Illegal online PR in CN has three culprits: companies who think their reputations aren't at risk; media who take $$; and agencies.

China Closes 6600 Websites For Illegal Online PR Deals, Will Not Change Anything ping.fm/DzO61 [Amen] niubi

Arguably Li-Ning run like a family-and-friends enterprise too long. A comeback is still possible, but time running out 4 them in CN.

Li-Ning created the domestic sportswear business, learned hard lessons about fighting Nike/Adidas that whole industry uses today.

Seeing fewer and smaller bus ads in Beijing. Are advertisers growing
skeptical about effectiveness?

Baidu offloads its English search to BING. Smart. At some point, when MS is tired of playing with it, Baidu can buy it for a song.

I don't condone the thinking, but I understand it. The cultural divide represented by the English Channel is huge.

Other line overheard from a Europhobe: "France: an entire nation addicted to butter, wine, cigarettes, and hubris."

Laugh of the day: Europe described as "several hundred million socialist surrender monkeys."

Sitting in the lobby of the Baiduplex, waiting for Kaiserkuo. This place is stunning without being 过分。