the Beijinger

Here's some reassuring news to send us into the September-October holiday season. In the wake of the Henan Airlines crash in Yichun a fortnight ago that killed 42 people, an investigation by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has revealed that more than 200 commercial pilots in China faked their resumes in 2008-2009. Even more disturbingly, more than half of the pilots with fake qualifications worked for Shenzhen Airlines, which holds a 51 percent share in Henan Airlines.

The boys at Li Ning have been at it again. At it, as you know, meaning that they have been signing up Americans for their global onslaught. Global onslaught, as if it needed clarifying, being their attempt to become the first Chinese sports brand to become internationally popular. So who have they added to a roster that already includes Shaq and Baron Davis? Evan Turner.

You might not know Evan Turner yet ... but you will. This year's NCAA National Player of the Year has just joined the Sixers as the NBA's second overall draft pick. This could be a sign of things to come from Li Ning but it certainly looks like they are in it for the long haul if they are signing up young talent with such a bright future.

Back in January theBeijinger.com broke the news in the English-language media that the area around the Drum and Bell Towers was slated for demolition to make way for an underground “Beijing Time Cultural City,” comprising restaurants, parking spaces, and a museum about timekeeping technology. Since then periodic rumors have surfaced that demolition was about to commence, and there have been various attempts to organize meetings and discussions about the controversial project. Yesterday the Chinese press reported the project may now be on hold.

El Nido is Spartan in most details. There’s no bar, no indoor seating, and only a few vintage beer posters coloring the drab interior. They did, however, remember to install shelves and fridges positively brimming with wine and bottled beers. At the height of the Cold War, some paranoid beer connoisseur probably constructed a personal fallout shelter like this.

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Having clothes made to measure has so many benefits over buying off-the-shelf, but it can be difficult to know who to trust or even where to begin. Here’s our list of recommendations for arriving at the perfect fit.

Aside from a limited range – caged birds and goldfish perhaps – Beijing isn’t the friendliest city for a pet. They are unwelcome in many parks, cooped up in high-rise apartment blocks, ride in scary elevators and endure the extremes of Beijing’s bipolar climate. Dogs larger than 35cm to the shoulder aren’t even welcome to make the trip downtown. Thankfully there are a few places where you can console your furry friend by treating them to a new toy, a tasty snack or a fun day out.

Imagine a sports bar with a poker habit. In place of Joe DiMaggio and Diego Maradona, men in Stetsons stare out from the wall. Slogans all around indoctrinate patrons in the virtues of poker. It’s like 1984, with Big Brother as a card sharp.

If you've ever sat at a sushi bar, you were probably amazed at how quickly and easily the sushi chefs assembled various sushi rolls from a diverse palette of ingredients. Though it seems relatively simple to the eye, the skill and technique requires years of experience and practice, which I could well imagine after I spent a fun-filled afternoon trying to get rid of rice sticking to my fingers in a Japanese Cooking Class at Kempinski Hotel Beijing.

Zhuo mo means “carve” and “ink,” a name befitting the restaurant's location on Liulichang Culture Street, the tree-lined antiques haven, as well as the sculpture of the giant ink stone in the lobby.