Today, we drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu so Justin could go on a hike. The highway, which runs from Southern California all the way to Washington, has the Pacific Ocean and its beaches on one side and bluffs on the other. It's quite a site.

The beaches were mostly barren, since it's winter and cold by Southern California standards. Despite the weather, there were surfers on some of the beaches taking in the waves. Also on the beaches were lifeguard towers which, of course, were made famous by Baywatch. I even saw a pick-up truck that looked exactly like the one in the show. Unfortunately, I didn't see any lifeguards that looked like Yasmine Bleeth or Gena Lee Nolin. What a letdown. Can't the AHH-nold, the "governor," change this?

Posted by tien mao in TV at 7:18 PM

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Ask any guy and they will tell you that playing with flowers is their favorite way to spend their vacation. Wait, nobody would say that, but that's what I did today. A few weeks ago, my local Michigan Alumni chapter forwarded an invitation to decorate Rose Bowl Parade floats from the L.A. chapter. When I read the e-mail, it sounded like a fun thing to do. I would get to see the floats up close and see what goes into making the end product. I can't say that the actual work lived up to the expectations though. There were a lot of volunteers that came out to help, so some of us had better tasks than others. Justin and I spent all our time cutting flowers. We used razor blades to cut most of the stems off and then placed the flowers into little water things so they would stay fresh through the parade, which is on New Year's Day. Exciting, I know. We did this for almost 4 hours! In-freaking-sane. I think I have repetitive stress syndrome. There were some other people that actually decorated the floats, but I would say the bulk of the people were doing the same thing Justin and I were doing. There was, however, one great thing...there was free pizza. It was Domino's, but free pizza is free pizza.

The floats that we were "working on" were the Big 10 float, the Disney float, and the China Airlines float. We went through an insane amount of flowers by the time we left. There were at least 100 empty buckets when we were done, with 100 flowers in each bucket. You do the math. It also seemed like most of the flowers were daises and not roses. Yes, a shocker. Especially since it's called the Rose Bowl Parade.

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 11:15 PM

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This morning, my trip didn't exactly get off to the best start. I boarded the bus to LaGuardia and was sitting there reading my newspaper when the bus driver ran in and yelled, "get out of the bus, the back of the bus is on fire!" Not exactly what you want to hear while you are sitting towards the back of the bus. It was also nice of the driver to take his stuff and run out before letting the passengers off.

After getting to the airport, everything ran smoothly from NYC to Detroit. Well, as smooth as can be for Northwest. My flight from Detroit to Los Angeles was packed with parents with babies. Not really the most pleasant experience when you are on a five hour flight. As a bonus, however, Verne Troyer was on the plane.

Lactating women. Hmm...how do I explain this? Since there were many infants and very young children on the flight, there was naturally some breast feeding going on. This didn't occur to me right away though. I tend to like looking at young children (not in the Jacko kind of way) and making faces to see if I can get a reaction. But today, in two separate incidences, I looked at two kids and didn't realize for at least 5 seconds that they were feeding while I was looking at them. Oops.

But now, I'm here, in L.A., which is cold and in the 50s. Bah. On the plus side, I've already had In-N-Out Burger.

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 2:05 AM

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I'm off to Los Angeles today and will return to New York on January 4th. I'll probably be doing entries, but just once a day, if at all. While in L.A., I'll be chilling with Justin and hopefully taking in some sites. Oh, I'll also be attending the Rose Bowl and cheering for Michigan. Go Blue!

Also on the agenda, decorating some Rose Bowl Parade floats on the 30th and hitting up In-N-Out Burger daily.

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 7:15 AM

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***note: I (Tien Mao) do not gamble for money, I merely pick games against the spread for entertainment purposes and to see how I would do if I gambled for money.***

In early November, I nealry made the football pick'em pantheon, but was foiled by the Monday Night Football game. That week vaulted me into first place in the friendly non-money wagering pool I am in. Now, in the final weekend, my lead is a measly 3 games. I have 136 games picked correctly against the spread, which is 57% of the games. 1st place comes down to 6 games - Jets/Dolphins, Bears/Chiefs, Colts/Texans, Panthers/Giants, Raiders/Chargers, Steelers/Ravens.

All games are against the spread. My picks are as follows (home teams in caps, my picks in bold):
- Jets vs. DOLPHINS (-3.5)
- Bears (+9.5) vs. CHIEFS
- Colts vs. TEXANS (-6.5)
- Panthers (+5.5) vs. GIANTS
- Raiders vs. CHARGERS (-3.5)
- Steelers (+7.5) vs. RAVENS

Wish me luck.

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 2:25 PM

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I'm famous! (click on image for full article)

Who would have thunk that I would ever be in the venerable New York Times, but today it has happened. Back on December 5th, I posted a photo of a taped over crosswalk sign that I saw while walking around Brooklyn Heights. Ten days later, NewYorkish put the image on their site, which Gawker then put on their site. After that, Fox 5 called to interview me, then put me on TV, and then I made Gothamist (big head and all). I thought everything had passed until Denny Lee of The Times sent me an instant message asking me for an interview earlier this week. Today, that article is in the paper. Just plain crazy.

- NY Times: When the Light Changes, Walk, but Do Not Look
- Gothamist: Sweet Bird of Fame
- Gawker: Walk This
- NewYorkish: Street Sign Amusements
- As Seen in Brooklyn (original post)
- Slow News Day (interviewed by Fox 5)
- Camera Adds 40 Pounds and a 3" Radius to Head (on Fox 5)

Posted by tien mao in Blog-ing at 9:56 AM

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There are certain things you never want to hear in a New York City bar, "fire," "sir, you are too drunk," "last call," and anyone enthusiastically saying "where in Jersey are you from?!?" Last night, I heard the latter, prompting me to quickly buy another beer to drown out that memory from my mind. It was a strange night. I thought that this weekend would be like long weekends in New York where there aren't too many people around and all people here are native New Yorkers. No such luck, I guess. Thankfully, there is some football on tonight to keep me entertained.

Related:
- LIRR Schedules
- NJ Transit
- PATH info

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 6:42 PM

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The final tab for the evil empire and their 2003 season was $184.5 million, a number that includes the luxury tax, revenue sharing, benefits, and payroll. I just love how they spent so much money for nothing but an AL Championship. (Yes, the Mets spent a lot for last place, I know.) The $48.8 million is more than the opening day payroll of five teams, one of which was the Florida Marlins. The Yankees were also the only team to pay the luxury tax that kicked in after $117 million. One can only hope that next year, they spend their $180 million and don't even win the AL East. That would be sweet.

- USA Today: Yankees get another tax bill: $48.8M

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 10:43 AM

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With the reflective glass, the Mohegan Sun almost blends into the sky.

Yesterday, Christmas Day, I spent my time at the Mohegan Sun with Calvin, his family, and what seemed like all of China. With my parents away, and my love of gambling, it seemed perfectly reasonable to go to gamble. The NY Times reports that Asians and Jews turned out in casinos in Atlantic City as well (man, what timing of the article). While there, we also took in a few songs of Taiwanese superstar (I've been told) A-Mei Chang, who is apparently on a "World Tour." Let's just say the concert was like no other concert I've been too. A-Mei even had a Chinese guy rapping (we called him "hip-hop"). Unfortunately, it wasn't Jin. A-Mei seemed like a cross between Britney and Christina but, unfortunately, not as slutty. Needless to say, I only stayed for about 6 songs. Overall, not a bad Christmas, minus the fact that I lost $125 at the blackjack table.

It might sound a bit strange when I say it wasn't a bad Christmas, but my family doesn't really celebrate it. The last time my family has done a "real" Christmas (by real, I mean tree and gifts) was probably back in 4th or 5th grade. Since then, it has gradually become less of an event. Through high school, I would ask for gifts, but they didn't get wrapped, I got them early, and it never came with a, "Merry Christmas!" attached to it. And since my family is not religious, we don't do the church/god thing. Granted, Christmas is no longer a religious holiday, but more of a time to be with family and a consumer holiday. I live in the same city as my parents, so the family part is taken care of, and I'm not sure I want or need a day to celebrate consumerism. I consume enough already. In fact, I look forward to Thanksgiving more than Christmas.

Perhaps this will all change if I ever move out of New York or when I have a family, but for now, I'm content with spending my time without celebration and at a casino.

- NY Times Oh, There Was Eggnog, but the Roulette Wheels Didn't Miss a Spin
- A-Mei Chang on Waner Music Taiwan (in Chinese)

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 10:20 AM

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Happy holidays! Entries to resume tomorrow and to continue until I leave for California!

Until tomorrow. - Tien

Posted by tien mao in Friends/Family at 5:05 AM

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Working on Christmas Eve is kind of boring. There is work to do, but if you depend on anyone outside of your office, you can't get anything done because they are closed. The phones are quiet and there are few emails. Granted, it's nice to just sit here and veg, but there is only so much I can do before I actually look for work to do. I've read my New York Times, I've looked at ESPN.com, I already read this week's TMQ, and read all the blogs that I typically read (not that they are updated). I'm not about to go crazy and read all the blogs out there, because that would be too much. Lucky for me, I have a meeting at 3. Woo, fun. I think the meeting will last for at least an hour too. Even money says that I'll be here until at least 5 today.

Posted by tien mao in Random at 1:52 PM

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Looks like mad cow has reached the United States. That's not good news for beef lovers like myself. I have yet to read Fast Food Nation, so I still eat ground beef, but I'm thinking that I might have to read it now. I should make it part of my vacation reading, but that would seriously hinder my plans of eating In-N-Out Burger for every single meal. The cow was found in Washington, so I don't know how likely it is to turn up in my New York beef despite the fact that all cows go to large processing plants. Yes, that is correct, I am in denial. That's the first stage of death anxiety, right? Denial, anger, fear, bargaining, acceptance.

Reminds me of The Simpsons episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish":

Dr. Hibbert: Now, a little death anxiety is normal. You can expect to go through five stages. The first is denial.
Homer: No way! Because I'm not dying! [hugs Marge]
Dr. H: The second is anger.
Homer: Why you little! [steps towards Dr. H]
Dr. H: After that comes fear.
Homer: What's after fear? What's after fear? [cringes]
Dr. H: Bargaining.
Homer: Doc, you gotta get me out of this! I'll make it worth your while!
Dr. H: Finally, acceptance.
Homer: Well, we all gotta go sometime.
Dr. H: Mr. Simpson, your progress astounds me.

- NY Times: Countries Ban American Beef After First Mad Cow Case
- NY Times: Danger to the Public Is Low, Experts Say
- USDA news release
- More on Gothamist

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 9:26 AM

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Yesterday, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about the New Jersey Nets and their possible move to Brooklyn. Without concerning ourselves with the economics of the move, which is a catalyst for many moves and almost impossible to ignore, we debated the merits of the Nets moving to Brooklyn. Now, I have a fair amount of city-pride and have done my fair share of New Jersey bashing, but I think the Nets should remain in The Garden State.

My friend's reasons that she is pro-move: the Knicks stink, there would be a natural rivalry between the Knicks and Nets, the Nets would provide an alternative choice, and plenty of cities have multiple baseball teams.

While it's true that the Knicks stink, that's no reason to move another team into the city. My Mets suck, but I'm not asking for the Expos (a team with monetary woes as well) to move to New York. Knick fans should not abandon their team just because it sucks, they should expect changes to improve their team. On that note, the Knicks fired much maligned Scott Layden and replaced him with Isiah Thomas, the man who drove the CBA into the ground. Smooth hiring decision.

While my friend makes a good point on a rivalry being formed, the Knicks and Nets should have a rivalry right now too, since they are so close geographically. One could argue that the Knicks have bigger rivalries with the Bulls, Pacers, or Heat. I would be remiss if I didn't point out that those old rivalries are mostly over for various reasons. The most important thing in a rivalry is competition, which has not existed in recent years between the two teams. When the Knicks were good in the 90's, the Nets were bad. The Nets are now good and the Knicks are bad.

The Nets as an alternative choice to the Knicks? Alternative choice?!? You shouldn't need an alternative choice! I'm not a Knick fan, but if I were, I wouldn't want you as a Knick fan (see rant here). Please refer to Sports Guy's Rules for being a true fan, rule 18, paragraph 2. You can't switch teams right now! Now, if the Knicks moved to a different city, then I would be in favor of the Nets moving. I know, nonsensical, but must I make sense all the time?

As far as the multiple baseball teams, it's true; there are some cities that support more than one baseball team. Technically, that only happens in two cities, New York and Chicago. In football, it technically doesn't happen at all. The Cubs and the White Sox are both teams with rich histories of their own, which is the case with the Yankees as well. The Mets, however, are a replacement team compensating for the loss of the Giants and Dodgers. The Knicks and Nets also have rich histories...but in their respective locations, not as New York teams.

I say, keep the Nets in New Jersey, New York doesn't really need them and what happens when the Nets start sucking and the Knicks start sucking? Maybe we can lure the Lakers to New York. They moved once, let’s see if they'll move again.

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 7:20 AM

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Search results for "tien" on Google.

I'm not sure when this happened, but if you search for "tien" on Google now, the first result you now get is the "little read book." Sure, this isn't too important in the grand scheme of things, but now if you click the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, you are directed to this site. Woo!

Posted by tien mao in Tech at 12:10 PM

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Snow in Brooklyn, since we won't have any on the 25th.

On this, the first day of winter, there are only three shopping days left until Christmas! There seems to be some sort of insane shopping crowd out there, as reported by the NY Times. Apparently, someone brought his whole family to the Toys 'R' Us in Times Square to buy a GameBoy - one freaking GameBoy, but he brings his family of five to the store. Who does that? Yet another reason to avoid Times Square.

Today is also the shortest day of the year, with the sun setting at around 4:32, so those with shopping to do better hurry, lest those criminals we have here in the city mug you of your precious gifts. Oh wait, we don't have those anymore.

Posted by tien mao in Friends/Family at 9:50 AM

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Yesterday, Johnny and I met up to eat some wings on the Upper West Side. Usually, I am loathe to trek all the way up there, but I make exceptions for food, especially wings or all you can eat. Since we were going to watch some football and we wanted wings, he recommended Blondies. I must say, it was an excellent idea. I love me some buffalo wings. I'm not a big fan of the "Hooter-type" wings, which are fried, but I do like the slimy-ish wings, which is what they had at Blondies. They were big, juicy, and hot. Nothing like wings that burn twice - in and out. Looks like we may have found a new place to watch Monday Night Football as well - Blondies has all you can eat wings on Monday nights.

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 8:57 AM

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Footlocker.com

Champs.com

Eastbay.com

So I saw a pair of shoes in Footlocker yesterday that I wanted, but the sales girl wasn't very nice to me, so I didn't buy them. I thought, "I'll just go home and buy them on Eastbay, but not Champs, because Champs and Footlocker are the same company." So, this morning, I'm sitting here and go to look at the Eastbay site to find the shoes and since I want to do some comparison shopping, I look at Footlocker and Champs too. To my surprise, they all have the same look to them, and after digging through the respective sites, I found that they are all under Foot Locker, Inc. Not that I won't shop with any of them because of this, I just thought I would let people know. And I get the whole consolidation of resources, but at least change up the websites some more.

Posted by tien mao in Random at 12:35 PM

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The band at the MRBI holiday party.

Since I am not fortunate enough to work for a company that is having a holiday party, I am left to go to Calvin's dad's holiday party. It sounds awkward, but I go to so many of their parties that it seems like I'm an employee, which in a way, I am (see HK Dragon Boat Festival). Overall a good time, free food, live music, and last but most important, open bar. Now, I have been known to go a tad overboard when there is an open bar, but there was food too, so I ended up building a nice base. I also didn't drink that much, which was a good thing, considering everyone else that I was hanging out with was plastered. Last year, the party was at the Puck Building, but this year, they had it in their newly renovated office, which will soon become a studio for Sino TV.

And for those of you looking for another embarrassing photo of me, here you go.

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 11:15 AM

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The style of cabinet and handle I want.

The type of glass that I want.

Yesterday, I went to go look at some kitchen cabinet designs and materials. All along, I have wanted wood cabinets with frosted glass doors, but you still need to see the designs before you order. Ideally, I want the style of cabinets in the first photo. Actually, that's almost exactly how I want my kitchen right down to the cabinet handles. The only things I would change are the tile on the wall, the stainless steel under the sink, and I would change the glass to the type in the second picture.

Previous new apartment entries:
- contract and mortgage
- appliance shopping
- floor and counter ideas
- the apartment
- the floorplan

Posted by tien mao in House and Home at 10:49 AM

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With the holiday season upon us, I can do nothing but think about my vacation to Los Angeles. While I love New York, it will be nice to get away and enjoy a different city (no matter how smog ridden it is). I have January 1st taken care of with the Rose Bowl. I also plan on decorating some floats for the Rose Bowl Parade, not so much so I can play with flowers, but because it seems like a pretty cool experience (that and there is free pizza). I think Justin and I might go hiking one day as well.

I will be out there from the 29th and leaving on the 4th, so I've got plenty of time. Worst comes to worse, I take a trip to Vegas. Anybody have some other suggestions?

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 4:47 PM

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Not only is Eliot Spitzer my attorney general, he is my favorite attorney general. Yesterday, Spitzer filed suit against three companies that are accused of sending spam. He's looking to drive them into bankruptcy, which sounds a little evil, but I'm down with his tactics. While I support the rights of marketers to send email, there have to be some limitations and an ability to opt-out of those emails. I'm not sure this will stem the influx of spam, since there are so many unscrupulous people out there, but anything that can reduce spam is a good thing. While one may think, "Spitzer has no chance," you have to keep in mind that Spitzer is a man that took on the brokerage houses and their shady practices. Why do I feel that Spitzer will be getting flooded with spam touting great investment ideas and hair tonic?

Oh, and if you read the Times article, notice how on of the interviews was conducted - over instant-messenger.

- NY Times: New York and Microsoft File Suits on E-Mail Spam
- Spitzer's office: State Lawsuit Attacks Spammers' Fraudulent Emails

Posted by tien mao in Tech at 10:05 AM

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Just one of the gifts for Sugar Bowl participants - a Nokia N-Gage.

In August, Jeremy Bloom clamored about how college athletes should be paid, but who needs money if you get a free education and "gifts" for playing? ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reports on the gifts that players get for just getting to the bowls and it's quite a list. Players aren't just getting parting gifts like t-shirts and hats, but are getting hundred dollar watches, mp3 players, cell phones, video game consoles, rings, and the list goes on. Now, it's no easy task to get there, but is getting $300 worth in goodies not just a form of payment? Sounds like it to me. What's even more crazy is that the gift giving isn't something that the bowls do out of generosity, but it is an NCAA requirement that they hand out about $300 in gifts to bowl participants. I guess that free education just isn't enough.

- ESPN.com: Schwag bags always loaded with treats

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 2:14 PM

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I signed the contract for my apartment yesterday and handed over a nice large check. Not as large as the one I got when I sold my apartment, but it was still quite hefty. With the signed contract, I went to my bank to submit my mortgage application. On Monday, a fixed-rate 15-year mortgage was 4.875%, which is already damn low. When I went yesterday to lock in a rate, I was pleased to find out that the rate went down to 4.75%, which is a savings of $7.76 a month, but over 15 years, that's $1396.80. All you math geniuses can now figure out how much money I'm borrowing. The loan officer told me to expect a late January or early February closing. Now, I have to think home design again.

Previous new apartment entries:
- appliance shopping
- floor and counter ideas
- the apartment
- the floorplan

Posted by tien mao in House and Home at 9:44 AM

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With this whole middle finger thing, my parents now know about my website. I guess it was inevitable, especially with my email address having "tienmao.com" in it. But since my parents aren't exactly tech savvy (sorry mom, sorry dad), they might not have ever figured it out.

I blame Fox 5 for calling them and saying they wanted to talk to me. It was all very disturbing. I got the call and I asked how they got my number, their response, "we're the media, we know everything." Turns out they got the number from my mom, but how did they get my parents' number?

So, I guess this is "hi" to mom and dad. I hope you guys like what you see.

Posted by tien mao in Blog-ing at 12:22 PM

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Wife Wanted ad from the New York Times, Dec. 13, 2003

I was perusing The New York Times print edition on Saturday and was surprised to see an advertisement that read "WIFE WANTED." Not really an ad tagline that I expected in a fine newspaper like the Times. It turns out that the ad was for a sewing machine.

It's almost the same as Gothamist's experience with a racy pop-up ad, but that turned out to be spyware.

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for a wife. Not right now anyway. I think I'm too young to get married.

Posted by tien mao in Random at 11:10 AM

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My head is big, but not that big. My face is round, but not that round. My hair is long, yes, that long.

My picture on Fox5!

Earlier tonight, I was interviewed by Lisa Evers. Sure enough, it aired tonight on the news. It even aired in the first 20 minutes. Not just a slow news day, but a really slow news day.

- view the tape (2.14 MB .mpg file)

Posted by tien mao in TV at 11:04 PM

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Lisa Evers of Fox5 New York

With crime at its lowest rate in years, there is little news to report. This must be why Fox 5 called me to talk about my picture of the middle finger on the walk/don't walk sign. Apparently, they saw my picture on NewYorkish. Gawker then picked the image up and the rest is blog history. Okay, not really. But a lot of people have linked to it and Gawker's post was responsible for a lot of visits.

Tonight, Lisa Evers came over to interview me about the picture and the signs. The first thing I asked her and the crew was, "slow news day?" They all answered at the same time "yeah." Classic.

They said it will be on the 10 o'clock news tonight. So, if you're in the New York area, tune in and check it out. More later...if it makes the cut.

- As Seen In Brooklyn (the post that started it all)
- NewYorkish on the sign
- Gawker on the sign
- Turbanhead saw it too

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 9:05 PM

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This morning, I got a phone call that eventually led to me giving my name to the woman on the other end of the phone. The conversation went as follows:

Woman: What kind of name is that?
Me: Chinese.
Woman: Really? You don't sound Chinese.
Me: Oh?
Woman: Your voice doesn't sound Chinese at all. Even your laugh.
Me: Well, I'm an ABC.
Woman: I would never have known. Were you born here?
Me: Yes, I was.
Woman: Wow. I could have sworn you were something else.
Me: Uh, thanks.

Posted by tien mao in Random at 11:07 AM

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Organ Pipes in Washington Irving High School's auditorium

Mural inside Washington Irving High School

Foyer and mezzanine at Washington Irving High School

Sunday's Greenwich Village Orchestra performance was at Washington Irving High School, which isn't the safest school in New York, which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I walked inside. The building has interior spaces that some say are worthy of landmark status. Features of note include a two-story foyer with a mezzanine balcony, the auditorium, several murals, and some impressive wood columns.

After the orchestra performance, we ate at Pete's Tavern, which has a rich history as New York's longest continuously operating bar and restaurant. operating since 1864. In 1902, Pete's regular, O. Henry wrote The Gift of the Magi while sitting in his favorite booth.

- More on Washington Irving High School's history

Post-show hunger - Rachelle and her cheeseburger

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 7:18 AM

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"Yeah, we know, our movie sucked."

Over the weekend, I watched a really horrible movie, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez' Gigli. Now, I wasn't expecting a good movie or anything, in fact, I was expecting a really horrible movie. Since the quality of any movie is relative to other movies, I decided to watch Gigli to remember what a bad movie was. I guess I didn't really know how bad the movie actually was. The script poor at best, but the worst part of the movie had to be Ben Affleck (Larry Gigli). He has got to be one of the worst actors in Hollywood right now. I can't remember the last good movie he was in. Maybe Good Will Hunting? And he wasn't even the star in that! J-Lo wasn't too bad, but she couldn't even carry this load on her healthy-sized buttocks. Al Pacino was also in the movie, which was a pleasant surprise, but even he stank (not sure if he was better in Simone or Gigli).

In his New York Times review, A.O. Scott said it best, "Larry's name is pronounced ZHEE-lee, or as he likes to say, ''rhymes with really.'' As in really, really silly, which is the kindest way to describe this hopelessly misconceived exercise in celebrity self-worship." I would replace "silly" with "bad," but otherwise he is dead on.

- NY Times review: An Offer of Love He Can't Refuse
- Rotten Tomatoes on Gigli

Posted by tien mao in Movies at 9:21 AM

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The Greenwich Village Orchestra

Yesterday, Eleanor, Jessica (the mysterious), Rachelle, and I took in some culture at the Greenwich Village Orchestra's annual Family Concert. The GVO is a symphony orchestra established in 1986 and comprised of musicians with day jobs. They strive "to bring the best possible performances of great music" to their audiences. It was certainly an enriching way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Well worth the $10 in my opinion. I'll have to check them out again sometime. That, or the New York Philharmonic.

They played Dvorak's Slavonic Dance No. 8, Op. 46 - Presto, Rossini's Overture to "The Barber of Seville," Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 - Molto Vivace, Kreisler's Liebesleid, Saint-Saens' Dance Bacchanale, and accompanied the Third Street Music School Settlement on "My Favorite Things" and "Al Shlosha Di Varim."

- Rachelle on the GVO

The GVO with the Third Street Music School Settlement

Zahraa - Dancing to Camille Saint-Saens' "Dance Bacchanale"

More Zahraa.

Posted by tien mao in Concerts/Music at 7:23 AM

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It appears that Britney Spears, Madonna, and Paris Hilton are now Jewish. Well, not really, they are just "believers" in Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism. I'm not religious myself, but if I were, I would probably think long and hard before choosing one. Kabbalah was created from the 13th through 16th centuries by Jewish mystics, with the intention of revealing the inner meaning of the Torah. The "poppifying" of Kabbalah obviously has many people upset, with traditionalists calling it "McMysticism." The Kabbalah Centre, the leading marketers of pop-Kabbalah, looks to bring Kabbalah to everyone.

Is it not odd to bring a religion to people that don't actually learn about the traditions of the religion? I think it's kind of odd. I also think it's kind of foolish for people like Britney Spears, Madonna, and Paris Hilton to start "believing" in Kabbalah just because they it's the flavor of the month religion. Obviously, I don't know how involved they are in the religion, but I would bet dollars to peanuts that they have not made a commitment to the Torah and halacha. The Kabbalah Centre also sells various merchandise, including water for $3.50 and red strings for $26-$36. Sounds like a great money making operation to me. The water is supposedly full of holy energy and the string is suppose to bring children to the infertile and protection from the evil eye.

How long until they start selling the red strings at Urban Outfitters? I give it a year.

- A Surge in Popularity in Jewish Mysticism
- The Kabbalah Centre (the pop-Kabbalah people - how can a religious website with a sales offer on the main page be legit?)

Posted by tien mao in Random at 9:39 PM

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Yesterday, I went appliance shopping with my parents, which is not as fun as it sounds. For some reason, we went to New Jersey, but the place we went to was closed. We took a look at Home Depot and Best Buy. I drew one conclusion, appliances are expensive, but stainless steel appliances are even more expensive. Matching brands is a bitch as well. It seems that everyone and their mother is making appliances, like Samsung and LG. I did see this cool fridge at HD that had a Brita water dispenser built in, so all you had to do is pull the little lever. I also had to search for appliances that are narrower and less deep to accommodate my kitchen.

We did, however figure out the layout of the kitchen and get some cabinet ideas. My idea for the cabinets is wood doors with glass panels. All I have to do now is go through all the literature that I picked up and figure out exactly what I want. Decisions, decisions.

- floor and counter ideas
- the apartment
- the floorplan

Posted by tien mao in House and Home at 12:18 PM

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Marble and floor samples.

Designing an apartment is hard. When given a clean slate to start with, any design choices reflect on the person doing the designing. Since I'm buying an apartment that needs extensive renovations, I'm pretty much starting with a clean slate. So far, I have looked at floor samples and kitchen counter samples. So, borrowing a page form Eleanor and her home improvement blog, I'll be posting about some of the "design decisions" that my mom and I are making. Unfortunately, I don't have an unlimited budget to work with, but I'll do the best I can. It should be noted that if the look comes out bad, it's entirely my mom's fault, but if it turns out nice, then the decisions were all mine.

Above are the sample of the floor that we are going to use and the marble samples for the kitchen counter. Originally, we were thinking of bamboo flooring, but I didn't take to the look and it's about $2 more per foot, so that idea was scrapped. Of the two marble samples above, I think we are going with the darker one for the kitchen and maybe we can go with the lighter one for the bathroom, but I'm not sure I want to go with marble in the bathroom.

