Top 10 Bizarre Emergency Calls

Got a problem with your avocados? Don't call 911 please!

We're a day away from 2025 and the year-end lists have appeared.

Probably the most bizarre one is from E-Comm -- the 911 line that provides emergency communications for British Columbia.

They are the front-line staff who get the calls and then help them get the assistance they need in crisis situations -- like police, fire and ambulance.

But not everyone who calls realises their "emergencies" are not considered life and death critical.

So here is the Top 10 list of calls that did not belong on 911:

10. Domesticated-bunny seen in a park.

9. Requesting help removing a wasp's nest.

8.  Phone left in an Uber.

7. Box of 38 avocados purchased were rotten.

6. Requesting technical support.

5. Complaining the power was out.

4. Seeking directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart.

3. McDonald's wouldn't open its doors (at 5am).

2. Dry cleaners stained a shirt.

1. Neighbour wearing too much cologne.

E-Comm also gets a lot of calls from people who accidentally pocket dialled 911 on their smartphone or smartwatch.

"The biggest message [is] that if somebody is accidentally calling into 911, and they noticed, just to stay on the line with us. An emergency police call taker will make sure that they're safe, and then we can disconnect the call," said Laura Fiddler, an emergency call taker.

Making Hong Kong more Pedestrian-Friendly

This elevated walkway in North Point will open next month

When I used to live in Hong Kong, my friend and I would walk from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan -- but with a few detours along the way because the footpaths weren't all connected.

But it's good to hear another section is completed, a 1.1km strip in North Point will be ready for the public by Chinese New Year, or late January.

The harbourfront boardwalk is an elevated road in the Eastern Corridor that cost HK$6.5 billion (US$837.3 million) that is helping to connect Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan in a 13km pedestrian-friendly promenade.

According to Harbourfront Commission chairman Ivan Ho Man-yiu, the boardwalk project is the "last piece of the puzzle" that will complete the promenade connecting from Shek Tong Tsui in Western district to Aldrich Bay in Shau Kei Wan.

Looking forward to trying out this boardwalk the next time I'm in Hong Kong.

Joe Average: No Average Artist

Average lived with HIV/Aids for 40 years

It is sad to find out that LGBTQ+ artist Joe Average died on Christmas Eve. He was 67 years old.

His art was whimsical and colourful

He was well known in the art community for his colourful, upbeat paintings and several murals of his could be found around Vancouver. They were mostly of faces of people, or flowers, or even animals and insects personified with big red lips.

But mostly Average was a symbol of surviving HIV/AIDS. He was HIV-positive at the age of 27, which motivated him to become an artist and advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ rights.

"He had Aids for 40 years and he maintained his healthy attitude by being creative," said Michael Harding, a longtime friend. "Creativity is what kept him alive, and the love of the community."

This was evident in him donating artwork to many charitable causes.

Average's artwork made it onto a Canadian stamp, and on a loonie designed for the Royal Canadian Mint.

Average's work was featured on a stamp

In 2021 he was appointed to the Order of British Columbia, and last year the Order of Canada. 

Vancouver is so lucky to have such a talented and giving artist who did so much for the city and its residents through his art.

UBC Under Fire for Renting Space to HK Govt

UBC Robson Square campus recently rented to HKTEO

It was recently reported that the University of British Columbia rented out a room to the Hong Kong Trade Economic Office for a recruitment exam, much to the horror of activists in Vancouver.

On December 7, the HKTEO rented a room at the UBC Robson Square campus to conduct a recruitment exam, and in it were questions regarding the national security law. It is not clear what jobs were being recruited.

The sign says: "Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law and National Security Law Test Joint Recruitment Examination".

Recruitment exam related to NSL and Basic Law

An organisation called Chinese Canadian Concern Group on the Chinese Communist Party's Human Rights Violations wrote a letter to UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr Benoit-Antoine Bacon on December 22 expressing their disapproval of renting the room to the HKTEO.

"Successful candidates for this examination are required to swear allegiance to the Hong Kong, and by extension Chinese governments," said the letter.

"Allowing this recruitment activity on UBC's campus raises serious national security concerns for Canada, especially in the context of potential conflicts between the two governments. Such actions could pave the way for the infiltration of foreign authoritarian influence into our society."

New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan also criticised UBC for renting the space to the HKTEO; while she said the university can rent their space to anyone, it should have some ethical standards when doing so.

