http://www.hiradio.net/images/action/124_hiradio.html [chinese blood, irish heart] - DEFUNCT: June 2006

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Another one - It says Taiwan hotel 'Beware of Unreal things.' Classic... Posted by Picasa

posted by Ed @ 1:31 PM Comments: 0

Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful collection Posted by Picasa

posted by Ed @ 1:30 PM Comments: 0

Monday, June 26, 2006

Dinosaurs vs. Christianity

OK so i was bored for the past three sunday evenings.
It's getting way too hot and I'm trying to cut down on my spending cos there's this sweet JVC camcorder I wanna save up for...
But anyway I spent those evenings watching the Jurassic Park trilogy on TVB Pearl's pitifully named 'Ecstaseries.' I didn't think much of it since I've seen them ages ago already. No doubt it had raked in millions for already-rich Steve Spielberg who Forbes ranked the most wealthy director/producer today.
But I wondered if all those Christians out there watched any of them. According to a poll quoted by Richard Dawkin's documentary 'The Root of All Evil?', almost 45 percent of Americans believes the world is only 10,000 years old. The bulk of that percentage are Christians of some sort.
Now here's the irony: Jurassic Park strenghtens the dominant belief that there were indeed dinosaurs roaming our planet millions of years ago... a stark contrast to what Christians believe from the Book of Genosis... that the world was created some 10,000 years ago - in six days.
I suppose Jurassic's main theme warned us about the dangers of biotechnology and cloning etc., I wondered if any Christians boycotted the film. But I suppose most of them were oblivious to the fact that the films were spitting on their precious Bible.
Now for you who know me - yes I was born Catholic. But by the time I reached my teens I had become apethetic towards it. One memory in church comes to mind when some honky made a racist remark at me. I don't think I ever went back to that church again. Though I don't think that was the root of my anti-religious sentiment.
We live in the Conceptual Age now, filtered down from the Information Era, so why are there still so many people entrenched in age-old religious drivel? No one has solid proof there's a heaven or hell, reincarnation, or physical gods. Yet there are still so many people out there living on blind faith - institutionalised as children and passing them on to their children fostering draconian beliefs and promises of an afterlife if they lived accordingly.
I'm officially going to start calling myself an atheist - not that it matters but should the odd question spring up that's what I'll say. I might mention I'm an ex-Christian, but only because I was never given the choice. I think it was my grandmother who wanted to baptise me, aswell as countless other innocent babies during Ireland's 80's and before.
Religion has never helped me in anything and I've never relied on it to accomplish anything. But I'm not discarding it just because it hasn't be any worth to me - it didn't show me any path or help me during dire times of need. It's that I don't want to be a part of anything if I'm not even taking part in it! Yes I've been to masses before, took communion and did the hand movements when supposedly praying but that's just out of respect.
But now since I don't take it seriously and never really have, I shouldn't be a part of it and be associated with it anymore.
This is the Age of Reason and I thoughtfully respect the freedom to believe anything people want, but don't coming preaching to me or call me some ammoral infidel - I'm not someone who's being indoctrinated and brainwashed by an obviously patriachal, hierachial and sadistic institution. (also known as Fox News!)
Now I may not be the perfect, utopian nor outstanding model citizen, but I haven't done anything that betrays my honour, integrity and judgement. So who are these brazen religious fanatics calling us independent, free-minded thinkers that we are the ones that will burn in hell? Or be damned forever? Look at yourselves with your fucking crusades, jihads, fatawas, inquisitions... you're the real psychos dragging down our world. If you think Allah is really going to bless you with 72 virgins for killing an infidel then fine, just make sure it's another religious fuckhead like yourself. Or if some pastor says you're going to suffer eternal damnation if you don't follow the 10 Commandments, then let him fantasise in his own world. Don't let religion affect you in anyway, just as long you live in a mindful way, respecting others and the world around you, who the fuck cares what sect you belong to.
Er yeah, So next time those pesky Jesuits or whoever come knocking on your door like they did mine yesterday - dinosaurs are a good way to get them annoyed.

posted by Ed @ 11:59 PM Comments: 2

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Female of the species in Hong Kong

Transcribing Newsline was interesting for once!
Last week's show discussed women's rights in Hong Kong in the wake of the women's rights summit in Cairo.
According to women's group Harmony Hill, they reckon a sexual harrassment case is filed to the police every hour... Conservative estimates put that number to one every three hours, while police sources say once every seven hours.
Yeah well which ever's true that's a pretty serious situation! Of course that doesn't all mean rape and assault but in any case they were serious enough to be reported to the police.
Another issue is economical - which is nothing new as it's well documented that females get less pay, if not have to put in more work to earn the same level.
Mothers or soon-to-be mothers are naturally disadvantaged to us males. Especially so if they can't hire domestic workers.
But females are seeing this and they're changing their approach. As a result birth rates are dropping across the field. An older population means more burden for social services.


