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Yet another work week.

NY Times’ City section on Sunday has an article on young Japanese in NYC. Jiro Adachi writes how the new issei are discovering NYC as a place to bring out their bohemian side – to be free and go outside Japanese tradition. Although, I do wonder – doesn’t that come at the expense of assimilating with American custom/commercialism? (well, then again, it’s NYC, so it’s not like it’s whitebread America):

HER arm locks like a robot’s, then pops from the shoulder, sending a wave through her body. Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” blares from a boombox in the Times Square subway station as a crowd of onlookers, heads bobbing, cheer on the performer.

The break dancer is female, which is unusual enough. Even more eye-opening is the fact that she is a 26-year-old Japanese woman with cornrows in Float Committee, the crew of young African-American men with whom she is performing on this day. [….]

To her family in the city of Nagoya, she is Kumi Naito. In her New York life and in the break-dance world, she is simply Q, and a wild departure from the stereotype of the Japanese immigrant, or issei, that New Yorkers have known in the past: the salaryman from a Japanese corporation with a wife in tow.

Q also typifies how the Japanese immigrant of today – young, artistically inclined, open to risks and twice as likely to be female than male – differs from the bulk of immigrants to New York, who come to take advantage of the city’s economic opportunities.

These Big Apple Issei, as they could be called, are cultural refugees, drawn to New York’s creative clamor and in search of freedom for their spirits.

This was certainly true of Q, who is thrilled to be able to pursue her passion for dancing on the streets and in the city’s subway stations; she even tours the country and Europe with a professional company.

For her, this independence is everything. “I can’t imagine being in Japan,” she said. “I couldn’t break dance there.”

A Place for Purple Hair

In the last two decades, thousands of young Japanese like Q have come to New York in search of the custom-tailored lifestyles that are hard to carve out in a homeland, where johshiki – traditional ways and morality – still exert a powerful influence. Such young people make up the majority of their fellow countrymen, or rather, countrywomen, living in the city. [….]

The Language of Adaptation

Simply coming to New York, of course, doesn’t guarantee success, and the path to happiness here is as fraught with complications and pitfalls for young Japanese as for any immigrant. And though the first obstacle for many of them is the language barrier, learning English often helps them ease into the city’s multicultural stew, and in fact can be a ticket to self-discovery.

In English-language classrooms around the city, Big Apple Issei mix with Latin Americans, Africans, Europeans and other Asians. At many private language schools and those attached to universities, Japanese students typically make up about 30 percent of the student body.

Caitlin Morgan, assistant director of the English language studies department at the New School, has noticed the physical transformations that many Japanese undergo while they are studying English: they change hair colors, get tattoos, acquire multiple piercings, use hair extensions and grow dreadlocks.

Even without these extreme changes, the physical changes are visually dramatic. “The women especially,” she explained, “their voices seem to get deeper, they put on a little weight and become fitter, they use less makeup, they become a little realer.”

“These foreign explorers,” she added, “seem to have an intuitive understanding that in New York, there are rewards to taking creative risks and trying new things.”

Sometimes, a student’s interests become a vehicle for personal change that would have been impossible in Japan. One afternoon, Ms. Morgan was advising a student who was so smitten with hip-hop culture, if you closed your eyes and listened to him talk, you’d have thought you were listening to a black hip-hop artist. [….]

In the end, even New York may not be big enough for some Big Apple Issei. Many aspire to become citizens of the world who can travel, work and live in a variety of locations. They are modern people born of an extremely traditional culture. This koan-like paradox is most clearly evident in the fact that, unlike their predecessors, most of these young Japanese immigrants are not trying to become United States citizens. They like being Japanese; they simply prefer to live in New York.

So they visit Japan at least once a year. And while they admit that once there, they again feel the claustrophobia of being in a conservative, homogeneous culture, they also relish the comforts of the familiar in the form of family, friends, language, food, and being around people who, unlike many New Yorkers, go out of their way to be polite.

Q is typical in that she returns to Japan once a year. But when she describes what she does during her stay, she sounds like the New York artist she is: “I just try to chill.”

Slate.com’s “Explainer” explains how Islam got to the predominantly Catholic Philippines. Fascinating.

