LRM MYSPACE

 LRM issue No. 2
 

LRM Issue No. 2 Be Inthavong, Ova Saopeng, Xang Chareunsab, Pat Channita, Casualties of War, Daniel D, Boon Vong, Buclao Comic Strip, DJ Miss Joy.

 
LRM issue No. 1
 

LRM Issue No. 1 Chloe Dao, IBU, Scott Phaydavong, Gumby aka Price, Vongduane Manivong, Achan Dr. Singtong Banlusak, Lao Diaspora Part 1.

Issue No. 2

BE INTHAVONG. BE&D HANDBAGS.

Be Inthavong’s design creativity initially started with accessories like jewelries and belts, suddenly he fell into handbag design by accident. The collection incepted in 2004 when his business partner, Steve Dumain (D of Be&D) approached him with the idea of making luxury handbags that every women would want to keep in their closet. Months of dedication later and after an aggressive phone call to a top upscale department store - Bergdorf Goodman, Be&D found their first buyer and since then, others have followed, such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

A celebrity clientele also began when Mena Suvari bought their first product, the Garbo. Be attempts to enjoy a trip back to Laos once a year to embrace his Lao heritage, which he tries to integrate the beauty of the culture into each creation of the handbags. With the rise of Be&D’s success, Be’s schedule has been immensely busy, but he was able give LRM a brief story of his life. More [Here]
 

OVA SAOPENG. ACTOR/ACTIVIST.

He landed the role of one of the main Asian pirates in the third movie of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End." He’s the guy with the port-wine stain birthmark on his face, whose straw hat flew off in one of the scenes on the ship. But to Ova Saopeng, 33, an actor who lives in Los Angeles, getting that role was not the most rewarding part of the experience. He took away something even more meaningful: for the first time, he met another Laotian actor while auditioning for a movie.

But to Ova Saopeng, 33, an actor who lives in Los Angeles, getting that role was not the most rewarding part of the experience. He took away something even more meaningful: for the first time, he met another Laotian actor while auditioning for a movie. More [Here]
 

XANG NOY CHAREUNSAB. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FOOTBALL.

Xang sits down with LRM to share his experience as a widereceiver for the University of Texas Longhorn’s 2005 National Championship team.

LRM: Can you tell us about the Rose Bowl experience and winning the national championship?
Xang: It was unbelievable! I’ve been to two of them so it’s hard to compare, well obviously winning the national championship the second time was better but, the Rose Bowl experience, the city, the people, and just the atmosphere that whole week was amazing. Coach Brown told us not to let winning the national championship be the best thing to ever happen to us. He told us to take that and use it as a stepping stone for future careers and as a means of motivation to achieving higher goals. It is a strong statement that I believe is true, but at the same time, it is so hard to put all that in perspective with all the individual and team fun we had there. I had some of the best times at the Rose Bowl. The experience was unbelievable. More [Here]

CASUALTIES OF A SECRET WAR.

There was a Secret War in Laos. The United States led it. The war was so secret, in fact, that some high-ranking government officials didn’t even know about it. And it was left out of many history books. It was so secret that a majority of the first-generation, American-born Laotians don’t even know about it.

Many parts of Laos were off-limits to the press, so there is hardly any documentation in the media of the Secret War. It’s unclear when the bombing actually began. But around 1963-1965 the United States began dropping bombs nonstop over northern and eastern Laos. This was during the Vietnam War. They not only hit the military and guerilla fighters, but also hit and killed civilians, too. The bombing finally stopped in 1973. But the bombs that didn’t explode and are still found littered throughout the country are called UXOs, or unexploded ordinances.

More than two million tons of bombs were dropped during that period, equaling about a planeload of explosives dropped every eight minutes, 24 hours a day. More [Here]




PAT CHANNITA. PROFESSIONAL SKATER.

Pat gives LRM a glimpse into the life of a professional skateboarder.

LRM: What were your parents’ reaction to you turning pro?
PAT: I don’t think it was a big deal. Back when I turned pro, skateboarding was not nearly as mainstream as it is today. Saying you’re a pro skater, what’s that mean. It did not mean much. I mean it looked like grown men playing with toys, probably. For my parents, school was the priority, education number one. I mean I got a little money, but so did other people my age with part time jobs. I think they are proud now because over the years they saw that I was able to make a living off of it, and to others that was a surprise for them. More [Here]