It's secretly my someecard comic week.

rah-ful-mao BD

[16-09-2008]

A.B.S.R.D. [AM Blogging = poor Sleeping habits Reversed? Debatable]

- LOL, let's start this off slow and talk about math [can you tell that I'm in desperate need of getting back into a classroom?]! The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, GIMPS, recently produced the two latest [and greatest] prime numbers. I guess this is some sort of big deal? I have no idea. I can barely remember what 2+2 equals anymore. I really need school to start. [@scientific american]

- Al Gore is making the World Wide Web global! Oh wait. Not Al Gore. Sorry, I mean.. Tim Brenners-Lee? The [real] inventor of the internet has said that the World Wide Web Foundation will be working to bring the web to people everywhere who don't already have access to it. "The Web does not just connect machines, it connects people." Holla Web 2.0! [@scientific american]

- The stock market and our economy took a turn for the worst yesterday with the Lehman Brothers to declare bakruptcy and Merril Lynch being sold. The Dow fell 504 pts, the biggest drop since the market reopened after 9/11. Some are saying that while the economy is bad, it's not "catastrophic." Alan Greenspan begs to differ and frankly, so do I. Where's FDR when you need him? [@nytimes, @time, @youtube]

- "Strange 'ant from Mars' discovered" Before you go thinking that proof of life has actually been found on Mars [which may or may not have been my first reaction upon reading the headline], it was actually discovered on here on good ol' Earth. I found this news less exciting after I found that out. [@msnbc]

- "Forget about hockey moms and Paris Hilton--the financial collapse is a stark reminder of what actually matters in this election." It's articles like these that make me feel informed and intelligent after reading them. Thanks TNR! [@the new republic]

- I was pretty much done with this post until I saw this article linked on TNR. Really Sarah Palin, REALLY?? [@abcnews]

I'm disappointed by the lack of good articles over the weekend.

rah-ful-mao BD

[15-09-2008]

A.B.S.R.D. [Articles here were the Best from this weekend. Still Rather Disappointing]

-The LHC computer system at CERN was hacked last week by a group calling themselves 2600. The intrusion was intended to show weaknesses in the computer's defense system. Imagine if someone invaded the LHC and did funky things to it! Remember that black hole and destruction of the world thing that some people thought would happen when it was turned on? Yeah, I'm imagining something kind of like that. [@scientific american]

- It's becoming increasingly apparent that it is impossible for me to make a post without having at least one article about Sarah Palin. Today's article is about her duties [or lack there of] as mayor of Wasilla, a position that counts for the bulk of her executive experience. Let's just say this further solidifies my opinions of her and McCain since he's the one who made the risky move of making her VP. [@msnbc]

- NFL Update: I'm not gonna lie, I was a little torn watching the Bears game yesterday. I have my loyalties for the Bears and I'd never cheer against them but Jonathan Stewart [former running back for the Oregon Ducks] plays for the Carolina Panthers and he played an amazing game. It's not that I didn't cheer for the Bears [cuz obvs I did], I just also cheered for Jonathan Stewart.. [@msnbc]

- Ugh, I admit it. I watch Gossip Girl and I love it, thank you very much. Yes, I realize that shows like GG and 90210 aren't necessarily the best at showing how being rich isn't all fun and games. And yes, I realize that they give viewers unrealistic expectations. But I can't help but love escapist fantasy shows. Oh, and just for the record, I loved Veronica Mars. [@salon]

- You know what? I like Joe Biden. I think Obama made the right choice in picking him for VP. He did very well with his speech in Michigan. "Yes, this campaign is about change, but it’s about even more than that. It’s about what we value as a people. It’s not just about a job, it’s about dignity. It’s not just about a paycheck. It’s about pride. It’s not just about opportunity. It’s about respect. That’s why Barack and I are in this race." Obama/Biden '08! [@the new republic]

- I am so, so, SO glad that I don't fly United. $50 for a second bag is absolutely ridiculous. [@wall street journal]

- And finally, on the off chance that you didn't already know, Tina Fey returned to SNL for the season premiere to play Sarah Palin. She totally NAILED it. I'm basically in love with her. [@youtube]

11:30 is not Noon 30 and that's a good thing in my book.

rah-ful-mao BD

[12-09-2008]

A.B.S.R.D. [my number one feeling is Absurd aBsurd abSurd absuRd absurD]

- Oooh did you see, did you see? Gov. Sarah Palin had her very first teevee interview last night since McCain announced her VP! It was on ABC with Charlie Gibson. She danced circles around those questions! At one point I literally stood up and walked away laughing and shaking my head at the absurdity of it all [after I paused of course]. "I get lost in a blizzard of words there... Was that a yes?" Oh Charlie, you slay me! I can't wait to see her interview with Sean Hannity. I wonder if I'll be able to sit through its entirety.. [@time; @latimes; @the new republic; @youtube]

- Oil company conspiracy theorists everywhere were having [and probs still are] a field day when it was announced that US officials are under investigation for accepting bribes from oil companies. Hearing about corruption in Washington always makes me think of that one Simpsons episode ["Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington"] where Lisa talks about how the capitol was built on a swamp. Sidenote: why aren't there any clips of this on youtube?? [@time]

- I think more republicans should become Obamacans. [@salon]

- Reading about Fermilab and the amazing things that go on there make me feel bad for being one of the few people my age living in the Chicago suburbs to have never visited. If they end up proving there are other dimensions, I'll feel even worse. [@scientific american]

- I don't care if dinosaurs survived so long because of luck! If anything, that just makes them even more epic and awesome. Clearly, scientists have never read Ryan North's Dinosaur Comics. If they had, none of this would even matter. [@scientific american; @qwantz]

- So.. If the gay men have significant neurological similarities to straight women and lesbians have significant neurological similarities to straight men, then what about bisexual men and women? Riddle me that Jerome Goldstein/Ivanka Savic. [@salon]

It's another Noon 30 day and the only thing I'm behind on is this.

rah-ful-mao BD

[10-09-2008]

A.B.S.R.D. [A Big, Scary Raggedy Andy Dream]

- As a proud new bberry owner, I found this relevant to my interests. The one thing I miss most about my old razr is that it's a flip phone. I love flip phones because (1) if you don't have pockets or a bag, you can just easily put it on the waistband of your shorts/pants/whatever [def used this techinque a lot for places like disney and six flags] and (2) you can put them in your back pocket and not worry about pressing 5 million buttons. While I love my bberry curve, I'm really afraid I'm gonna break it if I put it in my back pocket which is a total bummer cuz where else am I gonna store it?? [@msnbc]

- If for some reason you haven't heard/seen, facebook got a facelift. The new format that's been around for about a month and a half now is supposedly becoming permanent some time today. I was in the first wave of users introduced to the new format and I've been using it since late July. At first I was VERY opposed to the new layout [re: 1-800-INTERNET] but I'm pretty much used to it now. I still have some complaints but it looks like we're all just gonna have to deal. [@msnbc; @rah-ful-mao]

- Good news! Yesterday the LHC [Large Hadron Collider] was turned on and there was no blackhole and we didn't die. Success! For those of you who don't know what the LHC is, it's a proton accelerator at CERN that can collide proton beams at nearly the speed of light. It'll be used to simulate and study the conditions of the moment after the Big Bang. [@national geographic; @scientific american]

- The only people I know who still use AOL are my parents and really that's only because they still use their AOL email as their primary email. Granted, I have to go to aol.com to check my AIM email too. But still, I don't see why aol.com is updating the page to include other email providers. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. I'd say this is lol-worthy but I pity the ancient internet provider more than anything.. [@nytimes]

- Oof. The GOP is at it again. According to Jane Swift, Obama called Palin a pig and McCain a fish in his speech in Lebanon, VA and the McCain campaign is expecting an apology. I guess they've never heard the phrase "You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig" before even though I'm pretty sure one of their own has used it. Hmmm. This time, instead of my mind exploding, my head can't stop shaking at their silliness. [@the new republic; @youtube]

- OMFG, if you aren't friends with me on facebook or twitter [which is highly unlikely cuz I know where all my traffic comes from.], then I need to tell you: I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO GO TO SAN FRANCISCO LOVEFEST! I don't care if it's the first weekend after school starts. I don't care if it's the same day as the Oregon v. USC game. I want to go to SF and party in the streets during the day and then go to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for the afterparty that night. I love techno. I love dancing. I love people. So OBVS I'd love LoveFest. [@sflovefest]

By blogging, I am successfully able to avoid packing.

rah-ful-mao BD

[08-09-2008]

If you didn't notice, I had a post this weekend. It's going to be a weekly post that I do on either Saturday or Sunday [depending on when I have the time]. Clearly, it lacks any substance but I'm okay with that. The point of "Music Note" is to introduce you to songs that I enjoy that you may or may not know. I'm trying to expand your music knowledge in a brief note! [See what I did there? That's what I do.]

A.B.S.R.D. [A Bright and Shiny Reading Day]

- I'd want to be a firefighter just so I could play with the FIT-5. [@scientific american]

- Ok, when I first saw the video, I thought for sure that this frog is one of those that gets filmed all the time and that people like my dad have as the background on their phones. BUT what do I know? I'm not Andrew Gray and I'm not the one filming the Red-Eye Stream Frog of Costa Rica for the very first time. [@bbc]

- I'm having a major "Well, DUH" moment with BBC right now. "Beatles' tunes aid memory recall." Well, DUH. How 'bout music in general aides memory recall? Ryan North is already way ahead of you guys. [@bbc; @qwantz]

- US Open Update: Andy Murray BEAT NADAL?!!? He'll be facing my love Roger Federer today. Also, Serena Williams won the US Open title yesterday playing against the Serbian I don't really care about, Jelena Jankovic. [@nytimes; @bbc]

- NFL Update: I watch football because I'm from Chicago and it's in my blood. So of course I was thrilled last night when Da Bears beat the Colts in a Super Bowl XXXXI rematch. But speaking of teams who lost in the Super Bowl, it looks like Tom Brady of the New England Patriots will be out for the season due to a left knee injury yesterday in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. [@msnbc; @salon]

- The McCain campaign is finally letting Gov. Sarah Palin do an interview! It's going to air on ABC sometime later this week. Obvs, I can't wait and will be watching it while taking diligent mental notes. Personally, I think it would be more entertaining if they let MSNBC interview her but I'm not gonna complain. [@msnbc]

- Since we're on the subject of MSNBC, Rachel Maddow's show premieres tonight. I'll try my best to watch it cuz I heart Rachel Maddow and I think it will be great. It'd be really nice if I could figure out what MSNBC's HD channel is though.. Also, lol at the first sentence of the article. [@time]

- Lance Armstrong is pulling a Brett Favre [without the difficulty and stupidity that surrounded that drama]. The 7-time Tour de France champ will be coming out of retirement and racing next year. [@msnbc]

Today's comic is brought to you by 1997 because last night made my head explode.

rah-ful-mao
[xx-xx-1997]
This is pretty much how I felt after watching the RNC.

A.B.S.R.D. [Absolute Bullshit is being Spread at the RNC Damnit]

- So, yeah. I watched the Republican National Convention last night to watch Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, age 44, speak. Between her and Rudy Giuliani, my head exploded approximately 2340980 times and my heart and stomach ached. Everything they said was either extremely disrespectful, exaggerated, or a flat out LIE. I was disgusted not because of what they said necessarily but because of their delivery. I just don't understand how someone can sit there and allow them to behave like bitter children. I find it completely unprofessional and don't believe that these are the people who should run our country. [@youtube: GOPconvention2008]

- There were a number of things I did last night to cool off a little. (1) I vented to my friends, (2) I read every blog post at The New Republic concerning Palin's speech and (3) I watched Sara Benincasa's Palin vlogs over and over again. I'd say they all worked out pretty well. [@tnr; @que sera sara; @youtube: SaraBenincasa]

- US Open Update: I know I said I quit womens tennis BUT I just can't help it. Any tennis is good tennis. That being said here's the line-up for the semis: Dinara Safina v. Serena Williams and Elena Dementiava v. Jelena Jankovic. On the men's side so far: Rafael Nadal v. Andy Murray. [@nytimes; @time; @bbc]

- "Hurricanes are getting fiercer" and global warming is to blame. Or is it? There's no denying that we have a lot more for storms to destroy nowadays. However, while there is more for storms to wreck, the fact of the matter is that the storms are stronger now than they used to be. I just thought it was intersting to see both of these articles within 30 mins. [@nature; @time]

- Archeologists may have found the oldest skeletons in the Americas in an underwater cave in Mexico. If the carbon-dating is accurate, this discovery may lead to a new theory of how the Americas were populated. [@national geographic]

- Speaking of old findings, the oldest gecko fossil has also been found! It's said to be around a hundred million years old. [@national geographic]

- This just makes me LOL. "Cross-dressing thief leaves fake breast behind" MSNBC sure has some quality headlines. [@msnbc]

- I may be guilty of loving a show that originated in the UK but I've been noticing a huge increase in foreign programming recently. Why don't American television producers know how to make quality original programming? [@salon]

I can't draw horses. I also can't draw dogs so there went my back up plan.

rah-ful-mao BD

[03-09-2008]

A.B.S.R.D. [A Better Solution to Rainy Days: part two]

- I've always just assumed that peaceful protests aren't really all that peaceful. Obvs, I've yet to be proven wrong. It's kind of a shame that the ice sculpture they carved melted by the time the GOP big hitters got there. Guys, it isn't *always* cold in Minnesota. [@time]

- While doctors are still unsure that hypothermia treatment was the key component to former Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett's parlysis recovery, the fact of the matter is that he's able to walk and that alone is simply amazing. [@scientific american]

- Apparently SciAm is all about football this week. Well, that's just fine with me because they finally answered a question I've had since last season: "What is turf toe?" [@scientific american]

- US Open Update: I'll make this brief because other than Roger Federer's nail-biting victory over Igor Andreev, I could care less about Dementieva moving into the semis or Djokovic narrowly beating Tommy Robredo [a match that I'm not too happy about]. I want my Serbians back. [@bbc; @nytimes; @nytimes]

- I don't care what anyone thinks - I own a Zune [well, technically owned.. mine was stolen a few weeks ago] and I'm proud of it. I used to own an ipod so it's not like I haven't checked out the competition. It's nice to know that someone else at least thinks about us Zune loyals. [@nytimes]

- After yesterday's post I was hoping to stay away from anything Sarah Palin BUT she's speaking at the RNC tonight so obvs I need to talk about her. This will most likely be make or break for Palin to show what kind of politician and potential veep/pres she will be. I'll save my comments for tomorrow. For now, this is what she'll need to do. [@the new republic]

Tuesdays were never meant to be Mondays.

rah-ful-mao BD

[02-09-2008]

Alright. A.B.S.R.D. is going to be a bit massive today because I didn't get around to making that weekend post I said I'd do. So to make it a little more organized, it's going to be separated into two sections: (1) All 'Bout Silly Republicans Day and (2) All 'Bout Stuff not concerning Republicans Day.


A.B.S.R.D. - The Sarah Palin Edition.

- When John McCain announced that Palin would be his running mate, my first reactions were "Who the hell is Sarah Palin??" and "The only reason he picked her is because she's a woman." I believe Joe Conason put it perfectly when he said that "Palin is the epitome of tokenism... she possesses the only two qualities that McCain now seems to consider essential: She is a right-wing religious ideologue with female gender characteristics." [@salon]

- For McCain to think he can gain the women vote just because of Palin is a complete and utter joke. I cannot express how infuriating this is for me. "How insulting, how condescending, how downright patronizing of Senator McCain to attempt such ham-fisted identity politics." Sarah Palin will not attract the votes of Hillary supporters and to think otherwise is simply foolish. [@the new republic]

- Another issue concerning Palin is her experience -or rather lack there of. As mayor of Wasilla, AK [pop. 5000+ in 1996] Palin was injecting major politcal issues and partisanship into a small-town local government. During the race, she was ruthless and beyond aggressive towards her opponent and anyone else who disagreed with her; a mindset that continued throughout her time in office. This is almost as bad as internet fights. Someone really should've told her to take a chill pill cuz that's what they said in the 90s. Then again, that may be a bit of a generalization of the decade. [@time]

