Dan is a writer living in Shanghai, China.
Links Archive
September 5 08
According to Quantcast, Shanghaiist is the Gothamist Network's second most popular site
Not too shabby.
September 3 08
I didn't realize you could watch full episodes of the Daily Show on ComedyCentral.com
But you can.
September 2 08
Palin's candidacy is fun to cover but raises serious questions about McCain's judgment
"Now that McCain has made a high-profile decision essentially defined by its riskiness—observers have called it a 'Hail Mary pass' so often, I'm starting to think it's a play for the Catholic vote—the question is whether McCain has squandered his advantage with voters on the question of risk."
August 30 08
McCain's VP Wants Creationism Taught in School
The more I read, the more frightened I get. Michelle Obama is more qualified to be president than Sarah Palin.
What is McCain Thinking? One Alaskan's Perspective.
"I, and all Alaskans will be interested to see how this whole process unfolds. This is definitely a gamble for McCain, and in my humble opinion, a gift to Obama and to Joe Biden who just got thrown a big hunk of red meat for the vice presidential debate."
August 20 08
Harrisburg Turns On The Lights - washingtonpost.com
Perhaps the first time "Harrisburg" and "Lively Night Scene" have appeared together in print.
August 19 08
Why are Jamaicans so good at sprinting?
Slate does a better job of explaining this tricky issue than Jimmy The Greek did.
I have decided to stop going to the gym.
Instead, I am just going to eat "nuggets." That's what Usain Bolt would do.
August 18 08
You know, I was wondering about Olympian Chris Kaman's German-ness. Here's the answer.
"A red-blooded, born-and-bred American, three generations removed from the great-grandparents who decades ago first set foot on U.S. soil at Ellis Island in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty."
July 30 08
The price of keeping a pet dog in Guangzhou
"License to own a dog costs 10,000 yuan and each year a dog owner must pay an additional 6,000 yuan for a medical 'check' ... Only 842 of the 100,000 dogs in Guangzhou are legal." Yikes. It's RMB 2,000 a year in Shanghai.
July 19 08
Theres Lots of Money in Those Old iPhones - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog
"This indicates that FreeiPhoneSwap is feeding the vast gray market for iPhones that have been hacked to work on any compatible network, not just those owned by companies with which Apple has signed deals."
July 14 08
My good friend Veronica is called a "lovely young American girl" in a London Times story partly about her recent European road trip with John Cleese
Now I know what I need to do to start being called young again — hang out with more 70-year-olds.
July 13 08
The World interviews John Pasden instead of me about learning to speak Chinese
(Because I told them to. Good move.)
Shanghai movie showtimes via Google
Only in Chinese, but still very helpful. Although just because it says 英语 next to a title doesn't mean that particular theater is showing it in English. We just learned that the hard way tonight. At least the theater told us before we bought tickets.
Day in the life: The Filmmaker
"With the stars recently in town for the Shanghai International Film Festival, we wondered if life was really that glamorous for documentary filmmaker Luis Tapia." Some nice publicity for Daedalum Films ... and I get name-dropped twice!
July 11 08
Editorial - The Government and Your Laptop - Editorial - NYTimes.com
"Congress should pass a law that allows the government to look at data on laptops and other portable electronic devices only when it has a reasonable suspicion about the specific person being searched — something the law does not currently require." Ame
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 27 08
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 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.
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
"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.
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 9 08
"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!"
Burma death toll could reach 100,000
"Actually, frustration doesn't even begin to describe what people around the world are feeling as the military junta seems willing to do everything in its power to let the suffering continue."
I suppose this means I am an "effete snob"
If you told me you planned on stabbing Rush Limbaugh in the gut, I just might look the other way.
May 7 08
Zhou Xunshu on 2008: “It’s not just about me”
"The birth of his son Yanhan means Zhou has another family member to look after. 'I’m playing better this year than before. My mental game is stronger, partly because I got married last year, so I have to be more responsible,' said the 35-year-old."
May 5 08
Next Tab :: Firefox Add-ons
"When you right click on a link, you will get an option to 'open the link next to current tab' in the context menu. Click on it and the tab will be opened right next to the current tab." Very nice.
Is Horse Racing Breeding Itself to Death? - washingtonpost.com
"But thoroughbred racing is in a moral crisis, and everyone now knows it. ... Horses are being over-bred and over-raced, until their bodies cannot support their own ambitions, or those of the humans who race them." An average of two deaths per day (!).
Democracy, Burma-Style: It's a brave soul who votes no. - washingtonpost.com
"Can anything be done? It's not easy, given the complicity of Burma's neighbors: China backs the generals, India is silent, Thailand worse than silent."
May 1 08
They are starting to compare Micah Owings to Babe Ruth
So now I can say, "I covered the guy they are starting to compare to Babe Ruth when he was in high school."
April 29 08
The rule in sports: Smoke 'em if you got 'em - ESPN.com
Especially true for the golfers on the China Tour.
April 28 08
As Olympics near, jittery China clamps down on foreigners, concerts - Yahoo! News
"I was not in fact attacked by a mob," Galvin told the Shanghaiist.com Web site. He couldn't be reached directly.
Newsweek: Countdown Beijing : Beijing Rock Fest 'Harmonized'
"At one outlet in Changsha, a young American teacher mistaken for a Frenchman was snarled in the mob; he caught a few glancing blows, and nearly had his cab tipped over, before police whisked him to safety, reports the Shanghaiist blog."
Twitter Quotient for 'danwashburn'
"3.0 followers for every friend. Aren't you the popular one?"
April 25 08
Some pretty cool China (and Tokyo) photos from my friend Curtis Koshimizu
He was stuck in Guizhou during the massive winter storms there this winter.
Actor Wesley Snipes Gets 3 Years for Tax Charges
Let this be a lesson to all you expats (like me) who have neglected to file (or thought you didn't have to). I resumed filing after my teaching days came to an end in '04. Think I am safe — English teachers in China likely aren't the feds' top priority.
April 23 08
Bush disapproval ratings hit all time high
"Bush registers a 69 percent disapproval rating, the highest in that survey’s history – higher even than President Nixon during the Watergate scandal." What scares me is that people who voted for him (especially in 2004) are still allowed to vote.
Castle Oktober is dead
To be replaced by another German brewhouse (not named Paulaner). Hmmm.
April 17 08
The Sooner This is All Over The Better
"Aren’t you sick of it yet? The Olympics we mean of course." Let me think about that for a second: Um, yes. Couldn't agree more with this line: "Oh how we long for the wonderful days of September to come around."
April 16 08
Chinese Internet Users Say “Enough” To International Bullying
TechCrunch got this story from (and links to) Shanghaiist.
My brother may have had a college French class with Carson Kressley
(This is where you say: Who the hell is Carson Kressley?) Was looking up his age on IMDb and saw that he went to Gettysburg College.
Gulliver | Economist.com
"[A] business-travel blog and newsletter delivering a combination of news, views and reviews to help readers get the most out of their business trips." This replaces their Cities Guide ... and thus I no longer receive checks from Economist.com.
April 11 08
It's a boy!
Zhou Xunshu’s wife, Liu Yan, gave birth to a baby boy at 7:32 pm on April 5 in Hengyang, Hunan Province. The baby weighs 3.25 kg (7.2 pounds) and is 50 cm (19.7 inches) long. He doesn’t have a name yet. Meanwhile, Zhou is tied for 8th in Kunming.
Shanghai to crack down on satellite dishes
"Seventeen government departments will launch a joint city-wide campaign to wipe out illegal television satellites that can receive foreign TV programs across Shanghai, the Oriental Morning Post reported today." From my cold dead hands!
April 9 08
Gridskipper posts about Shanghaiist's post about SH's article about Shanghai chefs and their "secret" dining spots
Get all that? (And we really should have purchased the "Shanghaist" domain way back when.)
Obama: The Chinese version
Salon.com links to the Shanghaiist post about Chinese search engine Baidu incorportating Barack Obama into its logo.
April 8 08
GOOD Magazine | Blog - The China Issue On Newsstands
Inlcudes a link to a list of newsstands where GOOD can be purchased. Once you get your copy, turn immediately to page 78, where you will see a familiar (albeit very, very tiny) face.
Is Chinese search engine Baidu endorsing Barack Obama?
My post on Shanghaiist. Quite odd.
April 7 08
China trip driving teetotaling Georgia governor to drink
"I just lift the glass to my lips," Sonny Perdue said during an interview during his China trip. "If you empty the glass, they think you want more."
Should Chinese golfer Liang Wenchong pay for his government's sins?
I think that's what The Telegraph's Mark Reason is saying. So then, should tournaments be free to uninvite US golfers as a statement against the Iraq war? I get his point about golf's hypocrisy, but that shouldn't prohibit Liang from earning a living.
April 6 08
Alltop's China Page: We help you explore your passions by collecting stories from 'all the top' sites on the web
"We’ve grouped these collections — 'aggregations' — into individual Alltop sites based on topics ... We display the latest five stories from thirty or more sites on a single page ... Alltop [is] a 'dashboard,' 'table of contents' ... of the Internet."
Mukokuseki
New blog from John Biesnecker, the only guy in Shanghai who has had more websites than me.
April 5 08
Online menu for 1001 Nights Restaurant in Shanghai
Pretty damn good. Quick delivery. No prices (or descriptions) on online menu, however — keeps it interesting. The best thing about eating their food at home? Our music is better than theirs.
April 4 08
Guess I won't be picking Colin Montgomerie in the Masters Tournament pool
My post on Shanghaiist.
'Next up on my hate list are links that come alive when you mouse over them.'
Yes! Yes! And more "links that stink" from Slate's Jack Shafer.
'This is my unborn child's first Phillies game'
I went to college with Mr. Sadowski.
Li and Zhang renew battle for Omega Order of Merit
"Zhou Xunshu, the former golf course security guard, is a surprise name at No. 4 with RMB28,500. The 35-year-old finished joint-sixth in Guangzhou and tied-eighth in Xiamen, having previously only finished in the top-10 twice in the past three seasons."
March 31 08
Audio Slide Show: The Hidden Yankee Stadium
"The House That Ruth Built is in its final season. A tour of its little-known quirks."
Bliss and I were thinking about seeing the last game ever at Yankee Stadium — is it worth $450?
I am pretty sure Bliss will say, "No." (I probably agree.) We'll be in the US for two weeks in Sept./Oct. for the Bloomsburg Fair (and to see family and friends, of course).
"Remembering the House the Ruth Built" - ESPN.com's special site dedicated to Yankee Stadium
I really need to try to get to a game this year before they close the place down.
March 30 08
After 8th place finish in Xiamen, Zhou Xunshu remains No. 4 on the Omega China Tour money list
"Last year, he was No. 22 on the money list. Next stop on the China Tour is Kunming, April 10-13, a tournament that just might coincide with the birth of his son."
Zhou Xunshu only two strokes out of top 3 entering today’s final round
"[A] top 3 finish would give Zhou automatic 'pro player' certification with the China Golf Association, which could potentially help him get a better job and attract sponsors. Currently, Zhou has 'pro coach' status and no sponsors."
March 29 08
Zhou Xunshu in Xiamen top 10; follow him live today
"Zhou fired a 2-under 68 on Friday to enter the weekend tied for 7th place in Xiamen. Today, he got off to a rough start with a bogey and double bogey on the first two holes. He then settled down, adding two birdies to get back into the top 10."
March 28 08
Zhou Xunshu in the mix in Xiamen
"Zhou stumbled late and ended up in a 13-way tie for 17th place in the opening round of the US$100,000 Dell Championship in Xiamen. Sitting pretty at 1-under with four holes to go, Zhou finished with three bogeys and a par to end up with a 2-over 72."
What the Sweet Sixteen head coaches would do for a living (based only on their photos) if they weren't coaching hoops
North Carolina's Roy Williams: Fried Chicken Restaurateur.
Origami pigeons take over London's Leicester Square
With instructions on how to make your own origami pigeon!
Live scoring for the opening round of the Omega China Tour's Dell Championship in Xiamen
So far, so good for Zhou Xunshu.
"Too many comments have been submitted from you in a short period of time. Please try again in a short while."
This is the error you will get when trying to comment on this site. Looking into it.
From the Economist.com's Beijing Briefing, a blurb on the Dodgers-Padres game from earlier this month
"While many of the spectators may have missed the intricacies of the action, the team's mascots and cheerleaders provided more accessible entertainment." Cheerleaders? Baseball? Can someone confirm?
Douglas Kmiec, Conservative Professor, Defends Obama Endorsement
Kmiec served as head of the Office of Legal Counsel (U.S. Assistant Attorney General) for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Read his endorsement on Slate.
March 24 08
Photos of Shanghaiist editor Kenneth Tan's appearance on an ICS TV show about blogging
They actually came to his home and filmed him while blogging — talk about action packed! (ICS is Shanghai's new local "international" channel ... I don't get it since I don't have local cable.)
nciku 在线词典 Chinese characters and pinyin dictionary
I think I should have known about this site before today.
So?
In case you haven't yet seen Dick Cheney admit he doesn't care what American people think.
March 23 08
"What Richardson's endorsement means for Obama," By John Dickerson, Slate Magazine
I like political writers who make references to Bill Murray movies from the early 1980s. John Dickerson is also a Twitter machine.
If you had Bae Sang Moon in your KEB Invitational office pool, go ahead and celebrate
Three Chinese golfers in the top 26.
Even at Megastores, Hagglers Find No Price Is Set in Stone
Aiyo. The reason I enjoy (or "enjoyed"?) shopping in the US: I don't have to worry about bargaining. That, along with the crowds (and a dearth of things that I want to buy) is why I avoid shopping in China. At least the story taught me a new word: dicker.
Dashalytics
is a free Dashboard Widget for your Apple Mac that offers quick access to Google Analytics statistics.
March 20 08
My friend Sage Brennan's appearance on CNBC the other day
If you happen to see him around Shanghai be sure to tell him his head's not big and he doesn't sound like a boob. (I was originally planning on downloading this and uploading it to Vimeo and then embedding it, but the Qingpu internet had other ideas.)
"Live" scoring for the KEB Invitational at Shanghai Silport Golf Club
The name you are looking for in the standings is 周训书. (Be warned that the scores aren't exactly updated with lightning fast speed or precision.) More info here.
March 19 08
Live in Miami? Check out my brother-in-law's jazz trio on April 5 at the American Legion Hall in the MiMo district
"Jazz trio Sonido Batido will perform some original works as well as classic improvisational jazz in a traditional bar setting—its going to feel like a real 'Speak Easy' when the Jazz starts to flow." Notice he's wearing a Shanghaiist T-shirt in the pic.
Trailhead : Cracked Kristol : This morning, the New York Times ran a Bill Kristol column whose entire bloated argument balanced on a tenuous, factually incorrect fulcrum
"Kristol and the Times have since issued an apology and a correction, but this was an especially preventable offense. Slate’s Map the Candidates tool shows Obama spent the day in Florida ..." Not the last lie we'll hear from the right.
March 17 08
"Obama’s Brother in China," New York Times Op-Ed by Roger Cohen
"But you can already see the headlines: Obama has brother in China! You can hear the whisperings about a polygamous father." I wonder if people think less of my brother now — he has a brother in China, you know.
Zhou Xunshu enjoys best-ever China Tour finish in Guangzhou
And in around five hours he arrives in Shanghai for a non-China Tour golf tournament at Shanghai Silport Golf Club.
Re: NYT story on the Global Democratic Primary — I had no idea that the majority of our delegate votes were from superdelegates
"Obama ... gained three delegate votes, to the one and a half delegate votes for ... Clinton. ... 22 Democrats Abroad delegates will attend the party’s national convention ..., each representing a half-vote when superdelegates and others are included."
"Golf bars" in Korea
Replace the karaoke machines with indoor golf simulators and there you have it. Girls in min-skirts remain.
March 16 08
Even round has Zhou Xunshu tied for 6th heading into final round of Guangzhou Championship
His best finish on the China Tour is an 8th place recorded last year at the Guangzhou leg. Zhou tees off at 10:09 am on Sunday.
March 14 08
美国全国广播公司(NBC)关注欧米茄中国巡回赛
"欧米茄中国巡回赛举办以来已经吸引了众多国外媒体的关注。2007年，美国自由作家丹(Dan Washburn)跟踪采访了整个赛季的欧米茄中国巡回赛，其关于巡回赛的系列报道引起美国全国广播公司(NBC)的极大兴趣。"
NBC News zooms in on Omega China Tour
"The show, which will air on NBC’s popular Nightly News show in the coming weeks, follows up from a series of stories by Dan Washburn highlighting the growth of the Tour and the fascinating background of many of its players."
Rough day sends Zhou Xunshu out of top 10 in Guangzhou
But he's still only four strokes out of the top three.
March 13 08
Live scoring for Round One of the 2008 China Tour season opener
If you need someone to root for, try Zhou Xunshu, the primary focus of my work-in-progress, Par for China.
March 12 08
"We’re going to get to know Pennsylvania like it’s our college girlfriend."
I'd date Pennsylvania.
China Film Journal
The new site from Shanghaiist contributor and man about town, Peijin Chen.
Neocha's NEXT Player: Free Chinese indie music for you
Via Shanghaiist. Is it me, or is lots of Chinese indie music in English?
March 10 08
I am attending something called the Shanghai Geek Dinner tonight
So, I guess now it's official.
Dancers in the Crowd Bring Back ‘Thriller’
Guerrilla marketing from Sony BMG in honor of song's 25th b-day. Seemingly impromptu zombie dances in cities througout the world. Why the need for the soft sell? Understatement of the day: "Mr. Jackson is not only somewhat tarnished, but also reclusive."
Thriller on the London Tube:
Serving Up Television Without the TV Set
The NYT discusses "a sharp shift in entertainment viewing that was thought to be years away: watching television episodes on a computer screen is now a common activity for millions of consumers." In Shanghai, we've been downloading TV shows since '02.
Southern Baptists: OK, maybe climate change does exist after all
No word on evolution.
Baseball tries to hit one over the Great Wall: Padres facing Dodgers, but in China, basketball is the main competition
Union-Tribune: "Dan Washburn ... covered opening day for the Shanghai Golden Eagles in 04. He reported that the 2,500-seat stadium was filled ... with schoolchildren ordered to be there. When school let out, in the fourth inning, there was a mass exodus."
March 8 08
Anyone else having trouble using Firefox on a Mac?
Based on this Google search, the answer is "Yes." It never shuts down properly (I always have to force quit) and now I have started getting the spinning beach ball of death over and over. Time to try Camino.
March 7 08
When you've got a tool like this, you've got to build a shed over it
Or, in this case, a house — made of 50,000 beer cans. After a $400,000 renovation, John Milkovisch's do-it-yourself aluminum siding project in Texas, is now open to the public. Good quote: “One good thing about not having any zoning is you can do stuff."
Final 12 are revealed on 'American Idol'
I will never admit to watching or following or even being aware of a TV show called American Idol. But if, for some reason, I was to watch the show twice a week on Star TV, I would tell you that I actually agree with all four cuts made this week.