Tea Leaks by Talkers

Mirror, Mirror

Foreign envoys tend to make errors. It’s only human. Says the Mirror this week in a very expensive, sorry, extensive article on Macau: “There are 33 casinos in this neon-lit city but that is certainly not all it has to offer as the wildchild of China and a playground of the East.” 33? Unless the Mirror rep knows something we don’t, we have 35 casinos, according to DICJ. Now, as for Macau being the wildchild, well, wild yes, he may have a point, but not so much of a …child. Ask nephew Alan.

Sorry Chan

The Official Gazette mistakenly published last week that the suspended IACM official Lei Wai Nong has “extended his appointment for two more years as director of the Printing Bureau.” According to the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Lei is still under suspension, as the known graveyard court case (in which Lei was ruled innocent) is not over yet. Secretary Sonia Chan apologized to the public, saying that the error might have been made due to IACM workers being “overburdened.” That explains it. That, or perhaps nowadays enemy number one: the copy-paste.

Gray exploits

Talkers wondered why staff in some restaurants look a little tired. Sure, there’s a need for some overtime hours, but 6 years? When you’re 71, it’s fair to expect retirement soon but Palacio Lisboa Food Court cherish their employees so like adoptive children that they don’t want to let them go – anywhere: working 9 hours a day, no days in lieu of public holidays, no transportation allowance home after night shifts, it’s an (in)tense relationship. After working for the company for a decade or more, employers get to feel part of the furni… family. Talkers think the new domestic violence law might cover their plight. Depending upon their patron financially, as they do, it’s a courageous 105 who took legal recourse, appealing to the Labor Affairs Bureau, as they did. But then, it might just be determined a case of mild abuse.

Blogoscope

“The Zahid Controversy: Who Is Paul Phua?” by malaysiandigest.com
“These past few weeks one name which was previously unknown has been propelled into the limelight – Paul Phua. The Malaysian citizen who is currently being accused of operating an illegal soccer gambling ring in Las Vegas caused quite a stir, when reports surfaced that Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi sent the FBI a letter clearing the man from any involvement with the 14K triad. But the question on most Malaysians’ minds is actually who is Paul Phua?”

Pints ‘n all

Irish Minister Harris came to town, and with Consul Peter Ryan and our well-known expat Niall Murray, they meant business. Niall announced that in the upcoming St Patrick’s Day celebrations we’ll have Gaelic music and dance (embedded into the Venetian’s Carnevale event). Talkers welcome the Irish army with open arms. Especially because, we’ve heard, the pints are on Niall! Mooray!

One pint for 550

Speaking of pints, the most exquisite and expensive German brew, The World of Neuschwansteiner is about to be in a bar near you. Again, Talkers are very open to the initiative brought to town by His Highness Prince Leopold of Bavaria who recently visited Macau on a commercial tour. Since you may have trouble ordering “a pint of Neuschwansteiner, please”, here’s help: neu [as in boy] shvan [as it looks] shteiner [as in miner]. “Neuschwansteiner is a lot easier to drink than it is to pronounce,” wrote the guys at LifeStyleAsia. Well, at HKD550 a pint, easy for you guys to say…

in others’ words

[Macau is] the wildchild of China – a playground of the East, a release from the otherwise restrictive People’s Republic parents who live nearby.

Ben Curtis, Special envoy, Daily Mirror