Beware of disaster fraud in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan

Justice Department warns of potential for fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts.



In the devastating aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, one of the worst natural disasters the region has ever seen, the international community has stepped up efforts to offer help and send relief through various fundraising events and donation drives. There are a lot of great organizations you can make donations to, but my household is supporting the work of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns.

That said, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud remind the public that there is a potential for disaster fraud in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Suspected fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts associated with Typhoon Haiyan should be reported to the 24-hour toll-free NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721.

Before making a donation of any kind, the NCDF suggests adhering to certain guidelines:

Yuna performs beautiful music on Conan

Malaysian indie pop singer/songwriter performs a track from her latest album.



I rather enjoy the talents of Malaysian indie pop singer/songwriter Yuna, who makes some really beautiful, enchanting music. She recently released her latest full-length album Nocturnal, and appeared as a guest on Conan last night to perform her song "Rescue." It was pretty marvelous. Take a look:

College student dies after jumping into mountain pool

19-year-old Kevin La was hiking with friends when the group jumped from rocks near Hermit Falls.

Damn. This week in Southern California, friends and loved ones are mourning a college student who died when he jumped into a rocky mountain pool with friends: Student Dies After Jumping From Rocks Into Mountain Pool.

19-year-old Kevin La, a student at Cal State Fullerton, was hiking with a group of friends in the Angeles National Forest when several of them decided to jump from adjacent rocks into a popular pool in the Hermit Falls area.

La was one of thirteen people who jumped into the water, but appeared to be unconscious when he came to the surface. Members of the group attempted to perform CPR on La. He was airlifted to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Angry Reader of the Week: Leonardo Nam

Hey, everybody! It's that time again. I'd like you to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Leonardo Nam.

Tune: Still Life by Derek Kirk Kim

The second installment of the Tune series is on shelves now.



I'm a huge fan of Derek Kirk Kim. The award-winning graphic novelist is the author of Same Difference, Good as Lily (with Jesse Hamm), The Eternal Smile (with Gene Luen Yang) and writer/director behind the webseries Mythomania. I highly recommend checking out all of his work, including his latest book Tune: Still Life, which is out on shelves this week from First Second.

The book is the long-awaited second installment of the Tune series, a weird, quirky tale following the misadventures of Andy Go, a slacker art school dropout who finds himself recruited as the main attraction in an alien zoo. Like I said, it's weird, but also hilarious, surreal and sweet, and something that could only come from the genius mind of Derek Kirk Kim (with art by Les McClaine).

Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai spins you around with #SelfCentered

360 degree interactive spoken word video asks: what would you do if you were the center of everything?



What would YOU do if you were the center of everything for a day? This comes from our good friend Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, who's been working her butt off on this 360 degree interactive spoken word video for her poem #SelfCentered. And it is awesome. Press play, and use your cursor to click and swipe left or right 360 around the video for the full effect:

President Obama nominates Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General

If confirmed, Dr. Murthy would be the first U.S. Surgeon General of Indian descent.



President Obama has nominated Vivek Hallegere Murthy of Harvard Medical School to be the next Surgeon General: Obama Selects Health Policy Advocate as Surgeon General.

Murthy, 36, is the co-founder of Doctors for America, which began in 2008 as Doctors for Obama and focuses on providing quality, affordable healthcare to all Americans. He is an attending physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Also, am I the only one thinks that photo of Dr. Murthy is gangster as hell?

Casting Call: Be an extra in Ktown Cowboys

The boys are back and they need your help.



If you were a fan of the comedy webseries Ktown Cowboys, you'll be happy to know that the boys are back. Nope, they did not take your money and run. They're making Ktown Cowboys the movie, which starts shooting in Los Angeles this month. And they could actually use your help. The need some bodies.

Extras, actually. They need folks to be extras in the movie. Here's a message from the boys:

Two nights of Linsanity in one week? This might be a thing.

Jeremy Lin does it again, dropping nine 3-pointers in Philadelphia.



The Houston Rockets fell short, squandering a fourth-quarter double-digit lead in a 123-117 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. But man, Jeremy Lin showed no signs of cooling down, scoring 34 points with 12 assists: Rockets again squander late lead, lose to 76ers in OT.

Jeremy's shot from beyond the arc seemed close to unstoppable, sinking a career-high nine 3-pointers -- tying a Rockets franchise record. Bad night for Houston -- a loss is a loss. But we can celebrate a pretty dang great night for number 7. I'm not going to say Linsanity is back... but I sure remember what it looks like.

Here's the video with Jeremy's highlights from the game:

What do you want to learn to do in 100 days?

Video shows paralyzed woman learning to walk again.



Remember Karen X. Cheng? She's the woman who gave herself one year to becoming a better dancer, chronicling her progress and posting the results in this time-lapse video, which went viral.

The overwhelming positive response she got from the video inspired Karen and co-founder Finbarr Taylor to start up 100, a platform that helps people find motivation and support to accomplish a goal or learn a new skill.

The 100-day challenge is simple: you choose something to get better at for 100 days, and share a 10-second video of your progress ever day. There's the stuff you might expect, like a guy learning to play the guitar, a woman hitting the gym every day, a girl training her puppy to do tricks.

Then there's this woman, Cynthia, who was paralyzed from the neck down and learned to walk again:

Batman Bin Suparman jailed in Singapore

It's not an easy name to live up to.



You guys, I'm really sorry to convey this news, but Batman bin Suparman has been jailed in Singapore on theft and drug charges: Trending: Batman bin Suparman jailed in Singapore.

Yes, the guy's name is indeed Batman bin Suparman. Well before his arrest, he was already a bit of a cult figure on social media because, well, his name is friggin' Batman bin Suparman. That kind of name gets you some attention. His actions of late, however, have not been very superheroic.

23-year-old Batman bin Suparman -- his real, legal name -- has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by a court in Singapore. He was reportedly caught stealing money from a store, in addition to fraudulently making purchases with his brother's ATM card:

Restaurant owner thwarts iPhone thief with an asskicking

Badass restauranteur Jason Chan is a 19-year practitioner of Shidokan.

BOOM. Feel the fist of justice. In Chicago, a restaurant owner used his martial arts skills to knock out a thief who stole a customer's iPhone: Restaurant Owner Serves Knuckle Sandwich To Alleged iPhone Thief.

Restauranteur Jason Chan owns the Lincoln Park sushi joint Juno. He also happens to be a practitioner of the martial art Shidokan, a style of karate. But more on that in a bit.

Chan was suspicious of 37-year-old Justin Ballog when he entered the restaurant and placed his jacket on the bar. When Ballog suddenly snatched his coat back and ran out of the restaurant, a customer realized the man had grabbed his iPhone.

Oh helll no. Chan immediately took off in search of the thief, and remembering his distinct striped sweater, tracked him to a restaurant a few blocks down the street. That's where he confronted him, and that's where Chan's Shidokan skills came in handy when Ballog tried to get physical.

He knocked him him out with a kick to the face:

Kollaboration Star, November 16

Featuring Drunken Tiger with T Yoon Mirae & Bizzy



Kollaboration, the world-famous Asian American talent show competition returns to Los Angeles for Kollaboration Star 2013. Six talented, up-and-coming finalists will showcase their talents and vie for a $20,000 prize. It's going down this Saturday, November 16 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Hosted by David So, the evening's guest performers include comedian Paul PK Kim, dancer Mike Song & beatboxer KRNFX, singer/songwriter David Choi and a special one-hour performance by Korean hip hop royalty Drunken Tiger with T Yoon Mirae and Bizzy. It's going to be quite a show.

Here's the official promo video with the highlights:

Last night was downright Linsanity-esque

Jeremy Lin drops 31 points in a double-overtime win over the Raptors.



It was the return of Linsanity! For one night, at least. And hopefully many more nights to come. Jeremy Lin came off the bench to score a season-high 31 points, leading the Houston Rockets to 110-104 double-overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors: Lin's aggression bails out Rockets against Raptors.

In nearly 46 minutes of play, your favorite point guard shot 10 for 17, including three three-pointers, and hit 8 of 9 from the free throw line. In case you missed it, here are Jeremy's awesome moments from the game, conveniently compiled in one five-minute video:

Rob Gronkowski mocks Asian fan at watch party

"They told me he could only cook fried rice."



Hey, here's some video of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski mocking an Asian fan. And absolutely no one is surprised: Gronk, On Asian Fan: "They Told Me He Could Only Cook Fried Rice."