Slate.com’s “Ad Report” grades the latest Quiznos tv ad campaign, wherein Quiznos’ new mascot is Baby Bob, the talking baby. Check that – the talking baby with the gravelly voice of a middle-aged man. One commercial has Bob treating a swimsuited model to one of Quiznos toasted sandwiches, bragging how he’s good to his woman, and the woman calling him “hunky.” Umm. I’d agree with Slate.com’s Seth Stevenson – these Bob ads are “creepy and unsettling.” There’s something really sick about a woman calling a baby “hunky.” And, Bob’s voice is irritating. Come to think of it, I haven’t liked any of Quiznos’ ads prior to Bob, so I’d even grade the current ad campaign lower than Stevenson’s C; I’d give Quiznos a D.

I’ve been catching up on my magazine reading – January’s “Vanity Fair” – which, besides a fascinating profile of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (with some curiously amusing tidbits about the inner workings of his Shriver family in-laws as off-shoots of the Kennedys), has a really neat profile on NYS Attorney General-Democratic-gubernatorial-contender, Eliot Spitzer. Not only is he a wealthy, Princeton-Harvard Law-educated lawyer (who did stints with the Big Firms and the District Attorney’s office in Manhattan), he appears genuine in his intentions to do justice (while not hiding his political ambitions). Ok, I’ll salute him.

So the week goes.

Today: in a tribute to the Alaskan dog mushing race Ititarod, Brooklynites are running the Idiotrod, the same kind of race, except with 5 humans and a shopping cart. Check out NPR’s coverage last year.

Yay, Friday! (Or almost there, anyway, considering the hour at which I write this post).

Thanks to VCR’s, I caught up on my Wednesday night tv.

Caught up on “Alias” more or less. I like how the character of Vaughn is constantly being tested – last week, he had to overcome the guilt of having killed his (trecherous traitor of a) wife to succeed in the mission of obtaining the Scary Biological Weapon (something that literally freeze-dries people from the inside out). And, he’s always getting beaten up, but at least he punches back. Oh well. He’s still cute, plus the actor seems to be improving on acting techniques (doesn’t hurt that the writers are giving him more to do). 😉 Oh, and Secret Agent Sydney’s dad, Our Man Jack, is still keeping weird secrets. Ah, Jack. What are you doing??

(this week’s episode was a weird fun episode – Sydney and Vaughn are American spies posing as Russian mercenaries paid to pose as American Ward and June Cleaver in training in a Russian spy training town taken right out of the ‘Burbs. It’s was so funny weird – but, seriously, the plot was also done by Mulder and Scully on “X-Files” (when those two FBI agents went undercover as a married couple in Psycho-Suburbia to take down the town’s resident monster)).

(sidenote – the latest commercials promoting the latest episode of NBC’s “Medical Investigation” appears to be about yet another remake of an “X-Files” plot – wherein actor Neal McDonough’s doctor character and his medical team are to investigate on a medical condition that makes a team in an Arctic base go wacko – heck, I can tell the Medical Investigation team to do what Scully did to save Mulder in the Arctic – freeze the people to kill the alien/ancient Earth virus).

And, I did try to watch most of NBC’s “West Wing” – Alan Alda as the Californian moderate Republican senator running for president – riveting. I liked him as Hawkeye in MASH; I liked him during his brief run on “ER”; the man is like Martin Sheen – he can do no wrong as an actor. Jimmy Smits as the Texas Democratic congressman who’s in a tough primary (against Gary Cole’s Vice President character and the “West Wing” former vice president who was shunted to the side for various reasons) — well, Smits is a great actor and his character is interesting, but … man, it’s Alan Alda. I’d hate to be a voter in the “West Wing” universe – hard to choose who could succeed Sheen’s Pres. Bartlett.

At least “West Wing” is interesting again, even if it doesn’t have its old spark (maybe it never will). I’m not sure if I’d want it to be renewed for another season. I’ve seen professional TV critics say that “West Wing” has been about the story of the Bartlett presidency and I agree. To say otherwise – well, it’d be a different show. Why not just do what ABC did with “The Practice” – make a spinoff (sort of the same show, different title and different characters and different tone…) – I can see it now – the spinoff: “The White House” and then NBC can run it for however long it likes with replacement characters and plots (like it does with “Law and Order” and its spinoffs and “ER”). It can work, really.

