Monthly Archives: June 2008

Shockers – all-male cheerleading team

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The Wall Street Journal wrote an article about the all-male Japanese cheerleading group Shockers. The 24-member Shockers squad defeated 14 all-female teams to win a national cheerleading competition in Japan a few months ago.

The Shockers team focuses on moves that take advantage of their physical strength. In one, several men form a tight circle and together toss a smaller teammate four or five meters in the air, catching him just before he hits the ground. A still showier move is the “Scorpion,” in which three members hold up a fourth, who stands on one leg and extends the other leg behind his head — similar to the Biellmann spin position in figure skating. Only two team members can pull that off, though.

Maybe we will see the group in one of the plethora of dance shows broadcasting on TV.

Watch Shockers in action

Yi Jianlian traded to the New Jersey Nets

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Hours before the 2008 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks traded forwards Yi Jianlian (who was the sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft) and Bobby Simmons to the New Jersy Nets in exchange for small forward Richard Jefferson. (Chinese officials got what they fought so hard for last year: Yi Jianlian in a major city with a larger Chinese population.) The word is that New Jersey did the deal not for the potential of Yi Jianlian, but for the salary cap relief it provides in the year 2010, when franchise players like LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade enter the free agent market. Yi made 49 starts and played in 66 games, averaging 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds.

Despite these rumors, the New Jersey Nets marketing department wasted no time promoting Yi Jianlian. They plastered Yi’s image when you try to go to the Nets website. The offer “Buy a season ticket, Get a Free Yi jersey.” If you don’t want the season ticket, you can pre-order Yi’s #9 jersey. Yi Jianlian’s got more play than the Nets first round draft pick Brook Lopez. From looking at the Nets website, you wouldn’t even know he got picked.

We can see it now. Nets owner Jay-Z wearing a Yi jersey on the sidelines. If you can’t wait to see Yi play , you can catch him playing for China in the Olympics.

Yi Jianlian vs Yao Ming

Three Delivery

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Nicktoons Network, the fastest-growing kids’ network, presents Three Delivery, a new modern-day superhero tale packed with martial arts, high-speed bike races, paranormal mystery and kid-relatable comedy, beginning Friday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m. (ET). The new animated 26-episode series, produced by the New York-based Animation Collective, follows three Kung Fu fighting teens as they strive to balance studying, delivering food for Wu’s Garden Chinese restaurant and protecting ancient Chinese recipes from the evil Kong Li. The series will air regularly Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

Three Delivery, inspired by live-action film, graphic novels and classic cartoon comedies, features references to authentic Chinese phrases, celebrations, cuisine and mythology. Set in Chinatown, the series’ buildings and backgrounds are inspired by actual cityscapes in New York and San Francisco Chinatowns. Real Kung Fu moves such as crane style, tiger style, snake style, and eagle style are illustrated in the show.

To further engage viewers in the rich world of Three Delivery, 11 two-minute “mobisodes” have been created for cell phones and online at www.threedelivery.com and www.nicktoonsnetwork.com. While viewers will be exposed to Chinese background through the series, www.threedelivery.com will also offer exclusive content, such as a Chinese glossary, virtual map of Chinatown, screensavers, wallpapers, buddy icons and a free MP3 download of the series’ theme song. Additional features to come include interactive games, customizable fortune cookie e-mails, Kung Fu moves and video blogs from Sue, Sid, Tobey and others.

Three Delivery synopsis

Years ago, an evil young apprentice named Kong Li unleashed the power of a magical cookbook, scattering its dangerous recipes throughout Chinatown. Thanks to an ancient spell, a force field was placed around the city, keeping the magic in the book. For many years, the rest of the world was protected, but now Kong Li has returned to find the powerful recipes. If he succeeds, evil power will be released and the world will be in danger.

Luckily, three teenage heroes skilled in Kung Fu have been trained to stop Kong Li. When orphans Sue, Sid and Tobey are recruited by Nana to make deliveries for Wu’s Garden Chinese restaurant, they see it as a chance to move out of the orphanage and ride cool bikes. Little did they know that every evening they would be locked in a lightning-fast battle against evil for the fate of the world.

