Aug

McCain announced his running mate at the Nutter Center. That really speaks for itself!

  

Aug

Obama is polling lower in Tennessee than in ANY other state except Alabama. Yes, that’s right – John McCain’s home state (in which he is wildly popular amongst both parties) has more Obama supporters than our state does.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

Aug

This week’s topic is funnier to me now than it would’ve been when I was in school … now that I’ve become a professor, I think my opinions are skewed! Anyway, for what it’s worth, here are my top 10 things I didn’t like about school (am combining across high school and college):

1. Calculus – the thought of it still makes me want to scream – both the high school AND the college version!
2. Getting up – even then, was not a morning person.
3. Following directions – I really hate having people tell me what to do!
4. Cafeteria food – again, both high school and college.
5. Sorority girls – I know, I know, YOUR sorority was really great and none of the girls were “like that”! But the ones I knew … they definitely WERE “like that”.
6. Roommates – especially psycho ones (who seem to be drawn to me inexplicably)
7. Getting dressed up to go to college football games (especially since we pretty much always LOST)
8. I almost always had a final exam on my birthday (or worse, the day after my birthday) in college
9. Structure – I STILL hate that about school, and now I’m the professor!!! I get that things have to have specified times and last set amounts of time and all that, but I hate it. I’m more of a free spirit, schedules make me claustrophobic…
10. Going back to school in August – it’s just unnatural.

Despite the complaining here … I really liked school, both high school and college. It wasn’t perfect, but by and large I had a good time, learned a lot, laughed a lot, and made some really good friends. Can’t ask for more than that…

  

Aug

LOVE that – probably the best line of the campaign so far!

Gotta say, Hilary’s speech brought tears to my eyes. Her “what were you in it for” bit was awesome, and her Harriet Tubman analogy toward the end gave me chills.

She really couldn’t have given a better speech – this is EXACTLY what was needed to get her supporters on the bandwagon. I am very happy with this…

  

Aug

Okay, watching CBS interview a woman who says she still doesn’t support Obama and emphasizing how she is a Hilary Clinton delegate has me INCENSED!!! We won’t need McCain to beat us if we can’t get our own s— together! I fear that kind of attitude is still all too common. Hilary really better knock this one out of the park…fingers anxiously crossed.

And WHY am I watching an interview with Mitt Romney during the DEMOCRATIC convention?!!%

  

Aug

My friend Tony thinks it is a good pick, and so apparently does Ezra Klein : http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=08&year=2008&base_name=veepstakes_the_case_for_biden#106973 .

I am sure I will acclimate to it, but I’m not thrilled. I was a Sebelius fan myself. At least it’s not Hilary! And it was VERY cool that Obama announced first to all of his supporters, via text/email/website/etc.

  

Aug

Sometimes you have to believe in karma …

When a reporter asked John McCain how many houses he owns, he stumbled and said, “I think — I’ll have my staff get to you.” Nice. No wonder he thinks the economy is just fundamentally strong!

The outrage over this is justified, and I hope it builds and builds…

Oh, and he owns SEVEN houses. Here’s an ad that summarizes nicely…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpmFd25tRqo

And you can take a lovely photo tour, courtesy of the Washington Post …
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/21/AR2008082103691.html

  

Aug

WHY is NBC wasting Mary Carillo on these ridiculous slice of life pieces from China during these Olympics? She’s a very witty, smart, quick & savvy – yet she comes off in these pieces making herself (and Americans in general) look like a total idiot. Tonight’s piece is a case in point – they sent her all over Beijing getting her to eat the most bizarre things she could find, each time with her saying “This is really good”. Truly – same phrase each time, including the time when she looked like she was about to hurl all over the table.

Sigh…

  

Aug

Ah, the bad guys…for this week’s topic, I couldn’t decide whether to focus on bad guys I empathize with, or was terrified of, or were just awesome. In the end, my list is a hodepodge, doesn’t stop at 10, and also reveals my almost-diagnosable obsession with Star Wars…enjoy!

1. Darth Vader (duh)
2. The Terminator (Arnie’s original)
3. Voldemort (Harry Potter series)
4. Hans Gruber (from the original Die Hard)
5. Hannibal Lector (Silence of the Lambs)
6. Darth Maul (Star Wars: Phantom Menace)
7. General Grievous (Star Wars series)
8. HAL 9000 (2001, A Space Odyssey)
9. Michael Meyers (Halloween)
10. Annie Wilkes (Misery)
11. Billy (Scream)
12. Alex Forest (Fatal Attraction)
13. The Corleones (The Godfather series)
14. Scar (The Lion King)
15. The Emperor/Palpatine (Star Wars series)

  

Aug

I try REALLY hard, given my profession and all, not to buy into stereotypes. But I’ve been to France too many times and seen the arrogance, and the disdain for the US…and then the twit on the French team said our swim team was nothing and they were going to smash us…and then Jason Lezak swam the most amazing 50 meters EVER…gotta admit, I was pretty pumped up watching that relay race tonight!

  

Aug

Oh me, oh my … thank God for TiVo, ’cause I had to go back and watch this little ditty 3 times before I finally believed that yes, in fact, I was hearing him right:

Bob Costas Interviewing W @ the Olympics

I guess continuing to fight an unjustified war, a horrible and still deepening recession, sky-high gas prices, a massive credit crisis, increasing unemployment, being the laughingstock of the world, etc. are not problems.

Why am I surprised, it is W after all. Saw this bumper sticker the other day, it actually sums up his “presidential” strategy as he leaves office nicely:

162 days to go. Yes, I’m counting. Have been for a LONG time.

  

Aug

Yes, it was the most amazing opening ceremony I’ve ever seen. The firework footsteps approaching the stadium, the drum/light sequence, the ginormous LCD monitor with the elements that lifted off the screen – absolutely stunning visually. And yes, they get kudos for embracing (some) aspects of their past in the creative portion of the program.

BUT, for me it does not change a thing, or make it okay that they’re giving a political regime like they are with an opportunity like this. Can you forget their appallingly slow response to the Sichuan earthquake earlier this year? (Not that W’s response to Hurricane Katrina was any better, but that’s another story). Can you forget Taiwan? Tibet? Hong Kong? Tiennamen Square?

Or look more recently at their actions – they *literally* threw ALL of the homeless people out of Beijing – didn’t help them, just kicked them out. They also forced restaurants and shops to close if they were visually unappealing. They gave director Zhang Yimou a basically unlimited budget for the Olympic opening ceremony, while a huge chunk of their population is impoverished (especially those who were forcibly removed from their homes – without compensation – so they could build the Olympic venues).

They don’t want to OPEN themselves to the world – what all these idiot commentators keep saying. They want to paint a beautiful picture for the world and pretend that the picture if real. Unfortunately, a lot of people are buying it. And it’s just not okay.

The fireworks were wicked though!

  

Aug

What fun! I love the Olympics. Though they’d be a lot more fun with …

1. Bumper cars – seriously, can’t you picture it now?!!
2. Dodgeball – talk about a new diplomatic solution!

Can’t think of any more clever ones, but I do think these two would be awesome.

I truly don’t know why things like Rugby & Lacrosse aren’t in already. Croquet and Tug-of-War used to be Olympic sports, I’d be in favor of bringing those back.

Several other people suggested Hula-Hooping, Twister & some type of Survivor-style obstacle course, those seem like a good idea.

Know what I think should NOT be an Olympic sport? Synchronized ANYTHING – those people are down right freaky!!!

  

Aug

I am SO HAPPY!!! I have been waiting for an iPhone for what feels like forever. At the Apple Store today, I was like a kid on the first night of Chanukah or something.

Here’s us posing with our new phones: