Dark Chocolate

21 Aug 2010 - Good news: eating dark chocolate can lower the risk of  heart failure among older women. Boston based researchers found that women who eat dark chocolate once or twice per week cut the risk of heart failure with one third. However, those who ate chocolate every day did not appear to lower the risks. The study looked at nearly 32,000 Swedish women between between 48 and 83 over a period of nine years. The researchers said that eating too much chocolate is unhealthy as it contains high level of sugar and fat, which will make people put on weight. However, chocolate also contains flavonoids, which can lower blood pressure and protect against heart disease. I can hear a lot of women cheering. But hey, I am not woman and I am also not Swedish, so a lost case anyway.

Quote of The Day (19)

21 Aug. 2010 - Although I do not want to raise too many political issues on this blog, there are certain issues that get under my skin and I cannot ignore. Recently I have been following the discussion if a mosque can be opened close to Ground Zero in the US. It is a sensitive issue, and it goes straight to the heart of the so-called "American values". Never mind my opinion on this issue, but I like to quote from a letter written by George Washington; "May the children of the stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid."

Water

20 Aug 2010 - According to Fung Shui beliefs Water has often a deeper meaning. In the body, water represents the bladder and kidneys. When there is an excess of water energy in a person's body, they may suffer from problems with the prostate, kidney stones, high blood pressure, dizziness or vertigo. People who suffer from a deficiency of water energy may develop dark circles under their eyes, a sign of weak kidneys. They may also suffer from cold hands and feet, and lower back pain. People in this condition may also lack motivation and have a tendency to procrastinate that may develop into depression. Water features should not be placed in the bedroom, but in the living or dining room. One could consider using a wood element to bring balance in the home, as water produces wood. The metal element can be used to increase the water energy.

Sail Amsterdam

20 Aug 2010 - Yesterday Sail Amsterdam opened with the traditional sail parade of about 50 tall ships and more than hundred smaller boats. Led by the clipper Amsterdam the ships sail from IJmuiden on the North Sea to the city of Amsterdam, where they will dock for the coming long weekend. Thousands of people gathered on both sides of the canal to watch the impressive fleet of sailing heritage ships. Sail Amsterdam is organized every five year since 1975 and is one of the biggest nautical events in the world. The event was initially organized to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the city of Amsterdam, but because of its huge success it was decided to repeat the show every five year. In 2005, about 1,8 million visitors attended the event and it is expected that this years' event will break the record.

Fashion Capital

19 Aug 2010 - The Global Language Monitor (GLM) announced that New York has regained its position as fashion capital of the world, after being beaten by Milan in 2009. Miami beat Rio, Melbourne and Bali in the swimwear category. Big news also for Hong Kong as the Big Lychee is now a firm second after the Big Apple, and can therefore be crowned as the fashion capital of Asia (beating Tokyo). It is for the first time that the second place goes to another city than the classic four (New York, London, Paris, Milan). The rankings are based on GLM's Predictive Quantities Index, a proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in print and electronic media on the internet and throughout the blogosphere, The words and phrases are tracked according to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets. 

Frog Marriage

19 Aug 2010 - The weather has been exceptional this year, with heavy rains in Pakistan and China, and a dry spell in Russia and Bangladesh. Farmers in a district of northern Bangladesh are marrying off frogs in a desperate bid to bring on monsoon rains and protect their crops, local officials said. Bangladesh suffered its driest July month in decades, prompting farmers to turn to the centuries-old rain-making ritual of celebrating frog marriages. At a frog wedding in Ranchandrapur village, 300 villagers dressed in their best clothes attended the festivities, said Tajul Islam, who was at the wedding. "the frog bride and groom are highly decorated with a red streak of color on their foreheads and carried in a special basked to a banana leaf stage.".

Terminus

18 Aug 2010 - A few months ago Hong Kong people marched the streets in protest against the high-speed railway  link between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The Government pushed through and the preparations for the new link have started on the west Kowloon waterfront. In an attempt to appease the public some artists' impressions of the new terminus have been published, and it seems very attractive indeed. The plan calls for roads that seperate the terminus from the waterfront, like Austin Road, to be put underground. The biggest attraction is an arch for pedestrians that offers fantastic view over Victoria Harbor and the (to be built) cultural district. I am a bit cynical about all the greeneries and all those trees though, because these artists' impressions are usually far-off from the real thing. No matter what, it will still take years before we will be able to walk the arch, as the construction of the high speed terminal will only go up for public tender later this year.

Milk-Tea Champ

18 Aug 2010 - Hong Kong's Law Dak was officially crowned as the world's best cha chaan teng (traditional milk tea) maker. He beat rivals from as far as Canada and Australia to earn his new title. The new champion said he was very excited. He mentioned that he shed some tears after reaching the finals, and that his win was a dream coming true. However, he did not burst down in tears again after being crowned the number one. Maybe he will shed some tears in the coming days, because it appears that job-offers are flowing in. Hopefully he will be able to make some money with his well-earned title. Law Dak says he wants to promote Hong Kong style milk-tea, because nowadays speed is more important than quality. He believes people should take a moment to enjoy his traditional tea, as life in Hong Kong is far too rushed. Maybe we should all introduce our daily milk-tea moment?

