The Ouch Locker


I mean, that is what it may as well be called, right? The ouchie locker, the mommy I've got a boo-boo locker. Ok, jokes aside (no, really) The Hurt Locker is about a 3 man bomb squad disarming a crap load of bombs in Iraq. Ya, I know. It is reaallly cool!

I saw this trailer once and thought it looked awesome. The next thing I know, everyone loves the movie. So I check it out. Don't let the dumb movie summaries fool you (see above paragraph for dumb movie summary). The movie is about a reckless yet expert Sergent who does things out of protocol and somehow gets the job done. The conflict between him and his team soon rise, as they feel that their lives are being threatened by this cowboy. Be ready for some guy on guy fist action and screaming!

Overall the acting is great! The casting is supreme (did I just say supreme?? Oh Diana Ross!!). The story is a bit stretched at parts, but I'm always entertained. While this movie may have not lived up to its five star hype, it earns a good four stars. KA-POW!!! (that was supposed to be a bomb exploding in your face! Disarm that shit!)

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

You’re Welcome Rio

When I moved to the Chicago land area at 6 years old, I didn’t know that I was moving an hour away from one of the best cities of the world. Ever summer my mother, my brother and I would take the train from Vernon Hills to Union Station. We would spend the day on Michigan Avenue or visiting the Field Museum. In the winter our dad would come too and we would go window shopping. Or visitors from Canada would be taken on a trip to DOWNTOWN CHICAGO. There was always a new adventure waiting for us. My impressionable mind grew to love the city of Chicago, and my heart is still there.

On October 2nd, 2009, when the International Olympic Committee ruled that Chicago would not hold the Olympics in 2016, I was pissed. Frustrated. How could they? Chicago was the best city in the world! Their loss! We brought everybody. Barack and Michelle Obama, and even Oprah went to our aide. We had supporters like Hillary Clinton, Michael Jordan, and Michael Phelps. How could we lose (I take that statement back, e.g. Cubs)?

One issue, not so much for the IOC (for there is always money to be found), but for people in Chicago, is the budget. Chicago projected a $5 billion budget for the 2016 games. This, however, comes quite short from Beijing’s $40 billion spent in 2008 (money is easy to come by when you’re communist). 5 years ago, Athens’ budget was set at $2.4 billion. The final cost? $9 billion. Who isn’t to say that the Chicago games wouldn’t actually cost three times the projected budget? There has to be some tax money in there… somewhere. (With Chicago being the city it is, it could use all the money it can get for development such as schools and public service like the Police and Fire Department. This is just wasteful money to put your city on display for a gambling chance of revenue)

And of course, don’t forget who’s backing this: Richard M. Daley. I mean, of all Olympic mayors, this is not your guy. Hell, of all Olympic cities, this is not your cleanest. Corruption runs deep through the veins of this city, and Mayor Daley is the mayor of heart town. It didn’t hurt that their former governor Rod Blagojevich was described as instrumental in acquiring funding. I mean, they don’t call it the Windy City for nothing. It’s so windy because of all the bull shit coming out of the politicians’ asses.

And if you’re the International Olympic Committee, don’t you want your Olympics to be hosted in a city where people actually want the games in the first place? In September, The Chicago Tribune released a poll that showed that 47% of residents supported the Olympics, while 45% did not. The other 8% said that they would just rather root for the Green Bay Packers. But with a city so divided about such an important event, then why would you want to have it there in the first place? Display your games where people are going to love it and be proud of it. People in Rio seem more than happy.

Rio was obvious. Their time zone is only one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The American media and broadcasters will be well pleased. This would also be the first games in South America. Rio is beautiful, and what would you not like. Plus, the people in Rio seem to actually want the Olympics. So you’re welcome Rio. We didn’t deserve it anyway. And congratulations.

 

Note: The only good thing that Chicago got out of this whole event was a really sweet Olympic logo, and even that was rejected by the IOC. Suck!!

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

Prosper

PROSPER; NOUN; SUCCESS; TO BECOME STRONG AND FLOURISHING


Why do we believe this phrase “you deserve better”? Have the lies that we've heard become accepted as our fact? Have we become so enthralled with pleasing everyone, that we forgot to please our self, first? Why is it that when others bring us down and deter our soul, we hence embrace them. We embrace their poetry and we embrace their anger. We believe their sayings are true, and that their reflections upon us must be genuine. So, over periods of our life, we believe that we are not worthy, we are less, and we are unsatisfactory. We cannot see our strengths, because others have only restated our weaknesses. We cannot move on, because in order to move on, we must be strong, but we do not believe we are strong; we believe we are weak (that is our weakness). So we believe that we deserve less. It may not be true, but a lie repeated is a truth aired. And so when prosper enters our lives, we find a way to sacrifice it in name of the lies we believe. We do not deserve prosper, rather we deserve worse. And so the prosper leaves. The prosper deserves better than us. But that is only because we do not believe that we are good enough for the prosper. The prosper sees the good in us that we have hidden amongst our own eyes and the prosper wishes to reveal our strength. But we shun the prosper and crawl back into our darkness.

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

Canadian Stereotypes




Maybe one day I will babble on about my emigration to the United States. But for today it is about you dumb Americans. In particular, I am writing to those of you who still think that Toronto is a state (it is not, and Canada has no states). I am writing to those of you who think that it snows all the time in Canada, we have no military, and that Eskimos run the country. I am writing to those of you who haven't even traveled to Canada (no, Niagara Falls doesn't count you idiot) and decided that Canada is this funny, comical land to the north that is full of hicks and shouldn't be taken seriously (you guys have hicks too, so who cares?). Do you not realize that one often does not know much about a place until he or she has actually gone there? Or is your brain too concentrated on what you're going to get next time you go to Wal-Mart or McDonalds (you see, I can do stereotypes, too). Our biases are often wrong, yet Americans are so self absorbed in their premises that they rarely have an open mind. They think that they know all about Canada as they guzzle down their Budweiser. It makes me sick! I want to throw my Molson Canadian in their face (which is now owned by Coors, bye the way... Oh god). So let's take at four simple stereotypes, shall we?

SNOW – Look, we get snow. We may have longer winters and colder summers than you, but don't be ignorant. Just because you live in America doesn't mean your immune to the cold. Heck, parts of the continental U.S. are more north than parts of Canada. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Maine are only a few states that have brutal winters. I grew up in the Chicago land area for 12 years and experienced up to golf ball sized hale every year in the winter. In Columbus, Ohio, I just experienced one of the most frigid winters I have felt in my 20 years. And, wait, believe it or not, we actually have summers, too. I know, your shocked, right? But we're not walking around in our snow shoes all year round. So just because we're Canada doesn't mean we're penguins waddling around in snow. Stop being an idiot and realize that the sun shines on us, too.

HOCKEY- Yes, Canadians love hockey. They worship hockey. But so what? Why is that a laughing point? In the states, Americans love football just as much as Canadians love hockey. And beyond that, Americans then love baseball and basketball too, and any other sport that they could bet on. We love hockey. So what. At least we are not so sports obsessed as the states are, and actually spend time with our families on Sundays.

MILITARY – Our navy consists of a guy with a rifle on a pontoon boat. Hah, heard it. But not everyone has the budget, err debt that the United States has. And not everyone has the military power nor size at reach by the Commander in Chief. But we actually do have a military, and we do a good job. We are actually helping the U.S. in Afghanistan and have been playing a major role in that war since it began, so you're welcome.

MOUNTIES – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is a national police force in Canada. Many countries have them, although the U.S. does not. It is what it sounds like: a police force nationally organized and ran, instead of state or city ran. But when people think of mounties, they think of guys in red coats on a horse, like Brendan Fraser in Dudley Do Right. False. The RCMP started in 1920. It has its traditions and its roots. And they celebrate those traditions. Just because at a funeral firefighters wear white gloves, suits, cool hats with bag pipes playing in the background does not mean that they dress up like that to work with Irish music in the background. Looks and tradition is just that. Today, the RCMP are just any other police force, except that today they ride in Tahoes and Impalas, not mustangs.

The point is, we're different. But just because we're different does not mean that we are stupid or should be taken less seriously. There are many countries out there different from America, and that is not a bad thing. America is not the “standard” by which everyone else in this world should live up to. Yet so many Americans think so, and think that they are the best. It is this kind of attitude that has perpetuated a negative stereotype towards Americans across the world. So remember, different is not bad. Different is different. And just because someone is not American, does not mean you should make fun of them.

