新年三念，分别于初一、初二和初五在日内瓦写就，分发给朋友。现黏贴如下：
一念：
新年好！
兔年初一醒来，第一个念头依然是思考了很久的一个主题：时间。
在新年的第一天，此念尤炽。
现在归纳一下，缀成头重脚轻尾巴翘的短文一篇，权作新年问候：
（1）在光速为上限的宇宙中，除了三维的空间（“界”，亦谓“宇”）之外，还有一个维度叫时间（“世”，亦谓“宙”）。有了空间，我们才能以占据空间的形式“存在”；有了时间，我们才能“续存”。至于存在和续存的“意义”，在此暂不讨论。
（2）空间可以“往”和“来”，但时间是单向的，不可逆转，它据说可以相对变慢（在接近光速时），但不可逆转。因此故地（空间）可以重游，昨天（时间）却不再来。
（3）我们碰到的问题，大都是时间造成的：因为时间的单向性决定了这个世界上没有后悔药。我们有意或“无意”作出的决定和选择，就会产生成果、结果或后果，除了事后“巩固”或“补救”（也就是对结果进行优化处理）之外，无法逆转。这，似乎是一个绕不过去的难题。
（4）但同时，这其实也是一件好事：我们的“好”决定、“好”选择所带来的“好”果实，不可逆转，不会一笔勾销，让我们可以实实在在地享受。
（5）至于运气，即使确实存在“运气”这回事儿，也需要我们首先感知运气，然后做出抉择去抓住它，所以终极的主动权依然把握在我们自己手中。
（6）我们的“存在”分为三个层次：肉体、情感、意识。三者当中只有意识能超越时空的桎梏，而意识是幸福的感受体（情感是经过意识过滤之后的次级感受体，肉体更是被动），人类追求幸福，其实追求的是幸福“感”，百分之百是主观的。这是天大的好消息：幸福原来是超时空的，是可以随时随地开启的，是我们意识的选择！
因此，总而言之：
新年新气象，全因脑筋日日新；
明天更美好，只缘当下做得好！
二念：
初二睡了个懒觉。
起来洗了衣服。
扔垃圾时，一不小心撞了头......
金星迸发的瞬间，灵光乍现：
决定今天聊健康。
关于健康的话题，写的书汗牛充栋也写不完。
只能拣最最关键的东西，点到为止。
想来想去，最关键的是：
脊椎。
治“已病”，防“未病”，脊椎最重要。
生病，先从经络开始。
经络有问题了，最好能在经络层面直接解决。
在经络层面没有解决，病灶就会渐次移入脏器。
而且，经络既是物理的，同时也有点“玄”，也就是有点“形而上”。经络的这个性质决定了它是“意识”和“情感”作用于“肉体”的媒介（反之亦然），经络时常处于疏通状态，那么负面思维和纠结的情绪对身体产生的致病影响也可以消除或降至最低。
举例来说，“感冒初起”，指的就是病灶还在经络层面，弄点葱白、老姜、红糖，熬点姜汤喝喝，就解决了，因为姜汤下肚，通过发散作用（加上一点正本清源作用），就能将感冒的异常能量场在经络里给消灭了。
但这里有个吊诡：经络有问题，往往是无症状的。等到有症状了，病灶已经从经络转移到更棘手的部位了。
怎么办？
当然是预防至上。
怎么预防？经络是纵横交错的能量通道网，相当复杂，要一条一条梳理，难度很大。
有捷径。
捷径就是脊椎。
脊椎大致与“督脉”同位，是灌溉所有经络的总源头。脊椎里气机畅旺，就可以驱动经络系统的能量流转，病灶就很难站得住脚。
更妙的是，经络防病的方法也很便捷：
首先，脊椎要永远处于温热状态！
一年四季均如此。冬季天气再冷，也要保证脊椎温热，如果发现脊椎是冷的，那就要采取措施恢复它的温热。夏季最容易疏忽，有时浑身燥热，但脊椎却是冷的，这很要不得。
其次，脊椎的气机要保持畅通。方法有若干，可选择最方便的、最能坚持的：
（1）可以练习重视脊椎锻炼的瑜珈功或中国传统功法（易筋经啦、抻拉功啦，等等）；
（2）用改良的“不求人”（一头有个橡胶小锤）轻轻捶打脊椎，自上而下自下而上反复轻轻捶打。
（3）直立，闭眼，从尾椎骨开始，轻轻蠕动，蠕动感渐渐上行，带动腰椎蠕动，继续上行，胸椎、颈椎依次被带动，直至整条脊椎都处于蠕动状态。没有所谓的标准动作，自己体会、摸索，大约几分钟后就能自如地让脊椎像蛇一样蠕动起来。每天早晚各蠕动几分钟即可。
（4）每当大脑无需集中注意力时，例如等车、等人时，把意念投射到尾椎骨，想象脊椎像一条山道，一阶一阶的，从山脚（尾椎）延伸到山顶（颈椎），你的意念代表你，开始登山。你就一阶一阶往上爬，爬到顶了，再爬下来。只要时间允许，三个来回就足够了。
上述方法，择一即可。不过（3）最重要，（4）最便捷。当然，（1）往往包括（3），有时还包括（4），所以（1）是首选，有兴趣的自己去寻觅。
凡是经常伏案工作的、凡是（几乎）天天长时间用电脑的，从这一刻起，就必须开始关心你的脊椎！
记住：
生机是一个能量场；
病机也是一个能量场。
它们每时每刻都在进行较量。
我们帮谁，谁就赢。
生机贯穿于我们的脊椎中，并由此散布全身。
守护住脊椎中的生机
不让病机驻足
就能远离疾病
常享健康
在兔年
在龙年
岁岁年年！
三念：
电脑的电量还剩20%，没带充电器。
我是用这20%看《反恐24小时》第八季的第二集呢，还是把这篇文章写出来呢？
还是写吧。
因为电量只剩大约7%时，电脑就会自动休眠了，而扣人心弦的电视剧看到最紧要关头时却黑屏了，那就太痛苦了。所以还是写文章。
我想了想，温饱解决了，健康也不错，接下来最重要的可能就是心情了，否则“生活质量/品质/质素”会大打折扣。
所以，接下来谈心情，顺理成章。
但这个话题让我心里发憷，因为我认为很难找到有资格谈心情的人，我当然也没资格。
我说的内容，如果公开发表，一定被很多人踩，甚至拍砖。
不过我把心情当一门学问研究，研究了很多年，有了一点心得，而且反复验证，觉得有一定的价值，藏着掖着就显得小气了，不如大大方方献丑吧。
我用短短的句子，试着说说，看是否能说清楚：
…...
…...
…...
（此处删去391个字，因为太啰嗦。是真的，我删掉前数了一下；而且跟“小树林”或“苞米地”无关）
干脆这么说得了：
（1）不要以为“意识”和“心情”跟“身体”不同。其实都是能量场，只是身体的频率很低，低到呈现为实体物质；心情或情感的频率略高（但依然可以感知，你旁边的人若心情不好，你不用看那人的表情和身体语言也能触摸得到那个凝重的能量；你心情不好时，你周围的人也能如此感知）；意识的频率最高。这个很好理解：身体要改变，很难；心情要调整，需要时间；意识要转向，一瞬间即可实现（思想钻牛角尖的人，其实已经把某个意识下放到情绪的层面了，当然钻不出来）。
（2）因此，呵护“意识”和“心情”，应该跟呵护“身体”同理。
（3）不管你如何去呵护自己的心情（干净、清淡、适量、多元，等等），最重要是记住四点：
（甲）不要给心情“喂毒药”。人们一般不会给自己的身体喂毒药，但常常有意无意给自己的心情喂毒药，还乐此不疲，真正的“饮鸩止渴”。什么是毒药？表现形式各异，想一想就知道了。
（乙）不要把太多的事务性的东西跟心情挂钩，否则心情不堪重负。要应对的事务，应尽量客观化，应尽量跟自己的心情切割。中国人说“该干啥干啥”，就是这个意思；外国人说“别太把自己当回事儿”，也是这个意思。
（丙）心情很宝贵，不要浪费。还是把心情留给自己最爱的人（无论甜酸苦辣，都值得），把心情留给最紧要的关头（例如：愤怒的生理作用是调动全身的资源和潜能去攻击敌人；恐惧的生理功能是调动全身的资源和潜能来逃避危险。它们不是让你为了鸡毛蒜皮的小事闹得面红耳赤，也不是让你为了小小的不确定而心惊肉跳好几天。）
（丁）当下的心情最重要，而“意识”是最活泼的能量场，从意识（高频能量）入手，让心情（中频能量）跟进，可以实现瞬间的调适。养成这个好习惯，身体（低频能量）也会渐渐受益。
就此打住。
老季扶犁
A force in nature which is recognized in various effects,but especially in the phenomena of fusion and evaporation,and which, as manifested in fire, the sun's rays, mechanical action, chemical combination, etc., becomes directly known to us through the sense of feeling. In its nature heat is a mode of motion, being in general a form of molecular disturbance or vibration. It was formerly supposed to be a subtile, imponderable fluid, to which was given the name caloric.
22 June 2010
Another WC night. Poolside this time.
Chen, Hao and myself.
All tables are occupied when we arrive. An extra table is erected for us after some negotiation (by Chen and Hao, while I am busy texting someone on my mobile phone). Ours is next to a table occupied by a local couple, right in front of the main TV screen.
Mosquito zapping lights around us hiss, sizzle, frizzle and crackle throughout the game. Most people don't notice it.
It makes me wonder: What's the purpose of LIFE?
Just a fleeting thought – never mind, watch the game!
Hao takes the seat that's farthest from the screen. Chen offers the best seat to me, the seat that is closest to the centre and, incidentally, closest to our neighbours. I decline, so he sits down, next to the lady, at which point she casts a casual, but friendly glance at us. Chen and I smile back. Hao's eyes are already glued to the box.
Half-way through the match (which is, yes, the all-important showdown between our host country,
“Can you imagine the boredom if you have zero interest in football and yet you have to sit through it with your man, who is totally unaware of your existence, let alone having any form of communication with you, for a good two hours!”
Hao and Chen take a quick, discreet look at her and nod in agreement.
The match ends in a draw. It's not good enough for
(Fast forward...)
23 June 2010
(The following is based on Chen's account.)
The time is 10:30 pm.
Locale: Capital Bar (so named, presumably, because
After a very long day of hard work under suboptimal conditions, Chen feels like letting his (short) hair down, with a drink and a smoke in a noisily relaxing environment, to soak up some vibes that are different from what you would find in an interpreter's booth.
The moment he steps in, he is mobbed... er, by a crowd of gorgeous girls. He finds them friendlier and more diplomatic than their colleagues in, say,
These girls, however, are very buddy-buddy: How are you? How was your day? What's your name? Where are you from? Welcome to
But, alas, there are just too many of them for Chen to cope.
The bar manager (a matronly lady) comes to his rescue. The throng disperses.
At that point, Chen notices a girl who looks vaguely familiar, but he can't quite place her. She is very different from the rest in that she appears distinctly more cultured and reticent, even bashful.
She starts inching her way towards him. Finally, she sits down.
“Do you remember me?”
“Hmm... ah yes, you were sitting next to me by the poolside last night!”
“Yes.”
A conversation ensues. She says that she has a business management degree.
Before too long, the girl decides that their conversation is not getting anywhere, so she asks:
“Who is that slim gentleman sitting next to you last night?”
“Oh, him, he is my boss.”
“Ah, I thought so. I noticed that you offered the best seat to him. Did you deliberately arrange for him to sit next to me?”
“....”
“Well, I also noticed that he was very interested in me the whole time we were watching the football!”
“....”
“Please go tell your boss, please.”
(After regaining consciousness) Chen asks:
“Well, I certainly can do that if I know the price, because he's my boss and I have to get a quote first.”
“100.”
“100 what?”
“100 US dollars.”
“Wow, that's steep!”
“No, it's very reasonable. If your boss goes to
“Okay, okay, what's the lowest you can go down to?”
“Not less than 70.”
“I still think it's too much.”
“If you go tell your boss, I can go down even more.”
********************************************
That's the end of the story.
Hao, quiet until now, queries:
“She didn't ask about me?”
传奇
刘兵词 李健曲
只因为在人群中多看了你一眼
再也没能忘掉你的容颜
梦想着偶然能有一天再相见
从此我开始孤单地思念
想你时你在天边
想你时你在眼前
想你时你在脑海
想你时你在心田
宁愿相信我们前世有约
今生的爱情故事不会再改变
宁愿用这一生等你发现
我一直在你身边
从未走远
A Tale of Magic
By Liu Bing & Li Jian
In a crowd of faces, I saw you, and I looked again
From then on, all my efforts to forget you were in vain
Dream I did, that I would chance on you one more time,
in the days that remain
And that was when I began pining for you, lonesome and insane
When thoughts of you flood over,
You wander on the edge of the heavenly domain
When thoughts of you flood over,
You stand before my eyes, clear and plain
When thoughts of you flood over,
You are incarnated into the real, from the memory lane
When thoughts of you flood over,
In the pit of my heart, you have resided and lain
I'd rather -- believe we share a bond that our past lives did ordain
And this life's story shall not change, shine or rain
I'd rather -- await your attention in a lifelong campaign
For I'm always here,
within the reach
of your rein
霍金在《时间简史》中，详细解释事件光锥如下：
“如果有一个光脉冲从一特定的空间的点在一特定的时刻发出，在时间的进程中，它就会以光球面的形式发散开来，而光球面的形状和大小与源的速度无关。在百万分之一秒后，光就散开成一个半径为
类似地，从一个事件散开的光在四维的空间——时间里形成了一个三维的圆锥，这个圆锥称为事件的未来光锥。以同样的方法可以画出另一个称之为过去光锥的圆锥，它表示所有可以用一光脉冲传播到该事件的集合。” （黑体是我加的。）
因为这段话是如此地重要，是我直斥霍金科学地撒播荒诞的主要依据，我把后面几句他的英文原文抄录在这里：（黑体是我加的。）
“Similarly, the light spreading out from an event forms a (three-dimensional) cone in (the four-dimensional) space-time. This cone is called the future light cone of the event. In the same way we can draw another cone, called the past light cone, which is the set of events from which a pulse of light is able to reach the given event Figure 2:4.”
英文原文比中文译文更清楚地显示了
“以同样的方法可以画出另一个称之为过去光锥的圆锥，它是许多事件的集合，从这个事件集合一条光脉冲能够到达一给定事件。”
但不管怎么译法，在这几句话里，霍金都说得很明白：未来光锥是一“事件散开的光”在四维的空间——时间里形成的一个三维的圆锥，怎么就能变成了事件集合呢？请读者自己去霍金或者爱因斯坦的著作里找一找，“事件散开的光”怎么就能变成了“事件”本身呢？经过了任何证明吗？还是就这么含含糊糊地说着说着就把上一句说的“事件散开的光”，在下一句里用一个莫须有的“同样的方法”糊弄成了“事件”本身呢？如果是这样，世界上还有比这更不严肃的“科学”推理吗？用这样的所谓“科学”名正言顺地围剿我们的传统文化，是我们可以接受的吗？
我在这里公开请求
我的这些文字是很尖酸刻薄。可是，想起我自己和我这一代人，从小起在做人的道理上被教导得傻不拉叽，读书后在科学的道理上又被这些权威糊弄得昏天黑地，心里怎能没有气？
记得小时候读一本《科学家谈21世纪》，里面讲到如果我们能比光跑得快，就能追上过去追上历史。自那时起就念念不忘，常常就着这话题作儿时的幻想少年的梦。长大后思路开阔了一点，人生阅历多了一点，偶尔再就着这话题想起来，就见到无数的破绽，把它当作不值一谈的少年梦付之秋风。不料今天还要来严肃地讨论它。
我发现了吴先生这段文章里的有个不大不小的问题：他误解了Hawking原文中某一层的意思！首先，“到达一给定事件”应译作“到达这一给定事件”。其次，发出光脉冲的不是事件集合，而是那个事件集里的每个事件，换言之，那个定语从句修饰的是events，而不是set of events。这样就比较容易理解这段话的意思了：光必须有光源，这里姑且把每个光源称为事件。光锥本身是虚的（只有光，没有事件实体），但它的来源是事件实体。
我怀疑Hawking的表述只是不够精准，他可能想说：In the same way we can draw another cone, called the past light cone, which is the product of a set of events from which a pulse of light is able to reach the given event.
他“可能”并不想说，光锥本身是事件！
即便如此，吴先生的质疑依然有效：这个给定事件的未来光锥散发出去形成光球面，这个光球面不是事件，更不是事件集合，但它的过去光锥源头却是事件集合？
这里牵涉到时间维度。事件A的过去光锥不是事件A散发的，而是发生在过去的事件B、C、D、E、F、G的各自光锥射向事件A形成的，因为事件A处于过去这些事件的各自光锥的结合点。
但这里的问题是：往事的“光”，对未来的事件有影响吗？在绝对意义上来说，不可能没有影响。但这是什么性质的影响？假如真的有大爆炸，那么那个事件的过去光锥是什么来源？
我要弄本A Brief History of Time，再读一遍。第一次读没有下功夫。
Date: 25 Nov 09After an agonisingly verbose, but understandably indispensable (thus graciously suffered by the audience), drone of opening speeches by a few dignitaries, the show begins, not to the rousing gongs and drums that typically usher in a traditional Wushu performance, but to the blasting decibels of a pick-n-mix concoction of Chinese folk music plus revolutionary Peking opera plus Cantopop plus disco beat and what-not.
The emcees (one gorgeous-looking female and one slightly shy but nonetheless presentable male) speak in English and French alternately, but the guy's voice fails to rise above the ambience-critical music throughout the show. Luckily for me, he is the one who speaks French. Obviously, at some subconscious level, the organiser believes the melodies, albeit less than melodious most of the time, are more integral to the show than some feeble commentaries, especially if they are delivered in French.
The emcees introduce the lineup. Impressive! Thirteen national and world champions and the rest, silver medalists. Each performs a short routine of what he or she is best at, as a silent/nonverbal self-introduction. The guy with the lance is a little unfortunate: The shaft breaks in two during that short routine. "I hope he has a spare one", I think to myself. Later, it turns out that he does have a spare one, but the ornamental tassel below the spearhead looks half-shorn, presumably because there isn't enough time for him to fasten all the strands of the tassel in place.
The first proper performance is a warm-up routine. One expression comes to my mind: gravity-defying. When Jet Li's films were introduced to the West, that was the word that the Western media often used to describe his feats. So very apt.
However, as they repeatedly leap into the air and do one somersault after another, I begin to worry: Won't they burn out at this rate? I mean – this is only the first routine. Save your energy, kids!
But I am proven wrong, subsequently. They are bursting with bountiful energy, each jumping higher than the previous person and showing not the slightest fatigue.
Highlights include:
(5) Swordplay by Shen Guangmei, silver medalist at the 11th National Games. Comment: She flows.
(6) Broadsword routine by Zhang Bo, gold medalist at the National Wushu Championship. Comment: Speed backed up by a lot of power.
(9) Double broadswords (wielded by Zhang Li, gold medalist at the 10th National Games) against two lances (in the hands of Ji Taijing, silver medalist at the 11th National Games, and Shen Guangmei, ditto). Comment: Zhang Li would be super efficient in the kitchen with double cleavers. Just imagine two spears darting at you at all angles, like woodpeckers, and you have to fend them off with two pieces of flat metal and eventually snatch away their weapons and chop them in half (hypothetically, I hasten to add)!
(10) Group performance, southern style, by Zhou Jing (gold medalist at the 9th World Wushu Championships and the 7th Asian Wushu Championships) et al. Comment: Yummy! Zhou performs the first form of Wing Chun/Yongchun, at dazzling speed, to make it look more powerful and more entertaining. He also spars with each of his three teammates, using predominantly the Hong style techniques, not Wing Chun. Regrettably, the final stroke is invariably a kick, which is more characteristic of the northern style.
(11) Taiji by Dong Qing (20 years old, gold medalist at the 1st World Junior Wushu Championship and the 2nd Asian Junior Wushu Championship, one of the Taiji performers at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics) et al. Comment: Solid training, with inspirational flair. A thorough joy to watch!
There is no intermission, but according to the programme, (1)-(11) is the cluster of competitive styles (competitive in the sense of being performed at national games and international championships). It is followed by a cluster of "traditional" styles. The most impressive among this lot is Xingyiquan (Form-and-Mind Boxing) performed by Zhou Jing, yes, the southern-style guy. Xingyi is one of the three "internal" schools of martial arts, the other two being Taiji and Bagua. Unlike the latter two, Xingyi doesn't readily lend itself to "performance" on stage. But Zhou does a very decent job by demonstrating the essential Xingyi moves while letting the audience sense the power that surges within.
This 30-year-old guy is truly amazing, as he then surprises the audience with a somewhat comical rendition of sparring performance: Hammer versus cudgel, with him brandishing a long-handled hammer and his hopeless opponent taking him on with a pole. And he is not even puffed out when he, quite literally, "nails" his hapless mate in the end!
It is an evening of jolly good fun. Triple thumbs-up to the young performers. I want to shout bravo or encore, but (a) I sit too far away from the stage and I am aware that the emcee, with the help of the PA system, can't even beat the music; and (b) I sit among a group of ladies, so the sheepish side in me gets the better of my other side, whatever that other side is!
QED
