I Vote For Wyclef

Do I really need to say anything else about this?

I think not.

Singer Wyclef Jean officially announced his bid to be president of Haiti to a roaring crowd of supporters on Thursday, thrusting himself into a contentious race to lead an impoverished country reeling from a devastating earthquake.

At one point the hip hop artist-turned-politician bodysurfed on the hands of bandana-waving backers in Haiti's capital and stepped onto a speaker truck to address the crowd of hundreds. Jean had submitted his candidacy papers 10 minutes before the provisional electoral office closed.

The NY Times, Hiroshima, And The Art of Outrage

I caught this article down at the NY Times by Kenzaburo Oe and wanted to post a little bit of it up here.

The Futenma Marine Corps Air Station on Okinawa, one of the largest United States military bases in East Asia, is in the center of a crowded city. The American and Japanese governments acknowledge the dangers of this situation, and they agreed nearly 15 years ago that the base should be moved; however, no move has yet been made.

In 2009 a new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, tantalized Okinawans with the prospect of moving the despised base off the island, but he was recently forced to resign, in part because of his failure to keep that promise. Mr. Hatoyama’s successor, Naoto Kan, has made it clear that he intends to respect the United States-Japan security treaty — a position that, while not directly related to the issue of dialing down the United States military presence in Japan, may indicate which way the wind is blowing.

Read it in full.

SU2C: Olivia Munn + Vanessa Hudgens + Aaron Yoo

Don't blink though if you want to see Aaron Yoo - and make sure to look in the background (or watch it twice).

SE7EN: Better Together

International Secret Agents LA And NY

Do I even need to say anything about the talent that's going to be here?

Didn't think so.

Check the lineup, save the dates, and get your tix.

The wait is over.

The International Secret Agents Concerts (ISA), presented by JCPenney, are back again; and 2010 aims to be ISA's biggest year yet. Hip Hop sensation Far*East Movement (CherryTree / Interscope Records) and Wong Fu Productions, along with MTV Iggy and 4C The power, to dominate Los Angeles and New York with a stellar line up of industry buzzing accomplished talent.

In addition to the concerts, JCPenney and ISA are giving fans a unique chance again to become an overnight star through the JCPenney Back to School Breakout Performer contest. The winners, chosen by popular vote by the public and then judged by ISA judges, will have a chance to perform their talent live at the Los Angeles and New York ISA concerts. Visit www.jcpvote.com to see who is in the running to be the next JCPenney Back to School Breakout Performer.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! : http://isa.highwire.com/

The ISA line up is as follows:

ISA - New York
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street, _
New York City, NY 10003

* David Choi - Singer / Songwriter / 450k YouTube Subscribers_-

http://www.youtube.com/davidchoimusic
http://davidchoimusic.com/

* David Garibaldi - Performance Painter, Toured with The Blue Man Group_-

http://www.garibaldiarts.com

* Far East Movement - Cherrytree / Interscope Recording Artist, Single "Like A G6" / MTV Iggy 25 Best New Artists in The World -

http://www.fareastmovement.com

* Jennifer Chung - 120,000 YouTube Subscribers / MTV Iggy 25 Best New Artists in The World

http://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferjchung

* Kevin Wu aka KevJumba (Host) - 1 Million Subscribers on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/kevjumba

* Lydia Paek - Singer / Quest Crew / Boxchuttaz_-

http://www.youtube.com/user/JUUKKES

* Quest Crew - MTV America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 Champions_-

http://www.questcrew.com/

* Ryan Higa aka NigaHiga (Host) - All time most subscribed person on YouTube (2.5 Million Subscribers)

http://www.youtube.com/user/nigahiga

* Wong Fu Productions (film) - Film Makers / 350k YouTube Subscribers / Cannes Film Festival

http://www.youtube.com/user/WongFuProductions
http://www.wongfuproductions.com


ISA - Los Angeles
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12700 Center Court Drive South_
Cerritos, CA 90703

* AJ Rafael + Friends - Singer / Songwriter / 200k Subscribers on YouTube_-

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilajil

* Alyssa Bernal - Star Trak / Interscope Recording Artist / 300k + subscribers on YouTube

http://startrakmusic.com/artists/alyssa-bernal/

* Far East Movement - Cherrytree / Interscope Recording Artist, Single "Like A G6" / MTV Iggy 25 Best New Artists in The World

http://www.fareastmovement.com

* Jay Park ft AOM - Singer / Dance Crew / #1 Song in Korea "Count On Me (Nothing On You)"

http://www.allkpop.com/2010/07/jay-park-to-release-nothin-on-you-ep
http://www.youtube.com/user/jayparkaom

* Kevin Wu aka KevJumba (Host) - 1 Million Subscribers on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/kevjumbA

* Lydia Paek (Host) - Singer / Quest Crew / Boxchuttaz_-

http://www.youtube.com/user/JUUKKEs

* Poreotics - America's Best Dance Crew Season 5 Champions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poreotics

* Ryan Higa aka NigaHiga (Host) - All time most subscribed person on YouTube (2.5 Million Subscribers)

http://www.youtube.com/user/nigahiga

* Wong Fu Productions (film) - Film Makers / 350k YouTube Subscribers / Cannes Film Festival

http://www.youtube.com/user/WongFuProductions
http://www.wongfuproductions.com

For more information on the upcoming ISA concerts, please visit www.internationalsecretagents.com

Tickets are available for both concerts now by logging on to http://isa.highwire.com/

Her Blueprint: Art & Ideas For Women Everywhere

I got this sent to my inbox from the International Museum of Women and wanted to make sure and post this on up:

We are very excited to announce that we have revamped and relaunched the official IMOW blog with a new look and a new title: Her Blueprint: Art & Ideas for Women Everywhere.Visit Her Blueprint to hear the latest news on what's happening at the museum and get daily updates on some of the causes and issues that our staff and blog contributors care most about. Go behind the scenes of our exhibitions and programs, read exclusive interviews with our favorite thinkers, artists, and supporters, and learn more about issues close to our hearts as activists for women's human rights. Thank you for your support!

Call for Entries: 5th KAFFNY 2011

For all the filmmakers out there.

5th KAFFNY 2011 Call for Entries

THE FESTIVAL

5th KAFFNY 2011 is scheduled for February 2011. KAFFNY is a New York film festival screening works of interest to the local Korean American and broader community. Our festival features films of all subject matter, genres and lengths from a variety of perspectives.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

We are now accepting entries for 5th KAFFNY 2011.

Features:

Narrative or Documentary films, completed January 1st, 2009 or later.
Films longer than 60 minutes.

Shorts Competition:

All genres, completed January 1st, 2009 or later.
Films shorter than 30 minutes preferred.
Jury Award – Cash Prize TBD
Audience Award – Cash Prize TBD

Shorts:

All genres, completed any date.
Films shorter than 30 minutes preferred.

Internet:

All genres, completed any date.
Films will be screened on a rolling basis throughout the year at www.kaffny.com.
There is no deadline for Internet entries.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Entry Forms
Fill out online entry form at: www.kaffny.com/2011entryform
Accepted exhibition formats are: 35mm, HDCam, Digibeta, or Betacam.

2. DVD Screeners
Send DVD preview screeners (NTSC, Region 0 or 1) to:

KAFFNY
c/o Barrel
104 W 27th Street, 11A
New York, NY 10001

*There is no entry fee!
**Do not send DVDs in fiber filled envelopes! The fibers can ruin both your screeners and our equipment.

REGULATIONS

Deadline: Entry Forms and DVD screeners must be received in our offices no later than November 30th, 2010. Submitting early gives you more time for consideration, and helps you avoid the risk of missing the deadline. You may send more than one entry at a time. Press Kits are not required until after selection.

Premiere Status: There is no premiere requirement with KAFFNY, although making at least your NY premiere with us is favorable.

Preview Format: All preview screeners must be submitted on DVD (NTSC, Region 0 or 1) and be in English or have English subtitles.

Exhibition Format: Accepted formats for exhibition are: 35mm, HDCam, Digital Beta NTSC, or Betacam NTSC. Film prints must be traditional “married” release prints with sound.