“Jack and Bobby” on WB – two running storylines, each echoing each other. Bobby in the early 21st century grapples with a moral dilemma – does he reveal to his mother that his older brother Jack is in serious physical pain after that nasty beating/mugging Jack endured several weeks ago, or does he keep it a secret, because Jack asked him to do so? Meanwhile, the scenes from the future has Pres. Bobby McAllister’s adminstration’s NSA advisor discussing how Adult Bobby dealt with a terrorist attack – by taking the hard moral road of not bombing a foreign country in retaliation until after evidence emerged (by sheer luck for Bobby) that American Christian fundamentalists made the attack. Ah. So, the writers of “Jack and Bobby” are deliberately saying their president is no Bush. Ok.

But, curious – each character made a decision that short term-wise wasn’t the best decision – College professor Grace almost allows herself to be blackmailed by her student – but decides to keep her principles (grade her student the C that the kid deserved) at the risk of having her affair with the TA exposed; Jack chooses to run in his track meet to overcome his fear of having been mugged – but his knee is badly damaged by his ignoring the doctor’s advice not to run; Bobby feels he lost Jack’s trust by revealing the truth – but he knew it was best for Jack; and Adult Bobby – that still unseen character – apparently was severly criticized for holding off on punishing any old terrorist for the bombing in US soil. Hmm.

Good stuff on the boob tube. Still in deep cold…

How do I choose what to watch at 9pm, when NBC has “West Wing,” ABC has “Alias,” and WB has “Jack and Bobby”? I at least have two VCRS, but this is nuts.

The latest “Jurisprudence” in Slate.com: Nicholas Thompson argues that having Antonin Scalia as Chief Justice is better for liberals, because (1) his idea of federalism can be to the advantage of liberals (ok, I buy that; once power is given to states, you can have the scenario that while the red states may ditch abortion rights and the study of evolution, the blue states can do otherwise); (2) if the liberals let Scalia be Chief Justice, maybe they can then negotiate for a moderate justice (would be nice to have another moderate around); (3) well, Scalia is a smart man (so, he will make the logical and legally correct decision, even if it isn’t always the preferably conservative one). Hmm. Well, at least you get to avoid a scenario of a Ch. J. Clarence Thomas.

Frigid cold. Argh.

Why is it that in Brooklyn, the snow still piles up making walking a bit of a hassle — while in Manhattan, it’s just slushy and mildly irritating?

Snow-related story, that can’t possibly happen only in NY? — restaurant owner Toshi Suzuki, of Basta Pasta on West 17th St., builds an igloo outside his restaurant. It comfortably seats four, and Suzuki apparently does this after every major snow storm. This latest one is his 4th in 15 years. NY1 has the film footage– quite fascinating.

A curious story in today’s Daily News: Radio DJ on Hot97 had a song parody that just denigrates Asians and then the on-air crew denigrated its Asian newsreader when she protested about their song. Frank Lombardi reports:

Hip-hop radio station HOT 97 has sparked outrage across the city by airing a twisted song that shockingly mocks the 200,000 victims of the South Asian tsunami.

The radio station, WQHT, was forced to air an apology yesterday after the insulting song – whose lyrics include racial epithets aimed at Asians – was played for four days last week by morning deejay Miss Jones.

“We are absolutely appalled, saddened, outraged and angered,” said Kai Yu of Asian Media Watch.

The nasty parody, sung to the tune of “We Are the World,” makes light of how the killer tsunami “washed your whole country away.”

Some of the other tasteless lyrics refer jokingly to orphaned children being sold into slavery. [….]

Before one airing of the song, the station’s news reader, Miss Info, who is of Asian descent, objected to the song, only to be attacked by Jones and her cohorts.

“That song is really offensive to me, and I opted not to involve myself,” Miss Info said.

Jones replied, “I know you feel you’re superior because you’re Asian, but you’re not.” Later, co-host Todd Lyn, incensed at Miss Info’s criticism, said, “I’m going to start shooting Asians.”

Councilman John Liu (D-Queens) said it was outrageous that the station, owned by Emmis Communications Corp., aired the song for four days.

“It degrades the more than 200,000 victims,” Liu said.

Liu and other Asian leaders have called for the Federal Communications Commission to crack down on the station and demanded that Miss Jones, whose full name is Tarsha Jones, be fired.

Apparently, Jones and her staff will be donating a week’s salary to tsunami relief efforts. What really was interesting was watching this on the news: Councilman Liu was with a diverse crowd of fellow councilmen and they were all denouncing Hot97 for the racist parody. Thumbs up for a unified condemnation of racist remarks; thumbs down for media people who lacked the sense for putting that on the air in the first place (their defense: “we thought it was funny.” – well, it’s offensive, so boo-hoo to you).

