jessicalum.com/blog

I wanted to take a moment to shift some attention to three amazing publications that I’ve been helping out with, or have helped me out a great deal over the last year.

Many of the organizations that were started to reach out, broadcast, and appreciate the amazing work of Asians and Asian Americans (or Asian Canadians, Asian Brazilians, etc.) are struggling under the financial burdens of the economic environment, especially in the journalism and print media industry.

Organizations like Giant Robot, Nichi Bei Weekly, and Hyphen Magazine are some of the few unique publications that cover and serve Asian Americans, but they are constantly in need of support.

3 Ways to Save Our Magazines, Our News, Our Community:

1. Subscribe

By subscribing to these publications, you get access to exclusive, awesome news, features, interviews, photos, art, and a way cool publication to put on your coffee table! But if that’s not enough, you give back to publications, as they earn not just cash from your subscription, but they can get better numbers and revenue from advertisement. It’s really a win-win situation when you subscribe.

• Giant Robot – 1 year subscription starts at $24, or more for cool GR swag
• Hyphen – 4 issue subscription for $18
• Nichi Bei Weekly – 3 months for $12

2. Donate

Donating gives you good karma.

But what’s more (tangible), Giant Robot and Hyphen offer free gifts with certain donation amounts! Amazing! Our favorite word: FREE!

• Join the Giant Robot Army of Donors, get amazing gifts by GR artists like David Choe and Takashi Murakami
• Join Hyphen magazine’s Overachiever’s Club, get free gifts and make your parents proud
• Donate through Paypal to the Nichi Bei Foundation or give goods

You can also get tax deductions by donating to non-profit pubs like Hyphen and Nichi Bei, which is pretty sweet for us working folk

3. Spread the word.

Whether or not you’ve got extra lunch money towards subs or donations, you can always cash in on free speech!

Spread the word about the importance and amazingness of these publications with your friends, parents, brothers, sisters, and hundreds of cousins. Got a rich engineering uncle? Accountant mom?

Also, share the scoop on the publications on Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Tumblr, MySpace, your blog, wheatpaste, open mic nite.

More Info on the Publications:

Giant Robot:

Founded in Los Angeles in 1994 by Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong, Giant Robot started out as a hand-stapled photocopied zine. Within a few years, it became one of the strongest, most comprehensive sources for Asian and Asian American pop culture. It has since expanded into a Giant Robot empire, including four retails stores and one restaurant: 2 stores and GR/eats restaurant in Los Angeles, GRNY in Manhattan, and GRSF in San Francisco’s Haight neighborhood. Giant Robot just celebrated their 15th year Biennale show in Los Angeles’ Japanese American National Museum. Over the past 15 years, GR has showcased the work of hundreds of local and international Asian and Asian American artists to an audience of every color and shape. GR covers urban artists, amazing Asians doing crazy things worldwide, mainstream and underground cultural trends, cool toys, films, and as they say, “Asian Pop Culture and Beyond.”

Hyphen magazine:

Hyphen magazine was founded in 2002 when a larger Asian-focused publication, A. Magazine, ceased publishing. A group of recent college grads got together to dream up a way to fill the void left behind in Asian American news, community and culture coverage, while offering something fresh and new for readers.

Hyphen focuses on Asian American activism, issues, and everyday people doing amazing things. Check out the Hyphen site and blog for a sampling of subjects Hyphen covers.

Nichi Bei Weekly:

Formerly the Nichi Bei Times, the Nichi Bei Weekly is a part of the Nichi Bei Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to serving primarily the Northern California Japanese American community. Historically, the Nichi Bei Times was the leading Japanese American newspaper in the USA. Founded in 1946, the NBT’s goal was to connect the fractured postwar Japanese American community. Currently, the Nichi Bei Weekly strives to represent, cover, and address the concerns of the community.

Recently, the Nichi Bei Times had to close its doors and reevaluate its role in the community. As many subscribing readers are aging and younger readers are far and few, NBT was bleeding revenue. Determined to continue serving the community, Nichi Bei editor Kenji Taguma began the Nichi Bei Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to keep the paper alive in a weekly form.

I’m usually a pretty big fan of EA games. EA has some pretty bomb titles that span a vast array of genres, appeasing everyone from fratboys to regular folks who want to play house with excellent series like the EA sports titles, Rock Band, Need for Speed, James Bond, and the Sims.

EA’s generally got some pretty good games, great titles, and excellent franchises lined up — great business plan.

But then they have Dante’s Inferno.

Admittedly, part of this disappointment is because I am an English grad (boy that feels good to say, though it still won’t get me a job). The game is clearly a complete bastardization of Dante’s masterpiece. Though this happens all the time with movies, somehow, the video game just doesn’t do it much justice. Same old story.

It’s forced to fit into the conventions of what make a video game enjoyable: tons of enemies, boss battles, puzzling levels (haha! different circles of hell!), a noble mission to rescue the damsel in distress (poetically, she was simply the muse, but I suppose that motivation to save her is the video game parallel of inspiring the poet’s literary journey). It’s also forced to be an attractive, sell-able brand: Dante was a poet, sure, but to sell, he’s got to be really buff and manly, and wield a big sword. I suppose I have no problem with the former (unlike literary aficionados, I feel like video gamers might shy away from undernourished protagonists), and the latter makes sense because Dante of the video game is not on a mission to carry on singsong conversations with the dead and tormented Popes and lusty lovers in this action-packed adaptation. But I have to ask — why does Dante look like a crusading King Arthur Grim Reaper/Dementor/Saint?

What makes me even more disappointed is that it doesn’t even look that great. It’s not particularly original (excepting its far-flung interpretation of Dante’s work) as it is basically what God of War is to Greek mythology, the adapted plot sounds shallow and cliche (I think the Mario franchise already did the whole ’save the princess’ charade), and the graphics don’t look particularly groundbreaking. The gameplay might be slightly appealing, but I’d really rather be playing God of War III.

And what really doesn’t help the case of Dante’s Inferno, you have this:

This is a reprint edition book cover for the original body of Dante’s work. Branded by EA and Random House.

What is this? Some desperate stab from both industries trying to make a classic novel (that’s taught anyways in most American high school/college level literature classes) contemporary and relevant again? Or their sad, sad attempt to reach out to literature aficionados? A bizarre attempt to unite the fronts of lit geeks and gamer geeks together? Against them?

And who wrote that copy? “The literary classic game that inspired the video game from Electronic Arts” as if its greatest literary achievement was to inspire (what could well be) a horrible video game. Dante Alighieri is rolling in his grave right now. It’s worse than making a book based on the game, based on the book.

However, in EA’s defense, I suppose that this sort of swapping book covers happens all the time with movies that are based on books. Films often partner with books and replace original covers with art from the film, along with a tagline “Now a Major Motion Picture”, like most Nicholas Sparks books, or Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men:

But somehow, seeing as Dante’s Inferno, the game falls so far from Dante’s Divine Comedy, I find it very hard to justify using game art to market the book.

I might be old fashioned (for once), but I kind of like the original engravings and other such creepy classical artwork that adorn the original covers and pages:

But whatever EA’s up to with Dante’s Inferno, my innate angry video game nerd and irate English major are joining together, screaming (with puns intended): WHAT THE HELL?

According to reports via the UCLA Daily Bruin’s twitter, the UC Regents have approved a 32% student fee hike. Protesters are lining the hill around Covel Commons at UCLA, where the Regents are convening.

To see the video live, check out the Daily Bruin’s nifty live camera feed:

Aaaaand welcome to Journalism 2.0.

Stanford’s not down on their Luck, at least not today.

Photo by Jessica Lum

UCLA, another story. A sad one, but keep in mind…last year UCLA only racked up 4 wins for the season. I wouldn’t give up on Neuheisel just yet…

And Cal…they’ve got the Best, but Berkeley was easily stomped by Barkley and McKnight.

Ah, college football, how I love you.

Photos from the Saturday Stanford vs. UCLA to come soon.

I’ve got another film concept to throw out there, mostly a product of boredom, free stock photos, and Photoshop.

Presenting: Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin Ta Flex Wit

Following the spirit of hip-hop for health, as in Kanye West’s “The New Workout Plan,” RZA presents the newest Wu-Tang Clan fitness plan: Ain’t Nothin Ta Flex Wit. Ancient shaolin monks fine-tuned their bodies with such focus and discipline that they could withstand anything from the harshest winters to a swift kick in the balls.  Now you, too, can learn the art of Shaolin, coming to you straight from Shaolin Land to a video store near you! Shaolin workout master RZA (noteworthy for his performances in American Gangster and Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai) leads 5 intense workout sessions in which you can master both physical moves such as “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off),” a self-defense technique, and spiritual mantras such as “C.R.E.A.M., Cash Rules Everything Around Me, dolla dolla bill, yall,” a formula guaranteed to gain respect and success in the workplace.  Featuring the realest beats in the world, you’ll find it hard to not to burn calories as you step to the bass of the new titular remix, “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin Ta Flex Wit” or relaxing your mind in Child’s Pose to RZA’s latest “Chamber Music.”  Bonus features include nutritious and low-calorie recipes from Raekwon the Chef himself, guaranteed to make you shed those excess pounds. [Disclamer: some recipes may result in dilated pupils, increased talkativeness, sniffling or signs of having a cold, and anxiety or paranoia.]

“Doc…tell me…what’s the worst-case scenario…?”

Sandra Oh’s character pauses, feigning feigned concern (that takes some real acting skills; she must draw upon Hugh Laurie for inspiration). She glances at the other doctor (or maybe nurse), and then back to the actress-patient with a cute British or maybe Australian accent and curly pile of fiery red hair.

“Well, you may need to get a (some sort of technical medical term that essentially means–)–”

“A poo bag? A poo bag! My father had one of these…etc…etc…I will not live like that!” She says in her charming, infuriated accent. Maybe it’s a New Zealand accent. Probably not British, after all.

Sandra Oh’s character steps back, feigning shock by widening her lightly shaded eyelids. “But this could save your life!”

“NO! No more surgeries!” Yada yada yada.

Sandra Oh’s character gets chewed out a few scenes later for her lack of bedside manner.

Another scene. Katherine Heigl’s character sits in a chemo infusion chair, still looking glowingly healthy.  A few blotches of makeup to mimic chemo-induced rosacea spot her face, framed by a scarf that conceals her full head of hair concealed in turn by a bald wig. Sandra Oh’s character exhibits more of her sarcastic brashness. Yada yada. Clever dialogue, yada yada. Someone’s witholding sex, she says. Sandra Oh makes a lesbian joke. Yada yada.

–

Local news featurettes light up the screen with plenty of smiles and a voice over full of oddly enthusiastic inflections.

Something about the Annie Le homicide case. Notorious grainy stock footage of Clark in court. Voice over says that there will be a memorial in El Dorado.

Next story.

Some guy in a suburban area near my area pilfered a Walgreen’s pharmacy by posing as a doctor, self-prescribing painkillers. (Didn’t I also see this in an episode of House?) The guy wanted to defend himself and the allegations made on the news the day before by police.

Shots of him talking to a reporter, poised with a notepad and a pen, taking copious notes. The camera pans the man’s house, zooms in on scars, and his bare feet, as the man describes his chronic back pains, pointing to an unseen location under his thin gray wifebeater undershirt.

“I take pain pills,” he says, “but it’s not anything I can’t control.” The voice over cuts in again, low and inexplicably cheery.

Next shot: the police officer says, “Well, he didn’t seem to be in any pain as he fled from us.”

Voice-over: “He hid in this garbage can.”

Another reporter in previously filmed footage pops out from a garbage bin, a la Oscar the Grouch or perhaps a Whack-a-Mole, only smiling.

Next shot: the same garbage can, sans Oscar the Reporter. Enthusiastic voice over.

The whole time, me: What the —-

—

Changed channel. KCRA news. I think I prefer their meteorologist anyways.

An elephant flips a white sedan, and tramples on along a dirt road, ramming a tree, and then is chased by several dozen men.

What does this rampaging Indian elephant have to do with local news? How is this relevant to me?

I have no idea, but this is good stuff. HO! Look at that elephant go…

The news industry has been full of gloom and doom reports for the last few years (and for a few years before that, and before that), struggling to find a balance in its budget to provide quality coverage, printing costs, and keep up with a rapidly evolving Internet world, while relying on inconsistent advertisement revenue. Journalists are losing jobs, papers are closing down, but there are a few exceptions to the trend.

No Surprise here: news industry job losses are higher than the general workforce.

From Editor & Publisher:

“The news industry has been hemorrhaging jobs long before the economic crisis began last year,” Unity Executive Director Onica N. Makwakwa said. “These numbers confirm that the economic downturn has hit the news industry very, very hard.”

Read here: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004014096

Ouch.

But some better news from SF Gate on ethnic media. The Nichi Bei Times, the oldest Japanese American newspaper recently closed down, but was almost immediately reborn as the Nichi Bei Weekly, now a non-profit publication, thanks to the efforts of a concerned community loyal to the publication.

Read here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/19/BUT019LJS0.DTL

Kevin Weston, director of new media for New America Media, said long-standing African American newspapers such as the Oakland Post and San Francisco Sun-Reporter have survived numerous “waves of recessions” in part because of the passion of the staff.

“The folks that are in the field see it as a business, but to them this is also community work, this is their life’s work,” Weston said.

Another hat off to the idea of hyperlocalized news coverage. If people care enough, they read; if they read enough, they care.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee wrote today in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece about their story in North Korea:

Our motivations for covering this story were many. First and foremost, we believe that journalists have a responsibility to shine light in dark places, to give voice to those who are too often silenced and ignored. One of us, Euna, is a devout Christian whose faith infused her interest in the story. The other, Laura, has reported on the exploitation of women around the world for years. We wanted to raise awareness about the harsh reality facing these North Korean defectors who, because of their illegal status in China, live in terror of being sent back to their homeland.

I have been following the arrest, detainment, trial, sentencing, and finally, the release of the two journalists very carefully over the last few months, as well as the experience of another journalist, Roxana Saberi.

In a general sense, I feel a connection to these women, as a journalist, as an Asian American, as a person. On a personal level, I suppose I identify a bit with the women as well. Lee is a Christian, and like myself, Ling is from Sacramento and she graduated from UCLA.  I find her work inspirational, thought-provoking, and impressively revelatory. Their shared desire to give a voice, to empower, to inform–it’s the universal desire of journalists. Journalists are public servants, charged with a mission to bring the truth, the stories that matter, to people who listen, who can help. So in spite of the crappy pay, the terrible hours with nagging deadlines, a lifestyle often leading to consumption (of unhealthy amounts of alcohol), the constant threat of the death of an industry, journalists are still at it. And for Ling and Lee, in spite of their harrowing experience in North Korea, their priority is still to tell these untold stories.

Laura and Euna, thank you for sharing your stories, as painful as it was for both of you. I am deeply grateful that the two of you are back home, safe, and with your families.

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/07/lost-comiccon-panel.html

The Lost crew and producers announced a few tantalizingly vague pieces of info about the upcoming 6th season of the ABC series.

MMph!! The giddy fanboy inside me was itching to be there today, but alas…I forgot to get a pass to Comic-Con…again.

Anyways, after a partial rewatch of Seasons 1 and 2, and taking the Season 5 finale into account…the more I can’t shake this feeling that Lost is all about a game. You’ve either won…or you’ve Lost. Plus there’s always that dichotomy of symbolic colors, black and white, the pieces of backgammon, the dialogue between Jacob and his darkly-clad adversary, and of course, the pivotal character of John Locke, who absolutely loves games…

So when Lindelof and Jorge Garcia assure that the audience would feel cheated if the last 5 seasons turn out to have “never happened” when the detonated H-bomb alters the timeline…I wouldn’t be surprised if the series headed in that direction; after all, if it’s a game, you can always find loopholes. You can always cheat.

My dream of writing a killer screenplay was crushed.

Alexis Bledel stole my life and Post Grad screenwriter Kelly Fremon stole my story.

What, UCLA?

Yeah, that’s right. That’s filmed AT UCLA, right outside Royce Hall, the building which hosted many of my English classes. (Territorial growl) That’s my school, beezy.

Okay, okay, I’ll admit. This is a pretty cliche story idea anyways.

Here’s the IMDB summary:

Ryden Malby graduates from college and is forced to move back into her childhood home with her eccentric family, while she attempts to find a job, the right guy, and just a hint of where her life is headed.

I envisioned my yet-unwritten screenplay (still waiting to get some screenwriting software and my brain back from chemo/summer-rot) as somthing similar, though minus the stupid romantic subplot. I mean I guess that’s part of post-grad life, even for me, but I think reeks too much of corniness.

Sigh. I guess I’ll start working on a TV-spinoff now.

And in the meantime…this gave me a silly cover-letter idea that has the same probability of floating as this film does in the box office this summer. Um, in my opinion, it’s not the best time to make a film about struggling college students at a time when few of us (the target audience) have jobs and money to spend on frivolous trips to the movie theater to watch frustrating movies that remind us about our own dilemmas.

Yo, FILM INDUSTRY! We’d rather spend our money watching films like Harry Potter that reminds us of our earlier adolescence Harry Potter, or inspires us for the future like Star Trek. Or heck, even Transformers 2, so we can go braindead for a solid opiate-like 2.5 hours.

Well, at least that’s what the box office says.

By the way, if you haven’t read Roger Ebert’s Transformers 2 review, please do.

Here’s a taste:

The movie has been signed by Michael Bay. This is the same man who directed “The Rock” in 1996. Now he has made “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” Faust made a better deal.

My inner English major (nerd) is screaming “OHHhhhh BURNED!” right now.

Anyways, cheers.