video killed the blogger
03.31.06 // 01:31 PM // video
I haven't posted anything from YouTube in a while, so today seemed like a good day. The first one is Bruce Springsteen's famous video for "Dancing in the Dark" with Courtney Cox doing the dorky white girl dance with the Boss. The second video comes from U2's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. The band plays "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" with Bruce. What a combo. Enjoy!
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gray day
03.31.06 // 08:09 AM // zLife
Man, what a bummer. It's going to be the warmest day of the week, but there's nothing but rain in the forecast. Oh, well. We're not getting any lower than 50 over the weekend, so it could be worse.
I'm hoping to get two long-overdue tasks done today. It's been five weeks since my last haircut, and it's almost at that point where I can't control it anymore. My hair stylist got in a car accident about a month ago and hurt her wrist, so she's been off work for quite some time. She just started back again on Tuesday. Part of me wonders how well she'll be able to cut if her wrist is still hurting. Hopefully I don't come home with a big chunk of hair missing from my head.
The other overdue task is getting a new car stereo installed. My CD player has been dying a long, painful death almost since I got it. The Sony machine was originally installed in Sherry's old Saturn, and I swapped it into my car when she got the Toyota. I was just a poor high school senior at the time, so it was a good deal for me. Of course, it was never able to play CD-Rs, never had a functioning AM band of stations, and the FM tuner was always overly-complicated. Still, if nothing else, it served me well with my iPod and FM transmitter. That is, until it finally kicked the bucket about a month ago. Since then, I've been driving around town with the most ghetto setup you can imagine. I've had these crappy little computer speakers propped up on my cup holder that I use to plug into my iPod. Yeah, I know, it's REALLY lame, but I just haven't had time to go get a new stereo installed until today. Anyway, hopefully the situation will be resolved after I go to Best Buy tonight and get a new player installed.
That's basically it for now. Not a lot else to report, which is kind of a nice thing. I'm just looking forward to a nice, quiet, relaxing weekend at home. Have a good Friday!
I'm hoping to get two long-overdue tasks done today. It's been five weeks since my last haircut, and it's almost at that point where I can't control it anymore. My hair stylist got in a car accident about a month ago and hurt her wrist, so she's been off work for quite some time. She just started back again on Tuesday. Part of me wonders how well she'll be able to cut if her wrist is still hurting. Hopefully I don't come home with a big chunk of hair missing from my head.
That's basically it for now. Not a lot else to report, which is kind of a nice thing. I'm just looking forward to a nice, quiet, relaxing weekend at home. Have a good Friday!
antonin scalia: douche bag
03.30.06 // 02:32 PM // politics
That "Sicilian gesture" he made to a Boston reporter this weekend sure looks innocent enough, wouldn't you say? Yep, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a real classy guy.
outside it's america
03.30.06 // 02:19 PM // politics
Found this on Kos, where they picked it up from Survey USA. The map of the country sure looks pretty blue to me (click to enlarge):
it's a beautiful day
03.30.06 // 12:40 PM // zLife
the return of charlie bell
03.30.06 // 07:34 AM // zLife
Charlie Bell's cell phone rang through the morning Wednesday.
Friends called to congratulate him on the first triple double of his NBA career. Reporters sought his reaction on the milestone. Family members reminded him to leave tickets Friday, when Bell's Milwaukee Bucks take on the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
...
After four years as a starter at MSU - which saw four Big Ten titles, three Final Four appearances and the 2000 national title - the 6-foot-3 Bell went unchosen in the 2001 NBA draft. He was considered a "tweener": too small to play his natural position, shooting guard, and not skilled enough to make it as a point guard.
He gave the league a shot as a free agent, and played a total of 44 minutes in 2001-02 with Phoenix, then Dallas. Europe was the only place to go from there, so Bell and wife, Kenya, made off for Italy.
That's where these stories usually end. Most players who can't make the NBA on their first try earn some good money in Europe and hang it up after a few years. But Bell just kept getting better.
Like most Spartans who watched Bell for four years, this is a pretty remarkable vindication. Bell's worst season was probably his senior year. After helping the team win the 2000 National Championship, Bell was the most prominent senior returning for the 2001 season.
After losing one of the greatest point guards in college basketball history, Bell was expected to move away from his natural position and take over (at least part of the time... anyone remember Marcus Taylor? anyone?) for Mateen Cleaves. That was no easy task, and Bell struggled for most of the year. While the team went on to make another Final Four appearance, Bell went undrafted, and everyone (myself included) expected him to fall into oblivion.
Well, that clearly is not the case. Ironically, after Cleaves' stellar senior year and high draft selection by the Detroit Pistons, he is now the player whose NBA career is floating into the abyss. All I can say is that I am very happy for Bell. It always does my soul good to hear about our former Spartans going on to do big things. Hopefully this isn't the last we hear from Charlie Bell (of course... I do hope the Bucks lose to DEE-TROIT this Friday).
jill carroll freed
03.30.06 // 07:22 AM // links
From CNN:
All I can say is THANK GOD. This poor, poor girl. I can't imagine what the past three months have been like for her.
You know, for all the back and forth between people supporting and opposing the war in Iraq, I think we can all agree that the people who do things like this are monsters. I can understand how much some Iraqis must resent our presence in their country, and to a certain extent they're justified in feeling that way. But what the hell did they think capturing this poor girl and toying with her life the way they did would accomplish?
Well, at least she's safe. That's really all that matters now.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- American hostage Jill Carroll, the freelance journalist who was kidnapped in Baghdad January 7, has been released unharmed, U.S. law enforcement officials and The Christian Science Monitor said Thursday.
"This is a wonderful day," said the Monitor's Washington bureau chief, David Cook.
All I can say is THANK GOD. This poor, poor girl. I can't imagine what the past three months have been like for her.
You know, for all the back and forth between people supporting and opposing the war in Iraq, I think we can all agree that the people who do things like this are monsters. I can understand how much some Iraqis must resent our presence in their country, and to a certain extent they're justified in feeling that way. But what the hell did they think capturing this poor girl and toying with her life the way they did would accomplish?
Well, at least she's safe. That's really all that matters now.
outside it's america
03.29.06 // 03:12 PM // politics
Oh. My. God. Get a load of this:
I'll pick my jaw up from the floor now.
NEW YORK In a (perhaps) historic shift, more Americans now consider themselves Democrats than Republicans, the Gallup organization revealed today.
Republicans had gained the upper hand in recent years, but 33% of Americans, in the latest Gallup poll, now call themselves Democrats, with those favoring the GOP one point behind. But Gallup says this widens a bit more "once the leanings of Independents are taken into account."
Independents now make up 34% of the population. When asked if they lean in a certain direction, their answers pushed the Democrat numbers to 49% with Republicans at 42%. One year ago, the parties were dead even at 46% each.
This shift indicates, Gallup says, why its polls show Democrats leading in this year's congressional races.
The latest poll was taken from January to March 2006, with a national sample of about 1,000 adults.
I'll pick my jaw up from the floor now.
spring is here
03.29.06 // 01:02 PM // zLife
I want to thank my dad for his two thoughtful posts today. If you haven't seen them yet, scroll down a few entries and have a look. Next thing ya know Scooter Pohl will be writing for DailyKos or HuffingtonPost.
My week is finally settling down after handing in that COM 200 paper yesterday. We already picked our groups for this final paper, which is due in one month. My team is basically the same bunch of kids I had to work with the first time around, except one of the girls is being swapped out for another girl I haven't worked with yet. The last project sounds a bit more complicated than the first two, but hopefully we won't procrastinate on it as much as we did with the one we just handed in.
Stef and I are heading out to my dad's for dinner tonight. We haven't been over there since the day of Sherry's knee surgery, so it'll be nice to catch up with them.
The rest of this week is going to be relatively low key, but next week is going to be insanely busy. On Tuesday I'm going out to dinner at a Thai restaurant with Brian and Stef. Then on Wednesday Stef and I will attend the English Department's Creative Writing Awards Ceremony to find out if either of our entries (Stef for poetry, and me for screenwriting) won any prizes. Thursday is the long-awaited GUSTER concert at the MSU Auditorium, and I absolutely can't wait. Finally, next Friday Stef and I will drive down to Ohio to spend the weekend at my mom and Dan's to celebrate my mom's 50th birthday.
That's all I have for now. Have a good one!
michigan's single business tax
03.29.06 // 08:27 AM // politics
by Scott Pohl
I don't claim to be an expert on the Single Business Tax, but the current move in Lansing to eliminate it in 2007 is of concern. Enough people hate the SBT and say it's bad for the state's economy to lead me to agree that getting rid of it is a noble, even necessary goal. Finding money for the state budget when it's gone, though, is likely to be difficult. Businesses have to pay it even in years when they lose money, so it clearly needed revision, if not elimination. (I'm not sure the current debate is considering the taxation of small businesses that MAKE money).
Former governor John Engler wanted to eliminate the SBT, but wiping it out in one fell swoop was not in the cards. His approach was cowardly, but politically brilliant: a phase-out that wouldn't reach the point of elimination until 2009, years after he was to be term-limited out of office. Virtually no one in Lansing at the time would have to deal with the consequences.
Well, that isn't soon enough for some, who've pushed to have the SBT phaseout completed in 2007 rather than in 2009. The SBT brings $2,000,000,000 a year to state coffers, and the current effort echoes Engler's in its brilliance: The SBT is bad and we're wiping it out; how to replace the money is up to the governor to propose, not us.
A case can be made that removing the SBT will result in an improvement in the economic climate for small business in Michigan, and that new jobs will be created. Those new workers will pay taxes on their earnings, but will it replace the full amount? Doubtful. Many will pay taxes on the minimum wage (which is going up for the first time in years in October, rising from $5.15 an hour to $7.40 an hour over a two-year period...an effort led by republicans fearful that a petition drive to write yearly minimum wage cost-of-living increases into the state's constitution would succeed).
If the SBT is eliminated in 2007, the republicans win no matter how the governor's race winds up this year. If the democrat, Jennifer Granholm, is re-elected, she has to conjure a plan for replacing the money, and she will have to take to blame for unpopular service cuts or revenue enhancers. If the republican, Dick DeVos, wins, they can, if they choose, ignore the problem and simply cut programs they don't like when it comes time to balance the books without the SBT revenues.
I suspect that even if the democrats re-take control of the House this year, there will be enough republican votes in the House to scuttle any Granholm proposal that raises new revenues in any way... how many of them have taken "no new taxes" pledges? For many, standing in her way has been their only goal.
Left with cutting services as the only option, which will be chosen in Lansing?
Voters in Michigan need to ask every candidate from both parties what they will do about replacing SBT revenues, be it in 2007 or in 2009. If they don't have an answer, don't vote for them.
I don't claim to be an expert on the Single Business Tax, but the current move in Lansing to eliminate it in 2007 is of concern. Enough people hate the SBT and say it's bad for the state's economy to lead me to agree that getting rid of it is a noble, even necessary goal. Finding money for the state budget when it's gone, though, is likely to be difficult. Businesses have to pay it even in years when they lose money, so it clearly needed revision, if not elimination. (I'm not sure the current debate is considering the taxation of small businesses that MAKE money).
Former governor John Engler wanted to eliminate the SBT, but wiping it out in one fell swoop was not in the cards. His approach was cowardly, but politically brilliant: a phase-out that wouldn't reach the point of elimination until 2009, years after he was to be term-limited out of office. Virtually no one in Lansing at the time would have to deal with the consequences.
Well, that isn't soon enough for some, who've pushed to have the SBT phaseout completed in 2007 rather than in 2009. The SBT brings $2,000,000,000 a year to state coffers, and the current effort echoes Engler's in its brilliance: The SBT is bad and we're wiping it out; how to replace the money is up to the governor to propose, not us.
A case can be made that removing the SBT will result in an improvement in the economic climate for small business in Michigan, and that new jobs will be created. Those new workers will pay taxes on their earnings, but will it replace the full amount? Doubtful. Many will pay taxes on the minimum wage (which is going up for the first time in years in October, rising from $5.15 an hour to $7.40 an hour over a two-year period...an effort led by republicans fearful that a petition drive to write yearly minimum wage cost-of-living increases into the state's constitution would succeed).
If the SBT is eliminated in 2007, the republicans win no matter how the governor's race winds up this year. If the democrat, Jennifer Granholm, is re-elected, she has to conjure a plan for replacing the money, and she will have to take to blame for unpopular service cuts or revenue enhancers. If the republican, Dick DeVos, wins, they can, if they choose, ignore the problem and simply cut programs they don't like when it comes time to balance the books without the SBT revenues.
I suspect that even if the democrats re-take control of the House this year, there will be enough republican votes in the House to scuttle any Granholm proposal that raises new revenues in any way... how many of them have taken "no new taxes" pledges? For many, standing in her way has been their only goal.
Left with cutting services as the only option, which will be chosen in Lansing?
Voters in Michigan need to ask every candidate from both parties what they will do about replacing SBT revenues, be it in 2007 or in 2009. If they don't have an answer, don't vote for them.
civil war
03.29.06 // 08:24 AM // politics
by Scott Pohl
Much of the debate about Iraq these days concerns whether or not this is, or is not, a "civil war." It seems to me that this is only the latest effort at distracting the American public from REALLY debating our best course of action there.
From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
Main Entry: civil war
Function: noun
a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country
Good enough for me.
So, rather than debate whether or not to call this a civil war, I propose that we simply BEGIN calling it a civil war. Let those who would argue the merits of the phrase look like the nitpickers they are. If more people would just call it a civil war and refuse to debate the matter, wouldn't it ultimately end the confusion and obfuscation? And won't Americans at some point decide that we need to reconsider our role in such a conflict?
I would expect most Americans to think the US should not be involved in another country's civil war, and the tide of public opinion would push us toward an earlier withdrawal.
Iraq cannot exist as a single, cohesive state with Sunnis and Shi'ites sharing power. Their centuries-old hatred of each other is an insurmountable obstacle to peace (absent a brutal, ruthless dictator). Seperate states might not even lead to peace...could they share a border? I doubt it. That part of the world is a sewer of hatred, and the only thing that they might agree on is that they hate us. Wouldn't it be better for us if they focus on each other?
The best case scenario would seem to be separate states, with constant supervision that neither develops weapons that could destroy the other. I think that was working in Iraq before the war; even if you subscribe to the theory that Saddam was hiding WMD from the inspectors, you must grant that such a shell game distracted him from planning to USE them. The same approach is working modestly but effectively in the India-Pakistan region, where some form of attack by one on the other might be inevitable otherwise.
So, go ahead....when you talk with anybody about Iraq, use the phrase "civil war," and don't let anybody talk you out of it. It's true, and it makes people think about the REAL issues in Iraq: a reasonable level of security, a reasonable expectation of giving the people there access to the basic needs of human life, a diminution of American casualties, and a chance for the US to replenish the armed forces and the supplies they need to stomp on other fires around the world as needed.
Much of the debate about Iraq these days concerns whether or not this is, or is not, a "civil war." It seems to me that this is only the latest effort at distracting the American public from REALLY debating our best course of action there.
From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
Main Entry: civil war
Function: noun
a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country
Good enough for me.
So, rather than debate whether or not to call this a civil war, I propose that we simply BEGIN calling it a civil war. Let those who would argue the merits of the phrase look like the nitpickers they are. If more people would just call it a civil war and refuse to debate the matter, wouldn't it ultimately end the confusion and obfuscation? And won't Americans at some point decide that we need to reconsider our role in such a conflict?
I would expect most Americans to think the US should not be involved in another country's civil war, and the tide of public opinion would push us toward an earlier withdrawal.
Iraq cannot exist as a single, cohesive state with Sunnis and Shi'ites sharing power. Their centuries-old hatred of each other is an insurmountable obstacle to peace (absent a brutal, ruthless dictator). Seperate states might not even lead to peace...could they share a border? I doubt it. That part of the world is a sewer of hatred, and the only thing that they might agree on is that they hate us. Wouldn't it be better for us if they focus on each other?
The best case scenario would seem to be separate states, with constant supervision that neither develops weapons that could destroy the other. I think that was working in Iraq before the war; even if you subscribe to the theory that Saddam was hiding WMD from the inspectors, you must grant that such a shell game distracted him from planning to USE them. The same approach is working modestly but effectively in the India-Pakistan region, where some form of attack by one on the other might be inevitable otherwise.
So, go ahead....when you talk with anybody about Iraq, use the phrase "civil war," and don't let anybody talk you out of it. It's true, and it makes people think about the REAL issues in Iraq: a reasonable level of security, a reasonable expectation of giving the people there access to the basic needs of human life, a diminution of American casualties, and a chance for the US to replenish the armed forces and the supplies they need to stomp on other fires around the world as needed.
a good day for michigan workers
03.28.06 // 04:20 PM // politics
LANSING, Mich. -- Workers earning the minimum wage in Michigan will get a raise in October under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
The minimum rate will climb from $5.15 an hour to $6.95 an hour, then to $7.15 an hour in July 2007 and to $7.40 an hour in July 2008.
Michigan's Republican-dominated Legislature passed the minimum wage increase this month after it became evident that a petition drive to put the issue before voters in November was likely to succeed.
You're damn right it would've succeeded. This country has had the same minimum wage since 1997. To put that into perspective, in those same eight years, the U.S. Congress has given itself eight cost of living pay increases. Also, according to the Center for American Progress, if the minimum wage increased at the same rate as CEO salary increases, the minimum wage today would be $23.03/hour.
Bush won re-election in 2004 in part because of all the ballot initiatives attempting to ban gay marriage across the country. This had the effect of pumping up conservative turnout on election day. Perhaps the same formula will work for the dems this fall, since no fewer than 25 states are considering similar legislation to raise the minimum wage.
Midterm elections are base elections, meaning that so-called undecided voters (i.e., those with no party affiliation) usually don't vote. With Democrats more energized than ever, and Republicans constantly bickering aboard their sinking ship, issues like minimum wage hikes could ultimately play an important role in determining which party controls Congress, come November. Time will tell.
it's starting to sink in
03.28.06 // 03:21 PM // zLife
The whole notion of graduation is finally starting to sink in. There was a garduate fair at the Union today, so I swung in to pick up my cap and gown. It was simple enough, but there was just something about standing there trying on the caps and picking out my college's tassle that felt a little surreal. The experience that really got me was standing there trying on class rings. This is going to sound terrible, but for as long as I can remember, everyone with a college class ring was older than me. The idea that I'm going to be one of those people now doesn't quite make sense yet.
The ring selection was about what I expected. They had the usual big-ass-honkin' class rings with a giant stone that you see all the time. Those look really nice on certain people, but I didn't need to try one on to know that they just weren't my style. One ring in particular jumped out at me. It was a simple silver one with no stone. Instead, the face has the University crest engraved in it (the one with the building and "Founded 1855" on it), and will have 2006 on one side, and BA for Bachelor of Arts on the other. My full name will be engraved on the inside. It's pretty plain, but I think it's a more classic look that will hold up well over time. The thing will set me back over $400, but they offered deferred payment over four months, so it's pretty manageable. I mean, I'll have this thing for the rest of my life, so it's worth it. It'll probably take a good six weeks for me to get it, but I'm excited. Hopefully it turns out nice.
Well, that's basically all I have for now. Just one step closer to graduation day, I guess.
Well, that's basically all I have for now. Just one step closer to graduation day, I guess.
andy card resigns
03.28.06 // 10:13 AM // politics
So the president's chief of staff resigned today. Not a huge shock, but ya gotta love Chuck Schumer getting in the first jab after Bush named Josh Boletn, who for three years has been the White House's Director of Management and Budget, as Card's replacement (from CNN):
Amen.
"The good news is the administration has finally realized it needs to change its ways, but the problems go far deeper than one staffer," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York. "Simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic by replacing Andy Card with Josh Bolten without a dramatic change in policy will not right this ship."
Amen.
top five
03.28.06 // 08:36 AM // zLife
While it doesn't exactly look like it outside today, spring is almost here. We're going to break into the 60s later in the week, and it can't come soon enough. Here are the top five reasons I'm looking forward to spring:
1. School is almost over
2. Shedding the pea coat in favor of my lightweight spring jacket
3. Being able to roll down my car windows
4. Wearing sandals to class
5. Playing tennis outside with my girlfriend
1. School is almost over
2. Shedding the pea coat in favor of my lightweight spring jacket
3. Being able to roll down my car windows
4. Wearing sandals to class
5. Playing tennis outside with my girlfriend
outside it's america
03.28.06 // 07:55 AM // politics
People on the right can mule and puke about the so-called "liberal media" and the lack of "good news" coming out of Iraq all they want, but it's hard to ignore the words of Eric Haney, a retired command sergeant major of the U.S. Army, and a founding member of Delta Force. Especially when he says things like this in the LA Daily News (via HuffPost). Keep in mind that he's out hawking his work on the CBS show "The Unit" in this interview, but that doesn't make his words any less potent:
One can only hope that Haney's closing remarks hold true this November.
Q: What's your assessment of the war in Iraq?
A: Utter debacle. But it had to be from the very first. The reasons were wrong. The reasons of this administration for taking this nation to war were not what they stated. (Army Gen.) Tommy Franks was brow-beaten and ... pursued warfare that he knew strategically was wrong in the long term. That's why he retired immediately afterward. His own staff could tell him what was going to happen afterward.
We have fomented civil war in Iraq. We have probably fomented internecine war in the Muslim world between the Shias and the Sunnis, and I think Bush may well have started the third world war, all for their own personal policies.
Q: What is the cost to our country?
A: For the first thing, our credibility is utterly zero. So we destroyed whatever credibility we had. ... And I say "we," because the American public went along with this. They voted for a second Bush administration out of fear, so fear is what they're going to have from now on.
...
Q: What do you make of the torture debate? Cheney...
A: (Interrupting) That's Cheney's pursuit. The only reason anyone tortures is because they like to do it. It's about vengeance, it's about revenge, or it's about cover-up. You don't gain intelligence that way. Everyone in the world knows that. It's worse than small-minded, and look what it does.
I've argued this on Bill O'Reilly and other Fox News shows. I ask, who would you want to pay to be a torturer? Do you want someone that the American public pays to torture? He's an employee of yours. It's worse than ridiculous. It's criminal; it's utterly criminal. This administration has been masters of diverting attention away from real issues and debating the silly. Debating what constitutes torture: Mistreatment of helpless people in your power is torture, period. And (I'm saying this as) a man who has been involved in the most pointed of our activities. I know it, and all of my mates know it. You don't do it. It's an act of cowardice. I hear apologists for torture say, "Well, they do it to us." Which is a ludicrous argument. ... The Saddam Husseins of the world are not our teachers. Christ almighty, we wrote a Constitution saying what's legal and what we believed in. Now we're going to throw it away.
Q: As someone who repeatedly put your life on the line, did some of the most hair-raising things to protect your country, and to see your country behave this way, that must be ...
A: It's pretty galling. But ultimately I believe in the good and the decency of the American people, and they're starting to see what's happening and the lies that have been told. We're seeing this current house of cards start to flutter away. The American people come around. They always do.
One can only hope that Haney's closing remarks hold true this November.
finally, some relief
03.28.06 // 07:09 AM // zLife
Well, the COM 200 paper rang in at a whopping 15 pages! I really thought the revisions wouldn't take very long to make, but that turned out to be a sick delusion on my part. It was well after 11 by the time I finished printing the thing out, and by then (as you can tell from the picture above) I was completely out of it. I'll finally get a chance to hand the thing in this afternoon though, and then I'll get some much-needed relief before heading into finals week. The way I see it, finals don't really hit for another 3-4 weeks, so just when I'm getting back on track, it'll be time to start stressing out again. Ah, well. At least there's an end in sight now.
My dad and I are going to head out for lunch together today, which should be nice. We weren't ablel to go last week since Sherry was still recovering from her knee surgery, so it'll be good to catch up with him. Afterwards I'm hoping to swing by the Union to check out the big graduation fair they're having (yesterday and) today. It sounds like they're gonna have all sorts of stuff available to hawk to us gullable seniors, but what the heck. I still need to pick up a cap and gown, so it'll be good to get that over with. At some point I want to take a look at potential class rings, and I think there will be a vendor at this event, so maybe I can start getting an idea of how much dough I'll have to drop for one of those babies.
That's all I got for now. I hope everyone is having a nice week so far. Mine is only gonna get better from here on out.
That's all I got for now. I hope everyone is having a nice week so far. Mine is only gonna get better from here on out.
gonorrhea lectim
03.27.06 // 05:53 PM // politics
Forwarded from my dad, via his friend John Gulliver:
If trends continue, no one in Michigan should catch it this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior.
The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and pronounced "gonna re-elect him." Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years. Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: anti-social personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies towards evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.
Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated only a few years ago from a bush found in Texas.
If trends continue, no one in Michigan should catch it this year.
head about to explode
03.27.06 // 03:57 PM // zLife
I think my blood pressure is probably up thru the roof after what I've been through this past week. Sweet fancy Moses, will it never end?!
The COM 275 test this afternoon was TERRIBLE. My mind was just totally blank on the first third of the exam, and I found myself guessing a lot. The questions seemed to get easier as I went along, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I'm just so exhausted right now, and my nerves are shot. Hopefully I did okay on it.
In PLS 201 recitation today I did get some good news. After getting 57/75 on the multiple choice portion of the test, I finally got my short answer grade today: 24/25. That brings the final grade (with the 3 % curve tacked on) to an 84%! I know it's not stellar, and is just a point shy of being a 3.5, but it's a HUGE improvement from the first exam grade. If my grade continues to go up on the final (which is NOT a sure thing, but certainly possible), there's still a good shot at getting a respectable grade in that class. That would be a nice graduation present.
After taking the COM 275 test, I had a chance to talk with my COM 200 TA briefly, since she was there helping proctor the exam. She said that the paper was in pretty good shape, but clearly needed some work. So, right now it sounds like one of the girls in my group is going to email me Carrie's comments on the paper so I can make corrections, and then I'm going to meet with these girls at one of their houses later tonight to go over everything one last time. I'm in the homestretch, but there's clearly still some work to be done. Almost there though.
The COM 275 test this afternoon was TERRIBLE. My mind was just totally blank on the first third of the exam, and I found myself guessing a lot. The questions seemed to get easier as I went along, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I'm just so exhausted right now, and my nerves are shot. Hopefully I did okay on it.
In PLS 201 recitation today I did get some good news. After getting 57/75 on the multiple choice portion of the test, I finally got my short answer grade today: 24/25. That brings the final grade (with the 3 % curve tacked on) to an 84%! I know it's not stellar, and is just a point shy of being a 3.5, but it's a HUGE improvement from the first exam grade. If my grade continues to go up on the final (which is NOT a sure thing, but certainly possible), there's still a good shot at getting a respectable grade in that class. That would be a nice graduation present.
After taking the COM 275 test, I had a chance to talk with my COM 200 TA briefly, since she was there helping proctor the exam. She said that the paper was in pretty good shape, but clearly needed some work. So, right now it sounds like one of the girls in my group is going to email me Carrie's comments on the paper so I can make corrections, and then I'm going to meet with these girls at one of their houses later tonight to go over everything one last time. I'm in the homestretch, but there's clearly still some work to be done. Almost there though.
where i'm at right now
03.27.06 // 08:21 AM // zLife
Well, the rough draft is done. Or, at least, as done as it's going to be. Right now all that's missing is the results section, but it's on the way. This paper is a couple pages shorter than the first one, but I think that's a good thing. I feel like this paper is a lot more straightforward than the first one, but it's a little hard to tell at this point. At least one or two of the girls in my group is going to meet with the TA today to show her our draft and get some feedback. If it goes down like it did last time, she'll tear it apart, tell us all the things that need to be fixed, and then we'll turn it in tomorrow and get a decent grade. At least that's what I'm hoping happens.
So, here I am at 8:24, with about two hours to burn before my tennis class. That gives me a nice chunk of time to study for this afternoon's COM 275 test. It's funny, because of the three non-tennis classes this semester, I really thought COM 275 would be the most interesting. While both COM 200 and PLS 201 are boring as hell, and I doubt I'll ever use the material we're covering in either class after April 26, I am actually learning new stuff. I mean, I feel like I can wrap my head around these concepts. For whatever reason though, COM 275 just isn't sinking in. All we basically do is go over all these really confusing and convoluted theories about mass communication, and then learn about all the reasons other researchers dispute them. I mean, a lot of the ideas seem like they should be common sense, but they're not. When you hear terms like "Triadic Reciprocal Causation", your eyes just glaze over. I'm sorry, but anyone who finds this stuff interesting is certifiably insane.
Anyway, that's it for now. Just more of the same today. More studying for another test in another class that I don't care about, and more work on a "group" paper that I'm fed up with. Sounds like fun.
Anyway, that's it for now. Just more of the same today. More studying for another test in another class that I don't care about, and more work on a "group" paper that I'm fed up with. Sounds like fun.
COM 200 update
03.26.06 // 07:13 PM // zLife
Okay, so I did a lot of bitching about the group dynamic on the first paper. Compared to this one? Cake walk. It's quarter after 7 right now, and I've still only heard from two out of my four other group members.
I HATE group papers. Hate them. I'm using the word HATE here. About group papers. HATE them.
UPDATE: Still no word from the others a/o 10:20. Big shock there. Heading to bed soon. Looks like I'll be skipping Political Science in the morning. What a pain. Groan.
UPDATE 2: Okay, the paper is coming together. Chrissy and Chris came through, and I got the other sections. Deep breaths. Ha ha. We'll be okay.
I HATE group papers. Hate them. I'm using the word HATE here. About group papers. HATE them.
UPDATE: Still no word from the others a/o 10:20. Big shock there. Heading to bed soon. Looks like I'll be skipping Political Science in the morning. What a pain. Groan.
UPDATE 2: Okay, the paper is coming together. Chrissy and Chris came through, and I got the other sections. Deep breaths. Ha ha. We'll be okay.
birthday dinner and the weekend
03.26.06 // 12:34 PM // zLife
Friday was Stef's mom's birthday, and we all went out to this fabulous Italian restaurant, Bacco, for dinner. Originally, the plan was just to have a few family members come out to celebrate, but the guest list ballooned when Teri's younger sister Delores asked if she could invite her three daughters (and one of their boyfriends), because it was her daughter Maggie's birthday as well. So, it was kind of a last minute arrangement, but we made it work.
The restaurant is relatively small, so they just lined up about four tables along the wall, and had us sit face to face. That sort of setup isn't too bad if you have a small group, but when there's sixteen or more people along for the ride, it's a bit of a challenge. In fact, some of Stef's relatives sat so far away that I barely spoke with them the whole time we were there, which ended up being something ridiculous like three hours. Still, for being a bit cramped, the meal was FANTASTIC. It was one of those humongous Italian meals, where they kept bringing round after round of food, but since each course was paced so well, I never felt overly-stuffed. Teri and Justin (it was his b-day on Saturday too) got a lot of really nice gifts, and I was glad that I was able to join them this year, since I missed seeing them on their birthdays a year ago. It was well after 11 by the time we got home, and I was totally zonked at that point. What a great night though.
Yesterday Stef and I went to the mall for a while with Teri to do some shopping. My plan was to get some birthday shopping of my own done for my mom while we were there. I've been going back and forth between two ideas for a while, and wanted to get the lay of the land so I could finally make a decision about which one to go with. By the end of the afternoon I hadn't bought anything, but I think I've finally made my decision about what to get her. Before heading back to the house, Stef, Teri, and I all had a nice late lunch at Brio. That place is just too good. Mmmmm.
After getting home, we pretty much just turned right back around and headed out to see Inside Man with Tim and Teri in Birmingham. All of us except Stef's dad really enjoyed the movie (see my review below), which we were all a bit surprised by since we figured he would've liked it the most. After that Stef and I pretty much vegged out in the living room, watching My Best Friend's Wedding on TBS. I love nights like that.
Well, it's about 1 now, and we're just about to head back to East Lansing. I'm still waiting on three of my group members to send me their sections of the COM 200 paper. I'm not flipping out yet, since I gave everyone a 3 p.m. deadline, but I also won't be shocked if I'm left twiddling my thumbs for at least a few hours today. I guess we'll see what happens. Anyway, that's it for now. Enjoy the rest of the day.
Yesterday Stef and I went to the mall for a while with Teri to do some shopping. My plan was to get some birthday shopping of my own done for my mom while we were there. I've been going back and forth between two ideas for a while, and wanted to get the lay of the land so I could finally make a decision about which one to go with. By the end of the afternoon I hadn't bought anything, but I think I've finally made my decision about what to get her. Before heading back to the house, Stef, Teri, and I all had a nice late lunch at Brio. That place is just too good. Mmmmm.
After getting home, we pretty much just turned right back around and headed out to see Inside Man with Tim and Teri in Birmingham. All of us except Stef's dad really enjoyed the movie (see my review below), which we were all a bit surprised by since we figured he would've liked it the most. After that Stef and I pretty much vegged out in the living room, watching My Best Friend's Wedding on TBS. I love nights like that.
Well, it's about 1 now, and we're just about to head back to East Lansing. I'm still waiting on three of my group members to send me their sections of the COM 200 paper. I'm not flipping out yet, since I gave everyone a 3 p.m. deadline, but I also won't be shocked if I'm left twiddling my thumbs for at least a few hours today. I guess we'll see what happens. Anyway, that's it for now. Enjoy the rest of the day.
inside man
03.26.06 // 12:06 AM // zLife
Dare I say it? After heading out to the movies tonight, I think Spike Lee might have his first bona-fide hit on his hands. Inside Man has all the trademarks of a Spike Lee joint without the missteps that have plagued his recent material.
While another critic already said it, I still think it's certainly true that Lee and Denzel Washington bring out the best in each other, much like Jimmy Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock did. Washington is the epitome of cool in this film. He's just everything that the average cop character in a movie like this is not. Oh, and for totally different reasons, Christopher Plummer is also Mr. Smooth in this movie too. These guys are always great onscreen, but Lee just has a way of pulling great performances from all of his actors here, including Clive Owen, who I was never crazy about before seeing this movie.
I don't want to give much of anything about the plot away since there are so many enjoyable twists and turns in the film. I will say though, that for all the misdirection and surprises we get, I never felt cheated like I do in almost every M. Night Shyamalan flick. In fact, looking back on it, Lee gives away the big twist right out of the gates, but you'll never catch it. This is just one of those rare movies that challenges you to actually think about what's going on, and doesn't wrap everything up about the story in a neat little bow. Audiences these days are trained by filmmakers to be lazy spectators, and the way Inside Man exploits these tendencies is part of what makes it so fun to watch. I really can't recommend this movie enough, especially considering how few films have been worth seeing so far this year.
On the Maggie Schafer snooze scale, with 1 being fully lucid, and 10 being passed out from opening to closing credits, I would give this one a 2. You should most definitely go see it!
While another critic already said it, I still think it's certainly true that Lee and Denzel Washington bring out the best in each other, much like Jimmy Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock did. Washington is the epitome of cool in this film. He's just everything that the average cop character in a movie like this is not. Oh, and for totally different reasons, Christopher Plummer is also Mr. Smooth in this movie too. These guys are always great onscreen, but Lee just has a way of pulling great performances from all of his actors here, including Clive Owen, who I was never crazy about before seeing this movie.
On the Maggie Schafer snooze scale, with 1 being fully lucid, and 10 being passed out from opening to closing credits, I would give this one a 2. You should most definitely go see it!
apology about apology
03.25.06 // 12:07 PM // zLife
Okay, I'm going to owe some people apologies about the movie premiere. I just got off the phone with one of the co-directors, Jon Worful, and found out that tickets for the 8 p.m. showing of An Apology to the Dead have sold like hot cakes. All I could get were two tickets for myself and Stefanie, and five others for that first show. Those five extra tickets will almost certainly include my mom, dad, Dan, Sherry, and maybe one other person.
Now, there is a SECOND showing at 9:50 p.m. that night that still has plenty of seats available. I know that counts some people out because of the late hour, but unfortunately it's the best I can do right now. If you are still interested in seeing the show, or know someone who is, PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP so I can put in requests for tickets at the 9:50 screening.
It's important to keep in mind that, if you are unable to attend the premiere, I will be getting a DVD copy of the movie in the near future. Once I have my own copy of the film, I can dole it out to anyone who wants to see it. Still, I know that's not the same as seeing yours truly on the big screen, but right now it's the best I can do.
That's all I have for now. Please check back for more updates!
Now, there is a SECOND showing at 9:50 p.m. that night that still has plenty of seats available. I know that counts some people out because of the late hour, but unfortunately it's the best I can do right now. If you are still interested in seeing the show, or know someone who is, PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP so I can put in requests for tickets at the 9:50 screening.
It's important to keep in mind that, if you are unable to attend the premiere, I will be getting a DVD copy of the movie in the near future. Once I have my own copy of the film, I can dole it out to anyone who wants to see it. Still, I know that's not the same as seeing yours truly on the big screen, but right now it's the best I can do.
That's all I have for now. Please check back for more updates!
outside it's america
03.24.06 // 02:07 PM // politics
In the