Questions of the Week

1. Which 90's show was better, "Home Improvement" or "Seinfeld"?
Added by: SGTDrid39K

2. Has the world economic recession hit you personally in some way?
Added by: AndresH

3. If all food tastes better when it is on a stick, does that mean that unicorns are extinct because they came pre-sticked?
Added by: mynameismike

4. Do you think electronic cigarettes should be legal in places where smoking is otherwise banned?
Added by: Absynth

5. Does everything "jump the shark" eventually?
Added by: HarryNJ

1. Which famous landmark are you?
Added by: LoupGarou

2. What magical creature are you?
Added by: Tigerlillian

3. Will you catch the flu?
Added by: allamerican8

4. Which Bob Marley Song Are You?
Added by: Ferdinand

5. What water animal are you?
Added by: StarGirl99

Funniest Comments of the Week

In a news thread titled 'Bank asks armless man for thumbprint':
Sheady: they take your prints at the bank? overkill.
brunnen_g: Just wait until they start dna testing.
Sheady: depending on how they extract it, I may be okay with that!

In a news thread titled "The father of a world-champion South African runner dismisses allegations that she's male." :
Boredofu: She passed a urine test but stupidly left the seat up.

In a thread talking about Tiger Woods losing to Y.E. Yang in the final round of the PGA championship:
McGoodness: So do you think this is the beginning of the end for Tiger?
banmelater: The beginning of the end? Absolutely not. But there certainly is a chink in his armor.

Random Journal:
Hael: You're so sweet, Holly. I hope you one day find a guy/girl who loves you for who you are and has absolutely no desire to roast you and devour your still beating heart to gain your inner strength.
Cheese King: I think I saw that on a Hallmark card once.

In a news thread titled '17 killed in Mexican rehab clinic':
jealousblues: I would like to know the motive
S916Dave: Hummm, Im not sure. I will take a wild guess and say its possibly drug related.
Abzurd: nah. I think there is a woman involved.

Joke of the Week

The end is near!

A priest and pastor from the local parishes are standing by the side of the road holding up a sign that reads, “The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it’s too late!”

They planned to hold up the sign to each passing car.

“Leave us alone you religious nuts!” yelled the first driver as he sped by.

From around the curve they heard screeching tires and a big splash.

“Do you think,” said one clergy to the other, “we should just put up a sign that says ‘Bridge Out’ instead?”

Member of the Week

The member of the week is proserpine. A Member since November 2006, Proserp gives teens on YT a good name with her intelligent contributions and fun way of conducting herself. Congrats!

JoeInterview's Member Feature

This week's interview features b_rad_g. This interview was conducted by travbowman, JayY, and holly_bolly.

JoeInterview: First off how did you find your way to the joy that is YouThink?

b_rad_g: I discovered YT while I was a junior in high school. I was taking a journalism class in which we spent a lot of time on computers. My friends and I, not being the must studious group, mostly just spent time on the internet and someone came upon YT. At first I just focused on the questions but eventually started taking a peek at the forums. From that point on YT has always been a good place to go for news and conversation if I need it.

JI: And what would you say is the biggest reason you keep coming back for more?

BrG: I'm not entirely sure. I've been coming to YT for nearly six years and I don't think very many members know me well at all. I guess I treat YT as cyber-people watching. It's like sitting on a bench at a college campus and getting snapshots into what is happening with people. Of course it has been interesting gradually catching the mood of YT. I went from being a 17 year old, small town, closed minded kid to a 23 year old, slightly larger town, very much more open minded, professional...YT has always been a constant. To answer the question directly, I enjoy the personalities. Getting to know someone by what they type gives such a different perspective than getting to know someone face to face, or even on a phone.

JI: What experiences opened your mind about life?

BrG: College really opened my eyes to many new things. At home I was mainly a jock, that was how I was viewed, that was how I viewed myself. I still played sports in college but after a few years I was turned off by the attitudes of the other athletes and the whole mentality of college sports in general. After I quit football I went through a pretty low period in my life, grades slipped, lots of drinking and partying, got really depressed. Out of that experience grew a new appreciation for experiencing every day life. I'm not saying that I go out and "make the most of my day" every day but I do try hard stay relaxed and keep my mind on an even keel. As I went through college I really began to feel more empathy. In high school I was anti gay, abortion, drugs...the list went on and on.

Now I realize each person is different, each person handles life in their own way. Have I attacked people when I don't agree with them or their actions? Absolutely, but I also try to keep an open mind as I go about my business.

JI: Did you always want to go into teaching?

BrG: I've wanted to go into teaching since I was in middle school, about 11-12 years old, with my motivation changing as I aged. In middle school I was bored and thought I could do a better job than the person standing at the front of the room. As I progressed into high school I had some wonderful teachers who really inspired me to become a teacher for more positive reasons than spite. I also got into coaching youth athletics, mainly baseball, during my high school years. It was just something that was fun to do in the summers. At first I wanted to teach high school English but the memories of coaching youth sports led me to elementary education and switching majors from secondary to elementary was probably the best decision of my life.

JI: What grade are you teaching this year and what's the biggest challenge so far?

BrG: I will be teaching 4th grade this year, that includes the language arts (reading, writing), math, science, and social studies. I am lucky to be in a school district that truly believes in the value of arts so I don't have to teach those. This is going to be my first full year and the biggest challenge is one that I never saw coming, setting up my own classroom! For all the time I spent going through college courses, spending precious ours in practicums, student teaching, and my long-term substitute position, I always went into a classroom that was already set up for me, with everything in its place and with students who, some begrudgingly, knew the rules. I moved to my new town at the beginning of August and slowly started to piece my room together, taking my own sweet time. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been working feverishly from the very first day I got to town.

There are many subtle nuances to setting up a classroom, so many little things that you never thought you would take into consideration, not to mention the big things. I don't know how many times in the matter of a week and a half that I decided that "this" was the way I was going to have my class laid out only to walk in the next day, have something spark into my brain, and spend the next few hours rearranging desk and bookshelves and everything else. I'll tell you one thing, picking up one of those steel teachers desks and lugging it around the room a few times is a pain in the a$$!

Still I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I've been putting in 18 hour days the last week getting ready for my students but it has also been one of the most enjoyable times of my life. The switch from being a college student who is "put up with" to being a professional is very rewarding.

JI: What sort of music has been getting the most spin from you lately?

BrG: I love me some Tower of Power. Also made a return to the 90s and have been listening to some Hootie, mix in a little Dave Matthews (sp?) as well.

JI: Who outside of family has had the biggest impact on your life?

BrG: This is difficult for me because there have been so many people that have been major influences in my life but if you are looking the "biggest impact" then I would have to say it was a man that I really despise. When I was a senior in high school I was recruited to play football by a small college in Montana. I never really thought about playing football in college until this coach started talking to me. I declined a basketball scholarship to play football. It was that same coach that had part in my developing a deep resentment toward college football which led to my quitting, or retirement :) Eventually I got turned on to elementary education where I had an amazing professor from whom I learned so much which puts me now in the position where I am a successful teacher. Kinda roundabout but he definitely had the biggest impact.

JI: Speaking of football, what record will the Packers finish with this year, and will they win the North?

BrG: I'm an eternal optimist with the green and gold...13-3 this year with a north win. I see the losses coming @ home vs minnesota wk. 8, at pitt wk 15, and at az wk. 17...I feel like Rodgers will be in the hunt for an MVP this year, that offense just has too many weapons in the passing game.

JI: At home versus Minnesota, eh? What's your opinion on the Favre re-comeback?

BrG: I've just got a bad feeling about that one, but we'll nab em at the HHH dome first! At first I was completely horrified by the thought of him even playing for another team. I was to young to remember when the Majik Man was playing quarterback so Favre was the guy behind center for every Packers game I had ever seen but I quickly learned one thing, I am definitely more of a Packers fan than a Favre fan. I loved 4 when he was with GB but now I don't really care about him, I'm more concerned with my guys. That being said, if Favre goes and wins a Superbowl with Minnesota I am going to be furious! I think with all the waffling he should drop the Wrangler endorsement and get signed by Eggo (cue the wah, wah wahhh tones).

JI: Have you ever been to a game at Lambeau?

BrG: I have, two years ago. My dad (he is from Wisconsin) and I wanted to watch Favre before he retired, so mom, dad, and I flew back to catch the Week 6 game of the 2007 season. They were playing Washington. It was a really great experience, got some amazing pictures. The only tickets we could get our hands on were up in the box seats, I would have rather been down in the stands, but that doesn't matter, it was Lambeau and it was amazing! One of the coolest moments of the trip was actually the day before the game. We were going around Green Bay checking out some of the bars and what not and we were told we had to go to a certain bar, I can't recall the name, I think it was Fuzzy's.

Anyway, we walk in the door to have some lunch and there is this really old guy sitting in the back talking to another older guy. Turns out it was Fuzzy Thurston himself, for those of you who don't know he played left guard for Lombardi's Packers, one of the guys that led the infamous Packer Sweep, also one of the only NFL players to win six NFL championships (2 Superbowls and 4 championships). We started talking to him and he was just a great person and then one of the coolest moments of the whole trip happened. He asked me if I wanted to wear his Superbowl ring...that was effing amazing! I have a picture of Fuzzy, my dad, and I, myself with the original Superbowl ring on. That was a great weekend!

JI: Speaking of legends, who is the most famous celebrity you've met?

BrG: Batman, the best one that is (although Christian Bale is really making a run at dethroning him). Michael Keaton owns a house in the town I grew up in. I met him once, I was really young but apparently my mother and he are on first name terms, which is kinda neat. If one degree of separation counts, my father has met Schwarzeneggar (sp?).

JI: When you head to the cinema, what type of movie do you go for?

BrG: I don't think I can pinpoint any particular type of movie, I guess it has to be a movie that I am interested in at the time. This summer I saw Up in 3-D, Star Trek, Inglorious Basterds, among others, fairly diverse I guess.

JI: What was the worst thing you saw this summer?

BrG: I was never disappointed coming out of the theater this summer so I would have to contradict myself a bit and say Brett Favre wearing purple.

JI: So besides American football are there any other sports that get the adrenaline coursing through your veins?

BrG: Not really. I'll watch other sports but nothing gets me going like football.

JI: Whose sense of humour can get you to laugh any time you watch/read/hear it?

BrG: David Sedaris, he is one of the funniest humans on the planet. His words paint a great picture in my mind. As far as the cinema goes, a movie I can watch over and over again is "Dumb and Dumber", the physical humor in that movie is top notch plus it has some great lines. I remember seeing it in theaters when I was very young, about eights years old. As soon as i got over I bought another ticked and watched it again, only time I've ever done that. Stephen Colberts' "I am America and So Can You" is also really funny. I don't know if it would be so funny if I had never seen him on TV though.

JI: Do you think Jim Carey does as good a job in his serious roles as he does in his dumb funny stuff like Dumb and Dumber?

BrG: I haven't seen as many of his more serious roles, especially the early stuff. I did enjoy "The Truman Show" and "The Number 23". Didn't care much for "The Man on the Moon". I think he was outstanding in Truman, to me that was a really well done movie. Nothing will top D&D (not Dungeons and Dragons!) though, that is pure gold.

JI: When at the bar, what's your drink of choice?

BrG: If I'm out just to have a few drink I'll usually go with a jack and coke. If I'm there to get f*cked up i'll go with shots of whiskey with beers on the side, car bombs if I'm feeling courageous. If I'm having drinks with dinner it is usually a beer to complement the food.

JI: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

BrG: Living somewhere on the east coast or where I am right now, still teaching. If the plans I have now stay on track I will be married, children are a maybe, probably adoption rather than biological. I will be debt free (yea right!), healthy (I hope), and happy with where I have gotten in life.

JI: What's your draw to the East Coast?

BrG: I grew up in a small town in Montana and the thought of living in an urban area, specifically on the East Coast, has always been appealing to me but I never really took the chance to pack up and go. My girlfriend was accepted to Boston University this fall so she just moved out there. I always had the idea to move out there in the back of my head, just as a pleasant day dream type of thing. We want to be together and I can't rightly tell her she should go to school at the community college in the town I'm living and give up on BU so that leaves me with the option of moving back there. Schools are always looking for teachers, especially young males at the elementary level, so finding a job isn't a huge concern. It's an opportunity to do something I've always wanted to do plus be with the person I want to spend my life with.

JI: Any final words of wisdom to share with your fellow YTers?

BrG: Final words of wisdom...well, I'm sure someone has already said this, many times over. "For us living in the here and now, change will only be superficial. The only way to real change is through the education of our children."

This week's article is titled '12 y/o tries to force oral sex from 24 y/o using BB gun', and the thread was posted by snowbdr88.

This week's link is titled 'Drench', and the was posted by usernaem.

Best Avatar of the Week	Best Profile Design of the Week
Liag	"owl" by hannah_h

Featured Article of the Week

All debt must be eliminated.
Excerpt: America has an overhead problem. That is what is at the core of our financial problems. This issue won't be resolved, even by merely paying off the debt. The debt itself must be nullified and the money related to it eliminated.

Written by Kepi

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