Unlike the random thread, this discussion thread stays on topic until the topic changes.
Newcomers should read The Rules and The Guide before plunging in.
Current topic: The Olympics
Computer programming / Web design and graphics
Patience, Please
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First POST!
I’ve never gotten firs post before! 
So, what should we talk about?
Penguins? Endangered species? Muffins? Optical illusions?
If you’re interested in optical illusions, take a look at the results of the Best Visual Illusion of the Year contest. The site also has archives from previous years.
illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com
The solar eclipse over Russia?
Mondegreens.
KaiYves,
The eclipse is over now, but our friends at the Exploratorium have a great website devoted to it:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2008/
Tarot!
OK, I’m going to double post here. Sorry. But I forgot to say something.
It seems that lately this thread has sort of been like a polling place. The topic is “favorite stores”–people list their favorite stores. Or “injuries”–people tell the stories of their injuries and then it’s sort of dead. We should have an actual discussion sometime.
Yes! We should have a very in depth discussion, in which everyone disagrees! Very fun! (unfortunately, this can often lead to misunderstandings, so everyone must be very careful not too be negative!)
Programming?
Website design and graphics would be great!
Could we combine 9 and 10?
Sure!
Yes!
ZVX, Do you know any good, FREE, website creators? I’m on a Mac.
11- We could… but what’s programming?
I am very bad at graphics. Once we had some weird website designing software and I designed a website.
The End.
13- I know of some. There’s wetpaint and freewebs and plenty more, but they all have drawbacks. But they work with everything.
I just got my new laptop, and I had to program it for a VERY LONG TIME! But it is so worth it. it’s a notebook, so you can write on it and everything! Wheeeeee!
( ATTENTION I CHANGED MY NAME FROM RANDOM KOKOPELLI_97 TO RANDOM KOKO OK!!!)
anywho I have little to add to the conversation but WHOOHOO GAPA APRECIATION DAY
Would it be possible for me to send in a screenshot of my website? That way it’s not really traceable to me, though I don’t have any content on there anyway. Which is what always happens, I fiddle around with a layout for two days straight and then that’s it.
I’m not so great with hardcore programming, so I’d be interested in hearing more about that.
(18) Sure, but we can’t really say if we’ll post it until we’ve seen it.
Since the current topic includes graphics, and some of you have asked how the main-page picture was made, here are the basic elements.
The original photo of ice melting in a puddle of watercolor:
A vector graphic I made a couple of years ago:
Which I then cut into pieces and added to the ice cubes:
After a considerable amount of fiddling with layers, masks, and blending modes:
Then I added the Kokopellis, one of which is distorted and made semi-transparent. (For those of you who know what this means, I applied the overlay blending mode to the second Koko layer to give it that jeweled look.)
I should point out that this graphic came together only after a succession of frustrating failures and varied approaches. In fact, two days ago I was ready to give up, when the idea of adding Kokopelli and the shadow popped into my head.
13- er…WordPress.org. But that’s not exactly a website, it’s a blog.
Well, if you were willing to pay, Adobe Dreamweaver would be my choice every time. I mostly do blogs, so I don’t have that much experience, but actually, a blog can be quite fun if you choose a good, simple theme, then do a bunch of graphics.
Try Googlepages or Freewebs.
DIFFERENT SUBJECT:
For graphics, I mostly use InDesign. I don’t have Photoshop, but I might have convinced my dad that it really is a good idea (my computer is all clogged up with other programs) so…well, we’ll see.
Rebecca- That’s really cool! I think computer graphics looks like a lot of fun, but we don’t have any good programs to work with. Personally, I like the top picture with just the ice in watercolor the best.
Hey! That’s a good idea! The random thread picture doesn’t need to be Muse-related. As in, it doesn’t have to have a Muse in it. It can just be a really interesting picture, because any picture can be a subject in Muse, and the ice is really cool by itself. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.
awesomely awesome!
Actually, I have never fiddled with computer graphics before.
21- I need a non-blog. It needs to be hosted by Godaddy (So I can have a domain name, A.K.A. https://musefanpage.com/ V.S. museacademy.wordpress.com
I’ve done some website design, some C# computer programming, and stuff…but I’m really into video design. Just curious, but have any other MuseBloggers ever made AMVs?
AMVs being…
What are AMVs?
OH! Does anyone here know Pivot?
I ♥ Pivot. My friend made a very gory movie. It’s so good, and it’s hilarious.
Layout for Axa’s website (see comment 18):
29- Oh, coolness!!!!
I started to make my own website. Then it sort of… died… my computer flipped out and started deleting everything. (It needed some therapy, methinks).
29- Nice.
Does any one know how long the Free trials of Adobe last?
(32) Most of them are 30 days, I believe.
33- thank you. Do you know if you can export Dreamweaver sites?
33- Really? Wow, I might want to invest in that…
I want to expiriment with Dreamweaver for web design, but I don’t want it to be too complicated or anything…
Heh, I love free trials…I use smartFTP for my website but I’m too poor to invest in it, so I just keep downloading the free trial haha
Yay it got posted! I actually had to fix the navigation before I sent in the screenshot. I didn’t realize I could apply a class when using a:link and so on. so that took a while XD Miraculously, it looks okay in IE…I thought the slices would get all wonky since I have a table covering a failed text area (I am SO lazy…)
anyway!
For you guys looking into website making software, dreamweaver is good, although I personally prefer to slave over notepad for hours…I don’t really know of anything else. Does microsoft frontpage do anything? ehh
(34) Do you mean that in the sense of what formats are available or whether saving/exporting is enabled in the trial version?
As far as I can remember, the trial version was fully functional and allows you to save/export most anyway you might need, but I played around with it for only a short time and that was over a year ago, before I bought Creative Suite CS2 which included Dreamweaver 8. CS3 will, of course, be more up to date.
By the way, Adobe used to offer extensive free tutorials for Dreamweaver; I don’t know if they still do.
When you get an Adobe program now, you can get an instructional DVD. Also, you can watch it on YouTube.
34- formats.
I made a site on Dreamweaver. It’s about Plutonium. GAPAs, may I post a link? No personal info or anything. I made it for school. Here it is:
[Alas. Snip! –Admin.]
Feel free to snip it.
Are you happy with dreamhost?
(41) Generally, yes. They’re very helpful. The only problem is that every few months their servers fry or something, and MuseBlog goes offline for a while. But that’s not a huge problem unless your site has legions of rabidly devoted fans.
42 – Um… MB does have legions of devoted fans. It’s a problem, all right.
43 – Stupid alter ego. *headdesk*
42) Yes, I remember that happened one time and it really freaked me out because I hadn’t been able to come over to Museblog for about a month because of school work. and when it wouldn’t come up I was so scared that it would never come back up again!
But then it came up the next day, so I was happy! 
42- good to know. they have a lot of good stuff on the site (One-Click installs, 500 gb storge, 5 TB Bandwith, unlitmed e-mail) compared to Go Daddy.com
Does anyone know whether there are any free Gamemaking programs that work on Macs, like GameMaker for PCs?
47- Don’t know. If you can code, every mac comes with xCode.
45- it’s happened twice. once in march, once in may.
hmmm….I’m working on a website right now. I know it’s forbidden to say, but TMFA and Kokonilly, you know what I’m talking about.
I need software for webpages.
I used Adobe Golive to make the Muse Fan Page.
51- Dreamweaver (Adobe got rid of GoLive in CS3) is $599.
Which is to much.
52) Wowsers! Tres cher!
52- that is a lot of money. i have been saving up for a wii seince christmas and i still dont have enough.
i use googlepages but i might swich to wordpress. i like googlepages beacause you can add games and clocks and all sorts of othr cool random stuff.
Ooh, I love graphic design, though I’m not so great at it. Currently, the best program I have is GIMP, because it’s FREE!! Also, I wish I had a tablet, which would make digital drawings SO much easier.
26, 27 – That was going to be my guess. AMV stands for Anime Music Video. You use clips from a popular TV show, usually an anime or other cartoon, and set them to music. The challenge is to time the clips so they coincide with the beat, rhythm, and lyrics of the song, and also to tell the entire story of the episode in only three minutes. It’s really fun to do.
28 – Pivot is fun. It was very popular at my school for a few months, and then the district blocked it. And then we found another version that still worked, so it was popular. And then the district blocked it. Oh well. Maybe it will have become mysteriously unblocked during the summer, along with Linerider, N, and all those other games we love so much. (And maybe pigs will fly.)
Some kids at my school are amazing at making Pivot elements. One made an iPod that was so incredibly realistic.
42 – I dunno. I kind of like the emergency Muse Academy blog. It’s small, but it’s pleasant. And it worships light bulbs.
I really want to get flash. And a tablet. And, while I’m at it, a pony.
Completely off subject, but I just noticed how many sentences I start with “and”.
52– Yeah, virtually everything Adobe sells is ridiculously priced, but you can’t argue with the quality. If I had the choose between Adobe and another brand, I’d go with Adobe, so it’s that too…I’ve wanted CS3 for so lonnnnnggg but $649 is just a little bit out of my price range. ugh.
57– You can find somewhat reasonable tablets…I’d suggest a wacom bamboo, it’s about $79 and it comes with the stylus and mouse. There’s also a version of it more geared for digital art that costs about twenty dollars more…
It really helps me out in Photoshop, and I love having a cordless mouse. It’s definitely worth saving your money for!
I have a graphire 4 myself
I’m going to be in an animation class this year at school. I think we get to use flash the first half of the year…I’m so excited. It counts as a fine art credit too!
Well, after a lot of thought here is the plan:
1. program a lot of software!
2. Get $1000 in venture capital
3. Dreamhost
4. PROFIT
57 – I looooooooooooooooooooooooove Pivot. And Linerider, and N.
58 – Thanks! I’ll try to convince my parents to get me one. @_@
60 – What an amazing cooincidence! (Not really.)
Pivot: Most of mine are odd, and tend to look like synchronized dance routines. I don’t go for the gory genre much.
Linerider: I love making themed tracks, and watching them on Youtube. Some of them are incredibly good.
N: My brother was obsessed with that for a while, and I think it’s still on our computer. -checks- Yep. So are the other two games I mentioned.
Whats N?
62 – It’s this game where you play a ninja and have to go around collecting gold and opening doors. I know tha’ts not a very good explanation, so try wiki-ing it.
61 – Right now I’m still trying to improve my technique. I have one that’s called… “Swinging”.
64 – At which one? Pivot?
I like Linerider, but have you tried SkiBattle?
Is it now Internet games? If so, Nitrome is wonderful. If not, nevermind.
66- I think the topic is “Computer Software (Including Programming/Web Development.
66 – I think the current topic includes Internet games. If it didn’t before, it now has morphed into that.
What are SkiBattle and Nitrome?
Can we send in cool animations that we make on Pivot? It’s currently saved as a GIF Animation.
I like free Internet games. I was recently playing a game called Dino Run, but I mastered it, so now I’m playing various games. FUnny. I either pick a game and play in until the end, or I give up. I tend to give up more then I do complete a game………
69-I don’t know what skibattle is but Nitrome is a website that makes some innovative online games
Free online games are so cool!
Well, you guys have convinced me to download pivot.
I’ts “Pivot Stickfigure Animator,” right? *must learn how to use*
Re: Internet Games- Eh, I’m never much good at them. If I work for a while I can become fairly good, but never to mastery level.
72- I am stellar at Faeire Bubbles on Neopets. That is my one claim to fame on internet games. (also, I am sucessful at Backlot on Lego.com.)
73-I’m horrible at most Neopets games. Cake me.
56- Check out InDesign and Photoshop together!
Hmmm….I’m working on a leaflet for my dad’s work right now. Kind of fun…or not…
Neopets? Hmmmmmmm. I used to go on that site.
