Hinson Leung Cheuk-hin, 21-year-old South China Athletic Association football player (2009), Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Son-suffix; Substitution
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Monday 30 August 2010
Football Misquote
This is in reference to Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe’s handball (which had similar overtones to Thierry Henry’s handball that was heard around the world).
Defoe admitted to handling the ball prior to scoring the second goal in the 4-0 win against Young Boys to seal a place in Europe’s Champions League. He said:
"It was handball for my goal, yes. The linesman didn't see it, though, and sometimes it goes your way. It was a great performance. The hard work was put in last season and it has paid off now. Everyone played their part."
Sunday 29 August 2010
0581 HKSAR Name of the Day
Suki Lee Shuk-king, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong (SCMP letters 18 Aug 2009)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Phonetic-based; Substitution
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Phonetic-based; Substitution
Saturday 28 August 2010
Pluralism in Football
The media are indeed influential. It appears certain journalists or media groups who have a preferred way of saying things will bend the rules to have their say. Pluralism is one such agenda being forcibly pushed on to the unsuspecting public.
[Whatever happened to “There’s only one Stevie G”?]
Reading football or soccer news, I have noticed a growing tendency to read quotes of the kind:
This pluralism has been used here and there.
However, other media groups (link to this and that) which have relatively better journalistic reputations have quoted the same person, in this case Liverpool FC boss Roy Hodgson, as saying:
Unfortunately, I cannot find the video interview or transcript of what Roy Hodgson actually said. Did Hodgson really use pluralism or is this a media ploy?
It will be interesting to see how many other unsuspecting people within the football fraternity will start to use pluralism simply because they are being not-so-innocently exposed to it now.
[Whatever happened to “There’s only one Stevie G”?]
Reading football or soccer news, I have noticed a growing tendency to read quotes of the kind:
“As far as I'm concerned he is someone I believe in, someone I count on, and it is important we improve the team around the Steven Gerrards, Fernando Torres's, Jose Reinas and the Kuyts and not sell them and start all over again.”
This pluralism has been used here and there.
However, other media groups (link to this and that) which have relatively better journalistic reputations have quoted the same person, in this case Liverpool FC boss Roy Hodgson, as saying:
“As far as I'm concerned he is someone I believe in, someone I count on, and it is important we improve the team around the likes of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Jose Reina and Kuyt and not sell them and start all over again."
Unfortunately, I cannot find the video interview or transcript of what Roy Hodgson actually said. Did Hodgson really use pluralism or is this a media ploy?
It will be interesting to see how many other unsuspecting people within the football fraternity will start to use pluralism simply because they are being not-so-innocently exposed to it now.
0580 HKSAR Name of the Day
Karson Oten Fan Karno, popular English language tutor (known as K Oten), contract dispute with King's Glory Education Centre, Hong Kong
see Legal Eagles Vultures Laughing All the Way to the Bank Again
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
see Legal Eagles Vultures Laughing All the Way to the Bank Again
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Friday 27 August 2010
Thursday 26 August 2010
0578 HKSAR Name of the Day
Edison Cheung Fu-ho, Sha Tin, Hong Kong (SCMP letters to the editor, July 24, 2009)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Wednesday 25 August 2010
0577 HKSAR Name of the Day
Boaz Li Chi-kwong, pastor, Hong Kong (evangelist who claimed to have discovered the remains of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey; SCMP Nov 23, 2004)
see Biblical Maths Tries To Keep Noah’s Ark Afloat;
Raiders of the Lost Ark's Intelligent Design; and
0112 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
see Biblical Maths Tries To Keep Noah’s Ark Afloat;
Raiders of the Lost Ark's Intelligent Design; and
0112 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Shocker in Manila: Philippines Bus Siege Plays Out Horribly
Couldn’t sleep, perhaps because of the horror, so I thought I’d blog about what I’d just witnessed on live TV about the tragic and dreadful event in Manila.
Philippine police end Manila bus hijack of Hong Kong tourists
Not since 9/11 have I been totally captivated by live TV events of an impending disaster about to unfold. But Monday night 8/23 in Hong Kong brought back memories of being captivated by live TV and being drawn into the imminent terror of a tragic event.
This time it was the storming of a hijacked bus in what seemed to be surreal scenes from a movie … only this wasn’t fictional. I caught the action just after 730pm (HK time) when the two English news programmes on TVB Pearl and ATV World reported the hostage situation of a Hong Kong tour bus in the Philippines that started earlier in the day. Then I switched over (alternating) between the two Chinese channels on TVB Jade and ATV Home because they were showing the event live.
