the blahhhg.

My Goodbye

2009-12-04T17:46:00.000-08:00

So its been quite a ride. I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite jokes of all time.

Two whales walk into a bar.

The first whale says:

(Don't scroll down until the video is over)

To which the second whale replied:

"Dude, what the FUCK are you talking about???"

Peace out y'all.

The Defensive Back

2009-12-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

GODDAMMIT WHERE DID THESE GUYS GO???? THEY NEED TO GET THEIR ASSES BACK TO FOXBOROUGH TO TEACH THESE YOUNG GUYS A THING OR TWO ABOUT PASS COVERAGE...

Looking at these pictures brings back memories though. Ah, the good old days...

Work work work

2009-12-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else suffer from severe procrastination? I feel like the most fun thing I'm gonna do this weekend is sleeping (if I even get to do that). Papers, projects, and final exams - its all winding down. The worst part is that although I feel like I've been busy all semester, I still feel behind. Part of it might be the fact that I'm doing work for 6 classes at once. I know its not supposed to be easy - if it was, there wouldn't really be any point in being here now. But does anyone/everyone feel like this?

Toll House

2009-12-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

I was really hungry last night. Like, abnormally hungry. Leftover meatloaf in the fridge was just not gonna cut it. I needed something sweet - something comforting. So I decided to bake some cookies.

I'm not an avid baker, but damn... the recipe on the Toll House chocolate chip bag is something. I've made them a few times so far this year now, but this batch turned out great.

Now I've got a ton of cookies sitting around I have to eat. Seems like a chore.

A7X

2009-12-04T07:05:00.001-08:00

I like to consider myself an eclectic music fan. I appreciate the intricacy of the Baroque style led by Bach, all the way to (occasional) rap and hip-hop. However, there is one style that, for reasons I just can't really put my finger on, I find both catchy and... well, pretty fucked up sometimes. This genre is metal. I don't know why its so appealing. Thanks to Metallica for pioneering this slash & thrash style of music, many groups and genres have sprouted and sucked in fanbases. One metal group that I listen to a lot is Avenged Sevenfold. They're like the death metal version of a Christian rock band. A lot of their songs contain biblical references (heck, even their name is one), but an equal amount of songs have messages that you can' help but say, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE????" Here's a music video of a song I found really catchy the first time I heard it... but the lyrics are... well...

I'll warn you right now - this video contains extremely graphic messages. Watch at your own risk.

AGAIN - THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY FUCKED UP IMAGES AND MESSAGES. WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK...

A Little Piece of Heaven

Farewell

2009-12-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a really great experience blogging with you all. Definitely something I didn't think I'd get the chance to do for any kind of credit. Thanks to all of you for the interesting reading material, and thanks to Professor Parent for such a unique opportunity.

The Blahhhg will always totally rahhhk.

and i leave you with this because who doesn't love cute kittens?

Vermont International Festival

2009-12-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Vermont International Festival is upon us-- starting tomorrow, the 4th, until sunday.

It's in Essex Junction at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

There are 50+ vendors with all sorts of unique international goodies-- food, jewelry, clothing, sculptures, instruments, you name it-- come find it here. There will be a bunch of international music as well. Gather a bunch of friends and get off campus for a little while.

(Somebody else's) Mash-up

2009-12-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

Covers of popular songs can be incredibly tiresome (see: Miley Cyrus "Party in the U.S.A."). However, I discovered this cover of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" by singer Anya Marina and kinda fell in love. Her cover of the song appeared on a "Best of" music list that are popping up all over as the year ends. Apparently I am late in discovering this--her cover has already been on the tween favorite "Gossip Girl".
It's worthy of a listen:

Who is someone from the Congo, DR?

2009-12-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

Mon expérience avec le préjudice eut été à l’université de Vermont. Aviez-vous souvent écoute les nouvelle de CNN à propos de la guerre civile que se passe entre le peuple du Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi dans la République Démocratique du Congo ? Ceci à causé des problèmes pour les jeûnes Congolais et Congolaises aux Etats-Unis d’Amérique.

Les nouvelle sont bonnes pour le peuple d’écouter, and d’avoir une très bonne verve à propos de ce qui ce passe dans un lieu. Spécialement dans la République Démocratique du Congo, l’attention d’autre est importante pour le développement de la nation. La nation du Congo souffrait de la guerre civile, la guerre entre les militaires et les gens, des soldats contre d’autres soldats. Quand j’étais dans la République Démocratique du Congo à Kinshasa, j’avais des expériences pitié et soufrant. Pitie dans le sens que personne n’était plus en sécurité, et soufrant parce que il n’y avait plus des manières ou de moyens de vivre. J’étais un bon étudiant. J’avais mes parents et tous mes frères et sœurs. La partie difficile était la nutrition, l’argent, la gazoline, et la sécurité.

La majorité des nouvelles que j’écoutais à-propos du Congo étaient très mauvaises. Il parait que des « femmes » auraient été la cause de la guerre à la nation. A travers les postes de radio et des chaines Américaines les femmes auraient été la cause de la guerre civile entre les trois nations des pays contre la République Démocratique du Congo.

« Le préjugé est la cause à autrui d’une manière volontaire ou involontaire. Le préjugé peut être cause par le fait d’une survenance d’un événement naturel »

Quand en moi je pense que cela fut le préjudice contre moi ici à l’université parce que je suis née dans la République Démocratique du Congo. Les élèves, étudiants, les professeures, et probablement les policiers pensent que tous qui viennent du Congo ont la même mentalité a propos des femmes. Si les nouvelles de CNN, BBC, et les autres chaines étaient positives avec de bonnes images et vidéos, je serais bien sûr que j’aurai une très bonne expérience ici aux Etats-Unis. Malgré tout cela, c’est vraiment très difficile pour d’être aimé. Je n’étais pas un militaire dans ma nation, j’étais un étudiant. J’avais des amies et la famille.

Bad Boy II

2009-12-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

When I was a freshman in college I watched the movie Bad Boys II. This movie is amazing. This movie really represented how people live. Wow.. I cant beleive I like the movie that much...the cars, women, men actions, and all other scenes were just amazing...

The film Bad Boys II (Michael Bay, 2003) was first published on July 09, 2003 in the USA. It’s an action movie which includes comedy, crime, thriller and more other such as explosion, accident, death, car, naked dead white woman, morgue, shoot, sequel, blood, buddy, drugs, FBI, Cuba ( It’s a country), guns, nudity, sex, shots, cops, breasts, topless, and some other… etc which I’ve maybe not listed above. Bad Boys II is one of the great summer action tap which won three awards and ten nominations (Award for Bad Boys II, 2003). The functional purpose of this movie was to investigate the flow of bliss into Florida from two loose-cannon narcotics cops named as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Bennett (Baldridge, Todd). Mike L and Marcus B were part of the Miami PD’s Tactical Narcotics Team whom didn’t most of the time really get along because of the secret they were keeping to each other. Mike’s secret was to date or tie the knot with Marcus’s sister, Sydney Burnett, and Marcus’s secret was to spend more time with his family instead of working with Mike. Sydney Burnett also known as Marcus’s sister was an undercover DEA agent trying to get money laundering operation run by Alexei known as Russian mafia boss. Johnny Tapia wanted to get over the whole ecstasy trade in the USA cooperating with Alexei the club owners and local dealer whom were both hard to arrest at first from the Miami PD because they basically had at lot of money, and they sued the PD every time they got arrested as a false arrest.

Of

2009-12-02T22:26:00.001-08:00

Do you ever sit down, and start thinking about a word, and that word gets stuck in your head, then you're thinking about it really hard, and finally you come to a shocking realization that the word you're thinking about is really, really weird? That word for me is "of." First, it only has 2 letters - rather uncommon ones, at that. Its really inconspicuous for such a seemingly important linking word. Secondly, the word looks like it should be pronounced "off," but for some reason its pronounced more like "ov" or "uv." Crikey, I can't even think of a decent sentence with the word - Goddammit, I just said it!

Of, of, of, of, of... where the heck did this word come from?

I know you are but what am I?

2009-12-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

this is my mash up. what better way to ring in a new pee-wee movie? (yes, he's back) -- no lie

so here it is, I must thank my roommate Paul for rapping and Josh for helpin with the album cover.

let me know what you think

WHAT IS RACISM?

2009-12-02T20:52:00.001-08:00

Whats racism?

One could defines racism as a black authority. It is when a black man has power over other races like white people, and ect...

For exemple: Black people are very good at sports and got all the women, mostly blank women fall in love with us ;)

Damn...

Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

Wolves

2009-12-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

There are several groups of wolves: gray wolf, North American wolves, red wolf, wolves of Central and South America, Mexican gray wolf, European wolf, Maned wolf, Ethiopian wolf, Aretic wolf, and Arobian wolf, (Wolves of the world). Wolves are dangerous animals which may mate with domestic dogs although they’re not friendly. Wolves eat meat and insects; they’re carnivores, and they eat anything from field mice to huge caribou (Williams, Lezle). Wolves communicate by making body movements or language, and they also howl to signify behaviors.

DONT WORRY THIS CAME FROM ONE OF MY MATH PAPER THAT I HAD TO WRITE...SO THIS ISNT PLEASURE EYES OK??? Thanks,

2009-12-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

Well, personally I have only seen a deer once when I was driving back to my parent’s house in Burlington, Vermont, but I have never faced a moose in my entire life however I’m hoping for it. Moose make up largest portion of the deer family in North America. Female moose weigh approximately around 750 to 1350 pounds depending on their food supply, and male moose weigh somewhere around 1100 to 1700 pounds. Moose have long, thick, light brown to dark fur with concave hair helping them to stay warm when it’s cold. They have long front legs, and shorter rear legs in order for them to jump over trees or things in their ways. Moose have a long skull, a large nose with big an upper lip, small ears, large nostrils, and a small tail.

The Dodo's

2009-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

For all you indie lovers out there- Please do yourself a favor and check out The Dodo's. Really easy listening, The Dodo's are Meric Long and Logan Kroeber. Folky, indie, and a little bit poppy- they've been compared to Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles, both of which are great bands in which you should also check out.

You're just in time for their new album-- called Time To Die which has been receiving great reviews. Be sure to get their first full album Visiters, a great listen as well.

doDO check them out. you won't be let down.

HatchhhhhhhhhhBACK :)

2009-12-02T20:12:00.001-08:00

Why most French people drive hatchback cars? Based from my thinking I guess hatchback is the most convenient cars for you to be driving.

Wagons cars are kind of hatchback but it has more room in the back :)

Hatchbacks vehicle are mostly for young people in the French culture. If you want to be ganster and respoected buy your friends then drive one.

I wish everyone at least own a hatchback car. It is a very fun car to drive, U GOT ALL THE BACK ROOM LIKE your DRUNK WHERE YOU COULD PUT SOME ILLEGAL THINGS TO USE WHILE DRIVING.

Beers, alcohol are some of them... come on people let think more baby

Evident Utensil

2009-12-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Chairlift - Evident Utensil (Official Music Video)

No, you're computer is not messed up. This is the video for Chairlift's Evident Utensil. An interesting approach of manipulating effects to create something new out of what looks like your computer freezing. As the song goes on-- the morphing gets pretty cool, faces turning into other faces into fields with people into a big rainbow mess. Kind of reminds me of 90's videos that couldn't get enough of the morphing effect.

French Movies

2009-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

French movies are very hot when you watch it in group. Try it out...ask your friends to hookup together and watch a French movie.

French...haha just listen to the way it sound...F-R-E-N-C-H damn I cant be over it. It is just very hot

Toy Story

2009-12-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving break, I decided to pop this classic into my VHS player (yeah, I still have one), and I had some interesting observations.

I know I made a post a while ago about this movie being the demise of Disney animation. I still believe this to be the case. However, it was only a matter of time before this technology took hold, and I think Toy Story was the perfect tale to make this transition.

The plot of the movie is simple - a new toy, Buzz Lightyear, complete with karate chop action, a "laser," deployable wings, and high-tech sound effects, arrives in Andy's collection. Buzz quickly outsources Woody, an old-fashioned cowboy doll with a pullstring-activated soundbox, as Andy's favorite toy. Woody is completely against the change - he goes so far as to push Buzz out of Andy's window in order to reestablish himself as Alpha Toy.

Woody represents the old ways of entertainment by means of representing spaghetti westerns and his simple design. Buzz, on the other hand, is the embodiment of the ADD-ridden childhood class of the 90's. He operates through facades like his "laser" - which Woody attacks as a "little light that blinks" - his technologically advanced-looking space armor, and even the box he comes in, a futuristic spaceship.

So what does this mean? Woody doesn't reject Buzz (they even become friendly at the end of the film): he rejects what Buzz stands for, even through the end of the movie. That which Buzz represents is change. The film opens and ends with the soldiers spying on Andy's family opening gifts; symbols of the threat of catastrophic change to the toys by means of new, more preferred toys.

To tie it all together, Toy Story in itself pronounces the death of the production of animated films (I know I'm gonna catch shit for this because of that Princess and the Frog movie that's coming out, but there's reasons for that film's production that I just won't get into right now), and the conscious transition to 3-D animation that will calm said ADD generation more effectively through Woody's denial of and resistance to change. It isn't a coincidence that the movie is about toys. Toys are the go-to material object for parents seeking to appease their children.

Toy Story is more than a combination of plot and characters. It is a statement of the compelling need to change from old to new.

momo

2009-12-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

this is momo.

One of my room mates and I picked this lil kitty up two months ago. She's quite adorable but also incredibly nuts. We decided to name her momo because it means peach in Japanese. But beyond that it doesn't really make sense because she isn't peachlike. hm?

One of the best things about having her is of course her kitten company but also how photogenic she is. I've been able to snap some pics of her that I hope you guys will enjoy.

Stupid Talkative

2009-12-02T11:48:00.000-08:00

Damn how is the hell every time I go out some people be hating on me? Is it because I drive the best car in town? Get all the hot ladies in my school? or...because I am an athletic?

I guess it could be because I am from Vermont, and most people from other states rather than Vermont, stated like New York, New Yersey, and other cities states...talk too much bad things about Vermont.

This brings rumors about people who is from Vermont as sketchy, hippies, people who doesnt take a bath, weirdo, creepy, and more other related words.

Damn I am not from Vermont. Why couldn't you be pride of yourself now huh? Let talk about people from Vermont...watch this very carefully and take a closer look on how other people perceive people from Vermont

Tryout

2009-12-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

Hahah I guess it is time to try out for a team...Are u ready? Come on people...we need good players to make the team so that we could win this season.

I am a hard working athletic, I practice everyday, and drink muscle milk sometimes after practice. I want to bring the victory to the team this year. Well, guess what?.. you needed to follow my lead in order to be like me. Go to the gym everyday and drink at lot of milk and eat vegetable for a better digestion. Beside those, being a carnivore has at lot of advantages for you to gain muscles.

MILK, MEAT, WATER, AND VEGETABLE are the best source of nutrients for athletics.

Boston Hat

2009-12-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

Sick hat isnt it? no comments...I think boston hat aint that much of a ganster hat for people of colors to be wearing

Pleasure Eyes

2009-12-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some examples of pleasure eyes...Pease read them carefuly and tell me how you could tell one was a pleasure eye.

But recent cases have shown that employees sometimes have more privacy rights than they might expect when it comes to the corporate email server. Legal experts say that courts in some instances are showing more consideration for employees who feel their employer has violated their privacy electronically.

The mental imagery that we experience while reading, either spontaneously or induced by instruction, is now known to have powerful effects on comprehension, memory, and appreciation for text. This may seem self-evident today, but it was not long ago that purely language-based theories of cognition and memory prevailed. If imagery was recognized at all, it was held to be incidental and of little importance.

Don't be put off by the title - this one is a little gem which shows a really accessible way of creating assessment scales for classroom tests. It uses a system of binary choices that the teacher works out beforehand. I used it to createscales to assess note-taking, which is really ahrd to assess and it has proved successful for that.

Guess who

2009-12-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome people,

I guess I would call you all students because students could be different than people. In some cultures, teachers are being salut be their students everyday they come to teach the class.

I found this passage very interested while reading it

Americans schools are the best, you arent required to take a class but you chose which classes you are interested to take

Here is the video

Bohemian Muppets

2009-12-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

I realize everyone might be tired of YouTube vids, but I love the Muppets, and Queen, so I don't care!
Enjoy:

Only in Japan...

2009-12-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

TOKYO - NOVEMBER 30: A nail artist shows her 'Hello Kitty' nails during the Tokyo Nail Expo 2009 at Tokyo Big Sight on November 30, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. The nail industry has grown to nearly 200 million Japanese yen market in 2008 and the annual event attracts 50,000 visitor.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009-12-01T08:53:00.000-08:00

This weekend I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox-- another Wes Anderson success in my mind. It's definitely worth a watch if you like his other films and even if you don't. Though it is a child's story-- it's really made in a way that anyone can enjoy. If you're a lil kid, I think the visuals would be enough and if you're a big kid then everything is pretty fulfilling-- the story line, the visuals, the characters-- not to mention that the character's voices belong to a range of great actors including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman (a personal favorite-- check out Bored to Death on HBO), Bill Murray (another personal favorite), Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson to name a few.

It's sort of empowering in a whimsical/ foxxy (?) kind of way. One of the girls in my film class said that its the way "Roald Dahl would want his movie to look." How she knows that I'm not sure but check it out and see what you think.

Also, if you enjoy the Roald Dahl tales in movie form, check out James and the Giant Peach.

Micheal Jackson

2009-11-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Freestyle after you got drunk and stoned

2009-11-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Use your weapon to end the battle or just slap someone to get the pride.

:P this is rediculous. This wont brong ya no whre beside jsut gettin ready to insdut someioe and talk good abourt yourself haha :)

Hip Hop represents the Black Culture.

2009-11-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

I am 100% sure that Hip Hop does not always represent the black culture or the black community.

Some raps musics are very wack, and it riuns young americans. The rap musics it all about violence, sex, money, cars, jail experience, and how good he/she is.

Rap, Hip Hop, would not be recommended to children for their better future. Those musics are very wrong. Although Hip Hop are NOT such great musics, some rappers make at lot of money by doing it.

A video here. WATCH THIS.

Luther and the unity of the churches

2009-11-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

I FOUND THIS ARTICLE VERY INTERESTED SINCE I AM CHRISTIAN-CATHOLIC, I HOPE EVERYONE WOULD ENJOY TO READ THIS.

TAKE A LOOK HERE, thanks!!!

Oh damn my phone got taken away!!!

2009-11-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

Everytime when I met someone I like to make them call me first so we could hangout at parties then probably go and have sex.

Oh well, I am an athletic, I play soccer, basketball, and all different sports. Women are just all over me. I dont spend energy to talk to them. They come and talk to me and I just answered to their questions. By the end of the night, they decided to spend a night with me.

I am so lucky to be who I am. Oh thanks UVM for your consideration. I am from the cities far from burlington, VT. I told women that I hated vermont because it is too sketchy while I got everything for granted, for free.

I am from NYC. I do whatever I wanted. My friends are from other cities than NYC. They do the same as me. We are lucky to hate burlington VT and have all the FUN by ourself.

Bored

2009-11-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Being bored is good for you! The more often you got bored the more often you got smarter. People gets bored because they can not manage the times and do not know what to expect? When you are under big stresses, and you don't have a better job then you screw up.

Someone should live without any stresses and worries. There are several ways of stresses. School could be one of them? Friends, a relationship, family, transportation, possibly yourself were few of most stresses that I thought of.

Don't let those stresses take over you! Try to manage stresses and find resources that could help you with it.

Lightsabers

2009-11-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

Ah, the legendary energy swords made
Famous by the genius of George Lucas.

The embodiment of ancient power
And spiritual energy.

The ultimate phallic symbol for the
Intergalactic nerd.

God, what an amazing creation.

A question?

2009-11-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

1. Americans behaviors toward refugees or immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Middle East

2. Who is an African?

3. Sports vs Coaches

4. Didn’t make the athletic team? What is next?

5. Beating a coach up on the street a good idea?

6. How many coaches got their ass beat up?

Mercedes-Benz, Lumumba

2009-11-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

What is the most expensive car in the world?

What is the tighest car in the world?

What is the most lasting/durable car in the car factories?

If you wanted to be respected by other people, then drive a mercedes-benz. Mercedes-benz is the most expensive car in the world. People loves these cars but can't afford them because it cost too much to buy, and too much to repear them.

Get one mercedes-benz after your graduation

Here are some mercedes-benz for free ;)

White Women

2009-11-18T21:06:00.000-08:00

White women are beautiful. Especially when they are young, you just can't stand them. They are very attractive and soft.

All black students here at UVM have had an experience with at least one white woman. They love us, and we like them. It is mutual.

A real black man has to spend a night with the cutest white woman in his school for the record. If you are a black man and never done so than you are a dead slave.

Fantastic Mr. Anderson

2009-11-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

I love Wes Anderson. Mr. Anderson is responsible for such films as Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic, The Darjeeling Limited, and my person favorite, The Royal Tenenbaums. What I love about Wes Anderson is his simplicity, his understanding of human communication (or the lack of it), and his incredible attention to detail. And, not to mention, his brilliant soundtracks.

His latest film is an adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's Anderson's first animated film in which it utilizes the very tedious stop-motion animation. It premieres November 25 and I, for one, cannot wait.

Trailer below:

Mashups

2009-11-17T09:34:00.000-08:00

In light of all the mash-up talk, I decided to compile some that I've found along the way.

Pineapple Express/ Toy Story

A new look at Mrs. Doubtfire

This isn't so much a mashup as it is just replacing human heads with muppet heads. It's still kinda funny.

I don't know why the toy story mashups are so good but here's another mixed with The Dark Knight

Sneakers

2009-11-17T09:13:00.000-08:00

Since I was in the Congo DR, in Kinshasa I have liked to spend money on sneakers. I bought several basketball sneakers that I wore everyday to the ecole, school, I was young and very competitive.

Boots were cool but heavy to be wore everyday to school. When it rains I wore them, and when its not raining I don't wear them.

Back in Africa, people don't wear cloth depending on the weather. You could find some people wearing a winter clothe from the US, or Europe during the summer time in Africa.

Basketball sneakers are the tightest shoes in the world. It could be wore during the basketball games, while side walking, playing other sports, and running. I would recommend that everyone should at least owns one basketball sneaker or more.

Get some here they are FREE. Free basketball sneakers from YILumumba Donation Program

Getting A Good Email

2009-11-17T08:42:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wonder how wonderful it is to be happy about a result?

If you were an individual who supposed to be killed by someone because they dislike you, then suddenly you received a letter from some superiors telling you that they arrested those haters.

People don't like each other because they think that one was superior to another, and one was better than another. I guess being a positive minded person, and loving each other is the best way to deal with the society.

Let me tell you something, you better off get ready to live the American dream rather than to be in jail without any hope.

TAKE A LOOK ON THESE AND LEAVE SOME COMMENT

fyi!

2009-11-16T21:41:00.000-08:00

The Leonid meteor shower is expected to be visible in the U.S. around 4am Tuesday morning. If you're an early riser, you'll witness what is said to be the best meteor shower in years.

(More info)

Doctor Shadowing: Medquest

2009-11-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I guess shadowing doctors and doing health care trips while being in high school it is a very good ideas to think about.

If a student is interested to go to medical school or to study medicine in college, you would need to get ready for it, intellectually, physically, and morally.

Here is some resources about my own experience

Man Without A Head

2009-11-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

I recently received a disc of 16 award winning short films. L'Homme Sans Tete (or Man Without a Head) was one of the first ones I watched. Luckily I found it again online. I highly suggest setting aside the 18 minutes it takes to watch this. It makes you think and is quite unusual and visually pleasing.

The movie's tag line: The man without a head will meet his true love tonight. For this occasion, he shall buy a head.

watch it here:

man without a head

If you decide to take the time to watch this, let me know what you think.

I have so many questions as to what it would be like if we lived in a world of interchangeable heads... how would we recognize anybody? It makes you think about how much we take our heads for granted. Weird but true.

Guatemala Kite Festival

2009-11-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of all of my other halloween posts-- why not stick with a similar theme.

The All Saints Day (or as some know it- Day of the Dead) Kite Festival in Santiago, Guatemala, is a beautiful tradition. Local residents dress in bright colors and go to the graveyards to fly their kites in hopes of communicating with the dead.

These are not your average windy-day kites. No, these are hugeeee.. ranging from 24 to 36 meters. They're typically circular, colorful and designed with a religious theme. Though made out of just bamboo, cloth and paper wire-- they can sustain heavy winds.

It's a way to enjoy remembering the departed and coming together with other loved ones. It can be a fun way to compete with neighbors in kite races and just feel unity within the community.

Drunk Ewoks

2009-11-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Alright, I've been pretty good about not posting youtube clips but I just had to make an exception. Maybe it's cause I'm a star wars nerd,

maybe it's cause there's been so much halloween talk but this clip seemed appropriate. I also think it's pretty hilarious.

The moon walk has got to be my favorite part

Umbrelluhhh?

2009-11-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

To add to my festivities on halloween, I'd like to share this incredibly ridiculous story with you all:

So it's pretty difficult to find a cab on Halloween night, they are completely full to the point where those sketchy black and silver taxi cabs pull up to people offering their taxi services. Word to the wise-- don't accept those offers. But this story does not have to do with sketchy taxis, no, but it does start with the attempt to hail one. My friend was holding his umbrella out-- a feeble attempt to hail the bustling new york city cabs. A guy who seemed like he was in rush asked my friend "Can I borrow your umbrella?" Before my friend even had a chance to respond, this guy yanked his umbrella from him and continued to run towards another guy. At first I thought he was trying to steal the umbrella, which seemed kind of pointless seeing as it wasn't raining and umbrellas are relatively cheap. Well, I was wrong-- he took the umbrella to use it as a weapon against someone else. He went to go beat down on this other guy when we saw his opponent catch the umbrella with one hand and turn the whole fiasco around on him. This was complete with yelling angry woman in the background-- "Bobby NO!!! Don't hit him," screeching and yelling ensued-- I'm guessing someone didn't abide by the "bros before hoes" code.

All of a sudden this altercation erupted in a flurry of people running out into the street. There were about 7 people in the middle of the street, in the middle of traffic, all out going at it, umbrella and all. My friends and I thought it smart to perhaps move somewhere else seeing as it seemed to be getting pretty serious. Soon enough the cops were involved, running after all the culprits down the street but to no such luck as to catch them.

My friend was left with a bloody finger and we were all a little bit scarred after it happened. Shocked and slightly amused, we decided to take the subway.

Halloween in NYC

2009-11-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

So I spent Halloween in NYC.

Let me just say there is really nothing like it. Everyone is dressed up and if you're not then you're just that guy (or girl) who is too cool to be seen in a costume. And ok-- there is definitely a lot to be said about slutoween (namely that I despise this aspect of halloween)-- I'd like to propose that there are at least some people out there with some creativity. I don't really feel like the skank outfits are excused by the fact that it's halloween-- if you choose to take that route with your costume, I mean... you had a choice there.

ANYWAYS, totally not judging!

Luckily I got to snap some photos while I was out there in the big apple--

my personal favorite of the night:

here's another that I liked, right near union square:

And one more:

so come on people, halloween 09 has come to a close but put on your thinking caps for halloween 2010, be creative, innovative, weird....you can do it!

Paranormal Activity

2009-11-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard about Paranormal Activity yet, you must be hibernating because people are a buzz about this thriller. I haven't seen it yet but despite mixed reviews, I think I'll probably make my way to the theatre.

What is incredible about this movie is the budget that was used to make it (only $11,000).

It was shot in the director's house-- with a crew of three and a cast that was quite small.

The shoot lasted a mere seven days.

The first I heard of this movie was through my Dad in a text message. "Have u heard about this movie Paranormal activity? It's supposed to make people afraid of their own bed."

The trailer for the movie is a bunch of reactions to it. People getting freaked out mostly and squirming in their seats.

If anyone has seen it, let me know what you think, if it's worth being freaked out for the next couple of days.

LT

2009-11-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

Now, I know we generally aren't fans of the youtube posts, but I found this video the other day and I think it absolutely kicks ass.

I'm not a Chargers fan, and I don't particularly care for Ladainian, but I thought it was perfect. I really liked how they built his childhood up, then incorporated his experiences through the years in the final touchdown. I feel like this is something we can definitely relate to and inspire us. I believe that who you are today is a direct reflection of your life experiences, and if you can use them the right way, you will fulfill your own destiny.

Besides, Morricone is a damn good composer.

follow/up

2009-11-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

(Where the Wild Things Are + Halloween)

I'm sure this one of a million Wild Things costume, but this one is adorable.

Thinking about Wal-Mart

2009-11-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

I was at Wal-Mart the other day, and as I was waiting to check-out, there was an old woman trying to pay in the aisle next to me. I mean, she was like REALLY old. Bent over, shaky voice and gestures, etc. However, they wouldn't accept her check. I'm not sure why - I didn't quite hear what they were talking about. So her total was like $40-something, but she only had $17 in cash. The cashier then proceeds to unbag things until her total is below $17, then another employee comes and unceremoniously carts the stuff off back into the store. I guess the manager came over to see if the cashier was fine, and she sorta rolled her eyes and said it wasn't a big deal. Now, I'm all about capitalism, but shit - that sort of thing is depressing.

Put a record on

2009-10-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

Slate.com, an excellent political and social commentary blog, dedicated one of their daily photo journals to the (almost) long-lost record store. Our generation and the generation before us have all but put out record stores, favoring digital music and cds before that. Our generation prefers ipods because of their convenience and portability. I like my ipod, but downloading music instantly doesn't quite have the same effect as thumbing through stacks of old records.

I remember when I first heard Paul Simon's Graceland on record. It was the spring of 2008 and I was sitting outside in a Burlington yard, having dinner with friends. The sound was robust and beautiful and did proper justice to Simon's terrific album. The sound that resonates is what sets records apart from your computers and ipod docks; records recreate an unadulterated sound that unique to records. Admittedly, listening to records is about the whole experience. There is something very charming about placing the needle on the grooved record and the crackling noise the record makes as it begins to spin.

Interestingly enough, the generation that killed the radio star, is also bringing records back. Our generation is incredibly nostalgic, even for things that we didn't experience the first time around, like records. Luckily, in Burlington, records are not hard to come by. Burlington has an abundance of music and thrift stores, most that sell records.
Burlington Records, on Bank Street opened last spring and sells records and record players (there is also an awesome thrift store on the second floor). If you're looking for cds, don't bother: Burlington Records sells records exclusively. Pure Pop, on N. Winooksi (at College Street), has older records and a great collection of newer music released on vinyl. Pure Pop also has an huge selection of new and used cds. Downtown Discs on College Street also sells cds (mostly used) and also has a small collection of records. Off the beaten path is Speaking Volumes on Pine Street (across from Battery Street Jeans and Great Harvest Bread Co.). Speaking Volumes is an awesome book/antique/record store in Burlington's South End. Speaking Volumes' collection rivals Burlington Records' collection with rare records. It's a bit expensive, but if you're looking for something unique, you can find it at Speaking Volumes.
You'll find records popping up at thrift stores, yard sales, and perhaps in your parent's house. Wherever you find them, give them a second look. Soon, you may be asking your dad for his old record player.

"Slutoween"

2009-10-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

Look, it's sexy Indiana Jones!

I have a confession: I hate Halloween. This is unpopular with Halloween enthusiasts young and old and I have been met with looks of utter disgust when I tell people that, yes, I hate Halloween.

First, I don't like manufactured scary things (movies, haunted houses, etc.). The world is a frightening enough place as it is. I don't need to watch some woman being hacked up with a chainsaw by a masked man for entertainment.

Second, I don't like costumes. I've always had an fear, although I admit, an irrational one, of mascots. At profession sporting events I would cower behind family and friends as not to be seen by the mascot (what is this anyway?!). I don't know why these people in furry get-ups think that they can give me a hug, pat my head, and honk my nose just because they are in a costume.

As an adult, something new bothers me about Halloween. Yes, it's fun to get together with friends for a Halloween party. And like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Arbor Day, Halloween is another excuse to drink. However, when I was younger I dressed up as a rabbit; a bag of Jelly Belly's; and as a pair salt & pepper shakers with a friend. However, there is a current trend with women and girls to dress up as, for a lack of better work, a hooker. The trend epidemic is so popular, there is even a name for it: Slutoween.

Women will put on a mini-skirt, stilettos, a bra, and some ears, and voila! She's a sexy bear. Leggings + tank top + ears= a sexy cat. Basically, a scantily clad outfit + ears = the standard female Halloween costume.

I don't have a problem with miniskirts--wear whatever you want, respect yourself, and have fun. My issue with the Slutoween epidemic is the lack of creativity and the fact that Slutoween has been marketed to girls. Frankly, it's gross how early girls are sexualized and not just on Halloween. Check out Limited Too or Abercrombie Kids; tight t-shirts and mini skirts are marketed to little girls as young as four.

You might say that girls want to wear sexy costumes. I argue that they "want" those costumes because it is the only thing that is marketed to them. Walk into any store that sells clothes or costumes and you'll find completely gendered boys and girls sections. Boys are sold Batman costumes and girls are sold mini dresses that resemble princesses or witches costumes. It is so ingrained in our culture that no one seems to notice anymore.

Mean Girls brought this phenomenon to the mainstream when the main character Cady states, "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." Yeah, that's pretty scary.

Where The Wild Things Are -- Follow up

2009-10-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

So I made a post a couple weeks ago talking about Spike Jonze and how wonderfully brilliant, cool and awesome he is. Yep, still right about that. Go see Where The Wild Things Are, I wasn't disappointed and hopefully you won't be either!

I'd like to first say how amazing all of the costume and set design was. The wild things, the big furry, towering creatures that they are, were made out of big foam suits in combination with CGI (for their heads.)

side note: I'd like to give some props to Maurice Sendak for introducing some of the strangest creatures especially within a children's story-- sometimes horned, sometimes fanged, furry yet fierce, big, loveable, mismatched wild things.

There's an amazing fort-type building they create in the movie which was also an incredible aesthetic element.

I wasn't really sure what to expect-- purely a children's movie or something more.

I got a lot more. You can definitely read into this movie as a commentary on life-- where we are the wild things trying to find some sense of order-- having to confront answerless questions and thus having to come up with our own sense of meaning-- the important part is how, who, or what you define this meaning as.

It's darker than I was expecting, which I really liked-- It didn't try to sugarcoat ideas by presenting an easy solution to the questions it asked.

Karen O. (lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's) and The Kids, wrote the soundtrack for the movie, which takes you on a journey in tandem with the film, playful, dark, sad, lonely, happy, etc.

so after the seeing the movie, my own personal wants:

- one of the suits Max wears

- A big, life-sized wild thing stuffed animal

Disney

2009-10-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I opted out of studying for a french quiz for a good bit of television. No, it wasn't Sports Center, or MTV, or Anthony Bourdain. It was the good old Disney channel. And what better feature did I watch than the legendary "Aladdin"?

I remember watching this movie as a kid and not understanding it. Well, most Disney movies have "hidden messages"that only appeal to adults (we'll get to that), but I'm talking about the story in general specifically. The whole law about the princess having to marry a prince, the whole concept of marriage, and Jafar's inexplicable infatuation with evil went way over my head. However, the movie was saved because of the cute and lovable Abu, and the shy but sweet Carpet, and of course, Robin Williams' signature excessively bizarre voice acting as the Genie. Years later, I understand that Muslim tradition during (probably) the 10th-14th century treated women far differently than Americans view women today (as well as marriage), and Jafar's motives became more of an issue of lust for power, something incomprehensible by a five-year-old.

I gotta hand it to them, even after 17 years of aging, and the evolution from the animated to the computer generated - which I can ramble on for ages - the film was still knee-slapping hilarious. The allusions to pop culture still appeal to our senses today - when Aladdin becomes Prince Ali Ali'ababwa (or something like that) and parades into Agrabah, the Genie pops up like an announcer during the very familiar Macy's Day Parade. Aladdin also confides in the Genie at some point, and the Genie tells Aladdin that he likes him - but "not enough to look for curtains" or something along those lines.

Rant - I'm upset at all this computer-generated garbage. We have lived through the death of animated feature films as we know it. It started with "Toy Story", and as a last-ditch effort Disney produced Mulan and maybe a couple others, but "Finding Nemo" was the nail in the coffin, and really the turning point in what children watch. Did you know that Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse, though both still on the Disney channel, are now completely computer-animated? Yeah, its pretty depressing.

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot; the movie captivated me so much that I decided to stay till the end and show up five minutes late to my quiz. Haha.

Cooper

2009-10-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Meet Cooper, a lovely black lab aged 6 years. Cooper is probably the best dog I've known. She loves people, but doesn't jump. She is shy, but very playful. She's the type of dog that will play ball until your arm gets too tired - if you couldn't tell by the picture, she actually is quite attached to her ball. You'll also notice from the picture that she doesn't sit like a normal dog. She plops down right on her ass. I think she thinks she's a person. She loves attention - if you pet her, expect to be in for the long haul. She only sheds once a year, which I think is pretty uncommon for black labs.

Here's a short story of Cooper's dedication: I went for a kayak and paddle boat ride with my parents last summer, and we saw Cooper running along the shore, making sure we were in sight the whole time. We stopped and talked for a little bit, then realized that Cooper wasn't on the shore any longer - she had actually jumped into the water, and swam probably 100 yards to us. She was almost there, but no way could she stay afloat for that long. My stepfather had to lead her into shore in his kayak. I thought she was a total bonehead at the time. But I realized she only did it because she had to be near us.

Whenever my brother, Sam (he's 4 1/2), is playing near the water in his sand, Cooper is sure to be sitting nearby, protecting him. I'm sure that if he were to fall, she would be right there to try to help him.

Cooper tore her ACL about a year and a half ago. It happened over the summer, but we elected not to do anything right away - she would require 6 weeks in a crate after surgery, immobilized, so we figured we should wait until winter when she's not really missing anything. Winter came - she got the surgery. She was really, really out of it when she got back home. She had to wear a cone around her head so she wouldn't lick the staples in her leg and infect the incision. There was some humor in it though - her entire leg had to be shaved so the vets could operate efficiently. I mean the ENTIRE leg. Like, paw to butt. Her back actually looked kind-of like a big, hairy chess board. The funniest part of it all was it took until the beginning of this summer for the hair to grow back. I took her on a walk and someone stopped and asked me why she looked like that - I told him she was a rare breed of lab, a Checkerboard Lab. I think he thought I was serious.

Unfortunately, we think Cooper has now torn her other ACL. We aren't sure what to do. Another surgery is costly, and potentially risky. We could end up having to put her down. I'm scared for her - she's such a good dog, loving, devoted, and friendly. I hope she can play ball again.

The best band you are (probably) not listening to

2009-10-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I had the sensory pleasure of seeing Grizzly Bear in concert. The indie darlings were melodic, charming, and completely rocking. Opening for Grizzly Bear, however, was Beach House, the best band you are (probably) not listening to. I’ve loved them for awhile but their live performance confirmed my undying love; theirs was one of the best I’ve seen in recent memory. Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste told the audience, “You should really listen to this band.” I know Ed, I know.

I first discovered Beach House in the winter of 2008 after they released their second album, Devotion. During the desolate Vermont winter, I was warmed by the otherworldly melodies and the poetic lyrics that would dance around romantically in my head.

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Beach House is Victoria Legrand and Alex Scully. Legrand and Scully employ a keyboard, organ, guitar, and exquisite vocals to create some of the most original music I’ve heard. I read an article describing Beach House as “unclassifiable” music with which I wholeheartedly agree. Often artists are cheaply passed as sounding like x artist (I find this particularly common in bands with female vocals). However, vocalist Victoria Legrand’s voice is so hauntingly beautiful, she is unparalleled in comparisons.

I don’t care much for “Best of” lists, no matter how accurate they are. However, both Beach House’s first album Beach House and their second effort, Devotion, were included on Pitchfork’s Best Albums list in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

I have to wait until 2010 to hear another Beach House album. Yet, this band’s already impressive body of work is sure to get me through another long winter. I implore you to check out this beautifully talented band.

What, say you, is the best band that we’re not listening to?

ps:

The Trotsky

2009-10-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

Bonjour from Montreal. This weekend is the Montreal Film Festival (Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.) I just attended a screening of Jacob Tierney's "The Trotsky." Revolutionary!

What an interesting concept for a movie-- a 17 year old kid, Leon Bronstein, thinks he's the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky. He has a list of things he must do in order to fulfill a life that mirrors Leon Trotsky's. He's incredibly motivated, dedicated to getting his school a union for it's students.

I'm impressed with this movie for a number of reasons. I thought it was shot well, it had an incredibly unique plotline, the characters were interesting-- especially Jay Baruchel who did a great job as Leon. The dialogue was noticeably more believable for the most part than with many other movies. It was inspiring-- the story, the creating of such a story and just the movie as a whole, rebelling never seemed so... inspiring? yea.

See this movie when it comes out. Especially all you UVMers who have been a part of any of the on-campus protests, you'll probly dig this.

Ahoy matey...

2009-10-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

So, we all remember the ex-navy captain Vermonter who was captured by Somali pirates last spring, correct? Well, piracy continues to be an issue in the ungoverned waters off the coast of Somalia. However, some resolution may come sooner than expected.

A band of Somali pirates attacked a ship last night, but were immediately thwarted. Why?

