If you're in the Bay Area, be sure to go see the Asian American Theater Company's production of "Under the Rainbow" by Philip Kan Gotanda.
"Under the Rainbow" takes on sex, race, relationships and Hollywood – my favorite subjects and topics Gotanda touches on in many of his plays. I saw the play last night and was not disappointed.
The production is two one-act plays. Part one is titled, "Natalie Wood Is Dead" and features a mother and daughter duo of struggling actors trying to make it in Hollywood. There's some raw emotion as the pair confront each other over the struggles and sacrifices they each make as an actor, parent and child. Diane Emiko Takei (Gotanda's wife) plays Yoko, the mother. Pearl Wong of the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors plays the daughter, Natalie Hayashi.
More interesting was part two, "White Manifesto." It's a 50-minute monologue by a WMWA, white male with attitude, who says everything that many of us think, but most of us don't talk about when it comes to the taboo subject of white men dating Asian women.
Danny Wolohan gives a great performance as Richard Saugus, who explains to us why Asian girls are easy for an average white guy like him. The dialogue skewers and expounds on almost every stereotype, excuse, explanation and complaint you can think of when pondering the white male/Asian female phenomenon.
Saugus gives us a "chartered member's" insight into getting Asian girls that he's gleaned from "pillow talk." He also provides a rundown of the sexual differences between women of various Asian ethnic groups. It's all done to wonderful dramatic and comedic effect.
These are old and tired issues that Gotanda raises, but they don't go away if we just stop talking about them. I'm glad there are artists like Gotanda out there still.
Posted by harry at 8:15 AM | Comments (61) | TrackBack
If you're in the Bay Area, be sure to go see the Asian American Theater Company's production of "Under the Rainbow" by Philip Kan Gotanda.
"Under the Rainbow" takes on sex, race, relationships and Hollywood – my favorite subjects and topics Gotanda touches on in many of his plays. I saw the play last night and was not disappointed.
The production is two one-act plays. Part one is titled, "Natalie Wood Is Dead" and features a mother and daughter duo of struggling actors trying to make it in Hollywood. There's some raw emotion as the pair confront each other over the struggles and sacrifices they each make as an actor, parent and child. Diane Emiko Takei (Gotanda's wife) plays Yoko, the mother. Pearl Wong of the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors plays the daughter, Natalie Hayashi.
More interesting was part two, "White Manifesto." It's a 50-minute monologue by a WMWA, white male with attitude, who says everything that many of us think, but most of us don't talk about when it comes to the taboo subject of white men dating Asian women.
Danny Wolohan gives a great performance as Richard Saugus, who explains to us why Asian girls are easy for an average white guy like him. The dialogue skewers and expounds on almost every stereotype, excuse, explanation and complaint you can think of when pondering the white male/Asian female phenomenon.
Saugus gives us a "chartered member's" insight into getting Asian girls that he's gleaned from "pillow talk." He also provides a rundown of the sexual differences between women of various Asian ethnic groups. It's all done to wonderful dramatic and comedic effect.
These are old and tired issues that Gotanda raises, but they don't go away if we just stop talking about them. I'm glad there are artists like Gotanda out there still.
Posted by harry at 8:15 AM | Comments (61) | TrackBack
If you're in the Bay Area, be sure to go see the Asian American Theater Company's production of "Under the Rainbow" by Philip Kan Gotanda.
"Under the Rainbow" takes on sex, race, relationships and Hollywood my favorite subjects and topics Gotanda touches on in many of his plays. I saw the play last night and was not disappointed.
The production is two one-act plays. Part one is titled, "Natalie Wood Is Dead" and features a mother and daughter duo of struggling actors trying to make it in Hollywood. There's some raw emotion as the pair confront each other over the struggles and sacrifices they each make as an actor, parent and child. Diane Emiko Takei (Gotanda's wife) plays Yoko, the mother. Pearl Wong of the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors plays the daughter, Natalie Hayashi.
More interesting was part two, "White Manifesto." It's a 50-minute monologue by a WMWA, white male with attitude, who says everything that many of us think, but most of us don't talk about when it comes to the taboo subject of white men dating Asian women.
Danny Wolohan gives a great performance as Richard Saugus, who explains to us why Asian girls are easy for an average white guy like him. The dialogue skewers and expounds on almost every stereotype, excuse, explanation and complaint you can think of when pondering the white male/Asian female phenomenon.
Saugus gives us a "chartered member's" insight into getting Asian girls that he's gleaned from "pillow talk." He also provides a rundown of the sexual differences between women of various Asian ethnic groups. It's all done to wonderful dramatic and comedic effect.
These are old and tired issues that Gotanda raises, but they don't go away if we just stop talking about them. I'm glad there are artists like Gotanda out there still.
