Author Archives: Jeff

About Jeff

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

A Look at Asian American Income Disparities and Variation: “Reading Between the Data”

When this report from Nielsen came out a few months ago about how Asian Americans are a wealthy sophisticated group with above average household income that marketers should target, it seemed to me that the people who compiled that report … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Family | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

California’s Asian American State Senators Call for Hold on SCA5

As debate over SCA5 runs hotly both pro and con, California Asian American State Senators Ted Lieu, Carol Liu, and Leland Yee have asked that SCA 5 be put on hold.  Here is their joint statement: “As lifelong advocates for … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, Discrimination, Education, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Koga System – An Asian American Martial Art

Years ago when  I saw a policeman on the TV news restrain a protester using an Aikido sankyo grip, I thought to myself, “where did the cop learn that technique?”  Only after reading an obituary did I found out.   Johnny … Continue reading

Posted in Education, History | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

California’s SCA5 looks to Bring Back Race Preferences in Public Education

When my brother in-law told me how his fellow Asian realtors were upset about a proposed law to limit Asian enrollment in California colleges, I was initially skeptical.  A law to put a cap on Asian students? But after looking … Continue reading

Posted in Discrimination, Education | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Asian American High Schools in Top 25 List for SAT/ACT Scores

When Number One Son took an SAT prep course in Fremont last summer, I looked at the kids coming out of the class and saw nothing but Asian kids.  Curious, I asked him some questions: “Do any white kids go … Continue reading

Posted in Discrimination, Education | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Singing Couple Achieves Fame in Six Seconds

Asian Americans have made themselves known through YouTube videos, but can fame be achieved when those videos are only six seconds?  Michael and Carissa Alvarado, a husband and wife team making up the group Us, have gained notoriety by using … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Music, Technology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Asian Americans and Asian Canadians in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

Northwest Asian Weekly recently published a list of Asian Americans in the Sochi 2014 Olympics.   While figure skater Mirai Nagasu is not going and snowboarder Chloe Kim cannot go, ice dancers like Alex and Maia Shibutani, Madison Chock, and Felicia … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Health, Appearances, and Asian Americans

   The incident where Maria Kang was briefly kicked off of Facebook,  recent news about the “lower” rate of obesity among Asian Americans, and the debate on CNN above combine to bring up a subject that isn’t often discussed: … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Health, Health and Beauty, Lifestyles, Local, San Francisco Bay Area | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Chloe Kim: Second in US Snowboard Qualifier Rankings but Can’t Go to Sochi Olympics

http://youtu.be/9XrE7cjxQrs Chloe Kim took second in the women’s half pipe snowboard qualifier rankings, but can’t represent the US in Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics.  The problem?  At 13, she is too young.  Qualifiers need to be 15 by the … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Tiger Parent Worship in HBO’s ‘State of Play: Trophy Kids’

“If she’s crying that’s good, because I’m going to make her tough.” – Andre Avery, after making his daughter cry with his criticism her golf play In a documentary full of disturbing parental behavior, one thing that particularly disturbs me … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Lifestyles, Movies, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pantene Philippines Commercial: Labels Against Women

I was pleasantly surprised to see this video from Pantene Philippines talking about double standards against women.  Not that the double standards don’t exist, but that this message would come out of what is a generally anti-intellectual culture in a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Discrimination, TV | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment