Wednesday, November 5, 2008
I-1000 WTF
Okay. This is exactly what happens when you take something as important as human life, and transform it from a moral issue, to a political issue. Morally, there is absolutely no debate. AT ALL. If you are religious then God gave you life, one of the greatest gifts of all and any form of conscious decision to inject life-ending chemicals into your body is suicide. SUICIDE. Even if you're not religious that is horrible. Don't dress it up with fancy names like "death with dignity" because you have chosen to end your own life. Which is suicide. I refuse to believe that Washington has chosen to fund an initiative that is a result to a problem, not the solution, instead of spending money and effort on ways to actually cure people.
A political issue. People are so caught up in fighting for individual rights in every arena where freedom of choice can be possibly interjected, that this belligerent nonsense has affected how people view life: as nothing more than a political agenda. He should chose! On his terms! How to end his life! Okay! Emo kids! Hear that? You can end your suffering too. Because Washington has spoken and it's okay to end your life, as long as its own YOUR terms.
I realize that those who suffer from terminal illnesses, especially cancer, suffer greatly. They suffer at the hands of a disease which deals such devasting pain, it makes daily life unbearable. So I would ask people, honestly. Wouldn't you then want to invest money that goes to I-1000 into actually finding a cure so people don't have to suffer these diseases? Instead of just giving up hope and offering people an easy way out. I think from my own personal view, that people who fight their disease all the way to the end of their life, have lived with dignity and died with dignity. And I've also heard arguments that they don't want to financially burden their loved ones with their medical costs. That's bullshit. If they are truly your loved ones, they would do whatever they could to keep you alive, no matter what the costs.
Dying with dignity does not mean a thing. Choosing when and how you die does not mean you have died with dignity. Instead, choosing to defy death, all the way to the end, despite the odds, despite the overwhelming sense of hopelessness, you have chosen to live on and not just take an easy way out. And you have not given up hope.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Bush.
"Hey look Paul, it's a monkey."
"Hey Jim! That's not a monkey, it's our President, George Bush!"
"Hey, you're right!"
So. Bush was a dumbass. Alright. Cool. Accurate representation of more than half this country anyways so get off your high horse and get some new jokes. Jesus Christ. The top three things Bush has been critizied. Let's break them down.
1. Invading Iraq: I realize that this was extremely damaging to the image of America in the International community, but let's flash back to 2001. EVERYONE screamed for action in America. So when Iraq was brought up, I don't really recall anyone saying anything bad about it. Even though, there was very clearly, no correlation between the country of Iraq and the terrorists who attacked America. Which we, of course, didn't figure out until later. And don't even get me started why we were attacked. Because it was not completely unwarranted and it's time we own up to our actions.
2. OMG HE LOOKS FUNNY: Wow. That's real mature. Do you know what his political agenda was for tax breaks? Or maybe his position on international terrorism? Oh who gives a shit. MONKEY HE LOOKS LIKE A MONKEY! -_- That's interesting, coming from a nation that has a population of a few million, 63% of which are grossly overweight. That's right fat boy, laugh it up.
3. He can't speak: I would of course, like to remind the very same people who critize George Bush probably said something like this, 'OMG wat a dumbass. like, he cant say nuclear. HAHA wat a tard'. The same people who laugh that Bush can't pronounce 'nuclear' are probably the same pricks who don't know the difference between then and than, and are probably more used to typing 'lol, omg, lmao, ur, rite'. Grammer and spelling in America is atrocious. Most people can't string together a coherent sentance without chopping it up with 'like' every two words in front of a classroom, let alone on global T.V. or a general assembly of several thousand people.
Citius Altius Fortius
I am of course, referring to the Olympics. Ah the Olympics. A time for athletes around the world to show their stuff in hopes of bringing pride and honor to their team, their country, and maybe even a little for themselves. Citius. Altius. Fortius. Swifter. Higher. Stronger. Congratulations by the way, to Michael Phelps for achieving something that no one has done in the history of the Olympics. The advertising endorsements he could milk out of this will probably ensure that he is set for life or at least until the next Olympics where he can break another record.