Posted by harry at 8:15 AM | Comments (61) | TrackBack
Last weekend I bailed on blog duties to hang out in Reno with some buddies. Not a lot Asians there and I had a couple of eye-opening incidents.
1) In a ski lift line, a white guy 15 feet away nods at me and asks, “Are you Keanu Reeves?” I was flabbergasted. Who? “Keanu Reeves, from the Matrix.” I go, “Totally, dude.” Woah!
2) In da club, straddling the dancefloor, three Latinas pull me into their circle. “What are you?” one asks. Japanese. “Ohhhhh. (to friends) ‘HE’S JAPANESE.” Why do you ask? Are you part Japanese? “No, we just don’t see a lot of Japanese in Reno.” Translation: We just don’t see a lot of Japanese who aren’t uptight, wearing cameras, bad teeth, sandals and socks, etc. They were nice and I was their resident cockblocker.
3) Waiting for a table at breakfast, me and three homeys kick it on a bench. The hostess walks up. “Gordon?” We all get up. “Oh, is it a party of three or four?” Three? We’re all sitting together talking…of course! Why would three white guys be eating with the Asian guy?
Reno was great, otherwise. I highly recommend the Awful Awful burger at the Nugget Diner.
Posted by at 2:52 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Last weekend I bailed on blog duties to hang out in Reno with some buddies. Not a lot Asians there and I had a couple of eye-opening incidents.
1) In a ski lift line, a white guy 15 feet away nods at me and asks, “Are you Keanu Reeves?” I was flabbergasted. Who? “Keanu Reeves, from the Matrix.” I go, “Totally, dude.” Woah!
2) In da club, straddling the dancefloor, three Latinas pull me into their circle. “What are you?” one asks. Japanese. “Ohhhhh. (to friends) ‘HE’S JAPANESE.” Why do you ask? Are you part Japanese? “No, we just don’t see a lot of Japanese in Reno.” Translation: We just don’t see a lot of Japanese who aren’t uptight, wearing cameras, bad teeth, sandals and socks, etc. They were nice and I was their resident cockblocker.
3) Waiting for a table at breakfast, me and three homeys kick it on a bench. The hostess walks up. “Gordon?” We all get up. “Oh, is it a party of three or four?” Three? We’re all sitting together talking…of course! Why would three white guys be eating with the Asian guy?
Reno was great, otherwise. I highly recommend the Awful Awful burger at the Nugget Diner.
Posted by at 2:52 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Last weekend I bailed on blog duties to hang out in Reno with some buddies. Not a lot Asians there and I had a couple of eye-opening incidents.
1) In a ski lift line, a white guy 15 feet away nods at me and asks, Are you Keanu Reeves? I was flabbergasted. Who? Keanu Reeves, from the Matrix. I go, Totally, dude. Woah!
2) In da club, straddling the dancefloor, three Latinas pull me into their circle. What are you? one asks. Japanese. Ohhhhh. (to friends) HES JAPANESE. Why do you ask? Are you part Japanese? No, we just dont see a lot of Japanese in Reno. Translation: We just dont see a lot of Japanese who arent uptight, wearing cameras, bad teeth, sandals and socks, etc. They were nice and I was their resident cockblocker.
3) Waiting for a table at breakfast, me and three homeys kick it on a bench. The hostess walks up. Gordon? We all get up. Oh, is it a party of three or four? Three? Were all sitting together talkingof course! Why would three white guys be eating with the Asian guy?
Reno was great, otherwise. I highly recommend the Awful Awful burger at the Nugget Diner.
Posted by todd at 2:52 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Sorry to bust in like this but this action is going down today! Please read on about how you can help stop Bush from cutting funding to HUD programs. (this is from an email a friend sent me)
The Bush administration is actively trying to snip away what few shreds of an urban policy remain. It's not news that the HUD budget will be slashed to make room for priorities like tax cuts. But there is bureaucratic shuffling afoot that would be the beginning of the end-game for the long effort to make HUD irrelevant, possibly to the point of elimination. The attached Washington Post article focuses on one piece of the proposed whammy, the Community Development Block Grant program
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (http://www.nlihc.org/) has organized a call-in campaign, Feb 23 and Feb 24. Calling your Congress people is not exciting, but quick, easy and --when combined with 1000s of like-minded calls -- potentially effective.
What can you do on February 23 and 24:
1. Call 1-888-818-6641 and ask to be connected to your members' offices
2. Ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant responsible for Budget Issues
3. Call again to speak to your Senators' offices
4. Contact Katie Fisher at 202-662-1530 x.222, katie@nlihc.org, to let her know the results of your calls.
5. Forward this to everyone who will make calls
The Message:
Representative/Senator, "please oppose the President's FY06 budget proposal:
1. The overall funding level for HUD is inadequate to fund ALL housing programs.
2. Ask for an increase in the entire HUD budget, and to preserve the important programs under HUD's purview.
3. The proposed budget will cap spending on housing programs and other key low income programs, causing a deeper cut to vital low income programs over time."
