Limmer loves Vocolate!

Going through the old YG catalog and started listening to Wheesung the other day. I am very much in love with his last CD, Vol. 6: Vocolate, released late last year. Although he and YG parted ways about 4 years ago, there's still a very hip R&B infused sound to his tracks. Anyway, this is the song that happened to be playing when I decided to post, so here's a live version of 눈물 쏟고 또 쏟고 (Tears Keep Flowing and Flowing).

News of the Day for 4.30.10

• A British man attempts to duck Big Brother for one month.
• Pennsylvania man fined for illegally shooting a bear after luring it with loads of donuts and pastries. What a waste of donuts and pastries.
• Australia attempts to introduce the world's most stringent cigarette packaging regulations by banning branding.
• Shanghai's World Expo is yet another attempt for China to demonstrate it's growing influence. More from the NYTimes.
• Dutch Muslim women at society's forefront.
• Bigot-gate causes panic among Labour's upper ranks, but in the Prime Minister's defense, the woman did ask where '[a]ll [those] Eastern Europeans...[were] flocking from'. Um, try Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the Guardian impresses with headlines and calls last night's debate 'the X Factor for ugly people' and explores the candidates' inner ape. Elections are fun!

News of the Day for 4.29.10

• Arizona's ridiculous new law spurred by an immigration non-crisis.
• A deeper look at the two Koreas and now the sunken warship that threatens to divide them further. Would North Korean involvement indicate Kim Jong-Il's weakening power? Also, China's rising stake in Korean affairs.
• Chili peppers for pain relief.
• Gordon Brown faces bigot-gate.
• UK's white ruling class.
• Ghana's invention workshop, via BBC's From Our Own Correspondents. (One of my favorite radio programs/podcasts.)
• Happy Meals may get the boot in Santa Clara.

News of the Day for 4.28.10

• China lifts HIV/AIDS travel restrictions ahead of World Expo.
• Tail of Denmark's Little Mermaid's journey to the Shanghai Expo.
• China loses 2000 Olympic bronze medal for fielding underage athlete. Surprised? No.
• China aims to tighten internet controls in order to prevent leaks of 'state secrets'. 
• French president Nicolas Sarkozy visits China.
• South Korea mourns naval disaster deaths and treads lightly around the issue of North Korean involvement.
• That whole thing Asian thing about personality and blood type, this time in Japan.
• Glue, eggs, and smoke bombs - that's how Ukraine's Parliament gets shit done. Take note, Congress!
• Chechen president accused of ordering the kidnapping of an exile who was later killed during the botched abduction.
• Affirmative action that makes a difference for Indian women.
• Nancy Drew's iron grip on women in power. This quote in particular caught my attention: "Girls who read, especially voraciously, are not the girls most focused on popular culture." I beg to differ.

News for the Day for 4.27.10

• The curious relationship between chocolate and depression.
• The curious relationship between the religious and celibacy.
• The curious relationship between Playboy and the Hollywood sign. 
• The curious relationship between chimps and death.
• The curious relationship between quolls and cane toads.
• The curious relationship between landfills and deodorant.
• The curious relationship between Taiwanese politicians and the mafia.
• The curious relationship between Brazilian cowboys and life.
• The curious relationship between Russian adoptees and a Montana ranch.
• The curious relationship between the Pentagon and PowerPoint.
• The curious relationship between Chinese hospitals and doctors.
• The curious relationship between public radio and classical music.
• The not-so-curious relationship between health and a balanced diet.

News of the Day for 4.26.10

• Papal condoms, gay marriage blessing, singing with the Queen? Re a memo for Pope Benedict's upcoming visit to the UK, someone in the British Foreign Office is clearly out of touch with the Catholic Church. (UPDATE: That someone turns out to be a 23 year old Oxford graduate. Smart kids.)
• Sandstorm season in northern China. I can say from experience, this blows [groan].
• Japanese rally to kick the US off Okinawa.
• Stephen Hawking warns against contacting aliens.
• The BBC investigates the cost of virginity in the Arab and Asian world.
• Controversial book airs Samsung's dirty laundry.
• After several years of reading Britain's take on US elections, a Times article dissecting the recent television debates in the British election.
• Anti-yoga yogis increasingly reject the consumer, personality cult-driven nature of yoga.