Last weekend, Gronkowski hosted a Cowboys-Saints game watch party at a bar in Foxboro, where attendees got food, two drinks and a photo with the Gronk -- all for just $87/person. That just about sounds like the worst way to spend a Sunday afternoon. And racial mocking on top of that, and it's a party.

In this video, posted by TMZ, we see an Asian fan in a Gronkowski jersey dancing. It's dorky, no question. But then Gronk can't help but comment into the microphone, "They told me he could only cook fried rice!" He then refers to the fan as "Leslie Chow," the name of Ken Jeong's character from The Hangover:

Advancing Justice Conference, November 14-16

Asian American & Pacific Islander Civil Rights for the Next Generation



Hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Advancing Justice Conference is the first and only national conference that focuses on civil rights and social justice in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. It's happening this week, November 14-16 at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles.

For the 5th annual conference, folks are gathering from all over the country for three days of programming, including panel discussions, caucus sessions, skills and capacity building trainings and networking receptions. Here are some more details about the conference:

New Music: Gangster of Love by Rocky Rivera

Some new music for you... Bay Area rapper Rocky Rivera just dropped her second full-length album Gangster of Love, available now from Beatrock Records. I was a big fan of her Pop Killer mixtape from a few years back, so I've been really looking forward to this one. Listening to it now and I'm digging it hard. White hot lyricism and attitude for days. Here's the music video for the single "Wake Up":

Seattle man arrested in hate crime attack

"I beat him up to keep the white people safe!"

Last month in Seattle, police arrested a man on hate crime charges for making anti-Japanese comments while brutally attacking an Asian man on the street: Police: Korean man attacked by anti-Japanese bigot.

21-year-old Dion A. Packard reportedly accosted the victim, Jae Kang Lee, at a bus stop on October 26, slamming his head into a pole, kicking him, pulling him into the street and making "racist, nonsensical comments."

The incident was apparently unprovoked -- the two men did not know each other, and according to authorities, the attack was racially motivated.

Sounds like this guy Packard saw an Asian dude waiting for the bus and just went off, making the usual racial slurs, talking about Americans who "fought and died in the war." Bro, you're 21 years old -- what war are you carrying on about like you freaking fought in one?

Later, Packard apparently told hospital workers, "I beat him up to keep the white people safe!"

Watch Nice Girls Crew Season 2 on Comcast VOD/Streaming

Starring Lynn Chen, Michelle Krusiec and Sheetal Sheth



Heads up to all Comcast cable subscribers. The Nice Girls Crew is back! The ladies of your favorite BFF book club return for a second season of the wacky comedy web series Nice Girls Crew, now available exclusively this month on XFINITY On Demand's Cinema Asian America, as well as Xfinity Streaming.

Justin Lin to direct the next Bourne movie

Fast & Furious director will pick up the sequel to The Bourne Legacy



The rumors are true, action movie fans! Justin Lin has signed on to direct the next installment of the Bourne series: 'Fast & Furious' Helmer Justin Lin To Direct Next 'Bourne' Installment.

Having spent that last several years successfully resurrecting Fast & Furious and turning it into a global blockbuster phenomenon, Justin now turns his attention to Universal's other big action franchise. He'll direct the fifth movie in the series, the sequel to The Bourne Legacy, which kicked off the parallel storyline of Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner. Rumor has it, they're aiming for a summer 2015 release:

"Aplovado!" Portuguese ad goes for the tired Japanese joke

Because, hey, Japanese businessmen are always good for a laugh.



This one comes to us from the land of Portugal... This ad is part of a campaign for a mass media/communications company Zon. The message, I think, is that Zon is so good that it even impresses Japanese people. (Because the Japanese are so technologically advanced? I don't know.) Whatever.

For those who don't read or understand Portuguese, the bus shelter ad above exclaims, "Approved!" But instead of "aprovado," it has replaced the "R" with an "L" -- get it! See what they did there? Japanese people can't handle those Ls and Rs! What an original-ass joke. Nice to know they tell that joke in Portugal too.

The line at the bottom says "Approved by millions of Portuguese and 3 Japanese." Here's also a television ad for campaign. Because, hey, Japanese businessmen are always good for a laugh.

(Thanks, Caitanya.)

Thousands gather for protests against Jimmy Kimmel

Chinese American groups demand late night host's firing for "kill everyone in China" remark



Man, this Jimmy Kimmel controversy appears to have some legs. Over the weekend, protestors gathered in cities across the country in response to the late night talk show host's recent segment which jokingly suggested that we "killing everyone in China." On Saturday in Burbank, more than a thousand people picketed ABC's headquarters: Protestors slam Jimmy Kimmel over 'kill everyone in China' joke.

During the "Kids Table" segment, which aired last month, Kimmel gathered a group of children to get their take on politics and the economy. When asked how the United States should deal with its ballooning foreign debt, one of the kids suggested that we should "kill everyone in China." Obviously, it's just a kid being a kid, and kids say crazy things. But critics say the moment was irresponsible and should never have made it on the air.

Both Kimmel and ABC have since apologized for the segment, and quickly removed the clip from all public platforms. But these actions are apparently not enough:

Read These Blogs

How to help: Organizations offering relief to Typhoon Haiyan survivors: By now, you've heard about the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan -- believed to be the deadliest natural catastrophe on record in the Philippines, with as many as 10,000 people feared dead, and millions displaced. Here are a list of organizations who are deploying urgent relief efforts on the islands. See how you can help.

UCLA Has More NCAA Championships Than Black Male Freshmen: This powerful spoken word poem by UCLA student Sy Stokes voices concerns about the glaring lack of black students on campus.

My Lai, Sexual Assault and the Black Blouse Girl: Forty-Five Years Later, One of America's Most Iconic Photos Hides Truth in Plain Sight: How our understanding of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War, told through a well-known photo, isn't the whole story.

Why Oakley's "Asian fit" sunglasses aren't racist, just science: What does "Asian fit" even mean? It's how Oakley's designed glasses tailored to the contours of Asian consumers, marketed under a not-so-subtle name.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.

1. Jim Lee's rejection letters from Marvel and DC

2. To the asshole who broke into Steven Yeun's car

3. Community mourns teen who took his own life

4. Online sex predators caught in the act by virtual "child"

5. Virginia mom dresses son in KKK costume for Halloween

6. Watch the Indonesian teaser for The Raid 2: Berandal

7. SEDUCTIVE. DANGEROUS. CONTAGIOUS. ORIENTAL.

8. What's up with this candidate's "Terracotta" campaign ad?

9. Meet Marvel's new Muslim superhero

10. Hari Kondabolu teams up with Sikh Captain America

Don't know why there were so many comic book-related posts this week. I had funny books on the brain. Have a great weekend! I'm parting at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. And I will see you next week at the Advancing Justice Conference in Los Angeles.

Angry Reader of the Week: Xiong Lee

All right, folks. Gather 'round, because you know time it is. Time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Xiong Lee.

Is Warner Brothers looking for a big screen Wonder Woman?

Rumors say Elodie Yung is among actresses testing for a possible role in Batman/Superman.

Fanboys and fangirls are aware that there is a Batman/Superman movie currently in the works at Warner Brothers. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie will star Henry Cavill reprising his role as the Man of Steel, and Ben Affleck stepping into the role of the Caped Crusader. But it's rumored that they might also be casting for the role of Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman: New Actresses Test for 'Batman vs. Superman' ...as Wonder Woman?

According to Variety, actresses Gal Gadot, Elodie Yung and Olga Kurylenko have tested for the movie's female lead, who is described as "tall, brunette, athletic and exotic" -- and sounds a lot like a certain superheroic Amazonian princess from DC Comics fame. Could Wonder Woman be the latest superfriend to make an appearance alongside Superman and Batman?

Jim Lee's rejection letters from Marvel and DC

"Your work looks as if it were done by four different people."



Artist, writer and editor Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Comics, is hands-down one of the most important figures in the comic book industry. He's had a hand in creating some of the medium's most iconic characters and stories, and his unique style and technique have influenced a generation of artists.

To this fanboy, he's a personal hero -- not only as a comic book professional, but also as one of the first Korean Americans I ever saw working in a nontraditional, creative career. He's the best.

But he wasn't always at the top of the game. While cleaning out some file cabinets, Jim recently came across a bunch of old rejection letters he received as a young hungry artist trying to break into the biz. Naturally, he snapped photos of the notes -- correspondence from both DC and Marvel Comics -- and posted them on Instagram. They're definitely humble evidence that even the greats must start at the bottom.

Take a look:

After ten years, publisher apologizes for Rickshaw Rally

LifeWay offers an apology for racist religious curriculum. It only took a decade.

Long time readers might remember the Rickshaw Rally controversy.

