Brandon Otte's Blog

And the winner is!

Ok. So I bought the ipod.

Also, I gotta say taht I think Dave has the best chance of winning this year's oscar contest. He's got some pretty good picks. But the top prize is only like $50, so HA! Then I gots to buy him something on the side as per our bet.

Also, I find it odd that two of the weirdest found object in the theater incidents I have experienced were in the last week: acorn caps (in February!?!) and a glass christmas ornament (broken).

Hmm. Oscars tonight, that should be an ok time. I guess. I'll be skipping an Exponent meeting so it better be a good time.

Decide for me!

To ipod or not to ipod?

Lost: "... In Translation"

Which, by the by, is the movie I was watching while I fell asleep last night. Funnier the second time.

Lets just start out by saying I think (this is before showtime) that this episode is going to be interesting and maybe even exciting. But I really can’t justify that belief. Also, let me just say this: Am I the only one who is upset that the only of the main characters to not have a back-story is Hurley? It really just bothers me.

Oh goodie: the Korean. How wonderful. Here I am expecting a good story and we get the Korean. I know I’ve been speculating that he’s known all along that his wife was conversing in the English, but that doesn’t mean I really want to know all about him. How’s about this for an idea: combine a couple of the less interesting back-stories in one episode so I don’t have to spend a whole hour hearing all about the Korean and the siblings and probably even the kid for an hour each.

Well, on with the show. I’m guessing the father is not dead. And that he wants to marry to get some… power in her mob boss father’s family. So he doesn’t love her a whole lot and poor Michael really does like her but he’s all about leaving right now. Who’s going to take the last spot on his raft? Hmm, I wonder…

Marital discord between the Koreans and then all sorts of sabotage on the raft. Who set it on fire? Locke, that’s who. I never trusted him. Poor Michael thinks it’s the Korean, but I’m pretty sure its not. It’s getting all Lord of the Flies on us now. Who did it? Who can we blame? Who will suffer?

So Jin (I know his name again)… Wait a minute!!! That was Hurley in the TV at the Korean guy’s house that Jin went to kill!!! When will we get his story, dangit!!!!

I gotta say, Boone is pretty creepy on his own even when he isn’t with Locke. I guess I vaguely understand why he’s all obsessed with his sister and all that, but does he have to keep being all weird about her? I thought that’s what the whole psychedelic salve on the head was all about. Apparently one of the island’s mystic powers is the power of non-congruity.

Great, more mystic in the woods crap with Locke. If I was on that island I would not be going to him with all my problems. Maybe they should build him a throne or a giant golden chair or some sort of raised dais to sit on or something.

I feel bad for Jin but I think its only because I’m not supposed to feel bad for him. I don’t want to follow the crowd in hating him so I try not to. Plus, he didn’t want to be a killer. He wanted to own a restaurant and killing just became a hobby. Like needlepoint. Or maybe they are trying to set him up as sympathetic. His wife was going to leave him before she even knew he was a killer (but he isn’t a killer, he just beat some guy up). And now he’s crying. I’m not so sure I like this Jin guy.

More philosophy: Jack (Shepherd) tries and tries to stop things but he can’t do it because no one will listen to him. He has to let people figure things out for himself.

Ok: maybe Jin didn’t know that his wife spake but he sure does now. Does he/she know who it was who did burn down the raft?

That Gray’s Anatomy looks ok…

Because you don’t want to go home Locke! That’s why you burned down the raft! Why is he all high-falutin’ about not being the only people on the island if not to cover for the fact that he burned the raft and to avoid questions. Or maybe Walt (the kid) did it with his special powers. He’s picked up, it seems, Charlie’s ability to force pathetically touchy-feely moments.

And now the father… Their both liars. And more religion: the prodigal son returns. He was all about starting over and leaving behind the father. That’s something he seems to be good at. My mom suggested that her father found what’s up and caused the crash. I don’t see that. And why he got to treat her that way? Jin’s a jerk and so is she. Chalk up two more characters I don’t like on this show now. The list of fun people is dwindling fast.

Everyone gets a new life on this island? CORNY! And why is Locke hitting up Walt all of a sudden? Does Locke have daddy issues? Maybe he was abused or something or beaten until he was put in a chair. Walt burned the raft, eh? Well, that’s a little off but I had that in the back of my head at first. Oh well, I still don’t like Locke.

FINALLY HURLEY!!!!!!!!!!! My mom pointed out and I agree that he seems to be around the pregnant lady a little often and I agree. Looks like next week we’ll find out a little more about both the most interesting character AND the island. Rock on!!!

