04.11.08
Do it, Mul
You know you want to.
04.09.08
Spot the differences
Just wanted to share a not-so-recent discovery of mine, fake Chinese products are not limited to the offline world only.
See if you can spot the differences between Pacific Epoch and Market Avenue.
Pacific Epoch is one of the best English financial news sites in China. I strongly recommend subscribing to their daily news summary (you can do so from their home page).
Market Avenue provides a very similar service–in fact, almost identical. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, these guys are extremely sincere. Even better, they have provided a graphical representation of their “sincerity” in the above chart, which comes from this page. As best as I can tell, the “H” in the chart is Market Avenue, and the “Exemplar” is Pacific Epoch. At least they’re honest that they’re weaker in every single area.
If you have come across similar “sincerity” on the web please share it with us.
04.01.08
New Graphic Design in China
Our friends at 3030Press have just launched another book - New Graphic Design in China.
Thirty of China’s best young graphic designers around 30 contribute to the first ever survey of new graphic art in China, from poster, print and logo design to packing and illustration. 3030: New Graphic Design in China presents a fascinating look at the dramatic changes that have transformed the practice of design in the country over the past few years and has helped to transform it into a dynamic new centre for creative innovation in Asia.
Their last book, New Photography in China, was fantastic so I am sure this one is too. My copy is currently being shipped.
02.10.08
Fatburger in Hong Kong
What better way to inaugurate TFF’s first Hong Kong-related post than this little nugget? I was strolling this evening in Wanchai by the Hopewell Centre on Queen’s Road East and was almost knocked on my behind by the “opening soon” sign on the building across the road. That’s right - Fatburger. Hong Kong has a few solid burger places, among them Triple O’s White Spot (a Canadian chain), but this is something to be excited about. Fatburger ranks up there with In-N-Out. Not sure when it is scheduled to open, but I will be there . . . with a pair of Zubaz to accommodate my soon-to-be expanding waistline.
Update: Shangahiist tells us a second location will open in Causeway Bay and future locations in Beijing and Shanghai.
12.04.07
Chinese Bootleg Moon Pictures
According to a recent Reuters report, China has dismissed Internet gossip that its first photo of the moon taken from a lunar orbiter might have been plagiarized from NASA.
Some Chinese Internet users have questioned its originality after comparing it with an almost identical lunar image from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 2005.
The article brings further comments from Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist for the lunar probe:
“The Chinese and U.S. lunar images looked similar only because they had aimed at the same area of the moon’s southern hemisphere…”
“But a careful examination will tell some small differences…”
“There were two craters on a certain spot of the Chinese photo, but there was only one on that same spot of the American picture…”
“Maybe it’s because the resolution of the American photo was not high enough, or a new pit might have been generated by an asteroid hitting the moon between 2005 and 2007.”
I guess this too can be added to the long list of fake products in China.
11.30.07
Helicopter in Beijing
Yesterday morning I saw a helicopter flying eastward directly above the South Third Ring Road. I thought about it for a while and couldn’t remember ever having seen a helicopter in Beijing, or anywhere else in China for that matter. Does anyone know what this story is behind this one? Monitoring traffic seems the obvious explanation, but they could just as easily put cameras atop the taller buildings along the entire Third Ring Road, if they haven’t done so already.
11.27.07
The 38-Hummer Wedding
Some guy in Shenyang got married and wanted something better than the typical fleet of black Audis for his wedding convoy. It probably didn’t take long for him to figure out that the only solution was 38 Hummers (link in Chinese). In order to ensure a long and happy marriage, the convoy wantonly ran through red lights and intentially blocked traffic along a major road for 20 minutes.
Although those covering the story were afraid to reveal unable to find out the name of the lucky groom, they did talk to the local police, who assured them that harsh punishments would be handed out for all the infractions.