It's always a challenge, reading articles like this that discusses about the failings of Christians, and indeed in this case, two pastors/preachers who were married and are now filing for divorce due to domestic violence.
I am never illusioned about how difficult it is to be a Christian, and to preach the Christian way of living. But it's hard, looking at someone (here, a female preacher) who preaches (and teaches) black women of how to be a good wife, of how to stroke the ego of the husband, and to deal with sexual desire and promiscuity while preaching chastity, among other things.
One might say that her experience is particularly hard to swallow, given what she preaches, and the way she's going from one marriage to another, both ending in domestic violence. Is herself or the husband or both, to be blamed for the failing? How could the husband, in this case when he's a "bishop" himself, be hitting his wife while preaching for loving and caring relationship? There is so much hypocrisy when people looking at Christians, or indeed whoever claims to be Christians.
It's very true that people hold Christians to higher bar and standard when it comes to the way of living and the preaching that are coming from them. It's a very dangerous to elevate any individual to be "prophetess" (as in the case of this female preacher), and equate her with Bible teachings. One can quickly get disillusioned when failures happen. This is one reason I don't go to church often, although I regard myself as generally, a believer. One could argue that one needs the support group to strive and grow and share. I don't know if I'm ready to set myself up for disappointment and disillusionment.
Maybe someday God will show me the way. For now, I'm content staying at the sideline...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
On Katrina and federal government's role in its rebuilding...
It's disheartening, reading the article "Where's the money?" from Fortune magazine in the August 20, 2007 issue.
One glaring point to take away is the gross ineptness of the federal government (read, Bush administration) in dealing with the issue. What Bush is saying/doing is, I opened my wallet, here's some money, go take care of yourself.
I might probably be labeled an independent liberal, but I'm no socialist. I do strongly believe that there are certain basic infrastructure and human needs, which responsibilities the federal government cannot abdicate. The needs for the rebuild is so vast, huge and urgent (still) that they call for the federal government to take over on temporary basis. This decisive step would have, should have, could have removed most, if not all, the feudal territorial infightings of different ruling agencies, local governments, and private entities. But the Bush administration does not have the competency and insight to do the right thing. All Bush does was, try to take the easy way out, and claim the glory of it.
It leads me to wonder, if Bush is unable to rebuild even a piece of land in his own backyard, how is he to be trusted to rebuild a remote landmass for a mess that the neo-cons (with his full endorsement) made in Iraq? As we all know too well, Iraq is infinitely worse than New Orleans (there really is no comparison). But in terms of planning, they both show the same pattern of incompetency of this Bush administration.
It makes me angry, very angry in fact, to see that pattern repeating again and again. And I'm very angry at Bush for what he has allowed this country to come down to, and what he has marched this country toward. Sometimes, I wish he would have the chance to stand for re-election, then the voters would show him what he's worth.
Don't bother with legacy, Mr Bush, since you have these two forever marred on your nameplate.
One glaring point to take away is the gross ineptness of the federal government (read, Bush administration) in dealing with the issue. What Bush is saying/doing is, I opened my wallet, here's some money, go take care of yourself.
I might probably be labeled an independent liberal, but I'm no socialist. I do strongly believe that there are certain basic infrastructure and human needs, which responsibilities the federal government cannot abdicate. The needs for the rebuild is so vast, huge and urgent (still) that they call for the federal government to take over on temporary basis. This decisive step would have, should have, could have removed most, if not all, the feudal territorial infightings of different ruling agencies, local governments, and private entities. But the Bush administration does not have the competency and insight to do the right thing. All Bush does was, try to take the easy way out, and claim the glory of it.
It leads me to wonder, if Bush is unable to rebuild even a piece of land in his own backyard, how is he to be trusted to rebuild a remote landmass for a mess that the neo-cons (with his full endorsement) made in Iraq? As we all know too well, Iraq is infinitely worse than New Orleans (there really is no comparison). But in terms of planning, they both show the same pattern of incompetency of this Bush administration.
It makes me angry, very angry in fact, to see that pattern repeating again and again. And I'm very angry at Bush for what he has allowed this country to come down to, and what he has marched this country toward. Sometimes, I wish he would have the chance to stand for re-election, then the voters would show him what he's worth.
Don't bother with legacy, Mr Bush, since you have these two forever marred on your nameplate.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
More on John Howard, the Australian PM and the Bush lap dog...
It is royally annoying to read reports like http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6988552.stm of John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister, and how he emulates the policy and style of Bush Jr, and how unpopular he is now, who also faces complete annihilation in the election by year end.
I hope he gets annihilated. At least Bush would not get the slap of the face since there won't be another election for him anymore. For Howard, the stakes are high. If Dem wins in US, Howard will be marginalized (or at least not as warmly received). If his party fails in the election at year end, he loses. So, he'd better hoped and prayed that some GOP wins in US, and his party doesn't lose, then he'll prolong this about-face.
If bin Laden is smart, he shouldn't stage another attack in US. Otherwise, it'll push US further into the same agenda, making it less likely for al Qaeda to gain foothold in the befuddled Middle Eastern countries.
I hope he gets annihilated. At least Bush would not get the slap of the face since there won't be another election for him anymore. For Howard, the stakes are high. If Dem wins in US, Howard will be marginalized (or at least not as warmly received). If his party fails in the election at year end, he loses. So, he'd better hoped and prayed that some GOP wins in US, and his party doesn't lose, then he'll prolong this about-face.
If bin Laden is smart, he shouldn't stage another attack in US. Otherwise, it'll push US further into the same agenda, making it less likely for al Qaeda to gain foothold in the befuddled Middle Eastern countries.
On the 6th anniversary of 9/11...
I can't believe it. It's the 6th anniversary of 9/11.
I still remember clearly what happened that morning, when I was in office, and then some colleague called out, that something happened in NYC. In march everyone into the big conference room where the big TV was. Most everyone hadn't the slightest clue what's happening. Everyone's laughing and chatting when we went in. And then we saw black smoke coming out of one of the towers of World Trade Center. There's so much talking going on, on top of the TV, that I didn't realize what's going on. The picture on the TV looked so cleared and gorgeous that it's movie-perfect. It's too Hollywood like - afterall, things always happen either in New York or LA, don't they.
We were chitchatting about general stuffs: how tall WTC was; who had worked there on which floor; etc. Nobody comprehended how grave the situation was. And then the towers collapsed. The only thing that came out of everyone was a lot of wow's. I just thought, "wow, that's bad."
It wasn't until the next day, when more videos came in, and there are views from the ground. There are videos showing people jumping from on high to escape (and die). There are videos of people running away from ground zero when clouds of dust flooded the street like special effects in Hollywood. It's still surreal, but it isn't until then when I realized how bad this was, and I couldn't stop my tears rolling down my face, even though I wasn't crying out loud.
Six years on, much is revealed and still more is not. There are good and bad things that come out of it.
The good: False illusion of safety, away from the middle east, is gone. People are more aware of the mortal dangers that we are in. I can't think of anything else that is good about 09/11.
The bad: We should know by now that we shouldn't have gone in Iraq on the pretext of 9/11 (I hope), as the Bush administration tried to sell it and still selling it. (Apparently there are still silly people who would regurgitate the same tidbits fed by Karl Rove on why and how 09/11 and Iraq are related. Shame on them.) And on how Bush Jr squanders away the chance to do a good job in Afghanistan, and instead, do a very bad job in there, in Iraq. Through it all, America completely lost its morale leadership of the world. Bush Jr should know that these will forever be his legacy. He knew it, and tries to salvage it. Well, Mr President, I'm sorry to tell you, but it's too late now. The uprising of the neo-cons in the Bush administration in hijacking the agenda, and the erosion of civil liberty on the pretext of fighting terrorism, are in most cases, BS.
The way that this administration is going, the way that it's antagonizing the whole world, it's doing a service to bin Laden in driving recruits his way. In terms of ugly, this is one of the worst things that Bush has delivered this country. I'm ashamed of him.
I still remember clearly what happened that morning, when I was in office, and then some colleague called out, that something happened in NYC. In march everyone into the big conference room where the big TV was. Most everyone hadn't the slightest clue what's happening. Everyone's laughing and chatting when we went in. And then we saw black smoke coming out of one of the towers of World Trade Center. There's so much talking going on, on top of the TV, that I didn't realize what's going on. The picture on the TV looked so cleared and gorgeous that it's movie-perfect. It's too Hollywood like - afterall, things always happen either in New York or LA, don't they.
We were chitchatting about general stuffs: how tall WTC was; who had worked there on which floor; etc. Nobody comprehended how grave the situation was. And then the towers collapsed. The only thing that came out of everyone was a lot of wow's. I just thought, "wow, that's bad."
It wasn't until the next day, when more videos came in, and there are views from the ground. There are videos showing people jumping from on high to escape (and die). There are videos of people running away from ground zero when clouds of dust flooded the street like special effects in Hollywood. It's still surreal, but it isn't until then when I realized how bad this was, and I couldn't stop my tears rolling down my face, even though I wasn't crying out loud.
Six years on, much is revealed and still more is not. There are good and bad things that come out of it.
The good: False illusion of safety, away from the middle east, is gone. People are more aware of the mortal dangers that we are in. I can't think of anything else that is good about 09/11.
The bad: We should know by now that we shouldn't have gone in Iraq on the pretext of 9/11 (I hope), as the Bush administration tried to sell it and still selling it. (Apparently there are still silly people who would regurgitate the same tidbits fed by Karl Rove on why and how 09/11 and Iraq are related. Shame on them.) And on how Bush Jr squanders away the chance to do a good job in Afghanistan, and instead, do a very bad job in there, in Iraq. Through it all, America completely lost its morale leadership of the world. Bush Jr should know that these will forever be his legacy. He knew it, and tries to salvage it. Well, Mr President, I'm sorry to tell you, but it's too late now. The uprising of the neo-cons in the Bush administration in hijacking the agenda, and the erosion of civil liberty on the pretext of fighting terrorism, are in most cases, BS.
The way that this administration is going, the way that it's antagonizing the whole world, it's doing a service to bin Laden in driving recruits his way. In terms of ugly, this is one of the worst things that Bush has delivered this country. I'm ashamed of him.
On a hot summer month in Hong Kong...
I was missing in action for my journal (blog) in August. We've traveled to Hong Kong for a month, and, boy, ain't I out of touch with it.
I've been back for a few times to Hong Kong since the 1997 handover to China. Although I noticed changes, I hadn't given it as much thought. Afterall, I had relocated from Hong Kong for quite some years now, and I felt kind of detached from it physically and somewhat emotionally. While I know its landscape is ever-changing (except perhaps the Peak and the south side of the Hong Kong island), I even lost my sense of directions more than a few times.
This time round, there's some business to take care of, and I found myself perking up my senses again. It's interesting to find so many things changed and changing, yet others still stay the same.
A walk in Central still saw all the young women and men dressed in the trendy and in-style. That is to be expected. But this boy-sized and outsized watches on slim wrists came across to me as unnecessary and in most cases, unsightly. Do they care if this looks good only for maybe 1% of the people? I don't think so. Regardless, a trend is a trend is a trend.
The city is buzzing again with energy not seen in a few years, at least not in the past few visits since 2000 after the Asia financial crisis in 1997 and the resultant property market crash in Hong Kong. I'm glad that the financial market is getting a boost from China's announcement that it's opening up the Hong Kong Stock Exchange only for mainland investors (from a few "focus" cities).
Most everything and everyone in Hong Kong flow with finances. Just look at the average (even below average) joes and janes parking themselves almost permanently in the retail bank branches everywhere to soak up minutiae changes in the financial news and rates on the TV monitors. Do you know they have a name? They are the crane-by-the-pond, carefully watching for fish and all ready with their beak to attack. Hongkongers have a unique (and often very accurately funny) way of naming things in Cantonese.
People still walk fast. In fact, I found myself always in a hurry that I'm usually walking faster than all fellow pedestrians, albeit being a semi-tourist. This much I have improved, even better myself before I left this beloved city decades ago.
And the tourists. How they have changed in their faces. Of course you should know now, that it gets almost all of its tourists and tourist dollars from mainland China. Those traditional shopper-bargain places like Tsimshatsui seems to have lost its allure. It's sad and pathetic to walk through TST East to find shops either shuttered or relegated to sell hawkers. This was an area that used to be quite vibrant, albeit for a not-so-moral reason of all the big nightclubs being there. These days, as China opens its door more and more, even the prostitutes have to go north, as the saying goes. So, most nightclubs are gone, and at night, it's eerily quiet walking through TST East. I knew all the facts about all these, but to take it in first-hand, is still somewhat sad.
Last few times, I saw a lot of tourists buses from mainland China parked next to department stores, and those tourists were a sorry sight. They were either squatting in front of high-class stores, or spitting at the roadside. I had wondered if I would want these customers, if I were a highend store. Of course, poor men don't have the luxury to choose. It's almost a lucky break for Hong Kong that mainland China had picked up where the Brits left off, and those mainland Chinese dollars helped keep Hong Kong float. These time round, I didn't see any squatting and spitting. I was told that China made those tourists read through leaflets on how to *behave* when they're outside of the country. They do seem to heed the instructions. But you know what, it's all play-acting. To get rid of the squatting and spitting, it has to go deeper, into the kind of civic education, if any, that these people receive. I doubt if they get any. This much I don't expect to change in the coming future, and so it doesn't.
Buildings are always changing hands and shapes. I never never like the new Peak Tower. The new IFC building looks terrible. It's a robotic arm of an evil sticking out from the ground. It doesn't look good. The BOC building and the HSBC headquarters building still holds its own, even the old Hopewell Center still rings. Sometimes, newer doesn't always means better. And, I would miss the Queen's Pier and the old Central's pier that was shaved to make way for the new.
The humid and salty weather can take its toll quickly on building structures. The New World Hotel and the old Regent Hotel buildings in TST are a case in point. With the outer walls changing color and molding, it looks like it's about to fall, although its interior is still pretty pleasant. But that's one thing that distinguishes one developer from another who can manage properly well. Just look at Pacific Place and you'll realize what I meant.
Hong Kong is a changing city, and its populace adapt fast. Just look at how much they have now embraced the north, how much Putonghua there is on the TV (Chinese and English channels alike). I do hope it'll hold its own, and withstand the onslaught from Shanghai and Beijing.
It's funny that I find myself craving for all souvenirs that are old Hongkong. I collect business cards from each restaurants and hotels that I visit. I buy magnets that are meant for silly tourists. My husband even bought souvenirs from the Central's main post office. (Now, THAT is a bit too much for it.) Speaking of which, on our way down the post office, I saw those old canvas HK Post Office mailbags on display. I said, "now THAT is a souvenir that I would definitely buy." I know none of the people from Hong Kong would have fathomed that someone would want the old postman's mailbags, or understood that a bag like THAT has characters in it. All they would think of is cheap plastic piggybanks. And herein lies one of its problems. Hongkongers think they're very cosmopolitan (and they are, in most sense), with westernized forward thinking. But most people there do not really understand what that means or entails.
I've been back for a few times to Hong Kong since the 1997 handover to China. Although I noticed changes, I hadn't given it as much thought. Afterall, I had relocated from Hong Kong for quite some years now, and I felt kind of detached from it physically and somewhat emotionally. While I know its landscape is ever-changing (except perhaps the Peak and the south side of the Hong Kong island), I even lost my sense of directions more than a few times.
This time round, there's some business to take care of, and I found myself perking up my senses again. It's interesting to find so many things changed and changing, yet others still stay the same.
A walk in Central still saw all the young women and men dressed in the trendy and in-style. That is to be expected. But this boy-sized and outsized watches on slim wrists came across to me as unnecessary and in most cases, unsightly. Do they care if this looks good only for maybe 1% of the people? I don't think so. Regardless, a trend is a trend is a trend.
The city is buzzing again with energy not seen in a few years, at least not in the past few visits since 2000 after the Asia financial crisis in 1997 and the resultant property market crash in Hong Kong. I'm glad that the financial market is getting a boost from China's announcement that it's opening up the Hong Kong Stock Exchange only for mainland investors (from a few "focus" cities).
Most everything and everyone in Hong Kong flow with finances. Just look at the average (even below average) joes and janes parking themselves almost permanently in the retail bank branches everywhere to soak up minutiae changes in the financial news and rates on the TV monitors. Do you know they have a name? They are the crane-by-the-pond, carefully watching for fish and all ready with their beak to attack. Hongkongers have a unique (and often very accurately funny) way of naming things in Cantonese.
People still walk fast. In fact, I found myself always in a hurry that I'm usually walking faster than all fellow pedestrians, albeit being a semi-tourist. This much I have improved, even better myself before I left this beloved city decades ago.
And the tourists. How they have changed in their faces. Of course you should know now, that it gets almost all of its tourists and tourist dollars from mainland China. Those traditional shopper-bargain places like Tsimshatsui seems to have lost its allure. It's sad and pathetic to walk through TST East to find shops either shuttered or relegated to sell hawkers. This was an area that used to be quite vibrant, albeit for a not-so-moral reason of all the big nightclubs being there. These days, as China opens its door more and more, even the prostitutes have to go north, as the saying goes. So, most nightclubs are gone, and at night, it's eerily quiet walking through TST East. I knew all the facts about all these, but to take it in first-hand, is still somewhat sad.
Last few times, I saw a lot of tourists buses from mainland China parked next to department stores, and those tourists were a sorry sight. They were either squatting in front of high-class stores, or spitting at the roadside. I had wondered if I would want these customers, if I were a highend store. Of course, poor men don't have the luxury to choose. It's almost a lucky break for Hong Kong that mainland China had picked up where the Brits left off, and those mainland Chinese dollars helped keep Hong Kong float. These time round, I didn't see any squatting and spitting. I was told that China made those tourists read through leaflets on how to *behave* when they're outside of the country. They do seem to heed the instructions. But you know what, it's all play-acting. To get rid of the squatting and spitting, it has to go deeper, into the kind of civic education, if any, that these people receive. I doubt if they get any. This much I don't expect to change in the coming future, and so it doesn't.
Buildings are always changing hands and shapes. I never never like the new Peak Tower. The new IFC building looks terrible. It's a robotic arm of an evil sticking out from the ground. It doesn't look good. The BOC building and the HSBC headquarters building still holds its own, even the old Hopewell Center still rings. Sometimes, newer doesn't always means better. And, I would miss the Queen's Pier and the old Central's pier that was shaved to make way for the new.
The humid and salty weather can take its toll quickly on building structures. The New World Hotel and the old Regent Hotel buildings in TST are a case in point. With the outer walls changing color and molding, it looks like it's about to fall, although its interior is still pretty pleasant. But that's one thing that distinguishes one developer from another who can manage properly well. Just look at Pacific Place and you'll realize what I meant.
Hong Kong is a changing city, and its populace adapt fast. Just look at how much they have now embraced the north, how much Putonghua there is on the TV (Chinese and English channels alike). I do hope it'll hold its own, and withstand the onslaught from Shanghai and Beijing.
It's funny that I find myself craving for all souvenirs that are old Hongkong. I collect business cards from each restaurants and hotels that I visit. I buy magnets that are meant for silly tourists. My husband even bought souvenirs from the Central's main post office. (Now, THAT is a bit too much for it.) Speaking of which, on our way down the post office, I saw those old canvas HK Post Office mailbags on display. I said, "now THAT is a souvenir that I would definitely buy." I know none of the people from Hong Kong would have fathomed that someone would want the old postman's mailbags, or understood that a bag like THAT has characters in it. All they would think of is cheap plastic piggybanks. And herein lies one of its problems. Hongkongers think they're very cosmopolitan (and they are, in most sense), with westernized forward thinking. But most people there do not really understand what that means or entails.
Monday, September 10, 2007
On the passing of Pavarotti...
Reading the obituary of Pavarotti at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/07/arts/music/07pavarotti.html?pagewanted=all reminds a lot about Diana.
It reminds me of someone who is not that bright, but has become hugely popular simply by manipulation of the media and the camera. If they're judged by their intellect, their popularity is not justified. But both of them present (and flirt) themselves so well in front of cameras, that people seem to care about what their true worth are.
At least Pavarotti succeeded by some measures in popularizing the opera, Diana helped only in almost bringing down the royal family that once fed her and clothed her with heirloom jewelry. Talking about bitch.
It reminds me of someone who is not that bright, but has become hugely popular simply by manipulation of the media and the camera. If they're judged by their intellect, their popularity is not justified. But both of them present (and flirt) themselves so well in front of cameras, that people seem to care about what their true worth are.
At least Pavarotti succeeded by some measures in popularizing the opera, Diana helped only in almost bringing down the royal family that once fed her and clothed her with heirloom jewelry. Talking about bitch.
On Britney's comeback on MTV award...
Boy, isn't it painful to watch Britney Spears' comeback dance video at the MTV Award on http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1568788&vid=174394
It's painful, watching the slow decline of a once vibrant young lady, and who now tries to find her way back, with the same ways and means, yet the world has changed so much, and so has she.
Someone should have told her that she needs to get the rhythm back before dancing. Looking at her old dance videos and her latest performance, it's startling. She's either on drugs, or her heart was completely not in it. Either way, she looks like she's sleep-walking on stage. Not that I endorse the kind of provocativeness of her former self, but to see a fellow human being having lost the sparkle in his/her eyes and his/her zeal for life, that's just sad.
It's painful, watching the slow decline of a once vibrant young lady, and who now tries to find her way back, with the same ways and means, yet the world has changed so much, and so has she.
Someone should have told her that she needs to get the rhythm back before dancing. Looking at her old dance videos and her latest performance, it's startling. She's either on drugs, or her heart was completely not in it. Either way, she looks like she's sleep-walking on stage. Not that I endorse the kind of provocativeness of her former self, but to see a fellow human being having lost the sparkle in his/her eyes and his/her zeal for life, that's just sad.
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