Everybody Wai-Chung Tonight

I have some great friends here.

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:00:00 +0000

It hurts to leave. Like reopening a wound to have it heal again.
It hurts to leave and not be a part of their lives. And that they won't be a part of mine.

Louis invited me over for dinner. Siu King is invited too, and Fai will be coming over. I find out it's been maybe 3 years since he's been there.

On Louis' cellphone, his girlfriend Michelle asked me for advice. She has a job interview tomorrow, and she recently graduated from University. I feel humbled a local Hong Konger asking me, a foreigner for advice. She told me she would give me the most notice ahead of time when she gets married. Anyone's guess when that is - Louis and Michelle are waiting to see what work Michelle will have. Louis's job as a Fireman is going well. Here getting a stable job is important. Seems we sort of forgetten about that in Canada - in Canada stability is important if it means moving ahead eventually.

Cellphones charges are cheap(er) here. Better than using landlines. Encourages their use too.

I am realizing how great Hong Kong is to visit, but perhaps not to live.

News headlines:

Someone set a fire to an apartment in MongKok. (My friend Louis was there, and I did go by the fire. I didn't know he was there at the time.)
A 20-something year old guy called the police after having stabbed and decapitated his girlfriend.
A girl shattered the glass of the door of the sports community center with her head.
A newborn baby was left in a shopping bag by a building.

I love how everything is so close in Hong Kong, and taxis go anywhere for cheap. And the levels. Such high buildings, so much going on. Gardens under passageways, residences above malls that are above the metro station.

Apple's wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:38:00 +0000

Apple's wedding was emotional. I feel honoured to be a part of her wedding. She made me one of the bridesmaids actually - which was great.

The wedding was super-interesting. Morning - the groom plays games at the hotel to show his love for the bride. Answers questions, eats spoonfuls of hot sauce, salt, etc. when he gets them wrong. Sings a song to get the bride out. Then there are pictures.

Then we took photos in Central, Hong Kong.

We visited their new apartment for a bit and then left to wedding registry. I've been thinking about how to have a wedding that isn't religious. It was great. Family and close friends. They walk down the aisle, read their oaths, and sign the registry. They sit at the table with a parent from both. Then there are pictures. Apple invited me up for a picture of the bridesmaids. I felt honoured.

Then we take pictures at the city garden.

Then we went to the hotel, where there were 30 tables of 12 people.
People bring in envelopes of money - about $500 HKD. The attendance list checks off if they brought one.

A slide show of pictures - there is a stage. The bride and groom are available for photos.

The event is hosted by two friends who animate what's going on. A raffle goes on with bills by guests - names are drawn and they try to grab as much money as they can.

When the event takes place, lights are off, wedding music, they come in and tour the floor, meeting the tables, while confetti is shot out, to great music. They entered the stage under swords of the Sea Cadets. It was beautiful.

Then a video goes on about the bride and groom, each of their past and how they met - and we see what happened earlier that day. Super smart idea.

The cake is cut. Wedding party gives a cheers.

We eat.

360 view of the marriage reception #3

The bride and groom return to the stage to receive heads of families and receive red packets. Family members go to the stage to share a cup of tea with the bride and groom.

Photos - different groups - family, friends, classmates, people with 5-letter names.

The wedding party again later goes to all the tables later in the night, sharing a cheers and tip of the glass to every table. Some tables are more flamboyant than others.

People leave after a thanks from the couple. People leave giving thanks to a line of family at the exit.

I gave Apple two cards - one completely in French (ha!) and another to my "Sister" which is supposed to be a birthday card, but I made it a wedding card. Another one was a goodbye card (because when you get married, you're not seen again), signed by people we know. Another was a "Brother-in-law" card to her husband.

At the wedding I sat beside Siu King and Louis and his girlfriend Michelle. Great people to sit beside. I have a video of our table.

I was surprised - no dancing, no karaoke. I did go after with Apple's brother and a bunch of others. Out drinking until 4am.

After marriage drinking and playing

00:45 From: d00gle

After marriage drinking and playing

00:52 From: d00gle

Singing Karaoke with Macy/Siu King

00:27 From: d00gle

After marriage drinking

00:36 From: d00gle

Apple's husband is great. I don't know him well, but he's certainly forgiving for his fiance's male friend from overseas - he picked me up at the airport, helped with my bags, paid for a dinner, drove me home. I don't know him well.

I impacted my friend Apple.

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:28:00 +0000

Photo taken 2004, the night she got a new name

Yes, I did. Intentionally.

Before I left I set myself a goal to name someone. You see, the Chinese in Hong Kong are born with Chinese names, but don't necessarily have an English name. They usually get one given to them by a teacher in High School, or choose one then themselves. Sometimes these names are ridiculously spelt or just plain ridiculous. Like Captain, Shadow, Pretty, Princess, Power, or...Apple.

So Apple wanted to consider other names. After a week of testing out names of all my relatives and close friends, over several beers we came to a name she liked. "Haley". It's a great name. Sounds nice, and it has a meaning if pronounced right in Cantonese tones. She has adopted it as her (new) English name. My work was done.

Closing question

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:25:00 +0000

Did I find myself?

The question changed. In Hong Kong I didn't find myself, but I defined myself. Students, while in school, go through a natural self-exploration stage. Many things come with this - school has you expand the vessel (container of knowledge) while filling it up. Students feel overly confident about their skills and capacities, being taught these days they are full of promise, potential and power, but in the process they must remain flexible and definable, so this causes confusion in personality and identity (I think this is very specific to the school experience in the West). Some take time to define this, others put it aside, and others go out in search of it. I went to Hong Kong in search of it.

As a half-Chinese Canadian, I felt confused, stuck between two worlds, never in one or the other, stretched thin, looking for direction as to what I am.

I am layers
I have learned, that instead my personality and identity has many layers. I have the benefit of picking and choosing, combining, ignoring or being the sum of my heritage, past, capacities, skills. And that I have many opportunities and much potential to determine and define much more than who I am, but direction, and destination.

I noticed this in my discussions shortly arriving in Hong Kong. I spoke Chinese, I knew the music, I knew the food, I knew about the politics and the celebrity gossip. Questions would start when I would surprise my friends and friends of friends, usually over coffee or beer at a local coffeehouse or bar.

"Wai-Chung - how do you know (the old-time celebrity singer) Sam Hui?"
"Because I am of half-Hong Kong descent!"

"Wai-Chung - how come you have not been to Macau?"
"Because I am not from Hong Kong!"

A typical one:
"Wai-Chung - how come your Chinese is so good?"
"Because I am Half-Chinese - it should be good."
"Ah - so how come it is not better?"
"Because I am Canadian - I grew up in Canada."

I had excuses for everything. 3 of them. Part Chinese, not part Chinese, half-Chinese, Canadian. These are layers. I've learned I'm not stuck between them. This was inherent with my French-Canadian background - I can switch back and forth English to French, hardly a thought (I often forget what conversation on a topic was in what language - with some people I switch back and forth). This isn't being stuck, these are interchangeable hats of skills and background.

Canada was disorienting
But in Hong Kong I felt very comfortable though. I realized sometimes how out of place I felt sometimes in Canada - physically. Not exactly white, but not exactly anything else. And particularly thin, love technology gadgets (though I won't admit they're such) and toys (ibid). In Hong Kong, eerily I am similar stature to the general Hong Kong male (maybe a bit taller), same hair, same pose. It's weird. And the same with the gadgets and toys (they're the ones with them - not me. Mine are called 'technological tools' and 'casual objects'). And the body chemistry too - the drinking capacity, the appetite, I share these with the Hong Kong male. In Canada, I don't see these, and it can be disorienting.

Did I?
So, did I find myself in Hong Kong? I found I wasn't lost. I knew all along where I was - I just didn't have a destination yet and the terrain quite figured out.

How I prepared to come back to HK (for 2 weeks)

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:21:00 +0000

Gifts for my friends and family in HK, organised by recipient

85% of my luggage is gifts. Gifts gifts gifts.
I always find gift shopping the most difficult, and if the response of others is an accurate indication, I do think I'm getting good at it.

Lists.

My suggestions:

Best gifts to return from Asia with:

Monogrammed jerseys of the local sports team.
I come back with China jerseys with my friends nicknames and year of their birth on it. Can't tell a better story than that. And their not expensive.
Chinese signs.
Maybe it says "Please be quiet" or "Wash your hands". They're helpful. You can point out to people "Yo, did you not read the sign? Damn, what do I have to do?"
Local magazines
Local insight into the goings on on the scene.

Best gifts to bring to Asia:

Try to avoid stuff made in Asia.
If you're Canadian: Maple Syrup and Maple cookies and local wine.
Sea Monkeys.
Die-cast vehicles.

That's all I have for now.

