Friday 31 July 2009

0187 HKSAR Name of the Day

Youdey Chan Yiu Fai, solicitor, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Translocation

#20 Hong Kong Hocus Pocus

Healthy essentials
Sonal Hattangdi-Haridas leads a workshop on homeopathy for the family. Tomorrow, 2pm-5pm, Integrated Medicine Institute, 17/F Kailey Tower, 16 Stanley St, Central, HK$700 (US$88).

About Hong Kong Hocus Pocus


Related Link (superb sketch about the silliness of homeopathy and new age rubbish!)
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Homeopathic A&E

Thursday 30 July 2009

0186 HKSAR Name of the Day

Bishop Chung Wing Keung, surveyor (since 1992), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Self-important

Wednesday 29 July 2009

Tuesday 28 July 2009

Sunday 26 July 2009

0182 HKSAR Name of the Day

Barnabas Chung Hung Kwan, surveyor (since 1984), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

#19 Hong Kong Hocus Pocus

Home in
Renee Claire and Rosina Maria Arquati lead a weekly meditation and channelling group. (Tuesdays), 7.15pm-9pm, New Age Shop, 7 Old Bailey St, SoHo, HK$150 (US$19).

About Hong Kong Hocus Pocus

Saturday 25 July 2009

Friday 24 July 2009

0180 HKSAR Name of the Day

Boron Cheng Cheung Wah, doctor, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution

Conspiracy Idiot Collects Comeuppance from Astronaut Hero Buzz Aldrin

When Bart Sibrel, who claims the NASA Apollo Mission moon landings were faked, accused Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin of being “a coward and a liar”, well, I guess he pushed the right buttons.

Buzz Aldrin punch


While I do not condone violence, the reaction of Buzz Aldrin is understandable given his heroic and historic achievements, his societal values from an older generation (he’s 79 years young), and the “in-your-face” menace of a wannabe filmmaker.

No matter whether one is a hero or everyday journeyman, when someone is continuously harassed and falsely accused by some idiot of being “a coward and a liar”, frustration can boil over. In this case, Buzz Aldrin knows the facts (and there is ample evidence of Man’s achievement in landing on the moon … see related links below). And Buzz is being harassed and challenged by someone who has an opinion.

Facts and opinions are different levels of evidence, with the former always trumping the latter. As I have mentioned before, science does not work like democracy … when there are facts, opinions (whether popular or unpopular) can easily be rejected or at least revised.

Related Posts
Magnifisolation, according to Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Science Does Not Work Like Democracy

Related Links (BBC News)
New images of Moon landing sites
Enhanced Moon footage revealed

Thursday 23 July 2009

Wednesday 22 July 2009

Tuesday 21 July 2009

Monday 20 July 2009

0176 HKSAR Name of the Day

Atty Ching Tsui-wan, director, Teen Aids (NGO promoting sex education and Aids prevention), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Deletion; Substitution

Sunday 19 July 2009

0175 HKSAR Name of the Day

Cannix Yau, news reporter (HK Standard, Singtao), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Magnifisolation, according to Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin

Last month, when Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, 79, visited Hong Kong I heard a quote on a TVB news clip (June 19, 2009). Buzz was asked to describe, and not for the last time, how he felt about the moon landing (or being in space), and he graciously and humbly replied that he had a feeling both of "magnificence and desolation".

Perhaps "Magnifisolation" should be a future term to add in the dictionary?
Definition: a profound feeling of utmost brilliance mixed with unbound bleakness.

[Buzz Aldrin in Hong Kong, June 19 2009]


In celebration of the Apollo 11 40th Anniversary of the First Manned Mission to the Moon.

[NASA Apollo 11 Mission Crew: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin Aldrin] from Wikipedia.

Saturday 18 July 2009

0174 HKSAR Name of the Day

Vinci Chan, China art specialist with Christies Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Friday 17 July 2009

0173 HKSAR Name of the Day

Kiven Choy Siu-ki, a theologian who monitors cults, Alliance Bible Seminary, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Translocation

Thursday 16 July 2009

0172 HKSAR Name of the Day

Hahn Chu Hon-keung (Mr), environmental affairs manager, Friends of the Earth, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Wednesday 15 July 2009

0171 HKSAR Name of the Day

Carlye Chu Fun-ling, Madam Justice, Court of First Instance, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

Tuesday 14 July 2009

0170 HKSAR Name of the Day

Stoney Yeung Lai-chung (Ms), production team (research and editorial), Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Monday 13 July 2009

0169 HKSAR Name of the Day

Luck Li Siu-leung (Mr), manipulative physiotherapist based in Central, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

Sunday 12 July 2009

0168 HKSAR Name of the Day

Kaiser Chiu Kam-fai, Senior Superintendent, head of the New Territories North traffic unit, Hong Kong Police, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Job-based; Rare; Self-important

Saturday 11 July 2009

Friday 10 July 2009

0166 HKSAR Name of the Day

Winton Au Wing-tung, associate professor, Department of Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

Thursday 9 July 2009

0165 HKSAR Name of the Day

Garmen Chan Ka-yiu (Mr), vice-president for external affairs, i-Cable, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

Science Does Not Work Like Democracy

This blog received an interesting and irrational comment (see below or here) recently in response to Hong Kong Dismissing Creationism and Intelligent Design. The comment basically said that individuals can decide what is truth or real or fact, based on what “feels right to them”.

It really is unfortunate and sad that some people feel and “think” this way about evolution and science. I suspect these people are religiously indoctrinated and are desperately pushing for creationism and intelligent design, although they find it hard to admit this openly. They think “what feels right to them” is the answer. Well, it is not the answer. It’s not credible and it’s not scientific.

For instance, if I show someone a fish, and I demonstrate to them all kinds of supporting evidence to indicate that it is a fish, I do not expect someone to say: “well, I feel like, I dunno, like it’s not a fish, y’know, like. It’s feels like it’s a rabbit, like. I’m free to decide by myself, and I say like it’s a rabbit, like.” These kinds of people are truly delusional.

Science does not work like democracy. You can’t vote and decide that a fish is a “rabbit” simply because you decide it “feels right to you”. The fact (and I mean, the scientific fact) is that a fish is a fish, and science does not care what individuals “feel” about the fact.

Regardless of how people “feel”, creationism and intelligent design are in fact pseudoscience and therefore do not belong in science. There is strong evidence to support evolution. There is NO evidence to support creationism and intelligent design.

Reference:

Comment from: Utopie Liverpool Web said...

It's hard to say what to do. I think you should offer people/students all the 'opinions' on the given subject and let them decide what feels right to them. I think it is wrong to force either the scientific, or the spiritual explanation on to someone, but a conbination of all should be 'offered'.


Related Posts

Dismissing Creationism and Intelligent Design part 5

Wednesday 8 July 2009

0164 HKSAR Name of the Day

Elvis Au Wai-kwong, head of division, Environmental Protection, HK Government, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Self-Important

Tuesday 7 July 2009

0163 HKSAR Name of the Day

Semy Ng Mai-shan, assistant marketing manager, Kerry Real Estate Agency, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Monday 6 July 2009

0162 HKSAR Name of the Day

Cookie Lau Hei-man, 2002 winner of Lions Club Peace Poster Contest (international peace poster competition), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Sunday 5 July 2009

0161 HKSAR Name of the Day

Prodip Leung Wai-ting, UFO researcher who is working on a documentary on UFOs in China, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Saturday 4 July 2009

0160 HKSAR Name of the Day

Foster Wong, property reporter, SCMP, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare

#18 Hong Kong Hocus Pocus

Reach for the stars
John Fyfe leads a Vedic astrology workshop. Feb 10, 7pm-9.30pm, Shakti Healing Circle, 3/F Waga Commercial Centre, 99 Wellington St, Central, HK$560 (US$70).

