That's A Hate Crime: Insurance Fraud Targeted At Asian Americans In Flushing

Friday, October 31, 2008

Apparently people have been targeting out Asian Americans in Flushing, taking advantage of the no-fault insurance law which allows someone to receive up to $50,000 for medical expenses received from an accident, by staging crashes with Asian American drivers.

Any guesses why they went after Asian Americans?

Primarily for the reason that they thought police and insurers would blame the Asian Americans involved for the accidents making their scam easier to get away with (because you know - we all suck at driving therefore any accident we're in must be our fault).

Well, I guess this instance shows us that not everyone buys into the Asian Americans driving badly stereotype because someone at the insurance companies got the police involved where they setup surveillance for "Operation Direct Hit" and got all the information they needed to indict individuals in the fraud case.

But guess what's even better than that?

Because the scammers went after Asian Americans specifically - they're all facing the charge of assault as a hate crime.

Article: Brenda Song

Friday, October 31, 2008



For all of you Brenda Song fans (College Road Trip, Wendy Wu) there's a good article down at Mochi Magazine:

For as long as she can remember, Brenda Song has wanted to be an actress. “My imagination, as a child, was huge,” she recalls. “It’s all I wanted to do.” With parents who were “supportive of anything,” Brenda got her first role at age five doing a commercial for Little Caesars. A few short years later, a manager introduced Brenda to Elizabeth Sung, who at the time was directing a short autobiographical film and looking to cast someone as her younger self. Sung had met with 20 girls when Brenda came along.

“She came in confident,” says Sung. “She was very focused, and it was very obvious that she loved what she was doing.” Unafraid, Brenda took the stage and impressed Sung with her “spontaneity, sense of ease, and playfulness.” Sung remembers an innate quality in Brenda that helped her stand out as a “smart, intelligent girl that talks to you like she’s a little adult.” She became the first director to cast Brenda in a film, giving the then seven-year-old a role in her short film “Requiem.”
Read the full article here.

Is Your Pot Laced With Coke?

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Like I've said before (and many others have said before me) when all of our Presidents have been white males, this notion that race - and racism - hasn't had anything to do with who we've elected as Presidents is just mind boggling, and inferring that racism won't have any effect on this election is just asinine.

But then again, I guess McCain wouldn't see it any other way:

"Look, there's racism in America — we all know that," the Republican hopeful told CNN's "Larry King Live" in a taped interview set to air Wednesday evening.

"But I am totally convinced that 99 and forty-four-one-hundredths percent of Americans are going to make the decision based on who is best to lead this country," he continued.
99 and forty-four-one-hundredths percent?

Damn. That's pretty Asian accurate.

I mean who knows - maybe McCain could be the first Asian American President.

Or his daughter's just rubbing off on him.

Word to my abacists.

Getting Your YouTube Groove On - Filipino American Style

Thursday, October 30, 2008

I was traveling around YouTube and I happened to catch some Filipino American (and Canadian) artists who have a pretty slick vibe going on, and I'll be kind of surprised if I don't hear about at least one of them making some more waves in other parts of the industry - so check 'em on out, enjoy the music, and subscribe to their channels.

Gabe Bondoc
http://www.youtube.com/user/gabebondoc

With over 420,000 channel views and close to 17,000 subscribers people are definitely feeling Gabe's covers and originals. He's influenced by John Mayer, David Ryan Harris, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jason Mraz and comes out of San Mateo/Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Here's his original song "Superhuman".



Tiffany Eugenio
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tiffyiffyiffy


While she doesn't have a lot of videos on her channel in comparison to other YouTube musicians, she's gaining a sizeable audience because of her smooth voice and ready-for-radio performances (65,000+ channel views and close to 5,000 subscribers).

Hailing from Canada, here's her cover of J. Holiday's "Suffocate".



*Note: While I couldn't find anything stating she was in fact Filipino, but was pretty sure, I sent word to some peeps and the confirmation from my Fil-Am crowd is that she's Filipino (and if by some chance we all have it wrong - I hearby give her honorary Fil-Am status anyway).

cabreezzah
http://www.youtube.com/user/cabreezzah


So I'll be honest. I kind of lied. Cabreezzah according to her channel is from the Philippines, but she's got a really distinct voice that I enjoyed and at 16 is already cutting a CD, so she gets on this list. With close to 20,000 channel views and 1000+ subscribers here's her cover of Katy Perry's "Thinking of You".



JR Aquino
http://www.youtube.com/user/djkeeno

He's got over half a million channel views and 22,000+ subscribers, and hailing from the city of Anchorage, I think it's safe to say that JR Aquino's covers seem to have caught on in a big way. While he has some other clips with a lot more views - I liked the raw vibe of this video doing a cover of The Dream's "I Luv Your Girl".

Tell Me More With Jeff Yang

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Check out the conversation with Jeff Yang on NPR - a lot of interesting topics. I don't agree with everything and I wish when talking about "that article" Yang would have stated something like "We have to be careful about stereotyping all Asian Americans from one poll in one state" versus the answer he gave - but either way - definitely worth a listen and there's still a lot of good info to chew on:

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has a very real chance of becoming the nation's first black president when voters head to the polls two weeks from today.

The prospect of such a historic feat fostered the ongoing Tell Me More series: "What If." The program has had discussions with distinguished influential thinkers, political figures and artists probing just what would it mean for old stereotypes, expectations and fears?

Jeff Yang, an American writer and business-media consultant who is currently the "Asian Pop" columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle, offers the latest installment to the series.

But Yang has looked at the idea differently — turning it on its head, in fact. He recently wrote a column posing whether Obama could be the first Asian-American president?

He explains that some "tropes" about race specifically have begun to become detached from biology. In that vain, he says, that the tropes that qualify someone to be called Asian-American are apropos for Obama. To name a few: They are well-educated, often at the most elite colleges and universities in the country (Obama attended Occidental College and finished his B.A. at Columbia before getting a law degree from Harvard); they aren't born rich but lead very comfortable lives, usually being professionals of some kind (Obama taught Constitutional law, was a senator in the Illinois legislature, and then the U.S. Congress); they have exotic, often hard to pronounce names (Obama often makes fun of how his name sounds to Americans).
Listen to the full interview down at NPR.

Obama And The Asian(s)

Thursday, October 30, 2008



So like everyone else I watched the Obama infomercial and it was moving, Presidential, and above all else served its purpose of trying to sway those voters in swing states, but like others I couldn't help but notice the dearth of Asian faces.

Call me crazy, but when one of the only faces I see even close to resembling an Asian one is in a book playing the violin (I know...) - I think we have an issue.

* Maybe there's a director's cut with deleted Asian clips?

Random Bai Ling Post

Wednesday, October 29, 2008



Love her. Hate Her. Maybe just a little in the middle.

Either way, if you want to watch an interview with Bai Ling this Friday (but you'll probably have better things to do) you can check it out on LA Living - and I guess Bai will also be down at FOX News talking about naturalization and citizenship soon - which might be interesting:

And about to do another interview for Fox on some heavy topic about my experiences and opinions of naturalization and citizenship, I don't really understand those questions or words, too long and complicated' life should be simpler, well we will see what the road will lead me at that time then.......
Well...I guess...I mean...I never said everything that came out of her mouth was always coherent...

And You've Got Rock Opera

Wednesday, October 29, 2008



Sweet sweet rock opera from Cambodia:

Cambodia's first rock opera will premiere in Phnom Penh next month, a cultural milestone in the Southeast Asian country where performing arts were banned during the brutal Khmer Rouge years.

"Where Elephants Weep" is an East-meets-West blend of traditional Cambodian music and Western rock that is modeled after "Romeo and Juliet" and inspired by the Broadway musical "Rent."

Organizers said Wednesday the show will open a 10-day run Nov. 28 in a converted movie theater in the capital, Phnom Penh, a year later than its planned debut at the end of 2007.

The show was commissioned by Cambodian Living Arts, a project of the Boston-based nonprofit organization World Education, which seeks to revive traditional Cambodian performing arts and inspire contemporary artistic expression among Cambodians.
Nice.

Just Another Fact Pointing Out That We're Not The Model Minority

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

I caught this article down at Crain's New York Business and I think it just goes a long way in stating the fact that Asian Americans who need a helping hand can't be overlooked and marginalized in regard to basic needs services - that just like every other race and ethnicity - we sometimes need help - and that contrary to popular belief - we're still not "there" yet:

Nearly one in five Asian-Americans in New York City live below the poverty level, according to a report released Tuesday by the Asian American Federation. At 18.5%, that proportion dwarfs the 10.8% of the city’s non-Hispanic white population living in poverty.

About 41% of the city’s Asian residents were low-income in 2006, according to the report Working but Poor: Asian American Poverty in New York City, which used per-capita income data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 Census and 2006 American Community Survey. The percentage of low-income Asians, defined as those making less than twice the poverty level, topped the rate of low-income non-Hispanic whites (24%) and the overall rate of low-income residents (39%).

“These findings counter the widely held perception of Asian Americans doing well financially,” said AAF executive director Cao O. “Many Asians are vulnerable and unprotected, trapped on the low rungs of the economic ladder.”
I have some more thoughts on this topic - but I'll save them for a later post.

Check out the full article here.

Five Things I Like About White People

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Occasionally, I go off on the white people, not all white people obviously, just some of them (although looking at recent posts, I don't think I've beaten down too many white people lately), but I was thinking to myself that as a person of color I should do a post on some of the things I really like about white people, or things white people have made, or just about white people in general because I wanted to show some love to my white peeps.

So here's the list in no real order.

Blaming White People



Blaming things on white people is just fun to do and if you don't do it on a regular basis I kind of think you're missing out on a really good American pastime.

I mean some things just come naturally because let's face it, even today as far as we've come, there still aren't that many people of color in control, so things like education, health care, foreign policy, "the government" -- these all have problems where I can point to white people and just say "You made the problem, you fix the problem."

But the best is just blaming anything and everything on white people even though it has nothing to do with them like losing my wallet, accidentally peeing on myself, burning my pizza because I got sucked into "Project Runway", or just dropping something in the store and cursing white people out loud because people really aren't sure if white people had anything to do with me actually dropping something in the store, or if I'm just a little crazy.

Kentucky Fried Chicken



Let's just say it together. If there's one great thing white people have perfected above all else that's really benefited the world it's KFC (because redlining and dropping the bomb don't count). I mean what else beats a few Heinekin and a big ass bucket of Extra Crispy with some hot sauce even though you know you shouldn't eat a whole bucket of chicken yourself but you just can't help it?

Exactly.

There's not a lot out there that beats a big bucket of fried chicken and if you look at the map above where all the red areas are countries which have KFCs, it's easy to see that I have the support of pretty much everyone on this, and I think just like me, people really do think of KFC as their white greasy mistress.

German Pee Videos



Go into any reputable porn shop and you always have the German Pee Video aisle, and while I know everyone tries to pee on camera nowadays, it's really the Germans that have this market cornered, and from the box covers, it's the white Germans. And while I'm not into German pee videos myself (or Roman Showers for that matter) the thing I love about the pee video is that when a white person says Asian women and men are oh so sexually submissive in comparison to white people, I just bring up the fact that German people pee on camera for a salary, lick my lips, nod to an old white lady across the room, and they really don't say anything after that.

I kind of think of it as pee empowerment.

White Women With Yellow Fever



They may not always want to take you home and meet the family, but that's really something I can live with because white women with Yellow Fever really want to get the most out of the experience, so it's usually been a good thing for me. At the same time, they really aren't that picky which is also a good thing for me. I mean I'm hot, but I'm not Daniel Henney hot (and think about it for a moment, I eat whole buckets of chicken and know about the German Pee Video aisle) but to white women looking at me with their Yellow Fever Goggles on I'm Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and all of Asia rolled into one tasty little dim sum.

And sure, once they find out I never studied under a grand master, don't have any pearls of wisdom, and I'm not going to beat them down like in "Ichi the Killer" on date #4 to satiate their brutal fetishes (because I'm a lover not a rapist) they do in fact say I'm not Asian enough for them and end up losing my number.

But just like not meeting the family, this is something I can live with too.

White Guilt



What some people don't always get is that White Guilt equals free stuff, and I'm not above taking free stuff, and while you can say that getting things for free based on White Guilt is something I shouldn't do, if some guy's cleaning a store, doesn't see me, and says something like "There's a lot a gook on the floor" and I can end up walking out with free beer and money for a chalupa -- I'm taking the free beer and heading on out to Taco Bell.

Say what you will, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't turn down free beer either.

Northwest Asian American Film Festival 2009 Call for Entries

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Another way to get your Asian American filmmaker groove on:

Mark your calendars!
The next Northwest Asian American Film Festival takes place February 26-March 1, 2009

Call for Entries

Northwest Asian American Film Festival is now accepting entries for films on subjects related to the Asian Pacific American experience. Along with screenings of curated and selected works from the Pacific Northwest and North America, the four-day film festival will offer a variety of social events and programs relating to Asian American media.

Submission Format: DVD or URL link (to YouTube, Google Video etc.)
Genres: Short; Experimental; Documentary; Narrative
Screening Format: 35mm; 16mm; mini DV; DVD
Deadline: December 5, 2008

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION:

1) Complete and send the entry form to NWAAFF 2009 (form is available on our web site http://www.nwaaff.org/)
• By email to info@nwaaff.org
• By mail to 1463 E. Republican St. #106, Seattle, WA 98112

2) Send your film to NWAAFF 2009:
• DVD sent by mail to NWAAFF, 1463 E. Republican St. #106, Seattle, WA 98112. Please indicate the film's title and contact information on the tape/disc.
OR
• As a URL where your film can be viewed online (e.g. YouTube, Google Video, etc.).

Please do not include additional promotional materials.

DEADLINES: Mailed entries must be postmarked and electronic entries must be sent no later than December 5, 2008. Receipt of entries will be confirmed via email. Final selections will be announced in late December/early January.

ENTRY FEE: There is no entry fee for this year's festival.

Questions? Email info@nwaaff.org
--
Northwest Asian American Film Festival 2009
1463 E. Republican St. #106
Seattle, WA 98112
Email: info@nwaaff.org
Web Site: http://twww.nwaaff.org/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/nwaaff
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-WA/Northwest-Asian-American-Film-Festival-Seattle-WA/8338821821

Join mailing list: subscribe@nwaaff.org

Jeff Chang, Vibe, Obama, And Blue-Eyed Japanese

Tuesday, October 28, 2008



An excerpt from Jeff Chang's VIBE cover story on Obama "The Tipping Point":

Thanks to hip hop, American popular culture has been thoroughly, to coin a word, colorized. These are all signs that we may be in the middle of an era of expansive racial change. For some, these signs point to fear. For us, they point to hope.

Rewind back to the bitter cold of this past January, when Iowans under the age of 25 delivered Obama’s margin of victory in that first caucus, jump-starting his historic march to the Democratic nomination. In the 14 most competitive states, young people made up more than half of the 3 million new registered voters. Through the primary season, young voters turned out at almost twice the rate they did in 2000.

Young people, urbanites, progressives, and people of color have been the driving force behind Obama’s presidential run. “Barack Obama owes his nomination, in large part, to the strength of those voters,” says BET News analyst Keli Goff, author of Party Crashing: HowThe Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence (Basic, 2008), “and the strength of people underestimating those voters.”

Forty years have passed since Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy fell to bullets. In 1968, Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon and American Independent Party candidate George Wallace won 57 percent of the electorate by campaigning for the so- called “Silent Majority,” stirring a white backlash against “student radicals” and “angry negroes.” Since that time, racism and generational fear have been a dependable, winning electoral strategy.
Interestingly enough I was listening to NPR over the weekend where they were talking about George Wallace and his use of the term blue-eyed Japanese.

Kinda crazy how he still seems to be relevant.

Food Network: All white and pasty with no color? Part 2

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

You've heard me get down on the Food Network before for their lack of color (see the past post) - so when I caught this from the Hyphen blog, I just had to post it up, as it takes a nice updated look at the network specifically in regard to Asian chefs versus Asian cooking.



That was fn great.

IBU And Candy Cane

Tuesday, October 28, 2008



For any of you IBU fans out there I caught this via their MySpace bulletin:

IBU introduces their new song, “Candy Cane” from it’s upcoming sophomore album, ”Inspired By U”on Clear Channel/WGCI’s “New,” heard by about 10 million people per month on over 400 radio station websites across the country. The album is nearing it’s completion, and IBU decided to give a preview of this song to their myspace friends. Hope you will enjoy the song. Be among the first to hear the new song!
Check the song out here.

Random Thought On Ice Skating And The LPGA

Monday, October 27, 2008

I was reading this article down at the LA Times about the Asian dominance in ice skating - particularly about South Korea's 18 year-old Yu-na Kim who just won the Skate America title this past Sunday in Washington - and I couldn't help but laugh a little to myself and wonder if the powers that overlook ice skating would ever round up the South Korean participants and tell them that they all better be able to pass an English proficiency test or else they wouldn't be able to compete.

Just a random thought.

A Little Monday Morning Dance

Monday, October 27, 2008

From Clazziquai's second 2005 effort Color Your Soul.

Henry Chang And Year Of The Dog

Sunday, October 26, 2008



Caught this article down at the NYT on author Henry Chang (Chinatown Beat), his thoughts on what he wants readers to know about Chinatown, and his new book Year Of The Dog:

As far as I know, there’s never been a Chinese cop as the head of a detective series. Somebody said, “Henry Chang is the Dashiell Hammett of Chinatown.” I got a kick out of that. But the books are less conventional mysteries than studies in Chinese-American culture.

I tried to make the atmosphere as real as possible by including places like the street of funeral parlors, on Mulberry Street. There’s a character named Ah Por — she’s a fortune teller that Jack consults. There are a bunch of them down here, and they sit at Columbus Park.

There’s a bookie in “Year of the Dog” named Sai Go. I based him on the guys who hang out at the OTB on Chatham Square. Another character, Bo, a haircutter, is paying off the snakeheads that brought her here illegally. I’m adding a depth and humanity to the people down here.
Definitely put this on my list of books to read (well...you know what I mean).

Check more out here.

NewsBytes

Sunday, October 26, 2008

S.F. State to mark 40th anniversary of strike

For nearly five months in late 1968 and early 1969, near anarchy at San Francisco State played out on national television as police thumped striking students with batons and hundreds of students were arrested after throwing rocks and firebombs.

The strike, led by minority students angered by their lack of representation on campus, marked the most violent chapter in the campus' history, paving the way for student activism around racial issues across the nation. It also fueled the political career of campus president S.I. Hayakawa, who later was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Asian American? You may be fatter than you think!

While I was aiming for a BMI of 25, it turns out that someone moved the goalposts for Asian Americans. BMI is short for “Body Mass Index”. It reflects height and weight proportions, and various organizations have drawn the lines between categories such as Obese, Overweight, Normal, and Underweight. For example, the World Health Organization defines Normal as 18.5 to 25.

Then, I discovered the Joslin Diabetes Centre associated with the Harvard Medical School. Turns out that Asian Americans should aim for a BMI of 23, not 25. Bottom line, I need to lose 15 pounds, not 5. The explanation? Asian Americans are “fatter” at a lower BMI than Caucasian Americans. This translates to an increased risk of diabetes and other health problems at lower weights.
'Flower Drum Song' moves to a new beat at AMT

David Henry Hwang embodies that line from "Flower Drum Song" with his radical new revival of the vintage Rodgers-and-Hammerstein musical, which runs through Nov. 9 at American Musical Theatre of San Jose.

The playwright has breathed fresh air into the old-fashioned tale of Mei Li, a young Chinese refugee who makes a new life in San Francisco's Chinatown, where her head is turned by the fusion of East and West on Grant Avenue.
Young Vietnamese-Americans turn away from GOP

"Many in the Vietnamese community felt Democrats were just too soft on communism and too weak on defense,'' recalls Minh Steven Dovan, a San Jose attorney who says he rarely told fellow members of the émigre community that he was a registered Democrat. Other émigres say that some Republican Vietnamese went as far as dubbing the Democrats in their midst "communist sympathizers.''

