11.30.07
Posted in Politics, Activism and Empowerment at 5:36 am by george_lou
Okay here we go again. Or better yet, here she goes again. Miss Anita Chang, purveyor of anti-China news, is up to her usual tricks.
In this article, titled “China Tracks Summer Olympics Journalists,” Anita Chang sinks to a new low with the outrageous assumption that China will harm foreign journalists.
Anita writes that 28,000 foreign journalists expected for the Olympics will have their names compiled in a database. This will serve to protect interview subjects from being tricked or blackmailed by fake reporters. But she implies that this database may serve as a blacklist for nefarious purposes by The Chinese.
Below are paragraphs from her article followed by my comments. Let’s start sifting through the trash.
It was not known how information was being collected for the profiles, what they contained or who would be given access to them.
Well Anita, I wont be surprised if your name is already in there. Considering your list of articles, it should be among the first few. I’m surprised you didnt bother to guess what those profiles contain. The right wing would have loved your article even more.
China’s intelligence services have been gathering information on foreign activist groups, aiming to head off protests and other political acts. Last week, U.S. - based monitoring group China Aid Association said the Ministry of Public Security issued a secret order banning those who fall into broad categories such as “antagonistic elements” and “members of illegal organizations.”
Also on the list were “media employees who can harm the Olympic Games,” the group said.
Anita, there is a HUGE difference between activist groups protesting and journalists writing. If China prohibits certain protests, then let it be. What they do in their country, under their own laws, is their own business. Foreign activist groups know this before setting foot there, yet they complain when they’re arrested for protesting.
I like the list, “media employees who can harm the Olympic Games.” That includes you, Anita, and all others who love to badmouth China endlessly.
A survey of 163 China-based foreign reporters this year found that 40 percent reported experiencing some form of interference in their work since Jan. 1, including surveillance, detention, reprimands and intimidation of sources.
Who made this survey of 163 China-based foreign reporters? Once again, here you go writing stuff without giving names. Dont you know how important it is to provide sources? I guess your supervisor must not give a damn.
What kind of surveillance? Detention? Reprimands? Intimidation?
A man surnamed Wang, the information office director of the market regulation department at GAPP, confirmed that Liu discussed the database with China Daily when asked how authorities would identify fake reporters. But Wang said he was not at the interview and did not know specifics.
A man surnamed Wang? GAPP? He confirmed what Liu had said but was not there? What’s the point?
So what’s wrong with China keeping a database of names, Anita? You stated yourself that it will serve to protect interview subjects from being tricked or blackmailed by fake reporters. But why must you doubt that? Is there something wrong with a government protecting its people from foreigners? Isn’t that their responsibility? But you dont believe a word that comes out of a Chinese mouth do you?
Liu Binjie, Minister of the General Administration of Press and Publication, said, “Disguising as reporters to threaten and intimidate others to collect money is cheating and very dangerous to society.” His whole point: to protect people.
Thanks to this site, the world will always know about your writings, Anita. You may be attaining consistent headlines with anti-China news in the mainstream media, but we know better. And so does China, the country of your ancestry.
Change your career.
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11.29.07
Posted in Community Alerts, Crime at 8:29 pm by william_lee
Police are investigating eight recent muggings of Asian men and women in Brooklyn’s 84th Precinct, authorities said Friday.
The first attack occurred Aug. 14, and the last victim was targeted Nov. 12, police said.
In each case, between one and five teens used intimidation and force to swipe property from their victims, whose ages range from 15 to 52, officials said.
The NYPD’s citywide robbery squad has been called in to aid the investigation, officials said.
The 84th Precinct’s commanding officer plans to continue discussions about the crimes with the area’s Asian-American community, officials said.
Police said the robberies appear to be part of a pattern.
Cops ask anyone with information to call (800) 577-TIPS.
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Posted in Science & Technology, World News, Business at 10:48 am by telly_wong
In Mexico, FAW is good.
Construction began last Friday on an auto assembly plant in central Mexico that will produce Chinese cars. The factory will be co-financed by an arm of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas and China’s state-owned FAW Group Corp, one of the nation’s largest auto manufacturers.
The new plant is expected to open by 2010 and plans to produce 100,000 cars a year for sale in Mexico and Central America. The factory is expected to create up to 20,00 new jobs for the region.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said, “Most of the world’s investments used to go to China, and today China has come to invest in our country because it recognizes an enormous opportunity in Mexico thanks to its domestic market and proximity to the U.S. and Latin America”.
FAW-line cars will start selling in Mexico early next year for as much as 10 percent less than the current market average, which is about $7,100.
While I’m sure FAW’s investment in Mexico is part of the company’s larger plan to enter the American market, who knows, if this venture pays off, it should lead to more Mexican-based auto factories and more jobs for its citizens — which just might help create a stronger national economy and even possibly help reduce illegal immigration into the United States. Unfortunately, I’m sure the right-wing media and ultra-conservative politicos here likely don’t share in my optimism and have begun whipping up their own drugged-out conspiracy theories.
Meanwhile, Lee Iacocca is somewhere shitting a brick.
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Posted in Media and Entertainment at 9:48 am by telly_wong
Oh baby, baby: Kwai Chang Caine’s long lost sister
After losing permanent custody of her two sons last month for her increasingly bizarre behavior and awful driving, Britney Spears still has the insatiable urge to put the lives of small children in jeopardy.
According to Britain’s News of the World, the strung out pop star plans to adopt Chinese twins to “fill the void” left by losing her sons to ex-hubby Kevin Federline.
The article claims that Britney has confided to her buddies that she’s in the final stages of talks with an adoption agency and will soon be the new mother to two six-year-old children from China.
Personally, I think the twins would be better off left in the jungle and raised by coyotes.
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Posted in Media and Entertainment, Offbeat at 9:14 am by telly_wong
Manson: Sick or just misunderstood?
Seems like everybody’s adopting a Chinese kid these days — even Marilyn Manson.
The shock rocker is apparently the proud owner of the skeleton of a Chinese child — and his keyboardist isn’t happy.
Manson is being sued by band member Stephen “Pogo” Bier for squandering the band’s fortunes on “sick and disturbing” purchases, which includes the aforementioned skeleton, masks made of human skin, a stuffed grizzly bear and two baboons — some of which are considered illegal in the United States. Oh, you think?
Responding to the lawsuit on MTV, Manson said, “I would never spend my money on a Chinese girl skeleton. That would be crossing the line. It’s a Chinese boy, for the record.”
“Pogo” is seeking damages and legal fees from Manson as well as his share of the band’s profits.
The skeleton hasn’t yet been identified and there is no word on how or from whom Manson purchased the human remains.
I guess this is what happens when Britney Spears doesn’t adopt you.
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11.28.07
Posted in Health, Education at 6:42 pm by mark_chang
BULLYING, USED TO BE (PRIMARILY) AN ASIAN PROBLEM
Verbal and physical bullying has been a “rite of passage” for just about every Asian boy growing up in America.
Psychiatrists and school teachers have long known of the detrimental effects bullying has on it’s victims but only recently, has the age old practice been getting increased attention arguably due to the fact that bullying is no longer a practice mainly targeting Asians.
THANK ME NOW OR THANK ME LATER
In an effort to make this world a better place to live in, I’ve selected the following tips from the chapter on bullying from my forthcoming book.
Note that the text is written from a parent’s perspective of a male child.
ROOT CAUSE
Bullying is not a result of troubled children seeking attention. It is about establishing power by showing you are stronger by picking on someone weaker. Often times, Asian children are the targets of bullies because they are an easy victim and a bully does not like a challenge. They are easy victims because physically they are often times smallish and socially, they are different from the western children.
A BULLY CAN SMELL A WEAKLING 10 YARDS AWAY
To help prevent your child from being bullied:
- Enroll the child in self defense programs both of a striking as well as a grappling nature. Self defense discipline(s) should be the only extra-curricular activities. Playing the piano does not build confidence if the pianist cannot defend himself.
- Have your child make as many friends as possible. A bully usually likes to single out a loner.
- Do not buy them expensive or attractive clothes or items. This will make other children jealous and they will look to “punish” your child. If you attempt to show superiority through spending power, the bully will attempt to show superiority through physical power.
- Do not provide any escapes at home for a small child. These include video games, movies, toys, etc. If a child only looks forward to the comforts of home, they will take the path of least resistance while at school. If there are no escapes the child will be forced to deal with the situations as they arise.
EARLY ON
Some children instinctively fight back. However, if you have a more “cerebral” child (the psychological term for a child that does not instinctively hit back but instead attempts to analyze the situation), up to age six or seven they will not understand these concepts. At age six or seven if there is no progress they should be told in no uncertain terms that they are not a punching bag for the western children and that they need to defend their bodies and their family honor.
Make sure to tell your child:
- If someone does something you do not like, do it back to them.
- Always inform you, the parent about things that happen at school.
- You, the parent are there to help them, not to judge or punish them.
