haven't blog for a while...

work? doing this teacher guide and my superior realized that the format isn't set/unified. i was aware of this when i was doing the assignment, the format was a bit confusing but i just kept on at it, trying to get it done by myself by following test-paper and mock-exam exercise book's format (which were different).

Now the editor in charge is taking a few chapters of my assignment back and redoing them to set the 'format' right. it will cost me a little more time to finish the job.

Next time, ask question early get the format, when confused, "Ask"!

This is a fine example of creating more work for ourselves.

People here in Hong Kong or China look for strong leader. Americans look for leaders who identify with them, who are them and share their value, friendly and down to earth.

When I explained why Hillary had to soften up her tough image for the Democratic nomination, some of my friends asked, "isn't that (toughnest, strong character and image) a good thing?" I explained that Hillary's seemingly tough image might distance herself from the voters. When Hillary cried or showed a tear, she gained support.

I am not sure quite what the main difference between Hong Konger/Chinese and American's wants in a leader.
The Hong Kong/Chinese definitely wanted someone who is able and know what he is doing and how to do it. A strong leader who can stand up to others and hold his position. Sensitivity to people's needs isn't too high on expectation.

Whereas Americans place importance on how well the leader relates to the average American. They wanted someone who is like them, the middle class, average American. We don't want rocket scientist, we want a nice guy in the White House. Al Gore and Hillary didn't fit that bill.

Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS zoom
EF-S 17-85MM f4-5.6 IS USM zoom (28-135)

It's unfair that some people are allowed to act immature.

I think the most effective play was Matthew, he was the engine of his team. Distributed the ball, passed well, made opportunity for others and when appropriate, scored for himself.

I was aiming to do what was doing but couldn't do it as effectively. I got carried away a few times and forced some difficult shots which i believe could make but were still difficult. I thing against is that i didn't get much support when I was running fast break. Calvin is fast but settle for jumper. Jason, well, we hardly got anytime to gether, but he was slow. But his role should be the person getting the rebound and throwing outlet passes, and Ah Zee just couldn't make shots and make bad decision. Karen was fantastic. Got a lot of steals for us and forced a lot of TOs especially in the first game.

I don't get how the IT still haven't come to help me with my overflowing e-mail account. it had been almost a week since I called her about the problem. next time, i am not going to wait around when i have a IT problem, because you just never know when they have something major to do.

last year, i knew of a sister who was dating a non-believer and i met them earlier this year a wedding and the sister was tearing up a bit as i and his boyfriend were leaving. the problem with that church is that they don't have much men at that age group so i guess it must be hard for him. maybe i can bring him to my church.

it would be cool if there are some conference for young people...like hwo there are some in the US and Oz. the biggest thing is how people are strapped by the the busy world and work.

It's unfair that some people are allowed to act immature.

I think the most effective play was Matthew, he was the engine of his team. Distributed the ball, passed well, made opportunity for others and when appropriate, scored for himself.

I was aiming to do what was doing but couldn't do it as effectively. I got carried away a few times and forced some difficult shots which i believe could make but were still difficult. I thing against is that i didn't get much support when I was running fast break. Calvin is fast but settle for jumper. Jason, well, we hardly got anytime to gether, but he was slow. But his role should be the person getting the rebound and throwing outlet passes, and Ah Zee just couldn't make shots and make bad decision. Karen was fantastic. Got a lot of steals for us and forced a lot of TOs especially in the first game.

I don't get how the IT still haven't come to help me with my overflowing e-mail account. it had been almost a week since I called her about the problem. next time, i am not going to wait around when i have a IT problem, because you just never know when they have something major to do.

last year, i knew of a sister who was dating a non-believer and i met them earlier this year a wedding and the sister was tearing up a bit as i and his boyfriend were leaving. the problem with that church is that they don't have much men at that age group so i guess it must be hard for him. maybe i can bring him to my church.

it would be cool if there are some conference for young people...like hwo there are some in the US and Oz. the biggest thing is how people are strapped by the the busy world and work.

I can't freaking concentrate...

I might have Adult Mild Attention Deficit Disorder...according to an online test, but i think this job is giving me ADD.

