Follow your local police on Twitter, Facebook... and Weibo?

Alhambra PD is the first U.S. law enforcement agency to sign up for the popular Chinese micro-blogging site



Chances are, your local law enforcement agency has a Facebook page or a Twitter account letting you know about the latest crime alerts or safety announcements. Big deal. Is your police department on Weibo?

Last week, in a unique effort to reach the city's Chinese immigrants, the Alhambra Police Department became the first law enforcement agency in the United States to open an official account on Weibo, the Chinese Twitter.

Alhambra PD is first US police department to launch Chinese Twitter (Weibo) account

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, about 53 percent of Alhambra's population is Asian, and of the city's 57,300 residents, about 30,000 are Chinese.

While Facebook and Twitter are blocked in mainland China, Weibo is one of the most widely used social media tools in the country. No doubt, its reach extends to Chinese communities here in the U.S. This will be first time the Alhambra Police Department releases official information in a language other than English.

Kristina Wong's Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest DVD

A comedy about depression



Whether it's professing obsessive love for Jeremy Lin on Totally Biased, or declaring "Suck it, white ladies!" in the most awesome TV interview ever, writer/performance artist/provocateur is full-time awesome.

So if you're a Kristina Wong superfan like me, then you should check out the feature film version of Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, her critically-acclaimed one-woman show about suicide and depression among Asian American women, now available on DVD and VOD from Cinema Libre. Watch Kristina take the stage and use her show to cure all the mentally ill and suicidal Asian American women in just 85 minutes.

Okay, so that's kind of a lofty goal. According to a report from the American Psychological Association, suicide is the second leading cause of death among Asian American women aged 15-34. With this sobering statistic in mind, Kristina tackles taboos and says 'suck it' to stigmas, crafting a razor-sharp, insightful and hilarious show that examines the phenomena and stereotypes associated with Asian American women.

Here's the trailer to Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:

Angry Gift Guide: Bruce Lee Playing Cards

For the baddest game of Go Fish ever



All right, my die hard Bruce fans. Just when you think they've made every conceivable kind of cool Bruce Lee gear, we've got these awesome, officially licensed Bruce Lee Playing Cards by Dan & Dave.

Handsomely designed in partnership with Bruce Lee Enterprises, the back of the cards feature a design signifying the Year of the Dragon, while the faces of the cards are a familiar shade of yellow and black, inspired by the iconic jumpsuit word by Lee in Game of Death. Each card features a different philosophical quote from Bruce Lee's teachings, except for the Aces, which have been left blank to symbolize a free mind. Bold.

Watch this video to see a dude do some skillful trickery with the cards:

When #NotYourAsianSidekick took over Twitter

Hashtag sets off a massive conversation about race, feminism and stereotypes



If you're active on Twitter, then no doubt you've seen the #NotYourAsianSidekick hashtag that sprouted up, quickly became a global conversation that lasted most of Sunday, and as I write this on Monday morning, is still a top trending topic. The hashtag conversation, started by writer/activist Suey Park, was an attempt to create a space for intelligent, provocative dialogue about Asian American feminism and stereotypes.

It was wildly successful. Huge props to the folks who set it off and kept the momentum going. The conversation ranged from confronting patriarchy in the Asian American community, to addressing racism in white feminist spaces, as well as ugly, persistent stereotypes about Asian sexuality. It was opportunity for folks to join in and speak out on issues rarely discussed and often ignored in even the most seemingly progressive spaces.

If you haven't checked out #NotYourAsianSidekick, catch up on the conversation on Twitter.

Man sentenced in hate crime attack on Sikh cab driver

50-year-old Jamie Larson sentenced to 40 months in federal prison


Last week in Seattle, a man was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for viciously beating a Sikh cab driver last year while making racist statements about Muslims during a brutal hate attack.

Federal Way man gets 40 months in attack on Sikh cabdriver

50-year-old Jamie Larson, described as a "blackout-binge alcholic," brutally attacked taxi driver Kashmira Hothi, who is an immigrant from India and happens to be Sikh, not Muslim -- not that it f*%king mattered to this asshole -- in a drunken, racist assault. He kicked, punched and stomped on Hothi while pulling out part of his beard and making disparaging, hateful remarks about Islam and Muslims.

According to prosecutors, Hothi was hospitalized for eight days with a concussion and other injuries. He couldn't work for two months and required months of physical therapy because of his injuries.

It all started one day in October 2012, when Larson was found passed out drunk in the bushes:

Read These Blogs

Orangetree's Rainbow Flag Fright: Irvine's Orangetree neighborhood was the picture-perfect example of Orange County suburban tranquility... until Dr. Mary Pham added color by hanging an LGBT Pride Flag prominently above her home, unearthing some serious bigotry and intolerance.

