I got back yesterday from a whirlwind tour of the Pacific Northwest. Ok, well, not a tour really but whatever. I decided to tack on a visit to my friend Silver in Portland to a conference I was going to in Seattle and it worked out pretty well. Mrs. Silver unfortunately had to have emergency back surgery three days before I got there so she wasn't very mobile (though much more mobile that I expected - she surprised the hell out of me). So I got to hang with them, their 9 month old and 2 teenage daughters for a few days and I got to watch Silver make beer. It looked suspiciously easy.
More later as I'm catching up on work today. But a few things I learned (and/or re-confirmed):
1) Beer seems easy to make
2) Babies can be cute but I still don't want one.
3) Dred locks only work on black people. White people with locks just look filthy.
4) Bus stops are meeting grounds for hippies in Seattle.
5) Pike Street Brewing company in Seattle ships their Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale to Chicago.
Oh, and John showed me this... for all you YouTube sensation searchers... this is so great:
29 May 2008
16 May 2008
What the fuck?
So I was watching the Daily Show from Wednesday last night and they were talking about West Virginia and showing interviews with people on why they don't like Obama. In addition to comments such as "I'm afraid of the other race because we've had so much conflict with them" there was some old lady who said "because he's Muslim" and another lady who made reference to "Hussein."
Yeah, so racism isn't a problem anymore? Riiiiight.
And really... to all those who think Obama is a Muslim:
PICK UP A FUCKING NEWSPAPER AND READ SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF FOR ONCE!!
Honestly. I bet if you asked any one of those women which candidate was born in Panama, they'd say Obama because he's brown and there's no way a good 'ol white boy like McCain could be born in Panama, right?
The willfully ignorant should have their voting rights revoked. If you can't answer basic questions about who the candidates are and a little bit about them - then you should not vote. Yes, I'm mostly kidding about this and I know that it would be infringing on the rights of the retarded and stupid of America.
Most of the problems in this country could be solved if people just put a little fucking effort into learning about the issues instead of relying on 20 second sound bites to "inform" themselves.
This is especially true in the age of 24 hour news and self-appointed political experts on talk radio. Keep in mind, people, that not every talking head on TV is as smart as the next and not every radio host knows what they're talking about. Case in point:
Note to talk radio windbags: If you're going to use historical examples from WWII to compare and contrast presidential candidates, pick up a history book and make sure you know what you're talking about first. The word "appeasement" might sound great, but if you don't have the slightest clue what it means, don't use it. Of course, they know that most of the lemmings out there think history is boring and stupid so why should the hosts check facts when the listeners wouldn't know one way or the other either??
Yeah, so racism isn't a problem anymore? Riiiiight.
And really... to all those who think Obama is a Muslim:
PICK UP A FUCKING NEWSPAPER AND READ SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF FOR ONCE!!
Honestly. I bet if you asked any one of those women which candidate was born in Panama, they'd say Obama because he's brown and there's no way a good 'ol white boy like McCain could be born in Panama, right?
The willfully ignorant should have their voting rights revoked. If you can't answer basic questions about who the candidates are and a little bit about them - then you should not vote. Yes, I'm mostly kidding about this and I know that it would be infringing on the rights of the retarded and stupid of America.
Most of the problems in this country could be solved if people just put a little fucking effort into learning about the issues instead of relying on 20 second sound bites to "inform" themselves.
This is especially true in the age of 24 hour news and self-appointed political experts on talk radio. Keep in mind, people, that not every talking head on TV is as smart as the next and not every radio host knows what they're talking about. Case in point:
Note to talk radio windbags: If you're going to use historical examples from WWII to compare and contrast presidential candidates, pick up a history book and make sure you know what you're talking about first. The word "appeasement" might sound great, but if you don't have the slightest clue what it means, don't use it. Of course, they know that most of the lemmings out there think history is boring and stupid so why should the hosts check facts when the listeners wouldn't know one way or the other either??
15 May 2008
Video Fun
First, Keith Olbermann's special comment from last night. It's a doozie.
Then, I'm sure you've all seen Bill O'Reilly's meldown video from Inside Edition. Don't judge him too harshly for it though, other prominent news anchors have had similar episodes:
But even better is the Bill-O Dance Remix:
This oughta keep you busy
Then, I'm sure you've all seen Bill O'Reilly's meldown video from Inside Edition. Don't judge him too harshly for it though, other prominent news anchors have had similar episodes:
But even better is the Bill-O Dance Remix:
This oughta keep you busy
13 May 2008
Light at the end of the tunnel
Tomorrow is the last official thing I have to do before I graduate and it's really optional anyway. Yesterday I turned in my unholy clusterfuck of a final exam for the worst class in history. I'll do fine, I just kinda phoned it in. If I get a few points off, it won't matter since I've aced all the other stuff in class.
