World War Z

One of the best books I've read in a long time. You should definitely read it, especially if you think the "zombie apocolypse" genre is cool, and even if you don't it is a great read.

Buy it now!

I Call It the "Not Study Game"

I usually win too.

The Opportunist You show 41% mercy!

Yep, that's right, You're in the 2nd category of 5, in terms of mercy. Knee deep in classlessness, you're the dude or lady who likes to watch shit go down, but who won't cause major pain. Mayhem, yes. YOu are significantly lower than average in mercy.

Cold Hearted You're 15% human!

You don't really care about your fellow humans...and you DEFINATELY don't care a flying rat's behind about animals. I would say that something in your childhood probably caused you to be this way...but I'm not a shrink, so I let you figure out what went wrong.

The Shepherd You're 85% career-driven and 45% ambitious. In addition, you play 50% well with others, and you need a job that keeps you in the limelight 33% of the time!

You'd love to spend your days surrounded by nothing but sheep, wouldn't you? You'd have your lunch under a tree... a half-bottle of wine, a bit of cheese. You'd sleep under the stars with a rock for your pillow. Maybe you'd find something to amuse yourself, like whittling, or playing a flute. But this is your life; you're a shepherd, and you were born for this job. You need a job where you can be by yourself. You need a job away from the hubbub, off the beaten path. You lead a solitary life, and you want your job to reflect that. You don't need a job measured in hours per week; you're looking for a lifestyle... ... a lifestyle that involves a lot of walking. And sheep, lots of sheep. Wool allergies? Try one of these (slightly) more realistic options: Editor, Gardener, Marine. That's all I've got so far... more to come, I promise. Does this sound like it might descibe a job you have in mind? E-mail me with suggestions.

Farm or Ranch You scored 10 out of 40 on urban-rural and 20 out of 40 land intensity.

People know you as: The Milkmaid Quote: "You get to not mind the cow smell." Your score indicates that you prefer a rural atmosphere to an urban one and low land intensity. You’re no hermit though; you like other people and, once you start talking to them, other people like you. As far as you’re concerned there is no difference between living in a city and living in a suburb, not that you would want to do either because you’re probably a bit scared of cities in the first place. Examples of places you should live: Amish country, PA; Kansas All Categories Secluded Hideaway / Farm or Ranch / Small Town / Little City / Suburb / Streetcar Suburb / Rowhouse 'Hood / Downtown Loft

Competent Marksman You are officially 61 % redneck, or 61 % insane!

You have already joined the NRA. You spend more time at the gun range than at the bars with your friends, and have spent more time and money on guns than on your spouse. Your friends call you when rabid animals enter their yards.

Beeless but beware! 65 Bees are very Angry at you, but 29 Call you home.

The bees are out to get you! Maybe you stepped on a hive as a kid, or live in a perpetually burning residence. Whatever the case they are out to get you, but there is still time to mend your bee destroying ways!

Naked orc liker You scored 100% naked orc like!

You like naked orcs!

Perspective, pt 4

Where was I... ah... yes...

Captain Ace and his squad of Red Knights boarded the train with the little girl in tow. As the team secured their car and made themselves comfortable a pair of sharpshooters secured themselves to the roof of the train. They kept a close lookout through their scopes. Their keen eyes scanned every face in the bustling crowd moving into, out of, and generally around the train.

Commoners, merchants, thugs, an injured man, two women with baskets, a Grek-Grek monster carrying a large basin of some sort of oil, and a gang of sand-raiders. Nothing unusual came through. Nobody acted suspiciously. One man in the crowd shot a merchant and then began to struggle through the crowd. The sharpshooters put their sights on him as the whistle blew and the doors of the train closed. They could see the look of agony and dispair on his face through their scopes.

Captain Ace scratched himself surreptitiously. He then stood, put his hands on his hips, and smiled as he stated, "This girl will soon be safely returned to the King now that she is in the custody of Captain Ace and the Red Knights!"

A junior knight cheered, most of the crew merely groaned and continued to watch out of the windows of their car.

"No person would concieve of attempting to take someone from the Red Knights!" He mumbled to himself as he sat back down.

There was a great heave and the sound of grinding metal as the train began to move.

--

Somewhere in the station a man stood with a bundle of TNT and a pair of revolvers. He cursed as he watched the caboose disappear on the horizon. Had he not had to fight his way past a petty merchant and his clumsly Grek-Grek monster he would have attempted to take the girl away from the Knights.

Something loomed over his shoulder. It was large and mostly green.

"There you are," the merchant said.

A large green paw closed around the man's head, and that was the end of him.

Ugh...

I was invited to take part in a survey of my "experience at UMM" as part of a randomly selected group of students.

At one point I was asked to rate my experience from 0 (Very poor) to 10 (excellent) or n/a.

Most was fairly standard, until it asked me this:

c. Cultural diversity among the student body, from very poor to excellent.

And this:

d. International aspects of classes and campus activities.

Because I am a cantankerous bastard, I answered both n/a and then offered a rebuttal in the comments block. I am relatively proud of it, and I think it has a good message that you should all hear. Or else.

c. Rate cultural diversity among the student body, from very poor to excellent...

First:
What the hell does that even mean? Do I think it is good that we have diversity? Am I pleased with how many different ethnicities our campus has collected? Do I feel we have "enough" diversity per capita? What is it that you want me to quantify here? Is there some objective standard that I should be judging this by, or is this about my feelings about how diverse I expect this place to be?

Second:
I don't really care about diversity on campus. There is nothing about diversity that improves the quality of education offered by the school. The only way I could imagine that I could be able to quantify my pleasure or displeasure as to the amount of diversity available on campus would be if I were either (a) a bigot or (b) someone who had very stupid priorities (think hippies).

Third:
We live in the middle of Minnesota. Don't kid yourselves.

As for:
d. International aspects of classes and other campus activities...
As for classes, I am not an anthropology major. As for campus activities, see above.

Are we "diverse" enough? Diverse enough for what?