this campaign ad is racist bullshit

This is some serious racist bullshit. Absolutely stunning. This is a campaign ad out of Arkansas attacking Bill Halter, Democratic candidate for Senate. It's a paid for by a group called "Americans for Job Security," which is apparently funded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

It's the worst kind of ad, blatantly preying on racist, attitudes and heightened American anxiety about the economy. Shameless. That's a one-two punch combination for disaster. I'm absolutely terrified about the kind of effect an ad like this can have, far beyond Halter's campaign.

norman y. mineta leadership institute speaker series: the new faces of leadership

If you're in the D.C. area, APIAVote invites you to The New Faces of Leadership, the first session in their new "Norman Y. Mineta Leadership Speaker Series." They'll be highlighting new leadership in the current administration, and discussing the opportunities and challenges they encounter in their work in the Administration and with AAPI communities:

kollaboration new york heritage month kick-off

New York! It's time to get hyped about Kollaboration. You're invited to an APA Heritage Month kick-off celebration featuring special performances by Nina Park, Stone Forest Ensemble and Seriously. It's happening Saturday, May 1 at Level 9. For more information, see the Facebook event page here.

Kollaboration New York returns for its fifth year on June 26 at the Highline Ballroom. They recently announced their 2010 performer lineup:

arizona continues to suck

Wow. Arizona, you are seriously on a roll. The state's new education policy, sent to Governor Jan Brewer this week, essentially bans the teaching of ethnic studies classes: Arizona Ethnic Studies Classes Banned, Teachers With Accents Can No Longer Teach English.

Under the ban, schools will lost state funding if they offer any courses that "promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment of a particular race or class of people, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

do I look "illegal"?

Check it. The crazy-ass stuff that's been going down in Arizona affects all of us. Following the signing of the anti-immigratn law SB 1070, Facebook activist site Cuentame launched its "Do I Look Illegal?" campaign to highlight how the law essentially legalizes the discrimination and persecution of the Latino community through racial profiling. Some details:

by the time we get to arizona

Guest post by David K. Song, Adjunct Professor in the Asian American Studies Department at California State University, Northridge, on behalf of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC).

...

The signing of Arizona Senate Bill 1070 into law is the latest move to paint crosshairs on the backs of people of color, despite claims that it's only about having the proper paperwork. Proponents of the bill have been quick to stave off criticism that the law is racist. According to Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona legislature, it's merely a corrective action taken on behalf of fearful citizens who are safeguarding their neighborhoods from an unrelenting flood of Mexican drug cartels (read: hardworking immigrant families).

According to SB 1070, "reasonable suspicion" would be enough to require state law enforcement agencies to detain and report a person. "Reasonable suspicion" is ambiguous when it involves immigration status and should be enough to scare anyone who doesn't fit the phenotype of the "average" US citizen. What constitutes "reasonable suspicion," aside from actually catching a person in the act of crossing the border or overstaying a visa? Excessive skin pigmentation? Imperfect English?

angry reader of the week: christopher wong

Hey! Time to meet another 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 "reluctant artist" Christopher Wong, director of the documentary Whatever It Takes.

congressman wants to deport u.s.-born children of illegal immigrants

The 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship to all persons born in the United States. However, Republican congressman Duncan Hunter seems to be okay with the idea of deporting U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants: US rep backs deport of illegal immigrants' US kids.

the top ten asian american rappers of all time

This list naming the Top 10 Greatest Asian-American Rappers of All Time, by David Fung, has been making the rounds. I love lists like this -- whether you agree with it or not, it's certainly food for thought. I might have swapped out a few names for others, but hey, it ain't my list:

congressman mike honda on arizona's sb 1070

Here's a good Huffington Post piece by Rep. Mike Honda, weighing in on the dangers of Arizona's SB 1070. As a Japanese American who spent part his childhood in an internment camp, the congressman knows a little something about scapegoating and racial profiling: Arizona Law Normalizes Racial and Ethnic Profiling.

blue scholars at cal's hip hop in the park

Hip hop fans in Berkeley, you do not want to miss this... For fourteen years, Cal Students for Hip Hop have been organizing Hip Hop in the Park, an annual gathering for solidarity and movement building. This year, they're bringing out the likes of Blue Scholars to rock the show. The basics:

seattle's pork filled players presents pork fiction

Seattle! This one's for you... Pork Fiction, the new show from Northwest's longest-running Asian American sketch comedy group Pork Filled Players, opens this weekend. It runs Fridays and Saturdays, starting April 30 through May 15 at the Theatre Off Jackson. Here's more information from the PFP website:

"mercy, not sacrifice": a night of art and music for charity

If you're in Los Angeles this weekend (and not headed to the film festival), do check out Mercy, Not Sacrifice, a night of art and music for charity featuring the work 13 artists, with musical accompaniment by the likes of Big Phony, Malos Adictos, Sukey Rose and DJ Pants Off throughout the night. Here are some more details:

2010 apa heritage month at the national archives at atlanta

Here's a very cool event happening this weekend for people in the Atlanta area: We are America: Asian Pacific Americans in the U.S. South, the first symposium celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the National Archives at Atlanta. It's this Saturday, May 1. Here are some details about the program:

ifc's food party returns

Aw yeah. Food Party is back. IFC's original comedy series, hosted by Brooklyn fringe artist Thu Tran and her motley mix of unruly puppets, started up again this week for 20 all-new 15-minute episodes. It is easily one of the strangest things you'll ever see on television. For more information, and to watch video of Food Party, go to the IFC website here.

aaldef fall internships 2010

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), is offering internships for undergraduate, graduate and law students. Fall 2010 internships are available for the following program areas (open to all unless otherwise noted):

2010 los angeles asian pacific film festival, april 29 - may 8

All right, film fans. The 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Southern California largest Asian film showcase, kicks off tonight and runs through May 8, with a slate of over 170 films and videos from both Asian Pacific American and Asian international directors from 20 countries. Here are some of the festival's highlights (somewhat copied and pasted from festival publicity materials):

san francisco police adds patrols in response to attacks

In response to the recent rash of attacks targeting Asian Americans near Muni lines, San Francisco police will soon deploy 32 officers to foot-beat patrols around transit stops in the Bayview and Visitacion Valley: S.F. adds police patrols in response to attacks.

