Yatsen
September 30, 2005
Disney HK
Hong Kong truly is a fashion capital of Asia with clothing styles that easily situate the city against Paris, Tokyo and NYC. But the recent opening of HK Disneyland, notwithstanding the continual local criticism (i.e, environmental, overcrowded parks, employee treatment, rude mainland Chinese and claims of government collusion), has spawned a questionable trend on MTR billboards and fashion ads that - even from the originating country of all things Disney - I'm not sure I can understand.
The sight of a five-month baby in some Mickey Mouse PJs, a three-year old in a Winnie the Pooh bathing suit or even a "Disney" shirt worn by a much older individual during a day at a respective Disney World is fine, but why buy a cell-phone with mouse ears at 35? Or how about wearing a designer Minnie Mouse shirt to work at 50?
Is this supposed to be cool? I say, "Fight the Mouse!" :)
September 29, 2005
Tones
Last Friday, my Chinese listening teacher reviewed the four-part tonal structure of Mandarin Chinese in relationship to the solfege method of voice instruction (do, re, mi, etc.). Although I'd heard and practiced tones (in and our of class) for two years previously, this was the first time I'd encountered an explicit connection between tones and music theory.
Today I came across the topic again in another fashion. Causing daily wanton disruption in my first year Chinese class (i.e., bringing in the most complicated grammar point I can find, while the rest of the class is learning to say, "This is Monday."), the director finally recommended two extensive comparative English/Chinese grammars to keep me busy. Here I was delighted to find a continuing discussion of tonal structures in music notation.
The above is taken from Yuen Ren Chao's A Grammar of Spoken Chinese. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1968. It would be interesting to learn how to sing - or at least take a course in chord structures in - Chinese melodies as an additional way of understanding the language.
HKU Fencing
An advertisement for the fencing club that I often study while eating dinner.
September 28, 2005
CapitalOne
I don't wish the "CapitalOne Platinum" experience on anyone.
It is a poor time to have your credit card denied when you are loaded down with linens at IKEA. It is poorer still when you are no where near your limit and your apartment is on the other side of the Island. It isn't the I don't appreciate the database server's paternalism in blocking my account. If I had lost my card - or my credit card number had been stolen - it would be timely and welcome.
But before arriving in HK, I spoke at length with a kindly gentleman in an Indian call-center about my plans to move to HK "until August of 2007" and the need to have access to my credit line in this location.
Bush At Hour
A classmate in my Cultural Semiotics class carries a picture in her wallet of George W. Bush at the moment he is told about the second plane flying into the World Trade Center. When I asked her why, she said, "I like the picture and the look of strength and leadership on his face."
The idea of a Hong Kong citizen - on the other side of the world - with a picture of my president at this critical moment makes me pause. It makes the response to 9/11 a more universal cultural experience, like the preview for a movie of two Japanese tourists in America on 9/11 that played on TV here in Hong Kong.
But the picture itself - made famous by Michael Moore - creates links to a "War on Terror", to an Iraq and Afghanistan, marches on Washington, to thousands of Chinese students unable to gain student VISAs, Abu Grahab, international animosity, ballooning deficits and Americans traveling abroad claiming to be Canadian...
and still now to this pink wallet, held in the hand, of a Hong Kong English teacher.
"One day I will get it laminated," she said.
September 27, 2005
Rhymers Club
In my past two years of teaching at SHUFE, once a week a group of my best writing students gathered with myself - and later, Dave - at Chartres - a local restaurant off campus (between SHUFE and Fudan).
Here we ate dinner and drank tea, sharing bits of poetry and fiction, while discussing and arguing over elements of Chinese and American culture. Sometimes these meetings lasted from after class at 5:05 to 10 o'clock at night. We even had a reserved table! We called the group, the "Rhymers Club" - named after W. B. Yeats' group who met at the Cheshire Cheese in London, during the late 19 century.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, several members of the old group will start meeting again. Also, Dave has set up a web-blog where they - and myself from Hong Kong - will continue to write and argue and discuss differences between Eastern and Western culture. 
The meetings with these students came to represent my most fruitful and postive encounters with China.
