Lai See

feer gets top billing

Things must be going really well at the Far Eastern Economic Review.

They're literally throwing money away over there.

Yesterday we received a 'Dear REVIEW Reader' letter from FEER managing director Christopher Graves, who invited us 'to join an exclusive group of executives who participate in an important survey'.

'As an additional token of our appreciation,' the letter continued, 'we enclose a US two-dollar bill, which you may wish to give to a child or donate to a charity of your choice.'

Not possible, we thought. Free money?

Sure enough it was, but not exactly as advertised. When we peered back into the envelope we found not a US$2 bill, but two crisp one-dollar notes.

We're not sure when we'll get round to filling out the detailed eight-page, 32-question survey that - among other things - ask what luxury brands, banks and cars we use and prefer, not to mention our annual pre-tax US dollar household income and e-mail address.

But we're keeping the cash. Cheers, FEER.

best before

Who says Singaporean government officials, like the city state they created and maintain, have no sense of humour? Asked why he would not hand over his post to his designated successor before a mid-July trip to India and Iran, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said: 'It's not good for me to go overseas with an expiry date hanging on my shirt.'