🌊Overseas Gay Marriage x Basic Law: Divorced from reality

Peak trams prices peak

Aug 25

Good morning,

Today I found out that Scotland is starting a cashback recycling programme for bottles and cans (similar to the German ‘Pfand’ system if you’re familiar). Immediately cynical me remembered that Hong Kong does have one of these systems- the RVM. Which I’m really not a fan of.

I made a twitter thread complaining - they’re inconvenient technobabble that causes more problems than it solves.

If only one person reads and shares it (so my venting becomes justified), let it be a Tide reader.

Cyril Ma @Cyrildoesthings

Hong Kong's RVM scheme should be as good as those in Europe but is instead in shambles. Machines are often full, stuck, and generally inconvenient. But it's SO TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED! (/s) A THREAD OF COMPLAINTS (I don't like them) 1/

Guardian Labs @GuardianLabs

Next summer, Scotland will become the first place in the UK to give consumers a cash incentive to return their empties - how will it get more of us to recycle? @SuntoryBF_GBI https://t.co/z4XPrKCzyM #AD #recycle

— Cyril (who hates the recycling machines)

On Today’s Tide

Society | Gay Marriage incompatible with Basic Law
COVID | Mass sports events suddenly cancelled
Culture | Peak trams return with 60% price hike
Events

Behind the paywall:

Politics | Jimmy Lai fraud case: Civil or criminal?
Entertainment | Claw Machines are not entertainment

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Gay Marriage incompatible with Basic Law (???)

Ex-councilor turned full time LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham has lost his first appeal for Hong Kong to revise laws regarding gay marriage.

Sham, who married his husband in 2013 in New York, has been fighting for his marriage to be recognised locally since 2018.

He argued that Article 37 of the Basic Law which states freedom of marriage is protected by law must allow his marriage to also be recognised. However, in handing down their judgement, the Court of Appeal said that the Basic Law was written in the 1990s, and the first instance of homosexual being recognised anywhere in the world was in 2001 in the Netherlands (trust the Dutch!)

Therefore, “self-evidently, the drafters of the Basic Law must have only used the term 'marriage' in the traditional sense of being a union between a heterosexual couple. Any suggestion otherwise is divorced from reality”, said the judgement.

Following on, the judgement said that to accept an overseas homosexual marriage would create "inherent incompatibility” with local homosexual couples who want to be married….not that….they can in Hong Kong…..

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating 7,677 additional locally acquired #COVID19 cases, of which 2,934 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 4,743 via verified rapid antigen tests

news.gov.hk7.6k local COVID-19 cases loggedThe Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating 7,677 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 2,934 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 4,743 via verified rapid antigen tests.

COVID-19 in Hong Kong

New cases: 7884 (207 imported)
Total cases: 1,479,393
New deaths: 14
Total deaths: 9,634
Compulsory Testing locations: 23

No sport for the COVwicked

Several major sports events have either been cut in size or cancelled due to rising COVID numbers (a jump in over 1000 today!)

The Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates announced yesterday that the ‘Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong 10k Championships’ marathon set to take place on Sunday will be cancelled. This is despite all runners being vaccinated and a staggered race day to reduce transmission.

All runners will have their registration fees refunded.

The Cross-harbour swim has also reduced it’s numbers from 2000 to 500 - staff included (this means only 3-400 swimmers can actually swim). If the weather gets too cold, the event may be cancelled, but the association is in talks to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Peak Tram prices peak

The Peak Tram will finally be returning on Saturday….but with a 60% price hike. A return trip will now cost $88 from $52 before the revamp.

The price hike is partially due to an increase in construction cost brought about by the pandemic - most of the parts were made in Switzerland.

The trams have been out of commission since June of last year. Both the trams and the terminus on Garden Road have been thoroughly enlarged - the trams now hold 210 from a previous 120.

Although we all already miss the red livery of the retiring 5th Gen trams, the green livery of the 6th actually refers back to older models - such as the 4th Gen by the peak terminal.

Events and deals

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Gokan bar takeover

HT x partner Gokan is having their first ever bar takeover, featuring bartenders Tony and Henry from Glass Gardener and solo mixologist Chi Ho. An exclusive menu will be available for the two nights, featuring original cocktails designed by the Trio.

May be a black-and-white image of 3 people and glasses

When: 26-28th Aug, 6-11pm
Where: Gokan, 192A Hollywood Road

Schol! Belgium Beer Week: 22 - 28 Aug

Belgium Beer Week’s first foray outside of their home country sees them expanding across the world and Hong Kong is leading by example, having a whooping 11 venues to celebrate in - one of the highest number in the world.

Each bar will host their own events during the week.

harbourtimes

A post shared by Harbour Times | Hong Kong News (@harbourtimes)

See our full coverage for details on location, timings and events!

Official media partner: ReThink HK returns 5-6 Oct

HT is proud to once again be a media partner for ReThink - HK’s biggest and most exciting sustainability conference. This year’s conference invites more than 300 expert speakers to share their visions and insights, covering important topics like economic progression while coexisting with nature harmoniously, efficient use of resources, transformation to a low-carbon society, and circular economy for future generations.

Sign up here using the code HTP22 for 40% off!