Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Worthwhile and Interesting Blogs Which I Read Interview Series:) Interview One: Ask a Korean.

I've always wanted to do an interview series of the blogs and bloggers which I read and I've finally found the time to do it. I am very humbled, honoured, and grateful to the willingness of the bloggers whom I've invited to be part of this series for accepting my interview requests despite often times never having read my blog or known that I've followed their blogs for so long.

I have read all the blogs recommended and interviewed for at least 1 year and above and usually for several years now. They range from blogs about Hong Kong cinema, to jottings on life in Hong Kong, as well as China themed blogs to Korean themed blogs.

I shall start this series with an interview of the well-known 'Ask A Korean' blogger, whom I've followed for several years now with his witty insights into Korean issues and racial issues in general. I like his blog cos we have quite similar background and interests,both having a law degree and background, having been born and bred in Asia before moving to the West when we were 16-17 years old, as well as both having a keen interest in Japan and WW2 in Asia, which is one of my most passionate topics (read posts related to this before). He has written posts about the comfort women which I applaud given that this may not be traditionally expected of someone falling into his demography, (i.e. straight korean male of an elite upper class background) and of cos, the fact that he seems very open-minded towards gays and sexual minorities earns him bonus points with me on top of his views on various issues which resonate with me (ie. the placing of undue importance on animal life over human lives, cultural imperialism over western objections towards dog-eating in certain Asian cultures, and the merits of traditional route learning as well as disciplined diligent studying, to name a few)

So if you haven't already checked out his blog, please do, even if Korean-related themes do not interest you in particular, his in-depth analysts and point of view on various issues and topics, should!!

1) What is the name of your blog? Ask a Korean!

2) When did you start blogging? October 2006

3) How did you pick the name for your blog? I named it after !Ask a Mexican!

4) How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps
you going?

I started it because I was finishing up law school and I was bored. Now, I keep it going because the questions keep coming.

5) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?

I know a decent deal about Korea, and I am a Korean American. It was a natural choice.

6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?

Obviously, !Ask a Mexican! was a clear inspiration. I read tons of blogs -- too many to name at this point I think.

7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?

It's a side hobby. My day job is being a lawyer.

8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?

I get free books once in a while -- that has been the only tangible perk so far. But I got to meet some very interesting people and learned quite a lot.

9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?

A lot of adoptees find my blog helpful. That really makes blogging rewarding.

10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?

This takes a lot of time!

'Ask a Korean' website: http://askakorean.blogspot.com/

Monday, October 10, 2011

'Nouveux Riches' laps up Indonesian wealth



A sign of the changing times...whereas the news stories coming out of Europe and America is one of Greece possibly defaulting and the credit downgrading of countries like Italy and Spain as well as food stamp crisis in America and it's continuing high unemployment with no end in sight soon..places in Asia, like Indonesia, have been growing rapidly in the past few years, creating incredible wealth and unprecedented burgeoning of the middle classes...when i heard in the video the guy had 70 cars, i was like..what?!!, was that 17 (still alot) or 70 that i heard? Confirmed after repeated listens, it's 70!