Jean-Luc Picard is my Hero!

Okay, I love my family. Love them to pieces. Seriously. But they're a little out of control in the way of nerdiness. I would dare say every single member except my sister and I could be squarely classified as what one would call a "trekkie." Just in case you don't know, "trekkie" is a term used to classify those obsessed with all things Star Trek.

Indeed, my trekkie family has star trek paraphernalia, magazines, books, all 178 Star Trek: Next Generation episodes, and pretty much all Star Trek movies ever filmed. In fact, taking my family's lead, I'm thinking of starting another blog which will function as a tribute blog to Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Okay, not really. Just a bit of tongue-in-cheek sarcasm for ya there.

But instead, I will offer up some random, but incredibly stimulating Star Trek facts:

1) The Star Trek: Next Generation franchise has made over $500,000,000

2) Commander William Riker was called Bill in two episodes only

3) Casters origionally wanted Sidney Poitier to play Geordi LaForge

4) The show brought in roughly about 20 million viewers weekly

5) Patrick Stewart's birthday is July 13, 1940

6) Because Spock was only half-Vulcan, he had green blood (T-negative)

7) There is a model of the Starship Enterprise at the Smithsonian

8) Q was named after Janet Quarton, a British fan

9) Next Generation was the first series to be nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding drama

10) In 2370, Deanna Troi learned that she had an older sister who had drowned when Deanna was just a baby

And in case you're hungry for some more Star Trek tidbits, Klingon is actually a real, honest-to-goodness language. Here are some Klingon basics that I hope you'll try out at your next party. Trust me, it'll really impress your friends ;)


What's happening?
qaStaH nuq?

Where is the bathroom?
nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'

We are Klingons!
tlhInqan maH!

Your mother has a smooth forehead!
Hab SoSlI' Quch! (This apparently is a strong insult)

Still hungry for more Klingon language info? Visit the Klingon Language Institute here.

Okay, time for me to Sujatlh 'e' yImev...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter...

It's on everyone's minds (should be anyway). I had a bit of an epiphany earlier today and I thought that I'd share it before I read about it on someone else's blog and then can't claim it as my own theory. That being said, someone else probably has already come up with the same theory, but I haven't read it yet, and I can pretend I'm the first.

Since reading book 6, I've been under the impression that Harry Potter will die. It's the classic, tragic ending. So thoroughly heartbreaking, yet memorable and touching. Harry Potter (the obvious Christ figure), so talented, gifted, and loved, dies to save the wizarding (and muggle) world from the evil Voldemort.

I no longer believe this.

Harry Potter is too pathetic to kill off. He may be talented, gifted, and loved, but he is terribly alone. His entire background is tragic. I don't think that Rowling would make someone with such a tragic background into the tragic hero. It's just too much tragedy. Instead, Ron will die.

And here's my reasoning: Ron, although possessing many good qualities, has not really pulled his fair share in the Harry-Ron-Hermione trio up to this point. Harry of course has been marked for greatness and as we all know, he is awfully brave. Just like his parents. Hermione is clever, smart, and can think quickly. Ron.....wait a sec, nothing really comes to mind. He has a cute sister? Good for a laugh every once in a while?

I think what he really brings to the table is loyalty. It's an underveloped trait of his we'll say. All that jealousy stuff sort of deterred him from fully developing it. But think back to the first book (I know it's been ages). They're all making their way together to find the Sorcerer's Stone. The first couple of obstacles, they face as a trio. Then at the chess match, Ron sacrifices himself so Harry can go on and do what he's gotta do. Rowling has previously said that Harry must face Voldemort alone (Hello! Dumbledore really is dead!) just like he faced Quirrel and Voldemort alone in book 1. Book 7 will play out similarly, but this time, Ron will sacrifice himself for real and Harry will go on to defeat the Dark Lord. Ron will then be immortalized by his willful death.

And I think Snape will die for Harry as well, proving once and for all that he is not evil. I'm not actually so sure about this one, but I really want him to be good, so I'm going to believe this theory until proven otherwise. (And I've changed my mind about Allen Rickman not being attractive as Snape. Hello! He's attractive in everything! It's definately the voice.)

And that is officially all of my Harry Potter rantings. For the moment.

Rock on!

So normally, I'm not a big fan of those quizzes sent over the email, blah blah blah, I don't really care that much and I really don't want to take the time to fill it out. I have better things to do with my time. But being slightly music obsessed (that's putting it very lightly) I couldn't resist this quiz I came across on My Mom Thinks I'm Cool. I found out that most of my life can be accurately described using only John Mayer and Nickel Creek lyrics. So here goes....

The Rules: Take 20 fairly standard and innocuous questions and answer them with music lyrics. Rock on, I say! It may take you some time, but it is always fun to find the perfect song lyrics to answer a question... and now, to the questions!

1.) Are you male or female?

She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
But she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me

She's Always a Woman, Billy Joel

2.) Who are you?

Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Rainbow Connection, Kermit the Frog

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here...
And I know that I am, I am, I am the luckiest

The Luckiest, Ben Folds Five

3.) Describe your neighborhood:

But the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky mountain high

Rocky Mountain High, John Denver

4.)How do you look?

I love you sweeeeatshirt
red hooded sweeeeatshirt
dip dip dip sweeeeatshirt
shama lama ling dong sweeeeatshirt.

Red Hooded Sweatshirt, Adam Sandler

5.) What is love?

You got to leave me now, you got to go alone
You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own
Before it slips away
When you're flyin' high, take my heart along
I'll be the harmony to every lonely song
That you learn to play

When you're soarin' through the air
I'll be your solid ground
Take every chance you dare
I'll still be there
When you come back down
When you come back down

I'll keep lookin' up, awaitin' your return
My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn
And I won't feel your fire
I'll be the other hand that always holds the line
Connectin' in between your sweet heart and mine
I'm strung out on that wire
And I'll be on the other end,
To hear you when you call
Angel, you were born to fly,
If you get too high
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll catch you when you fall

Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings
I know the sky is calling
Angel, let me help you with your wings

When You Come Back Down, Nickel Creek

6.) If you could say one thing to the person you love, what would it be?

Today skies are painted colors of a cowboy's cliche'
And strange how clouds that look like mountains in the sky
Are next to mountains anyway
Didn't have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it
When I'm in the mood to lose my way,
But let me say
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
It brought me back to life

3x5, John Mayer

7.) What's your secret?

My beloved monster and me
We go everywhere together
Wearing a raincoat that has four sleeves
Gets us through all kinds of weather

My Beloved Monster, The Eels

8.) Are you strong?

Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face,
Then I beg to be spared 'cause I'm a coward,
If there's a master of death
I'll bet he's holding his breath,
As I show the blind and tell the deaf about his power
I'm a doubting Thomas
I can't keep my promises
'Cause I don't know what's safe,
Oh me of little faith

Doubting Thomas, Nickel Creek

9.) Where do you wish you were right now?

Do you want to go to the seaside?
I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go
But I fell in love on teh seaside
On the seaside
On the seaside

Seaside, The Kooks

10.) What do you think about your friends?

You know it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
But then the circle of your friends
Will defend the silver lining

The Heart of Life, John Mayer

11.) Any words of advice?

Little child, be not afraid
Though thunder explodes and lightning flash
Illuminates your tear-stained face
I am here tonight
And someday you'll know
That nature is so
The same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
On forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you'll see
In the morning

Lullaby for a Stormy Night, Vienna Teng

12.) What do you wish you were doing right now?

Road trippin' with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It's time to leave this town
It's time to steal away
Let's go get lost
Anywhere in the U.S.A

Road Trippin', Red Hot Chili Peppers

13.) What do you think about drugs?

Judging by the look on the organ grinder,
He'll judge me by the fact that my face don't fit.
It's touching that the monkey sits on my shoulder.
He's waiting for the day when he gets me,
But I don't need no alibi - I'm a puppet on a string

Out of My Mind, James Blunt

14.) If you could say one thing to your enemy, what would it be?

I hope you meet someone your height
So you can see eye-to-eye
With someone as small as you

Somebody More Like You, Nickel Creek

15.) What do you do on Friday nights?

Girl, put your records on,
tell me your favorite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans,
I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let you hair down.

Put Your Records On, Corinne Bailey Rae

16.) What would you do if you won a million dollars?

So tonight I'm gonna party
Like it's 1999
Lemme tell ya somethin'
If you didn't come to party
Don't bother knockin' on my door

1999, Prince

17.) How do you feel right now?

It's late and I'm feeling so tired
Having trouble sleeping
This constant compromise
Between thinking and breathing

Trouble Sleeping, Corinne Bailey Rae

18.) Are you for World Peace?

