In an interesting linguistic study published in June, Tyler Schnoebelen of the language data company Idibon looked at hundreds of languages and evaluated them against one another according to 165 features shared by at least 100 languages. What he came up with was a “Weirdness Index” — downloadable here — that ranks 239 languages according to how odd they are, i.e. how different one is from the others. (Perhaps a better word would be “distinct.”)

With all that said, this is still surprising, as noted by the SCMP: standard Mandarin is among the 25 “weirdest,” while Cantonese was among the 10 “least weird.”

Explain, please.

Unlike Cantonese, Putonghua has “uvular continuants” and some limits on “velar nasals” (as in the ng sound), which are features considered rare worldwide, said Schnoebelen. This could have contributed to its higher ”weirdness“ values.

In an e-mail to the South China Morning Post, Schnoebelen further explained:

An example of a “uvular continuants” in Mandarin would be something like “和” [often pronounced as hé, meaning "with"]. Mandarin is one of only 12 out of 567 languages that have a uvular sound but it is only a continuant – a continuant has continuing airflow. Cantonese doesn’t have any uvular consonants at all.

Please note, once again, that the study compared languages to one another, as opposed to, say, the sound of a violin, or the soughing of wind, the metronomic patter of rainwater off scuppers, or the tintinnabulation of Eastern European chapel bells. If the mellifluousness of langauge were the criteria, we can only assume that Cantonese would have come in dead last — deader than a trilobite, laster than zyxt in a dictionary – where it belongs.

No offense, Hong Kong friends.

Ariel Castro.

Read more...

Maureen is the first to admit that when she studied abroad in Belgium, she was not the best of roommates (coming home intoxicated at 4 a.m. several times a week, an awkward run-in with a boyfriend, that kind of thing.) And yet, over the course of many months, her Belgian roommate never once complained.

One night, Maureen came home to find her roommate’s possessions neatly packed up in boxes. Before she had a chance to talk to her, everything — save this note — was gone, which Maureen interprets as “a not so subtle way of telling me she never wants to see me again.” (I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet.)

related: Would you mind moving out?

This story was never good to begin with — authorities crack down on street barbecue vendors, who by the way may be passing off rat meat as lamb skewers, because they think street barbecueing contributes significantly to air pollution – but the folks in charge have found a way to make it worse: more chengguan are expected to deal with this issue, because now fines are serious, as in quadruple what they used to be.

Reports Global Times:

The new regulation proposes that the maximum fine for outdoor barbecues be increased to 20,000 yuan ($3,528) from the current 5,000 yuan. Authorities also confirmed that barbecue stalls should be excluded from downtown public areas, such as streets and plazas.

Not to be cynical, but how many more chengguan fight videos will we see?

Meanwhile, chengguan, or urban management officers, will continue their efforts to force street barbecue vendors to move on from public areas.

That’s the spirit: send undertrained street enforcement officers to enforce an unpopular law against the city’s most slick, industrious, downtrodden, and tempestuous businesspeople. LES SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

Anyway, the proposal is in its debate phase right now, so it’s not finalized. It’s not much of a “debate” though, and we know this because of common sense.

“People tend to criticize barbecue businesses because pollutants from their stalls, PM10, or particles with diameters up to 10 micrometers, are visible. But it is the invisible PM2.5, or particles with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers, to blame for our poor air condition,” Wang [Tao, a scholar at Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy,] told the Global Times.

The lesson here, as we should have learned from the very beginning, is to never eat yangrou chaunr while sober. Alcohol kills all diseases though, as everyone who’s gone through college knows, so wash it down with those 15-kuai street mojitos and you’ll be just fine. The fake alcohol may cause blindenss though, so watch out for that!

Andy Boyle got these compensation figures from IRS 990 forms on guidestar.org:

“This American Life” host Ira Glass
– 2009-2010: $171,224, base salary of $127,871
– 2010-2011: $170,190, base salary of $148,782.

“TAL” producer and “Planet Money” co-host Alex Blumberg
– 2009-2010: $154,801, base salary of $123,220
– 2010-2011: $201,734, base salary of $134,400

“TAL” senior producer Julie Snyder
– 2009-2010: Not listed
– 2010-2011: $156,153, base salary of $146,175

* An updated look at the salaries of Ira Glass and other public radio stars (andymboyle.com)

Someone used Civil War-era technology to photograph the war in Afghanistan. The results are stunning and surreal. (via Reddit )

Source: i.imgur.com

Source: i.imgur.com

Source: i.imgur.com

Source: i.imgur.com

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Lana Del Rey is a popular singer who rose from the internet some time in 2011. She's sold millions of records, made billions of dollars, and toured the finest venues in the world. But could that stop her from TANKING at Lollapalooza? Miss Dell Ray found herself TANKING as hard as one could possibly tank for all of the Midwestern independent Music Fans who had made their annual pilgrimage to Grant Park in downtown Chicago, IL.

Sporting an 'abuela muumuu', popular in Hispanic communities, Del Rey never found the passion, spirit, wisdom, or prowess of an abuela. The singer was once considered a fashion icon.

Internet critics all over the internet are #cyberbullying the performance, inspiring a wave of 'think pieces' about gender, music, society, and the breakdown of the music industry.

Del Rey, 29, struggled to find her voice on stage. The crowd of rabid fans often outsung her, and continued to yell, "Lana" at her, despite her real name being "Elizabeth Grant." It was a dark day for Lollapalooza. The Chicago based festival hadn't seen a tanking this huge since failed rapper Donald Glover's tragic performance in 2011.

Del Rey even brought out the classic "Video Games." Unfortunately, fans wished they were instead at home actually playing their XBOX360 instead of being at a music festival. Do u wish u were there 2 sing with #LDR?

The only people with summertime sadness at the festival were people who had to see Lana Del Rey.

Most fans wanted to RIDE away from the festival after hearing so many lamestreamers singing Lana Del Rey songs.

An old bystander at the festival saw her headband and yelled, "Get off the stage, hippie." The same man went on to explain that Barrack Obama was 'not his President.'

It's a sad day for Lollapalooza and fans of music everywhere.

Did Lana Del Rey TANK?
Did u go 2 Lollypaleezee?
Do u wish u were there 2 sing with "Lana BB"?
Were 2 many ppl singing?
Is Lollapalooza some sort of 'cultural arts fair' for Midwestern ppl?

Remember these days/these cultural memes?

PREVIOUSLY

Lana Del Rey EFFING TANKS on SNL. Is her career 'effing over'?

The above sign appeared in front of a court in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia recently. As interpreted (and translated) by Ministry of Tofu, it’s a not-so-subtle warning to the citizens of the city to behave, or else your anus will look like a puckered, withered flower.

To give you a bit of context here, “daisy” and “chrysanthemum” in Chinese internet language are slangs for anus, for Chinese online masses do believe the two flower species look similar to the human anatomical part. With that in mind, if you look back at this poster, you would probably associate the shriveled sunflower with some physical damages done to it.

SCMP reports that a Manzhouli spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that the sign has since been removed. You won’t be surprised to learn that it drew widespread mockery and derision from the online masses.

The wide ridicule soon drew officials’ attention. On Saturday, Si Chuanshuang, Manzhouli’s deputy propaganda chief, responded to a popular Weibo post featuring a photo of the billboard.

“The court [poster's] original intention was to warn people away from prison because [imprisonment] takes away one’s best years of his life, like a fading flower,” he wrote in the comment.

A Court in China Gives Citizens Metaphorical Warning (Ministry of Tofu)
What does this Chinese poster mean? Propaganda falls flat, withdrawn (SCMP)

VIEW SLIDESHOW: Where to Eat Chinese Food in New York City

Editor's Note: There's never been a better time to eat Chinese food in New York, so here's our comprehensive-but-selective guide to it all: the good, the great, and the decent, all to help you find the best Chinese food across the boroughs. Listings are grouped by restaurant specialty and neighborhood; you can find a map with them all at the bottom of this post. Know about something we missed? Tell us in the comments below, or send your tips to nyeditor@seriouseats.com—we'll update this post as we expand our restaurant coverage. Want to head straight to some food porn instead? Hit up the slideshow above. — M.F.

Sit-Down Restaurants

Scallion pancakes at Legend. [Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

Legend (Chelsea): One of the best options for Sichuan food in Manhattan. The deeply flavorful dishes don't let up on the heat; we're big fans of the Tears in Eyes and Chonqing chicken.

Grand Sichuan (Chelsea and Elsewhere): Hardly the best Sichuan in New York, but it does in a pinch, and we'll admit it: we like our gloppy Chinese food every once in a while, and Grand Sichuan does it pretty well.

Shanghai Cafe (Chinatown): A standout ambassador for Shanghai cuisine in Chinatown, and understandably popular. Home to our favorite soup dumplings in Chinatown, and with plenty of other good eating, too.

Shanghai 456 (Chinatown): Tasty Shanghai-style cooking in a clean and bright space. The lunch specials are a particularly good deal.

Amazing 66 (Chinatown): You'll find all the Chinese classics here, mostly prepared well, but also some innovations like pastrami shrimp fried rice.

Great NY Noodletown (Chinatown): One of the few restaurants in Chinatown that's open late, and something of a neighborhood icon. On a good day it's in the running for best roast pork in the entire city. The noodle dishes aren't half bad, either.

Red Egg (Chinatown): Order your dim sum off a menu instead of from a cart at this squeaky clean joint. It's more expensive than the other dim sum spots here, but the food is much more fresh and full-flavored.

Rice cakes at Shanghai Asian Cuisine. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Shanghai Asian Cuisine (Chinatown): A good lunch place in a sea of restaurants in Chinatown; the rice cakes are done particularly well.

Wild Ginger (Chinatown): A restaurant for vegans who aren't crazy about faux meat. Dishes like Moo-Shu Vegetables are satisfying and not too heavy.

Hot Kitchen (East Village): Not the best Sichuan in New York, but it's your best bet in the East Village. Shredded beef with spicy green peppers is one of the better options on the menu.

Gu Shine (Flushing): A suitable ambassador for Taiwanese cooking in the heart of Flushing. Yup, they do stinky tofu, and they do it well.

Fu Run (Flushing): One of New York's best northern Chinese restaurant. The flagship dish, the braised, spice-crusted, battered, and deep fried Muslim Lamb Chop is a Flushing must.

Hunan House (Flushing): A real-deal Hunan restaurant that is not shy about offering fish stomach, offal, and pig ears.

Lao Cheng Du (Flushing): A home for spirited, seriously spicy Sichuan with a home cook's edge. The Diced Rabbit with Red Chili Sauce and Spicy Chicken with Hot Pepper are big hits, but so is most of the menu.

Biang! (Flushing): The flagship restaurant of the Xi'an Famous Foods empire, with all the spicy noodles and salads you know and love plus a range of other great dishes that show off the range of Xi'an's cooking. The menu tops out at $15, and the clean, modern design makes this one of Flushing's more interesting restaurants.

Little Pepper (Flushing): An iconic Sichuan spot off Flushing's main avenues over in College Point, but it's worth the hike, especially if you're into offal.

Braised beef rolls at Yunnan Kitchen. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Yunnan Kitchen (Lower East Side): One of New York's only Yunnan restaurants, albeit with a modernized, Western spin. That means the flavors are a little toned down, but they still deliver.

Mission Chinese Food (Lower East Side): This San Francisco import is one of New York's most fascinating Chinese restaurants, in the full spirit of Sichuan cooking but gleefully inauthentic. The waits are long, and the space is cramped, but good service and dishes like kung pao pastrami speak for themselves.

Congee Village and Bowery (Lower East Side): Both restaurants offer a range of Chinese classics, but their specialty is congee, and that's what you should stick to. It's served in a ceramic casserole, creamy and soothing after a rough Lower East Side night.

Café China (Midtown East): Our vote for the best Sichuan in midtown, and some of the best in the city, for that matter. The clean, well-designed space is several steps above your average New York Chinese restaurant.

Land of Plenty (Midtown East): Another good Sichuan spot, and a little upscale, but dishes like smoky wok-tossed diced chicken with thousand crispy chili and peanuts deliver on intense heat.

Szechuan Gourmet (Midtown West): One of Midtown's (and Manhattan's) best Sichuan restaurants. Twice-cooked pork is nice here, as is the crispy lamb with cumin.

Legend (Upper West Side): This Sichuan restaurant isn't as good as the Chelsea original, but it's a boon to the neighborhood, and the subtler, less spicy dishes have plenty going for them.

RedFarm (West Village): This Hudson Street establishment provides Chinese-American deliciousness that is hard to come by in NYC. The Spicy Crispy Beef is a great example of what this place aims for.

Dim Sum

Dim sum at 88 Palace. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

88 Palace (Chinatown): Our favorite dim sum in Chinatown. It has plenty of variety, high quality, and bargain basement prices.

Jing Fong (Chinatown): A truly massive dim sum house, popular with tourists and brunchers. The food tends towards greasy, but it's satisfying all the same, and the scene can't be beat.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor (Chinatown): New York's oldest dim sum restaurant got a facelift some years ago, leading to much better food at very cheap prices. While the a la carte dim sum is mostly good, the steamed rice rolls are killer.

Vegetarian Dim Sum House (Chinatown): Not the best dim sum in town, but for vegetarians who dig faux meat, it's a more than satisfying recreation of the dim sum experience.

Stir fried turnip cake with duck at Reg Egg. [Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Red Egg (Chinatown): Order your dim sum off a menu instead of from a cart at this squeaky clean joint. It's more expensive than the other dim sum spots here, but the food is much more fresh and full-flavored.

Dim Sum Go Go (Chinatown): Another a la carte dim sum spot. The fried dishes are the way to go here.

Asian Jewels (Flushing):Also known as Ocean Jewel, this cavernous restaurant is very popular for brunch, so be prepared to line up at peak hours. The dim sum isn't as good as it used to be, it's still a decent option in Flushing.

Diverse Dim Sum (Flushing): Dim sum in a mall food court? Yup, and most of it's good. Small, intensely flavored soup dumplings are the star here.

East Ocean Palace (Forest Hills): Not just the best dim sum in Forest Hills (not much competition there), but some of the best in Queens. The menu boasts some unique dishes like fried rice balls stuffed with crab meat.

Pacificana (Sunset Park): Some of New York's best dim sum, a definite highlight of Sunset Park's Chinatown.

New Spring Garden (Sunset Park): The dim sum is inconsistent here, but delicious on its good days. Steamed rice rolls are the best of the offerings.

Dumplings

Fried pork dumplings from Tasty Dumpling. [Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Tasty Dumpling (Chinatown): Some of our favorite fried dumplings in Chinatown, $1.25 for five incredibly juicy potstickers that are usually fried to order.

Lam Zhou (Chinatown): This Fujianese hole in the wall makes especially juicy pork dumplings, some of Chinatown's best, though the hand-pulled noodles are a tad overcooked.

Super Taste (Chinatown): Another Fujianese restaurant, more of a noodle shop, but their steamed pork and chive dumplings don't disappoint, a good option if you want to avoid fried versions.

Yoz Shanghai (Flushing): This Golden Shopping Mall stall does a number of dumplings, most of them not very well. But their boiled pork and leek dumplings are worth seeking out: juicy, clean-tasting, and absolutely full of aromatic greenery.

My Sweet Home Dumpling (Flushing): The pork and chive dumplings here are always fresh, since they'll only start rolling dough for your batch once you order. The resulting skins are pleasantly chewy but thin, and the filling is fresh and clean-tasting.

Pork and fennel dumplings at Best North Dumpling. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Best North Dumpling (Flushing): This small shop in a narrow mall offers chewy-skinned pork and dill dumplings (the menu calls it "fennel") that are full of bright, herbal flavors.

White Bear (Flushing): A Flushing legend for their wontons in hot oil, delicate pork wontons topped with a mild chili oil, roasted chilies, and preserved mustard root. Another Flushing must.

Sifu Chio (Flushing): This restaurant specializes in wontons and noodle soup; their wonton noodle soup combo is one of the best in New York. Their pork and shrimp wontons are fat, juicy, and well flavored.

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao (Flushing): A soup dumpling specialist with some of the better xiao long bao in New York. The rest of the menu is mostly filler, though the cold appetizer counter has some good options.

Tianjin Dumpling House (Flushing): Possibly the best dumplings in New York, if for their hearty vegetarian and delicate, self-saucing lamb and green squash dumplings. Other dumpling offerings, like pork, shrimp, and chive, or beef and turnip, are also great, if not on the same transcendental level.

Chinese-Korean Noodles and Dumpling (Flushing): One of the best vendors left in the Flushing Mall; their thick, hearty boiled "three kinds dumpling" (pork, shrimp, and chive) in chili dipping sauce is the star.

Sliced Noodles (Flushing): This is a noodle shop in Flushing's glitzy New World Mall, but the real winner is the incredibly juicy pork and leek potstickers. Starch falls off the dumplings' skins during steaming and fries into a lacy, crisp sheet, which binds all the dumplings together on one plate.

Lao Wang Ji (Flushing): They don't speak much English at this Golden Shopping Mall stall, so be clear with your order: you want small wantons in soup, a Fujianese specialty of wispy pork wontons in a rich chicken broth.

Noodles

Noodles at Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles (Chinatown): One of our favorite hand-pulled noodle spots in Chinatown. You can order your noodles by thickness a nice customizable touch; we'd recommend getting them stir fried rather than in soup.

Spicy Village (Chinatown): Problem: the thick, bouncy hand-pulled noodles at this Henan shop are great, but most of the broths leave something to be desired. Solution: order them on top of the Big Tray of Chicken, a saucy, spicy stew of chicken wings and thighs with potatoes and star anise.

Xi'an Famous Foods (Chinatown and Elsewhere): Though the lamb and pork burgers are something special, the shop's uniquely thick hand-pulled noodles with lamb and a ton of cumin are a citywide favorite.

Sheng Wang (Chinatown): Hole in the wall Fujianese noodle shop that makes some of Chinatown's best hand-pulled noodles.

Roast duck noodles at New Hon Won. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

New Hon Won (Chinatown): Rice noodles like chow fun are cheap and especially well done here. (The congee's good, too.)

Lao Bei Fang (Elmhurst): This hand-pulled noodle specialist has a bonus treat for offal lovers: a bowl of soup noodles with some enormous marrow bones.

Uncle Zhou (Elmhurst): This Elmhurst noodle shop is better suited to thicker knife-cut noodles.

Nutritious Lamb Noodles (Flushing): Another Henan noodle shop, this one in the Golden Shopping Mall. It specializes in gamey broth with tender lamb.

Biang! (Flushing): Noodles in the same vein as Xi'an, but in a nicer setting. The flagship of the Xi'an Famous Foods empire.

Lan Zhou (Flushing): Hand-pulled noodle vendor in the Golden Shopping Mall. The cold noodles with cucumber are especially nice.

Xi'an Famous Foods (Midtown West and Elsewhere): Though the lamb and pork burgers are something special, the shop's uniquely thick hand-pulled noodles with lamb and a ton of cumin are a citywide favorite.

Yun Nan Flavor Snack (Sunset Park): New York's only traditional Yunnan restaurant, a small, cash-only shop with some great cheap finds, like rice noodles with crispy meat sauce.

