Google’s Memorial in China

[Flickr/EndWorld]

Okay, I get it. The people in China (this includes both Chinese and the Gui Luos) are trying to show their support of Google’s decision to pull out of Mainland if they are forced to censor, but a memorial?

While “paying respect” with flowers and candles makes for a great photo opp for foreign press, it seems a bit dramatic and a tad bit tasteless given the tragedy in Haiti right now.

Granted, I don’t blame them for wanting to make a political statement for their right to uncensored information and news. In any case, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the coming days.

Filed under: Breaking News, Web, Censorship, China, Google, Internet

Chinese Bloggers’ Mountain Meetup

[WSJ/vodpod]

The China Bloggers Conference was held last week in the mountains of LianZhou (a city in the southern province of Guangzhou). Yes, you heard right. It was held in the sticks and looking at the WSJ video (above), the attending bloggers somehow had Wi-Fi access and electricity to power their laptops. I have no idea how they did it, but I’m impressed.

The location, nevertheless, seems very weird. I mean, could you even imagine Macworld being hosted in Golden Gate Park or CES in Death Valley? Strange as it seems, the location – according to the video testimonials -  had a lot of symbolism. It represents the technology gap between the wealthier coastal cities in the east and the poverty-stricken regions in the west. On another level, it also represents the repercussions of Green Dam (i.e., China’s netizens are now forced underground because of increased censorship and on/off blockage of Facebook Twitter and Amazon).

What do you think? Would you go to a tech conference if it was held in the woods or on a farm? For sure, it would be a logistical nightmare, but it sure would be an “experience.”

China’s annual blogger conference was held

Filed under: Breaking News, Social Media, Web, Asian, Blogging, China, Conference, Green Dam, Social Media, Web 2.0

Link of the Week: iiStix

 

Chopsticks, originally uploaded by sonictk.

Asian/Asian American entertainment and community site, iiStix (pronounced “two sticks”) has been around for quite some time now (circa 98 or 99…..I am not quite sure based on the “about us” page). However, when I first discovered the site in 2006, it was under construction. While I had heard that the site was quite popular, I really couldn’t tell from the “under construction” page that was left up. So I left and would occasionally check back, but was only greeted by that “under construction” page again and again.

Two years later (i.e. earlier this week), I noticed a little bump in traffic for my post, The Face Shop + Walgreens, was coming from iiStix. Could it be I thought? Is the site actually up and running? I looked and it was…..since December 2007 apparently.

Looking around, I have to admit that it looks pretty impressive. Their front page blog is basically a running compilation of Asian/Asian American related entertainment, consumer and lifestyle stories gathered from other news sites and blogs with some interesting original articles by their core team of editors and contributors. Their forum is also pretty active with the most popular topics being (1) general chat, (2) love, sex & relationship, (3) tech, gadgets & gaming and (4) entertainment. They have a few, sporadic podcasts with the promise of some video casts, which should be interesting.

Check it out and see for yourself!

Filed under: Web, Asian-American, Entertainment, Forum, Publication, Web Site

Polyvore: Collages for the Web 2.0 Generation

The Frog Prince, an original Polyvore creation by yours truly.

Collages were never my favorite art project; however, if you went to my high school, then you would not graduate without being a collage master. You see, for pretty much every end-of-the-semester class report that I had to complete, 5% of my grade was dependent on an artistic collage that would serve as my cover page. I suspect that these collage assignments was suppose to make sure that we were all exposed to “the arts” in some shape or form, but really, a college?

If only I were a child of the Web 2.0 generation (FYI: in case you suspect that I am old, I was a college student during the rise of social media), then I would have Polyvore at my fingertips.

In case you haven’t encountered this new social media web application, Polyvore “is a unique, easy-to-use web-based application for mixing and matching products from any online store” according to its “about us” page. But what it really is (or rather what it has become) is a new, glue-free and online way of making a collage. With most of the items (product images, background, frames and texts) already provided by other users, you are just a few clicks away from making your next master piece. Of course, if you wanted to, adding your own images are selections is very quick and easy using Polyvore’s special copy & paste tool. It is all very easy and fun. I know I squandered my Saturday last weekend on this site and now you can too!

Filed under: Social Media, Web, Polyvore, Social Media, Web 2.0

Link of the Week: Hong Kong Hustle

Beautiful Hong Kong, originally uploaded by cblee.

Hong Kong Hustle
Hong Kong nightlife, street fashion, culture and cool
(www.hongkonghustle.com)

This is probably one of my favorite blogosphere finds in recent weeks. With this blog, you and I can live in HK vicariously and pretend that we part of the cool crowd….one of the people who always know where and when all the “it”parties are happening. Since 2005, Hong Kong Hustle has been offering an alternative glimpse into HK’s urban life and nightlife, very different than the often cutesy and squeaky clean image (though Edison Chen pretty much shattered that earlier this year) that is portrayed in the media. The unnamed blogger covers everything from art & design, food, local culture, music & DJs, parties & events and people.

Hong Kong Hustle screen capture, originally uploaded by hongkonghustle.com

Side Note: As I do my usual, sit at home and find an interesting blog to read routine, I’ll be sharing my favorite finds each Friday beginning today. As you can probably guess, I am trying to add a little more structure (i.e. editorial calendar) to my blog; however, I am still working out what I will be posting on the other days…..just like Disneyland, this blog will always be under construction. Enjoy!

Filed under: Web, Art, DJ, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Food, HK, Hong Kong, Links, Music, Nightlife, Street Fashion, Web Site