Three Metro Vancouver Papers to Shutter

Three Metro Vancouver papers to close in a few months

Moving back to Vancouver it was gut-wrenching to see local media being decimated because of a lack of money. 

The Georgia Straight was taken over by a company that immediately fired the existing staff, which made it difficult for the new bosses to hire; the Vancouver Courier became Vancouver is Awesome with an online presence only; CTV regional stations in British Columbia were shuttered and TV anchors gave tearful goodbyes on air.

And suddenly News 1130 was taken off the air, and it was a shock to many listeners as the radio station that had given crucial traffic reports "on the ones", every 10 minutes.

Burnaby Now to close by April 21

Now three more community papers can be added to the list of the dead. Parent company Glacier Media has announced Burnaby Now and the New Westminster Record will close no later than April 21, and Tri-City News will close its doors by May 21.

In a statement, Glacier Media said in part that it "explored all possible options to maintain operations" but the industry's "ongoing financial challenges have made it unsustainable."

The three publications had been serving their respective communities for more than 40 years and transitioned to online only in August 2023.

"We're incredibly proud of the work we've done and we're so grateful to our hardworking staff who have made these publications so special, and to our loyal readers and advertisers who have supported us over the years," said publisher Lara Graham.

The news worries New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone.

"I don't know what it means when a community can't tell its stories anymore, when there's no record of our day-to-day, never mind the history of our city," he said.

Johnstone concerned about lack of local media

Johnstone wondered how New Westminster could some how continue to disseminate information through traditional media.

"I don't know what the solution is here, but we have to rethink what media means to us and what journalism means to us as a country and as a community, because this is not sustainable," he said.

"We have to be able to talk to each other through traditional media, or through every media that works that includes an aspect of journalism to it and separates the truth from what the algorithms do to us, which is push us towards division and push us towards mistruth."

Thirty years ago when I went into this industry, never did it ever cross my mind that so many news outlets would literally fall off a cliff into the abyss. But now it is the reality, because hardly any news companies has managed to figure out how to make money from good journalism.

Community papers are what keeps neighbourhoods informed, and that's how these stories get regional and even national attention.

Who else is going to keep city councils and government officials in check, expose corruption or wrongdoing, or tell good news stories that make communities proud?

It's a sad day when news outlets close, and three community papers shuttering is three too many.

US State Department Revises China Page

Trump says Xi will visit the US... will he make the trip?

China isn't too happy with Donald Trump in the White House. It also doesn't help that he appointed Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, who is hawkish on China.

So it isn't a surprise that the State Department has updated its China page with language Beijing isn't happy about.

According to Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu, the revised page is "distorting truth, denigrating China's foreign policy and touting 'US-China strategic competition.'"

Here are some examples of the differences between the Biden and Trump pages:

The Biden-era referred to...

"Fundamental freedoms"

"Shared challenges such as climate change and global public health crises"

"US assistance to China"

"Advancing the rule of law"

"Investing at home and protecting American workers and businesses"

The need to "work together with democratic allies"

The updated Trump page refers to...

"Principles of reciprocity and fairness"

"Malicious cyber activity"

"China's global trafficking of fentanyl precursors"

US-China trade and investment deficit data

"Forced labor and massive state subsidies"

"Gross violations of human rights"

Three days ago Trump said he was expecting Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit the US, but didn't give a timeline.

He said this to reporters on Air Force One, and added, "it's possible" for the US and China to have a new trade deal, and that would mean having Xi speaking to Trump about easing trade tariffs.

"We'll have, ultimately, President Xi, we will have everybody coming [to the US]," Trump said, while speaking about other world leaders visiting as well.

It's all about the deal... will Xi make the pilgrimage trip?

Earthquake Felt in Vancouver!

Earthquake was near Sechelt, about 50km from Vancouver

At around 1.26pm, I was in the kitchen washing dishes, when I felt the floor rumble. It felt as if a massive truck was passing by our street, except there wasn't one -- it was an earthquake!

I could hear the glasses in the cupboard clinking. Instead of the procedure -- drop, cover and hold on -- I was standing there, frozen.

"Earthquake! Earthquake!" my dad said upstairs.

The shaking lasted about 10 seconds before I rushed up to see if my parents were OK before going on Bluesky to post, "Just felt some minor shaking in Vancouver... was it an earthquake?"

Two other people responded, so I was not alone.

When I turned on the radio at 1.30pm, CBC Radio Vancouver had jazz playing -- which meant they were not on the air, or technical difficulties. It turns out everyone in the building had to be evacuated in the rain before being allowed back in.

Just before 2pm Kathryn Marlow from Victoria took over the CBC airwaves to anchor a quick radio special to give out essential information, that yes indeed there was an earthquake, first reported as 4.8 on the Richter scale near Sechelt, about 50km from Vancouver; then it was reported as 5.1 and then hours later back down to 4.7.

There were no reports of injuries -- apparently people who were walking outside in downtown Vancouver didn't feel anything, while others reported being jolted from their sleep or were terrified by the shaking. Many reported the same feeling as me -- as if a giant truck was driving by.

On the radio we were encouraged to report our experience to Earthquakes Canada where there is a quick online survey which allows them to crowd source data.  

Before this tremor, we had started (slowly) putting together our emergency kit but now this experience has motivated us to get it together quicker! It includes having water, first aid kit, clothing, documents, cash, non-perishable food, medication and other necessities to survive on for at least the first few days. 

Another good tip is to avoid standing in door frames -- they are not going to protect you. Best to get under a table or desk!

Canada's Game, Canada's Victory

McDavid (97) scored the overtime winner to beat the US 3-2

When it came down to the wire, Team Canada delivered.

Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final tonight in Boston.

Connor McDavid scored the overtime winner and was named the game's MVP.

"Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us. I know it's just a quick tournament, and it's not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see," McDavid said after the game.

The nail-biting game was held in Boston

"I hope [the new fans] love it," he said. "It's a great game, it's a great sport and I hope we can put on a good show these last couple days and gained some new fans, ultimately. You can't ask for a better show than that."

All morning and afternoon leading up to tonight's game, radio hosts were talking up the final, asking hockey experts what was going to happen, but also what they thought of how the game was being politicised, with Canadians booing when the American anthem was played, and Americans doing the same to O Canada, and how three fights broke out in the first nine seconds.

The heated atmosphere was caused by US President Donald Trump who continues to taunt Canada about being the 51st state.

While he did not personally attend the game, he did call the American team earlier in the day, giving them a pep talk; one wondered if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have done the same...

Trudeau throwing it back to Trump on X

But after it was over, Trudeau posted on X: "You can't take our country -- and you can't take our game."

Coming into the final Canada had lost 3-1 to the US last Saturday, and so this game was crucial.

"Canada needed a win, and the players beared that on their shoulders, and took it seriously," said Canada head coach Jon Cooper.

"This one was different. This wasn't a win for themselves. This was a win for 40-plus million people. And the guys knew it, and they delivered."

So for now a great sigh of relief for Canada, while Trump may be pissed that the Americans didn't win.

Because that's all he knows, a zero-sum game.

HKJA Strikes Out on Two Hotel Venues

HKJA chair Selina Cheng holds Poon's calligraphy at Eaton HK

How hard is it for organisations in Hong Kong to hold a spring dinner for their members? 

Apparently it's near impossible, as the Hong Kong Journalists Association found out.

The Regal Hong Kong in Causeway Bay claimed it had "water leakage causing unstable power supply" and had to cancel the reservation two days before the event. 

In 2019 the hotel seemed supportive of protesters

So the HKJA postponed the dinner and made a reservation at the Eaton HK hotel in Jordan, and paid a deposit.

But then the group got some bad news today.

In an email to attendees, it said in part: 

"HKJA received notice from the new venue, Eaton HK, stating they were 'unable to host your proposed event.' No reason was given," the email said. "It is regrettable that, two times in a row in a short period of time, HKJA has had contracted bookings -- for which deposits were paid and documents signed -- cancelled by the venues."

This is particularly disappointing because the Eaton hotel is known to be more liberal, marketing itself as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and during the 2019 protests put up a billboard on its building that read: "What does your revolution look like?"

So for Eaton HK to cancel the HKJA event shows how much pressure the hotel was under, and this is the new normal in Hong Kong.

In retaliation, people online posted bad reviews of the hotel on Google.

Ironically, one of the items that was to be auctioned off at the dinner is a work of calligraphy by lyricist Poon Yuen-leung.

It reads: "To brave the road ahead together, with wind gusting against us, we share our frustration and our pride. Sweep the dust on my face, empty the sorrows in our hearts, I beat on and stride forward with you."

HK Democratic Party to Discuss Possible Disbandment

Lo says the party will discuss its future on Thursday

Once the largest voice in the opposition camp, the space for the Democratic Party to operate in Hong Kong has shrunk to the point where its members are now discussing whether it should disband or not.

The party's chairman Lo Kin-hei announced the group's central committee would hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss a wide range of issues, including the future of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party was founded in 1994

While Lo said this conversation was "inevitable", it still needed to be discussed.

"Of course, we should consult all of our members before we can actually come to that conclusion," he said.

Since electoral reforms in the last few years have resulted in only patriots being eligible to govern the city, the future of the Democratic Party has been questioned, as it has had no representation in the Legislative Council since 2021.

And now it has come to the point where the party needs to decide its next steps.

"At this point in time, I don't think I can talk anymore about this issue," Lo said, though he stopped short of saying whether the party was facing pressure to disband.

"But if the day has come for the party to disband, we have to accept it."

Alan Leong of the Civic Party, which disbanded

Hong Kong's Civic Party, which was once considered the second-largest opposition party in the city, disbanded in 2023 after 17 years.

In recent days, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (Pori) announced it would suspend all self-funded research activities indefinitely after its CEO Robert Chung was questioned by the national security police for a second time about possible links with the former deputy CEO Chung Kim-wah, who was added onto the wanted list of Hongkongers for allegedly violating the national security law.

"We see a lot of different groups and parties dissolving... So every time any kind of group disbands or they discontinue, we will have that kind of discussion for a bit," Lo said.

When asked if he thought the government was trying to marginalise the party, Lo said it would be best if the government would allow different parties to express a diversity of opinions.

"I also believe that this diversity in opinions is what made Hong Kong very nice in the past... And I hope that the government can try to be more open," Lo said.

Making Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup has many textures, from crunchy to soft

Hot and sour soup is one of those concoctions that is hearty and comforting. It's choc full of ingredients in every bite, and with a combination of sour and spice, you can't stop eating it. 

While it can be tedious to make with a lot of chopping involved, it's quite satisfying when it all comes together, and tastes like a hug in a bowl.

I watched a few different videos on how to make it, with variations on the step-by-step process, and then cobbled together my own version.

First I sliced up some pork that was then marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, water and cornstarch. Some recipes specify lean pork which in general is a good idea, but slightly fatty pork is fine too.

Some dry ingredients need to be rehydrated, such as black fungus and dried lily flower which I separately rinsed off and and then soaked in their own bowls of hot water.

Lots of ingredients for this soup

Then came the task of chopping. I chopped a few diagonal slices of a thick carrot into thin matchsticks, followed by some mushrooms; most recipes call for shiitake, but they can be any mushrooms you have, including enoki. Also chopped up the rehydrated black fungus and fresh bamboo shoots.

It can be a lot of work removing the thick fibrous leaves to get to the shoots, but it's so worth it in the end, as they give the soup a crunchy texture. Like an artichoke, remove the leaves until you get to the tender yellowish part and then slice into thin strips.

While recipes call for firm tofu to be sliced into thin strips, I only had silky tofu in the refrigerator and sliced it into thick strips to avoid too much breakage. 

Now it was time to make the soup. Unfortunately I didn't buy enough chicken stock (six cups), so I added more water and some chicken powder, and it worked fine in a pinch. Three tablespoons of soy sauce was added to the stock.

When it started simmering, I added the bamboo shoots, mushrooms, rehydrated lily flower and the black fungus. 

Before adding the pork, I mixed it in its own marinade and then carefully added it into the soup in small clumps and used chopsticks to make sure they didn't stick together. 

After a minute or two I gingerly added the tofu, trying not to break them. Afterwards I avoided stirring the soup vigorously.

I let the soup cook for a few more minutes and then added a small spoonful of chilli oil (add more if you prefer it to be more spicy), some pepper, and a slurry of 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 3 tablespoons of water and 5 tablespoons of vinegar to thicken the soup.

The final step is taking the soup off the heat and adding a beaten egg to create "ribbons" in the soup. I watched one video that suggested placing the beaten egg into a ladle and then slightly submerging it in the middle of the pot and swirling it around to spread the egg mixture around the surface of the soup. It worked quite well in the end. Good tip!

It turned out to be a delicious soup that could use a bit more vinegar, which I'll add tomorrow when we finish the rest of the soup!

Vanity Plates Flaunt Vanity Wealth

Single digit license plates can command high prices at auction

After real estate in terms of square footage and location, Hong Kong vanity license plates are another way to show off one's wealth. With a car, everyone around town can see how much you spent on the plates. And the fewer letters or numbers the better.

Forty-nine plates went under the hammer on Sunday at an annual Lunar New Year auction held by the Transport Department. And it seems that even though the local economy is struggling, the uber wealthy have no problems shelling out for vanity plates.

Lucky numbers are also in high demand

One that just had the letter "S" went for HK$14.2 million, while "88" was sold for HK$11.4 million.

Bids for the letter "S" started at HK$5,000, but a prospective bidder cut to the chase and offered HK$8 million as soon as bidding started. 

Single-letter plates are considered a sign of status and "S" is closely related to the Superman logo. There were already predictions ahead of the auction that this plate would go for around HK$10 million.

Meanwhile the digits "88" had the second-highest price, with bidding lasting for 13 minutes.

Another plate, "183" went for HK$725,000, while "BB18" was sold for HK$430,000.

To put these auction prices into perspective, he most expensive license plate in Hong Kong is the letter "W" at a whopping HK$26 million in 2021, and "R" was HK$25.5 million in 2023. 

When it comes to just numbers, someone paid HK$18.1 million for the plate "28". 

Only in Hong Kong...

Picture of the Day: Lion Dancing is Alive and Well

A trio of lions performed this evening for a fundraising dinner

This evening we attended the Alzheimer Society charity dinner held at Continental Seafood Restaurant in Richmond.

Even though Chinese New Year festivities are over, the fundraiser had a celebratory atmosphere that started with traditional lion dancing.

Turns out the pink lion had two girl performers

There was one large red lion, flanked by two smaller ones, one pink, the other yellow. They went table by table greeting guests who were eager to stroke their faces for good luck. One was like a dog and constantly wagged its tail...

After touring the entire dining room, the trio of lions returned to the stage and the performers revealed themselves -- While the head of the red lion was held up by a woman, the pink lion was done by two girls, the yellow one two boys! Very impressed.

Equally worthy of praise was the drummer, another boy who kept the beat very well.

Flying the Flag of Defiance

Canadians will be waving the flag proudly on Flag Day

On Saturday we will mark the 60th anniversary of Flag Day, when the red and white flag of the maple leaf was unveiled.

Flag Day has even more importance now with American President Donald Trump constantly threatening to turn Canada into the 51st state.

The latest Leger poll found 85 percent of Canadians are proud to be Canadian.

Earlier this week five former prime ministers: Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper signed a joint statement encouraging Canadians to fly the flag as "never before" with pride.

"Let's show the world that we are proud of our history and proud of our country," the statement said.

Bradley Miller, associate professor of history at the University of British Columbia, said the design of the flag, with no military or religious symbols, makes it adaptable.

"It represents whatever we want it to represent," he said. "Having a symbol, a flag, that is as much a blank slate as ours is an advantage to a country that needs to be able to accommodate."

In the current situation, he said the flag is a symbol of defiance.

"As often happens in history, an external threat can resolve our internal doubts," Miller said. "I think that's happened here, at least right now."

Marvellous Mochis

Chestnut (top) and purple yam mochis

Today I finally checked out a dessert shop in Richmond called Car's Dessert. It's named after the chef-owner's wife and while it doesn't sell cakes and cookies, there's mango pudding, pomelo with sago and mango pudding, ground walnut soup, and black sesame soup.

But one of the signature desserts is mochi and I came to buy some to try.

Although Chinese New Year is over, the shop has some holiday specials. I got box with two mango mochis and two durian, and another box of mochis filled with purple yam, and another with chestnut.

Mango and durian (with gold stripe)

I was asked to wait a few minutes as the staff packaged them fresh. When I picked them up, they told me the yam and chestnut mochis didn't need to be refrigerated, whereas the mango and durian ones had to, and all these mochis should be consumed today!

When I got home, I tried the yam and chestnut mochis. The skin made of glutinous rice flour is thin and envelops a generous portion of filling. The purple colour of the yam is pretty and the taste is not too sweet, though a bit on the bland side. 

However, the chestnut one is filled with both puree and tiny chopped bits of the nut, making the texture more than just smooth.

After dinner I tried the other two flavours. The mango one is quite popular, and it features the fruit diced and mixed with fresh cream, but for durian lovers, the durian flavour is the best! The texture of the durian one is combined with a bit of cream, making it soft and the unique smell pungent. It was hard not to eat it so quickly.

No wonder those who love durian enjoy eating these mochis!

Car's Dessert

#110 - 4140 No. 3 Road

Richmond, BC

(236) 999 9218

Picture of the Day: Perilous Walks on Ice

The walking path inside the forest is slippery!

Vancouver has been very chilly, with sub-zero temperatures overnight and into the early morning. Since the heavy snow over a week ago, side roads are still covered in packed snow and ice, and only today has the white stuff finally partially melted on street in front of our house to reveal patches of asphalt.

While most of the sidewalks are cleared, it's walking in Pacific Spirit Park that's become treacherous. After it had snowed, the paths were fine to walk on with some grip on your boot soles, but after the snow melting and then freezing several days in a row, the routes are very slippery -- and that's when it's flat.

That was my experience yesterday when I attempted to walk into the park and made a quick exit to get back onto stable cement. 

The other day a neighbour near the entrance of the park saw an ambulance and fire truck parked there. The paramedics and firemen had come to extricate a young woman who had fallen less than 1km into the park on a slope. It is unclear if she was trying to go up the hill or down.

Nevertheless, these rescuers had to make sure they themselves didn't fall, get the woman onto the stretcher and then carry her back (without slipping) to the ambulance.

Today the yellow metal bar at the entrance of the park is open, but today it was closed, though that didn't stop others from entering at their own risk.

Rain is expected on Saturday and temperatures finally rising above 2 degrees to 5 degrees! Maybe it will finally wash away all the snow and ice for good. It was nice when it first came down, but we're all over it already!