But what struck me as odd was the way the Philippines police (or Filipino SWAT team) operated. Perhaps I have been exposed to too many Hollywood action movies or influenced by the solid reputation of French Commandos, but watching the Filipino SWAT team operate did not fill me with a sense that they knew what they were doing.
The thing is, there didn’t appear to be any coordinated plan about how to storm the bus.
All they did was use hammers in an attempt to break some side windows, the main door and the windscreen. But these attempts failed, so for about 30 minutes the scene was of the main SWAT team squatting low down against the side of the bus and waiting for instructions about what to do next. [Contrast this to French Commandos taking less than 10 minutes to storm a hijacked oil tanker or aircraft]
[Pic 1. The Filipino SWAT team begin their assault … by using hammers to try to break through side windows and…]
[Pic 2. … through the main door and windscreen. Note: the body lying behind the main door. While watching the scenes live on Hong Kong TV, I did not notice the body behind the main door … and neither, it appears, did the police.]
After about 30 minutes of indecision, a member of the Filipino SWAT team tied a rope around the frame of the main doors. He did this without wearing a helmet and was therefore dangerously exposing himself. The other end of the rope was then tied to a vehicle, with the plan being to pull off the main doors. But before this could happen, some bright spark figured out that there was a release mechanism on the outside of the bus (just above the SWAT team members’ heads ... see Pic 1) that opened the emergency exit door at the back of the bus.
So, the plan to pull off the main doors was quickly rejected in favour of opening the emergency exit door. Even so, they still needed a vehicle to back up sideways against the bus to completely unhinge the back door. Once the back door was fully prised opened, the SWAT team entered cautiously. About three SWAT team members entered and then quickly exited as gunfire broke out.
[Pic 3. The emergency exit door at the back of the bus is forced open. One side window is riddled with bullet holes as gunfire force SWAT team members out and to retreat.]
One of the side windows is then riddled with bullet holes and a brief standoff again elapses. Later, teargas is seen rising out of the bus windows and then more gunfire. A gruesome scene appears as a body (apparently, the hijacker) slumps halfway through the main doors, seemingly dripping with blood. This whole operation to stop the hijacker—starting off with using hammers to break the windows—took about 90 minutes.
At least four hostages are seen walking out but (as of 9pm HK time) it is not clear how many have survived this tragedy.
NB: To be clear, I am not criticizing the Filipino SWAT team’s valiant efforts. I am just recalling my memories of the events that unfolded before my eyes live on the TV screen.
Philippine police end Manila bus hijack of Hong Kong tourists
Not since 9/11 have I been totally captivated by live TV events of an impending disaster about to unfold. But Monday night 8/23 in Hong Kong brought back memories of being captivated by live TV and being drawn into the imminent terror of a tragic event.
This time it was the storming of a hijacked bus in what seemed to be surreal scenes from a movie … only this wasn’t fictional. I caught the action just after 730pm (HK time) when the two English news programmes on TVB Pearl and ATV World reported the hostage situation of a Hong Kong tour bus in the Philippines that started earlier in the day. Then I switched over (alternating) between the two Chinese channels on TVB Jade and ATV Home because they were showing the event live.
But what struck me as odd was the way the Philippines police (or Filipino SWAT team) operated. Perhaps I have been exposed to too many Hollywood action movies or influenced by the solid reputation of French Commandos, but watching the Filipino SWAT team operate did not fill me with a sense that they knew what they were doing.
The thing is, there didn’t appear to be any coordinated plan about how to storm the bus.
All they did was use hammers in an attempt to break some side windows, the main door and the windscreen. But these attempts failed, so for about 30 minutes the scene was of the main SWAT team squatting low down against the side of the bus and waiting for instructions about what to do next. [Contrast this to French Commandos taking less than 10 minutes to storm a hijacked oil tanker or aircraft]
[Pic 1. The Filipino SWAT team begin their assault … by using hammers to try to break through side windows and…]
[Pic 2. … through the main door and windscreen. Note: the body lying behind the main door. While watching the scenes live on Hong Kong TV, I did not notice the body behind the main door … and neither, it appears, did the police.]After about 30 minutes of indecision, a member of the Filipino SWAT team tied a rope around the frame of the main doors. He did this without wearing a helmet and was therefore dangerously exposing himself. The other end of the rope was then tied to a vehicle, with the plan being to pull off the main doors. But before this could happen, some bright spark figured out that there was a release mechanism on the outside of the bus (just above the SWAT team members’ heads ... see Pic 1) that opened the emergency exit door at the back of the bus.
