Japanese monkeys waiters

A pair of Japanese monkeys waiters - Yat-chan (12 years old)and Fuku-chan (4 years old) - serve customers in a restaurant in northern Tokyo. The monkeys deliver bottles of sake and beer as well as hand towels to customers. Both monkeys were once household pets, but now they are certified restaurant employees. The monkey pair work in shifts of up to a maximum of two hours a day, due to animal rights regulations. And so their employer is now ready to train three new baby monkeys this year. Additionally, Yat-chan also trains for karate. (All kinds of crazy animals in Japan. Remember the Green Polar Bears.)

Japanese monkeys waiters


Yat-chan practicing karate


Yat-chan serving drinks

Racist scene on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is a pretty funny show and one of the most viewed TV shows on Hulu.com. However, the Season 4 episode 1 of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" entitled "Mac and Dennis: Manhunters" has what we deemed a racist scene. The scene involves the characters Dee and Charlie looking for exotic meat and end up in Chinatown. And they try to order monkey in Chinatown. Aren't we done with the "Asians eating monkey" jokes? WTF?

Racist scene on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia


See the whole episode here.

White Rabbit Candy and Chinese Milk pulled

As of September 25, 2008, the FDA testing of milk based products imported into the United States from China has not found melamine contamination. The classic candy favorite of Chinatowns around the world are seeing White Rabbit Candy banned. It is also affecting the US.

The FDA is working with regulatory agencies in other countries. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority reports that its testing of White Rabbit Creamy Candies has shown melamine contamination at high levels. In light of the widespread contamination of milk and milk-based products in China and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s finding, the FDA recommends that consumers not eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy and that retailers and foodservice operations remove the product from sale or service. To date, the FDA is not aware of any illnesses in the United States stemming from consumption of either White Rabbit Creamy Candy.

White Rabbit Candy and Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products recalled


On September 12, 2008, in light of reports from China of melamine contaminated infant formula, the FDA issued a Health Information Advisory to assure the American public that there is no known threat of contamination in infant formula manufactured by companies that have met the requirements to sell such products in the United States. That advisory also warned members of Chinese communities in the United States that infant formula manufactured in China, possibly available for purchase at Asian markets, could pose a risk to infants.

The FDA had contacted the companies who manufacture infant formula for distribution in the United States and received, from the companies, information that they are not importing formula or sourcing milk-based materials from China.

At the same time, the FDA—in conjunction with state and local officials—began a nation-wide investigation to check Asian markets for Chinese manufactured infant formula that may have been brought into the United States. In particular, this effort focused on areas of the country with large Chinese communities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and New York. To date, investigators have visited more than 1,400 retail markets and have not found Chinese infant formula present on shelves in these markets.

The FDA also advises consumers not to purchase infant formula manufactured in China from Internet sites or from other sources.

The FDA has taken, and will continue to take, proactive measures to help ensure the safety of the American food supply. In conjunction with state and local officials, the FDA will continue to check Asian markets for food items that are imported from China and that could contain a significant amount of milk or milk proteins. In addition, the FDA has broadened its domestic and import sampling and testing of milk-derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk, such as candies, desserts, and beverages that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources. Milk-derived ingredients include whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, whey powder, lactose powder, and casein.

Chinese dairy products banned amid fears over a widening tainted milk scandal

World's smallest man meets the woman with the longest legs

He Pingping from Inner Mongolia is the world's smallest man, while Svetlana Pankratova from Russia is the woman with the world's longest legs. Both appeared at Trafalgar Square in London to promote the release of "Guinness World Records 2009".

He Pingping (20) was born with primordial dwarfism and holds the Guinness World Record for the smallest man at 74.61 cms (2 feet and 5.37 inches). Svetlana Pankratova (36) holds the Guinness World Record for the longest leg of any woman at 132 cms (4 feet 4 inches) in length. Her total height is 6-foot-4.



World's smallest man meets the woman with the longest legs

Green Polar Bears in Japan

There is nothing wrong with your screen. That's a green polar bear. No, we didn't photoshop the picture either.

Green-colored polar bears are drawing questions from puzzled visitors at a Japanese zoo. Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae. Curious zoo visitors were concerned about whether the bears are sick or carrying mold. The bears are expected to return to their natural color when the algae growth subsides in November.
Raw footage of Green Polar Bears


MSNBC report on Green Polar Bears

Sharon Stone apologizes for Quake Karma Comments

CNN's Jack Cafferty made controversial comments about China about a month ago. Now it's Sharon Stone turn. Here's what she said at an interview at Cannes:

Well you know it was very interesting because at first, you know, I am not happy about the ways the Chinese were treating the Tibetans because I don’t think anyone should be unkind to anyone else. And so I have been very concerned about how to think and what to do about that because I don’t like that.

