Musings of the McÜbermensch

"Automated Geek Test"

2009-02-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

Below is a link to an new and slightly improved geek test. If you took the Alpha version and are happy with you score so be it. If not take the new one and see how you feel about it. If you aren't happy with either score . . . sorry.

Automated Geek Test

I really didn't want you to have to leave the blog to take the test, but alas, you do.

Also, apparently the site I used thinks that "Schwarzenegger" is a racial slur so it doesn't show the "egger" at the end.

I scored a 62% by the way - still a casual geek.

Geek Test Scoring Guide

2009-02-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Here is the scoring guide for the Geek Test I made. Now keep in mind this is biased because these are only the geeky things I could think of off the top of my head - I am sure I left a ton of geeky stuff off. You can subtract 10 points from your score if you have a girlfriend, boyfriend, wife or husband (unless they scored high on the test too).

Over 600 -> You are an Ultra Geek and you may need to think about leaving the house more. If that house is your parent's house then you really need to think about finding your own place. (I finally did!) Trips to Gamestop, the comic book store, ComicCon and the like don't count. Contact with real human beings can be a good thing.

450 - 599 -> While not on the same level as the "Ultra Geek" you are a "True Geek" and still probably a little socially inept. At least your friends on World of Warcraft understand you, right? Just pop in your "Dr. Who" DVD and relax, what do you care about acceptance?

200 - 449 -> You my friend are a Casual Geek. Don't think you aren't a geek because you are. You may not be as tech savvy as the Ultra Geek or the True Geek but you still know your way around Science Fiction and Fantasy. You feel out of place at places like bars because you think you could be at home leveling you Final Fantasy character or placing a winning bid on Ebay for "Adventure Island 3" for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

100 - 199 -> Ah yes, you have what I call "geek tendencies" you are not a full fledged geek but you like enough geeky things that you feel comfortable around geeks and they won't ridicule you because you would never say or think that Dumbledore played an integral part in returning the Ring of Power to Mt. Doom. You probably feel comfortable in social situations that don't involve any geeks either (i.e. bars)

0 - 99 -> Geek on the weekend - or when the time suites. Yeah you saw the Lord of the Rings movies and the X-Men movies but you never read the respective books. You laugh when you see an adult playing video games or reading comic books. You aren't really a geek at all. What is sad is you probably think you are one.

Negative score -> Were you the captain of the high school football team or the head cheerleader? I bet you made life for geeks a living hell - no worries for them though - they usually grow up to make enough money to buy huge houses that are big enough to get lost in. (Just look at Bill Gates.)

Geek Test Pt. 5

2009-02-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here are the last questions . . . I hope you have your Dragonball Z t-shirt on!

90. You remember that Nintendo game, "Contra" there was a code that increased the number of lives you could use and your power ups. What is the code and what other name does it go by? 5 points for "Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A" and 5 more points for "the Konami code"

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A and I don't know. +5

91. How many "Houses" are mentioned by name in Frank Herbert's Dune universe? Name them. 10 points for "15", 2 points for each name.

3?, House Harkonnen, House Corrino, House Atreides. 2+2+2 = 6

92. Would you consider Albert Einstein a hero of yours? 10 points if "yes"

No. 0

93. What is Superman's father's name and where does Superman draw his power from? 5 points for "Jor-El" and 5 more points for "Earth's yellow sun"

Jor-El and the Earth's yellow sun. 5+5=10

94. What does the term "Peredhil" mean? Give an example. 10 points for "half-elven" 5 more points for "Elrond"

I have no idea. 0

95. Are you now or have you ever been an "IT guy", a systems analyst, a code writer, a web designer, a video game salesman, a high school teacher (any subject), a college professor, a doctor, a book store clerk, or a librarian? 10 points for "yes" add 1 point for each if more than one of the above

I worked at the circulation desk at Georgetown College's library, does that count? Sure, but only 4 points. +4

96. There is an actor who used to play Batman and is now the mayor of an animated town, what is his name and what is the name of the animated town? 5 points for "Adam West" and 5 points for "Quahog"

Adam West and Quahog. 5+5=10

97. In the 1987 film "Masters of the Universe" a character from the cartoon series was replaced with another character. Who was replaced and who was he replaced with? 10 points for "Orko" and 10 points for "Gwildor"

Orko and I can't remember his name. +10

98. Do you own a copy of the book by Stephen Hawking, "A Brief History of Time" and have you read it? 10 points for "yes" to both

No. 0

99. According to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" what is the single most important thing an interstellar hitch hiker could carry? 10 points for "a towel"

A towel. +10

100. Do you hope to score well on this so you know you are a geek? 10 points for "yes"

Yes. +10

Part 4. (Really, already?)

2009-01-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

73. Have you ever tested a Beta version of anything? (software, online game, etc . . .) 5 points for "yes"

No. 0

74. Have you ever tested an Alpha version of anything? (software, online game, etc . . .) 10 points for "yes"

No. 0

75. Tom Cruise was in one movie in the 80s worth watching, what is the name of the movie? 7 points for "Legend", -10 points for "Top Gun".

Legend. I disagree with this question (even if I did write it) because "Rain Man" is an amazing film. +7

76. Are you a Muggle or a Squib? (this one can't be scored based on the answer - if you know the two terms go ahead and give yourself 4 points)

Muggle, saddly I have no magic abilities. +4

77. Have you ever dressed up like a character from the Harry Potter book series and gone to a midnight release of any of the books in the series? 10 points if "yes" (note: only those over the age of 11 can score points by answering "yes")

No. 0

78. Why is Bruce Campbell awesome? 1 point for every reason

Bubba Ho-tep, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, His role on the X-Files = +6

79. Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr starred in a 1985 Science Fiction classic together - what was the name of this movie? 5 points for "Enemy Mine"

Enemy Mine. +5

80. Milla Jovovich was in the movie "The Fifth Element". What was her character's name? 5 points for "Leeloo"

Leeloo. +5

81. What was the Fifth Element in the movie "The Fifth Element"? 5 points for "Leeloo"

Leeloo. +5

82. If you have seen the new Battlestar Galactica series than you know Cylons are referred to as "skin-jobs" - where does this term originate? 10 points if "Replicants"

Replicants from "Blade Runner". +10

83. George Lucas' first feature length movie was "___ ___". 5 points for "THX 1138"

THX 1138. +5

84. Did you like "THX 1138"? (Just curious, no points)

No, I did not.

85. Who is the phrase "All is water" commonly attributed to? (I had to throw in one philosophy question) 4 points for "Thales"

Thales. +4

86. Is "Zelda" the name of the character you play in "The Legend of Zelda" Nintendo game series? 5 points for "no"

No. +5

87. Okay, so the character's name isn't "Zelda", what is it? 5 points for "Link"

Link. +5

88. Do you get your news from sites like Digg, Reddit, or Stumbleupon? 2 points for "yes"

Yes. +2

89. Have you every submitted a news story to any of the above sites and had it make the front page? 10 points if "yes"

No. 0

90 - 100 are on the way and they will be the last!

Geek Test Pt. 3

2009-01-29T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here is part three - who knows how many more parts there will to this. Perhaps I should just make my blog a Geek Test blog.

