Sunday 30 August 2015

What Academic Freedom?

鏈接:風馬牛不相及的學術自由

Hong Kong politicshas decomposed into a tiny repertoire of elemental clichés. Nonetheless, they can cause disproportional disruptions when deployed vociferously by ardent sloganeers with singular determination. By far the most overworked slogan is of course —  freedom and democracy. Its become licence to do practically anything without consequence. Well, freedom is pointless if fettered by legal constraints, isnt it? Other banners in the arsenal include, in order of perceived popularity, social justice; freedom of press/speech/expression, academic freedom, and a few other simplistic beauties.

Freedom and democracy, having worked overtime during Occupy Central, is taking a break. Academic freedom has taken centre stage, with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as backdrop. 

風馬牛不相及的學術自由


香港目前的政治環境簡單得出奇,幾句過期口號可以完全描述。排頭的口號當然是佔中期間每天加班的 「民主自由」 啦。這是免死金牌,跟著喊可以愛啥幹啥,毫無後顧之憂。想落也合理。依然有法有天的話,要自由來幹嘛呢?其他熱門口號,根據熟悉程度排位,大概包括:公義!新聞和言論自由!還有最近紅極一時, 由港大招聘副校長的茶杯颶風引發的 「學術自由」。

長臭瘋話短說,港大正在物色負責人事和財務的副校長。不過副校長的直接上司 「首席副校長」 的職位,也正懸空。有人說稍有份量的學者,都不會上當打這份工。看來這說法不無道理。信不信由你,交給校委會蓋圖章的副校長人選,只有一人:法律系院長陳文敏先生是也。陳先生的背景的確有些非一般。當今的學術界,連教補鍋的也有博士學位。巴士的車身廣告大家有目共睹:綽號化學天王,物理奇葩等中學補習老師,都是博士,比港大副校長要求的學術地位更高,有文革特徵吧!陳先生大概因為沒有進修博士,沒有什麼學術研究可做,比較清閒,於是利用多餘時間幫手創立了「公民黨」。公民黨骨幹都是律師,靠耍法律搵食,所以對法律有種專業性鄙視,完全不放眼內。此外,陳先生身為法律系院長期間,手下戴耀庭先生亂用研究經費,在灣仔佔中環。雖然戴先生有 「民主自由」 免死金牌,最後大概也是不了了之,但身為他事頭的陳先生,有承擔的話,也難辭其責。

Tuesday 11 August 2015

香江山賊

香江山賊

話說伶仃洋外,有小島香江,遠看似仙山,近看像沙灘。島上住了六七百人,打魚摸蜆為生,也算安居樂業,戶戶炊煙。島民捕來海鮮,自吃不下,拿來炒炒賣賣與經過的夷船商販,日子逐漸富裕。唯富不過三代乃不易真理,靈驗如同魔咒,十中難一幸免。三代下來,不少香江伙子變得渾身妖氣,頭腦恍惚,口臭異常,卻自以為英明俊俏,頻頻照鏡,顧影自畫,並互傳贊美,得意非常。
伙子終日無事,只懂網上閒聊,結果搭上狀棍流氓,繼而勾結花旗役畜,經常借勢取鬧,撒野尋釁。家長嬌寵已慣,那敢責難?大人忙於炒賣,亦無暇理會,便任其生滅。日久,童黨膽子越粗,開始招搖撞騙,欺壓老叟婦孺,還胸纏黃巾,自稱 「天經地義童民黨」,約期舉事。首領自號 「瘋人將軍」,身長五尺多少許,眼神痴瘋,面额無肉,鼻孔朝天,耳後見腮,唇若蜆肉,黃里透黑。見者或不禁失笑,或咬牙切齒,或搖頭嘆息。但瘋人小子得花旗高人傳授,舞得一手「馬桶棍」,能於一尺之內翻雲覆雨,臭氣熏天,被藩王班主吹捧為當今江湖十大高手之一。島民忌之,便任由坐大。

Monday 3 August 2015

The Caucasus (3) Faces of Armenia & Azerbaijan 高加索掠影(3)阿塞拜疆與亞美尼亞的面


A capella singer in a stone chamber at Garni, Armenia
在亚美尼亚古迹 Garni 石室清唱圣诗的歌手

我將阿塞拜疆與亞美尼亞兩個世仇放在一起,是對他們的一種友好祝願。早在一戰前,這兩族人一有機會便你插我眼珠,我咬你耳朵。20世紀期間,奧斯曼帝國,大英帝國,和蘇聯都先後當過監護人,亦分別播下了新衝突的種子。

By mixing Armenian and Azerbaijani faces in this post, I’ve probably committed a capital offence in both countries. Animosity between the two neighbours goes way back to before WW1, for untraceable reasons which have long been distilled down to elemental hatred. For more than a century now, they’d kick and bite and scratch each other whenever a big guy isn’t around. The Ottoman, British, and Soviet empires had all played guardian here, and sowed new seeds for future conflict.

高加索掠影 The Caucasus (4) -格魯吉亞的面目 Faces of Georgia


Woman outside Church 教堂外的老婦

要瞭解格魯吉亞的處境,失業率是個好參數。蘇聯瓦解後,格魯吉亞獨立,失業率狂飆至85%,社會動蕩了二十多年。現在比較安定,失業率降了下來,仍然停留在65%的懸崖邊上。導遊指出,格魯吉亞人的傳統本領是務農和打仗。現在人口只有三百多萬,要把本事擴大,經濟多元化,談何容易?美國,北約和以色列於是把握機會,大發好心,在一個名為 「軍備培訓」 的資助計劃下,大力培養格魯吉亞人的戰爭天分。

格魯吉亞人給我的印象很淳樸倔強,老實勤勞。但很多人的眼神都帶著幾分無奈與憂戚。


Unemployment in Georgia is a good indicator of the disheartening situation. When first separated from the USSR in 1991, the newborn nation plunged promptly into chaos. Unemployment rocketed to 85%. Relative calmness has been restored, but unemployment still stands at an astounding 65%. Georgians, in the words of the tour guide, are traditionally farmers and warriors. With only 3.5 million of them, holding on to strong traditions, diversifying the economy is much easier dreamt than done. Israel, NATO and the USA are currently helping to develop one of two Georgian talents under an aid programme prosaically and ominously named Arm and Train.

Many Georgians look sad.