Olympic Chinese Contraversy

Everyday I come home from work and in flat screen HD happiness (I love you baby!!), I watch the Olympics. From the spectacular and controversial opening ceremonies, everyone knew these games would be iconic and memorable.

The first issue was with the age of the Chinese gymnasts. They are supposed to be at least 16 years of age. These girls looked like they couldn't have been more than 10 years old. The Chinese government proved their age with passports that could have been easily foraged, and it is clear to see some of the girls have barely reached puberty.

Second came the discovery of the lip-syncing song. China decided the adorable 7 year old who was sang during the open ceremonies wasn't cute enough to appear on stage, so they subbed her for a 10 year old girl, who was also duped until the last minute led to believe that she would sing live. They insulted one girl by saying she wasn't pretty enough, and the other by saying her voice wasn't good enough. For the record, both little girls are completely adorable!!!

Finally there has been some distinct concern over the judging of the Chinese athletes. In every sport, it doesn't matter how much the Chinese athlete screwed up, they would get phenomenal scores. A gymnast falls and the judges turn their backs, the synchronized divers make a mistake, no one looks. There is something very very shady going on, and it isn't the smog in the air!

In the end, the Americans are triumphant! Michael Phelps broke just about every world record possible. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson made Olympic history taking the Gold and Silver US metals in all around gymnastics. And even though its not over yet, the US currently holds 5 more Olympic metals than China. HA!!! In your cheating, shady faces!! USA!! USA!!! USA!!!!

G-d and Global Warming

As you're well aware from my last GSBN post, I think this whole Bay Area hippie going green initiative has gone completely over board. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so. I work for an internet company where everyone and their mother drives a hybrid or a Prius. Two weeks ago, I was at work minding my own business when G-d and mother nature gave us their true opinion of Going Green. In perfect sunny weather, with no wind factor, a large tree branch fell on top of a Prius. Mother Nature likes her carbon emissions early in the morning, and no pretentious Prius is going to take that away! This was truly environmentalism at its best. The funniest thing was when the receptionist sent an email to the whole building saying, "anyone with a Prius-come outside!" That's like calling a fire drill!

GSBN: Blue in the Face from Going Green

Because its true if no one else will say it....go to GSBN

Workplace Translations Post from the GSBN

Click here to read my latest post on the Garage Sale Blog Network about translation workplace emails:
The Russian Stamp Post 3

Software should be pretty

When you download new software onto your computer, does anyone really read the manual? No! We expect to be able to log in, and to instantly become experts. We're all busy people and the last thing we want to do is fuss around in some software trying to complete simple tasks.

My latest qualm about this is particularly geared towards project management software. If I can't log in, create a project, add a task, and assign my resources without obtaining a PhD, I don't want it.

All the PM software competitors try to be unique and complex, but it all boils down to an old phrase: KISS. Keep it simple stupid! It's one thing for the project manager to have to go in and learn the advanced settings and reporting tools, but everyone else should be able to go in and very simply update their tasks. They also like to compare and be compatible with MS Project, who died and made MS Project the end all/be all in PM software? Newsflash: MS Project isn't perfect either!!!

Finally, reports should be pretty. Who wants to present ugly looking data to their bosses? Not that it should be flashy and totally glossed up, but a little frosting never killed anyone.

The Garage Sale Blogging Network

Taking blogging to a whole other level, I joined a blogging network by suggestion of another female blogger friend of mine at work. The Garage Sale Blogging Network is a group of 13 bloggers, totally different who write together. Each of us write under a symbol, an item you would find at a garage sale. I'm the Russian Stamp. Check out my latest post about Backblaze back up: GSBN!!

Krav Maga is the most awesomest thing in the world!!!

If you are about to tell me that "awesomest" isn't a word, I learned how to gouge someone's eyes out. Are you sure you want to talk back to me????

Yesterday I started taking Krav Maga, the Israeli self-defense form that translates from Hebrew into contact combat!!! Used by the IDF, police departments and the US Armed Forces, Krav Maga teaches that your ultimate goal is survival, no rules exist! ( I love this class!!!!)

We started out with some running and punching exercises. I was shy to with the punching mat at first, we had just met, but the instructor kept yelling at me, "punch harder...punch harder!!!'' OK!!!!!! I couldn't hide my ear to ear smile as I started whacking the heck out of the punching mat.

Yesterday's combat instructions were geared to teach you to get out of a situation where someone has you in a bear hug. The instructor gave us techniques like slapping your hand on the back of the attacker's neck where their nerve ending are, or grabbing their nose and twisting their face until they have to drop. My favorite is gouging our fingers into the attacker's eyes and pushing them onto the floor! At one point we were practicing (on each other's foreheads, not our eyes...I just got laser surgery thank you very much!!!)...anyway..we were practicing and the instructor praised my eye gouging technique! They have officially created a monster! I can't wait to go back!!!

Attackers...watch out!!! I may be little, but I am fierce!!!!!