Meanwhile UBC acknowledged people's concerns, but said the exam didn't violate any of its rules, and that it rents space out to many groups, but doesn't mean it endorses their views.

Kwan says UBC must have ethical standards

Kwan says the response is "completely inadequate".

"It's just basically saying, well, it doesn't matter. We're blind to all of these issues," she said. 

"As a global institution, which is what UBC is, you would think that they would have a little bit more thought than to say, 'We will just follow the regulations of basic rental requirements.' That's not good enough."

She said the Chinese government is trying to recruit people to work in Hong Kong and China, and the applicants must demonstrate their understanding of the national security law.

"UBC of course can rent their space to anybody. However, from my perspective, I think that you should be looking at some ethical standards that should apply," she said. 

"In the very minimum, one would think that any organisation, any institution that's going to rent out a space to a government that is a regular, persistent, violent human rights violators, that they would apply some standard to it."

Two Canadian Activists React to Bounties

Tay (bottom centre), Ho (bottom right) wanted by Hong Kong

Days after the Hong Kong authorities placed a HK$1 million (C$185,000) bounty on his head along with five others for their arrest, Victor Ho Leung-mau is undeterred and won't be traveling to the city anytime soon.

Ho is accused of planning to launch a "referendum" to elect those in the Hong Kong diaspora to form a virtual "Hong Kong Parliament". 

He plans to do this by having people vote in March 2025 using a secure app in a bid to circumvent any "Chinese interference".

Of the Hong Kong authorities' announcement on Christmas Eve, Ho is defiant.

Written in Chinese on his Facebook page, the former Sing Tao chief editor wrote that he was proud of the arrest warrant and joked it was "the best Christmas present."

"A Canadian citizen like me... has the protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and exercised his right to the freedom of speech."

When Ho announced the plan to elect people to the "virtual" Hong Kong parliament in 2022, the Hong Kong Security Bureau said it would investigate Ho and others for subversion.

"But actually it's the Hong Kong communist authorities meddling in Canada's internal affairs, repeatedly issuing wanted notices for this Canadian citizen. Are they trying for another cross-border arrest? Does Beijing want Canada to become their client/subordinate state?"

Meanwhile Joseph Tay, the former TVB actor who is planning to be a candidate for the federal Conservatives when an election is called, is also on the wanted list.

In reaction to the announcement he wrote on social media:

"On Christmas Eve, an alarming and unbelievable piece of news arrived. Why choose this moment to release such a message? Clearly it was intended to rob us of peace. My wife and I immediately turned to prayer, entrusting these accusations entirely to the Lord. Plans we had made with family and friends for the holiday were instantly disrupted."

There are concerns someone may snitch on the two activists, but Hong Kong does not have extraterritorial powers in Canada. In any event Ho and Tay need to be careful with their movements... kidnapping is not beyond China...

Artful Socks

Socks inspired by Kusama's painting shown at M+

Merry Christmas!

Sometimes it can be hard to think of gifts for people, and this year I gave some people some fun socks from Goods Of Desire in Hong Kong -- one with pandas that look like the Japanese lucky cats, trams and taxis, and junks.

A good friend who visited M+ earlier this year gifted me a pair of socks from the contemporary art museum, a souvenir from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama exhibition: Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now.

The design of the socks was inspired by Kusama's painting, Time, Not Eternity, Self-Destruction Now, painted in 2020. She is a curious artist, obsessed with dots, and lives in a psychiatric institution through choice.

For her art is a method of healing. "I fight pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I have found that relieves my illness is to keep creating art. Painting helps me to keep away thoughts of death for myself. That is the power of art," she said.

Is it any wonder that these socks are currently sold out?

Foreign Governments Denounce HK$1M Bounties on Activists

Foreign governments spoke out about the bounties on activists

Reaction to the Hong Kong government putting a HK$1 million bounty on six activists was swift despite it being Christmas Eve and Christmas, depending on the time zone.

United States Consul General Gregory May said Washington denounced the Hong Kong authorities' latest move.

"We call on the Hong Kong government to stop using its national security laws to silence dissent," he said in a social media post.

The European Union spokesman for foreign affairs and security policy Anouar El Anouni posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, condemning "the new round of extraterritorial arrest warrants."

