JK Rowling launches US book tour

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has launched a US book tour - her first in seven years - with a mass signing event in Los Angeles.
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Music fans in Hong Kong should be treated fairly

Commerce officials are considering granting exemptions to the common yet unlawful practice of copying songs from CD into MP3 files for private use after Australia legalised the move last year.

The new law passed in Australia allows music fans to make song copies regardless of the format, provided they are solely made for private and domestic use. It also restricts people uploading the copied files onto the internet, but they are allowed to be played on devices such as car sound systems or personal computers.

Under the Copyright Ordinance in Hong Kong, unauthorised copying of a work in any material forms or stored in any medium by electronic means would constitute an infringement of copyright.

"Format-shifting appears on its face to be civilly actionable in Hong Kong," said Michael Pendleton, an intellectual property law expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He said the situation would be clearer if the government followed Australia's example and amended the ordinance.

A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said they had been closely monitoring recent developments in intellectual property policy overseas.

"For the new time and format shifting exceptions introduced by the Australian government, we will consider including this subject for public consultation in our next round of review," the spokesman said.

But the music industry was sceptical about relaxation of copyright law.

Ricky Fung Tim-chee, chief executive of International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (Hong Kong Group), said intellectual property issues should be decided by copyright holders and determined by market forces.

"The grey areas are hard to define. Is it still under the definition of domestic use if I copy the music to my portable device and lend it to my friends?" he said. He said the music industry had never taken legal action against individuals who format-shift music, given it was "too hard to enforce".

Ip Iam-chong of Hong Kong In-media, an advocate for the concept of "fair use", said it was time for the government to step up and protect the users' interests.

"The copyright ordinance in Hong Kong has been in favour of the copyright owners," Mr Ip said. "Fair use is rejected by the industry and they have simply equalled property rights to copyrights."

What's illegal

Civil offences
A copyright owner can take civil action against any person who infringes the copyright in the work. In general, the owner has the exclusive right to copy the work and to distribute it to the public.

Criminal offences

1. The making of or possession ofinfringing articles for trade orbusiness.
2. Importing or exporting piratedarticles.
3. Involvement in copyright piracyoutside Hong Kong for the purpose ofimportation into Hong Kong.
4. Manufacturing equipment forcopyright piracy

Cheap trainers still protect feet

Expensive trainers do not protect runners' feet better than cheaper ones, according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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Toilet-shaped House

The Toilet-Shaped House has a very unique design, and was built by Sim Jae-duck, the chairman of the organizing committee of the Inaugural General Assembly of the World Toilet Association, and he hopes his toilet house will highlight the global need for better sanitation.

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Skies to be swept for alien life

The switch has been thrown on a telescope specifically designed to seek out alien life.

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Wi-fi health study gets go ahead

The British government is taking another look at the effect that wireless networks have on health.

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Historic sites to get fresh start under new chief

The chief executive yesterday responded to the recent rise in conservation controversies by setting up a Commissioner for Heritage Office and a partnership scheme under the Development Bureau to revitalize seven historic buildings.

