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Danny Choo: ガンダムユニコーン: ガンダムユニコーン見た？クオリティーはかなりいいですよ。There is a poll embedded in this article. http://twurl.nl/jjgbne

The new Buick GL8 has been spotted out testing yet again in China, and is proving to be quite a handsome MPV, which is a hard thing for car affectionardo’s like China Car Times to say.

The original Buick GL8 was a pioneer for Shanghai-GM with it being a ‘China Only’ model designed in partnership between SAIC and GM with it being closely related to the Pontiac Montana. The Gl8 quickly became the business MPV to have with Chinese business users snapping up the GL8 across the country and quickly boosted Buick China sales. The forthcoming next generation GL8 is based on the Business Concept Design that GM showed off at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year.

The new GL8 does look to be a massive departure from the last GL8, which was more utility based, where as the latest one has more of a focus on luxury and comfort.

On the power side of things, the current 2.5L and 3.0L models are likely to be binned in favor of a the new 2.4L engine from the Lacrosse and the Regal, and a new 3.0L V6 taken from Opels HFV6 range. Rumors of a hybrid version being in the pipeline are also being circulated.

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Danny Choo: 昭和の表参道: 今日の表参道。今日の表参道。昭和28の表参道。 http://twurl.nl/g38k6a

29 percent of Chinese women are not satisfied with their sex lives, according to a survey of 10,836 women as the sex expo. http://xpo.sh/jd

A WOMAN who broke her back when she fell four floors trying to avoid her lover's wife is to get US$39,551 in compensation. http://xpo.sh/jc

Passengers will FINALLY be able to get to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport's new terminal via Metro Line 2! http://xpo.sh/jb

Shanghainese men zerged International Exhibition Center for China Int'l Adult Toys & Reproductive Health Exhibition. http://xpo.sh/ja

After getting the tip that Dagu Lu's DVD stores have shut down, we headed there to check it out, expecting to see nothing but empty shelves through locked doors. We shouldn't have underestimated this street - while DVD trade has indeed quieted down due to increased inspections, some of the stores are not quite gone.

On the south side of the street, two stores were open. Approaching one, we saw a few disappointed expats emerge empty-handed. The store, usually bright and bustling, was dim, empty (except for us), and operating with half its original floor space (the other half, unseen behind a hastily erected partition, presumably contained the contraband items). Old, dusty but legit films lined the shelves. Seeing my disappointment, the girl at the counter told me to come back around 7 or 8 p.m., when they would bring out the good stuff. "The Expo cops come often. We can only bring out the DVDs in the evening." I asked why they dared to do that when inspections have been stepped up. "Because that's when they are off work."

As soon as we stepped into the next open store, which featured the same dusty but legit DVDs, the guys in charge told me to "come back tomorrow - we have a shipment of new movies coming in." How often is the street checked, I wondered. "Almost every day, but only at certain times. We can guess when they won't come. We still sell." As we left, he reminded us to come back the day next for "a better selection."

The DVD stores across the street, not as lucky or enterprising as their competitors, seemed closed for good, with curtains pulled and doors double/triple locked. Neighboring businesses told us that the stores had just recently shut down thanks to "Expo inspections, orders from Beijing," and that they had no idea if they would reopen.

So there you have it - the Dagu Lu DVD strip lives on, barely. You can still get your shanzhai DVD fix there, but it will take some work. We'll miss the stores as they were, especially the proud 'Even Better Than Movie World.' Whatever your stance is on pirated DVDs and copyrights, the fact is they had an excellent variety of international and regional movies to fill our film-starved souls, stuff we wouldn't have gotten otherwise in China.

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Hugh Jackman is the new face of Asahi Super Dry beer: In addition to the above commercial, he is also appearing on billboards around Tokyo. —

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Asahi TV’s Japanese-speaking foreign reporters visit a narrow concrete house: Apparently 4 people live in the house. Their bedrooms are only big enough to fit the beds themselves, and in the case of the parents, the area under their bed serves as a storage cellar. It’s a bit cramped, but looks pretty nice inside.

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