Support Ribbons!

Yay for ribbons! Ribbons for everyone! I was amused by this site and I'm thinking about ordering a few different ones. See my previous "rant" about ribbons, that was incidently part of a patriotic essay contest (I got a pen out of the deal so it was totally worth my time)

Google's Globe

Tonight, I had aspirations of retiring to the bliss of slumber at an earlier hour than the norm. However, such thoughts were quickly thwarted when I checked Slashdot, "just to see what happened in the world today". To my rapturous delight, I learned that Google Earth had been released (it’s basically an updated version of Keyhole that’s free, and yes it's quite similar to the Google Maps satellite coverage [except its 3D]).

You can literally "fly" around the world with this program. Google has global satellite coverage which makes for some really cool images (naturally). Then, as if that wasn't cool enough, there are topographical variations (the earth isn’t a simple oblate spheroid after all), there are actual visible changes in elevation! The metaphorical icing on the cake, is that ‘they’ went through and rendered 3D buildings for the cities (except for places like Jamestown because nobody cares about such "cities").

And did I mention that it's free?

Link

I'll Drink to That

I received this in a bucket of "car care products" at the after grad party this year.

I love it when I get products for alcoholic beverages at school events. I'm also ever so glad when they promote drinking and driving.

Change of Address

I have decided I don't like the current address of my blog, so I'm moving it to here.

This action was not taken lightly and the three or four ramifications of said action were considered.

So rebookmark me!

Baccalaureate, Education, and America

Whether it was the obnoxious outbursts of the jocular buffoons or the choruses of "Oh my God!" from the scatter-brained wanna-be valley girls (in a church no less), I turned my thoughts inwards tonight and a tragic thought came to light:

At Baccalaureate there were several speakers from my class who spoke heartfeltly and beautifully and even a little emotionally. They each recounted memories and so called "achievements" of the Class of 2005. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of these "accomplishments" were in the realm of athletics. Such events will continue to have as much meaning and value as they did when they transpired, that is to say zero.

I cannot comprehend the immense value placed on the sports and the inversely proportional value placed on the things that matter. For so much emphasis to be placed on something so insignificant as recreational activity that there are thirty two NFL teams with an average value of $733 million with a collective revenue of $5.3 billon (link) and yet there are schools that can barely afford to keep their doors open and hospitals full of people, that could be cured if only there were sufficient funds for research. Yet, while I am writing about the failures of American society, I shall attempt to constrain the scope to the realm of academics.

However, amidst the reflections and enumeration of athletic accomplishments this evening, one question, so often posed in the classrooms of America, stood out: "When am I ever going to use this?" That simple question represents the abysmal failure of the American public education system. That failure transpires as students question the value inherent in knowledge and learning for the sake of learning.

Knowledge is that which separates man from the beasts, it is our strongest defense and our greatest weapon, without which, the human race would have ended long ago. America is a nation built by hard work, yet, soon that will no longer be enough. As China rapidly closes on the America’s status as the nation with the largest economy, a hard lesson is learned, the importance of wise investment.

That is precisely what education is, investment in the future. America is being crippled from within by a dysfunctional education system. It has been focused on facts and figures rather than developing the ability to think, to analyze, and to intelligently overcome. While the United States is still the land of the Free and the home of the Brave, it has also become the abode of the obtuse and the dwelling of the dumb.

The American culture needs to change. That is the bottom line. However, that can be best accomplished by first fixing the education system. By not merely educating children, but by teaching them to think for themselves, the problem will, eventually, rectify itself.

Yet, I fear it is too late to mend our ways. For far too long the societal beliefs of the importance of athletics and entertainment have been ingrained into our culture. It would require some immense, unforeseen power to galvanize this nation and turn it from the path that can only lead to destruction. I am well aware that it appears I am writing dramatically, but it is the stark truth. Americans, me included, squander our resources on meaningless frivolities, while behemoths such as China and India are beginning to realize their full potential.

At this time of year, most High School seniors are plagued by the questions of their own future. But in a little less than twenty four hours as I walk across the stage at the local Reg Lena Theater to at last seize my diploma with my left hand and shake with my right, I cannot help but wonder what awaits the future of this country. God Bless America.

