The New Cool

I have to admit that stepping into the theater, I had lowered expectations for Miami Vice. The theatrical trailer made it look like an MTV style action flick full of unintentional cheesy dialogue. Well... after seeing it, all I can say is that this film went beyond my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Before we get into what I liked about Vice, lets set a few rules for watching it:

1. Try your best to ignore the plot. Why? Because its not all there. These days its hard to create an original cop story, and writers sometimes try to get too creative. I enjoyed the plot, but I can totally see how people would get confused or feel cheated by all the "unanswers".
   
2. Do your homework. If you're not already a fan of the original Don Johnson/Philip Michael Thomas hit TV series, do yourself a favor and get to know the background. The movie doesn't explain how Crockett and Tubbs became agents, and for good reason! I am very happy that this movie isn't three hours long.
3. Treat all the drugs, money, and reasons for the "mission" as MacGuffins. It is a bit confusing, and it is ultimately unimportant. In some movies you just have to ignore certain plot devices that move the story forward. I hate it when critics overemphasize on story and plot in action thrillers.
   

Okay. I liked the new Vice because it was beautiful, the action was exciting, and it was so damn cool. I haven't seen a movie this cool in a long time. I have seen Jamie Foxx in Any Given Sunday, and he was not cool. However, in this movie he is the epitome of cool. Despite the 80s hair style, Colin Farrell plays a very smooth Sonny Crockett.

It must be said though that Vice is very much a man's wet dream. From the fights, to the gun fights, to the cars, planes, boats, and "hard" dialogue, I can see how men would enjoy this film right off the bat. A lot of the "coolness" comes from material objects. Everything from the condos, to the man toys, to the clothes, all look expensive. Women may have to look for appeal elsewhere, such as in the actors, or the beauty of each scene.

Speaking of beauty, Michael Mann and his crew did an excellent job of making each and every scene just exquisite. Whether its a scene with action, actors and dialogue, supercars racing on the street, or racing boats cruising at top speed in open water, they all look fantastic. They really know how to make something good look even better.

The music in the film is well done. I'm sure Mann was trying to keep with the formula that made Vice successful in the first place: the MTV style. Back in the day, it was Jan Hammer's opening theme, and background music by various hit bands that made the TV series so popular. Mann did a decent job of compiling a good soundtrack and inserting those tracks at the right moments in the film. Two disappointments: 1) Jan Hammer was not invited to do a track or two, 2) Mann made no effort to recreate the most famous scene from the TV series, despite putting a modern cover of the Phil Colins song, that was integral to that scene, in the end credits. Missed opportunities.

Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was that it was a darker, higher budget version of the 80s TV series. Not only did it bring back memories, but the movie did an even better job of portraying how slick Vice was. I feel I've said enough. If you go see this movie, watch it for what it is, and perhaps you'll enjoy it too.

Hack Digest

Recently, my ball has been going all over the place. I just couldn't manage to hit the ball straight! Even when I did hit it straight with my wedges, it would still be slightly off target. That is not what I expect from those shots within 130.

Anyways, I have found the solution to my spraying it all over the course: don't swing so hard! I guess I have to face the music and admit that I'm a short hitter. Sure, on a good day I can roll the ball to probably 270-290 yards, but most of the time the ball is either in the junk or lost. I end up hacking it back onto the fairway and lose a stroke or two anyways.

Next time I'm out on the course, I'm going to try hitting it soft. Perhaps my drives will barely carry 200 yards, but at least they'll go straight...



On Tiger Woods winning the British Open...
I thought it was great seeing him dominate with iron play. A couple of years ago, when his drives were all over the place (like now), I always wondered why he didn't just tee off with a one iron. My guess is that he could have probably belted it out straight and close to 280 or longer. Then show the folks some stellar long iron play to score.

Anyways, that's pretty much what he did at Hoylake. A lot of people said it was boring to watch Tiger not use his driver. I on the other hand cringe every time he pulls out the big stick. Why? Because I just know that its going to be a huge gamble to have it stay in the fairway. Hitting all those long iron shots helped Woods get comfortable with them. His GIR (green in regulation) numbers were well over 80%.

Now that's the kind of golf that I want to be playing. Dominate with the long irons, and only use the driver when necessary. Distance off the tee is overrated.

More Tiger

Bush kills people, not embryos

Spam 2.0

In the past few months, email users have been receiving "anonymous" stock tips via their inbox or spam box. Spam is what it really is.

This nouveau spam makes a weak attempt at fooling the recipient into purchasing a stock. How does this work? Is this supposed to be a scam? Did these idiots really expect me to go out on a limb and buy this stock because some random email says to "check it out tomorrow morning"?

I'm curious as to who are the target victims of this scam. Who would be foolish enough to open an eTrade account, or to run to their broker to buy these dummy stocks? You have to be pretty foolish, desperate, or bored to become a victim.

However useless this type of spam may be, it has unfortunately been able to penetrate spam filters because of its "trade alert" headline. Many people who work in the finance industry have to sift through their inbox to separate this crap from legitimate news/tips. So more than anything, this new type of spam is causing congestion.

我們的祖國... 唉 Part III

Man sees robbery. Man tries to stop crime. Man is threatened. Man tries to call police. Man discovers police are incompetent.

The man who reported the crime was on a bus, and he tried to report the crime in english as to not alert the criminals. Unfortunately, the emergency line operators hung up on him FOUR TIMES because no one could speak english.

Authorities claim that there isn't much need for english speaking operators. This makes no sense. They should at least always have one english speaking operator on duty at all times. The point of an emergency hotline is to help people when they need it most. This incident is just more of China's stupid mentality at work again.

They cut corners on all the wrong places. Its like a car owner saying: oh I drive mostly during the daytime, so I'm not putting headlights in my car. A more extreme case would be: oh the car goes forward most of the time, so I'm taking out the reverse gear to save money. The strive for excellence just isn't there, and it is sad.

Lets just hope we don't hear a flood of these kinds of stories during the Olympics in 2008.

Later folks...

Out of town this week. That means no updates. Heh.

That's Shady

What do people have against optical defense? It seems like every time I wear sunglasses on the street, I get these awkward looks from strangers. I am quite sensitive to bright light. My eyes feel much more comfortable in darker conditions. So I like to wear shades everywhere I go. Unfortunately, people look at me like I'm an alien.

I find that in Hong Kong, the only people who wear sunglasses (purposeful sunglasses, not that trendy crap with yellow or purple lenses) are foreigners. Hong Kong people only wear proper shades when they do sports. Otherwise, you find them wearing ones with colors that bear less protection to the eyes. Perhaps they are worn to block out the air pollution, which actually makes sense.

So I've narrowed it down to a few reasons why people give my shades the puzzled look:

1. They're thinking... "If he's blind, where's his cane?".
2. They're thinking... "Those shades look horrible on that guy".
3. They're thinking... "Is this The Matrix? Is this guy an agent?".

Does wearing shades carry a hidden stigma that I don't know about? I remember Annika Sorenstam and David Duval used to get strange comments from Golf publications about how they always "hide" under their Oakleys or Ray-Bans. Even that idiot President guy made a silly joke about a reporter who wore shades while asking him a question. Turns out that the reporter is legally blind, but Idiot President Guy didn't know it at the time.

To clear things up: Idiot President Guy didn't purposely make fun of, or insult the blind reporter. He certainly didn't know that the reporter was blind while he made those comments. It just sounds really bad when the headline, "President insults blind reporter", surfaces all over the internet.



I view it more as a "what was the point of that" kind of situation. I think a smarter President (or any public figure for that matter) would always think twice before making sly comments or attempts at humor in any situation. Idiot President Guy, aka The Resident, seems to just let words flow from his mouth without giving much thought.

Anyways, I like my shades.

Technology is beautiful

I was listening to a podcast of my favorite show, PTI, and they were talking about how Gary Matthews Jr. robbed a homerun from Mike Lamb. They were showing the amazing footage that of course I couldn't see. I was just thinking... damn, I really want to see that play. Lo and behold, 5 seconds later I was watching the video via You Tube. See for yourself:



Pretty unbelievable. Ten years ago, there is no way I would be able to do this. In 1996, I was reading USA Today and trying to catch Sportscenter for my only source of sporting news. Internet access had just begun at my school, and streaming video was... ha ha... light years away.

Technology has taken over our lives.

The Great Firewall... cracked!

The fight against communism continues... here.

And then there were four...

In the blink of an eye, World Cup favorite Brazil is out of the tournament. Surprise? Disappointment? Not for me. I don't want to say I saw this coming, because I wasn't even remotely emotionally invested in any of the matches. When I said the Red Sox would come back from 3 games down to win the 2004 ALCS, I meant it. When I said France would beat Brazil last weekend, I meant it, but it was a casual comment at best. I also thought Portugal would beat England, but I didn't expect it to be a penalty shootout.

For the sake of the four miserable countries this week, lets mourn the losses...

BRAZIL
The heroic France victory is easy to explain. Brazil has had it easy since day one of the cup. They were a team of overachievers, and it showed in the first round. They won every match without even trying that hard. France was the underdog among the elite. Zidane was too old, Henry sucked in international play, blah blah blah. That may have all been true, but it motivated the French team to grind through the first round, then crush a powerful, young Spanish team. Against Brazil, they had nothing to lose, except for a chance to silence their critics. Henry's mid-air goal off the foot was awesome. Brazil woke up when it was too late.

ENGLAND
What can you say? You don't score, you have a stubby hothead on your team, you miss three penalty kicks... you lose! England played well after Rooney's red card, and they deserve credit for that. I suppose this team was plagued from the getgo: Rooney breaks his leg, comes back, gets red card, Owen injured, Beckham injured, etc. It's a bit much I guess. I don't want to use the C-word, because I might get an arse-whoopin' when I decide to visit the UK... oh wait, no one reads this blog anyways. Yeah, do I smell a curse?

ARGENTINA
Another PK shootout. It was a very exciting match, and it could have gone either way. Argentina was unlucky with their goalie injured. Not only did they lose their main goalie for the PKs, but they also weren't able to bring in Messi for a last ditch attempt to score a golden goal. Too bad...

UKRAINE
A pretty one sided loss. I didn't even bother to watch this match. A middle of the road team: they weren't bad enough to be a surprise candidate for the elite eight, but they weren't good enough to be considered to have a chance at the final four. Good job in getting to the Elite Eight, but better luck next time for Ukraine.

The news today was all about how Hong Kong fans are coping with England's loss (pride, I suppose), and Brazil's loss (gambling debts). Once again, I don't get it. I don't understand the passion Hong Kong fans show for the English team. There are guys who have been on the English bandwagon all their lives for no apparent reason. Perhaps they miss colonialism. Maybe they were given free opium back in the day and are still grateful. I don't know.

I had a fun albeit awkward time cheering for Portugal last weekend. Got plenty of evil gazes from the masses everytime Portugal did something positive. There was this one guy who looked at me and silently mouthed some words when I loudly proclaimed that Beckham was a wuss (it was just a joke). He was probably saying something like, "nice pants", but that's just my guess. Naturally, no one was drunk enough or had enough sack to cause any real trouble. My conclusion is that the place I went to had too many pseudo fans.

There were too many front-runners to count, but the most atrocious example was a girl decked out in yellow and green (I kid you not). She also had the Brazilian flag painted on her cheeks. Okay, perhaps she is a displaced Brazilian who speaks Cantonese. Maybe her great great great great ancestor had lived in Brazil for a weekend to get a tan. Then I overheard that she chose Brazil because they won last time, but that she knows nothing about football. Ladies and gentlemen... we have a winner.

Too Much World Cup

Wow, this guy takes his hatred for smoking (or his girlfriend's smoking) to another level. Complaining is one thing, but having a near death experience is another.

While watching World Cup elimination match, Sweden vs. Ukraine, this guy gets into an argument over his girlfriend's non-stop smoking. She gets pissed and locks herself in her room. He proceeds to climb out of the kitchen window onto a rickety laundry rack; risking death to continue their argument. Long story short: police arrive, everyone lives.

Perhaps the girlfriend needed all that tobacco tar because she was nervous watching the game. The guy was probably too tense after watching the game, which prompted him to induce a near death experience. Either way, please watch the World Cup with caution. Here's what to do for the remaining matches:

If you are...

• German - Your country is filthy rich from hosting the Cup. Klose is amazing, your chances are great. Relax and enjoy the game.
• Argentinean - your team is young and brilliant. If you lose this time, you'll most definitely have next time. Relax and enjoy the game.
• Italian - Okay, your team hasn't won in quite some time being the powerhouse that you are, but you're playing Ukraine next, with a great chance to exact revenge on Brazil for your '92 defeat. Relax and enjoy the game until then.
• Ukrainian - Well, looks like your World Cup chances aren't super great considering your lack luster performance against Sweden. Not much pressure here, just relax and enjoy the game.
• English - Well... you've waited 40 years already. What's another 40? Red Sox fans waited 86 years, surely you can wait 80. Better relax and enjoy the game.
• Portuguese - Think you can eventually get past Brazil? This ain't no Nike commercial. Just relax and enjoy the game.
• Brazilian - Tons of talent, your team is on a groove, and everyone is on your bandwagon! If you don't relax and enjoy the game, perhaps there's something wrong with you!
• French - You should still be high from winning and hosting the Cup eight years ago. Henry is lazy, and Zidane is running on fumes. Be happy, relax, and enjoy the game.
• Asian - You belong to none of elite eight countries. You have no reason to be passionate, unless you have money on these games. Gambling is bad, so just relax and enjoy the game.

Clutch Veterans Perform

It is elmination time in the World Cup tournament. Do or die, now or never. The young and inexperienced Spain has fallen to France. Netherlands unexpectedly loses to Figo's Portugese team. The pressure has increased as World Cup veterans show their stuff when it matters most.

David Beckham
Say what you will of Mr. Prettyman, but that free kick goal against Ecuador was nothing but awesomeness. Number seven is often criticized for umm... pretty much everything! However, it is difficult to deny how good he is with stationary kicks. When a guy is that good at what he does, I don't see how he can deserve criticism.

Zinadine Zidane
Crappy since 98? Difficult to convince someone of that after last night's body contorting header. Lets see what Zidane's got left for Brazil.


Ronaldo
Overweight? Hot wife? Save that kind of gossip for Maradonna, because this ex-Mr. Football is not done yet. Crossover against the goalie is a classic Ronaldo move.

我們的祖國... 唉 Part II

As mentioned before, China's growth is rapid, but they do run into snags now and then. Fraud and corruption are two major issues that drive away investors, and may be the ceiling to China's growth.

When is China going to realize that in order to become a major economic power, they need to be running a clean ship? Again, the government sees and recognizes this problem, but not enough is being done. China is growing fast. Authorities are too slow in employing standards to curb the trouble that comes with rapid growth.

A reader left a comment mentioning that perhaps communism suits China best, and that they are not ready for capitalism/democracy. I see where this is coming from, but I disagree. Communism is like a whole bunch of people standing in a very straight line. Anyone who steps out of line is removed from the picture. That is what China looks like right now. They act like robots: sure, they can make sound decisions, but they are inflexible. There is no opposition to keep the current authorities in check.

Being the only communist nation left in the world, China probably feels like they are being rejected by the rest of the world. Rejection can lead to stubbornness. Perhaps China is slow to change in reaction to the pressure imposed on them by the rest of the world. At the same time, there is no one within China to suggest they do otherwise. Besides, if the economy is booming, and people are getting rich, what's the point in doing the extra work? I'm guessing that some Chinese officials think like this.

So how can communism be defeated? It will take either a revolution, or an economic meltdown to initiate change. As we have seen in the past, even a large scale protest will not affect China's politics. It doesn't look like China will face any economic woes in the near future either. What a daunting task.

World Cup Disappointment

I have been waiting eight years for the 2006 World Cup! Okay, maybe not that long. I've been waiting eight months for the 2006 World cup! Why? Because I would finally get to watch it in Hong Kong at semi-regular hours, and everything would just be non-stop World Cup. The booze would flow, sleep at 5, wake up at noon. That's right folks, World Cup: 晚九朝五!

Turns out I had it all wrong.

The first round group matches end after tonight. So far, I've only watched a whopping four live matches. A huge disappointment. I can attribute this to a few reasons:

The group matches and final 16 matches have been bought up by Cable TV, which I have no access to. Like many other Hong Kongers, I'm forced to watch it from a location other than my home such as bars (everywhere has a cover, and rightfully so I suppose), malls, or public outdoor screens.

Unlike the good old days of 1998, I now I have to work. I really cannot afford to sleep at 5 every morning and expect myself to wake up at 7. I end up watching highlights of the previous night's matches on the local channel.

I'm just not excited anymore. There are so many matches I wanted to watch, but could not. I know the players, but I'm not particularly attached to any of the teams. For me, the World Cup has lost the glamour of yesteryear.

Hong Kong ranks 25th in courtesy poll

A Reader's Digest "courtesy test" shows that Hong Kong is ranked 25th in terms of courtesy. This news was all over the local papers, and many were shocked to discover that Hong Kong was so low in the rankings. Reactions from street interviews and the media felt that Hong Kong people were pretty polite, and the low ranking was not warranted.

I am not the least bit surprised with Hong Kong's low ranking. Hong Kong people are simply not that polite when compared to modern western civilizations. Those who think Hong Kong is polite enough probably have not experienced much foreign courtesy, or they just have low expectations.

Okay yes, on rare occasions I may experience acts of courtesy. However, most of the time I see of lot of cutting in line, fighting for space, and plenty of selfishness. Even courtesy comes with a price. When I do receive aid from a stranger, they sometimes give me this look like I owe them something, or that they are reluctant to help me out. I'm not sure which is better: helping with resentment, or not helping at all.

Courtesy must come from the heart. I hear way too many "lazy thank you"s from salespeople or restaurant employees. Sometimes an act of kindness isn't met with thanks. In Hong Kong, helping people might not reward you with gratitude. Instead you may receive a look of suspicion. Our culture has trained people to be suspicious of things that come without a price, and I suppose a helping hand is one of those things.

I'm pretty used to the rudeness that embodies Hong Kong, and it is sad.

New gym character: Unenthusiastic Fit Guy

That's right boys and girls, a new gym character has arrived!

This guy is not new to the gym. I've seen him around for quite some time already. Recently, I only see him when he's with his trainer. Unenthusiastically Fit Guy is quite fit, as his name states. What I've noticed is that his attitude is pretty lethargic when he's with his trainer. The scene is quite amusing.

The whole time UFG's trainer is trying to pump him up. UFG on the other hand is being a bit whiney about the whole thing. When he's lifting, you can tell its not easy, but he's not really trying that hard. The trainer tells him, "okay two more reps!", and UFG replies, "uhh... I don't think so", and puts the weights down. You can tell the trainer is a bit disappointed, but the guy is so nice that all he does is smile. The trainer tries to mix things up a bit and introduces new exercises to UFG's routine. When this happens, UFG unthusiastically says, "uhh... what's this now?".

The strangest thing was that the guy looked so fit. His demeanor didn't reflect his physique. There are two reasons why people hire a trainer: 1) They need instruction on how to do the exercises, develop a routine, and maybe get some eating tips. 2) They need someone to motivate them while exercising.

I don't know... I think trainers are a waste of money unless you're a professional athlete or bodybuilder. Us regular folk should be able to learn how to use the machines, and buy a book or read some magazines to develop a routine. It seems silly to pay so much money for someone to push you. Would your boss hire you to make him do his job? Instead, get a friend to go with you, or befriend someone similar (so you don't have to keep changing the weights) and workout together. You can motivate each other.

Update on annoying gym regulars:
Talkative Asian Duo These guys haven't showed up since they became a trio. Awesome! No more loud macho banter, no more hogging the bench press, no more lack of re-racking.

Orgasmic Situp Girl Haven't seen her in a looong time. Perhaps she has found a new way to orgasm. Unfortunately, her coach/partner still shows up on occasion. He still manages to leave his crap all over the place.

Tall Mean (Nice) Dude As mentioned in a previous post, Tall Mean Dude is now Tall Nice Dude. He is still nice the last time I saw him. Must be on Prozac.

Unfortunately, there have been new annoying people popping up at The Edge. Don't worry folks, they'll show up on these pages and receive the verbal bludgeoning they deserve soon enough.

Here are links to the previous gym posts:
I need my own gym
Welcome new idiot gym character!
Peaceful gym... sort of

我們的祖國... 唉 Part I

I've been hearing this phrase a lot lately. The literal translation is "our home country... [sigh]". What it always refers to, is China.

Because so many bad things happen in China, many people from Hong Kong have simply lost faith in the motherland. Censorship and sketchy human rights policies have always been there, so that's not the biggest issue (though every new incident continues to disappoint). The latest big issue has to do with China's rapid development in the past few years. The nation is showing exponential growth financially, but morally, it is still way behind the rest of the world.

Read this article if you can:

(click to enlarge)

If you can't read Chinese, let me briefly explain what it is all about.

The author starts off by speaking of quirky and sometimes humorous incidents that happened in China that she experienced or read about. These include: a guy on a highway chasing a "runaway tire", Chinese tourists "throwing" their kids over the fence at Disneyland, oxygen suppliers selling hospitals industrial use oxygen instead of oxygen suitable for patients, a Nanjing hospital "selling" (transfering for money) their patients, plus endless stories of fake products (fake eggs, fake oil, fake soy sauce made of hair, fake baby formula, etc.).

Some of these stories will draw a chuckle, others are downright scary. China's focus has been directed entirely towards financial growth. They have achieved this goal, and the quality of living in China has gotten better. Despite all this, the quality of Chinese values has not improved at the same rate. Law and order, the value of life, human rights, and the elimination of corruption have been swept aside to make room for financial growth. People who attempt to make amends to these issues are not only ignored, they are put in jail if their actions stand in the way of growth.

"大陸係咁架啦"
Unfortunately, many have come to accept these unfair and uncivilized happenings in China:

• Robberies and scams are rampant in the Guangdong province.
• Frequent travellers to China fear for their lives just doing everyday things. When you get in a cab, you're not 100% sure that you'll be safely taken to your desired destination.
• Fake items are not limited to Rolex watches and DVDs; they have expanded to items like food, cleaning products, and cars. It has been reported that 80% of the items in a Chinese supermarket are counterfeit.
• Corruption is still reluctantly expected when doing any sort of business in China.
• A good chunk of people still spit, piss, and shit wherever they please. Trash is an even bigger issue.
  

The sad thing is that authorities have the power to make things happen, but they choose not to. The laptop of a famous professor, who is an expert on SARS, was stolen via drive-by motorcycle theft. He immediately reported this to the police, and after turning the entire Guangzhou upside down, his laptop was found. If this man was not an expert on SARS, his laptop would have never ever been found. People get robbed everyday with many incidents caught on video, and no action is taken. The police only act upon more serious crimes, like if a murder is involved.

Despite all this, China is rich and the future only shows that it will get richer. What is the limit? How bad does it have to get before people start realizing that culture is just as important as wealth?

Vertical Woes

So I went to my brother's high school graduation. The whole thing ends, and everyone meets in the cafeteria for refreshments. As soon as I step into the horde of people, I notice something right away: I'm the shortest dude in the room...!

I'm not sure what kids have been eating in recent years, but it has made them progressively taller. Five feet eight inches was considered normal in Hong Kong. Now I think the average height of kids is more like 5'11". Perhaps it is my imagination. Maybe everyone was always tall, and I was always short. Perhaps all those years in Boston gave me the perception that it was normal for me to be short, and I expected something different back in Hong Kong.

Normally, I feel pretty normal in and around Hong Kong. It was just yesterday when I walked into that school where I felt so dwarfed. Then when I think about it, every time I go (not often) to one of those trendy clubs (*cough* Volar *ahem*), I feel like I'm one of the shortest people there (girls included... okay okay half of them are models). Kids these days are just tall.

