Not so STAR TV

19 June 2010 - Commercials on TV seem a fact of life. I am OK with the limited and well-timed advertisements on the BBC or the local TVB, but STAR TV is now pushing it a bit too far. The pulp TV station shows promotion material for upcoming features over the top of the programmes on show. It's very annoying to suddenly see the face of an unknown Hollywood B-star appear over one-fifth of the screen. STAR TV believes - of course - it will motivate people to stay tuned, but I wonder if it will not scare the viewers away. In the end, it is the quality of the entertainment that will bring in the viewers, and by mixing everything up into hard-sell propaganda the fun of watching TV evaporates.as snow in the sunshine. So, no more B-star promotion in the corner of the TV screen please.

Oh Happy Day ...

19 June 2010 - I kinda missed it, but yesterday was officially the Happiest Day of the Year. British psychologist Cliff Arnall earlier calculated that the third Monday in January is the unhappiest day of the year, or Blue Monday. People realize their new years' resolutions have gone nowhere, they have spent all their money during Christmas and the drab winter weather is depressing. How different was life yesterday, because Arnall calculated that the 18th June must be the happiest day of the year! Summer is knocking on our doors, we will go for holidays soon, and nature is blossoming. What else does one want? The Germans would probably have been a lot happier with a win yesterday night, because they were unexpectedly beaten by the Serbs. Their nation was in shock. Everything is relative.

Watch Me

19 June 2010 - A court dispute between a 30 years old woman and her 39 years old lover was settled in court the other day. After meeting on an online dating site, the couple was on & off since 2006. Whenever the guy broke up with the increasingly desperate woman, she bought him a watch to lure him back into the relationship. The man could not get enough of thew watches and threatened to leak saucy sex pictures of the couple online, if he was not given more goodies. The woman bought him a Rolex, but when the guy refused to return the pictures to him she went to court. What to learn from this story? It's sad, some Hong Kong people are greedy, desperate and unreliable, and there is not enough love in this city.

Wine Auctions

18 June 2010 - Who would have thought that wine would become so popular in Hong Kong? It is reported that Hong Kong is likely to overtake the United States as the world's biggest wine auction center this year with sales of about USD 100 million. This comes two years after duty on wine was scrapped in the city and will help cement its position as a global player for wine auctions. Given the robust demand for fine wines in Asia - in particular the mainland - it is expected that Hong Kong will lead the global wine auction market for years to come. The world record for one day wine auctions stands at a revenue of USD 24.7 million at an auction in New York in 2006. The Hong Kong's record is held by Christie's with a daily income of HKD 40.3 million for a wine sale. Wow!

Welcome to Disneyland?

18 June 2010 - I read in HK Magazine that Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has started an investigation into a questionable procedure being used at Hong Kong Disneyland. Since November 2006, the park has been requesting visitors who enter the theme park with an annual pass, a two-day ticket or a tour guide pass for a scan of their fingerprints. The scan does not capture an image of the entire fingerprint, it records about 50 sections of each print. However, the Privacy Commissioner says there are already technologies in other countries that can create the entire fingerprint by linking the scanned sections together., thus creating a privacy invasion. It is rumored that stool samples will be requested next.

Quote of the Day (19)

18 June 2010 - Shanghai Tang Founder Sir David Tang may not be everybody's favorite person, but he has some good things to say. For example when he said "People often underestimate what I call a decent sense of humor. Seeing the funny side of things means that you are optimistic and philosophical about what's happening to you. You see a bit more than those who simply sulk and look at the dark side of things."

Dragon Boat Festival

17 June 2010 - Yesterday was marked by the Dragon Boat Festival, symbolising the watery death of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself to protest against political corruption during the Warring States period. Dragon Boat races were held accross the city. Peddlers recalled the tale that Qu had leapt into the river, and rowed out trying to save to him. Drums were beaten, water was splashed, and fish and evil spirits were fed to keep them away from his body. Races were held in Stanley, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Discovery Bay, and a special event was organized in Tai O on Lantau Island. Many peddlers dressed up to raise attention for a special cause like the WWF, who were supported by a boat full of human Panda's. At Stanley, it was reported that a boat with peddlers from Avatar's planet Pandora was among the participants.

Hummmmmmmm

17 June 2010 - A lot has been said about the vuvuzela already (it will be the word of 2010), but I just want to add my blog to the discussion if the vuvuzela should be banned for the World Cup or not. People have commented that they miss the loud choruses of "ooohs" and "aaaahs" from the excited crowds in the stadium when a shot goes just wide of the goal. Or they miss the loud, motivating, emotional chants and songs to encourage the players. These weeks all sounds in the stadiums are being drowned by the vuvuzela trumpets. Welcome to South Africa. Each country has its own culture and this is the World Cup held in South Africa. People get better used to the sound of Africa, while the fans hoot their hearts out. Some TV viewers have complained they get a migraine from hearing the vuvuzela for 90+ minutes. I kindly suggest they turn off the sound of their TV set and play Chopin's piano preludes, while watching the beautiful game

Cheap Hong Kong?

17  June 2010 - Hong Kong has become a little less expensive for some overseas visitors, mainlanders and expatriates, with a cheaper HK Dollar relative to other currencies seeing the city slide down the global cost-of-living ranks this year, from 30th to 34th place. However, inflation and rising expenses counterbalance some of the advantages of the favorable exchange rate. Hong Kong is now a more expensive city than London, Munich and New York, but cheaper than Jerusalem and Baku (Azerbaidjan). Year-on-year there were mixed results for other cities, with the global rankings of Amsterdam, Milan and Khartoum falling while others, such as Moscow, Stockholm and Oslo, rose. American cities, including Honolulu and New York, mainly fell. Luanda slipped from the top spot last year to number 3. Karachi was at the bottom on the list. But who wants to live in Karachi? For full results, please google ECA International.

Ocean of Rubbish

16 June 2010 - The north Atlantic Ocean is looking more like a rubbish bin, with plastic and polystyrene bags spreading far and wide, according to French explorers just back from 8 months at sea. The situation was in particular bad in the Sargasso Sea around Bermuda. The Sargasso Sea, where currents between Florida and Bermuda converge, is named for a brown seaweed - sargassum - that proliferates on its surface, entrapping any floating trash. "Ninety-five percent of the stuff is plastics, from toothpaste tubes to aerosol containers and water bottles," one of the explorers said. Earlier researchers claimed that some 100 million tonnes of trash is floating between Hawaii and Japan. These days, we (rightfully) talk a lot about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. However, we should reflect on the pollution of our oceans and seas on a much bigger scale. Otherwise we might drown in an ocean of rubbish.

Lion's City

16 June 2010 - Many in Hong Kong like to criticize Singapore. This sentiment is probably rooted in fear or envy, because the Lion's-city increasingly beats polluted Hong Kong in offering quality of life to its citizens. Singapore is blossoming, and it is becoming more cosmopolitan and diverse by the day. Also, Hong Kong people still look at Singapore as an almost homogenous Chinese city, ignoring its multi-ethnic make up. Although the Chinese are in the majority, there are great linguistic and cultural differences among the various Chinese groups. Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese, Cantonese and Mandarin are all represented, with English most widely spoken. Also, it was reported that 42% of the population is foreigner (but I find that hard to believe). The younger generation increasingly identifies themselves as - in the first place - "Singaporean", and no longer as Chinese, Malay or Indian. It will not be too long before Hong Kongers will admire Singapore.

Art Sells

16 June 2010 - Lehman Brothers, the collapsed investment bank, aims to receive more than USD 10 million from an art sale at Sotheby's later this year. Lehman's collection once numbered more than 3,500 pieces, but many less valuable works have already been auctioned off. This year about 400 additional pieces will be sold in a single-owner sale. Expectations are particularly high for a Julie Mehretu painting - titled oddly Untitled 1 - of an estimated value of USD 800,000. Mehretu who has a show at New York Guggenheim Museum, recently completed a mural for Lehman's competitors Goldman Sachs' New York office. Lehman acquired the painting in 2001 for USD 21,728. It is a bit cynical that the bank seemed to have a good eye for investment in arts, but failed otherwise.

Potato Gnocchi

16 June 2010 - Needed: 750 grams (about three) baking potatoes, 1 tsp. sea salt, 120 grams plain white flour. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prick the potatoes several times with a fork then bake in the oven for about an hour, or until soft. Peel the potatoes while hot then pass the flesh through a ricer. Mix in the salt and flour, and add more flour if the mixture gets too sticky. Divide the dough in four pieces. Work with one piece at the time, keeping the others covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out. on a floured surface , roll the dough into a snake about 1cm in diameter. Cut into 1,5 cm lengths and shape each into an oval, Mark one side of the gnocchi with a fork without flattening it too much and cover with plastic wrap while working with the rest of the dough. Cook the gnocchi in a pot with salted water. Best to cook them in batches - they are ready when they float to the surface. Serve with sauce. .

Groups of Death

15 June 2010 - When the draw for the World Cup was made back in December 2009 the "Group of Death" label was immediately attached to Group G with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea. Group G will kick off today with Portugal vs. Ivory Coast. The "Group of Death" was first mentioned in Mexico 1970, when Mexican journalists labeled group three with Brazil, England, Czechoslovakia and Romania as 'grupo de la muerte". The term appeared again in 1982 and 1986. In 1998 the Spanish coach mentioned about his group "This is not the Group of Death, but the Group of Heart Attacks". He was right, as Spain failed to qualify. Four years ago Holland played in the Group of Death and survived. Let's see who will be the survivors in South Africa.

Opera Near You

15 June 2010 - With the World Cup underway, cinema's in Hong Kong may experience a drop in visitors. UA Cinemas and MCL have found a solution in showing performances of Carmen, Aida, Les Contes d'Hoffmann and Turandot, captured live on high-definition format from the Metropolitan Opera of New York - and known as The Met: Live in HD. One ticket at the Met costs up to USD 375, cinemas will charge HKD 150 for the 3-4 hours performance. That's less than the price for Avatar! Hong Kong is known as a cultural desert, but with introducing opera to a much wider audience - who may want to escape the football craze - we make a good step into the right direction. The West Kowloon Cultural District next?

Goodbye to T-shirts?

15 June 2010 - Last Sunday a friend told me I was too old to wear a bright-blue T-shirt with logo. I did not mind too much, because it was just casual Sunday wear, but the question "am I too old to wear it?" has been on my mind. What is appropriate wear for a man in his late 40's? I never thought of it. Women are probably much more familiar with the question, because they are much earlier confronted with the question of age appropriateness. Men's fashion has become more colorful and trend-driven in recent years, but it has become clear that trends are not for all ages. Of course I could pretend I do not care as long as I feel confident and happy, but I don't want to be frowned upon because people may think I am in some sort of crisis. So I guess reality is that I have to watch my wardrobe. T-shirts may have to go, but my Converse All Stars stay. And I will be confident and happy anyway.

Bank of Pei

14 June 2010 - The Bank of China is without any doubt one of the landmark buildings in Hong Kong. Architect I.M. Pei created a building that combines the aspirations of the Chinese people with goodwill for the colonial British. The original design included x-shaped arches, but in Chinese culture the X symbolizes death, so the plan had to be abandoned. Instead, Pei choose for diamond-shaped forms. Also, the lower half of the building is inspired by bamboo, an symbol of prosperity in Asia. Hong Kong people still feel the building has too many sharp corners, which may cause bad feng shui and bad luck for neighbors like the Legislative Council and Governors House. From 1989 to 992 the Bank of China building was the tallest building of Hong Kong. In fact, it is said the building was deliberately designed to dwarf the nearby Hong Kong Bank. Fascinating and beautiful!

The End of Belgium (2)

14 June 2010 - This cartoon by Joep Betrams from the Dutch newspaper Parool symbolizes the state of affairs in Belgium. Yesterday the Belgians held parliamentary elections, which could bring the country closer to a constitutional split. The Flemish separatists party is reported to have more than 20% of the votes, with the party's leader openly advocating a separation of the Dutch-speaking Flanders from French-speaking Wallonia. However, the Flemish will have to form a coalition Government with a French speaking party, most likely the Socialists. For years most of Belgiums' politics has been defined by endless debates over language and the allocation of public resources. Voting is mandatory in Belgium and more than 7 million people would have cast their vote.