More Rhymers Club pictures are available here.
September 26, 2005
Teeth & Honey
This honey-colored product summons a hive of bees...
to remove plaque, strengthen gums and pollinate your teeth. :)
September 25, 2005
"Fake Beggars"
Shanghai Dave writes here about the publication of Shanghai's recent "Recognizing Phonies" guide to help Shanghai citizens tell the difference between "real" and "fake" beggars. The guide was also summarized and run in last month's South China Morning Post. The issue I have is that the guide succeeds in listing as possible ploys or tricks (i.e., a student, a monk, a pregnant woman, a destitute old lady, loss of husband to suicide, disease, amputation, etc.) every legitimate reason a person could have for needing to beg in the first place.
When I think of the regular faces and bodies I saw lying prostrate in the sweltering heat and bitter cold of Shanghai Railway Station everyday for two years - fake or not - I'm not jaded enough to remain unmoved.
WIR: Week in Review
This last week was perhaps my most difficulty week in Hong Kong. The apartment has been found and set up (almost), the classes begun and I've even found inexpensive places to eat. But I've discovered I'm the only non-local student in my classes and the desire to talk to and share the experience of coming to a new place iwith another similar individual is overpowering. Met some students from Fudan during movie nights at the Graduate House, but still haven't made contact with many other foreigners like myself. I've been attending a lot of additional lectures on campus and have taken part in activities with the Ramblers and PGSA, but don't feel either of these groups is the place for me either.
What I would like most is to find a group of students to go with to the bar and have a beer!
Perhaps next week...
Hair Cut
The rain continues here all weekend, leaving me only short periods to run out, go to the ATM, buy food, drinks and get my haircut! The wasn't my first haircut experience in HK, but at least this time the barber didn't make me look Korean. :)
I found what I believe is the cheapest barber on the hill (30 HK) and was set upon with several new barbering tools that I've never seen previously. One looked like your traditional electronic clippers, but it was mounted on a rose-bush-like pruining-sheer base that the barber-operated by opening and closing his palm. After my cut, I had shrimp wanton with yellow noodles.
I still miss Shanghai for its shampoo, rinse and full-body massage for 40 yuan (~40 HK).
Sunday Post Review
Today's Post focused on two storms, first (and left column), "Rita strikes new blow on key US oil region" and large picture titled, "Damrey whips up big wave" - refering to Tropical Storm Damrey which passed south of HK and is now heading toward Hainan.
Below the fold is another article on the yuan, "Yuan reform step in right direction":
Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven nations have patted Beijing on the back over its two-month-old currency reforms but made it clear that more substantial moves are needed to address global imbalances.
The final article, "Naked woman of Kai Tek identified", discusses the now identified Swiss woman who was found without any identification and dressed only in "ParknShop" bags three weeks ago at the airport. The experience still baffles police and even her (as she is suffering from amnesia). She says she believes she might have been a a teacher in Guangzhou.
I think there were a couple times were being a teacher in Shanghai might have led me to a similar end. :)
September 24, 2005
第一次
你好！今晚我开始我的汉语日志。 我觉得我能联系我的汉语写作。 我汉语追平不高，可是我知道如果我有问题，然后我能问我的中国朋友和原来学生帮我.
这是第二次星期的汉语课. 我们是一年班. 我们汉语不好和我们的发音,写作和语法不好, 可是现在我们学习很努力.
在星期一我有星, 我们有小考试.
"Short Circuit" & Broadband
Just finished watching Short Circuit (1986), a movie that I used to watch again and again as a kid. I wonder if the Internet might actually now afford us some short-cuts to seemingly artificial intelligent robots. For example, if I am about to leave my room for dinner at a restaurant and pat my pockets, saying, "I have to go to the ATM." Instead of programming a robot to know that "ATM=withdrawal money from a bank", therefore the person is actually saying, "I need to go to the bank to get some money for dinner." A fast web-search could provide a large amount of information allowing the robot to identify the use of ATM in context.
This could side-step the programming of large databases of common-sense information (i.e., "water is wet") pursued by MIT in the 90s.
The Morning Post Review
Today's Post led with an article about Beijing allowing the yuan to float to 3 percent (up from 1.5), "Beijing widens yuan trading band, but dollar on tight leash". The article argues the move is only "technical" but hints it was done ahead of the Group of Seven meeting. The yuan moved little against the dollar. Ever since the re-evaluation on July 21st, I've been following the exchange rate daily here.
A picture and article, "New Orleans floods again as Rita closes in" appear below the fold. A level Three Typhoon warning kept me inside today, watching CNN as the larger storm approached Texas.
In the business section, "US Patriot Act clouds bank's future" recaps the run on Macau's Banco Delta Asia this week, triggered by the US Treasury Department's claim that it has been washing money north Korea. The article states that Macau's government and Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah are backing the bank as they challenge Washington's claim in US court. So far, my own government has declined requests for evidence of claim.
September 23, 2005
"Sex And The City"
HBO has been showing three episodes of Sex And The City a night through the month of September, leaving me with two conclusions:
1. Despite the claims of some U of M graduates, the primary audience is non-masculine.
2. There is nothing impressive about Sarah Jessica Parker.
Hurricane Rita
Although here in Hong Kong, my thoughts are with those in Texas and Louisiana. In addition to CNN, here is a Google Maps mash that I've found useful.
Speaking of storms, typhoons are a weekly consideration here in Hong Kong. Today, a classmate told me about this useful site to follow and understand HK storm warnings.
September 21, 2005
Protein Folding
HKU recently announced its "collaboration with IBM to be its partner [in] the World Community Grid." From its webite, IBM defines the WCG as follows:
World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Our work is built on the belief that technological innovation combined with visionary scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can change our world for the better. Our success depends on individuals - like you - collectively contributing their unused computer time to this not-for-profit endeavor.
The world community grid is currently working on the Proteome Folding Project to "provide scientists with data that predicts the shape of a very large number of human proteins".
Ping Pong
After dinner one evening, I spied a glass door before a series of red steps leading to what looked like either a karate dojo or "snooker" hall below my apartment building. When I went to investigate, I found I'd stumbled into a "Ping Pong Table Tennis Club" complete with three ping-pong tables, an apparel shop, padded walls, shouting enthusiasts and rows and rows of trophies.
Alfred, the club manager, offered to teach me the game for $880 HK ($113 US) for four hours of instruction. Since I really can't play ping-pong, I took his card and told him that I'd think about it.
September 20, 2005
"The Idea of the University"
It interests me to walk around campus and see posters with the above title. It isn't that "The Idea of the University" isn't a topic that isn't discussed tirelessly, but it is a feeling that wherever this topic is being raised, debated and honestly asked: that is where a university truly exists. We even wrote and discussed this question in my English writing class at SHUFE.
The University of Hong Kong seems to be asking this question a lot. Since the handover in '97, HKU no longer receives as much government support as it did through the British. At the same time, the student body population is changing - soon to be at 20% foreign students - a large number of those from mainland China. I attended a showing of Berkeley in the 60s last Thursday and - while the content was far too extreme to show in a SHUFE setting - it reminded me of some of the thoughts in an English essay by a Chinese student or two, or even a posting on our message board on-line.
The RSVP Race
I attended, John Carroll University, a small school in the American mid-west. Later, I traveled to China, teaching in Shanghai at SHUFE, a university composed mostly of local Shanghai students that - like my previous school - tends to empty on the weekends.
At both of these schools, weekend group activites weren't exactly overflowing. Imagine my surprise then, when I found that here at HKU, a student can pay the initial membership fee to be a member of a group, but - if not quick enough with his or her mouse - be excluded from its activities?! This was my recent experience with the Post Graduate Student Association (PGSA) which - as the postgraduate handbook states - "organises a range of activities to foster solidarity among our postgraduates, to promote democratic reforms in HKU's institutional structure, and to encourage HKU postgraduates to reach out to the community."
After I had rescheduled a flight to arrive in HK a week earlier, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) recommended the PGSA Orientation program to me and - excitedly - I paid my money and waited for the trips to begin. What my previous, week-day-driven institutions hadn't prepared me for was that this is Hong Kong and - member or non-member - resources are scarce. After being locked-out of two PGSA events and two OSA Hong Kong Island tours (although I was first in line), this morning I sprang from my bed at 6:45, ready to click, click, click my way onto the latest RSVP list. :)
Read my rejection e-mails below.
September 19, 2005
A Sign
The small noodle place next to my apartment announcing that it will not open on the 16th of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar (i.e., Monday).
Who's the Audience?
Saying "has already" makes me ask, "Who's the audience?" :)
September 18, 2005
A Grass Island & Typhoon
On Saturday, I went on a trip with the HKU Ramblers to Tap Mun "Grass" Island, east of Hong Kong. It was my longest bus/metro/bus trip to Sai Kun, a popular hiking, but more remote stop in Hong Kong. The day started well, a small boat ferried us for 15 HK a person and then we walked a short distance to our campsite that overlooked the sea. The group leaders showed us how to lay down newspaper - a difficult task with a strong ocean wind - to keep the tent dry and place the stakes in at a 45 degree angles.
Yet, as soon as we had set up the tents and had our luch - a meal of ham, bread, tomatoes and tuna - a Level 1 typhoon sent back to our tents for cover.
Soon the poles of the old A-frame began to bend and snap, the rain fly went flying and the floor became a river. As the tent cloth grew heavy with water, we were forced to hold up the walls. After an hour of tent after tent collapsing, we moved to a cement shelter near the island grade school while we waited for a boat to arrive to take us home.
Later, we had seafood at nice restaurant and traditional Hong Kong fruit sweets.
More photos available here.
September 16, 2005
中秋节快乐
八月十五中秋节，
十五的月亮圆又亮。
全家团圆吃月饼，赏月。
月亮上有美丽的嫦娥和白兔。
From a class handout about the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival on 9/19.
September 15, 2005
Po Chai Pills
On sale - not far from the WD-40 - when I saw them I just had to buy these. The packaging reminds me of pictures of old, Hong Kong.
The label says:
Po Chai Pills are good for fever, diarrhoea, intoxication, over-eating, vomiting and gastrointestinal diseases. Direction: 2 bottles are to be taken once every two hours, 4 times daily, 1/2 bottle for children.
WD-40
When I first moved into my new apartment (more details later), the air conditioner in my room sounded like the blade of a snow removal truck being scraped across asphalt. So I bought a can of WD-40 in a hardware store and - after a half hour of careful spraying - managed to make the little window unit hum like a gentle breeze blowing down from the Peak and out across the bay of Hong Kong harbor.
WD-40 solved my problem.
But since then I've noticed I could have just as easily purchased a can of WD-40 next to my daily donut shop, campus bookstore, 7 - 11, DVD/VCD rental, plant seller, dry cleaner, herb & spice store, Buddhist burnable paper-money distributor, metro stop and newspaper stand - in addition to one of the several dozen hardware stores scattered up and down the slope of Hong Kong Island.
How much WD-40 does HK use per annum?
Update 9/20:
Yesterday night - as I awoke and applied another liberal dose of WD-40 to my air conditioner - I began to rethink this earlier entry, wondering now if the high humidity here in Hong Kong might contribute to the consumption-level of Hong Kong Isle residents for this great product. :)
September 14, 2005
Excuse the Sawdust
I wish I would have started this site in June!
It's going to take me a month or so to get things set up the way I'd like them to be on this site. Shanghai Dave said it took him a year to learn the ins and outs of the software. But - as my skills develop - I do have several ideas I'm excited about bringing on-line for you.
Until then, enjoy the posts, give me some feedback and excuse the sawdust! :)
Update 9/20:
Early readers of this blog might be waiting for the thematic thrust and I'm well-aware that what I've posted so far is little more than explorations in HTML-editing (and humbling little at that). Recently, I've bought Principles of Web Design: Second Edition from the university bookstore for HK $150 and I've also discovered that I can read The Movable Type 3.0 Bible (this blog's web-publishing platform) if I log into the library...
so I hope to be providing more soon. :)
September 13, 2005
Visit Dave...
A special thanks to Shanghai Dave for helping me load the software for this site. :)
You are a true friend!