So, the plan to pull off the main doors was quickly rejected in favour of opening the emergency exit door. Even so, they still needed a vehicle to back up sideways against the bus to completely unhinge the back door. Once the back door was fully prised opened, the SWAT team entered cautiously. About three SWAT team members entered and then quickly exited as gunfire broke out.
[Pic 3. The emergency exit door at the back of the bus is forced open. One side window is riddled with bullet holes as gunfire force SWAT team members out and to retreat.]One of the side windows is then riddled with bullet holes and a brief standoff again elapses. Later, teargas is seen rising out of the bus windows and then more gunfire. A gruesome scene appears as a body (apparently, the hijacker) slumps halfway through the main doors, seemingly dripping with blood. This whole operation to stop the hijacker—starting off with using hammers to break the windows—took about 90 minutes.
At least four hostages are seen walking out but (as of 9pm HK time) it is not clear how many have survived this tragedy.
NB: To be clear, I am not criticizing the Filipino SWAT team’s valiant efforts. I am just recalling my memories of the events that unfolded before my eyes live on the TV screen.
0576 HKSAR Name of the Day
Grandy Fu Wang (Mr), technician, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion
Monday 23 August 2010
0575 HKSAR Name of the Day
Lucetta Kam Yip Lo, Gender Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Sunday 22 August 2010
0574 HKSAR Name of the Day
Vincci An Wing Sze (Miss), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
see 0174 HKSAR Name of the Day and 0389 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; somewhat common in Hong Kong
see 0174 HKSAR Name of the Day and 0389 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; somewhat common in Hong Kong
Saturday 21 August 2010
0573 HKSAR Name of the Day
Savio Tse Siu-hong (Dr), lecturer, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Friday 20 August 2010
Can Anyone Count at SCMP?
Today, Hong Kong’s three English-language newspapers ran the local news story about quadriplegic Tang Siu-pun leaving hospital after 19 years as an in-patient. The 41-year-old quadriplegic, known as Ah Bun, made headlines in 2004 when he appealed to then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa to legalize euthanasia so that he could end his life. His appeal fell on deaf ears. Today's news stories bring to mind the old joke that there are three kinds of mathematicians, those who can count and those who can’t.
[After 19 years, quadriplegic Ah Bun leaves Queen Mary Hospital and moves into a new flat in a public housing estate. Pic from SCMP]
The Standard’s “Home after 19 years, Ah Bun starts anew” correctly mentions that Tang was severely paralyzed in a 1991 gymnastics accident when he was 22 years old.
In comparison, the SCMP’s “Ah Bun's dream comes true after 19 years” joyously attempts to give more specific details by stating that the gymnastics accident occurred on June 19, 1999.
With numbers and nines and ones all over the shop, it seems 19 years is a lot to count for SCMP!
Related Posts about Hong Kong newspapers (media)
Woman Calls Police After Rat Bites Her
Headline Competition: The Standard Owns SCMP
Missing Photos and Missing Stories in SCMP
Judges Behaving Bizarrely As Usual
Harry's View Incorrect
Grundy on Grindy
Myth Musings: Mobiles and Mistresses
[After 19 years, quadriplegic Ah Bun leaves Queen Mary Hospital and moves into a new flat in a public housing estate. Pic from SCMP]The Standard’s “Home after 19 years, Ah Bun starts anew” correctly mentions that Tang was severely paralyzed in a 1991 gymnastics accident when he was 22 years old.
In comparison, the SCMP’s “Ah Bun's dream comes true after 19 years” joyously attempts to give more specific details by stating that the gymnastics accident occurred on June 19, 1999.
With numbers and nines and ones all over the shop, it seems 19 years is a lot to count for SCMP!
