Summer of Scandals!!!

wow....just when you think television is boring, scandals arise around you. i have never seen this much scandal in a span of a month for a long time. Scandals:

1. barry bonds: this is getting old! this scandal has been run through the ground, dug up, and restored. i guess he deserves it all...he is kind of a jerk! oh....and when your head and body dramatically grows and you have to get a bigger sized helmet......and you are connected to conte and balco....you are in steroid muck for the rest fo your career.

2. Tour de France: i know a lot of people do not know what the hell tour de france is but even lance armstrong tried to make it as palatable to the american conciousness. i don't think it worked! hehehehehe anyways, blood doping and steroids are the causes for scandal. everyone wants to win so bad that bicyclist are doping their blood and/or using steroids to get an advantage. it is a little bizarre sometimes when a bicyclist suddenly puts on a charge for one stage that is inhuman like. even lance armstrong has been connected to steroids. personally, i think he used it! uh oh...another scandal!

3. Referee in NBA: WHAT??!!?!?!? the nba?!??! no way?!??!?! some jerk referee bet on the games that he worked on. what the f*** is this dipshit doing. he sure gave stern a headache...heheheheehe

4. Michael Vick and allegedly dogfighting: this is just sick! how the hell do you claim that you love your dogs and then actively participate them to their inevitable death. have you ever seen a pit bull puppy? c'mon they are so beautiful! i think his cousin is going to take the rap. he will probably play again.

5. the worst of all is albert gonzalez!!!!! this guy is a total dipshit!!! he claimed that he didn't "recollect" any convesation about the firing of judicial officers. the problem is that two people, credible people, in judicial committees, contradicted him. so now the judicial department has lost its credibility. everything around bush is crumbling by the way side. i love the fact that george bush just DOESN"T care! hehehehe i don't think alberto gonzalez is george bush stupid but i really think he has no integrity whatsoever.

6. of course, the continuing scandal of george bush and how stupid he is. the question is "is he really that stupid or he just doesn't care at all?" frankly, he has a whole slew of people taking the rap for him that he can afford to be stupid and inarticualte. he is so stupid! and i don't really like saying that about my president....but GODDAMN....let's just say he doesn't split atoms in his spare time. i wonder if he has recently read a book?!?!?!?!? hmmmmmm

Transformers

i grew up with this show all throughout my childhood and i have found the first couple of episodes...check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ16d-qpBEE

What's the Difference Between Dog Fighting From Cock Fighting...or from Hunting?

do you know that dog fighting has been around for hundreds of years all over the world? do you know that cock fighting has been around as much as dog fighting? why is it that we allow cock fighting in some states but we don't allow dog fighting at all? who decides which is more cruel?

i actually saw a cock fight when i was a small child in the philippines! it was brutal and exciting at the same time. it conveyed strength and power. it was a guy thing and believe it or not, i have heard of dog fights all over the central valley of california. it is very common! i don't condone what he did but i do not have the same appalled expression toward michael vick as most of the people in united states. practically everyone hates him! animal fighting is in my state of mind. what if michael vick has expereinced this when he was a child. the same repugnance you have for him is based on the completely different expereince you may have when you were a child. if you were raised with a caring dog, you may have a repugnant feeling toward animals fighting, but as for me, to no fault of my own, i just don't like it. but i don't feel he deserves this kind of treatment.

now, if our society is making a stand here, then i think someone famous or infamous would help us determine where we are morally with this issue. but let's be consistent. what do we all think about cock fights? what do we think about hunting? hell....we allow someone to shoot a deer from hundreds of yards away and yet we don't allow dogs fighting with each other. bottom line is that we control the atmosphere and an animal is dead. which animal is more important? why is one more brutal than the other?

Guns, Germs, and Steel

this is the last email i sent to one of my colleagues who i am in discussion with the book we are reading called Guns, Germs, and Steel.

rosenberg,

just finished the book....a really good read and i am very satisfied with it.

well....i really think that this book takes away the argument that certain people are smarter than others. based on this book, it is certain enviromental factors that caused the rise of certain civilizations before others. it gives credit to biogeographical causes more than human ingenuity. thus undermines many racist groups claim of supremacy over others.

i think its a great book, particularly for someone like me. as an immigrant, living in the usa, i grew up insecure and with a chip on my shoulder because of the color of my skin. it may not be in my conciousness but certainly in my subconcious. i guess that is what you inherit living in the us school system. i know that others have pride in their cultures for the inventions and advances that they have made, and i have always acknowledged it. but being a pessimist at times, i would always accept it with a grain of salt.

now...what do i mean....my friends would embolden their excistence and shoot things like..."oh yeah man....my ancestors have discovered this and that....way before anybody".....i would agree....more to avoid conflict than anything. but underneath it all...i would always think "why the hell do europeans own the majority of capital all over the world?" "why can't your country, or my country pull itself from the third world status?"

i feel like this book really shed light to this question and i feel better about myself for reading it. don't get me wrong, i have dealt with my insecurities many times over. but this book still made profound and positive effects in my life.

i guess the more relevant question is: "how is this relevant to our students next year? i have my ideas....and it would be really neat if we discuss it.

alex

Making the Band

okay.....i have to admit....leyla watches mtv! what????? right....that's exactly my response....so sophisticated yet so cheesy. anyways, if any of you like westside story......and you like boyz to men, then you might actually like Making of the Band. its so funny how guys are so pumped up with so much testosterone, ready to compete....and what do they do? SING.....yeah its bizarre but if you have nothing else to do...you might as well check this out.

Good Movies to Watch!

i decided not to teach summer school this summer. actually, i haven't taught summer school at all. however, i have always traveled right after the last bell. this is the main reason why i haven't been to the dentist for years. i just don't like to call in sick for my teeth....hmmmmmmmm....i think i need to reevaluate my priorities.

anyways, now that we are not going to travel until august, we are struggling to figure out what the hell to do everyday! we read, we watch tv, we sleep some more, we go shopping and regretting it knowing we are not earning didly-squat, we make a mess and clean it, i play ball and we walk. sometimes we go watch a movie...here are my reviews of them:

1. sicko.....good movie. it is worth watching. not that it is difficult but certain moments were so emotional that i cried a few times. michael moore puts you in an emotional ride of being secure, then taking the blanket off your feet, helplessness, anger, blend in with a lot of humor. he reminds you that what is good is what you do outside of yourself.

2. happy feet...a good movie....a happy movie....! if you like to sing along to all the top pop songs in the last three decades, this is your movie. of course, they never considered hall and oates....

3. live free or die hard....uhhhhhh...i think i've seen this one already two decades ago. i have to admit, bruce willis is holding up pretty well. it was fun if you don't try think about the realities of life and just accept it for what it is....action film!

by the way, my friends and i saw this movie at the amc in van ness....a great building that looks restored from the depths of the ebb and flow of capitalism. and what is even more wonderful is the hole in the wall meat lovers restaurant right across the street. its called "tommies!" check it out and you'll know wht i mean.......

anyways, that's all the movies i got to watch this summer?!?!!??!

JMT: sixth day: touloumne meadows/ half dome

i can't say i have never hitched a ride in california ever again. we had to hitch a couple of miles today because we took the wrong trail and we culdn't find the general store in touloume meadows. we are getting closer to the end and we are seeing more people. its kind of sad to see this part of the sierras inundated with endless cars and giant motor homes. i tend to think you lose the connection with nature when you lug your amenities in the woods.

we got a hitch from a hiker about to start his epic hike as well. he dropped us off the general store around noon and we ordered up several welfare sandwiches for more calorie intake. we met really cool hikers called cabana boy and hitch (a couple from minnesota) in the store. we also met up with barefoot again. after we ate, noodles planned on hiking a ridiculous 14 more miles so we can get to the foot of half dome. my feet will never forgive me after this!!!

when we got to our destination, we camped and planned on waking up at 3 in the morning and hike half dome so we can catch the sun rising! again, all i could think of was my feet.

before we went to bed, we had a little surprise: two young bears tried to force themselves in our camp until we scared them off. of course, i slept in the middle of the other guys after that incident.


this is barefoot, noodles, and myself, cityfoot, up at half dome as the sun rose. it was beautiful....majestic....awesome....phew!