But anyway here's my bone to pick - the new high-rating TVB cantopoppy show called 'Beautiful Cooking' or '美女廚房,' with three young strapping hosts accompanied by four cute chicks dressed as chefs, who's only obvious skill is left to our imagination (their nicknames are congee, pasta, noodle and rice). Apart from silly dancing moves their only lines are cutesy drivel, amking them sound like fucking cartoon characters (OR OBJECTS!!)
The jist of the show is having pretty female cantopop guests trying to recreate difficult dishes... with *surprise*, complete failure and hilarious results.
Do you think if the sexes were reversed the show would work? Of course not. Because males in this society don't like to be seen failing at anything practical... not to mention that it solidifies the woman's presence in the kitchen.
Like all societal problems, one must recognise the media's involvement first.
Unfortunately this show is only subtedly slanderous, unlike Commercial Radio's recent online poll that asked for your "favourite female popstar you'd like to molest," the incident that prompted that edition of Newsline.
But would most women here rise up for their rights? Hmm let's see the big groups there are that might take the fight:
1. Schoolgirls swamped with homework?
2. School dropouts that work in boutiques when not shopping or chasing after popstars?
3. Mothers with duties?
4. Middle aged women who work at noodle shops?
5. The 'young' strong woman trying to climb up the corporate ladder?
6. Old women pushing trolleys looking for cardboard?
I don't think you'll get a lot of these taking up the sword. It's all going to rest on a selective few who work for NGOs or civil servants.
It may seem odd for men to help boost women's rights (ya know cos image is everything), but they can go behind the scenes and change how the media works around the issue. More balanced coverage, more documentaries, more of those crappy TVB series that highlight these issues.
Although i've written from quite a detached perspective, I do support sexual equality, it's something we need to strive just like HK deserves Universal Suffrage.

posted by Ed @ 2:01 AM Comments: 0

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Thinking about my future descendants

Everybody's talking about the environment and global warming these days, but they just talk the talk - can they walk the walk?
Anyone who doesn't believe our world is going through such epic change caused by humans is not only a sceptic, but an enemy to every inhabitant of our planet. Next in line are the greedy ones who just can't sacrifice their profits for a better enviornment.
Over the past years we've seen horrific disasters caused by nature - some televised, some not. While some have been contested whether they were caused by global warming. But in any case, the frequency in which these events occur and in such a rapid time frame can only mean that our environment is undergoing some tough change.
Here in Hong Kong, talking about air pollution may see cliched, but it's still a topic that plagues everyone's mind. Everyday the weather report mostly indicates the API at medium to high. The roads, espcially Nathan Road which is only a few metres across from my window, is constantly spewing out pollution. What's the point in spending millions fighting pollution in HK when there's Guandong's manufacturing base across our border, spewing all their filthy air towards us? China may be soon becoming the world's largest economy but it's also going to become the biggest energy consumer, hence biggest polluter. Most of their power is derived from coal - the worst CO2 expellant and also the cheapest. China has still a lot more growth to achieve, I don't see them using renewable energy anytime soon.
But despite that, Americans still use an average 7 times more energy than Chinese families. Bush may have rejected Kyoto but that doesn't mean they don't want to fight global warming. Many towns across the US have enacted their own 'green' policies. But like all of us, it's their habits they have to combat. Cheap oil and their car culture make lethal partners. You've got 16 year olds getting their first cars, small dicks driving humvees and fucking Nascar racing - drinking beer while watching cars go in circles - yeah great.
Fighting the war against global warming means fighting ourselves - our habits, our energy consumption, our very way of life (in the western world at least). This is going to be mankind's greatest fight for survival, as ironic as it all sounds.
Is there hope? How many more disasters till we get this apathetic world to rid their petty political squabbles and fight global warming together?
All this terrorism hype and religious strife is getting in the way. The strive for profits has always been a factor and it's done nothing but polarise our world further, not to mention that global warming would hit the poorest, hardeset. Further droughts in Africa, flooding in south east Asia and deforestation in the Amazon.
I try my best to be 'green.' I use less power, I recycle, I don't use plastic bags and have never owned a car. But i'm sure there's a lot like me who think themselves as powerless while a majority of the population still treat our world as a dumping ground. That's why it's going to take a lot of guts, sacrifice and leadership to fight global warming. You've got all the best football players doing a fucking ad for Adidas, why don't step up to say something about our environment? The World Cup has invited billions of dollars in advertising... and for what? Think of how much good that money could've done not only for the environment, but also for charities, foreign aid and disadvantaged communities?
I'm so worked up about this topic is because it's fundamentally caused by us humans, be it intentionally or inadvertantly. I can't bear but feel angry that even while I type this, my computer is consuming energy undoubtedly from one of CLP's coal powered generators, in turn which is churning out tonnes of CO2.
I hate how life has become this vicious cycle.
I hope in the future my descendants will look upon my generation and say to themselves how barbaric we are... just like how we view people back then in medieval ages. They deserve to hate us for giving them such a volatile world - more flooding, deforestation, droughts, famine, displacement and over dependance on oil. They'll have one big mess to clean up.

posted by Ed @ 1:14 AM Comments: 0

Monday, June 05, 2006

6/4














I must've been five-years-old when the Tianamen
incident happened.
But 17 years on it's good to see people
still remembering those who died wanting
a democracy in such an opressed and
subjugated (and dirty commie) society.

Several thousands attended a candle-light
vigil at Victoria Park - which was also my
first.


More pics

posted by Ed @ 1:46 PM Comments: 0

Friday, June 02, 2006

Gettin' into the routine

Well I've been on my ATV job for almost 4 weeks now and i'm setting into my new routine.
It's a part time job, 3pm-8pm so the hours are sweet - sleep late and wake up late!
My official title's an 'editorial assistant' - I help sub-edit stories, proof read, keying (transcribing/subtitling) CBS and Bloomberg stories and finally show time at 7.30 where I do the subtitles live. Shit scared when I first did it cos of the timing and what have you but it's second nature now.
The staff are very cool as well, I always have the luck of working with good people.
Very uninspired lately in terms of film-making... plus the weather's been shit.
Here's a funny pic from Ocean Park on the dreaded 'Abyss': I'm on the left, Debbie & Rach on my right.

The Jelly Fish symposium was so psychedelic and transient, but way too short. But then again how many lighting tricks can ya do?

posted by Ed @ 11:49 AM Comments: 0