2006-08-31

New Yahoo! Photos now works flawlessly with Firefox

(Originally posted on 12/8, updated on 31/8)

(Updated) Now I realise that a lot of the functions available under IE are missing under Firefox. That means I still need to use IE to manage my Yahoo! photos.

Generally I find the new Yahoo! Photos rather sluggish in operation.


(Original) I mentioned before that I volunteered to move my Yahoo! Photos account to the beta of the new service. The change was a one-way-street, so no switching back was possible. Unfortunately, the new service failed to work with Firefox, my favourite browser. Specifically, Firefox was unable to load any photo from any album. IE didn't have this problem though.

I had tried my best, but in vain, to seek solutions from relevant forums. I was not sure where the problem was, although I noticed that whenever I tried to load photos from an album, the Javascript Console in Firefox would display a large number of errors, almost all of them were style sheet related.

Anyway, just notice today that Firefox now works flawlessly with the new Yahoo! Photos. Great!

(Just checked. The console continues to display a large number of css-related errors, so these could not have been the cause of the Firefox problem before)

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My Yahoo! Photos

2006-08-29

Friends with Money

I won two tickets to a preview screening of Friends with Money directed by Nicole Holofcener.

In very general terms, this movie is about "modern-day relationships".

However, may be I am an old-day guy or live out of the epicentre of modern day, but the relationships the movie portraits, the anxieties that these people have, and the values they share are so foreign to me. It is just like watching creatures from some other planet.

2006-08-27

觀影讀書流水賬 27/8

觀影:
Oliver Hirschbiegel 《Downfall/Der Untergang》 (我的短評
Lorraine Levy 《The First Time I Was 20/La Premiere fois que j'ai eu 20 ans》
Francois Dupeyron 《Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran》

讀書:
Leonardo Padura Fuentes 《Adios Hemingway》
Peter Carey 《Wrong About Japan: A Father's Journey with His Son》(我的短評

咦,原來本週是鬼話洋文週!

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我在之前的網誌中曾提過以佛洛依德為主要角色的小說。有的我讀過,更多的只是網上資料。好些所謂小說,實質只是加入戲劇效果、繪形繪聲的傳記。

剛讀完的《Adios Hemingway》,是一本以海明威為主要角色的推理小說。作者Leonardo Padura Fuentes是古巴人,曾經崇拜過海明威(書中查案主角Conde亦如是),又曾寫過幾本偵探小說。今次Fuentes將兩種元素合二為一寫成本書。

警方在海明威幾十年前居住的古巴大屋發現屍骨。死者是誰?為何被殺?是誰殺他?是海明威?案發年代久遠,如果追查?從海明威的生平和著作,可否找到蛛絲馬跡?

海明威我只知其大名和粗略生平,他的作品倒是一本也沒看過。但這本《Adios Hemingway》真是一本可讀性甚高的小說,我看得津津有味。喜歡或熟悉海明威的讀者,也許會比我更喜讀它。

Wrong about Japan

The young son is fascinated by manga. The father suggests a trip to Japan.

"Would you like to go to Japan?"
"If you like"
"I thought you'd be excited."
"Not if I have to see the Real Japan"

But they are no ordinary father and son. The father is Peter Carey, two-time winner of the Booker Price. He sets out to understand the uniquely Japanese manga culture. And he writes this book Wrong about Japan: A Father's Journey with His Son, which essentially is the trip report.

Throughout this book, you will come across, from time to time, the questions of What is the Real Japan, and Can foreigners understand Japan? The Japanese they met during the trip were sure that what he theorised about the meanings of Japanese manga culture was wrong (hence the book title). One even suggested that understanding a little bit about Japan was worse than nothing at all.

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On my observation that many Westerners are bewildered by Japan and the Japanese:
Stratosphere girl lost in translation
Fear and trembling Japanese story

2006-08-26

Yes you heard me, but it's too late

With the tag line "We heard you" on its web page, Microsoft has released RC1 of Internet Explorer 7 for installation, which I did yesterday.

From the perpsective of an ordinary browser user, I would have to say that with this version, IE has become very similar to Firefox (my default browser) in terms of functionality. Most of the special features of Firefox which I find extremely useful are now available in IE. The include tabbed browsing, page zoom and multiple search engines. The only exception is extensions.

Would I change back to IE? Microsfot may have heard and addressed my complaints, but I am afraid it is too late. There is simply no compelling reason why I should switch back.

