A New McDonald at City One

Beginning last June, Ngan Shing Shopping Centre at City One was gradually renovated. From time to time, shops were closed in groups. Bank of China was the only bank that remained all through the renovation period except that it was just shifted a little to its right near the main entrance. It had been, for half a year, the Dark Age for the shops there. A new large Park-in Supermarket took shape and reopened in mid-September. Other medium-sized shops, some with familiar names to me, re-appeared. My wife and I were most concerned with the eateries. The Fairwood fast-food shop was reborn and opened in last December. A ‘Fortress’ shop was found selling electrical appliances. A new bigger branch of HSBC bank was set up there as well.

The shops in City One Plaza were also renovated. Only Watsons, Mannings, KFC and Cafe de Coral unmoved. The shifting of shops internally or between the two shopping centres throughout the period was like rapid shuffling.

Yesterday, we were glad to see the new McDonald opened on the ground floor below KFC and Café de Coral. This fast food shop is bigger and much modern than the original one. In front of the shop were two balloon dolls with smiling faces welcoming their new customers.

Inside people can drink its famous coffee or eat burgers of different kinds at new tables and chairs.

One of the photos shows the glass of coffee my student, Alice Chang, bought me in the "old" McDonald after lunch one Sunday in January. The coffee was six to seven inches deep in the glass. On the foam of milk coffee was made the shape of a “heart”. With a slight movement of the rubber stirrer, the “heart” was deformed. I guess it was the foam that moved apart.

I believe Abby and Elly like to visit this new McDonald when they return to Hong Kong.

The Top 10 Best Modern Fighters of the World

The recent top ten best modern fighters of the World are:

1. F22A Rapter
2. F35 lightning II
3. Su - 35
4. EF2000 (Eurofighter)
5. F15E Strike Eagle
6. Su - 30
7. Super Hornet, F18
8. Rafale
9. F16
10. Mirage 2000

French Rafale jet fighters

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy.

European nations, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom agreed to jointly develop a new fighter in the early 1980s. Disagreement over the fighter's size and project leadership led France and the other nations to split in 1985. France developed the smaller Rafale, while the other nations developed what would later be named the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Three versions of Rafale were in the initial production order:
[1] Rafale C (Chasseur) – Single-seat fighter for the French Air Force
[2] Rafale B (Biplace) – Two-seat fighter for the French Air Force
[3] Rafale M (Marine) – Single-seat carrier fighter for the French Navy

The Rafale carries an integrated electronic survival system named "SPECTRA" which features a software-based virtual stealth technology. The most important sensor is the Thales RBE2 passive electronically scanned multi-mode radar. Thales claims to have achieved unprecedented levels of situational awareness through the earlier detection and tracking of multiple air targets for close combat and long-range interception, as well as real time generation of 3D maps for terrain-following and the real time generation of high resolution ground maps for navigation and targeting.

Let us study the Rafale Ms on board the Charles De Gaulle Aircraft Carrier:

This is the carrier-borne version for the Aéronavale, which entered service in 2002. The Rafale M weighs about 500 kg (1,100 lb) more than the Rafale C. Very similar to the Rafale C in appearance, the M differs in the following respects:

[1] Strengthened to withstand the rigors of carrier-based aviation
[2] Stronger landing gear
[3] Longer nose gear leg to provide a more nose-up attitude for catapult launches
[4] Deleted front centre pylon (to give space for the longer gear)
[5] Large stinger-type tailhook between the engines
[6] Built-in power operated boarding ladder
[7] Carrier microwave landing system
[8] "Telemir" inertial reference platform that can receive updates from the carrier systems

On 19 March 2011, French Rafale jets reportedly conducted reconnaissance and strike missions over Libya in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. On 24 March 2011 it was reported that a Rafale shot down a Libyan Air Force G-2/Galeb light ground attack/trainer jet. A few hours later an armed forces spokesman specified that the plane was destroyed on the runway with an AASM air-to-ground missile just after it had landed.

Charles De Gaulle Aircraft Carrier

It is my first time, through TV, seeing the Nuclear - powered French Aircraft Carrier, Charles De Gaulle (R91) 戴高樂號, join a combat in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Lybia.

This vessel can carry at most 40 aircraft : mostly the French Stealth jet planes, Rafale M (range 3,340 km), Super Etendard (range 1,682km) and three E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft (of great importance in protecting the air-carrier and its planes on board). The ship will also support the AS 565 Panther or NH 90 helicopters.

The main deck consists of a main runway angled at 8.5° to the ship's axis and an aircraft launch area forward of the island. These are each equipped with a catapult, capable of launching one aircraft a minute. The runway is 195m long and the whole deck measures 260m x 64m. The carrier is fitted with the Sagem Defense Sécurité DALAS laser landing aid.

An Arctic Trip

My sister-in-law is so kind as to send me some photos she and my eldest brother recently took during their trip in arctic Norway.

ML says : KS and I had taken a trip to northern part of Norway within the Arctic Circle to watch the Northern Lights.

We cruised along the coast of Norway heading North till near the Russian border. The Winter scenery of the Fjords of Norway was very beautiful and there were onshore excursions that we could enjoy the activities on land. We also reached the most north part of the continent, the North Cape.

The weather was really very cold but we were excited to experience the Husky-ride; the Reindeer-ride and to stay in the Snow Hotel (Igloo) for one night inside a sleeping bag. We were lucky to have the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) every evening and we watched them on the open deck under the cold strong wind.

One evening while in Tromso (the Arctic capital), we were guided by a professional photographer to stay on the snow mountain for 6+ hours to chase the Northern Lights. Nature did put on an amazing "Light Show" for us, we took a lot of photos but could not capture the beauty of the true scene.

象牙花

象牙花 are beautiful deep red flowers (some orange) growing out of Ivory Coral Trees (Erythrina speciosa).

Erythrina speciosa is a tree native to Brazil, South America. The tallest may reach 4 metres. It is often cultivated and has been introduced to Africa and India. Hummingbirds love visiting its flowers and help their pollination.

The flowers look very much like ivory and usually open in March, but they do not bear fruit in Hong Kong. Each leaf is compounded and composed of leaflets in threes.

My Good Wishes

Today I would like to make good wishes to
[1] Philip who is now writing his thesis earnestly for an A+.
[2] Connie who is a Great mom taking care of her two lovely children. I give her two A+s.
[3] Abby who is talented in art – drawing, pottery, in home economics – washing dishes, cooking, in extra-curricular activities – swimming, ballet dancing. I give her a large number of A+s.
[4] Elly who is learning quickly in distinguishing different shapes, animals, fruits and in matching. Elly loves sleeping. When she is awake, she is energetic and full of mobility about her home. Her attentiveness is A+. Her love to food is also A+. Her cleverness is A+ too.
[5] Felix who is working hard at his office as usual and a speedy A+ recovery at his ankle.
[6] Loretta who is raising her new-born A+ baby son with ease.
[7] Loretta’s parents who can handle 4 A+ grand-children at a time.
[8] My CCSC students who are studying with A+ results or working with A+ happiness in society.

CCSC OSA Annual Dinner 2011

This year CCSC OSA held its annual dinner at a restaurant in Causeway Bay on March 18. The dinner is organized by old students of different years, unlike the previous ones by fresh Form 7 graduates.

On that night, there were around 20 tables. That meant that approximately 200 or more people - old students, teachers, former or present, managers of the school board, supervisors, principals gathered.

The MCs conducted the ceremony by a short introduction of the current committee members of OSA, then the school song led by Principal Yuen and Miss Winnie Wong. Next, Principal Yuen made a short speech (see the second photo) and then the managers, present supervisor, Chan Kam Toi and the VIP raised their glasses of “wine” and made a toast to all who joined the dinner (see the third photo).

Next, dishes of food were served. In the midst of the dinner, there was a lucky draw. Among the presents were five framed photos, two taken by me, two from Miss M. Ng and one by Mrs. Tsang (Cheung Wai Ming), our old student as well as old colleague.

During the dinner, I went to most of the tables to take photos of or with my old students. We chatted a little and some still recognized me as their class teacher or Mathematics teacher. Group photos of students and teachers were taken at times on the raised platform.