"The EU calls on China to respect its international commitments and the one country, two systems principle. The EU urges the Hong Kong authorities to stop the crackdown on pro-democracy forces and to uphold fundamental freedoms as enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law," he said.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also criticised the move as well, adding the UK government was committed to supporting Hongkongers who had relocated to the country.

"We will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas, especially in the UK," he said.

"We call on Beijing to repeal the national security law, including its extraterritorial reach. And we call on Hong Kong authorities to end their targeting of individuals in the UK and elsewhere who stand up for freedom and democracy."

Meanwhile Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly criticised the conducting of "transnational repression abroad" and vowed such "threats, intimidation and coercion" against Canadians and those in the country would not be tolerated.

In response, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Canada slammed the "groundless accusations and wilful smear" against the Hong Kong authorities...

Six More Activists with HK$1M Bounties

Six more activists have HK$1M bounty on their heads

Even though the Christmas holidays are upon us, the Hong Kong police are busy putting a HK$1 million (US$128,691) bounty on six more activists, bringing the total to 19 people who have allegedly violated the national security law.

The six are political commentator Chung Kim-wah, Joseph Tay, former TVB actor and founder of Canada-based NGO Hongkonger Station, former convenor of Studentlocalism Tony Chung Hon-lam, Carmen Lau Ka-man, a former district councillor now at Hong Kong Democracy Council, former Sing Tao editor and now YouTuber Victor Ho Leung-mau, and Chloe Cheung Hei-ching from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.

Ho is a former editor and in Metro Vancouver

"Their common denominator is betraying their own country and Hong Kong, neglecting Hongkongers' interests, as well as continuing to endanger national security and detriment Hong Kong's interest after fleeing overseas," said Andrew Kan Kai-yan, deputy police commissioner overseeing national security.

He added the force would cut off the six wanted people's funding resources and investigate their confederates and funders.

In addition the Hong Kong government issued a gazette on Tuesday announcing that Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had revoked the passports of seven activists who had fled the city, including Ted Hui Chi-fung, Kevin Yam Kin-fung, Anna Kwok, Frances Hui Wing-ting, and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.

Except that Siu, Kwok and Yam have foreign passports and Frances Hui has asylum in the United States.

Yam stated on social media that he never had a Hong Kong passport, so how could his passport be revoked?

Tay is running as a Conservative candidate

Nevertheless Tang said: "The targets of this crackdown are those who have been wanted for a long time, have been absconding overseas and are determined to continue endangering our national security through various means.

"The [Hong Kong] government will certainly use all means to pursue and crackdown on criminals who have fled overseas and endanger national security."

Vancouver's Green Christmas

Vancouver will have a green, not white Christmas this year

It's going to be a very wet Christmas this year and hopefully Santa Claus is prepared with waterproof boots for the downpours in Vancouver.

These few days there are weather warnings from Environment and Climate Chance Canada of strong winds and a lot of precipitation.

Gusting winds are expected to arrive Monday evening, while on Christmas Day there will be a "powerful frontal system" bringing very strong winds and heavy rain.

On Boxing Day there will be a weaker low pressure storm that will bring more strong winds to the south coast.

Climate change has caused Canadian cities to lose many days below zero, which has severely affected winter sports like skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating.

Between 2014 and 2023, of all the Canadian cities, Vancouver has lost the most days below zero at 19, followed by Toronto at 13, Montreal 6 and Calgary 5.

In the same period, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been the hardest hit, each having lost up to 23 wintery days.

Last year skiing on Vancouver's local mountains was literally a wash out as it rained so much. Last month the ski season started one week earlier with a lot of snow at first, but now the ski hills are wet instead of cold.

Skiing may soon be one of those sports that may disappear with the lack of snow...

Picture of the Day: Gingerbread Palace

Forbidden City made of gingerbread at the St. Regis Beijing

China may be the world's factory, pumping out clothes, toys, iPhones, and a zillion other things that people want for Christmas, but it is also getting into the holiday spirit -- with Chinese characteristics.

Exhibit A -- this Forbidden City made out of... gingerbread! This picture is from BBC correspondent Stephen McDonnell.

It's on show at The St. Regis Beijing, and includes the dragons in the centre panel, the stairs are dusted with sugar, though the golden roof is not.

Pretty impressive and kudos to the pastry team that must have spent weeks working on it! 

Anyone dare to take a bite?

Canada Line Adds a New Station in Richmond

Capstan Station is now open to transit riders in Richmond

Richmond has a new SkyTrain station that opened today that will hopefully be able to reduce overcrowding during peak hours.

Located between Bridgeport and Aberdeen stations, Capstan Station is operating two years behind schedule, but will now service many residents who live in the area.

A tiled mural by Howie Tsui

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said when the Canada Line was being built, population density in the Capstan neighbourhood and development area was low, but a plan to eventually build the stop was part of the original Canada Line plan.

"We knew that the time would come. However, with development, we very much do need it [now]." he said.

The station was supposed to open in 2023, but there were delays due to the pandemic and it was assessed the soil was unstable, which meant performing structural upgrades to the station.

The total cost of Capstan Station is C$62 million, with Translink covering $30 million, and the rest by the City of Richmond, with thanks from developers like Concord Pacific, Polygon, and Yuanheng with buildings in the Capstan area helping to kick in some of the $32 million.

There are both up and down escalators at Capstan

Interesting to note the station is one of the first to have both up and down escalators, and it has a tile mural designed by Hong Kong-Canadian artist Howie Tsui. Entitled "The Breath Below", it depicts aquatic life in the Fraser River estuary, in the style inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings. 

Metro Vancouver to Hit 4 Million by 2045

Metro Vancouver is projected to have 4 million people by 2045

There are projections that Metro Vancouver will grow to a population of 4 million by 2045, nine years earlier than predicted.

An average of 50,000 new residents come to the city, with most of them from outside Canada. There are expectations there will be more deaths than births by 2035.

To house all these new residents are 21,000 new living units built each year until 2051, with two-thirds of these being apartments, and Vancouver and Surrey absorbing 45 percent of the future growth.

In addition 22,000 jobs will be added annually.

"Accurate data like this helps us work together to better understand the growth pressures our region will face in the future, and help ensure collective planning efforts are consistent with the goals in the regional growth strategy, Metro 2050," said Eric Woodward, chair of Metro Vancouver's regional planning committee in a statement.

And the jobs that will be in the most demand in the next three decades? Professional, technical health and welfare sectors.

Tempting Chinese Delicacy

Very large abalone and fish maw surrounding sea cucumbers

The first time I ate the classic dish Buddha jumps over the wall was back in the late 1990s in Hong Kong in Shang Palace in the Kowloon Shangri-la.

Still relatively new in journalism but keen to try new things, I did a story about Buddha jumps over the wall, interviewing the chef at the restaurant about the ingredients and how the soup got its name.

The broth (top left), with shark's fin (top right)

As the story goes, the smells from kitchen near a Buddhist monastery tempted a monk to "jump over the wall" to eat the dish, which contains meat.

And it's understandable why someone would find it hard to resist with such premium ingredients as sea cucumber, shark's fin, abalone, conpoy, fish maw, chicken, Jinhua ham, ginseng and mushrooms. Some varieties include taro and quail eggs.

The version I tried had thin slices of deer penis in it, geared towards boosting mens' testosterone... The hotel public relations woman and I giggled at the thought of having this ingredient in our soup and we thoroughly enjoyed the dish.

However that evening I find it practically impossible to sleep. I was tossing and turning for hours and by morning was a sleep-deprived wreck.

I called the public relations woman to tell her about my sleepless night and she immediately exclaimed, "Me too!" We had a good laugh.

Conpoy with slices of Jinhua ham

We still have fond memories of this experience decades later.

Fast forward to a few days ago and I got a chance to eat the same dish again in Vancouver, well Burnaby. At Grand Crystal Seafood Restaurant in Crystal Mall, the chef there makes Buddha jumps over the wall that is not presented in individual pots, but in a giant soup tureen and the ingredients carefully arranged and presented on platters.

There were large abalone and fish maw too, but thin sea cucumber, and tiny scraps of shark's fin -- I was surprised to even see that there. We were given two rounds of the soup, one with conpoy and Jinhua ham, the other with a very large, meaty mushroom.

Next came the abalone, fish maw and sea cucumber presented with abalone sauce. 

Needless to say after two bowls of soup and this dish, we were half full already.

Sea cucumber, fish maw and abalone

As Coca-Cola was available I got a glass and was glad I did -- there was quite a bit of MSG in the dishes, and the Coke helped counteract feeling thirsty.

I can say despite the caffeinated Coke I slept quite well that night...

Terry Fox to be Commemorated on $5 Bill

The government says Fox will have his likeness on the $5 bill

On the same day yesterday that a big political earthquake had erupted in Ottawa, a good news story was completely missed.

In the release of the Fall Economic Statement, the federal government will put Canadian hero Terry Fox on the new $5 bill to honour his Marathon of Hope and dedication to raising money for cancer research. 

Fox wanted to run across Canada to fundraise

Fox had one leg amputated in 1977 because of cancer and he had the big ambition of running across Canada to raise awareness for his cause, the Marathon of Hope. He began his run in 1980 in St John's Newfoundland and Labrador.

The 21-year-old basically ran a marathon a day. He didn't get much notice at first, but by the time he reached Ontario he was declared a hero. However, when he reached Thunder Bay, Ontario, Fox was forced to stop due to intense pains in his chest.

"By February 1981, the Marathon of Hope had raised C$24.7 million or $1 for every Canadian," the FES says. "His run was interrupted just past the half-way point when the cancer reached his lungs and ultimately took his life.

"Through his efforts, the 22-year-old showed Canadians the difference that an ordinary person could make through sheer willpower and determination."

Designs for new $5 bill with Marathon of Hope

It's so appropriate that Fox be commemorated on a piece of legal tender. Every year mostly children participate in the Terry Fox run, and millions continue to be raised for cancer research. Every time people see the $5 bill they will see Fox and remind them of his determination, passion and strength.

Fox will replace former Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier, who will move onto the next $50 bill.

 

Trudeau's Days are Numbered

Trudeau doesn't have much time to ponder his future

The federal Liberals are in complete disarray after the shock resignation of finance minster and deputy leader Chrystia Freeland this morning.

This evening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a caucus meeting in Ottawa where 15 MPs spoke up and many of them advised him to resign.

He said he would consider their concerns and reflect on them in the next few days.

Freeland quit before the economic statement

But Trudeau may not have days as the calls for him to step down are getting louder and louder.

Freeland announced she was quitting this morning in a public letter to Trudeau that she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

At that time reporters were about to go into a lock-up to read over her much anticipated economic statement when they found out she had resigned.

No one in the party knew who was the next finance minister and for hours radio and TV shows were scrambling to find any information they could about this political bombshell that exploded in Trudeau's face.

He did this to himself -- according to Freeland's letter, Trudeau had told her she would be shuffled out of the finance minister position, but could you present the economic statement anyway?

She also claimed that she disagreed with his "political gimmicks", such as scrapping the GST for two months on certain items, and C$250 rebate cheques for specific income groups. 

Trudeau in the closed caucus meeting tonight

There's also the fact that the economic statement revealed Canada is C$61.9 billion in the hole, not the C$40 billion she had promised before.

Nevertheless, Freeland has still left the door open to jump into a leadership race because she is still sitting as an MP.

Political pundits think that while Freeland is trying to distance herself from Trudeau, she has been in his cabinet for so long that she will still have to take the blame for what happened, and she doesn't have much integrity left.

Some felt she didn't communicate policies well, while others thought she was very hard working and personable.

Regardless, the main question now is when Trudeau is going to step down and let the Liberal Party choose its next leader. He thinks he performs better when his back is against the wall, but voters are tired of having a prime minister who is out of touch with people and want someone else to take the reins.

However, the alternatives aren't that appealing either, though the Conservatives under Pierre Poilieve are poised to win the next election which could be called soon.

Already President-elect Donald Trump has weighed in on today's flurry of events.

On his social media platform he wrote: "The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau. Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!"

Chinese Money Flows into Hong Kong Again

Hong Kong is again attracting mainlanders with deep pockets

In April this year a huge money-laundering scandal rocked Singapore -- where 10 Chinese nationals were charged with laundering US$2.2 billion involving real estate, watches, luxury handbags, jewellery, and lots of bottles of alcohol.

It was revealed in court that these men, with passports from Vietnam, Vanuatu, Cyprus and Dominica managed to live a crazy rich Asian lifestyle in the Lion City, paid for by money made from scams and online gambling.

The fact that they were able to live in Singapore without any scrutiny for years shocked residents and resulted in a massive review in policies, particularly banks tightening rules, particularly around clients with multiple passports.  

As a result, the Chinese are moving their money by the truckloads back to Hong Kong, where there is less scrutiny of the source of wealth.

How much is coming in? US$44 billion, three times the amount last year. 

