houston teen will be hanging with the first lady

At tomorrow night's State of the Union address, 18-year-old Li Boynton of Houston will have one of the best seats in the house. She was invited by the White House to attend the address... and she'll be sitting in the box with none other than First Lady Michelle Obama: Teen scientist gets high honor from Obamas.

She'll also find out Wednesday whether she has advanced to the finals of Intel's Science Talent Search, the nation's oldest and most prestigious high school science honor. Did I also mention she's been accepted to Yale? So yeah, she's smart.

The paper for the competition, "The Use of Bioluminescent Bacteria to Detect Environmental Contaminants," details how living organisms that give off light can be used as sensors to detect contaminants in water. Boynton actually developed a sensor made from bioluminescent bacteria. Did I mention this girl is smart?

The White House released a statement this week on why Boynton was selected to sit with the First Lady:

"The President has repeatedly stated that he is counting on today's students to meet the Grand Challenges of the 21st century -- challenges such as developing new domestic energy sources that will fuel the economy while reducing dependence on foreign oil and protecting the climate, and delivering better health care for Americans at lower cost. The White House sees in Li Boynton's early achievements inspiring evidence that she is among the Nation's next generation of leaders who will meet these challenges. Her work developing a novel method of detecting contaminants in water -- a problem that haunts one billion people around the world today--reflected a great confluence of scientific insight and caring for others. We hope other students will look at what she has done and will be inspired to immerse themselves in science, engineering and math and do their part for the nation and the world."

Boynton is one of 300 semifinalists for the award. If she's selected as one of the 40 finalists, she'll travel to Washington, D.C. in March to participate in final judging. The top award is $100,000. But first things first -- Li will be hanging Wednesday night with the First Lady. More here: Bellaire teen invited to State of the Union.

what I'm listening to: big phony's kicking punching bags

Kicking Punching Bags, the new album from Big Phony, officially drops today. I've actually had a copy for a couple of months, and I love it. I guess you could describe it as sensitive-guy-with-guitar kind of stuff, with heavy Elliot Smith influences. This is really great record, and I highly recommend checking it out. Here's some info about the new album, in his own words:

"Kicking Punching Bags" was produced by Jason Hiller at Walden Recordings in Beverly Hills, CA. We started recording back in December of 2008 and it took us just a few months to track the album, so we've been waiting quite some time to get this out there. I’d say it’s a pretty nice and laid back piece of work. For all of the songs we only laid down a few takes and used no click tracks. Personally I think it made the album sound more natural and less cookie cutter or contrived. Downside is, it makes it harder to add techno beats for Big Phony dance remixes. Oh well, hope you guys enjoy it!

You can listen to some of the tracks at Big Phony's MySpace page here. Not only is the album great, but having gotten to know Big Phony, aka Bobby Choy, he's a pretty cool guy, and I'd love to see more people get tuned into his music.

There's an album release party next month, February 11, at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, but rumor has it, it's already completely sold out (a limited number of tickets may be available at the door). You can download Kicking Punching Bags from iTunes or get it from the Big Phony Store. And spread the word!

2010 nea literature fellowships

The National Endowment for the Arts recently announced its 2010 Literature Fellows. This year the fellowships are awarded to creative writers working in prose. Notable Asian American writers selected this year include Frances Hwang, author of Transparency, Padma Viswanathan, author of Toss of a Lemon, and Aimee Phan, author of We Should Never Meet.

Over 25,000 pages were reviewed from 993 eligible applicants. In all, the NEA chose 42 writers from across the United States, and awarded $25,000 to support writing and additional projects necessary for the writers' artistic growth.

To apply, writers submit a sample of their best work. Prose writers submit 30 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction. Poets submit 10 pages of poems. These are judged blindly by anonymous manuscript and sent to a panel of distinguished American writers who spend five months evaluating them, so it's a very intensive process.

Applications for the NEA's Creative Writing Fellowship in poetry are due this year and winners will be announced in December. (Thanks, Bryan.)

lost: one week to season six

We are one week away from the sixth and final season premiere of Lost. As you all know, I am a Lost freak, and if you're not, none of this post is going to make any kind of sense. But oh well. ABC finally released a new season six promo... with some crazy brief flashes of new footage -- including a shot of a gun-toting, badass looking Claire. What the hell does it mean? Is Claire the new Rousseau? We'll find out.



There have also been a bunch of artsy-cool international promos for the show. Like this one from Israel. No new footage, just cool imagery.



This one from Spain (Perdidos) evokes eyeball closeups and some damn cool chess board visuals, and of course, rocks a spiffy Radiohead tune.



And finally, here's an excellent video created by a resourceful fan, who pieced together the entire Oceanic 815 crash, from different perspectives, in real time -- a la 24. It's totally nerdy, but really nicely done. One week away!

conspiracy theories revived in haing s. ngor's murder

A couple of days ago, someone asked me incredulously, "Hey, did you know that an Asian actor won an Academy Award? Like, in the eighties." Yes! That man was Haing S. Ngor, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1985 for his role in The Killing Fields. (He was actually one of three actors of Asian descent who have won an Academy Award for acting.)

A doctor by training, Ngor survived imprisonment and torture in Cambodia under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, moved to the United States as a refugee, and was chosen as an unknown to play photographer Dith Pran in The Killing Fields.

Sadly, Ngor was found shot to death in the garage of his Los Angeles apartment building in 1996. Relatives and friends in the Cambodian community immediately speculated that the killing was revenge hit, ordered by Pol Pot or a member of the Khmer Rouge, for his outspoken opposition to the dictator.

The Los Angeles Police Department launched an international investigation, only to conclude that Ngor was killed by three members of an Asian American gang, part of a random street robbery gone wrong. Two years later, the suspects were convicted and the case appeared to be closed.

But over the last few months, Ngor's death has again captivated the Cambodian community, sparked by the U.N. tribunal testimony of a former Khmer Rouge prison chief Kang Kek Ieu, who claims that "Ngor was killed because he appeared in the film The Killing Fields."

Needless to say, the claim stoked new theories about Ngor's murder: Revisiting Haing Ngor's murder: 'Killing Fields' theory won't die. Fourteen years later, many remain convinced of a conspiracy -- a political hit -- despite the insistence of authorities that it was a random street crime with no ties to Cambodia. More here: THE KILLING FIELDS - ACTOR'S FAMILY CALL FOR DEATH INVESTIGATION TO BE REOPENED.

refugee nation performance at ucla

If you're in the Los Angeles area, the Laotian American Organization at UCLA invites you to a special event, Refugee Nation, written and performed by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng, based on the stories of Laotian refugee and their descendants. It's next Monday, February 1 in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom at UCLA. Here's the info:

The Laotian American Organization at UCLA proudly presents

REFUGEE NATION

Written and performed by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng
Based on the stories of Laotian refugees and their descendants.

Monday, February 1, 2010
7:30-10:00 PM
(Doors open at 7:00 PM)
Ackerman Grand Ballroom
2nd Floor, Ackerman Union
UCLA Campus

A mother lives in the darkness of a South Los Angeles apartment. An Army General struggles to forget a lost war. A son battles in the streets of urban America. Refugee Nation is about a young generation struggling to understand their history and the silence of an elder generation still healing from the traumas of the U.S. waged Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War era.

