November 2007 Archives
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2010 Vancouver Olympics' mascots | inspired by First Nations legends...and ripped off from Sanrio?
The 3 mascots (+ sidekick) for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were inspired by traditional First Nations legends...yet, arguably, their design looks suspiciously cutesy, like, say, Japanese design? Refer to pics on the right of the 3 mascots and Sanrio (of Hello Kitty fame) characters Tenorikuma, Landry, and Cinnamoroll (*cough* lawsuit *cough*). Oh well, the mascots are cute and will undoubtedly rake in $$...so let's move on...
MIGA is a mythical First Nations sea bear that is part killer whale + part Kermode spirit bear.Based on the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land.
QUATCHI is a shy and gentle sasquatch that loves all winter sports; especially fond of hockey.
SUMI is an animal-guardian spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty Thunderbird and runs on the furry legs of the black bear.
MUKMUK, a rare Vancouver Island marmot; not officially a mascot, his name comes from the Squamish word for food--muckamuck--because he loves to eat. (Can't find an image of him anywhere!)
More: 2010 Vancouver Olympics' mascots @ www.cbc.ca/sports | The Adventures of Quatchi, Miga and Sumi @ www.vancouver2010.com | | Interactive site showcasting the Mascots @ www.vancouver2010.com/mascots | Games mascots fly off store shelves; Quatchi the sasquatch is clear favourite @ HERE
Posted by Tamiko | November 30, 2007
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Tags: Art, Current Events, Sports, Vancouver
Digital Drum | Website | "This is Our Beat"
With all the viral videos and online communities popping up these days, it's sometimes hard to cut through the garbage (aka. booty-shaking girls on webcam) to find something that's entertaining and culturally enlightening. Cue to the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), which recently launched its new interactive site DigitalDrum.ca, in order to educate and appeal to Canadian youth through the wonders of the Internet.
The site allows users to explore Aboriginal culture, language, history, current events and art through videos, poetry, blogs, music file-sharing and artwork. Above all else, its goal is to create a strong community, especially amongst different generations, in "making us all feel youth have a sense of citizenship and pride in their Aboriginal heritage - both online and in the real-world" (digitaldrum.ca)
To get creativity flowing, the site also launched the "Show Us Your Beat Video Contest," asking for submissions across Canada. Prizes include a $2,500 scholarship for B.C.'s Gulf Islands Film & Television School, a MacBook Pro laptop, a Sony Handycam and tripod along with free T-shirts for the first 75 entries.
So either get cracking on your entry (all entries due Dec. 31st) or check out the videos already uploaded here.
More: Official Site @ www.DigitalDrum.ca | "Show us Your Beat Contest" Rules & Regulations @ www.DigitialDrum.ca/en/contest
Posted by Shaena K. | November 29, 2007
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Tags: Aboriginal, Media
Toilets of the World | Quirky photographic journey
We all do it. We all need one of these to do it in. Oh yes, the toilet. Whether you call it the bathroom, the WC, the washroom, the can, the lavatory, the loo, the powder room, or the throne, we all need the toilet. It's a universal human necessity, and in the book TOILETS OF THE WORLD 142 unique toilets have been compiled by Canadian globetrotters Morna Gregory and Sian James.
You'll find miniature log cabin toilets in the Canadian wilderness; state-of-the-art cubicles in Japan; huts precariously placed on stilts in the Caribbean; eco-friendly solar-powered toilets in New Zealand; a solid gold toilet in Hong Kong; an entire field of toilets in South Africa; urinals that pop out of the ground in London; a see-through cubicle in New York; a toilet carved out of a giant cactus in Bolivia; the Museum of Toilets in New Delhi; the first public lavatory built in 1911 in Johannesburg; and more...
Can't guarantee there's always toilet paper though...
More: The book is featured in 10 great places to go where you'll wanna @ go www.usatoday.com/travel | Buy Toilets of the World @ www.amazon.ca
Posted by Tamiko | November 28, 2007
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Tags: Literature, Travel
Vancouver Serbian FilmFest 2007 | Nov. 27 - 29
Vancouver filmbuffs, take note -- there's a new film festival in town that brings the best of Serbian cinema to Vancouver. The first annual VANCOUVER SERBIAN FILMFEST opens Nov. 27 and runs till the 29th, featuring what promises to be an eclectic mix of Serbian comedies, dramas, and romances -- including a musical version of Romeo and Juliet.
Other highlights include The Trap (Klopka), which has already won 4 awards and is the official Serbian candidate for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. This "Balkan version of Crime and Punishment" features a man's struggle with his betrayal of his own moral standards, as he becomes a solitary murderer after signing a pact with the devil in exchange for the money to pay for a life-saving operation for his son.
All films are in Serbian with English subtitles, and will be played at the Ridge Theatre. View the festival lineup at www.vsfilmfest.com, or buy your tickets ($12 each) online at www.festivalcinemas.ca.
Vancouver Serbian FilmFest 2007
Ridge Theatre | 3131 Arbutus St. (at 16th Ave.)
Tel: 604.738.6311
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Kuroshio: The Blood of Foxes | Book Launch | Nov 27 | Vancouver
Nothing good comes from foxes...They never forgive if you cross them, and they're always plotting.
Foxy ... lady? The fox, that master of connotation, has an extremely rich and diverse history in mythology and literature, turning up in fables, folklore, cautionary tales and (ahem) sexy rock'n' roll songs.
Toronto poet, playwright, editor, composer and novelist Terry Watada explores this cunning archetype in his latest book, KUROSHIO: THE BLOOD OF FOXES, just out with Arsenal Pulp Press.
The story concerns Yoshiko Miyamoto, a mail-order bride who finds herself beset by domestic trouble and mixed up with organized crime in Vancouver, circa 1920. The kuroshio (or "black current") of the title is the world's second largest ocean current. Kuroshio also refers to the waves that brought Japanese immigrants to North American shores.
Book Launch for Kuroshio (Terry Watada in attendance)
Tuesday, 27 November 2007 | 7pm
Think Coffee House & Bistro | 4512 West 10th, Vancouver
More: Books about those clever foxes: When Fox is a Thousand by Vancouver-based Larissa Lai | The Fox and The Hound by Daniel Pratt Manix IV | On Kitsune: The fox in Japanese mythology. Go HERE | On Huli Jing: The fox in Chinese mythology. Go HERE
Posted by nikki reimer | November 26, 2007
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Tags: Literature
EUFF | 2 weeks of Euro-film | Vancouver
The 10th annual EUROPEAN UNION FILM FESTIVAL is on at the Pacific Cinematheque. Highlights at this year's fest include Warden of the Dead (Pazachyt na myrtvite, Bulgaria, 2006), about a 13-year-old orphan who has spent his entire life working in a cemetary, and Czech Dream (Cesky sen, Czech Republic, 2004), a documentary about young filmmaker/pranksters who devise an experiment to see if they can use marketing to build massive hype around something that doesn't actually exist. Obviously, they don't get American Idol over there.
EUFF
25 Countries * 25 Films * 13 Nights
Nov. 22 - Dec. 6
Pacific Cinematheque
1131 Howe St, Vancouver
Tags: Vancouver
Beijing Olympic Babies | What's in a Name?
Is it cruel if your parents name you after Olympic mascots that resemble little alien babies? Well, according to China's national identity card database stats, "most of the 3,491 people with the name Aoyun, meaning Olympics, were born around the year 2000, as Beijing was bidding to host the 2008 Summer Games."
And..."more than 4,000 Chinese share their names with the Beijing Games mascots, THE FIVE FRIENDLIES: Bei Bei (880 people), Jing Jing (1,240), Huan Huan (1,063), Ying Ying (624) and Ni Ni (642). When put together, the phrase translates to "Beijing welcomes you!"
"The Chinese have increasingly turned to unique names as a way to express a child's individuality. In a country with a population of 1.3 billion people, 87 percent share the same 129 family names."
(Source: Chinese name kids 'Olympics' @ CNN)
Posted by Tamiko | November 25, 2007
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Tags: News
The Ecstasy Of Rita Joe | The play that still resonates today | Vancouver
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Vancouver's Firehall Arts Centre is presenting George Ryga's Canadian classic, THE ECSTASY OF RITA JOE.
This production also marks the 40th anniversary of Ryga's play, which was the first play ever to be performed by professional Canadian theatre that addressed issues surrounding the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
The Ecstasy Of Rita Joe recounts the story of an Aboriginal woman who moves to the city and finds it a challenge to survive. While trying to find her place, she also finds that she no longer fits in at her home reservation either. The play centres around the disparity she feels between these two worlds and the struggles of racism and patriarchy she encounters.
The play combines song and montage and is bound to provoke thought and discussion.
THE ECSTASY OF RITA JOE
Nightly performances at 7:30 pm from Nov. 17-Dec. 8
Firehall Arts Centre (280 East Cordova St., Vancouver)
Ticket INFO
Tags: Aboriginal, Theatre
Godspeed, You Black Emperor | Cult Film | Vancouver | Nov 23
Blim Arts Society is making a rare presentation of cult favourite God Speed, You Black Emperor, Mitsuo Yanagimachi's 1976 documentary about the notorious Japanese biker gang The Black Emperors. And yes, this is where the name for the Montreal band came from - not the other way around.
Black and white 16mm. Motorcycles. Japanese youth out of control. It might just be too cool for its own good.
God Speed, You Black Emperor
Nov. 23 | 8pm
Blim
197 E. 17th Ave., Vancouver
Tags: Vancouver
Latina? Indian? Filipina? Persian? | The Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger goes solo
Even though the world's population is becoming more and more Tiger Woods-ish every day, people of mixed heritage are still curios in a society intent on categorizing everything into neat little boxes. So you're watching The Pussycat Dolls, and you can't help but wonder about the ethnicity of lead singer NICOLE SCHERZINGER, right? Let's help you out...
Nicole Elikolani Prascovia Scherzinger was born in Hawaii to a Filipino father and a Hawaiian/Russian mother. Nicole subsequently moved and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. When asked about growing up in Kentucky, Nicole replied: "I moved to Louisville at age seven and have been there since. It was okay. I remember being a kid always wanting to have blonde hair and blue eyes; nobody around me really looked like me. I haven't really had any problems. When I got older I realized how fortunate it was being a minority. I was proud to be one of the few people there that were Hawaiian."
In 2003, Nicole attended an open audition for popular Burlesque group, The Pussycat Dolls, and the rest is MTV heaven. Her solo album Her Name is Nicole is due for release on Nov 17 in Australia; Nov 20 in Canada; and January 2008 in the US.
More: Official site of Nicole Scherzinger @ www.hernameisnicole.com | Read Mixed Media Watch article about the discourse behind labeling hapa (of mixed heritage) as "exotic" and its (harmful) implications, click Exotic: Nicole | Nicole is on the November 2007 cover of Blender Magazine | videos under the cut
Posted by Tamiko | November 23, 2007
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Buy Nothing Day | November 23 (or 24)
With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, this Nov. 23 (Canada & US) or Nov. 24 (International), you can make a statement by setting aside your wallet during BUY NOTHING DAY-- a 24-hour consumer fast that challenges you to go a day without spending.
First launched by Vancouver-based Adbusters in September 1992, the event evolved from an idea by artist Ted Dave as a day for society to examine the issue of over-consumption. Since then, it has grown to involve environmentalists, social activists and concerned citizens in as many as 65 countries around the world, who engage in numerous pranks and shenanigans in an attempt to catalyze a mind shift towards sustainable lifestyles. Past events have included zombie marches, shopaholic clinics, and credit-card cut-ups in malls and public squares in an effort to expose and protest the environmental and social consequences of First World over-consumption.
While critics argue that Buy Nothing Day simply encourages participants to stock up on items the day before and buy more the next day, Adbusters states that it "isn't just about changing your habits for one day" but "about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste." Your thoughts?
More: Adbuster Buy Nothing Press Release 2007 @ HERE | Official site @ adbusters.org | International Buy Nothing Day @ www.ecoplan.org
November 22, 2007 | Comments (0)
Tags: Commentary, News
Far*East Movement | hip hop a la Bruce
The FAR*EAST MOVEMENT (FM) consists of emcees Kev Nish (Kevin Nishimura), Prohgress (James Roh), and J-Splif (Jae Choung). The 3 childhood friends created the group as part of the LA underground scene, levelling up to two world tours (US & Asia), features on MTV World, with their music featured on CSI, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Justin Lin's Finishing the Game.
Their single You've Got A Friend was one of the top requested hits of LA's radio station, Power:106 this fall. Check out their video for Satisfaction, which is featured on the Finishing the Game soundtrack, under the cut.
In FM's words: "...when we would first take the stage people would automatically yell "get off the stage!" .. we'd see people in the crowd shaking their heads and off stage we'd get comment's like "are u guys gonna rap in Chinese or something?" ... we constantly get the critique that we don't sound African American which could be another way of telling us we don't sound like what people are use to hearing.. but our big motto within our family that we are strongly trying to push to people of all races is: "JUST BE YOURSELF". Ever since we took that approach to the way we make music to the way we act and look.. people have take notice and been supportive... because whether we're awesome or wack.. people can''t deny what's real, and if someone is willing to give they're all in what they do and sacrifice everything they have to pursue a dream..... it's undeniable."
MORE: MySpace | Interview at Club Zen HERE | Interview with Jizo Entertainment HERE | Far East Movement blog HERE | Buy Far East Movement stuff HERE | MTV profile HERE | Interview with Asiance Magazine HERE | Videos under the cut
Posted by Tamiko | November 21, 2007
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ESPN Magazine's NEXT | Will Joba Rule?
According to Baseball Almanac, New York Yankees' rookie phenom JOBA CHAMBERLAIN is one of two active Native American players in Major League Baseball (Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox is the other). He's also one of the 5 up-and-coming athletes vying for ESPN Magazine's NEXT title. Other finalists? Portland guard Brandon Roy, WVU running back Noel Devine, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis and champion sprinter Tyson Gay. Now, that's a tough competition.
Chamberlain joined the Yankees this past August and quickly became a fan favorite with his 100mph fastball and endearing backstory about how his polio-stricken father taught him to pitch. Of course, the fact that he retired the first 60 batters he faced in the majors didn't hurt either. He would go on to finish the season with a 2-0 record and a sparkling 0.38 ERA, allowing only one earned run in 24 innings while striking out 34. (If you are not familiar with baseball, you only need to know that's really, really good. Like, bordering on ridiculous.)
Voting closes on Nov 25th and the winner will be revealed in the Dec 5th issue of the ESPN Magazine.
More: Joba Chamberlain: Rocket Redux @ ESPN.com | Joba Chamberlain bio HERE | Past NEXT Winners @ ESPN.com
Posted by Hansol | November 20, 2007
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Tags: Aboriginal, Sports
Paolo Javier | Snare the O Bo(e)mbs! | Vancouver | November 21
Think poetry readings are dull? Meet PAOLO JAVIER. This poet was born in Las Pinas, and is now based in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been called "hip, sexy, energetic." The author of several books, he edits the very urban online site 2nd Ave Poetry.
In a review of Javier's the time at the end of this writing, Barbara Jane Reyes writes,
This Original Brown Boy has given us a lovely and fierce collection of poems that dismantle how ethnic writers in North America are expected to write. It's about time.
More: Snare the O Bo(e)mbs! | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 | Free
Spartacus Books | 319 West Hastings, 2nd Floor | Vancouver | 7:30 - 10:30 pm
Featuring Paolo Javier, ryan fitzpatrick, Natalie Zina Walschots
Hosted by disjunct! performance series (more info HERE)
Tags: Literature
Odessa/Havana | Jewish/Cuban musical mash-up | Toronto | Nov. 21
On Nov. 21, Toronto's Lula Lounge will be filled with the sounds of ODESSA/HAVANA's explosive Jewish/Cuban musical mash-ups.
Odessa/Havana is led by the award-winning trumpeter and composer David Buchbinder and comprised of Canada's top jazz and world musicians. Their innovative sound springs from the Jewish-fuelled, American Mambo craze of the 1950s, but they still constantly work at challenging listeners' preconceptions.
With a new CD on their heels, released internationally on Tzadik--John Zorn's "Radical Jewish Culture" record label--Odessa/Havana are on a 7-city tour. If you miss them in Toronto, the band will also be stopping in Ottawa, Banff, and Vancouver later on in the tour.
So for a simmering night of unforgettable music, check out Odessa/Havana as they ignite North America.
ODESSA/HAVANA
Wednesday, Nov. 21 @ 7pm | Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas Street West, Toronto) | Tix from $15 (INFO)
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An Evening of Masks | Vancouver
This Nov. 9th, the Canadian Society for Asian Arts took the traditional black-tie experience up a notch with its annual fundraising gala, attracting the likes of actress Steph Song. Themed AN EVENING OF MASKS, the event celebrated the recent donation to the Society of The Sam Carter Mask Collection -- consisting of several hundred masks from around the world.
Vancouver's Hycroft Mansion was the venue of choice, and the "ethnic cool" entertainment included two "Maskateers" modelling 12 Chinese zodiac animal masks.
Guests wined and dined on a tasteful array of multiethnic morsels ranging from sushi and siomai (steamed dumplings) to paneer pakoras (fritters).
Guests could purchase $20 passports which they stamped throughout the mansion at six "mask stations". The potential draw prizes included winning one of five masks from the collection (chosen from the six displayed at the stations) or the grand prize of two return executive class airline tickets to Shanghai, Beijing, or Hong Kong (winner's choice) valued at $15,000.
November 18, 2007 | Comments (0)Tags:
I Know Where Bruce Lee Lives | Ultrainteractive Kung-Fu Remixer
In honour of Justin Lin's film Finishing the Game, Schema just had to re-post the interactive Kung-Fu Remixer...
(ARCHIVE): Bruce Lee still lives on...in the form of I KNOW WHERE BRUCE LEE LIVES, an ultrainteractive Kung-Fu Remixer created by Berlin-based Skop Designs. The remixer was originally commissioned for the online art exhibition, "Festival of Visions--Hong Kong-Berlin" where Berlin artists were asked to work with inspirations from HK culture.
You can hear it, can't you? The "hai yaaaas!"? The guttural "huh"! and maybe those ows and pows too. I KNOW WHERE BRUCE LEE LIVES is a unique audiovisual remixer which lets you use samples from Bruce Lee movies. You have a choice of 4 basic music tracks (Suspense, Mystery, Fight, or Victory), which you remix by hitting any key to add a sound effect, as Bruce Lee images flash onscreen.
Record your groove, play it back, and overdub for a complete waste of joyful time! Sock it to me!
More: Official website for Finishing the Game @ www.youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com | Finishing the Game @ www.myspace.com/finishingthegame
Posted by Tamiko | November 17, 2007
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Racism & Science | cause the times they aren't a changin'
It's a story we've all heard before. A hundred years ago, the Theory of Evolution was used to reinforce European precepts of racial superiority over Africans (as well as just about everyone else), thus justifying colonialism and the slave trade in any area of the world where people had 'not evolved' as far as Europeans. We've come so far since those hazy, crazy, hate-filled days... Or have we?
Leading American molecular biologist Dr. James Watson (of 'Watson & Crick', godfathers of DNA research) was recently embroiled in a media firestorm following quotes attributed to him in a Sunday Times Magazine article published October 14th.
The article included such familiar chestnuts as:
"[A]ll our social policies [in Africa] are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really."
and -
"[T]here is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically. Our wanting to reserve equal powers of reason as some universal heritage of humanity will not be enough to make it so"
More: Black people 'less intelligent' scientist claims) | Nobel-winning biologist apologizes for remarks about blacks @ www.cnn.com | Controversial Nobel winner resigns @ www.cnn.com/
Posted by gloria | November 16, 2007
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Tags: News
Digital Diversity at the Pacific Cinematheque | Nov 15 | Vancouver
Radio Canada International's shortwave radio service began as a propaganda tool, I'm sorry, information service, for the Canadian Government following the Second World War. Since 1945, RCI has broadcast Canadian programming across the world, penetrating the ether of assorted Cold War blocs in the process. And while it continues to broadcast internationally, in recent years the service has aimed to serve new Canadians.
On November 15th at Vancouver's Pacific Cinematheque, the nominated films from Radio Canada International's Digital Diversity Competition will be on view. The competition, which began in the Spring, invited Canadians between the ages of 18 and 35 to submit short films or podcasts on the theme of immigration and cultural diversity. Thursday's program will be hosted by CBC British Columbia radio personality Margaret Gallagher and will feature a selection of B.C. shorts chosen from over 200 submissions.
You can get more information on how to view and vote for the winning film and podcast at RCI's website | Pacific Cinematheque - 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Posted by Anu | November 15, 2007 | Comments (0)Tags: Media
Falling for Grace | Chickflick from Fay Ann Lee | Nov 16 | Vancouver
You take a successful girl from New York + parents who live in Chinatown + love interest with surname Barrington (the scion of a wealthy family) + Margaret Cho = charming chickflick, indie style. Fay Ann Lee's film FALLING FOR GRACE may leave you perplexed with its shlocky formula plot, but it's cast is engaging and it's a very shiny effort for an indie film.
Billed a "contemporary Asian American romantic comedy," Falling for Grace (also titled East Broadway on the festival circuit) will start showings in Vancouver at Tinseltown this Friday, Nov 16 -- so support the film, the filmmaker, and the Asian American film community by dishing out some of your on-par Canadian dollars to show the majority power in the film world that this community has what it takes.
More: Director, writer and actor, Fay Ann Lee, will be in attendance for a Q & A at the showings on Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17 at Tinseltown (Info about this and screening times at www.vact.ca/fallingforgrace.htm) | Official site @ www.fallingforgrace.com | MySpace @ myspace.com for film trailer and info
Posted by Tamiko | November 15, 2007 | Comments (0)Tags:
Turning the Lights On | Centre-A Gallery | Vancouver
As the days get dark and gloomy, step into the light at Vancouver's Centre-A Gallery starting Nov. 9.
The gallery will be presenting a new site specific installation by Japanese artist Koki Tanaka, who was the artist in residence for four weeks in October. TURNING THE LIGHTS ON will be the artistic accumulation of his stay.
Turning the Lights On by Koki Tanaka
Centre-A Gallery (2 West Hastings St., Vancouver)
Nov. 9 - Dec. 15
Tags: Art
Diwali | Vancouver Celebrates Fusion | Bollywood Feuds
Diwali might officially be over, but people are still talking about this year's memorable moments. In the heart of Vancouver's Yaletown, Diwali celebrations at the Roundhouse Community Centre took "an ancient South Asian festival with origins deeply rooted in Hinduism" to the next level with a fusion of traditional and contemporary performers including Hari Pal and Juan Carreras on tabla and flamenco guitar, and North Indian vocalist Kalpana Prasad with Stefan Chihelka on the tablas (Stefan has performed with CyberRaj). Read the complete list of performers on vandiwali.ca.
Just days earlier, Bollywood heavyweights were engaged in the traditional battle for the Diwali blockbuster audiences. "Huge queues formed outside cinemas in Mumbai on Thursday ahead of the release this weekend of "Saawariya" (Beloved), starring Bollywood bad boy Salman Khan, and "Om Shanti Om", which features Shah Rukh Khan. Read Bollywood blockbusters battle for India's Diwali viewers on yahoo.ca. Watch Bollywood Celebrate Diwali (similar to the way Hollywood celebrates Christmas) on mediascrape.com .
More: Diwali FAQs | Beautiful images from the Roundhouse celebration on Flickr | Need the children's book version of Diwali? See Indian Tales: A Barefoot Collection by Shenaaz Nanji and illustrated by Christopher Corr (Barefoot Books, 2007) | Review from Chicken Spaghetti
Posted by Alden | November 13, 2007
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'Communist cool' | China's fashion scene goes retro
Strict Communism may be hanging on by a thread, but, according the Reuters, "COMMUNIST COOL" is doing a-okay. There's definitely been a resurgence in communist utlitarianism as empty fashion - rather than political - statement for the last 2 or 3 years, so the timing of this rather silly filler article seems just right. Written 'on the ground' (Beijing/Hong Kong correspondents), the article hilariously points out that the Communist-inspired fashions sold in high-end boutiques have actually become something of an aspirational luxury in China - suck it, Mao!
Can a return of Nazi Chic be far behind? Fun fact of the day: Hugo Boss actually manufactured SS, military and Hitler Youth uniforms for Nazi Germany, probably using slave labour. A marketing opportunity indeed...maybe something in the 'original 501's'-vain. People love authenticity...
It's possible that the young and affluent in China are just like the spoiled class here - too young to remember the horrors of acid wash jeans, stirrup pants, fringe-everything - or, in their case, forced relocations, imprisonments, and cultural cleansings - the first time around and too desensitized to care about it now.
Lest we forget.
(Full Article "Communist cool" shakes up China's fashion scene by Ben Blanchard and John Ruwitch @ www.reuters.com)
Posted by gloria | November 12, 2007
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REMEMBRANCE DAY | Code-name Agent 50 - William Chong, BEM
(ARCHIVE): Before Ian Fleming's portrayal of 007, there were the Asian Canadian Commandos of the #136 British Intelligence Unit. One notable super-spy was Vancouver-born Agent 50. His name was ... Chong, Bill Chong -- sorry, I know that doesn't quite work. In any case, I'd see that movie!