News of the Day for 4.24.10

• Yea! Just what China needs - a car show!
• Sunbeds can be addictive. So when will research show that whitening creams have a similar effect?
• Naps + dreams can aid in learning. No word yet on what dreaming about Korean pop stars helps anything.
• It's 2010, but good ol' racism is still chugging along. A story about a white family on vacation in Florida who insisted they not be served by 'people of colour' or anyone 'with a foreign accent'. It clearly did not occur to them that they, in fact, have a foreign accent when visiting the States.
• Malcolm Tucker, the master of the F-bomb and fictional character on the f-ing hilarious political comedy The Thick of It, provides a weekly election briefing over at the Guardian. It is fucking brilliant.

Toronto women rate the men of Big Bang.

The good ladies of Toronto took part in this highly scientific survey to determine who is the best looking Big Bang member. Daesung seems to be a favorite, though I'm wondering what pictures they showed. Probably not Taeyang + Prayer MV shots because if Canadian women saw the six pack on that man........

Dumbfoundead + Clara + Jay Park = 'Clouds'.

At laaaaaast! There were some anxious people last night just waiting for the super trio of Dumbfoundead, Clara, and Jay aka Jaebeom to drop their much anticipated track. And here it is!! Enjoy, because I certainly did.

>>> What's that? You say you love this track and want a piece of it? No problem. Dumbfoundead has a FREE download at his site. Show them some love!

Big Bang + 'Lies' = Death by Pineapple.

I've seen this video quite a few times, but I only now noticed that the girl kills her lover - with a pineapple. Damn.

'Nothing On You' + 'Airplanes' = Less than 3.

UPDATE >>> Free download. Listen and pass it on.

A post before I tuck in - at 5a. A glorious cover of Nothing on You and Airplanes by Clara and Jason. Check. It. Out.

News of the Day for 4.22.10

Happy Earth Day!

• Thailand continues to explode.
• Jail terms in a corruption case that led to the collapse a Shanghai building - intact.
• Taiwan's religious festivals draw Mainlanders and, while they won't resolve political issues, do help to improve ties between the two countries, or political entities if you prefer.
• Scam! Brain training games don't actually train your brain.
• Some vibrant pictures of Borneo wildlife.
• Not exactly Face/Off as a Spanish farmer in his 30s received the world's first full face transplant.
• The Chinese love affair with odd English phrases.
• Amazing new pictures of the sun. Also check out NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory for more goodies.
• Japan's poverty problem.
• Elections! Not quite the battle royale of 2008, but the fight is getting testy over in Britain. Tory candidate David Cameron got egged by some hoodie yesterday, which surprisingly did not happen to either McCain or Palin, that I can recall.

Asian Entertainment News for 4.22.10.

• Vanness makes hamburgers, talks about his girlfriend - and not having sex, or French kissing. Whatever works for them, but I really don't think God objects to two lovers swapping spit.
• Another Chinese quake, another HK benefit, another chance for all manners of stars to wear oversized white tees, black rimmed glasses, and unusually solemn faces.
• G-Dragon's a beast! For those of us who didn't pack the stadium at his Shine a Light concert, here is the MV for She's Gone, featuring a slightly disturbed GD.
• A blogger lists the Top 10 Asian American Rappers of All Time. Kind of heavy, considering 'all time' spans roughly a decade. But it's still a good who's who and includes some of my favorites like Dumbfoundead and Far East Movement. Topping the list is, of course, Big Boy MC Jin.

Worthington, Sam Worthington.

Sam Worthington as James Bond? It's all just rumor and I'd actually put money on this not being true, or at least nothing more than buzz because the press want more 007 stories. But Mr. Worthington, as wonderful as he might be, seems such a safe and ordinary choice. Yes, let's get the fit, good looking bloke who's been appearing in all the blockbusters and put him into our blockbuster. Just isn't as compelling when we've already seen him kick ass and take names so many other times. Seeing as it's the 21st century, I'm voting for someone, oh, not so pale. Meanwhile, who has a problem with M. Craig?

 Nobody does it better.

Wonder Boys do 'Kissing You' and 'Nobody'.

Came home at midnight and decided that rather than going out for a run, I'd watch some Korean pop. That's never a good idea but at least it's always entertaining. Tonight's video is another only-in-Asia moment - 5 guys from various boy bands come together for one glorious, estrogen-inspired performance as the Wonder Boys. Jo Kwon (2AM), Tae Min (SHINee), Shindong and Sungmin (Super Junior), and Mr. Handsome, SeungRi, take on Girls Generation's Kissing You and Wonder Girls' Nobody.

G-Dragon + '1 Year Station'.

To celebrate the release of G-Dragon's Shine a Light concert DVD, I'm posting the GD song that's getting heaviest rotation on my humble iPod.

News of the Day for 4.20.10

Now for some grown-up news.

• Report shows a sharp increase in hi-tech crime.
• Internet's popularity in Indonesia offers an outlet for activists but creates concern for the government.
  
• Increasingly, Chinese use the internet for entertainment. Surprise? No.
• Barack Obama may golf more than W., but the rest of the world doesn't seem to mind.
• White House opts for low-key approach to improving Muslim American relations within the country.
• UK animal shelters will no longer accept strays and unwanted pets. Bob Barker was right - spay and neuter!
• Research finds that human shoppers move inefficiently, unlike more 'competent species' such as ducks and geese.
• Tete-a-tete between the world's top female climbers - Spain's Edurne Pasaban and South Korea's Oh Eun-sun.
• Surgeon cuts accidentally cuts off testicle. Read at your own risk.

Asian Entertainment News of the Day for 4.20.10

• Aziz Ansari hosts 2010 MTV movie awards. Sweetness.
• Sam Tsui is auditioning for Glee and y'all better vote his ass into the show.
• Jin drops a new English track, with download.
• Dream Concert 2010 will be held in late May and the lineup includes loads of pretty people, none of whom happen to belong to YG entertainment.
• The much anticipated IRIS sequel is gearing up for an October broadcast. That gives me about 6 months to watch the original series.

Team Hidetoshi Nakata!

How ridiculous is this blog? I do read actual news. Which is kind of where I found this photo. Angry Asian Man isn't the New York Times, but if you need your Asian American headlines, this is the source. Today's post - a roundabout call to put some hot Asian guy on the cover of GQ. Where do I sign? Although Hidetoshi Nakata retired in 2006, he clearly hasn't been slacking. Hmm, with players like him, guess I know who my supplementary World Cup team will be now. Team Japan, I got your back after the US gets the boot.

U-Kiss + Alexander + Cantonese = amazing.

Living in Asia has taught me a few things, like to always bring toilet paper. Another important lesson I've learned is that no matter how awesome I think my language skills are (and I don't think they're that awesome), I'll never match wunderkinds like Alexander from U-Kiss, who speaks 7 languages thus matching his Macau compatriots, Soler. Yes, can you believe it? Hong Kong has produced its own little Korean pop star (he moved to Macau when he was young), and I, for one, am proud of our Cantonese-speaking idol.

Here's Alexander and crew sending out their Chinese new year greetings. I'm not a fan of their music, but they remind me of some cute kids next door trying out for the local talent show.

SeungRi + G Dragon = 'Strong Baby'.

