SJSU Mcom72-Arden Huynh

2006-12-07T01:12:00.000-08:00

The worst possible outcome......

Just to follow up on the story of the bay area man and his family that were stranded in the Oregon mountains this past week. Yesterday's news reported that wife Kati and her two daughters were rescued and found safe inside their car. A frantic search ensued for husband James who just a day or so earlier left his wife and kids searching for help. James Kim was said to be wearing two pairs of pants for extra warmth, running shoes, a sweater and only a jacket. He faced treacherous weather conditions and freezing temperatures during the day and evening times. The last I heard yesterday the search had not ceased and a sense of urgency filled the whole region of the state. Unfortunately today, the search ended when authorities found James Kim's body almost exactly a mile away from where his wife and daughter's were rescued a day earlier. Autopsy will be out later this week with cause of death results. This is so sad for many reasons. A wife loses her husband, two little girls will grow up without their father besides them, but mainly the circumstances to how his life ended. Rest in peace James Kim.

2006-12-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Missing Bay Area Man.....

Three out of four family members from San Francisco are now safe and recovering in a hospital today after a grueling nine days in the frigid Oregon snow. The Kim family from the bay area were on vacation in the rugged Oregon coast this past week when their car slid off the road and got trapped in an embankment. Father James, wife Kati and daughters Penelope and Sabine were trapped in the car before James Kim a Senior Editor from San Francisco based company CNet Networks decided to leave his family and go seek help. Late yesterday Oregon officials found the three remaining members of the Kim family by the "ping" noise of Kati Kim's cell phone. The three are said to be in good condition just malnourished and scared. James Kim remains to still be unfounded. As the search continues, time and the harsh Oregon conditions factor in to be the deadliest foe. The weather is said to dip into the low 20's at night and peak in the low 30's by day.

2006-12-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

C'mon Buddy.......

Throughout all the trials and tribulations that we all go through in our everyday lives when does it make it okay to murder someone? Honestly, no matter what background we're from or where we've been in life, the bible says that," thou shalt not kill". Hmmm. Not even once in our lives, not even on our birthday?? Never, ever are you allowed to murder someone. It's not even okay to unintentionally kill someone. The ramifications of that are still severe from the eyes of our great nation and states. You intentionally/unintentionally kill someone and you will pay.

This douche bag here, well his name is Minh Phu Le and last week Le decided that he was going to take the life of somebody. Well not just somebody but his own daughter. This guy is a super, big pussy in my book! For whatever reason that is still to be determined by San Jose Police, Le poisoned his own two year old daughter before attempting to end his own life by taking an unknown amount of pills. Police received a call late Friday night, that a girl lay in front of her apartment complex in east San Jose. Police and firefighters arrived at the scene and witnessed the father and daughter both motionless but only Minh Le unconscious. His little girl was pronounced dead at the scene. What conceivable notion would lead a father to harm and kill his own flesh and blood. Minh Le's daughter was only two years old and now will never be able to know what it's like to enjoy a wholesome and healthy life. Well, chances are strong that the two years she was alive that life wasn't too promising living with this guy. Neighbors remembered Mr. Le as a distant, un-approachable man that was heard constantly yelling and screaming at this wife and daughter. A life less ordinary I would call it. He'll get his in prison and I hope will be sentenced with the strongest penalties that warrant a crime of this magnitude. I just hope his wife and her family can cope with the loss.

2006-10-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Top 3 of all time!!
In no particular order here they are..

The Cosby Show had more significance on society then the other two shows I have chosen for the simple fact that there was never a television show that depicted an African-American family as highly educated, upper middle class and financially secure until that point in the 1980's. Never before did I see a television show that had any minority doing well in life or as a stable fixture in our society. Bill Cosby played Dr. Cliff Huxtable, a pediatrician and Phylicia Rashad played his wife Claire Huxtable who was a lawyer and along with their family which lived in New York City. The show touched on the strength of a black family while they go through all the trials and tribulations of life, all the while in a predominantly white world. It broke many racial barriers in our society that wasn't used to seeing an African-American family in that light. It brought to our country's attention that not only black, but Latino, Asian and other families were no different then yours or mine. It opened many minds and hearts along the way.

2006-10-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

The Top 3 of all time..continued!!

In no particular order here they are..

GI Joe did more for me as far as my whole thought process on good versus evil, then any other film, movie or show on television ever made. It taught me that no matter how smart and dynamic Cobra Commander, Destro and all the other goons were, good would always prevail over evil. Always!!Sure, I had my doubts some afternoons watching the show alongside doing my homework. But no!! They proved me wrong time and time again. At that age my imagination was wild and anything put in front of my face about fighting and tanks that was remotely entertaining and interesting I gobbled it up. Something about sure things put my mind at ease. It made me so confident in our armed forces that anytime the real Cobra were to come around, our military would handle it just like in the cartoons. Yes, I really thought there was a real evil force named Cobra. Ah the stupidity of youth.

2006-10-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Top 3 of all time..continued!!

In no particular order here they are..

The Wonder Years, was by far the most influential television show for me while I was growing up. It hit home with me on so many levels. Kevin Arnold and I were two of the same, except he was on television and played by Fred Savage and I was an Asian kid growing up in San Jose. But it didn't matter. I could relate to pretty much everything Kevin felt, said or did. It was weird, because while the show was on the air, I was very close to the age that Kevin Arnold was, so I felt in many ways it resembled my life. C'mon now, everyone has had their "Winnie Cooper" at some point in their adolescence. The one you had, let slip through your fingers, and now she's with some other jerk, girl while growing up. Wow, I haven't thought of this show in years. It really was apart of my weekly routine along with homework and soccer practice. Although it was based in the late sixties and early seventies, with all the historical events occurring then. I never experienced anything like that in the eighties but to me it just seemed like all young boys who weren't the jocks, weren't the most popular kids, and the ones who made a ton of mistakes had a little Kevin Arnold in all of them. For me there were so many character resemblences to my family. Loving and caring mother, uncommunicative father(not anymore)oldest sister, middle child brother and then me. My sister at the time was going to college and discovering life outside the family unit. Older, middle child brother and I had our little tiffs growing up, but he never was the bullying type like Wayne on the show. Yeah, I FRICKEN LOVE THAT SHOW!!!!

2006-10-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

Not Howard Stern Please.....

I consider myself to be a pretty normal guy. I like the same things that most males my age are into. Music, TV, cars, watching things get smashed to pieces, The Ladies!! But I've never been a huge fan of Howard Stern. Don't get me wrong, I've listened to my share of his show(some of it's pretty funny) and have seen the movie he put out a while ago. But for some reason or another I don't even like the guy, let alone can I say I'm a fan of his. I'm all for women undressing themselves and wrestling in kiddy pools of jello and running around naked. Hey, no ones twisting their arms to be there, so I say let them do what they want. But I guess the other idiotic stuff he does, I just don't care for. He demeans people to point where they are brought to tears for the sake of his and the listening audience's entertainment. He makes people do stupid stunts for lame prizes while being ridiculed the entire time. Seeing others at their worst maybe fun and pure enjoyment for some, but not for me. The celebrity interviews he conducts don't really effect me. Because honestly, I dont' s give a shit about celebrities. They're only on there for the publicity and they know what they're getting into before hand, so screw them! He's done wonders for other shock jocks that are trying to make names for themselves by pushing the envelope as far raunchiness and the numerous times he's fined by the FCC for vulgar behavior. For the sake of entertainment, Howard Stern definitely has established himself as the"King of all Media". But I'll still pass for a good football game anyday.

2006-10-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

A southern california weekend......
This past weekend my girlfriend and I drove down to LA for a relaxing and much needed getaway.Having not been there for a few years it took me a while to remember that I was deep in the media capital of the west coast. Driving down Wilshire Blvd. in downtown Los Angeles, i saw all the major news and tv stations stairing straight at me. Fox, CBS, ABC were all there. I wasn't sure if i saw NBC, i think they're in Burbank if i remember correctly. Oh well, it didn't matter. A little bit further down the way, Playboy magazine's headquarters was right in my face. Well not literally, but i could see it pretty clearly. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend that brought back alot memories for me. I only lived down there for a year, but it was a memorable one at that. LA is somewhere i would choose not live if at all possible but to visit, it rocks!!!

2006-09-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Kite Runner...By Khaled Hosseini
Is This Propaganda?

Can an author promote something that is nonsensical and biased to a group of readers who are primarily unaware of any goings on in this particular part of the world? Sure with the war in full bloom we as Americans are all in tune with the people of Afghanistan and their everyday troubles......Yeah right!!The middle east remains a mystery to me and to many others like me.

The Kite Runner is book about a young Afghan boy who leaves his native country to come to America and start a new life only to one day receive a phone call from an old friend, named Rahim Khan. The phone call rehashes memories of a home that he left behind many years ago, memories that he would soon rather forget. The main character in this fictional novel by Khaled Hosseini is named Amir. Amir is haunted by a past that is filled with sorrow and sin. He was born in the Afghan capital of Kabul where he lived with his father, a wealthy and influential member of the city. What Amir's father had in money and power he lacked in love and commitment to his son. As the book plays out, all Amir is searching for is his father's attention, praise and love. Amir's best friend in the novel is named Hassan. Hassan and Amir grow up together and are virtually inseparable. Through the classification system in Afghanistan, Hassan is seen as lower class because he is Hazara. Hazaras are the definite minorities in Afghanistan because they are Shiite Muslims and not Sunni(The Majority Muslims). Therefore all their lives Amir has looked down upon Hassan and ultimately taking his friendship for granted. Hassan was known to do anything for Amir. Amir talks about the differences between the two in class, wealth, and educational levels and how the two should never cross into each other.

The year is 1975 and the government is taken over by a coup ordered by the king's cousin and the city is frantic with fear. Afghanistan is set to be turned into a republic. Ali, Hassan's father rushes to the boys to make sure they are secure and ok. Even this little show of affection makes Amir warm inside and ever more jealous of Hassan for what love he receives. Later Amir's father, Baba, joins the three and caresses the two boys to Amir's delight. Such simple love and affection is all the boy craves and is overjoyed in this time of uncertainty. Oddly enough, Baba and Ali grew up under very similar circumstances then the two boys now. Through tragedy they were brought together and grew up side by side, but distances apart due heavy prejudice between Muslim classes. Ali also born into the Hazara class, had congenital deformities that scarred his face all his life. So along with being tormented for who he was associated with, he also received heavy taunts for his face and scars.

In Chapter 7, an event occurs that gives this book its title. An annual event that has the children from Kabul and other various districts all coming together for the kite flying competition. Amir has come close in recent years and Baba expresses his confidence in him that he can win it all this time which gives Amir all the incentive he needs to pull through. Hassan meanwhile is the best Amir has ever seen at kite flying. His control and trust in the kite to do whatever he wants it to do is simply amazing to Amir. The day of the contest is here with people sitting on roof tops, sipping tea and listening to Afghani music before the start of the competition. With Amir holding the strings and Hassan feeding him from the reel, the two are victorious in this year's tournament. All his life Amir was searching for his father's love and finally acheived something that was worthy of it. His plan was to go home and bring the blue kite that was used in the victory and present it to his father, but first Hassan had to go fetch it and was to meet him at home as soon as possible. On his way home Amir was bombarded with envious people congratulating him on his big accomplishment which in turn made him take longer to get home and to Hassan. Upon coming home, Amir asked Ali where Hassan and his father were. Ali, not knowing where either were recammended he go search for Hassan while Baba surely will be home soon. What happens next is something that will haunt Amir for the rest of his days. He finds Hassan in an alley trapped by the bully in this novel named Asseff and his two Pushtan(Upper Class) friends. Earlier in the novel Amir and Hassan were confronted by the three only to have Hassan step up and fend off the three potential bullies. Now is different story. The whole novel Amir and Hassan are together but when called on the fact that Hassan is Hazara, Amir never comes to his friends aid or sticks up for him. This time would put that life long attitude to the test. Assef calls Hassan to give him the blue kite, but Hassan refuses, Stating," he ran it down, so it's Amir's fair and square". Assef and the two other boys end up raping Hassan with no help at all from Amir. His so called friend Amir, crouching there behind the alley so as he couldn't be seen, never did anything to save Hassan. Later, after the ordeal was over and Amir and Hassan meet back at their home. Amir asks," where were you?I've been looking all over for you."Amir takes the kite from Hassan and is greeted by his father with all he's wanted his whole life, a loving hug and his admiration.

