So You Want to Play Online in China?

Well then you’ll need some different toys.  Trust issues, money, and cultural differences have laid the foundation for an alternative social network for netizens of the the Middle Kingdom.  If you head over there, be prepared to leave your Facebook and Twitter access at home.  And if you really want to live like the locals, add Baidu and Sina (English) to your bookmark lists.

I’ve tried out a few of these sites and the biggest obstacle is obviously the language.  But as Google Translate continues to improve, it becomes easier and easier to understand foreign content.  Check out this translated version of Baidu.  And most international sites have an English page anyway.

Probably the most fun I’ve had has been on video sites like Tudou or Youku.  These sites are less stringent than Youtube about what kind of IP (read: TV shows) they host.

Source: Huffington Post (via)

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Peder with a D Presents: The Summer Palace … In Winter

via Flickr, originally uploaded by Peder with a D.

It’s been almost two years now since I was last in China, but this is one of my favorite pictures from that trip. I’m overlooking some sort of pagoda at the Summer Palace, a few miles northwest of Beijing.

This was actually the second time I had visited this site, both happening in the months of January – 2004 and 2007, respectively. Ironically, I’ve never been to the Summer Palace during the summer. (But the compound is so much easier to navigate when you can cross the frozen lake.) I took my jacket off for this photo and my smile hides the fact that it was about 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but that crisp air makes for good photography.

I traveled with a buddy of mine, depicted below. Good times.

Wedding Day Jitters

Imagine having your wedding photo shoot disrupted by a massive earthquake. That’s what happened to one couple in Pengzhou, only miles away from the epicenter of the recent quake in Wenchuan county, Sichuan.  Visit this blog for more of their photos.  Also, thanks to the Shanghaiist for links.

Monterey Sustainable Business Showcase

Today at the Portola Plaza (map) will be the Monterey Sustainable Business Showcase.  I’ll be headed up there a bit after 3pm.  A buddy of mine is hosting the Marina Technology Cluster booth, as well as presenting his new firm, Ecomentum.

Another very interesting topic will be the Green Dragon Film, which was developed by a grad school colleague and his team.  Very interesting and inspiring presentation of the massive efforts to develop energy-efficient and environmentally-respectful buildings in China.  I also wrote about an earlier screening of the film here.

Here’s a link to the event schedule. (Sorry about the lame GIF file.)

And below is the event flyer.  Click on it to go to the event homepage.

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