像乞丐一样

上周六去city参加了一个投资方面的seminar。回来的火车非常空，整个车厢就我一个人，于是干脆象乞丐一样躺在了长椅上。看着透过移动的车窗折射进来的阳光，觉得能像乞丐那样毫无顾忌地想躺下就躺下，生活似乎更美好了些。

 

由于我自己是个顾忌过多的人，我打心底羡慕那些无所顾忌的人。

 

去健身房，经常看到三个韩国胖妞，应该是姐妹三个。她们在健身房的大部分时间是在休息区聊天度过的，并且常常发出爽朗的笑声，一副到200斤也无所谓的姿态，着实令我钦佩。对那些瘦成杆儿状还每天汗流浃背的mm们，我只能投去同情的一瞥。

 

上大学时。每年都有校园十大歌星比赛，记得某年有一哥儿们唱的是周杰伦的《星晴》，音调找不准也就算了，连节奏也乱来。台下已经嘘声一片，那哥们依然唱得浑然忘我，最后还毫无愧色地向台下听众致谢。其勇气和无所顾忌的心态实在令我羡慕。

 

做个厚脸皮的人多么幸福啊！

 

 

 

微软的回信

由于接到微软让我删“裸照”的信，我拿捏不准到底要不要删我的Ads相册中的 the best of google ad，故去信寻问，今天收到回信，才恍然大悟，原来微软怕我搞儿童色情。

记得上大学时，微软研究院在校园做过一次人脸识别研究成果的演示，当时觉得还行，没想到他们正真的绝活儿是屁股识别！

 

 

— Original Message —
From : "Fei Yang"
Sent : Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:55:34 PM UTC
To : "Microsoft Customer Support"
Subject : RE: SRX1033867296ID – Windows Live Spaces Warning – Action Required (feisoriginal)

Florence,
 
Does the attached photo break your rule?
 
BTW: I can’t find the Code of Conduct link at the bottom of my Live Space page. Can you point that to me?
 
Fei
 

RE: SRX1033867296ID – Windows Live Spaces Warning – Action Required (feisoriginal)

From: Microsoft Customer Support (SPACE.WNLV.NA.US.EN.SYK.MNL.AU.T01.SPT.00.EM@css.one.microsoft.com)

Sent:

Friday, 20 April 2007 8:40:05 PM

To:

Fei Yang (fyang1024@hotmail.com)

Hello Faye, （拜托，请不要自作聪明把我的汉语拼音改成女性英文名！）

This is Allison of Windows Live Spaces Customer Support.

I was unable to view the photo attached to your reply, as we are not capable or enabled to view attachments.  For your reference, though, I have specified the location of the materials that still need to be removed from your Space:

Photo Album: 欣怡的一百天
Photo Name: 2.沐浴(4天).JPG

You also mentioned that you were unable to locate the "Code of Conduct" link that we referred to in our earlier e-mail, and we would like to apologize for the inaccurate description. Please visit this link to review the Code of Conduct:

http://spaces.live.com/coc.aspx

You are a valuable customer to Windows Live Spaces and we are glad to give you consistent and effective service.

Thank you for using Windows Live Spaces.

Sincerely,

Allison
Windows Live Spaces Customer Support

---

 

微软寄来的一封信

SRX1033867296ID – Windows Live Spaces Warning – Action Required (feisoriginal)

From: Microsoft Customer Support (SPACE.WNLV.NA.US.EN.SYK.MNL.AU.T02.SPT.00.EM@css.one.microsoft.com)

Sent:

Thursday, 19 April 2007 4:53:34 PM

To:

fyang1024@hotmail.com

Hello fyang1024,

We have found images involving partial nudity (exposure of female breast or exposure of full male or female buttocks) on your Space, feisoriginal. Please remove all such images from your Space within 120 hours or it will be disabled. If you have questions about the types of images allowed on Live Spaces, please click on the Code of Conduct link at the bottom of any Live Spaces page.

Sincerely,

Florence
Windows Live Spaces Customer Support

我不得不删掉了Levi’s Ad那张图片 (exposure of full male or female buttocks)， 不知道the best of google ad算不算“exposure of female breast ”？

微软什么时候变成这德行了？还不如中国政府开明？如果她还让我删 the best of google ad ，我就要质问这个Florence，她自己有没有穿过低胸的衣服，有没有去过海滩晒太阳，有没有去过游泳池？

 

失传多年的改网页的trick

打开任何网站(比如 www.google.com)，
然后在浏览器里，输入：
javascript:document.body.contentEditable=’true’; document.designMode=’on’; void 0
回车，你就可以编辑该网页了

多睡半小时

上个礼拜，终于用人工方式发现其实我可以乘早晨7点29分的哪一班火车去上班，这样可以多睡半小时。以前一直没发现，是由于过分相信131500.info上的路线查找功能。这个stupid的功能只能发现7点01分的那般火车，害我承受了两三个月睡眠不足的痛苦，真相狠踹那个查找算法的设计者几脚。

 

多睡那半小时，每天的精神状态好多了，好像充满了电一样。这让我想起读研究生时（3年多以前），曾经给南京的一个创业公司（号称做企业数据挖掘）打过工。里面有个南京大学的博士主管技术。由于公司初创，并且刚刚通过创办人父亲的关系接到了华北制药的一个项目，三个创办人都踌躇满志，对未来充满了美好的憧憬。闲聊中，南大博士就提到了他的生活理想。他说他的理想就是“睡觉睡到自然醒，数钱数到手发抖”。当时我觉得后半句好理解，前半句太新鲜了，睡觉难道这么让人渴望吗？ 现在终于体会到前半句的心情了。大学时代过的真是象猪一样的幸福生活。

 

刚刚想看看这家公司（涅磐科技）的状况，结果连域名（www.nirvanainfo.com）都找不到了。

上任信

大约一周前收到前NSW教育厅厅长的卸任信，昨天又收到新厅长的上任信。信实在太朴实了，近现代中国一直宣扬的“人民公仆”形象跃然纸上。对比一下，自宋朝沿袭下来的官僚主义作风在中国现有体制（官权大，官大一级压死人，缺乏自下往上的制约机制）下似乎很难改变。回到信，信中主要提到自己把心工作做好的意愿、决心和动机（联系到自己的女儿；并提到自己23年前因毒品而犯罪（可能是吸毒，藏毒或贩毒），后来改过自新），自己的简历，自己的家庭，最后是感谢上一任厅长。下面是信的原文：

 

Dear all,

It is with pleasure and a sense of excitement that I take on the role of Director-General for the NSW Department of Education and Training.

It is a great honour to lead this organisation which provides an excellent education for all children, regardless of the advantage or disadvantage that they have in life.

I am not a classroom teacher but I do have the management experience to guide the department’s policy development and support classroom teachers, school executives, principals and support staff.  I intend to build on the department’s expertise so that students and teachers are the direct beneficiaries of the education budget.

As the Director-General of the Department of Commerce for the past two and a half years I managed $1 billion of construction and maintenance for the education department and other government agencies.  I also oversaw an integrated ICT plan across the State Government.

Before that I was Chief of Staff to the then NSW Treasurer, Michael Egan, for seven years.

I will use this experience and work hard in this department to do a great job for the students and parents that we serve.

I am a passionate and optimistic parent for my daughter, who is in Year 1 at a fantastic public school.  At the start of last term, at 6.15 am, she was up in her school uniform and at the front door raring to get out and get to school.

That’s the experience I want for every child and every parent and I will use my energy and capacities to lead this department in supporting teachers to do that for other students.

You may have heard or read in the media about my criminal conviction in the 1980s.  It is legitimate that questions about my past are asked because this job carries enormous responsibility.

Twenty three years ago I was convicted of a very serious drug offence.  Luckily and remarkably I’ve been given a second chance.

For every job I’ve applied for I have indicated the facts of my life and I’ve gone to those jobs on merit.  I have 12 years’ experience in the public sector, much of it at a very senior level and I have been judged on my performance.

I know personally the consequences and the dangers of using drugs as a teenager.  I’ve paid the price, been given a fresh start, and I think that experience will help me in leading this organisation and in fulfilling our responsibilities to children.

My thanks to Andrew Cappie-Wood for his leadership of the department and the gracious and professional manner in which he welcomed me.

Michael Coutts-Trotter
Director-General
Department of Education and Training
Managing Director of TAFE
11 April 2007

 

 

卸任信

前几天收到新州教育厅厅长发给所有员工的一封卸任信，大意是讲由于这次选举结果（工党获胜），他不得不卸任，表达他既不舍又豁达的态度，既有平易近人的人情味，又不失领导的风范，实在值得中国领导们学习。本想翻译一下，但怕无法尽其意（毫无疑问，这也是偷懒的一个借口），所以干脆原文贴出如下：

 

ALL STAFF

The recent State election has resulted in many changes and I have been advised that my role as Director-General is to be one of those changes. It is the right of any Minister to choose who heads their department. I have been informed that the new Minister will appoint Michael Coutts-Trotter, currently the Director-General of Commerce, to take over as the Director-General of Education and Training and Managing Director TAFE NSW.

Over the past three years I have been supported by teaching and non-teaching staff who make a difference to the learning and to the lives of children and young people and to the communities they serve. I have been continually impressed by the enthusiasm and passion that drives the very large staff who provide the education and training of our system – your motivation and commitment has been an endless source of inspiration to me.

I have tried to give of myself and my skills and expertise in ways that also assisted in making that difference – to enable and to empower people to employ innovative strategies, programs and processes proven to contribute to effective teaching and learning at all levels. I am very proud of our many collective achievements.

The sum of the whole is greater than any of the parts. The Director-General is just one part – never lose sight of that.

The dedication of all of our staff, especially our teachers, the depth of expertise, the strongly held beliefs and values that form the foundation of our public education system and the extensive goodwill of those within Education & Training have challenged me, supported me, uplifted me and driven me every day.

A strong public education system is critical to the future of our society and is worth fighting for at every level. Collectively you are charged with this important role.

I ask that you support the new Director-General in his endeavours and I expect that he, and you, will continue to work in the best interests of the students of NSW and the staff of the Department.

I would like to take this opportunity to say how very much I have appreciated your support over these past three years – I feel honoured to have worked with you. I would like to personally thank my direct staff for their commitment and support. 

I will be progressing to new challenges and new adventures and I look forward to catching up with many of you in the future.

In the words of the incomparable Ed Morrow….”Good night and good luck”

Andrew Cappie-Wood
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TAFE NSW
5 April 2007

荒诞的梦

很难得，居然还记得夜里做的一个梦。
 
 唐伟邀我去他位于佛罗里达的大学去玩，我欣然应允。长途跋涉中，下起了大雨，幸好我们带了伞，但是由于雨太大，两个人都淋成了落汤鸡。好不容易来到一个数十层的白色写字楼模样的建筑。唐伟把我领了进去，乘电梯来到19层，推门进了一个豪华的房间，里面竟然没有人。我一看地上崭新的乳白色地毯，就问唐伟，用我们的湿鞋把这么漂亮的地毯踩脏，是不是不好？ 唐伟说，没关系，说完就径直往窗户走去，我只好紧随其后。
 