More than just a telling of Laotian American history, the two-person performance eloquently touches upon crucial issues relating to the refugee experience, assimilation, generation gap, and mental health by interweaving drama, film, music, and audience interaction. The result is a product that not only brings to light the hidden stories of Laotian Americans around the U.S., but one that is able to unite people from all types of backgrounds, ethnicities, and histories by relaying the ideas of change, loss, struggle, healing, and the unrelenting strength of the human spirit.

As we welcome a new decade, the Refugee Nation continues to grow. With the certainty of new refugee arrivals coming from the Middle East, what can we learn from the wounds of a war 30 years ago that are still yet to be healed?

The event is free and open to the public. The show will run for 60 minutes and will be followed by a 30-minute Question and Answer session with the artists.

This sounds like a really fantastic event. The show has toured everywhere from New York to Alaska, but this will actually be the show's first performance in its hometown of Los Angeles. And best of all, the show is absolutely free.

For more information about the event (including parking details), go to the Facebook event page here. For more information on Refugee Nation, visit their website here.

asia pacific arts' best of 2009

Okay, we're a couple of weeks into 2010, but we can still do a little bit of looking back... My friends at Asia Pacific Arts, one of my favorite online magazines, have been quietly unveiling their annual Best of 2009 edition, looking back and selecting some of their favorite Asian and Asian American films, performers, behind-the-scenes artists, video games, lifestyle media gurus and more.

It's an issue I look forward to every year -- particularly the Best Asian American Film feature. It's a solid list. Take a look at the entire Best of 2009 issue here.

projekt newspeak seeking staff and screenplay submissions

I recently joined the board of Project NewSpeak, an Asian American production company with some pretty big ideas. They've got a lot of energy and some really exciting things going on this year. I'm pleased to be a part of its vision.

The goal: "to break and change stereotypes and images of Asian Americans in the mainstream media through the development, organization and promotion of innovative and thought-provoking art that speaks to the minds and hearts of all people." But in order to do this, they need your help.

Projekt NewSpeak is looking a second generation staff to take charge of the organization. Do you want to work in production, filmmaking, event planning? Do you want to work with positive people that want to change the image and stereotypes of Asian Americans in Hollywood? Then join Projekt Newspeak. Take a look at the flyer above for more info. To apply, please contact: info@projektnewspeak.com

They are also actively looking for material to produce. If you have a compelling story/screenplay (any genre: drama, comedy, action, etc.), and are interesting in getting it produced by NewSpeak, submit your finished work to info@projektnewspeak.com by February 15. And for more information, visit the Projekt NewSpeak website here.

college student charged with killing father

Whoa. In Virginia, 19-year-old Alan Yuan Chang, a first-year student at the University of Virginia, appeared at a preliminary hearing last week on first-degree murder charges in the death his father, 47-year-old Jian Zhang: Hearing set for Henrico man, 19, accused of murdering father.

new last airbender posters

Paramount just released two new teaser posters for this summer's live-action big screen adaptation of The Last Airbender, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. That's Dev Patel as Zuko and Noah Ringer as Aang.

You know, the more I see from this movie, the more ridiculous it becomes. If you haven't heard by now, the Asian-inspired heroes of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon have been magically transformed into white people for the movie version.

Meanwhile, the good folks at Racebending continue their efforts to create awareness about The Last Airbender's casting debacle. They recently created a pretty informative and educational video series, The Last Airbender Film: How to Talk About It .

Basically, it gives people helpful pointers for talking about The Last Airbender, explaining why this casting is so problematic, and why fans are so passionate about this issue. For more informatio, go to the Racebending website here.

not always right: "real chinese restaurant"

We've all suffered through bad customer service. It's pretty annoying. But the reverse is true too -- working a retail or service job sucks, and idiot customers don't make it any better. Not Always Right is a blog that chronicles the joys of dealing with stupid/annoying/pain-in-the-ass customers. Here's a recent exchange that stuck out:

Doesn't Know Their A(merican)B(orn)C(hinese)'s
Restaurant | Greenville, SC, USA

Me: "Thank you for calling [Chinese restaurant], how can I help you?"

Customer: "Yes, I'd like an order for delivery."

Me: "Okay, if you'll just give me your-"

Customer: *cutting me off* "Is this a real Chinese restaurant?"

Me: "Yes, ma'am."

Customer: "I've just never heard any one talk like you at a Chinese restaurant. I'm just making sure Americans aren't cooking my Chinese food!"

Sad but true. Because everyone knows that authentic, "real" Chinese food can only be prepared by the same people who take your order -- people with really thick, non-"American" Chinese accents. That's the Ancient Chinese Secret.

the sweet hurt sings "where would you go?"

Oh, man. I love this song. Here's The Sweet Hurt, aka Wendy Wang, doing a live performance of "Where Would You Go?" Not only do I love the song, but I like that she's wearing her hood, and it looks windy and cold. Yeah, I'm weird.

I met Wendy a few months back, then heard her doing a little singing and playing with Priscilla Ahn and Big Phony. Curious about her own stuff, I check out her MySpace. All had to hear was "Where Would You Go?" and I downloaded her whole In the Shade of Dreams EP (legally, of course). Really nice stuff.

Anyway, another great video, courtesy of The Mighty Fifty. For more information about The Sweet Hurt, visit her website here and her MySpace page here.

vincent who spring screening tour

This week, the award-winning documentary Vincent Who? kicks off its spring tour, with over 40 screenings at schools around the country. The film is a look at the legacy of the Vincent Chin hate crime murder case, and its impact on the API community over twenty-five years later.

Writer/producer Curtis Chin will be showing the film then conducting a post-screening Q&A about the Vincent Chin case, AAPI political empowerment, and coalition building. Here's the current tour schedule, which is still being updated:

Vincent Who Spring Schedule w/ Writer/Producer Curtis Chin

Jan 25 - Colorado State University
Jan 26 - University of Colorado at Boulder
Jan 27 - University of Denver
Feb 4 - DeAnza
Feb 6 - UN-Reno
Feb 10 - Asian American Writers Workshop (NYC)
Feb 11 - Stonybrook
Feb 12 - Rutgers
Feb 18 - UCLA
Feb 19 - University of Texas at Austin, Brecha Conference
Feb 20 - Pitt
Feb 23 - Grand Valley State
Feb 24 - University of Kansas
Feb 25 - Wichita State
Feb 26 - Depaul
Feb 28 - Northbrook Public Library
March 1 - UW - Green Bay
March 2 - Marquette University
March 3 - UW - Madison
March 4 - UW - Milwaukee
March 5/6 - UPenn (ECAASU)
March 9 - University of Alabama - Birmingham
March 12 - APANO (Oregon)
March 13 - APANO workshops
March 17 - Vanderbilt
March 18 - Austin Peay
March 26 - Augsburg College, MN
April 6 - William and Jefferson
April 7 - Lehigh
April 12: The University of Dayton
April 13: Wittenberg University
April 14: Wright State University
April 14: California State University at Northridge
April 15: Kent State University
April 22 - University of New Hampshire

If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend seeking it out and attending one of the screenings. It's a nice follow-up to Who Killed Vincent Chin?, and if you're unfamiliar with the murder case, it's practically required viewing.