The added officers will be deployed starting this week and remain in the area for at least a month. According to the police chief, they will walk beats to help reassure Asian American residents in the wake of two attacks, one fatal, along Muni's T-Third Metro line, and an assault on a Muni driver:

prom knight

This is apparently how kids ask each other to the prom at Stuyvesant High School: It's prom knight. Senior David Park battled a "dragon" in the hallway before getting down on one knee to ask classmate Ronny Ho to the prom. She said yes.

"this is alabama; we speak english."

While everyone's attention is turned to the incendiary immigration debate in Arizona, here's another story about good old-fashioned thinly-disguised American xenophobia, coming out of the great state of Alabama: 'This is Alabama; we speak English,' governor candidate says.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim James has vowed in a new campaign ad that if he's elected, he'll give the state driver's license exam only in English, as a cost-saving measure. The money quote: "This is Alabama; we speak English. If you want to live here, learn it."

kollaboration missouri movement 2010

The Kollaboration movement continues its way across the United States, dropping this week with its first ever show in Missouri. Yes, the world-famous Asian American talent show is coming to the University of Missouri -- with special guests Quest Crew -- as part of its 13th annual Asian American Awareness Week. Here are the details:

aaron yoo in a nightmare on elm street

My eyes may be deceiving me, but I believe that's Aaron Yoo making an appearance in the trailer for the new A Nightmare on Elm Street remake, which opens in theaters this Friday.

While he's featured fairly prominently in the trailer, I'm guessing it's not a huge role, but there he is looking rather weary-eyed as Marcus Yeon. Since he's not officially listed in the credits, I think it's safe to assume he gets killed pretty quickly.

And there you have it. Between this and the recent Friday the 13th remake, it seems that Aaron has the distinction of being killed at the hands of two horror movie icons -- both Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger.

this sunday: 2010 state of asian pacific america house party

This Sunday, May 2, join Asian Pacific Americans for Progress for their annual State of Asian Pacific America House Party. You're invited to join in and listen, via conference call, to several prominent APA guests and get updates from the White House, Congress and grassroots activists on the progress they made this past year. Here are some details:

lynn chen interviews daniel dae kim

Can't remember if I've mentioned it, but our awesome actress friend Lynn Chen runs an excellent blog called The Actors Diet, an exploration of actors and what they eat. It's a great resource for actors and anyone interested in hearing about nutrition and eating habits from the perspective of someone working in "the biz."

But that's not Lynn in the photo above. That's actor Daniel Dae Kim. Lynn recently conducted a really awesome interview with Daniel for the Everything Acting Podcast. He talks about everything from embarking on his early career as an actor to his recent successes on Lost. Great stuff. Listen to it here: Episode 120: LOST's Daniel Dae Kim.

authorities, family search for missing woman

In Fairfield, California, authorities and family members have been searching for Phuong Le, a 24-year-old nurse who went missing earlier this week: Woman Vanishes Near Fairfield Book Store.

According to police, Le parked her car near a Barnes & Nobles bookstore in shopping plaza on Gateway Drive on Sunday night at about 4:00pm and hasn't been heard from since. Surveillance footage shows Le inside the bookstore at about 8:30pm.

9500 liberty screening this friday in tempe, arizona

This is for all my people in Arizona (sorry...) interested in checking out Eric Byler and Annabel Park's award-winning documentary 9500 Liberty. It will be screening this Friday, April 30 at the Harkins Valley Art Theater in Tempe.

The film is an interesting, provocative examination of a Virginia county's short-lived police mandate requiring officers to question people they had cause to suspect were undocumented immigrants. Sound familiar?

new mixtape: the courting by triangle offense

Triangle Offense is rap trio -- Adonis, Sci and Finesse -- hailing from Jersey City. I've been hearing about them for a while, and just took a listen to their newly released mixtape The Courting. Good stuff to get your party going.

Fans of FM will probably dig the Triangle Offense vibe -- they've got a cool sound, with a nice blend of rap and pop/dance elements. Can wait to hear more from these guys. You can get The Courting as a free download at the Triangle Offense website here.

the kid can eat however he wants

Remember young Luc Cagadoc? He's the Filipino Canadian boy who was repeatedly reprimanded by at school for eating with a fork and a spoon at the same time -- a tradition in the Filipino community. The lunch monitor apparently called the practice "disgusting," then ordered to the kid to eat alone in the corner. Not cool.

But now, justice! Quebec's Human Rights Tribunal has ordered the school board to pay a total of $17,000 in damages to his family, ruling that Luc was discriminated against by the board and its employees as a result of his ethnicity: Eating habits dispute leads to damage award. Take that:

the deadly art of card throwing

Check out this awesome of a dude doing some crazy-ass tricks with a stack of business cards: Master of Business Card Throwing. I am fairly certain this guy could kill you with a small piece of card stock. And yes, the geek in me was immediately reminded of Gambit from X-Men.

more support for harold koh

Here's another Huffington Post piece calling for Harold Koh's nomination to the Supreme Court, suggesting that the President should look beyond the appellate courts to nominate someone with real experience outside the judiciary to replace Justice Stevens: Experience Is the Life of the Law - and Right Now We Need Harold Koh's Experience.

David Perez uses a historical argument, looking at Justice Hugo Black, Justice William O. Douglas and Chief Justice Earl Warren, to make the case that President Obama should fill the Supreme Court opening with a nonjudge -- and that Harold Koh's experience makes him the best person for the job.

I know many have ruled Koh out as the outside possibility, especially considering the hell that was raised at his Senate confirmation last to the State Department... but man, to see him step up as a Supreme Court justice? I can't describe how awesome that would be. More here: Why Harold Koh Should Be the Next Supreme Court Justice.

go!ohana feat. ken pulido, the like me's, jack tung

The monthly Bay Area music showcase OHANA!, which recently changed its name to GO!OHANA (because it's just more fun that way) presents its latest show this week, featuring Ken Pulido, The Like Me's and Jack Tung, bringing his unique brand of ambient post-hardcore rock. It's happening this Thursday, April 29 at La Pena Cultural in Berkeley. Here's some more info:

yomyomf presents interpretations

If you're headed to the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival this weekend, one event you might want to check out is YOMYOMF.COM's INTERPRETATIONS: So You Really Want To Make Films?, an industry panel presented by director Justin Lin and his blogger colleagues at You Offend Me You Offend My Family, discussing the qualities they look for in filmmakers.

In conjunction, they're launching Interpretations, a short film initiative designed to put this knowledge to practical use, support emerging talent from the Asian American creative community, and give filmmakers a chance to share their unique perspectives and have their work evaluated by seasoned professionals with a breadth of experience in studio and independent film/television. Panelists include...

dollar download: jennifer chung's "I don't know, let's sing"

Our friend and YouTube darling Jennifer Chung is offering her single "I Don't Know, Let's Sing" as a $1 download to raise money to study abroad this summer. She may be famous on the internet, but she's also a college student and needs to pay the bills! It's just a buck, so why not support an artist's summer dreams? Preview the track and download it here.

white house initiative announces api access campaign

On a press conference call today, the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders announced the Obama administration's efforts to increase API access and participation in federal programs, and improve the lives of API communities underserved by federal resources. Here's the press release:

wong fu + kevjumba + david choi = "dance to this song"

Don't really know what to make of this, but hey, I'll just go with it. YouTube stars Wong Fu Productions, KevJumba and David Choi have come together for their first ever collaboration, a song entitled "Dance To This Song."

Listen (and dance) to the song here. Kevin and Philip "rap" and "sing" on the track with much help from auto tuning and audio filters, while David sings the bridge. Don't worry -- I don't think they're taking themselves very seriously.

The track, which is available on iTunes, was made in conjunction with the upcoming KevJumba/Wong Fu web series Funemployed, where it will all make sense. More to come, I'm sure. For now, watch the teaser here.

yale doctor shot to death by former colleague

Yesterday in Connecticut, Dr. Lishan Wang was charged with fatally shooting a Yale University doctor and firing at the victim's pregnant wife after a history of confrontations with the victim and other colleagues that led to his dismissal from a New York hospital: Former colleague kills Yale doctor at home.

Branford police say Wang is charged with murder, attempted murder and firearms offenses in the fatal shooting of Vajinder Toor outside his home. Wang also fired at Toor's wife, but she wasn't hit. Police are investigating whether Toor and Wang had a dispute on the job:

out on dvd: whatever it takes

Just wanted to let you know that Christopher Wong's excellent documentary Whatever It Takes is now available on DVD. If you missed it on the film festival circuit, or the PBS broadcast -- or if you already saw it and loved it -- you can buy it and put it in your collection. Here's the story:

east high to drop 'orientals' mascot

Remember East High, home of the fighting Orientals, in Akron, Ohio? Yes, their mascot is actually the "Orientals." According to a school superintendent, they're finally changing the damn nickname: Akron's East High sports teams no longer will be 'Orientals'.

Akron Superintendent David James says he is updating the district's anti-discrimination policy to drop the "Orientals" nickname for sports teams. East High School will have a new name for its teams when a newly renovated building opens next fall.

music video: "born free" by m.i.a.

Holy crap. First of all, this music video for "Born Free" by M.I.A., directed by Romain Gavras, is not safe for work (nudity, language, violence). You've been warned. Secondly, it's shocking, graphic... and totally stunning. I was kind of speechless after watching it.

Is it weird that I'm reminded of both the notorious "gingers" episode of South Park and all the shitty stuff going down right now in Arizona? Just watch it yourself. More info here: M.I.A. Releases Graphic, Explicit 'Born Free' Video (NSFW).

submit your questions to commerce secretary gary locke

Check this. Next week on Tuesday, May 4th, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will host a live online video chat on WhiteHouse.gov, on the White House Initiative on AAPIs. He'll be taking some questions live from Facebook... but also from you, the good readers of this website.

I've been asked by the White House Office of Media Affairs to solicit some questions. Do you have something to ask Secretary Gary Locke? Do you have a question about the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders? You know you do.

luminance feat. marie digby, sam hart, clara chung

If you're in the San Diego area, and want to hear some good music, don't miss the next edition of Luminance, featuring Marie Digby, Clara Chung and Sam Hart. It's happening this Wednesday, April 28 at The Loft at UC San Diego. Here are the details:

olympic diver victoria draves dies

Victoria Manalo Draves, the first woman to win a gold medal in springboard and platform diving -- considered the Filipino American community's "first national heroine" -- died earlier this month of heart and cancer complications. She was 85: Olympic diver Victoria Draves dies.

authorities seize gizmodo blogger's equipment

By now, you've heard about the next-gen iPhone prototype that was lost by an Apple engineer, and eventually find its way into the hands of editors of the popular gadget blog Gizmodo: This Is Apple's Next iPhone.

Blogger Jason Chen's posts with photos and a description of the new iPhone became one of the site's most popular ever. Awesome scoop! The fact that Apple asked for the device back only confirmed that it was indeed the real thing. Gizmodo returned it, and everybody was excited.