Corruption Bridge

14 June 2010 - Another interesting story about a bridge: Macau's showcase 7.5 billion pattaca Sai Van bridge.The bridge was opened in 2004 with fanfare by president Hu Jintao, and was originally hailed as Macau's largest public infrastructure project since the 1999 hand-over. The bridge is designed to carry vehicles on its upper deck and a rail line on its lower deck. Lately, the bridge has been marked by peeling concrete, rusting bolts and leaking water, and it has become Macau's most prominent display of how its corrupt past continues to haunt its promising future as an international tourist destination. It has been revealed that already up to 52 of the bridge's 96 supporting cables may need to be replaced to meet loading requirements for the additional weight of the planned railway system. Local people have dubbed Sai Van bridge "Corruption Bridge".

Feeling Grumpy

14 June 2010 - Feeling grumpy is good for you! At least, that is what Australian scientists claim. They believe that feeling grumpy makes us think more clearly. Their experiments showed that miserable people are better at making decisions and are less gullible. It was also said that a grumpy person can deal better with challenging situations, because of the way the brain promotes information processing strategies. Earlier work from the same scientists shows that the weather has a similar impact on us - wet, grey days sharpen our memory, while sunny days make people forgetful. Now, why don't I recognize myself at all in this study?

The Duchess

13 June 2010 - Almost every day I make use of the metro-network in Hong Kong (the Mass Transit Railway or MTR). It must be one of the best, most efficient and cleanest metro systems in the world. The first metro started services in 1979. Amsterdam is building a second metro line in the city, the north-south line, which was originally supposed to be completed by 2012. However, due to several set-backs the line is now scheduled for completion in 2017. Seventeenth-century masons built Amsterdam on a foundation of poles in soggy, sandy grounds.The digging and building of the line made historical buildings subside and the city's budget explode. A new drilling machine - nicknamed "The Duchess" - is now drilling under the famous shopping center De Bijenkorf ("The Beehive") on the Dam square. The Management feared for the collapse of the building, but it appears that The Duchess did her work well and that no damage was imposed. Shoppers can be reassured.

Naked Cycling

13 June 2010 - Many people from all over the world consider Amsterdam a city of freedom and liberties. However, shoppers in the city were Saturday confronted with a group of about 30 naked cyclists touring the center of the city. That's new. The group - organized by the World Naked Bike Ride or WNBR - wanted to protest against increased motorized traffic in downtown Amsterdam. They choose their 'unique' way of protest to express the vulnerability of the cyclists and underline the feeling of freedom a good cyclist should feel. If I think of it, it feels rather painful though.

Granny Queues

13 June 2010 - Chinese youth comes under surmountable pressure when they have to do their exams that will decide on their future access to elite - or non-elite - universities. But the Chinese education system has an impact on all generations in the country. It was reported that 96 years old grandmother queued for nine days and eight nights to secure her great-grandson's enrolment in a Beijing Kindergarten. She was one of more than 100 people who were already in the queue pre-dawn on 1 June to wait for the kindergarten to begin accepting applications. This grandmother obviously values good education, but one wonders what made her go this far.

Nature-phobia

13 June 2010 - Believe it or not, some Hong Kong people are afraid of nature. All phobias, according to the theory of classical conditioning, are learned by association. Objects, conditions or animals that originally produced neutral emotions can be altered when connected to negativity. And as most Hong Kong people claim to be too busy to go out in nature while growing up in high rise buildings, they may easily link nature with fear or anxiety. Trees may fall on our heads, mosquitos bite and spread nasty diseases, and grass is dirty. I read that for those living in fear of nature treatments are available using "systematic desensitization". The technique basically slowly exposes patients to low levels of stimulus. Gradually exposure to the stimulus can be increased, while teaching patients relaxation techniques. So next time your hear a Hong Kong companion complain s/he is too busy for a hike, you may remember that you have to suggest very very carefully.