Prayers for Haiti

I sit and think about how sad I am I lost my grandfather last month almost every hour of the day. But in recent days, another sadness has filled my heart. It's all over the news and the internet. The aftermath of the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake in Haiti is hard to even imagine. The footage and photos of the damage and all the bodies are shocking and hard to watch.

I am not much of a praying person, but I pray for all those displaced and injured people. I pray for all those who have lost their lives. I pray for the families of all those who have passed away from Tuesday's massive earthquake. And I pray for all those who are there now, helping with the rescue effort.

US News posted to their site today 10 Ways You Can Donate to Haiti. Click here to do your part.

[image via NYTimes]

Track Crime in Your Neighborhood

Been crazy busy at work so I have not really found time to blog, but saw this on the news yesterday and thought it was interesting.

Pima County Sheriff's department has purchased service to a website called CrimeReports.com for $12K a year (paid for by money seized from drug dealers and other criminals). You can now see on a map what criminal events occured in your neighborhood and it's free.

I went to the site and looked up my home address and there was nothing nearby (thank goodness!). I searched my zip code and just about 7-10 miles away, there were neighborhoods full of crime such as assault (no injury), theft (larceny), theft (vehicle), robbery, assault (domestic violence), etc. TONS! The site is really slow to load and move around the map so that was annoying.

Overall though, pretty crazy stuff going on in Tucson. Information is updated every 24 hours, so the information citizens obtain is timely and accurate

Clinton's the Man

In case you have not heard already, the AP reported that North Korea's President, Kim Jonh Il has issued a special pardon and release for Laura Ling and Euna Lee at former United States President Bill Clinton's request. The two female journalists have been arrested since March and were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor.

This was a first meeting with a prominent Western figure for the North Korean leader since he had his stroke a year ago.

[image via AP Images]

Chinese Immigrants' Kids - Culture Clash

On yesterday's segment of NPR's All Things Considered, they had a story titled Chinese Immigrants' Kids Play Balancing Role. The story discussed the tension that arises from American children and their traditional Chinese parents.

The parents come to the U.S. in hopes their children will get a better education and a better chance of success. With it though, their fears of losing them to the American cultural norms are high since those norms are very different than what they feel is proper or even what they feel is common. The parents even lose the ability to speak with their children in many cases.

"Because of the loss of the language and also because of the more authoritarian parenting, there isn't as much of a close parent-child relationship in the way that we think about it in the United States," says Professor Vivian Louie of Harvard University.

The professor also says these problems with their parents can cause the kid to have high rates of depression, suicide, and mental health issues. On a positive note though, the immigrants' children have really good work ethic and set high standards for themselves.

I loved this story because I could relate so well. I know my parents sacrificed a lot to give my siblings and I a far better life than what they could have provided had they stayed in China and as I have gotten older, I have learned to really appreciate that. However, I am definitely one for fighting with my parents on a regular basis. I always say I feel like I am lost in translation when trying to explain an event, my feelings, or anything of importance. Then I get very frustrated with them, which causes us to clash.

I think my parents have transitioned really well with giving my brother, sister, and I a well balanced Chinese and American life. I can speak the language, I eat all the strange foods, and I know when to be that respectful, dutiful daughter. I also always brought home great grades and was an outstanding student because they instilled that responsibility in me. But they still let us go out with our friends and I got to party a lot in high school.

I am sad for them that none of us became the doctor or lawyer they probably wanted, but none of us are bad kids and we all have a decent relationship with them. I think my brother calls them at least once a week from California and I'm sure my sister talks to my mom a lot. I love my parents and I'm thankful that they worked so hard their whole lives so that I could be blessed. That doesn't mean I'll stop fighting with them though. :)

I didn't mean to make this such a long post. At any rate, to hear the story or read the transcript, click here.

Total Solar Eclipse in Asia

There is suppose to be a total solar eclipse that will for 6 minutes and 39 seconds at its maximum point tomorrow. That is the longest lasting solar eclipse in this century.

The eclipse will first start in the Gulf of Khambhat just north of Mumba. It will travel across India, China, the Pacific, and then some southern Japanese islands. Elsewhere, a partial eclipse will be visible across much of Asia.

