May 2011

5.31.2011

luminance at the loft, june 3

If you're in the San Diego and want to check out some cool music, you're invited to check out the eighth and last show in the Luminance series at The Loft, featuring talented young Asian American artists like Jenny Suk, Kevin Lien, Connie Lim, Megan Lee, and Lindsey Yung. It's happening Friday, June 3 at The Loft at UCSD. Here are some more details about the show:

Hey journalists! Our friends at Hyphen magazine recently announced the launch of their first-ever Public Interest Journalism Fellowship, seeking high-impact stories about Asian Americans with a focus on coverage of the pressing social issues of the day, such as immigration or the environment, and how they impact the American community. And they're looking for applicants with good story ideas. This is super cool! Here are some more details:

Check out this music video for "At This Hour" by my buddy singer/songwriter Scott Tang. Forgive me, because I meant to post this when it was released a few months back, but it just got buried under a pile of stuff. Nevertheless, better late than never -- I wanted to make sure I shared it, because it's a lot of silly fun. Take a look:

capac commends president obama on apa judicial nominations

Today, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, issued a statement commending President Obama on his success in confirming Asian Pacific Americans to the federal bench, nearly doubling the number of APA judges serving in the federal courts from 8 to 14 judges:

This video confirms what I've suspected all along. David Choi's music doesn't make things better. David Choi ruins relationships! Behold, the havoc he wreaks on a happy, unsuspecting couple: The Anniversary, directed by Andrew Oh and starring Shane Yoon, Kat Gardiner... and David Choi. And his damn guitar:

Love this. Our good friend David Liang of The Shanghai Restoration Project just posted a new version of "Birthday Wish," the song he recorded with Emi Meyer to commemorate the tenth anniversary of this blog. It's a great, playful little tune that almost puts me in a good mood. Here's a preview of the "Frosted Mix":

So you've seen the Star Wars movies. There are the benevolent, noble Jedi knights. And there are the Sith, who have fallen to the dark side of the Force. But what about those Jedi who are just... assholes? Another hilarious video from the mind of Freddie Wong: Jedi A-Holes Strike Back. Take a look:

psychology today apologizes for satoshi kanazawa's "black women" article

Who knows what the editors at Psychology Today were thinking when they published "evolutionary psychologist" Satoshi Kanazawa's controversial article, "Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?" Needless to say, the article raised one hell of a ruckus across the internet, including calls for his dismissal from the London School of Economics.

In the wake of all this, Psychology Today has had to do quite a bit of damage control, initially editing the article in question, then eventually removing the post from the website in its entirety, then finally issuing an apology last week: Psychology Today Apologizes for 'Black Women Less Attractive' Post.

south bay first thursdays: bound to perfection: mental wellness in api women, june 2

Bay Area friends... South Bay First Thursdays invites you to its monthly dinner/discussion series focusing on Asian American and Pacific Islander community issues. This week's gathering is on the important topic of mental wellness and API women It's happening this Thursday, June 2 at Asian Americans for Community Involvement. Here are some more details:

video: far east movement on the billboard music awards

Catching up on a bunch of older bits of news... if you missed Far East Movement tearing up the stage at the Billboard Music Awards, here they are performing "Rocketeer" and "If I Was You (OMG)" alongside none other than Snoop Dogg.

No matter how many times I see Far East Movement on TV or hear their music on the radio, I still don't get tired of it. Knowing these guys and where they've come from, and having seen them perform on the smallest of stages, it's awesome to see where all of their hard work has taken them. For more from FM, check out their official website here.

new koreatown group buying site: ktownbuzz

This is for my people in Los Angeles... do you find yourself frequently patronizing the shops, restaurants and bars in Koreatown? Then here is a website that could save you some money. KTownBuzz is a recently launched group buying site (like Groupon or LivingSocial) focused on 50%-90% off deals in Koreatown, L.A.

Some distressing news out of the Bay Area... friends, family and police are searching 26-year-old nursing student Michelle Hoang Thi Le, who has been missing since Friday: Hayward police search for missing nursing student.

Le reportedly walked out of class during a break, leaving behind some school materials, but never returned. She was last seen Friday evening heading to the parking garage at Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center. She apparently had plans to drive to Reno to visit friends after her lesson at the hospital:

It's the return of Ktown Cowboys. Well, not quite yet. But if you're a fan of last year's runaway hit web series, which follows a group of guys having one epic night in Koreatown, you'll be happy to hear that the gang is working on turning it into a full-fledged feature film: KTOWN COWBOYS THE MOVIE. Check the video:

The fight for America continues. And by fight for America, I mean the effort to Boycott Aladdin. Yes, Disney's Aladdin, the biggest terrorist of them all. Last time, Tea Party Youth LA took the streets to spread the word about Disney's animated musical Muslim menace. In episode two, the team goes into the bowels of darkness -- Disneyland:

Asians behaving badly... serial flasher edition! Last week's police finally arrested a man who's been wanted for multiple incidents of indecent exposure in Penn State dorms and nearby apartments over the past two years. Caught in the act, sucka. Meet 33-year-old serial flasher Ryan Ho: Man charged for dozens of acts.

Three police agencies have charged Ho in at least 18 separate cases, including 15 counts of burglary, 18 counts of criminal trespass, 17 counts of indecent exposure; four counts each of indecent assault and loitering and prowling at night time, and three counts of open lewdness, as well as one count of criminal attempted burglary, a felony, and four summary harassment charges. Dude is a sicko:

I was hoping I could just ignore The Hangover Part II, pretend it didn't happen and just wait for it to go away. But when a movie earns $137.4 million (and counting) at the box office over Memorial Day weekend, it's kind of hard to avoid. A lot of people watched this movie. And that means a lot of people just saw some full frontal Asian penis.

And that's The Hangover Part II: basically the same movie as the first one, almost beat for beat, except with more dicks. When I first heard the sequel would be bigger, badder, and set in Bangkok, I braced myself for the worst. My fears were realized. Forget story. Somebody apparently decided the best way to improve upon the first movie was to just add more shock, nudity and pain.

this week's angriest posts

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

who invented bubble tea?

authorities cracking down on sexy vietnamese cafes

accidental chinese hipsters

how asian american youth are forced into the sex trade

another awful trailer for the chin chens

three shorts from harry shum jr. and wong fu productions

target commercial: trail mix

wisconsin supreme court upholds life sentence for 14-year-old killer

it's okay to be takei!

justice department admits mistakes during japanese american internment cases

Hope to see you next Friday at the Hyphen Bittersweet Issue Party in San Francisco.

5.27.2011

watch the legend of bruce lee on dramafever

Because I know some of you fellow Bruce Lee fans will appreciate this... The good folks at DramaFever have added the 2008 CCTV miniseries The Legend of Bruce Lee to their roster of Asian dramas. It lays on the cheese pretty thick, and plays fairly fast and loose with the biographical details of Bruce Lee's life, but it's definitely a must-see for hardcore Bruce fans:

API Equality-LA, which advocates in the Greater Los Angeles Asian and Pacific Islander communities for fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and marriage equality, is looking for qualified applicants to serve as Director. Here are some more details about the position:

Heavy Ghetto, the freshly dropped new album from Notorious MSG is now out and ready to blow your mind. If you're familiar with these renegade restaurant worker bad boys -- Hong Kong Fever, Down-Lo Mein and The Hunan Bomb -- you know they've been bringing their hilarious brand of high-sodium hip hop flavor to the rap game for years -- straight from the mean streets of Chinatown. These guys always crack me up. Here's the music video for their latest single, "Red Tonight":

Steven Chu is on a mission. The Secretary of Energy is challenging young Americans to use less energy, and is launching an initiative to educate students about energy efficiency. He recently appeared on NPR's Morning Edition to about energy alternatives in an era of high gas prices, and about the future of the nuclear industry in the United States: Chu Hopes Kids Will Encourage Families To Go Green.

What's up, cool people. You know what time it is. Meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is our Lisa Lee.

Kung Fu Panda 2 hits theaters this weekend. In short: animated animals cracking jokes and doing martial arts. The sequel. But what's perhaps most noteworthy about the sequel is that it's directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who becomes the first woman to solely direct an animated feature from a major Hollywood studio: Jennifer Yuh Nelson breaks new ground.

Something somebody dug up from way back in the archives... Check out the vintage music video for "Head Trip (Ras Kass Remix)" by KeyKool and DJ Rhettmatic (of The Visionaries) from their 1995 album Kozmonautz. Thought you might enjoy this little blast from the past:

bellingham, wa mayor formally apologizes for chinese expulsion

Wow. Coming off the announcement that Rep. Judy Chu and other lawmakers have introduced a resolution calling on Congress to acknowledge and express regret for the Chinese Exclusion Act, here's more news of efforts to heal the scars of a community's racist past: Bellingham mayor apologizes to Chinese community.

