Disclaimer: I am not a scalper or anything close to that.
My friend Karen has a friend who would like to part with a ticket to The Police live in concert at The Venetian Macao on Feb 7 (Thursday, already part of the Chinese New Year holiday) at 8:00pm.
I'd like to watch it but I am also traveling to Los Angeles the day before the concert so I think someone else who is a fan of The Police would be a great replacement.
Ticket price is HK$800. I dunno how much Hong Kong dollar is one Macau Pataca.
Let me know if anyone is interested by dropping a comment or email me at elmer.w.cagapedotgmail.com.
For a preview of The Police, here's an old video of "Message in a Bottle".
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The new bishop
The pope on Wednesday named a Hong Kong bishop to eventually succeed Cardinal Joseph Zen, the leading proponent for religious freedom in China.
Pope Benedict XVI nominated Monsignor John Tong Hon, a Hong Kong auxiliary bishop, as coadjutor bishop, meaning he will take over as head of the Hong Kong diocese upon Zen's retirement.
Zen is 76, a year past the normal retirement age for bishops, but there has been no word on when he would step down. Last March, he said the pope had rejected his request to give up his duties as a bishop so he could concentrate on working to restore ties between the Vatican and Beijing.
Zen has been an outspoken champion of religious freedom, at times drawing the ire of China's Communist authorities.
Bishop Tong, 68, was born in Hong Kong. He serves as an adviser to the Vatican's office for missionary work and is a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. (From AP)
Pope Benedict XVI nominated Monsignor John Tong Hon, a Hong Kong auxiliary bishop, as coadjutor bishop, meaning he will take over as head of the Hong Kong diocese upon Zen's retirement.
Zen is 76, a year past the normal retirement age for bishops, but there has been no word on when he would step down. Last March, he said the pope had rejected his request to give up his duties as a bishop so he could concentrate on working to restore ties between the Vatican and Beijing.
Zen has been an outspoken champion of religious freedom, at times drawing the ire of China's Communist authorities.
Bishop Tong, 68, was born in Hong Kong. He serves as an adviser to the Vatican's office for missionary work and is a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. (From AP)
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
HSBC is a little...
[angry]Every now and then, I receive mails from HSBC regarding my outstanding credit card bills. Very handy, and there's no need for me to be reminded about the deadline and how much should I pay.
But along this friendly reminder comes these offers, printed on glossy paper. 95% of the time, these credit card promotions and special offers end up in the trash can because I am not so keen on availing these offers that only involve the uber-expensive dining hangouts in Hong Kong.
HSBC, like many other companies, are preaching about sustainable business and protection of the environment but I can't imagine how much trees are felled to make way for glossy papers used to print HSBC's initiatives. I don't care if they are recycled. Many people think recycled or not, paper is manufactured out of tree pulp coming from trees that could have served as such. I didn't ask for these promotions to be attached to my monthly bills either.
It's like some people in where I work that preach some eco-friendly tips but fail to check on themselves. [/angry]
But along this friendly reminder comes these offers, printed on glossy paper. 95% of the time, these credit card promotions and special offers end up in the trash can because I am not so keen on availing these offers that only involve the uber-expensive dining hangouts in Hong Kong.
HSBC, like many other companies, are preaching about sustainable business and protection of the environment but I can't imagine how much trees are felled to make way for glossy papers used to print HSBC's initiatives. I don't care if they are recycled. Many people think recycled or not, paper is manufactured out of tree pulp coming from trees that could have served as such. I didn't ask for these promotions to be attached to my monthly bills either.
It's like some people in where I work that preach some eco-friendly tips but fail to check on themselves. [/angry]
The long (and chaotic) homecoming trip to Hong Kong
No amount of hazards brought by nature can suppress Chinese people from celebrating the Chinese New Year. This is especially manifested in the brutal winter China is currently experiencing.Exhausted passengers were recovering Tuesday after brawls and mayhem on board a Shanghai to Hong Kong train that was delayed by 32 hours because of snow storms.
The journey descended into chaos as hungry passengers turned over a food trolley and fought with train staff as China's worst winter weather for 50 years turned the 18-hour ride into a 50-hour nightmare.
Some of the 300 passengers, who eventually arrived Monday evening, said in interviews Tuesday that the train ran low on food, toilets were overflowing and information about the delays was poor.
'I knew there was going to be trouble when the train stopped in one place for a long time and people were getting hungry,' said one passenger, speaking on government-run radio station RTHK.
'There was one massive fight. A Hong Kong woman was shouting 'Give me food, give me food.' They pushed over one of the food trolleys. It was very dramatic.'
Transport links between Hong Kong and mainland China were still badly affected Tuesday with thousands of passengers waiting at the city's Chek Lap Kok airport for flights to snowbound destinations in central China.
Trains between Hong Kong and Guangzhou were also badly hit as crowds of hundreds of thousands gathered at Guangzhou railway station, a hub for migrant workers heading for central and eastern China.
The chaos is expected to worsen this week as the icy weather continues and tens of millions of people try to head home from factories in southern China for next week's Chinese New Year holiday.
Millions of people are expected to cross the Hong Kong-China border to visit family and friends over the fortnight-long holiday in China to mark the start of the forthcoming Year of the Rat.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
China winter, a blow to global warming advocates?
It's still certified "winter" these past few days as temperatures maintained steadily below teens. Haze covered the city for a while and rain patches can be observed as well. I wonder what would tourists who visit Hong Kong feel about it.
Happy to be in the cold weather
Coming from a tropical country devoid of temperature below 20 degrees, I felt happy about this new experience: good subjects for photo shooting. Although I would wait five years to see the first snow in Austria, experiencing the cold surrounding was enough for me to break that routine habit of complaining about hot weather.
Sad to be a Peak Tram visitor
If you are used to the weather back in the Northern Hemisphere and just wanted to have a great view of Victoria Harbour while taking photos from a vantage point in the Peak, you'll be up for disappointing experience. Visibility is low and probably you won't see buildings from the other island.
I remember the first few years I was in Hong Kong, winters were not necessarily gloomy; temperatures were low but the haze wasn't selfish enough to hide the sun from Hong Kong.
The news about the bitter winter in China might prompt a question to skeptics, critics or just the curious ones. Does this record winter in China be a blow to global warming advocates who want to raise awareness of people in terms of the overall warming of the planet? I hope not. Having bitter winter doesn't necessarily mean the trend is reversing. This extreme weather condition may just be an effect of the changing conditions of the earth brought by global warming. Same can be told about increased number of typhoons in the Pacific, hurricanes in the Atlantic, record famine in Africa or flooding in the South Asia while parts of China are experiencing rapid desertification. Global warming is happening.
Happy to be in the cold weather
Coming from a tropical country devoid of temperature below 20 degrees, I felt happy about this new experience: good subjects for photo shooting. Although I would wait five years to see the first snow in Austria, experiencing the cold surrounding was enough for me to break that routine habit of complaining about hot weather.
Sad to be a Peak Tram visitor
If you are used to the weather back in the Northern Hemisphere and just wanted to have a great view of Victoria Harbour while taking photos from a vantage point in the Peak, you'll be up for disappointing experience. Visibility is low and probably you won't see buildings from the other island.
I remember the first few years I was in Hong Kong, winters were not necessarily gloomy; temperatures were low but the haze wasn't selfish enough to hide the sun from Hong Kong.
The news about the bitter winter in China might prompt a question to skeptics, critics or just the curious ones. Does this record winter in China be a blow to global warming advocates who want to raise awareness of people in terms of the overall warming of the planet? I hope not. Having bitter winter doesn't necessarily mean the trend is reversing. This extreme weather condition may just be an effect of the changing conditions of the earth brought by global warming. Same can be told about increased number of typhoons in the Pacific, hurricanes in the Atlantic, record famine in Africa or flooding in the South Asia while parts of China are experiencing rapid desertification. Global warming is happening.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Nine out of 10 Hong Kong children left home alone by parents
Nine out of 10 Hong Kong children are left home alone by their parents, and one in eight have been left alone overnight, according to a survey Monday. Eighty eight per cent of primary school children aged 11 or under said they had been left alone by their parents for periods between noon and 6 pm, while 11.5 per cent said they been left alone between 6 pm and 6 am.
