Volvo Cars, a unit of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.

I haven’t missed the sale of Volvo to Geely, but it wasn’t as momentous as the rebirth of Saab. We knew the deal was coming and the rest were formalities.    The company has said there will be no Geelys badged as Volvos and vice versa. It recognizes the Volvo brand is too valuable to […]

Read More… from Volvo Cars, a unit of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.



On Wellywood, Murdoch and English accents

The good news today is that Wellington Airport is officially in two minds about what type of sign it will put up on the Miramar cutting, which means that the ‘Wellywood’ sign protest has had a victory of sorts.    I’m thrilled at the news because it shows people power—especially people like Anthony Lander who […]

Read More… from On Wellywood, Murdoch and English accents



Metro gives thumbs-up to Stefan Engeseth’s Unplugged Speeches

This is rather heartening to see, from the Metro freebie in Stockholm (the below is copied from the online edition):    What’s in: Stefan Engeseth’s Unplugged Speeches series at the Regina Stockholms Operamathus (where yours truly gave the first edition).    What’s out: the growing mounds of paper (rather appropriate in an eco-conscious nation).   […]

Read More… from Metro gives thumbs-up to Stefan Engeseth’s Unplugged Speeches



Vista was just a duo today

Due to others’ appointments, the Vista Group meeting today was a mere duo: myself and Jim Donovan, Esq., who will give up blogging in 10 days. It meant it was the second-least well attended meeting in our history. Jim has never let us forget the least well attended one.    I have always said that […]

Read More… from Vista was just a duo today



Google Docs doesn’t want bad news

This is a bit odd. I was asked to fill out a survey regarding Google Docs, which I promptly did. I didn’t give it very high marks, and after clicking submit, the response was ‘You have indicated that you do not use Google Docs.’    I beg your pardon?    I indicated that I had […]

Read More… from Google Docs doesn’t want bad news



The rise of the city brand

I don’t have the other writers’ permission to show their side of this Facebook dialogue, but we had been chatting about growing the creative clusters here in Wellington as one of my mayoral policies.    I wrote: Mostly by focusing on growing creative clusters and taking a bigger slice of the cake. So it is […]

Read More… from The rise of the city brand



Toyota’s recent “30-degree” scandal in China

Sam Flemming in Advertising Age mentioned the scandal that Toyota has been embroiled in inside China, before a lot of the bad press it received in the occident over “unintended acceleration”.    This involved a netizen, an owner of a Toyota Highlander Sport, filming that his SUV was unable to get up a 30-degree incline, […]

Read More… from Toyota’s recent “30-degree” scandal in China



A spoof ‘Wellywood’ sign seems out of touch to me

I was interested to see a Tweet today (via Daniel Spector) asking if I would object to the erection of a ‘Wellywood’ sign in Miramar that would parody the ‘Hollywood’ one in the Hollywood Hills, Calif. The answer is: yes, I would.    For numerous reasons. First, it’s naff and tacky.    Secondly, why do […]

Read More… from A spoof ‘Wellywood’ sign seems out of touch to me



Hints of Google’s privacy misbehaviours in 2007

I did my last edits to this blog’s pages that had resided on the old Blogger service today, before decommissioning them from the service. After today (in theory, since the updating stalled twice as I wrote this), you will not be able to make any more comments on posts written before January 1, 2010.   […]

Read More… from Hints of Google’s privacy misbehaviours in 2007



Did I mention I dislike junk faxes?

I received yet another junk fax today, which I believe are not permitted under the Telecommunications Act. My enquiries to Telecom suggest that this is the case.    This time, it’s a well known business based in town and in the Hutt. And you know what? I’ve now made a mental note not to go […]

Read More… from Did I mention I dislike junk faxes?