Related Posts about Hong Kong newspapers (media)
Woman Calls Police After Rat Bites Her
Headline Competition: The Standard Owns SCMP
Missing Photos and Missing Stories in SCMP
Judges Behaving Bizarrely As Usual
Harry's View Incorrect
Grundy on Grindy
Myth Musings: Mobiles and Mistresses
0572 HKSAR Name of the Day
Sunny Kwong Kai Sun, professor, Department of Economics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
see 0147 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
see 0147 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Thursday 19 August 2010
0571 HKSAR Name of the Day
Zero Ho Chi Wai (Mr), Assistant Computer Officer, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Wednesday 18 August 2010
0570 HKSAR Name of the Day
Yorkie Tai Yue Kee (Miss), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Phonetic-based
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Phonetic-based
Tuesday 17 August 2010
0569 HKSAR Name of the Day
Adela Lau Sau-mui (Dr), lecturer, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Monday 16 August 2010
0568 HKSAR Name of the Day
Mason Lau Man Chun, Centre For Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Sunday 15 August 2010
0567 HKSAR Name of the Day
Deacon Yun Wai Chee (Mr), Technician, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Saturday 14 August 2010
A Traditional Marriage? Try Getting a Hallmark Card For That!
While Pat Condell (example here from China Droll) and Mr Deity (example there) are undoubtedly great if not a little dry, HKSARblog has discovered a new favourite in Mrs Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian! She’s amazing, she’s fantastic, and she really is America’s Best Christian!! Check this out …
Betty Bowers Explains Traditional Marriage to Everyone Else
PRESENT CONTEXT
With Hong Kong’s current legal shenanigans at the High Court involving a transgender woman challenging the Hong Kong Government’s traditional view of marriage so that she can marry her boyfriend, Mrs Betty Bowers definition of Traditional Marriage According to the Bible really does help clarify just what a mockery society’s traditional beliefs are.
On Sunday 8 August 2010, the Sunday Morning Post had a rather uninspired, inelegant and prosaic headline: “I want to marry my boyfriend, says woman who was a man” that described the landmark legal case in Hong Kong.
The transgender woman identified only as “W” is Hong Kong Chinese, in her 20s, and was born male and had a sex change. Although the Immigration Department has changed her sex on her identity card, she discovered that the Registrar of Marriages ruled she could not marry her boyfriend. She is denied the right to marry because her birth certificate—which cannot be changed under Hong Kong law—still shows her to be a man. Based on society’s view and definition of traditional marriage, the only person she can legally marry is a woman.
NOTE: W’s lawyer, Mike Vidler, said: "This is not a back-door step towards same-sex marriage, it is simply a case of allowing a couple to express their love for each other and live life together as a married couple."
Even so, the summary of Mrs Betty Bowers’ video (at 3:30) should still strike a chord:
Bravo ... Mrs Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian! You have a new fan and there are certainly plenty more supporters who appreciate your excellent work as "America's Best Christian".
More news about Hong Kong's High Court Review Case is available from The Standard's article:
Transgender woman gets her day in court (10 August 2010)
Betty Bowers Explains Traditional Marriage to Everyone Else
PRESENT CONTEXT
With Hong Kong’s current legal shenanigans at the High Court involving a transgender woman challenging the Hong Kong Government’s traditional view of marriage so that she can marry her boyfriend, Mrs Betty Bowers definition of Traditional Marriage According to the Bible really does help clarify just what a mockery society’s traditional beliefs are.
On Sunday 8 August 2010, the Sunday Morning Post had a rather uninspired, inelegant and prosaic headline: “I want to marry my boyfriend, says woman who was a man” that described the landmark legal case in Hong Kong.
The transgender woman identified only as “W” is Hong Kong Chinese, in her 20s, and was born male and had a sex change. Although the Immigration Department has changed her sex on her identity card, she discovered that the Registrar of Marriages ruled she could not marry her boyfriend. She is denied the right to marry because her birth certificate—which cannot be changed under Hong Kong law—still shows her to be a man. Based on society’s view and definition of traditional marriage, the only person she can legally marry is a woman.
NOTE: W’s lawyer, Mike Vidler, said: "This is not a back-door step towards same-sex marriage, it is simply a case of allowing a couple to express their love for each other and live life together as a married couple."
Even so, the summary of Mrs Betty Bowers’ video (at 3:30) should still strike a chord:
The Lord’s idea of a perfect marriage is between one man and
1) His sister;
2) And a rapist;
3) Kitchen condiment;
4) Girl he’s kidnapped and raped;
5) More than one woman;
6) An adulterer;
7) A pack of raped whores;
8) 700 wives;
9) 300 concubines;
10) A helper;
11) And a son who has murdered his brother.
But [a Biblical marriage] is … not between one man and another man because well that would be … immoral.
Bravo ... Mrs Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian! You have a new fan and there are certainly plenty more supporters who appreciate your excellent work as "America's Best Christian".
More news about Hong Kong's High Court Review Case is available from The Standard's article:
Transgender woman gets her day in court (10 August 2010)
Friday 13 August 2010
Legal Eagles Vultures Laughing All the Way to the Bank Again
In the legal business, history repeating itself is not just a rule of thumb but appears to be an actual Law.
It should be called Suckers' Law or something similar, with an “equation” of the kind:
There is a clear conflict of interest because lawyers will “downplay” their warning or advice to their clients against taking legal action (which in most cases is the best outcome, even though at the time clients may not be able to foresee this ... which is why they pay for legal advice in the first place!), despite the fact that lawyers clearly understand the elegant mathematical mechanics that play out in the fourth dimension [i.e. time] according to Suckers' Law.
This is at least the experience in Hong Kong. The latest example involves the grandly-named “Tutor King” Karson Oten Fan Karno (a Novel HKSAR Name) who took on his ex-employers in the public law courts.
[Hong Kong “Tutor King” Karson Oten Fan Karno. Pic courtesy The Standard]
Fan came to realize—rather belatedly—that he could no longer afford to pay for lawyers (see news article below).
Even Fung Shui Master Tony Chan Chun-chuen came to realize—and not through using his famed fortune telling skills—that his original lawyers were quickly bleeding him dry from his "pound of flesh". Subsequently Chan had to change lawyers and sell his assets to make ends meet (or rather to perhaps bleed slower), while the Inland Revenue remain hot on his heels for undeclared income and tax evasion.
Did these people’s lawyers really have their clients’ best interests at heart? History repeating itself. History repeating itself.
Tutor king falls (The Standard)
History repeating itself.
It should be called Suckers' Law or something similar, with an “equation” of the kind:
Whenever there is a dispute between two parties and lawyers on both sides are paid to achieve the best outcome for their respective parties (or clients), the ultimate beneficiaries are the lawyers and the ultimate losers are the clients.
There is a clear conflict of interest because lawyers will “downplay” their warning or advice to their clients against taking legal action (which in most cases is the best outcome, even though at the time clients may not be able to foresee this ... which is why they pay for legal advice in the first place!), despite the fact that lawyers clearly understand the elegant mathematical mechanics that play out in the fourth dimension [i.e. time] according to Suckers' Law.
This is at least the experience in Hong Kong. The latest example involves the grandly-named “Tutor King” Karson Oten Fan Karno (a Novel HKSAR Name) who took on his ex-employers in the public law courts.
[Hong Kong “Tutor King” Karson Oten Fan Karno. Pic courtesy The Standard]Fan came to realize—rather belatedly—that he could no longer afford to pay for lawyers (see news article below).
Even Fung Shui Master Tony Chan Chun-chuen came to realize—and not through using his famed fortune telling skills—that his original lawyers were quickly bleeding him dry from his "pound of flesh". Subsequently Chan had to change lawyers and sell his assets to make ends meet (or rather to perhaps bleed slower), while the Inland Revenue remain hot on his heels for undeclared income and tax evasion.
Did these people’s lawyers really have their clients’ best interests at heart? History repeating itself. History repeating itself.
Tutor king falls (The Standard)
Serinah Ho
Thursday, August 12, 2010
"Tutor King" Karson Oten Fan Karno, facing court actions involving almost HK$35 million, is on the brink of bankruptcy.
Fan - better known as "Tutor King" K Oten and one of Hong Kong's highest- earning English tutors - yesterday made the bombshell announcement that he has decided to apply for bankruptcy to terminate his debt.
"My son has just been born and I don't want to get entangled further in a lawsuit," he said.
"I am not only my family's pillar, but also father of a child. I believe I should put aside my personal honor and be responsible for my family."
He said he can no longer afford to pay for lawyers, adding: "I have been fighting alone with this big group [King's Glory Education Centre]."
Fan, in his 30s, starts a new job today with Cantab Education tutorial center.
He was ordered last year to pay King's Glory - his former employer - HK$8.87 million in compensation for breach of contract and recently lost an appeal to overturn the judgment.
Fan is also being sued by another tutorial center and was arrested for copyright infringement in another case, although he has not been charged.
In July last year, the Court of First Instance ordered Fan to hand over HK$8.87 million to King's Glory for breach of a five-year contract signed in 2003. He failed in his appeal in June.
He also faces litigation by Modern Education, which terminated his contract in January this year and sued him for more than HK$26 million.
According to Modern Education, Fan printed large advertisements on buses without consent from the company and falsely claimed to be "chief English tutor."
In May, Fan was arrested for suspected infringement of copyright of public examination papers along with seven others in a raid by customs officers on 14 tutorial centers run by Advanced Contemporary Education Centre.
Fan denied responsibility and said it is Advanced Contemporary that should clear copyright with the Examinations and Assessment Authority, not the tutors.
A Customs and Excise Department spokeswoman said Fan's case is still under investigation and refused to comment on his announcement of bankruptcy.
A lawyer, who would not be named, said that under the Official Receiver's Office, bankruptcy applicants have to execute the repayment order for four years.
The repayment depends on the applicant's financial ability.
"The receiver has to ensure a reasonable standard of living for both the applicant and the applicant's family," he said.
"The repayment amount, calculated based on the applicant's salary and existing assets, is the amount left after deducting reasonable living expenses."
The repayment could be waived after four years if the applicant performs well during the bankruptcy period, but uncooperative applicants may be ordered to prolong the bankruptcy period to a maximum of four years.
During the bankruptcy period, applicants are ordered to sell their cars, flats and other assets.
"In many cases, applicants would have to move to a simple flat, and not be allowed to live in a luxurious environment, or use luxurious goods," the lawyer said.
History repeating itself.
0565 HKSAR Name of the Day
Hareton Leung (Dr), associate professor, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Thursday 12 August 2010
0564 HKSAR Name of the Day
Dickon Ng Hang Leung, professor, Department of Physics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Wednesday 11 August 2010
0563 HKSAR Name of the Day
Sheree Leung Suet Fun (Ms), Supervisory Executive Officer, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Unclearly English or Clearly UnEnglish?
There is a new brand of water ebbing out of Cambridge and flowing into Hong Kong called Iceni. It is apparently named after a tribe in East Anglia that was ruled as far back as 60AD by Queen Boadicea (who appears to have at least three different spellings).
Aside from the inconsistent spelling of the queen’s name on the Iceni website and on the labels on the water bottles, the brand identity appears inconsistent and confused.
[Clearly English. Really?]
Somewhat British? St George?
Aside from the inconsistent spelling of the queen’s name on the Iceni website and on the labels on the water bottles, the brand identity appears inconsistent and confused.
[Clearly English. Really?]Somewhat British? St George?
0562 HKSAR Name of the Day
Chanel Elissa Kwok Chi Lai (Miss), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
see 0214 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Brand-based; somewhat common in Hong Kong
see 0214 HKSAR Name of the Day
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Brand-based; somewhat common in Hong Kong
Monday 9 August 2010
0561 HKSAR Name of the Day
Korris F L Chung (Dr), associate professor, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution
Sunday 8 August 2010
Jeepers … GPS for Hong Kong Taxis
Gee Pee Ess See? Tom tom? Mut yeh lei ah?
[Technology touted for taxis. Pic courtesy ThePirata.com]
Letter in SCMP
Just out of interest: Are New York cabbies more than 10% competent in English?
[Technology touted for taxis. Pic courtesy ThePirata.com]Letter in SCMP
Government should put GPS systems in all Hong Kong taxis
Aug 07, 2010
I have been living in Hong Kong for 11 years and I have found that you are lucky to get a taxi driver who is more than 10 per cent competent in English.
It is amazing how taxi drivers insist on correct Cantonese pronunciation before they will understand your address instructions. Then you have to make the correct pronunciation five times.
This is in contrast to London, where cabbies have to pass a test called "The Knowledge" before being granted a licence.
Through this test they acquire a great deal of information about the capital city and, for example, can find alternative routes if there is a traffic jam at a critical intersection.
On one recent trip here, my taxi driver did not know Shek Tong Tsui and Woo Hop Street until I had repeated the names five times.
When I was visiting Australia, I forgot my way around and got lost three times in one day. I decided to buy a TomTom global positioning system to use in my car.
It speaks to you and gives instructions ahead of each turning so you can reach your destination using the most efficient route.
Generally, middle-aged male taxi drivers are not interested in learning English.
It is a cultural thing and unfortunate given that Hong Kong wants to be seen as an international city. Technology could provide a solution.
The government should make it mandatory for every taxi to have a GPS system installed.
It should be bilingual so that foreign visitors, using a touch screen, can select their destination and the GPS system will give audio instructions to the cabbie in Cantonese.
Passengers would be able to watch the screen to make sure the driver does not go the long way around in order to get a higher fare.
In Australia, every taxi is fitted with a GPS system that allocates new fares to the driver who is closest to where the passenger is phoning from.
This technology reduces costs and fuel consumption and therefore leads to less environmental pollution.
