A highly prized (and ultra delicious) portion of sushi
whose otoro came from Shiogama
Last week was the first week in a long while when I didn't blog (much) at all about politics and instead, waxed lyrical about an old Hong Kong movie, a supermoon and beautiful Hong Kong sunsets. Sadly, the first blog post of this new week is going to address matters affected by politics -- though they pertain too to art, food and music: the kind of subjects that, ideally, (also) would bring happiness and satisfaction into one's life rather than anger and frustration.
The first of these involves a locale in London rather than Hong Kong. But what's been happening over at Brick Lane in the past 48 hours or so brings to mind what happened to the Lennon Walls in Hong Kong: involving the destruction of creative spaces by pro-Beijingers, a reaction to it by those who appreciate and wish to exercise free speech and expression, the authorities (specifically the city council in the case of Brick Lane) stepping in -- and the creative process happening again (hopefully without further destruction at Brick Lane -- something that sadly has not been the case in Hong Kong).
The second involves Hong Kong's stated plan to ban seafood from 10 different Japanese prefectures after water used for cooling the Fukushima nuclear power station is released into the sea near it. More specifically, despite more than one person having pointed out that the Hong Kong government is being hypocritical in its complaint about the Fukushima wastewater (and Beijing's too for that matter), it has not indicated that it will change its stated plan of action.
And since it now looks like the Fukushima nuclear station will begin begin releasing its wastewater as soon as the end of this month, it means that Hong Kongers will soon stop being to enjoy delicacies such as Miyagi oysters and tuna from Shiogama. Also, if the ban is also on products that involve inland water in their production -- as might be the case since the 10 Japanese prefectures on the list include landlocked ones! -- maybe even sake and beer?! Now that would really seem unscientific! And for the record: a number of the listed prefectures (including Nagano, Niigata and Ibaraki) are home to highly regarded sake breweries (such as those which brew Wataribune and Masumi sake!) while Saitama is home to the famous Coedo beer!
Adding to this troubling trifecta is the not unexpected -- but still upsetting -- news that the Hong Kong government has launched a bid to appeal against the High Court’s rejection of its attempt to ban pro-democracy protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong. This not even two weeks after the High Court rejected its application for an injunction to block the dissemination online of popular pro-democracy anthem, Glory to Hong Kong.
Over on Twitter (yes, I still don't think of it as X!), Ming Pao's Alvin Lum noted that "Leave to appeal from the same judge is required before matter heads to the Court of Appeal". Things being the way they are in Hong Kong, I wouldn't be surprised if the judge gives that "leave to appeal" -- and for his decision to be overturned at the Court of Appeal. But I also have been pleasantly surprised by some pushbacks along the way.
So, well, hope springs eternal. Or as the proverbial "they" say: Expect the worst but hope for the best (or, at least, some good to happen at least every once in a while -- because, well, if one doesn't do that, than one might just want to give up, on the fight, Hong Kong and even life itself)! :S
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