Beijing Demands More Info of Locals Working in Consulates

Beijing asks for more information from consulates in Hong Kong

Beijing is stepping up its reach in Hong Kong, this time asking for detailed information of all local staff who work in consulates in the city.

They must provide names, job titles, residential addresses, ID or passport numbers, as well as a copy of all identification documents. The consulates, including the office of the European Union have until October 18 to provide all this information, and if a new employee is hired, they have 15 days to prepare the paperwork for Beijing.

The US consulate in Central

According to the Basic Law, Beijing is responsible for Hong Kong's foreign affairs, which explains the ability to request this information.

Twice last year, the Commissioner's Office had another curious request -- asking consulates about the properties they used in the city -- including the floor plans, according to the Financial Times.

In addition in July, Beijing warned that consular staff could not visit detainees who had dual citizenship, while in 2018, China asked consulates general in Hong Kong and Macau that were based in Hong Kong not to use "Macau" in their names and vice-versa. And if they were setting up election ballot boxes for their expatriate citizens, the consulates had to make a "formal note of application" beforehand.

Ironically, last July Liu Guangyuan, Beijing's deputy director of the liaison office in Hong Kong, urged consulates to "present the vibrant and promising Hong Kong to the world in a more objective way."

Liu asked consulates to present a vibrant HK

Hard to do when you're asked to jump through numerous bureaucratic hoops that seem more for surveillance than for building good will...

Misunderstanding Muslim Domestic Helpers

Many Muslim domestic helpers are misunderstood in HK

It was Christmas Eve, in the mid 1990s when I lived with my uncle and aunt in Hong Kong. They had a Filipina domestic helper who cooked, cleaned and looked after their two young children.

The helper had made some mistakes that day and my aunt was not pleased and wanted her to work longer as punishment, but my uncle intervened.

He said Christmas Eve was a very important time for Catholics like her and so they should let her go early to go to church for mass.

Employers assume helpers must obey demands

I don't know why I remember this, but it made me realise how important it was to be compassionate and understanding of others.

And now decades later after Hong Kong has brought in Muslim domestic helpers from Indonesia and yet some employers still do not understand or appreciate their employee's religious background.

Last week a Muslim domestic helper filed a HK$255,000 discrimination lawsuit against her former employers for requiring her to stop praying and wearing the jilbab, a full-length garment, if she wanted to keep her job.

According to the Quran, devout Muslims must pray five times a day, at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening.

Apparently these kinds of disputes are common, and unions and employer representatives are calling for more dialogue between the two parties to reach a mutual understanding before signing the contract.

Nevertheless, despite discussions beforehand, domestic helpers feel like they are in a weaker position and feel obligated to obey their employers' demands.

"[They will think:] 'I hired you because I need to you work,' and that praying five times a day, especially for Muslims, is a lot," said Sringatin, chairwoman of the Indonesian Migrant Workers' Union.

She said many domestic helpers stopped praying or wearing religious garments to keep their employment records clean for future jobs.

Domestic helpers only have Sundays off

Some tried to work around their employer, such as praying when they are not at home, and only wear the hijab or headscarf when they went outside on their days off or for daily tasks.

Thomas Chan Tung-fung, chairman of the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies says the recent lawsuit suggests a lack of communication before the helper was hired.

"Many employers mistakenly think their homes are their private premises and have complete control over the area, but they forget their homes are also their helpers' workplaces," he said.

This just reveals how ignorant Hongkongers are when it comes to other people's religions and their lack of tolerance or respect of others. Their belief in being superior to Southeast Asians perpetuates to this day which shows Hongkongers' insecurity and inability to accept others.

It will be interesting to see how the lawsuit is processed through the courts.

Stay tuned.

Jelly Legs from Pilates

Pilates reformer machines help isolate muscles to work on

This morning I went to my first pilates class using a reformer machine. 

These machines were created by Joseph Pilates in an internment camp in World War I. He created it by attaching springs to the bed to help bed-bound patients to do resistance exercises without having to stand up.

The instructor for my class was a young Asian guy, who it later turns out is a dancer. He turned on the music to easy-going jazz, which made me realise the class was not going to be like aerobics classes where we had to move to the beat.

Instead the music put us in a relaxed mood and we were not expected to do a certain number of reps or sets; he just let us repeat the movements, and the key was to do it properly.

When lying in the reformer, your shoulders and neck are kind of boxed in (comfortably), while your arms and legs do the work (separately or together). That way it forces you to isolate your muscles and work on them in a controlled way.

The reformer is also attached to springs to move forward and backward, and these can be adjusted to be harder or easier to move. At first we worked on our leg muscles and at times my legs were shaking from using different muscles or in such a repetitive way. It's all good!

Eventually we graduated to arms moving in circles and it felt good and tiring! When we finally moved to stretching, one of the women shouted hurray! Again I was stretching in different ways which was really interesting.

When we did new exercises, I had to look over to my classmates who had taken these classes before, or the instructor would come by and give me directions on what to do. He seemed impressed I was quite flexible!

Needless to say I had worked up a sweat and my legs were like jelly afterwards! 

Hong Kong's Late Night Bang for Your Buck

Lots of smiley-face fireworks on October 1 this year

Post-Covid there's revenge traveling, revenge shopping and in Hong Kong, revenge fireworks.

It has been yonks since the city has had fireworks. They were cancelled in October 2019 because of the protests and then the Covid-19 pandemic happened soon after.

So the upcoming National Day holiday fireworks are going to be nothing short of a blast. 

Tai Hang Fire Dragon returns in late September

The 23-minute display will be fired off from an unprecedented nine Victoria Harbour launch points (three barges and six pontoons), and will cost HK$18 million (US$2.3 million). 

The fireworks show is part of the Hong Kong government's bid to revitalise the city's nightlife, with various activities and events to encourage people to go out in the evenings.

They include having museums like the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Space Museum open until 10pm; the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance for three days around the Mid-Autumn Festival; Lunar New Year fairs open until the early hours; shopping vouchers that can only be used in the evenings; and night bazaars held in the promenades at Wan Chai, Kennedy Town and Kwun Tong.

Even attractions like Ocean Park and Disneyland need to stay open later, free admission to the Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday nights, and late night movie tickets. Oh and to help you get around, you can have a free ride for every five rides taken after 10.30pm, and free parking in some shopping malls.

Hong Kong Museum of Art to open late

While we appreciate the effort to create things to do, looking at the offerings they are piecemeal and pretty pathetic. Who wants to go to the Museum of Art at 9pm? Wouldn't you rather go to M+? And the night bazaars don't sound appealing... what are they going to be selling? 

The effort to promote nightlife in Hong Kong may backfire, as overcrowding may discourage people from gathering... or I maybe totally proven wrong! 

Short-Term Rental License Fees to Jump almost Tenfold

Many homes and condos in Vancouver are used for Airbnbs

Vancouver City Hall is trying to avoid raising property taxes by finding other areas to get revenue. Starting next year, taking an Uber or renewing a dog license will go up, but the biggest increase will be short-term rental license fees, in other words homeowners who run Airbnbs.

The current price of the business license for short-term rentals is CAD$109 and it will surge to CAD$1,000 in 2024.

City staff had recommended increasing the fee to CAD$450, but ABC city councillor Lenny Zhou proposed the massive jump in short-term rental license fees -- that was passed in a vote -- in a bid to turn these living units into long-term rentals to ease the housing crisis.

Zhou proposed fees jump to CAD$1,000

Many suites and homes have been used for Airbnb, which in many cases is more lucrative than renting them out, and in Vancouver it is actually illegal.

One home on the westside I've seen has around five rooms that are used for Airbnb, most of them sharing bathrooms, with strict rules for guests to be quiet in the evenings and to use a passcode to get in.

In other cases neighbours of homes or condos that have Airbnbs have complained about parties or strangers coming in and out of the place.

As a result Zhou is hoping the CAD$1,000 license fee will deter people from making extra money from Airbnbs.

Patrick Baldwin has been an Airbnb host for five years and says the new fee will affect his family's ability to live in Vancouver, as the income he makes from Airbnb makes his mortgage affordable.

"In a city where home ownership is nearly impossible for young families, we have been able to make that work, but these new changes are going to make it even harder for people like us to achieve or maintain home ownership," he wrote in an email to a local news outlet.

"It really does feel like a slap in the face."

These spaces should be rented out, not for Airbub

However, supporters of the fee point out that it wouldn't take long for hosts like Baldwin to make the CAD$1,000 back, and besides, it's the cost of doing business.

These supporters also suggest more should be done to crackdown on these illegal short-term rentals, as some 4,500 are listed online. 

But Sarah Hicks, Vancouver's chief license inspector, says the city's short-term rental enforcement team is comprised of just six enforcement clerks, one enforcement co-ordinator, and one dedicated property use inspector.

Hicks says they mostly do digital-based enforcement by reviewing online listings and respond to complaints filed online.

Sounds like they are severely short-staffed and if the municipal government wants to be serious about shutting down these Airbnbs, surely more people need to be employed in this department? Or do they want to make more money from handing out these licenses?

Nevertheless it's a positive step forward for the city to move in this direction and hopefully it will lead to more living spaces being rented out to locals or foreign students who desperately need a roof over their heads in the months and years to come.

10-Year-Old Involved in HK Robbery

Police investigate a robbery in a luxury watch shop in TST

Post-Covid, Hong Kong's economy has not bounced back as hoped, and some people are financially desperate. This has led to a rise in robberies, where teams of people run into a jewellery store and smash-and-grab whatever they can and then leave in seconds.

But yesterday's news was even more shocking -- a 10-year-old school boy was allegedly involved in one of the latest heists.

One suspect is a 10-year-old schoolboy (hooded)

He was arrested for allegedly taking part in a HK$3.7 million robbery (US$472,560), where he may have used a sledgehammer to smash display counters at a luxury watch store. He was allegedly paid HK$5,000 to take part in the smash-and-grab gang raid on a shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, where they took off with 20 luxury watches.

"The investigation revealed that he skipped school on that day and joined the gang to commit the robbery," a source familiar with the case said.

The boy even wore his school uniform, though he had a jacket or pullover on top.

Originally from Pakistan, he is quite tall and big for his age, at 1.7 metres tall and weighing 132 pounds (60kg). The boy came here in 2018 to join his parents. 

The police believe a 14-year-old was also involved in the robbery who allegedly carried a knife during the incident and grabbed some of the expensive watches.

The trio allegedly stole 20 luxury watches

It is believed the third person is a 19-year-old man who was found near Kowloon Peak in Sai Kung, and officers found a backpack with the stolen watches in the bushes nearby. The authorities said all the items had been recovered.

How shocking and sad that kids are involved in robberies. Not much is known about their backgrounds, but it could be various reasons from financial desperation to feelings of neglect or helplessness, or being led astray.

It will all be revealed later in court, and many will be following this case as the investigation progresses.

White Hot Anger Over Chinatown Stabbings

Eby "white hot angry" over the stabbings in Chinatown

The outrage over the triple stabbings on Sunday evening at the Light Up Chinatown event continue, with Premier David Eby expressing his anger that a mentally ill man who allegedly committed the attacks was given a day pass from a psychiatric hospital.

"I cannot fathom how someone who murdered his daughter was released in 2009, went out and stabbed somebody else, would then be released again, unaccompanied, somehow, be able to go out and buy a knife, go to Chinatown, and stab three people. How is that possible," he said Tuesday.

The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam

Eby added he was "white hot angry" and called for an independent review on how Blair Evan Donnelly was able to get the day pass.

"We will ensure that an independent person looks into the specifics of this case, the decision-making process, how we arrived at this awful place, for Chinatown, for the community, for the people who were attacked. And we'll make sure there's nobody else that's on a day pass that's in a similar situation to ensure the community is safe," he said.

Donnelly allegedly attacked three people with a knife near the stage of the Light Up Chinatown event just before 6pm on Sunday. The couple in their 60s and a young woman in her 20s were sent to hospital and released later.

Not only did Donnelly kill his daughter in 2006, but was found not criminally responsible in 2008 due to mental disorder, he also stabbed a friend in 2009 while he was in a psychotic state. For this Donnelly was held criminally responsible.

There are now questions on why the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam allowed Donnelly to have a day pass despite the previous violent acts he had committed.

Chinatown has held events to get people to come

Ironically this tragic incident has brought much more attention to Chinatown again, with the premier vowing to make it doesn't happen again.

However, reporters listening to Eby today were skeptical that he would make any substantial change for the better. Will he prove them wrong?

Stay tuned.

Chinatown Festival Ends with Stabbings

The stabbings occurred near this stage at Keefer and Columbia

"Light Up Chinatown" was meant to be an open invitation for people to come to the neighbourhood and patronise the shops and restaurants in the run up to the Mid-Autumn Festival at the end of this month.

However, just as the two-day event was wrapping up, before 6pm, a 64-year-old man suddenly stabbed three people near the stage at the intersection of Keefer and Columbia streets.

The victims, a couple in their 60s and a young woman in her 20s were given immediate care and sent to hospital, while the police -- who were providing security for the event -- interviewed witnesses for a description of the assailant and soon after arrested the man, Blair Evan Donnelly nearby in the Downtown Eastside.

Police arrested the attacker, no known motive

It turns out he was on a day pass from a local psychiatric facility. In 2006 he had killed his 16-year-old daughter in Kitimat. He was charged with second-degree murder, but was found not guilty in January 2008 because of a mental disorder and was sent to Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam.

Yesterday he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

It was shocking to hear the news and that the perpetrator has a mental illness. 

Carol Lee, the chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation was around 20 feet away from where the attacks happened and was devastated by the horrific incident.

"I think if you were close by, it's a traumatic thing to see somebody at a community event, just an innocent bystander, getting stabbed," she said.

Lee broke down during the press conference, describing the attacks as feeling "very personal. We've worked very hard to put this festival and the community together to celebrate all the progress that we have made."

Lee in tears during press conference

Revitalising and making Chinatown safe has been a priority for Mayor Ken Sim, who said in a press release that the "senseless violence is heartbreaking."

"We will not allow this senseless act of violence to disrupt celebrations of all that makes our city great, and we will work each and every day to ensure Vancouver is a place where people can live, work, and thrive in a safe environment."

To that end it was a surprise to see a lot of police officers in Chinatown today. At lunchtime, four of them patronised the same cha chaan teng as us, with two police cars parked in front. Afterwards we saw two cops patrolling the streets.

It was reassuring to see them around to give a sense of security... though they need to be around more often to really give people peace of mind and feel safe in the area.

Investigation Into Illegal Structures at Tai Tam

The slope is unstable at Redhill Peninsula following landslide

Today Hong Kong's weather has heavy rains, and in parts of Kowloon and Sai Kung there are even flash floods. Seems like the city can't get a break from the rain, let alone have enough time to clear all the drains so that the water can be removed from roads.

In the aftermath of the record-breaking rainstorm, there are now questions as to whether there are illegal structures built in the tony area of Tai Tam. 

One house at 72 Redhill Peninsula had to be evacuated because of the landslide caused by the heavy rains, while the two houses next to it, 70 and 74 will undergo safety checks, as they could be affected as well.

Linn says the homes will be inspected for safety

An initial investigation revealed illegal structures at all three houses, including digging below to create basements. The occupants not only violated the terms of the leasing conditions, but also the extensions occupied land that belongs to the government.

"As to whether there are unauthorised building structures or unlawful occupation of government land, our initial evidence shows there is indeed some breach of leases and unlawful occupation, but our primary focus at the moment is to stabilise the slope to ensure public safety," said Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho.

Government contractors will inject cement into the slope in a bid to stabilise it, Linn said.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the authorities would strictly enforce the law in response to discovering any illegal structures.

"We place a lot of importance on that, as [the illegal structures] could affect public safety," he said.

Will the occupants be prosecuted if illegal structures are found? An NGO that focuses on land and development research found satellite images that suggest a garden extension at 70 Redhill was done 13 years ago.

Landslide reveals possible illegal structures

Mostly celebrities and wealthy businessmen live in these houses that can cost some HK$112 million for 3,136 square feet.

Jason Poon Chuk-hung is a structural engineer who says the digging at Redhill Peninsula to create basements could have aggravated the pressure on the slope.

He said the Buildings Department would need to issue a demolition order to the owners of the three sites if illegal structures are found on their properties, and this could cost some HK$10 million per property.

"But the slope has collapsed, which cannot be rebuilt. The best the government can do is to build an artificial slope, which will cost about HK$50 million," Poon said. "Whether or not the government can claim the construction costs from the property owners will depend on the courts."

Poon added the three houses would be plagued by structural risks going forward, and their property prices would drop by 25 percent.

It has now been reported that the owner of 74 Redhill Peninsula refuses to allow government teams to inspect the house, and so the authorities are currently applying for a court warrant to investigate any other illegal structures.

Get out the popcorn, folks. It's going to be a a dramatic show.

Divided Over Chinatown's Revitalisation

Lions kick off "Light Up Chinatown" in Vancouver

Today was the start of the two-day "Light Up Chinatown", an initiative from the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation in a bid to revitalise the neighbourhood leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival. The lions were out in force prancing on stage, while politicians trotted out, like BC Premier David Eby and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, encouraging people to come to the area more often.

Other entertainment on the main stage included girls performing traditional Chinese dances, singers exercising their vocal abilities, hip hop dancers strutting their stuff, and even magic tricks to impress the crowd. 

A Western-style bun stuffed with char siu 

And there was lots of food on offer, from bubble tea to poke bowls and burgers, to special collaborations like a European-style bun stuffed with char siu, and another group offering five grilled skewers from five different chefs paired with wines.

Interestingly, one of the sponsors of the event is Beedie Living, the developer of the controversial site 105 Keefer Street. Beedie plans to build condos on the vacant lot, which will be beyond the reach of the elderly residents in the area, and is right next to a monument commemorating the Chinese railway workers in the 1880s and the soldiers who fought in World War II. 

Several years ago many in Chinatown were against it when Beedie made its presentation at City Hall, but then earlier this year many people and businesses in the area did a 180-degree turn and fully supported the plan, believing construction is better than letting the site remain empty.

Those who still do not support the development and would rather social housing be built on the plot of land held their own event in an alleyway. They marked the first anniversary of the fire that destroyed Gain Wah, a legacy business in Chinatown that not only served cheap Chinese food, but also had inexpensive housing upstairs for seniors and restaurant staff.

Gain Wah Restaurant following the fire last year

This grassroots group held an event to bring attention to the issue of food insecurity in Chinatown, as it was not really a fundraiser for Gain Wah.

Nevertheless, it shows that not everyone in Chinatown is united behind one cause, that the differences in the community fall along political lines. Either one supports the corporate elites who believe money is going to revitalise the area, or grassroots, who are trying to help the residents in the area have a safe environment to live in and support local businesses to keep the ecosystem going.

One side has vastly more resources than the other, but the smaller group is scrappy and determined to continue voicing its opinions.

As someone watching on the sidelines, there's never a dull moment in Chinatown. 

Fact-Checking HK Officials on Flooding

A shopping mall in Chai Wan flooded with muddy water

Hong Kong continues its massive clean-up after the apocalyptic rainstorm that deluged the city, though people are questioning the government's response -- or lack thereof -- in warning residents to prepare in advance.

But Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu described the rainstorm as "once in 100 years", while his deputy Eric Chan Kwok-ki said it was a "once-in-500 years" rainstorm.  

Who is right?

Lee appears at Yiu Tung Estate in Shau Kei Wan

Journalistically it is correct to say the worst rainstorm since 1884 when records of rain levels were kept.

How can Chan say 500 years when no one was around then to measure the water levels if there even was a torrential rainstorm in 1523 during the Ming dynasty?

Perhaps Chan likes to stretch the truth to be more dramatic and claim this was a one-off?

Regardless he and Lee should look into a phenomenon called climate change and how there will be more incidents of either more drought and wildfires, or more powerful rainstorms and flooding.

That rainstorm was not a once in a century. There will be more to come.

You have been forewarned.

Hong Kong Deluged by Flooding

A bus submerged in the torrential rains that flooded HK

A few hours ago pictures and videos of the epic flooding in Hong Kong were posted all over social media -- the muddy waterfall pouring into Wong Tai Sin MTR station, vehicles plowing through water in the Cross Harbour Tunnel, a woman still holding onto her umbrella as she slid about 50 metres along a street, trying to grab onto the railing.

The city is still under a black rainstorm warning 14 hours after it was posted, with rain falling 158.1mm deep between 11pm and midnight last night, an unprecedented amount since records were kept in 1884. In total over 400mm of rain has fallen.

Needless to say today schools are closed, and most people are working from home as the black rainstorm warning is expected to continue until midnight this evening.

Wong Tai Sin MTR station deluged by water

Chai Wan seems to have received the brunt of the intense rain left over from Typhoon Haikui. The New Territories also suffered with the Shenzhen government giving very little notice to its Hong Kong counterpart that it would discharge water from the reservoir -- that knock-down effect left 15 minutes for residents in the area to prepare to evacuate.

So far there are no reports of fatalities, but residents are not impressed by the government's response, with the Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki holding a press conference right now (2.30pm HK time) to report on what the authorities are doing together with the Security Bureau some 12 hours later.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu didn't make any public statements and instead published two social media posts urging people to stay safe. Hongkongers bombarded the comments section questioning why the government's response was so behind, compared to the preparations made when Typhoon Saola was approaching the city.

One commenter by the name of Veronica Law wrote: "Not everyone was on Facebook. Why wasn't even an SMS sent to residents in this kind of situation?" Another user named Emi An said: "Is the chief executive sleeping? Are you aware of the severe flooding out there?"

A shopping mall in Chai Wan flooded

At the press conference going on now, acting director of drainage services Chui Si-kay said Hong Kong's drainage system could not cope with the torrential rainfall, and denied that Shenzhen releasing water from the reservoir did not cause flooding in the New Territories, that it was all from the rainfall. 

One may never be quite sure what the situation was there, but for sure the city will have a lot of water and sludge to get rid of in the streets, in shopping malls, MTR stations, and people's flats. 

There are still questions on how the city's authorities and the Hong Kong Observatory did not prepare residents with the possibility of a deluge of rain...

Review: Oppenheimer

The film is based in a biography of the theoretical physicist

Just watched the film Oppenheimer and it was quite intense, but a cinematic triumph for director Christopher Nolan, featuring an all-star cast bringing to life the complex life and person of J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb.

The three-hour film is an adaptation of the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin and Nolan wrote the screenplay. As a result Oppenheimer is a pretty accurate portrayal of the historical events that happened, following the American theoretical physicist as he studies quantum physics in England and Germany, brings the subject back to the United States, and then gets recruited to become the director of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Einstein was a contemporary of Oppenheimer

He brings together a team of scientists to create the atomic bomb, but as they are building it, Hitler has died, and the motivation to stop the Nazis has evaporated. But Oppenheimer believes the Japanese need to be stopped and the project continues. Once the test code named Trinity is a success, the US Army moves in to take the bomb plans to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945 respectively, effectively stopping the Japanese.

However, Oppenheimer is not a straight-forward all-American patriot, especially not during the McCarthy era. And this is what makes the film a complex portrayal of the man. While it is not definitive that he was a card-carrying communist, he tried to help Jewish scientists flee the Nazis, supported the Spanish civil war, tried to unionize professors. It perhaps didn't help Oppenheimer that his brother and wife were active communists.

The film also shows his complicated personal life, how he had a passionate affair with Jean Tatlock, but she broke up with him; he soon met his future wife Katherine "Kitty" Puening, who was with her third husband, also Oppenheimer's colleague.

He had an intense relationship with Tatlock

Later Oppenheimer rekindled his relationship with Tatlock while he was married with his first child, but ended it -- she later committed suicide, which affected him profoundly. He also later had an affair with Ruth Tolman, also the wife of Oppenheimer's friend.

In one scene Kitty is seen drunk and unable to care for their son and Oppenheimer takes the baby to his friend to look after him "for a while"... one wonders if he son experienced abandonment issues. Oppenheimer and Kitty later had a daughter.

After the Trinity test, Oppenheimer realises how the atomic bomb will impact humanity and tries to tell the US government it has to stop what will begin as the arms race in the Cold War. 

Another character in the film is Lewis Strauss, head of the Atomic Energy Commission who wants to be confirmed for Secretary of Commerce. Strauss is personally offended when Oppenheimer humiliates him publicly dismissing concerns about exporting radioisotopes. As a result Strauss orchestrates an elaborate plan to silence Oppenheimer with a closed-door hearing to decide whether the scientist should have his security clearance.

Black and white scenes show historical events

The questioning is intense and harsh, making it hard for Oppenheimer to defend himself effectively, but also reveals his character of being unable or unwilling to fight back, and his trusted colleagues and wife have to do it for him.

The cinematography of Oppenheimer shows calculated shots, and apparently no computer-generated images were used, particularly when it came to the Trinity test. Cillian Murphy as the physicist ages gracefully throughout the film, his big blue eyes are very intense and full of emotion. He is in almost all the scenes.

It was only after watching the film did a friend tell me that the scenes in colour were the story through Oppenheimer's eyes, while those in black and white were events as viewed in history.

Meanwhile the costumes were fantastic, bringing back sharp suits with high-waisted trousers, broad-rimmed porkpie hat. There was also a lot of smoking going on and Oppenheimer has a cigarette lit most of the time; is it surprising he died of throat cancer at the age of 62 in 1967?

Oppenheimer is a complex portrait of the man, how he was not just into physics, but was well read, faced moral issues with regards to humanity and was loyal to his colleagues. Should he have invented the atomic bomb? He was proud of his achievement, but saddened that it resulted in ratcheted tensions with the Soviet Union.

Oppenheimer

Directed by Christopher Nolan

180 minutes

Picture of the Day: Rice Bowls Cool Chiffon Cake

Rice bowls are the perfect way to cool chiffon cakes

The other day we made a chiffon cake and I carefully separated the egg whites from the yolks, and afterwards my mother whipped the egg whites to a white foam, while I used a hand blender to mix the yolks with flour, sugar, and vanilla extract.