- Not fighting back at all is worse than losing a fight.
- Ignoring the problem will only make it escalate.
BE THE REFEREE
If you are present when a situation arises, do not expect your child to defend himself. Physically step in, separate the other kid, and give him a stern warning that “violence is not an acceptable way to solve problems”. If/when their parent confronts you with “don’t talk to my kid” or “don’t touch my kid”, simply respond with: “I wouldn’t have to talk to/separate your kid if you could control your kid.”
Whenever talking with your child’s teacher, inquire about your child’s interaction with other kids, e.g. “so how is <name of child> getting along with the other kids? Any problems?”
The primary responsibility to monitor children’s interactions at school lies with the teacher. The teacher should also be your first point of contact in order to address the situation when dealing with primary school children (up to grade 6). Unfortunately, teachers (in the US) are overworked, underpaid and therefore protecting an Asian kid from being harassed is not going to be high on their list of priorities.
DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT
Upon the first incident, write a formal request (with return receipt) to the principal (public) or director (private) of the school indicating the child’s name, the offending child, the events that transpired and that you expect your child to be safe while in their custody. Putting this in writing indicates that you are serious about the issue and establishes a paper trail in case things need to be escalated. Institutions know that America is a litigious society and realize it is in their best interest to avoid a potential lawsuit.
Give the teacher and school system a week to correct the bullying. If the bullying does not stop and your child is unable or unwilling to protect themselves, you may choose to confront the parents of the bully.
DEALING WITH DIRT
This is usually fruitless since a child who bullies either learns the behavior from a parent who attempts to intimidate others or is simply genetically predisposed to pick on others. All of the above or combination thereof point to the home. Even if you are successful in convincing a parent to take responsibility for their child’s behavior, the child himself will most likely not listen to their parent(s).
AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY?
However if you do choose to confront the bully’s parents:
- Find out from the teacher if any other children are being bullied by the same child, if so get as many details as possible, names, dates, incidents and record the conversation covertly. Talk to those parents who may not be aware of their child being bullied first and get a small group together to confront the bully’s parents.
- Do not bring your child. Any resolution is completely the choice of the bully’s parent(s). If you walk away with nothing your child will see that you are powerless and that there is nothing he can do either.
- Covertly record the entire conversation. If you sense that the parent is unwilling to cooperate, bait the parent into attacking your heritage. Once recorded, this should be submitted to the police in to obtain a restraining order against the parent and his child. The last thing the police want to deal with is a potential hate crime since it draws publicity.
- Deal with the father, you might be able to convince a reasonable man to put his dog … err child on a leash. However with the mother, her maternal instinct will most likely kick in and she will defend her “angel” at all costs and you will end up being shrieked at and threatened by an irrational person who, to a child will appear to have “won” the argument. This will further empower the onlooking bully.
- Remain calm. Do not show anger. Anger is a result of frustration and bullies enjoy it when they can frustrate you to the point of anger. Do not be sarcastic and do not use foul language. This will make the other person less reasonable.
- Do not plead, pleading is the result of being powerless in a situation and bullies enjoy it when they can show domination.
- Do not refer to the principles by name, only use “your kid”, “my kid”. This brings the situation into a family issue instead of a children’s issue among themselves.
- Do not make specific threats. You will most likely not follow through and this will make you look ridiculous. If you are going to take action, prior threatening will only inform your enemy of your intentions.
- Be mentally prepared to walk away without a resolution.
EG.
You: Hi, Mr. <bullies’ surname>, I’m <your name>, I’m not sure if you are aware that your kid has been <name incident(s)> my kid. I would appreciate it if you could get him to stop.
The bully’s parent(s) will most likely respond with one of the following:
- “My kid is telling me that you are trying to intimidate him and he is scared of you”, to which you may say: “I don’t interact with anyone else’s kids. If your kid feels intimidated or scared, maybe that is a guilty conscience resulting from <name incident(s)>”.
- “Your kid needs to learn how to deal with it himself”, to which you could ask: “so you are OK with your kid bullying other kids?”. At this point, since you are recording the conversation, bait the person into saying something Anti Asian or bait them into making fun of Asians. Leave them with a parting request of “just keep your kid away from my kid.” Then take the recording to the police and claim you are being harassed due to your ethnicity.
- “Are you trying to tell me what to do?”, to which you could say: “You do what you want as long as it doesn’t affect my family.”
- “That’s the responsibility of the teacher.”, to which your could say: “The teacher can not be everywhere at all times.”
- “What do you want me to do about it?”, to which you could say: “I would appreciate if you sat your kid down and explained to him that there is no honor in picking on a weaker kid.”
- “This kid has been going through some problems at home.”, to which you could say: “and I can fully sympathize with that but now your problems are becoming my problems.”
- “Then you need to teach your kid how to stand up for himself.”, to which you could say: “With all due respect I don’t think you’re in any position to offer parenting advice, your kid is out of control.”
Don’t be surprised if the bully’s parent lists off a number of grievances against you. Write them down (if on the phone) or remember them, summarize them back to the parent (to help you remember) and then proceed to address one issue at a time.
If the bullies parents know what is going on and approach you to ask if everything is OK, do not acknowledge that it is. They are actually bullying you into agreeing that it is OK for their child to bully your child. Do not agree to anything, tell them instead: “not happy about what happened” and if they pursue the conversation tell them: “the more you talk the more I think you’re trying to bully me into agreeing and I’m not my kid, I don’t like being bullied.”
If you feel that you can physically beat the bully’s father, challenge him to a fight preferably in front of his child. Only do this if you are sure you can win.
Some of the ways to bait the bully’s father into agreeing to accept your challenge:
- Refer to his kid as an animal
- Mention that his kid is stupid and therefore bullies out of frustration.
- Take on a “3rd grade teacher” persona when talking to the parent.
- “Your kid is out of control, you’re running a lunatic camp in your house.”
- “One of these days your kid is going to get exactly what he deserves. I only hope I’m there to see it.”
- “I’m not my kid, take a swing at me and see what happens.”
- “Now I see where your kid gets his behavior from”
SECOND CHANCES
If none of the above work, place the child in a different school. Relocate to another city if you have to. An entire school year of bullying will have a far more traumatizing effect on the child than a relocation. Before entering the new school the child must understand that bullies are everywhere and will have to be dealt with. The change of schools is not to avoid bullying but rather to get a second chance on properly dealing with bullies.
IT’S EITHER HIM OR YOU
Upon the first day in a new environment, have your child observe the alliances within the group. Knowing which children are aligned together is crucial.
Take note of any of the other children that are being bullied. If your child is being bullied, have him form alliances with the other children who are also being bullied.
Concoct a plan to isolate the bully. Have your child take the lead since others can not be counted on. Ambush and surprise the bully. Use a foreign object to repeatedly strike the bully.
Once the bully is in a compromised position, the other victims will be more likely to step up and administer a beating but do not count on it.
There can be no negotiation, pleading or sympathy. It will come back in the form of vengeance. The bully is a vicious animal and must be dealt with as such. Your child must understand it is either him or the bully. Your child must continue the beating until no question remains that the bully is not only physically damaged but also spiritually. Simply “winning” the fight does not suffice. The goal must be mid to long term bodily harm since violence is the only thing a bully understands.
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Posted in Chinatown, Activism and Empowerment, Culture at 6:24 am by george_lou
The storefront at 21 Mott Street had been unoccupied for over a year as the landlord, Jan Lee, waited for the right tenant to come along. A bank approached Lee about the vacant space, but he turned them down. Thank god. Manhattan’s Chinatown is already bloated with banks.
Finally, the right candidates came along and opened U-Choose Express restaurant. During the renovation process, an old sign was discovered. Turned out to be that of a former tenant, Lonnie’s Coffee Shoppe, a family-run burger joint from 1956 to the late 1970’s.
Lee was undecided on what to do with the 50-year-old sign. Then, owners of U-Choose Express, Peter Wong and Ivan Chang, decided to display it inside the new restaurant as an homage to Chinatown history. “It’s good to keep it in the original space,” said Chan. “This is a sense of history.”
I’m a proud patron of U-Choose Express. The food there is a must-have. And I met Jan Lee two years ago while videotaping a tv show at his art store, Sinotique.
This article is to credit those who display selfless appreciation of their culture and history. Keeping it real.
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11.27.07
Posted in Activism and Empowerment, Media and Entertainment at 12:38 pm by telly_wong
Bruce Lee, The Man
On this day in 1940, Bruce Lee was born at the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco’s Chinatown. He would be 67 today.
I wish I could say “I have nothing to say about Bruce Lee that hasn’t already been said” but that’s very, very far from being the case. Unfortunately, not enough has been said about this incredible and fascinating individual — particularly within the so-called “Asian American community” (and especially those APA psuedo-academic farts) who much too often dismiss Lee as a chop socky relic and kitsch idol. Instead, these misguided jackasses celebrate and worship any self-proclaimed “artist” or entertainer who manages to pass off their narcissistic pursuits of wealth and fame as some kind of community service that’s part of a “movement”…or something. You know who you are.
But before the next APA awards event honoring any two-bit celebrity with a half-Asian grandmother and hosted by an out-of-work actor who guest-starred on some TV show that was canceled 20 years ago, here’s a brief overview of a real Asian American artist, entertainer and hero:
Bruce Lee was born during the Hour of the Dragon in the Year of the Dragon and was given the name Lee Jun Fan by his mother and christened “Bruce” by the attending doctor. When Lee was three months old, his parents brought him to Hong Kong where he spent his childhood and adolescent years. At the age of 6, he made his big screen acting debut in the local film My Son, Ah Chung (aka The Kid), where he played a pint-sized street punk who carries a gigantic knife. In the next twelve years, Lee would appear in over 20 local productions under the Cantonese stage name Lee Siu Loong (”Lee Little Dragon”). At the age of 12, Lee began studying gung fu under the supervision of wing chun master Yip Man and proved himself to be a martial arts prodigy.
The Little Dragon: A six-year-old Bruce Lee (left) in My Son, Ah Chung
In 1959, Lee returned to the States and eventually wound up in Seattle where he majored in philosophy at the University of Washington. After getting married to Linda Emery in 1964, he was soon discovered by a television producer and cast in the role of Kato in the weekly ABC series The Green Hornet, which was canceled after only one season. In the years that followed, Lee found himself unable to find steady acting work because of his refusal to accept roles which he considered degrading to Asians. To support his wife and two young children, he gave private gung fu lessons to the likes of Hollywood A-listers Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Roman Polanski.
However, despite rubbing elbows with and gaining the respect of some of Tinseltown’s biggest names, Lee still couldn’t land that proverbial “big break”. Fed up with the Hollywood system, in 1971, he accepted a two-picture deal with then-burgeoning Hong Kong movie studio Golden Harvest. Following the release of his first film, The Big Boss (aka Fists of Fury), he became the biggest movie star of all-time in Asia and subsequently released two more record-breaking blockbusters, Fist of Fury (aka The Chinese Connection) and Way of the Dragon (aka Return of The Dragon).
Only two years after his meteoric rise to stardom, he died under mysterious circumstances in Hong Kong on July 20, 1973 at the age of 32. After the posthumous release of his American film Enter the Dragon, he became a global phenomenon and, ultimately, a legend.
For this American-born Chinese, Bruce Lee was much more than an ass-kicking Asian guy with awesome abs; he was a pioneer and a revolutionary on a never-ending quest for self-knowledge and self-realization, which martial arts were simply an extension of.
In the midst of “Red China” and the Vietnam War and decades before you could buy tofu at Pathmark, Lee was on a mission to bridge cultures and encourage citizens of the world to seek their own truths and realize their own potential. But don’t take my word for it, here are Lee’s own words:
“…the best way of learning is not through the computation of information. Learning is discovering, uncovering what is there in us. When we discover, we are uncovering what is there in us. When we discover, we are uncovering our own ability, our own eyes, in order to find our potential, to see what is going on, to discover how we can enlarge our lives, to find the means at our disposal that will let us cope with a difficult situation.”
I encourage anyone who is even remotely interested in Asian American history, spirituality, philosophy or Truth to read some of Lee’s writings (there are a number of books available that feature his musings, poetry, letters and interview transcripts). They are truly profound and remarkable works that offer surprising new dimensions to a man we think we know.
But if you’d rather spend your money on clothes, at least take a moment to watch this 1971 interview with Lee on a Canadian television program hosted by Pierre Berton, one of the most condescending pricks I’ve ever seen. Instead of shattering this guy’s teeth, notice how Lee keeps his cool and uses his wits to turn the tables on Pierre.
And yes, I’m fully aware of the many rumors and controversies that dogged Lee’s life, death and legacy. However, I never said he was perfect –and neither did he– but there’s no way he could’ve been. After all, he was a human being and not a superhero.
But he came pretty damn close.
Happy Birthday, Bruce.
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11.23.07
Posted in Activism and Empowerment, Media and Entertainment, Fashion at 6:42 pm by george_lou
Paris Hilton loves China. She’s not down and giving oral favors like in her home videos, but she’s there modeling our people’s fashion designs. I’m no fan of hers, but giving more exposure to Chinese fashion could be the best thing she’s ever done.
I’ll say, she makes those designs look good. Or should I say, those designs make her look good.
You be the judge, click here for the article.
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