Did you know there are more than 100,000 foreigners living in Beijing?? They account for 5 percent of China’s real estate sector.
The linked article goes into the problems a foreigner may face when buying Chinese real estate. But that’s totally beside the point I am making here.
Seems like popular belief that no foreigner would ever think of living in China. Aside from a few wonderful exceptions, most people I know are incredulous. People have always asked me, “Foreigners actually live there?” What are they implying?
Well the fact is, they do. It’s a great city. End of story.
According to a recent study, Chinese food ranks as the favorite choice among young Indians. And it’s a second favorite when families dine out. With India’s food and beverages business growing at 9% annually, retail chains like Yo! China are capitalizing from the situation. With 14 outlets throughout the country, they are currently the largest food chain. Mark Pi restaurant chain plans to overtake that by opening 300 across the country.
That brings to mind my friend Cheuk Kwan, who travelled all over the world to check out Chinese restaurants. Find his amazing documentary here.
With the Democratic nomination two months away, Senator Barack Obama has vowed to take a more confrontational approach with Senator Hillary Clinton. During an interview on Friday with the New York Times, the presidential hopeful criticized the Democratic Presidential front-runner for not being forthcoming in describing her views on such key issues as Social Security, Iraq and Iran.
Political analysts believe Obama’s sudden shift in strategy is a reaction to growing criticism that his lack of assertiveness has stalled his numbers at the polls and has allowed Hillary to dominate the presidential race.
Obama dismissed these criticisms, saying “now is the time” for him to distinguish himself from Hillary.
For those of you at home, Obama is the black guy and Hillary is the white woman.
Unfortunately, if you’re a gay man, engaging in those activities with another guy is still an offense (!) and carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail. Needless to say, the island state’s gay community is pissed off, calling the government’s plan to legalize oral and anal copulation only for heterosexuals as unjust.
But to be fair, when it comes to Singapore’s new sex law reforms, homosexual men are not the only community getting the short end of the stick.
Additional amendments will also put a damper on the lifestyles of necrophiliacs (sex with dead people was banned), pedophiles (tougher penalties for sex with minors under 14) and men who rape their wives.
Well I guess it was going to happen sooner or later. The president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, gets credit for writing 10 songs which will be sung by popular singers. The name of the album will be My Longing for You. Make sure you buy it!
“I took time in my busy schedule to express my feelings as an ordinary human being,” he said. Well said.
For some video enlightenment about Yudhoyono and his music, click here.
Is there a punchline coming? Sure. Just click on these 3 links below for more information about life in Indonesia.
Want to get something off your chest? Talk to us live on the podcast on Sundays from 7:45-8:10pm, EST @ 212-255-2898
On this week’s episode:
Unilateral Sanctions
Michele Malkin
Singapore and Sex
FEATURE: Film Maker Francisco Aliwalas
If you have any comments about anything said in this podcast, contact us at comments@falloutcentral.com. We will respond to your comments on our next podcast episode and on our message board.
WASHINGTON — Three days after a 24-year-old college graduate spoke out on her immigration plight in USA TODAY, U.S. agents arrested her family — including her father, a Vietnamese man who once was confined to a “re-education” camp in his home country for anti-communist activities.
Are you communicating regularly with immigration officials to obtain a working permit to stay in the US? Meaningless! Was your dad tortured in a government internment camp because of his beliefs? Too bad! Were you educated here and do you speak perfect English? Nobody cares. Listen up– we Americans need to show these minorities who’s boss!
Hoang Thuy Linh, a 19-year-old Vietnamese celebrity, is facing national revulsion for an online video where she is shown having sex (dont worry this link doesn’t take you to the video). The country’s predominantly conservative culture is still largely against pre-marital sex.
But that’s all beside my point. I have nothing against Hoang Thuy Linh.
Here is the problem: Ben Stocking, the writer of the article. Here is another non-Asian reporter writing what he thinks is right for the masses. Before I go further, compare another article about this scandal, written by Nga Pham, a BBC-Vietnam staff writer. It’s a big difference isnt it? Nga Pham’s article leaves me feeling satisfied as a news reader. Unlike Stocking’s article which goes way too much into what is “wrong” with Vietnamese culture.
I’ll skip assumptions about Stocking’s intent. But most news articles about Asia leave me worried about the ignorance they cause. Nha Pham did what he’s supposed to do as a reporter - report the news with an arbitrary mind. But what does that mean? Just dont ask Matt Drudge. He obviously hates Asians, especially the Chinese.
Fears have been raised about crime in a Norfolk village after a machete and rifle were seized following a suspected racist attack on a man.
Police were called to Queens Road, in Hethersett after an argument broke out between a householder and three men just after midnight on Sunday. It is believed the group became aggressive after the victim accused them of making excessive noise. They then caused damage to the door of the man’s home before driving off.
Three young men were later arrested by officers who pulled over their car and searched it, recovering a machete and rifle which were in the back. The suspects, aged 19, 24 and 27, who have not been named by police, were taken to Bethel Street Police Station in Norwich to be questioned. They have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries. The crime is being looked into by the ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and Norfolk Constabulary’s Hate Crime Unit. It is believed the attack may have been racially motivated as the victim is believed to be Asian.
According to page 8 of this population statistics report, the Norfolk area hovered around 91% - 99% White in the 1990’s. Being that the news report on this incident is egregiously lacking details, it would only be speculation to consider this a hate crime. But then again, you never know. It all depends on how you look at it. For reference, here are a few cases where Asian-looking residents in other residential neighborhoods were singled out for “looking Asian”:
CAMBRIDGE - After Anna Tang and her boyfriend broke up three weeks ago, prosecutors say, the Wellesley College junior began sending him e-mails telling him she would kill him.
Yesterday, police said, she almost succeeded.
At about 6:30 a.m., Tang sneaked into his dorm room at MIT, climbed on top of him as he slept, and plunged a knife into his back, Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Kontz said in Cambridge District Court yesterday, where Tang was arraigned.
I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to know if this was a white-American or something else. One out of every 4 Asian American women who are married have a white-American husband (1), so I’m really interested to see if this (albeit dysfunctional) couple was of that combination too. If you can find any information on this case, please email us at comments@falloutcentral.com, or click on the “comments” link below.
Want to get something off your chest? Talk to us live on the podcast on Sundays from 7:45-8:10pm, EST @ 212-255-2898 
USA Today 
Three young men were later arrested by officers who pulled over their car and searched it, recovering a machete and rifle which were in the back. The suspects, aged 19, 24 and 27, who have not been named by police, were taken to Bethel Street Police Station in Norwich to be questioned. They have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries. The crime is being looked into by the ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and Norfolk Constabulary’s Hate Crime Unit. It is believed the attack may have been racially motivated as the victim is believed to be Asian.
At about 6:30 a.m., Tang sneaked into his dorm room at MIT, climbed on top of him as he slept, and plunged a knife into his back, Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Kontz said in Cambridge District Court yesterday, where Tang was arraigned.