From IOL news - Man injured in Limerick industrial accident
Doors to Europe to open for wealthy Chinese tourists but for these tourists, in case they don't return to China, they have to pay a deposit of 50,000 yuan (around 6,000 dollars), and proof of another 50,000 yuan deposited in a bank account for at least six months!!!
And yes.. something about footie... Jihai Sun rise to midfield tonight .
Yup, as part of their Chinese Festival of Arts And Culture In Ireland 2004, the IFI are showing some Chinese flicks.
BigWhiteGuy has a cool entry about bamboo opera houses and some pics as well.
I have seen these bamboo opera houses while I was at Lam Tsuen Da Jieu Festival (View in Big5 encoding). It's kinda scary walking along the bamboo floor, as it bends and also is really bouncy... fun for kids running around the place. 
Really amazing what folks can do with bamboo.
Of all places I would have thought that Canada would not be such a barrier to Chinese students, but apparently from this Canadian article about troubles facing Chinese students there is still a long way to go. Maybe it is true, that Chinese only go to the Chinese for help. But there are extremes of individuals who make it. Although that use to put me off studying, knowing that students from the Far East always fare better academically. Can't really say English is a drawback, as this is picked up real quickly because of the social aspect. Possibly the only thing in Ireland would be the fact that you need a European language as well to get into 3rd level eduacation. (Heh, I cannot vouch for that myself, I am crap at languages, except speaking French, I only love that aspect. 
)
Really now? Well, yes if you are willing to spend the dough on a virtual girlfriend on your 3G phone in HK. The virtual girlfriend is an animated person, but needs all the love and attention adorned on her by gifts and flowers. But it's not cheap, when I mean spend, I mean literally spend "real" money. A boyfriend version is in thw works. Heh, what will they think of next! 
As we all brace ourselves for the tail end of Hurricane Charley (thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods...), weather is acting up all around the world as well. And it's not looking good for bigs cities like Hong Kong,as BBC points out in their article, HK heat risks bacteria growth .... oh boy!
Apart from what all kids (and maybe some adults) do in the pool, red worms were spotted causing 3 Kowloon Park pools to be closed, and are be inspected and cleaned. 
Definitely not what you want when you want to cool down from all the heat.
And lighter news of Pui Pui, the once elusive croc has started eating again.
I know unemployment is still high, but stealing scrap metal from public loos is another!
A very interesting perspective of Shanghai, it's not what you expect culturally. The importance of Chinese to Ireland is noted, but also equally also like to have Irish students going to Shanghai.
It's back... the infamous H5N1 virus is back again.
UPDATE
Hong Kong Finds No Deadly Bird Flu Virus Strain in Pigs
Ok, more so because at least I avoided the stronger typhoons while I was in HK, now that Typhoon Megi is the 16th to sweep into East China. HK is currently experiencing what I can imagine, uncomfortable and many accidents happened recently in the harbour due to poor visibiliity. But hopefully this it lifted today. But judging by the weather forecast, it is still as sticky as ever! 
Hope no-one is effected by this 1-day strike by BA staff. I think my cousin is back from HK way before then (I hope 
).
...I hope. The Standard reported that it costs less to live in HK now!
Hong Kong plunged seven places to number 12 after falling out of the top five for the first time since 1997.
Food is definately cheap, and transport is excellent. Now, I am keeping a lookout on the job situation in HK. I am still in 2 minds to work there, not sure if I would fit in the materialistic society of HK. For me, it's more prevalent than here in Dublin.
Hong Kong Family Firm Behind Next DreamWorks Hit, wow, this is so cool. HK has so many cool animation courses, and I remember seeing some stands at the games expo in HK.
From Yahoo news: Eleven airlines to increase fuel levies for flights into and out of Hong Kong. Yup, this does include BA.
Given that BigWhiteGuy doesn't like Mc DongDong's stuff, is is by pure coincidence that he noticed this fast food nation that is HK do favour McDongDong's. :)
Even the HK Standard mentions this, but would this favoured place of dining be still the favourite know that it's been fined for substandard frozen confection.
Deng Xiaoping - greatest man in 20th century, and funnily enough, my dad was talking about him over the weekend. And he said what made him so powerful was the way he dealt with things for the good of the country, with this one famous phrase
"I don’t care if the cat is white or black as long as it catches mice"
(Read more History)
UPDATE - 22 August 2004
Chinese Advocates of Reform Seek Help From Deng's Spirit
Wow, this is so cool to see Chinese astronomy records as far back as AD 36 to the Perseid meteor shower.
Cocklers rescued at scene of February tragedy. Turf war by cockling gangs brought the attention of the authorities... you would wonder if they are doing anything at all, given the tragic deaths not so long ago.
A Chinese takeaway in the North was totally destroyed by a gas explosion. Good thing there were no reports of any serious injuries.
Chinese toilet make-overs in Beijing and better late than never! But there are still some public loos in HK that are still hole in the ground. That is why I never go to public loos! Yeah, I'm picky, but I find them so disgusting!
...well, smoke-free for this Irish bar called Dublin Jack (free registration to read). Wow, I forgot how lucky we were in Ireland to be in smoke-free restaurants and pubs, and having to say that I wanted to be in the no-smoking section, was always something I nearly forget to say when I go for food... until the waitress asks that is. ;)
Many folks in HK still smoke like mad, and strong cigs they are as well. So this will be very hard to get people's mindset to not smoke in a bar, pub and/or restaurant. It's a start though. No more smelly clothes and hair, people. :)
More news on this:
The HK standard - Smoke-free pub finds no followers
Channel News Asia - Hong Kong pub to pioneer smoking ban
Oh, just reading BWG's comment on 1st class compartments on the KCRC (Train from Lo Wu [border to China] to Hung Hom [Kowloon].. I get these trains to Kowloon from Tai Po, and I know there are 1st class compartments, but my BF pointed out to me how people get on them, via swiping their Octopus smartcards on the reader on the platform. I was wondering how one should know if folks without proper tickets sneak into them. Well, at least measures are being put in. But it's so much more expensive, but there are many an occasion when even 1st class passengers were standing!