.: What’s Bruin :.

UCLA moved up to Number Five in the BCS rankings today. Two spots above are held by #3 Virginia Tech and #4 Alabama.

Here’s my desire - UCLA moves to the #3 spot by the time they play USC on December 3rd (assuming that #1 and #2 stay as they are). UCLA then beats USC on the 3rd of December and moves into the #2 spot, playing for the national championship at the Rose Bowl on January 4th.

What needs to happen:

1. UCLA needs to keep winning.
2. Virginia Tech needs to lose to #5 Miami on November 5th.
3. Alabama needs to lose to #6 LSU on November 12th.
4. Both Virginia Tech and Alabama need to lose thereafter.

It’s a tall order, but anything is possible in any given game.

Go Bruins!

Tags: BCS, football, Sports, UCLA

So I was driving home from work today, listening to my usual AM 600 talk radio with Roger Hedgecock. And a caller came on the line who announced that his son attends High Tech High.

[A couple of asides... I can't remember what the specific topic was about, but I do know it was something about education. Secondly, High Tech High is the sh**tiest place I have ever taught. That place sucks. Yup, it sucks worse than both VMHS and Fallbrook High School.]

So anyways back to the story. So this father was on the phone with Roger, relaying how his son got knee-ed in the groin by a girl during Study Hall. The reason? It was … get this … Cross-Dress Day. What were the administrators thinking when they planned that kind of student activity day at a public school?? Albeit a crappy charter school, but public nonetheless.

So according to this parent, here’s how it happened. His son and a buddy were sitting in study hall. Neither of them had dressed up for “Cross-Dress Day”. The kid asks his buddy why he didn’t dress up. His friend replies that he didn’t have time. When asked for a reason why he didn’t wear a dress to school, this father’s son replied back to his friend, “I thought it was just a day for homosexuals to express themselves.” At that point, a girl in the study hall, who was obviously eavesdropping, knee-ed the kid in the balls, falling him to his knees.

But wait, the story gets better. This kid, who is apparently a junior boxer and wants to be in the Olympics someday, belts this chick in the face and gives her a bloody nose with his punch as he goes down on his knees. So the girl gets suspended for a couple of days, while the boy gets suspended for five days and faces an expulsion hearing this Friday.

So Roger comments about how this is the oldest taboo in the book. A female can defend herself against a male attacker, but a male cannot defend himself against a female attacker. Roger told the dad to stir up the PTA (if they have one at that crappy place) and complain about Cross-Dress Day being violent and the treatment of his son as sexist. I wholeheartedly agree. I hope the guy turns up okay. Apparently, his doctor says he has a bruised groin. As for the girl, maybe she’ll need reconstructive surgery on her nose (just my speculation or hope). I hope her bloody and broken (?) nose hurt like nothing else has hurt before.

Roger told the dad that although the school has a good curriculum, which should be in every school in America. (I think that’s highly doubtful. Unless things have changed dramatically, HTH sucks and you’ve got to be an idiot to even go to school there in the first place.) The dad was surprised to hear Roger calling the school a bastion of political correctness, translation . . . the administration has a liberal indoctrination agenda. Hello! No kidding. C’mon, with a student activity day where you have to cross-dress, you’ve got to be pretty stupid or blind to be unaware of the radical agenda of the administration.

Anyways, the young man and his family should be thankful if he gets expelled. It will be the biggest blessing for him to return to a real, normal school, where you don’t get kicked in the balls if you refuse to participate in Cross-Dress Day.

Tags: Commentary, education_and_training, High-Tech-High, HTH, Humor, KOGO, strange-events, stupid-people, weird

20 Cans of Success - #1
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I say I can’t when the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength?

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

Among my meanderings through the static displays, I found a couple of familiar friends, like the US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon. I remember it from my ROTC days. It’ hard to believe this plane is still in service. It has defended the skies and preserved freedom for over 20 years.

USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon

Another oldie, but goodie is the Navy’s F-14 Tomcat. At least, I think it’s an F-14. Perhaps we need to ask Tom Cruise if he remembers what one looks like.

Top Gun: Riding on the Mighty Wings of an F-14 Tomcat

Well in addition to climbing up some stairs to look up close at the F-16, I also got a great view of the cockpit of an AV-8B Harrier, one of those fighter jets that can take off and land vertically, as well as hover and fly sideways. Pretty cool.

Cockpit of the AV-8B Harrier

The view of the instrumentation panel is nice too, though I can imagine that actually sitting in the cockpit with all the gear on and stuff you have to do would be pretty uncomfortable.

Instrument Panel of the AV-8B Harrier

(more…)

Tags: aircraft, Blue-Angels, Events, jets, Marines, military, Miramar-Air-Show, Photography

20 Cans of Success - #2
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I lack when I know that God shall supply all my needs according His riches in glory in Christ Jesus?

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

20 Cans of Success - #3
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I fear when the Bible says God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind?

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

UCLA WINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overtime 30-27 over Snodfart.

Destiny. I should not have doubted. OMG. From 21 points down with about 8 minutes left to go. U—-C—-L—-A—- U-C-L-A Fight! Fight! FIGHT!!!!

P.S. Does Stanford’s band suck or what? It’s their home game and all I heard on TV was solid gold sound of the Bruin Marching Band!

Victory for the Mighty Bruins

Tags: football, Sports, UCLA

With about 7 minutes left in the game UCLA just scored their first touchdown. They are still two TDs behind unranked Stanford. I AM PISSED.

Although not impossible, I do not see the Bruins recovering from such a large deficit so late in the game. I don’t think there will be any championship game at the Rose Bowl for the Bruins or for me on January 4th.

Update (4:43 remaining): Still pissed. There’s a little less than 5 minutes left and UCLA is only one TD away from tying the game. However, Drew Olson, arguably the Bruins’ best player, is hurt. I’m still pissed!

Update (2:39 remaining): OMG. UCLA has the ball with less than 3 minutes left. Biting my nails. Drew Olson is back in the game. And I’m still pissed!

Update (0:46 remaining): UCLA touchdown. OMG. The game is tied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update (Overtime): OMG. Bruins sacked the Stanford quarterback!!! Overtime!!!!!

Update (Overtime): I’m pissed again. Stanford scored a field goal to go up by 3. UCLA needs to score in this overtime at least 3 points or else this game is over. I’m pissed again.

Tags: football, Sports, UCLA

I learned this cool trick from my Macworld magazine in an article called 3 Fast Photo Tricks by Scott Kelley. It’s real easy to do in Adobe Photoshop Elements and I like how it draws attention to the center of the photo. I plan to use this effect regularly whenver I have portraits or center-framed shots that need special attention.

Tags: CoolPix , Photography, Photoshop

20 Cans of Success - #4
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I lack faith to fulfill my calling knowing that God has allotted to me a measure of faith?

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Romans 12:3

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

At first I ordered an Ice Frame case for my iPod Nano almost a month ago. However, last night when I got an advertisement about the new iSkin, I changed my mind. Fortunately, my previous order has not shipped yet, nor had my payment been charged. So I was able to cancel my order and get this coolness instead.

Tags: Apple, geek_stuff, iPod, iSkin, Nano

20 Cans of Success - #5
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I be weak when the Bible says that the Lord is the strength of my life and that I will display strength and take action because I know God?

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?


By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.

Psalm 27:1; Daniel 11:32

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

Check out my UCLA Homecoming photo album and slide show.

Tags: Announcements, Events, football, Homecoming, Photography, quick_links, Sports, tailgate, UCLA

20 Cans of Success - #6
(from Victory over the Darkness, Neil T. Anderson)

Why should I allow Satan supremacy over my life when He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world?

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

Tags: Life, Pourpa, Reflection, Spiritual, success

There is now a new meaning for “eat sh*t.” This could also be a new weapon to use against your enemies.

Tags: Humor, quick_links