Five things that have made me say “life isn’t fair...”
(In no particular order)
1. Allen Iverson is not asked to join the United States men's basketball team.
When NBA superstars turn down invitations to join the national team for personal reasons, you appreciate those few who unequivocally say they're willing to play, especially since joining the US national team pool is three-year commitment. Allen Iverson was the first, the biggest star to volunteer. And how is he rewarded? He has to stand on the sidelines as less-talented, less-experienced NBA players get to don the red, white, and blue.
Let's not talk about Iverson's talent, because everyone knows the guy can play. Let's talk about his heart. The guy earns his paycheck every game. He plays through injury. He plays his guts out. He doesn't whine. He's fearless. And-- as he showed in Athens in 2004-- he plays to win, even when his teammates don't.
This guy has nothing to prove. The way he plays-- banging into people who weigh twice as much as him-- he could suffer an injury while playing for his country. Yet, while those with his stature-- and less-- have turned down invites to the US basketball team, he's stepped forward. That someone so richly deserving has been denied the honor of representing his country is just plain criminal.
2. Paula Abdul continues to judge the contestants of American Idol.
Does anyone remember her classics... "Forever Your Girl?" "Opposites Attract?" "Straight Up?" If you can't remember, it's either (1) you're too young to remember (count yourself lucky), or (2) none of her songs was remotely memorable.
There's a reason Paula Abdul is no longer singing... she can't. Yeah, she can dance-- you don't become a Laker girl if you can't shake your booty. But sing? If you can find one of her songs on the internet, download one of them, listen to it, and hear for yourself. She's not incapable of carrying a tune, but she's certainly in no position to judge Idol contestants-- most of whom could out-sing her in their sleep.
3. Most of the world uses PCs, not Macs.
Most people are surprised when they learn that the Windows operating system "pioneered" by Microsoft was based on a Mac operating system. Most of those introduced to the world of personal computing by Windows are also unaware that the term "personal computers" was first used for the Apple personal computer. The mouse? First used on a Mac. The look of the modern laptop? Based on Apple's first PowerBooks. The first true touch pad? Another Apple product. (Read more here.)
Such is the story of Apple Computer, Inc.-- always on the cutting edge of technology, but unable to profit from its own innovations.
It's their fault, of course. They eschewed the IBM PC/MS OS business model, refusing to let other computer companies use Mac OS because they were afraid that other computer manufacturers wouldn't be able to make hardware good enough to do justice to their software. Bill Gates and IBM didn't care, and they raked in billions, while Apple built a very loyal-- albeit, very small-- following.
Still, the fact that most PC users spew expletives left and right from dealing with Windows-- while almost nothing uncomplimentary about Macs can be heard from Mac users-- has done little to increase Apple's share in the personal computer market.
Macs have a stable, crash-free, ridiculously easy-to-use operating system; amazing software that allows you to unleash your creativity without getting bogged down by the technical aspects; and they're simply beautiful. That Apple's desktops and portables have barely 3% of their respective markets is insane.
4. Filipinos are the biggest basketball fans in the world... and we're short.
We're a basketball-crazy country. Blame the Americans. Or the Spanish, for not sticking around long enough to pass to us their love for the Beautiful Game. Whatever the case, by becoming enamored with a game where height is might, we've doomed ourselves to a lifetime of heartache, as we watch incarnation after incarnation of our men's basketball team get manhandled in international competition, and content ourselves with cheering the US team during the Olympics. (Or Argentina... MANU! MANU! MANU!)
5. Filipinos are gifted artists who get no love from their people, or their government.
The Philippine Madrigal Singers are an award-winning choral group, "the most awarded and acclaimed choir in Asia, having consistently won all the first prizes in the world's most prestigious and toughest choral competitions for many years."
Have you watched any of their shows lately?
Anatoli Panasiukov, a product of the Bolshoi Ballet, is the ballet master of Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT), the country's premier classic ballet company. He's danced with the best in the world, but is now training our country's best dancers.
Why would someone who's danced with the best in the world want to teach here? PBT's dancers are so good that they have a ballet master who has stuck around despite small audiences and far-from-impressive wages. Sadly, even the dancers might disappear, too. With small audiences come small wages, and with Hong Kong Disneyland offering better compensation, our dancers are slowly following our other skilled workers abroad.
Government officials spend thousands of dollars to watch Manny Pacquiao fight. Pacquiao beats some Mexican up in the US, and he comes home a hero. When he's here, politicians fall over themselves to "honor" him. Politicos bring out the red carpet for someone who brings honor and glory to our country with his fists, but do little or nothing to honor the artists who make us proud. How about giving some love (and your money) to those who bring honor to our country with their voices, their bodies, and their talent?
(In no particular order)
1. Allen Iverson is not asked to join the United States men's basketball team.
When NBA superstars turn down invitations to join the national team for personal reasons, you appreciate those few who unequivocally say they're willing to play, especially since joining the US national team pool is three-year commitment. Allen Iverson was the first, the biggest star to volunteer. And how is he rewarded? He has to stand on the sidelines as less-talented, less-experienced NBA players get to don the red, white, and blue.
Let's not talk about Iverson's talent, because everyone knows the guy can play. Let's talk about his heart. The guy earns his paycheck every game. He plays through injury. He plays his guts out. He doesn't whine. He's fearless. And-- as he showed in Athens in 2004-- he plays to win, even when his teammates don't.
This guy has nothing to prove. The way he plays-- banging into people who weigh twice as much as him-- he could suffer an injury while playing for his country. Yet, while those with his stature-- and less-- have turned down invites to the US basketball team, he's stepped forward. That someone so richly deserving has been denied the honor of representing his country is just plain criminal.
2. Paula Abdul continues to judge the contestants of American Idol.
Does anyone remember her classics... "Forever Your Girl?" "Opposites Attract?" "Straight Up?" If you can't remember, it's either (1) you're too young to remember (count yourself lucky), or (2) none of her songs was remotely memorable.
There's a reason Paula Abdul is no longer singing... she can't. Yeah, she can dance-- you don't become a Laker girl if you can't shake your booty. But sing? If you can find one of her songs on the internet, download one of them, listen to it, and hear for yourself. She's not incapable of carrying a tune, but she's certainly in no position to judge Idol contestants-- most of whom could out-sing her in their sleep.
3. Most of the world uses PCs, not Macs.
Most people are surprised when they learn that the Windows operating system "pioneered" by Microsoft was based on a Mac operating system. Most of those introduced to the world of personal computing by Windows are also unaware that the term "personal computers" was first used for the Apple personal computer. The mouse? First used on a Mac. The look of the modern laptop? Based on Apple's first PowerBooks. The first true touch pad? Another Apple product. (Read more here.)
Such is the story of Apple Computer, Inc.-- always on the cutting edge of technology, but unable to profit from its own innovations.
It's their fault, of course. They eschewed the IBM PC/MS OS business model, refusing to let other computer companies use Mac OS because they were afraid that other computer manufacturers wouldn't be able to make hardware good enough to do justice to their software. Bill Gates and IBM didn't care, and they raked in billions, while Apple built a very loyal-- albeit, very small-- following.
Still, the fact that most PC users spew expletives left and right from dealing with Windows-- while almost nothing uncomplimentary about Macs can be heard from Mac users-- has done little to increase Apple's share in the personal computer market.
Macs have a stable, crash-free, ridiculously easy-to-use operating system; amazing software that allows you to unleash your creativity without getting bogged down by the technical aspects; and they're simply beautiful. That Apple's desktops and portables have barely 3% of their respective markets is insane.
4. Filipinos are the biggest basketball fans in the world... and we're short.
We're a basketball-crazy country. Blame the Americans. Or the Spanish, for not sticking around long enough to pass to us their love for the Beautiful Game. Whatever the case, by becoming enamored with a game where height is might, we've doomed ourselves to a lifetime of heartache, as we watch incarnation after incarnation of our men's basketball team get manhandled in international competition, and content ourselves with cheering the US team during the Olympics. (Or Argentina... MANU! MANU! MANU!)
5. Filipinos are gifted artists who get no love from their people, or their government.
The Philippine Madrigal Singers are an award-winning choral group, "the most awarded and acclaimed choir in Asia, having consistently won all the first prizes in the world's most prestigious and toughest choral competitions for many years."
Have you watched any of their shows lately?
Anatoli Panasiukov, a product of the Bolshoi Ballet, is the ballet master of Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT), the country's premier classic ballet company. He's danced with the best in the world, but is now training our country's best dancers.
Why would someone who's danced with the best in the world want to teach here? PBT's dancers are so good that they have a ballet master who has stuck around despite small audiences and far-from-impressive wages. Sadly, even the dancers might disappear, too. With small audiences come small wages, and with Hong Kong Disneyland offering better compensation, our dancers are slowly following our other skilled workers abroad.
Government officials spend thousands of dollars to watch Manny Pacquiao fight. Pacquiao beats some Mexican up in the US, and he comes home a hero. When he's here, politicians fall over themselves to "honor" him. Politicos bring out the red carpet for someone who brings honor and glory to our country with his fists, but do little or nothing to honor the artists who make us proud. How about giving some love (and your money) to those who bring honor to our country with their voices, their bodies, and their talent?
