Yargh. Stressful time. So many projects still to do and worry about before school is out. So many petty dramas making me feel tired and old. This song is how I unwind:
Anna Rose by Vienna Teng just may be one of the most soothing songs I've ever heard. In any case, whenever I'm particularly stressed, this is the one I put on. Vienna's voice is perfect for this song, and the lyrics are adorable. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the song.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Crossword Complaints
First in what may become a series.
Washington Post 5/29
So the overall clue was "Mixed Green Salad," which turned out to mean that the four long clues were anagrams of "GREEN SALAD," with the center across word reading "ANAGRAM." It was, shall we say, annoying. Although I did like 28D "Lee at Appomattox." Figure out the answer for yourself. This is also an It's Ac fact. :P
Um. A bunch of clues that took me forever to get, and about 5 which I will admit Googling. Proud to know 42A "Get Yer ___ Out (1970 Stones album)," but that's because I'm an old music junkie like that.
BTW, don't expect complete crossword pictures, because I do these on good old-fashioned newspaper. With a pen.
And I'm too lazy to scan.
EDIT: Hey, look, you can do the crossword for yourself!
Online
Print it out
Washington Post 5/29
So the overall clue was "Mixed Green Salad," which turned out to mean that the four long clues were anagrams of "GREEN SALAD," with the center across word reading "ANAGRAM." It was, shall we say, annoying. Although I did like 28D "Lee at Appomattox." Figure out the answer for yourself. This is also an It's Ac fact. :P
Um. A bunch of clues that took me forever to get, and about 5 which I will admit Googling. Proud to know 42A "Get Yer ___ Out (1970 Stones album)," but that's because I'm an old music junkie like that.
BTW, don't expect complete crossword pictures, because I do these on good old-fashioned newspaper. With a pen.
And I'm too lazy to scan.
EDIT: Hey, look, you can do the crossword for yourself!
Online
Print it out
Youtube Notables: Elton John and Musical Acts!
There's nothing more time-consuming than surfing Youtube. Here are some interesting videos:
Who doesn't enjoy Elton John? His music is awesome, he's a Knight Bachelor, and he's still standing!
The next thing that caught my attention is actually a clever and applaudable rendition of Maxwell's Silver Hammer by The Beatles. The act was performed by many of our own Magnet students during the 2009 Magnet Arts Night.
And here's Newground's animation of the same song: Caution! Not for the faint of heart xD
Who doesn't enjoy Elton John? His music is awesome, he's a Knight Bachelor, and he's still standing!
The next thing that caught my attention is actually a clever and applaudable rendition of Maxwell's Silver Hammer by The Beatles. The act was performed by many of our own Magnet students during the 2009 Magnet Arts Night.
And here's Newground's animation of the same song: Caution! Not for the faint of heart xD
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
I've Been Getting Lazy...
Yeah, so I haven't been posting music features or It's Academic facts after I got back. I think I'll make the music a weekly/monthly thing instead of daily so I don't run out of songs too quickly. And there's that huge mound of homework staring at me angrily for procrastinating... *shifty eyes* As for the It's Academic facts, Eliz and I will work something out.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Set These Birds Free
Red-tailed Hawks should not be allowed to be kept in a shack that serves as a poor excuse of an aviary, in a small cage where they can barely fly for a few feet and their perch is situated such that they can barely even stand up straight.
Allow me to explain. Over Memorial Day weekend I went up to Garrett County. I went to Deep Creek Lake state park. We walked around for a bit. Then I saw a sign that said "Aviary." Now, as anyone who has been around me for about a day has no doubt picked up, I really, really like birds. So of course I ran towards that sign to see what that aviary was like. Lo and behold...we saw a tiny, rude hut. Extending from it were two tiny enclosements for holding birds, much like the ones you see at a zoo's bird house except much, much smaller. And within one of them, barely moving, stood not one but two hawks, standing in their miserable dwelling as if in a torpor. The fenced walls were littered with bits of fluff and down, as if the birds had thrown themselves against the walls in repeated, futile efforts to escape.
How can any animal, let alone ones as majestic as the hawks, be kept in such horrid conditions? In a state park, no less? Hawks deserve to be free. If this isn't animal cruelty, then I don't know what is.
