Time for bad thing, good thing...

Bad thing: getting a parking ticket because you didn't have your stupid permit up.

Good thing: Taking the temporary license plates off your car and throwing the ticket away.

Who are these people...

Wisconsin Rapids Common Council President Maynard Paterick also said [about a petition to put a Bush impeachment vote on the ballot] -- “If [the voters] want a referendum, that’s fine, let them have one,” Paterick said. “To me, I think the opposite — if we weren’t in Iraq right now, we might be getting bombed here.”


I can see "if we weren't in Afghanistan" without making my blood boil but IRAQ!? Jesus tap dancing christ what brain melting powder are these people snorting?

...

The Onion AV Club: When we last spoke to you—it's been almost 10 years now—the last question asked was "Are the American people stupid?" How would you answer that today?

Bill Maher: They are. Even more so than 10 years ago. People come up to me all the time and say, "This is such a stupid country." And it is. Unfortunately, it is. It has millions of bright people in it. I like to think that they comprise a good part of my audience. But there's no doubt about it, it's a stupid country. It was in The New York Times last week that when they asked the question "Do you think human beings evolved from an earlier species of animal?" the only Western nation that responded "no" more often than America was Turkey. Thirty different countries, including Bulgaria. Ooh, that one hurt. I got to say, that hurt. That was like a knife in the gut. Even Bulgaria gets it about evolution more than we do. That's a stupid country.

Welcome to Fall...

there is so many deserving directions I could go in that I can't just focus on one and I'm far to busy (read: lazy) to actually properly do them all justice so here is just a summation of my feelings on the particular trappings of todays papers..

Ranking Season: UW no longer top party school
Choice quotes:

“I don’t even know how they decide,” UW Provost Patrick Farrell said, laughing at the mere mention of The Princeton Review’s party-school rankings. “I am not the least bit upset.”

PACE Director Susan Crowley said the university’s drop from No. 1 to No. 4 does not indicate that binge drinking is a problem that can now be ignored.

My take:
The "party school" ranking is a travesty inflicted on the world to no one's benefit. I took a lot of shit from adults in the world noting my number 1 party school ranking and ignoring the #7 public school in the nation ranking. That said, PACE is more than just an annoyance and needs to be dissolved, forgotten, buried and spit on. NEXT!

Morning-after pill to be available without prescription
Choice quotes:

The FDA’s Aug. 24 decision reverses its initial 2003 ruling that rejected Plan B for over-the-counter distribution. While pro-life groups say this new judgment is nothing more than the FDA’s shameless rejection of science, others see the situation in a different light.

My take:
I am dizzy spinning around trying to follow the logic that leads "pro-life" (better known as: anti-choice) groups who think they to use the words "shameless" "rejection" and "science" together in the same sentence WITHOUT referring to themselves.


Knights threaten UW with lawsuit
Choice quotes:

In yet another student organization controversy, the University of Wisconsin and the Knights of Columbus, a national Catholic organization, have clashed this summer over their interpretations of the First Amendment.

In late July, SOO realized that the Knights of Columbus restrict their membership to Catholic males ages 18 and older — a violation of the aforementioned laws that had apparently gone unnoticed for nearly three decades.

According to Casey Nagy, executive assistant to Chancellor John Wiley, the Knights also violated another SOO eligibility regulation since they are not actually run by students.

My take:
So they're suing a publicly funded university, essentially suing themselves and everyone else in the state who pays taxes of any kind - how very christian of them, Jesus must be proud of their good works.


This trick’s no treat
Choice quotes:

After four years of pepper spray and riot gear, it’s clear something needs to be done to change a tradition that’s headed straight into the toilet.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has attempted to do just that by introducing an elaborate plan to limit access to State Street and charge admission in order to quell violence and offset costs. We agree in large part with the plan’s stated goals but have serious concerns about the consequences of effectively caging a group of intoxicated revelers.

In addition to the logistical issues of both selling and distributing a set number of tickets to the event, controlling entry and exit at just three State Street access points will surely prove chaotic.

Only the party’s patrons themselves can determine a way to overcome the proposal’s egregious shortcomings — and, additionally, they need the incentive of an ultimatum to make things work this year.

The city would need UW’s help.

A long weekend — or a fall break — coinciding conveniently with Oct. 31 might just do the trick.

And, just as the Mifflin Street Block Party has risen from its own ashes, perhaps Halloween could come back as a safe, fun event in a few years — something some of us might actually enjoy attending.

My take:
I actually agree with everything here. Good logical sensible and above all, honest, look at Halloween from the Badger Herald Editorial Board. Additionally I should add that if you have friends who want to come visit you on Halloween, think about why. Do they WANT to come to see you or because "MADISON HAS THE CRAZY RIOTS THAT ARE AWESOME" Think long and hard, I met a girl 'visiting' from the University of Florida, and many from the west coast.... I have to wonder why they came, and why they came that weekend. Stay home and ruin your town next time.

Established Feb 2006...

Just skimmed the newspapers for the first day of class and I'm already teeming, yes, I said teeming, with malcontent and scorn for the general public. oh yes you guessed it, the blog is back in full swing, bringing the absurdity and vague liberal views since Winter 06.

What is a friend...

A friend is someone I'd do favors for. Someone I'd come visit, someone I'd spend time with and catch up with them when I can't see them. Someone who I'd talk to about important issues to me, music, politics, my classes and subsequent future after classes. I would remember things they enjoy and ask a friend about. Someone I'd go to a bar with, and call back when I missed their call. Someone who'd I'd say happy birthday to and think of something nice to do for them. Someone who I would be supportive in a problem, and pick them up when they get stranded at a bus stop when there isn't another one coming. Someone who I would help move. Someone who I would cook with, someone I would drink with, someone I would bullshit with. A friend is someone I could talk to about my geeky hobbies without feeling like a geek. A friend of mine could count on me for just about anything they need. A friend is someone who I wouldn't ask to pay back $6 for lunch. I have respect for a friend and I would defend them to anyone.

I don't have many friends. There is just a few people who aren't family who know they can count on me for just about anything. But really, that sounds a whole lot like family to me. It's the way I was brought up to treat people, but it's just not how everyone defines a friend and that makes things hard.

I've learned the hard way over and over who and more importantly who isn't really my friend. Realizing that someone you had respect and trust in doesn't hold you in the same importance hurts. I really don't have much use for these people. Fair weather friends I've heard they are called. I don't like that term, I don't feel comfortable enough to call them that. A fair weather friend is someone who is only around when things are good or only when its convenient for them to be around, however you want to see it, to me thats not a friend at all, acquaintance at best. And to be perfectly honest, I don't want to maintain any 'acquaintances'. Yes I understand that you become acquainted with someone before you can become friends, but the way I tend to think of people as "people I've met", "strangers" and "friends." I'd rather not know you than have you be a fair weather friend to me. I'm not demanding that I learn everything about you instantly and expect you to remember everything I say and my opinions on every topic ever discussed but I do expect to be listened to with genuine interest. I know that may seem harsh, but I'm just not interested in sorta-knowing you.

I've been pushed and taken advantage of by people who seem to just take and take from me while being fair weather friends to me and I've reached a line in the sand, an edge. One that I won't cross or be pushed over. I'm doing one of the hardest things in my life right now and that's talking to someone if they want to actually be my friend or if I should just leave it at "I'll see you when I see you" because I'm tired of being left out and blown off by people who I care about.

The important rules of going out...

Never wait in a line. ever. If the place is that great the people aren't going to be leaving.
Tipping leads to better service.
Just because its says "$3 you call it rail mixers" doesn't mean you don't tip.
Your always louder than you think you are while your drinking.
Don't hit on the bartender, she's working.
Don't argue with a bouncer the customer is never right.
Your friends are more important that the drunk girl you thought was winking at you.
Going out doesn't always have to mean "stone drunk."
Capacity crowds aren't a good thing.
If your angry and drunk you should go home.
If you "only do it while your drunk" you probably shouldn't do it.
Get creative, watching four thousand people order jager bombs is a little depressing.
No bar should ever play Dave Matthew's Band, Jack Johnson or Coldplay music after 9 pm.
There will be other nights, always remember that.