Every year or so a bunch of Hong Kong loonies patriots get in a boat, sail out to the disputed Diaoyu islands, get seen off by the Japanese Coast Guard and come back to a "heroes' welcome". Warning, hyperbole ahead:

Hong Kong activists, who survived a clash with Japanese Coast Guard vessels last week in their bid to reclaim sovereignty over the disputed Diaoyu islands, are to petition Beijing to demand that legal action be taken against Tokyo for "attacking a Chinese boat in Chinese waters."

"The Japanese actually tried to murder us while we were on the high seas," said David Ko Wah-bing, a member of the protest crew who returned to the SAR Monday to a heroes' welcome after their unsuccessful mission. "This is the first time I've actually experienced someone trying to take my life."

Besides initiating legal action, the activists said Beijing must demand an apology from Japan.

The Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu islands declared the expedition an "absolute success." Although the activists were unable to plant a flag on the islands, committee member Ku Kwai-yiu said they had nevertheless made the relevant governments take note of the issue.

Lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung accused the Taiwanese government of "playing dirty tricks."

Leung, along with five Chinese American citizens and a Taiwanese legislator, had hoped to join the protest vessel from Taiwan, but the Bao Diao II was denied permission to enter Taiwanese waters.

On a completely different note, we're also told that large parts of Hong Kong could one day be submerged thanks to global warming. Has anyone noticed a downward trend in harbour-front property to reflect this? And the British report hasn't reckoned on Hong Kong's solution to any water problem: just reclaim it. If there's no harbour, nothing can get submerged and the government has a whole chunk of new property to sell. Thank you, global warming.