SeungRi is lowest on my Big Bang radar, but of the 5, I think he's the most traditionally handsome - tall, slim, and chiseled in all the right places (mark 3'12" - someone's been working out). They all can rock a suit, but there's something particularly suave about li'l SeungRi all dressed up like the big boys. He channels some JT Futuresex/Lovesounds smoothness in this video, which gives him more polish than the usual neon trench he has to wear in group videos. Give the kid a few more years, a few more voice lessons, and a few more protein shakes, and he'll kill.

Notes: 1) Spelling lesson @ 4'21" - v-i-c-t-o...y? 2) Someone's going to call the 'p' word (...plagiarism) on this song sooner or later because you ain't made it in K-Pop til someone accuses you of stealing.

Vanness gives us a 'Reason' to love him.

(I too cringe at the titles of my posts.) Since I've reconnected to the internet, thus the world, I've been doing the rounds on YouTube and happened upon Vanness's latest Japanese release, Reflections. Gotta hand it to the guy; he's come a long way from his F4 days, and the public thanks him. Credit God for showing Vanness the way, which hopefully does not lead to more bad accidents with facial hair.

One of the more popular hits on this album is Reason, and once again I am forced to admit that I am impressed. Easy when expectations start at zero, but he's bumped up the bar of late. On this song, Vanness's otherwise ordinary voice is boosted by healthy doses of autotune and other forms of electronic interference, making it catchy and slick enough to warrant a video with black leather, a sports car, cages, and um, a forest. He also exhibits some dance moves that would make Korean boy bands proud. Still, the kid ain't no Taeyang.

Check out the video, with guest Tiffany Xu as the hot chick with very smokey eyes. She played Yi Qian, the second love interest to Wu's Ren Guang Xi in 下一站，幸福 (Autumn's Concerto).

Another one bites the dust: Daniel Wu and Lisa S get hitched.

Well, it was bound to happen. After 8 years, Daniel Wu and Lisa S finally get married in South Africa. I understand that Lisa S has some roots there, but really, their wedding photos look like publicity shots for a bad TVB show. (The Last Breakthrough anyone? Though I actually enjoyed that one.) The good news is that Ronald Cheng is newly available, if that is indeed good news to anyone.

Ab-solutely fabulous!

So it's been about a month since I posted. Blame that on my inability to close my old internet account and sign up for a new one. Also, I'm in the process of jumping ship over to Wordpress but as with everything in my life, the task will only get accomplished after much procrastinating. The good news is that I submitted my thesis. The better news is that I'm still in love with this:

The even better news is that I have also acquired another obsession in the form of this:

Now, before we crap ourselves because I just posted a picture of Vanness Wu, consistently my least favorite member of F4 (well, I didn't realize he looked like that), the qualifier comes in the form of a hit Taiwanese drama, 下一站，辛福 (Autumn's Concerto or Next Stop, Happiness) starring him and Ady An. 'Hit' is kind of an understatement; it killed the ratings and surpassed even mega-hit The Prince Turns into a Frog which previously knocked out Meteor Garden, which incidentally launched Vanness's hitherto questionable career. Being no fan of this transplanted American, I approached the show with a healthy dose of skepticism - and was subsequently blown away. I'll save the gushing for a post not written at 3a, but let's just say Mr. Wu, and really the entire cast and crew, impressed me like none other in film or television recently. It had all the ingredients for a disaster in my Asian drama recipe book - unusually attractive, and tall, idols; orphans; single mothers, bitchy mothers; kidnapping; brain tumors; amnesia; and bloody Vanness Wu. Yet somehow, it held itself together and even managed to push forward an actual message about the nature of love, one that overcame the contrived trappings of the genre and managed an affecting honesty. Expect plenty more obsessive posts, and hopefully a review, in the near future. In the meantime, the closing credits song sung by Della and Emil Chow, still sporting a mullet after all these years. I found a series preview but it wouldn't allow embedding. In any case, this song is a treat!