Gerry lookalike on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross - from eBay.

 

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTTISH hunk Gerard Butler has shown his soft side by donating his teddy bear lookalike to Children in Need.

The big-hearted actor – best known for his testosterone charged role in blockbuster film 300 – has added his autograph to the prize.

The cuddly toy featured on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, where one was made of each guest on Friday 12 November.

Dressed in a red cape, brown pants and carrying a spear, the bear is styled on the star’s role as King Leonidas in the 2007 film which saw Butler screaming his way through the sword and sandals flick.

“This is Sparta!”

The stuffed Butler bear shouts “this is Sparta” when pushed in the tummy, and sports a drawn on six pack.

Made by Build-A-Bear – who make the official Children in Need Pudsey Bear – bids had already reached £430 last night (Tues), with three days left to go.

When the 40-year-old saw his doppelganger, he broke out into a big grin, saying: “I’ve had a couple of dolls made of me, but not a bear.”

And when he heard it speak, he added: “It sounds like my mum!”

The Paisley-born star was in the UK for the European premiere of his new film, Law Abiding Citizen, which was held in Glasgow.

It was also his 40th birthday on the day he appeared on the show – and a weekend of celebrations in London and Scotland followed.

As well as donating his signature to the cause, Butler filmed a link for the main Children in Need programme on BBC last Friday, urging people to donate to the charity.

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

De sabbar ditt jobb och kidnappar dina barn och ställer till med sattyg. De “lånar” saker utan att fråga, och de är allmänt bakåtsträvande och fast i traditioner, men de är samtidigt väldigt arbetssamma och flitiga och sköter arbetet galant när de väl är motiverade. Deras kultur är så främmande och gammeldags, sägs det. Och ändå har de levt här sedan Lilit och hennes barn fördrevs från Edens lustgård. Det är vi som är invandrare i deras land.

Jag pratar om vittra.

När mamma frågade vad jag vill ha i julklapp var svaret självklart:

“Jag vill ha en butler i julklapp. Han ska helst prata brittisk engelska, men inte vara snobbig. Om han kan baka scones är det ett plus.”

Jag tror inte jag kommer att få någon butler i julklapp, för mamma föreslog att jag skulle hålla mig väl med vittrorna istället. För den som inte vet det är vittrorna eller vittra de där kortväxta typerna som bor i underjorden. Om man är generös mot vittra så kan de hjälpa en med hushållssysslor, och mamma föreslog att jag skulle sätta ut gröt.

Vittra tar dina getter, sägs det. Som om getter gick att äga.

Alla säger att vittra är gammaldags: De har ålderdomliga kläder och de är rädda för stål. Det är därför man lägger någon stålpryl i vaggan hos bäbisar, så att de inte tar ungen: Stål är nämligen kristet, och de är livrädda för kristenheten. Typ. Men tänk om det bara är våra fördomar om vittra?

Jag tror att det är vittra som ställer till det när tekniken inte fungerar: När program hänger sig, när sidor inte laddar som de ska, när mail försvinner och filer trasas sönder. Jag brukar skylla på min teknikpoltergeist som får datorer att krascha bara jag närmar mig en datorsal, men i själva verket är det vittra som spelar folk ett spratt. Det är så typiskt dem: de lånar gärna saker och busar och har sig.

Rovor. Är det mat för vittra?

Men om vittra nu har blivit såpass högteknologiska att de är i min dator, varför ska de då vilja ha gröt? Sist jag offrade till gudinnorna, på Samhain, fick de en morot och en handfull torkad rosmarin och oregano, men vittrorna föredrar bevisligen lagad mat. Kanske är allt tekniskt strul jag haft vittrornas sätt att säga att de är trötta på bilden av sig själva som gammelmodiga. Tänk om vitterfolket behöver frigöras från våra fördomar om dem.

Om jag nu inte får någon butler i julklapp, så får jag väl försöka att ställa mig in hos vittra. Det är lättare att förlita sig på dem än på det såkallade välfärdssystemet. Hemtjänst är lika dyrt som att köpa “hushållsnära tjänster” och då måste man dessutom stå ut med att ha människor omkring sig, fippla med papper hit och dit och ha intyg på allt. Då är det nog lättare att hoppas på vittra. Jag måste bara ta ner stålsaxen vid ytterdörren, så att de vågar sig in – och så undrar jag om de gillar pasta.

Läs även andra bloggares intressanta åsikter om vittra, folktro, butler, hushållsnära tjänster, övernaturligt, väsen, trolldom, Norrland, fäbodkultur, bilder, djur, getter, NPF, städning, hushållsarbete, matlagning, disk, tvätt, arbete, hjälp, boendestöd, hemtjänst, fördomar, välfärd, politik, funktionshinder, ADHD, Aspergers syndrom, psykisk ohälsa

Want some excitement in college basketball this week?

Too bad.

Only one non-tournament game features ranked teams, and it’s Minnesota  Butler.  Yuck.

Duke is on a path to play UConn for the NIT Tip Off title in the Garden Friday night.  Two days before that, Arizona State and LSU will put up respective tests before falling in the semis.

None of e games were on the staff’s schedule, because we didn’t know what the results would be.