More snow expected tomorrow, plus more frigid cold by Thursday. Ah, and to think that New Year’s Day had 60 degree temperature. Global warming means bizarre weather, I see.

Some depressing folks in the UK had declared January 24 as the “worst day of the year”, mostly because it is depressing post holiday, people are broke from holiday spurging, and to top it off, it’s a Monday.

The commute in from Sheepshead Bay really sucked – the B train was stuck twice on the way in towards Manhattan, finally giving up the ghost after an hour’s commute at 7th Avenue, Brooklyn. I walked to the 3 train stop at Bergen Street; P turned around and went back home. The guy I was expecting from Washington DC actually made it in 30 minutes before I go there.

The C train has been KO’ed by some bum starting a bonfire in a shopping cart, destroying the switching station at Chambers Street. Estimated repair: 5 years and millions of dollars! The A train will be manually switched, cutting capacity by 2/3rds. On the other hand, it makes the V train useful now, as it will take over the C train line from West Fourth Street to Euclid Avenue. They’re going to recreate the exact same system from 1910, instead of going to some sort of computer control like the one being implemented for the L train. I don’t get it.

For a limited time, watch Enterprise (Windows Media Player) to see what SSW was talking about.

Digging out of the snow?

Goodbye to Johnny Carson.

Watched the latest “Star Trek: Enterprise” – wherein the non-corporeal Organians take over the bodies of the crew to supposely make non-interfering observations of humans and other space-faring aliens. Apparently, the observers watch crews who don’t adapt very well to a fatal silicon-based virus. (i.e., basic organic chemistery: organic life on Earth – and theoretically Earth-like life, like Vulcans etc. – are carbon-based, whereas silicon, being like carbon, could be the root of seriously different form of life – and not exactly compatible either). The veteran observer expects the humans to fail and die, like all the other species he has seen; the rookie one feels humans are interesting and good candidates for First Contact. The bonus for long-time Trek fans: the Organians are the species that later negotiated a way for the humans and the Klingons to come to a peace treaty in original Trek.

Anyway, the episode’s plot was kind of annoying. See, “Star Trek” has this odd fondness for non-corporeal aliens and how they wish to comprehend the corporeal aliens (the more sad parts of “Deep Space 9” was when the non-corporeal aliens, a.k.a. the Prophets, kept driving poor Capt. Sisko nuts). This latest episode of “Enterprise” only reminded me of that – plus the Organians had to deal with their own Prime Directive principle – they don’t want to interfere with a species or make contact with a species until and unless they know that species meets their development standards. That’s sort of how Star Trek’s own Federation/Starfleet does it – and apparently the Organians, like Starfleet, still deal with that one moral dilemma: how does one choose between saving an innocent people versus not interfering with them? The rookie observer Organian refuses to stand by and let the silicon virus kill the Enterprise crewmates, whereas his veteran colleague wants to stick by the non-interference rules, no matter the possibility that the better way to get to know worthy humans might be in communicating with them. (well, the veteran didn’t think humans were worthy anyway).

And, by the way, the Organians’ idea of observing species is to enter crewmates like parasites – “possess” their hosts’ bodies and then alter the hosts’ memories. Yeah, right. Sounds pretty derivative of other sci-fi plots, and I totally sympathized with Dr. Phlox’s and Capt. Archer’s moral outrage toward the Organians – it’s just stupid.

On the other hand, the cast dealt with the plot in a pretty decent manner. They acted well, making me feel real uncomfortable with the Organians and they acted like possessed people very well too. The little character development parts were also good – we get to learn more about Ensign Sato – the language/code genius who has some minor neuroses; and Chief Engineer Trip – yep, he’s a good character and the actor playing him is great. But, I do wonder – why is it that Trip is always the one who gets the bad alien illness or near-death scenes? We already had that from him last season! (i.e., the episode where his clone died and he nearly did too). Plus, could the secondary characters of Mayweather and Reed be given more meatier stuff to do? Their portrayals of being possessed were truly creepy stuff, but it’s not like I feel like I know either of their characters well enough to feel bad for them.

I’d give this episode an average grade. Not very spectacular. Maybe the “Enterprise” arc episodes really are better than the standalone ones? I can’t be sure. Back to dealing with the work week.