In the haunting song, Where Have All The Flowers Gone by Peter, Paul, and Mary. One of the verses wonder where have all the young girls gone. Of course, the song is about anti-war and the girls were mourning their dead boy friends. It appears that many Chinese young men, and their Indian counter-parts will soon wonder where to find eligible brides in the world.

The Economist reported that China will have a surplus of eligible bachelors as many as the entire Germany’s population! India, South Korea, Taiwan, and several mid-eastern countries are heading the same imbalance. This article reminded me the short-fiction Goddess, by Linda Nagata, in which future Indian elders routinely implant a gender selector in young woman’s wombs — have a boy or have no child what-so-ever. Modern Chinese and Indians would depend on the skills of the ultrasonic technicians for such decisions.

A surprise consequence is the size of the dowry. As eligible maids become less available, they command higher dowry or whatever forms of payment from the groom’s side. Parents of young boys need to save more, since wealth is part of the bidding to win a bride.

The society will fix this problem by itself. The surplus men will be denied opportunity to have a traditional family. They will share a wife with someone else, import a bride from outside, or stay single. The society will gain its gender balance in one or two generations no matter what. The question is really how violent the process will be — unwed young male is the source of most mayhem in the world.

Maybe the song is hinting a solution after all? Where have all the young men gone? Gone to graveyard everyone. Oh when will they ever learn?

開始聽三國，總共上百回．有空聽聽，也得年把才聽的完．

曹操聚了各路諸侯，以袁紹為首伐董卓，第一個就碰到華雄．他把袁軍殺的一榻糊塗．終於關羽以馬弓手的低職，一刀取了華雄的首級，揚名立萬．

如果水滸講的是政府腐敗，三國就是政治權謀的黑暗了．曹操有名的”寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我”． 袁術怕孫監搶功，不發糧草．孫監因此敗陣，差點丟了腦袋．三國的軍事政治鬥爭，於此舖開．

靈劍 鄭丰 978-986-6712-74-6

靈劍是天關雙俠的前集.鄭丰被捧成”女版金庸”.神雕三部是永遠的經典,她的武俠也比的上金庸的二級作品了.靈劍的情節誨暗悽慘,鄭丰兩集都把虎嘯山莊安排的很不幸.其實”醫俠”是個很有詩意的想法,凌霄也有英雄的特質,典型武俠他不左擁右抱,稱霸武林,也至少能贏得美人歸.但鄭丰兩本都給他悲劇黑暗,這是她對武俠的突破嗎?我讀了40年武俠,還不大習慣離開那模式呢.

傳統的武功已經是超能了,鄭丰還加上了靈能及巫毒.天關裏,主角的武功平常(他是百花掌門,下毒的).這部有改善,但被天關中傳頌的大決戰,卻只有一點篇幅帶過.筆墨放在了燕龍偉大的犧牲上.可惜那過程太”成人”,鄭丰不能寫的露骨.遺憾.

武俠就是中國的007,不論如何的公式化,讀者都要能忘了這現實,看完了得不能自及的幻想自己是那英雄主角.天關還行,靈劍看完還真有點失落,沒那期待的滿足感.

鄭丰有個部落格.可以去給她加點人氣.

A top Senate Democrat is asking 30 leading technology, Internet and communications companies to provide detailed descriptions of their operations and human rights practices in China.

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois sent letters to the companies on Tuesday seeking information about their business in China and their plans for protecting human rights, free speech and privacy there.

Durbin’s letter comes nearly three weeks after Google said it would stop censoring search results in China and threatened to pull out of the country altogether after uncovering a hacking attack emanating from China and attempts to snoop on dissidents.

When I was living in Beijing, I got requests like this about once a year. Some US governmental figures would come to this capital of China, gather a roomful of representatives from US companies, and seek information from us. About half of the room would be bi-lingual (I was one) and others will be Mandarin-challenged. We would have lived in Beijing for one to 15 years. Every time, we would leave the room shaking our heads.

There would be two primary purposes for such information gathering: they had a foregone conclusion and needed data to back them up; they were seeking re-election and needed a check mark next to China on their resumes. Of course, like all good politicians, they all sounded sincere when they listened.

Are human rights, freedom of speech, and privacy bad in China? Yes, they are. Do they affect business operations there? No, they don’t. Do most Chinese care as much as the US? No, they don’t. Do we assist the China government in those practices? Well, we obey laws of both countries.

Sen. Durbin no doubt is proud of these tenets of the USA values. I have certainly enjoyed and appreciated the freedom and justice here and wouldn’t dream of raising a family anywhere else. Like myself, many people came to the US because of these values and will stay for the same.

Our politicians and media, however, treat these values religiously — whoever disagree or practice differently are evil or wrong. They must be converted! This habitual imperialism came from the absolute superiority that we once were. It is now hurting the US, particularly economically.

I do not agree with China in many ways. I do not agree with the US in probably no less. I am comfortable, in fact enjoy, being a resident of both countries. I have friends in pretty much all major religions in this world, I enjoy talking to them on various religious matters. Those who tried to convert me would quickly lose my friendship and I certainly reciprocate the respect to those who do not.

回北京前说要如此这般，飞机六点下地七点多进酒店，外面是刺骨的负5度，两人相望，“你要吃什么？”好像没家可以够值得出门的。商量已毕，全身重冬装备，两人硒硒嗦嗦，走了15分钟，进了亮马河边的印度小厨。点了烧鸡，Masala羊，印度豆腐，当然一堆的Nan及Parota，吃得不亦乐夫。精神和吃饭前完全不同了。

第二早上睡到日头，行步走到Kempinski的面包房，咖啡，面包，汤，甜点，当然是早午饭一起就打发了。下午办完事回到酒店后两人都累了，也没有太多与北京冬天奋战的心情。就下楼到酒店的西餐厅，打五折，不贵。做的挺好，服务也行。是个补充精神的一顿。

一夜无事，起来后中午有个茶宴，朋友问起，“回北京后吃了什么了？”我们厄然以对，头三餐居然没一顿中国菜。于是乎晚上大伙齐集日檀边的宏源涮肉，满桌的菌菜牛羊，一打烧饼，大大过瘾一番。回家一秤，重了4斤。

又个老北京朋友来电要请客，指定我选餐厅。想想说“川办”，居然北京还有我说得出的餐厅他们没吃过的？带了个孩子来，把菜单的都点完了。孩子一面吃一面叫好，一群人吃到撑，还带走了一大口袋。我们又聊到五点才散，回到酒店倒下就睡，八点才起来去鹿港小镇随便吃，加了个冰山。

过了两天，她说,“我们总要吃次鼎泰丰吧。”两人一车到东直门店，当然点了特色小笼，还有素饺，蟹粉小笼，蛋炒饭，芝麻包。这餐厅不是要不要来吃的问题，而是要吃几次的问题。

离京前的最后一餐，定了苏浙汇。目的是鲥鱼，其他菜也美味可口，干拌面尤其爽口。

上了飞机，她说，“你居然没吃烤鸭。” 奇怪，想都没想呢。

We were all curious on the new tenant. Only the affluent can afford this prime real estate. Yet this new company was clearly beyond the most affluent of us. They leased the whole building, gutted the entire interior, brought in office furniture from the US (this is China, they make stuff here), and devoted an entire floor to a gym and a cafeteria (there is a gym not 100 meters away and the area is teeming with great cheap restaurants). In addition, they installed a neon sign on the top, something we all wanted but couldn’t for years. Flaunting their wealth and influence, who were they?

The sign eventually came up, bright and colorful. It said, “Google.” That was 2006.

Soon, we met them in social settings. Over a dinner, one casually mentioned that he risked being arrested coming to work everyday. “Why would you want to do it here then?” we wondered. Most MNC (Multi-National Corporation) had the policy of obeying all local laws. “Well, we don’t feel their laws are right.” His answer stunned the whole table. We changed the topic and moved on, wondering how long would they last in this jungle. Whatever Google’s objections are today, they knew all about them in 2006. Dr. Li KaiFu’s entrance was spectacular then. Their flamboyant protest is an admission of an equally spetacular business failure.

There have been many books, blogs, war stories, and urban legends on how western companies flamed up in China. They came with superiority, righteousness, and money; they expected to conquer quickly, like how they did in the Opium War. Anything different will be ridiculous, stupid, wrong, and must be changed. In a couple of years, they would have closed down shops, fired everyone, desert their fixed assets, and went back home like the VietNam War. It is impossible, they said, to work with those abstruse Chinese. Why can’t they enforce good laws, abolish censorship, respect human rights, drive nicely, pollute less, float exchange rate, and speak English better? We cannot win because they did not play by the rules.

China, the largest Internet and mobile computing market in the world, is unlikely to hurt from Google’s exit from the country. Many will devour Google’s market share quickly, in search, email, or cell phone handset. This dominant giant in the rest of the world is a small player in China. They couldn’t comprehend or accept their inability to gain market share here. They had the superiority, talents, and money. They also have founders and senior management who insisted on playing by their rules, instead of adopting to China’s.

“One may or may not agree with the laws in China, but nearly all countries have some controversial laws or policies, including the United States,” Bill Gates said. “Now, if Google ever chooses to pull out of the United States, then I’d give them credit.”

Here in China, company’s cafeteria serve three meals a day at very reasonable prices. Since other options are not really more attractive, it becomes a popular dinner solution. Employees usually leave work around 8pm after the meal. On this day, I strolled among them toward my hotel, a casual ten-minute walk, enjoying the winding down at the end of the day. It was already dark and I noticed a line of battery-powered lights along the sidewalk several paces ahead. I expected vendors pedaling toys, gadgets, cheap jewelries, DVDs, or whatever.

As I got close, I found it slightly unusual. The ones behind the table, tending the walkers-by, were young and dressed in suits. Those tables displayed pamphlets and forms, not cheap merchandises. There were people sitting on foot stools filling up forms. The business appeared to be good and my curiosity was aroused.

They were banks. On those cheap propped up tables were laptops powered by a far-away portable generator, which also powered the lights. A USB dongle provided the 3G broad-band connection to the Internet. Clients would sign up credit cards, mutual fund accounts, or other financial services right on the street.

Several paces down the road, there were another cluster of short-tables and stools. The same customers who just applied for a new credit card were probably here getting a bowl of spicy hot-pot (麻辣烫) on-the-go. The tables were about knee-high so the stools were for semi-squatting posture. The lighting was barely sufficient to make out the foods. The patrons were oblivious to the brisk pedestrians and car traffic not more than 5 feet away.

I imagined myself sitting down on one of those tables and shouted out, “One beer, a skewer of fish balls, beef noodles, and two Visa credit card application forms here.” I was amused by the thought, but kept on walking.

Hillary Rodham Clinton stood by Google on its case against China. “Censorship should not be in any way accepted by any company from anywhere,” Mrs. Clinton said. “American companies need to take a principled stand. This needs to be part of our national brand.”

She did not mention that the US government routinely monitor the Web and bring the force of the laws and the ire of the government upon those whom they deemed illegal or threatening to the national security. USA is not alone. All countries disallow certain communications, Internet or not, with legal, political, or administrative means. The citizens usually has three choices: obey the laws by not communcating those topics, do so anyway and risk getting prosecuted, or move to another country that permits them.

Countries mostly agreed that IP theft, child pornography, and terrorism should be banned. Other topics, such as file sharing, privacy, and political viewpoints are of much debate. The general protocol frowns upon imposing one’s values on others. Without this respect for basic sovereignty, countries could only resort to force, usually not pleasant.

Sen. Clinton also said, “Countries or individuals that engage in cyber-attacks should face consequences and international condemnation.” We now have sufficient evidence that the attacks on Google, Apple, Yahoo, and other US companies were well organized, well funded, and sophisticated. They were the act of professionals (the best of them are NSA and CIA, two US government agencies). It is quite rare that those professional leave traces, let alone get caught. Clinton implied that China government initiated those attacks. Did she mean to unleash NSA or CIA upon China as part of those “consequences and condemnation?” Meet evil with evil, an eye for an eye?

The best things to do in Hong Kong are shopping and eating, no fun without a company. When I learned that I would have a weekend free, we arranged to stay with an old friend and she was a great host and tour guide.

Tai Ping Shan (太平山）, overlooking downtown, is prime residential area. Rent average is about 5 to 10 times higher than ShangHai or ShenZhen. The city built a long and winding escalator chain (中環扶梯) cascading to about mid-level, along side the old punishing stairs. The escalators are all one-way. They go downhill before 10am and switch to uphill for the rest of the day. There are hundreds of bars and western restaurants along this winding path: pubs, Spanish, Mexican, burger joints, etc. I could breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink here for a whole month without getting bored.

IFC (International Finance Center) is really a huge mall. In addition to the normal variety of stores, there are also several nice restaurants. Shoppers do not come to Hong Kong for bargains anymore. Instead, this island offers probably the store and selection density. Within a city block, it has unbelievable number of stores selling unbelievable number of goods. All accepting your credit cards with impeccable smiles. It is pleasant to shop here, just wear comfortable shoes and also bring a porter to carry the bags.

Ice House Street (雪廠街) has several historical gems. There are four street lamps, still burning gas, at the corner of a lovely flight of stairs. Half way up is a Starbucks (yes, sorry) in a historical Ice House (冰室 Bing Sutt). Old pictures and posters on the wall give this chain store some unique personalities. The coffee, of course, tasted exactly the same.

Our host brought us to an authentic tea restaurant (茶餐厅): neighborhood diners that serve comfort foods. These pragmatic establishments focus on speed and high-quality ingredients, instead of decor or services. They fill a gap in Hong Kong’s over-populated life; no one has a decent kitchen or time to cook. These tea restaurants feed Hong Kong, cheaply and quickly. The menu reflects Hong Kong’s melting pot culture. We saw spaghetti in Chinese broth. Noodles with sides of sunny-side up eggs and toasts.

In the morning, we bid farewell to the friend and boarded the ferry back to ShenZhen. I am probably 5 pounds heavier from all those decadent indulgences. No regrets. So nice to have an old friend in Hong Kong.

其實我忘了水滸的結局了. 小時候看到招安,就義憤填噟,摔書不看了. 這次耐性的一回回的聽完了. 中國的四大小說,設計都是說書的型式. iPod,正好提供聽書的環境.

戰死沙場的也就罷了,船伙張橫的英魂,武松的左手,都令人嘆息. 但那是打戰的代價. 方臘那邊,不也死了許多嗎? 平方臘後,水滸散將,一個個走了. 李俊赴船出海. 武松出家. 燕青也消遙而去. 這些都能令人暗嘆佩服. 但宋江,盧俊義被奸黨毒害,沒得好死. 是不是施耐庵暗示宋江的領導錯誤? 只是陪上了李逵,花榮,當了副將.

最悽涼的是吳用. 他雖無武功,但在梁山,征南,宋江給了他舞台. 從此只是一介文人,滿腹雄韜,沒有發揮的可能. 那就罷了. 現在連能說話的朋友都沒了. 於是鬱悶到了無生趣,自盡忠義堂.

水滸悲劇,給人最大的感嘆,是英雄慘死,奸黨得勝. 讀者及聽眾的不平,也就是水滸流傳不衰的重點原因了.

這是我重讀四大小說的第一本. 老實說,我紅樓從來沒看完過,也不會去看了. 但三國西遊,現在十分嚮往開讀哦.