The cripps in Hong Kong Hong Kong, Repulse Bay, Cripps, Crippo, Mark Cripps, Joss Cripps

Zai Jian 再見 (Hope to see you again soon)

A diary about our expedition to Hong Kong

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Friday, August 31, 2007

China: Lead on toys cartoon

I found this cartoon quite amusing & very clever. One of many from The Telegraph.



The alignment of lead-in-toys + Xian warriors arriving in the UK.

Cool.

M

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

China: web policing

I'm having problems deciding where I stand on web censorship - big in the news today with the Yahoo! lawsuit announcement. And this follows the recent 'trouble' Google got into too.

Should a country's Government determine what information its citizens have access to? Or should there be Universal free access and free speech? When I'm in China, I find it really frustrating when I can't access certain content. Stupid things are frozen out such as the England cricket match report on bbc.co.uk

Generally, I stand for free speech, but Yahoo!'s argument is a strong and compelling one: "When we do business in a country, we have to adhere to the local laws of that country". Hard to argue against. Will be interesting to see how the law suit pans out.

What is silly, however, is the announcement today by China's 'Internet Surveillance Centre'. Sounds a creepy organisation - and it probably is. They've announced the use of cartoon-like police avatars which warn Chinese Internet users just before they're about to undertake something risky or about to see some kind of unsavoury or 'illicit' content (as defined by the Chinese Govt).

According to China Daily, the male and female officers "will appear either on motorcycles, in a car or on foot, at the bottom of users' computer screens to remind them of internet security". An official from Beijing municipal public security bureau explained: "They will be on the watch for websites that incite secession, promote superstition, gambling and fraud."

Quite how the pair will enforce the law is not clear, but we know that "users could click on the pop-up icons to link to an internet surveillance centre where infractions could be reported".

Yikes - and you'll get a knock on the door a few hours later where you'll be asked to explain why you were looking at such content in the first place no doubt.

I can't wait to see this in action and intend to spend most of the forthcoming weekend seeking out illicit Chinese content for research purposes you understand. But I'd better be careful, that excuse did not do Pete Townshend much good!

M

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Birthday in Singapore

With the family in the UK, I had to spend my birthday alone *sniff*. Thanks for all your cards & pressies everyone. Shame on you who forgot to send me anything (you know who you are).

Actually I spent my birthday on a business trip to Singapore. Had a boozey enough evening alright laced with Scotch eggs (thanks Jen).

The morning of my birthday, I pulled back the 44th floor hotel room curtains to be presented with a banner draped outside which congratulated me on the event of my birthday.
For an instant, I was touched, humbled and amazed how this was arranged. Then the ego-moment washed away as I realised this was not for me of course! It was a poster celebrating Singapore's independence day. Doh.

M

Time back in the UK




We're just back from visiting friends and family in the UK. Lost track of how many beds and sofa beds we slept in. Thanks to all for having us.

Great to see everyone again. Apologies to those we did not get round to catching up with.

Comforting to note that not much has changed since we've been away.

Joss and I both remarked, however, how expensive the UK felt. We were judging this on our personal 'Big B Triumvirate Pricing Index' - i.e. Beer; Burgers and Benzine. Kinda like a poor man's amazingly accurate Economist/Big Mac Index (a method I've always been fascinated with).

Our, well, my, arrival coincided with an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Nothing to do with me honest! Disaster for farmers of course. And did not make for a particularly livestock-centred agricultural show @ Cranleigh this year (situated a few miles away from the source of the outbreak).

None-the-less we had fun and it was great to endulge in a typically British event.

M

The McMorrans



Had yet another great weekend with the McMorrans. Thanks for putting up with us guys. Shared my idyllic first-pint-on-English-soil-in-nearly-9-months with Andy in a country pub on a hot Saturday evening. Bliss. This followed a mad morning comprising of me landing @ 3rd-world Heathrow airport something like 05:00 ... collecting my hire car (took 2 hours to get thru customs etc & transport to the hire car place). Drive down to Somerset to pick up t'family. Then jaunt back over to Surrey to stay with the McMorrans. Thank goodness for Espresso.

M

Ahhh Commuting.



I'm currently looking out over a tropical bay - surf lapping in & out. Palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. Yachts floating by. I'm contemplating the <35p journey into the office via air conditioned bus which meanders along the Mediterranean-like coast road.

Contrast that with the nearly £10 late, hot, packed train + hellish tube journey (£4 for a single ride are they having a laugh?) in London. Crap. UK needs to sort out public transport and fast.

(My efforts to shake my geek image were not @ all aided by the sight of me taking track-side photos!).

M

Chiswick: Drunken evening in High Road House





Depite having been members of High Road House in Chiswick since the New Year, this was our first visit to the place. Great to catch up with old Chiswick friends. Fantastic food; great conversation and blistering hangovers.

M

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Old Winchester Hill






On recent trips to my parents in Hampshire, we've taken the boys for a blow-the-cobwebs out walk on Old Winchester Hill.

A Natural Nature Reserve, it's always a beautiful walk - interesting archeology (4500BC settlements etc) and awesome views.

But on this sunny day in August, it was particularly breath taking. The hill was alive with chalkhill blue butterflies -- carpets of them. Not seen anything like it since Joss and I were lucky enough one Xmas day to catch the butterfly migration from California down to Mexico. Get to see both if you can.

I've just read the official website --- hmm the hill was used as a firing range in WWII and the ordnance has never been fully cleared. Think we won't go off-piste next time!

Portsmouth Dockyard: Victory; Mary Rose; Warrior






As a child, every couple of terms or so, we were dragged kicking a screaming to yet another tour on the HMS Victory. Hated it.

These days, however, I can't get enough of the place/the ship. Hope the kids don't get bored with it. Archie lost interest within minutes. We found him up the rigging; sleeping in Nelson's crib; walking on tarpaulin ceilings with 30ft drops below him etc etc. Face like an Angel, but trouble he is.

HMS Victory is truly outstanding. The smells; sights; atmosphere make it a must-visit.

I once took some Australian friends to see it & The Mary Rose -- they were not impressed! "It's just old wood!". Philistines.

Must admit, it's not a cheap day ... a family ticket to the whole of the Dockyard including Warrior; Victory; Mary Rose; a harbour tour and access to all of the museums set us back nearly £50 (excluding lunches and ice creams etc). But I think it's worth it. Hope it all never suffers the fiery fate of the Cutty Sark - was disappointed to see a distinct lack of fire protection (no more than a couple of extinguishers).

This was my first time on The Warrior -- have watched it over nearly 20 years turn from a rusty hulk to an exceptionally impressive ship. It's HUGE.

I think the whole experience could do with an Aircraft carrier in the list of exhibits ... something like the Ark Royal should be on show there (like the Intrepid in New York).

Portsmouth's making an effort for sure "Britain's favourite seaside destination"! - it's cleaned its act up in an attempt to get more tourist flocking in and some of the buildings are impressive - not sure I agree with this comment from the Spinnaker's official site! A national icon? Are you sure?

Not since the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House or the London Eye has a new tall structure attracted such attention. Elegant, sculptural and awe-inspiring, the Spinnaker Tower is a new national icon.


M

Portsmouth Dockyard BonusOmeter



Love this bit of archaic English Industrial ware.

Thinking about installing one of these bonus meters in the office.

Can you imagine?

M

Cornwall: Views from and around the house




Spectacular cliff-top views and really wild waves crashing in from the Atlantic. Wonderful beach just below the house too.

Some clear skies at night -- stupid here got up @ 02:00 to watch the Perseids ... managed to see a few dozen so worth it.

M

Cornwall: Duffing up Old Uncle Hamish




Poor Hamish - his kids are grown up ... I think he'd forgotten what it's like to lay down relaxing i.e. presenting yourself as a bundle-target to two boys under the age of seven.

M

Cornwall: Guess how I broke my rib!





Do you really need me to tell you? Are these visual clues enough?

Boy it hurts.

"You're not a teenager anymore"
said the Quack. Thanks.

M

Cornwall: Archie in two moods



Great shots of Archie.

Looking bonkers upside down/downside up.

And secondly, just having fallen over face down in a salty puddle. Felt a bit guilty about the second shot (he was not happy!) but I was giggling too much to help. Have empathy for news photo-reportage folks who are torn between helping out in crisis situations and getting that shot. Bit of a stretch e.g. An innocent citizen down and napalmed in Vietnam Vs Archie having slipped up in a puddle I admit, but work with me.

M

Cornwall: Constantine & Padstow misc shots






We had a couple of good weather days in the middle of a miserable English summer.

Padstow was HEAVING.

Seeing the younger cousins together (5 of them under 8 yrs old) - obviously related! Reminds me of a comment some random stranger said when seeing me & Jude with all 5 of them two years ago (then there were 5 blond kids all under 6). "My you've been busy"!

m

The Cloughs (& nee Dunn) @ home






Hmmmm enough said really!

Sorry Jude.

M

Daniel Gilbert-Heal


Not seen Daniel in 8+ months -- grown HUGELY. Seemed to enjoy his time with our boys.

Thanks to Sarah and Mike for letting us crash in Bristol.

M