Calendar new years holiday
 

Abet surprised by the calendar NY's eve 3 day 'work' holiday this year here in BJ.

Seems the 31st, saturday, was a work day. And the next 3 days, jan 1st-3rd, or Sun-Tues. are the holidays when most all offices are closed, schools also.

This is mild in comparison to the upcoming Chinese NY. Some workers are planning several 'weeks' off !. & schools are closed for a month to 5 weeks, mid jan-mid feb for this winter holiday.

Although bizarrely, my university declared 31/1 as 'holidays' (very generous of them to count the week-end as a holiday) and today as a regular work day. In the UK, the trade unions (and even non-union workers) would have had a fit!

I do find these 'day off during the week, so must work the week-end' rules all a bit odd. Luckily, my work is very flexible, and means I can work when I like....of course, that usually means working most week-ends!

tb

First: Happy New Year and Well Wishes to All! -- I 've not kept up with FT forums busy, busy.

I just checked out a book by an ex-pat: Alan Paul. Title: Big in China. 3/2011. I found his writing style easy to read. He blogged about his family's 3 1/2 years in BJ/China and won a national award. He was part of the "Woodie Alan Band". His wife was WSJ's China bureau chief. --Did anyone get to hear his band? or read his columns?

CNY is coming up fast and I have to get a move on to tame the dust bunnies at Mom's place...and then my own.

oo! oo! what a good idea! I lost my key card a year ago staying at a freind's complex. I wish I had thought to do what you did!!

(good advice for the future though!)

Actually, I've since discovered an even better way. Most locksmiths sell the key chain dongles for y10-15, and some can even copy the info from your existing dongle on the spot. But, the latter part isn't so important because most decent doormen can activate those things in seconds.

Since this is for random tidbits...

I've noticed for a long time that Standard Chartered has given slightly better US$ cash exchange rates than other banks, but haven't really bothered to check. Today, I did.

SCB China: 6.28RMB/US$
Other banks: 6.23RMB/US$

Anyone know why? (Not that I'm complaining)

They're not really providing a better rate, just waiving the fee for converting foreign notes to foreign exchange.

Other banks also offer this service for free, e.g., HSBC Premier. Another way of getting the better rate at any bank is to wire the money into your account from overseas.

China Land of Opportunity
 

The East is Red has now changed
to "Go East Young Man"@:-)


Kasper Leschly, the Danish founder of the footwear brand D:Fuse, goes to a confidential forum in Beijing every second Tuesday of the month in Beijing

Leschly set up his company, which is based in Tianjin, in 2007. The company's first footwear shop was opened in Shanghai with an investment of 250,000 yuan ($40,000, 30,500 euros).

A little more than four years later, D:Fuse has 200 outlets around China, and its annual sales volume is triple when compared with 2008

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/weekly/...t_14390144.htm