effusais ~ lip essence (color)

之前見雜誌經常介紹effusais ~ lip essence 話佢好好用，於是我就用左我張DBS的credit card 的cash dollors 去換，所以這枝lip essence 係免費。價錢係'$125/10g 唔算十分貴，仲要有SPF18 PA++，好岩朝早上街時用，因為平時都忽略了唇部的防曬護理。

加上近來天氣非常之乾燥，我個咀唇乾到D 死皮浮現晒出嚟，搞到我潤唇膏不離手，試來試去都未搵到一隻係比較適合我自己於冬天時使用，這個lip esence 有少少顏色，滋潤及保濕度都好好，又唔會太笠，平平地都幾抵用！

淡淡的粉紅色，塗於嘴上亦唔會太誇

Bioderma Atoderm PP cream

自從對腳生左濕疹之後，我就發現我經常都周身痕，日日都起度不停抓，無法因為太痕，唔抓無辦法令到我的痕得到舒緩，現在每日都要早晚搽一次body cream，仲要視乎body cream 的滋潤度是否足夠，如果唔夠潤，我到下午又會周身痕係咁抓，我不斷起度試緊邊隻body cream 好用，早幾日晤打唔撞咁買左Bioderma Atoderm PP cream

，其實都唔知好唔好用，又無做過research，只係個sales 係咁講話這個cream 好好用，非常之適合濕疹皮膚，佢仲要話一到冬天就成日賣斷貨，這幾瓶係最後，一聽到賣斷貨呢幾隻字我對眼又發光，用了幾日，可以講一講個感覺，初初用都係早晚各搽一次，頭個一兩日都係係有少少痕，但係用上一星期已經開始無周身痕的感覺。而濕疹位置的脫皮及發紅情況亦已經開始改善。

其實都係怪自己沖涼用的水太熱，所以令到濕疹斷唔到尾，但係d 水太凍我真係沖唔到涼，於熱水與周身痕之間真係好難取捨...

Phone-atics (手機痴)

Phone “lines” (note 1) were running hot and busy as at least 2,000 people shrugged off (note 2) bad weather to queue to be the first in Hong Kong to get their hands on (note 3) Apple’s newly launched iPhone 4S.

 

Along with Apple brand fanatics (入迷的人) in a line snaking along the Central harbor-front from an entrance near the company’s IFC store were opportunists (note 4) – people who want a phone to resell or who are paid to queue on behalf of multiple buyer.

 

A small crowd that began forming on Monday suddenly swelled (增大) to thousands yesterday, prompting (促使) police to put up metal barricades (路障) and create separate pens for 25 people ahead of sales due to start at 7am today.

 

Hong Kong is part of the second phase of the worldwide rollout (推出), with South Korea and 13 other countries seeing similar action.

 

The 4S – reportedly a form of tech-speak taken from “for Steve” Jobs, the Apple co-founder who died a day after the phone wash unveiled on October 4-sold more than four million in just three days of its launch on October 14 in the United States, Japan , Britain, Australia, Canada, France and Germany,

 

Elsewhere in Hong Kong, 4S parties staged by three leading telecom operators ran overnight to 3am as their outlets prepared to deliver the much-coveted (note 5) smartphone to those who pre-ordered online.

 

But the big action was in Central, where people in the queue included the elderly, parents with kids in tow (note 6), foreign domestic helpers and refugees (難民, 流亡者).

 

Apple sought help from police to cap the size (限制人數) of the queue, but it was in vain (note 7)-about 500 people were pushing to join the line that extended to the Star Ferry Pier by late afternoon.

 

(note 1) phone “lines” = 這裡的 phone line 不是電話線, 而是排隊買電話的人龍

(note 2) shrugged off (聳肩) 表示輕蔑, 不屑。這裏是不理會天氣寒冷的意思。

Jo Jo shrugs her sholders =Jo Jo 聳聳肩膀 (表示不快, 絕望,驚訝,疑惑,冷笑等)

(note 3) get their hands on =希望買到、獲得。

Hand on=交付,傳遞

Hand down=傳下來,宣佈 (判決等)

Hand in=交上

Hand out=分派,施捨

Hand over=送交 (當局等)
Hand a letter to her=遞給她一封信

Hand Victor a surprise 使Victor 大吃一驚

 

(note 4) opportunist=機會主義者 (one who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve an end, often with no regard for principles or consequences).

Opportunity=機會

Opportunity的同義詞有occasion, opening, chance, break等

 

(note 5) much-coveted=極度垂涎的

 

(note 6) parents with kids in tow=拖著走,照顧;拖帶,身後跟著,父母拉著 (孩子) 走。

A number of admirers in tow=身後跟著一大群讚賞 [崇拜] 他的人 [影迷、戲迷等]

 

(note 7) in vain=徒勞無功。

TVB faces burning issue in ban

Television Broadcasts is at a loss over why its drama series When Heaven Burns has been banned in the mainland.

 

TVB deputy controller for external affairs Tsang Shing-ming said the station found out about the ban from its mainland distributor yesterday and that the latter was, in turn, only informed of the ban a day before that.

 

The distributor, Shanghai Media Group, will contact the state Administration of Radio, Film and Television to find out the reason for the ban, although Tsang says the process may take a long time.

 

The ban was announced after scriptwriter Chow Yuk-ming admitted he had the Tianamen Square crackdown (鎮壓) in mind when he penned the series.

 

But Tsang said he doesn’t think the ban is politically motivated.

 

“it can be because the theme is too bold, and some of the scenes are a little bloody,” he said.

 

One of the scenes depicts (描述) cannibalism (吃人).

 

The drama centers on the lives of three former band members who are trapped (陷入困境) on a snow-covered mountain.

 

Tsang insists there are no political implications in the 30-episode series. Although Chow said he had the June 4, 1989, crackdown in mind, the drama is a collective product, Tsang said, with many people contributing to the story line.

 

He said the drama is about humanity and decision people make when facing a life-or-death situation.

"It makes people think," he added.

 

The ban has no impact on TVB revenues because mainland websites pay an annual fee that gives them broadcasting rights for all dramas.

 

A search for When Heaven Burnson mainland video website youku.com still shows results of the drama.

But the video cannot be played.

 

The last episode, a two-hour special, will be broadcast on Monday, featuring popular artists Bowie Lam Bo-yee, Moses Chan Ho, Charmaine Sheh Sze-man, and Kenny Wong Tak-bun.

Rise in HIV cases led by gay men

HIV infections (note 1) this year will surpass (超越) those of 2010, with infections among men having sex with men (MSM) a leading factor (note 2) despite focused prevention strategies.

 

On the eve of World Aids Day tomorrow, the Department of Health said the number of new infections reached a two-year quarterly high of 113 in July to September this year compare to 81 in the same quarter last year.

 

This also takes to 317 the number of newly diagnosed HIV cases in the first nine months of the year.

 

Of the new infections, about 38 percent-or 43-were MSM, compared to 35 in the same quarter last year.

 

Total HIV infections for this year are likely to surpass the 389 for 2010, said Wong Ka-hing, consultant (special preventive programme) of the Centre of Health Protection.

 

An Advisory Council on AIDS strategy document (政策文件) released earlier this month warned that the number of MSN HIV reported cases will continue to increase and contribute more to the local epidemic (傳染) in the years to come.

 

“MSM in Asia are 19 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population,” the document stated.

 

But concern groups (note 3) said awareness of HIV prevention may decline at the same time.

 

Elijah Fung, manager of St John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre, said: “There are very limited resources (note 4) targeting the general public-youth, women-and the migrant [foreign domestic workers] population.” AIDS Concern chief executive Loretta Wong Wai-kwan said there may be “message fatigue (note 5)” in which members of the MSM community believe they are no longer at risk (note 6) with the focus of the first wave (第一波) of the AIDS epidemic being on the general population.

 

(note 1) HIV infections=愛滋病病毒

HIV=human immunodeficiency virus=人體免疫功能不全病毒; 愛滋病病毒

 

(note 2) a leading factor=主要原因

Direct election is the leading topic of the hour=當前最主要的話題是直選

Victor plays a leading part in the revolt=Victor 在起義中擔任主角

 

(note 3) concern groups=關注團體

It is no concern of mine=與我無關

A going concern=開著的商店

A petty concern=細事

I can manage my own concerns=自己的事總可以解決

Feel concern about=擔心, 掛念

Have no concern for=毫不關心, 完全不怕

Matter of the utmost concern=(關係) 重大的事件

Without concern=不關心, 不怕

 

(note 4) very limited resources=有限資源

A limited war=有限戰爭

Limited number=少數

They possess a rather limited intelligence=他們的知識面相當狹窄

 

(note 5) message fatigue=對傳播的信息感到麻木

Fatigue=疲乏, 勞累, 勞苦

Feel fatigued=感覺疲勞

 

(note 6) no longer at risk=不再有風險

Dead Sea Premier~Collagen, beta carotene and seaweed mask

塊面乾到好似裂開咁，仲要乾到好痛，如果唔敷mask 就咁搽d 面霜上去塊面就會拿到好痛，真係估唔到我塊面會乾到咁，如果我每日唔敷一次mask 第二日就一定會浮粉，所以保濕mask 對我嚟講真係好重要，一日一mask 就係我每日的指定動作。

今次用左Dead Sea Premier的Collagen, beta carotene and seaweed mask，Dead Sea Premier的產品真係好好用，雖然起香港買就真係貴左d，但係我呢類精明的消費者當然係會外國訂啦，起碼價錢都平一截。

講返個mask的質地，比較杰身，但都易推勻，敷15-25分鐘，視乎皮膚狀態，我這類超缺水的皮膚當然係會敷25分鐘，這個mask 含有高濃度的膠原蛋白、jojoba oil,liposome complex, vit A & E,海藻,Beta-Carotene等保濕成份，齋睇以上的成份都已經知道個mask 係專為保濕而切。

平時一落完妝，塊面就會好乾好鞋好崩緊 (因為太乾啦)，今日敷住個mask 一路起度睇報紙，突然覺得個嘴有d 好奇怪的味道，再用紙巾印下，有層油?? 原來係個mask 的油滑到去個咀到，於是我就再用面上的mask 再按摩一陣，發現個手掌成手都係油，就咁睇個mask 真係唔覺佢係有油，敷完之後再摸摸塊面，嘩！之前的 "鞋"、崩緊一洗而走，面部即時得到滋潤之餘，皮膚仲白了好多，除此之外面部的皮膚仲緊緻了。

Collagen, beta carotene and seaweed mask 的效果與 miracle noir mask 的效果真係好唔同，敷完之後個感覺亦都有很大的分別，兩個mask 都好好用，真係好難最捨！

這瓶面膜專櫃售價$880.

 

Threat (威脅) played down (note 1) after new swine flu virus find

A new swine flu virus (note 2) with human genes (基因) has again been found in mainland pigs at a Hong Kong slaughterhouse (屠殺場).

 

But the swine flu H2N2 is unlikely to cause a “major” human health risk, the Centre for Food Safety said.

 

Fifteen pigs we found infected with (note 3) “essentially a swine influenza H3N2 virus that has picked up some genes of human swine influenza virus”, the center said. They were detected (驗出) out of 1,000 samples taken from August to mid-October.

 

The same flu subtype was also found in the last round of surveillance programs, from May to July, in 16 pigs.

 

In both instances, the department said it had notified mainland authorities.

 

There have been no recent reports of such H3N2-infected swine in Guangdong province, however.

 

Flu expert Malik Peiris said the H3N2 subtype seen in the pigs is not the same swine-originated new H3N2 that has infected (感染) seven people in the United States since July.

 

The US Centers for Diseasse Control and Prevention said earlier that while the infections have been mainly mild (溫和的), they are being closely monitored (note 4).

 

Dr Nancy Cox, head of the Atlanta-based agency’s influenza division, said a seed (種子) strain for a vaccine that would protect against the virus has already been developed and given to manufacturers.

 

The World Health Organization also said that for pandemic preparedness purposes (note 5), it has developed and made available two candidate vaccine virused.

 

All pigs coming from the mainland and slaughtered centrally in the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse before they are taken to Hong Kong markets.

 

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said the infected pigs were destroyed.

 

However, abattoir (屠房) workers have not been checked for the presence of the virus, the spokesman revealed.

 

(note 1) played down=清淡處理 (minimize the importance of; make little of)

Victor played down Julian’s defection to another school to protect other teachers’ morale=Victor低調處理Julian轉校的情況,避免影響其他老師的情緒

Play the host=主人

Play along with=參與,與人合作

Play ball=開始,著手,正正當當做,光明正大地行動

Play both ends against the middle=腳踏兩條船;兩頭賣弄,從中漁利

 

(note 2) swine flu virus=豬流感病毒

Viral=含病毒的,病毒所致的

Swine=豬, 卑鄙下流的傢伙 (a person regarded as brutish or contemptible)

 

(note 3) infected with=受感染

Infect=傳染,散佈病毒,侵染

Infected area [zone]=傳染病流行區 [地帶]

Donald Tsang’s courage infected his followers=Donald Tsang 的勇氣激勵了後來人

 

(note 4) closely monitored=嚴謹監控

 

(note 5) for pandemic preparedness purposes=目的是為了避免疾病流行全國做好準備

Pandemic=傳染性的,流行性的 (widespread; general)

No Fresh Chicken

There will be no fresh chicken on the table as families gather for Winter Solstice feasts today.

 

And vendors cashed in quickly after the government blocked supplies of live chickens for 21 days out of fear of bird flu – in some cases tripling the price of the chilled variety.

 

That had Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok telling retailers to act responsibly.

 

At a market stall in Shau Kei Wan, a whole chilled chicken was selling for $130 yesterday compared with $50 earlier in the week.

 

Similar price hikes bit elsewhere as government workers started culling 17,000 chickens that had been ready to be moved from a poultry (家禽) wholesale market in Cheung Sha Wan.

 

By then, authorities had raised the SAR’s avian flu alert to a “serious” level-one that calls for measures such as limiting visitors at public hospitals.

 

The alert came after a chicken carcass (屍體) found in a bin at the Cheung Sha Wan market tested positive for the highly pathogenic (引起疾病的) H5N1 virus.

 

Hong Kong last launched a big cull in December 2008, with about 90,000 chickens at a Yuen Long poultry farm being destroyed as avian flu struck.

 

While appealing to retailers to give consumer a fair deal, Chow also called for calm (保持沈默). Procedures that worked before had kicked in, he said, “so there’s no cause for alarm or thinking we’re not in control. We really are in control.”

 

Nobody has reported sick, but teams from the Centre for Health Protection are monitoring workers in the wholesale poultry market.

 

In fact, Chow admitted, authorities do not know where the carcass in the market bin came from. So experts are comparing the genetic (起源)sequencing of the carcass with samples of two just-found dead birds, university of Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung said that should be done within a few days.

 

Chow also said he will consider introducing a system such as rings on feet so authorities know the source of any chicken, though it will raise costs in the trade. About 15,000 live chickens are sold in Hong Kong on a normal day.

 

Inspectors from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department have already inspected all 30 local chicken farms and put them in the clear. And traders will now be compensated with the set price of $30 for each culled chicken.

 

A market source expressed concern, however, that the trade faces a loss of up to $10 million on the 21-day ban.

 

Still, the chairman of the Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers and Retailers Association, Tsui Ming-tuen, said the trade followed the stringent measures set by authorities.

 

He also suspects that wild birds were the source of the virus.

 

House wives, meanwhile, thought about what will be on the table tonight. May Lau Mei-yan said she rarely buys live chicken as it is expensive, “so it won’t affect my Winter Solstice dinner. We’ll be eating out anyway.”

 

Eva Lai Ka-wi said her family will dine at home, and meat other than chicken will feature because of the scare and the price hikes.

Lesson in misery (苦痛) for gay at school

Many gay and lesbian (note 1) students do not know who to turn to for help (note 3) when they get bullied at school.

 

A case in point (note 3) in Ah Wing, who kept is sexual orientation secret for many years for fear of (note 4) being bullied by classmates.

 

Eventually, when Ah Wing, 19, broke up with this boyfriend when he was in Form Five, his classmates found out.

 

“I was afraid of what people would think of me. When my classmates knew my secret, they threw stones at me and teased (取笑) me,” he said.

 

At other times he was forced to laugh along with the class when the teased made derogatory (降低品格的) remarks about homosexuals.

 

He said there were occasions when he skipped classes (逃學) because of the bullying and on one occasion he even attempted to commit suicide (note 5). Social worker Chau Chun-yam from the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association said teacher training in insufficient to deal with these issues (note 6) at school. “Teachers do not know how to counsel homosexual students and rarely address homosexuality in sex education classes.”

 

Joseph Cho Man-kit from Nutong Xueshe, a support group for homosexuals and bisexuals, said his group has approached schools to talk about homophobic (恐懼同性戀症) bullying but some rejected their suggestion saying it is an attempt to advocate homosexuality among student.

 

The association and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are working on a study of homophobic bullying in schools.

 

Only 20 percent of 300 bisexuals and homosexuals, aged between 13 to 21, said parents know of their sexual orientation (性取向) while 30 percent said teachers are aware.

 

Currently a post-secondary student, Ah Wing said he will only tell his parents once he becomes financially independent (財政獨立).

 

(note 1) gay and lesbian=男女同性戀者。

Gay=男同性戀者, Lesbian=女同性戀者

Gay=當形容詞語時解作快樂的,快樂的,花俏的

Gay colors=鮮豔的顏色

 

(note 2) turn to for help=尋找幫助。

Turn the clock back=倒退。

Turn the corner=轉危為安。

turn the knife in a wound=落井下石。

turn the scales=扭轉局面。

turn the screw=對某人施加壓力。

Turn up=出現,發生。

 

(note 3) a case in point=一個好例子。

Point=特點,要點,旨趣。

The weakest point=最大缺點。

Point of contact=接觸點。

There is no point in doing that=那沒有做的必要。

What is the point of getting angry?=發脾氣有什麼用處呢？

at [on] the point of=接近,靠近。

 

(note 4) for fear of=害怕。

fear=憂慮,擔心,顧慮,不安。

He was overcome by fear=他嚇壞了

She should not speak for fear=她嚇得說不出話來

Full of hopes and fears=滿希望和顧慮

No fear=沒事兒

There is no fear of their losing the battle=他們不會打敗仗的

For fear that [lest]=生怕,以免

go about in fear of one’s life=害怕會送命

 

(note 5) attempted to commit suicide=企圖自殺。

Attempt a difficult task=想完成一件艱難工作

 

(note 6) deal with these issues=對付這些問題

raw deal=不公平的待遇

square [fair] deal=公平待遇 [處理]

Double pay

不經不覺間已經於這間公司工作了一年多，這一年裏的體驗真的難忘，每日於公司都會上演著一場又場的鬥爭，於忙到透不過氣的工作同時，總會有不同的鬥爭出現令到我的工作增添了一點點的樂趣...

之前的一份工作做了三年但這間公司的員工福利一點兒也不好，對比起現在的公司雖然工作真的辛苦，但總算是得到了更大的回報，今日上網 check 下銀行戶口，看看已經獲得的double pay 總算是有一點點的回報。

既然double pay 已經到手，又係時候準備離開這公司了...如果唔係再做多兩個月，又會被5月份出的bouns所吸引住，令到我對這間公司難捨難離。但其實係咪應該再做多5個月出埋個bonus 先呢？因為都只係相差5個月的時間，苦惱