Ordinary Gweilo

It's not big and it's not clever, it's just a Brit in Hong Kong writing (mainly) about Hong Kong

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Month: Apr 2010

  • An uphill battle

    Prudential’s risky plan to acquire AIA looked as if it was a “done deal”.  Now things seem rather less certain (Prudential must explain AIA strategy): The old view here was that Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.3bn) purchase of AIA is very likely to complete. This was not because the deal is appealing – it’s not, it…

  • Daft question

    Sky News presenter to Lord Adonis, the transport minister, about the volcanic ash problem: “Do you have a contingency plan for this unprecedented state of affairs” Adonis just ignored the question.

  • Hu?

    The SCMP seems to have been hoist by its own petard. They have a  policy of printing the Chinese characters for people and places.  And another policy of cutting costs.  The unsurprising result is that  sometimes they get things wrong. Yesterday they somehow mixed up the Chinese characters for Chinese President Hu Jintao and another…

  • Where’s it gone?

    Now TV have 9 sports channels.  However, they don’t have enough sport to fill all these channel 24 hours per day and by the time you get to channel 638 (Now Sports 8) there’s usually just a blank screen.  OK, fair enough. But hang on, there are several Premier League games tonight.  Shouldn’t one of…

  • Problems, problems

    Imagine for a moment that you have booked a flight and reserved your seat.  You turn up at the airport ready to check in.  You produce your passport and frequent flyer membership card.  What happens next? (a) Check-in is complete in 3 minutes and off you go. (b) The check-in agent gives you someone else’s…