Why did you come to Hong Kong?

[dahoucia]

for real? so how do you like them egg tarts?

it's perfect food for tea time.

[Moobic]

How come no one minds the pollution? The 13098129048749857 people breathing down your neck?

I was born in HK and then moved away soon after. I can't seem to fall in love with it like you all do!

[Skyhook]

I often feel, that if Hong Kong increased its personal income tax rates, to say what Australia, France or Canada do, just how many of us would still be here....

Not many I suspect

[Load Toad]

I was a male stripper in a Go-Go bar, got kidnapped by Mormons - taxi dropped me off by Ebeneezers - the rest as they say is history.

[Load Toad]

I often feel, that if Hong Kong increased its personal income tax rates, to say what Australia, France or Canada do, just how many of us would still be here....

Swings and roundabouts; low income tax - property prices sky high for a rabbit hutch.

[Moobic]

Yes HK taxes are just in the form of high property prices

[Skyhook]

Yes HK taxes are just in the form of high property prices

Only if you purchased property during the peak swings...

I am happy with the way the property market works here, as it has benefited me, but my point was more aimed at your pollution comment, as to why people tolerate it.


Would professionally employed "expats" considering working here, be as tolerant about the pollution, if they were paying clean air, spacious nation, rates of income taxation...Especially if they came as a family, ie wife, kids, and the golden retriever.

That was my point and I should have addressed my comment to you Moobic, in better detail...apologies...

[Char Siu King]

How come no one minds the pollution? The 13098129048749857 people breathing down your neck?

!

For me, I choose pollution over getting sticked up or beaten on the street. Or shot. I'm a big city guy, and every western city of over a few million I've been to or lived in full of this stuff. Yep, HK is polluted, but so is London, Paris, NYC, Toronto. One just does not see the smog in these cities the same way as in HK where we have the harbour and and mountains to create a perfect backdrop for seeing the smog right before your eyes. I tell ya, a few trips in the London underground will leave your nose black and eyes full of soot, especially on a hot day when the windows are open (yep, they keep the windows open in the dirty as s**t tunnels).

Regarding the amount of people - you are right, but HK infastructure is built to handle the crowds (for example building up, which they are seemingly incapable of doing in big European cities), and the amazing modern public transportation network (completely lacking in for example Toronto where traffic is 8-12 lanes deep and you can sit for what seems like hours not going anywhere).

[Moobic]

Ok I have never been to Europe, Char Siu King. I had a nicer image of Europe though because of the way they generate the electricity i.e. nuclear power in France. I have only been to/lived in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Boston and NYC. I seem to find the pollution there more tolerable. Anyway it's nice to know how people view HK.

[MovingIn07]

I came here because I got an email from my boss, on Christmas day 2006 while hiking in New Zealand, which said "Would you like to move to HK"?

I guess, having lived in UK, KL, Melbourne and wellington, I just thought - "well why not give it a shot - can always leave if I don't like it!"