Lai See
HK landlords find fame fleeting in The Dark Knight
It smashed all opening box-office records in North America last weekend, raking in more than US$158 million. The brilliant performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker is tipped as a shoo-in for a posthumous Oscar. And on top of that, it shows the world how splendid Hong Kong looks day and night. So who's not a fan of the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight?
Well, we've heard talk that a certain major landlord was disappointed about not getting credited in the movie. Also, there have been mutterings that some of our more spectacular buildings, such as the IFC2, were shown for only a few seconds while most Hong Kong landlords had complied to a request from the movie makers to keep the lights on well into the early morning for a week during filming last November.
One landlord even complained: 'The movie makes us look stupid security-wise. We are not a major crime city but our security is much better than portrayed in the film.'
When the Batman crew decided to film around IFC2, many Central property owners were encouraged by Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan to co-operate for the good of the city. At the time, Sun Hung Kai Properties was keen to comply but not Henderson Land.
The movie makers did thank the people of Hong Kong at the end but we suppose it's hard to keep everyone happy.
Most traded story
One of Hong Kong's most media friendly stock commentators Kenny Tang Sing-hing, whom this newspaper has quoted nearly a thousand times in the past 10 years, might not be so accessible from now on.
Mr Tang found himself the subject of the cover story in Next Magazine this week over his relationship with Maggie Yip, an executive of public relations firm Strategic Financial.
It was certainly the most actively traded story doing the rounds yesterday.
Lai See was unable to reach Mr Tang for any comment, including about the 600-point gain in the Hang Seng Index.
Omission on emissions
The results of a survey released by HSBC Insurance yesterday made quite disturbing reading.
It showed that 80 per cent of Hong Kong travellers take no action to address the negative impact of their overseas trips, even though nearly all believe carbon dioxide emissions are harmful to the environment.
Almost half were not aware they could do anything about the problem and a quarter said they didn't care, leading the bank to conclude that we're not a very environmentally friendly lot.
There is always a reason why a company sponsors a survey.
HSBC's is that it has launched a 'green' travel insurance scheme whereby it will donate 1 per cent of customers' premiums to fund the use of 'eco-blocks' in buildings and pavements.
Instructions from the grave
The drafting of wills can be a precarious business for the rich and famous, witness the legal battles over the estates of Nina Wang and Anita Mui.
But we heard at a lunch with ABN Amro private bankers that us lesser mortals are also often saddled with 'estate planning' problems.
The most common in Hong Kong involves conditions that relatives insist on being included in a will, such as the beneficiaries having to visit their graves at least twice a year, or insisting that younger family members marry only ethnic Chinese.
Goldman, Citigroup top poll
Which brokers do hedge funds listen to when they are looking for stock ideas?
According to Institutional Investor magazine, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup share that distinction in this year's hedge fund poll.
For Citigroup it was the first time it had come top of the list on which Goldman's has been the top choice for the past three years.
In all, Goldman ranked top in nine categories of the poll, equal to the combined total claimed by Citigroup (4), UBS (2) and JP Morgan (3).