Chinese Martyr

17 Aug 2010 - I saw a TV program about martyrs the other day. Being a martyr used to be quite a heroic title, but these days it seems something for freaks and fanatics. But what does one need to do to be declared a martyr in China? Official martyrdom has been awarded to a government employee who accidentally slipped on a wet toilet floor and died last month in Jiangyang district of Chengdu. The honor has stirred heated discussion on the internet fora over whether the employee had died during working hours or not because, officially, he died during the office break (some call this napping time). People believe he was napping in the toilet and slipped when he woke up. Official martyrdom entitles the victims' families to government welfare, but people feel napping on the toilet should not be rewarded. One thing to say is that it is not very glorious to die in the office toilet ....

Keep the Curtains Open

17 Aug 2010 - Better watch out, because criminals and terrorists could be among us! Britain's advertising watchdog banned an anti-terrorism commercial that asked people to watch out for suspicious behavior with their neighbors, including keeping their curtains closed and paying for things in cash. The Advertising Standards Authority said the radio advert could cause "serious offense" to law-abiding citizens. The advert described a man "who likes to keep himself to himself", doesn't have a bank card and keeps his curtains closed, before advertising that "together it could all add up to you having suspicions". The watchdog said listeners with the description could be offended by the implication their behavior was suspicious.

Paul Kagame

16 Aug 2010 - Ever since I worked in Rwanda in 1994, this tiny country in Central Africa has my interest. Last week its influential leader Paul Kagame was re-elected with an absolute majority of more than93%. I do not know what to think of Mr. Kagame, but then again how does one bring a country out of a genocide and move forward? The SCMP profiled Kagame and I just want to quote a few lines: " .. the West lives with the guilty knowledge it was Kagame and his rebel army who stopped the genocide, while everyone else dithered and blundered, and Kagame has been skillful and relentless at using this collective guilt to his advantage. Like so many rebel generals, ... he places a high premium on loyalty and discipline, likes to operate in secrecy, is comfortable using violence and threats of violence against his enemies, and tends to equate criticism with treason."

Bicycle Dudes

16 Aug 2010 - The SCMP had the page-wide headline "Men are dealing with the angst of a midlife crisis by buying racing bikes, a study has found." The article explains that men between the age 35 - 50 show a sudden and unexpected concern with health. It goes on to explain that traditionally men have eased the existential angst that afflicts them by driving sports cares, sitting astride large and throbbing motorbikes, or running off with younger women (men). However, according to the retail analyst Mintel, they are buying top-of-the-range racing bikes instead. Unfortunately, they also go for the tight lycra-stretch shorts, figure-hugging jerseys and weird sport shoes). I would say that if a generation of middle-aged men start living healthier than who cares, and cycling seems a lot better than running off with the secretary?

Kowloon Tong

15 Aug. 2010 - Wow, I just found out that my neighborhood, Kowloon Tong, has its own entry on the Wikipedia website. Maybe that is not so surprising for an area with two Universities and a major shopping mall, but still ... I learned that Kowloon Tong was originally a village close to the Police Sports Association grounds on Boundary Street. Extensive cultivation was possible as waters flowed from Beacon Hill. In the 1920s the (British) Government decided to develop the land east of Kowloon Tong, on the other side of the Kowloon - Canton Railway, and change it into a British model residential area. Over the past years some HK friends have commented that Kowloon Tong is a "European-looking" area, which I always thought laughable, but now I understand their comments a bit better. And in all fairness, the broad tree-lined roads are unique in Hong Kong. Sadly, some trees are being chopped because nervous residents fear they may collapse.

Cyber Clean

15 Aug 2010 - One is never too old to try something new, so I picked up a pack of Cyber Clean while running the weekly errands. Cyber Clean claims to be the only cleaning compound that can reach inside all those difficult areas inside your computer, and remove all nasty and harmful things while cleaning on contact. All one has to do is press and pull. The Cyber Clean website also says that worldwide tests have proven that keyboards have a higher level of dirt than public toilets and often store tremendous amounts of waste. Don't worry - Cyber Clean claims to kill 99,999% (note: NOT 99,998%) germs (the website says there are dirty things living inside my keyboard - lol) , and will leave the surface of any computer clean and fresh smelling. So, I opened the pack and pressed and pulled, but could not help thinking that I was on "Candid Camera"!!? Some nature-phobic Hong Kong people may love this product, but seriously - is there anyone who tried this and liked it? But don't worry, because after using the product my keyboard does not smell.

Great Picture (12)

15 Aug 2010 - A great picture tells a story and this picture by Dutch photographer Marijn Scheeres tells the story how Amsterdam is changing. The picture was taken in Amsterdam-North, and I like the contradiction between the muslima who is doing her shopping, while life goes on for the traditional Amsterdam couple on the right side of the picture. The picture was taken at an early morning hour, and the elderly couple is about to share their first cup of coffee, while the new neighbor has a different daily routine and seems already done with her shopping. She looks a bit lonely though - all alone on the cold street. This is Amsterdam in 2010!