Puppy love is cute, but love between a monkey and a kitten? Well, that's just gush-worthy! This adorable and rare pair can be found in Indonesia where they are snuggled close to one another.
The monkey is protective of the kitten and can be found grooming and fending this ginger from other monkeys. We've all heard of protective and clingy boyfriends, but a monkey? Regardless, it doesn't seem like the kitten minds one tad bit.
Watch their interaction here:
However, there has been monkey-kitten relationships in the past. Watch this story about the monkey and a recently orphaned kitten in India:
Can I hear a "Awwww, that's so cute!"?
Posted by Angela Jung | August 31, 2010
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Why am I Doing This? is the second independent film effort brought to you by Tom Huang. Its stars Huang and Anthony Montgomery as a an actor and comedian respectively, trying to navigate the Hollywood periphery, while dealing with relationships, racial stereotypes and the prescribed images that they are being told to fit into.
It looks really funny. The dry humour, coupled with real life situations interpreted in hilarious ways makes this film one that I really want to see. Racebending interviewed Huang and he had some great insight into filmmaking and the realities that people of colour face in the industry.
I think people are definitely interested in hearing about real people's stories of any ethnicity as long as it's interesting enough and done well... It's just that studios aren't willing to take the risk.
You look at Slumdog Millionaire, a movie about an Indian boy in India trying to win back his love, no studio would touch that with a 10-foot pole. So some people took a chance, made it independently, and Fox Searchlight recognized it was simply a great film and gambled it would do well because of that, and it was blockbuster. It also benefited from a planned, slow rollout where word of mouth helped get people into the theaters, and of course the Oscars helped as well.
There are plenty of other examples, such as the Joy Luck Club (a good example of actual Asian-American stories) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, etc. People are wiling to watch it, I think, it's just a matter of more studios wiling to release films based on quality rather than formulas, and also a matter of making sure films like that are made with low-budgets so it can turn a profit to help buy other films like it.
The film came out on DVD in July. Be sure to check it out, because it is only through support and word of mouth that great independent projects like this are able to thrive!
Posted by Kwaku Marfo Adu-Poku | August 30, 2010
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In the land of 2010, one plain cookie can transform itself into any flavour you desire -- if you wear a funky head machine that alters reality and fools your senses. Thanks to scientist Tajuki Narumi and a savvy team from the University of Tokyo, they created this innovative device called the "Meta Cookie."
I did not know this, but apparently your taste buds are influenced by what you perceive through your senses, particularly sight and smell.
So how does the meta cookie work? Once the subject chooses a cookie flavour, the meta cookie, which includes a camera and a head-mounted display, projects the image of the desired cookie onto the plain, tasteless cookie. Then a gust of air is pumped directly into the subject's nostrils. This convinces the brain that it really is about to eat the chosen cookie.
And ta-dah! The plain, tasteless cookie can be transformed and taste like chocolate chip, lemon, almond or cheese -- depending on the settings, of course.
Watch the video to see how the meta cookie works:
I wonder, does this mean I can select a triple chocolate cookie while consuming the calories of just a normal cookie? Now that would be sweet!
Posted by Angela Jung | August 27, 2010
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Walking along the streets of downtown, it is not unusual to happen upon an open guitar case at the feet of a local musician strumming along and singing their heart out. Most bystanders stop to listen, make a donation, and go on their way. Such is the business of Busking, the practice of entertaining in public for donations or tips. The majority of people are familiar with these musicians or singers, but, in reality, any street performer - from a mime to a magician - is a busker.
In its eleventh year, The Scotiabank Toronto International BuskerFest may just be the Mecca for these talented performers. Organized by Epilepsy Toronto, which runs the festival as an annual fundraiser, BuskerFest is one of the largest of its kind in North America, attracting hundreds of local and international street performers to the lively St. Lawrence Market district.
For four days and nights, BuskerFest promises everything from circus acts and contortionists to slapstick comedy and clowns. Best of all, performers from the world over showcase extraordinary talent and imbue the festival with a unique, international flavour. This summer, BuskerFest hosts artists from Argentina, Japan, Australia, Hungary, New Zealand, the United States, and England.
