In the wind

Ignore the fact that this is an advert: there is something beautiful and comical here. In the film Silent Running (1972), robots tend the world's last plants in greenhouse spaceships for eternity; I imagine Theo Jansen's creations still pacing the beaches when everything and everyone else is dust.

Putting on the Ritz

In a typical story of Hong Kong extravagance and wastefulness, the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, which opened in 1993, has closed and is relocating to Kowloon where the new hotel will open in 2010. The "old" building will be demolished and a sky-high new development put up in its place. So far, so depressing. But what is truly amazing, especially in the wake of the Edison Chen sex photos scandal, is that prudish Hong Kong has countenanced the erection (sorry) of a full height advert covering the whole of the south face of the old building and featuring statuesque actor Djimon Hounsou wearing nothing but a pair of white Calvin Kleins.

I was walking innocently along to a lunch meeting when I bumped in to a client who was walking the same way. Just as I said hello we both clocked the advert and were struck dumb with astonishment. "That's a very big ... advertisement", I said, and we both laughed and averted our eyes.

Stop making scents

From Cathay Pacific's inflight magazine, November 2007 (Hong Kong to Singapore):

Kelly Caleche (Hermes)
"The conniving encounter between the spirit of the Kelly Bag and the perfume. The unexpected caress of a leather floral scent".

Rarely, if ever, has the word "conniving" been so inappropriately employed. As for the unexpected caress of leather florals - I am beginning to feel quite nauseated. Unexpected? You bet! Get off me, you old git!