1. How does Hurley know that sea anenemies work best as golf balls?
2. What was Hurley doing in the video?
3. Are Hurley and Jin going to become “jungle buddies” ala Boone and Locke and are people going to start pairing off now?
4. How does Hurley keep having batteries for his CD player? Never mind.
5. Who are these other people on the island and does Locke know where they are?

Whoop Whoop!

55 school days until the rest of my life.

Tallyho!

Shiver Me Timbers!

Contrary to popular belief, the British and pirates are not one and the same.

OH SNAP!!!!!!

Lost: "Outlaws"

They should have called this episode “Thank You Boar Expert.”

I missed the first couple of minutes, and when I came in I didn’t have my computer, so no live reactions. But one reaction I do remember is that I don’t think this guy Sawyer is going to shoot is the guy that he really wants to shoot. I also remember forgetting the voices in the woods.

What is it with toughing moments and this show: so far there have been ones between Kate and Jack, Claire and Charlie, Charlie and Hurley, Kate and Sawyer and partially between Hurley and The Iraqi (whose name I can’t spell). I like the show and all that, but when do we get to stuff about crazy people on the island and crazy doors in the floor and crazy monsters and stuff. If we get any more drama (pronounced dram-ah with the long a sound) I think I may vomit. But at least this “I never” scene wasn’t worthless. We learned that Kate has been married and that Sawyer has killed a man.

Ok, now for the obligatory commercial reference: if I ever see anyone doing the rip-slip-brush-aah dance in a public setting I will give them all of the money I have in my pocket at the time.

Why does this pig have it out for Sawyer? Is this another one of these “mysterious island” things. Wow. What a depressing story: Locke’s sister died on the monkey bars and his mother went crazy and started staring at dogs. Locke’s sister is a dog?!? And how is it that Locke is always both creepy and right all the time. You would think that working at a box company wouldn’t provide you with the insight into the human psyche. You would think maybe he’d talk a little more about boxes. But I guess he did practice to be part of this outback adventure for years.

I think that’s Jack’s dad talking to Sawyer in the bar in Sydney. This is only the second instance of back-story crossover that I’ve noticed, the first involving Sawyer (as well) and Kate in the police station. I assume, though, that there are other stories that cross and that at least one of them involves the psychic that Claire saw (because he saw Claire’s future if she didn’t get on the plane and then told her to get on a plane he knew was going to crash). It certainly was nice of Jack’s pap to talk up his son and then convince Sawyer to shoot the shrimp guy.

All we really need is some kickin’ 80s and early 90s adult contemporary soundtrack to rock out to while we watch these touchy feely moments. For heaven’s sake, Charlie tends to bring out the sappiest in people.

Well what do you know: it wasn’t the guy he was looking for after all. Too bad for blondie. But now that he’s had the opportunity to shoot some completely un-related jungle animal and turned it down he’s over years of emotional stress and psychological problems.

I’ll have to admit that I was less than excited to hear any more about Sawyer. Sure, they more firmly established Jack and Sawyer as foils and they reiterated Locke’s ability of creep me out at any given moment, but did they further the story of the island one bit? Not really. The only big piece of info we got today was that Jack’s dad was proud of him and that he and Sawyer chatted while drinking away their cares. We also found out that Charlie must have some pheromones that force other people to be overly sentimental with him. Also we now know that Sawyer knows that Jack’s dad was jack’s dad when he saw him in the bar. AND YET HE DIDN”T TELL HIM ABOUT IT.

Most intriguing to me this week was the scenes about next week. The tease said someone or something doesn’t want them off the island. That would be Locke. Think about it: why would he want to leave the island when he is happy there and he can walk there and all sorts of things. I look forward to next week more than I look forward to looking back on this week. I also think we’ll get a little more Locke back-story.

Here we go:
1. How is it that Locke knows so much about everyone and everything?
2. How else are these characters connected?
3. Will next week be as exciting as I hope it will be?
4. Can Charlie ever stop making people want to be all touchy feely with him?
5. Is maybe that guy from Terminator 2 in another back-story?

Bought for a Song!

Nothing much to report today in the life of Brandon. Things have been going considerably well for me for various reasons that are of a personal and non-blog-esque nature and which I don’t feel the need to share with you hear. So, in place of actual interesting stories or anecdotes I bring you a hodge-podge of facts and figures that add up to a brief synopsis (and by that I mean purchase log) of my week:

In the absence of a discernable fiduciary challenge I have created my own fiduciary challenge. This week brought with it a paycheck and a glut of spending. As I no longer have the constraints of saving for college I save for nothing. Of course by that I mean I save about $200 and spent somewhere around $80. It’s a lot of dough, but I think it might have been about half worth it. But what did you buy, Brandon? Well, since I already have to read 120 or so pages a night for lit classes with no ends in sight I figure books should be avoided for at least the present purchasing pleasures. Instead I buy DVDs and CDs I in know way need and only vaguely want.

I owned one Sloan CD and I really liked it. Retro, melodic, various other musical buzz words. Good times. So I bought “Action Packed.” You know, in most bands the progression is from hard rockers to light jazz adult contemporary. But this one (later than the one I already owned) is a rocker through and through. Not that that’s bad, but it’s not what I was in the mood for the day I bought it. Since my near obsessive watching of my special edition of “Almost Famous” (I’ve watched it more than the total number of other movies I’ve watch this month if that makes sense to you) I’ve decided that Elton John rocks my face in a way that I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Elton John doing. So I wanted to buy an Elton’s greatest hits CD. Problem is, all the greatest hits packages suck hardcore and only include maybe three songs I want and never include the other song I want. So I bought a Stevie Wonder hits package instead, which is equally crappy after the song “Superstition,” but I like the first 7 or so enough to make up for that.

And now for movies:

I had “Wonderfalls” in my hands in the checkout line and walked back. Same for “Ocean’s Eleven.” Instead I went with “Darkman” (it was only $5.99) and “Invader Zim Vol. 3” because I needed to finish out my collection. If I could go back in time I would have cut the CD purchases at the Best buy and bought only Wonderfalls and Zim. But, as Uncle Rico so clearly illustrated, time travel is either a myth or a permanent sterilizer.

Also this weekend was a jump into the buy 2 get two free sale at Movie Gallery. I love the idea of finding four used movies for the price of two, but it never works out well in practice. They never seem to have enough movies to justify the cost of 2 movies. I usually end up with three I would actually like. Today’s case was one movie I would actually pay full price for (The Bourne Supremacy) and three movies I could justifiably spend $5 a pop on. So I now own Dawn of the Dead, Intolerable Cruelty and Garden State (which I saw and thought enough of to warrant a second viewing).

Also of note this week were some quotables from my English professor:
-“It’s crisp”
-“This is more serious than throat cancer”
-And, although not actually a quote, a poorly drawn chalk elephant with glory lines radiating from it.

BTW, congrats to my cousin Mike for his engagement and if ANYONE can tell my why I might be beinng called N-D (pronounced endy), please let me know.

Exponential 2: Electric Boogaloo!

Sorry for the lack of post on Tuesday. I had a busy day and I didn’t have much time to do anything besides the things I already had to do.

I went into the office (that would be the office of the Exponent) on Monday afternoon with the knowledge that I had to do two stories (three if possible) for that week’s publication, which goes to press on Tuesday night. I was comfortable in the knowledge that I had a whole lot of stuff to do the next day. I had to write a follow up piece to the unionization story from the week before, a story on one of the sororities that had been suspended and one on a painting that was stolen from the former student center last year and had yet to be found. And then the opinion editor handed me some email that said the cops (of the Platteville variety) were conducting a training session on their new weaponry and they wanted to dispel the belief that the weapons are dangerous. To do that they wanted the local student newspaper to send someone to their five-hour training lecture. That person, of course, was yours truly.

So here I am the following Tuesday, sitting and hating my job at the Exponent and now I’ve got four stories to work on and three pages to layout. Great times. On top of that I gots to go to a Bible study that I help lead for an hour and call people to actually get sources for the stories that I had to write. I called the police officer that sent the email and asked how long I might expect to be there; did I have to go for the entire five hours?

“No. Most of the shooting will take place within about an hour. That’s when the officers are going to take the shots.”

Shooting? Take the shots?!? What kind of awesome demonstration is this? Why it’s the Taser demonstration, of course. Yes, the Platteville PD has this awesome policy where if an officer wants to carry a weapon or item (mace is the example given to me) they have to get shot with it first. So I was cordially invited to watch police officers shoot each other in the back with 50,000 Volts of training.

