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Standard-bearer no more

Today I was surprised to read (in the SCMP, I might add) that Mark Clifford has left his post as editor-in-chief of The Standard to take up the same position at the South China Morning Post.

Red Alert: Avian Flu or Tobacco?

After WTO, our focus seems to shift back to avian flu again, particularly with the recent discovery of H5N1-positive dead bird (a Oriental Magpie Robin) near Tai Po (Link to HK Standard). Is it an alarm to Hong Kong's health and hygiene control? Will there be a possibility of avian flu outbreak in Hong Kong? We don't know. Indeed we are more susceptible to first-and-second hand cigarette smoking.

There are some 9000 wild birds tested and only one tested positive with H5N1. Avian flu outbreak in poultry will be of bigger concern because most people can't have close encounter with wild birds.

I keep asking myself why human beings are so afraid of a disease that is not highly infectious to us, while the anti-smoking movement is facing so many obstacles. There are about 80 people died of avian flu in two years, compared with millions of death related to cigarrete smoking.

Everytime when there is a single case of H5N1 positive in bird, tens of thousand of birds are slaughtered. It is easy, isn't it? Birds can't complaint, wild or captive. Tobacco companies and cigarrete sellers can.

I agree that smoking is a personal choice, and it is a human right issue. But what about the human right and health concern for the non-smokers sharing the common area? I fully support the total ban of smoking in public area, and there should not be any delay or exemption.

Feedback to Oriental Daily's 18th Jan article on Black-faced Spoonbill

The headling of an Oriental Daily article on 18th Jan 2006 said the 'unification of South and North Korea will threatened the survival of the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill'. The article quoted Kim Kam-Won (translated) from Korean Federation For Environment Movement (KFEM) that 'the Korean government will build a bridge linking the two places, and it will seriously threaten the breeding ground of the species'.

Sorry Ang Lee, but I'll be looking for Brokeback on pirated DVD

Congratulations Ang Lee on your four Golden Globes for 'Brokeback Mountain', and I was really touched by your mention of Hong Kong in your speech. But maybe you can use your 'golden touch' to speed up the release of your film in Hong Kong. You wished us Hong Kongers a 'happy new year' but all i could hope was that your film might actually make it in the cinemas here by then. Doubtful.

Curbside covering the WTO conference

A new publication has been started called Curbside @ WTO, by the same class that did Chatter Garden last year. Please take a look for the latest news and blogs by journalists, students and bloggers.

Welcome to Curbside @WTO, a website aimed at providing a unique frontline perspective on the WTO meetings being held in Hong Kong from Dec. 13-18.

Hong Kong Government misses the point. Again.

This is a bit forced but I’m gonna give it a go:

WTO meets in Hong Kong to discuss countries should not apply artificial price fixing measures, via taxes and tariffs, on trade to protect its own industries and therefore the quality of life of its citizens.

December 4 Democracy March - Numbers Game

The Democracy March on Sunday, December 4, was certainly a success for the organizers, as it passed the 50,000 threshold that Stanley Ho had picked as a benchmark. As is customary, the next day is usually a game of numbers.

• The lowest estimate was the police, which put it at 63,000. This doesn't quite hold water, since all the photos of Victoria Park showed it was filled to capacity, and is clearly recognized as holding 80,000 people.
• RTHK estimated it was around 100,000, which is the most rational estimate so far.
• The 250,000 claimed by organizers is clearly too high. A march of that size would have to last much more than two hours, which is exactly how long it took.

For those interested in how estimates are done, here's one method I used - standing at the Rosedale hotel, just outside the exit of Victoria Park, marchers were herded onto the westbound lane of Causeway Road.

When Chinese Astronauts Meet Buzz

Chinese astronauts and Hongkonger behind US space police Buzz.

Hong Kong International Film Festival 2006

In the past 29 years, every April was a time when movie maniac in Hong Kong rushing tickets on their favorite title at the box office.  In April 2006, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2006 (HKIFF) is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

People in Hong Kong are so lucky to have lived in a city that is able to accommodate different culture in the mean of allowing movies of any kind to be released through public channels.  In every year’s HKIFF, a collection of movies of different countries and eras were meticulously selected for satisfying human desire.

Rice in Hot Tile Pot @ Temple Street

Temple Street has long been a famous bazaar for cheap goodies.  It is also a place good for eating local dishes along the street.

One of the very attractive Food you can see very often on the side of temple street are small resturants selling Rice in Hot Tile Pot, which is very popular among Hong Kong society.  Shellfishes dishes were also their famous dishes, e.g. Fried Clam in the Shell, Steam Sea Snails, etc.  These are very delicious if you were not scared by putting these kind of sea creatures into your mouth.

Local people don't care?

There is going to be a discussion on Tamar by Legco Panel on Planning Lands and Works. What is interesting is amongst the individual submissions (20 currently), with the notible exeption of the valiant Winston Chu, all of them are from 'foreigners'. By that I mean there is no one with chinese surname submitted. Why is that? Don't local people of Hong Kong care about

Free Tibet slogan needs updating

Did you see the small article hidden in the papers a couple of days ago (i am using an alternate website to avoid subscription issues) where the Dalai Lama said “ I think Tibet should remain in China”?

What!? The Dalai Lama said what??

Guardian goof

You will remember that in mid-October the Guardian’s China correspondent, Benjamin Joffe-Walt,  wrote a grossly exaggerated eye-witness account of the beating of activist Lu Banglie.

“Saving Face”--A Tribute to Asian Lesbianism

Saving Face Nov 17 (Thu) 7:40pm / ifc

USA / 2004 / 35mm / 91minIn Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles
Dir: Alice Wu

Saving Face does for lesbians what Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet did for gays – make a truly comic, romantic yet utterly realistic portrayal of what it's like to be Chinese AND gay. A young Chinese-American surgeon, Wil, played by Michelle Krusiec, meets and falls for a beautiful ballet dancer... only to be subjected to the scrutiny of the ever-prying, gossiping eyes of the New York Chinese community. Things get worse when Wil's mother, brilliantly and hilariously played by the luminous Joan Chen, shows up at her door pregnant! Controversy ensues, taboos are broken, and director Alice Wu certainly does not shy away from steamy sex scenes between two beautiful women. Culture clashes have rarely been this pleasurable or endearing! Michelle Krusiec is nominated for Best Female Actress at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards.