Life

Code-name Agent 50 - William Chong, BEM

Before Ian Fleming's portrayal of James Bond 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 December of 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 dicrmination 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 the Second World War) and many many others (read more after the jump). There was also 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.

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Life

Are all Asian men this bitter? – Bitter Asian Men, the website

You know someone out there was going to come up with this one: Bitter Asian Men (here), the website. Made by “bitter asian men, for bitter asian men...and also for all of you out there who might be curious as to why we, as asian men, are so bitter.”

Who runs this site? Two bitter Asians, Ed and Dave. Why are they bitter? Their Asian ex-girlfriends both dumped them to start dating white guys. Why are Asian men bitter? According to Ed and Dave, it’s because “nobody wants Asian men and it's just not fair,” and they contribute this to: “White Girls Don't Want Us”; “Asian Girls Don't Want Us”; “Western Society Hates Us”; “Nature Hates Us”; “A Halfy's Perspective”; “The Asian Parent Syndrome”; “’They’ Steal Our Culture”…

Although probably not terribly PC, there are Bitter Asian Men out there, and you may need an outlet. Here you go. It’s okay, someone feels your pain.

More:
*HERE watch “Yellow Fever,” a funny 15 minute video from Wong Fu Productions where an Asian American college kid investigates why he can't get a girlfriend.
*There’s also the popular website Angry Asian Man to check out too.

Life

Be creative on the bus – Origami bus transfers

Rez Design decided to let commuters have fun playing around with origami (Japanese paper folding) on the bus! They stuck instruction panels on the backs of bus seats around the Liverpool, England area.

The design group noticed how commuters fiddle, tear and fold their paper transfer tickets, so the origami instruction stickers let them use their transfer tickets as an outlet for creative expression.

More:
Found on Wooster Collective website @ www.woostercollective.com.

Life

Romeo Candido's THE INHERITANCE - Must see at VAFF

Schema congratulates Romeo Candido and Caroline Mangosing on possibly the first-ever Philippines-Canada Feature Co-Production!

After the success of short film ROLLING LONGANIZA at the San Francisco Asian International Film Fest and Chicago Asian American Showcase, news was circulating in Canada that Canadian Writer/Director Romeo Candido and Producer, Caroline Mangosing were not only stirring a buzz in the Philippines, but that their feature international horror-flick, ANG PAMANA: THE INHERITANCE was rumoured to have captured the attention of Hollywood producers (remake?).

"What the dead leave behind" - ANG PAMANA: THE INHERITANCE see it first at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (well ... technically, second ... it World Premiered at the Hawaii International Film Festival)

Sunday November 5th, 9:30 PM

Be warned, this will totally freak you out. The ghost stories of the Philippines are famous for being eerily unsettling. After a childhood of ghost stories, I still expect to see a figure to appear in my car's backseat everytime I drive over a bridge. (goose-bumps) If you want a taste of how creepy this film will be, check out the OFFICAL WEBSITE. Send your reviews and ghost stories to info@schemamag.ca

More
Romeo Candido on Twitch (Twitch is a film news / review / discussion site that pays particular attention to independent, cult, foreign and genre film)
The Inheritance Production Blog (run by Caroline Mangosing)
Romeo Candido's Blog
Abante.com Article on The Inheritance
Vancouver Asian Film Festival Closing Gala
Watch ROLLING LONGANIZA here at CBC Video on Demand)

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Life

My fav new show is a domestic!

Now that CBC's got a chick equally as cool, hot and witty as the Strombo on the roster and now that I finally caught her name, I can actually link her, (and no, that aint a link to the Shortbus website, the worst f'in flick ive seen since Magnolia) they actually seem to have a good chance to get Canadians to watch an actual Canadain TV show. Trailer Park Boys aside (and maybe some of our American spinoff reality shows), I dont know anyone who actually watches a Canadian TV show, show, like an actual show thats not hockey or news or whatever.

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Life

A-List Comedy Tour 2006! Vancouver | November 2-4, 2006

Holy Pho-shizzle! Funny-men RON JOSOL, SUGAR SAMMY, PAUL BAE and JEFFREY YU are on tour through Canada and US. Profiles here. Having already kicked off in Toronto, this Asian Comedy Tour performs in Vancouver on these dates:

Thursday Nov. 2nd 8:30 p.m.
Friday Nov. 3rd 8:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m.
Saturday Nov. 4th 8:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m.

All at the Edgewater Casino - Plaza of Nations
Vancouver, British Columbia. Ticket info here.

More:
Watch videos after the jump.
Interview with Ron Josol on PhilippinesNews.com
Watch ROLLING LONGANIZA on CBC video on-demand
Ron Josol is one of the most recognizable Asian comedians in Canada ...

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Life

Assaulted Fish @ 10th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival

Friday, November 3rd
9:30 pm, Cinemark Tinseltown Theatres
Vancouver, BC

Don't miss this half-hour of brand new sketches when Assaulted Fish hits the stage on November 3 as part of the 10th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival at Cinemark Tinseltown Theatres. We'll be part of the We So Funny program, which highlights the use of comedy to comment on social and race issues.

Following the performance will be a screening of Mighty Warriors of Comedy, and Ruckus.
More details available at www.vaff.org.

More
We So Funny! Complete program. Tix here.
www.myspace.com/assaultedfish
Sketch Comedy, ‘Azn’ Style: Assaulted Fish @ Fringe Festival (2005)