74- ‘Cake’ you? Do you perhaps mean pie? *pie/cakes*
I just got asked to be in a Carol Shea Porter commercial! *psyched*
Game sites? AddictingGames is insanely awesome. And very addicting.
Carol Shea Porter? WHo is that?
*looks up*
Wait……. she’s some governor. So, you’re being put in a political campaign commercial?
78- See, I never found that site very amusing.
80- Yes! I am very excited.
So, what will your role be?
Yeesh! I Haven’t been on Museblog forever!!!
I recently got Flash MX, and it is awesome!
the older versions of flash like flash 8 or MX seem to be better
than the newer flash cs3. Gimanator has cs3, and it is really hard to make buttons. it takes something like five lines of actionscript code! in flash MX it takes about two, i think. other than that, there isn’t too much difference…
I’ve been making animations left and right since i got MX. most are… less than excellent. when gimanator comes to my house we usually spend about five or ten minutes making an… animation. although a lot of the time the “animation” will be so poor in quality that it’s really just.. kinda twitching.
heh.
76 – So did I. I haven’t been on in ages, though. 73 days, specifically.
The only Neopets games/activities I was ever really good at were Hasee Bounce (third place trophy with a score of 541) and Neovision. I got three videos into Neovision.
75- Eh? Is it free? *Googles* Nope.
My graphics-related wishlist:
-Flash. Maybe I’ll download one of those 30-day free trial ones, then use the life out of it.
-A tablet.
-Photoshop
-Illustrator
-Corel Draw
I’d probably be satisfied with just the first two, though.
What I have:
-GIMP
-Jasc Animation shop 3
-MS Paint
Impressive, no? At least GIMP has most of the same tools as Photoshop.
I just downloaded the trial version of Flash MX, and it seems pretty cool!
Gah, I should really stop posting so much. Seven of the posts on the Recent Comments bar are mine. Eight now, actually.
Alas. I’ve never done anything like this. I’ve only ever had Appleworks. It doesn’t do much, but I’m pretty good at making almost any image I want with it…..
Graphics wish list:
Photoshop
Flash
Corel Draw
GameMaker Pro version
Dreamweaver
We should morph the chameleon. How about Things that Make Us Sad? Asparagus makes me sad.
89 – What’s wrong with the current topic?
890 Things that make us SAD?! :shock:Oh No! Not that! I don’t like being sad! I don’t want to talk about being sad!
88- I want Web Premuim. Dreamwever, Photoshop, Flash, Fireworks, Illustrator.
wow. Why would ANYONE want to talk about sadness??????
Hmmm…I have a graphic that needs to be worked on. Speaking of graphics, have you received
my signature for the MB signatures stuff for Musery?
Computer Wishlist (Graphics doesn’t cover everything)
GarageBand
Photoshop
Aw, forget it, I just want a Mac!
Oooooooo! I like Garage band!
I’m really bad at it though. I can never really make a song on there that I like. I mean, I make up a song and I try to design background music to it but the background music always stinks! 
*sigh* I’ve just gotten to the point where I just record myself singing without any background noise because it’s always so awkward.
I love Macs. They are SO much more efficient then PCs. Although, that’s just my opinion. Of course, this might have something to do with me growing up with Macs and suddenly having a PC thrust on me. Wow. After a few days, I despised the darn thing. You would hear things like this…….
*bangs head against table*
Arg! You’re desktop is RIDICULOUS! You call this ORGANIZED?! I can’t find ANYTHING!
*bangs head against table*
Is something wrong with my connection?! Why isn’t my music playing correctly?! Arg! I guess I’ll just have to eject the CD.
*bangs head against table*
WHERE IS THE FREAKIN CD ON THIS COMPUTER?! It’s not on the desktop! Why isn’t it on the desktop?! *scream*
96-
Chill, Kiwi. You’ll survive. ]
I find Mac layouts confusing. But I’ll figure it out, soon enough! (I will, I tell you!!!)
96- Hmmm….PCs seem a little more organized, but Macs have better operating systems… *weighs pros and cons*
PCMAC hybrid.
Mac Mac you’re here to stay.
I do enjoy you everyday.
and as for that old PC
Happier with it I’d never be.
I would like to get my own css coding for my blog. I use gimp for photoediting/drawing stuff and simple gifs. I tried some video editing but it was fail. *finds and reads man pages* for audio editing I use audacity which is awesomeness.
98-k/ubuntu. just do it.
You have to buy CSS though. But if you’re prepared to pay, then it’s a good investment.
101st post!
98- how is that?
102) I don’t know. But it’s all a matter of opinion. Right?
Macs are just too hard to use. You open up Word, but nothing happens. What’s the point of opening a program if you have to click 4 more buttons to make it come up? PCs are a lot more customizable than Macs, too. That’s my opinion, anyway.
Piggy- I feel the same way, except I prefer Macs and just don’t understand PCs — I think they’re way too hard to use. It’s all a matter of preference and what you’re used to using.
I’m going to change the subject.
Olympics anyone?
They are showing a lot of boring sports right now. The U.S. has one three medals! In women’s fencing, the USA won bronze, silver, and gold. The Women’s team for Volley Ball won against Japan. Men’s cycling has started, women’s paddling (or whatever it is) ended, with USA in second, and, that’s all I’ve watched so far.
106- I watched women’s basketball this morning, and USA kicked the Czech Republic’s BUTTS. It was 73/52 when I finished watching it.
104) Oh, that never happens on mine. I have all of the word applications, They are all displayed on my awesomely awesome applications bar on the bottom of the screen. Perhaps you were using an older Mac?
105) I agree. I can do anything I want to on a Mac. BUt when I’m given a PC, everything becomes complicated because the whole set up seems foreign to me.
106) Hmmmmmmmmmm. I’ve never really watched the Olympics. Probubly because I don’t regularly watch television, except for American Idol. That’s an exception.
Men’s cycling:
It’s a close one! Italian, Spaniard, Swiss, all pretty close, and……
SPAIN! FIRST! Next comes the Italian, and then the amazing Swiss that caught up with amazing speed, nobody thought that would happen, awesome.
Ok, men’s swimming is next.
Man, USA’s women teams have done absolutely terrific! Basketball, Volleyball, fencing, all Gold. Wow!
104- It probably was old. It was at my school in a long-forgotten office deep within the Unnamed Lands.
Unnamed Lands?
Alas. I know all about those. I am after all, a double teacher’s kid. 
In a sense, I know where everything is in my school. I have been everywhere. Seen everything. All the teachers at the school seem to know me. I have the inside scoop! 
The Opening Ceremony was to die for! That nine year old girl singing… made my mom cry, that did… and those dudes on the drums!!! And the Tae Kwon Do master dudes! And the green dudes!!!!! It rocked!!!
112-YEAH! Has anyone seen the Google?
Wait. The current topic is Computer programming / Web design and graphics, right?
*moans*
113- Not really. It’s morphed into the Olympics. Kinda. What’s “The Google?” *checks google.com* Oh, you mean the main page of Google. I see. I love their artwork that they use for special occasions.
Yeah, Google has had special logos for the Olympics for the past few days. I suspect that it will continue through the entire Olympics.
I’ve watched lots of random Olympics stuff. The poor US Women’s Soccer Team made a few early mistakes against Norway, and that cost them the game.
They’re without their leading forward, too, because she got hurt a little while ago.
I also watched Michael Phelps get his first medal in swimming, and a few other random swimming events. I didn’t watch the fencing, although I wanted to.
I’ve also seen parts of:
Badminton
Beach Volleyball
Basketball (US vs. China: 101 to 70!)
Handball
And the opening ceremony, of course, which was beautiful.
Phelps got Silver today. And USA is 2nd. GO PHELPS!! I can’t wait to watch tennis today, there might even be a Federer v.s. Nadal match.
I don’t watch the olympics.
I’m no good with this topic….. 
Although, hey, I like badminton. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to have any lessons in it. I was annoyed last year when I took PE. I mean, once again, and for the last time (I don’t have to ever take PE again until collage), we didn’t cover badminton. Why don’t PE teachers cover badminton? They always cover tennis! Without fail! Tennis is ALWAYS taught! But never badminton? WHY?! It’s practically the only sport I’m good at. Although, I was proud of myself last year cause I did pretty good as a defensive basketball player. But……. I like badminton……. I’ve had everything in PE except for badminton…… even archery……. and if you guys could possibly imagine a middle school cushy PE teacher attempting to teach adolescents how to shoot with a bow whilst trying to stop them from shooting each other and passerby….. well…… badminton would have been much easier……
55-i dont like googlepages because it doesn’t have any sort of commenting software.
Phelps is amazing. That’s really all I can add to this discussion.
116 – He did? Aww, does that mean that Phelps won’t get his 8 gold medals?
120- Are there only 8 events? Even if he doesn’t get all 8, he’s still amazing.
121 – There are more then 8 events, but I think that Phelps is only competing in 8. He could still tie the record, though.
112 – The opening ceremony was spectacular! I got all emotional over it, too.
I haven’t been keeping up with the actual sports. I’ve heard that ping pong is going to be one of the sports. Is it really? When? Now that I would watch!
I watched the opening ceremony. Well, not all of it. I fell asleep with another hour to go on the Parade of Nations.
I’ve seen the Chinese and USA teams is Women’s Gymnastics, although only the floor routines, vault, and uneven bars…
I’m weird. I live in the USA, but I root for any team except the USA-China, Japan, and Ireland in particular. BOOO USA! BOOO!
122- Ah, I see. *googles a bit*
Wait, it says he got the gold on his first two events. I dunno.
We recorded the Opening Ceremonies and watched them last night.
DANG! The Philippines has a mere 15 athletes??? That’s PATHETIC!
126-One place only had 1 athlete!
…Yes, that’s right, ONE!!!
Did anyone watch Water Polo on the Olympics?
127 – But, in the word of my mom:
“Fifteen athletes? They’re all gonna lose, anyway. It doesn’t exactly make you PROUD to be from there.”
124 – Same here, I prefer to cheer for the European countries where I wish I could live.
128 – Where are you watching all these cool sports? My channels only show the major events, like swimming and basketball.
GO SOCCER!!!!!!!!! I loooooooooove watching soccer (and playing, too.)
129 – I would be proud no matter what…
Being in the Olympics is a chance that not exactly everybody gets. And, no matter what happens, you’re representing your country.
130 – There are a lot of specialty channels (including an all soccer channe…grrr. -doesn’t get it-) and there’s a lot of stuff online. It’s more a case of knowing where to look.
131 – An announcer on TV had a funny comment about the US men’s soccer game yesterday: “So, now, the US team will try to do something that they have never done before in the Olympics: win consecutive matches.” lol.
The US women’s team had a bad game against Norway. Plus, with Abby out, it’ll be hard for them.
My soccer team has a lot of parallels to the US women’s national soccer team. We had a great start to our season, but then our leading scorer got hurt in almost the same way Abby did, and we’ve had a hard time ever since.
Sorry, that was random.
124- Same here, though I still root for the USA.
We’ve been trying to watch tennis, but they’re not showing it!
133 – I saw badminton. Does that count?
I’ll admit, I’m pulling for the Japanese soccer teams, though I don’t have really high hopes/ understand anything about soccer. Although I don’t think they’re doing so hot…
I totally disagree over whether or not a country’s potential to win is the biggest factor…For smaller countries or “less developed” countries, it is such a mark of pride to be be able to put forth athletes into a world stage like that…I fell like cheering for the tiny teams just because I know it must have be so hard for them to get there at all.
the only sport I find particularly interesting is swimming. Canada is doing poorly in the olympiics… no golds yet.
I like watching gymnastics; that 16 year old girl from Idaho or Tennessee or something is pretty cool. I read an article about her in People Magazine.
YES! Michael Phelps PWNS!!!!!
(Sorry French people)
138- Why French?
