A Little Bird
有时候我觉得自己永远都吃不饱
也许只有吃的很多才能够长高
盼望能有一张迷人的相貌,把所有人都迷倒
最后发现只有一种方法:使用蒙汗药
长大之后无奈进入了社会,我总是睡不着
我怀疑公司给别人的工资都比我高
总是努力学着对别人微笑,难免也中他们圈套
偶尔上帝也会对我说:失败很重要
我是一只…只只…只只小鸟
因为吃的太多已经飞飞…飞不高
我寻觅一颗栖息的树已被我压折了
这样的重量,算不算太高~~~?
我是一只…只只…只只小鸟
突然一天醒来有了迷人的美貌
麻雀也能飞上青天,谁的歌声真美妙
美女的要求也不算太高
Zhu-Xian (诛仙)
萧 鼎:诛仙
英文名:海外版"Jade Dynasty"
出版社:朝华出版社(前六册),花山文艺出版社(后两册)(首本:2006年4月15日)
中心联:天地不仁,以万物为刍(chú)狗。日月无情,转千世屠枭雄!横批:取其而代。
诛仙笑话
★、一位小竹峰的美女在望月台练功时,不小心跌至台下的垃圾桶中。此时焚香谷的一弟子经过,看见这一名双脚露在外头的美女不禁叹了一口气:“唉青云门就是大派,真是浪费,这女人至少还可以用上十年,再扔了。真可惜!”
★、一天野狗道人问小环:小环,你喜欢什么花?小环还没说就被周一仙抢了:你怎么不问我喜欢什么花?小环几人同时好奇:周一仙不是只喜欢钱的吗?怎么还喜欢花了?只听周一仙正气凛然地说:贫道只喜欢两种花,一种是有钱花,另一种是随便花!
★、一次,一次野狗道人请林峰吃饭,中途上了趟茅厕,回来时,裤子湿了一大块。林峰问:“你的裤子怎么湿啦?”野狗:“自从我成名之后经常这样。”林峰:“经常这样?”野狗说:“可不是!经常是旁边的人撒着尿突然转过来大叫,‘这不是野狗道人吗?’”
★、幽姬一天半夜起来,恰巧夜空一颗流星划过,幽姬连忙许了心愿:希望我能变漂亮些。谁知刚许完心愿,流星“嗖”地返回来,对她说:大妈!你诚心为难我,是不?!
★、李询好不容易逮着鬼厉了。于是便压着往焚香谷而去。半路经过河阳一家,鬼厉曰:“酒瘾难耐,要不你在这儿等会,我进去买壶酒!”李询大怒:“呸!你当我白痴啊!你在这儿等着,我进去!”
★、窗台上有一书,名曰:《明天我要嫁给你》。小凡路过,发现此书,欲看清书名,旁边陆雪琪见状忙告之曰:“明天我要嫁给你。”小凡脸红,片刻后像醒悟过来一般痴痴吐出两个字道:“真……真的?”
★、话说小灰和鬼厉到一酒馆喝酒,刚喝两口,就发现杯子里有只苍蝇。“喂,小二,”鬼厉叫道:“酒里有苍蝇。”“苍蝇?那绝对不可能!”小二说:“老实对您说,在给您端上来之前,我把所有的苍蝇全拣出来了!”
★、话说时间又到了青云门七脉会武。大竹峰杜必输赌瘾难耐,下注买最后第一名,卖的很火几天,赌注就涨到了一万两银子。很不幸的是,这一万两银子被王二叔中的。众弟子不解,问王二叔:“你是怎样赌中的?”王二叔说:“我连续三天梦到‘7’这个数字,3x7=24,所以我买了第24号会赢。”众弟子大惊:“3x7=21,怎么会是24呢?”王二叔也吓了一跳:“真的?这回买错了,下次买21号。”
★、话说李询去青云山小竹峰搓澡。李询静静地趴在搓澡石上,眼睛望着前方,仿佛在等待着什么!一双手轻轻地搭在了他的肩上,他那坚实而宽阔的臂膀开始微微颤抖。这种感觉?李询的心仿佛都要碎了,他轻轻地对小竹峰搓澡美女说:“你用力搓吧,我甘愿承受这一切苦痛!”。美女微微一笑,眼角流漏出关爱的目光,没有用任何语言去安慰他,只是用力的抚摸着他的后背。李询眼圈红了,几滴泪珠顺着脸变流淌,他再也控制不住了,转过身来抓住美女的双手:“你就不能轻点吗”?
★、话说这陆雪琪对小凡日思夜想,想的失眠了于是乎,引出下面对话──雪琪:“师父,我又一宿没睡着。”水月:“你怎么没试试为师教的数数的方法。”雪琪:“试了,我数到了487865。”水月:“然后你睡着了吗?”雪琪:“不,这时天已经亮了。”
★、这个由于天天修习太极玄青道,宋大仁困了,遍回到自己屋中,以便打个盹。当他刚躺下,吴大智便来敲门问时间,大仁估摸了一下说:“快到午时三刻了。”他刚入睡,敲窗声又响了起来:“大师兄,您知道时间吗?”他只得再次回答:午时四刻。”敲窗师兄弟太多,他根本无法睡好,于是写了个小条子贴在门窗上:“我不知道时间!”太瞌睡了,大仁再次躺下。但几刻钟后,小凡又敲起了窗户:“大师兄,现是寅时差一刻!”
★、青云山,通天峰。话说这七脉会武多了一项新考点:文学测试。苍松道人出题:写了一句话让弟子们点标点,此话是:“女人如果没有了男人就恐慌了。”小竹峰的答案是:“女人如果没有了,男人就恐慌了!”而大竹峰的答案是:“女人如果没有了男人,就恐慌了!”
★、鬼王宗把各大门派带到百兽谷,一弟子喊道,是青云门的向前走一步。各弟子向后退了一步,只有萧逸才没有退,死在鬼王宗的刀下。鬼王宗走后•••••青云弟子们异常气愤,掌门道玄真人开会说:“萧逸才这娃是个好娃,就是反应慢了点儿……”
★、由于李询太卑鄙龌龊,受到各大门派的剿杀。其中不乏魔教散仙。最后李询筋疲力竭落在一个悬崖边上。他看了看前面那些想取他人头的人,说道:“杀我可以,但给我个理由,也让我死的瞑目。”
雪琪:“一加一等于几?”
李询:“二。”
雪琪:“你知道的太多了!”
★、小凡:大师兄,你用我的烧火棍了吗?
大仁:没有,我没用。
小凡:你真没用?
大仁:我真没用!
小凡:唉,你是第6个承认自己没用的人了……
★、小白:你说你很寂寞,为什么不去找你以前的玲珑姐而来追我呢?
兽神:好马不吃回头草!
小白:你们兽妖也有美女呀!我们两相隔这么远,你却来追我呢?
兽神:兔子不吃窝边草!
小白:那你现在为什么又要抛弃我呢?你这个混蛋!
兽神:天涯何处无芳草!
原著诗词
滴血洞内遗刻
芳心苦,忍回顾,悔不及,难相处。
金铃清脆噬血误,一生总被痴情诉。
铃铛咽,百花调,人影渐瘦鬓如霜。
深情苦,一生苦,痴情只为无情苦。
斩相思
红颜远,相思苦。几番意,难相负。
十年情思百年渡,不斩相思不忍顾。
黑石洞•三尾妖狐
小松岗,月如霜,人如飘絮花亦伤。
十数载,三千年,但愿相别不相忘。
万人往
天涯路,从来远。儿女意,向来痴。
天高海阔八万丈,芸芸众生尽匍匐。
星万点,月正明,苍天冷,寒如霜。
可笑万物如刍狗,谁为覆雨谁翻云!
夜饮•兽神
旧时意,沧桑过,还记否,伤心人。
白发枯灯走天涯,一朝寂寞换宿醉。
醉花阴•陆雪琪
落寞无主日沉苦,晚寐披衣舞。寒月空中悬,风拂纱帐,心思断愁肠。
俯首对花花影动,东风意捉弄。面色胜倾城,却为情故,秀眉又轻蹙。
菩萨蛮•陆雪琪
白衣似雪冷若霜,天琊清光万丈鸣。伫立寒风中,芳心为谁属?
十年光阴过,恍惚如梦醒。噬魂天琊见,心却在悲鸣。
天仙子•陆雪琪
九天仙子下凡尘。人间哪得几回闻?白衣胜雪天琊寒。相依扶,共患难。芳心暗许死灵渊。
后山舞剑谁人堪。泪竹何处诉。斩断相思红颜苦。做逆徒,犹无悔。独守天涯人憔悴。
钗头凤•叹雪琪
剑锋芒,情丝殇。红尘自古多凄凉。自彷徨,独心伤,素人天琊,无尽思量。狂!狂!狂!
梦亦醒,人难忘。尽酒千觞叹蓝芒,夜凝霜,愁更长。剑透残阳,且歌且狂。凉!凉!凉!
卜算子•碧瑶
奇花凌寒傲,铃音彻千古。滴血洞中见真情,一生只随君。
十年寒冰室,身去魂不悔。天地惟有痴情怨,诛仙证真君。
蝶恋花•思碧瑶
亦真亦幻缘何起,望极井底,几人生心际。正邪千古两不立,为伊也敢逆天地。
立马横棍凭谁问,十年追忆,追忆成回忆。旦求独守君闺地,管他菩提惹尘粒!
卜算子•田灵儿
朱绫腰间缠,龙首暖心田。虹桥之上定私身,可知旁怨语?
无意传法诀,但插深情种。青梅竹马却无欢,再会知无缘?
西江月•小白
九天白狐入凡,清丽英勇服众。百年囚困玄火坛,一朝长啸震天。
今朝留恋岐山,悲叹痴儿枉怨。奇法威慑青云徒,是为疼惜血传?
西江月•金瓶儿
红颜贝齿轻叹,风情万种依旧。谈笑间侵并阴阳,犹有花枝余颤。
玲珑前痴私语,青龙后耍智谋。紫芒光中托俏体,何时以现真心?
青玉案•苏茹
杏眼圆睁俏师娘,心性急,不服输。真心相待众弟子。不嫌不弃,悉心教导,难言心中苦。
伉俪情深百年恋,多次昏厥为不易。望断天涯心不甘。明月相怜,今宵难圆,只盼夫早归。
雨霖铃•鬼厉
相顾相分,白衣如雪,青衣凝翠。望狐岐思无绪,
终不可相执手,始不能与相守。
十数载,烟霭茫茫。秀美清竹对心枯,寒冰床上念不忘。
孰无错?岂知怎赎过!
噬魂扫尽南疆土,寻良方,却使失望。
烈酒入喉,本应是醉里消千愁,却不料,酒入愁肠,愁上又加愁!
减字木兰花•林惊羽
御剑擎空,袖袍挥过风卷雾。碧光驰骋,横扫剑芒尽戮魔。
怒海腾龙,乘风架浪踏云端。亲斩鬼神,天地狂啸唤惊风!
其他:
陆雪琪
月魄霜魂塑倾城,而今只愿莫相逢。
竹林暗夜风雨恶,寂寞悬崖冰雪横。
对擂已知心有属,抗命何惧违师承。
天琊三尺龙吟下,君在地府第几层?
碧瑶
九州阴灵齐吟唱,诸天神魔共想望。
以我血躯祭神明,奉为牺牲心亦伤。
三生七世惟念君。永堕阎罗又何妨?
只为情故凄凉时,虽死不悔痴情惘。
碧瑶吟
春去春归更几时?魂飘梦宿无处知。
断肠女子曾垂泪,伤心花儿欲辞枝。
流年多恨长哀晚,难渡相思河汉浅。
当日双影似在目,如今梦回天涯远。
天涯远,泪点点,生死易判情难断。
翩翩蝴蝶梦中飞,竹林轻拥飘花随。
只知此身为君生,何惜此命救君危。
必做世间痴情人,君生我死忍从分。
漫洒鹃血染红云,今生来世两不闻。
宿世恩仇最难消,知是爱恨几曾饶。
瑶析碧碎长消散,百世千年永寂寥。
人道妖女多无情,生杀予夺等闲轻。
却不见青云山上痴情死,漫天飘花为何红?
田灵儿
天资颖慧意气昂,娇俏女儿神飞扬。
粉面含情花解语,笑颜逢春玉生香。
清凉宝珠谐连理,琥珀朱绫伴鸳鸯。
如水光阴欢乐度,当年未肯顾痴郎。
小白
狐面人心尘世行,何妨楚楚并盈盈。
焚香谷里结新友,玄火坛边忆旧情。
百年豪饮图一醉,万里梦回已三更。
我今憨眠君莫笑,须解无债一身轻!
幽姬
叱咤风云称朱雀,只今玄裳一幽姬。
正邪有别乃宿怨,水火不容本仇敌。
恶战倾心慕豪举,时闻众口颂雄奇。
哪知祖师祠堂后,不复罡风舞白衣。
幽姬
面附轻纱心附伤,石亭野径旁。
暗香幽传寻径去,却见淡白裳。
百年思,终不忘,断愁肠,难思量。
碧剑白衣,桀骜天下。
正魔距疏,又见沧桑。
闲看亭前花落,静望天边云风。
无情海岸意无情,又念淡白裳。
小环
花苞欲放又微含,四海逍遥少愁烦。
清水芙蓉天然色,冰糖葫芦自在甜。
多端鬼术惊奇士,莫测神算动仙凡。
识人见善不见恶,笑看秋去与春还。
玲珑
知君妖孽不可留,峻岭崇山斩君头。
几度痴心问对错,数夕泪眼叹恩仇。
生前未肯成比翼,死后但求共绸缪。
绝世巫术请君试,天荒地老缠不休。
水月
轻烟袅袅拜仙神,一点凡心已蒙尘。
宝殿争端不忍见,青云内讧似曾闻。
伶牙俐齿无稍让,冷面寒心且修真。
小竹峰上为首座,记否白衣地下人?
小凡•少年愁
年少荒村日无忧,岁寒不知少年愁。
苍天有眼人无情,喋血青云恨幽幽。
从来坦荡世无争,何奈人心命运囚。
长天一笑空遗恨,天地不仁万物狗。
兽神
永生不灭又如何?千年相思换石隔。
痴情不忘随心去,天地祭拜我惟魔。
八荒火龙吞天下,十万妖兽为我奴。
真爱即逝化情仇,生死相依泪恸歌。
万剑一
斩龙碧芒过,魑魅尽胆慑。
一代枭雄怆然悲,峥嵘岁月难复回。
玉清殿,睥睨正魔天下。
通天峰,弑师对错了然。
仇情生死皆浮云,祖师祠堂伶俜归。
小痴
痴痴对花花颜开,为女甘愿自身埋。
梦里依稀故容色,画中分明旧情怀。
中原逐鹿非无志,三界问鼎亦有才。
但恨生死两难见,未得有路到蓬莱。
诛梦仙缘
千年梦,弹指间,往事如水淡如烟。
曲以终,人亦散,旧梦初醒已千年。
青云现,梦中仙缘,风雨萧萧,饮尽花落又一宵。
回眸笑,寻难真,万般思量缘中道。
思悠悠,恨幽幽,狂心乘酒倚清愁。
千杯酒人未醉,离愁有谁会?
浮生叹,问世间,情之一物却为谁?
天地不仁何为道?
徘徊凡世,留恋人间。
兽神灭世
凝眸千年的是笑意?是泪水?
明灭不定的是希望?是绝望?
命为伊生,愿为伊亡。
奈何厮守不得。
既然世不容我,何不我来灭世!
痴儿•小凡
世间百事一一尝,看似心志坚逾钢,
谁知腹中断肠伤?只留一丝心絮荡。
雪琪容:
九天仙子落凡尘,媚目柔光摄心魂。
白发未掠红颜面,朱唇碧影眷世人。
河阳:
桃花独首旧城外,柳依何傍度光阴。
春花秋月几落寒,百年光阴醉连连。
青云:
碧影青山入九霄,七山连脉日散寒。
千年青云无时断,仙人吟道倾渡船。
天音:
秋叶满山卧红莲,大悲天音颂千年。
红云不散欲妄念,金轮经渡化痴恋。
流波:
东海流波山连川,十年光暑尽眼前。
回望雨夜柔情时,缠绵辗转握红颜。
蛮荒:
银沙万里不见野,洪荒遗种烛龙盘。
旷野拔地一城起,王陵冥火笑人间。
焚香:
玄火耀天夜如炎,狐狱赤炼铡锁伤。
暗香旧阁不闻泪,葬花千万莫见残。
南疆:
穷山恶水南蛮地,黑巫一坛血污连。
十万黑水豺怯近,镇魔古窟兽神眠。
昆仑:
暮雪仙山天池巅,玉虚通天朗凤观。
冷云一牧胜人帝,灵台悬圃望群山。
修罗:
恒古异界孤本传,血池骨海世人寒。
阴阳风火皆安土,归蝶天忍樱木残。
書摘:《明朝那些事儿》
★、风萧萧兮易水寒,欠了债兮你要还。[733]
★、观点斗争是假的、方向斗争也是假的,只有权力斗争才是真的。[741]
★、这就是传说中的"官话",俗称废话。[753]
★、人无耻到这个地步,是不容易的。[772]
★、所谓以天下为己任,通俗解释就是天下都是老子的,天下事就是本人的私事。[780]
★、在清除敌人首脑之前,必须先扫除一切外围和帮手,这就是中华民族的传统智慧,所谓掺沙子、挖墙脚是也。[803]
★、利益,只有充足的利益,才有驱动人们的魔力,这就是这个世界的真实面目,极其的残酷,却异常的真实。面对这个残酷的现实,……无论有多么伟大正直的理想,要实现它,还必须懂得两个字——变通。只有变通,只有切合实际的行动,才能适应这个变化万千的世界。[816]
★、因为天真的理想主义者纵使执着、纵使顽强,却依然是软弱的。他们并不明白,在这世上,很多事情你可以不理解,却必须接受。只有真正了解这个世界的丑陋与污浊,被现实打击,被痛苦折磨,遍体鳞伤、无所遁形,却从未放弃对光明的追寻,依然微笑着,坚定前行的人,才是真正的勇者。不经历黑暗的人,是无法懂得光明的。[819]
★、在这个世界上,只要你敢忽悠,什么奇迹都是可能发生的。正所谓:只有想不到,没有忽不了。[824]
★、所谓事可以做绝,话不能说绝,是也。[828]
★、历史证明,落水狗如果不打,就会变成恶狼。[831]
★、可是在权力的擂台上,不折不扣的好人注定是要完蛋的。[831]
★、政治高手就如同江湖大侠,想要金盆洗手一走了之,那是很难的,须知做大侠虽然风光,干掉大侠却更为风光。而政治高手们在打架时,从来不会玩三板斧,他们都是耍套路的,从毫不起眼的起手式,环环相扣,直到最后那致命的一击。[836]
★、“即使日后身处绝境,亦需坚守,万勿轻言放弃!”是的,……,要隐忍,要忍受痛苦和折磨,要坚强地活下去,只有活下去,才有胜利的希望。[838]
★、这是国家形象问题,换句话说,就算给得起钱,也丢不起人。[843]
★、外交,是指处理国与国之间关系的方法,但它还有另外一个通俗的解释——用最礼貌的方式,说出最肮脏的话。[845]
★、牺牲尊严是不够的,要想在这场残酷的游戏里笑到最后,还必须背离原则,因为眼前的敌手,是一个不讲原则的人。而要战胜一个无原则的对手,唯一的方法就是放弃所有的原则。[849]
★、这就是传说中骂人的最高境界——先夸后骂,夸骂合一。[849]
★、居庙堂之上,处江湖之远,皆忧其民者,方可为官。[860]
★、在很多情况下,弹劾是一种政治手段,是为了达到某种目的,大家同朝为官,混个功名也不容易,弹劾贪污,下次就少贪点,弹劾礼仪,那就注意点形象,就算是弹劾长相不佳,最多不过是去整容,你来我往,相敬如宾。而死劾,并非是简单的文书,它是一种态度,一种决心,弹劾的罪状是足以置对方死地的罪名,弹劾的对象是足以决定自己生死的人,弹劾的结果是九死一生.知无不言,言无不尽,以生命为赌注,冒死上劾,是为死劾。死劾,不是你死,就是我亡![861]
★、明知不能成功,明知必死无疑,依然慷慨而行。一般说来这种行为有着很多称呼,比如愚蠢、不自量力、飞蛾扑火等等,而在西方人的眼中,这更是一种不可思议的违反逻辑的行为。而在中国古老的哲学中,这种行为有着一个恰如其当的名称:明知不可为而为之。我深信,这正是我们这个伟大民族的魂魄。[862]
★、十六世纪是信息的时代,想在保住脑袋,混碗饭吃,就得时刻掌握朝廷的最新动态。[863]
★、历经磨难,矢志不移,叫做信念。不畏强权,虽死无惧,叫做勇气。[870]
★、对付流氓,要用流氓的方法。[870]
★、倭人为寇,是为倭寇。但恶劣的品行并不能否定他们的战斗力,且不说这帮人的武艺和战术水平,单说人家冒着掉进海里喂鱼的危险,跑上千里路来抢劫,就能充分说明他们的犯罪决心和毅力。[872]
★、四十个人就敢到南京搞自助游,要有四千个人,没准就敢去北京集资建房了(打不过地产商)。[878]
★、事实证明,中华武术确实是博大精深,拿刀的武士干不过拿棍的和尚,管你什么“阴流”、“剑道”,几棍子扫过去全部滚蛋。[880]
★、要说这本书,那可真算得上是万金油,上至外星生物,天外来客,下到世界文明,人类前途,都可以从这本书里推出来,反正随你去读。[882]
★、一说起明代的科举考试制度,总是千人踩、万人踹,什么葬送人才,禁锢思想等等,比黑社会还黑,比十大酷刑还狠,但历史已经证明,在那年头,这是一个最为科学的制度。在科举的考场上,没有绝对的公正,却有相对的公平,无论你是世家子弟,还是贫苦百姓,要想奔出美好前途,只有一个选择——拿起手中的笔,把那张考卷答完。然后封上你的姓名,等待着命运的来临。事实证明,好好学习,天天向上,才是中第的最佳途径,想玩花样,走后门,几乎肯定是死路一条。[887]
★、明代的言官们是很有民主精神的,几乎个个都有粪土当年万户侯的气度,外加唾液系统非常发达,且极具穷追猛打的狗仔队精神,遇到这种事情当然不会放过,逮住就咬,咬住就不放。[888]
★、但是历史无数次证明,棍棒打不倒经济规律,发家致富的意志和决心是无法阻拦的。[893]
★、在日本史书里,战国被描述成一个英雄辈出的时代,无数勇猛之士在万军之中横冲直撞,着实壮观。但是实际情况可能并非如此,比如日本历史上著名的桶狭间战役,那位威震日本,号称无人可挡的大诸侯今川义元,手底下的全部兵力不过四五万人,仅此而已。当时,一般战役两方人数加在一起也就五六千人,要摆在中国,这也就是个仪仗队,不过倒怪不得日本同志们,毕竟人口有限,要组织个大规模战役难度太大,说句寒掺话,能战死个几千人已经很不容易了。[895]
★、他用自己的行动证明了一个真理——没有人能随随便便成功。[897]
★、所谓强硬的手段,并不一定是指武力。只要能够消灭对手,可以使用任何方法。[902]
★、…….这似乎是一个毫无逻辑的选择,不是因为金钱,也不是因为权势。如果说一定要找出一个理由的话,我相信它的名字叫爱情。[905]
★、为了实现日本同行光荣地去死,义无反顾地去死的武士道主义精神,把背黑锅啃骨头进行到底,徐海在出发前反复对他们强调,他们即将面对的,是最为强悍的明军,即将进行的,是一场艰苦的战斗,正是实现个人价值(战死)的最好时机。[907]
★、他有一个公认的作战特点——“计定而后大举,兵集而后齐发”。通俗点说就是不见兔子不撒鹰,不见鬼子不拉弦。[908]
★、这也算是老把戏了,就如同水浒传里的林冲,好不容易上了梁山,王伦大哥却告诉他,要想入伙,必须下山杀一个人。作为梁山流氓团伙的头目,王伦的这一指示可谓用心良苦,因为只有杀了人,才能全心全意干坏事,并培养出对组织的高度认同感和深刻的危机感(出了事大家一起完蛋,谁也别想跑)。[911]
★、如果要搞个三千年来的世界畅销书排行榜,《孙子兵法》至少可以排进前五十名,此书早已打入国际市场,行销海外,这本书拿破仑买过,希特勒也买过,上到八十岁的老头,下到四五岁的孩童,都是的忠实孙子读者。[931]
★、从某种意义上说,这是一次载入史册的斗殴,是一次改变了抗倭历史的斗殴,是一次光荣、成功、团结的斗殴。义乌的百姓们用实际行动证明了一个事实——原来斗殴也是可以旷日持久的。[938]
★、概括起来,戚继光要找的是这样一群人:四肢发达,头脑简单,为人老实,遵纪守法,服从政府,敢打硬仗,敢冲锋不怕死,具备二愣子性格的肌肉男。[940]
★、严嵩这一辈子作恶多端,坑过的人不计其数,真可谓是“万人坑”。[842]
★、曾有一位厚黑学前辈说过,违法的事情不能做,违背良心的事可以做。〔916〕
★、所谓“杀降不祥”,所谓“天道若存,必定有报”,根据哲学原理分析,大致应归入迷信之类,但迷信之所以被称为迷信,是因为有人信。〔918〕
★、历史告诉我们,道德与公理,只有在实力相等的情况下才能拿出来讨论,所以徐海死了,而汪直还活着。〔921〕
★、俗话说横的怕愣的,愣的怕不要命的,这人要不怕死,也就没啥怕的了,俞大侠虽然武功盖世,也盖不住这位玩命的哥们,所谓乱拳打死老师傅,一通王八拳下来,横扫少林的俞大侠也没了办法。〔924〕
★、痛打落水狗是不够的,最好连狗肉也一起吃掉。[944]
★、简单说来,所谓鸳鸯阵的原理,和打群架大致相同,瞄准目标,群起殴之,远了用啤酒瓶砸,接近后用西瓜刀砍,贴身后就用匕首捅,不管你黑带白带,剑道几段,全部完蛋。正是所谓“乱拳打死老师傅”是也。当然了,这只是一个形象的比喻,事实上,鸳鸯阵是古代军事智慧的伟大杰作,作为一个近身格斗阵法,在此后的百年之中,人们却依然无法找到破解它的方法。[948]
★、这个排场实在是太大了,就如同黑社会谈判一样,重要的是数量而不是质量,管你老头老太太,还是家庭主妇,只要是个人,都被戚夫人拉着上了城头,虽说战斗力全无,但吓唬人还是有效的。[953]
★、当然对于日本人而言,阵型变不变,实在已经不重要了,五行阵和三才阵都是要人命的,跑路才是最佳选择。[956]
★、作为流氓的升级版本,政治流氓是十分特别的,而他们之间最大的不同在于,流氓混黑社会,砍死人后,要受处罚进监狱,而政治流氓混朝廷,整死人后,会接着赶尽杀绝,斩草除根。[973]
★、虽然神仙和咱们不住在一个小区,也不通电话,不能上网,但经过我国人民的长期科研,终于找到了和神仙们联系的方法,比如跳大神、上身之类的高科技手段,并作为著名的糟粕垃圾,一直流传至今。但上述方法都是民间百姓使用,皇帝自然有皇帝的独特搞法,而嘉靖的那套系统叫做扶乩。[988]
★、历史一次又一次地告诉了我们这样一个真理:正义和公道或许会迟到,却绝不会旷课。[992]
★、有这种看法的人,大致是不懂政治的,在这个世界上,什么都好商量,但只要涉及到利益二字,翻脸会比翻书更快。而翻脸的程度及其表现方式,就要看利益多少了,动嘴动手,还是动刀子动导弹,都取决于此。要知道,平时上街买菜,为几毛钱都要吵一吵,而在皇帝不大管事的当年,首辅的宝座就是最高权力的象征,也是最大的利益,不打出个天翻地覆、沧海桑田那才有鬼。[993]
★、因为所谓复仇,从来都不是热菜,而是冷盘。[997]
★、一个人的力量再强,也是无法对抗社会规律的,它就如同弹簧一般,受到的压力越大,反弹的力度就越大。[1012]
★、虽说境况不太乐观,但海瑞的母亲认准了一条死理:再穷不能穷教育,再苦不能苦孩子。不管家里多穷多苦,她都保证海瑞吃好喝好,并日夜督促他用心学习。这就是海瑞的童年生活,每天不是学堂,就是他娘,周围的小朋友们也不找他玩,当然海瑞同学也不在乎,他的唯一志向就是好好学习,天天向上。[1015]
★、很多史料都对海瑞的这段经历津津乐道,不是夸他刻苦用功,就是表扬他妈教子有方。而在我看来,这全是扯淡,一挺好的孩子就是这样被毁掉的。[1016]
★、而遗诏最关键的秘密在于,它根本就不是皇帝本人的遗嘱,却是由大臣代写的,所以大多数遗诏都被写成了检讨书,把自己骂得狗血淋头,连街头混混都不如的也不在少数。反正您已经死了,还能爬起来算账不成?这就是明代历史上著名的《嘉靖遗诏》,据说全文刊出后,举国欢腾,许多文人纷纷写诗讴歌此文,个别不地道的,竟敢在大丧期间放鞭炮庆祝,皇帝干到这个份上,失败,太失败了。[1050]
★、姜还是老的辣,狐狸还是老的精。[1051]
★、封建社会嘛,又没有民主推荐、差额选举,除非你自立门户,不然除了忠君还能忠谁,难不成去信上帝?在封建时代,就做封建时代的事,说封建时代的话,别指望人家有多高的觉悟,这就叫历史唯物主义。[1052]
★、隆庆皇帝面对的就是这么一群人,说得好听是读过书的大臣,说得不好听就是有牌照的骂街流氓。[1062]
★、最伟大的人是没有派系,最伟大的爱是没有分别……
★、打死我也不信。然而打不死,所以我信了。[1069]
★、那些平时挤满了富商的高级娱乐场所此时也已空无一人,活像刚被劫过的,大户人家也纷纷关门闭户,听见别人说自己家有钱,比人家骂他祖宗还难受。[1073]
★、指望他们突然放下屠刀,皈依我佛,那种事西游记里才有。[1079]
★、这个办法,也充分地体现出了中国人几千年来的卓越才能,包括:钻空子、绕道走、打擦边球、以及民主精神。[1086]
★、……皇帝说了不算,内阁说了也不算,在万恶的封建社会,竟然要靠投票解决问题,实在有负“黑暗专制”的恶名。[1086]
★、在这个世界上,同样一件事,不同的说法有截然不同的效果,比如一个胖子,体重一百公斤,如果你硬要说人家体重0.1吨,被人打残了我也不同情你。[1088]
★、冯保出离愤怒了,愤怒之情如滔滔江水连绵不绝,据说在家里连骂了三天,余音绕梁不绝于耳。[1092]
★、据史料记载,这位仁兄连轿子都没坐,六十多岁的老头,一溜烟从东安门跑进东华门,终于在皇帝咽气之前抵达目的地,实在让人叹为观止。顺便说一句,这条路线今天还在,有兴趣的朋友可以试着跑跑,从东安门起始,跑进故宫乾清宫(记得带钱买票),体验古迹之余也可以缅怀一下先人。[1094]
★、在中国历史上,共同创业的人大都逃不过“四同”的结局——同舟共济——同床异梦——同室操戈——同归于尽。[1105]
★、把所有不服你的人都打服,敢出声就灭了他,所有人都认你当老大,这就叫实现团结。[1105]
★、
★、但要杀人,也得有个罪名,这自然难不倒二位仁兄,不愧是刑部的人,很有专业修养,从大明律里,找到这么一条:宫殿射箭、放弹、投砖石伤人者,按律斩。[1357]
★、在我国百花齐放的刑讯逼供艺术中,这是一句相当搞笑的话,但凡审讯,一般先是民族大义、坦白从宽,之后才是什么老虎凳、辣椒水。即使要利诱,也是升官发财,金钱美女之类。[1358]
★、事实证明,张差确实是个相当不错的人,具体表现为头脑简单,思想朴素,在吃一碗饭和隐瞒真相、保住性命之间,他毫不犹豫地选择了前者。[1358]
★、不敢说的意思,不是不知道,也不是不说,而是知道了不方便说。[1358]
★、作案过程也极其可笑,听起来,似乎是群众推荐,太监使用,顺手就带到京城,既没给美女,也没给钱,连星级宾馆都没住,一点实惠没看到,就答应去打人,这种傻冒你上哪去找?再说凶器,一般说来,刺杀大人物,应该要用高级玩意,当年荆轲刺秦,还找来把徐夫人的匕首,据说是一碰就死,退一万步讲,就算是杀个老百姓,多少也得找把短刀,可这位兄弟进宫时,别说那些高级玩意,菜刀都没一把,拿根木棍就打,算是怎么回事。[1359]
★、可万历依然毫无反应,这是可以理解的,要知道,人家当年可是经历过争国本的,上百号人一拥而上,那才是大世面,这种小场面算个啥。[1359]
★、存在即是合理,一件事情之所以发生,是因为它有发生的理由。[1361]
★、要克服畏惧,最有效、最快捷的方法,就是找一个人来和你一起畏惧。史云:明朝亡于党争。我云:党争,起于此时。[1362]
★、所谓公愤,是他在当政时,顾宪成之类的人总在公事上跟他过不去,他很愤怒,故称公愤。[1362]
★、无奈之下,只好设定南北榜,谁都别争了,就看你生在哪里,南方算你倒霉,北方算你运气。......这套理论很残酷,也很真实,主要是玩机率,看你在哪投胎。比如你要是生在山东、江苏、湖北之类的地方,就真是阿弥陀佛了,这些地方经常盘踞着一群读书不要命的家伙,据我所知,有些“乡镇中学”(地图上都找不到)的学生,高二就去高考(不记成绩),大都能考六百多分(七百五十分满分),美其名曰:锻炼素质,明年上阵。每念及此,不禁胆战心惊,跟这帮人做邻居的结果是:如果想上北大,六百多分,只是个起步价。应该说,现在还是有所进步的,逼急还能玩点阴招,比如说……更改户口。[1364]
★、老板有了,朋友有了,地位也有了,万事俱备,要登上拿最高的舞台,只欠一阵东风。一年后,风来了,却是暴风。[1366]
★、对于一个政治家而言,最痛苦的惩罚不是免职、不是罢官,而是遗忘。但十余年之后,他将感谢沈一贯给予他的痛苦经历,要想在这个冷酷的地方生存下去,同党是不够的,后台也是不够的,必须亲身经历残酷的考验和磨砺,才能在历史上写下自己的名字。[1366]
★、梃击,不过是一个傻子的愚蠢举动,并不重要,重要的是,通过这件事情,能够打倒什么,得到什么。[1367]
★、此即所谓集体负责制,也就是集体不负责,张问达先生水平的确高,看准了法不责众,不愿意独自背黑锅,毅然决定把大家拉下水。大家倒没意见,反正十三个人,人多好办事,打板子也轻点。可到审讯那天,人们才真切地感受到,中国人是喜欢热闹的。除了问话的十三位郎中外,王之寀还带了一批人来旁听,加上看热闹的,足有二十多人,人潮汹涌,搞得跟菜市场一样。[1369]
★、事实证明,郑小姐装起孙子来,也是巾帼不让须眉,进去看到太子,一句不说就跪,太子也客气,马上回跪,双方爬起来后,郑贵妃就开始哭,一边哭一边说,我真没想过要害你,那都是误会。太子也不含糊,反应很快,一边做垂泪状(真哭是个技术活),一边说,我明白,这都是外人挑拨,事情是张差自己干的,我不会误会。随即,双方回顾了彼此间长达几十年的传统友谊,表示今后要加强沟通,共同进步,事情就此圆满结束。[1370]
★、之所以详细介绍此事,是因为我要告诉你:在接下来的叙述中,你将逐渐发现,许多你曾无比熟悉的人,其实十分陌生,许多你曾坚信的事实,其实十分虚伪,而这,不过是个开头。[1372]
★、一般说来,朝代晚期,总会出现大量贪官污吏,欺压百姓,摊派剥削,但我可以很负责地讲,万历年间这个问题很不严重,因为压根就没官。[1372]
★、老子曾经说过,最好的国家,是老百姓不知道统治者是谁,从某个角度讲,万历同志做到了。[1372]
★、因为根据规定,发放凭证的是吏部都给事中,可这个职位压根就没人,鬼来发证?......总而言之,万历的这个政府,基本属于无政府,如此看来,他应该属于无政府主义者,思想如此超前,着实不易。一般说来,史料写到这段,总是奋笔疾书,痛斥万历昏庸腐朽,政府实效,人民生活在水深火热之中。而在我看来,持这种看法的,不是装蒜,就是无知。......而老百姓的生活,那真是滋润,想干什么就干什么,明初的时候,出去逛要村里开介绍信,未经许可乱转,抓住就是充军。万历年间,别说介绍信,连户口(黄册)都不要了,你要有本事,跑到美国都没人管你。[1373]
★、按照现在的说法,这些书籍大都含有封建糟粕,应该限制传播,至少也要写个此处划掉多少字之类的说明,但当时连政府都没人管,哪有人理这个,什么足本善本满天飘,肆无忌惮。[1374]
★、打仗,实际上和打麻将差不多,排兵布阵,这叫洗牌,掷色子,就是开打,战况多变,就是不知道下一张摸什么牌,而要想赢牌,一靠技术,二靠运气。靠死运气,怎么打怎么赢,所谓福将。靠死里打,怎么打怎么赢,所谓悍将。[1375]
★、当时的女真部落,住在深山老林,除了狗熊啥都缺,过日子是过不下去了,要动粗,抢劫的经验又比不上蒙古,明朝不愿开放互市,无奈之下,只好找到了这个折衷的方式,一道敕书,就能做一笔生意。三十分敕书,就是三十笔生意。[1380]
★、最后是基本类同的几句评价:非常光辉、非常励志、非常艰苦等等。本人同意以上评语,却也要加上四个字:非常诡异。[1380]
★、努尔哈赤起兵时,他的武器是弓箭,不是导弹,他带着十三副铠甲,不是十三件防弹衣,在当时众多的女真部落中,他只不过是个小人物。......而当若干年后尘埃落定,重整史料时,他们就会发现,一个得到敌人扶持、帮助的首领,是不太体面的。所以掩盖和创造就开始了,所以几百年后,历史变成了现在的模样。[1382]
★、这只猫逐渐长大了,它的身躯变得强壮,叫声变得凄厉,脚掌长出了利爪,最后它亮出了獠牙。至此,我们终于知道,它不是猫,而是老虎,它不是宠物,而是野兽。[1383]
★、建功一世,祸患千秋,万死不足恕其罪![1383]
★、当然了,这些话是不能明说的,因为一个强盗,杀人放火是不需要借口的,但对一群强盗而言,理由,是很有必要的。[1384]
★、很多人说过,最好的老师,不是特级教师,不是名牌学校,而是兴趣。但我要告诉你,这个答案是错误的。在这个世界上,最优秀的老师,是生存。[1385]
★、无论什么角度、什么立场、什么观点、什么利益、什么目的、什么动机、什么想法、什么情感、什么理念、都应该承认一点,至少一点:这是抢掠,是自私、无情、带给无数人痛苦的抢掠。征服的荣光背后,是无数的悲泣与哀嚎——本人语[1386]
★、明朝不是南宋,没有送礼的习惯。他们的方针,向来是不向劫匪妥协,何况是撕了肉票的劫匪。既然要打,那咱就打真格的。[1387]
★、以上四路明军,共计十二万人,大致情况也就是这样,大明人多,林子太大,什么人都有,什么鸟都飞,混人、文人、猛人,一应俱全。[1388]
★、要成事,需要十二万人,但要坏事,一个人就够了。[1389]
★、在这个世界上,好人不怕,坏人也不怕,就怕时好时坏、无端抽风的人。[1389]
★、我仿佛看见,一出悲剧正上演,剧中没有喜悦。[1391]
★、责任追究完了,但就在追究责任的时候,努尔哈赤也没歇着,还乘势攻下了全国比较大的城市——铁岭。[1394]
★、但几百年后,戚继光依然光耀史册,万人景仰,而李成梁,却几乎已不为人知。我知道,历史只会夸耀那些值得夸耀的人。[1395]
★、正义和道德是值得景仰的,值得膜拜的,值得三拜九叩的,但是,正义和道德不能当饭吃,不能当衣服穿,更不可能掌控政权。因为掌控政权的唯一方式,就是斗争。[1397]
★、此外,我们有理由相信,顾宪成大人也是比较会来事的,因为一个不开窍的书呆子,是混不了多久的。现在你应该明白了。在这个世界上,实力和道德,经常是两码事。[1398]
★、一直以来,东林党的指导思想,是我很道德。强大之后,就变成了你不道德,工作方针,原先是党同伐异,强大之后,就变成了非我族类,其心必异。总而言之,不是我的同党,就是我的敌人。[1400]
★、一个热血沸腾的青年,一个励精图治的君主,一个理想主义者,在经历残酷的斗争,无休止的吵闹,无数无效的抗争,无数无奈的妥协后,最终理解了这个世界,理解了现实的真正意义,并最终成为了这个世界的牺牲品。[1401]
★、后来的事情告诉我们,第二产业是不能随便乱搞的。[1403]
★、上天总是不公平的,有些人天生就聪明,天生就牛,天生就是张居正、戚继光,而绝大多数平凡的人,天生就不聪明,天生就不牛,天生就是二傻子,没有办法。但上天依然是仁慈的,他给出了一条没有天赋,也能成功的道路。对于大多数平凡的人而言,这是最好的道路,也是唯一的道路,它的名字,叫做纯粹。纯粹的意思,就是专心致志、认真、一根筋、二杆子等等等等。纯粹和执着,也是有区别的,所谓执着,就是不见棺材不掉泪,而纯粹,是见了棺材,也不掉泪。纯粹的人,是这个世界上最可怕的人,他们的一生,往往只有一个目标,为了达到这个目标,他们可以不择手段,不顾一切,他们无法被收买,无法被威逼,他们不要钱,不要女色,甚至不要权势和名声。在他们的世界里,只有一个目标,以及坚定的决心和意志。杨涟,就是一个纯粹的人。[1405]
★、虽说太子的名分有了,但中国的事情一向难说,要不看着老爹走人,万一隔天突然冒出几份遗嘱、或是几个顾命大臣,偏说老头子临死前改了主意,还找人搞了公证,这桩官司可怎么打?[1406]
★、而要阻止这一切,杨涟必须做到两件事情:首先,他要把郑贵妃赶出乾清宫;其次,他要把郑贵妃当太后的事情彻底搅黄。这就是说,先要逼郑老寡妇搬家,再把万历同志临死前封皇后的许诺当放屁,把郑贵妃翘首企盼的申请拿去垫桌脚。[1407]
★、明知美女不应该收,你还要收,明知春药不能多吃,你还要吃,明知有太医看病,你还要找太监,不是脑袋有病吧。[1409]
★、所以他决定,以死相报,致死不休。这种行为,不是愚忠,不是效命,甚至也不是报答。它起源于一个无可争议,无可辩驳的真理:士为知己者死。[1410]
★、明明您都没几天蹦头了,趁着脑袋还管用,赶紧干点实事,拟份遗嘱,哪怕找口好棺材,总算有个准备。竟然还想着老婆的名分,实在令人叹服。[1411]
★、进不了宫,眼泪储备还不能用,而且大清早的,天都没亮,反正是等人,闲着也是闲着,于是,他们开始商讨善后事宜。[1414]
★、应该说,这个策略是成功的,太监把住大门,好说歹说就不让进,一帮老头加书呆子,不懂什么枪杆子里出政权的深刻道理,只能干瞪眼。[1415]
★、对付流氓加文盲,与其靠口,不如靠吼。[1415]
★、接下来是例行程序,猛哭猛磕头,哭完磕完,开始办正事。[1415]
★、在人家的地盘上,抢了人家的人,再不跑就是真是傻子了。[1416]
★、当然,按照最俗套的电视剧逻辑,坏人们是不会甘心失败的,真实的历史也是如此。[1417]
★、这就算即位了,但问题在于,毕竟也是大明王朝,不是杂货铺,程序还要走,登基还得登。[1417]
★、如果你认为这是一句非常过分的话,那你就错了,事实上,是非常非常过分,因为左光斗是读书人,有时候,读书人比流氓还流氓。[1419]
★、她派出了一个使者,去找杨涟,希望这位钢铁战士会突然精神失常,放弃即将到手的胜利,相信她是一个善良、无私的女人,并且慷慨大度的表示,你可以继续住在乾清宫,继续干涉朝政。人不能愚蠢到这个程度。但她可以。[1419]
★、当我只是个小人物的时候,你体谅我的激奋,接受我的意见,相信我的才能,将你的身后之事托付于我。所以,我会竭尽全力,战斗至最后一息,绝不放弃。因为你的信任,和尊重。[1420]
★、小时候,老师告诉我,个人是渺小的,集体才是伟大的,现在,我相信了。[1422]
★、出生就不受人待见,母亲被冷遇,长大了,书读不上,太子立不了,基本算三不管,吃穿住行级别很低,低到连刺杀他的人,都只是个普通农民,拿着根木棍,就敢往宫里闯。好不容易熬到登基,还要被老婆胁迫,忍了几十年,放纵了一回,身体搞垮了,看医生,遇见了蒙古大夫,想治病,就去吃仙丹,结果真成仙了。[1422]
★、有人曾对我说,原来,历史很有趣。但我对他说,其实,历史很无趣。因为在绝大多数情况下,历史没有正恶,只有成败。[1422]
★、对于这种说法,用两个字来评价,就是胡说。用四个字来评价,就是胡说八道。[1423]
★、角色并不重要,关键在于会不会抢戏——小品演员陈佩斯(语)[1425]
★、我并非不能理解好事都归自己,坏事都归别人的逻辑,也并不反对,对某些坏人一棍子打死再踩上一只脚的行为,我只是认为,做人,还是要厚道。[1426]
★、要这么玩,努尔哈赤先生就不干了,他辛苦奔波,最终的目的是为了抢东西,您把东西都搬走了,我还去干嘛?[1430]
★、可是连傻子都知道,辽东都没了,人都撤回山海关了,没兵没地没百姓,还经略个啥?大家不是傻子,大家都不去。[1431]
★、明知是黑锅,依然无怨无悔、义无反顾地去背,难道不勇敢吗?[1432]
★、应该说,王在晋的热情是值得肯定的,态度是值得尊重的,创意是值得鼓励的,而全盘的计划,是值得唾弃的。[1432]
★、光守山海关是不够的,因为一旦山海关被攻破,京城就将毫无防卫,唾手可得,虽说山海关沿线很坚固,很结实,但毕竟是砖墙,不是高压电网,如果努尔哈赤玩一根筋,拼死往城墙上堆人,就是用嘴啃,估计也啃穿了。[1432]
★、这下叶大人头疼了,他干政治是老手,干军事却是菜鸟,想来想去,这个主意拿不了,于是他跑去找皇帝。可是皇帝大人除了做木匠是把好手,基本都是抓瞎,他也吃不准,于是,他又去找了另一个人。[1433]
★、可是他们说了,他们不但说了,还写了下来,并且流传千古,却没有一个人,因此受到任何惩罚。因为他们所说的,是铁一般的事实,是清朝统治者无法否认的事实。[1433]
★、还好,孙秀才找到了一份比较好的工作——老师,从此,他开始在教育战线上奋斗,而且越奋斗越好,好到名声传到了京城。[1434]
★、但是慢慢地,孙秀才有思想活动了,他发现,光教别人孩子是不够的,能找别人教自己的孩子,才是正道。[1434]
★、战争,是这个世界上最神秘莫测,最飘忽不定,最残酷,最困难,最考验智商的游戏。在战场上,兵法没有用,规则没有用,因为在这里,最好的兵法,就是实战,唯一的规则,就是没有规则。[1435]
★、把复杂的问题弄简单,是一个优秀将领的基本素质。[1435]
★、大同,在长达五年的时间里,孙承宗看到了战争,理解了战争,懂得了战争,并最终掌握了战争。他的掌握,来自他的天赋、理论以及每一次感悟。辽东,大他三岁的努尔哈赤正在讨伐女真哈达部的路上,此时的他,已经是一位精通战争的将领,他的精通,来自于砍杀、冲锋以及每一次拼死的冒险。[1435]
★、之前讲过,明代朝廷是讲出身的,除个别特例外,要想进入内阁,必须是翰林出身,否则,即使你工作再努力,能力再突出,也是白搭。这是一个公认的潜规则。[1436]
★、由于孙老师长期从事儿童(私塾)教育,对于木头型,愚笨型、死不用功型的小孩,一向都有点办法,所以几堂课教下来,皇帝陛下立即喜欢上了孙老师,他从没有叫过孙承宗的名字,而代以一个固定的称谓:“吾师”。[1436]
★、当然了,有人会说,既然难走,那不走总行了吧。很可惜,虽然走这里很让人恶心,但不恶心是不行的,因为辽东虽大,要进攻山海关,必须从这里走。此路不通让人苦恼,再加个别无他路,就只能去撞墙了。[1439]
★、去年,是2007年,冬天很冷。于是,我想起了三百八十一年前,发生在这里的那场惊天动地的战争,我知道,那一年的冬天,也很冷。[1439]
★、这是假人,留下来的真人也不顶用,很多兵都是老兵油子,领饷时带头冲,打仗时带头跑,特别是关内某些地方的兵,据说逃跑时的速度,敌人骑马都赶不上。[1440]
★、十七世纪最重要的是什么?是人才。[1440]
★、因为战场之上,求生者死,求死者生。[1440]
★、就事情本身而言,并不大,却相当恶劣,既不是直系领导,又没有尚方宝剑,竟敢擅自杀人,实在太过嚣张。[1442]
★、历史告诉我们,再坚固的防线,也有被攻陷的一天。历史还告诉我们,凡事总有例外,比如这条防线。[1453]
★、可是孙承宗似乎是不欢迎参观的,代贝勒的屁股还没坐热,就得到一个可怕的消息,一支明军突然出现在自己的侧翼。这支部队是驻守前屯、松山的明军,听说客人来了,没赶上接风,特来送行。[1455]
★、可是孙承宗不动是可以的,努尔哈赤不动是不行的。因为孙大人的任务是防守,只要不让敌人进关抢东西,他就算赢了。努尔哈赤就不同了,他的任务是抢,虽说占了挺大一块地方,但人都跑光了,技术型人才不多,啥产业都没有。据说有些地方,连铁锅都造不出来。孙承宗到辽东算出差,有补助,还有朝廷送物资,时不时还能回去休个假,努先生完全是原生态,没人管没人疼,不抢怎么办?必须抢,然而不能抢,因为有孙承宗。[1456]
★、不要以为渺小的,就没有力量;不要以为卑微的,就没有尊严。弱者和强者之间唯一的差别,只在信念是否坚定。[1512]
★、由于处于半开化状态,也不在乎什么诗书礼仪,传统道德,工作单位,打小就骑马,骁勇无畏,说打就打绝不含糊,更绝的是,家属也大力支持:据史料记载,后金骑兵出去拼命前,家里人从不痛哭流涕,悲哀送行,也不报怨政府,老老少少都高兴得不行,跟过节似的,千言万语化作一句话,多抢点东西回来![1523]
★、懂得暴力的人,是强壮的,懂得克制暴力的人,才是强大的。
★、无耻的人读过书后,往往会变得更加无耻。[1556]
★、天道有常,或因人势而迟,然终不误。[1578]
★、明代考完,如果没有意外,基本能有官做,且至少是处级(举人除外),高考考完,大学毕业,如果没有意外,且运气好点,基本能有工作。明代的进士考试,每三年一次,每次录取名额,大概是一百五十多人,现在高考,每年两次,每次录取名额……[1636]
★、为适应新形势的需要,同学们开动脑筋,比如把毛笔凿空,里面塞上小抄,或是在砚台里面夹藏,更牛一点的,就找人在考场外看准地方,把答案绑在石头上扔进去,据说射箭进去的也有。面对新局面,朝廷规定,毛笔只能用空心笔杆,砚台不能太厚,考场内要派人巡逻等等。[1636]
★、以上两项技术,都是常用技术,且好用,为广大人民群众喜闻乐见,所以流传至今,且发扬光大。今日之大学,继承前辈遗志者,大有人在。[1636]
★、但作弊的同学们是不会甘心失败的,有的做记号,有的故意在考卷里增大字体,只为对改卷的考官说一句话:我就是给钱的那个![1637]
★、综上所述,作弊与反作弊的斗争是长期的,艰苦的,没有尽头的,同学们为了前途,虽屡战屡败,但屡败屡战,到明代,斗争达到了高潮。[1637]
★、因为这种事情,一个人是做不成的,必须是团伙作案,既然是团伙,就要分赃,既然分赃,就可能不匀,既然不匀,就可能闹事,既然闹事,就必定出事。[1638]
★、买考题、买考官都太小儿科了,既然横竖要买,还不如直接买通朝廷,让组织考试的人,给自己定个状元,直接到位,省得麻烦。[1638]
★、花这么多钱,买个状元,并不是吃饱了撑的。要知道,状元不光能当官,还能名垂青史。自古以来,状元都是最高荣誉,且按规定,每次科举的录取者,都刻在石碑上,放在国子监里供后代瞻仰(现在还有),状元的名字就在首位,几万两买个名垂青史,值了。[1639]
★、形势很严峻,但同志们很勇敢,在共同的敌人面前,温体仁、周延儒擦干眼泪,决定跟钱谦益玩命。[1640]
★、辩论议题:浙江作弊案,钱谦益有无责任。辩论双方:正方,没有责任,辩论队成员:钱谦益、内阁大学士李标、钱龙锡、刑部尚书乔允升,吏部尚书王永光……(以下省略)反方,有责任,辩论队成员:温体仁、周延儒(以下无省略)。[1640]
★、奇迹,就是所有人都认定不可能发生,却终究发生的事。[1641]
★、温体仁老谋深算,他知道,即使朝廷里的所有人,都跟他对立,只要皇帝支持,就必胜无疑,而皇帝最不喜欢的事情,就是结党。崇祯登基以来,干掉了阉党,扶植了东林党,却没能消停,朝廷党争不断,干什么什么都不成,所以最恨结党。[1642]
★、现在既然温体仁跳出来,主动背上黑锅,索性就用他一把,敲打一下,提提醒,换几个人,阿猫阿狗都行,只要不是东林党,让你们明白,都是给老子打工的,老实干活![1642]
★、现在你应该明白,其实一点不乱,事实的真相就是这么简单,只有两个字——利益,周延儒的利益,温体仁的利益,以及崇祯的利益。〔1643〕
★、但所谓患难兄弟,基本都有规律,拉兄弟一把后,就该踹兄弟一脚了。〔1643〕
★、其实他跟周延儒的区别不大,只有一点:如果周延儒是坏人,他是更坏的坏人。〔1644〕
★、温体仁未必是奸臣,钱谦益未必是好人。不需要惊讶,历史往往跟你所想的并不一样。英雄可以写成懦夫,能臣可以写成奸臣,史实并不重要,重要的是,谁来写。〔1645〕
★、问题在于,明朝官场,经过二百多年的磨砺,越来越光,越来越滑。潜规则、明规则,基本已经形成一套行之有效的规章,大家都在里边混,就谈不上什么贪不贪了,所谓天下皆贪,即是天下无贪。〔1646〕
★、皇帝很激动,后果很严重。〔1646〕
★、我研读历史,曾总结出一条恒久不变的规律——世上的事,从没有白给的。[1646]
★、自古以来,所谓集体负责,就是不负责,所以批评集体,就是不批评。韩御史本意,也就是批评集体,反正没有具体对象,没人冒头反驳,可以过过嘴瘾。[1647]
★、只要有接待任务,就有名目,就能逼老百姓,上面来个人,招待所所长自然不会自己出钱请人吃饭,就找老百姓摊,你家有钱,就出钱,没钱?无所谓,你们要相信,只要是人,就有用处,什么挑夫、轿夫,都可以干。[1648]
★、这个报告体现了孙承宗同志卓越的战略思想。七年前,他稳固山海关,恢复了宁远,稳固宁远,恢复了锦州,现在,他稳固锦州,是打算恢复广宁,照这么个搞法,估计是想稳固沈阳,恢复赫图阿拉,把皇太极赶进河里。[1650]
★、皇太极之所以来,也是不能不来,因为当他发现明军在大凌河筑城时,就明白,孙老头又使坏了。如果让明军在大凌河站住脚,锦州稳固,照孙承宗的风格,接下来必定是蚕食,慢慢地磨,今天占你十亩地,站住了,明天再来,还是十亩,玩死你。[1650]
★、在战场上,英明是不够的,决定战争胜负的,是实力。[1651]
★、为达到这一目的,每到打硬仗时,他都故意安排兄弟上阵,所谓“打死敌人除外患,打死自己除内乱”。[1652]
★、皇太极想招降祖大寿,很想,所以他费劲心机,先是往城里射箭,夹带信件,可是祖大寿的习惯很不好,总不回。打了个把月,回信了。[1653]
★、皇太极又收到了祖大寿的信,写得相当客气,首先感谢皇太极同志的耐心等待,然后诉苦,说锦州城内防布森严,难以动手,希望皇太极继续等着,估计到来年,就能办这事了。被人涮了。[1654]
★、在这世上混,大家都不容易,睁只眼闭只眼算了吧。[1655]
★、可惜,知识分子就是知识分子。他并不知道,所谓孔有德、耿仲明,属于有奶便是娘型,是典型的兵油子,给钱就开工,不给钱就打老板,招这么俩员工,只好认倒霉。[1656]
★、事实证明,瞒报注定是要穿帮的。[1657]
★、更搞笑的是,他们还组织政府,开始封官,封到一半,发现没有官印,还专门抓了几个刻印章的,帮他们刻印,很有点过日子的意思。[1658]
★、但事情并非如此,因为知府大人固然有种,但更有种的,是那位不肯出城的总兵。他听说巡抚被人劫了,知府在下面喊话,二话不说,就让人装炮弹,看准敌人密集地区,开炮。敌人的密集地,也就是知府大人所在地,几炮打下去,叛军死伤惨重,知府大人也在其中,壮烈捐躯。虽然巡抚够傻,好在知府够硬,总兵够狠,莱州终究守住。[1660]
★、换句话说,平常的城墙,也就能抗凿子凿,而登州的城墙,是能扛大炮的,抗击打能力很强。[1661]
★、然而意外发生了,他过高估计了自己手下的道德水准,毕竟谁都不傻,孔有德刚跑,消息就传了出去,而类似孔有德这类黑社会团伙,只要打掉领头的,剩下的人用扫把都能干掉。[1662]
★、在最不想见人的地方,最不想见人的时候,遇上了最不想见的人,孔有德很伤心。[1662]
★、其实这两个人投降,倒也没什么,关键在于他们曾在孙元化手下混过,对火炮技术比较了解,且由于一贯打劫,却在海上被人给劫了,很是气愤,不顾知识产权,无私地把技术转让给了皇太极。从此火炮部队成为了后金的固定组成部分,虽说孔有德、耿仲明文化不高,学得不地道,造出来的大炮准头也差点,但好歹是弄出来了。[1663]
★、据说朱元璋当年建都的时候,曾经找人算过一卦,大致内容跟现在做生意的差不多,比如这笔生意能做多少年,有什么忌讳等等。据说那位算卦的半仙想了很久,说了八个字:始于东南,终于西北。[1663]
★、当时的西北,类似这种团队有很多,优秀的团队管理者也很多。但久而久之,问题出现了,由于成员流动性太大,且没有固定办公场所,团伙成员文化又低,天天跟着混,时间长了,很难分清谁是谁。为妥善解决这个问题,团队首领们想出了一个绝招——取外号。[1664]
★、取这样的外号,是很符合实际需要的。毕竟团队成员文化比较低,你要取个左将军、右都督之类的称号,他也不知道是啥意思,而且这种外号,大都是神魔鬼怪,叫起来相当威风。至于这上面提到的诸位神魔到底是谁,别问我,我也不知道。鉴于该行当风险很大,且从业者很多,要是运气不好,刚入行,把外号取好就被干掉,也很正常。而且许多外号由于过于响亮,使用率很高,经常是几个人共用一个外号,要搞清楚谁是谁,实在很难。[1664]
★、很多人并不知道,明朝末年的民间经济并没有萧条,比如东南沿海,经济实在太好,开生意做买卖,相当红火,大家齐心协力,正在搞资本主义萌芽,萧什么条?[1665]
★、说这么多,只是想说,这并不是童话,也不是神话,而是真话。[1665]
★、简单地说,没钱的意思,就是没有白银,没有白银,无论你有多少经济计划,有多少财政报表,都是胡扯淡。[1666]
★、更重要的是,明朝的商品经济实在太过发达,经济越发达,需要的白银就越多,可是白银就那么多,所以到最后,白银就不够用了。这种现象,在经济学上有一个通称——通货紧缩。[1666]
★、生活艰苦,饭都没处吃,自然没条件读书。没条件读书,自然考不上功名,考不上功名,自然没官做。没官做,也得找事做。而西北一带人,最主要的工作,就是当兵。[1666]
★、所有的一切,都是偶然。偶然的灾荒,偶然裁掉驿站,偶然的地点。如果其中任意一个偶然没有发生,也许就不会有最后的灭亡。可惜,全都偶然了。[1667]
★、我曾经百思不得其解,因此我认定,在这些偶然的背后,隐藏着一个必然,一个真正的,决定性的原因。就是这个原因,导致了明朝的灭亡。我想了很久,终于想出了这个最终的原因,四个字——气数已尽。[1667]
★、这个世界上的一切,大致都是有期限的。一个人能红两年,很可能是偶然的,能红十年,就是有道行的,能红二十年,那是刘德华。公司也一样,能开两年,很正常,能开二十年,不太正常,能开两百年的,自己去数。封建王朝跟公司差不多,只开个几年就卷铺盖的,也不少。最多也不过三百年,明朝开了二百多年,够意思了。[1667]
★、反正是吹牛,不用动真格的,就瞎聊。这个说要打,那么说要杀,如此热闹,杨鹤终于忍不住了,他说,不能打,也不能杀。然后他提出了自己的理论——元气说。在他看来,造反的人,说到底,也还是老百姓。如果杀人太多,就是损伤元气,国家现在比较困难,应该培养元气,不能乱杀。[1668]
★、相比而言,崇祯的用心是比较善良的。他之所以喜欢杨鹤,是因为杨鹤提出了很好的理论——省钱的理论。不花钱,不杀人,不用军饷,不用调兵,就能平息叛乱,太省了。就算是忽悠人的,最多把杨鹤拉回来砍了,很省成本,如此生意,不做白不做。[1668]
★、没办法,毕竟打仗是个技术活。圣贤曾经说过,把武器交给没有受过训练的民众,让他们去打仗,就是让他们送死。没有训练,没有武器,没有兵法,没有指挥,就没有胜利。[1669]
★、没钱赈灾,老百姓吃苦,也没辙,没钱发饷,当兵的吃苦,就有辙了。兜里没钱,手里有刀,怎么办?凉拌,抢![1670]
★、事实证明,农民军之所以造反,并不是吃饱了撑的,只是因为吃不饱。现在既然朝廷肯原谅他们,给他们饭吃,自然愿意投降,毕竟造反这事,要经常出差,东跑西跑风险太大。〔1671〕
★、一时间,西北喜讯接连,朝廷奔走相告,杨鹤跟各民军领袖的关系也相当好,逢年过节,还互相送礼,致以节日的问候。局面大好,大好。有效期,半年。〔1671〕
★、杨鹤很委屈,他本来就不是武将。之所以跑来办这事,实在是被人弄来的,原来是吹吹牛而已,你偏认真。来了之后,都没闲着,天天忙活这事,钱花完了,人家又反了,我有什么办法?崇祯更委屈,原本看你吹得挺好,觉得你能办事,才把你派过去。这么信任你,你招降了人,我立马就给你十几万两银子,连老子的私房钱都拿出来了,你把钱花完了,这帮人又反了,十万两都打了水飘,你干什么吃的?〔1672〕
★、洪承畴很聪明,据说7岁就能背三字经,这是很了不起的。比如说我,27的时候,还只能背人之初,性本善。〔1673〕
★、在洪承畴人生中,有过无数次战役,有过无数个强大的对手,最重要的,是这一次。这个微不足道的胜利,让洪承畴明白,他是多么的强大,强大到可以力挽狂澜,可以改变无数人的命运。他要凭借着自己的努力,挽救这个末落的王朝,创造太平的盛世。〔1674〕
★、对于这件事情,我始终很疑惑,读圣贤书,就读出这么个觉。自古以来,杀人放火之类的事,从来没断过,但公认最无耻的事,就是“杀降”,人家都投降了,你还要干掉他,太过缺德。但更让我疑惑的是,这种缺德事,洪承畴同志非但干了,还经常干。〔1674〕
★、还没吃完,一群人冲进来,把王左桂剁了。我始终觉得,这事干得相当龌龊,就算动手,起码也得等人家吃完饭。〔1674〕
★、这是难能可贵的。一般说来,投降之后,也得履行个程序,吃个饭,洗个澡,找个地方定居,以上工作全部忙完,至少也得个把月。但张先生效率之高,速度之快,实在令人咂舌。[1675]
★、然而他没有动手,就在那里看着,静静地看着,看了会,就走了。因为他始终没有看到这支队伍的尾巴。这是一列长队,从前到后,长几十里。对这样的起义军,看看就行了,真要动手,就傻了。[1676]
★、王嘉胤什么来历,说法很多,靠谱的不多,但在当时那一拨人里,他是很牛的。之前我说过,在他手下,有个叫张献忠的小喽罗。顺便再说句,后来威震天下、被称为“闯王”的高迎祥(李自成是闯王2.0版本),都是他的人,给他打工。而且这人很难得,很有点组织才能,连个县都没占住,就开始搞政府机构。但最搞笑的是,他还大胆地搞了机构改革,突破常规,明朝有的,他有;明朝没有的,他也有,不但有六部都察院,还有宰相。[1677]
★、所谓合作,就是客气客气。就官职而言,洪承畴是总督,曹文诏是总兵,洪承畴是进士,曹文诏是老粗。基本上,洪承畴怎么说,曹文诏就怎么做,相当听话。几年后的那场悲剧,即源自于此。[1678]
★、整个战役的过程,大致相当于一堂生动的骑兵训练课。刚开打,还没缓过劲,曹文诏就率军冲入了敌军,乱砍乱杀,大砍大杀,基本上是怎么砍怎么有。砍完了,退回来,歇会,歇完了,再冲进去,接着砍。所谓如入无人之境,大致就是这个状态。[1679]
★、配角死光了,但龙套并没死,因为活不下去的人,终究还是活不下去,头头死了,就另找活路。秉持这个原则,王左桂、王嘉胤、神一魁的残部,以及所有无法活下去的人,为了生存,继续战斗。[1680]
★、会议的内容,是检讨教训,互相学习,互相促进,顺便再选领导。其实也不用选,一般这种事,都是论资排辈。经过群众推举,王自用以资历最多,工龄最长,顺利当选新任头头。[1681]
★、就外号水平而言,跟水浒传还没在一个档次上,梁山好汉们的文化程度,估计是够格的,什么急先锋、拼命三郎、花和尚,都是现代的流行用语,相比而言,扫地王之类的外号,实在让人不知所谓。而且就人数而言,也差点,水浒好汉们,总共是一百单八个,这次只有三十六个,也就够个天罡。[1681]
★、此人之所以上场,是被崇祯临时硬塞进来。一般说来,但凡在历史舞台上混的,除个别猛人外(如朱元璋),艺术生涯都比较短,混个几年就得下场。[1682]
★、当时的左良玉,实在没啥特点,谁都瞧不上,但这个人算是例外。看见左良玉后,惊为天人,说他很好,将来很强大,就说了几句话,建议朝廷给他提了个游击。[1683]
★、不过不要紧,就算名将,也有发挥失常的时候,何况还有个不会发挥失常的名将。[1683]
★、由于世代养马,所以李自成对马,是比较有心得的,他后来习惯于用骑兵作战,乃至于能在山海关跟吴三桂的关宁铁骑打出个平手,估计都是拜此所赐。[1698]
★、刘懋认为,驿站纰漏太多,浪费朝廷资源,李自成认为,去你娘的。你横竖有饭吃,没事干了,来砸我的饭碗。[1698]
★、虽说李自成也曾经投降过,比如被王朴包围,被陈奇瑜包围等等,但大体而言,他是没怎么投降的。这说明,李自成不是痞子,他是有骨气的。相比而言,张献忠的表现实在不好。他投降的次数实在太多,投降的时机实在太巧,每次都是打不过,或是眼看打不过了,就投降,等缓过一口气,立马就翻脸不认人,接着干,很有点兵油子的感觉。[1699]
★、历史告诉我们,痞子就算混一辈子,也还是痞子,滑头,最后只能滑自己。长得帅,不能当饭吃。成大器者的唯一要诀,是能吃亏。吃亏就是占便宜,原先我不信,后来我信,相当靠谱。[1699]
★、但凤阳虽然穷,还特喜欢摆谱,毕竟老朱家的坟就在这,逢年过节,还喜欢搞个花灯游行,反正是自己关起门来乐,警卫都没多少。这样的地方,真是不打白不打。而且进攻这里,可以吸引朝廷注意,扩大起义军的影响。[1700]
★、所以会议时间很长,讨论来讨论去,大家都想去打凤阳,最后,他们终于在艰苦的斗争中成长起来,领悟了政治的真谛,想出了一个只有绝顶政治家,才能想出的绝招——抓阄。抓到谁就是谁,谁也别争,谁也别抢,自己服气,大家服气。[1700]
★、但这个结果,是有点问题的,因为我查了一下,抓到去凤阳的,恰好是张献忠、高迎祥、李自成。没话说了。但凡是没办法了,才抓阄,但有的时候,抓阄都没办法。真没办法。[1700]
★、在洪承畴眼里,所谓民军,都是群没脑子的白痴,但一位哲人告诉我们,老把别人当白痴的人,自己才是白痴。[1700]
★、虽说朱五一(希望还记得这名字)同志也是穷苦出身,但张献忠明显缺乏同情心,不但烧了他的坟,还把朱元璋同志的故居(皇觉寺)也给烧了。此外,张献忠还很有品牌意识,就在朱元璋的祖坟上,树了个旗帜,大书六个大字:“古元真龙皇帝”[1701]
★、从古至今,在骂人的话里,总有这么一句:掘你家祖坟。但一般来讲,若然不想玩命,真去挖人祖坟的,也没多少。而皇帝的祖坟,更有点讲究,通俗说法叫做龙脉,一旦被人挖断,不但死人受累,活人也受罪,是重点保护对象。[1701]
★、在中国以往的朝代里,除前朝被人断子绝孙外,接班的也不怎么挖人祖坟,毕竟太缺德。真被人刨了祖坟的,也不是没有,比如民国的孙殿英,当然他是个人行为,图个发财,而且当时清朝也亡了,龙脉还有没有,似乎也难说。朝代还在,祖坟就被人刨了的,只有明朝。[1701]
★、皇帝也是人,是人就会犯错误,如皇帝犯错误,实在没法交代,就得做检讨。这篇检讨,在历史上的专用名词,叫做“罪己诏”。[1701]
★、根据惯例,但凡出了事,总要有人负责,县里出事,知县负责,府里出事,知府负责,省里出事,巡抚负责。现在皇帝的祖坟出了事,谁负责?只有皇帝负责。[1701]
★、崇祯如此大度,并非他脾气好,但凡是个人,刨了他的祖坟,都能跟你玩命,更何况是皇帝。但没办法,毕竟手下就这些人,要把洪承畴、左良玉都干掉了,谁来干活?[1702]
★、但上山的次数多了,终究会遇到老虎的。[1702]
★、但自古以来,人多打人少,不是没有道理的。跑了几百里后,终于醒过来了,三千人而已,跑得这么快,这么远,至于吗?[1702]
★、崇祯四年起,曹文诏跟民军打过无数仗,从来没输过,胆子特大,冲得特猛,一猛子就扎了进去。进去了就再没出来。[1702]
★、三万个死拼的人,对一千个激动的人,用现在的编制换算,基本相当于一个人打一个排,能完成这个任务的,估计只有兰博。[1702]
★、曹文诏就这样死了,直到生命的最后一刻,他依然很勇敢。无论如何,一个勇敢的人,都是值得敬佩的。[1703]
★、鉴于生活条件优越,所以读书人多,文人多,诗人也多,钱谦益就是其中的优秀代表。但除此外,这里也产猛人——卢象升。所谓猛人,是不恰当的,事实上,他是猛人中的猛人。[1704]
★、到崇祯二年,卢象升已经是五品正厅级干部了,就提拔速度而言,相当于直升飞机,而且卢知府人品确实很好,从来没有黑钱收入,群众反应很好。总之,卢知府的前途是很光明的,生活是很平静的,日子是很惬意的,直到崇祯二年。[1704]
★、明末的官员,是比较有特点的,最大的特点,就是推卸责任,能不承担的,绝不承担,能承担的,也不承担,算是彻头彻尾的王八蛋。[1705]
★、朝廷的特点,一向是能用就使劲用,既然卢知府这么积极,干脆就让他改了行。[1705]
★、比如关宁铁骑,虽然战斗力强,但都是骑兵,冲来冲去,死活好歹都是一下子,但天雄军就不同了,比膏药还讨厌,贴上就不掉,极其顽固,只要碰上了,就打到底,不脱层皮没法跑。[1705]
★、和曾国藩的湘军一样,卢象升的天雄军,大都是有关系的,同乡、同学、兄弟、父子,反正大家都是熟人,随便死个人,能愤怒一堆人,很有战斗力。但这种关系队伍,还有个问题,那就是冲锋的时候,一个人冲,就会有很多人跟着冲,但逃跑的时候,有一个人跑,大家也会一起跑。[1706]
★、之前我说过,卢象升长得很白,但我忘了说,他的手很黑。[1706]
★、在所有的头领中,高迎祥是个奇特的人,他的奇特之处,就是他一点也不奇特。[1707]
★、但凡古代干这行的,基本是两种人,吃不上饭的,和混不下去的。文化修养,大都谈不上,所以做事一般都不守规矩,想怎么来就怎么来,军队也是一样,今天是这帮人,没准明天就换人了,指望他们严守纪律,按时出操,没谱。但高迎祥是个特例,他没什么个性,平时不苟言笑,打赢了那样,打输了还那样。[1707]
★、其实这事跟张献忠本没有关系,只是高迎祥让他过来帮忙,顺道挣点外快,可惜不巧的是,碰上了硬通货。[1709]
★、张献忠出离愤怒了,而这一次,他做出了违反常规的决定,比较有种,回头跟祖宽决战。是的,上面这句话是不靠谱的,张献忠先生从来不会违反常规,他之所以回头跟祖宽决战,因为在逃跑的路上,遇上了两个人——李自成、高迎祥。[1709]
★、其实张先生这一招,用在大多数官军身上,是很有效果的,对关宁军,是无效的。这帮人在辽东,主要且唯一的工作,就是打仗,见惯大场面,所谓伏兵,无非是出来的地方偏点,时间突然点,队伍分成两截,照打,有啥区别?[1710]
★、其实很多时候,群众是好说话的,因为他们所需要的并非粮食,而是公平。[1710]
★、步兵倒还好说,家属就麻烦了,这拨人没有作战能力,又大多属于多事型,就爱瞎咋呼,看到城西战败,便不遗余力地四处奔走,大声疾呼,什么敌人很多,即将完蛋之类。而最终的结果,就是真的完蛋了。[1711]
★、十一月过去了,接下来的一个月,是很平静的,卢象升没有动,高迎祥也没有动,原因非常简单——过年。无论造反也好,镇压也罢,都是工作,工作就是工作,遇到法定假日,该休息还是得休息。[1712]
★、高迎祥同志估计是读过朱重八创业史的,所以连进攻路线,都几乎一模一样,可惜他不知道,真正的成功者,是无法复制的。[1712]
★、至此可以断定,他应该读过朱重八传记,因为几百年前,朱元璋就是从和州出发,攻占滁州,然后从滁州出发,攻下了南京。[1712]
★、高闯王终于爬上了人生山峰的顶点。他决定,进攻滁州,继续向前迈步。山峰的顶点,再迈一步,就是悬崖。[1712]
★、在讲述这场战役之前,有必要介绍一下滁州的地形,在滁州城东,有一条很宽的河流,水流十分汹涌。我再重复一遍,河流很宽,水流很汹涌。[1713]
★、红楼梦里的同志们曾告诉我们这样一句话:大有大的难处。[1713]
★、人多,嘴杂,外加刚打败仗,通讯不畅,也没有高音喇叭喊话,乱军之中,谁也摸不清怎么回事,所以高闯王折腾了半天,也没能集中自己的部队。[1713]
★、这是很正确的,因为根据以往经验,官军都是拿工资的,而拿工资的人,有一个最大的特点——拿多少钱,干多少事。无论是洪承畴,还是左良玉,只要把闹事的赶出自己管辖范围就算数了,没人较真。所谓跟踪追击这类活动,应该属于加班行为,但朝廷历来没有发加班费的习惯,所以向来是不怎么追的,追个几里,意思到了,也就撤了。[1713]
★、我说过,卢象升是一个好人,一个负责任的官员。这一点反映在战斗上,就是认死理,凡是都往死了办。按照这个处事原则,他追了很远——五十里。[1714]
★、摆脱了追击的高迎祥很高兴,现在的局势并不算坏,三年前,他被打得只剩下几千人,逃到湖广郧阳,避避风头,二十天后出山,又是一条好汉,何况手上有几十万人乎?[1714]
★、高迎祥的想法,是非常高明的,学习朱重八同志,突袭南直隶,威胁南京,但遗憾的是,他忽略了一个重要的问题——他没有在这里混过。没有混过的意思,就是人头不熟,地方不熟,什么都不熟。[1714]
★、十几万士兵、下属打得干干净净,兵器、家当丢得一干二净,高迎祥同志这么多年,折腾一圈,从穷光蛋,又变成了穷光蛋,基本算是白奋斗了,应该说,他很倒霉。[1715]
★、这个世界上,还有什么事情,比变成光杆司令更倒霉呢?有的,比如,变成光棍司令。[1715]
★、按史料的说法,这位老婆基本不算家庭妇女,估计也不是抢来的,相当之强悍,打仗杀人毫无含糊,更难得的是,她还很有智谋,帮李自成管账,据说私房钱都管。[1715]
★、铁哥们,也是会生锈的。[1715]
★、这个想法是比较幼稚的,贺人龙同志说到底是吃皇粮的,有稳定的工作,要他跟着李自成同志四处乱跑,基本等于胡扯,所以信送过去后,毫无回音,说拿去擦屁股也有可能。[1716]
★、在这个世界上,很多事,说是事,就是事,说不是,就不是。[1716]
★、无论是铁哥们,还是钛哥们,在利益面前,都是一脚蹬。[1716]
★、到底是谁勾搭谁,什么时候勾搭上的,基本算是无从考证,但史料上说,是因为高杰长得很帅,而邢氏是管账的,高杰经常跑去报销,加上邢氏的立场又不太坚定,一来二去,就勾搭上了。[1716]
★、关于这件事情的严重性,高杰同志是有体会的,在回顾了和李自成十几年的交情、几年的战斗友谊,以及偷人老婆的内疚后,他决定,投奔官军。[1716]
★、很久以前,我以为所谓战争,大都是你死我活,上了战场,管你七大姑八大姨,都往死里打,特别是明末,但凡开打,就当不共戴天,不共戴地,不共戴地球,打死了算。后研读历史多年,方才知道,以上皆为忽悠是也。[1717]
★、比如一支官军跟民军相遇,先不动手,喊话,喊来喊去,就开始聊天,聊得差不多,民军就开始丢东西,比如牲口,粮食等等,然后就退,等退得差不多了,官军就上前,捡东西,捡得差不多,就回家睡觉,然后打个报告给朝廷,说歼敌多少多少,请求赏赐云云。应该肯定的是,在当时,有这种行为的官军,是占绝大多数,认认真真打仗的,只占极少数,所谓“抛生口,弃辎重,即纵之去”。[1717]
★、现象也好理解,当时闹事的,大都是西北一带人,而当兵的,也大都是关中人。双方语言相通,说起来都是老乡,反正给政府干活,政府也不发工资(欠饷),即使发了工资,都没必要玩命,这么打仗,非但能领工资,还能捞点外快,最后回去了还能领赏,非常有利于创收。在史料中,这种战斗方式有个专用名词:打活仗。[1717]
★、我此前曾以为,如此尽忠职守,是因为他们很有职业道德,后来看的书多了才明白,这是个误会。套用史料上的话,是“边军无通言语,逢贼即杀”,意思是,辽东军听不懂西北方言,喊话也听不懂,所以见了就砍。所以我一直认为,多学点语言,是会用得着的。[1718]
★、在众多的民军中,高迎祥的部队,算是战斗力最强的,手下骑兵,每人两匹马,身穿重甲,也算是山寨版的关宁铁骑。虽说战斗力还是差点,但山寨版有山寨版的优势,比如……钻山沟。[1718]
★、这一举动表明,皇太极同志正式单飞,另立分店,准备单干。通常来讲,新店开张,隔壁左右都要送点花圈花篮之类的贺礼,很明显,明朝没有这个打算,也没这个预算。不要紧,不送,就自己去抢。[1718]
★、我认为,阿济格是个很能吃苦的人,具体表现为不怕跑路,不怕麻烦,到了北京城下,没敢进去,就开始围着北京跑圈,从顺义跑到了怀柔(今北京怀柔区),又从怀柔跑到了密云(今北京密云区),据说还去了趟西山(今北京西山),圆满完成了画圈任务。[1719]
★、鉴于明朝主力无法赶到,只能坚壁清野,所以阿济格在北京呆了很长时间,而且,他还是个很有点幽默感的人,据说他抢完走人时,还立了块牌子,上写四个字——各官免送![1719]
★、我始终认为,王朝也好,帝国也罢,说穿了,就是个银行,这边收钱,那边付钱,总而言之,拆东墙,补西墙。不补不行,几百年里,跑来拆墙的人实在太多,国家治不好,老百姓闹事,国防搞不好,强盗来闹事,折腾了这边,再去折腾那边,边拆边补,边补边拆。但国家也好,银行也罢,都怕一件事——银行术语,叫做挤兑,政治术语,叫内忧外患,街头大妈术语,叫东墙西墙一起拆。[1719]
★、王家桢,直隶人,时任兵部侍郎,此人口才极佳,善读兵法,出谋划策,滔滔不绝。行了,直说吧,这是个废柴。[1720]
★、连家丁都兵变,实在难能可贵,连崇祯同志都哭笑不得,直接把他赶回家卖红薯。[1720]
★、在历代史料里,每到某王朝即将歇业的时候,经常看到这样一句话,XX死而X亡矣。前面的XX,一般是指某猛人的名字,后面的X,是朝代的名字,这句话的意思是,某猛人,是某王朝最后的希望,某猛人死了,某王朝也就消停了。[1720]
★、六部之中,吏部最大,而按照惯例,吏部尚书,一般都是从吏部郎中里挑选的。孙传庭万历二十一年(1593)出生,照这个算法,他当郎中的时候,还不到三十岁,年轻就是资本,照这个状态,就算从此不干,光是熬,都能熬到尚书。[1721]
★、然而没过两年,孙传庭退休了,提前三十年退休。他丢弃了所有的前途和官位,毅然回到了家乡,因为他看不顺眼一个人——魏忠贤。看不顺眼的人,很多,愿意辞官的,不多。[1721]
★、朝廷很够意思,这人没打招呼就跑了,也没点组织原则,十年之后又跑回来,依然让他官复原职,考虑到他原先老干人事工作,就让他回了吏部,接着搞人事考核。对他而言,这份工作的意思,大致就是混吃等死,但他没有提出异议,平静地接受,然后,平静地等待。[1721]
★、巡抚这个职务,是个肥缺,平时想上任是要走后门的,但陕西巡抚,算是把脑袋别在裤腰带上混饭吃的,没准哪天就被张某某、高某某剁了,躲都没处躲,孙传庭就此光荣上任,因为主动申请的人,只有他一个。[1721]
★、按崇祯的说法,国家比较困难,经费比较紧张,也就这么多了,你揣着走吧,省着点用。[1722]
★、自古以来,要人办事,就得给钱,如果没钱,也行,给政策。[1722]
★、但凡这种情况,若想咸鱼翻身,大都要经过卧薪尝胆、励精图治、艰苦奋斗、奋发图强等过程,至少也得个两三年,才闪亮登场,大破敌军。[1722]
★、孙传庭上任的准确时间,是崇祯九年(1636)三月,他全歼高迎祥的时间,是崇祯九年(1636)七月。从开始,到结束,从一无所有,到所向披靡,我说过,四个月。他到底是怎么完成的,到今天,也没想明白。[1722]
★、自古以来,从下至上,要想进入陕西,必先经过汉中,所以当年刘备占据四川,要攻击曹操的长安,必占据汉中,此后诸葛亮六次北伐,都经过汉中出祁山作战。[1722]
★、榆林,是个非常奇特的地方,据说每次打仗的时候,压根不用动员,只要喊两嗓子,无论男女老幼,抄起家伙就上,而且说砍就砍,绝无废话。[1723]
★、榆林,明朝九边之一,自打朱元璋时起,就不怎么种地,传统职业就是当兵。平时街坊四邻聊天,说的也不是今年种了多少地,收了多少粮食,大都是打了哪些地方,砍了多少人头(按人头收费)。几百年下来,形成独特个性,具体表现为,进攻时,就算只有一个,都敢冲锋,撤退时,就算只剩一个,都不投降。[1723]
★、而且这里的人跟民军相当有缘分。听说民军来了,就算只是路过,都极其兴奋,冲出去就打,男女老幼齐上阵,估计是当兵的人多,什么张大叔李大伯,上次就死在民军手里,喊一嗓子,能动员一群亲戚,后来李自成攻打榆林,全城百姓包括大妈大爷在内,都没一个投降,就凭这个县,足足跟李自成死磕了八天,实在太过强悍。[1723]
★、在小路里打仗,就好比在胡同里打架,就算拿着青龙偃月刀,都没有板砖好使,而且道路太窄,没法跑开,所以他每次冲出去,没过多久,又被围住。[1724]
★、科学点的说法,是运气不好,迷信点的说法,这就是命。[1725]
★、高迎祥被杀了,对崇祯而言,是利好消息,而对某些头领而言,似乎也不利空。[1725]
★、按说坏事都到头了,可是事实告诉我们,所谓流年,是一流到底,绝不半流而废。[1725]
★、更要命的是,崇祯老板撒气的途径,是追究责任,具体地说,是杀人,比如七年前,皇太极打到京城,兵部尚书王洽就被干掉了,按照这个传统,他是跑不掉的。[1725]
★、四正,包括湖广、河南、陕西、凤阳,六隅,是指山东、山西、应天、江西、四川、延绥。简单地说,这个优秀计划的大致内容,是一部垃圾电影的名字——十面埋伏。[1727]
★、但考证完崇祯年间的朝政,我认为,这句话比较正确。确切地说,给崇祯打工的这帮大臣,除部分人外,大多数可以分为两种,一种叫混蛋,一种叫混帐。[1727]
★、这个世界上,有两种人最痛苦,第一种是身居高位者,第二种是身居底层者,第一种人很少,第二种人很多。第一种人叫崇祯,第二种人叫百姓。[1727]
★、而最幸福的,就是中间那拨人,主要工作,叫做欺上瞒下,具体特点是,除了好事,什么都办,除了脸,什么都要。[1728]
★、结合该案,综合明代史料,崇祯时期的官员,比较符合如下规律:脸皮的厚度,跟级别职务,大致成反比例增长。这是比较合理的,位高权重的,几十年下来,有身份,也要面子,具体办事的就不同了,树不要皮,必死无疑,人不要脸,天下无敌,好欺负的,就往死了欺负,能捞钱的,就往死了捞,啥名节、脸面,都顾不上,捞点实惠才是最实在的,正如马克思所说,资本的积累,那是血淋淋的。[1728]
★、而且这拨人,还有个特点,什么青史留名、国家社稷,那都太遥远了,跟他们讲道理,促膝谈心都是没用的,用今天的话说,就是吃硬不吃软。教育没有用的,骂也没有用,往脸上吐唾沫都没用,相对而言,比较合适的方式是,把唾沫吐到眼里,再说上一句:孙子,我能治你![1728]
★、温体仁这个人,历史上的评价不高:奸臣,彻头彻尾的奸臣。我之前说过,温体仁是个很有能力的人,精明强干,博闻强记,善于处理政务。所以综合起来,温体仁先生的最终评价应该是,一个很有能力、精明强干、博闻强记、善于处理政务的彻头彻尾的奸臣。[1728]
★、其实这些倒无所谓,在道上混的,整个把人,搞点阴谋,也没什么,这种事,当年张居正也没少办,之所以是奸臣,是因为他不办事。[1730]
★、明明很阴险,很狡猾,很恶心人,还动不动就说我很耿直,我很愚蠢,很能促进食欲。能人,兼职奸人,最奸的能人,是奸人,最能的奸人,还是奸人。[1730]
★、俗语有云,占着茅坑,不拉屎。客观地说,在内阁大臣的位置上,温体仁的行为并不符合这句话,确切地说,他占着茅坑,只拉屎。外敌入侵,内乱不止,诚此危急存亡之秋,温体仁同志孜孜不倦,为了自己而奋斗,整人、挖坑,忙得不亦乐乎,如果让他继续折腾,大明可以提前关门。[1730]
★、诗的主要意思,基本比较雷同,什么我很后悔,我要归隐,我白活了,我没意思,反正一句话,我这一辈子,是走了黑道。[1731]
★、这个世上,但凡有人的地方,就有斗争,但凡斗争,就有谱,包括政治斗争。一般说来,把对手弄到偏远山区,回家养老,也就够本了,没必要赶尽杀绝,但这事,也因人而异,比如温体仁,就是个没谱的人。[1731]
★、他很清楚,说话人再多都没用,说了能算的只有崇祯,而崇祯最讨厌的事情,就是拉帮结派,帮忙的人越多,就越坏事。都八年了,钱大人还没明白这个道理,实在毫无长进。[1731]
★、有句俗语:万事留一线,将来好见面。这句俗语,用比较通俗的话说,就是没必要逼人太甚。[1732]
★、曹化淳,是知名人士,我依稀记得,在金庸的小说《碧血剑》里,他是个死跑龙套的,且跑过好几回。[1733]
★、每次但凡要整人时,温体仁就会请假,回家呆着,这意思是在我请假期间,发生的任何事情,我既不知道,也不在场,事完了,拍拍屁股再去上班。[1734]
★、可做可不做的好事,最好做,可做可不做的坏事,最好不做。可惜,温体仁同志没有这个觉悟。[1734]
★、崇祯是不喜欢门派的,作为武林盟主,任何门派他都不喜欢,像温体仁这种人见狗嫌的家伙,虽然讨厌,但用着放心。然而这件事清楚地告诉他,温体仁同志也有门派,虽然门派比较小,但再小都是门派。[1734]
Happy Songs (高兴)
田原:电影《高兴》(Gao Xing, 2009)歌曲二首
女:确定一定以及肯定 把我抱在你怀里 紧紧的相偎依 然后大声说出 合:我爱你 男:为什么呢?我捡破烂的 为什么呢?我臭烘烘的 为什么呢?难道你可怜我? 女:为什么呢?我是按摩小姐 为什么呢?你却不嫌弃我 为什么呢?是锅巴惹的祸…… 男:别看我现在很落寞 小时候妈妈很疼我 经常带我去县城 去百货 去各种公共场合 人见人爱的我 吸引了不少的游客 他们边看边问妈妈说 大姐,你们家猴儿哪儿买的? 女:确定 一定 以及 肯定 男:为什么呢?我捡破烂的。为什么呢?我臭烘烘的 女:我已经爱上你 (男:为什么呢? ) 女:永远不分离 (男:难道你可怜我) 女:你是我的唯一 合:为什么呢 女:我是按摩小姐 (男:你是按摩小姐) 合:为什么呢? 女;你会欣赏我 (男:你会爱上我 ) 合:为什么呢 女:是锅巴惹的祸…… 男:大声说出 女:…爱………… (男:你爱我…… ) 男:为什么呢? 女:为什么呢? | 洗浴中心 作 词/作 曲:肖飞、秦天 我们是天你们是地 没有我们就没有你 你来这里放松身体 放松神经别太着急 胃口不好头晕肾虚 心脏不好你要调理 别想太多 来个深呼吸 快乐安然 要从现在起 女:你们应该放松 精神 男:我们只是想放松精神 我们只是想忘记自己 女:千万不要忘记 自己 男:我们只是想身体健康 女:只要身体就 好 好 男:所以我们才来到这里 早睡早起锻炼身体 少荤多素要有规律 学会放松善待自己 事业第二身体第一 快乐就是不愁不急 腰酸背疼按摩脚底 快乐开心是硬道理 松骨推油不弃不离 ………… 附:其他歌曲和视频在此下载。 |
Chinese to English (年少闯西洋)
★、房东问我:Did you eat anything yet? (你吃饭了吗?)我说:No.(没吃)。她听后重复一遍:So you didn’t eat anything.(所以你还没吃饭)我说:Yes.(是的——中文本意是肯定房东的话,英语听起来却是“吃了”)。房东老太太犹豫了下,又问:Did you eat?(你到底吃了没)我说:No.(没有)她接着说:So you didn’t eat?(所以你没吃?)我说:Yes.(是的)……估计她当时要崩溃了……
★、刚上班不久,有个公司的A/R打电话来催支票,我循例问了一下他是哪间公司打来的,那男的很有礼貌的说:“This is Jack calling from Beach Brother.”(我是Beach Brother的Jack)……当时听懂了好开心。不过由于对公司名字还不熟,心想先用笔记下来公司名,省得等下忘记了。正得意忘形之间,顺嘴开始拼写人家公司的名字,还说得一本正经:“b.i.t.c.h......bitch, correct?(贱货,荡妇)”……那男的终于还是没能忍住怒火,近似于怒吼似的对我喊道:“NO!!! B.E.A.C.H......BEACH!!!!!!(海滩)”……接下来的一年里,再没跟这间公司有过任何生意往来……
★、第一次跟老外去打paintball,玩的是抢旗的那种。由于第一次玩,一直跟着个看起来很专业的队友跑,一路上躲着子弹跑到对方的base。我们人都挂了,对方就剩一个人在看老家。就听那老外跟我说了一大堆术语,我也没听懂。他看我没听懂就跟我说:It’s easy. Just cover me when I go out. 说完了就喊了一声:Cover me! 然后跑了出去,我也不懂他是让我掩护他,没等我想清楚他就跑了。我就顺手从一个箱子上扯下来一块帆布,丢他头上,把他盖住了。结果他就光荣牺牲了。当时大部分人都挂了,在旁边观战。所有人都笑趴了。
★、在温哥华乘skytrain的时候,一个白人女人说:I am sorry(对不起)……我直接说:You are welcome(不客气)……对方都呆了。
★、我刚来的时候邻居小孩看见我跟我说what’s up(最近怎样?)我疑惑的朝天上看了半天然后说了句“up?”……那孩子顿时无语。
★、老黑跟我说的是sup(what's up 的简称)……我没听懂……我也回:“sup”……瑟~~~
★、读语言学校的时候,一个哥们儿很爱讲,和老师聊天练习英语。口沫横飞了半天,那老师很生气的说:Don’t speak Chinese to me.
★、刚来时写信把 From/To写反了,邮了两天回到自己家……
★、刚来的时候看到很多大厦门口都有Smoke free(可以吸烟)……我由衷地感叹:加拿大就是好,抽烟都免费!
★、我一个朋友,想在家做饭。家里没有油,就去超市买了一瓶回来。开火,放油,然后锅里开始出现大量泡沫,接着烧了起来……回头一问房东,他买的是洗洁精……
★、讲一个我老公的笑话:去年过情人节,我让他买点牛排回来。出门前怕他忘记了,就给写了一张纸条。吃饭的时候他说他去LOBLAW买牛排的时候,给店员说来两块T-BACK牛排,店员愣住,他以为店员没有听清楚,又重复了一遍,T-BACK STEAK PLEASE!店员这次听到了,顿时石化!我老公见店员愣在那里,连忙把我写的纸条递过去,那小伙子一看,上书:T-BONE STEAK!这回轮到我老公石化,尴尬不已了!
★、一个好朋友刚来加拿大,有一天口渴了想喝可乐。她到便利店很大声的说“Excuse me, do you have coke?”……可是我朋友刚出国,英文尚有很重的口音,好端端的COKE让她说出来就变成了“Excuse me, do you have cock?”店主听得一惊一乍的,连连说:WHAT??? WHAT?!!最后店主终于弄明白她想要喝可乐,钱货两清之后,见我朋友多半是初来乍到,还很好心的给我朋友说以后去买可乐不能再问别人有没有COCK了,那样很让人误会!本来我朋友完全不知道发生了什么事,可是听了店主解释以后恨不得立刻找个地缝钻进去!以后很长一段时间都不喝可乐了!
★、一次跟一个兄弟去吃饭,那大哥吃饱以后指著满桌剩下的碟子一边划圈一边问服务生How much, all this, how much? 服务生五官扭曲的看著他……我最后实在忍不住了,告服务生说他想买单,结果服务生走以后他还不爽,说人服务生就快明白了我打什么岔……
★、还有一次是去McDonald,问朋友“圣代”的英文怎么说。他就说是音译sundae。我茅塞顿开,恍然大悟,十分自信的说了一句……那“奶昔”是不是叫“Nancy”????朋友当场喷可乐……
★、第一次打电话叫TAXI。对方问where you from.....我回答CHINA,还在奇怪叫taxi还分国籍?对方可能以为我在搞笑,很郁闷的说:Sorry, we cannot do that.(抱歉我们去不了)……我一听,火大。怎么有种族歧视啊?就问:Why?对方楞了半天,挂了……
★、我朋友的事,有一回,她去买pizza,人家问她选配料。她想要mushroom(蘑菇),结果她说Mash Maro(流氓兔)。人家疯了~~
★、刚到US的朋友,到了纽约,想去看自由女神,但是不知道路。于是乎在路边抓了一个白佬:Hi, do you know where is the free woman?(你知道哪里可以找到不要钱的女人)白老愣了半天,支支吾吾:I...... don’t know......Tell me when you know it.(我不知道,你要是知道也告诉我一下)
★、小学在国内刚学英语的时候,有一天老师问大家土豆用英语怎么说?全体同学很整齐的回答:“today”。
★、小时候不清楚Family跟Husband的分别。上学没多久,老师问我:“衣服很好看,谁买的?”我居然弱弱的答:“My Husband”。
★、有一天去KFC,要土豆泥,不会说,就在那里跟cashier苦喊potato sauce。她以为我SB呢,然后,给我了7,8袋ketchup。……被鄙视了~~~~~
★、在加拿大帮老外拔火罐,但是罐很容易掉,我的英语不好,我解释说:You have too much fur。他听了之后大笑:It is hair, not fur, fur is for animal。我也大笑了起来。
★、有一天看见我住的HOUSE门前插了个有人像的照片拍子,以为房东要卖房,照片上的人是房产经纪。第二天日,突然发现,周围一片都被插上同样的牌子,心想这个经纪厉害。出去转了一天感觉不对,所到之处都是他在卖房,太NB了,还没见过一夜之间全城的房子都给一个经纪垄断了……研究一下才知道,妈的,选举广告……
★、我朋友刚来的时候不认识什么人,所以在班上试图交朋友。一日,觉得一白人哥们人挺好,想要人家电话号码,日后做朋友。于是问:HOW MANY IS YOU PHONE NUMBER? (你电话号码多少位数字?)白人说:TEN.(加拿大号码是十位的)……
★、有个人来还钱,去银行说从他某处直接转账过来:“Put my card money to her card (把我卡里的钱放在她的卡里,中式英语)”……然后看到那个bank的职员,整个五官扭成一团……
★、刚来的时候,去BURGER KING去吃饭,点完汉堡,人家问我要酱不,我说要,人家问,哪种?我忘了番茄酱咋说了,想了半天,想出了个JAM,人家还听不懂,最后一赌气说,IT’S UP TO YOU(你说了算)。
★、刚来去ESL,跟老师请假后去JOB FAIR。回来老师在班上问如何?我想说太多老外,答成:TOO MANY FORIENGERS!(太多老外了)老师说:You Are The Forienger In CANADA.(在加拿大你是老外)
★、刚来加拿大的时候去酒吧玩……而且还带了一个美美去的,她在国外呆了很一段时间。我看她很吊的样子,于是我就装的很帅,走过去打算请她喝酒,于是我问她,喝什么酒,她说:sex ON THE beach……但是当时很吵,我也压根不知道酒吧里都啥酒名,听成 son of bitch...当时我也愣了下。可是吧台很性感的bar tender(酒保)已经在等我叫酒,我回头大声地喊:Can I have a son of bitch(来一杯狗娘养的)……接下来……我不想再回忆了……
★、有一次听到同学在打电话投诉Rogers乱收费,打的是英文客服,结果越骂越激动,最后来了一句I am very HUNGRY now! 那老大原本是想说I am very angry now……客服啥反应我是不知道了,那老大讲完自己就石化了,我已经倒地上……
★、在home stay住。想洗澡,跟房东说了后,房东说:Go ahead。我当时寻思:去个头的意思,是能去还是不能去啊?
