Thoughts on recent events...

these are just my thoughts on the recent events at VT. please feel free to comment and let me know if what i am saying is naive or misinformed.

a friend of mine recently commented on the way media handled the description of the killer. i never even thought about those comments of him being a permanent resident but now that i think about it, it is true. media always like to put a spin on things as if to target certain groups as if it had something to do with it or that we need to address that as an issue. i think those comments are based on fear and can be very detrimental. it is almost like they are saying, "if we only didn't let aliens into the country this would have never happened." you're right, it's totally unnecessary information.

as for broadcasting his "manifesto" video, i'm on the fence on that one. partially, i can understand why people would want to see what a mad man is thinking, but on the other hand, is there really anything to understand? in other words, do i really want to understand? i guess it's good to have access to this information but at the same time does he deserve this spotlight? i feel like we should focus on the victims at this point, but we should revisit perhaps in the near future some of the REAL issues that surround this incident and not just Cho himself. these incidents are like Kevin says, happening all the time at various levels.

is it really the violent movies and videogames? is it a matter of gun control? i'll go out on a limb and say i don't think so. i think that at any given time there will be a small percentage of the population that has the potential to "snap." and their environment, be it family, school, movies, videogames just pushes their manifestation into a particular action. when we were in grade school/high school, all we heard about were serial killers, who have killed as many people with a knife (in some instances cannibalized) as these recent shooters have with a gun so for me that takes out the issue of gun control. no guns? then bombs. no fertilizer? then ax... crazy is what crazy does.

now our "entertainment" has given us portrayals of mass shootings and violence. but i think it is safe to say that a normal person who views movies like the Matrix or Saw or played Halo/Grand Theft Auto will not be influenced to do these things. however, in these small percentage of "crazy" people, it gives them a view of how to act out their "craziness." the movies and videogames and guns don't make them do these things, they just get incorporated. and even if we didn't have these environmental portals, these people would act out in some other way that is equally disturbing. it's like they are intrinsically unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

bottom line is that it is too easy to blame movies, videogames, and social law when in fact i think it is more of a psychological disorder that will always be a small part of human behavior that we may never understand or even want to, yet we find so disgustingly fascinating. sick people will do sick things and in order to have normalcy, there must be a small set of people who define what is "crazy." these people need help and i think it is the job of psychologist and socialist to determine the criteria for diagnosing these individuals and not the media.

in the end, my thoughts are with the victims and their friends and families. i hope that the people who are in need of help will find what they are looking for and as for myself, i take this as a lesson to be open to the views of others and to be courteous and nice to all that are around me.

New Photo Site

Check out my new Photo Gallery! Thanks to Kevin Chan for the web space!

Enjoy!!

http://halogene.powerchan.net

Nikon D80

I have a new toy! I recently got my Nikon D80 DSLR w/ the 18-135mm kit lense. I'm excited about taking lots of cool pictures so keep your eyes peeled!

Orlando Trip

Pictures

Hello from Orlando!

This is an image taken from Orlando, Florida of the shuttle launch! The conference at ASH has been great so far. I presented my poster and I got a few inquries but nothing really too helpful in temrs of next steps. Tomorrow is more meetings!

THANKSGIVING DINNER!

And yet another successful turkey prepared by my beautiful wife. It was delicious! And look at all the trimmings! From green beans with carmelized onions, stuffing, homemade mashed potatoes, corn, cheddar garlic biscuits from scratch, two types of gravy, and a cheeseball. We were sooo stuffed. My mom also added to the delicious food with a pineapple walnut bread and a pumpkin flan with orange topping. Jealous??

happy thanksgiving...

yes another holiday is upon us. happy thankgviging! this year we are having turkey at the apartment. josephine is going to make a 20lb turkey this year! i'm really excited. she's a great cook and i'm looking forward to it. my parents and our borthers will be here to celebrate.

i think we'll just relax and play some video games. i have to work a bit in the morning but i'll be home in time for turkey! spearking of video games, i finished "splinter cell: double agent." great game!

now i'm trying my best to finish this poster for ASH meeting. i'll make sure to take pics of the feast on thursday! later!!

Happy Halloween!

new schedule

i think it is more practical if i write once a week. i'll try to write more but once a week will be the bare minimum! anyways... i've been working hard trying to find the mutation in one of my mouse strains. it's been quite an illusive end. but i will be sequencing several genes at once and hopefully i will get lucky. i really want to have a good complete story for my two mouse strains by the time i present a poster at ASH (American Society of Hematology) Meeting December 9-12. i'm pretty excited as this will be my first meeting that i will be attending and it definitely helps that it will be in Orlando, Florida. josephine is also be going. she's actually going to Florida this week for some other meeting. lucky her!

i'll try to work hard but i'll probably end up playing lots of video games. speaking of video games, i just got Splinter Cell: Double Agent two days ago. great follow up to Chaos Theory. i highly recommend it. another something i would recommend is "Heroes" on NBC. what an intersting show!

this past weekend we celebrated my mom and dad's birthday. they have birthday's a week apart. it was nice to have dinner and cake with them. we went to Brassa Grill down in the warehouse district. brazillian style grill of about 15 different types of meat! all you can eat!! it was delicious. oh yea! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Happy Bosses Day!

