Blog

Short blog posts, journal entries, and random thoughts. Topics include a mix of personal and the world at large.

Wonder

Yesterday was the first Juneteenth holiday that we, as employees of San Francisco State University, got since it became a federal holiday a few years back. A day to commemorate the emancipation of slaves - it doesn’t get much more American than that.

So what did I do my day off? My friend has a membership to the California Academy of Sciences, in the heart of Golden Gate Park. He intends to bring his two young boys there regularly. One perk of the membership: you can bring along two adult guests for free. I’ve not been to the Academy of Sciences since its renovation, so I was eager to tag along. Besides, my friend did all the driving and parking-finding, which is a headache I’m glad to outsource.

It seems everybody with kids in the single digit of age - and had the day off - was there at Cal Academy yesterday. There were strollers everywhere, mothers in yoga pants, and dads carrying the diaper/snack bags. A pandemonium of children staring in wild-eyed wonder at the exhibits. It’s really lovely to see. That is what it’s all about, isn’t it? To excite the curiosity of kids, to introduce them to the wonders of science. My friend’s youngest son was more interested in the repairman fixing a broken elevator up on the rooftop garden. That little guy just might become a mechanical engineer.

Having young children seems to be a lot like having a dog. You take them outside to do activities - like visiting the Cal Academy - so it would tire them out. Your evening will then be way more pleasant while they are placated and satisfied in their corner. Cooped-up children - much like cooped up dogs - are no good for anyone. Go outside! Get some vitamin D.

Thanks to my friend, I got glimpse into a slice of the parenting life pie. Granted, with a selection bias towards couples that have the Juneteenth holiday off work.

Coco-Cola is delicious

Can someone explain to me the material difference between Coke Zero and Diet Coke? The answer has to be “nothing”, right? Kudos to the Coca-Cola company for a massively successful branding campaign. The drink of choice these days amongst the Kpop community (non-alcoholic division) appears to be Coke Zero and Sprite Zero. It’s seemingly in every mukbang and vlog I care to watch. The classic Diet Coke couldn’t dream of such popularity.

It’s hip now to drink the fake sugar version of Coke! Rather than being the weird one out holding a silver can. I can remember the weird faces from people when I tell them I prefer diet. Like regular Coke, the Coke Zero can is also red. From a visual perspective, one have to look closely to tell the difference. This has an unintended consequence: more than once I’ve wrongly grabbed regular Coke, mistaking the can for Coke Zero.

Why didn’t I simply get Diet Coke, with the unmistakable silver can? Well, we’re memetic creatures, aren’t we? I too am not immune to the want of following current trends. Though you’re never going to find me back in baggy pants again, even thought it’s making a fashion comeback. Jeans and pants that fit well will continue to feature in my wardrobe.

But I digress. You know what the best version of Coco-Cola is? (No, it isn’t Pepsi.) The classic 12-oz glass bottle version. Made with actual cane sugar. Now that’s the good - and expensive - stuff. Our local Costco sells those by the case, though I don’t care to ingest that much sugar (real or fake) enough to buy. Once in a blue moon at a taqueria is just fine with me.

It's over over

At work, the first batch of Dell laptops we purchased in response to the pandemic, in support of fully remote teaching, is about to expire on its basic warranty. Can you believe that? It’s been a whole three years since the start of COVID. Sometimes it takes a laptop warranty expiring to remind me just how long ago that is. Obviously, plenty have changed, both in the external world and my own personal life. And yet sometimes it can still feel like we’re in a bit of stasis since March 2020. A long continuation of (hopefully) the worse global pandemic in our lifetimes.

Of course, we don’t hear or talk about COVID-19 anymore. No more daily hospitalization numbers, no more masking guidelines. Even the vaccination campaigns have gone radio silence. It’s down to personal decisions now, on how careful you want to be. And we should respect each other’s rights to do so.

The pandemic is over. Life is back to normal. This past weekend I attended a lovely baby shower, in a recreation center room with about 50 people. Think back to two years ago: you wouldn’t dream to do such a reckless thing. Not without masking, lots of open windows, and minimal hugging. COVID is something we no longer think about. And while it’s taken longer than we’d all like, three years is not so bad in the grand scheme of things. We can, and have, finally move on.

Even the ultra-restrictive China have opened back up to complete normalcy. Foreigners can finally get into the country, on previously issued visas (or you can get a new one). I am not doing any traveling this summer. (Have you seen the prices of everything travel related?) The only flying I’m planning on is at the end of the year: to China. To visit relatives I’ve not seen in person in three years. In sha'Allah that will come to fruition.

Uh, what to do?

How are you handling the great Reddit blackout? Every subreddit that I care to go to have gone private in protest of the onerous API fee changes Reddit is set to implement by the end of this month. There goes the last bit of social media that I use! Though I would say Reddit is more like discussion forums. I quit twitter about a month ago, and you can’t pay me enough to use the Chinese spyware that is TikTok.

Interesting to see the (let’s call them) NSFW subreddits have not participated in the blackout protest. I guess horniness is still the dominant factor above all else…

The protest is only suppose to last a few days. But because Reddit refuses to backdown from the untenable API changes (effectively dooming any third-party clients), many subs have decided to stay private indefinitely to force a change. I say, good for them. A vibrant Reddit is good for the Internet. Plenty of times I’ve googled something, and ended up on Reddit with the correct answers to questions. Let’s take some momentary pain now, for a better long term future. (So un-American!)

Reddit is nothing without its army of volunteer moderators, and the millions of users contributing content. I am surprised the company have decided to essentially go to war with the people that made it great in the first place. The problem is: it’s extremely difficult to charge for something that was once free. Excellent third-party apps have sprouted up because the access APIs have been free. To now charge for those APIs, exorbitantly to the point of detrimental, is going to make people incredibly unhappy.

It doesn’t help that Reddit’s own official app is utterly garbage. The best way to surf Reddit is via browser, with an ad blocker on. Sorry, not sorry.

Go watch Ted Lasso

Hello there! Strange to be writing the first blog entry of June in the middle of June. I am sad to report that I’ve suffered a right-hand injury two weeks back. Naturally, that makes it slightly difficult to do hand-related activities, such as typing (washing my hair was an inarticulate mess). I’m glad my BMW M2 has an automatic transmission, because were it the manual, I wouldn’t have been able to drive.

I am on the mend, obviously, and therefore able to type on these pages again. Nothing will make you value your overall health like when it’s taken away from you. With an injured hand, I haven’t been able to workout with weights. Shame, because I just bought a 40 pound kettlebell to replace the measly 26 pounder I’ve been using the past few years. I ordered from Amazon because it was the cheapest, though the poor delivery person had to schlep that 40 pounds from the truck to our front door step. Sorry!

In the meantime, I’ve been lounging on the couch and watching episodes of Ted Lasso. What a wonderfully fantastic series! I’ve heard people refer it as a happy go-lucky show, but there’s so much layers to that cake. You don’t get that happiness and positivity without being emotionally vulnerable and dealing with your demons. The second season especially, shows the titular character finally confronting the darkness stemming from the lost of his father. Ted Lasso narrates all of that in a wrapper that reminds audiences to be kind and selfless towards others, and ourselves.

The series is an easy recommendation, well worth the $7 to subscribe to Apple TV+ (for one month) to watch all three seasons in one go.

Beg some asshole

On a recent perusing of Reddit, I encountered a discussion about how difficult it still is to buy a new car these days. Inventories remain low, therefore dealership markups are still a thing to contend with. Basic supply and demand: whichever party has the power can dictate the terms.

Of course, that doesn’t mean people can’t complain about it. Especially those who want to buy a new car, but not exactly in a hurry to do so. These buyers can wait it out and try different dealerships to get the best price possible. But that in itself can be a time consuming, frustrating process. You’re begging people to shut up and take your money, yet they won’t do it. One Reddit commenter summed it up perfectly: “I just fundamentally can't bring my self to go beg some asshole to take my 60K.”

I think that is a big reason why the Tesla Model Y is the best selling vehicle - in the world - for the first quarter of 2023. Tesla sells cars directly to the customer, one price (that can change periodically), no markups or discounts. You can do the entire transaction on your smartphone, never needing to talk to a dealership salesperson. There isn’t a finance manager to upsell you on extended warranties either. In a time when when finding a car at MSRP is akin to hitting the lottery, the Tesla method of selling is highly attractive.

The pendulum will eventually swing back in the customer’s favor. Unless the traditional automaker constrain supply intentionally. That would be too cynical. I don’t think the automakers can sell (especially) electric vehicles while still relying on the dealership/markups method. Tesla’s direct-sale model will simply continue to eat their proverbial lunch. Those with the money and patience want low hassle above all else.

Rocket. Rocket Raccoon.

I did not expect to be emotionally compromised watching a Marvel movie, but there I was. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is a fantastic movie that beautifully closes off the various character arcs into a satisfying finish. One of the characters - Rocket - got this origin story told in this movie. Of how he came to be a talking brainiac of a raccoon. I have to say, it is heavy stuff. Director James Gunn seemingly wanting to tear our hearts out.

Lovers of animals and pet owners should be fore-cautioned - you may want to sit this chapter of Guardians out. The story of how Rocket came to be is effectively disturbing. Scenes of animal cruelty are three-dimensionally animated right in front of our eyes. I nearly lost to tears already at the beginning, when they showed a young Rocket post his traumatic transformation. A large stitched circle on his shaved head, denoting the point of entry to his brain. It is intense, and that story arc is weaved throughout the movie, never letting the audience relax.

Kudos to Sean Gunn (the acting stand-in as Rocket), Bradley Cooper (voice actor of Rocket) and the animators. A combined performance to make the drama utterly believable. Disturbing as it may be (and has to be, I would say), the audiences’ empathic connection to Rocket and his animal friends is profound. The cathartic payoff at the end is that much sweeter. Tears of horror turn into tears of joyful relief.

I did not expect to cry so much watching a Marvel movie, and I was an emotional wreck the rest of the day. The typical Guardians of the Galaxy hijinks is there, but more importantly, Volume 3 carries the message that we should always treat our animal friends with kindness and care.