Dan is a writer living in Shanghai, China.
July 9 08
If and when we ever move back to the US, I have a feeling our car will look something like this
Next-gen Prius to get solar panels.
July 7 08
Anta Running Shoes: We'll let you know how quickly they fall apart
Bliss' handbag got stolen at Sasha's on Friday. It was a big bag, so thief got lots of random stuff, including Bliss' gym clothes - and running shoes purchased in the US. Imported running shoes are expensive here, so we replaced Adidas with Anta. Mistake?
July 4 08
Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC? - New York Times
All world leaders should be Mac users. Now that would make for a harmonious society.
July 3 08
Christian Site's Ban on 'G' Word Sends Homosexual to Olympics
Oops. Tyson Gay became Tyson Homosexual, and a conservative organization's homophobia and poor editing skills make headlines.
July 2 08
New iPhone Can Decouple From AT&T, for a Price
"AT&T yesterday announced that it will offer the smartphone to people who want to use another carrier, starting at $599." Ouch.
June 29 08
RIP: My day with the late UGA VI
As University of Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans said, it's "a sad day for the entire Bulldog nation." UGA VI, Georgia's beloved canine mascot, died Friday night at the tender age of 9. He was the winningest mascot in the school's history.
I had the pleasure of spending a game day with UGA VI back in 2000, just his second year on the job. You'll find the story below.
Excuse me, I'm going to go hug my dogs now.
UGA VI: Top Dog rules Bulldog Nation
November 28, 2000 — My first glimpse of football royalty came through the foggy rear window of a red station wagon. I pressed my face to the wet glass and peered in. His Majesty — the most celebrated sports mascot in the nation — was sleeping.
But this dog's catnap would not last long. The people would soon come calling. They always do.
It was not yet 10 a.m., more than two hours before kickoff of the annual Georgia-Georgia Tech grudge match, and the car with the Chatham County plate reading "UGA VI" was already drawing quite a bit of attention. It always does.
"Is he in there?" one Georgia fan, a grown man, asked, rubbing the dew off the tainted glass to get a better look. "We've got to have him ready today."
The white English bulldog known as UGA VI (pronounced ugg-uh) was ready, his owners assured me. He always is.
"He's pretty hyper today," said Swann Seiler, 44, eldest daughter of Sonny Seiler, owner of the school's line of Bulldog mascots since 1956. "Today, he ate two shampoos, and he grabbed my coat and ran with it."
Take a look at how awful the New York Knicks NBA draft track record is
Let's hope Danilo Gallinari bucks the trend.
NPR: Take the Poll: Best CDs of the Year (So Far)
Some decent ones to choose from. Some noticable gaps, too. But ... do people still buy CDs?
June 25 08
My appearance on NBC Nightly News
The internet version, at least. NBC Nightly News recently posted online two pieces on golf in China that feature interviews with Par for China's primary subject, Zhou Xunshu, and yours truly. At least one of these clips — inspired by my ESPN.com work related to golf in China — was supposed to air on the television broadcast with Brian Williams, but the story kept getting pushed back (they flew to Shanghai to interview me in March) because China media coverage rightfully was dominated by various uprisings, boycotts, protests and, most importantly, natural disasters.
I'm fine with the small version, actually — it makes it more difficult to determine just how many pounds the camera adds.
The Tour: A documentary short about golf in China
You may have seen this already on Shanghaiist, but just in case. Check out Daedalum Films' recent documentary short entitled The Tour, which focuses on Par for China's primary subject, Chinese pro golfer Zhou Xunshu. (I'm in it a bit, too.)
June 19 08
Photos: Old images of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Photos extracted from the "Bloomsburg Bicentennial" screen saver, created in 2002. Special thanks to the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society (columbiacountyhistory.org). If you can identify the subject of a particular photo, please leave a comment on that photo.
Occasionally people send me photos of giant catfish
This one was sent to me from Beth in Horn Lake, Mississippi, with the following note: "This fish was caught in Eudora MS on June 8, 2008."
Why do people send me photos of giant catfish, you ask?
From 1998 to 2002, I wrote a weekly column called Sporting Life for a newspaper in Gainesville, Georgia, called The Times. The premise of the column: I try a new activity each week and write about my experiences. I had a great time doing it, and won a few awards along the way.
You can check out the entire Sporting Life archive here. And below, reproduced in full, is the two-part story documenting my day spent fishing for giant catfish in Mississippi ... using my fingers as bait.
Video: SNL's "www.clownpenis.fart"
For some strange reason, this Saturday Night Live sketch came to mind yesterday while I was on the step machine at the gym. It's always made me smile. The SNL clip is hosted by Google Video, so it is possible people in China won't be able to see it without use of a VPN. Here's a transcript:
Dillon/Edwards InvestmentsFather.....Chris Parnell
[Scene of father helping son ride a bicycle for the first time, then, cut to the living room of their house]
Father: Trust, an important part of building a family, and an important part of building his future. That's why I rely on Dillon/Edwards and Company. For nearly a century, investors on Wall Street have trusted Dillon and Edwards with their financial future. And now all of the resources from America's oldest investment firm are available on-line. [Father is at the computer as the website appears, along with web address]Dillon and Edwards on the Internet, at www.clownpenis.fart. A lot of investment companies rushed onto the Internet, but Dillon and Edwards took their time. Sure, when they were ready, there was one web address left, but it's one you can count on.
Announcer #1: For mutual funds, count on...
Announcer #2: ...clownpenis.fart.
Announcer #1: Online brokerage...
Announcer #2: ...clownpenis.fart.
Announcer #1: Retirement and tuition planning...
Announcer #2: ...clownpenis.fart.
[Caption: Dillon/Edwards Investments-www.clownpenis.fart]
Announcer #1: Dillon and Edwards Investments...
Announcer #2: ...at www.clownpenis.fart.
June 17 08
Photos: The Kunming leg of the 2007 China Tour
Thanks to the glorious Shanghai internet, it took me more than 24 hours to upload these 81 photos related to the Par for China book project. Sadly, the end result probably isn't worth that much effort. Fortunately, though, it will take you much less time to look at the photos.
June 16 08
A photo I took of Tim Russert in 2000
Pictured with Tim is Kim Craft, former photographer for The Times, in Gainesville, Georgia, with whom I was covering the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Atlanta.
June 15 08
Shanghai vs Beijing architectural bakeoff
"What is emerging is a distinct stylistic difference, Shanghai is about glitz while Beijing scores on architectural innovation, although this largely due to the Olympics and the role of Beijing as the capital." Vote for your faves.
June 8 08
Photos: H. Scott Killam's Memorial Gathering
June 7, 2008 at Killam Lake, near Bendertown, Pennsylvania (map: is.gd/sQJ). A fine send-off for a fine man. He will be missed by many.
June 5 08
Photos: Scott's tree at Kocher Park
Near Orangeville, Pennsylvania. In memory of H. Scott Killam by the Fishing Creek Watershed Association and the North Branch Bird Club. Tree is a Service Berry.
Let Them Eat Frogs: Burma's junta is willing to let its people starve while relief waits just offshore - washingtonpost.com
"And, the junta also assured its readers, hunger could not be a problem, since farmers can gather water clover or 'go out with lamps at night and catch plump frogs.' This might be funny were it not obscene." Speechless.
Bizarre photos of George W. Bush chest bumping a US Airforce Academy grad
I think he's officially thrown in the towel. Two-term president ... two term! Sigh.
May 29 08
ESPN - Angry sumo wrestler attacks apprentice with ladle
Sorry, I just had to click on this one.
Indoor golf in the Netherlands?
Check out the drawings. Proposed building looks like a putter.
The Guessing Game Has Begun on the Next iPhone - NYTimes.com
"Although the company will not publicly confirm the arrival of a second iPhone, Apple watchers have concluded that a new version will be introduced June 9, the opening day of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference." Gives me two days to buy one in US.
May 28 08
Marlena Shaw - "California Soul"
This song implanted in my head by a Dockers commercial of all things.
"Foreigners in Shanghai should carry their passports with them for random checks by police"
So says Xinhua. Has anyone in Shanghai been randomly asked to show their passport recently?
30 Rock, "Cooter": Season 2, Episode 15
Great episode ... and you can watch it guilt-free at work due to its China-related plotlines. Loving Hulu.com, although I don't think it works in China unless you have a VPN that gives you a US-based IP address.
Hu's on second?