I dropped all the other stories I was working on and rushed over to the armory to watch for an hour (the training actually took a little over an hour). They started off with a PowerPoint of information on the taser and how it works. It seems early generation tasers relied on pain threshold to shut down someone but that the pain can often be too little, allowing people to fight right through. As an example they showed a cop getting hit with a cattle prod type object and proceeding to knee another cop in the groin for 2 minutes before he tired out. This was the best instructional video I have ever seen.

The new generation tasers, the ones the PPD now have one of, rely on frequency to shut down the central nervous system. There are two darts that hit the target and 50,000 volts run between those two darts for five seconds. The frequency of the electricity is the exact same as the frequency of the electricity that runs your central nervous system and keeps you from moving for as long as the electricity flows (five seconds per trigger pull).

The second video showed professional police officers getting hit with the high quality tasers (the PPD bought the slightly less that top-shelf model because the top shelf model looked exactly like their glocks and they thought that might be a bad idea. I tend to agree). The slide before said the shots would not hurt badly but would just cause a numbing sensation while the electricity flowed. But that was nothing to worry about as the person shot would be able to get up seconds later unless some cop’s knee is on his back. The next slide was another instructional video. This time very large police officers were given fake knives and told to attack the camera. The person was then shot with old taser and ran at the camera and hit it several times. He was then hit with a new taser. He screamed very loudly and fell to the ground. And then they played the hit and the scream again IN SLOW MOTION. He came at the camera until he got hit with the darts. grrrrrrrAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! Thump. If it was cool in regular motion, slow motion was SOOOO much cooler.

“Alright. Now that we know how to handle them I’ll give you guys a couple of minutes to go to the bathroom before you get shot so as to keep things clean.” ROCK ON!

The officers, there were nine there, went to void themselves while the officer in charge (he had already taken around 20 shots in various other training events) set up some old gym mats for the officers to fall down on. He reminded them again that the shots wouldn’t hurt too badly. It’d hurt but not too much.

“Ok. So who wants to shoot Kevin?”

Kevin said he would be honored if one of the female officers present would shoot him in the back. She was delighted to help out.

If ever I thought I understood what pain was I thought completely wrong. These officers were people that are, as a general rule, much more poised, tolerant of pain and masculine than I am. And each one of them went down yelling like a little girl. It was probably the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. The officer in charge offered to shoot me, but I thought that might be not such a great idea.

One of the officers, who had just been shot, said he tried really hard to not to yell but he couldn’t help it. “The noise just started coming out. I had no control.” Another of the officers wanted to test some situations. What if someone has a gun to his or her head? Would they be able to pull the trigger? So they whipped out a gun and tested that theory (of course they emptied the gun of all ability to fire first). The answer to that question is no: once tasered, you are not able to pull the trigger. I should know, I’ve got pictures of an officer holding a gun to his head and various others crying out in pain.

I wanted to post those pictures but I was not able to because I don’t know yet which one is going to go in the Exponent and because I don’t have them with me. You can, however, check out the Exponent web site (www.uwplatt.edu/~exponent) to read the story when it comes out and see some pictures. Also there you can read any other stories I’ve written for the newspaper this semester.

If ever you get the opportunity to watch people willingly inflict immense amounts of pain on themselves I suggest you take it. It was hilarious.

Lost: "Homecomming"

It’s back to the story, finally, after a two-week hiatus. The description on the DirectTV told me that the story tonight involved Claire returning without her memories. I am writing this as I watch the show, so be aware that I don’t know the whole story till the end. It also means that it’s going to be long.

DAG!!! She’s still got the tummy, so I guess my no-baby theory is shot. Also, I would think waking up on a tropical island might be a little more alarming than waking up and not knowing anyone. But that’s just me and I might also be a little alarmed at the fact that I was pregnant. But Claire seems to be adjusting pretty well. Well enough, at least, to start answer questions right away.

Why did the Korean want to know about the baby? I’ll tell you why. Its because he understands that his wife can speak English, that’s why. Let’s call that touching moment number one. Next comes the love scene between Locke and Boone. Then comes that scene where Charlie neglects to tell Claire that he wants to have sex and lots of babies.

And, imagine this, we don’t get to hear any more about Hurley yet or any of the other characters who might find interesting. Instead we get more from the Hobbit.

Ethan uses a slingshot! How cool is that? And what’s the deal with him anyway? It seems a little odd that he really wants to kidnap the pregnant lady. At least Charlie knows he’s got a fighting chance, what with being told that Ethan will kill everyone but him until Claire is returned to him. Very sporting, Tom Cruise’s cousin. You’re a good man, considering you kidnap, murder an infiltrate.

