Elaine Chao Is One Of The Chosen Ones

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

It's not like she's new to this - see the Bush years.

And she still has to be confirmed.

And it's great that she's Asian American, an immigrant, etc.

But...she still plays for the darkside...

At the end of the day though I guess we get to have our red one's too?

It's A Double Standard? I Just Feel Like Phrases Like "I Was Fucking These Bitches" By Asian American Guys In The Rap Game Kinda Sucks Ass. But Women Can Kick It All Day Long?

Tuesday, November 29, 2016



First off I'm not gonna say I don't have things to learn, things to work on, etc. - not trying to play that game. And I'm not gonna say I don't listen to some old school rap at times that's like...err - I don't think I can defend that. Not saying that at all (but I also don't listen to it a ton anymore).

But with new music, new vibes, I just feel like when I hear Asian American dudes rapping and they're all like "I was fucking these bitches" - I just get turned off by a slick tune that has some lines in it like that.

In some ways I don't have this completely formulated and I'm kind of just thinking through a thought I was having a few weeks ago (or at various times throughout time) and all I can think to myself is - "Well, if someone's fucking you, you should be nice".

It's like if someone's tossing them some salad, that's really nice of them - because not everyone likes salad.

I'd be like "She's my queen."

She can still be nasty as a MF, but she can still be a queen (and I'm sure that in itself can be deconstructed - as can posts in this blog).

At the same time, I don't have anything against women like Raven Felix with that LatinX vibe going on doing what they do - because it's really none of my business in some ways, and I look at it as taking it back, etc. (although I've had conversations on whether or not a feminist can like the song and video above).

Like I said - I don't have this thought out - and I'm not saying all the dudes are misogynistic assholes - I just feel like they can say things differently, because it just kills the vibe.

And yes - I realize what I just did.

Which I guess just begs the question of language in general (for instance should I have starred everything above in the title?).

More to ponder at a later time.

Watch aka SEOUL If You Haven't Checked It Out Already (I Guess That Depends If You Liked AKA Dan Or Not)

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Just in case you haven't checked any of the AKA stuff out, you can watch aka SEOUL down at NBC News America right now for free (which I guess is the way it's supposed to be, because if they started charging, I would be like - what?). I know not everyone has dug everything - but sometimes the old ones just don't get the new ones, and the new ones, just don't respect the old ones, or the old ones don't think they respect the old ones.

Here's to one day the old ones and the new ones sitting down and having drinks and figuring some shit out.

And yes - I'm ageless MF's.

MV: Joseph Vincent + Magnetize

Tuesday, November 29, 2016



Just started listening to this.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

Helios: Femina + Chapter 28 + Michelle Phan

Tuesday, November 29, 2016



Pretty cool if you haven't checked this out already, and the latest chapter (two for this month) just went up a day ago.

Check it out down at webtoons.com

And Just Because I'm Wishing It Were Summer

MANAA Praises MOANA As The Gold Standard

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

No matter what you may think of the new film Moana - some people like it, some people don't - I thought I'd throw this out there from MANAA. I personally haven't seen the film and don't have a ton of thoughts on it myself right now.

LOS ANGELES-The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) is enthusiastically supporting the new Disney motion picture Moana for using Pacific Islander talent at multiple levels in order to accurately reflect the values and culture of Pacific Islanders.

The computer animated film, which opens Wednesday, stars newcomer Auli’i Cravalho of Hawaii as the title character--the 16 year old daughter of the chief of Motonui who leaves the island to help save her people from starvation, seeking out the demi-God Maui (played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson). It is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who oversaw The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), and Hercules (1997).

Five years in the making, the producers journeyed to Fiji, Samoa and Tahiti to do research, met with various Pacific Islander communities, hired initial writer Taika Waititi and Opetaia Foa’i to compose songs (along with Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina), and Pacific Islander actors to voice just about every speaking character (Alan Tudyk plays a rooster and a villager).

“Moana is the gold standard for how movies should be made,” says MANAA board member Rakshak Sahni. “If you are making a film about Pacific Islanders, it is a given that you should hire Pacific Islanders both in front of and behind the camera. Yet in the past and present we have seen studios creating stories about Asians and Pacific Islanders but hiring White writers and White actors to perform or voice the roles.

“Christine Cadena (Senior Vice President, Multicultural Initiatives at The Walt Disney Studios) allowed MANAA and Pacific Islanders to see the film ahead of the critics, and we were touched and moved. It was humbling to see how producer Osnat Shurer and her team went to other cultures, learned as much as they could about them, and in collaboration with people from these communities created something beautiful of which they all can be proud.”

“Contrast that with the recent animated movie Kubo and the Two Strings,” says MANAA Founding President Guy Aoki, “where an extended Japanese family from medieval times was voiced entirely by white actors like Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, and Brenda Vaccaro.”

“When many Pacific Islanders spoke up during a Q&A with Moana producer Osnat Shurer, they were in tears,” reported MANAA Vice President Miriam Nakamura-Quan. “They felt that Disney had somehow managed to combine three different cultures and values into one and present it accurately and authentically to a wider audience. Many related with the feisty, rebellious Grandma (Rachel House)--who encourages Moana to ignore the warnings and to ‘journey beyond the reef’ in order to save the people of Motonui—because they have grandmothers like that.”

Adds Aoki, “There isn’t a single white person in the entire movie. Disney had confidence in their story that they didn’t have to compromise--as many filmmakers do--feeling they needed a white character for the audience to identify with. We’re confident that children of all ages and backgrounds will identify with Moana, a girl who fearlessly accomplishes the seeming impossible because she feels it’s her duty to help her people. She’s certainly an inspiration and a role model for girls. Moana doesn’t even get a love interest in this story. She stands just fine on her own.

“The studio has gone out of its way to depict a culture that makes up only .5% of the U.S. population. We have to support such an endeavor, because it proves that in such ethnic stories, there are universal truths and experiences that audiences of all backgrounds can relate to. It’s a great movie to take the entire family to. I swore they combined real photography to shoot the ultra-clear beach scenes, but they were all computer-generated. We hope everyone will support Moana this Thanksgiving weekend.”
Disney has had a solid record of staying true to the Asian/Pacific Islander cultures it depicts in animated movies. MANAA gave Media Achievement Awards to Mulan (1998) and Lilo and Stitch (2002) and was very supportive of Up (2009), which co-starred then-8 year old unknown Japanese American actor Jordan Nagai as Russell, even though the part didn’t necessarily call for an Asian American.

MANAA, the only organization solely dedicated to advocating balanced, sensitive, and positive depiction and coverage of Asian Americans, was founded in 1992. It led nationwide protests against the film Rising Sun in 1993 and challenged Sarah Silverman’s use of “Chinks” in her joke on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect” in 2001. Since 1999, as part of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition, MANAA has met annually with the top four television networks pushing for more inclusion of Asian Americans. In 2015, it also promoted that vision with talent agencies ICM Partners, WME, Paradigm, and CAA.

Err - Getting To Emails (It's The Holidays?)

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Just a quick note on emails and releases, etc. - if you sent me something - err - I'm a little slow these days on some of those things...catching up soon.

Tim Be Told - Friends and Foes (Official Lyric Video)

Tuesday, November 22, 2016



Off the upcoming new album "Friends and Foes".

Twice The Dance: Jay Park X 1MILLION Dance Studio

Tuesday, November 22, 2016


Jay Park X 1MILLION / 'All I Wanna Do (K) (Feat. Hoody, Loco)' (Choreography Ver.)



Me Like Yuh - Jay Park / Bongyoung Park Choreography (ft.Yujin So of Playback)

C.S. Lee + Lil' Tasty + Dumbfoundead + Murals (Prod. By Stereotypes)

Tuesday, November 22, 2016



Loved the cameos by C.S. Lee and Lil' Tasty.

Joseph Vincent: "Magnetize" Official Teaser (Full Video 11/23/2016)

Tuesday, November 22, 2016



From the trailer looks like this should be a good video.

Far East Movement's "Freal Luv" M/V Hits Over 11 Million Views

Tuesday, November 22, 2016



What more can you say?

Well - okay - I guess you could say that if you haven't picked up the album you're missing out - but other than that...

11+ million views and counting.

Nice work if you can get it.

Fine White America Trump Land. You Have Your World. We Have Ours. You're Still Going To Lose Your Job

Friday, November 18, 2016

If all of these White People coming out of the woods are just - well - here now (versus being put back under the rocks where they should be - and it truly doesn't surprise me at the end of the day that White America stood up for its White Ways, even though I had hoped for the better) - so be it.

But don't think I'm not coming out at you. I can puff out my chest just like you can White America.

You aren't walking all over me and I won't even come close to saying that you've won because everyone is looking to quash what's out there. If you haven't noticed no one is sitting down for this, and while you can point to a Trump Presidency for rationalization of your racism, guess what?

You're still going to lose your job. You're still going to be called out because it's already in motion - a better world than the one you're fighting for. You're still going to lose business because you don't get it. Voting for Trump - in secrecy and not admitting it may have won him the election, and there are definite repercussions, but thinking that it allows you on a personal level to get away with that?

It'll be denounced in the light of day when cowards always show that they are indeed cowards - because people still need to eat. They'll secretly vote for Trump and snicker in their back rooms, but they won't back you publicly.

So you've been warned. Charge at your own risk.

On Blogging At Its Core

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

I can't say I always do this, but I think at the end of the day, it's what I try for at the core - which is to add another viewpoint and voice because I believe that representation as an Asian American, on any level, in whatever view or speech, is important.

A lot of other people have shown me that just by example of living their lives and doing what they do as Asian Americans and sure, what's being said matters too - but sometimes only to a degree.

John Choi Gets It Done (AKA Jeronimo Yanez Is Getting Charged And Philando Castile Gets At Least Some Justice)

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Some more to say on this as I've been at ground zero around so much of this - but this is good news and welcome news:

In a stunning decision that shook police and protesters alike, the officer who fatally shot Philando Castile was charged with manslaughter in his death — likely the first Minnesota officer in modern memory charged for such an incident.

“Unreasonable fear cannot justify the use of deadly force,” Ramsey County attorney John Choi said Wednesday during a news conference in which he announced he was charging St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez, 28, with second-degree manslaughter for Castile’s death, and with two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm for endangering the two other people in Castile’s car.

“My conscience tells me it would be wrong for me to ask a grand jury to make this decision when I know in my heart what needs to be done … In order to achieve justice, we must be willing to do the right thing.”

Helicopters - can you stop buzzing me at some point please?

You're The Kollaboration STAR Showcase Winner: Timothy John

Monday, November 14, 2016



Congratulations to Timothy John for winning Kollaboration STAR (and who also won Kollaboration LA)! Check him out from his LA appearance/win!

Here's to hoping we keep on seeing Timothy John for years to come.

#youngblood

I'm Still In Shock #4: I Want To Get It Done In Spite Of Trump

Thursday, November 10, 2016

There's that piece in me that knows Trump can't do everything he's said on the campaign trail - to what extent I don't know though.

But I feel like I want to prosper in spite of him now - not just survive - but prosper. Use every tool I have to achieve as much success as I can - and then know that I'll probably land somewhere in the middle.

I'm okay with that because I still have to move forward. I can't be left standing frozen in terror. I won't accept defeat like that.

I'm Still In Shock #3: Protest Out This Nation. Light It Up With Power. Be The Catalyst For Change.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

If you have the means to do it - I say by all means - rise up and protest the election of this leader because it is our right to peacefully protest our nation's laws and processes. It is our right to speak up against the tyrannies that aren't inclusive of all Americans in this country - and that's what this election has done - and it's unavoidable.

A rift in our consciousness as Americans cannot and should not be subdued because these are the very same chasms that created the foundation for this country and have moved it along to a better nation.

As we grow we must fight. Just as the founders of this country spoke to create a better place to live - so must we now as the keepers of this country, as the catalysts for change, to face those same fears that they did and do whatever it is that we can - on a collective and individual level - to right the wrongs our our society.

We must continue to push back to the archaic mindsets that let this happen.

We must show the country what will happen if Trump and Washington set out to actually try and implement their racist and xenophobic pathways.

I say light this fucker up.

I'm Still In Shock #2: Racism Begets Bad Data But Now We Know

Thursday, November 10, 2016

At the end of the day, one take away from this election is that no matter how good your data collection methods are - you're not getting anything if it's not the right data.

If you can't get to the data.

If the data you are analyzing is hidden in secrecy because people's racism won't let that data out of the box - they don't want it to be shown on an individual level.

But now we know because racism can't be hidden - it shows itself eventually.

And while the individual data for the outlook wasn't the full dataset - we've collected the data we need to know because of how this election turned out - we understand now, from a collective level that you can say whatever it is you want Old White Men and Women.

But we know - we know what's in your hearts, we know how you want this world to turn out.

I'm Still In Shock #1

Thursday, November 10, 2016

This is a short post - but like many others - I thought we'd be talking about the first woman President of the United States - but in reality, our nation, albeit not by the popular vote (and we need to think about changing the electorate system in our country - because this is now the second time this has happened from a Democratic POV) - just elected a celebrity TV star who's rhetoric has been racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic - and on those coattails - the House and Senate is paved with red.

And I'm still reeling from it.

That's Sriracha: When Huy Fong Foods And Primitive Skateboards Collide

Friday, November 04, 2016

Saucy.



More Saucy.

Get Your Film On: SDAFF 2016 November 3-12

Thursday, November 03, 2016



Tons of great films running from today through the 12th.

Get 'em while you can!

http://festival.sdaff.org/2016/all-films-events/

HBO APA Visionaries And LAAPFF Deadlines Loom So You Better Get Your Arse In Motion

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Seriously - you don't have that much time left:

HURRY! HBO "APA VISIONARIES" CLOSES NOV. 7
If you were already hard at work (or just getting started) on your submission to HBO's digital filmmaking competition, "HBO APA Visionaries," then you better hurry...the competition closes on Nov. 7, 2016. "HBO APA Visionaries," dedicated to showcasing emerging APA film directors with unique perspectives of the Asian Pacific & Pacific Islander experience, will showcase the winners at the 2017 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
FINAL CALL FOR LAAPFF 2017 ENTRIES NOV. 25
ATTENTION FILMMAKERS! The Final Deadline for feature-length and short films by and/or about Asian Pacific and Asian international artists for the 2017 edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is coming up on Nov. 25.
Get it.

Steven Yeun Lands Cover Of Entertainment Weekly (For What That's Worth)

Wednesday, November 02, 2016



Nice.

Although what's not as nice is that he's only the 3rd Asian American Male to land the cover since EW started publishing in 1990.

Twenty-Six years and all we get is three dudes.

I guess that's something?

Get The List Of All 245 APIA Candidates Running For Office This November AKA Holy Shit 245 Candidates!

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

The good folks down at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) have put together an awesome list of ALL the Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates running for office - so good.

Check out the list @ http://apaics.org/2016-elections/

From Sam Wang And The Princeton Election Consortium To The Clinton Meta-Margin

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

If you want numbers, stats, and odds - if you want to know the winners - this is the place and the man to go to.

And yes - just in case you were wondering - the Comey emails don't mean a thing:

Around here, trick-or-treat just ended. Or so we think. Actually, there’s one more trick: the Senate.

Everyone’s up in arms over this Comey/email thing. As I suggested would be the case, it’s not affecting the Presidential race in any meaningful way. That cake is baked. However, like any good thriller, there’s a fake ending – the election next Tuesday. After that comes actual governing.