When a Malaysian Meddles in Hong Kong Affairs

Kuok became CEO of Shangri-La hotel group last August

The debate of whether Hongkongers should learn more Mandarin than Cantonese has erupted again after the scion of the family that owns a chain of luxury hotels weighed in on the topic at a business summit in the city.

"We should really revamp our public education system. Our next generation has to be much more connected to China in terms of language and culture," said Hui Kuok, chair and group chief executive of the Shangri-La luxury hotel group.

She is the daughter of Robert Kuok, founder of the hotel group and Malaysia's richest man. At one point she was the CEO and managing director of the South China Morning Post newspaper, which was owned by her father until he sold it to Alibaba in 2016.

"One way to do this could be over time to make Putonghua the main medium of instruction in schools," she said, speaking at HSBC's Global Investment Summit in Hong Kong.

"Another way could be for Hong Kong to invite some of the best public schools in China to open campuses here, just like we have done for international schools for decades."

Needless to say there was a lot of outrage over her remarks, in particular that she has a privileged background and attended international schools and has a degree in East Asian Studies at Harvard. She became CEO of Shangri-La Asia Limited last August, and is the wife of Bryan Gaw, an executive director of Kerry Properties, another Kuok company.

Many commenting online say Hongkongers should continue speaking Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and not specifically cater to China. However, for the Shangri-La hotel group, China is its greatest source of revenue, with an equity interest in 50 hotels out of 82 worldwide.

Besides, Mandarin is already taught in Hong Kong schools as a requirement. What more does Kuok want?

It's quite strange for her to speak out on a topic like this when she herself had an international education, having grown up in Hong Kong and then studied in the United States.

Some people online have called to boycott the hotel chain, and if -- a big if -- there are enough of them to make a serious financial dent in the company's bottom line, we may know why...

Review: Patriot: A Memoir

Navalny's last words for everyone to read

When Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny was seriously poisoned in August 2020 and recovered in Germany for several months, many warned him not to return to Russia, for fear he could be jailed for a long time.

But Navalny was determined and returned to Russia on January 17, 2021, and despite tens of journalists recording his every move in the airport, he was promptly detained at passport control for violating his parole conditions when he was in Germany recovering.

Why did he go back, knowing this could happen? He explains why in his memoir, Patriot, published posthumously in 2024. His wife Yulia and the Estate of Alexei Navalny own the copyright of the book, which was translated from Russian.

Navalny and his wife Yulia

The memoir spans 479 pages, and Navalny explains in his own words his childhood growing up in a military town near Obninsk, where the first Soviet nuclear reactor was built. He was nine years old when the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl exploded, and his family knew the government was hiding the truth and tried to force the residents there to continue with their daily lives.

Eventually these people were evacuated and dispersed wherever there was accommodation.

To Navalny, the Chernobyl disaster and how it was handled left a very strong impression on him.

"The question most puzzling even to my ten-year-old self was why the authorities were lying like this when everybody around me knew the truth. What kind of pathetic attempt at deception was this? If you are going to lie, you should at least be expecting to benefit from it in some way. You claim to be sick and you don't have to go school; that at least makes sense. But what was the point of these lies? Describing the way the Soviet Union worked, Vasily Shukshin, a Russian writer, memorably said, "Lies, lies, lies... Lies as redemption, lies as atonement for guilt, lies a goal achieved, lies as a career, as prosperity, as medals, as an apartment... Lies! The whole of Russia was covered in lies, like scab." An excellent description of the situation."

At that age Navalny not only knew what was happening, but also thought what the state was doing was wrong and decided to do something about it.

His father was from Ukraine, his mother from northern Russia. Navalny says: "Quizzed for the umpteenth time as to whether I was Ukrainian or Russian, I did my best to avoid a straight answer. It was like being asked whom you loved more, your mother or your father, to which no sensible answer is possible."

Navalny says early on it was his family who taught him to love his country -- not the state. "There was never any talk about whether we ought to emigrate, and I can imagine no circumstances in which there might have been. How could you emigrate when your country is here, when the language you speak is here, and Russians are the world's most wonderful people? A good people with a bad state."

Navalny talks about life in his teen years and deciding he wanted to study law, these were the options for university that his friend jokingly described:

Navalny in prison

1. The law faculty of Moscow State University, which the whole of Moscow was fighting to get into;

2. The law faculty of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, where admission was restricted to string-pulling KGB families and other Soviet elites;

3. The People's Friendship University of Russia, whose students came mainly from Africa or were future KGB agents assigned to spy on those students.

He became a lawyer and after Vladimir Putin came to power, Navalny joined opposition parties, even those on the far right. His legal knowledge would become very helpful, particularly when he became an activist shareholder and disrupted meetings when he asked company officials embarrassing questions on expenditures with the media present.

It seems it was love at first sight when he spotted Yulia during a business trip in Turkey. They got on so well that they moved in together six months after meeting, married two years later. From his admiration of her, it seems they are completely in tune with each other.

Navalny explains how opposition parties operated, and got involved in politics from the grassroots level, and gathered support as he exposed the corruption in their areas. The number of views of his videos reached millions.

To him, the embezzlement of money hindered people's social and economic mobility, as well as the economic development of the country. He has shown through reports and videos the billions of dollars that senior Russian officials took and were used to buy property overseas, or build extravagant villas in the country, while ordinary people are struggling to make ends meet or battling bureaucracy on a daily basis.

He makes a heart symbol to Yulia in the dock

"If you were to ask me whether I hate Vladimir Putin, my answer would be, yes, I hate him, but not because he tried to kill me or put my brother in prison. I hate Putin because he has stolen the last twenty years from Russia. These could have been incredible years, the sort of period that we've never had in our history. We had no enemies. We had peace on all our borders. The price of oil, gas, and our other natural resources was incredibly high. We earned huge amounts from our exports. Putin could have used these years to turn Russia into a prosperous country. All of us could have lived better.

"Instead twenty million people live below the poverty line. Part of the money Putin and his cronies simply stole; part of it was squandered. They did nothing good for our country, and that is their worst crime against our children and the country's future."

The last third of the book Navalny details his life in prison from February 2021 until 2024 [he died February 2024] in diary form. He gives detailed insight into what it is like to live behind bars, how he is treated, and how prison officials try to break his spirit with increasingly terrible conditions, or preventing him from seeing his lawyers and family members. Physically it is trying for his body, but Navalny believes others have it worse than him.

For a long time his family can help him buy food, and he is able to make coffee in his cell, and eat salad and bread; one fan sends him a cake. He can also order books and amasses a big collection. Oh and he received a lot of fan mail in prison, and dutifully replies to each of them.

Near the beginning of the book, Navalny mentions Daniel Roher, the director who filmed the documentary Navalny, and towards the end of the tome, his lawyer shouts to him on a video link that the film won Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards.

"I had a very strange feeling at that moment. It was as if those words didn't belong in this world, but, on the other hand, everything here is so weird and crazy that this world is the only one they belong in." 

Yulia spoke at the Academy Awards

He goes on to thank everyone involved in the documentary, in particular Christo Grozev, the Bellingcat investigative reporter who investigated Navalny's poisoning.

On his birthday, June 4, 2023, Navalny writes how the prison psychologist is amazed that he is mentally fit despite all the torturous conditions he has encountered. His take:

"Let's face it, of course I wish I didn't have to wake up in this hellhole and could instead have breakfast with my family, receive kisses on the cheek from my children, unwrap presents, and say, "Wow, this is exactly what I dreamed of!" But life works in such a way that social progress and a better future can only be achieved if a certain number of people are willing to pay the price for their right to have their own beliefs. The more of them there are, the less everyone has to pay. And the day will come when speaking the truth and advocating for justice will be commonplace and not dangerous in Russia."

He says this many times, how he strongly believes in having convictions, that there needs to be free elections, a fair legal system and no censorship.

But will Russia change? With Navalny gone, who will continue fighting for ordinary Russians?

Some may describe Navalny as stubborn, an idealist, a fighter. 

But above all, he is a patriot, who loves his country and only wants to see it in a better place.

Wasians Having their Moment

The music video has a 1960s theme and setting

At the Golden Globes this year, singer Laufey was on the red carpet, but the photographers didn't know who she was.

They repeatedly called her "Megan" to get her attention, but she told them, "My name isn't Megan," with a smile, but inside the two-time Grammy winner must have been fuming.

The singer wears a cheongsam

Meanwhile at the same event, Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams was the man everyone wanted to photograph or talk to, along with co-star Connor Storrie.

Nevertheless Williams and Laufey have something in common -- they're both Wasians, or those who identify as half Asian and half white.

Somewhere along the way, Laufey conspired to bring the Canadian actor into her orbit, along with her other Wasian pals, Olympic skater Alysa Liu, Lola Tung, and Megan Skiendiel.

They all took part in Laufey's latest music video Madwoman, in a 1960s look.

"Growing up, I felt a general lack of representation for people who looked like me in music and media. With the 'Madwoman' video, I wanted to be that representation," she says in a statement.

There was a lot of hype in the countdown to the video's release, and today fans were poring over it, dissecting all the details.

In one scene the women gawk at Williams' abs, and there's a fun scene of Laufey getting angry at him and using a fish to slap him across the face, landing him in the swimming pool.

Choreographed dancing in the video

Meanwhile there are hints of Chinese culture in the video, from green onions and bamboo steamers, egg tarts, and lychee martinis.

Strangely Liu and Tung play mahjong poolside on the floor which is bizarre, as you need two more players and why not play at a proper table?

Then there's a nod to Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love, with Laufey in a gold cheongsam (bought in Chinatown) at her vanity table (with Chanel makeup product placement), and Williams sitting on a bed waiting for her in a suit.

The video's fun, but it feels contrived, like a "this is our party and you're not invited" vibe.

In any event the Madwoman video keeps Williams' fans occupied until filming the second season of Heated Rivalry begins, and Laufey rides high on her Coachella debut. Just over 2.8 million views in 17 hours...

How mutually beneficial...

Landslide Change in Hungary

Magyar promises to undo Orban's changes in Hungary

Finally some good news -- there will be a change in government in Hungary following Viktor Orban's massive loss in elections today, ending 16 years of rule that led to extensive corruption, a stacked judiciary, and control over many media outlets.

What was a surprise was that Orban, 62, was quick to concede defeat, not waiting for the final results that later declared Peter Magyar, 45, the winner.

Orban quickly conceded defeat

"The responsibility and opportunity to govern were not given to us," Orban said, but he also made a vow: "We are not giving up. Never, never, never."

Over 79.5 percent of voters cast their ballots, and with 98 percent of the ballots counted, Magyar of the Tisza party won 138 seats, more than a two-thirds majority compared to Orban's Fidesz, that won 55.

Previously an Orban loyalist, Magyar promises to end corruption that lined the pockets of Orban allies, but he is also not very progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. 

Will Magyar restore the checks and balances that Orban dismantled during his 16-year rule? That will be the big question. He has promised to reverse Orban's changes to education and healthcare, restore independence of the judiciary, and end the squandering of tax dollars.

"You performed a miracle today, Hungary made history today," Magyar told a jubilant crowd.

Magyar will move Hungary away from Russia

Besides Orban, the other big losers are his supporters, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The latter even sent Vice President JD Vance to Budapest to stump for Orban, but his appearance didn't move the needle at all.

The European Union is cautiously optimistic that things will change, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose pleas for help were always stymied by Orban.

Nevertheless, we'll celebrate Magyar's win, who said that love triumphs, and that this is a sign of things to come.

Review: The Princess Bride

A fairytale romance with swashbuckling action and fun

It was absolutely tragic when director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer died in December. Their son Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

He was best known for films like Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and The First Wives Club.

My favourite is When Harry Met Sally (1989), the dialogue was so sharp and hilarious, and gave us young kids rules to live by when it came to relationships. 

These three cause trouble for Wesley

When Harry says, "Men and women can never be friends because the sex part always gets in the way", it's from a male perspective, but is it still true today?

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed The Princess Bride (1987) and a neighbourhood cinema called Hollywood Theatre showed it last night.

I don't think I have ever been at this place and once you pay the admission at the door, and pick up popcorn, the last several rows of seats have been taken out and replaced with bar tables and stools so they can hang out with friends or sit in the (cramped) rows closer to the screen.

A lot of the audience were around the same age as me, with glasses of beer in hand with their popcorn.

The Princess Bride has romance, comedy, action and fantasy all rolled in one. There's the main plot and a sub plot, where a boy is sick and his grandfather comes to read him a story. Actor Fred Savage interrupts legendary actor Peter Falk several times through the movie and it's endearing and funny.

The main story is about Buttercup (Robin Wright) who is in love with Wesley (Cary Elwes), but there is a whole round about way for them to reunite, and in between Wesley must face several challenges, like a giant, a Spanish fencer and a Sicilian smart ass.

He also has to rescue Buttercup from marrying Prince Humperdink, who knows she doesn't love him, but he doesn't care.

Crystal was hilarious as Miracle Max

Some of the scenes look like sets, like when Wesley (as the man in black) has a fencing duel with Inigo Montoya, or the castle; today the sets would look more realistic, and the giant rats would not look so fake.

But hey! The story still holds up and the chemistry between the characters are funny and sweet.

Apparently Billy Crystal as Miracle Max, improvised most of his lines that Elwes found it so hard to act dead that he couldn't help but laugh while filming.

While it's a good-triumphs-over-evil story, the characters are complex and not so straight forward. Inigo Montoya is determined to avenge his father's death, Wesley takes on the title of a pirate and doesn't reveal himself to Buttercup right away, and the giant (played by Andre the Giant) isn't just a man with brute force, he would rather not kill people as he thinks it's inhumane.

Another Reiner film, Stand By Me, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Gen Z kids are marvelling at how carefree children had it decades ago...

And with Reiner's untimely passing, we are celebrating his humour and wit, but more importantly, his humanity. 

A Quiet Downtown Cafe

Latte, ham and cheese scroll, and chausson aux pommes

Bakery cafes seem to be the new hangout in Metro Vancouver, as fewer people are willing or able to shell out to dine in restaurants. Instead they turn to cafes to meet up with friends over a coffee and a croissant, cookie or slice of cake.

