墨西哥豬流感研究

For those that don’t mind reading technical medical papers.

From New England Journal of Medicine “Pneumonia and Respiratory Failure from Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) in Mexico“.

Here is an excerpt (emphasis added),

Results From March 24 through April 24, 2009, a total of 18 cases of pneumonia and confirmed S-OIV infection were identified among 98 patients [K: the first 18 cases] hospitalized for acute respiratory illness at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico City. More than half of the 18 case patients were between 13 and 47 years of age, and only 8 had preexisting medical conditions.For 16 of the 18 patients, this was the first hospitalization for their illness; the other 2 patients were referred from other hospitals. All patients had fever, cough, dyspnea or respiratory distress, increased serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, and bilateral patchy pneumonia. Other common findings were an increased creatine kinase level (in 62% of patients) and lymphopenia (in 61%). Twelve patients required mechanical ventilation, and seven died. Within 7 days after contact with the initial case patients, a mild or moderate influenza-like illness developed in 22 health care workers; they were treated with oseltamivir, and none were hospitalized.

Conclusions S-OIV infection can cause severe illness, the acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death in previously healthy persons who are young to middle-aged. None of the secondary infections among health care workers were severe.

生命中的巧合 :【兩周一聚】第十七期

四十年的巧合

For years, my better half and I could afford to buy a house but for one reason or another we never did. And when we were ready to look last year, we looked at many houses. We got very close to buying one of them. Fortunately for us, my better half took one last look at all the legal documents that are not usually reviewed by most buyers (mostly because they don’t have the legal resources nor the legal knowledge to read them), she found something not quite right. After further investigation, we called off the deal.

And by that time, the house we ended up buying finally fell into our lower price range. When we looked at the house, my better half kid me that I was “sold” by the wonderful kitchen. :) But for me, I had a good feeling of the house. I thought I could start a business from the spacious garage and the garden could be quite nice in the spring/summer (even though it was late in the year, and the flowers were dying). Oh, and the kitchen was very nice.

We finally experienced what I termed “四十年的巧合” this last few months when we saw how beautiful our garden has grown to be from winter to spring and then to summer.

“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
- Elizabeth Bibesco

I want to thank Art & Phyllis for putting their tender loving care in the house and this beautiful garden for 40 years. In some sense, I think our world will be a better place if we see ourselves as custodians of what we have as one day those “things or possessions” will be someone else.

Here is a video of our garden which we have named “Garden of Aton”. I hope you will enjoy the video.

Here are some more photos of the garden.

Thanks to humptidumpti for setting this topic. For other bloggers’ posts, see 【兩周一聚】2weeks1gather.

中國法治

Recently I have been chatting with my economists friends Wallace and Zhaofeng about the big topic of 中國法治. While I am more pessimistic of seeing true rule of law in in China in my lifetime, my friends are more optimistic, in the sense that they are still hopeful. And in the case of Zhaofeng, he has written a few blog entry to try to shine light on the topic.

Here are Zhaofeng’s selected blog entry links with excerpts.

导演们醒醒

Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 11:12 am
他们的错，不在判断谁是弱者，不在帮助弱者，而在自以为睿智地把事件上升或定性为“政治事件”，鼓动以超越法律的方式来帮助弱者，认为只有靠“大规模的弱者的违法”才能促进法治。 »

法律程序不完善该怎么办

Friday, June 26, 2009 at 11:37 am
我从不担心社会上缺少愚论。我只是说，我不支持那些愚论。我只是说，如果法律程序不够完善，那就应该尽力帮助法律程序完善，而不是仅仅往自以为的弱者一方站队。

邓玉娇没有义务为神圣使命牺牲

Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 3:47 pm
有意思，从天涯上看到的几段评论。都是匿名的，但我觉得有启发。我也向那些“热心人士”投以怀疑的目光。

网络陪审团追求最大戏剧效果

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 2:35 pm
他们不仅相信舆论有资格绕过法律，有权力未审先判，有义务替弱者说话，他们还相信舆论有能力判断谁是强者和谁是弱者。

邓玉娇案的重点与盲点

Friday, June 19, 2009 at 1:56 am
围绕邓玉娇案所引发的舆论（包括压倒性地对初审判决表示支持的言论和为舆论影响了判决而喝彩的言论）反映了公民法治观念的苍白。

卡加里 反革命小熊貓 June

From Calgary Herald,

The Calgary Zoo has announced the birth of a bamboo-munching red panda cub.

The cuddly female cub–whose young eyes are not yet fully opened –was born on June 4 [K: yes, this little anit-revolutionary red panda dared to be born on June 4th, 2009, on the 20th anniversary of June 4!] to five-year-old Malikha. Dad is two-year-old Zeyar.

The zoo says every successful birth is significant, especially when infant mortality rates are high. [...]

[...] The new cub, which has yet to be named, will be seen in the exhibit once she is ready to leave the den on her own–likely near the end of the summer.

“June” is a perfect name for this red panda. “卡加里 反革命小熊貓 June” has a nice ring to it.

Welcome to Calgary Ms. June! To me, you will always be “June“! It is about time a Chinese panda has an English name in English. And a Chinese name in Chinese. How about June and 陸晴?

P.S. In case you think Calgary is too small for big things, a notable Chinese revolutionary visited Calgary in 1911.

When revolutionary Chinese leader Dr. Sun-Yat Sen visited Calgary in 1911, he toured the Canton Block and gave a moving speech to Calgarians.

Some historical photos here at UBC Library. In particular, this one of Dr. Sun in Calgary.

多愁善感的雪兒

雪兒 has never said anything to us or shown us any feeling until she started screaming in pain this past February. She is normally icy like some HK movie stars and don’t usually show us her warm side. That is, until that sad day in February.

Initially, she started making some funny noises which we had no idea what it meant. But in fact, she was getting sicker by the minute. We later found out that she was having a high fever, a fever that end up seriously hurting 雪兒. And then a few days later,雪兒 started screaming non-stop, and we could still hear her scream even her door was closed!

We got so worried about 雪兒 that we ate all her ice cream! So 雪兒 had a high fever and eventually burned her brain out. Here is a picture of 雪兒’s brain. (Warning: graphic detail)

Her brain plus the surgeon’s operation cost was quite expensive. But she is now back to normal, being icy cold again. Here is a picture of our 雪兒 with her usual contents.

Note the Cream Soda in the bottom left, they are our “Champagne”, reserved for special occasion. :)

Plus the MIT (Made in Taiwan) sushi vinegar as we are learning to make our own sushi and quite enjoy our creations.

We are using our maple syrup (from Wal-Mart) in our home make milk shake. Quite tasty.

The glass bottles in plastic bags (bottom left) are preserved bean curd and shrimp paste. :) No way we let them stinking up our beloved 雪兒.

Canada Day cancelled in Toronto

Yes, it sucks!

邓玉娇案: 网络陪审团追求最大戏剧效果

您的意見？
网络陪审团追求最大戏剧效果

Here is a new one, thanks Zhaofeng for keep on writing about this. (even I may disagree with some of what you wrote but the discussion is the key)

法律程序不完善该怎么办

天安門三君子20年 (自由亞洲電台)

對強權說真話提出反對聲音，從來都不是一件容易的事。天安門三君子和他們的家人是一群為中國民主付出過的人。

20年不是一段短的時間，三君子和他們的家人在過去的20年都承受很多傷害。希望他們未來的20年生活過得好一點。

From 自由亞洲電台 (Radio Free Asia),

“近日在美國首府華盛頓，有很多紀念六四的活動及講座，當年塗鴉天安門城樓上毛澤東像的天安門三君子余志堅、喻東岳和魯德成﹐週二 出席全國民主基金會聯同勞改基金會擧行的論壇，並得到在場百人的掌聲歡迎。三人先後獲得美國及加拿大政治庇護後首次齊集國會山莊 ，見證20年來中國的變化。（何山報道）”

肥佬黎：報紙要結合影像

I’ve my share of distaste of Apple Daily’s ways of sensationalizing news and deciding what are headline news. But I do agree with Mr. Jimmy Lai on this,

[...] 到場行家最關心壹電視有乜搞作，是否意味壹傳媒轉型唔做印刷媒體，肥佬黎解釋係大勢所趨，因為新一代由電視同互聯網陪伴成長，多睇影像少看字，所以報紙未來要結合影像才可生存。

[...] 又指互聯網遲早取代電視頻道，做網上電視台唔使攞牌。講到互聯網天下無敵，第時大家咪活在虛擬世界？肥佬就認為唔會咁極端，因為在虛擬世界嘅接觸唔到肉，「我哋仲要握手，仲要結婚，唔可以只得 cyber sex。」

In the realm of newspaper and new media, Jeff Jarvis has many interesting insights.

