running & settling in

I started my first serious blog on MyOpera.  It is not among the most popular blogs around town.  In where I live, Hong Kong, most people use blogspot, blogger, WordPress, Yahoo, etc.  I used MyOpera when I was undoing my whole cyber experience with Microsoft.  Opera became one of two obvious choices when it comes to browsers (the other is of course Mozilla.  It is a great browser with good technology, e.g. Web 2.0, as contrast to Opera.). So I started blogging on MyOpera.  It was not the most user-friendly blog. 

Writing Blogs

I later discover that I do not need to blog on a web browser and there are other ways of blogging as well.  So I decided to explore a bit all these other options and standards which I do not know fully of.  Here is my journey.

I noted that I do not have to use a web browser to blog, i.e. typing HTML codes in the MyOpera interface.  I can actually do it in a word processor and post it to my blog using APIs.  One of the APIs is Movable Type and the other is Type Pad.  MyOpera uses Movable Type.  I just have to set the following:

API = Movable Type
URL = http://my.opera.com/rodshaw/blog/api/

I tried this with my word processor on Google Docs (of course, using Google Docs is another step towards undoing Microsoft).  It has an option for me to "Share" the document I produced on Google Docs with others through posting it to my blog, i.e. MyOpera.  I set up the link between Google Docs and MyOpera specified above.  Voila, I can now post to MyOpera through Google Docs which allow advanced formatting without writing HTML.  It is also portable so I can blog anywhere.  This is neat. 

Storing Blogs

The next thing I am going to toy with is where to store my blogs.  Most free blogs provide the space and interface for your blogs.  There are a few other options: WordPress, TypePad and Movable Type. 

I don't know which one to try yet.  In addition, I have to check how I can set it up on my hosting service. 

I will update this story when I get there.

Subscribing to Blogs

I can subscribe to blogs using RSS feed or ATOM. 

[食譜] 西檸雞

材料 :
雞腿肉 ２－３隻
吉士粉 ２茶匙
蛋黃 １隻
牛油 １小塊

醃料 :
鹽 １/２茶匙
味粉 （雞粉） １/２茶匙
生粉 ２茶匙
麻油 少許
清水 少許

汁料 :
檸檬汁 １湯匙
白醋 ２湯匙
砂糖 ２湯匙
鹽 少許
生粉 １/２茶匙

做法 :
雞腿肉去骨切塊，加入醃料拌勻醃半小時
蛋黃拌勻；生粉置碗中待用
吉士粉用清水１湯匙開勻備用
將雞塊沾滿蛋汁再滾滿生粉
另燒熱炸油，將沾滿生粉的雞塊放落鑊炸至金黃色撈起，將油倒出
牛油起鑊，倒入汁料，慢火煮滾，以吉士粉水打茨，淋於軟雞件上即成


心得：用鮮雞比冷藏雞好吃，茨汁不要太濃

As a bicycle commuter in hong kong, i am often faced with challenges. In this post, I want to assess my accessibility as a bicycle commuter on the road and on the public transport system.

Why I commute on bikes
The simple reason is to save energy. I used be a motor vehicle driver for more than 10 years. I stopped owning a car 5 years ago and stopped driving one 3 years ago. I do occasionally drive when on holidays. The last time I drove was last year when vacationing in Phuket, Thailand where I drove a motorbike for 3 days.

The other reason is to stay healthy. Riding a bike is always a good exercise.

Another reason is that sometimes it is quicker to ride a bicycle during peak hours and in heavy traffic because you can cascade through it. You gain net transport time only if you combine bike ride with use of public transport unless your destination is within one or two MTR stations' reach.

The last reason is to save money. I live in Homantin and I can commute to anywhere on my bike between Tsim Sha Tsui, Mei Foo and Kowloon City without having to pay any transport fares.

Storage & Placement
The best storage is at home. Daily bike commuters may find it easier to lock it on the street, at the nearest MTR station or near the office. Hong Kong has very few designated (meaning legal) parking space, except in the New Territories (e.g. Tai Wai, Shatin, Tai Po, Sheung Shui, etc.) and on some outlying islands. Placing your bicycle (suppposedly locked to a permnanent structure in a public space) anywhere else for a prolonged period of time (e.g. more than 24 hours) can be illegal. I have been given notice of removal (on the basis that I was 'illegally occupying public land' by attaching my bicycle to part of a permanent structure of public space such as a lamp post or parking meter) by the Lands Department when locking my commuter bicycle on the street. I imagine that is usually a result of complaints on the part of nearby tenants / occupiers / shops. I do not think the police or the Lands Department would regularly check for illegal occupation of public space by bicycles. Parking at MTR exits is usually OK in my experience due to the short period of time of 'illegal occupation'. I have managed to find some space to 'park' my bike without receiving complaints / notices. That does not mean such parking is legal. The risk is that my bicycle can be removed and confiscated. This situation is not ideal. I can live with that though.

When you lock your bicycle and leave it on the street, always use a U-lock (costing around HK$250) or chain lock. Anything less is going leave you with the risk of your bicycle being stolen. I have lost 3 bicycles because of that. Moreover, do not leave any unmountable accessories on your bicycle. They are targets of theft as well.

Transporting a bike from home, via the elevator to the street can be a problem for some. Fortunately, I live in an old building (唐樓), which means I would not be stuck in the cramped space of an elevator and cause an inconvenience to other residents in the same building. I guess many residents would not mind too much. The best way is to be polite and considerate while transporting and to check with the building management first.

Riding on the road
Given the accident in 2005 of a biker being hit to his death, bikers are more concerned about safety while riding on the road. I have had no problem riding on the road so far. I think my advice is - if you notice you are relatively slow compared to the traffic you are in, try to ride a bit on the left of the slow lane to make overtaking by other vehicles easier. In normal circumstances, ride in the middle of the slow lane so as to let other vehicles notice you.

I will expand this section as and when I find more information.

In normal circumstances, I will follow the rules of motor vehicles. In others, I may follow that of a pedestrian. In such circumstances, I should get off from my bicycle and push it along. For example, if I need to U-turn at a red light, I may first stop my bike at a red light, get off from it, push it along while crossing the road. After crossing to the other side of the road, I may get on the bike again, thus making effectively a U-turn without following the path of a motor vehicle. I shall take note of all possible moving traffic and pedestrians while getting on and off the bike.

On public transport
Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) (2745 4466)
On board luggage size has to be smaller than 0.1 cubic metre
Luggage size for Long Win E/S/N routes: 71x56x26cm
Bicycle: cannot be carried on board, based on KMB policy, even foldable. Determined by driver on safety grounds, i.e. if foldable bicycles are put in a bag, may not be noticed by driver.

First Bus (2136 8888)
Luggage size: 0.1 cubic metre
Bicycle: not allowed because of insurance restrictions.

City Bus (2873 0818)
Luggage size: 0.1 cubic metre
Bicycle: foldable, subject to 0.1 cubic metre, if space allows.

Minibus
There does not seem to be any specific restrictions. In fact, I have in more than one occassions carried my foldable bicycle on board minibuses.

Mass Transit Railway (MTR) trains (2881 8888)
All routes:
Luggage size: Length + Width + Height < 170cm, any one side < 130cm. Such luggage is allowed free on board.

East Rail:
Rule for all routes applies.
If Length + Width + Height = 170 to 190cm, pay HK$20 & 40 respectively during non-peak and peak hours.
If Length + Width + Height > 190cm, not allowed. Luggage service is provided by 3rd party (Tai Sun Luggage Service +852 2362 3380) at a charge of HK$35 for any oversize (L+W+H>190cm) luggage weighing less than 30kg for the trip between Sheung Shui and Lo Wu.

Ferries
Kowloon - Hong Kong
Tsim Sha Tsui to Wanchai (Star Ferry) - allowed in lower deck only, HK$2.2 passenger, free for bike.
Tsim Sha Tsui to Central (Star Ferry) - allowed in lower deck only, HK$2.2 passenger, free for bike.
Hung Hom to Wanchai (Star Ferry) - HK$6 passenger, HK$12 bike.
Hung Hom to Central (Star Ferry) - HK$6 passenger, HK$12 bike.
All Star Ferry fares (just updated March 14, 2008) and schedule can be found here.
Kwun Tong to North Point (Fortune Ferry 2994 8155) - HK$5 passenger, HK$10 bike.
Kowloon City to North Point (First Ferry), HK$7 bike
Hung Hom to North Point (First Ferry), HK$7 bike

Outlying islands
First Ferry 2131 8181
Central to Cheung Chau, HK$15 bike
Central to Peng Chau, HK$12 bike
Central to Mui Wo, HK$14 bike
Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry 2815 6063
Central to Lamma (slow boat to Yung Shue Wan, all boats to Sok Ku Wan), HK$11 bike

**Note: all the above information is obtained and/or verified via the customer service hotlines provided by the relevant transport operators. It is as good as of the date of posting.

ftp

every user can be configured under the admin account (that is me!) to access ftp. those who have ftp access set up can ftp files to the website using any ftp client with the following settings:

host = ftp.rcr.hk
user name = xxx@rcr.hk
password = <your email password>
protocol = ftp

you may want to download an ftp client if you do not already have one. a good one can be found here.

email

on your email client (outlook or outlook express), set up the following:

1. under tools->email accounts->add a new email account->add->pop3
2. you see a dialog box with a number of fields for you to fill in, do the following steps:

your name = <your name>
email address = xxx@rcr.hk <your email address>
user name = <your email address>
password = <your email password>
incoming server = mail.rcr.hk
outgoing server = mail.rcr.hk
under "more settings":
select tab "outgoing server", check "my outgoing server requires authentication", logon using - user name = <your email address>, password = <your email password>
select tab "advanced", server port number - outgoing server = 26

i will suggest that you 'test account settings'. you should have 5 ticks of the tests.

voila!! there you go!

alternatively, you may access your email via webmail (www.rcr.hk/webmail) on our site. it should be used as a backup when you have no access to your desktop email client e.g. when you travel. i strongly recommend you to set up your email client because your mail box has only limited disk space for storing your emails. the idea is to download all your emails to your email software.

any questions s/b directed to me or hketc support: +852 27644331, wilson lee. he's very very helpful. please mention that you are a user at rcr.hk. supposedly, we should handle all our technical questions internally, but if you can't get hold of me, i think it's ok to call them.

changing email password

1. go to www.rcr.hk/user
2. login using your user name & password, domain=rcr.hk
3. on the left panel, click on "user information", click the "edit" button down under.

you may change your password as you please. i do encourage you to change your password the first time you log in and periodically.

If you have had a problem using opera to access your hsbc internet banking, you may do this:

1. go to hsbc ebanking site (if u'r in hk, it is http://www.hsbc.com.hk)
   
2. press f12 (or select tools menu->quick prefs)->edit site prefs
   
3. select 'network' tab
   
4. under 'browser id', select 'identify as internet explorer', press OK
   

then logon as usual.