Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

We're off to Beijing for a week or so soon, attending Intel's Spring Developer Forum. We've filled out all the forms and sent off all the letters we needed to get the press accreditation that came through yesterday, and I'll be fast-tracking our visas first thing on Tuesday morning.

It's going to be our first time visiting the PRC, so, it's time to ask all you wonderful and well-travelled readers: is there anything we should know that'll make our stay (and getting about) easier?

I seem to recall that a few of you have been there recently...

It looks like my phone will work there, so that's one thing off my mind.

Boing Boing points to this rather scary New York Times article [behind a paywall], with this quote:

On certain days almost 25 percent of the particulate matter clotting the skies above Los Angeles can be traced to China, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental experts in California predict that China could eventually account for roughly a third of the state's air pollution.

Yes folks, you're breathing in the trade deficit, whether you like it or not...

Just think of it as globalisation of pollution.

[Update: non-paywall version of the article here]