The argument I am making is that simply following the regulations that exist in Hong Kong is not enough to have prevented this tragedy.
That this building could go up in exactly the same way, even with to-spec netting and no foam, because of putting a flammable material in a chimney.
That this building could go up in exactly the same way, even with to-spec netting and no foam, because of putting a flammable material in a chimney.
December 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
The argument I am making is that simply following the regulations that exist in Hong Kong is not enough to have prevented this tragedy.
That this building could go up in exactly the same way, even with to-spec netting and no foam, because of putting a flammable material in a chimney.
That this building could go up in exactly the same way, even with to-spec netting and no foam, because of putting a flammable material in a chimney.
Also, and I know that this is _highly_ dependent, but the photo in this graphic for "foam insulation boards were highly flammable" is taken post-fire, showing foam insulation boards that didn't burn behind melted netting.
December 3, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Also, and I know that this is _highly_ dependent, but the photo in this graphic for "foam insulation boards were highly flammable" is taken post-fire, showing foam insulation boards that didn't burn behind melted netting.
If you're referring to Shanghai, their metal scaffold had bamboo flooring which you can see burning away in this photo:
December 3, 2025 at 4:32 PM
If you're referring to Shanghai, their metal scaffold had bamboo flooring which you can see burning away in this photo:
This is at the start of the fire, the most critical juncture of the entire thing.
Scaffolding burning, netting not burning. Massive chimney effect.
Scaffolding burning, netting not burning. Massive chimney effect.
December 1, 2025 at 4:36 AM
This is at the start of the fire, the most critical juncture of the entire thing.
Scaffolding burning, netting not burning. Massive chimney effect.
Scaffolding burning, netting not burning. Massive chimney effect.
No fire alarms, windows covered in foam, and shut because of construction.
Death toll is only this “low” because it happened during the day.
Knowledge of the fire was incidental.
Death toll is only this “low” because it happened during the day.
Knowledge of the fire was incidental.
November 30, 2025 at 2:27 PM
No fire alarms, windows covered in foam, and shut because of construction.
Death toll is only this “low” because it happened during the day.
Knowledge of the fire was incidental.
Death toll is only this “low” because it happened during the day.
Knowledge of the fire was incidental.
I assert that this photo I just took of a construction site near my home, which for this exercise we’ll assume is 100% up to code, is at exactly equivalent fire risk to the failure we saw at Wang Fuk.
November 30, 2025 at 4:58 AM
I assert that this photo I just took of a construction site near my home, which for this exercise we’ll assume is 100% up to code, is at exactly equivalent fire risk to the failure we saw at Wang Fuk.
This photo is interesting for contrasts. Very few external scorch marks on the adjacent buildings, most of the bamboo scaffolding present and limited scaffolding collapse.
Unclear what happened to the bamboo on the center building covered in scorch marks. Mostly absent from the photo.
Unclear what happened to the bamboo on the center building covered in scorch marks. Mostly absent from the photo.
November 29, 2025 at 7:24 AM
This photo is interesting for contrasts. Very few external scorch marks on the adjacent buildings, most of the bamboo scaffolding present and limited scaffolding collapse.
Unclear what happened to the bamboo on the center building covered in scorch marks. Mostly absent from the photo.
Unclear what happened to the bamboo on the center building covered in scorch marks. Mostly absent from the photo.
More post-fire pictures of foam boards on windows.
November 29, 2025 at 6:48 AM
More post-fire pictures of foam boards on windows.
A look at some of the styrofoam boards on windows since not enough people are posting them.
November 29, 2025 at 6:38 AM
A look at some of the styrofoam boards on windows since not enough people are posting them.
This is what the foam looked like.
I don’t think there was any saving the first one. But the other blocks should have been able to avoid being bridged to this.
I don’t think there was any saving the first one. But the other blocks should have been able to avoid being bridged to this.
November 29, 2025 at 6:09 AM
This is what the foam looked like.
I don’t think there was any saving the first one. But the other blocks should have been able to avoid being bridged to this.
I don’t think there was any saving the first one. But the other blocks should have been able to avoid being bridged to this.
This is what work platforms regularly look like, even in a bamboo scaffold.
November 29, 2025 at 5:53 AM
This is what work platforms regularly look like, even in a bamboo scaffold.
One of these materials is burning and fueling the spread of the fire, and it’s not the netting.
November 29, 2025 at 3:13 AM
One of these materials is burning and fueling the spread of the fire, and it’s not the netting.
Netting still up on most buildings. Plenty of samples available.
November 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Netting still up on most buildings. Plenty of samples available.
Here's inputs to my getting blocked by a person defending the usage of bamboo scaffolding.
November 28, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Here's inputs to my getting blocked by a person defending the usage of bamboo scaffolding.
There is an adjacent building, also cladded in scaffolding, which did not ignite. Seems like an improved safety margin to me.
This is also a fire from 15 years ago, and I can point to three scaffolding fires in Hong Kong in 18 months.
This is also a fire from 15 years ago, and I can point to three scaffolding fires in Hong Kong in 18 months.
November 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM
There is an adjacent building, also cladded in scaffolding, which did not ignite. Seems like an improved safety margin to me.
This is also a fire from 15 years ago, and I can point to three scaffolding fires in Hong Kong in 18 months.
This is also a fire from 15 years ago, and I can point to three scaffolding fires in Hong Kong in 18 months.
Hong Kong's housing costs baselined to the CCPI tells quite a story.
These are unit prices of comparable units in one particular building. Lighter dots are lower floors.
In "purchasing-power-per-dollar" (housing priced in hamburgers) these apartments are the cheapest since 2010.
These are unit prices of comparable units in one particular building. Lighter dots are lower floors.
In "purchasing-power-per-dollar" (housing priced in hamburgers) these apartments are the cheapest since 2010.
November 21, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Hong Kong's housing costs baselined to the CCPI tells quite a story.
These are unit prices of comparable units in one particular building. Lighter dots are lower floors.
In "purchasing-power-per-dollar" (housing priced in hamburgers) these apartments are the cheapest since 2010.
These are unit prices of comparable units in one particular building. Lighter dots are lower floors.
In "purchasing-power-per-dollar" (housing priced in hamburgers) these apartments are the cheapest since 2010.
I made a milk tea cup Lego creation out of the Lego Classic box I … got for my kids?
You believe me, right?
You believe me, right?
November 8, 2025 at 2:56 PM
I made a milk tea cup Lego creation out of the Lego Classic box I … got for my kids?
You believe me, right?
You believe me, right?
I have my study materials!
October 31, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I have my study materials!
The Hong Kong Information Services department has a rotating ad insertion tool. It's hosted here: promotion.isd.gov.hk
What caught my attention was this advertisement: psd-promotion.isd.gov.hk/system/files...
The campaign links to: www.nsed.gov.hk/hkp/#%E9%82%...
What caught my attention was this advertisement: psd-promotion.isd.gov.hk/system/files...
The campaign links to: www.nsed.gov.hk/hkp/#%E9%82%...
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 AM
The Hong Kong Information Services department has a rotating ad insertion tool. It's hosted here: promotion.isd.gov.hk
What caught my attention was this advertisement: psd-promotion.isd.gov.hk/system/files...
The campaign links to: www.nsed.gov.hk/hkp/#%E9%82%...
What caught my attention was this advertisement: psd-promotion.isd.gov.hk/system/files...
The campaign links to: www.nsed.gov.hk/hkp/#%E9%82%...
To benefit from this a household must be earning more than HK$394,000 annually. The median Hong Kong household earns HK$480,000 annually. To maximize the benefit from this, a household must be earning at least HK$724,000.
This is a tax break for rich parents.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
This is a tax break for rich parents.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
September 17, 2025 at 12:22 PM
To benefit from this a household must be earning more than HK$394,000 annually. The median Hong Kong household earns HK$480,000 annually. To maximize the benefit from this, a household must be earning at least HK$724,000.
This is a tax break for rich parents.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
This is a tax break for rich parents.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Also, if you squint, we might be seeing generational harmonics in the graph from the baby boomer generation.
If so, we're in a briefly stable period before the bottom falls out.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
If so, we're in a briefly stable period before the bottom falls out.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
September 2, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Also, if you squint, we might be seeing generational harmonics in the graph from the baby boomer generation.
If so, we're in a briefly stable period before the bottom falls out.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
If so, we're in a briefly stable period before the bottom falls out.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
The 2025-2026 class count reduction is in line with what we would expect from Hong Kong child population trends.
Next year's 2026-2027 application counts are mostly a continuation of the current slow decline.
The 2027-2028 School Year will be apocalyptic for schools.
Next year's 2026-2027 application counts are mostly a continuation of the current slow decline.
The 2027-2028 School Year will be apocalyptic for schools.
September 2, 2025 at 3:45 AM
The 2025-2026 class count reduction is in line with what we would expect from Hong Kong child population trends.
Next year's 2026-2027 application counts are mostly a continuation of the current slow decline.
The 2027-2028 School Year will be apocalyptic for schools.
Next year's 2026-2027 application counts are mostly a continuation of the current slow decline.
The 2027-2028 School Year will be apocalyptic for schools.
Hong Kong tends to have immigrant children most years, but something strange is going on for kids born between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
Did our early Year of the Dragon babies (February 10, 2024 – June 30, 2024) all ... leave? Is this expiring Top Talent Pass visas with kids leaving?
Did our early Year of the Dragon babies (February 10, 2024 – June 30, 2024) all ... leave? Is this expiring Top Talent Pass visas with kids leaving?
August 22, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Hong Kong tends to have immigrant children most years, but something strange is going on for kids born between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
Did our early Year of the Dragon babies (February 10, 2024 – June 30, 2024) all ... leave? Is this expiring Top Talent Pass visas with kids leaving?
Did our early Year of the Dragon babies (February 10, 2024 – June 30, 2024) all ... leave? Is this expiring Top Talent Pass visas with kids leaving?
For when I eventually get blocked.
August 19, 2025 at 4:45 AM
For when I eventually get blocked.
But check out this beautiful 1/64 minibus from Tomytec.
August 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM
But check out this beautiful 1/64 minibus from Tomytec.