Ni Kuang Spoke on Why He Would Not Visit the Mainland

Ni Kuang, most known for his sci-fi fiction series 'Wei Sili', spoke out on why he wouldn't visit his homeland under Communism control.

Particularly, he argued against the assumption that democracy would come after economic development. Due to the Communism ideology, the newly created Chinese middle class who benefited from the political system who lean towards the system to seek even more personal gain.

倪匡：我不会回大陆

香港电台《薇微语》专访
文章日期：2009年9月29日

【明报专讯】倪匡，少年向往共产党平等、均富的理想，只身由上海北上内蒙古参加解放军，但失望地发觉军中生活阶级观念森严、特权处处。自己又因在零下四十度，被迫拆掉小木桥生火取暖而面临被指控破坏交通。面对可能判刑十年之灾，他走投无路下南逃他乡，历尽有家归不得之苦后，辗转流落香港。当年他高兴地躺在维多利亚公园草地上，深深呼吸自由空气，从此乐得做一个无灾无难的自由人。转眼五十多个寒暑过去，面对中华人民共和国六十周年国庆，倪匡除庆幸自己仍是自由人外，对祖国数十年变化及经济成长依然无动于衷，不愿「回去」一看，亦没有半句建言。受了伤害的心灵，只希望能够保障个人的自由。国家大事，自觉无力挽……

倪匡的态度不一定为别人所认同，但造成他这样态度的原因，共和国不可不加以思考。

■倪——倪匡
薇——《薇微语》主持李小薇

我和她水火不容

薇：近期流行说「请对镜头说你是否共产党」，你是否共产党？
倪：我当然不是。

薇：你还是很讨厌共产党？
倪：对，因为共产党极权。我钟爱自由，向往个体的思想，不得不讨厌共产的思想体系，一如水火不容的道理。

薇：但你当年对「她」迷恋过。
倪：1949年共产党建立政权时，全部中国人都被她迷住了。你看共产党由最初成立至建立全国政权，用了不足三十年工夫。如果得不到中国大多数人民拥护，她是不会成功的。

薇：你也是这样就信了她？
倪：当时以为中国从此有希望，但参加工作后，一看才知和想像不一样。去年中国有一本书是收集了1945年共产党的言论集，说明为什么要反对一党专政、一党专政万事不成、要怎样才有民主和言论自由。讲的全是毛主席的话和《新华日报》的社论。现在这书却成了禁书，即是说建国前共产党领导人说的话全部推翻掉。其实这些话与《零八宪章》的内容一样。

薇：你怎看到她的真面目？
倪：我到最普通的地方工作，她提倡平等，但原来阶级分明、上面的话下面的完全不能违反，与我的性格，格格不入。当年参加土地改革、斗地主，地主被判死刑，由我写判决书，我问死刑原因怎写，上面说写「地主」就可以。我说「地主」不是原因，应该说明地主犯了什么不法行为，例如强奸妇女等。上面硬说不用管，我无法接受，后来几乎要开会来斗争我。

薇：你最后妥协了？
倪：不妥协，下一回很容易是别人为我写死因报告呢！写「地主」已经不算奇怪，写「其他」的判死原因也有呢！

薇：你偷渡来港时曾吃老鼠？
倪：老鼠很好吃的，用火烧熟吃；还有吃蚂蚁蛋，一窝蚂蚁跑光后，剩下白白的蛋，我以为很不错，用手拿来吃，原来酸得很；把棉花煮熟也能顶得饿。

最坏的资本主义

薇：到香港后至今，对共产党有没有改观？
倪：有些改观。共产党有改变，不过是变得更坏，现在变成最坏的资本主义。所有大企业控制在官僚手上，官僚资本主义是最无情的资本主义，不会同情老百姓的。
现在最遭欺压是农民与工人，因为百分之零点七的人掌握百分之九十的资产。工人上午上班，下午回来时房子已被拆掉了，我宁愿在毛泽东时代大家都穷。让部分人富起来不是这样富法，富起来的要照顾未富的人，不可以反过来加倍压迫穷苦的人。现在新闻相片上可见煤矿老板用礼宾车送女儿上学，但路边却有衣衫破旧的小女孩……对比太强烈了，不能这样子。

薇：六十年来真的一点变化也没有？
倪：有变化但没有进步，只有愈来愈坏，所有人失去理想，只追求金钱，完全不顾道德底线，这是文革的后遗症。一些假商品完全冲破了最基本的底线，在报上看到连鱼身上都注些水增加重量。你能增加多少呢？底线全没了！

薇：有希望吗？
倪：我看不到。一个官僚贪污、一个环境污染就够，再过数十年中国连水都没得喝了。看网上照片，公共汽车上写着「吐痰请向外吐，提高个人素质」。 「向外吐」已经是提高个人素质了，这是完全没有保护环境的意识。

薇：有人说国家要先有经济发展才能讲民主。
倪：西方有这说法，但中国不同。西方理论是经济发展社会中产阶级，中产自然要求民主、自由；但中国是形成了中产阶级后，有钱的阶级却不要求政治民主，反而更加投靠极权，冀望得到更多利益。

薇：你有一个哥哥也是优秀共产党员，即是说除贪官污吏外，国内也有默默工作的人，这不也是希望所在吗？
倪：当然有，如果一个都无，不可能支撑到现在。如果七千万党员有三分一是贪官，即有二千多万是贪官。

薇：还有好的。
倪：但这样是没有用的。一些好人的努力成果会被另一批人拿走，或变成巩固一党专政的（力量）。

生日快乐？说不出口

薇：人家六十大寿，你不可以原谅一点？
倪：六十大寿就可以原谅，那我七十大寿是否什么都可干？ ……这与年纪无关。

薇：生日快乐都讲不出？
倪：她快乐时我不快乐，我希望她不快乐……我觉得她真是不快乐，而且可怜。我也很同情她，连放风筝也触动她的神经，放风筝有什么罪过呢？放上去又会怎样？其实她很坚强，但心里觉得脆弱，所以很可怜。没有人可以推翻她的，她即使全放开，让全中国人去骂，也骂不倒，政权是用枪打出来的。世界上有哪个武装力量可以推翻她的政权？她怕什么？

薇：香港可以做点什么吗？香港的自由可以感染内地吗？
倪：香港没有什么可做，顶多有机会就说几句话吧！但在强大的专政权力下，小百姓有什么可说呢？顶多如老子教小子：能吃一口就吃一口吧！要感染内地？一发声就会出事，例如四川地震校舍倒下，就连追问为什么这么多校舍倒下都不可以，真是太过分了。其实中国老百姓最好对付，只要不太过分都不造反，现在遍地都有人造反……伟大的毛主席说，哪里有压迫，哪里就有反抗，完全靠高压，反抗一定愈多。

今生不做中国人

薇：你会回去看一看吗？
倪：我不会回去的，我没有办法，我本来说过连香港也不回来……现在已经差不多到了极限的底线了。我本来没什么不开心的，如果回去一处自己不开心的地方又何必呢？

薇：你不想家吗？
倪：我从小在上海长大，上海人很少怀念家乡的。我自己家乡也未到过。如果我喜欢怀念，我在任何地方都会怀念香港。我在香港生活得最久了。有本书叫做《来生不做中国人》，是天下第一好书，但不够彻底。我说今生不做中国人，彻底失望。

薇：但你好多朋友都回去看看，查良鏞、黃霑、陶傑……
倪：是的，他们喜欢嘛。我始终觉得，所有不同想法都可以并存，所以我最讨厌与人辩论，最不喜欢统一意见了。不统一意见的人都可以做朋友。如果意见不同就不可以做朋友，那我自己都变成共产党了。

薇：你一生最执着最坚持什么呢？
倪：我坚持要有个人自由，人应该生活在一个有个体自由的社会中，身体不受伤害。我很幸运，在香港数十年，我的自由完全不受干扰，而且人人说我为所欲为。我当初来香港时，躺在维多利亚公园草地，完全没有人干涉，自出自入。

薇：你真是一个很开心的人。
倪：中国数千年历史，严格来说这三十年已经是中国盛世，死人算少又无战争。

薇：这即是有进步了吧！
倪：但这是没有用的，极权统治一日未改，一日靠上边在位人的态度而定，上边的人今日如此（当然好），但一念之间可以改变国家命运嘛！

■本文节录自香港电台电视节目《薇微语》第一集，主持李小薇专访倪匡，九月二十九日（星期二）晚上七时于亚洲电视本港台播出，港台网上广播站（http://tv.rthk.org.hk）提供视像直播及重温。

[文／《薇微语》监制谢志峰图／香港电台编辑／杨晴]

LUST, by Terence Kealey

LUST

Clark Kerr, the president of the University of California from 1958 to 1967, used to describe his job as providing sex for the students, car parking for the faculty and football for the alumni. But what happens when the natural order is disrupted by faculty members who, on parking their cars, head for the students' bedrooms?

The great academic novel of the 19th century was George Eliot's Middlemarch. The great academic novel of the 20th century was Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man. Both books chronicle lust between male scholars and female acolytes, and I expect that the great academic novel of the 21st century will describe more of the same. So, why do universities pullulate with transgressive intercourse?

When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he is famously said to have replied, "because that's where the money is". Equally, the universities are where the male scholars and the female acolytes are. Separate the acolytes from the scholars by prohibiting intimacy between staff and students (thus confirming that sex between them is indeed transgressive - the best sex being transgressive, as any married person will soulfully confirm) and the consequences are inevitable.

The fault lies with the females. The myth is that an affair between a student and her academic lover represents an abuse of his power. What power? Thanks to the accountability imposed by the Quality Assurance Agency and other intrusive bodies, the days are gone when a scholar could trade sex for upgrades. I know of two girls who, in 1982, got firsts in biochemistry from a south-coast university in exchange for favours to a professor, but I know of no later scandals.

But girls fantasise. This was encapsulated by Beverly in Tom Wolfe's novel I Am Charlotte Simmons, who forces herself on to JoJo, the campus sports star, with the explanation that "all girls want sex with heroes". On an English campus, academics can be heroes.

Normal girls - more interested in abs than in labs, more interested in pecs than specs, more interested in triceps than tripos - will abjure their lecturers for the company of their peers, but nonetheless, most male lecturers know that, most years, there will be a girl in class who flashes her admiration and who asks for advice on her essays. What to do?

Enjoy her! She's a perk. She doesn't yet know that you are only Casaubon to her Dorothea, Howard Kirk to her Felicity Phee, and she will flaunt you her curves. Which you should admire daily to spice up your sex, nightly, with the wife.

Yup, I'm afraid so. As in Stringfellows, you should look but not touch. Be warned by the fates of too many of the protagonists in Middlemarch, The History Man and I Am Charlotte Simmons. And in any case, you should have learnt by now that all cats are grey in the dark.

So, sow your oats while you are young but enjoy the views - and only the views - when you are older.

•Terence Kealey is vice-chancellor, University of Buckingham, and the author of Sex, Science and Profits (2008).

from Free Republic, originally appeared on The Times Higher Education.

Returnee Committed Suicide

A civil engineering postdoc appointee of Zhejiang University ended his life by jumping over a building on September 16, 2009. Dr. Tu Xuxin graduated from Qinghua University with dual degree in civil engineering (2000) and law (2001) and received a PhD from Northwestern University in Chicago.

In the suicide note, Tu mentioned frustration in promotion process, but attributed the reason of suicide to family violence. Tu complained being abused by his wife Dr. Fang Xin and his parents in law.

A post on the popular Tianya forum alleged that Dr. Fang referred her husband as 'A Triple Void Product': no house, no car, no clout. Shortly after a phone conversation between Dr. Tu and Dr. Fang together with her parents, Dr. Tu jumped.

In Chinese community, a returnee is also referred to as a sea turtle, because the pronunciation of turtle is same as 'return'.

Chicken to Die For

A review on midnight chick wings peppered with reflection on his weakness of unwilling to take risk, the author of 'Chicken to Die For' got a university newspaper into the storm and himself into fear of life.

Kyle West, a student at University of Oklahoma was lured to a midnight chicken joint for 'best wings in the state of Oklahoma'. He patronized the place despite its a gangsters gathering place, and was quite impressed by the tasty wings. At the end, he concluded the spicy deliciousness lived up to its reputation and trip was well worth it. Had he not taken the risk, he wouldn't have had a bite of the one of a kind delicacy.

Because the trailer chicken joint located on an abandoned parking lot is the center of a Black community where murders and drive-by shootings frequent, the food review came under severe criticism for being 'racial provoking'. Although there's no exaggeration or misrepresentation of facts, the article was accused of 'embracing negative stereotypes'. The author was rebuked and the editorial board apologized. The food review was withdrawn. In other words, there are things you should not say in the United States, under the current political atmosphere.

Without further due, here is the original article in its entire length:

CHICKEN TO DIE FOR

Before going there, I thought there'd be one of two ways I would die by eating at Bobo's. One, the chicken itself, a delicious yet deadly combination of spicy, smoked chicken wings that are then deep fried and generously slathered with honey, a concoction that churned like acid in my gut the whole next day. The second way I thought I'd die was a driveby, because being white and naive, I thought I was the obvious target of gangsters and thugs. But the promise of the best fried chicken in the state of Oklahoma overcame my fear of death. Which, if you think about it, is saying a lot. I guess you could say Bobo's makes chicken that is literally to die for.

