CHINA UPDATE

The air in Beijing today is very polluted hazy. Here's a photo I took from my hotel window:

We went to the Summer Palace, which is a large ancient tourist attraction. It was beautiful. It was also teeming with tourists:

Here I am with the Stone of the God of Longevity. I didn't even know there was a God of Longevity, let alone that he had his own stone.

The Chinese people that we've met have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. This boy came up to us and, in pretty good English, said "Welcome to Beijing!" His mom bought my daughter a popsicle.

Here's a sign over a urinal in one of the restrooms at the Summer Palace.

Afterward we ate at a restaurant where the menu featured "mafia salad." We did not order it.

Comments

[funniegrrl]

mmm ... Mafia Salad ... so THAT'S what happened to Jimmy Hoffa ...

[Steve (The 24 Guy)]

Sounds like you're having a great time!

"Longevity" might be as mistranslated as the menus, so don't stand too close to that stone.

[Steve Haller]

"A step up closer helps keep it cleaner."

Words to live by.

[Siouxie]

So, did you have the Green Pap?

[Punkin]

"We saw what you kids" ?????????????

Is that a threat?

[Jeff Meyerson]

Dave, I hate to tell you this but it says "Longevity" not "Longetivity".

Get some rest!

[Layzeeboy]

More words to live by: We Saw What You Kids

[MOTW]

What a nice young man to welcome you to Beijing. What made him think that y'all aren't a native, I wonder?

[Siouxie]

I wouldn't trust that kid. He looks too happy. Kinda like a Chinese Damien.

[Steve Haller]

Mafia salad, at least according to the Google image files...

[Margaritaville]

We Saw What You Kids, And They Are Now On The Menu.
That was sweet of that lady to buy Sophie a popsicle. I hope it did not contain amounts of lead in it, but it is the thought that counts. China does look like quite an interesting country. I wish people could see it better through the smog.

[Kibby F5™]

"Mafia salad" - just what the Don ordered for breakfast...

You haven't seen any "Dons" around have you? I hear that's a popular name there.

[Allen at Division]

Mafia Salad--You don't actually get anything, but it keeps "accidents" from happening to the rest of your order. Capice?...

[Siouxie]

*hopes Dave did not forget to wash his hands before taking the photo of the urinal sign*

[Recovering 24 Addict]

So the chinesse are watching our kids. Well I say the only way to combat this is for DAVE TO BRING BACK SOME GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN ALREADY!!!

[sthnbelle]

What's really scary is that the pollutionhaze is supposed to be better now.....

[queensbee]

mafia salad - prepared by vinnie 'the nose' boombaats. dont axe what's in the dressing. [with a nod to mr. dangerfield].

[Annie Where-but-here]

Mafia salad features Italian dressing on a cold plate of pasta next to fishes who are sleeping. It's an offer you can't refuse.

[Steve Haller]

You guys aren't gonna believe this; but I went to the Herald website to see if Dave had a new column up -- since he said he planned to start posting them today -- and this is what I found, completely scooping both Detroit newspapers which apparently went to press before the sh!t hit the fan...

Now things are gonna get interesting around here...

[Elon@Rice]

Dave, you once at dog food and spam for research purposes. Surely you haven't grown soft in your old age, have you?

[Meditrina]

Steve, how do you pronounce that man's name?

Kwame? WTFBBQ?

[Siouxie]

Med, I think it's pronounced like swami.

[Annie Where-but-here]

That Stone of the God of Longetivity is magical. Standing next to it, Dave looks much younger. And taller.

[CJrun]

The Chinese have announced (IANMTU) that that is not polution haze; they say that it is very misty.

[russellmc]

He must be a really big deity to have passed that stone....

[Annie Where-but-here]

Kidneys of the gods, russelmc...

[Siouxie]

Annie, that is one massive kidney stone Shouxing Shi had to pass.

[Siouxie]

Oops...sorry russell. Your post was not here when I was thinking of this witty remark ;-P

Great minds and all...

[Steve Haller]

Kwah-mee is about right. We also have a councilman by that name. But the Council and the Mayor's Office are not on good speaking terms these days. In fact they petitioned Governor Jennifer Granholm to remove Kilpatrick from office, and those hearings (which she will helm personally in Detroit) are yet to come. It is telling that when Barack Obama came to town, Kilpatrick -- to his credit -- made a point of staying away. But the Herald story is only the tip of an Atlantic-sized iceberg. Here is the Detroit News online story which goes into more detail on his shenanigans, including shoving a sheriff's deputy who was trying to subpoena a colleague of his. All this, of course, comes on top of his "alleged" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) affair with his chief of staff, along with the hefty sum the City of Detroit had to pony up in damages to two cops who blew the whistle on him. (And don't even get me started on the rampant rumors of a wild party some years back at his executive mansion which resulted in a stripper later being found dead.) All this looks pretty bizarre from the safety of my suburban home, but you have to weep for the good people of Detroit who continue to chafe under the constant flood of news bulletins and editorials about this man who simply will not do everyone a big favor and step down...

[Annie Where-but-here]

And all this time I thought 'Shouxing Shi' was the Goddess of Blogitude. Oops.
CJ, please close your curtains. Your claw hammer is showing.

[MOTW]

Was there a yuan on the urinal or did you leave a penny?

[Mr Death]

Who's peeking out from under a venue
Calling a name that's lighter than haze?
Who's bending down to give me a pops'cle?
Everyone knows it's Misty.

Who's tripping down the aisles of the Wu Mart
Smiling at everybody she sees?
Who's reaching out to capture a 'Lympics?
Everyone knows it's Misty.

And Misty has Engrish eyes
That flash at the Party lies;
And Misty has wings to fly
Above the hazemist...

MAFIA FLUTE SOLO!

[Annie Where-but-here]

Wouldn't you be tempted to hit that urinal sign? You know, with some sort of appropos streaming?

[Eleanor]

*zips in*™

Great pics, Dave. I am loving your trip even though you can't see me saying this.

And I'm glad Dave can't see this today, because I think Jeff correcting Dave on his typo or spelling is quite disrespectful.

[Annie Where-but-here]

Maybe we should 'step up closer' to jeffy. :)

[Steve Haller]

Gee, Jeff, ordinarily I'd recommend a good lawyer but I'm afraid they're all busy with the Kilpatrick hearing...

[Annie Where-but-here]

Steve, how do you pronounce that man's name?

Kilpatrick? WTFBBQ?

[crossgirl]

so how many large ancient tourists do you suppose he saw?

[Annie Where-but-here]

Lots. (Tourbus from Sandusky stops there all the time)

[Siouxie]

Lawyer Schmayer. All Jeffy needs is little mafia salad ;-P

[Eleanor]

Wow, Steve,that is some news. The mayor going to jail. I've been semi-following the story for quite some time.

*wonders why he can't be like Gov. Spitzer and step down*

[eurobiker]

please continue enjoying China, China Dave!

[MartiniShark]

That is some shocking news that a mayor has been charged liked that! That can only mean one thing: His re-election next term is sewn up.

[biggin]

I assume the Olympics broadcast will be time delayed in the U.S? After all I think it's to the tune of 2:15pm next Tuesday over there.

[Moon]

I DEFINITELY would have gotten the Mafia Salad. I wonder what's in it?

Oh.

Never mind.

[Quan]

Do try the shark fin soup. It helps keep the shark population down. After the Republican convention the great shark hunter Dick Cheney will surface in Florida to campaign for John McCain, and after January Paris Hilton will release her newest tape, Old White Guys gone Wild.

[Clown Puppy]

I'd like the Mafia salad and the Broken Leg of Lamb.