Noodle Village(Chinatown): A small shop that does a serious wonton noodle soup. If you order it to go, the restaurant will pack the noodles separately so they don't get soggy.

Snacks and Misc. Specialties

Roast pork from Big Wong King. [Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

Big Wong King (Chinatown): Though the menu is spotty, the roast pork and roast duck are among the best in Chinatown.

Peking Duck House (Chinatown): A spot for, you guessed it, Peking duck that's worth the splurge.

Excellent Pork Chop House (Chinatown): Not surprisingly, pork chops are the name of the game, done quite well here.

Hua Ji Pork Chop Fast Food (Chinatown): Or get your pork chops Taiwanese-style.

Golden Steamer (Chinatown): Chinatown's best steamed buns. Pork and vegetable and char siu roast pork are highlights.

Sun Hing Lung Co (Chinatown): Excellent fresh tofu available from the morning to 4 p.m. or so. It's especially vegetal and soy bean-y, as is the creamy soy milk. The small shop has a counter at the front that sells steamed rice rolls, which are some of the best you'll find in a stryofoam container.

New Beef King (Chinatown): Chinese-style jerky that comes in thin leathery strips and larger, juicier chunks. Flavors range from sweet to spicy; we're fans of the curry beef chunks in particular.

212 Grand Food Corp (Chinatown): A jack of all trades shop that makes delightfully greasy crullers (you tiao) and a satisfying mess of greens.

Stir fried rice rolls from Mei LI Wah. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Mei Li Wah (Chinatown): This bakery and cafe is best known for its roast pork buns, which we think have gone downhill. But the rice rolls and congee are still worth a visit.

Xin Jiang Prosperity Kebab (Chinatown): A standout kebab cart in Chinatown, with everything from chicken to squid on skewers. But it's the chili- and cumin-dusted lamb kebabs that draw the crowds here.

Vanessa's Dumpling House (Chinatown and Elsewhere): We're not crazy about their dumplings, but their crisp, almost doughnutty sesame pancake sandwiches may be the best in town.

Rice Roll Carts (Chinatown) Two rice roll carts occupy the northern corners of Elizabeth and Hester Streets in Chinatown. Both charge $1.25 for a freshly steamed rice roll, a great breakfast (or lunch).

Soy Bean Chen (Flushing): This florist has a window up front that sells creamy, custardy fresh tofu with your choice of sweet or spicy toppings. We prefer the latter.

Corner 28 (Flushing): Look for a small window near the front entrance of this mini food court. There you can find steaming-hot Peking duck buns, sold for a dollar each. They go a little heavy on the hoisin, but for crisp-skinned Peking duck it's a great deal, even by Flushing standards.

XSG Dumpling House (Sunset Park): Dumplings are in the name, but the real winner is the amply stuffed crisp sesame pancake.

Sweets and Tea

Mochi with black sesame paste at Yat Yat Sweet. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Yat Yat Sweet (Bath Beach): A destination for Hong Kong-style tong sui desserts like black sesame paste, red bean rice balls, and warming sweet ginger soups.

Bread Talk (Chinatown): Chinese bakery that's home to our favorite egg custard tart in the neighborhood.

Kam Hing Coffee Shop (Chinatown): The coffee's whatever, but for 70 cents you get a perfect steamed sponge cake, light and fresh and warm. Go early before they sell out.

Sun's Organic Tea Shop (Chinatown): The best loose leaf tea shop in Chinatown with a focus on green, oolong, and herbal teas. They also do some healthy takes on bubble tea.

Teado (Chinatown): Some of the best milk and bubble tea around from a tiny shop. The high quality tea is brewed perfectly, and they let you fine-tune your sweetness levels before committing to a full cup. If you're looking for something more weighty, try a cup of herbal jelly with tapioca, a mix of beans and grass jelly that's not too sweet.

Golden Steamer (Chinatown): Chinatown's best steamed buns. The salted egg yolk and pumpkin buns) for 70 cents each are great.

Express Tea Shop (Golden Shopping Mall) (Flushing): Though they offer an array of interesting desserts, the osmanthus jelly wins out.

New Flushing Bakery (Flushing): While the bakery as a whole is just alright, the Portuguese egg custard tarts are incredible—light and creamy with deep vanilla flavor and a shatter-crisp crust.

Fang Gourmet Tea (Flushing): Hands-down the best source for Taiwanese tea in New York City. While the teas are expensive, a tea tasting ceremony costs just a few bucks. A can't-miss Flushing experience.

Hot Pot

Broth at Mister Hot Pot. [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Hou Yi (Chinatown): You pay a fixed rate for two hours of all you can eat hot pot with intensely flavored broths and plenty of dip-ins. Be careful with that spicy broth—it's not joking.

Little Sheep (Flushing): Sure, it's an international chain, but it gets all the essentials of hot pot right. We recommend ordering your broth half-spicy, half-mild.

Mister Hotpot (Sunset Park): Excellent hot pot in Brooklyn's Chinatown. The mild broth is a must-order, rich with marrow for something almost as creamy as ramen broth.

Shopping Mall Food Courts

Golden Shopping Mall. [Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

Golden Shopping Mall (Flushing): The city's must-visit Chinese food court destination, a cramped, frenetic two-floor space with vendors from all over China. Take a full tour here.

Flushing Mall (Flushing): This food court is fast emptying out, but it's still home to some standout vendors like Diverse Dim Sum and Chinese-Korean Noodles and Dumpling.

New World Mall (Flushing): Massive, energetic food court popular with Flushing's younger eaters. Stalls are more glitzy here, and while we don't love everything, a few stand out well, like Sliced Noodles.

Still hungry? Follow Serious Eats: New York page on Twitter and Facebook.

The character for demolish (or dismantle) — 拆, chai – appeared on the Chinese embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday morning. According to Voice of America, the characters appeared three times: on two of the pillars on the embassy’s front gate, and on the entrance of an office building.

This happened on the same day as the opening of the fifth annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue, a two-day session between top leaders of China and the US. Vice President Joe Biden started talks by telling China to stop hacking — “We both will benefit from an open, secure, reliable Internet. Outright cyber-enabling theft that US companies are experiencing now must be viewed as out of bounds and needs to stop” — which means you can expect the Chinese to respond by saying basically the same thing. Also on the docket is North Korea, nuclear programs, trade, investment, climate change, the usual.

No group has claimed responsibility for the graffiti, but Initiatives for China sure seems proud of it. They write:

Citizen Power for China, also known as Initiatives for China, has recently launched a campaign, code named the Sparrow Initiative (2nd stage), to defend land rights of the Chinese people and obtain justice for the victims of  China’s violent dismantling and forced eviction activities. We believe everyone deserves to have a home, even a sparrow–. Any brutal action in taking that basic right away from the Chinese people is absolutely unacceptable.

The organization’s founder, Yang Jianli, told Voice of America, “People widely believe the graffiti on the Chinese embassy in the US is in support of the Sparrow Initiative.”

If you say so.

H/T:

@austinramzy Rather see US Embassy in Beijing get 拆'd. One of the ugliest, least-welcoming buildings in a city that sets a pretty high bar.

— Brendan O'Kane (@bokane) July 11, 2013

That’s what a server at a high-end restaurant told me last night during a particularly complicated plating. The course involved stems, rocks, green things, and fog. Sure, it was a great dish and a superb meal. But still. 

Writing for Deadspin, Will Gordon evaluates 36 cheap beers from across the country, and Utica Club, from Matt Brewing in Utica, which also makes Saranac beers, placed fourth. Gordon writes:

This has a fair bit going on, flavor-wise, which is risky business. Less is usually much more in this price category, but UC is the rare cheapie that pulls off its dangerous ambition. This Central New Yorker’s unique vegetal maltiness is much better than the phrase “unique vegetal maltiness” suggests. I’ll never write their marketing copy, but I’ll always drink their beer.

Grain Belt Premium came in first. Of the wort beer of the 36 Gordon says:

Keystone separates itself from the rest of the crap pack by augmenting the typical stale/sour flavor profile with notes of brown bananas and green armpits. Keystone is worse than Heineken and murder.

Enough time has passed to say the following, “I really hated that track Todd Terje did with Lindstrom and I was worried he was going to start making soundcloud jamz and I don’t really think Strandbar is really up to much“. Cool story, right? And, the internet most certainly disagrees with my thoughts.

He’s just done another remix of Bryan Ferry, click here to hear his first one, it’s pretty fun. And now, he’s remixed “Don’t Stop The Dance“, it’s part of a remix package which has way too many remixes. It’s pretty magnificent, way more electronic based than expected and more in the Soulwax area of disco than it is the Hawaiian Shirt and Shades area of disco. Hopefully, it won’t get lost in the mix package.

もう今更なんですが、結構皆気に入っていたTodd Terje とLindstrom のトラックがどうしても好きになれなくて、この先が心配だったんですが、今回のTodd Terje の新たなBryan Ferry、”Don’t Stop The Dance” のリミックスは別の話。(因みにその前にも彼のリミックスを作っていて、こちらはココでチェックしましょう。) このリミックスはリミックスだらけのリリースパッケージに収録されていて、かなりお勧め。想像異常にエレクトロニックベースで、アロハシャツ世代のディスコではなくてSoulwax世代のディスコ感がプンプン。他のリミックスより目立ってくれてるといいんですが…

Beatport.

Ecological disasters have frequently been the precursors of major social upheavals across Africa, writes analyst Jim Sanders. 

“Ugh, I hate the High Line.”

Bitch about Time Warner.

Source: myfuckingroommate.tumblr.com

Talk about how disgusting the Hudson is.

