Let's Rap w/o the Paper

Around the world

2008-10-19T15:10:00.005-05:00

While we poke fun at the president/vice-presidential candidates who may be our elected leaders oh the United States, children, women, and men face countless daily attacks... the Darfur conflicts continue... and natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, continue to afflict southeast Asia...

Yet another excuse?

2008-09-17T15:41:00.002-05:00

men can't sleep as well, so they lose "brain power".Why can't they just admit that women are smarter than men! :) hehe.

Korea and China

2008-08-27T15:48:00.003-05:00

Actually, in response to a comment to my previous post, the hairdo was double the price as I flew to Korea (not Switzerland) to get it done!

As always Korea was magnificent. I stayed at the lovely Lotte World Hotel (but did not pay for it as my father did! :) and did not attempt to go to the attached amusement park). But how much I love shopping, getting my hair down, and meeting hot Korean male models while I'm there. Yes, the last bit is true. I went to a bar which apparently a model agent owns and where only model wannabes are hired. just for looks ladies. No worries, I also had the chance to take a more educational trip to a village - GwangJu - famous for its historical landscapes, including temples and kings' cemetaries. While the sites were interesting, I ate sooo much because the food was incredible! We paid a driver about 80 USD to drive us around all day to the different sites. 1 1/2 days was enough I think. but some people stay longer.

Then I was off to China - Beijing only. The smog was the first thing I noticed. I ended up going with a Korean tour group. Yes Korean. so the tour guide talked for HOURS in Korean about the different sites: Forbidden City, Great Wall, etc. My favorite? the great wall of course. the pictures are breathtaking but being there and seeing the expanse of it for myself... even more incredible.

My other fave part was meeting a famous New York Chef - Daniel Boulud. Thanks to my friend who happened to be out there while I was there. and by happenstance, his friend who knows Daniel was also there... so wha-la. I visited his new restaurant in Beijing, had delicious coctails, and toured the kitchen... my first restaurant kitchen tour ever. how excited was I?

So those are the highlights to my 2008 Asia visit. 2010, see you in Korea and... :)

Another year

2008-05-13T19:44:00.003-05:00

Wow, has it already been a year? how time flies! Keep your eye out as I am going to update my blog with some more travels this year. And well, apparently I still bug my friends with the random articles so rather then filling in the in-box, I'll be posting my randomness here.

I only hope this year's trip will be just as relaxing and peaceful as last year's trip to Switzerland... well, at least I will get my hair done the way I like it...:)

Until then my friends, if anyone is still reading...

I don't know why

2007-04-23T11:33:00.000-05:00

but it always strikes me when a well-known leader, such as Boris Yeltsin, passes on... an end of an era... and yet another sign of my aging...

Yeltsin was a contradictory figure, rocketing to popularity in the Communist era on pledges to fight corruption — but proving unable, or unwilling, to prevent the looting of state industry as it moved into private hands during his nine years in power.

Yeltsin steadfastly defended freedom of the press, but was a master at manipulating the media. His hand-picked successor, Vladimir Putin, has proven far more popular even as he has tightened Kremlin control over both Russia's industry and its press.

Where are the single men?

2007-04-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

for us wonderful, beautiful, successful single women? according to this map, hello Texas and CA, here I come! ;)

R.I.P.

2007-04-12T07:59:00.000-05:00

Mr. Kurt Vonnegut.

The author of at least 19 novels, many of them best-sellers, as well as dozens of short stories, essays and plays, Vonnegut relished the role of a social critic. He lectured regularly, exhorting audiences to think for themselves and delighting in barbed commentary against the institutions he felt were dehumanizing people.

hooray for choooocolate

2007-04-09T19:37:00.000-05:00

There are so many studies these days about tea, coffee, chocolate... I can't keep up. but here's one saying cocoa, not tea helps reduce high blood pressure... but while too much of anything can't be good for ya... i like this study. mmmm chocolate...:)

What does your cell phone say

2007-04-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

about you?????

Check out the article... kinda interesting. I'm a Samsung. ;)

stuck in space?

2007-03-29T11:21:00.000-05:00

yikes, if I were her, I think I'd start freaking out... but then again, maybe it's really nice and peaceful out there in space?

Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay.

world's tallest man

2007-03-28T09:11:00.000-05:00

marries...

"After sending out marriage advertisements across the world and going through a long selection process, the efforts have finally paid off," the newspaper said.
It was the first wedding for Bao and his bride, Xia Shujuan, a mere 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 inches) tall.

How funny would it have been if he married the smallest person.

new mathematic achievement

2007-03-20T14:10:00.000-05:00

the E8? Huh?

After four years of intensive collaboration, 18 top mathematicians and computer scientists from the United States and Europe have successfully mapped E8, one of the largest and most complicated structures in mathematics, scientists said late Sunday.

I am not a math person so this whole calculation thing is so foreign to me... You throw a whole bunch of numbers in front of me and I just jumble them up... It's amazing what people can achieve...

polar bear...

2007-03-20T12:11:00.000-05:00

sooo cute. who would want to kill it????

news reporters

2007-03-20T12:02:00.000-05:00

are quite courageous to head over to war-torn areas and risk being abducted.

In the meantime, the Zimbabwe official criticizes the reports and pictures like this??? And the world keeps turning...

12-year old boy scout

2007-03-20T11:58:00.000-05:00

he was only a mile and a half from the campsite. well, a happy ending for all...

First class just isn't the same

2007-03-20T09:07:00.000-05:00

when you have to sit next to a corpse, is it?

