According to a new study done by Glasgow University in Scotland, East Asians and Westerners may read facial expressions completely differently — Asians might look at a face and see surprise, while Westerners would look at the same face and see fear. That’s because Asians tend to focus on the eyes, while Westerners take in the face as a whole.
For the same reason, Asians may have trouble distinguishing certain expressions; narrowed eyes could suggest anger, but they could also suggest confusion. Interestingly, the Asians in the study often chose the less socially-threatening emotion. Confusion, not anger. Surprise, not fear.
This study makes all the more sense when you look at emoticons used by Asians and Westerners. Check out the chart in the article, which uses the example of :-) (Western) versus ^_^ (Eastern). I’ve never read much into emoticon styles, but this is pretty neat!
Now I’m wondering if there’s any connection between this study and the drawing of people in Japanese animation, with the emphasis on large, emotive eyes. Thoughts?
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American food companies are blazing new trails in China — with flavors, according to this CBS News Report by Celia Hatton. I enjoyed this story because she showed us examples of foodstuffs that Chinese consumers can find which look familiar, but really are not.
Citing blueberry-flavored potato chips, strawberry and milk-flavored Cheetos and aloe juice from Minute Maid, Hatton says that it seems like every major U.S. food label, “is trying to bite into China’s $186 billion fast food and processed food industries by creating new products made just for Chinese taste buds.” Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, said China is going to be the second-largest or largest consumer market in the world in the next five years. He said, “If American companies don’t figure out how to get it right in China, they’ll be missing out on what should be their major generator for growth.”
Other strange American-Chinese products? Tropicana cantaloupe juice, orange-flavored Chips Ahoy cookies, Chinese herbal medicine Wrigley’s gum.
But, she [Hatton] said, it’s Frito-Lay potato chips that really push the boundaries.
Taste tests, Hatton reported, revealed Chinese people didn’t like popular American flavors like sour cream and onion. So, to reach their audience, researchers developed new flavors inspired by traditional Chinese food, such as savory Sichuan spicy, sweet and sour tomato and sugary options like cucumber, lychee and mango.
Of course, we’ve discussed how popular American fast food chains like McDonald’s have different menus for different parts of the globe, so it shouldn’t surprise you that McDonald’s has a purple taro pie in China. But could you imagine getting your Starbucks coffee with jelly cubes in the bottom? How about getting spicy squid on a stick at KFC. Does that make it “Kentucky Fried Cuttlefish” instead of “Chicken?”
Hatton even cites toothpaste companies which cater to the Chinese market with flavors such pointing out lotus flower Crest and salty Colgate.
I will admit that I like my toothpaste minty and I hate the taste of taro, but beyond that, nothing in this report sounds TOO scary for me to try. In fact, I’m really tempted by all those flavors of chips. Are you tempted by these “Chinese” flavors? Do you think that any of them would work here in the States?
All I know is that most of these snack foods don’t remotely resemble the Chinese snacks I knew while I was growing up!
Shopping With GASP!
When I saw this video off of one of my Facebook feeds, I just had to say… “wow.” While I respect religious beliefs, if this is what we’re teaching our children, then sometimes I just don’t know what to say. I have to wonder what it is that children are actually being taught, whether they understand that you can still be friends without having the need to save everyone; it’s like trying to convince a Republican to become a Democrat or vice versa. Beliefs are there for a reason, be it Christianity, Hinduism or whatever, and convincing people to convert is just like what one of my good friends told me once:
“I can beat it into you with a bat, but in the end, I just end up with a bloody bat.”
Personally, there’s some truth in that statement; each person is responsible for finding their own way. But I can tell you that this type of behavior is one of the reasons why Eastern and Western cultures clash: when one side doesn’t view the others’ perspective and instead tries to deduce their reasoning through their own eyes, there’s a serious failure in communication. It’s the same reason why Matteo Ricci was one of the most successful Jesuit priests in China, due to his explanations of Christianity using concepts that stemmed from Confucian beliefs.
Sometimes, it’s a miracle that there are not more bloody bats in this day and age.
