No Lo Entiendo
Posted by SpikeFeb 9
So what’s on my mind on this foggy crappy Tuesday?
First and foremost – a US based global company looking for a regional CIO for the Asia Pacific region. Their definition of the region includes Australia/New Zealand, Japan, India. But they won’t consider any candidates for the job who don’t speak Mandarin or Cantonese. How will Mandarin help in India or Australia? How does Cantonese help in Japan – or Shanghai for that matter?
Next, I love Taschen books. They do some of the most creative packages around and my personal collection includes two of their expensive editions: The Stanley Kubrick Archives, a sold out limited edition that weighs in at 8-1/2 pounds; and JazzLife, a huge book filled with rare photographs (the special edition is currently selling on Amazon for US$1,500). They’ve got a new book out on Magic, covering graphics and posters from the 1400s up through the present day – it weighs over 16 pounds! And Amazon in the US is currently selling it for around 35% off, which makes it very tempting.
Taschen also does these insane limited editions. Norman Mailer’s Moonfire is limited to just 12 copies, unfolds into a table and includes a genuine moon rock – for the bargain price of 68,275 pounds sterling. I’ll take two, please. Whoops, they’re sold out.
Along those lines, I missed the announcement of a new limited edition book last year, Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made. 10 separate books inside of a huge book-shaped box and exclusive access to an online database of 17,000 images, it was selling for US$1,000. But it’s sold out and I see someone’s selling one on the US Amazon site for $5,000. I actually have a personal connection to this since I worked for Robert Gaffney, the producer of the never-completed epic, for four years (which is how I came to do some work on The Shining). I don’t suppose that any of my readers are among the 1,000 people who bought this but if you are and you want to share the login and password to that online database with me, I’d be very grateful.
Nikon product announcements yesterday. Two new lenses. No new replacement for the D700 yet. Drat. I’m figuring a D700s with the same extreme low light sensor of the D3s and video capabilities (even if not HD) would be a must-buy for me. Oh Nikon, how long are you going to make me wait?
Finally, for now, Media Wonk analyzes Sony Pictures’ recent lay-off announcements. Similar to my previous employer, following a record year they are letting go of hundreds of loyal staff. The excuse is a predicted downturn in future home video sales due to forces “outside of their control.” The Wonk makes the point that most of these forces were not outside of their control but arose due to bad strategic decisions. The people who made those bad decisions all retained their jobs while those who executed the crappy strategies lost theirs. Who ever said that life was supposed to be fair?
Hi, I’m Spike. Born and bred in The Bronx but I've been calling Hong Kong home since 1995. I'm a corporate IT professional, music and film critic and aspiring photo-journalist. I've been writing Hongkie Town since 2004 and have been writing the "Spike" column in BC Magazine since 2006. You can follow me on Twitter 
8 comments
Comment by THE KMB on February 9, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Yes Taschen is from Germany – here a must see I just copied it to my blog – BRIAN ENO documentation from BBC4:
http://kowloonmusicbuero.blogspot.com/2010/02/must-see-brian-eno-bbc-documentation.html
Kung Hei Fat Choy !
Comment by Jim on February 10, 2010 at 10:07 am
Unfortunately Steve there are a lot of people born in China who went overseas for a high quality western education, gained (by now) significant western work experience and are now returning to work in your region. It is a matter of timing, the mid to late 80s when people could have got out of China (like my wife) are now 20+ years ago, they can compete right in your niche. Mind you, as you say Mandarin is not much use in India. I’d quite like to work in China but without the language skills (written as well) it is not really realistic and I can earn more here in Aus. You will find something good I’m sure – hopefully sometime soon.
Comment by Spike on February 10, 2010 at 10:30 am
I know that’s true and I’m kicking myself for being so lazy about the language for so many years. But I still have a level of practical experience in multiple countries in the region that few can match and I’m optimistic that something decent will turn up.
Comment by whitedusk on February 10, 2010 at 10:42 am
“US based global company looking for a regional CIO for the Asia Pacific region. Their definition of the region includes Australia/New Zealand, Japan, India.”
Most companies doesn’t consider the 4 countries above as part of Asia Pacific. So if their definition says so, then I think they meant to say its the whole APAC with those 4 countries included.
They can call it regional or they can call it whole global…
Comment by Hendrik on February 10, 2010 at 6:27 pm
“Their definition of the region includes Australia/New Zealand, Japan, India.”
The word “includes” is meant as “among others”.
Comment by E@L on February 10, 2010 at 11:55 pm
@Whitedusk & @Hendrick – Most definitions, one would be hopeful that all of them, say that *Asia Pacific* includes Australia and New Zealand – by definition in fact. It’s always been held to be a combination of Asia and Oceania. It may not include South Asia (India etc) in many definitions, but it always includes Oz, NZ, and Japan.
South-East Asia however is separate group, not to be confused with A-P; as is South Asia, East (aka North) Asia and Oceania, of course.
For a list of A-P countries, see here.
APEC, the Asia Pacific Economic Community includes North and South American countries on the Pacific as well.
Comment by THE KMB on February 11, 2010 at 1:44 am
Do not get yourself always riddled because you are not speaking Mandarin. For biz you need to be able to read and write also – speaking alone is NOT enough ! Just recently a good friend of mine speaking very good and become very good “friend”with his business partner just had to find out that he got cheated by the good friend. Call me a racist – a little bit of distance is always helpful – and sorry – YOU Chinese want to do business with US (the bad Gweilo) – send me somebody speaking english – because this is the international business language (sorry not Mandarin) and as China want to be the BIG PLAYER you have to learn the part of this game. Did you see the foreign affairs minister of the PRC during his speech at the blah blah Security Meeting in MUnich a few days ago – he was speaking an almost very good english ……even I heard rumours that Wen & Hu can speak proper english (but not officially………)
Comment by Hendrik on February 11, 2010 at 3:02 am
Spike wrote: …I’m kicking myself for being so lazy about the language for so many years. But I still have a level of practical experience in multiple countries in the region that few can match…
I believe for several years, Western companies would rather send an expat to certain locations than hire local staff. Mostly because there was still a lot of exploring and building-up to do. Any manager in booming Asia would do well for the company. These expats would spend a lot of energy on getting to know their staff, expose staff to the management, until the management has enough confidence to run the operation without that expat. And the busy successful expat forgot to build-up his own network outside the company. In stead of getting to know customers, suppliers, competitors, the expat was busy traveling in Asia to meet his staff and back and forth to the HQ for numerous alignment meetings. And too arrogant to pick up some Mandarin. Not that this matters. The Asians rather do business their way than the Western way, in any language. Job descriptions mention “Chinese required” to ensure only Asians apply.