Saturday, September 17, 2005

Nina Wang

Both today's local Chinese- and English-language newspapers devote much coverage to the decision of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in favour of Chinachem billionairess Nina Wang. Not only local news, but worldwide. This is one of the better reports.
No surprise, she's good copy, the story has racy elements: the rags-to-riches, cuckolded, twice-kidnapped husband whose body has never been found. The bereaved and aging father's legal efforts to wrestle the estate from his daughter-in-law. The billions of dollars at stake. The accusation that the widow Wang forged her late husband's will. The pig-tailed widow's 'wacko' lifestyle. Her 50 bodyguards...
So, while not as Dickensian as Gradgrind versus Gradgrind, for eight years the case passed from one court to another. Now, it is over; I think.
Anyway, it all seemed like a good opportunity to put up a cartoon. Eighteenth century, possibly by James Gillray or William Hogarth. But the search has proved fruitless. In the absence of said cartoon, here is a word picture from memory: It shows one man pulling on the horns of a cow, another man at the other end pulling on the cow's tail. In between, sitting on a three-legged stool is a lawyer: with a big grin on his face as he looks over his shoulder at the viewer. What's the lawyer doing? Milking the cow. Ta-rah!

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

Your website seems like a very interesting melange! That little island is where I assume you live, how is that? You speak French apparently too given your links, how did you learn?

Check my my website if you feel like it!

Jennifer