Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: David Chiu, first Asian American mayor in Texas

David Chiu, born in China, lived in Hong Kong and Australia before moving to the United States.  He ran for mayor of San Marcos, Texas in 2000, and won, making him the first Asian American to become mayor in the state of Texas.  He served for two years when he was defeated in the 2002 election.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Cyndi Munson, first Asian American elected to OK Legislature

Cyndi Munson, born May 24, 1985 in Monterey, California, grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma.  She graduated from University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in political science.  She first ran for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, but lost to the incumbent. She ran again in 2015 and became the first Asian American woman to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature.  She became the minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

She announced her gubernatorial bid in April 2025.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Pi Alpha Phi, first Asian American fraternity

Pi Alpha Phi Fraternity, established February 1, 1929 at the University of California at Berkeley, was the first Asian American interest fraternity.  At the time, UC-Berkeley fraternities typically discriminated against men of color, so three students decided to start a fraternity for the several hundred students of Chinese descent enrolled there. 

The fraternity encouraged its members to learn Asian-American culture, heritage, and history.  Pi Alpha Phi became national when Beta chapter was established at Stony Brook University in 1990.  By 2014, it had expanded to ten chapters, an associate chapter, and six colonies.

Unfortunately, in 2020, its National Board of directors put a moratorium on chapter activities after multiple reports of sexual misconduct.  In November 2021, a pledge died after a hazing incident and three people were hospitalized.  The fraternity announced the closure of all chapters in August 2023.

Soyuz TMA-09M launched 2013

Soyuz TMA-09M (L-R): Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg, Luca Parmitano

Soyuz TMA-09M, launched May 28, 2013, carried three astronauts to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, Luca Parmitano (ESA), and Karen Nyberg (NASA).  They participated in Expedition 36 on the ISS and returned to Earth in November 2013, after 166 days in space.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Elizabeth Ohi, first Asian American female to practice law

Kuma Elizabeth Ohi, born February 9, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois, became the first Japanese American female to practice law in the United States in 1937.  

She was detained after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but Arthur Goldberg, the attorney for whom Ohi was working as a clerk, intervened.   She served as an ensign in the US Navy, and afterwards moved to Washington, DC.  She became an attorney at the Office of Management and Budget and the US Department of Labor.

She passed away in August 1976 in Washington, DC.
 

"Fright Night" and "Back to the Future" win 3 Saturn Awards 1986

Back to the Future and Fright Night each won three Saturn Awards at the annual ceremony held by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films on May 28, 1986.  Ladyhawke won two awards.

Back to the Future won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Actor for Michael J. Fox for his performance as Marty McFly, and Best Special Effects for Kevin Pike.  

Fright Night won Best Horror Film, Best Supporting Actor for Roddy McDowall for his performance as Peter Vincent, and Best Writing for Tom Holland (not of Spider-man fame).

Ladyhawke won Best Fantasy Film and Best Costumes for Nana Cecchi.  

Anne Ramsey won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Mama Fratelli in The Goonies.

Back to the Future won an Oscar for Special Effects and nominated for three more, but since this was a Steven Spielberg movie, it had more of a wider appeal to audiences than the others at the Saturn Awards. None of the science fiction, fantasy, and horror films that year were nominated for any acting Oscars.  Of the ones that did receive nominations, they were only nominated for the technical awards. 

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Eric Shinseki, first Asian American four-star general

Eric Shinseki was born November 28, 1942 in Lihue, Kaua'i, Hawai'ian territory to a family of Japanese ancestry.  His grandparents emigrated from Hiroshima to Hawai'i in 1901. 

Taking inspiration from his uncles, he graduated from the US Military Academy in 1965 and was commissioned as second lieutenant.  He served two tours in the Vietnam War.  The first was with the 9th and 25th Infantry Divisions as an artillery observer; and then as commander of Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 5th Calvary. 

He was injured by a land mine, but recovered and returned to active duty in 1971. For his service, he was awarded three Bronze Star Medals and two Purple Hearts.

He became the first Asian American four-star general.  In 2009, the US Senate unanimously confirmed Shinseki as the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, becoming the first Asian American to hold the position.  He resigned in 2014 after a scandal involving the Veteran Health Administration.  

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Yo-Yo Ma, musician extraordinaire

Yo-Yo Ma, born October 7, 1955 in Paris, France to Chinese parents, is a renowned solo cellist who has performed with orchestras around the world.  He has recorded over 90 albums and has won 19 Grammy Awards. 

He began playing cello at age four with his father.  He was seven years old when he and his parents moved to Boston and then New York City.  He continued to study at Julliard School before transferring to Harvard University for a liberal arts education. 

He has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006.  Ma has received the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Kennedy Center Honors.

"Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" released 1983

George Lucas's third movie in the Star Wars saga, Return of the Jedi, was released in US theaters May 25, 1983. It opened to positive reviews and received numerous awards.  It won a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.  It was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Original Score for John Williams, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Sound. 

Of course, the nominations for the top Oscars were reserved for the dramas and biopics. Terms of Endearment is a good movie, and I've seen The Right Stuff, but were they better than Return of the Jedi for Best Picture?  I can tell you which one I've seen more than once. No plans to see any of the others.

John Williams's score lost to Bill Conti's score for The Right Stuff? Yeah, right. The Oscar committee stands by its "no horror, no science fiction" movies for any of the acting awards.  Good thing the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror films gives due credit.  Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher won Saturns for their acting prowess. 

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov!

Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, born May 24, 1990 in the previous Soviet Union, went into space aboard SpaceX Crew-9 to the International Space Station, as mission specialist in September 2024. He participated in Expedition 72 and planned to spend a month in space, but due to the problems with the spacecraft, his stay was extended.  

He spent 171 days in space, returning to Earth in March 2025.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: John Cho, Star Trek actor

John Cho, born June 16, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, immigrated to Los Angeles, California when he was six years old. Cho starred as Hikaru Sulu in the reboot of the Star Trek series.  He also appeared in the American Pie series and Harold & Kumar series.  

He starred in Searching, the first mainstream Hollywood thriller with an Asian American lead actor. 

Happy birthday, Spider-man actor Nicholas Hammond!

Nicholas Hammond, born May 15, 1950 in Washington DC, is probably best known for his role as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music, but he also starred as The Amazing Spider-Man for 14 episodes in the late 1970s. He was the first actor to portray Spider-Man in a live-action series.

He appeared in episodes of Farscape, Murder She Wrote, Dallas, and The Martian Chronicles. 

Soyuz TMA-04M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-041M crew (L-R): Joe Acaba, Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin

Soyuz TMA-04M, launched May 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 31 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin, and Joe Acaba. During the expedition, an unmanned Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX docked with the ISS as part of a test rendezvous. 

They returned to Earth after 125 days on September 17, 2012.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Francis Takemoto, first Native Hawai'ian brigadier general in US Army

Francis Takemoto, born November 28, 1912 in Honolulu, Hawai'i, graduated from University of Hawai'i with a degree in chemistry in 1935. He participated in the ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the Army Reserve. 

In March 1943, he reported for active duty and sent to train with the 442nd Infantry in Mississippi.  In March 1944, he was transferred to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division in Italy.  He earned a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart, after receiving a shrapnel wound to the side of his head, for his WWII service.

Takemoto was released from active duty in January 1946, and promoted to captain in the Army Reserve in September 1946. He was promoted to colonel in July 1960.  President Lyndon Johnson nominated him to be Brigadier general in the Army and Takemoto was confirmed by the US Senate in February 1964. 

He retired in May 1968. He passed away in May 2002 in Honolulu. 

Happy birthday, astronaut Jessica Watkins!

Jessica Watkins, born May 14, 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, went into space aboard the SpaceX Crew-4 Crew Dragon spacecraft Freedom as mission specialist.  She launched in April 2022 to the International Space Station and participated in Expeditions 67 and 68.  She spent over 170 days in space before returning to Earth.

Happy birthday, taikonaut Fei Junlong!

Chinese astronaut Fei Junlong, born May 5, 1965, has been in space twice.  

His first mission was aboard Shenzhou 6 as commander in October 2005.  The spaceflight lasted almost 5 days before he returned to Earth.

His second mission was aboard Shenzhou 15 as commander launched in November 2022 to the Tiangong space station.  Fei Junlong performed 4 EVAs during the mission.  He spent about 6 months in space before returning to Earth in June 2023.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Wataru Misaka, first Asian American to play in the NBA

Wataru Misaka, born December 21, 1923 in Ogden, Utah, grew up poor and in a bad area of the city, but graduated from Ogden High School.  He led the basketball team to a state championship title in 1940, and a regional title in 1941. 

This was at a time when Japanese Americans were being forced into internment camps.  He attended Weber College and helped lead its basketball team to two championships and was named Most Valuable Player of 1942. 

He enrolled at the University of Utah and played during their 1943-1944 season.  He was drafted to serve in WWII and rose to the rank of staff sergeant.  He returned after two years and rejoined the team at the University of Utah. 

He was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1947 Basketball Association of American and played in three games and scored seven points in the 1947-1948 season.  He was cut from the team mid-season.  

He completed a degree in engineering from Utah.

He passed away in November 2019 in Salt Lake City.  

Remembering Ruth Buzzi (1936-2025)

One of the funniest ladies ever, Ruth Buzzi, born July 24, 1936 in Westerly, Rhode Island, passed away yesterday at 88. She studied at the Pasadena Playhouse for the Performing Arts with Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.  

She gained fame for her work on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, where she performed a variety of roles and received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress - Television.

She was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. 

She battled Alzheimer's Disease and passed away from complications after a stroke.

GOP eases limits on seven major air pollutants: Party over People

Once again, the GOP has put party and profits over people.  The Republican-led Senate approved to overturn an EPA rule that limited some of the most hazardous air pollutants emitted by heavy industry. 

For the first time in the 55-year history of the Clean Air Act, Congress has weakened the rules on emitting seven pollutants.

Republican Senator John Curtis introduced the resolution, saying it “disincentivized” companies to deploy new technology to reduce pollution. He said the rule passed by the Biden Administration “shut the door on progress”.

Of course, Lee Zeldin, Environmental Pollution Agency Administrator, who lives in a fantasy world, said it won’t have adverse impacts on health or the environment.

Just FYI, here are the seven pollutants named in the resolution and their impacts on health.

Alkyllead compounds – Most common are tetraethyllead and tetramethyllead used as gasoline additives.  Neurotoxins, more toxic than inorganic forms of lead.  Lead adversely affects almost every organ of the body.

Polycyclic organic matter (POM) – A class of compounds that includes hundreds of chemicals including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.healtheffects.org/system/files/SR16-Polycyclic_Organic_Matter.pdf

Mercury – Seriously?

Hexachlorobenzene – Shown to cause death, systemic, neurological, developmental, endocrine, and immunological toxicity in humans. One of the “dirty dozen” chemicals outlawed by the Stockholm Convention in 2001.

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp90-c2.pdf

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) – Manufacturing was banned in 1979.  Possible carcinogen.

https://www.epa.gov/pcbs/learn-about-polychlorinated-biphenyls#healtheffects

 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofurans (TCDF) – 100% fatal if swallowed,  allowed to come in contact with skin, or inhaled.

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/2_3_7_8-Tetrachlorodibenzofuran#section=Safety-and-Hazards

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin – Linked to liver injury, dysbiosis, and heart defects

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/2_3_7_8-Tetrachlorodibenzofuran#section=Associated-Disorders-and-Diseases

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-votes-to-overturn-epa-rule-limits-7-hazardous-air-pollutants-clean-air-act/

 

 

Happy birthday, astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger!

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, born May 2, 1975 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, went into space in 2010. She graduated from Fort Collins High School and attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, graduating in 1997.

She was selected by NASA in 2004.  She went into space aboard Discovery (STS-131) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2010. She returned to Earth after 15 days in space.

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Patsy Mink, first Asian American woman elected to Congress

Patsy Takemoto Mink, born December 6, 1927 on Maui in Hawai'ian territory, graduated from Maui High School in 1944 and attended the University of Hawai'i at Manoa for two years before transferring to the University of Nebraska. She experienced racism and worked to eliminate segregation policies, but illness forced her to return to Hawai'i to complete her studies.

She applied to twelve medical schools but was rejected by all of them.  She applied to the University of Chicago Law School in 1948.  Unable to find employment after graduation, Mind returned to Hawai'i with her husband and daughter in 1952. She opened her own law practice in 1953 and became a member of the Democratic Party.  

The next year she was elected to the territorial House of Representatives, making her the first Japanese-American woman to serve in the House.  Two years later, she became the first woman to serve in the territorial Senate.

In 1962, she was elected to the new Hawai'i State Senate and became the first Asian-American woman to serve in a state legislature.  In 1964, she ran for federal office and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mink served until her death in 2002.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patsy_Mink