More than a quarter of parents interviewed in the survey by the Boys and Girls Clubs Association of Hong Kong admitted sometimes leaving children alone at home, while 12 per cent admitted leaving their children overnight.
The most common reasons given by parents for leaving their children unattended were going shopping, going to work and taking care of expected business, while 4 per cent admitted going out for entertainment.
More than 1,000 parents and children were interviewed for the survey, which was conducted amid rising concerns over the welfare of youngsters left home alone by parents in the city of 6.9 million people.
Earlier this month, two Hong Kong single mothers were sentenced to serve probation after admitting abandoning their children - in one case a 14-year-old boy and in the other girls aged 8 and 9 - for days on end to go gambling in Macau.
There have been a number of cases in recent years of children falling to their deaths from high-rise apartment blocks in Hong Kong or phoning police for help after being left alone by their parents.
More than a quarter of parents interviewed in the survey by the Boys and Girls Clubs Association of Hong Kong admitted sometimes leaving children alone at home, while 12 per cent admitted leaving their children overnight.
The most common reasons given by parents for leaving their children unattended were going shopping, going to work and taking care of expected business, while 4 per cent admitted going out for entertainment.
More than 1,000 parents and children were interviewed for the survey, which was conducted amid rising concerns over the welfare of youngsters left home alone by parents in the city of 6.9 million people.
Earlier this month, two Hong Kong single mothers were sentenced to serve probation after admitting abandoning their children - in one case a 14-year-old boy and in the other girls aged 8 and 9 - for days on end to go gambling in Macau.
There have been a number of cases in recent years of children falling to their deaths from high-rise apartment blocks in Hong Kong or phoning police for help after being left alone by their parents.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Weekend Bits: Erap in town
The cold spell that wrapped Hong Kong for the past few days affirms that winter is still here to stay at least for now. I have been waiting for the cold weather warning, and here it is. I was wondering if it will disappear soon so let's enjoy the cool breeze of winter while it's still here. Former Philippine President Joseph "Erap" Estrada is in town and currently stays at the Peninsula Hotel. Not long ago, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came over while pondering his future plans for Thailand. While I don't mean Erap will be in exile here as his purpose is that he will be a wedding sponsor of Benedicto Coyuito and Danna Go, Hong Kong looks like Hong Kong is a nice place to stay for exiled leaders.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Hong Kong boy, 14, arrested for hacking into school computers
A 14-year-old Hong Kong boy has been arrested for hacking into the computers of eight of the territory's secondary schools, a news report said Thursday. The teenage computer whiz hacked into password-sensitive online forums where students and teachers exchange questions and answers, the South China Morning Post reported.
He was arrested Wednesday after the information technology company that provides computer services to the eight schools called in police after discovering the network had been hacked.
The schoolboy was collared by police in an early-morning raid at his home and his computer was seized for examination by experts, the newspaper said.
After his arrest, the boy told police he had hacked into the network "for fun" after being taught how to do it by a classmate. He is not believed to have stolen any sensitive or secret data.
The schoolboy, who has not been named, could technically face a jail term of up to five years under Hong Kong's strict anti-computer hacking laws. His classmate is also expected to be arrested.
He was arrested Wednesday after the information technology company that provides computer services to the eight schools called in police after discovering the network had been hacked.
The schoolboy was collared by police in an early-morning raid at his home and his computer was seized for examination by experts, the newspaper said.
After his arrest, the boy told police he had hacked into the network "for fun" after being taught how to do it by a classmate. He is not believed to have stolen any sensitive or secret data.
The schoolboy, who has not been named, could technically face a jail term of up to five years under Hong Kong's strict anti-computer hacking laws. His classmate is also expected to be arrested.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Use crisp bills for lai see this Lunar New Year
Hong Kong is urging people this Lunar New Year to insert used cash into their traditional lucky red "lai-see" envelopes instead of freshly minted bills to help save the environment.
"Good-as-new notes are perfectly suitable for use as lai-see," the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Hong Kong's currency notes are kept very clean with dirty or torn notes being removed from circulation when they are returned to the note-issuing banks."
Chinese traditionally hand out small "hung bao" red envelopes with money inside for good luck at special occasions, such as weddings and the widely celebrated Lunar New Year. Crisp new bills are preferred.
Every year, 300 to 400 million new and used notes are issued to meet Lunar New Year demand, the monetary authority said.
Three hundred million notes occupy 500 cubic meters (17,660 cu ft) of storage space and could fill 20 twenty-foot containers, it said.
Last year, about 162 million notes, or 50 percent of the total issued in the run-up to Lunar New Year, were "good-as-new", up from 53 million, or 20 percent, the year before, the authority said.
"Good-as-new notes are perfectly suitable for use as lai-see," the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Hong Kong's currency notes are kept very clean with dirty or torn notes being removed from circulation when they are returned to the note-issuing banks."
Chinese traditionally hand out small "hung bao" red envelopes with money inside for good luck at special occasions, such as weddings and the widely celebrated Lunar New Year. Crisp new bills are preferred.
Every year, 300 to 400 million new and used notes are issued to meet Lunar New Year demand, the monetary authority said.
Three hundred million notes occupy 500 cubic meters (17,660 cu ft) of storage space and could fill 20 twenty-foot containers, it said.
Last year, about 162 million notes, or 50 percent of the total issued in the run-up to Lunar New Year, were "good-as-new", up from 53 million, or 20 percent, the year before, the authority said.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Fast track nursing school: solution or medical risk?
The Standard reports that CUHK will plan a degree course -- a quicker version -- in nursing to address the chronic problem of shortage of nurses in the territory.
But will it be beneficial overall or just adds up to the woes created by a few doctors in the profession that spent many years to complete. While I understand that nurses and doctors have different types of work, they are related and I fear that the current ratio of a doctor for every ten patients (twice the international standard) will prompt some nurses to be asked to do similar duties as these Hong Kong doctors.
But will it be beneficial overall or just adds up to the woes created by a few doctors in the profession that spent many years to complete. While I understand that nurses and doctors have different types of work, they are related and I fear that the current ratio of a doctor for every ten patients (twice the international standard) will prompt some nurses to be asked to do similar duties as these Hong Kong doctors.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hang Seng roller coaster
A few days of plunging markets reacting to possible US recession has brought some glimmer of hope after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, matched by its Hong Kong counterpart, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and local banks.
The Hang Seng Index reacted with record breaking performance for a single day gain in a positive spin to that Fed cut.
We'll see what happens in this seemingly volatile market situation I can describe as the Hang Seng roller coaster.
The Hang Seng Index reacted with record breaking performance for a single day gain in a positive spin to that Fed cut.
We'll see what happens in this seemingly volatile market situation I can describe as the Hang Seng roller coaster.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Why I think juvenile offenders are getting younger
The news that the age of juvenile offenders in Hong Kong is getting younger seems sensible to me. I am not yet a parent myself but looking at what's going on in Hong Kong's social situation, it may not be difficult for me to find the factors why (I don't like to portray in this post why parenthood is bad):
Parents don't spend enough time with children
Parents are working. Child is left in the house with the nanny (watch The Nanny Diaries especially those who hire domestic helpers to take care of their children).
Parents (and extended family members) spoil their children
Parents often shower their children with anything they think that could compensate for time. Lavish birthday parties, expensive toys, food lifestyle that's sometimes unhealthy are sample things I notice regularly. Many of them don't know what's going on while they are not with their children.
Parents abuse their children
A mother left her son for almost two weeks in Hong Kong to go gambling in Macau was the latest news of parent abuse I read. I think it's because of vice or financial struggles that drives parents to vent their frustration on children. Lack of social welfare personnel to assist cases like this exacerbate the situation.
Existing laws may not have enough teeth to reduce juvenile delinquency
In many places, it is a crime to spank children. When we were raised, spanking was not a method of child abuse but for us to realize we just committed something wrong. It was our parents' way of instilling discipline in us. And I am proud they did it. Now, it's different. A parent who tries to discipline his/her own child could get arrested. And the result of this repressive law: school shootings, drug addiction, teenage sex and all sorts of crime that you couldn't think of if a child was raised properly and whose mistakes are not indirectly coddled/tolerated by a flawed rule of law.
