Okay, so I've been busy...This'll be in relative date order rather than importance as usual so that I can keep track easier (if you didn't understand that, that's fine; I do).
5*4 Points:
1. Labor Day- Never really understood what the meaning of Labor Day was, except that we're supposed to get a day off. Better hit up Wikipedia; seems like a thing that I should know about.
2. Tour of Missouri- Despite cycling being under a cheating cloud, apparently quite a few thousand (six figures I hear) turned up all across Missouri to watch this race, which featured some big names, like Levi Leipheimer, and the Discovery Team. It's sad that this is the last year of Discovery, but Lance Armstrong gave them quite a legacy, didn't he?
3. Larry Craig renegs on resigning- Don't understand his decision; there's major backlash against him, especially in his party, but if he thinks he's "innocent", then oh well. The Republicans aren't going to take back Congress with his help anyway.
4. Steve Fossett Missing- Happened earlier this month and still hasn't been found. And apparently nothing has been found that could've went wrong. I remember how attached to the TV I was when he was making his treks around the world in his balloon...hopefully something will happen with this story.
5. Fred Thompson declares candidacy- Automatically he leaps into the top fourth of the field in the Republican party, but do people really think he has a chance, when he's more well known for Law & Order than for being a senator?
6. Michigan and Notre Dame- Two of the most storied football programs losing really bad games in the first week. Michigan has somewhat recovered, but Notre Dame's probably toast. What happened to Charlie Weis learning from the best? Does he need to resort to cheating as well, or shouldn't he have done that previously?
7. Hurricane Felix- Second category 5 hurricane in a season is a record, says the 9/5/07 edition of USA Today. Hurricane seasons are weird every year, supposedly, and they will continue to be that way, especially with global warming. Why do experts keep saying "This year is weird"?
8. Luciano Pavarotti Dies- But what a legacy he's had; perhaps the best opera singer in the world, if not ever. Sadly, we all probably saw this coming a while back, but still something we hoped would be delayed for a while longer.
9. New TV Season- Everybody's talking about the influx of "geek" shows, with Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, Reaper, Aliens in America, and others. And they all seem alright, or watchable at least. Maybe being nerdy is the trend now, or maybe, with this being TV, they like to show the non-mainstream.
10. USA Today turns 25- Without the hotel aspect dominated, it probably wouldn't have, or even today, survived. But a functional newspaper for those on the go especially, and congratulations are in order.
11. Petraeus Briefing- General David Petraeus, commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, has argued that troop pullback in Iraq may not be a good idea, obviously chafing Democrats in Congress. He also said that security in Iraq was improving, while also saying that religious militia groups have too much power for security to be turned over to local governments. If you think about it, perhaps this makes sense, but still a little contradicting, no?
12. 9/11 now six years ago- Seems like we have all forgotten the lessons 9/11 was supposed to teach us. Patriotism, peace, freedom, and of course life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have seemingly all gone out the window. Please don't make it take another terrorist attack for us to be reminded again (Congress...).
13. Bill Belichick caught for cheating- As harped on before, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was fined, as were the Patriots themselves, for videotaping the New York Jets' signals. However, Goodell has levied a fine that is not harsh at all ($500,000 against Belichick and $250,000 against the team, as well as a first round draft pick IF they make the playoffs), taking a hit against his tough-guy stance against all things wrong. The Patriots can survive that; give them something more lasting.
14. Vanessa Hudgens nude photos- Was she underage, was she overage, were they for Drake Bell, were they for Zac Efron, were they for his enjoyment, were they to make him come to her instead of Ashley Tisdale...glad to know we're following this more than, say, national security?
15. Bush to pull back troops in Iraq- But not because it's been the right thing to do, but because he says the missions have been successful. Someone's drinking Kool-Aid.
16. Sopranos wins best drama- Fitting way to go out for one of the most popular dramas of all time. The panel loves creativity (obviously being involved with performing arts), perhaps they enjoyed the ending, as opposed to the rest of us...
17. O. J. Simpson arrested for armed robbery- Oh, O. J., O. J., O. J., O. J., ... when will you know that crime doesn't pay? You've just got arrested, and now you'll contest it, but is this thing worth a replay?
18. Federal Reserve cuts key interest rate- Trying to boost the economy, especially housing and financial markets. Apparently this will drop the prime lending rate banks have, and the cost of a home-equity line, which bodes well for us consumers, right? (This was all pulled out of USA Today from 9/19/07...better hit up Wikipedia again).
19. Jena Six- Sure, racial tension still exists, but weren't we supposed to have moved past such horrible incidents as this one decades ago? Hanging nooses on a tree was bad, retaliating was just as bad. Charging all six for attempted murder among other things with minimal chance for bail (one has been freed on bail, apparently from an anonymous donor)? A little much, isn't it?
20. Dan Rather sues CBS- CBS ditched him very ungraciously, which shows how much business honors loyalty and hard work. But a $70 million lawsuit? Oh dear.
My 20 points will come later (perhaps tomorrow, perhaps this week, perhaps 25 or greater next week or later...I'm rhyming a lot today), so as to not hit y'all with a huge submission today.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
5 Points for 9/3
1. Alberto Gonzales Resigns- Finally. He's botched the firings of nine federal prosecutors, wiretapping, the Ashcroft fiasco, torture approval, and others. What could've been a historic legacy, with him being the first Latino in such a high position, is now a disgraced one.
2. Tony Snow Resigns- They're just dropping like flies over at the White House, aren't they? Who's next, the Prez and the VP, who are long overdue? Only a year and a third...But anyway, good luck to Snow and his battle with cancer, though I doubt that he left his press secretary position for anything other than this reason, despite his saying that it was about the money. Perhaps more money for chemotherapy treatments, maybe?
3. Larry Craig Resigns- The Republican exodus from Washington is so contagious, it's affecting Congress also. Out of all the people in the world, the ones I cannot tolerate the most are hypocrites (and those who commit wrong deeds and do not repent). Of course, Craig had to play up to his conservative constituency in Idaho and keep proclaiming his straightness, but sooner or later if one keeps telling a lie as big as what his sexuality is, it's going to catch up to him. On the flip side, I do doubt how true the police's report on Craig's alleged actions in the Minneapolis airport, but I doubt they would put on a total farce, and Craig would fight the report rather than give up his job.
