My 300th Post, I beleive and I talk about some non-trivial stuff...

Beautiful...

Once upon a time around March 2007 (well, almost)

An interesting entry into the debate of illegal immigrants at http://media.www.nyunews.com/media/storage/paper869/news/2007/02/22/News/find-The.Illegal.Immigrant-2736345.shtml and http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/499998p-421631c.html. In the recent weeks, there have been reports of ‘ghetto’ and ‘south of the border’ parties being held at colleges which are pretty much parties where middle to upper class kids get to play at being impoverished and at the same time mocking minorities (to be fair, I remember ‘White Trash’ parties being held at CSUN when I was there, and it is interesting that they are not being mentioned).

But this ‘Find the Illegal Immigrant’ thing that was held is in so much poor taste. There is a point to their actions, but they should have gone another route. I love how Wesley Chan was given the history lesson. For the record, I would like to remind people that similar laws were passed regarding legally immigrated Filipinos in the early 20th century as we were not allowed to own land or marry outside of our nationality.

And I love the following quote: "If we come out looking crazier than the Republicans do, then we will have failed.”


The following is from a report by a consulting firm regarding what brands (i.e.: marketing) should know about Asian-American youth and taken from http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070214/nyw090.html?.v=86 . For the record, since I am rapidly approaching thirty, I am no longer considered youth (stupid thing called time). My comments, if any, are in the brackets.

1. Many Asian-American youth feel excluded and misunderstood by most brands. It's made worse by the fact that they see advertisers actively wooing the African-American and Hispanic markets.
[Oh, well, third place is better than any. But then again I do not associate myself with ‘brands’ really, which shows the truth in their statement]

2. Mixed race kids are proudly identifying as Hapa, a once derogatory word in Hawaiian to mean "half." Hapa is also slang for marijuana in Japanese (spelled Happa). Hapa is supplanting terms like Amerasian, biracial, and blasian
[If you’re happa and you know it, clap your hands- okay, stupid joke, and kill me now, please. But kudos to take something derogatory and turning it to a source of pride].

3. Asian-American youth are secret fans of "easy listening" adult contemporary music. Lite FM is a hidden passion.
[I am a closet Enya fan, but other than that- FUCK easy listening]

4. There's a "hero gap" among Asian-American kids, which is being filled for many by activists from other cultures. Martin Luther King is a role model and hero to many young Asian-Americans.
[This is sure to change in time as Asian Americans begin to realize that their heritage comes from two continents and not just the USA, kinda like how Mandela is regarded nowadays. I have always admired Cory Aquino for example and the guy from Angry Asian Man is spearheading a new type of activism]

5. Most Asian-American kids refer to white people as "white people" the same way African-Americans do.
[As in, why do you hate us? And we all do not know kung fu or know how to work your computer- I do not even know how mine works]

6. Underage gambling is huge. The "new" American poker obsession is nothing new to Asian-American kids. Gambling has a long history in Asian culture. Many students spoken with are avid online gamblers and card players. Some organize private online poker tournaments.
[Sorry, this ain’t me, I hardly even play the lottery but then again as I mentioned before, I am not youth]

7. Asian-American kids want an end to the hyper-nerdy images of themselves on TV and want to see more punked-out skater and graffiti DJ images which reflect a different energy. The feeling is: Enough with the math geeks, future doctors and violinists. Asian-American kids crave street credibility -- not just academic accolades.
[Actually, I do not want see Asians as punked out skaters or whatever, just show us as people with a variety of interests that are not just academic. And actually show us too. It is really funny to see shows based in LA, San Francisco or even Hawaii and not see any slanty eyed people. If you ever go to those places you know we are all over the place]

8. Asian-American kids universally hate the question: Where are you from -- especially since the answers are usually something like "Westchester" or "Boston."
[I am from California, I was not born there but it is where my roots are]

9. All things Korean are hot and getting hotter. Fashion. Foods. DJs. Online communities. Korea is the new Japan.
[Aside from a few cool movies and kim chee, Korean pop culture is overrated. It is still all about HK baby]

10. The 15 minutes of seemingly benign American Idol fame for William Hung had a surprisingly negative effect on Asian-American students. There's a feeling that Hung perpetuated the worst stereotypes about Asian people and gave non-Asians permission to indulge in two years of racial stereotyping and mocking.
[William Hung is forgivable. The fact that he got 15 minutes of fame and the way the media manipulated that is not. It is like giving a homeless crack fiend two bits to dance and then claiming him as the new Fred Astaire]


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