Evillution

Evillution by Vancouver Film School student Arthur Lobo. Great job. Enjoy.

Asbestos Export – Canada’s Ugly Secret

Canada’s Ugly Secret
June 10, 2009 (Runs 15:14)

From CBC’s show info,

Mellissa Fung reports on how Canada’s overseas sales of asbestos may be breathing new life into a dying industry – but may also be making exposed workers sick.

(Read backstory here.)

As a proud Canadian, I am ashamed of what my government condone.

星期日檔案 警犬誕生

[HT: Thanks to my friend Bella]

GG Michaëlle Jean on The Hour

Our current GG Michaëlle Jean is one cool and insightful lady. Here is the GG interviewed by George on The Hour. (note: video available in Canada only, you can check this YouTube channel to see if it is posted)

P.S. This is the first time I hear the GG explain her decision to prorogue the parliament.

P.P.S. Yes, she ate a piece of heart of a seal last month. It is part of Canada’s heritage.

Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer – from Vancouver Film School (VFS). Enjoy.

2009 Braeside Community Parade

This past Saturday (20th June, 2009), my better half and I had a lot of fun attending the 2009 Braeside Community Parade and post-parade BBQ party organized by Kim Edwards and her team of volunteers. I believe it is events like this that helps build and create a sense of community. The parade reminds me of the 25 years of Bill Craig’s Boxing Day Classic (see videos and pix) that I blogged about in 2007.

I think we need more people like Kim and Bill in communities we live in. Will you be your “Kim” or “Bill” in your own community and help make good things happen?

Kim Edwards (the lady in the right) was the lead organizer.

The following are some thumbnails (click to zoom) of the parade. Enjoy

Post-It (a short film)

Check out this short film with my friend Josh Rimer playing the lead.

Enjoy.

五星級大酒店

蔡瀾 的 ”瘋了“,

大會安排入住「東錦江索菲特大酒店」，我一向住開「花園飯店」，離市中心淮海路也近，購物方便。但遷就大家，住了這家開在浦東區的所謂五星級旅館。到達時已是下午兩點多，飛機餐嚥不下，有點餓，問櫃台酒店裏有多少家餐廳。

「三間，中餐，日本餐和西餐。」他們回答：「但是下午兩點到六點休息。」

「三家都是？」我問。他們點頭。

「那咖啡廳呢？隨便吃一點也行。」

「咖啡廳也休息。」

算了，進房再說，走入，一陣霉味，窗又打不開，那味道怎麼形容呢？

想起，是狗尿 [...]

我寫過七星級大酒店。

五頁紙

On one hand, the Hong Kong government is telling HK citizens to not panic. At the same time, it is publicizing the

List of building(s) with confirmed case(s) of Swine Influenza in the past 7 days 過去七日曾有確診豬型流行性感冒個案之大厦名單
As of 6 pm, 17 June 2009 (截至2009 年6 月17 日, 下午6 時) (*local downloaded* PDF file, there are 5 pages of building names!) (current gov site file)

in this CHP (Centre for Health Protection) site.

You know, I can imagine people who live in one of these building trying to find out who has/had Swine Flu. And can you imagine how those people and their families (and friends) will be treated? And then people in surrounding buildings worrying. Sooner then you think, you have enough of Hong Kong public panicking.

The way HK government is treating Swine Flu, a new but relatively non-lethal disease (compare to seasonal flu), is setting some bad precedence.

Swine Flu will definitely be one topic of discussion if and when I do launch a series of medical discussion with my doctor & friend. (There are some medical practices that are harmful and he definitely like to have more people know about them. Lead to more informed medical and science based discussions.)

Topics on my “discussion list”:

• Swine flu
• Seniors with blood pressure like a young man! Good or Bad? I thought it was good but I was very wrong!