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Tea Leaks by Talkers

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Friday, January 30, 2015

Everybody loves Alexis

Even for the gracious standards by which attentive and responsible media abide, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture enjoys very, very good press. Actually, he makes the most of everyday, and that is why he seems to be everywhere. Gladly, reporters try their best to keep to Alexis Tam’s pace. Everybody loves Alexis… like in the Ray Romano old sitcom. Or like Alexis, the Greek.

(Un)solicited advice

With a new openness and will to listen to the opinions of residents, since taking oath Chui Sai On’s new team of Secretaries is showing all the right moves. And when the guests are well-seasoned journalists, almost always the host takes home some…ideas. But we cannot tell which – it’s all off the record, or so it was agreed. What Talkers can say is that Secretaries are good listeners. And good indoctrinators too… Hey, it’s the new normal, pá!

Nanjing hustle

We thought we knew all about the different kinds of banking. Retail, business or corporate banking, and private, investment, savings, industrial development, mortgage, exchange, online banking, plus consumer, ethical or notorious off-shore banking, but nothing, nothing would prepare us for fake banking. This week MDT printed the tale of a bunch of imaginative Nanjing swindlers. The scammers dressed the fake bank up as a State Owned commercial bank, with clerks, counters and an official website. Unhappy customers posted fat deposits, and the money ended up in Macau. Enter the fox hunt.

Exodus

More people from Hong Kong and Macau choose to migrate to Taiwan amid affordable property prices, with the number of application surging 40 percent year on year to 6,400 last year, while the volume of applications is expected to increase to 10,000 this year, according to property sources quoted by neighboring Ming Pao Daily. It’s no wonder the marriages between locals and Taiwanese are on the rise. When you wed you need a new bed, said the oracle.

Tax war

From BNU last week we got the following sms: DSF Tax Refund through your BNU account – “Register on BNU Online or in any of the bank’s branches! And enjoy all the convenience and comfort of it.” (So to get the refund.) Right from the other side of the street, BCM put more ammunition in the tax refund battle: “BCM is pleased to invite you to join the Tax Refund Double Up promotion. Simply register your BCM account as the Government Tax Refund account on or before 25 Feb 2015 to enroll the Tax Refund Double Up Lucky Draw. Three winners will be drawn for a prize equal to the refunded tax amount!” Between the “convenience and comfort,” which is good, of BNU’s offer and BCM’s matching the refund, which did you prefer? We don’t know about you but we, Talkers, are queuing at the green-logo bank. As we text.