多心經

近日頑心起,又拿《心經》來開玩笑,將網誌的副題改為「渴飲菠蘿蜜 笑談多心經」。

我這個人有兩大特點,一是懶閑,二是納雜。我常覺得,我寫的東西,就是我的「多心」經。

至於我常用「多心經」三字的由來,有這樣的一段故事:

初中時,我愛練書法,臨摹名家作品。選擇臨摹甚麼作品,書法美是唯一準則。至於作品內容,我多看不懂,也不覺得需要懂。其中一篇經常臨摹的作品,是懷仁習王羲之字的《般若波羅蜜多心經》。我只知道,這是一篇佛經,但不僅內文不懂,連篇名也不懂。我常將《般若波羅密多心經》讀作《般若 波羅密 多心經》。雖然心知應是錯的讀法,但「多心經」三字聽來有趣,從此上心。

2006-08-24

The dying days

Watched Downfall (Der Untergang) last night. What an experience!



It is often said that this film "humanise" Hitler and some people have problem with that. But in my opinion, to humanise Hitler is a necessary step towards understanding the crimes to humanity he committed.

Watching this film reminds me of a review of "Mao: The Unknown Story" by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday I wrote a year ago. For some reason, the review has recently received hundreds of hits. This is quite surprising considering its age and the fact that I wrote it after reading an edited extract rather than the entire book (I have not read the book nor do I intend to).

Anyway, the point I tried to make in the review was, you can't begin to understand the complex personality of Mao and the atrocious legacy he left by trivialising him through broad-brush demonisation.

And the same is true for Hitler.

2006-08-22

Went to Gold Coast today

As usual, had Japanese food, gelato, did some outlet shopping, and then a bit of beach walking.







My collection of Gold Coast photos

《東尼瀧谷》將在澳洲電視播放

市川準導演,改編自村上春樹同名短篇小說的電影《東尼瀧谷》將於9月20日在澳洲World Movies Channel播放。熱切期待。

關於《東尼瀧谷》,請看我05年6月寫的村上春樹小說改編電影 - 東尼瀧谷

欲知更多,請到:
- Tony Takitani Official Site
- 村上春樹的網路森林

2006-08-21

茉莉花開

春到,茉莉花開,香未聞。

觀影讀書流水賬 20/8

書,只讀了半本。

觀影:
張元 《看上去很美》
侯詠 《茉莉花開》
李翰 《女人心》
Richard Hobert 《Harry's Daughters》
Francois Ozon 《8 Femmes》

(右圖:我家也是茉莉花開啊 --〉

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《看上去很美》和《茉莉花開》都是「莫名其妙」的電影。看《看上去很美》,一頭霧水,到底這部電影說的是怎麼的一個故事啊?看《茉莉花開》,沒有甚麼不明白之處,只不明白它「妙」在何處。

最近看過的戲,除了馬儷文的《我們倆》和Arnaud Desplechin的《Rois et Reine》外,其餘都是平庸以至差勁之作。

本週三收費電視將播Oliver Hirschbiegel的《Downfall/Der Untergang》。熱切期待中。

2006-08-20

「村上春樹的網路森林」重新起步

葉桑的話:
算一算,打從有「村上春樹的網路森林」這個網站迄今,五年有了。不算短的日子,只是這一路走來不怎麼平順,開開停停,原因很多,一言難盡,但總之,2006 年的夏天,我們又重新營業了。千頭萬緒只得一步一步來 ...

2006-08-19

北海道觀光信息

想在網路上找尋北海道旅遊資料嗎?

可以參考右面這個新近由Kita Navi制作的網站。網站內容仍在不斷增加中。

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2003年的北海道火車之旅是我退休後的第一趟外遊,印象深刻,飄雪的美瑛尤其令人神往。我真想短期內再去北海道遊覽一番:

joetsang's Central Europe trip

Brand new web pages of my recent trip to Central Europe.

Enjoy!

有誰知我此時尷尬情

真尷尬!剛在朋友的網誌上留言,說最近聽黃霑的紀念碟方知道,原來他曾為鄧麗君的「淡淡幽情」大碟譜了宋人聶勝瓊的鷓鴣天(寄李之問),歌名為"有誰知我此時情",還說此曲合我口胃。卻原來,我雖無「淡淡幽情」大碟,但"有誰知我此時情"一曲卻是擁有已久(收錄在「小城經典」大碟),不過我從來都只是拿大碟來聽一首半首自己耳熟能詳之作,對此曲反而視若無睹。

2006-08-18

Wow, it's easy to win movie tickets

After winning two tickets to the preview screening of The Lake House last month simply by sending an email to the organiser, I did the same for Friends with Money.

Tickets for the 28/8 screening just arrived in the mail today. So easy!

About Friends with Money:
Official site | IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | Trailer

乾炒牛河



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曹俊鴻

這幾天寫了兩篇關於華語流行音樂的文章,居然像上了癮一般,欲罷不能。

這次想寫曹俊鴻。不為別的,只為做點網路搜尋功課,加深自己對他的認識。

在蘇芮的「驀然回首」和「蘇芮3」之前,我不知有曹俊鴻這個人的存在,以後也似乎沒有再在音樂上相遇。但他為蘇芮寫的幾首歌,卻是經典大碟中的經典作品。

----------

曹俊鴻似乎一直活躍於台灣流行音樂界,從事作曲和制作等工作,而且頗有江湖地位。

1986年時,曹俊鴻曾與梁弘志、鈕大可、陳復明和陳志遠合作出版「我們/作曲家的故事」大碟,唱自己的作品,有機會倒想弄來聽聽。(曹俊鴻和陳復明年輕時曾與翁孝良合組印象合唱團,演唱帶有西洋樂風的國語流行歌曲)

在吳清聖的「台灣流行音樂百張最佳專輯」(只選1975-1993出版的大碟)中,曹俊鴻制作的「驀然回首」位列43,「心情」(鄭怡主唱)67,「光芒」(張清芳主唱)90。(「搭錯車電影原聲大碟」在羅大佑的「之乎者也」之後,排行第二。「蘇芮3」百大不入)

張清芳、江蕙和張信哲的一些流行作品,出自他手。但他們都不是我常聽的歌手。

香港歌手黎明出道之初的「相逢在雨中」是曹俊鴻的手筆,當時頗為流行。但在我心目中,黎明是垃圾音樂的代名詞。

----------

「未知」一曲,收於「驀然回首」大碟,曹俊鴻作曲填詞。在此想將歌詞與一位近來遇到很多不如意事的朋友分享。

如果真有可能 我願再回到從前
看看淚水混和著污泥 看看汗水浸濕的黑衣
在這崎嶇路上 我雖背負著創傷
但卻是他使我成長 不再相信那虛無的夢幻 夢幻

望著那張熟悉的臉孔 想著你那陌生的笑容
那麼的清晰 卻遙不可及 今夜我將重整已亂的步履

望著那張深情的臉孔 想著你那冰冷的笑容
物換星移 改變我的思緒 今夜我將重整已亂的步履

將腳步邁開 迎向那不知的未來 未來


重整已亂的步履 將腳步邁開 迎向那不知的未來

2006-08-16

關於王菲,還想補加幾句

最近聽聽王菲的舊作,發覺「只愛陌生人」其實是張極好的大碟啊。王菲當年的根據地在香港,所以勉強也可算是香港歌手吧。有王菲在,香港樂壇才不致於是一座垃圾場。

說到對王菲作品的重新評價,我個人的經驗還有一例,而且是個極端例子。95年王菲重唱鄧麗君歌曲的「菲靡靡之音」推出,那時我在澳洲坎培拉居住,雖然翻唱鄧麗君大碟成千上萬,但對王菲如何處理頗感好奇,故以頗貴的價錢第一時間買下。一聽之下,大失所望,感覺平平無奇,真想拿回去退款。

如今呢?覺得王菲在平淡中見功力,是上佳的「低糖」鄧式演釋。我不是鄧迷,常常覺得王菲版比鄧原版更合口胃。

Keep off the Grass

Guy Dammann considers the implications of Gunter Grass's revelations about having served in the Waffen-SS (Guardian Unlimited, 15/8/06)

2006-08-15

華語流行音樂無法跨越的高峰?

近日看的戲和讀的書大多是平庸之作,倒是聽的歌確是極品。可惜,這些歌曲都是廿多年前的舊作。可能我已老了,總覺得當年的高峰是從此無法跨越的了。

我說的,是同樣在80年代初推出的羅大佑首三張大碟和蘇芮的首三張大碟。

羅大佑是無需多作介紹了。他的「之乎者也」和「未來的主人翁」是華語流行音樂的開創性經典。我曾說過,華語流行音樂到羅大佑手上,「眼界始大,感慨遂深」,指的就是他的這首兩張大碟。

在第三張大碟「家」,羅大佑很明顯地企圖求變,開創另一局面,但成績參差,尤其是碟的第二面(即所謂「西面」),聽來總是別別扭扭的。其後他暫停創作一段時候,到復出後卻只變為一個音樂工廠裡的巧匠。