With lots of money, come the wealth managers and banks in Hong Kong are on a massive hiring spree these days.

Swiss private banker Julius Baer has expanded its office space by 40 percent to house all the staff they are adding, while Bank of Singapore in Hong Kong is boosting its number of staff by 30 percent. Standard Chartered wants to double its staff in wealth management, and same with Citigroup.

It's also not just the uber wealthy looking to move their money to Hong Kong, but even those with assets ranging from US$5 million to US$10 million.

The Hong Kong government is also enticing the rich to come over -- those who invest HK$30 million in the city can get residency -- and 500 have applied.

However the tricky part is for banks to verify the applicants' assets over the past 24 months, which won't be easy.

Nevertheless, it seems that the wealth management sector in Hong Kong is seeing lots of dollar signs in the long run.

"I'm getting three to four calls daily from clients regarding immigration-related matters including the capital investment entrant scheme," said Patrick Yip, vice-chair for Deloitte China. "Many of the wealthy Chinese are looking for options. They want to be able to travel with a 'user-friendly' passport and get education overseas for their kids."

Picture of the Day: King Charles III is Coined

King Charles is now on the toonie

Earlier this week we happened to get our hands on the new C$2 coins nicknamed toonies with King Charles III side portrait.

It is the first time in 70 years that Canadian currency has a new monarch since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

Montreal-based portrait artist Steven Rosati was chosen from submissions by 350 artists. He is only the third Canadian artist to design the royal effigy for Canada's coinage since 1990.

The design was sent to Buckingham Palace for approval. 

Meanwhile new notes with King Charles' effigy have yet to be unveiled let alone circulated.

So in the meantime we'll just have have him as small change!

Review: The Last Dance

Wong (left) and Hui (right) in the smash hit The Last Dance

The Last Dance is a film that has been a smash hit in the Hong Kong box office making a record HK$122 million in a month since its release. It released last week in Vancouver and we saw it at Cineplex Cinemas Marine Gateway this afternoon.

Not only does the film have a stellar cast, but also a great script written and directed by Anselm Chan Mou-yin which he wrote during the pandemic.

The story is set in Hung Hom post pandemic, when a wedding planner, named Dominic, played by Dayo Wong Tse-wah, is struggling financially and starts working with a traditional Taoist priest, Master Man, played by Michael Hui Koon-man.

Wai (right) plays a paramedic in the film

The priest's role is to perform the traditional funeral ritual, "Break Hell's Gate" to help the dead go to the afterlife.

At first Dominic thinks it's not too hard to parlay his skills in organising weddings to funerals, but realises he needs to put more care into dealing with both the living and the dead.

Meanwhile Master Man's family dynamics are soon revealed, as his son is his apprentice, while his daughter Yuet is a paramedic; she thinks her brother is her father's favourite, as traditionally women are not allowed to perform Taoist rites because they menstruate. These tensions come to a head, and many women in particular can relate to sexist attitudes, older generation versus the younger one, and how fathers treat their children in The Last Dance.

As this film is about the death industry, there are many death scenes, and discussions about last wishes, how bodies are prepared for funerals, and so on. Death is an unusual topic for Chinese people to talk about openly, but in general society is becoming more accepting of discussing something we all face eventually.

Yuet is concerned about a shopkeeper's health

There is a scene of a woman mourning her same-sex lover, while a mother has an unusual request of how to prepare her young son's body.

Chan apparently did a lot of research for this film, interviewing many people who work in the deathcare industry, and the story was inspired by seeing a lot of death around him during the pandemic. The film is not hilarious, but has a few humorous lines to lighten the mood. 

As Dominic, Wong is empathetic; if the character was portrayed as a younger man, he may not be credible enough to stand up to Master Man. Michelle Wai as Yuet is strong-willed, yet traditional in terms of her loyalty to her family, and so she is disappointed when her brother does whatever he can to help his son have a better life.

Hopefully The Last Dance will prompt more discussions about death, and encourage aging parents to discuss their last wishes to their children to ensure all that needs to be said to loved ones while they are alive, not dead.

HK$700K on Panda Naming Competition

An An and Ke Ke are the newest attractions at Ocean Park

The pair of pandas that have created panda-monium at Ocean Park are keeping their original names despite the government spending HK$700,000 for a naming competition.

