10 Gun Shots Killing Vandalism

His name is Mike Cho, a 25 year old student at UCLA. Police received a call about vandalism near a La Habra liquor store where Mike Cho happened to be. The officers arrived at the scene with their guns immediately drawn. After less than 2 minutes of deliberation, the decision was made to lethally fire 10 bullets into Mike Cho's handicapped body. (Yep, he was physically disabled).

I have not heard any reports about whether or not the police officers had the correct person. Mike Cho was just at the scene of the vandalism call.

The vigil was held on February 28, 2008 for the memory of Mike Cho because the La Habra Police Department has been extremely uncooperative regarding inquiries about the lethal shooting. No investigation is being conducted.

Surveillance videos show that the police officers did not attempt to use non-lethal measures to resolve the situation. The officers' hands passed their tasers, passed by their pepper spray, worked around their batons, and grabbed their sure fire life-ending handguns.

Petitions were being signed trying to establish a federal investigation regarding the La Habra police officers' excessive use of lethal force. How does a response to vandalism on material property lead to pulling the trigger over 10 times into the young body of a handicapped UCLA student?


We like to think that we live in a free country...where everyone is born with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With the police killing Mike Cho, illegal wiretapping by the government, waterboarding practices (aka torture through simulated drowning), and an endless supply of internet videos showing excessive brute force perpetrated by the police...our faith in freedom and democracy is certainly crumbling.

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I've read the news reports, watched the surveillance video, and attended the candlelit vigil. The circumstances regarding Mike Cho's death are certainly not black and white. But 10 bullets fired with the intent to kill someone because of suspected vandalism??? I don't know about the circumstances, but the lethal outcome is definitely unsettling.

As a bystander to such events, it reminds me of the fragility of life. One day we may be getting ready to bring in the New Year with old acquaintances, and the next day we could be missing final exams because we're stuck pushing up daisies. Death comes to all of us.

The murder of my friends parents during a robbery of their store gets me so angry over the evils in life. Then I get introduced to a wife that donated her kidney to give her dying husband a few more living days, and I get renewed by the miracle of selfless and sacrificing love.

When will you spend a minute to tell someone you love them? How long does a hug really take? Does a smile really cost you that much? I know your brother annoys you while you're on the phone, but one day he may be murdered because he walked into the wrong convenience store...spare a second to say, "I love you."

Secrets to Choosing Happiness

Why is it so hard for us to be happy? We like to view happiness as the biggest smile on our faces, but true happiness is more like a calm grin. Just like the saying goes "there will always be something or someone better," the happiest people have found a way to be completely content and satisfied with their state of being. The secret is options.

Your state of being is determined by the way you present yourself with options. Do you choose to spend time with your family on the weekend, or do you choose to play with your friends? Would you like coffee, or a non-fat soy latte with extra foam? Despite how complex the world can be, the happiest people on earth have a tendency to present themselves with a dichotomy of choices: Happy or Sad, Black or White, Up or Down.

Confusion and discontent are born from two problems with options. First is the inability to see one's options. It's plain and simple...if you're stranded in the desert with no roads, you won't be happy. Even though roads aren't paved before you, know that walking in any direction will make you happier than sitting still. The second problem is being presented with too many options. We spend ridiculous amounts of time deciding which cereal to buy at the supermarket because we are flooded with a barrage of options. Despite there only being a handful of categories of cereal, the sheer volume of all the options we face at the moment instills overwhelming feelings of poor decision-making from the slightest dissatisfaction with our choice. We tend to have huge regrets with our decisions because the mass of alternative options makes us feel we could've chosen much better.

Happiness is a filter. The complexity of our world should not be a distraction, but a miracle to be awed by. Filter through your options and narrow your choices. Be grateful for all that you have. Be thankful for all that you get. When a successful person talks about how lucky they are, that person is expressing their overwhelming gratitude for all of their blessings. Ironically, it's that thankful attitude that made them successful also.

Kollaboration: Before the Storm

Before the "flashing ~lights ~lights," the full volunteer staff scrambled in preparation.



...taking the time to make sure everything's perfect. We're always ironing out the wrinkles minutes before showtime.


To think, it all started with just "PK" (stand-up comedian and community leader) and a few maxed-out credit cards.

Kollaboration: Empowerment Through Entertainment

Celebrities Came Supporting the Arts and Non-Profit

Hollywood stars like James Hong known for roles in Balls of Fury, Waynes World 2, and Big Trouble in Little China arrived to support Kollaboration.

Other celebrity attendees included James Kyson Lee best known as "Ando" from the massive hit television show Heroes, rappers Far East Movement, rising hip hop artist Roscoe Umali, and singer/entertainer Colby O'Donis.

Kollaboration: Empowerment Through Entertainment

Soundcheck Moments

The level of talent was amazing...even sound checks had moments.




Kollaboration: Empowerment Through Entertainment

Feeling Good After Party

Kollaboration 2008 was a massive success. A crowded house and powerful performances combined to celebrate art and non-profit.



Great job PK! We all felt the same way. =)


Kollaboration: Empowerment Through Entertainment

Sold Out! Kollaboration Readies Hallmark Event!

Kollaboration holds the crown as the premiere Asian American talent show throughout North America. With a worldwide reputation earned from delivering high quality entertainment, many people are shocked to discover that Kollaboration is a not-for-profit organization fueled by motivated volunteers. It's pure passion and heart. Their message is clear - "Empowerment through Entertainment."

The Los Angeles staff has tirelessly worked for over 8 years to find people that love entertainment and care about the quality of non-profit contributions. Being located in the epicenter of infamous superficiality, the mission always seemed nearly impossible. This year stands completely different.

It began with just one person, "PK" - founder and rising comedian. And now Kollaboration prepares for this weekend's outstandingly sold out event of comedy, singers, bands, dancers, and rappers. On Saturday night, LA's Orpheum Theater will welcome this year's biggest night of positivity with over 2,000 seats of laughs, cheers, and memories.

A Peaceful Battle Wages

An internet-based organization called Anonymous has been actively protesting the Church of Scientology. The following is one of many videos regarding the situation:

What are your thoughts on the subject? Do you have any information you'd like to add?

5 Things About 10 Things

Girly magazines may have started it, but the internet has certainly exploded the use of numbered lists in articles. Here's my 5 things about numbered lists:

1. Ten sounds official: sometimes the list is really only 4-6 and the rest are just fillers.
2. Makes a good lazy read: I've got an LAUSD education...paragraphs are scary.
3. Low-risk for writers: we get ten quick shots to entertain readers (hopefully one hits).
4. Shorter is better: internet people have a 3 second attention span...
5. Guaranteed read: numbered lists look like rules...and even criminals like to know the laws they break.

Numbered lists always steal moments out of my life. 9 out of 10 lists are stupid, but something about sequence always draws my attention.

Please Stop the Madness Yahoo!

What is going on in Yahoo town? The higher powers at search's number two company have turned down an offer from software bully Microsoft, only to consider negotiating with misleading media kingpin News Corp.??!!

Yahoo is one of many internet companies famed for maintaining a creative and open work atmosphere. A hostile merge with typically corporate gray Microsoft would have offset Yahoo's purple ecosystem. So how will a partnership with super neoconservative News Corp. pan out? I mean, these are the people that nurture Bill O'Reilly, launched the career of Ann Coulter, and pushed defamatory anti-Democrat campaigns into mass media.

Watch the documentary "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism" and you'll begin to understand my disliking for News Corp. Try checking out "The Corporation" if you're interested in how Fox News kills stories that are not in line with their neo-conservative agenda. There's a reason why "The Simpsons" poke fun at the network that broadcasts their show. If there's a show on Faux that you enjoy, TiVo it.

Yahoo's situation just goes to show that when you're bleeding, you only attract the sharks.

Love, Lust, or Alone?

Valentine's Day is around the corner and all writers have set their pens to romance. Need that perfect Valentine's Day gift? Well if you do, screw you because the rest of us need any Valentine's Day person. We fail to see how your gift giving dilemma compares to our depressing annual reminder that we rank as less desirable than two peanut M&M's.

Being alone on Valentine's Day is like being Santa Claus on Christmas. You might be there for the occasion, but you're not part of the party.

If you are going to be alone this Thursday, here's some tips on how you can spend your day:

1. Call in sick for work. If you ain't getting no flowers, you ain't gonna enjoy watching everyone else get theirs. Stay home...alone...forever...

2. Stay in bed, close the curtains, and keep the lights off. Make the atmosphere match your mood. Everyone else is doing it with flowers, candy, and romance. Perfect your lonely ambiance with the darkness of a TV lit room and Nina Simone in the background. Cry in your pillow. It's okay, it'll dry. Don't wipe your nose! Only sick people wipe their nose, and you ain't sick! Sad people let the mucus drip.

3. Get the big bag of candies and go to town. The belly you've earned from the pounds of jelly beans hasn't won you a date for Valentine's yet. So screw it all. It's time to dry your solitary tears with pounds of Ben topped with extra Jerry's. True happiness should always taste like a chunky chocolate monkey.

4. Do something crazy and rebellious! When all of the festivities irritates you to the point where you just want to rebel and show the world you are completely comfortable in your individuality, take a trip to the most intimate restaurant you can think of. Walk inside with your chin up and when the host asks how many...confidently answer, "One." Insist on being seated in the middle of the restaurant. Order enough food for two. (Remind everyone that being single is better because you've got more money to burn). Have some good laughs too. Just because you're alone doesn't mean you can't have a good time like everyone else.


All you other stupid people, in your stupid relationships, with your stupid significant others, remember that the heart of Valentine's Day is taking a moment to tell each other "I love you" or "I really enjoy your company" (for the less serious relationships). The best gift should be a sincere embrace and a sweet whisper of some of your happiest memories together. But dis life ain't no movie...so get a puppy with a ribbon or you'z ain't gettin none Thursday night.

Happy end of Holiday Season everyone! =)

VOTE!

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Make your own decisions and Vote!

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Polls are closed and the results are coming in...

