Sign-Up For "Politics, History, And Anger In Writing". A Class By Teaching Artist And Writer Viet Thanh Nguyen

Thursday, April 30, 2015



Class Info

05/18/15–05/18/15 | Monday | 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Ages: Adult

Location: Open Book-Loft Classroom

Reg $52.50 | Mem $47.25 | Low inc. $36.75

Politics, history, and anger—all are important to writing, and yet all three pose challenges to the writer, threatening to overwhelm both the writer and the writing. This class looks at some examples of writers of poetry and fiction who have not backed away from politics, history, and anger, and considers some aesthetic approaches to these issues. This class also affirms the necessity felt by some writers that their work can and must confront these issues, especially in the face of a contemporary literary environment that sometimes discourages such concerns. We will look at a few short pieces by established writers and spend some time writing in class.

$2 copy fee payable to teaching artist.
About the Teaching Artist(s)

Viet Thanh Nguyen lives and works in Los Angeles, where he is an associate professor of English and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. His short stories have appeared in venues such as Best New American Voices, TriQuarterly, Narrative Magazine, Manoa, Gulf Coast, and the Chicago Tribune. He is also the author of Race and Resistance: Literature and Politics in Asian America (Oxford University Press) and the novel The Sympathizer, just released from Grove Press.

#TBT: My Old "About" Page + Nine "What's"

Thursday, April 30, 2015

It did need an update.

The page that is.

Artist Hellen Jo + Giant Robot Interview

Thursday, April 30, 2015



Good interview and post up at the GR blog on Hellen Jo.

Giving To Nepal

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

With searches facing more obstacles and fatalities in the thousands only expected to get higher below are some links to articles and more information on helping and giving.

I Just Like This Picture Of Sunny Jain From The South Asian American Digital Archive

Wednesday, April 29, 2015



From the article "The Hendrix of Dhol".

From SCPR And The Frame

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Good general article on the state of tv and media: http://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2015/04/24/42564/asian-american-youtube-celebrities-aim-to-change-p/

Demographics: St. Paul Asian American Students Lagging

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Just a good article on the demographics of Asian American students in St. Paul.

According to the article, Asian American students make up 31 percent of all students in the district with about two-thirds Hmong, followed by Karen and several other ethnic groups for the last 1/3.

A few highlights:

On last year's Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, just 38 percent of St. Paul's Asian-American students were proficient in math, compared with 59 percent statewide. Their reading proficiency was 29 percent, compared with 51 percent for the state.

Significant differences in that data the data below.

And judging by the ACT scores of last year's seniors, Asian-American students as a group are less ready for college than any other racial group in the district: Girls averaged a score of 17, and boys 18. Nationally, the ACT average for Asian-Americans was 23.5 last year.

Not all is coming from behind.

Among the positive indicators for the students are that they have the lowest rates of suspension and chronic absence, and their graduation rate is slightly better than the district average.

ForbesLife Calls Brandon Sun The Asian American Designer You Need To Know

Wednesday, April 29, 2015



Here's what they have to say (and yes I do reiterate that you can drop that hyphen between Asian and American).

Compared to say the likes of Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim and Jason Wu, the name Brandon Sun hardly rings a bell even among die-hard fashion followers. But the Chinese-American Brandon is not at all a newbie in the fashion arena. He’s held key positions at Oscar de la Renta (design director for fur) and at J. Mendel (designer for ready-to-wear, couture and fur). He also designed a special collection of fur ensembles for Janet Jackson for the revamp of Blackglama, which were used for the now iconic campaign What Becomes A Legend Most. At his graduation from Parsons in 2006, he was awarded Designer of the Year. He launched his eponymous label in 2012 starting with accessories but in 2014 he created his first ready-to-wear collection that relied heavily on his expertise with fur. Since then, he’s showed collections that have explored multiple and modern uses of fur and leather. His fall/winter 2015 collection is his most assured and confident showing yet.

Juxtapose It: Does The Mayweather Pacquiao Fight Eat Into Avenger Ticket Sales This Weekend?

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

I wonder what percentage of the audience for the Avengers this weekend won't be going to see it because of the Pacquiao/Mayweather fight of the century this Saturday night?

Will they still go? Squeeze it into Friday?

Or will they wait until after opening weekend or later?

I just think it's an interesting juxtaposition when you look at both events, audiences, overlap, and the pull one way or the other.

I See Asian People @ Old Navy

Tuesday, April 28, 2015



Look at them go.

It's like a blur.

Except some of them.

Because they're in slow mo...

It's A Choice - The Avengers: Age Of Ultron - It's Lack Of Diversity Won't Get Me Out Opening Weekend

Tuesday, April 28, 2015



I'm not saying that I'm never going to see it, but I won't get out opening weekend, and I just might wait for it on disc or online - and it's not like I didn't watch the previous one - in the theater. It's just that this time around, especially with films like Furious 7 which are diverse on so many levels - I do get tired of watching people that look nothing like me or my everyday community.

The gadgets and fights are cool and I love the Hulk because how can you not love the Hulk and you have Iron Man - I mean I get it - but give me more because it is a symbol and reflection of where we are and in some ways I refuse to just hand over my money to something that simultaneously tells me that I don't exist but also wants my money.

Megyn Kelly Tries To Smear Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake AKA While Fox News Is Live Now (Being Fox) Everyone Else Is On Replay

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

1:00-1:30 AM

And I'll tell you that I had to turn it off because it's patently false. Untrue. And I don't know what the intent is - to try and smear someone - the Mayor of a city - who has said that this is not acceptable and who hasn't condoned the looting and fires and violence and the burning down of a community (she herself a native of Baltimore).

Kelly as well as others are trying to say that the Mayor asked police to give space to people who sought to create violence.

Just let that sink in for a second because yes, it is as absurd as it sounds.

And as many times is, the whole statement is actually quite more and different:


I made it very clear that I work with the police and instructed them to do everything that they could to make sure that the protesters were able to exercise their right to free speech.

It's a very delicate balancing act. Because while we try to make sure that they were protected from the cars and other things that were going on, we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well. And we worked very hard to keep that balance and to put ourselves in the best position to de-escalate.


I don't know how you misinterpret that.

She's simply talking about those who will abuse the power to assemble and protest - anarchy under the guise of the protests.

To push the false narrative though folks like Fox News are cutting out everything before that and making the soundbite "We also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well".

Whuh?

They're using that and saying the Mayor somehow gave license to the chaos and at the same time chastising her for saying she didn't say that. For defending herself and saying that it has been taken out of context.

Her office put this out:

“What she is saying within this statement was that there was an effort to give the peaceful demonstrators room to conduct their peaceful protests on Saturday. Unfortunately, as a result of providing the peaceful demonstrators with the space to share their message, that also meant that those seeking to incite violence also had the space to operate. The police sought to balance the rights of the peaceful demonstrators against the need to step in against those who were seeking to create violence.
The mayor is not saying that she asked police to give space to people who sought to create violence. Any suggestion otherwise would be a misinterpretation of her statement.”

Let's hope there's no more confusion.

Baltimore

Monday, April 27, 2015

Some links to stories/outlets which also have updates.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/27/live-updates-baltimore-officers-injured-after-high-schoolers-call-for-purge/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/04/27/us/ap-us-suspect-dies-baltimore-the-latest.html?_r=0

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/27/us/baltimore-unrest/.

Random Tobit Raphael

Saturday, April 25, 2015



The above is from 2013. Since then he's been auditioning and seen on the TV movie Assistance, the TV series Saint George, and in post-production Quest.

Watch: PACQUIAO/MAYWEATHER: AT LAST

Friday, April 24, 2015

#TBT: Deee-Lite+Groove Is In The Heart+Towa Tei

Thursday, April 23, 2015



Ukraine, Ohio, Tokyo, and Kansas City.

1990.

From Sharknado (The Second One) To Vivica Fox To Nicole Bilderback To Now I'm Watching Mercenaries (2014)

Thursday, April 23, 2015

For whatever it's worth it went like the following:



I was re-watching Sharknado 2 (well it was on in the background...) when I got to the part where Vivica Fox kisses Ian Ziering and I wondered to myself what Vivica Fox was up to as I thought I saw her on a few things.


From The Mob Wives Reunion

And I ended up finding 2014's Mercenaries



Which also happens to have Asian American actress Nicole Bilderback.



And that's how it goes.

Dude Is Asian: Samsung GS6 Unboxing And Escape

Wednesday, April 22, 2015



Saw this commercial and thought I bet the guy behind the cam (doing the unboxing and escaping) is Asian. A little quick homework with some images and info found down at adweek and yes, you should always trust me (well not always...I mean most of the time...wait...no actually - always works).

