Reading through the SCMP during lunch …..
Li Xinmin, a top environmental guy in the China government, says pollution cost the country 500 billion yuan last year. Out of 696 cities monitored, acid rain was noted in 357 cities. This is probably not a good thing. He further says that since sulfur dioxide emissions in the past five years have “only” increased by 27%, this shows that China’s controls on air pollution are working. We should put these people in charge of stamping out prostitution in Wanchai. Within five years the number of working girls would triple and prices would decrease by half.
The front page of the SCMP is about people stranded at the airport due to the typhoon. A bunch of cry babies complaining that the airlines didn’t provide free hotel rooms for them when most of them live a 25 minute train ride away. The airlines did provide blankets, food and water but seem to have gotten little credit for that.
The more important piece, about the HK Observatory’s failure to raise Signal 8, comes on the front of the City section. See, even though windspeeds of over 200 kph were noted on the mountain next to the airport, the Observ bases their calculations on the wind in Victoria Harbor.
On page two of the City section, in the “Talkback” column, they ask the question: Are today’s youngsters a “spoilt” generation? The answer can be found on the next page. Six people, ages 16 through 23, spent ten hours beating an 18 year old woman to death. The reason? She weighed 100 kg and had a “domineering personality.” The same people had attacked this woman three days earlier at which point she begged for time to improve herself. The gang then poured acid on the body, stuffed it into a box (a large box, presumably) and dumped it on a hillside. Astonishingly, these people were acquitted of murder and only found guilty of manslaughter. Are today’s youngsters a spoilt generation in-fucking-deed.
A 280 square foot retail space in Causeway Bay has just been rented out for HK$400,000 per month. However, this is the gross space. In terms of actual usable space, the cost works out to more like $8,000 per square foot, which may be a record for the HK retail market. At this price, I imagine they’re selling something more than just fishballs.
Coming soon to Wanchai – Big Ernies Diner, “another new concept by Igor’s”. Not sure why Igor’s rates an apostrophe but Ernies doesn’t. And not sure why an American style diner would be a new concept, even in Hongkie Town. This will be on Lockhart Road just past Typhoon; the last occupant of the site was Sultana.
The same ad that has run every day or week for decades, proclaiming that the Red Pepper Restaurant in Causeway Bay has won the “Best Sichuan Restaurant Award.” As ever, the ad neglects to mention who bestowed that award. My guess is it was the Society of People Who Have Never Eaten Sichuan Food.
Life goes on.