This high-end gadget available at Opulent Items for no less than $20,000 is a wall mirror with old-style picture frame that reveals a virtual butler as you call it, or when it has to announce messages.
It is an upscale computer server that connects to all electronic systems in your home, including the front gate, security cameras, back doors, garage doors, jacuzzi and the pool gate, to alert you as it detects changes in the environment. These changes can include cars leaving, guests arriving, or an opened gate.

You can hear the virtual butler through the speakers installed in the home, and see what it has to show right on the mirror. It is extremely useful for reminding appointments or other daily events, and the voice has an English accent by default, but you have the possibility to customize it.

The mirror measures 31 x 21 x 5 inches and requires professional home installation.

Posted by Sierra Monica

found @ www.ladiesgadgets.com

Curiosity is a wierd thing. You can neither live without it nor with it.  I cannot imagine what life would be like if I were not curious about things. Imagine going to my chemistry class and nothing..absolutely nothing fascinating me or triggering my curiosity. Oh how dull would life be like if I observed everything with a passive indifference. Imagine no questions rushing up to my head when introduced to a new topic. I can only think that the result would be disasterously painful.  I would look at things and accept it with a ”cool” air. ‘Would it even be cool?’ I question myself. There is no doubt in my mind, that I would lose the essence of my being, if that ever happened to me.  Curiousity is not my character, it is my identity. Yet at times, even I find it hard to live with it. When I ask people questions after questions, it is only to quinch my thrist for knowledge…knowledge of everything and anything. It is said that curiosity kills the cat… I am the cat. If you do not want me to ask you questions about something, don’t bother telling me about it… or hinting at it. Once you do, I lose the power to stop myself from firing questions at you. Do not get me wrong here, I am not that nosy that I would tryna find out things about every other person I know. It’s only when I know that we are close enough that I even bother to act on my instinct and ask for more. Or else my shyness takes over my curiosity any day.  Again, just because I ask my close ones questions does not mean that I am judging or accusing them of anything. The questions are just that- questions. If I keep on asking you questions, it does not, in any sense, mean that I am trying to blame you … it just plain means that I want to know more. I just forget that, my curiosity might make others feel uncomfortable…it’s just that…I guess when I start feeling that someone is a part of me… I automatically assume that it must be the same way around. It’s not necessarily true…I realized it today.  I never meant to blame you… I would never blame you. It’s just my nature… I guess I just lack social skills. Perhaps, that’s why in all these years there has never been anyone who has loved me deeply for who I am. I guess there shall never be such a person. Maybe I am just that unlucky. I guess… But atleast I have started to come in terms with the fact that people are not open books… one cannot and should not take the liberty of reading it.  No matter how close you are to the person, never assume that they want to have a heart-to-heart with you. They just might not!  But I promise something else to myself today. I shall never be so close to anyone from now on… I shall not give anyone the power to hurt me. Why, I will never be myself with anyone… If they do not want me for who I am…. I do not want to share myself with them. I shall still remain that curious and bewildered girl… except no one will ever know her.  But atleast I still have things I ask question about. Thank God, even after years of probing atoms and its sub-particles, they do not stare into our eyes and tell us that we are making them uncomfortable and that I always blame them. What would I do otherwise?

So far it all seems to take shape, and the shape is getting pointy – pointing in the direction of an online butler, which will be able to follow you around, and help you through your day.
At home, the butler (lets call it James) will help with keeping in check with the news, updatng you blog(s), keeping track of your schedule, planing your shopping trips and other things if asked to.
James will follow you in your car, handling phonecalls, guiding you through traffic.
He will follow you into the shops while shopping, guiding you to what you are looking for, and keeping track of prices.
Off cause while updating your blog, keeping track of other users of your datingsite, so that if you end up in the same area as another user from your datingsite, you will be notified, and if interested a date can be arranged at the nearest café.
This is some of the possible uses of my web3.0-tool…

These are fantastic…

Luke Butler has done a series of paintings capturing everything I love about the original Star Trek.

More HERE.

I’ve just bought my first ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butler’. It’s like a normal butler but with less fat – he’s really skinny. He’s actually very good at his job.

Ha ha! Not really, it was just a funny joke. You know, because ‘butler’ sounds a bit like ‘butter’. It’s actually a very clever satire on today’s consumerist society. I’m like the new Rory Bremner. Except that I can’t do impressions. I’d quite like to be able to do an impression of Columbo, but that’s not really relevant.

Ao final de “Artemis Fowl – O Código Eterno”, o menino prodígio do crime, diante de tantas confusões e armações feitas por ele anteriormente, teve sua mente apagada pelo Povo das Fadas, afinal do jeito que as coisas andavam o segredo da existência dos seres fantásticos estava ameaçada pela ambição imedida e irresponsabilidade do menino.

Ao início do livro o leitor toma conhecimento que Artemis não se lembra dos companheiros de antigas aventuras, da elfa Holly, do ouro e da super tecnologia deles. Pior: não se lembra principalmente da sua maior inimiga: Opala Koboi

O apagamento da memória de Artemis, provocou um efeito colateral. O menino que apesar de denominado o “o menino prodígio do crime”, nunca havia feito nada de tãããão grave para prejudicar qualquer ser. Mas o efeito colateral do procedimento de apagamento de lembranças foi a perda de toda generosidade, respeito ao próximo e compaixão que ele havia reaprendido a ter após os anos de convivência com o Povo das Fadas, voltando a ser um frio e calculista gênio.