I wish I was in China now. I've always wanted to see one! My dad is so I'm going to see if I can call him to take pictures. I also wish it was like Heroes where we can get special powers when it happens.

[image via BBC News]

Starbucks Serves Booze?!

According to the NY Post, one of the Seattle stores next week will offer bottled beer and glasses of wine. Starbucks says they hope to expand their stores to a version of European-style coffeehouses, with live music, poetry readings, manual machines, and beer and wine.

No word whether Starbucks will come out with their own line of alcohol, but they will be testing the new stuff in three different Seattle stores and decide to expand based on how well they do.

It's not like I ever hang out at a Starbucks except when I was in college and tried to study there. I usually do the drive-thru if the line is not too long or I grab and go. But if there is beer and wine, maybe it'll be nice to have some place nice and quiet to hang out and enjoy a glass of wine without having to go into a bar.

Update:
Speaking of Starbucks, N just sent me this link for a free Starbucks pastry tomorrow with a purchase of a beverage: http://www.starbucks.com/retail/free_pastry.html

Death by Chocolate

A New Jersey man died Wednesday morning after falling into a a vat of melted chocolate in a processing plant. The 29 year old temp worker at Cocoa Services, Inc. was loading chocolate into the vat where it's melted and mixed before being shipped to make candy. He fell in after a blade used to mix raw chocolate hit him.

County Prosecutor says a co-worker tried to shut off the machine and two others tried to pull the man out of the 8-foot-deep vat.

How sad. It wasn't even his real job and he had to die Death by Chocolate. I always wanted to swim in a vat of chocolate, but in something safer, like a kiddie pool. Or a pool of spaghetti (like in the movie Patch Adams).

[image via cbs13.com]

Another Case of Animal Abuse

AP reports a 43 year old firefighter in Columbus, Ohio has been sentenced to 90 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and one count of possession of a criminal tool (a homemade silencer attached to the end of his rifle).

David Santuomo was going on vacation and he wanted to avoid boarding them while he was gone. So, he tied his his two mixed breed dogs (Sloopy and Skeeter) to a pipe in his basement, shot and killed them. He then threw their remains in the trash bin behind his firehouse. Prosecutors say he bragged about the killings to colleagues. Defense attorney Sam Shamansky says it was "totally out of character" for his client.

How disgusting and sad. I have absolutely no patience for bad pet owners. This guy got off easy. He deserves way more of a punishment.

Good Old Hard Work

In the Opinion column of the New York Times last weekend, there was a piece written by Nicholas Kristof about the three groups, Asian-America, Jews, and West Indian blacks, in America who have been unusually successful as far as minorities go.

He basically just points out that these groups are not so much smarter that they are successful but they work harder, put a higher emphasis on education and have a drive to succeed that has lead them to do so well. Bottom line: you don't have to be smart to do well--just work really hard.

Similar thing was said on Anderson Cooper's CNN show two years ago.

Spelling Bee Champ

13 year old Kavya Shivashankar from Kansas is the new Scripps National Spelling Bee champ. She won after 16 rounds with the word laodicean. I started watching at round 6 and after a few rounds, it was kind of dragging on. These kids are really good though and I was thoroughly impressed.

I liked Kavya because she always spelled the word out on her hand so I'm happy she won. I also liked Kennyi Aouad because he was so goofy. My least favorite was the third place girl, Aishwarya Pastapur, who mispelled menhir. She had such an attitude when she was asking for definitions, pronunciation, etc. And then she cried when she lost, so hah.

At any rate, congrats Kavya!

[image via spellingbee.com]

Are You Eligible For A Free Olive Garden Appetizer?

Last week, the Orlando Sentinel reported that if you paid with a credit/debit card at any of the Olive Garden chain restaurants from December 4, 2006 to August 10, 2007, you are eligible for a free $9 appetizer voucher.

This stems from a 2007 civil lawsuit against the restaurant in which they were accused of printing the last six digit of the customers' credit card numbers on receipts. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction act, you are required to truncate the credit card numbers, but Olive Garden had not complied.

The final hearing will not happen until July, but Olive Garden is already offering the voucher. If you are an eligible customer, you can fill out a form at www.attorneyzim.com requesting a voucher. The PDF form is available under the heading "Class Action Notices." You can also call 1-866-890-4862. You don't have to provide proof of purchase but do have to sign a document certifying, under penalty of perjury, that you made the purchase. The voucher forms must be postmarked by June 4.

[image via olivegarden.com]

This Is What You Get For Having An Affair

The China Press and Sin Chew Daily reported last week that a 30 year old woman secretary was having an affair with her boss. They had their car parked in a Singapore park where she was performing oral sex on him. Suddenly, a reversing van slammed into their car. The impact cause her to bite down and bit the man's penis off.

The man's wife had hired a private investigator to catch him cheating. He said that after parking the car, the car started to "shake violently" and then it was hit by the van. The PI heard the woman scream loudly and her mouth was covered in blood. Gross! The PI being a good guy, called for an ambulance. The woman followed him to the hospital with his detached penis.

I feel bad the guy got injured, but hah! That's what you get. Cheaters never prosper!

[image via signs-of-a-cheater]

Why I Love Dogs

Yesterday, the Bronx ABC news station reported a really cute story about two yellow lab chow mixes. I saw this on Jack Gray's twitter (CNN producer that I like). It was so sweet and protective. I love dogs and I really miss having one at home. Steph is bringing Obie to me on Sunday though, so yay!

At 6:30am during rush hour, the female 9 year ran onto the Major Deegan Expressway and was hit by a car. The other dog, her son, ran onto the highway to rescue her. He would not let anyone near her and would bark at oncoming traffic and at the police officers who were trying to help.

Finally, officers got close enough to lift the injured dog onto a sheet and place her gently inside a cruiser. She was brought to animal care. The owner of the dog saw the drama on TV and went to the vet center right away and took her to the animal hospital, where they found a broken left leg.

When police tried to get to the other dog, the dog protector took off. There was a slow-speed chase, then a high-speed chase. The dog dodged vehicles, changed direction and ran head-on into traffic. Police backed up the highway, not sure which way the dog was going to break next. Finally, after about 45-minutes, the dog was given a police escort onto an exit ramp, and traffic flowed again.

The owner told animal control that the other dog, who he also owns, is home now. The owner says the relationship between the dogs explains a lot."It was heartwarming, they look out for each other," she said.

Awww. They didn't have a picture, so here is a picture of my first dog, the gentle giant, Dim. :)

Footloose Reprised?

Taylor Frost, a senior high school student at Heritage Christian in Ohio, went to his girlfriend's public high school prom this past Saturday. To attend, his girlfriend's school required that he received approval in signature from the principal of Heritage Christian. Which, Frost did.

According to Yahoo! News, his principal acknowledges signing the form, but told Frost that there would be consequences if he went because he would violate the school's rules that forbid dancing, hand holding, and rock music. Not only was he suspended for attending, he will also receive an "incomplete" on remaining assignments and will be banned from graduation ceremonies.

Frost's father said he plans to file a lawsuit against Heritage Christian because the suspension is unfair and unwarranted. The school rules should not apply outside the school.

The school's principal Tim England said, "For the parents to claim any injustice regarding this issue is at best forgetful and at worst disingenuous. It is our hope that the student and his parents will abide by the policies they have already agreed to."

Whoa, how Footloose is this? No dancing?! No rock music?! I don't even understand why the principal signed the form if he was just going to suspend the kid afterward anyway. And also, who says high school has jurisdiction over you after you leave campus? It wasn't even a school day! I hope the family wins. How crazy, how sad, and how completely old school. I love dancing and rock music!

[image via cafepress]

I've Became a Big Ryan Reynolds' Fan

I always thought he was good looking, but he totally won me over as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie. Well, now there has been an official confirmation that there will a Deadpool movie coming out, with Ryan Reynolds reprising his role as the assassin.

The film is said to be a complete exploration of this unique character, his origins and his emergence as the Merc with the Mouth. According to Wikipedia, Deadpool got this nickname due to his wisecracks, black comedy, and satirical pop-culture reference. The Wikipedia content on Deadpool is actually really interesting and detailed.

Fans have said that the best supporting role in the Wolverine movie was Reynolds character, so I'm sure it was no surprise that this spinoff was in the making. But apparently, it has been in the making for the past five years. I'm very excited because he was my favorite character in the movie, except for Wolverine of course. And Ryan is major eye candy, I'll take a piece of that. Hottttt!

[images via Insider and io9.com]

Would You Like a Snake Head With That?

An unsuspecting diner who visited a New York T.G.I. Friday's got more than he paid for with his side vegetables. Jack Pendleton noticed something gray mixed in and then realized it was a snake head with a part of its spine attached the size of his thumb.

The Associated Press reported that he took a picture of it with his phone and called the waiter over. The meal he had with his girlfriend was comped. He has no plans to sue the restaurant and a spokeswoman for the chain restaurant says they are investigating.

Gross. That's why I hate eating at those type of places. I have heard so many horror stories! How would a snake head end up in the restaurant anyways and how did the cook or the waiter not notice? That is definitely not ServSafe- hope he didn't get sick!

[image via T.G.I.Fridays.com]

Bird Smuggler

The Daily Telegraph had a strange story today. Sony Dong was caught with 14 birds strapped to his legs. He was smuggling them from LA to Vietnam. Custom officials noticed feathers and droppings stuck to his socks. Um yuck!

Federal police has been tracking Dong since December when they found a suitcase checked in and abandoned by Dong was found with 18 birds inside, 5 of them were dead. The Feds saw that Dong had planned to travel to Vietnam in April, so they waited for him to get off the plane and busted him.

Dong has been charged with three counts of illegally importing wildlife, three counts of importing goods by means of false statement and conspiracy. If convicted, Dong could do up to ten years.

Is bird smuggling a really good money maker? The way he strapped those birds to his leg seems very strange and sad. I can't imagine that the trouble is worth the profit. I also can't believe he was going to travel with them like that all the way to Vietnam. That's got to be at least a 10+ hour flight. It cannot be comfortable.

[image via The Daily Telegraph]

Poor Pork

With the Swine flu aka H1N1 virus outbreak being the biggest talk of the news this past week, I figured I had to write at least one thing about it. According to the World Health Organization website, it stated that all countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Now that the flu outbreak has become a global pandemic as declared by the WHO, the people I feel the worst for are the pig farmers (I feel bad for the people that are sick too).

China, Russia and South Korea have banned imports of some North American pork, despite the fact that it has been confirmed that the flu is not spread through the meat. The US is one of the world's biggest pork exporters so the pork industry has really taken a hit. At a time when our economy is already performing so poorly, this is just sad.

Meanwhile, poor Mexico too. It has been said that tourist are leaving, countries are telling their people to cancel all plans to Mexico, Hollywood has canceled their movie premieres, and well, their people are dying. Mexico City has basically shut down. According to the AP, there are a confirmed 168 deaths in Mexico and the number of cases are still rising. Sad.

However, I don't think it needs to be such a big deal. People get the flu all the time. We had the first confirmed case in Phoenix yesterday. I'm not panicking. I mean I know people are dying from it, but the virus is treatable so as soon as you think you are getting the flu, don't go spreading it around, go see a doctor and get some meds. Nothing to freak out too much over. T and I are even going to Mexico at the end of May for our cruise. We're not scared.

[image via AP]

"Wolf Pack" Eye Candy

I'm not a Twilight fan. I saw the movie on Thanksgiving because my sister raved about how much she was in loved with Edward Cullen. I did think he was pretty hot in the movie, but I don't dream about him being my boyfriend as some other girls do. But I did read the Wikipedia summaries of the book series so I kind of have an idea of what's to come in the next few movies, and that's the werewolves.

USA Today had the first look at the new group of guys who are going to be playing the wolfwolves and they are all Native Americans, as in the book. They look young to me, but I guess they are suppose to be in high school. Nonetheless, they are still very hot. I like the one on the far left.


[image via USAToday.com]

A Gaythering Storm

Funny or Die has been posting some really funny videos lately, such as Lindsay Lohan's eharmony.com ad. This past Sunday Miss California's controversial answer of her opposing gay marriage resulted in the topic being heavily discussed all over the country. Funnyordie.com just posted this one today. Lance Bass is in it!

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

Equality for all! Everyone just deserves to be happy.