Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Rec Center is getting crazy
Trying to get back into shape is something I've been since the winter break. Imagine my surprise when they switched to electronic locks. My regular lock was still on regular the locker and I ignored the instructions on switching over. This of course was lead by a notice that I was required to switch to the new electronic locks. No biggie right? WRONG!
After I was done exercising my lock combination wouldn't work. I knew I was following the instructions to the letter. I went to the front to the front desk to tell them my problem, and they courteously sent someone to help. The attendant had this black electronic key that was supposed to open it. It didn't work. He then went to go get the janitor with the red electronic key. It didn;t work either. That's when you know your trouble, the more workers they have to go through the longer it will take. The janitor apparently was no fan of the new system either. He's been having to deal with this problem since they put it in this semester.
He went on to tell me about how he had to take out a lock with hammer. There were sparks flying everywhere when he did it. I liked the idea of it of but I wanted to get on with the rest of my day. He then told me he was gonging to have to go get a drill. Do'h! He came back and I couldn't help but get a little excited. If I'm going to be held up, let me see a show. He drilled int othe number two and then the number eight on the key pad. The original patron I asked help from came back with a mallet and a screw driver. The wedged it out in no time. I relieved to be sure. Just as I was leaving I noticed someone was telling the Janitor about how their locker wasn't working.
I can only hope they work out the problems people have been having with these new locks. I find it hard to believe that the University spent all this money just to put in locks that don't work. NIU already has enough problems with the low enrollment. Seeing this type of change over to something so ineffiecent is distreessing. I hope this fixed.
After I was done exercising my lock combination wouldn't work. I knew I was following the instructions to the letter. I went to the front to the front desk to tell them my problem, and they courteously sent someone to help. The attendant had this black electronic key that was supposed to open it. It didn't work. He then went to go get the janitor with the red electronic key. It didn;t work either. That's when you know your trouble, the more workers they have to go through the longer it will take. The janitor apparently was no fan of the new system either. He's been having to deal with this problem since they put it in this semester.
He went on to tell me about how he had to take out a lock with hammer. There were sparks flying everywhere when he did it. I liked the idea of it of but I wanted to get on with the rest of my day. He then told me he was gonging to have to go get a drill. Do'h! He came back and I couldn't help but get a little excited. If I'm going to be held up, let me see a show. He drilled int othe number two and then the number eight on the key pad. The original patron I asked help from came back with a mallet and a screw driver. The wedged it out in no time. I relieved to be sure. Just as I was leaving I noticed someone was telling the Janitor about how their locker wasn't working.
I can only hope they work out the problems people have been having with these new locks. I find it hard to believe that the University spent all this money just to put in locks that don't work. NIU already has enough problems with the low enrollment. Seeing this type of change over to something so ineffiecent is distreessing. I hope this fixed.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Speaker Nikki Giovanni
I wen to see the poet and Professor of English Nikki Giovanni. Who was one of the better speakers I've seen at NIU. She mentioned the effects of the violence at Virginia Tech, Obama, and proving what a dirty old she is. Well she was only joking around when mentioned how great it is to Michelle Obama as a first lady with a butt. It was quite an evening listening to talk about race, politics, family, and her poetry. I have to remember to post the video I have of her
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Webcomics that don;t update.
If there is one thing I can't stand it's a good webcomic that doesn't update. It occurred to me last week that it seems like half the webcomics I read don't update anymore. I've begun to think it's karma since I have been swearing a lot lately but that's a whole other story. One by one the webcomics I enjoyed reading have gone offline. I guess it's not that big a surprise since most people who do them are college students with a lot of studying or people with full time jobs. Unless they can make a lot of money (unlikely) doing their webcomic they have to quit it.
Headtrip was a pretty good strip that seems to have gone into limbo. The artist named Shinga has been having some medical problems and now the comic is on hiatus. A few guest comics would serve well here but it seems like that isn't happening either. The comic has plenty of moments but the lack of continual updates really irks me. I want to see this comic do well becuase it's so promising. Now it just seems like a big tease. If it does start updating again I hope it goes 5 years without missing an update.
