Stories about East Asia from May, 2010
Taiwan: Rising income inequality
Michael Turton blogs about income inequality in Taiwan and analyses some of the factors causing rising inequality.
China: Dying young in FoxConn
SACOM, a NGO in Hong Kong which concerns about labour rights issue, posted an investigative report on the 10 consecutive suicide cases in FoxConn, one of the I-phone subcontractor in China.
East Timor: Portuguese Language in Debate
A heated discussion is taking place in the Timorese blogosphere regarding the implications of the adoption of Portuguese as one of the official languages in East Timor, along with Tetum. Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Goodwill Ambassador for Education, and spouse of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, reacts showing her concerns about education...
Japan: PacMan, still a hit after 30 years
When it was released in 1980, Pac-Man captured the world's attention and transformed the video game industry. Now Pac-Man is back to celebrate his 30th birthday, and he's popping up in unexpected places. In blogs and on Twitter, Japanese reflect on the game that launched their country to the forefront of the global video game industry.
Japan: Can Twitter help to prevent suicides?
Considered the dramatic increase of young victims who decide to commit suicide every year, some bloggers debate on the use of twitter to promote dialogue and help in suicide prevention.
Philippine Literature in English
Shades of thought writes about the relevance of Philippine Literature in English.
Japan: The part-time jobs that Japanese never want to do again
Japan Style sums up [en] a discussion on “the part-time job I never want to do again” that took place on the the Japanese bullettin board 2 channel [en].
Taiwan: Responses to Thailand's upheaval, if there is any
Taiwan is no stranger in terms of “Red Shirts” and street protests. In September, 2006, the island had its own anti-corruption campaign which also involved about one million red-shirt protesters demonstrating against the former President Chen Shui-bain (who has been still under custody since Nov.12, 2008). And when the first...
East Timor: Short Story Competition in Tetum
Istoria Timor Short Story Competition in Tetum language is running until the end of June. The concept notes from the previous edition offer an overview to literacy and language in East Timor and can be found in this post.
Thailand: Blog reactions to Bangkok violence
Bangkok is now under full government control after government troops successfully removed the Red Shirt protest barricades in the city. Here are several blog reactions from Bangkok about the raging political crisis in the country
South Korea and Thailand's Cold War Context
John P. DiMoia from Korea History Group looks into the common historical context (Cold War) of the economic and political development of South Korea and Thailand.
Taiwan: In memory of Chao-Jung Hsu, a Taiwanese WWII veteran
As part of an impassioned campaign to create a memorial park for Taiwanese WWII veterans, Chao-Jung Hsu's set himself on fire and died exactly two years ago.
Revolutionizing the Indonesian music industry
Blogger Wibisono Sastrodiwiryo believes that in the near future, accessible broadband connection will revolutionize the Indonesian music industry to a point where major labels can't stick to their old anti-piracy tunes [id].
365 Great Stuff from the Philippines
365 Great Pinoy Stuff makes “a random list of Filipino stuff that makes Filipinos proud, happy, nostalgic, elated, high, inspired, hungry, hopeful, confident, comforted, excited, intrigued, entertained, mystified, homesick– you name it, all the feel good experiences we ought to have.”
Thailand: Arson in Bangkok, protests spread to other provinces
The anti-government Red Shirt camp in central Bangkok is already under military control but retreating protesters burned several buildings in the city. Protests also erupted in other provinces. Here are blog reports and twitter reactions from Thailand
Japan: Buddhist Pet Funerals
The Quirky Japan Blog introduces some actions a pet owner can take following the loss of a beloved pet, in a post titled “Buddhist Pet Funerals“.
“Black Planet Award” goes to…Formosa Plastics Group, Taiwan
“The Formosa Plastics Group is the world’s largest manufacturer of PVC, its CO2 emissions constitute one quarter of all emissions in Taiwan and with its special dispensations from the government and close cooperation with officials the tax rates for three of the major FPG companies pay less than 10% taxes...
South Korea: The 30th anniversary of the Kwangju Uprising
Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the Kwangju uprising in South Korea, matt from Gusts of Popular Feeling has a roundup post on historical resources about the incident.
Philippines: Tagalog and Filipino
Cribke muses on the difference between the Tagalog and Filipino languages.
Philippines: Linguistic Roots of Ancient Pot
Filipino academics retrace the linguistic roots of inscriptions etched in the rim of an ancient pot of high archeological value excavated in the Philippines.
Japan: The Strength of Soft Power
“If Japan is cool now, can it possibly stay that way?” Roland Kelts explains Why ‘Cool Japan’ is over.