Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Democratic Debate
So I'm watching the debate between Hillary and Barack right now. Why is it that they spend the first 30 minutes talking about individual and personal issues? First they talk about Barack's recent comments in California about "frustrated and bitter" people "clinging to religion and guns." Then they go on about the Reverend Wright situation. Not until 45 minutes into the debate do they start talking substance. And the first two voter video questions were useless. The first was about Hillary not portraying her Bosnia visit accurately and the second about why Barack Obama doesn't at times wear a flag pin. What, if anything, does this have to do with what each of these candidates will do as president?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The beginning of April and a new chapter
First off, friday nights Laker game was sick! That had to be one of the dopest games of the season and I was lucky enough to be in the building! I cant wait for the playoffs to start, this is likely to be one of the most exciting post-seasons of the decade. M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!
Two weeks ago I visited two law schools I was interested in; UC Hastings and UC Davis, it seems I cant escape the UC system for my education. My dad was going to drive up with me because he needed to go to Reno after we were done looking at schools, and so I asked my mom to come with us as well so they both could visit the schools with me and help me make my decision of where to go to law school. So it turned out that all three of us left on Wednesday for a mini college tour. We stopped in Davis first. My first impression of Davis was mildly interested at best. The town is quaint and college-townish with a wholesome community and mom-and-pop shops lining the streets. Of course my parents were thrilled to think that I might be in a "safe" neighborhood for school since I would be so far from home. I got a chance to sit in on a Property class the next day with a current 1L student. The sound of the laptop keys was deafening! Every student save 3 or 4 had a laptop in front of them typing every word that came out of the professors mouth. There wasn't too much class participation in the class but the 50 minutes went by fast enough. I took a walk around the law school area of campus afterwards and found the campus to be really beautiful, but knew that coming to school there I wouldn't be able to enjoy the campus like an undergrad.
Well, the next day I went to Hastings and found that its campus comprises two buildings in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. The tenderloin is a neighborhood in transition similar to the outskirts of Downtown LA. In San Francisco, unlike LA, communities overlap physical boundaries so two streets down from school the change in scenery is fairly dramatic. We stayed in a pretty dingy drive-in motel the first night within two blocks of school and got to see first-hand the "diversity" of the neighborhood. To say my parents were dreaming of me going to Davis is an understatement. On the other hand, I was totally feeling the vibe of San Francisco. I walk down one street dressed in some jeans and a hoody and I fit right in. Then, I cross the street and I look like I came fresh out the gutta compared to the people walking on the sidewalk. You just cant judge people by what they look like in the City (and everywhere else), you never know who you're looking at until you get to know them. The way people react to each other there is just so different.
Anyway, about the school...
I got to sit in on a Criminal Procedures class, which by its very nature is very much more interesting than Property. Nevertheless the class was more lively and only about 60% of the class was on Facebook compared to almost everyone at Davis. I pretty much made up my mind by the end of the day that I wanted to be at Hastings. Looking back at my perception of Hastings back in August-September last year when I was getting ready to apply to schools I didnt think much of the school and applied to the school solely because it is a decent law school in California. Now, after visiting it and meeting with several current students my vision of the school is very different. I am genuinely excited to be going there and realize that the school is itself a great institution that can and will provide me with a stimulating education and access to a variety of professional options once I graduate. So, I'm definitely looking forward to going up north this fall.
Well, I was gonna write more but I'm watching the last Laker game of the season so I'll come back later..
...keep it fresh
- Neil
Two weeks ago I visited two law schools I was interested in; UC Hastings and UC Davis, it seems I cant escape the UC system for my education. My dad was going to drive up with me because he needed to go to Reno after we were done looking at schools, and so I asked my mom to come with us as well so they both could visit the schools with me and help me make my decision of where to go to law school. So it turned out that all three of us left on Wednesday for a mini college tour. We stopped in Davis first. My first impression of Davis was mildly interested at best. The town is quaint and college-townish with a wholesome community and mom-and-pop shops lining the streets. Of course my parents were thrilled to think that I might be in a "safe" neighborhood for school since I would be so far from home. I got a chance to sit in on a Property class the next day with a current 1L student. The sound of the laptop keys was deafening! Every student save 3 or 4 had a laptop in front of them typing every word that came out of the professors mouth. There wasn't too much class participation in the class but the 50 minutes went by fast enough. I took a walk around the law school area of campus afterwards and found the campus to be really beautiful, but knew that coming to school there I wouldn't be able to enjoy the campus like an undergrad.