Tomorrow I give a quick 10 minute presentation to faculty & students in the Women's & Gender Studies program about my research. I have to figure out exactly how to frame it, since I want it to be an in depth look at a particular piece of my thesis and not just a point by point outline. This is a friendly audience and is really just an end of the year celebration.
Then Friday the festivities begin. I walk, get my degree, and then we're going out to a late lunch with my folks & my sister. Then Friday we're going out with a few peeps for a drink or two. Saturday we're throwing a pizza party at a local pizza joint and then me, Cillic, Heathen, and a few others are going out to neo to get laced. Yes, Neo has Absinthe now. It should be interesting.
Tomorrow I give a quick 10 minute presentation to faculty & students in the Women's & Gender Studies program about my research. I have to figure out exactly how to frame it, since I want it to be an in depth look at a particular piece of my thesis and not just a point by point outline. This is a friendly audience and is really just an end of the year celebration.
Then Friday the festivities begin. I walk, get my degree, and then we're going out to a late lunch with my folks & my sister. Then Friday we're going out with a few peeps for a drink or two. Saturday we're throwing a pizza party at a local pizza joint and then me, Cillic, Heathen, and a few others are going out to neo to get laced. Yes, Neo has Absinthe now. It should be interesting.
10 May 2008
04 May 2008
Why so similar?
That's referring to the tagline for the Dark Knight movie (Why so serious?).
This is really interesting. This had to have been done on purpose, maybe as a tribute to the Tim Burton version (which I still love despite what others say). Sure Burton's Batman is more comic-bookish, but that's what I like.
Of course, I gotta love the new ones because, well, Chicago as Gotham is pretty fuckin cool. And a friend of mine got to be an extra in it.
So, enjoy:
This is really interesting. This had to have been done on purpose, maybe as a tribute to the Tim Burton version (which I still love despite what others say). Sure Burton's Batman is more comic-bookish, but that's what I like.
Of course, I gotta love the new ones because, well, Chicago as Gotham is pretty fuckin cool. And a friend of mine got to be an extra in it.
So, enjoy:
See more funny videos at CollegeHumor
01 May 2008
Privilege
"The original authors of this exercise are Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, and Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright."
I got this from Heathen who got it from Wandering Coyote. Pretty interesting. I'm assuming these are some of the indicators of social/economic/political privilege the authors found impacted our lives. Here is a link to an explanation about the research. It references a list of privilege issues I posted on a long time ago by Peggy McIntosh.
I would add some others on to this list as well. Like - rather than "went to a private school"... how about went to any school (public or private) that had "adequate funding and resources to provide a broad general education." I would also add "a significant number of my local, state, and national government officials look like me." A partial yes to that one too. rather than limiting that thought to only news anchors and entertainment people. I'd also add "people with viewpoints like mine are prominently represented in a positive way in public life" - for the most part, that's a no for me.
Bold the true statements. (I added in the missing statements I found from an original posting of this)
1. Father went to college. For about a year. But frankly, he has a lot more common sense than a lot of people I know with PhDs, so...
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college. Terrible that I don't know this. I think mom got an Associate's degree in Accounting.
4. Mother finished college.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers. Not really sure. Some of them yes, some no.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home. Honestly I'm not sure about this one. Excluding the ones that only my sister read (she was the big reader), I don't really know. I hated reading as a kid.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. Up until a certain age. We're talking real little children's books. We never got into long stories (because again, I hated books as a kid).
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18. I took tap dance, guitar, clarinet, and organ (we had an organ from my cousin so I learned how to play), Ice skating, and swimming.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. See above.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. I'll just steal this answer from Heathen because I agree with her. "Can I half bold this one? Caucasian women in the media are kind of portrayed positively by some people’s standards- certainly better than women of other ethnicities. However, once you add feminist (and pagan) to the picture the answer is DEFINITELY NOT."
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. RIIIIIIGHT.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp. Does girl scout camp count??.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18. A fellow student who was good at math tutored me for a semester in my Analytic Geometry class. I don't think that counts as a private tutor though.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. When we were younger, not really - except for Disney World. We did a lot of cabins in WI/MI and some camping. As we got older there were more hotel stays.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you were 18. I had some new stuff and some hand-me-downs. I do remember doing lay-away for school clothes.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. Do paintings by my dad's boss count? Didn't think so.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home. Does this mean completely paid off?? Then no.
25. You had your own room as a child. My sister and I shared a room until she turned 13 and then she moved into the basement. She eventually had her own room and a bathroom downstairs when the basement was finished. Technically, I had my own room in the old house, but it had an accordian door that opened out into the dining room, so it wasn't exactly private.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. I had a phone, but not a private line, and we did eventually get call waiting, but not until I was older.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course. I think it met on saturdays.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school. I got my sister's 12-inch hand me down black & white TV. My sister had her own TV though.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. To Disney World and to New Orleans.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. Mom wasn't into Museums but begrudgingly went. I remember going to all the Chicago Museums and to several museums on various vacations.
34. Were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family as you grew up. Nope, finances were not discussed.
Laura's suggested additions:
35. Attended elementary & high school that had adequate funding and resources to provide a quality broad general education
36. A significant number of my local, state, and national government officials look like me. A partial yes to that one too.
37. People with viewpoints like mine are prominently represented in a positive way in public life. No, not really. Liberals and feminists are lambasted at every term in mainstream media and politics - to say nothing of religious minorities and (gasp) agnostics and atheists.
In other news, Jeremiah Wright got bumped from Northwestern's Commencement. I honestly wonder what is going through his mind right now and what John McCain will make of the issue in November. I hope that Jeremiah Wright will cease to be a political issue in November.
I got this from Heathen who got it from Wandering Coyote. Pretty interesting. I'm assuming these are some of the indicators of social/economic/political privilege the authors found impacted our lives. Here is a link to an explanation about the research. It references a list of privilege issues I posted on a long time ago by Peggy McIntosh.
I would add some others on to this list as well. Like - rather than "went to a private school"... how about went to any school (public or private) that had "adequate funding and resources to provide a broad general education." I would also add "a significant number of my local, state, and national government officials look like me." A partial yes to that one too. rather than limiting that thought to only news anchors and entertainment people. I'd also add "people with viewpoints like mine are prominently represented in a positive way in public life" - for the most part, that's a no for me.
Bold the true statements. (I added in the missing statements I found from an original posting of this)
1. Father went to college. For about a year. But frankly, he has a lot more common sense than a lot of people I know with PhDs, so...
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college. Terrible that I don't know this. I think mom got an Associate's degree in Accounting.
4. Mother finished college.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers. Not really sure. Some of them yes, some no.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home. Honestly I'm not sure about this one. Excluding the ones that only my sister read (she was the big reader), I don't really know. I hated reading as a kid.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. Up until a certain age. We're talking real little children's books. We never got into long stories (because again, I hated books as a kid).
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18. I took tap dance, guitar, clarinet, and organ (we had an organ from my cousin so I learned how to play), Ice skating, and swimming.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. See above.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. I'll just steal this answer from Heathen because I agree with her. "Can I half bold this one? Caucasian women in the media are kind of portrayed positively by some people’s standards- certainly better than women of other ethnicities. However, once you add feminist (and pagan) to the picture the answer is DEFINITELY NOT."
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. RIIIIIIGHT.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp. Does girl scout camp count??.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18. A fellow student who was good at math tutored me for a semester in my Analytic Geometry class. I don't think that counts as a private tutor though.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. When we were younger, not really - except for Disney World. We did a lot of cabins in WI/MI and some camping. As we got older there were more hotel stays.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you were 18. I had some new stuff and some hand-me-downs. I do remember doing lay-away for school clothes.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. Do paintings by my dad's boss count? Didn't think so.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home. Does this mean completely paid off?? Then no.
25. You had your own room as a child. My sister and I shared a room until she turned 13 and then she moved into the basement. She eventually had her own room and a bathroom downstairs when the basement was finished. Technically, I had my own room in the old house, but it had an accordian door that opened out into the dining room, so it wasn't exactly private.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. I had a phone, but not a private line, and we did eventually get call waiting, but not until I was older.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course. I think it met on saturdays.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school. I got my sister's 12-inch hand me down black & white TV. My sister had her own TV though.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. To Disney World and to New Orleans.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. Mom wasn't into Museums but begrudgingly went. I remember going to all the Chicago Museums and to several museums on various vacations.
34. Were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family as you grew up. Nope, finances were not discussed.
Laura's suggested additions:
35. Attended elementary & high school that had adequate funding and resources to provide a quality broad general education
36. A significant number of my local, state, and national government officials look like me. A partial yes to that one too.
37. People with viewpoints like mine are prominently represented in a positive way in public life. No, not really. Liberals and feminists are lambasted at every term in mainstream media and politics - to say nothing of religious minorities and (gasp) agnostics and atheists.
In other news, Jeremiah Wright got bumped from Northwestern's Commencement. I honestly wonder what is going through his mind right now and what John McCain will make of the issue in November. I hope that Jeremiah Wright will cease to be a political issue in November.
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