Denial

I can't believe there are people, many in positions of power, who still deny that global warming exist, despite unrefuted scientific evidence. In fact, there is no significant disagreement within the scientific community that the Earth is warming and that human activities are the principal cause.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess. I wonder if the victims of Katrina, or the families of loved ones who recently died from the heat, are blissful now. Soon we'll all die from heat or flooding, and be extinct like the dinosaurs. And only the cockroaches will survive.

We need to be like our friends, the cochroaches, and do what we need to do to survive. We as people of the Western hemisphere have lived so comfortably for the last several centuries, and we have so much privilege and opportunity to change our bad habits that negatively affect people of poor and war-torn countries, vegetation, and animals of the world.

Like the thinning of the ozone layer, the effects of global warming are reversible... and it starts with personal use and conscientious consumption. Only until we can change the way we live, thereby changing market supplies and demands, is when major perpetrators like corporations will change. And you know our government will do whatever the corporations tell them to do.

In light of the unbearable heat and power shortages across the nation, here are some simple tips to saving energy:

• Appliance Maintenance

Your appliances need a tune-up too; clean all filters and coils.

• Clean Your Light Bulbs!

Don't forget to clean your light bulbs (while the power is off). Dust build up can reduce the light intensity by 25%.

• Enery-Efficient Applicances
  

When buying a new appliance, choose an energy-efficient one.

• Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

When replacing hard to reach light bulbs, such as exterior porch lights, switch to energy efficient compact florescent bulbs. You won't have to change them for seven years!

• Home Insulation

Make your home more energy efficient through improved insulation, caulking and weather-stripping. The less energy you use, the less impact you have on the environment.

• Set the thermostat

Install and use a programmable thermostat. For every 1° C you lower your thermostat you can save 2% on your heating bill. A reduction of 3° C at night and when you are away during the day provides optimal savings and can reduce your GHGs by half a ton.

• Wash with cold water

Wash your clothes using cold water. Many detergents clean just as well in cold water.

• Window Coverings

Use your window coverings to help warm or cool your house.

Here's another simple one: Turn off your lights, tv, computer, etc. when you're not using them! This is my ultimate pet peeve! Arrggghhhhh!

Brace yourself!

Cuz it's getting HOT in huurrreeee!

"People talk about tipping points," said Scripps' climatologist Tim Barnett. "We have gone past it. There is nothing we can do to stop it now. The only question is how big a hit we are going to take."

This month's weather has been for many Southern Californians a perceptual tipping point that brought home the possibility of global warming, just as the fury of Hurricane Katrina did for the people of New Orleans.

Inside the air-conditioned darkness of the Majestic Crest Theatre in Westwood, Max Furstenau was cleaning up after a showing of "An Inconvenient Truth," in which former Vice President Al Gore made the case for global warming.

Outside, the weather had finally cooled to the comfortable mid-80s. The day before had hit 110 degrees, breaking the record of 107 set in 1954.

"I know it's happening," Furstenau said.

Me too.

End Times by Jill Greenburg

Misinformation

Jill Greenburg's exhibit of crying children, featured at Paul Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles, has drawn public criticism by those who are probably hypersensitive, narrow-minded, overtly judgmental parents who have no life or ambitions to make real positive change, so they complain cowardly 0n the blogosphere, and send anonymous hate mail to the artist and gallery exhibiting the photos.

Faith?

The work depicts how children would feel if they knew the state of the world they're set to inherit, explained Greenberg, whose own daughter is featured in the show. "Our government is so corrupt, with all the cronyism and corporate lobbyists," she said. "I just feel that our world is being ruined."

Four More Years

To be fair, however, the reason why no-life bloggers are up-in-arms is because of the method Greenburg used to elicit such powerful emotional responses -- she took a tootsie pop away from the children, I presume, while the kids were enjoying it. Hmm... art imitating life? But the wailing and the shoot lasted 20 or 30 seconds. The kids "sniffled a little" afterward, but then got multiple lollipops in trade for the stolen one.

Shock

Wow, she's really pissed about that lollipop.

The Truth

The images were enhanced during postproduction, Greenberg said, to make the children appear more upset than they really were. She used Photoshop to darken furrows in brows, shine tears until they glistened.

Torture

In the end, "This is more a story about blogging than about photography," said Stephen White, formerly a gallery owner and currently a private dealer and collector in Studio City. "It's about a generation that's so caught up in itself that everything it says it thinks is significant, even though it's not saying anything at all.

Trillions

I recall first seeing these photos on a billboard at the intersection of La Brea and Beverly. I was with Blu-Tooth, who was disturbed. Yeah, I guess I can see why people are bothered. I just don't agree. I think the raw-ness of anger and frustration and hopelessness, especially in subjects as pure and innocent as toddlers, is beautiful and breath-taking. We as adults try to shelter kids from "negative" emotions, but those emotions are real, you know? How can you truly appreciate joy if you don't experience sorrow?

I absolutely adore the photos. Jill, you rock in DYY's world! Fuck the rest.

Excerpts so true

"For a long time I thought I'd go into politics," he says now. "But who really has more influence: a congressman or Rupert Murdoch?" As much as anything, it is a comment on his generation—ambivalent about Democrats and Republicans, but likely to volunteer, buy socially responsible goods and be steeped in media.

"I didn't want to work in government, but I wanted to effect change. The cultural arena provides just as good an opportunity."

"There's an emerging culture of giving a damn among young people," he says. "We just want to offer a platform for that."

-- From an article about Ben Goldhirsh in the West Magazine.

Southern Beirut

Fucken Israel. Motherfuckers need to chill out.

Bush gets touchy-feely

Here's a video of Bush groping German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It's so bad, but hilarious. Watch her reaction, I love it. Also, read the Texan's comment below the screen, it totally cracks me up.

"Get a Life" will be my saying for summer 2006.

The Giving Tree

I walk out of my house on Monday morning and guess what I see -- a new tree! What a lovely surprise! I decided to name it "The Tree"

photo of The Tree as a baby

To my delight, new trees were planted all along the street, as if someone came to my neighborhood in the middle of the night to commit street justice and bring happiness to the inhabitants of the earth! Kind of like Santa Clause but this time I actually received a gift!

Trees are so good for us. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing for our sight and souls, they also keep our air supply fresh by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.

• In one year, an acre of trees can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driven up to 8700 miles.
• Trees provide shade and shelter, reducing yearly heating and cooling costs by 2.1 billion dollars.
• Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves.
• Tree roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
• Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.
• Trees provide food and shelter for wildlife.
• The death of one 70-year old tree would return over three tons of carbon to the atmosphere.

It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Tree in Los Feliz
(photo by dyy)

I have begun to appreciate trees after I met Tonkhero. It must be all the nature exuding out of him that I tried to resist... I guess my compromise was trees. Now I can't help but to notice the colors of the leaves and the shapes of the branches, and how the branches intertwine and extend haphazardly, giving each tree a distinct configuration and silhouette, as if each one has its own personality.

Tree in the park of La Brea Tar Pits
(photo by dyy)

Even in the winter when all the leaves have disappeared, and the trees are naked and vulnerable, I think they are gorgeous in this mysterious yet lucid and severly haunting way. When I microwave my lunch at work, I would look out of the window from the 8th floor and stare at the bare trees from the top. I would become mesmerized by the maze of the bare branches reaching out to the sky and to one another.

Bare tree have nothing to hide, yet I've notice people don't comment on bare trees as much. It probably reminds them of death. To me, I don't see death. I see secrets that were once covered by leaves. Secrets you can be privy to if you only notice.

Samaritan of the Week

Mr. T shed the piles of gold chains that were his signature look after witnessing the destruction from Hurricane Katrina.

"As a spiritual man, I felt it would be a sin against my God for me to wear all that gold again because I spent a lot of time with the less fortunate," the actor said Thursday.

"I saw some, I call it 'sorry celebrities.' They'll go down there and hook up with the people to take a photo-op. I said, 'How disgusting.' If you're not going to go down there with a check and a hammer and a nail to help the people, don't go down there."

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Birthday to Me

Freaky "WOW" Friday: I am only allowed to disclose two things from our debaucherous night: (1) The Standard rooms are soundproof; and (2) a four-person bathtub becomes a six-person bathtub when you roll with Asians. We're compact like that. Asians should feel proud for consuming less space in our overpopulated world.
Clockwise: Rock Star Birthday Boy Divine Styler, Why Jane, Blu-Tooth, Lady Pun, Minshaker, DYY, and featuring DJ Ferrara

Joe says, it's Nice v. Naughty

Also featuring Joe's down syndrome personality -- Corky Mak!

It's getting HOT in heeerrrre!

Sweaty Saturday: The friday night continues into Saturday (literally) at Joe Mak's birthday BBQ at Frohawk's house.

The hostess and host and signature baby seal

Devil worshipping at Bohemian Grove

The president and co-founder of Bohemian Grove,

Demon Master Divine Styler!

MUHAHAHAHAHA!

Sober Sunday (kind of): Felt ill and tired. Napped and read all day. Still rallied and went to Hollywood Bowl in the evening to see A.R. Rahman and Bollywood Night. I swear, Rahman is the Indian version of Sergio Mendes!

My South Asian sisters and I had hoped it would be more jiggy, but unfortunately, they played classical songs and ballads most of the evening, one semi-bhangra hit, and the Indian national anthem as the finale. My Pakastani sisters weren't happy about that, but did admit it's a beautiful song. Even though I didn't get a chance to show off my new bhangra moves, I was so happy to be part of the scene. It's probably the first time Hollywood Bowl has ever hosted a night of only South Asian performers... and the tickets were sold out! I think half the audience was South Asian, and they ranged from young to old, with many of the women wearing colorful saris. It was pretty cool.

Bush's big mouth reveals true thoughts

In a recording of luncheon chatter captured by Russian television, Bush expresses some of his true sentiments about the Middle East during a G8 meeting.

The president makes clear (to British Prime Minister Tony Blair) that he thinks the United Nations needs to put pressure on Syria to influence the militant Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah to end the attacks on Israel -- "See, the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over."

The president also says on the recording (to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin) that he will talk off the cuff during his final remarks, and he will keep them short -- "I'm just gonna make it up. I'm not gonna talk too damn long like the rest of 'em. Some of these guys talk too long."

The president also received a geography lesson from Chinese President Hu Jintao. In a converation with President Hu, Bush says, "Where you going? Home? This is your neighborhood. Doesn't take too long to get home?" When he hears that Hu's flight to Beijing is eight hours, Bush says, "Me too." Bush then turns to someone and says, "Takes him eight hours to fly home. Takes me eight hours to fly home. Eight hours. Russia's big and so's China."

I'm glad the President of the United States just realized Russia and China are big countries.

at the annual WTO members meeting

WTO party leaders (left-to-right) from Canada, China, Papua New Guinea, and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Represent, bitches!

Dedicated to my Christian Crusadin' Homies

Despite the debate below (when Christians attack!), I truly think Christians are ingenius. I respect them for their innovative ways to lead people. Read about the new Christian Weight Loss Movement. Pure genius.

My brother's wedding

Photo by DYY

As you know, the reason why I returned to Chicago was to attend my brother's wedding. On July 8th, 2006, Sherman Yee and Elaine Chin exchanged their vows at Meson Sabika in Naperville, Illinois. It was a truly a special day, because two people who really belong together
shared their love and commitment to each other in front of family and friends. I was fortunate to be part of it.

More pictures to come...

One of the things I miss the most...

Please see my ode to White Castle.

WC, you will be in my thoughts.

Holy Smoke

Inside the bathroom of Marshall McGearty, a tobacco lounge located on 1553 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park

Indoor smoking was recently banned at restaurants and public buildings in Chicago. Bars, taverns and clubs have until July 2008 to comply.

To some Chicagoans, particularly smokers, the ban seems a bit harsh. But remember how it seemed harsh when they prohibited smoking on commerical airplanes... and now it seems reasonable, even appropriate? I vaguely recall when I first moved to LA, the smoking ban was recently regulated. I went to bars and met people who bitched and moaned when they had to go outside to smoke. Now it seems totally normal, even to smokers.

Fascinating how culture can change attitudes and vice versa.

I asked the bartender at Marshall McGearty (which, i think you should know, is owned by R.J. Reynolds) what would happen to them when the ban gets instituted. She said as long as a percentage of their sales consist of tobacco (they sell liquor as well as other beverages), indoor smoking is allowed at their establishment.

I kind of think the forthcoming ban might be a good thing for their business. We'll see...

Despite my distaste for its owner, the lounge is fucken cute, with its vintage modern furniture and quaint design. Cute vintage ash trays. Board games. They have books and board games. I love that shit.

I also think ventilation is key. MM has good ventilation so it doesn't feel stuffy or smokey (turns out that MM actually has a high-tech ventilation system). Non-smokers of tobacco products like me can enjoy clean-smelling hair and still hang out with cool smokers. I hate to promote smoking, but you know smokers look cool.

DYY pictured here with clean-smelling hair and cool-looking friends

*NOTE* This is not a cigarette ad*
If this posting creates a craving for tobacco or cigarettes, please forward this link to Mr. Reynolds. Thank you.

(Yo, R.J.! Have your people call my people. 323.dyy.zfly)

St. Jude, pray for us

Photo by DYY
Near my house on Princeton and 26th in Chicago

Even though the mural clearly asks St. Jude to pray for us, I thought this was a portrait of Moses when I was young. I mean, doesn't he look like Charleston Heston from the Ten Commandments?

I did some research and it turns out St. Jude is one of the 12 apostles. Pretty impressive, huh?

My Italian neighbors LOVE this man. I'm not sure if you can tell by the photo, but this mural is on the wall of a small apartment building. I wonder does St. Jude increase property value?

Cotton candy... the new poisonous apple?

So I was walking through Chinatown with my family when my sister noticed a mini makeshift carnival at the courtyard of the Chinese Christian Union Church (“CCUC”). My brother-in-law asked what we thought was happening. To me, it was so obvious. Get them while they’re young.

I recall when Stephanie, Betty, Melody and I were 11 years old and bored from having no where to go and nothing to do. But we knew that every Friday night, CCUC hosted youth programs that included BBQs and gym nights. So we would attend the programs, play Steal the Bacon or volleyball, eat smores, and then sneak out when the Christian kids returned to the classrooms to pray or talk about God. Sometimes when we were unable to sneak out, we had to stay for the entire class of bible study, and I remember feeling bitter and defeated. Eventually, we stopped going because we couldn’t bear to be trapped in bible study anymore… also, we discovered boys and other party favors.

Being the awesome auntie that I am, I crossed the street to the courtyard to see if I could score any cotton candy for my nephews. I was immediately approached by a young, pregnant lady. I asked her if I could purchase any cotton candy. She said it’s not for sale, that it was part of the youth summer camp sponsored by the church. She said for $6, I could enroll my nephew into a two week program that included all sorts of games and food.

Dude, six dollars? For every day for two weeks? I gave her my “get out of here” look, but she was totally serious.

She graciously gave me two bags of blue cotton candy and a flyer. She said to consider it. I lied and said I would.

That night, Christopher and I ate cotton candy until are tongues and fingers turned blue. Mmm. Free cotton candy made by God is good!

Christian indoctrination is so simple. Provide the youth and families in low-income and marginalized communities, or third-world countries, with access to unattainable resources and ask them to be grateful (and loyal) to God. Soon, they depend on God and can’t live without him. This is what you call Brand Loyalty.

For example, CCUC provides free immunizations, low-cost daycare, adult education, youth camps, language classes, etc. The newly-immigrated, limited-English speaking residents of Chinatown would not have access to such resources otherwise.

Corporations and Republicans have figured it out years ago. So has technology. I wonder why the Left still hasn’t.

That night inspired me to write and suggest to Al Gore to make a kids version of An Inconvenient Truth for schools and churches. Preservation of the earth and conscientious consumption should begin at a young age, before folks get too dependent on their lavish and over-consumptive lifestyles. The Left needs to learn from our Christian brothers and sisters: Get them while they're young. Amen.

Trainspotting

Here is Me and Mini-Me on route to The Children’s Museum at Navy Pier. We’re riding on the “El” train. It’s his first time. It’s my one thousand six hundred and forty-first time.

The Midwest Mentality

Why is it that each time I visit the Midwest, the first question former grammar school classmates ask is, “Are you married yet?”

No questions about my life, work, or other activities. Even if they aren’t interested in other parts of my life, which ostensibly they aren’t, I would be happy to engage them in a conversation about my views and politics regarding marriage and children. But it never goes there. In fact, inquiring about my marital status is the first and last question they ask before they move on to other riveting topics: their kids.

I would love to ask, “Why haven’t you lost your pregnancy fat?” or “Why is your husband such a loser?” or “How can you sleep at night knowing you are contributing to the overpopulation of the world with your worthless progeny?”

But I don’t ask such things. I was raised with good Midwestern manners.

Why I hate King Tut

KimChee Farmer and I spent our 4^th of July afternoon at the Field Museum. As a child, I was so fond of the museum because of the long marble steps surrounding the museum, and the vast exhibits of world cultures and animals. As an adult, I see the museum is truly majestic. Field Museum reminds me of historic museums located in Europe or New York. While at the museum, I actually felt like I was part of an intellectual global world. LA doesn’t have shit like this, unfortunately…

Of course those feelings came crashing down when we entered the King Tut exhibit. I guess I should have known, as I was never interested in Egyptian relics. But what I soon and sadly discovered is that the story behind the figure – the almighty King Tut – was really uninspiring. It wasn’t even mythical. Basically, King Tut was crowned Pharaoh at a young age when his dad had mysteriously disappeared, likely due to his father’s very corrupt empire. King Tut’s dad ended religious pluralism in Egypt and ordered that all his people worship him and his deities only. The people of Egypt were still pissed when King Tut took over, but things quickly became worse. It turns out that good ole’ King Tut was a party boy. Just like George W. Bush.
King Tut’s reign was short-lived as he died early, likely due to too much partying. Predictably, he had no positive effects in Egypt. Just like George W. Bush.

Tut’s remaining legacy was his blinged-out tomb, filled with all this shit like golden fans and golden shields and golden statuettes of his sister/lover. I couldn’t help but be grossed out by the decadence. I also couldn’t believe I paid an additional $25 to see some rich kid’s toys. Yeah, I felt slightly jipped.

Call me cynical but you know it’s true. This little Tut bitch didn’t do anything significant while he was alive, in spite of all the power and opportunity to do so. Tut was just some dumb guy who was lucky enough to be inbred into a royal family. Just like George W. Bush.

I wonder what Bush will leave behind as his legacy? Just like King Tut, perhaps the fall of another great civilization?

I suppose I should give credit to the scientist(s) in King Tut’s staff who successfully preserved King Tut’s belongings all these centuries. Through this person’s work, we are able to learn about the lives and times of really rich and powerful authoritarian families of the past. After all, they were people too. If you prick them, do they not bleed?

I believe that some day, centuries later, new life forms will also be able to examine preserved relics from powerful families of today. For King Bush, they would find rusty oil rigs or used cocaine vials…

Projects I would pursue if I moved back to Chicago

• Open a recycling center in Chinatown.I was appalled at the number of recyclable items lying on the streets or in waste cans in the neighborhoods.I tried really hard not to show my grief and repulsion when I visited homes of friends who do not recycle.But deep down, I know my friends aren’t wasteful, over-consuming degenerates of society.Rather, if recycling was made easy, they would do it.I know they would.Hence, we need to institute some blue bins, and the recyclables would be delivered to my recycling center, which would be conveniently located and easily accessible to the people of Chinatown.Also, won't Chinese seniors and kids would jump at the chance to make extra money from recycling paper, plastic and aluminum? I think they would. I would.
  
• Be on the board of the Chinatown Public Library.When the city relocated and rebuilt the library, I was thrilled.The former library was a shabby ass shoebox.I think the fire capacity was 30.Anyway, when the new library was finally constructed and opened to the public, it was extremely modest, but very clean and well-organized.It felt a bit futuristic too.Of course, that was in the early 90’s. Now the books are beat up and disheveled, the staff seems indifferent, the kids are dirty and the computers are outdated.The lighting was poor and the floors were grimy.I sat on a sticky chair.Enough said.
• Join the writing staff at the Chicago Reader. The Reader is equivalent to the LA Weekly, except the articles of the Reader are really shitty. The articles seem shallow and dumb. No wittiness or humor or significance whatsoever. They do not come close to conveying the vibrant culture, lifestyle and/or politics of Chicago (maybe with the exception of the food section). It’s like the writers are lame suburban transplants who think they know Chicago. It’s been eight years since I moved away from home, and I still feel like I understand the city more than those fuckers. Fucken suburbanites. They need to die.
• Convert my parent’s multi-apartment townhouse into a single family unit. Perhaps a duplex. It just needs to be done. It’s time.

DYY and sidekick Double O...

Double O picked me up from the airport on Saturday evening, and we immediately began partying for his birthday. Since I am no longer in “The Know”, O relished in the fact that it is now he who shows DYY the hot spots. Whatever. Where are the drugs?

First we commenced our night at this super bourgeois bar called Japonais. It’s an Asian fusion restaurant that serves sushi and dim sum. Not a place I would ever eat at, but it was surprisingly a nice scene. People were decent-to-good-looking and the ambiance was quite pretty. Music was pretty good too… it ranged from house to dancehall to pop. The bar also offers a great outdoor patio adjacent to the Chicago River, in an area that only a few years back was completely industrial, occupied by factories and the Projects. Now the area is bustling with yuppie scum, trendy restaurants and overpriced condos. All the poor black folks have disappeared. The streets are amazingly sanitized. There were even white people canoeing in the river, which not too long ago was discolored and contaminated with toxic waste. Back in the day, no one went near it.

Oh, the glories of gentrification! Beautify the city for White Return.

Next we migrated to Spoon, but couldn’t get in due to overcapacity. We stood outside chatting with the bouncers until they saw O take a photo of me giving the middle finger to a passing Hummer. The bouncers were surprised at my gesture of love because, apparently, they are all Hummer drivers. Oops.
So our next stop was Nacional (LA has a club named Nacional too!). It’s a serious dance club that spins salsa, meringue and reggaetone. No Tego Calderon unfortunately… and the people were pretty f-ugly. Total arf arf. Still, O led me on the dance floor and, although difficult at first, I forgot about the ugly people. I was impressed with O’s salsa skills and his uncanny knowledge of Puerto Rico. I felt educated by his "cultural capital". He ordered very delicious and STRONG drinks for us too, called Caipirinha, which he pronounced perfectly! Go Double O! The recipe for this hot Latin drink is on Grub Club.

The last stop was Reverse. It’s a club in the former meat-packing district of Chicago, near Oprah Winfrey’s studio. We met up with some of O’s friends there. Not Oprah's friends, but Oliver's, that is. By this time, I was fed up that no one had weed and/or drugs on them. I asked everyone I met. Nada. I asked this one drunk dude whether he had any drugs on him, and he looked at me sadly and said, “Why do you need drugs?” I tapped his drink and kindly reminded him that alcohol is a drug. He thanked me for the reminder. I said “Anytime.”

So eventually I resigned and just drank… which I totally regretted when I finally got home at 4 am, drunk-called Tonkhero, and passed out in my party gear, completely dehydrated and intoxicated. My mom forcibly woke me up at 9 am to have dim sum with my brother and his fiancé. I was totally ill. It was harsh, needless to say… but I did it all for Double O…

Happy Birthday, my friend!