Jane Lui: You are not alone w/ Ave Maria

Monday, June 29, 2009



Been seeing the above video around the way and wanted to post it up here as well because it's just a really good cover.

Here's the info from the YouTube sidebar:

FREE DOWNLOAD at http://www.JaneLui.com (right below SHOW Schedule!)

Ave Maria from Gregorian Chant. Composer Anonymous.
MJ cover: arranged by ear... no sheet music sooorry. :)

For a long time i planned to cover MJ to celebrate his UK shows this summer. timing is a bizarre thing. i'll still do them, and will collaborate with a few great folks.

I want viewers to see the pretty space, so my back is to the camera sometimes.... but i'm not lipsyncing. i swear my life on it.

GIGS!

SAN FRANCISCO - 6.30 (tue) :: Cafe Du Nord! 8pm!
all ages/seated show w/ Goh Nakamura
http://www.cafedunord.com

L.A - 7.25 (sat) :: Hotel Cafe! 7pm SHARP! (21+)
http://www.hotelcafe.com

SAN DIEGO - 7.31 (fri) :: Lestats! 9pm (all ages)
w/ the talented GABE BONDOC :)
http://www.lestats.com

My records on ITUNES!

iTunes: http://www.itunes.com/janelui
Teargirl: http://www.cdbaby.com/janelui
Barkentine: http://www.cdbaby.com/janelui2

http://www.JaneLui.com
http://twitter.com/JaneLui
http://www.myspace.com/janeshands
http://www.facebook.com/Luieland

Support Dan Choi And Write A Letter

Monday, June 29, 2009



From the Dan Choi site:

TUESDAY June 30, Dan's Trial (Discharge Board)

Friends,

As many of you know, on Tuesday June 30th the Army National Guard will decide to fire (discharge) me based solely on my honest statement (“I am gay”) and I chose to stand trial so I could fight to stay in the service. (Location: Thompson Rd. Armory, Syracuse NY… 8am).

The army appointed me an attorney and he is awesome. He says we can win. Our case (and future appeals if I do get fired) requires testimony from people who can attest to my character/abilities. ANYONE who believes I should be retained (for whatever reason) or feels the army is better off keeping me can write a statement.

Will you please consider writing, signing and scanning a letter? (example below, it can be any length)

It will be included in the official archive for my future cases as well. Can you ask all your friends to do the same? They can send to dan.choi@knightsout.org – please send it by the 29th.


EXAMPLE LETTER:

June ___, 2009

To Members of the Board:

My name is ______ and I urge you not to discharge 1LT Daniel Choi from the Army National Guard because he is a capable soldier and leader who can continue to play a vital role in a time of war. His dedication to West Point and Army Values brings credit to the military. His fighting spirit is inspiring.

[add your observations about me here: “He is a West Point Graduate who speaks Arabic, Korean, and has studied Farsi: skills the military needs” “I have seen him on TV and he is well spoken” “He lives up to the army values and represents these values as he refuses to lie about his identity” “He continues to live by West Point’s honor code” “He can be a bridge to the Middle East” etc.]

[If you worked with me before, please comment.]

[If you want to share your personal credentials please do! “I served in the navy” “I am a CEO” “I am a city council member” “I am a mother of three” “I teach an ethics class” “I am a pastor” “I am his cousin” “I am gay and KnightsOut gives us hope” “I am straight and I support honesty” etc.]

I am available for further comment if necessary, my email is _______.

[signed]

Ms. Jane Doe
And you're waiting for?

Zoe Yang, Strictly Platonic, And Being A Bunnette

Monday, June 29, 2009



Sure, it might seem pointless to you, but one person's pointless is another person's passion and who are we to say that in the world of competitive eating this isn't a dream worth doing.

From The Feedbag:

Images and letters from potential Bunnettes have been pouring in to Feedbag headquarters (one reason I had to shut down the blog yesterday). But our blue-ribbon panel has narrowed down the candidates to three gorgeous finalists: a blond ex-cheerleader, an Asian-American blogger, and a smart girl with a wild side!

Courtney Rosenquist, Zoe Yang, and our own Emily Morris, ladies and gentlemen!

And here’s what they have to say for themselves…
This is what blogger Zoe Yang sent in (from her Strictly Platonic blog):

Hi,

If it's not too late, I'd like to be considered to be a Bunnette!

My name is Zoe, I'm 22, and I am completely obsessed with food. I write the food blog Strictly Platonic (http://zoehasappetite.blogspot.com), in which I frequent NYC's restaurants with strangers I find on Craigslist and then write up the food and the conversation. Previously, I was a fairly well known sex blogger before I took up a corporate job and had to go undercover (foresight FAIL). Other stunts in my life have included gogo dancing and appearing on a lesbian episode of MTV's Next (note: I am not a lesbian). Looking back, I guess at some point my youthful boredom just turned into flat-out attention-whoring.

I love Major League Eating and Juliet Lee is my hero! It was a proud moment for small, food-loving, Asian women everywhere when she blew away the competition at the Spike TV Thanksgiving 2007 cranberry sauce challenge. I will personally eat anything and do not get grossed out by food in gross quantities. I'll wipe spit and clean up reversals of fortune if I have to. Maybe.

Please consider me!

Zoe

If you're not sure what a Bunnette is, here it is:

Bunnette (bunet) n.

1. (Trad.) A person, usu. female, who counts the amount of food eaten by competitors in Major League Eating events.

2. A woman, usu. seductive by disposition, who is passionate about the sport of competitive eating and its practitioners.

When little girls dream, they dream of one day becoming a BunnetteTM. A Bunnette is more beautiful than Miss America, hotter than a Cowboys Cheerleader and more talented than Vanna White.
And here's what they look like:



So as you can see, depending upon where you sit, it's kind of conundrum - because when all is said done - shouldn't we still be represented in cheerleading groups for Major League Eating Contests at Coney Island?

Yes. Yes indeed.

And that answer by the way is to both questions - the one I just asked, and the one you so kindly have decided to keep to yourself.

If you want to vote for the Yang hit up editor [at] the-feedbag.com.

Chicago's Chinatown

Monday, June 29, 2009



Just wanted to post up a little bit of an article on Chicago's Chinatown:

"The young professionals wanting to move back to Chinatown want to reconnect with traditional families and their heritage," said Chi Can To, co-executive director of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. That desire for connection does not surprise Kam Liu, principal at Kam L. Liu Realty. Liu, a Realtor since the mid-1970s, was one of the first full-time Realtors in Chinatown.

Chinatown's real estate ranges from older, traditional single-family homes to luxurious town homes and condominiums. Its boundaries are as informal as they are dynamic, changing as business areas expand and housing becomes available, and are identified by the language spoken on the street. Today, the borders are the south branch of the Chicago River on the north, Clark Street to the east, 26th Street on the south and Halsted to the west. The tight housing market has caused Chinese-Americans to move into the adjacent communities of Bridgeport and McKinley Park.

"As a whole, Chinatown is mostly businesses surrounded by housing on the side streets and south of Cermak Road," Liu said. Properties for sale in Chinatown are few, he said adding that families that own their home stay in it for generations or sell it among themselves. "The preference may be to buy a single-family home, but the cost factor in Chinatown is too great," he said. "So first-time home buyers choose condos."

Amy Mui and her husband, Perry Zhao, are among those first-time condo buyers.