About Hong Kong Hocus Pocus

Friday 3 July 2009

0159 HKSAR Name of the Day

Alva To Yu-hung, consultancy and research director, North Asia, at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation

Thursday 2 July 2009

0158 HKSAR Name of the Day

Eydie Tai Ni-ting, photographer, Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution

It Don’t Matter If You’re Black or White

I was prepared to overlook the distaste, poor reasoning, and trite humour from the Hong Kong Standard’s columnist (below) but I could not ignore the blundering attempt at grouping south Asians with Black African-Americans.

In case anyone missed it, just read the first paragraph of the article (below):
Distaste (e.g. “open a white guy's body and find a black guy inside”)
Poor reasoning (ditto)
Trite humour (ditto)

I don’t know anyone (except for this columnist) who has referenced Michael Jackson as a “brown” man. South Asians, or people with a trace of South Asian blood, sometimes regard themselves as brown, but to say Wacko Jacko is brown? How silly.

Here's what Michael Jackson said in his Black or White song:
See, it’s not about races
Just places
Faces
Where your blood
Comes from
Is where your space is
I’ve seen the bright
Get duller
I’m not going to spend
My life being a color

But, if
You’re thinkin about my baby
It don’t matter if you’re black or white

I said if
You’re thinkin of
Being my baby
It don’t matter if you’re black or white

I said if
You’re thinkin of
Being my brother
It don’t matter if you’re black or white


Reference: The Standard

Michael Jackson: moonwalker who strayed from his brothers

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The autopsy of Michael Jackson will produce shock results for sure. Forensic pathologists will open a white guy's body and find a black guy inside.

One wonders which Michael Jackson will be immortalized in statues. The nice young man with the Afro? Or His Royal Weirdness with the wig-like flowing locks and detachable nose? Which nose will sculptors recreate? The one that collapsed, the one made out of ear cartilage, or a random one from the biscuit tin under his bed?

Commentators keep talking about Jackson's contribution to race relations, but, with all due respect (ie, none) they are talking garbage.

When the Jackson Five made their breakthrough in the 1970s, many people (including me) celebrated. For the first time, people with brown skin, black hair and big noses were entertainment superstars so big that there was a shockingly bad cartoon series made about them. In the 1970s, this was the ultimate sign of success. If brown people could appear in execrable cartoons, we could do anything. I realized that I no longer had to content myself with aspiring to be a waiter in a small cafe where no one goes. I could be a MAITRE D' in a small cafe where no one goes. At last, something to aim for.

In gratitude, I bought several copies of Off the Wall, Michael's first big hit album. Later, I got a job in a cafe in Hampstead, London. The manager assigned me to permanent washing-up duty. This was even more menial than waiter. "Brown people are capable of greatness," I complained, giving him a cassette of Off the Wall. "Have you heard this?"

The manager, whose heart and brain were twin lumps of coal, replied: "Jacko ain't brown anymore. Check it out." During my lunch break, I bought a copy of Melody Maker. It was true. Jackson had dyed his skin white. I was so shocked I threw my sandwich into the waste disposal and kept the wrapper. How could Jackson, supposedly blazing a trail for brown people, abandon us? But the following day, Jackson told his fans that he'd contracted a weird skin disease which had turned him white. I believed him.

Then some time later, the manager showed me a picture of Jackson with white skin, Kirk Douglas' chin, an upturned Caucasian nose, and long, flowing hair like Elizabeth Taylor. For a day or so, I postulated the existence of a rare disease which whitened your skin, did cosmetic surgery on your nose, gave you a Kirk Douglas chin, and made your hair long and wavy. Hero- worshippers like me put years of practice into fooling ourselves. But this time, I failed.

Jackson had left his brothers. Not just Jermaine and gang, but his brothers all over the world. This once- brown boy devoted the rest of his life to reshaping himself in various ways with teams of surgeons. He probably tried having eight legs or two heads. But the easiest thing to fix - his skin tone - stayed lily white. He let us down. If he hadn't, I could have made it. I could have been a waiter.

Comment on this article

Wednesday 1 July 2009

0157 HKSAR Name of the Day

Rano Lee Siu-pong, Wing On Travel guide (received Outstanding Tour Escort Award for helping 30 tourists during 26/12/2004 Asian Tsunami), Hong Kong

About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution