防偷全攻略

Read this article which describes how thieves "work" in the street. Be cautious ... such thing doesn't happen only in China, it's in Hong Kong, Macau, Europe, US .... everywhere!

This is where I live ...

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HKCEC's Expansion

Most of the time in my career up till now has been spent in this complex - Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). It's being expanded with the atrium linking the old and new extension being reconstructed and enlarged with an aim to increase exhibition space by one-third.

If I'm still with my company in the coming years, probably this expansion will contribute to my annual bonus maybe? :)

Good Business

For this Beijing journey, I'm staying in the same Traders Hotel that I spent a few nights several years ago. I recall that I had some yogurt in TCBY during that trip. I thought at that time that such shop wouldn't last for a year since that wouldn't be popular and thus not profitable in China. To my surprise, I see the shop just now in the same location of the shopping mall underneath the hotel.

Shops selling top fashion brands are everywhere in the shopping mall. The gap between the rich and poor is probably getting wider though on average people earn more and live a bit better than in the past.

Couldn't make up my mind for what to eat and thus I simply bought some sandwiches from Subway (almost same price as in Hong Kong!) for in-room dining. Cheers!

姨媽的後現代生活 (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

My Rating: C+

This is the first time I watch 斯琴高娃 and Ann Hui's movie seriously. I think it would be difficult for us to comprehend the story without knowing how the cultural revolution influenced the modern China. 斯琴高娃's role in the movie is a tragedy. Although she is well-educated, she has a lonely heart and is almost disconnected from the world except her funny neighbor.

Not a bad movie overall, but it just doesn't fit the Hong Kong market.

Learn more about this movie from Taipei Times

Skymall in the Hong Kong Airport

More picture from Brad's album @ Picasa ...

Khalil Fong in Concert

Watched Khalil Fong's live performance twice this week. One during the Sina Music Award on Monday and tonight as well. He had his first concert in Hong Kong tonight in the Arts Centre. It was full house (though the Arts Centre's hall is pretty small actually) ... from what I observed, the audience really liked Khalil - the way he sang, performed and interacted with the audience.

Among the guests who went on stage (e.g. Fiona 薛凱琪, 農夫 and Andy Hui), I particularly liked Andy Hui who sang 大愛 with Khalil. 林夕 specially wrote some Putonghua lyrics of 大愛 for this concert so that Khalil was able to sing together with Andy Hui for the song. But this was the thing that I didn't understand ... he said he has a rule that he won't sing Cantonese songs ... I really don't understand ... though among the Chinese community, the Putonghua-speaking crowd is larger, it wouldn't be wise to forget about the majority of Hong Kong people who are able to help him establish a strong foothold in the Asian market ... so, I'm still wondering even now, anyway, I enjoyed the show very much ... probably the best show I've watched in these few years.

Is it really a bubble?

The Hong Kong stock market is getting crazy. H-share soars while A-share gains new height again. Everybody is getting mad. Some of my friends are already discussing that we should consider realizing profits rather than waiting for another skyline.

Of course I'm quite concerned that some of the stocks are already at unreasonable levels ... and now it seems that everybody (including some who knows nothing about the stocks they're betting on) is crazy ... these days, we may have earned a handsome amount of money already by the time we wake up ... it's really a very risky environment right now.

I personally feel that this burst should at least be around before CNY (Chinese New Year) in 2007. If you're speculating on some H-share, probably mid Jan 07 is a good time to realize your profits. For me, my strategy is a bit different 'cos my little portfolio consists mainly large chips and I view them as medium to long term investments. I hope I'm right. May God bless me.

HKTDC - Annual Dinner 2006

The old saying "Time Flies" is very true. I couldn't imagine that one year is such a short period of time. When I sat inside the annual dinner venue this year, I could still remember that I went to Central with some E-Commerce teammates to buy Kung Fu costume for last year's annual dinner.

This year, I didn't have much time to chat with others as I participated in a drama with some other TDC colleagues. We spent quite some time for rehearsal. The show went on pretty smooth but the only thing that might not be so good was timing. The show was staged in the middle of the dinner when most people were walking around to chic-chat and take photos. Not much attention was paid to the show actually. But I think the script-writer spent quite some time and efforts trying to take colleagues through the time-tunnel and let everybody sees again the major TDC activities / events in the past 40 years. I myself enjoyed playing a role in the show indeed.

This year is TDC's 40th anniversary. And the "time flies" thing applies again ... 'cos I've been with TDC for 8 full years ... there are quite some colleagues receiving long service awards this year ... I was a bit surprised to know that a colleague from London office was with TDC since day 1 40 years ago ... would I be with TDC in its 50th anniversary? What would happen in 10 years time? Where would I be? Who would I become? ...

See below the photos taken during the dinner ...

HKTDC Annual Dinner 2006