|
As an early Christmas present from the Lamma-zine, we're
offering FREE HOME PAGE ADS for the entire month of December for
new or returning advertisers!
FREE means just that, no hidden costs, no commitments, no
obligations of any kind.
The offer is very simple and straightforward:
Send me an ad banner and link and I'll put it onto the lower
right side of this home page till end of the year. No
obligations or commitment to continue afterwards if you don't
want to for any reason. Free, no strings attached.
The advertising banner should be 180W*240H pixels, JPG/GIF/PNG
format, up to 50KB. I'll even help you to create the ad banner,
if you like. Contact me!
Alternatively, for higher impact
advertising with more feedback, you could put your banner at the
very top of this home page, center or left side, rotating with
only two other banners in the same locations.
Or you could be
included in one of my biweekly
Lamma-zine emails to 4,000+ active email addresses.
Or you could
even get your own "sponsored Lamma-zine story". All at half price
of our
advertising rate card,
for Dec only.
Contact me!
A solemn, dignified and beautiful funeral service
was held in St. John's Cathedral in Central, HK Island, last
Friday afternoon.
For Mr DickStock's "The Gregarious Gentleman" eulogy,
Nick the Bookman's "review" of the
service and the entire funeral service booklet, click to our
RIP Jenkin Waldo Hiles forum.
Extremely rare and most unusual photos of Lammaites in black suits to
follow soon, hopefully.... plus news from a potential Jenks
Memorial Lily Pond...
 
 
 Lamma
Dragons Recruitment:
Sat, Nov 28, 4pm,
The Island Bar:
Lisa: "So
..... do you think it is too cold to get in the water in a week - well, get
hard and paddle anyway!!
All New Paddlers are welcome to register for the 2010 season. Please visit
The Island Bar (and if you don't know where that is, you really, really need
us) on Saturday, 28th November at 4pm and ask for Dawn or Kevin.
Why are we in the water so early this season - we have a
huge year in 2010 including a World Club Championships in Macau to train
for.
Don't worry about your current fitness, that is what training is for and
more training and cross training ...........
We have a 2-week window for recruitment, so call Dawn
the Ladies Captain, on 9217 7757/
email or Kev the Men's Captain on 9047 9548/
email.
Sign up early and we will see you all (cold and wet) on the water, 5th of
December - warm, toasty and guilt free in the bar after."
That water dragon poster looks
tempting. Should I consider something absolutely unthinkable for
me just two years ago (when I was double my current weight) and
try out with the dragonboaters? ;-)))
Lamma-Gung/2 the Dragonboater?
After two years of working out in many ways and living a healthy
lifestyle, could I be as fit as some of the other new
dragonboating recruits half my age? But my healthy, low-alcohol
lifestyle might get me expelled after the very first
training/drinking session with the men's team!?
Music
Quiz:
Sat,
Nov 28, 8:30-11pm,
The Island Bar:
Teams of 4, $100/person incl. 1
drink. Max 5 members/team. Followed by The Duelling iPods. In aid of
Operation Santa Claus.
Poster.
Lamma Enduro Mountainbiking Race:
Sun, Nov 29, Project X Trail,
Pak Kok Shan: Click for
poster,
map,
details.
This yearly major race starts at
the end of first Cable Road in Pak Kok at 9:30am and then
circles Pak Kok Shan for 2.5-5 hours. Lammaites are warmly
invited to visit and watch!
Best viewing spot: the red Finish spot on
this map. It's just besides the top of Cable Road #1,
just before it descends down to the far end of Pak Kok, about 10
minutes walk up from Tai Peng Village.
|
Michael Maddess - Lamma Enduro
- Race Director & Course Designer -
Action Asia Foundation -
www.ActionAsiaEvents.com: |
|
THIS SUNDAY - COMPETE OR COME UP TO PAK KOK SHAN TO CHEER HONG KONG'S BEST
TECHNICAL MOUNTAIN BIKERS FOR 5 WHOLE HOURS.
Open to Individual & relay teams of 2. Course lengths are 2.5 hrs & 5 hrs on
project x course (Pak Kok Shan).
CONCEPT: Individuals or relay teams of two can take as many breaks as
they want as the number of laps they complete will decide on the overall
placing.
8:30am - Registration starts at Cable Rd
above Tai Peng Village
9:15am - Race briefing at start
9:30am - Start (5hr individual & relay
teams)
9:40am - Start (2.5hr individual & relay
teams)
CATEGORIES: 5 hrs - Individual - by age group:
Women: 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+
Men: 18-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50+
5 hrs - Relay Teams: Men's, Women's, Mixed
2.5 hrs - Individual - by age group; Relay Teams: Men's, Women's,
Mixed
TRANSPORT:
7:30/8:30am: FERRY – Yung Shue Wan, Lamma ferry at Central Pier
#4. |
Black Mariah:
Fri, Dec 4, 9:30pm:
The Wanch:
Poster.
Treasure Hunt:
Sun, Dec 6,
The Island Bar:
Noon-1pm: team registrations. Teams of 4,
$400/team, all proceeds to Operation Santa Claus.
Poster.
Christmas Craft Market:
Sun, Dec 6, 11am-5pm: Open
Space Art Studio & Community Centre, 2 Tai Ling Village
(below the windmill):
Email, 6423 1952,
poster,
map,
directions,
Facebook,
website.
5-8pm: Campfire, music jam.
Tamara:
"Shop for lovely hand made Christmas presents, have a drink,
enjoy some tasty bites and boogie down to some great tunes
provided by DJ Jim.
The craft market will run from 11 'til 5 with a music jam around
the campfire to follow from 5 'til about 8."
For even more
Lamma Events, check out my constantly updated
Lamma Events Calendar.
"These nights were part
comical, anthropological, educational, historical, whimsical,
touching, reflective, hazy and hysterical!" -- RichF
|
Richard
F
- Former bartender in
The Island Bar:
(Copyrighted poster by
Andre, photos
by The Island Bar, click to enlarge.) |
|
The
Great Lamma Drug Raid has been the most enthralling
and fascinating thread on the forums for some time now!
I lived, and worked for a spell, on
Lamma between '96 and 2000. I would have remained longer
but for the insistence of that fine body of individuals
in the imaginatively named building, Immigration Tower.
I loved living on Lamma, it was a
latter day Utopia. There's not many places left in
the world with such a sense of community and spirit of
tranquility. I worked (turned up) in the Island Bar for
a couple of years.
This introduced me to what some of my then
contemporaries considered the 'hardcore' Lammaites. Now
I use the word 'hardcore' with a figurative
inflection...I think the term you use for them is 'Lamma
Oldsters'!!
To be honest, there are some nights that
I worked in The Island Bar that I feel that I should
have paid Pete, Dan, Sharon, Cath et al to be there!!
These nights were part comical, anthropological,
educational, historical, whimsical, touching,
reflective, hazy and hysterical!
With hindsight, I probably knew at the
time that my days in HK were numbered and I'm probably
over-romanticising but I was quite keenly aware that
Lamma was a truly unique place , the like of which I
would struggle to find anywhere else in the world.
Anyway, I digress. Having hopefully laid
out my qualification to comment, I'm drawn to observe
that the fifteen (possibly 16 by now) pages of comments
are the closest thing that I've seen in print, or pixel,
to a fictionalised transcript of a night in the Island
Bar. Indeed, I'm fairly sure that most or some of the
protagonists may have even been served a beer or two by
my own hand!! |
RichF behind the bar at
The Grand Reopening of the Island Bar, Nov 27, 1999
RichF, 1999 (on the left, not on the right!), NY Eve
2000. |
|
From the
outside looking in, I would throw the following bullet
points your way:
- As anywhere else in the world. The HK Police are
salaried employees. The operation on Lamma would not
really have cost anything because as serving
officers they're all being paid for their time
anyway. It's their job to do these types of things
and if they weren't doing it there, i.e. on Lamma,
they would have still been incurring cost, in the
form of salary, elsewhere.
- I note with a wry smile that you very wisely
removed the 'ethnic' from the post's title. Having
said that, there were still posters endeavouring to
persist with this vein of thought. To them I would
hypothesise the following:
- Is it a reasonable assertion to make that at any
given point during a raid on predominantly local
premises that the phrase, "Why are you busting my
chops, when there's all them pot smoking gweilos on
Lamma-doh, lying in the streets, off their nuts?"
To whit, the Rozzers may now be able to reply ,
"Don't you read the papers? We went in there
mob-handed last week, and guess what? We found nowt!"
Purely hypothetical, I know, but I would imagine
that the operation on Lamma was strategic in terms
of PR as well as perceived crime.
- Come on, the fact they went away relatively
empty-handed is very very very funny!
- Lamma does have a reputation within HK amongst
locals and expats alike. So what? I'm baffled a
little by the righteous indignation and the letters
to the editors, all a bit bourgeois, if you ask me.
- The nature of the beast of being a true Lammaite
is being able to take this on the chin, maybe play
up to it a little and then pity the poor soul who
holds this perception as true, for they truly don't
have a clue.
- If anyone who still remembers me fancies a cold
one this Christmas, let me know, for I'll be passing
through HK before and after Christmas. I might even
see If I can get a shift in the Island Bar!!
Cheers and hope to see you all soon. |
P.S. If you agree
wholeheartedly with
RichF, or are eager to tell him what he's full of, join our
Major police raid on Lamma bars... forum. (300 messages so
far!)
P.S. II: Just in, the
1st scene of a Lamma Drama,
inspired by recent events:
|
Marc Antony - Banyan Bay
Senate member, senior forum member, 376 posts: |
|
Based on information received
confidentially from Lamma Underground:
Scene: The
morning after, a dingy office at Wan Chai Police HQ,
walls adorned with pics of pseudo models. Toby enters,
looking a bit rough - he hasn't had much sleep.
Morning sir.
Morning, Toby. A brief rundown please.
Well, a bit of a cockup sir, in a
nutshell.
How so?
Well, all we found was a bit of pot and
some charlie.
(strained).
Hmmm, so I heard. What happened to the 'knee-deep in
drugs' thing, Toby? All those pothead gweilos you told
me about?
(blubbering)
Dunno guv. Maybe there was a tip-off ...
Or maybe you fucked up royally. I heard
that bar managers were arrested. Was that your idea?