Well, the next day I went to Hastings and found that its campus comprises two buildings in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. The tenderloin is a neighborhood in transition similar to the outskirts of Downtown LA. In San Francisco, unlike LA, communities overlap physical boundaries so two streets down from school the change in scenery is fairly dramatic. We stayed in a pretty dingy drive-in motel the first night within two blocks of school and got to see first-hand the "diversity" of the neighborhood. To say my parents were dreaming of me going to Davis is an understatement. On the other hand, I was totally feeling the vibe of San Francisco. I walk down one street dressed in some jeans and a hoody and I fit right in. Then, I cross the street and I look like I came fresh out the gutta compared to the people walking on the sidewalk. You just cant judge people by what they look like in the City (and everywhere else), you never know who you're looking at until you get to know them. The way people react to each other there is just so different.
Anyway, about the school...
I got to sit in on a Criminal Procedures class, which by its very nature is very much more interesting than Property. Nevertheless the class was more lively and only about 60% of the class was on Facebook compared to almost everyone at Davis. I pretty much made up my mind by the end of the day that I wanted to be at Hastings. Looking back at my perception of Hastings back in August-September last year when I was getting ready to apply to schools I didnt think much of the school and applied to the school solely because it is a decent law school in California. Now, after visiting it and meeting with several current students my vision of the school is very different. I am genuinely excited to be going there and realize that the school is itself a great institution that can and will provide me with a stimulating education and access to a variety of professional options once I graduate. So, I'm definitely looking forward to going up north this fall.
Well, I was gonna write more but I'm watching the last Laker game of the season so I'll come back later..
...keep it fresh
- Neil
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
On the open road
In a couple weeks I have driven some 3000 miles up and down the west coast, and next week im headed up to the bay area again. I have been wanting to take a road trip up to the bay for a few months now for pleasure, but all these trips have been work/school related. The trip next week is also for law school.
Driving up the I-5 is a wonderful experience, if you can stay awake. Since the rains over winter, much of the land flanking the highway is green and alive. The trees look healthy, even as they are subjected to napalm-like strikes of pesticide from planes flying above. On my first trip I made it as far as San Francisco for an interview over the course of the weekend. Man, the City is such a charming place. I think I would love it up there if I had to live there for a while.
The next time I drove up I went all the way to Portland, Oregon. So it was deja vu all the way up to Sacramento. From there on I got to see California like I had never seen it before. I had my road map open on the passenger seat and at one point I knew I was approaching Mt. Shasta but I still couldn't see it. According to the map it should have been right in front of my face. I stop in the town of Mt. Shasta to have lunch and the fog begins to lift. So I get back on the road and all of a sudden I look up in front of me and see it. Have you ever seen a natural wonder so awesome that it gave you the chills? That was the feeling, I got so nervous for some reason as if the power of the mountain scared me to my bones. Its the kind of feeling I get when I look down into the Grand Canyon or feel an earthquake. It was amazing.
Then, driving back was just as pretty. It was late at night on a full moon. The moon was sitting low in the sky, shining but sort of glazed over with orange like it was drunk. The silhouette of Mt. Shasta become sharper as the moon moved behind it. At one point, the moon was fully hidden behind the mountain and shone its light creating an aura of light around the mountain that looked magical. After a few minutes the moon peeked out from one side and then fully came out again leaving the dark mountaintop behind. What a sight! And to think, if I didnt decided to drive down that night I would not have witnessed that.
That didn't really make up for the rest of the 15 hour trip that was pretty boring overall, though. Remind me next time not to decide to drive up that far by myself again. Thats all.
...keep it fresh
- Neil
Driving up the I-5 is a wonderful experience, if you can stay awake. Since the rains over winter, much of the land flanking the highway is green and alive. The trees look healthy, even as they are subjected to napalm-like strikes of pesticide from planes flying above. On my first trip I made it as far as San Francisco for an interview over the course of the weekend. Man, the City is such a charming place. I think I would love it up there if I had to live there for a while.
The next time I drove up I went all the way to Portland, Oregon. So it was deja vu all the way up to Sacramento. From there on I got to see California like I had never seen it before. I had my road map open on the passenger seat and at one point I knew I was approaching Mt. Shasta but I still couldn't see it. According to the map it should have been right in front of my face. I stop in the town of Mt. Shasta to have lunch and the fog begins to lift. So I get back on the road and all of a sudden I look up in front of me and see it. Have you ever seen a natural wonder so awesome that it gave you the chills? That was the feeling, I got so nervous for some reason as if the power of the mountain scared me to my bones. Its the kind of feeling I get when I look down into the Grand Canyon or feel an earthquake. It was amazing.
Then, driving back was just as pretty. It was late at night on a full moon. The moon was sitting low in the sky, shining but sort of glazed over with orange like it was drunk. The silhouette of Mt. Shasta become sharper as the moon moved behind it. At one point, the moon was fully hidden behind the mountain and shone its light creating an aura of light around the mountain that looked magical. After a few minutes the moon peeked out from one side and then fully came out again leaving the dark mountaintop behind. What a sight! And to think, if I didnt decided to drive down that night I would not have witnessed that.
That didn't really make up for the rest of the 15 hour trip that was pretty boring overall, though. Remind me next time not to decide to drive up that far by myself again. Thats all.
...keep it fresh
- Neil
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Tequila Gimlet
Thought I'd share my favorite drink recipe with anyone and everyone.
For those of you who sometimes go to a bar in the mood for a new drink and refuse to give in to a Jack and Coke, the Tequila Gimlet is a great option. That is, if you like tequila. I was introduced to the Gimlet by a bartender who offered the drink in response to my request for 'the strongest drink I could get for my last 12 bucks' at The Standard Downtown. Unlike the margarita, a gimlet will preserve the taste of the tequila. In case you forget what you're drinking, take a sip and it says, "Dont get it twisted, you're drinking alcohol." I love it. To be fair though, the pinch of lime tones down the bite of the tequila enough to make it a pleasant drink for people who aren't the biggest fans of cien porciento agave. All in all, its definitely worth trying next time you're in an adventurous mood. Trust, knock back two or three and you'll be doing the Macarena to Soulja Boy and Walkin it Out to The Ketchup Song!
Recipe:
2 oz Tequila Reposado (avoid dark or sipping tequila)
1 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz Rose's lime juice
1 lime wedge
Fill a shaker with ice, mix all ingredients, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
For those of you who sometimes go to a bar in the mood for a new drink and refuse to give in to a Jack and Coke, the Tequila Gimlet is a great option. That is, if you like tequila. I was introduced to the Gimlet by a bartender who offered the drink in response to my request for 'the strongest drink I could get for my last 12 bucks' at The Standard Downtown. Unlike the margarita, a gimlet will preserve the taste of the tequila. In case you forget what you're drinking, take a sip and it says, "Dont get it twisted, you're drinking alcohol." I love it. To be fair though, the pinch of lime tones down the bite of the tequila enough to make it a pleasant drink for people who aren't the biggest fans of cien porciento agave. All in all, its definitely worth trying next time you're in an adventurous mood. Trust, knock back two or three and you'll be doing the Macarena to Soulja Boy and Walkin it Out to The Ketchup Song!
Recipe:
2 oz Tequila Reposado (avoid dark or sipping tequila)
1 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz Rose's lime juice
1 lime wedge
Fill a shaker with ice, mix all ingredients, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Quit baggin on me
In my effort to accumulate less "stuff", I have started making it a point to ask stores not to bag items for me if I can carry them in my hands. Here's the crazy thing: More often than not, the cashier gives me a bewildered look and sometimes I even get a dirty look! At first, I wouldn't remember to ask not to bag the purchase until it was already done. In that case, I guess some people were annoyed that I didn't ask earlier so they didn't have to take the stuff right back out. Now I make sure to ask right when they start scanning items. This works much better and also breaks the ever-present awkward silence between customer and cashier at the register. Try it!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Planet Earth
The Planet Earth series by the BBC, aired on Discovery Channel last year, is one of the most fantastic documentaries I have seen. It is intensely beautiful, educational, and interesting beyond compare. 5 years and 25 million dollars went into the production of this amazing series. Thinking about the importance of this show and its impact on awareness and conservation across the globe on a $25M budget, I cant help but wonder what kind of impact this type of work could have if only we reserved a fraction of the resources we use in Iraq for conservation efforts. Right now, the cost of the war in Iraq is upwards of $450 billion. I have no idea how to interpret an amount like that.
Looking at what the BBC crew was able to accomplish imparts a sense of pride to me in the potential of human ingenuity. Looking at what the US has accomplished instills in me a fear of the self-destructive power of human hostility. Lastly, looking at what my hometown of Cerritos has accomplished with the construction of a $40M "state-of-the-art" library w/ underground parking structure just makes me frustrated at the ambivalence of upper-middle class America.
$25M was spent on educating people on the importance of conserving diversity of life on this place we call home, and $450B has been spent on destroying life. It doesn't seem equitable, does it?
Looking at what the BBC crew was able to accomplish imparts a sense of pride to me in the potential of human ingenuity. Looking at what the US has accomplished instills in me a fear of the self-destructive power of human hostility. Lastly, looking at what my hometown of Cerritos has accomplished with the construction of a $40M "state-of-the-art" library w/ underground parking structure just makes me frustrated at the ambivalence of upper-middle class America.
$25M was spent on educating people on the importance of conserving diversity of life on this place we call home, and $450B has been spent on destroying life. It doesn't seem equitable, does it?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Breaking down the Lakers
At the top of the Western Conference, the Lakers are playing a game none of us have seen before. Keep it coming yall. Who would have thought that they would be sitting on top 60 games into the season?
I didn't. I didn't get a chance to see the first 20-30 games of the season, so I missed Andrew Bynum's blossoming and the cohesion that took place in the locker room. Of course the biggest news since then is the acquisition of Pau Gasol. What an amazing trade! As good as Pau is as an individual, he fits in even better with this Laker team. Phil Jackson can run plays with Pau that he couldn't run with Shaq because of Pau's ability to stretch the defense. Yet the full impact of Pau Gasol is not limited to his individual skill or coachability. It is the boost in confidence to the other players on the team that has sustained this early success for the Lakers. Farmar, Vujacic, Turiaf, and Radmanovic are playing better and better. Finally, it seems for some of us, the Lakers have someone else who can shoot the ball or score on a consistent basis besides Kobe.
While Kobe's assists are up this year as he has taken on more of a facilitating role in addition to being the leading scorer, his game is freed by Lamar Odom's versatility. Lamar has flourished in his do-whatever-it-takes role as Kobe's swingman. Lamar has been a great floor general and is comforted even more now that Pau has taken away the pressure of being the second scoring option. Odom feels like he can score when he's comfortable now which allows him to play his own game.
Sasha! The Machine! Man, his jersey sales (if they make a Vujacic jersey) must be soaring as high as his confidence right now. His growth, along with Jordan Farmar and Vlad, has changed the dynamic on the floor. Some people are wondering why they haven't seen the unhuman Kobe plays, where he takes on all 5 defenders and somehow gets the And1 with an impossible move. Well, Kobe used to force those shots because he didn't have the trust in his teammates to hit the open shots. Granted, the argument can be made that they weren't able to get used to shooting in the game because he never passed the ball. This year, he made an effort to change his game to involve his teammates and it has paid off. Now when he drives the lane, he simply drops it off to a cutting Ronny-Pau-Lamar, or kicks it out to Sasha-Jordan-Derek-Vlad for the corner triple. Of course Kobe's passing had to improve this year for this style of play to be successful and the growing pains have come in the form of more turnovers by Kobe.
Derek Fisher, God bless him for returning, added yet another dimension. The Lakers need a strong point guard so Lamar and Kobe don't have to handle the ball, call plays, and direct traffic all at the same time. And who better than a veteran of the 3peat-Jackson days who is familiar with the offense and the players. Derek's scoring consistency and calm-collected attitude on the court has made the younger guys comfortable as well.
Luke Walton is the only player on the team who has been left out in this unprecedented year of growth for the Lakers. His struggle this year is ironic. For the past 3-4 years when the Lakers have been struggling as a team, Walton was one of the more consistent players helping them stay afloat. Now, as the team is growing into the playoff team they want to be, Walton seems to be stagnant. His shot is off, and passing ability hiding somewhere he can't get at. Hopefully the excitement of the playoffs will bring out the Luuuuuuuuuuke in him.
As for Bynum and Ariza, I can't comment. Just as I came back home they both went out with injuries. Ariza should be coming back soon, and Bynum a bit later. If both of them play like everyone says they played before they went out, I think the Lakers will be fine.
Scratch that. The Lakers are arguably the best team in the league right now, making a run at the right time in the season when most teams are falling prey to the monotony of the 82-game season. And when Bynum and Ariza come back, there will be an air of excitement for the final 10-15 games of the season heading into the playoffs. I cant wait!
...Keep it fresh
- Neil
I didn't. I didn't get a chance to see the first 20-30 games of the season, so I missed Andrew Bynum's blossoming and the cohesion that took place in the locker room. Of course the biggest news since then is the acquisition of Pau Gasol. What an amazing trade! As good as Pau is as an individual, he fits in even better with this Laker team. Phil Jackson can run plays with Pau that he couldn't run with Shaq because of Pau's ability to stretch the defense. Yet the full impact of Pau Gasol is not limited to his individual skill or coachability. It is the boost in confidence to the other players on the team that has sustained this early success for the Lakers. Farmar, Vujacic, Turiaf, and Radmanovic are playing better and better. Finally, it seems for some of us, the Lakers have someone else who can shoot the ball or score on a consistent basis besides Kobe.
While Kobe's assists are up this year as he has taken on more of a facilitating role in addition to being the leading scorer, his game is freed by Lamar Odom's versatility. Lamar has flourished in his do-whatever-it-takes role as Kobe's swingman. Lamar has been a great floor general and is comforted even more now that Pau has taken away the pressure of being the second scoring option. Odom feels like he can score when he's comfortable now which allows him to play his own game.
Sasha! The Machine! Man, his jersey sales (if they make a Vujacic jersey) must be soaring as high as his confidence right now. His growth, along with Jordan Farmar and Vlad, has changed the dynamic on the floor. Some people are wondering why they haven't seen the unhuman Kobe plays, where he takes on all 5 defenders and somehow gets the And1 with an impossible move. Well, Kobe used to force those shots because he didn't have the trust in his teammates to hit the open shots. Granted, the argument can be made that they weren't able to get used to shooting in the game because he never passed the ball. This year, he made an effort to change his game to involve his teammates and it has paid off. Now when he drives the lane, he simply drops it off to a cutting Ronny-Pau-Lamar, or kicks it out to Sasha-Jordan-Derek-Vlad for the corner triple. Of course Kobe's passing had to improve this year for this style of play to be successful and the growing pains have come in the form of more turnovers by Kobe.
Derek Fisher, God bless him for returning, added yet another dimension. The Lakers need a strong point guard so Lamar and Kobe don't have to handle the ball, call plays, and direct traffic all at the same time. And who better than a veteran of the 3peat-Jackson days who is familiar with the offense and the players. Derek's scoring consistency and calm-collected attitude on the court has made the younger guys comfortable as well.
Luke Walton is the only player on the team who has been left out in this unprecedented year of growth for the Lakers. His struggle this year is ironic. For the past 3-4 years when the Lakers have been struggling as a team, Walton was one of the more consistent players helping them stay afloat. Now, as the team is growing into the playoff team they want to be, Walton seems to be stagnant. His shot is off, and passing ability hiding somewhere he can't get at. Hopefully the excitement of the playoffs will bring out the Luuuuuuuuuuke in him.
As for Bynum and Ariza, I can't comment. Just as I came back home they both went out with injuries. Ariza should be coming back soon, and Bynum a bit later. If both of them play like everyone says they played before they went out, I think the Lakers will be fine.
Scratch that. The Lakers are arguably the best team in the league right now, making a run at the right time in the season when most teams are falling prey to the monotony of the 82-game season. And when Bynum and Ariza come back, there will be an air of excitement for the final 10-15 games of the season heading into the playoffs. I cant wait!
...Keep it fresh
- Neil
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