Yesterday in the city of Bellingham, Washington, Mayor Dan Pike issued a formal apology to the Chinese community for what happened 125 years ago, when Chinese residents were forced out of the area at the urging of civic leaders and the town newspaper:

hyphen bittersweet issue release party / official sf angry asian man 10th anniverary, june 3

Bay Area! This one's for you. As you know, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the blog, and we're basically taking every opportunity to celebrate. So... I invite you to come out and celebrate with me next week at Hyphen's Bittersweet Issue Release Party -- also my official SF 10-year anniversary party! It's happening Friday, June 3 at 111 Minna. Here are some more details:

Check it. OCA recently announced the development of its first-ever National Civil Rights Fellowship Program, a two-year fellowship that will provide hands-on training for young leaders on issues like immigration, hate crimes and hate speech, education, and glass ceilings. Beginning this June, OCA will recruit and select one new Fellow each year.

But it won't happen without your help. OCA chapters have kicked off a fundraising campaign for the first fellowship by pledging a matching grant of $25,000. This May, your donation toward OCA's National Civil Rights Fellowship Program will not only help launch the career of the next APA civil rights leader, but also be matched dollar-for-dollar through May 31. Here's some more information:

Just wanted to share this rad little cartoon by our pal Gene Luen Yang. Read the rest of it over at Wired.com's Geek Dad blog: The Secret Origins of Level Up.

It's basically a comic about a comic -- Gene explains the ideas behind his upcoming graphic novel Level Up, illustrated by Thien Pham. It's a great story about video games, immigrant families and parent expectations. As you might guess, it draws heavily from Gene's own life and experiences.

The book will be available on June 7 from First Second Books, but you can pre-order it from Amazon right now. I've read it -- it's great -- and I'll post something resembling a review at a later date. To learn more and view a preview of Level Up, go to Gene Luen Yang's website here

resolution calls on congress to officially express regret for chinese exclusion act

Today in Washington D.C., U.S. Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA), Judy Biggert (R-IL), and Mike Coffman (R-CO), along with Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Brown (R-MA) announced the introduction of a resolution calling on Congress to formally acknowledge and express regret for the passage of several laws between 1882 and 1904 that violated the fundamental civil rights of Chinese American settlers. Yeah, the Chinese Exclusion Act.

If you've read your Asian American history textbooks, you know that in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which imposed a ten-year moratorium on Chinese immigration and naturalization of Chinese settlers. That's racist!

The law was later expanded several times to apply to all persons of Chinese descent and to impose increasingly harsh restrictions on immigration. These laws were repealed in 1943, after China became an ally of the U.S in WWII, but have never been formally acknowledged or renounced by Congress. Isn't it about time history spoke up? Here's part of today's announcement:

Next up for John Cho... According to Entertainment Weekly, the Harold and Kumar star has signed on to Sony's remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action flick Total Recall: John Cho signs on for 'Total Recall' -- EXCLUSIVE.

Cho will play McClane, "the smooth-talking rep for the mind-messing company that tempts Colin Farrell's Douglas Quaid to implant fantastic memories into his brain." The movie is directed by Len Wiseman and also stars Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel.

Some disturbing news out of Georgia... This week in Henry County, five college students were charged in the brutal beating of a man in the parking lot of a sports bar, where the victim and his girlfriend went to celebrate his birthday: Suspects Arrested in Violent Assault Outside McDonough Bar.

Joshua Rashad Berry, Mondarius Head, Montez Quendarius McKibben and Oreterro Chanez Watson were all charged in the aggravated assualt of 22-year-old Davis Do, who says the assailants called him racial slurs before attacking him. He suffered a broken jaw and other injuries, and was hospitalized for several days:

The name of this amust Tumblr pretty much says it all: Accidental Chinese Hipsters. "A loving gaze cast upon the grandmother wearing dayglow jeggings and a visor." It looks like it's just getting started, and I would argue that most of posts thus far aren't exactly the strongest examples of accidental hipsterness. But you get the idea. And maybe you can submit something.

goodwin liu withdraws judicial nomination

Well, this seriously sucks. Judicial nominee Goodwin Liu, who was appointed by President Obama to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has withdrawn his nomination: Obama Judicial Pick Goodwin Liu Withdraws.

It's a damn shame. After languishing judicial limbo for months, and going through the gauntlet of aggressive Senate Republican scrutiny, his nomination fell victim to a successful GOP filibuster, blocking an up-or-down vote. This week, Professor Liu informed the president that he is withdrawing because there's little prospect that the Senate will ever vote on his nomination:

2011 apiasf higher education summit, june 27-28

Heads up. The Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), the nation's largest nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to APIA students with financial need, invites to its second annual higher education summit, 2011 APIASF College Completion Forum: Strengthening Institutions that Serve Asian American and Pacific Islander Americans. It's happening June 27-28 at Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. Here are some more details about the Summit:

This is a bit short notice, since the deadline is this week, but here's a job opportunity that needs a qualified candidate to kick some ass... The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) in Washington D.C. is looking for an Education Policy Advocate to provide a wide range of integrated advocacy, training, and organizational development services to and for AAPI communities and organizations. Here's some more information about the position:

What movie isn't Justin Lin attached to direct these days? According to Variety, hot off the crazy success of Fast Five, Justin is currently sitting on a short list of eight directors that 20th Century Fox is considering to helm the next Wolverine movie: Fox's 'Wolverine' helmer search down to 8.

The eight names are: Jose Padilha, Doug Liman, Antoine Fuqua, Mark Romanek, Justin Lin, Gavin O'Connor, James Mangold and Gary Shore. They're all apparently contenders to fill the seat recently vacated by Darren Aronofsky.

Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the prison sentence for convicted killer Omer Ninham, who at age 14 was sentenced to life-without-parole after he chased down, beat and then tossed a teenager to his death off a hospital parking ramp: Life sentence for 14-year-old killer confirmed by court.

Omer Ninham, perhaps a little tired of prison, argued that his 1998 sentence for killing 13-year-old Zong Vang violated U.S. and Wisconsin constitutional prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment. He called the sentence "unduly harsh and excessive" and sought the possibility of parole. This guy wants to talk about what's harsh and excessive?

You know I adore Kina Grannis. Here's great video of her performing "The One You Say Goodnight To" for her session with Live At The Loft in Hoboken, New Jersey. The tune is a little more upbeat, and little groovy, and dare I say kind of sexy. And it involves clapping. Check it out:

This is a sobering New York Times article on Asian American youth in Oakland who are being lured and forced into the sex trade, and the organizations, like Asian Health Services, that are trying to help these young girls. It's seriously disturbing, and the numbers are staggering: In Oakland, Redefining Sex Trade Workers as Abuse Victims.

A big congratulations to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who, with the help of professional dancer Kym Johnson, was crowned the winner of ABC's latest season of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night: 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 12 Mirrorball Winner Crowned.

Can't say I caught a single episode during the entire ten-week competition, but good for him. Hines Ward, who can thank the Steeler Nation for those extra votes, now joins a significant number of professional athletes who have walked away with the show's coveted mirrorball trophy, including Kristi Yamaguchi and Apolo Anton Ohno: Hines Ward Part of a String of 'Dancing' Athletes.

authorities cracking down on sexy vietnamese cafes

Bad news for all you dudes who like your coffee, tea and smoothies served up with a little bit nudity, gambling and prostitution... In Orange County cities, authorities are cracking down on the many Vietnamese cafes where waitresses dressed in sexy lingerie -- and sometimes less -- are the norm: Orange County authorities cracking down on Vietnamese cafes.

It's not necessarily the sexy waitresses that's the problem. The city could apparently handle that. It's everything else that comes along with it. As more and more of these establishments pop up, some cafes are escalating to more risque and downright illegal activities -- like gambling and nudity -- to stay competitive:

celebrate brooklyn! bhangra dance party, may 26

Awwww yeah, Brooklyn. This Thursday night, you're invited to a Bhangra Dance Party of epic proporations featuring the fresh brass funk of Red Baraat and the basement beats of DJ Rekha. It's happening May 26 at 7:00 at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Here's a promo video to get you hyped:

hey high school students! join kollaboration youth

Kollaboration, the world-famous Asian Pacific American talent show, is looking for high school students in Southern California to join its newly formed youth division aimed at getting younger fans and followers involved with the movement. The first orientation meeting is next month, and they're trying to get the word out. Here are some more details:

The Supply Education Group is a not-for-profit organization that promotes quality educational projects and provides school supplies for children in developing countries. Their current project is developing a secondary school in the slum village of Lenana, Kenya. To create awareness and support for their efforts, they enlisted the help of none other than YouTube star KevJumba. Check it out:

Some horrific news out of east St. Louis, where three people have been arrested in connection with the murder of an 85-year-old grandmother whose remains were found in trunk of a burning car: Three charged with murder of 85-year-old Belleville woman.

Yoko Cullen was reported missing after she was carjacked from the parking lot of a bingo hall last Wednesday. Daquan Barnes, 18, Latosha Cunningham, 38, and Demarcus Barnes, 27, are charged with first degree murder:

All right! Suitcase of Stones, the latest English language album from singer/songwriter Emi Meyer is now out and ready to be enjoyed by the world. I'm listening to the new album as I write this, and it's a pretty enchanting little slice of jazz-inspired pop. For a little taste, here's the gorgeous music video for one of the songs, "Master Piece":

Anywhere that Asians gather, you will find bubble tea. From Flushing to San Gabriel, Asians must have it! But in all those times you sucked on a tapioca ball through a giant straw, did you ever consider where it came from? CNN apparently has the answer: Is this the inventor of bubble tea?

According to this article, the popular drink originates from the Chun Shui Tang tea house in Taichun, Taiwan, and a woman named Lin Hsiu Hui is generally accepted as the innovator behind the popular drink. Legend has it, Ms. Lin poured her tapioca dessert into her iced tea during a meeting in 1988.

Is it me, or is Target on a roll? At least, when it comes to putting Asian American actors in their advertising... A nice hike takes a turn for the worse, in yet another great television ad featuring some Asian faces, front and center: Trail Mix. Take a look:

Nearly 70 years after the Supreme Court upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the U.S. Department of Justice has finally admitted it made mistakes and acted dishonorably in defending the convictions of Gordon Hirabayashi and Fred Korematsu: Top Supreme Court lawyer says WWII-era predecessor hid key information on Japanese internment.

The "confession of error," posted by acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal on the Justice Department's website last week, is the first such admission of wrongdoing since the 1940s, when the Supreme Court ruled against Korematsu and Hirabayashi, who challenged the incarceration and related curfew orders that compromised the civil rights of Japanese Americans.

In his statement, Katyal cites evidence that the Solicitor General at the time, Charles Fahy, suppressed evidence in the Korematsu and Hirabayashi cases that clearly stated the minimal threat posed to the nation by Japanese Americans:

osmosis, may 28

If you're in Southern California, Akufuncture invites you to Osmosis, a benefit concert they've put together featuring up and coming Asian American talent like Kevin Lien, Dawen, After School Special, Andrew Fung, David Fung and Vincent Bantasan. It's happening Saturday, May 28 at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra. Here's a fun promo video for the show:

The Portland Trail Blazers abruptly announced today that they have dismissed General Manger Rich Cho: Rich Cho out as Blazers' GM.

When Cho was hired by the team last July, he became the first Asian American general manager in NBA history. After less than a year on the job, this is pretty damn disappointing. Here's the Trail Blazers' announcement:

As promised, here is Wong Fu Productions' highly-anticipated collaboration with Harry Shum Jr. -- not just one, but three short vignettes starring the dancing Asian dude from Glee. And at under three minutes each, we actually get to see him do more and say more than in any given episode of Glee. No joke. Fun stuff. Here they are:

tyler clementi's roommate pleads not guilty

Another update on the Tyler Clementi suicide case... Today, Dharun Ravi entered a not guilty plea to charges that he streamed the footage of his roommate engaging in a physical relationship with another man in their dorm room last September: Roommate of Rutgers student who committed suicide pleads not guilty.

The video was allegedly accessed from another room and advertised for viewing on Twitter. Clementi later killed himself by jumping from the George Washington Bridge. Ravi now faces fifteen charges of hate crimes and evidence tampering:

This is short notice, but if you're in Washington D.C., I wanted to make sure you know about the 2011 Asian American and Pacific Islander Summit happening tomorrow, hosted by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and House Democratic Leadership.

Connect with a national network of community leaders, gain insight into pressing policy issues, and work directly with Congressional leadership to address the needs and concers of the APIA community. It's happening May 24-25 at the U.S. Capitol visitor Center. Here are some more details:

5.31.2011

5.30.2011

5.28.2011

5.27.2011

5.26.2011

5.25.2011

5.24.2011

5.23.2011

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