Woman wears colander for driver's license photo

Former adult movie star Asia Carrera exercises her religious freedom at the DMV. With a pasta strainer.



Did you hear the one about the former porn star who wore a pasta strainer on her head for her driver's license photo? It's true. And would you believe it was an expression of her religious beliefs? Yup.

Woman wears colander for driver's license photo

That is Asia Lemmon, also known as former adult movie star Asia Carrera (legal name: Jessica Steinhauser). Claiming membership in the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, she was allowed to exercise her religious right by wearing a metal colander on her head for her Utah driver's license photo.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster movement, also known as "Pastafarianism," started in 2005 as a protest against teaching intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in Kansas schools. Lemmon says that with the right documents, she had no problem rocking her headgear at the DMV.

Recreating that railroad photo -- this time, with Chinese people!

Asian Americans gather to recreate iconic "golden spike" photograph at Promontory Summit



Friday, May 10 marked the 145th anniversary of the completion of America's first transcontinental railroad. In 1869, the landmark moment connecting the country's two coasts was commemorated with the symbolic hammering of a golden spike, and an iconic photograph taken at Promontory Summit, Utah.

But that famous photo, which shows a crowd of men swarmed around two locomotives, has always been marred by a glaring omission: not one Chinese person. Not one of the 12,000 laborers from China who toiled to build the Central Pacific Railroad. They apparently weren't allowed to take part in this historic photo.

So last Friday, a group of Asian Americans -- including descendants of the Chinese railroad workers -- celebrated the railroad's 145th anniversary by recreating the famous photo at Promontory Summit, with locomotives and everything. Only this time, Chinese people were definitely included in the photo.

A 'photographic act of justice' for Chinese laborers at Golden Spike

Some 200 Chinese Americans, Chinese citizens and other Asian American friends took part in Friday's commemorative event:

7-year-old victim's family testifies in murder trial

Esar Met is on trial for abducting and killing Hser Ner Moo in 2008

Heartbroken and horrified by this story out of Salt Lake City, where testimony began this week in the trial of a man accused of the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of a 7-year-old girl in 2008.

Utah murder victim’s family tearfully testifies about her

26-year-old Esar Met is charged with first-degree felony counts of child kidnapping and aggravated murder for the slaying of Hser Ner Moo. She lived in the same neighborhood and was found dead in a shower stall inside Met's basement apartment.

Members of Hser's family, who are refugees from Burma, took the witness stand Wednesday to testify in the case against Met. Speaking through an interpreter, her father told the court the death of his daughter was the "greatest loss" of his life.

Jeremy Lin will attend the Sundance Film Festival

It's official. Jeremy Lin will attend the Sundance Film Festival next weekend for the final screening of Evan Jackson Leong's documentary Linsanity: Jeremy Lin to attend Sundance Film Festival.

The film, which chronicles Jeremy's rise unexpected rise from NBA benchwarmer to international basketball superstar, premiered last Sunday in Park City, Utah. Jeremy, who will happen to be in town with the Rockets to play the Utah Jazz, will reportedly attend the January 27 screening with some of his teammates.

This will be happening at the tail-end of Sundance, when the hype has usually died down a bit, but a guest appearance by Jeremy Lin on the festival's final day will definitely be... well, Linsane. Good times. Oh, and here's The Hollywood Reporter's review of the film: Linsanity: Sundance Review.

Meanwhile, a reminder that the folks behind Linsanity are currently in the throes of a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds towards finishing the film. Licenses and all that ain't cheap, yo. Why not kick in a few bucks and support this extraordinary project?

Back from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival

I am back from the wintry wilds of Park City, Utah, where I partook in the annual celebration of independent cinema known as the Sundance Film Festival. I saw films, friends and much colder weather than my west coast constitution is used to, but it was a fun whirlwind weekend. Here are a few cool things I experienced...

Utah governor proclaims Fred Korematsu Day

Do you know about Fred Korematsu? His landmark Supreme Court case Korematsu v. United States challenged the legality of the mass removal of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II, and is considered a milestone for modern civil rights.

Over half a century later in Utah -- the state where Korematsu was held at the Topaz internment camp -- Governor Gary Herbert will proclaim January 30 as Fred Korematsu Day, in honor of the civil rights hero: Utah governor to honor Topaz internee, Fred Korematsu.

david phan's family sets up anti-bullying fund

Got this passed along to me... The news of 14-year-old David Phan's tragic suicide shocked communities everywhere -- another young life lost to the torment of bullying. But his family is hoping that David's death will not be in vain.

To spread awareness about the issue of bullying, David's family has set up a memorial Wells Fargo account in his name. In lieu of flowers, donations can made to the Anti-Bullying Foundation: In Memory of David Phan. All funds donated will go towards education and outreach efforts against bullying.

Here's the statement from David Phan's family:

Bullied teen commits suicide outside school

Damn. Tragic news out of Utah, where a 14-year-old middle school student committed suicide last week after being bullied one too many times: 14-year-old Bennion Jr. High student commits suicide.

David Phan, a student at Bennion Junior High School in Taylorsville, reportedly shot himself in the head in front of other students on a sky bridge just outside the school on Thursday afternoon.

According to peers, Phan was the victim of extensive bullying. He had been dismissed from school early that day and went home with this mother, but returned in the afternoon. On the bridge, he met up with some other students and produced a handgun just before shooting himself: