They Call Us Early Adopters

It started with a marmot, and went through otters, bunnies, and wallabies, but the Sidepodcast mascot always seems to return to the panda.

Whilst I am a fan of the baby panda, all the black and white creatures are awesomely cute, and that’s why I have officially adopted one on behalf of Sidepodcast.

Sidepodcast Panda

I’m assuming that my £3 a month doesn’t cover an entire panda, so maybe it’s just an ear or a paw, but this cute and cuddly representation was sent to me a few days after I clicked donate.

Our adopted panda is called Zhu Xiong (pronounced Ju-Shong) meaning ‘Bamboo Bear’. She’s a giant panda, and about 11 years old. Here’s a little blurb about her:

Zhu Xiong was only two years old when she was found in a small farming village in the Pingwu district of China. WWF staff moved her to the Wanglang reserve, the oldest and most remote reserve in China, where she joined 30 other pandas.

I have a certificate to confirm adoption, I’ve got some photographs of Zhu Xiong, and apparently I will get newsletter updates three times a year. It was really easy to do, and there’s plenty of information on the WWF site, both about our panda and all the other animals that are available for adoption.

All that’s left to do, then, is to come up with a name for our new Sidepodcast mascot. Although the cuddly toy represents the actual real life panda, I think it’s only fair she has a Sidepodcast name. That’s where you come in. I’m thinking something like Jane doesn’t really do her justice, and maybe you guys can think of a clever motorsport related name for our newest member. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Written on October 5th, 2008 at 03:18 pm by Christine.
Posted in Blog
Tags: Adoption, F1, Formula 1, Mascot, Name, Panda, Sidepodcast

What others have said...

39 Responses

October 5th, 2008 at 15:41 #1 - Ollie said:
Now all you have to do is recruit Zhu Xiong into a driving role at the Panda-Cosworth Racing project and you’ll have a dream-team.

Hmm, names… I’ll have a think…

…What about Fiat? Okay, I’ll think some more.
October 5th, 2008 at 15:54 #2 - Lynch said:
What about “debris” ? As mechanics “clear debris out of the Sidepods” ??
October 5th, 2008 at 15:59 #3 - Ollie said:
If Fiat is too blatant, what about “Lingotto”? Sounds quite feminine and it is the Fiat factory in Turin with the racetrack on the roof.
October 5th, 2008 at 16:02 #4 - Steven Roy said:
That looks like an angry panda. Maybe it is just the picture but I think the panda has a temper.
October 5th, 2008 at 16:07 #5 - Ollie said:
Maybe it is just the picture but I think the panda has a temper.

Juan-Panda Montoya…?
October 5th, 2008 at 16:22 #6 - Alianora La Canta said:
If my foot was caught in a mug, I’d be slightly angry too… (Also, going through the British postal service is not a comfortable thing to do!)

How about ??? (Wang Ji Xióng) – for “Internet Panda”?
October 5th, 2008 at 16:41 #7 - Journeyer said:
How about Sidepodcast in Chinese?

Side Pod Cast

Alia, can you do the research?
October 5th, 2008 at 16:45 #8 - r.g (my fuji, its mini me) said:
awwww, thats so cute.

almost as cute as christian klien

only kidding, but since you like franck montagny so much, why not call him franck?
October 5th, 2008 at 16:47 #9 - Ollie said:
How about Sidepodcast in Chinese?

I tried that but got some Chinese characters (obviously), which are, erm, unreadable to me. Alia…
October 5th, 2008 at 17:04 #10 - Steven Roy said:
Chinese for unlucky – Mon Ta Nyi
October 5th, 2008 at 18:57 #11 - Christine said:
Chinese for unlucky – Mon Ta Nyi
October 5th, 2008 at 19:23 #12 - me said:
Chinese for unlucky – Mon Ta Nyi
October 5th, 2008 at 19:50 #13 - Scott Woodwiss (Franck FTW! XD) said:
Aww! Christine finally has her panda!

As for names, what about “Apex”?
October 6th, 2008 at 02:44 #14 - Jordan Allen said:
Two suggestions:

Lord Hesketh. (In honour of the first English racing team to have a stuffed bear mascot).

Adnap the Panda. (Take Panda, and spell it backwards).
October 6th, 2008 at 03:48 #15 - charlie said:
My first comment here ever~
What about “BMW” ,which also means “don’t touch me(Bie Mo Wo)” in Chinese
October 6th, 2008 at 04:49 #16 - Jordan Allen said:
Should I be somewhat concerned that your stuffed Panda appears to be wanting to drink something of a mug?
October 6th, 2008 at 06:52 #17 - me said:
My first comment here ever~
What about “BMW” ,which also means “don’t touch me(Bie Mo Wo)” in Chinese

wow, really? that’s my personal favourite.

splendid first comment charlie
October 6th, 2008 at 11:13 #18 - Jeremy said:
How about Peefa?

Full name: Peefa Beefa (or PB for short).

You know – Beefa bear, Deefa dog, Peefa panda!

PB is what we called Peter Brock
October 6th, 2008 at 11:27 #19 - Jeremy said:
Or Possum Bourne…

In Formula One land:

Pablo Birger, Peter Broeker, (Jean) Pierre Beltoise, Paolo Barilla

OR, just plain old Panda Bear!
October 6th, 2008 at 11:47 #20 - me said:
You know – Beefa bear, Deefa dog, Peefa panda!

hehe. that would be a tough one to forget.
October 6th, 2008 at 13:49 #21 - Alex said:
Awwwww cute panda!!!!

Totally unrelated…..anyone know any websites that show the view figures on itv for the 2006 and 2007 seasons???
October 6th, 2008 at 18:19 #22 - Rich said:
Why no commemorate London Zoo’s first Giant Panda Chi Chi – also the inspiration for the WWF logo at the time she was the only Giant Panda in the West.

The Zoo’s first giant panda, Chi Chi, arrived in 1958. Although originally destined for an American zoo, Washington had ceased all trade with communist China and so Chi Chi was refused entry to the United States. In the interests of conservation, ZSL had stated they would not encourage the collection of wild pandas. However, when it was pointed out that Chi Chi had already been collected her purchase was approved, and she immediately become the star attraction at London Zoo. As the only giant panda in the west she was the inspiration of Peter Scott’s design for the World Wildlife Fund logo. In July 1972 Chi Chi died and was publicly mourned.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Zoo
October 6th, 2008 at 19:59 #23 - Jordan Allen said:
What about Panis Panda? In honour of Olivier Panis?

Or Pierluigi Panda in honour of Pierluigi Martini?
October 6th, 2008 at 20:11 #24 - Jordan Allen said:
Looking at drivers firstnames and assinging them the surname of Panda, the ones that I thought where really funny so far are: (Currently around Damon Hill).

Emerson Panda

Heinz-Harald Panda

Mika Panda.

and Olivier Panda.

Peter Panda is just too respectable a name…
October 6th, 2008 at 20:20 #25 - Scott Woodwiss (Franck FTW! XD) said:
Why not Franck Panda?
October 7th, 2008 at 00:03 #26 - Jordan Allen said:
Just after supper in the Land of the Multi-coloured Tundra, currently at the “L”’s and a couple more names made me laugh:

Pedro Panda. (from Pedro Lamy)

Niki Panda. (from Niki Lauda)

Carlos the Panda (doulbe joke Carlos Reutemann and that guy from the movie “Day of the Jackel”).

Looing through all these names, I think I like Carlos Reutemann as my inspiration for the naming the Panda.

Call it “Carlos the Panda.”
October 7th, 2008 at 00:13 #27 - me said:
Call it “Carlos the Panda.”

it’s not that evil.
October 7th, 2008 at 02:20 #28 - Jordan Allen said:
me said:

Call it “Carlos the Panda.”

it’s not that evil.

I can not believe it! You are calling Carlos Reutemann evil just becasue he drove for Ferrari!

I guess that makes Gilles Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Jody Scheckter evil for the same reason.
October 7th, 2008 at 06:56 #29 - Alex Andronov said:
Perhaps you should call it Ernie?
October 7th, 2008 at 06:57 #30 - Alex Andronov said:
Just spotted an ad for Antivirus technology and thought that’s a bit “out there”. Then realised it is for “Panda Antivirus”
October 7th, 2008 at 09:34 #31 - me said:
Just spotted an ad for Antivirus technology and thought that’s a bit “out there”. Then realised it is for “Panda Antivirus

they get everywhere!
October 7th, 2008 at 11:32 #32 - Scott Woodwiss (Franck FTW! XD) said:
Will we get to see the panda on the live shows?
October 7th, 2008 at 14:02 #33 - Alianora La Canta said:
How about Sidepodcast in Chinese?

Side Pod Cast

Alia, can you do the research? {Journeyer – 25 comments ago}

Finally managed to get to a computer long enough to do it:

????? (Cèmiàn Jià Tòu) – or Jia-Tou for short.
October 7th, 2008 at 14:04 #34 - Christine said:
Jia-Tou for short.

Awww, I like that
October 7th, 2008 at 14:09 #35 - Alianora La Canta said:
Thought you might – I think it sounds sweet as well.
October 7th, 2008 at 14:58 #36 - Steven Roy said:
I guess that makes Gilles Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Jody Scheckter evil for the same reason.

You can’t call Gilles evil. There must be a law against that. Mansell, fine I don’t care what you call him.
October 8th, 2008 at 01:16 #37 - Jordan Allen said:
Steven Roy said:

I guess that makes Gilles Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Jody Scheckter evil for the same reason.

You can’t call Gilles evil. There must be a law against that. Mansell, fine I don’t care what you call him.

I can not help it if “me” calls Ferrari drivers evil simply because they drove for Ferrari…..

“me” is not prepared to name the Panda Carlos because the Panda is not evil enough to be Carlos Reutemann. Now other than being the Ralf Schumacher of his day, I can not see Reutemann being the slightest bit evil expect for driving for Ferrari.

Ego:

I guess that makes Gilles Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Jody Scheckter evil for the same reason…..
October 8th, 2008 at 01:53 #38 - me said:
“me” is not prepared to name the Panda Carlos because the Panda is not evil enough to be Carlos Reutemann.

sounds like carlos the jackal.

am liking alia’s suggestion though.
October 8th, 2008 at 02:49 #39 - Jordan Allen said:
me said:

Call it “Carlos the Panda.”

it’s not that evil.

Ask a bamboo chute just how evil that Panda truly is…..

How about “Peking Panda”? or is that a better name for a Chinese duck?

Now have your say...

Amy: I take it that’s where you are? Correct
Alianora La Canta: He should be going to Melbourne. Would be much better news. {Comment #132} I take it that’s...
Steven Roy: He should be going to Melbourne. Would be much better news. Moscow is in the right general direction....
Alianora La Canta: Do the FIA really think Brawn are that desperate that they’ll run new parts at a demo event?...
Amy: Heikki is going to Moscow He should be going to Melbourne. Would be much better news.

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