Dec 30, 2009
Dec 21, 2009
Dec 18, 2009
Good Songs to Share -- Blue Christmas
While everyone is singing “White Christmas”, Elvis Presley is singing “Blue Christmas”, which is not an ordinary Christmas song.
Last year, Joseph Hall, a young man, imitating his idol, Elvis Presley, “The King of Rock 'N' Roll”, performed in the “American Got Talent” show in the United States. He sang Elvis’ “Hound Dog”, a 1956 hot hit, as his debut song. It’s quite interesting to see a dynamic handsome man singing a pop song, which can be dated back more than 50 years, a lot older than him. Just in his performance, he was carrying away all the audience, especially the females, in hoorays and ecstasy, and even the three judges were moved by the hot wave on the spot. In addition to Joseph’s outstanding performance, it is him deliberately imitating Elvis’ explosive stage charisma and the emotion of “Hound Dog” that have produced great impact on the audience. It also proves that Elvis’ influence has lasted for decades and continues to do so...
In my opinion, if a singer has great talents in voice, presentation, technique, he is almost perfect regardless of regions or eras, and if he has a knack for songs in different styles, then he is a rare phenomenon, and moreover, if he can create his own style, initiate and drive the trend, then it’s really fabulous, and he must be a superstar, and the early Elvis Presley is the one who did it; he himself is a white man, but he is able to mix country music, the Soul of the black and some other elements into a unique personal style. His performance on stage is much different from the trend of that time, but his charisma strikes crazy all the young people around the world. There are many wonderful pieces of his early works, for instance, those dynamic songs like “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, etc... or those with slow rhythm like “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, “Love Me Tender”, “Crying in the Chapel”, etc... Numerous... Inexhaustible. So, he has got a nickname, the King, which he deserves very much.
That’s a Christmas gift of celebration at the bottom: a fragment of “Hound Dog” Joseph Hall sang in the “American Got Talent” in 2008, song and dancing stirs the audience so much, you can imagine that Elvis made a similar TV show in the fifties or sixties, definitely a big shock on the society at that time.
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Dec 17, 2009
Just Talk - David Beckham
A few months ago, I read a report about David Beckham, which was just published in a public opinion poll by The Children’s Society in the UK. David is chosen as “the most appropriate role model for children”: 19% of respondents rated him the “best”, and 36% rated “good”. I am quite happy to hear this good news of him.
Even when Beckham was still a trainee, his good appearance and great progress in the game brought him numerous followers. During the World Cup 1998, he was against Argentina on behalf of England, but due to his lack of experience, he was so stupid to create much friction with the opponent players that he was given a red card by the referee and dismissed from the pitch. After the competition, a lot of people in England blamed him for the team not qualified for the next stage out of his unwise impulsive behavior. They regarded him as the sinner responsible for the bad results of the national team. On returning his motherland, he was bitterly pulled down from high and suffered much humiliation under universal condemnation. As time went on after the incident, nevertheless, he was constantly rectifying his own behavior, improving techniques, exerting many efforts and finally taking his fellowmen by surprise – able to regain his glory and become everybody's favorite once again.
In 2003, Beckham switched from Manchester United to Real Madrid, the Spanish famous team, but most media and his team-mates ridiculed him as a star, who only shows off, rather than a football athlete. It seemed to suggest his performance not to be in the same rank as that of his team-mates and other top players in the world. However, he has paid much effort and managed his character to overcome difficulties and establish good relationships with the local media and his team-mates.
Beckham felt quite frustrated in 2006, when Fabio Capello played the role of Real Madrid's manager, who did not confide much in him. In the same year, when Steve McClaren was the manager of the national team, it was said that they had small grudges against each other; it was the good opportunity for McClaren to find fault and take revenge. Once Beckham said, “I am not happy every day!" But later on, to show his sincerity by action and effort, he proved his importance in all aspects inside or outside the team. So once again, he overcame all the adversities and returned to the national team and his club as a select player.
Those who like Beckham might appreciate his free kicks or fulfillment of mission by fabulous skills in the pitch. Or some girls might appreciate him for his handsome appearance or whatever. But personally, I appreciate his excellent EQ, continuous efforts, perseverance, working on his own self quietly, and all the more, he gains people’s respect by results, performs so well as to let his critics shut up, and survives disasters and unpleasant events again and again ─ all these prove his determination and spirit. Not only should children learn from his merits … .
