Who Is Considered More “Native”? Me vs. Reindeer

During Week One of my Midwest vacation-adventure, we visited a local reindeer ranch. My kids got to pet Blitzen as well as ride on a real horse (As did I, too.) The rancher told us that reindeer were imported from Siberia to Alaska as livestock in 1892.

Wait, what? Haha, Chinese have been in US territory decades before reindeer.

ROFLMAO!

Avatar: The White Savior Story

I saw Avatar on the opening midnight showing. I know….hard core, right? I’m visiting family in the Midwest and honestly…..I don’t know what else to do out here but watch every movie out this season.

(Spoilers warning. Not like it was a surprising plot, but don’t day I didn’t warn you!)

SciFi-wise, Avatar is freaking unbelievable! CG quality was amazing. The humanoid aliens were so realistic that sometimes I forgot they’re not real. The landscaping was magnificent. The animals were fakey and less lifelike in comparison. Reminded me of old school Jurassic Park dinos. Other pluses: OMG wicked awesome aircrafts; alien nookie; a few minority minor characters (with speaking roles even – gasp!); and characters falling in love while swooping through aerial stunts on pterosaurs thingies. Hawt.

Here comes my view: Countless John Smith - Pocahontas, noble savage, colonial cliché view crammed enough up your ass that you'll never have a bowel movement again. It was Dances With Wolves/The Last Samurai/Planet of the Apes/Power of One on scifi steroids. There’s no end to the stereotypes, graceful indigenous people freeballing in war paint, bow and arrows, “tribal” music full of chants, drums, and flutes, spiritually connect to Mother nature, large group hypnotic ceremonies, the works. I half expected to see an Ewok to jump out on screen. Or straight at my being a 3d movie.

Story is from the corrupted, emotionally broken man, Jake Scully, as he learns the ways of the noble people, falls in love with the hottie native, rallies the people and defeats the powerful money hungry invaders (aka corporate.) Going native and saving the savages…. a white man’s wet dream. I mean the new girlfriend’s betroth, the alpha warrior, even end up forgiving our dear Jake and the two totally become BFF. That is until Alpha dies honorable death.

I enjoyed Avatar and wouldn’t mind seeing it again. And you should go see it, too. It’s a visual feast. But acknowledge it as the white savior story that it is. They just replaced brown/yellow/ black with blue ten foot tall, four fingered aliens. What's White Savior? See here.

Also, what’s up with the ending song “I See You”? Was that Celine singing?

"I'm Chinese American" says my seven year old daughter.

My first grade daughter's class is doing a whole "cultural sharing" unit this month. It's like "ethnic" show-and-tell. Kids bring something from home to share about their culture. My overachieving self made a lantern using the skin of a pomelo for her to bring to class. Old school.

This week, our dinner guest asked my girl "Which culture did you pick to share with your class?" As in: "Did you bring a white folk thing or some mythical Chinese item?" My daughter matter-of-factly said "I didn't pick one. I shared about me. I'm Chinese American."

I just about fell out of my chair from sheer joy. She didn't feeling like she had to pick sides! She understood what it means to be Chinese American, (at a 7 year old level) she really got it. I can tell from the look on her face she was not just repeating my words. She really felt it.

It's not a pass-fail. Her search for identity is not "over." Hapa questions and loyalty feelings will continue to be in our daily lives. But for a moment that night, just a brief moment I heard angels singing hallelujah.

T-Mobile Butt Dialing Commercial

You guys remember T-Mobile's wicked awesome commercial for their flip Blackberry?

Coolness Factor Number One: features a South Asian couple who's "normal" and don't end up as the butt of the joke. (Pun intended)

Coolness Factor Number Two: It's totally tight.


I used #1 and #2 in a butt related post. Yeah, I went there.

Can You Find 7 Differences Between These Two Pictures?

Above: US poster Below: UK poster

Promo posters for Couples Retreat. People got pissed. Universal issued an apology and promised not to use that set of promo material. I'm not even sure what else I need to say about this.

Except maybe they should make a giant 20 foot banner of Ken Jeong playing the therapist for the Asia circuits?

American Man Seeks Chinese Woman

Not too surprised to see this ad this week. Crap like this show up all the damn time. This one is tame in comparison. Just search "Asian dolls" and you'll see. (Like I did when I was looking for an Asian doll for my daughter's birthday.

I was a bit disappointed to find the above add in the Northwest Asian Weekly. Not to dig at NWAW, because I love their paper. Just you know...vexed that they allow this ad to run. I seem to remember seeing similar personals in their classifies before, but this time it really ticked me off. Maybe I'm just having a bad day.

Come people, chime in. Leave a comment for me. What should I do? Call this fine specimen of American pride and give him a piece of my mind? Write NWAW and remind them this guy is preying on our community? What about free speech? This ad is not illegal. Is it so different than looking for a multilingual nanny?

Talk to me friends. I'm not sure what action to take.

Does Work Place Suicide Warrant Investigation?

Last November, an University of Washington custodian committed suicide by setting himself on fire amist the heavily traveled Red Square on campus. In Soo Chun was a 61 yr old Korean American citizen. Co-workers speculates hostile work environment as the cause of Chun's distress.

Several students risked their lives to intervene Chun. One stood in the puddle of gasoline, unsuccesfully trying to take the matches from him, then more students rush to beat the flames out. In Soo Chun had no immediate family. Students held a small memorial for Chun last week in the Red Square a year after his death.

Let me say up front that I don't know the situation beyond the few local articles. UW official cited no clear need for further inquiries. There was not , nor will be, any formal investigation of the suicide. Here is what's bothering me. UW press release said they offered him counseling through the university employee program, Carelink, which he declined. I went thought their website, and I have a feeling that services were only offered in English. Chun spoke English, but not having services in his first language is a factor to consider. I'm just guessing here.

I also have to ask, if the man had surviving family would UW be able to get by without an investigation? I mean....people, a man doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire during the middle of the day at his former work place. People tried to stop him. He made eye contact with more than one student before lighting the match. This isn't enough cause for some kind of investigation? I don't know the proper procudure to these things. Shouldn't it be required?

Usually I'm very proud of how UW supports and stands by their staff and students. However, I feel like in this case, they are taking advantage of a man with little connection and no one left to fight for his rights.

Amelia, Hazel, and Katherine.

Hazel Ying Lee

I had the chance to see Amelia this week. Let me just say that any screen presentation of an admired and sensationalized pioneering women aviator, such as Amelia Earhart, is tricky business. You can’t please everyone. I personally loved it. I’ll watch it again. I do wish there was more about the intricacy of a pilot’s life and less on the painful romance with Richard Gere. Their kisses were as awkward as Luke and Leia’s smooches. But those strained moments may have been director Mira Nair’s way to communicate Earhart’s reluctance toward marriage.

I was expecting, or at least faithfully hoping, to see POCs in the movie. None. Maybe I missed it, but didn’t see one yellow or brown face in the movie. I knew they would not splurge for a supporting character of color. I would have settled for a background pilot.

I wanted to bring up some early Chinese American aviation accomplishments during Earhart’s era. My knowledge is limited to Chinese American contributions:

Anna Low: In 1918, became the first Chinese American women aviator.

Hazel Ying Lee: The first Chinese American women in Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP.)

Katherine Cheung: First Chinese American women licensed pilot in 1931. One of the original member of Ninety-Nines. You know the women pilot organization Earhart served as the first president. There's a short video of Katherine's granddaughter talking about her inspirations.

Leah Hing: Joined the Civil Air Patrol during WWII.

Wong Tsu: The Boeing Company’s first engineer in 1916.

Thanks for opening the sky. Hats (or headsets) off to you!

Funky Shiitake Mushrooms

My good friend over at Big Trendy posted about the Funky Shiitake Mushrooms.

I have to admit, I felt a little weird loving these guys. Stereotypical Asian nerd kids. Do we really need to dig deeper into our dreaded Long Duk Dong grave? But damn it, I don't care. They won freakin' robotics contests! They built their own remote controlled hybrid airships.

I have to remind myself that these five are not the lone AA outcast in a midwestern school, who bond together and fend off teasing from the white kids. Hailing from Mission San Jose High School in Fremont California, the school population is 75% AA.

FSM, you are officially rock stars to me. Come on over to dinner. I just shopped Costco today. Plenty of food for you over here. Love to have you five nerd out and play video games here.

Louisianna Justice of Peace Refuse to Marry Interacial Couple

Keith Bardwell denied marriage license to an interracial couple.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said.

Bardwell said he is not a racist. Keith, I'd like to invite you over for dinner at my house. Hang out with my hapa kids. We can read Goodnight Moon and sip hot chocolate by the fireplace. Let's chat. I know you mean well, but other people's family planning is not your decision. It's 2009. Two thousand freaking nine, people! We're suppose to have robot butlers and eye-tronic chips by now. Not wasting our time shutting down interracial relationships.

He may be racist, but I gotta say the man is consistent.

If I take a vacation . . .

This could be ME!

There are many reasons I want to visit the Bay Area. Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Alkatraz, the Camera Obscura and Holographic Gallery, Angel Island. But the truth is, I'm most excited about taking a Zeppelin ride offered by Airship Ventures. I can even be an airship pilot for a day! Only $2950!

Kissy Kissy

Saw this over at Disgrasian. Ya Ying-Ching, Taiwanese music student and artist living in Paris. She's kissing 100 men around town and blogging pictures of the smooches. Call me a slut if you want, but she is totally my new hero!

You can question her morals or value, but you can't deny that those are some great pictures. Most of them are very romantic. I like her sometimes whimsical composition mix with the use of shadows and reflections. Plus she goes around with a cute little dog. My sixteen year old inner self just put on a set of big dreamy eyes.

Although you can totally tell that some douche bags were trying to cop a feel or slip in some unwelcome tongue. Thanks dudes...

Bird Vs. Window

Pulled into my driveway after dropping my zen wisdom daughter at school. I noticed a smudge on the living room window. Unlike the two dozen hand prints left by my toddler's pudgy food covered fingers, this blur was on the OUTSIDE of the window. I was filled with a sense of dread that this will be a holy miracle. What if I see Jesus' face? The Virgin? Will tears of blood appear tomorrow? Will I have to convert? Will crowds line-up down our quiet little street? Will my yard be filled with flowers and candles?

After procrastinating all afternoon, I finally examined the smudge with much hesitation.

A bird flew into the window head on.

No dead bird found on the lawn. Wow. Click on the picture for a better view.

Census Worker Possibily Murdred For Being a Government Worker

Holy Shit! We still tar and feather people in the country? A census worker was found hanged in rural Kentucky. With "Fed" marked on his chest. Damn. I can't believe I'm reading this. What kind of crazy sicko did this? And you know this kind of thing involves more than one perpetrator.

No Impact Man

On a recent grocery trip to my not so local Whole Foods, I saw a poster advertising a book signing. Whole Foods is kinda far from my house, because my “high diversity” neighborhood is not gentrified enough to support a high end store like Whole Foods. Or Whole Paycheck Foods, as my aunt and uncle likes to call them, since that’s what you’ll have to spend to shop there.

Anyway, the visiting author is Colin Beavan the No Impact Man, who along with his wife and toddler daughter, took a year long journey to live green and leave as little environmental impact as possible. It is reduce, reuse, recycle on steroids. No electricity, toilet paper, and creature comforts most of us depend on. Beavan started out as a blogger and is now touring the country with his newly published book, the holy grail of all bloggers.

I have not read his book, the documentary, or his blog. I’m sure the book is printed on post-consumer recycled paper and with soy-based ink. I have no problem with his green venture and social statement. Okay, maybe a little problem with his views. But it still tickles me that he’s selling his how-to guide via book. With paper. Made from trees. Wishing you success and great selling, Colin!

Boston to Space in $150

MIT students Oliver Yeh and Justin Lee launched a $150 weather balloon and camera over 17 miles above the earth’s surface. Yeh's a local boy, so I'm sure he'll do some publicity stuff around Seattle soon. Was it the penny pinching old Asian grandma influence or the lifestyle of poor-student-ramen-based diet that got these two to create a cheap space exploration tool? Maybe both.

You guys rock! Can’t wait for you to post the video and your how-to guide on your website. Way to open up space for the common folks.