Hong Kong can remind us of our the west's lack of social responsibilities 20 years ago

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:35:00 +0000

I came in today. Came into the building where I stayed for 2 years and it was like walking into a time machine. The sights, the smells, like walking into a track, things became automatic.

I met the security guard who greeted me for those 2 years. He is Singaporean and Chinese, and his English is far better than any other security guard I've met. The rest I've met, in the building complex and other places, hardly speak two words of English. He helped me alot, with general things. Finding a cleaner, a delivery person, getting directions, finding out about buses.

He told me he will be retiring in a few months. He has to - he's turning 65. He worked at a hotel until he had to retire there when he turned 60. He didn't want to retire then and he doesn't now. He hasn't been informed he will be let go, but he knows it's coming.

Canada has eliminated mandatory retirement - every province did as court cases came forward and the contractual clauses and laws were dropped as deemed against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I think if you can do the job and you still want to, you should. But labour comes cheap here, and the market reigns supreme. And it has me reflect on the social benefits in Canada.

La fin, ça continue (The End - it continues) - 2008 update

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:00:00 +0000

A photo I took at an airport in Japan on my way home in 2004.

I know it was a shame to leave my blog unfinished. I no less than abandoned it shortly before leaving Hong Kong. I will end it now, but continue it with my visits to Hong Kong, to make it complete a full circle and continue to twirl as such.

I am writing this as I return to Hong Kong after over a year and a half of being away. In summary I've started my career as a public servant in the Canadian Federal Government in Canada's capital, Ottawa. I'm also doing my masters and I'm where I wanted to be, and where I've planned to be. I am on my way to Hong Kong on a 2-week holiday, as my friend Apple is getting married and I wouldn't miss it for the world (luckily I had enough notice to make arrangements). She's my closest friend in Hong Kong, and if it hadn't been for her I can't imagine what my experience in HK would have been like. Perhaps lost. Perhaps associating with the other local foreigners. Perhaps nothing to blog about.

I will not take up too much space here about my experience in the public service, but to summarize:

I did leave Hong Kong. July 10 of 2006. Many reasons led up to it, there was a push to leave and a pull back to Hong Kong. As I tell people when the subject arises, my initial intentions were to stay in Hong Kong for a year - then a year became two when I knew I could push my Chinese further and my work was meeting a change. I intended to stay another 2 years, but I cut that short by a year. I broke even - I stayed a year longer than I initially thought I would, but stayed a year less than I later planned.

Near the end of the 2nd year my level of Chinese had plateaued (went as far as it would) and my career wasn't going any further. My contract with teaching orphans, for mutual reasons, wasn't renewed, and my other work, doing website development and Production of a magazine, wasn't seeing further gains. I considered several options to forward my Chinese - considered with going to university to learn Cantonese (advanced-level courses to learn to be a translator), as it was the only way to push it further, but the costs and time commitment were prohibitive (didn't make it possible). I also considered trying to be adopted by a Chinese family, but I knew after a few months I would probably make the cover of the Apple Daily gossip papers for being the only foreigner going to university kicked out on the street by locals for some reason or another.

Bells rang of my aspirations back home to work in the Public Service of Canada. With international experience and a foreign language under my belt, I was ready to go back and start the rest of my life.

In April/May I started to tie up the strings in Hong Kong, as my Canadiana-rooted patience ran thin. I applied to a graduate certificate program and was sufficiently surprised to be accepted. I had a deadline to return to Canada, and time to say goodbye.

I reflect on Hong Kong with happiness and pain. I left a love best numbed by forgetting. I left friends I knew briefly and well, who in turn left a life-long impression on me. I developed my love for children and working with disadvantaged youth and benefiting the community, and advanced my career skills and developed a language. Half a world away I felt the pride of my father in telling him happy birthday, stung with the pain of being so far away. My grandmother passed away and I realized the basic truth that lives of those you think will live for eternity are better appreciated and the relationships nurtured. I learned from the trials of people on the street can be a testament to the disparity between rich and poor can be as great as the poor and the neglected and ignored.

I recall my last months, weeks and days. My rope had run out and I was out of patience. I could not advance without knowing more Cantonese or risk being the kind of person I didn't like - a socialite who spent lots to keep up and ignore the surrounding - seems so typical for the permanent tourists I met (called Expats). My advantages were plentiful - I had a country to escape to and I could use it whenever I was fed up. I was starting arguments, as you could see in my last posts.

But it's interesting how memories fade, gaps fall to the background, and the sum doesn't capture the time spent, the trials and tribulations that led to learning and discovery. I guess I will recall these as I realize how broken my Cantonese speaking and Chinese reading has become. But more to come. I only have 11 days to fully explore, and enjoy the experience again, anew.

The end, it continues.

Time heals wounds, and reminds of others

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:00:00 +0000

At my friend Louis' Fire Station in Tsz Wan San in Hong Kong, with Haley and her fiancé

My 20 hours of flying is over, I have arrived.
It's torture to fly Economy and seated for 16 hours straight. Good thing it's forgotten as soon as I get offf the plane.

Apple (Haley) and her fiancé picked me up at the airport. We went to eat and my other friend Louis joined us. Then we went to the Fire Station where Louis works as a Fireman.

I find out my friends don't hang out much together. I'm starting to feel I was the glue between them. They've gone in different directions - I may not see them all while I'm down. We'll see.

Yet another entry about what's wrong with Hong Kong's customer service

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:00:00 +0000

I believe here that perhaps in some ways Hong Kong's customer service may have been better in the 1970's, before technology. In many ways, technology just ruins Hong Kong's already dismal customer service. It hasn't empowered businesses to do more, instead it has created gaps of customer vortexes. Problem-solving has been replaced with rehearsed scripts. Customer files are replaced with broken databases. Telephone representatives are replaced with automated lines that hang up on you. Companies have embraced technology, but their business practices remains outdated. The combination of two don't mix.

Even simple things get screwed up - from updating billing information to getting a new PIN on your bank account.

Consider this - I need to use a password to enter my file with my (newer) Internet Service Provider (PCCW - Netvigator)'s site. I go to their website, it asks me to login.

Welcome to NETVIGATOR Customer Service Website !

netvigator.com

Password:

Forgot Password

Forgot Login ID/email address

I forgot my password - it's something generated they gave me and the sheet is at home, and the password is already saved on my home computer. I don't have it. I click on "Forgot Password".
This is the screen:

Contact Us
You can reach us by sending email or calling our hotline.
Email: custserv@netvigator.com
Hotline: 1833 833 (Business Hours: 9am to 9pm)

For more information, please check FAQ.
You can also send us the following Inquiry Form...

So this Internet company knows how to provide Internet service, know how to make a website, but doesn't know how to retrieve a password? It asks me to fill out a form to get it! I'm hitting my head in disbelief. They have reached the 21st century technology, but have missed out on 21st century tools.

I relent. I fill out the form.

I forgot my password for

DO NOT RESET.
send me the password.

This is what they sent me.

Our Reference:######

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for emailing NETVIGATOR.

With regards to your email, I understand that you have lost your password. Unfortunately, due to Personal Data (Privacy) issues, we cannot retrieve your password and check for you. Therefore, we could only be able to reset the password for you.

If you would like us to reset your password, would you please fax us the request with a copy of your HKID, registered customer name, Login ID, service installation address, signature along with your contact number and email reference number #921491 to 2888 0118. Upon receipt of your fax, we shall reset the password for you to the first 6 characters of your HKID. (i.e. if HKID is A123456(A), the password is a12345).

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

If you have any further enquiries, please feel free to email us again or speak with our Hotline representatives directly at 1833-833.

Yours sincerely,
Jerry Tang
NETVIGATOR Email Team
Contact us: custserv@netvigator.com

Hello Hong Kong businesses.
Technology has welcomed you to the 21st century.
We hope your business practices would come too.

tirade tour

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:31:00 +0000

Misleading advertising really peeves me. And I was near my last straw last week.

A friend and I were out scouting a restaurant to dine in in Mong Kok.

Outside a restaurant I peered a menu offering. "$59 and up" it says on the menu display, with pictures.

After waiting inside, we are offered a seat in the busy restaurant. We browse the menu and I am looking for the advertised special. Can't find it.

I ask the waiter for one of the names of the special - he points out to an item at $104HKD - same item, but no where near the $59HKD advertised price. The waiter is very busy. I'm getting peeved.

I go outside and take a photo of the ad. I come in to sit. "I want this."
"No more. We have this special."
He gives me a sheet advertising something else for $62HKD.
"I don't want that, I want this."
"No more. That was before."
"Not before, this is now. I just took this photo. It's outside."
"No more!" he is getting angry. "You want this, you take this. You don't, you take something else."
I'm in disbelief. "That is dishonest! Why do you have this poster outside?" The limits of my Chinese are approaching. I'm losing my words.
"Above $59!" he says "These are $62." he runs off.
I'm talking to my friend - who is evidently very embarassed. She asks if I want to leave - she wants to. The waiter comes back and barks at us.
"If you don't want it, leave! I don't have time to waste with you."

This is the Hong Kong climate. I don't blame the waiter for this dishonest marketing - but I'm left with no one to pressure. The word has to get up to his boss, but workers internalize the pressure, do not communicate it to bosses. They should. I hope it would. If enough customers complain about something, this should reasonably reach upper-management. I believe this is done in Canada. Not in Hong Kong. Customers take it. This man won't communicate my dissatisfaction of being misled by the advertisement. I'll have to speak with my dollars. So we leave.

This isn't an isolated incident but the tip of the iceberg of what is institutional in the company-centric capitalist business atmosphere of Hong Kong. Hong Kong lacks people with backbone to hold companies accountable, or a Government oversight to represent the good of the people and enact standards and penalties and guidelines of good business practices. Instead ethics and good business practices are a cost - a cost that reduces the bottom-line to be avoided at all costs. And this seeps into the way businesses, all businesses, do business.

This means restaurants don't have to meet what their ad advertises.
And that a bank (like Manulife) can hang up on callers instead of answering the phone.

MPF - a good idea gone wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 03:16:00 +0000

MPF is Hong Kong's attempt to institute a mandatory pension fund scheme on Hong Kongers to save money for their retirement.

But like all good ideas in Hong Kong, it fell right off the tracks leaving everybody to pay but the government and companies

The MPF is a government-sanctioned law requiring businesses to institute a scheme where workers have to save toward their retirement. Where it goes wrong is that instead of saving the money with the government, workers have to save through a bank. The result? Everybody has to have an accounting degree and civil law experience to understand the forms and contracts to sign and monthly notices of account updates and contract changes.

The forms are complicated. And the forms are different for every bank. Your employer is required to sign you up, and have pre-filled out forms for the bank they use to transfer the MPF money. If you use your own bank to keep your MPF money, you have to fill out other forms, which are not the same.

The whole thing is ridiculous. The banks are following a government sanction, all the while, I suspect, make money off the whole matter, as banks don't do just anything without a profit. And I fear the people are losing out - who has an accounting degree to monitor their account from losing money - or even keep track of their account? What's keeping people from losing their account completely? And who has the civil law background to argue in their own defense in the situation a most-certain screwup from banks? I worry.

I've had to fill out MPF forms 3 times now for 2 different jobs. Twice for the two jobs and once to transfer the money from my old job's to my new job's.

Now since I'm leaving Hong Kong, I want all the money. Simple? No.

I tried calling my MPF bank, Manulife, which fortunately is a Canadian company with headquarters in Toronto. I like to be supporting a Canadian company.

I look to the bottom of a notice I received for a phone number, and call it.

"Press 1 for English." (pressed) "Please type in your 9-digit Manulife number."
What is it? I don't know. I look for my "MPF Certificate" on it there's a 9-digit "account number". This must be it.
"I'm sorry, that number doesn't work. Please type in your 9-digit Manulife number."
(tried again.).
"I'm sorry, that number doesn't work. Please type in your 9-digit Manulife number."

I look for another number. There's my 9-digit serial number.
"I'm sorry, that number doesn't work. Please call back another time. Goodbye"

Nobody answered the phone! Ridiculous! It just hung up!

3 phone calls later of being hung up on and I'm in disbelief. I evidently don't have a 9-digit Manulife number, and their phone line isn't answering!

I look for another number in my Manulife literature. I call it. Same ridiculous phone line.

Again, the gap between idea and action, between planning and execution.

I look at my papers, I see some chinese there - it's the chinese name of my Manulife representative. There are 8-digits. Is this a phone number?

I call it.

"Hello?"
"Oh my god, are you (my Manulife representative)?"
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"You can start by fixing your stupid phone line. "
"Ha ha - really?"
"Don't laugh. How many times do I need to call? How many times do I need to be hung up on? I don't have a 9-digit Manulife number. What am I supposed to do?"
"Sorry sir."
"Don't be sorry, fix it. This is supposed to be a Canadian company, right? In Canada the lines don't hang up on you, somebody eventually answers the phone. How was I supposed to find your number? It's in Chinese!"
"Sorry sir. Now how can I help you?"
"I want to take out all the money I have with your company....."

My representative followed up on my file. Seems that the money didn't get transferred from my previous bank. "You were supposed to call us to give us the information on the form."
"I don't understand the form and I don't like MPF."
"Still you should have contacted us."
"How? Your phone line hangs up on me."
"Ah yes." I feel at this point she is worried about another angered outburst.
I offer: "I should come into your office to discuss this."

We arrange a time and after work I go to her office. She asks me on the phone to email her my requests for the account, and also my problem with the phone line so she can resolve it.

She calls me the next night to tell me she hasn't received my email. I assured her I sent it.
"To what address?"
"To (email address)"
"Ah yes, that's right...when?"
"Yesterday 5:16pm."
My accuracy in both her email address and time sent threw her off. I was proud for being able to recite this data so abruptly to her queries, but truth be known I had committed these facts to memory anticipating further problems with my account.

"Okay, well I will email you and give you the address of my office."
"Okay. Thanks."

I got home and re-sent the email, and at work the next day printed out a copy of the email. Wow, if these people, who are managing my thousands of dollars in retirement capital can't even receive emails, we're in trouble folks.

I go to her office after work the next day. I've brought my "MPF" file. We meet, we greet, we sit with her colleague. The man explains to me that since one of my forms had wrong information in it, they couldn't get transferred the money. The man asked me what information I have about my previous MPF account.
"Here." I said as I plopped down my 2 inch-thick file of MPF hell. "Go through it as you like. I can't understand it."

They gleefully went through it and concluded that since the money wasn't transferred out within 3 months, the account turned into a savings account, and thus couldn't have money transfered out. My representative's colleague was going to ask me why I didn't contact Manulife sooner, but my representative waved him off from that subject, anticipating an outburst.

Perhaps this would be easier if I had an accounting degree and experience in Civil law. Just to get my money out of MPF to go home. What did we do? To save you the already-tiring story, here it is summarized:

We prepared the forms to transfer the money out from my old MPF account, into my Manulife one.
Then we prepared the change of address/contact forms on my Manulife account to contact me in Canada (if there's problems, etc.)
Then we prepared the forms for Manulife to send me my cheque of all my MPF information
Then we prepared the forms for the Government to sign allowing Manulife to send me my cheque
Then we went through a list of Government local offices I can visit for my next stop of my "MPF Hell Tour 2006"
Then I went to the Government local office to have my MPF-release form signed, stamped, dated and a Government employee listen to my sworn testimony not to misrepresent myself while withdrawing money from my mandatory retirement scheme, and not to eat cats and kick dogs
And now I am putting forms together to mail to Manulife.

Fun fun fun.

Another problem with PCCW.

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 02:39:00 +0000

So I'm leaving Hong Kong.

I've been teaching since I got here and I've been doing other things. Since last September I've been working with a community-based company in Sai Kung doing design and web development work and providing input to projects like the eNewsletter (collectively termed "Operations"), and that's been a rather effective use of my skills and time, but hasn't been sufficient enough for me to stay in Hong Kong.

I know I haven't blogging as much lately. Seems blogging kind of took the 'net by storm, and I saw many people get into it as well, but after doing a quick a check of the bloggers around me, only a few remain. Namely all those who have been blogging long before they were called blogs, but instead "journals". I think that's a more apt term to name it.

I no longer like blogging and no longer find blogs interesting. My use for my blog here was to easily communicate to friends and family without having to send out a mass email. And for those who don't know me to know me a bit better without needing the formal introductions or the get-to-know-you period of time. But I came up to a problem - what if I want to blog about friends or family? Well I think these should be things I would tell them otherwise. Should I be worried about a boss, former boss, colleague reading what I have to write? I'm not responsible for what they have to think, but I do have to work with these people. So I'll make my blog private - but then what's the use? Blogs are troublesome.

Anyway, after almost 2 years to the day, I'm leaving Hong Kong. It's been a year longer than I anticipated at first, but also a year earlier than I had changed. A good time.

During the past month I have become restless with Hong Kong and its inanities. No longer having to lower my sensitivity meter, I have become more aware of some ridiculous things in Hong Kong and have become nearly fed up. I have also become sympathetic for the Hong Kong people and the stuff they have to deal with in a ridiculous system.

I maintain that Hong Kong just misses the point on things. There is this gap that constantly exists between planning and execution, between idea and action, between - well, you get the idea.

I've been cancelling my credit cards, and had to inform my Internet Service provider, PCCW that I was changing credit cards. I filled out the on-line form informing them I was changing my billing information. Sure enough, as before, the change did not take effect. Just like before I received a text message on my cellphone informing me my service would be cut off if I don't go pay at a 7-11 ASAP. I've had this same problem before a few months ago, which I wrote about here.

So I called them.
"Please enter the 6-digits on your ID number."
Entered.
"Press 1 for billing.".
I press 1.
"Due to long waiting time, please call outside of our peak hours from 2 to 4."
(Swearing)

I call at 4:30. Same stupid message to call outside of hours 2 to 4.
I call at 5. Same stupid message to call outside hours 2 to 4.

I called and pressed a sequence of numbers to reach someone. Their line hangs up.
I called and pressed another sequence of numbers to reach someone. "Please hold for next available representative."

I put my phone on loudspeaker and place in my shirt pocket as I loiter around my local 7-11 looking for a bat to hit something with or an ice cream cone to squelch my anger. People here the familiar PCCW waiting music broadcasting from my shirt as I walk around. I am starting to whistle along.

"Ice cream please." I request at the 7-11 counter when the waiting music broadcasting from my shirt is interrupted to "Hello?". The man behind the counter looks at my chest as he holds the ice-cream out to me. "Hello." I say as I pay looking for another hand to help juggle the ice-cream, my wallet and the mysterious voice from my chest. "Hold on!" I say to my chest, anger is rising.

I am out of the 7-11 when I start on my tirade.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"Sorry?"
"What time is it?"
"5:10 sir."
"It's no longer 4pm. Why is your billing line asking me to call after 4pm if it is still not answering the phone?"
"I don't know sir. Do you need technical support?
"No. But you do. Your phone line is screwed up."
"Sorry?"
"Try calling yourself, you'll see." I realize I'm not making any sense to this guy.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't understand."

And he's not going to understand. He is on the other side of the idea planning and execution gap, the idea and action gap. He and the rest of PCCW cannot understand.

Organisations, companies, and government departments that are born-and-bred in Hong Kong cannot see themselves the way their clients or organisations see themselves. As the providers of goods and services, they can't see things as receivers of goods and services. Hence the value of overseas-born or raised talent that are the gem for organisations, that can offer value to an organisation to see things differently and communicate effective planning for execution, effective ideas for action. The Hong Kong system does not breed creativity or out-of-the-box thinking.

The man on the phone forwarded me to billing, assuring me I wouldn't have to wait on hold or be hung up on by their service.

"Hello."
"Hello. I received a text message that my service will be cut-off if I don't pay ASAP to a 7-11."
"Let me check. Sir, I see you have updated your billing information and we have charged to that credit card. No problem."
"Then why did you send me a text message that -"
"Must be a mistake sir. No problem!"
"You're going to screw this up and cut off my service, aren't you?"
"No sir. I don't know why you got that message."
"Well I'm sure I'll be talking to someone there next month. Oh yeah, about your phone line, what time is it?"

Up next: my problems with MPF (pension fund), netvigator password, bank phishing scandal and a restaurant menu display.

HK News - reflective of things

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:51:00 +0000

There is a bit in the news that is indicative of just how Hong Kong just can't get the simplest of things right.

There are a few things that work here - and they work well. Here's a list (links go to wikipedia)

The public transportation system

and it's younger yet equally capable brother the KCR,

the Hong Kong airport (yes, they built an island for it),
Octopus card (yes, the cashless society is here!)

That's about it.
The rest takes a lot of getting used to or just plain patience or a dose of apathy. You know all those Chinese herbal stores you see in China town? They have them-a-plenty here too. They're to help people deal with the stress of Hong Kong. The Chinese here have been dealing with the situation here for a long time - which explains the age-old recipes you need to use all the sorcery ingredients there.

Well, I am a fan of irony, and the latest bit gave me a chuckle.
Now the Hong Kong people try - they try to get things right. My internet service provider did set up on-line customer service - but it's to deal with problems you may have with getting on the Internet. (how do I contact on-line customer service if I can't get on-line?) They try, oh they try. But they miss.

The latest bit of news involves an independent council that deals with complaints against the Hong Kong Police (called the HKIPCC: HK Independent Police Complaints Commission). They screwed up, and boy did they screw up - they leaked the identities of 20,000 people who have submitted complaints. Yeah, that's right. Personal information of 20,000 people who have submitted complaints with the HKIPCC is on the net. Still.

The hilarity of all this is that, heh, now the police is investigating this, and the people who have had their information public, are repeatedly being contacted by the media, and the HKIPP & the police as part of the investigation.

If you want to read more:

A basic mention from the State-controlled media of China

I wonder if an independent commission will be set up to deal with complaints against the IPCC. If so, the IPCC acronym would definitely be shortened to I, being the IICC: Independent IPCC Complaints Commission.

Latest news about the situation is that they still have no idea how the data went up on the net. And they've resorted to pleading with the public not to download the data. They try, don't they?

photos-uploaded

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 05:48:00 +0000

Some photo galleries uploaded.

Go there:
http://pod.ca/photos/gallery/hkdoug?page=2

(this post to be replaced by an update referring to the photos)

I hate HK's Customer service, part 3 - BANKS

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 03:54:00 +0000

I prefer to leave my money under my mattress. The banks here are terrible. The Hong Kong people have been dealing with their terrible banks for so long that they've come to accept it and deal with it. I can't deal with it. The computer age may have pushed worldwide banking up to new heights, but it has done nothing to help the consumers of Hong Kong.

My bank here in Hong Kong is HSBC. You Canadians may recognise this bank, seeing some odd branches here and there - no one in Canada really knows anyone in Canada who has an account with HSBC - since they hardly have any branches or ATMs they aren't all that practical. Last summer I visited an HSBC bank in Canada trying to get some of my HKDollars out. Not possible. What the -? I think Canada's HSBCs are there just to funnel money to Chinese overseas operations, or its to launder money too.

Several months ago here in HK I needed money and needed to deposit a cheque - but I forgot my PIN (my passcode to enter my account). Maybe it was just one digit I forgot or I was too tired - I couldn't get my PIN number correct. After the third try, the screen informed me that my account was locked. I had to go into a bank.

Now in Canada (my friends here get tired of hearing me say that), if you forgot your PIN, you go to the bank and after providing the necessary documentation to prove we are who we say we are (and not some villain from a Harrison Ford movie) we'd put our card in a fancy Original Series Star Trek-like card reader (with clicking sounds and everything) and punch in a new PIN number (i.e. PIN numbers like 8888 for my aunt, or numbers 2445 like my brother, or 6669 like my friend Jesse Robertson. Yeah, Bossman!).

So the next day I went to the bank. After waiting the usual 45-minute wait to see the teller, I provided all the necessary documents and hoped the teller's English was good enough to understand me. When all was said and done, she informed me that my PIN would be on its way.

Me: "On its way where?"
Her: "To your home."
Me: "But I don't need it at home, I need it here, at the 'bank'."
Her: "It's not here at the bank."
Me: "But you are the bank, and this is my bank card, and I need my money. I have a cheque to deposit and money to get out."
Her: "Oh you can deposit your cheque."
Me: "Okay - I can put money in - but how about taking money out?"
Her: "I'm sorry, I can't do that."
Me: "But...you're the bank."
Her: "It's for security reasons."
Me: "Security reasons? What security? I've already proved to you who I am!"
Her: "We must send your PIN to your home."
Me: "But my home isn't here! I'm here! Give it to me!"
Her: "I'm sorry, I can't do that."
Me: "Why can't we just set a new one, or give me one here?"
Her: "Because we must send your PIN to your home."

By this time I was looking for cords or wires leading out from the back of the teller - the automated responses and circular logic were getting eerie (strange).

So I deposited my cheque and took a draft out on my credit card.

Recently I had to go back to the bank to get information for my mandatory retirement savings account, standard when changing jobs.

Me: "I need to know what my bank number, branch number, and account number are. Can you provide this information on paper so I don't need to come back?"
Her: "Here it is." (Hands me a post-it)
Me: "Can't I have some print out information about my account?"
Her: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Her: "I gave you a paper."
Me: "This is tiny. I will lose this. Please give me a print-out or something."
Her: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Her: "I gave you a paper."
Me: "Arg! Why can't you give me some sort of paper or something?"
Her: "If you like, we can close your account and you can open a new one. It will have a paper."
Me: "Seriously?"
Her: "We can start now."
Me: "That's ridiculous!"
Her: "Well you have that paper."
Me: "Arg! Arrrg!"
Her: "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Me: "...yes. Can You write down any other information I may need?"
Her: "Let me check...it seems you have an internet account too. You used it once last year. Here's your user name. Do you remember your password?"
Me: "No. How can I get it?"
Her: "You come in and-"
Me: "And then, let me guess, you'll mail it to me."
Her: "Yes."
Me: "I hate you. I want to cry."
Her: "Thank you, come again."

On the related issue of terrible customer service...
I'm cutting off my Canada credit cards, and my Internet Service Provider sent me a letter to inform me that they can't process my payment (read: they can't get at my money). The letter said I could update my account info via their website.

So I did. I put in the details for the HK Credit Card that they can use to bill me.

The next week I got an SMS message on my cellphone/mobile phone:

NETVIGATOR Bill A/C xxxxxxxxxx To avoid suspension, pls get the bill details via cs.netvigator.com & settle the overdue $218 at 7-Eleven asap

I was not a happy camper. It doesn't matter that I did not like the confusing tone of the message (go to the 7-Eleven and/or go to the website?) but I had already did this! I already did send the bill details via their website!

So I (reluctantly) called them.

Me: My account number is xxxxxxxxx
Them: Yes, how can I help you?
Me: Don't suspend my account.
Them: Excuse me?
Me: You want to suspend my account. Don't. Don't suspend my account. Do not.
Them: Let me see - we have a problem processing your payment - your credit card doesn't work.
Me: Yes - I already updated my billing information using your website, as you had instructed in the letter sent to me.
Them: Yes, I have it here - is it number xxxxxxxxx?
Me: Yes - so what's the problem?
Them: So, do you want to use this credit card?
Me: ... (pause)
%$#@in' $#%&- of course! That's why I updated it, you piece of #%$*!
Them: Okay. No problem!
Me: (crying)
Them: Is there anything else I can do for you?
Me: Yes...make sure you don't suspend my account.
Them: Okay!

So apparently their company practice is to inform clients to update billing information, and then prompt the client to contact the company to apply the use of said billing information independent of billing problems that even may lead to service disruption.

A few days later I got a letter reminding me of the problem they have with credit card number. Likely sent before I had this telephone conversation. Like with the other mail I had from them, it didn't matter.

Perspective: Life in the Googleplex

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 03:40:00 +0000

I've always been fascinated about Google. I'm proud to have been using Google as my search engine longer than most other people, knowing sensibly that the others are corrupted by greed to modify their search results. At Google it's all robots sorting it, sometimes with results that I'm sure even Google regrets.

The company seems to be a Wonka company of sorts. I imagine Ooompa Loompas meddling inside hot-swapping failed servers here and there, monitoring logs, tending to the laboratories, scanning books for the digital online project - who knows.

Well now there's a photoessay online - "Life at the Googleplex" that shows some photos of...well...life...at the Google headquarters.

Well anywhere, there was one photo that I found ridiculous. Reminded me of an SNL sketch with Jim Carrey.

Jack Layton, the Video Professor?

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 09:46:00 +0000

Ever see commercials for the Video Professor?

I caught the commercial while following the election live video stream from CTV.

I think the guy looks like Jack Layton, and vice-versa.

Also, between these two, former Liberal Party Revenue Minister John McCallum and former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.

I suppose that last photo kinda looks like John McCallum in front of the Video Professor! Ha!
"This video will show you how we intend to lower Child Poverty, using Windows on your PC! No obligation!"

Finished at the Po Leung Kuk

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 08:44:00 +0000

My contract at the Po Leung Kuk has come to an end. A year later, and it's sad to finally leave.

It was a difficult year - aggravating at times if not physically painful otherwise (the children bite, kick, and throw things at your head). I have photos - even video, that, unfortunately for legal reasons I cannot post (these are protected children due to their background of being orphans).

I also will not go too much into details about the discussions that went on before my employment or after, except to say that those too were aggravating. But more than anything, they were certainly great lessons on managerial style. Understanding that this was the first year of this ambitious project built at a crossroads between organisations with completely different cultures and perhaps different goals, I'm happy to have been involved and overjoyed at the opportunity to have done something important for the community with two organisations that do vital work in the Hong Kong community. I got a reference letter!

Canadian Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 08:31:00 +0000

Politics is my sport.

Others watch the game. They follow their team and support them in words, banners and beer discussions. Then they watch their team go for the crown. The Stanley cup game, the Grey Cup, the - other stuff with a shiny piece awarded at the end.

Me, I follow politics. And I watch the crown game - the election. And today, Canada had an election.

Election day is like Christmas. Hype is raised as banners and signs are in place for Christmas lights and Santa cut-outs. This year they competed for attention.

There is a weary feeling over the land - you can feel something is changing, though you haven't an interest.

It's like Christmas - and New Year's all in one. Like a parade and telethon and specials - all at once.

I get excited, as the news raise in excitement up to the climax.

My mind holds visions of Medieval fights as knights fall in battle, princes rise, soldiers falling victim to attrition in ridings while others struggle to raise the flag.

It's a romantic view, I know. But it's a view that I hold in common with Sport afficionados. I have had my bouts with interests in sports - the year was 1993 and the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup. In hindsight, the result is much to simplistic. Leading up to that point, I was drawn in, every game providing more insight into the history of the team, the struggles of the players, and the strength of the rival. Common political pundits and sports fans - they discuss and debate alike - substitute players for members, teams for parties, and you'd have to do a double-take. On TV political pundits and reporters analyse the results much like sports anchors give stats in between play-by-plays, in lead-up games and follow-up games.

It's a shame sports has nothing to do with reality. To quote Chomsky, it's "irrational jingoism". "[Sports] is a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements -- in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism."

Not to say talking about sports is pointless. It's the common language of strangers. How else can you be honest and jabbing without being overly unfriendly, even partake in a few beer drinks. I've enjoyed my drunken times after (and during) my Montreal Canadiens games (thanks Tim!) enjoyed with strangers and peers alike.

I just wish the same could be done with politics. Spectator sports as a hobby can be healthy. A devotion to spectator sports is damaging. It distracts, marginalises and is a waste of time and money. Participatory politics is relevant, unifying, and as important as ever.

In HK
But I can't follow the politics as closely as I like. The Canadians here don't care about Canadian politics. It logically follows: Apart from those I gather who work at the Can'n Consulate, if they cared all that much about, they wouldn't be here.

I do regularly find myself glued to the TV switching between the CBC and CTV and even RDS (French CBC) and, when I'm up for some chuckles, I'll switch to TQS.

This year, I was prepared. The newscasts started at 10pm in Canada due to vote count reporting blackouts (By law, on election night, Canadian news organizations aren't allowed to publish results to any part of the country in which the polls are still open. - CBC)

I was pleased to see Live video feeds from both CTV and CBC, with commentary and live updates of the results. This satisfied my appetite.

I don't know what the live feed technology was like last year, but it was great - better than having a TV switching channels, I had both feeds open on my laptop - here on the other side of the world.

I've been following the election during the weeks leading up to the election - and I have my opinions, views and so on. I could go into a few now, but I won't echo what I have read already. That's useless. Or throw my voice to merely echo what I support - that's equally useless. But I would like to mention and touch on what I haven't seen discussed.

Am I the only one to be surprised that with all the hours of following the election (and many news items) I'm left with questions. Many questions. Questions I feel are important (I think this has been the underlying strength of blogs - to fill the void of Media reporting and coverage).

If you don't know that the leader of Canada (if like everybody else you forget about the queen) is called the Prime Minister, you're not going to understand more. Nor if you know that his name was Paul Martin and is stepping down as leader of the former-reigning party the Liberal Party of Canada. Now, to continue.

I do think it is interesting that Paul Martin, since taking the reigns of the Liberal Party has only led it downward in power and popularity. Jean Chrétien handed him a majority government, and with it he formed a minority leading government, and now a minority opposition party. He had to resign. Sure Canada had enough with Chrétien after 3 consecutive leads - but he was a powerful force - of change and influence. So much so that it rubbed off on Martin. Martin was a soldier - not a leader. He was a great soldier, but never a leader. His managerial style was subordinate to the leadership style of Chretien.

During the news reporting, I've heard historical references to John Turner, making comparisons to Paul Martin. On CTV there was even an interview with former Prime Minister and Conservative leader Brian Mulroney...which in an ironic twist caused bigger corruption scandals than that which dethroned the Liberal Party...

But there was nothing about Jean Chrétien! No commentary, few references... Yes, it is interesting to note that Paul Martin compromised the Liberal Party and that it "all came crashing down (Tom Clark - CTV News)" but how about a commentary of the pure force and power that was Jean Chrétien? Is it taken for granted? Is the former right honourable MP and Prime Minister of Canada's name Mud, that now it can't even be mentioned alongside John Turner (a failure in his own right as short-term Prime Minister as leader of the Liberals).

The Liberals could do with a reflection to the Chrétien era - of power, of influence and, most importantly, of unbeatable majority government. So unbeatable that there was enough momentum to lead into a minority government beyond the era. The Conservative party did not take down the Liberals. The Liberals did. Leaders lead. Leaders like (gasp!) Chrétien and Trudeau lead governments. Leaders like Martin and even, (gasp!) Turner lead opposition governments.

