Testing expandable posts

One thing that happens when you blog is the tendency to write long entries. There are ways to shorten these posts and provide just a short summary, such as just this.

If these directions are accurate, then this will only appear after you have selected "read more". If not, then this will just look silly. Bear with me while I test this out.

UPDATE: Success! For those stuck, here are some tips:

1. If you use default Blogger templates you will need to add the

   <script>

   and

   </script>

   tags into the appropriate section.
2. The

   <data:post.body/>

   you are looking for only emerges if you select the "Expand Widget Templates" option on the Edit HTML menu.
   
3. Lastly, if you are looking for HTML codes to type in brackets without them disappearing (like I was trying to do with this post), this site was very useful.

UPDATE #2: I noticed that all my old posts were also including the "read more" link even if there was nothing further to read. This blog has a suggestion to change the code so that if you tag the post appropriately, the link will automatically appear when necessary.

UPDATE #3: In case you were wondering how to get rid of the "read more" link in the full page of your entry, the trick is to add in an additional if/then test. Here is what you should put in:

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'> 
<b:else/>
<b:if cond='data:post.labels'>
   <b:loop values='data:post.labels' var='label'>
      <b:if cond='data:label.name == "more"'>
         ... <a expr:href='data:post.url'><i>click here for more</i></a>.
      </b:if>
   </b:loop>
</b:if>
</b:if>

Good luck!
-- more --

Minibus Stop Bells

One discovery I made today was that the Minibus actually have a Stop Bell along the edge of the ceilings. One of the toughest things about riding the Minibus (in connection with not speaking Cantonese) is telling the driver went to stop and let you off. M tells me that only some of the Minibuses have them; this is the first time I've noticed them. Here's what to look out for:

Visit to the US Consulate

I had an appointment to the US Consulate today to fix my passport. Last week when I came back to HK there was a bit of an issue at immigration because they were a bit perplexed by my middle initial. They put me in a secondary screening, which was a hassle but luckily not too bad. However, they admonished me for only having a middle initial and insisted that the next time I have my passport amended to put my full middle name in the passport.

So, the way to change your passport at least in Hong Kong is to make an appointment at the consulate. Luckily, US citizens can make an appointment online here. There's a strange system set up though. After clearing through the initial security, going past long queues of locals looking for a US visa, and being relieved of my cell phone, I went upstairs to promptly confronting a rather confusing sign. First, you need to check in with the cashier before talking to someone in the consulate. Yet most people bypass it because you want your questions answered before deciding you want to pay the government. Then you get sent into the waiting area before you get called to a numbered bank teller-like booth. However, the signs also tell you to check in at booth #1 (which they call counter #1). Confused yet?

During the time there, most of the people were there to get extra passport pages, renew passports, notarize papers, or try to vote. Anyway, the consulate is willing to correct my passport but it will take 10 days before they can give me the new one. At least they said I can travel with my current passport until they give me the new one (at which point they will cancel the current passport). So we'll see if I can get it before my next trip.

Oh, definitely make an appointment if you get the chance because you'll be waiting much, much longer if you don't.

Photos: More Food (鳳城酒家)

From dinner last night at 鳳城酒家 (Fung Shing Restaurant Group) -

Some of the dishes:




Dessert (allegedly their signature dish and a can't miss - it was quite good):