America: A Top Destination for China's Wealthy

I just read the other day that America is the top destination for China's wealthy people.  Wow!  You would think that the rich Chinese would want to stay in China because of their growing economy and to be near their businesses but that reason hasn't been the case for the past few years.

The rich are fleeing mainland China because they cite the lack of security of their assets, an unstable authoritarian government, an increasing problem with pollution, food safety, a weak legal system, and a better education for their children as the reasons they want to move to the U.S..  Many are nervous about the government that controls everything related to daily life (including the internet, the media, and print media) and where dissidents against the government are punished severely.  Others point to America having an improved quality of life and a place to have more children, getting away from the mainland's one-child policy.  Many cite America's superior health care and a school system that readies their children with the necessary skills for the world of work.

Some of the wealthy Chinese point to current Chinese President Xi Jingping as an example of having "one foot on foreign soil" with a daughter at Harvard, an ex-wife in Great Britain, and a sister in Canada.

Now, we are not talking about a few people.  CNBC reported that in 2011 over 150,000 wealthy people left the country.  The Wall Street Journal saw a huge jump from 787 applications to leave the country in 2009 to more than 2,000 in 2011 to go to America for the EB5 immigration status.  An EB5 application gives 10,000 visas annually to wealthy individuals, who will invest $1 million and create at least 10 jobs in the U.S. or invest $500,000 in a rural or high-unemployment area.

China's sudden move to economic power status has a lot of the wealthy nervous that the three decade experiment with capitalism will soon end.  China is starting to show some cracks with high inflation, an increase in labor costs, a bubbly real estate sector, and a sharp slowdown in foreign demand.

America is seen as an "insurance policy" for China's wealthy if in the event there is a major uprising in China or if the Chinese government decides to crack down on the rich.

Nice to know that even though we owe China tons of money ($1264.5B as of March 28, 2013); the Chinese elite can see some value in America, unlike some of its own grumpy citizens.

Sources:  

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100324664

http://news.yahoo.com/top-chinese-wealthys-wish-list-leave-china-065826880.html







   

Is the New Jessica Sanchez Single "Tonight" Mediocre?

Is the new Jessica Sanchez single "Tonight" featuring Ne-Yo mediocre?  Some believe the new single is dull and sounds like the same type of song that has been done by established pop artists like Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Lopez, and Selena Gomez.

On "Tonight," having an established recording artist like Ne-Yo featured on the new single is a good strategy for the singer, who had mixed results with her first single "Fairytale."  The new song is a preview of things to come when her new album "Me, You, and the Music" makes its debut on April 30.  She will also be featured on GLEE in the series last 3 episodes, playing a singer, who has a powerhouse voice from a rival school.

Her single and her appearance on GLEE is part of a plan to ramp up publicity for her 1st album, which many have high expectations since her appearance on American Idol last year.

Jessica Sanchez: Comparisons to Philip Phillips Won't Stop  

Jessica Sanchez, who was runner-up to Philip Philipps on American Idol, will be compared to the Albany, Georgia musician until she can forge her own success in the music world.

As it stands, Philip's album "The World from the Side of the Moon" released in November 2012 has been certified gold by RIAA as of January 2013, selling over 700k copies.  His single "Home" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs category and has been a top 10 fixture on Billboard 100, selling over 4 million copies!  His new single "Gone, Gone, Gone" has sold more than 270k copies and is #59 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Youtube lists his music video "Home" with more than 16M views (as of March 27, 2013) and "Gone, Gone, Gone" has been seen by more than 1M (as of March 27, 2013).

To the baby diva's credit, her music video for her single has already been viewed more than 900k times (as of March 27, 2013) since its release on March 22.  

For Jessica Sanchez, "Tonight" may be a new beginning in a career where she is going through the path of a singer with an urban sound.  This is the same path that Mariah Carey and Shakira went through but experienced mixed results.  Jessica can't be pegged as Celine Dion or a Whitney Houston-type of singer but the transformation has surprised many of her fans.

A New Jessica Sanchez, Get Used to It!

Keep in mind, she's only 17 and her musical taste does reflect pop music of today, not the songs of earlier genres that she sung so brilliantly on American Idol.  Hopefully, her chosen direction doesn't alienate some of her Idol fans.

So America better get used to the new Jessica Sanchez.

Let's hope her Idol fans can still continue to support her as she makes the transition from TV reality singing star to budding pop music star.

  



     

Why Asian Parents Live Longer Than Today's Generation

Asian family at the turn of the century.  (source: wikimedia commons)

Over the past few years, I have been attending the funerals of many Asian parents, the first generation of immigrants (born before World War II), who came to the U.S.for a better life, and questioned why they live longer than most of their children.  Was it because of their hard-work ethic, style of living, and less problems to deal with than today's generation?  Much of the medical studies of the Baby Boomers (the generation born 1946-1964) and after seem to support this theory.

1st Generation Asian Parents Live Longer than Their Children 

In a Journal of American Medical Association article "Baby Boomers Less Fit Than Last Generation" (March 21, 2013), their study found that the Baby Boomers are less healthy and fit than their parents.  The study found them to be more likely obese, have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and less physically active than the last generation.

The off-spring of the Baby Boomers are not faring any better now that the invention of the automobile, computers, and the deterioration of manufacturing jobs to office jobs, where sitting behind a desk for 8 hours is common for most individuals. It only gets worse when physical fitness programs for the off-spring's children are cut and the invention of the computer and video games makes this generation even more sedentary and physically unfit.

Filipino Immigrants at the turn of the century.  (photo by filamako.com)

Asian Parents Worked Harder, Off-Spring Work Smarter But At a Cost!  

While the parents and most of the Baby Boomers worked harder, today's generation born after 1964 is working smarter, but at a cost for a lack of physical fitness and a myriad of mental problems.  Asian parents before the Baby Boomer generation worked the land, walked more, did more jobs in-and-out of the house, and had fewer problems to think about when compared to their off-spring.

Today's Asian Americans are eating more calories and processed foods than the last generation.  In a January 2013 report by the National Institute of Healthy and conducted by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, they found that Americans have a lesser life expectancy when compared to other high-income countries around the world.  Americans ranked dead last in a report that included 17 countries with Switzerland, Japan, Italy, Germany, and Canada among them.

The report revealed that Americans have a higher rate of:

• Eating more calories per person
• Obesity and diabetes
• Drug use
• Teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases
• Heart disease and Lung disease
• Arthritis and other physical limitations
• Accidents on the nation's highways compared to their global counterparts

Most important, the majority of U.S. residents are uninsured and have less access to primary care, which greatly affects the country's life expectancy.  The study did not find a huge difference between the poor and wealthy population.  The upper-class and above groups still fell behind in life expectancy compared to their international neighbors.

Today's Asian Parents Must Change the Mindset At Home

There is a big outcry from the medical community concerning the government making widespread changes regarding the public health systems, social and economic conditions, and national health reform.  However, that change must start with individual families, who must change their mindset on being active and eating healthy.

Back then, the first generation of Asian parents, who came to America, had one goal and it was to make a better life for their children.  They saved more despite making less income than we did.  The Baby Boomers and Generation Xers (born after 1964) made life easier with technology but are less disciplined and lazier when compared to their parents, who didn't have many options to begin with.

Our first generation Asian parents never "exercised" during their time.  Their version of daily exercise was "moving" and being productive by cleaning, fixing things, garden work, and other chores.

We can't go back and undo the technology but we can learn how to manage it without "taking over our lives."   We can learn to take the stairs more.  We can learn to walk down the street to the local store or to a nearby mall instead of taking the car.  We can stop eating processed foods and go back to consuming "organic meats" with more fruits and vegetables.  We can stop emailing our co-worker in the next cubicle and go over and talk to them.  We can start leaving our phones, tablets, and computers for entertainment behind and start going on hikes or camping or other fun activities that don't involve any type of device.

For some 2nd and 3rd generation Asian parents, the change may be too much but keep in mind that its the difference between "living well" and "living healthy."

What do you think?  Did your parents live longer than expected?  Do you think with today's technology that you will outlive your parents?  Please leave your comments below.      

Source:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/01/report-americans-less-healthy-die-younger-than-global-peers.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/booming/baby-boomers-less-fit-than-last-generation-study-finds.html?_r=0









        

India's Rape Attacks Bring Major Uproar!

Indian actress Aishwarya Rai is considered one of the most beautiful women in the world but she comes from a country "where women are treated badly," according to Trustlaw.  (photo wikimedia commons) 

India's rape attacks against women in the past four months have caused the population to be in a state of uproar!   The Parliament passed an Anti-rape Bill on Thursday March 21 amid protests from women's groups and International groups who are angry over the recent violence against women in India. 

