2009年7月4日星期六

OBITUARY FOR THE LATE MR. COMMON SENSE

From the profile of Lina03, who copied from mandy-san.
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1528408/Lina03

We interrupt this profile for an important message to one who has passed on. He will be remembered dearly.

OBITUARY FOR THE LATE MR. COMMON SENSE

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense,who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get Parental consent to administer Calpol, sun lotion, or a band-aid to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

A moment of silence.

2009年7月1日星期三

教育

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. – Mark Twain

说得太好了,但有多少人能做到?

躺在思恋上
她脸孔月白
安详 典雅
美丽 永恒
因为过去
早已把她
压得窒息

01.07.09

月白色又称鱼白色,是近于白色与蓝色之间的浅蓝色。史记封禅书:“太一宰则衣紫及绣。五帝各如其色,日赤,月白。”月白色名称本此。

2009年5月29日星期五

君子

与愤青蔻子聊了伪君子真小人……

蔻子:君子应该去死!!!
为竭:不,他们要活着做伪圣母。

2009年5月26日星期二

考试科目数量不应和奖学金挂钩

每年五月,轰轰闹闹的公共局奖学金纠纷“不负众望”,准时上演。每次学者都提出新方案以解决这个老问题,官员都拍拍胸膛说明年会更好,但着闹剧其实已成为一年一度的重要活动,若不趁早解决,报馆及评论员也许可以拿出十年前的作品,修一修,改一改,就可以刊登了,反正大部分都是老调重弹,年年如此。今年又提出了限制大马教育文凭考试SPM)考试科目数量,以更公平地分发奖学金。此举各界有赞有弹,但笔者认为,并非解决奖学金乱象之良策。

考生愿意拿多少科,那是考生的私事。他们可以在其能力之内多拿其感兴趣的科目。笔者是2007年的考生,除了理科生通常考的十科之外,多拿了中国文学及科技英语(EST)。当年全校有三人拿中国文学,都是喜欢中国文学而报考的。学校没有教导这门课,我们就自行找参考书(市面上只有一本)、上网查资料(感谢马盛辉老师,怹在网上贴出的问答题和考前猜题对我们帮助不少)。如果笔者没有报考,笔者也不会特地去钻研文学作品的背景及行间的寓意。因此,报考一科可以催促学生学习,有逼迫才有进步。至于科技英语,我是抱着“多一个A不拿白不拿,反正都不用读”的心情报考的,我觉得这两年报考这科的学生多少都抱着这种心态。自从数理科改用英语为媒介语后,这一个已失去的当年的目的——让中五生接触英语以衔接接下来的课程。简单来说,这一科可以废除了,省纸省力,为环保减少资源消耗。虽然很多学生上大学时不会用上他们当年多靠的科目,如拿了会计却读美术、考了中国文学却想当医生济世(不是笔者)等,但他们中学时期所学习的知识,会一辈子跟随他们。

教育部认为国际性考试如O水平考生也只须考5至6科,所以本地考生不应该靠这么多科,但是,我们要记住,他人没那么多必修课!一般上外国O水平考试只有英文和数学(或再加上历史或社会教育)是必修课,而本地则有五科必修课:国语、英语、历史、道德、数学。国民型中学学生还要加上华语。而高级数学,虽然不是必修课,但无论文理科,多数人都是得学习。教育部应该把原本的数学科留下来,但和拼数学和高级数学成新的一科,这样有能力的学生可以拿新那一科,不用多拿数学了。

教育局也该拉高SPM的标准,回到以前“A就是A”有水准的日子。这样一来,能够获得全科A者都是有真材实料的,合乎公共局奖学金遴选标准的人也少了,就不会出现僧多粥少的现象。话说回来,我没申请此奖学金,也是因为我原以为我马来文拿不了1A,毕竟中学五年,我的马来文从没拿过A。这里虽少不了我的老师 陈锐荣师的教导,但这也说明SPM的水准有多么低。除此之外,一上中四老师就恐吓我们说生物有多么难,其实全校有一半人考获1A,而且没有人不及格……虽 然我上的是控制学校,但平时可没有这种好成绩。

公共局奖应该做的,是定下遴选必需的科目,选出几科主要科目作为评估标准,其余的科目就不列入考虑。如此一来,那些想以多A作为筹码的考生会收敛一些,而对课外科目有兴趣的学生,也可以自行报考。

最后,愿望落空的考生不必灰心,塞翁失马,焉知非福。再说,从笔者同学的经历来看,运气也是必需的一部分。两人同样是11A1(不包括1119),选择药剂系,一人英文顶呱呱,1119拿1A;另一人的1119只拿3B,英文口语能力也没前者好,结果呢?后者得了纽西兰药剂系的奖学金,前者只能拾起碎了一地的信心,去大学预科班报到。至少他还拿得到大学预科班,有人甚至两面落空。或是,千辛万苦,过关斩将,终于得到了医学系的奖学金,可是同时,也得到了血癌。幸好他现已康复,但医生勒令他不能出国,或再修课业繁重的医学系了。

2009年5月4日星期一

马来西亚

马来西亚
是过去
亦是未来

但不是现在。

我在
奔放的江河中
宽阔的大洋里
而不是
缓慢的小汊间
混浊的死水边

4.5.09

过河

献给Lulu,希望她一切顺利。

摸着石头
小心
那条河不宽
只是水急了一些

至少
这仍是一条河
而不是伪装成活水的
沼泽

只能数着时间
看着自己
慢慢下沉