It's a bit sad though. The Olympics have strayed far from what their original purpose had been designed for by the ancient Greeks. Each ring, as you may know, is linked together with a variation of colors. There are five, which signify the five known inhabited continents and the colors red, blue, white, green, yellow and black were chosen because every flag in the world has at least one of those colors. What all this symbolism means, is that the Olympics were meant (and still meant) to represent international cooperation through traditional sports and sportsmanship that every nation can understand, no matter what their color, religion, ethnicity, or language.
Yet the Olympics have been used, simply as an event on a larger, grander, political agenda. Unfortunately the Olympic committee thought they could do the same thing to China as they did Korea back in 1988 or many other countless examples where the Olympics were 'strategically' placed to pressure the given country into moving foreword in whatever fault they seem to be stuck in.
This is no fun. Especially when human right violations and the whole fact that China's government is still very much like the communist government we got into so many ideological wars about. Reporters being kidnapped, the audiences being either shunned or censored, Chinese athletes being younger than they're reported, and of course, shamming even the opening ceremonies by having a more attractive Chinese girl lip syncing the opening song while the 'ugly one' was back stage. Of course, I'm sure to a certain extent the U.S. is guilty of doing these same things but back to my point.
The Olympics are about international unity and sportsmanship. Which is also why America should stop with the Michael Phelps. Here's my take on Michael. He did great. I'm proud an American accomplished such a feat and I realize American media is all about seeing which AMERICAN won in each event so let me ask everyone to realize that Phelps was awesome, but we should not let his accomplishments take away from everyone's else who competed in the Olympics. I was watching Women's crew and America kicked ass. Woots. They won by a landslide and it was EPIC. Next up was Men's and I think they won as well, I can't remember. But NBC decided instead of having an interview with either team, they went straight back to talk about what type of pasta Michael Phelps ate when he was a kid.
"As unbelievable as Michael Phelps’ 8 gold medals are, let’s keep things into perspective: he competes in a sport where they hand out medals like free lunches. He obviously is dominating his sport unlike anyone since Mark Spitz, but we should hesitate on handing him the title of “Greatest Olympian” because of how many medals are available to win. Someone like Lisa Leslie has 4 golds in as many Olympics because she can only win one every year, but she’s not even in the running."
-Rene Ramos
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
President.
For example: John Mccain (Or his campaign staff) came up with the brilliant idea for an advertising campaign to compare Paris Hilton and Brittney Spears...to Barrack Obama. Now. While I am an Obama fan, I find this particular bit of advertising to be childish and hurtful to Mccain's image. Unfortunately, the vast majority of American voters who don't know jack shit nothing, are going to be voting because of characteristics and letting bad characteristics sway their decision.
Barack Obama will lose votes because he is young, inexperienced, and is a bit of a wussy. Not only that but he trumps the race card every oppertunity he gets, which kind of makes him seem like an arrogant ass. John Mccain is a saggy old man, who's bitter at the world because he was a POW in North Vietnam. Which he also trimps in every oppertunity he gets which makes HIM seem like an arrogant ass. Unfortunately, Mccain will most likely be hurting his image than helping it with the release of his campaign ad in an attempt to devalue the image of Obama.
And unfortunately. What I wrote above is ALL of what the majority of voters will see and base their vote upon. It's ridiculous.
On a lighter note: George Bush is doing his best to save face as he exits the White House. And he's doing a pretty decent job. Recently, Bush compromised with North Korea by taking North Korea's name off of the "Terrorist Nation" list in exchange with North Korea dismantling it's main nuclear reactor. Strategically, this is a huge step foreword in American-Korean policy as before this, America has given no ground or compromise when dealing with North Korea. Furthermore, in light of the Olympics, Bush has begun cornering China over their human rights violations, a touchy subject with the Bush administration because up until now, they've been too diplomatically tied up to make any moves on China over their rights violations.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Lately.

So I dropped summer quarter. After a while I've decided to catalog the reasons for me dropping it.
