This is interesting. Above, via the bitly blog, is a map showing relative social network usage in countries around the world. The more red a country is, the more clicks. The coloration isn’t at all surprising, considering YouTube has been blocked in China since March 2009. What about Facebook?
Peng Liyuan, who’s warming up to her role as China’s “First Lady” — a term that, lest you forget, has basically never been applied to the wives of Chinese leaders — is currently traveling with her husband in Africa as part of Xi Jinping’s first overseas trip as Chinese head of state, and it’d be... Read more »
Two pandas left Chengdu today for a 12,875-kilometer journey to Toronto, where they will stay for five years at the Toronto Zoo and then five more at Calgary Zoo. Er Shun, a female, and Da Mao, a male, are big deals, diplomatically speaking. They were assets in February 2012 talks between China and Canada, two countries... Read more »
City planners in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, might want to spend a bit more time on the drawing boards next time they take up a construction project. Residents have recently complained to media about a flyover built so low -- 1.3 meters to 1.5 meters off the ground, or 4-foot-3 to 4-foot-11 -- that they have to duck to walk underneath.
"Squid bomb" can refer to squid jigs for catching squids, a World War II anti-submarine weapon, or this annoying video featuring Squidward Tentacles. It's never meant to be taken literally, i.e. a bomb inside a squid.
Until now. Now it can mean exactly that: a bomb inside a squid.
Ah, the classic China story: toddlers falling off balconies. I've gotten a bit complacent and let a few of these tales go unblogged, but this one from Zhongshan, Guangdong province has to go up.
On March 21 at about 11 pm, a small girl crawled or walked out of her sixth-floor apartment balcony. She clung onto the ledge for dear life. Seeing this, about 10 passersby quickly grabbed a tarp in expectation of catching her if she fell. Sure enough, because she's a toddler, she fell.
On Friday, the above, titled "A Short, Three-Day War," was posted to Uriminzokkiri, depicting North Korean paratroopers and the shells of long-range weapons descending upon South Korea. Via Sina English:
"The crack stormtroopers will occupy Seoul and other cities and take 150,000 US citizens as hostages," the narrator said.
It was delicious. The bread, a special shade of mahogany, was lightly crisped with a glaze of cinnamon, as I imagined it. The sausage links were dipped in maple syrup before sizzling on the grill; one could, if he tried, detect the singed fragrance of applewood. The hamburger patties oozed a special type of grease,... Read more »
If you attempt to kick a ball while wearing loafers on perfectly trimmed grass, this is liable to happen — even if you’re the best 37-year-old free-kick-taker in the world. Look at that elderly Chinese man reaching out to help. Look at the dude with his foot on the ball, too cool for even bemusement.... Read more »