Or so I thought.

The other day I tried the Japanese-style egg salad sandwich at 7-Eleven downtown, but it left me unsatisfied (and still hungry).

Across the street was Beaucoup Bakery in the St Regis Hotel on Dunsmuir and Seymour. I walked in just before noon and there was just one other customer in there who couldn't make up her mind.

I ordered a latte, a savoury ham and cheese scroll, and a chausson aux pommes for dessert for just under $20.

For about 20 minutes I sat in the small dining space and had my pastries with a bitter latte, but no one else came in even though it was lunchtime on Wednesday.

The ham and cheese scroll was impossible to cut with a wooden fork and spoon, and I had to eat it like a sandwich; it would also have tasted better heated up.

The leaf-shaped chausson aux pommes had a vibrant burgundy filling of apple puree mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. 

As I sat there, the staff chatted amongst themselves; seems they are used to business being really slow.

It was pretty sad to see this cafe pretty dead -- meanwhile two bakery cafes in my neighbourhood have a steady stream of customers.

Is this a sign that office workers still aren't coming back to the office full time? If that's the case, downtown Vancouver is going to hollow out even further...

Hongkongers Pay the Most for Gas

Gas is very expensive thanks to the six-week war in Iran

If you thought gas in Vancouver was expensive at $2.10 per litre, how about Hong Kong?

Even though only 8.4 percent of the 7.5 million population have cars in the financial hub, many of which are electric vehicles, gas (or petrol as it's called there) is a whopping HK$32 a litre, or $5.68 per litre!

While the price of a barrel of crude oil fell slightly to US$96.70 because of a very fragile cease fire declared yesterday, the price at the pump will still be high because oil tankers aren't moving in the Strait of Hormuz.

Some Hong Hong drivers are heading across the border to fill up, where it can cost as little as one-third the price in the city.

Hong Kong pays the most for gas in the world

In Vancouver, the high gas prices has resulted in a greater demand for shared e-bikes and e-scooters than for the share car service Evo.

"People are taking e-bikes and e-scooters and replacing their car trips, often for short trips around town," explained Leanne Buhler, spokesperson for Evolve, the company's bike share program.

"Our riders report that 60 percent of them have made a choice to use an e-bike or e-scooter instead of a car for some of their trips."

Buhler adds not only are they saving money and reducing carbon emissions, but also being more physically active too.

Review: The 7-Eleven Tamago Sando

7-Elevens in Canada now have the tamago sando available

A few months ago there was a lot of excitement that 7-Elevens in Canada would finally be stocked with the famous Japanese-style egg salad sandwiches, the tamago sandos featuring shokupan, or slices of fluffy milk bread with butter, and a creamy egg salad in between.

Last December, the executive chef of 7-Eleven Canada, Benny Cheng, went to Japan for seven days and ate two tamago sandos each day, trying to memorise the taste and texture, and then recreate it back in the convenience store's headquarters in Surrey, British Columbia.

They are a reasonable $5 each

Before that he was already researching the sandwich and told The Vancouver Sun it took a year to source all the right ingredients, including Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and the milk bread; he found a bakery in Vancouver to make it to his specifications.

Finally the Japanese-style egg salad sandwich was launched on March 6, and while some influencers were too polite to be critical of the Canadian version of the tamago sando, others were not shy in saying it was not the same as the ones from Japan.

Over a month later I finally tried the sandwich myself. I bought it downtown for $5, ($5.25 plus tax) and opened the packaging.

Inside are what looks like it could be fluffy slices of bread, but a bite into them and they're on the dry side. The egg salad filling has a cheery shade of bright yellow, however the dominant taste is butter not egg. 

Examining the ingredients listed at the back, it's not butter, but actually margarine... and there is a long list of non-natural flavours.

The egg salad is a bright yellow

For example, for the shokupan bread there's vegetable monoglycerides, soybean lecithin, and potassium sorbate, beta carotene. In the egg salad there's xanthan gum, mustard, lemon juice concentrate, paprika, tumeric and garlic powder.

It only takes minutes to demolish the sandwich, and then you're left... unsatisfied. Maybe a Japanese fruit sando would do the trick?

Parading Your Best Easter Bonnet in New York

The Easter Bunny and a fancy dress made of balloons

New York City celebrates Easter in a DIY way. Every Easter Sunday residents show off their creative chapeaus. It starts from 10am to 4pm, and there isn't a particular place where it starts, but apparently St. Patrick's Cathedral is where you have to be to catch the action.

Two women channelling Audrey Hepburn

Many wear hats covered in flowers, bunny rabbits, Easter eggs and complete the look with matching outfits, like colourful suits, dresses, or this year in balloons.

One brought his ragdoll cats and he himself wore a cat mask, one woman had a black hat that had a brim that revolved with yellow taxis on it, two women inspired by Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady with over-the-top floral bonnets, a woman with a red and white mushroom on her head, and her small dog had one too.

