AOB Archive Vol 1

Xinhua (that bastion of truth and fairness) reports that Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan said Sunday that Taiwan's recent "presidential election" was "the biggest joke in the world."

"People will talk about it for 100 years," Chan said at a news conference in Shanghai. "It was a shame. Not so good to look at. I was very upset and couldn't fall asleep." Chan's comments were aired on Taiwanese television.

Jackie - democracy is not a joke. It is a great privilege and one that many of your fellow Hong Kong citizens aspire to.

And if you really want to know what was the biggest joke in the world - go and watch "Tuxedo".

Latest slogan from Thailand's PR people - "Thailand - Detroit of Asia." Anyone who has ever been to Detroit will know that this is not something to be proud of! The best thing about Detroit - the tunnel out of it into Windsor, Canada.

Things are getting tough for the PM. He has had to send his youngest daughter out to work in a local McDonalds. Her salary - Baht 23.75 an hour! And she had to serve her Dad. Made a change from eating chicken.

Peter Ustinov died yesterday aged 82. One of those people who everyone regarded as a truly good, decent guy. As he reminded people "Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit"

29 March 2004

An interesting mix of news over the weekend. NASA's successful test of a scram jet could see commercial flights taking 2 hours from Sydney to New York in say 50 years time. How that would change the world (maybe too much!). Work in Manhattan and have a weekend home in Bondi !

The bombing in the south of Thailand may be a sign of things to come. It may not be so long before the targets move to Bangkok. SO far the unrest has been very localised to the south of the country. How long can this continue.

Thai mothers produce great golfers. First Tiger Woods and now the 17 year old Thai Korean prodigy, Aree Song, on the US Women's Tour.

Canada beat Fiji at the Hong Kong Sevens; with England beating Argentina to retain the title.

And to keep us all on our best behaviour in BKK the Culture Ministry is keeping a watchful eye on the models/presenters at the Bangkok International Motor Show which runs until 4 April. The Culture Minister said that "We have received a number of complaints about some scantily-clad girls and we have set up a center to monitor what is happening."

Everyone knows that boys do not go to the motor show to look at the cars !!!

The disappearance of Somchai Pheelaphaijit continues to make news. This leading Thai - Muslim activist disappeared on 12 March. His disappearance has not been explained.

24 March 2004

Thai AIr is now sponsoring the broadcast of CNN's Today programme in Thailand, under the tag line - Opening Up the Silken Skies.

What on earth does that mean !?

23 March 2004

There was something profoundly disturbing about watching a gloating Israeli Prime Minister telling his people that a helicopter gunship had murdered a cleric in a wheelchair.

22 March 2004

Golf report; two days of golf at the weekend - at Muang Kaew and at Kiarti Thanee: my golf is not consistent enough to win anything; but I can confirm that even when it is cloudy sun screen is a must ! I also strongly recommend more than three hours sleep before golf.

19 March 2004

I did a day trip to Udon Thani yesterday. Everyone should take time away from Bangkok to see provincial Thailand. Udon Thani is 562 kms from Bangkok heading to the North East. It is close to the Thailand/Laos DPR border formed by the Mekong River.

At this time of year the city is hot dry and dusty. Not yet as humid as Bangkok but badly in need of some decent rain.

It has the feel of an old frontier town. Perhaps once more prosperous than it is now!

Udon Thani was huge in the Vietnam war with some 50,000 US troops and air force based there. The city thrived as a major U.S. air base during the Vietnam War and a strong American presence remains there, including the Voice of America transmitter for all of Southeast Asia. It also functions as a trading and communications center for northern Issan. The air base at Udon Thani was very heavily involved in the C.I.A.'s secret war in Laos (1964-75) (Agent Orange in Laos and Cambodia: Documentary Evidence) in which untold thousands died. This area along the Mekong, together with Vientiane itself, forms part of the background to parts of John Le Carre's spy novel, "The Honourable Schoolboy."

16 March 2004

One of my better friends tells me that I think too much. Alain de Botton has christened this as status anxiety. It is the subject of a book and a TV series and an article in the Guardian that is on this website (Today's news).

But my friend is right - it is actually thinking too much that is hazardous to your health.

Another Guardian feature writer, Andrew Anthony, summed this up so well when he said:

"I have lived for many years quite happily with my unnamed status anxiety, which is to say the usual healthy cocktail of bitterness, envy and resentment. There were no sleepless nights, no long journeys into the depths of my tortured soul. I just did what everyone else does. I bitched and moaned about how useless everyone else was and how, if there were any justice in the world, I would be paid more than them and have a better haircut.

But now I lie awake worrying about if I'm worrying enough about my life and career. Surely, I think, if I was serious about myself I would be in a proper state of anxiety which I could then address by reading De Botton's book and watching his TV programme. That's status anxiety anxiety. But don't worry if you haven't got it."

Doctor, doctor; I think I have status anxiety anxiety.

There are only two good cures - get laid or take out the big dog and belt 200 golf balls as hard as you can!

8 March 2004

Golf report; 86 net 71 on Saturday. Not good enough to win anything but concentrated better than usual and avoided the big ugly blow outs that usually blight my medal rounds !

Travel report: Air Asia release its April and May flights and fares. How about flying from BKK to Phuket for Baht 299 (yes that is less than US$8) on the Thursday evening before Easter. Now it costs Baht 999 to come back but even with taxes the round trip fare is less than US$40 for Easter weekend. I have even given you the web site link. Baht 499 one way to Singapore is another outstanding fare !!!

3 March 2004

I actually have an official golf handicap. First time I have had a proper handicap since I was 18. I was never a member anywhere long enough or got too distracted by other things so never put in enough score cards. So officially I am playing off 15 ! This has to improve.....

3 March 2004

I have had two weeks of grief trying to publish this web site. The US host that I use has been having countless problems with its Microsoft Frontpage extensions which are critical to loading pages that are written using the Frontpage software.

Patience, gentle reader !

24 February 2004

What an odd combination - 90 minutes of the Pretenders and 90 minutes of Bryan Ferry. 90 minutes of politics, bad language and rock from the Pretenders and 90 minutes of technically solid but totally un-engaging lounge lizard singing from Bryan Ferry!

Chrissie Hynde is now 52, and is still a levis ad; their first big single was “Brass in Pocket” in late 1979, followed by “Back on the Chain Gang”, and later the mega-success of “Don’t Get Me Wrong” with lyrics like “I’m thinking about the fireworks that go off when you smile”, against that bouncy beat and jangling guitars.

Chrissie Hynde is like a one person who is who of Brit Pop. She has a daughter with Ray Davies of the Kinks and was married for six years to Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr.

She may be one of few performers who can call her audience dumb f**** and get away with it - she was condemning the meat eaters. Her politics are very forward. She is an animal-rights activist and card-carrying People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals avenger who stormed a KFC in Paris last July. Three years earlier, she dodged sentencing after trashing a Manhattan Gap store for selling items she said were made of leather from illegally slaughtered Indian cows.

More on the Pretenders here:
Pretenders Archives

16 February 2004

Jet lag can be bad - and I am not used to the long distance travel. This has been a painful week.

There is something worrying about a city whose major claim to fame is having the world's biggest tin toy soldier.

Good news: West Wing is on television tonight.

There will be a sex in the city movie: But the last ever tv episode airs on hbo this coming weekend.

The Canadians are all upset that Conan (a late night talk show guy) poked fun at Quebec. Well it was a bit naughty since the Ontario and Federal governments has spend $1million Canadian to bring his show to Canada as part of the post SARS hard sell.

But really does this need to be discussed in Parliament. The Canadians poke fun at the US all the time; learn to laugh at yourselves as well - else Canada will start to look too like Switzerland!!

15 February 2004

Things that bug me; I fear this will be a recurring item !