Sex, lies and the Internet: The tale of Lena Chen: During her freshman year at Harvard, Lena Chen started a blog called Sex and the Ivy, and someone used the information she posted to make her life and those around her a living hell. Here's her story, and others who were aggressively harassed for "blogging while female."

Why Young Asian-Americans Are Fleeing Hollywood: In the past, Asian American actors and actresses haved used Asia as a launching pad to break into the industry and then continue their careers in the U.S. These days, however, an increasing number decide to remain in Asia.

Where's the Diversity? The NY Times Top 10 Bestsellers List: Lee and Low Books looked at the New York Times Top 10 Bestsellers list for all 52 weeks of 2012. The results? A consistent lack of diversity. Lee and Low interviews author Charles Yu about this statistic and his work.

The Meaning of Mandela to an Asian (American) Woman: Former Hyphen editor and Thick Dumpling Skin co-founder Lisa Lee reflects on her childhood years in South Africa and what Nelson Mandela meant to her.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.



1. Lorde has an Asian boyfriend. Get the f%*k over it, internet.

2. Shh. A simple tip for talking about race.

3. Darren Criss and Lea Salonga lead a sing-along

4. FDNY sends ambulance bill addressed to "Unknown Asian"

5. Sriracha shipments halted by the health department

6. Five Reasons Why Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Poverty Remains Invisible

7. Student dies in fraternity hazing ritual

8. George Takei shows off his badass push-up skills on Conan

9. Watch Jane Lui's Crazy Fun Cover of TLC's "Waterfalls"

10. Man caught urinating on Komagata Maru memorial

Stay Angry, my friends. Have a great weekend.

Angry Reader of the Week: Michael Kang

All right! It's that time again. Gather 'round because it's 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 Michael Kang.

Chinatown street re-named for Pvt. Danny Chen

A section of Elizabeth Street will be co-named "Private Danny Chen Way"



This week in New York City, the City Council approved to co-name a Chinatown street "Private Danny Chen Way," memorializing the Chinese American Army private who was found dead in October 2011 after enduring intolerable racial hazing and harassment from his fellow soldiers while serving in Afghanistan.

City Council Approves Co-Naming of 'Danny Chen Way' on Elizabeth Street

A section Elizabeth Street between Canal and Bayard in Chinatown, where Pvt. Chen was born and raised, will be henceforth known as "Danny Chen Way." City Council member Margaret Chin called the designation's approval "a vote for tolerance, acceptance, and above all, respect."

Be Water, My Friend T-Shirt by HOMAGE

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless -- like water."



Way excited about this new Be Water, My Friend t-shirt design that just dropped from HOMAGE. Featuring the master himself, and one of his most famous quotes, it's an inspired shirt for any Bruce fan.

The design is okay, but I'm mainly hyped because it's Homage. I'm a fan. The company usually specializes in vintage-style sports-themed shirts (with a lot of love for Ohio), but they sometimes also delve into pop culture icons like Bruce. No joke, I own like seven Homage shirts. They're quality, comfortable, and look awesome.

George Takei shows off his badass push-up skills on Conan

Uncle George does a hundred push-ups a day



More evidence that George Takei is a badass -- now more than ever. What's his secret? Push-ups, apparently. Uncle George's daily badass regimen includes doing 100 pushups every morning. The still-spry 76-year-old Star Trek icon was a guest on Conan the other night and showed off his mad push-up skills. Behold:

Sriracha shipments halted by the health department

Srirachapocalypse Now: The Hot Sauce Conspiracy Continues



Okay, seriously. You really might want to start stockpiling bottles of Sriracha. You know that a judge stopped production at the hot sauce factory after its weak sauce neighbors in Irwindale complained about the strong odor. Now manufacturer Huy Fong Foods can't ship out any more sauce until mid-January because the California Department of Public Health has begun enforcing stricter guidelines for the company.

Sriracha shipping halted until mid-January by state regulators

The company's three sauces, Sriracha, Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek, now must be held for at least 30 days before they can shipped to food distributors and wholesalers. That means the next shipment of those glorious green-tipped bottles will not go out until the middle of next month. That's a long time for Sriracha fans.

It's the latest setback for Huy Fong. Even with the court ruling about the odor, at least they'd finished processing the chilis needed to bottle their batch of sauce. It doesn't look like they were anticipating the hold period.

Student dies in fraternity hazing ritual

Baruch College freshman Chun Hsien Deng suffered major brain trauma during a pledge "game"



What the hell is "glass ceiling"? A really dangerous hazing game, apparently. And for one fraternity, it's now fatal. Police are investigating the death of a Baruch College student who suffered severe brain trauma while playing the game in an apparent pledge ritual gone wrong during a weekend fraternity retreat.