The vessel they attacked was a French navy command ship.

The ship, titled "Somme", measures 160 meters long. Allegedly, the pirates were confused when the ship fired back, and attempted to flee. The Somme captured a band of pirates, who are held on board at this time.

Seriously - how do you fuck that up?

Read the Full Story Here

My Video

2009-10-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

I think its way too abstract... but... whatever.

Its all about Legos... and life. I'm not sure if I did this assignment entirely correctly, but, if nothing else, try to listen to my message and use your imagination. Other than that, I'm not going to tell you too much else. If you're really interested or confused, I guess you can ask about it. But I think everything you need to know is already in the video.

recipe for cookies & life.

2009-10-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

moving essay

2009-09-30T21:47:00.001-07:00

Lily from Lauren on Vimeo.

Al Kaprielian

2009-09-30T21:26:00.000-07:00

The man who has been making weather fun for southern New Hampshire for 25 years. He studied meteorology in Lyndonville Vermont, and he knows a thing or two about "High Pressure." Enjoy - I know I did.

correction....

2009-09-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

My best friend swears her and her boyfriend will own one of these things one day... good luck guys, they're highly illegal in the US and almost every other country I've researched. And not to ruin anyones fun, but apparently they are terrible house pets, they can't be trained and create an awful stinking mess anywhere and everywhere they so please. But... we can all dream.

oh and as a side note:

PANDA DOG!

the cutest thing I have ever seen....

2009-09-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

THE MOST BADASS ANIMAL ON THE PLANET

2009-09-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

I love octopi (octopuses, octopodes), I know they make a lot of people uneasy ("they have eight legs and a beak! that shouldn't be biologically possible!"-a friend... you know who you are... psshh hater) but I genuinely adore these creatures.
Things You May Not Know About Octopi: (graciously borrowed from about.com)
1. they have arms, not tentacles--Tentacles are longer than arms. Tentacles usually have suckers only at their tips.

2. There are three plural forms of the word octopus.They include octopi, optopuses, and octopodes.

3. An octopus has three hearts.Two hearts are used to pump blood to each of the octopus' lungs and the third pumps blood throughout the body.

4. Octopi are highly intelligent.They are believed to be the smartest of all invertebrates and show great skill at problem solving (instead of relying on instincts).

5. Octopi can fit into small crevices.Since they have no internal or external shell or bones, they can manipulate their body to fit into tight spots.

6. Octopi can annihilate sharks, and probably any other animal that tries to fuck with them.

I think they might be the most interesting animal on the planet; they are intelligent, beautiful and true badasses. You don't think so? Check out this video for further proof.

yes... that just happened.

mmmm... banksy

2009-09-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

"when I was a kid I used to pray every day for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn't work that way, so I stole one and prayed for his forgiveness."
I'm not sure of the origin of this quote, but the first time I entered the website of graffiti artist Banksy this is what greeted me. I was sold before I even took the time to search through his extensive catalogue of graffiti art (divided by "outdoors" and "inside" which are both fantastic) and after looking through I was made a believer. Banksy is the man. An artist. A satirist. A true anarchist if there ever was one.
Check it. http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm

Football again... wooooow

2009-09-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

So... I bet this kid feels dumb.

EDIT: Hahahha thanks for pointing that out Wayne. I didn't even realize this game included Vermont teams until just now. I guess that makes it all the better, and although I have my qualms with the University not having a Varsity football program... perhaps that's a good thing.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Tennis

2009-09-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

I know this is really old news, but I wanted to post these videos here just in case nobody has seen them.

Video #1 proves Roger Federer is God of the Tennis Court. I mean, come on.

Was that insane or what? Just... WOW. The composure he keeps for the entire play... He doesn't even hesitate or anything. He just does what he has to do to win. Period. And Djokovic can do nothing but say, "Well, that was a pretty good play."

Videos #2 and #3 show us that even the greatest superstars.... well, let's say they have their moments.

And if that wasn't bad enough, look what happens later:

So... yeah. Tennis is cool.

DIY, single ladies.

2009-09-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

where there's smoke, there's fire; where there's pop sensation, there's internet imitation. thanks to youtube, anyone can be an internet celebrity. thanks to beyonce and this talented musician, we have a lot of single ladies.

pretty cute/good:

Sultan Kosen

2009-09-30T05:46:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have heard, but there is a new "Tallest Man on the Planet" walking around. Sultan Kosen, standing 8'1" tall, hails from Turkey. His growth is attributed to a tumor, which was removed last year. His abnormal growth left him with medical issues, particularly stress on his knees, and he now has to use canes to perform many physical activities.

Part of me feels sympathetic towards him - he has to have clothes specially tailored, his bed had to be custom made (3 meters long!), and of course, he will have lingering health issues for the rest of his life. However, Mr. Kosen seems to be taking it all very well. He hopes his newfound fame will help him find love, and ultimately, get married.

The fame, however, may be the biggest blessing, or the worst curse he may encounter. Yes, he does hope that with fame, people will learn to understand him and not be fearful of his size, but my wishes go to his privacy. The previous record holder, Leonid Stadnik (who is actually taller, but was stripped of his title due to his unwillingness to be measured - he stands 8'5"), spoke in regards to the media attention towards himself; “I will agree if it makes me healthy or long-liver, but everything was on the contrary and damaged my nerves.” Hopefully Stadnik's response will be taken to heart, and if and when Kosen asks for privacy, he can get it.

Read the full story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8259728.stm

These are Paintings (Not Photos)

2009-09-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

ch-ch-check it

These are my two favorite paintings of the bunch.

The textures in the first one are so realistic and the subject material (dinosaur and marbles) are exceptionally nostalgic for me. I actually used to hide my marbles in this hollow dinosaur I once had. I wonder where that thing is...

FYI

2009-09-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

These graphics divide companies by what political party they fund. It's particularly interesting (and for me, disheartening) when you look at the pharmaceutical companies and then take a look at our current health care debate

Right leaning:

Left leaning:

Media:

Transportation:

Pharmaceuticals:

oh and incase you needed more

2009-09-27T10:53:00.001-07:00

to go along with laurax's earlier post:
this guy is unbelievable....

see kiddies doesn't this look fun?

2009-09-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

CAMP BISCO: full of the kids your mother warned you about. Biscuits kids are bonkers, if you are ever unfortunate enough to run into any of these flat brimmed, rap wearing hooligans turn and run the other way. Retreat back into the world of sanity and well structured society, or else you might find yourself gtrapped on the other side of the looking glass; lost amongst the crazed creatures you find there. They are nothing but trouble, mom was right. But honestly, doesn't this look like fun?

SHPOOOONGLEEEE

Shpongle late night set was hands down one of my favorite sets of any show/festival of the entire summer. And I ain't exaggerating. Simon Posford and Raja Ram tore up that stage and put the entire crowd into a frenzy... everyone vibed off this one incredible energy and it was beautiful... to say we were shponglized would be an understatement. Unfortunately, they won't be back around on this side of the Atlantic anytime soon. So I guess I'll just be biding my time until next summer...

also, my girl Bailey won free tickets for this picture (she's the only girl right in the middle). Look at Simon in the background!

a word on Simon Posford, also known as Hallucinogen, he is "the twisted lone deranger that warped a generation." His first release; "twisted" in 1995 truly set the standard for the trance and redefined what it means to be a musical artist. He himself otherworldly, certainly not of our kind, and his music is from outer space. Maybe Jupiter?

LEGOS

2009-09-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

click me

man, i remember when the bat mobile was a pretty big deal.

awesome video

2009-09-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

watch this!

still in the oven...

2009-09-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

here is a very rough draft of my digital essay. i didn't have access to a mac so i had to use windows movie. i want to redo it on imovie, add sound, and work on the transitions.

but for now:

Au Lait!: Burlington coffee, review

2009-09-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

I’ve been drinking coffee in Burlington rather religiously for over three years. I fancy myself a connoisseur of coffee in this town. I’m a coffee lover but certainly not a coffee expert. I prefer the hard stuff (espresso) and the fancy (French press) but my favorite is an American creation—the iced coffee. But I’ve got a pretty good grasp on who has the best coffee—and the best scene—in Burlington.

In reviewing Burlington’s coffee scene, I hope to encourage those not familiar with Burlington coffee to explore the lattes, mochas, and americanos of their neighborhood. (I’ll exclude chains—Starbucks, Boarders, etc.—because you know what they taste like and because I hate them.)

