The science of Galactica

Here's an interesting MSNBC article on the scientific probabilities of some of the sci-fi elements of Battlestar Galactica, such as the odds that our first contact with extraterrestrials would be with "Robot Aliens," robot-human relationships, and other issues:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23955772/

Admiral Adama at Stanford!!

I was perusing the constant stream of event email in my school email box when I ran across this:

15th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Commemoration
Edward James Olmos, Keynote Speaker



Thursday, April 17
7:00 p.m. | Kresge Auditorium
Join us for the year's flagship event as we welcome our esteemed keynote speaker renowned actor, director, and Hollywood activist Edward James Olmos. Also featured: Winners of the Art and Essay Contest, a Stanford student speaker, and the Stanford Spoken Word Collective.

"From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength" - César Chávez
__________________

In case you were blissfully unaware of the best show on T.V., Edward James Olmos currently plays Admiral Bill Adama on Battlestar Galactica. He is really amazing on the show, one of the character's key features being an exceptional ability to give motivational speeches to the fleet. Anyway, I have to admit the Cesar Chavez event announcement was a bit jarring for me as I completely displaced the show and cast from the planet we call home, therefore, without realizing it, completely displaced the actors from their ethnic backgrounds. Seriously, I've never even thought about it. So my first reaction was... "Oh yeah! EJ Olmos is Mexican! I totally forgot!" I won't go into it too much here, but I think that says a lot for the show as a science fiction story and their success at creating a new society of humans. It's also nice, I must admit, to be allowed to forget (completely) our standard ethno/racial characteristics once in a while--on a show where everyone is just human, trying to survive. Some pseudo-racial issues are addressed on BG, but they are taken into different categories, just as a group of people from a specific planet or city (who are actors of many different ethnicities, incidentally).

Anyway, too late to say long story short, but in case you hadn't noticed I am really stoked about going to see EJ Olmos tomorrow. So say we all!

(Oh geez, I hope I don't yell that at the end of his speech)

Taxes...*shudder*

I finished my taxes! Hurrah!

So, I had a bad experience with H&R Block this year as far as their in-office consultation is concerned, and ended up doing the free TurboTax e-file thing. I was overwhelmed, seriously, by how much more info I felt I got and how much more thorough the questions were than the agent I went to previously. Just for reference, H&R Block tried to charge me more for the preparation than the meager amount I'm getting back. And refused to tell me how much it would be until the process was done. Also refused to verbally acknowledge that it didn't make any sense to go through with it. Good thing you're allowed to refuse their filing and not pay. I usually don't feel the need to advertise for businesses, but I was very impressed and relieved by Intuit's TurboTax this year and think they deserve the kudos. It's worth trying there first, before someone tried to charge you some ridiculous amount for something you can easily (and more thoroughly/confidently) do yourself.

Just sayin'.

Ninja Warrior!!!

Well, after spending the last hour ONCE AGAIN trying to log in to my blog (shows how much I post....), I feel compelled, despite my frustrated exhaustion and resentful feelings toward the internet in general, to post in this secure little blog that was quite alike a moated fortress just minutes ago.

I had some juicy morsels saved up from books I've been reading lately, but instead, in rebellion against academia, I will post a couple of clips from the latest obsession in my household. Seriously, these Japanese shows, Ninja Warrior and Unbeatable Bansuke, along with Battlestar Galactica, keep my faith in television entertainment. Maybe that's sad, but man do I love it. Not sure how much these random clips I found on YouTube exemplify it, but one of my favorite things about these shows are the off-the-wall, melodramatic subtitle translations of the commentary.

This first shows a shot at the next-to-last course by one of the most frequent, and most popular competitors on the men's side:



This one shows, I believe, the first woman to make it through the entire series of courses in Women of Ninja Warrior. I saw it in the G4 American version with subtitles... but I'm amused by this British (I think?) commentator.



Here is one of the obstacles on Unbeatable Bansuke, the stilt walk (there's also a handwalk, a crazy bike obstacle course, and many other random obstacle courses that are very nearly impossible to beat). I couldn't find video of this awesome old guy who actually beat the stilt course, but I did find one of this kid doing it:



Yep, this is how I choose to waste time. Among other things.