Memorial Day 2013

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”Nathan Hale 

In my opinion, Memorial Day is the most important secular holiday on the year’s calendar. There is nothing more precious than a person’s life. It takes great courage for someone to sacrifice for his country and its ideals. I don’t like war, but I understand the reasons of its existence. And I admire every American soldier. Anyone who has followed my blog for sometime could attest this. I wrote poems and stories about the American soldiers not to convince others of my patriotism, but to earnestly show my affections and appreciation for these selfless men and women. This year, the holiday will be observed on Monday May 27.

To celebrate this occasion, I have prepared a fun Memorial Day trivia quiz for you to enjoy. Happy Memorial Day to all!

Japanese pitchers taking over Major League Baseball

Japanese pitchers are in the small minority in the MLB, but they are making a big impact on the league. In fact, three of the top starting pitchers in the game right now are Japanese – Yu Darvish, Hiroki Kuroda and Hisashi Iwakuma. There are also some very solid relief pitchers from the Land of the Rising Sun. The emergence of this Japanese wave takes the major league by surprise, considering the numerous flops from Japan preceded it. Since Hideo Nomo made his mark in America, we had seen a series of high-profile failures namely Hideki Irabu, Kei Igawa and Daisuke Matsuzaka. But fortune seems to be swinging in the East Asians’ favor. A Japanese invasion of American baseball could be upon us. 

IRS Scandal is no small matter

With the exception of the Federal Reserve, no government agency yields more power over average Americans than the IRS. The enforcement of tax laws affects every aspect of American lives. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that this agency is independent and fair. The very thought that it could be used for political purposes is scandalous.

Whoever responsible for this scandal should be prosecuted with the highest furor of the law. I urge all Americans to monitor these developments to make sure justice is served in this case. I’ll continue to update you on this very important matter. 

A New War in the Middle East?

With the Israeli military officially confirmed that it has struck Syrian military targets in recent days, this could be the beginning of a new Middle East war. The biggest worry is not Assad and his depleted army but his associates and cohorts – Iran, Hezbollah, and possibly Putin’s Russia. If a big conflict occurs, there is no doubt that the U.S. will get involved on the side of Israel. Without the explicit or implicit consent of President Obama and the U.S. military, Israel would not have taken these risky actions. Americans should be ready for a new U.S. military intervention. 

Earth Day 2013

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”Theodore Roosevelt

Take this Earth Day trivia quiz to test your knowledge of this special occasion and its history. Happy Earth Day 2013!

Boston Marathon Bombings 2013

My deepest condolences to the victims of today’s bombings in Boston and their families. It is a travesty that terrorists would target sporting events like the Boston Marathon to make a political statement. Our leaders must realize terrorist attacks are NOT man-made disasters. 

Jack fruit

We received this big jack fruit as a gift. Any good recipe?