Ha! This isn’t about the show, but I thought I should point out the amazing similarities between Vin Diesel’s new movie “The Pacifier” and “Mr. Nanny” with Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

Isn’t that cute, Charlie wants to go and kill someone. And again we get Locke as the voice of reason. The best offence is a good defense, and Locke seems to understand more than anyone that Ethan is a force to be reckoned with (at least on this island). I guess the fact he (Ethan) really wants her back makes the point that he didn’t let her go on purpose. But the fact that he could hit Korea with a rock in the jaw almost unnoticed shows me that he’s not going to be stopped by a garbage bag full of rocks and pop cans.

Charlie is such a liar. And a thief, I guess. But you and I both know that when you gots to feed the monkey no one can stand in your way. But he’s got morals enough to give that up and to take a job selling copiers. Just cause a guy wants to think about his future is no reason to keep him from his drugs. That’s just cold, man. Cold and crisp.

I can rest easily now that I know the dog is ok. Why is it that in most cases I worry more about the animals than about the actual humans in a situation. It’s the same in any movie. I couldn’t care less if someone in a movie dies, no matter how tragic it is. But there is a scene in “The Incredible Journey” where two of the animals come over a hill and you think the other didn’t make it… It gets me every time. And don’t even get me started on “Milo and Otis.” Well, the dog is ok but some nameless extra got capped or knifed of philosophized to death. It was apparently pretty gruesome, too. So how did Ethan have time for doing that without anyone noticing him? I guess now Scott has a name and a back-story: sales company, won an award, not named Steve.

Anywhere? Anytime!! Rock on, copy machine, rock on. Charlie, on the other hand, is a jerkstore. How could you steal from the peoples that have helped you the most? I think maybe now Charlie gots himself a pity crush on Claire so he doesn’t feel so bad about the lady he “Driveshafted” (quotes=pun).

Oh snap! Out come the guns; that’s a good idea. That’s just asking for trouble and trouble it would bring. Like the disturbing image of giving Locke a gun and assuming he knows how to handle it when Locke works at a box company or some other equally non-gun-wielding profession. Is there anything more disturbing than thinking that the most mentally unstable person on the island (Locke may be the most adept at handling the wilderness, but I think he’s pretty seriously unhinged) having the only gun on the island? This is a very bad idea. And what’s to keep Ethan from taking said gun and ignoring the finger-breaking method he has most preferred to this point? Ok, so at least they’re spreading the wealth between all the characters I would least trust with a gun.

I could sell a copier better than Charlie could. Honestly. That man can’t hold his vomit.

Launching an offensive on an island where you are clearly at a disadvantage is never a good idea, unless you have a hobbit on your side. But they didn’t even bring the hobbit; they didn’t even kiss his hairy feet for luck. And that’s why pregnant ladies can’t run faster than Tom Cruise’s cousin: no hobbit foot kiss.

Where’s your gun, Jack? Charlie, you GOON!!!! GRUMBLE!!! No answers now. Until someone comes looking for him…

Redemption is nice, I guess. It’s good that Charlie can get some closure and all that, but I feel bad now if I think that maybe he wants to help Claire only because of some past thing he feels he needs to make right. I like Claire and I don’t want to see her get hurt. And I like Charlie, too. Touching moment 4.

Questions & Answers:
1. What happens now that there’s guns involved?
2. Does someone come looking for Ethan?
3. Will we ever get back story on Hurley or why Sawyer was in the jail at the same time as Kate?
4. Does Kaptain Korea know that his wife speaks English? Does he speak it himself?
5. Does Boone have a big-boy crush on Action Jackson Locke?

Also of note is this: its time again for the second annual Oscar pool contest. Here’s the PDF of the ballot for this year’s contest (sorry it's not all fancied in its own window and everything).

Download file

The point totals have changed a little, with most of them going up and the best picture race counting for more than any other (if you feel slighted for not getting the exact point totals you can either suck it up or let me know and I will tell you and then laugh at you. Pansy[2]). Also new this year is the change in tiebreaker categories. This year the ties will be decided by “The Razzies,” the annual worst movies of the year contest. Worst picture, worst actor and worst actress, in that order, will break any ties between any of the top prizes. So, if you want to participate (or not if but when, I guess I should say) print off the PDF and send it (or your choices over email) and an email address (so as I can update you on the standings or send you the winners or sell them to major corporations) and $5 to:

Brandon Otte
30200 Moundview Road
Platteville, WI 53818
Or:
otteb@uwplatt.edu

Recreational Vehicled!

Well, I am very excited today and it isn’t for the same reasons that I thought that I might be excited for.

I went to an RV show today in Madison. I expected to be overly happy to see the brainless masses being brainless and massing. It was pretty good. While lacking the carnival atmosfear I was most hoping for, it did have the carnival smell from the cheap concessions available in the foyer.

Here’s a brief synopsis of what it means to “camp” it up to today’s overly wealthy consumer. One of the campers had not just solid hardwood doors and tiled floors, but also two TVs, one hid-a-bed and surround sound. To show how classy the camper was they were playing “Return of the King.”

Another of the campers showcased their ability to rock me Amadeus by playing Liberty’s Kids, the hit PBS show about Benjamin Franklin and the American revolution. They also had a triple-decker bunk bed.

But the camper that did the best job of grabbing and keeping my attention was the one that proudly displayed it years-old box of Fruit Loops and a “Masters of the Universe” sleeping bag. I’m pretty sure it also involved a stuffed Care Bear of some sort, but I was too ecstatic at that point and I had started to black out.

No, the newspaper conference was everything I assumed it would be. And by that I mean it was boring beyond believable belief. I did learn one thing, though, and that one thing is this: creamy chicken can and will most likely be dry.

Well, back to the excitement: I am watching a commercial for some sort of chocolate fondue and I just finished watching “The Bourne Supremacy.” It sure was good and fun. Good fun!

Appleton!

Well, I do have internet access here in Appleton, but I unfortunately have nothing to report. We are staying at the Paper Valley Radisson. For those of you name John Sagehorn, you may remember that is the hotel we stayed at for that choir thing that time we came to Appleton. Remember that? How all the windows in the rooms looked out onto the “atrium” that was really just a cool glass thing that was really just waiting to be a Tony Hawke level. If I had wasted time and gone to Canada to win a free digital camera like some people I might be able to take pictures.

Also of note, I went to eat at a bar and ordered two appetizers and two pieces of fish. Why? Because I’m wild and crazy and they were on sale. After a rousing couple of rounds of ping pong where I lost hardcore I am watching Newlyweds.

I came, I went to a job fair, I applied and I watched a lot of old people get drunk. It was mostly frightening.

In other news, your mom.

Exponential!

First issue of the Exponent tonight. And, as per Brandon’s Predisposed Constant Emotional State, it brought with it conflicting emotions.

On one hand, it was more than a little fun to get back in the swing of things and start with some writing (not that this isn’t writing what I’m doing here, but… Oh, whom am I kidding? This isn’t writing) and a few pictures too.

On the other hand, the easy semester I had planned totally went down the crapper when I started working on Exponent stuff. Even with Tuesdays and Thursdays wide open I have almost no time to do anything else. Sucktastic.

Also, I’m conflicted because I put two of my own stories on the front page and had to cut the story of one of the younger writers for space concerns. And she was a good writer, too. One of the better ones I’ve seen in Basic Newswriting. But her story didn’t have the oomph that the ones I wrote did (probably it was better written in most aspects than at least one of mine). But thems the cards, I guess.

My stories were this: TAUWP wants to be able to unionize (that’s the professors. Apparently they aren’t allowed to be unionized at 4-year schools) and the Regents say no. I really liked this story because the one guy I talked to gave all sorts of awesome quotes. I actually started the news story with a quote, which is a no-no 99% of the time but I couldn’t resist with a quote like this: “The UW Administration is a dictatorship that cowardly hides behind the lie of governance.”

BOOM BABY!

The other story was about the Faculty Senate saying boo boo to some Trust Fund investment policies of the Regents. Seems the UW Regents are taking some gift cash and investing it in companies like Cat and Lockheed-Martin whose products are used by Israelis to mow people down. The faculty doesn’t like that. I didn’t like the story. It seemed a little poorly worded and rushed a dumb. But I started it and finished it today and had my spit-and-vinegar interview to do too.

So does this bode well for future employment? Probably. I guess it at least shows that I can be happy doing something I really hate for at least a little while. And isn’t that what being an American is all about.

Also, I put up a copy of the story when I gots one, or at least a link to it. And I get to party hardy with the Exponent staff this week at the Radisson in Appleton as part of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Conference. Last year we went to Milwaukee and the bathtub was full of ice and beer by the time my car got there. So this should be a good time, right? Most importantly to you, that means you won’t get my brain vomit until this weekend unless the hotel has wireless or some other sort of free intraweb.