4. The proposed budget protects tax cuts for the wealthy, while gouging low income programs. Please oppose the President's FY06 budget.
Posted by claire at 2:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sorry to bust in like this but this action is going down today! Please read on about how you can help stop Bush from cutting funding to HUD programs. (this is from an email a friend sent me)
The Bush administration is actively trying to snip away what few shreds of an urban policy remain. It's not news that the HUD budget will be slashed to make room for priorities like tax cuts. But there is bureaucratic shuffling afoot that would be the beginning of the end-game for the long effort to make HUD irrelevant, possibly to the point of elimination. The attached Washington Post article focuses on one piece of the proposed whammy, the Community Development Block Grant program
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (http://www.nlihc.org/) has organized a call-in campaign, Feb 23 and Feb 24. Calling your Congress people is not exciting, but quick, easy and --when combined with 1000s of like-minded calls -- potentially effective.
What can you do on February 23 and 24:
1. Call 1-888-818-6641 and ask to be connected to your members' offices
2. Ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant responsible for Budget Issues
3. Call again to speak to your Senators' offices
4. Contact Katie Fisher at 202-662-1530 x.222, katie@nlihc.org, to let her know the results of your calls.
5. Forward this to everyone who will make calls
The Message:
Representative/Senator, "please oppose the President's FY06 budget proposal:
1. The overall funding level for HUD is inadequate to fund ALL housing programs.
2. Ask for an increase in the entire HUD budget, and to preserve the important programs under HUD's purview.
3. The proposed budget will cap spending on housing programs and other key low income programs, causing a deeper cut to vital low income programs over time."
4. The proposed budget protects tax cuts for the wealthy, while gouging low income programs. Please oppose the President's FY06 budget.
Posted by claire at 2:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sorry to bust in like this but this action is going down today! Please read on about how you can help stop Bush from cutting funding to HUD programs. (this is from an email a friend sent me)
The Bush administration is actively trying to snip away what few shreds of an urban policy remain. It's not news that the HUD budget will be slashed to make room for priorities like tax cuts. But there is bureaucratic shuffling afoot that would be the beginning of the end-game for the long effort to make HUD irrelevant, possibly to the point of elimination. The attached Washington Post article focuses on one piece of the proposed whammy, the Community Development Block Grant program
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (http://www.nlihc.org/) has organized a call-in campaign, Feb 23 and Feb 24. Calling your Congress people is not exciting, but quick, easy and --when combined with 1000s of like-minded calls -- potentially effective.
What can you do on February 23 and 24:
1. Call 1-888-818-6641 and ask to be connected to your members' offices
2. Ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant responsible for Budget Issues
3. Call again to speak to your Senators' offices
4. Contact Katie Fisher at 202-662-1530 x.222, katie@nlihc.org, to let her know the results of your calls.
5. Forward this to everyone who will make calls
The Message:
Representative/Senator, "please oppose the President's FY06 budget proposal:
1. The overall funding level for HUD is inadequate to fund ALL housing programs.
2. Ask for an increase in the entire HUD budget, and to preserve the important programs under HUD's purview.
3. The proposed budget will cap spending on housing programs and other key low income programs, causing a deeper cut to vital low income programs over time."
4. The proposed budget protects tax cuts for the wealthy, while gouging low income programs. Please oppose the President's FY06 budget.
Posted by claire at 2:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Back from Philly!
I actually wasn't very happy with the trip to Philly (in regards to ECAASU). If I wasn't getting reimbursed for my travel expenses, I'd be blowing up the spot and making a stink, but... At least I can express my disappointment. (Due to bad organizing, only two people showed up to the panel that Chris and I spoke on. And there was no traffic for any of the exhibitors during the tabling session.)
But at least my whole three-day weekend wasn't a complete bust. I got some networking done and saw the city. Met folks from Boston, Sacramento, DC, Los Angeles, Minneapolis... I got to drive through the boonies of Pennsylvania, see the Real World Philly house, and play pool with my new Mongolian friend (think big Asian guy with a heavy Russian accent). Oh, and best of all, I had a cheesesteak at Pat's in the South Philly. Lining up to order my food was like a Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" experience. I was so scared of ordering wrong and being told to go to the end of the line to try it again.
Anyhow.
I don't have much to write about, except that I've been anticipating the launch of a new Asian American magazine called Theme. Apparently the premiere issue has just been released and features such names as: Twist (graffiti artist also known as Barry McGee), Jessica Yu and IQU.
I subscribe to so many magazines, they end up sitting on my bedside table for weeks before getting read. I'd love to subscribe to Theme, just to check it out and to support... But I'd much prefer to borrow someone's copy before I make that financial commitment (haha). So if any of my friends out there have a copy to loan me, then you know the drill.
If you've seen Theme already, tell me your thoughts. I think it's great another Asian American magazine is out in print--one that's not lifestyle specific, or ethnic-specific.
Posted by Audrey at 9:48 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Back from Philly!
I actually wasn't very happy with the trip to Philly (in regards to ECAASU). If I wasn't getting reimbursed for my travel expenses, I'd be blowing up the spot and making a stink, but... At least I can express my disappointment. (Due to bad organizing, only two people showed up to the panel that Chris and I spoke on. And there was no traffic for any of the exhibitors during the tabling session.)
But at least my whole three-day weekend wasn't a complete bust. I got some networking done and saw the city. Met folks from Boston, Sacramento, DC, Los Angeles, Minneapolis... I got to drive through the boonies of Pennsylvania, see the Real World Philly house, and play pool with my new Mongolian friend (think big Asian guy with a heavy Russian accent). Oh, and best of all, I had a cheesesteak at Pat's in the South Philly. Lining up to order my food was like a Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" experience. I was so scared of ordering wrong and being told to go to the end of the line to try it again.
Anyhow.
I don't have much to write about, except that I've been anticipating the launch of a new Asian American magazine called Theme. Apparently the premiere issue has just been released and features such names as: Twist (graffiti artist also known as Barry McGee), Jessica Yu and IQU.
I subscribe to so many magazines, they end up sitting on my bedside table for weeks before getting read. I'd love to subscribe to Theme, just to check it out and to support... But I'd much prefer to borrow someone's copy before I make that financial commitment (haha). So if any of my friends out there have a copy to loan me, then you know the drill.
If you've seen Theme already, tell me your thoughts. I think it's great another Asian American magazine is out in print--one that's not lifestyle specific, or ethnic-specific.
Posted by Audrey at 9:48 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Back from Philly!
I actually wasn't very happy with the trip to Philly (in regards to ECAASU). If I wasn't getting reimbursed for my travel expenses, I'd be blowing up the spot and making a stink, but... At least I can express my disappointment. (Due to bad organizing, only two people showed up to the panel that Chris and I spoke on. And there was no traffic for any of the exhibitors during the tabling session.)
But at least my whole three-day weekend wasn't a complete bust. I got some networking done and saw the city. Met folks from Boston, Sacramento, DC, Los Angeles, Minneapolis... I got to drive through the boonies of Pennsylvania, see the Real World Philly house, and play pool with my new Mongolian friend (think big Asian guy with a heavy Russian accent). Oh, and best of all, I had a cheesesteak at Pat's in the South Philly. Lining up to order my food was like a Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" experience. I was so scared of ordering wrong and being told to go to the end of the line to try it again.
Anyhow.
I don't have much to write about, except that I've been anticipating the launch of a new Asian American magazine called Theme. Apparently the premiere issue has just been released and features such names as: Twist (graffiti artist also known as Barry McGee), Jessica Yu and IQU.
I subscribe to so many magazines, they end up sitting on my bedside table for weeks before getting read. I'd love to subscribe to Theme, just to check it out and to support... But I'd much prefer to borrow someone's copy before I make that financial commitment (haha). So if any of my friends out there have a copy to loan me, then you know the drill.
If you've seen Theme already, tell me your thoughts. I think it's great another Asian American magazine is out in print--one that's not lifestyle specific, or ethnic-specific.
Posted by Audrey at 9:48 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Basketball star Yao Ming is lending his name and 7-foot-6 stature to a new restaurant in Houston, where he plays for the NBA's Rockets. His parents will own and run Yao's Restaurant and Bar.
Posted by harry at 3:05 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Basketball star Yao Ming is lending his name and 7-foot-6 stature to a new restaurant in Houston, where he plays for the NBA's Rockets. His parents will own and run Yao's Restaurant and Bar.
Posted by harry at 3:05 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Basketball star Yao Ming is lending his name and 7-foot-6 stature to a new restaurant in Houston, where he plays for the NBA's Rockets. His parents will own and run Yao's Restaurant and Bar.
Posted by harry at 3:05 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
So if you haven't heard, the congress approved and GWBush signed off on the "tort reform" law that will make it very difficult to pursue large class action lawsuits. It all happened in a matter of days. (See what Greg Palast has to say about it.) Again, I mourn, as I mourned the election and the war and the torture...
The relentless waves of injustice that keep battering down us people who sympathize with the poor and the nonwhite and the noncorporate are starting to feel like a war to me. A war on my lesbian coworker, who I carpool with every week. A war on my sister, trying to educate her kids. A war on the air I breathe.
It's time to fight back.
Right now at work I'm doing a bunch of visual research on American Suffragettes --the women who rallied, protested, marched, and spoke out for their right to vote. Such a simple, obvious thing, you'd think. Certainly something I've taken for granted, this right that has been unquestioned in my lifetime.
But this was no mom-and-apple-pie issue. It was voted down in the Senate, it was fought against by women who said it would lead to all sorts of immoral corruption (like communism), it took years and thousands of women to accomplish. New Jersey actually repealed women's right to vote in 1807, after it'd been granted in 1790. The Supreme Court repeatedly struck down the right in various decisions.
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Some women were jailed for protesting, and then force-fed when they went on hunger strikes. When they finally passed the 19th Constitutional amendment in 1920, more than 70 years had passed since the first women's rights convention was held.
More than 130 years since New Jersey had first consented to give women the right to vote.
My point? Lord, it takes a long time. How frustrating it must have been to be a woman at that time, to look around at all of the numbskull men who were afraid, were bigots, were set in their ways, and who alone held the power to grant them their rights.
Much as some of us feel today.
It took a long time to reverse the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Gentleman's Agreement. It may take decades to reverse the regression of the current administration. So pick your battles now, because we've got a long fight ahead.
For more information:
http://www.napalc.org/
http://www.hrw.org/
The Center for Constitutional Rights
Amnesty International's Guantanamo page
Moveon
Hyphen Donation Page
Posted by jennifer at 2:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
So if you haven't heard, the congress approved and GWBush signed off on the "tort reform" law that will make it very difficult to pursue large class action lawsuits. It all happened in a matter of days. (See what Greg Palast has to say about it.) Again, I mourn, as I mourned the election and the war and the torture...
The relentless waves of injustice that keep battering down us people who sympathize with the poor and the nonwhite and the noncorporate are starting to feel like a war to me. A war on my lesbian coworker, who I carpool with every week. A war on my sister, trying to educate her kids. A war on the air I breathe.
It's time to fight back.
Right now at work I'm doing a bunch of visual research on American Suffragettes --the women who rallied, protested, marched, and spoke out for their right to vote. Such a simple, obvious thing, you'd think. Certainly something I've taken for granted, this right that has been unquestioned in my lifetime.
But this was no mom-and-apple-pie issue. It was voted down in the Senate, it was fought against by women who said it would lead to all sorts of immoral corruption (like communism), it took years and thousands of women to accomplish. New Jersey actually repealed women's right to vote in 1807, after it'd been granted in 1790. The Supreme Court repeatedly struck down the right in various decisions.
Some women were jailed for protesting, and then force-fed when they went on hunger strikes. When they finally passed the 19th Constitutional amendment in 1920, more than 70 years had passed since the first women's rights convention was held.
More than 130 years since New Jersey had first consented to give women the right to vote.
My point? Lord, it takes a long time. How frustrating it must have been to be a woman at that time, to look around at all of the numbskull men who were afraid, were bigots, were set in their ways, and who alone held the power to grant them their rights.
Much as some of us feel today.
It took a long time to reverse the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Gentleman's Agreement. It may take decades to reverse the regression of the current administration. So pick your battles now, because we've got a long fight ahead.
For more information:
http://www.napalc.org/
http://www.hrw.org/
The Center for Constitutional Rights
Amnesty International's Guantanamo page
Moveon
Hyphen Donation Page
Posted by jennifer at 2:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
So if you haven't heard, the congress approved and GWBush signed off on the "tort reform" law that will make it very difficult to pursue large class action lawsuits. It all happened in a matter of days. (See what Greg Palast has to say about it.) Again, I mourn, as I mourned the election and the war and the torture...
The relentless waves of injustice that keep battering down us people who sympathize with the poor and the nonwhite and the noncorporate are starting to feel like a war to me. A war on my lesbian coworker, who I carpool with every week. A war on my sister, trying to educate her kids. A war on the air I breathe.
It's time to fight back.
Right now at work I'm doing a bunch of visual research on American Suffragettes --the women who rallied, protested, marched, and spoke out for their right to vote. Such a simple, obvious thing, you'd think. Certainly something I've taken for granted, this right that has been unquestioned in my lifetime.
But this was no mom-and-apple-pie issue. It was voted down in the Senate, it was fought against by women who said it would lead to all sorts of immoral corruption (like communism), it took years and thousands of women to accomplish. New Jersey actually repealed women's right to vote in 1807, after it'd been granted in 1790. The Supreme Court repeatedly struck down the right in various decisions.
Some women were jailed for protesting, and then force-fed when they went on hunger strikes. When they finally passed the 19th Constitutional amendment in 1920, more than 70 years had passed since the first women's rights convention was held.
More than 130 years since New Jersey had first consented to give women the right to vote.