She then carefully folded the egg white foam into the custard mixture to make sure it was blended without stirring it, and then we poured it into the chiffon cake mold. My mother was worried it was too runny and that it seemed flatter than previous ones we'd made.

Oh well -- we put it in the oven and then hoped it would rise.

The cake rose way above the cone in the middle!

And it did! Well past the cone in the middle!

The next dilemma was wondering how we would cool the cake upside down without damaging the top of the cake.

My solution? Using Chinese rice bowls upside down to hold the prongs higher and it worked brilliantly. 

Several hours later the cake shrank a bit, but now I've found another use for rice bowls when baking! 

Gearing Up for Pickle Ball

Pickle Ball is for all ages and abilities... but is it for me? 

I have signed up for some pickle ball lessons to find out what all the fuss is about!

As I already know how to play tennis, but the last time I played was back in 2008 when I worked in Beijing.

A handful of colleagues got together once a week after work to rally and used the worst balls -- they were so flat that you had to hit them even harder to get over the net.

The racquets are not like tennis at all

When I shelled out for some new balls they were shocked -- shocked at how much better they played!

But now I'll be figuring out how to hit whiffle balls with a carbon fibre racquet that looks like a giant swatter.

My health club where I'll be taking lessons has a pro shop to buy sports equipment and I was stunned to see the price tag for the pickle ball racquets -- over CAD$250!

So I was determined to find something cheaper.

There's a second-hand sports shop in my neighbourhood and it was the first time in a long time since I'd been there. It has an impressive array of equipment, from skateboards and tennis racquets to golf clubs, life jackets and even workout gear that is sold on consignment.

I was pleased to find pickle ball racquets, though the cheapest ones are wooden at CAD$25. It reminded me of learning to play tennis with my wooden Slazenger racquet, but this pickle ball one looked like a giant table tennis paddle.

A pickle ball set similar to what I purchased

There were brand new pickle ball sets with two carbon fibre racquets and three or four whiffle balls for CA$120. 

The shop owner explained that no one had yet given the shop any used pickle ball racquets so they had to buy new ones instead.

So I snapped the set up.

Who knows? I might go crazy over pickle ball, or be the first person to bring back the set on consignment!

The Strange Case of Mysterious Cancellations

A restaurant at Kai Tak cancelled Democratic Party's dinner

Hong Kong's largest democratic party has had to cancel its major fundraising dinner for 200 people again this year after two venues suddenly cancelled.

One was the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, the other, Federal Cruise Banquet Centre in the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. While the former did not cite a reason, the latter claimed its windows were damaged by Typhoon Saola and would have to undergo maintenance work.

"We did not try to find another venue," said Lo Kin-hei, chairperson of the Democratic Party. We're already very tired."

Lo says cancellations are no coincidence

This is not the first time the political party has faced restaurants cancelling on them at the last minute, with very sketchy reasons. What restaurant would want to refuse business these days?

In February the party had to postpone its spring dinner after three venues cancelled on them. The third one pulled out just two hours before the scheduled dinner, citing "urgent gas meter maintenance."

Or how about this excuse -- last year the party was going to hold the party in a restaurant in a Tsim Sha Tsui shopping mall, but was suddenly cancelled, claiming there were Covid-19 clusters nearby.

But when a reporter checked with neighbouring tenants, they had not heard of any Covid-19 clusters in the vicinity and that they were operating normally.

The last time the Democratic Party held its annual fundraising dinner was in March 2019 before the protests. Lo believes the cancellations are not a coincidence, and that the restaurants are facing "external pressure."

"One after another, the same thing has happened to us," he said. "Plus, now the economy is so bad. The restaurants probably don't have good business at night. We're trying to invigorate the economy here.

"There must be some people behind the scenes giving [the restaurants] pressure," Lo said, but added he had no idea who they might be.

Marco Polo hotel also suddenly pulled out

The two cancellations for Monday's dinner came after pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po published an editorial last Tuesday accusing the Democratic Party's fundraising dinner of "likely being a platform for the party to continue covertly promoting... illegal protest-related information."

The newspaper went on to say that on the surface, the party was fundraising to continue operations and the upcoming District Council elections, but that in reality the money was being used to pay for legal fees for the 47 pro-democracy activists charged with violating the national security law.

Someone or some group is out to strangle the Democratic Party financially and prevent it from carrying out its mandate. So much for rights and freedoms in tact in Hong Kong these days. Is it no wonder why so many people are leaving to exercise their rights and freedoms elsewhere?

While it is brave for Lo and the party to soldier on, one can't help but wonder how much longer the Democratic Party can last given the current political climate that is not only polarised but also significantly skewed to one side... 

