Saturday, June 12, 2010

The Librarian

I've got to confess, I just love "The Librarian" movies.  Might be goofy, but you gotta laugh at lines like "Yay Newton!!" after his 3rd law of thermodynamics saves the day, and "I think it's only fair to warn you I AM in fact, a librarian!" as Noah Wyle fights Vlad the Impaler.

I just watched the newest one "The Curse of the Judas Chalice" - New Orleans, vampires, Bible curse, Bob Newhart as a 2000 year old "Scholar" who fights the forces of evil -- really, what's not to love?! Giggled away, as I have with the previous two.

I had it on as "background noise" as I did some number crunching...didn't work.

Upright Citizen's Brigade Parody of the BP Oil Spill

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Anthro majors change the world!

This is pretty cool - one of our majors was pivotal in getting a bill signed by President Obama last week.  He's the Executive Director of a program called "Resolve Uganda", a project he started while a student at Notre Dame.  Michael is second from the right (red tie) in the picture below.

The bill, titled the "Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009," commits the US "to help bring an end to the brutality and destruction that have been a hallmark of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) across several countries for two decades, and to pursue a future of greater security and hope for the people of central Africa."

Here's a link to an article about the legislation:
A Future of Greater Security and Hope for the People of Central Africa

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

50 FIRSTS: Atlantic Char (Yawn)



Okay, this is boring. But it's a first, so dammit, I'm counting it.

We went to Bonefish Grill to celebrate Jaime's new PhD-ness, and I had Atlantic char.  Quite tasty, tho' a bit oily (perhaps due to preparation rather than type of fish).

That's about it.  Dull, but counted.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

iPad: Fun AND Useful

I am using a wireless keyboard with my iPad for the first time, and have to admit, this became not just a fun toy, but a useful tool. With the AV adapter, it allows me to show my lectures (translating from PPT to Keynote pretty easily) in class without having to lug my laptop around. The bluetooth keyboard weighs nothing, so even carrying that is still a substantial net gain in portability.

While it won't replace a laptop or desktop for extended work (or adding skeleton action figures, of prime importance ;-), it will be great in the classroom, for travel, and for my old eyes when searching the web in the evening or Facebooking while petting a cat or two and watching TV.

Yep, total and complete and utter decadence. I fully admit it.

(action figure to be added later ;-)