50. Have you ever been to "ComicCon" or anything similar? 10 points if "yes"

No. 0

51. If you answered "yes" to question 50, did you dress up as a character from a film, a comic book, a video game, or an animated series? 10 points if "yes"

N/A. 0

52. Have you ever been to an academic convention? (i.e. an honors rountable, Beta Club, etc. . .) 5 points if "yes"

Yes, Honors convention. +5

53. If you answered "yes" to question 52, did you present a paper or make any other kind of presentation? 6 points if "yes"

Yes. +6

54. What does "MST3K" stand for? 4 points if "Mystery Science Theater 3000"

Mystery Science Theater 3000. +4

55. Do you own a shirt with any of the characters from "MST3K" on it? 6 points if "yes"

Yes, Tom Servo. Had it since the 7th grade. +6

56. Who hosted/narrated "In Search Of..."? 6 points if "Leonard Nimoy"

Leonard Nimoy. +6

57. Have you ever argued about who is a better Starfleet Captain, Kirk or Picard? 5 points if "yes"

No. 0

58. While we're on the subject what does the "T" in James T. Kirk stand for? 7 points if "Tiberius"

Tiberius. (the only reason I know this is because of the latest Star Trek movie trailer) +7

59. If you watched the movie trailer above did it excite you? 6 points for "yes", 3 points for "sorta", 0 points for "not really"

Not really. 0

60. Are you excited for the movie "Watchmen"? 1 point for "yes", 5 points for "very", 10 points for "it will never be as good as the book!"

No, they will find some way to screw it up - just read the book! +10

61. Were you on any of your schools' academic team? 10 point for "yes"

No. 0

62. If you are a teacher now, are you involved with your school's academic team? 15 points for "yes"

N/A. 0

63. Do you have any "Magic The Gathering" cards? 7 points for "yes"

No. 0

64. Were you ever a Pog champ or regular Pog player? 4 points if "yes I was a champ", 1 point for "yes I played regularly"

No. 0

65. Can you solve a Rubik's Cube? 5 points if "yes"

No. 0

66. Does the idea of playing "Risk" all night excite you? 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

67. Do you have a "blog"? 3 points if "yes"

Yes. +3

68. Have you ever edited "Wikipedia"? 5 points if "yes"

Yes, about TOOL. +5

69. How many "Rings of Power" are referred to in "The Lord of The Rings"? 5 points if "20", 10 points if "The Nine, The Seven, The Three, The One = 20"

The Nine, The Seven, The Three, The One = 20. +10

70. In school were you ever in a "gifted, honors, or AP" class. 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

71. Instead of Kirsten Dunst, who should have played Mary Jane in the "Spiderman" movies? 4 points if "anyone", 6 points if "Claire Danes"

Claire Danes would have been perfect. +6

72. Have you ever attended a "Renaissance Festival"? 3 points for "yes"

No. 0

More to come I'm sure.

2009-01-26T10:12:00.000-08:00

I know this is just for fun but don't cheat - the answers are right there. Since there is no prize there is no reason to win and is this really something you want to score highly on?

Didn't think so.

I just brainstormed these questions (besides the Buffy the Vampire Slayer ones - I had to research those) and guessed the answer then confirmed with Wikipedia . . . which brings me to another question.

Geek Test Pt. 2

2009-01-26T07:01:00.000-08:00

Part 1 is in the books so now it is on to part 2. I do hope you remembered your score from part one. The geek scale will be revealed after the last part is posted. Also, please don't cheat. Geeks never cheat.

27. In the film "The Beastmaster" Dar had two pet ferrets their names were _____ & _____ . 3 points for each. (Kodo and Podo)

Kodo +3 and Podo +3 = 6

28. Who is Gmork? 5 points for "the servant of the Nothing"

The talking wolf in the NeverEnding story who serves the Nothing. +5

29. Where is "Rivendell"? 3 points if "Middle-earth"

Middle-earth +3

30. Who dies after drinking from a cup that has been poisoned with iocane powder? 5 points if "Vizzini", 3 points if "The Sicilian from 'The Princess Bride'", 1 point if "The annoying guy from The Princess Bride"

The Sicilian from "The Princess Bride" +3

31. What other name does Mount Doom go by? 5 points if "Amon Amarth"

Amon Amarth. +5

32. In part one I asked about current gen game consoles, did you feel slighted that I didn't ask about past gen consoles (i.e. NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, N64, PS2, Xbox . . . ) 7 points if "yes"

No. 0

33. According to Max Brooks what is the best close quarter weapon to use against a zombie? 3 points if "machete"

Machete. +3

34. How many suns does the planet Thra have? 5 points for "three"

Three. +5

35. Who is J. Robert Oppenheimer? 4 points for "Father of the Atomic Bomb"

Father of the Atomic bomb. +4

35. Do you own any albums by They Might be Giants, Weezer, WEEN, Barenaked Ladies, Bed Folds, Ben Folds Five, Talking Heads, Dream Theater, Weird Al, Devo, or Beck? 1 point for each album owned.

Blue Album, Pinkerton, Green Album, Maladroit, Red Album, Make Believe, Stunt, Rock Spectacle, Gordon, Born on a Pirate Ship, Rockin' the Suburbs, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, Whatever and Ever Amen, Ben Folds Five, Even Worse, Off the Deep End, Alapolooza, "Weird Al" Yankovic's Greatest Hits, Odelay, Mutations, Sea Change, Guero, The Information = 23

36. Do you know your Jedi name? 10 points if "yes"

Yes. Mcdju Cufra +10

37. Balrog is a very nice fellow. 1 point if "False"

False, Balrog will kill you. +1

38. Do you wear glasses? 1 point if "yes"

Yes. +1

39. If you do wear glasses have they been broken and repaired by you? 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

40. Are you fluent in Elvish or Klingon? 10 points for each "yes"

No. 0

41. Have you read "The Silmarillion"? 6 points if "yes"

Yes. +6

42. If you were to take a test on "The Silmarillion" would you get a high score? 10 points if "yes"

No. 0 (if anyone answers this "yes" chances are they are not telling the truth IMO)

43. Do you own the "Lord Of The Rings" The Motion Picture Trilogy (Platinum Series Extended Edition)on DVD? (This is the 12 disc set) 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

44. If you answered "yes" to question 43 - Have you watched all the special features? 10 points if "yes"

No, that would take forever. 0

45. What was Mulder's nickname and what did he write a book about? 5 points for each correct answer. (Spooky and the Occult)

Fox "Spooky" Mulder and the Occult and serial killers. 5+5=10

46. Have you ever seriously thought about what your superpowers would be, what your costume would look like, and what your name would be if you were a superhero? 5 points for "yes"

Yes. +5

47. Who is Lothos? 5 points for "the main vampire in Buffy" (there you go Lauren)

No idea. 0

48. "Angel" was a spin-off of what television show that was a spin-off of what movie? 3 points if "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer. +3

49. While we're on vampires, what was Kate Beckinsale's character's name in "Underworld" and what is her title? 5 points if "Selene a Death Dealer"

Selene the hottest Death Dealer ever! +5

And that concludes part 2 of the Geek test. Save your scores! At least one more part - maybe more.

Are you a geek? I know I am. Here is how I know. Part 0ne.

2009-01-21T11:51:00.001-08:00

People tell me I'm cool - no really they do. Do I think I am cool? No, not at all. I made a check list. The point values for the questions may be different and are based on a "geek scale" from 1 to 10 (with a few exceptions). For instance, question number 1 deals with video games and video games aren't really that geeky so the point value is 1. Question number 7 is off the "geek scale" and is valued at 25 points.

1. Do you own a current generation video game console? 1 point

Yes. +1

2. Do you own two or more current generation video game consoles? More specifically, are two or more video game consoles in frequent use in your home? (not counting a PC) 2 points if the answer is "yes" - add 1 point for each additional console.

No. 0

3. Do you now or have you ever had a subscription to an MMORPG? 2 points if "yes" and 1 additional for every MMO you play or have played. If don't know what an MMORPG is subtract 5 points. Please give a detailed response.

Yes. City of Heroes and Final Fantasy XI 2+1+1= 4

4. Do you now or have you ever collected action figures? 2 points if "yes" and 5 points if said action figures are still in the original packaging.

Yes. +5

5. Do you know the molecular structure of caffeine? 10 points if "yes"

Yes. +10

6. "Starbuck is the hottest Viper pilot this side of Caprica." 5 points if "True". If answer is, "Who is Starbuck and what is a Viper?" subtract 15 points.

True. +5

7. if j00 K4N r34d 7hi2 4DD 25 p0IN72 70 J00R 5c0R3. If you just tried to read that and said "WTF" subtract 5 points. If you just read that and don't know what "WTF" means subtract 10 points.

+25

8. Have you seen "Tron" in the past six months? 5 points if "yes"

No. 0

9. Have you seen "Blade Runner" in the last year? 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

10. When shopping for a video game the letters "RPG" play an important role in the decision making process. 5 points if "True"

True. +5

11. The names Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Lloyd Alexander, Robert Howard, and H.P. Lovecraft mean something to you. 1 point for each name that you know and have read.

Tolkien +1, Alexander +1, and Howard +1 = 3

12. The names William Gibson, Phillip K. Dick, Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Isaac Asimov, and Carl Sagan mean something to you. 1 point for each name you know and have read.

Gibson +1, Dick +1, Adams +1, Vonnegut +1, and Sagan +1 = 5

13. Have you ever read a book for fun? 1 point if "yes". 5 points if done regularly.

Yes and regularly. 5

14. When you pick up a graphic novel do you put it down before finishing it? 5 points if "no". Subtract 5 points if "What is a graphic novel?"

No. +5

15. Comic books are cool. 5 points if "True"

True. +5

16. Do you now or have you ever subscribed to a comic book? 2 points if "yes"

Yes. +2

17. The Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run in less than ______ parsecs. 15 points if you answered "twelve".

Twelve. +15

18. Dog the Bounty Hunter is the greatest bounty hunter ever. 5 points if "False". 10 points if "False, Boba Fett is the greatest bounty hunter ever." Subtract 100 points if "True"

False. Boba Fett. +10

19. Have you ever camped out for a video game release, video game console release, movie tickets, Weird Al tickets? 2 points for every "yes". 10 points for "Weird Al"

Yes. Star Wars Episode I. +2

20. Will you not leave the house on Friday night for fear you may miss "Battlestar Galactica"? 5 points if "yes"

Yes. +5

21. Are you fluent in binary? 5 points if "yes"

No. 0

22. C++, Java, Visual Basic? 5 points for each "yes"

No. 0 (this is where I fail being a true geek)

23. So you don't know code are you still comfortable with computers? 1 point if "yes"

Yes. +1

24. Do you think the people on "Mythbusters" have the best job on the planet? 2 points if "yes"

Yes. +2

25. Do you frequently watch Food Network, Discovery, History Channel, Travel Channel, Weather Channel, G4 TV, NASA's channel, or SciFi? 1 point for each "yes"

Yes to all = 9

26. Have the words, "I am an in editing frenzy right now for Johnny Depp" ever been uttered by you? 25 points for "yes"

No. 0

(This will be continued in a later post so keep you point total handy!)

It's Offical - I'm Old and Boring (repost)

2009-01-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

This is a repost from elsewhere. I wrote it a couple of years ago but it is still true.

Just last week I was hit by a revelation when I shushed my girlfriend Joa and our friend Kelli so I could hear "The Writer's Almanac" hosted by Garrison Keillor on NPR. That revelation, I am old and boring. The first sentence alone has four components of old fogeiness; I shushed someone so I could hear the radio, I wanted to hear "The Writer's Almanac", I like Garrison Keillor and his voice, and I love NPR.

It does not, however, end there. I drink my coffee black with no sugar and I genuinely like the way it tastes. Teenagers bug the heck out of me. I automatically tune car radios to 91.3 to hear the latest world new and current events. I have started to like the music played on NPR more than most of the CDs you can find in my collection. I think vinyl sounds better than "digital recordings". I would rather read a book than watch TV. I pay attention to politics and am beginning to get bugged by the radically liberal (although the radically conservative are still far more distressing). I would rather go see the latest critically acclaimed film than go see a gruesome horror movie. I make sure I eat a lot of fiber.

There are a few things left that let me know I am still young though maybe not exciting. I have an iPod and know how to use it. I own a computer and know how to use it. I like heavy music. I like Jagermeister. I saw "Borat" and know it was hilarious.

Clean Coal

2008-12-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Something terrible happened earlier this week in Tennessee and I bet you didn't hear about it on the news - CNN, Fox, NBC, ABC, etc because they don't want to bite the hands that feed them.

500 million gallons of toxic coal sludge spilled from the 80 acre holding area and devastating the Tennessee river and destroying 15 homes. I am sure there are people that see no problem with this and will call me a dirt worshiping tree hugger but those are the same people I would call ignorant hate mongers and we would all be wrong. This does have something to do with really enjoying being outside but it has more to do with the health of the environment for the sake of human beings. Actually when you get down to it maybe we don't deserve the Earth. Perhaps it is a good thing that we are accelerating our demise - we need to make way for the next more intelligent species to rise in about 3 million years. Perhaps I am being to cynical - after all us liberals are as a rule very angry people or that is what I am told. Seeing videos like this tends to anger me a little anyway.

Merry Christmas Mother Earth - Hope you like the coal sludge in your river! Don't ask for anything else.

The Best Music You Probably Aren't Listening To. Pt. 1

2008-12-22T12:47:00.001-08:00

I like some pretty obscure music and I like many different genres from country to progressive I will give anything a listen. When I was compiling my top ten cds of 2008 I noticed a ton of artists in my iTunes that should be more popular than they are and I thought I would share a few of them with you.

Russian Circles.

I found this band by a complete fluke. I was in CD Central in Lexington a few years back buying tickets for a concert and decided I may as well look around and see if anything caught my eye or to see if any Flaming Lips Japanese imports had come in. I hadn't noticed the music that was being played until a crescendo of rock erupted above me.
"Who is this? It is amazing" I inquired to the heavily pierced girl behind the counter.
"You know, everyone that has come in while this has been on has asked that. It's Russian Circles. They rock."

Indeed they do:

Jeri Katherine Howell

Jeri Katherine has more talent than all the teen stars that currently have huge recording contracts and millions of teenage followers. Besides loads of talent she also has something else that is very important - modesty. She doesn't walk around with a chip on her shoulder like I would if I had her kind of talent. She was nice enough to sing at Joa and my wedding and when we asked her how much she would charge she said, "You all are paying for a wedding you don't need to pay me anything."

How awesome is that? Oh and she writes her own stuff.

Those Poor Bastards

Can there be such a things as Gothic Country? Well my friend Chase Nichols and I know there can be. I have to give Chase all the credit for telling me about these crazy guys. With album names like "Satan is Watching" and "Country Bullshit" you know that you are going to get some pretty odd subject matter in their tunes. Their most famous song, "Pills I Took" was covered by and made popular by Hank III.

Here they are doing it:

Top 10 Albums of 2008

2008-12-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

It is mid December and I don't see any releases on the horizon that strike my hard to please fancy so I have come up with 10 must have albums released in 2008.

First let me say some of my friends have let their dislike for one album on this list be known and to that I say - some of the music you all listen to is dreadful and unoriginal so I understand your contempt for something new and different. I say that with a heart full of love and kindness - really I do.

10. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

This one doesn't get to be talked about because it is number 10. "Bixby Canyon Bridge" is a great song.

9. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night

It seems that every KOL album that is released I receive with skepticism and never really enjoy on the first listen. This album grew on me with every listen and I began to realize that while it isn't as "rocking" as I hoped it would be but it rocks just enough.

8. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple

"Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)". Song of the year. Hands down. On a whole it isn't a very strong album but the absolute brilliance of "Run" is enough to bring it into the top 10.

7. Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers

Slow, somber, and awesome with a few exceptions. Who knew a Canadian woman could make the best country album of the year? The best song by far is "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory" and the best line is "You're the Great One, I'm Marty McSorley." Only a Canadian.

6. Duffy - Rockferry

Pure "pop" albums do not typically make my end of the year lists but sometimes you just can't ignore an album and this is one such album. I have read reviews that say it is all studio magic that makes Duffy so amazing and maybe so but there isn't a bad song on the whole album.

5. The Bronx - The Bronx (III)

I saw these guys open for Mastodon a few years back and knew immediately they were the real deal. Some may find this album hard to listen to - it is a pure mix of punk and rock and not blink-182 or New Found Glory punk either. This is lip-snarled, fist pumping, spit in the face of authority punk and I love it.

4. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

I didn't want to like this band because I never want to like "the next big thing" but once I saw them on Saturday Night Live I had to get the cd. I am glad I did. Since one of my favorite albums ever is Paul Simon's "Graceland" it is no wonder I like this album so much. You can't help but hear a great deal of Simon's influence. With that being said, stay away from "One (Blake's Got a New Face)" that song is horrible.

3. Sigur Ros - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

For those of you who don't speak Icelandic the translation is "With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly" and they do. This is by far not their best, see 2002's (), but their worst is better than many band's best. If you need to be able to sing along with your music than this and #2 on my list will not strike your fancy - unless you know Icelandic.

2. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath

This, like my #3, is not the best by these guys but it is still better than all the other shit out there. If you can sing along with this album you have listened to it way too much. To be totally honest I could do without the vocals - not that I don't like them - but it is the music I listen to these guys for. There is usually about 2-3 minutes of pure freakout and then anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes of precise acid rocking. Case in point: 6:14 on in Metatron is amazing. They are the closest thing we have to good old King Crimson we have and for that I am thankful. Listen to Metatron right now.

1. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

"Wasting time home alone dottin' your "i's". Peanut Butter pudding surpirse!" If you don't like falsettos, anything different, or rocking than don't listen this cd. If you are open to new sounds than give it a go. For every super odd track on this album there is a very traditional AM Gold track. You know what I mean by AM Gold right? America and Bread and James Taylor. Odd: "Touch Me I'm Gonna Scream" parts one and two and "Highly Suspicious". Traditional: "The Librarian" and "Smokin' from Shootin'". Rockin': "Aluminum Park" and "Evil Urges".

There you have it now you know what to get the music lovers on your Christmas list. Please comment. I love debate.

Jimmy V and the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.

2008-12-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday night Joa and I were watching the Kentucky/Miami game on ESPN when a promo for the Jimmy V Classic was shown. I mentioned to Joa that - no matter how macho I think I am - whenever Jimmy Valvano is mentioned I can't help but tear up just a little.

Every morning before school for as long as I can remember my I would watch Sportscenter and when I would get home from school I would turn on ESPN. I remember how excited I was when ESPN announced they would be hosting an awards show for sports and the fans would be voting for the winners! I didn't actually get to vote because you had to call in to vote - no online voting back in 1993. For weeks I saw commercial after commercial for the ESPYs and my excitement grew every day. The night of the first ESPY awards had finally come and I got to watch.

I can't tell you who won what award but I remember as clear as day, maybe because ESPN replays it all the time, Jimmy Valvano's speech. I was only 11 years old and I don't really think I understood the gravity of the situation and the importance of his speech until a few years later. Nonetheless I am very glad I got to see it live. For those of you who didn't, here it is.

Now that you have seen that, go here: Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research and make a donation instead of getting me something for Christmas.

Don't let the fact that he was friends with Duke's Coach K get in your way of donating.

