Saturday, April 4, 2009
A Shakespearean Sonnet to Facebook
I spent too much time browsing your web page.
No longer at your news feeds will I look.
So long tags of me not acting my age.
The way I stalked girls I don’t know was sly.
Every tagged photo album I would scan,
I come across her picture with some guy,
How could she betray me with that lame man?
We had some good times and some bad times too.
From the beginning a long way you came
but with updates apart we simply grew,
we’re at a crossroads and we’re not the same
On your news feed you may post this my friend,
that our relationship is at an end.
So I'm no longer on Facebook. The initial idea was to stop wasting time stalking and start being more productive, but it turns out now I have much more time to write sonnets and to follow Twitter.
http://twitter.com/kevinsroberts
THANKS
Friday, April 3, 2009
A Move Foward
"As Iowa goes, so goes the Nation!"
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Test of Grit
Though in then end I must say it is pretty inspiring. I'll be shipping out in June.
THANKS
Here's the link to Kid Rock, "Warrior"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Njivd_emQ
A Thing to Follow
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/washington/13scotus.html?scp=1&sq=Boumediene%20v%20bush&st=cse
In the dissenting opinion, Justice Scalia wrote that "The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today," and that the decision would "almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed." He backed his hysteria by referencing news paper articles, a move which is quite rare in the Supreme Court.
Well, today a Federal Court held that detainees in an Afghanistan air base have the same right.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/02/AR2009040201796.html?hpid=topnews
The 2008 decision focused on, among other things, the United State's "jurisdictional sovereignty" over Guantanamo Bay. Today the Federal Court stated that the situation in Afghanistan is analogous to that in Gitmo. I suspect an interesting Supreme Court decision. Hopefully we're not all dead by then.
THANKS
A Scam
In 2007, Crews won the election, uncontested, with 93% of the total vote (7% going to write-ins). He recieved 2,651 votes, roughly 13% of the total populatoin of Cedar Falls. Apparently "Chuck" was so good that season, not only did no one vote, no one cared to run agasint the guy.
Fight the power.
THANKS
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A List of Bests
http://www.friendsoftom.com/
You can download the podcasts on Thursdays on iTunes or listen to live streaming audio on Tuesdays from 7-10 at http://wfmu.org/. It really is a great radio show but I know what you're thinking, "I don't have 3 hours to spend listening to the radio!" Come here, listen to me, once you start you will not want to stop. It takes a while to get into it and to catch on to the inside jokes and recurring guests but once you do it will knock your socks off. You will start to make time to listen to the show and when it's done you'll want more. Personally, I download the podcasts to my iPod and go on bike rides just so I can listen and when I get home I have to plug it in to my stereo and finish. Check it out.
If you want a shortened version you can download the Best Show Gems Podcast. It's a 10 minute recap of the show and might give you a taste of what it's like.
Best Accidental Quote of the Day:
"JAG Off...icers were involved... JAG of...ten get a bad rap..."
- Prof. Schantz
When discussing Judge Advocate Generals, Professor Shantz's may not have put that dramatic of a pause between the "off's" and the rest of the word but to me it seemed like an eternity. This Beavis and Butthead clip helps shed some light on the situation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtIT0DwIIHs
Best Week of the Semester:
Towards the end of February I became horribly ill. I went to bed each night at 7 p.m. and got more than 12 hours of sleep a night. That was my best week this semester.
Best Movie Clip that I have not Seen:
Apparently there is a scene in John Travolta/Christian Slater movie where Howie Long rips the doors off of a Hummer. He does this, of course, to make the Hummer go faster. I have never seen this clip but I can only imagine how awesome it is. If anyone can find a link to that specific clip be kind and share.
Best Album I have not Fully Listened to:
"Ram" by Sir Paul McCartney. So far I've only listened to a couple tracks but I am ready to crown this a great album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlpREBxy1s4&feature=PlayList&p=0BC99BBDBFDEB8FE&index=1
Best Opening Credits Scene:
"The Graduate." Simon and Garfunkel bring it home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxWkCHt8owc
Best Flavor:
The white shark from the "Shark Bites" fruit snacks. I don't know what it is supposed to be, but I would be completely satisfied if that were the only flavor I could experience for the rest of my life.
Best Profession:
Artsy Photographer. I have a confession to make. I'm jealous of anyone who can call themselves a photographer and make money from it. The other day I was listening to guest lecturer on campus. There were a lot of people taking pictures of the speaker but I noticed one guy pointing his camera at the ceiling. I'm not exactly sure, but it looked as if he was aiming his lens at a heating duct. I can guarantee this picture was cool. How do they do it? How do they take pictures of absolutely normal things and make them look so awesome?
Black and white photos.
Twenty-two college credits,
You are an artist.
That's a Haiku.
Best Form of Communication:
Haiku.
THANKS
UPDATE!
Best Album Cover:
So sick... So much hair... Kris Kristofferson Barbra Streisand, "A Star is Born". When I meet that special someone we will remake this photo for our wedding announcement. Any takers?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
A Creepy Similarity
THANKS
Over millions of years some animals loose their feathers and wings and replace them with fur and, let's say, whiskers. BAM! SCIENCE!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
March 28th, 2009
Dan Macintosh on Bob Dylan
A Drake Equation for Lovers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ztl8CG3Sys
Basically, the equation starts with the total number of stars in the Galaxy. From there you determine which ones have planets, and narrow down which planets are capable of sustaining life. You eliminate prospective planets by multiplying the total number of remaining planets by the fraction of planets that meet specific requirements for sustaining life.
For example, say there are 100 stars in a galaxy. 1/2 of the stars have planets (50 stars left). 1/2 of those planets are the proper distance from their sun in order to sustain life (25 stars). About 1/2 of those planets have the right mixture of elements in their atmosphere (about 12 stars). Only 1/2 of those planets have developed life capable of communication (6 planets). And so on and so on. I by no means understand what it takes to develop life on a planet but I think I have a basic grip on the equation. You start with a large number, apply specific criteria, narrowing the number down over and over again.
The other night I applied the Drake Equation to a more pertinent question: How many possible "loves" are there out there for one person?
You can substitute a variety of words for "loves": "soul mates," "suitors," "partners," etc...
What I did was start with the population of Iowa - Roughly 3,000,000
About 1/2 of those people are women - 1,500,000
I estimate that about 7% (about 1/14) of those women are in the age range of 20-27 - 105,000
About 1/2 have or will have a college degree - 52,500
I'll estimate that 1/4 of those women are single - 13,125
I'm attracted to 1/3 of those women - 4,375
I find 1/3 of those women's personalities pleasant- 1,458
I share common interests with 1/2 of those women - 729
Without going into any other factors yet we've estimated that about .02% of the population is suitable as a possible girlfriend. (more than 7 girls per county)
Now...
Let's say that 1/3 of our remaining population doesn’t mind looking at me too much - 243
1/3 find my personality interesting - 81
We now have estimated that I am compatible with about .002% of the population.
If you believe that we each have just one soul mate then the odds are even more daunting.
We're looking at 1/6,700,000,000 - Not quite bailout numbers but still pretty high.
It's amazing that people beat these odds everyday and fall in love.
THANKS
Monday, March 23, 2009
An Open Letter
I'm not sure what compels you to yell at a complete stranger. As I innocently walk back from the library I simply let my mind wander. I harbor no feelings of hostility towards anyone. In fact, I consider myself a peaceful person. When you drive by and yell at me, I am not personally offended, but I am troubled for the rest of the walk home. It bothers me that there are people like you, Car Full of Dudes, in the world. It bothers me that you get some kind of entertainment from shouting insults at random strangers on the sidewalks. My friends, there is a time and place for that: sporting events.
I don't have much else to say, Car Full of Dudes, but I would like to you think about this: While you yell out "Faggot", consider which activity is more latently homosexual, a lonely man walking down the sidewalk reflecting on his past decisions, or a compact car full of dudes piercingly shouting out cat calls to a moderately attractive male passerby?
THANKS