"The quality of work is more important than life"

Except from an article from Daily Telegraph

China calls for the ultimate sacrifice from its Olympics workforce
By Peter Simpson in Beijing

Among the many slogans hung around the huge Olympic Village to spur on the 2,000-plus workforce is a banner proclaiming: "The quality of work is more important than life". The blue and white sign was hidden from public view during a recent visit by foreign journalists.

It appears that the harsh Orwellian language of the slogan, with echoes of the darker days of China's communist past, is being followed a little too closely, as the city rushes to be ready for the Olympics. According to the Construction Ministry, there have been 49 deaths in Beijing's building industry this year.

...

Patrick Poon, of China Labour Bulletin [...] said most construction companies cover up occupational deaths or serious injuries: "Only between five and 10 per cent of workplace accidents are officially reported."

In 2004, there were 3833 accidents Hong Kong in the construction industy, in which 17 people died.

Source: Burning our money

"愛上Board Games"的樓上café - Jolly Thinkers

早前聽朋友介紹，最近在旺角新世紀廣場附近新開了一間以德式桌上遊戲為主題的小店，今晚剛好有空跟他們上去一聚。店子很小，由一個唐樓單位改裝而成。一進門就看見滿架讓客人自由取用的遊戲，還有六點已經開始『打躉』、正在玩Anno 1503的幾位朋友。我點了一客肉醬意粉($52)及紅豆刨冰($32)。意粉的水準不錯，而能在炎夏吃到美味的刨冰實在很幸福！之後玩了兩局朋友帶來的Havoc。

店的名字叫Jolly Thinkers，地址是旺角太子道西182-184號金寶樓1樓C座。稍後有機會再光顧，問過店主後可能拍一兩張照片再作詳細介紹。

"Never Enough"

Christina Stürmer的奧地利官網公佈了新消息：四月推出的新single "Nie Genug"定於八月十八日在德國公開發售，而新大碟也將九月中在德國、奧地利、瑞士發售。想聽新歌只要到官網一走就可以聽到，也可以下載MP3或MV。

以下為上半部份歌詞翻譯：

I live in this moment
I never get enough
Don't ask me how and when
the summer comes
No matter how fast the Earth rotates
it is never fast enough for me
It is unthinkable to just watch
Clearly it is

I won't yield
Will go even further
I will stay simply like what I am now

[Chorus]
I never get enough of life
I never get enough - there can be more
I want everything all at once and nothing less
I will not just sit and wait for things to happen

I never get enough of life
I never get enough - are you with me?
I will risk everything
I want to win, not to lose
Always more, always more, always more

快高長大

一個月前

現在

跳窗？

禮拜日，敗家日

上星期日敗了比街市貨貴十倍的TOPVALU豆腐跟ホクト牌ブナピー，也就是上次買的菇的『女孩子』版。三盒豆腐其中一盒拿來煮沒幾多肉的豬肉湯，三分一煮麵，最後的三分一拿來加冷麵汁吃掉！

今個星期日敗了個有加號的貨品，就是之前提過的Victorinox s.beat MP3。實物跟之前看到的相片一樣漂亮。不過不幸的是說明書竟然錯字百出，且update firmware之後就無法使用。對這種意料之外的事情，我只能又一次orz。

Is France ruled by a bunch of idealists?

France adopts toned down version of download law

"In its earlier form, the bill would have forced online stores ... to share DRM code". The revised law still grants consumers "the right ... to make private copies". Federal Consumers' Union said the amendments is "a surrender to big corporations and a defeat for consumer rights", but Jim Prendergast of Americans for Technology Leadership still thinks it is a "complete disregard for intellectual property".

It is nice to know that a first world Government is still fighting for consumer freedom, but can the French win?

Stop talking

A Pearls before Swine comic strip on 30th June, 2006.