October 22 – October 28
Ai Weiwei and friends published a Gangnam Style video that I thought was awful. The New York Times was blocked in China for exposing Wen Jiabao’s family riches; we ask: when do you think they’ll be back up? Correct answer in this office pool will get a prize. And another question for you: does this look like a fallopian tube?
We are truly excited to announce that Laowai Comics will be appearing every Thursday morning on this site. Justin Mitchell contributed a story of compassionate China that’s a necessary counterbalance to all the negative news you hear about. This creative, funny, dark, and twisted video features kung-fu, and is awesome.
The fallopian tube link is thanks to Xinhua, and speaking of them, here’s their version of dick in a box, and here they are going full porno by featuring a picture from Ultimate Surrender. We had some fun with an expat meltdown in Dongguan. Tracy McGrady landed in Qingdao on Wednesday and absolutely got mobbed. TAR Nation: everyone can go eat a dick.
Grandmother vs. Microsoft: who wins? Ningbo residents vs. riot police: censors win. Kindergarten teachers behaved very badly this week. As did this iPhone thief. And a lot of people on Taiwan’s roads, who let a drunk man get hit by a car. Finally, a driver who ran over a German in Shanghai over the summer was sentenced to three years and three months in jail.
Comment of the Week:
Bobby, on criticism of Ai Weiwei’s Gangnam Style:
The author raises some good points. To be a political artist, the goal is surely to reach as large an audience as possible. Parodying the viral inanities that give us subject matter in our office spaces, and doing so to make a point, will soon become the only way to get anyone to pay attention. As such, this is a missed opportunity.