★、有次买车票,工作人员问我one way? 我回答:No, two way。他又问了我几遍我的答案还是一样的……结果那人很郁闷地看着我~~~后来才反应过来自己还在中文的思维中~~~我把他的意思解释为One way==一位?我们是两个人,所以two way==两位。
★、第一次去唐人街吃粥,当时服务员都讲广东话。我叫了个果子(油条)和一碗粥。不久服务员就端了杯桔子汁,我以为送的,什么都没说,粥都喝完了,油条还没来。准备结帐时和服务员抱怨没吃到果子。服务员说:你的“果汁”不是喝了么?
★、想起还有一个朋友在语言学校时的东北一小哥的笑话,不过那男孩是好心。那天那小哥下课快到家了,结果看到两辆车撞了,他就出于好心报警了,“Hi, My name is XYZ, a car ed a car, I see red water, plz cal Wuliwuli come ......” 解释一下,a car ed a car 就是car crash(撞车), red water他是想说blood(血), wuliwuli是ambulance(救护车)。因为ambulance的声音听起来是这样子的……其实他是想说:there’s a car crash here, someone injured. Plz call ambulance come over......最搞得是,police竟然听明白了,警车和ambulance马上就到了……牛啊!!!
★、我的一个朋友说,当时他一个不懂英文的朋友刚来多伦多,自己一个人出去了,迷路了然后打电话给他,他说没关系你把你现在的地方路名拼给我听,他朋友一个字母一个字母地拼出来了“S--T--O--P" (车站)。我那朋友当场就乐傻啦!
★、刚来上发现老外都喜欢用铅笔,所以去book store跟风买铅笔和橡皮。找不到橡皮就问Do you have ruber? 人家笑笑说让我去phamacy(药店)买。郁闷……为什么去药店买橡皮,去了药店问do you have ruber? 人家笑笑拿给我一盒避孕套。我倒~~!!原来加拿大管橡皮叫eraser.
★、刚来的时候,经常说you too....结果我生日那天,我的home-stay mom买了个生日蛋糕给我,还跟我说happy birthday......结果我很快的就来了句:you too.(你也是)
★、还有刚来加拿大的时候去买快餐,英文很烂的我就说:I want combo one,(大号的)后来那个人又说了一大堆英文问我要洋葱cheese(奶酪)么之类的?我听不懂就一个劲说:i want combo one。后来我看见那个人像中国人,我就直接问他Can you spell Chinese? (你能拼写中文吗?)然后那个人郁闷了好久我为啥问他能不能拼Chinese。后来才发现是speak不是spell............丢脸……
★、一同学第一次去吃McDonald。结果进去后一紧张,大声说了句:I want to this han baobao,边说边指。对方一时不知所措,我那同学又重复了N遍……
★、有个朋友来加拿大第一次去吃牛排,服务员问:How would you like your steak done? 我朋友没听懂,就听别人点的时候说medium,他就想“我不能跟他们学”。他就跟服务员说:Large please. 服务员一愣,说sorry we don’t have that. 然后他又说,Small please. 服务员又吓了一跳,说sorry we don’t have that. 他身边的朋友着急了,告诉他,人家问你牛排要几分熟。他随口就说80%。服务员又一愣说,sorry we don’t have that……
★、刚来没多久,BMO打电话给我介绍很多关于银行服务的东西,我一直答:“ok, ok, ok”,然后她一直说一直说,说了大概10~15分钟,似乎讲完的意思,我完全听不懂,然后说了一句:“Sorry, I don’t understand.”最后换她说了一句“OK”,然后就挂线了!
★、刚来加拿大的时候,去学校上课谁都不认识,然后中午自己吃饭。听同学说有家的咖啡很不错,然后就想去买。可是走错地方了,跑去了一个法国餐厅。就坐下来点了个最便宜的。吃完饭,不知道咋埋单。然后看到隔壁桌有个男的说:bill。就听到bill这个词了,然后就把服务生叫过来说:I am finished,bill bill~~~然后还顺势用手做手枪的手势给那女的看。这回人家可吓坏了……然后叫了俩男的过来,把我朋友也吓坏了。解释了半天,才出去……
★、上课时,老师要给我们发邮件,就让我们一个一个说邮件地址,轮到我,我直接顺口就说:XXXX圈儿msn点儿com,~~~~~
★、一次坐公车,准备下车起来时,不小心碰到了旁边的人,下意识地说了句:“不好意思”。结果那人看着我,什么反映都没有,然后我才意识到,赶紧改口说SORRY。
★、陪朋友去配眼镜。朋友在两副眼镜间挑选。我想问:“Which one is pricy?”(哪个更贵)结果说成:“Which one is spicy?”(哪个更辣)……卖眼镜那女的蹬大眼睛望着我……好在我马上改正。
★、我妈一天晚上从超市回来开车,天黑了,倒车的时候,突然喊了句:“妈呀,前面的车无人驾驶啊……”我楞了,仔细一看……是个小黑在开车……还有跟我爸妈去超市,看见一个好像南美洲的人,我爸说,“你看人家买东西,不看价,啥都要,都往小车里拿……”后来我才明白,那是超市理货员,人家是把不该放那的东西拿走……
★、过关的时候,因为带两个不同颜色的隐形眼镜,海关人员问我怎么回事,当时不会说隐形眼镜,就直接取下来给他看。周围的人都看着特郁闷……
★、以前在澳洲读书的时候,有一次,上语言课,老师让造句,意思是没有车的话,我们就不去了。我一同学直接起来回答:NO CAR NO GO!!!
★、有个ESL的女老师,在白板上写字,我冲她的背影大叫:“Excuse me, sir.” 她转过来说:I need to consider which washroom I should go.(我需要想想要去哪一个厕所)
★、还记得刚来CA没多久,周末和几个好朋友去当地的farmer market(农产品市场)凑热闹。过两天回学校上课,老师问我们周末都有什么活动?其中一个去的朋友的英文发音实在不敢恭维,而且是女生,根本不懂英文的脏话,直接就跟professor说:We went to ****er market in weekend.(周末去了色情市场)……我听了差点吐血……
★、刚来的时候去麦当劳吃饭。没有餐巾。跟人说要paper(paper是纸,餐巾纸应该是tissue)那人过会给我拿来了张白纸,还问do you need a pen?(还要笔吗?)我狂晕了半天,然后是跑去厕所洗手的……
★、我的某人初来报道,跑到M记买面包。之前表现很是不错,一直维持到服务员问:here or to go(堂食还是外带)?第一次接触外带餐这词,还好思维敏捷马上明白过来了,可是嘴上紧张,对着那男服务员直接喊出:“Let’s go!”......服务员石化一秒后,说了句OK。
★、刚到时不知听谁说的,加拿大的公车是感应的,你站到后门就能开,我们一溜人下车,其中一个女孩走最前,她脚踩下去后看门没反应,就想,这儿的老外都那么大体形,是不是因为她太瘦小了,分量不够,门感应不到呀,于是她又上来一个台阶,然后重重的跳下去。其实俺们没拉绳,人家哪知道有人要下车呀……
★、去吃麦当劳,指着上面的套餐点了个看着顺眼的,人老外问我要喝什么饮料,当时不知道是个套餐,想着还是省钱吧,俺不喝了,就说不用不用,人老外还特地道的问:Are u sure(你确定吗)?我还不知感激的心里想:“就不买,就不让你们赚”。哎……亏了……
★、学校当时强迫要星期天去教会。听不懂那个牧师说话,礼拜完了的时候,老师很好心跟牧师说:我的新学生,祝福他吧。然后牧师把手放我肩上说了一堆#$%^$$#。我不知道怎么react(回应)~~~我也把手放他肩上~~~~~~~~~老师嘴巴变O型了。
★、我一朋友,中午去吃汉堡,厨子问他要加什么,他说:tomato, cheese, and washroom (本想说mushroom,就是蘑菇的意思;washroom意为厕所)。当时所有人流汗到地-_-
★、一个朋友刚来的时候去M.C点了个套餐。就听casher说“@#¥#@……%……”(不习惯当然听不懂了) 我朋友就说“yes”。然后casher又说“!#¥%@#¥%”。我朋友说“yes”。后面一个中国人实在忍不住了,告诉他“他问你是要刷卡还是给cash,你yes个啥呀?”……
★、一起上ESL,有个大哥每天都坐第一排,特认真地听课。有一天老师看他这么认真,上课就主动和他讲话。老师说:“How are you?”他说:twenty-two。老师忍了下,说:what did you do yesterday? 他说:yes。从此老师再没和他对过话~~~
★、我朋友刚来,坐公车。有个传教士类的人特友好地跟他打招呼,说How is going? 他说:go to school~~~~~那个人一下就不会说话了……
★、刚上初中那会儿第一次去学校厕所,而且一般都要和OFFICE里的人报告。屁颠屁颠地跑去了,一到那里是个白人大妈值班,看到我问我要干啥。我想说厕所(washroom)是不是太土了点就和她说:Where is the bedroom located? I need to pee。然后就看那大妈瞪着我问:Excuse me?……我还特傻地继续问:Bedroom, you know where u pee and poo =.= 大妈想了想就微笑地和我说:I’m sorry honey. We don’t have a bedroom in school, but if u r looking for a bathroom, it’s down the hall.………我当时就汗了,把bathroom说成bedroom =.=|||
★、来的第二年了,我去商店买鞋,然后拿着就去问营业员:Is this made of beef or pork (俺的意思就是猪皮还是牛皮的),那个营业员的表情到现在都记得。
★、刚来,去SENECA体育馆打羽毛球,不会说羽毛球,连手势带比划,看门小姐还是不懂。急了!!!大声的说:I want a ball can fly, like a bird. Please!!! 看门小姐一脸迷茫的跟我说了一堆。我还是没懂。同去的朋友告诉我说:她不负责抓鸟。
★、我舅舅刚来多伦多没多久发生了车祸。警察来了问他当时的情况。他说:I stop, he not, so "BONG" ! * BONG* 就是那撞车的声音……
★、刚来不久和爸爸去买东西,买了之后发现隔壁卖的更便宜,就想退货。人家问为什么要退,我词量有限,就指著我爸说:“he just wants his money back.”
★、刚来的时候地理老师叫Mr.Saker。我叫成了Mr.Sucker。后来地理差点儿没pass。
★、跟一个女生去银行开户,一个银行职员很亲切地走上前来,还没开口说话,就听那女生说“May I help you?”职员当时就石化,我就在后面拉她衣服,她侧头跟我说,别捣乱别捣乱。然后又对人家说了一次“MAY I HELP YOU”
★、刚来的时候我们三人行,好朋友,两女一男。有天合伙去市场,那个男生想买茄子,上来就问:“How much for one kilometer?”我和另一个女生觉得太丢脸,默默的闪开假装不认识他。
★、某某老公刚来的时候英语很不好,坐天车的时候不小心踩了一个白人女的的脚,结果他想躲开的时候不小心又踩了那女的另一只脚。那女的就瞪着他,他想说“I’M SORY”……结果一着急就特别大声的说成了“IT’S OK!”然后那女的就也特别大声的回他一句:“IT’S NOT OK!!!”全车人都疯了……
★、一个朋友,才来英国不都是要去警察局注册嘛,我那个朋友当时英文不是一般的差,他连警察局怎么说都不知道。但是他还是很有勇气,一个人打算去警察局注册。走在路上,他随便抓了一个老爷爷,想问说警察局在哪里。但是他发音不标准,把police说成please,那个老爷爷挣扎了半天,听不懂。他着急了:“please啊,wear hat, use gun!”一边说一边还比划动作。终于那个老爷爷听懂了,然后回答他:“you want to find police? they are everywhere!”他更着急了,于是大声说:“no no no, I want a group of please, they stand together....”那个老爷爷这次真的听懂了,原来他是要找police station!于是老爷爷把他带去了,还对police说这个从中国来的小伙子英文不好,他需要帮助。
★、朋友的男朋友好猛,他刚来的时候去超市,人家问他要不要cash back,他还以为买东西还有钱收,就说要!人家问他要多少,他就跟人家说:as much as possible!
★、去SHOPPERS买掏耳朵的棉棒,一边做掏耳朵的动作一边问:DO U HAVE CONDOM STICK? 店员巨迷茫的两手一摊WHAT? 我朋友立马使劲掏耳朵CONDOM啊,CONDOM STICK啊……表演了半天,店员恍然大悟:DO U MEAN COTTON Q TIPS?(注:CONDOM是安全套)
★、我朋友叫李硕,刚来英国第二天有个老外问他:Are you sure?(你确定吗)他想都没想还笑嘻嘻的跟人说:Yes, I am Shuo Lee!(我是李硕)
★、刚来的时候,住一个寄宿家庭的男生非要请我吃饭,结果就去了麦当劳。他问我你要什么,我帮你点。我说我就要第一个的那个meal就行。他说行,我跟你吃一样的。结果老哥上去就跟人家说:“Number one two." (一号和二号)点餐的白人听不懂,他跟人家大声地重复了三遍,他自己还特生气。
★、我有一女朋友刚来,长的不错,遇一阿×搭讪,那哥们儿特直接,张口就问我朋友:R u married?(你结婚了吗)我朋友楞了下,来了句:I am not MARY, I am SHERRY.(我不是Mary,我是Sherry)她以为人家问她你是MARY吗?
★、第一次来英国正好遇上入关检查特严,她妈妈让她给这边的一个朋友带了个金华火腿,被狗狗闻出来了,就被领去office了。然后officer就要她解释用报纸包起来的东西是什么。我那同学说:leg。然后那officer一脸被吓到的表情,问了句"Pardon"……然后我那朋友很大声重复说leg!她说我当时想那officer怎么连火腿都不懂,还特地在自己腿上比划了半天:leg啊……leg……就是leg啊……要不是后来有个中国人帮她我估计她在英国第一站是警察局……
★、刚来的时候和朋友打电话去必胜客。菜单上面是super supreme。我就很激动的对着电话喊:我要一个 super super me !!!!对方茫然。我还激动的大喊了好几声:super super me !~~对方继续茫然啊……拼出来以后对方才说:哦哦哦,super supreme ……一年都没有再定必胜客的东西。
★、一个人说刚出国,人家问他最近干什么,他说去看电影,然后问他有什么好电影,他说过两天有一部电影叫“COMING SOON”。
★、刚来英国不久,逛街的时候路上总有很多人发传单,所以就习惯性的会说:NO, THANKS。结果有次人家给的是新年宣传纸,还跟我说:HAPPY NEW YEAR。结果我很快回答:NO, THANKS。
★、想找份PART TIME的工作,看到有招工的,还有电话,我就打电话过去。当时刚来这里,好怕打电话。人家接电话,我一激动就说成:Do you need a job?
★、上英语课,跟同学做interview......我问她喜欢做什么。她说:hanging out in the cafeteria with friends......我当时就奇怪,为什么她喜欢吊在餐厅呢?然后我去问那个助教。我还做了嗰吊死的动作。她看后,笑到疯了……我却很无奈……嗨!hanging out...
★、前两天去店里买了一瓶啤酒,结帐的时候一个超级帅哥男店员问,How old are you? 心里一惊,想难不成他要ASK ME OUT,就回答:17。然后那男的就说,ID PLEASE。
★、刚来英国的时候老是不记得司机的位置和国内是反的。那时候叫出租车来了之后,司机帮我装完行李,就跟着他往前走,还想“他真绅士,要帮我开车门”。等他开完车门,转头看我站在身后,就无比绅士的笑着问我:“Do you want to drive?
★、刚从国内回来,打了个车回去。车费大约八欧左右,我胳膊扭伤,所以我就给那个人十块,还解释说我受伤了,我给你十块,能不能帮我把箱子拉到前面一点去。说着就把钱给他。可是他就是不接,我正觉得怎么讲不通的时候,那个司机把钱递到我面前问我这是什么,我才发现原来我给的是人民币。
★、刚来的时候都很节省,一天五个男人去麦当劳,啥都看不懂....说那就买个便宜点的吧,五个人还都买一样的.....结果付钱的时候人家问了句“Sure?"还很郁闷,干吗啊,不能吗?结果拿到手一看,happy meal......五个大男人,就在那坐着吃happy meal,还带着玩具的呢。
★、我的同学,一个男生,刚来英国的时候要去银行开户存钱,他想存3000,可是一开口对着那个casher说,3-million。结果那个lady说你等等,一会,那家银行的经理出来了......
★、我们几个留学生在纽约一家中餐馆吃饭。看到有许多洋鬼子,我们就在那里议论说“这里老外还挺多”。因为我们桌上的都是从国内来的,大家也没想什么风土人情,一边吃一边把国内的习惯都带来了,高着嗓门在那里一会儿“老外”这个、一会儿“老外”那个地胡侃起来。正吃得高兴,邻桌一个老外结完了帐,走过我们的桌子,用标准的中文说了句:“朋友,在这里,你们才是‘老外’!”
★、刚来英国就去伦敦那个很有名的鬼城。一群人在黑暗里走着走着突然跳出一个扮鬼的工作人员大声喊着:谁要走最后我就吃了谁。只见一群人尖叫着往前跑,我同学还倒回来对那个工作人员说:Pardon???
★、朋友路遇外国小姐,小姐问:Doing a business? 朋友新来很老实,说:NO, I AM DOING engineering.
★、第一天报到,一个很漂亮的白人女生微笑的对我说,What's up? 我抬起头看了看天花板......回答道:Nothing Up.....
★、别人对我说“Give me Five”,我掏出了五块钱给他。
★、如果geese(鹅)的单数形式是goose,Portuguese(葡萄牙人)的单数为什么不能是Portugoose?
★、如果Poland(波兰)的人叫Poles,Holland(荷兰)的人为什么不能叫Holes?
★、如果infants(婴儿)可以享受infancy(婴儿期),adults(成年人)为什么不可以享受adultery?
★、如果女士可以在nightclub(夜总会)穿eveninggowns,她们为什么不能穿nightgowns?
★、如果一个弹奏piano(钢琴)的人叫pianist,驾驶racecar(赛车)的人为什么不能叫racist?
★、如果look与see的意义相近,为何overlook与oversee的意义相反?
★、如果horrific与horrible的意义相近,为何terrific与terrible的意义相反?
★、tomb、comb和bomb的拼写相近而发音却毫不相同。当年发明英语的人是否有点乱来?
★、为什么伏特加酒+桔汁+镁乳=Phillips Screwdriver?
★、有谁能在英语中找到与month、orange、silver或purple押韵的词?
★、为什么你要启动你的手表就windup,而如果你要结束一件事情也要windup?
★、你把所有的前给那个人去投资,他却使你穷得一个子儿不剩(broke)。有什么比把那个人称作broker更恰当的?
★、为什么美国的football不怎么用脚?
★、为什么明明是美国人自己与自己打的棒球赛却偏要称之为World Series(世界大赛)?
★、一个教士被开除称作defrocked,如果以此类推,能不能对电工说:“You are delighted!”对音乐家说:“You are denoted!”对模特儿说:“You are deposed!”对烫衣妇说:“You are depressed!”或对导游小姐说:“You are de toured!”?
一个朋友的MSN昵称后面写着:Do people want thick road。看到之后我颇为感慨:这句话真是问出了很多人的心声。人们是不是总希望走在拥挤的路上呢?人们是不是总是害怕孤独呢?但是一个want,又说明其实人还是孤独的。所以才会want。但是由于是问句,所以可能说话的人也很疑惑。到底是不是所有人都需要?可能他感到了孤独,但是他周围的人的行为却让他觉得。也许不是所有人的感觉都跟他一样。也许他最近遇到了什么事情了吧。这可能还是要问他本人才行。我正感慨着,我这个朋友上线了。我给他发消息:你的昵称真好,能告诉我具体什么意思吗?他很快给我发过来回复:
……
……
……
做人要厚道
做人要厚道!!
做人要厚道!!!!!!
做人要厚道!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Microsoft Blog
According to an internal memo obtained by the Seattle P-I, 66 employees at Volt, which is generally considered to be Microsoft's largest temporary staffing firm, have not signed amendments to their contracts, which would include 10 percent pay cuts. If contractors do not accept the wage cuts, they lose their jobs. The memo shows that one of the 66 is on vacation. However, some of the other employees are marked as "thinking" or having "escalated".
A Volt manager did not respond to a message seeking comment this afternoon.
Earlier this month, Microsoft alerted its temporary staffing firms that it would cut bill rates by 10 percent as part of a cost-cutting measure. All of the major firms have since cut wages.
About 15 temporary staffers employed at Microsoft gathered at a prominent intersection outside the company's corporate headquarters in Redmond Monday evening to protest upcoming wage cuts.
Microsoft told its temporary staffing agencies two weeks ago that it would cut its bill rates by 10 percent, in an effort to slash the amount it spends on contingent staff by up to 15 percent.
All of the major staffing agencies have since alerted employees that they will need to agree to wage cuts of as much as 10 percent or lose their jobs.
The contractors protesting Monday at the intersection of 156th Avenue and Northeast 40th Street said the ultimatum is unfair because they agreed to a fixed pay rate when they signed on to their Microsoft assignments, which typically last at most one year.
The staffing agencies argue that they can cut wages because the workers are employed at will.
"I think it's a really bad precedent that Microsoft is setting," said Twilight Wade, a software design engineer in test, who works for the Volt staffing agency.
"What's the point of a contract if it's not honored?" He said he would not agree to the cut and would likely therefore lose his job Tuesday.
Phil Palios, a Volt software design engineer in test, organized the protest, e-mailing a list of 2,000 contractors to tell them about it.
The protest was notably low-key, and attendance was much less than Palios had predicted. Palios held the only sign, upon which he had scrawled, "No Pay Cuts." A few cars driving by honked. But Palios pledged to stand at the intersection each day for the next two weeks and said the protest was a start.
"We need to show how we're all here together," he said, asking his fellow protesters to brainstorm ideas about how they could organize.
A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment about the situation.
Over the last month, the company has taken a series of other steps to cut costs. Microsoft has slashed 1,400 jobs and has said it will lay off up to an additional 3,600 employees over the next 18 months.
⇒ Show All Comments - Originally from Seattle Tech Report
Posted by unregistered user at 3/2/09 8:59 p.m.
The fact that we contractors have contracts completely negates any other argument. We signed an agreement to work for our employers on assignment for a full year at [x] amount. Our contracts have been breached. It was done without any chance at negotiation from those of us doing the work. Instead we have been handed an ultimatum of accept it or walk.
Nowhere in our contract does it state that this can be done. The conditions to which we signed on have been altered without our consent. Any other argument is superfluous.
While it may be true that Microsoft did not alter our contracts, this is the excuse our employers have used to justify their actions. In the blanket emails that went out notifying employees of the mandatory change the fact that MS cut their budget to contigent staff was the sole reason for our pay cut. As such our employers have stated that this was the fault of a MS action and logic would dictate that MS also has the ability to alter that. So anger at both parties, MS and our direct employers, is appropriate since both blame the other but in the end it is we workers who are out 10% of our agreed upon wages.
Statements such as "they should be happy to even have jobs" are the whines from those who succumb to fear tactics. If we do not make noise about this, if we don't publicize what's happening then we're party to this illegal act. Perhaps if those who happen to be unemployed were not silent they'd still have jobs. Who's to say? But keeping quiet is not an option.
Posted by Scampi at 3/2/09 8:44 p.m.
"Intel outsourcing some Atom manufacturing to TSMC".
10 percent less next year...
TSMC actually has a plant here in WA. http://www.wafertech.com/
Just so you know for future reference. :)
As for this unionization garbage? Man, I've got 0 interest in that. If MS is going to cut pay across the board, i'd rather it keep a company healthy then end up making the same money at the end of the day as I do now because that overage now goes to union dues.
Let's be honest here, the only winners here are the people who cut the costs and will get good reviews, and this Phil guy who's spearheading this. He'll end up the big class-action winner, and the rest of us will end up with MORE restrictions to how/where/when we can work, what our pay scale is, and worse off in the end.
I was part of the suit class in the Vizcaino suit. I didn't believe in it, but it was either my money or more in a lawyers pocket so I took it. 10 years later, i've been stuck with 100 days breaks here at MS, 6 month breaks down at Intel, and assorted day-to-day garbage because of that suit. I'd rather have the earning power of those months and the stability to do things like buy a home than have the check I got then.
I'm not saying this is right. I'm saying everyone's just going about fixing it the wrong way.
Work slowdowns? That's asking to be fired for non-performance!
Day-Without-an-ADash? again, fired!
Unionization? Don't we already complain about how much the agencies get for nothing? You really want a union rep in there too taking a cut? Good luck!
Whoever above said that people should be protesting THEIR OWN AGENCIES had it right. We work AT MS, not FOR MS. Apparently the old suits didn't get that through to some people.
The Agencies should be protesting magically getting paid less. You all should be making your agencies lives miserable. Fifteen people outside MS doesn't mean anything when MS doesn't control the trickledown of the money they pay out.
Posted by SuO at 3/3/09 11:17 a.m.
I happen to know contract agencies mark a percentage overhead for the hourly rate, and the last time I heard, the cheapest percentage was 24%. So if you make $50/hour, the cheapest agency is charging Microsoft $62/hr. If you are on the salaried option with a contract agency, they can bill you out at whatever they think they can get. I personally would never choose salaried. Oh, and that company charging the 24%, that is NO benefits, no nothing except cutting you a check every two weeks. If people want to be upset, I personally think they should be looking at their agencies more rather than just blaming Microsoft.
As for FTE pay, Microsoft does not pay as well as the rest of the industry, but they wholly make up for it with medical benefits. Someone said on one of these blog entries that the medical benefits should be taken away. I personally know of many of the high end folks who only stay at Microsoft and the lesser pay BECAUSE of the benefits. Microsoft would see quite a brain drain, imo, if they lost those bennies. Someone else asked if the execs are also taking the salary hits of no merit pay increases. I've heard conflicting things about this. Someone above says everyone is. I've heard that GM/PUM level 67s above are not, but it is total unconfirmed hearsay.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/3/09 1:51 p.m.
The contractors (disclosure: I am one) need to read their contracts more closely.
Both Microsoft and the agency retain the right to terminate the contract at will for any reason.
They may or may not offer a new contract at their sole discretion.
The agencies are terminating the current contract and offering a new one, both of which they have a perfect right to do. The protest is out of line and inappropriate. Emailing 2,000 contractors (including myself) is out of line and inappropriate. Claiming this is a violation of contract terms is simply untrue, as well as out of line and inappropriate.
Is job security effectively nonexistent in this industry? Yes. But that's not Microsoft's fault, and it's not the contract agencies' fault, and if it's anyone's fault at all... it's probably OURS. We chose to work under these terms. We could always have said "no" and held out for more job security, but we didn't.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/3/09 8:23 p.m.
I blame Microsoft, the agencies and myself. I'm a chicken with a large mortgage that now takes two paychecks to make. The right thing to do is leave now, but I don't want to ruin my perfect FICO score.
I will never again work for the agency that passed the reduction on to me. Neither should any of you. It is time to lay the cards on the table and stop protecting agencies and corporations. Create a free website and post hourly rates anonymously but include your title and years of relevant experience. Anyone with knowledge reveal what the agencies are charging on top of our rates. How much blue sky can we see today. Let's create a real market for our intellectual and creative power. We are not doing manual labor, many of us are creating valuable intellectual property. We are making the corporations rich by enabling them to harvest our innovations at absurdly low rates. Wikinomics feed the corporation not the innovator.
Lets turn wikinomics and globalization upside down. If a union does get started, it cannot be local, state or national but must be a global union of technology workers. International labor unions are the only counter measure to international corporations. Our union power should not be abused or else we'll evolve into the same unreasonable union as GM and Boeing. Our union should be organized like a wiki. Bureaucratic hierarchies and old value networks get corrupted easily.
WikITunion the way! End the hundred day!
Posted by unregistered user at 3/3/09 8:55 p.m.
Agency worker: I did not assert there wasn't a contract - it just isn't with you. It is with your Agency with you as the named resource.
What MS is proposing in the rate cut is a termination of the existing contract and creation of a new contract at a lower rate. If you don't accept the rate cut, your agency will change the named resource and create a new contract without you.
You can fear-monger all you want on these boards, but the contract I signed is with me and my agency. Period. My contract is separate from any contract my agency signed with Microsoft. The two are separate and separately legally enforceable.
NO ONE is arguing the agency cannot terminate a contract.
The issue is that the Agency cannot just unilaterally change the terms of my contract without renegotiating and re-signing. That is called breach of contract and it's illegal.
Clearly working for an agency doesn't make a person an expert in contract law.
Posted by SuO at 3/4/09 8:42 a.m.
To unregistered user post #267544 -
What 15%? I ask that not snarky btw. I believe FICA is about 7.5% between social security and medicare. Unemployment insurance is smaller, especially in high tech, and I believe tax deductible by the company.
In all fairness, I have never run a staffing agency, so I don't know all their overhead costs. However, it seems to me with some of them charging 30% or more on billing hours, that seems high to me.
The argument of contractor vs FTE is really all from the different peoples' perspective and greatly depends on which group and leadership you work for. Contractor overtime is limited when there are budget crunches. Both work OT and not. Both have lazy idiots and smart hard workers. As to the treatment of contractors with access to certain meetings and parties and now the break in work of 30-60 days, that is all the result of that nice little greedy lawsuit years ago where they wanted their high pay, OT pay, AND stock. So high tech companies had to make darn sure that contractors didn't get the wrong impression and think they were employees entitled to any FTE stuff. Before that, contractors were treated exactly as FTEs as far as inclusion in everything - I know, I was there.
Posted by cowatson at 3/11/09 6:20 p.m.
If their pay is similar to the kid making $70k who started a protest and then stopped when he finally got a clue, I do not feel sorry for these people when they are terminated. I am pretty sure they can be replaced.
Posted by StriderWA at 3/11/09 6:48 p.m.
I was laid off from my IT job in Jan. I'd gladly send my resume to their Volt contact and take one of those positions.
Posted by cj in seattle at 3/11/09 7:52 p.m.
Ah so this is how you do it with out riding the lay off train. I don't know what they pay was but you should send them your resume if your interested. You might want to find out what your signing on for first though.
Posted by TerryP at 3/11/09 8:08 p.m.
Correction to last post: Second sentence should be "what they paid" or "What your pay was."
Last sentence should be "...what you're signing on for first" and delete "though."
This demonstrates why newspapers have always used copy editors; a profession probably soon to disappear.
That all said, I applaud the courage of these people who are swimming against the proverbial tide. It makes me ashamed to admit I was the person who had said, in a raw attempt at humor, comparing Microsoft the Borg collective of Star Trek 2, that "resistance is futile" and encouraing contractors to just give up hope.
These people may lose their fight, but they show the continuing truth of what Robert Browning once said, to wit, "A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" (Hope all that was sans typos. My miserable excuse, if not, is it has been a long, tough day and dinner awaits.)
Posted by jeffw66seattle at 3/11/09 8:16 p.m.
Requiring employees to sign an "amendment" to a previously agreed upon contract makes the original contract not worth the paper it was ever printed on.
By refusing to sign, these employees are making a simple statement - written agreements are supposed to MEAN something. Here's hoping that their firings allow them to collect full unemployment benefits - which result in an increase in the employment security taxes that employer must bear.
Posted by voiceofreason1950 at 3/11/09 8:22 p.m.
jeffw, you make a good point about any subsequent firings if the contractors don't sign the amendment. This wouldn't be a "firing with cause" so it seems like the agency would have to pay up with unemployment. The downside for the contractor though is that they will never work in this town again. Agencies will tell you there is no "black list" but there is, oh yes there is.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 8:28 p.m.
I absolutely agree with jeffw66. These must be brave individuals who are unwilling to consent to the company simply taking advantage of their compromised job security and economic position to pressure them into accepting an unfair agreement.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 8:38 p.m.
"They just need more people to have a spine and join them."
And people say there is no place for unions any more these days....
Posted by AlbertCamus at 3/11/09 9:15 p.m.
This is Microsoft exploiting its workers in a down market. Micorsoft itself continues to make money hand over fist and there is no reason to lay off anyone or cut anyone's wages except to improve the bottom line some more on the backs of its workers.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 9:26 p.m.
Good luck to them, although it is certainly futile in the long run. MSFT has lived fat and happy by taking on contractors instead of employees for a VERY long time. What *really* needs to happen is the staffing agencies all need to stand up and say "a deal is a deal". If the staffing companies refused to go along, MSFT would fianlly have to hire actual employees for those jobs, which truthfully is what should have been going on all along. Sorry, but I can't get all emotonally upset for MSFT -- they have done a lot of good for the area for sure, but they have also been given a TON of waivers and breaks along the way.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 9:27 p.m.
i wouldnt take a 10% cut. as was said already microsoft is still making plenty of money and this is the reason why you need union representation. groceries have gone up 10% so how can you give up that much of your earning power.
the big reshuffle is real estate. these mortgage companies already have an appraisal theyre willing to value your real estate at and theyre willing to loan even less. i didnt get a memo but i tried to take advantage of the refi, no dice but i dint find they already have an appraised value....so why did i have to hire an apprasier?
ya say you want a revolution well ya know, we're all doing what we can
Posted by zardoz at 3/11/09 9:34 p.m.
I doubt most of these people are trying to make a point, nor do I think there is one to actually be made.
Microsoft is cutting wages. If their somebody don't like it, they're free to go elsewhere. If enough contractors left, I'm sure MS would reconsider their position, but I cringe at the thought of workers leaving due to a misguided sense of "solidarity" rather than evaluating their own personal situation and values and acting accordingly. It's this kind of group-think that has given unions such a lousy reputation.
Saying "Microsoft has plenty of money right now, they don't need to cut wages" is the kind of complacent thinking that's got GM and Chrysler on the brink of bankruptcy. To stay on top you've got to be a step ahead, and not simply do things out of necessity or desperation.
That's the beauty of the free market, each individual acting in their own self-interest. You don't have to debate what's right and what's wrong.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 10:02 p.m.
What these temps fail to understand is that their employment is at will. If they wish to longer work at the new wage they are not required to do so. However, MS/Volt are not required to retain them.
They might be great performers who are worthy of an exception. On the other hand, they might feel entitled to their pay even if their performance is only mediocre. None of us will really know. It will be interesting to see what happens to these 66 temps.
Posted by ComplexNumbers at 3/11/09 10:07 p.m.
Cowards never like it when and individual decides not to take it anymore and refuse to join the ranks of the cowardly.
The Soviet Union was brought to its knees by the actions of a few shipyard workers in Gdansk poland when they decided they would rather die than to hand thier children another generation of bowing and scraping to the economic powers that controlled every facet of their lives. The same monsters that controlled the USSR are in control of the economy of the world. We used to call them party bosses now we call them corporate wizards.
If the same people that seem to think that taking lower and lower wages will satisy the monster then all I can say is "keep kissing the beasts a## maybe they will keep you as a pet".
As for me and my children I would rather they stood up for what is right and not be a coward.
May God Bless the 60 "Refusniks".
May God Damn to eternity the greedy b######s that put Americas working people in this situation.
"To stand with workers is the primary duty of government all else is treason"
Abraham Lincoln
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 10:22 p.m.
IMHO, this company Volt is trying to pass the blame on Microsoft. Many service companies provide services to other companies. These rates are going down. So Volt revenue is going down. It is upto Volt to decide how it eats the decrease in its revenue.
Microsoft and other tech companies, are also losing revenue just like Volt is. Whether these tech companies do layoffs, or reduce pays, or take other measures it is upto them. If Dell is buying fewer licenses or cheaper licenses from Microsoft, should the layed off Microsoft employees blame Dell? Microsoft-Volt is a company to company, relationship based on market prices subject to negotiation and renegotiation. Volt-"and its employees" is a firm-worker relationship, which is a touchy subject. Contracts get negotiated all over the world. Airlines and Car companies are two such examples. The same is Volt, which provides workers, sell services at market rates. Anybody could replace Volt, e.g., Volt employees if there is another company instead of Volt. Such companies have to renegotiate with their employees in tough times.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 10:28 p.m.
Karma is in the house! Volt is laying off a large number of internal staff, particularly those in management positions, who have done such a poor job of managing the company. They have been tossing money down the crapper for years, particularly in the Seattle area, and specifically in the non-tech sector. The pretty offices and brain dead senior managers are not looking so good these days. THey are merging their tech and non-tech divisions and are desperately trying to stop the bleeding.
You should know that no one has had a 100% mark up on tech staffing since Y2k scared the crap out of companies. Staffing companies make poo on their large staffing contracts. Microsoft probably had a 42% mark up and is now in the 30's. In the staffing world that is a money losing operation. They screw the non-contract companies on mark-ups to make up for the low rates on fancy companies like Microsoft.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/11/09 10:32 p.m.
"It is typical for agencies to bill Microsoft up to 100% more than they pay the workers"
Not sure where you have done a contract, or if you have EVER done a contract, but consider the fact that the rates MSFT paid in the first place to temp workers have always been below market, because of their volume. To even think a company like Volt (or any of the others) is marking up a rate by 100% to MSFT and pocketing the difference is assinine. For some reason, someone always wants to jump on that horse, yet cannot prove any of it as fact. I worked there as a temp, and know that most of the other temps I talked to all were making about the same as me, and I knew what I was being billed at. There was a difference of about 30% between my pay and the rate to MSFT. Volt has a business to run as well, and like any smart business, they are going to cut costs when forced to cut revenue, that's business 101 if you've ever learned that.
The person that posted about the United Autoworkers mentality has it right, if MSFT wants to cut rates becasue the market is allowing it, they can, and any good business would do that. They don't answer to any of you, they answer to their shareholders.
Get a grip people and move onto something more relevant. So you took a 10% cut off your 70K a year job, better than 500 a week in unemployment, huh? Microsoft isn't the ones that put us all into this mess.
And to call workers that accepted a pay cut cowardly is assinine...shows that you think they all should be sacrificing their and their familie's best interest for your dated ideals on democracy and how we are all so enslaved to "the man"...go back to your cult or compound and keep stocking up your granola for the coming revolution.
Posted by KaninZ at 3/11/09 10:58 p.m.
Another argument for significant reform in hiring practices. It's time to try the DE-temping of America.
Temporary agencies are a good idea that has been misused to create a slave wage class of Americans who are fired, denied benefits, given reduced wages or hours at the whim of their contract agency and/or the business where they perform their work. All in the name of the bottom line.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 1:22 a.m.
When I temped years ago for law firms, I saw the billing. They paid me $8 an hr and Sarah Woods billed out at $13.50.
My wife negotiated between contracting companies at MS after her first 100 days off and when Volt tried to reclaim the contract (after she'd done the leg work - the agancy was a formality and had dome NOTHING to get her the job. She worked there years before as an FTE) they couldn't understand why she wouldn't continue to work for Volt at $4 less per hour and garbage for health benefits.
You can draw your own conclusion about their managment capabilities.
Microsoft has more contractors than FTEs - this is something corporate America has been doing for years. It makes their "core" set up look "lean" for investors.
MS has how many BILLIONS in cash reserves, but they need to pare down? That's NOTHING but taking advantage of market conditions to lower the cost of labor.
Posted by zardoz at 3/12/09 2:36 a.m.
That's NOTHING but taking advantage of market conditions to lower the cost of labor.
So what are they supposed to do, IGNORE market conditions? I don't think that would be a particularly savvy business strategy.
I've got a friend contracting at MS who had to take the pay cut, which dropped him to $32/hour. It's not like we're talking about minimum wage earners with no other options here. These are skilled, educated people that are capable of finding other jobs if MS pushes them too far.
But it's absurd to expect MS (or any business) to stand pat when the market has dramatically shifted. That's exactly the kind of complacency that's gotten the US automakers into so much trouble -- they spent far too many years with a work force that was overstaffed and overpaid. Only now, with no cash in the bank, are they finally making the drastic, painful cuts that should've been made years ago when they still had money.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 4:05 a.m.
ComplexNumbers writes-
If the same people that seem to think that taking lower and lower wages will satisy the monster then all I can say is "keep kissing the beasts a## maybe they will keep you as a pet".
Sending out a "you go guys" to the 66 Voltians. This is going to hurt many (but not all) of you financially in the short run, so I hope you've thought it through and are ready and willing to deal with that. In a way, though, you've already gained. You have a story to tell your grandkids about how you had a well-paying job as a temp at Microsoft, but walked away on principle when they used your temp status to require you to take a pay cut (possibly adding, "I ate ramen for the next 7 months, and was glad to do it, because sometimes sacrifices are necessary when taking a tough stand"). And unlike thousands of others who clicked Agree, you don't yet know your "price" (ie, the one for which your principles can be bought) other than "it's somewhere above what they offered."
If any of you are going to go it on your own, you have a great story to tell clients about how seriously you take signed contracts and don't believe in taking advantage of the other party by exploiting technicalities in the letter--as opposed to the spirit--of those agreements.
Signed, one of the probably 5 people recently laid off from Microsoft who did not sign the severance agreement they offered, also on principle. From what I've heard on the street, most people's "deals" more closely matched what they were giving up in career opportunity and as yet unvested stock than mine did, due to the formula used to compute the numbers. I didn't feel right about taking the crumbs dropped from the table after giving the company the best N years of work in my life, even if crumbs was the best I could hope for in an at-will situation.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 5:23 a.m.
Corporate America believes slavery is the best business model, and that's what they really want. They already have slavery in workplaces in China, where they've outsourced millions of American jobs.
God bless those 66 workers for having the self-respect to stand up for their rights, and not just cave in to being treated like slaves by Microsoft and Volt.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 5:35 a.m.
I worked for Volt (briefly, thank goodness) between real jobs years ago. I thought they demeaned people and treated them disrespectfully, probably to psych them into believing they weren't deserving of decent pay rates. The job assignments were pretty crappy too.
There actually are some reasonably good temp agencies out there, who treat people right and try to get them good job assignments with fair pay. They're worth looking for; I've had good luck with Adecco.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 6:29 a.m.
A contract is a contract. If MS will not live up to what they agreed to they should be sued. When the contract is up that is the time to negogiate a new rate. MS is famous for skirting the laws and for treating its temp employees as dirt. There have been several lawsuits in the past that MS lost. I suspect these employees refusing to work for less then their contract says already know where to find another job or do not care.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 6:36 a.m.
I'd take the 10% cut and be 20% less productive! I'm sure this pay cut is going to cost Microsoft in the long run one way or another. I wonder who is the brilliant manager who forgot to think of lower employee morale and productivity, bad publicity, lawsuits etc? Will she be running for Congress?
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 7:46 a.m.
I'm not participating in the recession. A contract is a contract. They can take the chance of being downsized (there's a word for you) and that is their right. It's time we stopped feeling sorry for them. We are adults not kids. Take responsibility for what you do and let the other person figure it out if they can. Remember that 90% of the workforce is still out there working. Stop listening to the news people.
Posted by MinusTwenty at 3/12/09 8:03 a.m.
And just you wait until the next news report informing us that "Microsoft, claiming a shortage of skilled labor, again lobbied Congress for an increase in the annual quota of allotted H1-B work visas it is given"
This is all about class warfare. Microsoft is just trying to attack its workers wages. Even in a recession - where are the executive pay cuts? Has there been a SINGLE executive pay cut at Microsoft? NO. But they feel free to try to re-write contracts mid-stream.
What a terrible company!
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 8:08 a.m.
My daughter, a contract worker at Microsoft is now making less than $15.00 per hour with the 10% cut. No insurance either. Can you live on that? Has the leadership of Microsoft modeled the practice of pay-cuts?
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 8:12 a.m.
Volt takes a HUGE cut off the top of the contractor's pay and pays well under what other companies will. My company refuses to use Volt for this reason. Contractors have little negotiation or power when they apply for positions through Volt. You can only work at Microsoft for one year as a contractor then you have to leave and wait ninety days before you can return. You can apply for unemployment during the ninety day break.
Posted by KevinMc at 3/12/09 8:15 a.m.
I think we're really dancing around the issues here (though some of us are making excellent points). Over the years, labor law has eroded to the point that workers have very few rights. Government officials are benefiting from corporations when as they (gov. officials) continue to erode and allow the erosion of workers rights. In the end, we went through the whole Perma-Temp thing with MS over 10 years ago. Now, we have contracts that MS negotiated with VOLT and other agencies and thus with employees. A contract is a contract - it is a legal promise with obligations on BOTH sides. It is wrong for MS to forcibly renegotiate those arrangements. This would not be allowed if labor law once again had teeth. Additionally, MS is NOT hurting for cash. They are NOT asking all of the FTEs to take pay cuts, why the contractors. Contractors beware, do you want to be a slave of MS for the rest of your days? Stand up for what SHOULD be your rights!!
Posted by HDLife at 3/12/09 8:25 a.m.
MSFT contracts with the Temp Agency. The Temp agency contracts with the individual. As I understand it, both contracts contain clauses that allow for any changes to be attached at any time by MSFT or by the Temp Agency. But not for the individual.
The contract gives a legal out for both the major players to do as they please. It is a contract that is either agreed to by the individual or else no position, so the individual cannot say anything about it. But I feel that such a clause could be contested and possibly removed. Owing to the fact that it is a one way clause that puts the individual at risk for anything that either major players would want to do.
If you look at those credit card "fine prints" in pastel almost unreadable 'contracts', it is worded differently, but the same result. They can make any changes in your contract that they choose to make, and they do, and you do not have any say in the matter at all.
Face it, we, the "individual" are at risk to those major players on every field. Those who say, "be glad that you still have a job and shut up", well all I can say is that at some point you simply must choose not to "shut up", and take a stand. Sure it may cost you your position, and it is something that these '66' do have to consider for each on their own. All those temps have to, and some weighed in by simply accepting based upon their individual needs. I can support both those sides, but those who would sit on the outside and tell the ones taking a stand to shut up.
I don't know what their salaries are. Some here have said as much as $70/hr. and others about $30/hr. But it doesn't matter what range the temps salaries are in, what matters is that the contract puts them in a bad position no matter what. Today it's demanded a 10% cut, next month, two months, whatever, it could be another 10% cut or maybe more...where does the line get drawn?
I have worked temp, and I know that the agencies are screwed up...mostly. That if you give them any lip, they either drop you entirely or else push you way down on their list to contact for openings. But it is also a fact that most employers are now going through these temp agencies to hire. That way the contracting employer does not have to concern themselves with providing anything but employment with not having to provide any benefits. They get the work done on the cheap increasing their profits, but little to no deductibles. Are there good temp agencies out there? Yeah, but even some of the good ones have people in charge who should be in charge of anything except to clean toilets.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 8:28 a.m.
I'm not sure about the rest of the world, but it appears that most of the people who are responding really have no clue about working as a contractor.
In general the money is good, but in general most of us have no benefits (no health care unless we pay for it, no paid sick leave, no paid holidays and no paid vacation). For most employees this means that your employer is paying you for at least 240 hours each year that you didn't actually work. Most contractors forgo vacation, NEVER get sick, and are NOT allowed to work on holidays.
In addition to that, MS contractors (at least the a-) are required to leave MS for a minimum of 100 days after working for 1 year. Most of you should be able to figure out that $35 per hour isn't nearly as high as you think it is.
Many of the people who refused to sign were likely nearing the end of their contract and didn't like being forced to take a contract change. They are starting their 100 days off a few weeks early.
Many contract companies (including Volt) do very little for their employees (contractors) after a job starts. If you are lucky, you will hear from a rep every three months. Their primary expense is the sales people who work with us to locate a position. They are in business to make money but with only a 30-35% markup, how are they to survive (did I really say that).
In this case($35) cut the contractor rate by $3.50 while Volt's cut is approximately $1.20.
{End of Ranting}
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 8:39 a.m.
I have chuckled and cringed at the lack of understanding of contract knowledge of those posting these comments. This is not a renegotiation process, this is a contract termination and new negotiation at a lower rate. They may process through an amendment (quicker and easier) but the truth is - MS is terminating all contracts with their Temp Agencies and re-instituting new contracts at lower rates.
All of these contracts have termination clauses and the temp agencies and MS are exercising them. As for those out their that are throwing the blame at MS - focus people. MS is cutting costs by reducing rates with their Temp Agencies - not with their Temp Workers. The Temp Agencies are reducing rates with the workers. If you want to get angry - get angry at Volt and others.
MS may have billions. It is their billions and it is their job to spend it wisely so shareholders - like many of you and myself - continue to see market gains. (For those of you saying you don't own an MS stock, you might want to look at the Mutual Funds you own as the majority out their own MS stock.
These 66 people may be making a stand and they should get used to it. As they will be standing in the unemployment line for quite a while.
Posted by proudtobealiberal at 3/12/09 8:53 a.m.
No sympathy from me - - they can just move back to Mum-Bay or Bangalore or wherever they call home.
The H1B program is just a small part of what has wrecked this country's economy. Big businesses say they're for capitalism and free enterprise and competition, but they begin to act like monopolists and kleptocrats first chance they get.
Always been that way, always will.
I don't recall reading anywhere that Bill and/or Steve have had their pay cut by 10 percent, or 1 percent, or anything at all. They're probably on the receiving end of huge bonuses for "cutting costs" by short-changing their perma-temps.
Business as usual in the land of Unregulated Laissez Faire Capitalism.
Posted by Ocerith at 3/12/09 9:00 a.m.
"You should know that no one has had a 100% mark up on tech staffing since Y2k scared the crap out of companies."
"To even think a company like Volt (or any of the others) is marking up a rate by 100% to MSFT and pocketing the difference is assinine."
Actually, to think that any contracting company DOESN'T markup AT LEAST 100% is asinine. Despite your ridicule of one poster, you clearly haven't worked a contract job yourself, or are completely blind to the realities of contract work.
Trust me, I know exactly what the hourly rate the contractor gets compared to the bill rate is across tech companies. The margins vary individually but they are all staggering. Think 150% - 200% markup range. That's right, if you're making $50 an hour, your agency is billing $150 an hour. People think "contractors are cheap," but they're not. There's another reason why contract labor is considered cheap in a quarterly numbers mentality. It's a different bucket of money and it comes off the books when you need it to. The actual bill rates, meanwhile, can exceed the bill rate of a permanent employee.
These are just the plain, simple facts from an outside observer with no interest in either party.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 9:19 a.m.
that stupid CEO is running the business into the ground - he has no vision and has done nothing useful since taking over - if it was any other company, it would have been game over for him long ago.
Posted by Nebula36 at 3/12/09 9:30 a.m.
I'm not a big fan of unions, in fact I think it's ridiculous what some union workers in Detroit are being paid.
However, it's perplexing to me that many temp jobs that I worked at in the mid-1990's are still being offered at the same or lower pay rates. The temp agencies seem to be exploiting the workers even more than the large employers.
These guys getting $35 per hour aren't starving, but the principle of being jerked around by your temp agency that bugs me. Especially when companies like Microsoft are so dependent on them.
Temp agencies deserve nothing.
I also think it's bizarre that so many retail and food service jobs still pay so little. Things have barely changed in almost 20 years, yet rental, food, and gas costs have increased quite a bit. It's almost impossible to work at one (or two) of those jobs and go to school to improve your opportunities at the same time.
THOSE are the people who need to unionize and agitate for better wages.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 9:36 a.m.
What others don't seem to understand that a Contract is a written agreement agreed to by all parties. The wages should stay the same until the contract term is up. I would not only disagree to take the pay cut, I would sue the temp agency (whoever they are)for breach of contract, then sue for damages. When the worker signed up for the position based on pay and length of assignment it was a written agreement. Let's not let Corporate America break the rules ! Stand up and fight ! (if there is language in the contract for a pay cut then you signed the wrong piece of paper). I am not litigious I just believe in fairness to the little guy. Microsoft has how many billions in cash ?
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 9:57 a.m.
The Volt Contract also says that either side can terminate the employment at will, for any reason. refusing to sign the addendum is their choice, but Volt would be with in their rights per the contract to terminate the contract. If you are working at MS and signed that contract, then you should be aware of that. At least that is what MY contract said.
That doesn't make it morally right for Volt to do that, but they are legally able to.
Posted by TricycleDriver at 3/12/09 10:13 a.m.
there's something funny about this article...(I've been a v- and a-)
The wage contract is not between Microsoft and the worker. Any contract agreed between Microsoft and Volt have been made. It's between Volt and the Worker to negotiate what they're going to get. I use to make $70000 for a 1-year-only term, Microsoft paid 100,000 Volt ( I got buddy-buddy with the manager and he told me.)
I don't love Microsoft, but most of the Microsoft basher who have posted are ill-informed. billG has retired. Microsft should not have even been mentioned in this article.
Posted by XXXmsft at 3/12/09 10:20 a.m.
I guess not everybody can be a math major, English major, or heck, even graduate from college. But reading some of the responses here is like listening to "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits. I contracted for 3 years at Microsoft before and after working ten plus years as a full time Microsoft full time employee. I work now outside of Microsoft and can walk to the main campus from my present employer. That's as close as I need to get. Take a look at the $35 an hour contract rate. For Microsoft contractors that is for 52 weeks of employment followed by about 15 weeks of unemployment (100 day break). So that 70,000 + a year (52 weeks/ 2080 work hours at 35 an hour) really works out to an average of $26 an hour for 67 weeks. Sure, you can collect a fraction of your salary through unemployment insurance for that 100 days, which will be eaten up by your COBRA payments to extend your medical insurance at full cost. The agencies count on that, because they are worthless when it comes to finding employment for that 100 days. Your current MSFT agency doesn't want to jeopardize having you available for MSFT asap after your 100 day break. Outside of MSFT, other agencies and other companies do not want to hire you for less than 90 days because they know you'll bolt for MSFT as soon as you are available again.
In the Silicon Valley, contractors have more choices and competition for their services, so no company down there can control the prevailing contracting rates like Microsoft does up there.
Contract workers at Microsoft have little choice but to take what is offered. Many contractors would love to work full time at Microsoft, even with the lower salary they'd receive, because of the benefits. The medical insurance offered by Volt and other agencies does not begin to compare with the cost to the employee and the services covered that Microsoft and other employers offer their full time employees. My family's medical bills just since January would have eaten up half a year's wages if I was still contracting.
For those who keep harking about contracts being a ironclad agreement. This is an employment at will state. Either side can terminate the agreement at any time. A contract simply means that you and the agency have an agreement about the expected length and pay of the contract. It is not a guarantee that you will work the full term of the contract. It is also not a guarantee that you will receive that rate for the term of the contract. It is unfortunately designed for the benefit of the agency and client, not the contracting employee.
Last, but not least, it is probably better for all of us that more people are employed, albeit with a reduction in pay, than have more people unemployed for the benefit of maintaining a full salary for the people still employed. For most contract workers, there is no side work or contract work available---we're in a downward spiral, remember? If Microsoft is "making money hand over fist" and they are taking measures, you think the companies that are losing money right now are going to be hiring? They'll be more severe than Microsoft. Give Microsoft some credit; they could have just said we'll eliminate 10% of their contracting work force. They did outright eliminate several thousand full time positions. Those employees do receive generous severance packages. A laid off contractor worker gets none. Your job is done. Today. Get your stuff together, give us your badge, and we'll escort you to the door.
Posted by unregistered user at 3/12/09 10:21 a.m.
I'm not too well-versed in how this contract game plays out but why do the workers have to take the 10 percent pay cut? Couldn't the agency suck that up? It seems to me as though what the tech workers are offering is more important than some recruiter sitting on their fat lazy butt all day matching resumes with the job opening. I don't have much respect for these agencies nor do I care for the vultures who make these hiring decisions.
Posted by XXXmsft at 3/12/09 10:45 a.m.
The 10% cut is what Microsoft has asked of the agencies on their total billing. I really don't know exactly what the agency bills in comparison to what they pay the contract workers. But say Volt bills $70 an hour for a tester, and then in turn pays that tester $35 an hour. If Volt has to cut their billings by 10%, that means they now bill MSFT $63 an hour and the tester gets $31.50 an hour. Microsoft scrutinizes their vendor's very well, and expect them to provide the most for the least. Whatever margin MSFT allows Volt in this, nobody at Volt is making truckloads of money. Volt is not passing their entire 10% reduction on to the contract workers. If they did, the actual reduction in pay for the contract workers would be more like 20%. There's a lot of competition between contract agencies to fill the job reqs that MSFT puts out, so no agency can afford to price themselves out of the market with a billng rate that is higher than their competitor's.
Posted by vicious_cycle_00 at 3/12/09 11:16 a.m.
WOW - where to start...
First, some people seem to think that 'a contract is a contract' - which for temp worker is true, EXCEPT the fact that from my personal experience in contract work (5 years), in every contract I've ever signed, it is WRITTEN IN THE CONTRACT THAT THE COMPANY BEING WORKED FOR OR THE TEMP AGENCY CAN TERMINATE THE CONTRACT AT ANY TIME - no reason required. It seems that that is what MS is doing - terminating all the contracts, and giving the terminated employee an option to resign a new contract at a lower wage. Those that refuse to sign, well, that is their personal choice. But their original contract would be void, so they essentially would lose their job. I don't think taking this issue to court would go very far just from the fact that this 'out' clause is just as legally binding as the rest of the language on the contract. I know Volt has this clause in their contracts - so does Techlink NW - so does Proactive Staffing - and on and on.
Second, i think that it is commendable that MS is trying to cut costs by reducing WAGES instead of STAFF. Do you think those laid off in the auto industry had the option of taking less pay? How about the millions of other people who have lost their jobs in the last 6 months? Do you think any of those companies offered reduced pay instead of termination? Ask some recently laid off people, and I bet that 2 out of 3 would have rather taken a 10% cut than being laid off. I commend the ones trying to fight this fight - but as someone else posted, you need to pick your battles wisely, and this is a battle that they will probable lose.
Posted by Wangster at 3/12/09 11:17 a.m.
Volt needs to honor its contracts.
btw, with unemployment, the only "causes" that can disqualify you is misconduct such as violence or threats, with burden of proof on the employer. Incompetance gets you unemployment benefits, as well as dismisal for policy breaches, even telling your boss to "go to hell, of f___ off" as long a no threats of violence are made.
Now I have an estimated 9 month take home pay in assets, most of that cash, and now with extended benefits a person can work part time enough to stretch their unemployment out for 2 full years. I could weather out a long storm.
A contact worker can easily get a few letters of recommendation from Microsoft colleagues and move on. I have always written letters of recommendation for good working colleagues who were laid off. Microsoft and Volt are just seeing who will blink and fold their cards, and its always people who have poorly mismanaged their own money. If over half the people refuse to sign the amendments, it will probably cost both companies much more money to replace the people lost or to make up for what they lose than they would have saved.
And last of all, computer professional are probably the most likely people to still be able to get jobs today, even with all of the layoffs. It would be interesting to see how many of these contract workers can get new jobs lined up before any supposed deadlines to sign the amendment. Hell, that would be the best of both worlds, have a job lined up to start in a month, and get laid off and collect unemployment for a month and take a "paid break".
Hide All Comments