New York Times Thoughts

Wednesday-- The gun control debate is fascinating to me because the issue of gun control should be left to the state. Guns don't kill people; people kill people. I assume the founding father's never come have imagined the debate they would cause with the Second Amendment yet even to this day, the fundamental principles the amendment was implied for are true to this day. The founding fathers cared about their children (e.g. the American citizen). I do not care who gets a gun as long as they are not a criminal, mentally ill, or just plain do not need it... but then again, who really needs it? I do not fully understand the impact of the new drug trial tests being administered for melanoma. The New York Times has been covering this new research for the past six days. UMMM, France, what the fuck are you doing!? The French government's new campaign is disturbing to me. I do not understand it. A country sells a produce, even subsidize it, but we decide to spend millions upon millions to get people not to smoke. Having an anti-smoking campaign that equates smoking to being a sex slave seems a little much. Politics did not seem that interesting today. There is far too much speculation about what will be passed and who will be pressure who to sign something into legislation. The last bit of applying news is the shooting in a suburban Denver middle school on Tuesday where a gunman wielding a high-powered rifle wounded two students as Deer Creek Middle School. I'm getting the feeling that Colorado will drive you insane. Maybe Colorado should think about outlawing firearms.

New York Times Thoughts

Tuesday-- Congratulations to the War on Terror for having Najibullah Zazi plead guilty. I'm curious if he will be able to give any useful information about terrorist organizations... maybe. Obama is going anywhere with his health care bill; that is what I am getting out of the news. Congratulations to the gay community for opening new doors in Broadway, wait! The only time I have ever been to a Boardway show is when gay men took me as a gift. So, did they always have Boardway? I'm just kidding around. The police officer who was acquitted of all crimes against a person on a subway is a lucky SOB in my book. I never really trusted internal investigations so I guess him going to court gives me a sense of optimism. Wal-mart is buying more companies! AHHHHH! I can see the future now: Wal-mart takes over and we all become Wal-mart employees. I saw the video of the Canadian Figure Skating Couples team and I have to say what a great performance even for figure skating.

New York Times Thoughts

Monday-- It is another fantastic Monday because I know how everyone loves Mondays. Here are some thoughts about the New York Times. Dr. Keith Flaherty is looking into a new cure for melanoma with a controversial medication. President Obama is still in the newspaper about the health care reform bill. Now, he thinks he can take federal power of private insurance companies that want to raise their premium rates. The soldiers of Fort Stewart, Ga. take care of the red-cockaded woodpecker that is an endangered species yet NATO does not mind a killing 29 civilians because they believed they were insurgents. Sorry to the Afghan people who we are trying to 'help' establish democracy. I am also sorry for all the olympian athletes who do not win any medals in this winter's Olympic games; I mean an olympian spends their whole lives training for an event and get nothing for it. I could never understand that level of disappoint.

New York Times Thoughts

Wednesday-- I did not find much in the newspaper interesting today. Most articles were just revolving-door issues. I do not have much to say. Give Kennedy his own show. Give Wall Street a slap in the face for perpetuating debt. Where I come from, the business people of Wall Street are common criminals. The Sam's Club corporation is taking over even more with their buyout of Daune Reade. Unfortunately, I still shop at Walmart. I hope one day I do not perpetuate low standards of living anymore and can shop somewhere else... unlikely with my major!

New York Times Thoughts

Tuesday-- Congratulations to the Pakistani and American intelligence forces who captured Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Have fun waterboarding! I find it convenient for American morale that over half of all Taliban members have fled the Marja province. (Taliban member) "Where do we go next?" (Other Taliban member) "Duh! Where the American forces came from!" (TM1) "Are we gunna do suicide bombing?" (TM2) "No, we have biological weapons." My regards go out to the men, women, and children commuters who were riding the train in Belgium. I'm scared every time I take the bus. Likewise, I couldn't imagine having to continue working after seeing fellow colleagues go down in a hail of gun fire from another colleague. This day will go down in history as the beginning of the end. Thank you Facebook.

New York Times Thoughts

The weekend was filled with domestic policy agendas and the grim visage of the War on Terror. In the "Elements of Journalism," the journalism field has been trying to reach the broader audience yet the reports appeal to the upper class. Today is no different than the weekend. Rocket Strikes kill at least 10 people, including 5 children. What the hell, America? If you can shoot a missile from space up a camel's ass in the Sahara desert, why does a rocket miss the intended target, which ended the lives of 10 civilians. The Palestinian president was caught on camera waiting naked in bed for a Palestinian woman seeking government aide. So, is Israel going to make establish more settlements in the West Bank? Why not? We need housing. Congratulations to San Francisco for revising new wired plug in stations for electric cars. I want an electric Porsche. I had no idea Cuba had a passion for ballet. Russia's Bolshoi Ballet performed with the Cuban National Ballet on Saturday night at the Karl Marx Theater in Havana. Communism lives on through ballet, 'how would a thunk it?!' Fox News is taking over the world... No Need to be SCARED! Fox News is too much affirmation journalism: they care more about ratings and giving the people what they want to hear instead of enlightening the audience on the reality of the matter. Happy President's day to all.

New York Times Thoughts

Wednesday-- Mrs. Obama's program to change foods in school when the family should inform the child of healthy food choices. Unfortunately, most parents have very poor diets as well. How do you get rid of childhood obesity? Get rid of video games...The changes to the psychiatry guidebook that may change the standards for tratment, which I appreciate as a whole. I believe the health care system for the mentally ill has been hurt by budget cuts for decades... I'm cheering for Canada in the next Olympic Games. Sorry, America. It is time to cheer for your 'little brother' country. They have some 50 miles to cover to remove all the dead bodies from the avalanches on the Mountain Highway in Afghanistan.

Class Exercise

On Monday evening, a Mustang with three teenagers plunged into an embankment near 27 Mile Hill Rd. in Belmont, Mass; two passengers were hospitalized.
The car’s driver was seventeen-year-old Jamie Peterson of Elm Street in Belmont who, according to witnesses, sped ahead around a curve on a dirt road when his car swerved off the road, flipped, and landed on the hood. The driver left the car unfazed by the crash, according to eye witness, while the two female passengers were rushed to medical care; one was airlifted to Mass. General Hospital in Boston, according to Lt. Judith Barkus of the Belmont Police Dept. Rescue crews took 45 minutes removing the passengers from the car with the jaws of life.
The first on the scene was seventeen-year-old Tom Carroll, Jr. who was driving behind the car when it crashed.
“I thought the worst,” said Carroll. “They were flying.”
Carroll informed police that when he tried to help the victims inside the car, he saw three empty Budweiser beer bottles though there are no streetlights.
Josie M. Crandall lives at 27 Mile Hill Rd, which is across from the embankment. She witnessed the event as she looked out her window around 9 p.m. and notified the police.
“I’ve never seen a car going so fast on this road,” said Crandall. “It’s a dirt road, and it’s really easy to lose control.”
On December 24, 1998, another driver had lost control of their car causing the death of the driver and passenger.

New York Times Thoughts

Tuesday, February 9, 2010--- I am happy for the Unkraine for slowly their ability to be democratic unlike the Kremlin in Russia that has had power consolidation since the irse of Vladimir V. Putin. The winner was Viktor F. Yanukovich who defeated Yulia V. Tymoshenko by three percentage points. I hope these three percentage points will not be disputed for years to come much like the Supreme Court election of former President Bush. Could there be any more problems with relief efforts to Haiti? I thought humanitarian relief could be more effective when it was from a powerful country like the US and many other states helping in the relief efforts. Why do corporations need to make a profit off of relief efforts? Why do people need to argue over money when we have enough to survive and the Haitian people have nothing and had nothing before the war. Are we greedy pigs or what? I heard one person say we should make the Haitian government accountable for all the money we give them because we are in a recession. ABSURD! President Obama will meet with the Republicans and I can guess what happens next... the salvation of the free world and free health care for all those in need (NOTHING). Jeese, are governments slow to act or what? I just did a paper on German unification and I still do not know how that happened so quickly while domestic issues linger for years and years and years...

New York Times Thoughts

Monday, February 08, 2010-- The New York Times did not have many interesting articles today besides the road in Sarobi, Afghanistan where many travelers plummet to their deaths off a cliff overlooking the Kabul River; over 2000 feet high. The Health care legislation is starting to become a bore for me, especially when I learn more and more about the bill to find negative consequences that would cripple over health care system as we know it. I am not saying that people who need medical attention should not receive it; I have been refused medical care before at emergency rooms when I was a young child when my parents could not afford medical insurance. Everyone, or at least 100 million Americans, watched the Super Bowl yesterday. Brees is now a big hero to a lot of aspiring college athletes and other younger generations. I still hope all of the professional players get pay cuts though. We live in a recession and players are complaining about not getting 20 million dollars and instead getting 12 million. You work for six months out of the year and are paid to be in the best physical condition. What are you going to spend the 8 million on anyway, a gold plated toilet seat? Give me a break!

Here are photographs done by me during the Chinese Lunar New Year Event.

Chinese Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year Celebration
Friday, February 05, 2010- The United Asian Coalition hosted the first Chinese Lunar New Year event in the Granite State Room to promote diversity with customary Chinese entertainment, music and food.
The Lunar New Year was celebrated in the Granite State Room by students, faculty and UNH community members who attentively listened to music played by Boston Chinese Dulcimer Ensemble, gazed in amazement at a lion dance performance from the Soaring Could Lion Dance Association from Boston, MA, and filled their plates with the food catered by Mei Wei of Durham, NH and Wing’s Kitchen of Boston, MA.
The success of the event came as a surprise to most.
“The advertisement was so short notice and we just got it approved by the SAFC.” Said Brook Yee, Junior and UAC Secretary, “I didn’t think this many people would come.”
With all the tickets sold out to the event, UAC Event Coordinator Alex Lamothe was please that nothing went wrong when the event was planned only two months in advance.
“It’s great we can bring a piece of Asian culture to the UNH campus.” Said Lamothe.
The only trouble that slowed the event down was the projection display of the PowerPoint presentation of the fifteen days of the Chinese Lunar Celebration. The attendants of the Lunar New Year event were quizzed on the Lunar New Year history and rewarded with their place in the buffet line if they answered three questions correctly.
The two main activities of the evening were the tranquil dulcimer performance by the Boston Chinese Dulcimer Ensemble and the energetic dragon dance performed by Dang Van from the Soaring Could Lion Dance Association.
Dulcimers are a stringed instrument that is hammered by small mallets that sits similar to a piano yet there are no keys. Scientists and historians are not sure of the origin of the instrument, but they have become a symbol for Chinese heritage for nearly 2000 years.
“It was a great performance by both groups. I don’t know which was better.” Said Yee.
Lion dance is performed by two people, not to be confused with the Chinese Dragon Dance performed by 20 to 25 people under on dragon costume. Dang Van members circled around a bowl of lettuce and oranges that they eventually scooped up with their lion mouths and kicked at the crowd while they shifted to the tempo of the Chinese drum and cymbals. The ceremony is suppose to protect the people from evil spirits like the monster Nian: a mystical creature the lunar New Year is based on.
“When I heard UNH wanted a show, I was surprised.” Said Phillip Pham, a member of Dang Van for two years and has been participating in dragon dance ensembles for seven years.
Pham viewed the event as a “shocking” because he did not believe there was a significant Asian demographic on campus to host the event. Though otherwise thought, Asian student enrollment is UNH campus’ largest minority demographic in 2008 with 2.6 percent, according to the UNH Diversity Progress Report 2008.
Bringing in the first of fifteen days of traditional Chinese celebration with the exceptional display of elegance by the UAC Lunar New Year event performers, The New Year of the Tiger is looking bright.