For more information about screenings, visit the Asian Pacific Americans for Progress website here. And if you're interested in bringing Vincent Who to your school or community, email curtis at apaforprogress dot org.

man dies from watching avatar

Over the weekend, director James Cameron's sci-fi epic Avatar, with an international total of $1.288 billion, surpassed Titanic's 13-year overseas box office record. It's easily on pace to soon topple both the domestic and worldwide box office records. For those keeping score, here's the official count (thus far):

Domestic Box Office: $552,797,000
Worldwide Box Office: $1.8361 billion
Golden Globe Awards: 2
Critics Choice Awards: 6
BAFTA Award Nominations: 8
Deceased Moviegoers: 1

Just how amazing are Avatar's visual effects? In Taiwan, a 42-year-old man with a history of high blood pressure has died of a stroke likely triggered by watching Avatar in 3-D: Man died after watching Avatar - doctor.

It's true -- the movie is visually stunning... but stroke-inducing? The man, Mr. Kuo, reportedly started to feel unwell during the screening earlier this month and was taken to the hospital, where a scan showed that his brain was hemorrhaging.

According to the doctor, it's likely that over-excitement triggered his symptoms. It was actually that exciting. He died 11 days later from the brain hemmorhage. This is the first reported death linked to watching Avatar. So be careful out there.

balloon boy's mom admits it was hoax... on tape!

As previously reported, newly released video interviews show Mayumi Heene, mother of the so-called "Balloon Boy," acknowledging to authorities the runaway balloon fiasco was all a hoax -- contrary to her husband's repeated public denials just before reporting to jail: Balloon boy mom's interviews contradict husband.

The video interviews obtained by the Fort Collins Coloradoan show Mayumi Heene telling sheriff's officials that last October's balloon launch, which captivated the entire country and led authorities on a crazy aerial chase, was all a hoax that she and her husband orchestrated to gain notoriety and land a reality TV show.

Their son Falcon, of course, was hiding at home during the balloon's five-hour ride, safe and sound. You'll remember that not too long afterwards, the youngster would utter six words -- on national television -- that would pretty much unravel the whole scheme: "... we did this for the show."

Mayumi Heene pleaded guilty to filing a false report and her husband, Richard Heene, pleaded guilty to attempting to influence a public servant. He began serving a 30-day jail sentence January 11. His wife will serve a 20-day sentence after him. Fifteen minutes of fame, plus 20-30 days in prison. Was it worth it?

the game "supports" korean pop group

This is the situation, as I understand it. For the past couple of days, fans of the Korean pop group 2PM were tweeting "#RT기 다릴게 박재범 기다릴게 2PM" (never mind what it means) to show love the group's ousted Korean American leader Jaebum, who had been kicked out by his company for anti-Korean comments he made on his MySpace page a while back (which is a whole different drama, and not really relevant for this story).

Fans managed to make the 2PM tweet a pretty popular trending topic, which got a lot of people curious about what the hell the Korean phrase meant. Others, like rapper The Game, simply saw something foreign and "Oriental" and decided to mock it with an ignorant-ass tweet like this:

"#RT기 다릴게 박재범 기다릴게 2PM dont kno what dis trendin topic is or means but I like shrimp fried rice alot & smokin makes my eyes tight so I RT'd it"

For some people, the sight of a weird Asian language will always simply equal Chinese takeout and chinky eyes. Thanks for showing the love, Game -- for both shrimp fried rice and 2PM. Your blind idiot re-tweet just supported a South Korean pop group in a time of great distress for their fans. That's real gangsta, and they thank you. (Thanks, Jisun.)

ramey ko is austin's first asian american judge

Some cool news... Last week, the Austin City Council appointed our friend Ramey Ko (named one of the 30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under 30) to a Substitute Judge position in the Austin Municipal Court.

He'll be serving part-time as a judge in Class C misdemeanor cases (e.g., traffic offenses, minor assault, public intoxication, etc.), certain juvenile cases, and environmental violations. Municipal judges also approve search or arrest warrants and act as magistrates for anyone arrested for a crime in Travis County, setting the amounts of bonds and any conditions of release.

Good news, but it gets better. According to the city, there is no record of any other Asian American serving as judge in Austin or Travis County, which makes Ramey the first Asian American judge in Austin.

Ramey's judicial investiture ceremony will take place on Friday, February 5, at noon at Austin City Hall. The ceremony is open to the public. Congratulations, Ramey!

mirai nagasu headed to vancouver olympics

Props to 16-year-old figure skater Mirai Nagasu, who kicked some ass on the ice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, coming in second and earning herself a trip to the Vancouver Olympics: Rachel Flatt, Mirai Nagasu are headed to Olympics after 1-2 finish at U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Few actually Nagasu to nab a medal in Vancouver. Let's not count her out. But at least she can look forward to lots of perks and free Olympic schwag: Free-spirit figure skater Mirai Nagasu fired up for Olympics free stuff.

This isn't exactly a secret... but guess what? Figure skating is latest sport in which in Asians are dominating. Including Nagasu, eight of the 23 women who competed this weekend in the long program at the United States Figure Skating Championships were Asian Americans.

Internationally, the reigning women's Olympic champion, Shizuka Arakawa, is Japanese. Asian women have won seven of the nine medals at the last three world championships. And Kim Yu-na of South Korea is heavily favored to win the women's gold medal next month at the Vancouver Games.

How did they do it? A steady diet of rice, fish and vegetables? Extreme Asian Discipline? This New York Times article attempts to explain why skaters of Asian descent have risen to prominence in large numbers both national and internationally: Figure Skaters of Asian Descent Have Risen to Prominence.

baseball's first female general manager... someday

Another article on Los Angeles Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng, who is not only one of the few women holding it down in a male-dominated industry, but is arguably one of the most respected executives in professional baseball: Executive decisions. So after nearly two decades of working in Major League Baseball, why hasn't she been promoted to General Manager yet? That is the question.

law student charged in philadelphia shooting

Some news out of Philadelphia... not involving South Philadelphia High School. Last week, Gerald Ung, a 28-year-old Temple University law student was charged with attempted murder, assault, and violation of the Uniform Firearms Act for shooting Edward DiDonato after a late-night altercation on the street: Temple Law student charged in shooting of Villanova grad.

Ung is accused of shooting DiDonato in his hand, chest and abdomen six times, though he told authorities he acted in self-defense. According to police sources, the trouble may have started when someone bumped into DiDonato. Cameras outside a local Fox studio caught the incident on tape: Video: Man Shot In Front of Fox 29.

jeff & erin's epic wedding trailer

Goodness. Some people mail postcards. Others just send an email. To announce their wedding, Jeff and Erin created an EPIC save-the-date trailer. It's ridiculously awesome, but you will not forget their wedding date.

