According to a new comment made by a reader – Kevin Ong’s new alias and name card as of Nov 17 2009:

China Beijing DongFang ShanShui Co Ltd
He Jian Guo, Vice Manager
Tel: (86)10 6504 5144
Cell: 13676011895
http://www.beijingdongfang.com.cn’s

Dear All,

Hi again, long long time no post!

Sorry that you have arrived at this blog since you wouldn’t be reading this unless you have been conned or you know of someone whom has been by Kevin Ong (his real name). I’m sure he’s under something else by now.

I have been busy moving on with my life this year and putting my past experiences with this fraudster behind me but I’m afraid after 9 years he is STILL AT LARGE in Hong Kong. Therefore I will try and update this as much as possible so that there is at least a record and others can be warned. He has ruined many lives and wiped out the savings of many innocent people and targets primarily WOMEN, though he will try anything he can to take your money. You will never see it again!

Although he has already been in jail this year, he was let out only after a couple of months, and according to my sources, has been back to his old evil ways ever since so WATCH OUT!

He’s arrived safely in HK!!!

Credit: friendiibi@YouTube

蘋論：籲請泛民以鋼鐵團隊參與總辭公投 (2009年11月25日 – 李怡)

五區總辭變相公投的焦點是公投，而不是補選。儘管名義上是五區總辭和補選，但實質上是公投。因此，不能以選舉工程的勝負角度去看這個行動，而應以公投成敗的角度去觀其意義與成效。

首先，為甚麼要進行這次公投？

一，爭取實現真正普選，既是普世價值，又是香港市民逾二十年不斷致力的目標，現在已到了關鍵時刻。二，普選已不僅是理想，而且是現實的需要。近幾年政府施政頻頻錯失，立法會振作乏力，其根源在於體制：行政長官的認受性太低，立法會對政府無力制衡，而立法會大部份功能組別議員表現差劣，卻能連選連任兼自動當選。換言之，《中英聯合聲明》定下的「立法機關由選舉產生，行政機關對立法機關負責」這個體制未能建立。任由政府犯錯和任由議員差劣的體制若延續甚或擴大其弊端，香港的政治、經濟、社會將會步向沉淪。因此，政治現實已到了不能不改變體制的時候了。三，中央已定下 17、 20的普選時間表，而政府的 2012政改諮詢則顯示，中央及港府擬想中的普選是假普選，不但擴大立會的功能組別，而且提高了特首候選人的提名門檻，政改諮詢提出的路線圖是一國兩制中大陸那一制的路線圖，而不是香港這一制的真普選路線圖。面對假普選的設計，香港人不能不強烈表態。四，種種爭普選的行動，當然都有意義，但縱使一百萬人參加元旦遊行，北京和港府仍可以說相對七百萬市民是少數。惟有公投才是最有力且無法扭曲的市民意向表達。

其次，變相公投是否符合「一國兩制」和基本法？

北京反對《中英聯合聲明》進行公投，因為它認為香港人在中英交易中不應有角色；北京也反對將《基本法》交港人公投，因為它認為這是「一國」的主權。這些，我們都不去質疑。但現時要進行的變相公投，不是就《聯合聲明》、《基本法》甚至香港獨立公投，而是就政府提出的路線圖是否符合《基本法》進行公投。《基本法》規定要達致雙普選的目標，而《基本法》確認的兩個國際人權合約中的《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》，第 25條訂明「普及而平等」的選舉，須使每一個公民都有平等的選舉權和被選權；公約的第二條訂明所有公民不分種族、宗教、財產、政治及其他見解，享有公約的一切平等權利。倘若未有普選，公約中有關選舉的規定尚勉強可以豁免。現有了 17、 20普選，而政府政改方案所提供的普選路線圖卻違背《基本法》的上述原則。這就需要香港人作一次大規模的「護法」行動。公投不是偏離《基本法》，而是要確認《基本法》的原則。

其三，聚焦公投的總辭、補選應怎樣推行？

變相公投是極為莊嚴的事，所有關心政制前景的人士，都應積極參與，長期為香港爭民主的鬥士，更應排除個人與政黨的政治利益考慮，聚焦民主與公投。

五位總辭議員，和五位將參與補選的人士，都是在這個關鍵時刻願意作出犧牲的民主典範。因此，筆者呼籲，五區總辭須包括泛民三大黨的主席，即何俊仁、余若薇、黃毓民，他們須以自己的典範，表示願為民主作奉獻與犧牲。其他如民協馮檢基願參與，也應歡迎。

參與補選的五位，筆者籲請已退出議會的民主派元老再投身參選，包括兩位《基本法》起草委員、民主黨創黨元老李柱銘、司徒華，被譽為「香港良心」的陳方安生，也包括自由黨創黨主席李鵬飛。既然建制派已退出議會的陳婉嫻都可能參選，泛民中已退出議會的人士也不必太執着，何況參選的目的不是要重返議會。

五位辭職的議員，不是真退，只是暫時退出議會兩年， 2012年一定挾更大的民主聲望重來。五位參選的人士，也不是真的要做議員，他們可明確承諾，在玉成這個公投大業後， 2012年必全身而退。