Remembering Chef Margarita Fores

Fores, a tireless promoter of Filipino cuisine has died at 65

This morning I woke up to the tragic news that accomplished chef and tireless promoter of Filipino cuisine Margarita Fores has passed away. She was 65 years old.

According to news reports she died of a massive heart attack in her Upper House hotel room in Hong Kong, where she was on a stopover after traveling to Morocco and Madrid.

One of her chef friends, Vicky Cheng of Vea and Wing, was shocked and heartbroken, as he had only spoken to her hours earlier. He wrote on his social media post:

Cheng with Fores in a collaboration dinner

Why is life so not fair!!?

I was just speaking to you yesterday, you asked me to go out for a night cap…. And I said I had an early morning I couldn’t come out…. I didn’t know it was the last time you were ever going to ask me 😢😭

“Oh no worries! Will always be back to see you!…“ this was the last message you sent me 😭

I interviewed Fores back in 2023 for a Mother's Day story about how chefs' mothers or grandmothers influenced their career paths into the kitchen.

Her mother had just passed in March that year, describing her as "My Mothers, My Rock, My Everything", and how she introduced the young Fores to Europe, in particular Italy and fell in love with the cuisine.

Fores learned how to cook Italian and brought her skills and passion back to the Philippines, opening Cibo in 1997, followed by Lusso, Grace Park, and The Loggia.

In 2017 I made my first trip to her home town, Manila, where a food exhibition called Madrid Fusion was held. She introduced me and several other Hong Kong journalists to Filipino cuisine, from adobo, a braised meat stew, to kinilaw, where raw seafood is marinated in citrus juices much like ceviche. 

Fores fell in love with Italian cuisine

I learned how Filipinos eat rice three times a day and for festive occasions will roast a stuffed baby pig called lechon.

As we took in these sights and flavours, Fores was there to explain and demystify Filipino cuisine. We were excited to learn from her.

Before and after the pandemic she came to Hong Kong frequently, where she made friends with many chefs, praising their food, and was supportive of them.

Thai chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn wrote on his social media that Fores set an example to others.

"I will remember to be kind, to hold a good heart even [if] the world turns on me. I will make people smile and laugh. And I will remember to be a good person," he wrote.

Fores was born in 1959 into the wealthy Araneta family, her grandfather J Amado Araneta was a tycoon, and the family had businesses in real estate, food, leisure and hospitality.

In 2016 she was named Asia's Best Female Chef" by the World's 50 Best Restaurants. 

Fores survived cancer twice, including thyroid cancer around 2006. She has a son, Jorge Amado, who was learning the restaurant business from her and has his own restaurant, a mano.

Margarita your big smile and enthusiasm will be missed. RIP.

Hong Kong also Complains about Trump Tariffs

Chan criticised the "constantly changing" US policies

Hong Kong has joined the chorus of outrage and frustration over US President Donald Trump's constant barrage of announcements regarding tariffs on imported goods.

Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki spoke out Tuesday against higher tariffs on Chinese foods, including those from Hong Kong.

Trump has signed an executive order imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports, and the Hong Kong government vowed to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

There was confusion over US-bound parcels  

"This is absolutely inconsistent with WTO rules... and also they have totally disregarded that Hong Kong is a separate customs territory," Chan said.

The SAR is calling on the US to take immediate action "to rectify its wrongdoing".

Chan, like many other world leaders, has described American policies as "constantly changing", pointing out the issue of sending parcels to relatives and friends in the US.

Last week there was confusion when the United States Postal Service suspended inbound parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong, which caused Hongkong Post to temporarily stop accepting US-bound parcels. 

Then in less than a day the USPS reversed its decision, but Hongkong Post only resumed service to the US today after Washington confirmed it would not impose additional duty on mail items containing goods from Hongkong Post.

Parcels are only the tip of the iceberg... Trump believes the US economy is going to be powerful again thanks to punitive measures when every other economist says it will hurt everyone including America.

And it's only the third week since he's been in office...

Kirins Energise Vancouver's Chinatown

Two kirins blessing a store in Chinatown

It's the 11th day of the Lunar New Year and in Chinatown a small group of young people got together to do some kirin dancing. 

Last week it was the traditional Chinatown parade with lots of lions with their big fuzzy faces, batting eyelids and big mouths, but today it was the kirin's turn, a smaller spirit animal with intense eyes that stared ahead and a horn on top of its head along with the yin and yang on its forehead.

The store owner poses with the Kirin Rising group

The group is called Kirin Rising and it's a totally amateur group that doesn't have a kung fu background, but its members are proud of their Hakka heritage.

They did a practice run at some stalls at Chinatown Plaza before heading out to some businesses in Chinatown. On the street the colourful kirins, one with a red head and the other green garnered a lot of attention.

Some passersby remarked they had never seen a kirin before and took pictures of videos. Others were so thrilled to see the pair that they even gave them lai see. 

For the performers themselves they put in a lot of energy moving the heads this way and that, jumping around and bowing three times to each business; despite it being hard work they were energised by the attention and their smiling faces revealed how much fun they were having.

National Pushback Against Musk

Great car, terrible association, Tesla owners regret buying

Word on the street is that Tesla drivers are regretting their purchase following CEO Elon Musk's carte blanche to dismantle several government departments in the name of efficiency.

Some are trying to get rid of their Teslas, or embarrassed to drive it, while others who bought their cars before Musk supported Donald Trump for president will continue driving the car, though they find it awkward being associated with the South African though their vehicle.

Meanwhile in Europe it's quite evident how they feel about Musk:

Trump gives Musk carte blanche to revamp US govt

According to MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, car sales are down in France by 6 percent, but when it comes to Teslas, sales are down by a whopping 63 percent. France is the second-biggest electric vehicle market in Europe, behind Germany, where sales of Teslas is down 59 percent.

It keeps going.

In Sweden it's down 44 percent, 38 percent in Norway, and 42 percent in the Netherlands. 

"Weird right? I wonder why that is?" Maddow muses to her audience.

She adds in the United States, polling has been done to gauge how Americans feel about Musk being involved in the government. YouGov took two polls, one right after the US election and another this week, two weeks after Trump took office.

In November,  47 percent of Republican voters want Musk to have "a lot" of influence in government; since the election it has plunged 21 points to only 26 percent of Republican voters wanting Musk to have "a lot" of influence in government.  

Protesters ready to stop Musk at Dept of Labor

"That has dropped like a stone in a very quick period of time," she quips.

When it comes to Democrats, only 6 percent want Musk to have "a lot" of influence, and the same percentage of independent voters. 

"He's polling at like tooth decay levels," Maddow says with a big smile. "That's like funny bone bumped into something sharp levels."

Meanwhile protests in all 50 states have erupted, protesting against Musk. One was in Maine where people occupied a Tesla charging station with signs that read: "Musk is a national security threat". 

At the Department of Labor in Washington DC, a hastily arranged protest drew lots of people to come and prevent Musk and his band of young hackers from entering the building. The protesters succeeded -- for now...

Freeland the Target of Online Attacks Allegedly from China

Freeland was target of online attacks apparently from China

It appears China does not like Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland, following the monitoring of several posts on WeChat seen by over 3 million people.

The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force (SITE) said an information operation directed at Freeland was traced to WeChat's "most popular news account", apparently an anonymous blog that experts have linked to the People's Republic of China.

SITE, which is made up of senior Canadian intelligence and security officials, said in a statement Friday that over 30 WeChat news accounts took part in the campaign from January 29 to February 3.

She is in the running to replace Trudeau

"The campaign received very high levels of engagement and views, with WeChat news articles disparaging Ms. Freeland netting over 140,000 interactions," it said.

The task force estimates between 2 million to 3 million users globally saw the posts, without elaborating on what the "derogatory" content was.

In reaction to the news, Freeland, who was formerly the finance and deputy minister in the Trudeau administration until December, was undeterred.

"I will not be intimidated by Chinese foreign interference," she wrote in a social media post. "Having spent years confronting authoritarian regimes, I know firsthand the importance of defending our freedoms."

Interestingly this development comes on the heels of the public inquiry into foreign election interference that recently wrapped up, calling misinformation and disinformation an "existential threat."

Hogue warned of "existential threat" in report

"Misinformation and disinformation have the ability to distort our discourse, change our views and shape our society," Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue wrote in her final report.

"In my view it is no exaggeration to say that at this juncture, information manipulation (whether foreign or not) poses the single biggest risk to our democracy."

How will Beijing react? Either defiant denial or gaslighting?

West Kowloon Arts Hub is Deep in the Red

Fung says the WKCDA is HK$1 billion in the hole -- again

Hong Kong's West Kowloon arts hub that includes M+ and the Palace Museum can't make money. In fact it's in the red by HK$1 billion, similar to last year.

CEO of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Betty Fung also said the number of visitors to the district was lower than expected, and so revenue from ticket sales and museum merchandise fell 20 percent year-on-year.

The Sanxingdui show garnered lots of attention

How is this possible when M+ recently presented a well-received exhibition on late Chinese-American architect IM Pei and well-known Hong Kong-based designer Henry Steiner?

Likewise the Palace Museum had the Sanxingdui show and paintings from the National Gallery London.

While the MTR does go to West Kowloon (called Kowloon station), getting to M+ and the Palace Museum isn't really convenient.

But there's also restaurants in M+, in particular Mosu, the Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Korean superstar chef Sung Anh who became famous as a judge in Culinary Class Wars. Because he had closed his restaurant in Seoul, he was pretty much focused on his Hong Kong branch, which drew a lot of fans to his restaurant.

However, Fung says the catering businesses at the West Kowloon district didn't bring in a lot of revenue either.

Chef Sung's profile drove fans to eat at Mosu

Is this a case of bureaucrats not having a clue how to run businesses? Or too many people involved and not making bold or innovative decisions?

The fact that the district is HK$1 billion in the hole like last year is very troubling. For years there were complaints that Hong Kong was a cultural desert, and now that this area has been developed and opened there's no interest in it!

Disappointing and frightening to see taxpayer dollars frittered away...

Making Radish Cake or Lo Bak Go

Cooked radish cake that had been steamed for an hour

When I lived in Hong Kong, my great aunt would make large round containers of radish cake, or lo bak go (萝卜糕) for Lunar New Year. When people came to visit (bai leen), she would cut several slices of radish cake and pan fry them over the stove to serve guests. We also ate it on the first day of Lunar New Year.

I finally got a chance to make it myself the other day with my mother. It's a lot of work, but fun to make at home.

Stir frying the meats and shrimp together first

My mother's recipe called for 4kg of radish, but we only had 2kg (two daikon), so I was tasked with grating them. I was surprised there was a lot of water from this vegetable, and I remember my great aunt saying the grated radish had to be squeezed to prevent the finished product from being too wet.

However this version did not require this step (thankfully!).

We also chopped up dried shrimp, and lap cheung or Chinese sausage and lap yuk (cured pork belly) that had been steamed. I diced the Chinese sausage into smaller pieces, and chopped off the fat from the lap yuk before dicing the meat. To add a bit more flavour we also shredded some conpoy that had already been soaking the day before.

In the meantime my mother mixed rice flour (not glutinous rice flour) with cornstarch and water.

Then adding the grated radish to the wok

To make the radish cake, we stir fried the meat and shrimp together, and then added the grated radish, including the water. In hindsight may be we should have added the floury mixture right afterwards to mix with the water to make it easier to combine all the ingredients together. 

We had stir-fried the grated radish for some time and the moisture was almost all gone before adding the floury mixture which made it quite hard to mix properly and started sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Nevertheless, once everything was thoroughly mixed, I portioned the mixture into two round pans that had already been oiled and then we steamed them one by one for an hour.

We ate the first pan and while the radish cake was pretty sticky when scooping it out of the pan, it tasted pretty good; perhaps it could have been seasoned with salt, or added some chicken stock to it for a bit more flavour. Nevertheless we were pretty pleased with the result!

Finally combining with rice flour and cornstarch

The following day we pan fried the second pan of radish cake and it tasted better of course.

Looking forward to making this again!

Photo of the Day: Snow in the Forest

Walking in a winter wonderland today

It has been snowing for the past two days and needless to say I've been shovelling each day, struggling to keep up with the deluge of the white stuff!

Students were thrilled to have no school today and stayed at home, making snow angels, or sliding down hills on toboggans, and making snowmen.

A beautiful sight in Pacific Spirit Park

This afternoon I walked to Pacific Spirit Park, expecting to have to tromp through fresh snow, but found that it was somewhat "paved", making it relatively easy to walk. 

I saw people walking their dogs, a cross-country skier, two women jogging(!) and a guy who wore shorts as he ran. His legs looked painfully red. Why try to act so macho when it's zero degrees and snow everywhere?

In any event, it was a magical sight walking along the route and seeing the trees covered in snow -- it almost felt like being on a movie set for Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 

What's funny about walking in the snow is seeing yellow spots next to tree trunks or posts because dogs have left their marks! 

A Stay of Execution -- For Now

Trudeau appealing to Americans about why tariffs are bad

After all the anxiety in the past few weeks and days, Canada got a "stay of execution", as Trump decided to give us 30 days extra before deciding if he will go ahead with the 25 percent tariff -- or not.

This morning Vancouver time, he spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau twice; after the first time, Mexico got a 30-day reprieve which put pressure on Canada to get the same deal.

While there was a collective sigh of relief heard across the country, the threat still looms and Canadians are angry because Trump is acting like a bully to get what he wants.

Trudeau promised to appoint a fentanyl "czar", to list Mexican cartels as terrorists, and kicking in more money on top of the C$200 million to secure the border. 

"Less than one percent of fentanyl seized in the US is traced to Canada -- that's one percent too much," said Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc yesterday.

"We have exactly the same views as the American government in terms of the importance of this. We're not the significant source of the challenge but we want to be very much part of a joint solution. We're prepared to step up and do more," he said.

But is it our fault there is a demand for fentanyl in the US? 

Later Trump claimed US banks couldn't get into the Canadian market. However the reality is that American banks already do business in Canada with large lending and commercial and investment banking operations.

According to the Canadian Bankers Association, there are 16 US-based bank subsidiaries and branches in Canada holding about C$113 billion in assets.

Despite all the mis or dis information Trump is ranting, he is still keen on making Canada the 51st state to the ire of Canadians.

Over the weekend during hockey games, Canadian fans booed while the Star Spangled Banner was being sung, and now people are spending more time in supermarkets and grocery stores reading labels to buy Canadian.

A product that is "Made in Canada" means at least 51 percent of the products used to make something are Canadian, whereas "Product of Canada" means 98 percent of the ingredients are Canadian.

In the meantime Canadian politicians need to be prepared for plans A, B, C, D and so on to hit back against Trump's (mostly baseless) claims. He's playing to a domestic audience that he thinks knows nothing about Canada.

It's quite amazing that Trump has forced us to rally together and be more patriotic than ever. And if we can break down provincial barriers that would be even better.

Snow Day

Snow outlining bare trees this morning

This morning we woke up to... snow! The first snowfall this winter... and on Groundhog Day no less.

The snow was coming down fast and accumulating 20cm by the time we suited ourselves up to shovel the white stuff from our sidewalks and walkways. 

Children sledding down the hill in a park

My favourite snow period is when there is fresh virgin snow in the ground and it hasn't been touched by anyone and it's so tranquil. 

After lunch I took a stroll outside and was thrilled to see blue skies, and snow was falling off trees and bushes so the landscape wasn't so... white.

Some sidewalks were cleared, and others were not. From far away I could see lots of people and heard shouts and screams, having fun at Camosun Park, and came closer to take a look.

Parents stood around while their kids used sleds and plastic toboggans to slide down the hill. They sounded exhilarated as they slid down in mere seconds, and didn't mind having to hike back up just to slid down again minutes later.

It reminded me of when we were kids and went to the nearest hill with a plastic bag to slide on -- no need for a fancy sled. 

On the way home I noticed a perfectly formed duck made from snow that was on the ground. I had seen this in a video from China, where you can purchase plastic yellow tongs in the shape of a duck and make... snow duckies.

A snow duck on the sidewalk

I spied another one, so it wasn't a fluke, and then saw an Asian girl with the aforementioned tongs with her boyfriend as she made the snow ducks as they walked and placed them on a pylon or on the sidewalk.

Mystery solved.

There was some snowfall later in the afternoon which covered up our shovelling efforts; we will be back at it again tomorrow...

Sweet Sugar Painting for CNY

"Painting" a butterfly with sugar

Today is the fourth day of the Lunar New Year and some retailers are taking advantage of the Chinese festival to cater to their customers.

One is Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfrew and has had a series of special events happening in the store downtown.

Days before the new year there was a Lego building exercise where a Lego certified master builder made a snake which is shown in the store, and a calligrapher to write fai chun, or new year couplets.

A completed bird on a stick 

Today being the fourth day, they had sugar painting, where a man used caramelised sugar to "paint" animals and insects. Customers could spin a wheel to see which one they could get, ranging from birds, dragonflies and butterflies.

Using a ladle with a round cup, the artisan deftly made the insect or bird and then placed a skewer on it as a holder. While it was drying, he made the next one, and as that was drying, he would use a metal slider to carefully remove it from the marble tabletop.

He drew a crowd, pleasing Chinese visitors, while non-Chinese were intrigued and lined up to get one.

Sweet, soft power in action.

Trump's Tariffs to Begin Tomorrow

Trump has announced 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods

American President Donald Trump has dropped the T-word -- tariffs -- on Canada starting today February 1. We will be slapped with 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods going across the border to the US.

There was some confusion throughout the day as there was word that the tariffs wouldn't come into effect until March 1, but then Trump, through his press secretary said it would be tomorrow, without citing any details.

He claimed that Canada was responsible for illegal immigrants and drugs like fentanyl streaming into the US and this was how he would punish his northern neighbour.

Soon after the Canadian dollar sank to a five-year low of 68.85 cents to the US dollar.

The Canadian government has been scrambling to come up with some kind of response, which frankly should have been discussed as soon as Trump won the Republican nomination, or when he was elected in November.

Nevertheless, does Trump understand how interdependent the Canadian and US economies are when it comes to manufacturing, particularly cars? They are literally built back and forth, crossing the border six or seven times before one vehicle is completed.

Making a car 25 percent more expensive will lead to a drop in demand and workers losing jobs.

We buy more American food products, though they depend on Canadian crude oil. 

It's just bad all round and economists have warned the economies for both countries are going to be hit hard.

Is this Trump's way of pushing Canada to become the 51st state? It's not for sale.

While it's hard to "buy Canadian" when many things are made elsewhere, Trump's actions have probably soured many Canadians' interest in traveling to the US, coupled with a weak dollar.

Although Trump is revelling in making Canada squirm, he will soon realise how 25 percent tariffs will impact the American economy...

Four years of complete chaos has already begun.