Andrew Yang's big gamble - thumbs up to Super PACs

It's a risk, but Andrew Yang is willing to take that chance if it moves him into the top tier of Democrats seeking the presidency.

He has decided to accept funds raised by a Super PAC, making him the only one of the Democratic candidates to do so. The other candidates are depending on comparitively small donations from individuals in order to demonstrate their independence from lobbyists and special interests.

The Super PAC backing Yang is Math PAC, which is run by Will Hailer, a Democratic operative who previously worked as a senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee and as a top staffer for now-Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to HuffPost. Hailer told Recode the group planned to spend at least $1 million to back Yang.

“Math PAC will work to ensure that [Americans] know that Andrew Yang is our best chance of defeating Donald Trump,” the group declares in the mission statement on its website. “We conduct targeted advertising, plan events, and launch outreach initiatives, so Americans learn what is at stake this election cycle and into the future.”

Yang, whose campaign is stalling around 2% in the polls, has surprised pundits for lasting this long. Although he's outperformed better known and more experienced candidates but he has failed to move into the top five contenders that include Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigeig and Kamala Harris.

With the $10 million raised by his campaign in the last quarter, Yang should have enough to carry him through the first few primaries and the caucuses in Iowa and Nevada.

“As the only candidate in the Democratic primary openly embracing the help of a single-candidate super PAC, Andrew Yang has sold out to big money and ended any pretense of running a grassroots campaign,” End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller told HuffPost. “Single digit poll numbers and a big money super PAC bailing you out doesn’t equal a winning campaign. The math doesn’t add up.

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BTS nominated for three American Music Awards

By TenAsia, CC BY 3.0, Link

ASAM NEWS
International sensations BTS received three nominations from the American Music Awards this week, but many fans said they should have received more., the Hollywood Reporter said.

The Korean boy-band group has been nominated for “Tour of the Year”, “Favorite Social Artist”, and “Favorite Duo or Group-Pop/Rock”.

While some might feel that three nominations are a lot to receive, some fans of BTS actually feel that the group deserves more, according to Distractify.

After six years of touring, it has also been announced that the KPop band will be taking a break from music.

Apparently, being idolized by adoring fans and performing in front of thousands can be taxing.

Fans have no need to worry, as this has been expressed as just taking time to recharge, not a breakup.

"This period of rest will be an opportunity for the members of BTS...to recharge and prepare to present themselves anew as musicians and creators," the statement from TIME read.

The American Music Awards are set to take place on November 24.

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In Hollywood, the box office success encourages inclusion & diversityi

GRAPHIC BY E!ONLINE

A new report tying movie-going audiences with film content concludes: Representation matters.

Hollywood decision-makers are finally coming around to the idea that America is a lot more complex, interesting and colorful than the white world it has been depicting. And surprise, surprise, making movies with diverse ideas and actors can make money.

The box office success of movies like Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians forces the entertainment industry's studio heads and producers to rethink their old biases and acknowledge that people of color make up a substantial part of their audience.

"Today’s consumer has countless entertainment options, making it easier than ever for diverse audiences to find content that speaks to their tastes and experiences," said Chief Commercial Officer and President of Movio Media Craig Jones. "If cinema is to remain relevant and continue having a cultural impact, it must attract these audiences by delivering more representative content.

Movio, a film industry marketing and data firm, on Thursday (Oct. 24) recently released a white paper, "The Diversity Demand: Securing the Future of Moviegoing," examines how theatrical audience composition correlates to increased representation on screen, and if this suggests an opportunity to drive box office by producing content representative of audiences that have historically been underrepresented in film.

The analysis confirms a correlation between a minority group’s representation on screen and that group’s audience turnout, with some groups attending in numbers at more than twice the usual rate. The research also shows that increased representation of minority groups on screen can influence less engaged moviegoers within that demographic cohort to attend the theater.

TWITTER / JON CHU

The casts of 'Black kPanther' and 'Crazy Rich Asians' got together at the 2018 Academy Awards.

As a cursory analysis, Movio selected several pairs of theatrically released films which would generally be considered “similar” in terms of both genre and budget. For each pair, one film featured an underrepresented lead or co-lead and the other film did not. The audience composition of each film was then analyzed by Movio’s data science team. Some highlights include:

• The audience for Pixar’s Coco was nearly 75% more Latinx than the audience for another Pixar hit, Incredibles 2.
• Horror hit Us brought out an audience that was nearly 100% more African American or Black than the audience that attended similar title, A Quiet Place.
• Analyzing a trio of similar Romantic Comedy titles, the research found Crazy Rich Asians attracted an audience that was 186% more Asian and What Men Want attracted an audience that was 296% more African American or Black than the audience that attended Isn’t It Romantic.
• Crazy Rich Asians also brought in a significantly higher share of First Time, Infrequent, and Occasional Asian moviegoers than any other ethnic cohort.
• Comparing DC superhero hits Wonder Woman and Aquaman, the analysis shows the female led superhero title did not significantly alter the demographic profile of the audience in attendance, as both titles attracted an audience that was 40-41% female. Considering Hollywood’s longstanding hesitation to release a female-led superhero movie, the “absence of underperformance” within a certain audience group (male moviegoers, in this case) may be as meaningful as a title’s overperformance with another.
• Mega Blockbuster hit Black Panther attracted an audience that was 38% more African American or Black than Avengers: Infinity War. This is huge in absolute terms, with 40.7% of all Black U.S. moviegoers attending Black Panther.

“Movio’s ability to tie ticket purchases to individual moviegoers enables us to decipher the drivers of collective moviegoing behavior and to analyze attendance trends within demographic groups,” says Jones, who will discuss the White Paper findings during his appearance at the upcoming New York Film Conference this Tuesday, (Oct. 29).

Download the full white paper here.

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Tulsi Gabbard won't run for re-election for her House seat

SCREEN CAPTURE

Tulsi Gabbard sent this video to her followers explaining her decision to give up her House of Representatives seat.

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard put all her eggs in one basket by declaring Thursday (Oct. 24) that she will not run for re-election for her House seat in order to concentrate on her campaign for president.

Via social media, the 38-year old Hawaii representative announced to her supporters that she will not be seeking reelection to her District 2 seat that she's held since 2013.

Gabbard, who represents Hawaii, made the announcement in a video and email to supporters. "I believe that I can best serve the people of Hawaii and our country as your president and commander-in-chief," Gabbard said in the video.

With Gabbard's decision, that opens the door for District 2 challenger Kai Kahele, a Democrat and a Hawaii state senator. “I wholly respect and appreciate Congresswoman Gabbard’s decision not to pursue re-election for her Congressional seat as she pursues the Presidency,' Kahele tweeted. "I wish her and her family the best going forward. I remain fully committed to my campaign to becomes Hawaii’s next Congressman.”

In the race for the White House, with 20 Democratic candidates still in the running, Gabbard remains near the bottom of the polls. The Hindu American's campaign has failed to gain traction so far.

It was expected that the Samoan American would drop out of the presidential contest and return to campaigning for her House seat. Her declaration to stay in seems to indicate that she will continue to campaign all the way to the Democratic convention in the summer of 2020.

Last week, Gabbard began sparring with Clinton after the Democrats' 2016 presidential nominee, suggested, without presenting any evidence, that the lawmaker was a Russian asset. Gabbard has denied the inference and has countered by calling Clinton the "queen of warmongers" and challenging her to enter the race.

The dispute with Clinton had the unexpected effect of apparently raising Gabbard's profile. Her campaign began raising funds from Clinton's accusation and her rating inched up in some polls.

"At this time when our country is so divided, and our world is moving ever closer to a nuclear holocaust; a time when we may be sucked into another even more disastrous war in the Middle East, and tensions with other nuclear powers are escalating, and with that, a new arms race and Cold War that can only end in nuclear catastrophe, I believe I can best serve the people of Hawaiʻi and our country as your President and Commander-in-Chief," said Gabbard in her statement.

"As President, I will immediately begin work to end the new Cold War and nuclear arms race, end our interventionist foreign policy of carrying out regime change wars, and redirect our precious resources towards serving the needs of the people here at home," she added.

"As such, I will not be seeking re-election to Congress in 2020, and humbly ask you for your support for my candidacy for President of the United States," concluded Gabbard.

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TGIF Feature: Sony acquires Filipino American movie 'Yellow Rose'

Eva Noblezada stars in 'Yellow Rose.'

The Filipino American film Yellow Rose will be distributed by Sony Pictures.

Since its debut at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival last Spring, the movie of a young undocumented Filipina American's quest to become a country singner, Yellow Rose has been gathering plaudits at film festivals from coast-to-coast.

With Sony's acquisition, the feature movie directed by Diane Paragas and starring Broadway star Eva Noblezada, will be able to have a wider theatrical release.

Yellow Rose, which also features Lea Salonga, is Paragas' feature debut and the first film role for Noblezada, who was recently nominated for an Tony for her role in Hadestown. 

“Yellow Rose has been a labor of passion for over 15 years and I’m thrilled that we can now share this very relevant story with the world,” says Paragas. “We have the added honor of representing the real experiences of Filipino Americans, Asian Americans, and all immigrants seeking a better life in America.”