- the apartment
- the floorplan

Posted by tien mao in House and Home at 12:26 PM

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Last night, I went to Banania Cafe on Smith Street here in Brooklyn (someone - not necessarily wise - once said of Smith St., "it's the Park Avenue of Brooklyn.") to eat dinner with the 'rents. I had the grilled pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes and caramelized apples. The pork chop was a tad dry in the middle, but I loved the garlic mashed and the apples. It's my opinion that you can't go wrong with garlic and potato. Anyway, I'm not looking to break the rules of blogging or anything, so I'll get to the point...

It came time to figure out the bill. The price for four people was $104 before tax. Tax worked out to around $9. Usually the rule of thumb for tipping is 15-20% of the pre-tax bill. In New York City, people usually just double tax and do some rounding, since the sales tax here is 8.625%. In NY, it seems to be that double tax is assumed and 20% is almost expected, with 15% reserved for poor service. My mom and I debated this fact for quite a few minutes. She was thinking $18, which is 17% and not a lousy tip at all, but I was thinking $21, which is 20.19%. She thought that she was being generous and I was being too generous. I said that for the service that we got, 20% was a fair tip. I don't think my mom is cheap, I just think she grew up in different times. Of course, after the debate on tipping, I got the obligatory, "do you think money grows on trees?" lecture. Dios mio!

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 7:45 AM

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Childhood

As seen in the East Village, for this week's Photo Friday.

Posted by tien mao in Photos at 1:13 AM

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What a pretty couple.

Dennis Kucinich, a long shot for his party's presidential nomination, went on a first date with a New Jersey woman today. She won the date on Politics NH. Their date was a breakfast date at a hotel in Concord, N.H. I think Kucinich got it all wrong. What you want to do is, start off at the hotel and then buy her breakfast after a long night of...discussions on "health care, medical malpractice and prescription drugs," not just meet over oatmeal and discuss those things. This is why you're not polling well. Take a cue from Bill Clinton. Get some ass, get into office. This woman also lives with her boyfriend, what is she doing going on a date?!? And is it me, or do Kucinich and her look kind of similar?

It should be noted that in July, I took an online survey saying that Kucinich is the candidate that most suits my beliefs. This is not an endorsement though. The "little read book" position is officially that we will not endorse any candidates in the primaries and that when the time comes, we will support the candidate with the best chance to replace the current administration and return the United States of America to greatness.

- AP: Kucinich Wins Endorsement, Kiss From Date (via NY Times)
- Kucinich for President Campaign, 2004 (check out the very bottom of the page - Hip Hop for Kucinich...too funny!)

Posted by tien mao in Politics at 4:16 PM

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gluttony - noun 1: habitual eating to excess 2: eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins)

Recently, I have been eating to excess far too often. I'm not sure why, but this can't be a good trend. Incidences of note: Monday, I had a 6" sub and fries for lunch at Blimpies, followed by a personal pizza from Pizza Hut. Today, I had a large #1 from McDonalds and a McChicken sandwich. I don't know what my problem is. Each individual meal should be more than enough to fill me up, but no, I had to have more. The Blimpie/Pizza Hut incident should be the most disturbing, since I got the pizza while I started to get full.

I need to get my stomach in check, lest my Chinese metabolism start slowing. Right now, I think I'm out-eating my metabolism, so I'm getting a tad bigger. I like to think of it as "winter weight." I plan on losing it for bikini season though...no, not really for a bikini. I guess using my gym membership would be the wise thing to do, but we can't be wise all the time, can we?

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 2:31 PM

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I've been dropping things a lot recently (glomits, cell phone, and camera come to mind), and now that the cold weather has come along it's only getting worse. I have this bad habit of using something while in the car, putting it on my lap and then getting out of the car after forgetting that the item was on my lap. If I'm like this now imagine what I'll be like when I hit 30!

Last night, I was sitting in the car and after wearing my hat all day, I took it off and put it in my lap. After getting out of the car and walking a few steps, I dropped it right near the curb. Ordinarily, this isn't too bad, but it was wet out from the light rain and the snow melting. First reaction was to shake the water off the hat. I did that, but I seemed to have sprayed myself with road water. Blech. Almost immediately, I started to get a headache, which continued for most of the night and through this morning. I'm assuming that it's not from the water since my head started to hurt right away. Hopefully it's just psychosomatic and not the flu. Whatever it is, I'm trying to fight it off with lots of water. After getting to work this morning, I chugged a full Nalgene bottle worth of water.

Posted by tien mao in Blog-ing at 10:07 AM

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***Another entry brought to you by guest writer, Justin.***

Sadly, Ko Shou-Liang, known as the 'Asian Evel Knievel', has passed away in Taiwan. Called ‘Xiao Hei’ by his many followers, he died after an all-night drinking binge - the official cause of death was an ‘alcohol induced asthma attack.' Like Evel Knievel, Shou-Liang was famous for his motorcycle stunts, and his greatest achievement was jumping a motorcycle across the Yellow River in China in 1990.

While heavy drinking is obviously a prerequisite for performing death-defying stunts, alcohol poisoning is certainly not the way that any daredevil wants to go. At this time, it is unknown if Shou-Liang was drinking from a diamond-encrusted walking stick filled with Sake on the night of his death (Evel Knievel is famous for his wild-turkey filled walking stick).

Obviously, this is a tragic loss for Asia and the entire daredevil community, and our thoughts go out to all of Shou-Liang's fans, friends, and family.

Our thanks go out to Jim Rome for breaking this terrible story.

Posted by Justin in Sports at 5:57 PM

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While I reserved my airplane ticket to Los Angeles on Sunday, I did not know if I had tickets to the Rose Bowl game on January 1st. This morning, that all changed. With no idea if we (Justin, Andy, and I) got tickets through the U of M Alumni Association yet, we purchased tickets through Ticketmaster (those bastards) just in case. Now, there is no way we will miss out on going to the game. If we also get tickets through the alumni association, then we can sell our extra tickets. There was plenty of demand for these tickets since USC is right there in L.A.

I can now sleep better knowing where I'll be on January 1st, 2004 at 1:30 pacific time.

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 12:12 PM

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Much has been made of the Bush administration's desire to tax clothing imports from China, specifically, bras, knit fabrics and bathrobes. The coverage of the bra issue is a comedian's dream, but there are clearly other ramifications to starting a trade war with China.

As talks begin in Washington, NY Times Op-Ed columnist Nicholas Kristof decided to go to China to examine the issue (I just think it's an excuse to travel with his Chinese-American wife). He traveled to the Taishan area of China, where, until a few decades ago, many Chinese immigrants to the U.S. came from. If you've ever been to China before, you know that there are stark differences between a modern city like Shanghai or Hong Kong and rural villages. There has, however, been progress. In Kristof's article, he mentions some of the differences from when he last visited in 1987, paved roads, vehicles, cellphones, to name a few. Kristof also questions the logic behind picking a fight with China, not because of their military largess, but because of it's increasing role in the global economy. It's really something that people should consider. While China seems very dependant on the buying habits of U.S. consumers, China is also buying U.S. debt to stabilize their currency. Doesn't sound too good, does it?

I talked to my dad about this briefly, and he said that the Taishan influence was quite noticeable when he came to the U.S. back in the late 60's. He said that if you tried to order noodles using Mandarin (the "national" language of China) in Chinatown, you would be ignored. Even using Cantonese wouldn't get you that far, which is crazy because almost everyone in Chinatown speaks Cantonese these days.

- NY Times: Attack of the Killer Bras

Posted by tien mao in Politics at 9:15 AM

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The stairs to the bedroom, which will be known as the "den of love" (okay, maybe not).

The stairs from the basement to the main floor. Me climbing the stairs, dad making cameo in blue jacket.

This summer, I thought I found an apartment in Greenpoint to live in, but that deal fell through for reasons which I won't go into. Yesterday, I went to go see another apartment in the same building. Unlike the last apartment, this one is a one bedroom. The bedroom is about 9' x 14', living room about 12' x 14', and the basement is about 300 square feet. It's a pretty substantial apartment, about 900 square feet, and you can't beat the price, which I won't mention here either. The apartment needs some work, but the parents have seen it and they like it. I love the tri-level aspect of the apartment and think that it would be a great place to live. Now to make an offer, design, and renovate.

Anybody have renovation tips or advice?

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 2:37 PM

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Pull, slide, seal. See the video here.

Last night, while downstairs discussing mortgages with my parents (more on that later), I started to heat up some soup. Of course, to do this, there needed to be some sort of cover for the bowl. What better than some plastic wrap, which I usually call Saran Wrap, but that's like calling tissues a Kleenex, calling a photocopy a Xerox, or calling a cotton swab a Q-Tip (I think I've conveyed my point on that). Since I'm discussing Reynolds Wrap, it's even more important to differentiate the two brands.

Normally, when using plastic wrap (or tin foil), a person uses the metal edge that is on the box to cut a piece. With plastic wrap, this always results in the plastic re-coiling and sticking to itself, leaving you with a plastic mess that you have to pick apart before using. Reynolds Plastic Wrap added a "new" feature to their boxes, they call it the EZ Slide Cutter (I don't actually know how new this is since I don't spend too much time in the kitchen). All you have to do is pull out the amount you need and slide the cutting tool across the box. This has to be one of the best things I've seen in a while. No issues with the plastic sticking to itself. How smart is that?

Posted by tien mao in Random at 10:17 AM

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Man, I wish I found this hat earlier.

Late Sunday night, Gothamist, one of my daily reads, posted a guide on blogging - "Gothamist Notes 1: What Not to Do When You Blog." What followed was an enthusiastic discussion on what Gothamist writers think a blog should be.

I'll try to summarize, but if you want the full details, you should really read their post about it.
1. Don't call it a blog, call it a website. Don't call yourself a blogger.
2. Don't write about yourself. No one cares about what you do.
3. Don't blog unless you take it seriously. Don't forget the commitment to your readers.
4. Do not write to other bloggers for links.
5. Do not steal.
6. Do not consider your blog as a free ride to slander, etc.
7. Do not overreact when you get dissed by your readers.
8. Do not forget to be polite.

Okay, I think I've got a few of these down - namely 3, 4, 5 (for the most part), 6 (for the most part - see exception here), 7 and 8. I may not do 8 that well, so let me say this: "Thank you to all my readers (what there are like 15 now?) for your readership and for pointing any mistakes that I might make. I enjoy when you comment and make a post more lively with discussion. I'll try not to feel disrespected if you don't leave a comment on a post, but you damn well better! If you have any thoughts, feel free to drop me an e-mail or IM from the links on the right hand side of the page."

I guess the one thing that I want to ask is about #2 - don't write about yourself because nobody cares what you do. I suppose that this is an over simplification of what Gothamist said, so here is the full text of that point:
"Therefore, for the love of God, do not write about yourself. Do not write about your friends. Do not write about your family. Do not write about your pets. Or airport travels. Do not write about that girl at the bodega on 4th avenue and how she's giving you the eye. Do not write about your dates. Pick a real subject or series of subjects and stick to it – if you have to use the word "I" more than once a week, you are doing something very, very wrong. No one cares about you or the things you do (unless you are Paris Hilton, Bazima, or Bennifer – don't believe the weary, B.Lo, keep it comin' strong!), keep it to yourself. And if that's not enough to stop you from writing about yourself, just remember these words of advice from Meg: "A cardinal rule of blogging is this: Post as if everyone you know will read your weblog because chances are very good that they will. If you don't want your boss, religious leader, or your parents to read what you're writing, you might want to think twice about posting it." And if you're on that first date where he/she knows everything about you, it's your own fault."

The question I put to you, the "little read book" reader is, do you think I write too much about myself? Do you not want to read about me? I must admit that I'm not exactly the most interesting person in the world. I don't go out every night and get bombed (although, that might make for more of an interesting site, no?), but every now and then, I do some things that I like to share. I don't tend to tell you what I have for lunch everyday (today Blimpie and Pizza Hut - a very bad idea), but to some extent, this is my site and things I do sometimes make the pages. Granted, Gothamist's guide isn't the be all, end all, but just a guide to making a blog good.

So again, I ask, does this site contain too much content about me? Personally, I think it's a healthy mix of my life, sports, politics, news, and random shit. Any thoughts would be appreciated, but I reserve the right to ignore your comments, if there are any. Constructive criticism is preferred.

Thanks,
Tien

Posted by tien mao in Blog-ing at 8:23 PM

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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Presidential hopeful John Kerry used "fuck" when discussing the "Iraq situation." Now, I'm not sure what Kerry is thinking, but if he wants to be the President, he can't be dropping F-bombs left and right. While the coveted demographic of NASCAR dads might approve, soccer moms may not (2000's key demographic). While I personally feel that it's okay to say "fuck" (since I seem to do it all the time) and the FCC says it's okay, one may want to avoid doing it in an interview while running for prez.

To quote Mr. Kerry, "When I voted for the war, I voted for what I thought was best for the country. Did I expect Howard Dean to go off to the left and say, 'I'm against everything?' Sure. Did I expect George Bush to fuck it up as badly as he did? I don't think anybody did." With my political leanings, I clearly agree with Kerry, but Mr. Kerry, with this and "Cheesesteak Gate," I think your campaign might be dead in the water.

Thanks to "little read book" reader Michael for passing the article along. Crazy, I now have readers submitting interesting articles, have hung out with bloggers at a party, and have been called a "friend" by Gothamist.

- Rolling Stone: John Kerry's Desperate Hours
- Atlanta Journal Constitution: White House blasts Kerry for X-rated criticism of Bush

Posted by tien mao in Politics at 2:36 PM

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Mets - My first Matsui

The New York Mets, my team, made a free agent signing today, by inking Japanese star shortstop Kazuo Matsui to a 3-year, $23 million contact. This gives the Mets a dynamic duo at shortstop and 2nd, with Jose Reyes moving to second base to accommodate Matsui. While, I'm not sure that this will move the Mets out of the NL East cellar (where they have dwelled for the past two years), it will certainly bring some excitement to Shea. Some people are saying that Kazuo is faster than Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners. Despite the signing, I don't think I'll be dropping $2600 for another season ticket.