What I love about these bonnets and outfits is how fantastic they are, bold with colour and fantastical in how they turned out! These New Yorkers really go all out, and are willing to step out and show off their artistic side.

A ragdoll man feeding his ragdoll cat

I saw a picture of a woman with a giant blue emerald with a diamond-crusted bird on top -- of course! It's the Jean Schlumberger brooch called Bird on a Rock. He was a famous jewellery designer who worked with Tiffany & Co. A variation of the brooch was recently worn by Heated Rivalry actor Connor Storrie at the Golden Globes.

She is Emily Hupp, a jewellery box historian who explained that Schlumberger made the brooch for socialite Bunny Mellon, which is why she had a small bunny pin on her dress; she wore a yellow rose dress because Mellon was a gardener. So what better way to pay tribute to New York than with this bejewelled creation on her head?

Hupp and her Bird on a Rock hat

I love Schlumberger's glittering pieces, and appreciate Hupp's homage to the designer! 

Some day I hope to make it to the Big Apple's Easter bonnet parade with a fun creation of my own. If anything just to take part and enjoy sharing the fun with others.

Review: Tough Old Broads

The documentary features three trailblazing women

The other day I watched a documentary paying tribute to wise women, called Tough Old Broads. It was screened at VIFF and was it surprising that the entire audience make up was women, most of them seniors?

It's directed by Stacey Tenenbaum, and profiles three trailblazing women, Katherine Switzer, who was the first woman to officially run in the Boston Marathon in 1967, Siila "Sheila" Watt-Cloutier, an Inuk climate change activist, and Sharon Farmer, who was the first woman to run the White House Photography Office.

Switzer has promoted running since 1967

Switzer's story is very compelling and easy to relate to. She recalls when she ran the Boston Marathon, a few miles in, the race director was in a car with the media and caught up with her. He tried to pull off her bib number -- 261 -- and luckily Switzer's boyfriend who was running with her, pushed the race director off to the sidelines and told her to run like hell.

As a result of the media coverage, Switzer inspired other women to take up running, and she got companies like Avon to sponsor women-only marathon races. They were less intimidated and felt they were just running with the girls. 

These days Switzer, 79, gives inspiration speeches to young women and travels the world. In one scene she is in Germany with muslim women and goes running with them. Switzer is gracious in encouraging them, that they can do anything they want if they put their minds to it.

Watt-Cloutier's profile is the most complicated because a lot of her work involves making presentations and talks with diplomats, a lot of technical knowledge to explain how toxins were found in water up in the Canadian north, and how this affected mothers and children. She links this environmental issue with human rights.

Watt-Cloutier is worried about climate change

She says as a child her family was very close and lived on the land, but when she was 10 years old, she was sent to the south, to Nova Scotia and Manitoba to go to residential schools. Watt-Cloutier remembers she was given no warning this would happen to her, and as a result of this western schooling, she didn't learn much about her language and culture.

Today she continues to advocate for the Inuit and how global warming is affecting ice and snow in the Arctic. She was awarded an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006, and nominated along with Al Gore for the Nobel Peace Prize and 180 other people.

Finally, tough old broad, definitely defines Farmer, and she has funny one-liners, like how gray hair is a badge of honour of what she has survived. At one point Farmer says a photo editor can tell the picture was taken by her without checking the caption which is very cool.

Originally she was into music and wanted to join the marching band, but was told it was for men only because it was tradition. Instead she turned to photography at a young age, and was very focused on capturing the lives of black people in America. One photograph she took was a black and white image of an older black woman swinging her hips with a hula hoop around her waist.

Farmer once worked in the White House

In the 1970s Farmer shot album covers, and in 1993 she was hired to cover US President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton; Farmer later was promoted to become director of White House Photography, the first woman and person of colour to do this job.

The documentary follows her in November 2024 when Donald Trump won his second term; Farmer goes out into the streets hoping to capture reaction from the election, but instead finds nothing, perhaps people were too shocked or depressed to even come out.

For Switzer and Watt-Cloutier, there was some archival footage in their stories, in the case of Farmer, there wasn't much to illustrate her story per se; going to her storage unit to dig out some old photos was the best director Tenenbaum could do.

Nevertheless these are three women we should be cheering about, and hopefully this could be an ongoing series of other accomplished women and what we can learn from them!

Tough Old Broads

Directed by Stacey Tenenbaum

89 minutes

Maria Ressa Warns Democracy is Fragile

Ressa (left) shared the stage with CBC anchor Arsenault

Last night I had to opportunity to listen to journalist and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa speak at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Held at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts, the almost sold-out audience gave her a standing ovation as she walked on stage, and she was so excited by the warm reception.

It's not easy to have Ressa come half way around the world, when she still has charges in court to fight; Ressa explained to CBC host Adrienne Arsenault that every time she wants to travel, she has to ask the courts for permission.

The talk was held at UBC in Vancouver

She didn't explain whether all her travel requests are granted or not, but we were thrilled to have the democracy activist and tech geek on stage.

The first time I heard Ressa speak was in 2018 at the SOPA or The Society of Publishers in Asia, where I received an Honourable Mention for my story. As the keynote speaker, she talked about her media company Rappler and how they use Facebook to disseminate their stories.

However, they found there were opposition voices on the social media site, proxies that would spread disinformation about their stories on Facebook, and those posts got more attention, thanks to algorithms. This created distrust in Rappler, and media in general. It was frightening to hear.

While Ressa and her Rappler team have been able to systematically analyse how this all happened, things have gotten substantially worse in the virtual world, as she outlined in last night's lecture.

Through her powerpoint presentation, Ressa showed how the opposition created horrible memes of her -- putting her face on top of a scrotum -- and showed us the image -- though she joked that her skin wasn't that dry.

The intensity of the personal attacks have gotten worse, and her team has found that it is particularly bad for female journalists, and even worse for female journalists of colour.

Ressa's 2022 book

She also talked about how seeds of disinformation are planted years in advance in social media, and then constantly repeated; once a real event happens, those bogus seeds quickly sprout and spread online like wildfire and it's near impossible to rectify the situation.

Why is this all important? Ressa believes facts, truth and justice are crucial in a democracy. When you have the facts you have the truth, and when you have the truth, you can pursue justice.

However, why is it that over 70 percent of countries today have authoritarian governments? And just south of us, Ressa noted that Donald Trump has turned the United States into a dictatorship within his first 100 days in office. She said former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte did it in six months.

Sounds chillingly familiar to Hong Kong after the national security law was enacted in 2020.

In the case of Trump, he has managed to sideline the media, senate and judiciary, and use social media to promote his policies without any checks and balances. He signed 142 executive orders in 100 days; in his first term he signed 220 EOs.

Already in the first term Trump discredited the media, saying they were fake news. Now he just disseminates his thoughts on his own social media platform, Truth Social.

Ressa asks why Canada has not built its own social media platform! Why rely on tech bros like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk to spread journalistic stories online? They had prime time seats during the inauguration! 

Zuckerberg removed fact checkers from Facebook too, and refuses to allow people to post legitimate media stories online. What we are left with are opinions of people that are without integrity.

More people joining No Kings protests

But there is some optimism. Ressa says the No Kings protests are getting bigger each time. she cited Harvard political scientist Erica Chenoweth's research that it takes around 3.5 percent of the population actively participating in protests to ensure serious political change.

Last week some 8 million Americans took part in the latest No Kings protests in all 50 states; perhaps the next one will galvanise 12 million people, or 3.5 percent of the US population...

Ressa says we are lucky in Canada to still have democracy... do we? She warns us to be vigilant and to stand up to things we believe are wrong, otherwise it will be normalised.

Many in the audience bought a copy of her 2022 book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator, and they quickly lined up after the talk, waiting for her to sign their copies.

Picture of the Day: Camellia

So pretty and so symmentrical!

Camellias are in bloom in Vancouver, and this is one from our backyard!

I can't get over how symmetrical it is!

Hong Kong Taxis Finally Take E-Payments

Seems like every payment option is covered in this cab

Hong Kong taxi drivers have finally been pulled kicking and screaming into the hi-tech age, now that they must offer at least two electronic payment options to customers.

While the Transport Department rule was supposed to be in effect April 1, in reality not all 47,000 cabbies were on board... yet.

There were reports some drivers had yet to even install e-payments in their taxis, while others were able to take Octopus, credit cards, or Alipay or WeChat pay via QR codes.

The maximum fine for not installing at least two e-payment systems is HK$5,000 (US$637). 

It is anticipated that most taxi drivers will not have the credit card option, as the machine costs HK$1,000 and credit card companies will take a percentage of the fare.

While it's high time taxi drivers give alternative ways for customers to pay other than cash, there is the issue of adding gas to the tank and renting the taxi. 

"I just received a payment by credit card. It worked fine, you just tap it, like tapping a card, and it's done," said taxi driver Chiu Sing-ki, in his sixties. 

"But when we refuel, we have to pay cash. When I hand in the rented car at the end of my shift to the owner, I also have to pay cash. So where does my cash come from if we are receiving these e-payments all the time?"

He has a point. Did the Transport Department think about that???

Remembering Leslie Cheung 23 Years On

The fans and flowers are back. Photo: KJoules

The sad anniversary of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing's death has come again. It's been 23 years since the singer and actor took his life at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Central on April 1, 2003. 

