Dispatches from the State Ministry of Truth

[Monoriu]

Those are largely victimless crimes.  And CD/DVD stuff are outside police.  Copyright infringement is Customs 

Fuck you, you fucking hack.

Hey, the question was, why didn't the police do something about the triads?  The answer is, copyright infringement is for another department.  I am a civil servant.  I love these answers.  Why don't *you* do something about such and such?  Oh, that's not really my problem, ask _______.  *Everybody* in government loves giving these answers 

[Tonitrus]

Those are largely victimless crimes.

What do you consider to be victimless crimes?

Gambling, prostitution, counterfeiting goods etc.

As long as you don't block a road, you are good in Mono's book.

The triads number in the 6 figures in HK.  It is impossible to arrest everybody.  The police's strategy to deal with triads is one of containment.  No guns, no drugs, no violent crimes.  Restrict yourselves to victimless crimes.  It isn't ideal but there you are.

Blocking roads is hardly a victimless crime.

The PRC is supposed to be in charge.  No need to arrest...execute. 

[Monoriu]

Those are largely victimless crimes.

What do you consider to be victimless crimes?

Gambling, prostitution, counterfeiting goods etc.

As long as you don't block a road, you are good in Mono's book.

The triads number in the 6 figures in HK.  It is impossible to arrest everybody.  The police's strategy to deal with triads is one of containment.  No guns, no drugs, no violent crimes.  Restrict yourselves to victimless crimes.  It isn't ideal but there you are.

Blocking roads is hardly a victimless crime.

The PRC is supposed to be in charge.  No need to arrest...execute. 

Huh, the mainland has a much bigger organised crime problem than us.  Our triads are largely peaceful.  They do engage in violence, but largely toward rival gangs, and they seldom use guns.  Mostly sticks and knives.  Gangs on the mainland sometimes use machine guns, I've read 

[sbr]

Here's a supposition for you: CCP considers Hong Kong kind of an experimental deal to see how well they can deal with emboldened masses.  It doesn't take a huge leap of logic to guess that CCP's going to decide that the status quo has emboldened HK citizens too much and issue a crackdown on personal freedoms.  Enjoy the bed you've made.

From that light, Mono's frustration with the protesters would make sense. It's not like they have a chance of winning.

If that were all there is to it, maybe.  But to me it seems like a much bigger component is his "let them eat cake" attitude towards the protesters.  Somehow he managed to snag a civil service job, and now he's suddenly superior to all the rabble on the outside of the winner-takes-all system.

The finance guys in the investment banks are the real winners.  As I have been saying all these years, I am a loser.

And you have made that abundantly clear over the last 10 days or so.

[Monoriu]

Here's a supposition for you: CCP considers Hong Kong kind of an experimental deal to see how well they can deal with emboldened masses.  It doesn't take a huge leap of logic to guess that CCP's going to decide that the status quo has emboldened HK citizens too much and issue a crackdown on personal freedoms.  Enjoy the bed you've made.

From that light, Mono's frustration with the protesters would make sense. It's not like they have a chance of winning.

If that were all there is to it, maybe.  But to me it seems like a much bigger component is his "let them eat cake" attitude towards the protesters.  Somehow he managed to snag a civil service job, and now he's suddenly superior to all the rabble on the outside of the winner-takes-all system.

The finance guys in the investment banks are the real winners.  As I have been saying all these years, I am a loser.

And you have made that abundantly clear over the last 10 days or so.

Huh, at last I am successful in convincing someone of my viewpoint 

[Monoriu]

The rumours are everywhere.  Today is Sunday here, the last day in the "special week" where there are only 3 working days.   They have now blocked all entrances to government HQs.  The only people inside the building this weekend are riot police.  The Chief Executive has vowed on TV that we civil servants must get back to work on Monday.  A lot of people predict the government will clear the roads at all costs tonight.  There are all sorts of predictions from rubber bullets to PLA.

A feature of the riots is that there is very little command and control.  Many times, the student unions and the 3 guys who organised the Occupy Central movement asked the crowd to leave, only to be ignored.  There are regular disagreements and infighting among rioters on what to do, and tons of different groups and factions.  Lots of rioters obey no one but themselves.  The days of only needing to control the microphone and the stage in order to control the crowd are over.  This makes it difficult for police to clear the roads by force, but also makes it hard to find a political exit. 

[DGuller]

The finance guys in the investment banks are the real winners.  As I have been saying all these years, I am a loser.

In many ways you probably are, but you still have it much better than most people, judging from your earlier posts.

[Monoriu]

The finance guys in the investment banks are the real winners.  As I have been saying all these years, I am a loser.

In many ways you probably are, but you still have it much better than most people, judging from your earlier posts.

I don't necessarily have to be better than most people to say that the status quo should be maintained.  Just like my hated World Cup status quo system doesn't necessarily have to benefit the HK/China football team 

[Capetan Mihali]

And yet you are.  Both in your current capacity and in your birth to and upbringing among an extremely privileged family.

[DGuller]

The finance guys in the investment banks are the real winners.  As I have been saying all these years, I am a loser.

In many ways you probably are, but you still have it much better than most people, judging from your earlier posts.

I don't necessarily have to be better than most people to say that the status quo should be maintained.  Just like my hated World Cup status quo system doesn't necessarily have to benefit the HK/China football team 

This isn't a silly game.    I know this is going to fall on deaf ears, but society evolves by critically evaluating status quo and changing it when warranted.  You have described very well the problems that the protesters are facing, and yet that counts for nothing compared to status quo and clear roads.  I have more sympathy for people in denial, at least denial is often caused by refusal to contemplate an injustice, but you actively embrace it.  I don't understand this kind of mental malfunction.

[Valmy]

I guess I take his issue as pragmatic.  Beijing cannot be swayed by the protestors or they lose face....so all they are doing is making Beijing compelled to act against Hong Kong.  I guess I take it as Mono recognizing a lose-lose situation and getting upset.

I mean I would rather he was running the revolutionary underground with plans to keep assassinating corrupt officials until Beijing gives into their demands....but you take what can get.

[DGuller]

I guess I take his issue as pragmatic.  Beijing cannot be swayed by the protestors or they lose face....so all they are doing is making Beijing compelled to act against Hong Kong.  I guess I take it as Mono recognizing a lose-lose situation and getting upset.

I mean I would rather he was running the revolutionary underground with plans to keep assassinating corrupt officials until Beijing gives into their demands....but you take what can get.

I understand pragmatism.  What pushes Mono over the edge into despicable territory is all the disdain he heaps on the "losers", when in fact his own description of the problem makes it obvious that the way things are organized inevitably creates "losers".  You can refuse to support people without describing them with disdainful epithets.

[Ed Anger]

[Monoriu]

This isn't a silly game.    I know this is going to fall on deaf ears, but society evolves by critically evaluating status quo and changing it when warranted.  You have described very well the problems that the protesters are facing, and yet that counts for nothing compared to status quo and clear roads.  I have more sympathy for people in denial, at least denial is often caused by refusal to contemplate an injustice, but you actively embrace it.  I don't understand this kind of mental malfunction.

I am a loser too.  I failed to become a financial wizard.  Do I go occupy roads, prevent others from going to work, pick an impossible fight with Beijing and risk PLA tanks rolling in, and demand more welfare?  Life is tough for most, but we all can make the most out of it instead of dragging everybody down with your problems.  You want to demonstrate?  Do so in a park and nobody will complain.

[Valmy]

You want to demonstrate?  Do so in a park and nobody will complain.

And everybody will ignore you.  Liu Bang could have just meekly protested before allowing himself to be executed by the Qin...is that what you would have encouraged him to do?  Eh?