Cartier Satos is back

 

昨晚8:00 時光寳盒YouTube live Abel 問開那－些卡地亞表我們喜歡的？我不言而喻Tank 和 Santos 喇！

70年代末，三大主打瑞士表王，Patek推出Nautilus、AP的Royal Oak賣翻天、VC的222復刻差唔多60 兩銀。Piaget今年復刻的原版Polo也近七十兩銀，奢華運動錶當道。卡地亞今年拍得滿堂紅，黃金Crash (我理解佢係Crashcash crash my cash )拍壹百七十銀，近排亦見卡地亞Santos 價格開始上升，升覆吾少喎！六年前我有－隻全金Santos (原版華爾街電影中Gordon Gekko 手上那只). 賣了比個BOA 的泰國banker 朋友六兩銀！今日這個表不便宜了！前日去廣華街Target 取老友代購的5167 途中經過P&F 問江仔窗櫥窗隻Santos 全金表有小月相的多少錢，：”十三兩八！” 再問原來只係石英的！嘩😳Santos 升了不少。

兄弟， 我們知道勞力士掉了三成了，卡地亞可以講係逆市而上，果然唔簡單喎！究其原因，而家啲人潮流興簡約細小啲半中古董，另外，錶友比勞力士雞鵝盈燒玩咗咁多年。 從前嘅Lover －部份而家變咗做Hater 啦，”易時” 也不時說永遠不再買新勞力士，唔知佢會唔會唔會姣婆守唔到寡；遲啲自己靜🐔🐔地去買隻新Rolex 呢？😆, 我唔係吾鍾意勞力士，只不過係希望搵到啲啱價錢 如King Midas 青金石！特別的掃把頭棺材仔之類！再講…. Santos的特色在於錶殼和錶帶設計版版正正，用多平面切角呈現光影變化，不規則的的金鏍絲釘擺位，可以想尤如愛彼Royal Oak那樣以平面帶出各角度的強烈光線反射。此錶當年也成為潮人，金融業和一些富二代playboy的致愛。

HK Snob

為什麼我們喜歡保持忙碌

  

為什麼我們喜歡保持忙碌

研究表明，個人感知的忙碌程度與他們的自我價值感以及他人對其社會地位的看法有密切關聯。選擇總是忙碌的人往往會感到被需要、受到重視，這提升了他們對自己的感覺。

 

在文化上，對社會地位的看法也發生了變化，物質物品不再是唯一的社會地位指標。現在，忙於工作、過度勞累且缺乏休閒時間的人被視為地位較高。

 

此外，一些人總是忙碌是為了避免或麻痹痛苦的情感和情況。保持高度忙碌使他們無法專注於潛在的困擾或不適感。

 

雖然保持忙碌可能提升我們的自尊心，但如果我們忙碌到無法進行自我照顧、與摯愛的人共度時光，並享受自由時間，這對我們的整體福祉可能造成危害。脫離工作或不必要的義務，有意休息和為自己留出時間，可以顯著提升我們的生活質量。

 

如何將自我價值與工作脫鉤

過度安排自己，使我們總是忙碌，會對身心健康產生負面影響，也會影響我們維持健康關係的能力。

 

忙碌與生產力

忙碌與生產力往往容易混淆。如果我們很忙，可能有很多事情要做，但這不一定意味著我們有效率或在生產上有所成就。生產力是指能夠完成任務或完成某事。我們不需要忙碌才能生產。

 

忙碌與我們如何花時間有關，而生產力則更多地涉及我們所完成的事情。

 

總是忙碌的影響

保持忙碌可能對我們的生活產生多方面的影響，包括情感和身體健康、關係以及健康的工作與生活平衡能力。

 

情感健康

當忙碌被美化和鼓勵時，我們可能會因各種義務、承諾和責任而過度延伸自己。如果我們無法完成任務或履行義務，可能會感到內疚，或覺得自己辜負了自己或他人。如果我們的自我價值感源於生產力和完成任務，則感到自己不夠好會影響我們對自己的看法。

