UNCENSORED: 2011 Cal State Fullerton Undie Run
May 23, 2011
You know that Asian/Pacific Island American Heritage Month has reached its zenith when TimothyDeLaGhetto aka Traphik aka Tim Chantarangsu drops his CSUF Undie Run vlog. Who is TimothyDeLaGhetto? Duh. He’s the international king of Asian American TouTube clowning who brings much-needed levity to this month-long government-mandated orgy of whorish corporate-backed “festivals,” boring discourse and self-congratulation that “APAHM” is. A true social media wonder, TimothyDeLaGhetto has a bazillion followers of his Internet antics, all conceived from his luxurious crib in his parent’s house in Paramount, Calif. Here are some links to DeLaGhetto’s bad self: YouTube Channel / Tim Chantarangsu Wiki / http://TimothyDeLaGhetto.com
A new report issued today by the L.A. County Department of Public Health (DPH) says that Angelenos are living longer, but that across the board those who live in poorer neighborhoods of the sprawling county have fewer grocery stores offering fresh, nutritious food, and less opportunities for outdoor recreational areas and safe places for children and families to play, which results in lower life expectancy.
The report found that Asian/Pacific Islanders have an average life span of 84.8 years while African Americans live to about 73. There is also an average 5.3-year gap between men and women, with women outliving men.
The DPH study, “Life Expectancy in Los Angeles County: How long do we live and why?” (PDF), suggests there are major discrepancies of life expectancy among county residents based on race and geography.
The Myth of US Census Data Privacy
January 25, 2010
A chilling cautionary tale related to the 2010 U.S. Census from the Mar. 30, 2007 issue of Scientific American: “Despite decades of denials, government records confirm that the U.S. Census Bureau provided the U.S. Secret Service with names and addresses of Japanese-Americans during World War II.”
The disclosure, while legal at the time, was ethically dubious and may have implications for the 2010 census, say historian Margo Anderson, University of Wisconsin, and statistician William Seltzer, Fordham University, who together rooted out and confirmed the federal agency’s 67-year-old duplicity.
“Records show that in 1943 the Census Bureau revealed names and addresses of Japanese-Americans in the Washington, D.C., area. Prior research had found that the Bureau provided the government with less specific information about Japanese-Americans in California and other states to round them up (above) for imprisonment in internment camps,” writes JR Minkel in his Scientific American piece entitled, Confirmed: The U.S. Census Bureau Gave Up Names of Japanese-Americans in WW II. Read Minkel’s entire article here.
Census data is routinely used to enforce the National Voting Rights Act and other policies, but not in a form that could be used to identify a particular person’s race, sex, age, address or other information, Census Bureau officials contend.
The Bureau admits it provided neighborhood data on Arab-Americans to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2002. A provision in the controversial Patriot Act—passed after the 9/11 attacks and derided by critics as an erosion of privacy—gives agencies access to individualized survey data collected by university researchers as well.
via Larry Shinagawa, director, Asian American Studies Dept., University of Maryland.
Related resources:
- Official Statistics and Statistical Confidentiality, Anderson/Seltzer
- How We Protect Your Data, U.S. Census Bureau
- The 2010 Census and the JACL, jacl.org
- From Flip-flops to Falafel: Deja Vu 1942, epicanthus
- Census Confidentiality? The Check Is in the Mail, Dave Kopel, i2i.org
LA CAÑADA-FLINTRIDGE—A slow-moving mountain brush fire has claimed the lives of two firefighters and destroyed 18 structures since it began Aug. 26 and was still raging out of control Sunday with plumes of smoke rising as high as 20,000 feet into the air above this Los Angeles bedroom community favored by Asian American families who began moving here about a decade ago attracted to the areas schools and suburban lifestyle. A couple watches as a Sikorski Skycrane helicopter swoops low to make a water drop at the La Cañada Country Club in the photo above by Korea Central Daily’s Kim Sang-jin.
Asian American Media Musical Chairs
July 23, 2009
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A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper reporter made the leap from print to online journalism, UsWeekly’s gossip queen called it quits and the Asian American Journalists Association soft-played a staff shake-up this week. [Read More]
- Huffington Post Nabs WaPo Rising Star, Mediabistro
- A Lot of “The’s”: Jose Antonio Vargas Leaves The Washington Post for The Huffington Post, The New York Times
- Arianna Huffington Seduces Young Journalist Over Internet, Valleywag
- Filipino Reporter Wins Pulitzer, New America Media
- Janice Min Helped Us Weekly Feed a Hunger for Celebrity, L.A. Times
- Janice Min’s Mysterious Future, Gawker
- Janice Min’s Farewell to Us Weekly Staff, AllieIsWired.Com
- AAJA Names New Interim Executive Director, AAJA
- “Officially it was a mutual decision” that she leave, Maynard Institute
- AAJA National President Sharon Chan, blog
Summer Bento
June 29, 2009
via IM.ROHAN.BLOG
Fools’ Dance: OBON in America 2009
June 17, 2009
Japanese Americans all across the land from Vermont to Hawaii will celebrate the ancient Buddhist Obon festival in the coming weeks with joyous folk dancing, religious observances and traditional Japanese foods in what is the most authentic cultural event remaining in Japanese America.
Obon Festival season continues through August and marks the zenith of the Buddhist year. But more than just a chance to take colorful photos and eat Japanese comfort foods, Obon is a Buddhist teaching come alive.
Obon [ お盆 ] originates from the story of Mokuren, a disciple of the Buddha, who during a meditative trance saw his deceased mother suffering in the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (the Buddhist equivalent of purgatory). Greatly disturbed, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this suffering. Buddha instructed him to make offerings and to meditate on the life of his mother. Mokuren followed the Buddha’s instructions and he began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother’s release and grateful for his mother’s kindness, danced with joy. From this dance of joy came Obon, which has been celebrated for thousands of years as a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated.
2009 OBON FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Aug. 1-2—Gardena Buddhist Temple Obon Odori, 1517 W. 166th St., Gardena, CA 90247; (310) 327-9400; 3-10 p.m. Sat./2-9 p.m. Sun.
Aug. 1—Buddhist Temple of San Diego Obon Odori, 2929 Market St., San Diego, CA 92102; (619) 239-0896: 5-9 p.m.
Aug. 1—Oregon Buddhist Temple “Obonfest 2009,” 3720 SE 34th Ave., Portland, OR 97202; (503) 234-9456: 4-9 p.m.
Aug. 1—San Luis Obispo Buddhist Temple Obon Odori, 6996 Ontario Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405; (805)-595-2625: 1-9 p.m.
Aug. 1—Waialua Hongwanji Temple Obon, 67-313 Kealohanui St., Waialua, HI 96791; (808) 637-4395: from 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 1-2—Palo Alto Buddhist Temple Obon Odori, 2751 Louis Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303; (650)856-0123: 5-11 p.m. Sat./noon-10 p.m. Sun.
Fox TV news Unit 9 investigative reporter Ti-Hua Chang’s recent report on poverty in New York’s burgeoning Asian American community confirms what social service workers have been saying for years; that despite their model minority image the poverty rate among NYC’s Asians is higher than anyone wants to admit.
With footage showing recession-battered Asians rummaging through grocery store Dumpsters and restaurant garbage for food, Chang’s story “Community in Crisis” points out that although Asian represent 12% of New York’s population, they receive less than one percent of benefits doled out to the city’s poor by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s government either because they are unaware of the programs or that they are undocumented and afraid of being apprehended.
Watch the award-winning Chang’s report below or at myfoxny.com
Via AAJA
Sato Masuzawa Mystery Solved; “Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto”
February 23, 2009
Actor Sean Penn, who won the best actor Oscar at the 81st Academy Awards for his portrayal of San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk in the film Milk, opened his acceptance speech by calling the audience “you Commie-, homo-loving sons of guns.”
Then, the first person Penn thanked was “my best friend Sato Masuzawa,” whom almost no one had ever heard of. Speculation was that the Japanese name was a cipher for the actor’s wife, Robin Wright Penn or that it was some inside joke. Nope.
Sato Masuzawa, a graphic artist and artistic facilitator, is credited as “assistant to Mr. Penn,” beginning with the 1998 film Hurly Burly. According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Masuzawa’s first show biz credit came in 1991 when he she (thanks, Disgrasian Whoo-whoo!) was the post-production coordinator on Indian Runner, which Penn wrote and directed.
The best acceptance speech by far was delivered by young Japanese animator Kunio Kato, whose Tsumeki no Ie/La Maison en Petits Cubes won for best animated short. Kato kept it short and sweet quoting ’80s Styx lyric, “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.”
The best foreign language film award went to Japan’s Okuribito/Departures.
Other non-Slumdog, non-winning Asian nominees included Thavisouk Phrasavath, best documentary Nerakhoon/The Betrayal; Steven Okazaki, best documentary short subject, The Conscience of Nhem En; and James J. Murakami, art direction, Changeling.
- Sato Masuzawa credits, IMDb
- Kunio Kato’s “Mr. Roboto” acceptance speech
- 81st Academy Awards results
- James Murakami credits
Who’s The Sarcastic Asian Dude In All Those TV Commercials?
February 9, 2009
- COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Tim Kang may be marketable, but the actor’s all about being obscure, KoreAm
- Yila Tim Kang, IMDb
- Video: Q&A with Tim Kang re: CBS series The Mentalist
Riders On The Storm
February 8, 2009
Thunder, lightning, hail, rain, stimulus packages—we needed a good cleansing. I keep playing Rain by Priscilla Ahn over and over and over.
Only a win away from Super Bowl XLIII, the emergence of the baby-faced 6-4, 265-pound Philadelphia Eagle linebacker Chris Gocong has sent thousands of Asian/Pacific American fans to their computers to Google his name— Chris Gocong: Vietnamese? Filipino? Pacific Islander?
Well, no need to speculate any longer, crack Epicanthus researcher Rachel Roh contacted Gocong’s dad, Bruce Kennedy, to pin down Chris’ ethnic roots. Here’s what he had to say:
“After review with Chris and his mom (Julie), he is the following—100% American, 12.5% French, 12.5% German, 25% American Indian (and) 25% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and 25% Filipino.”
So there you have it. Quite a mix. Gocong calls himself a “mutt” in this video. Seems like another mutt is having his big day January 20 in Washington, D.C. Ah, 2009: Year of the Mutt in Post-Racial America.
Gocong, 25, is part of the Eagles’ frenetic blitz-happy linebacking corps (along with Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan) that has wreaked havoc on opponents and humbled the vaunted Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants offenses in their last two contests.
Gocong and the Eagles continue their unlikely march toward the Super Bowl against another dark horse, the Arizona Cardinals, who will suit up Polynesians Deuce Lutui (USC) at guard, Pago Togafau (Idaho State) at LB and Filipinos Aaron Francisco from Hawaii via BYU at DB and Travis LaBoy(UH) at DE.
More on Chris Gocong:
- Chris Gocong Profile, philadelphiaeagles.com
- Ask the Eagles—Chris Gocong, video
- Who Exactly Is Chris Gocong? philadelphiaeagles.com
- Chrs Gocong NFL Draft Profile, Fox Sports
- Eagles: Glitz and Glue, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Obama Picks Shinseki for VA Post; Cao Elected to House Seat; William H. ‘Mo’ Marumoto Passes: Headed Nixon’s ‘Brown Mafia’
December 8, 2008
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Asian America Goes to the Polls (in HD)
November 2, 2008
Nawww, I ain’t got nothing even remotely profound to offer vis-a-vis tomorrow’s momentous election, except that it feels like history is going to be made and that the people have a chance to make a huge impact on the political process, stir things up a little. I love the smell of history in the morning. It smells like… like donuts and coffee.
Back to Asian America, though, there are many, many leading Asian American groups prowling the electoral waters, aren’t there? Sending out press releases, making themselves available to the media. So business as usual on that front.
API this and APA that showing up on TV and radio saying we’re “trending” a certain way because of this, that and huh. Asians in the media have also had a field day, serving up their respective communities for the great white eye in the sky (now in HD). Asian American (National) Journalists Association’s recap will be seen on C-Span, Saturday at 3:45 a.m.
I only know one thing or maybe two. What Asian Americans don’t need in this potentially transcendent moment is for a bunch of slanty-eyed journalists to tell America what we’re thinking. “Now, with a report on the Asian American voting bloc, here’s our Natalie Nissan in Chinatown. Nancy?”
The awfullest stereotypes are being foisted as fact on why Koreans in New Jersey will be Obama’s ace in the hole or that Japanese Americans will go McCain-Palin because they are by far the most assimilated Asian American subgroup with a proud heritage of military service. How about the secret nobody talks about: That Asians are so totally racist, a Bradley Effect will have them going for Mac and Sarah in droves tomorrow.
But it is an exciting time. This is the most exciting political campaign I have ever experienced. I’ll be tracking the Korean vote in Virginia. Nobody’s talked about the influence the church has on this community and whether stands on abortion and the teaching of intelligent design in public schools will color their decisions. How will Obama’s criticism of South Korea’s trade surplus flavor their political bi-bim bap?
Then there are the newly naturalized Chinese and Filipino communities, different as night and day. Nobody’s even mentioned the Southeast and East Asian American communities. Asian American vote? Bah!
And… will our youth go to the polls in large enough numbers to be a real factor? Because they haven’t in my lifetime, even during the tumultuous ’60s and ’70s, when they were conspicuously AWOL.
I am upset with the “No on 8″ folks in California (those seeking to block the religious right-inspired ban on gay marriages) and, in particular, with George Takei for trying to ride the coattails of the Japanese American internment issue in a last-minute desperation move to stave off defeat Tuesday. Shame on you, Mr. Sulu. You almost made me mad enough to vote yes. You abdicated any leadership role in the community through your disturbing appearances on Howard Stern, which were sad and unfunny. And shame on the Japanese American National Museum for allowing itself to be a part of Takei’s gay marriage grandstanding. Bachi ga ataru, yo!
Okay, I gotta split. I’m going out in search of McCain-Palin lawn signs.
Yes/No on Calif. Prop. 8
The Sleeping Giant in American Politics
September 30, 2008
Major Study Examines Why Asian America Is Virtually Unheard
By DEANNA LEE
EDITOR’S NOTE—A duPont-Columbia Award winner with eight Emmys, Deanna Lee is a veteran international journalist. A former Nightline and ABC World News producer, Ms. Lee is the Asia Society’s communications veep.
Look at Asian Americans today, says Paul Ong, “and what you’re seeing is the awakening of the new sleeping giant in politics. The question is, how fast are we going to become a meaningful force?”
Ong is the principal investigator of “The State of Asian America: Trajectory of Civic and Political Engagement,” just released by the LEAP Asian Pacific American Public Policy Institute. Ten investigations and analyses by a multidisciplinary team of Asian American scholars and community leaders delve into what, for many Asian Americans, is a central question and frustration: why our voices “are virtually unheard in the ongoing civic and political discussions.”
The State of Asian America: Trajectory of Civic and Political Engagement is available as a free download courtesy of the LEAP Asian Pacific American Public Policy Institute here. Offical release events will be held from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8 in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. For detailed info: leap@leap.org / 213-485-1422.
The Olympic Decathlon, the two-day, ten-event test of all-around athletic skill and human endurance, has produced some of the greatest icons of the American sports pantheon. Decathlon gold medalists Jim Thorpe, Bob Mathias, Rafer Johnson and Bruce Jenner were easily the biggest names to emerge from their respective Olympics. But comes along 28-year-old, Kaneohe, Hawaii-born Bryan Clay and the mainstream media seems a bit skeptical.
Beijing is Clay’s second Olympics. He won a silver in Athens as the event’s rising star. Following Athens, Bryan captured a World Track Championship gold in 2005 and was ranked as the No. 1 decathlete in the world by 2006. Last year, he forced out of the World Championships in Osaka with a foot injury. Earlier this year, 12 pounds lighter and injury-free, he stunned the track and field world with a remarkable 8,832-point performance in winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
Ten years ago, Clay was a troubled kid. The product of a broken home, Bryan is the son of Japanese American mother Michelle Ishimoto and an African American father, Greg Clay, who divorced when their son was in the fifth grade.
At the Athens Olympics, Bryan’s mother, stepfather and wife, Sarah, stayed away not wanting to be distractions. In Beijing, however, the Ishimoto clan will be in full force. Sharing the two-day event with Bryan at the “Bird’s Nest” will be his maternal grandparents—84-year-old Tsumoru and 82-year-old Kay Ishimoto—along with “a bunch more family and many friends” to root Bryan over the top.
About his Japanese heritage, Clay reveals, “Japanese culture and food were a huge part of my life growing up. My mother made sure I knew who I was and where I came from. Our house was always full of grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. We ate ozoni [a traditional Japanese rice soup] on New Year’s Eve. My life was very Japanese.”
Earlier this month, Clay told NBC, “I think that if I am healthy, and if I am competing well and in shape, I don’t think there’s anybody out there that can beat me. I really don’t think so.
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UPDATE—As I key this in real time, it’s already Thursday, Aug. 21, 2:45 p.m. in Beijing, and Bryan Clay has won the 100 meters and long jump and placed second in the shot put. He leads Oleksiy Kasyanov of the Ukraine and American teammate Trey Hardee of Birmingham, Ala. Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic, who edged out Clay for the gold in Athens is in 10th place in the early going. I plan to update here as results become available.
UPDATE 2—(Thursday, Aug. 21, 7:20 a.m. PST) With the first five events of the men’s decathlon completed, Hawaii-born Japanese American Bryan Clay held an 88-point lead over his closest rival, Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus. Clay, who attends Azusa-Pacific Univ. in Southern California, won a rain-drenched 100 meters in 10.44 seconds and followed with the top mark in the long jump with a leap of 25-6¼. Clay then recorded a lifetime best heave of 53-4½ in the shot put. He high jumped 6-6¼ (11th best), and finished day one of the grueling event after 10 p.m. Beijing time with a 48.92 in the 400 meters. Trey Hardee (USA) is holding on to third place 93 points behind Clay who is favored to the the gold. Day 2 of the decathlon begins at 9 a.m. Beijing time (today at 6:00 p.m. PST) and will include 110 meter hurdles. discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters.
UPDATE 3—(Thursday, Aug. 21, 5:00 p.m. PST) Bryan Clay left the following comments on his blog a little after midnight after completing Day 1 of the decathlon in Beijing: “I had three very, very good events. Then I had one not so good event, a poor event, which was high jump. Then just an OK event in the 400, nothing special in the 400, but it was OK. I don’t know about scores. I really don’t pay attention to scores until we get to about the javelin, then I look to see what I need to do to stay in the position that I’m in. I’m coming out tomorrow just trying to compete against the conditions and the competitors. Hopefully, I’ll be the best one there and be at the top of the podium at the end of the day. I think every event in the decathlon is important. You can’t win the decathlon without having all ten events. Anytime you have a poor event, that’s going to set you back a bit, and every time you have a good event, that’s pull you ahead. I don’t think it was the rain. I think that I was a little fatigued. We started in the rain and mentally and physically, it takes a lot to get through that and I think I did it very well. That made me a little fatigued going into the high jum and the 400.”
UPDATE 4—(Thursday, Aug. 21, 7:00 p.m. PST) We’re live blogging the Olympic decathlon results as they come out of Beijing. U.S. decathlete Bryan Clay recorded the second fastest time of all four heats of the 110 meter hurdles Friday morning in Beijing to start day two of the decathlon. Yordani Garcia of Cuba had the fastest time with a 13.90 to Clay’s 13.93. Andres Raja of Estonia had the third lowest time at 14.06. Clay netted 984 points in the event and now has a leading total of 5505 points. We’re awaiting the start of the decathlon discus throw.
UPDATE 5—(Thursday, Aug. 21, 8:00 p.m. PST) Japanese American gold medal hopeful Bryan Clay has won the decathlon discus competition with a season’s best heave of 176 feet 10 inches and added 950 points for a leading total of 6455 with the pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters to follow in Beijing, where it is Friday morning.
UPDATE 6—(Friday, Aug. 22, 2:10 p.m., Beijing, China CST) The decathlon pole vault is underway in the “Bird’s Nest,” and American Bryan Clay has cleared a qualifying height of 4.80 meters on his first attempt and shares the lead with four other decathletes—Andrei Krauchanka, Belarus; Andre Niklaus, Germany; Alexander Pogorelov, Russia; Andres Raja, Estonia.
(Aug. 22, 2:24 p.m., Beijing) Belarus’ Krauchanka has cleared 4.90 meters. We’re blogging real time from Silver Lake 90026!
(Aug. 22, 2:27 p.m., Beijing) Bryan Clay regains the pole vault lead clearing 4.90 meters on his first attempt. Roman Barras is also over 4.90, a season’s best for the Frenchman.
(Aug. 22, 2:50 p.m., Beijing) Glendora, Calif.’s Bryan Clay has cleared a season’s best 5.0 meters in the decathlon pole vault and leads the event on the basis of fewer misses. Krauchanka, Pogorelov, Niklaus and Barras are also over the height.
(Aug. 22, 3:15 p.m., Beijing) Andre Niklaus of Germany has cleared 5.20 meters, a season’s best for him, to take the lead in the decathlon pole vault. Bryan Clay, US; Krauchanka, Estonia Belarus; Pogorelov tied for second in the event. Clay leads overall with 6455 points after seven events.
(Aug. 22, 3:35 p.m., Beijing) After missing 3x @ 5.10 meters Clay is out of the vault in 2nd place. He leads the decathlon with 7365 points and leads Krauchanka by 316. The final two events—javelin and 1500 meters—are scheduled for 7:00 and 10:20 p.m. Beijing time.
Asian Americans Medal at Beijing Olympics
August 19, 2008
Berkeley Grad Natalie Coughlin First Woman to Defend 100m Backstroke Gold Also Takes 2 Silver, 3 Bronze; Emily Cross Wins Fencing Silver; Team USA Captain Kevin Tan, Raj Bhavsar Help Gymnasts to Team Bronze
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This Is Not America
August 14, 2008
Father’s Day
June 11, 2008
My dad died when I was four, so I never got to know him. But there are a lot of photos of me and him together, and I look like a heroin addict in most of them. Once in a while, a flashback will trigger faded memories.
Snapshots From Asian America XI
November 12, 2007
YAHOO! cofounder Jerry Yang was raked over the coals by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Nov. 6 for the Internet giant’s role in providing information that landed Chinese journalist Shi Tao in jail. Meanwhile, Columbia Univ. law professor Tim Wu has been busy trying to keep the Net free from corporate and government control and people are listening. Continuing with this decidedly geeky thread, MIT Media Lab designer/mathematician John Maeda’s Reebok “Timetitanium” kicks are set to drop Nov. 13. You need these sneaks, yo! Finally, the reality TV world is waiting with bated breath for news on the fate of Tila Tequila Nguyen’s bisexual MTV dating show A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila—will it be renewed for another season? Some hope not. Haters.
