dance for haiti with nomi network

Check it out. Nomi Network is calling on all able-bodied folks to put on your dancing shoes and join them for their Dance For Haiti fundraiser, this Friday, February 12 at Lucky Jack's Bar & Lounge in New York. Half the proceeds will be donated to UNICEF's emergency response in Haiti. Here are some details:

You are cordially invited to Nomi Network's "Dance for Haiti" Fundraiser.

Half of our proceeds will be donated to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in support of UNICEF's emergency response in Haiti. Participation in the dance-a-thon is not mandatory, so please come and show your support!

TIME | Friday, February 12, 2010, 7:00pm-10:00pm
The Dance-a-thon starts at 8:30pm; participants, please arrive by 8:00pm with your dancing shoes on!

PLACE | Lucky Jack's Bar & Lounge (Downstairs)
129 Orchard Street, New York, NY

REQUESTED DONATION | $20
You may ask friends and family to donate on your behalf by asking them to follow the DANCE FOR HAITI link on the Nomi Network homepage.

Donations will also be accepted at the door. Those who raise $50 or more will receive Nomi's "Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body" tote. The top three participants with the most funds will win additional prizes.

There will be $3-$5 beers and cocktails from 7-10pm.

You don't have to participate in the dance marathon -- but your support is appreciated. To RSVP for the event, go here. You can also make a donation here. To learn more about Nomi Network and its mission to leverage the marketplace to eradicate sexual slavery, go to the website here.

pbs' faces of america with henry louis gates jr.

Faces of America is a four-part PBS series beginning tonight, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., who turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of twelve prominent Americans, including famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

Sounds pretty interesting, right? You can watch some of the interviews on the series YouTube channel here. Check your local PBS listings to catch the program when it airs, or you can watch the first full-length episode online tomorrow. For more information, go to the Faces of America website here.

asian americans united celebrates 25 years

Here's a good Philadelphia Inquirer profile from last week on Asian Americans United, one of the more vocal community groups speaking out about the December 4 attacks against Asian students at South Philadelphia High School: Asian American group fights against injustice.

This year, Asian Americans United celebrates its silver anniversary, marking 25 years of community activism. While members insist AAU was only one part of a larger coalition of Asian organizations in the South Philly High action, it was definitely there -- and in charge -- from the start.

In the days after that edgy Dec. 4 news conference at the Chinese Christian Church, Somekawa took pains to say that AAU was only one part of a larger coalition of Asian organizations. But from the start, it was obvious that AAU was in charge, framing the community response, as it had done many times before.

It was AAU that led the massive 2000 protest that opposed construction of a Phillies baseball stadium north of Chinatown and that pushed to build a multicultural charter school on the site. AAU helped organize Chinatown parents to demand better schools, blocked plans for a federal prison in Chinatown, worked to help a young illegal immigrant stay in the United States after she miscarried during a rough, forcible deportation attempt in 2006.

This year, AAU celebrates its silver anniversary, marking 25 years as a tenacious, pugnacious advocate. In its time, AAU has given voice to the voiceless and strength to the weak - and in the process succeeded in antagonizing innumerable politicians and elected leaders.

Asian Americans United has apparently earned itself a reputation as a fierce, outspoken organization against injustice in the community. You know they've made an impact when you've got city councilman Frank DiCicco calling them "one of the most disrespectful groups I've ever had to deal with."

Disrespectful? Maybe. But so is making plans to build a casino in Chinatown without consulting people in the neighborhood. Remember that next time. To learn more about the work Asian Americans United is doing, go here.

not enough seoul for oakland neighborhood

Some news out of Oakland... Under pressure from Koreatown's thousands of non-Koreans, the neighborhood's new "Oakland's Got Seoul" welcome banners are coming down: Seoul searching for new name in Oakland.

It's just as well -- there's more to the neighborhood than Seoul. While the banners were an attempt to give the area some character, they just weren't accurate. The 14-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue is also home to Ethiopians, Afghans, African Americans, artists and others who don't identify as Korean.

By the numbers, according to the 2000 census, the area is predominantly African American, followed by white, Asian and Hispanic. Sounds like whoever dreamed up the banners weren't really thinking about the true face of the neighborhood.

The cost to install the original banners: $12,000, covered by a city redevelopment grant. The cost to take them down: $5,000. The Koreatown merchants association will hold a series of meetings to decide how to better define the area. Hopefully, it'll be something more inclusive this time.

free track: "blood of my heart" by power struggle

Really digging this song "Blood of My Heart" by Power Struggle (feat. Denizen Kane and Big Drew). The track is off the upcoming album Remittances, due out next month from Beatrock Music. Good song, and a fitting tune Valentine's Day. You can download it for free here.

Power Struggle is rapper Nomi with producers Mister REY and Fatgums. Remittances is described as "a proletarian's path to enlightenment." Featuring help from fellow Beatrock Musicians Bambu and BWAN, as well as emcees Kiwi, Pele, Denizen Kane and others, the album tells the stories of immigrants, workers, criminals, lovers, and revolutionaries. Can't wait to hear it.

tammy duckworth is top choice for new lieutenant governor

In Illinois, word on the street is that Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is Governor Pat Quinn's personal pick as lieutenant governor nominee -- replacing the scandal-ridden Scott Lee Cohen: Democrats prepare to pick new lieutenant governor.

Duckworth lost both of her legs while serving in the Illinois National Guard in Iraq 2004. She unsuccessfully ran for Congress in the western suburbs in 2006, before being appointed assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs last year.

Although Duckworth is at the top of Governor Quinn's wish list for the nomination, he'll defer the choice to the Democratic State Central Committee, led by state party chief Michael Madigan. A bona fide war hero, she's definitely a well-respected name in Illinois politics, and would be a solid choice.

Veterans groups are apparently already petitioning Quinn for her to fill the role. But would Duckworth even consider leaving her job to move back to Illinois? More here: Tammy Duckworth To Replace Cohen? Quinn Wants It That Way, Source Says. And here: Gov. Pat Quinn wants Tammy Duckworth as Illinois lieutenant governor candidate.

the children of chinatown by wendy rouse jorae

Gotta thank YMFY for bringing this book to my attention... The Children of Chinatown: Growing Up Chinese American in San Francisco, 1850-1920 by Wendy Rouse Jorae reveals the untold stories of earliest Chinese American children and families, challenging the long-held notions of early Chinatown as a bachelor community:

Revealing the untold stories of a pioneer generation of young Chinese Americans, this book places the children and families of early Chinatown in the middle of efforts to combat American policies of exclusion and segregation.

Wendy Jorae challenges long-held notions of early Chinatown as a bachelor community by showing that families--and particularly children--played important roles in its daily life. She explores the wide-ranging images of Chinatown's youth created by competing interests with their own agendas--from anti-immigrant depictions of Chinese children as filthy and culturally inferior to exotic and Orientalized images that catered to the tourist's ideal of Chinatown. All of these representations, Jorae notes, tended to further isolate Chinatown at a time when American-born Chinese children were attempting to define themselves as Chinese American. Facing barriers of immigration exclusion, cultural dislocation, child labor, segregated schooling, crime, and violence, Chinese American children attempted to build a world for themselves on the margins of two cultures. Their story is part of the larger American story of the struggle to overcome racism and realize the ideal of equality.

Sounds like a really interesting book. Funny enough, I've never really considered what life was like for those earliest American-born Chinese kids. I'm definitely going to pick up this book. Plus, it has an awesome cover. Look at that kid! For more information, go to the University of North Carolina Press website here.

lt. dan choi serving in the military again?