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Even when Beckham was still a trainee, his good appearance and great progress in the game brought him numerous followers. During the World Cup 1998, he was against Argentina on behalf of England, but due to his lack of experience, he was so stupid to create much friction with the opponent players that he was given a red card by the referee and dismissed from the pitch. After the competition, a lot of people in England blamed him for the team not qualified for the next stage out of his unwise impulsive behavior. They regarded him as the sinner responsible for the bad results of the national team. On returning his motherland, he was bitterly pulled down from high and suffered much humiliation under universal condemnation. As time went on after the incident, nevertheless, he was constantly rectifying his own behavior, improving techniques, exerting many efforts and finally taking his fellowmen by surprise – able to regain his glory and become everybody's favorite once again.
In 2003, Beckham switched from Manchester United to Real Madrid, the Spanish famous team, but most media and his team-mates ridiculed him as a star, who only shows off, rather than a football athlete. It seemed to suggest his performance not to be in the same rank as that of his team-mates and other top players in the world. However, he has paid much effort and managed his character to overcome difficulties and establish good relationships with the local media and his team-mates.
Beckham felt quite frustrated in 2006, when Fabio Capello played the role of Real Madrid's manager, who did not confide much in him. In the same year, when Steve McClaren was the manager of the national team, it was said that they had small grudges against each other; it was the good opportunity for McClaren to find fault and take revenge. Once Beckham said, “I am not happy every day!" But later on, to show his sincerity by action and effort, he proved his importance in all aspects inside or outside the team. So once again, he overcame all the adversities and returned to the national team and his club as a select player.
Those who like Beckham might appreciate his free kicks or fulfillment of mission by fabulous skills in the pitch. Or some girls might appreciate him for his handsome appearance or whatever. But personally, I appreciate his excellent EQ, continuous efforts, perseverance, working on his own self quietly, and all the more, he gains people’s respect by results, performs so well as to let his critics shut up, and survives disasters and unpleasant events again and again ─ all these prove his determination and spirit. Not only should children learn from his merits … .
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Dec 14, 2009
Just Talk -- Emotions !
A high tide of emotion may make a man work in high spirits !
Being emotional may make a man lose his wit !
Being depressed may make a man vulnerable !
A man who stays calm may lead to peace with himself !
Unsteady emotions may make a man flutter and falter !
If a man can stay calm, he may keep his stakes under control !
With fluctuating emotions, a man may make wrong moves and lose any good chances !
If a man remains peaceful, he may fully understand any failures or successes in life !
A man with uncontrollable emotions may be remorseful, and cannot make up his wrongdoings !
Emotions ! Might be a good or bad thing.
Is it an enemy or a friend?
It all depends on YOU !
Being emotional may make a man lose his wit !
Being depressed may make a man vulnerable !
A man who stays calm may lead to peace with himself !
Unsteady emotions may make a man flutter and falter !
If a man can stay calm, he may keep his stakes under control !
With fluctuating emotions, a man may make wrong moves and lose any good chances !
If a man remains peaceful, he may fully understand any failures or successes in life !
A man with uncontrollable emotions may be remorseful, and cannot make up his wrongdoings !
Emotions ! Might be a good or bad thing.
Is it an enemy or a friend?
It all depends on YOU !
Little Man & Big Deal -- SALUTE!
In the MTR station a few months ago, I met a group of mentally retarded children, led by adults who I believed were their parents. Such a picture let me think of an episode in the past; I had to pass by a road junction on my way every day, and there was always about once a week the opportunity to see the same scene:A gray-haired old lady, accompanying a young woman, presumably her daughter, who appeared to be approximately 30 to 40 years old. I felt she was mentally retarded. They might be waiting for the transportation offered by a kind of social organization.
Her daughter's face always appeared with silly smiles, and her elderly mother looked totally bewildered, tired. The old mother's forearms revealed under the sleeves deeply impressed me. The muscles must have gained from intensive chores, and seemed to tell others that at that old age she had to be strongly-built enough to take care of her stout daughter day in day out, no matter whether it was rainy or sunny.
Although she would be willing to do so as a parent's duty, but the time to fulfill the duty seemed much longer than most people, and the task was much more difficult!
Almost every day, her silver hair spread freely as if uncombed, the buttons near her neck were not tightened, her sleeves were scrolled up, and the perplexity on her face told how tired she was!
The scene was more or less the same for quite a long time, and then I couldn't see them any more.
I have seen some mentally retarded children behave so inappropriately in the street that their parents are embarrassed.
But most of them had patience and a lot of experiences to try to make things right for the situation.
I thought if I were in the position, it would not be easy to respond properly. Taking care of those children would not be a temporary job.In the long run, the same situation would repeat itself perpetually, so determinations, love, patience, are indispensable.
Every time in the street, for these great parents, I would give hearts of ... SALUTE!
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
(Drawing of "SALUTE!" from Simon C.T.W.)
Just Talk – “Letting Go”
More than a year ago, I had an opportunity to talk with a Buddhist, who felt I was under much life stress, suggested I should learn how to let go. Hearing the advice, I kept on thinking about the meaning of “letting go”. With a bit of informal study, I notice that many people have different understanding and interpretations for the subject matter of letting go. Bit by bit, I now have my own experience and opinion. There are a lot of desirable or undesirable events in our life, among which some really impress us and cannot be easily forgotten. If “letting go” means to forget them completely, I don’t think it’s practical to do so. However, to lessen their impacts on our life is something most of us can do.
Let bygones be bygones, the past undesirable events might serve us the purpose of our learning some lessons from them rationally, releasing us from the old traps, letting go their bad consequences gradually. So the teachings we get should be “retained and reviewed” as a warning in the future. Exactly, this is advancement.
Let go the useless! Keep the useful!
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Let bygones be bygones, the past undesirable events might serve us the purpose of our learning some lessons from them rationally, releasing us from the old traps, letting go their bad consequences gradually. So the teachings we get should be “retained and reviewed” as a warning in the future. Exactly, this is advancement.
Let go the useless! Keep the useful!
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Dec 10, 2009
Good Songs to Share -- Holding The One In Front Tightly (抱緊眼前人)
Anita Mui, a famous singer, whom I admire very much, has sung a lot of good songs. One of them is “Holding the One in Front Tightly”, from the composer George Lam, lyrics by Pan Yuan-liang. Each time I heard this song, the first person who occurred to my mind was not Anita but a friend. In the past, when some friends of us joined and sang “karaoke”, she always selected the song “Holding the One in Front Tightly”, and sang in a sentimental way every time like some emotions being suppressed, some stories untold. More or less this time two years ago, the only thing she could do was wait... ... wait for disentanglement, a final solution. She was surprisingly calm, strong, with nothing to hold on, passing through the remaining path of her life quietly. She shocked me, made me feel to appreciate her much more, and left behind a very strong impression on me.
When she was still alive, I urged her and suggested for her that she should take some more effective treatments, but her answer echoed, “You cannot possibly understand. Let the patient choose her own wish, would you?” Helplessly, we watched a good person living each day in countdown and gradually moving to the end of her life. Some people often boasted how good they were, constantly repeating to others what good things they did. She was a good person, but had never described herself as such, and it was only that we heard others describe her as such.
In December two years ago, when the dazzling Christmas trees and Santa’s sleigh were fading away, she withered away and left us! Why did good people die so early? I said, “Very often, Fate is puzzling us!”
Last year, hearing the first Christmas bell ring, I missed her, a good person, who had left us almost one year before.
Now, I see Christmas trees dazzling everywhere, and hear the Christmas bells ringing, Santa’s sleigh approaching nearer and nearer.
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Our People, Our Matters - Charles K. Gao, who made the world more exciting!
He is holding a Hong Kong identity card, and also lives in Hong Kong for many years, so I say he belongs to Hong Kong.
Many years ago, it was very interesting to hear the name of ... “Gao, Father of Fiber Optics”, and a lot of questions were thrusting up immediately, “What is fiber optics? What is the use of fiber optics?” “Father of Fiber optics” should be the person who invented fiber optics, so the man deserves the reputation of “Father”. Charles K. Gao is definitely the glory of Chinese people, the descendents of Dragon. When I understood a bit more about what optical fibers can do later, I felt his distinguished achievement. Then I wondered why he had not been a "Nobel Prize" winner with regard to his great invention of fiber optics, his lifetime contribution doing research and nurturing talents of his students, especially his being so humble.
I could still remember watching Mr. Gao on television many years ago when he seemed to be living in Hong Kong then, and two interesting parts in the documentary filming impressed me very much. One was his secretary saying in front of the camera, “He (Gao) is very scared to use the photocopying machine. To control enlarging and reducing photo sizes is so troublesome that he might probably be freaked out.” And it really happened later that he needed a photocopy of some information and asked the lady secretary to do the job for him, so he said in front of everybody that it is not easy for him to handle the photocopying machine, ha ha ...a great inventor was afraid of such small stuff!
Another interesting part in the documentary filming was that Charles was once in an overseas museum, standing beside a statue of himself, while some museum visitors watched the contrast effect of reality going side by side with illusion, then all felt so funny and laughed; he was willing to interact with them for fun, so this reflected his sense of humor.
Once I saw on television that he and his wife were living in the United States, with his sickness (senile dementia), he had unloaded his life-long heavy bag from his shoulders, a simple mind with a simple look of innocence, and mostly important, he remained quite healthy. It appeared that his life was very happy and I hoped God would let him go on living like that happily!
Charles began to study fiber optics a few decades ago and single-handedly set off the revolution in communications. In addition to the advantage of low cost of sending messages by glass fibers, he did not apply for fiber optics patents for monetary reward. His being unselfish has made it possible to lower the cost of fiber-optic transmissions, leading to their worldwide acceptance and appliance.
Today, the Internet is shining globally, long-distance telephone charges are very cheap, transmissions of TV and video messages are very common ─ all these are the blessings from fiber-optics.
Gao, with his outstanding talents and decades of perseverance, made fiber optics available for the whole world and let every one share its honor. He made us feel closer neighborhood around the world, a more exciting world!
Mr. Charles K. Gao, "Father of Fiber Optics", in my mind, has already won the "Nobel Prize"!
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
Many years ago, it was very interesting to hear the name of ... “Gao, Father of Fiber Optics”, and a lot of questions were thrusting up immediately, “What is fiber optics? What is the use of fiber optics?” “Father of Fiber optics” should be the person who invented fiber optics, so the man deserves the reputation of “Father”. Charles K. Gao is definitely the glory of Chinese people, the descendents of Dragon. When I understood a bit more about what optical fibers can do later, I felt his distinguished achievement. Then I wondered why he had not been a "Nobel Prize" winner with regard to his great invention of fiber optics, his lifetime contribution doing research and nurturing talents of his students, especially his being so humble.
I could still remember watching Mr. Gao on television many years ago when he seemed to be living in Hong Kong then, and two interesting parts in the documentary filming impressed me very much. One was his secretary saying in front of the camera, “He (Gao) is very scared to use the photocopying machine. To control enlarging and reducing photo sizes is so troublesome that he might probably be freaked out.” And it really happened later that he needed a photocopy of some information and asked the lady secretary to do the job for him, so he said in front of everybody that it is not easy for him to handle the photocopying machine, ha ha ...a great inventor was afraid of such small stuff!
Another interesting part in the documentary filming was that Charles was once in an overseas museum, standing beside a statue of himself, while some museum visitors watched the contrast effect of reality going side by side with illusion, then all felt so funny and laughed; he was willing to interact with them for fun, so this reflected his sense of humor.
Once I saw on television that he and his wife were living in the United States, with his sickness (senile dementia), he had unloaded his life-long heavy bag from his shoulders, a simple mind with a simple look of innocence, and mostly important, he remained quite healthy. It appeared that his life was very happy and I hoped God would let him go on living like that happily!
Charles began to study fiber optics a few decades ago and single-handedly set off the revolution in communications. In addition to the advantage of low cost of sending messages by glass fibers, he did not apply for fiber optics patents for monetary reward. His being unselfish has made it possible to lower the cost of fiber-optic transmissions, leading to their worldwide acceptance and appliance.
Today, the Internet is shining globally, long-distance telephone charges are very cheap, transmissions of TV and video messages are very common ─ all these are the blessings from fiber-optics.
Gao, with his outstanding talents and decades of perseverance, made fiber optics available for the whole world and let every one share its honor. He made us feel closer neighborhood around the world, a more exciting world!
Mr. Charles K. Gao, "Father of Fiber Optics", in my mind, has already won the "Nobel Prize"!
From Simon.del.mondo
Translated by Tameer
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