The Lady

The Lady

Imagine this. 


One afternoon,  a group of badly wounded students flood in the hospital and spotting a student with a bleeding arm, you rush to give him emergency aid. A man in uniform grabs you from behind and tries to drag him out. 

'What? Don't you see he is bleeding?' 

'Let him go, or I will shoot you. Don't you see this red scarf? I have the right to shoot you!' 

And a gunshot was heard,  with your arm bleeding this time. 

This is what happened in the opening scene of The Lady where in Burma, soldier with red scarf can have the right to shoot anyone on the street. 

Witnessing this comes the moment for Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh) to decide in continuing her father's legacy to fight for democracy or to continue living as a peaceful, somewhat unenlightened, housewife life. 

Michelle Yeoh  in this movie has truly transformed herself from a more or less stereotypical Chinese kungfu star in Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon to the softly - spoken yet with intense inner strength 'Steel Orchid' - Aung San Suu Kyi.

Undaunted by soldiers' gun pointing, she passed through them without even lifting a look  - that shows not the slightest hint of arrogance but a simple civil disobedience that reminds me of Gandhi (whose biography was widely read in the movie by Suu Kyi  and other students). 

It was a pity for this great cast to have fallen into the hand of Luc Besson. Besson seems to be more apt to  direct film like the action - bursting Fifth Element but definitely not for this slow sentimental drama. 

The static house arrest and the dry bureaucratic exchange, along with the constant frustration of getting connected in either telephone line or radio, can hardly sustain the momentum of the movie, saved by occasional intensely sentimental exchanges between Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael. 

In any case, the causes, namely democracy and rule of law, that Aung San Suu Kyi fought for and has paid a dear price for doing so (years of solitude in house arrest and the pain of separation with Michael who can't even see her in his dying bed) are what you and me are enjoying now; that's we won't get punched or shot on the street by someone who wears red scarf. 

The Ides of March

The Ides of March

Two days ago, Henry Tang slacked off all the blame on the illegal basement to Mrs. Tang. "It's all my fault, not my husband" is what seems to be saying in Mrs.Tang's quiet weeping.

This total fisco just doubly proves how dirty the political world is, and that's what The Ides of March told us about. 

Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is the press secretary of Mike Morris (George Clooney), the governor of Pennsylvania and the Democrat presidential candidate. The story starts when Stephen, lacking political sensitivity, went out to meet the competitor's campaign manager. 

He belatedly told his boss, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) about the meeting but this honesty was not very much appreciated; Paul distrusted and fired him. That starts Stephen's revenge which eventually turned him into a soulless amoral person. 

This plot bespeaks a tragic moral fable. The most chilling scene is when Ida, the journalist who threatened Stephen to publish his meeting, came after Stephen has emerged unscratched by the scandal and asked him  'Hey, Steve. I'm still your friend, right?'

Without irony nor any emotion, he replied 'You are my best friend' - the ultimate descent to hypocrisy. 

George Clooney easily executed a relaxing judicious authority as what a governor should do. He listened to advices, asked the advisers and made his own mind. When asked about his view on capital punishment and what if the victim is his wife, he answered, without a moment of thinking, that he would kill the murderer.

Despite that, he is still against capital punishment, since 'The society must be better than the individual'. (Professor Choy has written a fantastic article on this here)

But this idealism is all too superficial when on the face of Stephen's threat, Morris simply gave up all his baselines. After all, a politician has no baseline in a political game, especially in an election running for the most powerful seat in the world.

In the political world, everything can be bought and sold for power; just like Henry Tang selling out his wife to continue running the CE election. 

THE SHINING

The Shining - Book Cover

Genre: Psychological horror 

Author: Stephen King 

Spoiler Warning: Minimal. 

Jack Torrance, a victim of a drunken father and battered family,  married with extremely emotionally sensitive Wendy to give birth to Danny, a child endowed with a highly charged psychic power. The story, The Shining, opens when this family moves into the Overlook Hotel, remotely located in mountain and is known to have a 'bad reputation'. 

Before moving, Jack, deep in alcoholism,  has lost his teaching job for assaulting one of his students and the Torrance family was on the verge of complete disintegration when Jack, in his drunken state, broke his son's arm for messing up his papers.

Hoping to get a fresh new start, Jack takes the caretaker job in the Overlook Hotel for winter. In the meanwhile, Danny's psychic power or 'shining' made him particularly susceptible to the supernatural foce in the Hotel; from the lady in room 217 to the unseen huge mask party in the ballroom. 

Wendy with her instinctual motherly love for Danny and her fear of increasing insanity from her husband, desperately wanted to get out and leave, but to no avail on the face of the greedy evil force in the Hotel. 

The relation between ghost and haunted memories/human weakness is like music and glass; when certain frequency of music resonates with glass, the latter breaks. In his last chance to decide leaving the Hotel or not, Jack simply let him get possessed by the evil force, since he can't bear losing the job again. 

Neither can he hold his thirst for alcohol anymore. When the bartender offered him the drinks (or hallucination?), Jack gave up and took it. One glass followed another until Hotel can possess him to swallow Danny and more importantly his psychic power. 

In this novel, Stephen King showed us that the greatest ghosts do not exists outside of us but in our psychological minds. 

A Reply to Minna Ho

The Locust Ads

First, I do not agree using 'locust' to pinpoint Mainlanders. According to the Oxford Dictionary, 'locust' refers to ' a large, mainly tropical grasshopper with strong powers of flight. It is usually solitary, but from time to time there is a population explosion and it migrates in vast swarms which cause extensive damage to vegetation.'

From this definition, I do not find it inappropriate to use 'locust' in a metaphorical sense to describe any person or any group of people that 'enter' into a territory for the purpose of scraping off the domestic welfare, causing extensive damage to the local population. It seems obvious 'double non' pregnant women and children fall within this definition. 

Second, I didn't pick on Minna Ho's article because of any personal hostility to her. On the contrary, it is precisely because her article is so well - written and so convincing that compels me to write this reply, in spite of my very amateurish understanding of politics and laws. (her article is available here)

In essence, her argument may be summed up in the following ways: 

1. The historical background behind the Basic Law and Article 24 has given the lawful right of abode to all children born in Hong Kong
2. Before and after 1997, Hong Kongers have also migrated to foreign places for better welfare, not just Mainlanders. 
3. The Hong Kong SAR government bears the responsibility for attracting Mainlanders. 

For the first point, we, the Hong Konger, never have the chance to vote in a referendum or through any other democratic processes on any part of the Basic Law during the Sino - British negotiation. The legality of their right of abodes does not imply their legitimacy. 

True, many Hong Kong families have migrated to other places but comparing Hong Kong's population size to Mainland, there must be more Chinese migrating than Hong Kongers. 

Further those who can afford to migrate are usually wealthy upper class, not the low - income families or the new couples in these 10 years. Why do the low - income families or new couples staying in Hong Kong have to suffer for what the rich minority has done (according to the logic in the article)?

Even if, we, Hong Kongers, did migrate for the sake of better welfare, so? What we have done is wrong does not mean the acts committed by 'double - nons' pregnant women are not wrong. They still bear the moral responsibility for consuming Hong Kong's welfare. 

The Hong Kong SAR government did permit Mainland pregnant women to come (for the moment) but it must be born in mind this government and our LegCo are never elected by universal suffrage. Strictly speaking, the government 's policies does not necessarily reflect our view. 

It remains to be seen whether Donald Tsang' s administrative measures will be working. Hopefully, the future government can have the gut to start the amendment process enshrined in article 159 of the Basic Law to eradicate the problem, once and for all. 

Hong Konger - British Dog with Dragon Tattoo

'Those who refuse to speak Mandarin, what kind of people are they? Bastard!' '

Yesterday the SCMP reports 'An ultra-leftist mainland academic branded Hong Kong people "running dogs of the British government" when commenting on a quarrel between Hong Kong and mainland passengers on an MTR train.' (news here)

This 'ultra - leftist mainland academic', 孔慶東 (Professor of Beijing University and alleged 73rd generation descendant of Confucius) added a number of points, saying 'All Chineses have the responsibility to speak Mandarin... Those who refuse to speak Mandarin, what kind of people are they? Bastard!' (video here)

On the attitude of the HK passenger in the MTR, he said 'I have never seen Hong Konger treating Hong Konger, American and Japanese like that.' 

The answer is simple. American, Japanese or British, born in the advanced democratic rule - bound society and taught with civilized western etiquette, respect the rules of the area and simply do not eat in the MTR, along with a number of other basic things: not jumping the line and not excreting or urinating on the street.

Ming Pao adds 'Commentators point out conflicts between Mainland and Hong Kong have deepened, showing integration measures have not been effective'. (news here)

The worry is we can't integrate with the Mainland. If we can't get along well, then don't. Why so anxious about it?

What Anson Chan, the former Chief Secretary for Administration, has said 11 years ago still stands ' Some are so concerned about integration that they seem to forget that our strength lies in the separation which is fundamental to the success of One Country Two System - not just Hong Kong but for China as well' (In Retrospect and Anticipation, the luncheon address to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center)

The whole point of OCTS is the distinctiveness that Hong Kong should enjoy, from capitalism and rule of law to Cantonese and Traditional Chinese, instead of integrating with the Mainland.

The Europeans have long realized the unfeasibility of unification and have abandoned the idea of the Holy Roman Empire 500 years ago (officially dead in 1806).

In the 21st century, Sinologists in China, finding the notions of class conflicts and Chinese nation inadequate to justify the imperial rule in Tibet and One China doctrine, are anxious to develop the  Tian Xia  (天下, literally 'under heaven') concept - a return to the good and old Chinese imperialism under the Qing Dynasty. ( a fantastic analysis is available here)

Florence in Italy has her harmoniously symmetrical Renaissance art while Venice developed her own colourful painting. Similarly Quebec in Canada had her own rich French culture while the rest of Canada speak English.

I do not see any conflict for a tourist to see the grandeur of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing while he can submerge into the classic Greco - Victorian architectural design of the Peninsula Hotel.

Perhaps 孔慶東 and China still stand where the Europeans have already moved along - that is 500 hundred years ago. They first want Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong to kowtow, and then the rest of the world.

Well, perhaps, 孔慶東 is right. Having been separate since 1842, we are dogs, the ones who learn rule of law from British but inherit the beautiful Traditional Chinese writing - British dogs with dragon tattoo.

Lost Language Found in China, 'a highly more advanced language than the existing Chinese', Expert said.

Oracle Bone Script

The news reports:

" Yesterday, a team of archeologists from the Oxford University has found a large stone slab in an island situated at the south coast of China, showing 'a highly more advanced language than the existing Chinese', said Dr. Liang, the head archeologist. 

The discovery, described in the Journal of Archeology, shows the first times that a lost civilization has once co - existed with the Chinese culture in the Mainland. 

'The characters are similar to Simplified Chinese but present greater complexity and far more beautiful pattern', said Tong Man - wu, the director of the Beijing - based National Calligraphy Institute 

That leads to the question - what caused the demise of this civilization? It was believed that colonization from the Mainland China has slowly replaced it with the present Simplified Chinese system. 'It's a pity', said Dr. Liang, 'It seems Chinese culture has gone backward'. "

Government Poster in Simplified
Chinese

The above report is a wholly invented news but it won't take long before you might really see it in the newspaper when we do not uphold the cores of Chinese culture - Traditional Chinese and Cantonese. 

