:: quick facts :: tuesday, spetember 30

it's been a less than perfect tuesday, but i can't really complain. most of it has been spent sleeping, listening to podcasts, and studying. oh, and listening to the new ben folds cd, way to normal. it's interesting. i'll have to give it a few more listens before i pass a verdict.

since there isn't much news there, let's get straight to the quick facts ::

the time is currently :: 5:30 pm

the current price of a gallon of gas in starkville :: $3.56

the dow is currently :: up 485 (but of course, it was down 777 yesterday...)

currently watching :: cnn news. (an aside-- i tried to get into my normal routine of blogging and watching seinfeld in the 4 o'clock hour. but alas, something disastrous has occurred. tbs has gone and changed their line up, moving everything around and dumping my beloved episodes of seinfeld back to 11 o'clock at night. this is inexcusable. what will i do now? we'll see...)

i sent in my voter registration and my political affiliation read :: independent.

i have eaten :: two cups of yogurt and a bowl of cereal today. good stuff.

today in history ::

• babe ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 60 home runs in a season. he didn't even need steroids.
• 
  
james dean dies in a road accident

• jean-bertrand aristide, president of haiti, is forced from his office

born today in history ::

• truman capote

and not many others...

your video of the day :: more goodness from the daily show

more to come...

:: quick facts :: friday, september 26

it's been a lazy day around the apartment today. i got the chance to sleep till 11 this morning, wake up and get some lunch at mccalister's (i had the usual: roasted turkey on white hogie, with chicken tortilla soup and sweet tea), and then an afternoon playing wii and catching up on podcasts (fantasy focus: football, neue podcast). the rest of the day is up in the air, but i do have to go pick becca up from work soon, so let's get down to business.

your quick facts for today ::

the current time :: 4:42 pm

the current outside temp. :: 81°F

the current inside temp. :: 73°F

currently watching :: seinfeld (the one where jerry's neighbor martin goes into a coma and his girlfriend tries to seduce him, george goes to a pyschic who advises him against going on a trip to the caimans, elaine has to fast for a medical procedure but falls to the temptation of a drake's coffee cake)

what to watch :: the presidential debate, if mccain does in fact show up. even if it is in oxford.

born today in history ::

• saint francis of assisi

• johnny appleseed

• t. s. eliot

• jim caviezel

• gary hall, jr.

• serena williams

your video of the day :: all of last night's episode of the daily show. jon stewart seems to agree with me on the issue of mccain's perplexing innaction after suspending his campaign...

more to come...

:: quick facts :: thursday, september 25th

it's been a while since the last time i did some quick facts. it was my intention/goal to write one every day. but seriously, did you see that guide to the 13 british bands you should be listening to? really? it took 2 days to finish. in any event, i've be buried under a book the past few days in preparation for a big test today. behavior modification. possibly my favorite psych. class thus far. (don't worry, i'm not learning how to control your mind using a few simple telekenetic commands.... i'm just learning to control your mind.) that was a freaking hard test. every question was essentially a short essay question and they were some tough ones. luckily i studied and i think i ace'd it.

it was a great day, after i finished the test, that is. the weather here in starkvegas was absolutely beautiful. it's hard not to walk from my apartment to class and back and not appreciate god's creation. great work.

let's get to the quick facts, before it gets to tomorrow ::


the time is currently :: 11:37 pm

i'm currently watching :: csi: ny (it's been on spike all week long)

i have 0 classes tomorrow.

on the slate for tomorrow :: relax, get some homework done, work out, possibly hang out with corey.

the current outside temp. :: 63°F

today in history ::

• the u.s. congress passes the bill of rights in 1789

• sandra day o'connor becomes the 102 supreme court justice in 1981.

• halo 3 was released one year ago today

born today in history ::

• william faulkner

• mark rothko

• barbara walters

• michael douglas

• christopher reeve

• scottie pippen

• will smith

• hal sparks

• sylvester croom (mississippi state head football coach)

your video of the day ::

more to come... as i try to figure out what exactly to do with myself tomorrow.

:: some things i just don't understand...

and this is one of them.

yesterday, in the face of the crumbling economy and a bailout costing $700 billion in taxpayer's (yes, our) money, republican presidential nominee john mccain suspended his presidential campaign. he said it was time to drop the partisan politics and return to washington to get this deal banged out and get the economy back on track. he called for democratic presidential nominee barack obama to suspend his campaign as well (to which obama said "no") and asked that the presidential debate, which is scheduled for tomorrow night up the road from my current location, postponed.

and in his hurry, he had to blow off an interview with late night talk show host david letterman. he had to, there is a crisis at hand... katie couric wanted to do an interview. so he did that interview and rushed over to his hotel in new york, where he spent the night. because there is a crisis at hand, and john mccain needed to get... to sleep. and then he got up and left... for a speech in new york. yes, he had to make the speech at the clinton global initiative in person (obama also spoke there, via satellite). and then mccain got on a plane and got to washington... 22 hours after he essentially said, "things are so bad i'm going to drop everything to get to washington to help get things done," he finally got there.

does anyone see a disconnect between mccain's words and his actions?

i don't get it. first off, the audacity to think that john mccain arriving in washington will be the final push to get things done while people have been arguing over this for at least a week is just beyond me. he wouldn't make much difference. but that aside, if mccain's going to make a big deal about dropping his campaign, why did it take him so long to get to washington to face this crisis?

when i hear people tell me there is a crisis and they need to address it, i generally think they imply that the action will happen immediately. when you find out that your house is currently burning to the ground, you don't call everyone first and tell them you're going home to save your stuff, then stop by taco bell and get some volcano tacos because "fire" reminded you of "spicy tacos", and then drop off those vhs movies (this is a mccain parallel...) that you rented last week, and then get home. you just freaking go home. it's a crisis. it implies the need for immediate action.

unless it's not a crisis, at least maybe john mccain doesn't think this is a crisis. maybe he really does think that the fundamentals of the economy are sound,like he said last week. or maybe he doesn't know what he thinks. i sure as hell can tell.

does anyone else find this odd? just me?


hey, i think there's a new semi-regualar blog feature in this "things i just don't understand...". it's got a very seinfeld-esque quality to it.

"and another thing... who designed the little devider things between the urinals in the men's rooms?!"

more to come...

