China Milk Scandal: Cadbury, M&Ms, Snickers and Oreo

I hope that by the time milk scare in China start to show up, we have been more cautious on buying milk and dairy products. Just as I posted a list of products with high melamine content, more products are now being recalled and removed from shopping shelves more as a precautionary measure than a conclusive melamine content.

From The Standard:

British sweet maker Cadbury said yesterday it had recalled its China-made chocolates from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia after tests "cast doubt" on their safety.

There's more than just Cadbury. Supermarket giant ParknShop has removed three popular snack products -- M&M's, Snickers and Oreo, following reports in Indonesia that they were found to contain Melamine. But it was quick to say that only products made in China were removed.

As Christmas season approaches, you'll notice that Watsons, a shop more closely associated with beauty products and pain relievers, will start piling Toblerones, Cadburys and other chocolate bars. Filipinos who are fond of sending stuff back home would love to include these choco bars. But if they are now affected, their relatives would be hesitant to take a bite.

Unless this controversy subsides, Hong Kong shops might want to study China-made food products with milk ingredients. It's more about ensuring public health than stereotyping China as manufacturing hub of defective products.

Traveling to Chiang Mai

I will be off for a week to go on a trip to Thailand where I will be meeting an old friend and former colleague at PCCW here in Hong Kong.

This will be my fourth visit to Thailand but this is the first time I will be going to other provinces. Chiang Mai is a sure place I will go, and the rest could be a tossup between Khao Yai, Chiang Rai or Ayutthaya.

Again I will be traveling alone as my supposed travelmates this time backed out. Nonetheless, I hope this is another learning experience just the same as my previous travels (alone or with companions).

I hope to continue blogging even if I am far from the comforts of my own PC just like I did when I was in Sydney, Vienna, Davao, Phoenix, Ho Chi Minh and Amsterdam.

Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella

My colleague Daniel is one of the cast members of Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical which will be held on October 18 to 22 at Hong Kong City Hall Centre.

The musical presentation is based on the Academy Award winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the well-known songs from the film, plus new songs written especially for the Broadway version.

Interested parties may visit www.urbtix.hk or call 2734 9009 for more details. Tickets cost HK$350.

Meanwhile, Lea Salonga will return to Hong Kong for the Cinderella musical which will be held on 5-16 November at Hong Kong Cultural Center, Grand Theatre.

Lea Salonga is now 37 years old but here's Lea Salonga when she was 18.



I'd like to watch both shows but am unsure which one.

More Melamine: Heinz, Crackers, Lotte Koala March

As China's milk scandal continues, more products have been discovered to have the industrial melamine.

Heinz DHA+AA Vegetable Formula Cereal for babies, made on the mainland, tested positive for melamine at a level of 1.6mg per kilogram, the Centre for Food Safety said yesterday. The news comes after Lotte Koala's March soft milk chocolate-filled biscuits tested positive for melamine.

The centre also found melamine in Silang House of Steamed Potato Wasabi Crackers, which is made in Dongguan. The samples contained 18mg of the chemical per kilogram. A three year-old child weighing 10kg would exceed the daily limit by eating three-quarters of a packet.

It's a shame that only a few years ago, Yili and Mengniu were competing for top spot in China's milk market.

In summary, here are the products found to have significant traces of melamine (and their manufacturers/distributors):

* Natural Choice Yogurt Flavoured Ice Bar with Real Fruit (Shanghai Yili AB Foods Co., Ltd)
* Yili Bean Club Matcha red bean ice bar (Shanghai Yili AB Foods Co., Ltd)
* Yili Bean Club- Red bean milk bar (Shanghai Yili AB Foods Co., Ltd)
* Yili Prestige Chocliz - Dark Chocolate Bar (Shanghai Yili AB Foods Co., Ltd)
* Yili Super Bean Red Bean Chestnut Ice Bar (Shanghai Yili AB Foods Co., Ltd)
* Nestle Dairy Farm UHT Pure Milk 1L (Nestlé Qingdao Limited)
* Yili High calcium low fat milk beverage (Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd.)
* Yili High Calcium Milk Beverage (Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd.)
* Yili Pure Milk (Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd.)
* Four Seas Cake (Strawberry Flavour) - (Four Seas Mercantile Limited)
* Heinz DHA+AA Vegetable Formula Cereal
* Silang House of Steamed Potato Wasabi Cracker (Dong Guan Kam Tai Co., Ltd)
* White Rabbit Creamy Candies (Shanghai GuanShengYuan Food General Factory)
* Koala's March cookies (Lotte China Foods)

I hope the list won't grow much longer. While there are those that failed tests, there are much more that were satisfactory and safe from the toxic chemical.

Unlocked iPhone Now On Sale in Hong Kong!

In case you are searching for unlocked iPhone, it is now available in Hong Kong! As a proof to this, I looked at the Apple Hong Kong website and noticed the text below the featured models:

iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier. Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation.

As I understand the statement above, this means that if I buy a unit and insert my existing SIM card, it should work. There was no mention that it works only for 3 (the first HK phone line to claim exclusive rights to sell iPhone bundled with its outrageous contracts) or Smartone or PCCW Mobile or any other line.

The price is still a bit expensive compared to conventional mobile phone units but it's definitely more worth getting for obvious reasons.

You don't have to queue to get this unlocked phone as this guy did. And perhaps it's worth the wait because you don't get tied to the expensive plans (and relatively bad customer service) of 3. I'm not jealous. All you have to do is to make the purchase online and Apple will arrange delivery of your new unlocked iPhone. Sounds cool, eh?

Call 800-908-988 if you have questions and you're currently in Hong Kong.

By the way, iPhone is now available to 29 more countries: Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Qatar, Senegal, South Africa, Turkey and Venezuela.

HSBC Job Cuts

CNN reports that HSBC, the world's local bank is laying off 1,100 employees worldwide, including 100 in Hong Kong in the wake of the global economic turmoil. Methinks it's just the first blood and makes me feel nervous already.

Banking giant HSBC Holdings says it is cutting 1,100 jobs worldwide in the wake of the financial turmoil.

Spokesman Gareth Hewett in Hong Kong said Friday the London-based lender is laying off 4 percent of the global banking and market operations, with half of them taking place in the bank's operation in the United Kingdom.

In Hong Kong, HSBC, which operates in Britain, Europe, Asia and the Americas, is laying off 100 staff.

Peter Wong, the banking group's executive director for Hong Kong and China, did not rule out the possibility of further layoffs.

So does this mean there will be less people taking care of customers, like answering calls for rewards enquiries and make longer queues in local branches?

NHL Games To Be Shown In Asia

If you are a hockey fan, fond of watching National Hockey League games in USA and Canada or an expat following NHL teams such as Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings or Washington Capitals, rejoice now, for the league announced Thursday that the Hong Kong-based All Sports Network (ASN) has signed a multi-year deal to obtain rights to show games throughout much of Asia, including India and China.

More than 130 regular-season games will be televised on ASN's channel Yes TV along with the all-star game, playoffs, Stanley Cup final and NHL highlight programs.

For one reason or another, NHL season coincides with NBA. However, I think there should be no problem with that.

ASN has rights to broadcast the NHL via all forms of television, including HDTV.

The network will start showing games in South Korea during the second year of the deal. The deal does not include rights to Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Star Ferry Fare Increase: 6 Reasons I Support It

The next time I get on board the Star Ferry, I might be paying a little more than the fare I used to in the past. The Transport Advisory Committee has approved the petition to raise fares of the popular cross harbour transport service. The agency was convinced that Star Ferry is in financial trouble.

The affected route is the busy Central-Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai-Tsim Sha Tsui routes. Star Ferry previously applied for a 30 cent increase during weekdays and 80 cent increase during weekends and holidays. The reason for such fare structure is to minimize the effect of fare increase on people who regularly use this transport mode such as office workers, messengers and students.

This means that if such fare is approved, the lower deck will cost HK$2 on weekdays and HK$2.50 on weekdays and holidays. Upper deck will now be HK$2.50 on weekdays and HK$3 on weekends and holidays.

I personally would support the fare hike because Star Ferry brings great things to me on basically every ride. Here are my reasons.

1. If I am in Central, the easiest route to Harbour City, Avenue of the Stars and Hong Kong Space Museum is by taking the Star Ferry.

2. Even if I pay HK$3, it is still much less than what I would pay to cross Victoria Harbour if I take the bus or MTR.

3. Star Ferry fare is deceivingly cheap but it doesn't mean the destination isn't convenient. There are actually buses close to ferry terminals at Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai.

4. You won't need to pay a premium to view the majestic Victoria Harbour. A ride from and to Tsim Sha Tsui from/to Wan Chai and Central will most likely be sufficient enough.

5. Star Ferry has been deprived of a slice of history as its Central terminal has been closed and relocated. Nonetheless, the new edifice is a refreshing Victorian look and is more spacious this time.

6. Star Ferry don't need to prove much that it's struggling financially. It needs money to address rising fuel costs, maintain its fleet and ferry facilities, keep its ferry crew and utility men happy, and continue to serve as Hong Kong's wonderful attraction.

For us commuters it's definitely an addition to cost of living in Hong Kong. A few days ago, the government approved an application that would allow an increase of up to 8.5 per cent on short and middle-haul urban taxi trips, although a discount of 20 per cent on long trips costing HK$300 is also provided.

But it's a fare increase that is justified. We can't view the postcard beauty of Victoria Harbour (that makes us proud residents of Hong Kong) if we take the MTR. If we ask for a raise in our jobs, these great folks working at Star Ferry also wishes the same.

If things won't work out right for Star Ferry, it's a disaster. Hong Kong could lose a valuable landmark. Hong Kong without Star Ferry is almost like Paris without Eiffel Tower or Egypt without the Pyramids of Giza.

Bank of East Asia Rumors: Is It Safe to Stay at Bigger Banks?

Bank of East Asia is not a small bank by any means. It is Hong Kong's largest independent bank and third largest bank in the city.

Yet, for people who heard "electronic whispers" that the bank does not have sufficient funds to meet customer requests, it is not difficult to rush to banks or ATM booths, form a line and wait for their turns. Some were willing to spend the night queuing just to ensure that they get their money back.

The bank claims that it is financially sound. As of June 30, 2008, the total consolidated assets of BEA stood at HK$396.6 billion. The bank's capital adequacy ratio is 14.6 per cent, well above the international required level.

So what seems to be prompting these people to believe these whispers through their mobile phones or discussion groups? This reminds me of how Filipinos treat SMS messages. Sometimes there are rumors spread than an actor or actress has died in an accident, the government has imposed martial rule or even predicting an earthquake will strike at a precise moment.

Now TV: Now-here in Service

My cable TV is malfunctioning for the past three weeks or so. I am not watching it often so I didn't pay too much attention getting it fixed myself. What I did though was to follow the instruction shown in the error message on the screen: check the wiring, restart the decoder by turning it off and on (to no avail) and contact the technical support number. As nobody answers the phone call at around 8:30-9pm time slot, I resorted to go online and post my request for support.

Oh, I didn't mention the name of the cable company. Uhm, do I need to? In Hong Kong, there is almost a monopoly in broadband TV service. And this is ruled by PCCW's NOW Broadband TV. All others are becoming less significant as NOW TV is eating their share.

As I received the e-mail response from the cable company, I noticed that it was just an autoresponder telling me that my message has been successfully received. A little later, someone called me and set up an appointment to make a house visit to check the defective decoder. The agreement was reached: Friday, 19th of September noon time. Make a call first before heading to my small room.

The day came but the assigned person somehow got stuck in the elevator or got lost somewhere along the way. Until now I still can't watch National Geographic or Star Movies.

Is the lame customer response due to the bad pay rate to NOW TV workers? Overworked workers who traverse the island and beyond many times a day? Unfamiliar with how the system works?

I have complaints about bad shows on certain channels, but at least I can easily flip through the coin and ensure that there is fair play.

Now if only customer support is the same as advertised by ANZ and DHL, life would be better.

Now Available: Cakes and White Rabbit Melamine Flavor

Cake, White Rabbit and melamine can now be used in a sentence.

Are you fond of eating cakes in Hong Kong? Think again, as a cake product has been found to have that dreaded chemical called melamine. Not only that, the same chemical was found in Chinese White Rabbit candies. I often chew a few of them in a week in the office with my colleague William; I like the white, he likes the red bean flavor.

The Hong Kong government said Tuesday the industrial chemical was found in the Four Seas brand of strawberry flavored cake. Four Seas is a Hong Kong company.

The severity of the tainted milk scandal swelled past the Chinese border as two more children in Hong Kong have been diagnosed with kidney stones after drinking tainted milk. That brings to the total HK kids affected to four.

Now I see the concern of my friends who themselves have young children. News is out that some parents are in a panic mode and the lines to hospitals for checkup is long.

Tainted baby formula has sickened nearly 53,000 Chinese infants and has already cost the head of the country's food safety watchdog his job. Four deaths are blamed on contaminated milk powder.

Now, I have to stop eating White Rabbit candies!

Meanwhile, stocks of one of China's biggest milk producers, China Mengniu Dairy, saw its stock price fall slightly more than 60 percent in Hong Kong trading Tuesday after its products were found tainted with the industrial chemical melamine.

I don't care if it falls 60 or 99.9 percent. If Mengniu didn't make these checks before milk products go out of its production lines, then its stocks deserve a beating. They are producing products aimed at making people healthy so they should consider quality assurance tests first before considering quality profits.

Hong Kong and Macau Concerts

In case you are in the mood for live entertainment, there are great concerts scheduled in Hong Kong in the next several weeks.

Billy Joel is coming to Hong Kong on 12 November at AsiaWorld-Arena. Ticket prices are HK$480, HK$880 and HK$1,280.

