Monthly Archives: August 2008

Michelle Yeoh in Babylon A.D.

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You won’t find a review of Babylon A.D. until the weekend, since 20th Century FOX did not screen the film for movie critics. This usually means that the movie is gonna suck. On top of that, French director Mathieu Kassovitz trashed his own film before the release. Watch this at your own risk. Here’s a synopsis of Babylon A.D.

It is the not-too-distant future. Thousands of satellites scan, observe and monitor our every move. Much of the planet is a war zone; the rest, a collection of wretched way stations, teeming megalopolises, and vast wastelands punctuated by areas left radioactive from nuclear meltdowns.

It is a world made for hardened warriors, one of whom, a mercenary known only as Toorop (Vin Diesel), lives by a simple survivor’s code: kill…or be killed. His latest assignment has him smuggling a young woman named Aurora from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City. Toorop’s arsenal of futuristic weapons includes a satellite phone with an encrypted data communication system; a military GPS, accurate to one-inch; tactical multi-media goggles; and a thermo-electric interactive map. But his most important weapon is a code of ethics, unknown in his profession, and from which he will not veer.

Toorop, his new young charge Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) and Aurora’s guardian Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh) embark on a 6,000 mile journey that takes them from Eastern Europe, through a refugee camp in “New Russia,” across the Bering Straight in a pilfered submarine, then through the frozen tundra of Alaska and Canada, and finally to New York. Facing obstacles at every turn, Toorop, the killer for hire, is tested like never before, in ways he could never have imagined – as he comes to understand that he is the custodian of the only hope for the future of mankind.

For the first time in his life, Toorop has to make a choice: to make a difference or walk away and save himself.

Too bad it was the day he died.

Babylon A.D. trailer

Michelle Yeoh talks about many topics from “A” to “Z” Part 1

Michelle Yeoh talks about many topics from “A” to “Z” Part 2

LPGA English speaking Requirements are racist

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Since Golfweek broke the story August 25 about the LPGA requiring English proficiency from its players, reaction has been swift. This was clearly targeting the South Korean players, since there was a mandatory South Korean player meeting August 20 to inform the players that beginning in 2009, all players who have been on tour for two years must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills. Failure would result in a suspended membership. How can you determine who is considered “proficient”?

The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) urges the LPGA sponsors to withdraw support of the Tour until the English proficiency policy is retracted. There are currently 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, 45 players from South Korea. Eight of the top money makers on the LPGA tour are from South Korea.

“This policy is tantamount to national origin discrimination, which is prohibited under Civil Rights Act,” said Vincent A. Eng, deputy director of AAJC. “The policy is an affront to our American principles of diversity and equality. It is even more unconscionable that the LPGA is devolving to past divisive and exclusionary practices of their sport following the successful closing of the unifying Olympic Games.”

“There is already a strong endorsement incentive for the players to learn English to increase their global marketability,” said Tuyet G. Duong, senior staff attorney at AAJC. “The new LPGA policy along with their actions to have a special meeting with the South Korean players, smacks of clear discriminatory targeting of those players.”

“The game of golf has a long history of exclusion of minorities and women and they have fought for years to be included in sport,” added Duong. “That is why it is shocking that the LPGA would issue this policy, which is completely contrary to the spirit of inclusion that drives LPGA pioneer women to continue breaking new ground in their sport. This will ultimately result in depriving the audience and fans of seeing the best golfers in the world.”

WPIX report on the English requirement rule on the LPGA

Golfweek talks about the racist LPGA rule

Ken Hoang in Survivor:Gabon

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We spotted Vietnamese American Ken Hoang on the 17th installment of Survivor. He is one of 18 castaways who will compete on SURVIVOR: GABON – EARTH’S LAST EDEN. Marooned in the wilderness, 18 individuals will embark on an amazing African adventure, battling extreme conditions and interacting with wildlife such as elephants and gorillas, while attempting to forge alliances with strangers from diverse backgrounds. The Emmy Award-winning series premieres Thursday, Sept. 25 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Ken Hoang gives a new meaning to the term “gamer.” Known to the gaming community as “the King of Smash,” Hoang is a professional at his craft. As the current international champion of Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers Melee video game, Ken has traveled the world from Japan to Australia to prove his dominance.

Hoang uses his tournament winnings to help support his family. He and his siblings still live at home to help pay the mortgage. It has also led to a strong bond among his brothers and sisters. In fact it was his sister that started his addiction to SURVIVOR.

While he may seem like an interesting choice for a game based in the outdoors, this gamer sees it as an amazing opportunity. Ken is very creative, and has a strong passion for art, a skill he is currently going to college to fine tune. When not playing videogames or brushing up on his art, Hoang enjoys playing with his pets, a Maincoon cat named Kinski and a Husky named Monster.