至於蘇芮,她不是羅大佑一類的音樂創作人,故此「蘇芮」在80年代初的光輝表現,其實是創作班底和歌者的相互配合的成果。「搭錯車」,一部不怎樣的電影,卻衍生了華語樂壇第一張真真正正的電影原聲大碟,而且也可以說是到目前為止最好的一張。雖然蘇芮當時只是個名不見經傳的歌手,但作曲班底卻包括了台灣當時的好幾位音樂才子:李壽全、羅大佑、梁弘志、和侯德健。

到了「驀然回首」,作曲陣容除了上張的李壽全和梁弘志外,又加入了邰肇枚、李學書和曹俊鴻。大碟明顯走的是「高格調流行音樂」方向,結果叫好又叫座。在幾個月後推出的「蘇芮3」裡,蘇芮和曹俊鴻再度攜手,這次眼界更高更遠,野心勃勃。「塵緣」一曲,長達9分鐘,在當時,甚至現在,都是極為冒險的舉動。如果要我三選一的話,「蘇芮3」是當然的首選,可惜對整體市場而言,它是「曲高和寡」之作。此後的幾年,蘇芮雖還是出碟不絕,但整體水準和受歡迎度,與當年相比,難免有天壤之別。

「蘇芮3」唱片內,有這麼的一段文字:

人們的掌聲是絕對的,永遠只伴隨著「最好」而來。

台灣的聽眾普遍具有一項耐人尋味的特色,那就是現實絕對的現實。在台灣的歌壇,沒有任何一個歌星擁有他真正的的歌“迷”。盛況空前,與門可羅雀,都可能在極短的時間內,發生在同一個歌星身上。

...

面對這個現實的事實,該怎麼辦?唯一的辦法:每一張新唱片都要比前一張更好。

一條艱苦而孤獨的路 一條別無選擇的路

對於蘇芮而言,這種感覺毋寧說是更強烈的。

...

事實上,從「一樣的月光」到「驀然回首」近百萬張的銷售量,對她是一種太大的壓力而根本不是憑藉。該怎麼做才能更好呢?該用怎樣的心血與努力才能突破自己呢?

然而,她已別無選擇。她不能失敗,失敗就是淘汰 ...

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在我心目中,羅大佑/蘇芮後的華語音樂大碟,能稱得上經典的,只有崔健的「一無所有」/「解決」和王菲的「浮躁」。想想,「浮躁」的出現,已是十年前的事了。可悲。

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塵緣
作曲:曹俊鴻
作詞:陳克華

再一次睜開雙眼 所有活過的感覺又悄悄回來
愛過 哭過 付出過
都過去而未逝去 都還留在心頭不曾遺落
語言已不夠使用 聽我用感覺為你唱歌
啊...

也許早晨不太快樂地清醒 也許睡前需要一點酒精
啊...
情緒萬種 為何只剩一種痛
忘了曾經有過的感動 忘了伴我孤獨的初衷

劃根火柴 在你看不見自己的時候
點支香煙 看它能支持多久的寂寞
沏一壺茶 在被遺忘的人生角落
餘味總是冰冷苦澀
品嚐世事的起起落落
品嚐世事的起起落落

在風中 我只有隨著時間擺動
在雨中 我有過相遇也有過分手
在街頭 人們總是低頭匆匆走過
偶抬頭 分不出哪裡是自己的天空

我只能永遠飛翔 像失足的鳥終生不能著陸
我在黑夜的曠野 尋找奔赴黎明的歸路
我站在終點吶喊 再重新來過容我回頭

我只有闔上雙眼 讓活過的感覺又悄悄離去
不想 不說 不難過
我像是失落什麼 (並肩走過)
又像是與什麼錯過 (為你停留)
像是不能再錯 (不必回頭)
又像是無所謂對錯 像是只可意會不可言說
啊...
(放手一搏 可以從頭 啊...)