Após ser detida ao fim do terceiro livro, a duende diabrete, Koboi esta em um coma auto-induzido, por enquanto, estando impossibilitada de entrar em ação, mas sua mente estava trabalhando a toda na elaboração de um plano brilhante. Apesar de todo cuidado e vigilância ela conta com ajuda e apoio de aliados que elaboram juntos um plano de fuga e ela escapa, deixando em seu lugar um clone perfeito e promete se vingar de todo que a arruinaram.

Artemis volta a arquitetar mais um plano perfeito (bem ao estilo de Cascão e Cebolinha que insistem em elaborar planos infalíveis para derrotar a Mônica). Desta vez ele está em Berlim planejando roubar uma pintura valiosa conhecida como O ladrão das fadas, que estava guardada sob condições de segurança máxima em um banco. O menino consegue driblar guardar, seguranças, gerente e deixa o banco com a pintura dentro da mochila sem ser notado e sem perceberem o que ele havia feito. Mas ele não fazia a menor ideia da surpresa que Opala reservou para ele junto com a tela.

Concomitante a isso, na Cidade do Porto, a capitão da LEP estava prestes a receber uma promoção, mas o líder dos goblins consegue escapar da prisão e põe em prática uma estratégia maquiavélica arrastando a elfa e alguns outros membros do órgão para uma armadilha mortal. Quem era a cabeça do plano? Para variar, Opala. Holly sobrevive a armadilha, mas não consegue se livrar das falsas acusações de traição. Desesperada para provar a sua inocência, Holly não vê outra saída e decide fugir para a superfície e procurar por Artemis e torce para que ele se lembre dela.

Artemis precisará da ajuda de Holly e Palha e Holly precisará da ajuda de Artemis e Butler, ambos contra Koboi. Esta neutraliza Butler e consegue armar uma cilada para Holly e Artemis (que ainda está desmemoriado), jogando-os em um poço cheio de trolls.

A enrrascada é grande e só Palha poderá ajudá-los ao lado de Butler, mas para isso eles não tem muito tempo, pois Opala criou mais uma cilada e uma cilada cronometrada, envolvendo muita tecnologia e ação. O objetivo de Koboi é obliterar metade da cidade do Porto e o que sobrar da cidade ficará exposta aos homens da lama, o que comprova que a maligna duende diabrete está mais louca do que nunca.

Será que a Cidade do Porto vai sobreviver a investida de Opala? Artemis e Holly irão escapar? Qual o destino de Opala? Após essas quatro aventuras, será mesmo que o anti-herói Artemis realmente encerrará sua vida de crimes? Essas e outras dúvidas só serão solucionadas após uma divertida e encantadora leitura.

Terceiro livro da série, “Artemis Fowl – O Código Eterno”, consegue construir um supercomputador após roubar tecnologia do Povo das Fadas, que possuíam tecnologia muito mais avançada que a humana. Ele denomina a sua invenção de Cubo V. Como ele não queria mal estar com os novos “amigos” resolve não revelar que o construiu através de seus atos trapaceiros.

Artemis continua nesta nova aventura fazendo o que faz melhor: sendo um gênio do crime, mas, para variar, as coisas não dão muito certo. Após tentar chantagear John Spiro, um inescrupuloso milionário norte-americano lidado à máfia de Chicago, as coisas saem do controle, Butler é morto e o Cubo V, roubado. O pior ainda estava para acontecer: o supercomputador dá acesso ao usuário à informações sobre o Povo das Fadas.

Desesperado e sem saber o que fazer para reverter essa quantidade de problemas em que se meteu, Artemis apela e pede ajuda para Holly. Ela, por sua vez, ajudaria ele de bom grado se a Cidade do Porto, capital do reino das fadas não estivesse em polvorosa por causa do alerta disparado: o sistema de segurança foi invadido por algum humano dando acesso às informações restritas aos seres fantásticos.

Artemis, que apesar de ser descrito desde o primeiro livro como um menino frio, calculista e criminoso, nunca de fato realiza maldades perversas em que prejudique de fato qualquer ser. Até então não se comporta de forma exemplar, mas já conhecemos muitos personagens piores no universo da literatura.

O garoto, vendo-se sem saída, apela para o lado emocional sendo honesta e revela a Holly toda a verdade. Diz que foi o seu computador, construído com tecnologia mista das fadas e dos humanos, que fez a invasão. Mas não tinha sido ele, e sim um escroque que só queria ganhar mais dinheiro.

O comandante Raiz após descobrir a verdade, determina que Holly, Palha e Juliet recuperem o computador de imediato, antes que a existência do povo seja revelado pela o mundo humano. Afinal, anos e anos de segredo não poderia se perder assim. Ao mesmo tempo em que uma equipe é montada para recuperar o supercomputador, Artemis se desespera com a perda do seu amigo e guarda-costas, abatido em combate. Será mesmo o fim da linha para Butler? Só lendo para saber. Meus resumos e sugestões tem sido muito grandes, é bom deixar o suspense no ar para incentivar a leitura.

Esse volume, assim como todos os demais, é bastante divertido e dei muita risada praticamente em todas as aparições de Palha Escavator na história. A parte em que em que ele invade com Artemis, Juliet e Holly as indústria Spiro é hilária. Vale a pena conferir!

Dando continuidade nas aventuras de Artemis Fowl, o segurança brutamontes Butler, a elfa Holly Short, o centauro Potrus, o comandante da LEPrecon Julius Raiz e o anão Palha Escavator, “Artemis Fowl – Uma Aventura no Ártico” é mais um grande sucesso do autor Eoin Colfer.

Artemis agora está com 13 anos e ainda mais genial. Ao descobrir pistas do paradeiro do seu pai, o garoto não mede esforços para encontrá-lo, ou pelo menos saber o que aconteceu de fato. Para isso se envolve com a máfia Russa, entretanto, apenas um plano mirabolante não vai ser o suficiente para ele conseguir o que quer e também para salvar a sua vida. Precisará contar com a ajuda preciosa e eficiente dos seus arquiinimigos, o Povo das Fadas.

Carregado de ação e um leve suspense, o segundo volume da série Artemis Fowl, apresenta ao leitor uma personagem que vai atazanar o juízo e a vida tanto dos humanos quanto do Povo das Fadas, a duende malvada, gananciosa e tirana, Opala Koboi.

Após o resgate de Holly, muito ouro foi perdido e ao retornarem para seu mundo, os seres fantásticos sofrem a conseqüência do ocorrido. O prestígio de Raiz caiu bastante e para completar a sua melhor capitã, Holly, só se metia em confusões. Porém, ela descobre que a gangue de Goblins B’wa Kell está super organizada e com armas que são proibidas por lei, já que precisavam de uma energia rara para funcionar e de difícil acesso. Diante da descoberta, surge a questão: quem poderia estar contrabandeado energia de fonte humana para os goblins poderem utilizar essas armas? O primeiro nome que veio à cabeça deles? Adivinhem? Artemis Fowl.

Mas na verdade, o menino tinha outras preocupações em mente e tinha pouco tempo para tramar suas investidas, já que sua mãe havia melhorado um pouco, tomando, assim, bastante tempo da atenção de Artemis.

O garoto descobre que há possibilidade de seu pai estar vivo ao receber um pedido de resgate do seu pai, pelos mesmos russos mafiosos que haviam explodido o navio do Sr. Fowl. Mas como de bobo Artemis não tem nada, ele imagina que após o pagamento do resgate, os russos matariam tanto ela, quanto o pai, quanto Butler.

Como Artemis estava ocupado com suas preocupações familiares, outro ser teria que estar por trás do contrabando de energia para os goblins. Quem seria então era a pergunta que todos fazem. A grande culpada era a duende Opala Koboi. Maquiavélica, ela possui um laboratório que aprimorou todas as armas da LEP, com a intenção de aniquilar o armamento da Liga de Elite da Polícia. Mas para isso ela precisava de um aliado dentro da própria Liga. Descobrimos posteriormente que se trata de Porrete, um oficial que, frustrado, por não ter conseguido ocupar o lugar que ele tinha como certo, após o fracasso do resgate de Holly, de Julius Raiz. Diante da não realização dos seus objetivos, ele resolve se vingar de todos, com o sonho de dominar o mundo das fadas e depois dos humanos ou homens da lama, como eles se referiam. Mas o que ele não sabia era quem de fato era Opala Koboi.

O Povo das Fadas, após descobrir que Artemis não tinha envolvimento nenhum com o contrabando, e após tomar conhecimento pelo que passava o menino, eles entram em um acordo e realizam uma troca de favores. Artemis ajudaria o Povo a descobrir quem estava por trás do plano maquiavélico e eles, por outro lado, ajudariam no resgate do pai do garoto.

Apesar dos esforços e das investigações, eles nada conseguiram descobrir sobre o autor da operação maquiavélica. Porém no momento em que o comandante e a capitão Holly saem para a superfície, explode uma revolta. Ou seja, Koboi esperou o momento exato para colocar seu plano em prática. Com o ataque dos goblins, apenas Encrenca encontra-se na ativa e no comando para tentar controlar os revoltosos, já que Potrus havia sido derrotado e estava temporariamente fora de combate. Porrete põe em prática a sua parte do plano e acusa Encrenca de traidor, afirmando que ele havia armado e arquitetado tudo, inclusive desligando as armas da LEP, deixando com que eles ficassem a mercê do ataque dos goblins.

Fora do submundo, Raiz e Holly também são atingidos pela inutilização das suas armas e tentam entrar em contato com Potrus para saber o que estava acontecendo, mas sem sucesso. Potrus acaba descobrindo que Artemis esquecera seu laptop e envia um e-mail informando sobre os últimos acontecimentos.

A vitória dos maquiavélicos Opala e Porrete está bem perto, já que os goblins estão munidos de armas poderosas e a LEP não tem como se defender. A solução para os problemas do Povo das Fadas era alguém conseguir invadir os laboratório de Opala, a esperança então estava nas mãos do ladrão anão Palha Escavator, um velho amigo que tinha sido dado como morto no final do primeiro livro.

O suspense está voltado para três questões: estaria de fato o pai de Artemis vivo? Conseguiria ele se salvar e resgatar o pai? Quem sairia vencedor no Povo das Fadas, Opala ou a turma da LEP?

