Joke falls very flat
The CEO of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in British Columbia attempted a joke on International Women's Day that ended up costing him his job. Vivek Sharma welcomed people to the BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference in Richmond by asking women in the audience to stand and be recognised, which they did to applause. Then he instructed them to "go clean some rooms and do some dishes". Outrage followed.
Korean age
South Korea has an unusual way of determining age: A baby is 1 upon its birth, and adds another year each January 1. That means the "Korean age" of a child born on December 31 becomes 2 years old the next day. So, yes, everyone gets a year older on the exact same day. There are various theories as to how this arose: Some say the system accounts for the (almost) year spent as a fetus; others say it's tied to ancient numerical systems that didn't have a concept of zero. Under some circumstances, especially legal ones, the country uses the international age system. Lee Yong-ho, the chief of the President-Elect's transition committee, said the incoming administration was looking to standardise the way age is counted in order to bring South Korea in line with the rest of the world as the current method causes "persistent confusion" and "unnecessary social and economic costs".
Op shop finds
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Dress code power trips
1. "I once had a requirement to wear 'collared shirts' - I had a shirt with a 'Mandarin collar' that I loved. My boss objected. Executive management got involved to determine that, yes, a Mandarin collar is actually a collared shirt."
2. "Friend of mine wore T-shirts every day. Was told he had to wear a polo to meetings. Showed up in a tie-dyed polo. Compliance achieved."
3. "My husband was once required to colour the yellow thread on his black Doc Martin's. The yellow was only around the top of the sole. We did it but it's a level of petty."