十人組成鋼鐵團隊，可發表宣言，可共同出席在每一個選區舉行的造勢大會。他們的宣言，盼能像馬丁．路德．金的講話一樣，喚醒已因彈性疲乏而放棄追求民主的市民。鋼鐵團隊很可能掀起市民投票熱潮。筆者期待，這將拉高補選投票率，而鋼鐵團隊也會高票獲勝。

除非筆者的籲請太天真，否則這會是可令總辭公投逆轉勝之道。要相信鋼鐵團隊的號召力，和市民的醒覺。這是一場許勝不許敗的公投大戰。 1.5億公帑用於選舉，可能太多，但用於公投就算少了。

面對鋼鐵團隊，建制派的可能策略是不派人參選。那麼泛民就可以派五個小角色來陪跑。無論如何，一定要讓全港市民，有一個憑公投表達真普選意向的機會。

With less than two weeks left on the block, the Hong Kong East Asian Games are on the path to being the biggest sporting event ever organized by the minute city-state of Hong Kong. Unless we successfully manage to bid and host the Asian Games (English, Chinese)

Despite my attempts to buy tickets to hot events like diving, table tennis and swimming when tickets first came out, I returned empty handed. Most likely because of the overloaded internet server that failed to process my purchase EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Thankfully, the organizing comittee were intelligent enough to leave students with a set of tickets in hope they’d help fill the stadium. And so when I got this notice, I jumped and got my tickets to Swimming, Table Tennis and Rugby Sevens.

Sadly, there’s on fine print that I don’t like very much.

Students must bring along acceptable proof of identity/age

This means sadly that the tickets are students only. Nevertheless, free HKEAG tickets are hard to come by.
I’ve got mine, have you?

真是百看不厭，精彩萬分。【非常感激香港電臺《議事論事》諸君！】

昨晚放了上facebook，現在忍唔住在此擺多一次，以饗大眾。

今日的他，否定昔日的他；然而昔日的他，或許又會臭罵今日的他。

放開一點來看，這跟人格、道德操守等等無關，而是位置的問題 —— 人坐在甚麼位置上，自然會從那個位置的角度來思考。講得核突D，即是『屁股決定思維』。

這不光是政客不政客的問題。話之你做學術研究、媒體創作、青年工作、社會運動、教會牧養，又或者零售買賣、金融地產、餐飲食肆，各行各業無一幸免。你站在甚麼位置，接近那方利益，自然不(大)自覺地從那個位置那種利益的角度來衡量問題。

此所以做神學，也講究social position of doing theology。

]]> http://nnoborigin.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/the-spirit-of-hong-kong-part-three/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:41:15 +0000 nnoborigin http://nnoborigin.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/the-spirit-of-hong-kong-part-three/

this is where i lived, in the midlevels, with my room facing the peak. on the other side of the apartment, i had a big window front towards the harbour and watched all those planes (mostly 747-400s) land at Kai Tak and make that checkerboard approach. awesome. to bad they closed it. since then, hong kong was able to grow further into the sky and change its skyline completely.

i took the tram from North Point to Central in order to catch the next Star Ferry to Kowloon. I wanted to go through Queensplace, the Hutchinson House to the Central Pier. I was aware, that they built a new Central Pier, but i didn’t it would be that far off… “No, you have to get off in Central, near the Government House, to be closest to the pier…”, somebody told me. I told him, that i lived here 15 years ago and so much the city’s appearance had changed. A brit ex-pat listened and replied, that really a lot had changed since the hand-over since 1997, when China reclaimed Hong Kong to be the SAR. We all wondered, how Hong Kong would change in the next 15 years. Maybe the harbour would be completely gone by claimed land, to build more skyscrapers. But the people haven’t changed, the life hasn’t changed, the sights, sounds and smells are the same: the spirit of hong kong.

看到網友pemasky引用報上的立法會主席”曾鈺成小登科 甜酒喻愛妻“，令我想到要寫一些《苦酒、甜酒入門》的個人心得。

首先讓我祝福曾鈺成先生和伍嘉敏女士白頭到老，開心生活，永結同心。

據報曾鈺成先生致辭時分享稱，

“小學三四年級有兩次演講都由他媽媽撰寫演辭，內容是人生有兩杯酒，分別是甜酒和苦酒，若先喝了苦酒，他便可在餘下的人生慢慢品嘗甜酒。

曾鈺成認為媽媽為他寫的講辭漏了一點，他認為若不為意甜酒的味道，不懂得珍惜，甜酒便會變質，故甜酒需好好保存，味道才不會變，又說他會好好珍惜現時的甜酒，慢慢品嘗。”

曾先生小學三四年級的演辭很可愛，想將人生的苦酒先喝，”餘下的人生慢慢品嘗甜酒”。可惜人生的苦酒不太合作，它有自己來去的時間表。有時跟學校的時鐘一樣準確，有時跟雷電風雲一樣的無常。

人生的苦酒，生人勿近？

再者，人生的苦酒真是一無事處嗎？我看既然人生有兩杯滿滿的苦酒、甜酒，為何不試試接受它們，享用它們呢？人生的冬天，人生的黑夜，人生的失利，人生的失意，其實是我們人生成長的必經之路，什至有時可以讓我們取得成長所須的養份。