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Phoney political influencer charged as an unregistered foreign agent

IMAD SHAH ZUBERI

A L.A. man who who donated $900,000 to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee has been charged Tuesday (Oct. 22) with falsifying records to hide his work as a foreign agent while he lobbied prominent US government officials, say federal prosecutors.

Federal officials say Imaad Shah Zuberi, 49, who also donated $260,000 to President Obama's 2013 inauguration, has agreed to plead guilty to those criminal charges at a later date, pursuant to a plea agreement.

“Mr. Zuberi was the primary organizer of paid political efforts to mold the opinion of political officials, including members of Congress, to benefit Sri Lanka. Instead, he used shell business entities to divert millions of dollars for his own personal use,” stated Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office. 

“This case should deter individuals who seek to provide false statements to the Department and covertly influence our political process on behalf of foreign governments,” said Assistant Attorney General of National Security John C. Demers. “Through misrepresentations in his FARA filing, Mr. Zuberi attempted to deceive our elected officials and the American public on behalf of Sri Lanka.”

In addition to violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Zuberi is charged in a criminal information with tax evasion and making almost $1 million in illegal campaign contributions that included funneling money from foreign entities and individuals to influence U.S. elections.

Zuberi, a 49-year-old resident of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to the three counts. A plea agreement also filed Tuesday in United States District Court notes that Zuberi faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison once he pleads guilty to the charges.

Zuberi, who operated a venture capital firm called Avenue Ventures, solicited foreign nationals and representatives of foreign governments with claims he could use his influence in Washington, D.C. to change US foreign policy and create business opportunities for his clients and himself. 

According to court documents, clients gave Zuberi money for consulting fees, to make investments, or to fund campaign contributions. As part of his efforts to influence public policy, Zuberi hired lobbyists, retained public relations professionals and made campaign contributions – which gave him access to high-level U.S. officials, some of whom took action in support of his clients. As evidence of his access and influence, Zuberi distributed to his clients photographs of himself discussing policy with elected officials.

While some US officials were willing to take action on issues Zuberi put forward, most of Zuberi’s business efforts were unsuccessful and his clients suffered significant losses. Many of the lobbyists, public relations consultants, and other subcontractors also suffered losses when Zuberi refused to pay them, according to the information. 

Zuberi, on the other hand, became wealthy, primarily as the result of fraudulent representations about his background, influence, and the use of client funds, much of which constituted an “outright conversion of client money for defendant Zuberi’s own personal benefit,” the information states.

The information further states that Zuberi accepted money from two foreign companies with promises that the funds would be used to contribute to political campaigns, but Zuberi took the vast majority of the money – more than $1.1 million – for his own personal use.

In 2014, Zuberi entered into a contract with the government of Sri Lanka to rehabilitate Sri Lanka’s image in the United States, which had suffered as a result of allegations of persecution of the country’s minority Tamil population. Zuberi promised to make substantial expenditures on lobbying efforts, legal expenses and media buys, which prompted Sri Lanka to agree to pay Zuberi a total of $8.5 million over the course of six months in 2014. According to court documents, days after Sri Lanka made an initial payment of $3.5 million, Zuberi transferred $1.6 million into his personal brokerage accounts and used another $1.5 million to purchase real estate.

In relation to the FARA charge in the information, Zuberi agreed to plead guilty to submitting false registration statements in which he concealed his direction of the Sri Lanka lobbying effort, as well as the millions of dollars he received.

Zuberi is expected to make his initial appearance in this case in United States District Court on October 30.

“American influence is not for sale,” said Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. Zuberi lured individuals who were seeking political influence in violation of U.S. law, and in the process, enriched himself by defrauding those with whom he interacted.”

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Missing West Point cadet's death ruled a suicide

ASAM NEWS
(Updated, 9 a.m., Oct. 24)

West Point announced that its missing cadet, Kade Kurita was found dead Tuesday night, CNN reports.

Kurita had been missing since Friday. Law enforcement began searching for 20-year old Kurita when he did not show up for a military skills competition that Friday. His M4 rifle was also missing. Officials said that he wasn’t believed to have any magazines or ammunition with him and therefore wasn’t a threat.

Before disappearing Friday, U.S. Military Academy Cadet Kade Kurita posted a short note on Snapchat, indicating his plan to end his life, according to an US Army official who asked to remain anonymous.

According to CBS, Kurita was found dead at 9:47 p.m. in the basement of a building on the campus. A single shot from his M4 rifle apparently ended his life.

West Point released a statement following the revelation of Kurita’s death.

“We are grieving this loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to Cadet Kurita’s family and friends,” said Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the academy’s superintendent.

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Why all Americans should know about Larry Itliong

The late labor leader Larry Itliong's birthday is Oct. 25.

UPDATED Oct. 19, 2021

I was greatly disappointed that in the movie Cesar Chavez, that Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong was given the role of a spear carrier. 

I'm not sure his name was mentioned at all during the biopic of Chavez He just hung out in the background while the camera focused on the great union leader..

("Spear carrier" is the older version of what we now call "red shirts." In Hollywood's old bliblical epics spear carriers were used as background, like a piece of furniture or painting on the wall. Their moder equivalent are the red shirts, derived from the Star Trek television series. Those crewmen who wore red shirts had no name and if shooting was to ensue, they would be the first to be hit.)

Larry Itliong's name and deeds should be just as celebrated and held in reverence -- though the rough-around-the-edges Itliong would the first to blanch at that -- as we hold Chavez' name in esteem.

In California, legislation in 2015 by then-Assemblymember Rob Bonta, the only Filipino American in the state's legislature, made Itliong's birthday, Oct. 25,  a day to recognize the historic figure and his role in shaping California and the Filipino American community of today.

Larry Itliong Day is taking a while to get recognized. Celebrations throughout the state have been few but each year, more cities, communities and schools are learning to celebrate the American icon. 

A park in Delano has been named after Itliong and a school in the Bay Area bares his name along with fellow labor leader Philip Vera Cruz.

Itliong, also known as “Seven Fingers,” was a Filipino American labor organizer whose story is not as well known as others but is just as important to our history. 

It’s been said that Cesar Chavez inspired the world but that Larry Itliong inspired Cesar Chavez. In an era known for civil rights movements, Itliong fought for better working conditions for farm workers.

He came to the U.S. in 1929 when he was 15, never having slept in a bed or lived in a home with electricity. He was a natural activist and worked as a laborer and a farmhand in several states. 

Itliong first joined striking lettuce workers in Washington State. Later, he fished in Alaska and organized the cannery workers there. It was also in Alaska that he lost three fingers in an accident in a cannery, earning him the nickname “Seven Fingers.” 

Itliong went on to organize Filipino farm workers as they followed the seasonal harvests of grapes, raisins, brussel sprouts and other crops across Central California. 

The historic strike vote led by Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee took place on Sept. 8 1965 and was soon joined by the Chavez-led National Farm Workers Association. Five years later, they formed the powerful United Farm Workers and forever changed the face of agricultural labor in California. 

Itliong spent his life standing up for his belief that “everyone has equal rights and justice, but you have to make that come about.” He died on Feb. 8, 1977, leaving a legacy of activism for later generations of Filipino students, housing advocates, doctors, CPAs, nurses, tech workers, home care and domestic workers.

Itliong moved on to become the President of the Filipino American Political Association, the first national political Filipino American organization and a crucial alliance between Filipino professionals and laborers that grew out of the Delano Grape Strike.

He was also instrumental in the founding of the Pablo Agbayani Village, a retirement home built by volunteers for retired Filipino Manongs who no longer had families and needed a place to call home.

Larry Itliong passed away in 1977 at the age of 63 leaving behind his wife and seven children and the everlasting legacy of Filipino American activism.

Actress Shay Mitchell is a new mom

ASAM NEWS &

VIEWS FROM THE EDGE

“Never letting go.” With those three words, actress Shay Mitchell announced the birth of her new baby girl on Monday, Oct. 22.

From the moment her water broke, the Filipina Canadian actress began video taping her experience for her social media accounts.

Her labor lasted 33 hours and Mitchell's support team and boyfriend were taking photos and taping the entire event. Her social media team edited the video down to almost 12 minutes (See below).

YOUTUBE

'"Oh my god! My water's breaking," says Shay Mitchell

She posted a photo of her on Instagram holding her baby’s hand. The baby follows a miscarriage in 2018, a journey that the Filipino and Irish, Scottish actress from Canada has openly shared on social media.

Later, she posted a video on Youtube showing her with her newborn daughter.

Four months ago, her boyfriend Matte Babel posted on Instagram along with a photo of a very pregnant girl friend, “Watching the both of you grow over the past 6 months has been the most beautiful thing in the world.

The strength, vulnerability and grace you’ve had during this pregnancy has left me in awe, you’re going to be an incredible mom…We’re lucky to have you, love you.”

The Filipina Canadian actress says she has a name picked out, but has not disclosed it.

According to People Magazine, the Pretty Little Liars star does not plan on taking a maternity leave.

