Will SMCM continue to fund the Governor's Cup race?

Read an article in the Washington Post (joke newspaper in my opinion [not really]) about the possibility that SMCM may stop funding the Governor's Cup race.  The school loses like 18,000$ on it yearly (however I feel like the race also results in a lot of donations).

In the article, Jurgo states that "No one thinks it's appropriate that we spend education funds on it."  I'd like to go on the record right now to say that I think we should spend education funds on all sorts of random stuff like boat races and hot air balloon races and building statues of famous people.  The President's statement is now incorrect, seeing as I do think it's appropriate (okay but not really; he brings up a good point).

It seems like the River Concert series breaks even, which is good.  I still haven't attended this event, but probably will this year.  Jurgo said that he doesn't think it's in danger of being cut.

So really the only thing that seems likely to die is Slackwater.  I don't really know what this is to be honest.  Some journal thing.  I don't know how to read so I have never read it.

Would be pretty lame is the governor's cup died.  My Dad raced in it the past two years and got trophies which are actually small cups which I assume are for drinking rum, which makes them better than real trophies.  The race has been going on for a few decades, and it's a pretty cute idea/race.

Dunno.  Kinda doubt that like Muldoon (who has a legit-ass racing boat in the race) would let it die even though he isn't on the Board anymore (or maybe he is and just isn't the head of it).

SMCMLOL: Year in Review

Let us, dear readers, take a journey into this past year re: this bloggin blog.

2010 marked the first year that I made enough $ from ads to get paid.  I got a pretty check from GOOGLE for 100$ which I promptly spent on Rikaloff probably.

Okay but lets look at some analytics and numbers and stats because I want to BORE YOU ALL.

THE BIG PICTURE (click for bigger duh)

Of note is that flatline from July 30th to August 26th.  This was when I done goofed and for some reason it wasn't recording stats.  But it doesn't matter because it was the summer and no one reads then anyway (except for that big spike in the middle).

Anyway, according to Google there were 49,919 visits (will probably break 50,000 by end of the year maybes) and 94,000 page views.

MORE INFO
Most visitors were from the United States, but people from all over read the blog (via study abroad I imagine).  Oxford kids were the second biggest readership, then Canada (what the fuck???  Paul Lemley???)  and then the Gambia and then Italy.  Alba kids, you disappoint me!  And at #10 was Czech Republic....Sam Rockler??  And all of Argentina was probably Sam White.

Anyways, compared to 2009, (however I have to note that recording did not begin in 2009 until the end of February) there was a huge increase!  Like +250%!  Here is a picture showing that (click for bigger).  Blue is 2010, Green is 2009.

Interesting data.  What is also interesting is that the same pattern of decreased readership on the weekends is consistent (admittedly I don't generally update on the weekends) for both years.

Anyway thank you for reading!  What does the future hold (hint:  future may be bleak...)?

That kind of day

It's a blog about what kind of day it is for people kind of day

Merry Christmas from your favorite bloggery blog

Woop

I got some sweet lego like a space ship and some robbers.  Also some cook books and a wok!

UPDATE: Flannel still lost...still crying

Still don't know where my flannel is.  Also misplaced my peacoat somehow...not sure where it is...le sigh.

Here is a poster that my future wife/current fake cousin Elizabeth Benge (via Benge and Benjes are NEARLY THE SAME) made for me regarding the lost flannel.

As you can see it's a very good diagram, she told me it took her many hours in Photoshop.

Jurgo's Shape Ups

Word on the street is that Jurgo and Lurgo wear Shape Ups, the sketchers sneakers that GET YOU FIT (via walking)

Don't really understand why they are curved/round like that, feels like it would take a lot longer to walk as a result.  Anyway, it would appear new president is in favor of being healthy (vs. being in favor of drinking lots of wine....) which is good.

Or is it?  Can we really trust someone who is going to take short cuts like these 'shoes' to get fit?  Where will other short cuts lay?  Are we going to get boats with curved/round hulls??? (probably yes since I think most boats have round hulls).  Will future buildings be curved on the bottom, thus making them sway back and forth (okay this is just silly/absurd).

Not really sure if these shoes are all that stylish, but I think the hats/suits will counter the negative effects of these shoes regarding that matter.

Christmas Light Safety

Realling digging this email Polly Miller sent out nearly a month ago about christmas lights and not dying.  But pulling at cord of lights is one of my favorite things, even though she recommends not doing it.  Also I like leaving lights on when I go to sleep because I am pretty sure they keep monsters away.

Check your grades now!

Via SmartNet

https://hp1.smcm.edu/cgi-bin/student/frame.cgi

Login is generally student ID number
Password is generally Abcd#### wherein #=last 4 digits of your SS.

EDIT:  Forgot to mention that this won't work for young people.  Definitely not first years, probably not sophomores, but everyone else should be okay.

EDIT 2:  Someone said young people can use it if they reset their password via https://hp1.smcm.edu/cgi-bin/public/4getboutit.cgi.  That person was Joanna.