But with a wedding trailer this crazy... will their actual wedding be equally epic? We should expect nothing less than actual pyrotechnics. I want to see smoke machines and laser rays, set to "Final Countdown," when Erin walks down the aisle...

this week angriest posts

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

• awesome photo: third grader "barry" obama


• john park: the next american idol?


• ...and harrison ford as dr. chen


• conan vs. jay fight


• harold hongju koh: "why diversity matters to me"


• "bruce lee" nikes available on february 6


• awesome photo: shaolin, the original b-boy


• don't stop believing: japanese glee promo


• bizarre taiwanese news: conan vs. jay


• the racist camera explained

Big thanks to everyone who voted for the Center for the Pacific Asian Family this week. CPAF didn't win (it placed 19th out of 100), but there's no doubt the campaign raised awareness about community issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. The work continues.

crazy hot virtual jam session

This video is crazy hot. First saw it here. Call it a virtual jam session, with participants brought together by the power of the internets.

MCs: Dumbfoundead & Herbal T
Vocalist: Esna Yoon
Drums: CAV3
Guitar: Tio
Turntables: DJ Zo
Piano: Lukas (YoungPianoTV)
Bass: Chris Hong
Mixed Down by: Tio
Directed & Produced by: Kevin Lee and Brian Lee.

Coordinated by Brian Lee at Cain Mosni, it features rhymes from Dumbfoundead and Herbal T, vocals from Esna Yoon, with backing from several talented musicians... and apparently none of these people were even in the same room together. Pretty damn brilliant. (Thanks, Chris.)

vancouver police officers beat innocent man

This is a ridiculous story out of Vancouver, about a man who was dragged out of his house in the middle of the night and beaten by police officers in a case of mistaken identity: Innocent man beaten by officers did not resist: Vancouver police.

Officers were called to a home in southeast Vancouver afer woman called 911 to report that her drunken husband had struck her in the back of the head and she was concerned for her baby's safety. Unfortunately, the cops knocked on the wrong door -- the door of 44-year-old Yaowei Wu.

The officers apparently didn't realize there were two suites in the home and the complainant was actually Wu's tenant, who lives in a ground-floor suite. According to Wu, before he could ask who the officers at his door were, he was dragged outside and beaten.

On Thursday, Vancouver Police claimed that Wu had "resisted by striking out at the police and trying to slam the door, but the officers persisted in the belief that there may be a woman and child inside who could be in danger."

However, at a news conference on Friday, police said in a statement that Wu did not resist the officers -- it was indeed just a case of mistaken identity... and some really idiot police officers. Big fat oops.

Wu was taken to Vancouver General Hospital as a precautionary measure, where he was treated for bruises to his head, waist and knees and fractured bones around his left eye. He returned to hospital today to make sure his eye wasn't damaged.

The Vancouver Police Department's Professional Standards Section will be conducting an investigation and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner has been notified. Somebody's getting in troubblllle. More here: Vancouver police retract statement about beaten man.

...and harrison ford as dr. chen

Extradorinary Measures, starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, opens in theaters today. It's a medical drama about a desperate father who finances a cure for the rare Pompe disease that is killing his children. It doesn't look very good, but it's noteworthy as yet another movie that should've starred Asians. Or at least one Asian actor.

The movie is based on the true story chronicled in the book The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million and Bucked the Medical Establishment in a Quest to Save His Children by Geeta Anands. There is a real John Crowley who really did start a biomedical company to develop a cure for Pompe disease.

But the real guy who developed the cure was not a Dr. Robert Stonehill, nor looks anything like Indiana Jones. The real guy is a fellow named Dr. Yuan-Tsong Chen, who developed the treatment with colleagues at the Duke University Medical Center. I learned this from, of all places, Roger Ebert's movie review:

Dr. Robert Stonehill doesn't exist in real life. The Pompe cure was developed by Dr. Yuan-Tsong Chen and his colleagues while he was at Duke University. He is now director of the Institute of Biomedical Science in Taiwan. Harrison Ford, as this film's executive producer, perhaps saw Stonehill as a plum role for himself; a rewrite was necessary because he couldn't very well play Dr. Chen. The real Chen, a Taiwan University graduate, worked his way up at Duke from a residency to professor and chief of medical genetics at the Duke University Medical Center. He has been mentioned as a Nobel candidate.

Ebert also speculates that Dr. Chen might have been inspired a more interesting character than Dr. Stonehill. But I suppose Harrison Ford, who also serves as the film's executive producer, isn't the first guy that comes to mind for the role of "Taiwanese Scientist." Thus, the rewrite. Ah, what could've been.

Despite the big name stars, the movie looks like a glorified made-for-Lifetime movie... where maybe it could've starred, um, Tzi Ma or somebody as Dr. Chen.

the racist camera explained

Remember our friend Joz and the racist camera? It insisted that Joz was blinking, when in reality she just has small eyes. And that guy with the racist webcam? His blackness appeared to infere with the computer's motion detection ability.

TIME has an article explaining the principles behind this seemingly racially insensitive technology: Face-Detection Cameras: Users' Racism Charges Explained. The algorithm for face detection should be relatively straightforward -- most folks have two eyes, eyebrows, a nose and lips -- but the execution isn't always so smooth.

If the problem really comes down to bad math, and is just a matter of adjusting some code, you have to wonder how these products even made it onto the market with such glaring flaws. Did the engineers behind these defices really forget to take darker skin color or smaller eye shape into consideration? Programming fail.

News flash: there are lots of non-Caucasians who use digital cameras and webcams. And when I say "lots," I mean a bajillion. Somebody better work that glitch out. And really, as Margaret Cho points out, who uses cameras more than Asian people?

reducing the suicide stigma

Conducive Mag has an interesting article on Asian American suicide by Suresh Unni, a clinical social worker, therapist and member of the Asian American Suicide Prevention Initiative. He recalls the incidents preceeding his brother's suicide, including the passing of a close friend and his experience as a victim of a racial hate crime in Boston: REDUCING THE SUICIDE STIGMA: Suresh Unni's Story.

angry reader of the week: danny cho

Uh oh. Get yourself ready 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 comedian Danny Cho.

last day to vote for the center for the pacific asian family

All right. One last video in support of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family. After everything I've posted this week, if you haven't yet voted for CPAF, you must do it today, January 22. You don't have to give any money, you're on Facebook anyway, and it literally takes seconds.

CPAF provides a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, transitional shelter and counseling services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. If a woman has the courage to call, let's make sure someone is there to listen.

You could help CPAF win funds they seriously need to continue its mission to "Silence the Violence." At the moment, CPAF is waaaay behind in the standings, but hey, it ain't over 'till it's over. At the very least, it sends a message that the community can indeed come together for a worthy cause.

I've got nothing left to say. Vote for CPAF.

nerds of color unite

I really dig Bao Phi's latest blog post for the Star Tribune, where he talks about the pop culture geekiness (emphasis on the geekiness) that is close to his heart. Believe me, I can relate: NOCs (Nerds of Color).

For someone who creates such cool-ass spoken word, you wouldn't guess he has a not-so-secret past as a geek. But the evidence is all there -- consider a few columns back, when Bao wrote with such fervor about Lost. Geeks, unite.

But I totally get it. Being able to retreat in some kind of geeky fandom or pastime... only to have it a little bit ruined by some kind of crappy racist character or storyline -- and finding few fellow fans to stand with you on the issue.

That's part of why I'm so impressed with the way the whole Last Airbender movie resistance has taken off. (Big props to Racebending.) But I like that: Nerds of Color. NOCs. We should form a secret league or something.

don't stop believing: japanese glee promo

I enjoy Glee. It's a fun show, and the music brings a smile to my face. Japan apparently likes Glee too, as evidenced in this crazy ass TV commercial. I'm sure this makes sense to someone, somewhere. "Don't Stop Believing," indeed.

If that doesn't get you to watch the show, I don't know what will. Though, I hope people aren't misled to believe the show is just an hour of sumo dudes singing and dancing. Now if we can just get Fox to find a way to put Akebono on the show...

controversial prop 8 proponent testifies

More on Hak-Shing William Tam, a controversial figure in the Prop 8 movement, who was called to testify yesterday as a hostile witness in the lawsuit against California's same-sex marriage ban: Prop. 8 backer stands by views on pedophilia.

Attorneys for two couples suing to overturn Prop 8 called Tam to testify as a hostile witness to prove that bias toward gays fueled the campaign to pass the measure. Not exactly sure what they were trying to get from him... but I think they got it.

Tam said that he likened same-sex marriage to pedophilia, polygamy and legalizing sex with children, and that California would fall into the "hands of Satan" if gay and lesbian couples could wed.

He also said that the thinks gays are "12 times more likely" to be pedophiles, "based on the different literature [he has] read." Though, when pressed to cite any work he had read to substantiate his views, he said couldn't remember specifics. More court coverage here: Same-Sex Marriage Case, Day 8: Power and Prejudice.

Apparently, other Proposition 8 supporters have even tried to distance themselves from Tam. I can't imagine why! Some more here: William Tam: He's like that Cute Ignorant Uncle That Everybody Cringes At. (Thanks, Manish.)

cherylene lee reads from her memoir just like really

This is a pretty cool event happening next week in San Francisco... Playwright Cherylene Lee, who spent the first part of her life as a child actor in 1960s, will be reading an excerpt from her upcoming memoir Just Like Really. It's next Monday, January 25 at the Center for Asian American Media building. Here are some details:

A Reading of Cherylene Lee's New Memoir JUST LIKE REALLY

The Center of Asian American Media and the 9th Street Independent Film Center presents an evening with Cherylene Lee.

Playwright, Cherylene Lee will read an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, JUST LIKE REALLY, and discuss her life as Chinese American child performer growing up in Hollywood. Visual presentation of photographs and footage from the Las Vegas years and will accompany the reading.

Monday January 25, 2010
7:00pm
145 9th St.
San Francisco, CA
Free Admission
Limited seating please rsvp admin[at]asianamericanmedia[dot]org
Donations to the Center for Asian American Media welcome.

This project was sponsored by a Cultural Equity Grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission.

If you look at Cherlylene Lee's IMDb profile, you'll see she had a fairly substantial list of credits in her young life as an actress, including roles in Flower Drum Song, McHale's Navy and M*A*S*H. I'm looking forward to eventually checking out this book. For more information about the reading, go here.

volunteer for the 2010 sfiaaff

This is for all my people in the Bay Area, far and wide. My friends at the Center for Asian American Media are calling on cool, able-bodied folks like you to volunteer for the 28th Annual San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, happening March 11-21. Check it out:

VOLUNTEER FOR US!

You know you want to. 300 volunteers every March. Over 2500 total hours.

Be a part of the nation's largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films! SFIAAFF volunteers help make it happen, from the box office to galas and receptions, ticket taking and driving festival guests.

Volunteer benefits include:
- Vouchers for festival screenings
- Meeting film industry professionals and fellow film enthusiasts
- Official Festival T-shirt
- Volunteer Appreciation Party at Hotel Tomo

We need volunteers who:
- Can commit to a minimum of three shifts over the course of the festival
(approximately 12 hours)
- Can attend Volunteer Orientations (snacks, short film sneak peek, surprising
games, and your 2010 SFIAAFF Volunteer How-To's)

Register online! -> WWW.SHIFTBOARD.COM/CAAM

Questions? Please contact Soo Na Pak, Volunteer Coordinator
e: volunteeradmin@asianamericanmedia.org
t: 415.863.0814, ext. 214

SFIAFF is one of the biggest and best festivals for showcasing Asian American cinema, but it cannot happen without the strength of its volunteer force. That's you! And it's a great way to meet folks and get plugged into what's happening in 'the scene.'

To register to be a volunteer, go here. And to learn more about the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, go to the website here.

2010 sundance film festival

The 2010 Sundance Film Festival kicks off today. I'm a little bummed that I won't be heading to Park City, Utah to partake in the festivities, but things just didn't work out this year. The film I'm most looking forward to eventually seeing: The Taqwacores, directed by Eyad Zahra, and based on the influential novel about punk Muslim American youth. Watch the trailer above.

I'm not going, but our friend Taz from Sepia Mutiny is in Park City right now. She has a rundown of all the films she's looking forward to checking out, including The Taqwacores, Gurinder Chadha's It's a Wonderful Afterlife and Four Lions: On the Road to Sundance. Have fun, Taz! Hope you get to meet Sendhil Ramamurty.


Here's a big list, courtesy of the Asian Pacific Film Experience, of all the Asian Pacific directors and/or producers whose work will be screening over the next week in Park City, both at the Sundance and Slamdance film festivals:

S U N D A N C E

GURINDER CHADHA
IT'S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE

FAN LIXIN
LAST TRAIN HOME

PATTI LEE (Producer)
A SMALL ACT

LIM WOO-SEONG
VEGETARIAN

ANUSHA RIZVI
PEEPLI LIVE

THET SAMBATH (Co-Director)
ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE

SUPRIYO SEN
WAGA

TAIKA WAITITI
BOY

EYAD ZAHRA
THE TAQWACORES


S U N D A N C E / N. H. K.

TAMAKO HIOKI
NO WOMAN NO CRY

SO YONG KIM
FOR ELLEN

RYO NAKAJIMA
SLEEPING BEAUTY

DAISUKE YAMAOKA
THE WONDERFUL LIVES AT ASAHIGAOKA


S L A M D A N C E

PEGAH GHAEMI
MEMBERS OF THE RESISTANCE

THAT GO
GOLDEN PRIZE

ADNAN HUSSEIN
GUL

BETTY JIANG
HIS WHITE EYES

ANJOO KHOSIA
WAHID'S MOBILE BOOKSTORE

KIM KANGMIN
DEUX REGARDS • VISIT

CHUNG LEE
MOCHI

TAKURO MASUDA (Co-Director)
PANELS FOR THE WALLS OF HELL

NAITOU EISUKE
PRINCE OF MILK

BETTY M. PARK
MAMACHAS DEL RING

ZEUS QUIJANO
POINT OF ENTRY

NICO SABENORIO
BOUT THAT BOUT

VARATHIT UTHAISRI
SURFACE FILM

VISRA VICHIT VADAKAN
IN SPACE

VAN VU
YES, YESTERDAY

TAILI WU
ROUE

And if you are headed to Sundance, be sure to stop by the annual Meet the Filmmakers Reception this Sunday, January 24, 4-6:00pm at China Panda Restaurant. For more information about the Asian Pacific Film Experience, go here. Bundle up, stay warm, and have fun.

fox picks up nevermind nirvana pilot

According to Hollywood Reporter, Fox has picked up the TV pilot for Nevermind Nirvana, a comedy from writer Ajay Sahgal. Nope, it has nothing to with grunge rock or Kurt Cobain. It's actually described as "Everybody Loves Raymond with Indian Americans."

It is an ensemble multicamera comedy about two grown-up sons, their Indian immigrant parents and their friends, including one of the son's Caucasian girlfriend.

"It's about how their lives intersect in often polarizing ways and about the clash of the old Indian values and the new American values," Sahgal said.

"Nirvana" is largely based on real-life experiences by Sahgal, who is the son of Indian immigrants and is married to "Lie to Me" co-star Kelli Williams.

The pilot was originally devleoped for NBC a few years back, titled Nearly Nirvana, and at one point was going to star Kal Penn and Judy Greer. Hopefully they can get this latest version off the ground.

It'll be cool to see an Indian American family on U.S. prime time television -- particularly in a comedy -- but I hope it doesn't boil down to culture clash jokes every week. That's a recipe for early cancellation. Guess we'll see. More here: Writer details 'Nevermind Nirvana' pilot.

have you voted for the center for the pacific asian family?

Another round of videos in support of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family. Nope, I'm not going to stop posting these until every last possible vote is cast. Vote for CPAF in the Chase Community Giving drive on Facebook, right now through January 22.

CPAF provides a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, transitional shelter and counseling services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. If a woman has the courage to call, let's make sure someone is there to listen.

You could help CPAF win funds they seriously need to continue its mission to stop domestic violence and sexual assault. It's quick and easy -- you're on Facebook, you click a button. It's done. Now spread the word. Vote.

Obama nominates Judge Lucy Koh to federal bench

If confirmed, Koh would become the first Korean American federal court judge in the country.

On Wednesday, President Obama nominated Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Lucy H. Koh for a federal judgeship in California's Northern District Court. If confirmed, she would become the first Korean American federal court judge in the country.

Obama nominates Santa Clara County Judge Lucy Koh to federal bench.

Although relatively new to the state court bench, Koh has an extensive background in federal practice as a lawyer, working as a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles and Washington. She also was a partner at the McDermott, Will and Emery law firm in Palo Alto, representing technology companies in patent, trade secret and commercial civil cases.

Before her state court appointment, Koh was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California from 1997 to 2000. Previously, she served as special assistant to the U.S. deputy attorney general in Washington, D.C., and special counsel for the U.S.

music video: "if nothing happened" by paperdoll

Check out this great music video for "If Nothing Happened" by PaperDoll. Great song, and a really fun video. TV watchers, you might recognize the tune from a recent Dayquil commercial. For more information about the band, check out the PaperDoll website here. And if you haven't already, do check out their album Ballad Nerd Pop, available at Amazon and iTunes.

angel island turns 100

Today in San Francisco, a ceremony will commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the opening of Angel Island's immigration station. At the ceremony, the government will swear in 100 new American citizens. Immigration officials will speak, as well as people who actually went through the island in San Francisco: With reflection and tears, Angel Island turns 100.

If you're not familiar with Angel Island's history as an immigration gateway, it was sort of like New York Harbor's Ellis Island... only a lot less hopeful. About 500,000 immigrants passed through the island from 1910 to 1940. Of these, 300,000 were detained, a third of them Chinese. While most were ultimately allowed in, many had to wait months in immigration limbo while backgrounds were investigated.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation declaring January 21, 2010 as National Angel Island Day, recognizing the anniversary of Angel Island and its important place in America's history. Here's the official proclamation from The White House:

NATIONAL ANGEL ISLAND DAY, 2010

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

One hundred years ago, the Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay opened for the first time, and an important chapter of the American narrative began. It would be written by those who walked through the station's doors over the next three decades. From the cities, villages, and farms of their birth, they journeyed across the Pacific, seeking better lives for themselves and their children. Many arrived at Angel Island, weary but hopeful, only to be unjustly confined for months or, in some cases, years. As we remember their struggle, we honor all who have been drawn to America by dreams of limitless opportunity.

Unlike immigrants who marveled at the Statue of Liberty upon arrival at Ellis Island, those who came to Angel Island were greeted by an intake facility that was sometimes called the "Guardian of the Western Gate." Racially prejudiced immigration laws of the time subjected many to rigorous exams and interrogations, as well as detention in crowded, unsanitary barracks. Some expressed themselves by carving poetry and inscriptions into the walls in their native language -- from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to Russian, German, and Urdu. These etchings remain on Angel Island today as poignant reminders of the immigrant experience and an unjust time in our history.

If there is any vindication for the Angel Island immigrants who endured so many hardships, it is the success achieved by those who were allowed entry, and the many who, at long last, gained citizenship. They have contributed immeasurably to our Nation as leaders in every sector of American life. The children of Angel Island have seized the opportunities their ancestors saw from across an ocean. By demonstrating that all things are possible in America, this vibrant community has created a beacon of hope for future generations of immigrants.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 21, 2010, as National Angel Island Day. I call upon the people of the United States to learn more about the history of Angel Island and to observe this anniversary with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Thankfully, the White House doesn't try to sugarcoat the island's checkered past, making note of the racially prejudiced immigration laws of the time, as well as the horrible conditions endured by new immigrants detained at Angel Island. Nevertheless, it is indeed, an important part of our American history. More here: Angel Island, landmark of U.S. diversity. And here: Angel Island's history offers lessons on immigration policy.

awesome photo: shaolin, the original b-boy

I think we can all agree how badass this photo is. Saw it here.

school district of philadelphia responds to civil rights complaint

Here is the School District of Philadelphia's official response to the civil rights complaint filed this week by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, charging the district with discrimination against Asian students. Here it is in its entirety:

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA
440 N. BROAD STREET, SUITE 102
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19130
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE (215) 400-4040

School District of Philadelphia
Response to Complaint Filed by
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund

Given the repeated announcements by Attorney Cecilia Chen of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund's intention to file the complaint, we are not surprised by the complaint. We look forward to cooperating with the Department of Justice in every way possible and trust that the District’s intentions and efforts in South Philadelphia will come to be characterized fairly. The Superintendent and the entire District have been working diligently to address racial tensions and reduce violence in our schools, even when they follow our children into school and we have taken the following steps:

1. Initiated a School District investigation with well respected, retired Judge James T. Giles, formerly of the U.S. District Court.

2. School review of deployment plan for safety personnel which is changed and upgraded to meet daily needs of the students

3. More visible presence of staff in the school lunchroom

4. Office of School Safety instituted the following measures:

- Added 4 school police officers for a total of 15 officers

- Within 72 hours of the assaults, completely installed brand new state of the art surveillance technology system including comprehensive coverage by new security cameras at vital locations within the building; presence of security cameras is highly visible within the building

- Working with Philadelphia Police Department to extend the safe corridors around the school

- Brought in the US Dept of Justice community relations service "SPIRIT" program – Student problem identification and resolution issues together)conflict resolution initiative

5. More staff training in cross cultural and intergenerational competency

6. Working with the State and City Human Relations Commission inquiries

7. Working with community groups, have conducted and continue to conduct workshop programs and events to promote healing and tolerance and non-violent conflict resolution.

The claim of "intentional discrimination" makes no sense. Asserting that the District would have “intentional disregard” for the welfare of its students is as outrageous as it is hurtful to so many professionals, students, and others who have been devoted to addressing these issues in a meaningful manner.

The school district specifically takes issue with AALDEF's charge of "intentional disregard" for the welfare of Asian students. Don't forget "deliberate indifference." When teachers and administrators are repeatedly informed about the escalating hostile environment towards Asian students at South Philadelphia High, but refuse/fail to do anything about it, I don't know what else you're supposed to call it. (Thanks, Helen.)

methodology fundraiser, january 23

My friends in UCLA's API Caucus are putting together an event to raise money to get them to the 2010 California Asian and Pacific Islander Policy Summit. They'll be advocating on policies that impact AAPI communities and other communities of color. The best way to get some money together? Throw a party, of course:

*UCLA School of Public Affairs Asian & Pacific Islander Caucus and
Mentor + Mentee Project of Chinatown/Echo Park
COLLABORATIVE FUNDRAISER*

* mETHODOLOGY *

hip hop * soul * funk * reggae * dancehall * classics

Saturday, January 23
21+, $7 before 11pm, $10 after 11pm

410 boyd bar and grill
410 boyd street (@ san pedro st)
little tokyo, 90012
*
*ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE UCLA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS API CAUCUS AND THE
MENTOR AND MENTEE PROJECT OF CHINATOWN AND ECHO PARK* *

www.myspace.com/methodology213

Questions? - Please contact CathyDang@ucla.edu

That's mETHODOLOGY, happening this Saturday, January 23 ay 410 Boyd in Little Tokyo. Come on out, get down to some fun grooves, and support those fine grad students at UCLA (as well as the Mentor + Mentee Project of Chinatown/Echo Park). My people thank you.

rent/watch children of invention on youtube

It was only a matter of time, but this is probably a good thing for independent cinema (and indie cinephiles). This week, YouTube will begin testing an online movie rental service with independent films from the Sundance Film Festival: YouTube partners with Sundance for online movie rentals.

The service will be initially limited to five Sundance titles from 2009 and 2010, as well as a small collection of videos from partners in industries such as health and education, and will be available to users through the end of the month.

Among YouTube's initial feature film offerings: Tze Chun's Children of Invention, which premiered at Sundance last year. If you weren't able to catch it on the festival circuit, you'll soon be able to screen directly on your computer. More here: YouTube to sell pay-per-view films.

a community comes together for cpaf

Hey, you! If you haven't heard, there's campaign going on -- a campaign to Silence the Violence. Please vote for CPAF in Chase Community Giving on Facebook. You could help CPAF win funds they seriously need to continue its mission to stop domestic violence and sexual assault.

Above, you'll find a pile of videos featuring community members coming together to support the cause and encouraging you to support CPAF. (Yes, I am posting one of these every day this week... until you all vote.) All you have to do is click a button. It's that easy!

CPAF provides a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, transitional shelter and counseling services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. If a woman has the courage to call, let's make sure someone is there to listen. Vote.

volunteers needed for study on discrimination and mental health

I recently heard from Nellie Tran, a doctoral student in psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who needs some help finding participants for her research study on Asian Americans and their experiences with discrimination, racial consciousness, and these effects on their general mental health. Maybe you can help:

Seeking Volunteers for Online Survey Study

My name is Nellie Tran, and I am a psychology doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Generally, I am conducting a study to understand the effects of discrimination on mental health.

Your voice and experiences could contribute greatly to an understanding the experiences of different racial/ethnic groups and those of different generational statuses. If you are interested in completing the survey, please access the survey at the following link.

http://survey.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_emsZjJxJJSZuBhy&SVID=Prod

Participation in this survey is voluntary and open to all individuals. The survey will take about 20-30 minutes to complete. This research has been reviewed and approved by the University of Illinois at Chicago Institutional Review Board.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the information below. Thank you so much!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Nellie Tran, M.A.
Doctoral Candidate, Psychology
University of Illinois at Chicago
Ntran2@uic.edu

I'm always glad to help get the word out about this kind of research, particularly when it deals with Asian Americans and mental health. If you can help Nellie out, and have a few moments to complete the online survey, go here.

bizarre taiwanese news: conan vs. jay

News of the late night TV shuffle has gone global. You know things have taken a turn towards crazy when Taiwanese news starts reporting on it... because that's when they bust out the kickass computer animation.

From the amazing people who brought you that ridiculously awesome Tiger Woods piece, here's another bizarre animation segment that ran on Taiwan Apple Daily, clearly explaining the whole Conan vs. Jay situation. It's weird... and then it gets weirder.

Yes, you just saw Conan O'Brien turn into the Incredible Hulk. If you didn't understand the situation before, this will probably add to the confusion. A very amused Conan actually aired the segment last night. Oh, and for the record, I'm with Coco.

webseries: easy to assemble - flying solo

Check out the latest edition of Easy to Assemble, the hit internet comedy series created and written by Illeana Douglas and sponsored by IKEA. The new episode, "Flying Solo" -- a miniseries, actually -- is directed by our friend Michael Kang, and story arc features actors Sung Kang and Mia Riverton. Watch it here.

Michael, Ileana, Mia and Sung all recently worked together on the indie romantic comedy Knots, which is currently in post-production. In the meantime, watch Flying Solo. And here's some more info on the webseries: 'Easy to Assemble: Flying Solo' Trailer, IKEA Backs More Episodes.

jin/dizaster battle definitely not happening

Okay, it's official: the Jin/Dizaster battle is not happening. Jin explains in this brief video why he won't be participating. Basically, it boils down to refusing to stoop to Dizaster's level. If you've seen the guy's videos, you're aware that he'll say and do just about anything to evoke a reaction out of Jin. Forget it. Jin essentially takes the high road -- which is the right thing to do. Move on, and don't look back.

aaldef files civil rights complaint against philly school district

As previously announced, yesterday, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed a complaint for civil rights violations with the U.S. Department of Justice charging the School District of Philadelphia and South Philadelphia High School with discrimination against Asian students. You know, the Asian students who have been the victims of ongoing violence at the school? Here's the full press release:

AALDEF FILES CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT AGAINST PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) today filed a complaint for civil rights violations with the U.S. Department of Justice charging the School District of Philadelphia and South Philadelphia High School (SPHS) with discrimination against Asian students on the basis of race and national origin in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The complaint charges that the District and School acted with "deliberate indifference" to the harassment against Asian students and "intentional disregard for the welfare of Asian students" at SPHS. The complaint cites numerous instances in which school officials were notified by teachers and Asian students about the increasingly hostile environment towards Asian students but failed to take any steps to prevent the widespread attacks on Asian students on December 3, 2009.