(Note: I took pictures. They may be added, if I can figure out how to get them off my phone.)
Allow me to explain. Over Memorial Day weekend I went up to Garrett County. I went to Deep Creek Lake state park. We walked around for a bit. Then I saw a sign that said "Aviary." Now, as anyone who has been around me for about a day has no doubt picked up, I really, really like birds. So of course I ran towards that sign to see what that aviary was like. Lo and behold...we saw a tiny, rude hut. Extending from it were two tiny enclosements for holding birds, much like the ones you see at a zoo's bird house except much, much smaller. And within one of them, barely moving, stood not one but two hawks, standing in their miserable dwelling as if in a torpor. The fenced walls were littered with bits of fluff and down, as if the birds had thrown themselves against the walls in repeated, futile efforts to escape.
How can any animal, let alone ones as majestic as the hawks, be kept in such horrid conditions? In a state park, no less? Hawks deserve to be free. If this isn't animal cruelty, then I don't know what is.
(Note: I took pictures. They may be added, if I can figure out how to get them off my phone.)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Back Inside: Dick Waving Contest Edition
"Terminator Salvation" marks the intersection of two very... interesting things. On the one hand we have the "Terminator" franchise known for its Governator, deep sci-fi story and nerdy fanboys. Of late, the series has been through some rough times with its third installment (or perhaps better known as the not James Cameron or not good installment) that failed to deliver the three bucket loads of cash the good people at Warner Brothers expected it to (instead choosing to deliver 2) and so we have a completely new take on the franchise, oddly though retaining the same two scriptwriters from "Terminator 3."
On the other hand, we have the mad Irish, dick-waving-contest challenging McG, named so because his real name wasn't manly enough so he had to overcompensate (though the name probably wasn't the only thing he was compensating for). Fresh off of butcher beloved 70s franchise "Charlie's Angels," McG decides to shove his one eyed monster into the supple flesh of the "Terminator" franchise. The result? A resounding eh.
Those of us expecting a good "Terminator" flick will find the film appalling. The writers, who shouldn't be back (see what I did there?), decide to one up themselves over the previous installment by giving us an even more ridiculous script. Whoever thought that "So this is what death tastes like" was a good idea deserves to be shot. McG and Christian Bale also deserve similar retribution for saying the film actually had a decent script.
On top of bad dialogue and bad story, we have some of the worst acting to have ever graced the cinemas since 2008's "Meet the Spartans." A robotic, permanently Batman-rasping Christian Bale is actually one of the better performances we're given from an ensemble cast consisting of Ms. I'm dying of cancer but I'm really Skynet, Mr. I also have name issues so I'll use a common noun instead, Ms. I have make up and Mr. Stay alive in your heart. The only person to do a decent acting job is Sam Worthington as the horribly scripted "Moore-cus Right," a man with a dark secret crucially essential to the suspense in the story that's promptly revealed 2 minutes into the bloody trailer.
If you can over these aspects, which many of you probably won't, you'll find a competently -- nay, well shot -- action flick with good imagery and amazing special effects. The most amazing part of the visual aesthetics is how understated all of the visual trickery is. Normally in summer action flicks, the glittering CGI usually is very in your face. After all, which studio wouldn't want to wave the expensive multi-million dollar CGI work in the audience's face. But, after watching about 6 Michael Bay Films, the once cool CGI gets obnoxious and we want more real-life action instead of fake, computer-synthesized explosions. To this end, "Terminator Salvation's" special effects and visual trickery all hang in the background, second to the horrid acting and dialogue. One thing they absolutely named is the color palette. Not just gray and white, we have dark black, reddish skies and blue tech factories. Not only that, but McG proves that he does know his cinematography by nailing the pacing and camera work for the action sequences. Also nice are the continuous take, Children of Men-esqe, set pieces. One particularly memorable scene was the first helicopter crash and Terminator take down which throughout focused on Christian Bale dicking up his copter and machine gun turret, not on the nuclear explosion, giant sky-ship of doom or doomed people outside.
So, yes the script and acting are both absolutely putrid, but we have entertaining and well-executed action sequences, which partially make up for the price of admission. Whether or not this movie is for you really depends on two things: how much you of a "Terminator" fanboy you are and how much of a pretentious movie prick you are. More unsophisticated audiences will really find a lot to enjoy with "Terminator" while people looking for story and deep characters won't.
Recommended for: Action junkies, People willing to look past the shitty script and acting
Not recommended for: "Terminator" fans, People who like good movies
Back Inside is a column written by The Raconteur and eatYourOats, discussing the quality of movies and television shows now in theaters or on your television.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
It's Academic Fact--May 22, 2009
Elizabeth is out for the weekend, so I'm doing today's fact as well. She requested that it be about a platypus or a cricket. So, I'm going to see if I can make it about both!
....
Okay, this phails with a ph. Fact of the day: Platypuses are born with spurs on their ankles, but only the males keep them can produce poison. Crickets....do not. There. Both incorporated!
....
Okay, this phails with a ph. Fact of the day: Platypuses are born with spurs on their ankles, but only the males keep them can produce poison. Crickets....do not. There. Both incorporated!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
It's Academic Fact--May 21, 2009
If there's a biology choice question, chances are the answer is either grasshopper or earthworm.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Song of the Day--May 20, 2009
Though doubtless it'll be May 21 by the time I submit, because I was busy getting the aforementioned Huck Finn essay in on time. For the same reason, I'm not going to comment much on the song: "Angel in the Dark" by Jade Redd. It's spooky. And pretty. Enough said.
Listen to it:
Listen to it:
Today's It's Academic Fact
Building off of yesterday's: ex-president George Fail Bush is related to Franklin Pierce, a slightly distant cousin on his mother's side.
Frankly, I know which one looks more trustworthy.
Frankly, I know which one looks more trustworthy.
Yesterday's It's Ac Fact
Yargh. I forgot to post an It's Ac fact of the day yesterday! So here it is:
The author Nathaniel Hawthorne, known for such works as The Scarlet Letter, The House of The Seven Gables, and The Blythesdale Romance was a friend to president Franklin Pierce. Now, if any of you can say which number president Pierce was and what years he was in office, without using Wikipedia, I will present you an invisible cookie! Oh, and you should very definitely come to It's Academic on Tuesday.
(Ozymandias is not allowed to answer, btw.)
The author Nathaniel Hawthorne, known for such works as The Scarlet Letter, The House of The Seven Gables, and The Blythesdale Romance was a friend to president Franklin Pierce. Now, if any of you can say which number president Pierce was and what years he was in office, without using Wikipedia, I will present you an invisible cookie! Oh, and you should very definitely come to It's Academic on Tuesday.
(Ozymandias is not allowed to answer, btw.)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
For all you writers out there
If you have a dA account, or have been "getting around to" getting one, then here's an excellent writing contest of sorts for you to check out: [link]
The concept is really cool, and the prizes are excellent. Oh, and Death collects souls in the gas tank of his green pickup truck and wears an Angels baseball cap. What's not to like?
The concept is really cool, and the prizes are excellent. Oh, and Death collects souls in the gas tank of his green pickup truck and wears an Angels baseball cap. What's not to like?
Back Inside: DAMNIT!
After terrorizing the citizens of Los Angeles for roughly 6 years, the jerks behind 24 decided to mix things up a bit and set Jack Bauer's latest killing spree in Washington, D.C. Cool right? No! Wrong! Thanks a lot Fox. Now I can't get into a bloody Metro without checking every door for a bio-weapon canister with an uncanny resemblance to morning wood or step into an airplane for fear of having a mad, goatee wearing backstabber blow it up.
Washingtonian-terrorizing aside, season 7 has been, in the kindest words, a mixed bag. But since I'm not the type to suck a television show's metaphorical genitals (I leave that to the professionals), I'm going to go out and say season 7 was the visual equivalent of having someone fart into your mouth while you're asleep. That doesn't mean this is the worst season of 24 ever (that dubious honor goes to the sixth season which introduced Jack Bauer's family... filled with terrorists), but it's a damn close second, disappointing given the incredibly long time in between seasons.