139- Because the french did said “The Americans, we’re going to crush them. That’s what we came here for,” and than they lost. Phelps was insanely awesome, so was Lezak.
134- Sadly, no. But how was it? Who was playing?
140- Pshaw. Those French.
I just saw Phelps get his third gold (out of 3)!
And his second world record this Olympics!
Man, the relay was the best ever. Phelps just got another gold. I’m pretty sure it’s 3/4, because I think I saw him lose a different race. He’s breaking world records like he does it every day!
I saw badminton! Almost boring, but SO interesting.
Verrry confusing!
Beach volleyball is more violent than I thought.
Olympics PWNS!
Did anybody else watch the men’s gymnastics finals last night? Probably not, because it was on very late (I stayed up until 12:30am watching it) but it was so AWESOME! I was so angry when the USA messed up on the first two pommel horse routines, but the third guy was AMAZING, and then they got bronze and I was so happy! It was sweet! Wow, I didn’t use a single period in all of that.
On the other hand, the US men’s soccer team seriously messed up. They were so amazing, coming back from a 1-0 deficit against the Netherlands to lead 2-1, but then they let a free kick go in during stoppage time. They could have been through to the quarter-finals right there, but instead they have to win their game against Nigeria. WITHOUT Freddie Adu and at least one other player who got yellow cards for delay of game because they thought they wouldn’t need them against NIgeria anyways. Grr.
135 – I know! Everyone expects the United States and China to win, but it’s cool when the smaller countries win.
Or when a country wins in a lesser-known event. (Women’s fencing, anyone? Go USA!)
142 – Oh, that was probably just a semi-final. He often gets second or third in those because he’s trying to save his energy for another race.
140: Actually, I believe the French said they were going to ‘smash’ them, but whatever…. =)
Wait–Phelps got silver the other day? I thought he’d only gotten gold so far this olympics….guess I missed something, although I’m not sure how, given that my sister only has the olylmpics on blaring loud the entire time she’s home (all evening). I’ve not been watching much during the day, I just have too many other things I want to do before I leave for college…..
Oh, just a comment going back to the computer subject, I find Macs and PCs both usable–the first two computers my parents ever bought were macs, but we have also had a PC for many years now as well. As far as Macs go, I’m not entirely convinced I like Leopard–which is what my new laptop my dad got me has–I’m currently mad at it because it will not play either of my two Harry Potter screensavers, the one from Scholastic website and the one from my Azkaban soundtrack, because the software for the screensavers is apparently too old to be compatible with Leopard. So, anyways…….off to the random thread to be random!
142) Phelps hasn’t lost yet as of this timezone.
It’s too bad all the other swimmers are only thought of as helping him achieve his goal/ generally overshadowed. Peirsol swam a great race, and that relay was great because of Lezak. It shouldn’t just been seen in the confines of Michel Phelps…this is me regurgitating what the LA Times said this morning.
I laughed so hard when I heard the French swim team said that…lollll that is so great
I’m looking forward to all the running events!
Phelps has, consistently, been receiving golds. I think…
148, 149 – Yeah, I’m pretty sure that it’s right. He’s gotten first in everything except for semi-finals, and you just have to be Top 3 in those.
148: The running events are great, but women’s gymnastics is my personal favorite. Although I do like the hurdles…
Okay, I don’t know if this was just on the local channel here, but the announcer person read a page of Phelps’ autobiography and it said what he usually eats for breakfast. His average breakfast is more than I eat in a week! Right, so, that was sort of random, but one of the people in XC brought it up today, so thats just what I was thinking about.
I LURVE YOU MICHAEL! *gushes*
He’s my swimming idol, I’ve met him before. aHe’s a great person and built to be a swimmer.
Did you know that the USA is leading in the medal count now? I think we just passed China.
152-WHAT?!
*gasp*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
*asplodes*
*due to misunderstandings, post 153 is being remade*
152-WHAT?! THE US IS LEADING!?
*gasp*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
*asplodes*
154- You don’t want the US? Whyever not? I stay true to my country, proud and strong! I hold dear this faith with which we move along! I have no use for untruths, waking moments for which I barely see, for it is my home, my country, the America in which I hold dear a place to be! I cheer them on if they get a head start to victory, if this be so! I only speak of things that I am nearly certain that I know.
*puts an asploding barrier around AvalonGirl* Why, who are you rooting for?
155-Anyone else. But Ireland, Japan, and China in particular.
*sees asploding barrier*
HEYHEYHEY! LEMME OUT!
*Agrrrfishi implodes from anger*
155 – I figure the US has plenty of fans already, so I like to cheer for the tiny countries that no one expects to win.
152 – Last I checked [and it might have changed], the USA was winning in total medal count, but China had more golds. Is that right?
156- Hey, come on. Why do you root for them? Do you see any Irish, Japanese, or Chinese rooting for us?
152- Correct.
159- Maybe… *re-thinks* Eh, probably not. It can’t hurt, though.
Personally, I only root for the USA because most other Americans do. Meh, I’m not even into sports… *mostly apathetic*
Except for Phelps. It is important to me that he wins all 8 gold medals. Yes.
Yay for Phelps!
Did you see that relay??? I can now truly say OMFG.
158- That might be right. As of now, I’m a bit unsure.
I really don’t root for any country but America. The other countries have people back at home cheering for them, too. I want to root for my country.
PHELPS ROOOLZ!!!!!!!!!! That was an AWESOME relay!
USA! USA! W00t for Phelps! USA!
Phelps scares me. Has anyone seen the anime movie Blackjack? Well, what if he’s the first contender for Moira???
Five golds now! YES.
And eleven total, with his gold medals last time, which I think is also a record? Unless the newsperson I was listening to has his facts wrong.
Well, I can understand how people want to root for the little guy. But, seriously, I don’t think I could honestly ever cheer for someone other than my country unless there was a certain game in which they were not present or something like that….
166- I agree.
Phelps rocks! He’s such a great swimmer, and now he has a ton of golds to prove it! That relay was spectacular.
Clarification: Michael Phelps has won all golds. However, he has not been first in every prelim and semifinal.
I have to say that fencing is my favorite. My friend (a fencer) and I sat on the couch all day waiting for them to play the finals of the women’s sabre, in which the USA swept. We already had looked up the results. And they did some really bad interviews.
Interviewer: So Becca, you’ll be leaving tomorrow for school.
Becca: No, I still have to compete in the team competition
Interviewer: Well naturally
I only root for the US in swimming.
I root for the USA to win in the stuff I like watching, because then they’ll show it (like women’s sabre). I guess I root for the USA in other stuff too, but not really.
My point is:
As a writer once said, “Figures, it was doomed anyway.” I agree with that statement on America.
And I Irish dance and love anime, so it’s only natural for me to root for Ireland and Japan!
And China has the most golds, but the US has the most metals. Which is better?
171 – Metals?
It’s so sad…That 20 year old Chinese gymnastics girl was taken away from her family when she was three. She only got to see them once a year…
172-I meant Medals.
173-
20?! They all look like 10-15 year olds to me…
174- The age requirement is 16 or older. But they look younger than that to me…Sadly, there’s no way to tell.
173- I know, it’s sad.
171- Golds, but depends how many.
The US has
Gold 10
Silver 8
Bronze 11
Total 29
China has
Gold 17
Silver 5
Bronze 5
Total 27
GO PHELPS! w00t!!!!!!!
Update: The US womens’ sabre teamteam got bronze in the team competition.
The USA beach volleyball WON.
I was rooting for Japan.
174) Yeah, I heard someone talking about that, on the radio I think, saying they couldn’t believe that they were that old and that he suspected that they were lying about the ages or something.
179 – That’s entirely possible, I suppose.
Grrr. If China’s cheating, then…Grrrr.
Yeah, there’s been some controversy on how old the girls on the Chinese gymnastics team are. I looked at pictures, and they do seem quite young, but their government presented passports, so I don’t know what else we can do.
Honestly, I don’t really understand the age limit. There’s a 14-year old competing in diving, so why not gymnastics?
Well Chinese ages do work differently. I’m sure they have to submit the official age/birthdate in any case though, but I thought I’d mention it.
Some lady though I was twelve yesterday, and I’m sixteen…so it’s all in the eye of the beholder I s’pose.
I actually haven’t watched any of the Olympics yet. D:
184) I haven’t either.
I read about them in TIME magazine……..
I’m sooo excited for the track to start!!
My Dad is at the Olympics for his job. It’s kinda hard to explain, but he works in a TV truck and does the slow-motion replays. Sort of. I would say what is says on his business card, but it’s in his backpack which is half way across the world. 
I thinks it’s so cool that the womens beach vollyball players *has brain cramp on their names* have won like, over 100 strait games. Go team USA!!
Phelps is tied with Spitz! He now has 7 gold medals! He only needs one more to have the most Gold Medals won in one Olympic!
187- Hahaha!!! YESS!!!!
186- When I watch track, I’m going to be thinking “Wow, that slow mo replay was done by John! Coolio!!!”
189-Yuu spelled his name wrong.
*pies in anger*
oops, I entered that last post before I was done.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PHELPS GOT HIS 8TH MEDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow, the blog is reeeeeeeeealy slow this morning.
191- YES.
*dances*
191- IT’S TRUE! I SAW IT HAPPEN! *does a happy hoppy skippy dance*
‘Oh, life could be dream (sh’boom), If I could take you up to paradise up above (sh’boom), if you would tell me I’m the only one that you love, life could be a dream sweetheart (hello, hello again, sh’boom and hopin’ we’ll meet again)’
MICHAEL PHELPS WON THE EIGHTH GOLD MEDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Phelps!
MICHAEL PHELPS! GO PHELPS! BEST SWIMMER EVER! GO PHELPS!
I replayed it at least five hundred times, GO PHELPS!!!! EIGHT GOLD IN ONE OLYMPIC GAME!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wouldn’t it be funny if a six-year-old just waltzed in, jumped in the pool, and beat them all?
MICHEAL PHELPS BROKE THE RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
C+P’d from another website:
“Phelps does not swim through the water, the water gets the heck out of his way.”
Now excuse me for a couple hours while I go calm down.
200-hehehehe
I’m putting that as the new quote on my screensaver background. 
200 – Haha, that’s awesome.
OK. I get it everyone! Phelps is awesomely awesome.
179 – I think they actually found registration forms from a contest 2 years ago where some of the Chinese gymnasts said they were 12.
Phelps is awesome.
203 – And don’t you forget it!
204 – Really? o.0
PHELPS IS FLAMABLAMABLOUS!
200-
Michael Phelps is not part dolphin, or fish, or amphibian.
He doesn’t have gills, or flippers, or fins.
Than again, if you sorta squint your eyes, and the light is juuuuust right…
206 – That is incorrect. Phelps is part dolphin.
206- C+P’d from the same website as the above quote, because I am not enlightened enough to think of my own response:
“Michael Phelps. Totally built for swimming. Have you ever seen his feet? They’re like… flippers!”
And below, there is a picture of him, feet clearly visible. His toes are obscenely long, only exaggerate “obscenely” about 20 times. That should give you an accurate mental image.
La dee da……..
208) Those feet sound obscenely large. I wonder what his shoe size is………..
I’m not really watching the Olympics much anymore, mostly because I dislike watching track and field and the only other thing on seems to be diving…
i like diving and gymnastics. those are intresting because in swimming and running and such they only do one thing but each person is diffrent in diving and such.
never let your younger siblings convince you to watch the puppy games (olympics) or puppy bowl (super bowl) they ate the boringest thing seince sliced bread.
211 – Haha. I stopped trusting your sister a while ago.
I like swimming (GO MICHAEL PHELPS!) and gymnastics.
ditto about “kirsen”
i dont like swimming. i like swimming myself but i dont like watching it .
213 – Michael Phelps rocks. You should have seen the relay.
GO PHELPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like to swim but I’m very bad at it. I’m very slow and extremely ungraceful. If that’s even a word.
*ponders*
i think it is a word
im pretty good at swimming, not super good, but good enough to stay afloat
I used to swim. I’m bad in terms of competitive swimming, but in terms of not drowning, I’m good.
Does anyone know if the US womes’s beach volleyball team won against China last night?
IF THEY DID THEY WON THE GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM DESPARATE TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*random thought*
Do the people who go to watch the Olympics get hotdogs and peanuts and stuff like that? *wants hotdog*
219- Yes, they did, I saw it!!!!!!! WOOOOOT!!!!!
I loved watching gymnastics. Even thoguh it’s stressful, I was rooting for Shawn Johnson all the way. Even though Nastia Liukin can be considered a ‘better gymnast’, I still like Shawn as I favorite.And she got gold in beam! Yay!
219) My parents made me go to bed before I could watch it.
BUT THEY WON!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!
I watched diving with my dad for like, 2 hours straight. By the end of it, we were professional diving judges. (ie; That was horrendous! Nice form, but the splash leaves a lot to be desired, etc.
)
223) I know. My whole family does that whenever we watch American Idol. We judge all of the contestants before the judges get to them. Of course, it doesn’t really matter because we usually end up agreeing with Simon in the end, sometimes rather grudgingly.
223, 224- My mom and I have become masters at predicting the the judges scores from Dancing with the Stars. Whoa! I just remembered that the new season is starting soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!
Has anyone been listening carefull to the commentators? They are hilarious! “That’s Impossible!” “Ten years ago, if you told somebody they would be doing that, they would think you were joking. But here it is, right before our eyes!” “Wow, I’m speechless” and then they try to make it seem more interesting, but it’s just, well, weird, like this, for swimming:
“If Australian Jones wins the gold in this final, it will be the first time a woman over 28 years old with blonde hair and a right shoulder injury has ever won back-to-back medals in consecutive Olympic games that were held outside of the western hemisphere in temperatures reaching well over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.”
I know, they try, and try, to make it sound more exciting. And at the time it seems like the most momentous thing EVER but 15 seconds later you’ve forgotten who did what and why it was spectacular.
It’s just hilarious!
226 – Yeah, at the end of the relay:
“OH MY GOSH ARE YOU SEEING THIS?” “YES, I’M SEEING IT AND I DON’T BELIEVE IT! THE AMERICANS ARE GAINING SPEED AND – OH!” *screaming*
226 – And they pronounce fencing terms wrong.
My friend (who fences): No, it’s riposte not REE-poste! You don’t say ree in French! Unless of course you’re talking about rice.
227- I know. I was freaking out when Lezac did it!
228- I know, I noticed that too! They get annoying. In football they’re REALLY annoying.
I love olympic badminton.
JK. The only thing I really watch is olympic basketball- they are undefeated and are led by the greatest coach in college basketball- Mike Krzyzewski (spell check, GAPAs?) They will win the gold medal. Also, its pretty cool that we actually won a game in soccer this year. I was under the impression that the US sucked at soccer. I don’t care, because as a proud american, I don’t give a Chuck Norris about soccer.
btw- if you are what you eat, then Chuck norris is bricks, barbed wire, and the tears of little children.
226- During Rythmic Gymnastics, they started talking about the architectural qualitites of the arena. They crack me up, yes they do.
230) What does he eat?
232) Oh. wait…… he eat bricks? And barbed wire? What?
230 – Actually Olympic badminton is pretty cool. I saw some near the beginning of the games.
Go USA, of course. Go Japan, too, they’re pretty cool. But most importantly…
GO FRANCE!!! WOOT!
226 – Actually, I think the commentators are a little hypocritical sometimes. They’re like, “Oooo, look at that slip.” And I’m like, “Hello? You probably couldn’t do it that well if you tried.”
236 – Same here, but you know, Michael Phelps can’t be a commentator. We have to settle for former sports people who MIGHT be able to do it if they tried.
231-
Suck ups.
236- Yeah, I know!
And they are all like “WOW!” and “No way! Nobody could ever do that!” When the Chinese are up for diving, and when the USA team is going, the Chinese commentators are like, pointing out every little mistake we’re making.
Hurrah! We got the gold in women’s soccer, even without Abby Wambach!
After that disasterous Norway game, too.
238) Very true. But we can’t help rooting for the USA! Even when their unbeleivably bad.
238) Meanie Chinese! They don’t have to squish it in our faces. Just because they are a more watery folk……. hee hee……. watery
226-
I loved the night Phelps won his eighth. I liked it for that, but I loved it for when BOLT beat his own WORLD RECORD in the 100m by .2 second!!!! AWESOME!!! And he did it without even trying!!!!
Did anyone see a couple of nights ago when the USA mens relay team dropped the baton? That was so funny how the USA written on the pieces of paper on the athletes’ fronts was written with marker when all the other countries had theirs written in nice shiney block letters.
242)
That is quite funny. We Americans do love our markers!
Tonight’s the closing cerimony! My Dad called, and says they’re working on it, and that it isn’t as exciting as the opening cerimony, but it’s still pretty cool.
COOL!
IT’S OVER.
Now to wait two years, for the London one…
*Hunkers down with a 2-year supply of food drink, and reading material. And the internet.*
Is it time for a new discussion? Or can we stretch this one for 6 more days?
246 – 2 years? Whaaa? *looks around, bewildered* Aren’t the Olympics every 4 years?
246- CANADA. London is 2012.
247- Confused with 2010 Canada winter.
249) It’s in CANADA?
OHHH…..I thought it was in Chicago or something……
wait, thats 2016.
248 – Vancouver, to be exact.
249 – Ohh.
248- Gah, I keep getting mixed up. Thanks.
According to Wikipedia, 2014 is Russia, and 2016 is “to be announced.” Hm, is it really in Chicago? There was the Salt Lake City one just in 2002, I would think the other countries would be jealous.
252 – And the 1996 Olympics (going on when I was born!) were in Atlanta, so, yeah, the other countries could get mad.
252- Chicago is the hopeful. It would be cool for Obama.
Isn’t it Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid, and Rio that are the places that the 2016 could be in?
252-2014 are in London.
I might be able to go the the Vancouver Olympics!!!!!! Since it’s not across an ocean. And it will be the first time I’ve been out of the country!!!! (Pretty sad, isn’t it.) I actually haven’t even been past Washington D.C.
I fell so confined in my travels! *shakes head in frustration*
Where IS everyone???? I’ve been on and off the blog for the past HOUR AND A HALF AND NO ONE IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
256) Im here. At least now I am.
255) It’s ok. I haven’t been anywhere special either.
254) CHICAGO!!!!!!! I wonder what they would do for the opening ceremony. If they get picked.
255- 252 was right, 2014 is in Russia (Right by the Georgia border, I might add). 2012 is in London.
I loved the closing ceremonies. Actually, I hated it. I hated it because they had a big freakin’ party when it’s supposed to be sad!!! I loved the part where they put out the torch. They did a really good part on that, but it should have been switched to the end. Then it would have been sad! But NOOOO they had to have HAPPY music on and throw a big freakin’ party.
Rant over.
258-oh, right. I wasn’t really thinking well this morning…..as usual
Wait, by the Georgia border????? That’s NOT good. At all. Oh my…..my my my…………..
248) Yeah! I remember that! I was actually there in London when it was announced. In fact, we were right by the spot when they announced it. Actually, we were trying to get in the National Museum of Art but the crowd was overwhelming in Trafalgers square and we ended up sneaking around the hubbub to get in the gallery. Yeah. That was just a few days before London was attacked. Yeah. That was scary. We were right in the middle of it too. It was just one of those days that seems to go in slow motion in your mind, you know? So eerie. Actually that’s how it was too! No one was panicking or anything. It was like an eerie calm with everyone with the same thought. “get out of the city” You look back on times like that and recall how fortunate you are.
Seeing as the olympics are OVER, can we pleeease change the topic?
261 – Sure.
What about… ummmmmm… gadgets and gizmos?
Conventions. DNC and RNC.
Cows! We should talk abotu cows! Or McDonalds! That would be interesting…..
263 – The Republican Convention is here. It’s basically a Southern Minnesota-wide cleanup.
Hmmm…..
208 Oh come on, you should see my toes, I’m going to measure them! (Please hold on)
Big toe: 2 inches
Toe after that:1 inch and 3 quarters
Toe after that:1 inch and a half
Toe after that: 1 inch and a quarter
Little toe: 1 inch
AND my toes are bound to get bigger, unlike Michael Phelps’, who is by the way awesomely awesome.
Oh, woe, sorry for the double post, but I accidentally used the wrong name in my previous post! (Now don’t you DARE go onto the alter ego thread) Oh shoot, I blew my cover! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh well.
268) Oh. I thought you’d just misspelled your name.
We could talk about REAL alter egoes… Like what people call you at school. All of my friends call me Shikyra (Get it?) and it’s really annoying. But then I retaliate and call my friends annoying things. I’m not sure exactly what though, because I haven’t seen them the entire summer…
What my friends call me? What would they call me other then my name?
None!
Oh. wait. You mean a nickname? Nope!
my freinds, when they really want to annoy me call me “gwenevere” it is not pretty. i then kick them in the shins ans atempt to shun them. which usually dosent work for more than a couple hours. it’s all because in 5th grade this one kid was king arthur in a play and then we were playing plunger tag (dont ask)and my friend called me mrs. arthur. wich evolved nto gwenevere.
271- I meant annoying things your friends call you. I guess my friends are just weird.
273, no, my friends, they sometimes call me Leenis (Gaaaah!)
if they want to annoy me. (That horrible name which will not be mentioned is a play on my real name, which I will reveal if the Rules permits me to do so)
(Goes to check)
Ah, yes, the rules allows me to tell you my real name. But of course, I’m going to give you a riddle to solve it.
Tilting to one side
A
4 letters
My friends call me Mezz The Juggler for some odd, random reason. But here are the names I go bye around the school (none, of which, have my last name in it.),
Archana
Mezz The Juggler (Oh, wait, now I remember why they call me that…)
Archie
The Jackson Botanist (I mean COME ON!)
The Purple Sea Urchin (My big sisters friend made that up, and than everyone else started calling me that too.)
Foggy Photographer (Now, this one is easier to understand, but still, not that creative.)
And the most frequent!- Wacky Doodler (Seriously! Just because, in every class, I doodle on anything I can find. My teacher, is, the most boring teacher ever. I get all the boring teachers! So, that’s how I got into the habit of not just writing down my assignment.)
276. I like The Purple Sea Urchin! I wish my friends would call me that instead of a certain nickname that will not be mentioned here. (See comment 275 for details) So why do your friends call you Mezz The Juggler, O Beatlesrockr, John, and Hyjayko The Ingenious Swordsman?
So can anyone solve my riddle (Again, comment 275) or is it just too boring? A few more comments with no response to my riddle, and I’ll assume my riddle is hard and/or boring and tell you my name. (Of course, I’ll think up some code to write my name in, just to shake things up, heh heh.)
I wish I had a nickname
My name is too boring. My middle name (Elizabeth) is great for nicknames but everyone is too used to calling me Hannah 
*looks cheerful* Oooh I know, I can change my name (on the MuseBlog of course)!
What do you think?
Oops and sorry to double post but is there anyone else on this thread right now???
277- Well, we play soccer every day for recess, you see, and I like to do tricks with the ball when I get it, and most of it is some form of juggling. My friend likes to be called Mas (pronounced “Mazz”), his real name is Tomas, and Thomas means “twin”. And, I have a twin. So yeah. Is your name…. Anne?
275- My brain is going blah right now so I can’t think of anything. I’m never good at those types of riddles anyway
Last year my friends and I all made up names for each other. They were:
What’s wrong wichoo???
Shikyra
Princess Sparkles
(Dang, I forgot the last one, it had something to do with something she said all the time…)