何不珍惜人生每一點一滴的苦酒、甜酒，因為這些點點滴滴就是我們所謂的人生。

見到香港這樣的官，很令人失望。政府無誠意推動真普選 – 陳太：可考慮總辭

“她首度表明泛民可以考慮透過五區總辭，以補選變相公投，與市民一起力爭真普選。民主黨創黨主席李柱銘也認為，民主黨既然肯支持泛民成員參與五區補選，無理由自己不參與，民主黨的參與可令市民看到泛民團結爭普選的決心。”

[via 孖瑩]

大澳乃是水鄉，又有「香港威尼斯」的稱譽。
它近年來可說是多災多難，2000年發生了一場火災，摧毀了多間棚屋； 2007及08年，又因為天雨關係，出現嚴重水浸。又因為本土的漁業式微， 面目開始有變；有時間，還是要快點去一次，欣賞一下純樸的漁村風貌。

難得一到大澳，不妨一往靈隱寺。靈隱寺在大澳市中心的不遠處，從東涌坐巴士前往必會路經此地，沿著大路步行半個小時也能抵埗。說起靈隱寺 ，的的確確比遠一點的天壇大佛平凡得多。它建於1974年，也說不上是歷 史悠久，但就以每日供應的家常齋菜，吸引人們前往。

坐車時已請司機到站通知一聲，幸好友人眼利，原來司機忘了通知。所以 準備坐巴士對往的話，可以留意右手邊有沒有出現靈隱寺的路牌及靈隱息肩亭，否則就要走回頭路了。

靈隱寺的齋菜每天12點至3點供應，每位$60，人多的話，可以先致電預訂 。是日兩人前往，到達時已2點多，四餸一湯，白飯任裝。吃飯的位置寬敞整潔，舒服。

薯仔紅蘿蔔眉豆湯

湯水很清甜，紅蘿蔔有很清新的甘荀味，這湯只用了很簡單的材料，沒有 什麼「齋肉」，只用了花生、豆類、蔬菜已清甜可口。

冬菇油麥菜

上來的時候不是很熱，冬菇肉厚，油麥菜也新鮮爽口，沒有煮得太久，夠健康。

竹笙扒時蔬

除了竹笙，還有冬菇、西蘭花、甘筍等作配，竹笙頗為厚生完整，軟滑爽 口，味道也配搭得宜。

這個外形像是滷水豆腐，不知道叫什麼名，但充滿很香的腐皮味，口感彈牙，很有新鮮感。

這裡的齋菜十分家常，最難得的是全為非油炸食物，這才可以乎合吃齋菜，清腸胃的健康飲食之道。

靈隱寺地方不大，但勝在寧靜舒適，種了不少花卉，當中最特別就是這「 一枝獨秀」（名字是我改的），整枝只有一朶花，下半身像仙人掌。

另外又種有三色小辣椒，小巧可愛。

靈隱寺

地址：大嶼山大澳姜山村L-D311
電話：2985 5255 / 2985 5107 / 2985 6511

交通小提示：坐車前往大澳大概50分鐘，可坐11號或23號，平日大概30分鐘一班車，行 車路線九曲十三彎，時上山時下斜，絕不簡單。從屯門坐船前往大澳只需 約一小時，往東涌則大概30分鐘，非常方便。
富裕小輪： http://www.fortuneferry.com.hk/

By Cara Sulieman

WORK ON a new multi-million pound facility for soldiers blinded in action is due to start next week.

The new building will house a workshop, art space, training areas, gym, therapy spaces and a remembrance room.

Costing £3 million, it has been funded by donations and legacies, and will open in 2010.

The Scottish National Institute for War Blinded are constructing the new state of the art centre next to their existing workshop in Wilkieston, West Lothian.

Having worked with blinded servicemen and women since world war two, the centre is hoping that the new facilities can help rehabilitate modern soldiers.

Wood and metalwork

Chief Executive of the centre, Richard Hellewell, said: “The existing workshop was designed for soldiers coming out of World War II in the 1940s and took in many more people than we’re seeing today.

“The original workshop, which focused on developing skill such as woodwork and metalwork, was designed to hold about 70 people.

“Mercifully, our rolls are falling because of advances in eye protection, but there was many factors in conflict that can cause someone to lose their sight.

“As well as the risk of shrapnel damage to the eye soldiers can suffer neurological damage that can cause them to lose their sight, even after they’ve returned from conflict.

“The new facility will have a capacity of about 35 but there will be a much wide range of facilities to reflect modern interests.”

Gulf wars and Afghanistan

In the last few years the charity has tried to reach out to more people across the country, taking on 100 new members from around Scotland in the last year alone.

Richard said: “Most lost their sight since they left military service, but there are a number who had previously not been known to us whose sight loss was during or consequent upon their service.

“The number we are supporting who lost their sight as a direct result of conflict zone injuries in the two Gulf wars and Afghanistan is small – perhaps about half a dozen – but it is important that we are here for them and have services capable of helping greater numbers in future.”

The design of the building was inspired by a hand-carved Chinese dragon from the golf club at Fanling, Hong Kong.

They are long-time supporters of the Scottish War Blinded and the dragon is on display at the workshop.

Aircraft wing

Richard said that it was also designed to make the servicemen more comfortable in their environment.

He added: “The design also echoes an aircraft wing, or a propeller, which fits in with our aim or keeping comfortable reminders of forces life in the centre.

“It will be open plan so the atmosphere will be like working in a large tent, which will again evoke life in the forces.

“We expect to cater for between 120 and 150 people a week from as wide a catchment as is practical. Most of our users will only pop in for one or two days at a time.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

很早前參加了「Yahoo! 十周年Purple Snaps﹗」有獎遊戲，當然是有獎，不然我又怎會參加…一直沒有收到相關的郵件，早以為落空，但卻又在不早前收到領獎信，竟然有獎！

獎品可是紀念版　b.wing x Yahoo! 10th anniversary 2GB USB記憶棒一個！還記得遊戲簡單得只需上載一張紫色相片！

可愛的　b.wing USB，多謝YAHOO!

以前在北角上班，哪天工作滿肚悶氣，就只想往遠一點走。有天同事說想吃飯，我的午餐一向以炒麵為主，一直想不起來，到最後只想吃此店

旁邊的秋葉，茶餐廳午餐有很家常的午飯。因為走慢了一點，人多了，就往旁邊移，來了這家台式新店－「想不起來」。

同事早說了不要吃米線，但來到看見了精緻的盛器，我們還是點了米線。我點了酥炸雞球米線，配我最喜愛的茉香珍珠，才$29，價錢算便宜。

酥炸雞球

雞球大小不一，卻又非常脆口，熱騰騰的雞肉不會炸得過乾，吃時還充滿肉汁，很香口。

米線

盛著米線的器皿非常有趣，感覺上有助保溫，的骰小巧，分量卻一點也不少。湯底也是濃味之作，估計是放了不少味精，不計健康的話，還是不錯的吃。米線上放了蔥蒜、菜蔬，吃起來更香更惹味。

茉香珍珠

一向都喜歡茉香珍珠，獨愛它那幽香過人的茉莉花味，但這杯卻奶味非常的重，珍珠亦比較腍，不是我杯茶。

由於附近一直缺了一家像樣的米線店，想起吃米線，還是會「想得起來」的。

想不起來
地址 : 北角書局街9號美輪大廈地下
電話 : 2308 1789

先週フカヒレが香港から到着したことを書きましたが、今回は少しだけフカヒレのことについて書こうと思います。

私たち日本人が想像するフカヒレというと”フカヒレの姿煮”の料理名の通り三日月やブーメラン型のヒレを想像することが多いと思います。もちろん私もこの仕事をするまでは、フカヒレは三日月型をしていてそれをそのままの姿で調理したものがフカヒレの姿煮なんだと信じていました。

でも、香港から届くフカヒレは乾燥した状態でも３０cm以上はあるヒレ、そのままではお皿にのるサイズではありません。そしてもう一つ、フカヒレと一言でいっても大きさや色、形の違う沢山の種類と名前があることに驚きました。

フカヒレ（魚翅）とは一般的な総称で、”包翅”と”散翅”の二種類に別けられます。包翅は主にサメの背びれと尾びれの部分で一本一本のヒレがある程度一緒になって形になっており、散翅は主に横ヒレの部分でヒレの繊維一本一本がバラバラになっているヒレのことです。包翅はさらに、”排翅”＝小さい包翅と”裙翅”＝大きい包翅に別けられているようです。

フカヒレについて勉強しようと、香港や日本でいろいろな本を探しましたが詳しく書いている本がなかなか見つからないんです。なぜだか、ヒレの部位によって別けられる名前、乾燥状態でのヒレの名前、調理された後のヒレの名前、ヒレの形で別ける名前、サメの種類で別ける名前などなど、フカヒレには皆が勝手につけて好きに呼んでるのではないかと思われるほど沢山の名前があります。そんなこともあって私たちがフカヒレとまとめて認識してしまってるのではないのでしょうか。　

さてさて、沢山あるフカヒレの中でも日本の福臨門で主に使っているのが上の写真の６種類です。写真で見ていただくと一本一本になっているものと一つのヒレになっているものがあることがわるかと思います。左下のヒレは、荷包翅（財布型フカヒレ）という名前のフカヒレで一般的なフカヒレの姿煮に一番近いフカヒレです。

料理をするとこんな感じになります。

たまにお客様から姿煮じゃない！！とお叱りを頂くことがあるのですが、これが福臨門での”フカヒレの姿煮”です。　もちろんこのヒレもそのまま何もしなければ一般的な姿煮に出来るのですが、乾燥状態から戻したフカヒレの食べられない部分をきれいに取り除いていくとどうしてもバラバラになってしまい、なんとか姿の形にもどして調理をすることが精一杯の姿煮です。

そして、海虎と書かれた右手前のフカヒレが散翅（バラバラのヒレ）の最高クラス、タイガーシャークのヒレです。

一見麺の様にも見えますが、これがヒレについた脂肪や余分な部分を丁寧に丁寧に取り除いて一本一本の繊維の状態にしたものです。もうここまでくると、サメの魚臭さは一切なく赤酢なんて絶対に必要ありません。上湯スープを注いで食べる極上のフカヒレ料理です。

香港では、フカヒレや干し鮑などの高級乾物は中国需要の急増から値段が日々上がっていますが、この海虎翅はフカヒレのなかでも今一番貴重とされ値段も驚くほどに上がっているフカヒレです。最近ではフカヒレなどの仕入れが以前と比べると少しずつ難しくなっており、香港の羅総料理長も日本の福臨門の仕入れのために毎日業者さんと会ってくれていると聞きます。

日本ではなく中国へ売ったほうが高く買ってもらえると言われるのは同じ日本人として少し寂しい気持ちになりますが、羅総料理長が仕入れてくれたフカヒレを日本のお客様に美味しいといって召し上がっていただけるよう日本スタッフ一同頑張りましょう！　そして皆さまぜひ一度”フカヒレの姿煮”というイメージを忘れて福臨門のフカヒレを召し上がってみてください。

Passports, check. Forex, check. Air tickets, check. Don’t need visas. Packed, locked and loaded and off on our first ever tour of Hong Kong! It came as a bolt from the proverbial blue, what with it being a corporate enquiry: they wished for a ‘non-Bollywood’ act who would play for an evening of fun and frolic for a bank’s high net-worth Indian clients as they sipped cocktails and reminisced about the smell of the earth back home and why they wouldn’t ever go back. Right up our street. OK who cares, we’re just about to head out there and have a blast!

The instructions to pirates, "Draw your swords, me hearties and give no quarter" - this bit did not make it to the photo! (pic: Montry Manuel)

There is much to be said about the quiet efficiency of Jet Airways. The crew both on the ground and in the air appear largely at peace with the world, and hence do not vent ire on their hapless customers, as we experienced on our last trip on Air India: where the most rabid of the inmates of the Ladies Wing of Tihar Jail were given preference in the job interview for cabin crew. We landed in Hong Kong at peace. Upon landing, sound engineer Niranjan was mysteriously whisked away by an enigmatic lady in the immigration department: rumour has it that he was asked his sixteen times tables which he rattled off laconically, and was hence let off, as he proved to be a fine upstanding citizen, and of no risk to the residents.

Your Goose is Cooked. $55 Only. (Pic: Montry Manuel)

With Sanjeev and Jishnu the more culinarily experimentative type, we lost no time in trying out some authentic Cantonese barbecued goose, sweet and sour pork among other marvels. Over the next couple of days we would dabble in dim-sums stuffed with prawn and shrimp, Sichuan (not the spelt the ‘Szechuan’ way) prawns, fried dumplings, and fried squid tentacles. Oooh, delicious!

We have a real head-start. Happy heads, too.

The show itself was like most other hard-boiled corporate shows. Every imaginable luxury (sound, dressing rooms, the works) only missing an engaged audience. We got done with it real quick and headed out to Lang Kwai Fong, where the party was really at! That was where some friends of ours talked the club owner into letting the ‘band from India’ get on stage! Then followed 15 minutes of bliss – suffice it to say that the Cantonese learned Kannada, and we had a ball!

Bonnie and Sammy of HK band Purple Fruits. We met them by the harbou-front and had a memorable jam!

Much of the night was spent walking the streets of Hong Kong island (where the action is) and Kowloon island (where we stayed). We came away with some pleasant memories of the ferry harbour, the broad steps of which were lounged upon, the benches of the tree-lined boulevard skirting it were jammed upon, and the pleasant breeze blowing in from the harbour was breathed in with much gusto.

The Discover Bay ferry comes around the bend. Lovely lights. (Shaky Pic: Jishnu Dasgupta)

Tom Lee Music is a must-visit if you’re a musician in Hong Kong: with one of the largest shop floors in Asia, they’re the closest to wonderland you will get! We picked up a kick-ass Tama snare drum, jam block, gong sticks, tuners and assorted accessories for the road, and at bargain prices! Tom Lee has a dozen showrooms across Hong Kong but the one in Kowloon is the largest. They even have performance venues and workshops too. Check it out if you get a chance!

All too soon the tour was at an end…  with the exception of our tickets being messed up a quick detour of Chennai owing to bad weather prevailing over Bangalore, and that Jishnu’s bass flight case was smashed, it was an uneventful trip back.

Is it just me or does HK have a deficit of cool people? I’m not saying that singers have to be hardcore gangster drug-dealing badasses, but a quick glance at the entertainment industry in HK and you’ll see that more often than not entertainers have a sissy image, whether it reflects their personality in real life or not. The only singers that have an edge in them in recent memory is Nicholas Tse and Edison Chen (who were both involved in the pic scandal not surprisingly). This edge to them is also reflected in their music too which is great for the industry since its dominated by cheesy Canto-pop cheese songs that always talk about love superficially.

Actually, good music is good music no matter what the image of the artist is. By diversity is the best way to have a thriving music industry such as in America where popular music represents a wide range of genres and music artists. Not that you have to be cool to make good music, but most of the real musicians are just cool by default because they are so embodied in their craft. In HK where singers just sing because they think they are good enough and the companies market them in the most profit-oriented way, the artists themselves do not ooze charisma, and if they do it is definitely more a sissy charisma than a cool charisma. To prove my point, if you ever watch the new HK singing competitions on ATV and TVB (Super Huge Voice/Millionstar) you’ll see that the singers all look like they walked out of the “How to Dress Like a Nerd” Academy and they always cry after they hear criticism(using the excuse that they are too emotional). And sometimes they just cry because they recieve praise. GROW SOME BALLS (yes the girls too) I SAY!!! HK already has too many goody two-shoe singers that are wearing their “Beat Me Up” outfit to performances everyday. Jeeez.

Anyways, the worse thing about it all is not that the music sucks nor is it that the entertainment industry will continue to be full of whack sissies, its that people will get the wrong impression of Chinese people (especially HK peepz). Whites, Blacks and even our neighbors the Koreans and Japs will continue to look down on Chinese people in general because their image is of that shy, geeky, singer who cries all the time. Even CBC/ABC girls laugh at HK guys because they are seen as sissy, haircombing nerds. On top of all that HK is for sissies too. Anyways, message to prospective HK singers that want to get into the business please market yourself as a badass and I’ll guarentee that people will love you just because your different. Actually, that’s not guarenteed, but at least you’ll be doing Chinese folks a favor.

typical korean singer

「緣」的英譯 – 2009年11月17日 (陶傑)

“中文的一個緣字，從佛教的輪迴（ Karma）衍生過來，英文該怎樣譯？我請教這個新世代的中國通。「 Fate, Predestination, Destiny，通通加起來，拌和。」像炒菜一樣，古時的中文營養成份豐富，英譯以一敵眾，才真是博大精深。「但這只是宏觀的『宿命』。如果宿命是一塊棉花田，『緣份』只是一縷隨風飄逝的幼小的絮絲，這是中西文化之間味道總有點不對的地方。」我說。

「還要加上一個字： Serendipity──偶而交感的光亮。」毛大姐說。(“毛凱琳三十年前來到亞洲，從此在大陸定居，歸屬感在中國。”)

加一點點醬油，就貼近許多。「緣」是柔軟而精緻的牽扯，是一種細細的業力。 Serendipity，這個字也深得不得了，卻又有「驀然回首，那人卻在燈火闌珊處」之巧。人的一生，沒有痛哭傷心過，領悟不了其中的蒼茫。我沒有說下去，談話就此結束了。”

早知肇順以河鮮作主打，對於多骨麻煩的河鮮敬而遠之，即管它在屯 門開業已有一段時間，也一直提不起興趣。 直至上星期與朋友相約吃飯，想找個坐得舒舒服服的地方吃頓安樂茶 飯，朋友提議先上來看看餐牌，再決定吃與不吃。

原來星期一至五晚上九時後入座有宵夜餐可算，每款小菜只售$38，星 期一的最大賣點就是有半價的羊腩煲（折後$68）。天氣轉冷，吃煲仔 菜最適合不過，點了兩款煲仔小菜，加一個羊腩煲，三碗白飯，四人 分享，每人才$52！

魚腐雜菜煲

魚腐是以魚肉作為材料，造出豆腐的口感，以順德魚腐最為有名。這 裡的魚腐夠軟滑，鮮味有餘。雜菜煲的湯為奶白色的魚湯，雜菜、雜 菌的分量盡收湯底精華，好味！而且分量極大，抵吃！

豆腐煲

忘了這個是什麼豆腐，原以為是平平無奇，但十分好送飯。豆腐極之 嫩滑，配上橙色的汁，味道配合之餘又不會搶去了豆腐應有的清淡口 味，熱辣辣的送到嘴裡，好好味。

羊腩煲

羊腩煲吃就吃得多，還是第一次吃到有紅蘿蔔、粟米在內的，難道可 以減燥？分量一樣很大，還加送生菜，味道正常，馬蹄十分爽甜，好 味！ 四個人，吃剩了不少，好抵吃，閒日晚市非常靜，下次人多也可以再 來，可以多試點菜。

肇順名匯河鮮專門店
地址：屯門屯隆街3號屯門市廣場3樓3206舖
電話：2462 8898

香港電台 香港故事 （ 第 十 輯 ） 第 七 集 – 我 為 人 人 ,

“人 稱 「 大 佬 榮 」 的 陳 志 榮 ， 身 兼 多 種 義 務 工 作 —- 南 區 愛 心 義 工 團 主 席 、 消 防 安 全 大 使 、 職 業 安 全 健 康 大 使 … … 「 我 成 日 叫 人 做 義 工 ， 做 義 工 頭 頂 有 光 環 架 ﹗ 」 說 罷 ， 摸 摸 自 己 的 光 頭 ， 哈 哈 大 笑 。

大 佬 榮 在 互 委 會 的 義 工 一 做 多 年 ， 2003 年 獲 邀 參 加 南 區 愛 心 村 義 工 訓 練 時 ， 他 的 反 應 是 「 有 無 攪 錯 ？ 仲 訓 練 ？ 」 結 果 是 ， 他 的 義 工 服 務 概 念 被 提 升 到 另 一 個 層 次 ， 「 做 服 務 原 來 要 凹 凸 互 補 ． ． ． 透 過 發 掘 受 助 者 的 能 力 ， 把 他 們 帶 回 社 區 ， 但 不 是 用 受 助 者 形 象 。 他 們 會 知 道 ， 自 己 也 能 貢 獻 社 區 。 」

今 日 ， 他 家 住 漁 光 邨 的 靜 海 樓 ， 已 經 組 成 了 樓 長 和 層 長 制 ， 人 人 都 可 以 是 人 人 的 好 幫 手 。 「 有 一 晚 ， 已 經 是 八 時 許 ， 收 到 通 知 ， 十 時 會 暫 停 食 水 供 應 ， 我 立 即 通 知 各 層 長 ， 一 時 之 間 ， 樓 上 樓 下 腳 步 聲 嘈 雜 ， 大 家 開 始 做 嘢 。 」

那 腳 步 聲 在 在 告 訴 我 們 ， 「 人 人 為 我 ， 我 為 人 人 」 ， 不 只 是 「 粵 語 殘 片 」 的 口 號 。

但 有 得 難 免 有 失 。 大 佬 榮 坦 言 ， 較 少 空 閒 自 由 時 間 ， 但 是 他 認 為 自 己 的 付 出 是 為 兒 孫 積 福 。 “

在觀塘長大，所以看到十一月十五日鏗鏘集”觀塘重建帶來的幾點啟示“特別有感情。

找到這個”活在觀塘“的網站看看，

“觀塘市中心重建在即, 店子一個地一個被關上。不論是你的觀塘故事, 又或者透過同街坊傾偈, 所知道的故事, 又或者是攝影和錄像, 都歡迎你跟我們一起紀錄觀塘。我們希望透過這個網頁眾集一班朋友, 紀錄將要逝去的觀塘, 並了解這裏的過去, 再檢討現在的觀塘發展, 是怎麼回事了?”

Nov 12, 2009 A MAN from Hongkong who molested an intellectually challenged woman was jailed for 10 weeks on Thursday.

Ip Ming Wah, 75, was in Singapore with his wife to visit his daughter and her children at a condominium in Siglap Road when he committed the offence.

He admitted squeezing the breasts of the 32-year-old victim at the void deck of a block on April 15.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Adrian Loo said a Filipino domestic maid was looking out of the window that day when she noticed Ip sitting on a bench infront of her block.

She next saw the victim walk past and Ip following her to the void deck of a neighbouring block. Curious, she went downstairs to have a look. She then saw Ip molesting the victim and informed her employer.

Ip could have been jailed for up to two years and fined for outrage of modesty.

I’m sure you guys are already pretty sick of my constant gushing about Clockenflap. But what transpired on the open lawns of Cyberport this past weekend was something extraordinary, something amazing. I saw the people of Hong Kong, who we normally typecast as cynical, austere conservatives, get up on their feet and dance and howl and scream. I saw a crowd full of people transformed. I saw the awesome power of music in action — and, despite its many bells and whistles, Clockenflap is just that: a music festival. I was only there for the first day, but that was more than enough to leave a lasting impression. (Added bonus: bumping into Rudy for some crazy good conversation!)

When we first arrived on the scene, I was pretty skeptical: it was like every single hipster in Hong Kong had congregated in one place. We were greeted by a sea of thick-framed plastic glasses, men with Cavour-level facial hair, and people drinking fine wine out of plastic cups. Nowhere else in HK would you be able to see such a pretentious gathering — but Clockenflap made it happen. I was disappointed to see that most people were merely chilling on the grass engaged in chit-chat about god knows what. Local bands were playing, but failed to rile the crowd for the rest of the lazy afternoon. The only people up and dancing (albeit awkwardly) were a mojito-guzzling bald man with a somewhat creepy resemblance to Mr. Marcus and a woman wearing a skirt with a person’s face printed on it.

Like fine wine, however, the day got better as time passed. The first group to get people standing up was homegrown art rock band Chochukmo, blessed with a frontman who could actually sing. I don’t know why, but the way he inflects his voice reminds me a little bit of a Canto Alex Turner (singer for the Arctic Monkeys). Infectiously catchy backbeats met playful driving rhythms, and the long-haired rockers soon drew in a minor crowd. They’ll be playing at Grappa’s Cellar on the 28th to promote their new album… do check them out.

“Love is Dead” by Pet Conspiracy

Next in the lineup were Beijing electro rockers Pet Conspiracy in what was probably one of the best live performances I’ve seen. Their creed? “Real dance music should draw blood.” Despite having never heard their music before, we were all instantly hooked by the band’s unique sound, raw energy, and crazy stage antics. The entire performance was intoxicating, orgiastic, mind-blowing. Every riff or chord — hellfire. The lead singer was literally wrapping the mic around her own body in a stroke of hot S&M bondage-type shit. By the end of it, she was dripping wet in cheap beer, glorious sideboob exposed to the world. The lyrics were just as explicit; notable lines included “I’ll give my pink to you” and “Don’t you move / Stay inside me”. To the delight of the frenzied crowd, the onstage outrageousness finally culminated in a make-out between the two male members of the band (right after Audrey commented on how hot the drummer was)… definitely an act worth listening to.

