More Madagascar pictures

So I was bored at work today, and thought I'd share some more of the pictures from my trip. Hopefully you enjoy, and there's always more where these came from, if demand is high.

A small village we saw on the way to examine a patient. Later in the rainy season, all of the terraces will be green with growing rice.

These are the taxis that you use to get around the city. Most of them were made in the 60's in France. They've very likely been in constant use since then. In one of them, the gas tank was a water bottle on the floor of the driver's side with a tube stuck in it. It was always an adventure getting across town.

This was in the rainforest we visited. The snail isn't too impressive until you know it's about the size of a fist.

This is a blank and white ruffed lemur, which is one of the more distinct looking types and one of my favorites.

This is my other favorite type of lemur, the Bamboo lemur. You can probably guess what they eat.

(Hint: It's bamboo)

This is a typical scene in the highlands area in the center of the country. Rice is their main source of food, so there are numerous rice fields, like this one, everywhere.

A schoolhouse in one of the villages we visited. Kids were always curious when we rolled into their town.

A view of Antananarivo (Tana for short) from the top of a hill. This is the capitol city, and where I lived for the 6 weeks I was there.

A really pretty waterfall we stopped to see while on the road one day.

This is the means of transportation between villages in the more rural areas. It's called a taxi-brousse, or "bush taxi."

My New Website

So I finally decided to put my website back together. I have been using Vanderbilt's webspace for a while, but I'll lose that privilege in a few months. I got a great deal on hosing and my domain name from 1and1.com. So far so good.

http://www.cbryancan.com/

You can now email me at bryan@cbryancan.com (or actually anything at cbryancan.com or cbryancan.net will go to that email). I'll continue to monitor my gmail, but I will be phasing my vanderbilt email out.

I am using blogger to host my blog (which will be "part" of my site) but I used my custom domain http://blog.cbryancan.com to point to the blog. It was complciated, but you can't use any of the upgraded blogger features if you host the blog on your own space. So my blog actually exists on blogger, but it looks like it is on my space. Doesn't really matter to you, but it was a complicated thing to figure out.

Its all (site + blog) in very early stages (nothing really on there yet), and I am extremely busy, so it likely won't be much for a while. I'll let you know when I finish and publish the "first draft" of it.

If anybody cares... While putting my new website/blog together, I found a workaround to get rid of the annoying ads in the Haloscan comment box. I applied it to this blog as well, so just note the reason there are no more ads is becuase I did that. If you object, I'll remove the code and put the ads back.

Blogger Issues

Has anyone had regular trouble loading this blogger page? I want to find out if it is something with my computer or everyone. I am using IE 7. I know many of you use FireFox. Basically, when I load the page, it stalls and sits for 5-20 seconds. Then sometimes I get a series of messages informing me the plugins have failed. I have surmised that the plugins it refers to are likely the two embedded mp3s in my Jim Gaffigan Post. Add that to the large number of YouTube embeds that are on here and the system gets overloaded. So I removed those mp3s. If you miss them, I can send you copies.

If others are having this problem, I'd like to know so that I can avoid overdoing the embedded media. If not, I'd like to know so I can deal with my computer's issues.

Thanks!

No, this picture doesn't relate to my question. It's just cute.

The Most Hated Family in America

BBC reporter, Louis Theroux, has a show on British TV spending time with people with extreme views and tries to get to get to know them as people and to find out what makes them tick. This time he spends some time with the Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church, the same group of people who picket US soldiers' funerals. (Note: NSFW language and plenty of hate)

The Most Hated Family in America (Part 1)

(Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7)

Bonus Material: Louis Theroux talks about the show.

Forget YouTube

Go To These Sites If You Want Hard Core Copyright Infringing Content

an article on some non-YouTube video sites (for those frustrated with the copyright problems YouTube goes through).

The Reagans on Drugs

Nancy says "Just Say Yes"

holy crap this is cute...

sea otters holding hands...

wait until 1:20!

sooo....

