Monday, January 16, 2006
My funny sister
Scott: I just checked it like 2 minutes ago.
Em: Well check it again, i just sent you something.
Scott: I don't have any new e-mails, can you send it again?
Em: No.
Monday, January 09, 2006
High-Fivin' a Grizzly Bear
My new job is pretty great. All my co-workers seem nice and my boss seems like a pretty cool guy. It's really laid back and we're only supposed to work about seven and a half hours a day. We get to pick what hours we want to work, so I get to go home at 3:45 every day.
On top of that, we get to take an hour during work each day to study for actuarial exams which, in turn, if we pass, we get a big raise. And, it turns out, I might already have credit for some of the CAS actuarial exams (it's the VEE courses, for those of you familiar). Once I do the paper work for that, my boss said I'll get a raise for that. So, I might get a raise in just a couple weeks.
So far, it all seems pretty nice. I would definately recommend doing well in college and getting a nice job, so far it's worth it. The best part, though, is that we get to sit around and talk about math all day. Honestly, what more could you ask for?
As cool as the new job is, however, it's still not as cool as High-Fivin' a Grizzly bear.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
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Saturday, December 17, 2005
New Guy
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Narnia
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Three new movies
Friday, December 02, 2005
Masked gunmen capture Iraqi city
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sunday, November 27, 2005
It's been awhile.
I don't think I've written religiously on this blog before, but if you'll bear with me while I share something, we'll be back to movie reviews for Rent and Narnia in no time.
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Go Potter
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Show a little concern
I would suggest not buying anything until after the PS3 comes out. If first day sales of PS3 are really low, and second day sales are higher, I think they'll recognize what's going on.
Make your boycotting forefathers proud.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
Most of you have probably already seen Seabiscuit, and if this movie satisfied all your horse movie related needs, you can probably pass on Dreamer. However, if Seabuscuit left you wanting more in the way of horse related cinematography, Dreamer is definately the answer you've been looking for.
Same goes for Dakota Fanning fans and War of the Worlds. If War of the Worlds left your glass of Dakota Fanning related cravings half empty, then Dreamer is just the kind of movie that can fill the other half of your Dakota Fanning cup right to the brim.
Good movie. I'd recommend it.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Nintendo

I like this picture. He looks like a guy that knows what's going on. I've always been a big nintendo fan. I'm reading an article now. It's at IGN.com, a really great website.
The new Nintendo revolution should be a lot of fun. I'm really excited. ... I should have waited until I finished reading the article before I started writing a blog about it. ... I'll be right back.
Ok, I read it. It's good. I'd recommend the article. I like the part where it says, "Nintendo Revolution is decidedly not running in this race. Not because we can't afford the entry fee. But because we don't want the prize."
They really are looking for a pretty big change. I think it'll be a good change. I think there will be a lot of new games out there. Some will be a hit, others will be a miss, but overall all, it's times like this that I just like to sit back and watch technology amaze me.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Even Newer Book
I saw the movie, "Proof," last night. It's got a mathematician that goes crazy in it. If I ever go insane it will at least, perhaps, mean that I am finally becoming a good mathematician. Overall it was just an ok movie, I wouldn't really recommend it. The whole time I was like, "Come on, when are they going to show the proof?!" They didn't show it until the very end. And even then, just a couple pages of it. I would have liked to see a little more of the proof, but maybe the movie was targeting people that "aren't that in to proofs."
Thursday, October 20, 2005
New Book
Monday, October 17, 2005
Movies
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Monday, October 03, 2005
Why study when you can write a blog
I caved in and got the internet for my phone. It's kind of cool, but slow and unreliable. Kind of like a Tortoise that never keeps commitments.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
The Geddup Noise
http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail136.html
"It's positively dreamy."
Be sure to click on the chair at the end.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
The Wall Street Journal
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Saturday, September 24, 2005
Tuition
I saw "Roll Bounce" and "Flight Plan" saturday night. I think roll bounce was better. If you have to pick only one to see, I'd recommend "Roll Bounce". Don't take it too seriously though. Best movie about roller skating that I've seen in a long time, that's for sure. If you're looking for a movie about roller skating, don't go see flight plan. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Flight Plan doesn't have any roller skating in it at all. ... I don't think it even mentions roller skating. The writers of flight plan definately didn't have roller skaters as their target audience.
Now for all you Airplane fans out there - I'd recommend flight plan.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
XBOX
Another veteran of the video games industry has something to say about Nintendo’s newly revealed controller – and it is praise from a surprising source. Peter Moore, vice president of all things Xbox, told gamesindustry.biz recently that he hopes the Revolution will “bring people in that, as Iwata-san said, are either lapsed gamers or gamers that are intimidated by the complexity of the controller.”Full article.
