Academy Awards

The Academy Awards was on last night.

What would our lives be like if we were all competing for the coveted award for the "best at our job" award? The award would recognize all of our contributions to our line of work and would bestow on us as the best at what we do.

If you won, would you do an even better job or slack off?

If you lost, would you be motivated to do better?

Either way, I find it hard to believe that in this world we glamorize the already glamorous and congratulate them on their hard work in film and movies. What a great contribution to everyday society! What about the everyday hard-working individuals who deserve just as much recognition and attention?

I mean, I am talking about the great divide between entertainer (whether it be film, television, or multi-million dollar athlete or musician) and the everyday citizen. What is the motivation for the everyday citizen to do their best at their work? Of course I know that money is a factor is everything we do, but to work a job that is vital to this economy and get no recognition or respect for it, is kinda sad.

But yeah, that's just my observation for those who care to read this.

Barry Bonds

Yesterday Barry Bonds held his first press conference since the steriod scandel.

For those of you who don't know, Barry Bonds is one of the greatest ball players of our time. Whether you believe it or not, the accomplishments that Barry Bonds has achieved throughout his career is astounding. Bonds is a San Francisco Giant who is facing a tough time in light of the recent BALCO doping case. Bonds has hit 703 home runs. And as he approaches Babe Ruth's total of 714 and Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755, his accomplishments are being questioned in light of suspicions that he used performance-enhancing substances.

As spring training gets under way and the regular season begins, time will soon tell the results of the public's view on whether Bonds is dependent on performance-enhancing substances.

Snowboarding

So I went snowboarding over the weekend.

I'm not very good.

This was only my third time snowboarding.

Now that I know the basics, I was trying to perfect my turns.

I've never had so much fun before.

But now I think I am going to die from all the pain.

Dinner

Don't you just hate dinner?

Now I don't mean dinner in general, but dinner when you have just eaten your entire body mass.

I hate when I am so hungry that I get to the dinner table and just eat until I can't breathe. And then by that time it is too late to stop eating because I am so sick of food that I never want to think about it again.

Yeah, that's what I am talking about.

This morning

I woke up feeling like I barely slept.

I turned on the television to watch the morning news and I see our President addressing the nation in a live press conference.

So I immediately think that something is wrong and am on high alert for some depressing news. As it turns out, it was just President Bush nominating U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, to be director of national intelligence.

I know this is a big deal. But I thought this was a "Sept. 11" big deal.

I'm glad to know that I was wrong.

My thought for the day

When it rains, it pours.

Valentine's Day

So today is the day after Valentine's Day.

Let me just take this moment to express how much I hate Valentine's Day.

Now I know that I just sound bitter and lonely (which I am not denying), but I have always hated Valentine's Day. It was a day that couples used as an excuse to do something special for each other or a way in which couples used it against each other.

Valentine's Day is not a special day. If you want to show love for the one you love, then do it. Don't do it just because it's Valentine's Day. I mean, that's when everyone else is celebrating and showing their love. That just makes you a chump because you couldn't show your love when you didn't have to.

I hate Valentine's Day!

North Korea

Are you ever concerned about issues that are just so large and complex that there is nothing for you, a single person in a big universe full of people, to do about it?

That is my feeling on the current issue with North Korea.

Now I don't consider myself an expert on our foreign policy with North Korea or international relations in general. But as a concerned citizen, I can't help but be worried about the recent turn of events overseas. I have always been interested in international relations, foreign policy, and game theory. And realistically I know that Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, is just using his nuclear weapon program as a deterrent or bargaining chip for financing the country. But announcing his nuclear weapon arsenal, he wants to lure us into bilateral talks. A statement issued yesterday from the White House, denied any talks with North Korea. And for once, I agree with our President.