Vale a pena ler e descobrir. Novamente o leitor não consegue parar de ler. É uma ação atrás da outra em um ritmo bastante acelerado, garantindo momentos bem divertidos para os jovens leitores e os mais crescidinhos também.

As we draw toward the unexciting close of what can only be described as a woeful college football season, it’s high time we shifted our sights to the only flawless sport left in America: college basketball. Oh sure, the naysayers point out a deterioration in the quality of play, the untenability of the one-and-done rule, and recruiters’ blatant disregard for the rules.

But college basketball is the only sport that manages to maintain a meaningful regular season and an exciting postseason (and doesn’t kill its players, ruling out the NFL). It’s played in the loudest environments in the country and has been, for most of the last decade, the most intriguing sport to watch on an everyday basis.*

*Little-celebrated fact: Thanks to really low ratings (and, you know, its lockout), the NHL wasn’t renewed on ESPN in the middle of the decade, freeing up time every night of the week for college basketball on the Worldwide Leader.

Here are the six best storylines of the 2009-2010 season:

1. Uncertainty!

I know, we all pretended like there was some doubt last year. We all pretended that North Carolina—by somehow bringing back ALL of its players from a Final Four team the year before—might not win it all. We all pretended that maybe there’d be some chemistry problems, that maybe those two early losses to Wake Forest and Boston College were signs of things to come, and that maybe injuries to Marcus Ginyard and Tyler Zeller were harbingers of a season that wouldn’t go right.

But we all knew deep down that the odds of the Tar Heels losing in the Tournament were slim to none. Even Barack Obama picked them to win, and from what I hear, that guy hasn’t done anything right since. Not only did UNC win it all, but they did so without being seriously challenged. Their biggest scare in the NCAA Tournament came from LSU in the second round.

Those same two paragraphs pretty much apply to Florida’s championship season in 2007. And that’s why it’s refreshing this year, where, even with a fairly consensus No. 1 in Kansas, it feels a lot more open at the top. No consensus All-Americans are back this season, with only second-teamers Sherron Collins and Luke Harangody returning (the latter to an NIT team).

Kansas is the favorite, but there are a boatload of contenders, including…

2. Butler!

Wait, what?

Butler—you know, that school in Indianapolis with the cool gym from Hoosiers (it’s called Hinkle Fieldhouse)—enters the season as a top-ten team for the first time. In fact, Butler enters the season as a ranked team for the first time. You may remember that the Bulldogs were a Sweet 16 team in 2003 and 2007 and pushed Tennessee to overtime in Round 2 in 2008. With a young team last year, they won 26 games and lost in the first round to LSU.*

*Butler’s last three Tourney losses have all come to SEC teams.

The Bulldogs return just about everyone from last year’s squad, including Horizon Player of the Year Matt Howard—a triumph of fundamentals over athleticism in the post. Butler also has swingman Gordon Hayward, whose freshman year last season reminded me a lot of Adam Morrison’s freshman campaign at Gonzaga.*

*I’m not saying Hayward will be as good as Morrison was in college. When Morrison was a freshman, I just remember thinking, “This guy is really good.” I didn’t foresee 28 ppg game good or third overall pick good or crying before the end of his last game good. All I’m saying is that Gordon Hayward looks really good himself.

Butler has also gone out and made itself a major non-conference schedule that includes games with Northwestern, Minnesota, Georgetown, Ohio State, and Xavier—not to mention potential contests with UCLA and West Virginia in the 76 Classic. All this raises the question: If Butler manages to survive that run with only a loss or two (very possible; they’ll likely be favored in all but a bout with the Mountaineers), how high a seed can they get in March? Where would a one-loss Butler team fall on the S-curve? More tantalizingly, what if they enter conference play in the mediocre Horizon undefeated? What if they run the table?

This is the best non-power since St. Joe’s in 2004, and their season could be just as intriguing.

3. A Wide Open Big East

With major losses at Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Louisville, and Syracuse, it’s returning semifinalist Villanova and non-traditional West Virginia topping the preseason Big East standings. I think we can all pretty much agree that the Big East is the most fascinating conference on a year-to-year basis because it boasts more than two traditional powers—UConn, Louisville, Syracuse, and Georgetown at least qualify. The annual preseason discussion is whether the Big East can get nine teams into the Tournament, and again, this year is as promising as any, with Cincinnati, St. John’s, and Seton Hall all improving drastically from a season ago. The five days at the Garden in March will be gooooooood watchin’.

4. A Good Big Ten

Thanks largely to Ohio State’s BCS failings, the Big Ten’s reputation as a competent football conference has really taken a hit in recent years. Somewhat strangely, not only did that perception translate to the hardwood, but so did the reasoning: The Big Ten was too slow in both sports. It couldn’t stop the spread offense, and it couldn’t score 80 points.

The latter may still hold true, but the conference in basketball—fresh off getting six teams in the Tourney last season—is in the midst of a minor renaissance.* Michigan State returns the core of its runner-up/Detroit-saviors from a year ago (passing that torch on to first the Red Wings in the NHL and then the Tigers in the AL Central). Purdue should fulfill the top-ten promise of last season with a healthy Robbie Hummel, and John Beilein will continue to work his magic at Michigan.** Even Northwestern could contend for its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.