Of course he would want more consumers in the games industry (especially those that might later consider picking up an Xbox 360). However you interpret his statement, it does come in stark contrast to a certain Sony head honcho and his feelings on a certain Nintendo console.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Google Print and a mission to the moon
Roman numeral one: Google Print, has a search engine that let's you search books. It's kind of cool. A lot of the classic books are already online anyway. I'm not sure how many books it actually has available for searching. The more the merrier I guess.
Roman numeral two: We're going to the moon.
NASA planning moon launch for 2018
It will cost $104 billion over the next decade to send astronauts back to the moon, NASA's chief said Monday, defending the price tag as an investment the nation can afford despite the expense of Hurricane Katrina.www.chinadaily.com
I guess Hurricane Katrina thought it could stop us from doing something 13 years from now. Well, think again Katrina. As long as there are no more big hurricanes during the next 13 years everything should continue as planned.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
One more article on you-know-what
I'm definately looking forward to it.
Friday, September 16, 2005
IGN
It is essentially a wireless, square remote that works something like a computer mouse would in 3D space.

Thanks to http://360.yahoo.com/afullzip
Friday, September 09, 2005
Review of "The March of the Penguins"
really bad
by rosenb499
I thought the movie was really bad. I mean, I do like penguins, but not that much that I would want to see a movie about them. The movie seemed like one of those movies that you watch at school or something. I guess you really have to be into penguins to really like the movie. In my opion, don't go see it.
Lol, this is great. I like the part, "I guess you really have to be into penguis." Who would have thought so many people were "really into penguins"? Oh man, we need more people like rosenb499.
A little midnight snack.
If Matlab's print option doesn't meet all your printing needs, there's more. If you ever want the guy that works in the lab to sit at his desk and not do anything, just ask him if he can help you print something out. He's really good at not getting up and doing anything useful. So, there you have it. Two especially useless things.
The evening wasn't a complete loss. After stopping to get a delicious milk shake at steak and shake on the way home, it's now 12:30am and I get to do the homework assignment again. This time I get use my own math program, Maple, which is (when it comes to printing options) infinitely better than lousy Matlab. Maple is a fabulous program and I would definately recommend it. My printer is similar to the ones on campus. The only feature that my printer has that the ones on campus don't have is the PRINT option. You'd be surprised how often that comes in handy.
Anyway, I'm a little bitter, but fortunately I'm getting better at ignoring lots and lots of things.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Friday, September 02, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Nintendogs
I chose the Golden Retriver. He's pretty cool. I named him "Lucky". He comes when I call him and he knows the command "sit". I thought it was a pretty cool way to take advantage of the microphone.
It's a relaxing game. Maybe it'll get boring someday, but so far it's been nice to come home after a busy day, turn on the DS and go to the park and play frisbee with my dog. All virtually that is. Lucky's even won a couple frisbee competitions. He totally kicked butt at a competition last night. I gotta teach him some new tricks sometime.
So, in conclusion, Nintendogs is a fun game. If you get tired of shooting people, give it a try. Not as girly as you'd expect. I'd recommend it.
Friday, August 26, 2005
U of I Geologists
As the earth turns, the center of the earth turns even faster.
Confirming assertions first made in 1996, a team of geophysicists are presenting data in the journal Science today showing that the earth's inner core, a ball of solid iron larger than the moon, spins faster than the rest of the planet. Over a period of 700 to 1,200 years, the inner core appears to make one full extra spin.
That extra spin could give scientists information about how the earth generates its magnetic field.
The inner core, 1,500 miles wide, sits at the center of the planet, ensconced in a sea of hot liquid metal known as the outer core. With nothing to hold it in place, the inner core can rotate independently. Nearly a decade ago, two scientists at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University said it did just that.
Other scientists, however, questioned the analysis, which was based on the speed of earthquake waves passing through the earth. Subsequent attempts to pin down the inner core's rate of spinning produced a wide range of answers. Some said it spun, but at a much slower rate than the Columbia scientists claimed. Others said they could find no sign that the core was out of step with the other parts of the planet. Some said it seemed to be spinning at a slower rate, not faster.
The same researchers who made the original claim, Paul G. Richards and Xiaodong Song, now a professor of geology at the University of Illinois, led the new research, which they said should remove any remaining doubts.
While it does not precisely pin down how much more quickly the core is spinning, Dr. Song said, "what this particular paper shows is it cannot be zero."
