Category: Random Stuff

Tweet of the Day: Prepared for All Contingencies

| June 6, 2017

Tweet of the Day: World War II Pacific Theater was Easy?

| June 4, 2017

What Americans Can Learn from Our Friends Down Under this Memorial Day

| May 30, 2017

When I hear people say “Happy Memorial Day” I too find it a bit awkward considering the real meaning of this holiday:

Allison Jaslow heard it more than once as the long holiday weekend approached — a cheerful “Happy Memorial Day!” from oblivious well-wishers.

The former Army captain and Iraq War veteran had a ready reply, telling them, matter-of-factly, that she considered it a work weekend. Jaslow will be at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to take part in the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She’ll then visit Section 60, the final resting place of many service members who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“You can see it in people’s faces that they’re a little horrified that they forget this is what the day’s about,” said Jaslow, 34, who wears a bracelet bearing the name of a fallen comrade. “Culturally, we’ve kind of lost sight of what the day’s supposed to mean.”

While millions of Americans celebrate the long Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start of summer — think beaches and backyard barbecues, mattress sales and sporting events — some veterans and loved ones of fallen military members wish the holiday that honors more than 1 million people who died serving their country would command more respect.  [CBS 58]

In my opinion Memorial Day really should begin with a somber tone much like I have seen with ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand.  Communities across both nations meet for morning remembrance services every April 25th.  It is a very big deal and has a somber tone to them.  After the morning service the rest of the day depending on the community there could be parades and other events going on to honor servicemembers and all of them usually involve drinking beer.  So the whole day is not somber, but enough of it is so people don’t lose the real meaning of the day.

It seems if Memorial Day was on a fixed date like ANZAC Day then a tradition like this could be established in the United States as well.  However, as long as it remains at its current last Monday of May it will remain a holiday that represents the unofficial start of summer for most people.

Tweet of the Day: Presidential Game Maker

| May 28, 2017

Tweet of the Day: The Only People Under 40 Years Old With Nuclear Weapons

| May 9, 2017

Tweet of the Day: Awesome Landing

| May 2, 2017

South Korean TV Show Accused of Racism for Skit Using “Blackface”

| April 30, 2017

Via a reader tip comes news of an SBS show under fire for what seems like an annual controversy over the use of “blackface” in South Korea:

In a comedy skit, a character named Hyunhee talks to her family about her dreams of becoming a comedian despite her father’s disapproval, according to Koreaboo.

When she comes to see him, Hyunhee appears in blackface, wearing dreadlocks and what are supposed to be African tribal clothes.  

The final scene of the show has the character dancing to the song “Circle of Life” from Disney’s “The Lion King”.

In response, viewers took to social media to express their anger, with many calling the skit racist and how it’s offensive to people of color.  [Next Shark]

You can read more at the link.

Tweet of the Day: Chart of the World’s GDP

| April 15, 2017

Tweet of the Day: Asian Countries with the Best English Speakers

| February 8, 2017

Korean-American Criticized for Posting Racist Help Wanted Sign

| February 4, 2017

Via a reader tip comes this news about a Korean-American man in South Carolina who accidentally posted a racist help wanted sign at his wife’s restaurant and is now under attack by critics:

A South Carolina restaurant owner which caused outrage after it placed a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in its window along with the message ‘minorities need not apply’ has apologized for her mistake.

Kenny’s Home Cooking in Spartanburg placed the sign in the window seeking more staff, although when diners noticed the message at the bottom they posted photographs on the internet.

The sign had the racist message written in both English and Spanish.

However, the restaurant’s owner, who is Japanese, claimed any offense was unintentional as they purchased the sign on eBay and did not understand the messages at the bottom.

Owner Sook ‘Sue’ Shin told WYFF News: ‘I never ever meant that, so I’m really sorry.’

A friend claimed they mistook the word ‘minorities’ for ‘minors’.

Shin’s husband, who is Korean, purchased the sign on eBay.  [The Daily Mail]

You can read more at the link, but I can easily understand how someone who uses English as a second language can make this mistake.  However, it hasn’t stopped people from expressing their outrage at the owners.  It seems to me the real racists are the ones criticizing this couple for not understanding English better.