Wednesday, April 25, 2007

A Small Bit of Substance

I've posted the video from Tuesday's Daily Show interview with John McCain. It's interesting since it's the first time I've heard one of the major presidential candidates answer any substantive questions any issue, here the only issue really discussed is Iraq. McCain's campaign is in a bit of trouble and I don't think he really helped or hurt himself with any of his answers, if you were likely to vote for him before the interview I don't think he lost you and if you weren't voting for him I don't think he did much to win you over either.

And here's part 2;

2 Things

First: This video is amazing. It's a guy making a behind the back, falling out of bounds, assisted by the net, basketball shot. Just watch it, I can't really explain it well.

Second: If you're looking for interesting PBS viewing I'm currently watching a show called Secrets of the Dead: The Battle for the Bible. It's a good documentary detailing the struggle to get an English translation of the Bible into the hands of everyday people. Here's a page with a description of the show and a place to check your local listings.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

A Dream Realized.

Last year during the summer I would occasionally see and chat with Darren, a guy I know from law school, on the bus to our jobs and at the gym in the afternoon. I became jealous of his job once I found out the firm he worked for had a really relaxed dress code, specifically Darren was able to wear shorts to work. As a result I half-jokingly told some people that I was only going to apply to the firm where Darren worked for my employment this summer (which is now only a couple weeks away). Well, when I said that to some friends a few months ago my dreams were dashed as they told me that Darren worked for an all Black law firm (Darren is an African-American). Luckily the story doesn't just end here anymore…

As most of you know I recovered from my disappointment and secured a job I wanted really badly with the RIAA this summer. Well, that news got even better yesterday. When talking with my boss about what days and hours I’d work she let me know that the dress code at the RIAA was really relaxed, so relaxed in fact that I could wear shorts! I suppose the moral to the story is never give up your dreams or something like that.

Friday, April 20, 2007

My Study Break This Weekend

Are You Like Me?
Are you…
1. A fan of boxing?
2. Disenchanted with the current state of that sport (even with the De La Hoya – Mayweather fight just around the corner)?
3. Looking for something to fill that void?






If any of the above statements describe you then watch (or record, or Tivo)
UFC 70 at 9:00 pm eastern on Spike Tv. Some of the best sports programming I’ve seen in the last year has been in the fast growing sport of mixed martial arts and this is a chance to watch what was supposed to be a pay per view event for free on basic cable (This fight card was originally intended to be broadcast on HBO, however the UFC and HBO couldn’t get a deal done in time).

If you’ve never watched UFC before, or if it has been a while for you, be sure to watch a few fights before you make up your mind one way or the other. What looks like a boring fight with two guys just rolling around to a beginner is likely a very exciting fight with both guys going for various submission moves.

Here are a few pages to read if you’re new to the UFC or mixed martial arts in general:

  1. General Facts On the UFC and mixed martial arts
  2. Rules of the UFC
  3. Descriptions of the fighting styles you'll see
  4. Video's of techniques used in the Octagon
  5. History of the UFC company

Also, I just realized that the countdown show to UFC 70 will be showing on Spike from 6:00-7:00 (followed by two more hours of some older fights being shown before the show), so that would be one good way to understand the background behind the fights taking place on the show at 9:00

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Enough Already

I can’t go to a news website without seeing pictures of the Virginia Tech killer holding weapons and looking menacing, I’m tired of it. The kid was disturbed, he was angry at the world, and he came to the conclusion that the only notable thing he would ever do with his life would also be the most despicable thing a person can do. He shipped a box to NBC with a lot of pictures and videos for one reason, because he wanted to go out and be remembered, for the world to hear him vent and complain. I understand people are curious to watch this stuff to understand how somebody could do such a thing (even I was at first), but they’re not going to find any definitive answers, the simple answer is that he was disturbed and wanted the world to see him to vent his frustration. The news companies are complying in making his dreams come true and I’ve given him 158 words too many. If I’m going to try to dissect anybody’s psyche in this whole situation I’d much rather look toward people like this holocaust survivor professor who dies saving his students.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Yeah, What He Said

This quote from Deadspin.com sums up how I'm feeling a little bit more often lately;

"not to be a big freaking cliche or anything -- "My Gosh, the inexorable forward march of time sure does strike me, as someone in my mid-twenties/early-thirties, as something that is unique and particular only to me!" -- but seriously, though: The fact that Drew Bledsoe retired yesterday legitimately does make us feel pretty old."