Wednesday 26 June 2013

Other Snowden Revelations

Allow me to hop on the bandwagon and make a few comments about Edward Snowden from a slightly different angle.

There have been legitimate questions concerning the apparent ease with which he copied highly confidential information, his background, and the escape. They seem sensible queries, without the fingerprints of Disinformation Agents. However, observations and gut feelings have convinced me that Snowden is genuine. 

Most of these operational puzzles can be answered if we let go of one assumption: That the US secret machinery, powerful as it is, must be competent like what we see in movies. People who have worked for major multinationals might agree that the functioning of huge organisations is appallingly less coherent and rational than what outsiders might perceive. A simple example: The computer servers of most companies, big or small, are maintained by an outside contractor or a relatively junior staff member. No highly paid senior person is willing — or capable of — maintaining the system. Now, unless top executives exchange confidential correspondence by hand-written notes, relatively junior technicians could access them if they want to, including an audit trail of the Chairman’s furtive visits to unwholesome websites during office hours.

斯洛登的启示

让我也来凑凑热闹,从其它角度就斯洛登事件插两句口吧。

有些人对斯洛登是否“无间道”有所怀疑,我认为十分合理。不过事态发展到如今,我相信斯洛登是“反间谍”的可能性甚低。至于他如何能够成功掌握高密资料,顺利逃离美国等的具体疑问,其实甚有启示作用,值得思考。

有些人觉得像美国这样庞大的军事集团,给斯洛登这小子把高密文件顺利抄走离境,难以置信。但假如你了解所有外表堂皇的大集团的内部运作的话,你可能不会觉得惊奇。举个简单例子:无论规模多大的公司和企业,电脑伺服器都要由比较年轻的中低级专业员工负责。任何“高密”文件和高层交流,除非不经电脑准备和传送,否则他们都不难看到。难道要主席大人自己动手运作和保养伺服器不成?算他老人家愿意,也不懂得如何入手。这是个很普遍的操作死结。唯一的解决办法可能是“疑人莫用,用人莫疑“。还有便是尽力把员工对公司的忠诚和归属感拿稳,不能光靠银弹指挥。

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh



I recently learned three things from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Hong Kong retreat.

The first thing was mindful eating: chew every mouthful thirty times before swallowing (if the food has not yet disappeared). I had known this for decades, but never put into practice. But during communal meals at the retreat, everyone chewed relentlessly. I did not want to be the first one to swallow, so I munched on doggedly. Then it clicked — a sudden enlightenment!

一行禅师



大概由于福德所限,我对大众化开示布道等活动一向抱有疑惑。今回一行禅师访港,有友人赠票,于是随缘参加。谁料得益不浅,启发良多。


第一个启发是多年来听过不少次,心里亦甚理解,却从未实行的“用心进食”。想不到在禅修营吃了几餐大锅饭,便突然“顿悟”。营友们每口饭都尽量嚼磨至少30下,我唯有本着人家不吞我也不吞的精神,死磨烂嚼,想不到有所得着。