1986 Challenger explosion

I’ve never read much into what happened on this day, watched any videos or view many pictures, let alone realized how many people lost their lives that day. Seven individuals were being sent on what I would call the adventure or a lifetime but within minutes the whole story changed sending the ship up into flames.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Paull [sic] Shin

Senator Paull Shin is stepping down from his place of senate as of January 7th, he continues to tell us that Alzheimer’s plays a roll in this decision. Shin is 78 years old, elected into the senate in 1998 and was adopted by an American soldiers after his life as an orphan on the streets of Korea.

Heres his statement after giving notice as well as the link listed right after leading to the article and a picture of Shin.

Sen. Shin announces immediate retirement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 7, 2014
Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, today announced his retirement from the Washington State Senate, effective immediately, in the attached letter sent to the Governor, his legislative colleagues and his constituents.
“It is with the deepest regret that I resign from the Senate,” said Shin, who had served honorably in the Senate since his election in 1999. “I have loved this place and the work we do here on behalf of the people of Washington. Unfortunately, I have determined with the assistance of my family that recent health problems and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease make it impossible for me to represent my constituents in the manner they deserve.”
Shin grew up as an orphan in South Korea during the Korean War and was adopted by an American soldier and brought to America. Shin received a GED and eventually a Ph.D. from the University of Washington and taught for 31 years in Washington’s higher education system. Sen. Shin was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1999. Prior to that, he served in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 1994. He is the Senate’s Vice President Pro Tempore, which presides over floor action in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor and President Pro Tempore.
During Shin’s legislative career, he has championed higher education, support for the developmentally disabled and other vulnerable members of our communities, and expanding trade with foreign countries.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your help and support over the years,” said Shin. “It has been a tremendous privilege to be a member of the State Senate and work with such wonderful colleagues. I am grateful for the camaraderie, the work we accomplished, and the valuable lessons learned. I would also like to thank my wife and children for their love, support, and shared belief in the importance of service. Most of all, I would like to express my thanks to the citizens of the 21st Legislative District, who placed their trust in my stewardship for all of these years; it has been my honor and privilege to serve them for the past 17 years. I look forward to assisting the Senate in making this transition as smooth as possible.” http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2014/01/07/state-sen-paull-shin-resigns-citing-alzheimers-as-factor/

World War 2 Stragglers

http://www.mercurynews.com/obituaries/ci_24962199/onoda-japans-last-imperial-soldier-dead-at-91

Mr. Hiroo Onoda is the last World War 2 straggler to pass away at 91 years old on January 21, 2014. Mr. Onoda ‘emerged from hiding in a jungle in the philippines and surrender, 29 years after the end of World War 2, has died.” He passed away at a hospital in Tokyo that day. Onoda was an officer in the military and in 1945 he was given order to stay behind in order to spy on American troops. Onoda was the son of a teacher, and he himself worked for a aJapanese trade firm in Shanghai after he finished high school, thats when he was drafter into the military. He seems to me like a true hero, someone with great loyalty to his country and someone that should be recognized and known, honestly without being told to look up stragglers I never would have known or hear about it most likely, which saddens me. Its like we forget so many veterans of so many wars.

HIMYM (How I met your mother)

http://www.tv.com/shows/how-i-met-your-mother/slapsgiving-3-slappointment-in-slapmarra-2991996/

Overall this episode is intact offensive in multiple ways. Why couldn’t they have gotten and actor that was an asian girl instead of using a white girl and apparently putting on dark eye makeup and bright red lipstick with a kimono makes her an asian. Secondly, making up lines like the slap of a million exploding suns, its all offensive and as someone who is japanese takes it as racism.