Typhoon Saola Blows Through Hong Kong

Over 1,500 trees were reported fallen all over the city

Typhoon Saola blew through Hong Kong yesterday and most of the city was left in tact from the T10 tropical cyclone that packed winds at 200km/hr.

Eighty-six people were sent to hospital, while there were reports of 1,545 fallen trees and two landslides. Many of the trees were strewn across roads, causing traffic headaches this morning on major thoroughfares, like the Island Eastern Corridor and Gloucester Road in Wan Chai, though city crews did their best to remove most of the debris.

A tree that replaced one after Mangkut also fell

Someone posted on X, formerly known as Twitter that a tree by a gas station that had replaced one that fell after Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018 had fallen after Typhoon Saola. Too bad it wasn't mature enough to hang on, or perhaps the space for it didn't allow its roots to spread further into the ground?

My cousin reported that during T10, all outdoor MTR trains were not running, while there was flooding in Tai O, and minor flooding along the Shing Mun River in Sha Tin. 

Many residents in Lohas Park in Tseung Kwan O reported their flats were swaying during the brunt of the typhoon's force, with some experiencing headaches and motion sickness.

Reminds me of Typhoon Mangkhut when I felt my building swaying too, and I felt a bit dizzy and had to lie down for a bit!

Tai O experienced flooding after Typhoon Saola

As Hong Kong returns back to "normal", tropical Haikui may approach the city on Monday.

Hopefully it will not induce residents to ransack supermarkets like when Typhoon Saola was approaching -- people grabbed whatever they could, sweeping shelves clean as if they were preparing to hunker down for weeks.

People seem to forget that a typhoon rarely lasts longer than 24 hours and so there is no need to hoard food!

PIcture of the Day: Forest Bathing

Looking up at these green giants in the forest

Shinrin yoku is the Japanese term for forest bathing, or the process of relaxation. People turn to hobbies, sports, music and exercise.

I do this literally by going into Pacific Spirit Park and letting myself be a tiny person amongst the really tall Douglas Firs.

The trails in this forest host avid runners, hikers and dogs that are arguably the fittest in Vancouver, as they run around this massive playground.

Recently in a bid to appreciate the trees even further, I have begun putting my hand on the tree trunk and looking up to appreciate the tree.

One fun fact is that a large tree can provide a day's supply of oxygen for up to four people!

Canada's Housing Crisis Blamed on International Students

Canadian cities like Vancouver don't have enough housing

Canada is experiencing a serious housing crisis. There is not enough housing being built, and what housing stock is available is only for those who have deep pockets, leaving many scrambling to find whatever they can rent, and nowadays it's half their paycheque. 

In Vancouver it now costs CAD$3,000 to rent a one-bedroom apartment.

On top of that the Canadian government wants to have 500,000 immigrants settling in the country every year. They need housing too. Again, where is that going to come from?

Fraser says foreign students cause housing shortage

So who does Housing Minister Sean Fraser blame for causing housing to be out of reach? 

International students. 

He recently floated the idea of capping the number of international students coming to Canada to study, much to the shock of universities, which depend on foreign students to subsidise tertiary education across the country.

Fraser said the cap on international students is "one of the options we ought to consider" during a cabinet retreat in Prince Edward Island last week.

This year Canada is expected to host some 900,000 international students, more than any point in the country's history, and about triple the number of students who entered the country a decade ago. 

But surely Fraser is barking up the wrong tree because it's not like international students are snapping up CAD$1 million homes and taking them away from local residents.

International students have told the media they find it harder than their Canadian counterparts to find housing because landlords conduct extensive credit checks and as foreign students they have never rented or worked in the country before let alone rented in their home countries and so they lack credentials.

Some 900,000 foreign students expected this year

The National Association of Career Colleges said in a statement that "regulated career college provide efficient, high-quality, industry-driven training for domestic and international students to produce the skilled workers Canada most desperately needs," and added that includes workers in the construction sector that builds housing.

Interim president and CEO of Universities Canada Philip Landon also disagreed with the cap, saying major universities are solving the problem.

"I think we can say that the housing situation is a crisis for Canadians broadly," he said. "I do not think that the blaming newcomers or international students... is the right way to go."

Blaming international students for the housing crisis is laughable because it's completely untrue. It just creates xenophobia when Canada is known to be a welcoming place for everyone. It's also a lame excuse to get citizens to look the other way when all three levels of government should be working together to solve this housing crisis.