And I had been this, you know, concerned about, oh how should we deal with the Olympics because they are not being nice to the Dalai Lama, who is a good friend of mine.

And all these earthquake and stuff happened and I thought: IS THAT KARMA? When you are not nice that bad things happen to you.

And then I got a letter, from the Tibetan Foundations that they want to go and be helpful. And that made me cry. And they ask me if I would write a quote about that and I said I would. And it was a big lesson to me, that some times you have to learn to put your head down and be of service even to people who are not nice to you. And that’s a big lesson for me.

Yesterday, Sharon Stone issued the following statement:

Due to my inappropriate words and acts during the interview, I feel deeply sorry and sad about hurting Chinese people. I am willing to take part in the relief work of China's earthquake, and wholly devote myself to helping affected Chinese people.

But it's a little too late. Sharon Stone films will be banned at UME Cineplex, one of the largest movie chains in China. (What was Sharon Stone's last film anyway?) Also French fashion house Christian Dior dropped Sharon Stone from its Chinese ads.

IS THAT KARMA?

Sharon Stone's comments about China at Cannes:

Will the real Rain please stand up?

Do you know which one of the following Korean actors is Rain?



The correct answer is the last one. Of course, you knew that already.

The first person is Rick Yune, whose film credits include "The Fast and the Furious" and "Die Another Day." The second person is Rick's younger brother Karl Yune. (Can you see the resemblance?) His credits include "Speed Racer" and "Memoirs of a Geisha". In "Speed Racer", he plays Taejo's Body Guard. And role of Taejo Togokhan in Speed Racer is played by Rain, who is the The last person above.

Unfortunately, People magazine got is very wrong. They mixed up Rain and Karl Yune. That's Karl Yune's picture in the article about Rain.

All the Asian American bloggers jumped all over this one including Allkpop, Angry Asian Man and Pop Seoul. Even with the dance off against Stephen Colbert, the American media still doesn't know who Rain is. Or thinks all Asian look the same.

Watch Rain's Demo Reel:


HAHAHAHAHAH!!!! J/K!! that was Karl Yune's demo reel.

Watch the "Speed Racer" Music Video. Can you spot Rain the in the music video?:

Protesters want CNN to fire Jack Cafferty

Lots of protests the past few weekends at CNN locations all over the US. Thousands have protested Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta (CNN headquarters) over statements made by Jack Cafferty that were broadcast on "The Situation Room" back on April 9, 2008. Here's the quote in question:

“We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we’re buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years.”

Listen the the controversial statements by Jack Cafferty:


CNN Protest in Atlanta (CNN headquarters)


CNN Protest in San Francisco


CNN Protest in Los Angeles


CNN Protest in Chicago

Although CNN had offered an apology, the Chinese government rejected it as inadequate. CNN Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz was summoned to a meeting at the Chinese Foreign Ministry with with Liu Jianchao, director general of the Foreign Ministry information department. The situation looks bad for CNN and Jack Cafferty. Looks like a lot less coverage for the Beijing Olympics for CNN.

Also a Beijing-based primary school teacher Li Lilan and a New York-based beauty therapist Liang Shubing are filing in a law suit for $1.3 billion against CNN for slander. The $1.3 billion equates to $1 per person in China.

Brenda Song sues over escort ad

Brenda Song, star of Disney’s Suite Life of Zack & Cody, was pictured in an escort ad in the back of LA Weekly last week. A Disney rep told TMZ that "This is an unauthorized use of Brenda Song's image and her personal attorney has issued a cease and desist to the advertiser." Here's the ad:

The ad clearly tarnishes Brenda Song's image and the person that put the ad together can't spell. For the record, Brenda Song is not Hawaiian. She's half Hmong and half Thai.

As of Friday, Brenda Song has filed a lawsuit against Vibe Media for "illegally and shamelessly" using her picture for an escort service ad. She’s asking for $100,000 in damages. See the lawsuit at TMZ.com. We think Brenda should sue for more!!!

Here's Brenda Song as London Tipton on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" :

George Takei on Secret Talents of the Stars

Star Trek star George Takei performed "On the Road Again" on national television this week. Take a look at the clip:

No matter what you thought of Mr. Sulu's singing. It's one and done for the show "Secret Talents of the Stars". After only one airing, the show was canceled.