Er... yes sir - in
for a penny, in for a pound!
You daft twat! It's a good thing
we've already sold our story to the press - they like
the international drug syndicate stuff, even if there
isn't one. Lucky for you Toby. But you'll be glad to
know you're back on the antiques. Now piss off.
Thank you, sir.
Toby heads off to Starbucks... |
 "Princess
Charming" Deb (see her T-shirt, click on it) has been
creating these beautiful Lamma 2010 calendars, using her own
photos. They sold like hot cakes (or hot Glühwein) at the Lamma
Fun Day last Sunday! There are a few left now and she's going to
sell them at $60 ($100 for two) at
Diesel's Bar this Saturday from 5pm. She writes:
"I am happy to take orders and arrange delivery to the
village for pick up and payment if Saturday is not good for some
people.
If you buy five, you get one free. Anyone who
bought more than 5 on the Lamma Fun Day can come and collect
their free one on Saturday.
My email address for orders is
debbie_lindsay@hotmail.com.
Also, can I put somewhere that they make a great Christmas gift
for the folks at home - especially if they've been to Lamma to
visit!"
Yes, you can, Princess Charming, I've ordered ten calendars
myself! Many thanks for your highly successful and fun fund
raising efforts. Also, many thanks to all the generous and
charitable people in the photos! Deb asked for my detailed
advice before starting this project, but she did so well by
ignoring most of it, making it a big success nevertheless!
;-) Print is not really my thing anymore, after working as
a "web/multimedia editor/publisher" since 1995.
She just gracefully emailed me, "Thanks again for your
help and support with the whole project - couldn't have done it
without you!"
Awww, you're way too nice to me.... {*Big BLUSH!*}
After
clicking on the mugshots above, how many Lammaites do
you recognise? I paid for five pictures at $20 each, showing me,
Lamma-Por, (masked) Nick, (hatted, white-bearded) Vernon, plus
the late Jenkin. It was supposed to be my surprise present to
bring to his hospital bedside, but, alas, too late now....
Afternoon Beer - MAK Keung Wai,
2008, Acrylic on Canvas, 51cm (H) x 61cm (W), exhibited in the
Cultural Center last year.
Click for more info.
 
  
Photos
by Steve Cray, Ian Watson; Mr DickStock, Marilyn, L-G
Click for
memories & messages from his many friends in our
forum,
including Mr DickStock's memorable
quote in this story's subtitle,
plus his
"The Gregarious Gentleman" eulogy, St. John's Cathedral,
Nov 27.
 
After just a few minor changes in the local bar & restaurants
over the last two years, the dining & drinking scene will be changing a lot
these next few weeks!
Firstly, a real shocker, Lamma-Por's and my favourite
restaurant (and Lamma-zine advertiser) Lamcombe will be closing down on
Jan 4!
Lamma-Por & I are regulars, at
least twice a week, always chatting with the staff and
management who've become friends, so we're very sad to see them
forced out, after 13 years! But it's too late now and a
signature campaign organised by some people right now is
unlikely to change the landlords' minds who want to run the
place themselves. Sad news. Reserve your table now as they will
surely get extremely busy in the last few weeks, as so many of
us want to relive some favourite memories and best times with
their friends in there....
For my own photographical
memories of Lamcombe,
click here. Please add your own photos and memories in
their own dedicated
Lamcombe forum (almost
every Lamma bar and restaurant has a dedicated forum
with photos, events, reviews and ratings).
Jade Chief Bar, opposite Banyan
Bay Cafe, is also closing down this week. The fishermen drinking
in there all evening (and occasionally getting into fights) will
miss that place too, for sure. It might reopen soon under new
management, tba.
A cafe-style restaurant might open around
Chinese New Year in the location of the former
Nam Wah Yuen, after they tore down and rebuilt that
entire house on Main Street, vis-a-vis Diesel's.
Pigeon Rest., Han Lok Yuen,
is under total renovation, to reopen under the former management
in a few weeks. Our Exclusive Lamma-zine Roving Reporter
investigated:
"A confidential source
confirmed another confidential source that the Pigeon Restaurant
has indeed closed already!
"We will now reveal the
results of our intense investigation. Pausing for only a couple
of days, our confidential informant walked behind her house to
discover if this heinous news is indeed true!
"As you can see by our
exclusive pictures below the Pigeon is indeed closed until
further notice.
 We
are determined to get to the bottom of this matter, dear reader,
and feel a fact-finding afternoon to the Concerto Inn is in all
our interests. While there, we will formulate a plan to gather
ALL the facts. Rest assured readers, we will leave no stone
unturned in our quest to reach the truth."
Latest breaking
news: Pigeon to reopen under the former, pre-2006
management, from their glory days. Date tba, we'll keep you
posted!
The former
Spicy Island will become a new Turkish restaurant,
unrelated to
Best Kebab, to reopen before Xmas. Details tba soon...
The former
New Holiday Mood Grill & Rest. will become a
second Green Cottage, name tba, run by the
Green Cottage I inhabitants, to reopen in Dec.
Beer Garden
has opened around beginning of Oct. Former Spicy Island
proprietor Amar Singh's son is cooking Indian dishes, Thai &
Philippine cuisine is also available. A restaurant review is
overdue! Who'd like to do one, contact me!
