Author Archives: Jeff

About Jeff

Jeff lives in Silicon Valley, and attempts to juggle marriage, fatherhood, computer systems research, running, and writing.

Asian American Family Sues Harvard, but not for what you might think

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Jeff

Lawsuits against Harvard and well-known selective universities contending discrimination against Asian Americans have happened over the years, with the lawsuit sponsored by Edward Blum still in play and actively opposed by Harvard.  In late 2018, another kind of lawsuit against … Continue reading →

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Having a Hard to Pronounce Name: Does it Make a Difference?

Posted on November 28, 2018 by Jeff

When I was an undergraduate, a Filipino American classmate once asked me why I was pronouncing my last name wrong.  What?  I was pronouncing my name wrong for the first 20 or so years of my life?  Apparently so, and … Continue reading →

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Remembering Asian and Pacific Islander Veterans: US Army Profiles

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Jeff

Asian Americans have had a long history with US Armed forces, as we have written about before. I grew up surrounded by Filipino American Navy Veterans and their families, and I lived the Navy Brat lifestyle. When looking for stories … Continue reading →

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Some People Just Don’t get Pixar’s Bao

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Jeff

I wrote a review about how I really liked the Pixar Short Bao that appears with The Incredibles 2, but apparently not everyone one likes as much as I did or even gets it.  A number of articles (some spoilers) … Continue reading →

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Filipino Kinship Terms and their Confusing Translation into English

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Jeff

Number One Son has a “nephew” who is also a college student in Boston. When I mentioned this to my brother, he couldn’t understand how Number One Son could be the “uncle” of someone who is the same age and … Continue reading →

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A Short Review: Bao

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Jeff

Accompanying the Pixar movie The Incredibles 2 is a short called Bao.  It starts, as you can see from the trailer above, when a woman who has just cooked some bao is shocked when one of them comes to life.  … Continue reading →

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Asian and Asian American influences in ‘Black Panther’ (minor spoilers)

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Jeff

One of the many impressive aspects of the Black Panther movie is its costume design.  The look of the Dora Milaje, the elite Wakanda guard, is particularly striking.  That said, I was surprised to found out from The Wife about … Continue reading →

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Asian American Medical Hazard: Stroke

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Jeff

My doctor has always considered my high blood pressure to be a significant concern, and she makes sure I am managing it effectively.  After thinking about the Asian Americans that I know who have had a stroke and this recent … Continue reading →

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Asian Squat Update: Why it’s good for you and why it’s going away

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Jeff

“A guru once told me that the problem with the West is they don’t squat.” – Rosie Spinks One of 8Asians’ most popular articles continues to be Koji Sakai’s article on the “Asian” Squat.  We recently got a comment from … Continue reading →

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Sacramento Area Asian Americans arming themselves during Crime Wave

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Jeff

While the wave of robberies targeting Asian Americans in the Sacramento area has declined in some neighborhoods like Oak Park, where police have concentrated resources, crime and fear have increased in other Asian neighborhoods like Meadowview, Fruitridge, and Pocket, to … Continue reading →

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Manicurists, Casino Workers, and Medical Scientists: A Glimpse into heavily Asian American Jobs

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Jeff

More than half of all American “personal appearance workers” (including manicurists and pedicurist) are Asian American, while more than a fourth of all casino workers are Asian American.  A little more than a fifth of all computer and mathematical area … Continue reading →

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Filipino American Downward Mobility and other Asian American Data Points from Pew Research

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Jeff

After he graduated from high school this year, Number Two Son mentioned to me that one conversation he has continually had with a close Filipino American friend regards how few of their Filipino American peers were ambitious with their college … Continue reading →

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