Posted here for the first time . . . .

2008-12-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Required reading for functioning human beings

This is a list of books that I have read and I think should be required reading for all humans:

Crime and Punishment
The Quiet American
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Breakfast of Champions
Beyond Good and Evil
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Hegemony or Survival; America's Quest for Global Dominance
The Unsettling or America; Culture and Agriculture
The Corrections
Shalimar the Clown
On The Road
The Subterraneans
Faust
The Sorrows of Young Werther
The Town and The City
Lysistrata
Metamorphosis
THE ALCHEMIST (please read this one if none of the others)
My War Gone by, I Miss It So
Timequake
To the Lighthouse
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison)
The Future of an Illusion
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Veronica Decides to Die
The Death of Ivan Ilych
To Kill a Mockingbird
Billy Budd, Sailor
The Grapes of Wrath
Cathcer in the Rye
Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Good-Bye to All That
On Bullshit
On Truth
The Questioning Concerning Technology
Tao Te Ching
The Communist Manifesto (yeah I said it)
Cat's Cradle
Guerrilla Warfare (yeah I said that too)
Utopia
The Republic
Notes from Underground
Walden

This is not, of course, an exhaustive list and if there are any glaring omissions please let me know.

Oh yeah these as well:

The Lorax
Horton Hatches the Egg

What is "McÜbermensch"?

2008-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in his work, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" gives us the "Übermensch" - which translates oh so roughly to overman or superman (though I would say "supraman").

In "Zarathustra" Nietzsche posits that man or humanity is something to be overcome and the Übermensch is someone who has succeeded in doing so. This is my interpretation anyway and hey - you are at my mercy here.

So in calling myself the McÜbermensch am I asserting that I have "overcome" man? No, I just think it sounds cool.

Do I see mankind as a laughing stock? You bet ya.

Now after all this talk of Friedrich Nietzsche you may be worried that I am a follower or big fan and I must say I am neither. Have I read most of his works? Yes. Do I agree with what he has to say? To an extent yes and no. I would wager that any person who read anything by him would find something to agree and disagree with.

He is probably the most misquoted and misunderstood historical figures of all time - philosophical or otherwise. The Nazi's used his work to justify their beliefs and hatred for Jewish people even though Nietzsche was an opponent of nationalism and anti-Semitism. This, of course, is just my opinion of Nietzsche but anyone of a mob mentality like the Nazi's would have been fodder for Nietzsche to criticize.

Perhaps he is most famous for writing, "God is dead." Some would have you think that is where his statement stops - but interestingly enough it is not. The complete passage is:

"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"

In context this is not a particularly alarming statement. Is there anything wrong with humans finding a source of morality other than that from God? Perhaps there is but God did give us free will did he not? Free will to find our or morality?

Either way Nietzsche never said, "God is dead and I killed him." Even people today use other people's works to promote their ignorant and hateful ideas. Case in point: Fred Phelps and his cult of misinformed quacks using the Bible to justify their unfounded hatred of gays and ultimately the United States not banishing gays.
Whatever happened to being loving? The God I was always taught about doesn't hate anyone and probably doesn't laugh when anyone dies regardless of their sexuality.

That was fun.

I'm Back. (not really)

2008-12-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

No Matt I'm not copying off of you.

I started one of these things way back on April 6th, 2001. It was exactly what anyone who knows me would expect it to be - me whining about how no girls liked me. That was before I discovered Crossan, Kierkegaard, and Colbert - before I knew it was okay to question everything I had ever learned.

So what will I write about now? Now that I know at least one girl does like me enough to marry me I can't whine about girls anymore - thank the Lord.

I could whine about how the two party system is a failure.

I could whine about how there are no great books to read.

I could whine about George Lucas and his ongoing campaign to kill Star Wars.

I could whine about if I had a Nikon D90 I could take better pictures than you without even using Photoshop.

I am sure I will do all of these things.