Greetings and Salutations, people! - Welcome to the 100th Episode VSR Spectacular. I don’t know if it’ll actually BE spectacular, but it always makes an episode feel more momentous when you call it a “Spectacular” so we’ll go with that.
Wanker – Hot Tamales Candy
Today on VSR – It’s the 100th episode spectacular! Somehow we’ve made it to triple digits, so we’re going to our best Golden Girls impression, breakout the cheesecake, and take a look back at some memorable moments from the first 99 episodes of VSR. Just a little bit of trivia about the first 99 for you, the sum running time of the shows is 155:43:08, which means you’d need roughly six and a half days straight without stopping to listen to them all…Well, you’d need six and a half days plus a total loss of sanity, but neither here nor there, that’s what would take.
Start out with how we began the first show…and this clip makes me cringe. I’d like to think that over time I’ve gotten a little bit better at this, although, it’s not too hard to get better than this… (Clip 60 – 0:50)
I realized quickly that I’d need some help. My first thought was to bring my brother in as co-host. Originally VSR was going to be strictly a sports show where he and I were co-hosts...Bruce sat in on exactly three shows and then disappeared. So clearly, he wasn’t going to be the long term option. He did have a few decent moments on the show before disappearing into the co-host Bermuda triangle, including this Super Hero discussion – (Clip 61 3:20)
Around Episode 10, MJ Amory (MJA from the message board) started asking if he could co-host with me. He lasted a whopping six episodes as co-host, disappeared for a few months, and then showed up one last time as co-host on the episode when Dave Dameshek was a guest. So MJ was the official co-host for seven total episodes, and then we only heard from him one more time about a year later. He has pretty much disappeared from the show as well, our second co-host to quickly flame out. (Clip 62 0:59)
Since then, although we have left the official title of “Co-host” vacant, the job has basically been held non-stop by Face Ventura. We have given him the title “Most Regular Caller” partly because, as a slacker, he doesn’t want the responsibility of being called co-host and partly because we’re afraid that if we ever officially named him co-host, we fear he’d also disappear into the vortex. He’s a gigantic contributor to the show, and without Face, VSR wouldn’t be the same, and might not exist at all. There were too many good Face moments to choose from, but I thought I’d go with his worst moment from the show. VSR has accomplished a lot of things, but this might have been the lowest moment in show history…and Face was prominently involved. (Clip 63 – Face Chooses Man U 3:31)
Of course, we have another terrific contributor that is the show’s third banana. A great resource, the show’s freelance ninja, and one hell of a model American. He is the first caller ever to get put on the air in the history of VSR (He called in on Episode 1). He also has the greatest intro in the history of fake radio. Our good friend in Maryland. The Whale. (Clip 64 – The first time the Whale’s intro is played 2:59)
We also need to pay homage to the inspiration for the show. Without this man, Vertically Striped Radio would not have ever began. Although he has only been on the show one time, he’s a terrific inspiration and an all around good guy. His message board is the backbone of the community that surrounds VSR. Of course, I'm referring to Dave Dameshek who joined us in October 2009 and at that time, we discussed uniforms. (What else would we talk about on this show?) (Clip 65 – Dave talks unis on VSR 5:14)
Also, let us not forget the show’s muse. Not that anyone could forget this guy. The man who surely had created the most memorable moments on VSR, and who consistently brings the funny while generally hijacking the show…
(Clip 66 The most interesting Ed in the World – 0:38)
That’s the main cast of characters, although many others have called in and participated. But let’s look back at some of the greatest moments in show history. We’ll start with the one that is generally considered to be near the top of the list if not the greatest moment in VSR history by show historians. Of course, we refer to Ed visiting the Swap Meet for elective surgery. I have two clips from Show 40 which revolve around this moment. (Clips 67 and 68 – Ed’s trip to the Swap Meet – 1:31 and 6:03)
Back in January 2010, I created a chatroom for all of the DAMN shows, and another great moment in show history comes from us discussing the most infamous man in chatroom history. Our Friend from Iran Nojum70 (Clip 69 – 3:40)
While VSR started out as a straight sports show, it quickly changed into some weird warped version of that. While I still love to discuss sports a little bit, it’s safe to say that it’s not my main focus with the show. In fact, even items which are based in sports can quickly spiral into other odd directions. Such as this discussion which began revolving around the Ole Miss mascot…theoretically, this is a sports discussion. (Clip 70 and 71 - 1:33 and 4:53)
Of course, weird news is also a big part of the show. I generally open with the news pretty close to the top of the show. I didn’t figure a VSR retrospective would be complete without putting in one of my favorite news stories of all time. (Clip 72 – Cement Jesus and the Weiner Poopie - 3:30)
We probably need a bit more Ed in the show at this point, and although wrestling is one of my least favorite topics of all time, I’m all in when Ed starts cutting his own wrestling promos. From Episode 69…the show dedicated to wrestling, Here is Ed on the mic (Clip 73 – Ed cuts wrestling promos – 9:03)
If you’ve listened to the show much at all, you’re aware that I enjoy odd sports events, crazy people, and making fun of Cleveland. It’s the rare story that allows me to indulge in all three of these passions at once. But then, the Cleveland Cavaliers owner doesn’t always have LeBron James stab him in the back and respond like this. Allowing me to do a dramatic reading: (Clip 74 - 6:25)
Making fun of Face is a hobby of the show as well, and it’s almost too easy sometimes…(Clip 75 – Face and Snooki – 2:40)
Of course, we do like Face, and in order to extend him an olive branch despite our ongoing 7>19 feud. Here is a moment from an early show which we honor Face’s hero (Clip 76 – Sakic tribute – 3:35)
Ed’s Recipes (Clip 77 – 7:21)
Saints fail, so Ed can beat up Face (Clip 78 – 2:24)
The El Guapo Conspiracy (Clip 79 13:25)
Vertically Striped Music Recommendation:
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More (Clip 90)
Shalom and Good Evening to you all!
Scholarship for White Males
Colby Bohannan said that when he first applied to college, his family didn't have a huge stockpile of money set aside to pay for school. He found many scholarships for women and minorities, but none aimed at people like him: white men.
"I felt excluded," said Bohannan, a Texas State University student. "If everyone else can find scholarships, why are we left out?"
So Bohannan, a mass communication major and Iraq war veteran, and others formed the Former Majority Association for Equality — a San Marcos-based nonprofit group that is offering five $500 scholarships exclusively to white male students.
Bohannan, the group's president, said the name comes from the idea that "if you're not a male, and if you're not white, you're called a minority." However, he said, "I'm not sure white males are the majority anymore."
Recent U.S. census data indicate Bohannan is right, at least in Texas, where Hispanics accounted for two-thirds of the population growth over the past decade and where non-Hispanic whites now make up about 45 percent of residents.
The 501(c)3 nonprofit was formally incorporated with the state in March. The group hasn't received any applications, Bohannan said.
A search of public records indicates Bohannan pleaded no contest to charges of theft of property of less than $500 in 2001 and of issuance of a bad check in 2003. William Lake , the group's treasurer, pleaded no contest to issuance of a bad check in 2008.
Bohannan said he was charged with theft after authorities found a county speed limit sign in his Texas State dorm room and with writing a bad check for groceries, also while in college. Lake said he was charged with writing a bad check while managing a now-defunct business he started. Both said the charges have been disposed of.
Bohannan said the group is raising money — as of Monday , the group had raised $485, according to its website — and that he hopes to award scholarships by July 4. The money can be used to go to any college, not just Texas State, Bohannan said.
Applicants need to be at least 25 percent Caucasian, have a GPA exceeding 3.0 and demonstrate financial need.
"There's a scholarship out there for just about any demographic, except this one," Lake said. "We realize it's for good reason — this is a touchy subject."
Bohannan said the nine-member volunteer board includes three women, one Hispanic and one African American.
Bohannan said that in person, he's only been met with support for his group. But online, he said, he's seen some criticism.
One opinion column that ran in the Texas State newspaper, the University Star, offered praise for evening the scholarship playing field, while another argued aid should not be given on the basis of race or ethnicity at all.
Joanne Smith , Texas State's vice president for student affairs, said the scholarship is no different from ones offered to other ethnic groups. "From the university's standpoint, we can't take issue with a scholarship offered to a certain group."
Bohannan's group isn't the first to offer scholarships only for white students. In 2006, Boston University's College Republicans created a program with similar requirements. A Republican group at a university in Rhode Island offered a similar award in 2004.
Those groups claimed the scholarships made a statement against affirmative action. Bohannan said his group is not taking any stance for or against affirmative action.
"It's time in our society to look at the way our culture views race," he said. "It's time to give everyone an equal shot."
Reformatting your brain:
Scientists have been trying to find the elixir of memory that helps to forget everything bad. Perhaps you are looking for ways to resurrect the forgotten events after a severe head injury? Study the effect of false memories, which sometimes show during questioning witnesses to a crime. But the brain staunchly protects its secrets so Scientists have carried out experiments to address the frightening memories to see if memory can be rewritten.
And once again, scientists have attempted to penetrate the secrets of memory. This time they decided to test to see if they can edit the brain?
So during one experiment to cure the girl from the fear of dogs, she was shown pictures of different dogs – from the mind of evil and totally harmless. Thus, researchers removed from the archive of remembrance, encouraging the girl to experience again the emotions that she felt at that moment, when frightened by the animal.
After that it was taught to respond to the memory of another. For example, asked for her that the dog had saved her when she was drowning or chased vandals who climbed into her house. That is instilled her portrayal of another dog, dog-mate. At the final stage of the treatment research specialists the edited memories in the brain were fixed with the help of hypnosis.
The same researchers conducted experiments with members of military action, the victims of car accidents and rapes and as a result the volunteers experienced less fear of shocking memories.
The latest research is based on a radically new concept of storing memories in the brain. Before, scientists believed that memory – just photos: all parts firmly fixed at the time of the event. After these same experiments, the experts found that memories are stored in the brain, like folders on a shelf: when you take a folder to view, it is possible to change something.
- We do not want to erase all the memories – it would be unethical and would cause to reflect on the fate of other memories, associative associated with undesirable – says Roger Pitman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. – The ideal scenario is to reduce or eliminate the fear that accompanies this recollection. The main focus is to provide treatment at a time when the memory is extracted from the archive, and “save” in memory, like a computer, an amended version.
It is possible that new methods of editing of memories will help in the future to treat a variety of phobias, posttraumatic stress and other syndromes associated with increased anxiety. We are all quiet certain this new found scientific piety would never be mishandled or used in such a way as say, military purposes. Never!
Something to Think About! (Clip 12)
1. Baby naming more likely to be traditional in the East
3. Who is buying from telephone solicitors? Someone has to be, or they wouldn’t be doing it anymore.
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