Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon • Hacker News Board

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#81

Post by jddj » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:40 PM UTC

idlewords wrote: post #52

thecopy wrote: post #4

The impasse Hong Kong finds itself must be solved by the Chief Executive. Her leadership in this matter is severely lacking and one wonders if the has any autonomous power at all, or if its all controlled by Beijing. Especially seeing how she evaded that question quite gracelessly a few days ago when asked by a reporter.

The widespread rumor among the foreign Hong Kong press corps is that Lam has tried several times to resign, and not been permitted to do so.

If true, what a nasty position to be in.

Unwanted and unhappy, but can't leave. I wonder if this might make some otherwise "approved candidates" think twice.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#82

Post by csyszf » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:40 PM UTC

"From born to die, you will always buy Li Ka-Shing's goods" "If there's God in HongKong, his last name must be Li"

He and other oligarchs raise prices and exploit profits from people. HK Gov tried several times to press down house prices (build public rental apartments provided by gov, called 新界东北发展计划 ), all failed. What's the funniest part is, HK GOV plan to dismantle the golf courses for building public apartments, and was stopped by the name of environmental protection, House prices keep high, and riches keep their golf courses.

Who will get the most benefit from those riots? Oligarchs, no competitors can enter Hong Kong again. Li himself is the devil's advocate, those oligarchs make young men can only live in cells, but nobody never is able to fight him like they fight CCP now. In this a City with the 0.539 Gini coefficient, why people hate the government on the other side than rich oligarchs? capital owns media.

That, is the true power and true authority, make people fight for you while you consume them.

All those things happened in Hongkong make me feel desperate about this evil world.

I really hate this, no right, no wrong, no justice, no savior, everyone is just puppet of God.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#83

Post by andromeduck » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:41 PM UTC

mattlondon wrote: post #60

pessimizer wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's like getting annoyed when people refer to 9/11.

What happened on the 9th November? As the song goes: "Remember remember the fith of November", but I don't remember the 9th. ...supposedly universal cultural references are hard :-)

Only when you're clearly not the target audience.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#84

Post by Udik » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:42 PM UTC

neonIcon wrote: post #61

Udik wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope you're being sarcastic. Partly because the idea of civilians using guns bought at the supermarket to oppose the Chinese army is hilarious; partly because the idea that you need guns to get freedom, is general, even more laughable. Sorry.

Is the creation of the United States laughable? What was used in order to gain that freedom from Britain? Firearms maybe?

The last time some of the US states tried to secede from the rest of the union and gain their "freedom" (they were of course heavily armed) they were attacked and crushed in a war that lasted 4 years and caused almost a million deaths. So in that case the weapons didn't work. Or did they?

Sometimes armed rebellion has good outcomes, sometimes (probably more often) it has horribly tragic ones. Prolonged political pressure and alliances, non-violent protest, can give equally good results without the risk of creating bloodsheds like the US secession war or the current Syrian civil war (that as horrendous as it is, has yet to claim as many victims as the US secession war).

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#85

Post by awinder » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:42 PM UTC

neonIcon wrote: post #33

AmericanChopper wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think anybody seriously thinks Hong Kong has any meaningful level of autonomy. The impasse is that Hong Kongers want freedom and democracy, and China wants Hong Kong to be China. I can’t see what the Chief Executive could possibly do. Either the protestors will give up, or stage a revolution, which seems unlikely for a population armed with umbrellas.

Really illustrates the importance of our own second amendment.

I think the other 26 amendments + constitution probably have more to do individually, and absolutely do as a collective, with the freedoms of our society. I don't know if you've seen an obese person with a peashooter go up against an apache helicopter, for instance, but I don't think the state has had to worry about who can deploy more force in over a century.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#86

Post by andromeduck » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:43 PM UTC

yoz-y wrote: post #26

JansjoFromIkea wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would Tiananmen Square not be your first guess for any date remotely close to 1989 though, given the context?

But a guess can be wrong. As somebody from Eastern Europe many other events come to my mind first in relation with 1989.

And why would that be in any way relevant to an article about a Chinese ad targeting other Chinese in China?

Contextually it's more than obvious for anyone even casually familiar with Chinese history which the audience would be.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#87

Post by ConfusedDog » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:43 PM UTC

SoylentOrange wrote: post #20

To the Chinese native speakers here on HN: how clear would the message have been to you, if you didn’t read the explanation on this website?

Definitely not obvious if not pointed out like this to me, but the words generally spread fast once somebody points it out which the chance is almost 100%.

To be fair, I knew HongKong and GuangZhou area are still very traditional, rooted with a lot of these ancient Chinese language games. People there might be much more conscientious looking for word games than I do.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#88

Post by TheBranca18 » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:44 PM UTC

neonIcon wrote: post #51

devoply wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really, say Texas wanted to declare independence. How long would a Texan militia last against the US military? Modern empires can't be resisted period. It's just a question of whether you want to destroy yourself to keep them from ruling you. In that case they still can't be resisted but at least you deny them their victory. You either belong to one empire or another. The only way for Hong Kong to resist would ha…

Consider if you will how well we fared in Korea, Vietnam, and in the Middle East against farmers and normal folks. As a Texan myself, I'd like to point out that a large percentage of the United States military happens to originate from or was stationed in our great state. I happen to think we would fare quite well in your hypothetical scenario..

Korea and Vietnam were decades ago, the United States annihilated Iraq. Surprised you didn't mention Afghanistan. Modern technology would make any potential secession in the United States almost impossible. You are also applying American culture to Hong Kong. If Hong Kong residents violently opposed the Chinese government with weapons, they would be systematically destroyed. The Chinese government has done that before and has shown no compunction in destroying people based on what's happening with the Uyghurs.

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#89

Post by Simon_says » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:44 PM UTC

csyszf wrote: post #82

"From born to die, you will always buy Li Ka-Shing's goods" "If there's God in HongKong, his last name must be Li" He and other oligarchs raise prices and exploit profits from people. HK Gov tried several times to press down house prices (build public rental apartments provided by gov, called 新界东北发展计划 ), all failed. What's the funniest part is, HK GOV plan to dismantle the golf courses for building public apartments,…

Your last post said you would never open HN again. Where is the courage of your convictions?

Re: Cryptic, allusive messages from Hong Kong's wealthiest tycoon

#90

Post by nyolfen » Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 1:44 PM UTC

TheBranca18 wrote: post #78

neonIcon wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really illustrates the importance of our own second amendment.

You mean the first amendment right? The US military machine would decimate any civilians wielding weapons if they were so inclined. They wouldn't even have to use troops, they could do so with drones.

yes, who could imagine a group of civilians with small arms defeating the US military