17 posts tagged “marine biology”

Today is not a significant day.  But then, neither was yesterday - and yet thick-necked fraternity brothers and vacuous sorority sisters everywhere commemorated the non-occasion with three dollar mojitos and unplanned pregnancies.  So perhaps the great unwashed might also one day remember this uneventful day.  With a massive marketing campaign and a vague (at best) understanding of the flimsy history involved - all supported by the entire weight of a legalized drug industry, natch - we here at hotrod.vox.com think there just might be an outside chance they will.  Step three: profit.

Today marks the one week anniversary of the first day we might have posted our inaugural installment of our intended new weekly feature "the vault."  And today marks the first deadline we set for ourselves pertaining to said feature that we have missed.  We anticipate that it will be the first of many, which is why after considerable deliberation our editorial staff has decided to delay the debut of this much-anticipated column.  Astute readers no doubt will have noted a more sporadic than usual posting schedule here at hotrod.vox.com over the past six weeks or so.  After careful study of our second quarter projections, we expect this trend to continue into the summer.  Things are just way too hectic down at the lab, what with a high-profile study of the University of Maryland's indigenous turtle population occupying most of our time.  The last thing we want is to begin a regular feature for which our massive readership awaits weekly with bated breath and then not be able to follow through.  So look for "the vault" to resume - or to begin, rather - in July.

Make no mistake - this delay has nothing to do with the record we selected to review in our initial installment.  It sucks.  Really, really bad.  We can't wait to write the review, actually.  We just don't have the time.

We had intended to discuss today what - besides hairspray and spandex - distinguishes 1980's glam metal from other hard rock of the same time period and why Van Halen and Def Leppard aren't hair bands but why Guns N' Roses is and why Klosterman is wrong to consider them all on equal footing.  It was gonna be really good; you'd have enjoyed it.  But real-life got in the way of Vox-life, so yinz'll have to make do without our usual clever insight and snappy wit.  Instead we're just going to cut to the chase and present the greatest hair metal song of all time.

Rushmore wasn't the only one who went on a little field trip last Thursday.  I took advantage of a rare fairly light week and ventured with my co-worker Mikey down to the Mall to check out this year's Solar Decathlon.  I missed the last time around for this event, but did catch the inaugural outing back in 2002.  The now Ms. Mehaffey was then a member of the University of Texas' Team Airstream and Vanna, Vrabel and I visited in the spirit of solidarity.  I had no specific rooting interest this time out, and was impressed by the discovery of an overall more evenly matched playing field.  (For example, Texas A&M actually finished their house this time out.  And they didn't misspell "decathlon."  Three times.  In three different ways.  On their home page.  I wish I was joking.)

We didn't have a ton of time but managed to maximize what we did have by sneaking in the back door of most of the houses we visited.  Mikey devised a fairly ingenious plan, in which we would wander up to a student hanging out by the exit and he asked them an innocuous question about their design.  I would mill about nonchalantly, checking out their construction details, and when the question was answered we slipped in the back door against traffic.  It worked like a charm, and it's good thing too; if not, we might still be there. We saw about half of the houses, and there weren't any I would say were completely without flaw, but all had their highlights.  Like I said, I was impressed.  Although it was a little disappointing that - again - most of the houses seemed to be potentially most at home - so to speak - in a trailer park.  It may be just a constraint of the design parameters, but I'd like to believe that there are other building forms that would lend themselves to solar efficiency. At the time of our visit, the team from the University of Maryland was leading the competition, but it seems they were overtaken in the past three days by Technische Universität Darmstadt.  I didn't see the Germans' house first hand, but I gotta say, it must have been amazing if they managed to knock Maryland out of the top spot.  It might just be because I am so close, but I've never been overwhelmed by the Terrapins, in any aspect.  But goddamn if they didn't build a good solar house.  I would have liked to have visited again this weekend, with more time to spend, but yesterday was the last day and I was out on my bike instead.

Okay, I'm at the airport - through security and just steps away from my gate.  My flight to Miami is delayed fifteen minutes, but that shouldn't be an issue.  Knock wood, Miami is not where I will be pressed for time.  My luggage has been checked all the way through to Easter Island, so I just need to clear customs and proceed directly to my gate, where I still need to be issued a boarding pass.  My stress level is falling and my many neuroses are beginning to fade.  This just might work out after all.

I found it amusing that the nice woman who checked me in asked first if I was travelling for work.  HA!  Like there would be any use for a marine biologist on Easter Island!

If, in the future, you should require the services of a LEED Accredited Professional - as certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, naturally - for any of your marine biology needs, feel free to give me a call.  I just passed my exam this morning.

[UPDATE:  See?  Here's the proof.]

After all the recent season and series finales, what are you watching on TV these days?

well, jeez, question of the day, i was hoping you'd ask what i've been watching on TV after all the recent season and series finales.  i've been itching to tell you all about "this american life" and "meadowlands" on showtime.  and "the tudors," naturally; can't forget "the tudors."

i kid, i kid.  i don't get showtime.  or HBO.  and after all the recent season and series finales, i've been watching the same shows i watched before all the recent season and series finales - which is to say: none of them.  don't get me wrong.  i'm not one of those kill your TV proselytizers here to tell you how much better life can be.  i love my television.  it offers blissful escape from the drudgery of career and family.  i enjoy basking in its warm glowing warming glow.  but it's been years - almost a decade (guess which series) - since i've carved time out of my schedule to park my ass on the sofa in front of it for a half-hour at a regular time each week.  i occasionally flip through the channels, but usually i throw in a tape or a DVD.

i say a half-hour because for a long time i had contended that the only thing on network television worse than thirty minute sitcoms is hour long dramas.  i might have to reconsider that, however, in light of recent events.  despite my lack of viewership, i can't deny a certain fascination with the discussion in recent weeks over the finale of "the sopranos."  so over last weekend, i rented the first disc of season one.  i gotta say - it's a really goddamn good show, despite the odd pacing of the sixty minute story.  i'll probably stick with it.  i'm highly intrigued by the finale, which sounds phenomenal and which i've heard so much about by this point that i'd go so far as to say - sight unseen - the ending isn't ambiguous at all.  it's pretty clear tony and the family got whacked even before this alleged leaked video surfaced (of which i will keep my feelings to myself *cough* FAKE! *cough*).  if i had HBO and i'd thought about it last sunday, i probably would have turned it on, but i doubt i would have made time for it.

but i guess to be fair, question of the day, i should fill you in on some of the television i do enjoy even if not all of it is current.  i'll usually turn on "south park" if i think of it on wednesdays when it's on, but i usually try to go to bed around ten, so that doesn't always happen.  it's fair to say by this point that "south park" has surpassed "the simpsons" as the best animated series of all time, but that's a topic for another day.  i do love me some "simpsons," though and own the first seven (maybe eight?  i forget.) seasons on DVD.  i have actively boycotted the american *cough* FAKE! *cough* version - of "the office" because the BBC series was so great, but i caught an episode on the plane out to nevada a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it, so now i face a bit of a moral dilemma.  i saw a fair amount of "scrubs" (she had many episodes saved on their DVR) when i visited my sister in april, and that's always been one i'd pause on if i happened to be flipping channels when it was on.  "arrested development" was unquestionably the best [prime time] television show of the past decade, which - again - i know through DVD; i've got a post-thanksgiving dinner with emma and yo han to thank for that introduction and i am indeed grateful.

and then, of course, there's "seinfeld."  i actually had to take a break from "seinfeld" for a while about two years after it went into syndication because i'd seen so many of the episodes so many times.  but after about a three year hiatus, i'm back, jerry!  i'm back!  so far i have the first four seasons on DVD.  the next purchase is a big one because it features my very favorite episode - "the marine biologist."  i love the pop culture marine biology references, and they're so few and far between.

[UPDATE: i can't believe i forgot about it earlier, but the very best show on television six years running is "pardon the interruption."  it airs at weekdays at 5:30 on ESPN, though, so i never ever get to see it.  which is a shame, because this is one show i would carve time out of my schedule to see were it possible.  i know it's primarily about sports, but the bickering so endearing that i'd argue that the disinterested viewer could easily get past that if they gave it a chance.  i know from experience - when i worked out of my apartment from june 2002 to february 2003 - that this is the only show that made me give a damn about any sport other than professional football.  when daby and i finally get our own pop culture debate show this is the format we're gonna rip off.  it's a great show; don't knock it because it's on ESPN.]

[UPDATE II:  as many times as i've seen PTI and heard "crooked rain, crooked rain" it never dawned on me that the outro music was pavement's "cut your hair."  i'm a bad sports fan and a bad indie rock fan in one fell swoop.  someone remind me, please, what i have to live for.]

so let's recap: monday was a holiday.  i had already scheduled a day off on friday for my annual trip out to nevada.  and this morning, literally on my way out the door, i got a call from my boss saying the power is out at the lab.  recent updates say it might be restored by "late afternoon."  i realize i may be jinxing myself here, but this could shape up to be a very nice work week for your friendly neighborhood hotrod.

a couple of months ago, the opening of the grand canyon skywalk - with its glass walkway - was all over the news.  i took note and remarked to myself that yes, it would be unnerving to venture out over the grand canyon on a glass-floored cantilevered structure.  that, i presume, was the desired reaction.  leave it to the europeans once again to upstage us.

it's fair to say i'm obsessed with scandanavia.  if i had to pick another country in which to reside, it'd be iceland.  i've spent a week in finland and some time on the ground in sweden.  (i had a layover at arlanda and went through customs so i could go outside to smoke.  they didn't stamp my passport though.  bastards.)  i've never been to norway, though, and if the prospect of visiting hammerfest weren't already enticing enough, these images of the aurland lookout came across my desk this afternoon.

it's impossible to overstate how much this appeals to me.  on every level.  the juxtaposition of the structure and the landscape is inspired.  the simplicity and subtlety of the design against the majestic vista make me just ache to see it in person.  and it looks so cold - not "cool," mind you, but actually cold.  if nothing else is true, you can bank on this: cold places are always better than warm places.  a big vacation is long overdue, and i'm supposed to go to chile next.  i may have to rethink my plans.  i only wish i were joking.  i've been dying to see the atacama.

in a matter of hours, i'll be boarding a plane to atlanta to see sister #2 and the final two stages of the tour de [editor's note: ugh] georgia.  from there i'm heading directly to picksburgh for a marine biology conference on monday and tuesday.  i doubt i'll be spending much time in front of a computer, so i'll be on a bit of a vox vacation for the next few days.  i trust i shan't be missed.  the usual petty bickering will return on wednesday.

i am merely a humble marine biologist, but i always wanted to pretend to be an architect.  i even went so far as to take a few architectural history electives in college so i could speak more eloquently on the subject.  so it probably won't surprise you that news of the field's highest honor - the pritzker prize - would pique my interest.  i know yinz have been waiting anxiously for a whole year now, so i won't keep you in suspense.  this year's winner is: lord richard rogers.

lord richard ('dickie,' to close friends) rogers rose to fame - as it were - in the late seventies with a couple of high-profile hyper-modern buildings in paris and london.  the professor of one of my survey classes infamously declared that rogers' lloyd's of london building was the one that most "made his pants tight," but i prefer the centre pompidou.  lloyd's is too much; it's over the top.  pompidou uses the same mechanical and structural vocabulary yet is still somehow more restrained, more confident.  lloyd's just seems like a building where the architect just couldn't bear to throw away any ideas.  but then, what the hell do i know?

it is somewhat telling, however, that pompidou was a collaboration.  in fact, both of rogers' former partners - renzo piano and lord norman foster - have already won the pritzker.  they won almost a decade ago, at that, and presumably because they knew when to tell dickie to cut it out.  incidentally, other former pritzker winners include the unfortunately named gordon bunshaft.  you know you've got some real problems when "gordon" is the least funny part of your name.