taylor September 27th, 2008
September 22, 2008
As WaMu’s new chief executive officer, I am writing to discuss the extraordinary economic environment for all banks in the United States and why you can count on us to continue to serve you safely and soundly.
When I was recently approached about the opportunity to lead this great company, I did my homework to satisfy myself that WaMu has the capital, the liquidity, and the business plan to serve your needs and protect your money through these challenging times.
Let me explain why I felt good about joining WaMu. Continue Reading »
taylor September 24th, 2008
Tonight is a big news night. Wen Jiabao is in New York meeting with Henry Kissinger, assuring the American people that China will stick around during the financial crisis. Back in China, （世界最棒的） astronauts are getting ready for space walking action tomorrow, while babies are still popping up with kidney stones from poison milk and a typhoon is petering out over the south. Oishi, the Japanese company, has been running ads throughout the news broadcast that feature spinning Uyghurs eating potato chips. All is well in the middle kingdom.
taylor September 22nd, 2008
taylor September 18th, 2008
This 1981 short is based on one of Pu Songling’s many supernatural tales from the classic Strange Tales from an Art Studio. Adapted from The Taoist Priest of Mount Lao, this is the story of one opportunistic Mr Wang, who climbs Mount Lao in order to learn Taoist secrets from the magical monks who live there. Unfortunately, when he gets to the monastery, the Taoists make Mr Wang chop wood all day, which pretty much sucks.
At night, however, things are more interesting. That is when he and the other disciples are allowed participate in the Taoist masters’ sorcery-based, gangsta house party. The masters conjure both a bottomless liquor jug and Chang E!, the moon goddess, who floats down and does a sexy dance. Before heading to the hotel lobby, the the immortal masters fly up to the moon for an invitation-only after party.
Wang, being the lazy schmuck that he is, quickly tires of cutting down trees. One day, he requests to learn some simple voodoo so he can leave already. His request is granted, and he learns a nifty trick, which he can use so long as he remains virtuous.
taylor September 16th, 2008
Listen up juice heads. September 25th is coming. You know what that means. On that day - well…actually sometime during the following week that is. Not necessarily exactly on September 25. But September 25th is still very important because that’s when the shuttle goes up to begin with - right then, sometime on or in the week following September 25th, China is going send up three astronauts into the sky, and one of said astronauts, the impeccably flat-topped Zhai Zhigang, is going to SPACE WALK, and that is the TRUTH. Are you pumped?
Me, I am pumped. I have been watching youku videos to get me to the proper level of pumpuppedness (that would be maximum pumpuppedness, by the way).
Computer animation of space walk action. Almost as awesome as the Chang-e videos. Almost.
Continue Reading »
taylor September 11th, 2008
Super Soap was made in 1987:
Haec fabula docet…….uh…actually I’m not too sure there is a clear moral here. This guy thinks it is a ridicule of the “fashions and fads” that dominated the Mao era. But I see it in a more nuanced light, both a condemnation of capitalist greed and fickle group-think.
PS The three monks make an appearance. I’m a sucker for cameos.
taylor September 10th, 2008
Before I moved to Shanghai, I figured I would osmose some functional Shanghainese passively. This unfortunately, has not been the case. Partly it is due to the fact that I don’t really need it. Mandarin gets me around just fine, thank you very much. Then there is the soft bigotry of low something-or-others: I have found that many Shanghainese assume that you can’t learn it, or you don’t want to, or maybe they just think it’s a waste of time to teach a dying language that the kids don’t even speak anymore to a thick-tongued stranger. (Cabbies are a notable exception. A request to be taught a little Shanghainese is almost always met with amused enthusiasm. All the Shanghainese I know has been shouted to me from the front seat of a cab during a traffic jam. And for those looking to learn how to swear properly, the cab is your School of Athens). Also, I have been my lazy self, not putting in much effort. Continue Reading »
taylor September 9th, 2008
Sometimes I am confused by Chinese political cartoons. I say to myself, I say “What could this mean? What is this mystifying drawing trying to tell me? And why are there so many hands?”
And then there are the times when I get it:
I am not a fan of the woman’s phallic nose or her cubist bosom, nor do I like the proportion of the tiny earth to the Bird’s Nest and it’s humongous flags. I also find the seagulls flying in outer space to be vaguely menacing. But at least the message, though awkwardly-capitalized, is clear.
taylor September 8th, 2008
Here is the fourth and earliest feature by Te Wei. It has none of haunting watercolor that characterizes later three works, but since he only made four films, I include it for completeness. This was released in 1956, the year when a Hundred Flowers bloomed, and then were promptly stomped on. Part of me wants this short to be a cutting satire inspired by the call for honest criticism, but it seems more likely to be a children’s parable warning against resting on one’s laurels:
taylor September 8th, 2008
More spectacular animation from Te Wei:
This was produced in 1963, the same year as Disney’s The Sword in the Stone. I can’t imagine how good Te Wei’s stuff would have been had the Cultural Revolution not interrupted his career. And with a Hollywood budget and creative staff? Blow me to Bermuda, indeed sir.