The New York Times
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Nintendo Revolution
Thursday, August 18, 2005
C. S. Lewis
If I have not directly helped the cause of reunion, I have perhaps made it clear why we ought to be reunited. Certainly I have met with little of the fabled odium theologicum from convinced members of communions different from my own. Hostility has come more from borderline people whether within the Church of England or without it: men not exactly obedient to any communion. This I find curiously consoling. It is at her centre, where her truest children dwell, that each communion is really closest to every other in spirit, if not in doctrine. And this suggests that at the centre of each there is a something, or a Someone, who against all divergencies of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice.-C. S. Lewis
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Update
The new chicken sandwiches at McDonalds are bad. I wouldn't recommend them. Oklahoma toll roads are just as bad. I wouldn't recommend them either. Who ever heard of a three dollar and fifty cent toll. It's ridiculous. If that's their way of saying, "Welcome to Oklahoma," they can count me out next time. I'll go around before I do that again. I'd rather drive through Texas anyway.
Zelda won't be out till at least April 2006. Gamespot
In two days I'll drive back home to see my sister. She challenged me to tetris attack. Unless she's been training with some sort of tetris expert these past few months, I'm definately going to win pretty much every time. Tetris attack is a great game; I'd definately recommend it.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Texas was great by the
Texas was great by the way, complete with boots, cowboy hats, and pretty girls that said, "y'all".
Scott's Phone
New mexico isn't flat, so
New mexico isn't flat, so it's definately the prettiest scenery between here and chicago.
Scott's Phone
Saturday, August 06, 2005
A quote from dave, "scott,
A quote from dave, "scott, i'm not gonna be impressed, . . . no matter what you do."
Scott's Phone
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Cool Friends
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Classes
Intro Differential Equations - MATH 385 11:00 am - 11:50 am MWF Henry Administration Bldg 156
Actuarial Theory I - MATH 471 3:00 pm - 3:50 pm R Altgeld Hall 341
Actuarial Theory I - MATH 471 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm MWF Lincoln Hall 106
Actuarial Risk Theory - MATH 476 9:00 am - 10:20 am TR Architecture Building 302
I'll probably try and switch the Thursday discussion section to 4:00 pm instead of 3:00 pm. That way I can work at State Farm from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday and 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday. I think that's all the class info I wanted to have a reference to. I should really put this on my website instead. I was thinking about putting my bookmarked websites on my own website, that way I could quickly go to all the places I need even if I'm at another computer. Ah well, what's done is done.
Here's a picture of me and a co-worker at the park. I have a dumb smile, but it's a smile all the same. Good times, ... humid and good times.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Volleyball
It was a nice cool summer day and I was busily working at the Gladiator Arena. It was thursday and I had to get the lions really angry for tomorrow night's fight. The lions were a fierce and dangerous match for most, but not for someone with strength and valor such as mine. As I fearlessly ... I think I'm getting off topic. A messenger came with word from Gladiator management.
On July 25th, the interns for the Bloomington Gladiator Arena will be visiting us here in champaign. They will arrive at 11:00. At 11:30 we will have lunch at Papa Del's, after which we will be playing volleyball at hessel park. Bring clothes to change into.
No one would have known how torturously hot it would be the following week. Well, next week came, like next week always does, and I think I almost dehydrated. Three bottled waters were no match for the blistering heat that day. I was left dizzy and fatigued. Plagued with a mind-numbing headache, I desparately tried to carry on. Only time would heal these near fatal wounds.
I'm exaggerating a little bit, I don't really work with lions.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Sunday, July 17, 2005
I try not to spend money on sunday...
JimmyKidsRule: That's rough.
JimmyKidsRule: This summer I've slipped into a seriously bad 2 hour eating schedule. Where not only do I need to eat every 2 hours but I need like a meal every 2 hours. I am taking in so many calories a day you'd think I would be doubling in seize every week... yet I remain the same. My metabolism is somekind of energy destroying monster.
scottch1980: My room mate's a little messy. He has a tough time remembering to clean up his stuff, so the kitchen is usually messy. I usually just get fast food. But then sunday comes, and I don't have anything. ... energy destorying monster huh? Don't let the military get a hold of you. Energy dependent countries, (or what I like to call, countries) would be done for.
JimmyKidsRule: Or what I like to call countries lol
scottch1980: I think i could make speghetti, but I think all the pots are dirty.
JimmyKidsRule: You could just eat it dry and then drink some boiling water.
scottch1980: lol hahahahahahhah
scottch1980: hah haa haa hoo hoo
scottch1980: hee hee
JimmyKidsRule: No pots to boil water though... might need to drink some water and swallow some matches?
scottch1980: aaaaaah...
scottch1980: hahhahahahhaahhaa
JimmyKidsRule: Ok calm down
scottch1980: swallow some matches..
scottch1980: hee hee .... aahhhhhh.
scottch1980: I'm just going to sit in the oven.