Do you want to see a sample of domestic violence in Hong Kong? Watch this video (just listening to the audio would suffice).
What do we expect of this child when she grows up?
I think it's not solely the fault of the mom who may be juggling with daily work or the father who overworks himself to deliver the best for the family. For obvious reasons, they need help. The government must step up its efforts because as the basic unit of the society, a Hong Kong family defines what Hong Kong is and what Hong Kong will become.
Parents don't spend enough time with children
Parents are working. Child is left in the house with the nanny (watch The Nanny Diaries especially those who hire domestic helpers to take care of their children).
Parents (and extended family members) spoil their children
Parents often shower their children with anything they think that could compensate for time. Lavish birthday parties, expensive toys, food lifestyle that's sometimes unhealthy are sample things I notice regularly. Many of them don't know what's going on while they are not with their children.
Parents abuse their children
A mother left her son for almost two weeks in Hong Kong to go gambling in Macau was the latest news of parent abuse I read. I think it's because of vice or financial struggles that drives parents to vent their frustration on children. Lack of social welfare personnel to assist cases like this exacerbate the situation.
Existing laws may not have enough teeth to reduce juvenile delinquency
In many places, it is a crime to spank children. When we were raised, spanking was not a method of child abuse but for us to realize we just committed something wrong. It was our parents' way of instilling discipline in us. And I am proud they did it. Now, it's different. A parent who tries to discipline his/her own child could get arrested. And the result of this repressive law: school shootings, drug addiction, teenage sex and all sorts of crime that you couldn't think of if a child was raised properly and whose mistakes are not indirectly coddled/tolerated by a flawed rule of law.
Do you want to see a sample of domestic violence in Hong Kong? Watch this video (just listening to the audio would suffice).
What do we expect of this child when she grows up?
I think it's not solely the fault of the mom who may be juggling with daily work or the father who overworks himself to deliver the best for the family. For obvious reasons, they need help. The government must step up its efforts because as the basic unit of the society, a Hong Kong family defines what Hong Kong is and what Hong Kong will become.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Youngsters say no to China news
Ten years after their home city reverted to Chinese rule, six out of 10 Hong Kong students have little interest in news from China, according to a survey Monday.
Almost 60 per cent of secondary school students in the former British colony said they only occasionally read news from China, preferring instead to concentrate on Hong Kong news.
The survey, which involved interviews with hundreds of students, is further proof that Hong Kong youngsters still regard themselves as separate from their neighbours in mainland Chinese.
Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed government has struggled to generate patriotism towards China since the city reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 after 156 years of British colonial rule.
To combat the negative sentiment, China flag-raising ceremonies have been introduced and patriotic broadcasts beamed out before evening news programmes featuring rousing images of the 'motherland' set to the Chinese national anthem.
Millions of dollars will be spent trying to whip up interest in this summer's Beijing Olympics which has been met with general indifference in Hong Kong even though the city will host the equestrian events.
Almost 60 per cent of secondary school students in the former British colony said they only occasionally read news from China, preferring instead to concentrate on Hong Kong news.
The survey, which involved interviews with hundreds of students, is further proof that Hong Kong youngsters still regard themselves as separate from their neighbours in mainland Chinese.
Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed government has struggled to generate patriotism towards China since the city reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 after 156 years of British colonial rule.
To combat the negative sentiment, China flag-raising ceremonies have been introduced and patriotic broadcasts beamed out before evening news programmes featuring rousing images of the 'motherland' set to the Chinese national anthem.
Millions of dollars will be spent trying to whip up interest in this summer's Beijing Olympics which has been met with general indifference in Hong Kong even though the city will host the equestrian events.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Weekend Bits: Macau to surpass HK as tourist destination
I am currently enjoying the weather in Hong Kong, which is currently within mid-teens. Then I recalled we had a film watching last Friday about "An Inconvenient Truth", the popular documentary by former US Vice President Al Gore. I thought if we watched the movie on a hot summer day, it must be more fearful.For those who haven't watched the movie, have time for it. You can view it online.
***
Calgary Herald reports that Macau is set to surpass Hong Kong this year if growth rates are maintained. Macau registered more than 27 million arrivals in 2007, up 22.7 per cent from the previous year, according to government statistics. Hong Kong registered more than 28 million visitor arrivals, an increase of over 10 per cent on 2006. 22.7% vs 10% and almost the same baseline numbers. That's a big difference.
***
Is the Bay Area unsafe for businessmen to visit? Apparently when you read the news that two Hong Kong jewelry salesmen were mugged by four Hispanic men as they left Holiday Inn on their way to the airport.
***
Great Britain Olympic equestrian team captain is confident that the summer heat won't create adverse effects in their chances of winning. As you know the Olympics will be held in August (opening at 8:08:08 pm on August 8, 2008, see my point in the date selection?) in Hong Kong. At that time of the year it's very hot and humid in Hong Kong. Which might explain the Switzerland team opted not to take the risk and waste money and time if they think the climate will be detrimental in winning medals or at least the health of their horses.
***
Anything wrong with eBay Hong Kong? I was referred to a blog that questioned the guidelines in picking winners. A list of eBay Hong Kong Award Winners for Most Outstanding Business Seller showed some of those who received awards have zero feedbacks, referring to the number of responses from people who dealt business with these folks.
Sure enough, if you do a search for the User ID aquasupply on eBay.com, it shows the seller registered in September 2007 and has zero feedback. It's not that the Hong Kong site is new - eBay launched it in 2003.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Tax concessions coming up?
BusinessWeek reports that Hong Kong government is expected to provide concessions to taxpayers by offering one-time tax cuts and grants. This is because Hong Kong is forecast to have a budget surplus of HK$105 billion dollars in 2007/2008 fiscal year.
The last time I got some form of tax refund was during the time of SARS, when the government responded to the downturn of the economy.
Currently, the top thousand or so companies or individuals pay the bulk of tax which leaves us in the majority with rates of 16.5%, still one of the best in the tax-paying economies. But this is also a cause of concern that if these top taxpayers leave Hong Kong, significant amount of tax revenues will be lost.
The government's tax revenue is also disproportionately dependent on very volatile economic indicators such as the stock market and real estate. When recessions bite, these tax resources collapse—but the government, with monthly expenses of HK$20 billion per month, still has to operate somehow. This has been the case of 2001-2003 years when weak economic data, coupled with SARS epidemic brought Hong Kong to its knees.
We'll see what Hong Kong's financial secretary John Tsang will announce in his maiden speech on February 27.
The last time I got some form of tax refund was during the time of SARS, when the government responded to the downturn of the economy.
Currently, the top thousand or so companies or individuals pay the bulk of tax which leaves us in the majority with rates of 16.5%, still one of the best in the tax-paying economies. But this is also a cause of concern that if these top taxpayers leave Hong Kong, significant amount of tax revenues will be lost.
The government's tax revenue is also disproportionately dependent on very volatile economic indicators such as the stock market and real estate. When recessions bite, these tax resources collapse—but the government, with monthly expenses of HK$20 billion per month, still has to operate somehow. This has been the case of 2001-2003 years when weak economic data, coupled with SARS epidemic brought Hong Kong to its knees.
We'll see what Hong Kong's financial secretary John Tsang will announce in his maiden speech on February 27.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Richest people in Hong Kong and Macau
Forbes released an article about 40 richest people in Hong Kong and Macau. The story shows that the rich got richer: Li Ka-shing, who tops the list, saw his wealth soar to $32 billion from $22 billion a year earlier.
The rich list doesn't include sole wealth ownership; some of them are family owned, a reflection of China's closely-knit family culture.
Look at their photos too and as yourselves: what could be in their minds most of the time?
The rich list doesn't include sole wealth ownership; some of them are family owned, a reflection of China's closely-knit family culture.
Look at their photos too and as yourselves: what could be in their minds most of the time?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Hong Kong: Freest economy for 14th straight year
Hong Kong, which prides itself on its laissez-faire economic policy, was ranked the world's freest economy on Tuesday for a 14th straight year by the US based Heritage Foundation, but second-placed Singapore is catching up.
Half of the world's top 20 freest economies are in Europe, led by Ireland in third place. Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Denmark follow just behind and financial reform in Western Europe is being accelerated by liberalisation and tax cuts in East European countries like Estonia, which was ranked 12th.
The United States fell to 5th place from 4th last year, and was set back by relatively high tax rates following tax cuts in other advanced economies and by government spending amounting to more than a third of gross domestic product.
The annual survey published by the Wall Street Journal, ranks 157 countries and territories. The survey gauges the level of government interference in the economy and ranks countries based on scores in such categories as business, trade and investment freedoms; protection of property rights; freedom from corruption, and free movement of labour.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank founded in 1973, argues that economic freedom results in faster economic growth and lifts people out of poverty.
"A small increase in economic freedom leads to an exponentially higher gross domestic product and average per capita income," Edwin Feulner, president of the Washington think-tank, told a press conference.
Still, two-thirds of the world's population live in repressed economies, the foundation said. Emerging economic powerhouses India and China were ranked among the least free economies, in 115th and 126th place respectively, despite their fast growth.
Countries like China could grow even faster and in a more sustained manner if they embraced financial liberalisation, the foundation said.
Mauritius and Bahrain made it into the top 20 freest economies, while Mongolia, jumped 16 places to 62nd place and into the "moderately free" economy category, from "mostly unfree" last year, following trade liberalisation and fiscal reforms, including a flat tax.
Hong Kong was rated slightly less free than a year ago due to a pick-up in inflation which resulted in less monetary freedom. Arch-rival Singapore saw a slight improvement from last year's survey and was rated the freest market for business and labour.
The city state continues to be held back by the government's role in the banking industry but could challenge Hong Kong for the number one spot if Hong Kong goes ahead with a minimum wage and a competition law now under consideration, the Heritage Foundation said.
Half of the world's top 20 freest economies are in Europe, led by Ireland in third place. Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Denmark follow just behind and financial reform in Western Europe is being accelerated by liberalisation and tax cuts in East European countries like Estonia, which was ranked 12th.
The United States fell to 5th place from 4th last year, and was set back by relatively high tax rates following tax cuts in other advanced economies and by government spending amounting to more than a third of gross domestic product.
The annual survey published by the Wall Street Journal, ranks 157 countries and territories. The survey gauges the level of government interference in the economy and ranks countries based on scores in such categories as business, trade and investment freedoms; protection of property rights; freedom from corruption, and free movement of labour.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank founded in 1973, argues that economic freedom results in faster economic growth and lifts people out of poverty.
"A small increase in economic freedom leads to an exponentially higher gross domestic product and average per capita income," Edwin Feulner, president of the Washington think-tank, told a press conference.
Still, two-thirds of the world's population live in repressed economies, the foundation said. Emerging economic powerhouses India and China were ranked among the least free economies, in 115th and 126th place respectively, despite their fast growth.
Countries like China could grow even faster and in a more sustained manner if they embraced financial liberalisation, the foundation said.
Mauritius and Bahrain made it into the top 20 freest economies, while Mongolia, jumped 16 places to 62nd place and into the "moderately free" economy category, from "mostly unfree" last year, following trade liberalisation and fiscal reforms, including a flat tax.
Hong Kong was rated slightly less free than a year ago due to a pick-up in inflation which resulted in less monetary freedom. Arch-rival Singapore saw a slight improvement from last year's survey and was rated the freest market for business and labour.
The city state continues to be held back by the government's role in the banking industry but could challenge Hong Kong for the number one spot if Hong Kong goes ahead with a minimum wage and a competition law now under consideration, the Heritage Foundation said.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Come to Hong Kong but don't buy pork
If you're a budget conscious person, this is the best time to visit Hong Kong (or any country whose currency is pegged to the US dollar): weak US dollar makes it cheaper for visitors from other countries to come and spend money in Hong Kong.Visitors to Hong Kong last year hit a seven-year high.
According to Hong Kong Tourism Board figures announced earlier, total tourist arrivals in 2007 increased more than 10 percent to surpass 28 million, up from 25.3 million in 2006.
Tourists from the mainland, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and Russia all recorded double-digit growth last year.
The weak US-pegged Hong Kong dollar is one of the factors that make the city a more attractive shopping destination.
Visitors' total spending last year hit HK$130 billion compared to HK$119.4 billion in 2006.
Again, if you're a budget conscious traveler, you may want to skip eating pork because its prices have soared by 70%.
Would that be enough to discourage pork consumption and minimize obesity in Hong Kong? That remains to be seen.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Most popular Hong Kong singers
Hong Kong singers Eason Chan and Joey Yung continued their reigns over the local pop music scene, walking away with the Most Popular Male and Female Singer awards at Saturday's Jade Solid Gold ceremony.
Last year, the two were honorees for the same awards. They also won the titles of Best Male and Female Singer at the 2007 Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation held earlier this month.
Eason Chan was also honored as Most Popular Hong Kong Male Singer in Asia-Pacific Region and a Jade Solid Gold Best 10 for his hit song, "Under Mount Fuji."
Joey Yung also pocketed such awards as a Jade Solid Gold Best 10 for "Midnight" and Most Popular Song for "Little."
Pop duo Twins were named Most Popular Hong Kong Female Singer in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Jade Solid Gold Awards, along with Ultimate Song Chart Awards, Metro Showbiz Hit Awards, and Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards, comprise the four major music awards in Hong Kong.
Last year, the two were honorees for the same awards. They also won the titles of Best Male and Female Singer at the 2007 Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation held earlier this month.
Eason Chan was also honored as Most Popular Hong Kong Male Singer in Asia-Pacific Region and a Jade Solid Gold Best 10 for his hit song, "Under Mount Fuji."
Joey Yung also pocketed such awards as a Jade Solid Gold Best 10 for "Midnight" and Most Popular Song for "Little."
Pop duo Twins were named Most Popular Hong Kong Female Singer in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Jade Solid Gold Awards, along with Ultimate Song Chart Awards, Metro Showbiz Hit Awards, and Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards, comprise the four major music awards in Hong Kong.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Smart Money is not so smart
I tried another way of transferring money from Hong Kong to the Philippines. It's called Smart Money. My basic understanding of the system (correct me if I am wrong) is that you can send money to someone in the Philippines who has a Smart Money account by entering the recipient's name, phone number and Smart Money account number. Your name is probably optional though I have to place it for reference (in case of multiple remittance to that recipient) and avoid money laundering suspicion.But when I came into one of the shops at Worldwide the form asks me more than what I described above. Middle name of sender and beneficiary address are needed? Nah, I thought the Smart Money account number was sufficient. I realized those two additional requirements were optional after all. But the effort of asking me after I failed to fill up those two in the form was an attempt to make those fields required.
I've tried Western Union and I see the practicality of just entering the name of recipient and his/her address to make a successful remittance possible (sender info should be optional but must be stated for similar reasons as with Smart Money). By informing the recipient of the MTCN (reference number), that was like a password because everyone can claim but since MTCN must be stated plus proof of identity using the address, it becomes safe and convenient.
Just like a typical Philippine government form I fill up at the Philippine consulate, I often ask myself "What use is this information to the Philippine government?" while answering the long queue of questions as if I was investigated for something. Information provided must be relevant and matters. I also think filling up these forms should save the hassle of argumentation and move on. But I can imagine the cumulative amount of time wasted too.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Invest HK achieves record results in 2007
Investment promotion in Hong Kong achieved record results in 2007, as more than 250 non-local companies set up or expanded their operations here, and invested more than $8.39 billion.
Invest Hong Kong's Director-General of Investment Promotion Mike Rowse says both the number of companies assisted and the number of jobs they created reached all-time highs.
During 2007, Invest Hong Kong helped 253 overseas, Mainland and Taiwan companies to set up or expand in Hong Kong. These companies expect the projects to lead to the creation of more than 8,100 jobs, including 3,130 jobs established initially, and an additional 5,004 jobs in the next two years.
"These results once again highlight Hong Kong's position as the leading international city in the region and reflect the hard work of our staff here and abroad," Mr Rowse said.