I don't really get what i m doing now. When you are jobless, you get pretty desperate. Looking for work is always a nervous time, because you are looking for someone to pay you, to trust you, to accept you.

I am doing something really boring and not getting paid much for it. I am extremely bore and suffering from ADD. I am not sure if it's the thing with how I was raised, educated, gone freaking slack off during my high school year and my mid-college years. I want to say it's because I have ADD, but if i do, then a lot of people I know also has it then.

Our hearts go out to your family, and we are praying for Bryan and your family. It is very good news that the cancer has not spreaded and we also pray for the doctors and other performing the surgery.

My colleague is amazing, she's checking everything.

At the same time, there's an adorable girly look at times with that smile or natural spontaneous tone of voice and facial expression.

I wonder if i just want to study faces.

I want to go to the book fair during the weekdays.

My cousin are fantastic at replying emails. just fantastic at it. I have no idea why they are so strange with e-mail with me.

Thinking back, Clinton was a good president. He was spoiled with the end of the Cold War and the rise of the tech industry. Other than the affair, he didn't do too many stupid things. At least not any large mistakes. Unlike Bush, who made his created his own national crisis in the Iraqi invasion.

I think successful people are all crazy about the things they do. What am I crazy about?

It's barely an hour into work and I am already having a fierce battle with sleepliness.

Despite my parents and everybody telling me to lose weight, they aren't quite supportive in the doing. My parents make huge breakfast for me in the morning and make more food than we can consume as a family for dinner. My dad can't eat certain things and does not eat as much as before, my mom just never eat that much, and then my brother is a very picky eater. As an unpicky eater and the only one who has the capacity to eat extra food, I often get picked on to finish the food on the plates. My mom would tell me to "finish" this and that. I would sometimes protested that I already ate a lot of it, make my brother eat them, he's still in puberty and skinny like a cloth hanger. Even when I am full, I am told to drink up the soup, finish the scraps.

And then late at night, mom would order us to eat fruit or something else.

While eating with others, because of my comparative size against other, I am often marked as the "hungry person" who hasn't had enough so people would pile food on my bowl. I really appreciate their kindness but being comparatively big doesn't mean that I don't get full. Again, just like at home, I am always offered to finish the dishes. It's a really bad cycle that repeat itself over and over again .

I must say the lunch bufffet was rather cheap and the groomsmen and bridesmaids were somewhat illy treated. Of course, we expected ourselves to work hard that day and offered our heart and effort, yet the groomsmen and bridesmaids were overlooked. We weren't assigned seats for us at the buffet, we didn't have designated tables or seats. Other than the siblings, we just had to do with finding an empty seat at the banquet and we weren't formally introduced, and i think especially the groomsmen were basically out of the loops with the decision-making (which isn't bad in itself) but was made to work. Also, during the planning meeting, food wasn't provided. I could not help with the problem of being cheap. A lot of basic hospitality and respect just wasn't there. I wonder if there was any thanks publicly made. Of course everybody involved in the wedding know, but I can't help but feel a little disrespected. We weren't formally told of dinner or gathering after the whole ordeal. I think some were invited but I think every groomsmen and bridesmaids should be informed, maybe just with a dinner of thanks. There was just something missing. I think the problem was with the organization, especially on the grooms' side. Nothing was really sure for the groom. Plans were changed without much discussion with the groom's side and with the groomsmen, we were kept in the dark most of the time. We did our best and ignored how our inputs and concerns were a non-issue to the planning party (even though we are an important part of the wedding party). More importantly, the best man was out of touch, disconnected, don't know the rest of us, only arrived the night before, and was not a warm and friendly guy to begin with. Maybe he was too young and overwhelmed. But there are things that best man is suppose to do. The best man is suppose to lead the other groomsmen. There was none of that.
I can't help but feel that we were taken advantage of and weren't thought of highly enough, especially on the groomsmen side. There was something missing in the wedding and I must say that it was the heart. I tried to compare it with my cousin Toby's wedding which was more like a grand celebration. There was a big heart at Toby's wedding, he was celebrating with everybody. It wasn't just about looks, it was also about the guests. The new couple really went out of their way to greet and make everyone of the guests feel welcomed, taking the time to shake everybody's hands at the end of the wedding.

She appeared so much more matured after graduation. Some of it has to do with the slight upgrade in the clothes she wear and the other probably due to how she seems less girly now.

After we found out that Travis was coming to Hong Kong, my brother had been somewhat nagging me to go see them with him with me paying also for his ticket. At first I had a little urge to do so, but then I looked at the ticket price which was around $450. It's not very expensive but it's not cheap either. And I don't like all the songs of Travis, if I was high on Travis, then I would, but not now. If it was timed better like during the release of the invisible band, then maybe I would have got the tickets. So too bad.

On the way to work, i thought more about canto pop music and their lyrics nowadays. i was thinking, popular music is suppose to be a reflection of the state of people, well, at least young people. think of the 60s to 80s, there are numerous songs that stand out from those decades like: 'i m leaving on a jetplane', 'imagine', 'piano man', 'sound of silence', 'born in the USA', 'uptown girl', 'Like a Virgin', 'walk this way','1999','under pressure','It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) ','I still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,''Smells Like Teen Spirit',Everybody HurtWonderwall and etc...
In Hong Kong, songs from Sam Hui, Loman, Anita Mui, Beyond and a few others were often used to express a period of time. We had the 'Four Heavenly Kings' in the 90s, yet in the 00s, what is symbolic and monumental for us? The 00s has not yet ended but we are already in 08 and with 09 approaching quickly. what do we have? Our best representative would probably be Eason Chen and Joey, or is it Twins, Hotcha? I realize that Hong Kong is no longer the leader of Chinese popular music. That now belongs to Taiwan or Mainland China. Back in the days, we had the best bands with Wynners, Grasshoppers, Beyond, taichi and etc..., the most popular singers in Sam Hui, Aunita Mui, Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai, Andy Lau...Chinese around the world sang our songs. Now we are singing to Jay Chou, Ah Mei, May Day and others.

i just hate communist doctrine...so confusing, contradictory and sounds so unrealistic...there's an element of fantasy to Mao's philosophies or what he preaches (which he never lived up to). yea, the word is 'phony'.

one of my colleagues would moan 'so tire,' 'so irritated' to himself. really weird.

中環換鈔人龍　排至金鐘
(星島)7月16日 星期三 05:30

(綜合報道)

(星島日報 報道)奧運 紀念鈔今日開售，為免市民苦等，中銀香港 昨午二時提前派發購貨憑證，市民須於指定時段到分行認購，有昨日才排隊的市民「遲來先上岸」，與前日冒着「黃色暴雨」排隊的市民同樣拿到首日（即今天）購貨憑證，而中銀總行有逾二千人排隊，龍尾更長至金鐘，人龍中不乏由內地專程來港輪候的人士。

　　記者：楊耀登 楊玉珠

　　中銀發行的奧運紀念鈔全港起哄，前日開始已有市民排隊，結果逼使銀行在前晚接近零時提早進行登記。昨中銀香港六間分行門外出現兩批人龍，一批是因前晚黃雨而獲提前登記的市民，他們昨日獲銀行優先處理，獲發購貨憑證；另一批是昨日才到場排隊的市民。昨午二時，中銀香港開始為輪候市民登記並派發購貨憑證，前日排隊市民可獲發七月十六日的購貨憑證，而昨日排隊的市民則獲發其後日子的購貨憑證，出現「遲來先上岸」。

　　昨早排隊 即獲首日換證

　　在中環 中銀總行排頭位的官小姐是昨晨五時半到場排隊，但她獲發了七月十六日（今日）的購貨憑證。同場前晚排隊的陳先生大吐苦水說，「我們排了一晚，要淋雨等候，成身濕透，直到凌晨三四時才離開，他們今日排隊，竟然跟我一樣（拿七月十六的購貨憑證）」；中銀發言人回應，可能因為中環總行的奧運紀念鈔貨量較多，故有部分昨日排隊市民可以拿到七月十六日購貨憑證。

　　六家分行昨日都大排長龍，人龍過千人，其中中環總行，人龍包圍一圈後，龍尾一度延至金鐘。北角中銀分行為控制人流而只將一邊的門打開，但有市民為搶先進入分行換證，數十人便在狹窄的門口互相推撞；屯門 市廣場中銀分行方面，因排隊人數眾多，警方臨時安排市民到附近一所中學外排隊，其間更有一名長者不適暈倒。

　　六家分行 逾千人輪候

　　尖沙嘴 分行方面，當下午二時開始派發換購證時，其中一個輪候區有數十名巿民插隊，引起排較後巿民的不滿，批評警察無法維持秩序。梁先生說：「我來時前面只有二十多人，現時卻多了幾十人，本來我應該好快可以入去，弄到我要多等一個多小時，警方效率咁低，不能維持好秩序！」

　　長長的人龍中，不乏內地人專程來港輪候。來自長春的張小姐前晚七時便到中環分行排隊，她換領到七月十六日購貨憑證，「很高興可以買到，中國百年才辦到一次奧運，很難得，我要買來留給兒孫紀念」；來自深圳 的曾先生因錯過了內地發售奧運紀念鈔，專程到香港碰運氣，「內地版我還希望透過北京 的朋友買，香港版我絕不錯過；我只想要買到一張二十元的紀念版港鈔留作紀念」

　　至晚上，部分銀行人龍大減，有市民登記完後，又再次排隊登記，希望可買多幾套。

　　銀行昨晚約十時截龍，雖然部分奧運紀念鈔的購貨憑證已經派完，但六間分行今早九時仍會繼續派發其餘購貨憑證。

　　錢幣專家看好內地版

　　香港錢幣研究會會長馬德和表示，香港版的奧運鈔應無內地版價值高，相信內地紀念鈔可炒高六十倍，而港元紀念鈔相信只能炒高二至三倍；而三十五連張較有價值，現時暗盤價有七至八千元，相信最高能炒高至一萬元。
I took my time coming to work today and I feel less tire as usual. Actually I didn't feel as exhausted as usual. That's the key I think. As i look around my room, I realized that our group is made up of very very unique individuals. You can say they are all weird, but the thing is that each of them has very particular personality and characteristics. Very different from the other group such as Chinese or English where you can group them into several types. It can be said that we have weird, strange people and even our physical characteristics are very distinguished from one another.

數十億派糖3黨促周內落實 政府堅持10月交財會 議員表不滿
(明報)7月15日 星期二 05:10

【明報專訊】面對嚴重通脹，特首曾蔭權 明日會在立法會 答問大會中，公布涉及數十億元的紓困措施。這份「迷你財政預算案」的受惠對象主要為基層市民，大部分「派錢」措施均屬一次過，意味不會對政府財政構成長遠負擔。然而，民主黨 、公民黨 和民建聯 均認為，政府應在本周內，亦即本屆會期完結前讓立法會財務委員會通過紓困措施的撥款。民主黨李永達 指出，政府不應在急急通過四川 撥款的同時，卻要香港市民為紓困措施多等3個月

I basically disagree with one -time, short-term 派糖, I think it's a waste of money with no long-term benefits. The gov't, the treasury and most of Hong Kong people don't get anything back from these short-sighted, spontaneous 派糖 policy.

自由黨 主席田北俊希望政府在派錢同時，兼顧中產階層，推出減氣油稅等措施。 That is even more stupid. Less gas tax for the middle class? Who actually own cars here? upper-middle and the upper class. They can freaking afford gas if they can afford the parking space, parking fee, tunnel toll, maintenance, buying overpriced cars and hiring several Filipino domestic servants. Gas tax for commercial transport would be more reasonable.

One of my colleagues buys loads of drinks and snacks in the morning and my colleague does not need anymore snack, my colleague is overweight and sit all day. i hope my colleague would change eating habit.

(星島日報 報道)中銀香港 明日發行的奧運 紀念鈔掀起全城狂熱，昨日已吸引數以千計市民冒着「黃色暴雨」排隊輪候。全套五款的紀念鈔由原價三千元，至今收購價估計已高達一萬元。部份分行出現零星衝突，由警方介入調停。昨日一直堅拒提早派籌的中銀，到深夜宣布向排隊人士登記，並會向他們派發優先籌，勸喻他們離開，今日公布最新安排。

　　在中環 中銀總行，於上午九時許已有一名女子準備全副裝備，包括雨傘、太陽鏡、水，以及若干糧食，靜默地低頭在頭位等候，直至下午六時許總行已出現約有三百名市民的人龍，當中以公公婆婆及正在放暑假的年輕人居多，亦有白領在下班後陸續加入。為準備在外露宿兩晚，有人架起小帳篷來遮蔭擋雨，不少人準備排隊「三寶」摺凳、遊戲機和乾糧，準備作「長期抗戰」；亦有市民看書和致電親友消磨時間。

　　全家出動 屯門 人龍達八百

　　昨日多間分行都有數以百計市民排隊，其中以屯門分行人龍最長，到晚上估計多達八百人；而中環、土瓜灣和北角分行亦有三四百人排隊，估計各分行合共約二千人輪候。不過，有些市民以水樽、雨傘，一疊疊「A4」紙甚至報紙霸位，一度引起其他排隊的市民不滿，不少市民投訴有人以雜物代人，直斥「生人霸死地」做法不當，最後要警方介入登記排隊人士的身分證，亦定下離隊不可超逾半小時的規定。

　　不理高價 市民堅持留念

　　有排隊的市民直斥排在前位的一批年輕人，「以四霸十一」的做法不當，惹來雙方口角，有市民提出要求派籌，指「不派籌都登記名字啦！」雙方在警方介入後爭拗才告平息。

　　昨日排隊人龍中，有些為「疑似排隊黨」人士（見另稿），但亦有不少市民表示希望留為紀念，無意轉售圖利。昨早十時許已到總行排隊的德哥表示，愛上收藏紀念品已有二十多年，他得悉銀行昨早上開始排長龍，便立即與太太到來排隊，捱更抵夜亦在所不惜。雖聽聞有說可炒賣至過萬元，但他無意轉售圖利，因覺得紀念意義大於一切。

　　今公布分配安排

　　中銀香港發言人昨日一直表示，為公平起見仍會按計畫於星期三早上九時派籌，而不會作提早派籌安排；但到深夜接近十二時，才公布鑑於天氣變壞，遂請外聘保安公司向輪候者登記排隊隊號及個人資料，不用再排隊，今將公布分發安排。

　　中銀香港明天發售二十港元的奧運紀念鈔，分為單張、四連張、三十五連張、港澳幣單張和連張套裝，售價由一百三十八元至一千三百八十八元不等。四十四間只售單張紀念鈔票的分行，每日可派約一千張籌，六間出售全部五款紀念鈔的指定分行，處理的顧客數量會較少。相關新聞刊A4版

　　記者：梁愚瀚 楊耀登

crazy Hong Kong people who have nothing better to do. Bank of China should have start giving out tickets at the very beginning knowing how stupid some Hong Kong people are. Meaningless!

It seems like i always been bad at following instruction.

recently, at meetings (not just at work), I seem to doze off in the middle when somebody making a long-winded speech or comment and my mind would drift around until the very end of the person's speech.

I was told to update a series of questions for 2 chapers and I realize that the English is crap, really horrible. I don’t think was really told to update the questions but to correct and change them. It’s not just the English but also the quality. Whoever was working on them didn’t take the time to do a quality job. Words are left out and some of the questions looked as if the guy was in the middle to translating.

e.g.
“The following is a description of the economic condition of China under the rule of G in 1948.”

What the heck is “G”? Who is “G”? The guy who did it just totally did not do his job. He was probably trying to look up the translation and somehow totally forgot about it. The “G” is actually Guomindong, or the Nationalists. And this is from a CD that was supposed to help student prepare for exams. Excellent.

A very few people here have really bad relationship and communication skills, more accurately, bad verbal skills and bad EQ. I realize that asking questions require skills too. I often don’t know what he is asking me. He asked in the way as if I am suppose and should know exactly what he was talking about without identifying the passage. Usually it goes like this: “Do you think there is anything wrong with this?” And I would ponder, “which part?” and I would try to understand what he is talking about. Half the time, it takes me a while to know what the problem is and his tone. He is just plain rude at times. I think he’s spoiled at home, his family gets him what he wants and thus he has bad people skills. But I think he is great at what he does. He’s detail orientated and serious, trying to do the best job possible and that’s something priceless. Just wish his other qualities could improve.

Come to think of it, I really wasted a few good years at CABC. I was ahead of their time. Kids there were selfish, self-centered and immature. I guess you can say that they were teenagers, spoiled, and just a bunch of stupid teenagers, but I think the youth leaders and older people of the English congregation and the parents also had responsibility. In most cases, the kids reflect their parents. Parents are the biggest influence to their children whether they like it or not, intentional or not.

The biggest thing is that I learned what is bad and shitty but yet at the same time, I am not sure if I was ever healed. Within me, I think there are still some unhealed wounds. Unhealed.

Man, my desk is getting crowded and clogged up. and my desk is already a whole better than most people's. i think they are just use to it.

Sometimes, when something you want to happen is not happening, you just have to do it yourself and make it happen.

Haven't really fallen in love for a very long time and it seems my exterior taste is just getting worst, is it because girls in Hong Kong are just on averge not that great looking? In America, there were couple who just took me away, but yet as I realize it, more than half of them weren't even Chinese. They were Korean, Filipino.

What makes life meaningful? What makes life satisfactory, gratifying?

strange

even though I am considered to be 'behind' in my work, i find myself 'jobless' when i finish my task.

and it's really pathetic and weird that after about 9 months at my work, I still forget about little small protocols.

and at times I just don't know what to do with myself. yea, i find myself 'lost'.

i looked around my desk and the schedule for something to do but...no, there's nothing here. maybe i should clean up my desk.

Dilemma

I am editing this history book and I can't help but be in disagreement with some of its argument, narrative and content, mainly involving China during the Maoist period.

Here are some examples of what I am uneasy about:

"總而言之，毛澤東時代的現代化措施一方面取得了一些正面的成效，加快了中國的經濟發展，但另一方面帶來了不少負面影響，其中以「大躍進」對中國現代化的損害較為嚴重。"

"Positive significance of the 'Great Leap Forward':

• Even distribution of industries
• Continual development of heavy industries

"Negative significance of the 'Great Leap Forward':

• Low industrial safety and environmental consciousness of the public"

The one above is just defying my logic. That's not the fault of the 'Great Leap Forward', that's has to do with people's education and environmental consciousness, not 'Great Leap Forward' itself (even with all that was wrong with the GLF).

And I am pretty much in disagreement over the "positive significance" section of the 'Cultural Revolution'. That part was all just freaking bullshit forced upon us by the freaking corrupted EMB (now the EDB), it was also demonstrated by the embarrassing Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr. Donald Tsang on a radio show several months ago.

Are we to be brainwashed. I feel angry at times, really, while doing this section. In part I am angry and what we are putting out for tens of thousands of high school students to read in the next several years. Yet at the same time, I am somewhat feel that it's not a bad thing that I am here, at least I can talk to my superiors and other editors about it and make some adjustments (which are not enough). If it's up to me, I would basically take out the whole 'lying' part of the Cultural Revolution in the book, out with the 'positive significance' section which is basically a bunch of bullshit we created out of the little dirt and vague sentences we could gather from the original text.

The thought of protesting and even quitting, and getting up on the case crossed my mind several time.


I think us, in Hong Kong, are really at a threshold. We are either going to stand our ground or be worst off.

The number of people at the July 1st Protest this year was nothing compared to the half million protesters in 2003, but if you looked closely, you found that Allen Lee Peng Fei CBE, JP (李鵬飛) for the first time, was there at the march. Even him, a former member of the communist youth in US and ex-Liberal Party chairman protested. Ching Cheong, the Straits Times China Correspondent was also there, he was only released by China several months ago. Why were they there? What would they gain? They sent out message, loud and clear, by marching.


Tens of Thousands of People March for Democracy in Hong Kong

By Stephanie Wong

July 1 (Bloomberg) -- Tens of thousands of people marched through Hong Kong in an annual rally for greater democracy on the 11th anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule.

The placard-waving protesters made their way peacefully from Victoria Park to the government headquarters in the central business district, about 4 kilometers (2½ miles) away. Police spokesman Chau Yau-fai said about 15,500 took part at the peak of the march, while organizers said they were 47,000.

The protesters are pressing for an acceleration of the transition to full democracy in a city whose leaders are selected by an 800-member committee dominated by Beijing supporters. Half of Hong Kong's 60 lawmakers are directly elected.

``Democracy, one-man-one-vote, is the fairest open system, adopted by half of the world,'' said Allen Lee, a former member of China's legislature, the National People's Congress, and now a political commentator. ``A lot of people say Hong Kong isn't ready; Hong Kong doesn't understand democracy. We saw Nepal gave up its power to the people -- is Nepal ready for democracy and Hong Kong is behind Nepal? It's unacceptable.''

China said in December that Hong Kong's citizens may directly elect the city's leaders by 2017 and it will probably allow elections for the full legislature by 2020.

The Hong Kong government said in a statement posted on its Web site today that it had already made ``substantive progress'' in moving toward democracy. The administration will decide in the fourth quarter when to consult the public on the chief executive and electoral methods for 2012.

Next Generation

``I am here to fight for democracy,'' said Ocean Cheung, a 50-year-old housewife who marched with her three teenage children. ``Without the rights to choose our own leader, no-one would listen to us. This is what's happening now -- our voices are ignored.''

Kwok Piu, a retired bus driver, said he marched today to ensure democracy was in place for the next generation.

``I am 79 years old and still I don't have the freedom and the human rights I want,'' Kwok said. ``Only with democracy, could I hold the government accountable for its mistakes.''

While last year's rally attracted as many as 68,000 people, this year has seen a boost in patriotism in Hong Kong because of the earthquake that struck China in May and the run-up to next month's Olympic Games.

``Hong Kong people's support for the Chinese government has increased because they were happy with they way it handled the earthquake,'' James Sung, a political scientist at City University of Hong Kong, said in a phone interview. ``They are also proud of their country because of the Olympics and this has eased discontent about the government.''

Anti-Subversion Law

A record 50 percent of respondents in a Hong Kong University survey released yesterday said they were proud to be Chinese citizens. That compared with 1997's 46.6 percent.

About 500,000 people took to the streets on the anniversary of the British handover in 2003 to protest against an anti- subversion law that critics said would curtail civil liberties, prompting the government to shelve the bill. Each anniversary since then has been marked with a pro-democracy rally. In 2005, the lowest number of protesters took part, with only 20,000 demonstrating.

Anson Chan, Hong Kong's former top civil servant who is now a legislator, had urged residents to join the march to demand more accountability after the government refused to disclose the salaries of new political appointees. Chief Executive Donald Tsang has apologized over the government's handling of the case.

The earthquake that struck China's Sichuan province on May 12, the country's deadliest in 32 years, claimed 69,195 lives, while 374,177 were injured, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. The Olympics start in Beijing next month, the first time China has hosted the Games.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stephanie Wong in Hong Kong at swong139@bloomberg.net

As far as I can see and know from experience, it is true that people learn most from difficulties.

These difficulties are also known as trouble, problem, hard time, pain, disappointment, consequence, mistake and many other names.

I recently saw a movie from a few years back, In Good Company starring Dennis Quaid as Dan Foreman, Topher Grace as Cater Duryea and Scarlette Johansson as Foreman’s daughter in college, Alex.

Grace’s character, Carter, said to Quaid’s Dan Foreman as he was leaving an offer, “I learned a lot from you. Nobody ever gave me a hard time before.”

“You are going to be alright. You are a good man.”

They were both lonely, Carter being just divorced and Alex who just transferred to a new university in a big city, New York. Carter was on the rebound. Alex wanted company. They were both very vulnerable character. Dan, despite his violent approach at the shocking news did what he had to do. Protect his daughter. And at the same time it woke up and help the young couple to think about their relationship. Carter realized that what he wants might not be what Alex wanted from the relationship and without that, the relationship is doomed from the beginning, and he knew it, it was just what happened to him and his ex-wife not so long ago.

Alex realized that she was getting into something more committed and deep that she ever thought. She probably just wanted intimacy and company. What many girls want and not the wife, children and family and marriage that Carter was looking for. Furthermore, she found out that her dad took a second mortgage to pay for her education.

That news made both Carter and Alex reflect on the issue.

I want to be wiser while dealing with people.