Source: flickr.com

Ask people at parties how much their rent is.

(And someone always has a story about their friend with rent control who's paying $500 for a West Village studio.)

Source: horanlover33.tumblr.com

Complain about brunch incessantly, but then still go to brunch.

Source: guestofaguest.com

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The real-life Shinzo Abe has had his fair share of critics -- those who find his nationalist inclinations distasteful, for example, or others who are deeply skeptical about his so-called Abenomics plan to save the Japanese economy.

But who could dislike the cartoon version of the Japanese prime minister? Flipping through the air, his downcast face unchanging as he bounces higher and higher in his gray suit -- he's adorable.[[BREAK]]

That appears to be the effect Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is going for in releasing a new smartphone game called "Abe Pyon," or Abe Hops. In the game, a tiny Abe hops higher and higher in the skies on different platforms above the building that houses Japan's legislature. Climb higher, and the game offers up facts about Abe and the LDP. Miss a platform, and Abe will look at you reproachfully before plummeting to the ground (my personal high score was a pretty unimpressive 312 meters above ground).

"There were worries that some young people thought the LDP was distant, that we lacked intimacy … that they didn't know anything about us," Takuya Hirai, a lawmaker and head of the LDP's Internet strategy team, tells Reuters.

An upper house election in July will mark the first time Japanese politicians can use the Internet as part of their election efforts -- a long-standing ban on online and social media campaigning was lifted earlier this year -- and Abe Pyon is an attempt to get a jump, so to speak, on winning over younger, tech-inclined voters.

The party faces an uphill battle. Japanese society is dominated by the elderly, and Japanese politics is no different. Power is held disproportionately in aging, rural Japan, and politicians tend to act in the interests of their elderly constituents -- one reason why it's been so difficult to achieve desperately needed social security reform, for example.

So can a cartoon politician really make a difference in the LDP's bid for the votes of Japan's alienated youth, who barely vote at all and, when they do, usually vote for the other guys?

What the game lacks in substance it makes up for -- a bit -- in creativity; even Obama's famously youth-friendly 2009 campaign never cast its candidate in a video game. And, to be fair, Abe -- an avid Facebook user himself -- is also continuing to push for the somewhat more significant measure of lowering the voting age on constitutional referendums from 20 to 18. But in a country where the average age of people casting ballots in the 2009 general election was 54.2, a cute jumping man in a suit will only get you so far.

Shout out to all the bodega cats of NYC. This post is for you.

Mixed in with some bags of chips

Via: instagram.com

Protecting cookies that have been there for who knows how long

Via: instagram.com

Judging your late-night purchases

Via: instagram.com

On top of a box of Sour Patch Kids

Via: instagram.com

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The head of News Express in India says: “You cannot ride on someone’s back for a story. We terminated him on Tuesday.”
Fired reporter Narayan Pargaien contends: “This was entirely the cameraman’s fault, who, it seems, almost tried to sabotage my career by shooting from that distance and angle and releasing the video mocking this whole incident, and making me the villain.”

* Shoulder-riding India floods reporter blames cameraman “sabotage” (metro.co.uk)

First produced in 1997 by Modo & Modo SpA in Milan, Moleskine — produced by the eponymous Italian parent company since 2007 — is an extensive line of pocket-sized, trusted travel companion notebooks with over 14 million units sold in around 23,000 points-of-sale, including nine branded stores, in 90 countries across the globe. Between the classic notebooks and all its variants — small, large, ruled, squared, plain, colored covers — and dozens of special editions Moleskine's collection includes over 750 products. Earlier this month Moleskine introduced a new monogram and a revised wordmark desiged by Milan-based Achilli Ghizzardi Associati.

A set of nine modules consisting of the M of Moleskine and eight rounded squares come together to form a grid, evoking the essential design elements of the Moleskine notebook with its rounded corners as well as those of the digital realm. Each module is a flexible space that can house a wealth of content: the letters of the company name, the colors and configurations of the collections, community creations and multimedia content will all fill the new Moleskine monogram.
— Press Release (PDF)

Animated GIF presenting the new logo.

"Sketches" of the new logo. In quotes because this image couldn't be any more Photoshopped unless it had Kim Kardashian on it.

The new monogram presents the brand as designer of open platforms for creativity, communication and sharing. […] Tthe intention was to create a fluid visual icon that communicates its multi-faceted and open nature while unifying its many objects, types of users and brand values.
— Press Release (PDF)

Monogram detail, above. With stuff, below.

Re: the above image. Shoot me now.

The logotype remains unchanged apart from a more emphasized roundness to the curves of the letters, creating a proprietary font for the first time in the company's history. Particular attention has been given to the letter M, which becomes the pivot for the whole visual identity.
— Press Release (PDF)

Detail of the wordmark. Apologies for fuzziness, it's the best I could find.

