Flicking briefly through the RTHK and other news sites this morning, I get the impression Hong Kong media are grateful for having the city’s fencing, swimming, badminton and other feats to occupy the space normally devoted to trials of pan-democrats, retail closures, falling property prices, moaning about insufficient millions of tourist arrivals, and the government saying everything is amazingly good.
We do have a cheery Mainland official. Cui Janchun, the little-heard-from Commissioner of the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs outpost, says Hong Kong’s political system ‘will be an example for the rest of the world in five to 10 years’. (Meanwhile, presumably, it’s not.)
And a NatSec-type trial: the ‘Dragon Slaying Brigade’ alleged bomb plot. Unusual in that there is a jury, which may account for the prosecutor’s measured tone…
“When you examine the evidence [alleged mastermind and prosecution witness Wong Chun-keung] gave in court, you may believe in some part of it and not believe in other parts,” [prosecutor Juliana] Chow said. “You do not have to believe in everything he said, but meanwhile you do not have to dismiss him completely.”
…The group has denied involvement in connection with the thwarted plot to plant two bombs in Wan Chai on December 8, 2019.
…During the trial, the defence lawyers tried to attack Wong’s credibility by pointing to financial records that showed he had spent about HK$300,000 (US$38,400) on football betting.
Some viewing and listening for non-sports fans…
A CBS TV report on Hong Kong five years after the big protests. Includes interviews with the inevitable Regina Ip, plus LSD’s Chan Po-yin and (from a few years earlier) Jimmy Lai, his son, and Nathan Law. ‘A once-vibrant Hong Kong hollowed of its people and its soul.’
An Oz ABC podcast on Jimmy Lai, including comment on the effect of 23 hours a day of solitary confinement.
I agree:“……Hong Kong’s political system ‘will be an example for the rest of the world in five to 10 years‘……“
Spare a thought for folk who have zero interest in sports and despise the rampant commercialization and nationalism associated with the Olympics, World Cup, tennis and golf tournaments, etc and now find that they have been deprived of even the daily news reports on TV. Phoenix TV is the only channel that airs its regular programmes.
It is ridiculous that all the other channels are 24/7 Olympic coverage.
But of course this is part of the plan to ensure exert mind control of the community.
On the bright side, time can now be devoted to reorganizing documents and following up on those back burner issues.
To be fair to Cui Janchun, he hasn’t specified what sort of example it will be.
Also he should take heart — just this week, folk on the internet are saying that Taiwan should take note of Hong Kong’s return to China and what it can do for them.
https://x.com/whyyoutouzhele/status/1818274579242185072
I am absolutely delighted with HK’s and China’s performance at the Olympics. Many of us in the city are uplifted and brimming with pride. In fact, I have dusted off my copy of Kowloon-Hong Kong and have been spinning it with glee (YT version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeCldu5X5hI&ab_channel=Release-Topic). Hong Kong (and Kowloon, and the New Territories) really is a fantastic place.
I tried to watch the Olympics a couple of times on TVB Pearl but it’s all in Cantonese. Is NICAM still a thing? My Samsung TV doesn’t seem to have it, or any other dual lingo function (assuming it’s available).
There was a woman in Penfold Park the other day wearing a tee-shirt displaying the words “Another fucking Olympic games”.
https://timhamlett.com/2024/07/30/yet-another-olympics-but-some-new-events-rows-over-gender-and-sex-offenders/
@Young Winston, it’s not called NICAM these days, but any modern TV should have multi-audio capability. Try exploring the menu functions, or search for your model number online and download the instruction manual at https://www.samsung.com/hk_en/support/user-manuals-and-guide/.
@LP – thank you.
@Young Winston
Pour a glass of your favourite beverage, resign yourself to 20 minutes of fiddling about, sit in front of your TV with your remote control in hand, and scroll through every fucking item on the menu settings, starting from the top.
You’ll find your answer in there somewhere, probably in the language or audio sub-menu.
Welcome to the Matrix.