In 2003, LifeWay Christian Resources published an Asian-themed Vacation Bible School curriculum called "Far Out Rickshaw Rally - Racing Towards the Son." Fraught with racist, stereotypical imagery, the materials were criticized by Asian American Christian leaders, who led a campaign to get LifeWay to halt use of the curriculum, which was designed for children. You can still see the old Reconsidering Rickshaw Rally website archived on Geocities.ws.

For the most part, LifeWay didn't give a crap and the issue pretty much died off. Until this week.

The company is apparently under new management. On Wednesday -- ten years after the controversy -- LifeWay president and CEO Thom S. Rainier apologized for Rickshaw Rally via video message at the Mosaix conference in Long Beach, California, a gathering of about 1,000 multiethnic church leaders.

You can watch the video of Rainier's apology here. And here's the transcript:

Hari Kondabolu teams up with Sikh Captain America

Is New York ready for a Captain America who rocks a turban?



Y'all know I love me some Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Check out this amazing segment where Hari Kondabolu takes to the streets of New York City with Sikh Captain America. Yup, Vishavjit Singh, the Sikh New Yorker who dressed up like Marvel Comics' most patriotic superhero -- plus a blue turban -- for a day.

Are the people ready for a Captain America who rocks a turban? Let's find out:

Cop fired after off-duty bar brawl

The fight was set off when the officer was called a racial slur.

Damn. Last month in Michigan, a veteran police officer was fired for his role in an off-duty parking lot bar brawl. Bad cop behavior. Big whoop. But it might also interest you to know that the cop is of Asian descent, and the fight was set off because someone called him a racial slur: Slur toward former officer led to fight.

Jason Cooper, a 17-year veteran of the Belding Police Department, was dismissed after an internal investigation found he had "violated police procedure and policies" in an altercation at Grattan Irish Pub in Grattan Township.

The whole thing started when a patron, Ryan Pethers, was reportedly asked to leave the bar because of "unruly behavior." Cooper happened to walk out at the same time, when the two exchanged words. Things apparently got physical when Pethers called Cooper a racial slur:

Apply to be an intern with NPR's Code Switch

Join the public radio team exploring issues of race, ethnicity and culture.

Are you a public radio nerd? A critical thinker about race, ethnicity and culture? Know more than a thing or two about broadcasting, blogs and social media? Then here is an awesome internship opportunity for you.

The folks at National Public Radio's Code Switch, who are concerned with the "frontiers of race, culture and ethnicity," are hiring an intern for winter/spring 2014, from January to April. Interns will receive a $5,500 stipend and will work out of the NPR headquarters in Washington DC.

They're looking to work with a budding journalist who is social media savvy, a strong writer and passionate about covering race, ethnicity and culture.

Think you're up for the job? Here's some more information:

The Middle of Nowhere by Adam WarRock

The internet's pop cultural emcee drops his third full-length album.


Nerdcore. Geek music. Whatever the heck you want to call it. Your favorite pop cultural emcee Eugene Ahn, aka Adam WarRock, who makes hip hop about awesome stuff, just dropped his latest full-length studio album The Middle of Nowhere. And indeed, it's pretty awesome.

While the album puts Eugene's signature fanboy-friendly flow front-and-center, and features guest vocals from MC Frontalot, Louis Logic, Schaffer the Darklord and more, The Middle of Nowhere feels like next-level Adam WarRock -- still as nerdy as a trip to the comic book shop, but all growns up and deeply personal.

Here's the album preview on Bandcamp:

Chinese Cyber Attack! The Movie

Dragon Day attempts to the be thinking man's Red Dawn.



Hey moviegoers! Do you like your movies with a healthy dose of anti-Chinese fearmongering? Bummed that Red Dawn chickened out and turned the movie's Chinese villains into North Korean invaders? Look no further than the indie cyber thriller Dragon Day, where chaos erupts when China comes to collect.

The plot: Duke, an out-of-work NSA engineer, finds his family stuck in a small mountain town the day a devastating cyber-attack destroys the U.S. as we know it. The culprit: China, of course! And get this: every microchip "Made in China" has been infected with a virus that rapidly shuts down all modern technology.

Here's the trailer:

Online sex predators caught in the act by virtual "child"

Computer-generated "Sweetie" created to lure web cam sex tourists.