Japanese duo, Witty Look, is sure to entertain with a hilarious combination of acrobatics and unicycle antics, and the Netherlands' Saurus brings larger-than-life dinosaurs to the streets of Toronto. Musical acts such as Australia's OKA perform with a didgeridoo, while Argentina's Victor Rubilar will wow audiences with his Guinness record-breaking, soccer ball-juggling Latin soap opera.
Perennial attendees will enjoy long-time Canadian favourites such as Quebec City's body artists, Kromatik, along with new faces such as That Man, an up-and-coming mime from Northern Ireland. Whatever your pleasure, you are sure to find it at BuskerFest.
The Scotiabank Toronto International BuskerFest takes place on August 26 - 29 in the Saint Lawrence Market Neighbourhood of Toronto. Festival admission is by cash donation to organizers, Epilepsy Toronto. Artists also collect cash donations at performances.
Posted by Manori Ravindran | August 27, 2010
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Filipino communities all over British Columbia are bracing themselves for "Hataw Pinoy!" the inaugural Philippine Summer Festival. The first "mega-event" for the third largest ethnic community in the province, organizers are expecting over 15,000 attendees at the Richmond Olympic Oval on August 28th and 29th.
The Filipino Canadian Cultural Heritage (FCCH) of BC is organizing the event, which is the first of its kind in the province. Chairman Rey Fortaleza hopes the event sheds light on Filipino culture and identity: "We wanted to showcase our amazing talents and great culture as Filipinos, as well as create a distinctive festival worthy of recognition around the globe. This event will be our version of such big Filipino celebrations as the Toronto, New York, and London Festival."
The festival will include everything from Hataw Sayaw and Sing-galing stage performances to an array of Filipino talent; Entertainers Joey Albert, Fe Delos Reyes, Ray An Fuentes, and a host of others are all slated to perform in the two-day program. Organizers also promise fifty food concessions lining the Oval's backyard in order to feed the masses of people traveling from all over B.C. and Washington to partake in Hataw Pinoy!
For the Filipino community of B.C., this summer's event has been a long time coming. Canada has the second-largest Filipino diaspora in the world, behind only the United States. In the early 1960s, there were less than 800 Filipinos living in Canada, but in the past fifty years, the community has grown considerably: According to a 2008 Citizenship and Immigration Canada report (PDF), the Philippines are the third source of new permanent residents in Canada after China and India.
In Vancouver, with an estimated Filipino community of 94,000, it is not surprising that the summer festival represents more than just two days of food and fun. As the website explains, Hataw Pinoy! conveys "a message of strength, of togetherness, of sharing combined talents, exploring ties and connecting lives."
For many generations of Filipino Canadians, Hataw Pinoy! is also a catalyst for change and a show of fellowship among the West Coast communities. The festival may be in its infancy, but judging from the passionate voices behind the event, the Philippine Summer Festival could be a staple for many years to come.
The Philippine Summer Festival takes place at the Richmond Olympic Oval on August 28th and 29th. Admission is free. For more information, please visit philippinesummerfestival.com.
Posted by Manori Ravindran | August 25, 2010
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A six year old boy in Shenyang, China recently underwent a 6.5 hour surgery to remove 11 fingers and toes. That sounds crazy, right? Well, the boy in question (who remains unnamed) was born with a grand total of 31 digits. That's 15 fingers and 16 toes. Wow.
The boy suffers from a condition called polydactyly, a rare genetic disorder in which individuals are typically born with an extra finger beside the pinky of each hand. This boy's condition was so notable because not only was he born with 7 fingers on one hand, and 8 on the other, but his extra digits were found fused as middle fingers, rather than on the side of his hands.
While he is certainly not the only person to ever experience this mutation, for me, it raises a lot of question about how this happened. I also think its kind of interesting that we choose to remove extra digits, rather than let them be, which is more likely a normative effort than a practical one.
What do you think?
Posted by Kwaku Marfo Adu-Poku | August 25, 2010
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Her Chinese name means "bright and shiny," her look is reminiscent of Miley Cyrus, and her voice harkens back to the days of Britney before the meltdown, and Christina before she went dirrty. Chloe Wang is a little dynamo determined to make it big cross continentally.
