Who among us hasn’t spun a pen in our fingers when we are bored? It’s almost a requirement during tedious high school classes and long work meetings. Well, Japan has turned that pastime into a sport called - what else - pen-spinning.
This past Sunday, Japan crowned its first pen-spinning champion in 16-year-old Ryuki Omura. In the inaugural event, 276 hopefuls submitted videotapes of their maneuvers. Omura was one of 16 finalists who were chosen from that bunch. Curious to know what kind of moves expert pen-spinners are capable of? Click the video below . . . and remember to practice during the next Monday meeting.
As we all know, there are many Asian American stereotypes that still exist in this modern age.
It’s an unfortunate legacy that dates back decades in America and, despite the fact that Asian Americans have climbed up the corporate ladder in many fields, stereotypes do still exist.
DiversityInc made a list of the top 7 things that should never be said to Asian American executives. The comments range from laughable (”You must be the IT person”) to unbelievable (”How often do you go home?”). But as odd as some of the statements sound, those stereotypes do exist and they are making it very difficult for Asian Americans to be seen as equals in the workplace.
From the article:
Stereotypes are like a slap to the face because they shock and sting. They are usually uttered without much forethought and reveal the speaker’s ignorance. And in corporate settings, they can reveal why someone is excluded from after-work networking events or passed over for promotion.
Asian-American executives too often find themselves fighting to disprove the “model minority” stereotype, a group that works hard, is rarely controversial, but ultimately is not “American” enough for leadership opportunities.
First there was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” then there was “Deal of No Deal,” and coming June 24 on ABC, there’s “I Survived A Japanese Game Show.”
According to this New York Times blog, ten American contestants will be travel to Japan to compete in one of their trademark game shows. What’s a Japanese game show like? Well, here’s an idea . . .