Watch a clip of Three Delivery

THREE DELIVERY

A side of rice, a little broccoli

A flying bicycle, a secret recipe

And on the way home, I’ll solve a mystery

Just another night in the city

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Three delivery!

Flashing lights above Chinatown

Giant footsteps are shaking the ground

The boss doesn’t care, you can eat in or take out

Because it’s just another night in the city

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Delivery!

(delivery, delivery)

Three delivery!

China’s Ming Dynasty at Asian Art Museum

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For centuries, Ming porcelain vases have been regarded as the epitome of priceless beauty. The Asian Art Museum’s special exhibition, Power & Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty demonstrates why not just vases but Ming art of many types has earned such acclaim. On view from June 27–September 21, 2008, this major groundbreaking exhibition explores the grandeur and opulence of one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. The exhibition is divided into seven themes related to different aspects of Ming court life: government and ranks; entertainment and hobbies; daily life; architecture and court environments; technology and innovation; religion and beliefs; and education and tradition.

Power & Glory also marks the Asian Art Museum’s first ollaboration with three of China’s most prestigious institutions — The Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing, the Nanjing Municipal Museum, and the Shanghai Museum. Some of the most precious artworks from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) from these museums, along with some of the finest items from this period owned by the Asian Art Museum, make up Power & Glory, the first exhibition in the U. S. to focus on the full range of Ming court arts. Many of the more than 240 artworks — porcelain, paintings, textiles, lacquer, jade, jewelry, architectural elements, and more — will be on public view for the first time. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of Ming achievement, through an unequaled collection of works from the Chinese dynasty most renowned for its refined aesthetic and standards of perfection. The exhibition will travel to the Indianapolis Museum of Art (October 26–January 11, 2009) and the St. Louis Museum of Art (February 22–May 17, 2009).

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Ming – which means “bright” in Chinese – was an appropriate name for a dynasty whose 276 years of rule were marked by stability, economic strength, and a dramatic flourishing of the arts. The first capital of the Ming dynasty was in Nanjing. The third Ming emperor (the Yongle emperor, reigned 1403-24)) transferred the capital to Beijing, and under the Ming dynasty the Forbidden City in Beijing became an international landmark. By the end of the dynasty, Beijing supported a population of more than one million people. The Forbidden City along with the outlying region that supported it made Beijing “a service and supply center that was undoubtedly the largest of its kind in the world at that time” according to the late Chinese historian Ray Huang.

The Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty. That’s Power & Glory

72 Hour Film Shootout Entries

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72 Hour Film Shootout competition ended on Monday and has now entered the judging phase. The Judging Panel includes producer Karin Chien (The Motel), director Michael Kang (The Motel), editor/producer Jean Tsien (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), director/writer Alice Wu (Saving Face), Executive Director of Primetime Casting for ABC Entertainment Marci Phillips, director Benson Lee (Planet B-boy), actor Sung Kang (The Motel and Ninja Assassin), writer/film festival programmer Grady Hendrix (New York Asian Film Festival).

Here’s more information about the judging

The Round One Judging Panel will consist of AAFL 72 Hour Shootout staff. Entries will be judged based on filmmaking ability, production value, originality, successful incorporation of the theme, and overall creativity. Out of the original submission pool, the Top 15 films will be selected to advance to the final round of judging. In addition, the Round One Judging Panel will nominate up to five films or persons for each of the individual award categories.

The Final Judging Panel (Round Two) will select the Top 10 films, two (2) Finalist Prize Winners, and one (1) Grand Prize Winner. Entries will be judged based on filmmaking ability, production value, originality, successful incorporation of the theme, and overall creativity. All of Individual Awards will be determined by the Final Judging Panel.

72 Hour Film Shootout Entries are starting to pop up on YouTube. You can see one from Team Suprise Film and another from Team Stubborn Cat. The theme for this year was “A first goodbye“

“Foreign Exchange” – Team Suprise Films

“A Frist Goodbye” – Team Stubborn Cat