India's Rape Attacks Bring Stiffer Penalties!  

The Parliament's action on the Anti-rape bill provides stiffer penalties, including the death penalty for severe cases, against offenders for rape and sexual harassment. The bill is also intended to make sweeping changes with the police and the judicial system, making them "more sensitive and have a quicker response" when a sex crime has occurred.  The police and the judicial system have been widely criticized for being non-sympathetic against violence towards women.

Women's groups and activists admitted that the bill does not address all areas in order to be a "complete law to protect women" and it only scratched the surface on the subject of "gender equality" but it is a step in the right direction.

(photo by entrenard)

 India's Rape Attacks Reveal A Deadly Cycle!  

The highly-publicized rape attacks began on December 16, 2012 when a 23 year-old woman died in Delhi after being gang-raped by 6 drunken men. The victim later died in a Singapore Hospital weeks later.

The attack was followed by other well-publicized crimes against women:

• On January 14, 2013, a woman who boarded a bus at night was gang-raped by 7 men; one of them was the bus driver!  She was later left by the roadside bleeding and she immediately alerted Police.  

• In late January, a 14 year-old school girl was brutally gang-raped in rural India and placed on life-support.  

• On March 15, 2013, a Swiss couple was on a 3-month camping trip in rural India when they were attacked while in their tent!  The husband was tied to a tree while 5 Indian tribesmen raped his wife.  Local Police are still looking for the assailants. 

• On March 19, a British woman leaped from the 3rd story of her hotel room to escape an alleged "sexual attack" from the hotel owner, who tried to force his way into her room to give her massage.

The National Crime Records Bureau reports that a rape occurs every 20 minutes in India.  The Daily Mail reported that Police estimate that out of 10 rapes, only 4 are reported because the victims are afraid of being shamed by their families and by their community.    

The country has been "on-edge" since the attacks and one of its glamorous movie stars, Aishwarya Rai, voiced her anger over the situation of women in India.

The 39 year-old Bollywood actress told Asia One, "There should be definite laws for offenders.  They should be punished immediately!"

India's Rape Attacks Must Stop Now!

International women's group Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) has written a formal letter to the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, to voice their anger on the brutal attacks and they wanted the Indian government to take immediate and decisive action against the violence towards women. In the letter, AWARE revealed the startling facts in which 90 percent of crimes in India were against women!

The problem not only involves adult women but young girls as well!  Bhuwan Ribhu, a children's rights activist told The Guardian (UK) that "eighteen children are raped in a single day and hundreds of thousands of women are assaulted, groped, stalked and trafficked."

India's problem is complex and will take years for the country to change its attitudes towards women.  The country has a notorious reputation for treating women badly and that fact was spotlighted by Trustlaw, a news division of Thomson Reuters, which ranked India as the worst G20 country to live in as a woman.   There are annual reports of female fetuses being aborted and baby girls being killed after birth because of the country's obsession to have baby boys, who will eventually bring a family a rich dowry from the girl, he marries in the future. The tradition of the girl's family bringing money, goods, and an estate to the boy's family isn't stopping soon or at any time in the near future. The Indian government has refused to stop the practice.

Unfortunately, the lucky baby girls, who do survive and grow into an adult woman, face discrimination, violence, and neglect for the rest of their lives.  

Although, the country's attitudes towards women will not change soon, the urgency to protect them is now and the madness behind India's rape attacks must stop immediately.


Sources:  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2294514/Five-Indian-tribesmen-arrested-brutal-gang-rape-Swiss-tourist-39-attacked-tent-husband-tied-tree.html

http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/india-passes-sweeping-bill-on-crimes-against-women/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/05/india-gang-rape-stricter-laws

http://www.divaasia.com/article/19563

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20863860



      

Asians Among the Many Gout Sufferers

Asians are among the many, who suffer from that painful affliction, which we lovingly call GOUT!   Everyone who suffers from gout knows the pain all too well which can affect the toe, the ankle, the wrists, the knee or other joints and tissues, making it extremely painful and, in some cases, unbearable.  Some people often go to the Emergency Room because of the intense pain!

Asians are one of the top ethnic groups to suffer from gout due to an "extravagant diet" of rich foods that includes animal fats, red meat, organ meats, poultry, fish, yeasts, and alcoholic beverages which are high in purines, the organic compound that breaks down into uric acid.  The Southeast Asians were not exposed to this affliction for centuries until they adopted the Western diet and lifestyle over recent decades.  Today, the  disease is now common among the population and has formed into a genetic disposition.

The Mayo Clinic refers to the disease as a "complex form of arthritis."Gout can be attributed to not only eating a high amount of purine-rich foods but to other causes linked to illness, infection, side effects from pharmaceutical medicines, and a family history of the disease.

In the Asian community, gout usually attacks adults, who are 50 years-old and over but more medical clinics are noticing an upturn in younger people with the disease.  Gout affects mostly men and postmenopausal women, who have low estrogen levels which may cause uric acid to rise.  Estrogen is believed to help the kidneys process the uric acid, which may explain why older men with low levels of estrogen are susceptible to gout.  In addition, Asian men and women, who are overweight, have high blood pressure, and have insulin resistance tend to have the disease.

Oh, the Pain!  

The pain related to gout usually begins with the sudden inflammation of the big toe, making it difficult to walk in most cases.  In severe cases, just gently rubbing a blanket or pulling on socks on the inflamed area hurts!   It even takes a Herculean effort to change clothes!

When the pain begins, it steadily becomes worse if let untreated.  Even with treatment, overcoming the pain can take several days to weeks for some people.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms vary from person to person, but the first signs indicate sudden swelling of the joints or the following!

• A pinching or stabbing pain
• Sudden redness
• Inflammation of the joints
• A mild fever

Most people get treatment for the pain by taking ibuprofen or non-steroidal-anti-inflammation-drugs (NSAID) for the pain and swelling. Others choose to cure it with natural remedies like eating cherries, pineapple, drinking lots of water or tea, using ginger, celery, and many foods that can help to quell the symptoms.

For chronic sufferers, some have resorted to drugs to lower their uric acid, which means they will be taking it for the rest of their lives.

Your "Check Engine Light" is On, My Friend!

Whatever method a person uses to control or prevent gout from attacking, the condition of uric acid is a "check engine light" coming from the body itself.  A gout attack is an extremely painful way of notifying the individual there is a problem in the body's metabolism and circulation.

Having gout means that an individual's overall health is in question and the person lacks a balanced diet and some form of exercise.  If you are overweight, try to lose weight. If your diet is bad and filled with purine-rich foods, it's time to start omitting those foods, and eating healthy.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that sufferers limit the following:

• Meat, poultry, and fish
• Cut back on fats
• Foods with high fructose syrups 
• Cut back or avoid alcohol

Choose these foods instead:

• Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, etc.,)
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy products
• Drink lots of fluids, particularly water

Asians Don't Have to Suffer, It Takes Discipline

Controlling the disease takes a lot of discipline for gout sufferers.  The pain from this disease is enough for most people to exorcise caution with the foods they eat.

After every attack, a painful lesson is always learned.

I know too many people, who couldn't resist their favorite foods that would cause an attack, but went ahead and ate it anyway.  Those are the ones, who call in sick the next day, and talk about the excruciating pain that left them crippled in their homes.  Friends have told me how they had to crawl to get from one room to another.  Even the strongest men I know admitted that they cried like babies trying to endure the pain.

These experiences may sound funny but to Asian sufferers, gout is NOT a laughing matter.


Source:

http://www.ehow.com/way_5537256_gout-uric-acid-removal.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gout-diet/MY01137




  




  


             

China Warns New Pope Not to Mess with Them!

Xi Jinping (right) greets U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta back in 2012.  (source: wikimedia commons) 

China warns new Pope Francis not to mess with them after years of being accused of suppressing Catholicism in their country.

The Chinese government did not wait for the Argentinian to become comfortable in his new role when they cautioned him to stop meddling in the country's affairs.  

According to the New York Times , Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said that China hopes the Pope can work on improving relations with Chinese Officials but warned Vatican City to stop interfering in the country's affairs in the name of religion.  She also said that Pope Francis must cut diplomatic ties with the "renegade country" of Taiwan before their relations can improve.

At the same time, Vatican City has resisted cutting those ties with Taiwan and wants the Chinese government to soften their stance on Catholicism and give religious freedom to China's Catholics.  There is an estimated 112 million Roman Catholics in China, which has been split for decades between the state-supervised Church and an "underground faction" that is against all government ties.

Chinese Catholics on both sides honor the Pope as a spiritual leader but the groups are split about the issues of appointing of bishops without papal approval, restrictions placed on the religion, the arrest of some followers, and Vatican City's diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

The political jockeying between the two heavyweights is a story of two contrasting tales. China just named Xu Pinjing (above photo) as their new President on Thursday March 14 as the country undergoes explosive economic growth while painstakingly moving through the confines of environmental issues, a new-found freedom among its people, and a government that is transitioning from Communism to capitalism. By comparison, the Vatican elected their new leader on Wednesday on March 13, hoping the change will spur a growth of followers while the Church undergoes questions about its declining members, updating its aging doctrine to reflect the times, and its handling of priests involved in many molestation cases.  

No question, the rise of China may be seen as an opportunity by Vatican City to increase growth in the Church.  However, their ties with Taiwan may hinder them from spreading their doctrine and increasing their membership during China's good fortune.

This is an upcoming challenge for the newly-elected pope who must decide whether the Church should seize the opportunity in China, which may conflict with its policy on religious freedom or resist the temptation and leave their followers in the status quo.  



       

Japan Still Recovering from Triple Disaster

Days after the Tohoku tsunami caused great devastation in 2011.  (photo alriyadh.com)

Hard to believe but it was only 2 years ago when Japan was hit by a massive earthquake, tsunami, and a nuclear disaster all in one day on March 11, 2011.  The country plans a memorial service to the 19,000 victims, who died in the triple disaster on Monday. 

Japan Disaster, Caught on Camera

The footage of the Tohoku tsunami still brings chills to many that a disaster can happen at any time, anywhere.  The Indonesian tsunami was much more devastating but Japan's disaster was caught on camera from hundreds of people, who took video footage that revealed the northeastern part of the country devastated by the on-rushing water, showing the devastating power of mother nature.  

The triple disaster resulted in a 9.0 earthquake, a cataclysmic tsunami, and a nuclear catastrophe that has poisoned the land and waters of the northeast region of Japan.

According to AP, more than 300,000 people are displaced with an estimated 2,767 people are still missing. Today, there is a struggle to rebuild communities, clean up the radiation, and develop a new economic strategy for the Northeast region of Japan.  Tens of thousands of survivors are living in temporary housing and are becoming impatient with officials, who say that it may take them a decade to resettle the many displaced people.

Adults, as well as children, survived the triple disaster.  Many of them traumatized. (source: farm6.staticflickr.com) 

Japan's Northeast Region is a Ghost Town

Most of the towns in the region have been abandoned and are filled with empty houses and overgrown fields.        
There are many of the elderly, who don't want to leave the region because that is the only place they've ever lived.  The 160,000 people of Fukushima don't know if they will ever move back to their abandoned homes where the nuclear reactors spilled radiation on the surrounding soil and in the water.  No one knows how long the cleaning and decontamination efforts will take for the region.

The wait to resettle has caused many of the people to distrust the government officials, who make "empty promises" and whose cleaning efforts may be suspect. Much of the area is off-limits and most of the people are torn between returning home to an area where the radiation may be embedded in the soil and water. Many still suffer psychological effects from the disaster, thinking that the northeast region is not a safe place to return to anymore.

Many have left the region vowing never to return.

Pray for Japan and survivors around the world.  (source:wikimedia commons)

Pray for Japan  

Nothing can prepare you for such devastation and calamity.  Your emergency kit may last a few days or a week or months, but what happens after that?  You're going to rely on the local or federal government to help you?  As for the elderly, their remaining years are literally ruined.  The young people may move out of the region while they still can but the senior citizens have seen all what they worked for "go up in smoke" in just a few hours.

For those who haven't experienced a disaster like this, you are definitely the lucky ones.  Count your blessings that a calamity like this doesn't happen in your area in your lifetime.          

As for Japan, they will honor the dead but many in the country and around the world are praying for the living who have to survive what's left.

      

Asians Knocked Out of American Idol!

Asians were knocked out of American Idol, after Elijah Liu didn't make it to the boy's Top 5 and Adriana Latonio didn't make it on the girl's side, making it the first time in 3 years that a singer of Asian descent did not make it to the Top 10.

Elijah Liu's departure was a surprise after the American Idol judges touted the diminutive Chinese-Mexican-American singer as a "marketable star." He had a better chance of making it to the Top 5 since the boy's field was mediocre at best.  However, the Rowland Heights-based singer did not get enough votes despite the hype.

Filipino-American Adriana Latonio had a tougher task of making the Top 5 in a strong field of girl singers.  Her performance of "Stand up for Love" by Destiny's Child was deemed "safe" and "boring" by the judges and it didn't win any votes.

The 5 male singers who made it in the Top 10 are: 

Paul Jolley
Curtis Finch Jr
Burnell Taylor
Devin Velez 
Lazaro Arbos

The 5 females are: 

Kree Harrison 
Janelle Arthur
Amber Holcomb 
Candice Glover 
Angie Miller.

No reason to get upset and question why there are no Asian singers in the Top 10.  Elijah and Adriana did not get the votes and that's the end of that.

Time to prepare for American Idol 2014.  


                 

North Korea Hating Again, Time to Send Rodman!

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is going crazy again!  Time to send  his buddy Dennis Rodman!
Photo courtesy of Petersnoopy  

The U.N. Security council voted for tougher sanctions be placed on North Korea on Thursday March 7 and that act infuriated leader Kim Jong Un, who vowed to nuke the United States!   Now is the time to send Kim's new friend Dennis Rodman and talk the leader down from his "crazy perch" to destroy the U.S. and the rest of the international community.    

The sanctions by the U.N. was supposed to send a message from the international community to the North to end ballistic missle and nuclear tests but boy did that push Kim's button!  Even before the vote at the U.N., an unidentified spokesman from the North said that they were within their rights to use preemptive nuclear strikes to all the agressors (code name United States).

Dennis Rodman, the U.S. only hope for "peace." (source: wikimedia commons)  

Who better to calm these tensions between the North and the U.S. then Rodman, who partied with Kim last month, and kept the leader from destroying the world in that few days.  Dennis Rodman, ain't no "special envoy and primary peacekeeper" like Bill Clinton, but he sure can share stories, down a few drinks, and talk basketball with the North Korean leader.

The two became buddies and Rodman even liked the guy.  His presence made the leader so comfortable that he told the former Chicago Bulls player, "I don't want to do war!"

The folks at Washington D.C. didn't like his shenanigans in North Korea but the baller's "aw shucks" type of mentality warmed the leader and no U.S. government official can brag about that?

Now that the North Korean leader is threatening again, it's time to send Dennis Rodman, "newly annointed special envoy and peacekeeper of the free world" to Pyongyang.

Who knew that the self-promoting, hard partying, former basketball player would be our link to "saving the world?" Never in our wildest dreams.    

      

Another "I Hate Asians" Video Goes Viral

Photo courtesy of Mauritsonline

Another "I Hate Asians" video has gone viral and like the other YouTube videos out there, we'll simply ignore the haters as usual and let them use their free speech.  

This week's "I Hate Asians" video was posted March 5, 2013 on YouTube courtesy of "Extremely Racist Indiana Kid" who posted his diatribe of "Why I'd Hate to Be Asian."  The description on the video says that it was allegedly posted by a third party, not the individual in the video.

Without going through the details, the "Indiana kid" talks about why he'd hate to be Asian because of the usual stereotypes:  everyone looks the same, small equipment, being short, sushi, and unattractive asian women.   What he talks about isn't new or original, and his video doesn't need the attention like the Asian rant delivered by the U.C.L.A student back in 2011.  In that epic footage, the student complained about the Asian students and their families running around her apartment complex and how they use their cellphones in the library when she's studying.

Alexandra Wallace, the student in that infamous video, stopped attending U.C.L.A. after she and her family began to receive death threats, their personal information got exposed, and they were ostracized from the community. The school did not discipline her for exorcisng her free speech in which she described as an attempt to make a humorous video on YouTube.  

The "Indiana Kid" may find himself in a similar situation like the U.C.L.A student since the video is still being featured on YouTube.

The Asians, who are considering lashing back at the Indiana Kid, should think twice about their actions and concede that he is using his "free speech," no matter how hateful an individual's comments may be.

For those seeking revenge, consider these Chinese proverbs:

"He who seeks revenge should remember to dig two graves."

"To be wronged or robbed is nothing unless you continue to remember it."-- Confucious.

and Biblical verse: 

"Father, forgive them; for they not know what they do." ~ Luke 23  

What do you think?  Is the "Indiana Kid" wrong even though he is exorcising his free speech?   Leave your comment below.  

   

   

Singapore Women Harassed by their Own Government!

Photo courtesy of Ben Jeng. 

Singapore women have been under scrutiny when world statistics showed that their country is dead last in fertility rates.

The revealing statistic caused the government to panic about the future state of the country and its economic stability that it instituted a pro-family, let's start making babies campaign!  Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has been proposing to the Parliament to stop the country's slumping birth rate by offering a slew of incentives for couples to have babies and even more of them. The government have created new policies for maternity leave, flexible work arrangements, and paid vacations for the fathers to be with their newborns.    

Singapore women not only felt they were being harassed by government officials but they were insulted as well.  Most of the women said that the government should stop meddling in their lives and labeling them as "baby-making machines!'  Today's Singaporean woman is becoming career-minded and whether they are single or married, the rush to make babies is not high on the list.  Single women are putting their careers ahead of marriage while wives are putting off babies to cultivate their careers first.  The more vain women have put the thought off totally so not to ruin their figures.

The government is alarmed at statistics of 44% of men and 31% of women between 30-34 are single.  Lee told the Strait Times that Singaporeans are not marrying and having children which could be a "national problem."

How crazy is the Singapore government in their baby-making campaign?  They instituted a NATIONAL NIGHT GIVE BIRTH TO A NATION day on August 9, 2012 which encouraged residents to start "getting busy to make some babies!"

In the U.S., we hear songs about "baby-making" or "doing it" or "getting it on" all the time but Singaporeans mean it when they want you to "do it to make 'dem babies!"  Heck, there was even a Singaporean rap song (see below) to inspire the couples as well!

Instead of making a big thing about the horrible fertility rate, the government of Singapore should advertise the benefits of having a baby instead of making it a big deal in front of millions about the "baby crisis!"  So Prime Minister Lee and all government officials should chill for awhile and stop this "do it for Singapore" jargon, and let this work out by itself. After all, women have enough pressure at work and/or being married.

You don't need that in the bedroom!

                      

Two Asian singers Advance to American Idol Top 20!

Two Asian singers advanced to the American ldol Top 20 while two other Asian singers were eliminated in the sudden death round! 

Asian Singers Eliminated in Sudden Death 

Filipino-American Jett Hermano sang a slow version of Rihanna's dance hit "The Only One."   The judges were unimpressed with the Seattle-based singer's interpretation of the song in which she resorted to a slow version, choosing to stay at her piano during the entire performance.  Idol judges Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj were hoping for big things from Jett's performance but they were disappointed at the lack of a big ending.  Randy was hoping for the Filipina to stand up and take command of the stage while Nicki Minaj thought her performance was going to have a climatic end but it never came.

Later, the young singer would meet her climatic end when she was eliminated.

Hawaiian-born Filipino-American Bryant Tadeo sang Billy Joel's classic "New York State of Mind" which brought an enthusiastic response from the TV audience but it failed to impress Randy and Nicki.  To some degree, Idol judge Mariah Carey was not enthused about his performance and said that he got lost singing the song but he recovered just enough until the end.

During the judge's criticism, Bryant seemed agitated by their critiques but it was understandable because this was his second go around on American Idol.

Sadly, Bryant was shown the exit door, perhaps wondering if he was going make yet another attempt next season.

Asian Singers Advance to Top 20

Filipino-American Adriana Latonio showed considerable singing chops when she sang Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" in the sudden death round.   At only 17 years-old, the singer has potential but it is a mystery how she will do in a strong field of female singers.

Idol judge Keith Urban loved her performance.  Nicki liked her command of the stage and her confidence.  Randy said "she sounded like a pro"and that she "was born to do it!"  Mariah liked her performance and was proud of her taking on a song from the Queen of Soul.

As for Chinese-Mexican-American Elijah Liu, his performance of Bruno Mars' "Talking on the Moon" was a little pitchy at times but the judges loved him.  Keith called him "relevant" and having the look of a "pop star."  Nicki said that he was a "superstar" and "marketable." Randy did not like the vocals but he sees major potential.  Mariah liked his control and the use of his "softer voice."

It's never good news to see Asian singers eliminated on American Idol but the Asian Community still has Adriana and Elijah to root for. Making the Top 20 is a big deal!    

We'll see how this one plays out for sure!


http://hollywoodinvasian.com/