Stories about East Asia from February, 2006
Malaysia, Singapore: Dangers of Technology
The scandal involving a Singapore student's taped sexual adventures spread on the Internet continues to draw comment. Singapore's A Worm's perspective talks about the dangers of modern technology, while Life is Just from Malaysia has similar thoughts: “The internet is growing ever so gracefully.”
Philippines: Historical Slavery
caffeine sparks rereads a historical account of pre-colonial servitude in the Philippines and reaches her own conclusions that something was going on that was more complex than “slavery” as commonly understood: “If master-slave live in one house and eat the same food, can one conclude that the master-slave relation is...
Singapore: In-Between
At Singapore's Sayoni Speak, Sheila Rajamanikam describes what it's like being a transsexual: “I wish people around me could accept both parts of me: in a shaved head, packing, male looking body as well as a sari clad jewellery wearing one.”
Vietnam: Planned City
Le Bao Tuan of Sticky Rice experiences “architecture shock” visiting Phu My Hung, a booming planned community built on a former swamp south of Saigon. He writes: “Phu My Hung is an evidence proves Vietnamese economy is developing quickly and Vietnamese people are trying to approach the more modern and...
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand announced a House dissolution
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced a House dissolution Friday evening after he was granted an audience with His Majesty the King.
Mongolia: Japan's Chingis Khan Craze
Mongolia Matters has the latest evidence of Japan's Chingis Khan craze.
Indonesia: Tattoo Culture
IndCoup discusses tattoo culture in Indonesia. He explains: “The revival owed much to the popularity in Indonesia during the mid 1990s of US rock bands the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns and Roses, both of which flaunted the sexual appeal of tattoos.”
Indonesia: Terrorist Blogger
A. Fatih Syuhud asks: “Are you the terrorist blogger?” He writes: “Blogging should be made use for advocating peace at heart and mind, not only for the sake of blogging and attracting traffic by making any provocative statements in the name of freedom of expression.”
Malaysia: Its Own Cartoon Kerfuffle
Malaysia's paper-of-record, the New Straits Times, has gotten into its own cartoon controversy after running a syndicated strip on its funny pages critiquing the Danish cartoon controversy. The government has demanded an explanation from its editors and demonstrations against the NST are apparently planned. Jeff Ooi's Screenshots has been following...
Philippines: Revolutions
Jessica Zafra reminds readers why the Philippines 1986 “People Power” Revolt, the 20th anniversary of which is ongoing, was so important, despite the subsequent disappointments and political troubles: “We were the opening salvo in the Big Freedom Blasts that began in the late 1980s and continue into this century. The...
Singapore: No More Senior Minister
Singapore Election Watch has a post from Yawning Bread arguing that Singapore should not have a “Senior Minister.” The post was created for retired long-time PM Lee Kuan Yew and then occupied by another former PM, Goh Chok Tong, when he retired (Lee became “Minister Mentor”). Yawning Bread points out...
Thailand: Ways to Wai
Tales from Isan explains the how and whys of the wai, the traditional Thai greeting of cupping one's palms together in front of one's chest. “Get it right, and you earn the approval and pleasure of the person you seek to honor. Get it wrong, and you risk embarrassing, or...
Philippines: Landslide and rescue efforts
Philippines: Landslide and rescue efforts
Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand: Globalization Mini-Stories
Cafe Salemba has two mini-stories of globalization, both in-flight: one involving an encounter on an American on a plane who works for a Japanese company and another about Japan Airlines practice of hiring Thai stewardesses.
Malaysia: Fairness of Freedom
Ktemoc Konsiders notes the irony of the imprisonment of a British holocaust denier against the background of the Danish cartoon controversy: “The Europeans must now shut their mouths up, and cease their hypocritical pontifications of the ‘freedom of expression’, and accord to Muslims the considerations of sensitivity that they have...
Philippines: Talking About Poverty
caffeine sparks responds to a post written by Idiot Savant some weeks back on the roots and reasons behind the game show stampede in Manila that cost over 70 poor Filipinos their lives. “Idiot Savant and I should thank our lucky stars our lot in life means we are able...
Singapore: Cheerleader Sex Tape
All over the Singapore blogosphere are commentaries on an unfortunate high school cheerleader, nicknamed “Tammy NYP,” whose cellphone was allegedly stolen by a jealous classmate and whose sex video recorded on that phone is now spreading across the Internet. A post by Book of Aletheia on the topic now has...
Singapore: Short Film Fest
Huichieh Loy shares his impressions of the offerings at the First Toronto-Singapore Short Film Festival.
Southeast Asia: Ten Integration Suggestions
the news at 10 lists ten things he thinks the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can do in order to create closer cooperation. No. 2 is “less bickering: for gods sake, stop bickering about islands that have no benefits whatsoever. and no, no country is going to invade any country,...
Cambodia: Moving Power
Lux Mean observes that rural Cambodians seeking redress now wait in front of the Prime Minister's residence instead of before the Royal Palace or the Parliament: “Before, people went to the Royal Palace to ask for help from the King. The change may be led by either the frequent absence...
Hong Kong, Philippines: Right of Abode
Simon World comments on the possible far-reaching consequences of a recent decision to give two Hong Kong-born children of a Filipino domestic worker “right of abode” in the Chinese territory.
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