CLA Reimbursement

I was pleasantly surprised today when I (finally) got around to claiming the reimbursement for attending CLA in an official capacity.

The reimbursement form is online, so I expected to have to scan the hotel receipt into an electronic format, then attach it to an email - like so many other similar processes require. Instead, the form simply asked if I had booked my own room or not. When I replied that I had it went calmly on its way and finished processing.

Thinking I had missed a step I sent a quick email off to HQ and got the reply that yes, I had done everything correctly. Since the room rates are negotiated in advance they put that information into the back-end of the processing, and all the information is available once you tell them where you attended.

Very nice. And no one has to know about the charge for "Sarah's Moonlight Shocker" from the adult movie channel.

Coming soon: ' iCollege' app

Fresh from The Daily Show" (via Gregg Presbury)

Wired Campus  (wiredcampus):
Minn. Governor: Students Will Stop Hauling Keisters to Class, Start Downloading $199 'iCollege' http://tinyurl.com/2w4am4q
http://twitter.com/wiredcampus/status/15963471314
(Sent via Seesmic http://www.seesmic.com)
Gregg's Droid sent this.

Thanks, Gregg

It's all about the balance

Balance is not about just mind-body. It is also about work-life (or school-life). Here is a clever (I thought so, anyway) reminder to keep things in balance.

Steve Hofstetter - Conclave Show

Steve Hofstetter sez:

SigEps! I'm performing at Conclave to raise money for the Ed. Foundation. Get tickets now and save $5. http://ping.fm/EnMs4

That's one more great reason to go to Conclave.

Barbara Bush to Marry Sig Ep?

(Note: This article came from Gawker.com - not the most accurate source for news but a great place for snark)

Barbara Bush Faces Namesake's Fate: Marrying a Heinous Yale Frat Boy
By Owen Thomas

George W. Bush's daughter Barbara is following in her grandmother's footsteps. The other Bush twin is said to be marrying on-again, off-again beau Jay Blount, a 2005 Yale graduate and fraternity member, this summer.

Blount is an associate at Casey Quirk, an investment management consultancy, which pays even junior staffers six-figure salaries. (The firm tells its clients how to tell their clients how to manage their money, or something like that.) His Sig Ep brothers are no doubt breathlessly excited about the news — though their description of Blount as a "hottie" leaves their judgment in question.

Update: Apparently Blount was hot in college, according to the Yale Rumpus! Also, he seemed to have horticultural leanings, nudge nudge, wink wink. We think that's how frat boys make marijuana jokes, at any rate.

There's more! The April 2005 issue of Rumpus reported that Blount got rejected from Yale's business school until Barbara's dad wrote him a letter of recommendation — after which he got accepted with one year of free tuition. Also, he belonged to the Yale Potato Sack Relay Team secret society.

UPDATE! -- Maybe not... says "People" mag.

A Snowball's Chance?

Looks like the 2011 Conclave will be in Vegas after all. If it can snow there - anything is possible.

SigEp - way to "go"

Sig Ep Urinal
Originally uploaded by chadpsk.

You really can find anything on the internet. This urinal showed up on on of the filters I have set to crawl around and look for SigEp uh, "Stuff" (Yeah, stuff. That's what I meant. Stuff)

I am of two minds about it. a) It is always good to see the letters displayed. b) But THERE??? There was no indication where it resides, but I rather hope it is not in a SigEp house. What would that say about how the chapter felt about the fraternity in general? Not that we all haven't had our moments, but this really is a bit much.

On the other hand, if this monstrosity is in a TKE or SAE house then we need to storm the barricades and torch the place. How Dare They?! "Remember the Toilet Bowl!" will be our battle cry.

Steve Hofstetter talks about Sigma Phi Epsilon

It's pretty neat when an up-and-coming entertainer is so open about his fraternity experience. This video shows comedian and hard-core SigEp Steve Hofstetter in interviews and directly talking about being a SigEp.

Interview: Steve Hofstetter, an up-and-coming comic

UPDATE:
Steve just sent out an email blast letting people know he has his first ever byline in the New York Times. Congrats. Is this how Jimmy Breslin got started?

Last100, a respected UK blog, has an in-depth article interviewing SigEp comic Steve Hofstetter and admiring his use of the "pay what you want" business model to sell his latest album.

Like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, Hofstetter has released his latest CD, “The Dark Side of the Room,” on his Website and has asked fans to pay whatever they want — 1 cent (I wish it were free!) to $4.95 (a bargain!) to $8.95 (save a buck!) to $29.95 (big tipper!), and everything in between.