so there was a big free dinner thing put on at the memphis Zoo tonight sponsored by Fred's pharmacy (the idea is we get free stuff and then we work for them when we graduate)- it was cool cause i got to walk around by myself and check out all the animals and stuff- the actual food and stuff was in the panda exhibit which is usually extra money (i.e. i've never been in the panda exhibit before)- actually i dont see what the big deal about the pandas was- eh well- but at the end of the night they do door prizes and i was actually ready to leave- "i've been here the last 2 years and they never have any good stuff at these- lets get out of here" i said...."no lets stay for the prizes"..."whatever you want"... and i'm screwing around waiting for it to be over- and the last thing they give out is one of the new 4gig ipod nanos (this one was lime green)- and they reached into the bag- and right then i thought to myself "its me- i'm gonna win that ipod" and i started walking towards the stage- "and the winner is... Scott... Burka!"- it was really weird- i dont believe in premonition at all, and i totally consider what happened as just a big coincidence- but man- that was just crazy- i'm pretty sure all my friends kinda resented the fact that i won it (totally not kidding) seeing as how i already own 2 ipods and this makes #3 (in my defense- i have a 2gig nano and an old 15-gig that cant hold a charge for more than an hour... so i mean... its more like i had 1.2 ipods before this) and many of them are in the market for getting mp3 players... it actually kinda made me a little uncomfortable that everyone was giving me these mean looks-- i made a joke to brent at how thats what lottery winners must feel like? (i dont think anyone was really feeling my "hey i got another ipod!" jokes... ) i mean... crap- i know i'm the last guy in the world who needed to win that, but it happened, and i'm not just gonna hand a $200 mp3 player off cause i already have one...is that bad of me? i definitly dont want to be selfish or stingy, but you gotta take the good stuff when it comes your way, right?
as a show of good faith i'm selling my 2gig nano to a 2nd year girl who needs one...

Poutin' Manning

I truly, genuinely completely hate the NFL quarterback named Peyton Manning (aka Poutin' Mooning, Pey-me-a-ton Mooning, etc. etc.). I go to Vanderbilt (and thus am anti-UT), I am a Titans fan (and thus am anti-Colts)... and I even considered myself anti Volunteers in high school becuase that obnoxious orange drives me crazy.

Poutin' hosted SNL last week. I didn't see the show. I didn't expect it to go that well as I personally think Mooning is not very natural and believe that his commercials, though sometimes funny, take multiple takes to get to the mediocre performance he usually gives.

That being said... I saw this sketch/pseudo-commercial/short and I have to admit it is absolutely hilarious. I think it appeals to me becuase he is saying things that it looks like he's always thinking while he's on the field. So kudos to Mr. Manning for a good performance, at least in this.

HURRY AND WATCH IT WHILE IT IS STILL ON YOUTUBE!!!

Nuestro Perro Nuevo

This is our new dog. We adopted her from a shelter in Murfreesboro. I was excited to find a dog that fit our preferences and at the same time rescue an animal. She is 6 months old and is approx. half chihuahua and approx. half miniature pinscher. I say approx. because there is some suspicion that she might have some dachshund in her (because of her rather long, narrow back). Either way, chihuahua and min-pin are her dominant traits. As of yesterday's visit to the vet, she weighs 4.4 pounds. We don't expect her to get much bigger; 6 pounds is probably her maximum healthy weight, if not less.

We decided she needed to have a spanish name to honor her Latina heritage. We decided on Tequila, but we call her Tiki. Of course that hasn't stopped me from using several nicknames, from chalupa and gordita to cucaracha and, my favorite, "rejected taco meat." I try not to confuse her, but there is a plethora of entertaining and stereotypical nicknames available for an animal you have identified as Mexican.

She's pretty much bipolar. First thing in the morning, you would think she has been smoking crack all night. Then she curls up in your lap and conks out for anywhere from an hour to a day. She has an excellent temperament and is well socialized from her time in the shelter. She is still adjusting, but I think she is getting comfortable with us. She has started exhibiting some protective behaviors (barking/growling and noises and knocks), but I'm working hard to establish my dominance, which should help her relax and behave.

One of the great things is that she came to us about 95% housebroken. She was so used to using the ground to eliminate that she only had one accident of each variety in the apartment. Since then, only outside. The real test comes tomorrow when she will be confined during the day. She's also relatively crate trained, which is wonderful. Oksana wants her in the bed, but we're putting her in the crate for now. She whines, but she understands it is her place and hasn't woken us up from the other room (brief attempts to have her in the same room failed since she whines every couple hours).

She has shown very little mischief. She hasn't chewed on anything (we can barely get her to touch her toys, even ones stuffed with treats). She has been extremely picky about treats, which is difficult because having treats a dog loves are the key to humane training. We've already tried three different kinds (inc. one recommended by the vet) and she turns her nose up at them after trying it maybe once. I'm going to try some kitty treats today, a former neighbor of ours had success with those with her small dog.

Here are the photos. I'm afraid she is not very photogenic at all. Trust me when I say she is much cuter in person.


Scratching at her new collar.


Looking at the photographer.


Perhaps her favorite activity, couch lounging. It looks a little like she joined the police force, but that's just her harness. We switched to it because she is so small we were worried about jerking her around by the neck.

Jim Gaffigan

Last night Oksana and I went to the Ryman to see standup comedian Jim Gaffigan. The show was pretty good. It was a decent mix of new and "classic" material, although perhaps maybe a bit too much older material. The really cool thing about it was that Gaffigan has a personal policy of signing autographs and taking photos after his show. Keep in mind this is the Ryman Auditorium, not exactly a small venue. He waited around at least two hours to meet and greet. (the show itself was less than 90 minutes!). It took me about 1.5 hours to get to him. Even after all that time he was very pleasant, funny, and grateful (he shook my hand and said "thanks for coming out"). He always autographs anything you want him to and takes time to make sure he spells your name right. It was very cool for a celebrity or at least semi-celebrity to be so accessible. He really appreciates his fans and it certainly doesn't hurt him to have a merchandise table near so that you can buy something to get autographed (but you don't have to). Here is a NY Times article about his meet and greets. (use klausnyt6 as the username and ciaociao as the pw if you aren't registered)

Here are my photos from the evening:


I was waiting in line here.


This is my photo with him. He always adlibs his pose.


Here is my autographed ticket and hot pocket box. If you are confused about the hot pocket reference, see below.

Who is Jim Gaffigan? Aside from being a stand-up comedian, he has appeared in several Sierra Mist commercials. Below is his most well known bit, "Hot Pockets." Below that is one of my favorites "The Case Against Cinnebon." Enjoy. After that, several of his Sierra Mist commercials (the first one I just saw for the first time and is absolutely hilarious). After that, one of the "Pale Force" cartoons that he does for Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He appears on Conan at least every few weeks. And I think he's involved with their current hornymanatee.com (google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) obsession. He is also on a new TBS show called My Boys. I haven't seen it. Sorry for all the clutter, but I think it is hilarious so I thought I'd share.

(Removed because they were giving me problems loading the page- email me if you want them)

honestly, i didn't think MadTV was capable of producing something like this

Spiderman Site/Trailer

There is website being run by comcast at http://spidermanoncomcast.com/. Tomorrow (3-23) they are supposed to launch the final Spiderman 3 trailer there. I don't know whether you have to be using comcast to access it (I am using it right now, and I didn't try it at school). I would guess you don't, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, there is a ton of great stuff on there even before the trailer is posted. There are several very short behind the scenes things. There is also a long behind the scenes thing for Spiderman 1 and 2 and a very long sort of documentary on the evolution of the "black suit" in the comics. I thought it was really cool and gave me a lot of insight as someone who did not read the comics and doesn't know the story.

Here are some screen caps I got from the new trailer. I just picked out stuff we haven't seen in other trailers yet (mostly venom, but there is a picture of a scarred Harry first) Click to see full size version.

Bewaaaaaaare the Ides of March!

BeWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE the Ides of March!!!

2051 years ago, Julius Caesar was assassinated.

In 10 Minutes

For the geography student in all of us...

How many of these can you name in 10 minutes?

• US States


• European Countries


• African Nations


• Countries...actually UN Recognized States

holy crap

ummm... you guys remember Jennifer Elliot from highschool? she was in our class-

so this girl Jenn invites me to be her friend on myspace and i look at her profile- lives in Cali, doesnt look familiar at all- so i'm about to reject it when i see that she grew up in nashville-- so i shot her a message- "hey i see you grew up in nashville- am i supposed to know you?"
and she replies:

"Scott Scott Scott,

We graduated together... actually you and I have know each other since elementary school... we had band together in Jr High... Jennifer Elliott is the name! -

you don't remember me! We had tons of classes together throught the years... I don't remember the exact ones... I had Ms. Winfrey, Ms Giles, Ms Grisham, Ms Haas, Ms Smith, Ms Wagner, and Ms Ham in Elementary. I know we had Mr Starks together in Jr. High... but then we had some highschool classes together too.

I didn't look like that in highschool... I was about 100 pounds heavier... that may be throwing you. But I've always had dark brown hair"






ok- here's her picture- and they all look like this (and becuase i'm single i'm allowed to say this)- they are all really hot, in my humble opinion...

thats gotta be one of the bigger transformations i've seen in terms of someone i knew personally- wow

Anyone else think this is really funny?

Al Gore's Belle Meade home uses more energy per month than the average American home uses per year

Also here

Might we call this.... an.... inconveninent... truth....?

hopefully this wont get taken down right away

this was hilarious.



these are also great (you probably wont get much out of the 2nd one unless you watch the office. but if you DO watch the office, it's hilarious.)

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and Lent

I come from a Christian tradition who doesn't necessarily celebrate the Lent. Therefore the whole Mardi Gras-Ash Wednesday thing is foreign to me. It wasn't until my high school years that I became familiar with it due to my friends from other Christian denominations began to celebrate it.
The concept of it seems strange to me. Mardi Gras is the last day before Lent, and therefore is a excuse to get wasted, females to flash their breasts, and other things that traditionally would be regarded as terribly sinful. And then Ash Wednesday comes and suddenly we all become religious and give up chocolate or coffee, or whatever in anticipation for the celebration for Easter.
It just seems weird to me. Jesus died for the world's sins, therefore in honor of him, we give up Cheetos for 40 days? I'm of the belief that we should live holy lives throughout out lives, and not just 40 days before Easter. Yet part of me says that if it helps someone grow closer to God, then it probably is a good thing.
Please don't take this post as me trying to discount someone's religious tradition. I guess I'm looking to try to understand the concept better.

i've never seen a cuter cat

this just freakin cracked me up. i've never seen one do this before.

i just upgraded this blog to the new version

i didn't really have a choice. i had to do the same with mine.

if anyone has trouble with this, just let me know. we'll get through this.

Conan O'Brien Hates My Homeland

I don't know how many of you regularly watch Late Night with Conan O'Brien, but this is one of my favorite features. I only watch occasionally, but I have managed to catch a couple of these segments. Basically, Conan has made a point to go through every country (alphabetically) and insult it. I've tried to find a complete and authoritative list, but all of them copy or reference this one. Sorry this is a big long, but it was hard enough to narrow it to my top 10. Feel free to comment on any favorites that I missed. Also it appears that I enjoy the really mean spirited ones enough.

These are some of my favorites:

Afghanistan
The bad news is, there's a new article about everyone farming opium.
The good news is, you can't read.

Angola
Hey, call me when your life expectancy catches up with your inflation rate.

Cambodia
How many temples does it take before you guys realize God isn't listening?

Egypt
Where priceless ancient statues and mummies are so close, you can fly to London and see them at the British Museum.

Finland
You've had over 5,000 years of culture, and the world's most famous Finn is still Huckleberry.

Georgia
Where Europe meets Asia and says "Hey, why don't we both dump our crap here?"

Ghana
The 'h' is silent, like a room full of people after you ask "What's worthwhile about Ghana?"

Guatemala
Where the Mayans invented the zero, as in "What are the chances this shirt was made by someone over the age of eight? Zero!"

Italy
The newspapers are reporting a miracle. Apparently, a statue of Mary moved her hand and said, "I just worked harder than 80% of your workforce."

Nigeria
Where children come first... in the draft.

And , as a bonus, what has to be my absolute favorite:

Haiti
You just celebrated two hundred years of independence. Congratulations. Now make a wish and blow out your burning pile of tires.

Top Television Shows of All Time

So I was thinking today how great television has become (in some ways... and awful in others). I am thoroughly convinced that the following three shows are the best three television shows of all time, in this order.

1. Lost
2. Arrested Development
3. 24

There have been plenty of greats (simpsons, family guy, south park, the office [although I don't watch that one], seinfeld, etc.), but none of them are as profound as those above in my humble opinion.

First, Lost seems to transcend television. It doesn't FEEL like a television show at all. It feels like a really well done movie. The picture is so vibrant, crisp, clean, etc. The music is phenomenal. The story is incredible. The best part is that it is essentially impossible to anticipate where the story will go. At a certain point, most of us get a "feel" for the cliches of modern storytelling. But Lost captivates me and really makes me wonder what will happen next. Add a fantastic cast to the mix and I think you have the best show... ever.

Second, Arrested Development. Many will think this is a stretch. I think that AD broke into a whole new realm of comedy. Unfortunately, this series was never rewarded in ratings, so it struggled and eventually was laid to rest. It was just too smart for the average American sense of humor I suppose.

Last, 24. If I remember correctly, none of you are 24 viewers. I didn't start until last summer. But I think 24 is to action what AD is to comedy. There is a certain "no holds barred" characteristic to it. Nothing is sacred. I don't want to give anything away, but lots of terrible stuff has happened in the show that most "hero stories" would never allow. It can be a tad predictable once you learn Jack's personality, but there are still plenty of twists to keep things moving and keep me interested.

Anybody agree, disagree, have any alternate suggestions? I admit that there are many shows that I have not seen at all and some I have not seen enough, but as far as I can tell, these are the top three.

blogger blues

if anyone is currently unable to post on this blog because of the new blogger that came out, please let me know and i'll send you another invitation. this should fix it.

Snickers Pulls Ad

Snickers Decides to Pull Their Superbowl Ad from Any Future Re-Airing



I have really mixed feelings about this. I thought the ad was hilarious. I didn't even consider this "angle." And frankly, part of me things it is stupid to say that this ad somehow marginalizes the gay and lesbian community.

But I see their complaint, and I don't think it is completely unfounded, but I think we have to draw the line somewhere.

I really try to be fair and considerate of other people's feelings and beliefs. My gut says people offended by this (be they homosexual or not) should just get over it. But if I really think it through, it is pushing the envelope. Essentially this commercial depicts gayness as.. well "gross and unmanly." And while I personally may agree with that depiction, I'm not really sure it is an appropriate ad. This bothers me becuase I think that we, as a society, get offended by so many things these days (except of course the white male stereotype... tons of commercials make fun of white men, but we have to overlook that... I'm sick of "stupid husband" commercials... Imagine if there were a "stupid wife" commercial... sorry different rant). When does it end? Are we going to completely sterilize everything that used to be funny?

Thoughts?

Legal Lad Podcast

For those of you have ipods or listen to podcasts, I have a recommendation:

Legal Lad's Quick and Dirty Tips to a More Lawful Life

iTunes Link

The "quick and dirty" series started with the grammar girl podcast. I enjoy it because... well lets be frank here... I have a little bit of a thing for grammar. Some of you might like the grammar girl one, some of you might not.

Either way- she has expanded into several other "QD Tips" podcasts, the newest of which is the Legal Lad. The great thing about these is that they are SHORT (always under 10 minutes, often under 5).

I listened to his first episode on iTunes. I thought it was very good stuff, the sort of thing everyone should know (what you do and don't have to tell a police officer when you are pulled over).

Check it out. You can download directly from their site or subscribe on iTunes

i think you could just make one for like $20

Ignignokt the bomb
(the one i had up here originally got removed from ebay. it was going for over $5000.)

here are others: Err, Err, and Ignignokt.

that whole scare was so stupid. have you seen the news stories? the stupid media is calling it a bomb "hoax." it's not a hoax just because people thought an electronic device with an ATHF character on it was a bomb.


also, this is really fun.

Madagascar pictures

I know it doesn't have anything to do with M&M's, but I thought I'd finally post a couple of my Madagascar pictures.
Me in the first village I visited. They had been having a lot of plague so we went with the local doctor to give a sort of public service announcement. Basically, he told them they were dirty. It was awkward.


An interesting insect called a giraffe-necked weevil. Kind of like a lady bug with a freaky neck.

One of the multiple types of chameleons we saw on our hikes through the rainforest. Sadly, I forgot the name...

The guy on my shoulder is a brown lemur. This place was kind of a lemur petting zoo for animals that they rescued. It was awesome, but he kept looking for food in my ear. Plus, he was pretty stinky.

It was hard to just choose a couple, so hopefully you guys like them. Let me know what you think and maybe I'll try to post a couple more sometime.

the best i can do...

Hayley:



(i just couldnt find the right hair)

well, it's not EXACTLY me, but i dig it!

Frappert

you're next, HAYLEY! hehe

Josh+Jesse

or if you prefer:

Bryan and Oksana

say hello to my little friend...

here's todd too:





so on the M&Ms website you can make a candy that looks like you- pretty neat huh?

LINK'S DONE...

moohooaahhaaaa

Battle Armor, Anyone?

I think this is pretty nifty. Yeah, it's probably impractical, expensive, and cumbersome, but it looks pretty damn cool. Here we are, living in the not too distant future, and it's about time our soldiers start wearing ridiculous full body armor. Also they should ride hover boards and eat meals in pill form. I guess he designed a version of this so people studying bears could survive being mauled, should that become an issue during the course of their studies. If any of you have seen Project Grizzly, this is the same guy. Let me know what you think.
Also, I'll try to get a couple of pictures from my Madagascar trip on the blog soon. I need to install Picasa again, and then I'll be good to go.

Any Law and Order Fans?

I thought this was the best sketch of Saturday Night Live last Saturday. This sketch hilarious if you have ever watched Law and Order or its spin-offs with any regularity.

Of course, when I watch L&O now I am completely distracted by the truth that this sketch highlights. Just like when I saw the South Park episodes that mock Family Guy, my image of the show is forever tarnished and distracted.

But still pretty funny (if you watch L&O)

Phone = Gone.... but back!

I dropped my phone in the snow on NY Day, and have been without it until THIS MORNING WHEN I COULD DIG MY CAR OUT OF THE SNOW. I had to get a new phone, and I have all my old numbers.... but no record of missed calls, voicemails, etc.

JOSH AND JESSE: When do you leave? I have dinner with my boss tonight, but any other day is good. Sorry if I missed you (if you called!).

New York Subway Hero

I was watching Letterman tonight and his guest was Wesley Autrey, a man who performed a daring New York City Subway rescue. I thought it was a cool story. I think it is always nice to see a feel-good story about a blue-collared everyman (or every-individual, if you prefer) doing a good thing just becuase it is the right thing. He seemed very down to earth and unassuming on Letterman. While I'm sure he's enjoying the attention, I don't think he was expecting it. (He got NYC's highest honor, the Bronze Medal, and a trip to Disney World and $10,000 from Donald Trump). Needless to say, I think his message is important (even though it is cliche)... "You should do the right thing."

Just to clarify- a man had a seizure and fell onto the subway tracks. Mr. Autrey jumped down at the last second and pushed the man into the gutter between the two rails. Laying on top of him, he only had a few inches of clearance between the train and himself. Five cars drove over him before they could stop the train, and he was stuck there with the guy for a while.

Happy Brithboy...

To Scott!

That is all.

Gerald Ford Dead

Gerald Ford dead today at the senseless age of 93.

group stuff

[If the picture doesn't automatically re-size, just right click and select "view image."]
Here is the latest MJHS gathering--a little impromptu, but we actually talked with several that we wouldn't have if we were not at that location at that time...Scott will probably explain it more fully, so I won't bother. It was nice to see Scholes, Tara, Scott Seaton, our Burkas and Alison(Todd's gf). The service sucked. Bryan would've thrown a very mature fit, for sure. Some of us saw The Pursuit of Happyness afterward--thanks Billy!--and that was enjoyable as well.
The next night, some of us who are in the long-term habit of hanging out did so at the Nash house. We ate lots of great appetizers and drank...mostly white sangria. Fun fun. Here we all are.
And this post wouldn't be complete without a little holiday Dudley, now would it? Here he is with his lone present--aunts and uncles will need to step it up next year, alright? For the love!Josh and I are very excited to say that we're headed west ~to Colorado(central and upper)! Dad, Kim and my little brothers moved there in August. Sammi(my little sister) and David (step-brother) and his son are moving there in late January. We will be there a total of 10 days, missing 5 days of work in total. We leave Friday, December 29th and return Monday, January 8th. Hayley--I'd love to see your apartment and get an official tour of campus! Ryan-show us around--what are your plans during this period of time. We'd love to hang out with you and Nina if you're free. We'll be home-based in Colorado Springs, but plan on staying in Fort Collins at least one night, toward the end of our trip. Could we see you both at some point? Hopefully we'll borrow a car and have some travel freedom once we're there. Josh might meet with a couple of people for potential jobs, but the rest will be just R&R/sightseeing/family time. Can't wait.

That's about it-just wanted to keep you posted. Ryan-thank God you're back safely. Post some pictures already!
Merry Christmas friends.

Can't You See What Love Has Done?

U2's latest video, "Window in the Skies" shows old footage of bands and artists somehow lipsynced to U2's lyrics. See how many you can identify.

___ in a box

this was on SNL this past week. too funny. sorry it's the uncensored version.

just in case

Just in case any of you check this more often than your Myspace or Facebook accounts-

Due to the advances in communication networks over the last 3 or 4 years, its become really easy to get the word out about stuff and plan get-togethers and what-not....

so with that- i found as many people on facebook and Myspace that we graduated with, (all of whom i think we've hung out with before and are in good standing with), about 26 people in all- and sent out invitations to go to dinner this Friday the 22nd at 7pm at the O'Charlie's in providence place (MJ)- this will just be a normal MJ kinda get-together (ala Olive Garden in the past)... nothing special, just a good time to catch up with people and fill us all in on what you've been up to the last couple of years- if you could either post something on here or email me at sburka@utmem.edu if you are planning on comming- that would be great so i know about how many to expect!- hope to see as many of you there as possible- if you want to invite anyone else- you know i dont care- just let me know...
and dont stress if you cant make it or you've got family stuff- i know its on short notice...

give me a call with any questions: 615-838-4130

Pi is the new black...

i'm telling you- its just really popular these days...

Video

One of my favorite SNL Sketches

This is one of my all time favorite SNL sketches.

Carry on.

in the spirit of getting things going...

Josh Hunter is ugly- proove me wrong.

ummm what else...
for those of you who dont read my personal blog- shame on you- i have a photo-album of my cat here in memphis- i think you mihgt'a enjoy'a: (this is how you make a link... HAYLEY!)

ALSO- bryan- just thought you'd like to know that my pharmacy law final is TOMORROW- (dang)- but its not all that bad... the hardest thing is trying to remember all the different penalties- like for C2 or C4 controlled substances or different types of violations... seems kinda stupid- i think we should just have to know what NOT to do, so that we never have to worry about the penalties- i mean... we can't really do much about them anways... "oh crap i was going to sell some Morphine to my cousin, but since theres a $50,000 fine, maybe i wont...".... i mean... if you think you can get away with something- you're probably not too concerned with the penalty... i dunno... any lawyer thoughts on that?

also- i dont know if i said this earlier, but my last day of class ever was last week- and my last pharmacy test (before the boards- dang...) will be on monday!- i'll be home tuesday night the 19th- so start making your scott reservations ahead of time... i'm going fast!

ok gotta go!

Yep

so- we played "dirty santa" tonight...
i had this idea for a gift- i took a picture of myself looking goofy- went down to walgreens and had it printed out in an 8x10 and then got a nice frame and framed it. I wrapped it in a nice box and put it under the tree and when someone got it, the whole place went nuts- it was such a blast!
i'm definitly gonna use that again sometime... it was so worth it...


(also i saw THIS VIDEO on myspace and i enjoyed it- because i coukd sing along with the robot)

Why the World Needs Lawyers

Check this out.

It goes on a bit, but I found it to be quite entertaining. In case anybody out there is sensitive to potentially "mature" material, I would say this little video is PG-13. (Upon further review, I still think it is PG-13, but the R side of PG-13. I am not offended by this, but there are non explicit references to sexual acts. So you are warned).

What's Cooler Than Being Cool?

Way better than the original. It's amazing how soulful this version is...

Fun Vacuum

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/health/28natal.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

So, apparently now I have to stop smoking and drinking just in case I want to EVER get pregnant. Suck the fun right out of my 20s, why don't you?

Wife Force One

this is pretty funny. i guess this guy is trying to say something about the similarities in Harrison Ford's movies.

Sleep is for babies

Nintendo Fanboy waits in line for a Wii...

in need of your help

ummm ok... so i just got my graduation pictures back (for my May 2008 graduation date- they were taken now because in january we disperse to different parts of the state to do our rotations- yeah i knew you were gonna ask that) - i gotta choose one of these three...
going for the one that makes me look the LEAST chubby, and thre MOST pharmacist-like...
yeah i know... i've got big hair... but when else in my life will i be able to look goofy and not really care? oh yeah... retirement... but before then?

oh and these are bad quality is because its from the photographer's website- and you cant save the files on your computer.... so i just took these up close with my camera and cropped them...
you get the picture... they are all actually really clear and high-res... alittle TOO high-res if you ask me :/

A
B


C

Wow

This has been in the news lately. Comedian (and former Seinfeld star) Michael Richards went on a bit of a racist tirade recently. When I first heard this news, I assumed that the media and PC society were just giving him a hard time. While it is never really acceptable to use the so called "n-word," I don't think that every person who ever said it is absolutely racist. Yes, something said in anger probably has a basis in genuine belief. But I think being racist is much more pervasive than losing one's temper with an individual who exemplifies the most annoying stereotypes of his or her race and reacting with a racial epithet. Again, it doesn't excuse it. But I think that being racist requires more pervasive personal belief.

Then I saw this video. It's pretty clear that it didn't just slip out. I think it might be fair to characterize this as racist. He had more than one chance to back off, and he didn't.



He apologized on Letterman. And it was really awkward. He says "Afro-American" rather than "African American." And the audience keeps laughing, but he seems genuine. Watching it just makes me feel uncomfortable.



Any thoughts?

enjoy your new plasma TV, scott.

How Rich Are You?

i guess there's some degree of error or something in it because i cant get above 107,565th place. still neat though.

Sweet New Trailer

I overheard someone talking about this so I went online to check it out. This is the trailer for the new Spiderman movie. It hugely expands on the teaser we have already seen.

Impressionist

This guy was on MadTV. His name is Frank Caliendo. He is best known for his impression of John Madden. He posted this on YouTube. It is a bit long, and some parts are better than others.. but my favorite part is the impression of Robert DeNiro as Frankenstein at 3:25.

He.... was my number one... a-guy

Jack Palance Dead at 87

Black Friday Ads

now you can plan further ahead. what a great site. (you can sign up to get updates when certain ads come in.)

Black Friday

By the way, I'll be in Africa for 6 weeks...

I don't know if any of you remember that I was going to Madagascar for 6 weeks or not...but I am. I leave on Friday and get back in mid-December. Feel free to email me while I'm there as I'll probably need the contact with relatively friendly people. My address is just my name @yahoo.com. There aren't any underscores or anything else weird and I don't want to actually type it since last time I posted it I ended up on some stupid mailing list with daily unfunny jokes. Everyone have a good November, and I'll have some good pictures when I get back.

oh snap

it's totally back. TV Links disappeared the other day and i thought it was a goner, but instead it just moved. anyway, it's back and with a shitload of new shows. for those of you who have bought every tv show in dvd, please disregard.

TV Links

i'm sorry. i just found the word "shitload" appropriate.

Croc Hunter

CNN Article



Thoughts?

Silly Japanese People

I have trouble believing this is an actual condition. What?! The French are rude?! Why didn't anyone tell them? Maybe they don't have stereotypes in the same way we do. Come on, Paris is a big city. How many big cities have any of you been to that are immaculate and brimming with friendly, helpful people? Exactly.

*And personally, Paris wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I thought the people were decently accommodating, but my expectations weren't that high.

if this is a defense mechanism...

...look for these babies on the "endangered" list coming up.



(i love the Top Gun music)

after watching it a few times, it has to be some kind of defense mechanism or reaction to the light/sound because they start going crazy when he waves the light around and bangs on the boat. how much would that scare you the first time you saw it?

(i like the one that jumps up and hits him in the head at the end.)

billy sent me this

GOB's segway.

i'm thinking i might bid on it if it doesn't go over $9,000...

Can You Imagine This Happening?

This is an funny story. Sounds like something he would do on an impulse. Then again, it makes me think how it must suck to be a star sometimes. As soon as he showed up, people started coming in droves to meet him and he can't just relax and have a good time.

BECK OCT. FRIDAY the 13th - $850

Reply to: sale-215818293@craigslist.org
Date: 2006-10-04, 12:06AM CDT


i have a space where you can stand right outside of the front door that im willing sell for $850..i will consider trades for either a speedboat or a G5 laptop. first come first served!

• this is in or around city hall
  
• no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

how funny is that? go here and look at all the jacked up prices people are selling Beck tickets for. i emailed him back and said i had a speedboat with his name on it.

enough of your borax, poindexter(s)!

this was passed on to me and now i'm doing the same. so just to make sure no one assumes i'm saying I discovered this (todd), i'm clarifying right now: i am but a messenger...

TV SHOWS ONLINE

this is so freakin rad. some superhuman has compliled a list of links to all these seasons of tv shows that are somewhere online. and it's fantastic. no more hours of downloading dragonball z/gt or futurama or family guy. it's all right there.

A Question About "The Pill"

I am going to begin this by noting that I am not trying to start a fight. I understand that there are a range of opinions of people on this blog. I'm not trying to get anyone to call anyone else a name or make a biting remark or any of that garbage. But this has been sort of bothering me, and I want to know what you (as educated and intelligent adults) think about this. I am not writing this to convince anybody to change his or her mind about abortion or hormonal contraception. The real question I have is whether you think that pharma companies and/or the medical industry are being dishonest by not discussing this more clearly. Obviously they have business interests in keeping sales up, but it seems medical ethics should require full disclosure. Even more importantly, I am not trying to "call anybody out." What you do with your personal life is up to you, I'm not trying to point a finger, just eliciting opinion about this possible controversy.

Read this article.

1) Those of you with a scientific, medical, pharmacological, or practical experience in this area- what do you think? Are his conclusions sound? I found various sources saying more or less the same thing. All the sources that discussed this issue in detail were so-called "pro-life" sources, which obviously can indicate ulterior motives. However, aside from groups with a Catholic affiliation, I can't see why a pro life but contraception neutral group would care unless it believed the substance of the article. A few sources which held themselves out as neutral and objective noted the anti-implantation effects of the pill, but didn't discuss any moral complications. Wikipedia, my favorite made-up source, alludes to potential moral controversy but does not discuss it significantly.

2) Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, pro or anti contraception in general, do you think that this information is the sort of thing that should be discussed more openly? I know that there is a difference between being pro-choice and being pro-abortion (ie people who are pro-choice do not rejoice at the thought of an abortion- they simply hold the value of reproductive choice over the issue of potential life). I can't imagine that honest pro-choice people want to "trick" pro-life people, so I discount the likelihood of some sinister conspiracy. When it comes down to it, I can think of only two options. First, the pharma/medical industries are trying to keep this quiet OR people don't want to face this issue so they ignore it. Are either of these things justified? Is there another possibility?

Just Try it Scott, I Dare You

New Record For Memorization of Pi

Busted

Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) chatting with an underage boy

This guy is in BIG, BIG trouble...

Disclaimer: the email transcript is a bit graphic, and completely disgusting.

The Guitarist

This is for real. Mark Goffeney is guitarist for the appropriately named band, "Big Toe."

read it and weep, scott!

6-year-old boy did 10000 pushups in hours




this is also kind of interesting: Acid Trip Through the Eyes of an Artist

yowza

Matt Damon: really angry or is it just a gag?

honestly- i think it was for real and Matt really was upset... the show hasnt really addressed this or not so its still up in the air...

this is across the street at the Days Inn

this picture is completely unaltered.

Wii

(this is some info off billy's blog.)

apparently the new Wii will be released on November 19th for $250. (eat that X-box)

IGN article

Wii game preview

it still looks pretty interesting. Nintendo is definitely outside the videogame console "box" on this one.

oh man. this is great...




YouTube has many videos for the Wii system.

Signature Tower

Have you guys seen this?
Groundbreaking is planned for January of 2007. It will be the tallest building in the United States outside Chicago and New York.

see if you can figure out how it happened

cause i dont really know. this just happened outside. pretty wicked.



i know the accord hit the SUV in the rear.

Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin Dead

Story

Killed filming a documentry. I can't say I'm surprised. I also can't say he didn't desearve it for being such a jackass. But it also makes me sad in a small way.