不容許絲毫猶豫 要一步一個腳印
永遠不會再度遭遇 把握時機奮力一擊
這次我贏得勝利 我就贏得我的未來
這次我贏得自己 我就贏得我的過去

將故事忘記留下意義 為所有的夢想找出結局
讓生命衝擊不留餘地 將一生的愛還諸天地

2006-08-13

水煎包



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觀影讀書流水賬 13/8

觀影:
Arnaud Desplechin 《Rois et Reine/Kings and Queen》
George Clooney 《Good Night, and Good Luck》
Steven Spielberg 《Wars of the World》
Nora Ephron 《Bewitched》
馬儷文 《世界上最疼我的那個人走了》
杜琪峰 《大事件》

讀書:
Chris McManus 《Right Hand, Left Hand》
赤川次郎 《三毛貓推理》
赤川次郎 《三毛貓追蹤》

2006-08-09

陶詰對「隔」音情有獨鍾

陶詰新大碟【太美麗】經已面世。他的作品,在我心中,已不再在「非聽不可」之列,再加上CD又是所謂「防盜拷CD」(#),決定不買。

在網站試聽時,知道第一首「歌」叫「太美麗廣播電台」(30秒試聽足夠有餘)。心想,不知有沒有人曾經指出過,陶詰對「隔」音似乎情有獨鍾,在每張大碟內,總會大量出現電台/電視廣播和轉台,電話通話/留言,和公眾場所(機場/地鐵/商場)廣播等聲音,更有在I'm OK中像是隔在布網後發音的歌聲!

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# 我在【太平盛世】推出時已說過,雖然陶詰苦口婆心呼籲樂迷「買正版才能夠讓音樂人堅持他們的理想和不變資。買正版或就不要買」,但作品以「防盜拷CD」方式推出,其實正在懲罰「買正版」的消費者!

2006-08-06

觀影讀書流水賬 6/8

觀影:
馬儷文 《我們倆》
方剛亮 《上學路上》
下山天 易智言 張一白 《關於愛》

讀書:
余華 《兄弟 下》
David Schloss 《Blue Pixel Personal Photo Coach》

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讀《兄弟 下》,大失所望。余華過份沉溺,去得太盡。如果能去蕪存菁,刪去大約一半文字的話,那就好了。

看馬儷文的《我們倆》,感覺情真意切,是大陸片中上乘之作。翻查資料,原來《我們倆》是她執導的第二部電影,第一部是《世界上最疼我的那個人走了》。後者原來我也擁有,是簡陋版VCD,盒上只印上斯琴高娃、黃素影主演,導演名字不見蹤影。是時候將它從倉底拿出來了。

2006-08-04

Novels in which Freud appears as a major character

Just read Cathy's review of a 1962 film on Freud. I have no idea that such a film exists!

I have always had some interest in psychology, and psychoanalysis in particular. Some years ago, I thought of compiling a list of novels in which Freud appears as a major character. But I quickly gave up the idea since I realised I was not up to the task. But I did mention about this in a September 2004 blog entry - Janet Malcolm's "In the Freud Archives":

I have also read a number of novels which featured Freud as a major character - e.g. D.M Thomas's "The White Hotel", Anthony Burgess' "The End of the World News" and Keith Oatley's "The Case of Emily V".

D.M Thomas "The White Hotel"

It is a dream of electrifying eroticism and inexplicable violence, recounted by a young woman to her analyst, Sigmund Freud.

Fugue and threnody, it interlaces history and the craving of brutality, in the case-history of Lisa Erdman, a patient of Freud's. And travelling through the intricate patterns of her being, the reader is sent on an odyssey that seeks refuge beyond the nightmare of the twentieth century.

Anthony Burgess "The End of the World News"

The dying Freud hustled out of Vienna into exile. A Broadway musical on the subject of Trotsky in New York. The last throes of the planet Earth in AD 2000. These are all items on The End of the World News.

Keith Oatley "The Case of Emily V"

In the case of Emily V., two newly discovered manuscripts are published for the first time: one is an early case of psychoanalysis related by Sigmund Freud, the other is an account of an investigation by Sherlock Holmes. The two men met and the manuscripts were found together because - unknown to each other - they were both investigating a young Englishwoman, Emily Vincent.

I am sure there must be many others. Your input please.

2006-08-03

真金句



每個人都需要有夢想。

夢想,是創意的動力,是樂趣的泉源,是奮鬥的目標。

列寧曾經夢想在共產主義世界裡用黃金建成公共廁所,我夢想振興香港旅遊、零售行業,中國內地居民亦夢想以自由行方式到香港享受購物之樂。

我將三個夢想融合,在香港創建全世界一座金廁所。...


《明報月刊》06年4月號:人生小語:林世榮(恆豐金老闆)

2006-08-01

I would have thought a laughable mistake like this ...

... could only happen to people like me who use English as a second language. Read this:

A spokeswoman for Apple Computer said she was misquoted in a comment on the life-span of iPod.

Earlier this week, Chicago Tribune quoted Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris as saying iPods have a relatively low failure rate and that they are designed to last "four years."

However, Kerris said she told the reporter that the iPod was designed to last "for years," not "four years."