*Here’s where you point out that it was just 2 ½ years ago that the Big Ten boasted the top two teams in the country—Ohio State and Wisconsin—for much of the season, and I point out that one of those two teams was WISCONSIN.

**Did you know? John Beilein is the best coach in college basketball.

5. Duke’s Caucasian Duo

Can’t go too far here without bringing up the Blue Devils, who suffered three excruciating off-season blows: the departure of Gerald Henderson to the NBA, the loss of John Wall to Kentucky, and the transfer of Elliot Williams to Memphis. As a result, Duke is left with essentially two good players, and they are both very white. Kyle Singler is a preseason All-American, and Jon Scheyer takes over full-time at the point after spending the last dozen games there in 2009. Sure, Nolan Smith is there, but it would be a surprise if he is anything more than a secondary scorer on offense.

This all leads to the question: Who is the last great basketball team whose TWO best players were white? Fittingly, the first team that comes to mind is the 1998 Utah team that advanced to the National Championship and blew a double-digit lead to Kentucky in an underrated finals. But it’s easy to forget those Utes were not led by Keith Van Horn, who graduated a year earlier, but instead by Andre Miller (and Michael Doleac).* This means we have to go back to at least the ’92 Blue Devils with Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, although most would argue that Grant Hill was at least on the same level as those two.**

*Those tempted to go with the 1998 Utah Jazz and their backcourt of John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek (who I almost called John Havlicek) are forgetting Karl Malone.

**If Henderson had returned, Duke would have had virtually the same dynamic this season as in that ’92 campaign, with their three best players at PG, SF, and PF (with worse players at each position, of course).

I’d venture to say that this Duke team has the chance to be the best team this decade led by two white players—a title currently held by Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle’s West Virginia squad in 2005 and 2006 (take your pick between those two teams). Their coach? Yeah, John Beilein.

6. The Announcers!

After sitting through McCarver, Buck, and Caray in the month of October, it’s more than refreshing to watch a sport with the best announcers in the business. There’s no analyst who’s more fun than Bill Raftery, regardless of whether he’s working with Verne Lundquist or Sean McDonough, themselves two of the best play-by-play guys in any sport (they both do a fine job in college football, as well).

There’s always a lot to like about Gus Johnson, even if his reputation has gotten a little out of hand lately. Gus is as good as there is calling a frenetic final minute, and Dick Enberg, flawed as he is as he ages, still calls upsets better than anyone.

“Mommy! I want to take a picture. Where is the camera?”

“In the butler’s pantry*.”

“The what?”

“The butler’s pantry.”

“The budgies panties?”

“What?”

“Did you say ‘In the budgies panties’?”

“No, the BUTLER’S PANTRY. But, if you find budgie panties, put them in dirty laundry.”

“………………Mommy, I think I want to play on my computer instead.”

I guess it’s a good thing considering we don’t own a bird.

*We don’t own a butler, either, but we do have a pass-thru between the kitchen and dining room.

I put a new header up.  Just so you know, the picture on the right is not of some random person.  Well, it kind of is, since I don’t really know how she’s related to me, although apparently she is.  On the back of this photo is written the name “Laura Hurst.”  Or at least I think it says “Hurst;” it looks like it could say “Haust” or “Haiyst” as well.  I don’t presently know of anyone by any of these names being in my family, but there are a lot of holes in my family tree, even with all that I already have!

Based on her dress and hairstyle, I’d say it was taken in the late 1840’s or early 1850’s.  It’s difficult to tell, since she’s sitting down (no way to see the exact shape of her skirt), and there really aren’t many photographs from that era, but that’s what I’d reckon.  The coloring kind of annoys me; I wish I had it in the original sepia.

Anyway, if any other history buffs have any more input on the time, please let me know!

Sigma Gamma Rho Founders

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Was Founded November 12, 1922, By Seven Educators In Indiana.

Mary Little, Who Is Is Credited With Being The Primary Founder, Established Sigma Gamma Rho On The Campus Of Historically White, Butler University, In Indianapolis. Vivian Marbury, Bessie Martin, Cubena McClure, Dorothy Whiteside, Nannie Johnson And Hattie Redford, Were The Other Six Women Her Shared Little’s Vision Of And Organization Dedicated To Sisterhood, Scholarship And Service.

Sigma Gamma Rho Was Incorporated December 30, 1929. It Has The Distinction Of Being The First Black Greek Organization On Butler’s Campus. Today It Claims More Than 77,000 Members, With More Than 400 Chapters In The United States And Abroad.

Notable Women Of Sigma Gamma Rho Include: Victoria Rowell (Actress), Vanessa Bell Armstrong (Gospel Recording Artist), Cathy Hughes (Radio One CEO), Hattie McDaniel (America’s First Black Oscar Winner), Anna Maria Horsford (Actress), Cynthia Horner (Editor, Right On Magazine) Tonya Lee Williams (Actress) And Dr. Lorraine Hale (Executive Director, Hale House).

“In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It.” — Hubert Gaddy, Jr.

