…Reg said ‘Hi!’ Will spare you the video. She’s dancing. Alluringly.
(For anyone wondering whether/why Western thought shunts Hinduism to one side: an intriguing post referencing ‘civilizational shame’.)
On to other matters…
HKFP reports…
A court in Chinese territory Macau sentenced ex-lawmaker and democracy campaigner Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in prison on Friday for subversion and other offences.
He co-organised annual vigils for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing, something previously tolerated only in Macau and neighbouring Hong Kong.
Au, detained in July 2025 and whose closed-door trial concluded in September within three days, was found guilty of “subversion against the political power of the State” among other offences, a court statement said.
Au helped “external hostile organisations in the collection, preparation, and public dissemination of various images and information that were manifestly filled with political claims of a subversive nature against the political authority of the State,” it said.
He also sought to “incite hatred among Macau residents” against China, with the intent to “overthrow and undermine the fundamental system” of the state enshrined in the Chinese constitution, it added.
This was just after Joshua Wong’s sentencing. (Are closed-door trials still considered too outré for use in Hong Kong?)
In the Guardian – Nathan Law on Joshua Wong.
Concrete cladding on pillars at the new Tung Chung West MTR station doesn’t quite reach the ceiling. We are assured that ‘there is no immediate danger (but aarrgghh)’. Is this sort of thing happening more often, or am I imagining it?
Which brings us to… A Straits Times fancy-graphics story (scroll down to make it work) looks at the Mainlandization of Hong Kong’s retail and other businesses, demographics and general vibe…
In 2025, a whopping 94% of the roughly 31,500 visas granted under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) – launched in December 2022 for high earners and top graduates from around the world – went to mainlanders.
…The tech sector is one of the most globally competitive fields for talent, Elms said, with Singapore investing substantial public funds in tech infrastructure and Dubai pursuing major AI initiatives.
Hong Kong is well placed in this battle for talent, though, the HR expert added, as it offers senior tech professionals the opportunity to work across the Greater Bay Area while granting them a 15% cap on their tax liability. The mainland’s individual income tax rate can reach 45%.
An interesting read. For those of us living through it, the transformation seems gradual. You know it’s happening, but you can’t recall or identify noticeable shifts. More and better Sichuan and Xinjiang restaurants.
Mbappé in the Cultural Revolution, Episode 3.
Are you guys blind? The obvious is dancing naked before your eyes: Hong Kong is the new Singapore! A pseudo-democracy hiding an authoritarian regime, camouflaged by a glossy facade of bling-bling capitalism, shiny skyscrapers and an endless supply of Teslas. You never had it so good!