The Omnipresent Milkman

The Candle Thieves Project @ PledgeMusic

2011-11-30T19:55:00.000-08:00

Loving this band and loving this method of producing music for the fans.

Have a look and join in if you can.

HIStory

2011-11-29T16:30:00.001-08:00

Now that he's been sentenced, the tape of the 911 call made by Michael Jackson's doctor can finally be released.

Text is as follows :

Dr Murray: "I need help. Michael's collapsed."

Operator: "Have you started CPR?"

Dr Murray: "No!"

Operator: "Have you started a defibrillator?"

Dr. Murray: "No!"

Operator: "Well you wanna be starting something. You got to be starting something."

The Mediterranean Fall

2011-11-09T18:21:00.001-08:00

Some years ago a small rural town in Spain twinned with a similar town in Greece.

The Mayor of the Greek town visited the Spanish town. When he saw the palatial mansion belonging to the Spanish mayor he wondered how he could afford such a house.

The Spaniard said; "You see that bridge over there? The EU gave us a grant to build a two-lane bridge, but by building a single lane bridge with traffic lights at either end this house could be built".

The following year the Spaniard visited the Greek town. He was simply amazed at the Greek Mayor's house, gold taps, marble floors, it was marvellous.

When he asked how this could be afforded the Greek said; "You see that bridge over there?"

The Spaniard replied; "No?"

Tokyo in Slo-Mode

2011-09-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

(Most of my visits are like this these days)

By alex lee

Current Egyptian Headwear

2011-02-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

Kudos and power to the people of Egypt for adapting to the current situation with style and imagination.

Props to the original source.

Just your average Saturday night out . . .

2010-11-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

. . backstage with THE FLAMING LIPS!!!

Theme from The Persuaders

2010-09-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

RIP Tony Curtis

Dymocks Hong Kong blow @MrsStephenFry's Cover

2010-09-04T02:34:00.001-07:00

. . or get it very very wrong.

I Bloody Love The World Cup.

2010-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

. . . and here are some suitable sounds.

Sorry, no cars where?

2010-05-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong Time Lords

2010-05-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Spectacular video by Euan Preston.

The Secret Machines . . .

2010-03-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

. . are coming. Subsequently there has been little else on my iPod of late.

Why not join in and listen to their latest album here - FOR FREE

[The Peoples’ Party Presents:]

The Secret Machines
+ Support

March 17th : 8:00pm

Grappas Cellar, Jardine House,
1 Connaught Rd, Central

Tickets*: Adv $280 from Grappas & White Noise Records
or on the Door $320 (both include 1 drink)

Top 10 All Time Albums

2010-02-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

For those who requested to see, here's the list I submitted to what.cd as they compile a list of the Top Albums of All Time.

1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

2. Queen - A Night at the Opera

3. Genesis - Seconds Out

4. Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue

5. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells II

6. XTC - Nonsuch

7. The Who - Tommy

8. Jim Steinman - Bad for Good

9. Prince - Purple Rain

10. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

I of course reserve the right to change my mind whenever I bloody well feel like it.

Suck My Lozenge

2009-12-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Old . . but a classic

The Perils of Facial Hair

2009-11-30T00:44:00.000-08:00

Raising money for the cause of helping to elliviate the perils of prostate cancer can be a hair-raising business . . or in my case, facial-hair raising business.

Scenes from Clockenflap 2009

2009-11-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

The Genius that is Bobby McFerrin

2009-11-19T17:35:00.000-08:00

Tokyo in Stop Motion

2009-11-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

Fantastic photography plus images from my one of my favourite places in the world. What's more to like?

The Moments Between, Episode 1: Japan from Trey Ratcliff on Vimeo.

A Myth Uncovered

2009-11-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

In the run up to the handover of Hong Kong back to the PRC in 1997, the last regiment to represent the motherland and supervise proceedings was The Black Watch. Ever popular amongst locals and foreigners the 'Watch' were often to be seen around town both on and of course, off duty (The Smugglers Inn, Stanley mainly).

One of their 'on duty' responsibilities was the daily raising and lowering of the Union Jack at the Cenotaph in Central . . and undoubtedly, one of the most enduring images likely to be etched in the memory of anyone who was around at the time, will be a particular occasion (caught on film by a SCMP photographer) when it was a little windy.

It's Clockenflap Time

2009-10-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

It could all go pearshaped at any moment. In fact if it did, it wouldn't be the first time. Who knows what surprises lie around the corner that could slap the space-time continium of comfortableness squarely in the face at any moment and thereby leave the best laid plans of mice and men, scattered all over the shop like a ten million piece jig saw.

