The Formula One Chinese Grand Prix was this past Sunday in Shanghai. The official F1 write-up begins, "How ironic was it that in a race that depended on tyre wear and strategy, it should all come right for Mercedes and Nico Rosberg as the young German scored his maiden Grand Prix victory by 20.6s as a fantastic war raged a long way behind him?"
Wang Kang, a self-described do-it-yourself expert, is somewhat of an Iron Man enthusiast, and by "somewhat" I mean he's a much bigger enthusiast than you, and just about bigger than anyone else. How am I almost certain of this? Because in the above video, he parades around a Beijing office building in a fully powered Iron Man exoskeleton, complete with a functioning light that represents Tony Stark's nuclear heart. Wang made the suit with friends. I really wish he'd have smashed a minivan's windshield to take his work to the next level, but the nonviolent parading will have to do.
Youku video for those in China after the jump. In the 82nd minute of last night’s Shanghai Shenxin vs. Qingdao Jonoon Chinese Super League soccer match, which was televised nationally on CCTV-5 (and simulcast on Beijing’s biggest local station, BTV), Brazilian striker Antônio Flávio of Shanghai gratuitously kicked the legs out from under Qingdao’s Zheng Long... Read more »
Isaac Stone Fish over at Foreign Policy has a fitting tribute to Mike Wallace, journalist, with a post titled "Is Mike Wallace the reason Chinese leaders don't give interviews?" To Wallace, who passed away on Saturday -- and to any journalist, really -- I can't think of a better compliment.
Wallace's genius was the ability to unblinkingly chastise power. Even during the aired pleasantries, Wallace looks unimpressed with Jiang [Zemin]. During minute 2 of the hour-long interview, aired days before Jiang's 2000 U.S. visit, Wallace tells Jiang "shorter answers, please. More concise" and a touch of panic breaks through Jiang's placid smile.
At first, the kids at this daycare/kindergarten seem excited about the idea of Purple Panda from PBS Kids' Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. (Purple panda, you should know, is just a purple version of the national symbol of China.) And then, something goes terribly, terribly wrong -- Purple Panda actually shows up. Much crying ensues, because we're dealing with kids, and kids are stupid.
I don't think we'll be posting any more CBA videos for a while after this. It's fitting, then, that the above video is a highlight package of the final game of the season, played last Friday. The video after the jump is a segment that BTV put together for team translator and sometimes equipment manager Wang Lan (lots of people get very emotional during these six minutes). Both of the clips are from the BTV show 一赛季, 一生情, very roughly translated as "One Season, One Lifetime of Passion." After watching, I can unabashedly say that I like these Beijing Ducks, champions, more than ever. (You may also be interested in the 22-minute part featuring Stephon Marbury.)
I'm not usually one to talk about weather, but today is one of those perfect spring days you could, with a straight face, call redolent. Have yourself a walk and see if good memories don't find a way into your mind. Not to mention dreams of a good year, a bountiful harvest of the spirit.
