Here you will find my latest theories, commentaries, complaints, words of wisdom, practical tips, satires, epiphanies, conspiracies, and random thoughts. Feel free to respond with your comments at charles@crackhousemonkey.com.
Today marks the end of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games of the 28th Olympiad in Athens, Greece. Usually whenever the Olympics roll around, I catch Olympic fever. This time I didn't. These Olympic Games were not very exciting. Nothing amazing happened. There were no major scandals. No particularly outstanding athlete that stood heads and shoulders above the rest. These were very normal games. Probably it was better this way. Greece is the smallest nation to host an Olympic game in fifty years. They have rushed to put the games together after wasting three years doing nothing. They have spent more money on security than any other nation in history. The 28th Olympiad was set on a course for disaster, but miraculously, everything went according to plan without a hitch. These games turned out normal just as they are suppose to be.
Most people like the summer Olympics more than the winter Olympics. The summer games seem more familiar to us. We recognize the games, know the rules, and understand the goal. But for me, I like the winter games. There is a sense of adventure watching the unknown sports. Sports we don't understand and never seen anyone play. The winter games carry a great mystery like the luge. First, that is a great name for a sport. Just say "luge" out loud. It's just fun to say. I also like that one sport where people slide down this huge ramp and float in the air and land moments later on there giant skis. I don't know what it's called but I love watching them float in the air. I also like watching speed skating which I want to try, but I think I've mentioned that in a different post a couple years ago.
Watching the closing ceremonies got me really excited about China in 2008. China has isolated itself for too long and will be opening its doors to the world. From the preview China will definitely put on one of the greatest and grandest shows the world has ever seen. They will prove critics wrong. They will enchant the entire globe. How China performed in Athens is only the precursor of what will happen in Beijing in 2004.
posted by Charles Wang 11:12 PM | 0 comments
Salsa Review
Chips and salsa from Islands. First and foremost, this is a burger place. They shouldn't be dangling their feet in Mexican cuisine. While most Mexican restaurants serve chips and salsa for free as an appetizer, Islands charges the customer extra. The salsa wasn't fresh. It came from a bottle. Not even a good brand of salsa but a cheap, nasty one. The chips were semi-homemade. Not done very well. The first batch was bland and not seasoned at all. The second was overseasoned where you can see the clumps of salt still on the chip. So nasty that you wouldn't even think about sending it to the hungry kids in Africa.
posted by Charles Wang 2:14 PM | 1 comments
California has some of the best colleges in the nation. Some of the best private universities as well as some of the best public universities. The junior colleges in the state aren't bad either. But elementary and high schools are pretty low. We used to rank 50th out of all the states. Now we are still not that much higher. So what happened during that summer after senior year of high school? Did everyone just get brighter instantly?
posted by Charles Wang 10:58 PM | 0 comments
Salsa Review
Salsa from El Pollo Norteno. This is a blended salsa meaning it was made in a blender. The bits of tomato, cilantro, onions, and jalapenos float on the top while the bottom is purely the juices. It is extremely hot. Just coating your chip with the liquid will leave your mouth burning. Even though it if fiery hot, it is still an enjoyable salsa. It is made fresh. It is not afraid to be bold unlike other restaurants.
posted by Charles Wang 2:14 PM | 0 comments
The Calamari and Salsa Review
No, not together. I will do a series where I write reviews of calamari and salsa, separately, from different restaurants. There is no rating scale but after reading my review you should easily be able to determine whether you would like to try it.
posted by Charles Wang 2:14 PM | 0 comments
Subways and cell phones: what a magical combination. If you hate it when people start talking very loudly on their cell phones, then you should ride the subway. No one talks on the cell phone in a subway. No one can. There is absolutely no reception three floors underground. So come on down and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the subway.
posted by Charles Wang 12:02 PM | 0 comments
It has finally occurred to me why I like math so much. When people ask me what my favorite subject is, I always tell them math. I even studied for a math minor, yet I never knew exactly why I like math so much. Then it occurred to me, because of my obsessive compulsiveness, I cannot stop counting things. I know how many sidewalk squares there are to get to school. I know how many tiles there are on the ceiling. I know how many little dots are on each ceiling tile. I know how many houses we are from the end of the block (9 from both sides). Because of my inability to stop counting, it has forced me to like numbers.
posted by Charles Wang 10:30 AM | 0 comments