So let me give you my thoughts on the issue. I wholeheartedly agree that we should not meet with North Korea just to meet the demands of their crazed leader. I know that I am probably not the only one who has the feeling that China plays a huge role in this saga. I don't for one second believe that North Korea should have the power it believes that it deserves and I feel that China should step up some pressure for the sake of the world. I believe that with China, an up and coming world power (whether they choose to be or not), should take this opportunity to show the world what they are capable of doing. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should do nothing. All I am saying is that we should be willing to do our part (meaning we do not cave into pressure and blackmail but short of that, our role in all this is unclear) but that other hegemonic countries have a responsibility to the rest of the world to prevent global genocide.

Just my thought for the day.

One of those days...

So you probably have noticed that I seem to have "one of those days" once a week? Well today is probably going to be that day. Well either today or tomorrow.

I could have used an extra hour of sleep. Don't you hate that? You get up in the morning feeling like you just went to sleep and then you have to make it through, what seems like, hours and hours before you get to relax again. Yeah I hate that.

You know what else I hate? I hate knowing that even if today is "one of those days" I still have to do it all again tomorrow. That is the worst feeling ever. I hate having a bad day and then knowing that it doesn't make a difference to the outcome of tomorrow. I hate that too.

And the worst thing, is when it feels like you worked as hard as you possibly can, but the weekend just never seems to come fast enough. And for those of us who usually work on weekends, it just plains sucks. Yeah that's the worst.

So you are probably sitting there ready to ask me, "what is the point of saying all this stuff?"

My response to you is, "hey man, no one is forcing you to read this. But I feel better. Thanks for listening."

Chinese New Year

So today is the celebration of Chinese New Year. The celebration of Lunar Year 4703. The celebration of the Year of the Rooster. A celebration that will last for the next two weeks.

Of course, for those of you who know the traditions of Chinese New Year, today is a special day. A day where, if at all possible, you must wear something new (preferably red and bright). A day where you must look at the oranges and tangerines that are on display and not eat them. A day where you look forward to dinner with the family (lots of good food). A day where you can return to a nice clean home, because all of last week was spent cleaning up the bad spirits of last year...well 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Travel

Wouldn't it be great to travel anytime you wanted to any place you wanted?

Of course.

I think that it would be the greates thing ever.

I think it would be great to have the freedom to go visit all these different places without having to worry about when you have time to go or where you want to go.

That is just my thought for todady.

Super Bowl XXXIX

Super Bowl XXXIX has come and gone. Was there any doubt that the Patriots were going to win? Not in my mind. San Mateo native, Tom Brady (quarterback for the New England Patriots), was awesome. Head coach, Bill Belichick, got dunked for his great leadership. The half-time show was very anti-climatic. Paul McCartney was the one and only half-time entertainment. No one needed to worry about lip syncing or wardrobe malfuncations. All in all it was a great game.

Now let's move on to the commercials. My favorite and I am sure most people would agree, was the tribute to the troops. Amid all the excitment it was very moving because it was so somber. There was some speculation that during the filming of this commercial, the troops in the commercial are actors and not real troops. I beg to differ. I am sure that the makers of this commercial are not so callous as to make a commercial as a tribute to the troops.

And let me just say that Bud Light and Budweiser has always had great commercials. Towards the being of the game, there was a commercial for Bud Light. These men were jumping out of the plane and this one guy wouldn't jump. The instructor asks him if he would jump for a Bud Light and tosses a six-pack out of the door. All of a sudden, you see the pilot, come running out of the front of the plane and jumps out after the Bud Light. It was so funny. And then the commercial about the pig who wants to be one of the Budweiser horses...again so funny.

All in all it was a great game.

Breaking News

California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley just resigned.

Insider Politics

So the State of the Union was last night.

Did you see it?

Me? Nope. I was busy.

As interesting as national politics is right now all I can think about is local politics, specifically an upcoming primary race. It is nicely summed up in an article in the San Mateo County Times.

"Voters won't elect a replacement for state Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, until 2006, but three candidates are well on their way to sizable war chests, according to new campaign finance statements.
Former San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin, Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, and former Assemblyman Lou Papan have amassed more than $600,000 among them for what's expected to be one of the most hotly contested state Senate races on the Peninsula in some time.
Nevin was the most active during the reporting period, which stretched from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. He raised about $114,000 and has about $242,000 on hand. Yee raised about $83,000 during the period through an Assembly campaign fund and one for the Senate race. He has about $313,000 on hand, but most of it is in the Assembly account. He could transfer the money to his Senate campaign.
Nevin plans to abide by a volunteer $850,000 campaign-finance limit for state Senate races, while Yee and Papan said they have not made up their minds whether to accept the cap.
"I'm confident in our position," Nevin said. "I think we can keep pace raising money with any of the candidates in the race." Most of Nevin's money has come from developers, labor unions and police officers. Nevin served in the San Francisco Police Department before entering politics.
Yee believes the amount of money raised to date will likely be a small fraction of the total raised in the race. Yee said he believes each of the candidates has the ability to raise more than $1 million, although Nevin would not hit that mark since he has accepted the campaign-finance limit.
"There is some disparity among the three of us in the money we've raised," Yee said. "Now that all of us are gearing up. The June (campaign-finance) filing should be a little more telling."
Yee has received a large amount of donations from the real estate industry, unions and political-action committees for various industries.
Papan said he was not worried about his opponents' fund-raising advantage. "There was a guy in the district who put up $7 million, and it didn't help him," Papan said referring to Republican Steve Poizner, who ran unsuccessfully for the State Assembly in November. "It will take a lot of money to defeat me— that's why (Nevin and Yee) are out there hustling."
Nevin, Yee and Papan will square off in the Democratic primary for Speier's State Senate seat in June 2006."

Interesting...

Groundhog Day

So I woke up this morning to watch the news.

And what did I see, you ask.

Well let me tell you. The lead story this morning was "Punxsutawney Phil predicts prolonged cold." Yup, that's right. It's Groundhog Day. It's as outdated as Daylight Savings Time. Why we still recognize it, is beyond me.

"The world's most famous furry forecaster saw his shadow Wednesday on Gobbler's Knob, suggesting another six weeks of wintry weather.
The chubby critter delivered the prediction after he was pulled from his burrow in an oak stump at 7:31 a.m. by a top-hatted handler, and his prediction was greeted by boos from the thousands in attendance."

As I was watching the news, I was amazed to see thousands of people in the crowd anxiously awaiting for the results. I know that this can be considered part of tradition that is decades old, a tradition that many people look forward to (for whatever reason). But we live in a technological world, a world where humans have explored space, oceans, and dinosaurs from the great beyond, yet this day is revolving around us "relying" on a groundhog to tell us how much longer the cold weather is going to last.

Give me a break.

Steve Young

For those of you who don't know, Steve Young was the last great quarterback that the San Francisco 49ers ever had. He was remembered as the young quarterback on the sidelines anxiously waiting behind another 49er great, Joe Montana, for a chance at the limelight. His crowning achievement was probably Super Bowl XXIX, when he passed for 6 touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers to win by a score of 49-26.

As a 49er fan, I fondly remember those glory days when fans expected the 49ers to reach the Super Bowl Championship and going to the playoffs was a given. I remember watching the games on Sunday with John Madden calling the plays, and you knew that if Madden was on the game, it was broadcast around the country. Or there would be times where the 49ers would grace Monday Night Football twice during the season, once around the holidays to showcase San Francisco's skyline adorned with Christmas lights.

But last season, the 49ers finished with a record of 2-14, easily clinching the first round draft pick. The 49ers were not given the opportunity to be seen on Monday Night Football last year and I barely had the energy to watch them get massacred every week. But we won't talk about that.

We will talk about Steve Young. Steve Young is on the ballot for election this Saturday to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a long time Steve Young fan, this is great news. For a team and for fans who have not had a lot to cheer about lately, this is our moment. And with Super Bowl XXXIX approaching this Sunday, reminders of where the San Francisco 49ers used to be, looms in the background. Because I love the San Francisco 49ers and I love Steve Young. I can't wait for Young to be in the Hall of Fame.

Oh and by the way, I hate Terrell Owens.