A Quick Amendment

A conversation with my mother today made me realize that I probably need to clarify something about my previous post.

I DO respect what The Phelps has done. I'm not saying that he has been able to breeze through life and then wake up one morning, decided he was going to win 8 gold medals and then voila! No, it took a great deal of sacrifice and early mornings in the pool to get him to where he is now, and I respect him for that.

More of the message I was trying to get across in the previous post is that I think he has a bit of a complex... almost "Holier-than-thou" like. There is an etiquette pertaining to athletes when dealing with the media. Anyone that watches a great deal of sports interview will know that. And I think that Phelps might be trying to work with this, might be trying to be an inspirational figure, but I still think he is smug. I've also heard from some people that went to USA swimming Olympic trials that he is a bit full of himself, so there! I swear I'm not falling victim the fundamental attribution error or confirmation bias or any of those other pretty terms we've learned in AP Psych this year!

Speaking of school, it starts back tomorrow. Sigh...

Phelps

So, in case you aren't swimming savvy (what a great word... savvy, hehe, two v's), that isn't really Milorad Čavić and Phelps didn't really give him the finger and what not. I decided to put a bit of humor in this post, because the rest of it contains very, very, very dark subject matter.

The Phelps.

I know that he has perhaps done a great thing for swimming. Putting our sport into the spotlight for once, and winning 8 gold medals, blah blah blah. That's all find and dandy. What isn't fine and dandy though, is the publicity nonsense that has come with it. The talk shows, the book... all of that. All of the things where he touts his hard work and effort; No, I'm not doubting that it took hard work and effort. I'm doubting the second part of his claim, that anyone (by anyone I mean the average Joe... or even the above average Joseph) could equal his feat if they put in the same hard work and effort he has.

I'm sorry Sir, but you need to stop lying to yourself. You are a FREAK OF NATURE. Not everyone has a 201 cm wingspan, or size 14 feet, or a freakishly long torso or any of the other ridiculous number of natural attributes in their favor. He is without a doubt the second... I'm giving first to Ms. Natalie Coughlin... most talented swimmer of our era- if not ever. He can't just gloss over that fact they way he is doing now, it isn't fair to the rest of us. There is no way I could equal what he does, with my 5'4" 135lb frame and duck feet, no matter how hard I worked.

He is also a cocky little jerk that needs to be brought down a few notches. I'm banking on people like Milorad Čavić and Cseh László to bring Mr. Phelps' head back down to size.

Legos

When I was but a youngling I played with Legos and they looked something like this...



And I built things that looked a bit like this...



But welcome everyone, to the 21st Century of Legos!



My little cousins big presents this year were all Lego related. And I must admit, I was a bit jealous... they've some sweet Lego projects. Apparently, Legos are no longer the giant box of little tiny 2x2 or 2x3 or 2x whatever sized blocks. Now they're full on architectural mini projects of wonder, complete with color instruction booklets and all the blocks necessary to build the Taj Mahal completely out of Legos. My youngest cousin got some kind of Anti-Terrorism mobile airplane thingy and his older brother got this robot that you build and can program from the computer. It's all kind of amazing to me.
The only little tiny problem I have with this new generation of Legos is that it kind of take some of the fun of creativity out of the mix. Sure, my Lego creations never came close to the splendor of the Lego Eiffel Tower you can buy on Ebay now for $180 USD, but I had fun in conceptualizing my own designs for spaceships or houses and then coming up with a totally unique (plus some other adjectives... abstract, ugly) final project.
But on the flip side, I suppose this teaches them how to follow instructions and all that fun stuff. Plus they seem to enjoy it and my mother seemed to enjoy helping them find the right pieces, so I'm not going to complain.

A quick post on Atheism

Watch the video from 1:3o on.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Word - The Unbearable Lightness of Supreme Being

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Text from the sign:

At this season of THE WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail.

There are no gods, no devils, no angles, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.

I'm not sure how I feel about this sign. While I think that they should absolutely have the right to put it up, I question the wisdom of doing so. It comes off as a bit hostile. There are ways and means to achieve converts and equality, but this is not it. It will just create outrage.

Dinosaur, post 2

And now for the big question:



Dinosaur or Cleopatra?

I was talking to my mother last Friday after taking a shower and the conversation went a little like this:

Rachel: This head towel thing makes me feel like a Dinosaur.

Gwen: You look more like Cleopatra.

Rachel: Cleopatra? She didn't go around with towels on her head, did she?

Gwen: I don't know... someone back then did I'm sure.

So which is it? You be the judge.

Cleopatra

New Layout!

It is nice and wide now! Though, not as colorful as I might would like.... I will probably switch back soon.

Dinosaur, post 1.

I also agree with T-Rex. I don't buy into the whole theory that gender neutrality in language will lead to more gender equality (Chinese patriarchal society and female infanticide debunks this pretty well I think), but I enjoy using they as a third person singular just as a matter of convenience.

Ten things that make me happy.

1. Not being in school.
2. Showers.
3. Family coming for the holidays!
4. PRESENTS.
5. San Pellegrino.
6. Knowing I've been accepted to college.
7. Honeybread.
8. These yummy Zicam dissolving thingies that make me fee better.
9. Having the time and will to read.
10. TEA!!!
    

Because of religious intolerance...

I had the day off school!

Oh dear.

