Blaming Occupy for Closing Shop

Carnegie's in Wan Chai is closing down after 25 years in business

It's been a tough year for restaurants and bars in Hong Kong.

A number of them have closed down, citing rising rents, or the clientele they used to target (ie bankers) are fast becoming extinct.

Reading some of the news articles, the owners of some of these establishments cite the Occupy protests in 2014 severely impacted their businesses, and after the 79-day protest, their customer base never recovered again.

W's Entrecote didn't see customers come back after Occupy

It's really interesting to hear them say that -- it's several of them, not just one or two, and it makes you wonder why that is or how could that even be possible, that it is a lame excuse.

But perhaps the hassle of going to these areas forced patrons to head elsewhere and they found other bars and restaurants to patronize that they felt had better atmosphere, or better value for money, or better food on offer and didn't bother to come back.

So maybe Occupy influenced consumers' habits in where they went to eat and drink,  and also it's capitalism -- if people aren't interested in your products and/or services, they will go elsewhere, leaving you in the dust.

This bar cites road closures during Occupy impacted business

It's even more acute in Hong Kong where overhead costs are so high and profits are razor thin. If you don't have a solid game plan in place that is executed well, nothing can save you.

Some of the places that have recently closed are past their prime, or becoming too old school for millennials who are looking for something more exciting or interesting.

As the saying goes, the only constant is change.

Singapore's Sibling Feud

Lee Hsien Loong's siblings accuse him of betraying his father's legacy

A curious feud has erupted among family members of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew's three children.

It emerged earlier this week that Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's two youngest siblings spoke out on Wednesday online, saying they were being harassed so much that "Lee Hsien Yang feels compelled to leave Singapore".

"Since the passing of Lee Kuan Yew, on 23 March 2015, we have felt threatened by Hsien Loong's misuse of his position and influence over the Singapore government and its agencies to drive his personal agenda," the siblings said in a Facebook statement.

Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang say they are harassed

"We feel big brother omnipresent. We fear the use of the organs of state against us and Hsien Yang's wife Suet Fern," they said in a six-page document.

They added: "We feel hugely uncomfortable and closely monitored in our own country. We do not trust Hsien Loong as a brother or as a leader. We have lost confidence in him."

The issue is that the two younger siblings are the executors of their father's will, and in it, Lee Kuan Yew wanted the family home, which is near the Orchard Road shopping district, to be demolished after his death, or after his daughter Lee Wei Ling, who had been living with her father for years, moved out.

They claim Hsien Loong is planning to preserve the home as that "would enhance his political capital", though Lee Kuan Yew did not want the public to "trudge through" his family home after he died.

At stake is the family home Lee Kuan Yew wanted demolished

And now the government has admitted there is a secret committee evaluating the future of the property.

While Premier Lee has claimed to recuse himself from government decisions regarding the home his father lived in for seven decades, Hsien Yang said his brother's actions contradicted his position.

"He [Premier Lee] goes to the cabinet committee and says, 'Oh, my father wasn't quite so unwavering in his wish. You know, he would have accepted that the government has a right to do what it does'. What is all this sophistry? What, are you quibbling and trying to play with words, to try and say that it might be all right?"

This public airing of the spat between the siblings is very unusual but also reveals cracks in the ruling family's fabric. Singaporeans may be embarrassed or intrigued by the seemingly acrimonious fight.

Lee Kuan Yew didn't want his home to be a tourist site

If and when Hsien Yang does go into self-imposed exile, it will be a strong vote of non-confidence for Hsien Loong. How will Singaporeans feel about their city state now? Or have they lost respect for the ruling party, the People's Action Party?

The Privilege of Parking

Can you imagine paying over HK$5 million to be able to park your car?

A Hong Kong executive has paid a world record HK$5.18 million (US$664,260) for a parking spot in Sai Ying Pun.

Kwan Wai-ming is the executive director of Huarong Investment Stock Corp and needed a third parking spot in The Upton, a new mixed business and residential complex.

The last record price for a parking spot was HK$4.8 million at 55 Conduit Road in Mid-Levels last October.

The price beat the record at 55 Conduit Road at HK$4.8M

In this case, Kwan probably lives at The Upton, having forked over HK$75.6 million in 2014 and 2016 for two units in the building, and then last January he bought two parking spaces at HK$3.78 million and HK$3.98 million.

To put this into perspective for ordinary folk, there's a parking garage across from The Upton where it costs HK$3,000 to rent a parking spot there.

But Kwan is paying for the convenience and security of having his cars in the same building.

The rest of us would use HK$5.18 million to buy a flat to live in -- if given a chance.

Ah, the lifestyles of the rich and obnoxiously loaded...

Dennis the Mediator

Dennis Rodman (centre) arrived in North Korea today via Beijing

Hmmm former NBA star Dennis Rodman is back in North Korea to hang with his buddy Kim Jong-un.

Rodman arrived earlier today via Beijing and was mobbed by journalists.

"I'm just trying to open the door," Rodman told them. "My purpose is to actually see if I can keep bringing sports to North Korea, so that's the main thing."

Rodman has built a rapport with Kim Jong-un

The former basketball player spoke quietly and was escorted through customs and immigration by two handlers.

Rodman claims to have good relations with US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim, which would put the celebrity athlete in a very good position if he were able to try to lessen tensions between the two countries.

Tensions have heightened on the Korean peninsula due to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests, and it vows to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland, which if it does become a reality would create a very dangerous situation for Trump.

"I am pretty much sure that he [Trump] is happy with the fact that I am over here trying to accomplish something that we both need," Rodman said, when asked if he had spoken to the American president.

He also has a friendship with US President Donald Trump

US Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon said today in Tokyo that Rodman was traveling as a private citizen.

"We are aware of his visit. We wish him well. But we have issued travel warnings to Americans and suggested they not travel to North Korea for their own safety," he said.

So the world is watching, Dennis. We hope you can persuade Kim, who you describe as "an awesome kid" to put down his nuclear toys and play basketball with you instead...