by Suzanne Leung on February 24, 2010
Last May, Melbourne saw a string of attacks against Indians, the violence peaking last month when 21-year old graduate student Nitin Garg was stabbed and murdered. But locals are hoping to patch minority and immigrant relations, taking a stand against racism today by having a “Vindaloo Against Violence.” The campaign encourages people to dine at their local Indian restaurant on Feb 24 for the purpose of showing support for the Indian community.
Organizers have reported that about 10,000 people registered to take part, and curry restaurants have booked out. Australian expats around the world are urged to take part, too. Check out the campaign’s website to find out more.
Admittedly, the country doesn’t exactly have the best reputation to start off with when it comes to racism. And with the recent spat of violence against Indians, immigrant relations have only gotten worse. According to BBC News, the country has already seen a steep drop-off in visa applications from overseas students.
While it’s great that “Vindaloo against Violence” shows support towards the Indian community, what people really want is justice. Nitin Garg’s murderer has yet to be captured.
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by Emily Co on February 22, 2010
Indonesian diplomats are calling in sick in an attempt to skip meetings which might reveal their poor English skills, according to the Jakarta Post. As a first step in addressing the problem, Foreign Ministry secretary-general Imran Cotan has proposed that government agencies require diplomats score at least 55o on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
“Every time their counterparts from the home government wanted to meet them, they freak out, seeking ways to avoid the meeting like asking for ‘bed-rest’ recommendation from the doctor,” he said.
The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia. Although English is taught in school, it is rarely used. Gosh, you’d think they would grow out of playing hookey by that age.
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by Suzanne Leung on February 21, 2010
Sliding walls, collapsible beds and a hidden bathtub are just some of the futuristic features of Gary Chang’s fantastic apartment in Hong Kong. At a measly 330-square feet, the innovative space-saving apartment transforms into a living room, then a kitchen, then a walk-in closet, then a bathroom, then a movie-viewing room. In fact, Gary’s apartment creates up to 24 different room combinations. You gotta see it to believe it!
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(Thanks, Candice!)
by Emily Co on February 21, 2010
Japan is in an uproar about Olympic snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo,21, and his sloppy hip hop style.
Kokubo showed up in Vancouver for the winter Olympics with dreadlocks untied, shirt untucked, sagging pants, loose tie, unbuttoned shirt, sunglasses (while indoors) and double nose piercings. The horror! There was such an outrage in Japan that it led to Kokubo’s father making a public apology for his son and Kokubo viewing parties in Japan being canceled. Kokubo was also punished by the Japan Ski Association. The organization kept him, his snowboard team manager, and two coaches from attending the Olympic opening ceremony.
Here’s what Minister of Education Tatsuo Kawabata said while on the parliament floor:
“It’s extremely regrettable that he dressed in a totally unacceptable manner as a representative of Japan’s national team. He lacks the awareness that he is participating in the Olympic Games as a representative of our country with everyone’s expectations on his shoulders. This should never happen again.”
(Thanks, Fernando!)
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by Amy Nguyen on February 17, 2010
At least that’s what the South Koreans are doing. Using an iPhone (especially with gloves on) can be a pain because their touch screens require a certain resistance and stimulation that fingers normally provide. Not sure how legit this is, but certain sites are saying that sales in these snack sausages have shot up 40 percent this winter as more Koreans are using the tasty treat as styluses. Talk about versatility!
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by Amy Nguyen on February 16, 2010
Figure skating never fails to mesmerize me. In fact, ever since I was a young girl, figure skating has been the reason why I watch the Winter Olympics. China brought home its first Olympic gold medal in figure skating this year and it’s all thanks to Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo’s awe-inspiring performance in Vancouver yesterday. The pair began their figure skating careers in 1992, but took a one year break in 2007. The duo then returned back to the ice rink to compete in this year’s Olympic Winter Games. I’m sure the gold medal is a great start to their new year!
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by Amy Nguyen on February 15, 2010
Over the weekend, students from a University of Washington dorm were evacuated in response to a suspected “gas leak.” Luckily the source of the strong gas odor came from noneother than a rotting durian fruit found in one of the building’s trash cans. This reminds me of the signs posted in the airports and public transportation services in Asia that tell passengers not to bring aboard durian.
So the next time you eat a stinky durian, remember to dispose of the leftovers somewhere very very far…
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by Suzanne Leung on February 14, 2010
Happy Chinese New Year! And what better way to spend your red packet money than to blow it on blackjack, poker and slot machines? Well, that’s what Singapore’s first casino hopes. After much anticipation, the Resorts World Sentosa’s opening date was scheduled on Chinese New Year, and it welcomed its first customer at the auspicious time of 12.18 p.m. In Cantonese, “twelve eighteen” sounds just like “Sure easy, sure money.”
Singapore, already home to the highest density of millionaires in the world, is banking on the casinos to boost economic growth through increased tourism revenue. The second casino, which is being built by Las Vegas Sands, will open later this year.
In order to prevent Singaporeans from turning into gambling addicts, the casinos have instituted a $71 entrance fee for Singaporean citizens and PR residents. I guess this is when holding two passports come in handy!
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by Suzanne Leung on February 13, 2010
Need a boyfriend to show to your parents this Chinese New Year? Parents nagging you about why you still haven’t found someone? And the pressure only mounts when coupled with the fact that Chinese New Year falls on the same day as Valentines Day this year. Well, with a little extra cash and creativity, single women in China have found a solution: rent-a-boyfriend.
As more and more Chinese in their 20s to early 30s focus on building a career in China’s thriving economy, starting a family has taken a back seat. But for traditional Chinese parents anxious for a grandchild, having a daughter who is still single in her mid-20s broods fear that she will be labeled a “leftover girl” — that is, a professionally successful woman who can’t find a husband.
Take, for example, this woman who wrote a post on an internet message board:
“I’ll be 28 this year, which I think is a normal age to be single, but my parents back home have been harassing me every day to get married. I promised I would bring home a boyfriend for New Year’s, but I’ve been too busy with work and haven’t found one. I don’t want to let my parents down, so I’ve decided to rent a boyfriend to come home with me.”
So, for pretending to be her boyfriend for a week, the guy who fits the job description will earn a nice 5,000 renminbi, or $735. In fact, over the past few years, online ads for a “rental lover” have popped up in increasing numbers, particularly during stressful family reunion events like Chinese New Year.
Need to find your own rental boyfriend? Read more about it here.
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(Thanks, Fernando!)
by Emily Co on February 13, 2010
It’s Chinese New Year’s Eve today people! I spotted an article in China Daily about the younger generation being torn between spending Feb 14th with their significant other or their family. This year both holidays happen to occur on the same day.
In an online survey conducted by MSN and Sina.com, 59 percent of 1.5 million participants said that they would be spending it with their family while 29 percent is spending it with their lovers. I guess the other 12 percent will be walking their dogs or something. Figures that when China conducts online polls, the 1.3 billion populated country garners over a million respondents.
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