Fahrenheit will grace the same venue on 26-27 September with ticket prices at HK$480; HK$380; HK$280; HK$180.

Kylie Minogue is in Hong Kong for a concert on 27 November at AsiaWorld-Arena; ticket prices at HK$380, HK$680, HK$980, HK$1280. HK$1880.

Misia will be at AsiaWorld-Arena on 4 October. Ticket prices: $790, $490, $290.

Linkin Park is coming to Macau on 21 October at CotaiArena, Macau. Concert ticket rates at Macau Pataca (MOP) $880, MOP$680, MOP$580, MOP$380.

Avril Lavigne holds a concert on 26 September at CotaiArena, Macau. Ticket prices are pegged at MOP$880, MOP$680, MOP$380.

Leah Salonga will perform as Cinderella on 5-16 November at Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

It would be great to join one of these concerts especially when I remember that great time I had when The Cure was in town.

Hong Kong Paralympics Success

I pondered on Hong Kong's performance over the just concluded Beijing Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Hong Kong sent athletes to compete in both Games. For obvious reasons, the Olympics got a lion's share of publicity because it's where the world's fastest, strongest and highest compete. On the other hand, Paralympic events were only served as highlights.

But Hong Kong's Paralympic athletes got what their able bodied counterparts failed to achieve. Hong Kong's pride in the Olympics couldn't win a medal but the Paralympic athletes got 11 medals: five gold, three silver and three bronze.

Would it make Hong Kong people feel a better sense of patriotism had they seen the heroic acts of disabled athletes in the Games that won them medals? If the able-bodied athletes were covered extensively and did not win medals, doing the same for the Paralympic medalists could be the spark Hong Kong people need to be proud of this city and its athletes.

New Wan Chai Market and The Zenith

A short while ago, I went to Wan Chai wet market to buy alimango (mud crab) for tomorrow's lunch. I happen to see the new Wan Chai wet market and visit its stalls inside. It's a spacious place to shop and air conditioned so shoppers won't sweat like they do when they buy at shops outdoors; fish, vegetables and fruit sellers are still in their old shops as tenants of the new location are former owners of stalls in the Old Wanchai market.

The location of the new market is beside an upscale residential building called The Zenith. From their entrances in Queens Road East, there are similarities between Wanchai Market and The Zenith. Once I saw a sign that read "To Market" with an arrow pointing to the left, I know that many confused shoppers (or those who don't read signs) end up entering the wrong door. They went to The Zenith but found lobby seats instead of veggies or meat and nobody sells anything.

Did guards have their hands full directing shoppers to the right entrance during the early days of opening?

As I couldn't find the vegetables I was looking for, I left the new market and eventually found them in stalls outside.

Weekend Tidbits: Poor Mengniu and Light Pollution at Windsor House

The tainted milk scare in China that involved contaminated products that killed a few children and sickened thousands of others, shops of big supermarket chains in Hong Kong removed all Mengniu products off its shelves just hours after mainland authorities revealed that milk produced by Mengniu and other leading companies for sale on the mainland was contains the industrial chemical called melamine.

Mengniu was heavily promoted in Hong Kong not too long ago, especially during the historic launch of spacecraft that sent the first Chinese spaceman into orbit (hence the ad in the photo). I guess now, the marketing budget is directed from outdoor ads to public relations to mitigate the public fury over what seems to be false advertising. Bring me to the moon, eh!

I just came from grocery at nearby Wellcome shop and realized that most products sold in Hong Kong grocery shops like this one are made in China. From toothpaste to biscuits and noodles to veggies, many of these products crossed the border. China's products are cheap yet consumers are perpetually exposed to health risks if news like this continue to emerge. Maybe Hong Kong people will just have to get used to it. Otherwise, we can always drop by Jusco, Apita, and Citysuper for non-China made products. What's sad here is that I am pretty sure there are manufacturers of high quality food products in China but are dragged by this controversy. People start to stereotype that products made in China are of poor quality and dangerous to health at worst. Is this the downside of buying relatively cheaper commodities?

****

If you are in Causeway Bay's Victoria Park you would surely notice that Windsor House, one of CWB's prime commercial buildings is lit brightly as if there is no night time in this part of Hong Kong. There is nothing to display but bamboo scaffoldings on areas under renovation. This is a blatant slap in the face to everyone who thinks saving planet Earth can be done also by saving on electricity bills. Like Lisa Simpson in "'Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky" episode. Can the government regulate this? It's not only harming the environment in the long term, it also deprives some people a good night's rest.

I know these developers will not be included in the energy concession that saves people from paying electric bills, but please be considerate and don't be too greedy. Oh, I mentioned that word already.

Life of an AIA Policy Holder

In the past week, the world has been brought to the edge as stocks tumbled amid troubles that hit giant financial companies such as Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG (add Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac). This naturally brought stock markets plummeting close of not equal the 911 attack stock levels.

In Hong Kong, many people are involved in investment business. They buy stocks, bonds and equities and closely monitor the Hang Seng Stock Index. If they find good opportunity to earn, they sell stocks. Otherwise, if they are in investor mode where they buy cheap stocks during the economic gloom. However, it is but human nature to sell stocks during crisis times to ensure return of investment, even if they lose a portion of it.

This is what happened to AIG, one of the world's biggest insurers. When the news of its possible collapse sent ripples to the industry and dragged markets worldwide on a negative spin. About 2,000 AIA policy holders surrendered their policies in Hong Kong. This is a small percentage of the 1.3million policy holders involving 2.2million policies. Probably these are the people who have invested large sums of money or are too nervous of losing their investments. I have two small and short term policies at AIA through a good friend Gloria. While both are purely for savings purposes, one is an educational fund intended for a future child.

I immediately sent an email message to Gloria and in a couple of hours I got a response explaining that while AIG faces short-term liquidity pressures, it is backed by over US$1 trillion in assets and substantial equity.

Good news is that the US government pumped in US$85 billion to save it from collapse and further surrender of stocks from wary investors. But the question remains: How could a giant company like AIG, whose local subsidiary AIA, fall into such financial turmoil? It is indeed unusual for 2,000 people to cash in policies in two days - the average is about 500 per month. But it is not hard to explain why they do so.

To protect policy holders in Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s insurance commissioner has banned AIA from shifting assets to its troubled American parent AIG without approval. AIA Hong Kong has total assets of US$30 billion.

After ensuring a stable ship to run with the capital infusion from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, AIA is now trying to win back the hearts of the 2,000 or so policy holders. "Incentives" include waiving the requirement for a health check-up, and no need to pay any fee. So it's like these nervous policy holders did not give up their policies at all.

I am not like those folks in the photo who constantly monitor the value of their assets. What I just do is ensure that whatever I contribute will earn a fair amount of interest.

MTR Fare Savers' Discount Machines

In case you haven't noticed yet, the MTR has its way of attracting people walking far away from train stations to get a subway ride instead of taking alternative options such as the red and green minibuses, double decker buses or taxicabs. It's the MTR Fare Saver discount machines. They are found on selected locations such as office buildings (one in CC Wu in Wan Chai) or pedestrian walkways (Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System) carefully measured to be a few hundred meters away from MTR stations (there's no point placing them near MTR stations when everyone would prefer to take the train ride over buses, right?).

Fare discounts range from 1 HK dollar to 2 HK dollars. In a typical traveler's terms, this is a significant percentage of the actual fare paid on a regular basis. For example, if I swipe my Octopus card at the Provident Centre in North Point / Fortress Hill I get a $2 discount on my next MTR journey. For example, if from North Point MTR I decide to go to Cityplaza via Taikoo Shing MTR station (2 stations apart), I will pay only HK$1.6 instead of HK$3.6 minimum fare. That's even cheaper than a single ride at the Hongkong Tramways or Star Ferry. Similar to discount rates for interchange bus routes, MTR also targeted passengers of outlying islands like Mui Wo, Peng Chau, Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan.

Close to 30 of these Fare Saver discount machines are deployed across the city.

There are different rules to follow for this offer:

1. Should be used only on adult Octopus cards; can't be issued on concession or student ones (I guess?)

2. Should be used only on designated stations. As shown in the second photo, such Octopus cards must be swiped only by entering these stations. I don't know why MTR have to restrict this; users should have the freedom to use it wherever they want to.

3. Should be used only on the day it is swiped on the Fare Saver machine.

China's Contaminated Milk and Primary School Closures

The news about tainted milk products from mainland China will undoubtedly dent on government's encouragement that families bear children to address the low birth rate and arrest the demographic imbalance Hong Kong is already facing.

Everyday as I walk in the streets, I see more elderly people than youngsters, who only significantly the former on shopping areas of Causeway Bay and Mong Kok. In a few decades I will join that old crowd and with less young people taking over the workforce vacated by retiring workers, this is a burden Hong Kong will address more than ever.

I read the news today that in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong's closest frontier with China, mainland people snapped milk products out of shops in an apparent distrust of mainland made milk products. If this type of problem, more schools will be closed for lack of required number of pupils.

Shopping in Hong Kong

Like almost everyone else who lives in Hong Kong, I am surrounded by shopping centers, supermarkets, malls and anything you can spend your money on. I live in Quarry Bay, and within striking distance is Cityplaza mall, owned and managed by Swire Properties, one of the most established property developers in the city. But it doesn't mean I am confined and contented to go shopping there.

I personally think Cityplaza pales in comparison with its bigger sister malls such as Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong (which is a personal favorite, even if it's a little far away from QB) and Festival Walk in Admiralty. Linked by the Taikoo Shing MTR station, it's easy to reach and leave Cityplaza to and from other malls, also connected within the MTR network. Pacific Place is linked to by Admiralty Station, ifc Mall is with Central Station, Kowloon Tong MTR has easy access to Festival Walk, Telford Plaza is just on top of Kowloon Bay MTR, Olympian City is connected to Olympic MTR Station, Citygate Outlets is close to Tung Chung Station, Times Square is linked from Causeway Bay MTR (long walk though) and Elements Mall is accessible through Tung Chung line's Kowloon Station. This important transportation link, their relatively bigger size and high profile tenant list makes these malls popular to locals and tourists.

Property developers own a large percentage of shopping centers in Hong Kong. In addition to Swire-managed properties stated above, Sun Hung Kai, probably the biggest property developer in Hong Kong, owns and manages ifc mall in Central, wtcmore in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Plaza in Sai Ying Pun, APM in Kwun Tong and East Point City in Tseung Kwan O.

(By the way, I think the name Central Station is a misnomer to me especially if you look at the MTR map. It's more appropriate to call it Western instead of Central because it's location is just a station away from the Westernmost Island line link which is Sheung Wan.)

Behind the fame of these well-known malls are many other smaller ones, not close to main transportation link nor carry a high profile (read: unique) client to catapult it to the headlines of shopping guides.

For example, if you finished shopping in ifc and take the Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, you will reach another shopping destination. New World Centre is just nearby the Avenue of the Stars. Walking towards Nathan Road, you'll come across Sogo's Kowloon branch. Otherwise if you take the other direction, you'll see Harbour City, a big mall that got me lost a few times in my first year in Hong Kong. Palace Mall is also around the corner.

Of course, when you're around Nathan Road, choices expand exponentially. Shopping arcades litter this long stretch of road also known as the Golden Mile. Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard is one of the highlight arcades with its elaborate decorations during festive seasons. But there are also other shopping centers in the area such as Miramar Shopping Arcade in Nathan Road and Kimberley Road, Duty Free Shoppers Galleria in Canton Road.

Walking further the Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok area even more shopping options (and crowds of people) await you. Pioneer Centre, Sincere Podium, Sino Centre, Trendy Zone, Allied Plaza, Chong Hing Square, CMTA, Fashion Plaza, Gala Shopping Mall, Ginza Plaza, Grand Century Place and Grand Plaza try to attract the masses with various offers and promotions to compete with the more popular Langham Place Shopping Centre.

If you want to avoid the crowd and stay close to home, you'll have that option. On Hong Kong island's Eastern District, Chai Wan has its own shopping mall. Hung Hom, Shatin, Yuen Long, Tsuen Wan, San Po Kong, Lok Fu and Diamond Hill have their own respectable shopping centres that keep their residents at home.

Well, that list is incomplete but indeed a dizzying experience relating the way Hong Kong seriously treats shopping as a way of life. I am not a shopping type of person but in a way I am amazed at how this city manages to squeeze these shops, armed with helpful but tired sales people and awash with giveaways I often consider worthless to me.

Hot Mid Autumn Festival

It's no longer summer as the mid autumn festival ushered the entry of the autumn season. But heat wave continued to sweep the city, and the latest one occurred a day after the holiday. The highest temperature recorded at the Observatory's headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui was 33.8 degrees Celsius. In Sheung Shui, the mercury rose to 35.5 degrees at 3pm, the highest in the city.

Partly to blame was the typhoon Sinlaku which ravaged some areas of Taiwan. Currents generated by the typhoon brought the hot weather in Hong Kong. It's a different kind of hot weather because it is dry, not humid, which doesn't make people sweat easily.

Ironically, the Hong Kong Observatory recorded the "coolest" summer in 14 years. That's in terms of the number of hot summer nights on record. Hot nights refer to nights when the minimum temperature recorded at the Observatory's headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui is 28 degrees Celsius or above. Hot summer nights are attributed partly to global warming and partly to heat absorbed and released by land and buildings.

Up to September 1 this year, there are only 8 hot nights recorded compared to 23 last year. This is the lowest since 1994 which had four hot nights.

Nevertheless, I still feel very summer and hitting the beach seems to be a favorite pastime.

More Than 20% of Secondary Students Cheat Tests

More than one of five students in Hong Kong admit to have cheated on exams. This was the result of a survey conducted on more than 3,000 Form Four to Form Seven students. A few of those who copied answers from classmates think it's an acceptable practice.

