Hong Kong health authorities reimpose isolation at government facilities for people testing positive for certain newer sub-variants of Covid. An expert says…
it is extra-embarrassing that they’re even thinking about doing this for something like BA.4/5, let alone *BA.2.12.1*.
the latter is literally just a pair of mutations, L452Q & S704L. unknown if the latter does anything…
Lots of other complicated-sounding scientific analysis out there saying this is pointless – the new strains of the virus are essentially the same as the existing one. It seems the authorities are actively looking for excuses to continue onerous and superfluous anti-Covid measures and avoid opening up (or just to use their sprawling Mainland-built quarantine camps).
Is it illegal to watch Revolution of Our Times? Will the NatSec Police burst into your home as you sit on the sofa watching the film on Vimeo? Perhaps it depends on who you are. The cops themselves refuse to say. (What if we ask them if it’s illegal to wear purple socks? ‘We do not comment on individual cases.’ Or to rob a bank at gunpoint? ‘We do not comment on individual cases.’)
Young people don’t want to join the HK Police. (Would these be the same young people who are routinely hassled and humiliated by groups of uniformed cops in MTR stations? If the force can spare hundreds of constables to do this every day, do they need more recruits? Or are they planning a Vimeo Eradication Squad?)
Some reading for the long weekend…
As we approach the 2nd anniversary of the NatSec regime – a roundup of month 23 from HKFP.
From Oz ABC – more on China’s over-ambitious attempt to bring Pacific islands into its orbit.
CNN talks to experts on China’s ability to take Taiwan. Rough consensus: it’s theoretically possible if Beijing is willing to take horrendous losses in personnel and ships. One factor they don’t mention is public tolerance for fatalities when most young servicemen in China are single children (as are their parents).
From the Guardian, more on the ‘tragically ugly’ and ‘evil’ school textbook illustrations.
And a foreign affairs quiz. You can find out how your score compares ‘with that of the average American’ – so at least something to make you feel good today.
I think they revoked the home quarantine because people are faking their RAT tests to avoid having to use the Leave Home Safe app. so in this case, they are actually creating a punitive action as a threat which is a pretty dangerous thing to do to a population, but probably they don’t care about the results of such action.
1. Re: COVID social distancing.
If it has hasn’t been blindingly obvious for the past 2+ years, it nevertheless bears repeating for the naive amongst us:
Hong Kong is beholden to China’s “Zero COVID” policy. Full stop. Whatever madness is going on in China must therefore take place in Hong Kong.
Enjoy your relative freedom while it lasts. The situation will continue to devolve further as Hong Kong’s lingering outbreak is a political embarrassment to the most important policy held by China’s rising dictator-for-life.
2. Re: Police force recruitment difficulties.
If the police force no longer attracts neutral and/or democratic-leaning citizens, but rather attracts right-leaning, authoritarian sympathizers devoid of empathy and filled with patriotic zeal, then I expect the force will lose its professionalism entirely, and turn into a true gestapo.
Then, the city will have, in effect, two competing gestapos: the new entrant in the form of the Hong Kong police force, and the original secret police in the form of the post-2020 “not beholden to local Hong Kong laws” NatSec police.
HK youth won’t need to join the popo. It’ll be majority single male mainlanders in a few short years with even current HK born n bred young officers squeezed out under “questionable loyalty” parameters.
The oldies and expats will be sufficiently brutal and patriotic to secure pensions and the young will be viewed with suspicion. Toss up if you’re middle ranks but keeping them guessing is a good scare tactic to ensure obedience.
How to tell that Shit Jumping will visit in a couple of weeks?
All the Cum Recycling bins on the street corners of CWB have been removed (again).
@Hamanrha – Recruits to the police will be left-leaning (if they have any such philosophy) but of an authoritarian/CCP vent and going far enough on the horseshoe to see eye-to-eye with right-wing authoritarians.
@HKJC Regular
Thank you. You saved me the trouble.
Thanks for the quiz, Hemmers. I got 12/12 (it was a very easy quiz) compared to the average American’s 6.3.
Does that make me feel good? I should bloody cocoa!
12/12 on the Pew quiz. I must stop reading newspapers.
I think the 6.3 for Murikans would be argued as “American Exceptionalism”. By an American.
There was some commotion.
It is not clear what was heard
On a day when nothing occurred.
The sound of heavy boots
And lighter footsteps running away
On an unremembered day.
Heavy vehicles, it is said,
And then a banging noise.
A day when there was no news.
An insignificant day
And very little survives,
A day not found in the archives.
@Knownot: 😔
@knownot: another of your best. Thank you. A true pleasure to read.
It is no wonder that the police has problems finding recruits when much of the working shift is spent standing around in sweltering heat and humidity laden down with heat rash inducing equipment for the sole purpose of preventing fellow citizens from enjoying their allocation of two square metres per citizen of public open space.
A leading member of Beijing’s top think tank on Hong Kong said on Sunday he believes the SAR requires officials who have a security-related background or experience to govern the territory in the next decade.RTHK
Only flatfoots and ex-flatfoots may be appointed.