 

過度忙碌可能導致壓力增加和自尊心下降，進而引發更嚴重的心理健康問題，包括焦慮症、抑鬱症和物質使用障礙。

 

研究還發現，中等到高程度的忙碌可能會導致老年人的用藥依從性下降，這對他們的情感健康可能是有害的，特別是當藥物是為心理健康問題開的。

 

身體健康

忙碌可能導致我們為了完成任務而犧牲身體健康，包括不優先考慮運動或未能獲得足夠的睡眠。我們也可能會忽視或推遲就醫，以應對身體健康問題。

 

關係

繁忙的日程可能使我們幾乎沒有時間與他人建立有意義的聯繫。這會讓忙碌的人感到孤獨和被孤立，周圍的人有時也會因為缺乏可用性而感到被拒絕或生氣。

 

關係需要所有參與者的時間和精力。被多重義務拉扯可能讓我們感到壓力，無法與他人充分互動，這使我們難以支持和培養與摯愛的健康關係。

 

如果我們的日程過於緊張，與朋友、家人和配偶的關係可能會受到影響。

 

工作與生活平衡

不斷保持忙碌可能會導致工作與生活平衡不佳，影響我們在健康的工作和家庭環境中茁壯成長的能力。這種平衡對每個人來說都是獨特的，但總體而言，擁有平衡時，我們會感到對時間的支配更加掌控和舒適。

 

相反，如果工作與生活的平衡被打破，我們可能會經歷倦怠，感到過度勞累、筋疲力盡，與社交和家庭生活脫節。工作與生活平衡不佳還可能導致慢性壓力，影響我們的心理和身體健康。

 

忙碌並不總是壞事

公平地說，忙碌的生活並不總是與負面後果相關。例如，一些研究發現，隨著年齡增長，忙碌與認知優勢有關，包括：

 

更快的認知處理

改進的情節記憶和工作記憶

更強的推理能力

更強的知識結晶化

當忙碌對生活產生負面影響時，這就成為一個問題，包括對健康（無論是心理還是身體）有害，損害我們的關係，或造成工作與生活的失衡。

 

克服總是忙碌的建議

每個人對於「過於忙碌」的定義都不同。如果我們感到過度勞累、壓力過大或精疲力竭，將健康和福祉放在首位是非常重要的。雖然改變優先事項和時間安排可能感覺困難，但這樣做可能會提高心理和身體的健康，並增進與摯愛之間的聯繫。

 

以下是幾個克服總是忙碌的方法：

 

練習正念：這有助於我們與自己聯繫，無評判地觀察自己的想法，讓自己保持平靜。如果感到不知所措，正念還能幫助打斷思緒的奔騰。

計劃一次度假或留在家中的假期：重要的是在這段時間內不要安排活動，以便我們能夠充電。

花時間與摯愛相處：將這視為優先事項。這樣能幫助我們感到連結、被愛和充滿活力。

每天花些小時刻來欣賞自己：這可能包括給予自己積極的肯定或每天記錄一件感激的事情。

與他人設置界限：說「不」是可以的。犧牲自己的福祉以過度延伸自己可能會在長期內帶來嚴重的後果。

記住自我價值不來自於忙碌：想出一句表達自我價值真正含義或自愛理由的口號，每天朗誦。

設置提醒，呼吸一下，花些獨處時間：這可以是簡單的手機通知或在家中放置一張便利貼，以便經常看到。

諮詢治療師：如果日常生活變得困難，或整體生活質量下降，這尤其重要。

設定適當的期望：關於能夠輕鬆承擔的事情，並記住這可能會隨時間變化。

努力找出不適感：如果忙碌被用作避免不愉快的想法或感覺的工具，則需努力找出問題。如果這看起來太過壓倒性，請尋求治療師的支持。

將工作或繁忙時間分段安排：重要的是在一天中留出時間給自己，哪怕只是短暫的休息，並故意與工作斷開聯繫。

我們都應該為自己留出時間，無論是長途度假還是一天中的小休息。這是提醒我們自己，我們是值得的、有價值的個體.

HK Snob

Cassette deck and Red Wine

The statistic shows annual music cassette album sales in the United States from 2015 to 2018. In 2018, 219 thousand music cassettes were sold in the United States, marking a significant growth in sales despite cassettes being a niche item. Sales have been on the increase since 2015 and have almost tripled in the last three years. 

This could be in part due to the collectable nature of the cassette, something you just can't get with streaming. Tapes are also often a lot cheaper than other collectibles such as CDs and vinyl, which makes them a cost-effective choice for music lovers of all ages. 

Despite the far superior audio quality that today's streaming apps and smartphones offer, cassette tapes and players are making a comeback, perhaps not because of their audio quality, but for other reasons. Those of you who have used cassette players during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, will remember that the sound is quite distinctive. 

New cassette player makers Fiio and Sony, you can see a few models under different brands displayed at Lane Crawford, IFC. They are made for fashion and fun, but are not seriously good in sound reproduction. 

If you are an electronics engineer, then you probably know that the complexity to design and fabricate a good cassette deck is 10X more complex than making an integrated amplifier. As a cassette deck has an amplification amplifier, recording amplifier, Dolby recording and playback circuit, bias setup, either manual or automatic, to preset the optimum biasing current for the magnetic head. Plus, the more important mechanical driving system. If you have owned a Nakamichi Dragon, you will see how many pieces of electronics complement, and the complexity of Azimuth, bias, and other features. 

How is the sound of a good cassette deck?

It is free from those annoying tick-tak noise of a vinyl, it is more fluidity, it is more mellow, it is more musical. 2.5D dimension as compare wit CD’s 2D dimension. The cassette deck could be better than the vinyl especially you don’t know how to properly sets up your turntable. 

Amongst those 20 cassette decks I have these are some of my favourite 

Nakamichi 1000 ZXL – king of the cassette, 40 pounds huge size like a MacDonald microwave oven, it is like the Chateau Lafife 1982 well balance, mellow and complicated, never fair your, keep tastier in time, it is more of a full 2.5D dimensional music especially on good source of original recording.

Nakamich Dragon – about 22 pounds in weight, very compact the prince of all cassette deck, it is a manual bias set up gear 4 motors

Sound is more or less like Chateau Mouton 1959, it is dynamic, bass is adequate and not muddle. Treble is well balance, beautifully balance, Strong in character, fully function because of auto reverse function, more function than the flag ship 1000 ZXL 

Teac Z6000 is a massive machine, weight 36 pounds, manual bias set up comparable to Z7000 which is auto biasing. Both are rare and expensive to find one with good condition. It is the Chateau Margaux 1982 – nice favour, complete smell of rose, mud, lead and charcoal and it is perpetually coming into your taste bud in the whole course of drinking. The sound of the Z6000 is powerful, you don’t feel sound is coming form the loudspeaker as it is full of your room. I am using ATD with just 5inches of woofer unit… But I feel the bass is rocking my sofa!

Love to play with Z6000 

Revox H1, someone may criticize that B710 MK II is best from Revox, I have both , but I found that H1 has given me a super comfort in using it purely for listening, it has all automatic level control and bias. Wide range of frequency response typically wide range music, clear and well defined musical note of the German style, It is the Haut Brion. One of the strong characteristic kind of wine, with above average good colour, long lasting favour and pleasant taste…

How about Tanberg 3014 well, I can not have one yet, many people say that it is the best but I have to listen to believe it.

What is the best wine? DLC ? Yes  but I have not tried due to high price. That is the same as the limited 100 pieces of Gold limited Nakamichi 1000ZXL. Price is same as the  Domaine de La Romanee-Conti 1988 US$20,999, that is the dream gear for me… It was told same as 1000ZXL, with special selected component including the magnetic heads!

HK Snob

 

卡帶機, 葡萄酒

 統計顯示,2015年至2018年期間,美國的年度音樂卡帶專輯銷量。在2018年,美國售出21.9萬張音樂卡帶,儘管卡帶屬於小眾產品,但銷量仍顯著增長。自2015年以來,銷量一直在上升,在過去三年內幾乎翻了三倍。 

這可能部分是因為卡帶具有收藏價值,這是流媒體無法提供的。與CD和黑膠唱片等其他收藏品相比,卡帶通常更加實惠,這使其成為各個年齡層音樂愛好者的cost-effective選擇。 

儘管今天的串流應用程式和智能手機提供了遠優於卡帶的音質,但卡帶和播放機正在卷土重來,可能並非由於音質,而是出於其他原因。那些在70年代、80年代和90年代使用過卡帶播放機的人都會記得,它的音質是相當獨特的。 

新的卡帶播放機製造商如Fiio和索尼,你可以在Lane Crawford和IFC看到他們推出的幾款不同品牌的型號。它們是為時尚和娛樂而設計的,但在聲音再現方面並不太出色。 

如果你是一名電子工程師,那麼你可能知道設計和製造一台優質卡帶機的複雜程度是製造一個綜合放大器的10倍。因為卡帶機需要有放大放大器、錄音放大器、杜比錄音和播放電路、手動或自動偏磁設置以調節磁頭的最佳偏磁電流,還有最重要的機械驅動系統。如果你曾擁有過Nakamichi Dragon,你就會看到需要多少個電子元件來實現,以及偏磁、偏移和其他功能的複雜性。

好卡帶機的音質如何?它不像黑膠唱片那樣令人討厭的咔咔聲,而是更加流暢、更加柔和、更加悅耳動聽。相比CD的2D效果,卡帶機可以達到2.5D的立體感。尤其是對於不知道如何正確設定唱盤的人來說,卡帶機可能優於黑膠唱片。 

在我擁有的20台卡帶機中,以下是我最喜歡的幾款: 

Nakamichi 1000 ZXL – 卡帶機之王,重達40磅,體積龐大如麥當勞微波爐,就像1982年的Chateau Lafife酒莊,口感平衡、柔和而複雜,永不衰退,時間越久越醇厚。它可以在優質的原始錄音源上呈現出更加立體豐滿的2.5D音樂效果。 

Nakamich Dragon – 重約22磅,體積緊湊,是所有卡帶機中的王子。它採用手動偏置設定,搭載4個電機。音質可以媲美1959年的Chateau Mouton酒莊,動態表現出色,低音飽滿而不渾濁。高音音域平衡優美,風格強烈,得益於自動反向功能,比旗艦1000 ZXL更加功能全面。 

Teac Z6000是一台巨型機器,重36磅,採用手動偏置設定,類似自動偏置的Z7000。這兩款都稀有難覓,狀態良好的更是難能可貴。它可以媲美1982年的Chateau Margaux酒莊 - 味道優雅,飄散著玫瑰、泥土、鉛和木炭的香氣,在整個飲用過程中,這些香氣不斷在味蕾上跳躍。Z6000的音質強勁有力,不像從揚聲器傳出,而是彌漫在整個房間。我只用了5英寸的低音單元,但我感覺低音足以搖動沙發!我非常喜歡玩弄Z6000。 

Revox H1,也許會有人批評B710 MK II才是Revox最佳之選,但我擁有這兩款,發現H1在純粹聆聽方面,給了我非常舒適的體驗。它採用全自動電平控制和偏置,頻率響應範圍極其寬廣,非常適合廣泛類型的音樂。音色清晰悅耳,具有德式風格。它可以比擬為Haut Brion酒莊出產的葡萄酒 - 一種風味濃郁、色澤出色、餘韻悠長、味道宜人的卓越佳釀。 

至於Tanberg 3014,我暫且還無緣擁有,但很多人都說它是最出色的。我必須親自去聆聽,才能下定論。 

什麼是最好的葡萄酒?DLC無疑,但由於價格極高,我還未有嘗試的機會。這與限量100台的金色Nakamichi 1000ZXL差不多同一個檔次。它的價格與1988年的Domaine de La Romanee-Conti酒莊出產的葡萄酒相當 - 20,999美元,這無疑是我的夢幻之作...據說它與1000ZXL一樣,採用了特選零件包括磁頭! 

香港的愛錶人

卡帶或是黑膠哪個聽起來更好？

 

好問題，我相信有百分之八十的发烧友会选黑膠，

為甚麼呢？因為市面上並沒有最新型的卡帶錄音座。製造一台好的卡帶錄音座的成本比製造一台唱盤機要高出十倍。而製造一個好的磁頭的成本與製造一個好的唱頭的成本是差不多的。

從商業的角度來看，黑膠唱片已經淘汰了卡帶錄音座，因為沒有人會投資十倍於黑膠系統的電子和技術去製造一台聲音比黑膠系統還要好的卡帶錄音座，而且沒有人會花一萬美金去買這樣的錄音座。而黑膠唱盤機可以用一百公斤的盤片和三個馬達來設計和製造，還有一個可以在移動到內側溝槽時旋轉的金屬唱臂……賣三萬美金……這就是商業的伎倆。不知怎的，大多數人並沒有聲音或電子的背景知識。只有卡帶錄音座製造商的旗艦型號才能達到最好的聲音重現效果。

但是，當你聽過一台經過正確校準的Nakamichi dragon、!00 ZXL或Revox B710 MK II錄音座後，你可能會感到驚訝。

卡帶是如何製作的？

在以前，音樂是用錄音室品質的錄音帶（通常是2英寸的母帶）錄制的，而卡帶則是從錄音帶上轉錄過來的。

錄音帶錄音也利用電磁現象來錄制和重放聲波。錄音帶由一層塑料背層塗上一層薄薄的磁性粉末微粒組成，通常是氧化鐵（Fe2O3）和較少的二氧化鉻（CrO2）。……錄音帶只有0.15英寸（3.8毫米）寬，但可以擁有四到八條音軌。

在錄音時，隨著錄音帶經過錄音頭，一個電信號穿過錄音頭，在錄音帶表面留下一個磁性印記。當錄音帶經過播放或重放頭時，會產生一個信號，這個信號會被

LP是如何制作的？

單聲道留聲機唱片利用在塑料盤片上刻印的螺旋形90°V形凹槽。當唱片以每分鐘33 1/3轉的速度旋轉時，一個微小的唱针同時沿著凹槽移動，並與盤片表面平行、與凹槽垂直地來回振動，描繪出聲波。唱针的上端連接著一個微小的磁鐵，該磁鐵在小型線圈中來回移動，誘導產生電壓，從而重新創建錄制的聲波。唱针的振動速率決定了聲音的頻率，而振動的振幅決定了聲音的響度。

LP從錄音帶轉錄到切割機，再到母盤，然後到金屬母盤模具，再到乙烯基，我們用唱针從乙烯基凹槽中回放，理論上似乎比卡帶多了幾個步驟。還有乙烯基重放的RIAA均衡處理，使這個過程變得更加複雜（是的，再次理論上）。我的個人看法

多年來，发烧友和音乐爱好者一直在討論卡帶和黑膠唱片在音質方面的比較。每種格式都有其獨特的特點，並吸引著不同的偏好群體。在這篇全面的文章中，我們將探討卡帶和黑膠唱片在音質方面的差異，深入研究技術方面和主觀經驗如何塑造這一爭論。到最後，您將更好地瞭解這些格式之間的差異，以及哪一種格式可能更符合您的音樂偏好。

卡帶在20世紀末很流行，以其類比魅力和可攜帶性而聞名。以下是卡帶音質的一些關鍵方面：

卡帶

類比溫暖感：和卡帶一樣，黑膠唱片提供了一種溫暖和有機的聲音，這讓一些聽眾覺得很有吸引力。卡帶播放的類比性質可以為音樂增添懷舊感。

妥善保存的錄音帶和優質的卡帶播放器可以很好地還原音樂，不會損失錄音帶上的錄音，我仍然擁有很多聲音很好的優質原裝錄音帶。嘶嘶聲並不影響，因為大多數音樂都蓋過了它，我從不開啟任何NR或Dolby降噪功能。如果我們在好的卡帶播放器上播放，聲音非常悅耳，低音從揚聲器傳輸到房間的每個角落。

 類比黑膠溫暖感

以類比溫暖和觸感魅力而聞名的黑膠唱片提供了一種獨特的聆聽體驗。以下是黑膠唱片音質的一些關鍵方面。黑膠唱片因其溫暖、有機和沉浸式聲音而備受讚譽。類比播放創造了一種自然的聲音體驗。黑膠唱片的類比性質使其能夠捕捉音樂中的豐富泛音和微妙之處，尤其是在中頻範圍內，這增加了深度和特色。

將唱针放置在旋轉的唱片上並觀察其動作的行為創造了一種與音樂的切實聯繫，這讓一些人覺得非常吸引人。這是最薄弱的一點，因為你需要在唱臂和唱頭、VTA角度、共面性和水平方面進行良好的設置，最重要的是追蹤重量。即使你做得最好也不容易，那你的RIAA怎麼樣？那可能無法恢復錄音室中類比音樂的原始形式。

最糟糕的是，黑膠唱片固有的缺陷，如表面噪聲、爆音和偶爾的咔嗒聲，被一些聽眾視為其魅力的一部分，為音樂增添了特色。對我來說這很不愉快。

比較音質

 在比較卡帶和黑膠唱片的音質時，必須考慮影響聆聽體驗的各種因素：

 設備品質：卡帶播放器或唱盤、唱頭和揚聲器的品質極大地影響著兩種格式的音質。高端音響設備可以更有效地揭示每種格式的微妙之處。

聆聽環境：聆聽空間的聲學特性，包括房間大小、形狀和聲學處理，會影響每種格式的聲音表現。

音樂風格和制作：某些音樂風格可能受益於黑膠的精確度和動態範圍，而其他風格則可能展現卡帶的類比溫暖感。

個人偏好：一些聽眾偏好黑膠的觸感體驗和類比特性，而其他人則優先考慮卡帶的懷舊感和可攜帶性。

結論

關於卡帶是否比黑膠唱片音質更好，或者反之，這個問題很複雜，而且往往是主觀的。每種格式都提供獨特的聆聽體驗，最終的選擇取決於個人喜好、懷舊情緒和對特定聲音品質的追求。

 雖然兩種格式都有其局限性，如卡帶上的嘶嘶聲和黑膠的表面噪聲，但這些不完美之處對一些聽眾來說可能是其魅力的一部分。所謂“更好”的格式是與你產生共鳴並增強你享受音樂體驗的那種格式。一些发烧友同時欣賞這兩種格式，認識到它們各自為聆聽體驗帶來的獨特特徵。

 對我來說，我更喜歡卡帶音樂勝於黑膠，關於這一點的爭論永遠不會結束，但沒關係。看著我們如何制作黑膠和卡帶，我們應該能夠告訴它們之間的差別。

 依我看，我的卡帶音樂比黑膠更好聽。CD？這裡不需要討論，因為那是劣於黑膠或卡帶的數碼格式。

 HK Snob

 

 

Cassette Vs CD

 The question of whether a cassette deck musical performance is better than a CD is subjective and depends on personal preferences and the specific context. Both cassette decks and CDs have their own unique characteristics and qualities.

Cassettes were popular in the past due to their portability and ease of use. They have a warm and somewhat nostalgic sound that some people find appealing. However, cassettes are prone to degradation over time, 30 to 40 years and their sound quality is generally considered lower compared to CDs. Cassettes can suffer from hiss, wow and flutter, and frequency response limitations.

 

However, Cassette sound is more analogue than CD, is more live and dynamic in terms of musical toen quality, especially using top class cassette decks such as Nakamichi 1000 ZXL, Dragon, Tanberg 3014 or Revox B225, B710 MK II…. If you have listed to them then you may know what I am trying to say.

 

On the other hand, CD format provides a higher level of audio fidelity and a more accurate reproduction of the original recording. They offer a wider dynamic range, lower noise floor, and better frequency response compared to cassette tapes. However all musical prime storage is in form or tape, the quality of the sound is analogue, after conversion into CD, it is becoming Digital which is different with cassette tape. CDs are also more durable and resistant to degradation, making them a more reliable medium for long-term storage.

In terms of convenience and accessibility, CDs are generally more convenient to use than cassettes. CDs allow for easy skipping between tracks and quick access to specific songs. They also provide a rather high level of audio quality when played on a good CD player or a high-quality audio system.

Ultimately, in my personal opinion, whether a cassette deck musical performance is better than a CD comes down to personal taste and the specific characteristics of the audio equipment being used. Some people may prefer the warm and analog sound of cassettes, while others may prioritize the higher fidelity and convenience of CDs.

Wildfire in Moscow

The Moscow Wildfire enveloped the City, the blanket of smog is an acrid, choking haze that is hazardous to our health. I am afraid there will be flights divisions a the International Airport. The pictures shows the same picture from the window on Monday and Today.

HK Snob

The Hottest Moscow in last 150 years

After so many years, I had a chance to visit Red Square and the landmark Rym Department store which is just 5 minutes on foot away from one of my customers.

The weather is very hot and in fact I had experienced the Temperature of 41 degree C in Moscow Train station!. That is the Highest in the past 150 years in Russia!!

HK Snob

Why HK people are ranked 2nd Longest Life Expectancy in this World?

There are different sources of data to tell what country has the longest average Life expectancy. Well, the U.S. Bureau of the Census provides statistics, Okinawa has the longest average life expectancy, at 81.2 years, as of 2005. The shortest is found in Angola, at 36.6. Some other report told us that residents of Andorra, a tiny mountain nation in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, are expected to live to the ripe old age of 83.5. How about USA!? Babies born in the United States in 2005 are expected to live an average of 77.9 years, according to a 2007 study by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.. Actually, the United States ranks behind 41 other countries. As many of US Citizen are spoiled by the Over Sized Fast Food and their way going to work by car.


According to UN and WHO, People of Hong Kong is the 2nd longest life on earth after Okinawa, has long been endowed with high life expectancies. In 2002, there were 34.7 people 100 years or older per 100,000 residents, the highest life expectancy of any area in the world. Still, while Okinawa may feature the highest population of centenarians -- people who are 100 years of age or older – Japan is ranked second in life expectancy with an average of 82. Reason is that they are still living in rather primitives way, I watched Discovery movies on plant that Old woman of 90 years old walks up hills for harvest on the fruit and carry down the hill everyday…
Some Data 2 years ago showed with HK men expected to live an average of 79.5 years and women to 85.6 years.
The figure for women for the first time puts Hong Kong narrowly ahead of Japan, where women’s life expectancy is now 85.5 years, and Spain, where expectancy is 83.8 years.
Hong Kong is also the top place for male life expectancy, ahead of Iceland at 78.9 years, Switzerland at 78.6 years.
So far I do not know who is the country that people will live longest.
Anyway, This Is not the main point I am trying to talk about as there is different way to translate the data and also there are so many mobile citizen in Hong Kong. So I am not surprises that HK people is amongst the top 2nd Longest Life Expectancy City on Earth. WHY?
HONG KONG: It may be one of the world’s most polluted, noisy and stressful cities, but people in Hong Kong can expect to live longer than anyone else on the planet?
Beside the health consciousness of HK people., being Most of us are coming from Guang Dong , who buys the ideas of Magic of Soups… We drink more than anybody on soup than the people on the other part of the World.
The Soup take up to 98% of water and essence of Food that was made by boiling hours with ingredient of either vegetable, lean meat, or black Chicken, and many other Chinese herbs…We usually drink the soup rather than eating the ingredient. The soup cleans our stomach, intestines, and they way soup goes down our from mouth to stomach, it give you great favour and it works like a sleeping pill… It calms your mind too!
Hong Kong people drink a lot of soup, as you know we have a lot of Bow Yi Lai (who keep more than one wife or two) I had a friend who come home to drink 2nd wife soup during lunch and his first wife’s during dinner… The 2nd Wife soup is usually well prepared with better material and specially boil with heartily effort… In order to get a better impression from her Husband.
Do not forget that there are probably 300,000 men who has a mistress (Yi Lai or 2nd Wife) in China, irregular or irregular one, Registered or yet-to-registered one…hmmm!
Do not quote my number as this is purely my personal data collection by survey on friend and friend of friends…
So my conclusion is The Reason why the long life expectancy of Hong Kong People is because of the SOUP…