I've just finished writing my latest English paper. In doing so I've made an astounding discovery. Everything I've written this year (with the exception of my short story... but there is still time to change that) has been about how the main characters of all these works are suffering from some kind of existentialist crisis and life has no meaning. I fear I may be getting predictable.

VOTE MUNGER FOR NC GOVERNOR!

Also...

... be sure to vote in Minatory Swimmer's first ever blog poll!

In the meantime...

I know it pains you all that I don't write as often as I perhaps should. So, to help ease any withdraw symptoms you may be experiencing I give to you: http://groovo.org/

This is a nifty little player run by the extremely good looking people over at trianglerock.com. I'm a fan of local music and find this to be a great resource for bands and upcoming shows. The player is updated every weekish, so be sure to check back for new stuff often!

Fairness...

I ragged a little on Joe Biden in my last post, so I guess it is only fair I make a little jab at Sara Palin.

“It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there.”

Yikes! Are you sure they speak English in Alaska?

It has been a while....

I know that I didn't finish my last series of blogging, and probably never will. Suck it up.

To make up for my prolonged absence, I bring you amusing articles!

The first on here is from Reuters, which is always good for a laugh... article here. Summery quote:

An underdog in Sunday's election for governor of Bangkok punched and kicked a television journalist Thursday, saying he was provoked by tough questions during a live interview.

What would America have done if Sara Palin had just decked Katie Couric halfway through that interview instead of sputtering her way through it...

But let's step away from politics for a moment here.

Now, I could write a nice witty passage right now leading into the next bit of news I want to share, talking about how, in light of politics and the elections, we sometimes lose sight of the people that really contribute to our society. But, I'm not going to. Instead, I'm just going to tell you that it's time for this years Ig Nobel prizes to be awarded! Check out the official website here. Previous awards have gone to:

• Karl Kruszelnicki of The University of Sydney, for performing a comprehensive survey of human belly button lint -- who gets it, when, what color, and how much.
• Karl Schwärzler and the nation of Liechtenstein, for making it possible to rent the entire country for corporate conventions, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other gatherings.
• Jack Harvey, John Culvenor, Warren Payne, Steve Cowley, Michael Lawrance, David Stuart, and Robyn Williams of Australia, for their irresistible report "An Analysis of the Forces Required to Drag Sheep over Various Surfaces."
• Robert Faid of Greenville, South Carolina, farsighted and faithful
  seer of statistics, for calculating the exact odds
  (710,609,175,188,282,000 to 1) that Mikhail Gorbachev is the Antichrist.
  [REFERENCE: "Gorbachev! Has the Real Antichrist Come?"]

I love all of these parody awards, one day I hope to own a Golden Raspberry Award for bad film work of my own.

And finally, does anyone know if "It has" can be abbreviated "It's"?





OH! and Quote of the Month: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'"

Haha, Joe Biden.

Tennessee Trip: Days 2&3, Pt. I

I'm tired, but really want to give you a good analysis of days 2&3, so you'll have to wait for part II for any real substance. I forgot my camera connector thing, so all I have from my trip at the moment are the following two pictures taken off my phone:
Taken Just before the Toga party and...

This... a real life White Castle, taken in Nashville this afternoon. I also saw a Mellow Mushroom in downtown Nashville. I hadn't realized that there were others... though it is possible the Nashville and Raleigh versions were not affiliated. The Nashville one was different looking... I wish I had been able to snap a picture of it.

Tennessee Trip: Day 1

I'm currently writing from my hotel bed in Murfreesboro, Tennessee... a lovely city and #84 on Money's 745 best cities to live in list.

There is very little to say about the trip thus far... got to the airport without incident... has some disappointing Caravel soft serve... slept on the flight... got a rental car and all that nonsense, it was all very easy. The two most exciting bits I suppose were me getting stopped and yelled at by security because I ran through the metal detector and I had my phone in my pocket and our cool waiter at Outback. I got grilled pineapple and he was a very nice guy, a student, and Ron Paul supporter. I also made a tower out of the coasters on the table.

In more interesting news.... Barack Obama runs for public office in Brazil... six of them actually. Article Here.

A Victory for the Minatory Swimmer

Today I accomplished a feat that none has dared before!

I went and entire day at school BAREFOOTED... and got away with it! None of the authorities said a word to me about it... not one! It was beautiful.

Unfortunately it was cold and rainy today, so my poor feet were a bit chilled by the end of it, but it was worth it.

I really want a pair to red Chucks... sigh...

A Quick Thought About the Election...

In browsing the headlines and news tags, one can't help but be assaulted by hundreds of mediums saying, in effect, "OOO! SHE DID THIS!" or "THIS IS WHAT SO-AND-SO SAID ABOUT HIM!"

It makes me wonder... who do they think they're writing to? I think what is happening is more preaching to the choir than anything else. They're writing for an audience that already agrees with them, and audience to will read their articles and say "YEA, SEE!?! I TOLD YOU!?!". They're not going to convince anyone like this... the people that oppose their views are just going to stick up their noses and launch another "But your candidate did this!" and nothing will have been accomplished.

I feel sorry for the people who have yet to make up their minds. It must be incredibly boring/ frustrating.

A Victory for the Penguin!

There is a lovely article in today's N&O. I particularly like Dr. Munger's statement on the last page, speaking to those who might feel a vote for Munger is a "throw away" vote. Article Here.