Any other changes in the local dining/drinking
scene I might have missed?
Photo gallery by Rambo Lai
Plus another excellent
Fun Day review by Nick the Bookman
which made me laugh out loud several times while editing it.
Quotes:
"Jim and Les...are going through their schtick on the sturdy
stage,...thanking almost everyone who has existed/exists/will
exist in the Space Time Continuum. Except me, your very 'eavy,
very 'umble scribe."
"The running gag of the day is trying to spot the undercover
cops. The highest guesstimate is about 20%, including dogs."
"Twilight is upon us. No New Moon yet. No abstemious,
pallid-Goth vampires and hunky teen werewolves either."
"(Sorry, had to go delete my forebrain to stop it manufacturing
such puerile dross.)"
"Lamma-Gung has arrived and is snapping away at a furiously
professional rate."
"Meanwhile, the Portaloos are doing a frisky-brisk turnover in
all matters faecal."
"That's not an open invitation to be swamped with ribald and
risque remarks."
"Thank you for letting me let you know how much fun I had."
More photo galleries by Debi, Dirk & L-G in
progress...
Submit YOUR photos!
LOVE
and PEACE at the YSW Public Library
Who is ERA signing these
graffitis? Is he one of the few remaining "Ageing Hippies"
trying to keep old Lamma traditions alive and well?
"ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE"... and a
Drainage Ditch --
Hole for the future "Clock Tower" in the "Beer Garden" opposite
The Island Bar
Improvised
sculpture in the "Beer Garden" outside The Island Bar --
Translation, please? -- The Big Rock in YSW harbour sporting two
new Rock Piles
Two stone
figurines, inspired by Malcolm's Power Station Beach Rock Piles?
Live Music:
Twisterella (3pm),
Of
Moths And Stars,
Quasar,
The Curs,
Transnoodle,
Red
Star Rising (8pm). Click on band names for their MySpace
pages.
Plus DJ Bobsy before (1:30-3pm), in-between and after the
bands.
The Fun Day's main sponsor HK Electric
writes:
"Our HK Electric Band will not be there this year due to a
clash of schedule, but we still will put up a
game booth,
with lots of prizes!
It will be a basketball game that promotes the seven
essential things that people should do to save energy - save
energy together; never leave a computer on all the time; foster
energy saving habits when young; waste no electricity; maintain
optimal temperature of air-conditioners; launder only when there
is a full-load; and check energy efficiency labels before buying
electrical appliances.
These energy saving mnemonics, converted from seven
traditional Chinese daily necessities in life, were incorporated
into the game which was named 1st runner-up in the Most Creative
Game Booth Award at the E & M Safety Carnival just last month!"
Charity Live Auction:
The live auction will take place at Lamma Fun Day on 22nd
November. If you are unable to make it please feel free to shop
away on line! Please visit the auction page to see what items
are up for auction this year. When you find an item of interest
please email Natalie here with the item name and your bid
amount. Natalie will be in touch to confirm the details and will
ensure your bid is included during the live auction on the Fun
Day:
http://lammafunday.hk/auction.html
Charity Calendar:
The calendar above will be launched and sold at the Fun Day
by Deb & friends, raising $2,867 for the Children Welfare Scheme
already. Besides the Lamma photos, it includes over 120 photos
of Lammaites ($20/photo, look out for L-G and Lamma-Por!) on the
Dec page. $65 for 1 calendar, $60 for 3 or more, and $55 for 10
or more - a great X'mas present for the folks at home. If you're
featured you get another $5 off.
It's the tenth Lamma Fun Day
already! Here are 3 historic posters and photo galleries,
including the very first one in the year 2000:
  
Photos by Grahame of
grahamecollinsphotography
(Many thanks!)
Forum and Festival Review by Nick the Bookman (Many
thanks!)
Photo gallery by L-G in progress...
Click above for Desmond's DickStock XV photos
Click here for our DickStock XV forum with even more photos
Click here for Nick the Bookman's
DickStock XV review!
15 years of DickStock (with a few skipped years) - here are all
the logos so far. It looks like a visual history of Lamma, I
think, a part of what makes this place still great, IMHO.
Am I missing any logos? Each DickStock had one, for posters and
T-shirts:
SCMP, Nov 15, 2009, Letter to the Editor:
"Lamma drug raid not best use of resources
"In the wake of the huge drug bust, life on
Lamma Island is remarkably calm - the bubble of conversations
and televised football murmurs out from bars; feral dogs and
children scurry around, and business people, ageing hippies and
wastrels of all shapes and sizes slowly and apparently aimlessly
wander the streets. In fact, life is predictably similar to
how it was two months ago, and quite probably (it was long
before my time) two decades ago.
"However, this blissful continuity makes me
question the value of the mammoth operation last month. Sixty
officers on the night in question, an undercover operation
lasting for months, the huge cost of salaries, overtime pay,
manpower and resources that this operation must have incurred,
all came together to produce the proud net result: no noticeable
change in the quality of life on the island whatsoever.
"I do not wish to be overly critical of the
marine police, who I believe work hard and do a good job, but if
looked at in terms of a cost/benefit analysis, it does not
really seem to have been the best use of their resources. A very
high cost compared to minimal benefits for the population, who
will, of course, end up footing the bill.
"Sam Bessant, Lamma"
Who exactly was Sam Bessant referring to? Maybe he saw me, L-G,
while I was "slowly and apparently aimlessly wandering"
around Main Street, shopping and chatting with other "ageing
hippies and wastrels of all shapes and sizes"? Could this be
a suitable description of quite a few of our Main Street
characters?
Our currently most active forum had also a few enlightening
thoughts to add. Poilkoop even added that
"personally I would
define myself as a business person, hippy & wastrel."
Major police raid on Lamma bars...
|
Römer's
Tree Frog:
Operation
Egg Transfer
(Photos & captions
by
Denis,
click to enlarge) |
 |
 |
|
Eco-Adventures of the Valiant Eco-Warriors
Growing the Tai Peng
Community Garden! |
The pond
that was meant to hold irrigation water... |
...but turned out to hold tadpoles, frogs, and, quite
unexpectedly, the eggs of Römer's Tree Frog. |
 |
 |
 |
|
Members of the community
garden had to act quickly in this crisis situation to
prevent the watering of garden plots w/frog eggs. |
So they set out to
transfer the Romer's eggs to safer environments. First,
find a secluded place, under the trees, and dig a small
hole. |
Then, install a shallow,
plastic bucket. |
 |
 |
 |
|
Transfer pond water
(without any tadpoles of other species)... |
...and, of course, some
of the Römer's Tree Frog eggs... |
...from the pond, to the
new installation(s)... |
 |
 |
 |
|
...and gently add. |
Include a
few dead leaves and a few sticks (the
latter for male
frogs to sit on and serenade a mate)... |
...and leave, undisturbed, for nature to take its
course. |
P.S. Are you eager to see (or
even participate in) some more eco-adventures?
Let us know!
One more?
Building a bike-powered pump for the Tai Peng Community Garden.
|
Richard Cook
- Managing Director,
WordAsia- ex-Lammaite:
(Photos by
HK
Cricket Sixes, a Lamma-zine advertiser
providing a free pair of tickets for Richard.) |
|
It's late afternoon on Sunday at the Kowloon Cricket
Club and the 2009 Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes
is coming to a wonderful crescendo.
As the bright autumn sun that has been shining all
weekend begins to slip behind the surrounding forest of
high-rises, the crowd – fuzzily content after a pleasant
day-long diet of cold beer and spicy Indian snacks – is
on its feet and is shouting, resolutely, for Hong Kong.
There is a handful in the crowd – easily
identifiable because of their bellowing yard-long horns
– that are fervently showing their support for the other
team on the pitch, South Africa, but the other few
thousand are firmly behind the home team. It's a nice
sight and one that's actually quite rare in Hong Kong –
a wonderfully multi-ethnic flag-waving crowd dressed in
the colours of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England,
Australia, New Zealand and yes, there are even a few
wearing Hong Kong shirts – coming together as one to get
behind the local team.
In a tournament line up that includes
all the major teams from international cricket, Hong
Kong are the clear underdogs but incredibly they have
made it to the final – and have beaten England and Sri
Lanka to get here. And here they are, now one ball away
from what will be a stunning victory. A Hong Kong-South
Africa final was predicted by few but nobody could have
thought it would have come down to the last ball. South
Africa, who are currently one of strongest cricketing
sides in the world, need to score three runs to win the
tournament. Anything less and Hong Kong are winners.
There is palpable tension in the warm Kowloon air.
Cricket, once upon a time was thought –
by most of the world at least – to be boring. Twenty-two
men dressed in white playing a game for five long days
that might well end in a draw anyway. With its
impenetrable rules, immeasurable mountain of jargon and,
daftest of all, its unfathomable breaks for "tea", the
game picked up the reputation as the classic English
colonial game played by "gentlemen" across the British
Empire. It was, like the Empire itself: archaic, silly
and certainly not for everybody.
This form of cricket, let's call it
"old" cricket, was played from about the end of the 18th
Century until the end of the 20th. The "new" cricket is
different – it is fast, colourful, exciting and
dominated, in terms of money at least, by India. In
India cricket touches every part of life and this raw,
vibrant and fervent enthusiasm has now invigorated
cricket globally. And while the Hong Kong International
Cricket Sixes is small stuff compared to the big-money
superstar league in India, it's a good indication of the
game's modern-day wake up call.
Played by just six men, as opposed to
the customary eleven – sixes is, to put it simply, an
abridged version of traditional cricket. Purists dismiss
this and other short forms of the game as
unsophisticated and simplistic and refer to it
derogatorily as "pajama" cricket (because of the
coloured outfits the teams wear – in contrast to the
pure white that is worn in the old version) but the
reality is millions find it a much more palatable format
that is both easier to follow and more exciting to
watch.
At the Hong Kong Sixes games last for
little more than thirty minutes, there is constant
action and considerable athleticism. The players for the
national sides are made up of professionals who fly in
especially for the tournament. Ironically, this is true
for all the side except for today's finalists, Hong
Kong, who are made up completely of amateurs. They are
all gifted competent cricketers but, unlike the players
from the other teams, the Hong Kong men all have day
jobs.