Michael Nhat/April 24/6-10PM Live

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

My Small Publisher Amazon And CreateSpace Thoughts For The Day

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

In the next few weeks with two more books I'll have helped to publish a total of six books over the last 2-3 years as an independent publisher. Without the advancement of technologies like Amazon and CreateSpace none of this would have been possible. While it's not a one button solution and you still have many pieces to each project from editing to formatting to timelines to covers to print sizes to contracts to press to sales to finances (some of these managed throughout the lifecycle of a book)--these technologies have helped to level the playing field so that authors who typically may not have gotten a shot to put out their voices - and not because they aren't good writers - can put out their work. Even though it's big bad Amazon in some ways (because in other ways it's not), they've been the disruptors to the traditional and not always encompassing of other cultures and peoples publishing community.

There's on-demand printing so no need for inventory and cost of inventory, control over pricing, wholesale pricing/publication so you can work with retail shops and physical orders or bundles, promotional and discount support via coupon management for resellers, reporting and analysis tools - even though they can still get better and easier (for instance the reporting tools in Amazon need to have longer reporting periods and more summary reports and snapshots) - they are a great set of tools for an independent publisher, author, or group of authors.

In that way, we have tools to help get out voices in the printed form which has typically been dominated by what could sometimes be referred to as the minority majority in the sense that all voices exist.

LA Asian Pacific Film Festival + MyxTV + Free Tix

Friday, April 17, 2015



Just gotta watch.

#TBT: 5 Things White People Need To Learn About Cultural Appropriation + The Daily Dot

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Let's throw it back to something not that old but still always a good read.

A Japanese teen wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of a big American company is not the same as Madonna sporting a bindi as part of her latest reinvention. The difference is history and power

[...]

Just because you may find any elements of another culture or subculture to be awe-inspiring, or even have an odd fetish or fascination with it, using those expressions dispensibly is an insult that comes with a long history and trend of racial and ethnic discrimination and prejudice. It’s insulting to say the least.

Lin Jong At The MCG + K. Oanh H (AKA An American Daughter Returns To Vietnam)

Wednesday, April 15, 2015



http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/investigation-into-claims-fans-made-homophobic-racist-remarks-at-mcg/story-fni0fiyv-1227300488286

A RICHMOND fan who made a racist remark about Western Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong at the MCG on Saturday has apologised [...]
Jong has accepted the apology but told the offender his comments during the Tigers-Bulldogs clash were unacceptable. Jong accepted the apology in a statement released by the club today. “It is disappointing these incidents still arise and I want to say to all football fans, including our own, that any abusive behaviour based on someone’s skin colour, race, sexuality or anything like that is just not acceptable in this day and age,” Jong said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-08/a-daughter-s-vietnam-return-forces-a-father-to-confront-his-past

In 2010, three decades after we survived a harrowing boat escape from the communist regime in Vietnam, I broke the news to my father: I would be moving back there with his three grandchildren. He took a step toward me, unblinking. “You know they are my enemy, right?” he asked. “You know we risked our lives to flee Vietnam and now you are taking my grandchildren back there?” I had seen my father angry before, but I hadn’t seen hurt in his eyes. Like many Vietnamese Americans, my father was critical of the communist government that seized control of our homeland in 1975. He had served in the opposing Republic of Vietnam’s Air Force as a mechanic. But growing up in southern California just miles from the “Little Saigon” community of immigrants in the 1980s, politics was never dinner conversation. My decision to return to my birthplace pushed my father to confront memories he’d buried since we fled in 1979.

Live Feed Periscopers: Suzanne Nguyen + Howard Chen + Nicole Chiu-Wang

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

While live multicast feeds have been around for a while, live feeds from your phone with such ease and built in social hooks are just beginning to blow up. But blow up they are and the two front runners are Meerkat and Periscope. Here are two quick shots of Periscopers Suzanne Nguyen, Howard Chen, and Nicole Chiu Wang.



You may have already heard of Suzanne Nguyen and while everything was going fast I swear she banned someone right there and then. I think she talked about doing an e-book. Support the new disruptors.



Howard Chen of CBS Houston/SportsRadio 610 - some nice live events from what I've seen.



Just happened to catch this feed from Nicole Chiu-Wang and then checked out the twitter script - ceo, coo, feminist attorney.

