January 2007 Archives

From a study by Robert Levine who published a book called "A geography of time". I came across this from a news article, but this site gives a bit more information about it. Hong Kong is in 10th place.

The first study is a comparison of 31 countries using a composite index composed of the accuracy of public clocks, walking speed and the time required to complete a simple business transaction: buying a stamp. The top five countries using this index of pace of life or time consciousness are in order (from fastest to slowest), Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Japan and Italy.

Crazy, isn't it? Would not have thought Ireland to have a fast pace of life.

Folks from Sweet Mandarin have asked me to forward on their invite to their book Launch party in Manchester.

Would you be able to let your members on the site know about the launch - we would love to extend it to the Chinese population in the UK (given that this book talks about the Chinese in the UK).

Details:
DATE: 31st January 2007
EVENT: Sweet Mandarin – The Book Launch Party
TIME: 6pm – late
WHERE: Sweet Mandarin, Manchester

Canapes on Arrival

Open Bar

Sweet Mandarin is the epic story of a family of independent Chinese women and their struggle to survive. You are invited to the book launch at Sweet Mandarin with Helen, Lisa, Janet Mabel and Lilly.

I've also posted this on the forum.

It has been turning up in the news over here. My fiancé pointed out a New Scientist article on a lady's fight to save the environment from all the factories dumping toxic waste all over the place. They have the equipment to safely filter the waste before dumping into the local rivers, but do not use it due to it being expensive to run!

And tonight, Channel 4 showed the same problems but in a different region. People are suffering from strokes, cancer and crops die from pollution.

Yes, China is growing stronger, but with everyone moving to China to setup shop to save money, and even the Chinese themselves build more and more factories to try and profit from it. With little or no control, it's all getting out of hand. With people getting sick from the tainted environment. This and on top of China's problem with lowering female population.

It's great that Mandarin is becoming more and more popular amongst non-Chinese according to the BBC article. I have even mentioned it in past blog entries. But I think it is gaining popularity for oversea Asians as well. I wonder what percentage are oversea Asians taking up Mandarin.

That reminds me, I think I will pick up level 1 this year (that is, after my wedding and honeymoon), and at least give something to do in the evenings. Afterall, there are plenty of courses, just need to find the right time.

Discuss at IBC Forum.

Check it out at : http://archibase.net/archinews/13892.html

Oh, heard about this guy who was going around the city speaking only in Irish as project to see how people react. He said that folks are annoyed with him, or ignored him, or get things wrong. But from what the article depicted, it made city folks ignorant. Well, not really. I think most folks would think he was just a snotty, rich kid being smart-a**ed. If he came up to me, I would find him utterly rude. At least he should introduce to people what he is trying to do.

Discuss at IBC board.

East European, Asian and Portugeuse speakers wanted for multi-ethnic bank customers in Northern Ireland. I know Bank of Ireland provides leaflets for mulit-ethnic customers, but it would be great to have them servicing people as well. Unless there are banks that do.

Discuss at IBC Board.

Um, not sure about these stamps that celebrate the Year of the pig, lick and taste stamps! Um, yummy or plurgh.

It's one thing alot of industries are moving to China just because it's cheaper to run over there, but it's another thing to have recycled plastic rubbish being shipped to China. I saw the report on tv, and it's shocking to see rubbish which people have taken care of seperating for sake of the environment, ending up in a town in China. In this town, many people who work for pittance, are working in environments that are toxic. Everything is contaminated, the air, the river, and it's not surprisingly seeing children amongst the rubbish playing. Same on those companies, it's all legal, how can they sleep at night?

Discuss at IBC forum.

In Hong Kong, a 6 year old girl died after being dragged 50 metres by a Public light bus and got ran over. The dangers of public light buses in Hong Kong are well known, more experienced than documented officially.

People should be more careful getting off the bus, especially with children or elderly. And I do hope drivers be more patient, because they always seems to be in a hurry all the time, putting pedal to the metal as soon as you touch the pavement when getting off. Some use quite colourful language as well.

Discuss your views at IBC forum.

My fiancé pointed it out to me yesterday, the instant noodle creator died. My little brother loves the cup noodles.

Many a time instant noodles was our dinner when we don't have time to cook, this is not now, this was back years ago. Of course we don't just eat one brand all the time, we try many. I cannot remember all the names, but I think one of them is "Yat Ding", the one with a picture of a cartoon boy. Now you have instant rice noodles, macoroni etc...

What to do without them on those last nights after coming home late from work.

A fun read : http://www.dimsum.co.uk/food/confessions-of-a-noodle-freak.html

UPDATE:
Check out this comic.

Has anyone noticed the increase in Chinese medicine.herbal shops lately? There are two opposite each other on Grafton Street alone! There is at least one in shopping centres that I have been to, which includes Jetland shopping centre (Limerick) and Dundrum (Dublin).

From Panorama.dk's 2007 New year pics :

HK's panoramic pic at Lan Kwai Fong

Ok, nothing spectacular in HK, fireworks are normally reserved for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Happy, happy new year, everyone! Not much ringing in the new year at home, just spent it with family. May this year bring luck, happiness and good health to all.