The venue, the Kowloon Cricket Club, set
in the heart of Kowloon just near Jordon Road, is a
buzzing, compact venue. Spectator stands that are built
especially for the occasion ring the pitch and make for
an intense and compressed atmosphere. Behind the stands
are beer tents and food stalls selling a plethora of
curries, tandoori snacks and pizzas, which all adds to
the friendly, carnival, party-like feel.
Lamma is always well represented at
the Sixes. The tournament's organizers are from
Lamma; as are the tournament's face-painters and a large
Lamma contingent always occupy one of the more
boisterous spectator stands. It's a top day out, even
for non-cricket lovers.
So did Hong Kong win? Um… No. The South
African batsman deftly hit the last ball of the match
high and long into the crowd to score six runs, which
meant South Africa won the tournament. It was shame but
no one seemed to let it spoil their day too much.
Everybody left smiling and that is exactly as it should
be. |
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
More pictures... |
Poster by Laudable Lamma Luminary & Master
Cartoonist Harry Harrison
More info in our DickStock XV forum
This is the revised poster with the current sequence of Lamma Bands
performing. Brown Stripes just renamed themselves into Cicadas,
like the Spicy Boys recently became Black Mariah. All done
just to confuse their long-time fans, throw off stalkers and hopefully
attract a brand-new audience? Cicada are "Marcus Oleniuk, Kieran
Colvert, Gareth Dunster and a German drummer whose name I can't spell yet."
- according to a most ardent fan of theirs. Malte Noack is the drummer's
name.
I've also extracted a message from Lamma's very own Professional
DickStock Impersonator and birthday boy. Yes, this is just his
private birthday party, but everybody (without a uniform) will be most
welcome to join in the fun with five Lamma Bands! This is
DickStock XV, 1994-2009 - see all logos
below! - but the birthday boy's true age is a little over 15 years and a
closely guarded secret.
Just one hint: PDI was actually already alive'n'rockin' during
Woodstock, which happened in the distant dark ages of the last
millennium, in the
Year 1 BI (not BC, but Before Internet which just turned 40!) But
don't call him an Elderly to his face or suffer the dire consequences of
being hit by his walking cane or even bitten by his dentures! He also still
insists that the DickStock name was NOT inspired by Woodstock! XV years of
Denialism, go figure....
Professional DickStock Impersonator writes:
"I hope that all Lammonians, young and old, of whatever persuasion or
background will come to DickStock XV and enjoy themselves (and each other).
"Music, food, bevvy....and MUSIC. And FRIENDS!! Lord knows, we need some
FUN after the little shake-down we've been thru recently~!"
P.S. Here are a few of my historic DickStock
photo galleries, to give you a little idea of what to expect.
It's strongly recommended NOT to bring any drugs!!!
Sitting on our balcony this morning at 7am, this is the sight that wowed us
all through our breakfast. Neighbours and passers-by also stopped and
gawked; quite a number of "Holaengah!" shouts have been heard. A free,
visual half-hour spectacle in front of the ever-changing clouds, watched by
many Lammaites who actually stop in awe and wonder at such a rare,
astoundingly beautiful entertainment.
See below: Daylight Skybeast and Darkness Skybeast
fighting ferociously over the amazing Sunrise-Rainbow this morning!
See the gaping jaws, teeth, eyes and ears of the two beasts, plus a plume of
smoke rising from the Darkness Skybeast's nostrils?
Or is it just my overactive imagination which is easily led astray by
watching autumnal cloud formations from my rooftop rocking chair?
 
 
 
 New
chapters in the serialisation of Emily the Ice-Cream Lady's
memoirs have been published! Life on Main Street as told by a
true insider running her shop in the midst of it all, granting
her unique insights into Lamma life & people!
Almost 30 chapters by now, more than enough for a nice, little
printed book! When it's going to be published, Emily? I'd
definitely buy it, as it's a fascinating read so far, especially
for Lammaites who can try to guess who some of the people
mentioned really are....
BITTER-SWEET: Many Flavors of Emotion
-
#29 - Nov 5, 2009
Slow Motion to Macau
- #28 - Oct 30, 2009
Heated History Talk Rocks Boat
- #27 -
Oct 23, 2009
Delicate Procedure Happens in 'Heaven'
-
#26 - Oct 16, 2009
 The
Labor Day
- #25 - Oct 9, 2009
Two-Alarm Two-Step Takes a Painful Turn
-
#24 - Oct 2, 2009
Casual Lamma Defies City's Fashion Frenzy
-
#23 - Sep 25, 2009
Dreams Flow on a Tabletop
- #22 - Sep 18, 2009
Disrespect Hits Hard
- #21 - Sep 11, 2009
What Flavors Quit Decision?
- #20 - Sep 4, 2009
Home Battles Disrupt Sleep
- #19 - Aug 27, 2009
Trust and Betrayal Behind the Counter
-
#18 - Jul 20, 2009
Customers Ask the Oddest Things
-
#17 - Jul 12, 2009
Archives #1 - 16
Here's a
little, sweet excerpt from chapter #27 of
"Memoirs of an Ice-Cream Lady - A Semi-Autobiography":
 Stranger
on the Seven O'Clock Ferry
(Poem written circa 2000)
Hey! Stranger on the seven o'clock ferry!
Everyone was looking at you,
Instead of the rain that was pouring.
For you came running in bare-chested
Just before the ferry door was closing.
Next to you sat a beautiful lady.
Well, that's me who was still very sleepy in the morning.
Hi! Bare-chested on the ferry!
Do you need some tissue paper
To wipe off the rain that had
Been falling on your body?
 But
I was holding the tissue paper in my handbag,
Being too shy to say anything.
Then you started reading on your own without noticing.
"Hello! Beautiful lady on the ferry!
What is your name?
Could you tell me?
What is your phone number?
I want to call you in the evening!"
But that never happened
On the 25-minute journey.
Goodbye! Stranger on the seven o'clock ferry!
Everybody was marching
Like zombies to offices and schools.
I began walking while you kept on reading.
Stranger in the morning,
Next time please bring your umbrella
When it's raining!
Nov
9: Like a Dream.
Like an Illusion.
The walls of Lamma are a great
source of what's happening locally, sporting often very
informative and well-designed posters, sometimes even quite
amusing. But then, some are just baffling, like this one:
There's *something* happening
tonight, Nov, 9, but what is it? Something
about dreams,
illusions
and teaching people to die???
Not sure if the Chinese text adds
any more detailed explanations? Not sure if I really want to
know, enjoying the mystery, the illusion of this intriguing and
mysterious poster...
Or
maybe that's the clever trick behind this poster, attracting
seekers who enjoy checking out mysteries, illusions and cryptic,
new-agey messages? For more intriguing posters, check out these
two walls:
 
Who can take credit for Lamma's
newest and most visible graffiti?
Step forward and take a bow! Contact me!
Finally, there was a Letter to the Editor in the Sunday Post today -
Lamma drug story discredits residents - commenting on
last Sunday's Lamma Drug Bust story, for which they must have gotten
loads of complaints. The published letter was very short and just a tiny
fraction of what the original detailed letter contained. Ironically, this
story has significantly increased SCMP sales on Lamma for these two days,
according to our two newspaper vendors on Main Street! So from the SCMP's
commercial perspective, it was a successful story attracting more readers,
generating more income! Quoting from the letter:
"It would have been far more appropriate to have lambasted
the police for an appalling waste of public funds in their
failed effort to entrap a handful of petty drug users and their
suppliers.
"Ten years ago, police might conceivably have had more
success but, since then, the island has become a sanctuary for
those seeking a more agreeable and healthy lifestyle for their
children, with the vast majority being honest members of
society."
Well, the Lamma-zine has no length constraints and prefers to
publish uncensored, minimally edited versions of readers' comments on any
Lamma-related topic, no matter how controversial or unpopular they might
occasionally be. Not in this case, though. Most Lammaites will probably
agree with the opinions and questions in the full version of the letter,
mostly cut out from the published version.
After seeing this short letter, I contacted Jonny, who
used to live in Pak Kok Village, for permission to publish his full letter.
He also has already faxed it to the Chairman of the SCMP, Dr Pang,
and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Tang King Shing. No replies so
far, as expected. Here's the full letter, part of our permanent, uncensored,
free-spirited Discussions forum topic - 250 messages so far:
Sunday Post Article on Police Raids on Lamma Island
(full version of Jonathan Coleman's Letter to the Sunday
Post, Nov 8, '09)
A few of my pictures from today's specially
chartered ferry at 11:30am, straight from the YSW ferry pier to
Clockenflap @ Cyberport. It looked pretty full already, even
though it's just a Saturday, probably thanks to these posters
above, screaming "!!!!!Free Ferry!!!!!" They featured a
tag line of "All because Clockenflap
loves Lamma, the centre of HK's underground subculture...."
Really? Maybe, perhaps, hopefully, my little biweekly Lamma-zine
email to 4,000+ active email addresses yesterday also helped a
little to fill the free ferries?
Be early for tomorrow's ferry at the same time,
11:30am, as even more
Lammaite families are expected to show up on a Sunday. We
Lammaites just love freebies!
 This
picturesque, traditional ferry is usually only seen on the
Aberdeen-Sok Kwu Wan-Mo Tat Wan route.
But at last year's free ferry (see below)
they had a nice Clockenflappy banner! Cutbacks in these still
tough economic times? Or did it already cost too much to set off
the Carbon Footprints of all these overseas performers flying in
to perform at this eco-friendly festival with its
Eco
Village (where you'll be meeting several current and
former Lammaites exhibiting)?
Clockenflap
2008 ferry, from
my photo gallery:
 
 
Chivalry is not dead -- The
Official Court Music Reviewer resting before his tough, all-day
assignment.
By now, all you music lovers must have heard and
read all you ever wanted to know (or not) about Clockenflap in
Cyberport this coming weekend. "A
fantastic fun-filled weekend of international music, multi-media
arts and custom-built contraptions! The Festival Building on the
huge success of last year's festival, Clockenflap allows
attendees to enjoy cutting-edge music, award-winning films and
innovative local art, all while taking in the atmosphere and
sunshine at one of Hong Kong's only usable outdoor lawn areas."
 As
this festival has some roots on Lamma, even being staged here at
least twice a few years ago -
Jay's Clockenflap Bitches -
Looking for Abandoned Clockenflaps -the organisers have
again arranged special chartered free ferries for Lammaites, so
we can flock to the event and clap till our hands hurt.
Here's my
photo shoot of the last Clockenflap festival
(including the Lamma ferry charter), plus one of
the graphics I made from their Lamma 2006 poster, see right:
Co-founder and co-organiser Jay Forster
emails:
"What's more, we have the free ferry sorted
again this year,
departing Yung Shue Wan ferry pier at
11.30am both days. There will be 1 packet of crisps
included (not 1 per person, 1 per boat - per day!)
I am attaching the
current press release, though this needs to be updated.
I am very happy to offer yourself and Nick media
passes...they'll be waiting for you at the door."
  Links:
Press release (Word) --
Animated
Trailer --
Festival Magazine --
Website
--
Facebook --
Highlights from Clockenflap 2008
Hilarious, promotional
short movies:
Episode One
(A belea- guered accountant explores a new
passion while coping with the rigors of an office environment.)
  Episode
Two (A besieged pregnant
woman struggles to maintain order as her household is attacked
from within.)
Episode Three
(A misguided manager struggles for recognition while seeking
influence over an up and coming indie band.)
Here are several suggested dress codes for the
audience; or are these fashionable people Pet Conspiracy,
duo YACHT, DJ Alexis Taylor and HK-local heroes
Chochukmo who'll all be performing live? See you there,
especially at the gig of my personal favourites, HK's very own
electronica duo
Snoblind,
Sunday 6:30pm!
The police raid the night before did little to
dampen the spirits of the revelers at
The
Island Bar's Halloween Bash, organised by the
ultra-healthy, superiorly fit and drug-free Lamma Outrigger
Canoe Club. Sorry, I've not received any pictures of the
promised Speedo Slave Auction and the Jello Wrestling,
unfortunately, so these fine shots below will have to do for
now, submitted by Dirk Claus:
 
 
 
Most of us have seen the articles in yesterday's
English and Chinese papers about Friday night's drug bust at
four YSW bar, including the Sunday Morning Post's cover story,
Expats held in Lamma drug bust (click to read):
"Lamma Island, long considered
the home of Hong Kong's expatriate drug subculture, saw its
biggest drug raid in recent memory early yesterday morning.
"While many will question
whether the raid came 30 years too late, more than 60 police
officers swooped on four bars on Yung Shue Wan Main Street,
detaining 10 expatriates.
"Police said the raids had
broken up an expatriate-controlled syndicate selling cocaine and
marijuana on the island...."
All these 60+ police officers found were 30g of
cocaine and 130g of cannabis, only one "man was charged with
drug trafficking" and only two other men were "charged with
possession of drugs" so far. Several private homes were searched
as well, but nothing or very little found. But these very modest
results didn't stop the press and the police from making
outrageous and unproven claims of "biggest drug raid in
recent memory", "expatriate-controlled syndicates"
and "home of HK's expat drug culture".
All these ugly slurs will cause the vast majority
of us completely drug-free Lammaites lots of grief and damaged
reputations for years to come from ancient and reaffirmed
prejudices from our acquaintances and friends off-island.
"You live on Lamma, you must be a drug addict or dealer, I
just read it in the newspapers!" and other similar BS
remarks.
 This
police raid has caused a firestorm in our forum, of course - 183
messages so far:
Major police raid on Lamma bars,...
Senior forum member Marc Antony aptly
described the forum discussion as "disparate trains of
thought, hilarity & misery, splashes of colour & visitations
from the past"; a true reflection of our vibrant and diverse
community, I think. Bbdog posted this photo of the usual
suspects nabbed in Operation Sweep:
Check it out, learn more and contribute your own
observations & opinions!
Halloween is getting bigger and more important
every year in HK, and on Lamma as well, see YSW Main Street
above, yesterday at 7pm. We've got some great pictures from all
the Trick-or-Treating in Yung Shue Wan, with friendly permission
from
Michelle D Chung:
  
  
  
  
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read last
month's stories...
Lamma-zine Blog
started on Sep 1, 2004, and will be updated frequently with anything
vaguely related to Lamma
Island or its residents, be it news, stories, events, photos,
videos, etc.
Contact Lamma-Gung with
anything relevant to Lamma or Lammaites that you'd like to see
published on this home page!
 All
text, photos & graphics by Lamma-Gung, if not otherwise
credited. Click on button on left for
Creative Commons license.
Twice a month, the Lamma-zine Blog will be promoted via an
email newsletter to all registered
subscribers and forum members, currently over 4,000.
Free subscriptions!
All former posts are stored in the Blog Archives,
see below.
All materials and photos © 2009 Lamma-Gung.
Some rights reserved.
Top |
Home |
Forums |
Lamma-zine | Events | Galleries | Links
About |
Contact Us |
Poster |
Ratecard
Lamma-zine archives: all stories
2004: Aug,
Sep,
Oct,
Nov,
Dec
2005: Jan,
Feb, Mar,
Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2006: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2007: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2008: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2009: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
|
|