Let's play Minority Arithmetic!

308 seats - 155 makes majority.

124 for Conservatives,
103 for Liberals
51 for BQ
29 for NDP

Liberals + NDP is not enough (132 seats).
Conservatives + NDP: Not enough (153 seats)..but that would have been funny.
Liberals + BQ: Almost Enough:(154 seats).
Conservatives + Liberals: Enough - but useless (227 seats).
Conservatives + BQ: Enough (175) - A comfortable majority, albeit sensitive one. They would be united to compromise the Liberals, but they don't need any more defeating for the time-being. The Conservatives cut into BQ support - it'll be tough to keep their support, but the Conservatives will need it to stay in power.

Also: a seat:
1 for a loud-mouthed former radio host "André Arthur" in Quebec. I hope he'll get back his show, or get another. And I'll hope hell host his show from the bench. Think about it, he could be the strongest push for democracy - at least from Quebec. Imagine being able to call into his show and speak to an MP and perhaps get the views some voice. Meh, I'm just daydreaming.
But there is commentary that this guy is the new Chuck Cadman - the fulcrum of change, the one who makes or breaks. He is not a seasoned MP, but instead a former shock-jock. Ooo...this could be exciting.

Conservatives
Of course the Conservatives are going to find things very difficult. With a minority government and little in common with the other parties - wow is this going to be interesting. Perhaps a failure in making, which will be very welcome to those who do not count the Conservative Party among their favorites..but equally dangerous. If they do manage to weather the challenges and make it work - they will become a stronger party with even greater momentum. Be wary.

I see a parallel here to Brian Mulroney's Conservative leadership era. Look at it. Strong Trudeau, followed by weak Turner, taken over by strong Mulroney. Now; Strong Chretien, followed by weak Martin, taken over by a strong-to-be Harper. In Mulroney's era, the BQ and PQ in Québec became overwhelmingly strong. Mulroney, although still strong in Québec, ignored the rising tide of power and influence by the Separatist/Sovereignist parties. Harper will do the same. Conservatives have little to offer the progressive climate of Quebec - except as a means for anti-separatists to punish the Liberals. Conservatives can both lure Quebec votes (through payoffs and ignorance) while fuelling Sovereignist sympathies inter-provincially.

I should also throw caution against the wind as to what I see will become of Liberal Party. It's much too early to tell what the results will be. But a lot revolves around who the new leader will be, in the wake of Paul Martin's departure. Who is in the wings? No one is at people's lips, not like Chretien was at the helms of Trudeau or Martin at the helms of Chretien. Hindsight may remind us there is - let's get into that.

My predictions
Those going for the Liberal leadership:

Belinda Stronach (Liberal party, formerly Conservative party), that power-hungry CEO turned politician. She'll cause problems. But there is a new and stronger influence in the House - women. More than ever before - mostly a change brought forward from NDP. A female Prime Minister? Not so unthinkable - we've had (a disastrous) one before of the likes of Kim Campbell (Conservative Party) who wasn't elected and courageously scapegoated for the corrupting misdeeds of Mulroney. However the new 'balanced' atmosphere may change the tone to be more respective to Belinda. She'll get far in the leadership - so far people might actually think she's got a shot. She's a backstabber with limited devotion that is outweighed by her ambition. If you give up an inherited million-dollar position as CEO of an auto-parts company - only power can replace the influence of money.
Ujjal Dosanjh: (Also a former Liberal Cabinet - Minister of Health, Industry, and apparently big parties) Didn't say yes, but didn't say no.
Brian Tobin - far later only after testing the waters with careful comments. He won't go on the record to say he won't.
And there's also that Michael Ignatieff guy - This guy would be a long-shot if only the Liberals weren't in trouble. Who is this guy? The hope of the Liberal Party for charisma, or a ticking timebomb?
Perhaps:John Manley - He's been on the pundit trail among the newscasts - even giving public not-needed advice for Paul Martin for his life after political life as a last jab from the forgotten Chrétien camp.

NDP
I should say something about the NDP.
Ummm...the expectations on this party are so low that when they don't disappoint, they make headlines. They're like the rebel black sheep in the family in that good news about them is great news. Their levels this election is like 50 or 60% higher than the last election - oh that's wonderful. Still less than 30 (less than 10% of the house) seats and a whole lot less than under Broadbent's term as leader. Oh but 10 seats more? Oh isn't that wonderful...

The party has the Green party cutting away votes, and Unions like Buzz Hargrove's pulling away support - the relevance of the NDP in common politics is surprising. But people will continue to throw support behind them, hoping something will come out of it, and the marginal success is wonderful news, because no bad news is good news. "Oh, a husband and wife team? Oh isn't that wonderful."

I heard a commentary that gave insight to what may be in the future for the NDP; a Worker's Union-type party like they have in the UK. With an embattled Liberal Party, this may be jumping point for the NDP to move into the center. Can they do it? Well the Liberals have been spread thin, trying to be the center, moving even right at times too during the Chrétien era. Without a clear direction, they've been at best trying to represent the people without leading them anywhere. The opportunity may be with the NDP to lead change into Center-Left politics, as what was the beacon of Trudeau-politics within the Liberals. But this is just hypothetical.

BQ
The BQ reminds us about the way a constituency system works. The BQ only seeks votes in Quebec - and they come up almost twice as strong as the NDP. They focus support in a limited area, and have become party #2 (official opposition) and caller number 9 (taking home the prize). This is a party to reckon with. At the debates, and on the polls.

Other issue:
Voter turnout
At a surprising low of 60%. A shame, and a step in the direction of a US style political atmosphere. We have strong two parties that ping-pong leadership back and forth. Negative US-style campaign ads that foster distaste in elections for marginal gains in votes. Apathy is replacing responsibility among the electorate. I hate to see where this goes.

Ping Pong minority governments
Hey, with 4 parties vying for votes, it'll be tough for any party to have a majority of the votes. And a minority government is a fragile one. The other 3 parties keep close tabs - letting you work as long as they don't want to, but keep you from being succesful and take too much credit. This could lead no parties from getting a majority government. We may be in for a real doozy.

We need direction now more than ever. More than that, we need a reason and answers. Hopefully if I can find enough, I don't need to type so much.

two more

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 16:22:00 +0000

Two more to add to the list:

-I did some graphics work for a local chinese restaurant - designed the logo, wall mural, printed ad banner, the invoices...
It was interesting to do - the first time I worked with Chinese fonts, with much freedom.

-I am committed to weight gain.
This isn't an easy thing to do - although there's plenty and plenty of resources to follow for losing weight, there's virtually nothing about how to gain weight.

So, I've set myself on an anti-diet diet. I will follow weight-loss diet advice, but do the opposite. I am essentially following the Atkins diet, the diet that specifies that one should stay away from starchy foods. And that is what I'm doing - PLUS the starches. I'm eating foods low in starch, but adding foods that are high in starch. It may sound complicated, but it really isn't.

I'm also following a regiment of adding exercise to my regular activities - which includes reducing exercise from my regular activities.

And instead of following the advice to avoid eating foods before I sleep, I am avoiding the avoidance of food before I sleep. I have another hearty starch-free with starch meal before I crash.

It's really not that difficult - once you get a routine in place.

Deluge

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 09:41:00 +0000

Been too long since my last post. You could chart my posting frequence on a chart and it would be a downward curving slope. At the beginning I posted once a day and now it's once every two months. It's all intentional - yep. My next will be in 4 months.

The deluge has been so overwhelming that to begin to tackle it was daunting.
Simple english: The amount of work necessary to write an update has been too much for me, that I have avoided it (the work) and not updated.

Not that there is lack of news, but things are settling rather well. I was asked by one of my bosses at a banquet last week how I was settling in in Hong Kong.

You know, I wake up here and it's like I've been here for a long long time. But when I was in Canada, I'd wake up and forgot I had been in Hong Kong for nearly a year.

Let me recall a quote:

The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half.
Fyodor Dostoevsky

I hope I make a habit of not developing habits, but as I'm settling into things here, things are becoming a bit more routine, a bit more usual, a bit more whelming.

My updates, I expect, will be more frequent. I am surprisingly lazy when I am before (in front) of my computer, less intent on writing for my blog as I would just clicking through articles of news events and philosophical blabetty bla (bla bla bla). My first posts were facilitated with the use of my old PDA, a first series Handspring. All but smoke has been rising out of it after its 5 years of dedicated service that ended a few months ago. The burial will take place soon, but since its decommission, I have been rather limited in my organisational abilities. I am looking to buy a PDA this evening, and if I don't, it will be within the next two weeks.

I provide a quick update about things going on.