So, once more in an attempt to diversify investment and income streams in the face of global meltdown (or at the very least, losing my wallet), wings have been spread out again and this time I've ventured in the unknown field of the Arts. OK, not quite unknown but certainly a contrast to F&B, property, event management, football clubs and the regular day job.

Working with these guys has been a ball so far and in the build up to what should be a fantastic event on November 7/8 (plug, plug) things should get even more exciting.

They are quite a 'left field' type bunch however. Take a look . . .

Clockenflap : Episode Two from Clockenflap Festival on Vimeo.

Test from my iPhone with a . . .

2009-10-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

. . . rather nice picture of the sunset.

PhotoSketch - How good is this gonna be . .

2009-10-06T00:47:00.001-07:00

PhotoSketch: Internet Image Montage from tao chen on Vimeo.

I do like a parade

2009-10-05T22:32:00.001-07:00

China's 60th Anniversary national day - timelapse and slow motion - 7D and 5DmkII from Dan Chung on Vimeo.

The State of UK Politics

2009-10-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

I have only voted once in the United Kingdom. Back in 1983. I voted for Harvey Proctor. It lists as No.2 in the most stupidest things I have ever done. In my defence, I had just started as a trader in the city and . . . OK, there is NO defence. I’m sorry. Believe me when I say I won’t do it again.

I'm not a politician. Never have been. Never been the slightest bit interested. In fact it’s safe to say that I have avoided the whole business with a barge pole so big that you could punt the Queen Mary across the Atlantic with it. My earliest impressions of Parliament were filled with images of buffoons waving papers in the air, shouting 'rhubarb, rhubarb' and quite frankly it never seemed to be a particularly dignified way of conducting oneself. Anyway, at the time I was too busy behaving like a twat in city champagne bars to notice.

From what I could gather, the number one objective of a politician seemed to be to get re-elected. That couldn’t be right, could it? Imagine if the goal of a surgeon was to patch up a patient just well enough to ensure his services were required again within 5 years. Or IT support fixed your computer just enough so that you’d need to call them again within a couple of days. Oh, hold on.

Anyway, such opinion has only been strengthened over the years by the likes of Jeffery Archer, Peter Mandelson and the recent expenses scandal (the whole saga which by the way I have greeted with a ‘I could have told you that’ smugness.) and as a result I have continued to give the whole business of politics an enormously wide berth.

However . . . :)

One thing living abroad does allow you to have is a 'view from above'.

Given the debacles surrounding the current UK government that have encompassed everything from Hutton to expenses, it had become increasingly apparent that the Labour Party would lose the next general election. Then, the moment that bastion of political journalism (and keeper of the nations tits) The Sun reverted back to blue, all bets were quite literally off and that likelihood became an absolute certainty. Thanks to the biggest influence in UK politics (who just happens to be an Australian with an American passport) it is now a forgone conclusion that the Conservative Party will form the next government, most likely with a big enough majority that they can look forward to the next 10 years in office.

But will that mean a change? From over here it looks as though one bland underachieving bunch of self-opinionated tossers are about to be replaced by something incredibly similar. Duncan from Blue has more statesman-like qualities than David Cameron. With the exception of the one that is/was shagging a cheeky girl and the dodgy one who procured party funds whilst sunning himself on a yacht in the south of France, neither myself or any of my colleagues can name one member of the shadow cabinet.

The sad fact is that a Tory government is such a shoe-in at the next election they don’t need to take the bold decision with regard to leadership that the country needs in the eyes of the rest of the world. They’ll contest the next election (although it wont be much of a scrap) with leadership that will subsequently flounder on the world stage. A team of individuals without any of the qualities required to fight the United Kingdom’s corner on the battle fields of Kyoto, Copenhagen and Pittsburgh led by someone who’s just another in a long line of ineffectual politicians that have graced the No.1 slot in the Tory party since that woman who’s name we don’t mention any more.

If Spitting Image was still on the telly, they’d run out of gray foam every time they did a sketch about any of the Tories.

Apart from one . . . .

© Paul Raymonde

Test blog from my iPhone

2009-09-22T00:48:00.001-07:00

. . . and in true techie style, here's a test from my iPhone in order to establish whether I can post meaningless drivel whilst I'm on the move (or the toilet)

Starting up . . .

2009-09-22T00:27:00.001-07:00

. . well, everyone else seems to be doing it so I thought I'd give it a go too.

Prepare yourself for all manner of thoughts and musings on a variety of happenings in and around Hong Kong. Insight into people, places and everything else in between.

. . and a bit of testing along the way first of course.