Eastern Standard Times

Featured episodes

6/6/2023

Did you know that the average amount of times we wear clothing before throwing it away is 7? American saviorism deludes us to believe that “people in need will wear my old clothes” but what’s actually happening is the Global South becomes the dumping ground for the lifestyle and convenience of the Global North. This exploitation has turned Asia into a garment dump. So what can we actually do? Prioritize consuming less, elongating the lives of the clothes we have by repairing and mending, wearing hand-me-downs, buying used, and repurposing old clothes. Donating our clothes isn’t superior thinking disguised as a good deed. And outside of making changes to our own wardrobe, here’s how we can hold the perpetrators of waste colonialism accountable.

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Explains

Donating Clothes Isn’t The Solution

5/30/2023

Ultra Fast Fashion Merusak Iklim dan Nasib Buruh

Pabrik garmen tersebar di seluruh penjuru Indonesia dan negara-negara Asia lainnya, dan di dalamnya ribuan pakaian diproduksi tiap hari untuk memenuhi permintaan konsumtif dari seluruh dunia karena siklus fashion yang cepat sekali. Bagi produsen besar seperti Shein, hanya butuh waktu satu minggu untuk mengubah desain menjadi produk jadi. Tentu di tengah-tengah industri raksasa ini terdapat nasib-nasib buruh yang terpinggirkan dan dampak ke perubahan iklim.

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Explains

Ultra Fast Fashion Merusak Iklim dan Nasib Buruh

5/23/2023

In Indonesia, the government-appointed position of 'Spiritual Guardian' tends to Mount Merapi volcano both physically and spiritually. That’s because Mount Merapi is believed to be more than a volcano–it’s a creature of God. Mbah Asih is the Spiritual Guardian of Mount Merapi. The role of the spiritual guardian is to carry forth the traditions of ancestors, especially the culture of treating a volcano as a sacred site. Before him, Asih’s father was the spiritual guardian until he died in the historic 2010 volcano eruption that killed 37 people and left 300,000 displaced. Instead of seeing Merapi’s eruption as a disastrous event, Indonesians believe that it is “tidying up”. It wants things as they ought to be–clean and protected. When society litters and villages damage the natural environment, nature revitalizes. Asih reminds us that mankind is powerless, and able to survive only when we live in harmony with nature—in their context, with their sacred volcano, Merapi.

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Mini docs

This Volcano is a Spiritual Creature

5/16/2023

The Chinese-American Making Japanese City Pop

Looking for music from people that looked like him or grew up like him, Ginger Root (AKA Cameron Lew) fell in love with Japanese pop music. When he started making music,he would perform to audiences of 8 people–max. Today, he’s sold out Tokyo Liquidroom and hit milestones he didn’t even know existed. A reminder that music doesn't have borders, this Chinese kid from Huntington Beach, California plays music inspired by Japan that was inspired by America. Also a filmmaker, Ginger Root’s visuals are as good as his music.

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Mini docs

The Chinese-American Making Japanese City Pop

5/10/2023

Violent protests are unfolding in Pakistan on the heels of former PM Imran Khan’s arrest. Khan, a controversial figure, has been arrested before but even non-Khan supporters are condemning how paramilitary troops arrested him. Here’s how it’s affecting the rest of the country. Imran Khan has a long history of activism and opposition to the government, both as a politician and as a social activist. When he was ousted from government in 2022, mass protests and unrest took place. Today, Khan supporters have stormed military bases and officials’ homes, leading to violence between civilians and police. Khan claims his arrest is politically motivated to keep him from re-election. Many fear this will delay elections, or worse prompt a military coup and martial law. Schools have been closed indefinitely, with major nationwide exams also put on hold. Access to social media platforms are being banned, with some regions facing total internet shutdown.

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Reports

Imran Khan Has Been Arrested

5/9/2023

South Asian and Mexican foods aren’t typically perceived as valuable, or worth more than ‘cheap eats’. That’s why Saqib Keval and Norma Listman created Masala y Maiz: to bring food back to community, where it’s valued. But there are complexities–Mexico City is undergoing a gentrification crisis, rising rent and erasing Spanish in some areas, and many customers are seeking out hotspot restaurants like Masala y Maiz. Mexico City is so fed up with gentrifying Americans that flyers are popping up: “New to the city? Working remotely? You’re a f—ing plague and the locals f—ing hate you. Leave.” Masala y Maiz is countering this by completely reimagining how their restaurant runs: they employ a collective leadership model in the restaurant, and everything from their wine to corn is sourced ethically and specifically – often from female owned and indigenous companies. Gentrification is just one of many challenges Masala y Maiz has risen to meet and overcome over the years: from attempted extortions by government agencies, being shut down, and ongoing corruption and bureaucracy in the food industry. Not only have they refused to pay the bribes, they’re bringing community back to the industry and to Mexico City.

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Mini docs

Masala y Maíz: All About Liberty

5/5/2023

A city in Japan is allowing government employees to use ChatGPT for admin tasks, and there's more. The hope is that AI will solve Japan’s problem of limited human resources, as the country has a steadily declining birth rate and population. Even their PM is testing it out. The CEO of OpenAI, ChatGPT’s parent company, just visited Japanese officials to discuss expansion in the country. Unlike Japan, countries like Italy and Canada are concerned about the data security and biases that may come with using it. For their part, the Japanese city government says its employees will be forbidden from entering any confidential or personal information into ChatGPT. Do you think a government can be run by AI? The thumbnail for this story was made using StarryAI, an AI image generator.

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Reports

Can AI Run Governments?

5/2/2023

Between the pandemic and political changes in Hong Kong, many places are being demolished without people even knowing. These explorers are trying to hold on to some of the city’s past with their photo book ‘Spatial Cemetery’. Abandonment and development come hand in hand, and naturally some cities have more abandoned spaces than others. Hong Kong has a particularly high concentration of these areas because of the rapid development post-handover in 1997. Echo and Ghost co-founded HK Urbex a decade ago, in hopes to find unique spots around Hong Kong. They say exploring an abandoned environment is exciting, anxiety-inducing and even surreal. Outside of just exploring, HK Urbex is documenting these spaces through photography in hopes to immortalize them. But they are disappearing fast.

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Micro Docs

Preserving Hong Kong’s Abandonment

4/28/2023

The creator and stars of the Netflix sensation BEEF have responded to the David Choe rape controversy. Even still, many are specifically calling out Steven Yeun and Ali Wong for their initial silence, as they responded saying he’s done work to better himself. Did Choe’s presence ruin the show for you? David Choe is controversial beyond his 2014 incident where he was accused of sexually assaulting a masseuse. In 2012, he was also paid millions in stock options by Facebook though he expressed negative views about the company and founder. Viewers are angry about him being hired by A24 and skeptical about his growth. What is needed for Choe to be forgiven? How can he take further accountability? And is there an opportunity for him to learn from his mistakes and make amends?

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Reports

What’s Next for David Choe?

4/25/2023

How much do you know about Shiba Inus? What were they originally bred for? Why did they almost go extinct? Shiba’s are aesthetically pleasing, incredibly popular, and Japan's national treasure--but how much do you know about the history of this hunting dog? Known for their fox-like features and tan fur, Shiba Inus have been around since the 3rd century BC but have nearly become extinct on two occasions–both in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. When Japan started importing Western dogs, cross-breeding led to a decline in pure Shiba Inus. And during WWII, bombings and food shortages also nearly wiped out these highly-sought after dogs. After Elon Musk’s 2021 tweet about his Shiba, the breed became trendy and this leads to unethical high-volume breeding. Though Shiba Inus have gone viral, buyers need to realize that owning this dog isn’t a fad. In fact, it’s a serious responsibility that requires a 14-16 year commitment to a dog that is practically a 25 lb. wolf.

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Explains

Don’t Appropriate Shiba Inus

2/21/2023

In 2019, streetwear designer Khanh Ngo launched his online store and made $90K in less than three months. He landed his “dream job” at Levi’s, but when COVID hit, he lost his job. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Khanh wasn’t typical in the fashion industry, and people judged him for not being the model minority Asian. He also felt shamed by his father–a Veteran and Captain, who projected his own losses onto his son. Between familial pressures and stereotyping, Khanh wasn’t in a good place. Today, Khanh speaks on how those difficulties made him more authentic, and a source of inspiration, for even his own family. He’s proud to represent where he’s from and tell the stories he believes are important. He’s also focused on love–not normalizing being defensive “because you’re Asian” anymore.