But more than three decades after communist tanks rolled into Saigon, young Vietnamese-Americans are abandoning the Republican Party in droves, according to a Mercury News computer analysis of nearly 30,000 new Santa Clara County voters. By plugging Vietnamese surnames into a database, the analysis shows that Vietnamese-Americans age 30 and under are registering Democratic over Republican by nearly 4 to 1.
Captain Kirk vs. Sulu

Takei and Altman had previously said that Shatner was invited to their wedding, but he did not RSVP.

"It is unfortunate that Bill was unable to join us for our wedding as he indeed was invited to attend," Takei said on his website. Speaking on US show Entertainment Tonight, Takei branded Shatner's rant as "silliness" and described the actor as having "a big, shining, demanding ego". He denied the allegation the pair were strangers saying: "We've done six movies together, three seasons of television and been doing Star Trek conventions together for the last 40-plus years - yes I guess he doesn't know us."

"By my sending an invitation to him was burying the hatchet - we keep reaching out and he takes it and twists it and turns it into something that's ugly," he said.
Shuffled! Grace Talusan

Grace Talusan was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the US at age 3. She grew up in the suburbs of Boston. A a child, Grace played the flute and piano. She was a member of the math team in high school, and was pre-med in college. Despite these auspicious beginnings, with the encouragement of teachers, she became a writer.

After graduating from Tufts University with a degree in English, she earned an MFA in fiction from the University of California-Irvine and then began teaching in the creative writing program at the University of Oregon.
Wild Nights with The Kominas

Wild Nights in Guantanamo Bay, The Kominas first full length EP dropped last month on CD Baby as well as on iTunes. I’ve been listening to the album on repeat while at the gym and have found myself jaw dropping on more than one occasion as the album took me on a lyrical journey intertwining Islam, politics, and profanity. The album is polished, with a clean sound and reflecting a range of punk sounds and complicated influences. Wild Nights reminds me of a NOFX album in composition — up beat crass punk while subliminally highlighting social and political complexities. But in The Kominas case, the added spice of intersectionality between Islam, American, Desi, South Asian, and punk rock.
Militant Dissident Receives Human Rights Award

I picked up an article about Hu Jia yesterday in the NYTimes getting awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. If you don't know, Hu has been in captivity since Dec. 2007 and convicted last spring for organizing an underground human rights advocacy group. I must say, I am inspired. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, was a blogger that documented his disappearance while pursued by China's secret police.
8against8.com: Asian-Am Blogger Raises $8,000 Against California Proposition 8 in 3 Days

About four days ago, Grace Chu of Grace the Spot and AfterEllen.com, along with seven of her close lesbian blogger friends, issued a challenge to the queer online community: To help them raise $8,000 in 8 days against California Proposition 8, the proposition that would institute a ban in the California constitution against same-sex marriage. Grace and her friends then set up a site, 8 Against 8, for this purpose and urged their readers to contribute.

None of them were expecting the immediate and passionate response. Within 8 hours, they had raised $2,000. In 2 days, $4,000. Yesterday, they had already broken their goal. Now they’re calling on other like-minded people to continue raising money, especially Asian Americans. According to Grace, “The sky’s the limit!”

BoA On The Charts

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Just in case you were wondering how BoA's been doing since being released into the charts, here's a quick rundown (and I have to say that I like the fact that they seem to be bringing her in slowly).

So far I'd call it a success.

Amazon MP3 Downloads

In the Bestsellers category (which ranks all songs - and all lists are updated hourly) she's been rotating in and out of the top 100. When she debuted she made it as high as #21, and over the last few days I've seen her in and out of the top 100. As of this posting she's now listed at #165.

In the specific category of Dance & DJ (the designated genre of Eat You Up), I saw her in the top ten at #6 and currently she's at position #14.

iTunes

While she hasn't broken into the iTunes general Top Songs list yet, BoA has, according to the above linked article, made it as high as the #3 position on the Top Songs in the Dance genre, and over the last couple of days as I've checked on in, she's stil maintained her top 10 position (I saw her at #6 previously and then just checked in to see her at the #10 slot).

Trailer And News: Gran Torino Gets Award Season Slot

Saturday, October 25, 2008

I caught down at THR.com that the film Gran Torino with its large Hmong American cast (check out a post earlier this month on the film) is going to be getting an award season rollout of December 17th - which should be a huge boon to the many Asian American faces in the film and getting seen by mainstream audiences:

Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" guns into the marketplace on Dec. 17.

Warner Bros. will give the Eastwood-helmed and -toplined drama a limited release in the midst of kudos season, with a platformed campaign into wide release to play out over subsequent frames. Warners had it tagged as an unslotted December release for months, but domestic distribution president Dan Fellman locked into the date after meeting with the filmmaker on Wednesday.

"It's a film that's sure to have great appeal both with moviegoers and critics," Fellman said.
Here's the newly released trailer on YouTube

Sungha Jung: Play Me Some Of That Good Bye Blue Sky Pink Floyd

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Nebraska: Princess Sasha Clips On YouTube

Saturday, October 25, 2008

While I know you've already heard about Wayne Wang's film The Princess Of Nebraska and being able to watch it on YouTube (here's a link to watch it again), if you caught the film you know that it made use of the mobile phone cam from Sasha.

Interestingly enough, there are clips from princesssasha in character on YouTube separate from the film which you can check out here.

Below is one of the clips.

Arizona - Get Your Mekong Plaza On

Saturday, October 25, 2008

I guess I should really say "Mesa - Get Your Mekong Plaza On" - but you get my point. If you're in the West Mesa AZ area and you need Asian - anything Asian - apparently the new 100,000 square-foot Asian themed mall called Mekong Plaza is the place for you:

The mall is anchored by the 38,000-square-foot Mekong Supermarket, which opens into the rest of the indoormall. Other Asian-owned businesses already open include a hair salon and a gift shop. The plaza proprietors are banking on the climate-controlled feature to draw more visitors in the summer heat.

Two Vietnamese restaurants in the center were packed at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The next day, the afternoon lunch crowd spilled over outside into the corridor. Chan Tieu, owner of UnPHOgettable restaurant, moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona because he saw a good business opportunity, He's run out of the popular Pho noodle soup every day since Day One. "It's been a madhouse," said Tieu, who's looking for more help to cater to the patrons. Word of mouth, he believes, is drawing people in.
And yes - you can get a t-shirt that says UnPHOgettable.

NYT Op-Ed: Saigon Grill

Saturday, October 25, 2008

There's a good writeup in The New York Times today by Steven Shaw on Saigon Grill and $4.6 million in back pay and damages they have to pay out to 36 delivery workers because of violating labor laws:

And indeed, this week a federal judge ordered Saigon Grill to pay $4.6 million in back pay and damages to 36 delivery workers. The judge, writing that the owners "showed no regard whatsoever" for minimum wage and other labor laws, decided that some deliverymen had been so cheated that they were entitled to as much as $328,000 each.