Bill Chong (short for William) was born in Vancouver in 1911, and was in Hong Kong when the Japanese invaded in 1941. Bill volunteered after witnessing a massacre of unarmed Canadian soldiers by members of the invasion force. "Working well behind enemy lines, ... code-named Agent 50, carried medical supplies between posts, gathered intelligence, translated messages, and helped downed air personnel escape across the Japanese line." Pretty cool, huh?
"After the war, Mr. Chong received several decorations including the British Empire Medal (Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service)." [Excerpt from National Defence Asian Heritage Month Website]
Of course, there are many more notable Canadians who served at a time when racial discrimination was acceptable. There was Alex Louie, Daniel Lee, John Ko Bong, Howe Lee, Bing Wong, Douglas Jung, Dodson Mah, Roy Mah (who led the first Chinese Canadian contingent to fight the Japanese Army in the Malaysia-Singapore battle during WWII) and many, many others (read more after the jump). There was also an all-black No. 2 Construction Battalion, and the many aborginal veterans.
More:
The Chinese Canadian Military Museum | First Nations Summit Aboriginal Veterans Recognition Ceremony | Fighting for Canada -- Chinese and Japanese Canadians in Military Service is a new Canadian Forces publication celebrating the military service of Chinese and Japanese Canadians | Remembrance Day in Vancouver Chinatown
Posted by Alden | November 11, 2007
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Holocaust Education Week | November 1 - 11
Across Canada and around the world, ahead of this year's Remembrance Day, it is HOLOCAUST EDUCATION WEEK (Nov 1-11) -- a time, for some of us, to remember past struggles, for others to reflect on the present and to hear stories from those who survived the Nazis' systematic killing of 6 million Jews during WWII. This year in Toronto, the event is going beyond the Holocaust, to allow those to speak of their experiences of ethnic cleansing. Nicholas Keung describes how Japanese, Armenian and African Canadian survivors are getting to tell their stories of devastation and enormous courage in the face of horror.
Exhibitions and events are also taking place in Victoria, Vancouver, Ottawa and Halifax.
Posted by Karen F. | November 10, 2007 | Comments (0)Tags: Current Events
Puffy amiyumi | honeycreeper | New Album & Tour
While pre-manufactured bands in the music world seem to signal an ephemeral quality, with PUFFY amiyumi's 10th album, honeycreeper, released this past fall in Japan, the pop/rock duo have solidified their permanence as cultural idols (along with their cartoon series, merchandise, dvds and a feature in GAP's Redefined ad campaign) .
The album features collaborations with musicians from Japan as well as North America, and fuses upbeat pop, rock, and punk sounds, creating a cornucopia of musical goodness that is quintessentially Puffy. The record shows the quirky duo's vocal growth and harmonic maturation while still retaining the good times.
Puffy amiyumi's latest won't be available to fans in North America until early 2008, but will be previewed for fans on their 5-stop West Coast (NAm) tour, starting November 11th in Vancouver.
MORE: Check out Puffy amiyumi's Official site @ www.puffyamiyumi.com | Album release info HERE | Preview honeycreeper here | See Videos for tracks off their latest album after the jump
Posted by Shaena K. | November 10, 2007
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Caetano Veloso | Toronto | Nov 11
Provocative Brazilian musician CAETANO VELOSO will be bringing his sexy, bossa-nova guitar stylings to Toronto's Massey Hall on Nov 11.
The 65-year-old singer and guitarist is best known for co-founding the Tropicalia movement with Gilberto Gil in the 1960s. Tropicalismo fuses Brazilian pop with rock and roll and avant garde music, resulting in a more psychedelic, socially-aware sound.
Because Veloso often used his music to voice his unapologetic leftist views, he was first censored, then jailed, and ultimately exiled. His political activism, however, only enhanced his worldwide popularity.
Veloso has over 40 recordings to his name, including 2004's English CD, A Foreign Sound, which incidentally covers Nirvana's "Come As You Are."
Caetano Velso
Sunday, Nov. 11 @ 8 p.m.
Massey Hall (178 Victoria Street, Toronto)
Tix from $49.50 (INFO)
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DIY | Harajuku Punk T Shirt
Harajuku, a neighborhood in Tokyo known for its cutting-edge shops, irresistibly yummy crepes, Sunday hob-nobbing of Goths, Lolitas, and random teens in DIY (Do-It-Yourself) fashion ensembles, has become part of the modern English lexicon, most probably due to Gwen Stefani's harajuku lovers what-have-you.
Now it's your turn to bring a little Harajuku into your style with a DIY HARAJUKU PRINT T SHIRT, made with some of the same techniques used by the Japanese youths of Harajuku, who are out there defying comformity and bored out of their tree.
(Source: Diana Eng's Harajuku Punk T Shirt with designs by Thomas Moon in Volume 03: Japanese Influence of Craftzine @ expressioncenter.wetpaint.com)
Posted by Tamiko | November 9, 2007 | Comments (0)Tags:
Masi Oka of Heroes | OLPC Ambassador
Masi Oka, a.k.a. Hiro Nakamura from Heroes, has been named the Global Ambassador for One Laptop per Child (OLPC), a non-profit organization set up to create what's now widely known as the "$100 Laptop" for children of the developing world.
The Brown-educated former whiz kid, who worked as a software developer for George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic in his previous life, will be appearing in TV and online spots to "promote the importance of empowering children with learning tools and Internet connectivity." No word yet on whether or not Oka will use his superpower to go back in time and prevent the cost of OLPC from hitting the $200 mark, however.
More: Masi Oka fansite @ www.masi-oka.com | Masi Oka: Coder, Actor, Hero by John Gaudiosi @ www.wired.com | OLPC begins laptop mass production @ www.bizjournals.com
Posted by Hansol | November 8, 2007
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Tags: Technology
Amnesty International Film Festival | Vancouver | Nov 8-11
Check out the 12th AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, where filmmakers show how they are being the change they want to see (to paraphrase Gandhi, of course).
The 12th annual Amnesty International Film Festival features films about social change and human rights. The Vancity Theatre will host, with a Social Action Fair where numerous human rights and global justice groups will have displays and materials and speak to issues raised in festival films. There's also an exhibition by photo-documentarian James Rodriguez.
Don't miss the thought-provoking opening forum entitled "Can Film Change the World?" featuring directors and producers of films screened previously at the Amnesty International Film Festival. The forum is free and will take place Wed, Nov 7 at Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street. Doors open at 6:30 pm, discussion gets underway at 7pm.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL | Nov 8-11
Vancity Theatre at Vancouver International Film Centre | 1181 Seymour Street (at Davie)
Advice tix @ www.ticketstonight.ca | More INFO @ www.amnesty.ca/archives/bc_filmfest_nov2007
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Tim Tams | Australia's Most Popular "biccie"
If Willy Wonka were to try his hand at the cookie business, his end product would likely look, taste, and be eaten like a TIM TAM--an addictive chocolate-enrobed wafer biscuit described as "the food of the gods," and reputed to be Australia's most popular "biccie" (in Oz slang) .
The messy but must try method of eating Tim Tams known as the Tim Tam Slam -- which involves biting off opposing corners of the Tim Tam, using the mod biscuit as a 'straw' to suck up a hot beverage, and then quickly slamming the whole thing into your mouth before it disintegrates into an avalanche of chocolatey goodness -- has been said to induce states of chocolate orgasm.
Ubiquitous in Australia, but notoriously difficult to find in North America, rumour has it that these treats will be available at Toronto's Loblaws by mid-November, while Vancouver's Superstore reintroduced the Original Tim Tams last year at as little as $1.99 a bag. For a wider selection, The Candy Aisle Confectionery in Vancouver carries Tim Tams in Chewy Caramel, Mocha, and Double Coat.
More: To see Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia demonstrate how to do a Tim Tam Slam, click here | Tim Tams @ chowtimes.com
November 7, 2007 | Comments (1)
Tags: Food
Night at the Indies | Toronto | Nov. 6
Toronto's Meow Films presents Night at the Indies to celebrate its one year anniversary on Tuesday, Nov. 6 with an evening of fusion tabla, visual art, spoken word and independent films.
Performances will include the percussive and electronic stylings of composer and musician Anita Katakkar creating melodic and rhythmic loops on her laptop and playing contemporary groves on tabla, the imaginative paintings of Bombay artist Sanjeevani Gaikwad, spoken word by Terence Go and Adam Zivojinovic, and three films - "The Artist and His Paint" by Adam Zivojinovic, "Partial Selves" by Gloria Kim, and "Fingers of Fire" by Rama Rau.
Head over to the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre for a 7:30 p.m. show followed by an artists meet-and-greet afterwards.
NIGHT AT THE INDIES
Tuesday, Nov. 6 @ 7:30 p.m.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander Street, Toronto)
Tix $10
Tags: Art
Steve Aoki (aka DJ Kid Millionaire) | Vancouver | Nov 9
Not to be outdone by his lil' sis Devon Aoki (Miho in Sin City), STEVE AOKI (aka DJ KID MILLIONAIRE) is a DJ, club promoter and head honcho of Dim Mak Records from Hollywood, California (as well as heir to the Benihana chain). Known for DJ-ing some of North America's hottest parties, Aoki is bringing his long black hair and party-starting antics to 3 stops in Canada.
On Friday, Nov. 9, Aoki will be spinning electro-indie-pop-rock tunes at Celebrities Nightclub. Then, he'll be stopping by Edmonton and Toronto later in the month. You can see many of Aoki's party tracks on photog Mark "The Cobrasnake's" Website. Get the long weekend started by hitting up the dance floor to some hot tunes.
Steve Aoki (aka DJ KID MILLIONAIRE)
Friday, Nov. 9 | 8pm - 2am
Celebrities Nightclub (1022 Davie Street, Vancouver) | Tix from $15 (INFO)
More: Steve Aoki official website @ www.steveaoki.com | Steve Aoki MySpace HERE | STYLE X THREE: THESE THREE TASTEMAKERS ARE ALL IN THE PROcess of redefining L.A. Style (Steve Aoki) by Shawn Hubler @ www.latimes.com
Posted by Michelle D. | November 5, 2007
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Goooooooooal! | FIFA announces Brazil will host 2014 World Cup
Rio Carnival has come early with news from FIFA that Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup. It'll be home games for Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and the crew. But...there's a catch.
(Source: CNN International) "While no-one doubts Brazil's passion for parties, or football for that matter, questions have started to emerge about the country's ability to stage an event of this magnitude...Problems such as violence and corruption. Brazil has one of the highest murder rates in the world and Corinthians, one of the countries top clubs, is currently being investigated after being hit by allegations of fraud and money laundering....Brazil got a full backing from the president of football's governing body. The countdown now begins for Brazil to prove him right."
More: 2010 World Cup will be hosted by South Africa: www.fifa.com/worldcup | FIFA's official announcement of the 2014 World Cup @ www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news
Posted by Tamiko | November 4, 2007
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Japan, Ink - Inside the Manga Industrial Complex | WIRED MAGAZINE: ISSUE 15.11
Contributing Editor Daniel H. Pink takes WIRED MAGAZINE readers into the imagined and real world of manga in Japan, Ink: Inside the Manga Industrial Complex: "This spring I spent two months in Japan looking under the hood of the manga industry. I met with key players in the supply chain -- from the artists who create the work and the editors who polish it to the retailers who sell it and the fans who devour it."
If you dare, read all FIVE-pages of the most in-depth historical and geographic journey of manga's infiltration from Japan into American pop-culture (knowing too much about something you enjoy can sometimes have an adverse reaction). If on the other hand, you're just looking for something a bit more playful -- which means you can get back to your manga sooner, check out Manga 101: Enroll Now.
More: How Manga Conquered the U.S., a Graphic Guide to Japan's Coolest Export (Wired) | Mangablog.net : Wired covers manga | Japanese anime destroying American society (In My Opinion) by Elon Glucklich @ www.dailyemerald.com (Oregon)
Posted by Alden | November 3, 2007 | Comments (0)
Seeing Past Our Skin - part of (Not) Made In China| Nov 2 to Dec 2 | Vancouver
Yellow skin, chopsticks, feng shui principles, mahjong tiles, and an abacus or two ... you won't find any of these "Chinese markers" in SEEING PAST OUR SKIN, a collective self-portrait of 9 self-identified Chinese Canadians featured at Vancouver's Gallery Gachet. What you will find are the books these individuals read, the shoes they wear, and other personal effects that work against homogenizing and stereotyping people socially pinned as ethnically Chinese.
Artists Johnson Chan, Viola Chan, Eugene Lin, Nancy Fong, Robert Parungao, Heather Joan Tam, Levan Trieu, Araya Vivorakij, and Zizian Zhong have depicted and defined the complex, shifting identities of Chinese Canadians through objects that reveal traces of their own intellectual interests, cultural backgrounds, hobbies and talents, interpersonal relationships, social and professional networks, and rights and privileges. They make you question the whole idea of what it means to be a Canadian with "yellow skin".
(NOT) MADE IN CHINA: The Work of Migration Series | Nov 2 - Dec 2
Opening: Friday, Nov 2, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Gallery Hours: Wed - Sun 12-6pm.
88 East Cordova Street, Vancouver | tel: 604.687.2468 (INFO)
Tags: Art
Vasanti Cosmetics | inspired by the cultural landscape of Toronto
Easy, breezy, beautiful...scratch that. Described as a "fresh and easy to use makeup line" VASANTI COSMETICS is not as readily available as that other brand that's easy and breezy, but it's worth checking out as a Canadian owned and operated makeup line (and not tested on animals to boot) that was inspired by the cultural diversity of the women in Toronto.
Already featured in Wish Magazine, Marie Claire, Elle Canada, Flare and Allure, Vasanti Cosmetics website states: "Vasanti was created in 1998 by three South Asian women (from Toronto) who recognized that each woman's beauty, skin and complexion are unique. In pursuing this vision, Vasanti has been driven by its core values: A makeup line for everyone--Vasanti's vision of a cultural mosaic is about diversity, individuality and inclusiveness. These elements are all represented in Vasanti's product line and packaging..."
MORE: Official Website @ www.vasanticosmetics.com | True Colours: The Vasanti Cosmetics Story
by Mahnaaz Dattu @ http://mybindi.com | In Vancouver, you can buy Vasanti @ The Velvet Room.
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The Frozen Yogurt War...Continued | Bellevue, WA
Attention frozen-treat aficionados in the Pacific Northwest: Red Mango is now open in Bellevue Square in Bellevue (a 'burb of Seattle). The new store doesn't yet carry blenders or mochi toppings, however. The grand opening's on Saturday, November 3rd with free yogurt and prizes from 12pm-2pm.
And in somewhat related news, arch-rival Pinkberry has recently received a $27.5 million investment from Howard Schultz (that would be the Chairman of Starbucks, for those who don't read the business section or aren't from the Pacific Northwest). Would Starbucks-esque proliferation be next?
More: For a Red Mango & Pinkberry refresher, read Pinkberry vs Red Mango: Is the Korean-style frozen yogurt the new boba? @ www.schemamag.ca/archive
Posted by Hansol | November 1, 2007
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Tags: Food
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