2018 US Open champion Naomi Osaka – What I learn

2018 US Open champion is Naomi Osaka and this post collects some of what I’ve learned over the last few days by focusing on areas that I see positives things and lovely moments. Things I think we learn the amid controversies. Have a read of this op-ed by tennis legend and former champion Martina Navratilova: “What Serena Got Wrong – Just because the guys might be able to get away with it doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.”

Sept 9th, 2018, US Open, “2018 US Open Press Conference: Naomi Osaka” I LOVE the #GoPro moment at 2:54 and the 8:23 Q&A that got Naomi emotional. Watch this insightful and lovely exchange at 3:10 for example of her answer re “getting in fight with herself”!

Sept 9th, ESPN (with a nice bit of game reply/highlight), [FULL] Naomi Osaka interview after defeating Serena Williams in 2018 Grand Slam final

Sept 10th, 2018, WTA, “Champions Corner: Osaka sets sights on Singapore debut” (audio interview, new stuff starts ~20:52)”

PBS News Hours, Sept 9th, 2018: “Osaka’s win at U.S. Open overshadowed by Williams’ penalties”

NOTE: I found the above analysis, sports reporter Lindsay Gibbs of ThinkProgress and Sandra Harwitt, who covered the match for USA Today. And I love Harwitt’s answer @2:40 in the news program, (here is an excerpt with emphasis added)

“SANDRA HERWITT:

I absolutely disagree. I know of Ramos and I believe Carlos Remus to be one of the best umpires in the business. I don’t think it was sexist at all. I don’t believe him to be a sexist. I know that he called Novak Djokovic out for coaching and for a record violation at Wimbledon this year. A coaching rule is actually the player takes the fine. But the rule is actually against the coach. He admitted he did that. It doesn’t matter whether she saw it or not. And to me it also doesn’t really matter if it happens all the time. As somebody who was 23 grand slam titles and 36 years of experience, almost 37, she should’ve let it go. Carlos is one of the few umpires that really has the guts to go out there and abide by the rules.”

Sept 10th, TODAY, “US Open Winner Naomi Osaka Speaks Out On Controversial Serena Williams Match”

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Crazy Rich Asians – clips, songs & articles collection

I LOVE the book (part 2 China Rich Girlfriend, part 3 Rich People Problems) so I’m thrilled & excited to watch Crazy Rich Asians on its opening day this Wednesday (Aug 15th, 2018). (Aug 15th night update: Just watched the movie and LOVED it!) (Note: May add more to this post later.)

CRAZY RICH ASIANS – Official Trailer 1

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Cast & Director Share Crazy Stories | THR

NBC Nightly News Extended Interview: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Actors And Director Discuss Film’s Impact

LA Times, The Crazy Road to “Crazy Rich Asians”

Awkwafina on Her Family, Her Name & Crazy Rich Asians

At press time the film has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 97% fresh (when the review count is 39). Some extra info and film reviews:

– Kevin Kwan’s Instagram post, “[my dear friend Vivian’s] stories inspired me when I created the character of Rachel Chu and her family. Jon M. Chu, the director of “Crazy Rich Asians,” was one of the cousins Vivian had been talking about for so many years. I never dreamed that he would one day direct the film based on my book, a film with a heroine who is inspired by the women in his own family. Last night, it all came full circle in this photo – the first time Vivian, Jon, and I were all together in one place.”

View this post on Instagram

More than ten years ago, my dear friend Vivian in New York started telling me stories about how she grew up in Northern California amongst all her cousins and how close knit they all were. As I moved to the US when I was eleven and had to leave behind my closest cousins, I was fascinated by the stories of her cool American-Born Chinese family, so different from my own, and her stories inspired me when I created the character of Rachel Chu and her family. Jon M. Chu, the director of "Crazy Rich Asians," was one of the cousins Vivian had been talking about for so many years. I never dreamed that he would one day direct the film based on my book, a film with a heroine who is inspired by the women in his own family. Last night, it all came full circle in this photo – the first time Vivian, Jon, and I were all together in one place.

A post shared by Kevin Kwan (@kevinkwanbooks) on Jul 27, 2018 at 12:10pm PDT

– Rolling Stone,

A post about “Alita: Battle Angel”

Just watched the fascinating new trailer of “Alita: Battle Angel”. The purpose of this post is to collect some info that I find interesting. I hope to add more later.

Alita: Battle Angel | Official Trailer (July 23)

Live Q&A (July 23) with James Cameron, Robert Rodriguez, Jon Landau & Rosa Salazar

I LOVE this Alita manga created chat, have a watch for sure!

Alita- Battle Angel is More Important Than You Think [HT NickOnRipple]

Some extra info

• Tweet from Rebecca L Leybourne ‏ @BeaCreativeBex More Literal blood, sweat and tears have gone into making this girl come alive I can’t even explain the amount of pride I have working with the most amazing talented team I have learnt soo much from
• In this post Oscar®-winning filmmaker Chris Landreth talks about his short animated film “Subconscious Password” and #UncannyValley where a link to the film is also shared. Have a read and watch! Thanks to @thenfb
• Close up of the two #Alita right in the two trailers to see for yourself.
  2017Dec8 @AlitaMovie Teaser Trailer (@41s)
  2018Jul23 Official Trailer (@37s)
• via Pascal Blanché @pascalblanche “From what I see, YES they did some touch up on here head: Less distance between eyes Face a little more narrow. Better work on the wrinkles Overall light in the eyes and makeup improved Haircut improved If anyone could do a quick animated gif to swap shots 1 and 2.. :) #Alita” [See below pix]

Higher Loyalty – James Comey

Bought James Comey‘s “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership” the day it came out as a Kindle ebook and I’ve enjoyed reading it so far. And I got a chance to start reading the “James Comey’s memos” (PDF file) (via CNN).

Watched a whole bunch of Comey TV interviews and enjoyed all of them. Here are some samples.

And this BBC 22 minutes interview “James Comey on Donald Trump and the FBI”

26 Apr, 2018 update: James Comey gets real in CNN town hall

xxx

Molly’s Game – insightful interviews, TIFF Q&A, and trailer

I really enjoyed Aaron Sorkin‘s Molly’s Game (starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera). Love how Sorkin saw and got more out of Molly Bloom‘s stories than just those in her book “Molly’s Game: The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World”. (note: this Vanity Fair article is worth reading, “Inside the Viper Room: Hollywood’s Most Exclusive Poker Game“) Here is a trailer and then a ton of in-depth interviews, TIFF Q&A, and other insightful clips that I have or plan to watch. Enjoy!

MOLLY’S GAME – OFFICIAL TRAILER [HD]

DP/30: Molly’s Game, Aaron Sorkin

DP/30: Molly’s Game, Jessica Chastain

DP/30 Abbreviated Chat: Molly’s Game, Idris Elba

Molly’s Game – TIFF World Premiere Q&A – Aaron Sorkin and Jessica Chastain

Cybersecurity of Voting Machines

Dr. Matt Blaze’s House testimony on the security of voting machines.

#VotingMachines #eVoting It worries me that some form of e-voting was used in last Calgary municipal elections and more are being studied to be potentially used in the future. (Case of I don’t know enough.) As someone who has been following e-voting and development of secure voting machines for decades (a company I used to work for had a team that develop e-voting system), I have my serious reservations with e-voting and voting machines and want all levels of Canadian governments (city, provincial, federal) to study slow and proceed very very very carefully!

To learn more, I’m watching UPenn’s Dr. Matt Blaze‘s House testimony on the security of voting machines.

Cybersecurity of Voting Machines (26m45s)

More of Dr. Blaze‘s testimonies here at these timecodes: 35m30s ; 54m19s ; 1h5m56s ; 1h30m30s ; 1h44m02s ; 1h48m25s and following individually video links to specific timecode segments.

Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life – New quote I love

I’m adding this to my long list of Quotes I Love,

“The wider world that perceives fashion as sometimes as frivolity that should be done away with in the face of social upheavals. The problems are enormous. The point is, in fact, fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you can do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization. Thats what I think.” – Bill Cunningham (1929-2016) from the documentary Bill Cunningham New York (low quality YouTube video excerpt)

Bill Cunningham: New York (quote on fashion) (Low quality YouTube excerpt)

I’m also watching this GREAT 2012 DP/30: The Oral History Of Hollywood interview and enjoying it so much!

DP/30: Bill Cunningham New York director Richard Press, producer Philip Gefter

3:05 Thanks to the filmmaker for his persistent in his 8 years effort to get Mr. Bill Cunningham to be featured in the doc. Bill is dearly dearly missed. The world is poorer without his special eyes in curating beauty for us and his charm and his insight.

6:01 “I basically stalked him [in 2001].” How cute! Again, so glad the filmmaker being creative to start the ball rolling. P.S. Thanks for another great and important interview.

Dec 2nd, 2017 update: I couldn’t get the song in the above Bill Cunningham New York clip out from my head so I ended up looking up the song. Have a listen. Enjoy!

Coldplay – Viva La Vida (starts at timecode 1:09)

Viva La Vida Lyrics (by Coldplay):

“I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can’t explain
Once you’d gone there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world”