The Knicks of Time

Posted 12:00 M by Gerald So

Following up Wednesday night's 29-point comeback win, the New York Knicks closed out the 2026 NBA Finals tonight 94-90. It's been so long, I didn't want to post until all was said and done.

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This playoff run reminded me of the dominant 1998 Yankees and the breakthrough 1996 Yankees, even-keel Mike Brown taking over for Tom Thibodeaux as Joe Torre succeeded Buck Showalter, OG Anunoby giving us an improbable win as Jim Leyritz homered off Mark Wohlers to turn the World Series.

I also thought of how the 2025-26 Knicks avoided some past contending Knicks teams' downfalls: Ewing's missed finger roll, Charles Smith's missed tip-ins, John Starks going cold from three in Game 7, all ghosts put to rest.

Election

Posted 2:30 AM by Gerald So

Electronic voting in New York reminds me of Scantron tests. I know I can take all the time I need, but I don't feel I can. I feel the familiar pressure to finish about the same time as anyone else. The candidates I vote for seldom win. I vote anyway and remind myself the best thing to do is usually very difficult, and because of that, unpopular.

Think of Donald Trump claiming he'd resolve decades-long conflicts in days, then failing. Think of all the times politicians have skirted or rewritten the rules because they thought following them too difficult. On a large scale, people don't want to do hard things, but I as a person and you as a person can vote for what's difficult because in the end it remains necessary.

A.I. Don't Think So

Posted 3:00 AM by Gerald So

You may have inferred from my Disability Pride Month post, and I've stated plainly on social media, but I also want to go on record here: I'm against the popular uses of artificial intelligence to write, make art, approximate voices...anything that originated as a human expressive endeavor.

I could rattle off the ethical reasons not to use A.I., but I have a personal one: I want to see what I can do unaided. Until I took the SAT, I declined extra time on tests. I wanted to see how much I could complete in the regular time. I always knew I wouldn't get extra time outside school, that I'd have to make time and others wouldn't.

The artificial in A.I. bothers me. It's not real intelligence; it hasn't been filtered through life experience and become wisdom; yet people and businesses lean on it with poor results. As for me, wherever I can, I will hone my critical thinking, creativity, and life skills. The unacceptable alternative is losing them.

Pope Leo XIV

Posted 10:00 AM by Gerald So

On Thursday, the second day of the conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected to succeed Pope Francis. Safe to say, dual American-Peruvian citizen Prevost was a surprising choice. I, like many American Catholics, never thought I'd see an American pope.

This is a very rare chance for the Pope's leadership to get more of America's attention. I like that Pope Leo XIV has committed to continuing Francis' work. I also hope he continues speaking out against Donald Trump's abuse of power.

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The End of the World

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

To calm fears, we like to say, "It's not the end of the world."

Another way of thinking is we are at one end of the world, the front end facing the future, the only end we can act on. The future hasn't happened, so it doesn't count. This is the end.

It can be positive if you do everything in your power while you can. Don't assume you have tomorrow. Most likely you do, but you get my point.

Bond and Sensitivity

Posted 3:00 PM by Gerald So

YouTube brought up last week's episode of military thriller author Jack Carr's Danger Close podcast, "What's next for James Bond?", with guest David Zaritsky, curator of The Bond Experience:




In the clip below, Carr and Zaritsky discuss the new editions of Ian Fleming's Bond books, which have been edited for sensitivity:




Carr and Zaritsky pan the editing and yearn for the books as originally published in the 1950s and '60s. While this stance is valid, it's very narrow-minded. It denies the Bond films, books, and trappings since the '60s have outgrown Fleming.

It's valid to revere Sean Connery as the first actor to play Bond in major motion pictures, two even in Fleming's life. I wonder, though, how many of those so-called purists have refused to watch or accept George Lazenby's, Roger Moore's, Timothy Dalton's, Pierce Brosnan's, or Daniel Craig's take on Bond. Have they also refused to read the post-Fleming Bond books?

Bond persists in the public consciousness because he's been allowed to change with us. If not, the audience at large would've left him behind. A handful of superfans would be trying to make a movie, struggling with funding for lack of interest. I doubt that's really what Carr and Zaritsky would prefer.

The new editions show Bond's value is independent of Fleming's sexism and racism. Surely true fans agree.

Rerun

Posted 8:30 AM by Gerald So

I've been trying to think of a word to sum up my feelings about how Trump has gone about building his second-term cabinet. I was shocked and worried the first time around. I can't react the same way this time because I have literally seen this already.

I know how Trump will conduct himself as president, and, because I was roundly outvoted, I don't particularly care. I do hope more Republicans push back on his lunacy now that he's out of terms. If not, well, I've seen that already, too. I think I'll tune out till the next new episode.

It's That Bad

Posted 10:30 AM by Gerald So

As shown in recent posts reacting to the election, I'm the kind of person who stays optimistic. My attitude doesn't change the reality that all three branches of the U.S. government and the American people as a whole failed to hold Donald Trump accountable for the crimes of his previous term, and now we have him poised to be president again.

We need to face this epic fail and take it to heart, not brush it off or put a positive spin on it. My pragmatic assessment is we'll need enough people of impeccable integrity in every branch of government to ensure just processes and outcomes. Political pressure and the threat of punishment don't stop bad actors in power. On paper, we should always have honorable people in position. In reality, we seldom do. Yes, we band together in times of great crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. When crisis abates, evidentally, we get complacent enough to bring back Donald Trump.

What I Learned in College

Posted 3:30 AM by Gerald So

Some pundits say one reason the Democrats lost on Election Day was they were unable to frame their policies to reach workers who see the party as know-it-all elitists. As someone who loved college and went on to be an English teacher, I don't understand the animosity toward education. It's true college changes and matures you, for the better, in my experience.

I grew up around a large, tight-knit extended family. After Catholic elementary school, I was rejected from my first-choice Catholic high school, where my brother was a student, but I chose to attend St Mary's in Manhasset. After that, I felt I had enough of a religious foundation and wanted to meet a wider variety of people.

I attended Hofstra because one of my favorite English teachers was an alum. Hofstra had an Asian American Organization, but I didn't join. I didn't want friendships primarily based on common ethnicity. By contrast, my younger cousin eventually attended Hofstra, too, and became AAO president.

At the start of second semester junior year, I heard about a meeting to explore creating a student literary magazine. I attended and not only saw all kinds of people but befriended many of them, including someone four years younger, who had skipped second and eighth grades. He wore a Detroit Lions cap, so I turned to him and said, "Barry Sanders." It was that easy.

Others at the meeting stood out in their own ways, which is what attracted me. We built the magazine FONT from common interest in writing, welcoming any students to have a say in what was published. Six people who worked on the early magazine remain my best friends today. I was already open, but I learned to be much moreso. I saw how everyone's differences improved the magazine.

I'm massively disappointed America wasn't ready to elect Kamala Harris president. I'm all the more grateful that my college experience lived up to the ideal of diversity. I think college would benefit almost everyone who derides it. It's one of the best and safest ways to open your mind. If you resist opening your mind, ask yourself why. Is what you are now all you ever want to be?

Facing Reality with Fiction

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

Getting away from the reality of the election with a story, book, or TV show seems futile in one way, but in another it's important. In fiction, good usually wins in the very end. Core principles are upheld. Yes, this may not happen in life. See Tuesday's example. But if our principles exist and justice prevails only in fiction, at least they do there, reminding us that individuals and the people at large can make crucial, good decisions. Even one person who carries this into reality makes a difference.

Most Popular ≠ Best

Posted 6:00 AM by Gerald So

There are a few recent examples of U.S. presidents who won the Electoral College but not the popular vote. Their opponents quickly pointed this out. But what about when a candidate wins both the popular and electoral vote? It's the will of the people. Majority rules. But does that make it best? I'm going to argue it doesn't.

American ideals point us toward tolerance, acceptance of all as equals. When the majority elects a candidate with a history of prejudice, they aren't living up to those ideals. In the same vein, someone may ask for tolerance, but are they tolerant? If they can't stand people who are different, with different views, they aren't following American ideals.

What's best tends to be difficult and unpopular for its difficulty, taking too much time for anyone's liking. Winning on Election Day is only one step in the long process of acceptance as an American ideal. When we achieve what we're striving for today, there will be more we haven't seen. The nature of ideals is they are never all achieved. yet they should always be pursued.

Trending

Posted 3:30 AM by Gerald So

Well, it's looking like a lot more people voted for Trump and Republicans than I ever thought would. I don't want to think why, but it's a reminder of all the ills in the world, that good is against the odds. In every loss, all that remains is which side we were on. All we can do is start things moving again. That's the only way history eventually gets there. Carry on.

An Election Simile

Posted 7:30 AM by Gerald So

It occurred to me the effort to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot was like a well-intentioned effort to remove a wrong answer from a multiple-choice test. If all the wrong answers were removed, it would no longer be a test. And as much as we'd like everyone to do well on tests, some don't.

Good luck, everyone.

Stacey Williams, Jeffrey Epstein, and Donald Trump

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

Former SPORTS ILLUSTRATED swimsuit model Stacey Williams has accused Donald Trump of groping her in 1993, while Jeffrey Epstein, whom she was dating, watched.

Williams is my favorite model of the era. I remember a sound bite of her from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's 1993 Swimsuit Video:

I try so hard to keep this just as a job, and it's what I do, and it's not what I am. I guess I'm someone that actively pursues change and growth. I think I'm a lot more at peace with myself. I'm a lot less affected by what's going on around me, really working towards finding that peace, that peace within. I've been alone, meaning without a relationship, a boyfriend or anything, for almost two years now. Not just without a boyfriend, but I spend a lot of time. As I said, I do yoga, I meditate, and I write a lot, and I think you grow a lot from spending time alone. You learn a lot about yourself.

