2036 HK Population

Just read the press release on Hong Kong Population Projections 2007-2036, haven't and probably won't go into its assumption and methodology, but it trigger some thoughts.

In 30 years time, this tiny island will have 1mil more residence. Where are they going to stay? We probably can't reclaim more land at the harbour, so either there will be more "New Town", "Redeveoped Urban Area" or "Lux apartments at Mid-Level" which likely means more and higher buildings, worse vantilation in the city, more smoggy air, hotter streets. (it's even worse when Oberservatory project Winter will vanish in HK in 40 years) Argh!!!

In 30 years time, we will have aging population. Elderly dependency ratio get more than a double and it seems no chance to be balanced. Not only the projection of  0-14 child percentage remain 12%, but also the Sex ratio.

In 30 years time, every 1000 female, there will be only 763 male (excluding foreign domestic helpers already, if not, the stat is 1000 female: 709 male), which I see it an implication of less pregnancy unless there will be a drastic chnage in socio / life stage pattern. And I guess no doubt the trend is local male will marry mainland sweety ladies and move north; whereas women here yet to see Mainland guys, stay here and become (or have to become) career women.

回歸十年 - My picks of the 'Ten Years On Key events in Hong Kong'

Time flies, it had been ten years. I went through / witnessed the ten years at the ages being important to constitute how a person would be. For whatever reasons, I had strong memories on below...

97
Jul - At midnight on June 30, after 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong reverts to China.
Oct - A wave of panic selling over fears for Hong Kong's currency stability sends the Hang Seng Index tumbling 1,200 points - more than 10.4 per cent - on October 23
Dec - More than a million chickens are slaughtered in the city's no-nonsense bid to nip an alarming bird flu epidemic in the bud

98
Jul - Crowds witness the end of an era as the last planes land over their heads at Kai Tak. There are red faces all round the next day, July 6, when technical blunders mar the opening of Chek Lap Kok airport
Sep- Hongkongers make headlines around the world when thousands queue at McDonald's outlets every day for a month to collect free Snoopy dolls

00
Dotcom madness

01
Sep - A 10-month freeze on Home Ownership Scheme flat sales is revealed on September 3. The next day, premier Zhu Rongji says Hong Kong "cannot always discuss without making decisions, and make decisions without execution"

03 (too many happened)
Mar to Jun - SARS
Jul - Half a million people turn out on July 1 to march from Victoria Park to the Central Government Office to protest against a list of grievances
A double-decker bus plunges 50 metres off a Tuen Mun Road flyover, killing 21 commuters
Mainland travellers are allowed to visit Hong Kong on individual tourist visas. Previously, they could only travel in tour groups

05
The World Trade Organisation meetings are plagued by violence. 
On Boxing Day, the world watches in horror as the Asian tsunami disaster unfolds.

There were more, like highest unemployment rate around 04, the recent peak of the Heng Seng Index, the appearnace of China, the ups and downs... how did we make it?

Reference: South China Morning Post, 2007-07-01, Ten Years On Key events in Hong Kong

Nightfall silhouette @ my city

On 22 June 2007 @work at HKCEC

包糭

I like Dragon Boat Festival because

1. I have one day holiday
2. Dad bought me for first swim of the year annually when I was young.
3. Grandma taught me how to make rice dumpling and I can spend a morning with her, mum, and autie now annually

Rice dumplings got their own style. From the left: by me, by autie Ling, by mum (grandma's ones were being boiled)

The Magical 【夏】

Dedicated to my beloved Lislis

【夏】 粵 ha6﹝下﹞

(1)  Summer:
(2)  The Shiah Dyn. (usu. wr. Hsia, 2205－1766 B.C.):
(3)  華夏 China;
(4)  夏國 anc. name of Bactria
(5)  A surname

I wanna add one more
(6) 語氣助詞 modal particle, a response implying "I follow, please continue talking"

A senior colleague, once a while, had a bad habit of repeating "ha" when she talked to people. Like, when any of us describe to her the situation / difficulties we would face (quite comprehensively), hoping to come up with ways out, she said a lot of "ha"

I heard in the air, discussion between her and others, and found it quite annoying she always respond with "ha", because I understood already what the other meant even I was not in full attention and thought, you should have responed with something meaningful, if the smarty you didn't understand, it would have to be a "question for clarification"!

Until one day, I had a discussion with her. After the first comprehensive explanation, she "ha" me, ok, I repeated what I said, presented it in another way, she "ha" again. I looked into her eyes sincerely said, wanted to "ha" her back, but I stopped myself and said "um!" (implying, I have finished, it's your turn to talk)

Later, having pillow talk with lislis. She talked to me about her work, a lot of mess left for her and clients complained over the phone that she had no idea what it was, not to mention on how to respond. I suggested to her to "ha" them back, then we started role playing, clients and herself

"!#$$%#$%" "ha"
"^*($) we O%&^" "ha"
"how come W%*T$THG" "ha"
"why not DGKWIhvdjfygyefweiu?" "ha"
"XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" "ha"

and became "hahahahahahaha"

"Ha", since then, became a magical word to me, not only for its usefulness, it make me laugh so hard and cheer me up no matter what mood I am when I hear it.

"夏"