Festival Notification: Final program determinations will be made by January 15th, 2011. You will be notified in writing on or before that date, whether your film has been selected.

Loss and Damage: Every precaution will be taken to safeguard all materials submitted while in our possession. However, we cannot accept or assume responsibility in the event of loss or damage.

For an immediate acknowledgement of our receipt of your submission, include a self-addressed stamped postcard, which we will send back to you. If you’d like your preview copy returned, include a self-addressed, stamped mailing package. Screeners will otherwise not be returned.

Please direct your inquires to info@kaffny.com. Also, visit our website at www.kaffny.com.

South Korea Gets The iPhone 4

Just in case you were wondering, were thinking about moving to Seoul, or just had random iPhone cravings:

South Korean officials approved Apple’s iPhone 4 for sale in the country on Tuesday, checking off one more country where the company’s combination iPod and smartphone will soon be available. Apple’s cell service partner in the country, KT, plans to begin selling the iPhone 4 some time in September, according to the Wall Street Journal.

I predict a world filled with people never actually looking at each other even though they're sitting right next to the people they're talking too.

The LXD Episode 8: Harry Shum, Jr + Elliot's Shoes

Nice.

Jin The MC In "Bruce Lee, My Brother"

Got this sent in my way and wanted to make sure and give Jin a little love.

Jin the MC will be part of the main cast for the upcoming Bruce Lee movie titled “Bruce Lee, My Brother,” which will be released this November to coincide with Lee’s 70th birthday. Jin will be playing Lee’s childhood friend Seew Kay Lun in the upcoming movie.

“Bruce Lee, My Brother,” will cover Lee’s teenager years in Hong Kong as a Kung Fu trainee and actor, up to his departure to the U.S. in 1959 at the age of 18.
“The movie tells the story mainly of his teenage years and how his relationship with his family and friends shaped him into the man the world would later know as Bruce Lee, the superstar,” said Jin on his blog (www.ayojin.com) last Tuesday.

The film is co-produced by Hong Kong Media Asia and Chinese partners, who also produced other hit movies like “Infernal Affairs,” which was later remade in the U.S. into the Academy Award winning movie “The Departed.”

Having been part of other projects like “2 Fast 2 Furious,” Jin expressed great “honor” and “excitement” at being part of the main cast for the much-anticipated film.

“I’m still kind of coming to terms with the fact that this is all happening and I get to be a part of such an incredible project,” said Jin.

Playing the role of Bruce Lee will be rising star Aarif Lee, whose recent success with the film “Echoes of the Rainbow” earned both him and the film four awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards in April.

“Bruce Lee, My Brother” has a tentative November release date in Hong Kong, mainland China and other Asian markets; its release in the U.S. is still unknown.

For more information on Jin the MC, his role in “Bruce Lee, My Brother,” as well as his current news and projects, please go to www.ayojin.com.

The LA Korean BBQ Cook-Off

I'm getting hungry just kind of thinking about this and for anyone that goes to this - eat something for me.

On Saturday, August 7th, The Second Annual Korean BBQ Cook-off will showcase a selection of the best dishes by top Korean BBQ restaurants and vendors. Following the success of last year’s Cook-off, which drew over 10,000 eager fans, this year’s event will feature more restaurants, a larger selection of vendors and a larger venue. The anticipated Cook-off features a panel of judges (below) who will rate the competing dishes in the following categories: LA galbi (marinated bone-in beef ribs), galbi (marinated boned-out beef ribs), pork ribs and bulgogi (marinated sliced sirloin). The Second Annual Korean BBQ Cook-off is presented by the Korean American Coalition, Los Angeles, Councilmember Herb J. Wesson, Jr. and Councilmember Tom LaBonge. Visit www.kbbqcookoff.com for more information.

WHEN: Saturday, August 7, 2010 from 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- 2:00 pm – All-You-Can-Eat contest with mystery ingredient
- 3:30 pm – Soju Mix-Off, sponsored by Jinro and Sauce LA
- 5:00 pm – Cook-Off competition
- 6:15 pm – Awards ceremony

WHERE: The event will take place on the upper parking lot of the 3600 Wilshire building, located at 3600 Wilshire Blvd. Between Kingsley Dr. and Harvard Blvd.

EVENT DETAILS:

- Free admission
- All plates will be sold for $5 each (cash only)
- Beer garden
- Other food booths will include (tentative list): Cool Haus, shaved ice, drinks, grilled corn, and more.
- Barbecue categories will include LA galbi (marinated bone-in beef ribs), galbi (marinated boned-out beef ribs), pork ribs, and bulgogi (marinated sliced sirloin).
- FREE bike valet via Flying Pigeon LA will be available at the event from Noon – 6pm.

Scott Takeda And The Video Website (Social Network Paraody)

Just A Random Housecleaning Note

I decided to take my blogger sensibilities and start up another blog focused on - well - a lot of everything actually. I've been working on getting it up and running, taking some posts down, leaving it blank for a couple months now - figuring out what I want it to be - and I've just started making the first slew of posts.

All of which leads me to this: Bear with me as I become a double blogger with a full time job who's also trying to enjoy summer, his upcoming day of nakedness, get some things on the ground running (may the gods of venue shine down on me), and kiss random people that I don't know.

Okay. That's it.

Teach You How To Zachy?

I'll just be honest and say that I only watched 19 seconds of this video - and it doesn't really seem like there's more to it. Watch it at your own discretion.



I need to wash my eyes out now with listerine.

David Liu Goes To Knewton

Because I thought you'd just want to know - even though you might not even know what Knewton actually does.

Online learning startup Knewton has a new chief operating officer. David Liu, the former senior VP at AOL who spearheaded its Lifestreaming efforts and is also an angel investor (SimpleGeo, BlockChalk), is joining Knewton as COO and a member of the board of directors.

Who The Hell Is David Liu?

CrunchBase speaks to me:

David Liu is the chief operating officer of Knewton, an online learning platform.

Previously, he was Senior Vice President of AOL, Inc., overseeing AIM, ICQ, Bebo, Goowy Media and Socialthing products as GM of People Networks and subsquently head of AOL Global Messaging. David and his teams created platforms based on communications and social media delivered through desktop clients, mobile and web products for users worldwide.

David was responsible for all aspects of product management, design, engineering and business development for the Global Messaging business unit. In the past two years, David led the company’s efforts to completely open up the AIM platform and application, re-grow AIM and ICQ’s reach and engagement, rebuild Bebo’s product and US reach, re-conceptualize and launch a new AIM product globally, launch a new real-time social communication platform called the Lifestream, as well as played a lead role in acquiring and integrating Goowy Media and Socialthing companies.

Random Gabe Bondoc

Anoop Desai + Asian Woman Canada Bachelors 2010

Apparently you can vote for Anoop Desai for the Asian Woman Canada Bachelors 2010. I don't know what they win or what this contest is all about - but you can vote once a day.

Random Jay Park: Haw (Prepix) Ft. Jay (Aom) + Count On Me (Nothing On You)

Haw (Prepix) Ft. Jay (Aom)



Count On Me (Nothing On You)

Waiting: Koua Fong Lee

I don't really know much about the cars, but I can make some assumptions about the case and some of the words that have been used when talking about Koua Fong Lee - but I guess - we'll all just have to wait and see:

When the gavel drops Monday morning in room 840 of the Ramsey County Courthouse, Koua Fong Lee knows his future is now.

If his attorneys Brent Schafer and Bob Hilliard prevail at the evidentiary hearing, he could be released from prison, where he is serving eight years for criminal vehicular homicide, and reunited with his wife and four children pending a new trial. If they don't, Lee probably will go back to Lino Lakes prison until his scheduled supervised release date in February 2013.

And If You Have The Time

A support rally for Koua Fong Lee, organized by Trudy Baltazar, will be held from 8 to 9 a.m. Monday outside the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.

Baltazar said she expects about 75 to 100 people to participate.

When Vera Wang Went To Chelsea

Two dresses for the Chelsea Clinton wedding + dresses for the bridesmaids = nice gig if you can get it.