Current Issue: 24
The Survival Issue
Keep on keepin' on with our latest edition, featuring World War II internment camp survivors on the cover.
Jessica Lum's posts
Racist Video Rant about Asians in UCLA Library Goes Viral
An alleged UCLA student named Alexandra Wallace posted a YouTube video blog with inflammatory remarks against Asian students who share the library space with her.
I remember finals week at UCLA. I was an English major, so usually this meant chaining myself to my laptop surrounded by a foot-high stack of Shakespeare in the library.
Powell, the main campus library, is a landmark at UCLA. Ray Bradbury wrote his famous novel Fahrenheit 451 in just nine days on a rented typewriter in the basement of Powell. And more recently, the library made news when UCPD officers tasered a student after he resisted and refused to show identification.
Last Friday, an alleged UCLA student named Alexandra Wallace, posted a YouTube video vlog with inflammatory remarks against Asian students who share the library space with her.
At the peak of her rant against Asian students living in Westwood, the neighborhood surrounding UCLA, she continues her complaint against Asians on the phone in the library:
“I'll be in like deep into my studying, into my political science theories and arguments and all that stuff, getting it all down, like typing away furiously, blah blah, blah, and then all of a sudden when I'm about to like reach an epiphany... Over here from somewhere, "Ooooh Ching Chong Ling Long Ting Tong, Ooohhhhh.”
Alright, I’ve felt that same irritation against loud people in libraries -- it’s just not the place to do that. But Wallace takes it to a whole new level, singling out the largest ethnic group of undergraduates admitted to the university last Fall, according to UCLA’s Office of Analysis and Information Management. http://www.aim.ucla.edu/enrollment/enrollment_demographics_fall.asp
It gets worse:
“I swear they're going through their whole families, just checking on everybody from the tsunami thing. I mean I know, okay, that sounds horrible like I feel bad for all the people affected by the tsunami, but if you're gonna go call your address book like you might as well go outside because if something is wrong you might really freak out if you're in the library and everybody's quiet like you seriously should go outside if you're gonna do that. “
Talk about bad timing.
She’s not the only one who took offense to all the “ching chong.” Since the video was posted on Friday, YouTube users not only “disliked” the video, but they posted Wallace’s email, phone number and a link to her profile on Examiner.com. Yikes -- of all places to launch a racist tirade against Asians, YouTube is probably the worst.
YouTubers, some Asian, others not, have posted responses. Inevitably, YouTube comments pushed back against Wallace with the same ignorance and bigotry -- with more than just blonde jokes. Others are have a slightly bigger picture. One vlogger points out, tongue-in-cheek, that Wallace is simply emulating America as a whole. After all, Rush Limbaugh went on a ching-chong rant of his own a few weeks ago.
Beginning of the End: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I'
Absent are the perpetual dining hall feasts, flashy Quidditch banners and plush armchairs of Gryffindor’s common room. Harry cannot return to Hogwarts, or risk arrest, persecution and death. Instead, the heroic trio travel to remote, beautiful locations while attempting to destroy remaining Horcruxes, the cursed items that contain a part of Voldemort’s corrupted soul -- and to help keep the dark lord from death.
Free Harry Potter Goodies!
Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out today. In celebration, we’re giving away some Harry Potter gear -- for free!
You could win a Harry Potter t-shirt or a horcrux-shaped USB flash drive.
Magical, isn’t it?
All all you need to do is tell us who your favorite character is.
There are two ways to enter, and you can enter twice:
"Dirty Hands" David Choe Documentary Now Playing at the Roxie
Filmmaker Harry Kim followed urban artist David Choe for seven years, documenting Choe's turbulent coming-of-age as an artist. The resulting documentary, "Dirty Hands," isn’t simply about art -- it is art. Kim brings us beyond the spray paint, the urine, and soy sauce that Choe uses on his canvases, and presents a strikingly intimate, raw portrait of the artist.
Asianspotting: Asian Guy's "Upshirt" Scene Edited From Microsoft Kin Ad
Microsoft's Kin ad has sparked a bit of a controversy.
The scene: a hipster hoedown.
The people: young, fun-loving, and socially networked. Primarily white and heavily bearded, but it's a hoedown after all.
The one Asian guy: sexting?
The public's verdict: creepy, just plain creepy.
Declare INDIE 3 Music Showcase is Tonight in Chicago
Two years ago, music artist Dawen and fellow singer-songwriter Spark*shop sat down in a cafe and had an idea: an Asian American musical showcase during Independence Day weekend, in Chicago.
"That's where the name, Declare INDIE, came from," Dawen said. Dawen and Spark*shop launched their first show, along with two other artists, in July 2008.
The show was originally branded "Declare INDIEpendence," since shortened to Declare INDIE. But the show's success, Dawen said, has only grown.
Hip Hop Producer Seba Jun, aka Nujabes, Reported Dead at 36
According to an announcement posted today on Hydeout Productions, DJ and hip hop producer Nujabes passed away late last month in a car accident at the age of 36.
Q&A with Dan aka Dan of afterschoolspecial
Dan aka Dan, Dan Matthews, is the emcee for San Diego-based hip-hop/rock band, afterschoolspecial.
The band embarks on their first major national tour this week, starting in Philidelphia. They will be joining up with Cynthia Lin, Magnetic North and Taiyo Na in their East Coast shows.
Asianspotting: Hiroyuki Sanada Joins the Cast of 'Lost'
Throughout five seasons of Lost, Asian and Asian American characters abound: Korean couple Sun and Jin Kwon (played by Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim -- who probably boasts the sexiest male build on the Island), psychic ghost-whisperer Miles Straume (Ken Leung), Dr. Pierre Chang/Marvin Candle/Edgar Halliwax (Francois Chau), and several other minor characters.
If you caught last night's Season 6 premiere, you know Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada has joined the cast on the island, playing what appears to be the leader of a group of the Others.
Sanada is a major Japanese actor, who is perhaps best known for his role in the postmodern classic Twilight Samurai. He has recently crossed over into several major western films, including Danny Boyle's Sunshine, The Last Samurai, and Speed Racer.
While Sanada's character raises more questions in the Lost series (namely, who is he?), we know one thing already: he's a martial arts Asian! Every desert isle's gotta have one of those, eventually.
Jeremy Lin Playing at Santa Clara
It was a full house at Santa Clara University for Monday night's
basketball game, but many of the fans weren't there to support the home
team. For many, Harvard guard Jeremy Lin was the highlight of the game. Lin, a Palo Alto native
and senior captain of the Harvard Crimson, has wowed fans and opposing
teams alike this season with his scoring ability, court knowledge, and
a balanced skill set that could take him to the NBA. Those skills were
on display Monday night as Lin finished with nine assists and three
steals, despite only scoring six points. Combined with a solid showing
from its underclassmen (freshmen Kyle Casey had 27 points) Harvard won
74-66 after having led for most of the game. Here are some photos from
the event.
Opposing teams by now are well aware of Jeremy Lin, and he draws extra defenders as he drives the lane.
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