4. Wildfires in Greece- The Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has said "We are living through an unspeakable tragedy." And it is. 64 people have been killed already, and an unthinkable 500,000 acres have been burned. Reports are that some of the more historical sites have been saved, such as the site of the ancient Olympics, and thankfully so; thousands of years of history gone up in smoke in a few days would be unthinkable.
5. Georgia wins Little League World Series for Second Straight Year- And what a thriller it was, a walk-off home run by Dalton Carriker in the eighth inning (a standard Little League game lasts seven) and a brilliant performance by Warner Robbins, GA reliever Kendall Scott for five innings after Tokyo got a 2-0 lead after two. But what happened after the game was much bigger. Georgia celebrated its championship with the joy and pride that comes after such a great accomplishment, but after a few minutes went to the Japanese team that was crying in the middle of the field, picked up the ones that were curled on the ground, and hugged each and every one of them. Just thinking about it still brings tears to my eyes. The win was big, but in my mind the sportsmanship showed by both teams is even bigger. Congrats to both.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/26/AR2007082601167.html
My 5 Points-
1. School started Wednesday- Possibly the hardest semester I'm going to have to endure so far. Quantitative Physiology and Biochemistry, for some reason, I put in the same semester. Good luck to me. I must say that I'm not that scared of Biochem, but more scared of the fact that I'm not going to put as much time into it as I should. QP, from what others who have taken the class say, is not that hard, but the amount of work required makes it so. And on top of that, there's the Thermo that requires practicing problems, and the Technical Writing and the Psychology, in which I fall asleep and cannot get the lecture notes that the professor says is the most important for tests...
2. Bet with Ai-Lin- So we have this bet as to who would work out more over the semester, with a Haagen-Dazs ice cream riding on it (ironic, isn't it?)...While she does ten minutes a day of yoga/pilates usually, when I work out I go at least an hour at a time of running and sometimes another hour of lifting, and then there's sports games like soccer (which I must say that I miss and in which my skills are degressing, the few that I had anyway). She's more consistent, I go in streaks. I'll keep you updated; so far I'm leading by about 100 minutes.
3. Biochem Homework- Back to academics for a minute, as this requires its own section. I printed out the first biochem problem set on Thursday, and after one look at the assigned problem, I practically got scared, as at first glance it looks really complicated. After a few hours of pondering, I realized that most of the question was extraneous (hopefully) information, but that doesn't take away from how potentially hard and time-consuming this class is going to be. Decisions on what might happen forthcoming.
4. Came home for Labor Day- I miss home. I miss the big bed, the showering without flip-flops, the bathroom where everything is your own, the walking barefoot everywhere in the house. Glad I came back, even if for only a few days. And I realized I concentrate better at home (though it could improve; only got Biochem reading done so far...more tomorrow).
5. Seki's- Saw Chris (friend/classmate from Wash U), a couple whom my parents know from my days at Japanese School, and Dr. Frank Yin, the chairman of the Biomedical Engineering department at Wash U. I have realized I need to work on my manners when seeing people in public (stand up and shake hands, introduce parents, etc., actually wave, not raise the back of your hand), but thankfully he's a nice person and very chill (I got to see him in shorts:). And when he stands up when you go over to say bye and introduces his wife again, you know he has a lot of respect for students (and also perhaps to furtively teach me a lesson). Also had a good conversation with the Japanese couple; I might remember their son a little, though not really probably because they mentioned him, but otherwise everything was just general greetings and catching up. With Chris it was just a wave; he was with friends himself.
2. Tony Snow Resigns- They're just dropping like flies over at the White House, aren't they? Who's next, the Prez and the VP, who are long overdue? Only a year and a third...But anyway, good luck to Snow and his battle with cancer, though I doubt that he left his press secretary position for anything other than this reason, despite his saying that it was about the money. Perhaps more money for chemotherapy treatments, maybe?
3. Larry Craig Resigns- The Republican exodus from Washington is so contagious, it's affecting Congress also. Out of all the people in the world, the ones I cannot tolerate the most are hypocrites (and those who commit wrong deeds and do not repent). Of course, Craig had to play up to his conservative constituency in Idaho and keep proclaiming his straightness, but sooner or later if one keeps telling a lie as big as what his sexuality is, it's going to catch up to him. On the flip side, I do doubt how true the police's report on Craig's alleged actions in the Minneapolis airport, but I doubt they would put on a total farce, and Craig would fight the report rather than give up his job.
4. Wildfires in Greece- The Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has said "We are living through an unspeakable tragedy." And it is. 64 people have been killed already, and an unthinkable 500,000 acres have been burned. Reports are that some of the more historical sites have been saved, such as the site of the ancient Olympics, and thankfully so; thousands of years of history gone up in smoke in a few days would be unthinkable.
5. Georgia wins Little League World Series for Second Straight Year- And what a thriller it was, a walk-off home run by Dalton Carriker in the eighth inning (a standard Little League game lasts seven) and a brilliant performance by Warner Robbins, GA reliever Kendall Scott for five innings after Tokyo got a 2-0 lead after two. But what happened after the game was much bigger. Georgia celebrated its championship with the joy and pride that comes after such a great accomplishment, but after a few minutes went to the Japanese team that was crying in the middle of the field, picked up the ones that were curled on the ground, and hugged each and every one of them. Just thinking about it still brings tears to my eyes. The win was big, but in my mind the sportsmanship showed by both teams is even bigger. Congrats to both.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/26/AR2007082601167.html
My 5 Points-
1. School started Wednesday- Possibly the hardest semester I'm going to have to endure so far. Quantitative Physiology and Biochemistry, for some reason, I put in the same semester. Good luck to me. I must say that I'm not that scared of Biochem, but more scared of the fact that I'm not going to put as much time into it as I should. QP, from what others who have taken the class say, is not that hard, but the amount of work required makes it so. And on top of that, there's the Thermo that requires practicing problems, and the Technical Writing and the Psychology, in which I fall asleep and cannot get the lecture notes that the professor says is the most important for tests...
