Wednesday Wrap-up

Wednesdays suck. They are long and boring and by 3:30 my head feels like its going to explode. By 4:00 I am wishing it would just so my day can end. When class is over at 4:50 all I want is a shot of Jim Beam and a pitcher of Bud Light. Sweet release.

On the bright side, I had plenty of time to explore the internets for online fun. Two games were particularly enjoyable: "Pandemic" and "Pandemic: Extinction of Man." In the former and earlier of the two games, you play as a contagious disease, mutating yourself slowly in order to wipe out the human race, continent by continent. The latter is not so much a sequal as a remake. Same plot, different controls and means of propagation. Both are enjoyable and offer suprisingly different experiences.

Also something I discovered during my MASSIVELY long and boring day: Wired has some really excellent blogs.

Some breaking entertainment news regarding the girls on tonight's American Idol: Antonella Barba totally blows. The only positive thing Randy could say, "You are hot." But talent-wise, the trio of judges dropped the ball big-time letting this one get through.

One thing that keeps me coming back to the internet is nut-cases. The Wired blog Table of Malcontents discusses this crazy racist sci-fi philosopher-king. Just to give you a reason to check out the link, he wrote a book the title of which is "Lexicon Triumvirate." It stars a dragon. Some additional discussion is here.

And with that, my day, and yours, is slightly closer to being over.

How many sides does a trapezoid have?

This is a mea culpa post. Nell... you are smarter than me, and, apparently, as smart or smarter than a fifth grader.

The answer: 4. My answer: 5.

If Blake Lewis doesn't win...

I don't know what I'll do. This guy is by far the most talented contestant on American Idol. I mean, shit, have you heard him beat box?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? And he can sing too!!!!!!! Christ almighty I want to have his child!

Fishfrog Movie Review

Yes, that's right. I watch movies. Today, "Man of the Year" starring Robin Williams. The plot: Fake tv news host gets elected president.

Score: 1.5 raw fish (5 raw fish=great movie, 1 raw fish= bad movie)

To some up my problem with the movie in two sentences: (1) If a comedian gets elected president, shouldn't he be funny? (2) Is this a fun romp of a comedy or a political thriller? Make up your damned mind.

A Problem with Law Reviews

Daniel Shaviro has a good post discussing some of the specific negative consequences of the article selection process of law reviews. We've had this discussion a few times in the past year or so what with certain friends intimate role in the process. And just yesterday the new board was announced so it seems a reasonable time to have the discussion again.

For those of you (Nell and WF) who are not in law school and think you don't really care about this seemingly boring topic, let me correct your misconception. It really is an interesting scenario. Picture this: You graduated at the topp of your law school class from one of the most prestigious schools in the country after which you took a prestigious position as a circuit court clerk. After that, you worked for a few years at a big law firm working on cutting edge issues. You write some briefs, you make some waves, and then you get yourself a job as an assistant professor at a regional law school. At this point, your career depends on whether or not you can get some articles published in some law journals.

And here is the rub. Whether or not a particular journal publishes your article depends on whether three or four second year law students, with no real knowledge of your specialty (or any specialty), is convinced that your article consitutes a significant contribution to the field.

Personally, I find the whole thing rather funny. Of course, my career advancement doesn't depend on someone I'm way more qualified than deciding whether or not my writing is significant.

The Half Hour News Hour

I just watched Fox News' new Daily Showesque satire news show. The verdict: total and utter suckitude. I was actually excited all week about watching it. I went into it with an open mind expecting to share a laugh with my conservative brethren on one or two fairly ridiculous liberal positions. But seriously, who the hell is Ed Begley Jr.? Given the amount of time spent ridiculing him, it seems like someone every good liberal should be familiar with. Maybe I don't watch enough movies.

My honest open-minded appraisal: only a bitter born-again evangelical christian, neo-conservative, racist, sexist, homophobe would watch this show a second time. The people who should be most offended by this show are actual conservatives, who find themselves being lampooned in a much more offensive way than even Colbert could acheive; the conservative who is the imagined audience for this show is a sad satire of actual conservatives everywhere.

Personality Test

The answer and explanation are in the comments. (Update: I have removed the answer from the comments at the request of someone who thought it would result in people not thinking about it enough). Below is the question sent to me by Nell yesterday.


A woman, while at the funeral of her own mother, met this guy whom she did not know. She thought this guy was amazing, so much her dream guy she believed him to be just that! She fell in love with him right there, but never asked for his number and could not find him. A few days later she killed her sister. Question: What is her motive in killing her sister? (Give this some thought before you answer.)

Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month I wanted to post a recent poem that I came accross by an African American poet and writer named Langston Hughs (1902-1967). Upon reading a bit more about this talented artist I learned that he was one of the most influention writers of the Harlem Renaissance, which was an African American artistic movement that took place in the 1920's. In the linked biography there is a stirring quote that Hughs published in a 1926 essay in the 'Nation' entitled "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain." Although I don't know much about the Harlem Renaissance, I would like to think that this embodies it's spirit.

"We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they aren't, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too... If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn't matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know how and we stand on the top of the mountain, free within ourselves."

If you are like me and have not learned anything about Langston Hughs, I fully encourage you to read more about about him. He is a fascinating and inspiring figure in American History and even if you don't like poetry his is well worth reading.


Dream Variations

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me-
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

Langston Hughes

Happy Birthday Fuzzy!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUZZY!!!!

It's party time!!!

ATHF Attacks Boston

Here's an article about the situation from the Boston Globe. To summarize, one of the five greatest cartoons ever made, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, hired an advertising agency which in turn hired some Bostonian artist to engage in some guerrilla marketing on behalf of the show. The artwork/advertisements were lightbulbs arranged in the shape of Mooninites, who are amusing characters in the show, foul-mouthed and constantly raising their two-pixel-tall middle fingers at those who displease them. They are frequently driven off by Frylock. Master Shake will usually try to win their approval by sacrificing Meatwad.

So some culturally illiterate subway worker called the police and reported one of the small light displays as a bomb. Instead of investigating what in fact the device was, Boston officials shut down the city as the bomb squad spread throughout the city.

Long story short, the two artists responsible were arrested and arraigned for placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct. CNN and the New York Times have picked up on the language of the Governor, referring to the advertisements as "hoaxes."

This is absolutely ridiculous! Two guys are going to be prosecuted because a couple of old fogeys think that anything with wires and lightbulbs is a bomb???? And how many improvised explosive devices are covered in light??? This isn't a cheap sci-fi movie, people!!

As to the "hoax," this was not a hoax! The devices were installed in Boston as well as nine other cities. In none of the other cities did the mayor and police force decide it was necessary to shut down the city in order to protect the citizens from cartoon characters.

I know I'm jumping around some, but I am absolutely enraged about this. Have we really gotten to the point where an artist can be arrested because someone misinterpreted his art? Can I be sent to GitMo because someone thinks my iBook G4 looks like what they would imagine a bomb might look like? Am I making a hoax bomb if I create something that has a specific non-bomb purpose and is not a bomb and does not look like a bomb and I have no reason to think anyone will think it's a bomb? WTF is going on?

If these artists are prosecuted, the terrorists have won.