Booyakasha!

I turned in my dissertation proposal today. Now, three people will read it over and decide whether or not I'm nuts. If they decide I'm OK, then I get the green light to spend an entire weekend or two looking at a spreadsheet. Thrilling, let me tell you. Moral of the story: Don't go to graduate school.


This week's theme:
Sacha Baron Cohen

I promised that I'd go with this theme this week. For those of you who don't know him, here's a little more info. You might have seen him as Ali G on the commercials for the NBA, or in the upcoming movie Borat: Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation Kazakhstan. You might have also seen him in Madonna's video for "Music".

He's really a Cambridge-educated Brit who plays three characters (Ali G, Borat, and as Cohen says, "sexually ambiguous" Austrian fashion reporter Bruno). You can see him explain it for himself here. Absolutely brilliant stuff.

Ali G interviewing a gender studies professor
(That's a good example of the whole shtick.)


On to the news:

Every teacher at a school in China files for divorce
(Although when you read the story, it's a brilliant strategy)

British researchers trying to find "environmentally friendly" weapons
(Earth loving hippies in the military? I'm not sure for whom I feel more sorry)

Maybe drinking on the job isn't such a bad idea
(I don't drink... maybe that's what's wrong.)


Bright, shiny objects:

You might be a redneck...
(Seeing that I'll be moving to Atlanta in a few years, maybe not the best thing to say...)

This is the basis of a healthy relationship
(You and only you can prevent forest fires)


The Monday Playlist:

Ten years ago, this week, the Cleveland Indians clinched their second straight Central Division title by beating the Chicago White Sox 9-4. Ah, the disappointment (in so many ways) that was 1996. The charts as they appeared on September 18th, 1996.

5) Primitive Radio Gods -- Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand

4) Keith Sweat -- Twisted

3) Los Del Rio -- Macarena

2) Quad City DJs -- C'mon N' Ride It (the Train)

1) Donna Lewis -- I Love You Always Forever

A pretty cringe-worthy list on the last three. I don't remember Keith Sweat at all. But, someone out there is reading this and hadn't thought about "The Phone Booth" song in... ten years. And is thanking me for the memories. And won't be able... to... stop... thinking... about... it.

Ever wonder what happened to them? Here's their official website.


Today's Strange Anniversary:

September 18, 1830 -- Outside Baltimore, a race between the first man-made locomotive and a race horse ends in a decisive victory for the horse. Now that's human ingenuity.


Today's Fun Fact:

David Prowse, was the guy in the Darth Vader suit in Star Wars. He spoke all of Vader's lines, and didn't know that he was going to be dubbed over by James Earl Jones until he saw the screening of the movie. (Chad would never stand for something like that.)


And finally:

I've been sealed off from civilization for the last week. Did anything interesting happen?