Wii...

I went over and ate lunch at Google yesterday (with about 4 deserts... perhaps not wise, but delicious!) and then got to try the interns' Wii. eh. it was ok. Accelerometers are cool. But tennis where motion on one side of your body translates game actions on either side is very strange and unnatural. I didn't like the lack of control over where my character was going to move or how they would face. (Microsoft interns, of course, are given an Xbox instead of a Wii. We've also got billiards and foosball, about which some interns are quite passionate.)

We also went on a bit of a tour of the facilities. I'd say that Google Beijing ranks ahead of MSRA on their gym's quality (but not size), complimentary massage (real people, not just chairs!), snacks (mmm), and full-time working space. I'd give MSRA the win on intern office space though (also on yogurt). We at least are only in masses of about 10; they've got over 50 interns packed in a room coding. One of our intern friends from MSRA who is still in university just started his new internship at Google, and says that his work is harder but there is less of it. The same guy actually set both Google and Microsoft Beijing up, so I hear.

Last night I went to eat at a Tapas place with Sarah, Katie, and Tomas. Who knew honey-friend goat cheese and onions could be so delicious?

Some articles about Beijing that were recently passed along to me:
About Smoking, and the Prevalence Thereof
Old Neighborhoods in Beijing and Their Fate

Because I think it's cool:
Open-source Science

And thanks for the comment yesterday! It makes me happy!