Barack Obama has called the Iraq war a “dangerous distraction.” He wants more focus on Afghanistan and has promised the quick, though thoroughly responsible, withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, starting the day he is elected. John McCain quickly shot back at these comments, calling Obama’s war policies premature. In that Obama has not had
A Different High School Experience
Recently I’ve encountered two sources that have informed (and reminded) me that my high school experience was quite different from those in most of the country. First, I’m reading a book about the Columbine shootings (Comprehending Columbine by Ralph W. Larkin). Second, I listened to a This American Life podcast dedicated to Prom. In short,
Slow Drivers
You’ve just gotten onto the busy interstate highway after racing up the entrance ramp. You’re in a hurry, late to work, or fixing to be unless you can make up some time on the road. Traffic is heavy, but seems to be moving along at a good clip. You have a little trouble merging, hitting
Reminders of Paris: Music Videos
Lauren recently brought to my attention the fact that some of the wonderful French music videos we enjoyed watching while in Paris are available online! Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, we never have to be without our favorite French artists. As we spent most evenings indoors from 8-9 PM onwards, each night we were
Great Job Opportunity For You!
Here’s a tremendous job opportunity, brought to you courtesy of the UW Student Job Center website. Interesting in working with Art in a corporate environment? [Company name, you should be able to guess who] is looking for an intern to work full time in the summer and part time in the school year to help
New CellBlock Track – Snitch
Working with an awesome producer is so excellent. The producer for this track, Vlad Avesalon (not sure if he goes by another name for producing, as we met in a professional setting) made the beat and sent it to me. I just recorded the vocal tracks and cobbled together a very rough cut. The tracks
Stopped at Five
We could not have dreamed up a better Wimbledon finale than the epic battle played out between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal yesterday. Five sets, two with tie breaks, and the final going into extra games. Nadal took the first two sets, 6-4 each. Federer pulled out tough wins on sets three and four, by
Let The Summer Begin
Thursday was my last day at work; as of around 2:30, July 3, 2008, I became unemployed (that is, until I start school in the fall). So far, this unemployment has been relatively anti-climactic. That’s what happens when you leave at the end of the week, leading into a holiday weekend. Monday will be my
Chili Strawberry Sauce
I made some quesadillas for dinner on Monday night and decided to make an interesting sauce to go along with them. Usually, Lauren and I just have mild salsa, but I wanted something spicy. So, walking around the grocery store, I had an idea. I snatched up some strawberry nectar and some Tabasco sauce (which
The Real McCain
John McCain has a nice demenor when out on the campaign trail. He continually addresses those listening to his speeches as “[his] friends” and speaks in a calm, measured voice. But there are several stories out there that show McCain isn’t always so even tempered. And while we surely want someone who is capable of
The Lesser Evil for Anti-Abortion Groups
Wisconsin’s abortion rate has dropped to the lowest ever, since the state started keeping track in 1974. That’s right, abortions have never been more rare in the last 34 years (and probably beyond). Currently, per 1000 women in Wisconsin, just 7 had an abortion in 2007. Oh my, just think of the epidemic going on!
Bad Signs in Good News for GM
Automakers released their June numbers today; overall, it’s good news for GM, as they retained their spot as the number 1 US carmaker, continuing their place above Toyota, still stuck at number 2. Ford remains at number 3. This news was good enough for stockholders to buy GM; so while Toyota and Ford saw their
Stopping Speeders Cleverly
I just saw this article on CNN. Seems that some cities have been experimenting with optical illusion speed bumps. Drivers think they see a small pyramid shaped structure in the road, causing them to slow down, until they get closer and realize that it’s just an illusion. Seems like a very clever way to discourage