2. Bet with Ai-Lin- So we have this bet as to who would work out more over the semester, with a Haagen-Dazs ice cream riding on it (ironic, isn't it?)...While she does ten minutes a day of yoga/pilates usually, when I work out I go at least an hour at a time of running and sometimes another hour of lifting, and then there's sports games like soccer (which I must say that I miss and in which my skills are degressing, the few that I had anyway). She's more consistent, I go in streaks. I'll keep you updated; so far I'm leading by about 100 minutes.
3. Biochem Homework- Back to academics for a minute, as this requires its own section. I printed out the first biochem problem set on Thursday, and after one look at the assigned problem, I practically got scared, as at first glance it looks really complicated. After a few hours of pondering, I realized that most of the question was extraneous (hopefully) information, but that doesn't take away from how potentially hard and time-consuming this class is going to be. Decisions on what might happen forthcoming.
4. Came home for Labor Day- I miss home. I miss the big bed, the showering without flip-flops, the bathroom where everything is your own, the walking barefoot everywhere in the house. Glad I came back, even if for only a few days. And I realized I concentrate better at home (though it could improve; only got Biochem reading done so far...more tomorrow).
5. Seki's- Saw Chris (friend/classmate from Wash U), a couple whom my parents know from my days at Japanese School, and Dr. Frank Yin, the chairman of the Biomedical Engineering department at Wash U. I have realized I need to work on my manners when seeing people in public (stand up and shake hands, introduce parents, etc., actually wave, not raise the back of your hand), but thankfully he's a nice person and very chill (I got to see him in shorts:). And when he stands up when you go over to say bye and introduces his wife again, you know he has a lot of respect for students (and also perhaps to furtively teach me a lesson). Also had a good conversation with the Japanese couple; I might remember their son a little, though not really probably because they mentioned him, but otherwise everything was just general greetings and catching up. With Chris it was just a wave; he was with friends himself.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Harry Potter Late Review
I forgot to mention yesterday that I went to Old Country Buffet for the first time in a while (now Hometown Buffet...I still call it OCB), and went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix after. So why not make up for that by doing a (late) review of the movie?
I must say that despite the new director, the fifth edition of the Harry Potter franchise was quite up to par, as much as the last two and the first one at least (I have not seen the first sequel, so I cannot comment on that one, though I've heard it's the worst of all of them). However, the turnover in direction is a good thing, as each new director brings a fresh and objective viewpoint to each movie, so movie-goers will not be bored with the same old tricks from the previous directors.
As far as editing, sound, special effects, and lighting, and the other technical aspects that make up the movie, those were quite effective and well done. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on these things, but from a casual movie-watcher's perspective, I was quite satisfied with these criteria as a whole. There was no fluff; all scenes contributed to the movie and the plot. This isn't an easy feat, especially with adapting such a huge book, but the movie was able to get the basic gist of the plot while not skimping on details and still telling a full-bodied story. The one scene after Sirius dies where Harry screams in anguish while Professor Lupin tries to hold him to prevent him from doing anything drastic was quite well-played. The complete removal of sound and putting the scene in slow motion makes the audience focus on the horror and anger in Harry's face, making the picture more poignant, and with sound present, it'd be just another scene and would perhaps take away from the emotion that the audience is supposed to feel along with Harry. I'm not sure if this is a commonly employed technique, but very nice touch regardless.
All the child actors, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have really grown into their own. Maybe it's because they've played the same characters for more than a decade that the characters are now part of the actors' alter egos. Or, they really have improved their acting skills. Either way, they did a fine job. The complex emotions that Harry is supposed to feel is not a walk in the park, and Radcliffe was able to show all sides of Harry, the anger, anguish, fear, love, courage, and everything else. It's still too early to call him a legend, but I must say if he keeps this up and is able to translate his skills to other movies, he's going to be quite good. The Ron and Hermione relationship still seems a bit forced when played out, but as Grint and Watson get older it should be able to come easier.
Even the side actors did well. Of course the veteran adult actors are always good, with Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, and others. Naming the adults is like naming a who's who of British acting superstars, and they all sure flexed their muscles again with this installment. I always like to see more of Smith as McGonagall, because in the books she's such a complex and fun character, but understandably after the first two books she's just there as a necessary connection. Perhaps because my favorite book in the series was the first one and she was such an integral part is the reason. Katie Leung has improved, but she still has much to work on, this being only her second movie.
I'll admit that I haven't read the fifth book, but I would have loved to have seen some of Rowling's trademark dry humor in the movie that was present in the previous ones. Again, I know it's hard to strip down an 870 page book into a two hour movie without taking away a lot, but a little more here and there to break the tension would have been nice.
For some reason I thought Hermione's hotness peaked in the last movie. Did anybody else think so? Cho did get a little prettier, though she was more up-and-down in this movie. (Sorry, side note, as I am a guy).
It's been a summer full of major blockbuster pictures, from the very good (Ratatouille) to the awful (apparently Evan Almighty) with many in between. The Order of the Phoenix is admittedly only a bridge between the fourth and seventh books, and the only thing advancing the plot is the death of Sirius, which seems kind of forced by Rowling just to prove that Voldemort is pure evil. However, the movie is a good and entertaining watch, and ranks up there with the better movies of the summer. To the director: Harry and Cho's kiss was a little sloppy; you might want to have Hermione and Ron practice a little more before going on camera for the next time.
I must say that despite the new director, the fifth edition of the Harry Potter franchise was quite up to par, as much as the last two and the first one at least (I have not seen the first sequel, so I cannot comment on that one, though I've heard it's the worst of all of them). However, the turnover in direction is a good thing, as each new director brings a fresh and objective viewpoint to each movie, so movie-goers will not be bored with the same old tricks from the previous directors.
As far as editing, sound, special effects, and lighting, and the other technical aspects that make up the movie, those were quite effective and well done. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on these things, but from a casual movie-watcher's perspective, I was quite satisfied with these criteria as a whole. There was no fluff; all scenes contributed to the movie and the plot. This isn't an easy feat, especially with adapting such a huge book, but the movie was able to get the basic gist of the plot while not skimping on details and still telling a full-bodied story. The one scene after Sirius dies where Harry screams in anguish while Professor Lupin tries to hold him to prevent him from doing anything drastic was quite well-played. The complete removal of sound and putting the scene in slow motion makes the audience focus on the horror and anger in Harry's face, making the picture more poignant, and with sound present, it'd be just another scene and would perhaps take away from the emotion that the audience is supposed to feel along with Harry. I'm not sure if this is a commonly employed technique, but very nice touch regardless.
All the child actors, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have really grown into their own. Maybe it's because they've played the same characters for more than a decade that the characters are now part of the actors' alter egos. Or, they really have improved their acting skills. Either way, they did a fine job. The complex emotions that Harry is supposed to feel is not a walk in the park, and Radcliffe was able to show all sides of Harry, the anger, anguish, fear, love, courage, and everything else. It's still too early to call him a legend, but I must say if he keeps this up and is able to translate his skills to other movies, he's going to be quite good. The Ron and Hermione relationship still seems a bit forced when played out, but as Grint and Watson get older it should be able to come easier.
Even the side actors did well. Of course the veteran adult actors are always good, with Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, and others. Naming the adults is like naming a who's who of British acting superstars, and they all sure flexed their muscles again with this installment. I always like to see more of Smith as McGonagall, because in the books she's such a complex and fun character, but understandably after the first two books she's just there as a necessary connection. Perhaps because my favorite book in the series was the first one and she was such an integral part is the reason. Katie Leung has improved, but she still has much to work on, this being only her second movie.
I'll admit that I haven't read the fifth book, but I would have loved to have seen some of Rowling's trademark dry humor in the movie that was present in the previous ones. Again, I know it's hard to strip down an 870 page book into a two hour movie without taking away a lot, but a little more here and there to break the tension would have been nice.
For some reason I thought Hermione's hotness peaked in the last movie. Did anybody else think so? Cho did get a little prettier, though she was more up-and-down in this movie. (Sorry, side note, as I am a guy).
It's been a summer full of major blockbuster pictures, from the very good (Ratatouille) to the awful (apparently Evan Almighty) with many in between. The Order of the Phoenix is admittedly only a bridge between the fourth and seventh books, and the only thing advancing the plot is the death of Sirius, which seems kind of forced by Rowling just to prove that Voldemort is pure evil. However, the movie is a good and entertaining watch, and ranks up there with the better movies of the summer. To the director: Harry and Cho's kiss was a little sloppy; you might want to have Hermione and Ron practice a little more before going on camera for the next time.
5 Points for 8/26
Yeah, I know, perhaps I should change the official date of posting to Sundays. But it's my blog, and I haven't gone to sleep yet, so let's say it's Saturday even though it's not.
1. Michael Vick pleads guilty- Pretty much what was expected, especially with his cohorts already entering guilty pleas and planning to testify against him. As Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch would say, "How will the NFL remember the Michael Vick era?" At least he has enough money to bum around for a while as he finds a job as a movie extra or something.
2. Utah Mine Rescue Complications- There was talk of drilling one more hole, and then giving up if the six trapped miners couldn't be found. This is a very touchy subject, as three rescuers have already been killed during search operations, but families would be devistated if at least the bodies of the six who were originally trapped weren't found. I've stated both sides, and I'll let you decide this one.
3. Floods in upper Midwest- Again, more examples of the weird weather we've been having in the United States this summer. My Grandma from Taiwan actually called one night at midnight to ask if we were okay. Of course, we're far from the flooded areas in both location and weather (again, we were in a drought before Friday's huge storm), but it was a nice gesture on her part.
4. China Airlines plane catches on fire and explodes in Okinawa, Japan- Miraculously, all 165 on board the Boeing 737-800 are perfectly fine. Apparently a hole in the fuel tank prompted the incident. As mentioned elsewhere, this is another blow to China Airlines and its attempt to shake its reputation as being unsafe. We'll see if this is China Airlines' or Boeing's problem.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/08/19/plane-fire.html
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-08-24-china-air-update_N.htm?csp=34
5. Jenna Bush engaged- Not the one I thought would get engaged first; in my opinion Barbara's hotter. But congratulations to her, probably the only good thing going for the prez recently.
My 5 points
1. Move in day yesterday- Got a few things in on Wednesday before my dad left for temple stuff in Austin. Got most of the rest of the things into the dorm yesterday morning. It's nice going to school in St. Louis, because I can just go home and grab something that I forgot or have my parents drop it off, no worries at all.
2. Gave tour after moving in- Not as chill as past Saturday tours, especially now that the campus is back to bustling again, with upperclass move in day today. In fact lost a few people in the crowd. Hopefully they won't hold that against me. Ran into Connie while looking for a room to show (friends from Chinese School back when we were in elementary school). Glad she picked Wash U. over Berkeley. And she let my group take a look at her room, which was nice. Hopefully she and her floormates don't get annoyed with all the tour groups this year looking for rooms to show prospective freshmen, although by winter it's probably bound to happen, unfortunately.
3. Went to dentist on Tuesday- Specifically took a day off from work just for that. Found out I have a cavity in the same tooth that I got a filling last year, and apparently it's in a very odd place. At least it doesn't hurt, so I can wait the month or so it'll take to get my regular dentist to fix it. My theory is that this probably happened because my regular dentist didn't perform the procedure last time; it was the other guy who's now coincidentally gone. Go figure...though he seemed okay up to the filling point last year.
4. Back to work this week after a week's hiatus- Kinda got somewhere, but not really. I had double-checked my ECG's with Peter's program to make sure the times and signals lined up, but for some reason Eric's program, the one I'm using to obtain stats from my files, messes everything up. Hopefully this'll be worked out next week.
5. Finally got to exercise this week- Lost weight, gained some muscle, and kind of starting to show a six-pack. We'll see how long that lasts through the school year, both the exercise habit and the physical attributes. Made a bet with Ai-Lin to see who exerciese more over the semester. She thinks she'll win; I give her two weeks before she gives up. Saw the person who blocked me on AIM last week, but she was with someone else, so I didn't have a private conversation with her. What's perplexing is that when she sees me she'll still smile and say hi, and make some small talk. I don't understand this; anybody care to explain it for me?
1. Michael Vick pleads guilty- Pretty much what was expected, especially with his cohorts already entering guilty pleas and planning to testify against him. As Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch would say, "How will the NFL remember the Michael Vick era?" At least he has enough money to bum around for a while as he finds a job as a movie extra or something.
2. Utah Mine Rescue Complications- There was talk of drilling one more hole, and then giving up if the six trapped miners couldn't be found. This is a very touchy subject, as three rescuers have already been killed during search operations, but families would be devistated if at least the bodies of the six who were originally trapped weren't found. I've stated both sides, and I'll let you decide this one.
3. Floods in upper Midwest- Again, more examples of the weird weather we've been having in the United States this summer. My Grandma from Taiwan actually called one night at midnight to ask if we were okay. Of course, we're far from the flooded areas in both location and weather (again, we were in a drought before Friday's huge storm), but it was a nice gesture on her part.
4. China Airlines plane catches on fire and explodes in Okinawa, Japan- Miraculously, all 165 on board the Boeing 737-800 are perfectly fine. Apparently a hole in the fuel tank prompted the incident. As mentioned elsewhere, this is another blow to China Airlines and its attempt to shake its reputation as being unsafe. We'll see if this is China Airlines' or Boeing's problem.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/08/19/plane-fire.html
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-08-24-china-air-update_N.htm?csp=34
5. Jenna Bush engaged- Not the one I thought would get engaged first; in my opinion Barbara's hotter. But congratulations to her, probably the only good thing going for the prez recently.
My 5 points
1. Move in day yesterday- Got a few things in on Wednesday before my dad left for temple stuff in Austin. Got most of the rest of the things into the dorm yesterday morning. It's nice going to school in St. Louis, because I can just go home and grab something that I forgot or have my parents drop it off, no worries at all.
2. Gave tour after moving in- Not as chill as past Saturday tours, especially now that the campus is back to bustling again, with upperclass move in day today. In fact lost a few people in the crowd. Hopefully they won't hold that against me. Ran into Connie while looking for a room to show (friends from Chinese School back when we were in elementary school). Glad she picked Wash U. over Berkeley. And she let my group take a look at her room, which was nice. Hopefully she and her floormates don't get annoyed with all the tour groups this year looking for rooms to show prospective freshmen, although by winter it's probably bound to happen, unfortunately.
3. Went to dentist on Tuesday- Specifically took a day off from work just for that. Found out I have a cavity in the same tooth that I got a filling last year, and apparently it's in a very odd place. At least it doesn't hurt, so I can wait the month or so it'll take to get my regular dentist to fix it. My theory is that this probably happened because my regular dentist didn't perform the procedure last time; it was the other guy who's now coincidentally gone. Go figure...though he seemed okay up to the filling point last year.
4. Back to work this week after a week's hiatus- Kinda got somewhere, but not really. I had double-checked my ECG's with Peter's program to make sure the times and signals lined up, but for some reason Eric's program, the one I'm using to obtain stats from my files, messes everything up. Hopefully this'll be worked out next week.
5. Finally got to exercise this week- Lost weight, gained some muscle, and kind of starting to show a six-pack. We'll see how long that lasts through the school year, both the exercise habit and the physical attributes. Made a bet with Ai-Lin to see who exerciese more over the semester. She thinks she'll win; I give her two weeks before she gives up. Saw the person who blocked me on AIM last week, but she was with someone else, so I didn't have a private conversation with her. What's perplexing is that when she sees me she'll still smile and say hi, and make some small talk. I don't understand this; anybody care to explain it for me?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
5 Points for 8/19
I'll try to make this one quick.
1. Karl Rove leaves White House- Disliked by Democrats, but hailed by Republicans, obviously for putting George W. Bush into the White House twice, despite the shortcomings of the candidate that are so obvious now. One cannot take away his shrewdness in regard to political strategy, but you have to wonder if he left because of Bush's tanking rankings, and/or to put himself in a good opportunity to help a 2008 candidate, like Rudolph Giuliani? Either way, this is not the end of the road for Karl Rove.
2. Hurricane Dean pounds Jamaica- The hurricane season has finally kicked off. Already eight people have been killed with winds reaching 160 mph. There are stories that some residents have decided to stay in their homes rather than seek safer shelter, and while I don't believe that is a prudent move, I've never been in a hurricane while these people go through it annually, so maybe they know what to expect and feel that they can ride it out. Either way, good luck to them.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070820/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/tropical_weather_211
3. Officer Norvelle Brown killed in St. Louis- Since I am from St. Louis, this has led off all the local newscasts since the incident happened. It's very unfortunate that these even happen, especially a senseless one by a fifteen year old. While understandably there is not enough manpower to have all cops paired up, there is no question that this would provide more safety to all officers (Brown was alone when he was shot). Thoughts and prayers to Officer Brown and his family.
4. Tropical Storm Erin provides some dazzling dramatic rescues in Oklahoma- If anybody has seen video of these rescues on the news, they're pretty remarkable, with helicopters plucking people out of the water, having them fall in again after dangling from the helicopter, and then rescuing them again. It's also remarkable what weather can do, even a tropical storm in Oklahoma making waters rise up to the tops of some houses.
5. High School Musical 2 premieres- As I'm not a tween, I can't imagine how big this movie is (I'm getting old). Honestly, I had never even heard of High School Musical until I was reading about it in Newsweek a few months after the first movie had been shown. The story seems cheesy, though wholesome, and definitely appeals to the tween population. Disney strikes again.
My 5 points
1. Finally done with orgo- Not as well as I would have liked, but much, much better than last year. If I weren't so focused on grades, the subject material would be interesting, but alas, all academic subjects cannot have appeal because learning for the sake of learning is ruined by tests for the sake of grades.
2. Gave final tour of the summer (maybe) on Saturday- Saturday groups are really chill; they're less tense than weekday groups, ask less unnecessary questions, and go with the flow of things (it is a weekend with less stringent schedules, so that helps I guess). But giving tours on Saturday is worth it just because the weekday fuss isn't present.
3. Baseball- Watched a lot of baseball (mainly due to the many rain delays at Wrigley this weekend, so the two hour game in effect took six). Not the most pleasant game yesterday from the Cardinals' standpoint. It always seems this year that it's only one bad pitch or one bad inning that gives the Cardinals their losses, such as Looper's and Reyes' pitches the past two games. If these didn't happen, think of how much better the Cardinals would be in the eyes of everybody who follows baseball.
4. America's Got Talent- Also got to watch for the first time in more than a month; I was proud that I got to see the first auditions for seven of the final eight. Julienne Irwin has a wonderful voice, but she is often off on her notes; I didn't think she'd even make it to the final ten or so, but props to her for proving everybody wrong (including Piers Morgan and me). My bet is on either Cas Haley or Terry Fator; they're both really good and wildly entertaining in their own rights. Beyond that, I was torn between whom to vote for, so I voted for Cas ten times and Ai-Lin voted for Terry ten times. Cas sang two really good songs well, and that turtle of Terry's is cool.
5. Cell phone calls- Not only do I have a problem with Facebook now, but with people not returning my phone calls as well. A massive rant will be forthcoming very soon, now that I'm done with orgo.
1. Karl Rove leaves White House- Disliked by Democrats, but hailed by Republicans, obviously for putting George W. Bush into the White House twice, despite the shortcomings of the candidate that are so obvious now. One cannot take away his shrewdness in regard to political strategy, but you have to wonder if he left because of Bush's tanking rankings, and/or to put himself in a good opportunity to help a 2008 candidate, like Rudolph Giuliani? Either way, this is not the end of the road for Karl Rove.
2. Hurricane Dean pounds Jamaica- The hurricane season has finally kicked off. Already eight people have been killed with winds reaching 160 mph. There are stories that some residents have decided to stay in their homes rather than seek safer shelter, and while I don't believe that is a prudent move, I've never been in a hurricane while these people go through it annually, so maybe they know what to expect and feel that they can ride it out. Either way, good luck to them.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070820/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/tropical_weather_211
3. Officer Norvelle Brown killed in St. Louis- Since I am from St. Louis, this has led off all the local newscasts since the incident happened. It's very unfortunate that these even happen, especially a senseless one by a fifteen year old. While understandably there is not enough manpower to have all cops paired up, there is no question that this would provide more safety to all officers (Brown was alone when he was shot). Thoughts and prayers to Officer Brown and his family.
4. Tropical Storm Erin provides some dazzling dramatic rescues in Oklahoma- If anybody has seen video of these rescues on the news, they're pretty remarkable, with helicopters plucking people out of the water, having them fall in again after dangling from the helicopter, and then rescuing them again. It's also remarkable what weather can do, even a tropical storm in Oklahoma making waters rise up to the tops of some houses.
5. High School Musical 2 premieres- As I'm not a tween, I can't imagine how big this movie is (I'm getting old). Honestly, I had never even heard of High School Musical until I was reading about it in Newsweek a few months after the first movie had been shown. The story seems cheesy, though wholesome, and definitely appeals to the tween population. Disney strikes again.
My 5 points
1. Finally done with orgo- Not as well as I would have liked, but much, much better than last year. If I weren't so focused on grades, the subject material would be interesting, but alas, all academic subjects cannot have appeal because learning for the sake of learning is ruined by tests for the sake of grades.
2. Gave final tour of the summer (maybe) on Saturday- Saturday groups are really chill; they're less tense than weekday groups, ask less unnecessary questions, and go with the flow of things (it is a weekend with less stringent schedules, so that helps I guess). But giving tours on Saturday is worth it just because the weekday fuss isn't present.
3. Baseball- Watched a lot of baseball (mainly due to the many rain delays at Wrigley this weekend, so the two hour game in effect took six). Not the most pleasant game yesterday from the Cardinals' standpoint. It always seems this year that it's only one bad pitch or one bad inning that gives the Cardinals their losses, such as Looper's and Reyes' pitches the past two games. If these didn't happen, think of how much better the Cardinals would be in the eyes of everybody who follows baseball.
4. America's Got Talent- Also got to watch for the first time in more than a month; I was proud that I got to see the first auditions for seven of the final eight. Julienne Irwin has a wonderful voice, but she is often off on her notes; I didn't think she'd even make it to the final ten or so, but props to her for proving everybody wrong (including Piers Morgan and me). My bet is on either Cas Haley or Terry Fator; they're both really good and wildly entertaining in their own rights. Beyond that, I was torn between whom to vote for, so I voted for Cas ten times and Ai-Lin voted for Terry ten times. Cas sang two really good songs well, and that turtle of Terry's is cool.
5. Cell phone calls- Not only do I have a problem with Facebook now, but with people not returning my phone calls as well. A massive rant will be forthcoming very soon, now that I'm done with orgo.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
5 Points for 8/12
1. Massive Heat Wave in United States, Including St. Louis- It's been nine straight days or so of temperatures above 90 degrees in St. Louis, sometimes even topping 100. Obviously the heat index is almost at or above 100 for these past nine days also, and no relief is in sight for the foreseeable future. Buckle in, everybody; the weather's obviously making up for lost time, as we've had a pretty mild summer before this month.
2. Billy Graham in the Spotlight- His relationship with the White House and the Presidents was the subject of an ABC News special on Friday, and he's on the cover of Time Magazine this week. For one person to have such an influence on the whole country and its leaders (eleven of them, apparently) is remarkable and speaks to the magnitude of trust, wisdom, and comfort this man can give.
3. Six Utah Miners Trapped in Coal Mine- Still no contact with them as of yesterday, so hopes have leveled after a roller coaster week. The mine owner has said emphatically that the cave-in was caused by an earthquake, when the U.S. Geological Survey has said that the "earthquake" readings they got were actually from the mine caving in. At least he's trying to save his butt so business can go on later. But a shameful and completely transparent attempt at a cover-up nonetheless.
4. Barry Bonds hits 756- Finally it's over. In fact, he hit two more home runs right after he hit 756, which shows that the pressure is finally off. Now San Francisco has to find another way to generate revenue and fill AT&T Park. Possibly start winning?
5. Rick Ankiel Called Up to St. Louis- A new chapter begins in this storybook second career of his. What a way to come back after retiring from pitching two years ago, when he was frustrated with his suddenly diminished pitching talent that never got back on track. In the past three games, he's batting above .400 with three home runs and six runs batted in. Now watch him break 758...
My 5 Points-
1. Wash U. offers new internet and cable package- This is an outrage. Wash U. already charges us upwards of $45,000 a year in miscellaneous charges, including internet that should be part of tuition, not a separate option for students. Now, the price has been raised $100 due to the addition of wireless internet in the dorms, among other things. Cable TV was added as part of the package, and then taken off to be "free" to students, while the price of internet access has not gone down. Personally, I can live without cable TV and wireless in the dorms. I do not want to pay $240 for all these features when all I need is ethernet access that I grudgingly paid $135 a semester when it, again, should be included in the tuition. Wash U. is basically a business that only cares about making money. What a shame for such a "fine institution for higher learning".
2. Orgo- Entering my last week. I do not understand sugars (though I haven't started reading the chapter yet, so we'll see). It's going to be a fun week, with a test on Tuesday and a test on Thursday, both on arguably the most I've had to know for a test this summer.
3. TpTe Project- Slowly but steadily reaching my goal of obtaining results. Peter (lab technician/resident computer genius) is what he is, a genius. He's been able to fix any problem that's come up. Hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here to the end, though past experience says I'm going to have to call him a few more times to help me out with programs that aren't doing what they're supposed to do.
4. Tours- I always get tours that ask so many questions that I end at 12:40 when I should be done by 12:15. Got a tour that didn't ask that many questions on Friday, and I actually ended on time. These are so rare though that I sometimes don't know how to handle myself when the visitors don't respond after I ask if they have any questions. I've been getting good reviews apparently, says Andrea, and she and Mary Cissi have offered to give me recommendations when I apply (again) to be a Student Admissions Committee member in the fall. Hopefully these will help me get over the hump of rejection.
5. Cardinals- Watched the game today against the Dodgers. The best game I've seen in a long time (I don't have cable, so I don't get to watch that many anymore). Quite satisfied, especially with Braden Looper continuing the recent success of starting pitching, and Ankiel having a big day.
2. Billy Graham in the Spotlight- His relationship with the White House and the Presidents was the subject of an ABC News special on Friday, and he's on the cover of Time Magazine this week. For one person to have such an influence on the whole country and its leaders (eleven of them, apparently) is remarkable and speaks to the magnitude of trust, wisdom, and comfort this man can give.
3. Six Utah Miners Trapped in Coal Mine- Still no contact with them as of yesterday, so hopes have leveled after a roller coaster week. The mine owner has said emphatically that the cave-in was caused by an earthquake, when the U.S. Geological Survey has said that the "earthquake" readings they got were actually from the mine caving in. At least he's trying to save his butt so business can go on later. But a shameful and completely transparent attempt at a cover-up nonetheless.
4. Barry Bonds hits 756- Finally it's over. In fact, he hit two more home runs right after he hit 756, which shows that the pressure is finally off. Now San Francisco has to find another way to generate revenue and fill AT&T Park. Possibly start winning?
5. Rick Ankiel Called Up to St. Louis- A new chapter begins in this storybook second career of his. What a way to come back after retiring from pitching two years ago, when he was frustrated with his suddenly diminished pitching talent that never got back on track. In the past three games, he's batting above .400 with three home runs and six runs batted in. Now watch him break 758...
My 5 Points-
1. Wash U. offers new internet and cable package- This is an outrage. Wash U. already charges us upwards of $45,000 a year in miscellaneous charges, including internet that should be part of tuition, not a separate option for students. Now, the price has been raised $100 due to the addition of wireless internet in the dorms, among other things. Cable TV was added as part of the package, and then taken off to be "free" to students, while the price of internet access has not gone down. Personally, I can live without cable TV and wireless in the dorms. I do not want to pay $240 for all these features when all I need is ethernet access that I grudgingly paid $135 a semester when it, again, should be included in the tuition. Wash U. is basically a business that only cares about making money. What a shame for such a "fine institution for higher learning".
2. Orgo- Entering my last week. I do not understand sugars (though I haven't started reading the chapter yet, so we'll see). It's going to be a fun week, with a test on Tuesday and a test on Thursday, both on arguably the most I've had to know for a test this summer.
3. TpTe Project- Slowly but steadily reaching my goal of obtaining results. Peter (lab technician/resident computer genius) is what he is, a genius. He's been able to fix any problem that's come up. Hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here to the end, though past experience says I'm going to have to call him a few more times to help me out with programs that aren't doing what they're supposed to do.
4. Tours- I always get tours that ask so many questions that I end at 12:40 when I should be done by 12:15. Got a tour that didn't ask that many questions on Friday, and I actually ended on time. These are so rare though that I sometimes don't know how to handle myself when the visitors don't respond after I ask if they have any questions. I've been getting good reviews apparently, says Andrea, and she and Mary Cissi have offered to give me recommendations when I apply (again) to be a Student Admissions Committee member in the fall. Hopefully these will help me get over the hump of rejection.
5. Cardinals- Watched the game today against the Dodgers. The best game I've seen in a long time (I don't have cable, so I don't get to watch that many anymore). Quite satisfied, especially with Braden Looper continuing the recent success of starting pitching, and Ankiel having a big day.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
5 Points for 8/5
5 Points for 8/5 (well, 8/9 now)
1. Minnesota Bridge Collapse- Obviously the biggest story of the week. It's sad that it takes such a big tragedy to raise any issues, not just with bridge safety, but with anything else. If there are deficiencies with something, shouldn't there be steps taken to minimize its potential damage, and haggle over costs when you absolutely have to? I'm sure there are a lot of things the government is spending on that doesn't even need to exist. Obviously thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and hopefully the eight missing can be found soon.
2. South Korean Missionaries in Afghanistan- Their church has apologized for sending missionaries to Afghanistan and has suspended missionary operations until further notice, as they have now put South Korea under massive amounts of emotional stress. While one has to be safe when going to dangerous parts of the world, there is no need to indefinitely suspend missionary operations and apologize to the government for fulfilling their goal. Religion can be a big and saving part of human life, and to go and try to help those in need, whether physically or spiritually is a good deed, and one that should not be apologized for.
3. Rupert Murdoch Acquires Wall Street Journal- At least the partnership fits; Fox News has a conservative slant, as does the editorial board for WSJ. Is anybody else concerned that Murdoch will compromise the journalistic integrity of the Wall Street Journal? The New York Post, for one, is not known for having high quality articles. Nor is Fox News very newsworthy, either.
4. John Roberts Suffers a Seizure on vacation- Apparently it was nothing, but once a person has suffered two seizures (he had another one in 1993) the risk of getting another one goes up drastically. Let's hope, for his sake and the country's, that he doesn't fall into that category.
5. Cardinals gain ground in NL Central, then go 1-5 against two last place teams- Story of the season; just can't get anything done. They took three out of four against the first place Brewers to get to within six games of first place, and while the Cubs and Brewers are playing top level teams, the Cardinals falter against two of the worst teams in the league. At least we got Joel Piniero, right?
My Points for 8/5 (now 8/9)
1. Car- I'm not a bad driver. I just have trouble in tight spaces. Such as the back lots for the houses along Forsyth. My back right door has a huge dent from trying to maneuver around the corner of a house when trying to get out. It's ugly, but at least it's only cosmetic and doesn't affect the functionality of the car itself.
2. The Simpsons Movie- The plot was a little lacking for a feature film, especially at the end, but it was still servicable. The main point, getting laughs from the audience, was very effective. One weird thing was seeing a tw0-dimensional film/The Simpsons on the big screen, since we're so accustomed to 3-D/seeing them on TV. However, this was worth waiting the eighteen years for.
3. Orgo- Going swimmingly. Still not where I'd like to be, but much better than last summer, and that in itself is more than I can ask for.
4. Gas Prices- So a few weeks back I heard a report on KMOX while gas prices were at 2.90 or so that gas prices were going to continue to rise through Labor Day. I go out that morning and I see prices at 2.83 or so. Despite a few fluctuations, gas prices have now come down to 2.53 as of this morning. I must say that I'm enjoying this little "break" (although I yearn for the days when I used to believe that gas prices were stuck on 99 cents, or even at 79 cents before prices started rising after that). It does kind of suck to see prices this low and quickly fill up that night, and then come out the next morning and see that the price has dropped. I was never good at game theory.
5. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air- Now my new (old) favorite show. I can't believe I crack up so much watching it; Will Smith's got major talent. I love how the show portrays a rich family, but the props are obviously fake and cheap, kind of like the cheap furniture that's made to look elegant. And Ashley's kind of hot.
1. Minnesota Bridge Collapse- Obviously the biggest story of the week. It's sad that it takes such a big tragedy to raise any issues, not just with bridge safety, but with anything else. If there are deficiencies with something, shouldn't there be steps taken to minimize its potential damage, and haggle over costs when you absolutely have to? I'm sure there are a lot of things the government is spending on that doesn't even need to exist. Obviously thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and hopefully the eight missing can be found soon.
2. South Korean Missionaries in Afghanistan- Their church has apologized for sending missionaries to Afghanistan and has suspended missionary operations until further notice, as they have now put South Korea under massive amounts of emotional stress. While one has to be safe when going to dangerous parts of the world, there is no need to indefinitely suspend missionary operations and apologize to the government for fulfilling their goal. Religion can be a big and saving part of human life, and to go and try to help those in need, whether physically or spiritually is a good deed, and one that should not be apologized for.
3. Rupert Murdoch Acquires Wall Street Journal- At least the partnership fits; Fox News has a conservative slant, as does the editorial board for WSJ. Is anybody else concerned that Murdoch will compromise the journalistic integrity of the Wall Street Journal? The New York Post, for one, is not known for having high quality articles. Nor is Fox News very newsworthy, either.
4. John Roberts Suffers a Seizure on vacation- Apparently it was nothing, but once a person has suffered two seizures (he had another one in 1993) the risk of getting another one goes up drastically. Let's hope, for his sake and the country's, that he doesn't fall into that category.
5. Cardinals gain ground in NL Central, then go 1-5 against two last place teams- Story of the season; just can't get anything done. They took three out of four against the first place Brewers to get to within six games of first place, and while the Cubs and Brewers are playing top level teams, the Cardinals falter against two of the worst teams in the league. At least we got Joel Piniero, right?
My Points for 8/5 (now 8/9)
1. Car- I'm not a bad driver. I just have trouble in tight spaces. Such as the back lots for the houses along Forsyth. My back right door has a huge dent from trying to maneuver around the corner of a house when trying to get out. It's ugly, but at least it's only cosmetic and doesn't affect the functionality of the car itself.
2. The Simpsons Movie- The plot was a little lacking for a feature film, especially at the end, but it was still servicable. The main point, getting laughs from the audience, was very effective. One weird thing was seeing a tw0-dimensional film/The Simpsons on the big screen, since we're so accustomed to 3-D/seeing them on TV. However, this was worth waiting the eighteen years for.
3. Orgo- Going swimmingly. Still not where I'd like to be, but much better than last summer, and that in itself is more than I can ask for.
4. Gas Prices- So a few weeks back I heard a report on KMOX while gas prices were at 2.90 or so that gas prices were going to continue to rise through Labor Day. I go out that morning and I see prices at 2.83 or so. Despite a few fluctuations, gas prices have now come down to 2.53 as of this morning. I must say that I'm enjoying this little "break" (although I yearn for the days when I used to believe that gas prices were stuck on 99 cents, or even at 79 cents before prices started rising after that). It does kind of suck to see prices this low and quickly fill up that night, and then come out the next morning and see that the price has dropped. I was never good at game theory.
5. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air- Now my new (old) favorite show. I can't believe I crack up so much watching it; Will Smith's got major talent. I love how the show portrays a rich family, but the props are obviously fake and cheap, kind of like the cheap furniture that's made to look elegant. And Ashley's kind of hot.
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