harvard spoof video jokes about annie le murder

It's nice to know that Harvard kids are also capable of being complete assholes... So earlier this year, Yale released an admissions video called "Why I Chose Yale," a cheese-tastic (and educational) musical tribute to the school. It was widely ridiculed. Recently, some Harvard students created their own parody of Yale's video: Harvard Spoofs "That's Why I Chose Yale" Video. (The video has subsequently been taken down.)

Now, I get that there's an unhealthy rivalry between these schools, and Ivy Leaguers are going to talk shit. But the Harvard spoof deals some ugly low blows, including a line -- played for the laughs -- in the first scene about Yale grad student Annie Le, who was murdered on campus last September: News' View: Taking the rivalry too far.

welcome to chinken pop

This is just a very unfortunate typo recently spotted on the register at a Korean-owned restaurant called Chicken Pop in Brea, California. I sincerely hope someone has since pointed it out to them, and it has been corrected. Quickly, and without much ruckus. Photo found here. (Thanks, David.)

surprise, surprise: facebook founder, circa 2003, was into coding, guitar... and asian girls

I suppose this isn't really surprising... Gawker points us to this Friendster profile, established in 2003, of now-famous (and ridiculously rich) Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who lists "Asian girls" among other things, under "What I enjoy doing": When Facebook CEO's Was Publicly Obsessed with 'Asian Girls.'

meet korean superstar jang dong-gun, november 18

This is really short notice, but I know there are some JDG superfans out there...

If you're in or near Los Angeles on Thursday night, and you want to see South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun, along with co-stars Kate Bosworth and Danny Huston, and director Sngmoo Lee, at a special presentation for their latest movie The Warrior's Way.

They'll be screening clips from the movie and doing a panel discussion with cast and crew. It's happening November 18 at the Landmark Theaters - Westside Pavilion. Here are some more details:

yo-yo ma awarded presidential medal of freedom

President Obama has named fifteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Here's the White House press release: President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients..

The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. Among the esteemed list of medal recipients...

the secret to harry shum jr. abs: "constant crunches"

EW.com's got yet another article on Glee and LXD star Harry Shum Jr... and his abs: 'Glee' star Harry Shum Jr. talks his abs: 'I have to do constant crunches to live up to the hype.'

rep. mike honda celebrates ten years of service to congress

Got this announcement passed along to me... In recognition of DNC Vice Chair and Congressman Mike Honda's ten years of service to the United States Congress, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

agents of secret stuff trailer

Here's the official full trailer for Wong Fu Productions' project with Ryan Higa, Agents of Secret Stuff. They're calling it a "medium film" -- at forty minutes, it's too long to be short and too long to be a feature. With no studio, no budget, and a lot of time and energy, these friends just got together and made something happen.

It stars Ryan Higa, Arden Cho and D-Trix, and premieres online next week, November 24, on Ryan's YouTube channel. If you're in Los Angeles, they're also throwing a "premiere" event next Tuesday at CGV Cinemas in Koreatown. For more information, go here.

teen killed by police officer in fatal crash

Some news out of Connecticut... In the town of Windsor Locks, a police officer is accused of being responsible for a car crash last month that took the life of 15-year-old Henry Dang, who was riding his bicycle home from a friend's house: Family probes teen's death.

Some witnesses say that Officer Michael Koistenen, who was off-duty, was drinking at a tailgate party prior to the accident: State Police: Officer Was Drinking At UConn Game Before Fatal Accident.

sikh soldier in the american civil war?

I know for fact that there Chinese Americans who fought in the American Civil War -- more than fifty soldiers, on both sides. But this photo, posted today on Sepia Mutiny, suggests that a Sikh man might have also fought in the Civil War. Not a lot more information on the matter, but it's pretty intriguing... Anybody got any ideas?

this kid can hook you up with the white iphone 4

Hey, hipsters! Do you want one of those fancy white iPhones? The highly-coveted white iPhone 4 is one of those mythical, gotta-have-it items among Apple fanboys and gadgeteers. And if you want one, Fei Lam -- a high school student in Queens -- can apparently hook you up: Busted For Exploiting Hipsters.

Well, maybe not anymore. According to Gawker, this entrepreneurial youngster, with help from a friend in China, found a way to convert the traditional black iPhone 4 to a white one, and reportedly made somewhere around $130,000 from selling parts. Until Apple inevitably got legal on his ass...

bruce lee 70th birthday limited edition t-shirt/hoodie

Wow. I was going to post something about the Bruce Lee 70th Birthday Limited Edition t-shirt and hoodie, available from the Official Bruce Lee Store... but the damn things sold out literally in a matter of hours, before I had a chance to post this. They only produced 70 of each, so if you didn't order one... sorry, Bruce fans. Look and covet, I guess.

america's worst "chinese" meals

So check this out. For all you calorie counters out there, this recent article posted on Yahoo! Health has created a list identifying the "six worst Chinese meals in the country": America's Worst Chinese Meals.

If you're watching what you eat, I guess this is kind of helpful. That said, all of the dishes happen to be from restaurants that no self-respecting diner would ever call "Chinese" -- P.F. Changs, Manchu Wok, Panda Express...

gwendoline yeo's laughing with my mouth wide open

If you're in Los Angeles, I'm passing along word about actress/musician Gwendoline Yeo's new one-woman play Laughing With My Mouth Wide Open, "a sharply observed and riotously funny celebration of her cultural journey from Singapore to America." It's playing at the El Centro Theatre in Hollywood, November 20 - December 19. Here are some more details:

aasif mandvi's today's special opens friday in san francisco

If you're in the Bay Area, and want to see something a little different at the movies, check out Today's Special. The indie foodie comedy, starring and written by The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi, and directed by David Kaplan, opens this Friday, November 19 at the Landmark Theatres in San Francisco. Here's the trailer:

every day, ms. janet. eeeeevery day.

Very weird commercial for Sabra Hummus, in which a random Chinese delivery guy pops up out of nowhere during a woman's "taste intervention." He's definitely the punchline. If I'm not mistaken, that's Ryun Yu putting the shame on Ms. Janet. I guess everybody has to play the delivery guy sooner or later. (Thanks, Chris.)

janm wins 2010 national medal for museum and library service

A big congratulations to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, which has been announced as one of the five museums and five libraries selected to receive 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Oh, you didn't know such an award existed? It does, and it's special.

The National Medal is the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Here's the press release from the nstitute of Museum and Library Services: Five Museums and Five Libraries to Receive Nation's Highest Honor.

david choi (and friends) covers fm's "rocketeer"

Yet another "Rocketeer" cover. This time, the Far East Movement tribute comes from a bespectacled David Choi, with a lot of silly special guest appearances from the Wong Fu guys, KevJumba, Kina Grannis and more. For more from David Choi, go to this YouTube channel here.

philadelphia casino seeks "asian marketing executive"

Check out Helen Gym's recent blog entry over at Young Philly Politics on how a local casino, SugarHouse, has posted a job notice seeking an "Asian Marketing Executive" whose sole job is to attract and keep the loyalty of Asian clientele: Dept. of miserable jobs: Sugarhouse's Asian Marketing Executive.

Philadelphia, as you may remember, has experienced its share of hard-fought battles between concerned citizens and casino owners with proposed plans to build casinos in or near the Chinatown area. Because, you know, the "client base":

tim jo in tbs' glory daze

Glory Daze is a new TBS sitcom that follow four freshmen as they navigate college life, circa 1986. The advance reviews I've read haven't been too encouraging, but most seem to indicate that the show isn't dreadful -- just kind unfunny. But it's worth nothing that Tim Jo is in the cast as "Chang," the Asian roommate.

I was kind of surprised to hear about an Asian guy in the cast, since you barely catch a glimpse of him in any of the commercials. And maybe he'll end up being a minor character, but he's significant enough to get his own description on the TBS website: