Rest in peace, Steve Jobs

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs 1955-2011.

Photo by Norman Seeff

Thank you for the insanely great products, the reality distortion field, Pixar, and your greatest creation – the Macintosh. You shall be greatly missed, Steve.

9.11.2001 – Ten Years Later… A Remembrance

I was sitting at my workstation in a printing company in Dublin, Ohio, working on a pre-press job, which a client need a proof for review later in the morning. Outside was a beautiful sunny Tuesday. Nothing seem out of ordinary that morning. Traffic coming to work was normal.

Then my supervisor, John, immediately walked into the room, a bit aspirated about something and told me that a plane crashed into the tallest building in New York City. I asked which one but he didn’t know as he only heard it from a co-worker from the press floor and wanted me to check the Internet to find out. I scanned the news for a plane crash in New York and there was a breaking news report about a World Trade Center tower was hit by a plane. I thought it was some kind of a terrible accident. Witnesses on the ground were saying that they saw an airline slammed into the north WTC tower.

Then John and I looked at each other with astonishment. Then we figured to check back awhile later as we have some works to do. John went into the other room and I focused on finishing a job assignment. John got a call from our boss, Sue and informed that she’s on her way to work in an hour or so.

Less than 20 minutes later, there was a shout somewhere down in the hallway and John went up to check it out. I was still at my workstation, doing something on the monitor. Back in mind, I wanted to check the latest news on the Internet but I need to focus on finishing the proof and print it up.

About couple minutes or so, John zipped into the room, stared at me yelling that another plane hit the other tower! My eyes widened at him but I don’t remember what did I say to him in response. He beckoned me to check the Internet and my first impulse was to go straight to the Drudge Report.

The Internet was afire! The Drudge Report took awhile to access because of high hits from all over the country. But there was it: a picture of WTC Towers in flame and smoke. I think the headline screamed, “Terror! Airlines crashed in WTC Towers!” or something like that. Drudge Report constantly changed headlines with breaking news every now and then. John suggested a different news site to check out and typed in the address. We got to a grainy Web video of a news reporter talking about the other airline slamming into the south WTC Tower. Then I almost forgot about the TV in the breakroom, so I got up and headed for it.

Watching the news about what happened in New York City on TV in the breakroom was pretty surreal. There, for the first time, I was watching a replay of the airline slamming into the south tower. It was unbelievable but very deliberate and malicious in intent. This was no accident that two airlines slammed into the WTC Towers. This was a sheer terrorist act. The co-workers in the breakroom were just stunned and there were chattering from but I didn’t hear them clearly, because the TV’s volume was cranked up a bit (though it was captioning in real time).

I walked back to my workstation, saw John checking the Internet for latest news. We started to anticipate there may be more terrorist acts to come and we remarked about ten of thousands people being in the towers and hoped to get all of them out. There were still many airlines in the sky and how many of them may be hijacked. At the time we had no idea where’s the next target would be.

That would be answered about a moment later when we received words that the Pentagon has been hit by an airline. I yelled, “Holy Shit!”. This was for real. Hitting a huge military building like the Pentagon was an act of war. America was under attack.

Then later we were informed that another airline was hijacked but it was brought down somewhere in Pennsylvania. I thought the US Air Force did its job to shoot it down but alas, it was not. Later, I learned that the airline was brought down by some passengers and airline crew fighting the hijackers in the cockpit, as result the plane slammed straight into the ground, exploding and killing everyone. That took some courage and balls to take on the hijackers and knowing that death was imminent, the people on United 93 took the chance to save further lives from becoming a target of another terrorist attack.

Then the biggest shock: the WTC Towers collapsed and disintegrated! It was absolutely mind-blowing and incomprehensible. I remembered screaming at the TV at people running away, “Get out of there, people! Run! Jesus!” I kept thinking there must have been ten of thousands of people in the towers trying to get out. But through sheer lucks, quick thinking and fast feet and by the heroic efforts of the NY firefighters and police officers, more and more people got out in time. The dustclouds were frightening. I spent the rest of the day at work half watching the TV, checking the Internet, discussing with co-workers, and finishing up whatever I was doing.

I left work a little early in the afternoon (I did get the proof out anyway). On the way home, I saw few gas stations were filled up with vehicles lining up for gas. Panic buying. Gas prices jumped a bit too high (later reports revealed some gas stations were engaged in price-gouging). I got home alright and watched the news on TV for an hour, then I headed off to the gym in Easton (they had big flat-screen TVs, mine was a pitiful 20 inch Magnavox TV). When I got to the gym, the place was usually busy and packed with many people working out on most days, but on that day, it was almost empty. It was almost quiet. I worked out for over an hour, keeping my eyes on the TV news on and off, then I was done. I went to a local eatery in Easton and had dinner there. There were still people shopping or browsing about, but not many on a Tuesday evening. People were glued to TVs in some bars and restaurants. I went home (on the way, still seeing few gas stations still lined up with vehicles) and watched the TV for the rest of the evening, glued to what was really happened in New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shankville, Pa. that day.

That day forever changed me. As it did changed many others.

Many people lost their lives that day. Many people injured and suffered as result of the terrorist attacks. I saw President Bush making a speech to the nation in a live telecast, reassuring us that the terrorists may have dented and shattered the steel buildings but they have not dent the steel of American resolve. It was the perfect reminder that we Americans are a resilient people. We do not give in. We do not give up. We do not forget the victims nor we do not forget the cause that made America great.

Ten years later. We still do not forget the 2977 people who lost the their lives that day. We honor them. We fight for them. We live for them. For freedom and peace. May God bless the United States of America for the generosity, resolve, and love of the American people for all.

Happy 100th Birthday to Ronald W. Reagan, 40th U.S. President

Perhaps the best American President in the U.S. History and a great communicator of the 20th century. Today, he would have turns 100. He died in June 05, 2004 after a long affliction with Alzheimer’s Disease.

 

Below is Reagan’s Farewell Address to the Nation in 1989:

(Turn on CC for captioning for the deaf).

Transcript of his speech can be read here.

This is, in my opinion, the best part of his speech and it fundamentally holds true for today’s and tomorrow’s conservatives about the American People and politics in America:

Ours was the first revolution in the history of mankind that truly reversed the course of government, and with three little words: “We the People.” “We the People” tell the government what to do; it doesn’t tell us. “We the People” are the driver; the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world’s constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which “We the People” tell the government what it is allowed to do. “We the People” are free. This belief has been the underlying basis for everything I’ve tried to do these past eight years.

Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas from Under the Hill

Have a safe and wonderful Christmas weekend!

 

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to y’all.

Enjoy this sentimental old favorite depiction of Thanksgiving celebration by the great American artist, Norman Rockwell.

Happy 235th Birthday to the USMC

Today is the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Happy Birthday, Marines! Semper Fi.

It is a Tidal Wave! Election 2010 Results

See all results of exit poll at Real Clear Politics site.

UPDATE: GOP 240 to DEM 187 in House; GOP 47 to DEM 53 in Senate; GOP 29 to DEM 19 in Governor.

Republicans are now the majority of House of Representatives for the first time since November 2006, its +61 gain exceeded that of 1994 GOP takeover of Congress!

Update: The Senator election in Alaska is still being contested as of this date (11.06.2010).

China’s next leader, with flashback to my old blog: how I personally selected the future president of China in 1997?

UPDATE – 11.15.2010: New addition to old blog – a scanned image of the 9.20.1997 article from Star Tribune, see link in bold below.

Los Angeles Times recently published an article that got my attention: Xi Jinping on track to become China’s next president. This is not news to me, though I’ve been quietly watching this man in his rapid rise to the top for nearly three years, since he first assumed the position of the First Secretary of the Communist Party in October 2007 and, more importantly, appointed to the Politburo.

The rapid ascension of Xi Jinping (pronounced as “She Kin-ping” in Pinyin) may come as a small surprise to some among the political and national security watchers of China. Although, Xi’s background, youth, and leadership experience were crucial to the future of China’s political-economic structure and China’s role as an emerging worldpower. Xi is the son of a founding member of the Communist revolutionary movement in northern China; his father was among leading revolutionaries who supported Mao Zedong and participated in the founding of modern China until he was purged in Mao’s Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. This makes Xi Jinping a part of the Crown Prince Party – a derogatory term to describe the descendants of communist revolutionaries who now hold top positions in the government and the military of China, which suggested charges of nepotism and cronyism toward this informal group.

However, Xi earned his current placement in power via his liberal and reformist views, his tough stance against corruption, his frankness on political and economic reforms, and his success in various roles leading and handling major Chinese events in the past few years. Chinese observers noted he maintained a friendly relationship with Hu Jintao, currently the President of China (who’s about to step down from the post in 2012) as well as other key power figures. He is viewed as straightforward, businesslike, and likable, at least to foreign leaders and top government officials of other countries.

The Communist Party of China is filled with many sincere party officials, calculating sycophants, and ambitious opportunists, all jockeying for important positions, key provinces or postings, knowing full well their placements will secure money, prestige, privileges, and name-recognition in any inevitable outcome. All they needed is to find the right people or the right opportunity to showcase their abilities (or their sycophancy) in the Communist party hierarchy. Not many will get them. There are changes and new ideas in the political landscape. The only question now is whether the Communist Party of China is becoming more or less relevant to the people of China, due to China’s emerging status as a worldpower, the growth of globalization and the Internet across the world, and the increasing scrutinies of rival powers such as Russia, the European Union, and the United States. More importantly, China’s role as one of the world’s largest trading partners and its uneasy relationship with the United States of America. This is the giant of a task for Xi Jinping, should he assumes the Presidency of China in 2012. Is he the right man for it? That remains to be seen, but he is being groomed for it anyway.

About four years ago, I originally thought that Wen Jiabo, a popular liberal reformer and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, to move up to become the next President of China. But that’s not likely. Partially because of his liberal political views, populist appeal, and elder statesmanship in the world affairs; however, Wen is perceived as the leading power figure in the behind-the-scene politics of the CCP, a position he rather relishes, in hope of finding and placing young like-minded reformers in the government and top levels. He called for openness and transparency throughout the government in spite of the CCP’s absolute control of it. The CCP is the dominant political party of China and there is no powerful alternative political party to counter the CCP (as of yet). Which bring to my original question about the relevance of the CCP to the people of China, given the increasing wealth and prosperity among the Chinese middle class, and job growths in the urban and rural areas. It used to be that the CCP generally protects the poor, the workers, farmers, and the likes but can it protect the new wealthy and middle classes? The key issue for the CCP’s necessity in controlling China is “social stability”. It is meant as a prevailing excuse for the CCP to remain in power in perpetuity.

Speaking of four years ago, I blogged about how I personally selected the future President of China in 1997. Check it out.

One last thing, the year 2012 is going to be a very interesting year, one with greater uncertainties and intrigues facing the American and Chinese peoples, and the entire world, in the light of the so-called doomsday year itself: 2012. On one hand, Obama will run for the second term and will face a certain challenger named Sarah Palin. On the other, the man who may assume the Presidency of China unchallenged is Xi Jinping.

DCR Blog: Two weeks from now…a historic election

My new blog posted at Deaf Conservative Republicans: “Two weeks from now…a historic election”.

Excerpt:

Back in 1994, the nation “threw a temper tantrum”, as Peter Jennings of ABC News mockingly derided the voters’ revolt against the Clinton administration and a Democratic majority in Congress, setting the stage for the Republicans’ takeover of Congress and the implementation of the “Contract with America” agenda. That was a historic election.

This year, a historic election is in the making, two weeks from now. This time, the entire nation is bent on a revolution to challenge and repudiate Obama and his socialist-inspired agenda of hope and change. It’s not just the GOP spearheading this revolution, it’s the entire Tea Party movement.

Hot pink gears for breast cancer awareness in NFL over the top

I saw few NFL games last Sunday and I was dismayed by the amount of hot pink gears worn by many NFL players, which is to raise awareness for breast cancer for many NFL fans across the nation. It’s truly over the top. Pink shoes, pink gloves, pink towels, hell, even pink chinstraps and I think I caught a glimpse of one player having pink mouthguards. What’s lacking is the pink ribbon on NFL players’ jerseys, which should be clearly visible on front and close to the neck/shoulder area but the pink ribbon is on all the players’ helmets on the back.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for breast cancer awareness and I have worn pink shirt and pink ribbon in the past to support the cause. It’s not the color that bothered me, but the overuse of the color on players’ gears and, fashion-wise, the hot pink color clashed with NFL teams’ uniforms and colors. When I was watching the games, the hot pink color on the gears were extremely distracting during the plays. Even the referees sported hot pink, but thankfully no pink flag (I’m sure the joke was going around the NFL teams about refs throwing pink flags for penalties or something).

October is breast cancer awareness month and NFL wanted to get involved in promoting awareness across the markets and national television in order to get many people to become aware of breast cancer, which afflicted many women and a small number of men. I think it is not necessary to goes overboard by making players wear hot pink shoes and gears for the games; a clearly visible pink ribbon on the players’ jerseys and helmets should be suffice. I would be flabbergasted and horrified to see the entire Dallas Cowboys team wearing all hot-pink uniform for their games this month but I hope that Jerry Jones isn’t batshit crazy for that (I’m a Washington Redskins fan, by the way).

Personally, I’m bothered by the overexposure of the breast cancer awareness campaign. Too much of it have created resentment and disappointment among many people whose lives are affected by cancers other than breast cancer. Men and women are more likely to develop and die from lung cancer than breast cancer in their lifetimes (ACS link on lifetime statistics here). Colon and prostate cancer risks and deaths are increasing every year. Awareness for lung cancer get the bum rap, as pointed out in this tongue-in-cheek article, “Other Cancers Sick Of Breast Cancer Hogging the Spotlight” from Dudes of America blog.

There are several different cancers that can affect men, women, and children in general. All this national focusing on breast cancer only distracts people from considering the dangers of cancer in other forms. The overexposure of breast cancer awareness campaign may be doing more harms than goods, as in this Los Angeles Times article indicated, “The Downside of Awareness Campaigns”:

Excerpt:

But now, Welch says, scientists have come to understand that breast cancer isn’t one disease but many. Some tumors are indolent and never cause trouble. Others grow slowly and may eventually spread. The most aggressive cancers metastasize before doctors and patients even know they’re there.

Unfortunately, doctors can’t tell which tumors are harmless and which are truly dangerous — so they wind up treating all of them as if they were the worst kind.

But screening tests like mammograms and self-exams are most adept at finding the indolent cancers, Welch says. As a result, the more we screen, the more women we subject to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for cancers that never would have harmed them. A paper published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated that for every life saved by a screening mammogram, five to 15 other women needlessly became diagnosed and treated.

Moreover, I’m informed that more money has been invested and allocated in research of breast cancer than money allocated in research of other individual forms of cancer, as seen in this Nanomedicinecenter.com article, dated February 2010:

Using the NCI as an example for cancer research and how money is allocated, according to their fact sheet breast cancer is the primary investment target for most funds and received $572.6 million in 2008 alone. The runner up following this was prostate cancer, receiving $285.4 million, with colorectal cancer coming in third at $273.7 million. The cancer receiving the least allocated funds is actually uterine cancer, being granted only $17.1 million in 2008. While current figures may vary slightly this general allocation of funds has remained the same for some years and is expected to continue as such in the future.

Good God, this is a disproportional allocation of money on breast cancer research. But that’s all thanks to the proactive campaign of women, whether they were affected by breast cancer or not, and slick marketing activities in the last few years, buoyed by powerful female-oriented organizations, A+ female Hollywood stars, and female politicians. All that pinkness is gold.

But at what costs? People dying from other forms of cancer, some are more lethal and painful than breast cancer itself.

There should be more money equally allocated to research for other cancers beside breast cancer. There should be a cancer awareness campaign to bring focus and information on all forms of cancer to many people. There should be a blue/pink ribbon for men, women and children affected by cancers, not just breast cancer.

NFL should lay off with hot pink gears on players and stick with the pink ribbon emblem on the players’ jerseys and helmets. It has nothing to do with the color of pink and the insecurity of men’s masculinity, but rather the overuse of pink color on gears (and other materials) and the conflicting message of supporting breast cancer campaign as other cancers, such as prostate cancer, affecting people in general get ignored.