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xinning ji

Japan's 'herbivore men' -- less interested in sex, money - CNN.com - 0 views

edition.cnn.com/...index.html

shared by xinning ji on 07 Aug 09 - Cached
  • They are young, earn little and spend little, and take a keen interest in fashion and personal appearance -- meet the "herbivore men" of Japan
    • xinning ji
      xinning ji on 07 Aug 09
       
      it is quite interesting to learn the new term "herbivore men". I think it is the popular phenomenon in Japan, and also will be a global phenomenon because of the information flow and complex human behaviours
  • some men who she said were changing the country's ideas about just what is -- and isn't -- masculine
    • xinning ji
      xinning ji on 07 Aug 09
       
      The world is chaning all the time because of the improvement of technology and the high speed of information spread. So we always learn something new, and something is not always static. Traditionally, men in our mind are strong and powerful in sex and social work. But like this article presents, men can be weak and passive. This change breaks the conventional male image and social and cultural role.
  • "Some guys still try to be manly and try to be like strong and stuff, but you know personally I'm not afraid to show my vulnerability because being vulnerable or being sensitive is not a weakness."
    • xinning ji
      xinning ji on 07 Aug 09
       
      These men are confident to show their weakness, so it is kind of personality and characteristics among human beings today. People would not like to hide themselves and to follow the traditional rule. They have more freedom to present their real personality. Therefore, as we can see, even though they are sensitive and passive, they are happy and comfortable with that. I have to say, it is the society the world we live with, in which people can have multiple faces, attitudes, identities and personalities.
Lucy Rechnitzer

Twitter taken down to silence one man - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...nce-one-man-20090808-edml.html

shared by Lucy Rechnitzer on 16 Aug 09 - Cached
  • Twitter taken down to silence one man New York August 9, 2009 CYBER attacks on Twitter and other popular web services last week disrupted the lives of millions of internet users, but the real target was one man: a 34-year-old economics professor from the republic of Georgia.
  • The attacks were ''the equivalent of bombing a TV station because you don't like one of the newscasters'', said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at internet security company F-Secure.
  • The hackers used a botnet, a network of thousands of infected personal computers, to direct massive amounts of junk traffic to Cyxymu's pages on Twitter, LiveJournal, YouTube and Facebook in an attempt to disable them.The millions that were affected were, in a sense, simply bystanders, experiencing shrapnel from an internet blitzkrieg that took aim at one person and knocked out an entire community.
Christoph Zed

Venezuela bans Family Guy cartoon - 2 views

news.bbc.co.uk/...8277129.stm

media flow glocalisation culture clashes globalisation localisation

shared by Christoph Zed on 28 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Authorities in Venezuela say they will punish TV stations if they continue to broadcast episodes of cult US animation Family Guy.
    • xinning ji
      xinning ji on 28 Sep 09
       
      what I think is that authorities are those who work for the government or politics. so the issue is based on the decision of the government rather than general publics. therefore, the interactive communication between different cultures are limited by the politics.
  • the show should be banned because it promotes the use of marijuana
    • Andrew Ooi
      Andrew Ooi on 04 Oct 09
       
      If anyone wants to ban anything cigarrettes should be first on the list. This demonization of cannabis has gone on for far too long. Cannabis/Hemp species have been used for thousands of years for medicine, fabric, paper, biodiesel (recently, but you can use almost anything to make it anyways). If anyone disagrees I challenge you to a duel.
    • Nora Ibrahim
      Nora Ibrahim on 04 Oct 09
       
      True that Andrew! :-)
  • messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Televen avoided the fine by pulling the show and replacing it with Baywatch.
  • Venezuelan TV is known for filling its schedules with re-runs of old US series and Latin American soap operas
  • Christoph Zed on 28 Sep 09
     
    Interesting move, I guess the "localization" process overlooked a few issues. Personally I think "the family guy" does quite often cross lines that should not be crossed, (eg: when making fun of pedophilia) The show highlights a trend in western society to ridicule any value and/or anything "sacred".
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Nora Ibrahim on 04 Oct 09
     
    I am a HUGE fan on Family Guy since they started airing in States and recently have been watching the episodes from Season Seven (compliments of RMIT Library) back to back. I must say there are loads of 'jokes' used in the episodes which I found was bordering on 'so wrong'. The writers do make fun of every single thing and no one is spared, not even physically challenged people.
  • fina ramlee on 04 Oct 09
     
    I've watched it once and I didn't like it.Everything about it is so wrong but I guess it's now a trend to use cartoons as medium for silly jokes.
  • anonymous on 06 Oct 09
     
    Some people might capture the meaning wrongly. Perhaps Venezuelans view Family Guy as those who criticize the western value. Since Venezuelan TV is know to re-runs of old US series and Latin American soap operas, they tend to manage the conventional value instead of looking at the west in a modern society who gets ridicule by the writers.
Lucy Rechnitzer

France Telecom | suicides | Chief Financial Officer | Gervais Pellissier | French exec ... - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...er-scrutiny-20090925-g5g1.html

shared by Lucy Rechnitzer on 26 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Boss blames smartphones for stress as company suicide rate comes under scrutiny September 25, 2009 Comments 12 A top executive at France's biggest telecommunications company, which is dealing with a spate of suicides, warned that the barrage of emails from smartphones and personal computers was stressing out employees.
  • Research in Motion's popular BlackBerry has been dubbed CrackBerry in the United States, where some users say they are addicted to checking emails.
  • That is probably something we've not undertaken, not only at France Telecom but, it's more a global society issue, the impact of the new ways of working on personal behaviour," Pellissier said.
glen donnar

Hip-hop helps build bridge for city's newcomers - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...s-newcomers-20090725-dww4.html

immigration australia communication program mentor intercultural

shared by glen donnar on 26 Jul 09 - Cached
  • A dynamic music program is helping migrants connect to their new home
  • His experiences as a migrant give him the perspective needed to work with other newcomers."There's a system, and many people get trapped in that system," he says. "They put you in a housing commission flat when you first arrive as a refugee
  • I was battling a lot of things, like racism and stuff, and hip-hop helped me understand a lot of things about the government, about what happened back in Africa — it gives me more self-confidence to be here. So if I face racism I don't take it personally, I think, 'Maybe I need to educate you about some stuff.' "
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Both MCs have day jobs as youth workers and that can feed into the hip-hop workshops.
  • "You've got to understand how much the media affects young people, in so many ways," says Azmarino. "For example, the African community — what happened a few years ago in Kensington was all over Channel Seven, and it made them feel like they were a gang. That's like putting oil in the fire. They're teenagers and they're already feeling all those things, and then they were getting disrespected by the whole of Melbourne."
Andrew Ooi

Can Atheists Be Parents? - TIME - 0 views

www.time.com/...0,9171,877155,00.html

shared by Andrew Ooi on 27 Aug 09 - Cached
  • If they fail in their appeal, Eleanor Katherine may have to leave the only family she has ever known and await adoption by another couple whose religious convictions satisfy the State of New Jersey.
    • Andrew Ooi
      Andrew Ooi on 27 Aug 09
       
      Sounded like something we could talk about. Perhaps with cultural capital or something else.
  • Superior Court Judge William Camarata raised the religious issue.
  • Judge Camarata denied the Burkes' right to the child because of their lack of belief in a Supreme Being
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • no person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience.
  • the child should have the freedom to worship as she sees fit, and not be influenced by prospective parents who do not believe in a Supreme Being."
glen donnar