I miss my friends and family.
My favorite diner moved away 4 months ago. I have since visited twice, the daughters are growing up very fast and the food remains very good.
I am taking a Kung Fu class with my best friend Apple.
It is called "Practical Wing Chun Kung Fu", which is quite a misnomer since no one there speaks English. Not quite practical if you can't learn it. Perhaps the name of the place should keep the word "Practical" in the Chinese name, and "Impractical" or "No no" in the English name. "Impractical Wing Chun Kung Fu".
I am becoming increasingly troubled and fazed by the nature of my work (teaching orphans) as I become more familiar with their backgrounds and my working routine.My solace is that I am doing very real work benefitting lives of the most disadvantaged in Hong Kong society.
I have been stopped AGAIN by the police - but this time I asked for it. I suspected if I use English, I wouldn't get the same problem I had before. So I look suspicious in my attempts to get police to stop me, then stick with English. "Oh, you Englissy?" he stammers "Yes! What do you want?!" "Nothing! Go! Go!" and while I'm just barely still in earshot I say "bastard" in Chinese. It's fulfilling.
My electronics have collectively taken a stance against me. My iPod doesn't scroll, my cellphone doesn't respond, my laptop is slowing down, my PDA resets, and my wireless mouse found a wire and hung itself. I am suspecting the humidity of Hong Kong is terrible on electronics and causing the disturbances in the force, Luke. I am not caving into the contractual demands of my electronics.
My Cantonese level is causing me problems. My pronunciation is good enough that people think my mistakes are intentional, causing laughs, insults, finger-pointing and an old woman at work to chase after me, violently. My boss is steadfast convinced I am fluent despite my insistences I cannot understand anybody...now can you please ask the old woman to stop chasing after me?
I am doing web design/web development work for a start-up in an expat-popular area in Hong Kong. It's interesting work.
At the Annual Sea Cadet Exchange camp, I presided over a 1000+-member game of Simon Says (my initiative), conducted in both official languages of Hong Kong - English and Chinese. English was for the directions, Chinese was to tell the kids to sit down and stay seated down if they lost. It was a very fun game. Sit down! Do I have to come down there?

Me getting ready to host the game
The crowd of Sea Cadets

The remaining winners in a Simon Says-have-a-deathmatch shootout (you can see me on stage in the background with judges)
I went to a dinner and social event at the top of the Central Plaza, a Hong Kong landmark building that has a tremendous view of all Hong Kong, where I met the superintendent of the Hong Kong Police and superlieutenant (or something). They gave me a gift to thank me for my work with the Hong Kong Sea Cadets and the Simon Says game. Now sit!
I was invited to a banquet and live concert of the Beach Boys that was raising funds for the program I am working with. At the Grand Hall in Hong Kong (with a ceiling so high you can hardly see it - there's clouds - and doors so big, the tree giants from Lord of the Rings could walk right in), I got to see big-wigs and CEOs of Hong Kong, most I didn't know. I did get to meet the Chairman of the PLK, a TV anchor of the popular horse races that go on, and of course, see the Beach Boys (at this $300 CDN/ticket event...)
I met the biggest star of Hong Kong, Stephen Chow (Director, Star of "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer") when he came to visit my class at the PLK (teaching the orphans). Photographs and video of us was in all the big media outlets - so much so my friends saw my picture in the newspaper parents saw me on Chinese TV in Canada. It was very interesting. (Here is a link to a story from Yahoo! ...only in Chinese, sorry.)
I have had my class filmed twice. The first time was for a corporate video for a world-huge financial co. to get funding for the program. Sorry, can't get into much more details about this though I'd sure love to - considering how many digits are involved with the sought-for funding.
The second time I was filmed, I was interviewed for a documentary about my workplace and the program I am working with. They also filmed my class and stuff. The director was flown in from the US. I am learning more and more how important is the work I am doing and the program I am working with.
My insights about the way the world turns, the way the world works and the rules of social interaction of people dependent on class system dynamics of Hong Kong are all correct. All of them. Unfortunately the Hong Kong and Chinese government will not let me publish my conclusions, so I can only make veiled references that are by no means dismissive, but reflective of the rules of concision that makes blogging an effective outlet of self-expression.
Your lucky numbers are 7, 9 and 14. You will live long and fruitless life.

So, as you can see, each is a blog entry on its own. They are here for me to expand on, should I want. Hope this will do for now.

3 principle tenets about teaching foster children

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sun, 04 Sep 2005 12:01:00 +0000

Just realized that the old show Newsradio (featuring Canadian Dave Foley) is really just a remake of WKRP in Cincinnati. Think about (if you are familiar with both stories) - it's right down to the individual characters.

I have 3 principle tenets about teaching the foster children. They are shaped by a respect and consideration of signicant factors:

I am teaching part-time

These are very young children

The tenets that shape my teaching are:

Foster a positive and encouraging approach to English

Develop self-esteem and sense of self among the children

develop an adaptation to change

Missing on this list is any mention that students need to learn English or be able to express themselves. That is because since this is an extracurricular class, I think it would be unfair to impose English learning on the students. I rather the honus (pressure) be on me to make learning fun, interesting and worthwhile, independent of the young age or disinterest of the students.

So far the students are very enthusiastic about learning English, sometimes too excited. To fill the gap of English learning from such short time every week, I have provided English videos with material relating to the classes and asked the childcare workers that their TV viewing time feature more English. They have been very enthusaiastic about the videos, and I hope they will be as well to the TV viewing.

Foster a positive and encouraging approach to English

Develop self-esteem and sense of self among the children

develop an adaptation to change

This Mix-Blood-Youth got a haircut

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sun, 14 Aug 2005 11:34:00 +0000

Interesting comments to the last post. Whether I am a half-breed or not. More on that in a second.

Culture Gap
The gaps in cultures interest me. Like how the sovereignist / separatist movement and the reactionary Federalists of Quebec (and Canada) just did not understand each other. Neither side understood what the other side was saying - newspapers had very little overlap. And they weren't quite listening either. So push came to shove and shove came to bombs and war-time policies - to say the least. Gaps in cultures.

When getting a haircut in Hong Kong, I don't go to the foreign-friendly areas. They're typically more expensive and I don't learn anything. I go to local places. I went to a place in Mong Kok and despite being asked about 20 seconds on my background (perhaps they were in fact curious - or maybe polite), I noticed that I sure learn to speak Cantonese quite fast when someone is holding scissors to my head and I have a haircut riding on it.

After some discussion from the question-and-answer session, one of the workers at the hair salon returned with the Chinese writing I requested. "混血兒". That's what I am.

混血兒
The words mean Mix-Blood-Youth (Person)
The combination of words in my cellphone-dictionary comes up with the entries "half-blooded", "half-blood" and "half-breed".

The Chinese word (混血兒) is legitimately accurate - it's a term for the kind of quasi-common people that are in Hong Kong. The English interpretation of the name, though less common, is an acceptable translation - it seems.

The word "Mulatto" comes to mind...the slang term for mixed people of half-black/half-white descent. The name, despite its possible negative connotations in its origin, is acceptable to communicate one's background. Though half-chinese-half-whites may be less common in the west, doesn't mean it isn't here in Hong Kong, and that the terms they may have is any less acceptable. But when using the English translation of it (half-breed), different interpretations and thoughts come to mind.

Overseas-born Chineses (OBCs)
In Hong Kong, I've met quite a few OBC's, you know, overseas-born or raised Chinese, and they seem quite confused to me. For one thing, they have no clear purpose in Hong Kong, or direction. They come here, with a priviledged background having studied at a good Unviersity, being well-versed in both Cantonese and English, without much idea as to what they want to do or where they want to work. All the while going to western bars and restaurants. They are trying to make their foreign home here in Hong Kong. They speak the language, but many can't write, or have any interest to.

A guess
It's a pilgrimmage without any support. Hong Kong, as the West's Gateway to Asia, there is huge security blanket for everyone. Interested in getting away from it all? It's got it. Interested in learning more? It's a few subway stops away. But the OBCs learn a priviledged life, with freedoms and opportunities afforded to them from their parents. They don't need to work hard, learn to write Chinese, And in growing up, they learn about culture and food from this far-away land, and in coming to Hong Kong, to seek to find it, only to avoid the hardships, the lessons, the values and the benefits.

Proof: Where are they?
I'd like to join with OBCs at the Chinese bar-b-qs, visits to the beach. Meet other OBCs who are Sea Cadet leaders, teaching foster children, eating at dai-pai-dongs (local diners), going hiking or to Karaokes with friends. Where are they?

Sure you can tell me there aren't that many OBCs in Hong Kong - but there are. I've been to the Western Bar district (Lan Kwai Fong), and I've played sports with the westerners (Ultimate Frisbee) - they're there. I've worked with them and somehow they all know many others in Hong Kong. So what are they doing?