I remember having a conversation with a paparazzi friend of mine during the Toronto International Film Festival where that night he had chosen to “stalk” Zhang ZiYi during her film screening of The Banquet. By that time I had grown incredibly tired seeing her in period pieces and loudly remarked someone needs to throw a T-shirt and jeans on her and into a romantic comedy. He agreed. After the screening that night, I looked down below from our balcony seats to find Zhang ZiYi seated just below us.
Now sporting both leading actress and producers cap, Zhang’s first film is a China-Korea co-production entitled Sophie’s Revenge about a comic book artist (Zhang ZiYi) plotting to get her fiance (South Korea’s heartthrob So Ji Sup) back who left her for an actress (Fang Bingbing). Her vivid imagination runs wild along with her bandit of co-conspirators – high jinks and hilarity ensue.
I’m not much of a Zhang fan — anymore at least — but seeing her in a film like this doing campy comedy is refreshing and certainly different than her glamour-pouty image. From the trailer, previews and a five minute camcorder clip, it LOOKS entertaining and fun to watch. I’m guessing it’s also the same production company that also produced the Fitted for Love romantic-comedy films* which did very well in the China box office because it has that same quirky fluffy feel. I just hope the censors don’t keep it too PG.
(* Fitted for Love 2 starring Karena Lam was a good film with the worst ending pay-off.)
To get your event blogged about on 8Asians, join our social network!
- Queer Asian Pacific Islander Conference – TRANSGRESS, TRANSFORM, TRANSCEND is a national community and activist convening of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Asian American, South Asian, and Pacific Islander (API) individuals and organizations. Join us for a transformative learning, sharing, and cultural experience — as we inspire and sustain each other and ourselves beyond our imagined capacity. (8/14, Seattle WA: More info here.)
- Kamikaze Girls Outdoor Screening – Celebrating the grand opening of the NEW PEOPLE building in San Francisco’s Japantown and the presentation of the J-Pop Summit Festival 2009 with a free outdoor screening of Kamikaze Girls. Written and directed by Tetsuya Nakashima, it is one of the best reviewed Japanese films to be released in the US in recent years. (8/14, San Francisco: More info here.)
This video (Conan Visits The NBC Store from 08/07/09) has been circulating our office and been cracking us up for days. I think I’ve seen it five times and I still bust up every time I see it.
The thing is, I’ve totally been in that store. I was on the Lot when they were still constructing Conan’s soundstage. And I’ve met Wing Pang. We were in the same meetings during the early phases of a project my company was doing at NBCU about a year ago — which makes it all the more funny to my coworkers who have met him and worked with him throughout this project, too.
Seeing someone I know Conan is not only kind of weird, but kind of cool. It would be a stretch to call Wing a “friend” since I only worked with him for a few weeks, but I can tell you that what you see is what you get with Wing. He’s not acting and really is just like that. I don’t know how I’d do if Conan suddenly showed up with a camera crew asking me about my lunch — I’m guessing I’d get really nervous and worry about my hair looks on TV — but I think Wing was funny, genuine, and definitely held his own with the new host of the Tonight Show. And to put it in context… that crack at the end about “Facebox” wasn’t Wing being dumb or anything. It was actually a jab at Conan for a mistake he had made earlier in the show (see Conan’s reaction).
But I guess I’m not the only one who thinks Wing is hilarious. Patrick Sauter at the Daily Tube says:
Wing Pang needs to become part of the Tonight Show’s merry band of idiots. Sooner than later. He’s got a sarcastic potty mouth, loves discount chicken, and drops the kind of idiosynchratic[sic] bon mots that meld perfectly with Conan’s workaday weirdness.
Exhbit[sic] A: “I have no reason to hate Santa.”
Wing Pang, coming to a profile in Facebox near you.
So anyway, to “Wing Like Chicken Wing,” who is probably too famous now to take my calls or read my emails: I hope to see you again as a recurring friend of Conan’s on his show! Maybe if your bodyguards will let people near you, Moye and I would each like to get your autograph. Please sign them to “Joz like Jaws” and “Moye like Annoy.” Thanks!
By Kristian
There are many words to describe Melissa Roxas, an accomplished Filipino-American activist, but a rebel? The Philippine government claims that Melissa Roxas fits the description of a member of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines formed in 1969. They have not only been a threat to the Philippines but also to the US and Europe being designated as a foreign terrorist organization post 9/11. In 2007, Melissa traveled back to the Philippines to conduct research for a writing project and to dedicate more of her time to community health work. On May 19th, 2009, while on a medical mission in Tarlac, Melissa Roxas became a victim of a human rights violation herself when she was abducted at gunpoint and held against her will for six days, while being subject to physical and psychological torture until her surfacing in Quezon City on May 25, 2009.
In an affidavit she executed last June, Roxas said her abductors repeatedly tried to make her confess into being an NPA member. In an article from GMANews, the real target of the abductors of Fil-Am activist Melissa Roxas was actually a former official of Migrante International. “Maita” mentioned in the affidavit of Roxas is Maita Santiago, the Migrante’s secretary-general for three years. According to a recent article from the New York Times, the facts presented in Melissa Roxas’s case are still under investigation which highlighted something that international and local human rights groups say is all too common in the Philippines: violations of human rights by the military in the name of battling a communist insurgency.
Melissa Roxas was reported to be a part of the left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) or New Patriotic Alliance whose members claim that they have been targets for a “cleansing process” after the Philippines’ new and controversial anti-terrorism law took effect. Many bloggers have been covering Melissa Roxas and I am surprised that it was not brought up here on 8asians, which why I decided to take the opportunity to discuss this issue; there is also a campaign that is a broadly-carried initiative of organizations, churches, and individuals who support Melissa Roxas, an American victim of state-sponsored abduction and torture in the Philippines, and her pursuit of justice and accountability. For more coverage and updates on this matter, you can visit my blog, Fil-Am Ako.
ABOUT KRISTIAN: Kristian is the blogger of Fil-Am Ako, based in Chicago.
Although South Carolina’s Lexington County State Representative Nikki Randhawa Haley announced that she is running for governor in May, I only recently came across the news; if Haley wins, she will follow in the footsteps of Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and become the second Indian American governor of the state, breaking an additional glass ceiling of becoming the first Indian American female governor.
“…To become governor, Haley will have to overcome questions about her Indian heritage and whether S.C. voters will accept a woman chief executive. During her first State House run, anonymous ads in Lexington County questioned Haley’s faith. Haley was raised a Sikh but is now a Methodist.”
Having never lived in South Carolina, I don’t know how much Haley’s race or her ties to being raised a Sikh will play into the governor’s race, but I did receive an email reply from an Indian American friend of mine who commented on Haley’s announcement: “She and Bobby Jindal have converted to Christianity. And both are Republican. Sigh.”
Yeah, kind of my thoughts as well. For a country that values freedom of religion, I personally don’t see in my lifetime a non-Christian ever winning a governorship in the South. What do you think? For those who are interested, you can learn more about Haley’s run for governor at her official campaign site here.
Congratulations to Jason H, who was randomly selected as the winner of our Asian American Arts Stimulus Package 2! Thanks for all the great entries!
Here is Jason’s winning entry:
Ever since I moved to Los Angeles, a year ago, I have appreciated the wide availability of API-American events on the West Coast. After attending many of these events, I felt so influenced, that I wanted to be part of these organizations and be part of their goals. Therefore, I have been able to meet so many fascinating and very welcoming people.
Rather than just attend events, I always feel obligated to volunteer and help in any way I can. My most recent event was the Korean BBQ Cookoff and I got to know the KAC (Korean-American Coalition). I am also affiliated with Kollaboration, Visual Communications, and Tuesday Night Cafe. I cannot wait for Nisei Week coming soon!
As for my favorite of the three tickets, I would most appreciate Lodestone’s “Closer than Ever,” because I have never been to a musical before. I have always wanted to go to one for the live-acting, the singing, the dancing, and the inspiration/feeling a person can gain from such an experience. I have looked into possibly volunteering for it, but I believe they do not need any.
I know of the 18 Mighty Mouth Warriors from TNKAT; they usually do short comedic skits every show!
