What’s better than one Lonely Planet book? Two, for the price of one. The preeminent publisher of travel tomes has extended its Lonely Planet Buy One Get One Free promotion until the end of October.

Christmas is coming, and Lonely Planet books are always great stocking stuffers. Hot off the press are best sellers such as the New Zealand and Mexico guides, and the new full color Hawaii guide.

A getaway to Koh Samui sound or a visit to the ancient Angkor Wat Temples in your future? All covered in the new Regional Encounter Guides. Melbourne, Rome, New York and Singapore all have shiny new Lonely Planet City Encounter Guides rolling off the presses.

Some “professional” travelers scoff at Lonely Planet guidebooks. They do so at their own peril. There is always one in my pack. There is no better packable resource. I recommend the Lonely Planet China Guidebooks, I use them often when planning excursions.

The Lonely Planet Buy One Get One Free promotion ends October 31st.

The Stevo’s have a secret.

No, I won’t tell you what it is: It’s a secret.

No, the world cannot expect a little Stevo any time soon. Have you seen The Omen (the original or remake)? A wee Stevo would make Damien Thorne look like a harbinger of goodwill. I’d be happy with a xiao gou (puppy), but Mrs. Stevo feels we should pass on our genes. Not a bad idea: My good looks, Mrs. Stevo’s beauty and innate goodness…

Wanna know the secret? Stay tuned. Signed up for RSS email updates in the right sidebar (brought to you by Feedburner!)

Dear Andy:

I’ve seen a movie or two of your’s. More often than not I see your face plastered on every product you pimp endorse.

A trip to an electronic store has me facing your face, smiling at me from boxes of DVD players.

A trip to a DVD store has me seeing your viseage on the posters of the four movies you make each year. A tour through the CD section has me confronted with a mini you, in strange costumes, on CD jackets. I see a lot of you, Andy. You’re part of my weekly routine. A week without Andy…

I feel as if I know you, so I will say this:

You Cheap Bastard!

That’s right. You’re a cheap bastard. I read of your donation to the Chinese earthquake relief fund. Andy: 100,000 RMB? You have more than that in loose change. If you searched your sofa you’d find more money than that.

Come on, cheapie. Jackie Chan gave 10 million RMB. Jet Li parted with 1 million RMB and Yao Ming donated 500,000 RMB. The students and staff of my school donated more than 400,000 RMB. Let’s not talk about the $10 million RMB anonymous donation made yesterday.

You, tight-wad. 100 Gs?

$14,285 American for the young Chinese women that revere you? I know a Chinese English teacher that took the name Andi to honor you. YOU! Scrooge.

I’m not a man of your means, but after a day of phone calls I could donate 100 grand.

Yes, I’ve seen you face all over China. I never really liked it, my only reason being your blatant endorsements pimping. Now I have a reason. As does the rest of China. You have gone from a superstar to a laughingstock overnight.

Please, Sir, redeem yourself. Open your sock drawer, pull out your mad money, and take it to the nearest Red Cross office. Be the star in real life you are on the big screen.

SIncerely,

Sti Fu.

I’m a star of stage and (small) screen. That’s right, I’ve walked the red carpet (no, not the doormat outside my apartment), I can wear a borrowed suit and host a televised event like nobody’s business. I’ve been wined and dined. My services are in demand, baby. Should I get an agent?

The Stevo’s fame is current limited to seven-year-olds. But, they will pass word of his magnificence and his fan base will grow. In the not-too-distant-future he will be, in the words of Wanda, bomb diggity. Hopefully, before all his hair falls out.

I was in a show back in February to celebrate the end of the Chinese New Year festival. I didn’t have a speaking part, because the sound of my voice would have driven my fans into a mad frenzy. I stumbled upon the photos on the shared files drive in the office.

Strange, it’s almost as if I’m hiding.

Ya, The Stevo isn’t visible. It adds to his mystique.

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Battle reenactment, Splendid China Theme Park, Shenzhen, PRC. October 17, 2006.

Splendid China is a great place to visit. The battle reenactment as well as the numerous cultural areas are something to see.