My Life

Quotes

2011-01-04T10:50:00.000-08:00

"Citius, Altius, Fortius" - Pierre de Coubertin

"I never saved anything for the swim back." - Vincent, Gattaca

"He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty." - Lao Tzu

"What I learned at a very early age was that I was responsible for my life. And as I became more spiritually conscious, I learned that we all are responsible for ourselves, that you create your own reality by the way you think and therefore act." - Oprah

"Get away from her, you bitch!" - Ripley, Aliens

"Hate the sin, love the sinner" - Gandhi

"Of all the idiots, in all the idiot villages, in all the idiot worlds, you stand alone, my friend." - Michael Scott, The Office

"I am the master of my fate/ I am the captain of my soul." - from "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-/ I took the one less traveled by,/ And that has made all the difference." - from "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

"Never, never, never give up" - Winston Churchill

"You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon? She's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs." - Han Solo, Star Wars

"No one trains like me. No one rides like me. This jersey's mine. I live for this jersey. It's my life. No one's taking it away from me. This fucking jersey's mine." - Lance Armstrong

AVATAR

2010-01-11T21:48:00.000-08:00

Last Monday night, as I strolled into Century Theatres at Bella Terra, I was completely unprepared for the film I was about to see. Thanks to commercials and promos, I already knew that James Cameron's Avatar would feature unprecedented special effects and CGI. However, I had no idea that the film would have such a strong emotional and spiritual impact on my life. Without a doubt, Avatar is much more than just a science fiction movie about blue aliens. The masterpiece drills deep into the human conscious to emphasize the importance of symbiosis, homeostasis, and harmony among all living things. For two and a half hours, I remained completely captivated and devoted the events of the film. My interest and fascination grew as the plot progressed and developed. I quickly became attached to the central characters, including Sam Worthington's Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana's (Uhura from Star Trek!) Neytiri, and Sigourney Weaver's Grace Augustine. In addition, I was taken aback by Pandora, an extraterrestrial planet that serves as the setting for Avatar. Featuring lush, green rainforests and spectacular mountains, Pandora also is home to blue humanoids known as the Na'vi. The plot is centered on a growing conflict between colonizing humans and the native Na'vi. However, the themes and ideologies of Avatar transcend the events of the film and promote a passionate appreciation of nature, the environment, and all that exists on our beautiful Earth.

Copenhagen

2009-12-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

As many of you are probably well aware, the United Nations Climate Change Conference is currently being held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Environmentalists and political activists have labeled the conference as the history's most defining moment in the fight against global warming. Corporate and industrial lobbyists argue that reducing carbon emissions will have no effect on global warming, and that heating trends are naturally caused. The "Climategate" incident, which began when hackers published confidential emails from researchers at the University of East Anglia, further strengthened the anti-global warming argument. The emails supposedly contain evidence that global warming is not caused by human activity. My personal opinion is that we need to reduce on our carbon footprint, whether it is causing global warming or not. The harmful gases that we release into the atmosphere don't only affect the ozone layer, but they also affect all life on earth. Smog and other forms of air pollution damage the lungs and make breathing difficult. In addition, there are much more efficient methods of production and transportation that we should be using in order to make this world a cleaner place. Renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficient appliances can significantly reduce our impact on the environment, but only if widely used. Hopefully, the delegates at the conference will take these points into consideration and set us in the right direction.

Finals!

2009-12-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (Friday) marked my last day of classes for the Fall 2009 semester at CSU Long Beach. Now I must prepare for finals, which are being held next week. I actually feel kinda bummed that my first semester of college is coming to an end since I've had some awesome classes. My composition class (ENG 100) was pretty easy, but I managed to learn many important skills and techniques to augment and enhance my writing. Intermediate Spanish (SPAN 201B) also proved to be a relatively simple class, partially due to the amazing preparation that I received last year in AP Spanish 4. My physical activity classes, Swimming Technique (KIN 125A) and Weight Training (KIN 151A) were both challenging and rewarding. Over the past few months, my swimming techniques as well as my muscular strength both improved significantly. General Psychology (PSY 100), however, proved to be my favorite class. Learning about the reasons and motives behind our behavior was extremely fascinating. I can only hope that next semester will be just as incredible!

A Crazy Decade

2009-12-05T15:14:00.001-08:00

As December begins, we enter the final month of this decade. Undoubtedly, the past ten years have been tumultuous, turbulent, and hectic. The decade started with the inauguration of President George W. Bush, the victor of an extremely close and disputed election against Al Gore. Only a year and a half later, the most significant event of the decade occurred: September 11. The ramifications of this tragedy, which included almost 3000 casualties, continue to affect the policy and agenda of the United States. This nation is still involved in two separate military conflicts (Iraq and Afghanistan) and a handful of heated disputes against various nations in the Middle East (Israel, Palestine, Iran, Syria, Lebanon). Following 9/11, US foreign policy went down the toilet, as numerous nations began to resent Americans for their tendency to "police" the world and force democracy upon others. In the United States, education, healthcare, and the economy encountered serious setbacks and challenges. Gasoline prices almost tripled and over a million homes were foreclosed due the housing crisis. Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, a tsunami in the South Pacific killed over 200,000 people, and earthquakes in India and China took nearly half a million lives. Although the 2000s have been riddled with disasters and mishaps, there have been countless opportunities to learn from mistakes and improve for the future. Within the past year, since the election of President Barack Obama, the United States seems to moving in a better direction. International relations are improving, the economy is on the road to recovery, and necessary steps are being taken in the fight against global warming. Hopefully, as the global community enters the next decade, we will use our newfound knowledge and make both wiser and more rational decisions.

Ignorance is Not Bliss

2009-11-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today, Switzerland approved a ban on the construction of minarets (tall spires that are usually associated with Islamic mosques). Apparently, the Swiss believe that minarets "represent the growth of an alien ideology and legal system". I can understand the Swiss desire to preserve neutrality, but this measure is both extreme and unnecessary. Clearly, the xenophobic Swiss have regressed to racism and prejudice, both detrimental beliefs that the United States overcame decades ago with the Civil Rights Movement. Although discrimination sadly continues to exist in American society, it is not even close to the same scale as the Swiss population. Ironically, the Swiss government is actually opposed to the referendum against minarets, but since the citizens retain the ultimate power to pass laws and initiatives, there is not much that can be done to block the ban. The minaret controversy has exposed one of the weaknesses of direct democracy: sometimes the public cannot be trusted to make moral and righteous decisions. How can a group of people be so ignorant and heartless towards another religious belief? It seems quite obvious that the Swiss need to reexamine their values and develop a greater respect for human rights.

Rio 2016

2009-10-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to host the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. This will be the first time a city in South America has ever hosted the games. In the bidding process, Rio de Janeiro was evaluated against the other candidate cities including Chicago, Tokyo, and Madrid. The official selection took place in Copenhagen, with President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama present in order to support the Chicago bid. Despite their efforts, Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting, followed by Tokyo in the second and Madrid in the third. I believe the IOC was extremely justified in their decision since South America has never hosted the games before. Unlike Beijing, Rio de Janeiro has most of the sporting venues already built, since the city has hosted the 2007 Panamerican Games. Rio 2016 will undoubtedly be a landmark event and a milestone in the Olympic Movement.

Heroes

2009-06-16T14:30:00.001-07:00

Graduation!

2009-06-15T23:14:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday was my high school graduation at Orange Coast College! The ceremony was an hour and a half, and consisted of several speeches and the dispersement of diplomas. Overall, the experience was memorable and unforgettable. It definitely provided a fitting closure to the past four strenous years of high school. (Below is a picture that was taken by the Orange County Register before the ceremony. I'm on the left)

Blade Runnner

2009-05-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

I recently watched this iconic 1982 film for extra credit in my english class, and for a project on Harrison Ford in Art of Film. Directed by Ridley Scott, Blade Runner is set in November 2019 in a dystopian Los Angeles. Harrison Ford stars as Rick Deckard, a "blade runner," whose job is to eliminate and "retire" replicants. Created for work on other planets, replicants are artificial human beings that are banned on Earth. Although replicants appear identical to humans, they lack basic emotions and feelings. When a group of deadly Nexus-6 replicants are discovered in Los Angeles, it is up to Rick Deckard to track them down and destroy them.

