:: I was recently having lunch with VICE Magazine publisher Erik Lavoie in Shanghai and as the conversation wandered, he told me about some random Google recommendation algorithm quirks I hadn’t actually heard. Enjoy.  // AjS

:: can anyone help me understand wtf is going on with this sign? Seen today at Zara in Shanghai – so many things wrong with it. Completely mental.  // AjS

:: I was recently included in Media Magazine’s Faces to Watch feature – a look at “A Generation of Achievers” to keep an eye on in 2010 in Asia.

I’m honored and flattered to be included in such an illustrious group – frankly speaking though, I’m out of my league.

At any rate, check out the feature below if interested. To read a more legible version of it on Media’s website, link here. To download the full size PDF, link here. // AjS

:: taken in Shanghai on Huaihai Rd.  // AjS

:: taken in my apartment building in Shanghai; my neighbor’s window sill. Can anyone help me understand what the hell this is for? I see it everyday on my way to the elevator and just haven’t gotten around to asking Mr. Deng yet.  // AjS

:: I’ve always been fascinated with x-rays so I thought I’d share my most recent – taken today just moments after I broke a bone in my foot (see red arrows). If there are any doctors in the house, please let me know if you see anything more serious than the simple hard cast the local Shanghai doc put me in can fix. Thanks. I’m off to buy some milk. Sigh…  // AjS

A couple weeks ago I saw this on XCar.com.cn, a Chinese online discussion forum / community site focused on cars and also, apparently, dildo calligraphy. Interesting, but seems like it could be quite dangerous.  // AjS

:: my sincere apologies for the light posting recently. My free time has been occupied with getting this ready. Fear not though, I’ll be back posting again soon enough. Thanks for your understanding.  // AjS

:: a fun animation short / MV titled Road from Chinese photo-blogger Wang Chengzhi (王承之, A.K.A. Photobluer) about an upset child running away from his bickering parents and an overbearing teacher. The clip ends with “我们一直奔跑, 但找不到尽头,” meaning: “We are always running, but we can’t escape.” Background music by Beijing-based band The Gar (嘎调), a song titled Quan (圈). The Gar is also on Douban.  // AjS

:: despite my near complete inability to manipulate HTML and CSS, I’m attempting to make some cosmetic changes to 56minus1’s theme. As you can probably tell, I have already screwed some things up…sigh. Have no fear, all will be back in place soon (and hopefully improved).  // AjS

:: I started this blog about 7 months ago as an experiment more than anything else. Turns out I actually enjoy blogging and have somehow been able to develop a proper following. Thanks for reading, it’s flattering.

I’d like to make 56minus1 better for you. Please leave your comments, suggestions, criticism, ideas, etc. about anything (content, template, style, plugins / widgets, etc.) below or drop me a line at 56minus1 AT gmail DOT com. Also, if you’d like to become a contributor to 56minus1, please let me know. Thanks again for reading.  // AjS

[UPDATE 1: I've added a "similar posts" plugin - hopefully this will help readers discover more cool, relevant 56minus1 content.]

[UPDATE 2: I've added a "ShareThis" button to each post so readers can share links to 56minus1 posts via email or with friends / contacts on other platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Digg, FriendFeed, Technorati, etc.]

:: I saw this Men’s Union advert at the Dimei Plaza (迪美广场) shopping center today in Shanghai, and maybe it’s just me, but I found it a bit outside the bounds of good taste (in a funny way of course), perhaps even inappropriate. You make the call. Thoughts?  // AjS

:: does anyone know what to make of this short? Is that supposed to be Hu Jintao? I tried to find more information about the video, its creator, etc., but nothing. It seems to be some sort of an advertisement for the animation company Genseisha. I’m confused and curious. Thoughts?  // AjS

:: the video and photo below were shot Sunday night during Tong Yang’s (痛仰) set, the last performance of Midi, a 3-day music festival held this year in Zhenjiang (Jiangsu Province), China. Shortly after the video’s six minute mark, said naked foreigners make their grand entry. These will likely be “harmonized” soon, so enjoy while you can. [Update: the video already seems to be inaccessible.]  // AjS