EDIT 3:  3.47 whatupppp

RIP Harry Potter

It would appear that St. Mary's College for witchcraft and wizardry has lost a notable staff member, Mr. Harry Potter.  Mr. Potter was the former food service manager apparently.  Also a wizard I would imagine.  I really like his style.  Credit goes to Ben Casto for finding this in the alumni letter.

More Food!

I went to a really small diner with my dad this morning.

BREAK IS EXCITING

Madrigals Dinner

Attended my first, and probably last, donor's dinner.  The yearly Madrigals event was really nice.  Ben and I arrived around 6:10 and made our way to the open bar.  They had top shelf liquor!  And Heineken!  I didn't realize liquor could taste so good.

So then we went to our table.  We sat with Amir Reda and some alums from like 98' and 01'.  I don't really recall their names, but I think I had met the one guy before at a Buildings and Grounds committee meeting. Anyway, I talked to the guy next to me about the Townhouses, and how they didn't call it The Greens, and how there was no Hallowgreens, and how he was around for the riot.  It was really great!  I am really excited to go to alumni weekends and talk to old people about this stuff.

Also there were singers!  I didn't really understand what they were singing, but then at the end they sang Christmas songs which I could comprehend.  Larry Vote looked real baller moving his hands around like a maestro.  Kristina Schiller tells me she had a solo, which I am not sure I realized because I couldn't really see much from my table, and her singing voice is probably a lot different from her talking voice.

Apparently Madrigal is a type of voicey music.  THE MORE YOU KNOW....


Oh also there was this guy with a lot of war medals, he had graduated in 79', and we were all wondering what the giant medal cross+crown on his tie was.  Then like 10 minutes later Jurgo actually asks him what it meant, and I think I eavesdropped that it meant that if he were British he would have been A KNIGHT!!!  That guy is probably the most ballin' alumni that the college has produced.

Okay that is about it.  Oh also I think Ben and I were probably the only guys without suits.  We opted for the sweater over buttondown combo.  We also opted to wear the same outfits that we wore to a cocktail party last week.  WE'RE COOOOOOOOL.

Winter Break

Exams are over, people have left, etc.  I'm still in St. Mary's County though!  I got invited to the Madrigals dinner (for donors or somesuch) and I invited Ben Casto to attend with me.  There is an open bar!  And seafood!

So I probably will not be updating here much.

But if you are bored you can read my other blog, www.deconstructinglego.com

It's about Lego and kinda funny/weird...read the entry about the City House.

Speaking of Lego, if you have lego from you childhood you should give/sell it to me.

Have a great break!

Midnight Breakfast

Went to it this eve.  Usually don't go, but figured I would go tonight.

PROS:

• Jurgo wore a santa hat
• He also like my hat which said 'ho ho ho'
• I wore this hat a lot during the summer and it confused people
• Biscuits and Gravy
• oh my god yesss
• Those things that are like swirly and have icing...I am blanking on the name....
• I saw lots of bubbles
• Which reminds me of the guy Bubbles from The Wire, which I think I will watch again over winter break

CONS:

• No donuts :/
• No Santa
• Karaoke (while being sober)

EVERYBODY, DON'T FAIL YOUR FINALS PLZ

EDIT:  A lot of people seem upset at the lack of donuts and overall displeased, I dunno I felt like it was pretty great.

Text Book Buy-Back

Heard from my roommate that you get more money from the buy-back if you got a good grade in the class.  lol.

Also, is anyone taking Astronomy next semester, I would like to sell you the Starry Night Book and CD.

Lost Cell Phone

Those emails annoy me, but I'm oddly okay with the one that the housekeeping lady lost.  Hope she finds it.

Jurgo Radio

Finally listened today, the interview with Kyle Jernigan.  I have class usually so I can never listen live.  Feel like someone more important, like the writer of a very influential blog should be on the show rather than some guy who just 'edits' a newspaper.  Don't really know what a newspaper is to be honest, are those like flyers that you see up around campus?

Really diggin the music, reminds me of playing Fallout 3 (via 1950s music).

Kyle says that he does not brag about the newspaper and is very humble about it.  Feel like he is doing this wrong.  If I were Kyle I would probably use my position to obtain bribes and such.  I know that I sometimes run bloggery posts here about events that people ask me to write about, and I generally charge a bribe of one beer.  Feel like if I ran a paper I could charge possibly two or even three beers per bribe.  Or maybe even cash!

Feel like old people are really good at choosing music that goes well with the guest that is being intereviewed (via this Ray Charles song about the news).

Kinda liked this most recent issue because my name is on the front page (via sponsoring bike shop legislation).

Wow Jurgo just tried to imply that Danny 5 Names is not as pretty as the dance show...gonna have to disagree.

Some discussion of going off the record.  I would like to say that off the record I enjoy the point news, but on the record I think it is pure terrorism.

Jurgo is playing a song called "Lies" by the Knickerbockers.  Pretty sure he played this because he feels that The Point News is full of lies, which I'm pretty sure is true.

Thank goodness he is finally playing some Gaga.  Glad to hear that Jurgo don't want no paper gangsta.

Kyle reported google analytics hits of 100 on slow days and as much as much as 400 on fast days.  Gonna check out our numbers and compare.

They are talking about grapevines and rumors.  I personally love grapevine rumors as well as spreading them.

RUMOR:  Is Kyle Jernigan a robot?  Did he lose weight via hard work or through a transformation into a CYBORG?!?!

Good episode overall, I will rate it 8/10.

Holiday Dinner at Great Room

Pretty sure it's in honor of my birthday!

Birthday!

Today is my birthday!  I like my birthday a good deal.  My good friend Ben Casto bought me a fifth of Evan Williams Honey Whiskey, which we shall consume in great merriment this eve!

Also I will probably be going to the Door!  See yall there?

Wish saferide was running...le sigh...hopefully will not have to walk/crawl home.

Multiverse

In astronomy, topic of the lecture is the 'multiverse'.  Not sure if he is talking about the DC Comics Multiverse or not, but I'm guessing he isn't.

FREE PIZZA ALERT SO MANY

PANIC SO MUCH FREE PIZZA OH MY GOD

• Do yall want to spend the next decade of your life super stressed out and go to med school?  Head to the Glendening Annex at noon on Friday!
• MATH CLUB, the coolest most popular club on campus, is hosting a movie night wherein they will watch THE OXFORD MURDERS.  Dunno what that is, but I am anti-murder because murder is a form of terrorism.  It's at 8 in the library 321!

Course Evals

Do them!  I really liked the email Jurgo sent out.  I like when teachers give extra credit for doing course evals because then you get extra credit!

Also I kinda like UMD's system.  When you complete your course eval, you can view the course evals for other courses and professors to see what other people thought of them, and make your class choices based on that.

Student Committee on Mold

Do yall like mold?  Do yall like committees?  Come join this legit-ass committee known as the Student Mold Committee, wherein we will compile facts about the mold crisis and highlight student contributions.  We would be compiling a document, created by students affected by the mold situation, to present to the campus community and to the administration.

So we are looking for students interested in sitting on the committee and compiling the document.

But also students who wish to submit testimonials, stories, photos, etc. regarding the mold situation.

If you wish to be a part of this please contact me smcmstudent@gmail.com.  If you wish to leave anonymous testimonial and comments, feel free to leave a comment.

We need student input to prevent this from happening again.

National Cotton Candy Day

lolwat

Bicycles on Campus

UPDATE 5PM:  He sent out another email clarifying, he wants all bikes removed by winter break so that they can get rid of the broken/abandoned bikes.  Awesome!

Santiago just sent out an email regarding bicycles on Campus which I will repost below

I hope that this e-mail finds you well and winding down the semester. As you prepare for Finals, I want to make a quick announcement about bicycles. I am currently working on creating more bicycle storage (racks, etc.) on various places on campus and in an effort to do that I would like to make a request of you. If you have a bicycle on campus and it is secured to something other than a bike rack (i.e. a bench, a tree, a fence, a log, etc.), please remove it and either secure it to an outdoor bike rack or the bike rooms provided in your residence halls. Any bikes that are left elsewhere will be considered abandoned and removed from where they are. I thank you for your assistance and attention in this matter, and look forward to some bicycle safety programs during the Spring semester.

Fuck that.  There are no where near enough bicycle racks, they would need to triple the number of racks, and there aren't enough areas to place them that are aesthetically pleasing.  Have you ever seen the campus center/library at night?  There are dozens of them everywhere!  The bike rooms in residence halls are always full of bikes that no one ever uses, and the racks outside are also generally full.

I feel like this is something that was initiated without any input from the campus community (and if there was then he failed to mention it).  Additionally, people can't use the designated bike areas if there is not enough room, so I feel like they should implement these new bike storage areas first before making a request like this.

Lastly, I think a bigger issue is bikes that are left on campus and never use, or that are locked up and broken.

Snow!

It snowed last night!  I saw someone's status and thought it was a dumb joke and went back downstairs to continue watching Sex and the City with roommates but then later I decided to look outside and it was indeed snowing!

Victims of Warfare Teach-In

Going to this, I may post a write-up

Movember Update

Check out this photo of the Movember participants!  Also check out my new flannel...still looking for old flannel *TEAR* *CRYING*

This Weekend's Movie

This weekend's movie is I N C E P T I O N!  What a great film.  I saw it in theaters with my roommate over the summer and then downloaded it over break and have watched it a few times since as a result.  Would be cool to see in a theater again.

It's not nearly as much of a mindfuck like Nolan's other film Memento but it's still real great and confusing and wonderful!

Movember

Went to the Movember Mustache competition last night.  Had to run away from the SGA meeting for a bit so Frank McGough took over for me.  I was awarded 'Best Dali' (as in Salvador Dali the artist, did not realize he had a mustache, but it is very curly).  I got two 10s, a 9 and an 8 from the judges, so I was pretty happy with my performance.  Sam Eckert won overall with his great Tom Selleck stache.

Gonna tell mom that she can't hate on my facial hair anymore via winning a major award.