All signs point to one direction: simplified (handicapped) Chinese is slowly encroaching into Hong Kong.   The media already reported the use of simplified chinese in government street signs at Sheung Shui. (news here) 

It can't be excused as blunder when another government poster used handicapped Chinese as well. (Picture on the right)


Another weapon that the Communist China employed to substitute Traditional Chinese and Cantonese is the huge exodus of Mainland Chinese. It is an horror to see from a government source that children whose parents are not Hong Konger have increased from 1.3% in 2001 to 36. 9% in 2010 (data below) - the beginning of the colonization. 

Birth Rate 

Nothing less is clearer when Stephen Lam, the Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, told us 'to look positively at the new influx of Chinese immigrants' who will prove to be 'new blood' of the population. (news here)

While Outer Mongolians use the Russian Cyrus character; Thailand adopts the Indian Sanskrit; English, French, German, Spanish and Italian share the Latin script, China develops her own beautiful Chinese characters - in which the illiterate peasant - classed Communist Chineses are quick to abandon.

In the movie The Flying Sword of Dragon Gate (龍門飛甲 ), the ancient Xi Xia characters (西夏文) in the stone slab have been so little known and so badly eroded by sand that they can hardly be recognized.

Not long, Traditional Chinese and Cantonese will become like Xi Xia language - destroyed and forgotten.

Cross Examination in the FB Gang Rape case

The Daily Cause List 

On 24 November last year, Apple Daily has reported a news on gang rape:

"【本報訊】 20歲學生涉嫌利用社交網站 facebook獵艷，接連兩日聯同四名朋友分別邀約五名未成年女網友飲酒狂歡，更用安眠藥當解酒丸將少女迷姦。其中一名 14歲女網友一夜間慘被男生及其三名男友人輪姦。男生強姦少女後竟向男友人叫喊：「喂！接棒吖！」"
(full news here, english version here)

The news report presents a neat story with clear plot line but the truth may have been far from it, with many questions left unanswered: 

• Who gave the sleeping pills to the girls? 
• Did each of them know the girls have taken the sleeping pills? 
• Did they honestly believe the girls were willing to have sex with them?

The answer for each of these question is a matter of life and death for each of the defendant. A conviction on rape can attract imprisonment for life while the maximum penalty for unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 is merely imprisonment for 5 years. 

During the cross - examination of D2 (Yeung Man - chung), his Counsel tried hard to lead him to admit indecent assault, a still lesser offence, and to create an impression that D2 was not aware of the others' acts. 

D1's Counsel, sensing this might be unfavorable to his client, questioned D2 on his knowledge of the girls at D2's home, so that D2 may also have the intention to participate the raping: 

D1's Counsel: ' In the police interview, you said you know the girl was at home with M (another D). Now here at court, you said you did not know the girl was there. Why do you contradict yourself?' 

D2: 'I was not sure at the time but later found that out'

D1's Counsel: 'So that means you've lied during the interview?' 

D2: 'No, I have just said the wrong things during the interview'. 

D1's Counsel went on to cross - examine D2 and questioned him why during the police interview, he had only his underwear when he got into the room but now at court, he said he has only changed to underwear after he got into his room. 

All in all, D1's Counsel is trying to persuade the jury that D2 knew the girl was at his home and that he has been ready to participate in the rape. 

Prosecutor, on her part, cast her net as wide as possible so that all Ds may have been liable. One strategy she employed is to charge them with conspiracy, so that all of them had consensus to set up a plan for raping the girls. In particular, she asked D4 about the drug: 

Prosecutor: 'Have you heard about the drugs for absolving alcohol (解酒丸)?' 

D4: 'Yes, I do.' 

Prosecutor: 'Where have you heard of them? From other Ds?'

D4: 'I knew about them from other friends and from TV as well. I have seen girls in bars taking them'

Prosecutor: 'At the time, do you believe the drugs are for absolving the alcohol' 

D4: 'Yes, I do'

This part of cross - examination fits into her overall strategy on the conspiracy charge and also tried to disprove D4's alleged knowledge on the drug; D4 should have known those drugs are, in fact, sleeping pills (and may have intended to lure the girls taking them for the purpose of raping them)

Cross examination is much more interesting when the 5 defendants engaged in what is known as 'cut - throat' defence - i.e. each D incriminate the other co - accused Ds for committing the crime.

D4, for example, alleged in the court that during the police interview, he tried to reduce liability by telling a false version to the police, one in which he substituted into the role of M who has sexual intercourse with one of the girls. The M's counsel will try hard to disprove this claim and find the contrary evidence during the cross examination. 

Cross - examination is the process where each lawyer will try to advance their argument for the benefits of their clients. It can hardly be a way to find the truth, as most people might believe.

* All proceedings are, of course, conducted in Cantonese. Above is all my English translation from Cantonese. 

When friendship burns - A reflection on 天與地 (When heaven burns)

Yan in When Heaven Burns

Despite all the noise and buzz on 天與地 (When Heaven Burns), let's boil it down to one theme: friendship.

Through music, they meet and through band, they form friendship. They clash and they reconcile. During a snowstorm,however, something happened that will crack an irreconcilable gap in their friendship; they ate Ka Ming, their best friend, to survive.

From this onward, they depart, which is not unusual. After all, you won't like to meet someone who knows you have eaten another human.

Life is like a pendulum. When you go to one end, the pendulum will swing back to another extreme. 鼓佬 (Joe) attempts to redeem his sin by living like an ascetic monk and fighting for the interests of workers. It's precisely this that he is destined to fail.

鼓佬's mentor 泉叔 (Kong Chiu Chuen), acting as his moral guardian, tries to guide him to the right path. He is fighting for  justice and welfare of workers, not to redeem his own sin.

Inevitably they clash when 鼓佬 runs for the legislative council's seat. He has shifted his attention to achieve success through whatever means; he is representing himself, not the workers. His final break with his moral guardian 泉叔 thus signals another phase of his life - 鼓佬 will swing from an ascetic monk to a unscrupulous career - seeker.

Instead of helping other people, 黑仔 (Angus) anesthetize himself by committing even more crimes. He manipulates women, lures people to play risky stock market index and then loan - sharks to them. Rather similar as 鼓佬, he has swung to another extreme after semi - liberate himself from his own guilt.

Only one person has stay unchanged: Yan (/Hazel, 葉梓恩). She does seem to waver and distrust people when it reveals her 3 best friends lied and have eaten her her boyfriend Ka Ming. A disillusioned woman with the exact same name 葉梓恩 has changed her mind. After being released from the prison, that woman killed her husband who has abandoned her before.

Yan knows she will be gotten into the same scenario if she continue to distrust and remain skeptical of everything. She will run into the same dead - end and get disillusioned.

鼓佬 and 黑仔 have always been the two oscillating forces. Ronnie got trapped in this field of force and was unable to move. Both of them love Yan; when they got rid of Ka Ming, partly on survival instincts and perhaps partly on jealousy, they will be destined to clash - not necessarily for love, but definitely to outcompete for the sake to outcompete.

Each with their clashing personalities, fate has driven them to meet after 18 years. Their friendship burns not to glow, but to get self - destructed into ashes. 

Movie Review: 龍門飛甲 (The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate)

The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate

Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Chen Kun, Kwai Lun - mei and Li Yu - chun
Overall: 7.5/10
Spoiler Warning: Minimal. 

Continuing his theme in Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame last year,  Tsui Hark in The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate tells us one simple truth: power corrupts and perishes while trust and love, the Wuxia values, last.

In contrast to the all too realistic fighting in Ip Man, you'll see swords, flying daggers, chains and sharp silk lines whirling in the air. As Wuxia master, Chow Wai - on (Jet Li) elegantly fights with sword, while the devious Eunuch Yu Hua - tian (Chen Kun) hides his sword under his flipping robe. 

Still the beautiful Tartars Princess (Kwai Lun-mei) close - fights with a style akin to the Mongolian wrestling and also fights with a crescent that again tries to engage enemies as closely possible. Further, Gu Shaotang (Li Yu - chun) threw daggers that fly in a predictably unpredictable course. 

All these are done under the 3D effect which is not great, but acceptable. The 3D is still crude and undeveloped and it can hardly accomodate all the spinning and swirling of weapons and people. Nevertheless it does give some eye - opening surprises, particularly when Chow broke through the flag to kill  the Eunuch at the opening. 

Despite the martial art and the 3D effect, the plot is so weak that it renders all the characters as two - dimensional flat sheets. We never really know what has happened in the love story between Chow and Ling Yan - qiu (Zhou Xun), nor do we know how others have come together for the treasure hunt. 

Fortunately this did not stop Chen Kun playing the scheming Eunuch on one hand, and the blissful Wind Blade, on the other. The parts where Chen imitated the Eunuch to fool other people has added much lively element in the middle of the movie. Kwai has also unusually plays well the passion of the Tartars people.

Tsui interestingly put the very traditional Wuxia music, Dagger Society Prelude (小刀會序曲), at the opening and closing scenes, perhaps at a tribute to old Wuxia movies. 

The movie ends with the Eunuch, symbolizing lust for power and wealth, buried deep in the sand, while Chow has taken his turn to find his love, Ling, till the end of the world. In the world of Wuxia, love is perennial. 

The Story of Nutcracker

My collection of nutcrackers 

During Christmas, Santas Claus, Christmas trees, bells and the three wise men begin to appear on the streets and we all know where they originate from. How about nutcrackers? Where do they come from? That's the question. 

The historical origin of nutcracker is quite murky. Before the present - day soldiers and kings,  nutcrackers has existed in many forms and many have indeed been beautifully crafted into wooden sculpture. It is said that one times in a German village, a group of soliders have done grave injustice but unable to do anything more, the villagers crafted soldiers as nutcrackers to ridicule them.

In another source, the Dictionary of Brother Grim (authors of Grim Fairy Tales), described nutcrackers as 'a misshaped little man whose opened mouth, or lever, broke open the nut'. It is without question, however that William Fuchtner was the first to commercialise the nutcrackers production. 

The Nutcracker from Hong Kong Ballet 

It has eventually found its way in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by the greatest German fantasia writer, E.T.A Hoffmann. The story begins with Marie receiving a nutcracker from her grandfather, Drosselmeier. At night, she hears noise and is surprised to find her dolls fighting against the mice, with the nutcracker as the commander. She later learnt that the nutcracker was, in fact, the man who has sacrificed to save her life.


Though the story itself is rather plain, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the great Russian composer who has also written scores for The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, adopted the story into a two - act ballet. I have watched the one produced by Hong Kong Ballet with Liu Yu - yao playing Sugar Plum Fairy and Huang Zhen as Nutcracker Prince.

Though never an artist nor a musician, I still find every act in ballet dance always full of grace. In one move, Liu spins spectacularly with only her toes on the ground. The movie Black Swan made me to pay even more respect for all the hard work that ballet dancers have put into the performance.

The music, though composed at the end of 19th century, is never out of date. I especially like Dance Of The Reed Pipes where the lively tone is accompanied by elegant dance of a group of delicate ballet dancers.

