The Invisible Hand of...Adam Smith?

Current mythology holds that share prices rise and fall on the basis of market forces alone. And most people probably assume that Adam Smith is still right, i.e. the stock market is free of government interference.

Such sentiments appear to be hugely mistaken and as the Hong Kong government rhetoric continues to toe the free market line, violating the traditional belief in unfettered markets.

I mean, we were being taught that way in Classical Economics school of thought, didn't we? I must have missed a line, lost track, skipped class, something like that.

This is what I called a marketing gimmick

How to make cigarette advertising innovative and less ordinary? You must take a look at how well the Japanese is doing that and let's put aside the moral and the health issues about smoking for the moment.

I am not a smoker, but when my friend presented this little innovation she bought from Japan recently, I was absolutely startled by such tobacco marketing, bewildered by the fact that their brains can construct something so dazingly different yet remarkably stunning.

Stuff like this goes well in Japan, particularly when tobacco is sold in creative packaging, however wasteful it may be. What raises the ire of nanny-stater marketeers like me, is simply the level of creativity you can get in Japan.

Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy - My Favorite Opera for Everyone CD

I remembered dawdling into Hong Kong Records one summer day in 1995, aimlessly looking for something to buy with a HKD100 cash coupon.I thought I could easily settle that with one of Faye Wong's compilations, one which I have accidentally broken in halves, but they ran out of stock.

That brought me to the section of classical music, and ultimately, "Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy - My Favorite Opera for Everyone" CD was the item I checked out with. The apparent reason I chose that CD was firstly, it was just over $100, secondly simply because the critics was claiming the tenor to be "The best ever, no one quite like him".

After all these years, the one that caught my attention out of the Three Tenors is the less famous Plácido Domingo. His live performance of the song "Perhaps Love" has become my all time favourite lullaby.I want to thank Luciano's huge existence, without him, I would not come to learn to appreciate operas.

It is a sorrow to hear yet another helpless story of a Cancer case. With Pancreatic cancer, it is usually fatal with only a 4% 5-year survival rate. Up to 80% of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within the 1st year.

I do believe Luciano will live forever through his magnificant voice, but as his voice finally falls silent, it literally will be the end of the "Three Tenor era". However, this CD I have, might be worth thrice as much!

Below is the lovely lyrics of the song Perhaps Love, one that has really caught me and my tears.

Perhaps love is like a resting place

A shelter from the storm

It exists to give you comfort

It is there to keep you warm

And in those times of trouble

When you are most alone

The memory of love will bring you home

Perhaps love is like a window

Perhaps an open door

It invites you to come closer

It wants to show you more

And even if you lose yourself

And don`t know what to do

The memory of love will see you through

Oh, love to some is like a cloud

To some as strong as steel

For some a way of living

For some a way to feel

And some say love is holding on

And some say letting go

And some say love is everything

And some say they don`t know

Perhaps love is like the ocean

Full of conflict, full of pain

Like a fire when it's cold outside

Or thunder when it rains

If I should live forever

And all my dreams come true

My memories of love will be of you

Words and music by John Denver

Hong Kong Losing Charm

I'd pay for anything to watch the world's best player today and the world's best player 10 years ago give 50% effort for a 3 set match...

Can anyone tell me where I can still buy tickets to The Venetian Arena in Macau? I don't wanna be watching live on CCTV5.

Why everything new and interesting are now happening elsewhere? Pete and Roger are going to Seoul and KL before arriving Macao. You can see Hong Kong is fast losing attraction and competitiveness...

second thought...let me take that back.

We should be terribly looking forward to the Olympic equestrian events in 2008, the dressage and show jumping - those really are gonna impress Hongkongers, right? Sorry, no betting for those, said the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and be warned, you better be prepared to get muddy in the soft soil, ruining your Louis Vuitton Sneakers you have on.

Big Bird - A380

The world's largest passenger jet flew over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour this morning at 8am and this crap photo was all i've managed to capture with my sony ericsson 810i, taken from my office at 66th Floor.

It was nonetheless a breathtaking experience, and I regret not bringing a proper camera.

Old Friends on Facebook

Great Article from TIME Magazine, anticipating how the online networking activities are evolving. And that we've all made the "way-to-go" choice joining the facebook hype now.

Here's the Hyperlink to the Article