China is your Biggest Fan!

In the latest Color Correspondence podcast, Ben, Brandon, and Jonah discuss China’s new hit app Study the Great Nation! We also discuss how the app is designed to allow the Chinese Government to access 100% of your data when you use the it. “Can’t they just opt out?” You ask? According to the BBC, some people can’t,

“Use of the app is mandatory among party officials and civil servants and it is tied to wages in some workplaces.
Starting this month, native journalists must pass a test on the life of President Xi, delivered via the app, in order to obtain a press card which enables them to do their jobs”

Check out our latest episode here!
Read more about this new spying strategy, here!

You Should Be Watching: Watchmen

Who watches the Watchmen? We do and we love it. HBO’s series acts as a sequel to the original source material and, in a similar vane, uses its alternate reality setting to deliver searing social commentary and mind blowing perspective. The cast of characters are wonderfully fleshed out and Regina King’s Sister Night is a performance worthy of accolades. Give this one at least 4 episodes (the first 3 aren’t great, but it really takes off in the 4th) and brush up on the source material, or you may not have sufficient context for the gravity of this story. 

You Should Be Listening To: Michael Kiwanuka

Michael Kiwanuka has been rapidly gathering a devoted following thanks to his song, “Home Again” being featured in Donald Glover’s “Atlanta” and his moody, cinematic “Cold Little Heart” being used as the theme for HBO’s “Big Little Lies”. With his latest album, “Kiwanuka”, Michael Kiwanuka delivers more of his trademark Bill Withers meets Nancy Sinatra cinematic soul. And while the compositions range from deep and moving to playful and downright dance worthy, Kiwanuka’s soulful croon and gorgeous lyrics tie it all together, elevating this album into a class of its own. Would recommend for your commute, dinner party, or at the end of the day to accompany your nightcap. 

Did You Know…?

The traditional Japanese Christmas Eve dinner is Kentucky Fried Chicken! You may be scratching your head, because Christmas isn’t an official holiday in Japan, but the often frowned upon chicken giant began a massive marketing campaign in the 1970’s promoting  “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” or Kentucky for Christmas, after a western expat, who couldn’t find turkey on Christmas Eve, settled for fried chicken instead. This was perfect timing, as Japan was just starting to embrace the aesthetic and capitalist aspects of Christmas in order to provide an economic boost. Now, if you travel to Japan for the holidays, you’ll find thousands of people waiting in lines to pick up their own “Christmas Party Barrel” at their local KFC.
Read more here!