Newbytes

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Word from around the way.

Podcast: Micah Moore, Blake Faucette, and Eva on Stereotypes and Film

Yesterday, we had a podcast with Micah Moore and Blake Faucette from All Aces Media, along with Eva, Vu Nguyen (BcB), and myself...It’s 24.2 mb, and runs around 53 minutes. In the first part of the podcast, we discuss Dogs of Chinatown and the controversy that surrounded it–for those unfamiliar with the controversy, see here and here. In the second part (around 14:05), we discuss how we can change the filmmaking industry for minorities.
All charges dropped against the kid who fought back

Vindication! Meet Jack Kang. He's the 15-year-old student at Keswick High School who faced expulsion and criminal charges for fighting back against a classmate who was racially abusing him during gym class: Meet Keswick's Karate Kid. Thankfully, this week, the Crown dropped all charges against him: School fight over slur ends quietly.
Asian Chicks: Hold On Loosely, Don't Let Go

FINALLY! A web site showcasing Asian women in all of their glory: holding great jobs, holding down the fort, holding hands! Or just...
Masturbate-A-Thon 2009 Champion Masanobu Sato Speaks

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.
Openly Gay Asian Americans Discharged from the Military

The problems with this are pretty obvious. To fire one of the 54 Arabic translators serving in the military, in an age when Arabic translators serving in the military in high demand, is beyond ludicrous. What’s worse is the inaction coming from the White House; I wrote before how November 4th’s was sort of a bittersweet day because of Prop 8 here in California and this doesn’t make it much better. Despite reaffirmations from President Barack Obama, in forms of speeches and hand written letters , that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would be repealed - and apparently it could easily be done so - it still very much stands and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon.
My Favorite Asians

Though I'm notorious for being the Asian American enthusiast with the fewest actual Asian American friends, I thought I'd do my part by singling out my favorite peeps of Asian descent. These will mostly be actors and musicians and the like, but that's because I'm shallow. Terribly, terribly shallow.
Mapping the Digital Diaspora of YellowBuzz (a Dissertation Blog)

At the onset of my field research in summer 2007, I launched a blog – YellowBuzz.org – with the intention to: 1) archive and organize my field notes in textual and audio-visual form; 2) convey my research purpose and progress to informant musicians and the public; 3) self-position as a “participant” in the scene. Since then, I have made over 160 posts, some directly linked and others tangentially related to my research findings about the activities and media of Asian American indie rock musicians. Over the past one and a half years, my field research blog has received attention from both print and online media. Evidently, this blog has constructed a community consisting of musician- and music-enthusiast-visitors with an interest in Asian American and transpacific music-culture.
Cherry blossom time in Japan

No doubt about it, the springtime blooming of sakura, or cherry blossoms, in Japan is one reason the country is special. The Japanese treat the season with wonder, with weather forecasts about the optimal blooming days and following the cherry blossoms from the warmer southern climate all the way up to Hokkaido, the northernmost island, where the sakura bloom late.
Asian Hipster Grifter Returns!

Well, not really. I saw this “wanted” ad off Bedford and 7th in Brooklyn the other day. Although she’s got the glasses and bangs and probably the tattoos, this one is either playing off the Hipster Grifter or Williamsburg is just full of these drones. The economy must be bad if this out of work artist has to advertise her ish like this.
Duck, Duck, Gook!

Since there are plenty of you self-hating Asians out there that don't realize the consequences of what you are doing to the rest of us, the militant has started a quest for answers. In my years of studying Asian American history and popular culture, I've decided to break it down for all of A-me-li-ka to see -- one silly Asian celebrity at a time. It's now time to bring the big guns out and spray you Asian clowns down with pellets of A-me-li-kan reality.