In the chapters to come, the incident was never discussed from that day on, Hassan, was to never smile again. He lived his life without feeling any enjoyment from life due to that moment after the kite flying tournament. Amir on the other hand is riddled with guilt now. The sorrow he feels turns into shame as he starts to distance himself from Hassan. The years to come see the Russians invade Afghanistan, Baba and Amir have left for Pakistan and then on to the United States where Amir settles in San Francisco. The tone of the book clearly has you sympathizing for Hassan, for all his love and loyalty gets him is a friend who looks down on him and doesn't help when it's needed most. Throughout the agony and sorrow the book brought to my attention, it seems the Afghan people are no different then anyone else. Everywhere else in the world people use tactics and words to gather minds on their side's. This book used a sad story and you just couldn'e help feel for Hassan while I grew contempt for Amir. What struck a cord with me was the differences in social class in Afghanistan that was brought up. Pushtans as the upper more sophisticated class and the Hazaras, the poor, servant class. Propaganda in this book was suttle but i choose to think that it influenced my thinking towards social and religous prejudice, and the classing system in middle eastern countries.

2006-09-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

Golf Magazine.... Who does this magazine really cater to???

As a beginning golfer I try and look past all the stereotypes that cloud around this very intriguing and dynamic sport. A sport that was birthed as a gentleman's game that only the wealthy and Caucasian could ever have a chance at playing. I'm trying to get past the fact that there are so many damn little rules and regulations that really take away from the fun factor of it all. Why can't someone of average height and skill level who has a decent swing go out and wear whatever he wants just to hit and practice?? Now that bothers me, but I'm getting over it. Why am I getting over it, because I'm realizing that no one person, no particular golf course, or no funny pair of pants is gonna keep me from hitting that perfect shot. That shot that at the point of contact just feels and sounds right. Without any formal lessons, I've gone out to hit with one useful tool under my belt. Golf Magazine!!!! The most helpful instrument for golfers of all skill and performance levels, even the one's who are opposed to wearing shirts with sleeves and
yelling FOURRR after every mishit.(WHICH HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN)

I have a copy of August's issue and begin to cruise the magazine for any tidbits or content that I might find interesting. As I stated before I still have reservations about the the games seemingly endless counts of etiquette and rules. What I'm looking for is, who is this really written and addressed too? What type of reader is this magazine trying to communicate with?

Page after page of tips, ideas and practice motions, I've come to realize that this magazine is more travel agent tucked into a 130 page magazine then anything else really. More destination advertisements with agent's and hotel phone numbers to book that exciting golf getaway was more abundant then any practice tip or golf product. Golf is big business and it's getting it's message out to the younger generation more and more every year, but you'll have to bear with the fact that this game is still predominantly played by older folks. People who can spend that money to go away for a week and play everyday and stay at the fancy resorts and have the steak and lobster for dinner. I also noticed that all the pictures they used when showing visual demonstrations had all caucasion men as their models. Actually the only minorities I saw in the whole magazine were Tiger Woods(African-American & Thai Heritage) and Michelle Wie(Korean-American) That has to change!

2006-09-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

The Paper....
In today's world, up to date news is as important as ever. I think the need for fresh, raw news will forever be a staple in ours lives. Being current on the who, who said that, what's and whatevers is as vital to our daily regimen as the coffee and tea that goes along with it.
I read an article in the Mercury News today, titled- New "Surf City" nastiness. By Kimra McPherson. The article entails on how lawyers from the southern California town of Huntington Beach have demanded that a surf shop in Santa Cruz take off of the shelves a t-shirt it sells with the logo "Santa Cruz" and "Surf City"on it. Ridiculous as this may seem it is very true. Early in the year the SoCal town legally trademarked the saying and claimed it's origination. The surf shop has until the end of the week to comply, but oddly enough this predicament has worked in their favor. 25% off also doesn't hurt, but after hearing word of this situation, all t-shirts have been sold and a demand for more is currently in effect.
After reading the article the normal way(via paper and ink) then through the website, i've come to the conclusion that it just comes down to options. Options that give us ways to comment on articles, options to crumble the 50 cent worth pieces of paper and options to decide for ourselves on what news is really important in life(DEFINITELY NOT THIS ARTICLE). I choose to think that in this day and age of technology and bigger and better, there are some things that are just fine the way they are. I read the newspaper in paper and ink form everyday. I glance at the front pages of the Front page, local section and then go straight for the sports section. But that's the way i take it in. I've never felt the need to comment, I ingest what the journalist is saying and make my own interpretations.