But where Pet Conspiracy was the unexpected surprise, Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor was the unexpected disappointment. His DJ set wasn’t even fully finished. After half an hour, he stopped trying and just played random music (including 50 Cent, LOL) without even attempting to mix them. No matter, though — we found a new source of entertainment: mockingly singing the opening lyrics to Ready for the Floor (DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT NOW) over any and every song that played.

Death to Los Campesinos! by Los Campesinos! (download)

Finally, the main event of the night — Los Campesinos! were up next. This was a special first for me… never before had I seen a band I genuinely liked in concert. Now I could actually sing along with the lyrics (though I was severely outclassed by some local who must be the Campesinos’ biggest diehard fan in Hong Kong — he was getting a little bit too into it, and knew every single song, to boot!) The performance was awesome as expected, albeit dangerous. People nearby were crowdsurfing and bumping into one another. A guy behind us, clearly drunk as shit, was jumping around and flailing about with a bottle of wine in one hand. They had to call out the big guys to restrain the crowd. I thought that only happened in movies. At one point, frontman Gareth Campesinos even called a guy in the crowd a “dickhead”, LOL. After that, it was all smooth sailing and good music. Personal favorite? Knee Deep at ATP. In unrelated news, “Campesinos” no longer looks like a word to me.

But yeah — long story short, if good music should draw blood, I for one had a bloody good time. Oh, and a photo with Tom Campesinos… BRAGGING RIGHTS, BETCHES! I’ll definitely be the first to get my hands on Clockenflap tickets next year. Hope to see more HKIS-ers then! From here on out, the festival can only get bigger and better. Sadly, I wasn’t able to go on the second day due to HiMCM, but the others tell me that Yacht was wicked fun as well. To compensate, I’ll finish off this post with a relevant track. Enjoy:

Psychic City (Classixx Remix Fabio Pop Dancefloor Rework) by Yacht (download)

In & Out Record Store

Mid-Levels,  Soho,  Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Ascending the Worlds Longest And Tallest Escalator, we spot a spot a window with a large poster taped to the glass, declaring, ‘We buy + sell LPs’.  Dashing down the steps at the first possible exit from the conveyer, we stumble into the shabby terraced building inwhich lies a stairwell to the shop.

On the fourth floor, we push open the door and set aside the bead curtain, and stumble across a solitary box shaped room, holding a desk and thousands of records, CDs and DVD stacked in various piles and spilling from cardboard boxes.

The small owner of the room is friendly, and has sprinkled the apartment with enough of his belongings to suggest that its not only his shop, but his home.  Incense hangs thickly in the air, and a contemporary jazz compilation blares from the speakers near the desk with the cash register.

“He probably just gets out a sleeping bag and sleeps in here” Maddi whispers to me, and I can’t help but agree.

We flick through the offerings of CDs, which consist mostly of humdrum rock releases from the likes of U2 and Muse, that leave me uninspired. However a small shelf, labelled ‘electronica’, offers a more interesting, eceltric mixture. We discover Saint Etienne’s Too Young To Die (which compiles the band’s first leg of music producing), recordings of Fatboy Slim’s Beach Boutiques from 2002 and 2003, and Aphex Twin’s double album Drukgs (which, coincenditally, is his last LP to date and an album I long for, but haven’t seen for a price I can justify).

However, it is the disaryed collection of vinyl that ticks the boxes; a big cardboard container of mixed genres priced at $15HK each (just over a £1) lies at the bottom of a dusty shelf.  One of crates seems to consist solely of US house and hip-hop, offering some old school records at a decent price. Elsewhere, stumbling across a remix EP of Underworld’s Cowgirl and Santos’ 2001 classic Camels, I decide to wake up the owner and splash out.

After-all, its not every day you can enter someone’s apartment, root through their record collection and come away with a few gems, without breaking the bank or the law.

Purchase:

Underworld – Cowgirl (Remixes) 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Santos – Camels 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Total Purchases:

Armand Van Helden – Ghetto Blaster – £1 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli 1 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.48 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli Part 2 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

Chemical Brothers, The: Brothers Gonna Work It Out – £2.77 [Tracklisting]

Defected In The House – Mixed By Copyright – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

DJ Hardy Heller – Mix In Motion – £1  [Tracklisting]

DJ Shadow – The New Collection – £2.38

Elektrik 02 – Mixed By King Unique & Nubreed – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 25 – Mixed By Carl Craig – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 26 – Mixed By Global Communication – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Le Le – Breakfast 12″ – £8.24 [Tracklisting]

Moby – Last Night – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Santos – Camels 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Samim: Flow – £1.98 [Tracklisting]

Underworld – Cowgirl (Remixes) 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Underworld – Underneath The Radar 12″ – £8.91 [Tracklisting]

Total Spend: £33.04

Highlight Kenosis va concerta mâine seara la Cluj, de la ora 20:00* în Irish and Music Pub.

*Probabil vor cânta de la 21:00, în deschidere fiind Blood Print.

Photo: My Space pic.