“It’s really not that hard to create art,” says Chinese artist Zhou Tiehai.

In his quest to become famous, Zhou didn’t create masterful works of self-expression. Instead he broked away from the usual ingredients of Chinese art such as political statements and cliche Mao references. In one piece he, well more like his underlings, Photoshopped Joe Camel’s head on a piece of classical European painting that got all the art collectors salivating. Apparently, pieces like that can fetch around $100,000. Zhou has obviously discovered the roadmap from starving to famous artist.

I applaud him for beating the system, almost mocking it, and making loads of money. At the same time, I would have loved to hear about an emerging Chinese artist who didn’t sell out and was discovered for his own works.

When we were traveling in China on those overnight trains, it wasn’t the hard bunks or the cold draft or even the occasional phelgm hacker that kept us awake at nights. It was the tune of the loud snorers left and right, top and bottom, that left us cranky and half awaked when we arrived at the next city on a cold foggy morning.

Apparently, snoring isn’t just a problem for the overnight train passenger. It’s reached pandemic proportions that the Chinese army is now cracking down on snorers because they deem “the nasal sound of chronic snorers disturbs collective life”.

Before you draw up the next protest poster and congregate at the local Chinese Embassy, there will be no blood-letting. Snorers, along with those with “fashionable tattoos” just won’t be allowed in the army.

Changsha, the hometown of revolutionary old boy Mao Tse Tung, has funded the building of a 7meter statue of Mao for the Tibetans.

How generous. I always felt the Tibetans were missing 2 important aspects in their lives–a leader and a big tacky icon for their land.

This week, the nonprofit group Business for Diplomatic Action issued a World Citizens Guide of 16 tips for Americans traveling abroad. It basically offers advice to unruly yanks to keep a low profile, tone down the bragging, and avoid confrontations by avoiding political discussions.
Unfortunately, there were no tips to lose the sweatpants, jogging suits, fannypacks, and to stop thinking you’re so funny by dressing like this.

An American expat in England continues the assault on American ugliness with advice on “how to act British.” I wander if this article is absolutely necessary since there is no shortage of anglophile yanks here who find it sooooo cute and charming to add the extra ‘u’ in words like “colour” and pronounce “toe-MAH-tow.”

The big purple horseshoe in Flushing Meadow will finally come down and be replaced a retro baseball stadium modeled after Ebbetts Field. There will be less capacity, but more luxury boxes, and views from all corners of the stadium. As a life long Mets fan, I’m ecstatic over this news. I can’t wait to go to the last home game in 2008 and tear off a piece of old Shea for posterity. The stadium won’t come cheap as it’s in the $600 million range. To offset some of the cost, and also make a cool profit, Fred Wilpon has said the naming rights to the new park will be sold.

Here are my choices for the worst possible names for the corporate sponsored Shea:
1-Kahn’s Hot Dog Stadium
2-Hospital for Special Surgery Stadium
3-Fred Wilpon Stadium
4-Flushing Chopshop and Baseball Stadium
5-Dr. Zizmor Skincare Stadium

My choices for the new corporate sponsored Shea:
1-Jetblue Stadium
2-Corona Ice King Park
3-Brooklyn Lager Ballpark
4-FreshDirect Field
5-Mets Ballpark

My fave band for the past 8 months is hitting town tonight in their first of 3 stops in NYC on their current tour. At this point in their rock star career, an afterparty is a definite must. We have tix for tomorrow’s show at Bowery Ballroom, but upon finding out that they will also hit Southpaw–like 10 blocks away from home–we swapped tix with one of karen’s pals. Come next Wednesday night, I will have seen them TWICE! sorry… couldn’t resist the pun.