January 2009 – Page 2 – Vinko’s Thoughts On…

January 15, 2009

10 Countries With The Most Workers

Rank	Country	# of Workers
1.	China	803,300,000
2.	India	516,400,00
3.	USA	153,100,000
4.	Indonesia	108,000,000
5.	Brazil	99,470,000
6.	Russia	75,100,000
7.	Bangladesh	69,400,000
8.	Japan	66,070,000
9.	Nigeria	50,130,000
10.	Pakistan	49,180,000
	World Total	3,001,000,000

Statistics are based on those from 2007 or latest year available, people in the age range 15 – 64 who are employed. Excluding unpaid groups.

It is not surprise the country with the world’s highest population and the country that manufacture majority of he world’s goods ranked number 1.

Source: CIA, The World Factbook 2008 – International Labour Organization

January 8, 2009

10 Top Internet Using Countries

Rank	Country	% of Wrold Total	# of Internet Users
1.	USA	18.00	210,575,287
2.	China	13.80	162,000,000
3.	Japan	7.40	86,300,000
4.	Germany	4.30	50,426,117
5.	Inda	3.60	42,000,000
6.	Brazil	3.30	39,140,000
7.	UK	3.20	37,600,000
8.	South Korea	2.90	34,120,000
9.	France	2.80	32,925,953
10.	Italy	2.70	31,481,928
	Top 10 Total	62.00	726,569,285
	World Total	100.00	1,173,109,925

Statistics are collected for 2007. With the recent reform and increase of Internet users in China, it would not be a surprise if China had already surpassed USA as of 2009.

I also question the position of Japan and South Korea, as they are more connected to the Internet than most other countries in the world. The low ranking may be the result of their populations compared to China and USA.

Source: Internet World Stats

January 7, 2009

Quick Summary of Macworld 2009 Keynote

Apple logo Before heading to bed, I thought I give everyone a quick summary of the keynote at Macworld 2009.

Apple announced three new things: iLife ’09, iWork ’09 and a new MacBook Pro 17″ plus two iTunes Store updates. The latter being the immediate availability of 8 million DRM-free tracks on iTunes Store worldwide and OTA (Over-the-air) iTunes Store purchase on the iPhone.

Continue reading “Quick Summary of Macworld 2009 Keynote”

January 5, 2009

Taxi Taxi As Far As Eye Can See

This evening at one of the busiest location in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, near Time Square at 21:00 in the evening. Where normally it’s very difficult to find an empty taxi, had so many available taxis that the line up spilled out onto a street three blocks away.
View Toward the Front of the Line View Towards the End of Line

Could this be the result of the recent taxi rate hike before Christmas?

I really don’t understand why the taxi industry of Hong Kong chooses to raise the rates during this worldwide economic down spin, where Hong Kong is one of the many cities taking the brunt of the effects. With many people in Hong Kong worry about the security of their jobs in the coming months.

The taxis industry’s original excuse for raising the rates was the high cost of gas prices, therefore raising their cost of operation. This did not make sense to me, as 100% of the taxis in Hong Kong are fueled by LPG. Plus gas prices had dropped over HKD4.00/L since their original complaint.

January 4, 2009

Movie Review: Lady Cop & Papa Crook (2009)

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Lady Cop & Papa Crook (aka《大搜查之女》) at AMC Theater, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. Not one of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

I normally do not watch too many Hong Kong made films, particular ones staring pop singers. Tonight it was different, it is a holiday Sunday and I had not watch a film for some weeks. The only US film I was willing to watch, Four Christmases, was sold out. So I bought tickets for the only Hong Kong made movie that did not seem too boring at the same time may be funny.

Not sure if it was my low expectations, but to my surprise, this movie was definitely entertaining. The two leads: Sammi Cheng and Eason Chan were not bad. Best of all were the plot and cinematography. They have this Infernal Affairs feel, and the plot twisted also like Infernal Affairs did.

For those who knows the directors this would not be a surprise, as one of the directors, Felix Chong, is the same director who filmed The Departed; the 2006 remake of the famous Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs. Where the Chong’s partner in those movie, Alan Mak, again teamed up with him to make this movie.

That was two in a row, where a Hong Kong made movie presently surprised me. Next time, even if you have other choices at the cinema, do give this one a check before settling for one of the US films. I for one will not give Hong Kong movies a pass so hastily in the future.

Rating Legend:
	Not to be missed
	Wait for the DVD
	Buy from iTunes Store
	Rent it on iTunes
	Waste your time elsewhere

January 4, 2009

影評: 大搜查之女

Poster

My Rating:

睇完套戲，有很多似曾相識的感覺…「Sex and the City」加「証人」混合版？我覺得「大」這套戲的題材同「証人」差不多，都係講綁架，可能睇咗「証人」無幾耐啦，同埋我實在睇咗好多次Sex and the City啦。「大」戲中4個女人的開場戲和戲中鄭秀文男友係藝術家醉心創作藝術品這部份實在勾起我腦海浮現Sex and the City部份類同的片段，所以有這樣的感覺…！
「大」戲故事雖然簡單，你我都會估到故事結局，但故事的轉折點係幾吸引，亦有意外的幽默情節，確實有它特別之處，都值得買飛入場睇。
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvkECYTt_MM

Rating Legend:
	Not to be missed
	Wait for the DVD
	Buy from iTunes Store
	Rent it on iTunes
	Waste your time elsewhere

January 4, 2009

影評: 大搜查之女

Poster

My Rating:

Rating Legend:
	Not to be missed
	Wait for the DVD
	Buy from iTunes Store
	Rent it on iTunes
	Waste your time elsewhere

January 2, 2009

Listed on Alltop.com

Today I was informed that my site had made it onto Alltop.com in the iPhone section. This is a great honor and hope that this will enable more readers on the Interweb finding out about my blog and allowing me to share more of my thoughts with them.

If you like to help me towards this effort please feel free to use the “Get Me an Americano” link.

January 2, 2009