[chinese blood, irish heart] - DEFUNCT
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Stubbed Out!
Well Hong Kong, join the smoking ban club.As you may or may not know, the green Emerald Isle with which I hail from was the first country to enact a smoking ban law.
Yesterday with a majority show of hands, Hong Kong legislators approved a bill to be enacted on January 1st of 2007.
Now it's a matter of enforcement... how many teahouses and 'cha chang tengs' (little restaurants?) are out there? Way too many for one thing. Die-hard smokers will be tough to budge. Will the weary, underpaid staff be up to the challenge of locally enforcing it? Tough to say also. But hey, if us fiery Irish can hold our end of the bargain, why can't Hong Kongers?
Tell you one thing though, there'll be more smokers on narrow and crowded paths.
It'll be funny to see all the chuppies hanging outside bars, even more ironic at the Irish pubs!
I don't know if it'll apply to HK, but in Ireland, but hanging outside bars/clubs to smoke has become a sort of new pseudo-culture, where the segregated can find comfort in each other - aswell as hooking up with new friends and more.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
"Hong Kong's air pollution will stay bad for years"
And these assholes across the road from me leave their lights on at night. How hard is to switch lights off when you're not using them huh? Ya see what I mean? Complete irresponsibility. I'm gonna write them a harsh letter.
Rockit Schmokit
Well, Rockit was definitely one of the most weakest music festivals I've ever been to. Not enough rocking punters and way too many foreigners.Look at the mess all those fucking cheeybyes left behind at Rockit!
I thought expats cared about the environment!
Friday, October 13, 2006
Donnie's policy speech
Let the battle for ads begin...
So finally the long awaited 'Taxi' magazine is out by the folks at Asia City Publishing.
Admittedly I'm extra excited since my ugly mug's in the contributor's listing. (I should've shaved, but I was in Vietnam at the time). Though the eejits spelt my email address wrong. Well, I hope whoever does contact me is clever enough how to spell 'Vodafone' correctly!
I also spotted some older pics I had taken for HK Mag a while back... guess it's fair to recycle them.
Now we wait for the other contender, 'Juice,' to come out next on the commercials catwalk...
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Last day in Vietnam... again
He gave me 10 more days worth of medicine and I should be a-ok from then on!
I can even start eating some of the foods I had so cherishingly avoided for the past year and a half: beef, eggs, seafood and alcohol!
But I should start sparingly... alcohol is actually one I should be cautious of. He said I can drink moderate amounts of beer, but not too much heavy stuff. Guess I'll lay off the shots for a little longer - save it for next Paddy's day.
My relatives were impressed with his diagnosis too. (They came along with high expectations of this doc.) He took my uncle's pulse and knew he had an eczema issue, even without him saying anything. So they have to come again next month for a check up. So it's 16 more days of medicine and I should be good as I ever was.
It's kind of settling... in an unsettling kind of way.
I have a new lease on life now without having to worry about my skin, so I'll need to start making more of my time. Whereas in the past with my skin condition, I secretly took refuge and can afford to be well, lazier, because it warrants my condition.
Now, I'll really need to start becoming more enthustiastic and take greater challenges.
But still, I'm so amazed at how quick this doc healed me. It's quite hard to sink in!
Now a lot of people are seeing me as a shining example to heal all sorts of skin conditions. Hmm, maybe I can start my own little tour group? After all, I pretty much know the good spots around Ho Chi Minh City, cheap airfares and packages. We'll see...
Friday, October 06, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Plastic nightmare
Before I go to work, I always stop by Taste to pick up an apple or whatever. Up to now, still, I've been using the same plastic bag (the ones you use for fruits and veg) to store the apple, so it won't get dirty as I carry it back to work. Yet, I doubt many people would have the same consideration for re-using plastic bags, if not bringing their own 'BYOB' bags.Everyday I see a bunch of nitwits clamouring for plastic bags in the 10 items or less counters. Today, I saw some woman carrying a large Marks & Spencer Bag while buying only a few items. She could've easily slotted them into the M&S bag instead of taking a plastic one.
I mean, how hard is it to bring your own bag?? Or just using the one you already have?
This 'BYOB' on the first Tuesday of every month is absolutely weak. It got some press coverage in the beginning but now everybody forgets.
The Environmental Protection Department says that 33 million plastic bags are circulated every day... on average that's about 5 bags per person.
The thing I always say about Hong Kong's government or environment related commercials are all so terrible... they're often gimmicky ("Plastic is not Fantastic"), unprovocative, polite and compromising. People need to be shocked and awed in order to get your message across.
Here's a few 'direct' suggestions that should tackle the plastic bag issue:
1. Tax, levy, whatever, on plastic bags... not when, but now. I don't give a flying fuck if it's inconvenient for shoppers, get used to it! I reckon at least 50 cents. In Ireland, the equivalent is about $2.50.
2. If the major retailers are serious about the issue, they should have days whereby no plastic bags are given out. No, not days where you 'encourage' people not to use them, ban them completely, then it'll make shoppers feel guilt.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Tagspotting - Live!
Tagspotting, an indy documentary about graffiti in Hong Kongis now availible on iFilm.
A Chan, Lee, Li, Szymko production!