A GPS project should be introduced in Hong Kong using efficient technology. It should include an audit trail for dispute resolution and police tracking of repeat speeding offenders.
It can keep drivers honest, correct the cultural bias against learning English, and lower stress levels for both taxi drivers and passengers.
It would bring us a step closer to being an international city.
Hong Kong could develop and export this technology to major developing economies in Asia such as the mainland.
This city depends on the development of international trade, and visiting business people must be sure they can rely on an efficient taxi system so they can get to their meetings on time.
Ross Smith, Western district
Just out of interest: Are New York cabbies more than 10% competent in English?
0560 HKSAR Name of the Day
Astley Chu Kin Kan, Food And Nutritional Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Saturday 7 August 2010
Red on Red
With all the current interest in Liverpool FC’s potential new owners being Chinese, or even possibly being backed by the Chinese Communist Party, this picture piqued my interest. It's from the second leg of a Europa League third round qualifying match between Liverpool FC and FC Rabotnicki.
[Heady European Nights at Anfield with nine (or 8.5) Macedonian Rabotnicki supporters. Pic courtesy AFP/Getty Images.]
Aside: (from observations of pictures of young football "fans")
Isn’t it unnerving that parents or guardians can label their children at so young an age as a “Reds supporter”, “Red Devils fan”, “die-hard member of the Toon Army”, “Pompey fan”, “Blue”, or any other football team fan? It is a huge shame that such kids have not been given a choice in declaring an allegiance to a team, if any.
For instance, is Karan Chainrai really a Pompey fan? What happens to him and his "support" when (and it is only a matter of time) his father Balram Chainrai sells Portsmouth FC?
This—can it be called fanatical indoctrination?—is perhaps somewhat similar to Richard Dawkins’ outcry against labelling children with the religion of their parents (i.e. a Catholic child, a Muslim child, etc). It is simply absurd.
Wouldn't it be more sensible to be able to choose to support a sports team for reasons other than the fact that one's parents or guardians are already supporters (or owners)?
[Heady European Nights at Anfield with nine (or 8.5) Macedonian Rabotnicki supporters. Pic courtesy AFP/Getty Images.]Aside: (from observations of pictures of young football "fans")
Isn’t it unnerving that parents or guardians can label their children at so young an age as a “Reds supporter”, “Red Devils fan”, “die-hard member of the Toon Army”, “Pompey fan”, “Blue”, or any other football team fan? It is a huge shame that such kids have not been given a choice in declaring an allegiance to a team, if any.
For instance, is Karan Chainrai really a Pompey fan? What happens to him and his "support" when (and it is only a matter of time) his father Balram Chainrai sells Portsmouth FC?
This—can it be called fanatical indoctrination?—is perhaps somewhat similar to Richard Dawkins’ outcry against labelling children with the religion of their parents (i.e. a Catholic child, a Muslim child, etc). It is simply absurd.
Wouldn't it be more sensible to be able to choose to support a sports team for reasons other than the fact that one's parents or guardians are already supporters (or owners)?
0559 HKSAR Name of the Day
Lolitta Wong S F (Ms), Supervisory Executive Officer, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion
Friday 6 August 2010
0558 HKSAR Name of the Day
Grahm Ho Ting Bong (Mr), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Deletion
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Deletion
Thursday 5 August 2010
Judges Behaving Bizarrely As Usual
Two court cases reported recently in the local papers highlighted the fact that the guilty parties' links with the well-heeled and well-connected may have helped them receive lenient sentences because of who they are.
In one court case [Police uproar over light sentence for judge's niece], Amina Mariam Bokhary, 34, who is the niece of Court of Final Appeal judge Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary, was convicted of careless driving, failing to take a breath test, and assaulting police (the latter for a third time). Yet magistrate Anthony Yuen Wai-ming put her on probation for a year. She was also fined and banned from driving for a year. Bizarrely, Yuen noted Amina Bokhary's "good background, a well-off family, good education and outstanding academic achievement" ... as if this was influential in his judgment.
In another court case [Businessman's son avoids jail term], Clinton Tong Tsun-tak, 18, who is the son of businessman Carl Tong Ka-wing, vice chairman of listed company eSun Holdings and a director of Crocodile Garments, was convicted of drink-driving, careless driving, driving without a license, taking a conveyance without authority and using a vehicle without third-party insurance.
