On Break For Labor Day Week

As quick note, I'm out on break for the Holiday Week.

See you in a little bit.

Random White House Communication

Pool started its day at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo where VPOTUS had a closed meet and greet with staff and families.Motorcade rolled from embassy at 1:40 pm for the long drive to Yokota Air Base, arriving 2:32 pm. VPOTUS addressing U.S. Troops here. Open press and streamed at WhiteHouse.gov.Pool was told that this morning at 10 am, VP, daughter in law and granddaughter made a sightseeing trip to the Meiji Shrine. WH will move a photo. Some background on the site:"The Meiji Shrine is a Shinto Shrine. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The formal dedication took place in 1920. "Meiji Shrine is located in a forest that covers an area of 700,000 square-meters (about 175 acres)."Secretary Clinton visited the Meiji Shrine in 2009."

hereandnow: The B-Side

Just coming off of their national touring season, hereandnow theatre company is excited to present The B-Side, a collection of short vignettes that examine the often overlooked and under-told stories of people of color in America. Described by fans as captivating, raw, and heartfelt, they continue their tradition of producing original material written by the performers themselves. Expressed through oral language, movement, dance, and song, their stories are your stories.

Tickets priced at $20 available through www.hereandnowtheatrecompany.com.

John Miyasaki, the director and founding member of the company, effortlessly combines the words of the performers with the movement of their bodies and the music of their song to paint works of art on the stage.

Cast members include: Dennis Bover, Ibrahim Chavez, Verwin Gatpandan, Liliana Medina, John Miyasaki, Rona Par, Rick Ramos, Clara Sao, Eileen Soong and Angela Vesagas.

~ hereandnow theatre company 2011
September 10 – 18 at The Blackbox at the Alexandria Hotel
501 S. Spring St., 3rd Floor, Downtown Los Angeles, 90013

Far East Movement + Artwalk

Shinji Saito + Marcus Koh: That Is Some Crazy YoYo

2011 World YoYo Contest Winner Using Two YoYo's



2011 World YoYo Contest Winner Using One YoYo

Panda Express Goes Lateral Oppression

I'm not quite sure what to think about all of this (well kind of...) with exception to the fact that I don't eat at Panda Express - I actually like the Taquiera La Hacienda down the street from me - and I'm not just saying that because apparently a Panda Express in San Jose has been discriminating against Latinos and I'd rather be food associated with the TLH.

I'm just a big fan of the taco al pastor.

And yes, I do realize how this all could be taken, but I can't help - I'm hungry.

Again.

Word Of The Day: Ouchpad

ouchpad [that hurts!]
n.

1. Something that won't sell.
2. Something by HP that won't sell.
3. Something Best Buy wants HP to take back to the tune of over 250,000 units.
4. My butt when it gets slapped really really hard.

An Open Letter To Rex Lee's Wikipedia Page

Dear Rex Lee's Wikipedia Page,

We love you.

We adore you.

In fact, we both love and adore you.

Well, not actually you, but the Korean American actor (we love and adore him).

But you?

I'm just not that fond of you right now.

And you know why.

Please update yourself with a picture where Rex Lee doesn't look completely shit-faced.

Partially shit-faced is okay - but I know those eyes - I've had those eyes.

That's completely shit-faced.

I'm just happy the word delible comes to mind...

Slanty

I Was Listening To It In 2006 And I Like Little Caesars Thank You Very Much

I'm thinking about getting a Prius now because at this point I do need four doors and I just don't know if I'm a coupe kind of guy. Sure, I'll still roll a big ass fattie while I'm hitting 5 miles over the speed limit - cause that's just the way I roll - but I figure why not do it saving gas? And more gas money saved is more money for taking out my woman to McDonalds (don't judge the Dollar Menu people).

While I'm at it I just wanted to say that I've been eating a lot of Little Caesars lately and I just think if you snub your nose at getting a large pizza for five dollars (sometimes $4.95 but I don't really understand that so please don't ask me about it) I just don't think you're a True American.
P.S.

I'm also giving kudos to sugar cookies dipped in whipped butter.

And heart attacks.

Definitely heart attacks.

One Of The Greatest Tear Jerkers Of All Time Is Now On Blu-Ray

Since I seem to be on a SK movie kick, I just thought you may want to know that yes, A Moment To Remember is out on Blu-Ray and say whatever you will because I do in fact know the true story - you'll cry even more when you watch it in full glorious mind-bending 1080P.

Korean Movie Trailers 2011

Sector 7



Suicide Forecast (aka Life Is Beautiful)



Sunny



Dangerous Meeting



Nice Shorts!



Glove



Night Fishing

In Pictures: Kimchibilly + The RockTigers

Listen for more down at the Iggy.

Aziz Goes Otis Cameo

Don't blink.

And yes, no matter what I actually say to myself, there is something to be said for being in the vid for the Billboard #1.

Trailer Love: Liu Ye + Shu Qi = A Beautiful Life

Random Foreign White People News

Gerard Depardieu urinated on a plane before it took off.

That's it.

Retro Reflections (Adopted Vietnamese Americans On The Vietnam War, OBL, And The VAD Community)

• 35th – Australia – Kim Edgar’s Reflections


• 35th – Australia – Jen Fitzpatrick’s Reflections


• 35th – Australia – Simon Keogh’s Reflections


• 35th – Australia – Sarai Le’s Reflections


• 35th – Australia – Emma Pham’s Reflections


• 35th – Austria – Mý Huê McGowran’s Poem


• 35th – France – Maya Feugere’s Reflections


• 35th – Germany – Patrick L’s Reflections


• 35th – UK – Tuyet Carr’s Reflections


• 35th – UK – Jaki Clibbon’s Reflections


• 35th – UK – Safi Thi-Kim Dub’s Reflections


• 35th – UK – Jessica Emmett’s Reflections


• 35th – UK – Le-Thanh’s Reflections


• 35th – USA – Kevin Minh Allen’s Reflections


• 35th – USA – Trista Goldberg’s Reflections


• 35th – Vietnam – Khanh Dn Oehlke’s Poem
  

That's A Hook And A Video I Can Get Into: Aziatix "Slippin' Away"

News From Around The Way

Random news you may or may not want to know.

• Chinatown: Dining With Strangers
  
  I went to eat dinner at Chinatown again with the lady for her family reunion over the weekend. Her ancestors have been in the states since the late 1800's and have deep roots in community service. Believe me, I was on my best behavior. I won't talk about my conversations, but I really enjoy hearing stories of proud family history. From my own knowledge, the Chinese Americans that have been here longer seem to be a lot more accepting of others. The recent immigrants, it's hit or miss. My best friend is a third-generation Chinese American engaged to a Mexican. You wouldn't be able to put an ironclad wall between him and a Latin woman. His dad actually served in Vietnam and was constantly asked which side he was on.
  


• Staceyann Chin’s Babeh Quest
  
  Queer Chinese/Jamaican spoken word powerhouse Staceyann Chin recently wrote a piece for HuffPo about her mission to have a baby. It’s an excellent article, and she describes how factors of race, sexuality, and age made her driving desire for motherhood — an experience often taken for granted by many– a complex and protracted journey.
  


• SAIGON ELECTRIC: A Vietnamese American’s Journey Back to the Motherland (Part I)
  
  I’ll be blogging about my first experience as a producer for a film called SAIGON ELECTRIC, a hip hop, coming-of-age film made in Vietnam. It was released in Vietnam in April and is set to be released in select U.S. cities on October 7th. We’re currently mounting an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for a small, but proper, theatrical release. So without further adieu, here’s Part I of the SAIGON ELECTRIC Journey [...]
  


• APA Spotlight: Kathy Lim Ko, President and CEO, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
  
  Kathy Lim Ko is president and chief executive officer of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), a national health justice organization which influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Kathy has worked in senior management positions in community-based and philanthropic organizations throughout her 30 year career.
  


• I’m a dick: Part 1
  
  For my next two unsolicited editorials, I’ll ask fairly rude questions. They’re not going to be popular. Let’s just say that I’m certain some will call me a dick, as well as other colorful descriptions. To be honest, though, in recent years I haven’t been the type of person who seeks out “Mr. Congeniality.” So, frankly I don’t care if people call me a dick after reading the following because I’m a firm believer in the right of each individual to question. To question is to be human. The point of the rude questions is to seek out some answers from a few adoptee heavyweights. In particular, I’d like to hear from Susan Cox, whom others have described as the poster adoptee for adoption agencies. Additionally, I would like to get some clarification from Jane Trenka, Tobias Hübinette, Tammy Ko Robinson, and Kim Stoker, four individuals involved in the most recent Korean adoption legislation.
  


• Me Love You Long Tongue
  
  Though it might seem a bit strange, I LOVE that 19-year-old Rhiannon Brooksbank–Jones, a UK student, got her slightly-shorter-than-average tongue lengthened–in a parent-approved, 15-minute elective lingual frenectomy. All so that she could speak Korean without sounding “foreign.”



• The Hyphen Lowdown on Filmmaker Marissa Aroy
  
  At Restaurant Peony in Oakland’s Chinatown, I met up with Emmy award-winning filmmaker Marissa Aroy. Named one of the most influential Filipina women by the Filipina Women’s Network in 2010, she and her husband Niall McKay run Media Factory, a production company whose clients include PBS, the National Endowment for the Arts, Wired magazine, The Chabot Space and Science Center, CEO Women, and the Independent Film Channel. In mid-October of this year, Marissa will be traveling to the Philippines for four months to work on a short fictional piece, funded by the Fulbright Scholar Program. Over shrimp har gow, siu mai, and rice noodle rolls, we discussed Aroy’s current projects and how she got into film.

The LXD: Season 3 Episode 1

Rachael Yamagata + Muppets + The Green Album

You know you want it. Released August 23, 2011.

Sweet.

1. "The Muppet Show Theme" (OK Go)
2. "The Rainbow Connection" (Weezer and Hayley Williams)
3. "Mahna Mahna" (The Fray)
4. "Movin' Right Along" (Aklaline Trio)
5. "Our World" (My Morning Jacket)
6. "Halfway Down the Stairs" (Amy Lee)
7. "Mr. Bassman" (Sondre Lerche)
8. "Wishing Song" (The Airborne Toxic Event)
9. "Night Life" (Brandon Saller and Billy Martin)
10. "Bein' Green" (Andrew Bird)
11. "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along" (Matt Nathanson)
12. "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" (Rachael Yamagata)