This is really unsettling... Meet Sweetie, a 10-year-old girl from the Philippines who tracked down and identified 1,000 pedophiles. Except she isn't real -- she's a computer-generated avatar used as bait to lure online sex predators who target children: Meet 'Sweetie,' a virtual girl created to target child predators.

"Sweetie" was created by the Dutch children's rights organization Terre des Hommes as part of a campaign to end "web cam sex tourism," where men go online to pay children from developing countries to perform sex acts on camera. According to the charity, 20,000 men contacted Sweetie within the first 10 weeks. Watch this video about the investigation:

Meet Marvel's new Muslim superhero

Ms. Marvel returns as a 16-year-old Muslim American teenage girl from New Jersey.

This is pretty awesome comic book news... Marvel Comics is introducing a new kind of superhero for these modern times -- a reintroduction of Ms. Marvel -- who happens to be an average (albeit super-powered) Muslim American teenage girl: In Marvel Comics, Ms Marvel Returns as Muslim Teen.

This week, Marvel announced a new Ms. Marvel series whose lead character is a superhero of the Islamic faith. Meet Kamala Khan, the 16-year-old daughter of Pakistani immigrants living in Jersey City, and the latest heroine to don the mask of Ms. Marvel. Considering that the previous Ms. Marvel is a buxom, blue-eyed blonde, I'd say this is a fairly significant development.

Kamala, the creation of writer G. Willow Wilson, artist Adrian Alphona and editor Sana Amanat, is the first-ever female Muslim title character to get her own monthly book from a mainstream publisher.

Watch the Indonesian teaser for The Raid 2: Berandal

Like I said, you had me at "Hammer Girl."


Hell yes. Action movie fans, rejoice. Twitch just premiered the international teaser trailer for The Raid 2: Berandal, sequel to the smash hit Indonesian action flick, and holy moly it's got me crap-pants excited.

The first movie (retitled The Raid: Redemption for release here in the States) followed a SWAT team that gets trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and must fight off his army of killers and thugs, floor by floor. All of the action -- and there is an insane quantity of it -- basically takes place in one building. It's just thirty stories of nonstop machine guns, machetes and fisticuffs. And it's awesome.

This new teaser indicates that they're broadening the scope and scale of this world. Picking up where the first movie left off, Iko Uwais returns as Officer Rama, as well as a colorful new cast of characters, to amp up the action. Did I mention there is character named "Hammer Girl"? Badass. Take a look:

Woman gives birth outside Holland Tunnel

They hoped they could make it to the hospital in time, but this kid was ready to go.



Hospital or no hospital, this baby wanted out. Right then and there. So on Monday morning in New Jersey -- just outside the entrance to the Holland Tunnel, to be exact -- a woman gave birth to a baby who was in one big hurry to be born: Baby born outside entrance to the Holland Tunnel.

Brooklyn couple Ying Chen, 21, and Kai Tang, 23, were driving back from visiting a cousin in Philadelphia when Chen went into labor. They hoped they could make it to the hospital in time, but this kid was ready to go. So Tang pulled over just outside the tunnel in Jersey City, where he flagged down some help.

And with the help of some Port Authority police officers, this baby girl was born in the back seat of her father's Nissan. Healthy and safe.

L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food by Roy Choi

Part cookbook, part memoir, and a streetwise love letter to Los Angeles.



By now, you know that I am a big fan of renegade restaurateur/chef/food truck revolutionary Roy Choi, who makes great food, talks a good game, and is an all-around cool dude. And now he's an author.

His debut book, L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food, is on shelves now. Co-written with Tien Nguyen and Natasha Phan, L.A. Son is part cookbook -- featuring over 85 recipes -- part autobiography, and a streetwise love letter to the titular city that made Roy who he is and gave birth to a street food movement.

Korean fried chicken, tempura potato pancakes, homemade chorizo, kimchi and pork belly stuffed pupusas. There's a tradition and a story behind every recipe -- the unlikely story of how a Korean American kid went from lowriding in the streets of L.A. to becoming a bonafide culinary rock star.

Or as Roy simply puts it, "Everything I am comes from kimchi." I hear that. Here's more about the book:

SEDUCTIVE. DANGEROUS. CONTAGIOUS. ORIENTAL.

Have you ever wanted to know what "oriental" smells like?



