Crystal Kay's "Dum Ditty Dumb" is my new favorite jam

J-pop star calls her new sound "Yokohama Ratchet Pop."



I didn't know that my new favorite jam was going to be a supercool, ultra-catchy bilingual pop anthem by a J-pop superstar. But sometimes you click play and it instantly hits you. "Dum Ditty Dumb" by Crystal Kay is my new favorite jam. She calls her new sound "Yokohama Ratchet Pop."

The music video, which combines live action with animation, is pretty damn hot too:

Army promotes first Vietnamese American General

Fort Hood's Viet X. Luong receives his brigadier general's stars



Last week at a ceremony at Fort Hood, hundreds gathered as soldier Viet Xuan Luong became the first Vietnamese American to reach the rank of general in the United States Army.

Army Promotes First Vietnamese-American General

On Wednesday, Luong received his brigadier general's stars from Fort Hood commander Lt. Gen. Mark Milley. Among the hundreds attending the ceremony were Luong's seven sisters, his mother, wife and three children.

Luong was 10 when he came to the United States with his family as refugees from Vietnam in 1975.

Memorials for Yuri Kochiyama

August 31 in Los Angeles, September 27 in New York



This summer, we lost a giant.

Legendary activist, educator and humanitarian Yuri Kochiyama, whose mentorship and fierce lifelong dedication to justice inspired generations of movement makers, died June 1 at the age of 93.

If you'd like to participate in a celebration of her life and work, the Kochiyama family invites you to attend memorials happening on August 31 in Los Angeles and September 27 in New York.

Here are some more details:

Chef Roy Choi is getting his own TV show

Los Angeles chef/restaurateur filming 'Street Food' for CNN



It was only a matter of time. Cool news for fans of Roy Choi. The chef/restaurateur/author, who is credited with jumpstarting Los Angeles' food truck craze, recently announced that he's getting his own TV show on CNN.

Chef Roy Choi Is Getting His Own Show on CNN

Details are a little scarce -- the network might not have been quite ready for the news to break -- but based on Roy's social media message, the show will apparently be called Street Food. That seems pretty appropriate.

Roy announced the show over the weekend on Twitter:

These guys dancing to "2 Legit 2 Quit" will make your day

Hammer-approved.



This has been circulating for a couple of weeks, but it just came across my desk and dammit, it really made my day... Check out this insanely fun video from Gabriel Valenciano, featuring dance group The Manoeuvres, getting down hard to MC Hammer's "2 Legit 2 Quit." It's quite aerobic. It's quite 1990s:

Petition: Protect immigrants and keep families together

Sign the petition urging President Obama to go big and bold on executive action for immigration relief



Helping to get the word out... Our friends at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC recently launched an online petition urging President Obama to go big and bold on executive action to stop or limit deportations and make other important changes to immigration enforcement.

Protect immigrants and keep families together!

We need changes to protest immigrants from deportation, reduce family visa backlogs, and end programs that encourage racial profiling. In light of the continued failure of the House to move progressive immigration reform legislation, it's more critical than ever for the administration to provide relief.

Here's what the petition is calling for:

Artists at Play Presents '99 Histories'

September 13-28 at the Lounge Theatre



Hey, Southern California theater-goers. Artists at Play invites you to the Los Angeles premiere of 99 Histories. Written by Julia Cho and directed by Leslie Ishii, the play is a powerful story about the bonds between mothers and daughters. It runs September 13-28, with previews on September 11-12, at the Lounge Theatre.

99 Histories is a drama about memory, legacy and home. Eunice, a Korean American former cello prodigy, comes home pregnant and unmarried, and tries to mend her relationship with her mother Sah-Jin. Haunted by violent memories, Eunice must confront her ghosts before she can move forward.

Here's some more information about the production:

Attention AAPI Youth: Apply to the E3! Ambassadors Program

White House Initiative on AAPIs invites young leaders to "Educate, Engage, and Empower"


Calling on the next generation of AAPI leaders! The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is looking for youth leaders to take part in the newly launched E3! Ambassadors Program.

E3! stands for "Educate, Engage, and Empower. They're seeking bright and creative AAPI leaders to brainstorm innovative solutions to serve the community in the priority areas: education, mental health, pathways to public service and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Up to 150 applicants will serve for one academic year. Here are some more details:

Music Video: "You Can't Be Serious" by Rekstizzy

Guest starring Justin Bieber, Tom Cruise, Chris Brown and more. Sort of.



Something new from Rekstizzy... His latest single and music video "You Can't Be Serious" is a weird little contemplative number, and sort of a different change of pace for the New York City emcee. Guest starring Bill O'Reilly, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Tom Cruise and Nicholas Cage. Sort of.

Check it out:

Wine counterfeiter sentenced to ten years in prison

Fraudster Rudy Kurniawan made millions on fake vintage bottles of wine



Asians behaving badly... wine counterfeiter edition! Last week in New York, the wine collecting world's most infamous con man was sentenced to ten years in prison after getting caught pulling a multimillion dollar scam.

Counterfeit Fine-Wine Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years

37-year-old Rudy Kurniawan, once a prolific wine collector, was convicted last December on two counts of mail fraud after selling more than $20 million of counterfeit rare vintages to wealthy wine enthusiasts. In addition to prison time, he was ordered to forfeit $20 million and to pay more than $28 million in restitution to his victims.

FCC: We demand an open internet!

Cross-posted from 18 Million Rising



Right now, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is on the verge of deciding whether or not to protect an open and free internet -- and time is running out to let the federal agency know what we think about their impending decision.

At its core, having an open internet (often referred to as Net Neutrality) means that no information on the internet is privileged over other information, which means that a homemade video made by a teen speaking out about bullying streams just as fast as a summer blockbuster on Netflix, or that conversations criticizing powerful public figures aren’t subject to interference. Ending Net Neutrality safeguards means internet service providers would have the power to censor what we view, post, and share on the internet.

Why should AAPIs care about this? Because Net Neutrality, access to digital literacy, and broadband are about civil rights.

Daniel Inouye wants to rock and roll on this sh*t

Steven Yeun stars as the late U.S. Senator in Comedy Central's 'Drunk History'



The premise of Comedy Central's Drunk History is simple. Comedians and actors re-enact the stories of significant figures and moments from history, as recounted by a narrator... who happens to be drunk.

In this week's episode, Phil Hendrie knocks back some of the good stuff and tells the story of Daniel Inouye's Heroic Moment. The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun plays the late U.S. Senator in his younger years, as he faces discrimination during World War II, but ultimately shows great courage on the battlefield with "the 442nd Infantry Regiment United States Regiment." Bonus: James Hong as Inouye's father.

Here's a preview:

David Ige defeats governor in Hawaii primary race

Governor Neil Abercrombie ousted by state senator in stunning upset



Holy moly. Upset! Big political news out of Hawaii, where State Senator David Ige defeated Governor Neil Abercrombie in Saturday's Democratic primary, unseating the incumbent by a massive margin.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie Ousted By Sen. David Ige In Primary

Ige, who has served in Hawaii's legislature for 29 years, was still significantly unknown and underfunded compared to Abercrombie, but capitalized on the governor's rapidly declining popularity. Ige collected 66 percent of the vote, while Abercrombie received only about 31 percent.

Abercrombie, who served in Congress for more than 20 years before his 2010 election as governor, is the first Hawaii governor to be defeated in a primary and only the second not to win a second term.

Sikh man attacked by teenagers in hate crime

34-year-old victim was assaulted and called "Osama bin Laden"


News of yet another hate crime out of New York City last week, where a Sikh man on Roosevelt Island was harassed and attacked by a group of teens who assaulted him and called him "Osama bin Laden."

Teens attack Sikh man, call him 'Osama Bin Laden' in Roosevelt Island hate crime

The 34-year-old victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, was with his mother walking to dinner when they were confronted by a group of approximately ten teenagers who called them "Osama bin Laden" and told them to "go back to your country.The man was surrounded and punched in the face and in the back of the neck.

Here is a statement from the victim:

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Our Story: A Movement of Undocumented APIs

Monday, August 11 at United Teachers of Los Angeles



Hey, Los Angeles. You're invited to Our Story: A Movement of UndocuAPIs, a four-part film/panel discussion series showcasing the stories of undocumented Asian and Pacific Islanders, presented by ASPIRE-Los Angeles, APALA-LA, Advancing Justice-LA., and the UCLA Labor Center. The latest event, featuring the films Why We Rise, Return to Sender and Us, is happening this Monday, August 11 at UTLA.

Here are some more details about the event:

Angry Reader of the Week: Jeremy Arambulo

"Protecting myself from the endless stream of horrible LA drivers..."



Hello, good people! It is time, once again, 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 Jeremy Arambulo.

Jeremy Lin dunks on mom. And it's awesome.

Poor Mrs. Lin. She never saw it coming.



Surprise! You've just been posterized by Jeremy Lin. It appears that our favorite Asian American point guard is getting a little restless in the off-season. In this Instagram video, he shows off some moves by dunking on unsuspecting loved ones for no apparent reason. Including his poor mom:

Letters From UndocuAsians, August 13

A Theater Performance By Undocumented Asian Youth



Letters from UndocuAsians is a theater production written, directed, and performed by undocumented Asian youth members of RAISE (Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast). The production is inspired by the everyday lived experiences of undocumented immigrants -- from navigating friendships to maintaining family in the face of immigration policies. If you're in New York City on August 13, you can catch a performance at the Barrow Street Theatre.

Here are some more details:

Ted Nugent uses slur "Japs" at Tea Party rally

And absolutely nobody is surprised.



This is not at all surprising, but still completely unacceptable. During a recent appearance at a Tea Party event in Wyoming, musician, NRA spokesman and general outspoken asshole Ted Nugent used the derogatory term "Japs" while talking about how America has changed since World War II.

NRA's Ted Nugent Uses Racial Slur For Japanese While Speaking In Front Of Tea Party Crowd

At a rally hosted by the Big Horn Basin Tea Party, Nugent expressed his belief that the government had "turned on us," and referred to a supposedly better time in our nation's history, when "the universally celebrated good of America crushed the universally understood evil of Japs and Nazis."

Media Matters has the video: