May 15, 2025

Domino is a name with a lot of potential. The word has the same root as dominoes, the game pieces that have become so well-known, but also a few other etymological links that are interesting.

The word domino is an Italian diminutive of the Latin domina, meaning “favour or grace.” It has been associated with several different etymological ideas, including a long hooded garment worn together with a mask at carnival season and at a masquerade ball; it may have even referred to the cape that a priest wears over his surplice.

A domino is a rectangular piece with a flat bottom and raised pips. Traditionally, it is made from bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted. Alternatively, dominoes can be made from stone (e.g. marble, granite or soapstone); other woods (e.g. ash, oak, or redwood); metals; ceramic clay; and even glass and crystal. The most common domino sets are made from polymer materials such as styrene, but there is an increasing market for handmade dominoes, often crafted from traditional materials.

There is a wide variety of games that can be played with dominoes, from simple blocking and scoring games to complex structures such as 3D walls and stacked pyramids. Despite their small size, dominoes are actually surprisingly powerful. A study by University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead demonstrated that a domino can knock down objects about one-and-a-half times its own size.

For an artistic take on this popular pastime, try creating domino art. Start with a design for the track, whether a straight line, a curved line, a grid that forms pictures when they fall, or something else, and draw arrows to show how you would like the dominoes to fall. You can then use the number of dominoes needed to complete your design, and make the track as big or as small as you want.

The most famous domino artist is Hevesh, who has more than 2 million YouTube subscribers and creates intricate domino setups for movies and events. Her largest designs can take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but once the first domino is set down, it has the power to trigger a chain reaction. Whether you plot your manuscript in detail or fly by the seat of your pants, using this concept as an inspiration for your work could help you create a more compelling story.

Hong Kong is well-known as being a leading centre for data management and hosting. It is the location of some of the most advanced and secure Data Centers in the world, serving many of the world’s most important companies. It is also a major hub for international data flows, particularly with mainland China. As a result, there is significant demand for efficient and reliable means of transferring personal data across borders.

The Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (“PCPD”) has recently issued a new set of model contractual clauses in respect of cross-border data transfers. The new clauses are designed to be used by data users when transferring personal data overseas, as a way of fulfilling their obligations under the PDPO. However, the clauses are not a statutory restriction on the transfer of data outside of Hong Kong. In fact, it seems increasingly likely that section 33 of the PDPO will never come into force in Hong Kong.

For the sake of clarity, it is important to remember that under Hong Kong law, a “data user” refers to any person who controls the collection, holding, processing or use of personal data. This includes any person who controls the collection, holding, or processing of personal data on behalf of another entity. Consequently, the PCPD’s model contractual clauses are intended to cover a wide range of situations where the PDPO might apply. This would include any situation where a data user was importing personal data from the European Economic Area (“EEA”) into Hong Kong, or exporting personal data to the EEA from Hong Kong.

In these circumstances, the PDPO requires that data users notify the data subjects of the classes of personal data being transferred abroad and the purposes for which the personal data is collected. This obligation is also known as the “PICS” requirement. Moreover, the PDPO provides that data users must comply with a number of other statutory obligations when collecting personal data. This would include requirements such as DPP1 (purpose of collection) and DPP3 (use of personal data).

Finally, the PDPO requires that a data user identify and adopt any supplementary measures necessary to bring the level of protection provided in the foreign jurisdiction up to Hong Kong standards. This might include technical measures such as encryption or pseudonymisation, or contractual provisions such as audit, inspection and reporting, beach notification and compliance support and co-operation.

Although a transfer impact assessment is not mandatory under Hong Kong law, it is a good idea in many circumstances. For example, there are growing numbers of cases where a Hong Kong data importer will need to undertake a transfer impact assessment in order to agree to standard contractual clauses with a data exporter from the EEA. This is because the laws of the EEA are not yet comparable to those of Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” principle. It is important that any such assessments take account of the need to provide adequate legal protections when transferring data to the EEA.