"We have our challenges, such as pollution and the high cost of rent. But, as these figures demonstrate, our city still is able to attract the very best overseas and Mainland companies to our shores.
"All of this has a sizable impact on Hong Kong's economy, beyond the initial investment and job creation. Our professional service providers, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centres all benefit from this influx of new people. And these international companies help to retain Hong Kong's vibrant, cosmopolitan business environment."
2007 highlights
Hong Kong attracted investments from many sectors, led by consumer products, retail and sourcing; business and professional services; and technology. Most of these companies came from the Mainland, Asia Pacific, Western Europe and North America.
Invest Hong Kong broadcast the message to Mainland enterprises that Hong Kong has unique advantages as a springboard to expand overseas. The department's nationwide marketing campaign, launched last June, promoted Hong Kong as a platform for privately-owned enterprises in high growth provinces to expand internationally and provided them with the information and tools they need.
In 2007, Invest Hong Kong helped a record 47 Mainland companies to set up or expand operations here, bringing in a combined $2.28 billion.
Looking forward
Mr Rowse is optimistic about the outlook for inward investment in the coming year, and has set a target of at least another 250 completed projects.
"We feel reasonably confident about this goal, since there are over 600 live projects in the pipeline - which is more than we've ever had before," he said.
"Hong Kong's role is well defined. The city serves China as a springboard to international markets and serves international markets as a gateway to China as well as to the region generally. It is a simple strategy and one that works well."
He noted that competition is strong and the world economic outlook uncertain. So he pledged to continue to work hard to improve the investment environment to attract and retain investors from all over the world.
Invest Hong Kong's Director-General of Investment Promotion Mike Rowse says both the number of companies assisted and the number of jobs they created reached all-time highs.
During 2007, Invest Hong Kong helped 253 overseas, Mainland and Taiwan companies to set up or expand in Hong Kong. These companies expect the projects to lead to the creation of more than 8,100 jobs, including 3,130 jobs established initially, and an additional 5,004 jobs in the next two years.
"These results once again highlight Hong Kong's position as the leading international city in the region and reflect the hard work of our staff here and abroad," Mr Rowse said.
"We have our challenges, such as pollution and the high cost of rent. But, as these figures demonstrate, our city still is able to attract the very best overseas and Mainland companies to our shores.
"All of this has a sizable impact on Hong Kong's economy, beyond the initial investment and job creation. Our professional service providers, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centres all benefit from this influx of new people. And these international companies help to retain Hong Kong's vibrant, cosmopolitan business environment."
2007 highlights
Hong Kong attracted investments from many sectors, led by consumer products, retail and sourcing; business and professional services; and technology. Most of these companies came from the Mainland, Asia Pacific, Western Europe and North America.
Invest Hong Kong broadcast the message to Mainland enterprises that Hong Kong has unique advantages as a springboard to expand overseas. The department's nationwide marketing campaign, launched last June, promoted Hong Kong as a platform for privately-owned enterprises in high growth provinces to expand internationally and provided them with the information and tools they need.
In 2007, Invest Hong Kong helped a record 47 Mainland companies to set up or expand operations here, bringing in a combined $2.28 billion.
Looking forward
Mr Rowse is optimistic about the outlook for inward investment in the coming year, and has set a target of at least another 250 completed projects.
"We feel reasonably confident about this goal, since there are over 600 live projects in the pipeline - which is more than we've ever had before," he said.
"Hong Kong's role is well defined. The city serves China as a springboard to international markets and serves international markets as a gateway to China as well as to the region generally. It is a simple strategy and one that works well."
He noted that competition is strong and the world economic outlook uncertain. So he pledged to continue to work hard to improve the investment environment to attract and retain investors from all over the world.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Fog blamed on Hong Kong - Macau ferry collision
Two hydrofoils ferrying passengers between the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau collided Friday night in heavy fog, seriously injuring 19 people, a Macau government spokesman said.
The poor visibility was also blamed for a number of other maritime accidents in the region. Parts of China's southern coast were enveloped in fog due to a warm, humid maritime air stream.
Thick fog blanketed China's commercial center, Shanghai, where an unlicensed river ferry carrying 22 people capsized Friday, leaving 10 missing, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported. The ferry, one of many that operate in the area without proper safety equipment or certification, sank near the city's Wusong pier shortly after the accident, Xinhua said.
The 10 men and nine women passengers hurt in the ferry collision suffered mainly head injuries and bone fractures that were not life-threatening, said Alex Che, a spokesman for the government of Macau. Another 114 passengers suffered lighter injuries, Che said.
"All the glass shattered and the front of the ship fell off," a male passenger, identified only by the surname Chan, told Hong Kong's Cable TV.
Wong Soi Man, director of Macau's Maritime Administration, said the accident's cause had not yet been determined, but "heavy fog must be one of the key factors."
The accident occurred closer to Macau and the injured were being treated there, he said.
In another incident, 66 people were rescued from a ferry that ran aground near the coastal city of Zhuhai near Macau, Xinhua said.
Hours earlier, another high-speed ferry traveling west from Hong Kong to Macau and carrying more than 370 passengers hit a small fishing vessel, said Hong Kong Marine Department spokeswoman Daisy Lo.
No one was injured and both vessels continued their journeys.
Ferry operator Turbojet scaled back its services to Macau to once every half hour — from its usual peak frequency of every five minutes — and said travel time would take half an hour more than the usual one-hour journey.
The foggy weather slowed traffic on a key route that transports gamblers to booming casino enclave Macau, which surpassed the Las Vegas Strip in gaming revenue in 2006.
The poor visibility was also blamed for a number of other maritime accidents in the region. Parts of China's southern coast were enveloped in fog due to a warm, humid maritime air stream.
Thick fog blanketed China's commercial center, Shanghai, where an unlicensed river ferry carrying 22 people capsized Friday, leaving 10 missing, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported. The ferry, one of many that operate in the area without proper safety equipment or certification, sank near the city's Wusong pier shortly after the accident, Xinhua said.
The 10 men and nine women passengers hurt in the ferry collision suffered mainly head injuries and bone fractures that were not life-threatening, said Alex Che, a spokesman for the government of Macau. Another 114 passengers suffered lighter injuries, Che said.
"All the glass shattered and the front of the ship fell off," a male passenger, identified only by the surname Chan, told Hong Kong's Cable TV.
Wong Soi Man, director of Macau's Maritime Administration, said the accident's cause had not yet been determined, but "heavy fog must be one of the key factors."
The accident occurred closer to Macau and the injured were being treated there, he said.
In another incident, 66 people were rescued from a ferry that ran aground near the coastal city of Zhuhai near Macau, Xinhua said.
Hours earlier, another high-speed ferry traveling west from Hong Kong to Macau and carrying more than 370 passengers hit a small fishing vessel, said Hong Kong Marine Department spokeswoman Daisy Lo.
No one was injured and both vessels continued their journeys.
Ferry operator Turbojet scaled back its services to Macau to once every half hour — from its usual peak frequency of every five minutes — and said travel time would take half an hour more than the usual one-hour journey.
The foggy weather slowed traffic on a key route that transports gamblers to booming casino enclave Macau, which surpassed the Las Vegas Strip in gaming revenue in 2006.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Tropical horses could win the Olympic equestrian events
Hong Kong's hosting of the equestrian events might give an idea to teams that unless horses are used to the tropical climate, it will be a monumental task to win the Olympic equestrian events, which will be held in a hot and humid August. But I guess since it's summer Olympics, many cities in the past shared a bit of this experience, though milder than Hong Kong's summers. Now, there are even teams pulling out of the competition, notably Team Switzerland.The organizer of the Beijing Olympics equestrian events said yesterday the pullout by a Swiss team would not trigger a collapse of confidence in Hong Kong's ability to host the competition.
"We are not worried at all. It will have no effect whatsover," said Mark Pinkstone, a spokesman for the Equestrian Company, the body overseeing the equestrian events.
The Swiss dressage team announced on Tuesday it would not compete in this year's Olympic equestrian events in August, citing Hong Kong's heat and humidity as dangerous for its horses.
It also said the 11-hour trip from Switzerland to Hong Kong could affect the horses' ability to perform.
"We have all the evidence that heat is not a factor," Pinkstone said. "All the other federations throughout the world understand that."
The Swiss withdrawal was sparked by the decision of the country's lead rider and world No 4 Silvia Ikle not to risk the health of her horse, Salieri CH.
Her decision was made after consulting veterinarians.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the highest recorded temperature in August last year was 35.3 degrees Celsius.
Cloudier and wetter then usual, the month also saw six tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific and South China Sea.
Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong president Timothy Fok Tsun-ting said the decision to participate or not is up to individual athletes.
Christopher Yip, media manager of the Equestrian Company, said he did not expect other teams to pull out.
Andrew Dart, a professor of veterinary science at the University of Sydney, said that while Hong Kong could provide some of the most challenging climatic conditions, the experience and skill of the veterinary team should provide all the equestrian teams with confidence.
Trials in the last two years to study transportation, stable, cooling, veterinary and equestrian services passed without problems.
A final workshop has been scheduled for next month in Lausanne, Switzerland, to complete preparations for the games.
The International Olympic Committee accepted Hong Kong as the venue for this year's equestrian events because of the city's history in managing race horses and the absence of some 17 equine diseases that are prevalent in the mainland.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Green office: 20 Environment friendly tips at workplace
We have launched Green Bean in the office. It is an initiative within the Aegis Group network, where we have to perform our work in line with best practices in an effort to help preserve the environment, which has become more fragile than ever.
I have come up with my own set of initiatives to contribute to this cause:
1. Eat breakfast before going to office
This might offend a few who bring take out food when coming into the office. Avoid using plastic bags as much as possible. By taking out food for breakfast or lunch in the office, we contribute more plastic bags to the dumpster. Bring lunch box so we can minimize usage of Styrofoam packaging used for "take away" food. Get the idea, McDonald's?
2. Avoid food deliveries
I know Food by Phone will get mad at this but it's a fact that despite their nice convenient service, they're still contributing piles of trash in form of packaging bags, disposable chopsticks and spoons/forks, pizza cartons (no matter how recyclable they are). Go to the restaurant instead where washable plates are used.
3. Open the windows
I know Hong Kong is polluted, but by opening windows we don't mean we're inviting smog and filthy air infiltrate our interiors. By opening windows, we invite natural light (if closing them makes the room darker). This reduces the need to turn on light bulbs.
4. Don't buy neckties
Neckties, coupled with coats, make office workers feel hot and in turn tend to switch air conditioners cooler when these workers can easily loosen their clothing by getting rid of neckties. I am wearing neckties every time I go to a client meeting. But that practice has to be ditched soon.
5. Live closer to the office
This is a tough call. But by doing so, we avoid the traffic mess (thereby reducing our carbon footprint) and finding more time for work which means we could finish our tasks faster and go home earlier.
6. Shutdown PCs when leaving the office
PCs must also be treated as humans, they need to rest. Shut down personal computers when not in use; i.e., even when we're still around the office.The best use of our computer when we're away from keyboard is to shut it down.
7. Don't treat toilet paper as hand towel
If there is a hand dryer, use it. But it is much better to dry hands by vigorously shaking them in the air (sorry, I can't find a good explanation, just imagine dogs when you pour water into them) and pick fewer pieces of toilet paper instead of treating them like your typical hand towel. Biodegradable garbage bags also help minimize carbon footprint.
8. Practice efficient printing of documents
For documents drafts and prints used for internal discussion, use gray scale printing and utilize both sides of print paper and double sided if possible. This saves ink (which in turn saves print cartridges) and paper usage.
9. Report spammy fax message senders
Hong Kong has a law on unwanted messages through spam email, fax or SMS. By reporting these crooks to authorities, they stop terrorizing our fax machines from churning out wasteful printed material.
10. Wear comfortable clothing
This could be subjective, but what I mean is that make it a point that we don't really need room temperature to be too cold during summers or too hot during winters. 30% of Hong Kong's energy is spent on air conditioning (and heating) equipment. That translates to staggering amounts of carbon emissions.
11. Shutdown your monitors when you're not staring at them
Screensavers are named such because they save screens, but they don't save energy as much as when you shut them down when you'll be away from your machine for say, half an hour. There are settings on PCs that enable automatic shutdown of monitors when there's no keyword activity for a certain period of time.
12. Ride the tram, subway or bus
Call me jealous, but I'd say shame on those who own cars and drive them to work, even if they live on areas widely served by Hong Kong's extensive transportation network. Tram, MTR or bus transports more people and in effect saves money supposedly spent on gasoline, toll fees, parking spaces and so on. If you have a car, consider carpooling. Better yet, share a taxi with colleagues when going for client meetings or going to office, if you live close to each other.
13. Do transactions online
We don't have to leave the comforts of our homes to do money transfers or paying bills. We get to avoid long bank queues (even PowerVantage users still form a long lines at times) and crowds littered with insensitive smokers. We also avoid getting to the bus which leaves us some trail of carbon footprint or for those who have cars, make several rounds (and spend gas dollars in the process) to get a better parking. Again, shame on you car owners who think you look great even if there's no particular need to own a car.
14. Don't leave chargers or electric appliances plugged if they are not used
It is a good idea to use multi-plugged power cables to connect different appliances at one switch of a button. When they are not in use, supply is cut off by switching off the power supply. It is better than when we just put them on standby mode.
15. Minimize steak for lunch or dinner... or breakfast
During lunch time, minimize eating meat or steak. By doing so, we don't contribute to the growing demand for livestock, and industry which by nature generates significant amount of roughly 18% of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions—even more than transportation—according to a report last year from the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization. Livestock manure contains methane that has a warming effect that is 23 times as great as that of carbon, while nitrous oxide is 296 times as great. It saves food they eat, trees felled for grazing and water consumption, all of which can be used for human consumption. Now we know.
16. Turn off all lights when nobody is in the office
When I was new in the company, the whole floor lights had to be kept on all night long. A guard was present to keep things in order. A year later, the practice was to shut off the lights in the whole floor and gone were the guards. When I pass by the building aboard the bus that takes me home via the Eastern Corridor, I see no more lights on our office floor. Good work!
17. Reuse paper
When writing personal tasks for the day (I do this) or planning a new project plan brainstorming session, don't take a fresh new sheets of paper. Instead, pick one from the pile of old printouts with unused back pages. I don't have the stats but apparently this move will save trees from being felled on a wider scale.
18. Bring your own chopsticks
This helps ease the massive demand for bamboos, which can be used for other purposes. It also reduces our risks to ailments possibly transmitted by chopsticks improperly treated and sanitized by its manufacturers. I saw a slide about how they are made, transported, treated and gasp.. recycled after use!
19. Don't buy South China Morning Post paper
Subscribe online. And even if SCMP will provide free hard copy anyway, turn it down if you can access the news consistently on the Web. Meanwhile, The Standard is free. The same thing applies to other magazines. Stop multi-subscriptions and instead make a conscious effort that the only copy of each magazine gets through to someone who needs to read it.
20. Consume less
Live simply. Meditate. Consume less. Think more. Get to know your neighbors. Let's ask ourselves before we buy an item "Do I need this or do I just want this?". Learn to say "M sai" at ParkNShop or Wellcome offers of plastic bags and instead let's bring our own bags. Borrow when you need to and lend when asked. E.F. Schumacher praised that philosophy this way in Small Is Beautiful: "Amazingly small means leading to extraordinarily satisfying results."
At the end of the day, before we leave the office, let's look at our designated rubbish bins and check how much more are we adding to the rapidly vanishing spaces of Hong Kong's landfills.
We have seen Hong Kong people do their part in helping create awareness on environment impact of fossil fuels, growing landfills and carbon emitting machines. No Lights campaign and No Plastic Bags campaign are good examples. But I hope we don't have to wait for these campaigns to work on their own. We have a role to play. We must work together to make this initiative be an effective effort.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Lea Salonga in Hong Kong
The world-famous star singer Lea Salonga, will appear 'live' with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra on 9, 10 February 2008 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. A bona fide "Disney Princess", Lea is the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin and the singing voice of Mulan in Mulan and Mulan 2. She is also the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award-winning star of the blockbuster musical Miss Saigon.Under the baton of Gerard Salonga, Lea Salonga and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will treat audiences to some of the best loved Disney and Broadway musical numbers, such as A Whole New World (Aladdin), Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas), On My Own (Les Misérables), I'd Give My Life for you (Miss Saigon) and many more. She recently made a tremendously successful 8-city US tour and sold out Carnegie Hall in a new show directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, director of Barbara Streisand's Timeless Farewell tour.
Lea gained international stardom for her award-winning lead role as Kim on Broadway in the 1991 production of Miss Saigon. She not only won a Tony Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical," but also the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Laurence Olivier Award (in London where Miss Saigon originated).
In 2002, Salonga made another splash on Broadway starring in the hit revival of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammersteins’s Flower Drum Song, earning her another Tony nomination as Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical. Earlier this year, Lea returned to Broadway to star as Fantine in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables and in July 2008 she will embark on a 39-week tour of Asia and the Philippines starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
More than 76,000 tourists visit Hong Kong every day in 2007
Visitors to the city last year hit a seven- year high, surpassing the 28 million- mark. Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun expects the good trend to continue this year.
According to Hong Kong Tourism Board provisional figures, total tourist arrivals in 2007 increased more than 10 percent from 25.3 million in 2006.
"We are encouraged that besides the strong performance of the mainland, all other key visitor-generating long- haul markets exceeded their 2006 levels, and many of our key source markets achieved their best results ever," Tien said.
Tourists from the mainland, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and Russia all recorded double-digit growth last year. Tourism last year was driven by the weak US-pegged Hong Kong dollar, making the city a more attractive shopping destination.
Visitors' total spending last year hit HK$130 billion, surpassing the record HK$119.4 billion in 2006. Visitors who stayed in the city for at least one night spent an average HK$5,100 during each visit, rising from HK$4,799 in 2006. Each visitor on day trips to the city spent an average HK$1,100 last year, up from HK$1,015 in 2006.
According to Hong Kong Tourism Board provisional figures, total tourist arrivals in 2007 increased more than 10 percent from 25.3 million in 2006.
"We are encouraged that besides the strong performance of the mainland, all other key visitor-generating long- haul markets exceeded their 2006 levels, and many of our key source markets achieved their best results ever," Tien said.
Tourists from the mainland, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and Russia all recorded double-digit growth last year. Tourism last year was driven by the weak US-pegged Hong Kong dollar, making the city a more attractive shopping destination.
Visitors' total spending last year hit HK$130 billion, surpassing the record HK$119.4 billion in 2006. Visitors who stayed in the city for at least one night spent an average HK$5,100 during each visit, rising from HK$4,799 in 2006. Each visitor on day trips to the city spent an average HK$1,100 last year, up from HK$1,015 in 2006.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Filipino risk for "superbug" infection
Filipino domestic helpers are at high risk to contracting a drug-resistant "superbug" infection, a Hong Kong University study published Sunday claimed. The study found more than half of the 64 non-Chinese cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureus (MRSA) infections in the Hong Kong community last year were Filipino domestic helpers.
MRSA is a bacterial infection which is resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics. Usually it infects wounds but can cause complications such as pneumonia or blood poisoning.
Ho Pak-leung, professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, said the high infection rate among the Filipino group could be blamed on high use of antibiotics.
Of 155 recorded cases, 91 involved Chinese locals, 33 Filipinos, five Americans and Indians and two each from Nepal, Australia, Denmark and England. The remainder were single cases from various ethnic backgrounds.
Last year saw a record number of 166 community cases compared with 8,000 hospital-acquired MRSA.
Ho said he believed the figures were just the tip of the iceberg.
"It is spreading in our community. We need to do something before it is firmly established," he told the Sunday Morning Post.
MRSA is believed to have developed its resistance through the over use of antibiotics.
It was first identified in hospitals in the 1960s where it can prove life-threatening for those with weakened immune systems.
However, in recent years there have been a growing number of cases where the infection has been acquired outside hospitals within the community causing concern among health experts.
Filipinos number around 120,000 in the former British colony of Hong Kong. Most are employed as domestic helpers in the city of 6.9 million.
MRSA is a bacterial infection which is resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics. Usually it infects wounds but can cause complications such as pneumonia or blood poisoning.
Ho Pak-leung, professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, said the high infection rate among the Filipino group could be blamed on high use of antibiotics.
Of 155 recorded cases, 91 involved Chinese locals, 33 Filipinos, five Americans and Indians and two each from Nepal, Australia, Denmark and England. The remainder were single cases from various ethnic backgrounds.
Last year saw a record number of 166 community cases compared with 8,000 hospital-acquired MRSA.
Ho said he believed the figures were just the tip of the iceberg.
"It is spreading in our community. We need to do something before it is firmly established," he told the Sunday Morning Post.
MRSA is believed to have developed its resistance through the over use of antibiotics.
It was first identified in hospitals in the 1960s where it can prove life-threatening for those with weakened immune systems.
However, in recent years there have been a growing number of cases where the infection has been acquired outside hospitals within the community causing concern among health experts.
Filipinos number around 120,000 in the former British colony of Hong Kong. Most are employed as domestic helpers in the city of 6.9 million.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
$202 per kg bluefin tuna for HK sushi shop
A Hong Kong sushi shop paid a record $55,700 for a bluefin tuna today in the first auction of 2008 at the Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market, Agence France-Presse reported.
The 276-kilogram (607-pound) tuna was sold for 22,000 yen ($202) a kilogram, AFP said, citing an official at the fish market whom it didn't identify and local media reports. The purchase price was a record for Japan, the report said, citing the official.
Local media reported that the owner of a Hong Kong-based chain of sushi restaurants made the highest bid, AFP said.
The 276-kilogram (607-pound) tuna was sold for 22,000 yen ($202) a kilogram, AFP said, citing an official at the fish market whom it didn't identify and local media reports. The purchase price was a record for Japan, the report said, citing the official.
Local media reported that the owner of a Hong Kong-based chain of sushi restaurants made the highest bid, AFP said.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Getting really expensive
I think I should update my entry about cost of living in Hong Kong. While I don't personally make an accounting of my expenses (should this be a good practice in 2008 for me?), it is not difficult to notice the considerable rise in prices of grocery items.
Not only that. I learned that consultation charges for doctors, Star Ferry fares and monthly utility charges will also have their rate hikes. This is not so common in Hong Kong, where deflation has been plaguing the city for the past years until recent times.
I went shopping at Jusco, where prices in its grocery section is generally more expensive than that of Wellcome or ParknShop and the prices, even on discounted items are about 15% higher than their previous stock prices.
Despite these price increases I see no significant thinning of crowds buying luxury goods in Hong Kong. Perhaps many of them are tourists, but Hong Kong locals have that instinct to continue shopping so this bad news doesn't easily translate to easing of crowd in Causeway Bay or Mong Kok.
Not only that. I learned that consultation charges for doctors, Star Ferry fares and monthly utility charges will also have their rate hikes. This is not so common in Hong Kong, where deflation has been plaguing the city for the past years until recent times.
I went shopping at Jusco, where prices in its grocery section is generally more expensive than that of Wellcome or ParknShop and the prices, even on discounted items are about 15% higher than their previous stock prices.
Despite these price increases I see no significant thinning of crowds buying luxury goods in Hong Kong. Perhaps many of them are tourists, but Hong Kong locals have that instinct to continue shopping so this bad news doesn't easily translate to easing of crowd in Causeway Bay or Mong Kok.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Seeking love across the border
The number of Hong Kong women marrying men from the mainland has increased steadily in recent years, amid an overall decline in mainland-Hong Kong marriages.More than 34,500 permanent residents of Hong Kong married mainlanders in 2006, accounting for about half of all marriages involving Hongkongers during the period.
Some 6,500 of those unions involved Hong Kong women tying the knot with mainlanders, up from less than 2,000 in 1996, and accounting for 19 percent of all Hong Kong-mainland marriages that year.
An official with the Guangdong provincial bureau of civil affairs said the trend is likely to continue as the gap between living standards in the two regions shrinks.
The increasing links between Hong Kong and the mainland will also make it easier for people from the two sides to interact, the official said.
Meanwhile, many mainland women, particularly those with white-collar jobs, are choosing not to look for husbands in Hong Kong because they do not want to live apart while they await their residency rights.
Hong Kong's high-pressure housing market has also become a disincentive for potential husband-seekers.
As a result, the number of Hong Kong-mainland marriages has been decreasing at an annual rate of about 10 percent in recent years.
Some 2,600 residents of Guangdong Province, which borders Hong Kong and Macao, married Hongkongers last year, down 15 percent from the year before.
During the 1980s, it was common to see 15,000 weddings between Hongkongers and residents of Guangdong in a single year. The situation started changing in the late 90s.
Traditionally, women account for a large majority - about 80 percent - of the mainlanders who marry residents of Hong Kong and Macao, sources with the civil affairs bureau said.
Some Guangdong residents still marry in the hope of securing permanent resident status in Hong Kong or Macao, especially as emigration procedures have been simplified in recent years.
Chen Shanhong, a white-collar worker in Guangzhou, said that Hong Kong is no longer a prime destination for women from the mainland, particularly those who have studied abroad.
"I would prefer living in Guangzhou, Shanghai or one of the other mainland metropolises now that there are more opportunities for talented people," Chen said.
The 28-year-old predicted the number of mainland women who marry Hong Kong residents will continue to shrink in the coming years.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
New HK tramway feature: route guide
Last week I saw workers install a new Hongkong Tramways facility that helps newcomers familiarize the tram stops. It's good to have these route guides, which is similar to those found in bus stops. With such new feature, it will be possible for new passengers and tourists to know which stations to alight.
It also helps passengers to know when to be close to exits as trams can get packed and making way to the exits, which are located in the front side (opposite to the standard practice in buses), can be a challenging task without bruising limbs and egos of fellow passengers.
This add-on is simple but helpful enough especially to tourists who know a little about routes and tram stops.
FYI, Hongkong Tramways maintains the world's largest fleet of double decker trams currently in operation. I think it's not too difficult to maintain such record when many of the world's trams service less population and start ditching these trams in favor of subways.
A snippet of information about Hongkong Tramways:
* A devoted workforce of 700
* 161 Passenger trams
* 2 Antique trams
* 2 Tram depots, i.e. Whitty Street Depot and Sai Wan Ho Depot
* 6 tram routes (totally 30km) providing tram service between Shau Kei Wan, Happy Valley and Kennedy Town
* 123 tram stops from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town. The tram stops are located at an interval of around 250 metres on average
It also helps passengers to know when to be close to exits as trams can get packed and making way to the exits, which are located in the front side (opposite to the standard practice in buses), can be a challenging task without bruising limbs and egos of fellow passengers.
This add-on is simple but helpful enough especially to tourists who know a little about routes and tram stops.
FYI, Hongkong Tramways maintains the world's largest fleet of double decker trams currently in operation. I think it's not too difficult to maintain such record when many of the world's trams service less population and start ditching these trams in favor of subways.
A snippet of information about Hongkong Tramways:
* A devoted workforce of 700
* 161 Passenger trams
* 2 Antique trams
* 2 Tram depots, i.e. Whitty Street Depot and Sai Wan Ho Depot
* 6 tram routes (totally 30km) providing tram service between Shau Kei Wan, Happy Valley and Kennedy Town
* 123 tram stops from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town. The tram stops are located at an interval of around 250 metres on average
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Unless It's Total Smoking Ban, It's a Half-hearted No Smoking Law
I knew it all along, smoking habits in Hong Kong did not slow down just because of the ban on smoking on public places. As a report from Reuters would confirm, the smoking-in-public ban did little, if any, to discourage smokers from puffing 12 million cigarettes every month.
Hong Kong smokers have been lighting up 12 million more cigarettes a month since the city imposed a public-smoking ban a year ago, a newspaper said on Wednesday.
One of the most annoying thing being in public is to inhale smoke from someone within the crowd. Many folks are inconsiderate that they smoke in places where there are lots of people congregating, such as exits of the MTR, or in narrow paths where simply there is no escape of that lethal air.
Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Department said it had collected duty on an average of 289.6 million cigarettes monthly in 2007, compared with 278 million per month in 2006.
The figures suggest that Hong Kong people were smoking 12 million more cigarettes a month, despite a ban on Jan. 1 last year on smoking in most public places.
The anti-smoking laws brought Hong Kong, a city of seven million, in line with several countries that have banned smoking in most public places. Germany and France introduced bans on Tuesday.
The Hong Kong ban isn't absolute, with more than 800 bars, saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors granted exemptions till mid-2009, drawing fire from anti-smoking campaigners.
Indeed I think this is a double-standard, half-hearted effort with not enough teeth to be enforced for a more satisfactory result.
Hong Kong's growing population and the low price of cigarettes were cited as factors for increased tobacco use. There is even a service that delivers cigarettes to homes for as few as two packs. This is will even promote smoking on minors, who are normally turned away by attendants in shops like 7-Eleven.
Hong Kong has around 840,000 smokers according to government figures.
Smokers in China, which took back control of Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, are the world's most enthusiastic, with a growing market of more than 300 million making it a magnet for cigarette companies.
Hong Kong smokers have been lighting up 12 million more cigarettes a month since the city imposed a public-smoking ban a year ago, a newspaper said on Wednesday.
One of the most annoying thing being in public is to inhale smoke from someone within the crowd. Many folks are inconsiderate that they smoke in places where there are lots of people congregating, such as exits of the MTR, or in narrow paths where simply there is no escape of that lethal air.
Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Department said it had collected duty on an average of 289.6 million cigarettes monthly in 2007, compared with 278 million per month in 2006.
The figures suggest that Hong Kong people were smoking 12 million more cigarettes a month, despite a ban on Jan. 1 last year on smoking in most public places.
The anti-smoking laws brought Hong Kong, a city of seven million, in line with several countries that have banned smoking in most public places. Germany and France introduced bans on Tuesday.
The Hong Kong ban isn't absolute, with more than 800 bars, saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors granted exemptions till mid-2009, drawing fire from anti-smoking campaigners.
Indeed I think this is a double-standard, half-hearted effort with not enough teeth to be enforced for a more satisfactory result.
Hong Kong's growing population and the low price of cigarettes were cited as factors for increased tobacco use. There is even a service that delivers cigarettes to homes for as few as two packs. This is will even promote smoking on minors, who are normally turned away by attendants in shops like 7-Eleven.
Hong Kong has around 840,000 smokers according to government figures.
Smokers in China, which took back control of Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, are the world's most enthusiastic, with a growing market of more than 300 million making it a magnet for cigarette companies.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
2008 optimism, pessimism
Hong Kong people are more optimistic about 2008 than anyone else in Asia, with Taiwanese and Indonesians the most gloomy, a new survey released Monday has found.
The survey by research firm TNS and Gallup International found that 71 percent of Hong Kong residents think 2008 will be a better year than 2007.
This compares with just 19 percent in Taiwan, which will hold parliamentary and presidential elections in the early part of 2008. A third of Taiwanese surveyed thought 2008 would be worse, the highest figure in the region.
Only 21 percent of people surveyed in Japan and Indonesia thought the next year would show an improvement over 2007.
New Zealand, Australia and India were the next most optimistic after the southern Chinese territory, among the 11 nations surveyed between October and December.
Thomas Isaac, director of research services at TNS in Hong Kong, said the city's strong economy had played a major role in boosting confidence.
The survey by research firm TNS and Gallup International found that 71 percent of Hong Kong residents think 2008 will be a better year than 2007.
This compares with just 19 percent in Taiwan, which will hold parliamentary and presidential elections in the early part of 2008. A third of Taiwanese surveyed thought 2008 would be worse, the highest figure in the region.
Only 21 percent of people surveyed in Japan and Indonesia thought the next year would show an improvement over 2007.
New Zealand, Australia and India were the next most optimistic after the southern Chinese territory, among the 11 nations surveyed between October and December.
Thomas Isaac, director of research services at TNS in Hong Kong, said the city's strong economy had played a major role in boosting confidence.
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