- "What does a VP do anyway?" Well, for starters, a vice president is second in command. Americans need to be confident that the veep will be able to run this country if the president is unable to fulfill his or her duties. In this day and age, that person needs to be able to handle not only national issues but foreign relations as well. We see Joe Biden with 36 years of experience in both of those arenas whereas Sarah Palin has limited experience in state politics. But then again, she's from Alaska which is right by Russia so obvs she has international experience.. ? [@youtube; @the new republic; @youtube]

- While in my opinion, family matters are private and have no right to be exploited, I did find the news of Palin's 17 year old daughter's pregnancy lol-worthy. Of course she'll be marrying the father à la Jamie Lynn Spears. [@bbc]

- Let's not forget that there's is another name on the ballot in November - John McCain. In the beginning, there were a lot of center/center-left people who didn't have a big problem with McCain, he was a respectable guy. However, with the election only a few months away, John McCain has become a joke who's running "the most sarcastic presidential campaign ever." [@the new republic]

- And finally, it's time we address the Republican National Convention taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota. Honestly? The first day was pretty uneventful. Well, with the exception of the baby bomb. [@newsweek; @time]


A.B.S.R.D. - The Rest of the World Edition.

- Google's launching a new web browser called Google Chrome today! It seems pretty cool. I'll probably end up downloading it some time today to check it out. I'll let you know how it goes. [@bbc]

- We, as a country, expect so much of our president. We expect inspiration, leadership, and an answer to every problem that arises. Our view of the presidency has changed greatly over the past 200+ years; from simply upholding democracy and the Constitution to embodying and protecting the soul of our nation.[@csmonitor]

- With high gas prices and global warming, people everywhere are looking for better alternatives for transportation. [Re-]Introduce the electric car. Past models haven't really been all that we want or "need" them to be. Batteries drain fast and there isn't much power or speed involved. We're already working on the power/speed problem but what about the batteries? Shai Agassi seems to have found a pretty good answer. [@the new republic]

- Chris Jordan is quickly becoming an awesome person in my book. He's an artist who specializes in "giant photo collages." They aren't your typical collage though. They give you a visual idea of the [environmental] statistical data of our over consumption of products. You can look at his work here. [@the new republic; @chrisjordan.com]

I should invest in a dictionary comprised solely of words beginning with the letters a, b, s, r, and d

rah-ful-mao BD
[29-08-2008]

A.B.S.R.D [Alright, Barack's Speech was RIGHTEOUS at DNC]

- Last night in Denver, CO, Senator Barack Obama [IL] accepted the nomination as the democratic presidential candidate. His speech was awe-inspiring and gave us hope for a better tomorrow. Basically, he made me want to jump up and down shouting things like "U-S-A! U-S-A!" and "YES, WE CAN!!" If you missed it, you can watch the speech here. It is definitely worth your time. [@cosmic variance;@youtube]

- On the other side of the political spectrum, John McCain announced Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. My first thoughts? This election is getting ridiculous. Obvs he chose her to get the woman vote. I highly doubt any Hillary supporters will agree with a thing she has to say though. [@nytimes]

- US Open Update: I hereby quit womens tennis. The only person I ever really pay attention to is Ana Ivanovic [looove] and now she's out of the tourney. I feel as if I'm just setting myself up for disappointment at every grand slam [besides Roland Garros]. Also, Janko Tipsarevic [looove] retired yesterday during the middle of his match? Serbian tennis players are really tearing me apart right now. [@nytimes]

- US Open Story: I have an odd fascination with the ball boys and ball girls at grand slam tournaments. Ever since I saw the almost robotic precision of the young ball children at the French Open, I've had a dream to start a montessori pre-school to train the little ones. So when I saw this headline about a spectacular ball "girl" [she's actually 24] I got all giddy and reveled in reading the personal story behind Kelly Bruno. [@nytimes]

- Voluntary Advertisement: Vote for Marie Lyn Bernard [this girl called automatic win] at HotBloggerCalendar.com! Riese '08!!


[I'll be doing an A.B.S.R.D. post sometime this weekend because I have a lot of articles starred on Google Reader that I've been dying to use.]