JimmyKidsRule: Oh that's not a bad idea either.
JimmyKidsRule: LOL or... you could just take a bowl of noodles and water and go sit in a sauna until they are done.
JimmyKidsRule: Or just go sit in a hot tub with some noodles.
scottch1980: I bet the hot tub thing would really impress the ladies.
scottch1980: then when the speghetti is done, bam! I already ate it.
JimmyKidsRule: Oh yeah... it's a step beyond dinner and a movie. It's dinner in a relaxing tub.
JimmyKidsRule: Ha
scottch1980: some day, dan, some day.
JimmyKidsRule: That's for sure.
scottch1980: Can I post this on my blog?
JimmyKidsRule: Sure
Thursday, July 14, 2005
The best meeting I've been to in a while.
Monday, July 11, 2005
The Society of Actuaries
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Sunday, July 03, 2005
I'd recommend it to a friend...
Mario Kart Double Dash and Viewtiful Joe 2. Fun games. I like 'em.
Kirby Canvas Curse. If you like drawing rainbows, this is the game to have.
Togo's. It's open 24 hours a day and has breakfast sandwiches that don't come from McDonalds.
Nintendo DS and PSP. I got a nintendo DS yesterday. My brother has a PSP and in my opinion, PSP is about $100 cooler than DS. PSP can play music and movies, but DS has a touch pad and a weird microphone that can tell when you blow on the screen. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
The System is down
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Spamalot
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
A couple days
I think that's all the news to report. Car, PC, Test, Birthday, Credit Card. To me, it seemed like a lot of events considering I was only really planning on taking that test and aging one year.
A special thank you and salute goes out to all our heroic war veterans on this Memorial Day. You're an inspiration to us all.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Monday, May 16, 2005
WIMPE
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Friday, May 13, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Now is the time
Monday, May 09, 2005
Friday, May 06, 2005
Insights on teamwork
the people who do the least work usually come up with the most criticism
-V. Nambiar
Loss Models
My plan is to study until I'm really tired and then make a taco bell run and study some more.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Books
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
QRIO
This is a really cool robot. He seems a little slow, but .... he is just a - wait, actually he can do this little jog thing and keep a pretty good pace. I think I could still probably out run him since he's only about 18 inches tall. He's toddler-safe according to www.theaustralian.news.com. I think Sony is actually more worried about the toddlers hurting QRIO than QRIO hurting any toddlers - www.engadget.com. The only downside is at this point, he evidently only speaks japanese.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Max Weber's Spirit of Protestantism and the Rise of Capitalism
This consciousness of divine grace of the elect and holy was accompanied by an attitude toward the sin of one's neighbour, not of sympathetic understanding based on consciousness of one's own weakness, but of hatred and contempt for him as an enemy of God bearing the signs of eternal damnation. -Max Weber
Plans
Next week: Study for finals
The week after that: Finals
Next month: Take the second Actuarial Exam, register for last gen. ed. online
June: Study and work
July: Study and work
August: Study and work, a couple weeks off, go on a trip
September: Fall semester, three classes left
October: Study for third Actuarial Exam
November: Take the third Actuarial Exam
December: Graduate
January: Replace studying with work
Febuary: Work
March: Work
April: Work
May: Work
June: Hopefully by this point, I'll recognize a pattern and come up with another plan.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
19th century sarcasm
"There is no difficulty in proving any ethical standard whatever to work ill, if we suppose universal idiocy to be conjoined with it; but on any hypothesis short of that, mankind must by this time have acquired positive beliefs as to the effects of some actions on their happiness" - John Stuart Mill
Thursday, April 14, 2005
NASA
www.space.com
This would be exciting.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Monday, April 04, 2005
Comment only blog
Post a comment on my comment only blog. Every blog comment counts. I like to call it a blogment. We need your blogments today!
Roth IRAs and 401Ks
It was funny, I asked him about how regulations on retirement accounts might change 50 years from now. He said new programs could be developed that money could be rolled over to, or who knows, we could be socialist and have to give half our income to the poor. He said that that would be an interesting legal case. I thought that was funny. It might not be too funny if we really are socialist 50 years from now, but it was funny at 11:00 tonight.
Thanks to my other older brother, I'm going to Iowa next week to see something called Invasion Iowa. I don't really know anything about it, but according to a friend it has something to do with William Shatner and a fake movie. Don't quote me on that. I think you can get more info at www.williamshatner.com
It looks kind of funny.
-Scott