Stories about East Asia from December, 2008
China: Interview with Anti-CNN founder
Jenny Leung interviewed the founder of Anti-CNN.com, Qi Hanting. The interview is posted at China digital times.
Philippines: Fisherman saved by dolphins and whales
According to a Filipino fisherman, he was saved by dolphins and whales when his boat was turned upside down last week in Palawan, Philippines. It is a remarkable story, but is it true?
Japan: The early salaryman catches the worm
Blogger Yoshihara (吉原) at Engineer Live no Henshûchô (エンジニアLiveの編集長) comments about a new trend which is spreading among Japanese salarymen. As a response to the Japanese practice of working overtime...
Madagascar, Kenya question wisdom of foreign land deals
Following national and international outrage, the land deal that would have let South Korean firm Daewoo Logistics lease a large swath of Madagascar's arable land, was finally rejected. However, the number of reported land deals between wealthy countries and developing nations continues to grow, and bloggers wonder if these deals will really benefit the interests of ordinary people.
Japan, Brazil: A centenary of Japanese Immigration to Brazil.
In June 1908, the Japanese ship Kasato Maru docked in the Port of Santos after a 52-day voyage, bringing the first Japanese families to Brazil. A hundred years later and after a hard period of adaptation, Japanese and Japanese-Brazilians reflect on the history and cultural heritage of this cross ocean cultural mix.
Korea: Teenage Rape and Parents’ Responsibility
A teenager who has suffered from attention deficit disorder raped a seven year old girl. Having a previous record, the 18 year old was sentenced to 10 years in prison...
China: Nationwide Teachers’ Strike
Since this October, teachers in Sichuan, Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong went on strike, demanding a salary raise. According to local media report, the strike started from Sichuan...
Malaysia: To Live By The Slopes
Within the period of two days, two landslides caused much damage and death in Kuala Lumpur. This perhaps might not have made such major headlines had it not occurred just a few days to the 15th anniversary of the Highland Towers tragedy, which caused the deaths of 48 people.
Japan: Digital mech art
Edo from Pink Tentacle has a collection on digital illustrations of mechs, droids and borgs.
Thailand: Academic calls for rule of law
Bangkok Pundit has posted a statement from Thongchai Winichakul calling for rule of law in Thailand as a means to end conflict. Bangkok Pundit also criticises the National Human Rights...
Cambodia: Situation of restaurant workers
Nguon Serath writes about the grim situation of restaurant workers in Cambodia.
Singapore: Discrimination against construction workers
After four months of staying in Singapore, electricstars observes: “The Bangladeshi and/or Indonesian construction workers are some of the most shunned and disfavoured people on this island.”
Singapore's universities among the world's best
Blowin’ In the Wind blogs about the quality of higher education in Singapore.
Indonesia: Solving cybercrime
Police authorities in Jakarta have a proposal on how to eliminate cybercrime: Internet cafes would be requested to record their customers’ IDs in a guest book to prevent cyber crime.
Malaysia: Cycling for change
After two weeks of journey through the states of Malaysia, cyclists who joined the “Cycling For Change” campaign entered the Parliament complex yesterday to bring forward their demands to the...
Myanmar: Killing of elephants for trade
According to BurmaNet News, an increasing number of elephants in northern Myanmar are being killed for its ivory and skin for over a decade. Myanmar has the largest elephant population...
Japan: 2008 Politics
Neojaponisme has a roundup on 2008 Japan Politics, in particular concerning the dynamics within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Philippines: Iligan City Mall Bombings
Iligan City bloggers react to two bomb blasts that rocked two shopping centers in the the Southern Philippine city.
China: Mapping the hurt feelings of the Chinese people
Joel Martinsen from DANWEI creates a map for showing which are the countries involving in “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”, a rhetoric frequently used by Chinese government.
China: Commissioner scrutinized by netizen detectives
Zhou, Commissioner of Housing Bureau in Nanjing, stopped developers from cutting down the real estate price, claiming it was for the sake of people. But rebukes never stop as what people expect is right the opposite. Netizen detectives set out to run after clues of corruption from past news reports and pictures, from which two crucial evidences show up: cigarettes and watches. They even find out that he has a brother who is exactly a developer.
Philippines: Kumusta or How Are You
Don’t English Me, I’m not School muses on the usage of the word kumusta, a Filipino greeting which means “How are you?”
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