Tag Archives for China

Chinese Jamaicans in reggae and Chinese “food porn”

Always Together: Chinese-Jamaicans in Reggae Music

From pioneer soundsystem operator Tom “The Great Sebastian” Wong in the 1940s to contemporary dancehall masters Black Chiney, Chinese-Jamaicans have played an integral part in the music scene on the island since even before Jamaica cut its first domestic record in the 1950s. The stories of Leslie Kong, the first producer to record Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Desmond Dekker; Byron Lee, the bandleader that became Jamaica’s ambassador to the world; and Patricia Chin, co-founder of VP Records are important but often overlooked pieces of reggae history.

Through extensive original interviews and archival footage, Always Together: Chinese-Jamaicans in Reggae Music weaves together the history of the Chinese immigrants with the little-known stories of these unsung giants.

Via 8Asians.

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Matthew Ng’s “widow”

Matthew Ng and Nicki Chow. Photo: ABC.

A Chinese court has sentenced Chinese-born Australian businessman Matthew Ng （吳植輝） to 11½ years in jail for bribery and other charges. Ng’s travel company, Et-China (易網通旅行集團) competes with the state-owned Lingnan Group (嶺南集團), and some say that the case was orchestrated so that Lingnan could take over a lucrative subsidiary of Et-China.

After the verdict, Ng told his wife to take the family back to Australia:

Handcuffed and separated by a barrier, Ng told his wife, Niki Chow, to go home to Australia as soon as possible. He then reached for her hand and kissed it before collapsing in tears. “He thinks it [China] is too dangerous and not good for the children,” Ms Chow said later.

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Starbucks to offer “Bobaccinos” in select New York, Los Angeles locations

A Starbucks in Rowland Heights, California. Photo: mars (Flickr/Creative Commons).

In an effort to attract a wider audience and break into tough ethnic markets, Starbucks will start rolling out a new line of Asian-inspired drinks and pastries in select markets in New York and Los Angeles starting Monday.

The drinks include:

  • Bobaccinos/Bubbleccinos – any Frappuccino may now be turned into a Bobaccino (Los Angeles) or Bubbleccino (New York) for 50 cents. Your choice of large or small tapioca balls.
  • Lychee Black Dragon Lattes – the company’s best-seller in Beijing and Hong Kong is now coming to America.
  • New syrups for customizing your drink: taro, honeydew, jasmine, kumquat, winter melon, lychee, and Thai tea spice.

The pastries:

  • Pineapple coffeecake buns – the classic pineapple bun with a coffeecake crumble topping.
  • Portuguese egg tarts – available in plain or Bobaccino/Bubbleccino flavor.
  • New muffins – taro, sweet potato, and coconut.

The new line of drinks and pastries will be available in select San Gabriel Valley and Flushing locations. The company also plans to roll out this new line in Vancouver and Toronto by the end of the year. This is the first announcement by the company since its quiet acquisition by WantWant China Group last month.

See the commercial for the Bobaccino line after the jump:

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