Top 50 Reasons to learn with the Best at UCR

UCR is getting serious about marketing. After winning $100+ million in grants, creating a new campus logo/integrated marketing theme, getting high rankings, and having professors published on a daily basis, UCR decided to compile the "Top 50 Reasons to learn with the Best at UCR."

The Full List with descriptions can be found at http://www.50reasons.ucr.edu/

Robbie Wiliams' New Single - "Rudebox"

The latest single, called "Rudebox," is a club banger. It's pretty unique. I'm wondering if the US will catch on to this one. The direction of his upcoming album seems to be WAY different than the last one. It seems to be more Dance/Hip Hop oriented. His music always seems to be slightly ahead of the curve, rather than just re-hashing current music.

The Tracklisting for His Upcoming October Release (Rudebox 74) is as follows:

1. Rudebox - produced by Soul Mekanik
2. Viva Life On Mars - produced by Soul Mekanik
3. Lovelight (Lewis Taylor cover) - produced by Mark Ronson
4. King Of The Bongo (Manu Chao cover) - produced by Mark Ronson
5. She's Madonna - produced by Pet Shop Boys
6. Keep On - Produced by Mark Ronson
7. Good Doctor - Produced by Mark Ronson
8. The Actor - produced by Brandon Christy
9. Never Touch That Switch - produced by Soul Mekanik
10. Louise - produced by William Orbit
11. We're The Pet Shop Boys - Produced by Pet Shop Boys
12. Burslem Normals - Produced by Soul Mekanik
13. Kiss Me - Produced by Dave 'Joey Negro' Lee
14. The 80s - Produced by Jerry Meehan
15. The 90s - Produced by Jerry Meehan
16. Summertime - Produced by William Orbit
17. [Bonus track] Dickhead - Produced by Jerry Meehan

GO UCR... at the GOOG

Today a new co-worker in my division was introduced. When she said...

"I just graduated from.... *drumroll* UCR"

My hands did a little dance. I got so freakin' excited. Seriously. A few people looked at me weird. Only one other person in my division went to UCR. So... we're up to 3! Yay! I guess people don't understand cause everyone else is from a freakin' Ivy League School or Stanford.

Then she said I looked familiar. Sadly, I have no idea who she is. :/

Steve Carell as a suicidal homosexual... It's "Little Miss Sunshine"

IT'S MOVIE TUESDAY!

I always go out with co-workers to see the weird movies no one else will see.

I actually don't remember hearing about this movie, Little Miss Sunshine. The cast is awkwardly terrific... Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette...

It's the perfect little Dark Comedy. I was really entertained and touched at the same time. There is an underlying story. You can interpret the movie in any way you want. But I'd give it 3 thumbs up if I could...

LA Drops Country, Gets Rick Dees.

I just read at LA Observed that LA's only country station (KZLA 93.9) abruptly changed formats without notice. LA is the second most popular market for country music. Not that I like country or anything, but I think it sucks for people who do like the format.

The New Station is Called "Movin 93.9"

Rick Dees is the New Morning DJ. He was the Morning DJ at LA's 102.7 Kiis FM for about a billion years (well, or since the 70's)

The Dish: Its a new AC format station targeting women 25-44. Most of the songs played on Movin' 93.9 consists of Rhythmic Pop and Dance hits from the 80's and 90's to the present day, along with classic Disco and Freestyle tracks thrown in for balance. It will basically compete with my other favorite LA station... KBIG 104.

That means I'd probably like the station, minus Rick Dees.

Justin Timberlake Album Cover Revealed

I dig it. But I think it refers to how he wants to depart from the 70's feel of his last album. Damn... what did the disco ball ever do to him? :P

Go ahead be gone with it...

Let's continue the good UCR press...

The past few days have been great for UCR in terms of positive press. Here's a cool new HEADLINE story on the front page of LA's CBS2 website.

Link to Story: http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_224132556.html

Aug 12, 2006 10:21 am US/Pacific

U.C. Riverside Proclaimed As Gay-Friendly Campus

(CBS) RIVERSIDE, Calif. Students and faculty have cause to celebrate "pride" on the heels of an announcement that U.C. Riverside was named one of the best campuses nationwide for lesbian, gay and transgender students.

"The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students" profiles 100 American campuses that foster a "positive living and learning environment for LGBT students," according to a university statement.

Nancy Jean Stubbs, director of UCR's LGBT Resource Center, said the recent ranking is a testament to the university's inclusive atmosphere.

"We were the first campus in California to open a staffed resource center and the first in the state to establish an LGBT studies minor," Stubbs said in a statement.

"We were also the first to offer a gender-neutral housing option where students can choose roommates without regard to biological sex or gender identity," she said.

Chancellor Frances Cordova lauded the university's innovative and empathetic posture toward the LGBT community.

"Our goal is to provide all of our students with successful undergraduate and graduate experiences. This recognition means we are succeeding," Cordova said in a statement.

Alyson Books will publish the college guide in conjunction with "The Advocate" magazine, to be released on Aug. 15. Its author, Shane Windemeyer, conducted extensive online interviews and factored into his rankings each university's safety, retention and counseling programs.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Guess What? UCR gets ranked impressively high.

To most people who go to UCR, they know the school is good and does its job of educating students. In fact, it excels in many areas.

I'm finally glad a publication recognized UCR within the top 25 Universities in the United States. (Notice, I didn't say Public Universities, either)

The Washington Monthly, a publication out of Washington DC, wanted to change the typical ranking system made famous by US News & World Report. This is the second year in which they've ranked schools.

Not only was UCR ranked #22, but it was also honored for being the best "Striver", or school who's ranking changed the most since last year in comparison to US News. UCR moved 63 spots, moving from #85 on the U.S. News chart to #22 on theirs.

Congrats!

Some Observations:

UC Berkeley is highest ranked UC.
UC Irvine is the lowest ranked UC.

UC Rankings:

UC Berkeley (#2)
UC Los Angeles (#4)
UC San Diego (#6)
UC Davis (#10)
UC Riverside (#22)
UC Santa Barbara (#57)
UC Santa Cruz (#68)
UC Irvine (#72)

Click Here to see the Complete List

Kelly Clarkson Concert: The Aftermath

I'm not quite sure why I'm up at 5 am. I think I went to sleep early watching TV. I don't plan on staying up very long. Haha.

Anyways, the Kelly Clarkson Concert was really fun. She did a great job. This was the first time I saw a concert at Shoreline. It reminded me of a twist between the Hollywood Bowl and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine. While Alex and I walked from Google to Shoreline, an SUV of Girls said screamed, "Hi.... You guys seem fun. Come find us on the Lawn!" (I thought to myself... yea, right.) Right as we entered the venue, we got a couple drinks at the bar. The drinks actually weren't overpriced. About the same as you'd pay in a bar anywhere locally.

Kelly's set list was eclectic, but I found it to be very entertaining. She played a few songs off the first album, a few songs off her second album, two or three songs off her new album coming in February, her song from the Ford Commercial, and two cover songs. The cover songs were not recognizeable. I guess they are more underground Jazzy/Blues/Funk artists. I know for a fact the she sang a twist on Marc Broussard's, "Home."

The sista can sing. She can belt like no one's business. Apparently she was hoarse for her most recent concerts, but the one in the Bay was her first night where she didn't have a sore throat. Kelly's songs are VERY fun to sing. It's kinda like Karaoke. Everyone was into her.

She interacted with the audience quite heavily. She pulled up some girls to be "jumpers" on stage for "Gone." In her encore, she went to the 2nd floor, kind of near my section to sing two songs. One of them was of course, "Since you Been Gone." At the finale, a big storm of glitter and confetti shot out into the audience. That was fun.

The audience was about 85% female. Ya... seriously. Let me add, female and younger than 15. I ran into a few Google People, which was fun. Also, the line for the females to get into the bathroom was something else. That's the upside to being a man at a Kelly Clarkson concert.

We got out pretty late. I don't think she got on stage until about 9 pm. The audience was doing the Wave for a while before she got on stage. The opener, Rooney, was okay. I don't think the crowd dug them very much. Some of the songs were good. Plus, I've seen them at UCR before. So Ya. I don't think the concert ended until a little before 11 pm.

Some Photos from Flickr (some from other people):