The arrival of Matsui gives me hope, that when I turn 28, I'll be able to sign up with a Major League Baseball team. Not entirely unrealistic, since Kazuo stands tall at 5'9", which, according to my drivers license, is my height as well.

I welcome him to the Mets and hope that people don't start calling me Matsui because I really hate shit like that. I think the next time that happens, I'm going to call that white person Billy Bob or something. Maybe I'll just say "fuck you" because that shit ain't funny.

- NY Times: Japan's Top Shortstop Signs With the Mets
- ESPN: 'Little Matsui' accepts 3-year deal from Mets
- MLB.com: Matsui declares himself Amazin'

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 10:14 AM

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1. It's bad when you ride in a car that has no heat because it was just in the shop for repairs but the parts are on order. At least the car had seat heaters.

2. It's bad when you exit said car and enter an office that also has no heat, where it actually feels colder than it does outside. When you even wear your glomits and type with a pen, PDA style. Sadly, no seat heater to be found in office chair.

Posted by tien mao in Rants at 9:08 AM

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This evening, Corie was having a housewarming/jump the cable guy party at her new apartment in Park Slope. It was a gathering of her friends, co-workers, and blog friends - a group that I fall into. It was gracious of her to invite Rachelle and me to her party, despite never actually meeting us. For me, it was a tad awkward at first. While, I know a little about Corie by reading and commenting on her site, I still didn't know what to expect. I'm happy to report that her housewarming party was a lot of fun and it was nice to meet the people that are mentioned on her site.

Later on during the party, Dahlia and Sam showed up. Now, this was even more weird for me, it wasn't just Rachelle and me that was part of the "blog crowd," but it was a group of four people. When someone asks what your name is and what site you are associated with, it's a tad strange, but I guess it just takes a little getting used to. Perhaps at the next Gothamist Happy Hour, I should introduce myself as "tienmao.com" or would it be "tien - tienmao.com"? Hmm...things to think about.

Anyway, a big thanks to Corie for inviting me tonight, and for the sushi and excellent cookies.

- Corie's entry on her gathering
- Dahlia on Corie's party

Posted by tien mao in Blog-ing at 9:53 PM

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***This is the first college football top 15 ranking here on the "little read book," with another one to follow at the end of the season. There should be more starting with next season. Justin (self-professed football junkie) has been gracious enough to write it, so I hope you will read it.***

As a new feature for tienmao.com, I've been asked to compile a ranking system for college football. Hey, if computer nerds and newspapers can have their own rankings, then so can I! I'm no expert or anything, just a college football junkie who watches basically every televised game during the season, as well as every Michigan home game in person. Naturally, these rankings are for entertainment purposes only, and have no impact on the BCS formula unfortunately!

12/07/03 Top 15

1. LSU - most impressive team overall this season - awesome D, improving O
2. USC - Great offense, good defense, but easier schedule than LSU
3. Oklahoma - overrated? Perhaps should be lower after yesterday's debacle
4. Michigan - Like USC last year, playing great but undone by early losses
5. Kansas State - early losses due to injuries - looked unstoppable vs. Oklahoma
6. Ohio St. - Good D, Bad O, won ugly but won, parity keeps them this high
7. Tennessee - won in Gainesville and Coral Gables (Miami)
8. Miami - like every 2 loss team, some big wins and some bad losses
9. Florida State - see above
10. Texas - finished strong, but not a tough team and was annihilated by Ok.
11. Georgia - lots of injuries, tough having to play LSU twice
12. Purdue - good enough to beat most teams, but not UM and OSU
13. Iowa - overachieved this year - ugly team but got the job done
14. Ole Miss - Give Eli credit - he was a one man team and almost won SEC
15. Miami (OH) - Great QB, underrated team, but not BCS material
15. (tie) West Virginia - rough start, but blew out VT and Pitt and should have beaten Miami - another very hot team

- ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
- AP Poll

Posted by Justin in Sports at 2:36 PM

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After yesterday's college football games, it's certain that Michigan is going to the Rose Bowl. Who they will play will be announced this afternoon (as a side note, the "little read book" will have an exclusive, Justin's top 15 - plus one).

I'll be in California from December 29th and returning to New York on January 4th. It will be a great time. Justin will be out there, as will Andy. Perhaps a trip to Vegas will be required. We shall see.

Now, to find out if we have a ticket or not...

Posted by tien mao in Travel at 2:15 PM

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Kind of what Brooklyn looks like.

Since it was cold outside and snowing, I decided to meet up with some friends to go to the Jacques Torres shop for some hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was so thick, but it definitely hit the spot.

- My previous visit to Jacques Torres

Posted by tien mao in Food/Drink at 6:22 PM

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Aitken Place and Clinton Street, Brooklyn

I was strolling around Brooklyn Heights in the snow tonight and saw this at Aitken Place and Clinton Street. Someone clever taped up the rest of the don't walk hand, leaving a middle finger.

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 8:30 PM

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With all this snow enough snow on the ground, I am able to partake in one of my favorite winter pastimes. No, not skiing, that is my favorite. But with the snow that we now have in New York City, I can run for a few feet then stop and slide for a few more feet. Hmm, if I were reading that, it would make little sense. Essentially, I run for like 10 feet, then do a small hop and plant both feet and then, because of the snow, I can then slide for about 5 feet. It's great! It can be dangerous on uneven sidewalks though so streets might work better.

It should be noted that any injuries that might occur do to this post are not my problem.

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 12:24 PM

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My prized possession...

Nike's Air Max 95 - the original release, with original box!

It was almost like ESPN Page 2 was thinking about me when it wrote about guys being obsessed with sneakers. It mentions people that are just starting their sneaker collection, and already have 70 pairs. At this point, I'm not sure how many pairs I have, but I don't think I'm even close to 70. My buying habits have slowed. I can modestly say I have 30 pairs, but it's probably closer to 50 pairs. My most prized pair of shoes is my Nike Air Max 95 - original release. None of my shoes are in unworn condition, save a pair or two, but I have yet to wear the Air Max 95 outside the house since I bought them on eBay. They are probably one of the top 10 most influential sneakers of all time. In 1998, Footaction ranked it #17. I scoff at that.

Hmm...now I want a new pair of sneakers. Something to do over the weekend! Woo. Festivus shopping for me. I realize I am completely insane.

- ESPN.com: The 'sole' of a shoe fetishist
- Air Max 95 auction on eBay (they are a tad large, but I'm considering putting a bid in)

Posted by tien mao in Rants at 8:55 AM

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Structure

Interior of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center where I went to the R�my Martin X.O Excellence Awards. For Photo Friday.

Posted by tien mao in Photos at 1:15 AM

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Hmm...where have I seen this before? Oh yeah! On my site!

The other day, I noticed a new referrer to my site, after going to the site, I found that it was that of a 2004 Presidential hopeful. Who, you ask? Why, none other than Paul Conrad. You're probably still wondering who that is. He appears to be a loony from Brooklyn that is running for president.

He's got some positions and promises, which are all things that legitimate candidates have as well. One of his promises is, "I will never lie, cheat, or steal." In his "About Me" page, he claims that growing up, he learned from his grandparents "that when you borrow something, you return it in better shape than when you took it." Well, after taking a look at the main page of his site, it seems that he copied my post about the GOP and their boat word for word, stealing my ideas without credit. Sounds like a regular old politician to me! He also has a copyright on his site. How do you copyright someone else's writing without quoting them or citing them? Sounds like an outright lie.

I hope that anyone that reads Paul Conrad's site realizes that he's a cheat and a liar just like every other politician or, in his case, a wanna be politician. If you're going to send him a contribution, don't bother, donate it to a worthier cause.

It should be noted that I contacted Paul Conrad by e-mail about his site, but I got no answer. Typical politician.

Posted by tien mao in Politics at 7:45 AM

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College football is one of the few sports that incorporates computers into a ranking system for its participants. Starting in 1998, the Bowl Championship Series has been used to determine the match-ups for the most prestigious bowls. The NY Times has an article about the various computer rankings used. It's a nice primer for those that don't know too much about what the B.C.S. rankings entail. It doesn't get too in depth about each poll's formulas, but it does mention what the polls look at and emphasize. The Times also looks at some of the people behind the polls and their credentials.

I wonder if Justin and I could start our own rankings. His college football knowledge and my computer. I think we would need a statistician too.

- NY Times: In the College Bowl Race, the Crucial Players Are the Programmers

Posted by tien mao in Sports at 12:36 AM

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The GOP has backed down from staying in a cruise ship during their 2004 convention in NYC. Tom Delay's office says he "fights for what he believes in," and apparently being an elitist snob isn't one of those things. A shocker coming from the GOP, but the New York City hotel industry is quite pleased with the decision. Now they, and many other businesses, like restaurants, shops, and independent female (and male) contractors in the sex trade, can breath a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, this means that there will be no contraction of the Norwalk virus.

In a funny side note, the NY Times reports that Rosie O'Donnell plans to be on the boat next year. She is going on a lesbian family holiday cruise on the same ship. That would have been a great headline, "GOP member shares room with lesbian."

- NY Times: They'll Take Manhattan: Republicans Drop Ship Idea
- Gothamist's take on the GOP's change of heart

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 9:07 AM

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About a month ago, I was reading GQ and they had this little blurb about Crystal Stick, a crystal deodorant that doesn't have a scent and doesn't leave stains on your clothes. Naturally, I was interested in what this was and if it works. This weekend, I finally stumbled upon it, and I've been using it for a few days. I maintain that I'm not a stinky guy, so my body odor isn't bad at all, so I can't tell if the product actually works or not - I guess anyone that knows me can let me know. The manufacturer says that it doesn't leave stains on your shirts like normal deodorant, which is a HUGE plus. It sucks having yellow stains on my white shirts caused by the deodorant. Is there anyone else that uses the Crystal Stick that can report any results?

And don't be wary of changing, it doesn't smell like those hippie crystal deodorants. Another bonus (or negative) is that both men and women can use the same stick.

Posted by tien mao in Random at 5:32 PM

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Second Generation performing "Everybody on the Bus"

Lou Diamond Phillips and me (photo by Calvin).

Last night, I went to the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center for the Concert of Excellence featuring The Rémy X.O Excellence Awards, which is an award "honoring extraordinary artists whose works have crossed cultural, racial, and generational boundaries." What the Rémy X.O Excellence Award really is, is an award for Asian excellence and an award with a really long name. The Concert of Excellence was presented by Second Generation, a theater company "dedicated to bringing Asian American stories to the world’s stage."

There was signing, dancing, and a lame magic act, but there were some famous Asian people as well. The co-hosts were John Cho, from Better Luck Tomorrow and American Pie (MILF!), and Lindsay Price, from 90210 and Coupling. Presenters included Bertha Pan, David Henry Hwang, Sandra Endo (NY1), Cindy Hsu (CBS2), Ti-Hua Chang (NBC4), and Ken Leung (the bad-ass from Rush Hour). This year, the award recipients were Lou Diamond Phillips, Bai Ling, B.D. Wong, and Jadin Wong.

The reception afterwards featured free alcohol, which at an event sponsored by Rémy Martin means free cognac product. This is good when there are hors d'oeuvres, but there was nothing of the sort! I guess I can't complain too much, since I didn't pay for the ticket, a $100 value, or the alcohol. I am paying with somewhat of a hangover though. Ouch.

Posted by tien mao in Concerts/Music at 9:50 AM

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I'm a pretty casual guy when it comes to many things, including the way I dress. The "dress code" in my office is pretty casual, so I take advantage of it, wearing sneakers all the time. But might I be too casual if people ask me what I'm doing if I'm wearing business casual clothes? Granted, my co-workers know that I don't get dressy unless I have a reason to dress-up, so their questions are warranted, but maybe I should just start dressing more professionally.

On the other hand, my laziness and desire for comfort will probably win out in the long run. I mean, who wants to iron every night and wear shoes every day if they don't have to? I guess some people like doing that, but right now, I'm just going to stick with my casual dress unless I change jobs or I need to dress nice for something. Laziness and comfort prevail! Nothing like a train of thought ending after about a minute.

Now what about that haircut? Nah, laziness prevails again!

Posted by tien mao in Work at 5:15 PM

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The Norwegian Dawn.

It seems that Republican leader Tom Delay wants a cruise ship to be a floating entertainment center and hotel for Republican members of Congress and their guests. This has some New Yorkers up in arms because it would take the visitors and money away from NYC hotels, restaurants, and shops. I guess Delay thinks that New York isn't good enough, or doesn't offer enough fun and entertainment for his fellow Republicans.

The ship, the Norwegian Dawn is a 2,240-passenger luxury cruise liner, has 15 decks, 14 bars and lounges and babbling brooks. New York City may not have many babbling brooks, but I think we've got everything else covered. But, if Tom Delay wants to spend his time on that ship, it's his prerogative (no matter how wrong he might be). Protesters will know exactly where to focus their attention for post-convention activities as well.

Better yet, maybe they'll all come down with the Norwalk Virus. That would be classic, Delay is giving an interview to Fox News (because they are "Fair and Balanced") and he has to excuse himself to use the crapper.

- NY Times: G.O.P. Option at Convention: Luxury Liner
- Gothamist on the GOP and their fancy boat

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 7:42 AM

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While some people I know like to tease me about how I'm not a New Yorker because I don't know much about NYC history, I really am! I swear! In fact, I'm a recently approved invitee of the Magic Garden, a monthly party for people that were raised in New York City - only people that were raised and schooled in NYC are invited. As a lifelong resident of this fine city, I'm one of those (schools include: The Washington Market School, P.S. 234, St. Luke's School, Stuyvesant H.S.). This of course, doesn't mean that people from outside New York can't love the city, they are just adopted New Yorkers.

The party was started by Zoë Schneider, a fellow U of M alum, because as everyone knows, it's hard to meet a "real" New Yorker in New York City. I've said this before about my time in Michigan (I can't find where though), but there's nothing worse than asking someone where they are from and getting the response, "New York City," but then when you ask where in New York, you get answers like, "New Jersey," or "Long Island." Zoë actually says the exact same thing in the NY Times article. Now, all I have to do is find a fellow New Yorker to go with me...

- NY Times: I'm a Native New Yorker, and You, Buddy, Are Not

Posted by tien mao in NYC at 12:03 AM

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