But it doesn't end there: Lost iPhone Investigation: Gizmodo Editor Jason Chen's Home Searched And Computers Seized. Chen says the San Mateo County sheriff's deputies broke into his home Friday night with a search warrant and seized two dozens pieces of equipment -- computers, digital cameras, a cell phone and other items.

bruce lee, cultural icon: 70th birthday celebration at the 2010 los angeles asian pacific film festival

Hard to believe, but Bruce Lee would have turned 70 years old this year. Forever immortalized on the screen as the electrifying martial artist who died at the age 32, it's difficult to imagine him kicking ass as a senior citizen. But decades after his passing, you can't deny that he remains as influential as ever.

In celebration of the life and legacy of Bruce Lee, the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, in association with his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell and daughter Shannon Lee and their Bruce Lee Enterprises, is presenting a special program of Bruce-related screenings and panels throughout the weekend, starting this Friday. Check the details:

asian conan, episode one

I recently had the pleasure of attending Conan O'Brien's live concert show. Loads of fun. Inspired by this craziness, I am posting this video of Hollywood stuntman (and frequent Tonight Show guest) Stephen Ho as Asian Conan. In this episode, Conan sets out to stop an illegal child fighting ring. It is weird and fun.

more violence at south philadelphia high

Here's a front page Philadelphia Inquirer story on South Philadelphia High School ninth grader Lindi Liu, who was assaulted in a bathroom last month: Pain for Asian youth didn't end with school assault.

He was exiting a bathroom stall when another student kicked the door inward, bashing him in the head. A month later, he still has nosebleeds and blurred vision.

little asian girl's not-so-badass parallel parking

Oof! So you've seen the little Asian girl's badass parallel parking skills. These skills, however, do not come without practice... and some failure.

new book: asian american studies now

Another book to add to my always-growing list... I recently heard about a recently publishd anthology, Asian American Studies Now: A Critical Reader, edited by Jean Yu-wen Shen Wu and Thomas C. Chen.

It's described as an introduction to Asian America for both academics and a general audience, raising questions about the relationship between Asian American Studies as an academic field and the social justice work going on in Asian American communities. Here's some basic info:

new music: "clouds" by dumbfoundead ft. jay park and clara

Another crazy hot Dumbfoundead track, "Clouds" featuring Jay Park and Clara Chung. Loving this song -- I had it on repeat all weekend... You can download it free here, and watch the accompanying video here. For more info on all three artists, check out the respective YouTube channels of Dumbfoundead, Jay Park and Clara Chung.

students accused of hamster torture

Asians behaving badly... animal cruelty edition! Two students at UC Davis are facing charges after police say they tortured two hamsters with a cigarette lighter and posted a video of the incident on Facebook: Police: Calif. students accused in hamster torture.

Campus police say 18-year-old Henry Nguyen and 19-year-old Josue Melendez were taken into custody last week on suspicion of animal cruelty. The video, which was posted to Facebook, led to the investigation of the two students.

again, more glee auditions

Give out gold stars at your own discretion...


Nita Chawla singing "Rehab."


Priscilla singing "True Colors."


Nhia singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."


Lee singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."


Hannah singing "Keep Holding On."


Youthana singing "Hate on Me."

ed wang is the first chinese american player in the nfl

As expected, over the weekend, 6-4, 314-pound Virginia Tech offensive tackle Ed Wang made history when he was drafted into the NFL. He was selected in the fifth round (140th overall) by the Buffalo Bills: Bills select OT Ed Wang in fifth round.

With that, Ed Wang is the first Chinese American player in the NFL. Pretty awesome, considering that his parents -- both former Olympic athletes for China -- didn't have a whole lot of football in their backgrounds. But Ed, who was born and raised in Virginia, fully understands and embraces what this means:

liu wen is the first asian face of estee lauder

Model Liu Wen, who holds the distinction of being the very first Chinese model to walk for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, recently signed to become the very first Asian face of cosmetics giant Estee Lauder: Liu Wen the First Asian Face of Estee Lauder.

kollaboration seattle auditions

Seattle! The Kollaboration revolution is now coming to your city! The world-famous Asian American talent competition is looking for singers, comedians, dancers, rappers, poets and musicians to show their stuff in the spotlight. Have you got what it takes?

Kollaboration Seattle will be holding auditions on Saturday May 15 at the University of Washington's Ethnic Cultural Center. If you want to take part, here's some more info about auditions:

misnomer(s) and kelly zen-yie tsai on caught in the act

Check out this segment from Brooklyn Independent Television's local music and arts show Caught in the Act, featuring Korean American hip hop sister duo Knewdles and Sos, aka Misnomer(S).


And this cool video featuring spoken word artist Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai. She always inspires me. Both segments were produced by Norman Lam.

more aapi judges nominated to federal bench

On Friday, President Obama nominated Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, Judge Susan Richard Nelson, Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander, Judge James K. Bredar and Edmond E. Chang to United States District Court judgeships. From the White House press release, here are the bios of Judge Kobayashi and Judge Chang:

what is the price of beauty?

Have you seen the ads for this VH1 show The Price of Beauty? I recently heard from Jason, who spotted this ad on the subway and wrote a brief reflections about it -- and why it's problematic -- on his blog: The Price of Exotification. (Thanks, Jason.)

website for white house initiative on aapis

Take note. The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders recently launched its website, where you'll find information on the Initiative's work in the federal agencies and the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Some background info:

a man, a costume, and a loud cry for attention

It's video of a guy running and dancing around in a banana suit. The end.

translating chinese web content into english

The internet is a highly multilingual place, but speakers from different languages still don't interact much with each other. This is a really interesting story from NPR's On the Media, talking to a man named Roland Soong, one of the few people in the world who is translating Chinese web content into English: Translating China.

this week's angriest posts

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

• little asian girl's badass parallel parking


• by popular demand: that hot japanese soccer player guy


• kal penn robbed at gunpoint


• raymond lee's official glee audition


• two arrested in oakland sucker punch attack


• [lost spoiler] I was thinking the same thing


• more glee auditions


• the migraine that became a chinese accent


• csun economics professor runs thai sex tourism website


• random street assault leaves man in grave condition

More on this later, but I wanted to note that Virginia Tech offensive tackle Ed Wang has been drafted by the Buffalo Bills -- the 9th pick in the 5th round (140th overall). He is apparently the first Chinese American in the NFL.

ed lin reading/signing at giant robot

Ed Lin, author of the novels This Is a Bust and Snakes Can't Run, will be making a rare west coast appearance next week to read from his first novel Waylaid. It's been eight years since the book was first published. Ed reflects on how its been received, then and now:

indiewire interview with producer mynette louie

Our friend Mynette Louie, producer of the wonderful indie film Children of Invention, has a great interview in indieWIRE about innovations in indie film distribution -- because, frankly, the old model isn't really cutting it anymore: FUTURES: "Children of Invention" Producer Mynette Louie.

Mynette's a smart, saavy producer who up-and-coming filmmakers could learn a thing or two from. Among her upcoming projects as a producer, she's currently finishing P. Benoit's Untitled Haiti Project (with Karin Chien and Ben Howe), and is developing Eric Lin's Why We Pull the Trigger and Tze Chun's You're a Big Girl Now.

Oh, while I'm at it, I should mention that Children of Invention is opening this weekend at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver. The rest of you can get your super awesome Deluxe Collector's Edition DVD of Children of Invention here.

take action against arizona's jacked up immigration law

Today in Arizona, Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB1070 into law. The controversial immiration measure allows state and local police to enforce immigration law and requires officers, "when practicable," to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally. It also allows citizens to sue cities if they believe the law isn't being properly enforced. You suck, Arizona.

The measure has drawn vocal criticism from opponents across the country, from civil liberties groups to law enforcement organizations, who argue that it would place additional burdens on police departments, discourage immigrants from cooperating on investigations, and possibly lead to racial profiling.

What now? Here's something that was passed along to me from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. Sorry about the cut-and-paste job, but this is important and urgent:

outspoken: vietnamese poets of the diaspora II

Short notice, but if you're a poetry fan in the Bay Area, I wanted to let you know about Outspoken: Vietnamese Poets of the Diaspora II, the Vietnamese International Poetry Festival presented by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network.

The program includes Anh Vu Buchanan, Kim-An Lieberman, Lan Tran, Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Andrew Lam, Dao Strom and Viet Nguyen, who will be serving as emcee. It's happening this Saturday, April 24 at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Here's some event info:

why harold koh should be the next supreme court justice

Maybe you've heard. With Justice Stevens stepping down, there's an opening on the Supreme Court, and Obama's nomination to replace him could be one of the most important decisions of his administration. There are already several frontrunners, but here's a good Huffington Post piece by Frank Chi, who gives his reasons Why Harold Koh Should Be the Next Supreme Court Justice.

angry reader of the week: anderson le

Okay, it's time for another 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 self-described cultural worker Anderson Le.

mickey rourke... as genghis khan?!

So Mickey Rourke is on a bit of a comeback streak, with his award-winning turn in The Wrestler and his upcoming appearance as the villain Whiplash in Iron Man 2. Hooray for him. He's hot again. But are you ready to see him play Genghis Khan? Yeah. Genghis friggin' Khan.

According to this interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Mickey Rourke is currently lined up to play the title role in the writer/director John Milius' movie epic about history's notorious Mongol conqueror: Mickey Rourke as Genghis Khan?. Excuse, but has anyone thought about what a bad idea this is?

sonny lee gets comedy deal with universal

Sonny Lee and Patrick Walsh, two former writers on the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (very funny show), have signed an overall deal to develop comedy projects for Universal Media Studios: Former 'Sunny' writers ink deal with UMS.

Lee and Walsh started in the business just four years ago as pages for NBC in Manhattan, where their spec comedy script about the network's page program caught the attention of NBC executive VP of comedy Jeff Ingold.

the cove psa

This PSA, directed by Andres Useche, was inspired by the Oscar-winning feature documnteary The Cove. It features a number of celebrities, including Tamlyn Tomita, James Kyson Lee, Carrie Anne Inaba and Chris Tashima, coming together to save Japan's dolphins. To sign the petition to help get the word out, go here.

denny chin finally confirmed to u.s. court of appeals

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Denny Chin to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit serving New York, Connecticut and Vermont. He will be the only Asian American to fill an active judgeship on the U.S. Court of Appeals: U.S. Judge Denny Chin Finally Confirmed For Appeals Court.

Man, that took long enough. President Obama nominated Judge Chin to the Second Circuit in October. He was among about two dozen court nominees whose confirmations were blocked on the Senate floor by secret holds placed by individual senators.

Judge Chin has been involved in many prominent cases, including that of Bernard L. Madoff, whom he sentenced in June to 150 years in prison for his enormous Ponzi scheme. He is also considering a pending settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by authors and publishers over Google's book-scanning project.

The second circuit is known in particular for its decisions in financial and white-collar cases. It is also the court from which Justice Sonia Sotomayor was chosen for appointment to the United States Supreme Court. More here: Appeals Court Judge and U.S. Attorney Are Confirmed.

asian americans in the fashion industry panel at columbia

Check it out... very cool fashion-related event happening next week at Columbia University. In celebration of Asian Pacific American Awareness Month, they're presenting a panel discussion on the careers of Asian Americans in the fashion industry, featuring some of the top figures in the field today. It's happening this Sunday, April 25. Read on for details:

call for submissions: marking the 10-year anniversary of 9/11

With the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 approaching in 2011, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and Race/Ethnicity: Multidisciplinary Global Contexts are inviting submissions for special journal issue, "Field Notes on the 9/11 Moment: Transformations in Community and Country."