Blade Runner is considered a quintessential science fiction and cyberpunk film. The movie also contains aspects of the film noir genre, through the inclusion of femme fatales, dark scenery, and a troubled hero. Harrison Ford's role was especially different from his others. Although Deckard is the trademark maverick and rebel, his morals and motives are not exactly clear. Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Ford's most famous roles, are well known for their heroic moralities. Deckard is different. The audience never fully comprehends his desire to hunt down replicants or his views on society. Deckard's mysterious and enigmatic personality undoubtedly define the dark atmosphere of this futuristic film.

Awesome Picture

2009-05-15T07:41:00.001-07:00

The SS American Star was a shipping vessel built in 1940. In 1994, while being tugged across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship broke loose and ran aground in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. It has been there since.

Space: The Final Frontier

2009-05-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I saw Star Trek, which serves as a reboot of the original series. The film utilizes time travel to create an alternate reality that parallels the canon continuity. Chris Pine stars as Captain James T. Kirk, a reckless and confident young man whose father is killed in the alternate timeline. Zachary Quinto plays the intelligent and observational Spock, a Vulcan-Human hybrid who serves as a rival to Kirk for much of the film. Both are members of the USS Enterprise, a Federation starship whose maiden launch was interrupted by an emergency distress call from Vulcan. The ship travels to Vulcan, where trouble ensues.

Overall, I found that Star Trek was both an amazing and extraordinary film, and I highly recommend it. It is more than just an action film with special effects- the characters are extremely realistic and deep, and their personalities and psychology are intricately dissected. Without a doubt, this is one of the best movies that I have seen in quite a while. In the words of Spock, "Live long, and prosper!"

Large Hadron Collider

2009-03-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

Located near Geneva, Switzerland, the LargeHadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest particle accelerator. It is a circular tunnel that is 17 miles in circumference and lies both above and below ground. The LHC is the collaboration of over 10,000 physicists and engineers from over 100 nations. Built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the LHC is designed to collide opposing protons and nuclei in order to investigate various hypotheses. Scientists hope that the accelerator will produce the Higgs boson (God particle), reveal the existence of other dimensions, and determine the nature of dark energy. The construction of the LHC was quite controversial because some people believed that

the accelerator would create a black hole that would swallow up the Earth. Several lawsuits were filed and petitions were made in order to delay the activation. The LHC started its first test on 10 September 2008, but unfortunately was forced to shut down nine days later on 19 September. It was determined that the accident had been caused by two bending magnets, both of which weighted over 27 tons. The LHC will be under repair until this September, when operations will resume. It has been announced that Tom Hanks will press the button to start the LHC for the second time.

Obama Flew Over My House!

2009-03-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today President Barack Obama landed at Long Beach Airport for his visit of Southern California. Air Force One literally flew directly over my house en route to the airport for landing. Just ten minutes later, an envoy consisting of three Sikorsky Sea King helicopters returned flying in the opposite direction. They were heading towards the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, where Obama's town-hall meeting was located. Since these three helicopters all resembled Marine One, I assumed that Obama had been onboard, but I unfortunately later discovered that Obama was aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk, which is the other type of helicopter which can assume the title of "Marine One". Nevertheless, the whole experience was definitely a memorable, unforgettable, and exhilarating experience. Tomorrow, Obama will continue his Southern California visit with a tour of an Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pasadena, another town hall meeting in Los Angeles, and an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno". Gobama!

A Pretty Awesome Poem

2009-03-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

"The Red Wheelbarrow"

William Carlos Williams

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens

This is pretty random, but I was reminded of this poem when we studied Romantic poetry in my English class. I studied this poem last year in my Honors English class. "The Red Wheelbarrow" is a prime example of imagism, an early 20th century art movement that emphasized an extreme focus on everyday objects. In this case, the central focus of the poem is a red wheelbarrow. William Carlos Williams believed that a poem “must be real, not 'realism', but reality itself." A much deeper meaning lays beneath the surface of this poem-specifically a commentary against the movement towards urbanism and abadonment of agararian culture. Also, if one looks closely, they can see that the structure of the poem resembles a wheelbarrow. I really like this poem because it is seems so short and simple, yet it is truly complex and deep.

I Finally Saved Someone!