The chief executive yesterday responded to the recent rise in conservation controversies by setting up a Commissioner for Heritage Office and a partnership scheme under the Development Bureau to revitalize seven historic buildings. Donald Tsang will set aside HK$1 billion for the scheme to help nonprofit organizations renovate and reuse historic buildings for social enterprises. Conservation initiatives for three sites were also announced - a HK$1.8 billion facelift for the Central Police Station compound, removing a former police married quarters from the land sale list for one year, and the complete preservation of the Wan Chai bazaar. But critics say the measures lack long-term vision and are only piecemeal in approach. The seven government-owned buildings in the revitalization scheme range from Grade I buildings to those not yet graded, including the 76-year- old Lui Seng Chun in Mong Kok and the North Kowloon Magistracy. After vetting, the bureau will offer financial support to successful applicants, such as a one-off grant to cover renovation costs, nominal rentals, or a possible grant to meet starting costs and operating deficits within two years. The bureau has earmarked HK$1 billion from the Capital Works Reserve Fund for renovation purposes. Government sources said this should be adequate for the current phase, which will continue if there is demand. The scheme will begin accepting applications early next year. Tsang's only reference to King Yin Lei, the Stubbs Road mansion that triggered controversy recently, was that the government would provide economic incentives for private owners to protect historic buildings. A Commissioner for Heritage Office will be set up in the Development Bureau to oversee heritage policy. Attempts to defuse potential conservation controversies were made. A HK$1.8 billion revitalization plan for the Central Police Station compound on Hollywood Road has been proposed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and accepted by the bureau. The former Police Married Quarters on Aberdeen Street will be removed from the land sale list for a year and revitalization proposals will be invited. The site once housed the Government Central School. The Father of modern China Sun Yat-sen was a student of the school before it moved to Aberdeen Street. Relics were excavated from the site earlier this year. The open-air bazaar on Tai Yuen Street and Cross Street in Wan Chai will be preserved. Earlier the Urban Renewal Authority had proposed relocating the hawkers. Heritage impact assessment will be mandatory for all public works projects, including both monuments and graded buildings. Critics said the measures indicated a good start but failed to offer institutional reform in heritage conservation policy. Others said the initiatives lacked detail and a concrete layout and appear to be just mending holes in the wall. Albert Lai Kwong-tak, chair of the Hong Kong People's Council for Sustainable Development, noted that Tsang's proposals were a positive response to civil society, but failed as a plan targeting a five-year development. Though a heritage policy is no where in sight, Bernard Lim Wan-fung, member of the Antiquities Advisory Board, praised the measures as a pragmatic approach on heritage conservation through specific tasks. The Standard

Russian schools move to Linux

School children in Russia are to be taught using the free, open-source Linux software in an effort to cut the cost of teaching information technology.

Link.

Do you think that we should all use commercial software like Microsoft's for teaching and learning purposes? Students who have learnt using a particular operating system are not likely to use another system in the future. In other words, students who are used to Microsoft's software are quite likely to use it for a long time to come. Should we change this practice?

Bird's nest

As with several other Chinese delicacies, such as shark's fin and sea cucumber, bird's nest is appreciated primarily for its texture and ability to absorb other flavours rather than for its inherent taste, which is minimal. What are they? Small nests made by certain breeds of tiny swiftlets. Unlike conventional nests, made from twigs, feathers, grass and other objects, the edible varieties are made mostly from the bird's sticky saliva. Traditionally, the birds built their nests on the high walls of caves, making their harvest a dangerous enterprise. Now, the birds are encouraged to breed in empty buildings, making nest collection much easier.
Where are they from? The main sources are Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

What to look for: it's best to buy from a reputable dealer, because fakes are common. The best, most expensive nests are cleaned of most of the feathers, twigs and other debris. Those tinged with red - which is blood emitted by the bird as it builds the nest - are extremely valuable. Whole nests cost more than broken ones and fragments.

How is it available? Nests are sold by specialist dealers. Prepared bird's nest - made into soups and drinks - is sold in some supermarkets.

What else? It's believed to be good for the complexion, general health and virility. Because it's considered so nutritious, it's often prescribed to invalids and the elderly.

Bird's nest is - or should be - a sustainable resource. In the past, harvesters waited for the baby birds to grow up and fly away before they took a nest. These days the nests are so valuable some harvesters take them with the eggs still in them, a practice that has depleted bird numbers. There are reports of armed gangs monopolising the harvest.

How to prepare: the nest should be soaked in water to soften it so any feathers and debris can be removed. For sweet soups, the cleaned nests are cooked with rock sugar and other ingredients such as ginseng, coconut milk and lotus seeds.

Savoury bird's nest soup is made by simmering the prepared nests in good-quality stock made with chicken and dried ham. Before serving, other ingredients such as crab meat, sherry (or whisky) and fresh coriander are stirred into the pot.

Energy-saving lightbulbs

The future's bright?

Ask anyone in the climate change business these days, and they'll tell you straight away that it's not the sexy new renewable energy products like solar panels and wind turbines that we should be thinking about first.

Link.