Friday, July 23

"Overimagination May End in Vain"

Dang, the Chinese don't have nice things to say about the US government and the release of the 9-11 report in this practically incoherent editorial from the People's Daily (ed. note: all media is state run, duh). Read it for its many syntactical mysteries and subtle smear of the concept of democracy. Ok, let's not play "tag you're it," but where is the full public accounting of the Tiananmen Square massacre? It's only been 15 years.

"The varied notes and voices in the administration are rare to see, and the fact is an extension of a situation in which"capable ministers support for a weak president" when Bush was moved to the White House."

hmmm...

Wednesday, July 21

This is hilarious.

This is funny too. Drunk Russian flight attendants wreak havoc on passengers: "Chernopup asked to be served by a sober and competent flight attendant, Dannenberg said. He was then beaten up by crew members."
 

Tuesday, July 20

Do I need another doggie? Because this pup at the Hong Kong SPCA is crying out for a home, and I'm so tempted. Ain't she cute!? Get her stats here. We can offer to train and ship her for you, if you're looking for a furry friend.

Speaking of animals. Don't EVER eat at KFC again! Not that you ever did, but don't even drive by:
"The undercover investigator said in a telephone interview that he saw "hundreds" of acts of cruelty, including workers tearing beaks off, ripping a bird's head off to write graffiti in blood, spitting tobacco juice into birds' mouths, plucking feathers to "make it snow," suffocating a chicken by tying a latex glove over its head, and squeezing birds like water balloons to spray feces over other birds."

Revolting. Don't you think there should be something like an SAT exam for qualifying as a human being? Also in the news, yet another devilishly fun documentary poking holes in the Right. This time the target is Fox News and its frightening allegiance to the Bush Admin. The film is called Outfoxed, read about it here. On a side note: A perfectly timed complaint has been filed by the heroic Moveon.org accusing Fox News of false advertising based on its ridiculous slogan: Fair and Balanced. Fox is neither Fair nor Balanced. Discuss amoungst yaselves.
 

Monday, July 19
 

Typhoon Kompasu Comes to Town

Isn't it great when Big Exciting Things happen. Last Friday brought back memories of the blackout of 2003 as Hong Kong literally shut down to make way for a big ol' typhoon. What time did we get the order to evacuate the office? Fifteen minutes to noon! Long weekend! I was about to go into full-on disaster panic mode and tape up the windows, like any sensible New Yorker. But the typhoon lost steam as it approached land and turned into nothing more than a windy rainstorm. Good thing since Hong Kong is comprised of about of million skyscrapers of negligible construction.

I used the free time to finally plod my way through The Da Vinci Code. Why are so many people buying this book? Red-eyed Albino killers. Vatican conspiracies. Wait, I've heard all this before...in the silly 70s movie Foul Play starring Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase--a classic farce with a soundtrack by Barry Manilow. If you'll remember, the movie also featured a hilariously foppish British character played by Dudley Moore--and I am convinced the character was the antecedent for Mike Meyer's Austin Powers. Now there is a conspiracy theory.

If you're going to read the book, read it only for its overly contrived, unintentionally funny Scooby Doo ending. Better yet, read The Rule of Four. Renaissance lore with polish.
 

Wednesday, July 14
 

Made by Chinese

Above, Shanghai, circa March 2004.
It's weird to go all the way from China to the US, do a little spell of shopping while you're there, pick up some flip flops, a shirt, some cargo pants, a nylon tote and what not, fly all the way back to China and be confronted with the irony of what's printed on all the little manufacturer's tags...Made in China. If you haven't heard, China is taking over people, its economy is booming like nothing seen in history, expected to outpace Germany (third largest world economy) and Japan (second largest) in a couple of years. Who's left? Well that would be a merry little shire called the USA.
Frothing prognosticators project arrows going up, up, up for the next hundred years. It's exciting and a little scary to see the pace of change out here. New metropolises and Versailles-like palaces materializing overnight, massive population shifts, money flying. This despite the fact that China's political system remains in the dark ages. I thought you might like to bone up on the China explosion, so that you have something to think about when you see all those little "Made in China" tags on every single thing you own. Here's some nightly reading...

This little number outlines the global shift in influence (i.e. when you talk, the world listens) from the US to China. This one, aptly titled The Chinese Century, examines China's new role as a manufacturing behemoth and the world's sweatshop. What about all those poor peasant workers with no rights and no means of redress? Well, this piece tells you all about it. What does the new luxury class in China do with all its new money? Blow it. And Shanghai making a play for the world's cultural stage? Here you go.

And all these from the New York Times in only the past two weeks alone! (By the way, when did the Times start charging for articles? Aiyah!) Happy reading.

Monday, July 12
 

Home Movie

Let's start with New York, since it was first and last stop on my whirlwind trip through the States, four of them to be exact...but who's counting now?? I'm still not even sure where I am. So here is my little home movie, sit back, relax, pop in a tv dinner.

Some of you know what effort I put forth to get the hotel room with the wrap around roof deck, but for those who don't, it took exactly three visits to the reception desk and inumerable pleading glances and negoatiating skills honed in the markets of China. Don't mess with me. Here's Pat, soaking it up.

Amy and Bruce (dozing off maybe).

More fun with water towers! Is it New York without them? No. Holly and Catherine.

It was hard to leave the roof deck, but we did go downtown.

Kelli, Amy and B at Cafe Leibowitz, home of laid back cool.

And celebrities! That's Vincent Gallo behind Michael's hamburger. For some reason Amy thought he was hot. But to others he was kinda...skanky.

Random tripped out dude downtown.

The ever mysterious Mark. Ducking out of the picture is J Lo. They got married last week.

This was a tragedy! Michael's Ciao Bella gelato scoop took a suicide dive to the pavement. It brought back painful memories of my own childhood Chocolate Pecan Episode, but let's not go there.

This guy was totally psyched I was taking his pictures of Bruce Lee back to Hong Kong.

Off to Philly to see Renee and squeezable baby Mass.

He loves to stretchhhhhhhhhh.

Next stop Ohio, the Heart of It All or The Birthplace of Aviation, whichever you prefer. This little darling is my niece Casey, with her crazy kitty.

Check out all the girl room accoutrements. Life is so different when you don't have a brother around to behead all your baby dolls.

Said brother, Barbie Doll Destructor, with Courtney and Casey.

More kiddies! Lauren with Bruce, who she just loves to no end.

Lauren and Scottie in their brand new Hong Kong rugby shirts.

Me and my cousin Jolynne with our grams and Lauren and baby Jenna, not digging all the commotion.

Happy Jenna, with my mom.

And the one who makes an 18 hour flight all worthwhile, my grams.

But then we were off again...

Riiiiiiiiiiight...

Sedra was waiting up for us, and her nightly ear massage...