Holy Bibble didn't really end it just switched to prose form. Which is just okay. It still updates but it doesn't have the appeal as before. The art work was different from other webcomics and dealt with religion. I should say it tore religion apart, but being Catholic I forgive the creators for that. I know God may not forgive be for reading a blasphemous comic, but at least I got a good laugh in. They made sure to tell everyone in there own unique way. The idea is pretty ambitious since they are rewriting the whole Bible in webcomic form. It made me realize I have a ways to go with reading it since there were a few characters I wasn't aware before. You know your in bad shape when the guys making fun of God know more than you. Now it seems like reading prose is the order of the day. Unless some young ambitious artist takes up the job of putting the prose to comic form with their permission. (Hint to all artists!)
In the Puddle always seemed consistently inconsistent with its updates but no real long pauses. It showed her character Cique and her promiscuous friends living there lives. It had lesbians, comics, and the occasional guest appearance form Jennie Breeden. It did however finally end with a note to the readers explaining the end of the comic. I give her props for doing so and not abruptly ending the comic. She still does commissioned art work so I can't help but think it may be an in road back to the webcomic. Probably not, but I can dream can't I?
The Perry Bible Fellowship stopped and doesn't seem to be coming back anytime soon. This comic could safely be considered a successor to Gary Larson's Farside. Only unlike other copycats it actually lives up to expectations. It could be considered better since it doesn't has the constraints of newspaper publishing. Taking a look at even one strip you can see why it would never be on the papers anyway. This Nicholas Gurewitch's work was so professional and regularly updated, it was smack to the face when it stopped. He has a book coming out. but it just serves as a reminder of what he's not doing anymore. Where in the world is Nicholas Gurewitch?
Finally, there is Last Blood. The idea for this turned me off at first since it seemed like something from high school creative writing class. Zombies take over the world and vampires fight to keep humans alive. The idea actually works pretty well and the author seems to make pretty good use of it. Then everyone hears new that the comic is going to be made into a movie and it the updates ended. I think. The there was an announcement that the comic was coming back but this month but it has only updated once. I hope it does continue on so I can something good to read in the morning. After you read enough webcomics Marmaduke doesn't cut it anymore.
Headtrip was a pretty good strip that seems to have gone into limbo. The artist named Shinga has been having some medical problems and now the comic is on hiatus. A few guest comics would serve well here but it seems like that isn't happening either. The comic has plenty of moments but the lack of continual updates really irks me. I want to see this comic do well becuase it's so promising. Now it just seems like a big tease. If it does start updating again I hope it goes 5 years without missing an update.
Holy Bibble didn't really end it just switched to prose form. Which is just okay. It still updates but it doesn't have the appeal as before. The art work was different from other webcomics and dealt with religion. I should say it tore religion apart, but being Catholic I forgive the creators for that. I know God may not forgive be for reading a blasphemous comic, but at least I got a good laugh in. They made sure to tell everyone in there own unique way. The idea is pretty ambitious since they are rewriting the whole Bible in webcomic form. It made me realize I have a ways to go with reading it since there were a few characters I wasn't aware before. You know your in bad shape when the guys making fun of God know more than you. Now it seems like reading prose is the order of the day. Unless some young ambitious artist takes up the job of putting the prose to comic form with their permission. (Hint to all artists!)
In the Puddle always seemed consistently inconsistent with its updates but no real long pauses. It showed her character Cique and her promiscuous friends living there lives. It had lesbians, comics, and the occasional guest appearance form Jennie Breeden. It did however finally end with a note to the readers explaining the end of the comic. I give her props for doing so and not abruptly ending the comic. She still does commissioned art work so I can't help but think it may be an in road back to the webcomic. Probably not, but I can dream can't I?
The Perry Bible Fellowship stopped and doesn't seem to be coming back anytime soon. This comic could safely be considered a successor to Gary Larson's Farside. Only unlike other copycats it actually lives up to expectations. It could be considered better since it doesn't has the constraints of newspaper publishing. Taking a look at even one strip you can see why it would never be on the papers anyway. This Nicholas Gurewitch's work was so professional and regularly updated, it was smack to the face when it stopped. He has a book coming out. but it just serves as a reminder of what he's not doing anymore. Where in the world is Nicholas Gurewitch?
Finally, there is Last Blood. The idea for this turned me off at first since it seemed like something from high school creative writing class. Zombies take over the world and vampires fight to keep humans alive. The idea actually works pretty well and the author seems to make pretty good use of it. Then everyone hears new that the comic is going to be made into a movie and it the updates ended. I think. The there was an announcement that the comic was coming back but this month but it has only updated once. I hope it does continue on so I can something good to read in the morning. After you read enough webcomics Marmaduke doesn't cut it anymore.
