This xanga is over.

Hello readers, I've come to write my final entry in this xanga.

This xanga is dead. It had the intended purpose to communicate my thoughts over my college years. I have no use for it now.

I've moved over to blogspot. Read my blog about my misadventures as a NYC teacher at http://misterteachme.blogspot.com/

It was a fun run folks.

One last thing, Barack Obama rocks immensely. I just read his speech at the Sojourners web site (www.sojo.net) and it choked me up. He's going to be president one day. And Al Gore is an all-star too.

Man this year has been tough. I know the other seniors can feel me on this one. Between a thesis (!@#$%), studying for standarized tests that affect where you are going in life, cramming for inane midterms, prepping for interviews, writing non-stop papers, eating...

Where does one find time to sleep?

Argh...

There is no such thing as chillaxing.

When you think Evangelical Christian, the word "environmentalist" doesn't come immediately to mind. But as highlighted by a February 5th Washington Post article, there is a growing movement toward "Green Christianity".

In light of the ever-more prevalent issue of global warming (of which one can either play dumb or wake up to the music), environmentalism needs to be a much more paramount concept to a holistic understanding of the Christian faith. If we can begin taking a more political ecological approach toward many of the social paradigms of this world, we will then understand how sin fits into the destructive nature of man's legacy on the "natural" world and how supposedly strictly human issues such as poverty stem from ecological implications.

For further reading, I recommend James Nash, a Christian ethicist.

Today's News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060208/pl_nm/environment_evangelicals_dc

//EDIT//

This post caters to those with a bent toward international relations.

China is everywhere. You can read about the emergence of this dragon daily in Wall Street or NYTimes. Check the latest issue of the Economist, Fortune, or Foreign Affairs; you're bound to find "China" somewhere within the contents. Now the possessor of the fourth largest economy in the world, it is watched both hungrily and warily by United States because its rise will make American investors rich and serve to challenge our hegemony and Superpower status.

But one thing you don't hear as much about is the rise of India. If the news of today centers on China, I believe that the news of tomorrow will center on the rise of India, a sleeping giant in itself. It is already the software hub of the world with a highly educated professional workforce. Excellents schools, a gargantuan labor force, and solid investments in technology may prove to lead India into a global economic powerhouse and world power.

I am supposed to be writing a paper about medical anthropology that is due today, but I haven't been concentrating at all. Instead I've been reading up about these probable starting lineups for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) taking place in March. Yea... I know... I know. I'm taking a break from writing my usual presumptuous prose and dedicating this entry to sports.

Anyway...

Check out these sick (absolutely sick) lineups:

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Pictured: Albert Pujols 

C: Miguel Olivo (Mariners)
1B: Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
2B: Alfonso Soriano (Rangers)
3B: Aramis Ramirez (Cubs)
SS: Miguel Tejada (Orioles)
LF: Manny Ramirez (Red Sox)
CF: Jose Guillen (Nationals)
RF: Vladimir Guerrero (Angels)
DH: David Ortiz (Red Sox)
SP: Pedro Martinez (Mets)
SP: Bartolo Colon (Angels)
SP: Odalis Perez (Dodgers)
SP: Daniel Cabrera (Orioles)
RP: Francisco Cordero (Rangers)
Manager: Felipe Alou (Giants)

Now imagine if ARod were playing for this team too (he's ethnically Dominican). It'd be unfair. Indiscriminate slaughter bordering on genocide. The Dominicans could have a pitching rotation consisting solely of Jose Lima and they'd still blow their opponents out of the water.

VENEZUELA

Pictured: Johan Santana

C: Ramon Hernandez (Padres)
1B: Edgardo Alfonzo (Giants)
2B: Cesar Izturis (Dodgers)
3B: Carlos Guillen (Tigers)
SS: Omar Vizquel (Giants)
LF: Melvin Mora (Orioles)
CF: Bob Abreu (Phillies)
RF: Miguel Cabrera (Marlins)
DH: Magglio Ordonez (Tigers)
SP: Johan Santana (Twins)
SP: Carlos Zambrano (Cubs)
SP: Freddy Garcia (White Sox)
SP: Kelvim Escobar (Angels)
RP: Francisco Rodriguez (Angels)
Manager: Ozzie Guillen (White Sox)

Stacked. I don't see weakness on this team except oldies in Alfonzo and Vizquel. And they're still pretty decent.

UNITED STATES

Pictured: Barry Bonds

C: Jason Varitek (Red Sox)
1B: Derrek Lee (Cubs)
2B: Craig Biggio (Astros)
3B: Scott Rolen (Cardinals)
SS: Derek Jeter (Yankees)
LF: Carl Crawford (Devil Rays)
CF: Jim Edmonds (Cardinals)
RF: ???
DH: Barry Bonds (Giants)
SP: Roger Clemens (Astros)
SP: Dontrelle Willis (Marlins)
SP: Andy Pettitte (Astros)
SP: John Smoltz (Braves)
RP: Billy Wagner (Phillies)
Manager: Bobby Cox (Braves)

God bless the USA. Great pitching. Just need to figure out who could play right field. This lineup consists of those who are confirmed they will be playing.

And of course... the scrubs:

CHINA

Pictured: The Beijing Tigers, three-peat champions of the Chinese Baseball League

C: Wang Wei
1B: Chen Qi
2B: Feng Fei
3B: Zhang Wei
SS: Zheng Yu Feng
LF: Lin Xiao Fan
CF: Sun Ling-feng
RF: Yang Guo Gang
DH: Liu Guang Biao
SP: Wang Chao
SP: Wang Nan
SP: Zhang Jian Wang
SP: Su Chang-long
RP: Li Wei Liang
Manager: Li Bin

OK... if it were ping-pong or synchronized diving with a lineup like this, it'd be over.

Pictured: Ichiro Suzuki

Japan is looking pretty good too with Ichiro and Iguchi on board. And the legendary all-time homerun king of pro baseball, Sadaharu Oh is managing.

Other good teams include Puerto Rico and Cuba... I had a chuckle when I heard Mike Piazza is playing for Italy.

Yes the WBC should be very interesting indeed.

//Edit//

Apparently, Cuba was denied the right to play. Even though I don't know any of the Cuban players, they were probably quite a match against any national team. And it was our government's decision. Whoohoo! Way to continue to stoke the ire of the world in the most harmless of things!

I am going to stop updating because it is hard to keep track of who is playing and who is not. We shall wait for final lineups.

Yanks got Johnny Damon!!! Wow!

Currently Reading The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini see related

So this monster of a test is over. Hopefully this LSAT is out the window and I can start focusing on some more important things in life. Like reading the two weeks of work that I have piled up. Daily social interactions with human beings. Working on my thesis. And serving on Focus Team.

I spent three hours at Borders after the test reading about random stuff in order to exercise my right to do whatever the freakin' hell I want to do. This freedom, once tasted after an intense suffering, feels so great. And this week I'm going to do some more random stuff. Anyone want to spend three hours at Hinman Dining Hall for dinner every night? How about fishing in the Lakefill?

Thank you for all those who prayed for me, called me, or sent me care packages and letters. I really appreciated it and "I really felt surrounded in prayer", to quote Dave Paek's xanga.

Currently Reading Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul By John Eldredge see related