Banks obviously make a bit of an effort to "disguise" the letters they send out with credit cards inside (by not putting the company name on the back, and a using special address). Doesn’t really work, though, because when an anonymous looking envelope arrives in the mail, my first thought is that it must be…

On days like this, you can check where the storms are heading using this from the Observatory’s website.

Pierce Lam is at his pompous best in the SCMP letter column (Linguistic prejudice), complaining that the English Schools Foundation is selecting children based upon their ability to communicate in, er, English: Hong Kong is about the only city in the world that tolerates a partly publicly funded institution with an admission policy that discriminates…

Just had someone from my existing mobile phone company trying to get me to sign a new contract.  Would I like 1900 minutes per month and a HK$200 supermarket voucher?  No thanks (what would I do with 1900 minutes a month?). So – would I like to pay the same as I am today but…

Grrr…I thought I could pop into my local Wellcome supermarket at lunchtime to pick up a few things. Bad idea. When I went to the checkout I noticed there was a queue.  When I looked closer I saw that it was a long, slow-moving queue.  The explanation is that they are offering 10% off everything. …

More on the stupid business with the so-called "anti-racist" legislation that is supposed to outlaw generous expat packages for permanent residents.  I’ve covered this a few times. Yesterday the SCMP reported that the bill has been delayed and that there were still concerns from foreign businesses about the implications of this proposed legislation.  Well, yes,…

Julian Harniess was on ATV’s Newsline yesterday.  Amazingly, he wasn’t the most entertaining guest – that honour when to Damien Vance, an Australian who is chairman of the Native English-Speaking Teachers’ Association.  It wasn’t clear why Mr Vance had been invited on to the program, unless it was to make Julian Harniess look good, because…

Maybe someone from AMC Cinemas took notice of my recent complaint.  They have not only implemented an Internet Booking system, but it is actually better than the one used by UA Cinemas – firstly because it’s all one site (UA send you off to Cityline where you have to switch to English, find the film…

I see that our old friend Julian Harniess is in the news again. The English Schools Foundation (ESF) held a Press Conference on Monday to announce the proposed new ordinance that will fundamentally change the way the organization is run.  From the SCMP, which mysteriously headlined its story Controversial ESF reforms on the table: The…

So why do you buy your vegetables in Park’n’Shop or Wellcome rather than the local wet market? Is it because:(1) I figure that a reputable supermarket chain has good quality control(2) "Everyday high prices"(3) If I can just get five more stamps I can buy some high-quality cookware from Europe(4) What harm can a little…