The Reason

I'm only writing a basic update to take up space. I've missed writing a blog. Mostly because it feels good for me to put my opinions out in the open. I don't try at all to force them down anyone's throats, I just love to express mine. There are actually few things we are truly free to do, and form our own opinions is one we have until we die. I'm a huge advocate of educated discussion and cooperation. I believe it is what advances our understanding of science. Group effort. So I place my ideas in the world just to maybe advance someone's understanding on a particular subject. The more people know about a subject, the smarter the decision they can make about it.

Just my two cents. I'll return with some updates about the situation in space, my opinions on some politics (I usually keep those to myself, but somethings are getting just to ridiculous), and maybe something involving Legos?

Plus, I shall be receiving my new laptop very soon, which will spur my renewed fire to update the blog!

Pigskins on the Gridiron

College football season is off to another year of hard hits and cheering fans. I for one just love the atmosphere that comes with it. Tailgating, Pre-Game, the buzz of the crowd, everyone dressed out in the same colors. It's amazing what we'll do to watch 22 guys try to kill each other. But I love it as much as the next person!

One thing about being in the south is the SEC. We all like to say our football conference is the best in the nation, but come on, the SEC really is! (I'm obviously slightly biased). But over all, football is a much difference experience in the south compared to anywhere in the country. To explain, I'll just paste this email I received from a friend that pretty much gets it spot on....with a fun twist for SEC schools at the end! Enjoy!

College Football Time....

Planning for the fall football season in the South is radically different than up North. For those who are planning a football trip South, here are some helpful hints.
Women's Accessories:
NORTH: Chap Stick in back pocket and a $20 bill in the front pocket.
SOUTH: Louis Vuitton duffel with two lipsticks, waterproof mascara, and a fifth of bourbon. Money not necessary - that's what dates are for.
Stadium Size:
NORTH: College football stadiums hold 20,000 people.
SOUTH: High school football stadiums hold 20,000 people.
Fathers:
NORTH: Expect their daughters to understand Sylvia Plath.
SOUTH: Expect their daughters to understand pass interference.
Campus Decor:
NORTH: Statues of founding fathers.
SOUTH: Statues of Heisman trophy winners.
Homecoming Queen:
NORTH: Also a physics major.
SOUTH: Also Miss America  
Heroes:
NORTH: Rudy Giuliani
SOUTH: Archie, Peyton & Eli Manning
Getting Tickets:
NORTH: 5 days before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus.
SOUTH: 5 months before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus, make a large financial contribution and put name on a waiting list for tickets
Friday Classes After a Thursday Night Game:
NORTH: Students and teachers not sure they're going to the game, because they have classes on Friday.
SOUTH: Teachers cancel Friday classes because they don't want to see the few hung over students that might actually make it to class.
Parking:
NORTH: An hour before game time, the University opens the campus for game parking.
SOUTH: RVs sporting their school flags begin arriving on Wednesday for the weekend festivities. The really faithful arrive on Tuesday.
Game Day:
NORTH: A few students party in the dorm and watch ESPN on TV.
SOUTH: Every student wakes up, has a beer for breakfast, and rushes over to where ESPN is broadcasting "Game Day Live" to get on camera and wave to the idiots up north who wonder why "Game Day Live" is never Broadcast from their campus.
Tailgating:
NORTH: Raw meat on a grill, beer with lime in it, listening to local radio
station with truck tailgate down.
SOUTH: 30-foot custom pig-shaped smoker fires up at dawn. Cooking accompanied by live performance from the Dave Matthews Band,... who come over during breaks and ask for a hit off bottle of bourbon.
Getting to the Stadium:
NORTH: You ask "Where's the stadium?" When you find it, you walk right in.
SOUTH: When you're near it, you'll hear it. On game day it is the state's third largest city.
Concessions:
NORTH: Drinks served in a paper cup, filled to the top with soda.
SOUTH: Drinks served in a plastic cup, with the home team's mascot on it, filled less than half way with soda, to ensure enough room for bourbon.
When National Anthem is Played:
NORTH : Stands are less than half full, and less than half of them stand up.
SOUTH: 100,000 fans, all standing, sing along in perfect four-part harmony.
The Smell in the Air After the First Score:
NORTH: Nothing changes.
SOUTH: Fireworks, with a touch of bourbon. 
Commentary (Male):
NORTH: "Nice play."
SOUTH: "Dangit, you slow idiot - tackle him and break his legs."
Commentary (Female):
NORTH: "My, this certainly is a violent sport."
SOUTH: "Dangit, you slow idiot - tackle him and break his legs."
Announcers:
NORTH: Neutral and paid.
SOUTH: Announcer harmonizes with the crowd in the fight song, with a tear in his eye because he is so proud of his team.
After the Game:
NORTH: The stadium is empty way before the game ends.
SOUTH: Another rack of ribs goes on the smoker, while somebody goes to the nearest package store for more bourbon, and planning begins for next week's game.
______________________________

And for SEC Fans:
HOW MANY SEC STUDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?

At VANDERBILT: it takes two, one to change the bulb and one more to explain how they did it every bit as good as the bulbs changed at Harvard.

At GEORGIA : it takes two, one to change the bulb and one to phone an engineer at Georgia Tech for instructions..

At FLORIDA : it takes four, one to screw in the bulb and three to figure out how to get stoned off the old one.

At ALABAMA : it takes five, one to change it, three to reminisce about how The Bear would have done it, and one to throw the old bulb at an NCAA investigator.

At OLE MISS: it takes six, one to change it, two to mix the drinks and three to find the perfect J. Crew outfit to wear for the occasion.

At LSU: it takes seven, and each one gets credit for five Semester hours.

At KENTUCKY: it takes eight, one to screw it in and seven to discuss how much brighter it seems to shine during basketball season.

At TENNESSEE: it takes ten, two to figure out how to screw it in, two to buy an orange lampshade, and six to phone a radio call-in show and talk about how much they hate Alabama.

At MISSISSIPPI STATE : it takes fifteen, one to screw in the bulb, two to buy the Skoal, and twelve to yell, "GO TO HELL, OLE MISS".

At AUBURN: it takes one hundred, one to change it, forty-nine to talk about how they did it better than at Bama, and fifty to get drunk and roll Toomer's Corner when finished.
At SOUTH CAROLINA : it takes 80,000, one to screw it in and 79,999 to discuss how this finally will be the year that they have a decent football team.

At ARKANSAS : None. There is no electricity in Arkansas

Distracted, By Sharks!

I want to blog, I do. But I'm around a computer a week on and week off. The week on should be plenty of time to write, but I usually get distracted. I'm trying to get better at it for sure. My excuse this week is simple. SHARKS!

Yes, it's Shark Week again! That wonderful time of year when the Discovery Channel shows us sharks attacking people relentlessly then tell us to help save the sharks. When we get to find out that the Great White isn't the only killer out there; that you have the Bull and Tiger sharks to worry about too. And then my favorite: Flying Sharks!

I do find it humorous that the Discovery Channel does focus on the 'predetors of the sea' and shows with titles like "Eaten Alive" and "Killer Sharks", then show us someone talking about how sharks are endangered and we should help protect them. Seems like the wrong way to go about that to me!

Each year, there is one show that is a kind of special for the week, usually hosted by someone well know. Last year's was hosted by Survivor Man, Les Stroud (Whom I will forever more declare is more hardcore than that panzy Bear Grylls from Man vs Wild. Panzy). This year's show was hosted by late night talk show host Craig Ferguson. I really enjoyed the episode, because he took that seemingly double meaning from Discovery to heart. The whole hour was him preparing to dive with sharks, showing flashbacks from many previous shows during Shark Week, most of which had someone getting attacked. He ran with it, complaining how they could say 'save the sharks' and 'sharks are not that bad' while showing stuff like that! Of course, it all ended with him admitting the sharks were rather majestic, but I still enjoyed the honesty of Craig and him saying what I'm sure many thought!

One other thing I wondered was how he came to host the show. I'm just going to assume the Mythbusters have some pull at Discovery, as Craig is a good friend of them.

Until next time, stay out of the water!