1. Japanese is a hard language. I'm not gonna sugar coat it with any other reasons, but it is. It's hard and I don't have it in me to do it and do it well. I know what I can and can't do.
2. I really need to get good grades. I get the feeling rushing a whole year of second year Japanese is going to kill my struggling GPA and I need high grades for exchange programs I'm looking into my Senior Year.
3. Financially unneeded. I plan on minoring in Japanese which requires only three years of Japanese. Therefore, second year can be taken my junior year and my third year will count for Japanese language requirement and I will be done. This is more financially acceptable.
4. I can work alot. Not much of a reason, but 40 hour weeks is appealing to one with little money.
5. Let's be real. I'm lazy. I need this time off. And I'm sort of a pussy. But oh well.
I guess the real reason I'm pissed off, is because of how much I feel like a burden. It always feels that whatever I do, whether it's right or wrong, it comes at a steep price. Like there are always dire consequences on a financial or psychological scale. Which means that in order to appease I must bend over and take it in the ass. I am of course, referring to the relationship with my parents.
Recently I talked to my brother about this problem and he told me. "Well you should just do whatever they tell you."
It might be because I've been at this liberal college for a while, but whenever someone tells me to "just do something because someone else tells you to" I seriously question that logic and most likely shoot off in the other direction. To me, if you follow that line of logic then you are a tool.
But that's not so bad, because in some ways, it makes things easier. You just don't have a mind of your own.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
People.
I have an interesting story I’d like to share. I was coming back from work yesterday and I was tired and pretty irritated at people in general. Yeah, I get pretty anti-social after working at Jamba Juice because customer service kinda drags my whole tolerance level down. Anyways, I was up near 45th and I was about to cross the street when some random guy smiled and waved. Now the first thing that goes through my head is panic, because I have a terrible memory and with my sporadic drinking episodes I tend to forget faces and names. So I go through about 5 seconds of a horrible, awful sinking sensation that I’ve met him before. Yet as hard as I try to remember, I’m pretty sure I never met him before. The second thing that crossed my mind is how in awe I was on how normal he looked. I mean going to UW, people wave at you all the time, yet they have kind of an eccentric look to them. Yet he was nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, if he didn’t wave, I’m pretty sure I would have walked right by him with a grim expression of “I’m tired don’t fuck with me” type of mentality.
My point. Since I’ve started working at Jamba Juice, which was two months ago, I’ve met a lot of new people. In fact, it wasn’t just Jamba Juice, but this year in general. More specifically, my roommate Dana, who I met through Facebook ads. And what’s weird is how closely I’ve gotten to know so many people over such a short period of time. I mean, there are certain aspects of my life, I’m sure, that many of the new people I’ve met don’t actually know about, but it’s increasingly shrinking.
And let’s face it. For the majority of people who know me, I think I strike as being closed off. And that’s just what I thought was part of my personality. Yet it’s interesting to me how easily people are actually willing to be friendly with one another. You think, walking around UW campus that most people are just narrow mindedly focused on getting from point A to point B. But it’s crazy. If you stop, and I mean really stop, you’ll see how generally, other people like to meet other people. Just like at Jamba Juice, or the awkward crosswalk story.
It might be because I’m stuck in a perpetual cycle of making sure I don’t piss anyone off and how worried I am about what other people think, but to me, this blew my mind. You can call me a pussy I don’t care, but it's crazy. People really do just like meeting each other and being friendly. S0 wave to a stranger. Meet a new person. Who knows it could be your new best friend.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Every New Day.
When I was young, the smallest trick of light,
Could catch my eye,
Then life was new and every new day,
I thought that I could fly.
I believed in what I hoped for,
And I hoped for things unseen,
I had wings and dreams could soar,
I just don't feel like flying anymore.
When the stars threw down their spears,
Watered Heaven with their tears,
Before words were spoken,
Before eternity.
Dear Father, I need you,
Your strength my heart to mend.
I want to fly higher,
Every new day again.
When I was small, the furthest I could reach,
Was not so high,
Then I thought the world was so much smaller,
Feeling that I could fly.
Through distant deeps and skies,
Behind infinity,
Below the face of Heaven,
He stoops to create me.
Dear Father, I need you,
Your strength my heart to mend.
I want to fly higher,
Every new day again.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Goodbye.

I'm actually really not that good with dealing with my emotions I've realized. I think that's interesting because most people seem to think that I'm personable. For as honest as I claim to be with my feelings, I actually cover up a lot of how I really feel as to not get hurt. That's why sarcasm is AMAZING.
Even then, I can't really be honest with myself. It's sad. But there's one thing I know for sure and that I hate saying goodbye. There's something so final about it, admitting that it's the end. And it's kind of depressing because it seems like there's no hope for the future.
When I say goodbye, to me it means, thanks for everything. Exit life stage left. And I don't really know if I handle it too well. That's why I'll either distance myself or just write emo crap like this.
So I just act like a little kid and spend my time wishing for the impossible.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Balance.
Especially time. Looking too far ahead, you lose track of the now. And looking too far back, you end up living in the past, same mistakes over and over again.
I want to find balance (and I sincerely hope I can achieve that without religious aid) and I hope that those around me find balance as well. Especially since I know life can throw you off balance at any time.
Justice is balance. Peace and tranquility is balance. Life needs more balance.
Friday, June 6, 2008
My Enemy.
I am my own worst enemy.
I got into a fight with my parents yesterday and it was probably one of the most intense fights I have had with them so far.
Looking back at it, I realize I'm still a child and I still have a long ways to go.
In a sense, I feel misunderstood, but I complain about something that seems so mundane that I can't grasp the bigger picture. And I struggle. I really do, to grasp it but it slips through my fingers each time I reach for it.
Nothing is worse, than being preached there are those who love you. But when you scream and scream and scream and you realize no one is there. But if they're there, they're above out of sight out of mind.
It's interesting, my mom and I are actually more alike then I think either one of us care to admit. She's full of pride, always needing to be the ultimate authority on things, one of the most closed minded people I will ever meet who thinks of herself as open minded. But what can I say, I'm most of those things too.
I think I've lost what it means to truly love. I like to bandy words about like caring, but in terms of love? I don't know it seems so lost to me that I seem so callous to those around me. So impersonal and cold. I can't make myself love, but I'm not trying either.
So I sit and I wonder.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Change.

Barack Obama, if he becomes President of the United States, will bring change.
And it's not even just the policies he preaches or even the speeches that he gives. His mere presence has already improved general foreign opinion of the United States. Which is something the United States needs right now. Change. Especially after having their reputation torn to shreds because of the Bush administration.
And it's not because of band-wagoning on George Bush and his occasional speech errors. But his policies, especially dealing with Iraq, have been especially destructive because it discredits the United States and instills fear into the world because of the United State's disregard for the United Nations, her allies, or just the world in general.
But it's important for the American people not to simply jump on the most popular figurehead because as it's been proven before, that leads to error. Remember, after 9/11 the whole United States as a people rose up and demanded for the invasion of Iraq without really understanding what was going on. So again, understand. If you know what Obama stands for, awesome. If not, open a newspaper.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/world/05react.html?ref=world
Acceptance.

People try, so hard to be accepted by society.
Probably because most people are afraid of being alone, which in truth, is pretty scary.
But in truth, acceptance in itself can be dangerous.
How will people view me? How can I best portray who I am to the world? Or not. Because of judgment. Because of fear. Wanting to hide, run, shy away from the world, or jump naked before the eyes of millions in a breathless, thoughtless action of hope.
Or even worse, trying to stand out when countless others stand up as well, in a never-ending race to achieve 'unique'.
And then you stop. And ask why did I start this race? This side-marathon. Youtube is ultimate proof of this. Outdoing one another. Doing more and more crazy things. All for acceptance.
Everyone has low self esteems, I think. We cannot choose to accept ourselves, so we look for others to accept us. Supernatural beings even, such as religion. Anything, anyone, imaginary or not to accept and love us for who we are no matter what we do.
And acceptance, well. Is it so bad?