If it were designed today, I would vehemently complain about the old wordmark being set in the overused and underwhelming Copperplate Gothic but, now, compared to the atrocious update to it, I find the simplicity and established ubiquity of the old one a major loss. The new wordmark takes out all the edge and crispness of the old and sands down every corner down to a stubby soft corner, while getting rid of inward serifs that provided necessary balance. A major downgrade. Then there is the new monogram, that takes the new "M" and places eight rounded squares (that mimic the rounded corners of the notebooks, see?) around to create a 3-by-3 grid. It's not totally a bad idea, but why squares? As far as I can tell, there isn't a single square Moleskine out there and it's not like every logo should replicate its product or history but the disconnect here is quite obvious and flawed. The monogram then uses the logo-as-window in the most obvious and boring ways, kind of ruining that maneuver for the rest of us. Finally, the monogram is used in tandem with the new wordmark, where it becomes so small to be unreadable. Overall, a very disappointing evolution, specially considering the product's popularity and embrace in creative industries. It deserved better.

Thanks to Yotam Hadar for first tip.

Don't forget to cast your vote about this post online

Beijing's Water Cube is best known as 2008's most photogenic Olympics venue, but it is now being used as a massive canvas for a real-time “painting” of China's mood.

Our submitter in Fort Collins, Colorado was a bit taken aback at the site of this local business’s breakroom. “The level of commitment dedicared to naming and creating backstories for the appliances was…mindboggling,” she says.

Indeed, my mind has been boggled.

related: The Needy Little Dishwasher

No need to hit snooze.

This alarm clock wakes you up with bacon, that's right BACON.

This alarm clock wakes you up with the smell of Bacon.

Via: freshnessmag.com

This one will run around your room until you catch it.

Robots are taking over and they are starting with when you wake up. Clocky is an alarm clock that jumps off the nightstand, runs around the room, and beeps uncontrollably until you catch it! You are guaranteed to not need the snooze button after this one.

Via: boralv.se

This clock will donate your money.

Literally. For every time you hit that snooze button the clock will donate to an organization via WiFi to your online bank account.

Via: thinkgeek.com

This alarm clock will literally insult you until you get up.

Attention! The Drill Sergeant Alarm Clock takes no prisoners. The sergeant will continue to insult you from one of the 10 phrases stored in the clock until you wake your ass up!

Via: designaculture.com

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Filed under: Food and Drink, Asia, North America, South Korea, United States, Airlines, News

American Airlines recently announced a new direct route between Dallas/Fort Worth and Seoul's Incheon International Airports in an agreement with Japan Airlines. In addition to mentioning the "special attention [they will give] to the culture of the airline's Korean customers" in their press release, American also briefly mentions offering "Shin Ramen Noodle Cup as a snack option to customers in all cabins." Shin Ramen is the most popular brand of instant ramen in Korea, where the cheap noodles are so loved and a part of the culture that they are often sold in restaurants and commercials featuring the infamous PSY constantly air on television.

American Airlines is clear that this will be served only as a snack and not as a replacement for a meal on the nearly 14-hour flight. However, with the far from pleasant reputation that airline food has, adding it to the menu is more likely to receive jeers from passengers than cheers, regardless of the renown it has in its home country.

[via The Korea Times]

American Airlines Serving Instant Ramen Between Dallas And Seoul originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That's a weirwood tree on the label.

The second installment of Brewery Ommegang's Game of Thrones–branded beer is a stout inspired by the Night's Watch. Take the Black Stout, My Beer Buzz notes, is "as dark as the winters that once engulfed Westeros, as robust as the men who swear their oaths at the Weirwood Tree." Also, it has a really pretty label! At 7 percent ABV, this beer is slightly more alcoholic than its predecessor, and it will be brewed with star anise and licorice root. These are two great talking points to keep in mind for the beer's fall release or for the next time George R.R. Martin shows up for dinner unannounced, whichever happens first. [My Beer Buzz, Earlier, Related]

Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

Filed Under: beer me, games of thrones, iron thone blonde ale, ommegang beer, take the black stout

The BuzzFeed editorial team recently took it upon ourselves to conduct a completely non-scientific survey of our parent’s pop-culture knowledge. We asked them a simple question: “Who would you say are the top three pop stars right now?”

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Slightly exaggerated truth .

Via: thedoghousediaries.com

Raves: Exposed by Philly’s intrepid Channel 10 news team.

This dangerous mix of drugs, music, and dance — it's called rave. And tonight it's all the rage. Get ready, we're taking you for a rave.

Don't be deceived by those cool, trippy graphics. "Rave" is something to be concerned about...

A new fad among the suburban set where kids come to the inner city and party all night long in an abandoned warehouse...this new thing that's happening could be dangerous to your child.

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It is one single image. Photographer Bela Borsodi is a master of manipulating your eyes.

A few details belie the trickery at work: the arm of the lamp, the handle of the spoon.

Source: belaborsodi.com

And here is the wrong angle, exposing the illusion.

Source: belaborsodi.com