Walkman對我來說是有史以來最偉大發明，匠心獨運，充分掌握時代轉變，亦將音樂欣賞和普及帶向新紀元。我在70年代當Walkman剛剛面世就和它形影不離。
在Walkman之前，聽音樂除了昂貴的音樂會外就是唱片錄音。但當時聽唱片都算奢侈，唱片保養甚花工夫，而且搞一套音響設備要費一番思量。卡式帶的發明方便了不少，但其音質稍次，在客廳欣賞比不上唱片。Walkman充分利用這個機遇；它使用極之方便，將音樂帶在身上，隨時可聽，因聆聽環境隨意，音質已足夠滿足要求。
因為有了Walkman，卡式帶錄音有了商業市場，除了第一年需要自己繞過版權自製卡式錄音之外，音樂卡式帶市場隨即爆發，圖書館有無數卡式帶音樂外借。我每天乘車途中都有音樂欣賞，幾乎整個圖書館收藏都聽過了。
Walkman的對手是CD，或是CD Walkman。雖然CD音質較佳，但在嘈吵的環境下就沒有優勢，而且CD Walkman體積較大，又容易受震盪影響，所以Walkman仍受熱愛一段很長的時間。
風光了30年，Walkman要被新科技和新的音樂欣賞形式取代。它現在要走《最後一程》。Sony停產有指標性，Walkman將會漸漸淡出各個市場。似乎當互聯網普及於一地方，該處就會有數碼音樂產品和隨手可得的音樂資源以取代Walkman。它如何能夠「超生死」呢？它和人的靈魂和一切生命終結一樣，繼續存在於我們的思想中。當集體記憶發揮作用，它又會再在紀念會，博物館，或在我的自我古董收藏中出現，直至永恆。
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數位當道 索尼停售卡帶隨身聽
(法新社)2010年10月26日 星期二 00:50
經過30年熱銷和銷售量超過2億2000萬台後，索尼公司（Sony）今天宣佈停止在日本銷售卡帶式隨身聽（Walkman），並承認這款機種已 趕不上數位時代。自1979年問世以來，深受慢跑者、學童以及音樂迷喜愛的Walkman，對人們聆聽音樂的方式帶來革命性改變，直到被另一項現 代標誌性產物iPod所取代。索尼女發言人中村紘子（Hiroko Nakamura）告訴法新社：「顧客聽音樂方式已紛紛轉向數位音訊。」她說：「由於卡帶式Walkman的需求已經減少，我們決定停止出貨。」在索尼日 本網站上的這款機型，都註明著「結束生產」。這家消費性電子產品巨擘表示，在中國產製的卡帶式Walkman仍將繼續出口到北美、歐洲和亞洲市場。
1979年7月1日上市的Walkman，幫助索尼轉型成為一家全球性電子產品大廠。在上市發售後的2個月內，共賣出3萬台Walkman，在 10年裡賣出5000萬台。但30年後，索尼發現它在蘋果（Apple）等對手競爭下苦苦掙扎。蘋果在販售iPod音樂播放器上獲致極大成功。
索尼共同創辦人井深大（Masaru Ibuka）是在一次海外旅行時，想到了研發Walkman的點子。當時他在旅途中聽音樂，是使用過於笨重而很難被稱為可攜式的卡帶錄音機。但市場對 Walkman的初期反應冷淡，許多零售商認為沒有錄音功能的卡帶播放機，成功的機會相當渺茫。但情勢獲得改觀，如今包括使用快閃記憶體的新款數 位機型，Walkman在全世界的總銷售量已達到3億8500萬台。
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Saturday, October 9, 2010
又是領洗入學
下面這一篇文章評論領洗入學事件，寫得有點刻薄。雖然父母被譏諷誤入歧途而墜入騙局，但總底是因為對子女之愛。正如筆者所言，那還忍心說風涼話。要找罪人，起源當是香港政府教育局教育制度小一入學收生機制，然後引申至各種商機。其實舉辦收費慕道班的並非教會團體，和教區的關係亦不明確，竟然上 當的家長應對基督教沒有認識。以傳道立場來看，他們正是需要被招收入教以救贖永生的一群。教會不把握小一入學宗教分的傳道機遇而拱手將其讓給商人，可算是失策甚至失職。以商人來說，生意就是生意，如果他們不是教徒，又何來賣主求榮。但如果是教徒，能請人入教就可以上天堂。
今天和中學同學午飯時談起這個問題，大家覺得有點可笑。母校是天主教學校，但從沒有這個問題。家長費盡心思其實只是因為有數間教會名校扭曲了市場。很多很好的教會學校入學都不太難。而且小學學位供應多而至有需要殺校，家長其實有充足選擇，只是自己要鑽牛角尖。
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孩子的神
2010年10月09日
慕道班要收錢，家長落疊，使幾千元就能 cut快線領洗，以教徒身份報考名校，計過條數，穩袋小一首輪派位「自行收生」這 5分，成本甚低，投資得過。
別挖苦家長，他們自覺針已經拮到肉眼。問問這幾個星期頻撲穿梭港九新界各區，扶老攜幼參加小一名校面試考核那些父母，點會有自唔在攞苦來辛？入名 校是好前途的保證按金，能交出按金者大把人，一年一遇搶位打崩頭。名校每月學費貴過打工仔一家五口一個月開支，照樣排長龍，考不上的，呼天搶地搭 關係搵後門再博一 鋪。假領洗，便宜啊，捨得不貪嗎？
七宗罪避無可避，但落地獄排頭位的應該是賣主的校長校監。假如當做風化案來審，校方顯然誘姦，家長是用家，也是苦主，過程中有無享受過，成為案中 關鍵。為了孩子美好的將來，家長連SM都肯制，但求神父開恩，把孩子一條龍保送青雲路。不是說知識改變命運嗎，從你拿到孩子出世紙後即刻留位報讀 北角半山一家開在商場、學費每年十六萬的貴族幼稚園（學校索性改名「富甲半山」！）起，你和孩子的命運已經不能 U-turn逆轉，注定要踩行油，不輸匹力，人見人過，車見車超。
因父之名，收錢領洗的地點在菲律賓，家長的康泰人質陰影跟望子成龍的憧憬拉鋸。父母最後買重危保，迎難而上，毅然成行。神啊，局外人還忍心說風涼 話？
(陳也）
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今天和中學同學午飯時談起這個問題，大家覺得有點可笑。母校是天主教學校，但從沒有這個問題。家長費盡心思其實只是因為有數間教會名校扭曲了市場。很多很好的教會學校入學都不太難。而且小學學位供應多而至有需要殺校，家長其實有充足選擇，只是自己要鑽牛角尖。
**********
孩子的神
2010年10月09日
慕道班要收錢，家長落疊，使幾千元就能 cut快線領洗，以教徒身份報考名校，計過條數，穩袋小一首輪派位「自行收生」這 5分，成本甚低，投資得過。
別挖苦家長，他們自覺針已經拮到肉眼。問問這幾個星期頻撲穿梭港九新界各區，扶老攜幼參加小一名校面試考核那些父母，點會有自唔在攞苦來辛？入名 校是好前途的保證按金，能交出按金者大把人，一年一遇搶位打崩頭。名校每月學費貴過打工仔一家五口一個月開支，照樣排長龍，考不上的，呼天搶地搭 關係搵後門再博一 鋪。假領洗，便宜啊，捨得不貪嗎？
七宗罪避無可避，但落地獄排頭位的應該是賣主的校長校監。假如當做風化案來審，校方顯然誘姦，家長是用家，也是苦主，過程中有無享受過，成為案中 關鍵。為了孩子美好的將來，家長連SM都肯制，但求神父開恩，把孩子一條龍保送青雲路。不是說知識改變命運嗎，從你拿到孩子出世紙後即刻留位報讀 北角半山一家開在商場、學費每年十六萬的貴族幼稚園（學校索性改名「富甲半山」！）起，你和孩子的命運已經不能 U-turn逆轉，注定要踩行油，不輸匹力，人見人過，車見車超。
因父之名，收錢領洗的地點在菲律賓，家長的康泰人質陰影跟望子成龍的憧憬拉鋸。父母最後買重危保，迎難而上，毅然成行。神啊，局外人還忍心說風涼 話？
(陳也）
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Sunday, October 3, 2010
Druidry
I visited the Stonehenge some years ago and was stunted by its uniqueness, grand construction and its mystical meaning more than ten thousand years ago. Ten thousand years is a short time in Earth history but is long for human civilization. The bible says the universe was created eight thousand years ago. So the Stonehenge has existed before the Christian universe was even created, a laugh for the religion delusion.
Archeological findings suggested that the Stonehenge was probably erected by the Druids for religious purposes. Druidry was an ancient religion popular in the Celtic but most religions in the western world were persecuted by Christians many centuries ago. The news below shows that in a more democratic world nowadays, religions are free to go and old ones are coming back.
Druidry is now properly given the status of a religion for the purpose of the charity law. That means it can now claim a tax-exemption status on grounds of the advancement of religion for public benefit and no other purpose. Actually, there is no need to be religious to be charitable. Charity comes from the heart and not from the instruction of god. Nevertheless, being a charitable organization in the name of religion is a fast way to gain trust, with the law helping out the delusion.
Congratulation to the resurrection of a ten thousand years religion. It could mean a peace of mind for many millions of Celtics. I just hope they do not claim the Stonehenge as their cathedral so that it remains open to all to admire.
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October 2nd, 2010
03:47 PM ET
CNN's Belief Blog
Britain recognizes Druidry as religion for first time, gives it charitable status
Britain recognized Druidry, an ancient belief that worships deities that take different forms in nature, as a religion for the first time and gave it charitable status on Saturday. "There is a sufficient belief in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law," declared the Charity Commission for England and Wales in response to the Druid Network's application. The decision will give the neo-pagan religion, known for its cloaked worshippers at Stonehenge (above, in 1999) and other sites, tax advantages and is expected to lead to broader acceptance.
"This has been a long hard struggle taking over five years to complete," said the Druid Network, which is based in England, in a statement on its website. In some ways, Druidry in Britain is catching up to Druids and other neo-pagans in the United States, which already provides tax-exempt status for religious groups, said Marty Laubach, Associate Professor of Sociology at Marshall University.
The British commission noted that Druidry "is animistic and based on a belief that everything has a spiritual dimension." It also said that the religion recognizes deities within nature and conducts worship ceremonies. The Druid Network, which has about 350 members, sought charitable status for "the advancement of religion for public benefit and no other purpose," the commission said in its ruling.
Druidry has no asserted dogma, the network said in its application. It added that members associate their gods with the moon, fertility, rain, love and other forces. Druids were members of the learned class among ancient Celts, acting as priests, judges and teachers. They performed human and animal sacrifices and worshiped in forests in western Europe, Britain and Ireland.
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Archeological findings suggested that the Stonehenge was probably erected by the Druids for religious purposes. Druidry was an ancient religion popular in the Celtic but most religions in the western world were persecuted by Christians many centuries ago. The news below shows that in a more democratic world nowadays, religions are free to go and old ones are coming back.
Druidry is now properly given the status of a religion for the purpose of the charity law. That means it can now claim a tax-exemption status on grounds of the advancement of religion for public benefit and no other purpose. Actually, there is no need to be religious to be charitable. Charity comes from the heart and not from the instruction of god. Nevertheless, being a charitable organization in the name of religion is a fast way to gain trust, with the law helping out the delusion.
Congratulation to the resurrection of a ten thousand years religion. It could mean a peace of mind for many millions of Celtics. I just hope they do not claim the Stonehenge as their cathedral so that it remains open to all to admire.
**********
October 2nd, 2010
03:47 PM ET
CNN's Belief Blog
Britain recognizes Druidry as religion for first time, gives it charitable status
Britain recognized Druidry, an ancient belief that worships deities that take different forms in nature, as a religion for the first time and gave it charitable status on Saturday. "There is a sufficient belief in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law," declared the Charity Commission for England and Wales in response to the Druid Network's application. The decision will give the neo-pagan religion, known for its cloaked worshippers at Stonehenge (above, in 1999) and other sites, tax advantages and is expected to lead to broader acceptance.
"This has been a long hard struggle taking over five years to complete," said the Druid Network, which is based in England, in a statement on its website. In some ways, Druidry in Britain is catching up to Druids and other neo-pagans in the United States, which already provides tax-exempt status for religious groups, said Marty Laubach, Associate Professor of Sociology at Marshall University.
The British commission noted that Druidry "is animistic and based on a belief that everything has a spiritual dimension." It also said that the religion recognizes deities within nature and conducts worship ceremonies. The Druid Network, which has about 350 members, sought charitable status for "the advancement of religion for public benefit and no other purpose," the commission said in its ruling.
Druidry has no asserted dogma, the network said in its application. It added that members associate their gods with the moon, fertility, rain, love and other forces. Druids were members of the learned class among ancient Celts, acting as priests, judges and teachers. They performed human and animal sacrifices and worshiped in forests in western Europe, Britain and Ireland.
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