a work in progress
Upon the conclusion of every year, I find it integral to reflect upon the events that have transpired over the past 366 days (leap year!). I have chosen to remember 2008 based upon the cultural facets that it defined for itself. I announced the categories nominees for my 2008 in review awards yesterday, and today I am proud to present the winners.
The winner(s) from each category are boldfaced.
See the winners after the break. Continue reading ’2008 In Review: The Winners’
Well folks, it’s that time of year again. I’m proud to present the nominees for my fifth annual (2007 2006 2005 [2004 is lost forever]) year-in-review post. This post is a retrospect of the aspects of pop culture that I feel most heavily defined 2008 and it covers everything from technology to entertainment.
See the nominees after the break. Continue reading ’2008 In Review’
Have you heard of the new alli weight-loss pill (Note the hip lowercase name)?
The pill blocks your body from absorbing fats, which means that you have less calories entering your body. It sounds like a pretty cool idea, except for the fact that you end up pooping and farting oil and fat/lipid (see? Biology class is useful for something!). And if that’s not enough incentive to use it, you also cannot control your frequent onslaughts of gas/defecation. You’re killing two birds with one stone! [/sarcasm]
Maybe it’s just me, but that sounds utterly disgusting. I stick to the traditional exercise mere and eat healthier methods. Why? Because I’ve had diarrhea before and it was not a particularly enjoyable experience. And I’ve never pooped out “something that looks like the oil on top of a pizza”, nor would I like to experience it.
And the saddest part? It’s flying off the shelves.
Further Reading: Angry 365 Days a Year dissects information on the alli website. Sarcastic, funny, and completely true.
Well….my television appearance last night was nothing like I expected it to be.
Usually, this is where I would say “It ROCKED!” or “I loved it! It was so much fun!”, except that it was definately anything BUT fun.
Let’s get one thing straight: I broke this WHOLE story to them. I emailed the newsroom, offered my pictures/video, and appeared on camera for them. I went out of MY way to bring light to something that was wrong. What do I get? Absolutely nothing.
I appeared on camera for a whole of about 30 seconds, they used my pictures and video, and not ONCE was I named or credited in the WHOLE report. My name appeared NOWHERE in the whole goddamn report. Miranda was shown talking for about 5 seconds, and they named her. I handed them the freaking story and I was given none of the credit I deserved. I was quoted once in the article, but nowhere in the TV report. All of the pictures/videos were credited to “a student” or “a high-schooler”.
Oh, and did I mention that he told me he would contact me about a week before the segment aired? I’ve been waiting by the phone for three weeks, and I never ONCE received a call from him. I only found out because Briana’s mom saw a stinger for the story in the morning with my face on it and she emailed me.
Derek Valcourt: Suck my dick.
I must say, though, that I am glad the whole ordeal is over. All of this pressure, suspense, etc. was really stressing me out, and it’s good to finally get it over with.
If you would like to see how I wasted my time for the past month, go right ahead.
Oh, and on a side note, my MySpace is gone. I’m really sick of MySpace…for various reasons. But I still have my Facebook.
Well, word on the street is that the bus overcrowding segment is going to air tonight on WJZ. Here are the details:
11:00 News
Channel 13 (WJZ Baltimore)
I hope you’ll be able to catch it, if not, it’ll be available online tomorrow or the next day.
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Rosie Rocks
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via Rori
The school board recently announced a shortage of bus drivers. No big deal, right?
Wrong.
This afternoon was the fourth time that we’ve been forced to share the bus with another whole bus-full of kids. 70 people riding a bus meant for 50. People are sitting on eachother, standing in the aisles, doing everything imaginable to fit 70 people onto this bus.
I’m outraged. I have cell phone pictures and video from the last few times this has happened, and I’m trying to get our story told. I’ve submitted tips to CNN, WBAL, WMAR, and WJZ to try and get some publicity on this story. Caroline is right, this has been an ongoing problem for some time now, but this year it’s been really bad.
I don’t want to sound like I’m pinning this on ONE person/party. There’s nothing the school/school board/bus driver etc. can do about this; there are simply not enough people who want to drive buses in the morning. Nobody should take the fall for this, beause there’s honestly nothing that can really be done.
I’m going to be very busy tonight, so more details to come later.
UPDATE: Channel 13 (WJZ) just called me back. They want to talk to me!
Pictures, Video, Etc:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/OLnUMAHWpzY" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
P.S. I apologize for the bad quality, but it’s the best my camera can do.
P.S.S. Please do NOT re-post these pictures or videos ANYWHERE else without my permission. I own these images and they cannot be posted ANYWHERE else.
But not in a literal way.
Don’t get me wrong; I love it.? Everything about it is wonderful.? The freedom you get, the way things are organized, all the stuff there is to do, it’s amazing.
But all these school shootings (3, 4 in the past week?) have scared the 14-year-old shit out of me.? If there are psychos out there willing to attack schools in other places (Canada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin?, I can’t remember where else…), whose to say that they won’t storm MY school?? Whose to say that I’m safe from this chaos?
Something horrible could happen tomorrow, and I could become a statistic. My face could be on the frontpage of CNN, with a caption explaining my tragic, early demise.
It’s just like that Weather Chanel series…It could happen tomorrow!? I don’t like having the cop hanging around in the atrium at lunch, but it’s for my own safety.? Why can’t all this madness just stop?!?
Where is the love?
Things in New Orleans keep getting better. The trashed New Orleans Superdome has finally been evacuated, although the Convention Center is still in horrible condition. There is still news of looting and rapes.
There are still hundreds, if not thousands, of residents stranded on rooftops and in attics. The National Guard is working as hard as they can to evacuate these residents and then get them the medical attention they need and bus them to other areas of the country where they can get in touch with relatives and/or find relatives and shelter.
Unfortunately, due to cramped conditions on airplanes and busses, many families have had to leave family pets behind in the airports, along with most of their other possesions. There’s simply not enough space to be carting everything you could salvage to other parts of the country.
Some residents of the French Quarter are already looking to clean up. Their area was not flooded at all; New Orleans was originally the French Quarter (the highest part of the city), but then as the city expanded it grew into lower-altitude areas) so all that’s left is debris. Many of them are looking to clean up and get tourists back into that section of the city for Labor Day. (That strikes me as a bit selfish, becuase they’re using their time and effort to clean up their homes so they can make money off of tourism instead of helping other victims, but I guess whatever floats your boat works.)