My point? Lord, it takes a long time. How frustrating it must have been to be a woman at that time, to look around at all of the numbskull men who were afraid, were bigots, were set in their ways, and who alone held the power to grant them their rights.
Much as some of us feel today.
It took a long time to reverse the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Gentleman's Agreement. It may take decades to reverse the regression of the current administration. So pick your battles now, because we've got a long fight ahead.
For more information:
http://www.napalc.org/
http://www.hrw.org/
The Center for Constitutional Rights
Amnesty International's Guantanamo page
Moveon
Hyphen Donation Page
Posted by jennifer at 2:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I'm feeling lazy tonight. I saw "Constantine" last night--fun, but forgettable. Is it just me, or does Keanu get Chinesier as he gets older?
Then today I got to write 2000 words on how the hero of my novel visits a bordello on Mars. So I'm feeling like I've earned laziness. That's enough for one weekend.
Here's a little news:
The Coordinating Council of Muslim Americans released an expanded version of their report on American Muslim perspectives on the 9/11 Commission Report. The mother of a Pakistani American paramedic, who was not on duty but rushed to the World Trade Center to help and was killed, tells how he was investigated as a possible terrorist when he first turned up missing.
Vietnamese American livelihoods are caught in the middle of a debate in the Gulf states over whether or not a moratorium on offshore shrimp fishing licenses should be declared for the next decade to protect the fisheries and raise shrimp prices.
A Hmong American cop in St. Paul, Minnesota pled guilty to lending his department-issued gun to another Hmong to be used in drive-by shootings. His statement threw suspicion of corruption on a local Hmong community leader, but that case has been turned over to the FBI. For more news on this, check out the St. Paul Pioneer Press--but you have to sign in for a free account.
Posted by claire at 2:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I'm feeling lazy tonight. I saw "Constantine" last night--fun, but forgettable. Is it just me, or does Keanu get Chinesier as he gets older?
Then today I got to write 2000 words on how the hero of my novel visits a bordello on Mars. So I'm feeling like I've earned laziness. That's enough for one weekend.
Here's a little news:
The Coordinating Council of Muslim Americans released an expanded version of their report on American Muslim perspectives on the 9/11 Commission Report. The mother of a Pakistani American paramedic, who was not on duty but rushed to the World Trade Center to help and was killed, tells how he was investigated as a possible terrorist when he first turned up missing.
Vietnamese American livelihoods are caught in the middle of a debate in the Gulf states over whether or not a moratorium on offshore shrimp fishing licenses should be declared for the next decade to protect the fisheries and raise shrimp prices.
A Hmong American cop in St. Paul, Minnesota pled guilty to lending his department-issued gun to another Hmong to be used in drive-by shootings. His statement threw suspicion of corruption on a local Hmong community leader, but that case has been turned over to the FBI. For more news on this, check out the St. Paul Pioneer Press--but you have to sign in for a free account.
Posted by claire at 2:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I'm feeling lazy tonight. I saw "Constantine" last night--fun, but forgettable. Is it just me, or does Keanu get Chinesier as he gets older?
Then today I got to write 2000 words on how the hero of my novel visits a bordello on Mars. So I'm feeling like I've earned laziness. That's enough for one weekend.
Here's a little news:
The Coordinating Council of Muslim Americans released an expanded version of their report on American Muslim perspectives on the 9/11 Commission Report. The mother of a Pakistani American paramedic, who was not on duty but rushed to the World Trade Center to help and was killed, tells how he was investigated as a possible terrorist when he first turned up missing.
Vietnamese American livelihoods are caught in the middle of a debate in the Gulf states over whether or not a moratorium on offshore shrimp fishing licenses should be declared for the next decade to protect the fisheries and raise shrimp prices.
A Hmong American cop in St. Paul, Minnesota pled guilty to lending his department-issued gun to another Hmong to be used in drive-by shootings. His statement threw suspicion of corruption on a local Hmong community leader, but that case has been turned over to the FBI. For more news on this, check out the St. Paul Pioneer Press--but you have to sign in for a free account.
Posted by claire at 2:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hey! Sorry I've been MIA from the blog these last couple weeks. Busy busy busy. I'm on my lunch break right now, scarfing down some pasta. We had a meeting at my work yesterday with a catered lunch. I saved the leftovers for today's lunch. Yes, I'm a frugal Asian. I'll go anywhere for free food. Or, that could also be the journalist in me. Wanna have a successful press conference? Promise lots of free food.
So I've been busy at my day job moving offices this week. Lots of meetings too. When I'm not at work, I'm working on Hyphen or on Slant, a film festival that I curate. It takes place every May in Houston at the Aurora Picture Show, an awesome microcinema that is housed in an old church building that was built in the 20s. (The pews are still there.) If you're an Asian American filmmaker with a short film, please check out their website. The call for entries is posted there. You have til the end of this month to send me your film.
So that's where I've been. We're crazy people here at Hyphen. Most of us hold down a job while working on Hyphen and other community events. There's even a couple of us who work full time jobs and go to grad school and volunteer at Hyphen.
Here in Hyphen Land, we're in production for issue 6, which means a new issue will be arriving at your doorstep in a couple months. We had a fabulous weekend at our speed dating event. Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday. I'd never tried speed dating before, so I participated in the second session. Each date was 4 minutes long. Times 20 dates. That's 80 minutes of nonstop talking. And I'm not much of a talker.
Honestly, I can't remember most of the people I talked to. Four minutes a date is too short in most cases, but also too long if you know right off the bat that there's nothing. There was only time to get a couple questions in and almost always those two questions were "What do you like to do for fun?" and "Are you from around here?" Which meant I got really really tired of hearing "You're from Texas? How come you don't have an accent?"
So let me set the record straight. Houston, Texas is a big urban city, folks. Four million people. Fourth largest city in the U.S. We don't all have accents.
Anyhow, Audrey and Chris are representing this weekend in Philly at the East Coast Asian American Student Union conference. They'll be leading a workshop on using media for social change and passing out free copies of Hyphen. If you're in the area, check it out.
OK, enough rambling from me today. Thank god it's a 3-day weekend.
Posted by Melissa at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hey! Sorry I've been MIA from the blog these last couple weeks. Busy busy busy. I'm on my lunch break right now, scarfing down some pasta. We had a meeting at my work yesterday with a catered lunch. I saved the leftovers for today's lunch. Yes, I'm a frugal Asian. I'll go anywhere for free food. Or, that could also be the journalist in me. Wanna have a successful press conference? Promise lots of free food.
So I've been busy at my day job moving offices this week. Lots of meetings too. When I'm not at work, I'm working on Hyphen or on Slant, a film festival that I curate. It takes place every May in Houston at the Aurora Picture Show, an awesome microcinema that is housed in an old church building that was built in the 20s. (The pews are still there.) If you're an Asian American filmmaker with a short film, please check out their website. The call for entries is posted there. You have til the end of this month to send me your film.
So that's where I've been. We're crazy people here at Hyphen. Most of us hold down a job while working on Hyphen and other community events. There's even a couple of us who work full time jobs and go to grad school and volunteer at Hyphen.
Here in Hyphen Land, we're in production for issue 6, which means a new issue will be arriving at your doorstep in a couple months. We had a fabulous weekend at our speed dating event. Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday. I'd never tried speed dating before, so I participated in the second session. Each date was 4 minutes long. Times 20 dates. That's 80 minutes of nonstop talking. And I'm not much of a talker.
Honestly, I can't remember most of the people I talked to. Four minutes a date is too short in most cases, but also too long if you know right off the bat that there's nothing. There was only time to get a couple questions in and almost always those two questions were "What do you like to do for fun?" and "Are you from around here?" Which meant I got really really tired of hearing "You're from Texas? How come you don't have an accent?"
So let me set the record straight. Houston, Texas is a big urban city, folks. Four million people. Fourth largest city in the U.S. We don't all have accents.
Anyhow, Audrey and Chris are representing this weekend in Philly at the East Coast Asian American Student Union conference. They'll be leading a workshop on using media for social change and passing out free copies of Hyphen. If you're in the area, check it out.
OK, enough rambling from me today. Thank god it's a 3-day weekend.
Posted by Melissa at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hey! Sorry I've been MIA from the blog these last couple weeks. Busy busy busy. I'm on my lunch break right now, scarfing down some pasta. We had a meeting at my work yesterday with a catered lunch. I saved the leftovers for today's lunch. Yes, I'm a frugal Asian. I'll go anywhere for free food. Or, that could also be the journalist in me. Wanna have a successful press conference? Promise lots of free food.
So I've been busy at my day job moving offices this week. Lots of meetings too. When I'm not at work, I'm working on Hyphen or on Slant, a film festival that I curate. It takes place every May in Houston at the Aurora Picture Show, an awesome microcinema that is housed in an old church building that was built in the 20s. (The pews are still there.) If you're an Asian American filmmaker with a short film, please check out their website. The call for entries is posted there. You have til the end of this month to send me your film.
So that's where I've been. We're crazy people here at Hyphen. Most of us hold down a job while working on Hyphen and other community events. There's even a couple of us who work full time jobs and go to grad school and volunteer at Hyphen.
Here in Hyphen Land, we're in production for issue 6, which means a new issue will be arriving at your doorstep in a couple months. We had a fabulous weekend at our speed dating event. Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday. I'd never tried speed dating before, so I participated in the second session. Each date was 4 minutes long. Times 20 dates. That's 80 minutes of nonstop talking. And I'm not much of a talker.
Honestly, I can't remember most of the people I talked to. Four minutes a date is too short in most cases, but also too long if you know right off the bat that there's nothing. There was only time to get a couple questions in and almost always those two questions were "What do you like to do for fun?" and "Are you from around here?" Which meant I got really really tired of hearing "You're from Texas? How come you don't have an accent?"
So let me set the record straight. Houston, Texas is a big urban city, folks. Four million people. Fourth largest city in the U.S. We don't all have accents.
Anyhow, Audrey and Chris are representing this weekend in Philly at the East Coast Asian American Student Union conference. They'll be leading a workshop on using media for social change and passing out free copies of Hyphen. If you're in the area, check it out.
OK, enough rambling from me today. Thank god it's a 3-day weekend.
Posted by Melissa at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My roommate (Melissa, Hyphen's editor in chief) and I used to steal wi-fi from the guys who live upstairs from us. I mean, if people don't password-protect their connections, then why not? But for the past week neither of us has been able to connect to the Internet, and I don't exactly sit in the computer labs at school just to blog, so I apologize for missing my blog days.
So much going on in Hyphen Land (personal drama, scrambling to meet deadlines, events passed and coming up, etc.) Last Thursday I went to the launch party for the 2005 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and a volunteer (who I recognize as a returner, year after year) chatted me up, saying that he reads the Hyphen blog. He said he liked reading my blogs and I had to admit that I was amazed that people even read the Hyphen blog, much less my entries. (So thanks, Steve!)
The week that I spoke on a First Thursdays panel in San Jose, I was totally unprepared for the panel to veer into a different direction that what I had "geared up" for. I assumed I'd be speaking on a panel about love and the relationship dynamics between Asian American men and women...but the panel ended up being more like, "How do I meet people?" and "How can I make myself more appealing to the opposite sex?" I felt like one panelist, who monopolized the talking time and Q&A period, came straight out of the '50s, citing advice from horrible books like The Rules. (I held my tongue; didn't want to be catty. But I almost blurted out, "With advice like that, no wonder YOU'RE single!")
Sigh.
The other week I was tabling (all by myself) at the Asian American Music Conference, and quite a few people came up to me and told me how much they love Hyphen and appreciate the content. That day I was feeling especially disheartened about (and tired from) Hyphen, so the gratitude and praise was like a shot of adrenaline.
I'm pretty excited about the next issue coming out. I apologize that you haven't heard from us since October, but Issue 6 will definitely be worth the wait!
Until then you can catch us on the daily blog tip and at random public appearances (events).
Come say "Hi!" at ECAASU and at the SFIAAFF!
Posted by Audrey at 5:39 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
My roommate (Melissa, Hyphen's editor in chief) and I used to steal wi-fi from the guys who live upstairs from us. I mean, if people don't password-protect their connections, then why not? But for the past week neither of us has been able to connect to the Internet, and I don't exactly sit in the computer labs at school just to blog, so I apologize for missing my blog days.
So much going on in Hyphen Land (personal drama, scrambling to meet deadlines, events passed and coming up, etc.) Last Thursday I went to the launch party for the 2005 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and a volunteer (who I recognize as a returner, year after year) chatted me up, saying that he reads the Hyphen blog. He said he liked reading my blogs and I had to admit that I was amazed that people even read the Hyphen blog, much less my entries. (So thanks, Steve!)
The week that I spoke on a First Thursdays panel in San Jose, I was totally unprepared for the panel to veer into a different direction that what I had "geared up" for. I assumed I'd be speaking on a panel about love and the relationship dynamics between Asian American men and women...but the panel ended up being more like, "How do I meet people?" and "How can I make myself more appealing to the opposite sex?" I felt like one panelist, who monopolized the talking time and Q&A period, came straight out of the '50s, citing advice from horrible books like The Rules. (I held my tongue; didn't want to be catty. But I almost blurted out, "With advice like that, no wonder YOU'RE single!")
Sigh.
The other week I was tabling (all by myself) at the Asian American Music Conference, and quite a few people came up to me and told me how much they love Hyphen and appreciate the content. That day I was feeling especially disheartened about (and tired from) Hyphen, so the gratitude and praise was like a shot of adrenaline.
I'm pretty excited about the next issue coming out. I apologize that you haven't heard from us since October, but Issue 6 will definitely be worth the wait!
Until then you can catch us on the daily blog tip and at random public appearances (events).
Come say "Hi!" at ECAASU and at the SFIAAFF!
Posted by Audrey at 5:39 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
My roommate (Melissa, Hyphen's editor in chief) and I used to steal wi-fi from the guys who live upstairs from us. I mean, if people don't password-protect their connections, then why not? But for the past week neither of us has been able to connect to the Internet, and I don't exactly sit in the computer labs at scho