JMT: fifth day: I Love Rolling Meadows!

i love rolling meadows! the quiet serenity it offers is a relief from the towering robustness and unforgiving rocks the mountains offer. every time i walk through a valley, i take a deep sigh. i want to just plop down on the grassy knoll and sleep the day away but i know better. in that solemness the mosquitos await. apparently, its their heaven on earth as well adn they are not about to share it with you unless you are willing to pay the price......YOUR BLOOD! i wish i could just sling a vat of blood for them to prey on and leave me alone.

anyways, the walk is easy and i am learning to go at my own pace. the blister count has increased. they are know prevalent in both my feet but i am also used to the pain. noodles and i stopped at a stream in the valley. the night was beautiful and we decided to eat next to the stream. i can hardly walk now. i am really uncomfortable at this point because every time i take a step, pain shoots up my leg. but it hasn't kept me down at all. this is too special.

JMT: fourth day: Donohue Pass

by the way, the first picture shows noodles....he's my crazy colleague that made this all possible. he has an incredible spirit and i have never seen him without a happy disposition. i am really not sure whether that is healthy but it seems to work for him. i am really thankful for allowing me to hike with him.

the second picture is me looking over the rocks to see whether i really want to go over the pass. we are about a mile away and we have been hiking uphill on those dreaded switchbacks for an hour. my feet are killing me and my quads are about to give up on me. donuhue pass is around 11,000 feet. the tallest pass i am going to cross in my trip. the incline itself isn't so bothersome as i am realizing i have to also come down. going down the hill is what makes hiking really difficult because of all the weight you are putting on your feet, knees, and legs.

by the way, walking poles are incredible! they help defer some of the weight off you knees and they also help with your balance, especially when you are tired. highly recommended!

JMT: third day: Battle of Little Big Mosquitos

This is probably one of the more picturesque sight i have ever camped in! Noodles is taking pictures while i am quickly trying to get my bed up. this has been a very trying day for me. we have been walking continuously for 8 hours trying to reach this emmaculate place called thousand islands lake. i have been fighting off mosquitos all day while tolerating blister pains on my left foot. every time i step, i have to grimace. i have not been treating my feet very well today. i wonder what they are saying to each other.

left foot: "ouch...ouch...ouch...ouch"
right foot: "sorry bro' i feel for you. if it makes you feel any better, i have a few hot spots on my heel and the ball."
LF: "damn...i bet you he's taking something to keep the pain down cuz i'm sendin' the pain up as fast as he's steppin'"
RF: "does the terrain get any easier?" sand creeps in the shoes and grinds at us. rocks are uneven. that goddamn bag is killin' us!"
LF: "whooooopie...cold water...as much as brother penis hates the cold water and shrinks to a pea....i love cold water....cool down in the lake is my kind of backpacking!"
RF: "dyu hear?" they met another hiker and his nickname is 'barefoot.' i heard he hiked three days on his bare feet!
LF: "i hate him already".... ouch...ouch...ouch...why doesn't he stop to rest? he is so stubborn....."
RF: "this is not a race!"

anyways, we rushed up to thousand islands lake because we planned on meeting noodles' buddies there. unfortunately, they never showed up.

the war with the mosquitos are more extreme near the lakes and streams. this place is relentless. they are coming in swarms and i have about killed thousands. i try to leave the dead mosquitos on my arm to warn the others of their fate but it did't seem to work. i am tempted to lather myself with deet but i can't stand the idea that i am putting a potentially cancerous product on my body. so my hat is the weapon of choice. i can kill off three or four at a time with it! ahhhhhhh.....wind.....our savior. it sweeps them away for a while. then the night comes and we cover ourselves up and they hide off somewhere warm....i guess.

The JMT: Day Two: Blister Day

As we established ourselves atop of a rolling river, i thought to myself: blisters can make any man whimper. i'm not daniel boone but i'm not a pushover either, but i sure was whimpering. we knocked off 15 miles again and we were joined by a really interesting, humble spanish bloke from God knows where. he says he's from cadiz, but he's got an american and british passport, and his english is pretentiously perfect. it was interesting to listen to his story but i'd have to write a small novvela if i try to blog it.

again the views are spectacular and my legs are getting used to the grind. unfortunately, Day Two was a downhill excursion. i lost two of my best friends today. real stalworths in my life. i don't know if they'll ever forgive me, but Right foot and Left foot have been in anguish since this morning. I have one huge blisternext to the ball of my left foot and two blisters on the heel and small toe of my right foot. blisters are the worst thing to have during backpacking. they are incredibly painful and inevitable. you can only hope to minimize the blisters. most backpackers spend their time thinking about how the hell they got them. every backpacker has a blister experience and they have their own unique solution to them. they even like to tell you why you got them: "your shoes are new," "the sole is too thick," "its the sand, you need gaiters," "you need to find your pace." these are just a few i can remember.

anyways, the blisters i incurred wouldn't let me stand up during rests without lingering burning sensations shot through my body. i knew i was in deep doodoo for at least a couple of days. and as much as i hate to admit it, i am praying for another uphill grind, hopefuly a gradual one, just to minimize the pain these blisters are giving me.

my goal is to gain my feet's allegiance before the end of this trip. they determine whether i get to play basketball. hell...they determine whether i can do anything period. its these moments when you wish you have a case of beers to consume so the pain would stop. of course, capt. nodles would have to lug it!!!

so far i have killed over a thousand mosquitos....they are relentless!

John Muir Trail (JMT): Day One: Day of Initiation

I know i was already briefed where i was going to start and i knew it wasn't going to be easy but kind words like, "don't worry... you're fit..you can handle it."propelled me on. as the days slowly crept on, i began to get apprehensive realizing my backpack weighed as much as a small boy! how the hell am i going to hike with this crap on my back?!?!? don't get me wrong, i've been hiking before but let's get something straight right now: day hikes are day hikes, and backpacking with a house on your back, is a whole new experience.

the hike up to silver pass reached almost 11,000 feet. somewhere stored in my synapses i knew there was going to be a great climb because Chase already briefed me with his maps. but i had no idea we were going to start thousands of miles below and what it really meant until the day of initiation. the hike started out fine. praises were thrown my way consideringthis was really my first time ever. but the incline started to burn my quads. i wonder if chase was going to continue the torrid pace, and after a few hours of climbing i soon realized this man was crazy! he kept saying the pass was right around the corner..."it won't be long."
response in my mind: "it goddamn better not be!"
to my credit i never thought about bailing out, especially after meeting hikers twice my age having already hiked hundreds of miles. i have to admit, they are a unique group of people. just doing the first pass, i'm realizing that this is a unique experience and half the fun is trying to figure out why people are doing it. they even have monickers for each other. Chase is captain noodles. mine is yet to be determined.

they say it takes to days to get acquainted to the elevation, the sun, the terrain, the mosquitos, so i have another day of endless anguish. at the moment, i feel like a masochist who apparently loves nature. Can i just go to golden gate park instead?

by the way, the views are incredible! every where i turn, i think of framing it. equally, you must pay for such a treat. you have to lug a 40 pound bag on your back. the air is thin. your legs will burn. and you must wage war with the ever present mosquitos. and after all of that, i still think it is worth it.