Ever since I first posted on Hofstetter for last100 in December, I’ve noticed that artists are more often releasing their work on the Internet for free or with various payment schemes. This side-stepping-the-record-label approach is all the rage — and clearly a new business model.
[...]
Remarkably, in nearly three months since its release, “The Dark Side of the Room” has averaged about $5.80 a download — triple what he would have received under the terms of his last record deal.

And while he has not reached the $15,000 advance he received for “Cure for the Cable Guy”, Hofstetter expects to surpass that mark this year and for “Dark Side” to continue earning money for years to come.

“It’s fantastic,” Hofstetter said. “I am making more on this album than on any other album I’ve done. More people are seeing my stuff.

“It’s incredible. It’s amazing the difference in profit margin. It’s so cool. The fans pay less and the artists make more. It’s the greatest thing.”

Steve is a great guy. I met him when he did a show in Houston last year, then caught up with him at Conclave in Atlanta last summer. I recommend the album, too.

Interview: Steve Hofstetter, an up-and-coming comic, successfully plays same game as Radiohead, NIN | last100

Interview with Josh Filipowski

Looks like Steve Hofstetter may have some competition as "SigEp Comic Laureate." Josh Filipowski is interviewed on Capazoo.com.

What started you on comedy?
Middle school substitutes. Let's just say I was somewhat of a class clown. When the teacher was out, I was on.

How did you become part of the Humorology show?
The Greek system at UW-Madison had this annual philanthropy event. Once I found out what philanthropy meant and my fraternity found out I was in my high school's musicals, this SigEp pledge was in -- there was really no choice in the matter. Plus, we were paired with the ladies of Delta Gamma and I was looking forward to meeting a few of them. After a few cast parties I was hooked.

What sort of comedy was involved?
Song parodies, improved innuendo one-liners, big smiles and jazz hands! It's a twenty minute musical comedy written by the cast, choreographed by the ladies and laughed at by the campus at the Memorial Union Theater to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation & the Dean of Students Crisis Fund. There is something inherently funny about watching the attempted dance moves of frat boys... Well I should say fraternity men -- and we nailed those moves!

I think many, if not most, schools have similar events. At Tennessee it is "Carnicus" and the same fun silliness is played out every spring. We never had anyone hit the big time like Josh did, though.

Interview with Josh Filipowski

What happens when the iPhone's stopwatch runs for 1,000 hours

Who says SigEps only think about parties? Here is the answer to the burning question "What happens when your iPhone stopwatch hits 1000 hours?".

If you go to the link be sure to scroll down and read the comments. They are, well, "less than charitable." So much so that we are hard pressed to add anything new.

If you know the chapter please leave a comment so this guy gets all the credit he deserves.

Clips: What happens when the iPhone's stopwatch runs for 1,000 hours

Merry Christmas from the NBD

Several members of the National Board have joined in to wish everyone all the best for the holiday season.

Way to get in the spirit, guys! Click the link HERE to see their greeting.

Comedian Hofstetter experiments with pay-what-you-want

Steve Hofstetter is a SigEp and a very funny guy. He has released his latest album on a "Pay What You Want" download basis. You can check it out on his website.

One frustrating aspect of the Radiohead pay-what-you-want experiment is the lack of definitive numbers — yet. ComScore says this, Radiohead says that, the record industry says this, the artists say that.

Following in the footsteps of Radiohead, Steve Hofstetter, an up and coming comedian with a strong Internet following among high school and college-age kids, has released his latest album “The Dark Side of the Room” on his Website. He’s believed to be the first comedian to take a pay-what-you-want approach.

Hofstetter’s last CD, “Cure For the Cable Guy”, reached No. 20 on the Billboard comedy charts, and he’s performed on VH1, Showtime, ESPN, and others, as well as his work being available at his Website and on YouTube. He’s extremely popular on MySpace and Facebook with hundreds of thousands of friends.

Oh Yeah, here is a YouTube of a recent radio interview:


Comedian Hofstetter experiments with pay-what-you-want — and provides numbers | last100

The "Good Old Days" that never were...

Talk Nerdy to me! - Nerd Auction

Nerdy and the Greek

The ComputerClub at Washington State University plans to partner with a sorority for a fundraising auction. The club members will fix the sorority's computers and in return the sorority will give the geeks a makeover and they will have a date auction.

"We're going to host a nerd auction. You can buy a nerd and he'll fix your computer, help you with stats homework, or if you're really adventurous, take you to dinner!"

Watch the video.

The WSU Linux Users Group press release.

"All Shook Up" in Collierville

Barbeque and Elvis. What else are you going to do in Collierville on Saturday night?

Marina and Clay Brinkley visited Graceland Saturday. Marina had never been there.

After their visit, Clay joked, "All we need to do now is go see a live show of Elvis impersonators."

They were surprised that night when they attended the 15th annual Partners in Preservation Party and Taste of the Town in Collierville. They ran into several guys dressed up like the King. "All Shook Up on the Square" was the theme of the outdoor event, which featured food from 26 restaurants and live music.

An "Elvis Impersonation Contest" was part of the program.
[...]
Representing Huey's in Collierville, Jimmy Madeksho, Max Johnson and Jake Dunn, members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Memphis, won the first-place trophy for their Elvis dance rendition to a Soulja Boy song.

Mary Catherine Wood choreographed the routine.

"She's the Paula Abdul of Collierville," said her friend, Wendy Rodgers.

Aren't you just sick you missed it?

Great food, music and Elvis wannabes were shaking on the Collierville Square : Columnists : Commercial Appeal

An interview with a Wright State comedian - News

Steve Hofstetter isn't the only comic in SigEp. Here's a guy from Wright State who seems to be making a career of it as well.

Meet Sherif Hedayat: writer, actor, comedian, and Wright State alumni. After owning his own business, getting his degree in communications, and opening for the Axis of Evil comedy tour, Sherif has found himself back in Dayton for a Homecoming show along side MadTV's Aries Spears. I asked Sherif a few questions to find out more about his life and his experiences after Wright State.
[...]
Tell me a little more about the Homecoming show you're doing?
Hedayat: Well, I was in town helping out my frat, Sigma Phi Epsilon, during rush week. I started talking to an old friend and he told me there was a Homecoming show coming up. He put me in contact with the people in charge of the show. Again, it wasn't luck. It was me talking to people and being prepared when the opportunity showed itself.

An interview with a Wright State comedian - News

Top 10 list on David Letterman

We have noted this before, but it has been a while. Besides there might be some folks that actually enjoy watching Dave and find these tidbits interesting.

A Top Ten list from Letterman's own life...

[...]
7
Letterman first pledged Sigma Phi Epsilon as a student at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., but, in the fall of his sophomore year, instead became a member of Sigma Chi.
[...]

Top 10 list on David Letterman

AHRRRR - Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day

Well, shiver me timbers, lads. "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" has come 'round again. Today you can wear "ahrrr-gyle" sox, see an "ahrrr" rated movie, and call your girlfriend a "buxom wench" without remorse. And don't forget the hook, pegleg, eyepatch, and parrot.

It is a good way to get over your guilt at missing "Constitution Day", at least.(It's really OK, we haven't used it in the last few years, anyway.)

LONDON (Reuters) - Put a parrot on your shoulder, strap on a peg leg, hit the rum and start bellowing "Shiver me Timbers" -- Wednesday is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.
[...]
September 19 is your once-a-year chance to don an eye patch, sport a ridiculously large hat and keep on saying "Arrrrr.

It all started back in the 1990s as a cult joke between two American friends -- John "Ol Chumbucket" Baur and Mark "Capn Slappy" Summers -- but really took off when syndicated columnist Dave Barry got to hear about their surreal festival.

"We tap into that need for whimsy in people's lives," Summers says of the 24-hour celebration of quirkiness when they urge all self-respecting swashbucklers to show "pirattitude."

International Talk Like a Pirate Day (TLAPD), which adopted Treasure Island star Robert Newton as its patron saint, now attracts fans from as far afield as Britain and Australia and even boasts a special Wikipedia site on the Internet.

- "So you are a pirate, eh? Then where's your buccaneers?"
- "Ahrrr, they be under me buccan-hat, matey!"

...and just for the 'ell of it: Pirate Pickup lines.

Tomorrow you'll pay a buccaneer for corn? - Yahoo! News

Sam Arora - Is Law School a Reality Show?

Sam Arora is in law school. Or so he says. He has also made a pretty damn good video audition for some reality show that no one seems to know anything about. All he will admit to is that it is called "Tontine".

Sam is also a SigEp from Columbia. His friend and fellow NY Phi member Steve Hofstetter (SigEp's answer to Carrottop) is in the video too. 

Check it out - and be sure to rate it and comment on it at YouTube. Every vote counts.

Here are two posts Sam put up on his own blog about the show and the audition:

• Vote for Me on YouTube
• Will You Put Me On Your Internets?