Nutcrackers remain to be our favorite decoration in Christmas. It is also my favorite collection of figures and the above picture has shown part of my collection. What it symbolizes, however, is not only the rich European culture but also the fun and joy that Christmas brings to everyone.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Postscript

As a little digression, Hoffmann has written better story in The Sander which is adopted as Coppélia ballet by Arthur Saint-Léon and Léo Delibes. The father of the little Nathanael told him that children who don't sleep at night will receive a visit by the legendary Sandman who steal their eyes to feed his own sons.  Nathanael came to associate his father's nightly visitor, Coppelius, as the Sandman. In one night, his  father died because of an explosion in an alchemist experiment with Coppelius, who then vanished without a trace.

After years, he found another man called Coppola and recalled his childhood fear of the Sandman when this Coppola offers to sell  'pretty eyes! pretty eyes!' which turns out to be telescope. Nathanael bought one to look at a young woman Olimpia opposite his house who was beautiful but rather emotionless and mechanical.

The mysterious beauty in Olimpia's eyes made Nathanael so totally obsessed that he eventually proposed to her. To his shock, he sees Coppola fighting with Spalanzani, the guardian of Olimpia. Coppola fled, carrying Olimpia under his arms. Spalanzani revealed to Nathanael that Olimpia was, in fact, a machine created by Spalanzani to fool other people with his impressive creation. Nathanael collapsed.

It was revealed Coppola was Coppelius. In his madness, Nathanael saw Coppelius on the street, shouted 'pretty eyes! pretty eyes!' and jumped down.

The summary here is grossly simplified and I strongly recommend everyone (especially lovers of Edgar Allan Poe) to read Hoffmann's words. This story show his ability to explore human psychology so ingeniously that Freud  has devoted a whole essay, The Uncanny, to analyze the theme of 'eye' as man's fear of castration. 

"Life will go on as it has always gone on – that is, badly." - Animal Farm

Animal Farm

In Animal Farm, Benjamin, the donkey,  said enigmatically 'Life will go on as it has always gone on – that is, badly.' At the end, the animals overthrew Mr. Jones; pigs rule; Napoleon became the supreme leader; then things went on as usual as before the overthrow of Mr. Jones - that is badly and yet along with another equally enigmatic principle: 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than the others.' 

This principle applies with the same force, unfortunately, to Hong Kong. We are promised with universal suffrage in the Basic Law. We are promised that 'river water won't mix well with well water'. We are promised with One Country Two Systems. We hold great hope for our future.

Now Beijing delayed universal suffrage till 2017. The media exposed two 'independent' district councillors to have belonged to the Communist nomenclature. Votes come from a flat of 13 voters with 7 surnames. Most of us are equal; some are more equal when they can vote for the next CE in the 1200 members Election Committee.

The article Two Systems Becoming One: The 2047 Timetable by Suzanne Pepper ominously predicts that the development is still at an early stage. Eventually the Hong Kong district councillors system will nicely fit into the People's Congress System that also has grassroots foundations.

As I said previously, the Communist Chinese genes have their way to filter through. They then begin to reproduce in mass number, until every sperm and egg become red. 

Last Thursday, Professor Choy has written an insightful article saying when this city dies, a diagnosis will find silence and indifference as the causes. He cited a quote from Dante; 'The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality'. In short, we are all accomplices. (article here)

Hong Kong is not Banana Republic, springing from nowhere. It is an international city with rule of law that we all cherish. If we all stay silent as Professor Choy said, this city is not dying. It is dead.

After all, Benjamin is only half - right. Life will not go on as it has always gone - that is badly. Life will only go on worse but for our neutrality. 

Movie Review: The Adventures of Tin Tin: Secret of the Unicorn

Tin Tin and Snowy

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Jamie Bell (as Tin Tin), Daniel Craig (as Red Rackham), Andy Serkis (as Captain Haddock)
Overall: 7/10
Spoiler Warning: Minimal

Born in Brussels, Tin Tin is a young intelligent journalist who undauntedly goes up to space and down to the ocean for the quest of truth. Unlike the flying batman, swinging spiderman or the ultra muscular superman, Tin Tin possesses no special talent but his insatiable curiosity and enormous courage to find the truth. This pretty much represents the down to earth Greco-European culture, in stark contrast with the vulgar American culture

It is then ironical for Spielberg, the all famous American director, to breath new life into Tin Tin from Hergé's renowned two dimensional ligne claire into three dimensional quasi - animation.

Spielberg and Peter Jackson produce an animation so realistic that it can't really be called an animation. The use of performance/motion capture technique (or mocap) literally captures the live movement of Jamie Bell (as Tin Tin) and Daniel Craig (as Red Rackham) that melts effortlessly into the animated background. It is  also a delight to see how the computer - generated water react realistically with the computer - generated cloth in the movie. 

The Star Wars saga music composer John Williams (another American) has also appropriately departed from his grandiose style in Star Wars and Harry Potter and has instead incorporated many lively elements. The musical theme accompanying the appearance of Thomson and Thompson is particularly relieving and can be a perfect piece of atmospheric music in a lazy afternoon.

The only drawback, as a lover of Tin Tin since as a child in Montreal, is that everything is real, all too real. The realness achieved by mocap is itself the greatest defect that renders one of Tin Tin's most famous characteristics; namely the two dimensional ligne claire void.

After all, it's not so ironical for an American to make an essentially European cultural icon into movie; the Europeans create the culture, only left to the Americans to destroy and (hopefully) remake. 

The Chinese Selfish Gene

Chinese Selfish Gene

Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins argue, as its title speaks for itself, every gene is inherently selfish. The cultural parallel of a gene is meme where a unit of idea can spread from one generation to another through writing, speech or even gesture.

An interesting example of meme is when a macaque, the red - face Japanese monkey, has learnt to wash a potato and then season it in salty water. Others started to copy him and then this trait even passed from one generation to another.

The Chinese race has its own selfish gene. 2000 years of dynastic rule ingrain people with a sense of obedience. This meme is so strong that it not only imprints into the Chinese gene but has passed to the Chinese generation in the 21st century. If you understand that, then you won't be surprised to see the news saying a man not daring to utter a sound when he witnessed his wife is beaten and raped by a police (news here). After all, just stay obedient and silent. 

Another characteristic of the Chinese selfish gene is the stress on collectivity. When the Westerner first came to China in early centuries, they were amazed by the immense irrigation system that the Chinese collectively built. It's almost a cruel irony when it is precisely this collectivity that achieve the greatest selfishness. A collective love for everyone means a love reserving for no one (just like collective responsibility means no one is responsible)

This is the reason why the 18 bystanders in Foshan can stay unmoved when they saw a 2 year old girl get ran over two times by vans. (news, here and video, here) After all, who cares? Someone will take care of that.

In 1949 October 1, this gene has mutated into the Communist China, inheriting all the dynastic meme and continuing to spread them under the name of 'people 's dictatorship'.  This gene does have strong adaptability. 

Hong Kong fortunately has been purified with some rule of law and has been taught with some more civilized meme. But after 1997, this Chinese gene and has found its way to filter through to invade. Let's stay vigilant against it. 

Why I am so Smart (or so Stupid)

Why I am so smart and so stupid 

The news on this Wednesday reported a child at fifth grade primary school (P5) hid in the toilet for a long time. The Filipino helper knocked on the door. Silence. After 10 minutes, A cry was heard. It was found out the child had jumped out from the window and died. (news here)

He is the fifth victim since this September, joining the other four students who also jumped down the building to suicide. (source here)

Despite school works, children commits themselves (willingly or unwillingly) to extra - curricular activities that completely fill up their schedules. The child in the news studied at China Kei Wan Primary School (中華基督教會基灣小學)  - not only a famous Band 1 school but also one that requires every student to learn at least one musical instrument or to join some form of activities outside of school.

Parents' cares start when the children are just babies. You will notice that when the TV keep showing funny ads on how the phD milk powder can enhance child's brain development (does that mean the one who don't get it will become brainless because of little development?). I can't stand the one interviewing the parents why they trust the brand for making the feaces soft; I mean who cares?

Their cares do not stop but reaches till university. It's amusing to read how Professor Choy talks about the 'Monster Parents' during the student information day in the Chinese University. In one demonstration of science experiment, parents participated, made notes, video - recorded it and then show it to their children at home. (article here) I wonder, who is the student? The parents or the children?

In fact, I found it funny when I happened to join a trip to visit the organic farms and a staff was showing how to make cookies, the man beside me, holding his 2 year - old child, translate all the procedures into English for him.

Unfortunately (or rather fortunately), I don't have all these opportunities to learn during my childhood. I was sick for most of the times and so staying at home was big part of my life. When I was not sick, i went out to play, throw snowball or make snowman.

In Halloween, I disguised as vampire and played trick or treat in the neighborhood. I would have a large bag of candies that took me around a month to finish it.

Now I am in my 3rd year, studying Government and Laws Degree in the Hong Kong University. 

Why I am so smart or so stupid? Because I didn’t take any phD, DHA or β-Glucan milk powder when I was small. Or does it matter? 

Why I feel disappointed to Alan Leong

Alan Leong doing a radio programme in his Chambers office

The curtain for DC election has been drawn with the Civic Party (CP) losing 4 seats, leaving 7 seats. Party leader Alan Leong explained the 'smear tactics'  and the overwhelming power of the Central Liaison Office in planting votes and unleashing the mechanism's mobilisation have caused this election failure.

Further, if district works remains to be snake banquet, it would prove wholly impossible for a CP  district councillor (DC) in another profession (lawyers, engineers) to stay in the district for up to 10 hours a day. 

Alan Leong has been my mentor and inspirator. In 2011 March 1, it has been an awakening when he told me ' Rule of law is the hallmark of Hong Kong. Without it, Hong Kong is no different than one of the many Chinese cities'. His charisma as guardian of the rule of law has caught me but his explanation to the failure  of election caused me unease.

The CP and news media widely attributed the low - voting rate to the party's support to the two controversial legal issues in the right of abode for foreign helpers and environmental permits for the Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao bridge (HKZM bridge). But really? 

Professor Choy Chi - keung (蔡子強) has rightly pointed out these merely act as excuses for the fact that the CP has never been keen in working at the constituent district. It is also at odds when Alan Leong confessed the impossibility for a CP DC to stay a long time in the district when this is what DC exactly does - to serve the people in the district as a full profession, not a part - time job. (Professor Choy has written a number of articles on this, the most recent is here)

It is the sad political reality that people do not realize rules in laws. First a barrister has no choice but to represent a client for a field he is competent at. This is the cab - rank - rule to ensure fairness, so even a powerless person can get a lawyer. So CP did not tell Philip Dykes SC to represent Chu Yee - wah in the HKZM bridge. Legal duty obliges Dykes to represent her for the sake of the rule of law, so even the powerless minority can get a lawyer.

Also the Court decides whether to accept a judicial review, not the CP, as Ronny Tong explained in our lecture. The Court accepts the review only when the matters concern the public. Denouncing judicial review is equivalent to denouncing fairness of the Court.

Secondly even CP member Gladys Li represents Vallejos, so? Barrister acts independently. No one can force a barrister to do something unwilling.

Sadly people don't take time to understand all that. Or rather, they don't need to. Dislike is dislike. They'll show it in the votes. (Shih Wing Ching 施永青 here has said exactly what people erroneously think). Perhaps Chip Tsao (陶傑) is right; rule of law? Nothing. People just dislike Filipinos. (article here)

CP must either explains the laws to the people or to bend to the reality. For the former, the CP has not done much, except one or two appearance in news. For the latter, Alan Leong has partially done so when he made a partial retreat in clarifying the CP's position of not supporting the coming of Filipinos into Hong Kong.

I fully support Alan Leong to fight for the rule of law in Hong Kong. But I am deeply disappointed how he has led the party.

It is time when Alan Leong and CP must drop down the overt elitism and work more in the district. It is time for CP to help people unlearning the unenlightened (DAB's) welfarism and to help them learning what rule of law is. 

'Voting not required'

'Voting not required'

The Hong Kong media keeps reporting on a CE election that 99.9826% of the Hong Kong population can not vote (alternatively, an election that only 0.0174% of the population can vote),  while the election by universal suffrage in District Council receives scant attention.

When you receive a post saying 'voting not required', you'll understand why the media has done so. While the CE election is choosing the best of the worst, still, some gossip here or there (funny claim that CY 梁振英 beat his wife or 感情缺失 by Henry Tong - what do you mean?)  provide topics during tea - time.

For DC election, what do you have? Well, talking how many candidates get elected automatically. 76, most of them either DAB/LP or other covert pro - China independents/parties. The end of topic.

Ma Ngok said politics in districts become mere 'interest dispensation' (here). By this, he means the 'snake banquet' or the 'seafood trip' offered by the DAB.

From my experiences working at DAB last summer, it works like this: Having finished the seafood banquet lunch for 50 dollars (HK), the people, old or middled aged, were taken by travel bus straight to the Victoria Park - to support the Constitutional Reform Package in 2010.

Most 'iron votes' for DAB come from places where immigrants newly arrive. DAB works hard to attract their votes by organizing activities and improving the districts (well, as minor as removing two dogs on the streets - hugely celebrated in banners on the road) through the generous unknown fund of 4 million dollar. But do not forget they are also the most vocal against new immigrants from China in 1999,  against Chinese pregnant women and now against Filipino.

Treasure the vote in your hand. NPCSC's decision in 2007 held Hong Kong 's CE election in 2017 may be implemented by universal suffrage. I hope no one will ever receive a 'voting not required' post at that time. 

'Don't shoot me' , pleaded Muammar Gaddafi on 20 October 2011

'Don't shoot me'

'Don't shoot me' is the last words of the 42 - year ruler of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi.

Reports can 't even agree how Gaddafi gets killed. Some said he was shot dead by one soldier. Others said he was beaten to death. A video shows the surrounding people pushed Gaddafi around and beat him with boots - an act of extreme humiliation reserved for slaves and prostitutes in Arab culture. Already half covered in blood, Gaddafi stumbled, fell down, pleaded his last words 'Don't shoot me'. 

What is confirmed is his public display in a freezer, not in a crystal coffin like Mao. The purpose, according to the authority, is to let the public views his dead body to confirm his death and this attracted people driving hundreds of mile to view it. This is the destiny of a leader who ruled Libya for more than 40 years. 

What does it mean? It's a triumph of people. The Jasmine Revolution shows dictatorship regime is like tofu, collapse by the slightest exertion of pressure, either internally or externally. It shows the power of the people in overthrowing a regime of dictatorship.

This is not a mere orthodoxy because I heard people around me saying it was Americans who stirred up all the trouble. In fact, it was America who lost out the most for losing Gaddafi, a stable ally, for providing steady supply of oil. While NATO did orchestra air strike campaigns, it is the people, armed with nothing but dignity, who started the revolution. Those who denies this capacity of people speak with their Qing pigtails still on their heads.

This triumph, however, is not spotless. The ways Gaddafi died left a deep black hole in this triumph. It amounts to a disgrace to how people, in the midst of euphoria, can humiliate and execute a helpless human, like cats ripping open a struggling rat.

What will the future be depends on people. With this displayed cruelty, Chip Tsao (陶傑) humorously commented that Libya will need her colonial lover, Italy, to bring back some democracy, instead of following the old unenlightened path of tribalism and racism (the article is available here)

His idea is not without merits. Only through genuine representative democracy, Libya can achieve a better future. 

Pacman: Strategies

Pacman is a deceptively simple game.

The four corners and the bottom line are the most dangerous places.

You guide the pacman inside a maze to eat all the 244 pellets and avoid the four ghosts. When you eat one of the power pellets at the four corners of the maze, the ghosts turn blue and you can revenge by eating them back. 

Pacman has a clearly advantage that the ghosts never have; it is controlled by a superb human mind. You can move left or right and up or down. You can reverse direction and predict the ghosts' movement  (as long as you know their psychology, discussed below). The ghosts are programmed to move in one direction. While you have the false feeling of getting chased by one of the ghosts, keep calm, reverse the direction and you'll find yourself safe.

Pacman can out - run Clyde

Further, Pacman runs faster than ghosts. On the left, even when Clyde is chasing right at your back, you can be confident you can out - run him.  The ghosts immediately slow down when they enter the two side - tunnels at the middle but Pacman is immune from this penalty.




Only under one circumstance Pacman has no way to escape: concerted attack by 2 or more ghosts.

You can prevent this from happening by not going to areas where there are little escape routes. The four corners and the bottom line are the most dangerous place and you should eat the pellets there only when the ghosts are scattered or you can catch a timely power pellet.

There is always a way out

When you find yourself under attack though, again, don't panic and keep calm. Observe their movements, and more than often you can find your way out. On the left, you still have an escape route, even when blinky and pinky are trying catch you from both fronts. 

Know your enemies: blinky, pinky, inky and clyde. Blinky is the most aggressive and will chase you to death when he has decided to do so. Pinky can either act independently or more often work with Blinky to make a concerted attack.

From left to right: Clyde, Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Pacman

From my experience, Inky is the least predictable because she might sometimes chase you like Blinky or might just wander off. Most of the times, he seems to just frighten you off. Clyde is the least dangerous because of his targeting scheme. He only chases Pacman when it happens to have come close to him. The beauty of their psychology is sometimes they are predictably unpredictable and at other times, unpredictably predictable.

Arming with this knowledge, you won't stay long when Blinky and Pinky are together and going to box you in. When Inky chases you alone, you won't feel threatened, since she usually unpredictably wanders off. It shouldn't be a problem to avoid Clyde, but just beware he is as dangerous when he cooperates with his other three colleagues.

Lastly, there are areas where the ghosts can easily gang rape you. I have mentioned the four corners and the bottom line. One commentary holds the two connecting side - tunnels are safe for Pacman because he is immune from the speed - down penalty. However very often, the ghosts can easily entrap you from both sides.

One safe zone is the area around the ghost house where there are 6 escape routes, making it harder to for ghosts to trap you.

I hope some of the strategies and techniques mentioned here can be a guide for all beginner to enjoy playing one of best game in the world - Pacman.

Rule of Law in China = Battered Lawyers

Rule of Law in trash 

'Arrogantly make a fool of yourself because others are but mere humans and you the Barrister, is the enlightened Supreme Being' said my mentor.

This is certainly true where the rule of law reigns. Where her sovereignty ceases, lawyers become battered hopeless creature (if not be too exaggerating to borrow from Hobbes - living in solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short life).

This Tuesday, a criminal defense team of four lawyers in Guangxi has been arrested for suborning perjury (i.e. inciting clients or witnesses to commit perjury.) Briefly, they spotted holes and inconsistencies in the prosecution's accrued evidence against four defendants involving death case.

It is suspected the local government in Beihai, eager to keep the record - breaking report card in resolving homicide cases, attempted to silence them through these arrests. (The full news can be read here - Chinese version or here - the English version)

This amounts to a public showcase to how China see the law - as a maid to the executive expediency when a shining report - card can trash over innocence of four men, plus another four lawyers. When law serves as the executive's extended arm, no one's rights are guaranteed, not even the lawyers, let alone the people.

What is ironical is when Premier Wen said in last month at Da Lian that the party must separate from politics and law to prevent absolute corruption flowing from the absolute power. What the Beihai government now has done seem to slap right on Premier Wen's face.

Last month, a draft of amendment to Criminal Procedure Law has proposed to add 99 more articles (from 225 to 285), relating to rule of evidence, coercive measures, criminal defense and representation, investigative measures, trial procedures, enforcement and special proceeding. What the Beihai government now has done has shredded those papers into trash.

Rule of law is not empty words, along with a speech from this or that official (not even Premier Wen's speech can be counted on). Rule of law at least mean an independent judiciary and a group of lawyers who don't need to be afraid of get beaten this day, and arrested the next.

Even if the words on paper prima facie ensure protection for victims, like the additional grand proposed 99 articles, how do we know they are followed? The police can still happily stand a strong light against the 'witness' for hours until coercing a 'desired' statement, without letting anyone know.

We can't hold any complacency here in Hong Kong. Do not forget our small island constitute an 'unalienable part' of this imperial empire. Following the precedence from Ng Ka Ling, NPCSC's arm has again successfully encroached Hong Kong's rule of law in the Congo case. Space here does not allow a full explanation but in essence, NPCSC rules Hong Kong will be governed by absolute immunity, in contrast to restrictive immunity practiced by the common law world, marking another blow to Hong Kong's autonomy under One Country Two Systems.

I have recently finished reading a book on 1911 Revolution and realize revolution is not just about Sun Yat-sun but the people. It is the people who made history. Now, we, and the four arrested lawyers are part of the history in retaining the rule of law. 

"I was really afraid" - Donald Tsang

"When the egg was thrown at me, I was really afraid"

"I was really afraid" (Donald Tsang 2011) should become a golden quote, commemorating how afraid he really was when Long Hair threw the egg on him. 

It is almost a cliché to recount how George Bush has reacted to the (two) shoes thrown at him. He avoided 2 times and afterwards joked: "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe at that he threw." No matter how much I dislike this cowboy, what he said has certainly cracked a smile from me. 

Another cliché to recount is our dear Terminator - Arnold Schwarzenegger who also get thrown by egg and said "This guy owes me bacon now. You can't have egg without bacon". This sense of humour has defied his robotic image from the Terminator. 

Now in Hong Kong, we did not fall behind. We have Donald Tsang saying "I was really afraid" when he visibly (and should also expectedly, as happened many times before) see Long Hair throwing the egg at him, from such a distance in the new Legislative Council, and was really afraid. This strikes a sense of humour as much as the cowboy and the Terminator, well in another way. 

What kind of people produces what kind of things. A timid Donald Tsang produces a timid proposal; one that lacks a planning, a vision. The only effect I can see in giving every senior a 2$ ride for MTR and bus is giving them a chance to make more living by crossing several more districts, then collecting some more old cans and free newspapers for sale.  

What I want is not some cheap acts of mercy but a complete review and implementation of a pension scheme for all retired old people. What I and everybody in Hong Kong want is a vision. 

Donald Tsang does not need visions anyway. He proudly said he has worked in the government for 44 years. Yes, a 44 years of working in close door and taking instruction from the seniors (and in these recent 7 years, from China). 

Now he is leaving. His legacy is certainly impressing; his golden quote "I was really afraid", along with a whole bundle of problems. 

Let's hope the next CE will bring Hong Kong a vision.