On July 1, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced Beijing would gift Hong Kong a pair of giant pandas to Ocean Park. They were named An An and Ke Ke.

But the authorities decided to get the public to "exercise creativity and suggest meaningful new names for the giant pandas that highlight their characteristics." 

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (up until recently under Kevin Yeung Yun-hung) spent the HK$700,000 on building a website for the competition, have advertisements posted in MTR stations and on the internet, and procure prizes for the winners.

Hong Kong residents submitted 22,600 names, but in the end the judges (who did this job on a voluntary basis), chose the winner, a man who suggested the pandas keep their original names.

Groan.

He told reporters that he was a "panda lover" and had read that it was difficult for pandas to get used to new names after the age of five. An An and Ke Ke are both five-years old.

The winner received prizes worth HK$47,320, including a tourbillon watch valued at HK$36,800, and membership and vouchers for Ocean Park.

Merit prizes were handed out to eight rejected names.

The newly appointed culture minister Rosanna Law Shuk-pui defended the naming contest when a reporter asked if it had been a waste of taxpayer money if the pandas were not renamed.

"When [the results] were announced... there was a round of applause," she said. "I think if we did not have this competition, we would not know that majority of the participants felt it was better to keep the names An An and Ke Ke."

Wait -- so does that mean the majority of the suggestions were to keep the original names? Then why did that man win a watch? Was this a vote or a naming competition? 

"An An" means a peaceful and stable future for Hong Kong, while "Ke Ke" suggests unlimited possibilities for the city.

Picture of the Day: Sunset in the Skies

Watching the sun set over the clouds during our flight

When an airplane ride is about three hours I don't mind sitting in the window seat and admire the view outside.

Our Air Canada flight back to Vancouver was delayed by about half an hour so we didn't land until 4.20pm. 

While we were in the air above the clouds, the clouds, the sun began to set at the horizon we were at and there was a warm glow that gradually faded as we flew further north and became more pink and mauve.

Just magical.

Palm Springs' Meal Deals

Olive Garden: Americanised Italian cuisine

Palm Springs used to be a fun place for seniors to eat, taking advantage of the early bird specials at various restaurants. But post-Covid those days are long gone... unless you are interested in eating dinner at 3pm and finish by 5pm at Pacifica in El Paseo, one of the glitziest shopping areas.

Nevertheless, we managed to find a few delicious deals. One was lunch at Olive Garden, where on weekdays they have the soup and salad and breadsticks deal for US$11.49 where you get unlimited servings of each. 

Fresh salads were the highlight at Olive Garden

My first bowl of soup was the pasta e fagioli, white and red beans, ground beef, fresh tomatoes and tubetti pasta. But then I made the rookie mistake of ordering the chicken and gnocchi, a creamy soup that filled me up quite quickly. I managed to squeeze in a third bowl of minestrone but was extremely full afterwards.

The unlimited salad is simple but very fresh, featuring chopped cabbage, slices of tomatoes, shredded carrots, black olives, pickled peppers, and chopped red onions in Italian dressing, while the breadsticks are more like pillowy soft wide sticks that are oily and sprinkled with salt.

Another weekday lunch deal is unlimited soup or salad with certain pasta dishes like shrimp scampi, chicken parmigiana, spaghetti or cheese ravioli for between US$12.49 or US$13.49, and the portions are just right.

Minestrone soup was choc full of vegetables

We also went to IHop for breakfast before heading to the airport. The menu looks like it offers a lot of dishes, but many are all combinations of eggs with either bacon or sausage, toast or pancakes. There's a section offering deals for 55+ diners, such as the 1x1x1 -- one egg, one sausage, one bacon and toast or pancakes. 

I had the 2 quick eggs -- two eggs, either sausage or bacon, hash browns and toast for about US$13. The eggs came perfectly cooked over easy, and a rectangular slab of hash browns that was decorated with two skinny (and fatty) slices of bacon, and two slices of wholewheat toast that were further sliced in half and buttered.

While IHop was good value, it was kind of sad to see the sign on the door explaining the hours had changed to Monday to Sunday, 6.30am until 3pm. When we went on a Sunday morning, the place was just over half full; it used to be bustling with customers, and sometimes we had to wait for a table.

IHop's 2 Quick Eggs breakfast

It seems Covid hit Palm Springs hard, and tourism is its biggest industry, other than healthcare services. Fewer tourists are coming, resulting in restaurants closing or downsizing, and the same with shops. Golf courses have noticeably fewer visiting golfers, which has resulted in fewer staff catering to them at the reception desk. Tee times need to be booked online instead of on the phone or in person.

Hard to say if the city will be bustling again... the people are still friendly, but out-of-town visitors are few and far between.

Swift's Mega Eras Tour Ends in Vancouver

Swift wowed fans in Vancouver for her last three concerts

Yesterday when we were waiting at Palm Springs International Airport for our flight back to Vancouver, we spotted some Swifties in their nifty blue sweatshirts that said "Taylor Swift The Eras Tour".

They were probably from Palm Springs and scored tickets to the last three concerts of the Eras Tour and flew to Vancouver this past weekend.

Flurry of friendship bracelet trading

We spotted at least 10 Swifties in their blue sweatshirts and one with a beige hoodie, so there were probably even more on the flight.

Swift ended her 150 concerts spread over five continents to more than 10 million fans on Sunday night at BC Place stadium. 

This morning fans were gushing to the media about how genuine Swift is, how amazing concert the concert was, as the artist performed practically non-stop for three and a half hours. 

Earlier one fan had shelled out C$1,500 in tickets only to discover that she had been scammed. After she was interviewed on the radio, an anonymous donor gifted her two tickets and she was crying in gratitude. 

A friend tried desperately to get tickets for her and her 13-year-old daughter to go, but couldn't; the went downtown anyway to soak up the vibes with thousands of others and still had a good time.

Fans decked out in Taylor Swift outfits

Destination Vancouver had projected the city would get a boost of some C$157 million from Swift's concerts and it probably happened thanks to jacked up prices for hotels, parking spaces, Uber, food and drinks. 

But Swifties were pretty much prepared to shell out to see their idol who they have grown up with for over 10 years. There were lots of mothers and daughters in the audience, fathers with daughters, all buoyed by Swift's magnetism and energy. 

For many of them her vibe is that of positivity, girl power, friendship (the friendship bracelets), and kindness. She is known to donate to food banks in every city she performed in, the amount is unknown. That inspired one fan to try to raise 1.3 million for food banks in Canada. 

Although Swift's Eras Tour is over, fans are still basking in their memories of the concerts, and by the looks of it, for some time to come, while Swift probably made over US$2 billion in the past two years. With her 35th birthday just days away, she has a lot to celebrate.

A Retrospective of Hockney's Whimsical Approach to Art

Hockney's interpretation of Yosemite

We paid a visit to the Palm Springs Art Museum again, after our first visit two years ago. This time the exhibition is on English artist David Hockney and it demonstrates a range of his work not only chronologically, but also in terms of the various mediums he uses.

A photo and painting of sunflowers

Entitled David Hockney: Perspective Should be Reversed: Prints from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation, the show includes almost 200 of the artist's works in prints, collages, photographs and iPad drawings.

I don't know much about Hockney, save for his colourful, whimsical works, like his swimming pool paintings, and he designed a print for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games of a man diving into the water.

His curiosity in experimenting with new technology, in particular iPads is really interesting, as someone in his late 80s is open to trying new things and seeing if it works for him and his art. For example he did a sketch of Yosemite in his iPad and it could easily be a lithograph, with vibrant green trees in the foreground, and the mountain in the back. He uses various circles, dots, squiggles and scratches to create texture and depth. 

His collage portrait of his mother

Hockey also tries to make art fun and pokes fun at how people think it has to be high brow. In "Photography is Dead. Long Live Painting", he has a photo of a vase of sunflowers in an homage to van Gogh, but next to it is a painted version of the same flowers. 

There's also a portrait of his mother that he made by taking numerous pictures of her at one sitting and assembling the pictures together to create one image. The same goes for a massive collage of the Grand Canyon.

What I liked the most was a giant painting of two of him! Both sitting in chairs with their backs to the viewer, one smoking, the other not at a wall full of his paintings of flowers in vases on checkered tablecloths.

The museum got cheeky and replicated the painting with the same flower paintings framed on the wall, and the included two chairs similar to the ones in the painting complete with a side table and silk rose, and invited viewers to be in their own Hockney work. Quite amusing!

Two Hockneys looking at his flower paintings

David Hockney: Perspective Should be Reversed

Until March 31, 2025

Palm Springs Art Museum

101 Museum Drive

Palm Springs, CA 92262