This is the place where random thoughts and observations are posted. Usually I don't have enough material to expand what are written here into articles. (In most cases, it is probably a good thing that I don't). Usually I make a post whenever some interesting notions hit my head.
Be warned! This may (and probably does) look like an on-line confessional and the things I post here may be even more confusing than my articles and can be quite depressing. So for the sake of your mental health, please set aside your faith in others and optimism before reading these posts.
Enjoy these "short" musings. Hopefully they won't make your head spin or drive you sleepless or confused.
August 10, 2026
Record-breaking temperature was observed in Hong Kong yesterday, with temperature nearing 40 degrees in some areas. Yet the heat stress warning for workers, which set out guidelines (not mandates) on the amount of rest and whether work should be suspended, remained at yellow, the lowest of 3 levels — the other being red and black. (In fact, higher level warning had never been issued before.) This makes on wonder what is the threshold for triggering higher level warnings. (40 degrees for red? 50 for black?) There is indeed a formula for calculating whether warning would be issued and at what level, but what is the point of having such a warning system when record-breaking temperature trigger the lowest warning level? Is it, as a former Observatory director stated, a "decorative piece"?
August 2, 2026
Manchester City and Inter Milan played an exhibition match yesterday, with most of the former's biggest stars not suiting up due to their participation in the World Cup (and their teams' advancement to the tournament's later stages). There was no mention of whether there was hydration break about the halfway point of each half, as was the case during the World Cup (for all but one match, which had a two-hour half time due to thunderstorms). Given that the temperature was below 30 degrees for the entire day, there was no need to have one. (I guess there was no mention of it because there wasn't one.) Good thing that the mandatory commercial hydration break for all matches was applicable for the World Cup only and not all matches. (It was an exhibition match, so there would have been little, if any, interest from advertisers to buy spots during the break had there been such a break.)
July 28, 2026
A legislator resigned earlier this month after he was arrested on drunk driving charges. When asked of the timing of the by-election to fill the vacated seat, officials stated that the 3 scheduled elections (election committee, Chief Executive and district council) in the next 18 months take precedence. The resigned legislator was elected through the election committee, so having the seat elected by the new committee members. However, holding the by-election after the next district council elections means the seat will be vacant for at least 18 months. (This is not without precedence — a seat was left vacant for 3 years in the last session.) It appears that officials have little concern of not having a full legislature. (Why should we be surprised? Every member is in the pro-government camp.) Perhaps officials are keeping the seat vacant longer to reduce costs on salary/staff/expense reimbursement. Maybe they should consider reducing the number of legislators, particularly those elected through the election committee to save more money (or divert the money for better use).
July 20, 2026
Red paint was thrown at the storefront of a shop selling Taiwanese drinks last week. This is commonly regarded as an act of intimidation. After reporting the case to the police, its "professional advice" to the owners is to shut the shop down to prevent future paint throwing. The owners decided to follow the police's "professional advice" and end the business on Sunday to "protect" themselves. Given the police's response, one may wonder if they considered the shop a "yellow store" and wishes it to shut down. Since the store is located in Yuen Long, it is natural to ask if police know the identity of the perpetrators but decided not to investigate the case because of their background. The police was basically screaming "we can't protect you. You are on your own" to business owners in the area (unless, of course, they are friends of "local forces".)
July 15, 2026
Police raided two bookstores (one of which is to be closed down in August) and arrested five people in suspicion of "doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention". Officials claimed that the bookstores had display and sold items with seditious intent, whose contents could stir hatred for the Hong Kong government. As usual, officials did not reveal which items are considered seditious. The police acted after custom officers found "seditious items" in packages to be imported to the bookstores. Despite top security officials claim of the contrary, there is indeed a list of "banned books", except that the list itself is a "national secret" (or, more accurately, a personal secret) privy only to themselves. For everyone else, the only way for them to learn whether an item they own/sell/buy is "seditious" is the moment they are arrested.
July 7, 2026
American footballer Folarin Balogun received a red card in a World Cup round of 32 match, meaning he would be banned (as a starter or substitute) from this morning's match with Belgium, which the US lost. Before that match, FIFA suspended (not overturned) the ban. (He would have to serve the suspension in this World Cup anyways the US won the match he was supposed to miss and he received another card during that match, but it's a moot point now.) FIFA has suspended match bans of star players before (late last year Cristiano Ronaldo had a ban effectively reduced from three matches to one, after FIFA suspended the ban after his first suspended match), the timing is suspicious. Moreover, Donald Trump stated that he "asked" FIFA to "review" the punishment. (He might have asked for something more than a review, but given FIFA's president eagerness to please the US president, there is no doubt the punishment would have been reconsidered even if the US president did just ask for a review.) On the day before an English defender was sent off (and thus suspended) in a match against Mexico. Perhaps Prime Minister Starmer should ask FIFA to ask for a similar review. (On second thought, FIFA's president would ignore him as he will soon be former Prime Minister Starmer. King Charles or, better yet, Prince William, the patron of the English FA, should be the one doing the asking.)
