回了一个被德国解救了的角球，经过了Pirlo 的妙传，由后卫球员Grosso以左脚踢出了决定性的一球，闪过了世界最佳守门员的防卫，往龙门的一角滚过进去。惊吓中的德国很快地接回了控球权，飞奔地攻向意大利的龙门，却被意大利漂亮地拦截住，超快地反攻让德国的后卫军没能反应过来，在赛前最后一秒由候补前锋--Del Piero在队友Gilardino 的反传下漂亮地又踢进偏离龙门的角球，巩固了意大利进入决赛的事实！

拥有主场优势的德国队，无法突破巴西前优秀球员比利（Pele)的预言及看好，败北后挥泪离场，无缘实现第四次夺杯的希望。继德国步入巴西的后尘，上届决赛比拼的两只球队都在八强及四强遇上各自的克星后，证实了一物克一物的说法，也确定了在球场上没有永远的赢家，只有顽强拼搏的队伍才足以生存、立足。