Don't try this at home #4 - (not) selling your car

[Andrew Fergus]

If you are having a bad PC or a bad Excel day then the following links might help you put your issues into perspective.

For sale : 1 x beautiful looking Italian sportscar on our local auction website (a bit like eBay) : http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Other/auction-40487913.htm

And before the auction closed, check out what happened to the vehicle :
http://www.gpforums.co.nz/thread/298995/?s=
(The link has been changed given the photographs were removed from the original link)

Needless to say, the car didn't sell...

 

[Andrew Fergus]

The problems faced by the Lamborghini owner pale in comparison with the recent losses incurred by a Chinese trader on the copper markets. See here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4438160.stm

According to the article the trader has 'disappeared'.

 

[whiteghost]

Given that China tried to deny the number of sars cases they had, and they advised farmers to vaccinate chickens with human flu vaccine... then denied it and the number of reported AIDs cases in China is classified as a state secret.... does this quote from the BBC reports surpise anyone?

"The Chinese State Reserve Bureau (SRB) has denied Mr Liu's existence - despite LME traders saying they know him as China's main copper trader."

 

[Andrew Fergus]

I must have mis-read the article about the 'disappearing' part (I can no longer see it?) but I like this understatment : "The SRB is reported to have sent Mr Liu home and told him to keep a low profile." What else would you do if just lost your employer a few hundred million? I'd be keeping an extra low profile....

As you say, facts can be hard to come by but here is a good news story about a Chinese miner rescued 11 days after a mine collapsed : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4448178.stm

Although I suspect he is a bit like the proverbial 'drop in the bucket' given the spate of casualties this year.....