The lowdown, au lait:

Uncommon Grounds:
Situated in the center of town on Church Street, Uncommon Grounds has the most affordable coffee in town. As you walk in to the narrow café, you will immediately spot a large coffee roaster; this is actually a working roaster and if you catch them at the right time, you’ll see—and most certainly smell—roasting coffee. However, beware: they often uncommonly burn their coffee. Still, Uncommon Grounds has a large selection of coffee and tea. They also have, in my opinion, the best iced coffee ($1.65) in town. And they have, also my (well-honed) opinion, the most attractive staff in town. The tables are conductive to doing work and the big windows are great for Church Street people watching. It’s cheap, cute, and I leave caffeinated. What more could I want?

Muddy Waters:
Muddy Waters, on Main Street, is the heady who’s who of Burlington. Walk in to the rustic coffee shop and you’re sure to find plenty of beards and (Mac) books. But you will also be hard pressed to find a seat. Perhaps it is because the interior resembles a woodsy cabin, but people do not leave this café. Still, Muddy Waters takes pride in its coffee. The staff is incredibly friendly and since it’s popular with the college crowd, you’re sure to run into someone you know. Try the Muddy’s Shake: Espresso, coffee ice cream, and chocolate. C’est yum.

New Moon:
Located on Cheery Street, New Moon is arguably the most cosmopolitan coffee shop in Burlington. When it opened in the summer of 2007, I spent many a delicious dollar on their artisan sandwiches. But we’re talking about coffee and theirs is superb. The espresso will make you feel like you’re in Italy (or, at least, it make you feel very caffeinated). Their lattes are a must-try. It attracts yuppies and the older lunch crowd but with its dark walls, high ceilings, and plentiful seating, New Moon is a great place to spend an afternoon doing work. Catch them while it’s still warm—on nice days they open their large garage-style window.

Viva Espresso:
Viva Espresso is located ‘off the beaten path’ in Burlington’s North End. However, for the best coffee in town, I implore you to check out this coffee shop on N. Winooski Ave. With its charming exterior and interior, Viva Espresso is the epitome of Burlington’s local scene and, most importantly, of coffee. Viva espresso takes coffee very seriously—so much so that you are not permitted to take espresso shots to go. The owner asks that patrons sip their espresso in store, as it is traditionally supposed to be enjoyed. A must-try is a Chai latte—Viva makes their Chai from scratch, not a mix, which is very hard to find. Because they use almost exclusively local ingredients, Viva can be very expensive. Still, even for this thrifty girl, it’s truly worth it.

There are also a host of others—Speeder & Earl’s, Radio Bean, August First, and for smug tea drinkers, Dobra Tea. Wherever you go, check out your local coffee shops and see what all the caffeinated buzz is about.

Spike Jonze

2009-09-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I'm very excited about Where the Wild Things are--not only because of the nostalgia attached to the book but because Spike Jonze is directing it. What a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Now I am a huge Spike Jonze fan-- if you're not farmiliar with his work, I highly reccomend checking out films such as Adaptation and Being John Malkovich and his music videos (which he is known better for) for artists including Beck, Weezer, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bjork, Kanye West, The Beastie Boys and many more. He's also come out with various ads for Ikea, the Gap, and adidas to name a few. He was nominated for outstanding achievement in commercials by the Director's Guild of America in 2005. Below, you'll find his gap commercial "pardon our dust."

He's a breath of fresh air-- giving a new perspective and artistic eye to concepts and artistic ideas not usually seen in mainstream cinema. Being John Malkovich, a cult classic, is a movie unlike anything I've seen before-- Charlie Kaufman succeeds in writing a completely out there movie about the discovery of a portal to John Malkovich's mind. Seeing it as a business venture, one of the main characters, Craig, wants to exploit it and charge people to experience "being John Malkovich." A series of strange situations present themselves, a character becomes obsessed with the experience of Being John Malkovich, the audience must wonder what does it mean for John when someone else is occupying his mind? Who do his actions truely belong to?

He went on again to collaborate with Charlie Kaufman on Adaptation. The two movies being somewhat of philosophical anomalies-- distantly referencing themselves and on screen material so as to be kind of post modern in a way. It's definitely a challenge to be able to successfully direct movies of this subject material-- depicting the constant questioning and conflict in an understandable way is hard enough but Jonze does it in a unique and original way.

Though Jonze has put out some pretty awesome movies-- hopefully including Where the Wild Things are (which some people are skeptical about), he is really more well known for his wide success with music videos. If you haven't seen the video for Fat Boy Slim's Weapon of Choice, you are seriously missing out. Christopher Walken has to be on my list of like.. the top ten most awesome people, if i ever had one... so why not just take him and put him in a hotel alone to display his sick dance moves? I see no reason not to.

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice
Uploaded by 103clips.

I could probably fill this whole page with Spike Jonze videos, but do your self a favor and go to youtube and watch all the spike jonze you can get-- among my other favorites are: da funk- daft punk, praise you- fat boy slim, y-control- the yeah yeah yeahs, big brat- phantom planet, and flashing lights - kanye west.

Jonze's work becomes more and more recognizable as you become farmiliar with it and on this topic I'd like to present a question. You know how once you've become farmiliar with an artist, you may expect certain themes, moods, appearances or just commonalities between his or her works? Is this what it means to be an author and more specifically a director?-- since film is so collaborative, it's hard to give one person credit for it all-- however, as a director, the "author" of the film (not the writer)-- is it your style that marks you as author or is it something else? Is it what we come to expect or is that too restrictive? I'm very interested to hear what any one has to say about the issue of authorship in this respect.

Jonze will be showcasing an exhibition in the Museum of Modern Art on October 15th-- an "Evening of Skate Videos"-- so if you're in the area, CHECK IT OUT!

p.s. Jonze was married to Sofia Coppola for a while-- though they are now divorced, I give him additional points for dating another awesome director-- who you should also check out if ya know whats good for you.

Lets take a little laugh at Jay Cutler

2009-09-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Jay Cutler, the drama-mama's boy QB of this past offseason in the NFL, has proven, time and again, that he is relatively dim-witted for a so-called "elite" player in the league. Over the winter, he whined his way into a trade out of Denver into Chicago, and threw 4 interceptions in his debut as a Bear against his new division rivals, the Green Bay Packers. Although he performed admirably this past Monday night in a win against the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers, he managed to again show his incompetency - though this time through neither his play nor his crying. Good catch though, Jay.

lady in the water (i love sylvia plath)

2009-09-21T20:27:00.001-07:00

Contusion
Color floods to the spot, dull purple.
The rest of the body is all washed out,
The color of pearl.

In a pit of rock
The sea sucks obsessively,
One hollow the whole sea's pivot.

The size of a fly,
The doom mark
Crawls down the wall.

The heart shuts,
The sea slides back,
The mirrors are sheeted.

Vulture Stalking a Child

2009-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Seen here is "Vulture Stalking a Child," a photograph by Kevin Carter.

For those of you who have never seen this picture before-- it shows a starving Sudanese child being stalked by a vulture.

Carter won the Pulitzer Prize for this image but ran into some moral dilemmas. Should he have helped the child in the photo? Was it right for him to strictly stick to being a photojournalist and not interfere with his subject?

This image is extremely disturbing to me. We see a hardly recognizable child crouched in ball, bones clearly visible-- thin as ever and then a vulture right behind it. I wasn't aware it was stalking the child until reading the title. It just says so much about the condition this child was living in-- the fact that a bird could even consider this person as prey. I mean even thinking about the person in relation to the size of the bird, they don't even seem that much different. On top of that, seeing a person in such a state of malnutrition is even more devastating. Imagine all of the other people who were slowly deteriorating because they didn't have anything to eat. It's almost unimaginable but this photo really speaks volumes.

It's such a powerful picture-- and maybe this could be one of the arguments in support of the picture-- that it brought attention to just how severe conditions were.

Much of me feels like the photographer should have helped this child-- seeing as she looks very close to death.

The photographer committed suicide 3 months later-- much of which people think was due to how much scrutiny he was under for the photo.

yay for girl power!

2009-09-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

10 Reasons You Should Listen to Amanda Blank (right now)

1. She defines girl power. Her music is incredibly empowering. She gets right in your face and doesn't make excuses for herself and never monitors herself for other peoples benefit. I think every girl can take a page from her book.

2. Her beats are siccckkkk-- working with the likes of Diplo, Switch, Spank Rock, XXXChange and David Sitek of T.V. on the Radio, how could they not be? If you don't know the aforementioned names... well... I'm not really sure how to help you.

3. She just released a new cd (only 8 bucks on itunes!) and she's touring heavily (she'll be in NYC Nov. 14th, Boston Nov. 16th and Montreal on the 17th). There is not better time to start listening.

4. The girl knows how to party, and who doesn't like that?

5. She is the perfect blend of sugar and spice; she can be downright disgustingly dirty in one breath and in the next be lamenting about needing someone to truly love. She can be just as dirty as the boys, but with a feminine energy that's both innovative and refreshing.

6. She has taken a lot of shit for overt sexual nature of her lyrics, but has never let any one's opinions phase her. She doesn't care what people think of her, as long as shes being true to herself and getting her voice heard. If you like her, that's great, if not, that's fine too. Take it or leave it; I'd suggest taking it.

7. She "rides like Kelly Bundy, keeps that shit nasty." (check her out on Bump off Spank Rocks 2006 album YoYoYoYoYo. There are very few rappers alive who can claim to rap as fast or as nasty as this girl)

8. She can count Santigold and M.I.A. as two of her closest friends; how many people can say that?

9. She always looks fierce. Her personal style is glamorous and fun, but at the same time really natural and beautiful. She rocks 80's style shades and crazy long nails, leotards and acid wash jeans, silver face make-up and leather and somehow makes it all look damn good.

10. This song:

2009-09-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Grizzly Bear, "While you wait for the others"

For those not familiar with Grizzly Bear (indie darlings du jour, albeit with definite staying power), this video will give taste of this Brooklyn quartet. I saw them live this summer and they simply charmed me with their their melodies, energy, and earnestness.
"While you wait for the others" is my favorite track off of their latest album, Veckatimest, released in May of this year. I'm not a huge fan of music videos; I'd prefer the music to speak for itself, particularly when it's actually good music (I'm looking at you, Britney Spears). Still, this video is intriguing...

The Walkmen

2009-09-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce all of you to The Walkmen. Easily my favorite band, I like almost every single one of their songs. This is pretty rare for me, there is usually a song worth skipping on most albums but I feel like since this isn't a desire while listening to them-- thats good enough reason to call them my favorite.

Their first album, "Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me is Gone" received an 8.7 on pitchfork. Preeeeeeetty damn good for a first album. Their most unique and distinguishable trait is that they incorporate an upright piano into a lot of their songs. Now I know very little about the nuances of making music or what the appropriate terms for things are so I'll give you the laurax lowdown. hmmm that could definitely be some sort of sweet title for a news column or something.... (wishful thinking) ANYWAYsss... The Walkmen are a bit rough but very composed in that way-- they don't sound like something new and when I say that, I mean they don't use much technology in their music. They stick to the basics (for the most part, + upright piano) bass, drums, guitar and an extremely talented frontman who can really push his voice at all the right times.

** Please listen to "The Blizzard of '96"-- a friend of mine said it made him feel like it was snowing. They have this way of inviting you inside their song and creating a kind of climate to be in for about two and a half minutes.

They went on to make "Bows and Arrows" which featured "The Rat," which became pretty popular. A little more fast paced, this album has some more drums but is still distinctly recognizable as The Walkmen. I must admit, the first song I really wanted to play while learning the drums was "Little House of Savages" which turns out to be pretty easy-- a pretty simple beat thats repeated throughout the song.

I think... well.. I know that I have a pretty big crush on Hamilton Leithauser-- he is an amazing vocalist and one of those musicians who sounds almost identical to his albums in concert, which I was seriously impressed with.

Their third album, "A Hundred Miles Off" was not received as well as their others but I thought it was great nonetheless. Listen to "Brandy Alexander" and rock out to some Carribean sounding drum beats. This album is definitely different and not as tightly one style as their others but in this way, I definitely appreciate it and can still identify it as being The Walkmen.

Anyways, since this is pretty much just a ramble-- I IMPLORE you to check out The Walkmen, listen to their music, look at some pictures, watch some videos. I'll leave another one from their latest album "You and Me" (which you should download).

oh and here's one of the only pictures that came out when I saw them play in NYC:

sweet thing.

2009-09-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

My sister makes magnets in Portland, Oregon. This one is a nod to Van Morrison's very lovely 1968 album Astral Weeks (check it out on a cool fall afternoon). My sister has had success with her mini-business which gives me hope for the DIY movement even in 'these economic times' which is seemingly all anyone--from your mom to the talking heads on the 8 o'clock news--can talk about.
Still, despite the poor economy (of perhaps because of it), the DIY (do it yourself) movement is experiencing a renaissance. 'Customer confidence' is down and for the first time in decades people are beginning to question corporate America. And, perhaps, because in 2009, we are so far from our roots, people are anxious to get "back to the earth" by making things for themselves.
Burlington is a hotbed of artists and crafters which shoppers can unearth at the weekly Farmer's Market every Saturday in City Hall Park or at stores and galleries around town. The Burlington community is anxious to embrace small and local business and I can only hope that will sustain and spread, as Van says, in another time/in another place.

oh and,

2009-09-09T22:36:00.001-07:00

high five!

9.9.9 a tribute to Tim Burton

2009-09-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Though Tim Burton didn't direct "9," it's clear in it's appearance that he had a hand in it. Co-Producied by Burton and Timur Bekmambetov, Directed by Shane Ackman, "9" is an animated movie about a "stitchpunk" named (numbered may be more appropriate) 9. He is part of a group of stitchpunks, who seem to represent most of what is left of civilization. They must find out how to survive and potentially save what's left of society while also fighting off "the machines" who seem to be destroying what life remains. The whole synopsis is a bit hazy, and seems like one of those things you just have to see to understand (or not).

I'm gonna go ahead and rewind back to 1985 when Tim Burton put out "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." Now if you haven't seen this movie, you're truely missing out on something uniquely special/ weird/ slightly creepy and pretty funny. I think it's safe to say that a lot of Tim Burton's movies have become big cult successes-- "Edward Scissorhands," "Beetle Juice," and arguably many of his others. He wrote "The Nightmare Before Christmas" which has won 3 saturn awards and been nominated for an oscar.

He is an inspiration to me-- seeing that he not only comes up with a compelling story line but also presents it in such a way that is completely his own. Burton seems to take an interest in stories about social outcasts/ social deviants with both "Beetle Juice" and "Edward Scissorhands" and arguably "Big Fish" as well.

A not-so-random fact about Burton: He grew up right near a cemetary. When I read this, it kind of clicked to me, he deals with themes of death often in his movies; after-death beings, skeletons, and there is something very reminiscent of cemeteries in his artistic style.

A question for you: What did you think of his remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"
Is it comparable to the original? Maybe their both good in very different ways... let me know what you think.

As for this brief Tim Burton spat, I think I'm going to end it on how excited I am for his remake of "Alice in Wonderland." I think it was the perfect movie for him in that there are so many opportunities to stylize and just have fun with the story as a whole. There are such a great variety of characters too, and I kind of have a soft spot for Johnny Depp, yeah how unoriginal of me. Oh and it's in 3-D. (Thoughts?)

Blahhhg for thought

2009-09-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the theory that the color I see as green could actually be your blue, and someone else's orange, but we all know it as green? What I want to with this blog is to make people see my green. I think text and graphics are really the best way to convey not just what you think, but the way you think. Hopefully I can provide ways to do that. If nothing else, it just might be some interesting reading material.

blaghhh away!

2009-09-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

i hope this blog is a diverse collective of blahhhgers. writers and readers alike, we all come from different points of view & perspectives. i think we often live and think insularly(i am guilty of this). i want this blog to open minds and challenge views. mostly, i'd like this blog to be witty, smart, & fun.

i have a love/hate relationship with the blogosphere, but i hope to love this one.

the BLAHG spot

2009-09-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

I want this blog to be entertaining. A place where people return to for some clickable goodness. Music, movies, current events and not so current events-- anything that may be interesting in some context or another.

I'm kind of an internet nerd so expect some gadgety, youtubey posts along with the occasional post on things that are so bad their good (Point Break anyone?)

Hope you find this at least somewhat entertaining.

i'll leave you with one of my favorite videos--

and so it begins...

2009-09-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

THIS BLOG IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.

Or, most likely, it'll just be full of witty anecdotes, interesting videos and pictures, and intelligent insights into every day life. Hopefully the rants will be minimal and the stories entertaining. I'll try my best enthrall and intrigue the average reader, but if you have no interest in jam bands and the degenerates that are into that sort of thing, I'd stop reading now.