Carly Fiorina, John McCain, and Twittering

Transcripts from a recent conversation between Carly Fiorina and John McCain lost somewhere in this recent article Carly Fiorina touts McCain's tech credentials:

McCain: Thanks for continuing to back me for President Carly. I really appreciate it. Even though I don't know anything about technology except for what people tell me, I'm sure glad you're behind me touting me as technology literate.

Fiorina: No problem John boy. After I sunk HP into the ground it only makes sense that I back someone like you because it can only help my public persona. Just make sure to think of me when you're vetting possible VP candidates.

McCain: Sure Carly. Btw - what's HP?

Fiorina: It was the company I used to work for John - we made C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R-S - and misc. other things I didn't really have the time to check out.

McCain: Oh yeah - computers. I like those. I can download naked pictures from places like Facebook with a computer.

Fiorina: No you can't John. Facebook is a social networking site.

McCain: Are you sure Carly? I thought I could download hot naked pictures of women in their 50's - because you know I like 'em young....

Fiorina: Ummm....forget about Facebook John. Twittering is where it's at.

McCain: Twittering?

Fiorina: Yes. It's...

McCain: I LOVE TO TWITTER MYSELF!

Fiorina: No John, Twittering is...

McCain: Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!

Fiorina: John...please stop that.

McCain: What's wrong Carly? I'm just twittering myself like you told me too. Shouldn't I be doing this to show that I'm hip and down and technology oriented?

[Fiorina has a long disgusted pause but can't seem to turn away]

Fiorina: You know what John, let's just call it a day. I'll see you tomorrow...

McCain: O.K. Carly, suit yourself. I'm just going to finish up my twitter session....

Film: Half-Life

The movie Half-Life which I heard about via some MySpace bulletins - and not to be confused with the Web turned T.V. turned cancelled show Quarterlife - is a film by Jennifer Phang that's going to be playing down at Outfest during the LA Gay & Lesbian Film Festival from July 9 - 21st - and it sounds pretty slick:

A recent American indie film gem, the wholly original and subtly humorous HALF-LIFE focuses on a Northern California community struggling to adapt as global chaos looms. Cynical 19-year-old Pam is fixated on her best friend - cute nerd Scott, a gay Korean adoptee who can’t resist throwing his sexuality in the faces of his fundamentalist parents. Pam’s brother Timothy keenly observes his surroundings, and with some special powers, might be able to alter everybody’s reality.

Check out here and here for more information.

Tatum Jones, David Choi, Kristine Sa, Thomas' Apartment, Kawehi, and Goh Nakamura

Some quick music notes on some upcoming shows and interviews:

The smooth R & B band Tatum Jones is going to be playing down at the Temple Bar on July 19th, and if you haven't checked out their music yet head on down to their MySpace page and take a listen.

Singer/songwriter/producer David Choi has a new interview down on OC Weekly which you can check out here.

Kristine SA along with Thomas' Apartment, VY, and The Shinobies will be playing down at Crash Mansion LA on July 29th (and on VHN-TV). For more info check out Kristine Sa's MySpace page.

Sweet Pop/Rock/Electronic artist Kawehi is getting ready for a NY 2008 tour. Check out her pages for more info on when her tour will begin (no date set yet).

Goh Nakamura is going to be playing on a double decker bus for a project called Audio Bus this July 19th, and is going to be providing the soundtrack for a 30-40 minute busride around San Francisco. Not sure if you can still get tickets to it - but I'm sure you'll be able to spot it. Check out his page for more info.

That's The Way To Respond To A Racist E-mail

Check more out at communitychannel.

Random Picture With Asian People

Flickr Photo Url:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-edge/2537177394/

Author: Edgie168

Creative Commons License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

You Need Transparency

I was reading the article Feds investigate Rochester teacher's allegedly racist actions, and I have to wonder how people get away without having the transparency needed in the educational system - especially in a case where the teacher was alleged to have called her black students "monkeys" and spray them with water:

The teacher, Wendy Kaiser, was removed from the school in January and quietly reassigned to the School of Imaging and Information Technology at Edison in a shuffle that enraged Wilson parents and caught school board members off guard when they learned of it months later.

"No one knows the outcome of that investigation," Johnson said. "Was it founded? Was it unfounded? What was the protocol of the investigation? The school district hasn't told anybody anything."

Teachers have rights - and they have what can sometimes be thankless jobs where they're subject to sometimes false accusations - but in cases like this, it just behooves everyone to know what's going on.

Updated 2:50 PM - Because I had a grammar malfunction...

Chin A Finalist For California Poet Laureate

Cool:

SDSU creative writing professor Marilyn Chin has been named one of four finalists for Poet Laureate of California.

"As an Asian-American woman poet, I feel honored to have been selected," Chin said. "There’s so much going on in California and the Poet Laureate has an opportunity to represent the diverse and vibrant community of poets in California."

The poetry written by Chin, who immigrated to the United States in the 1960s, often deals with East-to-West assimilation and its inherent challenges.

Read more here.

Random Miss Universe 2008 Thoughts

You might have gotten robbed

Some random thoughts and news on the Miss Universe 2008 competition (which I'll actually probably watch if only because it's in Vietnam):

• While the Miss Universe crown is valued at 120K - and it's great that it was designed by Rosalina Tran Lydster of Jewelry by Rosalina and Ms. Dang Thi Kim Lien of CAO Fine Jewelry of Vietnam - I just find it odd that the first runner up only receives $3,000 in cash and a crystal trophy, while the winner of Best in Swimwear mini competition gets $2000 cash (and was won by Miss Mexico).
• Three Vietnamese judges join the jury - Nguyen Cong Khe (Editor-in-chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper), Rosalina Tran Lydster (Vietnamese-American), the co-designer of the crown for Miss Universe 2008, and Thuy Tran, (Vietnamese-American fashion/art expert).
• I just can't believe that it's going to be hosted by Jerry Springer and Mel B.
• Sucks to be UK entrant Lisa Lazarus who had her luggage lost and has had to rely on her mom to send her some emergency outfits.
• I'm not saying other people can't rock the ao dai, and Miss Venezuela was kidnapped as a child...but they are in Nha Trang.
• While I'm glad that the contestants visited the SOS Nha Trang village for disadvantaged children, couldn't they have ponied up a little more than $6300 bucks? I know 100 million VND sounds like a lot, but they could have at least made it an even $10k.

That's it.

Word to the cute kids in Nam who led contestants out in the rain with their umbrellas.

Chocolate: An Autistic Hero Who Channels Her Inner Tony Jaa And Bruce Lee

All I have to say is that the Thai movie Chocolate brought to you by director Prachya Pinkaew and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai (from Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong) completely and utterly rocks.

Here's the synopsis:

Yakuza Masashi and his Thai lover Zin were forced to separate with Masashi being sent back to Japan and Zin to continue staying in Bangkok as a single mother. Brought up single-handedly by Zin, thier daughter Zen is autistic in nature. She is compensated with agility and picks up Muay Thai through watching television programs and from observing the trainings taking place at the Muay Thai academy next door. Zen becomes an obsessive fighter who excels at catching fast-flying objects. When Zin is diagnosed with cancer, Zen has to fight her way through to collect money from her mother's debtors to raise her medical funds.

Yanin Vismistananda plays the ass-kicking autistic Zen - without any stunt double - who during parts of the movie does a couple of great Bruce Lee imitations (there's even a fight scene homage in an ice factory) and does some flat out amazing stunts - and even though the plot is kind of thin (but who really needs it in this type of flick?) her acting in non-fight scenes is pretty good too, and I imagine we'll be seeing a lot more from her in the future.

If you get a chance, definitely check this out - and then watch it again, because it's just that damn good.

Heath Hyche: Last Yellow Face Comic Standing

Thanks to my trusty DVR I had a chance to check out some of the previous week's Last Comic Standing on NBC and I'm glad I did, because otherwise I wouldn't have seen how comedian Heath Hyche decided to go where pretty much no other comedian goes anymore - full blown Mickey Rooney Yellow Face.

Dumbass Hyche does a prop bit where he's a fighter pilot in WW II and starts out looking like this:



And then of course being the crack comedian he is, he makes sure to play the other part as well, complete with his wax on wax off me so horny aren't Japanese accents just so fucking funny voice:





Seriously - are you fucking kidding me?

Who in their right mind does this shit anymore?

Oh wait - WTF was I thinking - half the audience laughed (you dumbfucks), and to make it more insulting they decided to get a closeup of an Asian girl who decided to laugh once the camera was on her (and while I'll give her some benefit of the doubt because the camera panned to her and she probably just got nervous as shit - if you ever catch me on camera with that going on you'll get a big Asian middle finger along with a tirade of "I can't believe that fucking KKK racist bullshit").

Richard Belzer and Steve Schirripa's reaction to Hyche's bit?



Exactly.

I gotta give it up to them - seriously give it up to them - for telling Hyche that there's no place for ethnic stereotyping in 2008, and that if they had to watch 45 minutes of his bullshit that they'd kill themselves.

So would I.

Here's Hyche after getting his beatdown on national television (and not making the finals).



See ya.

Enjoy the 4th!

Hey Slanty Peeps: I'm out for the holiday for a couple of days so I'm posting this today - hope you all enjoy the 4th with your friends and family. See ya in a couple of days.

Slanty

Takeru Kobayashi Tries To Get His Hot Dog Back

With the 2007 competition bringing in 1.5 million viewers on ESPN, it should be no surprise that this year's battle has the world buzzing to see if Kobayashi can take back his crown...err...Mustard Belt:

Takeru Kobayashi of Japan smashed the world record in 2001 and was unbeatable for more than half a decade until America's Joey Chestnut became the new king of all tube steaks at Coney Island last year.

Chestnut inhaled a world-record 66 hot dogs — including the buns — in 12 minutes at the annual contest at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, N.Y. The San Jose, Calif., man won the coveted Mustard Belt and waddled off with the $10,000 grand prize.

Doesn't a Hebrew National sound tasty right now?

Obama, Faith Based Initiatives, And The Church Of Bongwater

I'm still coming around on this one - and I'm still not sure (and may change my mind later on) - but right now if $500 million gets him the vote so be it - even if it does muddy the waters even more between the government and faith based groups and the typically conservative base that backs them (and how that will play out in future elections).

In that sense, I'm willing to take one for the team, because you have to do what you have to do to get the big seat.

I just don't want to hear anyone whining when the Churches of I Love Bongwater, and I Have Three Wives, or the Gay Buddhist's Chapter gets some federal funding.

Not a peep.

And I especially don't want to hear squat when the Agnostics On The Fence Maybe It's Just Cheese In The Sky and the Church of I Have A Right To An Abortion get theirs either.

I mean if this goes down, just remember that "faith" doesn't mean anything other than that.

And in more Daniel Henney News

Because this is my third post on him in a week - I watched his movie My Father, and with exception to the really bad acting in the beginning during the first 2 minutes where his family is like "Do you really want to join the Army?" and "Be careful" - it was pretty good.

Here's the synopsis from Wikipedia:

The movie, which is based on a true story, is about an adopted son who is searching for his biological parents in South Korea. During his search he meets his real father, a condemned murderer on death row. Daniel Henney plays the lead role of James, who works as a volunteer in the United States armed forces in Korea. He asks questions of why his father is on death row and finds out things that he always wanted to know. Then he finds more and more truths unravel about his father and his life.

The release of the movie inspired controversy because the family of the father's victims did not support its production. In its first week on release it topped the South Korean box office sales charts

Next up on my DVD list - Seven Days (because I want to see the movie that got Kim Yun-jin her Best Actress Award).

Tila Tequila Goes Bi-Bye

Update: PM5

Favorite finale clip (because I didn't watch it, but thanks to Yahoo News and YouTube I didn't need too):

My only thought on this is that they should have at least given everyone some fake tears to put in their eyes, because nothing says drama like tears -- versus dry crying, because that's like dry humping - and that's just not fun.

More Tila News (because you know you want it):

Tearful Tila Tequila Misses Her ‘Shot at Love’

But Tila herself had a surprise coming when Kristy refused the key. “You love that I’m honest and that I’m true to my feelings and true about who I am,” she said. “If I take this key I’m not being true.”

A Shot at Love 2 with Tila Tequila: Season Finale Recap

Tila chose Kristy, and Kristy turned her down! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Tila cries asking why she would do this to her, and Kristy says she's confused and accepting the key would make her not true to herself. Tila feels humiliated and walks off, crying the whole way. She doesn't understand what she's doing wrong and why she keeps getting her heart broken.

Hot Retro Mashup: Clazziquai And Daniel Henney

I stumbled across this mashup with Clazziquai, from their 2005 Color Your Soul CD, and a ton of Daniel Henney. Check it out - it's pretty tight.

DVD: Miss Gold Digger & Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon

So I sat down and watched two films last night, the SK romantic comedy Miss Gold Digger and the Andy Lau/Maggie Q epic Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, and while I didn't mind the first, because it was kind of a fun romp through singledom and trying to find the right person - the ending was a nice surprise too, and I can see why it caught Han Ye Seul a New Actress award - I'd have to say that unless you just have to see every Andy Lau or Maggie Q movie, I'd probably wait until you were kind of bored to see the other.

It's not that Three Kingdoms was the worst flick you could see - it had some nice scenes and some good cinematography - but they used this stutter-step filming of the action segments that made a lot of it look like a bad Made For TV movie and at the same time the story moved too fast while it tried to fit in too much. You never really got to feel attached to a particular person in it versus something like The Warlords or Protégé, and in the end when you put everything together - it just wasn't that epic.

Here's the trailer for Miss Gold Digger



Here's the trailer for Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon

Charmaine Manansala: AAPI Vote Director for the Obama Campaign

To be honest, while I think it's great that Obama's sister is helping reach out to Asian Americans, I'm more inclined to find the appointing of Charmaine Manansala from APA for Progress, as the AAPI Vote Director for the Obama Campaign to hold a little bit more weight (because let's face it, you really tune out your siblings anyway).

I'm just reposting her letter in full from the APA for Progress site from a few days ago (hopefully they won't be like the AP and charge me for more than 4 words of the quote):

Leaders, Friends, and Family-Hafa Adai.

I wanted to let you know that I have been brought on board to serve as AAPI Vote Director for the Obama Campaign. The national AAPI voter outreach program is a priority for Obama for America.

I look forward to working with you in the upcoming months as we engage the Asian American and Pacific Islander community nation-wide, as well as in key battleground states. As you all know, Democrats turned out in record numbers during the primaries and caucuses to show their support for all the amazing candidates. We hope to carry that excitement forward into the fall, united for the purpose of turning the White House (along with as many states, Congressional Districts, and state legislatures as possible) BLUE, and, of course, electing Senator Obama as the next President of the United States!

The Obama campaign acknowledges the extraordinary contributions of the nearly 13 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have helped build a strong and vibrant America. As you know, the AAPI community has been no stranger to Senator Barack Obama. It is a community that he became a part of while growing up in Hawaii and Indonesia and living in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. We realize that despite the growh of our community, there are challenges we still face. For increasing numbers of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the American dream is in danger of slipping away. As President, Senator Obama will work with the AAPI community to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable and portable health insurance that will also reduce the linguistic and cultural barriers that limit access to our medical system. We will make sure the global economy works for AAPIs by fixing our public education system, making college affordable through an annual $4,000 tax credit, and equipping our workers with the skills and training they need to compete. We will invest in renewable energy, which will ease our rising fuel costs while also saving our planet. We will do more to support small businesses, including strengthening programs that provide capital to minority-owned businesses. We will develop comprehensive immigration reforms that strengthen our security while affirming our heritage as a nation of immigrants. We will restore our Constitution and the rule of law, including our commitment to human rights abroad and civil liberties at home. We will forge a more effective regional framework for collective security in Asia and the Pacific to promote political and economic stability, confront transnational threats like terrorism and influenza, and collectively address environmental concerns. Finally, we will restore the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to work towards its original goal of meeting the underserved needs of AAPIs.

But, we must all work together to create this change.

I am grateful for your support of the AAPI community and the Democratic Party. I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible efforts of the Obama Campaign’s Asian American and Pacific Islander National Leadership Council, Asian Americans for Obama, South Asians for Obama, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress and other similar groups and community organizations who have done an amazing job in engaging thousands of AAPIs across the country in the election process. We are counting on that support to move us forward into the general election.

I would like to welcome the throngs of AAPIs who supported Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John Edwards, and the other champions of the Democratic Party. I am looking to you for your leadership and input in this campaign. Our goals for our families and the AAPI community are the same. With your help, input, and engagement, we can get there.

I’d like to extend a personal thank you to Congressman Mike Honda for leading our community within the party and the campaign. I am pleased to announce that Betsy Kim will serve as my Deputy Director. As you may know, there are also many talented AAPIs already in the campaign including Van, Madhuri, Eugene, Miti, Anna, Mario, Hari, Rohan and many, many others who will continue to work on AAPI outreach.

We are excited for this opportunity to serve on an historic campaign.

Again, a big thank you to all for your leadership and involvement. I will be in Chicago starting July 7th.

YES WE CAN!

Maraming salamat po,

E. Charmaine Manansala

There's also an article at ABS-CBN News Online on Manansala's appointment.

Fact, Fiction, Or Just The CW?

I was reading on Watch with Kristin (for some odd reason I found myself there) that the CW show Reaper may get a new character:

The first newbie is Kristen, a beautiful Asian-American girl who is Sock's new step-sister (remember his mama got married?) and who will drive Sock insane with her lack of clothing and insistence on practicing her massage techniques.

Great. Let's hope this doesn't actually play out like it says and there's actually something more to the character than "I give good massage" because that's what we really need - more Asian American massage roles.

Just. Can't. Wait.

Race Roundup

Pat Buchanan Promotes New Book on Racist Radio Show

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL: 2.93, +0.03, +1.03%) today said conservative political commentator Pat Buchanan "stooped into the cesspool of extremism" by appearing on a radio show run by a well-known white supremacist. On June 29, Buchanan appeared on "Political Cesspool," a Tennessee-based AM radio show run by white supremacist James Edwards, to promote his book, Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World. "While parading himself as a moderate, to sell his book Pat Buchanan has stooped into the cesspool of extremism," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director.

Racist groups may exaggerate their reach

Racists (sometimes one person with a computer) and organizations that monitor them say the possibility of Obama winning the White House has caused increased traffic at Web sites run by Neo-Nazis, skinheads and others of their ilk. What’s unknown is just how much traffic increased, how many actual members are recruited, and how fervent their activity is.

Harris Co. sheriff apologizes for racist e-mails

Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas apologized to a local Muslim group Monday for e-mails containing derogatory jokes about Muslims that were circulated by members of his staff. Thomas also plans to suspend the commander, Chief Deputy Mike Smith, who heads the office's detention command, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday. The newspaper said Thomas did not know when that suspension would begin or whether other staff members would also be suspended.

Racist Threats in US Baseball

US authorities have planned tight security measures for Monday night game in Florida after Latin and black players with the Boston Red Sox received racist threats. WCVB TV channel said Monday the team received a threat mailed from the Memphis, Tenn., area targeting the players and citing at least two by name.

Obama-Clinton contest revealed limits of racism, sexism

To hear some of Hillary Clinton's disappointed supporters tell it, half of America just told her to "Iron my shirt." In fact, two guys did, at a Clinton rally in New Hampshire in January, in what seems to have been a prank to draw attention to their radio show.

Model's 18th birthday party ends in a 'football riot after her millionaire father made racist comments'

The businessman, who has carpet showrooms in London, then continued to make racist comments over the microphone, Guildford Crown Court was told. Moments later a mass brawl resembling a 'football riot' broke out after guests confronted Mr Chopping on the dance floor. As the fighting spilled out on to the drive, a mob of partygoers attacked an Asian caterer.