令我惊讶的一幕发生了——唐伟撑开手中的伞，把它抛出了窗户，我探出头一看，楼下唐伟的太太，也是我的研究生同学杨书慧正站在楼下仰望我们，而在她旁边有个三角支架，唐伟的伞正好飘落在支架上，宛如一个卫星电视接收器。说时迟，那时快，唐伟纵身一跃，跳了下去！确实也巧了，他正好掉在了他的伞上，翻了一个跟头，就跳到了地面上，朝杨书慧嬉皮笑脸的说，呵呵，没摔死，没摔死！然后仰头对我大喊，你下来啊！ 我一看，19楼太高了，跳到那把伞上不摔死就像中六合彩一样困难。就问唐伟，没别的路走吗？我想直接走过去。他回答，没有，不可能绕过这幢建筑。我开始纳闷，难道整个佛罗里达被这幢楼包围了起来？这幢楼是佛罗里达的围墙？
 
正在低头沉思的片刻，却无意间发现在15楼的窗口伸出两个滑梯，直达两个放在地上很厚的席梦思床垫，很多20岁不到的男孩女孩正顺着滑梯连滚带滑的下去。这个比跳到那把伞上安全多了！于是我冲到15楼那个房间，正要推门进去，却有个鬼佬拉门出来，见到我，用中文说，今天我们收工了。我恳求道，我大老远过来，你就让我过去吧。他放我进去了…
 
关于这个梦的记忆就这么多了。

统计学确实是一门有趣的学科

听美国的同学说，今年的毕业生统计学专业很热门。这一点其实不奇怪，面对如今海量并且爆炸性增长的数据，统计学会发挥越来越重要的作用。Google的自然语言翻译服务的核心算法据说就是利用了统计学。Gapminder, 一家通过统计方法研究世界健康问题的非营利组织，因为其将统计数据以非常直观的方式展现给用户的强大工具，已经被Google买下，来加强它的Google trend服务， 下面是Gapminder的一个很生动的presentation（有不少关于中国的统计数据和趋势预测）。演讲者是瑞典人Hans Rosling。

 

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=2670820702819322251&hl=en

青春饭

提到青春饭，人们就会不由地想到性工作者，也就是俗称的“鸡”和“鸭”。不知道从什么时候起，不知道那位IT工作者也把自己定位成吃青春饭的人，并且把自己和性工作者的相似点一一列出来，曾在网上风靡一时，并很快获得IT人的认同。

 

仔细想一想，其实吃青春饭的远远不止这两类人。明星、运动员、棋手，甚至农民工也都是吃青春饭的人。举例来说吧，李昌镐，1975年生人，17岁（1992年）首获世界职业围棋比赛（东洋证券杯）冠军。自那时起，一直保持天下第一十余年，得各项围棋赛事冠军无数。令马晓春（在世界比赛中输给他十余次）对其恨之入骨，令常昊（在世界比赛中也输给他十余次）对其钦佩不已。这样一个奇人，最近也显露出没落的势头。毕竟过了30了。接替他的则是李世石、古力这些20出头的毛头小伙子。

 

我想，青春饭，就是指那些靠着隋年龄快速衰退的特质赚钱的职业。容貌（性工作者，明星）、体力（男性工作者、农民工、运动员）、智力（棋手、IT工作者）都是随年龄快速衰退的特质。对吃青春饭的人们来说，最重要的是如何延缓他工作所需的特质的衰退，但这也只是消极防范，因为没有什么是时间的对手。更积极的措施可能是转换到靠经验和阅历赚钱的职业。比如说，性工作者可以去做老鸨，明星做导演或制片人，农民工做包工头，运动员和棋手做教练, IT工作者做风险投资人或者CXO。总之要从鱼肉变成刀俎。

 

这样看来，所有依赖于经验和阅历的职业（医生、教师、管理人员等等），都是比较安逸的职业。随着年龄的增长，从事这些行业的人的价值自然提高；而吃青春饭的人则在与无法避免的贬值作抗争。

 

刘国梁、徐静蕾、刘德华都已经或正在尝试不吃青春饭了。

 

作为一个中年IT工作者，我也该想想这个问题了。