2009-03-10T21:44:00.001-07:00

I have been working as a lifeguard at a fitness club in Fountain Valley since last summer. When I first started the job, I imagined performing heroic rescues and saving countless lives. Instead, I discovered the true dullness and boredom of lifeguarding. Most days, I rarely encounter anything that even resembling an injury. A small cut or bruise often marks the highlight of my week. I sometimes even find myself praying for someone to drown or have a heart attack so that I can see some action!

Finally, last week, I was faced with a serious life threatening situation. I was sitting down with two other lifeguards on the pool deck when a club member approached us and said that a man had collapsed in the fitness center. I immediately jumped out of my chair and sprinted with the other lifeguard towards the lobby. My heart was pounding like a drum and my mind was rushing at a million miles per hour. I had no idea what to expect- the man could have suffered anything from a simple case of dehydration to a debilitating stroke.

When we entered the lobby, we found a pale and sweating man sitting in a chair with his wife waiting nervously at the side. I immediately asked what the problem was. The man could barely speak and he was clearly winded and out of breath. I asked if he needed something to drink, but his wife explained that he could have no fluids. Both the man and his wife were being extremely vague about the problem. I ran back and got the automated external defibrillator (AED) in case the man entered cardiac arrest. When I returned, I heard him mention that he was in shock and suffering from "exercise-induced anaphylaxis". Now I was even more confused. Then the wife told her son to get the father's epipen, and suddenly my mind clicked! The man was in anaphylactic shock, which is the most severe type of allergic reaction. Without treatment, anaphylactic shock can cause death in minutes.

When the son brought the epipen, the wife asked me if I knew how to use it. I could tell that she was extremely worried and too stressed out to administer the epinephrine. I nervously held the epipen in my hand and removed the plastic packaging. I had learned about allergic reactions last year in my lifeguard training as well as my AP Biology class. I held the epipen against the man's leg, and quickly jabbed it into his thigh. The needle immediately activated and penetrated the skin. The man screamed in pain and jokingly asked if I was trying to kill him. I apologized and held the epipen in his thigh for ten seconds before removing it. After the other lifeguard cleaned the wound, the paramedics arrived, loaded the man on a stretcher, hooked up an IV line, and left for the hospital. Minutes later, adrenaline was still pumping through my veins. I had just helped save a life!

Fresh & Easy

2009-02-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

I bought some food earlier tonight at the Fresh & Easy located in Fountain Valley at Warner and Bushard. Since I had never visited the store before, I was really surprised by the large variety of food and unbelieveably low prices. The store is relatively small, yet I had no trouble finding everything I wanted. Even better, I got to check out my own groceries at the self-serve station, which was really easy to use. After some research, I found that the small supermarket chain is actually owned by Tesco, Britain's largest retailer. Located only in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada, Fresh & Easy operates a total of 107 stores. I will definitely be visiting this store a lot more often!

California Octuplets

2009-01-30T07:08:00.000-08:00

Last Monday, an anonymous mother gave birth to eight children at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Bellflower, California. All of the babies were delivered nine weeks premature by Caesarean section, in an operation that required forty six doctors, nurses, and assistants and took less than five minutes. This is only the second time in the United States that all eight babies in a set of octuplets have been delivered alive. The mother's family recently revealed that the children had been conceived through in vitro fertilization, in which multiple eggs were extracted from the woman, paired with sperm in petri dishes, and implanted as embryos into the uterus. Also, the family revealed that the mother had conceived six children prior to the birth of octuplets, making a total of fourteen children in her family! This event raises the debate over in vitro fertilization, and whether it is ethical to implant mulitple embryos when it remains possible that all embryos can develop into fetuses. In this case, the woman received eight embryos, and all eight became fetuses. Many people blame the woman's doctors for making this choice, since there was a high risk for perinatal mortality before birth due to the number of fetuses in the womb. Fortunately, in this case, all eight babies were delivered alive and healthy.

Three Amazing Movies

2009-01-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

My elective class this year at school is Art of Film, where we watch, analyze, and study movies. The last three films we viewed in class were especially outstanding: Out of Africa, Empire of the Sun, and Dances with Wolves. I had poor expectations at the beginning of each of these films, but by the end, I was completely awed and amazed.

Out of Africa

Stars Meryl Streep as Karen von Blixen, a baroness who leaves Denmark for a life in Kenya. She meets the adventurous Denys Hatton, who shows her the true beauty of Africa.

