1 post tagged “socialbookmarking”
Finally, after years and years of teasing in the playground and classroom from fellow pupils and teachers (hello, Mr. Anwyl) alike, my surname is now so highly sought-after that two web services have just launched, using my name. Honestly.
mister-wong.com is a del.icio.us-esque social bookmarking service that is currently on a private beta in the English language, having apparently become the most successful website of its type in Germany, a country famed for good race relations. After I've registered, it tells me that I'll be able to "start wonging" soon. It even has a catchy slogan: "Wong The Web", sends out a weekly "wongletter", and the "wong" blog has a "wongroll".
Thankfully, the Chinese caricature that was all over the German website seems to have been reduced to an icon, although I'm still be firing off an email of complaint at some point. As will, I imagine, Asian American activists such as 8 Asians.
What amazes me is how this website managed to sneak up on everyone and apparently become the second most popular social networking site in Germany - a country not exactly short of Chinese people - without anyone complaining or noticing.
It's not just the Germans. A UK start-up has launched a website to help you borrow money from them on a short-term basis. And it's called Wonga. The website comes complete with a terribly low-quality Flash-based video introduction telling you that "you need Wonga. now."
I don't know whether to smile, cry or hide in my bedroom.