Baruch College Student Dies in Fraternity Pledge Ritual in Poconos.

19-year-old Chun Hsien "Michael" Deng was one of four pledges participating in the game with members of Pi Delta Psi, an Asian American fraternity. The game, played outside, involves blindfolding a person and placing a heavy item on his back. He has to navigate to someone who is calling for him, and as he makes his way, other try to tackle him. It's unclear how Deng was injured, but I'm going to assume he was tackled hard.

To make matters worse, the fraternity members didn't call 911 after Deng was knocked unconscious, and reportedly waited hours before someone drove him the hospital, located about 30 miles away. He was placed on life support and died on Monday.

FDNY sends ambulance bill addressed to "Unknown Asian"

If I had to pay $784 for an ambulance ride, I'd stay unknown too.



Unknown Asian? Is Unknown Asian in the house? The FDNY is looking for you. The Department recently sent a bill demanding payment for an ambulance transport to someone simply addressed as "Unknown Asian." Huh?

FDNY sends ambulance bill to 'Unknown Asian'

The mysterious bill was delivered yesterday to The New School's 2 W. 13th St. building, where there are indeed a handful of Asian staffers -- but they are all Known Asians. In fact, there a lot of Asian students at Parsons. I guess the FDNY was crossing its fingers and hoping it would find its way to the correct Asian?

The $784.40 bill pertains to an emergency last month in which the Unknown Asian was transported from 255 W. 14th St. to Beth Israel Medical Center. Somewhere along the way, somebody made a mistake...

So... Tila Tequila is now a Nazi. Or something.

Words fail.



All right. Let me see if I can wrap my head around this... Tila Tequila is now a Nazi sympathizer.

Tila Tequila, the model/singer/reality television personality (I use all of these labels very loosely), best known for once having the most popular profile on MySpace, recently sharted her latest desperate grab for attention by posting a disturbing, poorly photoshopped image of herself adorned with Nazi paraphernalia and standing in front of -- I kid you not -- Auschwitz. And she's calling herself "Hitila." (Hitler + Tila = Hitila. Duh.)

Tila Tequila Is a Nazi Sympathizer Who Calls Herself 'Hitila'

In her blog post entitled, "Why I Sympathize With Hitler Part 1: True History," the newly re-branded Hitila goes on a crazy creepy rant about... Shit. You know what? This is not even worth continuing. Can any of this really be explained or justified? No. It just makes me sad and tired. Not bothering with this anymore.

Please stop, or get help, Tila.

Watch Jane Lui's Crazy Fun Cover of TLC's "Waterfalls"

Featuring Tamlyn Tomita, Lynn Chen and a band of merry misfit music makers



So this awesome thing totally happened... In this super-fun video, singer/songwriter Jane Lui is joined by friends Tamlyn Tomita and Lynn Chen, and leads a band of merry misfit music makers in an ultra-homemade one-take cover of TLC's "Waterfalls," complete with typewriters, a toy piano, a water jugand cardboard cutouts. (Yes, I make an appearance somewhere in there too.) Take a look:

Five Reasons Why Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Poverty Remains Invisible

By Josh Ishimatsu, National CAPACD. Cross-posted from SF Fed Community Development Blog

In September 2013, the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD), Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco hosted a briefing on growing poverty in the AAPI community. The event highlighted findings from a recently released National CAPACD report about AAPI poverty and generated an important discussion on promising strategies for addressing poverty and broader economic need in the AAPI community. The 2012 American Community Survey data show that AAPIs have had the fastest growing poverty population of any racial/ethnic group since the onset of the Recession.

Fast & Furious 6 Blu-ray/DVD Extended Edition

The biggest and baddest installment of the auto action franchise, directed by Justin Lin

If you had told me in 2001, upon release of The Fast and the Furious, that they would eventually go on to make six of these freaking movies, I would have told you to get the eff out of my car. But indeed, they've not only made six, but they've turned Fast & Furious into an international blockbuster franchise -- and arguably getting better with each film -- helmed by one of Hollywood's most successful Asian American directors. Whaaat.

You've come a long way, Justin Lin. Fast & Furious 6 marks a closing chapter for his run with the series, after successfully weaving together the seemingly disparate character/story threads from the first three movies, spinning a movie mythology and managing a bulging ensemble while continually upping the action ante. Yes, this is a big, loud movie, but it delivers in all the ways that count.

The movie also closes the loop for fan favorite Sung Kang as Han, who [SPOILER, like seven years ago, bro] meets his fate in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift -- the third movie in the franchise, but chronologically, the bookend to the series so far. Hats off to one of the coolest Asian American movie characters ever.

Fast & Furious is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and Digital Download. Here's the trailer again:

Jeremy Lin says he'll back for Thursday's game

The Rockets will face the red-hot Portland Trailblazers



An update on the Jeremy Lin injury situation... Your favorite Houston Rockets guard was a full participant in Tuesday's practice, engaging in his first full-contact workout since suffering a right knee sprain nearly two weeks ago. The outlook is good. Jeremy says he's pretty much ready to return to action when the Rockets take on the Portland Trailblazers on Thursday night:

Angry Gift Guide: FREE SRACCI T-Shirt

"Rep the cock, so it don't stop."


So we've been following the saga of the Sriracha plant in Irwindale, where the makers of that red spicy magic have been in a battle with the city and its weak sauce residents, whose complaints about strong smells emanating from the factory eventually got a judge to order a production shutdown. That ain't right!

Hot sauce fans, the lines have been drawn. Who do you support in the battle of Sriracha smells? You want your sweet, spicy goodness. That's why you need to rock one of these t-shirts: FREE SRACCI.

Get it for the Sriracha supporter in your life. Wear it in solidarity, because you can't keep a good rooster down.

Portland man attacked while trying to help the homeless

Assailant punched him in the face and tried to pull him out of his car

Damn. You try to do some good on the streets, and you find yourself getting punched in the face... Over the weekend in Portland, a guy says he was attacked while trying to help the homeless.

Man attacked while trying to help homeless

Tommy Ly and his friends brought food and warm clothes to hand out at a homeless camp under the Morrison Bridge on Saturday night. But at some point in the evening, Ly was attacked while waiting in his car.

According to Ly, a man approached the car, opened the driver's side door and started punching him in the face. Then the assailant tried to drag Ly out of his seat in an apparent attempt to steal the car. Fortunately, he was buckled in, and wasn't going out like that -- he was able to drive off and get the hell out of there.

A Very Special Episode of Hawaii Five-0

Pearl Harbor-themed episode involves flashback plot set in Hawaii's internment camps



I watch a lot of television. Hawaii Five-0 is easily one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It's ridiculous on so many levels, but hey, it's an action/cop procedural that delivers a satisfying amount of shootouts, car chases and criminal plots. It also regularly employs an awesome number of APA talent both in front and behind the camera, and goes to great lengths to reflect the diversity of the Aloha State. That's a show I can get behind.

So this week's episode is particularly interesting. The Pearl Harbor-themed episode, "Ho'onani Makuakane (Honor Thy Father)," has a flashback plot set in Hawaii's Japanese internment camps. The Five-0 team winds up investigating a cold case involving an elderly man seeking revenge for a murder he witnessed while incarcerated at the Honouliuli internment camp in 1943. The show actually re-created the camp for the episode.

'Five-0' recreates internment camp

Here's a video with star Daniel Dae Kim and some great behind-the-scenes footage:

Fund This: Notes for Newtown

December 14 marks the one-year anniversary of the Newtown school shootings



Kind of hard to believe, but it's almost been a year since the horrific shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed six adults and twenty young children last December 14. I can't imagine what it must be like for the families of the victims, especially right now in the thick of the holiday season. Your heart breaks all over again.

That's why I gotta give it up to one of our good readers, Adam King, who launched the Notes for Newtown campaign last week. With the one-year anniversary of the massacre approaching, Adam wanted to send messages of hope and encouragement to the families of the victims, and let them know they're not alone during this time. Adam doesn't have any connection to Newtown; he's just a regular guy trying to help.

Indiegogo campaign aims to send handwritten notes to families of Newtown victims

The goal is collect thousands of messages on Notes for Change and transform them into handwritten notes that will be sent to the families affected by the Newtown school shootings. Here's a video with more information:

Darren Criss and Lea Salonga lead a sing-along

Listen to the crowd shush for "A Whole New World"



New York City. Imagine you're chillin' with friends in West Village piano bar. Drinks are flowing, the vibe is boisterous. Then Darren Criss, star of Glee, hops on the piano to lead a spirited sing-along of "A Whole New World," the theme from Disney's Aladdin. Then the crowd shushes to let Broadway darling Lea Salonga -- the singing voice of Princess Jasmine herself -- sing her part of the duet. No, this is not your nerdy musical fantasy. This moment actually happened, and someone got it on video:

Lorde has an Asian boyfriend. Get the f%*k over it, internet.

Twitter kids freak out over the "Royals" singer's rumored boyfriend.



Got a deluge of folks telling me about this item over on Jezebel... News flash: people on the internet are mean. Basically, a legion of awful teenagers have taken to social media with a barrage of hate tweets directed at New Zealand singer/songwriter Lorde, calling the 17-year-old recording artist's boyfriend James Lowe "ugly" and, um, "Asian." Most of them express disbelief that these two beings could possibly be together.

The hate onslaught was set off when Lorde allegedly said that Justin Bieber and the members of One Direction are "ugly." (Never mind that no one can find the actual source of this claim.) That was all the rabid, vengeful fan-crays needed to get real racist, real fast, and direct their ridiculously ignorant energy at Lorde/Lowe.

Some examples, if you can stand it:

Giveaway: Win a LUMPIA 10th Anniversary Edition DVD

Patricio Ginelsa's "ultimate home made movie" cult hit celebrates ten years



Our friend Patricio Ginelsa's Pinoy-powered home-made indie cult film LUMPIA is celebrating its 10th anniversary. To celebrate, they're releasing a newly remastered and remixed DVD, out this week.

Set at the fictional late-1990s Fogtown High School, LUMPIA is a defiantly low-budget action comedy tale of misfits, bullies, wayward youth, teenage longing and deep-friend justice. Seven years in the making, Variety calls LUMPIA "a youth project that got delightfully out of hand."

I've got some free DVDs to give away. Want one? Scroll down all the way to the bottom for details.

First, here are some more details about the DVD:

Life on Four Strings wins Gotham Audience Award

Tad Nakamura's ukulele documentary edges out 12 Years a Slave and Fruitvale Station



A huge congratulations to our friend Tad Nakamura, director of the feature documentary Jake Shimaubukuro: Life on Four Strings, which won the Audience Award last week at The Gotham Independent Film Awards. This was no small feat, considering that Tad's humble doc about internationally renown ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro was up against huge critical darlings like 12 Years a Slave and Fruitvale Station. But thanks to some hustle and online support, Life on Four Strings took home the trophy.

Here's the video of Tad accepting the award:

Shh. A simple tip for talking about race.

No worthwhile statement ever started with "I'm not racist, but..."



Saw this shared on Twitter over the weekend and had to repost... This delightful little comic is the work of artist Natalie Nourigat, who prescribes a mountain of wisdom in just four simple panels. You know what I'm talking about. No worthwhile statement ever started with "I'm not racist, but..." The end.

People, is it really that hard not to say something completely idiotic? Apparently not, as the Yes, You're Racist Twitter account clearly demonstrates over and over and over again.

Anyway, love this comic. Bravo. For more art from Natalie Nourigat, check out her website.

Man caught urinating on Komagata Maru memorial

Vancouver police investigating the incident as a possible hate crime



Happy Monday. In case you needed a reminder of the awful people in this world... In Vancouver, police are investigating a possible hate crime after a man was photographed urinating on a memorial to an infamous incident in the city's immigration history, after trying to pick a fight with an Indian tourist and his friend.

Man who urinated on Vancouver memorial may have committed a hate crime

The incident occurred last Monday at the Komagata Maru memorial, which pays tribute to 356 Indian immigrants who were infamously denied entry to Canada in 1914 after spending two months confined to the Japanese vessel anchored in Vancouver's Coal Harbour. Long story short, Vancouver was mad racist towards yellow and brown people back then. Some things never change.

The man allegedly tried to start a fight with the tourist and his friend near the memorial, then proceeded to pee on the monument, which is an enlarged photograph of the Komagatu Maru's Sikh passengers.

Read These Blogs

21 Questions Asian People Are Sick Of Answering: Another BuzzFeed list.

President Obama, Stop Separating and Deporting Our Families: Ju Hong, who was dismissed as a "heckler" when he spoke up for a stop to deportation during Obama's speech on immigration earlier this month, elaborates on his stance: "You recognized Angel Island as a dark period in Chinatown's history, but you failed to recognize that more Asians and Pacific Islanders are in detention today than were in detention under the Chinese Exclusion Act. In fact, your administration detains up to 34,000 people per day, a record number of detainees in U.S. history."

The Passion of Dan Choi: He was the poster boy to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Now what?

An Adoption Awareness Month Request: Check Your Prejudices: On a family cruise trip to the Bahamas, Korean adoptee Jessica Prois was confronted with the most awkward assumption ever: that she and her dad were married. And this isn't the first time it's happened.

Remembering Cha Vang: Six years ago, Cha Vang was killed by a man who openly hated Hmong people. He was convicted on a lesser charge, despite the clear evidence of a hate crime. Kao Kalia Yang remembers him, and urges us to, too.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.



1. Reverse racism exists. All you need is a time machine.

2. Sriracha has a message for its neighbors in Irwindale

3. Dancers must dance! Even after wisdom tooth surgery.

4. Man badly beaten after a night of karaoke with friends

5. Teacher accused of abusing autistic boy flees to Hong Kong

6. First Look at Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee in Kung Fu

7. Sari Time! Aziz Ansari's Saris make the perfect holiday gift

8. Harvard students arrested for assault on police officers

9. Forgotten documents uncover local internment history

10. Monterey Park City Council drops English sign ordinance

Stay Angry, my friends.

Angry Reader of the Week: Todd Inoue

Hey, everybody. You know what's up. Once again, allow me to introduce you to 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 Todd Inoue.

Monterey Park City Council drops English sign ordinance

Controversial regulation would have required English lettering on all storefront signs



The Southern California city of Monterey Park -- which boasts a 70% Asian population -- has been wrestling with a controversial proposed ordinance that would have required English on all business signs. This week, the city council unanimously voted against adopting the ordinance.

Monterey Park drops plan for English signs amid community outcry

The City Council created the ordinance as a revised version of an old code that required some English lettering or words on storefront signs. The regulation would have required businesses with only logographic script, such as Chinese characters or Sanskrit, to add letters that English speakers could read phonetically.

But on Wednesday night, after hearing from more than forty speakers -- including representatives from the ACLU and other civil rights groups -- the council voted to let the ordinance die. During the four-hour community discussion, it was apparent that this issue is about more than just being able to read signs:

Angry Gift Guide: George Takei's EAU MY

Set phasers to stunning!



Hell yes. Actor/activist/icon of awesome George Takei recently unveiled his very own cologne. I don't know how it smells, but its name alone is amazing: Eau My. Of course! There could be no other name.

Eau My's scent is described as "subtle and charming, with top notes of mandarin zest, Italian bergamot and fresh ozone transitioning to night-blooming jasmine, white freesia petals and grated ginger." I don't know what most of that means, but it sounds like the perfect scent for the sophisticated man or woman in your life.

Uncle George approved.

Forgotten documents uncover local internment history

Petitions called for Monterey citizens to welcome and support returning Japanese American internees



This is from several weeks ago, but it's a pretty interesting find... Earlier this year, a historian in Monterey, California uncovered a cache of documents dating back nearly seven decades, calling on the local community to welcome and support Japanese Americans returning from mass incarceration after World War II.

Forgotten documents reveal views on return of Japanese internees to Monterey Peninsula.

The documents, found in a bank of file drawers at the Japanese American Citizens League Hall and dated May 9, 1945, are a collection of petitions calling for residents of Monterey to "insure the democratic way of life" for former Japanese American internees returning to the Monterey Peninsula in the months ahead.

The petition's signatories include some of the region's most prominent cultural figures, including Nobel Prize-winning novelist John Steinbeck:

Angry Gift Guide: Donate to HYPHEN

Help Hyphen continue telling the stories of Asian America



For the last ten years, Hyphen has been holding it down as Asian America's only national print and online magazine, bringing you fresh, unique and thoughtful content from all corners of our community.

It's a labor of love. Each issue is a marvelous work of art and storytelling, but they apparently scrape by to barely afford each print run. Hyphen makes it all happen with very little money, the sweat of an army of volunteers, and the continued support of people like you. Can you help keep Hyphen going strong?

New Music: "Tony & Maggie" by lagrima

Debut single from DJ Phatrick's new soul/blues side project



Hell yes. This is so hot. DJ Phatrick turned me on to his new soul/blues side project lagrima. They just released their debut single "Tony & Maggie," featuring vocals by DC singer Amber Mimz and Oakland MC Do D.A.T. The title, of course, refers to Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, the immortal stars of Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood For Love, one of my favorite movies ever.

The accompanying video, cut with scenes from the movie, is visual hotness:

Anybody want to buy Bruce Lee's Game of Death jumpsuit?

Iconic movie memorabilia goes on the auction block



Bruce Lee's most famous movie outfit is arguably almost no outfit at all -- I'm thinking shirtless and sweaty, with three bloody scratches across the abdomen, in the finale of Enter the Dragon. But perhaps his second most famous outfit is the yellow jumpsuit worn in Game of Death. And now it can be yours for a pretty price.

Got $40,000? Buy Bruce Lee's Shrunken Yellow Jump Suit

The real thing, that is. The iconic yellow jumpsuit, one of two Lee wore in his final film Game of Death -- with matching nunchucks -- is up for auction along with other Bruce memorabilia in Hong Kong this week.

It's got a broken zipper and some shrinkage -- it's over forty years old, after all -- but the yellow one-piece, designed by Lee himself, is expected to fetch somewhere around $32,000 to $39,000.

Sriracha has a message for its neighbors in Irwindale

"NO TEAR GAS MADE HERE"



So the Sriracha factory has been shut down. Last week, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered the Huy Fong Foods plant in Irwindale, where they manufacture and bottle that magical spicy goodness, to cease operations in response to odor complaints from nearby residents. Time to start your Sriracha stockpile.

So how is Huy Fong CEO David Tran handling the shutdown? By being his usual badass self. After all, he is the maker of the awesomest sauce in the land. Take note of the green "NO TEAR GAS MADE HERE" banner they've defiantly posted outside the factory, sending a message to their Irwindale neighbors.

Queens nurse killed in commuter train wreck

Four dead and over 60 injured in Metro-North train derailment

By now, you've heard about the Metro-North Railroad commuter train that derailed Sunday morning in Bronx. The Hudson line train went off the tracks while rounding a bend just north of the Spuyten Duyvil station, killing four people and injuring more than 60 others, 11 critically.

Three of the four dead were thrown from the train after the windows blew out. The victims were identified as James Lovell, 58 years old, of Cold Spring, N.Y.; Donna F. Smith, 54, of Newburgh, N.Y.; James Ferrari, 59, of Montrose, N.Y.; and Kisook Ahn, 35, of Queens.

Ahn was a registered nurse who was returning from a 12.5-hour night shift at Sunshine Children's Home and Rehab Center in Ossining, where she had worked since 2010: Kisook Ahn, Killed in Metro-North Derailment, Nursed Severely Sick Children

I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You by Yumi Sakugawa

"I have confession to make. I think am in friend-love with you."



I became a fan of illustrator/comic book artist Yumi Sakugawa last year when she dropped this awesome comic, "Claudia Kishi: My Asian-American Female Role Model of the '90s," an epic tribute to her favorite fashionable character from The Babysitters Club. So I'm excited to check out her first published book I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You, based on the web comic of the same name, which hits bookstores this week.

Here's an excerpt:

Teacher accused of abusing autistic boy flees to Hong Kong

Police say 25-year-old Yee Tak Sharon Kui had sex with her teenage student

Damn, what is wrong with people? In Maryland, an educator has fled the country after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy with autism.

Teacher accused of abusing autistic child flees to Hong Kong, Montgomery police say

Police were investigating allegations that 25-year-old educational assistant Yee Tak Sharon Kui sexually abused one of her students, described as an autistic high functioning 15-year-old, at the Frost School, a private special education school that serves children with behavioral disabilities, autism and other special needs.

Kui is accused of sending salacious text messages and visiting the boy at his home twice -- on Sunday mornings, while his parents were at church -- to have sex with him.

When his parents and the school caught on, they alerted the authorities, which sent Kui packing. According to police, it looks like she flew out of New York to China.

First Look at Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee in Kung Fu

David Henry Hwang blends dance, martial arts, Chinese opera and drama to tell the story of Bruce Lee.



Very nice. The Signature Theatre has unveiled some new promo images for the world premiere of David Henry Hwang's Kung Fu. Featuring Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee, the play blends dance, Chinese opera, martial arts and drama to tell the story of an international icon, from troubled Hong Kong youth to martial arts legend.

Kung Fu also features Emmanuel Brown, Clifton Duncan, Bradley Fong, Francis Jue, Peter Kim, Ari Loeb, Reed Luplau, Kristen Faith Oei and Christopher Vo. It runs February 4 through March 16, 2014 in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center in New York City. Tickets are on sale now.

Here are some more shots of Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee:

Exclusive Clip: Power tool persuasion in Beyond Outrage

The legendary Takeshi Kitano returns in the second chapter of his epic crime saga



Anybody up for a good old fashioned Japanese gangster flick? Then get the hell out of here. Beyond Outrage is anything but old fashioned. In the follow-up to 2010's Outrage, the legendary Takeshi Kitano directs and stars in the violent second chapter of his epic crime saga. But wait, am I remembering wrong -- didn't his character die at the end of the first movie? True to form, "Beat Takeshi is a bad muthaf**ka.

In Beyond Outrage, a manipulative police crackdown on organized crime ignites a tricky power struggle involving the two biggest yakuza families, the Sanno and Hanabishi clans. Former family boss Otomo, rumored dead and newly released from prison, wants to retire from a life of crime, but finds himself drawn back in as the Sanno and Hanabishi clans teeter on the brink of an all-out war.

Even truer to form, if it's a Takeshi Kitano gangster flick, you know it's going to be waaaaay violent, and Beyond Outrage delivers. Here's an exclusive clip with the stone-faced Takeshi wielding a power tool:

Sari Time! Aziz Ansari's Saris make the perfect holiday gift

Aziz endorses his new stylish new product



Comedian/Emmy-eligible actor Aziz Ansari recently appeared on Conan to endorse an exciting new clothing line: Aziz Ansari's Saris. Give your traditional Indian wear that extra flair -- Aziz's face! Sure, there are plenty of other celebrity-endorsed saris on the market, but not one of those celebrities have the word "sari" in their name. Don't mess with the fake stuff. This is the real deal:

AAPIs join national solidarity fast for immigration reform

Three core fasters break their fast on Day 22 of "Fast for Families"



This week, hundreds of Asian American and Pacific Islanders across the country are participating in "Fast for Families" to illustrate the united support of AAPI communities for a humane and inclusive immigration process, and to compel Congress to act on comprehensive immigration reform: 500+ AAPIs Join "Fast for Families"

The 24-hour fast is a show of solidarity for individual advocates who have fasted much longer for immigration reform. Three core "Fast for Families" fasters -- National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) Executive Director Dae Joong Yoon; Eliseo Medina of the Service Employees International Union and DREAMer and Mi Familia Vota's Cristian Avila - abstained from all food since November 12.

This morning in Washington DC -- Day 22 -- they broke their fast, passing it on to new fasters. That's DJ Yoon in the photo above, breaking his fast in a ceremony with bread given by Father Jacek Ozechowski.

Meanwhile, At least 180 advocates from 33 AAPI groups have committed to take part in 24-hour solidarity fasts over the next two weeks, including several of our friends at Advancing Justice-LA:

Angry Gift Guide: Short Round Mini Bust

A tribute to Indiana Jones' greatest sidekick.



Know anyone who really really likes Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?

Came across this super-weird Indiana Jones Short Round Mini Bust for sale, and thought it would make an excellent gift for the Jonathan Ke Quan fan in your life. I mean, come on, who wouldn't want one of these sitting on their mantel? Call it a tribute to one of the bravest little Asian sidekicks ever.

This exclusive Short Round collectible stands 6-inches tall and is a limited edition of only 350 pieces. You can order it for a whoppin' $54.99 from Entertainment Earth. Now if someone would make a cool statue of favorite Jonathan Ke Quan role -- Data from The Goonies.

Reverse racism exists. All you need is a time machine.

Comedian Aamer Rahman drops some knowledge on what people refer to in whispers as "reverse racism."



Have you ever called someone out on their racism? Have you ever been accused of "reverse racism"? Comedian Aamer Rahman has. He has apparently been criticized for his jokes making fun of white people. "White people this. White people that. What if I did something like that, huh?" That's not cool. Aren't your jokes a kind of [spoken in a whisper] reverse racism? Aamer has your answer, and it's both brilliant and hilarious:

Dancers must dance! Even after wisdom tooth surgery.

All Chessa wants to do is go to ballet class.



I've been seeing this posted on social media over the past week, and finally clicked on it... Wow. Meet Chessa. She just got her wisdom teeth pulled. And man, she is wacked out awesomesauce on that anesthesia.

Well, because good friends don't let moments like this go undocumented, someone pulled out a camera and got it all on tape. Chessa, by the way, is a dancer. She wants to go to ballet class. Now. And as you can see, she's still got the moves -- even while sky high on those sweet, sweet dental drugs:

Man badly beaten after a night of karaoke with friends

The family of Andrew Oh is asking for the public's help

Some disturbing news out of the San Diego area, where a young man was left beaten with a brain injury after a night of karaoke with friends: Qualcomm employee left beaten after night of karaoke with friends.

24-year-old Andrew Oh was out last weekend celebrating his roommate's birthday at the Chorus Karaoke Bar in Kearny Mesa. At some point in the evening, he stepped outside the bar, and was later found unconscious and badly beaten in the parking lot. And that's pretty much all the information that seems to be available.

What the hell happened to Andrew? There apparently isn't any surveillance video from the evening, and police don't have much to go on. While he remains in critical condition with head trauma, his family is asking for the public's help to find out what happened to him:

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November Cover Story: An Adoptee Meets His Birth Family And Gets the Surprise of His Life: This past spring, L.A.-based rapper and Korean American adoptee Dan Matthews began searching for his birth parents. What he found would change his life. An album and web series, both to be released next February, document the dramatic story about loss and discovery, identity and family.

The Uninspired Orientalism of Katy Perry: On that "giant puddle of 'East Asian-inspired' half-digested vomit," aka Katy Perry's American Music Awards performance, and why this Orientalist crap keeps popping up.

Is the Western Publishing Industry Institutionally Racist?: The publishing industry is dominated by white, middle-class editors. Does this lack of diversity affect an already subjective process?

The AIDS Granny In Exile: In the '90s, a gynecologist named Gao Yaojie exposed the horrifying cause of an AIDS epidemic in rural China -- and the ensuing cover-up -- and became an enemy of the state. Now 85, she lives in New York without her family, without her friends, and without regrets.