September posts

These are summaries of the September 2007 posts at www.ordinarygweilo.com

But not as we know it

In the Barrels, Shooting & Fish department, we have this latest "sponsored feature" in the Sunday Post, demonstrating that it's not necessary to write adverts in English:

In a breakthrough innovation for the concept of Suzuki cars successful integration into innovative thinking, pioneering global strategy of the model range, the orientation of successful launch since 2005 Grand Vitara, Swift and SX4 to be more clearly revealed. All car enthusiasts welcomed by the lead Suzuki promoted to the three major brands, significant sales growth plus received numerous awards.

Or to put it another way - we sold more vehicles than those losers at Mazda and Nissan, but we couldn't be bothered to hire a copywriter who knew English.

Oasis

I have to admit that I'm still intrigued by Oasis. Here's an interesting quote (in The Australian):

Stephen Miller, chief executive of Oasis, said: "Where are traditional carriers most vulnerable? They are vulnerable at the front (of the aircraft)."

I think that's correct (and I've been arguing that for a long time). This summer, Cathay and Virgin were offering discounted business class fares in July and August, and that must partially be a response to Oasis.

Mutually assured destruction

Jose Mourinho's sudden departure from Chelsea last week "by mutual consent" seemed rather shocking when the news first broke, but of course it wasn't really a surprise at all (apart from the timing). I am always intrigued when a manager is described as leaving "by mutual consent". What is it supposed to mean? In the wider context it's probably true that Mourinho and Abramovich couldn't work together, but with regard to what happened this week it seems to be (as so often) a euphemism for 'being sacked'.

Not free and not good

I see that the New York Times is the latest newspaper to abandon the 'pay wall' and make all their content freely available (links). How long can the SCMP hold out against this worldwide trend?

Pork Pies

It's that time of year again. Every Chinese restaurant has piles of Moon Cakes everywhere you look. Worse still, fridges across Hong Kong seem to be full of the wretched things, with hardly any space available for actual food or drink. I've never quite seen the attraction of these lard and sugar-filled delights. And who'd have guessed that they might be unhealthy?

Quick, slow...

I notice that the KCR is advertising their "direct" service from Tsim Sha Tsui East to Lok Ma Chau. The irony here is that when the "Southern Link" is completed in a couple of years, it will be necessary to change at Hung Hom so it won't be direct at all.

Puzzling

I used to think that Hong Kong supermarkets were easy enough to categorise.

• CitySuper and Great have lots of stuff I want, but can't afford
• Park'n'Shop certainly isn't Tesco or Sainsburys, but it is (just about) OK
• Wellcome generally isn't.
• CRC? Who goes there?

And, of course, the basics are available everywhere.

Or so I thought

More competition - higher prices

The most popular subject in Talkback (the SCMP's curious letter column that isn't) seems to be problems with Pay TV, and specifically the sports channels. This is an interesting example of greater competition not having the normal effect of reducing prices. Quite the contrary in fact - the cost of subscribing to all the sports channels in Hong Kong is much higher now than it was a few years.

Random Story Generator

The SCMP continues to amuse and entertain (in a good way, of course...). I was reading about new Blu-Ray Recorders (subscription required) and was directed to this story in the "related archives" saying that the BBC World Service plans to develop digital radio by 2003. What could possibly more relevant to a story about new Blu-ray high-definition optical disc recorders than a nearly ten year old story about the BBC World Service?

Room with a view

Back in 2004, the boss of Ultimo (a lingerie company in the UK), claimed that conditions in the dormitories at factories in Guangdong producing her company's products were similar to that of a 'Travel Inn'. Well, maybe not. Or at least not the dormitories for the workers. Now comes a story (I read it in The Sun, but it's everywhere), one elderly couple in the UK have been living in the same room in another budget hotel chain for 10 years - and before that they lived in another branch of the same chain for 12 years

Head for the hills

Did I miss this story in the SCMP? I found it in New Scientist (Tsunami risk for Hong Kong and Macao):

Hong Kong and Macao are enormous, sprawling economic centres perched on the coast. And both stand a 10 per cent chance of being hit by a serious tsunami in the next century, warn geophysicists. The warning follows a new assessment of how earthquakes along the nearby Manila trench could radiate tsunami waves across the South China Sea.

Closing down

Last week I mentioned that the drive-in cinema in Kowloon appeared to have closed down. Today comes confirmation of this in the SCMP (Drive-in cinema shuts after just 8 months - subscription required).

Free at last

Interesting news. Media conglomerate Sing Tao News Corp (1105) announced yesterday its English-language newspaper, The Standard, will switch to free circulation next Monday - a move industry observers expect to change the landscape of the Hong Kong media market.

Cheap fuel, expensive food

I see that today's SCMP has a longish piece about biofuel on the mainland (Enormous potential in laggard biofuel - subscription required). There was an interesting article in The Guardian (The looming food crisis) about the unintended consequences of developing alternative energy sources.

Beware of your belongings

The BBC reports (China dishes up menu translations) that the Beijing Tourism Bureau is trying to improve the English translations of restaurant menus in preparation for next year's Olympics.