Jottings from the Granite Studio

I haven’t read the book in years, so memory might fail, but I seem to recall a line (perhaps the opening line) from William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer: “The sky was the color of a tv set turned to a dead station.”
Such is Beijing.
Beijing has announced ’special environmental measures’ that can be implemented on an ad [...]

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Well after one week of odd/even traffic restrictions, I stood on the pedestrian overpass on Chao Nei Dajie and looked west.  On a good day, you can see Xiang Shan and the Western Hills.  Today you could see about 200 meters and then the street dissolved into a smog bank so thick it was positively [...]

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The latest issue of China Heritage Quarterly, published by the China Heritage Project of the Australian National University, is up and online with several articles about the city of Beijing.  Some real gems here, be sure to check it out.  (h/t Danwei.)

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We’re old. Not chronologically per se, but simply in our habits.  Nevertheless, we decided to fight the gravitational pull of our couch and go out for the evening on the town with our friends B. & V.
Dinner was at El Fogoncito over by Wanda Plaza.  I grew up in New Hampshire, so I can hardly [...]

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Our lease is not up until after the Olympics, but we’re taking some time this month to look around and see what’s out there.  Even though I first thought it insane to even be looking at places right now, given the general avarice of the Landlord class with the big games around the corner, circumstances [...]

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And it has come down from on high…the Beijing municipal government today unveiled its long anticipated if not especially eagerly awaited Olympic traffic plan. Odd number. Even number. It won’t matter. What does matter is that we can forget about getting a cab on a weekday downtown. Just start walking now, you’ll get to where you’re going eventually.

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A number which seems to dwindle by the day…
Tomorrow night at The Bookworm, Beijing author and translator Eric Abrahamsen will be giving a talk in support of his latest project, Beijing by Foot.
“Forgotten Beijing comes to life as Abrahamsen researches the walks, discovering some of Beijing’s lesser known historical sights, from the underground tunnels traversing [...]

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Professor Daniel A. Bell spoke at the Beijing Bookworm on Tuesday night in support of his latest book, China’s New Confucianism. Professor Bell is a noted and respected scholar who has published several books and articles, as well as numerous essays in the online and print media, and I was curious to attend the talk. [...]

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Check out the end of this morning’s NPR report from China on the new rules and restrictions for foreigners in the Olympic city for a familiar voice…mercenary sinologue Brendan O’Kane.

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From the desk of Gary Trudeau:
Ah, how conversations on human rights have changed under the present administration….reminds me of how too many recent discussions here in the ‘Jing have gone:

Sad, but true.

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