Sure, its not the end of the world by any means, but it did occur to me that my height is one aspect about my physique that I can never ever change no matter what. I can eat tuna all day, and lift weights until I'm 200lbs of pure muscle. I can get plastic surgery until I look like [insert trendy Hong Kong artist of the month]. I can get a tan, bleach my skin, shave my head, grow it out, get botox, implants, even a bigger penis (according to all those emails), but I still can't permanently increase my height.

There's a limit to everything, and since the age of 16, I've been vertically limited to 5'8". There's a ceiling or maximum potential for everything. Everyone has the potential to do certain things, but everyone for the most part doesn't make an effort to reach that potential. A lot of people easily have the potential to bench press their own weight. A lot of people simply don't strive for that goal and fail to reach it.

With height, we always reach that potential. If I'm 5'8" at the age of 26, no one is going to tell me that I have the potential to be 6'3". Instead they say, that's tough kid, you're a hobbit.

A Tough Decision

After Life, or ワンダフルライフ (Wandafuru Raifu), is one of my favorite Japanese films. I accidentally discovered it one day at Blockbuster (of all places), and I liked it from beginning to end. What that means is that I read the back cover, was intrigued by the story background, saw the movie, and liked it even more.

The director of After Life is Hirokazu Kore-eda. The title introduces the story quite well. This film is about the afterlife. So the story goes: after people die, they spend a week in this limbo between heaven and earth. The location resembles a school, and there are counselors stationed there to guide the dead in fulfilling their deed. This deed is for a person to choose a single memory from his or her life. As it turns out, the dead can only carry one memory with them to the afterlife; everything else will be forgotten.

The counselors have the duty of helping each person choose that memory. They do that with one on one counseling, watching videotapes of their life to jog their memory, and eventually recreating that memory in a quirky way of which I will not reveal. The setting of this midway point between life and death is very "normal". It is a regular school with dorm rooms and classrooms. We see many different characters from all walks of life who have died and must choose their memory. The counselors act very human as well. They argue amongst one another, we see what they do after working hours, we see their frustration when it looks like some of the dead won't make the one week deadline.

I was first intrigued by the theme of After Life. What memory would I choose to keep for eternity if I were to die today? The film got even better as I watched these people go through the selection process. The story isn't just about the dead people choosing a memory, but it is about the counselors, too. After Life is classic Kore-eda if you've seen his other films. It is about humans, about life, death, and all the details in between.

The movie was great, the characters were excellent. The question that this movie raises will keep you thinking until the day you die. Which memory would you choose?

Religious wussies strike back

The Da Vinci Code movie has been banned in China, and it is suspected that the reason behind the ban is religion. Okay, I'm not going to bother explaining why it was banned or whether its right to ban the movie. You can look that stuff up yourself.

My point is... why are Christians so afraid of this movie? What's to be afraid of? Are they so lacking in confidence of their own religion that they fear a movie will create an army of non-believers? Have some faith in your beliefs, sheesh.

On the other hand, China, through means of censorship, communism, and the lack of fairness, never ceases to disappoint me. Screw you, China. (Ha! They won't see this, cause blogger is censored in China).

Abusing the environment

People in Hong Kong use way too much air conditioning. They set the A/C to full blast, then go to sleep wrapped in a thick comforter. UNBELIEVABLE! Talk about taking our precious natural resources for granted.

I think the government is right for once, encouraging people to keep the A/C temperature setting to 25.5 degrees. If its humid, invest in a dehumidifier. Also invest in thicker window shades: it contains heat during winter, and it keeps heat out during summer.

Here is my ultimate proposal...

Lets all invest in solar power! Everyone living in apartment buildings chip in to install solar power on the roof of your building. Naturally, a few panels won't power any of the juice-sucking homes of modern times, but perhaps this bit of solar energy can power the hallway lights, emergency exit signs, safety lights, etc. There's no arguing in who's paying for that stuff because its shared. If it is too expensive, maybe the government can help out a bit.

Let's save energy.

An Inconvenient Truth

"In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to." --Roger Ebert

Not so old technology

After a mere seven or so years of use, my Palm V has seemingly become obsolete. The old desktop software that comes with it is not compatible with Windows XP, which I finally upgraded to this year. The new software (downloadable free from the internet) is better and compatible with XP, but is not compatible with the Palm V's OS. I also discovered that the V's OS is not upgradable like some other models.

The only way I could continue using this PDA efficiently, is if I go back to using Windows 98 or maybe 2000. I can tell you right now that its not going to happen. So now I'm stuck. I love to use things until they're absolutely unusable. I just finished gluing back together a pair of flip flops I've had for around nine years, after five different people told me to just buy a new pair while I looked for the proper glue.

I can't stand waste, and I can't stand throwing stuff away; especially stuff that is still usable. Anyone have any ideas what I can do with this thing? Perhaps someone with Win98 needs an old PDA?

Let me know if you want it.

Game, Set, Match.

Saw Woody Allen's latest work, Match Point. I've always liked Allen's stuff, but never really loved it. I wasn't sure what to expect from Point. Hearing the title for the first time, I thought it was about tennis (and it is... a little).

I was shocked at how good this film is. The reason I found it good was that it controlled my emotions. The film really draws you in and connects you with the characters. With every turn of the storyline, you would feel different. Woody Allen had absolute control because he could make me like and dislike his characters at will. Point doesn't try to be super suspenseful like some other flicks, but it definitely keeps you on your toes.

*****S P O I L E R*****A L E R T*****

I hated the main character from the start. He seemed so reckless, yet you feel sorry for him being a poor boy surrounded by rich people. Then when Scarlett Johansson starts acting "crazy", you start to hate her for being that way. But of course you end up feeling sorry for her because of her situation of being pregnant with a married man's child. What a rollercoaster of an ending! I truly wasn't sure how it would all end. One minute you think the guy's caught, then the next minute you think he got away with it, then later he's so wound up that you think he's going to admit to the murder or kill himself. One important fact that makes the film work is that it emphasizes the importance of being lucky, and that part just keeps you thinking. It creates a premise that the plot can twist and turn because they can throw in the luck factor. The plot makes 180 degree turns multiple times towards the end, and some of those turns can be attributed entirely to the luck. It's slightly cheating in a way, but since the story already established it in the beginning, I didn't feel that the twists were forced.

*****END OF SPOILERS*****

WTF of the day

This guy is either...
A) confused - he can't decide whether he likes the Sox or the Yanks.
B) a front runner - he roots for whoever wins. So for convenience sake, he keeps both teams' gear on at all times.
C) a fan of the recently formed: Yank Sox - whatever...

The answer is, D) None of the above. He's basically an idiot, and should be fined by major league baseball.

Reasons to drive a hybrid car

1) It pays you back.
2) You get a tax break.
3) At the pump, giggle as an SUV pulls up next to you.
4) Chicks dig green... super green.

Extinguish Smoke

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Just read this article in the paper. First, why don't I translate it:

Ever since I've been sick, my life has taken a 180 degree turn. In the past, cigarettes and my presence would be synonymous. Friends would say to me, "if you believe you can quit smoking, you'll definitely be able to do it". My answer to that was, "I firmly believe that I'll never be able to quit, and your point is?" How ironic that I am now constantly asking people to quit smoking.

Illness makes us realize the importance of life. Because of my desire to live, cigarettes have become my enemy. Out on the street, I am constantly trying to avoiding smoke. It is only now that I truly understand the definition of the word, "unavoidable". Even in the elevator of my apartment building, people smoke. I want to go out and grab a bite to eat, and cigarette smoke is everywhere. Their so-called non-smoking area, is surrounded by smoking sections. One time I got mad, so I wrote on a piece of paper: "Excuse me, but I have cancer. Please stop smoking for the time being, thanks!". Since then, every time I am at a restaurant and find someone next to me smoking, I will politely ask them to put it out.

