Be A Part Of Big Phony's 6th Album

Sunday, January 31, 2016



Was looking to get this out a little sooner - and while cool news is that it's funded in full (in part to the DDK) - you can still be a part of it - and you should be a part of it - because more backers equals more music.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bigphony/help-make-big-phonys-6th-album/posts/1477495

And Yeah - I'm Giving You Some Of The Classics

Doing An A-Ha Cover: It's Time For Old School Ska With Matt Wong

Sunday, January 31, 2016



Late 1990's.

Matt Wong on bass.

I'm Searching For The Asian American Version Of Rickrolling

Sunday, January 31, 2016

I don't know what video or music clip it is...

But when I do...

For now here's a link to Never Gonna Give You Up just because.

And yes - I'm no stranger to love either.

2016 Gerber Baby Isla Is Really Cute

Sunday, January 31, 2016



And for whatever it's worth - good or bad - for a moment I was like "Are they gonna let the Asian American woman talk?".

They did.

That was just me...

Cute dimples huh?

POC <> Always = Asian American && Maybe We Need Something New?

Saturday, January 30, 2016

My random thought for a late Sat night is that sometimes we might get lumped into POC and other times POC is specific to Black Americans because as we know, many times the conversations just aren't inclusive of Asian Americans.

I think lately I've just been thinking to myself that while people use POC - a lot of times - speaking of the mainstream - they really just mean Black - sometimes Latino - but a lot of times Black - and while I have no issues (obviously) with communities tackling the racism and injustices of Black Americans - sometimes I wish people would just say African Americans/Black Americans because that's who they're really referring too (and sometimes it feels like people are too scared to say Black Americans - like somehow it's easier to say POC instead).

In that way sometimes it doesn't feel genuine to use POC as a descriptor because many times we're not included in the mainstream version of POC.

Guess that's it for now.

Back to strawberries and cream.

Mission Chinese Food + Danny Bowien

Friday, January 29, 2016



Good article down @ NPR on Danny Bowien, a Korean American chef who learned to cook Sichuanese cuisine and started up the Mission Chinese Food restaurants and is the co-author along with Chris Ying of The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook:

Danny Bowien, the founder of the Mission Chinese Food restaurants, didn't grow up cooking Chinese cuisine. Born in South Korea, then adopted by a family in Oklahoma, Bowien was already an adult living in San Francisco when he decided to learn how to cook Sichuanese fare, known for its bold, pungent, spicy flavors [...] Ultimately, Bowien wound up teaching himself how to cook Chinese food. Later, he opened the first Mission Chinese Food — a pop-up restaurant with a punk-rock, DIY attitude. Located inside an existing Chinese restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District, it was a hole-in-the-wall takeout joint that drew long lines and rave reviews: Both Bon Appetit and GQ magazines named it one of the best new restaurants of 2001.

Awkwafina's Yellow Alert Featuring Dumbfounded

Wednesday, January 27, 2016



I could listen to this for another 2 minutes+ but I'll take what I can get.

Nice.

#YouTubeIsntTheOscars: In Case You Missed It Lilly Singh + Jimmy Fallon

Wednesday, January 27, 2016



Great to see even though she doesn't need network television - although an appearance on Jimmy Fallon doesn't hurt.

Retro Vân-Ánh Võ + NPR

Wednesday, January 27, 2016



Bring it back.

Really? Only One Vietnamese American Bishop In The U.S.?

Tuesday, January 26, 2016



Not that I'm really all that religious so I don't quite follow the news...if you can call it that - but who would have known that there was only one Vietnamese American bishop in the whole nation.

And now he's retiring...

Hmmmm - Bishop Slanty has a nice ring to it...

Ref it: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/vietnamese-700443-luong-bishop.html

P.S.

I'm sure Bishop Dominic Luong probably has a better ring to it for that sort of thing over the long run...

Smithsonian + Jackson Florida + I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story + Free Stuff

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

If you happen to be down in Jacksonville Florida check out the Smithsonian's I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story exhibit complete with a free audio tour guide which you can download @ iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wide-earth/id642854812)

---

The link to the PDF on the exhibit which runs through Feb. 28: http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wjct/files/201601/SMITHSONIAN.pdf

Hard Work Pays Off At Harvard For Asian American Literature

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Nice to hear that after a semester of advocating by students and teachers that English 181A - Asian American Literature - go its due down at Harvard:

The increased interest comes after a semester of advocacy by students and faculty concerned with the College’s lack of Asian American studies offerings. Last October, the College formed an Asian American Studies Working Group, aimed at creating more opportunities for students and faculty interested in the field.

In addition, a group of undergraduates is pushing for more curricular offerings in Asian and Pacific Americans Studies. The group held a town hall in December to appeal to the Harvard administration to create a formal academic program in the area.
Apparently about 100 students showed up for the class.

Cool.

No Surprise: 2% Occupancy In State And Local Office For Asian Americans and Latinos

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

While a good article and important to know about - not really a surprise:

The report, by the New American Leaders Project, found that the groups’ numbers have not grown substantially in those offices — fewer than 2 percent of the 500,000 seats nationally in state and local offices are held by Asian-Americans or Hispanics. Those voters make up more than 20 percent of the United States population, the report notes. Both groups of voters are considered key to the emerging Democratic coalition in national races.

Among the barriers members of these groups faced is that they were less likely to come up with the idea of running for office themselves — usually only doing so if the idea was suggested by another person. Hispanic women also were likelier to report being discouraged “by their political party more than any other group,” the report noted.

#dontjlme: 15 Days Later Jennifer Lawrence Still Makes Me Cringe

Monday, January 25, 2016

https://twitter.com/variety/status/686399811117924353

Still can't get that finger wave out of my mind because one of the things that makes me cringe is when White Women Wave Their Finger in that White Woman shaming way...

J.P. Chan + A Picture Of You + Get It On Netflix Starting In February

Monday, January 25, 2016



Cool news for Asian Americans in film is that J.P. Chan's A Picture Of You will be streaming on Netflix beginning of next month.

Nice.

The Perps In Durham, N.C. Targeting Asian American Business Owners Need To Be Caught

Monday, January 25, 2016

Ish...targeting Asian Americans. Let's hope these perps get caught soon.

A band of armed, masked men have been targeting Asian-American business owners in recent months, police said.

Durham police have responded to 14 such robberies since late October, with the most recent occurring last weekend. Thieves initially were breaking into the business owners' homes when they weren't there, but police said they have changed their tactics, confronting the owners and families in their homes.

The owner of Unique Nails, at 3808 Guess Road, said he was cooking in his garage Saturday night when he was confronted by five men with guns. They kicked in the door to his home and held his wife, his two children, his nephew and a friend at gunpoint.

The men beat him and demanded money, he said Wednesday, still showing scars on his head from the assault.

"I am worried they will harm my family, my children and my wife. I had some money, and I gave them," he said.

The robbers then locked everyone in closets and bathrooms while they ransacked the house, taking whatever money and jewelry they could find, the man said.

"They thought the Asian people keep the money in the house, but they are wrong," he said.

Read more at http://www.wral.com/robbers-targeting-asian-american-business-owners/15255049

Daddy uses a bank.

Pleasure.Love And Sundance

Monday, January 25, 2016



Sounds steamy. A few more days to catch it down @ Sundance if you can.

PLEASURE. LOVE. tells the two stories of a young man and a young woman experiencing passionate love for the first time with older more experienced lovers. Each story begins with its protagonist meeting an older lover at a dance hall and embarking on a sultry affair. The younger characters are immature and stubborn while the older ones look for innocence and sincerity, yet they all long for pure emotions and love in a materialistic society. Having left their hometowns for the big city in search of a brighter future, they learn that what is important resides in the heart. At what point do we shift from learning how to love to teaching others how to do so? This question is thoughtfully examined in writer/director Yao Huang’s intricate puzzle of love, sex, and time. Pleasure. Love concocts an intertwined narrative of characters and emotions where the enjoyment comes from tracing the connected lines through the cycles of love.

Wednesday, 1/27 2:30 PM Egyptian Theater
Friday, 1/29 – 9AM Temple Theater

Long Week. Here's A Video Cover

Thursday, January 21, 2016



Cause.

Nope.

That's it.

Cause.

#Oscarssowhite What More Needs To Be Said? Oh...

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Again, I'm not saying people haven't put in their time to get where they are and that the movies themselves aren't worthy of artistic notice. But I am saying that artistic notice without diversity also begs the question of how good something can truly be when it shuts out other actors and actresses both on a systematic and individual level. The system is only as diverse as individual components of that system no matter if one feeds off of the other and at some point there has to be more change at some level.

Meiko And Marié Digby Announce The Hapa Tour U.S. Tour Dates

Tuesday, January 12, 2016



Oh hell yeah.

Got this popped into my inbox and wanted to share in full.

And yes - I'll be there in March.

MEIKO AND MARIÉ DIGBY ANNOUNCE CO-HEADLINING “HAPA TOUR”

The Acclaimed Alt-Pop Singer-Songwriters Celebrate Their Part-Asian (“Hapa”) Heritage With 2016 Concert Dates In North America Beginning February 24

Los Angeles, CA – January 11, 2016 – Meiko and Marié Digby announce today that they’ll embark on a string of U.S. tour dates together in February and March. Beginning in San Diego on Feb. 24, they’ll also bring their “Hapa Tour” to Costa Mesa, Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco (Mill Valley), Chicago (Evanston), Marshfield, WI, and Minneapolis (dates, cities and venues are listed below). Additional shows in the northwest and northeast will be announced soon.

A “Hapa” is a person of mixed racial heritage with partial roots in Asian and/or Pacific Islander ancestry. Meiko is one-quarter Japanese on her maternal grandmother’s side, and Marié’s mother is Japanese. The idea to put together a tour celebrating this heritage was the brainchild of Meiko: “My sister and I were the only part-Asian kids growing up in our small town in Georgia, so it was always awkward when people asked 'what ARE you?’ I wanted to put together a little tour celebrating ‘Hapa-ness’ and to spread the word - mainly to let kids out there know it's not weird to have parents of different ethnic backgrounds. It’s actually pretty awesome and more common than you think!"

Of being Hapa, Marié says, “It feels like being part of a tribe. In this day and age, so many of us come from mixed backgrounds. Growing up with one Japanese parent and one Irish parent was such a unique and culturally rich experience, and it’s definitely influenced me as an artist and musician.”

Sponsored by PledgeMusic and the USC Ito Center Hapa Japan Project, the tour dates will also feature up-and-coming local Hapa artists from each city as opening acts.

Both Meiko and Marié Digby will soon announce their plans to record new albums - stay tuned!

Tour Dates:

February 24
Music Box
San Diego, CA

February 25
The Wayfarer
Costa Mesa, CA

February 28
Saint Rocke
Hermosa Beach, CA

March 1
The Troubadour
Los Angeles, CA

March 4
Sweetwater Music Hall
Mill Valley, CA

March 10
SPACE
Evanston, IL

March 11
Wildwood Station Pavilion
Marshfield, WI

March 14
Cedar Cultural Center
Minneapolis, MN

Download Meiko’s latest song, “Perfect Fit (Live)” which appears on
her Live Songs From The Hotel Café EP released in October 2015:
https://soundcloud.com/meikomusic/perfect-fit-live

Download Marié Digby’s latest demo, “Jet Streams”:
https://soundcloud.com/mariedigby/jet-streams-demo

Because You Wanted To Hear From EEOC Chair Jenny Yang

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang Delivers Remarks at the Annual Meeting of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Often when employers and their agents engage in labor trafficking, they may also be violating anti-discrimination laws. Laws enforced by the EEOC-particularly those prohibiting discrimination based on race, national origin, and sex-can be crucial tools in combatting trafficking and obtaining compensation for victims.
EEOC Issues a Statement by Chair Jenny R. Yang to Address Workplace Discrimination Against Individuals Who Are, or Are Perceived to Be, Muslim or Middle Eastern
America was founded on the principle of religious freedom. As a nation, we must continue to seek the fair treatment of all, even as we grapple with the concerns raised by the recent terrorist attacks. When people come to work and are unfairly harassed or otherwise targeted based on their religion or national origin, it undermines our shared and longstanding values of tolerance and equality for all
EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang Delivers Remarks at the Announcement to Advance Diversity in Law Enforcement
Working with police officers gave me a deep appreciation for the extraordinary risks these courageous men and women take every day to help keep our communities safe. I know I speak for everyone here when I say that we are incredibly grateful for the important work that you do. I have seen firsthand that these issues are hard, but not insurmountable. There is no magic bullet, but with the help of all of you in this room and other experts in the field, we can pool our collective knowledge to identify those practices that are truly working to change workplace cultures and develop a diverse and highly qualified police force. And we know that this is important work-it is vitally important for our communities and for our police departments for these efforts to succeed. We understand, of course, that a diverse police force will not alone ensure safe and effective policing, but it is an essential part of the solution.

In Pics: Living As A Chinese American

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Caught a couple of links to articles on Chinese photographers photographing the life of Chinese American families.

Not sure if you can see all of the pics down at meandme.net, but you can check out the article links below.

http://nextshark.com/chinese-american-life/

http://shanghaiist.com/2016/01/10/chinese-american_photo_series.php

From Christine Ha To You

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

When you've made it - why not share a little bit of that knowledge.

Yeah.

Christine Ha (Ha Huyen Tran), a vision-impaired woman who won the 2012 US MasterChef contest, yesterday motivated young Vietnamese, especially those with disabilities, to stand up and move ahead to achieve success in life when faced with problems and upheaval. Speaking at a talk show organised by the Disabilities Research and Capacity Development Centre in HCM City and Hoa Sen University, she said: "Keep moving forward with your life and remember that you have the strength to achieve what you want.

"If you really believe in yourself, you can reach the stars."

3X: Kero Uno (AKA Kero One)

Monday, January 11, 2016







Pick up the new LP REFLECTION ETERNAL.

Olivia Munn VS Kevin Hart + Lip Sync Battle Jan. 14

Monday, January 11, 2016

A note to the Lip Syncers and lovers of Olivia Munn and Kevin Hart.

Time to get it on.

A Lot Of White People: Hollywood Reporter's 40 Most Anticipated Flicks Of 2016

Monday, January 11, 2016

I'm not saying that the films on the list won't be good or aren't worth seeing or there isn't artistry in any of the actors. Nor am I saying that the HWR didn't do its due diligence in vetting more films with more POC in it (although I guess I'm not saying that either).

And no - I don't have a list for you right now either.

All I'm saying is that outside of a few flicks it's a lot of White People in front, and in back of the camera.

Sure you have some noteables like Ghostbusters, The Magnificent Seven, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' (Ang Lee directing), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Trek Beyond, and Deadpool - but...that's it (or at least close too).

And out of 40 you have to agree - it's pretty White.

That's why you have to feed yourself another diet of media because only you can prevent yourself from seeing and supporting diverse and rich media experiences.

You just have to look.

Retro: Some Feel Good Dance For A Friday (Viet MIN ST.319 Style)

Friday, January 08, 2016

Carnal Orient Goes To Slamdance

Friday, January 08, 2016


Carnal Orient all Asian American woman film-making team of Mila Zuo, Angela Seo, and Camille Mana. Photo credit Erica Kawamoto Hsu @ http://ericakhsu.blogspot.com/2014/06/carnal-orient.html

In a past post I wrote up on a film + kickstarter campaign and after the campaign was funded they are now on to the Slamdance film festival and will be appearing in the Anarchy Shorts program.

Definitely a great showing for these Asian American female filmmakers.

http://showcase.slamdance.com/Film-Schedule

True White Life: If Your Name Is Bundy Apparently You Can Do Whatever The Hell You Want

Tuesday, January 05, 2016



The above picture was taken towards the end of November at the 4th precinct in North Minneapolis where protests were happening over the shooting of Jamar Clark.

You can count 4 police cars with their lights on and some nice flood lights.

Imagine if BLM activists and allies decided to do the same thing the Bundy's did?

Armed.

We all have the right to protest - but when you start bringing guns - that's a different story.

Even though the Bundy's are out in "nowhere" where they say tactics can be different - imagine if a group of Americans who were Muslim decided to take over an unoccupied building in the middle of nowhere to protest against racial profiling.

You think the response would be the same?

You don't think that place would get a hundred FBI agents in the blink of an eye?

You don't think the response would be something like:

1. "They could have a bomb."
2. "This could lead to other armed protests around the country and we need to take swift action."
3. "We can't take their word that they won't use violence. They've already brought guns."

If you don't think the tables would absolutely be different, with every excuse and benefit of the doubt that is afforded to the Bundy's, never be given to a group of protesters who happen to black or brown....I'll just tell you that those lights aren't flood lights.

They're the mother ship telling you to come back home...