On December 3, 2009, large numbers of Asian immigrant students from SPHS were assaulted in and around the school throughout the day. Thirteen Asian students were sent to the hospital due to their injuries. For over a year before the December 3rd attacks, AALDEF in collaboration with local community groups - Asian Americans United, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Boat People SOS, Victim/Witness Services of South Philadelphia, Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, and Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition, Inc. - urged school and district officials to address in the increasingly hostile environment for Asian students at SPHS without success.

AALDEF Staff Attorney Cecilia Chen said: "The failure of the Philadelphia School District and South Philadelphia High School to acknowledge and address the severe harassment of Asian students at SPHS led to the December 3rd attacks. The School and District must be held accountable for failing to protect Asian students at SPHS."

Following the attacks on December 3rd, over sixty Asian students from SPHS boycotted the school for eight days citing fear for their safety and concern at the District’s repeated failure to address the widespread anti-Asian violence at the school.

Chen continued: "The students have gone back to school but that does not mean that the school is now safe. Asian immigrant students are still being targeted and threatened. We want to ensure that Asian immigrant students can go to school in a safe environment."

For those who have been fed up with the School District of Philadelphia's complete lack of action and "deliberate indifference" during this entire ordeal, this ought to be positive news. And maybe it's just the kick in the ass the school district needs to get it together and finally get serious about the safety of students at South Philadelphia High. Stay tuned for updates on this...

john park: the next american idol?

On Tuesday evening, I started getting a flurry of emails about one guy. A guy with a golden voice. I'm talking about 20-year-old American Idol contestant John Park, who apparently made a huge impression during the hit show's audition stop in Chicago. A crazy deluge of emails, all telling me I had to see this YouTube clip from the show. And I'm in California -- American Idol hadn't even aired here yet!

So I watched the show... and damn. John Park is smooth. A guy with a voice that can not only melt your heart, but apparently make guest judge Shania Twain all kinds of flustered (did she just say he had "a beautiful bottom end?"), and snag himself a golden ticket to Hollywood. I like it! Just watch the clip, and believe. (If that one doesn't work, try this one.)

What's with all the judges' comments about being "surprised" about his audition? Yes, Shania. Asians can sing. Too bad the only ones that usually end up on American Idol are the people who make fools of themselves (i.e. William Hung). That's why John here is such a breath of fresh air.

Call me a fan. And while it's still early, speculation has it that John has actually made it into American Idol's Top 24. Hell yes. I am already rooting for this cat, not only because he's talented and he's Asian American, but he also hails from my alma mater. Here's a video of John rocking a smooth solo with his a cappella group: Purple Haze - Coming Home. Go 'Cats.

UPDATE: Entertainment Weekly's recap of John Park's audition is pretty good, particularly this excerpt:

My only complaint with Shania (and Kara) was their publicly and repeatedly expressed surprise that John was able to sing, um, well, like a hunka hunka burnin' love. I'm not exactly sure what the female judges were getting at. Are Asian guys not supposed to be able to sing soul? Or sound super-manly? Or convincingly play the role of the sex symbol? (Ladies, please immediately adjust your dials and open your damn eyes to see John Cho on FlashForward, Daniel Henney on Three Rivers and especially Tim Kang on The Mentalist for evidence to the contrary! You can send thank-you notes later. That is all.)

That's what I'm talking about. Nice to see the Asian guy get some rare love on America's most popular TV show.

balloon boy: the movie

By now, you're sick of Richard Heene, that jerkface dad who concocted an all-media hoax, leading everyone to believe that his son had flown away in an experimental hot air balloon in hopes that the publicity would land him a reality show.

Unfortunately, we have not seen the last of the Balloon Boy saga. Get ready for a movie about the whole ordeal: Are You Ready for the Balloon Boy Movie?

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, a filmmaker is apparently working on Balloon Boy: Guilty Until Proven Innocent, a documentary on the whole Balloon Boy family saga -- in defense of Richard Heene -- set to hit theaters later this year.

If you haven't heard, Richard Heene still maintains his innocence, saying he really believed little Falcon was taking a balloon ride through the sky. The filmmaker, Steven Barber, believes him, and hopes the film prove Heene's innocence. This ought to be pretty funny.

comedy zen ticket giveaway winner

Thank you to everyone who entered last week's Comedy Zen ticket giveaway. I received all your entries, and pulled one winner at random. And the lucky reader is...

Eric Ku (who says his favorite Asian American comedian is Joe Wong)

He wins a pair of tickets to attend the Comedy Zen show featuring Sugar Sammy, Danny Cho, Dwayne Perkins and Edwin Li, on Saturday, January 30 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo.

The rest of you, no free tickets. But you still have plenty time to purchase your own -- and get a discount. Just use the discount code "ANGRY" and you get $5 off. Cool? Should be a really fun show. For more details, and to purchase tickets, head over to the Comedy Zen website here.

ewp and cast present staged reading of the girls from afar

If you're in Los Angeles this Thursday night, check out this staged reading of The Girl From Afar, presented by East West Players in collaboration with the Coalition to Abolist Slavery and Trafficking. It's happening January 21 at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy in Little Tokyo.

It's a special event to raise awareness about slavery and human trafficking issues in the Greater Los Angeles and Asian Pacific Islander American communities. Featuring a star-studded cast, the staged reading will be followed by a panel discussion on modern-day slavery. Here are the details:

EWP (East West Players) in collaboration with the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) is proud to present

Excerpts from: THE GIRLS FROM AFAR by Libby Emmons, a staged reading directed by Jeff Liu

Featuring:
Dante Basco (Hook, Take the Lead)
Fran de Leon (Dogeaters at the Kirk Douglas Theatre)
James Kyson Lee (NBC's Heroes)
Camille Mana (UPN's One on One)
Tamlyn Tomita (The Karate Kid II, The Joy Luck Club).

Thursday, January 21, 2010
7:30 PM - show
Panel Discussion & Reception to follow

Tateuchi Democracy Forum in the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
(Across the parking lot at East West Players next to the Japanese American National Museum)
111 N. Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
RSVP to (213) 625-7000 or on Facebook

Did you know that January is Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month? I didn't either. Every year, at least 15,000-17,000 people are trafficked into the U.S., with Los Angles serving as one of three main points of entry.

As part of an effort to utilize the arts to raise awareness about this issue in the Asian Pacific Islander American community, CAST and EWP are partnering to produce this event as a part of a monthlong "From Freedom to Slavery" campaign. Hopefully, you can make it out, take part, and most importantly, take action. For information, take a look at the Facebook event page here.