“My entire team knows that there’s no maternity leave for me,”she told the magazine last month. “I do a lot of my work on my phone and I have another company that I run. I love what I do, so for me it doesn’t feel like work.”

YOUTUBE

At last, Mitchell can hold her daughter as boyfriend Matte Babel comforts her and the newborn.

When asked by Buzzfeed how she felt about the experience altogether, despite the long labor, Mitchell surprisingly had nothing but positive things to say.

"[It was the] best experience of my life," she said. "Nothing can prepare you for the feeling you get when you hold your child for the first time."

"This is definitely the most intense experience of my life," she said afterwards. "Matte and I are parents. I can’t believe it."

Proving to still have her sense of humor, the new mother added: "I was 99% excited to meet her, and 1% excited to eat something."

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HBO will bring a real-life family of crazy rich Asians to television

The Ho family will be the subject of a new reality series.

HBO is betting that audiences can't get enough of crazy, rich Asians spending a lot of money for material goods and designer names.

Wlecome to the opulent, over-the-top world of the Ho family. 

(Editor's Note: The "House of Ho" premieres Thursday, Dec. 10 on HBO Max.)

HBO Max will bring a new docu-series from Lionsgate TV, T"he House of Ho." The inaugural season of this comedic, full-hearted doc style series in the spirit of Crazy Rich Asians will include 8 thirty-minute episodes.

Led by patriarch Binh Ho and his wife, Hue Ho, the power couple immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Ho's. 

The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues. While Binh and Hue have laid down a golden foundation for their children, Judy Ho and Washington Ho (yes, named after the nation's founding father and whose kids are named Lincoln and Roosevelt), they are not exempt from the constant pressure to achieve and to live up to their parents' lofty expectations. 

Despite the power struggles, at the end of the day, the Ho household is filled with love, laughter, and a few designer handbags, of course.

"Rarely do you come across a family that is so rich in so many ways - not just in wealth, but in heart, traditions and love for each other," said Jennifer O'Connell, Executive Vice President of Original Non-fiction and Kids Programming, HBO Max. "There's great pride in being a Ho and they are ready to give the world a seat at their luxurious table."

"The Ho family is wildly engaging and we're very excited to partner with HBO Max in bringing this hilarious and exuberant series to viewers," said Alice Dickens-Koblin, Lionsgate SVP and Head of Unscripted Programming.The reality show is seet to premiere in the Spring of 2020.

The members of the Ho Family the show will focus on are:

Binh Ho, 71, despite being the super strict patriarch of the Ho family, Binh has nothing but good intentions. Originally from Vietnam, his hard work has paid off and he is now the owner of a successful bank. Although Binh is living the 'American Dream' he feels the need to control every move his children make.

Hue Ho, 66, is Binh's loving wife and the matriarch of the family. Hue is always the perfect looking, highly critical mom who thinks her children can do no wrong. She often defends the children when Binh seems unreasonable, especially over Washington's hard-partying ways. Her love for her family is rivaled only by her love of cooking, which is on full display at the weekly Sunday dinner she hosts. The authentic Vietnamese fare is mouth-watering but the drama at the table is even juicier.

Judy Ho, 39, is the first born of Binh and Hue Ho. The self-pegged responsible and reliable one, Judy was the perfect candidate to become a lawyer and did so with flying colors as she is the consummate perfectionist. She is a mom to three kids and is going through a divorce.

Washington Ho, 38, is the "former" playboy of the family with a reputation of dating questionable women and partying way too hard. Once he met Lesley, his future wife who would eventually steal his heart, he was forced to settle down ... a little. Now, he's a devoted father of two adorable kids, Roosevelt and Lincoln, but all of this is about to change as he attempts to prove he's a changed man and ready to step out of his father's looming shadow - he just hasn't quite figured out how.

Lesley Ho, 34, is Washington's independent, outspoken, down-to-earth and loving Vietnamese-American wife who juggles being the mother of their two beautiful children with her career as a pharmacist. Growing up in a small town, middle-class family in Oklahoma, she's had to adjust to the over the top lifestyle that comes with being a Ho.

Aunt Tina, 58, is the Aunt that likes to be noticed and makes sure that everybody does. From her purple streaked hair to her tight dresses, Aunt Tina is all about...well, Tina. She likes to work hard and play harder. As one of the younger immigrants of the Ho family, she grew up in Vietnam before following in her older brother's footsteps and moving to America.

Cousin Sammy, 29, should probably have her life a little more together but instead, lives for the moment even if it doesn't always work in her favor. Since she and Washington are so close, he decided to offer her a job as his head of marketing.

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NBC cancels 'Sunnyside;' Kal Penn series moves to online

The cat of "Sunnyside"

ASAM NEWS

Things might not be looking so sunny for fans of the new comedy series Sunnyside. NBC has cancelled the show and will air the next seven episodes on digital platforms only, TV Line reports.

Sunnyside, co-created by Kal Penn, follows a councilman and a group of immigrants who are studying to become American citizens. The series premiered last month to the lowest ratings out of all big four broadcast network freshmen series this fall, according to TV Guide. 

The half-hour sitcom will be available on the NBC app. In addition, Hulu will also air the new episodes every Thursday, the same day it shows on NBC's app.

Starting on October 24, TV Guide reports that Sunnyside’s primetime 9:30 p.m. slot will be replaced with the final season of Will and Grace, originally set to debut early next year.

Sunnyside cast member Joel Kim Booster responded to getting the news on Columbus Day, writing that he felt the time slot had been “colonized.”

According to TV By The Numbers, the sitcom originally slated for 10 episodes will conclude with an extra 11th episode ordered by NBC.

Kal Penn, meanwhile, hasn’t yet ruled out the possibility of continuing with a second season elsewhere, possibly on Hulu. 

The streaming network similarly rescued the Mindy Project after it was cancelled by the Fox network. The Mindy Project, starring Mindy Kaling, continued to perform well enough for three more seasons.

In the Tweet, the co-creator praised Sunnyside’s “funny, heartwarming patriotic,” episodes for making up “the most diverse show on [TV].”

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ANALYSIS: Who is supporting Tulsi Gabbard?

Hillary Clinton warns about Russian interference;

Tulsi Gabbard strikes back with strong words

Tulsi Gabbard, who is struggling in her presidential campaign, is using accusations of Russian support to breathe new life into her long-shot run for POTUS.

Polling between 1% and 2%, Gabbard is unlikely to win the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Donald Trump. But Hawaii's congressional representative is getting a lot of press -- aleit, all for the wrong reason.

There is a growing concern among Democrats that Gabbard might become the Jill Stein of 2020. With alleged support of Russia, Stein, running as a presidential candidate for the Green Party in 2016, was able to draw enough votes from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to give critical states to Trump.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Edited Oct. 30 to clarify that Clinton said "Republicans" were grooming a candidate.

Clinton said that the Republicans were grooming a Democratic candidate for a run for a third party candidacy to split the 2020 vote to help Donald Trump. The Guardian reports the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee believes Tulsi Gabbard could fill that role.

Without naming Gabbard, Clinton said on the podcast Campaign HQ with former Obama aide David Plouffe, ” “She’s the favorite of the Russians,” 

"They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far.”

Reporters asked Clinton’s spokesman whether the Senator was referring to Gabbard and he said: “If the nesting doll fits.”

Gabbard, who split with the Democrats in 2016 and endorsed Bernie Sanders run for president, is now running about 12th in the polls in the race for the Democratic nomination in 2020.

Gabbard had harsh words for Clinton on Twitter.

“You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain.”

Clearly, the Clinton inference got to the candidate, who is usually unflappably smooth despite her poor polling numbers and

In a profile in The Atlantic, reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere wrote about Gabbard:

"Many high-level Democrats I spoke with for this story, who insisted on anonymity to share their true feelings about her, suspect that Gabbard is up to something other than actually trying to win the party’s nomination—even if they can’t quite identify what her goal is. These are people who have been wary since Gabbard became a Fox News favorite for criticizing Obama’s foreign policy. They believed that their distrust was vindicated when Steve Bannon brought her in for a meeting with then-president-elect Donald Trump just two weeks after the 2016 election, which was one of Trump’s first meetings with a Democrat. To this group, Gabbard looks like Jill Stein, who also talked about progressive politics and peace, but whose 2016 Green Party run was, to them, a self-centered campaign that blew a crucial hole in Hillary Clinton’s chances, eating up money and getting Russian support along the way.

Most of the evidence of Russian support for Gabbard is circumstantial but a link has not been proven Although Moscow's interest in Gabbard is apparent.

Gabbard’s campaign has been promoted by Russian state-owned media and a number of alt-right websites and defended on Twitter by the Russian Embassy, according to the Associated Press.

On Friday and Saturday, Gabbard refused to disavow the support she’s seen from Russian actors and alt-right site. Instead of responding to direct questions about possible support from Russia, as a counterattack, Gabbard chose to hurled insults and challlenges via social media.

Tulsi Gabbard lets off steam with a round of mixed martial arts. Watch the video here.

Asked by The Atlantic about the support for a story published Thursday, Gabbard said, “I don't have any explanation for these things, other than the fact that the world and other countries, including Russia, are in agreeance that we are in a better place in the world when we're not on the brink of nuclear war.”

Russia's RT news agency often features Gabbard's campaign, according to The Atlantic. The Russian Embassy in South Africa has also tweeted in defense of her, and Russian bots have reportedly boosted her campaign online.

At one point right after the Democrat's first debate in June, some polls suggested that Gabbard was getting a huge response over the other 20 candidates that appeared on the two-night event.

Based on reports from NBC News, now we know why she did so well in those unofficial post-debate polls:

"Users from pro-Trump communities on 4chan and Reddit implored fellow members to vote for lower-polling candidates in online polls, specifically Tulsi Gabbard and Bill de Blasio, in the hours after Wednesday’s Democratic debate — a sign that digital manipulation efforts related to U.S. politics and elections remain very much alive.

"Users on 4chan’s anonymous far-right /pol/message board repeatedly posted links to polls across the web, encouraging one another to “blow the polls out” for Gabbard, the congresswoman from Hawaii who has developed a substantial support base among many of its users.

"The posts pointed users toward polls on national news websites like the Drudge Report, The Washington Examiner, and Heavy.com, but also polls from local news providers like NJ.com, which posts from several newspapers in the state.

“GIVE HER YOUR POWER,” read one 4chan post from 1 a.m. Thursday, pointing to a screenshot of the still-active Drudge poll showing Gabbard leading."

Gabbard repeated to The Guardian an earlier promise that she will not run as an independent or third-party candidate if she doesn’t win the Democratic nomination.

“I’ve been very clear, I will not be leaving the Democratic party, I will not be running as an independent or a third-party candidate,” Gabbard said. “I am running as a Democrat to take our party back, away from the control of people like Hillary Clinton and the warmongering and corrupt, powerful establishment and return our party into the hands of the people. Make it so the Democratic party is once again a party of, by and for the people, a party that will fight for the people, fight to protect the planet and that will fight for peace.”

Gabbard has also received unsolicited support from Trump supporters. She receives positive coverage on Fox News and is often featured in the right-wing Washington Examiner. 

Gabbard is also supported by the Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, which she has  strongly disavowed. Despite rejecting Duke's support, she remains close to Niko House, a noted conspiracy theorist who believes the mass shooting in Las Vegas was an intelligence operation meant to distract from the Harvey Weinstein scandal — and who is also, by far, the most successful digital fundraiser for her campaign, according to a recent announcement from the Hawaii Democrat’s presidential campaign staff.

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Tulsi Gabbard, left, appears on Niko House's (center) opening page on his website 

Clinton's assertions may backfire. Since the Gabbard-Clinton clash, interest in Gabbard's campaign has reportedly ticked up in Iowa, according to Time Magazine, drawing support from Clinton-haters. The Hindu American is fundraising off the Clinton remarks, according to several news outlets.

Despite the obstacles in her way, Gabbard told AP she’s “continuing to use every platform possible to reach voters directly” when asked about her path to the nomination, and wouldn’t predict how she’d finish in Iowa, where she only has a staff of three. But Gabbard suggested that might not matter — even if she doesn’t have enough delegates to win, “we’re taking this all the way to the nomination.”

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Nathan Chen: Three quads is now expected as he wins Skate America

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Nathan Chen at Skate America.

ASAM NEWS

Nathan Chen, 20, won his third straight Skate America Grand Prix championship Saturday.
“I’m really happy with that,” said Chen according to Yahoo! Sports after his free skate clinched his first place finish in the Las Vegas competition. “That’s a good score. Hopefully I can continue to build off of that. Of course I made a couple of errors, so I need to clean those up.”

Yahoo! Sports reported that Chen beat runner-up Jason Brown by 44 points with a total score of 299.09 In his free skate, Chen did three quadruple jumps.

Before the competition, Chen spoke with NBC Sports about his plans for the performance He said that he wanted to do an least three quads in his free skate. Chen also skated to Elton John’s music, which he is a big fan.

As a college sophomore at Yale, Chen has to find time for both skating and studying.

“Skating is always tough, always a challenge,” he told NBC Sports. “But I would say, relative to last season, skating might be a little bit on the easier side. I think classes are definitely a lot harder… You have to really grind for a long period of time or else you don’t do well.”

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Kauai celebrates Filipino American History Month with documentary screenings

Hawaii's Filipinos joined the US military to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation.

In observance of Filipino American History Month, the Kauai Philippine Cultural Center and Kukui Grove Center co-host the Garden Island Film Festival that will screen two documentaries.

The GIFF is screening two films about Filipinos by Kauai filmmaker Stephanie J. Castillo at Kukui Grove Center on Wednesday, Oct. 23, starting at 6 p.m. Castillo is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker with Kauai family roots.

Both showings are free.

6 p.m. – “An Untold Triumph: America’s Filipino Soldiers” The story of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, US Army (2006, 82 minutes).

During World War II, 7,000 Filipino Americans volunteered their services to the U.S. Army and helped liberate their homeland from Japanese occupation. Director Noel M. Izon captures their stories through the voices of the veterans themselves, most of them gone now, and delivers touching personal accounts of the men’s contributions and sacrifices during the war. Despite the fact that they endured a bleak, racist prewar climate and were not even considered U.S. citizens, these individuals rallied to join the war effort and cement their rightful place in American history.

7:30 p.m. “Remember the Boys, A Story of Hawaii Filipino Soldiers in World War II” (2007, 30 minutes)

“Remember the Boys” poignantly captures the inspiring, true story of a chaplain to his war buddies. Born in Hawaii, Domingo Los Banos was a US World War II soldier who went to war in the Philippines as a teenager with some 50 other teenagers of Filipino ancestry from Hawaii.

The two documentaries were created by Castillo, who is based on Kauai. A former journalist and an EMMY Award-winning independent filmmaker, she has been developing television documentaries since 1989. 

Her many awards include an Emmy Award, 3 CINE Golden Eagles, a Tele Award, two Best awards at the Hawaii International FIlm Festival, a Progress Award from the Hawaii United Filipino Council, and a Pamana Arts Legacy Award in recognition of her contribution to the Filipino American community through the 1992 documentary "An Untold Triumph. a history of AIDS."

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Sunday Read: California Muslim students more likely to be bullied in school

Muslim students in California continue to report being bullied or harassed at a higher rate than other students in the state and the country, according to a new report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

The CAIR report, "Singled Out: Islamophobia in the Classroom and the Impact of Discrimination on Muslim Students,"  released Wednesday (Oct. 16) reveals that Muslim students are bullied at twice the rate of the national statistic.

While the report shows some hope that there is a decline in bullying, CAIR-Greater Los Angeles' Senior Civil Rights Attorney Patricia Shnell, Esq., the lead editor of the report., said, "Muslim students still report bullying at alarmingly high rates, and there is a need to continue to advocate for students at the federal, state and district levels, so that everyone has uninterrupted access to their education, regardless of their religion or background."

“I was in second grade when I first decided to wear a headscarf (hijab). Three days after my decision, a classmate attacked my new appearance by implying that I was connected to Osama Bin Laden," said Anoosh Ali, 18, a first-year student at Sierra College. She was so traumatized she never wore a hijab again until last year. "It took me 10 years to get over the shattering effects that bullying had. Ten years!"

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At a press conferencee, Anoosh Ali relates how traumatic bullying can be for a young Muslim student.

The report, is based on findings from a statewide survey of approximately 1,500 Muslim students between the ages of 11 and 18. This report is the fourth in CAIR-CA's series of biennial reports documenting the rates of bullying of Muslim students in California.

Each report is based on a survey which asks Muslim students across the state about how they perceive their school environment and the type of bullying and/or discrimination they have experienced at school, as either a target or bystander.

According to the responses received for the new report, 40% of respondents reported being bullied for being Muslim, which is double the national statistic for students being targets of school bullying.

Key findings illustrate minimal improvement in school environments for Muslim students.

While 72% of Muslim students reported feeling comfortable letting others know they were Muslims, that percentage is down from the 2016 survey, when 77% of respondents felt the same.

Seventy percent of respondents felt safe, welcomed and respected in their schools, just 1% higher than as reported in 2016. However, looking at the wider trend among CAIR-CA surveys, the number of Muslim students who report feeling safe, welcome and respected at their schools has declined 13 percentage points since 2014.

The survey also considered gender-based differences in survey responses. More female students reported experiencing bullying, with 44% of female respondents reporting being bullied compared to 37% of male respondents.

In addition to analyzing gender-based differences, CAIR-CA also focused on age-based differences. The data revealed that high school-age student respondents were bullied at a higher rate than lower grades, with 48% of 12th-grade respondents reporting being bullied, the highest rate based on age/grade.

To comply with that law, Assembly Bill 2291, the California Department of Education posted online an anti-bullying training module that schools must offer to teachers and other employees who have regular interaction with students.

“In the era of Trump and abhorrent attacks on our immigrant communities, the fact that 40% of Muslim students have faced bullying is extremely troubling, but not surprising," Chiu said in a statement. "Moving forward, we will be monitoring this issue and working with advocates to see what steps can be taken to make sure all students feel safe and welcome at school.”

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