Sunday, October 08, 2006

好書: The Queen's Fool



一個十四歲的女孩,你想她是天真活潑的長大吧? 但是,她學會了誘惑後父、二十歲時誘惑姊姊的老公、之後她declare自己要成為virgin queen of england? 她的名字是Elizabeth I (伊莉莎白一世)。不過,這本書的主角不是她,而是她姊姊(Queen Mary, 被後世稱為Bloody Mary)身邊的一個弄臣(fool)的故事,她周旋在兩代女皇之間外,傾慕一個危險的男人Robert Dudley(曾參與推舉Queen Jane上皇位,後被Queen Mary征服,及後被收監於The Tower上結識了後來的Elizabeth I,大家都相信要不是當時的大臣反對,他們是會結婚的)。

今年對歷史背景的小說有點著迷,先是看了(一半至23集)的德川家康,一個偶爾的機會下買錯了這本書,真是錯有錯著,難得一見的好書,好刺激絕不悶場,係金枝慾x姊妹為爭皇位的一場好戲!

故事背景:
故事由King Edward六世開始,女主角Hannah和爸爸由西班牙因是protestant會被燒死而逃亡至英國。Hannah天生有神喻之力,能看見未來,但是不是每次都可以做到。在英國爸爸的書店以男生打扮幫手日常一切雜務,她的一生由一天改寫,當時Robert Dudley和他的老師John Dee來到書店,Hannah看見一個很光的人跟在John Dee後面。後來,消失了,John Dee問及她看見的那個很光的人是什麼模樣,Hannah說完後John Dee和Robert Dudley就硬要Hannah在當時快病死的King Edward六世身旁當一個弄臣和間諜。之後,Hannah因愛慕這位英俊學識多的Robert Dudley甘願以身犯險,繼King Edward後,她當了Queen Mary的弄臣,而Queen Mary又要Hannah到自己妹妹Elizabeth I那邊當間諜。而Queen Mary嫁了西班牙皇子Phillip後,更把西班牙對待新教徒的一套也來對付英國的新教徙。Hannah本身是Protestant的身份隨時會被露!!!

我的感想:
我覺得這本書最好看的不只是當中的爭皇位問題,而是會對兩位皇后Queen Mary或Queen Elizabeth I都有一定的程度諒解。講緊唔係company politics,係death or alive的問題,行錯一步,係要死的,理得你是不是皇族的血。而Robert Dudley在movie Elizabeth I時多番出賣Queen Elizabeth,我唔知有幾真,我只知到最後這個男人要風得風要雨得雨,他的原配老婆Amy死得很出奇,難怪很多人都相信是Robert自己殺了她來取悅Elizabeth。但書中的Robert,他是有很大野心,但是我好喜歡他的啊,他有遠見,他做大事,他強烈的要求自己活下去(被Queen Mary因推薦false queen Jane Grey Dudley監禁於tower內,父親和哥哥和哥哥太太Jane Grey都被賜死,他當時是以指控自己的家人作出此事而被獲不殺......)。

人生真是奇怪,Queen Mary可以對像Robert Dudley這種阿豬阿狗都知佢有狼子野心的人留於世上,卻要燒死千千萬萬的所謂新教徙,有大肚婆,有孩子,有老人家....我覺得呢個世界真係有因果的,所以Queen Mary兩次都生不到bb出來,她丈夫更與自己的妹妹曖曖昧昧,她獨個兒的小產,仲要被人笑佢根本沒有bb係肚內。後來,仲要痴左線似的,跟她母親Queen Katherine一樣的命運,被Anne Boleyn搶走了自己的老公,窮途末路的死去。而Anne Boleyn是Elizabeth I的母親,被人以女巫、蕩婦的形容,在Elizabeth I兩歲時被自己的男人King Henry以無理拉更的通姦罪殺死,幾日後個男人娶第二個女人Jane Seymour當女皇。而這兩位女兒繼續了其母親的惡鬥,然而Queen Mary最後(書中說)是由於老公走佬妹妹日漸壯大,自己又無後人激死左。

Hannah在故事中以第三者的看整件事,她曾與Queen Mary在生死存亡的時間一起渡過,她看見是一位堅強仁愛的女皇。而婚姻以及所帶來的其他政治另她在別人眼中的bloody mary,但是Hannah明白清楚她的意向,她仍是愛女皇的。至於Elizabeth,hannah年少時送書給她後父時,看見十四歲的elizabeth躺在草地上,等待這位後父愛撫的慾望眼睛.........,及後當hannah為女皇queen mary高興有個靚仔老公時,那位西班牙皇子又被elizabeth電暈左......最後連hannah一直愛驀的robert dudley也不離被電暈的行列。但是,對於一個兩歲就死了母親,父皇又不親近她,她更被人灌以女巫之女、蕩婦之女的環境下長大,她要利用她唯一天賦女人的誘惑力。她只有用身體以及調情/賣俏去取悅降服男人,你看著看著,你不會怪她的,而且她可以走過這麼多的難關後,我也深信她是真心愛著Robert Dudley可是她負不起又要失去的代價,與期係要傷心她倒不如不嫁,後來仲被人稱為virgin queen,有咩唔好,哈!

呢個故事教訓我地,男人追唔到先會珍惜,追得到係無意思的。看來不結婚,叫自己virgin queen好似著數d wor!!!

Thursday, July 27, 2006

《香港愛犬之家》Hong Kong Dog Rescue急需您的援手

摘自正在經驗@架構二

Hong Kong Dog Rescue真的需要大家Rescue,無論多與少也不打緊,只要你有心幫忙,就經已能夠幫助這些可愛的小寶寶了

感謝crystal的翻譯(crystal_pui##at##hotmail.com)

各位:

除了我們日常為被遺棄動物安排的絕育手術,防疫注射……等開支外,在過去的幾個月裡,為了救治多隻患有重病而急需治療(或動手術)的小狗,我們的醫療開支急劇上升,令本會的經濟陷入沈重的負擔。

早逝的Pancake


上周,一隻可愛的雪撬犬(Tamara)因唾液腺疾病而需要一個進行漫長複雜的手術;另兩隻由漁農署拯救出來的年青八哥犬(Pancake)及爹利犬(Angelis)亦因染上腸病毒而終告不治;混種八哥(Ramona)除了眼睛潰瘍外,更不幸感上肺炎需要留院數天,以致未能為牠進行眼部手術而失去一隻眼睛;小北京(Jewel) 因面部接紋過大而引致雙眼發炎,不得不進行割面皮的手術;還有一隻可憐的西施犬因長期流浪,而致食肉蒼蠅入眼,當我們把牠交到獸醫手中時,幼虫已入腦,我們惟有選擇讓牠安詳的離開。

以上只是眾多個案中的數個,而不幸的個案每日仍然繼續在發生,為了令被遺棄的動物得到適當的治療,本會不但負上沈重的經濟壓力,義工們亦同時需要勇氣去面對患病的小狗及感受牠們所受的痛苦(肉體及心靈)。

炎炎夏日,您們的愛犬可能正在家中享受空調,亦可能在綠波中暢泳,但請求您們將一點愛心施予給正在等待救助的小狗。

1) 支票捐款
支票抬頭請寫"Hong Kong Dog Rescue"
寄往:6 Aberdeen Marina Tower, 8 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong

2) 直接存入本會的銀行戶口
銀行名稱:匯豐銀行
戶口資料:502-423825-001 (港幣戶口)
戶口名稱:Hong Kong Dog Rescue

*本會已註冊為香港的非牟利團體,捐款收據可作扣稅用途,如需收據,敬請註明。謝謝!


Sally及HKDR所有義工敬上


註:HKDR為認可的慈善機構,詳情可到香港稅務局網頁查詢。



英文原文

Hello,

HKDR needs your help.

The past few months have been very hard financially for us with many dogs requiring lengthy or complicated veterinary treatment. Not all of the dogs that HKDR take in survive, and of those that don’t, HKDR must bear all the costs. Even for those that do survive and go on to be adopted, HKDR must still cover the costs for all treatment over and above the basic vaccinations, desexing etc that adopters are asked to pay.

In just the last week, we have had the husky, Tamara, requiring lengthy and complicated surgery to remove an infected salivary gland. Two lovely and young little dogs, Pancake the pug and Angelis the terrier, came to us from AFCD kennels with parvovirus which was not apparent at the time. Both of these adorable dogs very sadly died from this terrible disease. The pug/peke cross, Ramona, developed pneumonia and a deep eye ulcer at the same time. Because of the chest infection, Ramona couldn’t have an operation on her eye and the chances are very high that it will have to be removed. Little Pekingese girl, Jewel, had very badly infected eyes which was made worse by the facial folds that most pekes have, and they were removed surgically to help her eyes and her breathing. We also tried to help a poor shih tzu who had been abandoned on the street some time ago. A kind lady had been feeding this dog, and came to us in tears when AFCD took him away. She told us that he had a bad eye infection and would not survive in the government kennels. We took the dog to a vet immediately, but the eye had burst and was infested with the dreadful screw worms, the maggot of the blow fly. Despite two attempts at removing them, the worms were continuing to eat into the brain of the dog and we had to have him put to sleep.

All of these cases have occurred over the past few days, and there are many, many cases and stories that are never seen on the website but which happen on almost a daily basis. The costs are high, not just financially, but also because every dog that comes to HKDR means a lot to everyone emotionally. To see the suffering, and the courage with which these dogs bear their pain and distress, is something that is incredibly hard in every case.
However, difficult as it is, every volunteer in HKDR remains dedicated to the work because of the many dogs that we DO save, and who DO survive.

We are asking you now to make a donation to help us to keep on helping the dogs. It doesn’t matter how little you can afford, because every bit helps. Your extra support is requested at this particular time due to the large amount of very expensive veterinary cases that we have had recently. You can be assured that as a voluntary organization, all of your money goes directly towards helping the dogs.

To make a donations, please either send a cheque (made out to Hong Kong Dog Rescue) to 6 Aberdeen Marina Tower, 8 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong (this is a mailing address only). Or you can deposit directly into the HKDR bank account: HSBC 502-423825-001. If you require a receipt, please let us know. We are a registered charity so donations are tax deductible.

THANK YOU in advance for your help.

Sally and all the HKDR Volunteers


Thursday, July 13, 2006

天文台餵蚊之旅

上星期六,熱爆香港,媽咪跟smart車會去左天文台玩,好熱呀.........


參觀天文台的章


去左熱帶雨林啊? (入口)


媽咪說小學時ETV見過.....原來而家都用緊






老爺野啊,呢張搞笑係公仔盒的紙,當時d天文台人被收牢(日本仔打香港?)時仍不忘做天氣觀察。


最早而又可以保留下來的record!




打風時掛的信號,你唔好話你唔知佢地係咩wor!

最最最開心的收獲(10粒蚊lan後的禮物,要狂dei狂整可憐樣先乞到回來的啊):


天氣一家人!!!@_@


太陽好可愛啊!!!


ok啦,狗狗,我地係一家人啊!


媽咪最喜歡呢個會丟假髮的風小姐


雷電bb都幾cutie啊!


小水點!!!


Tuesday, June 27, 2006

愛寵篇(十二): 一本好書 - Animals in Translation

終於有人可以認同我看見的野了!!!!! 好野!



書名: Animals in Translation
作者: Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson
Publisher: Harcourt

話說去自然療法專家Arden的公司途中,我被Dymocks給引左入去,買了homeopathy for dogs 同呢本Animals in Translation。 ok,homeopathy for dogs唔岩我看,因為我咩都唔識而那本書是給已經知道homeopathy的人看的,不過用來旁住身先,讀完個bach flower先看。

這本書的主要作者是Temple Grandin,她是一位天生自閉症者,但是當現在的人當自閉症是一個病,成日拋下可憐的眼光去看他們時。Temple用佢身為自閉症者的看事物角度應用在animal behavior上,你會發現她說的事是十分之仔細但係佢唔能夠用語言好好表達,因為她看見的都是picture。可是,訓練了40年後,佢1999年開始仲幫mcdonald的食物供應animal farm做督導員,無佢點頭個d animal farm真係無生意架。

佢更changelle了很多animal behaviorist的書(暫時唔寫出來,你地自己看),是錯的。佢有很多sample更有一位是很有名的權威更在自己中風後改變自己以前寫animal behavior的事情,好勁的說。

Quote from book - Chapter 1: My story - What people see and don't see:

"It took me fifteen eyars to figure out that other people actually couldn't see what the problem was, at least not without a lof of training and practise. They couldn't see it because they wereen't visually oriented the way animals and autistic people are.

I always find it kind of funny that normal people are always saying autistic children "live in their own little world". When you work with animals for a while you start to realize you can say the same thing about normal people (我絕對有同感). There's a great big, beautiful world out there that a lot of normal folks are just barely taking in. its like dogs hearing a whole register of sound we can't. Autistic people and animals are seeing a whole register of the visual world nromal people can't or don't.

I don't just mean this metaphorically either. Nomral people literally don't see a lot of things. There's a famous experiment by a psychologist named Daniel Simonds, Head of the Visual cognition lab at the University of illinois, called Gorillas in our Midst, that shows you how bad people's visual awareness is. In the experiemnt they show people a videotape of a basketball game and ask them to count how many passes one team makes. Then, a little while into the tape, while everyone is sitting there counting passes, a woman wearing a gorilla suit walks onto the screen, stops, turnsm faces the camera and beats her fists on her chest.

50% of all people who watch this video DON't SEE THE GORILLA!!!!!!!

Even when experiementers ask them directly "did you notice the gorilla?" they say, "the what??" Its not that they don't remember the lady in the gorilla suit. Anyone who forgotten something he saw will remember it when you give him a promopt. These folks actually didn't see the lady gorilla in the first place. She didn't register.

.............

The scaries study, though was the one done by NASA on commerical airplane pilots. The researchers put them in a flight simulator and asked them to do a bunch of routine landings. But on some of the landing approaches the experimenters added the image of a large commercial airplane parked on the runway, something a pilot would never see in rael life (at least, lez hope not). 1/4 of the pilot LANDED right ON TOP OF THE AIRPLANE, THEY never saw it."

作者說的 "Inattentional blindness",是很多正常人都有而動物和自閉症是沒有的,都唔知d正常人可憐人地d咩了 :p

我想推介是因為,有好多野,我地太人性化去想動物,動物其實唔係0甘樣想的。你們看了係一個很好的inspiration,而且,我相信Temple會令很多人改變對自閉症人的看法。佢地都好detail oriented,而且因為可以抽離自己的角色去完全代入另一個世界,佢地看到正常人成日都看不到的細節(沒有任何we wang wang的,很實在的facts)。


Friday, June 23, 2006

愛寵篇(十一): 魔~鬼~之~屎???

黛你已知答案,唔可以估........

這是上星期的一件駭人聽聞的事情。

話說那天晚上我和媽咪回家一開門,發現爸b唔記得開燈,怕黑的珍寶就走去媽咪投訴,而喜喜就嗚嗚聲。媽咪在門外的燈看見地上..........有兩條紅色的野。好驚,以為珍寶又呵血........

點知:................



哇,真係撞邪lor......... 咩來架,魔鬼和屎????? 是壞預兆,死啦點好!

於是媽咪為求自己死前知個明白,佢拿了兩支牙籤「了」到d屎解體,那兩個紅色的角是硬的啊! 媽咪就想唔係爸b玩野俾chilly隻珍寶食0下fa........

事情變得更迷離,發現了另外兩舊屎分別有著3隻同樣的紅角.............

花了幾小時在家找出關係的物品........點知都毫無頭緒........媽咪感到魔鬼同死亡愈來愈迫近時......佢.........

決定沖個涼先。

你估係咩呢...........好恐怖呀!!!!!!!


愛寵篇(十): Bye Bye 你條尾

呢句的出處係邊樹架?
喜喜第一次被人地剪毛毛,心情好差,但係靚女jor wor???


Hi Hi 我條尾


好啦wor,你叫我望邊個鏡頭呀。你邊間報館架?


影完未jet? 我想拉屎啊!


*扮cute*


仲未得????? 我好累呀


放我落地呀! 咬你呀再影


放我呀........我要食狗餅呀!!!!!!!! *打爆鏡頭*

*****中場食狗餅**********


*扮乖、扮可憐、扮可愛*


又影呀.....eeeeeee


影我個咀前的太陽花啦


唉,有咩好影wor。我聽日又大一尺架啦,唔好影啦,等我變大d變大d先!


唔好影呀!!!!!!!!