"Are Hong Kong express okay safety wise?" Asks Mrs B

Well, as Cathay Pacific (who I work for) knows a thing or two about airlines I am probably a good person to be in the know when asking about airline safety. Except I know little about Hong KOng Express. However, a quick clickety click on the interweb reveals all I need to know to respond to Mrs B, in our following email conversation:

Mrs B: "Are Hong Kong express okay safety wise?"

Me: Is your life insurance up to date? If yes, then yes they are safe.
If no, suggest you don't fly with anyone.

(Ha, ha sometimes I'm just to funny.)

Mrs B: You will be on the same flight as me funny man

Me: Humph!

Has China lost the spirit of the Olympic Gold?

So lets start with the positive, China has got more golds than anyone else. The UK has had a fantastic run and is currently in third position.

But the down side, sadly it would appear (and of course I must restate it only appears at this point) that China has cheated with 3 gymnasts lying about their ages and instead of being 16 they are in fact 14.

Whatever China wanted to get out of the Olympic games - This is cheating, its lying and it certainly casts a long shadow. There is no excuse for drugs in sport nor lies and so with sadness I personally advocate that the team (all three) have their gold medals taken away.

Not that other countries haven't cheated in the past. The US and Canada have had their share of people willing to break the rules in order to win a gold medal for their country - The key issue is that China must own up to this and make an example of these girls and the trainers/officials (who I suspect are as guilty.)

There can be no excuse - cheating is cheating.

Again, I am the first to congratulate China on the medals that they have won, but any country that wins as many medals as China is bound to come under scrutiny. Its called the Olympic spirit and we all have to be under that spotlight. China included.

Links to the stories (strange no SCMP...?)

The Times (UK)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4583174.ece

Huffington Post (USA)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/21/ioc-to-launch-investigati_n_120519.html