He sent us a nice factsheet saying that Turkmenistan - yes, it's a real country with diplomatic recognition both by the United States and the European Community - has a population of 3.8 million, and a capital called Ashgabat.
We are required to send him bank references, a curriculum vitae, a copy of our current passport and 10 passport photos, in which we must wear suit and tie.
The cash is 'a contribution to the development of Turkmenistan's economy or industry'.
We would be expected to travel to Turkmenistan twice a year for official occasions and 'render assistance to travelling Turkmenistan citizens'.
Unfortunately, as we've said before, being an honorary consul gets you into good parties and not much else, unless there's a passport-for-sale angle.
No tearing up parking tickets, for instance, as there's no diplomatic immunity.
About the only privilege is having the national flag flying outside the diplomatic premises.
Whitaker's Almanack describes the Turkmenistan flag as 'green with a vertical strip near the hoist of magenta with a carpet pattern in red, white and black; in the canton a white crescent with five white stars tilted toward the upper hoist.' Somehow, this doesn't seem worth the 'contribution' payment.
Dumbstruck ZHOU Nan was served up with the food at the annual dinner of the Hong Kong Management Association last night, and he was hailing our peg to the US dollar, which he described as 'essential to Hong Kong's financial stability and should not be abandoned during the transition period'.
He then warned: 'We are seeing disconcerting signs of attempted changes proposed in the name of lofty causes. These changes will definitely bring serious negative impact on the future of Hong Kong.' And who was the person who introduced the Xinhua man to the audience? None other than banker and part-time Legco member David Li Kwok-po, a man who has made calls for the peg's scrapping almost daily for years.
David was forced to listen in silence, his lips pegged tightly together.
Beyond the pale TODAY'S best entry to the Bad Taste Ads competition was from the reader who pointed out one from the Sheraton.
This creative masterpiece said its Great Wall Bar was the ideal place to relax after a day 'raping and pillaging'.
Another entry was the Toshiba ad carrying the slogan: 'After all, it's better to be white.' The real thing THERE is a spot of confusion up at the offices of the Holborn Law College, the mail-order law degree operation run by entrepreneur Aaron Nattrass.
Incidentally, unusually for someone running a law college, Aaron is currently on bail pending 19 counts of obtaining property by deception and one of conspiracy to defraud the New Zealand Government.
The confusion has been caused by a winding-up petition being lodged in the High Court against Chapeltown Ltd, a company registered at the Holborn Law College's office in Swire House and, according to the Companies Registry, naming Aaron and his business partner Teresa Chan as directors and shareholders.
What does Chapeltown do? Well, Teresa wasn't saying yesterday, except that whatever it was, she wasn't a part of it any more.
She said the college was still offering its courses and Aaron was in Guangzhou on business.
Contrary to what some people might think, the college does offer real degrees validated by a real British university - the University of Wolverhampton.
We know this because we saw the exam lists on the wall and there were a real number of people who hadn't passed.
Red letter 'CHINA'S international status and economic success today owes much to your invaluable contribution, which is commendable for both the depth of your vision and, most importantly, your personal commitment.' So started a letter sent to publisher Patrick Naughton.
Not surprisingly, a boot-licking letter like this was selling something - membership of a club in Beijing, in fact.
Patrick publishes trade journals - China Hospital, for instance.
It's not trivial but, on the other hand, he freely admits that his role in Deng Xiaoping's policies opening up China to the world has been relatively modest.