1) People who bring all of their personal belongings on a plane and call in hand baggage ! Why do they need anything more than the things that they need for the flight. It is so rare for bags to get lost now so that is not longer an excuse. And why do the airlines let people get away with it. When the turbulence comes and the bins fly open and that bag lands on me I will be gone!

2) Thai men with whistles; a noise that goes on for 24 hours a day. They are directing traffic or parking cars. It is shrill and unnecessary and intrusive!

3) Do not eat the lamb in Cafe De Paris in Bangkok. This was a very old and very tough sheep. We tried to tell the waiter just how bad it was. It should have been obvious; 2 and 1/2 of the 3 chops were still on the plate that he took away. And the response - so predictable; Mai Pen Rai !

I am walking around WH Smiths at Hong Kong Airport - this guy (white guy) stands in the middle of the shop and farts twice. Big loud wet ones. Was that really necessary?

In the Cathay lounge this guy has his finger so far up his nose it may come out of his ear. And he is now examining the product. God, I hope I am not sitting next to him on my flight to Vancouver !The same finger that was up his nose is now picking at his teeth !

The flight to Vancouver was OK. I enjoyed watching "Lost in Translation" - it is a gentle, wise and carefully observed film.

It is wet and grey in Vancouver. No surprise !

13 February 2003

One of my colleagues brought me a Mr. Grumpy mug ! She is right. I am getting grumpier as I get older!

11 December 2003

In my more thoughtful moments I wonder whether I have had my midlife crisis and how it revealed itself.

I was reading old scripts from the TV show Northern Exposure. Chris descibes a midlife crisis as that midpoint in our personal continuum when our delicate lives hang in the balance. We look behind us to see how far we've come and we realize that our past isn't a solitary trail through secret woods, but a vista as big and expansive as the ocean itself, with our experiences stretching to the horizon like tiny dot-like sail boats, sucked up into the enormous sea.

As we approach the end of the year it is time to toast old lang syne, to toast my own lost year. For in that year I may also have found myself as well. I have moved passed excess, forgetfulness, failure, and blindness. In many ways, the defining year of my life

9 December 2003

I played 63 holes of golf over 3 days at the weekend around Siam Country Club and Phoenix in Pattaya. Different courses but both enjoyable.

On Saturday and Sunday my colleague and I played 36 holes matchplay. Our competitors were good players, were competitive but gracious.

20 November 2003

Thai Air have set their IPO price - this must surely be a risky offering given the new domestic and international competition. Thai is saddled by excessive staff numbers, a history or bureaucracy, a massive need to invest to be competitive and an ill-considered fleet where they have a little bit of everything. Maintenance must be a continuing nightmare.

16 November 2003

The Rugby World Cup Final will be between Australia and England. Lets hope the English win it; the Aussies cannot be world champs at everything. It may just be that the Aussies had their cup final against the All Blacks. Can they be that strong again?

13 November 2003

A big thank you to Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways; they do make a wonderful job looking after unaccompanied minors flying in their care. Outstanding.

Highlight of the day was getting the little guy's hair cut - the Kanebo Aesthetics Centre (Thai for hairdresser ???) in the Silom Complex. Nice people and great with kids.

How can a six year old know quite so much about Pokemon; how can anyone know that much about Pokemon.

12 November 2002

Why start today; why not? is the only answer. I need a place to right down things that don't fit anywhere else and maybe for the occasional personal moment !

I am feeling musical today; it has been a musical day in the office (the boss must be away!); and then I saw news of Faye Wong' new cd. Her first new release for two years. Called "To Love" it is her debut cd for Sony. She has fallen foul of the mainland censors who have removed the song "In the name of love" from the cd as it contains the line "Opium is warm and sweet". This is a pic of the cd cover.

Xinhua, that bastion of great journalism, reported that "relevant departments banned this because they thought the lyrics were too decadent and will influence the health of your people". The song will appear on the cd in all other markets including Hong Kong. One country, two versions !!

The reviews look good. And she will play eight concerts in HKG at the end of 2003.

Go and listen; she transcends language and culture !