Magistrate Bina Chainrai sentenced Clinton Tong to 150 hours of community service, along with a fine, and banned from driving for a year. The magistrate also bizarrely noted Tong’s good background and excellent academic results … as if this was influential in his judgment.
Remember, these are two drink-driving cases. And considering the uproar last year about deaths caused by drink-drivers and dangerous drivers—where new enforcement measures and a review of the legislation were implemented—these two drink-driving-related offences have seemingly taken a backward step in the crackdown to drink-driving.
Yet more cases of judges behavingbadly bizarrely as usual?
Discrepancies in Reported Facts Between The Standard and South China Morning Post
Did the reporters go to the same court hearings?
The Standard reported:
• Amina Mariam Bokhary to be 33 years old.
• Clinton Tong was fined HK$12,000 (US$1,538).
• Clinton Tong’s family paid the injured taxi driver HK$180,000 (US$23,077) as compensation.
The SCMP reported:
• Amina Mariam Bokhary to be 34 years old.
• Clinton Tong was fined HK$15,000 (US$1,923).
• Clinton Tong’s family paid the injured taxi driver HK$288,000 (US$36,923) as compensation.
Note: Whatever the Tongs' compensation amount to the injured taxi driver was, being Hong Kong it simply had to have “eight” in it. The taxi driver must have been quickly sold by that fact alone.
Don’t accept HK$200,000 ... instead “modestly” seize HK$180,000!
Don’t accept HK$300,000 ... instead “humbly” grab HK$288,000!!
Related Posts
Chinese Numbers for Rent
Chinese Cherry Picking
Amina Bokhary Breaks Her Silence (from Ulaca)
In one court case [Police uproar over light sentence for judge's niece], Amina Mariam Bokhary, 34, who is the niece of Court of Final Appeal judge Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary, was convicted of careless driving, failing to take a breath test, and assaulting police (the latter for a third time). Yet magistrate Anthony Yuen Wai-ming put her on probation for a year. She was also fined and banned from driving for a year. Bizarrely, Yuen noted Amina Bokhary's "good background, a well-off family, good education and outstanding academic achievement" ... as if this was influential in his judgment.
In another court case [Businessman's son avoids jail term], Clinton Tong Tsun-tak, 18, who is the son of businessman Carl Tong Ka-wing, vice chairman of listed company eSun Holdings and a director of Crocodile Garments, was convicted of drink-driving, careless driving, driving without a license, taking a conveyance without authority and using a vehicle without third-party insurance.
Magistrate Bina Chainrai sentenced Clinton Tong to 150 hours of community service, along with a fine, and banned from driving for a year. The magistrate also bizarrely noted Tong’s good background and excellent academic results … as if this was influential in his judgment.
Remember, these are two drink-driving cases. And considering the uproar last year about deaths caused by drink-drivers and dangerous drivers—where new enforcement measures and a review of the legislation were implemented—these two drink-driving-related offences have seemingly taken a backward step in the crackdown to drink-driving.
Yet more cases of judges behaving
Discrepancies in Reported Facts Between The Standard and South China Morning Post
Did the reporters go to the same court hearings?
The Standard reported:
• Amina Mariam Bokhary to be 33 years old.
• Clinton Tong was fined HK$12,000 (US$1,538).
• Clinton Tong’s family paid the injured taxi driver HK$180,000 (US$23,077) as compensation.
The SCMP reported:
• Amina Mariam Bokhary to be 34 years old.
• Clinton Tong was fined HK$15,000 (US$1,923).
• Clinton Tong’s family paid the injured taxi driver HK$288,000 (US$36,923) as compensation.
Note: Whatever the Tongs' compensation amount to the injured taxi driver was, being Hong Kong it simply had to have “eight” in it. The taxi driver must have been quickly sold by that fact alone.
Don’t accept HK$200,000 ... instead “modestly” seize HK$180,000!
Don’t accept HK$300,000 ... instead “humbly” grab HK$288,000!!
Related Posts
Chinese Numbers for Rent
Chinese Cherry Picking
Amina Bokhary Breaks Her Silence (from Ulaca)
0588 HKSAR Name of the Day
Edelweiss Cheung Shu-nga, Miss Hong Kong 2008 beauty queen (accused of not fulfilling her duties as Miss Hong Kong), Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Nature-based
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Nature-based
0557 HKSAR Name of the Day
Alpha Keung, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong (SCMP letters, May 18, 2009)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Wednesday 4 August 2010
0556 HKSAR Name of the Day
Stefany Lin, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong (SCMP letters, May 30, 2004)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution