Can’t afford a Lamborghini, or Ferrari, or Porsche? Try being a cop in South Korea instead… [via Cutkillavince [Fr]]
Luxury Goods
Giant truffle sold for USD200k
The largest truffle found in Italy this year was sold for USD200,000 at a charity auction that was held simultaneously in Abu Dhabi, Macau, London and Rome on November 29.
Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho was the highest bidder for the 1.08-kg white truffle. The tycoon was also the highest bidder for last year’s largest truffle, a 1.5-kg piece that fetched a record $330,000.
Truffle is a precious ingredient in Italian and French gourmet for its pungent aroma and taste. White truffle is considered the best truffle; a kilogram of normal size white truffle could cost over $5000.
A total of $284,000 were raised from this auction event, with a few smaller truffles being sold as well. The money will be donated to selected charities in the cities that held the synchronised auction.
$6,100 for a Densuke black watermelon
A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record 650,000 yen (US$6,100) Friday, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country… and possibly the world.
The 8-kilogram premium Densuke watermelon, grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido, was purchased by a marine products dealer who said he wanted to support local agriculture, according to Kyodo News agency.
In a country where melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts, the watermelon’s hefty price tag follows another jaw-dropping auction last month, where a pair of Yubari cantaloupe melons sold for a record 2.5 million yen (US$23,500).
“It’s a watermelon, but it’s not the same,” said Kazuyoshi Ohira, a spokesman for the Tohma Agricultural Cooperative in Hokkaido. “It has a different level of sweetness.” [Mainichi]
USD23,800 for a pair of Yubari melons
A pair of Yubari melons are sold for 2.5 million yen (~ USD23,800) in this harvest season’s first auction on May 13 at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Markets. The price is a record high, surpassing the 2 million yen a pair fetched last year. [Kyodo]
Yubari melons are known for their high quality and sweet taste, and are popular summer gifts in Japan; an average Yubari melon could cost USD50-100.
Giving gifts to corporate partners and clients is a traditional Japanese business custom. It’s usually done twice a year in mid-winter and again in mid-summer.
Malaysian government is very rich
Some figures from Auditor-General on government spending, via Wengsan….
• 146 sets of screwdrivers bought for RM 224 per set when the market price is only RM 40 per set;
• 82 sets of Staedler Mars technical pens bought for RM 225 per set when the market price is only RM 120 per set;
• 90 sets of Faber Castell technical pens bought for RM 1,147 per set when the market price is RM 160 per set;
• 17 sets of technical books consisting of 10 titles priced at RM10,700 per set when the market price is only RM 417 per set;
• 5 units of 3.1 megapixel digital camera that was bought for RM8,254 per unit when the market price was only RM 2,990 per unit.
• 650 sets of plastic vases bought at RM 42.80 per set when the market price is only RM 5.20 per set:
• 3 sets of settee bought between RM 8,250-RM9.075 per set when the market price is only RM 1,500 per set;
• two tower cranes bought for RM 5.72 million when the market price is only RM 2.98 million
• 60 used cars bought at a price of RM 4.24 million when the market price is only RM 2.8 million an excess of RM 1.44 million;
• 152 desktop computer packages bought for RM 4.5 million when the market price is only RM 1.4 million, an excess of RM 3.1 million;
• 420 sets of cement mortar boards bought at RM 1,027 per set when the market price is only RM 150 per set;
• 3 cabins bought for RM 141,900 per cabin when the market price is only RM 20,000 per cabin; and
• 2 units of two-tonne car jack bought for RM 5,471 per unit when the market price is only RM 50 per unit.
This is how Malaysian government is ‘spending’ our tax money. There might be negligence in some cases, but for most, it’s blatant corruption. And the sad thing is that our government is not doing much to stop this mess.
$16,000 USD for a pair of Yubari melons
A pair of cantaloupes from Yubari, Japan, fetched a whopping two million yen (over $16,000 USD) at the first auction of the season in Sapporo. The price paid by department store chain Marui Imai has broken the previous record of 800,000 yen.
The melons, priced at a million yen apiece, were on display/sale at Marui Imai’s flagship outlet. A spokesman said that the melons were meant for publicity in celebration of their 135th anniversary instead of direct profit.
Yubari melons are known for their high quality and sweet taste. The melons are popular summer gifts in Japan. An average Yubari melon could cost $50-100 USD.
Giving gifts to corporate partners and clients is a Japanese tradition which is usually done twice a year, in mid-winter and mid-summer respectively.
[Update] The record was broken again in 2008 for two and a half million yen.