Politics comes before lights and camera - Opinion - theage.com.au - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...1248546628873.html

miff china australia international relations politics culture film nation states

shared by glen donnar on 02 Aug 09 - Cached
  • THE Melbourne International Film Festival has it all: dramas involving officials from foreign governments, larger than life characters sticking to matters of principles whatever the consequences and the struggles for liberation.
  • documentary about Rebiya Kadeer
  • subsequently three Chinese films were withdrawn.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • Loach's
  • The role of political actors, and the nation state in particular, in the film industry is enormous.
  • the film appears as the product of an individual visionary. This view of filmmaking is about as realistic as the standard Hollywood happy ending. The reality is that films are rarely, if ever, the personal, unadulterated vision of a director. They are influenced or, depending on your point of view, compromised from the start by those who bankroll the films.
  • In some respects, the most surprising thing about these kerfuffles is not that they have happened, but that they don't happen more often. While most of us think of film festivals as cultural events, the truth is that they are also deeply political events.
  • what gets far less attention is the extensive role played by political actors in the filmmaking process.
  • most films would not be made were it not for generous state subsidies.
  • And in spite of nice-sounding claims about facilitating cultural dialogue, nation states don't fund films because they love a good story. They do so because film can be a highly effective means of spreading influence. Since they're footing the bill, it's understandable that they want a say in the content of the film and how it is positioned.
  • films and film festivals are the continuation of politics by other means. It shouldn't be imagined that this applies only to authoritarian states such as China or political organisations with clear political objectives. Nearly every Australian film is made with some public money, and so filmmakers are subject to similar, if far more sophisticated and subtle, forms of state influence.
  • China has miscalculated the extent of its reach and, in the process, provided both the Kadeer documentary and the film festival an avalanche of publicity. And Ken Loach, in remarkably poor political judgment, has effectively silenced himself by withdrawing his film.
Christoph Zed

Celebrities, recession fuel interest in etiquette | Lifestyle | Reuters - 0 views

www.reuters.com/...idUSTRE57658I20090809

manners etiquette values style social behaviour

shared by Christoph Zed on 09 Aug 09 - Cached
  • Misbehaving celebrities and the recession have pushed more people to improve their etiquette in a bid to gain an edge over job rivals
  • he art of living with style, class and grace
  • For too long this 'stupid girl' behavior has been burning the daily headlines and I really think there's a lot of people out there who wanted to see a return to our feminine values,
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • tand up and take back our dignity and our values and our self respect," said Christy. "It's great that we have seen this resurgence in etiquette and manners and self respect
  • studies has shown that "85 percent of the reason a person gets a job, keeps a job and moves up is related to their people skills.
  • Manners are the great equalizer and if you have manners you can walk into any business or social situation
Nadeem Uddin

BBC NEWS | Africa | Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome - 0 views

news.bbc.co.uk/...8213352.stm

shared by Nadeem Uddin on 21 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Nadeem Uddin on 21 Sep 09
     
    Now what do we all think about this? Is it fair to free a criminal because of his health reasons? What do you guys think?
  • Christoph Zed on 25 Sep 09
     
    It may not be "fair" - and no doubt there is discussion over what fairness even means - but given circumstances, I think it is commendable for governments, (or individuals for that matter) to pardon a person that has been convicted of criminal offenses, if their individual case has been assessed in regards to threat for the general public. If found that a long time prisoner does not pose a threat to society anymore for reasons of health or age, why not give him the dignity to live a few last years, with their families in some sort of dignity? (eg: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/21/has-biggs-pulled-another-fast-one-115875-21689197/) Of course this can never be an global statement for every convicted criminal out there, but I think forgiving can be more powerful than being revengeful or "seeking justice".
sayaka uchida

Disney World: When Death Comes to the Magic Kingdom - TIME - 0 views

www.time.com/...0,8599,1917776,00.html

shared by sayaka uchida on 20 Aug 09 - Cached
  • Over the past six weeks at Disney World, a 21-year-old monorail driver, a 47-year-old actor portraying pirate Capt. Jack Sparrow's henchman "Mack," and a 30-year-old stuntman practicing for the Indiana Jones' Epic Stunt Spectacular died in on-the-job accidents.
  • community's grief is apparent on their Facebook pages. "We lost another one of our own at Disney. Too many, too young. Just wish it made some sense,"
  • "Mark lived for that magic. That's when Mark was most Mark," Babel says. "One's person's life can touch, in Mark's case, millions of guests. And he would make a special connection with each and every one of those kids that he came into contact with. He was amazing. The shining example of someone like Mark is inspiring, and so I kind of take extra care to make the magic in honor of Mark."
  • sayaka uchida on 20 Aug 09
     
    Death could bind people? Maybe death the only thing which every single person can share/possess.
Christoph Zed

The Axis of Honour: Honour, Modernity, and al Qaeda « The Sensible Jew - 0 views

sensiblejew.wordpress.com/...-honour-modernity-and-al-qaeda

globalisation terrorism al qaeda values society capitalism pluralism secularisation colonialism moral honor

shared by Christoph Zed on 23 Aug 09 - Cached
  • So many scholars and commentators attribute suicide terrorism to such factors as poverty, foreign occupation, or religion, among many other things.
  • Over the past two hundred years, there has been a global, though highly uneven, shift within the values systems of various societies.
  • One particularly profound transformation has been the relegation of one’s religion to the private sphere, as a matter of purely personal choice.
  • ...15 more annotations...
  • So societies that have embraced modernity, have effectively “privatised” religion. Indeed capitalism has been the driving force behind secularism because it required the dismantling of the communalist society.
  • Replacing the old communalism is heterogeneity and pluralism. These have eroded not only religious monopolies, but their centrality in various societies. The end result of this is a society’s secularisation.
  • Globalisation, in which western technological and cultural products predominate, is often framed as a form of colonialism.
  • Ironically, the rise of transnational Islamist terrorism is also a product of globalisation.
  • As the power of the nation state diminishes, religious ideology’s mobility allows it to permeate shifting borders.
  • The current face of modernity is therefore ideally suited to –  and an ideal breeding ground for – the creation of suicide terrorist groups.
  • In order to fortify the in group, moral strictures must become ever more rigorous, while condemnation of transgression must become ever more vociferous – and violent, thus intensifying the demarcation between “good” and “bad”.
  • terrorism implies a crisis of legitimacy
  • But can we say that such a crisis of legitimacy applies to transnational terrorists such as al Qaeda?
  • modernity is an attempt to destroy community and communalism…, all those forces which created identity and authority
  • such threats to communalism result in feelings of humiliation amongst those who do not benefit from the new order.
  • humiliation therefore “links the concepts of honor and human rights in an enlightening way, providing a framework both for ideologies and for the transition between them.”
  • Scott Atran identifies the primacy of honour throughout Arab societies, noting that the Arab perception of being humiliated by outsiders is a prime motivator for suicide attacks.
  • There emerges from the collective sense of humiliation something of an obligation to demonstrate outrage and embark on actions – even if they have little chance of success – in order to avenge honour. Martyrdom is one such example.
  • Beit-Hallahmi writes, that under such circumstances, “contemporary martyrdom can be viewed as an uprising against the end of history and the final triumph of liberal capitalism.”
Christoph Zed

To climb Uluru or not? Up, down or all over | Ayers Rock - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...or-all-over-20090910-fiyc.html

culture identiy faith belief clash indigenous uluru australia

shared by Christoph Zed on 17 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Standing 348 metres above its surrounds, this 400-million-year-old loaf-shaped object is easily one of the most recognisable on Earth.The question is whether I should climb it.
  • The traditional owners have asked us not to because of its spiritual significance.’’
  • ‘Human footsteps are eroding the surface and idiots peeing on the top are polluting the waterholes.’’
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • ‘because it’s there”,and his partner in crime Mr Patriotic because ‘‘it’s a national icon and a rite of passage’’, are already planning their assault on the summit the next morning.
  • ‘That’s areally important, sacred thing that you are climbing,’’ continues the sign. ‘‘You shouldn’t climb. It’s not the thing to do.’’
  • ‘I understand the traditional owners’ connection to the land,’’ the Birthday Girl says. ‘‘But what about my need to connect with the land?’’
  • photographer Ken Duncan, who said to me recently: ‘‘No person should own copyright on creation.
  • ‘Please allow us to have our own beliefs and experiences, too.’’ And there lies the rub.
  • From our group, two chose to climb it and loved the experience; some didn’t climb because they respected the traditional owners’ request not to; others stayed on the ground because they were either afraid of heights or didn’t think they were fit enough to make it. But, we all had the choice and that’s what matters. A better question is: should our right to make that choice be taken away?
Nadeem Uddin

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Slumdog child actors in new movie - 0 views

news.bbc.co.uk/...8243459.stm

shared by Nadeem Uddin on 08 Sep 09 - Cached
  • The child stars of the hit film Slumdog Millionaire are set to star in another film, possibly sharing a screen with British actor Anthony Hopkins.
  • "Lord Owen's Lady".
  • The children and their families recently moved to new housing. The accommodation was arranged by the government and a trust formed by Slumdog's British director Danny Boyle.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • We have been given a new house and our condition is improving but Azhar's father did not live to see the good days,"
  • I will do it if my parents ask me to do it. I had a good time acting in the previous film. I would like to act in this new film also
  • Christoph Zed on 08 Sep 09
     
    Bollywood meets Hollywood
  • xinning ji on 14 Sep 09
     
    he is a lucky slumdog child. I like that movie after I watched it. I found it is not easy to a person from a poor man to be rich. Also he has to make an hard effort to fulfil the dream. so best wishes to Azhar.
Lucy Rechnitzer

'Nigel the Crazy Noonga' Website Shut Down | Racism Outrage - 0 views

www.theage.com.au/...ism-outrage-20090924-g3mz.html

shared by Lucy Rechnitzer on 26 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Crazy Noonga' website sparks racism outrage FRAN RIMROD September 24, 2009 A website set up by a Perth student about a fictional Aboriginal character has been shut down and is being investigated by police amid racism claims. The website, which Radio 6PR reports was created by a 19-year-old Curtin University student, features audio excerpts  of a character called "Nigel the crazy Noonga", who prank calls businesses and fast-food outlets with a fake Aboriginal accent. The portrayal of negative Aboriginal stereotypes has sparked outrage from the Aboriginal community. Craig Somerville, lecturer at the Curtin University Centre for Aboriginal Studies, told 6PR he believed the material on the website had crossed the line between humour and racism.
  • The Facebook "Just for fun" group set up for "Nigel the crazy Noonga" has 317 members and describes "Nigel" as "your friendly neighbourhood Noonga". It also pokes fun at the character's fictional solvent abuse, describing it as his own personal "dreamtime". Sergeant Greg Lambert said police were aware of the website and were investigating.
Blaze Yau

Stirring tale of dancer who emerged from Mao's shadow - Film - Entertainment - 1 views

www.theage.com.au/...1253385036858.html

Australian movie China Dance

shared by Blaze Yau on 02 Oct 09 - Cached
  • This image was imprinted in our minds
  • This was my bible
  • this was the book that my life should have been following. This man was our god who had saved us from hell! But when I went to America everything contained in this thing - the beliefs, the ideologies - all crumbled right in front of me. I realised I was really the victim of an incredible cultural brainwashing
  • Blaze Yau on 02 Oct 09
     
    A very good Australian film 'Mao's Last Dancer'. The main character(real one) is now living in Melbourne as a stockbroker. I think the film successfully highlights the contradiction between Communist China and America. Should go and see it.
  • fina ramlee on 04 Oct 09
     
    have you seen it Blaze? Anna said it was brilliant.
  • xuejiao lin on 05 Oct 09
     
    Personally, i appreciate this movie so much. Mao's Last Dancer was opened on the same day in Melbourne as another movie called The Founding of A Republic. That was an obvious ideological confrontation. Though the two movies are telling story in the same country. Compared with the Singapore Girl TV Commercial, which was made by Asian for showing oriental spirit to the western in a western way, Mao's Last Dancer was made by Australia for showing their understanding of the age of ideological confrontation. I think for many western audience, there are a lot of languages and ideology during that special years could not be understood forever. But i appreciate the director and adaptor so much. Because sometimes we need others to help us grow.
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