:: the british invasion :: thirteen british bands you should be listening to...

i like a lot of music. a lot. and i've found a certain appreciation from foreign bands recently. bands from sweden (peter, bjorn, and john, jose gonzalez, and lykke li), iceland (sigur ros), norway (the kings of convenience), scotland (belle & sebastian, travis), ireland (damien rice), russia (regina spektor) and many a band from great britain.

everyone knows the big, popular british bands: coldplay, oasis, radiohead, the beatles, joy division, and so on and so forth. and you should listen to all of those bands, because they are great bands. but what i'm going to try to do is point out a few good british bands that you may not have heard of (or maybe you have, you just never gave them a chance) and get you on the right track when it comes to good music from across the pound. no, this probably won't be an extensive study on why you should listen to each band, because i'll admit that music is subjective. what i think is a beautiful masterpiece you may not find all that thrilling. i get that. i'll about write why i like each band and let you judge for yourselves. here we go... and don't worry, i'm sure this is an invasion that you’ll enjoy.

thirteen :: arctic monkeys

hailing from sheffield, england, this british post-punk band has a large base of fans in england and a pretty good fan base in the states, but i don't think they get enough credit here. they crank out some of the best toe-tapping turned whole-body-grooving songs around. these guys have some infectious hooks and some great lyrics that provide an almost bitting social commentary at times. lead singer alex turner spits out the lyrics with an attitude and swagger, and the music sets you into a great groove. just a few seconds of listening to these guys and you'll be hooked. definitely a band that should be in your collection.

racks to check out :: fake tales of san francisco, fluorescent adolescent, i bet that you look good on the dance floor


twelve :: keane

this piano rock band from east sussex has been around for a while, but really hit the scene big time in 2006 with their album under the iron sea. they have a sound that is very distinct, especially for a british rock band. so many times british bands get shoveled into one category and left there. but the piano driven sound lends itself well to the melodic elements. these guys started out as a cover band playing songs by u2, oasis, and the beatles. chris martin of coldplay even asked front man tim rice-oxley to join them back in 1997. rice-oxley decided to stick with keane and created some great tunes.

tracks to check out :: is it any wonder?, nothing in my way, somewhere only we know.


eleven :: the kooks

this is another catchy band that has found fame in great britian and in the states, but strangely don't get as much attention as some of the other big bands from great britain. these guys get music. they all met at the brighton institute of modern music (dang, i'd like to go there, sounds pretty awesome). their sound is influenced by the likes of the police and the strokes but is all packaged into their own melodic vibe. their debut album inside in/inside out was fantastic, and their follow-up konk only improves the impressiveness of their sound.

tracks to check out :: she moves in her own way, ooh la, mr. maker.


ten :: the hoosiers

this indie brit-pop trio burst onto the scene late last year with their debut album "the trick to life", which went double platinum in england. they have a nice synth sound blended with great guitar licks and irwin sparkes' high, floating vocal range. this is a band that you may have heard, but have not necessarily heard of. their song goodbye mr. a was featured in the ea sports game fifa 08 and the trailer for juno. the music video to their first single worried about ray displays a playful yet dark side as the band is chased by aloof roommate ray's clay-mation cyclops turned giant monster and are forced to fight back with their instruments. these guys are just starting out, and with the promise displayed in their debut, they are going to be around and making good music for a while.

tracks to check out :: worried about ray, goodbye mr. a, cops and robbers.


nine :: athlete

this band, made up of childhood friends joel potts, carey willets, steve roberts and tim wanstall, is heavily influenced by oasis. they have a brit-rock style infused with a healthy dose of experimental synth. they gained some notoriety in the uk with their single wires (which reached the top of the uk charts) from their sophomore album tourist (which went double platinum) . they have been compared to coldplay for their intimate lyrics and experimental style. all three of their albums have brought something that i've found very fresh and new. i've been able to see them live, and they put on one great show. definitely a band that gets a stamp of approval. please check them out.

tracks to check out :: tourist, wires, you got the style, el salvador, tokyo, hurricane.


eight :: kaiser chiefs

inspired by new wave and punk rock music, this indie brit-rock band has been rocking since 2005, with the release of their debut album employment. their second album, yours truly, angry mob built on the success and notoriety of it's predecessor, garnering the band the number one spot on the uk albums chart. ruby, the first single of their sophomore album reached number one in the uk and also made an appearance as a bonus song on rock band III (it's also a pretty catchy song, listen to it once and i guarantee you will be singing it for days). i like their style, their catchy lyrics and their energetic and aggressive riffs. try them out, you won't be disappointed.

tracks to check out :: ruby, highroyds, angry mob, i predict a riot, oh my god.


seven :: british sea power

this four-piece indie rock band puts out some great, atmospheric music. it's like arcade fire fused with explosions in the sky, like pixies merged with sonic youth, and joy division mixed with sigur ros, but different. it's easy to get swept up in this epic brand of music. the have a very organic sound that i love.

tracks to check out :: waving flags, no lucifer, all in it, canvey island.




six :: the cribs

this british four-piece consists of brothers gary, ryan, and ross jarman and guitarist johnny marr. they have been described as post-punk, with a little more punk. they have been influenced by british staples like the beatles, sex pistols and the smiths as well as american indie rock bands like beat happening. they toured with death cab for cutie and front man ben gibbard has said that their newest album, men's needs, women's needs, whatever, "f***ing slays!". i agree, in a more tame verbiage.

tracks to check out :: our bovine republic, men's needs, girls like mystery, mirror kissers.



five :: pete & the pirates

new to the scene, this rock five-piece released their debut album, little death, earlier this year. they've got an early '80s post-punk sound that is raw and raucous. NME called their album "perfect pop without the pretense", and i'd agree. they kind of remind me of the kinks. they have that same guitar-driven sound reminiscent of that era. pretty obscure, but really great stuff.

tracks to check out :: come on feet, this thyme, think twice, something.





four :: elbow

these guys are the band that deserves the kind of popularity that coldplay has gotten. they are a super talent group of guys with a great sound. atmospheric and full of emotion, their music sounds like the more spacious side of colplay if it were fronted by peter gabriel. these guys have earned the respect of bands like blur, u2, r.e.m. and the velvet underground's john cale, yet their highest ranking album, also their newest, the seldom seen kid, only reached #109 in the us (it did reach #5 in the uk). it's a travesty of the worst kind. their recent single, grounds for divorce, can be heard in the trailer for the new coen brother's movie, burn after reading. hopefully they will begin to get some more respect here as people come to realize what a great talent they are. they need to be in your music collection.

tracks to check out :: grounds for divorce, the bones of you, weather to fly, switching off


three :: the wombats

meeting at john mccartney's liverpool institute for performing arts (man, another school i wish i could go to), this indie brit-rock three-piece have all the makings of the next great rock band from across the pond. they just released their debut album a guide to love, loss & desperation in late 2007 to good reviews. they are an ambitious group with a exuberant sound that makes you want to dance... which is exactly the aim of their single, aptly named let's dance to joy division. this is another great band that has so much ahead of them. pick up their album and dance around your apartment/dorm all day/night.

tracks to check out :: let's dance to joy division, moving to new york, kill the director, backfire at the disco.


two :: the maccabees

i fell in love with these guys about a year ago, after seeing the music video for their single first love. these guys have a great sound. their stage presence is phenomenal. they got some early exposure from the new york times, and from itunes. their sound is amazing. very energetic. very infectious. their songs just have that groove. it's hard to put into words what their music does. it's best experienced. seriously, their first album, colour it in, is fantastic. definitely worth a listen. i guaratee you'll love them too.

tracks to check out :: first love, about your dress, precious time, latchmere.



one :: noah and the whale

as i mentioned yesterday, i discovered these guys the other day. they are brilliant. definitely influenced by arcade fire, belle & sebastian, and all that is good in music, their debut album peaceful, the world lays me down is amazing and diverse. frontman charlie fink creates some extremely catchy songs, full of a wide range of emotions. including an eclectic bunch of instruments like the ukulele, violin, and horns, you'd think their music would get crowded pretty quickly, but they manage to blend everything quite well. the melancholy track "second lover" displays surprisingly mature lyrics sung with the vocal stylings of pedro the lion's david bazan ::

Oh, and when will our heartbeats fall into two lines
And the click-clack of our boot heels beat out the same time
Oh, and when will your hand find itself in mine?
Oh, and when will your hand find itself in mine?

And though I don't know your real name
Your real age, or your shoe size
I will leave this bedroom chair
And this keyboard behind

And I will love you in reality and dreams

And though it kills me to know
That when we are through
You go to your real lover
Who'll put real kisses on you

Oh well, an ex is about the best that I can do

And so this lonely, lonely hull
Has no use left for living
After finding her love
In a heart so unpermitting

And I will die and never ever hold your hand

But I'll kiss my lips and I'll blow it to you
It'll be the last thing that I ever do
And wherever you go and whatever you do
There's a man underground that will always love you

and there are the upbeat songs, most notably 5 years time, their uber-upbeat single. this is the catchiest song you'll hear this year. this band is my vote for best new band of the year. they have just the right blend of indie and awesome. if you only take my advice on one band in the list, make it this one. you won't be disappointed.

tracks to check out :: 5 years time, second lover, jocasta, 2 atoms in a molecule, the whole album.


and there you have it. it may not have the depth of a wiki article on each band, but i think it serves it's purpose. even if you don't consider yourself a huge fan of brit-rock, at least give these band a chance to grow on you, and in return your music appreciation will grow. do it for me.

if you guys like this list enough, i might be convinced to make a more north american focused list...

more to come...

:: quick facts :: the first day of fall-- monday, september 22

as you can see -- and if you're in starkville you can feel it too -- today is the first day of fall. fall is probably my favorite season. i like feeling the crisp-ness of the air, watching nature turn those burnt orange and browns, the great temperatures, and the new episodes of my favorite tv shows. (coincidentally, fall is also my favorite jon foreman ep.) there is just something about being in the fall season that adds a little pick-me-up to every day. i can't wait to get deeper into the season. now lets get into...


your quick facts ::

the time is currently :: 9:33 pm

the current outside temp. is :: 68°F

the current inside temp. is :: 73°F

currently on the tv :: monday night football- chargers are killing the jets

currently listening to :: a new, amazing band noah and the whale. find them and listen to them. (more on them later tonight).

currently rambling around my head :: "late, unplanned naps are great, but they kill any chance of me actually going to sleep later."

number of days left in the year :: 100

today in history ::

• the first live sporting event is seen coast-to-coast on nbc in 1951. unfortunately, it was probably very boring as it was between duke and pittsburg.

• the dead sea scrolls are made available to the public by the huntington library in 1991.

born today ::

• michael faraday

• david stern

• scott baio

• matt sharp

(please, weezer, get matt sharp back in the band...)

the video of the day :: provided by the previously mentioned noah and the whale. the music video for their single, five years time.

i think one of the things i like about these guys, apart from the pure catchy-ness of their music, is our shared appreciation for all things wes anderson and noah baumbach. i'm going to include them in somehting i've been thinking of writing for a while :: 10 british bands you should be listening to. i might do that tonight.

also, tomorrow bring great music from kings of leon, cold war kids, and house of heroes. hopefully this will turn out better than the last time there were three big cd's that i wanted to hear (i still haven't heard any of those). i'll report on that tomorrow.

more to come... sic transit gloria.

:: techno-stalking

a brief update::

you'll notice that there is a new section on the left, aptly titled "twitterific". that's right, i've finally given in to technology and the latest form of stalking and joined the uber-updated social network known as twitter. now you can follow me even more closely. if you're on twitter, follow me. i'll follow you back. it can be an endless cycle.

more to come... i promise.

:: a genius playlist...

so, i just got itunes genius to spit me out a playlist based on death cab for cutie's crooked teeth. i liked enough that i thought i'd share it. here it is ::

crooked teeth :: death cab for cutie
phantom limb :: the shins
dashboard :: modest mouse
perfect situation :: weezer
chicago (adult contemporary easy listening version :: sufjan stevens
flathead :: the fratellis
hang me up to dry :: cold war kids
catch my disease :: ben lee
rebellion (lies) :: arcade fire
banana pancakes :: jack johnson
new slang :: the shins
blue orchid :: the white stripes
silver lining :: rilo kiley
buddy holly :: weezer
different names for the same thing :: death cab for cutie
missed the boat :: modest mouse
fluorescent adolescent :: arctic monkeys
kissing the lipless :: the shins
don't you evah :: spoon
cannonball :: damien rice
time won't let me go :: the bravery
first day of my life :: bright eyes
you don't know me :: ben folds
i bet that you look good on the dancefloor :: arctic monkeys
smile like you mean it :: the killers

i've got a few other good playlists that genius made for me, i might post them later.

if you guys are using this new feature and have got some cool new playlists, i'd love to see them. post them...

more to come...

:: quick facts :: friday, september 19th

today has been an interesting one. i finished my class schedule this morning at 8:25. yep, i've had the rest of the day to do whatever. and what have i done? sleep, mostly. i did watch death at a funeral this morning. it was hilarious. (corey, if you haven't seen it, go. now. get it. alan tudyk is great in it). but, for the most part, i could be found laying in the recliner, mouth open, snoring. yes, i'm lazy. but everyone needs a lazy day or two. hope you guys get the chance to sleep all day sometime soon.

here are your quick facts ::

current time :: 4:30

current outside temp. :: a rainy, soggy 75°F.

currently watching :: the usual 4 o'clock block- seinfeld. (the soup nazi episode was just on. now the one where george won't tell anyone his secret bank passcode (it's bosco, by the way).

current price of a gallon of gas in starkville :: $3.57

meandering through my mind currently :: "if neil armstrong was the first man on the moon, who set up the camera to film neil armstrong being the first man on the moon?"

today in history ::

• butch cassidy and the sundance kid commit their first robbery in 1900

• charlie chaplin was barred from re-entering the united states after a trip to england in 1952

• the unabomber's manifesto is published by the washington post and the new york times in 1995

born today in history ::

• adam west (1928)

• jeremy irons (1948)

• jarvis cocker (1963)

• jimmy fallon (1974)

today is also international talk like a pirate day. arrg!

i'm going to give you two videos for the day. both are from the same new documentary, young@heart. essentially, it is a choir of older folks singing some pretty awesome songs. it's out on dvd, i might try to find it and rent it tonight. if i'm successful, i'll post a review soon.

here are your videos of the day ::

apparently, the embed script for the first video has been disabled by request. you can go here to watch it. it's not a rick roll, but it is awesome. you'll be glad you saw it.

the other is still available, and while the other was a rather humorous video, this one is a haunting rendition of coldplay's fix you. it's very good.

more to come...

:: fan rant :: csi

i'm thinking about making the fan rant another addition to the blog. i might not do it to terribly often (it's not quick facts) but we'll see.

i'm the kinda guy that watches really whatever is on tv. there are some shows that i really enjoy watching, but there are only a few shows that i'll absolutely stop everything for to watch (yeah, american idol watchers, i'm pointing at you). one of those shows is csi. no, not the miami spin off or the new york series. the original. the best. the one in las vegas. i just like the characters in that series better than the other ones. i think it's quirky and original like the other series can't match.

my favorite character on csi is/was warrick brown. i know, everyone loves gris or sarah or greg or nick. i like warrick. he had some interesting character development during the course of the show, from the pilot on through. like being the guy who has to deal with the feelings of being responsible after leaving a rookie csi at the scene for to make some gambling runs, only to find out later that she had been murdered while on scene. he was an orphan raised by his grandmother. he worked to put himself through college, and he grew up on the streets of vegas. he had that episode where he found out the daughter of his childhood role model (who says community organizers can't change lives? oh, republicans.) had been murdered, and you got to the see the turmoil as he struggled with the choice of doing what was right and doing what felt right. there were the episodes where he was struggling to overcome his gambling addiction, and you got to see the characters growth. the episodes where nick was kidnapped and burried alive, you got to see him worry about his friend and deal with the "that could have been me" feelings.

all this to say, i liked his character.

in the season 8 finale, warrick was cleared of charges that he murdered a mob boss. the gang went out to eat to celebrate. as warrick was preparing to drive off, he was stopped by the undersheriff for what looked like a congratulations. but instead, the undersheriff shoots warrick in the neck and chest, cleans his gun and walks off. and that's how last season ended.

to be sure, i was pretty pissed.

but, it looks like this case, the case of warrick's shoot/(possibly) death is going to turn this season into an awesome one. i just saw the trailer for season 9 and i'm pretty stoked about it.

here it is.

Watch CBS Videos Online

more to come...

:: the quest for 15,000

if you look to the left, you'll notice that there is an application that lists the last few songs i've listened to. that section is tied to a profile i have at music/social network last.fm. (if you're on, "friend" me). one of the reasons i joined was to track the music i listen to. which artists i listen to the most in a week or a year's time, and what songs i've played over and over.

i've been a member since october 8th of last year, and since that time i've listened to 14,856 songs. is that a lot? what can i say? i listen to a lot of music.

the point of this post is to issue a challenge... to myself. kinda like the semester book reading challenge, only it's audible and requires less effort. the more i type, the more "challenge" becomes the wrong word, but it's the first word that comes to mind...

in any event, my goal is to reach 15,000 songs by october 8, 2008.

which brings me to this question :: anybody found any great music lately?

seriously, i'm up for anything. toss out a suggestion and i'll try to find it and listen.

also, i just saw the end of the music video for kanye west's "homecoming" featuring chris martin of coldplay, and i've got to saw it was pretty catchy. i do enjoy an occasional "rap", and the song seemed pretty creative, so i might give his cd a listen...

more to come... on the agenda :: quick facts, media review for the book choke and the movie burn after reading.

:: don't electro-shock me, brother!

i need to make an addendum to this afternoon's quick facts. i've learned that today is an important day in history for one more reason.

don't.
tase.
me.
bro.

that's right, it was one year ago today that a university of florida student was forcibly removed from a forum for former-presidential candidate john kerry. the campus police officers dragged the student, 21 year old andrew meyer, to the back of the hall and commanded him to get on the floor. meyer was quite upset that he was being arrested and put up a fight. finally, in an act that will live in infamy, the police prepare to subdue meyer by pulling out a taser. meyer then shouts "whoa! don't tase me, bro! don't tase me!"

the next thing heard is the electro-shock of the taser and meyer's screams as the electricity surges through his body.

ouch.

luckily, the whole thing was caught on tape. so here it is, your video of the a year ago today ::

and it's also been made into this shirt ::




so, what can we learn from all this? i guess, "the next time you're being forcibly removed from some place by police, play nice. you might get tase'd" or at least "if you have a video camera and can endure getting tase'd, you too can be famous."

more to come...

:: quick facts :: wednesday, september 17th

well, today has been a pretty uneventful day thus far. class was the usual, and i had a test today that i procrastinated in studying for. but this means nothing, really. so let's just get straight to today's quick facts ::

the current time :: 4:38

the current setting :: again, the usual.

the current price of gas :: $3.74

currently watching :: seinfeld (the one where puddy is a christian)

the meandering thoughts today :: "man, i can't wait for the next couple of tuesdays. new music galore. new kings of leon, cold war kids, and house of heroes next week. new ben folds on the 30th. huzzah!"

the weather is :: amazing!

today in history ::

• the united states constitution is signed in philadelphia, pennsylvania in 1787.

• the birth of the nation football leauge in canton, ohio. (1920)

• the first space shuttle (enterprise) is unveiled by nasa in 1976

your video of the day :: an interview with charlie kaufman.

i feel like i should address something. the last two entries have garnered a great honor for me. comments. from two good friends of mine, owen and corey. thanks for taking the time to possibly read some of this stuff and feeling compelled to comment. it is much appreciated. and to anyone who may be reading this now, please, feel free to comment. i'd love to discuss stuff. things are better we it's a discussion instead of a guy rambling.

also, a shout out to the previously mentioned owen, he's got a blog about mississippi state sports and other relatively related things. check it out.

more to come...

:: quick facts :: tuesday, september 16

today has been a great day thus far. i got to sleep in, hang out with friends, and the weather was amazing! really. i hope the weather of the past 2 days is the beginning of a trend that carries over the next few months.

here they are, the quick facts for today ::

the time is currently :: 4:09

i'm currently located :: the usual blogging location (the couch in front of the tv).

the tv is currently displaying :: seinfeld (the one where kramer hires jackie chiles to sue over his coffee burns, and elaine dates "the maestro")

the current outside temp. is :: 77°F

the current inside temp. is :: 72°F

recently listened to :: the eponymous album by the jim jones revue. it's an amalgam of awesome. as if tom waits, bob dylan, jerry lee lewis, and jack white were blended by my morning jacket. it's good.

the current price of a gallon of gas is starkville :: $3.79

what is currently wandering the open expanse of my brain :: daft punk's "technologic". their entire body of work is infections.

this day in history ::

• papua new guinea gained its independence from australia in 1975.

• a veritable slew of people were born on this day :: b. b. king (1925), peter falk (1927), ed begley, jr. (1949), david copperfield (1956), mickey rourke (1956), molly shannon (1964), amy poehler (1971), and alexis bledel (1981). female members of the audience might also already know that today is both teddy gieger and nick jonas' birthday. ugh. and this day 28 years ago, swiss psychologist jean piaget died.

• today is also the mexican independance day (no, not cinco de mayo). to celebrate, i'm going to taco bell.

what to watch tonight :: the new season premier of house, ep. 2 of fringe on fox.

your video of the day ::

:: quick facts :: monday, september 15th

i know, it's kinda late to be doing quick facts for today, as the end of the day draws near. but here they are, your quick facts for this monday.

the time is currently :: 11:51 pm

i am currently located :: on the couch in the apartment.

the tv is currently displaying :: espn

the current outside temp. :: 63°F, and a glorious day in weather it was!

the current inside temp. :: 73°F

the current price of a gallon of gas in starkville :: $3.89. yeah, that's up $0.42 since thursday.... a very disturbing trend.

recently listened too :: a playlist that itunes genius compiled, based on jesus, etc. by wilco.

what is currently meandering through my mind :: "yes, i'm victorious!" (my fantasy football team won this week).

number of days left in the year :: 107

video of the day ::

i finished choke last night. i'll write a review and post it soon. i've also started reading sex god by rob bell. i'll keep you updated.

more to come...

:: quick facts :: the weekend edition

it's the weekend of friday, september 12th 2008. here are your quick facts for the day.

I am currently blogging from :: in front of the computer in my parents room back home in slidell, la. i'm home for the weekend because becca had a doctor's appointment to look at her arm. everything's going well and she doesn't have to wear the cast/splint anymore. yay!

current outside temp. :: 84°F

current inside temp. :: feels like 74°F

recently listened to :: where the light is -by john mayer

the current price of gas in slidell :: $3.65 (it's $3.63 in starkville. if you check yesterday's quick facts, you'll notice that it was yesterday. that's a $0.16 jump over night. crazy.

what's rambling in my brain right now :: thought's of tomorrow night's mississippi state game against auburn and john mayer's gravity.

i haven't gotten the chance to sit down and read my bible today, but i'll get to that later. i did read some more chapters in chuck palahniuk's choke. should be finished with that one by the end of the weekend (or maybe the end of the night). that would be two down, four to go on the semester reading list. things are going along better than i anticipated.

it's good to be home for the weekend. i got to see my family about 2 weeks ago when the evacuated up the starkville while hurricane gustav was bearing down on the nola area. but it's always good to spend some time with them. which is what i plan to do. that being said, i might not be blogging to much this weekend. so...

the video's of the weekend :: the christopher walken edition.

that's right, to keep everyone (or just me) company, christopher walken will be here all weekend. enjoy.







take care over the weekend, more to come...

:: today the apocalypse surely cometh...

no, it's got nothing to do the the hadron particle collider sucking the world into a black hole or causing all matter to corrode. no, this is much worse, apparently.


new facebook has become just simply, "facebook".

the whole world is in uproar. everyone, it would seem, hates it.

well, everyone except me, that is. i kinda like it.

the cause of the uproar? a few layout changes, including tab-based system that some have deemed "confusing" and "stupid". i think it makes things a little more organized. you see, things over at facebook had been getting a little to cluttered. people had started to add so many large "applications" that it soon became impossible to use the social networking site for its primary function... actually talking to people via "the wall". i'm not totally against people adding applications, i think in some cases it can add to the collective social experience

-- although, if you're the person sending me all those invites to join your "vampire" or "pirate" or "alien brain eaters" team, please stop. i'm to busy to delete all 50 of them each day. --

but if you've been to facebook recently, you've got to admit that it was time for the developers to step in and make some changes. the facebook page is now broken down into 4 basic tabs. first is the "wall" tab. now, facebook integrates "the wall", the "mini-feed" and status updates into a streamlined function. the box used to write on someone's wall is now right at the top of the page and very easy to use. some have said that they wish the mini-feed and wall would have remained separate entities, and the fusion of the two has been cited as one of the sources of confusion. i'm not too irked by this change, but i can see their point.

the second tab is the general "info" tab. this displays basic things (like relationship status, birth date, religious and political views) personal info (like interests, favorite tv shows, movies, books, and quotes) contact info, work and education info and "pages" (which displays people or groups that you are a "fan" of. it's pretty much a consolidated fact page. my one gripe is that i still kinda like the general info on the front page. i like looking through people's info, seeing what movies or books they like. i think it helps me get to know people a little better (something i think is a primary function of facebook). i understand why they moved it back though.

the third tab is for "photos". now there is an easy way to browse through those pictures of you and your friends at the football game or on that vacation. everything is in one place and they have improved the way you look through the thumbnails. now, instead of loading a whole new page, the photos section just shifts over. this saves time and is way easier to use.

the fourth and final tab is labeled "boxes". this is where all the applications have been moved to. they are all in this one box. it's pretty much an electronic version of the one pandora carried around. but seriously, it's more organized than the old way of doing things. they haven't disappeared. people can still see all your "pieces of flair" or sports fan apps. it's just this way we don't have to see it. personally, things were getting a bit annoying.

people will get used to it. soon they will stop whining and appreciate the newer, more efficient and more organized version of facebook. i think the primary reason everyone is in an uproar is the simple fact that we are creatures of habit. we like to get used to things being a certain way. we don't like change. when things do change, our natural reaction is to try to make things go back to the way they were. in most cases though, change can be good. it just takes some time to adapt to it. it's something we've got to get used to. things will change.

however, if i ever find the guy who decided to move house back an hour...

err, more to come...