Mui grew up in Chinatown and is accustomed to the accessibility it affords to the rest of the city and the benefits of the community. All played a part in their decision to stay in the area. When friends visit, they shop, go to a restaurant and take photos by Chinatown Gate. "And there's always karaoke," she said. "We didn't want to leave the neighborhood," Mui added. "The people are very warm here, very nice and caring. I am used to that and want that for my family."
Read it in full at the Tribune.

Don't They Take Pictures Of Naked People In Playboy?

Monday, June 29, 2009

If you haven't heard by now - Olivia Munn is in Playboy - but let me warn you. You may put in a fake e-mail address, sign up for a newsletter you'll never receive (because you put in that fake e-mail address), and you might spend time clicking your little mouse buttons to see free pics of Munn - but just to let you know - if you're looking for naked, it's not there, and I don't know about you, but don't you think even in the free pictures we should at least get to see something?

Even if it just resembles something close to a blurry nipple?

I just think when I spend the little free time I have putting in fake information and signing up for stuff I don't want on a skin site like Playboy I should at least see more than a swimsuit layout because correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Playboy took pictures of naked people.

Just saying.

Shin Hae Chul And N.EX.T. Giveaway Closed

Monday, June 29, 2009

Just a quick note that the giveaway for the past post "Win Tickets To The Shin Hae Chul And N.EX.T. Concert At The Ford Amphitheatre This July 4th" is over but don't worry - you can still pick tickets up for the show. Check out the post above and get your Shin Hae Chul on.

Wonder Girls "Nobody" English MV

Monday, June 29, 2009



Good? Bad? So-so?

With exception to the some of the dubbing/splicing - not too damn bad.

Wonder if the Jonas crowd likes it.

Boogie Nights In J-Town

Friday, June 26, 2009



Caught this down at AsianWeek.

In the face of tough economic times, nonprofit community events everywhere are facing extreme challenges to their fundraising efforts. The 36th Annual Nihonmachi Street Fair is turning to some all-star Asian American talent to help out.

On July 11, the Street Fair will host a fundraising dance at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco. Performing will be the Kanzaki Lounge All Stars, a band composed of some of the best-known Asian American musicians in the Bay Area– Carey Huang, Derrick Tong, Billy Shen, Colette Ikemi, Rich Aguon, Eva Chew, Chris Garcia and Jessie De Torres. Long time night lifers might recall that the Kanzaki Lounge was a wildly popular bar and music venue in Japantown that featured cutting-edge Asian American talent [...]

This fundraiser will help ensure that the street fair continues its service to the Japantown community. “Your $30 support will definitely help us in offsetting logistical cost associated with producing the 2 day event in August,” Horikiri says. “We encourage everyone to tell their friends and truly come out for an evening that will sure to be a memorable experience!”

The Boogie Nights in J-Town dance will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight, and tickets will be $40 at the door and $30 during presale before July 1. Please email grace@nihonmachistreetfair.org to order your tickets today.
See more at http://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Racist?

Friday, June 26, 2009

I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't really weigh in on this but still thought I'd post up on it:

From Boston.Com:

Some of the new ’bots are fairly clever, too: an old codger (Turturro again), a sassy little Brooklynite voiced by Tom Kenny. They’re dopey enough to drive the fanboys nuts - oh, the disrespect - but they do liven up the show. Still, what are we to make of Mudflap and Skids (both Kenny), a pair of shuck-and-jive Autobots who talk in ridiculous gangsta-speak. The insultingly unfunny comic relief of “Transformers,’’ they’re Jar Jar Binks times two and the first known example of robot blackface.
From Yahoo News:


Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern described Binks in 1999 as a "Rastafarian Stepin Fetchit," a reference to a black character from the 1920s and '30s that exploited negative stereotypes for comic effect. Extending that metaphor to the "Transformers" sequel was AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire, who calls Skids and Mudflap "Jar Jar Binks in car form."

And Manohla Dargis, film critic for The New York Times, takes it a step further, writing that the "Transformers" characters were given "conspicuously cartoonish, so-called black voices that indicate that minstrelsy remains as much in fashion in Hollywood as when, well, Jar Jar Binks was set loose by George Lucas." [...]

TV actor Reno Wilson, who is black, voices Mudflap. Tom Kenny, the white actor behind SpongeBob SquarePants, voices Skids. Neither immediately responded to interview requests for this story.

Here's also a post down at UBJ which brings up the another side to the story.

Do with it all what you will.

A Quick Note To Drivers With Obama Stickers

Friday, June 26, 2009

You know I love you all, and maybe we're all still giddy over the fact that he won and that he seems to be granting more interviews then J & K where it seems like we're getting unprecedented access, but seriously - can you all learn to fucking drive a little better these days because the majority of people I'm throwing the finger at lately have an Obama sticker. And sure, it's still the people rocking the GOP that I actually have to get out of my car for to chastise, but some of you - you're making us all look bad.

Use a blinker. Get over to the left lane if you think the right lane is for people that drive 10 miles over the speed limit. Look behind you when you back up in a parking lot, don't just gun that MF and hope you won't hit anyone. And please people - if you're ugly - don't masturbate when we're all stuck in gridlock if you don't have tinted windows because nobody wants an eyeful of that and it just begs the question of how you were brought up because most people who can't wait until they get home to masturbate at least have the decency to pull on over and use a restroom at a McDonalds.

It's called public transportation and some of you - you should really think about using it.

Namrata “Nikki” Randhawa Haley

Friday, June 26, 2009



Sure - she's a Republican - but who knows - maybe she'll win and switch on over to the other side:

Indian-American, Namrata “Nikki” Randhawa Haley,37, as she is popularly known, has announced her candidacy for Republican Party nomination for the Governor of South Carolina, which will go to poll next year [...]

If elected, Nikki would be the second Indian American and first women of the community to be the Governor of a State, after Bobby Jindal, who is the Governor of Louisiana. “I know, I am going to make this happen. I am going to win the race,” Nikki said in an interview at the Capitol Hill, where she attended a fund raising event in her support organized by the Indian American Republican Political Action Committee.

In little over a month of announcing her candidacy, Nikki has carved a niche for herself in the list of Republican aspirants and has already received encouraging comments from top political leaders of the State, including the South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford [...]

When asked about the entry of Indian-Americans in US politics, she said: “I think, Indian American issues are American issues. We want to get involved earlier because we have realize that what is happening in government, will affect us and our children. I think, more young people need to get involved.”

Briefing about her agenda, Nikki said her goal would be to rein in spending and to provide jobs to people in State, to try and improve education, and make health care accessible in South Carolina.

Yellow: American Dream, Chinese Ambition

Friday, June 26, 2009

I caught this down at TMM and wanted to re-post the trailer up here for : Yellow American Dream, Chinese Ambition:

Win Tickets To The Shin Hae Chul And N.EX.T. Concert At The Ford Amphitheatre This July 4th

Thursday, June 25, 2009



If you've been waiting to see Shin Hae Chul and N.E.X.T - you're in luck:

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission and Asiatic Empire presents, on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at the historic Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, the first US performance by South Korean pop legend Shin Hae Chul and his band N.EX.T.

One of Korea’s most famous celebrities, Shin Hae Chul is regarded as a “genius” of Korean music who, along with his younger cousin Seo Taiji, transformed the Korean music industry in 1992, paving the way for the contemporary Kpop genre. With a penchant for experimentation, artistic excellence, and controversy, Shin Hae Chul has often been compared to John Lennon. His progressive stance on social and politic issues, including the legalization of marijuana, government control of the school system, and North Korea, has made the "Prince of Darkness" a liberal icon in South Korea, a radical voice representing a significant portion of the population. N.EX.T. (New Experimental Team) is widely acknowledged as Korea's greatest and most exciting live rock band, known for the ability to switch through a multitude of genres.

Out of respect for the recent death of former South Korean president Roh Moo Hyun, who had a close relationship with Shin Hae Chul, N.EX.T. canceled all of its shows in Korea. The only chance to see N.EX.T. this summer is on July 4 in Hollywood at the Ford Amphitheatre. Witness one of Korea's most legendary artists live, and Korea's most accomplished rock band, as Shin Hae Chul and N.EX.T. make Los Angeles the first stop on their Awakening World Tour. This show is not just for the Korean community but for anyone who appreciates world music and wants to enjoy the rare treat of one of the best international rock bands that has never played in America.

The July 4 concert is sponsored by Korean Air and Korea Daily, with additional sponsors Base, TVK24, LA 18, Whisper Entertainment, KTownLove.com, LA Weekly, Flavorpill, and KPFK.

For tickets ($55 for tier 1 and $40 for tier 2), log on to www.fordtheatres.org or call the Ford Box Office at 323-461-3673 (or 323 GO 1-FORD for non-visual media). For Korean-language service, contact the Korea Daily Box Office at 213-368-2522. Through the Ford’s early buyer incentive, those who buy tickets on or before June 27, 2009 pay only $50 for tier 1 and $35 for tier 2.
And like the post of the title says - you can win two free tix to the show as the good folks down at Asiatic Empire dropped some my way.

Just be the first to e-mail me down at slanteyefortheroundeye [at] gmail.com with the subject "I want to go to the Shin Hae Chul And N.EX.T. Concert this July 4th!" along with your name/address and you'll have two tickets waiting for you at Will Call on the day of the show.

Cool.

MV: "Sleep" By Deep Foundation ft. Jay Legaspi, Directed By Choz Belen

Thursday, June 25, 2009



Here's the full video "Sleep" by Deep Foundation ft. Jay Legaspi directed out by Choz Belen.

William F. Wu At The Asian American ComiCon

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

News from the CBR that I wanted to post up for those who are interested in kicking it down to the AACC:

The organizers of the First Annual Asian American ComiCon (AACC), a celebration of the unique contemporary role and historical legacy of Asians and Asian Americans in the world of graphic fiction, have announced a new featured guest for the event, to be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Chinese in America (215 Centre Street in New York).

Science fiction author William F. Wu has been nominated five times for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards, has published over a dozen novels as well as over 50 short stories that have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies, including George R.R. Martin's best-selling Wild Cards books. His most acclaimed book, Hong on the Range, was chosen for the Wilson Library Bulletin's list of science fiction "Books Too Good to Miss" and was a selection for the American Library Association list of Best Books for Young People, the New York Public Library's Recommended Books for the Teen Age, and a Young Adult Editor's Choice by Booklist Magazine. Wu's success as a writer has caused his academic work to be overlooked; the recipient of a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan, Wu has extensively researched the evolution of the image of Asians in Western popular fiction, and is the author of the historical study The Yellow Peril: Chinese Americans in American Fiction, 1850-1940 (Archon Books, 1982).

Recently, New York University revealed that Wu has donated his extensive collection of comic books depicting the history of Asian and Asian American cartoon images to the NYU Fales Library and Special Collections, the college's primary collection of rare books and other special collections materials. The collection is currently being catalogued and will be the subject of a major exhibition and academic event this Fall. As part of AACC's partnership with NYU's Asian/Pacific/American Institute, Wu will share notable images from the collection and discuss the legacy of the Asian image in pulp and popular culture in a unique Spotlight discussion at the con.
Check it out in full here.

Drop Dead Diva, Margaret Cho, Showtime, And More Margaret Cho

Tuesday, June 23, 2009



In case you were wondering "Hmmm...I wonder what Margaret Cho is up too?" look no further because who would have thunk it - that's what this post is all about.

  • See Cho on a new Lifetime series called Drop Dead Diva which is going to premiere July 12th at 9pm ET/PT.
  • The fifth concert film of hers, Beautiful, is going to be on Showtime July 3rd at 11 pm ET/PT.
  • If you're looking to catch her live check out these upcoming dates and venues:

      Provincetown, MA @ The Vixen
      August 22nd - August 31st (shows every night at 9pm)
      Get Tickets

      Nashville, TN @ Zanies
      September 10th - 13th
      Get Tickets

      Annapolis, MD @ Ram's Head
      September 21st
      Get Tickets

  • And yes, just in case you were still wondering, she is in fact living in Peachtree City, Georgia.
That's it.

Guest Post-It From The Intern: First Week On The Job And Why Sam Yoon Needs Your Support

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Here's a guest post from Sagar Sane who's interning for the Sam Yoon campaign, and who sent me out an e-mail asking if I could post up something he'd written about his first week. Sagar is from Overland Park, KS and is a graduate student in the Political Campaigning Masters program at the University of Florida.

Why Sam Yoon needs your support
By Sagar Sane

As an Indian-American and a political junkie, I keep tabs on many of the Asian-American candidates that stand for election across the country. Many of them are effective leaders that serve their constituents well. Sam, however, is an extraordinary leader who, if elected, would serve Boston exceptionally.

A few weeks ago, I decided to join the Sam Yoon for Mayor Campaign in Boston as a summer intern. I was a little apprehensive at first, never having worked on a big city campaign; frankly, as a Midwesterner, I had never even been to Boston and didn’t know what to expect. From the news articles and websites I’d read about the Mayoral race in Boston, I gleaned that Sam was a compelling candidate and that Mayor Menino was an entrenched, 4-term incumbent in a city were backroom politics often trump the interests of ordinary people. I felt the work I’d be doing on the campaign would be similar to what’s done by interns on most campaigns: fieldwork, phone calls, office stuff. But, while I have been doing some of that my first week, my experience thus far has been so much more. I’ve had the opportunity to work with staffers, constituents and the candidate himself promoting his candidacy, in parades, on street corners and in door-to-door visits with voters.

In the interactions I’ve had with Sam I’ve been very impressed, not only by his intellect or command of the issues, but by the way he comes off as approachable and interested in addressing the problems of every-day Bostonians. On any issue, he can pinpoint the root causes of the problem and can propose solutions. It doesn’t matter whether he is talking to an African-American voter in Dorchester (where our office is located and where Sam makes his home) or an Anglo-American voter in Jamaica Plains. Sam knows his stuff. People follow. And it shows.

The campaign staff, interns and volunteers are an energetic and dedicated group with varying levels of political experience. They were all drawn to this race not just by the prospect of winning, but because of their belief in Sam’s ability to change the way Boston politics operates, and to make fundamental improvements in the lives of Bostonians. I have seen first-hand how Sam has been able to bring together Boston’s various ethnic groups, interests and citizens without diminishing his beliefs. In the parades and visibility events I’ve participated in so far in the different neighborhoods, Sam has gotten a very strong reception from Bostonians of all backgrounds. People frequently honk their horns and shout “Sam for Mayor” and “Yooooooon!” in crowds.

From what I’ve read amongst the Asian-American blogosphere, there is a considerable amount of chatter over the phrase “model minority.” While Sam does have a stellar educational background, there is something different about him, something that distinguishes him from other candidates. Yes, he is a Korean-American candidate running for the mayor’s office in one of America’s most prominent cities. But he’s also a “rising star” and is followed by the political pundits. And from my point of view it would be more accurate to call him a “model candidate” than a “model minority.” Sam isn’t just a Korean name bundling together a set of issues and interest groups. He is a Korean-American candidate who also happens to have some of the most creative ideas for changing Boston.

Sam is a two-term city councilor, having won an open-seat in 2005 running a grassroots campaign. After spending a decade working on affordable community housing and development issues in Boston, he decided to enter the world of Boston politics. It hasn’t been easy by any means. It’s difficult to change the way this city’s politics operate. But Sam has done a great job as a councilor, working to make the city’s business more transparent. Making the big changes in the way the city’s budget works, the way the schools are funded, the way the transportation infrastructure works, and the way development issues are handled requires a visionary mayor. Sam is the candidate for the job and I’m glad he’s running.

I’ll be blogging more in the next few months about my experiences, but in the meantime, please do check out my site, off of Sam’s website at http://www.samyoon.com/. All of us on the campaign, and especially Sam, would love to have the support of the greater Asian-American community.

Nominate Someone You Know For The Aspire 2009 Outstanding Woman Of The Year Award

Tuesday, June 23, 2009



Asian Sisters Participating in Reaching Excellence (ASPIRE) is proud to present the 2nd Annual ASPIRE Outstanding Woman of the Year Award, recognizing young Asian American woman who are leaders and role models in their communities. The winner will be awarded at the Asian American Women in Leadership (AAWIL) Conference on Saturday, October 3, 2009 in Boston, MA.

ASPIRE’s Outstanding Woman of the Year award will celebrate a female high school or college student of Asian American descent who is a proven leader with the initiative and determination to make a change in her community. ASPIRE is looking for young Asian American woman who are role models for their community and is committed to ASPIRE’s mission of empowerment. To submit a nomination, visit www.girlsaspire.org/award. All entries must be received by July 31, 2009.

“Last year, we celebrated Mihiri Uthpala Tillakaratne and her achievements in Sri Lanka. Her vision and ability to build schools, provide eye care, and supply freshwater to that nation is not only praise worthy, but also a model of influence for other young Asian American women,” said Vienne Cheung, Interim Executive Director, ASPIRE. “This year, we hope to recognize other young Asian American woman who contributes to the community and sets an example of someone who is passionate in reaching excellence for not only herself, but those around her."

The Grand Prize winner will received an all-expense paid trip to Boston to attend the AAWIL Conference where she will receive the award from ASPIRE’s high-profile keynote speaker, the opportunity of a lifetime to spend a day with an Asian American female mentor of her choice from ASPIRE’s network, and a featured profile in ASPIRE’s website, with the chance to tell her story to Asian American women everywhere.
And you're waiting for?

Deep Foundation, Sleep, Choz Belen, And Jay Legaspi

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Here's the trailer for the new Deep Foundation "Sleep" video which is going to drop this Wednesday and is looking like it's going to be pretty damn hot produced and featuring Jay Legaspi and directed Choz Belen.



They are also going to be having a Q&A with Belen and Deep Foundation this Wednesday night.

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: White Rabbit
Address: 145 East Houston Street (Between Forsyth & Eldridge),
New York, NY

Link up to the Facebook invite as well.

David Kim And More Of The Agent

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

A while back in a post called The Agent, KAFFNY, And Drafting For God I posted up on David Kim's short "The Agent" - which is laugh out loud funny - and got sent out an e-mail from him about some new webisodes (in addition to the original short that you can watch as well) he's got up at the ATD Films YouTube channel based on Agent/Pastor Ray.

Here's the clip from "Pastor Ray" Episode 2 Part 1

Katrina Still Hitting Hard In The Vietnamese Community

Monday, June 22, 2009

This is a good article about the Vietnamese American community down South after Katrina - some who've been able to stay afloat, and others, compounded by the recession, still trying to make ends meet:

Kaitlin Truong, who leads the local group Asian Americans for Change, said many of the Asian employees lost their jobs at the casinos because of the recession. The skyrocketing insurance rates make it hard to open a business in East Biloxi.

"Many of the small businesses on the Point have not come back and may never come back because of the obstacles in rebuilding there. Many of the Vietnamese shrimpers are struggling," said Trinh Le, community empowerment coordinator at the Hope Community Development Agency, a group that has helped rebuild East Biloxi since Katrina.

Tung Banh, who works for the Catholic Charities' Migration and Refugee Center in Biloxi, said a large percentage of the young Vietnamese men are forgoing working in the seafood industry that employed their parents in Vietnam and now in Biloxi, Instead they are training to become welders and finding higher wages in shipbuilding on the Coast.

Peter Nguyen worked in the seafood industry for 15 years and still helps the fishermen. NAVASA is looking into ways to reduce the insurance costs on shrimp boats and testing nets made of a lighter material that save on fuel costs. The price for these new nets is double the cost of what the fishermen are using now, so Nguyen said they are testing them on one boat to see how it pays off.
I think if anything, just making sure that the Vietnamese community doesn't get lost in the shuffle - and especially now that Katrina doesn't ring as loud on a lot of people's radar - at least part of the solution and hopefully will help the community revitalize itself.

visualizAsian: Author-activist Phoebe Eng

Sunday, June 21, 2009



Up next on visualizAsian's AAPI Empowerment Series (Tuesday June 23rd 6PM PDT) is Phoebe Eng:

Phoebe Eng is the author of the highly acclaimed memoir, “Warrior Lessons: An Asian American Woman’s Journey into Power,” her account of empowerment and leadership in a changing world. The book has been an inspiration to both AAPI women and men.

From helping build A. Magazine in the early 1990s as its first publisher and Chair of its holding company Metro East Publications, to being a founding sister of national networks such as the Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute and National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum in DC, Eng has dedicated her life to uplifting the voices and perspectives of Asian American women and women in general [...]

Eng’s work has been covered in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Far Eastern Economic Review and in John Naisbitt’s Megatrends Asia, as well as in several books and other media. Her viewpoints have appeared on MSNBC, on newswires such as Reuters and AP, and on PBS affiliate stations.
For her full bio check out Nikkeiview, and signup at the visualizAsian site.

MV: Addicted By Kawehi

Sunday, June 21, 2009



Caught this up on YouTube from last month and wanted to make sure and post it on up as the song has a cool vibe from singer/songwriter Kawehi.

Wiki Knowledge: Herbert Choy

Sunday, June 21, 2009



Herbert Young Cho Choy (January 6, 1916–March 10, 2004) was the first Asian American to serve as a United States federal judge and the first person of Korean ancestry to be admitted to the bar in the United States.

Choy was born in 1916 in Makaweli, Hawaii to Korean immigrants who worked in Hawaii's sugar plantations. Choy received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii in 1938 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1941. He was the first person of Korean ancestry to be admitted to practice law in the United States.

From 1946 to 1947, Choy served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. After leaving the service, he worked with the firm of Fong Miho Choy & Robinson from 1947 to 1957, where one of his partners was the future U.S. Senator Hiram Fong.

From 1957 to 1958, Choy served as Attorney General for the Territory of Hawaii. In 1971, at the urging of Senator Fong, President Richard Nixon appointed Choy to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. At the time of Choy's appointment, there were no Asian Americans serving anywhere on the federal bench. Choy was the first individual from Hawaii ever appointed to the court.

Choy actively served until 1984, when he took senior status. He was a native of the Hawaiian island of Kauai and had chambers in Honolulu. In 2001, one of Choy's former law clerks, Richard Clifton, became the second judge from Hawaii to serve on the Ninth Circuit.

Choy authored many significant opinions, upholding the constitutionality of a law allowing child sexual abuse victims to testify via closed-circuit television, allowing a Muslim inmate to sue Phoenix-area jail officials for imposing discriminatory security measures at Muslim services, and upholding California's "green advertising" law regulating advertisers' claims about "biodegradable" or "recycled" products.

Wikipedia File

Hay Qua Mini Fest+Kollaboration NY: Ticket Prices Go Up Tomorrow So Get Yours Today

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Just wanted to post up some quick info that the ticket prices go up for the combo pack of the Hay Qua Mini Fest and Kollaboration NY by $10 tomorrow, so if you're looking to save $10 you better register now:

Get the combo deal (HAY QUA MINI FEST + KOLLAB NY) now for just $50!
Goes up to $60 tomorrow!

That's $25 to listen to over 20+ inspiring AA speakers in the daytime! then for another $25, a chance to listen and watch talented AA singers/songwriters/comedians/hip hop groups/dancers at night!

AND we are having a Hay Qua banh mi tasting @ lunch!
and KollabNY is having a Pinkberry reception at 6:30!!
On the tasting

The elusive best Vietnamese sandwich, or bánh mì for fanatics, of New York will be within reach on Saturday, June 27th at the Bitter End (Greenwich Village). Some of New York’s top bánh mì creators are entering their wildly-popular masterpieces in the Tasting portion of “Hay Qua!” Mini-fest. The tasting will precede the decadent food-themed panel moderated by Serious Eats' Tam Ngo, speaking to the likes of Food Party's Thu Tran, Food Blogger Mindy Vloff, BEP's An Nguyen Xuan, LUNCH blogger Yen Ha and An Choi's Tuan Bui. Audience members will have the chance to savor the passion that goes into each layer, slice, and spread of this new foodie favorite.

Hungry fans can register to taste and judge the bánh mì, amidst the exhilarating line-up of creative Vietnamese American thinkers, dreamers, and champions on The Bitter End stage. Join the room full of bloggers, designers, architects, writers, chefs -- wide eyes, smiles, laughter, and that renewed sense of possibility and dreams. It's going to be a good Saturday.
Register at http://thatsneaat.eventbrite.com/.

Kim Seok-ok Can Really Sing For A Long Long Very Long Extremely Long OMG Are You Done Yet? Time

Sunday, June 21, 2009



Let this be a lesson to those who think they can out-karaoke us -- you can't.

A Korean woman has set a Guinness world record for the longest time spent singing continuously. The Korea Record Institute, the agency in charge of arranging Guinness record registrations in Korea, said Tuesday that Kim Seok-ok, 54, a singer and poet, set a new world record by singing a total of 1,283 tunes in 76 hours and 7 minutes. The previous title holder was Marcus LaPratt of the U.S. who sang for 75 hours in August 2007.
Crazy.

Motherland: Doris Yeung, Francoise Yip, Kenneth Tsang, And Byron Mann

Sunday, June 21, 2009



The new film by Doris Yeung starring Francoise Yip, Kenneth Tsang and Byron Mann will have its premiere at the LA Outfest on July 18 and July 19th (pick up tickets here).

Synopsis

After a long absence abroad, young Asian American woman Raffi Tang (Francoise Yip) is called home when her estranged mother is murdered. She becomes increasingly drawn into a web of deception and incompetence while at the same time dealing with her own grief. Equal parts noir thriller and dysfunctional family drama, Doris Yeung's bold debut feature is a sobering tale of the pursuit of the American Dream.
Trailer



For more on the film see motherlandmovie.com or their Facebook group.

NY1: One On 1 With John Liu

Sunday, June 21, 2009

DumbFounDead, She Don't Care, And MTV's Iggy

Sunday, June 21, 2009



From the Map The Soul Tour. Check out MTV Iggy for more coverage.

Nylon Pink @ The Warped Tour

Sunday, June 21, 2009



While you might be heading on out to Warped Tour to see headliners Meg and Dia, if you're down at Seaside Park Ventura stop by the Kevin Says Stage and check out Nylon Pink.

Letting Things Go: Acoustic

Sunday, June 21, 2009



An acoustic set of Joyce Lee's "Letting Things Go" who will also be coming out with her album "Songs of the Undeserving" in July.

Become An Archivist For The Asian American Arts Centre

Sunday, June 21, 2009

If I didn't already have the job of talking naked White People off the edge of buildings now that Eddie Bauer declared bankruptcy I might actually apply for this position myself, but since I'm not I'll post it up here:

ARCHIVIST (PART-TIME)
Asian American Arts Centre (AAAC)


Part-time Archivist for non-profit arts organization in Manhattan

Asian American Arts Centre (AAAC) seeks an enthusiastic archivist to develop, maintain, and provide access to the physical and digital archives for Asian American contemporary artists.

About the Organization and Archives:
Asian American Arts Centre brings cultural events in the visual and traditional arts to the general public since its establishment in 1974. Its aim is to address the distinctive concerns of Asian Americans in the United States, and their linkages to other cultural communities. Founded as a not-for-profit community arts organization, AAAC specializes in contemporary art exhibitions and archives that engage viewers in the historical and cultural presence of Asian American artists and those Americans influenced by Asia.

AAAC Artist Archive, a research archive of over 1,500 entries dating back to 1945, has been developed from the original slide archive that started in 1982. Artist vertical files have been accumulated documenting the history of Asian Pacific American artists in the United States. The first portion of it will be available as the first-of-its-kind digital archive on http://artasiamerica.org in the summer of 2009.
Think you have what it takes? Go here to see if you're qualified.

Ann Curry, Brangi, Anderson Cooper, And Twitter

Friday, June 19, 2009

Because I don't really do enough Ann Curry posts, I thought I'd throw out two things I read about over the last couple of days including this quote from her during a conference on how Twitter is affecting the news business and responding to criticisms of major news outlets on the perceived lack of coverage about the protests in Iran as well as international coverage.

Here's what's pissing me off. The reason I have to fight every time to do these stories is because the truth is that it's hard to get the majority of Americans or even a significant number of Americans in NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS's world, to care. I think journalism is a battle and I feel the scars and I see the blood on my sword on a daily basis for fights for foreign coverage to be more present in our broadcasting.
And then this picture of her and Angelina Jolie co-hosting down at the UNHCR World Refugees Day where she ended up saving the day because Anderson Cooper (who was supposed to co-host) couldn't make it.



That's it.

Daniel Dae Kim Goes To The Royal Hall

Friday, June 19, 2009



Not quite my style, but still sounds like a better way to spend a summer versus having to hitch rides all the time because you were asked to stay off the road.

The Lost star is in London taking on the role of the King of Siam in a £3 million production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The King and I, while his hit US TV show is on a summer hiatus. But Kim is aware that Brynner's performance in the 1956 film adaptation became so iconic that he set the standard for all actors who followed him [...]

Although he has never starred in a musical before, nor sung professionally, the star says he chose The King and I for his London stage debut because he missed treading the boards - and is a huge Rodgers and Hammerstein fan. "I was looking around for the right opportunity and this one came along," he says. "This is a dream role - for an Asian American man there aren't many roles that are written for us where we play royalty, where we are leaders."

Read it in full.

The Koaloha Ukulele Story

Friday, June 19, 2009

First there's a great story down at Pacific Citizen on APA filmmakers and why they're coming to the Web first and Hollywood later - and second - from the same article you can also check out the film The Koaloha Ukulele Story by Gary San Angel at Vimeo.

Cool.

Patty Chang's "The Product Love"

Thursday, June 18, 2009



I've never seen her previous work, but this sounds interesting:

In a 2000 video, “Death of the Game,” she recreated a fight scene from a 1970s martial arts movie and gave herself the macho Bruce Lee role. In “Contortion,” made the same year, she played a Chinese acrobat twisted into a physically impossible pose. Her ambitious 2005 video “Shangri-La” was set in a Chinese tourist town that advertises itself as the original model for the Asian never-never land cooked up by the English writer James Hilton in his 1933 novel, “Lost Horizon.”

Her new video works at Mary Boone draw on two particularly productive sources of cultural fiction, Hollywood and academia. The larger piece, “The Product Love,” is a 42-minute, two-part installation based on a real event: the meeting of the Chinese-American film actress Anna May Wong and the German critic and theoretician Walter Benjamin in Berlin in 1928.
Playing through June 7th at the Mary Boone Gallery.

Two DVDs Waiting For Me To Show Them I Care

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Speed Scandal



YouTube Description: "Hyeon-su (Cha Tae-hyeon), a popular radio DJ, spends his mid-30s missing his glorious past as an idol. However, his career becomes a touch-and-go situation, as Jeong-nam, a stalker, threatens him. She turns out to be his unknown daughter, and what's worse she brings a child along insisting he is Hyeon-su's grandson."

Rough Cut



AsianMediaWiki Description: "Gang-pae is #2 gangster in his organization who longs to become an actor. Su-ta is a superstar actor who takes on the role of a gangster in an action movie called Rough Cut. But when his partner actor leaves the set due to Su-tas violent ways, the production is on the verge of shutting down. Feeling responsible, Su-ta requests Gang-pae, whom he met by chance, to play alongside him in the movie in order to save the production."

UNTOLD CIVIL RIGHTS STORIES: Asian Americans Speak Out for Justice

Thursday, June 18, 2009

From the AASC Press:

UNTOLD CIVIL RIGHT STORIES is the first educational textbook directed to U.S. high school students, high school teachers, and communities and the role of Asian Americans in today's Civil Rights and social justice struggles, before and after 9/ll. Profiled in the book are Philip Vera Cruz, Lily Chin, the Ileto family, Beulah Kwoh, K.W. Lee, Fred Korematsu, Faustino Baclig, Amric Singh Rathour, and many others. Stories is also useful for college and adult education classes.
Check out more about the new book at the AASC site.

Get It On: NYAFF Starts Tomorrow

Thursday, June 18, 2009



Just a reminder that the New York Asian Film Festival starts tomorrow and runs through July 5th.

Here's a list of the films/programs:

20th CENTURY BOYS (Japan, 2008) Japan Cuts
20th CENTURY BOYS: THE LAST HOPE (Japan, 2009) Japan Cuts
ALL AROUND US (Japan, 2008) Japan Cuts
ANTIQUE (Korea, 2008)
BE A MAN! SAMURAI SCHOOL (Japan, 2008) Guest
BE SURE TO SHARE (Japan, 2009) Closing Night Film Japan Cuts Guest
BREATHLESS (Korea, 2009)
CAPE No.7 (Taiwan, 2008)
CHILDREN OF THE DARK (Japan, 2008)
CLIMBER'S HIGH (Japan, 2008)
THE CLONE RETURNS HOME (Japan, 2008)
CRUSH AND BLUSH (Korea, 2008) Guest
DACHIMAWA LEE (Korea, 2008) Guest
DREAM (Korea, 2008)
AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Hong Kong, 2008) HK Never Dies!
THE EQUATION OF LOVE AND DEATH (China, 2008)
EXODUS (Hong Kong, 2007) HK Never Dies! New Action
EYE IN THE SKY (Korea, 2007) HK Never Dies! New Action
FISH STORY (Japan, 2009) Japan Cuts
THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (Hong Kong, 1978)
THE FORBIDDEN DOOR (Indonesia, 2009)
GEHARA (Japan, 2009)
GO GO 70s (Korea, 2008)
HIGH NOON (Hong Kong, 2009) HK Never Dies! New Action
HARD REVENGE MILLY / HARD REVENGE MILLY: BLOODY BATTLE (Japan, 2008) Guest
HOUSE (Japan, 1977) Guest
IF YOU ARE THE ONE (China, 2008)
IP MAN (Hong Kong, 2008) HK Never Dies!
K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK (Japan, 2008)
LALAPIPO (Japan, 2009)
THE LONGEST NITE (Hong Kong, 1998) Guest
LOVE EXPOSURE (Japan, 2008) Japan Cuts Guest
MAGAZINE GAP ROAD (Hong Kong, 2007) HK Never Dies!
THE MAGIC HOUR (Japan, 2008) Japan Cuts
MSFF KOREAN SHORT FILMS - PROGRAM #1 (Korea)
MSFF KOREAN SHORT FILMS - PROGRAM #2 (Korea) Guest
MONSTER X STRIKES BACK (Japan, 2008)
OLD FISH (China, 2007)
Pink Film Double Feature Program #1:GROPER TRAIN: THE SEARCH FOR THE BLACK PEARL (Japan, 1984) and JAPANESE WIFE NEXT DOOR (Japan, 2004) PinkEiga
Pink Film Double Feature Program #2:BLIND LOVE (Japan, 2005) and GROPER TRAIN: WEDDING CAPRICCIO (1984) PinkEiga Guest
PLASTIC CITY (Hong Kong, 2008) HK Never Dies! New Action
PRIDE (Japan, 2009) Japan Cuts
QUICK GUN MURUGAN (India, 2009)
THE RAINBOW TROOPS (Indonesia, 2008)
ROUGH CUT (Korea, 2008) Guest Rising Star Asia Awards
SAMURAI PRINCESS (Japan, 2009) Guest
SNAKES AND EARRINGS (Japan, 2008)
TACTICAL UNIT: COMRADES IN ARMS (Hong Kong, 2008) HK Never Dies! New Action
TOKYO GORE NIGHT event - TOKYO GORE POLICE feature and short films Guest
VACATION (Japan, 2008) Japan Cuts
VAMPIRE GIRL vs. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (Japan, 2009) Centerpiece Presentation Guest
THE WARLORDS (Hong Kong, 2007) HK Never Dies!
WRITTEN BY (Hong Kong, 2009) Opening Night Film HK Never Dies! Guest
WHEN THE FULL MOON RISES (Malaysia, 2008)
YOROI SAMURAI ZOMBIE (Japan, 2008) Guest

Yen Ngoc Phan, Yellow Typecasts, And Got Rice

Thursday, June 18, 2009



Happened to stumble upon this photo labled "Got Rice" down at Flickr from a set of photos by Yen Ngoc Phan called "Yellow Typecasts" which were actually taken last year between Feb-Mar (but just uploaded a few days ago). Check out the full set here.

Watching Leona

Thursday, June 18, 2009



Saw this in some bulletins from the band Watching Leona and thought I would sling it on up because even though they only have one track on their MySpace page, I'm definitely liking it:

We got a show at Phalen Lake in STP on Sunday June 21st at 1:30pm. Its an outdoor show. Its all free!!! Come join us if you have the time! We also have Dirty Darlings and the Prairie Seeds Academy Rock band opening up. Come check us all out this sunday!

Gary King And What's Up Lovely

Thursday, June 18, 2009



New trailer. New Gary King film. New post.

The Seriously "Nobody" Cover

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Amy Anderson, Learning Standup, And Who Knew It Was Called Racist Airlines?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

I got sent this link in my way about comedian Amy Anderson who was recently in that Southwest commercial and thought I would pass it on:

AMY ANDERSON’S
Stand Up Comedy Workshop:


Are you funny? Have your friends and family always told you that you should be a comedian? Are you interested in trying stand up, but just aren’t sure how to start? Or maybe you’re just looking for a creative outlet in your life.

Whether you are a comedy virgin or an experienced speaker, this Six Week Stand-Up Class will show you how to take the stage with confidence and make people laugh. You will develop your unique performer’s voice and gain practical, first-hand knowledge from a working professional with teaching skills, not just someone whose career is teaching.

Amy takes a “workshop” style approach to her classes where each student will rehearse, participate, receive individual attention and learn from each other. It is a supportive and fun environment and each six week session ends with a showcase at a comedy club. Classes are also ongoing, so after your initial six weeks, you can continue on to the next session, further developing your act and performing in future showcases.

Whether you’re a comedian, actor, writer, host, public speaker or just want to try something new, this class has something for you!

During the class you will learn how to:

* Choose premises that showcase your unique personality
* Construct and develop a joke
* Avoid common mistakes made by most newcomers
* Build a starter set that will serve as the foundation for more material or add to and enhance existing material

TWO CLASSES TO CHOOSE FROM:

Beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2008 - $295, 7:00pm (Every Wed, July 1 – August 5) or
Beginning Saturday, July 11, 2008 - $295, 10:00am (Every Sat, July 11 – August 15)

INFO: (310) 927-2309 or ComedyWorkshopClass@gmail.com to reserve your spot in class! Class sizes are limited to ensure each student receives ample individual attention.
And By The Bye

To be honest I never actually read some of the comments underneath the video, but I happened to catch this comment from the YouTube link above and it just made me laugh out loud at how incensed this guy was from watching an Asian woman block a white guy in an elevator:

She would need an ambulance, not an elevator. I think this is one of the most racist advertisements I have seen on TV recently. It certainly doesn't make me want to fly "Racist Airlines"! I'm a WHITE, American and I am offended that SWA would air such crap.
Someone has issues.

Oak And Gorski, Hotel Cafe, And Advice

Thursday, June 18, 2009



Oak and Gorksi (formerly known as the Ken Oak Band) is going to be starting their Thursday night residency down at Hotel Cafe tonight (9:00 PM). Check it out if you can as well as their new album "Good Advice, "Bad Advice".

Vienna Teng And Housing Works

Thursday, June 18, 2009



If you're looking for some good music that also helps out a great cause check out the Vienna Teng, Diane Birch, and Coralie Clément concert at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe this Friday at 7:00 PM where all of the proceeds will go back to the Housing Works organization for their HIV/AIDS support and housing programs.

Tickets are just $15.

Hillary Twittered The Obama's Fly-Swatting PETA? In Iran? With Senator Ensign?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

I guess I just never thought I'd be reading an article with the headline "Hillary Clinton defends Twitter efforts for Iran" where it actually talks about the U.S. State Department urging the social networking service to keep itself up, and Clinton, even though she doesn't know a "Twitter from a tweeter", defending the action where Twitter itself could be at the center of an international firestorm.

But then again I also didn't think I'd read an article where PETA chastised Obama for swatting a fly and now wants to send him something called a "Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher" which in essence traps a fly and then releases it back into the same airspace where it was bothering you in the first place essentially doing nothing. I mean I know PETA's kinda messed up, but this - this is kind of on the fringe even for them...

Something though I'm not really surprised to read about is that Republican Senator John Ensign of Nevada (the No. 4 Senate Republican) resigned from his leadership post on the Republican Policy Committee due to having an affair with a former staff member and "violating the vows" of his marriage which is just a little funny seeing as how he's also a member of the men's Christian ministry group the Promise Keepers who're committed to building strong marriages.

Yeah.

That one really doesn't surprise me.

Funny People: Adam Sandler, Ken Jeong, And Suzy Nakamura

Thursday, June 18, 2009



This is a clip from the film Funny People with Adam Sandler that has Ken Jeong and Suzy Nakamura in it, and according to this MovieWeb interview seems to be a scene from a film that Adam Sandler's character (George Simmons) was in (a movie within the movie).

I'm figuring there has to be something more to it than just this because who in their right mind would actually do the "fork/fuck" joke anymore for an actual laugh (not to mention everything else that's incredibly painful to watch)?

Hopefully after "the clip" we get to see Ken Jeong's and Suzy Nakamura's characters completely go off about the roles they have to play from the "film" - which I would love to see - or the clip is setup with something like "And this was the film that ultimately brought down Simmons' career with thousands of Asian Americans taking to the streets, calling for a boycott, and subsequently burning down his house."

Or both.

Because there's gotta be more.

And just because you might be wondering

In other Suzy Nakamura news, she's in the Pilot episode of "10 Things I Hate About You" as Principal Holland which is currently filming and possibly coming to a HD signal near you.

Keep Your Head Up Chien-Ming Wang

Wednesday, June 17, 2009



Hey CMW,

Just wanted to write you a quick post to say KYHU because even though you're sucking ass on the mound lately after coming back from the disabled list - you've just become a dad - and if you think the dissapointment is heavy now, just wait until your kid drops out of college, shaves his pubes and decides to become a pornstar - and not that there's anything wrong with kicking it in the skin flicks (because one day I'm going to direct the most amazing Hello Kitty Romcom Porn Drama that makes you weep, laugh, and gets you off) but I don't know of anyone in the Baseball Hall Of Fame with a kid who started off as a fluffer.

Just saying...

Slanty

Get Your Speed Date On

Wednesday, June 17, 2009



Get it on at the first ever CACF Action Council Summer Lovin' Speed dating Fundraiser.

Summer Lovin' Speed Dating Fundraiser
Friday, July 17th, 2009 7-10pm
@ BLVD, 199 Bowery


Buy your tickets online TODAY, spots are filling up quickly -- click here.

Early bird price of $25 available only until June 25th!

To learn more, visit http://www.cacf.org/ and check out the "Upcoming Events" section -- and scroll to the bottom to find July 17th!

Here's the Facebook invite to the same event -- please use this to share as well!

It's a great way to meet someone special, or make some new friends. All for a great cause! You won't want to miss it. For questions, please email us at CACFFundraiser@gmail.com
Cool.

Random White People Post

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Occasionally I have to sit with people I don't really know at certain events/luncheons and sometimes they happen to be White People which is all good and fine because White People I do like you and some of you White People I like a lot more (and by that I mean having sex with you) - but occasionally - because this isn't an everyday event - I do get these questions simply because I'm Asian and I just want to put this out here for some of you (or to pass on to your friends) that I'm not the all knowing Oracle about everything Asian.

For instance, I can't really tell you if a certain dish from a restaurant you went too where you had [insert any Asian dish whatsoever] was truly authentic from the ingredients you think you tasted. I'm not a chef. I'm just Asian. And while I can tell you about some things, the fact that I can't tell you about a region or food that I actually might not know that well (because they didn't give me that specific microchip in the Sony Assembly Line) doesn't really tell you anything about my "Asianness" - and I say that because sometimes when this question has been posed to me I've gotten "the look" as in "How come you don't know that? Are you sure you're Asian" look to which I sometimes just want to drop my pants, point to my golden brown silky smooth friend who has a 95% customer satisfaction rating* and say "You're questioning my Asianness because I can't tell you if that food you ate that I never tasted that you probably paid too much for is authentic? Look at this fine craftsmanship. How can I not be anything but Asian?".

Obviously I don't do that though because I'm not really a fan of mixing food with sex (unless it's light whip cream) but if I really want to prove my "Asianness" I just do what everyone else does which is simply break out into a full on Japanese Tea Ceremony because just like everyone else I carry all that shit in my backpack.

* I have no problem admitting I can't please everyone 100% of the time because let's face it, some of you are just too damn demanding and I'm not going to wear a used bunny suit that smells like sweat and Gold Bond just because you want to get your rabbit fetish on. I mean I'll put on the suit, but it better be fresh outta the box.

More Ways To Support Sam Yoon

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I got some info sent out my way, and if you're so inclined and want to support Sam Yoon even more get online and hit up http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/22460 where you can help spread the word, plan an event, create a supporter page or just give the old fashioned way by donating a buck or two (because small amounts really do help - just think Obama).

Get.Political.

Tennessee, More Cartoons, And I Just Wouldn't Mess With Churches

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I guess cartoons like these will never stop being passed around in "secret":

Tennessee state Sen. Diane Black, R-Gallatin, says she has disciplined an aide for passing along a racist cartoon of President Barack Obama in an e-mail.

The aide, Sherri Goforth, forwarded the cartoon May 28 to other staffers, and received both a written and verbal reprimand Monday, the senator said. The (Nashville) Tennessean reported Black said Goforth sent the e-mail without her knowledge and "it does not reflect my views."
And even though I'm not really a church goer and racist graffiti shouldn't be - well - anywhere - I think there really is a special place for people that hit up churches and other organizations of that ilk:

The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer are investigating after racist graffiti and images were painted all over a the property of a popular Jacksonville church on Monday. Vandals painted words and images such as white power, a swastika, KKK, the n-word, as well as a symbol for a Nazi greeting on the church property; and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The incident at the Potter's House School, which is run by the Potter's House Church, was more than just some painted graffiti; it also included a case of arson.

Hot Track: May J. もし君と... with キマグレン

Wednesday, June 17, 2009



From her album "Family" which has been sitting in the Top 10 since its debut.

Seoulbeats And Far*East Movement

Wednesday, June 17, 2009



I think I'm posting this in part just because I like the picture that Seoulbeats put up for their interview with FM. Here's a snippet:

SB: I know you want to raise the Asian-American profile in the US, how do you go about that?

I think a lot of it has to do with us putting in the work that we do. Because when we were younger we didn’t have a lot of Asian-American representation, other than, like, Mr. Miyagi and Bruce Lee . So something like being a musician or an actor or anything like being an entertainer other than, you know, the more typecast roles, is hard and didn’t seem like an achievable goal. It’s really grown a lot in the last few years and it’s not just us doing our music and doing our best to represent our people, but also through supporting other people; which is why we have things like the International Secret Agents concert [with Wong Fu Productions], where we showcase Asian-American talents. And there’s people like, you know, Wong Fu productions and David Choi, who have built these fan bases, and by us being able to create these platforms really helps with that. I think it’s worth noting too, I think that dance, the Asians that are representing in dance are huge right now. With Quest and the JabbawockeeZ, the Jabbawockeez are pretty much as mainstream as you can get.
Check out the full interview here.

Alex Thuy Tran: You're Miss Viet Nam Global (And Winner Of $10,000)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009


Because you really did want to know this:

A 22-year-old Viet Nam-born student, living in Texas, has won the US$10,000 Miss Viet Nam Global contest, in Las Vegas.

Born in Nha Trang city, Alex Thuy Tran also won the Top Viet Model 2007 title in a competition held by an organisation called Modelling Project in La Mirada, California.

Four runners-up titles were handed out to Le My Linh from Atlanta, Tran Thi Huong Giang from Viet Nam’s northern province of Hai Duong, Stephanie Truong Kim Yen from California and Le Hoang Bao Ngoc from Viet Nam’s Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.
Read it in full down at Viet Nam News.

Vudoo Soul And Kristine Sa

Tuesday, June 16, 2009



"Ready For Love" (acoustic version) by Vudoo Soul from the Kristine Sa show.

Dan Choi, Obama Rally, APA For Progress

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Here's a quick video of Dan Choi speaking at an Obama rally who'll also be interviewed by APA for Progress this Sunday on Upstream.



Make sure you log on Sunday for an interview with an Asian American hero who is now fighting for his own career and rights after being denied his rights to fight for our country. APA for Progress will ask the openly gay discharged veteran his thoughts on the Obama presidency, Don't Ask Don't Tell and other anti-LGBT laws, and how he is faring after being dismissed.
For more see APA For Progress.

Rain's A Goodwill Ambassador?

Tuesday, June 16, 2009



Of what? Getting sued?

"The brand value of Seoul is literally the brand value of Korea. With Rain, we can enhance the infinite potential of Korea's brand power," (Mayor) Oh said.
JK. We love you Rain.

The Hay Qua!/That's Neaat Lineup

Monday, June 15, 2009

I got sent out the lineup for the That's Neaat/Hay Qua! mini-fest and it looks like a stellar group that's going to be there so definitely make sure to check it out if you can (but hurry because tickets are limited).

Here's the info from the release (thanks Donny):

New York is the stuff of dreams, and "Hay Qua!" celebrates this day and night. On Saturday, June 27th, the mini-fest is celebrating big with an impressive roster of passionate, creative thinkers/performers who have continuously pursued their dreams.

In inviting the renown presenters to share their ideas/insights, projects, and anecdotes, "Hay Qua!" hopes to inspire its audience to revisit their own dreams, to draw inspiration, to connect with one another, to wonder, to take away something new, to bring something forth. To witness the beauty of the human imagination at work.

A sampling of imaginative minds at "Hay Qua!"

Alex Nguyen, Trumpet Player
www.alexnguyenmusic.com

Ali Wong, "Best Comedian 2009" by SF Weekly
www.aliwong.com

An Xuan Nguyen, Owner of 'BEP'
www.beprestaurant.blogspot.com

Bao Nguyen, Photographer
www.baonguyenphotography.com

Doan Hoang, Director of 'Oh Saigon'
www.ohsaigon.com

Ina Adele Ray, Director of 'El Paso, Vietnam'
www.adeleray.com

Jared Rehberg, 'Operation Babylift'
www.thebabylift.com

Kim Spurlock, Director of 'Buoi Chieu'
www.kimspurlock.com

Phong Bui, Publisher of 'The Brooklyn Rail'
www.brooklynrail.org

Tam Ngo, Reviewer for 'Serious Eats'
www.seriouseats.com

Thu Tran, TV Host of IFC's Food Party
www.thutranthutran.com

Tracy Nguyen, Publicist for Estelle
www.iprmktg.com

Tuan Bui, Owner of 'An Choi'
www.anchoinyc.com

Vinh Hua, Spoken Word Artist
www.vinh-hua.com

Yen Ha, Partner at FRONT STUDIOS Architects
www.frontstudio.com

But hurry, folks. The "Hay Qua!" + Kollaboration Combo Tickets are now $50 and are only available until 6/22, or until it's SOLD OUT – whichever comes first! Join others from as far as Canada, California, Oregon, Arizona, Louisiana, DC and and as close as Philly and Connecticut. And if you're in a group, email thatsneaat@gmail.com for the group discount and accommodation help!

"Hay Qua!" Mini-Fest
Saturday, June 27th / 10-4PM
The Bitter End (147 Bleecker St)
Register: www.thatsneaat.com