And the fans are back at the hotel with flowers and messages for their idol. In 2022 police in civilian clothes used the national security law to prevent people from gathering; as a result fans could only take a picture of their flowers in front of the hotel and then leave.

In Vancouver, I still have yet to visit the park bench in Stanley Park that is dedicated to Cheung; his fans gather here with flowers and tributes.

One of his co-stars, actress Joey Wong posted a video on her social media showing her sitting on the bench along with clips from A Chinese Ghost Story that she and Cheung starred in in 1987.  

In the movie, Cheung is scholar Ning Caichen, who takes shelter in a deserted temple in the forest and falls in love with a ghost called Nip Siu-sin, played by Wong.

Wong, who lives in Vancouver, wrote in her social media post: "Even though I haven't spoken about you [all this time], my heart is full of memories."

We're all reflective now, because we all miss Gor Gor...

French Dish in Chinatown

Lunch today in Chinatown -- beef brisket in tomato sauce

Today's lunch at The Boss Bakery and Restaurant in Chinatown -- "French style" beef brisket with rice.

It's a misnomer, as there's nothing French about it.

The dish arrived with a literal mountain of rice, pieces of very tender beef brisket with slices of tomatoes, red and green capsicums and onion, generously coated in a tangy tomato sauce.

Nevertheless, it was delicious, and as usual took more than half of it home as leftovers!

Tai Po Fire Inquiry Reveals Safety Issues

The inquiry into the Tai Po fire has uncovered many issues

Reading reports related to the inquiry into the horrific Tai Po fire in Hong Kong last November are absolutely tragic.

One hundred and sixty-eight people died and 79 were injured when a fire started on November 26 in one of the apartment buildings at Wang Fuk Court, and the wind carried the fire onto the other buildings that were covered in combustible mesh. 

The fire burned over 43 hours, leaving some victims unidentifiable because the temperature was so hot.

The fire left 168 people dead, 79 injured

Some residents testified they did not hear the fire alarms because they had been purposely shut off for workers to easily go in and out of the buildings. 

Others felt guilty for not checking on their neighbours, many of them elderly people, and instead fled from the inferno on their own. It is shocking and sad how they had complete disregard for others, but also they had no idea their home was on fire until loved ones called to tell them because their windows were covered over with polyfoam boards to prevent damaging windows.

Then there is the shady aspect of companies that specifically bid for these exterior renovation jobs, and it seems that there is a cartel, charging excessive amounts of money -- in this case HK$336 million (US$43 million), and allegations of rigging, though the government denies collusion.

There is also the issue of these renovation companies flouting safety regulations.

Several residents at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po had complained several times to the authorities about the renovation workers smoking and littering cigarette butts, but not much was done to punish them or their employer. 

There was also lax inspection of the scaffolding mesh -- the company was tipped off before inspectors came, and they replaced ones near the bottom with non-combustible mesh, while the rest were the cheaper, combustible ones. 

Combustible mesh caused the fire to spread

The Fire Services Department, Labour Department, and the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit have insisted they were not responsible for checking the fireproof quality of the mesh that covered the exterior of the buildings to minimise dust and objects falling on people. 

Why are these departments not taking the responsibility to inspect renovations in progress and take the residents' concerns seriously before the fire? 

Too many things went wrong that day, and it didn't help that it was quite windy. But it is not just Wang Fuk Court -- there are many other older buildings in Hong Kong being renovated with similar lax procedures. 

Hopefully the inquiry will put forward some good recommendations so this tragedy will not be repeated, with an emphasis on safety for all. This fire could have been prevented, or minimised had regulations been followed and inspections been more stringent.

 

Reliving the 90s Thanks to Love Story

The series has increased interest in the real life couple

There's a lot of discussion about Love Story, the dramatised series on FX on the romance and then tragic end of John F Kennedy Jr and his wife Carolyn Bessette.

It has drawn a lot of criticism from the Kennedy family, in particular Jack Schlossberg, who said the family was not consulted, while Daryl Hannah, who was John F Kennedy's on-and-off girlfriend before Bessette, claimed the show was not even remotely close to her real life or relationship with him.

Kelly and Pidgeon star as Kennedy and Bessette

Nevertheless for Millennials and Gen Z, the story of Kennedy and Bessette's relationship is new to them, and along with it a fascination for the 1990s, from the fashion to the music, New York at the time, and celebrity culture.

For those of us who watched the couple from afar and then mourned their deaths in a plane crash on July 16, 1999, it's a weird feeling dredging up the ill-fated event, as well as the intense scrutiny of their relationship, and paparazzi constantly following them everywhere, that has echoes of Princess Diana.

On social media, influencers point out how Bessette had a small but classic wardrobe of designer clothes that she wore repeatedly, mostly black, but the key word was "effortless". As someone who worked for Calvin Klein, she herself emulated the style of minimalism, monotone colours and understated coolness.

The couple was highly scrutinised in the 1990s

And yes, John F Kennedy Jr really was that good looking at the time! He seemed to roll with the reality that photographers were going to stalk him everywhere and seemed good natured about it for the most part; however, it was something Bessette had to get used to very quickly.

Now with Love Story, there are a lot of comparisons between reality and the fictional couple played by Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly. Apparently in the beginning there was a lot of uproar of the clothes Pidgeon wore in the test shots because they did not look like items Bessette, or CBK would wear.

So there was more effort put into finding the same clothes or something close enough, and the sartorial fans approved. 

And then tangentially there has been interest in Calvin Klein, his then wife Kelly Klein, how all the staff looked like models and the office had to look perfect everyday.

There is criticism of fact and fiction in the show

I also remember Kennedy launching George magazine and wow it was a blast of fresh air. Having Cindy Crawford dressed as George Washington on the cover, Kennedy made politics cool and more importantly accessible to young people.

It was hilarious seeing him make a cameo on Murphy Brown, my favourite show at the time. He sits at her secretary's desk and she's shocked to see him. He gives her a gift, but it turns out to be a mock-up of Murphy on the cover of George magazine. She is not amused.

Kennedy and Bessette were America's royal couple, and Love Story has rekindled interest in the 1990s. Thanks for the memories, but maybe it's a love story we shouldn't have brought up decades later.

Review: Vegan Omakase at Cofu Chinatown

Chef Akiko (left) getting ready to serve omakase at Cofu

Earlier this week I was invited to experience vegan omakase at Cofu Chinatown, opened by chef Akiko Gulkison in Vancouver. 

It's unlike Shoku Vegan Sushi in Kerrisdale, where food is made to look and somewhat taste like fish and meat.

Silky chawanmushi without eggs

Instead Cofu reimagines an omakase meal using mostly vegetables and some fruits. It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to know how to create flavourful vegan and vegetarian food. 

For the most part chef Akiko does a great job. In an 18-course dinner she showcased the sweetness of carrot, how chawanmushi can be just as silky smooth without using eggs, and miso-marinated eggplant paired with snow fungus on rice wrapped in nori can make a delicious pairing.

There are some interesting items like a skewer of zucchini covered in tofu that is marinated and then grilled, or a nigiri with potato mixed with various vegetables, and combining sake-steamed shiitake with zuke peach.

I wasn't quite sure about the radicchio wrapped in kombu and then made into nigiri -- the seaweed was unable to tame the leafy chicory's infamous bitterness. 

Miso-marinated eggplant with snow fungus

Meanwhile chef Akiko's version of ochazuke, where a tea broth is poured over rice was quite bland. The same could be said of the shojin dashi, which was made with vegetable trimmings, but perhaps not simmered long enough to extract more flavour.

Nevertheless, the meal ends with a dessert of matcha  sponge cake and red bean paste, followed by a lovely palate cleanser of a scoop of beet sorbet. The dinner could have ended there, but we are served ceremonial-grade matcha tea with homemade sweets.

Cofu is a warm and inviting space, and a rarity to see two female Japanese chefs serving eight people at the bar. 

On the weekends, the restaurant is a coffee joint, and will soon serve breakfast paninis using vegan cheese...

Refreshing beet sorbet for dessert

Cofu Chinatown, 488 Gore Avenue, Vancouver, BC. Tel: 604 336 1166

Fire Destroys Restaurateurs' Dreams

A fire above Osteria Otto has displaced six residents

Last night a fire broke out in Vancouver, near Broadway and Main, which destroyed a restaurant that had just opened in December.

Osteria Otto was full when the fire happened in a bedroom unit above the restaurant, and luckily the patrons managed to evacuate from the premises, but now the owners, Ignacio Arrieta and Joe Fazio, who spent more than a year planning and renovating, now have a gutted space, and their staff have lost their jobs.

"For three wonderful months, we had the privilege of serving this community and seeing our vision come to life, but this chapter as we knew it has come to a sudden and heavy end," says a message on Osteria Otto's Instagram post.

The restaurant was destroyed

"While everyone is safe, the water damage from the firefighting efforts has left the restaurant completely destroyed, and it is clear that our future is uncertain as we work with the city and insurance."

The owners have set up a GoFundMe page for the staff, and to help with navigating the restaurant's next steps. 

So far just over $15,000 has been raised, with a goal of $80,000. The provincial Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle donated $100, as well as Kavita chef Tushar Tondvalkar, and pastry chef Daria Andriienko. 

Meanwhile six residents have been displaced, and fire investigators are looking into an electric blanket that may have caused the fire.

Restaurants in Vancouver are already having a tough time, with fewer people having extra money to spend eating out. Just opening a restaurant is a massive capital expenditure, and then having a fire snuff it out after three months is absolutely devastating.

While the hospitality industry rallies around Osteria Otto, it will take more money just to get back to square one again.