Some people smile as they blow smoke in my face, thinking its a joke. Some will give a well mannered response, then proceed to put out their cigarette. Then there are some who will stare at me with disdain, and continue to smoke. A friend once pointed out that I'm selfish. He said, "cigarettes aren't the only thing in this world that cause cancer. Why not be a little patient? You used to be a smoker. Surely you can understand our (smokers) plight?". After hearing this, I was dumbstruck. I really wanted to tell him that actually I understand completely. I don't hate cigarettes, but my body suffers whenever I smell smoke. My immune system isn't strong like normal people, and smoke lowers my immuno-defense, increasing the chances of my cancer having a relapse. I'm only trying to stay alive. I'm sure everyone does things to protect their own life.

Oftentimes I feel its not that I'm prejudice against smokers, its that smokers are prejudice against me. I am now in the process of writing a book about me during my sickness. I hope smokers will read it, and that they will realize how difficult it is for a sick person to return to society.

The girl who wrote this is 23 years old. She is recovering from nasopharyngeal cancer. Visit her site here.

Smoking is a topic that has been beaten to death on my blog, but as long as it continues to exist, I will continue to fight against it. I'm not ignorant. I'll admit that I understand why people smoke: they're coerced into doing it by Philip Morris and friends. What I still don't understand, is why smart people continue to smoke. So who is smart enough to not smoke? People who know that its bad for them (that means pretty much everyone).

I feel sorry for the author of this article not because she had cancer, but that the hardships she has to face after achieving such a heroic victory. It is almost as if her reward for defeating cancer is a lifetime of confinement and solitude.

Taipei: Cockroach City

There are cockroaches everywhere in Taipei! It is quite unbelievable. Pretty much every street I walk on, there are roaches just hanging around. The streets can look really dirty or really clean, and still there are roaches. One visit was especially appalling: The amount of cockroaches I saw during one weekend was equivalent to the amount I would see in Hong Kong during one year.

Hong Kong isn't even that clean, so I really don't know why there are so many bugs in Taipei. Do they just have a crappy sewer system? Does all that soy sauce marinade (滷) attract roaches? The people who sell bug spray are either a) having a stellar year in sales, or b) selling a shoddy product.

The overall feeling I have, is that Taipei isn't very clean.

Workout Diary

Nice pants...

I came across this ridiculous Ronnie Coleman video a while ago. Then I caught it again recently on the Tube. I'm glad I did, because that night I had the best workout in a long time. I wasn't motivated by his ability to lift insane weights. Instead, I observed and employed the way he motivated himself before and during the lift. By getting pumped up before the set, I was able to get in more reps. I proceeded to do this for every exercise I did, and it was great!

In the past when I had a workout partner, we would motivate each other. I've been working out alone for so long that I've forgotten what its like to have a good workout. Usually, I go to the gym after work and after dinner. I'm more ready to fall asleep in front of the TV at that point. I know that right now my biggest hurdles are getting enough sleep, and getting enough to eat. Neither problems are getting solved at this point because I'm a picky eater (low salt, low fat, low sugar), and I just don't sleep enough.

So from now on, get angry before you bench press 400lbs.

Even little people can learn from big bodybuilders.

Megaten

People who know me, and who keep up with games will know that I an a huge fan of the Megaten series. I have mainly been keeping up with the Shin Megami Tensei (真女神転生) series, having played all three episodes. I'm not going to bother writing an introduction here. If you want to know more, click on the Megaten link, or the title of this entry. This link is the official site.

Back in the early 90s, when the Super Famicon was all the rage, pretty much all the mainstream RPG games were based on medieval or fantastic settings. I played Zelda, Y's, Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Breath of Fire, Phantasy Star, etc. They were all decent, but they were all quite similar. Some took place in the future, and some took place in a fantasy land of the past. Most of course take place in a world that never existed. Naturally, there was always a bad guy, monsters, and evil at work. None however stood out to be anything different or spectacular in my opinion. Final Fantasy Six was the game at that time, and for good reason too: FFVI was just spectacular. While everyone was happily playing (and salivating over) FFVI, I was into something different.

I stumbled onto SMT by accident. I had no clue what the name meant. "Goddess Reincarnation" didn't ring a bell. The game started off with a computer screen and really scary music! Someone was using a computer and inputting some info into a "Digital Devil Story Net". In between all this, we could see glimpses of images like a figure hanging on a cross, a dude in a lab coat standing in front of a creepy device, scary dudes in front of an altar. Just dark, creepiness all around. My first thought was, "Wow! My kind of game!"... but what was it about?

So the game begins with a dream sequence with mysterious music and more religious symbolism. See this description from wikipedia:

Shin Megami Tensei begins with the player dreaming. In his dream, he encounters a stone slab that asks his name, a boy on a crucifix (a possible reason for this game never being released in western territories) and another boy being tormented by a demon. After this, he wakes up and receives an e-mail informing him that demons wander the earth once again. To allow him combat to the demons, a Devil Summoning Program is attached to the e-mail.

After these odd events, the Hero's mother tells him about a murder that occurred last night. He receives his allowance and hangs out at the mall. At the mall, he is attacked by a demon, after it eats a crazy man with a knife. After this, he goes home and goes back to sleep again. Then, he has another dream, this time, a girl is being sacrificed to summon a great demon. The Hero invokes her name, and she is set free from the summoners' control.

Wow! A game that took place in modern times! The theme was overwhelmingly dark. I could be that guy! As I played more, I discovered that the locations in the game were real places in Tokyo: Shinjuku, Kichijoji, Shibuya, Asakusa, etc. All the monsters in the game were demons from real folklore and from multiple backgrounds. It was a good mix of Christian angels, satanic demons, Hindu gods, western spirits, Celtic legends, etc. It wasn't just limited to a "blob", or "skeleton". The people who made this game actually did a lot of research before coming up with the massive enemy list. They took it a step further by introducing "Demon Fusion".

Demon Fusion and Summoning were the main draws of the game. Besides killing demons, you could befriend them and invite them to join you by offering them money, coercing them, or simply threatening them. It didn't always work of course, but when it did, you could immediately have them fight alongside you. Then comes the option of fusing two or three demons together to create a new, more powerful demon. The game was extremely complicated, but really interesting. There were more ways to becoming a powerful force than just leveling up and buying weapons.

I could go on and on about my fascination with all the types of demons and creepy religious storyline, but instead I think I'll leave you with a few thoughts:

• SMT's first and second episodes didn't make it to the US probably because they were deemed religiously inappropriate (i.e. the Christian god wasn't necessarily the good guy).
• The soundtrack was excellent. The music suited the game's mood perfectly.
• The story was very open: you could choose among many different paths or combination of paths (Law, Neutral, Chaos, Light, Dark, etc.) .

...to be continued...

311

牛丼(Gyudon) aka. Beef Bowl

Gyu-don is one of the easiest Japanese dishes to make. How else do you think they can sell them so cheap. There is a really simple recipe that Isao-san taught me a couple of years back. Just remember "311".

Ingredients:

• 3 parts water (1 cup)
  
• 1 part soy sauce (1/3 cup)
  
• 1 part mirin (1/3 cup)
  
• Shredded or thinly sliced beef (400g)
• Shredded onions (2 medium onions)
• Ginger (1 slice)

It couldn't be more simple. Just prep the ingredients and put them all in a pot over medium heat. Bring the pot to a slow boil, then simmer for about one hour or less. I like both the beef and onion to be sliced very thin, but that's just me. Serve the beef and onion over rice with as much sauce as you like. I eat it plain, but people often eat this dish with marinated ginger (available in stores), and/or a raw egg. You can also substitute the beef with chicken, pork, or even tofu I suppose. Makes two servings.

*(pics coming soon)

Godzilla goes down

For those of you that don't watch baseball...

Hideki Matsui broke his wrist while sliding into a Mark Loretta hit. It looks like he's going to miss the rest of the season.

Perhaps to the surprise of many, this doesn't make me feel good. I'm happy that Steinbrenner might get another ulcer, and that the Yanks won't get as many wins. However, a weaker Yanks team doesn't make for great baseball, and it makes our wins against them less legit.

Their lineup looked so great just a few months ago. Now with both Shef and Matsui out, it just doesn't look that scary anymore. It is also pretty scary to see how two injuries can change your whole lineup. This situation could happen to any team, like the mets losing Zambrano (and that's all I'm saying about that).

Quote of the Day

"When you intentionally walk Big Papi, it's almost like giving Manny a Ritalin tablet."

--Bill Simmons

Sox take series 2-1

To be honest, I didn't feel too comfortable with Willie Harris in the 9th inning with one out, hitting against the almighty Mo Rivera. Harris, a pinch runner (and a speedy runner to say the least), is currently batting .136. Whaddaya know, Willie gets a great hit into right field.

However, the hero of the game was of course Mark Loretta. He's been in what RSN would call a slump recently, and he went 4 for 6 with three RBIs. Two things made me feel pretty good about this game: 1)Our guys played well despite Manny and Ortiz both getting no hits. 2)Papelbon is so darn good.

Sox pitching was great tonight. It was fun watching old reliable Wake K nine guys. It's pretty funky watching good players get screwed by the knuckleball. It just drops in, flies around a bit, and the batter swings. That's right, if you want your kid to have a nice comfortable career in the bigs, teach him to be a knuckleballer.

Even more fun was watching Papelbon close. This guy is fearless. I remember him looking like a pudgy big kid last season, but now he's got this meanacing stare. He's a flamethrower with a sweet splitter. He has now added a mohawk and five o'clock shadow to the overall package. Just awesome. I think I'd be pretty scard to bat against a huge dude with a mohawk. In the ninth, Pap battled Jeter to a full count. I think the eventual walk was acceptible with Jeter having 3 hits on the night. The rest of his performance was quick and dominating.

Lunch Money

I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture. Nagoya teishoku minus curry katsudon.

Maybe I'm cheap, but I am surprised at how much Hong Kong people spend on lunch. I usually spend about HK$20 on lunch. That or I bring my lunch from home. Occasionally, I'll go to the mall and have something better. Still, the "better" meal usually won't cost over $50.

I notice that while I'm eating my <$50 meal, everyone else is eating stuff that's $50+ or close to the $100 range. That's shocking considering how frugal Hong Kong people are. I've seen people take complicated bus routes in order to save a few bucks on transportation, yet be willing to spend 8-10 times that amount on lunch. What gives?

Here's my theory: most office workers are so disatisfied with their job, that they feel the need to have a good lunch. Lunch is their outlet. Lunch is the time they can enjoy. Maybe they feel their life sucks, so they need a good lunch to compensate. Though complicated and difficult, I feel good about life and I don't think my job is a dead end... [takes a minute to think about that]. So I guess I don't need to compensate with a great lunch. Lunch for me is mainly to fill the empty stomach.

Soft spot for Judas

What an exciting first Sox-Yanks game of the season. I couldn't help but sneak a peak at work via MLB.tv. I was shocked to see Mirabelli's name on the roster. At first I thought it was a horrible misprint, but no. Wakefield's personal catcher is back, and thank goodness. I don't think anyone else in the league can catch the crap Wake tosses out.

Besides Big Papi's nail in the coffin three run homer, the thing I was anticipating was the way Fenway would react to the return of Johnny Damon. In a sense, every player from 2004 deserves immunity. I guess the line is crossed when you say you'll never leave, then immediately join the enemy.

I didn't have great feelings for Damon after his departure, but I didn't hate him either. He was just doing what some ballplayers do: go for the dough. However, when he tipped his cap and saluted the fans only to get booed in return, I kind of felt sorry for him. He played so hard and did so much for the Sox. When you think back to 2004, you can't help but want to say thank you to the guy.

Anyhow, thanks for 2004 Johnny. I won't hate you until you get your first hit in Fenway.

McDonald's Ichiban Curry Sauce

I really like it, and here's why:

Its nothing like Japanese style curry, which is often sweet. It actually tastes just like the curry sauce you get with pub style curry chips. I didn't think it would taste good in the beginning. I have been a strict Barbeque sauce guy when it came to chicken nuggets, so weird sauces have never attracted me.

Next time you decide to indulge yourself with cheap, fatty foods, try the curry sauce with fries or nuggets. If you feel guilty, have a salad as well.

Otaru to Sapporo

Video from a recent vacation to Hokkaido. Otaru is an approximate 30 minute train ride from Sapporo. The view while on the train is breathtaking. Aside from some houses and rocks, all you see is ocean. This was taken on the way back from a relaxing two days in Otaru. Everyone was asleep, and the train ride was extremely pleasant.

Chinese people suck again...

I have come to the conclusion that Chinese people are the most impolite, irresponsible, messy, and uncaring people in the world. These facts were concluded naturally while I cameoed as a sardine being packed into a airplane. These facts were accentuated by that airplane being the one coming back from Japan. The confinement of economy class and the contrast of clean and polite Japanese people made a plane full of Hong Kong people look abysmal.

It all started with lining up in the terminal. Wait, let me think about that... I meant to say, no one really managed to form a line. Once on the plane, I had to fight for storage space. This family of five managed to fill up three compartments (one compartment is meant for one row aka three people), and they were about to take over mine! I slipped my carry-on in the overhead compartment just in time. The father gave me this odd look as I sat down. They they proceeded to surround my bag with their own stuff.

I wasn't worried that I wouldn't be able to get my bag though. I just knew that they'd be in such a hurry to deplane that I would probably be the last one to get stuff from that compartment. Well, I was right. Even more ridiculous though, was this pair of girls sitting next to me. As soon as the wheels of the plane touched the ground (plane still moving at 90mph), these two girls unbuckled their seatbelts and put their purses on their shoulders. The plane nearly stops at the terminal, and they dart out from their seats, charge down the aisle to be the first to exit the plane.

From the moment the plane landed, all the way through immigration, the baggage carousel, to the parking lot, there was non-stop mobile phone chatter. I'm guessing that since phones are banned while in flight, these people needed their fix. To make sure they fed their addiction properly, they spoke at a loud volume.

Back in Hong Kong, I felt sad to see trash all over the place, after just coming back from a relatively clean Hokkaido. I applaud the Japanese for their dedication to cleanliness, quality, and pretty much everything they do. I'm pretty ashamed that my people have so little class.

The New Legend

Lenovo should thank their lucky stars that the URL for Legend dot com was already taken. Originally, they wanted to call themselves "Legend" (after the Legend Group) instead of Lenovo. However, when Legend dot com was already owned by someone else, they went with Lenovo instead. See the wikipedia article to see what Lenovo stands for.

Anyways, I say they're lucky because Lenovo sounds 1000 times cooler than Legend. In fact, Legend sounds so outdated and uncool. It is just like those silly names Chinese car manufacturers have given themselves (see: Chery Automobile, Dadi Auto for starters, and check out their model names). Calling themselves Legend would have instantly branded them as a Chinese company, as opposed to a global company.

Info-tech stuff is so cutting edge. Products need names that stand for tomorrow, not yesterday. I guess I'd still buy a "Legend computer" because it's an IBM, but I'd feel so cheesed out by the name. Lenovo sounds much more up to date. It will also wear well because the word is original and pleasing to the ears.

Whoever insisted on continuing to use the name Legend needs to either get in tune with the marketing department, or not work for Lenovo any longer.

Fascinated by food

I think I was destined to love food. When I read books as a child, I was always fascinated by the food that the characters ate in books. There was this creepy sci-fi book that I remember nothing about, except that there were two kids on the run. Yet, I remember clearly that they ate smoked rabbit as they fled whatever they were fleeing from. Another book was called, A Boy and His Bike. I remember more about that book, but again I cannot forget how the boy had fish and chips at one point in the story. Funnily, I read only a tiny bit of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The only thing I remember about it is the ever famous Turkish Delight.

Anyways, the list goes on. I can't even count how many adventure books I read as a kid where food was involved, but I can probably tell you about the names of those foods and in what scenario the character was eating them. Those kosher corned beef sandwiches Jack Ryan ate in the Tom Clancy novel, The Hunt for Red October, sounded so good. It's just corned beef, but it sounded like it tasted great. There was one sci-fi adventure book that featured futuristic, flavored "food cubes". Even in the book, the food cubes tasted like crap. They were described as "tasteless mush". Yet somehow I really wanted to try food cubes! A character was eating some cubes with the flavor of "Virwat Duck". I will never forget that name. I really wanted to try "Virwat Duck" flavored food cubes.

I'll tell you right now that I really wanted to try smoked rabbit, and I wondered whether the newspaper enhanced the flavor of fish and chips. I wanted to see what salt and vinegar tasted like on top of fried battered cod and thick cut fries. Whenever it came to food, my imagination ran wild.

Nowadays it's a bit different. I base my imagination much more on experience. I know exactly what fish and chips tastes like because I've had it before. I have tried smoked rabbit, and I find the thought of Turkish Delight unappealing. Corned beef is just corned beef, but I will occasionally have a reuben sandwich. My taste buds are stimulated by aroma and flavor, and less by imagination. Here is where experience takes away from the bliss of ignorance.

I still look forward to the year 2045 when they come out with Virwat duck flavored food cubes. I'll be the first in line to buy them.

I hate you Rafael Palmeiro

You don't deserve to be in uniform Raffy, this suit is all you'll get.

I was never a big fan of Rafael Palmeiro, and now I have grown to dislike him. After reading Buster Olney's blog, I am mad. Mad that clean, honest players like Will Clark, one of my favorite childhood players, had to bow out at 36 with good but not hall of fame caliber stats. I am mad that cheaters like Rafael Palmeiro get to extend their careers and greatly surpass honest guys like Clark through the use of chemistry.

I'm not going to throw out stats because that's all in the article. It talks about how Clark and Palmeiro were college teammates. They both entered the majors at the same time. The difference was that Palmeiro was a good player, but Clark was a great player. The difference in numbers and scouting reports was obvious. Palmeiro was a good major league player, but it certainly looked like he was destined for mediocrity. He certainly was not a power hitter or HOF material. Clark looked like he was destined for greatness from the start.

The sad part of the story is that as Clark's body was breaking down, Palmeiro was starting his "new" career. His numbers suddenly made a jump. Suddenly, he was a power hitter at the age of 30. When Clark reached his 30s, nagging injuries costed him games. His numbers dipped due to his inactivity.

Now Palmeiro has been caught. I'm glad he was caught, but he has already done too much damage. All the stats that he generated after using steroids, and all the records and players he surpassed after using steriods will stay in the books forever. He always complained about Clark overshadowing him throughout his career. Now through steriods, he has overshadowed many great players before him.

Clark was an honest player with tons of talent.

Note: I have an equal amount, if not more, of hatred for Barry Bonds. However, he hasn't exactly been "convicted" yet. I certainly hope he doesn't break Hank Aaron's record. I hope he just abruptly ends his career and fades into obscurity. Damn cheater.

House vs. Grey's Anatomy

To be honest, I have only seen half an episode of Grey's Anatomy, but that was enough to convince me that its a chick flick disguised as a hospital drama. Here is part of TV dot com's summary:

Today they're doctors and, in a world where on the job training can be a matter of life and death, they're all juggling the ups and downs of their own personal lives...It's the drama and intensity of medical training mixed with the funny, sexy, painful lives of interns who are about to discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.

The keywords here are "personal lives", and "relationships". Women love this sitcom/soap because it is all about relationships and it is all about women. It has three female lead characters. Then men are only there for relationship fodder. The show is obviously not about them. The storylines are drama heavy, and naturally it is unrealistic as expected. Also expect lots of extended dialogue that has very little to do with medicine and more to do with "people stuff".

After careful consideration, I must say that House is almost the complete opposite of Grey. Its a drama about a genius doctor who also happens to be an asshole. Dr. House acts like an ass and he is always right in the end. Through confidence and bravado, he solves medical mysteries on a daily basis. He is surrounded by people who hate his attitude, but simply cannot ignore his genius. Naturally, the show revolves around him.

Okay, so what's the point?

Women love Grey's Anatomy because it is basically a chick flick in a hospital. It has all the CF elements, which I won't go through now because that's another blog entry. Men hate Grey because they gag and immediately change the channel when the relationshipy-mushy stuff comes on. Guys tend to love House because the guy is a genius, and an asshole, yet he can do whatever he wants without repercussions. Plus, he is always right. Women will likely shun House because they can't stand a guy like Dr. House.

For the record, I'm beginning to like House and I just can't stand Grey's Anatomy.

Is it really really that bad?

Note: this is a comment I made to the last blog entry. I decided to post it here... Because it's my blog! [uncontrollable laughter is followed by awkward silence due to the realization that this blog's readership is approximately five people] Anyways, reply to this entry instead, and you can see the comments that preceded this one here.

Re: knockoutgirl

You are absolutely right about you comparing yourself with your peers and feeling that your life sucks, but what is stopping you from comparing yourself to people less fortunate than you? There are soooo many of them, that I think you should be able to find a few that you can relate to, and compare yourself to.

The thing is... You have to think of it from a different angle. Don't look at things from the bottom. Instead look at things from the top. Why? Well, cause it is more realistic. What's unrealistic is that Forbes article and those rich dudes. They are the top 1% of the world's population in terms of wealth. I would actually believe it if they all said they can't relate to everyone else. That's just because they are at an ultra extreme end of the scale. They're also way too narrow minded to be able to relate to something as trivial (to them) as poverty.

The world is huge and there are so many people that surround us who are less fortunate than us. I am by no means at the top of the food chain, relatively speaking. However, all I have to do is take a peek out of my social circle and I discover that pretty much everyone around me is less fortunate than I am. It is pretty easy for me, since I deal with these people everyday. I've mentioned the cleaning lady, but there's also all my colleagues, the people that sell me breakfast and lunch, those guys who work at McDonald's, the "UPS" dude (its not really UPS), and more...

We have to broaden our views to see reality. I'm surprised that someone so concerned about the world isn't able to see the world as it is. I understand how and why you feel like your life sucks, but I just don't agree.

The "human nature" you describe is a type of "nature" created by people with wealth aka people like us. We think that it is only normal for one to be jealous of thy neighbor and strive for even more success. Yes, this is most prevalent in American culture: the illusive American Dream, the struggle to move up the social ladder, etc. However, I believe that it is NOT human nature to be this way. If you look at other cultures, you'll see that "being content" is a big part of life.

People who can't see out of their own circle of life are either being narrow-minded, or selfish (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). Broaden your horizons, and you might just feel better about yourself in the process.

Is it really that bad?

Recently, I've been reading and hearing a lot about how people are having bad days or how life just sucks. Sometimes there's a story behind it, and sometimes there isn't: life just sucks without reason. Perhaps some people don't feel like sharing their problems. They just need a place to vent. Maybe life doesn't suck, and the person complaining is simply over-reacting to a bad incident, or that person is exaggerating something that isn't such a big deal.

Whatever the reason for these bouts of unhappiness, I urge my friends to take a look around you. Look at those less fortunate than you and take a moment to think about those people. Think about what you have that they don't. Think about the life you have lived which they can't even dream of because they don't have the slightest opportunity.

Sure, it can be helpful to feel disappointment at failure. Failure and unhappiness can be a motivator for some people. They thrive on never being satisfied, which in turn fuels their drive towards success. What puzzles and disappoints me is how people often don't realize how fortunate they are.

Let's not even venture into the Third World nations or people who don't have food or shelter. A lot of less fortunate people are closer than you think. I think of the lady who cleans my office. She has never left the country, and likely never will. She will never own a car. She will never own a house. She will never come close to trying half the things I have tried and/or enjoyed in life. I am in absolutely no position to say my life sucks or feel unfortunate while coming in contact with this person day in and day out. To about 90% of my friends: more than half the people that you pass by in the street would trade places with you in an instant. Just think about that sentence for a minute.

So next time you feel you have a bad day, think of these little points:

1. Don't worry, there are tons of people who still have it worse than you. To prove it:
   
2. If they had there way, there'd be billions of people in this world lining up to trade places with you.
   
3. Look at the guy on your left, is he better off than you? Would you trade places with him? What about the guy on your right? Are you so sure?
4. Think of where you stand in the long ladder of society. Take a deep breath. Now slightly tilt your head downwards and ask yourself, "does my life really suck?", "is my day really that bad?", "does it suck as much as that guy down the street?".

Naturally this is geared towards my friends, who I know are living decent lives and who really have no right to moan as much as they do. I'm not criticizing, just giving a friendly reminder, and at the same time hoping they'll realize that life isn't that bad. Now on the other hand, if you're reading this and you're living in (fill in third world country here) and have no roof over your head, no food on your plate, etc... ignore this entry. I am truly sorry, and I wish you the best of luck. Don't give up.

Bitching about work or something bad that happened is fine. But the next time you feel that your life sucks, stop for a moment and really think hard about what you just felt. Then ask yourself, "is it really that bad?".

Be well.

Gray air

Haven't been too diligent with the updates. In fact, I haven't been reading much in terms of weblogs. Here's a tidbit I swipped from The Sports Guy's Mailbag session:

Q: To what would you compare the scene in the randomly placed smoker's lounges in the Las Vegas airport?
-- Marcus Guerriero, New York

SG: Hmmm ... you're talking about the most hopeless, desperate, depressing social setting on the planet -- everyone in that room has hit rock bottom and doesn't seem to care whether they live or die, but they're so addicted to nicotine that they're willing to share this smoky, cancer-ridden, glass-enclosed space with 10 other complete lowlifes. And that mere realization ruins their will to live even more than it was already ruined. It's like the spirit in the room has been collectively broken. And there's no going back.

That's exactly what I thought during a recent trip to the airport! I got jitters all over just imagining myself stuck in that room. Yeeesh! What a nightmare!

Asian people always think they're in a hurry

While landing on a recent airplane trip, the whole plane full of Chinese people stood up while the plane was still taxiing. They didn't wait for the seatbelt light to go off, and they didn't wait for the captain's signal. As soon as the wheels touched the ground, you could hear that seatbelt unbuckling noise clickity-clack. The stewardesses had zero reaction as if it was normal. On a U.S. carrier, they'd go ape-shit. I just sat there in my isle seat, and the woman sitting next to me literally climbed over me without saying a word to unload her luggage from the overhead compartment. Needless to say, all those people ended up standing in the isle for at least five minutes, waiting for the airplane doors to open. In the meantime, I was snickering as I waited in my seat because I just knew I'd get through customs and out of the airport faster than them anyways.

It was the same situation in the immigration hall. Even in the super fast Hong Kong Resident lines, people were still jockeying for positions in the shortest lines. It was funny, and dangerous. I think it is stupid. Of course, the same shit happened at the luggage conveyor belt. People were crowding at the opening that spits out the luggage. I was standing further down the line and allowed a foot or two between me and the belt. Lo and behold, some idiot slips right between me and the belt! So when my suitcase was coming around the corner, I had to give him a purposeful shoulder to get my "position" back. Was that whole scenario entirely necessary?

Something pretty funny happened through U.S. security as well. Some dude forgot to take off his shoes to be x-rayed, so he tried to put them in my tray, on top of my laptop at the very last minute. I gave him a half stern, half joking, "hold on there, buddy". He just stood there for a whole minute, shoes in hand, not knowing what to do. Err...

Greetings from Chicago

I don't think my feet have ever been this tired. The combination of nonstop walking and uncomfortable shoes has made it a tough two days of attendance at the Housewares Show.

I know nothing about Chicago. Been through O'Hare many many times, but I've never been to the city at all. The area around my hotel is great. There are so many shops and restaurants. I haven't been to anywhere spectacular, but I'm just glad to have good bar food again. Went to Rock Bottom last night. I always liked that place because the food is great and the home brew is excellent. A top notch chain restaurant.

And on the 8th day...

...God created the perfect swing, and bestowed it upon his most talented disciple, Eldrick.

We'll always have the Cineplex...

I remember back in the day I used to go watch movies alone. There were a few reasons for this. The main reason why I went to a movie theater alone was that my friends usually had no interest in the movies I wanted to see. I also enjoyed going alone because I could pick the time and place and not have to wait for anyone or buy their tickets or have to wait for them to give me my tickets. Those were good times. I would go at awkward times to empty theaters so I could avoid the sucky moviegoers. Now the only time I go to a movie theater is when I'm on a date.

These days, theaters just suck. Most of them are related to stupid people doing stupid things, or dumb managerial decisions ruining the movie experience. Pretty much every time I go to the theater I experience something that bothers me. Here are some of those things:

People related
Mobile phones - Oh the humanity! These little devices that have made life so much easier have wrecked such havoc on it. Theaters are naturally a prime victim of careless or uncaring patrons letting their phones ring, or even going as far as to take calls during the movie. Recently, I don't think I have been able to sit through a single movie without hearing a phone ring. I hate how this has become somewhat of a norm for the moviegoing experience. I have no solution for this. We need built in "private" communication devices implanted into our brain like in Ghost in the Shell.

Food - Popcorn and a soda I can stand, but occasionally there'll be some people who bring their entire lunch into the theater. This is often made up of fast food, and the greasy smell travels far and fast. Naturally, these uncaring people tend to be litterbugs as well, further destroying the theater experience. That's Hong Kong people for you man. Just have to save time and eat on the go.

Yapping - The oldest rule of moviegoing is, say it with me, "don't talk during the movie"! Some people still have trouble obeying that rule. I am so good at "shh"ing people. I can't give the longest "shhs". However, I will soon resort to popcorn throwing and flicking soda droplets which may result in a fist fight. Perhaps I should just call the attendant. Will that actually work?

Dumb Behavior - I'll keep this one short. From coming in late, to standing up too early, moviegoers do the dumbest things. 1) Come in early and get your money's worth! Added bonus: you won't annoy everyone else. 2) You know how movies show funny unused takes of the movie during the end credits like in Jackie Chan films? Well, some people like to watch them, but they stupidly watch them while standing. Why?

Theater related
Advertising - I recently read on Roger Ebert dot com about how a guy had to sit through 40 minutes of ads before the movie even started. How ridiculous is that? You pay what is slowly becoming a fortune for a movie ticket, and still have to sit through nearly an hour of ads. Thankfully, Hong Kong is not yet plagued with this epidemic that has already spread across America.

On a side note, the ad epidemic had spread to DVDs soon after DVDs were invented. I can't fathom having to sit through or fast forward through ads after having forked over $20 for a DVD that I now own. What about that stupid government warning that I can't even skip over? It almost makes me want to buy the pirated version so I don't have to watch through that stupid warning every single time.

Projector Bulbs - I have heard of and read about how cheap ass theaters purposely dim the projector bulb in hope that it will save them money by prolonging the life of the expensive bulb. This has already been proven to be a false theory, yet many theaters in the states stubbornly continue to do it. Not only are they being stupid, but they're also cheating the customer from a full flegged cinematic experience which the customer paid for. Unless you charge me less money and put up a sign that says "film will be poorly projected", please turn up the lights. Fortunately, this does not seem to be a problem in Hong Kong... I think.

What I do like about theaters in Hong Kong
Assigned seating is cool. It rewards people who plan early, and you don't have to sit in the theater for 30mins just to save your seat. I think having no assigned seating is a ploy used by US theaters to get people to watch the ads. People tend to behave a tad better in Hong Kong theaters, plus they're not allowed to own guns in case we get into a row over something trivial.

The Bottom Line
I'm not stepping into another theater until the next date night. When you add up the parking, meals, theater snacks, and time constraints, it is a much better deal to watch DVDs at home. Invest in a decent home theater system, you can have a private, comfortable film experience without all the yuck yuck involved in going to the movies in this day and age.

Writer's Blogk strikes again!

Yes, that's my excuse. Please wait a few more hours.

Actually, I've been working on a few topics (as I have about ten for backup). All I have to do is write them and sprinkle in some witty humor to keep everyone satisfied. Now that's the hard part.