:: quick facts :: september 11, 2008

here are your quick facts for today ::

currently blogging from :: the mitchell memorial library

current temp. outside :: 84°F

current inside temp. :: feels like 75°F in here.

currently listening to :: good news for people who like bad news -by modest mouse

the current price for a gallon of gas in starkville :: $3.47

what i should be doing :: researching gaucher disease for my animal biology class

what's rambling along in my brain :: "i hope becca's doing well on her circuits test"

passage of scripture recently read :: mark 7

historical facts for today :: today is the seventh anniversary of the september 11th attacks on the world trade centers in new york city. as someone who has had the opportunity to visit "ground zero" in person, i've got to say that it's a place everyone should try to visit at least once. i didn't think i'd get much of out it, but there is something moving about standing in a place and feeling the weight of recent history all around you.

to be honest, i really didn't realize what day it was until i sat down at the computer and saw yahoo news. when i was walking across the drill field, i noticed that the american flag was at half mass, which got me thinking about what it could mean, but it still didn't dawn on me. i think now is a good time to remember all of those who lost loved ones on that day, and pray that god continues to give them strength.

today's video of the day ::



more to come...

:: what we should be known for...

i was browsing around today when i found something interesting on author don miller's blog (see the blog roll, it's suggested material...). don wrote an open letter of encouragement to tennessee titan's quarterback vince young.

here's some back-story ::

young, who sustained a knee injury in the titan's week one game against the jacksonville jaguars, has had some off the field issues recently. he has reportedly gone through some personal issues with his family, along with trouble dealing with the weight of carrying an nfl team on his shoulders and handling the scrutiny that comes with that job. it was learned that young pondered retirement just 2 years into his professional career. this weekend, after hearing boos from the crowd as he limped off of the field and later learning the extent of his injury (which will keep him sidelined 2-6 weeks), young reportedly went missing. young's absence prompted the family to call the titan's management and the police, as documented here. his mother also wrote a letter, asking for people to give her son space, love, and support.

i thought i'd post that letter here because i think it's a perfect example of how christians should react to those who are hurting. one of the things that christians have sadly become famous for is an innate ability to tear down celebrities just like everyone else. it happens to britney spears and paris hilton, and the response from christians and everyone else is (get ready for it) eerily similar. there is no difference. that should not be. so, here's don's letter ::

Dear Vince,

You are one hell of a football player. I won’t forget anytime soon your years at Texas. I was holed up on an island in the San Juan’s trying to wrap up a book when you beat USC in the last few minutes of the game. A friend from USC was texting during the game and rubbing it in USC was going to win. I texted her back and said she shouldn’t be so sure. I watched you beat Oklahoma State earlier in the year and knew you stayed poised under pressure. You did it in Stillwater and you did it in the national championship. And I think you’ve got what it takes to do it again.

Quarterbacks who succeed in college rarely succeed in the NFL. I could name a few who have failed, but why? You know who they are. I can’t imagine what kind of pressure an NFL quarterback endures, but it’s not any kind of pressure I have to deal with or, for that matter, any of your critics have to deal with. And who knows what else is going on in your life? It’s none of my business. I only know none of your critics have ever carried a team on their shoulders, and none of them have won a national championship. None of them.

I would think the only way to succeed as an NFL quarterback would be to pass through rough terrain. You would have to be comfortable making a lot of mistakes for a lot of years, and you’d have to endure a few losing seasons too. You helped make the Titan’s successful right away, which was amazing. But there have also been hard turns, and that isn’t something you are used to. But in view of your entire career, this isn’t the 4th quarter, it’s the 1st. You’ve got a long way to go, and I think you will pull it out.

But lets say you don’t. I mean lets say you quit the game and go on with your life. I don’t actually think that is such a bad move. If the game isn’t fun anymore, than who cares? It’s not like football is saving people’s lives, is it? And besides, you’ve already got stories to tell your kids and grandkids that will assure them they come from a remarkable lineage of talent and character. You won’t have to prove anything to them. And you have nothing more to prove to us. I wish you the best in whatever you decide to do.

One last thing. I’ve been a Vince Young fan since you’re days at Texas, and my fandom followed you to Nashville. But I’m not that big of a football fan. I get in about two games a week and follow the Seahawks and Titans. I have people over on Monday nights, you know. I’m not a big football fan but I’m a big Vince Young fan. I don’t care if you play the game or not. You’re a hell of a football player and a hell of a man. I learned to feel that way about people when I found out that is the way God felt about me. I have critics too, just like everybody.

But I don’t need to succeed in a game that doesn’t mean anything. And I don’t think you need to either. I know that is how God feels about all of us.

Whatever you do or whatever you decide, just know you’ve got a fan up in Oregon, by way of Texas, by way of Tennessee.

Sincerely,



Donald Miller

P.S. I read one of your critics online and left a comment saying he was a spineless coward who didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. Thought you’d like that.

good stuff.

more to come...

:: quick facts...

here's something i'm going to attempt to every day. it'll be a quick summary of random facts about what's going on in and around my day. let's get to it...


as i write, the time is :: 4:25 p.m.

the current outside temp. is :: 88°F

the current apartment temp. is :: 72°F

i'm currently located :: on the couch in the apartment.

there are currently no other people in the apartment.

currently on the tv :: seinfeld (the one with fucilli jerry, the assman, and the move)

i'm also currently browsing :: the relevant magazine forums

currently rambling around in my brain :: "ouch!" (i've had a headache most of the day)

currently listening to :: hymn and her -by earlimart

recently read passage of scripture :: mark 6

video of the day :: brought to you by hulu and dwight k. shrute.

:: something's different....

yep, i changed the template of this blog. i really liked the other one, but i discovered that when posting videos from hulu (like in the last post), a template that is situated to the right results in a little overlap in content. and i don't want to be messy, especially since i do intend on posting more videos from hulu (it really is a great place, you should check it out). so, now all the info such as lists and the blog roll are on the left, entries in mid-to-right. i'll be working on making a few more changes soon.


also, you can now find a link to subscribe to the rss feed of this blog, if you'd like. that is, if there is anyone reading this at all...

i've been trying to blog more often now, so things will be a bit more interesting than they have ever been before.

as always, more to come...

:: hard hitting political analysis...

really, the only good news sources out there today, in my opinion, are found in two places. first, is npr (nation public radio, yes that one) and comedy central. that's right. i said it. a network whose schedule is full of stand-up comedians, foul-mouthed cartoons, and madtv is also one of the last great sources for news. i'm talking, of course, about satirical news anchors jon stewart and stephen t. colbert.

stewart is the more straight forward, "what the f***!" brand of analysis, while colbert takes a more hyperbole-ridden track, exposing the ridiculousness of politics by amping up his own ridiculousness. it's a brilliant hour, indeed.

a few videos caught my eye, so i thought i'd share some of them with you (with the help of hulu:

first, a video from stewart's "the daily show"

this video sums up what i love so much about jon stewart. he will call anybody on anything. he does what i'd love to do. i'm always thinking "well, you say that now, but what would you say if the shoe was on the other foot? what if this was you're guy, someone you supported? would you act the same way?" according to this video, apparently not. i like seeing people caught in their own web of words, something that would be difficult to wiggle out of, and stewart gives it to them in this one. my favorite: calling out "papa bear" bill o'reilly. that guy can get under my skin a lot, and it was great to see what a double standard he's got. he hates the celebrity types like the spears or hilton families and he really likes to point them out as "pinheads". just good to see he's consistent... in fact, it's good to see how consistent fox news' "fair and balanced" team really is....

here's another one:

again, stewart is going back and saying "hey wait a minute! that's not what you said when situations were reversed!" which is not something all to common in the mainstream news media. networks all spin a story one way or another. i see stewart consistently breaking things down and asking "what? seriously?"


here's a clip from colbert's "the colbert report":

another great clip. i love the picture of "mccain wrapped around the president." the brilliance of this one, like the rest, really speaks for itself.


i hope you laughed, no matter what point in the political spectrum you find yourself. sometimes people, myself included, get to wrapped up in politics to take a step back and laugh at the level of absurdity that can be reached by both sides. and that's really why "the daily show" and "the colbert report" are so important. not only do they point out things you might have missed, they're helping people see the silly side of politics, a side that can glossed over by fancy graphics and talking points far too often.

more to come....

:: a brief sports observation...

i'm sitting here, getting ready to head to social psychology to take a test. i know, shouldn't i be studying, cramming every last bit of information into my under-prepared head? yes, i should. but i've been thinking this morning about college football. (what's new?)

over the weekend, a controversial -- and some would say, game-changing -- penalty was called on washington quarterback jake locker. locker, who scrambled into the endzone to score what could have been the game-tying touchdown with 10 seconds left, leapt into the air and threw the ball over his head in celebration and then joined the rest of his team in a dog pile of jubilation.

here is videographic evidence of this event. it's strangely close to the action, and shot from another angle than most i've seen. it's almost the zapruder film, in a much less gruesome sense:

the only problem was, there was a little yellow hanky on the ground. it's a new rule in college football that calls for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to be called when the football is thrown into the air in celebration.

the result: the game-tying point after attempt is moved back 15 yards.

now, i doubt as many people would be talking about this if the following hadn't occurred: the pat was blocked. game over. washington loses.

there is a lot of controversy over weather or not locker "threw the ball high into the air", weather this call should have been made in a situation like this, or weather the rule is even a good rule at all. but one thing is being forgotten in all this, and it bugs me.

the pat was still blocked.

now, some would say that the fact that the pat was blocked was a result of moving the kick back 15 yards. maybe. the point is, the penalty didn't lose the game for washington, the blocked pat lost the game for washington. stop crying and play football. if the front line for washington had done that, maybe they would have done better at protecting the kicker from the blockers rushing past them.

i know it's popular to bash the refs (wait till basketball season, i'll be doing it every day), but it is in the rule book, they have been told to make those calls, and they didn't cause byu to block the punt. get over it.


(more videographic evidence, along with the rule and some faulty analysis.)

more to come... including, how did i do on that test i'm running to right now...

:: a few extras

while i'm procrastinating, i decided to add a few extras for folks who may accidentally stumble on to this blog.

you'll notice that to the right of this text there are several different lists featuring the latest books, movies, and songs i've enjoyed. under "recently played tracks" you can see the last 5 songs or podcasts i've listened to. and if you're curious, click the link and you'll be taken to my profile at last.fm learn more about the artist/song and possibly be able to listen to the entire song. under "recently read books" you'll see the last 3 books i've read and if you're intrigued, you can click the link you can go to amazon and buy a copy for yourself. also, under "recently viewed movies" you'll be able to see the last 3 movies i've watched and can find out more about one or all of those movies by clicking the link, which will take you to that movie's info page at imdb.

hope that makes things interesting and easy.

more to come...

:: wait a second...

i'm watching football and going through my cycle of websites. while i'm browsing, a commercial in the background catches my attention. it's a commercial for lee jeans. this is a general paraphrase of the commercial:

jeans are getting way too expensive. $100 for a pair of jeans? $70? $50? jeans should look good and be comfortable. lee jeans. get what fits.

while i agree that paying $50-$100 for a pair of jeans is ridiculous, the commercial never really goes anywhere with that idea. it never connects the fact that paying copious amounts of cash for a pair of pants is foolish, it doesn't say "so by lee jeans, because we're great jeans for a great price!" or "buy 3 pair of lee jeans for the price you'd pay for one somewhere else". instead, they board another train of thought and tell you to buy jeans that look good and feel comfortable. which, i guess, is also important, it's just not the destination the beginning of the commercial set up for.

my first thought? well, obviously their jeans are just as expensive.

however, after looking through the selection of jeans they have on their website, most of their jeans are $29.99-$39.99. so why don't they express that in their commercial? laziness? bad marketing? to annoy me?

so, why does this matter? it doesn't, i'm just bored and procrastinating. and it bothered me. it's actually a trend i've observed. there are a lot of commercials with errors in logic that just annoy the crap out of me.

and for the record, i'm more of a "Levi Strauss/Aeropostal/American Eagle" jeans on clearance guy. style for less cash than you'd normally pay. oh, and they're comfortable too.

more to come, including content more interesting than this entry...

:: just a political thought

i just caught a snippet of former republican presidential hopeful mike huckabee's speech at the republican national convention. he said something that i found interesting. he said that he was glad to speak on behalf of his "second choice for president of the united states." he's obviously just stating that he would have preferred to be the republican's presidential nominee. but what he said caught me a bit off guard, because i think it conveys what most republicans think about john mccain. he's not their first choice for president.

seriously, think about it. who was talking about john mccain before he was the only one left? some were loving rudy "i was governor of new york during 9/11" guillani. others were deliriously hoping for fred "i play a good politician on tv" thompson would be the man to sit in the oval office. still others were hoping that mike "vote for me! i'm a pastor and i'm friends with chuck norris" huckabee. and more people were voting for mit "The used car salesman" romney. personally, i was hoping and praying for a revolution with ron "let's go back to the consistution" paul. but who was talking about john mccain? no one. he was almost out of money before the political campaign season even started. before he was seriously considered as president by republicans, he was critized for working with democrats like joe leiberman (former democratic VP nominee, also: former democrat). limbaugh even went so far as to say that john mccain wasn't really even a true conservative.

so why are people so passionate about him? why is everyone acting like john mccain is really the guy they want for president. he is just the only guy they can tolerate as president so they can keep control of the balance of power. they just don't like the alternavtive.

i guess i'm not comfortable with that. or him.

:: an update of sorts

i like hodgepodges. this will be a hodgepodge of updates. therefore, you will like this post...

first, a bit of news of a natural disater nature. those who have read my older entries know that i call slidell, louisiana home. some of you might be aware that slidell is near in proximity to new orleans, louisiana. this week, hurricane gustav threatened to undo whatever progress that had been acheived in the short three years since hurricane katrina ravished not only that city, but also a great deal of cities along the gulf coast. and while this storm did still cause damage and heart-ache, it does not appear to have cause as much destruction as its predecessor. my house back in slidell is in-tact. my family got to visit me here in starkville for the week, and i was glad they did. i'm man enough to accept the fact that i get homesick from time to time. and after spending three months with my family, i had gotten used to being with them again. so, it was good to spend time with them again.

on the reading quest front, i've finished my reading of douglas adams' hitchhikers' guide to the galaxy. i loved this book. it is fabulously well written, from cover to cover. seriously, there was not a dull chapter in this whole book. it's witty, it's funny, it's interesting. it's just a very good book. the movie based on this book, while a good movie, still doesn't compare to the brilliance contained in this book. this description of the book doesn't even do it justice, so i'll quote some of it for you:

"the universe jumped, froze, quivered and splayed out in several unexpected directions.
arthur and ford opened their eyes and looked about in considerable surprise.
"good god," said arthur, "it looks just like the sea front at southend."
"hell, i'm relieved to hear you say that," said ford.
"why?"
"because i thought i must be going mad."
"perhaps you are. perhaps you only thought i said it."
ford thought about this.
"well, did you say it or didn't you?" he asked.
"i think so," said arthur.
"well, perhaps we're both going mad."
"yes, " said arthur, "we'd be mad, all thing considered, to think this was southend."
"well, do you think this is southend?"
"oh yes."
"so do i."
"therefore we must be mad."
"nice day for it."
"yes," said a passing maniac.
"who was that?" asked arthur.
"who-- the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?"
"yes."
"i don't know. just someone."
"ah"

-page 81

here's another, more well known passage:

another thing that got forgotten was the fact that against all probability a sperm whale had suddenly been called into existence several miles above the surface of an alien planet
and since this was not a naturally tenable position for a whale, this poor innocent creature had very little time to come to terms with its identity as a whale before it then had to come to turns not being a whale any more.
this is a complete recorded of its thought from the moment it began its life till the moment it ended it.
ah . . . ! what's happening? it thought.
er, excuse me, who am i?
hello?
why am i here? what's my purpose in life?
what do i mean who am i?
calm down, get a grip now. . . oh! this is an interesting sensation, what is it? it's sort of . . . yawning, tingling sensation in my . . . my . . . well, i suppose i'd better start finding names for things if i want to make any headway in what for the sake of what i shall call an argument i shall call the world, so let's call it my stomach.
good. ooooh, it's getting quite strong. and hey, what about this whistling roaring sound going past what i'm suddenly going to call my head? perhaps i can call that . . . wind! is that a good name? it'll do . . . perhaps i can find a better name for it later when i've found out what it's fore. it must be something very important because there certainly seems to be a hell of a lot of it. hey! what's this thing? this . . . let's call it a tail-- yeah. tail. hey! i can really thrash it about pretty good, can't i? wow! wow! that feels great! doesn't it seem to achieve very much but i'll probably find out what it's for later on. now, have i built up any coherent picture of things yet?
no.
never mind, hey, this is really exciting, so much to find out about, so much to look forward to, i'm quite dizzy with anticipation . . .
or is it the wind?
there really is a lot of that now, isn't there?
and wow! hey! what's this thing suddenly coming toward me very fast? very, very fast. so big and flat and round, it needs a big wide-sounding name like . . . ow . . . ound . . . round . . . ground! that's it! that's a good name-- ground!
i wonder if it will be friends with me?

and the rest, after a sudden wet thud, was silence.

curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was oh no, not again. many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now.

-pages 134-135

some great writing. hopefully, if you haven't already picked up this book, these bits will get you interested enough to find a copy of this book and start digging in. i'm already intrigued and excited to read the rest of the series.

along the same lines, i'm about half way through chuck palahniuk's choke, and i'm enjoying it. palahniuk likes to drop his characters into strange, dark situations and this one is no different. i'll talk more about it when i finish the book. i'm getting to the point in the book where palahniuk is about the drop the huge hook that get his readers addicted to the story line, and that in combintation with his quick, flowing stream of consciousnes writing style, means i might finish this one quickly.

in tech news, i'm trying out a new browser this week. i'm a fan of mozilla's firefox, but i thought i'd give the guys at google a chance and try google's chrome. i really like it. it's very minimalistic and it runs incredibly fast. google put together a nice comic book style explanation of how it works here. there are two things that i dislike about chrome, however:

-unlike firefox, there is no independant bar for searching. and with firefox, i also have the ability to search directly in wikipedia or imdb without having to go into the page and then searching from there. i guess i just got used to this.

-post-entry edits to this blog, powered by google's blogger, doesn't run as fluid. i like posting my entries and coming back and adding the photos and moving things around. in firefox, i'm able to instantly stretch a picture to the disered size. i can't seem to that with chrome. also, i use a firefox extension called scribe fire to post my blog entries. as of right now, there is no extension of this nature for chrome.

to be fair, chrome is still in beta. i intend to send my suggestions to google and hopefully others echo my suggestions so google can address these issues and make chrome even better.

i'm not abandoning firefox- because i do love it so- but chrome is definitely worth checking into.

at the end of the last entry i teased at a review of good music coming out on the 19th. these releases included new music from david crowder* band (including a live dvd and some sweet extras), charlie hall, brandon heath, and jimmy needham. i'd love to review them. however, there is a little problem. first, i'm poor and unable to purchase all of these releases. secondly, ruckus-- the legal service i use to download and listen to music, doesn't have three of the four releases available. only brandon heath's what if we is available, and i'll post a review of that tomorrow. so, hopefully i'll be able to get a hold of these great releases and listen to them soon.


well, it's late and i'm tired. so that ends this entry.

more to come...