Posts Tagged Politics

Nadal and the attached strings

May 29, 2009 at 6:41 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged ,

Rafael Nadal is pounding the earth with Hewitt, taped delayed. He wears yellow bands, pink shirt and grey short. And he still fudges with his G-string. Might be it’s time to introduce him to C-string? Raf hasn’t changed much over the years, still very humble and energetic; a small town boy, intense but donw to earth. How long can he last on the tour?

I thought of Tiger who’s bit sneaky, in a way: he’d look around without turning his head and has that kind of smirk on his face just telling everyone else in his vicinity that he’s just that tad better then the rest of us.
I also thought of Tiger’s mother who claimed Tiger had suffered discrimination on his way up, due to his skin color – I once saw it on a TV interview, briefly. I couldn’t actually believe it.
Imagery?
This country appreciates talent, color of skin comes second or third, if it comes at all. Ya, we all see colors, but that stops there pretty much. See how much courtesy this country is bestowing on Michelle Obama?

Nice pictures for the first lady. How much have they been workshopped? Btw .. did anyone see Maria Sharapova’s facial skin? Terrible .. I always consider Anna K is prettier .. who cared that K never won a match? I just want to be entertained for few hours 🙂

In this Time article, By Nancy Gibbs and Michael Scherer claimed that Michelle has more fun than Laura Bush. I found that assertion is presumptuous. Where is the evidence? What made them think that Laura didn’t have fun as the First Lady? And How Do You Measure happiness and fun-ness?

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Tiger Woods at the Inauguration .. 国母 is white

March 8, 2009 at 1:51 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged ,

I’m glad to see Tiger’s speech when he mentioned only the military at Obama’s party. Both he and Obama are half black. Actually Tiger’s dad Earl was a mixture of Black, Chinese, and Native American. When the black people clamoring for the first black president (are they really that insecure?), I think in the process as if to say Obama’s white mother didn’t exist? It’s the same way with Tiger, as if to say his Asian Mom isn’t in the equation. We Asians could care less if Tiger claims himself a Black or Asian or even orange or eggplant i nthat matter, we love him equally, not becasue of his skin color but for his contributions to the world. Race should only be skin deep. I think we Asians have that confidence. Why didn’t Obama stand up to reiterate that he’s half white? 国母 is white, no matter how you dice the story.

Danny Lee is a new kid on the block of the golf green to watch. I think he’s probably more of Korean Lee than Chinese Lee 🙂 It’s so remarkable that so many good Korean golfers around nowadays.

Today March 8th, is the Ladies’ Day 三八妇女节 and I lost 3 sets in a row this morning – 6:3, 6:1 (with John) and 7:5 (with William). What can I say, just not my day. And I did a pretty disgusting thing by giving up a game. We were on serve and I was serving duce at 1 set to 2. It was perhaps the 8th duce and I double faulted it. Not entirely intentional but it could have been avoided. I was really tired – not a good excuse.

Last Thursday was a better day for me tennis wise, won 3 sets convincingly with Larry. The 4th was a give away that I threw in the towel: couldn’t move my feet any more, and I was experiencing new symptom: cramp in my thighs. First it occured in my right and then the left didn’t want to be left out so it joined in by third set. I was so relieved n happy to won the third set.

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Whom to vote for?

September 21, 2008 at 8:45 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged

60 Minutes interviewed both candidates.  John McCain looked stiff, like a piece of old furniture and quick to blame the Wall Street executives and SEC, thinks that Andrew Cuomo would be an appropriated replacement of Chris Cox, and that Sarah Palin is ready to be president, ‘absolutely’ was his word.  Mr. McCain has my respect as man’s man, but I have to laugh.  Obama on the other hand, looked intelligent and provided more responsive answers to the questions.  He didn’t blame the WS titans out right.  One thing people should remember, that those executives were installed there to be greedy in the first place.  They work (or on the theory) for the shareholders.  It’s the regulator/government’s job to check them.

Obama is half white, but why his blackness is so prominent on display and much debated?  What about his whiteness?  Can he have Sarah Palin as wife, making my voting decision easier?