Got this photo forwarded along to me, taken and tweeted by Tim Hwang, who spotted the Georgio Armani men's fragrance Code Ultimate in a duty free catalog. Described as "an intense, more sensual" version of regular old Armani Code, the cologne's defining qualities are -- in all caps -- SEDUCTIVE, DANGEROUS, CONTAGIOUS, ORIENTAL.

Have you ever wanted to know what "oriental" smells like? Look no further and take a deep whiff:

Virginia mom dresses son in KKK costume for Halloween

It's apparently a family tradition.



Sorry, I guess we're still talking about Halloween... This year, we saw people dressing up in all manners of racist costume foolishness, including those guys who dressed up bloody Asiana flight attendants.

Now, it's one thing when grown-ass adults put on a racist costume... but what about the Virginia parent who dressed up her kid in a Ku Klux Klan robe for Halloween? Oh hell no. Yes, this happened. Happy Halloween: Mom Lets Son Wear KKK Halloween Costume, Says It's A Family Tradition.

Jessica Black of Craigsville, Virginia let her 7-year-old son Jackson dress as a Klansman for Halloween. When confronted about the costume by local ABC news affiliate WHSV, Black defended her decision, insisting that the robe is a family tradition. Also, as you can deduce from her comments, she's racist:

Asian Americans United 28th Anniversary Benefit, November 15

With singer Nobuko Miyamoto



Hey, Philly! The legend herself, Nobuko Miyamoto, is coming to town. The woman who co-founded the pioneering Asian American folk group Yellow Pearl will be on stage on Friday, November 15 as part of Asian Americans United's 28th anniversary benefit concert and celebration. Over the years, AAU has worked with young people to develop communities, stand up for justice, and acquire leadership skills. Here's some more info about the event:

Community mourns teen who took his own life

Classmates say he was the victim of bullying.

Tragic news out of the San Diego area... In Chula Vista, friends and classmates are in shock, mourning the death of of a high school student jumped who committed suicide on Friday night: Vigil held for South Bay teen who took his own life: Friends say teen was victim of bullying.

17-year-old Steven Liu, a senior at Otay Ranch High School, jumped to his death from a pedestrian bridge near campus. According to friends, he was well-liked and was an exceptional athlete, but some say he was also often picked on, suffered from low self-esteem and could be hard on himself.

Witnesses say they saw Liu crying on the ledge of the bridge before falling to his death:

14th San Diego Asian Film Festival, November 7-16

Presented by Pacific Arts Movement



Hey San Diego film lovers! It's on. Pacific Arts Movement presents 14th San Diego Asian Film Festival, running November 7-16 and boasting a ten-day lineup of over 140 films from 15 countries. This is one of my favorite events of the year, and if you peruse the jam-packed schedule of screenings, parties and other special events, you'll see why. There's something for everybody.

The festivities kick off this Thursday, November 7 at the Birch North Park Theatre with SDAFF's Opening Night presentation of the romantic comedy Finding Mr. Right, one of China's biggest box office hits. Director Xue Xiaolu is scheduled to attend from Beijing for the Q & A.

Here's the festival trailer to get you pumped:

Daniel Dae Kim inks development deal with CBS TV Studios

Hawaii Five-0 actor will develop and produce projects for television



Awwwww yeah. Some cool TV news... You've loved him on Lost and Hawaii Five-0, now get ready for DDK the producer. News broke last week that Daniel Dae Kim has struck a two-year first-look development deal with CBS TV Studios: Daniel Dae Kim Inks Overall Deal With CBS Television Studios.

Under his company, 3AD, Daniel will develop and produce projects for network and cable. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daniel is currently in the process of hiring a development executive to oversee the newly launched banner. Wouldn't it be cool to see some qualified Asian folks in the running for the job?

Come to think of it, I can't recall another Asian American actor who's gotten a TV development deal like this. Is DDK the first?

To the asshole who broke into Steven Yeun's car

While you were watching The Walking Dead, somebody stole Steven Yeun's backpack.



On Sunday night, Steven Yeun, who plays your favorite Asian American zombie apocalypse survivor Glenn on the hit AMC drama, shared an Instagram photo of his car's busted window, through which someone stole his backpack. Its precious stolen contents included a laptop, a camera, a book and a notebook full of "dumb ideas." In an eloquent open letter, Steven addressed the "asshole" thief:

What's up with this candidate's "Terracotta" campaign ad?

"Not Like the Rest of the Crowd"



Is this for real? What exactly is Philip Putnam getting at with this campaign ad?

Putnam, who is running for re-election to the South Pasadena City Council, recently ran this print ad in the South Pasadena Review touting himself as "Not Like the Rest of the Crowd" with a bad Photoshop job of him standing out amongst several rows of Terracotta warrior statues. It's kind of confounding.

Can I point out the possible racial implications of this ad?

Read These Blogs

Banksy Remixed To Protest Cops' Alleged Role In Motorcycle Rampage Assault: A group of artist activists has "borrowed" Banksy's iconic stenciling style to create a mural at the Washington Heights spot where SUV driver Alexian Lien was attacked by a group of enraged motorcyclists.

When Your Kid Says Something Racist: Kathy Khang's four-year old son was recovering in the hospital when racial slurs were thrown at him across the hospital room.

What's So 'Chinese' About A Chinese Fire Drill?: A "Chinese fire drill" is a classic car prank that's been popular since the 1960s. But what exactly makes it Chinese?

The Asian-American Obsession With Top-Tier Colleges Needs to Stop: Justin Chan responds to Allison Singh's recent list of colleges for parents of "high achieving Asian American students." But does that really raise one's standing in American society, or within the Asian community? Justin Chan doesn't think so.

Kevin G. From "Mean Girls" Grew Up: Remember Rajiv Surendra, the guy who played Kevin Gnapoor ("Math Enthusiast/Bad-Ass M.C.") in Mean Girls? Yeah, he kind of grew up.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.

1. The guys who dressed up as bloody Asiana flight attendants

2. Kolten Wong picked off first base for final out of Game 4

3. "We Love You Long Time" Billboard in Portland's Chinatown

4. Your Halloween Costumes, Part One

5. Asians in the new X-Men movie trailer!

6. A costume tribute to the "most famous flip phone of all time"

7. Meet the Asian Jon Snow from Game of Thrones

8. Sriracha is too spicy for the city of Irwindale

9. Your Halloween Costumes, Part Two

10. Instant yellowface! Now available in a convenient tube.

It's been a hell of a week. Thanks to all the supporters of this blog -- you keep it going!

If you haven't already, please check out the Awesome Asian Bad Guys teaser trailer.

And if you happen to be in the Bay Area, I'll be speaking with the good folks at UC Berkeley on Monday night, 6:00pm in VlSB 2060. Hope to see you there. Stay Angry.

Roy Choi's L.A. SON Book Tour 2013

Live & Direct! Catch chef/restaurateur/author Roy Choi on tour.



Renegade chef, restaurateur, food truck pioneer and now author Roy Choi's debut book L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food hits shelves on November 5. Part cookbook and part memoir, it tells the unlikely story of how a Korean American kid went from lowriding in the streets of L.A. to becoming an acclaimed chef.

To celebrate the release of L.A. Son, Roy is heading off on a book tour throughout the month of November. If you happen to be in New York, you can join Roy in conversation with Anthony Bourdain for the official book launch, Tuesday, November 5 at The Powerhouse Arena. $85 gets you signed copy of L.A. Son, wine, and food from Momofuku and Momofuku Milk Bar. That sounds like a pretty fun night.

Here's some more information about the rest of the tour:

Angry Reader of the Week: Hollis Wong-Wear

What's up, my friends. May I have your attention, because it's time to meet the latest 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 Hollis Wong-Wear.

Your Halloween Costumes, Part Three

The epic, third and final gallery of this year's reader-submitted Halloween costume photos.



My friends, you really got into the Halloween spirit. I put a call out for photos of your awesome Halloween costumes, and you responded enthusiastically. At first, photos trickled in, supplying some great fodder for Part One and Part Two. And then, the deluge. Thank you all for responding to the call. Please do not send anymore costume photos, no matter how awesome they are. We're good.

And so... wrapping up Halloween for the year, here is the epic, third and final gallery of your costume photos:

Your Halloween Costumes, Part Two

More reader-submitted Halloween costume photos



Got the Day-After-Halloween blues? Looks like you had fun. I put a call out for photos of your awesome Halloween costumes. Got some good ones. Here's the first batch. Got some more. That's Keith looking quite heroic as the New 52 Superman and his daughter Keina as Raven above.

As you nurse that stomachache you got from eating all your Halloween candy -- or the candy you stole from your kids -- take a look at some more Halloween costume photos from around the Angry Asian Readership: