Rupert and me: We got stoned together
More years ago than I care to remember, I was working as a journalist on The Sun newspaper in London when our new owner appeared, sleeves rolled up, and happy to get his hands dirty.This was the time when newspapers were still being put together with hot metal type, and the place where the printers [...]
Troubles, Technology & Tries – Hong Kong Sevens, here I am
It’s rather interesting, eavesdropping on conversations in airport lounges.At the Skyview Lounge this morning at Changi, about to catch my Cathay Pacific flight (which I nearly missed but for NotiFLY which is a great service by the way, if only they included which terminal in the information), I o [...]
Whether powered by Weibo or NVG, we are all on a treadmill
Today is 11-1-11. I am sure there is something very significant about this date. And I wish I could say I wrote this at 11.11am but at that time, I should be, all forces permitting, be on a flight winging back to Singapore.This morning, too, a family is scattering the ashes of their mother into the [...]
Who’s doing your Social Media?
Yesterday I attended an HSMAI South East Asia event. It was a breakfast session entitled: Social Media – A Distribution Channel?Hosting was Andrew Chan, President HSMAI SEA Chapter. Mario Jobbe of Brand Karma delivered the Keynote. On the panel along with Mario were: Anil Damodaran from [...]
Funds raised for Phare going towards scholarships and a permanent home for artists
It was good to learn that the Phare Cambodia Circus for which we raised fund last year was performing at the PATA Travel Mart in Phnom Penh recently.Director Dara Huot told us that the estimated S$100,000 raised during last year’s WIT Charity Auction, co-hosted with Dorsett Hospitality Internation [...]
The difference between Phuket and Bali
Bali or Phuket? Phuket or Bali? That is often the question for European travelers when they are in search of beach destinations on their first trip to South-East Asia. It has been a long 12 years since I was last in Phuket. And somehow I don't have many memories from that trip. I have a vague rec [...]
The story of The Tender Bar at Hotel Pont Royal
I suppose it’s fitting that I happened to be reading the book “The Tender Bar” by JR Moehringer while I was staying at the Hotel Pont Royal in Paris.The book, an autobiography, is about a boy who spends most of his childhood in a bar, surrounded by the most colourful characters from whom he [...]
Shark-el-Sheikh?
Flying from Cairo to Sharm el Sheikh, over the Sinai peninsula which geographically is the beginning of Asia, you see below the harsh, inhospitable landscape. Rugged mountainous terrain, valleys filled with rivers of sand, a landscape so untouched and unapproachable that you wonder how this peninsul [...]
Sing It Loud and even geeks can cry
With this post, I’d like to thank kd lang for unlocking something in me. I caught her live at the Esplanade in Singapore the day she turned 50. I liked the way she declared it in front of 1,800 “fellow freaks” as she called us.The day I declared turning 50, I did in in front of only 20 close f [...]
Small things and the best email one Company President ever wrote
I met a good friend yesterday. It had been a while since we’d met and he informed me of a new exciting venture he was entering into with some other good folks. It’s an online project centered around the facilitating of environmentally focused activities of its members.We got to talking about the [...]
