Roberto Alomar is now in Cooperstown

With 90% of the votes, former Blue Jays 2nd baseman, Roberto Alomar will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. One of the most exciting and entertaining players to ever play for the city of Toronto and in Major League Baseball.

He is the BEST 2nd baseman... He will hurt you with the bat, with his legs and with his glove. I look at today's 2nd baseman like Yankees' Cano and if it were not for Roberto Alomar, they would NOT be making amazing plays.

Alomar was the first player to run to the ball, jump, turn and throw in the same motion and he RARELY (almost never) miss where he was throwing.

Although, I think Alomar's finest moment was in the 1992 ALCS vs the Athletics and that homerun off Eckersley - that moment is engrave into Blue Jays fans. The homerun and the 2 hands raised signaled the monkey off the bank.

I never got to watch the 85, 87 or even the 91 Blue Jays. I don't even recall the big trade between the Jays and Padres that brought Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar to Toronto (I was just 7) but I remember being drawn to baseball around September (and probably because it was Toronto and nothing else was on, other then Maple Leafs training camp). I do remember watching the series versus the Atheltics (them with Dave Stewart and HoF Rickey Henderson whom we stole for 1993 run) and the series versus the Braves. It was an exciting time in Toronto.

Then it was the magical 1993 run... Olerud, Alomar Molitar finished 1, 2 and 3 in the batting race and then it was back to the fall classic... first the White Sox then the famous Joe Carter walk-off winning world series homerun.

When you think the best Blue Jays ever... Roberto Alomar comes to mind. And hopefully, he will be the first Toronto Blue Jays to be in Cooperstown.

Although, I personally have always loved Joe Carter more, it wouldn't be the same without Roberto Alomar. Time to get a retro 1992 Alomar jersey!

Too Asian?

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/11/10/too-asian/

It's true and I will tell you why. But first, why "Too Asian?" What is Asia? To be politically correct, Asia REALLY stretches from Japan ALL the way to Turkey and includes all the countries in between - China, Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, former Soviet Union countries. Ironically, when people say "Asia," people quickly think China. Apparently, Asia means China. Indonesia and Malaysia is South Asia. Iran and Iraq is the Middle East. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan is former Soviet nations.

Seriously, Asia actually includes the Middle East, South Asia, India AND the former Soviet nations. Eureka!

I don't understand the "controversy" to this article. I fully understand where it's coming from. The unfortunate part is, as Chinese immigrants who came to Canada (mostly Hong Kong during the pre-handover), it was almost drilled into are mindset that the only good university is University of Toronto and nothing else. Personally, I don't see why, even though I'm Chinese...

Also, for Chinese culture, the only successful and respectable professions are: lawyers and doctors, and anything else are looked down on. Since University of Toronto have a great law and medical program, it is only nature for Chinese parents to want their children to go to the best school. But why are people up and arms over the issue? It's the Chinese community that made it "too Asian." And I didn't want to go to UofT either because of the stigma that was attached to it. Anything that's not University of Toronto is a sub-university and not worthy of going.

I don't think Mclean's article was making any racial comments other then stating the fact that we, the Chinese community, has put a prestige on University of Toronto among the culture.

The throw a different angle...

Is Markham "too Asian?"
Is Richmond, BC and Richmond Hill, ON "too Rich?" (Seriously, lots of Chinese live here because of "Rich"mond)
Is Agincourt (division of Scarborough) "too Brown?" (due to the rise in Indian/Sri Lankan population in past 10 years)

The most important question really...

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?
Live. Love. Respect.

Sometime I wish Toronto had Hazel McCallion as mayor...

Mississauga only too pleased to take Toronto’s light rail money

Considering the fact that Hazel McCallion is turning 92 or something like that. She may be ancient but she's done a better job then last 3 mayors combined.

Rob Ford better have a plan... but he may have a point in cancelling the Transit City.

Having the Light Rail Transit really doesn't work around Toronto. The streets are too narrow and there are WAAAY too many cars. However, the LRT in Mississauga works.

The ultimate solution to this transit problem is easy but the problem is money (leaving cost out of the equation). How it will be charged, who will collect and which city get what share. That is probably why Metrolinx works so well. One system, one payment, one transit.

The 4 transit system in GTA should consider amalgamate into one (Mississauga Transit, Brampton Transit, York Region Transit, Toronto Trasit Commission and the Durham Transit). How many people live in one end of the city and work in the other end? PLENTY.

There's also talk and work in progress for expansion to Downsview subway station to York University and into Vaughan. But what about the others?

Kipling should be extended to Square One in Missisauga, then Missisauga Transit and Brampton Transit can build the LRT on Hurontatio/Hwy 10.

Kennedy Station NEEDS to be extended considering that was the original intention back in the 80s when the Scarborough RT was built. Really, 30 years later, that still is incomplete... go and connect Kennedy Station to Scarborough Town Centre and might be useful to connect THAT to Pickering Town Centre.

Since the Downsview is being extended to Vaughan Business Centre... Finch station should be extended too and why not? There are lots more people living in York Region that works in Toronto so, it would only be logical to extend Finch Station to Major Mac, even to just Hwy 7 would work.

And then there's the "subway line to nowhere," you know what I'm talking about... Sheppard. That was build in 2002 with the idea that it will be extending westward... well, go and complete that!

Ideally, THIS is what the Toronto subway system should look like...



We would finally have a subway system that REACHES the airport...
We would have a way of getting people to work in Toronto from Mississauga
While the East expansion to Pickering would not be a high priority, it would truely connect the GTA from East to West.

You want people to drive less and be more dependent on transit?? Make the transit easy to access to and from work!

But the system will be new trains that travels faster then 70km/h... yes, the TTC subway only travels at 70km/h... Street cars only go at 50km/h and buses ranges from 50-70km/h depending on the traffic and the driver... and some people wonder why some other people prefer driving to get to places...

The only thing missing is probably a subway line that runs on Eglinton from the airport to Kennedy station with stations in; Jane & Black Creek area, Eglinton W, Eglinton (on Yonge), Sunnybrook Hospital, and location somewhere in Victoria Park/Eglinton area before ending on Kennedy Station. However, I don't think there would be enough user to justify construction for this line, an underground LRT could possibly work.



While THIS would be the utlimate solution... but it just seem too logical for the people at TTC to comprehend.

Sins of the Past

The first episode of Xena... I absolutely love this episode and can't really find a flaw in it.

Love the opening scene. It opens with a distinctive instrument. I think it's a double reed shawm, it is loud and sharp sound. As Xena rides, we get flashback episodes from Hercules. It worked nicely. I guess the producers assumed you had already seen the "Xena Trilogy" in the first season of Hercules so, not much is said until Xena hears a sound from a burnt house in which a kid comes out and ask for food. The kid explains that his parents were killed by Xena who "came out of the sky in a chariot."

Here's the first scene, I don't really get. Xena, feeling somewhat responsible, just tosses down a wrapped item. The kid opens the item to find a piece of bread (or cheese, some half circle) and smiles back as Xena rides away. Problem: the way the kid is smiling seems odd, it wasn't a "thank you" smile but more of the "oh yes, i tricked you, haha" smile.

Xena had already decided to give up fighting and began burying her equipment. My problem here is, does that white undergarment REALLY fit underneath that leather? I think not! Anyway, while in this "goodbye, warrior princess" look she hears sounds and "hides" behind the bush. We are finally introduced to the character Gabrielle. She decided to risk her life so the others could be free. Of course, Xena comes in a save the day and the first time we hear the infamous battle cry.

Skipping ahead...

Next scene that I enjoy is the cyclop scene with Xena and then a later with Gabrielle. I love how they used 2 different angles on the shot. The cyclop standing close to the camera while Xena/Gabrielle are standing far away. By the way, did anyone notice how Xena called her horse a boy as she went over the bridge?

The scene between Xena and her mother is very touching. You see the hate and the love at the same time. Xena tried to explain Draco is going attack the village but no one would listen and a mob is gathered.

Best line of the episode?

"What? Is one woman too much for you? Let me even the odds, one UNarmed woman might be more to your taste."

As Xena is about to be stoned by her people, Gabrielle arrives. I love how she use false logic to convince the villages.

"Let's say you're right and she's Draco buddy, let's even make her his girlfriend. You think Draco is bad news now? What would happen if he hears you knocked off his woman? Boy, it gives me the creeps to even think about it."

In the next scene, we see Xena visiting her dead brother. What I do find odd is Gabrielle following Xena INTO the catacomb/chamber. Seriously, it's a private moment and Gabrielle just decided that she can just come in. But of course...

Xena: It's hard to be alone
Gabrielle: You're not alone.

My favourite scene of the episode is probably the ladder fight between Draco and Xena. Awesome soundtrack, awesome fighting choreograph aaaannnd fighting on heads... and happy ending.

Campfire secene at the end was a nice touch.

Xena: It's not easy proving you're a different person.

The episode ends on a positive note:

Xena: You know where I'm headed, there'll be trouble.
Gabrielle: I know.
Xena: So why would you want to go into that with me?
Gabrielle: That's what friends do, they stand by each other when there's trouble.
Xena: Alright, friend.

I've watched this episode so many times and still love it. I'm not sure how else the episodes can be done differently...

TV show 15 years later

it's funny watching dvds and look at shows from 15 years ago and see what's changed and what hasn't changed.

A few months ago, I watched through Season 1 - 3 (missing season 4 dvd) of Lois and Clark: New Adventures of Superman. The way they did the show in 1993 and it still look modern in 2010. That's pretty amazing.

But my favourite show on the 90s are Hercules: The Legendary Journey and Xena: Warrior Princess. Can't explain why but I can watch these shows over and over again. I had other shows I loved watching in the 90s like Star Trek: Voyager (how can you not love Kate Mulgrew??) and The New Adventure of Sinbad (but a bit of a tacky version of Hercules and Xena) but there was something about Hercules and Xena that captured my imagination. It could be because it was set in ancient Greece or it could be the story or it could be the relationship of the characters of the show. Who knows?

But I decided to dig the DVDs out and start watching them again from season 1... so, I might write episode reviews from 15 years later. lol A different perspective and maybe catch something I didn't notice before...

MacBeth, Act V, Scene v, ln 19-28

After all is said and done, was it worth it?

All the hard work, pain, sweat, success and failure; but all will be for nothing. No one remembers what you did, how much you made, who you loved. No one remembers your name, where you were born, where you lived.

To be told you are not good enough, a disappointment, who you are is the reason you can't get hired or be loved.

As MacBeth said,

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."

We live to put on a show for others. We struggle to find ourselves, our reason to live and the meaning of life. But in the end, the effort we put in are forgotten. Those who tells the story with such conviction are ones who has never lived the life of lonliness, sadness, discrimination and unwantedness.

There are those that argue, life is worth living. There are friends and family who will miss you. And yet, when you look back, who was there for you when you needed someone? To have people you grew up with, who you thought were your friends, forget you like you never existed. To be in a group and realize you do not belong. To be in a group and you don't fit in. To be in a group and be left out. And to be in a group and know you shouldn't be here.

You do what you can to feel accepted. You keep changing who you are for others. You keep reinventing yourself and hope someday, someone will accept you. But that day never comes. We are nothing.

The look I see in your eyes tells all. You don't want me there. You don't want me anywhere. There is such cold and hate in your eyes. Yes, I can see it. Sometimes the silence speaks louder then words. You were given many opportunity. Yet, I hear nothing.

I shouldn't feel happy when you suffer. But it brings me such joy. Your pain and anger brings me such happiness. You suffer, I smile. The more your hurt, the more I feel lifted.

Welcome to the darkness where the true meaning of life lies. There is no escape. Embrace it. Celebrate it. Don't run away from it. It is who you are.

It doesn't matter what you do, death is our end. It is the answer. You cannot run away from it. The inevitable end. No use in fighting it.

I want to believe "it gets better" but it doesn't.

more from Soul Calibur

This time for Soul Calibur 3... this was created a while back, I hadn't gotten around to editing it but they are pretty close.

I REALLY need Soul Calibur 4, a friend of mine has it and I DID create another Xena... and some other ones... will have to bug her...