grades

I really need to stop putting so much weight on grades, I think I'll just reward myself on information learned not successful cramming...

PIper

Well, the Beta PIper is almost done, finally. It takes a lot of time and effort, at least for me. It doesn't seem that putting together a newsletter would take all that much time. Most of the articles are written for me, and I have a pretty good idea of what is going in and where.
There's just so much tweeking that is necessary. Finding pictures and converting them to what I want is also time consuming. Then there are the articles that I do have to write that take a reasonable amount of time each.
So, does that mean that writing isn't in my future or does it mean that I'm not very practised or what?
I'm not so sure, but it takes forever nonetheless.
I must admit however, that I really enjoy the feeling of having made the publication. This is the first one I've done essentially on my own and it looks pretty good. I'm quite proud of it.
This will also probably be the last one I do, assuming I get the position I want in the house. I've enjoyed alumni relations in many ways, but in other ways I realize that organizing events isn't my forte. I'm better at helping others in support and the big picture aspects that are important as a leader.
At the same time I've gotten a lot better at running events and understanding better what is involved. I realize how important Marketing is, and timeliness etc. I was plagued for a long time with the false belief that if you plan it, they will come sort of a mentality. Now, I think if I were alumni relations again I would do a much better job.
Still, I'm not sure that assuming I get elected to no other position, that I would do it again. I would actually like to be pledge educator. If McKean doesn't do it then Lesh will probably step up, but that doesn't mean I couldn't do it instead.
I really need to talk to Travis and Dustin and Fink and figure some shit out.
Otherwise things are good now that this PIper isn't hanging over my head, but I still need to finish the Parent Newsletter which shouldn't take too much time...

butz

Deep Throat

Idaho Beta reveals he's Deep Throat

(Posted: 02-Jun-05)

W. Mark Felt, Idaho '35, revealed in the current issue of Vanity Fair magazine that he was the informant to the Washington Post known as "Deep Throat" during the Watergate Scandal (1972-1974.) Felt, a top ranking FBI official at the time, leaked information to Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernestein that led to President Nixon's resignation in 1974. Felt earned a bachelor's degree in letters and science from Idaho, where he was a member of the Gamma Gamma Chapter and served as chapter president. He went on to earn a law degree from George Washington University and joined the FBI in 1942.

Source: www.betathetapi.org

Pat Garrison

Pat Garrison Rocks,

He is super helpful about anything whenever I need something. I don't think I've ever really been able to reciprocate that as I have little to offer in the way of applicable expertise in anything he might need help in. So I guess being a good friend will have to be enough repayment to Pat.

So, I had the management presentation today. The clip I made depended on downloading an episode of the Apprentice that I could edit. Well, I identified two episodes that fit my criteria for authoritarian leadership but couldn't find a download.

Well, I ask pat and he finds me something, downloads it and then figures out how to get it to me. I just let him access my U account he uploads it I download it and voila presto changeo I've got something to work with.

So, thanks pat you loveable guy you!

butz

beta theta pi

What a great fraternity, a brotherhood of men...

butz

hmmm

agreement 1

Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

agreement 2

Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

agreement 3

Don’t make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

agreement 4

Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.



butz

country

I'm finding that I enjoy country music more and more. Once I was able to stop the automatic "i hate country" impulse and listen to it I found it interesting. It definitely expresses a different culture, but thas coo.

i've always really enjoyed garth brooks and that twangy country in oh brother where art thou so I think it was only a matter of time before I succumbed.

Also, it's nice to have music that a person can dance to, not just grind to.

butz

rubbermaid

I first became interested in rubbermaid when I read Good to Great and saw "is walmart good for america" at about the same time and they presented two very interesting points of view. One being the big mean china/walmart killed rubbermaid. The other being douchbag ceo's and poor mgmt transition killed the company. The latter I find to be more important though the former is definitely something to consider.

Anyway, as I research this more and more I'm making interesting connections and seeing something really fun emerge.

So yeah,

that's where I'm at right now.

butts

butz

ps there's a chick in the computer lab looks like she slid along the pavement with her face...ouch. Halloween is dangerous i guess

Frank Sinatra

I really like Frank Sinatra. What a happy go with the flow sort of a guy

Norah and Jack are kind of the same...

butz

My favorite oratory idea

America at Half Mast

What effect do all the recent tragedies have on the American psyche?

Katrina(FEMA's fuckup), 9/11, Corporate Scandal(Enron, Tyco), Political Scandal(DeLay, Frist, Libby, Snowe etc.), the war in Iraq

can discuss the half mast idea and also the idea that great blows will result in great change, either progressive to meet the demands or conservative to retrench in our failing ways...

butz

More Oratory

How about the fabled Alan Greenspan? Talk about idolatry. Every word he says is interpreted like the prohet at Delphi. Investors hang on his every word.

Some call him a political hack. As someone takes over how appropriate that we examine Greenspan's effect on the economy, what effect this idolatry will have in the long run will bernanke also receive it etc.

butz

The Dukes at Versailles

Oratory topic, MN high school (oh to be a kid again)

King Louis IVX was a pretty savvy fellow. He builds Versailles a ridiculous monument to decadence. He was trying to consolidate power into his hands from the dukes and various local douchebags that controlled everything. So he builds his monumen, and invites the dukes to join him.

What do they do? They go, and they become so enraptured by everything they spend all of their time and money and wealth and power at Versailles. Transferring it essentially, to Louis. They have no power and rely on Louis to allow them the opportunity to run their shit etc. So there is controlling all of France. How absolutely clever!

The lesson being that if we sell our wealth we'll lose our power and control etc.

What do businesses and neo-liberal governments do? Sell off(privatize) as much of their shit as possible because the private sector is more efficient. Outsourcing is cheaper so let's buy all of our shit and not produce anything. Even though we are the most productive nation in the world we import huge amounts of shit. It doesn't seem to make sense that we can import so much without somehow paying for it.

Well, china sells us shit and immediately buys US debt, keeping inflation low. We are indebted to China, they have (arguably limited) control over our pursestrings. We also buy a lot of our stuff on inflated houseing and credit cards. Lots of debt, means lean times in the future.

The chinese sell us cheap shit and we just smile and take it and then have nothing to sell ourselves... How Clever!


butz

Music

I've been literally intoxicated with Norah Jones and Jack Johnson for the last 6 months. Do their singing styles reflect my personality lately? Do I like that reflection? Or is it just a whim what music we like...

Music certainly seems to play a large part in many peoples' lives, I think the ipod is an example of that. Maybe we are afraid to sit down in silence and contemplate life and faith and spirituality and all that shit that runs around in our heads. Lord knows I forget all the spiritual questions I have until the summer when I'm busy but busy in a quiet setting allowing me to process the ramblings.

butz

Beta

I'm really happy how my fraternity experience has turned out. It seems that making rash decisions and falling into things is actually a pretty effective way of living. Though planning everything out is more my nature, it rarely works out that way.

I'm really eclectic with a lot of stuff lately. Not sure where I stand on a lot of issues but much surer of where I stand on others. C'est la vie.

I'd better get to work on the Piper. I really don't enjoy doing it, but then I kind of do. I think it's the procrastinator in me.

Beta Theta Pi, definitely a highlight in my few years on this planet

butz

iPod Video

I'm surprised but the video downloads seems to be popular. But, I can
also understand it. For me it would actually be nice to spend $2 to
download Lost and watch it then to wait for the dvd or try to fit it
into my schedule/remember it. Plus, it's commercial free, which is
sweet.

Watching the music videos is actually pretty fun as well. Which you
wouldn't believe considering how small the screen is.

I've also noticed lately all the ridiculously small laptops/notebooks
that everyone has, especially at CSOM. The more I see them the more I
want one, for no other reason than to have one. I'm finding that my
work habits support a more desktop & Laptop lifestyle as opposed to a
"big laptop" lifestyle.

butz

weekend and video ipod

It was good hanging out Friday night with Pat and Jas. I had fun and the movie was
pretty good. Saturday night Jasmine and I went to a house party for
like 15 minutes, it was pretty lame. We were both pretty trashed. I
had a few beers and a couple shots and she had a shot and a half. Man,
you'd think she took a 8 shots.

Then that night we got into a fight. I was passing out during family
guy and she wanted to go to bed. I told her to figure out her or the
limits. She's like what? I'm like you're in calculus... figure it out!
and I yelled at her. Then she started crying and I got madder at her
for crying about limits. It was really stupid when it happened but
absolutely hilarious the next day.

butz