June 26, 2026
The security chief released a trailer of TV documentary series named National Security Files Decoded to commemorate ("celebrate") the 6-year anniversary of the "National Security Law's" enactment. In the trailer he walked into a room, dressed liked a character from the movie Cold War 1994, received a file folder from one of his deputies, opened a file folder containing 5 cases that has been tried under "National Security" charges before passing it to the show's host. While Hong Kongers' opinion of him differ (depending on one's political leanings), there is no dispute that he, a film extra in his youth, loves acting. With about one year remaining in his term (there is no way he leaves the post unless his health deteriorates badly), he should consider starting a film studio if he isn't promoted (to be the city's Chief Secretary or Executive). With his charisma, there will be no shortage of investors. Filmmakers would not have to worry about receiving permission to film and release movies (once the script is reviewed and approved, of course) while working under him (especially if he decides to insert himself for a cameo or something more). The security chief can now be filled by any senior-level disciplinary official, but only he (among government officials) can be the saviour of Hong Kong's struggling film industry.
June 16, 2026
World Cup debutant Capo Verde held football powerhouse Spain to a scoreless draw and its goalkeeper, Vozinha, has become an overnight sensation. After the match, a Chinese news broadcast claimed that Capo Verde's president thanked China for helping the country to reach the tournament — it clinched qualification at the country's national stadium, which was constructed by Chinese companies (and probably with Chinese funds). While this sounds like fabrication or exaggeration by Chinese state media, fans of guozu (國足) — short for Chinese national football team — may ask "Great. Perhaps they can help their home country's national team return to the World Cup someday" upon hearing this.
June 10, 2026
The government has introduced a legislation to give the city’s leader the power to certify criminal acts as national security offences. Like most legislations of its kind, it is gazetted before being debated in the legislature — its (unanimous) passage would be expedited anyways. This mean that any criminal case can now be "upgraded" into a national security case at any time — the government can then hold the defendant indefinitely without bail to "build" its case and have the case overseen by pre-selected panel of judges without a jury. Officials claimed that the legislation would not give the mayor any additional powers — there is no need to lie now that no one dares to question you. One may wonder what happens to the the judges and jurors overseeing a criminal case after the city's leader "upgrade" it into a "national security" case. Would they be transported to a location without any outside communication so that they can't reveal anything about the case or defendant(s)? (Would they be in the company of Chan Tong-Kai?)
June 4, 2026
The government aims to wipe away the commemoration of the Tiananmen Massacre by holding a "Hometown Market Carnival" at the football pitches where the candlelight vigil used to be held. (Surely the timing of the carnival is coincidental.) However, the frontline officers may not have received the notice (as usual), after they approached people who held flowers and electric candles, showing hand gestures of the numbers 6 and 4, writing man in the Chinese on his arm. In the few years prior to the candlelight vigil was deemed illegal, a few have set up booths displaying the "truth" about June 4 — claiming that the protesters at the square was supported by "foreign adversarial forces" — near the entrances to Victoria Park. Interestingly, such displays have disappeared now that the vigil is effectively banned. (Perhaps they have went online, but most of the organizers have withdrawn from the public.) I'm sure I have wrote this before, but there would have been an official ceremony commemorating the successful crackdown of the "colour revolution" if the official version is the truth.
May 28, 2026
While returning to their former homes to gather valuables, a number of displaced residents of Wang Fuk Court have posted signs on the windows to express their love of their home and the desire to have the estate rebuilt. Soon after the signs were torn down. That shows there were people entering the flats while the buildings were supposedly cordoned off. It also appears that drones have been deployed (presumably by the police) to check if any messages have been posted on windows of the fire-ravaged flats. One may wonder if those who post the messages (as well as those who have similar messages printed/written on their clothing) would receive "friendly reminders" to stop or risk being arrested. (Officials can easily identify the specific flats through the windows' location — the layout plans of the buildings are public information.) Worse, a few pro-government columnists have claimed that the residents are in fact trying to incite hatred of the government. (With the way the government is handling the fire's aftermath, who is the one inciting hatred?)
May 23, 2026
A police officer will be the first Hong Konger to be member of a space crew. Perhaps I have become jaded, but spaces launches have become so frequent that being the first astronaut from a specific place means little nowadays — my reaction to a Canadian being part of the crew in the recent Artemis II mission was "great" in a nonchalant tune. The most interesting part of the astronaut's profile is that she is a police superintendent. Since astronauts have access to highly sensitive information (especially given Hong Kong government's fixation on "national security"), her selection is unsurprising. Given that the mayor, his deputy and a number of cabinet ministers/department heads are former police officers, one may wonder if having a background in disciplinary forces is an express ticket for advancement. With the public examination results releasing soon, would we see any top students declare their desire to enter the police force (immediately or after they complete their degree(s)) when they are interviewed on TV on the day public examination results are released?
May 14, 2026
The government started sending offers to owners of Wang Fuk Court, ravaged by a fire which killed 168, to buy their flats back. (The buildings were built with the government funds.) The owners have to option to keep the cash or use it to purchase another government-subsidized flat. Only one tower was left unaffected and the buyback plan would apply to owners of this tower if over 75% of the tower's homeowners would accept the buyback. A percentage of owners have expressed their preference to rebuilt the estate, which has fell on deaf ears at government offices. It is clear by now that the government desires to tear the entire estate down as soon as possible. To government officials, the estate has become an eyesore (when one travels from the city centre to Tai Po on the highway or by bike, the estate is the first group of buildings when entering the town) and a reminder to Hong Kongers of their negligence and incompetence.