Today, I want to write about this little "hum-dinger" of an article. The folks at sfgate wrote about various reactions to the story. There's a lot of response and outrage to this guy's article. He's written a lot of inflammatory crap like "Proof that Whites Inherently Hate Us" and "Why I Hate Asians" for AsianWeek. Pulitzer type stuff here? I think not! I have never read AsianWeek and if the editors decided to print this for more readership, don't hold your breath.
It makes me sad. It makes me sad that some Asians in my generation are still holding true to the virtues and mentality of the parents and grandparents. The mentality that I speak of is the general disdain for anyone not the same as they are. I don't speak for everyone, but of the older Chinese generation that I've met, it is usually the same issue.
They embrace the familiar and never seek out the unknown. Go to a buffet in Vegas or Reno. You
see a plethora of food from all over the world... Mexican, Italian, Soul Food,... etc... the possibilities are endless. Now go abroad and follow where a Chinese tour group explores... to eat. Chinese food from Italy, Chinese food from India... do you sense a running theme? So when Chinese people go to Vegas or Reno and stop at a buffet to eat, they can try and explore other foods because the buffet price is all inclusive. They will no doubt embrace the noodle dishes and the rice dishes and the beef with broccoli dishes. But this is the one time when they can try a tamale or try bread pudding or try Prime Rib and if they don't like it, they didn't waste money. The smiling faces of the older Chinese men at buffets, make me laugh. Why? Because these people were exposed to something new without any considerable risk. And look at them... all happy. Ahhh... if the world could be one buffet.
So where am I going with this? The young man who wrote that article about why he hated Blacks... it is just so damn irresponsible, for him and the editors at AsianWeek. He obviously has had many bad experiences in life and is very frustrated. So it seems he wants to lash out and vent. (Write a blog then). But all his reasons make no sense to me.
Take the first argument:
"Blacks hate us. Every Asian who has ever come across them knows that they take almost every opportunity to hurl racist remarks at us.
In my experience, I would say about 90 percent of blacks I have met, regardless of age or environment, poke fun at the very sight of an Asian. Furthermore, their activity in the media proves their hatred: Rush Hour, Exit Wounds, Hot 97, etc."
Like I said, he's obviously had some bad experiences in his past. 
But to cite Rush Hour, Exit Wounds, Hot 97 as your sources of media? Don't forget Romeo Must Die! Come on! Has he ever heard of movies like the Joy Luck Club? Saving Face? or has he heard of a new movie called the Painted Veil? Activity in the media? He probably chose the very worse examples imaginable. And I don't know if he also watches TV, but Asian faces are all over. Positive strides have been made for all Asians in TV, so much that even the fact that they're Asian isn't a story line anymore. Examples? Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Heroes, Gilmore Girls, The Office. Even your tired reality shows have been extremely diverse. Survivor was in the news for having a very diverse cast.
I am not going to even respond to the absurd remarks about "weak-willed" and "easy to coerce". It takes a truly warped sense of reality to make those comments.
His last argument:
"Blacks don't get it. I know it's a blunt and crass comment, but it's true. When I was in high school, I recall a class debate in which one half of the class was chosen to defend black slavery and the other half was chosen to defend liberation.
Disturbingly, blacks on the prior side viciously defended slavery as well as Christianity. They say if you don't study history, you're condemned to repeat it.
In high school, I only remember one black student ever attending any of my honors and AP courses. And that student was caught cheating."
I just don't get it. His reasoning... I just don't get it. He says Blacks don't get it. He talks about a class debate about slavery and liberation. Talks about how some were given the task of defending slavery as well as Christianity. Talks about repeating history.
Uh... was there a point you were getting to? What don't Blacks get? Is there something about slavery and Christianity that was supposed to be ironic or something?
Then he talks about his honors and AP courses. Talks about the one black student he saw in those classes and that student was caught cheating.... yeah he was caught cheating... it wouldn't... by chance... be you that was caught... right? Hmmmm?
Anyway, I don't understand his argument... it's flawed and obviously incoherent and I've realized I've given this guy too much of my time dissecting it. This person was obviously picked on and bullied by numerous people, from all walks of life, for a variety of reasons. His attitude more than anything will prevent him from meeting people that he could find interesting. It's a shame that he will forever judge people in general (in this case Blacks) as how that one person or handful of people treated him.... but I... hope you will not judge all Asians... by this one ignorant person.
Life is too short to hold grudges on people. Meet as many people as you can... it's a lonely world out there if you don't.
LeeZy
The above piece of artwork, is courtesy of Dr. Phil ... Newton, who is better known for his science, than for his ability to work in the Map division at Google. Anyway, this is approximately where we play soccer on Wednesdays when the field isn't under water, which it currently is right now.... but in 2 weeks time... you never know!
How did you sleep last night? (moi is a freefaller)
If you don't get good sleep, perhaps you need to get some new stylish sheets?
Some people love TV more than I do... enough to sue.I thought only In 'N Out Burger had a secret menu. Man I could sure eat a Double-Double right now. But not hungry enough to eat this. But I guess it's better than what you might find in a twinkie.
Bacon is great. You can have it for breakfast with a side of scrambled eggs and home fries. You can have it on a BLT for lunch. You can even put it in a chef salad with thousand island dressing. It is truly one of the comfort foods we all love to eat (if you are not vegetarian or have religious restrictions). But I would never wash my hands or bathe in soap made from it. That would be gross.
Ah... soap from fat... that reminds me of one of the best movies of our time, Fight Club. What? You haven't watched it? Well here's a five second (more or less) recap of the movie. It contains one frame of questionable material, but you'll never see it. The guy who made the "5 second recaps", is awesome.
Jeff Garcia doesn't get any respect.
Until later...!
LeeZy
First a couple things from SNL last night hosted by Rainn Wilson... The Monologue was the best, if you happen to be a fan of the Office like me :)SNL - Rainn Wilson's Monologue
SNL - Digital Short - Business MeetingSNL - White Possum ScreamI've always thought that the most hottest hot sauce in the world was Dave's Gourmet Private reserve that comes in a wooden casket... Nope, I was wrong. Not even close.
So I'm watching the Oscars... not that bad so far... it's actually less full of itself than other years. They always always always kiss their own asses every year and after last year when Crash won the best movie award (over Brokeback Mountain), I lost all respect for this institution. That movie just made me sick about the world, the hate, and the violence. When Brokeback Mountain reminded me that the world was all about love and being happy... or at least looking for all that.
I'm am so glad Alan Arkin won for best supporting actor in Little Miss Sunshine. If you haven't seen it, see with a bunch of your friends or better yet, your family.
West Bank Story won for best live action short film. The guy who accepted for it said it was a musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands in the West Bank. Damn, that alone makes me want to see it now.
Hmmmm... Celine Dion is singing.... guess she got paroled out of Las Vegas.
Pet peeve... people who can't tell the difference between Japanese people and Chinese people. The critically acclaimed Chinese movie (Infernal Affairs) that the Departed was based on... was not a Japanese movie as the dumbass announcer just announced.
I'm beginning to like the interpretive dance / silhouette segments... they're short, but they are visually stunning. I just saw the ones for Happy Feet, Little Miss Sunshine, The Devil Wears Prada, and the Departed. The Dance troupe is called Pilobolus. Some of their work here and here's the footage from the Oscars.So let me get this straight, Dreamgirls had 3 songs nominated for best original song, and it still lost? And who would think that the movie that would win for best song is an Inconvenient Truth? Good thing I don't bet on sports and Oscar awards...
This was the best song sung at the Oscars.
Though I would've loved for Little Miss Sunshine to win best picture, I'm happy the Departed won. Below are some Red Carpet Photos... that I personally think were the best of the night. I'm not an expert, but I know what I like.
Kate Winslet
Helen Mirren
Gwyneth PaltrowSacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher
Portia De Rossi
Anne Hathaway
Rachel Weisz
LeeZy
Hello!
Pull up a chair!
Would you like a drink? How about an ice cold root beer?
[and don't forget to use a coaster]Welcome to my first post in the world of blogging. Well actually this won't be your usual blog. Unless you like reading someone's thoughts in colloquial jargon composed of poor sentence structure. What? That's what a blog is? OK then... this is my blog!
Can you believe how many people have blogs? And it's not like people have things that are uber-important or insightful to state (myself included) but the sheer quantity of blogs leaves me thinking about how many people in the world want to be heard.
As of late, I've been wondering what people think... mind you it's for really something stupid. I've been searching for people's thoughts about my favorite TV shows. Like what people are saying about the latest episode of Lost? Some people put a lot of time and effort dissecting every little wrinkle of the show... and you thought I was weird wondering what people think about my TV shows.
I also wonder what some fans of the Office (the US Version of course) are saying about the funny pranks being pulled on the show. I believe I have an eclectic taste in TV shows and that's probably why I end up watching them at home on my computer alone. After I finish a good episode, I don't discuss it with people until the next day at the "water cooler" and I guess I seek out what people are saying.
Yeah I know, I should throw away my TV. It's evil, it's the devil, it will my kill my brain (or if you prefer in German). But I have so little that makes me happy as watching and witnessing what a Human Pavlovian experiment might look like. OK maybe if this trick could be done... that would be funnier.
Another feature of this blog will be my inclusion of videos and links that I find equally as amusing. Like how hard it is for someone to go without their electronic devices for 40 hours...
I love sports. My first love is baseball and the Oakland Athletics. So yes, aside from 1989, I've been disappointed a lot in my team. It might be easier to take if they always didn't make the playoffs and lose in the first round all the time. But that stopped last year as they finally won a playoff series (only to get swept by the Tigers)... oh well... at least I can tell a good pitcher from a bad pitcher. I also like soccer. I've adopted this team from the English Premiership as my own, though I'm also following how this one does as well.
I really hate badly made commercials... especially the ones with bad music. First it was John Mellencamp and his "Our Country" song and now it's the stupid car commercial for President's Day with the awful remixed "Hail to the Chief" theme music. You know what I'm talking about... this guy knows what I'm talking about...
What you don't think it's annoying yet...? Click and listen! If you read the comments, some people actually like it....
[shaking my head]
Now if someone made a commercial based on this "Presidential" clip... that would be genius.
So much to say... so much sarcasm left dish out... but this is only the first post...
More later... Out Loud
LeeZy
see a plethora of food from all over the world... Mexican, Italian, Soul Food,... etc... the possibilities are endless. Now go abroad and follow where a Chinese tour group explores... to eat. Chinese food from Italy, Chinese food from India... do you sense a running theme? So when Chinese people go to Vegas or Reno and stop at a buffet to eat, they can try and explore other foods because the buffet price is all inclusive. They will no doubt embrace the noodle dishes and the rice dishes and the beef with broccoli dishes. But this is the one time when they can try a tamale or try bread pudding or try Prime Rib and if they don't like it, they didn't waste money. The smiling faces of the older Chinese men at buffets, make me laugh. Why? Because these people were exposed to something new without any considerable risk. And look at them... all happy. Ahhh... if the world could be one buffet.
But to cite Rush Hour, Exit Wounds, Hot 97 as your sources of media? Don't forget Romeo Must Die! Come on! Has he ever heard of movies like the Joy Luck Club? Saving Face? or has he heard of a new movie called the Painted Veil? Activity in the media? He probably chose the very worse examples imaginable. And I don't know if he also watches TV, but Asian faces are all over. Positive strides have been made for all Asians in TV, so much that even the fact that they're Asian isn't a story line anymore. Examples? Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Heroes, Gilmore Girls, The Office. Even your tired reality shows have been extremely diverse. Survivor was in the news for having a very diverse cast.