The Running Man

I think this is one of the funniest clips I've ever seen. Observe the expression of the guy in the background as you watch it over and over again, just as I did.

via Ritilan

Now that I’m Properly Orientated

Well, so far I have discovered one disadvantage to going to a small school; there are a limited number of classes. Rather than take random courses this fall and wait for my requisite ones in the spring, I opted to take a few exceptionally easy ones this fall, mostly to get into the swing of things (everyone was telling me today how hard it was to keep up), partially to socialize with the people I’m going to be with for the next 4 years (all 8 physics majors) and partially because I’m lazy.

So here is what my schedule looks like: I have no classes before 9:00 am (just like I planned). Tuesdays and Thursdays, I start class at 11:00 am (Yay for sleep.). I have 3 classes per day (2.5 hours) MWRF, but on Tuesdays and Fridays I have 4. I must say it was awesome to put my own schedule together from scratch with the courses that I actually wanted to take, that was a wonderful experience. I was given a listing of courses I need to get my degree and a suggested outline for when I should take them, but the actual scheduling was left up to me. This is the first guidance department I’ve ever liked, mostly because I haven’t had to work with them thus far.

However, I did take the opportunity of being on campus to stop in and seriously check out the dorms. The detail was, all the doors were locked. However, that obstacle was easily surmounted by finding a door to the maintenance area to be slightly ajar. Needless to say, they rock. A double room measures 17 x 12 (yes that’s in feet). I’m not kidding. They are freaking huge. The desks will even be large enough to accommodate my LCD array.

Drool over these shots:
Dorm Pic 1
Dorm Pic 2
Dorm Pic 3

I realized that I have a few idiosyncrasies that my roommate (whoever he is), might very well hate.

• If it strikes me I’ll be up nearly all night working on something random and quite likely meaningless.
• My normal sleep pattern will probably be 2 – 8 am.
• I hate natural light.
• I occasionally talk in my sleep.
• I’ll still probably be asleep when they have to leave for class, and will curse them for 20 kinds of an idiot for waking me before I’m fully conscious (it’s a reflex).

I _____ Lucy

I saw this bumpersticker one of the last days of school and thought it was one of my favorites of all time. It just makes me really happy, and I'm not entirely sure why.

Retardation of the Sith

I have been remiss in posting my personal review of the last of the Star Wars prequels. I shall attempt to rectify that today.

If you've seen the other Star Wars, there weren’t really many surprises in regard to the plot of Episode 3. Palpatine is revealed as a Sith Lord and becomes the Emperor, all the Jedi die (except for those that die in the other movies), and, *gasp*, Anakin becomes Darth Vader.

Even the special effects left something to be desired, to quote the pirate Maddox: "they're not "special effects" anymore when they're found in EVERY SCENE." It really must have taken a lot of hard work and effort for Lucas to fit some kind of “effect” into every possible second of footage, but some how, he pulled it off.

Yes, I’m aware of his desire to replace human actors with virtual ones, but when the best actor in a movie is entirely CG, it tends to make me agree with him. That’s right, Yoda, was the best “actor” in Episode 3, especially in terms of expression and emotion.

I will admit that this was my favorite of the prequels, but still, it didn’t come close to capturing the essence of the original Star Wars movies, I think that’s mostly because Lucas has more of a “hands on” approach to these movies. The fast paced action sequences, in particular, the light saber battles pay no homage whatsoever to the original films. Rather than stay true to the original style, Lucas opted to follow the recent Hollywood philosophy of “if you can’t tell what’s happening in an action sequence, the audience will assume that it was really cool.”

I heard the argument the other day that this movie is geared towards a younger audience, but I think the wonton amputations, slaughter of children (I wonder if it will be shown in full in the Director's Cut), and the scene with Anakin being burned alive, poignantly belie that thought.

I give this movie 3 / 5 on The Great Coolness Spectrum (which I will actually create one of these days). Then again, I wasn't let down at all by this movie because I really didn't expect it to be as good as it was. And FYI, I didn't really think it was retarded, I actually hate it when people use that particular word, but I really wanted to Photoshop something today.

Oh, if you haven’t seen the movie yet, you might not want to read the above text.

Senior Pics!

I finally thought I would post my senior pictures… Look at all the places I’ve “visited” in the last two hours. I heart Photoshop.

Link

Awww, I Was Cute

This is the random collage that I did for the graduation annoucements that my parents forced me to send out. It also appeared on that vile memory book project we were compelled to do in English.

The End.

Today was the last day of classes of my High School career. That is provided that Guidance didn't screw me over worse than they already did. I find that very exciting and wonderful and I'm really going to miss a few people.

Thank you to all the teachers that didn't waste my time (Padge, Mrs. Cybart, Mrs. Young, Mr. Pienta, Mr. Kautzman, Mrs. Cresanti, Mr. Sleggs). Thank you to that handful of students with brains that made the classes tolerable (I'm not putting a list in here). Thank you to the administration for letting me get away with stuff. Yeah, that’s about it. I'm out.

On the Road Again

Tonight was a great night for driving.

On my way in to Jess’s a random deer jumped out in front of the car ahead of me and almost got plastered.

On my way home, another deer jumped out and almost ran into my door; it probably would have hit me if I hadn’t floored it.

I also hit a lightning bug while coming home. He splattered on my windshield and was glowing from Busti until I got home and wiped him up.

---Joel's reponse to the lightning bug incident:---
"I wish that would happen to me. It sounds awesome"

The Spectrum of Hate

As many of you know, if you want to annoy me, butcher the English language. However, my definition of butcher is far looser than the norm. Lately it has extended to include the use of particular verbs. These words, used to describe one’s negative feelings generally towards a noun, are frequently used out of order. I have decided, after much consideration that (And Jeff just told me that circumference wasn’t in the spell check, evidently Word doesn’t detect it when you spell it with a ph.) such words should be once and for all organized along… [insert drum roll here] A SPECTRUM OF HATE.

Object to
Dislike
Can’t stand
Despise
Detest
Abhor
Loathe
Hate
++ unlove

There you have it. Now use such words completely.

Hotpockets: Part the Second

And so the epic continues…

I at last received a letter from Hotpockets, apologizing for my distaste for the new crust and pleading with me to continue consuming their once delightful product. So as to motivate me to do so, they enclosed two coupons for free boxes in compensation for my awful experience. Wahoo. I felt the thrill of victory, however it soon turned to bitter defeat.

Meanwhile I was reading the letter, I was eating a FruitPocket, a delightful, apple filled, frosting coated Hotpocket. In a horrible moment of irony, on my second to last bite some of the filling squirted out and landed on my lower lip. I immediately noticed a burning sensation, but did not believe it would leave me terribly disfigured.

I do believe that I will recommence my written attack on the Evil Hotpocket Empire, this time including close up photographs of my grievous injury

But on the topic of disfigurement, have I mentioned that Padge is missing half of an eyebrow?

ISS

Today I really wanted to go to ISS (In School Suspension), because it, of all places, is air-conditioned and you can get a laptop. Yes, that paradise that is supposed to be a form of discipline is where I wished to squander this 3rd to last day of class. However, I was not permitted to enter that nirvana because the proctor refused to believe that Mrs. Young had sent me there. And then Mrs. Young found me and told me just to go to the library instead. I’m still considering just exploding in a torrent of explicatives. However, mother would then slay me.

So much for completing the high school experience.

Shagla-anigans

Question 15 on the Mechanics Review Quiz: "Why is an object that is moving in a circular path at a constant speed said to be accelerating?" The following was Shagla's answer and Padge's response.

The really funny part is this is the second time Shagla took this quiz.

And unfortunately Padge wouldn't let me post the picture of his partially shaved eyebrow. But if you ask nicely, I might be able to find it...

We Apologize for the Inconvenience

I found it incredibly depressing when I heard from Mike that Jeff’s server was shut down (because Jeff’s mom’s credit card had expired and they didn’t update the number), I was even more saddened when I attempted to visit my website to confirm his vile news. It was even more interesting when we checked back later and the error message appeard in German. However, as of like 7 pm last night it was restored in all its glory and I am again happy. Its funny, because I kept thinking of random things that I wanted to blog, but yet I was unable to do so. Hopefully I will have the chance to write them up over the next few days.

Cool Convection Currents

Due to the increasingly warm nature of my room as a direct result of the angle of incidence the sun makes with my room all day long, and the heat producing electronic paraphernalia, I was forced to develop a method to increase cool air circulation with the rest of the house. Thus, as demonstrated by the picture at left, I have harnessed the awesomeness of convection currents so as to promote my personal comfort.

By pushing the warm air (near the ceiling), out, the cool air (near the floor) is drawn in. The blanket aids in this process by providing a “buffer zone” betwixt the two temperature regions ensuring that the coolest possible air is drawn in.

I would have preferred to simply put an air conditioner in my window but that would probably result in the circuits to my room being more overloaded than they already are and the house burning down.