It's been a while!!

Well, the title has a little dual purpose: (1) It has been a while since I last posted, and (2) the topic is about proposition 8 and that was an political issue a while back. You might ask, why would I want to talk about something that happened so long ago? It's because it recently came up again in the news, in my firend's blogs, or just been on my mind.

I don't live in California. So, I was not and am not in the middle of it. What I don't understand is why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were treated so badly (almost hated - hate is a strong word in my family) by people that profess equal rights!! For example, my cousin lives in the Bay Area, and she had put a couple of "Vote NO on Proposition 8" signs on her front lawn. A car drove quickly by, pulling off the signs from her lawn. And as they drove away, screaming and yelling obscene phases and demeaning words. I have nothing against homosexual people. They are quite friendly and most of the time fun people (I lived in the Bay area for 2 years). I understand that they were discriminated and still is (recent news can prove that - those crimes break my heart - that could be another blog post - I don't understand how anyone could hate someone they do not know anything about).

Anyways, back to the main topic here, all I am saying is that everyone has the freedom of choice. You and I can choose the kind of lives we want to lead and what to believe in. Some can choose to be pro-proposition 8, others have the same right to choose to go against it. Therefore, I think that there should be no hate crimes against ones group or the other.

Further, the issue was voted and the results came in. So, let's leave it at that until the majority's views have shown changes. I don't think it is fair or is useful to try to vote on the issue again and again until certain people get the result they wanted. Even in tennis, you only get 2 serves before losing the point.

I don't mind voting on it again in a few years. But right now? again? seem to be a waste of state government's money (by they way (1) California is running out of, and (2) are tax payers hard earned money - I don't think either the federal or the state governments understand point (2) clearly yet). So, to close - in this country, we all have the freedom to choose. Let's not put our emotions into hating one group or the other. That energy can do so much good (and really, our country can use some good right now), why waste it on hate other people.

Simple Human Needs

Lately, I haven't really been feeling completely satisfied, or, may be in other words, feeling content. So, I have been doing some thinking. What is it that I need? And an even bigger or more general question - what are the basic human needs?

Yes, I understand the basic needs such as clothing, food, money, and love. And I don't think I am lacking any of those. While having a little more money would be nice, I am not needing (focus on the word "need" here) more than I have or what my job pays right now. I think everyone would agree that a little extra would be nice, right?

So, what is it that I need to feel complete satisfied? What are some other basic human needs that I haven't thought about?

My lovely wife suggests that there is a simple need for human to create something. It doesn't matter if it is great or small. It could be a poem, a novel, a piece of music, a photograph, or a painting. My wife prefers to blog and to quilt. I have to admit that she is quite talented at both. On the other hand, I couldn't even put the thread through the eye of the needle. HAHA. Anyways, this need for creation also was the basis for a speech given by one of our church leaders.

Another thing I thought about was the need to feel special, to feel wanted, or needed. Is that the same as being loved? I personally think that it goes beyond that. I mean I do feel loved by my family members and close friends. I just can't pin point this one.

Those are just a couple of things I thought deeper about. There are many other things also, such as the need for change (avoidance of boredom), the need for achievements and recognition, the need for learning, and the need for excitement. Those are just a few more human needs.

So, here's what you can help me with. Think about what makes you happy, and then tell me what takes you to that level of feeling satisfied with life and just simply content. Or is that because we are human, we will never be completely satisfied (this want, and this constant need is the driving factor for all of us to achieve things that are truly great)? Therefore, should I just live with this restless feeling?

President Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Alright, let me be clear (up front), I am not a Obama hater. Actually, I try my best to use my roots (as a Hong-Kong-born-American) to stay as neutral as possible.

However, I do not understand at all why President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. Can some one tell me what he's done to deserve this prize? I would not say that he has done nothing because I can say that he IS trying to smooth over the relationships with other countries in the world. He IS trying to bring more unity to the world and lessen the harsh feelings that some countries might have towards the US. However, I don't think it is Nobel Peace Prize worthy. He was, in fact, nominated for the prize after being in office 12 days. Did I miss something? Please tell me if he did something amazing that missed in January of 2009.

Is the committee for Nobel Prize giving him this prize for the promises that he made? That would be a real stretch. Who remembers the last politician that kept all of his/her promises. My dad always says that there are 3 types of people you should never blindly trusts: (1) Media, (2) Lawyers, and (3) Politicians. (Maybe I should car salesmen also - but everyone should know that one already). Or is the committee giving him the prize based on his powerful position? Either way, I don't agree with the face that he received such an honor (as he has not devoted his life to world peace, which I think some other nominees are more deserving).

Alright, so, what do you think? can you help me out this time?

Picture of President Obama is from Yahoo!

Tariff or No Tariff

Some of you might have heard that President Obama has imposed a 35% tariff on tires imported from China. So, I really don't understand that. Aren't we all for "free-trade" nowadays. Tariffs are so 80s. Anyways, my point is how can the president impose such ridiculous tariff without consulting the WTO at all. Really, the US is really not in the position to do that. Again, it's not the 70s or the 80s, where the US can say "jump" and the entire world jumps. I hope that our government aren't going to charge a tariff on the clothes, shoes, food, computers, or TVs, because to make up their 35%, they will just increase the prices. It's that easy, right? By the way, 35% is not a small number.

Also, why are we playing with fire. We import so much from China. And the Chinese are buying all our National deficit and our debt. If we go into a trade war with China, we (people living in the US) will be the ones that get hurt. See this article at yahoo! http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/333181/Obama-Playing-with-Fire-U.S.-Will-Lose-Trade-War-with-China-Pento-Says?tickers=tlt,tbt,fxi,spy,udn,uup.

If the Chinese starts dumping their investments in America, we are literally screwed!! COME ON!, Obama, you have gone from "you were so convincing that I almost voted for you" to "let me see what you are going to do to hurt the majority of US citizen next". This is unbelievable. I don't even want to start about the health care reform!!

So, again, I really don't understand what's going on with our foreign policies. Please help me understand!!

Tattoos

So, let keep things a little lighter. Tattoos always seems weird to me.

They were never that popular in Hong Kong. And if anything, my parents, friends, schools, and even TV/Hong Kong movie always taught us that tattoos are bad and usually only worn by bad people or gangsters. Not only are tattoos very common in America, they have some cool connotations too. Tell me if I am wrong, but a lot of people thinks that tattoos can potentially make you tougher, or sexier (which I think personally, some of them when placed at the right places, really can have these effects). HAHA.

However, what gets me is the Chinese/Japanese character tattoos. How would you like to put words you don't understand on your skin that is pretty permanent? Hmmm. I have seen some funny ones (e.g., "strong" turning out to be "getting schooled"), and others that I probably shouldn't repeat here on the blog. Here is just an example.

What if your intention was to put a tattoo about you first boy?! And what you get was "sex". Hmm. So peeps, what's so fascinating about Chinese/Japanese charaters on your arms, or back, or other secret places!!

Cash for Clunkers

So, there are recently a lot of articles about cash for clunkers, where the government is giving out up to $4,500 for a car that is bearly drivable. The first $1,000,000,000 budget for this program is almost used up. Now Congress is asking for another $2 billion to extend the program to Labor Day. The pull as I have heard is (1) to get the low MPG cars off the road, and (2) to jump start the auto industry by increasing their sales.

But the way I see it (personally), is that indirectly I am giving money ($4,500) to some "lucky winner" to buy a brand new car!! Don't get me wrong, I am a very "green" person and am definitely in agreement with getting some of these fuel inefficient cars off the road. But at $4,500 a pop?! out of the governments pockets (which may I remind you, is already in deep hole)?!!! The $1 billion only benefited about 250,000 individuals or families who purchased the cars. The $2 billion additional funding if passed, will also only benefit another lucky group of 500,000.

So, folks, help a Chinese-American understand this. How can our legislative branch of the government pass something that does not benefit the majority of the people of the USofA? How can the government spend money (potentially $3 billion - part of my hard earn money funded to the government through something called "Income Tax") on such a small group of people? The $4,500 became pure and simple "gains" on these people's "balance sheet". Where is my share of that? It's not like I didn't pay for my gas efficient car at full price before! So, are you saying that I should have kept driving my banged up car and continue to pump harmful gases into the environment, then one day the government will say "good job, you have passed the test of endurance", and for that, collect $4,500?! And last question, how can the government spend so much money that it does not have? Who is going to pay for it? Someone, somehow will have to, sooner or later. Money, I believe, doesn't grow on trees!!