Born in Chicago to a white American mother and a Chinese American father, Chloe became captivated by her Chinese roots after the Olympic spotlight shone on Beijing in 2008. Since then she has taken the Chinese pop music world by storm with English language hits such as Beautiful, and Love Attack, and has set her sights on the U.S. pop charts.
You might think that the market potential in China for a mixed race Chinese American pop star who can sing in English and Mandarin would be off the charts. But in China, where pirating music comes as naturally as breathing, artists often struggle to reap the benefits of their success. An album might sell millions of copies in the U.S., but only 150,000 copies in China, however both countries would count that as a success.
Clearly, Chloe has her work cut out for her, but she is not one to back down from a challenge. Her first ever performance was at the Zebra Music Festival in Chengdu in front of 30,000 eager fans. During that same trip to China she also filmed her first ever music video, a Mandarin version of her single Uh Oh. A native English speaker, Chloe learned the Chinese lyrics the day before the shoot! Chloe has since hired a full-time Mandarin tutor, and her apartment in Beijing is covered with vocabulary sticky-notes.
The next step in her plan for total world domination of the pop variety is a co-hosting spot on Nickelodeon's new show The Nightlife. Along with veteran actor, singer, and entertainer Nick Cannon, and up-and-comer Aaron Fresh, Chloe will be chatting up celebs and spinning tunes on this half hour made-for-teens dance party.
Check out her Chloe's undeniably adorable single in Mandarin below, and in English, but be careful because she might just steal your heart. Uh Oh!
Iggy Exclusive: Chloé Wang - "Uh Oh" (Chinese Version) Chloé Wang
Essence is a magazine made for African-American females, and until just recently, made by them, too. Essence recently hired a new fashion director; however, many are upset to learn that the position has been filled by someone who is white, Ellianna Placas. Would it have been fair to deny Placas the opportunity to work for Essence because of her skin colour? Some seem to think it so.
A former Essence fashion editor, Michaela Angela Davis, has this to say about the recent news:
It's with a heavy heart I've learned Essence Magazine has engaged a white Fashion Director. I love Essence and I love fashion. I hate this news and this feeling. It hurts, literally. The fashion industry has historically been so hostile to black people-especially women. The 1 seat reserved for black women once held by Susan Taylor, Ionia Dunn-Lee, Harriette Cole(+ me) is now...It's a dark day for me. How do you feel? From Fashion Bomb Daily
Did I mention that she posted this note on her Facebook wall? Quite discrete.
Placas has formerly worked for O: The Oprah Magazine and US Weekly and has been praised for her creativity, vision and respect for the Eesence brand, chimed Essence Editor-in-Chief, Angela Burt Murray.
Many readers are saying that the position should only be filled by someone black since every other magazine has white fashion directors. And Essence, being a place that celebrates the uniqueness of black women, should also hire only African-Americans.
What do you think? Is this racial discrimination?
Posted by Angela Jung | August 31, 2010
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So it's Monday, and you've either had a good or bad start to the working week. Summer's almost over, and for some of us, school is just around the corner. Before we say our farewells to Summer, we should all take in as much goodness as possible.
What do you say to a picnic and movie in the park, both at the same time? The Museum of Vancouver and Potluck Cafe and Catering are putting on a showing of the film Eat, Drink, Man, Woman | Yin Shi Nan Nu at 9PM in Vanier Park, just behind the Museum of Vancouver (1100 Chestnut St) on August 23, 2010.
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman is a Mandarin film (with English subtitles) by Ang Lee about an aging master chef and his three single daughters' elaborate Sunday dinners, complicated love lives, family dysfunctions and food.
Gather your friends, roll out your blanket and enjoy the free, food-themed movie Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, presented by the Museum of Vancouver, Potluck Cafe and Catering, and Horizon Distributors. Bike valet will be provided by Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition.
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Still can't let go of summer? Join Vancouver Asian Film Festival on Wednesday August 25 as they present Mind your Bidness: a one of a kind live auction and dance party. Support the 14th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival and Canadian independent filmmakers at the Biltmore Cabaret at 8PM.