"What kind of Soup Today?" Is the standard Question when we ask the Waiters in the Chinese restaurant…


Let’s Cheer with Soup!!


HK Snob

Rolex, ST Dupont and Montagut, the Survival kit for HK Snob in 80's

I am afraid most of the post 50s’ will understand these three brands in Hong Kong…
Well, we can see that these are the most prominent men’s item or accessories for those snobs in the 80’s.
Rolex watch , Dupont lighter, Dupont slim ball pen and a Montagut shirt was once the most popular wearing for cheap snob in Hong Kong in the 80’s.

We call these “Life –Saving-Three-Treasures” in a Hong Kong Colloquial way. This was the survival kits when they lost money in Macau casino as they could turn their Rolex and Dupont Lighter in the pawn shop in front of the casino and they could immediately enter the casino to try the luck again.


Rolex is durable, even it was dropped, it would not likely go damages, thanks for the good Rolex double shock absorber for protection.
Dupont lighter was popular with the famous Crystal clear “Ding” when the lighter is open with click if your fingers, as in the night club or so called the Fish-Ball-Club, it was dim, no one could see you were using a gold plated Lighter, but once they could hear the Ding” well, it was the Dupont lighter. You know that those street side watch smith had to know how to tune up the Sound of the Dupont to be louder and more clearer… this is an Symbol for being a Snob!
Montagut, a French knitting wear a Polo like Tee-shit claimed to be using the latest knitting technology that it does not wrinkle, as you know at that time those snobs did not know even if they had tomorrow again. They would go for street fighting and the blood of their enermy might stain on his shirt, they could just wash it under water and hang it up wait for overnight and they could wear again next morning.

These kind of snob earned a living either from the dirty money of the prostitutes, gambling, and drugs trafficking, fighter for the black society, street fighter...


Of course I may be a bit talking over he line that there may have certain decent gentlemen dressed up with these items.. but god knows, at that period of time, people are money-minded, they look at your accessories displayed on your body to determine your income status.
 So what is the most popular Rolex for them, a boy-sized two tone, yellow gold and stainless steel version, best is embedded with some small diamond at the dial, the brownish red dial is the best seller at that time… it was about HKD$1,980 in 1976 and HKD$9,600 in 1986.

Only the head man in charge of the gangster could afford to use a Rolex Date Day yellow solid gold watch,,, well of course they do not have the culture to wear what so call Audemars Piguet or any Patek Philippe! No way…no one recognized it at all!


Dupont lighter is the standard large size gold plated one. As they never use silver as they are classified “ Cheap” it was selling about HKD$900.00 for gold plated and HKD$500 for Silver. No one could afford to use Solid gold Dupont as the Sound is not beautiful…


Dupont pen will be something like the attached picture shown, slim one, ball pen of course.
This is one of the Fashion wear of the HK Snob bewteen 1976-1986….

HK Snob