A first-class passenger on a flight from New Delhi to London awoke to find the corpse of a woman who had died in the economy cabin being placed in a seat next to him, British Airways said yesterday.

maybe it was nice to upgrade her (even though apparently the only reason was to prevent the aisles from being blocked), but I sure would not want to be the person sitting next to a dead body.

science wonders

2007-03-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

I always found science intriguing, even though I was never very good at it. Here, sheeps change shape as the climate changes...

But over the years, winters have been getting a little bit better; and as winters have got better, we have found there is not as much natural selection for large animals as we saw in the past, as there is less advantage to being big.

the wonders of evolution, apparently dumbed down for us lay people.

I wonder if we can correlate this study with human growth/genetic changes in the different climates?

stolen gold

2007-03-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

no wonder! they didn't have sensor security devices so people could touch it? assumption of risk, I say.

Women MPs

2007-03-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

in Europe are still "lagging",

One figure - 30% - tells part of the story.
This is the proportion of women members of the European Parliament (236 out of 784), and the proportion of women commissioners (eight out of 27).

yet I get the feeling that the US has even worse stats of women in the house/senate.

In 2007, women hold 87, or 16.3%, of the 535 seats in the 109th US Congress - 16, or 16.0%, of the 100 seats in the Senate and 71, or 16.3%, of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. In addition, three women serve as delegates to the House from Guam, the Virgin Islands and Washington, DC.
The sixteen women currently serving in the Senate are: Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Maria Cantwell (D-WA); Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY); Susan Collins (R-ME); Elizabeth Dole (R-NC); Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX); Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Mary Landrieu (D-LA); Blanche Lincoln (D-AR); Claire McCaskill (D-MO); Barbara Mikulski (D-MD); Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Patty Murray (D-WA); Olympia Snowe (R-ME); and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
To date, a total of 35 women have served in the Senate, including 22 Democrats and 13 Republicans.
The 71 women holding seats in the House of Representatives comprise 16.3% of the 435 members. The women represent 29 states; 50 are Democrats and 21 are Republicans. The congresswomen include 21 women of color: 12 African American women, 2 Asian Pacific Islander, and 7 Latinas. In addition, there are three Democratic women delegates representing Guam, the Virgin Islands and Washington, DC. The delegates include an African American and a Caribbean American.
Of these women, 59 first entered by winning regular general elections. Eleven others won special elections; Bono (CA), Capps (CA), Herseth (SD), Lee (CA), Matsui (CA), Millender-McDonald (CA), Pelosi (CA), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Schmidt (OH), Watson (CA), and Wilson (NM) succeeded others who died or resigned. Emerson (MO) won a regular election simultaneously with a special election to fill a vacancy. The DC, GU and VI Delegates won regular general elections

If you want a more detailed list of women in Congress, this is a good pdf file on Senate.gov

Forbidden love

2007-03-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

because their brother and sister!!!!! sorry, the whole incest thing just is odd to me. I mean, I love my siblings as I love my parents, but the thought of a relationship... really just plainly grosses me out. Anyhoo, it's their life...

Patrick, who is 30 years old, was adopted and, as a child, he lived in Potsdam.
He did not meet his mother and biological family until he was 23. He travelled to Leipzig with a friend in 2000, determined to make contact with his other relatives.
He met his sister Susan for the first time, and according to the couple, after their mother died, they fell in love.
"When I was younger, I didn't know that I had a brother. I met Patrick and I was so surprised," said Susan, who is 22.

Libby guilty

2007-03-06T17:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, this is pretty bad. 4 of 5 counts.

crazy

2007-03-02T12:46:00.000-05:00

but is anyone else hooked on american idol? for some reason, I, who once detested this show, am following the singers even on the net.... I think I need an intervention.

growing stupid...

2007-02-24T21:57:00.000-05:00

I haven't had much sleep last couple nights AND I think I have infomania, there goes my IQ....

Those distracted by incoming email and phone calls saw a 10-point fall in their IQ - more than twice that found in studies of the impact of smoking marijuana, said researchers.

What the$#%?

2007-02-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Korean men sending brokers to Vietnam to find brides? are they for real?

More and more South Korean men are finding wives outside of South Korea, where a surplus of bachelors, a lack of marriageable Korean partners and the rising social status of women have combined to shrink the domestic market for the marriage-minded male. Bachelors in China, India and other Asian nations, where the traditional preference for sons has created a disproportionate number of men now fighting over a smaller pool of women, are facing the same problem.
The rising status of women in the United States sent American men who were searching for more traditional wives to Russia in the 1990s. But the United States’ more balanced population has not led to the shortage of potential brides and the thriving international marriage industry found in South Korea.
Now, that industry is seizing on an increasingly globalized marriage market and sending comparatively affluent Korean bachelors searching for brides in the poorer corners of China and Southeast and Central Asia. The marriage tours are fueling an explosive growth in marriages to foreigners in South Korea, a country whose ethnic homogeneity lies at the core of its self-identity.

Emphasis add: just sad.

Wimbledon - equality for women

2007-02-22T16:39:00.000-05:00

or at least equal pay... finally!

The U.S. Open and Australian Open have paid equal prize money for years. The French Open paid the men's and women's champions the same for the first time last year, although the overall prize fund remained bigger for men.
Wimbledon will pay equal money from the first round through the final at the June 25-July 8 grass-court championships.
"I knew it was just a matter of time," defending Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo said. "They resisted the longest they could. They have made the right decision and they really had no choice."

Rhinos in love...

2007-02-21T11:01:00.000-05:00

and procreatin... Yes, I'm all about the animals today. Interestingly, all baby animals. How can you not love them?

The first Sumatran rhino born in captivity in more than 100 years arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday with a single task — to breed and help save the endangered species from extinction.

The 5-year-old rhino, Andalas, was flown from a zoo in the United States to Jakarta's international airport. After a checkup he was to travel another 12 hours by truck and ferry to a rhino sanctuary on Sumatra island, where females Rosa and Ratu await.

the ugly duckling...

2007-02-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

but really, he's a swan right? sorry, kids, this ain't no fairy tale. just an interesting genetic mutation... the people who found him named him "stumpy"... umm, I don't think that's so appropriate, cuz really, do they look like stumps? no... I'd name him... WaddlerWaddler or DoubleTrouble. :)

Women and Commitment phobia

2007-02-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

Women who can't commit? or is it that women who don't want to commit to less than perfect --- why is that so bad? this article lists signals that a woman is a "commitment-challenged" (love the PC):

Once the excitement of first romance has passed, you get bored in most of your relationships.
You have a habit of dating unavailable men (married, involved with someone else, geographically or emotionally distant, etc.).
You have a long and elaborate list of requirements for your ideal mate.
You consider your married friends’ relationships boring and feel that many of them have settled for too little.
You cultivate larger networks of friends and acquaintances at the expense of romantic relationships.
You date more than one man at a time to prevent becoming dependent.
You have a difficult time getting over past boyfriends.

Ladies, what do you think?

Coulda, shoulda, woulda

2007-02-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

If I only knew this would be the winning lottery ticket, I'd have bought it. ;)

Sad it went unclaimed -- 3.5 mill! Honestly, I don't quite understand how it could go unclaimed... if I played, I would check ALL the time...

Another poor, unknown soul was added to the list on Wednesday, when a $3.5 million lottery ticket was condemned to irrelevance, a worthless collection of six numbers: 15, 17, 19, 26, 37 and 38.
The could-have-been club boasts a surprisingly large roster, with dozens of hefty jackpots left unclaimed around the country in recent years. There was $14 million in Illinois in 2005. In 2002, $4.6 million went wanting in Massachusetts. That same year, nobody stepped up to take home $51.7 million in Indiana — apparently the largest forgone prize on record.

Send back your peanut butter

2007-02-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

or at least don't eat it if you have Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter --- there's a salmonella outbreak involving those brands. who knew?

The affected jars have a product code on the lid that begins with the number “2111.” The affected jars are made by ConAgra in a single facility in Sylvester, Ga., the FDA said.
Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected, the agency said.

here's a little study back in 1998 about an outbreak in South Australia back in 1996, so I guess this ain't the first time...

CIA

2007-02-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

As the Libby trial is going on, doesn't look so good for the CIA these days...

The European parliament has approved a damning report on secret CIA flights, condemning member states which colluded in the operations.

feng shui

2007-02-14T20:54:00.000-05:00

for monkeys in the LA zoo? cool. If only I could figure out a way to feng shui my place!

Los Angeles Zoo has hired the services of a Feng Shui expert to help three golden monkeys loaned by China feel at home in their future surroundings.

send the criminals to iraq....

2007-02-13T19:41:00.000-05:00

kinda makes you wonder what kind of the situation we're in out there in Iraq, doesn't it?

According to data compiled by the Defense Department, the number of Army and Marine recruits needing waivers for felonies and serious misdemeanors, including minor drug offenses, has grown since 2003. The Army granted more than double the number of waivers for felonies and misdemeanors in 2006 than it did in 2003. Some recruits may get more than one waiver.

new discovery?

2007-02-13T11:43:00.000-05:00

Really? I thought the use of tools by primates was pretty much established a while back.

The earliest reports of stone tool use by chimpanzees in this area date to the writings of Portuguese explorers in the 1600s.
The stones were about the size of cantaloupes with patterns of wear indicating use to crack nuts. The rocks would have been too large for human hands, but about right for the larger, stronger hands of chimpanzees, the researchers said.
"It's not clear whether we hominins invented this kind of stone technology, or whether both humans and the great apes inherited it from a common forebear," Mercader said in a statement.

but now they're suggesting chimps were also "farmers"? Interesting...

N.Korea

2007-02-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

signed the agreement, but will it be honored?

"This round of six-party talks marks an important and substantial step forward," Wu said earlier. "The six-party talks not only will benefit the peace, stability and development of the peninsula, but also serve to improve the relations of related sides and also benefit the building of a harmonious northeast Asia."
If Pyongyang goes through with its promises, they would be the first moves the communist nation has made to scale back its atomic development since the talks began in 2003 after the North kicked out international inspectors and restarted its sole operating nuclear reactor.

Mexico

2007-02-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

seeking to decriminalize small possessions of narcotics... I recall this being discussed a while back and the US was going nuts over this proposal... what will the reaction be this time?

The bill passing through Mexico's Senate on its way to Congress is a toned down version of legislation Calderon's predecessor, Vicente Fox pushed through last year but later vetoed after angry objections from Washington.

While the legally punishable amounts of drugs found on a first-time user are smaller than under last year's bill, the legislation appears to contrast with the tough stance Calderon has taken against drug-trafficking.

One representative in the Mexican Senate states in support of the legislation:
"This isn't legalization," he said. "We're going to go much harder against drug dealers."

anna nicole smith

2007-02-08T16:26:00.001-05:00

dies.... wonder what the cause was?

North Korea draft agreement

2007-02-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

Will there be an agreement this time?