Bobo's sits in an abandoned parking lot, and is only open 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. I had no idea how bad it would be. It sounds ridiculous, but the image of my body lying dead in a gutter loomed large. This was the reason I enlisted several of my friends come. We left Norman around 2 a.m. to get there around 2:30, the place's peak time where its clientele are the most interesting. Before arriving, I'd imagined my faithful friends and me walking quietly yet purposefully up to the trailer, getting our food and stealing away like phantoms into the night before the inevitable gangs descended upon our soft, suburban underbellies. But thankfully, things didn't turn out that way. It seemed like every gangster and wannabe gangster had been drawn here like iron filings to a magnet. I probably unfairly thought most of the honest people there were gangsters. Not that long ago Bobo's was the site of a drive-by where six people were injured. Looking at its neighborhood, it's not surprising -- Martin Luther King and NE 23rd is arguably the most dangerous part of OKC. Though my house is only five minutes from Bobo's, I had never been that far east on 23rd.

No one wanted to be the first to get out. We were nervous, but we hadn't yet figured out there was no real reason to be. Finally, we hopped out into the dusty lot, the loud beats of rap music reverberating from every dark corner where shady cars were parked. Even the massive floodlights mounted on Bobo's trailer couldn't reach those dark corners. Like a pack of wildebeests on a lion-filled savanna we clustered en masse toward the trailer. Its menu offered three items: "wings n' things," catfish, and shrimp. Everyone ordered wings n' things, and while waiting for our orders to arrive, we each privately pondered what "things" might be. Things turned out to be fries and deep fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, which, together with the wings, were smothered with Bobo's signature helping of honey.

Once we had our food, we retreated to the safety of the capitol steps, a two minute drive, to eat our wings n' things. Ironically, the capitol probably boasts more corruption than Bobo's parking lot ever could. But I'll spare you the politics. That night, we satisfied ourselves on the spicy, sweet goodness of deep-fried deliciousness, licking our fingers because apparently Bobo doesn't believe in napkins. Napkins are too polite for Bobo.

While uncomfortable, I know Bobo's was a good experience. It made me realize that I rarely take risks. Usually, I don't intentionally put myself in harm's way. It's counter to reason. But it's interesting that our ancestors quite possibly experienced true and physical danger every day. This is an element nearly absent at a public university where our greatest physical fear is probably getting run over by a bike. If I learned one thing from Bobo's, other than their chicken is the best I've had in Oklahoma, it's this: perhaps risk-taking isn't so counterintuitive. While probably not that great a risk, going to Bobo's made me feel more alive. It made me less afraid of being uncomfortable. It makes me discontent to sit, playing video games when I could be doing something more stimulating. Life is short, then we die might morning, as well be doing interesting things while we wait, like risking your life for fried chicken.

Kyle West in a professional writing senior.

BOBO'S CHICKEN

WANT TO TRY THE INFAMOUS EATERY FOR YOURSELF? THE DAILY'S LIFE AND ARTS STAFF GATHERED THE DETAILS. WHERE: 23 St. between Lottie and Martin Luther King WHEN: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. each Friday and Saturday WHY: Because fried food tastes better at night. WHAT TO EXPECT: Plan on eating some of Oklahoma's best fried food while making memories you might never forget.

What If Annie Le Was Killed by One of Us?

"What if Annie Le was killed by one of us?" That's the question leadership of the Yale should have asked at the very beginning of the investigation. Otherwise, they would probably reconsider their initial offer of award for leads to the case.

Yale graduate student Annie Le was murdered in daytime in a Yale building. Her body was found stuffed in a wall of the same building last Sunday, the same day when she was supposed to be married. Yale officials' attitude saw a sharp turn once it became clear to themselves (while still not clear to the public) that the only suspect was a white dude. Yale president assured the campus that everyone were safe, while the killer was still at large on campus.

Despite the fact the Yale officials knew the killer, a white technician of the lab, was the only one person who last saw Annie Le alive, Yale allowed the white person to return to the crime scene to clean it out (as observed by co-workers and reported by news media). Both Annie Le and the white person used card-keys to enter an exclusive room. Annie Le never came out. Each time a card key is used, a distinctive message is recorded so that the owner of the key is traced. Yale had the information so they soon discovered the killer. While no arrested was made until one week later, the Yale officials went to public to say no one on campus was in danger. Police was not allowed to conduct a lock-down search of the building until Sunday, when Annie Le's body was found. Plenty of time was giving to the white killer to cleared up the mass, and he did.

Even after the New Haven police had made the arrest on Thursday, while co-workers testified the white dude had temper-control problem. Yale spokesman had the nerve to assert that they saw no sign to worry from the killer's past, which included being accused of raping just a few years ago.

When we all know the answers to the said question, Yale university showed the world its true color towards its own students, if they happened to have colored skin.

Don't Help Strangers, They Could be Shanghai Cops

For a moment, imagine you were driving to work on any busy morning commute. It was 7:45 and the red light just won't let it go. You may sign, you may swear, but suddenly a couple in shabby clothing opened your back doors and sat on your car. Before you recovered from the shock, they would tell you that the woman was suffering a severe stomach pain, and that they had been unable to hire a taxi for twenty minutes. They asked you to take them to the nearest hospital. They would beg you, and praise your ancestors for your kindness, but they wouldn't leave your car until you said okay.

Many drivers showed their kindness, but was arrested and beaten by the police at the 'hospital' entrance. They police would charge you for illegal operating taxi business. They would give you a 10,000 RMB ($1,600) fine or throw you in jail.

The mass 'sting' operation happened in Shanghai, where the police pockets millions of fines in the first day. It didn't last too long, because almost all drivers were alerted by their relatives and friends who had fell victims. Tens of thousands of Shanghai drivers had mobilized on the Internet to retaliate the brute violation of civil rights.

226 Days later, Shanghai is going to host the World Fair. Since the Shanghai government endorsed the police's operation, private car owners of Shanghai are launching a campaign to appeal the case to the attendees of the World Fair by sticking a bumper sticker which reads 'Don't Help Strangers, They Could be Cops'.

Lucky ball

Chinese people under the CCP's heavy handed dictation had been known for their stubbornness in playing lucky balls. It was no exception on the First 'Netizen Culture Festival' when a banner read 'Cross the Great Wall to the World'.

In the digital age, to educated westerns, the Great Firewall has replaced the Great Wall as the symbol of China, under the Party's suppression on information.

Onlien Discovery May Incriminalize Husband of Hiking Accident Victism

Chinese student Yin, Jing and her labmate a US student were killed in a hiking accident when the two were traveling in Jiuzhigou, China, a famous tourism location.

Days after the accident, while relatives and friends were still mourning for their lost, some people pointed out suspicious leads that suggest it might be a murder case. Yin's jealous husband who is in school in another state in the US was alleged to have hired a hit man to kill the duo because of extramarital affairs.

1) The husband has the motive. Yin dutifully kept updating a blog where she elaborate every details of her daily life since 2005. However, not even once was her husband mentioned in her thousands of blogs.

2) The American student could be seen in many photos Yin posted on the web. The facial expression suggested intimate relationship between the two.

3) Although Yin created her MSN Live blog when she was a married woman, she listed 'many people' as her 'significant other' in her online profile.

4) The husband made a lonely trip back to China in June, 2009.

5) Yin revealed in her blog on July 16, 2009 that her own mother was against her travel plan. She said she had been hiding the trip from her mother.

6) Someone from Mianyang, Sichuan (IP: 125.67.157.*) posted online requesting Yin's pictures and descriptions on August 10, 2009. Mianyang is the closest city to the scene of the fatal accident.

7) September 3rd, 2009. The duo were found killed by 'falling rocks'.

8) September 5th, 2009. Someone questioned the motive behind the inquiry made on August 10, 2009.

9) There is little to none media coverage in mainland on the accidental death of one American and one oversea Chinese students in China. These type of incidents are always big media hit. It's hard to imagine this is not intentionally handled by the police due to ongoing criminal investigation.

EeePC Shot

It's the EeePC baby!

Welcome Mr. Wu Bangguo

The No. 2 person in the power architecture in Communist China, under President Hu Jintao but above Premier Wen Jiabao, Mr. Wu Bangguo will visit the US.

The Seagull obtained two solicitation letters from different oversea Chinese organizations for volunteers to stand on side of road Wu's motorcade would pass. One offered $25 per head, the other offers two meal vouchers each. Both would provide transportation. The reimbursement schedule set by the Chinese embassy is a vivid reflection of Mr. Wu's political positioning, amazingly. Mr. Hu was priced at $50, while Mr. Wen $5.

Han Ethnics Took on The Street in Urumqi

Angry Han Ethnics took on the street in Urumqi to pretest the authority's Ostrich policy on ever intensifying terrorism activities.

Muslim Uyghur terrorists use poisoned syringes to stab random targets in public places such as in bus stations and grocery stores. Thousands of Han people had fell victims and many died at the scene. The public is angry because the communist government blocked the media coverage to paint a 'harmonic' society. The official Xinhua News only published a brief message in late night last Thursday, after months of bloody attacks on innocent people resulted in dozens of deaths. The government acknowledged 480 attacks in the past two months, citing people who went to hospital for treatment. Local residents claim the real figure of such attacks would be at least 10 times higher.