I'm sorry Trump and Epstein victimized her. I'm glad she's speaking out now.

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Harris-Walz 2024

Posted 2:00 PM by Gerald So

Kamala Harris has chosen progressive Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her 2024 running mate. The Harris-Walz ticket strikes me as infinitely more sensible than Trump-Vance.

In my head, the Harris-Walz campaign message is "America has humored Donald Trump far too long. There's work to be done. We can do it. You've seen Trump has failed."


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Gender, Genealogy, and Attitude Swaps in Film and TV

Posted 6:30 AM by Gerald So

I am open to creators changing characters' gender or genealogy to tell stories relatable to their changing audience. Some examples I think worked particularly well are Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) from the 2004 reimagining of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, Sam and Lois Lane (Joel de la Fuente and Alice Lee) from 2023's MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN, and Oswalda Cobblepot (Minnie Driver) and James and Barbara Gordon (Eric Morgan Stuart and Krystal Joy Brown) from BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER.

It's helpful and most fair to view any reimagining as if you haven't seen previous versions. If you didn't know Starbuck or The Penguin had been a male character, you wouldn't think, He's supposed to be male. You would judge the reimagining in its own right.

In my previous post about BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER, I mentioned some of its reimagining seemed shallow. I was mainly alluding to its depiction of Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Jamie Chung)'s Harley Quinn persona. As originated by Arleen Sorkin in BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, her demeanor as psychiatrist Quinzel was staid and professional; as Joker's sidekick Quinn, bold and bubbly. CAPED CRUSADER, on the other hand, has a bubbly Quinzel amd a laconic Quinn, appearently not influenced by Joker.

What's the point of an impassive clown? What drove this Quinzel to become Harley Quinn? In BTAS, Joker manipulated his asylum therapy sessions with Quinzel, driving her crazy in love with him. CAPED CRUSADER's Quinn has no such plausible origin so far.

She is revealed in the episode "The Stress of Her Regard," whuch sees her capture and manipulate several patients in the campy fashion of the 1960s Adam West BATMAN. A few BCC episodes experiment with tone, like "Night Ride," showcasing Gentleman Ghost as a bona fide evil spirit, eventually trapped by voodoo priest Papa Midnite. However, only "The Stress of Her Regard" strays too far from BCC's overall noir tone.


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Offense

Posted 2:00 AM by Gerald So

Paris Olympics organizers apologized Sunday after an intended opening ceremonies depiction of Greek god Dionysus featuring drag queens offended people and religious groups for its similarity to Leonardo Da Vinci's 15th century "The Last Supper" painting.

Art historians point out the depiction was not a parody of "The Last Supper" but an allusion to Jan van Bijlert's 17th century painting "The Feast of the Gods."

In the organizers' and performers' apologies are the phrases "if I have offended," "if people have taken offense." There's no "if" they offended. People have expressed offense. The apology phrasing should've been "that I have offended," "that people took offense."

I understand it was not a send-up of "The Last Supper," but if the organizers had been more concerned they might offend, it might have occurred to them, "We can't do this. It will bring to mind 'The Last Supper," not what we want."

Yes We Kam

Posted 6:00 AM by Gerald So

VP Kamala Harris has my vote to be the next POTUS. I think it's long overdue America had a woman president, and I hope we take this opportunity to elect one. It would say our diversity as a country is truly our strength. As last we did by electing Joe Biden, we can reject Donald Trump, his failure in office, and everything else he's heaped on.

We can't forget, though, droves of people will still vote Trump. All of us who don't want Trump have to outvote them.


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Biden ends re-election bid

Posted 3:00 PM by Gerald So

President Biden has decided to end his 2024 re-election bid after many fellow Democrats and deep-pocketed donors turned against him. Reflecting on Biden's life of public service, I'm grateful for it all, especially his presidency.

Never the hottest pick (Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton), Biden got his chance after Trump botched the nation's COVID recovery. Biden righted that wrong, most importantly, and just in general I appreciated his cooler head.

Much had been made of his advanced age. I value what he did all the more because he did it at this age. He gave all he could to his country.


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One of 8.1 Billion

Posted 3:30 AM by Gerald So

As hopeful as I am that Donald Trump loses the 2024 presidential election, I've been pondering what to do if he wins.

I'm pretty sure my voice as an Asian American will be less heard. My differences won't be respected or valued. The majority will expect me to get in line. It will be a bad time if an authoritarian president is elected, and who knows how long it will last? An authoritarian wouldn't cede power and would only need a few key people to go along to retain power unjustly.

I can't do much to prevent it. I only have one vote in the race.

My relative insignificance oddly gives me hope. I'm not going to feel as if I'm losing my seat at the table the older I get, as many older people grow wistful for a time they felt they had more say in society, as they become set in their ways, ultimately becoming unable to do anything differently. I will instead grow more understanding and accepting of people and ideas.

It may not matter that I do this alone, but it will be my mandate if prejudice prevails around the world.