The Fickle Mistress

Thank you, Mr. President

2009-04-28T12:40:00.003-04:00

President Obama Announces Major Investments in Research and Education

"Obama said he is going to make major investments -- 3 percent of the gross domestic product -- in research and innovation."

"The president committed to doubling the budgets of three key science agencies -- the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He also announced the launch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, a new Department of Energy organization modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. And Obama said he would triple the number of NSF graduate research fellowships."

This is great news for the future of the USA. I've felt for a long time that we don't put enough money into STEM research and education. If we aren't leading scientific innovation, we won't be leading anything else in the future.

The USVI loves Obama

2009-03-31T12:42:00.002-04:00

Old? Retired? Like to go to Necto?

2008-07-23T20:49:00.006-04:00

Ann Arbor is the best place to live if you are old and want to be healthy. I assume that is because when you are old you don't go to Wendy's and order the first 7 items on the value menu for dinner. Like me.

I stopped at the chili, salads, potatoes, and the wraps. I should have stopped earlier. The stack attack was the trashiest, the cheeseburger deluxe the classiest. I am full.

Happy Kid(s)

2008-04-27T22:35:00.005-04:00

Matthew (from Nada Surf) and Mala acting apish.

4/5/08

St. Andrews Hall

Detroit, MI

Episode 2: The King

2008-04-24T09:23:00.010-04:00

At BK, they have embraced the true meaning of a trash burger. I often drive through and marvel at the Quad-Stackers, only to puss out and get a BK Big Fish. However, this time they had something that was pure genius; the Loaded Steakhouse Burger ("LSB" for those acronymically inclined).

I picked this bad boy up on the way home from campus, and I couldn't wait to have the flavors explode in my mouth (then out of my butt). The LSB is a square patty topped with cheese, bacon, A1 sauce, fried onion straws and....here's the kicker....MASHED FU*KING POTATOES! This "mashed potato topping" also has bacon bits and chives mixed in.

I don't know if it was fate or the LSB, but I had to take a dump mid-way through eating this meal. No joke. The mashed potatoes really add a significant amount of carbs and weight to this trash meal and it wasn't half bad. If it wasn't so damn expensive, I would purchase it again. For my money, I'll stick with the Rodeo Cheeseburgers.

The Trash Chronicles: Episode I

2008-04-08T00:10:00.007-04:00

I'm taking this blog in a new direction. I will begin an account of the epic trash meals that I eat. This specific post should appeal to those of us who frequent or once did frequent North Campus.

Panda Express Trifecta: beijing beef (fried beef in a thick, tangy sauce), orange chicken (a classic), sweet and sour pork, half fried rice, half chow mien.

This threesome of fried entrees sits very heavy in the belly. I felt like death after about 3 hours, seriously. After you eat this, prepare to wallow, because that's all you will be able to do. Pork is supposed to be the other white meat, but at Panda, its dark meat. Horrible. I do like the Beijing beef though, its a good addition to the lineup. Don't forget to bring a survey receipt in to get the third entree free!

Eating trash meals is something we all do well and appreciate. I hope you like this first installment in The Trash Chronicles.

Do you want to Tiger Dance?

2007-12-13T14:05:00.001-05:00

Show me your Tiger Dance!

TSRA Site & Video

The Ivory Tower

2007-09-28T12:43:00.000-04:00

This is my Linear Programming teacher. He is a respected professor. He also has a an exercise video! I think this is what happens to you if you stay in academia for too long...

"total body mind"

I'm so grad...

2007-09-25T21:04:00.000-04:00

I am officially posted on the grad student directory. I was hoping that I would manage to look cooler than the other nerds...alas.

Also, when I was searching for the room number of my lab (because I don't know it despite working there for 2 years) I came across this. I am soooo grad.

I also get to interview UROP kids and make them do my bidding. My fellow grads have warned me though; most undergrads behave like children, party a lot, and don't do quality work. Hmmmm...

Greatest Villain Ever

2007-09-11T18:26:00.000-04:00

"You know you want it. And you know you want me to give it to you."

Beautiful (sad) Songs -- with help from my friends

2007-09-07T02:25:00.000-04:00

Now, music is a personal thing, so I don't expect this to ring true for most. However, some things cannot be overlooked. If I noticed them, I bet others did too. I was born in 1983, so if you think "WTF" then it gives you some perspective about where I am coming from. If anything, my objective is to have you find something on this list that you haven't listened to before or to have you comment and have me listen to something I haven't discovered yet. I think we need to branch out because so much of what we find beautiful takes time to really understand, and time is hard to spare. Turn off the lights (that actually makes your hearing better) and give it a shot. Then email me and I will update this post/blog and add or subtract as necessary.

Oh, and it's easy to pick acoustic songs, i know. They are really good for heart wrenching. But if you can make a rock song that shakes foundations, then you've hit the jackpot. I believe that the whole point of music is to make someone else feel something--to evoke a true unique emotion in them. Not all of these are sad, but its hard to think of happy songs that make that big of an impression.

be kind...the list follows...(i'm doing this after the bar from the top of my head)

Neutral Milk Hotel: two headed boy, pt. 2

Bright Eyes: (hmm...)

REM: everybody hurts (cliche or just correct?)

Gary Jules (not REM!): mad world

Fugazi: i'm so tired

The Smiths: asleep (not because of the perks of being a wallflower, but good call Chbosky)

Radiohead: there are actually too many to count for me. but if you don't listen to them then watch this video. by no means does this categorize the band.

Beethoven: piano sonata no. 14 ("moonlight sonata")

My Morning Jacket: bermuda highway

Built to Spill: twin falls

Death Cab For Cutie: steadier footing

Smashing Pumkins: tonight, tonight

Silverchair: emotion sickness

Ben Harper: another lonely day

Boyz II Men: its so hard to say goodbye to yesterday (also beatles: yesterday-- same idea)

The Faces: ooh la la

[insert elliot smith/nick drake song]

-->this is hard when you dont have an mp3 library. i'm tired i'll look through my cds later.

Detroit City

2007-08-23T10:30:00.001-04:00

View from Mala's place in the D.

Food and Culture

2007-08-20T23:45:00.000-04:00

There's a show on the Travel Channel that I enjoy called 'No Reservations'. I like the mix of food and a culture and how the host Anthony Bourdain chooses to go to weird places that most travel shows wouldn't go. Then he gets drunk (sometimes really drunk) on camera. Its great.

Anyway, I just saw the Beirut episode and it was really interesting. They just happened to start filming the show the day Hezbollah captured and kidnapped Israeli troops. So, for the rest of the show there wasn't much talk about food as you can imagine. They had some help getting to safe places and watched the war from a hotel, documenting their small little bubble. At the end, Bourdain and his crew end up on a US Navy ship eating Tuna Casserole and Mac n' Cheese...a far cry from the Lebanese cuisine they had hoped to discover.

Oh and speaking of weird places you wouldn't travel, the next show is about Cleveland.

Dinosaurs, Fighter Planes, & The Cold War

2007-08-16T19:10:00.000-04:00

Remember when you were a kid and toys envoked the same excitement as a Friday badfest with friends? Well folks, I have been pondering recently how getting wasted now is the manifestation of Christmas morning then...

Here was my Jager of yesteryear...

here was the Black & Tan times forgotten...

and here was 30 pack of delicious dirt beer that we all loved...

ahh...life was good.