I'm glad I'm not American. When I get to travel around the world, people will badly until I tell them that I'm not American... I'm Canadian. And then they like me.

If you're reading this and are getting really pissed off and feeling personally attacked, that means one of two things. Either:

a) You did not pay attention to the first paragraph where it said that I am writing this to all of those who have perpetuated such stupid Canadian stereotypes. When I am saying 'you' in this letter, it is not directed towards you literally, but to a generic audience.

Or

b) You are one of those idiots who have perpetuated such stereotypes. As you read this, you are feeling attacked because I am attacking you. If you feel pissed off and mad, then good. Now you know a little bit of how I have felt for the past 14 years.

And remember, we burnt down your White House in 1814, and we can do it again :D

Have a great day!

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

Guess the title

I am bored. School is over, well, for three weeks anyway. That is my summer vacation. It is Sunday night and I sit here at my desk, staring at my computer screen, waiting for it to come up with some sort of entertaining idea. Nothing.


I am bored. My social life right now is trivial. It often has been. I only have myself to blame. I cannot sit here and toil for friendship to come. I must pursue.

I am bored. For most of this day, I have done nothing. Go to church, yes. Do a few chores, yes. Play XBox, watch TV, watch a movie, eat, go on the computer? Yes. Now I sit here dabbling on with this ego-centric blog.

I am bored. My mind feels dull. A little numb, mostly dull.

I am bored.

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

Big Papi

In response to the naming of David Ortiz on the 2003 banned substance list, I wrote my reaction to the situation 3 weeks ago. I have now gotten around to posting it:


When I first heard that David Ortiz’s name had come up on the anonymous 2003 testing list, I was not surprised. I mean, he was a power hitter. Steroids give you power. Do the math! (I like math). It made sense. When the BoSox won their first world series in 86 years, it was largely in gratitude towards Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. But then Manny tested positive for female fertility drugs (he would later cry that the media wasn’t considering his feelings). Soon, it wasn’t too far of a leap to be suspicious of Ortiz, if not already. But then Ortiz came out this preseason and condemned the use of steroids, saying,

“I would suggest everybody get tested, not random, everybody. You go team by team. You test everybody three, four times a year and that’s about it. Ban ‘em for the whole year. I know that if I test positive by using any kind of substance, I know that I’m going to disrespect my family, the game, the fans and everybody, and I don’t want to be facing that situation.”

People applauded him. Yay Papi!! Finally, someone said what we were all thinking (smiley face). Oh, what? David Ortiz's name is now on the 2003 banned substance list? Wwwhhaatt?? So now he was labeled as baseball’s biggest hypocrite. I, myself, couldn’t disagree with Big Papi’s preseason rant. As far as he knew, no one was going to find out about any banned substances. He had now given up the stuff (what ever that stuff was), and was clean. His slumping numbers clearly showed it. And so why not condemn the juice? Forget about the past! Testing was now too strict, and the consequences were too severe. So why not condemn anybody and everybody for being dumb enough to still use.

But on July 30, 2009, David Ortiz got his hand caught in the cookie jar. He inevitably condemned himself and became the new victim of the “steroid” test leaking. But of course, Ortiz said he never took steroids. Yet again, he was a hypocrite now, and no one cared. Besides, too many people had heard too many lies and seen too many fingers being wagged. No one was going to believe a baseball player.

It turns out this anonymous testing for substances in 2003 is not the most accurate, let alone anonymous test out there. After David Ortiz's name got leaked, information was revealed that just because a player's name was on that list, it did not mean that he took any banned substances. In fact, the testing methods used in the survey were behind normal procedure, and lacked quality. Let alone the fact that certain kind of legal nutritional substances could trigger a positive test.

So now we don't know what Ortiz tested positive for. Was it steroids? Was it female fertility drugs? Or maybe it was Flintstones chewables. Ortiz said he was careless in 2003 and took many supplements that he did not have enough knowledge about. Well great. Now I don't know what to believe. It seems plausible that a supplement taking Ortiz could test positive for this misleading test. But what is more important is that we fans have no clue anymore. We may know about ARod, Bonds, and McGuire, but many names still loom ahead. Has Derek Jeter shot up? What about others, like Evan Longoria (sorry Eva, maybe I'll find something to write about you one day... one day). Or dare I mention Pujols? The only thing that has seemed to keep fans sane is the idea that somewhere, somehow, there was a list of 104 players who tested positive for steroids in 2003. But now it may be less than 104 players, many of them didn't even test for steroids (in fact, it could just be a substance that wasn't banned or some GNC prduct), and a lot of the testing was kinda shabby in the first place. In a sport where we barely trust our players, we now barely trust our media. I guess we just don't know anything, anymore. Play ball.

ADD COMMENTS
Read More

Travis

8:00pm on a Wednesday. The time of a bible study in the dorm I was residing in. I had not been to one in a long time. Too long. But I was trying to change that. We all met on the ground floor in some piano room (I'm assuming because it had a piano in it). The building was old, over a century old, and air didn't circulate well in hot, summer days. But luckily this was still early March in Columbus. We wouldn't have to worry about the heat for a couple more months. The brick-lined room with green carpet small, ceiling windows gave the impression of a 1920's style basement.


Everyone sat down and talked. I'm sure I talked a little bit, maybe started a conversation. The girls left and did their bible study somewhere else. Us, guys, stayed. His name was Travis (maybe you figured that out by the title). He had a Bible in his hand that he seemed to stumble through. But something was different about Travis. When we started to read, and spent time just reflecting on the passage, he would often dig his nose into his bible, pouring his eyes over the pages. They say you can see some one's soul through their eyes. That night, as I glanced at Travis, I caught his soul yearning for every syllable he read. His Bible may have been new to him, but it wouldn't be for long.

Weeks went by and as we started to hang out at Bible Study and Campus Crusade for Christ. We started to enjoy each others company. Soon, the guys of Bible study were a tight knit group: myself, Tom, Kuo, Kurt, Travis, Jake. I found myself with a close group of friends.I remember sitting in Travis's dorm while watching him sit on his bed. His elbows were propped up against his knees as he tried to hold his head up. In the end he would get through it. But at the time, what he was going through was what seemed a pretty devastating crisis. It was tearing his world apart.

I sat there and almost waited to see his faith fall apart, just like his world. He was a new Christian, and I was prepared to see him become like so many others: just turn away from God when times become hard. Even I myself had done it on numerous occasions, occasions not as difficult as his. He started to talk about how he was reading his Bible a lot more. Praying every chance he could get. That the only thing keeping him going was God. Somehow, in someway, Travis gave everything up to God. I was shocked. Sure, this is what you're supposed to do, but that doesn't mean it is the average. I didn't hear him blame God, get angry, or curse. Instead I would come into his dorm room and see him devoutly reading his bible as Christian rock music blared in the background. I suddenly became aware that his faith, although young, was solid.

A few weeks later, us guys went to a party on North Campus. It was pretty boring (hey, it was on North Campus) and Travis was feeling burdened, so him and I walked back to South Campus. As we passed libraries and classrooms, it was quite apparent that he had a lot on his mind. We ended up sitting at a bench at mirror lake, watching the fountain burst 20 feet high and splash down onto its many inhabitants: ducks. For the next hour and a half we talked. I will never forget that night.

Unfortunately, as summer came along, things changed. School was out, and so was the social life of the dorms. Both of us worked, and we hanged out less. Next year came along, and we did not hang out much.

I regret having been less of a part of Travis's life over this past year. If there is anything I could change, it would be that. I often lie to myself and tell myself that Travis is my best friend. I know that I don't hang out with him much, and I know that he has closer friends. But it is such a privilege to have him as a friend that it is an honor to know him. When us guys would all hang out, it would be Travis that knew what to do and where to go. He was a year older than us, and had been on campus for one more year, but I realize that we often looked to him for much more than how to get to Oxley's. You see, Travis is what we call a man's man. He is likely one of the smartest and wisest guys I know of his age, and shows great leadership. His faith is strong, and his friendship is stronger. I find myself looking up to him as what kind of person to be. (sure, you can say I have a man-crush on him, but I just recognize great people when I see them)

He is now headed to Iraq. Is he scared? No. I am not surprised. He loves his duty, and is ready to serve. I am looking forward to seeing him next August. I can't wait to see the Sergeant and be able to hang out with him again. Until then, I am sure I will be sending him many care packages.

ADD COMMENTS
Read More