This issue, to be published in June 2011, will provide an opportunity to discuss and engage with the complexities presented by the 9/11 moment for communities in the United States and the rest of the world. Here's some more information on submitting:

lin yu chun and the shat: "total eclipse of the heart"

In what is possibly the weirdest duet I've ever seen, here's Lin Yu Chun -- you know, the Taiwanese dude who did the too-kickass rendition of "I Will Always Love You" -- rocking out to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with none other than William Shatner on Lopez Tonight. What is it about this guy? He is both awesome and unsettling.

oakland sucker punch attackers charged with murder

The two young men charged with beating Tian Sheng Yu to death (the "sucker punch slaying") in Oakland last week will be charged with murder, but not a hate crime: No hate-crime charge in sucker-punch slaying.

Lavonte Drummer and Dominic Davis appeared in Alameda County Superior Court this afternoon on charges that they murdered Yu, who was shopping with his son in downtown Oakland on Friday when they were accosted by the men. But they will not be charged with a hate crime:

tak toyoshima signing at giant robot new york

If you're in New York, don't miss our friend Tak Toyoshima, the guy behind Secret Asian Man (and last week's Angry Reader), doing a signing of his book The Daily Days this Friday, April 23 at Giant Robot New York. Some details:

couple arrested for leaving baby alone in casino parking lot

Oh man, come on. Last week in Lincoln, California, authorities arrested a couple for leaving their infant daughter in a parked car while they gambled in a casino: Couple leaves baby in car while gambling at casino.

According to the Placer County Sheriff's Department, deputies arrested Thuan Nguyen and Panfila Pho Phan after a security guard noticed the baby in a parked car at Thunder Valley Casino:

more glee auditions

The other day I mentioned my buddy Ray's Glee audition. Here are a few more noteworthy ones that have come to my attention...


Jennifer Chung singing "Hate On Me." (Love this.)


Esna Yoon singing "Lean On Me."


Sam Tsui singing "True Colors."


Joyce Y. Kang, singing "Don't Rain on My Parade."


Jonathan Tzou singing "Lean On Me."


Penny Chitamitara singing "Lean On Me."

I don't want to hear anyone singing "Lean On Me" for a very long time.

daniel dae kim cast in deathgames

More post-Lost work for actor Daniel Dae Kim. The guy we know and love as Jin has been cast in the action thriller Deathgames with Samuel L. Jackson and Kellan Lutz: "Lost" star Daniel Dae Kim cast in "Deathgames."

The story centers on a young man (Lutz) who is kidnapped by a sadistic mastermind (Jackson) and forced into a modern gladiator arena, where men fight to the death for the entertainment of the online masses.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, DDK is playing a fellow prisoner, an artist who happens to be a master of kendo (samurai-style sword fighting), a skill that comes in handy when he competes for his life and his wife's.

Shooting begins next month in Louisiana. I love Daniel, and I'm certainly glad we'll be seeing more of him... but to be honest, this movie does not sound very good. But I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. More here: 'Lost': What should the actors do next?

little asian girl's badass parallel parking

I just watched this thing like ten times in a row. Fool, let me tell you about bad Asian driver stereotypes. This little girl, on her tiny training wheel bike, busts 'em wide open. That's a badass parallel parking job. Justin Lin, are you reading this? Put this girl in the next Fast & Furious movie! The Fast and the Furious: Training Wheel Drift.

csun economics professor runs thai sex tourism website

Have you heard about Kenneth Ng? No, not Kenneth Eng, the crazy scary freaknut dragon guy. No, this is whole other Kenny.

Meet Kenneth Ng. By day, he's a California State University Northridge economics professor. But in his free time, he runs a Thai sex tourism website: CSUN economics professor Kenneth Ng runs Thai sex tourism website.

Ng was recently outed by a group of disgruntled foreign businessmen as running a website that offers insights into the Thai bar scene, such as where to meet beautiful women and how to negotiate fees for their services.

geeky fanfilm: street fighter high

What happens when you gather a bunch of Street Fighter fans with way too much time on their hands? You get Street Fighter High, a fanfilm homage written by Jennifer Zhang and directed by Derek Easley. It's absolutely ridiculous, but you if you chuckled at any of it, you're a damn nerd just like me. Hadouken!

lac su at the los angeles times festival of books

Hey, if you're headed to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend, make sure you check out our buddy Lac Su, author of I Love Yous Are for White People, who will be on the panel "Memoir: Crafting the Personal Story" on Sunday at UCLA. Some more details:

[lost spoiler] I was thinking the same thing

If you didn't catch last night's Lost, this cartoon is kind of spoiler-y. But I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one who was fearing this same scenario during the moment in question. That would've been seriously cruel. Don't watch this if you don't want to know what I'm talking about.

lt. dan choi arrested again in white house protest

Lt. Dan Choi has been arrested again! He was among six people in military uniforms who handcuffed themselves to the North Lawn fence of the White House yesterday to protest "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": Dan Choi, Other Gay Rights Protesters Arrested After Chaining Selves to White House Fence.

As you know, Choi is an openly gay Iraq war veteran and West Point graduate who has emerged as one of the most prominent critics of the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. He was also arrested last month for chaining himself to the White House fence.

nike music shoe

This video is totally ridiculous, but kind of fun to watch. Musical Nikes! But don't get your hopes up -- you won't these specially modified kicks at Foot Locker. Note the disclaimer at the end: "Shoes sold at retail will NOT make music when bent or twisted." Bummer.

state senator receives hate threats over palin probe

You may have heard that California State Senator Leland Yee has been trying to get California State University Stanislaus to release the details of Sarah Palin's contract for an upcoming speaking engagement.

Because of this, Yee's office has apparently been hit with a barrage of "racist, homophobic phone calls and faxes": Leland Yee, California State Senator, Says He Was 'Threatened' By Palin Supporters.

According to Yee, the threats included a variety of racial slurs, anti-gay rhetoric and violent imagery. He even received a death threat via fax. Here's the press release from Yee's office:

raymond lee's official glee audition

Glee fans, you know that the show has been holding Open Auditions for a nationwide casting search to fill new high school student roles that will be added to the show's second season. And it's all happening over the web.

I've been looking at a bunch of the audition videos, looking for Asian faces. It seems like everybody and anybody has posted a video of themselves singing a rendition of "Lean on Me" or "True Colors" or one of the other approved songs. Most are pretty mediocre. Some are fantastically terrible.

So... for the purposes of this blog, I'm interested in knowing who are the Asian folks with awesome auditions videos? There are just way too many to go through them all, and there doesn't seem to be a way to organize and order them by rating ("gold stars").

One guy I do hope everyone votes for: Raymond Lee. Our friend and a former Angry Reader of the Week is a hell of a singer, and I could see him kicking ass on a show like Glee. Show Ray some love and vote for him here.

car break-ins hit philadelphia's chinatown

Philadelphia... be on the watch! There has been a recent spate of car break-ins in Chinatown in which electronic items such as laptop computers, MP3 players, and GPS devices were stolen. According to police, from March 29 to April 3, there were five such car burglaries in the area: Chinatown car break-ins spark caution.

asian american literature symposium

If you're anywhere near the University of Maryland, the Asian American Literary Review, which recently launched its first issue, invites you to the Asian American Literature Symposium, a day-long celebration of eight of today's most accomplished and exciting Asian American writers. It's this Saturday, April 24 at Ulrich Recital Hall. Some details:

the child survivors of the oklahoma city bombing

Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City federal building bombing, which killed 168 people on April 19, 1995 -- the worst homegrown terrorist attack ever perpetrated on U.S. soil: 15 years later, victims, residents remember Oklahoma City bombing.

Amidst the reflections and remembrances, I caught the name of one of 19 child survivors of the attack: Chris Nguyen, who was 5 years old and in the day care center during the bombing. Today, he's a sophomore at Oklahoma University:

what I'm reading: the surrendered by chang-rae lee

I'm currently in the middle of reading The Surrendered, the latest novel by Chang-rae Lee, and it's kicking my ass. I've been a fan of the author's for years (Native Speaker was one of the first works of Asian American literature I ever read), and based on what I've read so far, this is easily his best work yet.

Epic and ambitious, it's a horrifying yet poetic tale about the consquences of war, with haunting, mesmerizing immediacy that sort of slaps you in the face from the very first passage. Here's the official blurb from the publisher:

kal penn robbed at gunpoint

Whoa. It's being reported that actor Kal Penn, who, as you know, has been working at the White House for his buddy Barack these days, was robbed at gunpoint early this morning while walking in a neighborhood in Washington D.C.: Kumar' Actor Robbed at Gunpoint in D.C.

two arrested in oakland sucker punch attack

UPDATE: It's being reported Tian Sheng Yu was taken off life support earlier today and has died: 59-year-old Oakland assault victim dies.

.....

Two suspects have been arrested in the beating of a 59-year-old man, who was randomly attacked last week during a shopping trip in Oakland's Uptown neighborhood: Two men arrested in Oakland attack.

bid on some cool art, support the imaginasian fundraiser

Our friend and former Angry Reader of the Week Kate Agathon has been working hard to organize an art exhibition, ImaginAsian (no relation to the multimedia company of the same name), in celebration of APA Heritage Month at Purdue University.

Sponsored by the Asian American Network of Indiana, the exhibit is comprised of 66 pieces of work donated by 60 contributors, including writer Lac Su, artist and author Kip Fulbeck, civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama, director Michael Kang, Senator Daniel Inouye, G.I. Joe creator Larry Hama, and other stakeholders in the Asian American community.

boyz II men... in korea!

Hey, whatever happened to Boyz II Men? I won't lie -- at one point in my life, they were my favorite musical group. So where are they now? I'll tell you: Korea. They were there last week performing a concert in Seoul.

Here's a fancam video of them singing "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" with Korean pop group 4Men, who appear to only have three men, contrary to what their name would indicate. That's okay -- Boyz II Men appears to be a member short these days too. Ah, this takes me back.

the migraine that became a chinese accent

This is a weird-ass story about a British woman who recovered from a migraine headache... and suddenly found herself speaking with "a Chinese accent": British woman finds herself speaking with Chinese accent after recovering from migraine. This headline is a joke right?

5th annual disorient asian american film festival of oregon

This one's for all you Asian American film fans in Oregon. The Fifth Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon returns! So much to see, so much to do. It's happening this week, April 23-25 at the Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene.

small fourth grader is big on talent

Some cool news out of Seattle about 10-year-old pianist Alexander Lu, a fourth grader who recently won a KING-FM young artists competition, beating out 169 other top students in the area -- most of whom are in high school: Tiny pianist wins big competition.

Still kind of a small dude, Alexander's legs are apparently too short to reach the piano pedals, and his aren't big enough to play the chords in many classical music pieces. But what he lacks in size, he makes up for in super expressive-body movement. Some eyebrow action goes a long way.

final lost cast photo

Lost fans! We're getting closer and closer to the series finale. Can't believe we're just a handful of episodes away to the end. Above, we've got the official final cast photo that was recently unveiled in TV Guide. Spot any clues?

oca-gla civil rights fellowship program

The OCA-Greater Los Angeles chapter has announced its inaugural Civil Rights Fellowship Program for 2010-11. If you're in the Los Angeles area, this is a cool opportunity open to young Asian Pacific Americans looking to develop leadership skills and a better understanding of social justice issues in the community. Here's the announcement:

by popular demand: that hot japanese soccer player guy

I've had a lot of people writing in tell me that I must post a photo or two of Japanese soccer player Hidetoshi Nakata, who just happens to have an awesome physique. So, um, here you go. You may have spotted Hidetoshi in this crazy ridiculous Crazy Klein campaign.

last chance: did you send in your census form?

Did you fill out your census form? But wait! The campaign to count our community continues! In the next phase of the 2010 Census, representatives from the Census will begin visiting U.S. households. Yes, if you didn't send in your form, expect a knock on your door.

Starting next month, Census workers will be giving a friendly visit to households who have not turned in their initial Census 2010 form. If you would not like to meet a Census representative, make sure you mail in your 2010 Census form by April 19th -- um, that's today. It's easy, private, and vital for you and your community.

If you've turned in your 2010 Census form already, you can satisfy your competitive streak by checking in the TAKE 10 MAP to see how your hometown is doing. Is your region one of the top 50 that hasn't turned their 2010 Census forms in?

east of main street: asians aloud trailer

Check out this cool trailer for East of Main Street: Asian Aloud, fourteen stories speaking to the diversity and commonality of the Asian Pacific American experience, coming in May from HBO. You might recognize a few faces in there. Looks pretty cool, right?

It won't be airing on HBO proper, but you will be able to watch in On Demand when it launches. This is just of several HBO programming initiatives for APA Heritage Month. Looking forward to seeing this. More details to come...

random street assault leaves man in grave condition

This is some shocking news out of Oakland about 59-year-old Tian Sheng Yu, who was brutally assaulted in broad daylight last week while trying to defend his son's honor -- "a brutal and random attack" that has left him on life support: Son describes Oakland assault that left father near death.

Tian Sheng Yu was punched once in the mouth by an unknown assailant and fell to the ground, hitting his head, said his son, Jin Cheng Yu, 27, who witnessed the blow.

"It happened so fast," the younger Yu said Saturday afternoon in front of his home in San Francisco's Portola district, where he stood still wearing pants splattered with blood, his left eye badly swollen from the unprovoked blow. His father was listed in grave condition and was in intensive care at an Oakland hospital.

It apparently all started when two young men walked up to Jin Cheng Yu on the street in downtown Oakland and slugged him in the eye "for no reason." When his father found out what happened, they went looking for the suspected assailants and confronted them, wanting to know what happened:

8th annual indian film festival of los angeles

Yet another film festival... but I think you're going to like it. This week marks the eighth edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, happening April 20-25 at ArcLight Hollywood. They'll be rolling out the red carpet for the L.A. premiere of Dilip Mehta's Cooking with Stella.

man found guilty in 2007 shooting

Some news out of El Cerrito, California... earlier this month, Marcellus Allen was convicted in the 2007 shooting death of a college student who was robbed while helping his father with repairs at an apartment complex: Killer guilty in '07 shooting in El Cerrito.

Allen was found guilty in Contra Costa County Superior Court of first-degree murder, second-degree robbery and possession of an assault weapon in the slaying of 24-year-old Jinzhou Chang of Richmond. Jurors rejected an allegation that Allen personally used a firearm.

this week's angriest posts

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

• the phrase that needs to die


• 12-year-old adora svitak at ted 2010


• steven seagal sued for allegedly keeping "sex slaves"


• the return of glee


• pro golfer y.e. yang... or last night's takeout delivery guy


• chan ho park had diarrhea


• save vietnamese language classes at ut austin


• joe wong is funny... just not in china


• three suspects arrested in manhattan hate crime attacks


• "the cambodian female" at south philly high

I've had an awesome time meeting and sharing with students at Purdue University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. Thanks so much for all your hospitality!

east west players' 44th visionary awards dinner

This is a bit short notice, but if you're a fan of theater in Los Angeles, you're invited to East West Players' 44th Anniversary Visionary Awards Dinner, saluting artists who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American community through theater, film and television. It's happening Monday, April 19 at the University City Hilton.

This year's honorees include Wenda Fong, FOX V.P. of Alternative Entertainment; Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park; PIXAR Animation Studios; and Jordan Nagai, the voice of Russell in Pixar's Up. Performers include Kaba Modern, Joan Almedilla and Jenni Selma of the upcoming production of Road to Saigon and more. Here's some more info:

roy choi is one of food & wine's best new chefs 2010

Hey look! Roy Choi, the culinary brains behind the now-famous Kogi truck, and the guy you can blame for jump-starting Los Angeles' food truck craze, was named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs 2010.

Seriously, every conceivable cuisine now has one or more food trucks representing it in on the streets of L.A. -- banh mi, Indian, Hawaiian, grilled cheese -- you name it. And you can trace them all back to Kogi. Sure, food trucks have been around for a while. But Kogi made them hot.

call for entries deadline: 2010 sdaff

Our friends at the San Diego Asian Film Foundation want you to know that the early deadline for their Call For Entries is fast approaching. If you're a filmmaker, and want to be part of one of the coolest festivals dedicated to showcasing APA film, read on:

david k. yoo appointed new director of ucla asian american studies center

This week, the University of California Los Angeles announced the appointment of Professor David K. Yoo as the new Director of the Asian American Studies Center and Professor in the Department of Asian American Studies. Here's the press release that passed along to me from UCLA's Graduate Division:

angry reader of the week: tak toyoshima

Well, look here. It's time for another 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 none other than Tak Toyoshima, the guy behind Secret Asian Man.