He loves the fact that he will be considered an underdog because everyone will underestimate his prowess at playing mind games. Nobody would look at him and believe he climbed Mt. Fuji at the age of 20. Ready to exploit his slight physical stature, Ken will trick his fellow players into seeing him as a non-threat, only to smash them if they get in his way.

Ken is single and currently resides in Westminster, Calif. His birth date is October 10, 1985.

In a SURVIVOR first, the magnificent landscape, natural elements, and fascinating wildlife featured on Earth’s Last Eden will be enjoyed by viewers in high-definition, enhancing the overall experience of the show. Will the group of deceitful castaways outlast those individuals who play from their heart or will the forces of evil prevail? Will temptations interfere with logical decision-making? More importantly, who will come out on top?

Survivor: Gabon – Meet Ken

214 Million Viewers watched the 2008 Beijing Olympics

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NBC Universal’s Beijing Olympic coverage was viewed by more Americans than any event in U.S. television history, according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research. NBCU’s coverage reached 214 million total viewers, shattering the previous mark set by the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (209M) by five million viewers and surpassing the 2004 Athens Games (203M) by 11 million viewers. The Beijing Games averaged 27.7 million viewers and scored a 17-day rating of 16.2/28 to post significant gains over the 2004 Athens Games. Sunday night’s Closing Ceremony had the best rating for any Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since the 1976 Montreal Games.

MOST VIEWED EVENTS IN U.S. TV HISTORY:

1. 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 214 million (17 days)

2. 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, 209 million (17 days)

3. 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, 204 million (16 days)

4. 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, 203 million (17 days)

5. 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, 194 million (17 days)

VIEWERS AND RATING BOTH UP SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ATHENS:

· The Beijing Olympics 17-day average primetime viewership is 27.7 million, the best primetime average viewership for a complete Summer Olympics outside the U.S since Montreal in 1976, and 13 percent ahead of Athens in 2004 (24.6 million).

· NBC’s average of a 16.2 rating, 28 share is the best rating for a Summer Olympics outside the U.S. since Barcelona in 1992 (17.1/33) and is an eight percent increase over Athens in 2004 (15.0/26).

. With the Beijing Olympics, NBC became the most dominant network in primetime for 17 consecutive nights since the advent of Nielsen People Meters in 1987. On each of its 17 nights of Beijing Olympic coverage, NBC enjoyed a 244 percent or greater lead over the nearest broadcast network in the adult 18 to 49 demographic (important to advertisers), a 225 or greater percent gain in viewers (persons 2+), and 200 or larger percent in household rating.

. NBC also set records in Nielsen People Meter history for biggest margins over the combined major-network competition for three consecutive weeks, with wins of 24 percent or more over ABC, CBS and Fox combined for three straight weeks in 18-49 and 23 percent or more in total viewers.

OLYMPICS IN PRIMETIME DOMINATE COMPETITION:
· In primetime, NBC’s Beijing Games won all 100-rated half-hours against its entire network competition.

CLOSING CEREMONY BEST NON U.S. SUMMER RATING SINCE 1976:

· Sunday’s Closing Ceremony garnered 27.8 million average viewers, a 42 percent gain from the Closing Ceremony night in Athens (19.6 million). The night earned a 15.5 rating/25 share, a 30 percent increase from Athens (11.9/20). In both categories, the Closing Ceremony from Beijing was the best delivery for a Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since Montreal in 1976.

NBC Universal’s 3,600 hours of Beijing Olympic coverage not only fueled record-breaking Olympic viewership, but also cast an Olympic “halo” across the many different divisions of NBC Universal. The unprecedented Olympic coverage drove record numbers of viewers to NBCU’s cable networks; it also produced impressive gains in viewership and competitive advantage for NBC News’ “Today,” “NBC Nightly News,” and NBC’s affiliated stations.

NBCOLYMPICS.COM ON MSN POSTS RECORD NUMBERS: For the complete Beijing Games, NBCOlympics.com has more than doubled the combined totals for the Athens and Torino Games in page views and unique users, while increasing videos streamed by more than seven times.

· VIDEO STREAMS: 75.5 million for Beijing, 10.8 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+601%)

· UNIQUE USERS: 51.9 million for Beijing, 25.2 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+106%)

· PAGE VIEWS: 1.24 billion for Beijing, 561.1 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+122%)

· HOUR OF VIDEO STREAMED: 9.9 million hours of video consumed through for Beijing Games is the equivalent of 1,126 years of video.

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR BEIJING GAMES IN PRIMETIME:

T1. Denver 23.1/40

T1. Salt Lake City 23.1/45

3. Minneapolis 22.1/41

T4. Indianapolis 21.3/37

T4. San Diego 21.3/39

T6. Baltimore 21.1/35

T6. Oklahoma City 21.1/33

8. Nashville 21.0/33

9. Columbus, Ohio 20.4/35

10. Portland, Ore. 20.2/41

Maya Soetoro-Ng – Barack Obama’s Half Sister

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Indonesian-born Maya Soetoro-Ng is the half-sister of Barack Obama. Maya and Barack have the same mother, Ann Dunham, but different fathers. Maya’s father is Indonesian, while Barack’s father is Kenyan. She is assisting Barack Obama in his campaign for president reaching out to the APA community.

Maya Soetoro-Ng shares a message with the Chinese American community about her excitement for her brother, Barack Obama’s, candidacy for President.

Maya Soetoro-Ng reflect on her childhood with Barack Obama

Maya Soetoro-Ng speaking at the Democratic National Convention

Text from Maya Soetoro-Ng’s speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC)

It’s an honor to be here tonight, and it’s been an honor to meet so many of you across this country and hear your stories.

Tonight, I want to share my story about growing up with my big brother, Barack Obama, a truly hard act to follow. When we were young, our family didn’t have much in the way of wealth, but what we did have was far more important. We had people who made us believe that with a little imagination, we could dream the improbable; that through hard work, we could accomplish the extraordinary; that through the power of education, we could propel ourselves to a future far more promising than our circumstances led us to expect.

Perhaps most importantly, we had our mother. I’ve thought of her often during this campaign and wish she were here to see it. She was a sturdy woman and an eternal optimist who understood that parents are our first and best teachers. She encouraged us to explore and ask questions and delight in unexpected discoveries and surprising answers. She brought us to telescopes and microscopes to remind us that there was a world beyond our limited reach and that we should sometimes have faith in what we could not see.

Above all, she was a storyteller. She told us tales from history about heroism in the face of injustice, about beauty breaking through darkness. These stories suggested that our deepest humanity and happiness would be found by reaching out to, empathizing with and working to serve others.

In these interconnected times, we need such stories. Like our mother, Barack opened my mind and spirit to a broader world. He took me to festivals and museums, introduced me to people from many different neighborhoods and backgrounds, and taught me about the importance of standing up for what you believe. I loved to watch him in action, working with such commitment, really listening to people, bringing them together to solve their own problems.

In these challenging times, we need those skills and that sense of unwavering responsibility. As a U.S. history teacher, I try to make our country’s fascinating story leap from the page for my students. Woven throughout that history is the story of our capacity to hope and achieve, even during the toughest times.

Many of the children I taught in public and charter schools in New York City and Hawaii had never traveled beyond their neighborhoods for fear of feeling like outsiders. I wanted them to know that they belonged to something greater. I wanted them to imagine wider, dream bigger and reach higher, to realize they had more power than they knew. That is what this nation gave to Barack, and that is what he wants for his daughters, and my daughter, and every single child in this country: bountiful opportunity. It is a gift he has already given us in this campaign.

I’ve seen it everywhere I travel in people of every age, faith, background and walk of life, reaching out to one another, staking their own dreams on what we do together in this election. And I know that if we elect Barack as president, he’ll be there for you just as he’s always been there for me. I know he’ll help you realize your dreams just as he’s helped me realize mine.

I know we’ll make our mothers proud, and, together, we will leave for our children a better nation. Thank you.

Asian Americans at the Democratic National Convention (DNC)

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Lots of APAs at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). There was even an APIA Vote gala event at the Marriott City Center downtown, which featured a bunch of politicians including California Representative Mike Honda, Oregon Representative David Wu, former Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta and others. They were introduced by emcees actress Tamlyn Tomita and former CNN news anchor Joie Chen.

Here’s a sampling of other APAs spotted around the Democratic National Convention :

Norm Mineta – former Secretary of Transportation

Mike Honda – California Representative

David Wu – Oregon Representative

Mee Moua – Minnesota State Senator. She is the first Hmong American lawmaker.

Jun Choi – Edison, NJ mayor

John Chiang – California State Controller

Sam Yoon – Boston City Councilman

Jay Goyal – Ohio State Representative

Ted Lieu – California State Assembly

Mazie Hirono – Hawaii Congresswoman
Doris Matsui – California State Representative

Ashwin Madia – running for US Congress in Minnesota

Tammy Duckworth – Director of the Illinois Dept. of Veterans Affairs. She is a HAPA Thai American and ran for Congress in 2006.

Testimonies of other APAs backing Barack Obama can be found here.

Lawyer and Survivor: Cook Islands winner Yul Kwon (see him at the 1:05 mark)

More Yul Kwon

Actress and activist Tamlyn Tomita representing APIA Vote Part 1

Actress and activist Tamlyn Tomita representing APIA Vote Part 2

California State Controller John Chiang – the guy that is helping the CA state employees by keeping the paychecks going out even though California has no budget approved.