Of course, this pretends that I have this moral superiority that what I'm doing is right and what they're doing isn't. Yeah, that's warranted. But keep in mind that I don't attach the same to foreigners - they have their purpose in HK as for many they are brought here, or HK is part of their world-travelling excursions. There's no blame upon them for not undertaking the exploits and lessons I do. I also don't credit myself for being able to knock heads with the OBCs and demonstrate often times I know more about the popular culture, the local current events, have more local friends and can read more of the language - I blame the OBCs for lacking in these areas despite all the privileges to gain in these areas. It's a shame to come this far around the world and forget to take off your blinders once you're here because while on the road to individual pursuit to find out who you are.

Well that's a culture gap this 混血兒 has filled. Came with a haircut too.

More from this group of photos
Me, a foreigner - or maybe she's a local, I think she was born in HK, and an OBC...I think. I was drunk at a fashion show and these are friends of a friend from England.

Congratulatory Apple, Being back, Back to work, and University

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 17:35:00 +0000

Congratulatory Apple
Found out some great news - my best HK friend Apple may become a Police officer...exciting news. I will keep my fingers crossed for her.

She will join the ranks of the 5 other Hong Kong police officers I've known - for those of you who didn't know, my parents met in the Hong Kong police.

I will keep my fingers crossed for her, but won't harp on it until she has the uniform on.

Being back
I spent the last year finding out who I am. I finished that 364 days early and gathered reasons for why I am what I am.

Now in my second year in Hong Kong (minus one month I was gone) I am now much more assertive about my identity, sometimes in a hostile manner, but otherwise very dismissive and sweeping in tone. Identity cannot be dealt with lightly in the face of assumptions, biases, prejudice and ignorance - otherwise it's just not worth dealing at all. Unless you don't care.

I have the face of a foreigner, but all the advantages of a Canadian-born Chinese (CBC). Rather, I don't have the face of a Chinese, but without the disadvantages of a landed foreigner.

It has been rather difficult to explain myself to the Hong Kong people. Not that I care to, there's no shouting from rooftops nor do I care there's any importance about my identity. But people ask and don't quite listen intently - so I need to be assertive. I get the questions from the locals, the foreigners and the overseas-raised. They ask my why I know Chinese, how come I can write, how come I know about the popular culture scene, how am I able to stay in Hong Kong. The answers are typically because I am a Canadian-born Chinese - but the unspoke subtext is that I don't know these things more because I am a foreigner. Both apply.

So in sweeping language with assertion, I bounce back and forth balancing the line between explaining that I know these things because I am chinese, yet don't know it more because I am a foreigner.

Back to work
After a month absence, went back to work at the headquarters for the foster children to teach English. A few have left - been adopted - and it bothers me after having developed an attachment for the children - but it's all in the best. Less difficult is that some will be moving up to higher-age dorms - while others will be relocated to foster care in another area in Hong Kong. These kids are the cutest things - deserving of all the things all children benefit - but won't get. So many things bother me about their situation, and though I agree they have all the reasons to have my sympathy and attention, while working I need to be stern, consistent, and maintain discipline while I teach. Outside of class I try to give as much attention and care as I can though.

The cutest thing is hearing the kids tell me they missed me. I was earnestly hoping they wouldn't, and respond well to the substitute teacher. I worked hard to provide the substitute with materials, direction, advice and a schedule that would make things easiest, but fortunately my assistant was able to respond well to the students. I am told some of the children cried for me, but although this is very flattering, these children need to develop strength and adapt to change. But all in time. I hope.

University?
I am considering taking a Cantonese course at the Chinese University in Hong KOng. From what I have read from on-line message boards about Cantonese, their course is the best, as they even teach translators. But it's very expensive...$4000 CDN for a semester 3 month of 5 courses/week at 3 hours/class (now, if a train is going west at 15km/h and another is going...). My past 3 months in Hong Kong hasn't improved my Cantonese at all, and I want to communicate better with my friends and family - Right now I can communicate sufficiently, but it is mostly relying on others to fill the (many) gaps, and I feel the richness of the communications is lacking, as I have more to express and more to discern from what I want to express. A very expensive interest, but...

But I need to speak Cantonese- and speak it well for it to be useful. I cannot understand why anyone would want to speak French. It is useless. Not to say anything less of the language - I continue to push myself to learn it and practice it. But it takes a lot before it is useful. Why? Because for your level of French to be useful, you have to be speaking to someone whose English is worse than your French. This is a really simple concept - because if their English was better than your French, then you'd be speaking English. And this is true with just about everybody who can speak French - all Francophones (generally) can speak English - and speak it well. If you are going to speak French with a francophone, it's because your French is very good. And to learn very good French is just about prohibitively impossible. You will always be able to fall back on your shill and revert to English.

The same applies to Cantonese. My Cantonese, to be practically useful, has to be very very good. And I endeavour for that. And I am in the right place for it, and the right effort and motivation. I'd love to learn from the people around me, but we keep reverting back to English, because I don't have enough of a foundation to build on - just enough of a foundation to provide shelter. I also wouldn't want to subject others with having to deal with me. It's a difficult language for a westerner to learn - and requires a teacher with a sensitive ear for tone, and a knowledge of the steps that builds on learning and - a whole bunch of other stuff I know about education.

Enough rambling.

Here's your gratuitous photo.

Is Doug ready for University again...or is University ready for Doug again?
More from this group of photos

Short story - at the Japanese airport

noreply@blogger.com (Doug) — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 11:31:00 +0000

In a Japanese airport on my way back to Hong Kong...

I am waiting at the Tokyo airport, waiting to to take my last plane, to Hong Kong.

So there are signs at the airport, at the gate.

Kept saying : "Tokyo - Hong Kong - 1740 - On time"

1740 came and went, and Japanese engineers went rushing into the bottom of the plane working frantically. Actually, it looked like a Japanese movie but instead of battling with a giant bird, it was a plane - and they kept disappearing underneath it as they went up into the underbelly fixing stuff. Odd thing is you don't see them come out. Those Japanese are small and hard-working. Maybe the Engineers had to work on the plane during the flight. Who knows.

So my Tokyo-Hong Kong flight was delayed by 2 hours - as they kept announcing in their terrible Anglo-Japanese and Canto-Japanese and Mandarin-Cantonese and perfect Japanese. They brought out a whiteboard that had their announcement in 20 lines Japanese of Japanese writing and 5 lines of English writing. I look up at the big digital board. "Tokyo - Hong Kong - 1740 - On time."

"Why do you have a big board up there, all beautiful and big, at the top of the stairs and right here above your head, if it isn't true?" I asked the Japanese Gatemaster, as other onlookers were looking to pipe in.

"Solly sir, we cannot change it." He leplied. Honestly, he leally said that.

"Then why do you have it?" I piped back.

"We are making announcements."

"You wouldn't have to if you just update the board. It is now not 1740 and the plane is not 'On time', you should update the board. I now want to go drinking for 2 hours, and I can't be here to risten to your announcements. Am I okay to leave for 2 hours?" I piped some more.

"Sure, goodbye sir." he assured me.

So with 2 hours of free-time now liberated of my delaying schedule, I decided to exercise a favorite hobby of mine - well developed from my assertions of Canadian rights - complain.

First to the Airport information counter. I talked slowly so the Japanese lady could understand me. She understood - and almost cried. "It's okay - I don't mind that much that the flight is delayed - but it really should be indicated on the boards - it's okay - really." She indicated it's the airline, so, with time on my side, I descended to find my airline representative - of Japan Air Lines.

There was a long line for people getting boarding passes - so I found a woman holding a sign advertising travellers to board a different plane for a particular flight. I told her of my own plight and asked who I could complain to. "Please don't cry, it's okay, I just think it's important." She didn't know what to do - she went to go find her boss, but couldn't leave the sign. I offered to hold it up "Really?" she asked followed by a high-pitch giggle. "Yeah. I got nothing else better to do."

So I held it, until another representative came by and broke the sign that said "JL 740 Vancouver - Gate 38" out of my hands.

The other woman came back, and told me the signs have all been updated and juice and rice would be offered to all passengers. She thanked me. I think she was waiting for a hug or something, I didn't know what to do. I really don't know anything about the Japanese culture or manner, and I probably won't learn much now by giving her a hug. The awkwardness of it all was one-sided. I waved my arm goodbye, really fast, in a fast gyration like most asians do, but decided that my two-finger salute would be short. Those who know the asians know what I'm talking about (it's like a peace-symbol, but it combines with a smile and squint and sometimes a kick to the side. High boots and big hat accessories are optional).

I did some walking and looked for any other trouble or complaining I could muster, but decided I didn't want to make anybody else cry.

Finarry I boarded the plane - the Gatemaster got my ticket and took the opportunity to apologize to me for the delay and thought I would be delighted that they are providing rice and juice. "That's because I did your work and did something about it!" I don't think he understood me. I got my lice and dlink and went off into the plane. I was the only one on the plane
with an empty seat beside me - and got prenty of rest.