Walmart in trouble

2007-02-06T19:52:00.000-05:00

for pay discimination against women...

A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest private employer, must face a class-action lawsuit alleging as many as 1.5 million former and current female employees were discriminated against in pay and promotions.
...

''Plaintiff's expert opinions, factual evidence, statistical evidence and anecdotal evidence present significant proof of a corporate policy of discrimination and support plaintiff's contention that female employees nationwide were subjected to a common pattern and practice of discrimination,'' the court wrote in a 2-1 decision.

and in yet another law suit, Sullivan and Cromwell (one of the top law firms) discriminating against a homosexual associate? Interesting cases goin on in litigation world...

Renters increase

2007-02-06T10:06:00.000-05:00

Glad to see I'm not alone on this whole increase in rent thing. argh. Yes, I caved in and decided to pay the extra bucks. sigh.

From 2000 to 2004, most landlords couldn't raise rents because so many tenants were leaving to buy houses or condos. To feed that buying frenzy, about 300,000 apartments were converted to condos for sale in the past three years. Now, even with 92,000 new rental units this year, the stock is still too little to meet rising demand.

"It's horrible. I'm going to pull my hair out," says Veronica Gonzales, 25, CEO of an event planning firm in Manhattan, where rents are expected to jump more than 7% this year, the sharpest increase in the USA. Gonzales has been hunting for six months for a place in the city for $2,000 a month. Unfortunately for Gonzales and other apartment dwellers, rents are rising because the payment gap between renting and owning remains wide. Even with this year's increase, the national median rent will be $943 a month, only 60% of the median mortgage payment of $1,566.

astronaut gone bad

2007-02-05T20:54:00.000-05:00

yikes. competition is pretty fierce .

No resolution to talk

2007-02-05T19:54:00.000-05:00

The senate stalwarts further objection to Bush's plan to send in more troops and the question is:

“What will it say to our soldiers?” [Senator Lieberman] asked.

Well, maybe for some soldiers it would be a sigh of relief since obviously, they can't speak out for themselves w/o being prosecuted for treason if they object to why they are there in the first place. Granted, we need to support our troops. I think they are extremely commendable and brave to take out the tasks they do while men in suits essentially decide their life for them. I don't know why hearing objections in a civilized, well-thought out manner (assuming those who proposed the bill have done so) would be so horrible and disheartening. Can't we support the troops while also questioning the decisions of the men in suits? Are we all to just sit quietly and hope that the violence in Iraq diminishes (even though today there was yet another deadly bombing.) ?

COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-02-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

giggling w/ glee. they won!

A bombing

2007-02-03T17:41:00.000-05:00

a day in Iraq... will it ever end?

Groundhog Day

2007-02-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

It'll be an early spring ladies and gents! :)

Global warming

2007-02-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

"very likely" caused by humans... that's it? that's the scientific finding?

That phrase is an escalation from the panel's last report in 2001, which said warming was "likely" caused by human activity. There had been speculation that the participants might try to up the ante too "virtually certain" man causes global warming, which translates to 99 percent chance.
The Chinese delegation was resistant to strong wording on global warming, said Barbados delegate Leonard Fields and others. China has increasingly turned to fossil fuels for its huge and growing energy needs and it asked that an ambiguous footnote be added to the "very likely" statement.
The footnote reads, "Consideration of remaining uncertainty is based on current methodology," according to an official who was at the negotiations but was sworn to secrecy.

Well, they don't seem to know "how much weight to give melting glaciers", but "As discussions entered their final phase, the journal Science published a study comparing the IPCC's 2001 projections on temperature and sea level change report with what has actually happened.
IPCC models start from the year 1990, so that gives 16 years of data to compare.
The models had forecast a temperature rise between about 0.15C and 0.35C over this period. The actual rise of 0.33C is very close to the top of the IPCC's range. "

I guess I was expecting something more enlightening. I'm sure the report itself has much more detail and analysis than what has been reported. But the gist is, I guess: the climate is indeed warming and we are to blame.

Now this is noteworthy:

2007-01-31T10:34:00.000-05:00

an all-female peacekeeping force sent to Liberia.

Liberia has an alarming incidence of rape which goes unpunished. The deployment of more female police officers could encourage the women and young girls to report the crime.
In the past, the UN mission in Liberia has been tainted by accusations of sexual exploitation: food given to teenage refugees by UN peacekeepers in return for sex. But Joanna Foster, the gender adviser to the UN Mission says that there is less sexual exploitation when more women are employed.
"It limits the sexual exploitation that our people get involved in. In the groups that have a lot more women we get very little reporting of sexual exploitation."
Joanna Foster is also keen to send a message to those training the new Liberian military.
"I understand they are not training the women for combat but with these women coming from India they are going to be a fantastic role model. So I am going to take all of them to the ministry of defence to show them you can train women in combat."

North Korea

2007-01-31T10:31:00.000-05:00

here we go again... more nuke tests? "talks" to determine...

Deadly Girl Couture

2007-01-31T09:44:00.000-05:00

My friend started her own clothing line: Deadly Girl Couture.

Yes, I may be a little biased b/c she's my friend. But I have to say this: I don't normally like wearing tees, but these are great!!! The tees are a wonderful fit and so comfortable (all made in the USA btw so none of those illegal cheap labor going on here)! and most importantly, it's about what the line represents: self-empowered women with a touch of delicacy, coquettishness, and/or savviness. (Read about her and why she started this line by clicking here)

Oh, and the poems on the little intimates -- so fun and cute! You have to check it out!

Once you do, let me know what you think... or you can check out her blog (see list of "friend's blogs" on right hand side) and add comments there.

happy shopping/browsing!

No more drinking

2007-01-30T12:29:00.000-05:00

for people flying into and out of New Mexico on US Airways until they get their liquour license.

"We're interpreting it to apply to all US Airways flights scheduled to arrive in or depart from New Mexico," Lopez said of the order. "They should not be selling alcohol while in New Mexico airspace."

But does this mean a person can get drink all the way to or once they depart from NM?

global warming - fact or fiction?

2007-01-29T10:16:00.000-05:00

a scientific report to come out soon... I'm very interested in what they have to say.

MIA

2007-01-29T09:21:00.000-05:00

It's been too long since my last post. Mainly because, the news is quite repetitive: war in Iraq, more people die, people criticizing Bush (although saw clips of the Daily Show and found them hilarious!), duck shot several times stays alive... again (really, heard this story a week ago and AGAIN this morning), Hillary starts her campaign (she was great in Iowa, I must say), Duke rape case all array, cops shootings/killings, bird flu keeps striking in different areas in Asia, Darfur conflict, bombings in Israel... gets a little depressing. I'm sure I'll get back on track one of these days...

well, here's something kinda new... now that the winter olympics are fast approaching in 2008 (can you believe we've already reached the end of January... felt like just yesterday I was in Michigan). China says no women, no wine? eh?

The city's Communist Party boss warned officials not to have their energies "dissipated by wine and women".
Liu Qi, also the organising committee chief, cautioned officials not to visit "entertainment venues" after work.

roddick, just squashed

2007-01-25T14:28:00.000-05:00

ouch. At least put up some kinda fight...

After looking vulnerable in some of his earlier matches, Federer was virtually untouchable as he beat sixth-seeded Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 Thursday at the Australian Open to reach his seventh consecutive Grand Slam final, tying a record set by Jack Crawford in 1934.

But Roddick is still my crush and I'll stand by his side... for now. ;)

a penny worth 5 cents?

2007-01-24T13:54:00.000-05:00

Will it happen? having soo many pennies laying around, I might make a good buck or two.

duke rape case

2007-01-24T12:51:00.000-05:00

new ethics charges against the DA. Ok, if he did some unethical things... prosecute him.

But I'm getting tired of hearing about how b/c the DNA didn't match up, all of sudden the boys are 100% innocent. and then you have Rush Limbaugh calling the victim a "ho". fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion -- degrading the boys or degrading the woman, but we don't know what really happened. Just b/c there was no DNA, does not mean she was not raped... hi, we do have something called a condom.

not all facts are revealed in the media. we're not trying them by media but by jury. yes, she is a prostitute, she makes money by having sex. doesn't make her any more guilty then a man who rapes her.

my alma mater

2007-01-24T11:03:00.000-05:00

Univ of Michigan... waiting for the courts to decide, no longer. how awful this must be for the people waiting to get admitted/rejected! What is Proposal 2: essentially a ban on schools to consider affirmative action. okay, maybe not a "ban" as it is written to keep things "equal". Great concept, if things are indeed "equal".

In response to lawsuits filed against us, the University of Michigan sought a stay to admit our fall 2007 class using the procedures we announced in summer 2006. We believed an abrupt change in our admissions review process would be chaotic and inherently unfair for our applicants, and we remain concerned about these issues. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the stay while a related appeal continues, and that process could take several months or more to resolve.
We cannot sustain any further delay in our admissions process without harming our ability to enroll a class of students for the 2007-08 academic year. Our overriding concern is enrolling a strong incoming class, both at the undergraduate level and in our graduate and professional programs. Additional delays may cause us to lose applicants, or make it harder for us to enroll the outstanding students we have admitted.

I've had a previous post on affirmative action before. I won't go into it again, but i will say briefly again, eliminating affirmative action won't make things "equal" where there still exists the underlying problem of the disparate education of young children depending on their socio-economic classes that stem from a history of discrimination.

Appreciating my place more and more

2007-01-24T09:11:00.000-05:00

could you imagine living in a 77-square foot storage room? This is in London, but I'm sure NYC is not that far off.

WOOOHOOO

2007-01-21T22:21:00.000-05:00

Colts won baby! What a game! I was at a bar and had to leave at half-time b/c they were down 21-3 and I am superstitious (I never watched them play at a bar and this was not the time to start) and my heart/blood pressure couldn't take it (I'm one of those annoying watchers who jump up and down and yell at the tv as if I know what I'm doing). But what a game! Go Dungy and the Colts!!!

Privacy -- where has it gone?

2007-01-20T14:50:00.000-05:00

So when did it get to a point where the government started regulating actions in the home?

California parents would face jail and a fine for spanking their young children under legislation a San Francisco Bay area lawmaker has promised to introduce next week.

Now there are laws, criminals laws, already set about endangering the welfare of a child/abuse of a child. But spanking? When is it going too far into invading the privacy of individuals to raise their child as they feel is the best way crossed when the welfare of the child is not at risk? umm.. I believe this is an example.

And another proposal is to ban smoking in cars when the child is in the car? Yikes. Ok, while smoking around kids, I think is a no-no, don't you think that if you have to make it a law to prevent parents from acting in their kids best interest, then there's a larger problem that perhaps would be better dealt with by education, counseling, or other means?
At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if the gov't shut down Morris Phillips and other tobacco industries and prohibit sales of cigs (hello, 20s prohibition riots and black markets -- oh wait that already exists).

I predicted wrong...

2007-01-20T14:34:00.000-05:00

I guess Hillary is going to run. Yes, I seriously didn't think she would b/c I also predict the US is not ready for a woman president just yet, despite the fact that there are a number of female leaders in the world (and despite my belief that the world would be a better place w/ more female leaders). But then maybe that prediction is wrong as well... full speed ahead...

where to invest?

2007-01-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

Greenery in China...

roddick, roddick, roddick

2007-01-19T07:47:00.000-05:00

My little tennis crush... so cute even when he makes those funny faces :). Good job, ole mate.

Sixth-seeeded Andy Roddick also advanced, fending off the challenge of No. 26 seed Marat Safin 7-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Ten Cell Phone Etiquette "Commandments"

2007-01-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

found this amusing...

handbag hazard

2007-01-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

no wonder why I always have neck/shoulder pains... Yes, I am guilty of being heavy handbag handler. do you remember the days where you had to carry 30 lbs of books to classes? Now, it's 15lbs of random crap in my bag... who knows why I do it, the clutter just gathers. It is nice though when once in a while I walk out, wallet in pocket, keys and phone in the other and nothing else. But then... life seems so empty... ;)

don't drink too much H2O

2007-01-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

I've heard of water poisoning and I heard about this woman dying after drinking too much during a water drinking contest. This article is an interesting breakdown of why it may happen. as the saying goes: too much of anything is not good

australian open

2007-01-16T00:34:00.000-05:00

is on. Federer and Roddick pass first round... I'll dream that I'm down there with them... sigh...

Yeah, Colts!

2007-01-13T19:43:00.000-05:00

What a strange game... No TDs, just FGs? Well, Colts won, going to the AFC title game... I'll be watching again... I feel it... Superbowl bound baby!

no longer

2007-01-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

free to represent? Well, I guess whoever you choose as your clients always has consequences... I mean look at the attorneys for the mafia or the unabomber -- not the most liked but they gotta do their job.

The senior Pentagon official in charge of military detainees suspected of terrorism said in an interview this week that he was dismayed that lawyers at many of the nation’s top firms were representing prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and that the firms’ corporate clients should consider ending their business ties.

Not a smart thing to say... I can see where he may have a concern where some of the money is coming from... but that's something the firms will have to consider when taking on the clients and to make that ethical choice to represent or not if they know that the money transaction is questionable. but really, the gov't is already reading and hearing everything we do, so what's to stop them to eavesdrop on firms or check the transaction of the money if they are so concerned about that. but don't take away representation of those who wouldn't get it otherwise.

porn convention

2007-01-13T10:06:00.001-05:00

only in the US will porn be used in the same sentence as convention... notice... all men watching... how about some objectifying of men???

simulated sex?

2007-01-13T10:01:00.000-05:00

what the ...?

A Manhattan waiter claims former co-workers at Jean-Georges restaurant harassed him for being gay and tricked him into having simulated sex with a prostitute during a perverted party at the four-star French eatery.

oh, and he's suing the restaurant... surprise.

Roddick defeat Federer

2007-01-13T09:57:00.000-05:00

Wow. Not that Federer is not undefeatable, but good for Roddick.

What if

2007-01-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

the violence doesn't go down in Iraq? Then what? More men die and send in even more troops? I wonder, if maybe, drawing troops out first and seeing how Iraq does on their own and then if that doesn't work sending in troops in targeted areas, would work? But then I guess, as stated in my earlier passage, we're trying to make up for our mistakes first... sigh...

One of Bush's most unpopular decisions... not surprisingly, his approval ratings are still low if not lower.

I'm sure he's praying that this works, with minimal deaths... as we all are.

not surprising

2007-01-11T09:10:00.000-05:00

that more troops have been sent out .

But he said the increased military presence would help break the cycle of violence gripping Iraq and “hasten the day our troops begin coming home.”

here's the text of his full speech.

Ford please stay

2007-01-10T21:43:00.000-05:00

Being back home in Michigan over winter break, I saw too many empty houses and apartments since some of the auto plants had to close down. It's a sad sight. Michigan is a great state. I hope Ford stays and new businesses go in to keep the economy flourishing.

a cappella group getting beat up

2007-01-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

I have to say, I think Yale had one of the better a cappella groups amongst the colleges around my area... the Yale Alley Cats from what I recall were the ones who came up to sing with my school's groups most often... I guess this group wasn't as good? But then from what I recall, some a capella singers were obnoxious...

2007...

2007-01-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

and people still smuggled in for cheap labor in trucks like animals.

I wish

2007-01-09T19:46:00.000-05:00

I could follow my instincts more... in certain situations...

wow, gators are a shock

2007-01-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

I predicted, like so many others, that OSU would blow away the Gators... but the Gators didn't just win be a field goal or a touch down... 41-14!!!

on a slight tangent, what's really sad is that Michigan is no longer even in the top 5... if only they won the rose bowl...

Eh, it's nothing...

2007-01-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

until people start keeling over and dying or develop some terminal disease... ok, maybe it isn't so bad, but I have been smelling the some gas odor in my building since a few weeks ago. In fact, my neighbor informed me that the fire department had stopped by but didn't find any gas leakage or anything. they just left the front door open to "air out" the bldg for a couple days... First Queens/Staten Island, then Upper East, now Chelsea... hmmm.. something is amiss.

just to note, the odor incident has also been noted in an article about bird deaths in Texas... global warming (which I don't believe is happening), war in Iraq... maybe this is the apocalypse... the fourth sign: plagues and pestilence...

I'm a coffee lover, but...

2007-01-08T07:47:00.000-05:00

drinking cat-like (see image on far right) droppings? ew! Yes, these are coffee "beans"... oh, and it costs about $600 per pound...

MTA condoms?

2007-01-08T07:23:00.000-05:00

I'm listening/watching Fox news and they mention that the MTA will be giving out condoms with the logo of each train on the cover, to encourage safe sex and battle the increase of AIDS/HIV in the city... I wasn't sure if I was hearing right since I'm still trying to wake up. so I did a google search. and what did I find? articles of how this proposal existed for quite some time...

This will be interesting.

Why do people do this?

2007-01-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

It's disgusting to see/hear about young kids being used as sex slaves. What goes through a person's mind to commit such acts? What's worse is the minister for social welfare denies the extent of the trafficking:

But this is denied by the state's government minister for social welfare, Subhash Shirodkar, who categorically states that "neither Goans nor non-Goans are abused."

"The issue is a little hyped," he adds.

"There may be one or two instances over the last five to 10 years - maybe."

and only 1 or 2 makes it okay?

Ramen inventor passes away

2007-01-06T19:39:00.000-05:00

at the age of 96. Never knew who was behind that wonderful creation that I used to eat way to much while I was growing up and again during my college years.

New Sec Gen

2007-01-06T19:18:00.000-05:00

Ban Ki Moon officially took over on Jan 1 and already criticized for his comment on the Saddam execution...

"Saddam Hussein was responsible for committing heinous crimes and unspeakable atrocities against Iraqi people and we should never forget victims of his crime," Ban said. "The issue of capital punishment is for each and every member state to decide."

"As the secretary-general, at the same time, while I am firmly against impunity, I also hope that members of the international community should pay due regard to all aspects of international humanitarian laws. During my entire tenure, I'll try my best to help member states, international community, to strengthen the rule of law," he said.

Why? because the UN has always had a stance against the death penalty and his comment appears to be too ambigous? It's going to be a tough term for him.

He recently stated the co-defendants should not be executed. People happy now?

and what about sending UN forces to Darfur and hopefully prevent the conflict from getting any worse. or will the presence lead to heightening conflicts? Is this Rwanda all over again?

Tough decisions as always...

Die Zuberflote

2007-01-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

I went to the Opera last night and can I just say, Die Zuberflote (the Magic Flute) is probably one of my favorite operas now. It was funny, entertaining, magnificent set design and costume designs, and the aria -- incredible!!! at one point, i had to close my eyes so i could hear every note from the soprano. although there were certain parts that made one eye squint and the other eyebrow raise, such as when the sang that the Queen was evil because she denounced men ... the moral of the story that I got from this was that true love will survive any feat -- of course, with the help of a magic flute. Just beautiful.

New Kick for the New Year

2007-01-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

So I heard of Aloe Vera -- as a drink -- about 4 or 5 years ago by a person I knew who was addicted to it... My attitude then was: ew, why would I drink stuff that I usually use externally to ease burns, etc. Well, just yesterday, I saw "alo juice" on sale and thought, hell, I'll try it out -- the ew factor gone obviously. First, YUMMY (got a cherry flavored drink)! Second, who knew AV provides so many health benefits... So it is now my new drink of choice for 2007...

Best for the daughter or her care providers?

2007-01-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

What do you think: should the parents be allowed to keep their 9-year old daughter on hormone therapy and undergo other surgery that keeps her body small, child-like to match her mental ability of a 3-year old?

The couple emphasised their love for their daughter and said the amount of criticism their choice of treatment attracted had surprised them. "If the concern has something to do with the girl's dignity being violated, then I have to protest by arguing that the girl lacks the cognitive capacity to experience any sense of indignity," they said.

This is a tough one. If it'll make the daughter's life better, perhaps the therapy and surgery is a good thing... as long as it doesn't cause more pain to the daughter. But I am always a true believer of let nature takes its course. In the end, this is a decision to be made by her parents if she clearly cannot make such a determination on her own.

So my two cents: People, let them be.

Gym etiquette

2007-01-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

I went back to the gym for the first time since I got back from vaca and yes, people, as always think they'll start the new year resolving to get fit or lose weight or both. I go on a regular basis year-round and find it amusing to see the mad rush and, well, frankly, quite frustrating when the "newcomers" don't know the etiquette. For example, as I was waiting to use the treadmill last night, a guy, rather than waiting his turn, decided to run to the next open machine as I was walking to the machine since I was next in line. He had his headphones on and tried to avoid eye contact. Of course, I had to say something. So I went up to the machine and told him that there was a line. He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders and continued to use the machine. I had it in me to grab his shorts and pull him off the machine! but of course, refrained b/c 1) new year's resolution (even though I secretly hope he'll get what's coming to him -- i.e. someone cutting him off) and 2) the police happened to be standing nearby due to an earlier incident of some guy passing out.

I don't agree with all the tips in the article above... My tips on gym etiquette: 1) say thank you's to staff members; 2) wait your turn -- we're all there to exercise; 3) agreed, clean the machine after -- but also make sure you clean before too b/c you never know what germs lie underneath; 4) I really don't care about people talking on cell phones - but just remember, no one gives a crap about your life so no need to yell into the phone. and for those who talk while on the machine -- keep it short and realize that if you can talk on the phone while working out, you might as well go home and sit in front of your tv. besides, it's dangerous; 5) don't walk into a studio room in the middle of a class unless it's absolutely necessary; 6) agreed, share the machine -- if you want your own time on the machine, buy it and work out at home;and 7) step aside-- ie. if you're using a mat or getting weights, no need to stand/sit in the middle and take up more space than is necessary. bottom line: be considerate.

400 year old Medici murder

2007-01-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

really? amazing what science can do... 400 years!!!

Tests on the beard hairs proved inconclusive — but samples of Francesco's liver taken from the crypt showed levels of arsenic that were "significantly higher" than those normally found in humans, the scientists said.

Kudos to Oprah

2007-01-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

and her opening a school for girls in South Africa. it looks incredible and she is an impressive woman. Watch the video on this site.

Back in NYC

2007-01-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

My time in Michigan was restful and boy, did I eat a lot! Home cooked meals are hard to pass up.
So needless to say, blogging was put to a halt for eating mom's cookin.

Now, back to NYC. the flight back was pleasant, despite the somewhat rocky landing. I sat next to a young fictional writer who had some interesting stories about how he got to where he is today -- looking to go to grad school and becoming the next great writer.

then came the trek back to my place, which was a hassle as always. after deboarding a rocky flight, I had to wait for about 20 minutes for my luggage, walking from one luggage area to another. what a disarray! there were numerous unclaimed bags just sitting around the baggage claim area and no signs saying where to go to pick up your luggage... hmm.. security problems?

But the bus ride back gave me faith in human kind as I saw people helping other people out, including a man who kindly saved my bag from falling and being stepped all over as I tried to move aside to make space for new passengers to come in.

i've decided, my new year's resolution: not to let the craziness of new york get to me so much.

any other new year's resolutions out there?

Hussein again

2006-12-30T09:10:00.000-05:00

As I'm listening to the morning news, my sister and I find it interesting that while going through the life timeline of Hussein, they neglect to mention he came to power with the backing of the US/CIA.

With all that is going on these days (i.e. not yet finding Bin Laden), I do wonder: would it be a surprise if the body isn't really Hussein...

Ok, maybe that's a bit farfetched, but I wouldn't be surprised if we feel some backlash on this execution. How will the US handle the reactions? And will this change anything with our position in the Middle East?

In case you're interested, here are some reactions from world leaders.

Hussein Executed

2006-12-29T23:22:00.000-05:00

Guess they weren't going to wait the full 30 days on this one for any more possible appeals...

The first case to begin hearings, and the simplest in terms of details, involved the executions of residents of Dujail after an attack on his motorcade there. Mr. Hussein was found guilty on Nov. 5 and sentenced to die by hanging. An appeals court upheld the ruling on Tuesday and said the sentence had to be carried out within 30 days.

On Vaca

2006-12-27T17:04:00.000-05:00

in Michigan for the holidays, and presently in Grand Rapids... yes, where the former Gerald Ford used to live. May he rest in peace. Here's another article about him.

caged children

2006-12-22T14:27:00.000-05:00

the verdict just came down, finding the couple guilty of child endangerment and abuse.

The parents argued during their three-week trial that they needed to keep some of the youngsters in enclosed beds rigged with alarms to protect them from themselves and each other and stop them from wandering at night.
The couple face one to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000 for each felony count when they are sentenced Feb. 12. The misdemeanor penalties carry no jail time.
...
During the trial, their defense included testimony from a social worker and others who said they never witnessed abuse and said the children's behavior improved because of the cages, which were painted bright blues and reds.

the kids' ages ranged from 1 to 14 and were special-needs children.

disgusting...

viagra cocktail?

2006-12-22T07:57:00.000-05:00

I thought any certain amount of alcohol (i.e. not to the point where you want to puke) will make you feel a little frisky and/or make the opposit sex look a little more appealing... I guess this is a bit more of a "potent" source...

"When I drink just one glass of pilolo, I feel strong for 12 hours. Believe me, it really does work," says Miguel.

"You just have to make sure you have a beautiful woman with you," he adds.

Mr. Wright not so Mr. Right

2006-12-22T07:33:00.000-05:00

Yes, for some reason, I've been following this search for the serial killer in England... They apparently found and charged this suspect.

A forward I like...

2006-12-21T13:52:00.000-05:00

Apples and Wine

Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Most men don't want to climb up and reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they sometimes take apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy. The apples at the top may think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right man to come along, the one who is brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Now Men.... Men are like a fine wine. They begin as grapes, and it's up to women to stomp the s@&t out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with. Share this with all the good apples you know and maybe some fine wine....

Virgin Komodo dragon to give birth?

2006-12-21T10:25:00.000-05:00

Wow! Interesting article... lizards do it... so now komodo dragons do too? (I have that music tune going through my head -- doing it like animals do it on the discovery channel [or something like that]) hmm... speaking of, from what I remember from the Disco channel, isn't the sea lion or some other sea animal that is unisex and can procreate w/o mating??? Or am I totally making this up? anyone?

Obesity

2006-12-21T08:56:00.000-05:00

I'm actually quite tired of people trying to figure out biological causes of obesity and the trans fat in the food we eat. Now they talk of bacteria... I didn't want to post this at first, but the more I hear about it in the news, the more I want to say: stop overindulging, get moving, and stop blaming other factors. Yes, I have heard people who have glandular problems etc -- ok, that's a few. But when 6 out of 10 people are obese -- to note IN AMERICA (not europe or asia or other country) -- don't you think the problem is our choices? Maybe we should motivate people who choose to eat the box (not just a package) of ho hos in one sitting as they watch t.v. all day to get up and move rather than saying... hey, it's not you, it's the bacteria in your body.