Damn, Asia’s on a roll with two new world records according to the good folks at the Guinness Book.

First, Kawasaki, Japan can now claim to have the world’s shortest escalator:

And if that’s not exciting enough to email home about (and to also show that not all of Asia’s records involve something being the “shortest”), China’s Qingdao-Haiwan Bridge, which connects the Chinese port of Qingdao with the suburb of Huangdao is now the world’s longest bridge at 26 miles long. The previous record was held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, which is about three miles shorter:

However, this record will only stand for a few years because the Chinese are hard at work building a 30-mile bridge that will connect Hong Kong/Macau with the southern Guangdong province on the mainland slated to open in 2016.

So talk to the hand, all you critics who claim that Chinese tiger parenting doesn’t produce awesome results!

To celebrate these accomplishments and a beautiful Saturday (at least here in L.A. where it’s sun and fun), here’s Umi, Taiwan’s weekend weather girl with today’s forecast. And yes, Umi, I would invite you to my party if not for that unfortunate misunderstanding and the ensuing order of protection:

Happy weekend!