Don't be shy - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. Lots of false outrage going round over the University of Alabama’s Alpha Phi sorority recruitment video. Are people really pretending that sorority life isn’t exactly as it is depicted in the video? The University can’t actually be surprised that its campus Greek organizations are hugely segregated and homogenous. Ask most Americans what is their first image to mind when mentioned of Sororities, and I bet that picture is exactly as depicted in that Alpha Phi video. The only outrage should be towards the people who are in denial to the realities of Greek life.

2. I’m glad Fat Jew, a thief profiting off the works of others and none of his own, is finally getting his moment of scorn by the mainstream media. Good-bye, book deal. Farewell, Comedy Central Show. In today’s Internet landscape where content is absolutely everything, stealing the genuine work of other creators for your own gain is a cardinal sin. Josh Ostrovsky ought to just disappear and never come back.

However, let’s not kid ourselves: the issue of content thievery is much bigger than Fat Jew. Tumblr and Instagram alone are rife with accounts that do nothing but re-blog or straight up steal – accounts with immense following, at that. These swindlers make money off the backs of real content creators by selling ad space to companies eager to reach a vast and young audience, without a care for authenticity or originality, or by hawking their own merchandise.

The public prosecution of Fat Jew isn’t at all likely to change that status quo. Unfortunately, it’s up to artists and creatives to be vigilant about the work ending up elsewhere when it shouldn’t be, and to confront the thieves publicly when it does occur.

3. John Oliver’s establishment of Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption church just might be his biggest coup yet. In an attempt to point out the glaring exploitation and hypocrisy of evangelical churches and the IRS, Oliver set up his own place of worship to show just how easy - and legal – it is to cheat people out of their hard-earned money. 

The fact that all proceeds from the exercise will go to the Doctors Without Borders, one of the most impeccable humanitarian organizations in existence, is simply the best. If you got a few dollars to spare, I urge you to donate to Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption; it’s the proverbial killing of two birds (laughing at the IRS and contributing towards MSF) with one stone.

4. It’s been a horrible year for motorsport. Barely off the mourning period for Jules Bianchi, it’s devastating to lose Justin Wilson this past weekend. What’s most troubling and disappointing is that both incidents could’ve been very much prevented. I’ve been an avid fan of open-cockpit racing cars for the longest time (still follow Formula One religiously), but with the speeds reached with these modern cars, and the circumstances of Bianchi and Wilson’s death, the time has come to enact some form of head protection (beyond the lone helmet) for open-cockpit cars. 
I believe cockpit protection will happen within the next few years in all Grand Prix series, though it’s a continuing shame that lives need to be lost for motorsport to improve upon safety. Yes, it’s a dangerous sport, but the strive for better safety should be constant and proactive, rather than reactionary.

Justin Wilson donated six of his organs to save their respective recipients from meeting his same fate; a gentleman racer of the highest order indeed, right down to the very last moment.

5. I’m happy to support artists and buying their prints, but no way am I spending hundreds of a mere frame. Wasting money on such appendages is the domain of the one-percent, which I am most definitely not a part of. However, works of art - even the casual photograph or poster - should never go unframed. I simply purchase the cheapest poster frame on Amazon approximate to size and it’ll suffice very nicely.

6. I don't have much sympathy for people that leave expensive items in their car, and then subsequently it get broken into and the items stolen. I leave absolutely nothing in the car but the necessary documents and a pack of gum. Even a locked glove box or out-of-sight trunk isn’t comfortable enough for me to put anything of value whilst I’m away. For people that grew up in poor neighbors like I did, this is automatic: cars get broken into everyday in “the hood”. I suspect those that are cavalier with leaving their belongings in automobiles grew up in areas where they didn’t have to worry about such woes of society. Must be nice.

7. There was a sizable earthquake in the early morning hours a week back, and I slept through the brief entirety of it. This is not a good. Living in San Francisco, the BIG tremor is all but inevitability. I sincerely hope when it does arrive, it’s during the daytime, cause I’m going to be in a bad situation if it were to occur during slumber hours.

I don’t think it’s safe for me to live alone. I need someone more alert and aware than I to wake me to the danger.

8. Sesame Street has moved from PBS to HBO, so the first question should be: who’s going to get killed off?

9. If you’re the proverbial car-guy or petrol-head, the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has got to be on your list. What a spectacular event! It’s chocked full of vintage racing cars in a full-access paddock, allowing you to be as close to these wondrous machines as you’d ever imagined. And the noise; a cacophony of mechanical whine, chatter, and screams can be heard all day long. You’ll need earplugs, but you won’t want them because the sound is that intoxicating.

And to see these priceless cars (A 250 GTO worth $25 million, as an example) on a race track, with their respective owners giving them the full beans, is just about the epitome of car enthusiasm. I will be back, if not next year.

10. Extremely happy and excited that this year’s Playstation Experience will be held in my very own city of San Francisco. It was in Vegas the previous year, and I had planned a trip this year thinking it would be back at the same venue. The switch to Moscone West convention center saves me the hassle and money of traveling, which is just lovely. I’m most anticipating towards more news of the forthcoming Final Fantasy VII remake come the event in early December. 

Love is love - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. How serendipitous and fitting that the United States Supreme Court effectively legalized same-sex marriage across the nation the same week the annual Pride celebrations are happening. It must’ve have been a raucously good time this past weekend at the respective parties and parades. It’s very well deserved, too.

I think even the most optimistic of us would say that we’d never thought the day love ultimately prevails would come so soon, but damn was it such a moment. It was especially fun turning to Fox News after the ruling was handed down to watch conservative squirm and yell at the clouds in resounding defeat. Religious freedom? You’ve still got it, my fellow Americans. Gay people marrying aren’t going to all of the sudden corrupt whatever’s going on inside your Church. As for what you call “traditional marriage” and “core family”, please explain to me the national divorce rate.

2. Apple Music launched yesterday, and I’m in love with it thus far. I most enjoy the ability to cue up my own music library right on the phone (a function I use often in iTunes on the Mac), letting me interject the playlist with a new song without disturbing the rest of the list. I can also now see the once shuffled song list, and can rearrange the track order to my liking. Cuing up a set of songs for my weekly runs is going to be much easier and more enjoyable.

The brand new, 24-hours live BEATS1 radio station has supplanted my go-to Pandora station as the in-car music of choice. Apple is brilliant in bringing back the human element to Internet radio, something I did not realize I missed until I fired up BEATS1 yesterday evening. I can’t wait to try the Apple Music playlists that are designed by music experts from round the globe. Even the non-curated, algorithmic radio stations have been much better than the previously atrocious effort - I can listen without it turning into a total skip-fest.

3. The Greece debt crisis situation is putting an enormous damper to my international stock holdings. It’s continuously baffling to me how a country that makes up only 2% of the entire Euro Zone output can affect such disastrous consequences if its economy were to fail. Perhaps the UK was smart to keep its pound sterling and not integrate to the Euro currency, because the European Union’s singular monetary device is precisely the reason why the other nations feel impelled to prop up tiny little Greece time and time again.

On a related International fiscal tangent, the Chinese stock market isn’t look so good, either.

4. Donald Trump made some outrageous and highly erroneous comments regarding Mexican immigrants during his campaign announcement, yet it’s incredibly telling that not one single person from the field of GOP presidential candidate hopefuls came out to denounce his statements. Their silence on the matter might as well be the equivalent of a tacit endorsement, which is not exactly surprising given the recent anti-immigration history of the conservative party.

Good to see Univision and NBC Universal take stand against the ignorant Trump in disassociating themselves from the Miss USA pageant, even when its likely not in their greater financial interest to do so. Freedom of speech is only freedom consequence from the Government, Donald.

5. The final Top Gear episode, as known and renowned in its current formula, aired the past Sunday. It was a bittersweet moment indeed for me seeing for the very last time the trio of Clarkson, Hammond, and May on the television screen as Top Gear presenters. Of course, the three will undoubtedly move on to do another motoring show on another medium, but that happy thought doesn’t diminish the melancholy of the occasion at all.

I quite literally grew up on Top Gear. I’ve always had an affinity towards cars, but BBC’s famed motoring show taught me how to love them, and enjoy the automobile for the fun and freedom they represent. The program never fascinated itself too much with numbers and specifications; the endgame is precisely about driving, and how a car makes you feel when doing so. The show’s stunning and awe-inspiring cinematography was the perfect playground to showcase the world’s beautiful locales being made better by the roaring sounds of an automobile.  

This golden-era of Top Gear will be dearly missed.

6. When I do my running exercise on Sundays, I always head to Chipotle afterwards for the post-workout meal. This past weekend, I ran at an earlier time than usual, leading me to discover that Chipotle chains don’t open for business until 11AM. Unfortunate for me, I finished my exercise around 10 AM. First world problem for sure, but I didn’t particularly enjoy having to wait that hour for the local Chipotle to open up. I might need to find another spot to satiate myself after running.

7. Media coverage of the annual “Race to the Clouds” Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has got me extremely excited about my trip there in two weeks’ time. While I won’t have quite the same machinery as I make my very own drive up the famed mountain (a rental Nissan Versa, as it’s projected), I’ll be too busy taking in the spectacular scenery to care. I just hope the weather cooperates and the latter half of Pikes Peak wouldn’t be shut down due to snow, like it did for the hill climb. 

8. John Oliver is on the absolute point, as usual: 

9. The end of Justice Kennedy’s opinion on the same-sex marriage ruling is simply beautiful:

10. This: 

Live for the night - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. I can’t believe I lived to see the Golden State Warriors win an NBA championship. I honestly never thought I’d see it in my lifetime. It’s a wonderful time to be alive as a fan of sports in the Bay Area, what with the San Francisco Giants’ dynastic run, and now, this. I feel most happy for the legions of diehard Warrior fans that have stuck with the team through many decades of misery; the 2015 title is for you folks. I know the exact feeling back in 2010 when the Giants won the World Series for the first time in over 50 years.

2. This is not a drill: Square Enix will be remaking the beloved Final Fantasy VII game for the Playstation 4 system! After over a decade of constant wanting, anticipation, and many disappointments, I cannot believe this is finally happening. Towards the end of the reveal trailer at the Sony E3 press conference, faint tears were streaming from my bewildered eyes. That fact that Tetsuya Nomura is spearheading the remake as director, alongside much of the original team, makes the announcement that much better.

Now the wait truly begins. The game is being outsourced to another studio so I’ve hope that it will be out in time to celebrate the original game’s 20th anniversary in 2017.

3. Sony also showed The Last Guardian, and Shenmue 3 at its E3 press conference. I honestly felt like a kid again while watching the proceedings. This has been an E3 for the ages, one that Sony will quite literally have to hand out free PS4 systems in future shows in order to match 2015 for pure awesomeness.

4. I think Jon Stewart might be ruing his decision to leave The Daily Show, what with the smorgasbord of characters who are running for the Republican presidential ticket. Donald Trump has thrown his hat in, for god’s sake! The jokes will write themselves.

That said, I’m quite excited to see what new host Trevor Noah can do. I reckon he’ll be brilliant.

5. I’d no idea the Jurassic World movie would be such a huge deal. Can’t believe it beat the second Avengers’ opening weekend box office numbers! I’ve been antagonistic towards movie studios rebooting the crap out of all the classic movies, but I guess nostalgia really does sell - to the tune of a 200 million domestic weekend.

As for me, I’m not watching Jurassic World in theatres. I much rather give my money to originators and creators of new ideas and stories, which is why I absolutely adore Christopher Nolan.

6. John Oliver will have to regurgitate that Bud Light Lime he drank of Sepp Blatter does rescind on his resignation as FIFA president. I personally wouldn’t be surprised if old Sepp pulls off the switcheroo: a sizable contingent of federation countries is still in full support of him.

7. Congratulations to Porsche for winning first overall at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Beating Audi in LMP1 at that historic venue is no easy task, as Toyota and Peugeot can attest to. Guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer still for the first Japanese manufacturer since Mazda to win the legendary endurance race (the pace of the Nissan LMP1 effort was utterly disappointing.) Hope it happens when I’m actually there to witness the whole spectacle.

8. It seems Cristiano Ronaldo only scores for his country Portugal when it’s a non-World Cup type match. He is otherwise downright useless during the quadrennial world tournament.

9. I’m madly in love with coffee, but I seldom - if ever - drink it because its innate acidity doesn’t jive well with the linings of my stomach. Recently though, I found out the cold-brew method of making coffee, which lowers the acidity level by two-thirds. Suffice it to say, I was excited about the prospects of drinking coffee regularly again. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be: even cold-brewed coffee proves too acidic for my innards. Shame, I’ll just have to continue to drink tea.

10. I take great joy in seeing Pablo Sandoval struggling in Boston, while the Giants’ Matt Duffy continues to thrive at third base. Karma is real indeed. 

No 관심 in that bag - 10 things I think

10 THINGS I THINK

1. It’s official: the mighty BBC has sacked Clarkson from Top Gear due to what has been humorously categorized as a ‘fracas’. It’s absolutely an end of an era for the venerable motoring show. Hammond and May are both likely to follow Clarkson to whatever he does next.

All good things must come to an end, right? I positively grew up on Top Gear, and it’s quite the melancholic moment when the news broke. I’m likely to still watch whomever the BBC choses to replace the three hosts, but deep down, long-time fans of the show all understand that it will never be the same. 

I still want that LaFerrari, 918, and P1 track battle, by the way. Make it happen, BBC. 

2. It was my understanding that you’d have to be born in these United States to run for the presidency, so someone will need to explain to me how on earth is Ted Cruz - born in Canada - is campaigning for the Republican party nomination. Actually, don’t bother; he’s got zero chance to win the ticket anyways. 

3. It’s a damn shame that with a reigning German world champion constructor, a German driver fighting for the title, and Seb Vettel in a rejuvenated Ferrari car, the German Grand Prix got cancelled for 2015. Worse, it’s position on future F1 calendars is very much in doubt. I join the chorus of F1 fans that lament the continuing lost of ‘tradition’ European races on historic and classic circuits, in exchange for far-flung, uninteresting circuits in oil-rich countries that no one cares about. 

4. After watching John Oliver’s brilliant takedown on the NCAA evil empire, I refrained myself from filling out a March Madness bracket this year. I also did not watch a single game. Call it a boycott, call it having got something better to do than sit in front of the television the entire day, watching sports that ultimately have to effect on my life many years from now. 

5. They never said it was going to be cheap: I just had the first major service done on my WRX STI, and it most certainly wasn’t kind to the wallet. It’s what happens when on top of being a high-performance car, it’s got one extra set of axles more than the typical car (being all-wheel drive and all). The dealership change practically all the fluids in the car: engine oil, coolant, brake, gearbox, and three differentials. They would’ve even washed the car too, but I instructed them otherwise. 

Some of you might ask, why don’t you simply do the work yourself and save a bit of coin? The answer to that is simple: I value my time, plus the fact I live in an apartment complex that hasn’t got the requisite space to perform vehicle maintenance (it also violates the lease agreement). I much rather pay the few hundred for a certified dealership to take care of servicing the car, all the while I’m at work earning. Besides, having a paper-trail does well to the resale value - if I do decide to part with the WRX. 

6. The first weekend of May is going to be absolutely spectacular: the much anticipated second Avengers movie comes out in theatres, and that particular Saturday night is the showdown fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao. I’m so looking forward to it. 

7. Of course I want one those slim and shiny new Macbooks, but I reckon at it’s current first-generation state, it’s just a bit underpowered for what I need. Much like the genesis Macbook Air, it’ll take some time and evolution before the new Macbook can be a machine fit for general consumption. That’s why I’m likely to acquire a Macbook Air in the near future instead. The 11 inch version is arguably more portable anyways.

On other hand (no pun intended), I’m completely uninterested in the forthcoming Apple Watch. I prefer my timepieces to be mechanical, hand-crafted, and exquisite, thank you very much.

8. Congratulations to the Golden State Warriors on their Pacific Division championship. It won’t be long until the time is ripe for me to jump on the bandwagon. Hashtag no shame.

9. I wonder if Meghan Trainor prefers a man with bass and no treble. Something tells me it’s likely the other way round. Her hit song isn’t about confident body-image, it’s about I’m fat and I’m to lazy to loose weight but love me anyways because I’m awesome.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

10. As a person well into his 20s, I tend to take it as flattery when I get carded at bars and clubs. Oh, you think I look young enough to be 21? That’s so awesome! 

However, recently I got carded while purchasing tickets at the cinema to a rated R movie. Apparently, I look younger than 17 to the ticketing person, and that I actually find quite insulting. I’m not sure why that is as it’s but a four year difference from 17 to 21, but I guess as a full-fledged adult, you never want to be accused of still looking like a teenager.