What a mess. .. the US-haters are probably laughing too.

Ok, Giants won in OT .. Anthony Kim beat out Sergio Garcia to win the Opening Ryder Cup Singles. Ya, you go Kim!  Go America! I never liked Sergio, found him to be a sour loser.

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We Can Help China Embrace the Future

August 30, 2008 at 8:52 am · Filed under Celestial Empire, Sports ·Tagged

A sensible article by Tony Blair on WSJ’s Opinion page.  He sees the rising of the East isn’t a threat but an enormous opportunity, resonating with Michael Bloomberg‘s.  Interestingly, Blair compares China to USA and mentioned USA few times.  A worldly man.  I have always admire him more than any Brit PMs in the recent history.  And his unwaving pro US stance has certainly gained my approval when as tradition, the most European heads of state are on the other side of the spectrum.   Bashing Washington might get you elected (short term) but it won’t fix your problem (long term).  Bashing China would yield the same result.  The East is the timely opportunity, seize it before too late.  Don’t be left behind.

I had somewhat expected him to sell London’s 2012 summer game.  He mentioned it too, at the end.

McCain and Obama are too busy throwing dirt at each other.  They should spend more time/money on their policy, how to change this country and how to deal with the rising East to benefit this country.  One comment posted that “Blair was a more lucid spokesman for American interests than was our own president.”  I agree.  China matters.

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The New Kids on the Block

August 28, 2008 at 10:53 am · Filed under Celestial Empire, Sports ·Tagged ,

I heard people gossiping about little brawl broken out between Moscow and Georgia. The assassin stepped down from presidency to be PM and now turned to be a bully. The West can’t do a thing. America’s army ties down in the Mid east. Might it be the French or German’s turn to police the world?

I couldn’t remember seeing it or read about it, but during one of Phelps’ eight gold medal podium moments (the 6th I think), the US national anthem was cut short, while Bushes were in attendance. ‘Got the land of the free but apparently the home of the brave was no longer available. Did someone foreclose?’ as one writer asked. So I wasn’t the only anal one who noticed, and I wasn’t the only boring one who even linger for the ceremony.

A technical error, or sour grape over one Yankee’s hauling up so many gold?  OR .. they meant business??

I was upset. US deserves respects. Beside, a good host would never embarrass her guest.  You want to make them feel welcome and comfortable.  That’s hospitality 101.  I happened to like the The Star Spangled Banner and love to hear it in its entirety.

There are many other ways to show off your rising power and influence.

New money never smells good and feels right.

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Ethnic minorities in China

May 12, 2008 at 9:42 pm · Filed under Celestial Empire, Sports ·Tagged

Tibet is only one of 55 ethnic minorities in China, totalling 123m, or 9% to han Chinese.  I was reading the dream theater forums, someone there mentioned that “fuck tibet, there are many minorities suffering in china that don’t get any attention because they don’t have a rockstar lama in orange filling stadiums.” ha ha ha .. he’s right on the cue.  If the human rights are so concerned with repression, have they checked on other 54 groups yet?  Bet they don’t get much of press for doing so .. so no donation would pouring in .. so not worth doing it. What’s the agenda behind this Tibet thing, and who’s behind it? Thought of Martha Burk (be sure to read on the comments that followed) at the Augusta in 2003, protesting all-male membership policy? Give me a break – you give women a bad name!! Why doesn’t she shelter few working girls or starving young mothers or abused wives?  Forcing a private club to change its rule?  Isn’t America still a free country?

  •  2003.02.20, PBS

2015.01.25: Australian Open is going on right now. Tennis and golf are two handful sports where women are paid, in general, as much as men.
Although I don’t play and follow golf. But I did know when Martha Burk picketing the Augusta National Golf Club in 2003, see above.
For women in tennis, they’re paid on equal footing as the men. But they play best of three sets. Not sure it’s the right thing to do. Why don’t they change to best of five, at least for the last two rounds, semi and final? If you ask paid as much as men, you should be doing as much as men too, period.

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Go Susie GO ..

May 12, 2008 at 11:54 am · Filed under Swim ·Tagged

Beijing is calling!  Susan Rapp, the former Olympic silver medalist in 1984 is now Susan von der Lippe, mother of 2, at age 42 is trying to qualify for her fourth Olympic! WOW !! You go girl!!  Refreshing and romantic.

A little sad note that she had to sit out in 1980 when she’s 15 (who’s to dispute that she won’t win a gold medal that year?), because US decided to boycott the Moscow game.  Now there are thunders about boycotting Beijing game, but not a single nation is considering to withheld its athletes.  Smart move.  In consideration to the athletes: they only have so much youth and limited time span to shine, only every four years!  And most Olympic sports aren’t money-generating venue, except, well the late comer like tennis and basketball – ice hockey players aren’t being paid as much as other major leaguers.  They do deserve the moment in the lime light, pls don’t take that away.  Carter wasn’t a smart president anyway.  He got elected only because of Nixon, IMHO.  And what did Carter administration achieve for withholding their hard trained athletes?  More gold medals to the Russians.  A gold medal is a gold medal.

Sport is sport, pls don’t let the politics erode its spirit.  The hard training athletes inevitably speak different language, grow up in a different culture, but they can compete together abide by the same rule of the game.  That is a huge acomplishment, and it what the Olympic spirit is.  They might not be able to communicate orally, but they speak to each other directly thought the love and understanding of the sport they compete.

Just so this weekend I saw a little program showcasing a 12-year old Korean American violinist performing at Carnegie Hall.  She is a short cross eyed pre-teen at Juilliard.  It was the familiar Haydn piece she was playing drew me to the TV first – Steve practiced it often while I was living with them in Beijing.  What made me stay to watch was her enjoyment and composure, so radiant that I would take her as Julia Fisher or Sophie-Mutter, virtuoso, mature, has deep understanding and appreciation for music.  Later, the presenter also invited her two chamber music mates, a 11-year old pianist, and a 13-year old cellist who’s been in the US for only six months.  They all played without a sheet – all in their tiny heads!!!  The presenter who first accompanied the Korean as the pianist, a 6-footer man joked to the tiny pianist that she perhaps doesn’t trust his page turning ability.

Isn’t music like sport, it nurture and cultivate the players from the world over who speak different tongues and fashion different cultures?  Why can we please leave the politics out?  Just let them play and compete, and us to enjoy the beauty of the music/game?  And please don’t rerate the slow runners – each one has its own ability and circumstance, China is coming up and catching up.

Oh, one more thought: can we exclude the professional players from the game?  Olympic is to showcase the best, but does the professional needs this venue to twinkle every four year when they have ESPN year round?

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The torch relay will go on

April 10, 2008 at 10:45 am · Filed under Celestial Empire, Sports ·Tagged

So China goes on.  WTG … Don’t forget that two opium wars didn’t crack open its door.  Mounting pressure to flex its currency didn’t work either.  I doubt China would give in to Tibet.  Take my word, UK would have a hell to pay for not attending its opening ceremony, especially their London game comes in just 4 years,  and most importantly UK has far less cloud than the US.  What the 10 Downing Street is thinking?

Go China Go …

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An encounter with history

December 9, 2007 at 4:46 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged

That hangs over the present.. The Giants isn’t going anywhere .. sight … Ok, some believed that Angela [Merkel] meeting the Dalai Lama is to hold the Chinese to respect human right.  It was the Swede Linnaeus (1707-1778) color-coded the people into 4 categories: white, red, yellow and black, and David Hume (1711-1776) placed premium on the white.  I’m wondering:

1. can we please leave the human right thing to that nation?

2. if the Chinese prevailed back then, would the world following Chinese value and tradition now?  Same goes with Africans, if they prevailed, maybe the hunting and sleeping next to a tiger is the thing nowadays rather than a 5-bathroom mansions?

3. if we believe that humans are truly created equal, can Chinese now view the humiliation we suffered a century ago was a lesson to be strong to defend herself?

4. who’s going to say that what the Europeans did to the Chinese back then were different than what Chinese is doing to the Africans nowadays?

 

 

5. when can Eli finally score a TD in the red zone?  They’re ahead by only 3 pts … could have had a TD !!!

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