Big deal? Yes I think so. This cheating practice may be an effect to the education system where performance is mainly based on test scores. So in order to gain foothold of such good class performance, students naturally try to reach them by hook or by crook.

More than half of those surveyed aren't likely to report class cheats if ever they saw them. When these secondary students turn into professionals in the future, would they not report crimes offenses that they see in public?

Is it safe to say that a significant number of students who passed exams have cheated and no longer because they are intelligent and smart? It's unfair for those who didn't cheat but one can't avoid the suspicion behind his/her mind.

Just like in the Philippines when a nursing board exam leakage was brought in the spotlight, it appeared that all who passed the exam whether they saw the cheat sheet or not, were guilty of cheating in the exams.

Competing for Asian Theme Park Visitors

It appears that Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland aren't the only theme parks in the region competing for visitors. A hugely ambitious theme park in Singapore will open soon, ushering a new chapter in its competition with Hong Kong.

Resorts World at Sentosa will open in less than two years and it features a wide array of attractions such as the Universal Studios Singapore, a first in Southeast Asia. It also will have the world's largest marine park, soon to be home of close to three-quarters of a million aquatic animals, and a lagoon that will feature whale sharks. Interestingly, Universal Studios sounds fit for a head on competition against HK Disneyland and the marine park is pitted against Ocean Park. Now we have a competition.

And that's not all for Singapore's new attractions.

Mark Burnett Productions Asia will have a studio there. A Hard Rock hotel will also be established, along with five other hotels. Exhibition facilities plus shopping destination will also be available as backers of this HK$32.4 billion project expect that it will take five days to cover the whole Resorts World at Sentosa.

The fight is not only limited to potential visitors but also to staff who will man these resorts. Already 10 managerial staff had been hired out of Hong Kong.

Sounds scary to Disneyland and Ocean Park, huh? Hong Kong Disneyland lost HK$1.5 billion in its second year of operation.

But temper your fears. These Hong Kong landmarks don't appear to be scared. And academics support the feeling.

According to the press, Hong Kong Disneyland focuses its efforts primarily on three major markets: the mainland, Hong Kong, and the rest of Asia. In its second year of operation, Hong Kong visitors accounted for 31 per cent of park admissions, 15 per cent were from southern Chinese cities, 25 per cent were from elsewhere on the mainland, and the rest were international visitors.

The Resort World at Sentosa forecasts an estimated 15 million visitors - both local and from overseas - within the first year.

According to Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore had 10.3 million visitors in 2007 while Hong Kong had 28 million arrivals, 15.4 million of that from mainland visitors.
So the target of 15 million alone from the Sentosa Resort, if achieved, will bring the number of visitors closer to that of Hong Kong's. The question now is that whether the estimate is realistic.

It's not only Hong Kong against Singapore competing for tourists. The Philippines is also trying to win a smaller number of visitors through its WOW Philippines initiative. Macau is also a major player, tipped to surpass Hong Kong in visitor numbers. Malaysia Truly Asia is there, Sparkling Korea too. And probably the biggest draw in Asia is Thailand, although tourism numbers are dented through the political crisis that took place recently.

Nevertheless, it's a good game to be played between Hong Kong and Singapore, competing in almost all categories, ranging from best airport int the world, to most business friendly city in the world.

Yoga Standards

Today, Hong Kong once again is shrouded with thick smog that is somewhat synonymous to Hong Kong skies in the past few years.

To keep healthy lifestyle in the middle of high levels of pollution, health conscious citizens resort to low carb, high protein diets, invade the fitness gyms, enroll at slimming centers and yoga classes.

While I have cited issues on quality of ads and classes of these slimming clinics, there is also a rising concern on quality of yoga classes conducted in the territory.

I learned that currently there are no standards set by the government on yoga practice like it does with practice of Chinese medicine. Practitioners say that while yoga can help reduce stress and prevent aches and pains, if taught incorrectly it can lead to back problems, elevate high blood pressure and even exacerbate vertigo.

Yoga's gaining popularity saw the enrollment of one yoga teaching chain from 500 to 30,000 students in a little more than five years, according to South China Morning Post. The practice has become a lucrative business that many classes sprang up, with instructors showing little experience in the field, hence enhancing chances of accidents during sessions. These accidents are noted by the number of patients admitted to physiotherapy clinics.

Donald Lui Po-ying, a Central physiotherapist, says he saw a handful of yoga students this summer. Mr Lui attended to two patients with yoga-related injuries in July, including a middle-aged woman who suffered knee pain after completing a yoga posture.

For those still planning to enroll yoga classes, qualification of instructors should be the priority factor above their cheesy ads, venue location, attractive packages and even recommendations by friends.

Hong Kong Photos: Prosecuting the Vehicles or Waiters

It's long weekend here in Hong Kong and I am trying to lighten up a bit after a rather uncomfortable weather that spoiled my chat with Carmen last night.

Nevertheless, I felt I need to feature Hong Kong not just through words but also through pictures. And not just pictures, but funny pictures (in my opinion).

On some streets of Hong Kong you'll see the sign as shown in the photo (this one shown in Mong Kok). "Vehicle waiting will be prosecuted without warning". I tried to figure out the meaning of this warning sign; I assume this is serious because it's painted red. My first understanding about this is that vehicles parking or waiting on this area will be prosecuted without warning. But I thought it's wrong because a simpler version would only read "No Parking: Offenders will be fined HK$320".

Another version is that people who wait for vehicles to pick them up, whether private or public, will be prosecuted immediately. I don't know if there is another translation to this sign. Can you help me find out, please?

Happy Mooncake Festival!

Pirated Software Beware

If you are using pirated software in your office or business, you're a likely candidate to be arrested by customs officers.

Recently, an owner of an Internet cafe and directors of a travel agency were arrested after their businesses were using pirated software. This is covered by Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 2007 which came into force on July 11. The suspects could face a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$50,000 for each infringing copy and four years in jail.

In Hong Kong, the lure to buy pirated software will remain for as long as sellers continue to sell their wares in the most convenient of places. Also, the disparity of price is another reason. Pirated disks can cost HK$150 while original disks can be 10 times more expensive.

On each of my two previous homes in Wan Chai, I lived close to computer shops. One of them was notorious for allowing people who sell pirated software, movies and games make business on their premises. In order to buy your chosen software, you will have to take note the assigned codes of the disks you desire to buy and hand the small sheet of paper to someone and wait for several minutes for the goods to arrive.

I have seen illegal software peddled on streets of Mong Kok in a bold show of defiance of the law. An array of pirated CDs and DVDs are placed in a cart which makes nabbing the offenders more of a cat and mouse game. But I haven't been to Mong Kok very often and I don't see them anymore.

Financial Literacy for Filipinos

From abs-cbn:

Filipinos based in Hong Kong will soon benefit from the advocacy program of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) which aims to improve the financial literacy of OFWs and other Philippine nationals abroad.

"Financial education is key to unlocking the potential of remittances as a tool for development in countries like the Philippines with a large segment of the population employed overseas," said BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr.

In a press statement, BSP stated it will launch its international leg of advocacy program at the Bayanihan Center in Hong Kong on September 14, 2008.

Since February 2006, the BSP’s Financial Literacy Campaigns (FLCs) has reached 24 key cities and provinces in the Philippines and is now expanding its reach by holding the program overseas where there are large concentrations of OFWs.

Tetangco explained that the FLC for overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries reach out to those who may be currently unbanked or underserved by formal financial institutions.

It highlights the importance of savings and informs participants of alternative opportunities for their remittances, such as placements in financial instruments and investments in business ventures.

The whole-day forum also hopes to help overseas Filipinos prepare for their eventual reintegration into the economy.

The first international roadshow, which will be led by Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo, will be conducted in coordination with an inter-agency group composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs, National Reintegration Center for OFWs, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Countries lined up for the international FLC roadshows include Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Italy, countries with large concentration of overseas Filipinos.

Paralympics Results

If able bodied Hong Kong athletes couldn't win any medal during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, their counterparts competing in the Paralympic Games did Hong Kong a favor by winning one gold, one silver and one bronze medal so far.

Kwok Hoi Ying Karen won the gold medal in an event called Boccia while Leung Yuk Wing won the silver in the same sport. Meanwhile, So Wa Wai won the bronze in men's 100m race.

Although it gets significantly less coverage than the Olympics -- I haven't seen any Paralympic game yet -- it is an important sporting event that highlight the abilities of athletes who suffer certain ailments and show the world's support for them. They could be dreaming of going to the Olympics but joining the Paralympics is already a dream come true.

Closing Primary Schools

In the Philippines, where school year starts in June, a chronic problem is the lack of classrooms for children to be accommodated. In some provinces I learned, makeshift classrooms were made under the shade of trees or abandoned barns to make way for teachers and students to interact. Even for those who are housed in "proper" buildings, the problem of overcrowding -- 60 pupils per classroom -- are common, as my sister who is a public school teacher, will attest.

In Hong Kong, birth rates are very low since at least the last decade. Now, its effects are showing up. More than 60 primary schools in Hong Kong face the risk of closure because each of them failed to gather enough number of pupils to form one class.

The number - which accounts for just under 15 per cent of the 461 government and aided schools taking part in the central Primary One admissions procedure for next year - suggests primary schools are not entirely in the clear following years of declining student numbers.

The prime reason for this is that next year's Primary One (equivalent to the Philippines' Grade 1) are open to children on or before December 31, 2003. For a little dose of history, that year was when the annual number of births hit a record low of 47,000 (almost 129 babies born each day on average). That low birth number coincided the time when SARS hit Hong Kong.

I can understand why Terrence, one of my colleagues felt sad to know his primary school has closed down. It would be depressing to realize that a part of our identity will be lost in oblivion without clear guarantee that they will return.

Is the Property Market Starting to Head Downwards?

For years, Hong Kong is a very expensive place to live. Friends from Singapore, US or Australia who ask how much do I pay for my small room would definitely sound off some sort of alarm, knowing that I am paying much more than they do (well, US homes are mostly mortgaged so it's difficult to compare). Whenever I think of moving houses, I am faced with the dilemma: live on cheaper rents but travel far away or leave in my current vicinity and be prepared to fork out a fortune?

It's been like that for the past five years so I thought staying in a room that pays a few thousand dollars is worth doing with the property market heating up and showing no signs of losing steam...

...Until I read the news that property transactions fell by 60%.

The total value of all Hong Kong homes sold in August slumped 60% to a two-year low, suggesting that the city’s property market has finally run out of steam, following five years of property price rises.

Research conducted by Centaline Property Agency reveals that average property prices in the city fell 4.4% between the end of June and August, with prices generally expected to depreciate further.

This could mean good news to many people but this could also mean bad news for Hong Kong in general. One indicator of the city's health is the amount of transactions that take place. If this were an indicator, Hong Kong could be in for an economic crunch, brought about by higher inflation, reverberating credit crunch in the US and other factors.

Hong Kong Election Results: Surprise, Surprise?

With all these exit polls conducted during the election day, an idea of who would possibly win the race is revealed. As expected, there was a lower turnout in yesterday's election compared to the last one held in 2004. I would have been qualified to vote as a permanent resident had I registered, but I didn't even desired to vote on last overseas Philippine elections held in Admiralty, so the point is rather moot.

Most headlines showed that the low turnout will not benefit the pro-democracy camp and could quash their hopes to continue their aim of political reforms in the city. However, there could be surprising results. According to One News of New Zealand:

in the closely fought East New Territories district, veteran democratic lawmaker Emily Lau managed to retain her seat despite predictions to the contrary, while maverick activist lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung also won re-election.

For those unfamiliar yet, Leung Kwok-hung is the famous long-haired legislator who is happy to wear Che Guevara shirts instead of tuxedos and ties.

"I think the pan-democracy supporters did a marvellous job of using collective wisdom of vote division without really any kind of formidable, organised mechanism," said political scientist Ma Ngok with Chinese University.

Ma added the pro-business Liberal Party had fared poorly as the better mobilised pro-Beijing DAB party had taken votes way from them.

With Chief Executive Donald Tsang warning of "trying times" in the LegCo amidst global financial troubles that will surely affect Hong Kong, people expect shorter victory parties and for all winners to buckle up to work.

Election Fever Hong Kong Style

Even if Hong Kong is now part of China for the past 11 years, it continues to enjoy the perks of its quasi-democratic form of government: the ability to hold elections and enable citizens to select leaders.

There are 60 members of the Legislative Council, also known as LegCo, but only half of them are elected by voters. The rest are selected by certain groups.

Today is the D-Day for Legislative Election in the territory where 3.4 million out of the 7 million population are eligible to cast their votes. Last time around, in 2004, about 55% of these voters showed up but this time the percentage could dip.

I was out for half of daytime yesterday and I can see how candidates campaign for votes. The usual approach is to get a car, attach megaphones and play pre-recorded speeches and appeals by candidates. Sometimes candidates ride these cars and wave at constituents.

Another approach is to find a place where congregation of people is high, and then candidates will make their speeches, armed with microphones and assistants who distribute leaflets. I find these methods low profile and doesn't require huge amounts of money to execute. This is a stark contrast to Philippine politicians who ask people to join their rally by paying them. Worse, they pay actors and other celebrities to endorse them. Every Filipino knows it but it's like a cancer that can't be removed. On every election in the Philippines, everyone will experience such blatant exposure of political ills. As with many gullible people who are attracted to sexy actresses who sing and dance before the crowd, the approach seems to be working. After the elections, when this candidate wins and doesn't perform the job, the very same gullible people go to the streets and ask for a change.

Back in Hong Kong, candidates have designated numbers. I'm not exactly sure the purpose of this, but I assumed this will help voters identify their chosen candidates.

There are a few political parties and each seems to have its own identity. Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong is known to champion consumer rights (some blog posts about surveys and studies on prices of goods between supermarkets and small shops) and is well-known to be aligned with Beijing's thoughts. Liberal Party is known to be pro business and Democratic Party is known to be the prime proponent of Hong Kong's universal suffrage. However, smaller political parties and independent candidates also play significant role.

Different issues are hot topics in today's elections. Education, wages and inflation are among the things candidates have been preaching. Let's see who people think are the most convincing as the election results will be available soon after poll counters close.

Update: As I was walking in the streets of Choi Hung, Mong Kok and Quarry Bay today, I see supporters trying to reach out spare leaflets to everyone -- including me -- in an effort to salvage votes off of undecided voters. This leads me to think, what's wrong with campaigning on election day as banned in Philippine elections?

Pinoys Win Disney Dance Contest

I read from GMANews.tv that the Philippines, represented by four girls from Holy Spirit School in Quezon City, Metro Manila, won the grand prize of a dance competition at Hong Kong Disneyland.

The all-girl team, who call themselves the Janssen Knights, are composed of Jessica Meñez, Czarina Jose, Krizia Duka, Lyza Torsiende and Julia Mella. They were among the four finalists who won an all-expense paid trip to Hong Kong Disneyland for Disney Channel’s “High School Musical: My School Rocks 2008 Inter-School Dance Competition," inspired by the sensational hit Disney Channel franchise.

Participants had to videotape a performance and upload it to the Disney Channel website where kids across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong voted for their favorite teams. Nearly 29,000 votes from 11 markets were cast in a span of a week with teams from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore also making the final four. They had six weeks to prepare, choreograph and rehearse a dance number to a medley of songs from both “High School Musical" and “High School Musical 2".

Maybe it's just me or that the news didn't elaborate whether they won based on the votes or judges. When it comes to voting, I think whether thru SMS or online, the Philippines gets the advantage because of the big voting population.

Participants had to videotape a performance and upload it to the Disney Channel website where kids across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong voted for their favorite teams.

I am not sure if it's possible to allow votes only for kids and filter out the adults.

I don't doubt the winners. I am proud to tell everyone that Filipinos have that talent of entertaining everyone, as manifested thru musicians who play in clubs and hotel lounges. Some professional dancers at Hong Kong Disneyland are from the Philippines too. Therefore there is no doubt that these dancers have made Filipinos proud.

Flow: Quality Second Hand Book Shop

I just arrived from Flow, a second hand book shop located in the middle of Central's Soho junction. I got here for the first time last Saturday after a short search for the shop whose name is not very prominent outdoors. A keen eye should be able to detect its presence especially with its address in mind: 40 Lyndhurst Terrace.

This bookshop has a different environment from other shops like Bookazine, Page One or Dymocks. It doesn't have brightly lit or spacious interiors. To me it's a no frills shop that supplies me with what I need (a book to read) and not what I want (an expensive book to read).

The experience starts with a spooky sound of door opening which reminds me of several horror movies. However, even before you get inside, you will notice a variety of VHS tapes outside the door purposely placed for takers who are requested to donate 2 Hong Kong dollars for the Sichuan Earthquake fund for the devastated area in a country where some of the books sold were printed.

Inside, you'll be fascinated with a big list of titles that some of them literally sprawl on the floor. There are sections for self help, health, autobiographies, travel, children, cooking and fiction. A list of VCDs and DVDs are also available which I think is much better priced than what you'll find at Asiaxpat's Trading Post section.

The shelves are overflowing with books and that spaces between them is virtually a one way traffic. I was so impressed with the list (and notably the price tags) that time flew very quickly without me noticing it.

This short video will help you familiarize the interiors of the shop although most part of the video comprises a conversation with a local man about the shopkeepers.



For those who won't mind buying used books, this is the perfect place to go.

FLOW
1st Floor
40 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Mon to Sun - Noon until 7:30pm



View Larger Map

Sex Crimes

I was chatting with Kin and Lisa in the office yesterday and upon stumbling into a copy of The Standard which headlined a TV newsman for "playing with himself" and I immediately come to realize that this is not the impression I had with Hong Kong in the past.

I used to marvel Hong Kong society when I noticed that the number of rape cases were smaller than back in Manila where I used to read stories of rape, incest and infidelity almost in a daily basis. Hong Kong has a more open concept about sex while Manila has a more conservative stance by virtue of its being in a dominant Catholic country. In Hong Kong, adult magazines are sold on street shops, convenience stores and even on HMV. For quite sometime I thought that being open means more education to the masses and reduced incidence of sex crimes.

But I don't think it has worked well recently. The TV man caught masturbating in the upper deck of bus 796S to Clearwater Bay was caught by a policeman while the bus stopped on traffic light.

When the bus passed the Po Yap Road and Tong Yin Street interchange near the Tseung Kwan O MTR station, an off-duty police officer on the street saw the man naked and masturbating facing the window. What's in this person's mind?

An equally embarrassing news was about a 41-year old man whose penis was stuck in a metal park bench last month. It required the help of firemen and medical staff who tried in vain to remove it from the bench. After attempts failed, they decided to cut a portion of the bench and continue the attempt to free his organ from the metal in the hospital, free from the prowling eyes of the media. However, it was too late for him, as videos were already captured and circulated around the world. I wonder maybe the staff who helped him were also finding it funny but restrained themselves and instead focus onto their jobs.

There are more stories about sexual offenses in Hong Kong albeit less sensational and more violent. Sexual offenses and harassment cases have been on the rise.

Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women executive director Linda Wong Sau-yung said she had received 260 calls from victims of sexual crimes in the first six months of this year compared to 242 and 234 during the second and first half of 2007 respectively.

Appealing to families to be more understanding, Wong said only 11 percent of 75 friends of victims surveyed in May said their friends confided in their families compared to 66 percent who told their friends and 48 who told their colleagues after experiencing sexual assault.

And that's where I realized that maybe news doesn't put these victims in the spotlight because they don't report these cases and rather keep it to themselves.

Another news that came out yesterday was about a former social worker who was caught downloading child pornography videos. It is rather sad because even if he left his job, he ought to know how take care of people and not act like a predator.

A man allegedly sexually molested a fellow crisis center resident at Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre.

What are the causes of these retarded acts? Is it the openly sold magazines, secretly sold but still ubiquitous business of pornographic videos in Kowloon, lack of guidance from parents, contents shown on movies and television, websites that openly sell women in Hong Kong or lack of attention and loneliness? Only these suspects can answer. Or maybe the psychologists who study such behaviors.

Proper rehabilitation is necessary for these people, whom I learned through the news that they are remorseful and willing to make a change. Otherwise, they could continue making such offenses.

If David Duchovny of X-Files openly admitted to sex addiction and willing to take therapy, how much more for an ordinary citizen who suffer the same thing and wants to be cured without having to undergo public humiliation?