Empire of the Sun

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film marked Christian Bale's (Batman!) acting debut as Jamie Graham, a young British boy living in Shanghai who becomes entangled in a war between China and Japan. Jamie is separated from his parents, captured by Japanese troops, and taken to an internment camp.

Dances with Wolves

John Dunbar, played by Kevin Costner, is a Union soldier who is sent to a deserted post on the American frontier. Dunbar encounters a group of hostile Sioux Native Americans who befriend him and teach him the ways of their culture. This movie won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture in 1990.

The End of an Era

2009-01-15T23:13:00.000-08:00

Earlier this evening, President George W. Bush delivered his farewell speech. This marked his final public appearance until the inaguration of Barack Obama next week. The speech was reflective and nostalgiac. Bush summarized the past eight years of his presidency, admitting that many of his decisions were greatly challenged. Most importantly, Bush honorably expressed his confidence and hope in Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Although I am grateful that tonight marked the end of America's most unfavorable and tumultuous presidency, I commend Bush for finally taking responsibility for his mistakes: September 11, Afghan War, Iraqi War, Hurricane Katrina, Mortgage Crisis, Economic Recession, Guantanamo Bay, Abu Gharib, North Korea, Social Security, and Medicare. Bush was a terrible leader, however he was successful in preventing a serious escalation of war following September 11. He stayed away from nuclear weapons even when they were an option for warfare in the United States. As Bush leaves the White House, a troubled era sets into the horizon, and a new day of hope and inspiration dawns upon the world.

Chrismahanukwanzakah

2008-12-19T22:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

First Facial Transplant in U.S.

2008-12-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the first face transplant in the United States was performed at Cleaveland Clinic by a team of world renowned surgeons. Led by Maria Siemionow, M.D., Ph.D, the team completed a 22 hour surgery that demanded numerous surgical specialites, including plastic surgery, general surgery, and hand surgery. The facial tissue was obtained from a deceased female donor. The patient had suffered severe facial trauma and disfigurement, and was not able to eat or breathe on her own. This procedure is just one example of the many advances in medicine that dramatically change and improve lives.

Quantum of Solace

2008-12-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

Great movie!

El Dorado Nature Center

2008-12-08T20:15:00.000-08:00

This place is awesome! Located between the San Gabriel River and the 605 freeway in Long Beach, the El Dorado Nature Center contains over three miles of trails within a hundred acre area. The park is a sanctuary and haven in the middle of surburban Southern California. You feel as if you are out in the wilderness, when in reality you are in Long Beach, one of the largest cities in California. The Nature Center is relatively unknown, so there are rarely large crowds. The ambience of the trees, lakes, and rivers provide a place for comtemplative and reflective thought.

Map: http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=18375

Words of Wisdom

2008-12-06T22:25:00.000-08:00

"They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan." - Sarah Palin

____________________________________

"Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency, it is the right decision now, and it will be the right decision ever." -President George W. Bush

"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." -President George W. Bush

Obama

2008-12-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

I was pretty excited when Barack Obama won the Presidential Election almost one month ago. First of all, our nation took a tremendous and necessary step forward in electing a black President. For the past 200+ years, our nation has been led solely by white men. A President of color represents the true diversity of our nation. Not everyone in this nation is white, so why should there only be white Presidents? I am extremely grateful that this milestone has finally occurred now, but I wish that I had happened decades ago. Obama can bring change to the United States, although it seems that he is not not as "left wing" as he presented himself. For example, he does not plan to begin the withdrawl of troops in Iraq until 2010, which is over a year away. Why can't the withdrawl begin immediately? We do not need to hold a "presence" in the Middle East, and we certainly do not need to make enemies with any more nations. Obama needs to make amends with many nations in this world who have unfriendly relations with the United States, such as Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. The last thing we need is World War III. Lastly, I strongly believe that Obama should at least establish the foundation for a universal healthcare system. A government should provide free healthcare for all citizens. The high cost of healthcare in this nation is ridiculous; nobody should be denied medical attention because of their economic status. The UK, Canada, Cuba, and France have amazing healthcare systems that the United States should emulate. Despite these personal resignations, I am enthusiastic for the inaguration of President Obama.