Mayonnaise on the Road

9 Oct 2010 - Since the movie "Pulp Fiction" the world knows that the Dutch love their fries with mayonnaise. A few years ago I found out - to my big surprise - that the Japanese also enjoy their bit of mayonnaise. However, sometimes the mayonnaise distribution does not go as planned. A load of mayonnaise recently fell of the back of a lorry in japan and caused an eight-vehicle pile up, leaving three people injured. The accident, involving a motorcycle, two trucks and five cars, closed parts of a two lane highway for five hours in Hyogo prefecture, a police spokesperson said. Luckily nobody was seriously injured. The spokesperson explained  "What probably happened is that cars travellling behind the truck squashed the bottles of mayonnaise, spreading it on the road. The ingredients of eggs, vinegar and oil mean it is more slick and dangerous than snow."

Great Picture (22)

8 Oct 2010 - As mentioned a few days ago, I love pictures that tell a story. Sometimes the story is crystal clear, but it is even better when there is something to guess. I picked up this picture from the internet (sorry - the photographer was not named) and it is a typical picture that made me think. The symbolism is rather obvious: stormy weather ahead. Will the ship continue its course or change direction? The captain seems pretty determined to sail on, and the ship seems sturdy enough to weather the stormy seas.

Earthworms

8 Oct 2010 - I have reported earlier that the Chinese city of Guangzhou is getting ready for the Asia Games in November, but things never go as planned (as the organizers of the Delhi Commonwealth Games have painfully discovered). Hundreds of thousands of earthworms have crawled out onto the streets of Guangzhou, sparking fears that they could be harbingers of an earthquake, the Guangzhou Daily reports. Earthworms were found crawling out from the soil and many died on footpaths on Monday and Tuesday. They were found in various parts of the city, including the Yuexiu, Huadu, Liwan and Baiyun districts, but Li Jianxiong, a local earthworm expert, said the phenomenon was mostly triggered by climate change.

Making a De-Tour

7 Oct 2010 - A China Eastern flight from Shanghai is scheduled to land in Hong Kong at 11 am. Shortly before landing in Hong Kong, the pilot announces that the plane needs to make a de-tour to Hainan island due to weather conditions. At 2 pm, the flight heads to Hong Kong again, but as the plane approaches for the second time the pilot announces that they need to return to Shanghai due to bad weather. En route to Shanghai, the plane changes course again and suddenly lands in Fujian. No explanation is given why the plane makes the detour to Fujian  An investigation is started as it is suspected that the pilot has mental problems. China Eastern has "no comment", but please keep this story in mind when you book your next flight.

Grozny

7 Oct 2010 - A few years ago I almost made it to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, but it was too dangerous and I remained in neighboring Ingushetia, where thousands of Chechen refugees struggled for survival. The story of Chechnya is one of the forgotten stories of the 1990s and early 2000s. The small state was completely devastated by internal conflict and war, and thousands of people lost their lives - often in the most brutal manner. Since a few years Chechnya has stabilized, and Russian photographer Ilya Varlamov obtained rare access to the capital Grozny. His pictures can be seen on the BBC site, but are unfortunately too unsharp to copy and paste here. The city is being rebuilt, and this image shows the Akhmad Kadyrov mosque - named after the Chechen rebel turned President. The President was murdered in 2004, but his son Ramzan is now Chechnya's Russian backed President. Life seems to get back to normal in Chechnya, although it is probably still one of the most dangerous places on the planet.

Stolen Toilet Paper

6 Oct 2010 - Thieving locals are being blamed for a surge in toilet paper use at Beijing's public parks after statistics showed that each visitor appeared to be using an average of three meters a day, the Beijing news reports. During the National Day holiday, 11 Beijing municipal parks began providing nine public services, including drinking water, toilet paper and hand soap. It was reported that more than 2,300 rolls of toilet paper a day had been used in 142 toilets at the parks. Each roll of toiet paper is about 800 meters long and there have been about 652,400 visitors to the parks each day. Local authorities say most of the toilet paper was stolen by nearby residents. Otherwise, we may be confronted with an underreported diarrhoeal outbreak in the capital.

Welcome to Hong Kong

6 Oct 2010 - A lot has been said after the "Bus Auntie" incident - tour guide Li Hau-chun caught on video scolding her mainland tourist group for not shopping enough. But the story does not end there. Last week Taiwanese tourists visited a pharmacy in Tsim Sha Tsui, where they pay for a jar of ointment with a HKD 100 note. When the staff returns HKD 32, they wonder whether they have been conned. The group visits several other pharmacies and discover that the ointment is sold for around HKD 25. Two days later, they return to the pharmacy and ask for a refund. The staff refuses and throws items at them. One of the tourists films the whole saga on video and uploads it to YouTube. It is another bad example of the greedy mentality of Hong Kong folks. The video causes an outrage in Taiwan.

Wharf T&T

5 Oct 2010 - I am trying to close my accounts and utilities, which led to the following discussion with Wharff T&T hotline Customer Services Officer (remember that word) after one month of trying to end my telephone contract:
Me: I like to terminate the contract for my landline telephone number bla-bla-bla
Wharff T&T: One moment please ........
(long silence)
Wharff T&T: That number is already canceled, sir.
Me: I see. But I am using it right now ... it is still functioning ....!??
Wharff T&T: Our records show it is closed, sir.
Me: ... eh .... OK, so how much is the final payment?
Wharff T&T: We will send you the bill by the end of the month.
Me: Unfortunately I will leave 15 OCT to Europe, as communicated one month ago.
Wharff T&T: I see. Can you return from Europe to Hong Kong to collect the bill?
Me: Excuse me, you want me to fly from Europe Hong Kong to make the final payment?
Wharff T&T: Yes please.
Me: Will Wharff T&T pay for my ticket?
Wharff T&T (dead serious): That is not in our company policy, sir.
Me: Then I am afraid it is not not possible for me to return to Hong Kong
Wharff T&T: You will have to make the final payment, sir.
Me: I understand, so how can I do that?
Wharff T&T: Please call our hotline for advice. Good bye! (click & gone)
Me: %^%#$$)&^#!O*__*&*&(**%^%%$#$
I feel I am in a slapstick movie ...........

Lehman Memorabilia

5 Oct 2010 - There was only limited interest to buy Lehman Brothers after it failed two years ago and became the most prominent victim of the 2008 financial tsunami. However, there was an enormous appetite for Lehman memorabilia and its collection of art at a recent auction in London. Bankers came in search of a souvenir, and art lovers saw the opportunity to purchase for a bargain price. The total auction raised USD 2,5 million and many bidders were former Lehman staff. One of the highlights of the auction was selling the large metal nameplate that formerly hung at the London headquarters of the bank. It was sold by an anonymous telephone buyer for HKD 515,596. Other items that did well were an 1870 collection of the works of William Shakespeare and  two etching by Lucian Freud.

Great Picture (21)

5 Oct 2010 - Sometimes a great picture is just that : a great picture. It does not need any further explanation or text, because beauty speaks for itself. I usually like pictures that tell a story - and although this picture is of a different category it still blew me away. I just picked up from the internet .... so sorry, I do not know the photographer. Whomever it is, I salute him/her!

Charlie Brown at 60

4 Oct 2010 - Happy Birthday Charlie Brown! Peanuts, the iconic comic strip that became a favorite of hundreds of millions of people all over the world is celebrating its 60th anniversary. It means that Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy also turn 60 this week. The original strip, by Charles Schulz, first ran on 2 October 1950. The cartoon was published until 13 February 2000, the day after Schulz's death at the age of 77. It has appeared in more than 2,000 newspapers in 72 countries in 21 languages. A year long tribute to Schulz and to the Peanuts characters is scheduled for in the USA and around the world. In Hong Kong, a jewelry designer created a 14cm Snoopy crafted of diamonds and rubies, weighing 207 carats. One wonders what Charlie Brown would think of that?

Spend Spend Spend

4 Oct 2010 - It is the National Day "golden week" and mainland tourists flocked to Hong Kong armed with money and shopping bags to shop til they drop. The Hong Kong Tourism Board predicts that up to 760,000 mainland visitors will visit the city trhoughout the week - up 30% from last year. Retailers expect double-digit growth in turnover. Most mainland tourists have done their homework and know exactly where to go and what to go for. Traditionally, Tsim Sha Tsui is a shoppers' paradise, but Central, Causeway Bay and luxury-brands mall Elements are also popular destinations. Many visitors have opted for more expensive tours or are travelling on their own instead of joining the bargain tours. Despite the influx, experts commented that Hong Kong could easily see one million visitors in the coming years as many mainland visitors went to Shanghai to visit the Expo.

Monkey Police

3 Oct 2010 - Today the Commonwealth Games kick off in Delhi, India. After all the bad publicity it is time for a lighter note, and pay tribute to the black-faced langur monkeys, who assist the Delhi police chasing away smaller stray monkeys. Groups of stray monkeys have terrorized the city for years and it seems the langurs are the only primates that can take on the bands of rhesus macaques without fear. The langurs have been thoroughly trained - sometimes for three years - and have been taught not to run away, to listen and to obey certain commands. The langurs bare a large set of strong teeth, known to kill smaller animals in seconds. Delhi residents are happy with the langurs. One person commented: "We need these creatures more than anything else in Delhi. Stray monkeys are such a problem here that it is difficult to step out with children. I have seen the langurs at work at the Presidential estate and I really admire how they take on those trouble-makers.". The langurs are fed with chick peas and fruits.

Girl Bands

3 Oct 2010 - Remember the Spice Girls, the Bangles, Twins and (hey Dutchies!) the Dolly Dots. Well, girl bands are still in fashion. South Korea has seen a recent increase in the number of girls (and boys) bands, which led to concerns among parents and members of Parliament. It is now decided that the South Korean Parliament will launch an inquiry into claims that performances by teenage girl pop groups are too sexually suggestive. A lawmakers' aid working for the Grand National Party said "Some of the popular girl groups are aged 13 to 14 ... we need some legal devices to protect those young performers from possible abuse and exploitation." The older public seems to agree, but teenagers are calling for more, more, more. A new six-girl group just debuted last month, and the promoters tried to calm down sentiments by explaining that the average age of the girls is 15 years old.