What every season of 24, so far, has been able to do is to pull off a good season finale (even season 6's was pretty good). With the expectations sky high and about ninety-billion plot threads to tie up (and that's a conservative estimate), does 24 deliver? In short: no. In long: ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
While I wouldn't say the season finale was complete shit, it didn't hold up to the tradition of 24 seasons at least ending strong. What we did get were a couple competent action sequences, some shoe-horned messages, some really shoe-horned messages and some inexplicable plot developments. I won't say plot twists because, save for 2 of them, all of these story elements were predictable as President Bush's 2008 approval ratings.
The one of the two "plot twists" was so mind-numbingly retarded that I won't even go into details. The other was fairly surprising to me: Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert) did something useful. Yes, it seems that after 7 fucking seasons, the producers of 24 finally give Kim something useful to do. That's right, no kimnapping, cougar scenes or whacked boyfriends.
The biggest offender in this episode was the ending. I feel insulted by the writers that they could actually make us believe that Jack could possibly die even though season 8 (set to start production in a mock NYC set in LA) has almost started filming. Anyone who didn't see the whole Jack getting un-diseased plot development coming should is either a gigantic tool or a complete idiot.
Recommended for: 24 fans
Not recommended for: 24 fans
Back Inside is a column written by The Raconteur and eatYourOats, discussing the quality of movies and television shows now in theaters or on your television.
Song of the Day--May 19, 2009
Today I present to you a song both mysterious and exhilarating: "The Mummer's Dance" by Loreena McKennitt. McKennitt seems fond of long songs with repetitive melodies, and this one is no exception. But where some of her songs grow tedious, the repetitions for this one have enough subtle variations and interludes between verses to stay engaging. With its absolutely beautiful lyrics invoking the images of spring, tranquil yet bursting with life, and its strangely enthralling chorus that is both lovely and hypnotizing, Loreena McKennitt's lush, rich voice more than does the words justice.
Listen to it:
Lyrics:
When in the springtime of the year
When the trees are crowned with leaves
When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew
Are dressed in ribbons fair
When owls call the breathless moon
In the blue veil of the night
The shadows of the trees appear
Amidst the lantern light
Chorus
We've been rambling all the night
And some time of this day
Now returning back again
We bring a garland gay
Who will go down to those shady groves
And summon the shadows there
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms
In the springtime of the year
The songs of birds seem to fill the wood
That when the fiddler plays
All their voices can be heard
Long past their woodland days
(Chorus)
And so they linked their hands and danced
Round in circles and in rows
And so the journey of the night descends
When all the shades are gone
"A garland gay we bring you here
And at your door we stand
It is a sprout well budded out
The work of our Lord's hand"
(Chorus x2)
Period 8 Origins
After all the seniors left, period 8 Origins of Science got a whole lot better. With only 6 juniors (and a few seniors tagging along for fun), the class gets more intimate and more tangential (only in a good way). Take today's class for instance: we had a 30 minute long discussion about how religion influenced the way we philosophically structured our life. The planned topic: Immanuel Kant.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Nuts just got nuttier!
Nuts is making progress! It now has 3 official columns and several supporting columnists. They are:
- "Back Inside" reviews by The Raconteur and eatYourOats
- "Music Notables" by Diana and EmeraldTome
- "It's Academic!" by Ozymandias, et. al.
"Music Notables" showcases eclectic music of all genres.
"It's Academic!" provides daily trivia to keep you on your toes.
Indeed, Nuts is now on Facebook! Become a fan today!
Also to keep you up-to-date on on the latest Nuts news, we've set up an Atom Feed. Subscribe now!
We want to hear from you! What do you want reviewed and showcased? What issues do you want discussed and debated? Send us your suggestions, comments, and questions!
Indeed, Nuts is now on Facebook! Become a fan today!
Also to keep you up-to-date on on the latest Nuts news, we've set up an Atom Feed. Subscribe now!
We want to hear from you! What do you want reviewed and showcased? What issues do you want discussed and debated? Send us your suggestions, comments, and questions!
We didn't start the fire
As I have been reminded, it's my day for an It's Ac fact. So I'm going to go overboard.
Everything in there. :D There ya go.
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