Adam Minter's Blog, page 3

Another Reason Beijing Shouldn’t Host the 2022 Olympics

China is currently bidding against Almaty, Kazakhstan for the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. In general, this is a bad idea – Beijing has little to no snow in the winter, but lots and lots of smog. And … Continue reading →

Toughest Fella I Ever Knew.

Toughest fella I ever knew, Max Zeman, my grandfather, passed away this weekend just 9 weeks short of his 100th birthday. For somebody who witnessed the worst of what the 20th century had to offer, he managed to hold onto … Continue reading →

Chinese want to leave China like Ecuadorians want to leave Ecuador.

Rich people are leaving China in droves. Just ask the South China Morning Post: “Exodus of the super-rich: half of China’s millionaires plan to leave country within five years.” Or the Wall Street Journal:  “Almost Half of Wealthy Chinese Want to … Continue reading →

Native advertising?

This morning while browsing the New York Times I came across this stunning full page Apple ad. Terrific collaboration on the part of two of America’s top lifestyle brands. [and a nice explainer on native advertising, here at the Guardian] … Continue reading →

The Moon Shines Just as Bright

It’s Mid-Autumn Festival time aka Mooncake Festival here in the Chinese-speaking parts of Asia. When I lived in China, I mostly associated it with eating extremely heavy pastries (mooncakes ) and crowded restaurants. But of course there’s much more to it, … Continue reading →

What Does San Diego Have Against Recycling, Free Enterprise, and the American Way?

For more than a decade, Gary Ries of Mission Hills, California, has spent his spare time earning money by picking recyclable cans and bottles from trash cans owned by the city of San Diego. Under most definitions, this is laudable … Continue reading →

So long, Shanghai, I’ve entered the Relocation Department.

As of today, I have relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It’s a new home (for me, at least), and a new adventure. But I’d be lying to say that I won’t miss Shanghai, my home of 12 years. In fact, … Continue reading →

Junkyard Planet, in translation. Vice. Reviews.

It’s been more than two months since my last update, but that’s not to suggest that nothing is happening on Junkyard Planet. Where to start? Over the last couple of years, some of the best and most interesting journalism related … Continue reading →

It really is a Junkyard Planet, Everywhere Edition.

It’s been nearly a month since my last update from the Junkyard Planet world tour (of sorts). Since then, we’ve been in the UK, Malaysia, Singapore … and now we’re back in Shanghai. To my ever-persistent surprise, Junkyard Planet continues … Continue reading →

The UK is Part of Junkyard Planet

I’ve spent the last ten days in the UK meeting media, and making appearances related to Junkyard Planet. It’s been an absolute thrill, and the reception has been excellent. On Saturday, for example, I was the lucky recipient of two … Continue reading →