Air Quality of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Waterfront

As you can see from this photo, Hong Kong does and can have clear sky days. Unfortunately, these days are far and few between in recent years.

Coincidentally for some strange reasons the situation got worst ever since the handover (in 1997) of Hong Kong back to China.

In the past week when Hong Kong’s temperatures reached the mid 30°C, the conditions became worst, to the point of dangerous for many people who suffer from respiratory diseases.

The Hong Kong Observatory explains that the hot temperatures resulted in conditions where there are not enough wind to blow the pollutants out to sea and away from Hong Kong. This caused a high pollutant count at street level and low visibility in the Victoria Harbour.

Hong Kong Waterfront

The Environment Minister further explains that these excessive pollutants are the direct result of increased power consumption by Hong Kong residences. Which caused the power companies to increase their electricity productions.

The Energy Minister’s report is also when I first realize that Hong Kong still relies heavily on coal fuel for electricity generation. According to government’s figures, as of the end of 2005, coal fueled energy constitute 55% of the fuel source for electricity generation in Hong Kong, while the cleaner and safer natural gas fuel constituting only 18%.

How come Hong Kong, a modern metropolis still uses coal for majority of its electricity generation? Is it due to economics or business decision.

In an attempt to lower power consumption, the government began a major advertising and educational campaign to encourage Hong Kong residences and businesses to raise the thermostat so to reduce general energy consumption in the territory. Unfortunately, for those who lives in or visiting Hong Kong, will be familiar with the experience of walking along a street lined with retail shops, and feeling gusts of cool (sometime cold) air conditioned air pumping out from these shops (normally without doors). Even on the hottest of days, one will often get enough relieve from these shops to make walking along the busy and crowded streets bearable. Remember I am talking about out in the open, so there are excessive use of energy in Hong Kong.

Both electric companies in Hong Kong also have natural gas fueled power plants. One of the power company even erected a large wind mill for experimental power generation on a near by island within the Hong Kong territories. This latter form of power generation is not the most practical in Hong Kong, mainly due to the lack of land in Hong Kong for such purpose. With wind power being one of the most viable natural source of energy, and Hong Kong’s spirit of exploiting the coastal waters, the government is therefore considering a plan to build a farm of wind mills in the Hong Kong territorial waters for energy generation.

I have an idea that will kill-two-birds-with-one-stone, per se. We can build a farm of thermal and solar powered wind mills in the territorial waters of Hong Kong. At initial thought you may think this idea sounds a bit weird and contradictory. Please allow me to explain.

My idea is to utilize thermal and solar energy to spin these wind mills (giant fans) in the farm, and this farm or farms will also be positioned strategically. As a result they generate enough turbulence in Victoria harbour and the general Hong Kong coastal regions to blow the pollutant into the sea or at least disburse it enough to help its natural dissipation. These thermal and solar powered wind mills will also be able to generate electricity, which it can either transport back to the land power lines or store for days when the thermal and solar energy are not enough to run the wind mill farms.

You can see how this idea can solve a few problems with a simple self contained solution.

Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

So until the right people acknowledge my idea, let’s all do our part and return the Hong Kong skyscape that we’re all used to in the past decades.

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How Young Will They Be?


Jane Szeto’s iPod
Originally uploaded by VinkoT.

Today my friend’s daughter became one of the youngest user of an iPod.

I kind of donated my old 3rd generation iPod to my friend’s daughter, who is 2 and a half. So she is now an official Apple product owner.

According to her father, she now listens to Sesame Street on her new iPod. I hear that Jane also favors Barnney.

PS: I am happy to say that she does not do “Windows” (including the OS) and has started to use a Macintosh PowerBook.

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Movie Review: Cars

Poster
My Rating: 5Stars

This evening I went to see the movie “Cars” at UA Windsor House, Causeway Bay.

For the regular readers and people who knows me, they already know that I am a fan of Pixar. This movie has only further reinforce that feeling of mine. You also know that I reserve the 5 penguins ratings for movies that I want to see a second time right afterwards.

Cars being the last movie title in the original Pixar-Disney contract, is definitely one that would have convinced the Disney executive that they cannot loose Pixar to its competitors. May be the Disney board members received a preview of Cars before they decided to purchase Pixar; making Steve Jobs the largest shareholder of Disney.

I had always enjoyed the smart humor of the Pixar artists, Cars is definitely no exception. As usual the Pixar designers were able to transfer the characteristics of each actor, behind the voices, to the actual animations. Making me want to see Pixar’s up coming movie, “Ratatouille” (Rat-a-too-ee), even more.

As in previous Pixar movies, characters from past Pixar movies also made cameo appearances. Like the Toy Story characters appearing in “Finding Nemo“. But not wanting to spoil the surprise, I will not tell you who or when they appear in Cars. You will have to enjoy finding this out yourself. May be in a few weeks time, after most people who wants to see this movie will have seen the movie, you, the readers, can return to this post and submit your “easter eggs” of where these cameo appearances were.

I for one had already subscribed to Amazon’s announcement for when the DVD comes up.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it if you can
1Star Waste your time elsewhere

Do You See Double?

A senior Japanese researcher at ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories outside Kyoto, has created a machine in his own image. A perfect thing for times when you need to go see a chic flick with your wife or girlfriend. Of course this also applies for the women who have to suffer through the ball games or action movies.

read more | digg story

A Conflict Without George?

…. or is that really true?

As many of you may already know, there had been fierce fighting along the borders of Israel and Lebanon this week. The fighting is between the Israeli military and the Hezbollah’s military wing, Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya.

As far as most people know, this conflict was neither started by the United States or George W. Bush.

Although any conflict in the middle east involving Israel must have the backing of the United States of America. Given that Israel is one of the only ally in the region dominated by Islamic countries.

The latest conflict was instigated by Hezbollah in their operation “Operation Truthful Promise”, with Israel retaliating with “Operation Just Reward” or later named “Operation Change of Direction”.

IsraelandPalestinePeacePoster

This is definitely not something that Israel needs, especially when they already had an active conflict with Hamas in Palestine.

Will the USA get involve? Will they come to the support of their middle east friend and alley being pushed around by its neighbours? Given the importance of middle east to the US foreign policies and domestic stability. I would not be surprise if US carriers are entering the strait of Hormuz or the Mediterranean sea.

I just hope these conflicts will be settled soon and everyone concern can resume the peace process that was already started in the middle east. It is beneficial to all countries to have a stable middle east.

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GST in Hong Kong

Poster

In my humble opinion. This is definitely a bad thing for Hong Kong.

I had lived through the whole discussion and then implementation of GST in Canada and it is definitely not something that Hong Kong needs.

I feel so strongly that I had created a page on my site dedicated to this cause, plus creating a petition that I plan to send to the HKSAR Government when they begin accepting public opinions.

So, if you also agree with my opinions please help by signing the petition and then most importantly help spread the word.

Thank you for your support.

Movie Review: Superman Returns

Poster
My Rating: 3Stars

This afternoon I went to see the movie “Superman Returns” at GH Grand Ocean Theatre, Tsim Sha Tsui.

I don’t recall the last Superman movie with Christopher Reeves, but apparently Superman had left Earth for 5 years and now he has returned.

Unfortunately, I feel this movie has fallen victim to the traditional sequel blues. What I mean is that, typical sequels are never as good as the first one. Only the rare occasions has this rule been presently broken. For example, Indiana Jones series, Jack Ryan series, Star Wars (episodes IV, V and VI).

I do admit that the special effects in this version of Superman is very good. But compared to the technology back when the last few Superman movies were made, digital special effects have advanced substantially.

The plot is truly in the spirit of traditional DC Comic Superman. So I guess for the die hard Superman fan this is a good thing.

For those of you who are old enough to remember the Super Hero cartoons; I am not sure if they are still aired anywhere on Sunday mornings. I wish they would make a movie of the Super Heros: Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman & Robin, and who else? I can’t remember the complete list of Super Heros.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it if you can
1Star Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Superman Returns

Poster
My Rating: 3Stars

This afternoon I went to see the movie “Superman Returns” at GH Grand Ocean Theatre, Tsim Sha Tsui.

I don’t recall the last Superman movie with Christopher Reeves, but apparently Superman had left Earth for 5 years and now he has returned.

Unfortunately, I feel this movie has fallen victim to the traditional sequel blues. What I mean is that, typical sequels are never as good as the first one. Only the rare occasions has this rule been presently broken. For example, Indiana Jones series, Jack Ryan series, Star Wars (episodes IV, V and VI).

I do admit that the special effects in this version of Superman is very good. But compared to the technology back when the last few Superman movies were made, digital special effects have advanced substantially.

The plot is truly in the spirit of traditional DC Comic Superman. So I guess for the die hard Superman fan this is a good thing.

For those of you who are old enough to remember the Super Hero cartoons; I am not sure if they are still aired anywhere on Sunday mornings. I wish they would make a movie of the Super Heros: Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman & Robin, and who else? I can’t remember the complete list of Super Heros.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it if you can
1Star Waste your time elsewhere

A Word of Warning for Mac Skype Users

Skype

For all those Skype for Mac OS users who are as eager as I am to begin using the Skype version with video conferencing capability, please be “Warned” that the latest development version floating around the Internet should NOT be used.

This development version as stated by one of the Skype developer, Jaanus, will destroy your Skype data.

The one good news is that the new Mac version (v2.0) is almost ready for prime time.

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