Ling Ling and Ching Ching??

Jenn from Reappropriate blogs about the racist panda ad that appeared during the SuperBowl:

The two pandas, named “Ling Ling” and “Ching Ching” speak in stereotypical Asian accents and grammatically incorrect “Chinglish”, perpetuating the Perpetual Foreigner stereotype. The commercial’s soundtracks include gongs and mandolins, and the writing is in that “chopstix” font that is supposed to be reminscent of Chinese. “Ching Ching” the wife panda is clearly supposed to be a manipulative laze, who sits on her ass while “Ling Ling” does the work of running the store, playing up the “shrew” stereotype of Asian wives that has become more prevalent of late. “Ling Ling” meanwhile, is viewed as idiotic — eating his (implicitly shoddy) products.

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I am so glad I didn’t see this commercial on television. I think I might have broken the television.

Economic Stimulus For Whom?

Yolanda asks:

Can someone please explain why this thing was called an “economic stimulus package?” Economic stimulus for whom, I ask you? And why all the emphasis on short-term boosts from the retail sector? How the hell does shopping for more useless crap lead to any kind of economic recovery (if that is indeed the intent)?