Thursday, June 20, 2013

NBA Finals Game 7 Tonight

Game 6 was exhilarating and fun to watch. Tonight's game is going to decide whether the San Antonio Spurs or the Miami Heat will walk away with the ring.

I am pulling for Duncan to get his 5th ring. What a class act!

Monday, June 17, 2013

Spurs Need 1 More!

The San Antonio Spurs are one game away from their 5th NBA championship. Parker, Duncan and Ginobili can secure another ring if they can find a way to defeat the Miami Heat in Miami.

Danny Green has been on fire and Manu has gained his old swagger in Game 5. Miami still has a chance and I expect them to put up a fight. Let's go Spurs!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Kings Beat Blackhawks 3-1!

Now that basketball is no longer an option in Los Angeles, the Kings are them main sports attraction in Lakerland. Chasing history for the second year in a row, the Kings defended their home ice with great intensity.

Quick has been amazing at home and Penner is Penner. 3 more wins and on to another Cup!


Monday, June 3, 2013

Mike D’Antoni – “He’s A Great Person” said Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard was recently asked about his feelings about Mike D'Antoni as a coach. His reply? "He's a great person."

This does not bode well for our beloved Lakers as the Dwightmare is looking to make a sequel. Houston has been heavily recruiting Howard and with Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons, and James Harden in the lineup, Dwight could be swayed to the Rockets. Who do we pick up if the Lakers lose Dwight? Isn't Bynum a free agent next year?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Monday, April 29, 2013

See You Next Season


The 2013 season has ended for the Lakers today. It was a long season full of turbulence and disappointments, but I believe the Lakers will be better than ever next year. Hopefully Dwight Howard will resign with purple and gold and Nash will shake off the injuries from this year. The Heat were a disappointment their first year together, but they bounced back the next year.

If anyone can come back from an ACL tear, it is Kobe Bryant. If you think about it, this will be Kobe's longest rest period since he joined the league in 1996. Let's hope he comes back stronger than ever.

Thanks for another exciting season! Go Lakers!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Pic of the Day

Remember when Rick Pitino promised to get a tattoo if Louisville won the Final Four? Well, here he is making good on the promise.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Lakers vs. Spurs Game 2

The Lakers are still without Kobe Bryant, but Jordan Hill may make an appearance tonight. The Mamba has also pledged to keep the in-game tweeting to a minimum. I think we have a great chance tonight. Steve Nash had to shake some cobwebs, but will probably feel better out there tonight. The Lakers need to win this and bring it back to LA with the series tied up. Dwight and Pau need to get more touches and hopefully D'Antoni will adjust. As always, lets go Lakers!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Lakers vs. Spurs: Round 1!


Tim Duncan and Co. will be hosting Dwight Howard and the Lakers on Sunday in San Antonio. No Kobe? No problem.

Dwight and Pau are starting to play well together, add Steve Nash to the mix and you have a dangerous opponent that has nothing to prove or lose.

Let's go Lakers. 16 wins til the promise land. Win it for the Mamba.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Lakers Vie for Last Playoff Spot



The Lakers are playing the Houston Rockets tonight for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West. If the Jazz lose to Memphis, the Lakers are in either way. If the Lakers beat the Rockets, then we will be the 7th seed in the West. Last game of the year without the Mamba is going to be a nail biter. We wish you a speedy recovery Kobe!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Dwight and Meeks Visits The Mamba



It looks like Dwight is visiting Big Bro while he's recuperating. I hope Dwight becomes the leader we expect him to be in Los Angeles. Laker centers have a long history of dominating, and Dwight needs to step it up. I'm just glad Dwight and Kobe are getting along off the court. Jodie Meeks also visited Kobe in his home.

Monday, April 15, 2013

What's Next for Kobe?


Friday was a heartbreaking night for Laker fans everywhere. Kobe Bryant's ruptured ACL might mean the end of an era, but don't tell Kobe that. Players have come back from an ACL injury, but this will be a long and difficult road. If anyone can do it, the Mamba can do it better and faster.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Quote of the Day

Perhaps the feelings that we experience when we are in love represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should be.

- Anton Chekhov

Monday, March 25, 2013

Friday, March 22, 2013

Quote of the Day



“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”

- Oprah Winfrey

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Quote of the Day

“Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.”

- Shirley Maclaine

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Kobe Bryant Saves the Day....Again!


The Black Mamba, or is it Vino, did it again last night. Scoring 41 and dishing 12 assists, the 34 year old is really earning his new nickname. We're only half a game behind Utah and the chemistry between Dwight and Kobe is finally gelling. Let's go Lakers!

Quote of the Day

“We don’t know who we are until we see what we can do.”
- Martha Grimes

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Ang Lee: The Uncertainty of Success


Ang Lee, two time Academy Award winner for best director wrote this moving essay in 2006 after winning his first Academy Award. It is a very beautiful and moving piece by a humble and gracious man. Thank you Irene Shih for the translation and bringing this to my attention.

In 1978, as I applied to study film at the University of Illinois, my father vehemently objected. He quoted me a statistic: ‘Every year, 50,000 performers compete for 200 available roles on Broadway.’ Against his advice, I boarded a flight to the U.S. This strained our relationship. In the two decades following, we exchanged less than a hundred phrases in conversation.
Some years later, when I graduated film school, I came to comprehend my father’s concern. It was nearly unheard of for a Chinese newcomer to make it in the American film industry. Beginning in 1983, I struggled through six years of agonizing, hopeless uncertainty. Much of the time, I was helping film crews with their equipment or working as editor’s assistant, among other miscellaneous duties. My most painful experience involved shopping a screenplay at more than thirty different production companies, and being met with harsh rejection each time.
That year, I turned 30. There’s an old Chinese saying: ‘At 30, one stands firm.’ Yet, I couldn’t even support myself. What could I do? Keep waiting, or give up my movie-making dream? My wife gave me invaluable support.
My wife was my college classmate. She was a biology major, and after graduation, went to work for a small pharmaceutical research lab. Her income was terribly modest. At the time, we already had our elder son, Haan, to raise. To appease my own feelings of guilt, I took on all housework – cooking, cleaning, taking care of our son – in addition to reading, reviewing films and writing scripts. Every evening after preparing dinner, I would sit on the front steps with Haan, telling him stories as we waited for his mother – the heroic huntress – to come home with our sustenance (income).
This kind of life felt rather undignified for a man. At one point, my in-laws gave their daughter (my wife) a sum of money, intended as start-up capital for me to open a Chinese restaurant – hoping that a business would help support my family. But my wife refused the money. When I found out about this exchange, I stayed up several nights and finally decided: This dream of mine is not meant to be. I must face reality.
Afterward (and with a heavy heart), I enrolled in a computer course at a nearby community college. At a time when employment trumped all other considerations, it seemed that only a knowledge of computers could quickly make me employable. For the days that followed, I descended into malaise. My wife, noticing my unusual demeanor, discovered a schedule of classes tucked in my bag. She made no comment that night.
The next morning, right before she got in her car to head off to work, my wife turned back and – standing there on our front steps – said, ‘Ang, don’t forget your dream.’
And that dream of mine – drowned by demands of reality – came back to life. As my wife drove off, I took the class schedule out of my bag and slowly, deliberately tore it to pieces. And tossed it in the trash.
Sometime after, I obtained funding for my screenplay, and began to shoot my own films. And after that, a few of my films started to win international awards. Recalling earlier times, my wife confessed, ‘I’ve always believed that you only need one gift. Your gift is making films. There are so many people studying computers already, they don’t need an Ang Lee to do that. If you want that golden statue, you have to commit to the dream.’
And today, I’ve finally won that golden statue. I think my own perseverance and my wife’s immeasurable sacrifice have finally met their reward. And I am now more assured than ever before: I must continue making films.
You see, I have this never-ending dream.
 Ang Lee


 






 





Monday, February 25, 2013

Derek Fisher Signs with Thunder


It looks like, fellow Calabasas resident, Derek Fisher will be rejoining the Thunder for the remainder of the season. We hate to see you in another jersey, but we love you Fish! Good luck and hopefully, we won't see any late game heroics from you when we (hopefully) meet in the Western Conference Finals.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Quote of the Day

“Immerse yourself in the energy of what you desire.” ~ Hiro Boga

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Garnett for Bledsoe and Jordan?

Do you think the Celtics will trade DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe for Kevin Garnett?

Monday, February 18, 2013

Laker's Owner, Jerry Buss, Passes Away at 80 Years Old


Dr. Buss, arguably the greatest NBA owner of all time has passed. Today is a sad day in Lakerland. With the passing of Dr. Buss, Jim Buss looks to take over the Laker empire. We hope that Jim can be half the owner Dr. Buss was. Thank you Jerry Buss for your contributions to Los Angeles.

Read more here

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Nasir Shakouri to start Encore Payments, LLC

Nasir Shakouri starts Encore Payments, LLC to service merchants via web, mobile, b&m, and phone. As an industry insider for over 10 years, Nasir Shakouri is focusing on customer service and a great customer experience for their clients. For more information, check out encorepayments.com.