Wal-Mart Headquarters and Mooncake Prices

It has been reported last Wednesday that the American retail giant Wal-Mart has established its regional headquarters in Hong Kong to oversee its operations in China, India and Japan. But reports can't confirm whether it will establish shops in the city. If it does so, I guess consumers will benefit not only because they have more options but prices could also go down amidst this fight for share of patrons. But this could be bad news to owners of small shops who enjoy patronage because they sell cheaper commodities than big name grocery shops. Sorry, that's only what I know in economics.

***

Mooncake Festival is coming very soon and I start to notice the giant ads of mooncakes on buses and MTR stations. This is a typical delicacy that's synonymous to Hong Kong although I haven't eaten my fair share over the past years. The bad news is that prices of these mooncakes will increase because of rice in cost of ingredients.

In the past, I noticed that the packaging of many mooncake products are so elaborate and thought it was a costly process. While it is said to be necessary because these are usually given as gifts I hope there is a way to scale down this expensive packaging to defray the cost of expensive contents.

Shopping at Hong Kong's Small Retail Shops

Sometimes I have to ask myself if the big posters plastered outside supermarkets deserve my attention. After reading a news article from Dan Kadison, I wonder if supermarkets are better off for wholesale buys instead of individual items.

A bottle of Del Monte ketchup can cost up to 80 per cent more in certain Sai Ying Pun district shops, the Consumer Council said in its first weekly price survey, released late August 2008.
A 340 gram bottle of the ketchup from a Wellcome supermarket in the area cost HK$9.50, compared with HK$5.30 from a small shop. However, buying two bottles of the ketchup from Wellcome cost HK$10.

Hong Kong may be small in area but prices may vary on various districts. Once I was in Sham Shui Po, I was tempted to buy certain kitchen cleaning stuff because they are cheaper even than those reliably cheap dispensaries in Quarry Bay. Of course, it's not worth going to Sham Shui Po, which costs me at least HK$20 in MTR fare if I only intend to buy that cleaning agent.

I think the Consumer Council is doing a good job in identifying which places to find lowest prices of consumer goods. To me it's similar to identifying Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei's night markets for cheap souvenir items and Sham Shui Po for cheap electronic goods.

The thing with this comparison is that I find it difficult to understand why it is more expensive to buy household goods from more established shops like Jusco, Wellcome and ParknShop given that the operational efficiency should enable them to deliver goods in big volumes at once and help them cut costs and keep prices low. In comparison, for smaller shops I think it becomes more expensive to buy smaller volumes of goods so my understanding is that they ought to give higher markups. But it's the other way around.

I live in Quarry Bay and used to live in Sai Ying Pun but I won't go there just to buy these cheaper items.

The rule of thumb is that for bigger savings, buying more at bigger shops will be rewarding while buying individual commodities will be better off done on smaller shops.

The Standard's Picture Imperfect Advertising

Have you seen today's issue of The Standard print edition? You may have grabbed one from your friendly street distributor but in case you forgot what's in there, let me refresh your memory.

Look at the image and hope it's clear enough for you to identify what I mean.

On the left side of the front page is the news about the tension that's currently taking place in Thailand, with the headline in capital letters: GO AT YOUR OWN RISK below an equally stern warning on the top: AS THAILAND TENSION MOUNTS, HONG KONG TRAVELERS WARNED. This conveys a message that if you are going to Thailand, you should go at your own risk because street protests are causing danger for foreigners.

On the right side of the front page is an advertisement by Sunflower Travel Agency which promotes its Mid-Autumn, National Day and Chung Yeung Holidays later this month and next month. The ad features 4/5 days of stay in Bangkok for HK@2399 including hotel accommodation, daily breakfast, daily BTS rail pass and plane fare.

For someone sensible enough to realize that it's a risky business to travel to Bangkok, this ad could take a beating. But maybe I could be wrong.

Sea Burials Anyone?

Hong Kong is one of the most populated territories in the world and the globe's most densely populated island (Ap Lei Chau) is also part of Hong Kong. And it's not only the living who are feeling the crowding. Even after life, the issue of overcrowding is a serious topic to discuss. The father of a colleague recently passed away and he lamented the long wait for his father's space.

A typical thing to do with the dead is through cremation but since burial niches have gone quite expensive and spaces sometimes aren't guaranteed permanent and this has led to other alternatives.

Hong Kong is surrounded by seas which some people think could spare large amount of space for the dearly departed loved ones. There are defined areas where ashes can be scattered and the process has been simplified through the years. Yet, many people don't prefer this method simply because once ashes are scattered, it will be difficult to pinpoint where ashes are located once they disappear on designated bodies of water.

In the Philippines people can buy plots of land on memorial parks and they can claim those areas as permanently dedicated to them. But in Hong Kong, it is still a cost factor.

Is Anyone Killed In Line Of Duty Deserve Honors?

Almost every morning as I walk to my office, I see street sweepers keep Hong Kong streets clean while walking precariously at the edge of death. I say this because they are sometimes prompted to take rubbish thrown by litterbugs out of the streets. Cigarette butts and empty tetra packs are typical of these piles of garbage.

The question is that if (knock on wood) any of these sweepers gets sideswiped by an equally irresponsible car or van driver and get killed, will this worker receive a medal of honor and a hero's burial because s/he was killed in line of duty? What are the requirements for one to deserve such honor? Should be a government worker? Should be in the act of saving others when the accident happened?

The two firemen who were killed while saving lives in Mong Kok recently indeed deserve such honors because they were brave enough to risk their own lives. Such fire incident gets more interest because it shows exemplary bravery people learn (like mothers tell their children about it) and that it involved many people (victims of the fire, neighbors). Same is true for the fallen doctors and nurses during the height of SARS in Hong Kong five years ago.

What about the mere street sweeper who earns much lower than a fireman? They don't save lives directly but by keeping the city clean they help prevent diseases and epidemic which Hong Kong has been a favorite spot to cling on in the past decade. Will we honor a street sweeper because of his/her bravery to keep the city clean? Maybe others will say they are careless but they may have little choice; they could get other jobs but no one accepts them.

I don't think that it requires someone to be in the public office to qualify. Just recently KMB bus drivers threatened to take industrial action if the Transport Department refuses to review what they call an outdated guideline that forces them to stay on the road during typhoons.

If there's a typhoon signals 8 or above in Hong Kong, schools close, offices are not required to let workers in, and trams and buses will not travel. But only Citybus and First bus, both owned by one company. Kowloon Motor Bus drivers have difficulty in dealing with work during severe weather conditions. Obviously staying outdoors during typhoon is a risky proposition, and drivers can't just park their buses everywhere while waiting for the storm to pass; they have to return to the bus depot and park buses there. And after they helped people get to their homes safely, these drivers may have difficulty in finding means to get to their homes themselves.

So the question remains: is anyone killed in line of duty deserve honors? I hope the answer is yes and that also means the same honor is granted to everyone.