Firefox | Dunno 'bout faster, but sometimes better..

unless you've been away from the interzone for the past while this is probably old news, but it is worth repeating that if you haven't downloaded firefox yet, especially in its latest incarnation (v3.0) - just do it. this site and millions of others will thank you for being viewed as logical-thinking humans see. granted, i'm still a die-hard safari fan for its je ne sais quoi-apple smoothness and clarity (actually i regularly download their 'webkit nightlies' which add speed and strangely, a bit of stability to safari - really, the best browsing experience you can get), but firefox's kicker for us china-residing net-nuts, is the 'access flickr!' plug-in. simply brilliant, cuz it actually works - i can finally peruse my favourite image library behind the GFW (great fire-wall). can you see my finger, net nanny? mm
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On Location Globalisation

shooting a catalogue at 'box tray', a re-packaging company on the outskirts of qingdao.. in the middle-of-nowhere-china, products are imported, picked, processed, and put into fashionable pvc containers and galvanised metal cans for trendy euro-shoppers. even i am part of the 'made in china' program - a north american studio would cost a proportionately more extravagant amount of cash to put together such an archive of designer spices and soaps. what your 'jamie oliver' and 'body shop' gift packs don't mention, is though the contents might be conceived in a bucolic italian countryside, the thing that persuaded you to part with your euros is put together by an assemblage of rural chinese girls. all for the equivalent expense of a lunch at the café. speaking of which, this was snapped whilst sipping lavazza and chewing on english apricot biscuits. the world is a very tiny space. mm
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05.03.2007

China Bans Censored Brothel Film | BBC

though the title of this bbc article reads like an oxymoron, it does show how having substance over style in china is not something easily appreciated - talk about shooting yourselves in the foot again, chinese censors.. 'lost in beijing' is a wonderful little independent film. download and share if it's not available in your neck of the smokestacks. mm
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..on a related note, i finally watched the full version of li ang's 'lust, caution', which is also definitely not for the kiddies or censor board goonies either.. click the photo below for more on the saga. mm
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05.03.2007