As for the East-West Players’s “Art,” this is my first time hearing of it and it does sound very interesting. I am likely to go and support them.
Congratulations! Please attend and enjoy all three events and thanks for your commitment to the L.A. Asian American arts community!
You know, I have to say that even though Jason was selected randomly as the winner, I’m so pleased that it turns out he has a great entry (albeit not very “brief” as requested!). I love all 3 of these organizations, but I’m also glad he singled out Lodestone’s musical “Closer Than Ever,” which I saw on Opening Night. It was really a fun production and I think for someone who has never seen a musical revue, this is a great one to “pop his musical cherry.” I do know that 18MMW’s Bow Down to Your Asian Masters is already sold out for this weekend, so please act quickly and book your tickets before they’re all gone… their run ends next weekend! And even though East West Players’ Art doesn’t open for another month, please mark the dates in your calendar because it promises to be another exciting run, as well!
I wish we had more free tickets to giveaway, but please check out the event websites as there are (generally) lower priced tickets such as previews, matinees, and “Pay What You Can” performances.
Thanks again to 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, and East West Players for offering up free tickets for this giveaway.
“[I had] an offer to sit in and read for the main Asian bad guy (already cast but he’s in Africa on another project and can’t make the studio, all-cast table read) and to read every other Chinese role in the script (all my dialogue would be in Chinese). Totally, totally retarded. My agents were very excited. They wanted me to do it. They thought it would be a great opportunity for someone like me because I’ll be able to meet and perform in front of the likes of Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, and other powerful white people. I, on the other hand, was not excited at all.”
It’s often too easy to overlook the news reports of natural disasters, since there seem to be so many all the time. In a week that had a 6.9 earthquake in Japan on Sunday, followed by another 6.4 in Japan on Tuesday,, a 7.6 earthquake in the Indian Ocean minutes later, you may have missed that Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan last Saturday before moving on to the rest of Asia. Since the American TV news hasn’t covered Morakot as much as Chinese language stations, you may have missed the devastating footage of the landslides or the footage of the 6 story hotel toppling over into the flood waters. Morakot has done more damage in Taiwan than the other natural disasters in Asia. It’s estimated 62 have died, and over 10,000 left homeless. If you’re looking for a way to help out, the TaiwaneseAmerican.org website has compiled a list of agencies providing support to victims of the typhoon.
8/14/09 11:30PDT Update – 121 dead and hundreds missing in Taiwan feared buried under mudslides
It seems like yesterday that I spent 4th of July weekend at my Aunt and Uncle’s house at their annual Independence Day blowout. But aside from a chance to celebrate the Fourth with many amazing folks, the party also doubled as a “Daniel’s Going Away Party.” Daniel, is one of our “littlest” (youngest) cousins and he was heading off to Chicago and ultimately New York to pursue a career in modeling, having won an Asian modeling contest last year and then signing a contract with Ford Models shortly after that.
After being in New York for only a week, Dan booked and shot his first big gig: the Uniqlo Fall 2009/Winter 2010 ad campaign, the photographer only being the famous Mario Testino. In the last couple of weeks, he has booked and shot more gigs, including some ads for Procter & Gamble and other major clients. Needless to say, we’re all so proud of him!
Anyway, as a lucky family member, I’ve had the “inside scoop” from his sisters who have been leaking test shots for months, but now I’ve gotten my hands on his show cards via Asian Models Blog.
If you clicked on the show card and saw his stats… no, your eyes do not deceive you. Daniel is indeed 6′ 2.5″ tall, maybe a smidge taller than that. I’d share a photo of us together but he pretty much towers over me and, well, it’s hard to be in pictures with really good looking people because it makes us regular folk look all the more regular.
Anyway, I’m asking that if you see this tall, muscled guy in some magazine or website in the near future, please let me know. If you want to ogle over him and tell me how hot he is, I’ll acknowledge your feelings, but I can’t quite totally agree with you, since there is just something icky about thinking that your cousin is hot. (Yes, I know, I’m just going to have to get used to hearing people go ga-ga over him!)
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