Contrary to earlier reports, gay military rights advocate Lt. Dan Choi was not called back to "active duty" yesterday. Since he serves in the New York National Guard, he wouldn't be on active duty unless he had been mobilized.

However, it appears that Lt. Choi, who was discharged for revealing he is gay under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, is back in uniform. With the support of his command, Choi drilled with his unit this past weekend for training on critical infantry tasks with his soldiers: Openly Gay Soldier Dan Choi Back in Uniform.

Yes, the military served Lt. Choi a discharge notification -- essentially firing him from his job -- but he was allowed to fight this at trial, and as it currently stands, the discharge hasn't be finalized. And since his commander has always been in full support of him, I guess he's cool to suit up -- for now.

The whole situation was explained and clarified by Jeff Sheng of The Bilerico Project, who adds, "Given the current state of how DADT is in such flux, and also, in my opinion, the prominence and celebrity of Lt. Choi, his discharge might never be fully enforced." Read it all here: Lt. Dan Choi back in service?

visual communications presents 'movies that made a difference': yellow

If you're in Southern California, here's a cool free screening happening this week. As part of its monthly Movies That Made A Difference mini-series, Visual Communications presents Chris Chan Lee's 1997 debut feature Yellow. It's happening this Thursday, February 11 in Little Tokyo. Here are some details:

YELLOW

THURSDAY FEB. 11 | 7:30 PM
Visual Communications
120 Judge John Aiso Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Join us for the February installment of Movies That Made a Difference, featuring Chris Chan Lee's influential 1997 feature debut YELLOW, an entertaining ensemble comedy that follows eight Korean American kids.

Sin Lee, a high school senior, is held up while minding his parents' grocery store. Faced with the dilemma of replacing $1,500, Sin hits the streets of L.A. in hopes of digging up the cash before sunrise. Boasting a cast of new, young actors (including a young John Cho), YELLOW is an optimistic film, marking a new generation of independent and commercial filmmaking for Asian American talent.

A graduate of the USC School of Cinema, Chris Chan Lee has directed numerous music videos and episodic television in addition to his two features, YELLOW and UNDOING (2006).

THIS SCREENING IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

I consider Yellow one of the most important Asian American independent films to come out of the 1990s. I remember it was one of the first times I'd ever seen a movie with young Asian Americans who looked and talked just like me. Back then, that was a pretty big deal. Hell, it's still a pretty big deal.

Talk about a blast from the past. It's been a long time since I've seen it, and I'm curious to see if it still holds up. Find out this Thurdsay at Visual Communications, I guess. For more information about the screening, go to the VC website here.

murder victim ran a basement brothel

Last month in San Francisco, 44-year-old Xiao "Ben" Xiong Luo, was shot to death last in an invasion-style attack at his home in the Sunset District. Authorities suspect he was running a brothel out of his basement: Police suspect Sunset slaying house was brothel.

According to police, Luo was shot once in the chest by one of two masked men who burst into his home on January 27. Eight other people who were inside the home with Luo were tied up but not harmed. The assailants fled, and no suspects have been arrested.

The police have released a tape of a 911 call placed during the shooting, as well as surveillance video footage and detailed descriptions of the assailants: Police describe suspects in Sunset slaying. Police ask that anyone with information call the department's tip line at (415) 575-4444.

upcoming documentary: beijing taxi

I recently heard from filmmaker Miao Wang, whose new feature length documentary Beijing Taxi will make its world premiere next month at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

The film follows the stories of three cabbies living in Beijing in the years immediately preceding the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and provides an eye-opening glimpse into the change occuring in a China on its rapid road to modernization. Here's a excerpt from the official synopsis:

Set in the two years of the 2008 Olympics games build-up, Beijing Taxi is a multilayered feature documentary that vividly portrays the ancient capital of China going through a profoundly transformational arch. Through a humanistic lens, the stories of three taxi drivers connect a morphing cityscape and tales of ordinary citizens searching for their place amidst this dizzying pace of change. Candid and perceptive in its filming approach and highly cinematic and verite in style, Beijing Taxi takes us on a lyrical journey into fragments of a society riding the bumpy roads to modernization.

I remember seeing some footage from this film a couple of years ago in its early funding stages. It looks pretty fascinating, especially now, after the 2008 Olympics have come and gone. Watch the trailer above. To learn more about the film, go to the Beijing Taxi website here.

Still in the throes of postproduction, Miao is still trying to raise funds (a total of $11,000) to bring Beijing Taxi to the finish line and to the festival. The funding deadline is this Sunday, February 14. If you'd like to make a pledge towards the completion of the film, go to Beijing Taxi's Kickstarter page.

yellow line for yellow people?

I've been hearing all morning about this controversy out of Atlanta... MARTA, the citywide rail system, recently color coded its train lines in an effort to help passengers navigate the system more easily -- red, green, blue and yellow. No big deal, right?

Except that the train line headed to Doraville, the heart of Atlanta's Asian community, was renamed the "yellow line," drawing the attention of local Asian American activists: MARTA 'yellow line' to Doraville angers some in Asian community.

I'd like to believe that transit officials were just being extremely ignorant when they came up with these color codes Who knows? But even when a MARTA employee brought up objections to the name change last year, they still went ahead with it. Someone didn't think this through... or they just don't care:

John Yasutake, MARTA's former manager of equal opportunity and conflict resolution, attended what he called "a senior staff meeting" Sept. 1 where the proposed name changes for the Doraville line and other routes were discussed. Scott did not attend the meeting.

"I said, 'Hold on folks, do you realize that there's a very large Asian community in Doraville and the surrounding area?" Yasutake recalled Monday. "I was offended as an Asian man. Would we run a line through East Point or the West End and call it the 'black' line?"

Yasutake, who now works for a college in Bellevue, Wash., said the MARTA staff members didn't appear concerned that "yellow" is considered insensitive and might infuriate members of the community. On Oct. 7, after the change was implemented, he wrote to Scott detailing his concerns.

In her response to Yasutake, Scott said, "while it was certainly not our intent to be contemptuous in changing the name of the Doraville Line to the Yellow Line, we thoroughly understand the historical perspective that you shared with us on this matter."

If MARTA officials know anything about the communities they serve, there should've been a little more research and outreach -- hell, how about just a little more understanding? -- before they came up with this color coding. Is yellow just a color? It's not a big deal... and yet it is.

Asian American activists plan to meet this week with MARTA CEO Beverly Scott. They hope MARTA will change the line's name from yellow to gold.

music video: "valentine" by kina grannis

This is ridiculously cute, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Check out this sweet music video for "Valentine" by Kina Grannis, from her upcoming album Stairwells, due out February 23. Great track, cute video, directed by Ross Ching.

You know I'm a big Kina fan, so I'm really excited to get the new record. To preview and pre-order Stairwells, and to get a free download of "Valentine," go here. Pre-order the album now and receive a free mp3 bonus track "Make Me."

engineer sentenced to 15 years for spying

Aw dammit. Yesterday in California, enginer Dongfan "Greg" Chung was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for hoarding sensitive information about the U.S. space shuttle that prosecutors say he intended to share with China: Chinese-born engineer gets 15 years for spying.

The case against Chung was the United States' first trial on economic espionage charges. Chung, a former Boeing Co. engineer, was convicted in July of six counts of economic espionage and other federal charges for keeping 300,000 pages of sensitive papers in his home.

During brief remarks, Chung, who is 74 years old, begged the judge to give him a lenient sentence, claiming that he wasn't spy, and had only brought the Boeing documents home to write a book. Prosecutors, however, wanted to send him to prison for the rest of his life:

"Your honor, I am not a spy, I am only an ordinary man," he said, adding that he had brought the Boeing documents home to write a book.

"Your honor, I love this country. ... Your honor, I beg your pardon and let me live with my family peacefully."

Despite Chung's age, prosecutors requested a 20-year sentence, in part to send a message to other would-be spies.

But the judge said he couldn't put a value on the amount of information that Chung stole and couldn't determine exactly how much the breaches hurt Boeing and the nation. He also cited the engineer's age and frail health in going with a sentence of 15 years and eight months.

"It's very difficult having to make a decision where someone is going to have to spend the rest of their adult life in prison," Carney said. "I take no comfort or satisfaction in that."

Sending a 74-year-old man to prison for 15 years. Whoa. During the trial, Chung's lawyers argued that he may have been a serious pack rat, and violated Boeing policy by bringing the papers home, but he wasn't a spy. The judge wasn't buying it. More here: Chinese-born engineer gets 15 years in spying for China.

evil north korean invaders in homefront video game

I'll admit, I don't play a lot of video games. But I recently learned about Homefront, a new first-person shooter video game, and found the premise rather alarming. Set ten years after the economic collapse of the United States, the game follows the American Civilian Resistance as they fight to reclaim their homeland from an oppressive North Korean occupation.

In other words, the game lets you shoot lots and lots of North Korean soldiers -- the evil foreign invaders! Right in your own backyard. I suppose it's easy to craft a game with North Korean enemies... it's not like any gamers in North Korea are going to protest. This game ought to do well with fans of Red Dawn, as well as the upcoming Red Dawn remake. Watch the trailer here. It's a little frightening, on a lot of levels.

the deadliest karaoke song

They take their karaoke seriously in the Philippines. How serious? There have apparently been countless fistfights and occasional stabbings erupting from disputes over one song -- "My Way." Singing the Frank Sinatra classic can apparently get you killed: Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord.

The authorities do not know exactly how many people have been killed warbling "My Way" in karaoke bars over the years in the Philippines, or how many fatal fights it has fueled. But the news media have recorded at least half a dozen victims in the past decade and includes them in a subcategory of crime dubbed the "My Way Killings."

The killings have produced urban legends about the song and left Filipinos groping for answers. Are the killings the natural byproduct of the country's culture of violence, drinking and machismo? Or is there something inherently sinister in the song?

Whatever the reason, many karaoke bars have removed the song from their playbooks. And the country's many Sinatra lovers, like Mr. Gregorio here in this city in the southernmost Philippines, are practicing self-censorship out of perceived self-preservation.

The article goes as far as to suggest that the odds of getting killed during karaoke may actually be higher in the Philippines. Like I said, they take their karaoke seriously. So just be careful the next time you hit up a Manila karaoke joint. Sing at your own risk. Be courteous, don't hog the mic, and pick a song that nobody gives a damn about.

write to resist! writing workshop

Just heard about Write to Resist, a writing workshop series for young Asian American women (14-18) looking for a space to explore issues of violence and identity using creative writing. If you're in New York, you might want to check it out. Here's some more information:

Write to Resist!
Writing Workshop Series for Young Asian American Women

Thursdays, starting February 11th, 2010, 4:30-6:00 PM
@ Project Reach NYC
39 Eldridge Street, 4th fl., NY, NY 10002
http://www.writetoresist.moonfruit.com

Write to Resist is a writing workshop series for Asian American young women (ages 14-18) to use writing as a creative vehicle to explore issues of identity and violence. This workshop series offers a rare and safe space for Asian American young women to invent together and explore multiple ways to empower themselves. Throughout the seven workshops, participants will 1) collaborate on a zine featuring their art and written work 2) have the opportunity to showcase their work in an end of the series final performance. All levels of experience welcome!

This sounds like a really cool opportunity for young women looking for a place to share their voices. For more information about the workshop series and how to apply, visit the Write to Resist website here. For specific questions, feel free to email: writetoresistworkshop@gmail.com.

dr. u's got you covered, from zambia to san diego

This is a really cool story from a couple of weeks back about Dr. Hoi Sang U, a neurosurgeon whose goodwill connected him with a patient halfway around the world -- in Zambia -- and back: Surgeon’s good will reaches Africa.

Two years ago, Dr. U traveled to a Zambian hospital on a volunteer medical mission to operate on blind patient Mulenga Kaluba. He was able to remove a tumor behind Kaluba's right eye.

When the tumor returned, U, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical School, raised money to bring Kaluba to the United States for a second operation.

From arranging funding for medical costs, to giving Kaluba's family a place to stay, Dr. U committed himself to his patient. After picking up Kaluba and his wife at the airport, he even took them to In-N-Out Burger for their first taste of American food. Best Doctor Ever.

esna yoon performs "deepest scar"

Really digging this video of Esna Yoon singing "Deepest Scar." It's a nice song, which she sings beautifully. Not much more to say about that. Yet another great piece by The Mighty Fifty. For more from Esna Yoon, visit her YouTube channel here.

robert park released from north korea

Robert Park, the Korean American missionary who crossed over into North Korea to make a statement against the nation's oppressive communist regime, has returned the United States and reunited with his family after 43 days in custody: Missionary who was held in N. Korea arrives in US.

Park, 28, crossed the frozen Tumen River from China into North Korea on December 25, carrying letters calling on leader Kim Jong Il to close the country's notoriously brutal prison camps and step down from power.

After North Korea announced that he would be released on Friday, Park flew from Pyongyang to Beijing, then returned home to the United States, where he was reunited with his family.

Here's the weird part about his release. Last week, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency released a statement quoting Park saying some very nice things about the country he crossed into to protest:

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency quoted Park as saying he was ashamed of the "biased" view he once held of the country.

Robert Park said he was now convinced "there's complete religious freedom for all people everywhere" in North Korea, citing the return of the Bible he carried as he entered the country and a service he attended at Pongsu Church in Pyongyang, KCNA said.

"I would not have committed such crime if I had known that the (North) respects the rights of all the people and guarantees their freedom and they enjoy a happy and stable life," it quoted him as saying.

Park didn't respond to questions from reporters when he arrived in Beijing about whether he had been speaking freely or under duress, though I think it's pretty clear this statement sounds far from genuine. By the way, no former U.S. presidents were involved with his release. More here: Family relieved missionary home from N. Korea.

dumb professor by randall park

Check out Dumb Professor, another hilarious, wacky web series starring, written and directed by our funny friend Randall Park. It pokes fun of the world of academia... in the craziest way possible -- with really awesome beards.

This is how they roll at MIT, in case you didn't know. It features Jae Suh, Eric Winzenreid, Brent Weinbach, Hari Kondabolu, Lejon Stewart and Johnny Skourtis. Music by Cher. Funny-ass stuff. I eagerly await episode two.

daniel dae kim to star in hawaii five-0 remake

Whoa. Whoa! Remember that Hawaii Five-O remake I wrote about a couple of weeks ago? I just read the news that Lost star Daniel Dae Kim has joined the cast of the new show: 'Lost' actor joins 'Hawaii Five-O.'

Daniel will play Detective Chin Ho Kelly, originally played by Kam Fong on the old series. He's definitely a bit younger than what I envisioned for the character -- the casting call described "a tough, capable Asian man in his 50s." But DDK as a cool, badass cop? I like it.

The lead part of Detective Steve McGarrett hasn't been cast yet, but Alex O'Loughlin -- last seen in the now-cancelled Three Rivers -- is apparently in talks. The new show hails from feature writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and CSI: NY executive producer/co-showrunner Peter Lenkov.

According to the article, Daniel is the first actor from Lost's core cast to book a new series project this pilot season. All things considered, it's a smart move -- I'm glad we'll still get to see him on television. And hey, it means he won't have to leave Hawaii just yet.

poreotics: abdc crew to watch

I've heard that these guys, Poreotics from Westminster, California, will be reppin' the West Coast this season on America's Best Dance Crew. After watching this video, I think I've seen a pretty damn good case for who to vote for this season. See it for yourself. Tune into the West Coast regionals of ABDC this Thursday on MTV.

asian american mini-documentary project seeking stories

Here's some information about a really cool cable network PSA series shooting at the end of the month. They're looking for real folks to share their interesting and authentic Asian American stories on camera for APA Heritage Month: Asian American Project. Read on for more information:

ASIAN AMERICAN PROJECT

Do you have a story to tell about your experience as an Asian American?

Are you Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian, Hmong,
Sri Lankan, Indian, Pakistani, Bi-Racial?

Do you like to talk?

If you want to share your story and let your voice be heard, we're listening. Your story could be funny or inspirational or touching. It could be about your grandmother or your education or your favorite food. It could be your immigration story, your family's unique approach to holidays, your job. As long as it's real and as long as it's uniquely you.

A cable network is collecting "real people" stories on camera for an Asian American Heritage Month mini-documentary.

Want to know more? Contact...
asianheritageproject@gmail.com

And if you're camera shy but know someone who is amazing, who is a great storyteller (maybe it's your uncle, maybe it's your best friend growing up), let them know. Spread the word.

This is all happening very soon, so don't delay.

I've heard a little bit about the project from people behind the scenes, and it sounds like a really cool opportunity to get some of our voices out there -- there's certainly no shortage of great stories coming out of our community. If you've got a good story, and you're interested in participating, contact asianheritageproject@gmail.com, or go here.

two lost-related super bowl commercials

Another Super Bowl, another round of multimillion dollar commercials. The one that stuck out for me was this Bud Light "Planetarium" spot. It prominently features Francois Chau, who Lost fans will recognize as Dr. Pierre Chang of the Dharma Initiative. Here, he seems the same sort of character, with a bit of a twist.



And as an added bonus, here's Bud Light's Lost parody, which features a bunch of castaways unconcerned with polar bears or smoke monsters, thanks to the discovery of the plane's beverage cart, still intact and stocked with beer.

the loft interviews jane jeong trenka

The Loft Literary Center has an interview with Jane Jeong Trenka, who talks about her recently released memoir Fugitive Visions: An Adoptee's Return to Korea, a follow-up to her highly acclaimed book The Language of Blood.

Jeong Trenka is also cofounder and president of Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea (TRACK), a progressive organization that advocates for full understanding of the practices of adoption, both past and present, to preserve the human rights of children and families. Read the interview here.

the low down dirty housing swindler

A San Francisco real estate agent hired to help low-income Asian American residents apply for city-sponsored affordable housing was recently charged with swindling them out of payments he allegedly claimed would guarantee them the coveted units: Housing agent accused of bilking the poor.

Kan Yin Chow is accused of stealing $1,000 to $4,000 apiece from 19 Chinese-speaking applicants who were trying to get into housing in the city. He was arrested last month arraigned on grand theft, burglary and credit fraud charges. More here: Man arrested in alleged affordable housing swindle.

the hmong hunting radio show

This is a really interesting story out of Sacramento on an all-things-hunting radio program on KJAY 1430-AM dedicated to informing and educating Hmong listeners about the laws, regulations and issues surrounding hunting in the United States: For Hmong Hunters, a Guiding Voice in Their New Home.

the new conan (the barbarian)

In case you were wondering, this is a photo the guy playing the new Conan. Not O'Brien (obviously). News recently broke that actor Jason Momoa has signed on to star in the upcoming Conan the Barbarian movie: Jason Momoa To Play Conan.

You might have seen Momoa in shows like Stargate Atlantis and North Shore, While it's hard to imagine anyone other than the current Governor of California as the famed Cimmerian warrior, I think it's pretty cool to see a Hawaiian kid stepping into the role.

save natalie

Got this forwarded to me on behalf of Grant Nakatani, whose 8-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. After five rounds of chemotherapy, Natalie was in remission, but as of January 19, 2010, her cancer is back. Her only chance for survival is a bone marrow transplant. Read on:

My daughter Natalie has leukemia (AML) and needs a bone marrow donation in the next 30 days. If you or anyone you is Asian, male or female, please ask them to do a simple, painless test. They may save her life.

Our friends put together:
http://www.hopefornatalie.com
http://www.facebook.com/Save.Natalie

Before you sign up, please be willing to make this sacrifice. The worst thing to happen would be for you to be a match, then back out at the last minute.

1) The initial testing phase is painless.

You take a sterile cotton swab and wipe the inside of your cheek.
Next, you put the swab inside the folder provided and send the self-addressed, stamped return envelope to the lab.

Where to get the kit?
Go to a donor drive or register for a home kit on-line:
http://www.aadp.org/pages/main.php?pageid=56&pagecategory=11&keywords=home
When you send the kit back, label it:
URGENT: NATALIE NAKATANI

2) Donating

If you are lucky enough to be a match, there are 2 ways to donate. You
have a choice. The doctors generally recommend one method, but ultimately you as the donor have a choice. You should NOT have to fly anywhere; most local hospitals will be able to perform either procedure.

a) Method 1: Marrow donation
You go to your local hospital and have a brief outpatient procedure.
They will give you anaesthesia so you will not feel any pain during the marrow extraction.
The doctor will poke a special needle into your hip and take some bone marrow.
You will be discharged from the hospital later that day. You will have some discomfort in your hip for a few days and your bone marrow will regrow completely within a few weeks.

b) Method 2: Blood cell collection
For 4 days before the collection, you will receive one injection per day of a synthetic protein called filgrastim. Filgrastim increases your cell count.
On the day of collection, your blood is removed from one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the collection cells.
The remaining blood is returned to you through the other arm. The cell collection is an outpatient procedure which takes about 6-8 hours and is done over a 1-2 day period. Most donors experience headaches, or bone or muscle aches several days before the collection. This is a side effect of the filgrastim injections. The aches subside shortly after the collection.

You probably don't know Grant or Natalie. But the fact of the matter, she needs bone marrow match to save her life. If it was your friend, or your daughter, or even you, wouldn't you like to believe that a stranger would be there in your time of need?

To learn more about Natalie, go here. And to request a bone marrow donor registration kit, go here. You could be the one who saves her life.

jane lui covers "lullaby"

Just wanted to share this awesome video of Jane Lui singing a cover of Billy Joel's "Lullabye," one of my favorite songs. She's awesome.

The video also includes Jane's announcement that she's launching a fundraiser for her new album, starting Wednesday, February 10 on Pledge Music. Get ready!

Be sure to watch the whole video, because you'll get to see some behind-the-scenes footage of Jane working on the album. Can't wait to hear the new stuff. For more from Jane Lui, visit her official website here.

make the music with your mouth

Check out this cool radio story from last week about beatboxing Asian American teens in Orange County who are making moves to put their city on the map in the world of beatboxing: Irvine, the undiscovered beatbox capital?

this week's angriest posts

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

• maybelline's stupid 'asian' eyes


• this video is racist bullshit


• pep and the "asian persuasian"


• get your ramenbox


• t-shirt love: did you at?


• the (sort of) japanese american linebacker on the saints


• giant robot needs you


• u. penn student attacked


• the 'proud racist'


• the "slumdog effect"

Whoo. It's been a hell of a week.

angry reader of the week: greg pak

Ah yes. Coming at you once again with 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 reader is none other than filmmaker/comic book writer Greg Pak:

"feather or dot" indian?

Here's a good piece by high school student Anjuli Sastry on growing up Indian American and dealing with misconceptions about her culture. Even with the recent trendy appreciation of all things Indian -- the so-called "Slumdog Effect" -- there seems to be no shortage of ignorance out there: Don't assume: Take a moment, learn about wealth of Indian culture.

america's best dance crew season five: week 2

So I've been watching America's Best Dance Crew. So far, it's okay. I particularly enjoyed Blueprint Crew and Static Noyze from last night's East regionals. I'm looking forward to seeing how far they go in the competition. Watch last night's episode here.

That said, I have to ask, what the hell was up with Legendary Seven's crew logo? Who came up with this weird-ass coolie caricature? All the crews get logos, so I wonder if they come up with them on their own, or if they're designed by the show. Whatever the case, that's racist!

I suppose at this point it doesn't really matter. Legendary Seven got kicked off last night. No room for them in the nationals, so their banner will never fly anyway. It's just as well -- two of their crew members were part of the season one runner-ups Status Quo. They had their shot. See ya.

u. penn student attacked

Some disturbing news out of Philadelphia where a University of Pennsylvania student says she was the victim of what might have been a racially motived attack: Attack prompts questions.

Two weeks ago, Christina Zhang was attacked by two black teenage girls who sprayed a chemical on her face with an aerosol can. It happened in broad daylight, on a typically crowded street, with no warning.

Her face suffered an intense burning sensation and swelling, but fortunately, it went away after a couple days. She's okay, but she's also dissastisfied with the way the Philadelphia Police, the School of Nursing and the University handled the incident:

Zhang said while at HUP, personnel from Victim Services and Penn Police, sent by the Nursing School and the Division of Public Safety, respectively, took her statement.

She expressed beliefs that she may have been the victim of a race-related attack.

"My professor informed me that I may have been targeted because I was Asian," she said, referring to the attack on 26 Asian students by several black students at South Philadelphia High School in December. The clinic Zhang worked at was a block away from William Penn High School, which has a predominantly black population.

"We have no reason to believe that Christina's attack and the South Philly High incident are connected," said Divison of Public Safety Director of Special Services Patricia Brennan, who visited Zhang in the emergency room. "We're geographically removed from these locations."

Nursing Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs Christina Clark said all clinical locations are reviewed for safety by Penn Police before students are assigned to them, and Brennan pointed out the clinic where Zhang worked was "well-populated"

In response to Zhang's having to travel relatively long distances alone, Clark said students have access to PhillyCarShare "when appropriate."

"The Philadelphia Police arrived at the clinic half an hour after I left for HUP - it's unacceptable that they had such a slow response time," said Zhang, who added that the police have not contacted her since the incident.

She was also "disappointed" that the Nursing School and the University "had not done more to address the issue."

"No alert was sent out to the student body regarding this attack," Zhang said. "I was also informed about the racial tension after the attack had already occurred."

"I was unknowingly putting myself in danger all this time," she added.

While I think it's a terrible idea to put people on high alert about potential Black/Asian tensions running rampant on the streets of Philadelphia, it's also irresponsible to completely dismiss the notion that the attacks are related. Whatever the case, you'd hope that the authorities would take something like this more seriously.

t-shirt love: did you eat?

Check out the latest design from Blacklava. It's a fun design that hits the heart of anyone who knows what this phrase really means: Did you eat? means I Love You. Here's a little story tied to the design:

"For the 5th time... I'm not hungry!" I snapped... But I love you too Mom!

"I'm going out to eat with some friends," I said while rushing out the door... But I love you too Aunty.

"I just ate Ramona's Beef and Potato Burrito," I replied... But I love you too Grandma!

"I'm pretty full already," I said...

But then Dad opened the refrigerator and pulled out the old 1979 pastel yellow colored Tupperware and lifted the lid to reveal chunks of raw tuna mixed in with chopped onions... Ogo Seaweed... Red Chili Pepper.. Sesame Seed Oil... and Crushed Macadamia Nuts.

I love you too dad. :)

Hey, food is love. And I know a lot of you out there can relate. The shirt is today's Blacklava Daily Deal, available for at the discount price of just $15.00 -- only until the end of today (February 5). I need to get one of these for my momma. Buy it here.

vote jeremy lin for the bob cousy award

Just can't get enough of Jeremy Lin. This week, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts announced the Harvard hoops star as one of the final 11 candidates in consideration for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award: Jeremy Lin Named One of 11 Finalists For Bob Cousy Award.

The Cousy Award is given to the top collegiate male basketball point guard annually spanning across all divisions within the game.

The selection criteria emphasize leadership, team work, success, and fundamentals as being critical parts for the game of basketball as a point guard. Nominations are solicited from across the country from head coaches and the winner is selected by a selection committee made up of the biggest names in college basketball.

Beginning today, February 5, fans will be able to vote for the top point guard. The player that receives the most fan votes will receive one vote toward the final committee vote. Fan voting will run one month through March 5. To vote, and learn more, go to the Cousy Award website here.

the last airbender super bowl ad

Ah, more from The Last Airbender. Saw over on Racebending that the movie's Super Bowl TV spot is up and running. As you can see, it looks pretty epic. It also looks extremely ridiculous -- a disappointing reminder of what this actually could have been. Not an Asian face in sight.

Instead, you've got a bunch white actors running around in what's supposed to be a fantastical Asian-inspired world. Whatever. Expect more foolishness sometime next week, when the theatrical trailer is scheduled to premiere.

According to Ain't It Cool News, the studio actually had a test screening of The Last Airbender -- a rough cut -- this week in Arizona. And couple of audience members sent in two very divergent reviews. Ah, hell. At this point, why do I even care?

the (sort of) japanese american linebacker on the saints

So we have arrived at Super Bowl weekend. I honestly don't have a lot of interest in who wins one way or another. But I guess I am intrigued by one player in particular: Scott Fujita, linebacker for the New Orleans Saints. Wait, who's the white dude with the Japanese last name? Read on: Saints' Fujita defies stereotypes.

I've written about Fujita before, and since then, I've been totally fascinated by his story. The guy is Caucasian, but was adopted by a Japanese American father and a white mother, and was essentially raised with close ties to Japanese American culture and identity. Here's a good ESPN article on him from a couple of years ago: Hello, I'm Japanese.

I'm not too big on handing out "honorary" Asian American status, but if anyone's worthy, I suppose it's Scott Fujita. He's gotten a lot of attention for his outspoken defense of civil liberties, something he traces to his Japanese American family's experience in internment camps during World War II. His father born in a camp, and his grandfather fought in Italy with the 442nd.

Like I said, Scott Fujita fascinates me. But I guess it's not just me. With the Saints headed to the Super Bowl, his story has gotten a lot of press: Saints' Fujita defies stereotypes. And here: The Saints Linebacker Who Speaks His Mind. And here: Solid backing by Saint. And finally, here: Reasons To Adore Saints Linebacker Scott Fujita.

get discount tickets to go!style

Bay Area friends... Just one last reminder about GO!STYLE, a variety concert extravaganza featuring APA comedians, musicians ad more. It's happening this Friday, February 5 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco.

Want a discount? Yes, you do. For you, the good readers of this blog, the GO!STYLE organizers are offering a discount of $10 off the original ticket price. All you have to do is purchase your tickets through this link.

GO!STYLE
Bay Area Rise Up!

Friday, February 5th 8:00pm
Palace of Fine Arts Theater, SF
$40 dollars general admission
$30 dollars if purchased through Angryasianman!
$15 dollars with student ID
www.gostyle.org

HOSTED BY: Comedians Ali Wong and Sheng Wang
FEATURING: Magnetic North, Goh Nakamura, Michelle Martinez, The Odds (of Funkanometry), Tattva, and Loa & Fuifui Niumeitolu

Come on out, support APA artists in the Bay Area. Here's a video of Goh Nakamura plugging the show. And here's a video of Michelle Martinez encouraging you to go. For more information, including the full lineup, go to the GO!STYLE website here.

participants needed for psychology research survey

I recently heard from Shengying Zhang, a counseling psychology graduate student at the University fo Florida who is conducting a study about the experiences of Asians and Asian Americans in the United States. He's currently looking for participants to take an online survey. Read on for details:

In order to participate you must:
- be 18 years or older
- reside in the US
- be of Asian descent or background

Your participation is very important to us in that it will help us learn about the experiences of Asian and Asian American persons in the United States. There are no anticipated risks or compensation to you as a participant in this study and your participation is completely voluntary. You will be asked to respond anonymously to questions about your experiences and beliefs. General demographic information, such as gender and age, will be used only to describe the sample as a group. You do not have to answer any question you do not wish to answer. We will not trace the identities of participants; therefore, all responses will be anonymous and confidential. Responses will be reported in the form of group averages that include data from the other participants. You are free to withdraw your consent to participate and may discontinue your participation in the study at any time without consequence.

If you fit the criteria, and are willing to help out, you can take the survey here. For more information, contact Shengying Zhang (szhang.research@gmail.com), doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, or project supervisor Bonnie Moradi, Ph.D. (moradib@ufl.edu), Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Florida. This study has been approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board (UFIRB#2009-U-1031).

npr's tell me more interviews jeremy lin

NPR's Tell Me More has a good interview with Harvard hoops star Jeremy Lin, who continues to receive a lot of attention as basketball's possible Great Asian American Hope: Asian-American Ivy Leaguer Has Tall Hoop Dreams.

He talks about his early love of the game, as well as some of the racism he's faced in a sport with few players of Asian descent. In spite of the hype, he sounds like a smart kid with a good head on his shoulders, and a bright future no matter what happens.

justin lin is back for fifth fast & furious

This doesn't come as any surprise, right? The news is out that Universal has officially greenlit another Fast & Furious movie, signing deals with stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, and director Justin Lin to return to the franchise: Universal revs up another 'Fast and Furious.'

Yup, Justin's back behind the wheel. Screenwriter Chris Morgan, who penned Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious, will reteam with him on the script. Production is scheduled to begin later this year for a 2011 release.

It's a no brainer. When your crazy car action movie makes more than $350 million at the worldwide box office -- Universal's highest grossing movie of 2009 -- you bet your ass they were scrambling to make a fifth Fast & Furious movie happen as soon as possible.

The latest movie, currently being referred to as Fast Five, finds Dom (Diesel) and Brian (Walker) "as fugitives being pursued by relentless lawmen." That's all you really need to know, right? The rest is all about fast and furious cars doing really fast and furious things. Hey, I was a fan of the last movie.

For me, it's just really cool to see how Justin, a director with true Asian American indie roots, has been entrusted with one of Universal's most lucrative properties and has become one of the driving forces behind this multimillion dollar franchise. Can't wait to see what he does next.

get your ramenbox

After an evening out (usually involving a little bit of alcohol) my favorite late night snack is a steaming, salty bowl of instant noodles. Ramen! Unfortunately, I often stumble back to my place to discover my cupboard is bare. No ramen.

Fortunately, there's Ramenbox to keep me stocked and supplied. Started by Howard Chan and Becky Wu, the idea is simple: 1. Pick a Ramenbox size (regular or large). 2. Browse the site and fill up your box with an assortment of ramen. 3. Check out and wait by your mailbox. 4. Eat the ramen.

It's a customized box of ramen. I just ordered a box myself, and the site is fun and easy to use. Where was Ramenbox when I was in college? It's perfect for all those starving students who are tired of regular ol' Cup O'Noodles. Time to expand your ramen consciousness with a little more Asian spice.

For those who don't have a local Asian market, wherever you are, you do not have to crappy ramen anymore! Just head to Ramenbox. And for you, the good readers of this website, Ramenbox is offering a special 10% discount. All you have to do is enter the coupon code "angry" at checkout. Enjoy your noodles.

the long, hard road to re-election

Here's a recent article on Congressman Anh 'Joseph' Cao of Louisiana, who made headlines as the one and only Republican who voted for President Obama's health care plan, and is walking a very delicate tightrope between two parties: A lonely road for a political novice.

He's a Vietnamese American Republican Congressman representing a district that is overwhelming black and Democratic. His December 2008 victory against a criminally indicted incumbent was one of those once-in-a-lifetime longshot upset wins where all the conditions were just right. The question is, can he do it again?

Cao is determined to win a second term in November by "ignoring party labels, acting independently, voting his conscience and working hard for the people of this hard-pressed, Katrina-battered city." Easier said than done -- the Congressman has already upset people on both sides.

He's got his work cut out for him, with one of the toughest re-election contests in the nation. But he has reportedly raised the most money of any member of the Louisiana congressional delegation during the last three months of 2009. In this game, that does count for something. More here: Rep. Anh 'Joseph' Cao leads fundraising among Louisianians in Congress.

pepsi commercial rips off sour music video

This commercial for the Pepsi Refresh Project ("giving millions of dollars to fund ideas that will refresh the world") is nice and all, but I'd just like to point out that the whole thing is a complete ripoff of the music video for Hibi no Neiro" by SOUR (you saw it here back in July). Pretty blatant. (Thanks, Tam.)

Boo to that, but I should also point out that LiNK (Liberty in North Korea) is one of the organizations vying for the chance to win $250,000 from the Refresh Everything grant campaign. If they win, the money will go towards LiNK's mission of helping North Korean refugees. Learn more and vote for LiNK here.

asian americans lean left, apparently

I have to admit, I was a little surprised to read this. According to Gallup Daily tracking data, Asian Americans tend to be more liberal/Democratic and much less conservative than the general population in their political views: Asian-Americans Lean Left Politically.

The findings are based on aggregated data from Gallup's 2009 Daily tracking survey, including interviews with more than 4,000 Asian Americans. For the purpose of analysis, respondents are categorized as Asian Americans if they self-identify their race as Asian. Some interesting findings:

Overall, 41% of Asians identify politically as Democrats, 41% as independents, and 16% as Republicans. As a result, Asians are above the national average in terms of the percentage of political independents (37% nationwide) and Democrats (34%), and below average in terms of the percentage of Republicans (27%).

One can compare the political leanings of Asians with those of the other major racial and ethnic groups by looking at the percentage of each group that identifies as Democrats or leans Democratic (after initially identifying as independents) versus the percentage that identifies or leans Republican. On this basis, Asians are not as Democratic as blacks, somewhat more Democratic than Hispanics, and much more Democratic than whites.

Asians are distinct from the other racial and ethnic groups in their ideological orientation. Asians are the most likely to identify themselves as politically liberal and, in fact, are the only group that has a higher proportion of liberals than conservatives. Also, Asians are proportionately more likely than the other groups to be moderates.

Generally speaking, Americans who are less religious tend to be more Democratic and more liberal than Americans who are more religious, and Asians seem to follow this pattern. Comparatively, Asian-Americans tend to be less religious than those in other racial or ethnic groups. For example, just over half of Asians say religion is an important part of their daily lives, significantly lower than the percentage of whites, blacks, or Hispanics who say this.

The percentage of Asians who attend church on a weekly basis also is lower than for other U.S. racial or ethnic groups. A slim majority of Asian-Americans say they seldom or never attend religious services.

The religion-politics link is one possible explanation for Asians' more left-leaning political views. Another is the fact that the proportion of Asian-Americans tends to be higher in traditionally Democratic states, such as Hawaii, California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, and Maryland.

So there you have it. According to Gallup, the larger group of Asian Americans -- or at least, a sample of 4,625 Asian Americans -- generally tend to be more Democratic and more liberal than average Americans.

Like I said, these findings are a bit surprising to me. I'm willing to bet that if you disaggregated the data by age, ethnic group or region, you'd probably see a different picture. Definitely something to think about. To read more about the survey's methods and findings, including some helpful colored bar graphs, go here.

2010 sfiaaff/diy music video contest launch party

Bay Area! It's that time of year again. The 2010 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and DIY Music Video Contest Launch Party, co-presented by Locus@KSW is happening next Thursday, February 11 at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco. Here's some more information:

SFIAAFF/DIY Music Video Contest Launch Party
Co-Presented by Locus@KSW

Sponsored by TOYOTA

Thursday, February 11, Doors: 8pm
111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna Street, San Francisco
$10 | 21+ | Free for CAAM Members

The 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) running March 11-21, 2010 is right around the corner! Be the first on your block to pick up the program guide at the official Festival Launch Party!

This year, SFIAAFF combines forces with Locus@KSW to kick off the 3rd annual DIY Music Video Contest the same evening. Original music videos by Asian American musicians and filmmakers to premiere at the launch party.

The DIY Music Video teams are competing for a spot in the 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and an exciting prize provided by Toyota. Your vote will determine which video makes to the film festival! The two-week long voting period begins online at asianamericanmedia.org immediately following the launch party.

Featuring Live Music by:
Bantercut
Mandeep Sethi
Melvin
The Invisible Cities
Golda & The Guns

Featuring the sweet sounds of the PEACHES DJs:
SIMILAK CHYLD
DEEANDROID
THAT GIRL

Awwww yeah. You want to be here -- it's the event that kicks everything off for SFIAAFF, where you can get your first glimpse at this year's festival program and hear the early buzz about all the great films SFIAFF has to offer. For more information about the launch party and the 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, go to the CAAM website here.

"chapters of us" campaign

uNAVSA's 2010 CPP Campaign and the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation has launched the "Chapters of Us" fundraising campaign to fund the "500 Oral Histories Project."

From now through May 2010, the campaign will coordinate with Vietnamese Student Associations across the nation to raise funds for one purpose: to preserve a critical era of Vietnamese American history that is quickly slipping away with the passing of aging Vietnamese Americans.

The goal of the 500 Oral Histories Project is to document over five hundred interviews in an effort to preserve the unique and diverse experiences of Vietnamese Americans across the country. In the future, these interviews will be developed into an anthology, web archive, traveling exhibit and documentary film highlighting a selection of these amazing stories.

The kick-off event for the fundraising campaign is called "Chapters of Us on YouTube," leading up to the Tet Holiday Weekend. VSA groups from all over the nation will submit videos onto YouTube to express "A Vietnamese American Story." Upload your own story! For more information, visit the Chapters of Us website here.

giant robot needs you

It's a simple fact: Giant Robot is an institution. For more than 15 years, since starting as a black and white, photocopied and stapled effort, the magazine has been bringing you the coolest and most compelling stuff in Asian and Asian American popular culture. Hell, it is Asian American popular culture.

Here's the other simple fact: print publishing is suffering due to a variety of factors, from rising costs to everyone "going digital." And unfortunately, Giant Robot is not immune. Last year was particularly brutal, and now, the magazine is looking ahead and taking action to survive. Basically, they need your help in a campaign to raise $60,000. Here's how it breaks down:

We Need You, Here's Why:

THE MAGAZINE

For more than 15 years, Giant Robot has been documenting, promoting, and growing Asian and Asian American popular culture. Although a lot has changed since 1994, and there’s more immediate access to interesting stuff from around the world than ever, most of it is still crap and Giant Robot is as relevant as ever. Not only do we share what we think is the most interesting, compelling, or just plain cool aspects of Asian pop culture, but we also shape it and affect how readers in America and other countries perceive Asian, Asian American, independent, and underdog culture. Our distinctive editorial voice and clear sense of purpose has earned a loyal readership that includes academics and punks; old-school Asian activists and new-school bloggers; art fans, moviegoers, music listeners, comic readers, and food fiends; and Asians and non-Asians alike.

And as the publication has evolved into a glossy magazine with a dedicated national following (with international distribution as well), so has the company’s business model. The unprofitable process of magazine publishing was bolstered with a series of like-minded retail outlets. After offering mail order and online sales, we went on to open locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. Our galleries and shops have not only provided a means of support for a horde of up-and-coming artists and indie businesses, but led the way for a generation of boutique/art gallery hybrids.

THE MOMENT

While diversification allowed Giant Robot to escape the fate suffered by many of our indie publishing peers in the second half of the ‘00s, 2009 was brutal. In addition to several distributors cutting out small press or folding altogether, paper has become more expensive and postage has skyrocketed exponentially. And while there has also been the support of loyal advertisers, the middle class of supporters has dropped, creating peaks and valleys in income that force us to live issue to issue. Complicating matters, store revenues and art show sales have suffered along with the economy, depriving the magazine of resources that allowed it to operate freely and thrive without the benefit or constraints of being part of a large publishing house.

Reducing pages, going from bimonthly to quarterly, or becoming an online entity are not options, and our editorial and production staff of two full-timers and two part-timers (intact since issue 18) is already as lean as can be.

And so, we are taking a series of actions with the intention of not only outlasting the economic downturn but becoming an even tighter operation with an improved publication. These steps include improving the content, explore printing and distribution options, and evolving with technology. We are also seeking help from friends.

THE MESSAGE

Although the idea of a Giant Robot Foundation is not new (a non-tax-deductible donation form has been included with subscription renewal notices for years now), this particular online campaign is. We believe that there are multiple generations artists, designers, bands, filmmakers, and travelers, as well as fans, students, and supporters of interesting culture who believe in what we do and want Giant Robot magazine to continue on its path without sacrificing quality, quantity, or independence.

We have done the math, and an infusion of $60,000 (hopefully more) will ensure another year of full, unfettered operation with no strings attached to a shifting media paradigm, advertising climate, sketchy distributors, and the economy -- each of which we are not ignoring but addressing straight-on. In concert with the other measures (not to mention the realignment and recovery of our shops), we feel that Giant Robot’s future and its continuing impact of society will be secure.

If you have been affected or inspired by Giant Robot -- perhaps even featured in the pages of the magazine -- please help however you can. All support, both through finances and spreading the word, will be appreciated and make a difference.

I first discovered Giant Robot when I was in college. I was extremely excited to find a magazine that was covering "Asian Pop Culture and Beyond" with some attitude and an eye for cool -- and best of all, they were doing it completely on their own terms. It was inspirational. In truth, without Giant Robot there would be no Angry Asian Man.

Times are tough for a lot of folks. But if you can lend your support, both through a donation and by spreading a word, please considering helping out. It's hard to imagine Asian American popular culture without Giant Robot. To learn more, go here. And to donate, go here.

blame it on the pot cookies

Asians behaving badly... drug-induced flight freakout edition! A dude claims he was high on a double dose of medical marijuana cookies when he screamed, dropped his pants and attacked crew members on a cross-country flight on Sunday: FBI: Unruly Passenger Blames Medical Pot Cookies.

30-year-old Kinman Chan was charged with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant on allegations that he fought the crew members of US Airways Flight 1447 from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. The in-flight freakout forced the plane to divert to Pittsburgh.

Crew members said Chan made odd gestures before he entered the plane's rear restroom shortly after takeoff and began to scream, according to the complaint.

Chan told the FBI that he "came back to reality" and exited the restroom, at which point the crew noticed his "pants were down, his shirt was untucked and all the compartments in the restroom were opened."

When crew members tried to get Chan to sit, he fought them and had to be subdued in a choke hold, the complaint said.

Chan told agents who interviewed him in Pittsburgh that he ate marijuana cookies while waiting for his flight to depart in Philadelphia.

"Chan advised he has a medical marijuana card and he took double his normal dose," the complaint said.

The U.S. attorney's office in Pittsburgh has confirmed that Chan does indeed have a legally issued medical marijuana card for a "legitimate" health issue, whatever that means. This, of course, does not excuse dropping pants and fighting flight attendants.

Chan faces a preliminary hearing on Friday. The charge of interfering with the duties of a flight attendant carries up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

this video is racist bullshit

I don't really want to give these people more attention than they deserve, but you should know that this video, "Asian Launderer," is two and a half minutes of racist mockery. It's sad to realize that someone out there believes that yellowface, crappy chinky accents and, of course, the requisite gong effect still passes for funny. Painfully unfunny. Nothing more to say, except that's racist! (Thanks, Tana.)


UPDATE: It appears the video has been taken down. It did inspire Ryan from Blacklava to create this nice little flier "promoting" the awesome comedy troupe that produced the damn thing. Fresh and unique indeed.

the "slumdog effect"

The unexpected success of Slumdog Millionaire apparently sparked a new Hollywood trend towards Indian-themed projects, particularly sitcoms on network television: Indian-themed comedies a new TV trend.

I've already mentioned Nevermind Nirvana, which has been picked up by Fox. Outsourced, an office comedy about an American shipped off to India to manage a ragtag group of customer service reps, is currently casting for NBC.

They're also making a U.S. version of the popular British comedy The Kumars at No. 42, about an immigrant Indian family. All three of these projects have been languishing in development for years, and have suddenly seen a resurgence of interest in the last year. They might just make it to the airwaves this time.

Let's not forget all the hit shows currently out there that feature at least one actor of Indian descent, including The Office, The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, Chuck, Parks and Recreation, Community, Glee and The Good Wife. The Slumdog Effect! It's no coincidence.

maybelline's stupid 'asian' eyes

Do you have 'Asian' eyes? I do not know a lot about makeup, but it's plain to see that this "Eye Shape" customization option -- namely, the shape simply described as "Asian" -- on Maybelline's MNY magazine/newsletter is extremely problematic. That's racist!

Rasilla has made this handy video explaining the situation. Someone clearly did not think this through when they designed this damn thing. Lots more words and pictures, as well as ways to contact Maybelline, here: Lump summing 'Asian' eyes...

apa heritage festival: performance and booth registration

This is for my people in New York. The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans invite you to take part in the 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival. They recently announced their open call for performance and booth registration, and are looking for dance/music performers, as well as community groups and businesses to present at the festival. Here's the call:

Dear Friends,

We are happy to announce open booth & performance registrations for the 31st Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival.

We are hosting the day-long celebration in Union Square on Sunday, May 2rd, 2010, from 12pm to 6pm. (Tell your friends!)

We are currently seeking submissions for:

1. Dance performances & musical performers.
2. Booths for community groups & businesses to present at the festival

Our event has a history of media coverage including the NY Times, Newsday, Village Voice, TimeOut magazine, NY1 News, and many ethnic papers.

To submit registration for booths or auditions for performances, please visit our registration site.

Please send any questions to performances@capaonline.org or director@capaonline.org, respectively.

Deadlines:
Performances Submissions: Friday, February 15, 2010
Early Bird Booth Rates: Monday, March 1, 2010

Lastly, we are a 100% volunteer-based community event and are always looking for new teammates, especially valuable are those with technical skills (ie. sound systems, online media, etc).

Thank you,
Eugene Song
Director of Entertainment

Stephen Chen
Booths Coordinator

Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans
www.capaonline.org

For more information about the festival, including a tentative schedule and lineup, and to submit registration for booths or auditions for performances, visit the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival website here. And make plans to be at Union Square Park on Sunday, May 2.

factsheet: activism is not a crime

Bay Area friends! The Manilatown Heritage Foundation, along with BAYAN USA, will be having an opening reception for Factsheet: Activism is Not a Crime, an exhibition of 30 posters by artists in the U.S. and the Philippines about human rights violations in the Philippines. It opens this Saturday, February 6 at the I-Hotel Maniltown Center in San Francisco. Here are some details:

Manilatown Heritage Foundation Presents

FACTSHEET
Activism is NOT a Crime

February 6 - April 24, 2010

An exhibition of 30 posters by artists in the u.S. and the Philippines about human rights violations in the Philippines.

Opening reception: Saturday, February 6, 4-6 PM
Live performances & special guest, Marie Hilo from KARAPATAN, a human rights organization in the Philippines.
Free, donations appreciated.

Film & Discussion: Saturday, March 27, 4-6 PM
Film shorts about human rights in the Philippines from the Southern Tagalog Exposure, followed by a panel discussion with Bay Area community organizers.
$5-10, no one turned away for lack of funds

Closing Reception: Saturday, April 24, 4-6 PM
Free, donations appreciated

The exhibition opens this weekend and runs through April 24. In addition to the Opening Reception, which features special guest speaker Marie Hilo, there will be a short film screening and discussion on March 27. For more information about Factsheet, go here.

man loses leg in dui crash

This is a crazy story out of Seattle about a guy named Jason Wong, who was hit by an alleged drunk driver on the street in December -- and survived. But the accident changed his life forever: DUI amputee leaves hospital.

Jason was hit by a Corvette while he was helping unload luggage from his parked car. He pushed his father out of harm's way, but the oncoming car crushed Jason's left leg and right foot. Remarkably, he was able to call 911 himself.

But doctors weren't able to save his leg. In the next seven weeks, Jason underwent nine surgeries including skin grafts, fighting off infection. Before the accident, he had been interviewing for his dream job as an aerospace engineer.

The driver, Rodney Dean James, has been charged with two counts of vehicular assault. According to police documents, he had a breath alcohol content of 0.16 -- twice the legal limit -- the night of the incident. He pled guilty in court last week.

But now the Wong family has a pile of medical bills. Donations can be made to the "Save Jade West Cafe" at any Wells Fargo bank. Proceeds will help renovate the Wong home to accommodate a wheelchair and get a prosthesis for Jason.

planet hulk on dvd

A couple of years back, filmmaker-turned-comic book scribe Greg Pak wrote a highly entertaining and acclaimed storyline called Planet Hulk. Easily one of the best Hulk stories in recent years, it's been adapted into an animated direct-to-DVD movie, out in stores today. Here's the story:

He was a monster -- impossible to control, too dangerous to ignore. So Earth's mightiest heroes exiled him into outer space. But now the Incredible Hulk crash lands on the distant planet Sakaar, ruled by the tyrannical Red King. Sold into slavery, Hulk becomes the planet's mightiest gladiator -- but his new masters get more than they bargained for when he forges a bond of brotherhood with his fellow fighters. Unlike Earth, the desperate people of Sakaar believe a monster is just what they need. But will the Hulk be the one to save their world... or destroy it?

The movie is directed by veteran animation artist Sam Liu. I haven't been able to watch it yet, but the DVD includes a bunch of extra features, including one with Greg and artist Aaron Lopresti talking about how the book came together and where it leads.

Watch the trailer for Planet Hulk here. And to learn more about Greg Pak's work on the Hulk, visit his website here. You can also follow Greg on Twitter here.