Asian-restaurant deliverymen risk their lives every time they set out on their bicycles and travel miles to deliver orders. When they are robbed, a Saigon Grill worker reported, they have to compensate the restaurant for the lost money. When the weather is bad, the workload increases because more customers order in — and then complain if their food takes longer than usual to arrive.
Read more here.

Vanessa Minnillo: Asian American Blog That Needs A Hug

Saturday, October 25, 2008

For some odd reason I decided to check around see what Fil-Am Vanessa Minnillo is doing after being in Disaster Movie and maybe not having sex with Nick Lachey and came across her blog.



Hmm...I guess Nick's not the only one who isn't getting any.

I Know Murder Isn't Funny - But This Actually Is

Friday, October 24, 2008

Love it:

A 43-year-old Japanese woman, whose sudden divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband's digital persona, has been arrested on suspicion of hacking, police said Thursday.

The woman, who is jailed on suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game "Maple Story" to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

[...]

The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.
Read it in full down at Yahoo! Games.

Insult On Top Of Injury: Protecting The Minidoka Internment National Monument

Thursday, October 23, 2008


Aerial view of Minidoka during WWII (pacificcitizen.org)

This is just insane to me - but let me catch you up to speed.

Last month the Jerome County Board of Commissioners in Idaho approved an application for a business which is referred to as a CAFO, or a confined animal feeding operation, for a 13,000 animal dairy/feedlot.

That in itself isn't a big deal - but think about it for a moment too - a 13,00 animal dairy - that's a lot feces, stench, and noise.

And while there has to be businesses like this (no one's disputing that) guess where the newly approved CAFO is slated to be put?

1.2 miles away from the Minidoka Internment National Monument site which was the largest of the 10 detention camps used during WWII, was designated as a National Historic Site earlier this year by Congress, sees thousands of visitors a year, and in May, a bill was signed by Bush for the monument to be refurbished and added too.

They can't find any other place to put this? They have to put it next to a National Historic Site which is used to teach people about Japanese internment?

Why not just put portapotties on Mt. Rushmore and call it day?

Opposition

If you don't think people voiced their opposition - they did - but because of a law that says only those within 1 mile of a proposed feedlot have a legal say to offer information or an opinion about it - that left anyone from the Minidoka Interment National Monument about .2 miles out of the technical process.

But they thought people would still listen, so they were shocked when the CAFO got approved:

The decision to approve the confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) stunned many former Minidoka internees and descendants who have long opposed the facility fearing odor, waste management and airborne pathogens.

"Friends of Minidoka is very disappointed," said Momohara. "We support agriculture ... but the feedlot is in the wrong location." [...]

"It is shameful that politics were more important than community welfare in the Jerome County decision to approve the feedlot," said JACL National Director Floyd Mori. "It is clear that the commissioners turned a deaf ear to the Minidoka community. While on one hand they have given lip service to the historical and tourist importance of Minidoka, they are allowing a contamination of the actual site itself as well as the spirit of the basic purpose of this national monument." [...]

Friends of Minidoka - a national organization working to preserve Minidoka's legacy - will continue to work with preservation groups and local residents to determine what their next legal step will be [...]
Lawsuit Filed

As of yesterday, October 22nd, a lawsuit has been filed to prevent the massive animal feedlot from being built near the historic site including the Japanese American Citizens League, Preservation Idaho, Idaho Concerned Area Residents for the Environment, the Idaho Rural Council and several local families:

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is part of a coalition of groups and individuals that filed suit Tuesday in 5th District Court, seeking to stop the planned 13,000-animal dairy.

"It doesn't make any sense," said Charlie Tebbutt, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center, which represents the groups. "It's a lot like putting a hazardous waste facility next to a hospital." [...]

The groups also allege the commissioners violated their own zoning ordinances by approving the feedlot.

"I think it's unfortunate that we had to file this petition," said the chairwoman of the Friends of Minidoka, Emily Momohara, noting two of her grandparents and two great-grandparents were held at the internment camp. "But we are dedicated to preserving Minidoka."

The groups also contend that commissioners didn't fully consider the negative effect on the monument that could be produced by the feedlot, called a confined-animal feeding operation, or CAFO.

"It will severely detract from the monument and the desire of people to go to a place that is full of foul odors and flies and other potential pollution," said Tebbutt. "In Idaho, the laws are not fully developed or fully enforced when it comes to the CAFO industry."
That's Rich

And what did one of the commissioners who approved the feedlot have to say on the issue?

Commissioner Charlie Howell, who voted to approve the feedlot both times, said he expected the lawsuit.

"It's quite ironic that the people who had their rights taken away and who were put in that internment camp are now trying to take away the rights of people who live near the site," Howell said.
I wonder if Howell would say the same thing about anyone from the Jewish community if this was a Holocaust site or museum?

Give Some Support

Here are some places to check in with to see if you can help out (general list right now):

Quotable Twitter: Foodie Sarah Gim

Thursday, October 23, 2008



I happened to be checking out some stats and saw someone hitting a past Character Fantasy Jeanie Mai post which led me to click on a link that took me to an episode that led me to food porn Tastespotting where I saw the delicious life that eventually led me to Twitter where I saw this tweet that made me laugh:

about to go get a hot hacker drunk and take advantage of his technology
One other thing.

Here's the episode that started it all with foodie/blogger and owner of Tastespotting, Sarah Gim:

Interview: Vanessa Hudgens

Thursday, October 23, 2008

If you're interested - and you're into Vanessa Hudgens and High School Musical 3: Senior Year - here's a snippet from an interview she did with Reuters:

The petite Filipina/Chinese/Spanish/Irish and American Indian actress with tumbling black hair talked to Reuters about the success of the three Disney films and how they gave her the high school experience that, as a home-schooled teenager, she never had for herself.

Q: Do you feel you missed out on the American high school life portrayed in "High School Musical."?

A: "This series was definitely my high school experience. It's been three years, almost four. I've made the most amazing friends through this project, people I know I will always be able to call. I have grown up with them."
Read it in full here - and yes - I feel dirty too.

Website: McCain Hates Gooks

Thursday, October 23, 2008



Got sent this to my inbox via one of the creators V. Nguyen and while you may have heard a little bit about it already - if you haven't - make sure to check it out.

Here's some of the info from the site's Mission:

PARTICIPATION, EDUCATION, MOBILIZATION

It is commonly believed that gook was used in its first incarnation over a century ago as “gugu,” during the Philippine-American War. Gook was later used during the Korean War and, most famously, during the Vietnam War.

Gook is a racial slur that is used to denigrate and dehumanize Asians and Asian Americans. As a term that was used in war and that has seeped into the general American lexicon, it serves to justify violence and racism against Asians and Asian Americans. Gook lumps all Asian ethnicities together, thereby erasing the saliency of cultural, linguistic, and historical distinctions, enabling the blanketed oppression of all yellow peoples.
Go to McCainHatesGooks.com

If No One Was Listening: Obama At A Campaign Stop In Florida

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Current TV and Blue Scholars

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

There's a good VC2 video with Blue Scholars on Current TV where you can watch Geologic and Sabzi take you on tour of some of their favorite places in Seattle.

Check the video below

Irwin Tang And Gook: John McCain's Racism And Why It Matters

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Caught this video of Irwin Tang, whom I've posted on in the past, down at Racialicous talking about his book Gook: John McCain's Racism And Why It Matters and wanted to post up on it, as the clip has some good info even if just a few minutes long.

Random Music Post (One More Time): Flower By Kenzo, David Liang, Shu Qi

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

End Of Summer But Still Good Interview With David Liang



Flower By Kenzo Advertisement (last year) With Shu Qi And Shanghai Restoration Project's Introduction (1936)

7th Grade Teacher Greg Howard Tells Classroom That "Change" Means "Come Help A (N-word) Get Elected" And Only Gets Suspended For 10 Days

Tuesday, October 21, 2008



To be honest, I expect racists to try and get at everyone they can - in fact - I know that inherently it's just a part of their personality to try and indoctrinate others around them with their views of prejudice and bigotry - we've all seen it.

But what I don't expect is to hear that a 7th grade teacher in Jackson County Florida when asking what Change meant in regard to the Obama campaign would then write on the chalk-board saying it means "Come Help A (N-word) Get Elected" - not just once, but in multiple classes with White, Black, and Asian students:

The Jackson County School Board has taken action against a teacher who apparently made racial commentary on presidential candidate Barack Obama. According to parents and students in Greg Howard’s seventh-grade social studies class, Howard on Friday, Sept. 26 asked the class a question regarding Obama’s call for change, and proceeded to write out what the letters C-H-A-N-G-E stood for.

"She told me that he wrote on the board ‘Can You Help A (expletive) Get Elected, and then laughed about it," said Shelia Christian, a mother of one of Howard’s students. Jackson County Superintendent Danny Sims said that description of this incident was "pretty accurate." Sims said Howard apparently repeated the action in more than one class, having made the comment in "a couple of periods."
And if that isn't revolting enough - a teacher bringing their racist views into the classroom - do you want to know what's happened to Greg Howard so far?

Here's a snippet from news-press.com:

Howard was suspended with pay Monday while the incident was investigated. The reprimand was elevated to a 10-day suspension without pay starting Thursday. Howard also must write a letter of apology to the students. Howard will be reassigned to teach in the district's Adult Education Program. "We feel like the punishment is sufficient," Moore said. "We did not feel he had to be fired." Moore said Howard did not have any other disciplinary action prior to this incident.
Are you kidding me? This is the way that Florida's Jackson County handles a vile racist who brings in his views of white supremacy into the classroom?

Ten days and a move to the Adult Education Program?

If you're like me and you can't even begin to fathom how Greg Howard only gets a slap on the wrist for his racist behavior, get on out and make sure your voice gets heard:

Contact the Jackson County School Board through their web site at http://web.jcsb.org/ or write/call/fax them at:

2903 Jefferson Street
Marianna, Florida 32446
Phone: (850) 482-1200
Fax: (850) 482-1299

Sign the petition to get Greg Howard fired down at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/remove-racist-florida-teacher-greg-howard.

Random Music Post: Stevie Wonder - I Was Made To Love Her

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Race Round Up

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

News from around the way.

Racist to the Core: Rush Limbaugh on Colin Powell

Almost immediately, the bombastic Limbaugh fired off an email that bristled with an overt racism. "Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race," Limbaugh wrote. "OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I'll let you know what I come up with."

Say what? In fact, Powell never once mentioned race in his discussion. Never came close to referencing it. The only person who brought up race in the discussion is Rush Limbaugh. But then again, truth has never been his strong suit.
ACORN says McCain rhetoric led to racist threats

Since its voter registration practices came under scrutiny this month, community organizers associated with ACORN and other groups have received an array of racist and threatening phone calls and e-mails, along with physical confrontations.
Pinoys in UK demand, get apology for 'racist' comedy skit

“It’s treating the Filipina maid as an object, sexual object, as if you own the person. At saka yung other sexual innuendos, ayaw ko yun. That’s wrong,’ said Edgar, who joined the protest at the Tiger Aspect Productions office [...] “They have demeaned women, especially the Filipino woman, in public by broadcasting and by airing the program. It’s a public insult so a public apology is needed and an undertaking that this thing should never happen again,” she added.
Racist Vandalism on Political Signs

In Appomattox County, they're shocked at the political signs in the area vandalized with hate. As we reported over the weekend, someone spray painted the N-word and the letters KKK on signs along Route 26 last week. Police are investigating and area leaders are taking this very seriously. Whoever it was painted the N-word on a large Barack Obama (webnewsbio) sign. And similar things have happened in communities around the nation. People just didn't expect it to happen here.
Hate Groups Mostly Quiet in Election

"What we really haven’t seen is white supremacists really rallying over an Obama presidency," said Mark Potok, the director of intelligence at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups. "Hate groups are in a more or less stunned position right now; they haven’t been able to figure out how to proceed just yet."

Random Music Post: Shanghai Restoration Project - Pace of Light

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Pace of Light feat. Michal Towber (vocals)
by The Shanghai Restoration Project



Music written & produced by Dave Liang
Video edited by Don Le

Featuring the film: "Scenes of City Life" (Yuan Muzhi 1935)

Film: Kim Ki-duk, Juhn Jai-hong, Cha Su-yeon, Beautiful - And That's Just F**ked Up

Monday, October 20, 2008



So I finally got a chance to sit down and watch Beautiful and I guess you could say I asked for it - although I'm not completely sure I should have.

Even though I didn't know it was going to be ask dark as it was, when you set down for a Kim Ki-duk film you know you're in for a visceral ride of some sort - but this was just brutal (the pic was helmed by Jai-hong and was written and produced by Kim - Juhn was his former assistant director).



I'm not saying it doesn't have its redeeming qualities - like a lot of Kim's films that show a different side of human nature (think Bad Guy, The Isle and earlier works) - and I'm not saying it isn't a good film at all (or that you shouldn't see it), because it is and Cha Su-yeon puts on an amazing performance - but while I don't cringe at much - this definitely made me blink a few times, and the last scene of the film on top of everything else - that just capped it for me.



Before you end up seeing this movie though, here's a brief synopsis from an article in Variety earlier this year so you'll know full well what you're getting into:


With people always asking her if she’s an actress, Kim Eun-yeong (Cha Su-yeon) feels burdened by her natural beauty. Even her best friend, catty Mi-yeon (Lee Min), who’s about to get her second nose job, expresses surprise that Eun-yeong is still single. And Mi-yeon’s b.f., Min-ho (Kim Beom-jun), starts pestering her with flowers and phone calls, asking for a date.

However, Eun-yeong has another, much more secret admirer, Eun-cheol (Lee Chun-heui), who one day breaks into her apartment and rapes her. Claiming he still loves her, he leaves behind his I.D. and phone number, and turns himself into the cops. In an ironic twist at the police station, the traumatized Eun-yeong finds herself practically cast as the guilty party by a lowlife detective (Choi Myeong-su), who practically accuses her of leading Eun-cheol on with her beauty.

At the end of her tether, and inspired by a overweight girl in a park, Eun-yeong tries to rid herself of her “handicap,” first gorging on fatty foods and, after she ends up in hospital (where even a dosctor comes on to her), exercising and starving herself till she passes out. Still desperate to rid herself of the “beautiful” tag, Eunyeong’s behavior turns even more eccentric — all the time watched by a neighborhood cop (Kim Min-su) who has started to fall for her, big time.
If you end up seeing this film, just remember that you've been warned.

Trailer

See Hyphen Magazine. See Hyphen Gone Digital

Monday, October 20, 2008



Just a quick word that Hyphen Magazine is starting to put up some past issues online so you can read them in full. Check out the spaces issue here.

MV: BoA - Eat You Up (Korean Version)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Some Monday morning tunage for you courtesy of BoA and her English language debut from the just released Korean version of the video (here's a link to the teaser for the U.S. version - which actually doesn't look as good and I'm hoping they just stick with the Korean video version).

Good beats, slick hooks, dance certifiable - we'll just have to wait and see if the rest of the U.S. will catch on when the American version comes out later this month - or if they'll shy away from an Asian singer much like they did Utada's Exodus (which everyone except the U.S. seemed to catch on too - but we can also chalk some of that up to bad marketing so let's hope BoA's people learned a thing or two).

Chicago Filipino American Film Festival

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Chicago Filipino American Film Festival is getting ready to start so I wanted to make sure and post some of the details that I got from Jonald Reyes who did the documentary That Asian Thing (which will also be playing):

The Chicago Filipino American Film Festival's 5th Annual event is around the corner!

WHEN: November 7th to 9th, 2008
WHERE: Portage Theater - 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641

Please mark your calendars and continue to check the website for further information - http://www.cfaff.org.

This year's Film Festival line-up is as follows:

Friday

6:30 pm - CFAFF 5th Anniversary Reception (Open to Public)
8:00 pm - Opening Night Presentation SANTA MESA
10:30 pm - Music video awards, with performances by BAGWIS and Paolo Escobar & the Prescription

Saturday

1:00 pm - THAT ASIAN THING (documentary, with panel discussion)
3:30 pm - SANTA MESA
6:00 pm - FLOAT
8:30 pm - BROWN SOUP THING

Sunday

1:00 pm - JACK en JILL (Dolphy's 1954 classic)
4:00 pm - Short film program
7:00 pm - NEO LOUNGE (2008 CineManila award-winning documentary)

Also - for a limited time - thanks to generous sponsors, CFAFF will be providing FREE day passes for Students & Seniors. Check the website to reserve: http://cfaff.org/2008Site/freepass.htm

Tell all your friends to join us in this great event! Thank you and hope to see many of you there!
Get on out and support some of your Filipino filmmakers.

Interview: Sung Kang

Monday, October 20, 2008

Got word via the comments section about an interview with Sung Kang down at Ningin and it's pretty cool. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 down at Elena's blog at Ningin.

Also peep an interview with Sung Kang and Sara Sohn (linked up from the interviews above).



h/t Elena @ Ningin

Korean American Film Festival New York: Call For Film Submissions

Monday, October 20, 2008



Got this sent to me from Jong Lee who co-organizes the Korean American Film Festival New York which is making a call for submissions up until November 30th:

KAFFNY is scheduled for February 2009!

KAFFNY is a one-day New York showcase screening works by emerging and established Korean filmmakers and performers. We are the event that brought you Benson Lee's "Planet B-Boy," Juwan Chung's "Baby," and short works by Dennis Lee and Randall Park.

5.8 million people of ethnic Korean descent have immigrated from Korea to all parts of the world. "Are there new, emerging filmmakers amongst those millions of the Korean Diaspora?," we asked ourselves. There must be. So, new to KAFFNY 2009, we want to show our New York audience films that express the points of view of filmmakers / performers of ethnic Korean descent from around the world - to see what and how they see the world around them.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

We are now accepting short film submissions from filmmakers / performers of ethnic Korean descent, of any nationality. We welcome all genres: narrative, animation, music video, documentary, experimental etc.

There is no entry fee. The submission deadline is November 30. Please send DVD submissions, NTSC Region 0 or 1, to the address below:

KAFFNY
c/o Barrel
23 W 36th Street, Suite 401
New York, NY 10018

For other inquires, email kaffny AT gmail.com. Also, visit us at http://www.kaffny.com/.

KAFFNY is co-sponsored by New York University Tisch School of the Arts and The Korea Times.
So what are you waiting for? Get on out and show your film at KAFFNY.

Jeffrey Ma On This Year's NBA Season

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Here's a quote from Jeffery Ma on ESPN (of famed 21 who's now turned legit and the founder of Citizen Sports) about what he thinks are the main stories of the 2008-2009 season:

Two stories will emerge out of the Northwest this season. Kevin Love, a native of Oregon, will be the Rookie of the Year and will draw comparisons to a young Elton Brand (although no one ever makes cross-racial comparisons). He will show relentlessness on the boards and a soft touch from the perimeter. The other story from the northwest will be the Portland Trail Blazers emerging as the most improved team in the NBA and advancing past the first round of the playoffs. With a strong nucleus of Roy, Aldridge and Oden the team will surprise many teams that don't come to play.
Read more down at the Experts Gaze into the Crystal Ball of 2008-2009.

Kevin Garnett: The Game Happens Here

Saturday, October 18, 2008

If you've been a reader of this blog and you've caught some of my NBA related posts, you know I'm a fan of Kevin Garnett -- so I couldn't help posting his new commercial for "The Game Happens Here" campaign.

Check it.

And This Is All You Need To Know About Sarah Silverman

Saturday, October 18, 2008

From The Independant:

Silverman has been booed off stage for ridiculing Martin Luther King. She has also been condemned by Guy Aoki, the head of an Asian watchdog group, for telling a gag that culminated in the word "ch**k" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Silverman's response was to incorporate the episode into her stand-up. "[Aoki] put my name in all the papers calling me a racist and it hurt," she confessed. "As a member of the Jewish community, I was really concerned we were losing control of the media. What kind of a world do we live in where a totally cute white girl can't say 'ch**k' on network television?"
Just for the record I did see her movie Jesus Is Magic before I made my final opinion of her years back - and yeah - it was a bad as I thought it was going to be.

Boston Asian American Film Festival Starts Today

Saturday, October 18, 2008

For all my peeps in Boston, just in case you forgot (and how could you from the link on the side?) the Boston Asian American Film Festival starts today.


Reality Update: America's Next Top Model, Sheena, And Hair Loss

Saturday, October 18, 2008



I haven't been watching America's Top Model Cycle 11 much - but I have kept up on some clips here and there, and just in case you missed it this week on the "confidential" episode - we all just have to feel bad for Sheena's hair falling out when they decided to add in some blond highlights (which we didn't see before).

Extended: David Choe And The Outsiders NYC

Saturday, October 18, 2008



Got word about the The Outsiders NYC show and found out that it's been extended for a while longer up until October 26th - so if you've got some time, check out some cool artists like David Choe.

Here's some info on the show:

"The Outsiders" will open on the 26th September and run through till 26th October. The show will feature works from Faile, Paul Insect, JR, Antony Micallef, Jonathan Yeo, Miranda Donovan, Invader, David Choe, Mark Jenkins, Todd James, Vhils, Polly Morgan, Mode 2, BAST, Conor Harrington and Zevs.

Check out more down at Lazarides.

Retro David Choe Video: Whales And Orgies

Sony Delays Game Over Qur'an Verses

Saturday, October 18, 2008


I happened to catch this article over at islamonline.net, and three thoughts seemed to jump into my Asian brain right away:

1. I get it - the respect piece - but only to a certain extent. Why not spread the word through Nintento Mashups?

2. Do you think Nintendo would have tried this with say...I don't know - the Bible (I know I know...it was a mistake...accident...but you still have to wonder if someone would have caught this earlier if it would have been from something like the NT)?

3. I really want to hear that clip of the music and verses now.

It's On: Wayne Wang, The Princess Of Nebraska, And YouTube

Friday, October 17, 2008



In a previous post I had mentioned Wayne Wang's The Princess Of Nebraska and how it was getting shown on YouTube, but forgot that it started today until I caught the post down at TMM.
So if you're looking for a movie this weekend - look no further than YouTube.

Suzy Nakamura And Back On Topps

Thursday, October 16, 2008



You probably recognize Suzy Nakamura from her television work or from movies like American Zombie (pictured above) and Strawberry Fields (as well as a fair amount of others), and here she is in the FOX Sports Web series Back On Topps as Brenda the soccer player who gives the Topps boys some lessons in sexual harassment.

View it below On YouTube

Just Remember That You Too Don't Have To Vote

Thursday, October 16, 2008

While on occasion I talk some politics, sometimes saying get out and vote, I just wanted to put out there that even though I think it's a good thing to vote, I can't blame anyone for not wanting to vote either if they don't feel they have any good choices. I figure that's your right as an American - you can be engaged by not engaging in a political process where in some ways you may not see a difference in the two candidates or you just may not think it matters at all because in the end you don't think a President really has any power.

Now I may disagree with you on that last one (actually both), but then again, depending upon the day, I might agree with you - just a little (depends how cynical I'm feeling).

I guess my simple point is this - don't let anyone tell you you're some dumbass just because you decided not to vote for your own reasons, or because maybe you just won't get the chance - I'd like to think everyone's job allows them to take time off to vote but the bottom line is they don't. We can say they should. We can say they can fight it - but you gotta be real too - you can't fight anything if you don't have a job you know?

I realize I'm kind all over the board on this post but I guess as much as I think there's a clear candidate to vote for, and that my vote makes a difference, and that I'll be coming out with an "I Voted" sticker - I can't really fault anyone for not voting if that's their conscious choice, or they just won't be able to make it.

Some of us are. Some of us aren't. Some of us just end up.

And if that doesn't make sense - that's just par for the post.

Random Thought: "Gay Marriage" Or Just Marriage

Thursday, October 16, 2008

In hearing a lot about the Asian American demographic in CA against banning gay marriage, it made me think about George Takei getting roasted by Jim David.

Chinese-American Museum Is Getting Some Help

Thursday, October 16, 2008

In a previous post you heard me talk about the Chicago's Chinese-American museum and how it has needed some help rebuilding after the fire - and while I'm sure people are already helping out - it's nice to hear about some other organizations helping out as well:

Cultural organizations across the city are working to help the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago rebuild after a Sept. 19 fire severely damaged its building and destroyed artifacts.

The National Museum of Mexican Art said Wednesday it will host a benefit Oct. 29, with all proceeds going to a rebuilding fund for the Chinatown museum.

National Museum President Carlos Tortolero said 26 Chicago arts groups are co-sponsoring the event. A fund for donations also has been set up at American Metro Bank, 2144 A S. Archer Ave.
Cool.

A Quick Letter To Joe The Plumber

Wednesday, October 15, 2008


The now infamous Joe Wurzelbacher (theage.com.au)

Dear Joe,

I just had to write a quick post and tell you that even though I have no idea who you are, I sure as hell know what you do and I'm thinking the only thing that would have been better for you and your business is if they would have had a ticker tape with a 1-800 number.

I mean forget about the economy - tonight's debate was all about you, and if you think about it, kind of apropos as this next President is certainly going to have to do some plumbing of their own with all of the leaky pipes that we need fixing (the economy, foreign policy, and health care just to name a few).

Although I'd rather not see any ass cracks if possible.

Word to my plumbers yo!

Slanty

Who Is Joe The Plumber?

From the TIME blog

Any one watching tonight's debate is surely wondering: Who the heck is this Joe-the-Plumber that both candidates keep talking about? Turns out, he's a real guy. Obama met Joe Wurzelbacher in Ohio a couple of days ago. Here's an interview with him by a conservative group. Update: Here's a video link of the encounter.
From The Associated Press


He is Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio man looking to buy a plumbing business who came to symbolize the notion of spreading the wealth in Wednesday night's third and final presidential debate between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Earlier this week, when Wurzelbacher got a chance to speak with Obama during a campaign appearance in Toledo, he told Obama that his tax plan would keep him from buying the business that currently employs him.
From Jossip


This debate was so out of left field. Like, who knew to put Joe the Plumber down in their debate bingo square instead of maverick? If you for some reason had decided to take a drink every time Obama and McCain referenced their imaginary friend, you'd be dead. Dead of alcohol poisoning.
From the Fox Blog:


Joe Wurzelbacher of Holland, Ohio, might be the most famous plumber in the country after confronting the Democrat earlier this week when Obama was canvassing his neighborhood. Wurzelbacher, who is about to purchase a small business that nets more than $250,000/year - the magic number at which Obama will increase taxes - asked Obama why after working hard for so many years he should be taxed. Obama and Wurzelbacher spoke for about six minutes - in front of press - about Obama’s tax plan, after which Obama noted the conversation was “good practice” for his debate with McCain.