By the end of the dinner, some young students of mine came to greet me. I was pleased that they had entered their favourite universities.

This year some students are so busy that they cannot attend the dinner. I wish that many more old students will join the next OSA annual dinner.

The top photo shows the old students gathered at the raised platform for a group photo. The bottom photo shows the group photo of teachers with the supervisors, managers and principals of the school.

An Interesting Matching Game

Tony brought home some photos from U.S. and Canada. On his flight from San Francisco to Vancouver, the plane passed an airfield. I am deeply interested in finding out where it is, so I search it with the 3-D Map of Bay Area of SFO I bought from Las Vegas.

Soon I find it on my map which shows that it is a former U.S. naval base with runways for planes. Another surprise comes from the air-craft carrier which is USS Hornet museum (it appears both on the photo and map).

Further proofs come from San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island in the distance.I am totally absorbed in this sort of matching game.

Terrifying Scenes when Tsunami struck

Here were some recent terrifying scenes in Japan recorded at the sites where tsunami swept ashore.

Boats were lifted, crashed into each other, carried away from their anchorage and was crushed into pieces when they hit the bridges.

Cars were lifted and they drifted as the currents flew. Planes were pushed away from their airfields and drifted away as well.

Tsunami at Sendai

Today (March 11, 2011) at 13:46, an earthquake, reaching Richter magnitude scale 8.9, occurred in the Pacific Ocean, 130 kilometres east of Sendai. Not long, a tsunami moved towards the harbour at Sendai, swept the low houses, vehicles and destroyed everything along its path across the farmland near the coast. The tsunami created floods, destroyed roads and bridges and struck boats ashore or overturned them.

Blue Mountains Blue

We have blue sky and blue seas. Why do Blue Mountains (New South Wales) look blue?

HKTVB tells me that the effect comes from the evaporation of the oil at the leave surfaces of the many Eucalyptus trees (尤加利樹) (native to Australia) that grow on these mountains.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters is a rock formation in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. They are close to the town of Katoomba and are one of the Blue Mountains' best known sites, standing above the Jamison Valley. Their names are Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m) as shown in the photos above.

The Sisters were formed by erosion. The soft sandstone of the Blue Mountains is easily eroded over time by wind, rain and rivers, and the cliffs surrounding the Jamison Valley are being slowly broken up. Formations like the Three Sisters are created when water seeps into small cracks in the rock, gradually enlarging them over time to form large indentations. Eventually, the Sisters will be eroded away completely.

The commonly told legend of the Three Sisters is that three sisters fell in love with three men from a neighbouring tribe, but marriage was forbidden by tribal law. Battle ensued, and the sisters were turned to stone by an elder to protect them, but he was killed in the fighting and no one else could turn them back.

Our Hong Kong comedian, 王祖藍, here told us the legend and joked that the three sisters in the photos from left to right are 盧覓雪, 阮兆祥 and 鄧小巧.

The photo below was taken in December, 2006.

Scenic World at Blue Mountains

To explore and know more about Blue Mountains, Australia, there are 4 ways:

[1] Skyway – A hanging cable car moving horizontally across the deep gorge to the other side of the mountain to have a closer look at the famous rocks, “Three Sisters”

[2] Railway – The world steepest incline passenger carrying railway. At certain parts, the railway inclines at 52 degrees to the horizontal

[3] Cableway – A large cable car running between the terminal at Scenic World and the valley floor

[4] Walkway – A 2.5 kilometre elevated boardwalk winding through the forest on the valley floor

Do you know where you're going to?

Yesterday in TV, I was happy to see Blue Mountains again.

I first visited it in December, 2006 with my family and relatives.

The programme started with beautiful scenery and this tuneful song. Now I add my answers to the questions asked.

Do you know where you're going to? Yes, I was told.
Do you like the things that life's been showing you Sure.
Where are you going to? To see Blue Mountains.
Do you know? Yes.

Do you get what you're hoping for
When you look behind you there's no open doors? Yes.
What are you hoping for? To see the beauty of Blue Mountains.
Do you know? Of Course, yes.

Once we were standing still in time
Chasing the fantasies
That filled our minds. On December 29, 2006.
You knew how I loved you
But my spirit was free
Laughing at the questions
That you once asked of me. "Where are Blue Mountains?"

Do you know where you're going to? Yes, sure.
Do you like the things that life's been showing you? Definitely, yes.
Where are you going to? Blue Mountains.
Do you know? Yes, indeed.

Do you get what you're hoping for
When you look behind you there's no open doors? Yes, more than I expected.
What are you hoping for? To take photos of Blue Mountains
Do you know? Of course, yes

Please Double-click the collage photo.

CCSC OSA Annual Dinner 2010 -2011

Attendance List (updated on 3rd March , 2011)

CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS

NO. STAFF
1 Mrs. D. Chan Former teacher
2 Miss L.S. Chan Former teacher
3 Dr. Cheung Wai Ming Former teacher
4 Miss Fok Former teacher
5 Mr. Fung Former teacher
6 Mrs. Hui Former teacher
7 Mrs. Ko Former teacher
8 Miss Y.L. Li Former teacher
9 Mrs. H. Lo Former teacher
10 Mrs. Ma Former teacher
11 Miss Y.K. Mak Former teacher
12 Miss M. Ng Former teacher
13 Miss Y. Poon Former teacher
14 Miss Su Former teacher
15 Mr. Wat Former teacher
16 Mrs. J. Wong Former teacher
17 Mr. Yuen Principal
18 Mr. Au Assistant Principal
19 Mr. Mark Assistant Principal
20 Mrs. M. Lee Teacher
21 Miss F. Mok Teacher
22 Mrs. A. Ng Teacher


NO. ALUMNI YEAR No. of tickets bought
1 Po Kam On 1974 1
2 Chiu Yuk Lan 1974 1
3 Ng Wai Lin Betty 1974 1
4 Jover Pong King Yin 1974 1
5 Helen Fong Wai Man 1974 1
6 Kelvin Ng (Helen Fong's husband) 1
7 Po Kam On 1974 2
9 Leung Chi Keung 1974 1
10 Tam Kin Shun 1974 1
11 Lee Kwok On 1974 1
12 Mak Siu Kwai 1974 2
14 Hui Tin Fook David 1975 1
15 Lau Kam Chuen 1975 1
16 Hedy Yu Yin May 1975 1
17 Ng Wai Man 1975 1
18 Chan Chun Chung William 1975 12
30 Cheung Lap Shing 1975 1
31 Raymond Chung 1975 1
32 Chan, Gilbert Cheuk Tong 1975 1
33 Ko Sau Ying 1976 1
34 Lee So Kit 1976 1
35 Ng Sai Yin Anette 1976 1
36 Wong Sau Ying 1976 1
37 Yeung Wing Kam 1976 1
38 Wu Wing Cheung Vincent 1976 1
39 Shirley Yeung Sze Ling 1976 1
40 Shum Kwok Shui 1976 1
41 Horace Poon 1976 1
42 Horace Poon's wife 1976 1
43 Lam, Alfred Chiu Yu 1976 1
44 Lee Yau Kwong 1976 1
45 Norman Leung 1976 1
46 Yuen, Anthony Po Wing 1976 1
47 Ng Tai Kai 1976 1
48 Ng Yuk Man 1976 1
49 Grace Lee 1976 1
50 Maria Lam 1976 1
51 Peggy Lam 1976 1
52 Ho Wing Ki 1976 1
53 Annie Tsang 1976 1
54 Chan Hau Wah 1976 1
55 Chu Ying Rita 1976 1
56 Yan, Katy Ming Yuk 1977 1
57 Joe Chan (陳仕宏) 1977 1
58 Cheung Wai Keung 1977 1
59 Philip Wong 1978 3
62 Martin Yeung 1978 3
65 Camilla Yeung 1978 3
68 Joseph Chan 1978 3
71 Sandie Yan 1979 6
77 Margaret Cheung 1979 6
83 Chia Chi Keung 1981 1
84 Tam Wai Kee 1981 1
85 Mr. Sing 1981 1
86 Grace Mok 1983 1
87 Yeung Pan Ki Peggy 1990 1
88 Chan Yuk Bun 1990 1
89 Chan Wah Yung 1990 1
90 Kenny Lo 1990 1
91 Benny Koo 1990 1
92 Chan Kin Yung 1990 1
93 Christopher Wong 1990 1
94 Ingrid Au 1990 1
95 Janice Yip 1990 1
96 Jenny Wong 1990 1
97 Rita Leung 1990 1
98 Sam Chiu 1990 1
99 Shirley Chan 1990 1
100 Simon Lam 1990 1
101 Vincent Pang 1990 1
102 Dorothy Kwok 1995 1
103 Alice Fu 2000 1
104 Jason Sham 2001 1
105 Simon Tsang 2001 1
106 Chan Chun Yu Justin 2002 12
118 Chu Ping Yung 2002 12
130 Yeung Wing Shing Vincent 2002 1
131 Chan Kee Shan, Cherry 2002 1
132 Chrissy Huang 2002 1
133 Ngan Hoi Yee, Meko 2002 1
134 Kong Tsui Yan, Jenny 2002 1
135 Chan Tak Kin, Calvin 2008 1
136 Chan Ching Chak 2008 1
137 Ng Kwan Lok 2008 1
138 Chung Man Long 2008 1
139 Wong Hiu Ting 2008 1
140 Tsai Hung Yu 2008 1

書桌下的孫兒

今天見到阿比和艾莉在父親的書桌下玩遊戲 ， 互相替對方揼骨， 至於舒不舒服就要問她們才知道 。 其實她們已經在父母身上實習了好幾次， 經驗深厚 。 若要享受她們為我們揼骨的話 ，就要等多兩個月了。

前幾天阿比和艾莉戴上動物面具，非常有趣 。細問之下，我們才知道她們各自戴上屬自己生肖的動物面具 ， 仿似去參加化裝舞會一樣。

Brown Orchids

Recently I find an orchid plant with stems and flowers as brown as chocolate or, some people may say, in deep purple colour. The flowers are small, long and narrow, curled at the ends. The tongue-like insect-guides appear to be yellow with patches of purple.

The flowers and stems stand firmly like statues high above its green leaves at the base. They show their charm before me even if they are not as conspicuous and colourful as other orchids.

From the web, there is an orchid called Corallorhiza maculata which looks 80% similar except that the insect guides appear to be white with small patches of purple. Look at the bottom-right photo.

Flags of Countries in South Pacific

It was these national flags that arouse me with great interest in finding out what countries they belong to. They were hoisted by the Pacific Building Solutions, the sponsor of the Miss South Pacific Pageant Contest in 2009, at Fiji Islands.

After mapping the flags with those in the above photos from the web, here are what they represent:Top-left: Niue (紐埃) Top-centre: Tonga (湯加) Top-right: Fiji (斐濟)

Centre-left: American Samoa (美屬薩摩亞群島) Centre: Solomon Islands (所羅門群島) Centre-right: Samoa (薩摩亞)

Bottom-left: Tuvalu (圖瓦盧) Bottom-centre: Kiribati (基利巴地)
Bottom-right: Cook Islands (庫克群島)

Taveuni Island

Taveuni Island is the most beautiful and diverse of Fiji's 300+ islands, known as Fiji's Garden Isle for its lush vegetation. It ranks third in size in Fiji Islands after Vanua Levu and Viti Levu . Taveuni is the first to see the sunrise because it is one of the two land masses in the world that the International Date line (180。W or 180。E) runs through.

The cigar-shaped island with a total land area of 435 square kilometers (169 Square Miles) is a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. It is situated 6.5 kilometers to the east of Vanua Levu, across the Somosomo Strait.

The top-left and top-right photos show respectively that Fiji Islands lie ENE of Australia and Taveuni Island NE of Viti Levu.

The centre-left photo shows the first shop to open in the world.

The top-centre photo shows the board indicating that the International Date line has sliced the island into two parts, one west of it and the other east of it.

The bottom few photos show the twilight before and at the moment of sunrise.