Doraemon and Costumes of Tang Dynasty

The bottom line is that in East Asia, the predilection toward using face-coverings to prevent exposure to bad air is something that predates the germ theory of disease, and extends into the very foundations of East Asian culture. In recent years, however, mask-wearing has become rooted in new and increasingly postmodern rationales.

Studies have found that among many young Japanese, masks have evolved into social firewalls; perfectly healthy teens now wear them, along with audio headsets, to signal a lack of desire to communicate with those around them. This is particularly true for young women seeking to avoid harassment on public transit, who also appreciate the relative anonymity the masks provide.

Masks are even becoming an element of East Asian style: In Japan, surgical masks bearing chic designs or the images of cute licensed characters can be purchased in every corner drugstore, while last month at China Fashion Week, designer Yin Peng unveiled a line of “smog couture” clothese paired with a variety of masks, from Vader-esque ventilators to whole-head riot-gear rebreathers.

This is so different in western where you only wear masks when you are actually sick to protect others. You will have different perceptions when seeing people wearing a mask on the street.

∞ Canada Wins, U.S. Loses In Global Fight For High-Tech Workers

Published under Mango Linked, Feb 4, 2020

Toronto saw the biggest growth in technology jobs of any North American city over the past five years, outpacing San Francisco, New York and Seattle. Vancouver also made the top five.

This trend will only continue for a while.

dA CamCal v5 Introduces a DoF Calculator

Published under Mango Exposure, Feb 2, 2020

NEW: DA CamCal now has a depth of field calculator.

Happy photographing.

-- Dolee ^_^

∞ Outrage as Italian Conservatoire Bans All “Oriental” Students Over CoronaVirus Fears

Published under Mango Linked, Jan 31, 2020

Maddy Shaw Roberts from Classic FM:

Since the newsletter was sent to Santa Cecilia’s teachers, another music institute in Como has told students returning from China after Chinese New Year to stay at home for 14 days.

This is the right move.

The message (translated from Italian), signed by director Roberto Giuliani, reads: “Dear colleagues, because of the well-known events relating to the Chinese epidemic, the lessons of oriental students (Chinese, Korean, Japanese etc.) are suspended, as well as others who have come from the countries concerned.

This is simply racism.

∞ Cyrus Vance Jr.: They Get Into My Phone All The Time

Published under Mango Linked, Jan 30, 2020

William D. Cohan writing for Fast Company:

Vance is skeptical that Apple doesn’t have a secret backdoor. “They get into my phone all the time because they upgrade my operating systems and they send me messages,” he says.

Vance is the district attorney of New York county. Never underestimate one’s ability to understand tech.

∞ A Surprise Up Up Down Down Episode

Published under Mango Linked, Jan 27, 2020

Up Up Down Down is one of my favorite podcasts. It's hosted by Allen Pike and Nigel Brooke. Each episode covers one interesting topic with a guest. Sadly it went hiatus three years ago. But I still appreciate their deep insights in the game dev world today.

Yesterday they released a surprise episode, covering Two Spies, a turn-based spy game made by themselves.

If you haven’t heard Up Up Down Down yet, every single episode is worth listening to even today, or ten, twenty years later.