Hugh Gaddy

Create Your Badge

Dilton Quadrangle Located next to Church on right side of Bradyville Road.
Photographed by Patsy Paterson

2Pats2cats@comcast.net

William T. Allen

Oct. 28, 1876

Jan. 6, 1940

Mary J. Allen

June 28, 1877

March 16, 1969

Joe William Cooper

Dec. 21, 1877

Oct. 5, 1934

Lillie May Cooper

April 29, 1892

May 11, 1966

J. A. Arnold

March 11, 1867

Dec. 16, 1915

T. H. Bush

1888

1962

Emmer Butler

April 11, 1881

Oct. 7, 1931

Ronnie Lynn Cooper

Feb. 7, 1965

Feb. 7, 1965

Infant son of Thomas and Gracie Cooper

Lucille Butler

July 17, 1917

Jan. 7, 1918

Johnnie C. McCullough

1898

1963

Maggie S. McCullough

1901

1985

Jim Frank Davidson

1882

1929

Willie Thomas Davidson

1913

1925

J. R. Gullett

Nov. 11, 1845

no death date

Mary Elizabeth Gullett

March 23, 1846

April 3, 1920

E. M. (Bob) Harrell

March 9, 1866

Dec. 9, 1938

Mary Frances Harrell

Feb. 12, 1863

Dec. 16, 1955

Erskin Manus

May 1, 1900

June 2, 1966

Lizzie McCullough

Jan. 12, 1879

Sept. 22, 1883

John W. McCullough

Sept 13, 1852

May 29, 1938

Rinda E. McCullough

July 2, 1856

Nov. 7, 1932

Bettie F. McCullough

1936

1938

Billie McCullough

Oct. 28, 1874

Sept. 23, 1888

Jimmie Dean Welchance

Jan. 15, 1941

March 17, 1941

E. W. Whitemore

July 1, 1878

April 7, 1903

I. J. (Dutch) Allen

June 10, 1912

Feb. 3, 1976

Albert Lee Barlow

June 28, 1931

Aug. 28, 2002

Bertha M. Barlow

Aug. 28, 1922

Jan. 3, 1996

Jesse M. Barlow

1909

1975

Nellie Mae Barlow

May 9, 1939

March 18, 1992

Joe L. Bogle

Aug. 26, 1906

Jan. 16, 1973

Leonia C. Bogle

July 10, 1913

Sept. 26, 1993

Charlie Compton

Aug. 10, 1890

May 9, 1973

Ida B. Compton

April 8, 1896

April 22, 1976

Annie Mai Cooper

Aug. 29, 1927

Oct. 15, 1978

Loyd W. Cooper

Oct. 23, 1923

Nov. 9, 1995

G. W. Goad could not read dates looks like age 8

William Hardy Goad

Jan. 7, 1966

Feb. 13, 1981

Jerry Lynn Gordon

b & d Jan. 2, 1978

Robert Lee Gordon

Jan. 28, 1943

Dec. 15, 2003

Annie Faye Gordon

Feb. 1, 1946

Married Sept. 4, 1965

Johnny Harrell 1888 I think 1907

P. Y. Harrell

1860

1943

Mary Ann Harrell

1865

1940

Dewey Calvin Lovvorn

Sept. 16, 1935

Clark R. Manus

July 26, 1909

July 20, 1985

Charline C. Manus

March 5, 1914

Frank Lewis Manus

1939

2004

Lizzie Cooper Manus

March 27, 1917

July 8, 1989

Tom N. McCullough

Oct. 9, 1872

Sept. 7, 1946

Gladys Louis Bush Wilson

Aug. 23, 1920

Sept. 22, 1991

Could not read

The following are listed in the cemetery book but not found:

Lillie May Allen

29 Apr 1892

11 May 1966

W. C. Harvey

24 Mar 1853

03 Dec 1924

Mary Ann wife of Wm. McCullough

02 Aug 1817

02 Jan 1894

Doshie Goforth

16 Apr 1888

22 May 1922

Johnnie C.

1898

1963

Life has been pretty crazy the past few weeks. I’ve presented 3 papers at two conferences and I’ve been managing to keep up with my school work pretty well too. Hence, no posts for a while…

I’m going to eventually get some of my 3 papers up on here, but for now, just some good news. A few weeks ago I was invited to give a paper as part of a panel at the 2010 AERA Annual Conference in Denver, CO. I had to submit an abstract and then the panel had to be approved by the big-wigs at AERA. I found out today that it was accepted, so I’ll be giving my first invited paper in late April or early May as part of a panel called, “Unusual Spaces: Exploring unconventional sites for the study of teaching and learning.”

AERA changed its process for reviewing and accepting proposals this year – I’m also serving as Co-chair and Co-program Chair for the Foucault and Education Special Interest Group, so I’m familiar with the updated process – and it was much harder to get accepted than in the past. Last year (2009) there were about 1400 paper sessions; this year (2010) there will only be about 1000, a really big cut. AERA is trying to improve the “quality” of the presentations, which is all part of their effort to become more narrowly scientific, which is all due to pressure from government and policy makers and uninformed members of the public to be of more use to setting “good policy.” Clearly I don’t like this development. So, it’s nice to get accepted, do some radical work, scare some people (no joke, I was told I was scary at the most recent conference I went to), and subvert the agenda a bit.

Here’s the abstract for the paper I’ll be giving:

The Pedagogies of Markets: Rethinking the Educational Role of Capital

Under the contemporary conditions of capitalism, education is a key component that articulates with other forces to create specific conditions for life to exist, particularly as productive life. The thought that man’s purpose may be to not work is perhaps unthinkable in the context of cell phones, laptop computers, wireless internet, and 24-hour connectivity to work.

Following Judith Butler, I will explore the epistemological and ontological questions of “framing” markets. As she notes, “the frames through which we apprehend or, indeed, fail to apprehend the lives of others as lost or injured (lose-able or injurable) are politically saturated” (2009, 1). However, Butler is quick to remind us that this epistemological question is deeply entwined with an ontological one because we have to accompany the question what do we know with what is it that we know?

At issue is the way markets operate in (at least) a triple-layered fashion. At a local farmer’s market, people encounter the physicality of the market itself. Walking through the stalls and talking with vendors, they then encounter a market based on meeting human needs organized largely around use-value exchange. But they also encounter a market that is global, exploitative of labor-power, highly volatile, and normalized through the exchange of money for goods, the sale of non-local products, and the presence of security guarantors such as the police. The experience of the layered market is not an abnormal one in American lives, and must surely have educative impact.

But such an analysis has largely been done before, by Giroux, McLaren, Apple, and others. However, these thinkers tend to homogenize capitalism as something to be resisted, which is, to me, an uncontroversial impulse. Where they tend to fall short, though, is that “the market” is often perceived to be the site of injustice instead of a site that can be re-appropriated as anti-capitalist. Using the works of Hardt and Negri (2001; 2005; 2009), DeLanda (1997; 2006), and Marx (1990), I will discuss the educative epistemological and ontological frames of markets and provide the beginnings of a way to think markets otherwise and perhaps give rise to new educational possibilities.

Works Cited:

Butler, J. (2009). Frames of War: When is Life Grievable?. New York: Verso, 2009.

DeLanda, M. (1999). A Thousand Years of Nonlinear History. New York: Zone Books, 1997.

DeLanda, M. (2006). A New Philosophy of Society: Assemblage Theory and Social Complexity. New York: Continuum, 2006.

Hardt, M. & Negri, A. (2001). Empire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001.

Hardt, M. & Negri, A. (2004). Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire. New York: Penguin, 2005.

Hardt, M. & Negri, A. (2009). Commonwealth. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 2009.

Marx, K. (1990). Capital, Volume I. New York: Penguin, 1990.

The bulk of the individuals who I happened to meet over the course of the week were international–UK, France, Colombia, India, and more. It was really kind of amazing to be constantly surrounded by people who either did not speak much English or spoke with a marked accent. I noticed my vocabulary decaying while attempting to translate my thoughts into French–often frustrating the attempt and eventually just using simple understandable English phrases. The boundaries of language can be so prohibitive. It’s also interesting to see the efforts that we go through to communicate our intentions and what gets lost as excess.

Today’s events included a visit to the NYPL (New York Public Library). I have been wanting to go for quite some time, but never really had a particular book in mind. So I ventured over to the Mid-Manhattan branch–silver access card in hand (acquired whilst doing research for a project at school). The book: Insurmountable Simplicities by Casati and Varzi.  The latter, a professor that I had had and of whom, clearly, I think very highly.

Anyway, the library was pretty wonderful.  Apparently my card is better than valid, but from what I was informed–the highest tier of card possible.  So I timidly wandered into the Library, sans blue card.  Surrounded by small clusters of regulars I made my way into the elevator and up to the third floor, the button for which did not really and satisfyingly enough illuminate.  The branch is not as sort of grand and decorated as the Columbia library, but it is still really nice to feel comforted by the access to all of these books.  I found my book fairly easily and picked up an Artaud book along the way.  It’s hard to not pick something up that catches your eye.  I mean, yes, it’s a slight bit heavier in your bag, but aside from that I’ve always been so tempted to just peruse the aisles picking up whatever intrigues me.  That’s the best part about a library.  You don’t have to weigh whether it will be worth it or not.  You simply grab it and if 10 or 25 pages in you decide it’s not for you… you return it with everything else.  I hope to frequent the library–now that I’ve gotten over that awkward first time.

Although the focus of this site is exploring agricultural robots, we will definitely make room for some sweet, sweet robot butlers.

<blockquote>CMU’s Snackbot is a roving wheeled ‘bot who’s primary purpose is to roam the halls of the University’s buildings, delivering tasty treast to students and faculty. Snackbot not only drives around bringing snacks, he also brings plenty of goodwill, with a pleasant-sounding voice communication system and calm demeanor unlikely to be rattled by even the most demanding snack customer. He features a sophisticated “multi-sensor fusion algorithms” which let him understand where he’s going, navigate through crowds, and can autonomously learn new objects.

- <a href=”http://technabob.com/blog/2009/10/18/snackbot-snack-delivering-robot/”>Technabob.com</a></blockquote>

MORE: <a href=”http://www.snackbot.org/team-public.html”>Carnegie Mellon’s Snackbot</a>.

Here are the first 10 teams added to the list of teams I’ll be making predictions for throughout the year:

• Butler
• Dayton
• Georgia Tech
• Kansas
• Northern Iowa
• Oklahoma
• Pitt
• Siena
• South Carolina
• VCU