2006-09-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

Is corporate sponsorship getting out of hand? Everywhere you look now a days especially at sporting events, concerts, art festivals and various street fairs. All sorts of companies have their logos and names printed it just seems about everywhere. You can't go somewhere and not see some sort of advertisement or bumper sticker promoting a product or name brand. I used to think it was just smart marketing, seeing a company's name on a bike helmet or a logo on a sports jersey. It just seemed like a good idea. Now, they're not only on the jerseys and helmets, but they're on the stadium walls, inside the bathrooms. People in booths are giving aways free key chains. I was at the Giant's ball park in San Francisco the other week and all along the walls you see every sponsor that is affiliated with the Giants. They were everywhere. Every imaginable sponsor was represented in some fashion in plane view for everyone to see. When you listen to baseball games, the announcers always have to make sure they let you know who is sponsoring that particular segment before they tell what the heck the score is. All along the ice rink at the San Jose Arena they have the same thing, nothing but corporate sponsors with their logos out and proud for everyone too see. I wonder if companies do that much better by having their names out there like that? Plastering the company's logo so thousands of people can see, just in case that person perhaps didn't know what they were all about. I think company's in today's world are so hell bent on getting there name out there they'll go to extreme measures so as we the consumer are knowledgable on their products and we know all that there is to know about them. When has it gone too far? A year ago, two years, 10 years ago. Has the need for corporate sponsorship gotten to the point where we have to know everything about them at all costs? Or is it the venue that is seeking out all this revenue? Perhaps to make ends meat the venues themselves are the one's ramming all this advertising down our throats so as they can earn their dollars and cents. It used to be that you go somewhere and you a big sign for Budweiser or Camel. I remember going to the Santa Clara County Fair as a kid, and you would maybe see one or two signs for local businesses, but mainly for beer or cigarettes. I like knowing whats going on and knowing my options on products out there but enough is enough.

2006-09-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

I don't think the propaganda that this generation is exposed too is as bad or highly scrutinized as that of yester years. Anything anti-american or against the government was banished from the headlines and shunned throughout the masses. Today, propaganda is still rampant and widely spread and talked about throughout the country, just in my opinion to a more open minded and tolerant audience. In today's california we are taught that we have options. Options that ultimately mean that tough decisions will have to be made. Information is fed to us left and right. Right, wrong, or vote for us we're better. All propaganda from every which way possible. The first week of school around the student union area there are booths set up with all sorts of interest groups vying for you attention. Handing out flyers and posters all in the name of having you hear what they're trying to say. As americans we have the right to listen or to throw it away. I found it interesting that one section of the area had all the religous groups together passing out their flyers. I proceeded to accept flyers from all the groups except the one that i find myself affiliated with, chrisitianity. Why? i have no idea why. It just seemed to me the person passing out flyers for the group had a face i didn't particularly care for. I'm dead serious. He just looked like he was part of the biggest and best thing out there and if you didn't take a flyer you were missing out on all the greatness. Religion as a whole is something i'm gathering more information on as i've gotten older and I am keenly interested in my own faith. But when you don't like somebody, you just don't like somebody. no explanation why. That's my right as a student at san jose state and an american living in california.

2006-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Living in the technological age and the 21st century definitely has its advantages when it comes to an easier way of living. The things that were day long chores are now done in hours and minutes. Stuff we used to worry about and have anxiety over are now being taken care of by machines and advances in thinking that are years ahead. Pictures are now being put onto disks instead of film so as we can inspect them for instant gratification or deletion. Is technology always a good thing? Is everything in the years past worth being made better or faster? What about the things that we cherish? Things that you hold on to and pass down from generation to generation. The things that your parents gave to you and their parents gave to them. I think in the case where something special and with great meaning gets passed along no matter what it is, people will save and honor those precious things. Books have come along way. Before radio and television they were the source of entertainment. An avenue to reflect and go into another world through the writing and words of a skilled author. I've never been much of a book reader and probaly will never be. But if ever the occasion that my father or mother feel that they want to pass something onto me, i would accept it with open arms, knowing that there is much more being given to me then a book. Special meanings about their lives and about my family. I hope to see books staying intact and not moving to floppy disks or audio tapes. Picking up a book and having it speak to you is something in itself. A message being passed along that moves and shakes your mind. Again given the circumstances if there was something passed down to me and i felt it was important that my granchildren recieved it i would hope that they would except it and understand that there's something special behind it and not just some old book that their grandfather is giving them.

2006-09-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

this class has brought to my attention how much media i take in without even realizing it. its everywhere. my monumental amounts of tv watching isn't even the tip of the iceberg. just by glancing at the front page of the morning newspaper, while i was fixing my breakfast i was consuming media. i've always found current national, local, weather and of course sporting news very interesting. the others i enjoy but can do without. this stuff, no way!!!! recently my girlfriend raised my awareness on the fact that i can watch espn over and over again everyday. she asked me how can i watch something, when i've seen the same broadcast ten times already that day? i dunno, nothing has really sparked my mind like sports. sports has always been there for me. in my lonely times, my nonsocial times and everything in between. as i've grown older i've come to understand what an important role the media has in sports. without media coverage, heaven forbid that a game would go on without any fan fare or brought on excitement. i have my mixed emotions towards the media's involvment in sports. when things go well for some team or someone, they can be an inspirational tool of expression. a few years ago my favorite baseball team made it all the way to the world series but came just a tad short. i thought the local media did a wonderful job, covering the team as it traveled to the opposing sides venue. during the seven game series the media was on every pitch and every hit. probaly because my team lost, the coverage i thought was much too harsh. when things went wrong, the media was right there to cover it. always something underlying had to be the problem. it just couldnt be that the other team was better. it just had to be something else. for teams nowadays when things go wrong, all you hear after a bad game is negative media coverage. he had his worst game in ten years, so there must have been a family crisis, or his girlfriend is cheating on him!!
in football with a week in between games, all week the media harps on this and that. its coming to be just like a soap opera. only with oversized grown men in shoulder pads wearing helmets. when it comes to my teams i am very biased and loyal. nothing they do will ever be horribel in my eyes. but also i am respectful and mindful of other teams play and the players as well. i dont want to hear how an off the field incident is effecting someguys play on the other side of the country, let alone in my own backyard. i admit without the media's coverage the games wouldnt be as exciting to watch because they build up so much. but also in retrospect they bring alot negative things to the table that i think just aren't necessary. its not a soap opera, its sports.

2006-08-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

this is a reply to todays discussion in class that Lily brought up about music pirating and ethical behavior on the matter. i definitely agree with her in the sense where, yes, it is wrong, but unfortunately it still continues to happen. if people out there knew there was a chance that they would be caught and ultimately prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, it wouldn't be done. until then , this practice will continue.
now, there was a girl that came up in the front of the class and talked about her burned U2 cd that she herself had purchased and in turn made a copy. again, i do see Lily's point of view and understand where her argument lies . but, in that situation, i don't agree with lily's argument. she was the one that purchased the cd so isn't it her right to do whatever she wants with it? she paid the 15 dollars for it, it's hers. the music company and the artist collaborated and put a product on the market. as a consumer she had options to buy something else, but essentially that's what she wanted. copying the cd and using it for her own usage, not with the intention of making multiple copies and driving to union square and selling them out of her van. i don't think any wrong doing had occured on her part. she simply chose to keep a burned copy with her in case something happen to the original. if that was my favorite cd i probaly wouldn't have done that because i'm not that smart.
I'm a little older then most of the students in class and i remember when cassettes were fading out and cd's were the newest thing. i was one of the last to make the change to cd's simply because my parents wouldn't buy me one. so i remember those days, going over to my friends house and copying songs i enjoyed and making blank tapes. those were the days!!to me it was a social event with my friends and copyright infringement was the last thing on my mind. i was a teenager then and lack of funds forced me to resort to this simply because i couldn't afford to buy all the cd's i wanted. i thought it was harmless, didnt think twice about it actually.
lastly, my grievance is this. i'll use the company Sony as an example. wonderfully made electronics, love my big screen tv, i watch all my sports on there. i would be terribly upset if something happened to my tv, lets just put it that way. sony is a huge, gigantic company. spreading from electonics, to housewares, computers, laptops, music and movies. my last thought is that this huge mega-billion dollar company is losing revenue on music piracy but then in their computers they design and manufacture devices that copy the very same cd's and dvd's that they're trying to sell to us, the consumers. its a weird circle.

2006-08-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

i was way off on that one. i was interpreting consuming with actual purchases of items...ah man, i gotta check my brain on that one. hmmm, where i do i start. without even thinking about it, from the moment i wake up when i turn on the tv, flip on the radio or crack open the newspaper its all right there. i'm really into sports and my television is on espn 75 % of the time. i'm learning that when its comes to sports and the media that covers it, beating a dead horse is nothing new. i blogged about a player named terrell owens and how the media scrutiny had been overwhelming with its coverage. every sports channel has at least a few mins on it everytime i'm watching it seems. i use my phone which has internet access and the moment i turn it on, there it is in big headlines, the days top stories. israel and lebanon, oil prices, weather and traffic right there at my finger tips. with never actually thinking about it i take in media coverage during most of my day. at school our paper has local and political features that affect me. i ran into my buddy after school the other day and he had a mercury news with. so i asked to borrow the sports and right there i was caught up with my days sporting news. the fact that i never really thought about how much available coverage i get, its kinda shocking. even at the grocery store the other day i was in line at albertson's. they have a tv at every check stand, so in line i was getting tidbits of news and got filled in on how to bbq with pork. amazing! i love bbq. modes of news and information have certainly changed as the years have gone by. again with my phone, i just added that feature where i get internet access in the last couple months. to be honest with you thats one of the avenues of media coverage i seldomly check but hey, its right there when i need it. for television and the newspaper have me covered for all that i need!

2006-08-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

i go through spells of time where i dont buy anything, i dont even contemplate buying anything. not the necessary stuff of course. food, gas, insurance, toiletries, more food. theres always money for going out to eat. steak is a favorite of mine. i come from a family of red meat eating carnivores so i dont ever skimp on taking care of my stomach. as far clothes or gadgets i try and be as frugal as possible now with my adult expenses every month. pg&e, water bill and cable. of all the bills i have i never mind paying the cable bill because i watch an obscene amount of television. especially with football season coming soon, its a must have. although it seems every few months or so, i get a little restless and will go splurge on something unplanned. i'll have my budget in order and one day i'll wake up and check the paper and see some sale. get in my car and go blow some hard earned money on something that i probaly wont appreciate in a few days but at that moment must have. like everybody i have my particular brands i enjoy to buy. i'm not much of a fancy dresser, always leaning towards more casual comfortable clothes. but for work i do have to dress the part so every so often i have to update my wardrobe. its funny where my life has gone as far as taste and selection of pants and shirts. i'm not a macy's or nordstrom guy, big department stores make me sleepy and feel overwhelmed. i just want to walk into a store, find something i like and walk out without getting lost.

2006-08-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

the headline news today has the man who allegedly confessed to the murder of jon benet ramsey was dismissed due to differences in dna samples. the man was captured in thailand with numerous amounts of child pornography and was extradited to los angeles where he was then brought to boulder, colorado where the murder was taken place a fews years ago. what now? although the charges were dropped in the murder case he has multiple incidences for child pornography so he'll wait for arraingment there. what a sick, sick dude. thats all i can say. i thought i had problem watching tv all day since i was kid but thats nothing compared to this wacko. small joke but still this is no laughing matter. after seeing pictures of him with thai officials escorting him for extradition back to the states. you just immediately say to your self. oh yeah, hes a child molestor. seriously, he has small frame and big head. probaly reads alot. i think they said he was a teacher at point. more great news for kids out there. theres still the mystery of this little girls murder thats been unsolved. a very upscale middle class suburban setting rocked with a murder thats been open to this day. hmmm...dont know if its true or not but is the mother of that little girl dead? did she recently pass away? who knows.....

2006-08-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

with football season rapidly approaching, the dallas cowboys have had a rather exciting preseason on the field. expecting to compete and possibly win their division. the cowboys strike much fear into the opposing teams mindset. but its whats going on off the field thats causing more of a stir for the people in dallas. terrell owens, their star free agent signing this past offseason has continued to raise eye brows with his antics the past month and a half with refusing to practice and play in games while he rehabs his sore ham string. causing many questions thrown at bill parcells, the teams no nonsense head coach. playing while hurt is a staple in the nfl and one in which players in all sports are subjected time and again. but with owens, endless media scrutiny has been placed in him ever since his refusal to play last season while under contract with the philadelphia eagles in hopes for more money for his services. after a long hold out, owens was eventually cut by the team that he had played for only one season. with a new season ahead and lofty expecations all around, owens is once again on the minds of media personnel across the country. headling evening broadcasts of espn, fox sports and even local channel sports stations outside of dallas. owens not practicing and playing means big news for these reporters who just cant stay away. with the regular season just around the corner, the cowboys coaching staff must determine what to do and how to continue without their newly acquired super star who hasnt even played one down them.