Make It Pop, Nickelodeon, Megan Lee, Louriza Tronco, And Erika Tham

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Some articles on the new K-Pop show making the rounds starring a bunch of North American Asian faces including Megan Lee, Louriza Tronco, And Erika Tham (of whom is the only actual high-schooler)

And no, I haven't seen any episodes yet, but, I'm also not the demo here. And no, that doesn't mean I don't think it will be good.

Fine.

I'll watch an episode.

It's Like Waterworld. Except Without Kevin Costner. And It's In Vietnam

Tuesday, April 14, 2015



See it @ at the MSPIFF.

My PM Dawn Lindsay Price Post

Monday, April 13, 2015

I was catching up on an episode of Blackish which both had Lindsay Price in it and a reference to PM Dawn.

So that's where this comes from.



And this.



This.



This too and sure, this as well.


Love That Presidential Swagger AKA And Hillary Comes Out Swinging

Monday, April 13, 2015



Call me crazy, but if you want to come out and align yourself with pretty much everyone except right wing fascists wearing purple neon tutus - so they can point to it and say "yeah, I see myself there too and yes, that means something to me and how I will vote" - I would say job well done.

Inspirational even.

P.S.

Still could use some more Asian American male face time. If anyone needs any recommendations...

3X: Nathan Hermida And The Voice

Friday, April 10, 2015


His last performance

While he didn't make the top 12 cut the Film Am made some pretty great runs and gave everyone some nice performances.

On Twitter, Nathan Hermida said: “That’s the way the cookie crumbles! Thank you for all the support through my journey. This has been amazing and I’ve met so many talented people. But this isn’t the end! I’m going to be on a musical grind with covers and original music as soon as I can do so! So stay tuned and always keep up with me! Love you guys“. PS: “I swear I wasn’t pitchy on ‘Chains’ in my band rehearsals LOOOL.” Meanwhile, Adam recall the first time he met Nathan, “This kid, when I first met him, he was so uncomfortable on stage and I could tell that your biggest hurdle was gonna be performing. Honest to God, there were some issues with the vocal stuff, but I have to tell you man, you gave 100% for the effort and the fearlessness that you had to show to come up here and really perform“.



Leave Your Lover


His blind audition

Check out more about Nathan @ NBC & twitter

Sam Tsui And Kina Grannis Is Exactly What You Need (Chains)

Friday, April 10, 2015

Divide And Conquer Or Bring Together And Prosper

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Sometimes I think I have to make that conscious effort and think about what that means and how that manifests itself in what I do, or alternately, what I don't do - and not on any grand level because if anything I'm not that grand, but simpler - what makes me salivate.

I'm Not Sure If I'd Call It Little + Hanya Yanagihara

Thursday, April 09, 2015

At 700+ pages again - I'm not sure you can call it little.

The lock on the toolshed is smashed, the motel door is kicked in and a child ­emerges — blinky, freed from years of sexual service, the violence finally at an end. The newspapers celebrate another triumph of the human spirit, and move on. But does the victim do the same? How does someone go from years of suffering and shame to live out the rest of a life? This is the question Hanya Yanagihara, author of “People in the Trees,” takes on in her second novel.

This 700-plus-page narrative follows the lives of four college friends who come to New York seeking fame and higher tax brackets. Malcolm is an architect, Willem an actor, JB a painter. The fourth, Jude, is a litigator with a secret, painful past, and the book is primarily his story. He’s a beautiful orphan, now surrounded by loving friends, even formally adopted by Harold, his former law professor. Inside, though, he is sick with self-loathing — a veteran returned from the black site that was his childhood.

It is her second book.

Purvi Patel + Indiana Feticide Laws

Wednesday, April 08, 2015

An interesting article down at The American Prospect:

Patel is the second women to be prosecuted under Indiana’s feticide law. The first woman was also an Asian American [...]

With a history of stereotyping Asians as untrustworthy, perfidious foreigners, it is highly probable that racial assumptions played a role in singling out these immigrant women of color for prosecution.

20 Years Ago: KIDS + Jeff Pang + Julie Ho + Jonathan Staci Kim + Joseph Chan + More

Tuesday, April 07, 2015



By all means this wasn't a film that had landmark roles (or even large ones) for Asian Americans - but we were there - and seeing how it's 20 years old I'll have to go back and re-watch it.

Is This The Weed Smoking Blunt Rolling Waxy Shatt APIA Song Of The Summer?

Tuesday, April 07, 2015



I know - it's barely just Spring.

But things take time to catch on?

Maybe?

White Fetish Ep. 4 - How To Look More White! Self Hating Asian Make Up Tutorial

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Yes. Without An Editor Or Reading Over A Post More Than Once Sometimes These Posts Can Lack...Well...Many Many Things...

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

But what do I expect from myself anyway because it's dark and I can't find my other hand, and pecking versus typing isn't always a smooth experience, and under those circumstances now that I think about it I'm surprised I'm not letting my Gobot write more posts.

Emily S. Lee + NYT + Asian American Women Philosophers

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

I haven't read the whole article - I skimmed this one - but looks interesting and I'm sure I'll get back to finishing it soon and if you are so inclined and not as lazy as I, who knows, maybe you will as well.

"I guess that I’m still not quite sure how to describe this experience of being an Asian-American woman philosopher. Working on the American Philosophical Association committee on Asian and Asian-American philosophy and philosophers, I am very much aware of how few of us there are in the discipline."

The Furious 7 Diversity Numbers

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Say what you want about numbers but this is an interesting quote:

While the "Furious" series stretches across racial lines, the same cannot be said for Hollywood. A 2015 report by UCLA's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies found that minorities are underrepresented in leading film roles by more than 2 to 1. The report also found that films with relatively diverse casts enjoyed the highest median global box office numbers and the highest median return on investment.

Sure, the article still uses the word "minorities", but the point is made.

P.S. I Think They Can Bring Back Han For Fast And Furious 8 (And Yes - You Should See Furious 7)

Saturday, April 04, 2015



I know what you're saying - but Han is dead - and didn't 7 JUST COME OUT - can't you let it breath for a bit?

Yes - this is true, and yes, I also did tear up at the end of 7 - but - it's never too early to start thinking about it even if it is a few years away (because who knows - maybe there are some spin-offs...).

We've never seen a body though...

Which leaves it open to say that Han had to have his death faked.

Sure - say what you want - but lore and stories change.

And yes - I also want Justin Lin back for what could be the final too.

James Wan did a kick-ass job - but if there's one final one left - I think it's the J to the L time.

FAAIM + Chicago Asian American Showcase

Saturday, April 04, 2015



While I'm not able to get down to this - definitely next year - and even though opening night has passed - there's still plenty of films and days to catch! Check out more down at the FAAIM site or their FB page.

Retro #TheShanghaiRestorationProject + Random Thought + Why Is North Dakota In This Post...

Friday, April 03, 2015



I had a random late night Friday thought but then it disappeared and I was left with this video. Which is still okay.

The video I mean.

I'm sure there's more and maybe it was something having to do with the Indiana and Arkansas laws and how they still discriminate regardless of what just happened, or the fact that North Dakota is still...well North Dakota - but - I don't quite remember anymore...

Soothing retro Shanghai Restoration Project.

Random Friday What Not To Do After A Break Up YouTube

Friday, April 03, 2015

Frances Rivera + MSNBC Live

Wednesday, April 01, 2015


https://twitter.com/francesrivera

Caught Frances Rivera on as MSNBC News co-anchor on "MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts".


https://twitter.com/francesrivera

From NEO:

Rivera joined MSNBC in February of 2014, and often filled in on MSNBC and NBC'S Early Today show, and also contributed to the Weekend Today Show. Prior to joining MSNBC, Rivera spent two years at WPIX-TV CW 11 in New York City as their morning anchor. From 2001 to 2010, Rivera was in Boston where she anchored the 5, 6, and 11pm newscasts on WHDH-TV NBC 7 as well as the 10pm newscast on WLVI-TV CW 56. While at WHDH, Rivera was recognized with several Emmy nominations. In 2003 and 2007, she won the Emmy award for 'Outstanding Anchor.' Rivera has also worked on-air at KWTV-TV in Oklahoma City, OK and KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls, TX. Rivera has also worked behind the scenes at 'CBS This Morning' and also covered the 1996 election for CBS's political unit. During that time, she was a freelance co-host and reporter for the nationally syndicated PBS program "Asian America." A native of the Philippines, Rivera immigrated to the United States when she was three years old. She went back to the Philippines for college and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of the Philippines.

And yes.

A duo with the now defunct Reid Report would be nice too.