Happy Bosses Day Mark! More than 1800 Post-It Notes were used!

The Culprits...

and yet another lag

Hello everybody, I know this is yet another apology for not posting, but I've been so busy. Josephine and I actually have both been extremely busy. Especially Jo since she is currently managing work with writing a paper with Joe AND taking classes. But she's wonderful and has been a great wife through it all. I feel bad, I can't help her out more and sometimes I get stressed out by the thought of not being able to help her. Which really doesn't help the situation at all!

Anyway, tomorrow is a Chinese holiday. So my family are coming up from Mansfield and having dinner with her family who come down from Toronto. It will be great to see the big family! But I really wish I could see my parents more.

Have you guys heard about the cola that helps you burn calories? It's by Coca-Cola called ENVIGA. Another start up has also made one called Celsius. Looks interesting! Drinking one cola will help you burn 7-100 calories. Hmmm... sounds fishy. Wonder if it'll make me go to the toilet like Olestra? But I'm a sucker for new drinks so I'll let you know as soon as I try it. The secret ingredient is chromium which is suppose to boost metabolism. I need that... I think...

I'll try the one from Coca-Cola first! Another COLA WAR has begun!! Pepsi will join soon enough!

Bone Marrow Transplant Patient Reunion

Josephine and I went to the Cleveland Clinic's Bone Marrow Transplant Celebration of Life: Patient Reunion. This annual event was held this year at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was touched by how many people have been treated and at the same time, how many people have been affected by cancer, particularly leukemia. The 800 people that attended was only a small part of the huge family that the disease influences; care-givers, family members, as well as patients. And to think that those in attendance were only the survivors. It was also a good experience for me to see how important my wife's work is. Her work, although she says indirectly, helps makes these peoples lives better. I think that's awesome. I enjoyed meeting all her coworkers and seeing the people she interacts with everyday. It was also my first time at the Rock Hall. I'll have to go again when I can actually go through the entire exhibit!

First Brown's Game

My brother and I went to the first Brown's game of the regular season. We got club seats so we had an excellent view of the field and good food too! Thanks dad for the tickets!

Although the Brown's lost, we still had a good time! It's going to be a rough year! But as usual, Cleveland fans always find something to cheer about.

GO BROWNS!!

Weekend in DC

Thanks to all our friends who meet up with us in DC. We had a great time. Special thanks to Kirsten for letting us stay with her and showing us around town. I hope we didn't cause too much trouble!

Josephine and I had a really fun time listening to all your stories of how life has changed and not changed since moving away from Cleveland and we are anxious to make the move ourselves. For a while I was in a slump in terms of my studies, but seeing all your successes, gave me a renewed spirit and energy. I'm going to buckle down and focus so that we can get out of here and on to bigger and better things. And from the commentary that Toshi gives while we were in DC, Boston seems like the next place we need to visit and consider for our next abode.

Shopping in Chevy Chase and an unplanned tribute to the Beatles.

The little dessert cafe we stopped at was very fancy. Toshi and I had fun taking pics of our food. Then, tackling the all you can eat crabs was an event.






It was fun to see everybody try it but I think I was the only one that got full! Thanks to everybody who joined me!







In the picture is Zhen, Me, Toshi, Mike, Matt, Laura, Karen, Kirsten, Josephine, and Connie (L to R). Congratulations to Matt and Laura and Zhen and Connie who will be proud parents very soon!

Next time we'll have to try this Moby Dick House of Kabob! It just sounds funny! Must be big skewers. In front of the Spy Museum.

And I have to add this last picture of Toshi with his $30 umbrella. After checking it for wind-resistance in the store, we both agreed that it probably would be worth the investment. Keep me posted Toshi! And by the way, I still think you should have asked for that girls number! She was DEFINITELY flirting with you!

Next to be added will be pictures from Josephine and I's trip to HK and Tokyo. Stay tuned! They will be added VERY SOON!

Happy Anniversary!

I can't believe it has been one year! Happy Anniversary to my beautiful wife.

I am the luckiest man in the world. Everything in my life is better now that you are in my life.

Sorry! Really have been neglecting the blog. Trip to asia hasn't been posted and I've been so enthrawled with the World Cup! I'm so sad that England lost. But they weren't playing up to par. Now I'm cheering for France. Go Zidane! Go Henry!!

josephine's bruise from paintball! more pictures to come!!

but in reality we were there to pick up lambo's new car. a brand new mazda3! it's a beautiful car! i like the color too. can't wait to see what changes you do with it! looks like it's time for me to get a new car...