Apple...Can't Say iLike the Taste

Apple Inc. has announced today the release of a 16GB iPhone and 32GB iPod Touch (both priced at $499). Before you get excited over the updated gadgets, let me lift lady tech's skirt because it ain't all pretty.

The two lickable tech bars, iPhone and iPod Touch, use NAND memory. After a class-action law suit was filed against producers of NAND memory for price fixing, we've been seeing huge declines of up to 75% in price for the memory chips. A 4GB chip now costs under $5. This means that Apple Inc. is getting enormous savings for its i-products and passing nothing but a clean poke-in-the-eye to you.

Let's just look at the iPhone's dirty past. It debuted on store shelves in June for $499 as a 4GB model, and $599 as an 8GB model. Three months later, Steve Jobs drops the 4GB model completely and lowers the price to $399 for the 8GB model. The 30% price reduction was rightfully met with outrage. And now Apple Inc. is proud to announce an updated iPhone that is much cheaper for them to produce, but priced $100 more expensive for you. Who's on the winning side? It's becoming extremely clear that the Cupertino team is aimed at pleasing one group...the stockholders...and they're willing to please the stocks at your expense.

I don't have a problem with businesses trying to earn profits. I just hate how they campaign that they are working hard for the customer. It's all lies. Always. Have you ever tried calling customer service to cancel your cellphone contract? The system is set for the business to win...they make all the rules, they hold all the cards, and they take a little off your top at every move.

The second generation iPhone (aka iPhone 2.0, aka iPhone "The New Testament") is speculated to be released before this holiday season. The high demand for 3G is almost guaranteed to be a feature, and I would personally go so far as to speculate that the second iPhone will have at least 80+ Gigs of memory while maintaining a sexy slim figure.

I have endless admiration for Apple Inc. and their products, but their recent business practices have been huge slaps in my consumer face. All this flip-flop management of their iPhone is increasingly aggravating. With warranted forecasts of less than 6 months remaining in a product's lifecycle, Apple's notorious denials of lowering prices and audacity to introduce an even more over-priced gadget just screams foul play.

IRS and Your Tax Rebate

April is barreling down on us and news has broken that "the man" will be issuing out tax rebates to stimulate the economy. In lay-man's terms, the government is giving you back money you already paid them. Doing this jolts the economy because everyone goes off on a mini-spending spree.

It's a sad realization that most people view the rebates as "free money." It's not. You already paid that money to the government...hence the term rebate. Once the IRS cuts the check and returns the money you never should have paid them to begin with, you should consider investing it. Chances are you aren't invested anyway. One of the excuses is probably that you never had extra money to invest. Well, here's your chance to stop the bullshit and finally make a smart financial move.

The greatest discovery in history is compound interest. It's the simple fact that the longer you hold an investment, the faster it will grow into more money. This is why there are dynasties of wealth. This is why families continue to maintain wealth. It's the key difference in "old money" vs "new money."

President G.W. Bush has disclosed his $3 trillion dollar budget for 2009 and it is being evaluated with mixed reviews. He was careful to include plans for securing national safety as well as stimulating the economy, but it is coming with a $400 billion deficit added onto America's already unhealthy financial statement. The signs that the economy is beginning to slow are fairly obvious: unstable stock market, sliding real estate market, fewer jobs, lower pay raises, etc. It looks like times will be a tad tough for at least 2 more years.

So when you get your few hundred bucks from the IRS, will it really be worth the beer and ipods you intend to spend it on? The economy will rise once again...in 4 years your tax rebate could be worth thousands of dollars instead of thousands of calories.

From Big to Colosally Gigantic!

Microsoft has offered to buy Yahoo! for a total of $44.6 billion in the form of cash and common stock. It's no secret that Microsoft has been drooling for a piece of the Google sweet pie, and an acquisition of online search advertising's runner-up Yahoo! could position Microsoft for a run at the gold.

The brash and balding Ballmer (CEO of Microsoft) is strategically seeking to drop the people's elbow on Google's $176 billion forehead. With Yahoo's CEO Jerry Yang forecasting bumpy roads for the company, Ballmer's deal comes perfectly timed and very appealing. Get ready for a clash of the titans. The impact on your life could be substantial.

Although we are no stranger to Microsoft's aggressive attitude, we can be sure Google won't go down without poking a few eyes. It's not all volleyball and free food in Mountain View. Their aggressive workings towards internet dominance comes much more understated in the form of rapid acquisitions. Despite its relatively young age, Google's company has never been afraid to spend money swallowing up as many of the great innovations the internet has to offer. This company is young, vibrant, and armed with plenty of weapons to secure its reign as top search dog.

Google's got a few cards it can play, but I must say that Microsoft will have the advantage if they go to bed with Yahoo. Take a moment to think about it. Google's got the internet in it's piggy bank...but Microsoft owns the computer AND the internet browser. It could be as simple as making a simplified version of Yahoo's search bar the start page of every Internet Explorer browser , or making Yahoo a standard across their Windows Mobile platform to leave a ghastly bite on Google's money pie. Either way, they will find a way to cram more Yahoo down your throat and have you eat less Google.

(Oh yeah...and if you happen to own some Yahoo stock, it jumped up 60%!)