Monday, December 27, 2010

智慧填补不了道德的空白 Wisdom Can Never Make Up for the Lack of Ethics

道德常常能彌補智慧的缺陷,然而,智慧卻永遠填補不了道德的空白。 

道德在心中 Morality is in Your Inner Self
从前,中国有一个小伙子刚毕业就去了法国,开始了半工半读的留学生活。他发现当地公共交通系统的售票服务是自助式的,也就是你想到哪个地方,根据目的地自行购买相应价格的车票,车站几乎都是开放式的,不设检票口,也没有检票员。甚至连随机性的抽查都非常少。他发现了法国公共交通管理上的这个漏洞,或者说以他的思维方式看来是漏洞。

凭着自己的聪明劲,他精确地估算了这样一个概率:逃票而被查到的比例大约仅为万分之三。他为自己的这个发现而沾沾自喜。从此之后,他便经常逃票上车。

4年过去了,名牌大学的金字招牌和优秀的学业成绩让他充满自信,他开始频频地进入巴黎一些跨国公司的大门,踌躇满志地推销自己,因为他知道这些公司都在积极地开发亚太区市场。

但这些公司都是先热情有加,数日之后,却又都婉言相拒。一次次的失败,使他愤怒。他认为一定是这些公司有种族歧视的倾向,排斥中国人。最后一次,他冲进了某公司人力资源部经理的办公室,要求经理对于不予录用他给出一个合理的理由。

结局却是他始料不及的。而双方的对话很值得玩味。

公司:“先生,我们并不是歧视你,相反,我们很重视你。因为我们公司一直在开发中国市场,我们需要一些优秀的本土人才来协助我们完成这项工作,所以你一来求职的时候,我们对你的教育背景和学术水平很感兴趣。老实说,从工作能力上,你就是我们所要找的人。那为什么不收天下英才为我所用?因为我们查了你的信用记录,发现你有三次乘公交车逃票被处罚的记录。”

青年:“我不否认这个。但为了这点小事,你们就放弃了一个多次在学报上发表过论文的人才?”

公司:“小事?我们并不认为这是小事。我们注意到,第一次逃票是在你来我们国家后的第一个星期,检查人员相信了你的解释,因为你说自己还不熟悉自助售票系统,只是给你补了票。但在这之后,你又两次逃票。”

青年:“那时刚好我口袋中没有零钱。”

公司:“不、不,先生。我不同意你这种解释,你在怀疑我的智商。我相信在被查获前,你可能有数百次逃票的经历。”

青年:“那也罪不至死吧?干吗那么认真?以后改还不行吗?”

公司:“不、不,先生。此事证明了两点:一、你不尊重规则。不仅如此,你善于发现规则中的漏洞并恶意使用。二、你不值得信任。而我们公司的许多工作是必须依靠信任而进行的,因为如果你负责了某个地区的市场开发,公司将赋予你许多职权。为了节约成本,我们没有办法设置复杂的监督机构,正如我们的公共交通系统一样。所以我们没有办法雇用你。可以确切地说,在这个国家甚至整个欧盟,你可能找不到雇用你的公司。”

Thursday, December 16, 2010

移动住家 Mobile Houses

In Beijing, high home prices spur resident to build mobile 6-square-meter egg-shaped house.The house was built from bamboo strips and jute bags filled with sawdust and grass seeds which will sprout grass in spring. In the crust of its wall are layers of bamboo matting as well as insulation and waterproof materials that keep the rain and wintry cold of northern China from seeping in. The house is also fitted with a pump-powered wash basin, and a solar panel on its only skylight helps light up the home.


And in the US, a garbage truck makes a confortable home. 

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Sunday, December 12, 2010

铅笔与橡皮擦 Pencil and Eraser

Pencil: I'm sorry.
Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

Pencil: I'm sorry because you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

Eraser: That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad.

Parents are like the eraser whereas their children are the pencil. They're always there for their children, cleaning up their mistakes. Sometimes along the way, they get hurt, and become smaller / older, and eventually pass on. Though their children will eventually find someone new (spouse), but parents are still happy with what they do for their children, and will always hate seeing their precious ones worrying, or sad.
.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

水灾与浓雾 Flooded Village and Foggy Road

A view of the flooded village of Kujava, 40 km north west of Montenegro's capital Podgorica, on 8 Dec 2010. (Note: Montenegro is a country located in Southeastern Europe.)

People across Albania, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro have struggled with a torrent of floods  that experts have called the worst in a century. Authorities in Serbia and Montenegro had to evacuate thousands of people from flooded villages.



A car in fog crosses a bridge over a canal near the city of Niksic, Montenegro on 8 Dec 2010.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

世说新语 Excuse me, We are Chinese ...

在当今亚洲几个华人聚集的地方。
.
香港:
一切准许,除非法律禁止。
.
新加坡:
一切禁止,除非法律准许。
.
台湾:
一切准许,包括法律禁止。
.
中国大陆:
一切禁止,包括法律准许。

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

测谎机器人 The Robot Lie Detector

某天,爸爸带了一台机器人回来,它有着会赏说谎的人一巴掌的机能。

有一天,孩子放学以后,回到家已经很晚了。

爸爸问:为什么这么晚才回来?
孩子答:因为今天学校有课后辅导。
惊人的事情发生了。机器人突然起身,往孩子脸颊上巴了一巴掌。
爸爸说:你还是老实说吧。
孩子只好老实说:我去看电影了。
爸爸再问:什么电影?
孩子回答:是十诫。
机器人又往孩子脸上巴了一巴掌。
孩子只好说:对不起,其实是看了‘色诫’。

爸爸说:为什么看那么低俗的电影?以前我在你们这个年纪,可不会看这种东西。
机器人往爸爸脸上,给了他用力的一巴掌。

妈妈从厨房探出头来,笑着说:不愧是父子,果然是你的儿子。

然后...... 妈妈也被赏了一巴掌!!