Watching Dodgers-Cubs on ESPN and Chris Berman just told us that Taiwan's Hu Chin-lung, a second baseman for Los Angeles, has the shortest last name in Major League history. No other two-letter family names prior to 2008.
My bike route today
A beautiful 23-miles along rock walls, river banks and old railway tracks. I could get used to this.
May 27 08
Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau
Pretty good site with info about what to do near my hometown. (Yes, there are actually things to do.)
Kristi Capel is “America’s Hottest Weather Anchor”
And she happens to work for my local NBC affiliate here in Pennsylvania (WBRE in Wilkes-Barre).
May 20 08
Four-dollar-per-gallon gas is cheap! - By Robert Bryce - Slate Magazine
"A Starbucks venti latte costs the equivalent of $23 per gallon, while Budweiser beer runs $11 per gallon." Definitely worth reading. We'll see if I still agree with the premise after spending three weeks in the US (starting Thursday).
How to avoid Isiah Thomas if you see him in the hall: Stop walking and stand still. But remember, the Isiah Thomas is as scared of you as you are of it.
From "The Knicks worst-case scenario survival handbook." Meanwhile, Game 7 of the Spurs-Hornets series does not appear to be televised on the Filipino satellite.
Video: American Idol Chat with Damian Holbrook
I worked with Damian at TV Guide in 1996-97 — my first job out of college. Archuleta must go down.
May 14 08
Clinton Wins West Virginia, With Race a Factor - New York Times
"Two in 10 white West Virginia voters said race was an important factor in their votes." And just think of all the other ones not dumb enough to admit they are racists. Sad.
May 13 08
Shanghaiist's earthquake coverage
128 updates in around 24 hours. It's turned into one of the better English-language resources about the devastating news out of Sichuan Province.
May 12 08
Burma: "Worse than even our previously pessimistic estimates"
As I have told you before, my in-laws were born and raised in Burma. So we've been getting regular email updates on the post-cyclone situation there. Here is one email, dated May 10, from someone on the ground in Burma:
Today is Referendum day in the rest of Myanmar. The cyclone-affected areas have had their voting day changed to May 24th. Voting actually started around May 1st, when Yangon City Development Committee employees and their families were asked to vote. Yesterday, people at the ministries in Nay Pyi Daw were gathered together, lectured by their ministers as to how they would vote ("YES") and then given their ballots. The ballots have boxes for ticking "yes" or "no" on the one side. On the reverse side of the same piece of paper, the voter must provide their full name, address, father's name, national registration number AND signature!!! Are you surprised that the referendum is the starting point of my email and that I'm not focusing on the humanitarian crisis? I thought I'd try to share with you the experience of bewilderment many people here are feeling at the government's continued focus on the referendum process, rather than prioritizing other, more obvious needs here at the moment. If you wish to see the type of news coming out of the government's New Light of Myanmar newspaper here, you can take a look at their website for enlightenment.The post-cyclone situation here is worse than even our previously pessimistic estimates. The total worldwide deaths from the 2004 tsunami reached 220,000 and the total homeless population was 1.5 million. Unofficial but credible estimates here on the ground say that the total numbers of dead and of homeless from the cyclone now exceed those 2004 worldwide tsunami figures. Information trickling in from the villages in the Delta area indicates it is normal for a community to have lost 50-60% of its population by now. It appears that the smaller the village, the larger the percentage of deaths. One member of our team met with the single survivor from a village that used to be home to 100 people. The death rates appear to be higher among women and children than men. Much of this simply has to do with physical strength. Women and children in the Delta were less able to climb and cling to high places during the surges of waves, while men more often had the strength to hang on and survive.
May 9 08
Video: A largely unknown historic cemetery for foreigners in Shanghai
Via Shanghaiist:
Shanghai-based Daedalum Films takes you on a walk through the Song Qing Ling Memorial (宋庆龄陵园), a little known cemetery in western Shanghai home to the remains of Song Qing Ling, numerous other Chinese personalities — and scores of foreigners who came to Shanghai mostly during its early boom years in the mid-1800s and early 1900s, some identified by simple gravestones, and some anonymous.Song Qing Ling Memorial, 21 Song Yuan Lu (宋园路21号). Map.
"Yes We Can!": My new ringtone
Good thing I don't get too many calls. Later, I might get all ironic and go with "Shame on you, Barack Obama!"