Friday, December 30, 2005

100 Things

The BBC has compiled a list of 100 Things we did not know this time last year.

Here are some good ones...

Mohammed is now one of the 20 most popular names for boys born in England and Wales.

An average record shop needs to sell at least two copies of a CD per year to make it worth stocking, according to Wired magazine.

WD-40 dissolves cocaine - it has been used by a pub landlord to prevent drug-taking in his pub's toilets.

Devout Orthodox Jews are three times as likely to jaywalk as other people, according to an Israeli survey reported in the New Scientist. The researchers say it's possibly because religious people have less fear of death.

One in 10 Europeans is allegedly conceived in an Ikea bed.

The Queen has never been on a computer, she told Bill Gates as she awarded him an honorary knighthood.

In America it's possible to subpoena a dog.

When faced with danger, the octopus can wrap six of its legs around its head to disguise itself as a fallen coconut shell and escape by walking backwards on the other two legs, scientists discovered.

"Restaurant" is the most mis-spelled word in search engines.

You're 10 times more likely to be bitten by a human than a rat.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg's home number is listed by directory inquiries.

The hotter it is, the more difficult it is for aeroplanes to take off. Air passengers in Nevada, where temperatures have reached 120F, have been told they can't fly.

First-born children are less creative but more stable, while last-born are more promiscuous, says US research.

One in six children think that broccoli is a baby tree.

One in 18 people has a third nipple.

Bill Gates does not have an iPod.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

The Million Dollar Website

Can you figure out what is in this picture? A clever young British boy created this website in order to make some extra money to pay for college.

What is it? Ads. Each little pixel (or box) costs $100 to rent. Go to the Million Dollar Home Page and see how many people have signed on to get a space on his site. It started out with just a few friends renting boxes and it has spread into a full page of everything from dating sites, to casinos, to even a site for getting revenge on people. You name it, you can probably find a box here for it.

Check out the Yahoo story here.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

New Jersey?

New Jersey is currently looking for a new slogan. I'm not sure what the old one was but right now you can vote for one of these 5:

New Jersey, Expect the Unexpected
New Jersey, Love at First Sight
New Jersey, Come See For Yourself
New Jersey, The Real Deal
New Jersey, The Best Kept Secret

Of course we could try and make up some of our own...

New Jersey, Just Like Long Island, But A State
New Jersey, Cheap Gas, Great Malls
New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen, BlackJack and Beaches
New Jersey, Yes That Was Our Governor, But Have You Seen the Sopranos?

Shawn's favorite subject

The science, study, and business? of napping.

In Manhattan, napping has become a lucrative business: MetroNaps in the Empire State Building provides darkened cot-like redoubts that attract Broadway actors between shows as well as investment bankers who otherwise would fall asleep at their desks. And in Iraq, U.S. Marine commanders have mandated a power nap before patrols.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

The Holiday Rundown

Here is a recap of the past few days...

After returning late Friday night from Dallas, TX, I decided to spend that evening and the next entire day being a lazy bum (what a surprise). I figured that I won't bother my Christian friends on their holy Christmas, so instead I annoyed Elad and made him watch bad tv with me.

On Hanukah eve (Sunday) I spent the day with two great friends - Cory and Randi - and made sure to sing a few Christmas tunes while spinning the dradel. In the evening we headed over to my Mom's house for the main event.

My mom does not disappoint. She went all out and stuffed our faces with chinese food, donuts, cakes, latkas and much much more. Then, right before we were about to pass out from over eating, we had presents piled up in front of us! Of course it isn't Hanukah without getting a few pairs of socks and some chocolate gelt - but it didn't end there. I got a lot of clothes and purses and great smelling bathroom lotions and soaps. All around beautiful gifts :)

Ok so there wasn't a new digital camera, or some other handheld digital cell phone/mp3 player/blackberry device I have been drooling over - but clothes is still very necessary considering that I am a slob and managed to stain half of the things I own.

But definitely the best part of this holiday was having my closest family around for the day. My sister Lori just (permanently) returned from California and so it was great to see her and her husband Chris back! Now that they are going to live in Florida I hope I will be seeing a lot more of them.

Oh wait - I can't forget - I had off of work on Monday and was given the opportunity to be a bum for at least one more day. So I wore one of my new velvety jogging suits that was a present from my Aunt Dalia - sat my butt on the couch - watched the Aviator - and pigged out on a really yummy Banana bread with chocolate chips that Randi made. Elad and I did a few chores (food shopping and cleaning) and watched some repeats of Rome and Arrested Development. Over all a very relaxing and wonderful day.

And for the next week? Well here comes the New Year. (and I don't feel any different)
Julie is visiting Miami - can't wait to see her! And I feel that there will be some party hopping all night - not sure where I will end up yet but I know I don't have to drive because this year I am sticking around in South Beach. So hopefully there won't be too much chaos and Elad and I will manage to get in a halfway sober New Years kiss.

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Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas Postsecret

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Idaho?

No, you da ho.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Illinois?

Delaware?

Whenever I think of Delaware, I think of that scene from Wayne's World where the guys are having fun with bluescreen and they go to Vegas and L.A. and then end up in Delaware. There's cows and a picture of the state behind them. They stand silent, staring for awhile, then Wayne kinda shrugs and says, "Hi, we're in Delaware."

California?

Here's a little known fact about California: Northern Californians do not get along with those from South California. There are expections, of course, but i would go so far as to say the states should be split, that way San Francisco can pass more progressive laws and in a couple years, we'll have a Mexican, openly gay, pothead as Governor of the new state. And who knows what could happen after that?

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Texas?

Well, for the next two days I am being shipped off to Dallas, Texas for a deposition in one of my cases. I am not entirely looking forward to this trip because I think the airport is going to be insane (thanks to the Holiday travelers). Yes, this is the worst travel time of the year - and I will be right in the thick of it.

So wish me luck, and hopefully I will get to see some cool things in Dallas. If it wasn't at such an awful (cold weather) time of the year, I would actually be excited about this.

Project Runway Recap (Spoiler)

So Daniel Franco is out. And what did I say last week? His time management skills were gonna get him. He has vision and wants to be an artist - but that doesn't work in the fast past reality show drama of Project Runway. But Daniel is a great sport. He walks away with a lot of dignity. This week was a group project and he was the team leader. When he was being judged at the end of the episode he really stepped up and said great things about his team and said if anyone should go it should be him. Well he went. But only after a few tears.

And this week brought out the bad side of Santino. He is just getting more cocky and egotistical - soon his head is going to explode. But he was on the chopping block against Daniel this week - in the bottom 2 - and finally he knows what it feels like to almost lose. He was called out for being a coward and pointing the blame on his awful design on his teammate, Emit. Emit might not be the right fit for Project Runway - but as a team leader Santino needs to find how to bring out Emit's good qualities rather than complain and bitch about what Emit can't do. Anyway - Santino better get his act together because soon he may be out.

New favorites of the week? Nick is still up there, although he wasn't a big part of last nights episode. He was on Santino's team and did his job and stayed pretty much quiet. So he hasn't won or lost any points. Well, except that he is friends with Santino. Chloe was on Daniel Franco's team and she did a great job working for Daniel - and even though their design didn't win - she gave it her all. I didn't walk away last night with a sense that anyone was ahead - so I guess we will have to see what happens next week.

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005

I Expect More From You Madonna!

Looks like Madonna's new album copied Kylie Minogue's look from one of her old videos...


That is pretty bad. You would expect more from someone who is as big as Madonna. Tisk Tisk.

(Thanks DListed)

Life, Work, and Everything In Between

I've been having a little trouble figuring out the dimensions of Work.

I've now been working for a whole year (the first in my life), first at Smart Publishing and now at The Greater Miami Jewish Federation. I have what can only be considered a "Regular Job." I have healthcare (well, I will), I have a regular paycheck, and perfectly ordinary desk. For the last month, I was firmly locked to my desk while working on a major, major, event (the largest in the history of the Federation). I worked for hours and hours and seemed like I was constantly living in this event-prep state.

Now, that event is over and regular work is returning. And it's very odd. I feel bored at work with very little to do. I kinda liked the frantic pace of working under a constant, looming, deadline. The office is quiet. It's all very disconcerting.

I took Monday off cause I needed the extra relaxation time and had a wonderful day living in the world of the Unemployed again. Oh, what a world that is! There's so much time to get things done, to space out and listen to music, to watch movies in the afternoon. Get some non-work work done, even.

I'm trying to get a handle of this thing that everyone does. But like everything everybody seems to do easily, it's hard for me. I miss the casual breeziness of time. I feel like work drains my energy and thus, my creativity. I feel like being inside all day chained to a desk and a monitor is counterproductive to life. I miss writing.

But, is it? Through work, I've had the pleasure to meet a lot of very interesting people. I've experienced a lot of memorable times (my trip to NYC for the International Art Expo comes immediatly to mind). I've also been able to afford things I never would have before, and that's very nice.

I believe I'm not meant for this office job thing. My heart will always be with books and reading and writing. That's where my focus belongs. But, for now, I'll continue to do this "work" thing and see where it leads. I hope I'm not alone in my reservations.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Text Messaging

I am not very savvy with this thing they call Text Messaging. I actually used to do it all the time when I first got a cell phone almost 7 years ago - but since then I have given up because my cell phone either wouldn't send or receive the message.

Well for all of you who love those text messages but want an easier way to send them I have been told of a new site --- http://www.textmessage.cc/

You just type in the number, then the message, and the service provider - and that's it. I am not sure if it works yet but if it does then maybe I will come back to the text messaging world!

411 For Free

Need information but don't want to spend the money on calling 411? Call 1-800-FREE411

Here is a service that you can call for free 411 calls. What is the trick? You have to listen to a 12 second advertisement (if a related business has bought advertising) before you can get the information. But hey, the call is free!

(Thanks Boing Boing)

New Yorkers - Where Are You?

I see that top headline today is the New York City Transit Worker's Strike

So where are my New Yorkers giving up to the minute coverage? Come on there gotta be some good stories to tell...walking across bridges? freezing your butt off? sitting home and watching tv instead?

Monday, December 19, 2005

On The List!

I learned some great news this weekend -- this blog has been added to the blogroll of 2 of my favorite big time blogs

http://cityrag.blogs.com/ and http://crunktastical.blogspot.com/

These are seriously 2 of my favorites that I check on a daily basis - so thank you for adding Getting To Maybe to your blogroll and I hope you are enjoying what you are reading!

Does that mean they are reading this blog? Probably not. But just to know that they might have checked it out once is good enough for me :)

(ok now I will stop acting like an obsessed fan)

The Hipster Jew

It has recently come to my attention that being Jewish is cool. According to this New York Times Article entitled "A Happy Hipster Hanukkah" Jews are asserting their personal identity at a time where they are feeling particularly like an outsider - during Christmas.

Many of these Cool Jews are shouting out loud that this is their culture (not necessarily a religion) and that they want to have something to identify with.

So maybe 2006 will become the year of the Jew? Elad did recently tell me about a movement to make a "Jewish Heritage Month" that is well underway. And the fact that t-shirts that read "Jewcy" are popping up and selling out in all hip stores - well it looks like it's time.

I guess we can look back maybe 10 years ago when Adam Sandler sang the Hanukkah Song on Saturday Night Live and remember the roots of this movement. And maybe then look at Ester, oh I mean Madonna, taking Kabbalah classes and passing it around to all her celeb friends. Now you can't hide from that red string bracelet.

So while it is the Jews time to shine - I would like to wish you all a Happy Hanukkah (early) and say be proud of that unmanageable curly hair, don't worry about your big nose, use a few Yiddish words, and if you want to be cheap - then do it! (well not with my Hanukkah present of course) It's hip now - so enjoy it while its hot!

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Sunday, December 18, 2005

Shawn's Post Secret Fav

Friday, December 16, 2005

i wonder how they decided who'd be the ass




george: you be the ass
tony: no i was the ass last time.
george: so? you do it so well.
tony: oh i love when you say whisper such sweet nothings into my ear. ok!

(and yes, i realize it's another creation from madame tussauds and not "real"... but from the image i saw, it appears that they're both wearing part of one cow costume. )

team wicked witch of the west/team snow white?

ok this whole brangelina "scandal" has really hit an all time level of craziness. even madame tussaud's has joined in expressing their views of the situation.




ok angelina as the wicked witch, i see. she's definitely a "bad guy" if you consider that she was the other woman. jennifer as snow white -- well assuming we're looking at the situation in black and white and that the marriage would not have dissolved if not for the affair...ok sure paint her as the innocent one. but why is brad pitt the prince charming? this part i don't get. wasn't he a "bad guy" too?

[Thanks Skybiz]

cyber-oedipus complex?

this story grosses me out. what does it say about a man who falls for his mother, a mother who's out looking for internet dates and a husband/father whose idea of rectifying/resolving the wife's *gag* cyber-infidelity is to admonish her and ask her not to talk to people on the interent anymore?

Awwwwwwww

Do you need some cuteness in your day?

Go to CuteOverload.com and see furry little animals in all their cuteness glory.

(Thanks Boing Boing)

Lucky Day

Engagement Ring Wrapped In Note

One day you go to work and park your car in a commuter parking lot. But the dumbass that you are, you leave the door unlocked.

You come back to your car after work and luckily your car is still there. Inside your car you find a box with a white bow and inside the box is a beautiful ring that is white gold with 3 diamonds, and there is a note that says this:

"Merry Christmas. Thank you for leaving your car door unlocked. Instead of stealing your car I gave you a present. Hopefully this will land in the hands of someone you love, for my love is gone now. Merry Christmas to you."

Yup, it is officially your lucky day.

(Thanks Digg)

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Vacations in Miami

When Julie posted recently about her upcoming vacation to Miami, Florida it made me think about what kind of things could I recommend to visitors of South Beach/Ft. Lauderdale - South Florida in general - that aren't cheesy. Here are my thoughts:

Ok, so you are thinking, DUH Shawn of course you have to go to South Beach. And my answer is yes, but you don't have to go to crappy South Beach. There are a few spots that I can still appreciate and would like to share with you.

Walking on the beach before noon is a great experience - a portion of the sand from 5th Street up to about 20th street is actually sand mixed with concrete - so it is easy for a nice walk and you can see all of Ocean Drive as you walk the beach.

There are a few museums on South Beach - the Wolfsonian (1001 Washington Avenue (305) 531-1001), the Jewish Museum (301 Washington Avenue (305) 672-5044), a Holocaust Museum (19th and Meridian) the new Erotic museum (Washington and 12th), and there are many galleries throughout south beach, and especially Lincoln Road. Ok so I will admit I have never personally gone to these museums - but I heard great things about them and suggest for a day of culture you should check them out.

And speaking of Lincoln Road - some galleries, shops and restaurants line this pedestrian only street. I recommend you stop in for a bite at Cafeteria, World Resources, or Nexxt.

And speaking of food - if you find yourself below 5th Street and want some great American style moderately priced food - go to Big Pink (Collins and 2nd). They have a lot of cute items like a "TV Dinner" where you can get a tray of good food served like a TV Dinner. They have good ribs, stir fry, burgers and breakfast of all types. You can go for any meal and find something you will like.

And when you want a nice after dinner drink - I suggest a newly discovered place (thanks Danya) called the Room - on 1st between Collins and Washington. Indie Rock music is a nice change when everywhere else in South Beach you will only hear Techno, Hip Hop and some old school frat boy rock. They have a good variety of beers (each with their own glass) and it will make you think for just a few minutes that you have been transported back to New York.

Many people who visit South Beach tend to stick around the areas of Collins and Ocean between 10th and 20th street. My suggestion is that if you are looking to take a walk and see a different side of South Beach, go down to 1st and 2nd street and you can walk from the beach up to a pier - and at night find some great restaurants like Joes Stone Crabs and Nemos. They might not be cheap but the food is the talk of the town. There are also many bars and clubs - like Nicky Beach and Opium - that are definitely the South Beach scene that many are looking for.

I also heard that on 12th and Washington there is a club called Mansion that is suppose to be beautiful inside. Definitely a spot to visit while on vacation.

So lets say you dare leave South Beach and want to see other parts of Miami. A great place to visit (that is not too far from South Beach) is an old mansion that is practically a museum called Vizcaya (at the end of the 95 - 3251 S. Miami Avenue - 305-250-9133). It isn't huge but many movies have been filmed there because of the history and beauty of this waterfront villa that used to take up a huge chunk of what is now Miami. At not far away is Key Biscayne - that has a beautiful beach and park - where you can get some out door sporty activities or just lay around in the sun.

And of course a trip to Miami is not complete without some Cuban food. You can try your luck at many of the Cuban restaurants on every corner throughout Miami - or you can go to Versalles and eat some good inexpensive Cuban food. (3555 Sw 8th St - (305) 444-0240) - you will pass through Little Havana to get to this restaurant - so that alone is worth the trip. But the food is traditional, tasty, and in big portions.

If you dare exit Miami-Dade County and head up to Broward (Ft. Lauderdale) you should take a stop in Hollywood Beach and get lunch at Le Tub. Rated the Best Burger in America by GQ magazine this year, the atmosphere is fun and the burger and fries cannot be beat. (1100 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, 954-921-9425). They only accept cash, and sometimes the wait can be long - but it is on the intercoastal water and is a very relaxed environment. Oh and of course if you are in Hollywood - you MUST stop at Jaxsons for the BEST ice cream you will ever have!!! (128 S. Federal Highway- just North of Sterling - 954-923-4445).

You can also stop at Riverwalk in Ft Lauderdale - where the streets are lined with clubs and bars - and at night you can't even drive through the area because so many people are out drinking. There are a wide variety of bars and plenty of options so you won't get bored.

If you are there during the day there is a nearby Children's Museum with an Imax theater - plus a shopping area with stores and restaurants. You can drive to Ft Lauderdale beach within 15 minutes and see the strip of bars/stores/restaurants they have to offer. It may not be as crazy as South Beach - but if you are looking for something more low key, then Ft Lauderdale is the place to go.

Also - if you are coming to South Florida for some water sports - my suggestion is that you head down to the Keys (Key West being the furthest and most famous) and do some snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, or scuba diving. They keys begin about an hour away from South Beach, and you can find some snorkeling spots right at the beginning of the keys. It is a great way to spend a day outdoors and not have to go too far away from where you are staying.

Finally - the Everglades are a nice stop for spotting alligators or other wildlife. You can head west on 8th Street (you would need to take a highway) and find yourself at one of the many parks that have air boat rides around the Everglades. I happen to have gone to one called Gator Park that had a cute short boat ride where we saw huge birds and alligators. (24050 Sw 8th St. - (305) 559-2255) It is worth a trip if you have the time to head out in that direction.

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Project Runway Recap

Earlier this week I said something about Santino being a front runner for winner of Project Runway. Although I still feel he is very talented - I no longer feel that he has the right attitude because he thinks that he should always be number one (way too competitive). On the second episode Chloe won and his first response was that the judges just didn't want to make him the winner two weeks in a row - and of course Chloe was right there to hear it. Not cool Santino. You can see the disappointment in his face when he doesn't win the runway challenge (boo hoo I am number 2) - and too bad he doesn't remember that last year's winner did not win one runway challenge all season.

My new favorites are Chloe and Nick. Chloe won challenge #2 and Nick won challenge #3. Chloe seems really down to earth and she makes very simple designs. She may be a little too reserved and not have the edge that will make her the winner, but she is sweet and her designs are pretty.


Nick definitely has character - he is outgoing - and knows how to make something look interesting. Nick can take a simple design and just add a few touches that make you see an outfit in a new light. He is great with details and is willing to take just enough of a risk to put him ahead.


Diana still got something interesting going on - and hopefully that will work for her in the long run. She likes to use unique textures/shapes/designs/materials and I think it could really start working in her favor. She doesn't have much of an artistic design background (she is more grounded in science) so that may be the reason her outfits aren't winning the runway. But she brings an intellectual side to design that none of the other designers have.

By the way, Daniel, who is back from the first season, has a lot of talent but he isn't wise about time. He makes a great tailored design but it may not be the right fit for a competition where the time is limited. He needs to start considering the constraints of the competition before his outfits start to suffer.

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Happy Birthday To You...

It is a tradition between me and my sister Lori to call each other at midnight on each other's birthdays. It is sweet and wonderful and something I always look forward to.

Well today is Lori's Birthday and she is in a time zone that is three hours behind me. Needless to say, I missed calling her at midnight.

So to make it up to her - I am wishing her a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY right here!!!

LORI HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

YAY!! It Really Might Not Be Over Yet!

Showtime may rescue 'Arrested Development'

I really hope this happens!!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Japanese Emoticons

I know many of you like to put little smileys :) or sad faces :( to have a little picture of how you are feeling. Its cute. I do it too. But the Japanese have taken it to a whole new level.

Check out some of their Emoticons (or smiley faces)

Here are some of my favorites:

^_^ Smile

(T_T) Crying with tears running down the cheeks.

(-_-)zzz Sleeping

((~o~) a yawn

^o^;> Excuse me

^^; Cold sweat

^o^ Happy

*^o^* Exciting

(^_^)/ Banzai smiley

( ; _ ; ) crying

m( _ _ )m apologies/thank you

(>_<) angry (+_+) shocked/disappointed (@_@) ill/hangover There are so many other cool ones that I cannot figure out how to copy - so go check it out on the website.

Here are more.

(Thanks Digg)

Monday, December 12, 2005

50 Coolest Websites

Time Ranks the 50 Coolest Websites

Sadly this blog did not make it :( Oh well - maybe next year!!

In the meantime - go check out the 50 that did make it - you might find some useful information

Here are some of my favorites from the list so far...

Factcheck.org
Nationalgeographic.com/education
Craigslist.org
Friendster.com
Froogle.com
Testmyspeed.com

It Ain't Over Yet


Oh yea I almost forgot...

GREAT Episode of Arrested Development this past Monday - Michael (Jason Bateman) is about to marry Rita (Charlize Theron) until he figures out she is...well to put it nicely...mentally challenged. (which they have been working up to all season) He must call off the wedding because she is still mentally a child and that just wouldn't work. Of course the show had its share of magic tricks, stupid Lindsey moments and of course Bluth family insanity when they found out Rita is extremely wealthy.

I assume this is the last we will see of Rita - and it will be interesting what will be the next plot point on the show. I took a sneak peak at this weeks episode and it looks like the focus is back on the jail, George Sr. and Lucille. I did wonder how George Sr. was able to stay out of prison so long (on house arrest) - and maybe that will be answered tonight. I hope Bob Loblaw is gonna be back for this episode!!!

DON'T THINK ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT IS CANCELLED YET - there are still NEW episodes on (which started last Monday) - and a FULL HOUR is on tonight starting at 8 pm. On top of that there are petitions on the internet to keep Arrested Development on the air. SIGN THEM!!!

http://www.petitiononline.com/Arrested/petition.html

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/arresteddev

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/718678800?ltl=1131906664




And finally, I would like to take a moment to talk about Desperate Housewives. I do love the show - although I felt it didn't have the same "umph" it did last season. But now it has definitely gotten more interesting thanks to George (Bree's boyfriend) being out of the picture and Bree's son back with avengance. The new family that moved to Wisteria Lane still hasn't been a huge part of the show yet - but I guess they are building up to something. I will definitely keep on watching to find out more.

A Great Week In TV

OK so last week I posted about my dilemma - if I should watch the new Project Runway or the Made episode taped in my high school.

Luckily you were all correct in stating that there are repeats on both channels - so I didn't miss a thing. And thank goodness for that - because all of it was great!

First - Project Runway - a whole slew of new designers and just in the first episode we had 3 cuts!!! As the show was on I remembered how much I loved watching the designs on the runway and then seeing the designers get critiqued and trying to guess who is gonna get the boot. So far I see a lot of talent but I think that its gonna come down to Santino and Diana. But it is still so early in the game that anything can happen.



MADE - Central Idol - the show was interesting because it was about a girl who was super super shy but had a really great singing voice when nobody was watching. So she wanted to be in her high school's version of American Idol - which did not exist at the time I attended Valley Stream Central. She did finally break out of her shyness - but didn't win the contest. The interesting part for me was seeing different shots of the school and seeing how there are new lockers and the school kinda looked different. But from the outside it was the same and whenever they interviewed different students that thick Long Island accent was in full force.

The biggest part of my TV watching this week was actually the finale of Making the Band 3. I LOVE THIS SHOW! I have talked about this in the past - how P. Diddy would just cut people at any moment and how he really challenges them. So in this last episode, Diddy comes out in the first minute of the episode and sends all the girls home for 3 months. He says that when they come back he is going to pick who is in the band - I guess this is to test who really is dedicated and who isn't. So the girls come back and they get to do a little photo shoot and meet Naomi Campbell - then they get some dancing time - then some singing time - then some interviews where they get cut down by Hot 97 radio station - and after a few more performances in front of Diddy - he makes the band. And the best part is that Andrea made it! We were all cheering after the episode finished because we were all rooting for her. She has been through many ups and downs on the show and I think she is going to do great in the band. But Diddy left two questions up in the air - What is the name of the band? And are they going to have another reality show based on the band? I hope so!

And finally, to make my tv watching complete - VH1 played one of my favorite classic 90's movies - CLUELESS!! It has been a few years since I have seen this movie and I still remembered most of the lines - thanks VH1 for bringing back some good old memories.

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Map of the Earth with Countries Sized by Population



This map shows country size as it relates to the country's population. Where is Canada? Ok, yea I see it - but its barely there. And look how Russia is smushed up against Europe because China is so big.

(Thanks Boing Boing)

Who Needs a Nap?

I Do!!!! Considering I am just starting my Monday morning, and I need a nap already...well this day hopefully will go by quickly.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Shawns Post Secret Fav

PostSecret Laughs

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Wednesday, December 07, 2005

south side!

ok i have no idea what that title has to do with this, but i am laughing to myself b/c clearly sleep deprivation and studying for finals have pickled my brain.

anywho, george and i will be making a trip to the ft. lauderdale/miami area over new years. our plan is to stay at the marriot in south beach for new years eve, but we're still up in the air if we're going to spend the other 2 days in ft. lauderdale (where some of our other friends will be) or in miami. any suggestions of things to do while we're there? other than hopefully seeing shawn after too many years and meeting the incomparable elad, of course =)

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news that has perplexed, saddened and enraged me (respectively)

hey y'all...taking a break from studying for finals to blog about some strange articles i've read over the past few days.

first: ok, i am the first to admit that i'm incredibly naive and sheltered. i've never seen cocaine in real life (the closest i've come is watching blow). but i imagine that it looks like finely pulverized sugar, no? so how does one mistake it for cheese? and where did the 18 year old girl go looking for the "hit" man? maybe it's another sign of my naivete, but i wouldn't know where to begin searching for such services.

second: this is a really sad. imagine living to 90, outliving your grandson and taking in his pet only to be mauled to death by it.

third: this is an even more tragic story, especially b/c i'm a horrible person -- when i saw this picture, i immediately thought of the annoying neighbor harriet on 80s tv show small wonder and didn't read the caption over the article to realize that this was indeed a life or death situation for an unbelievably unfortunate little girl. she was abandoned by her mother, turned over to her aunt, neglected and abused by her aunt and stepfather (?) only to reach such a horrible ending. the gall of the stepfather who beat her to near death to insist on his "parental" rights to determine the future of her health.

yes, my perusing of the news has been limited to the netscape home page. i am the first to admit (and shawn, i think you'll agree with me) that life flies out the window when you're facing law school finals.

Conflicted

What is a girl to do?

Tonight, not only does the BRAND NEW SEASON of PROJECT RUNWAY start at 10 pm but at the same time a new episode of MADE on MTV airs, which I have been told was taped at my high school.

Which do I choose? Why don't I have TIVO? (hint hint hanukah -- just kidding -- Tivo in my house is Elad downloading on the internet)

I might just have to flip between the two --- but you know that MTV is huge on repeating MADE on the weekend....

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Monday, December 05, 2005

I Knew It!

I knew it all along...but now a study confirms that Dogs Laugh

Researchers at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service in Washington state say sometimes a bark is just a bark — but a long, loud panting sound has real meaning.

They say the long, loud pant is the sound of a dog laughing, and it has a direct impact on the behavior of other dogs. "What we found is that it had a calming or soothing effect on the dogs," said Patricia Simonet, an animal behaviorist in Spokane who has studied everything from hamster culture to elephant self-recognition. "Now, we actually really weren't expecting that."

Nancy Hill, director of Spokane County Animal Protection, admits she was skeptical at first that this noise would affect the other dogs.

"I thought: Laughing dogs?" Hill said. "A sound that we're gonna isolate and play in the shelter? I was a real skeptic … until we played the recording here at the shelter."

When they played the sound of a dog panting over the loudspeaker, the gaggle of dogs at the shelter kept right on barking. But when they played the dog version of laughing, all 15 barking dogs went quiet within about a minute.

"It was a night-and-day difference," Hill said. "It was absolutely phenomenal."
Officials say it works every time, and researchers across the country are taking note.
"The laughing sound that they make is something that was not even considered a vocalization until this study was done," Simonet said.

Those who study dog behavior have varying opinions about exactly what Patricia Simonet's "dog laughing" sound really is. What they do agree on, however, is that to other dogs, it is at least a sound worth keeping quiet to listen to.

Shawn's Postsecret Favs This Week

So many were great this week - it was hard to pick one - so I picked 2


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Friday, December 02, 2005

The Truth Behind Déjà Vu

No, it doesn't just happen to you. It happens to almost everyone. And scientists have set out to understand why.

Check out this article about what happens in the brain when you have that sense of Déjà Vu.

The Internal Alarm Clock

This actually happened to me today...

Ever wake up five minutes before your alarm rings? This mysterious phenomenon isn't just bizarre coincidence. We are all equipped with our own internal alarm clocks and, best of all, they even have snooze buttons.

Jan Born and fellow researchers at the University of Lubeck in Germany have discovered what may be the first biological evidence for the curious ability to wake up at will. Anticipating the time you want to rise seems to trigger the release of hormones normally secreted by the body in times of stress. About an hour before you've planned to get out of bed, these secretions increase in preparation for the "stress" of waking.

Go to the Article to read more...

The Google Cheat Sheet

When I am on google's mainpage I often look at it and think there must be some type of shortcut I can use to refine the search in some way.

Well finally I have come across the Google Cheat Sheet.

This page gives you all types of shortcuts, including:
- how to search terms and exclude a specific word from the search
- how to find a definition
- how to search synonyms of the word you typed in
- how to search within only a specific website
- hwo to search a range of numbers, prices and months
- how google can be a calculator

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Thursday, December 01, 2005

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day - where everyone should take a moment to reflect on those suffering with AIDS and how we can prevent, educate, and change the way AIDS is treated in this world.

Go to DATA and One.Org for more information and statistics about AIDS.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is donating up to $100,000 to AIDS causes for every candle lit at LightToUnite.com today. Click HERE for more information on how you can participate ... it only takes a second. (Thanks Trent.)

What I Want To Get Elad For Hanukah

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