It's the blind leading the blond
It's the cops collecting for the cons
So where is the hope and where is the faith
And the love... what's that you say to me?
Does love light up your Christmas tree?
The next minute you're blowing a fuse
And the cartoon network turns into the news

If God Will Send His Angels, U2

19.) Where were you born?

Flying Utah!
Flying Utah!
We'll be Flying Utah...

Utah!, Friday's Tribe

20.) Any closing words?

I listen to the wind
To the wind of my soul
Where I'll end up well I think,
Only God really knows
I've sat upon the setting sun
But never, never, never, never
I never wanted water once
No, never, never, never
I listen to my words
but they fall far below
I let my music take me where
My heart wants to go
I swam upon the devil's lake
But never, never, never, never
I'll never make the same mistake
No, never, never, never

The Wind, Cat Stevens

The Pursuit of Happyness

Overall Rating: Worth paying full price if you're rich, matinee if you're short on cash

Starring: Will Smith and Jaden Christopher Syre Smith

Note: Be forewarned! This plot description spoils the ending! Skip to the second paragraph if you don't want to find out what happens.

The movie is about Chris Gardner's (Will Smith) rise from poverty into affluence. At the start of the story, Chris is just trying to make ends meet (and failing miserably) so he can support his wife and son (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith). The situation gets worse and soon his wife leaves him to care for their son alone. A chance encounter with a stock broker (and his fancy convertable) leaves him feeling that he should move into the stocks and bonds business. He applies for a competitive internship, actually gets it, and then finds out that the position isn't a paid one. He still takes the job, but because he is unable to pay rent, he and his son are stricken homeless. Luckily he has the drive and ambition to keep working for his dream and after an immense amount of work, he secures a salaried position with the company.

While the movie is predictable and a bit cheesy at times, both Will and Jaden Smith's performances make up for it in leaps and bounds. Their on screen chemistry is amazing (gee, almost like their related in real life or something) and their characters never seem unnatural or forced. The movie was heartwarming, a bit inspiring, and the perfect flick to see as a family during the holidays.

Christmas Truce in the Trenches

There's a Christmas story that my dad shares every once in a while and I thought I'd share it with all of you because it is a most wonderful story.

In 1914 during World War I, soldiers on both sides were stuck in awful trenches with no respite from the harsh winter elements and under constant threat from the enemy. On Christmas Eve however, German soldiers began a "Christmas Truce" by delivering chocolate cake to the British along with the resquest for a cease fire so they could have a concert. The British answered the German request with a gift of tobacco. Thus began a truce of magnificent proportion, never seen before, never to be seen again.

The cease fire spread a 27-mile length along the front. Soldiers from both sides met in no-mans-land, exchanged gifts, played a bit of soccer, and sang Christmas carols together. In some places, the truce lasted through New Year's Day and it touched soldiers from both sides deeply.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 1 John 4:10-11 (KJV)

Linus Pauling

Who's the supernerd to the left you ask? This is Linus Pauling, one of my top three favorite scientists of all time. Yup, I realize I'm a supernerd too. But listen to what this guy did during his lifetime:

He was born in 1901 and went to college at Oregon State University to study chemistry. The semester after he took Quantitative Analysis, the school invited him to teach the class. He went on to research the link between structures of different substances and their physical properties. His important discoveries helped found the emerging field of quantum chemistry. He also advanced the science of X-ray crystallography, a very important tool for determining chemical structures.

In 1954 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research done on the nature of chemical bonds. Along with his major contributions to the fields of physics and chemistry, he made massive contributions to the field of biology. He was the first to suggest that proteins were made primarily of alpha helices (think DNA) and beta sheets. He also discovered that sickle cell anemia was a molecular disease involving hemoglobin.

After World War II, he was deeply moved to warn people about the harms of nuclear weapons. He protests led him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962, making him the only person ever to receive two unshared Nobel Prizes.

C'mon, now tell me that's not cool...

Very shocking

Gee, can you tell that maybe the post before this was made by a certain younger sister who got into my blog?

Blonde One

see the blonde one...shes my favorite

Late Night Pondering

Okay, my stressful week must have thrown my body into overdrive because I can't frickin' go to sleep. I swear I haven't had any caffeine! Only massive amounts of ginger ale! So this is why you're getting two random posts from me in the middle of the night. woohoo!

I was looking through the stuff I had saved on the fam's computer, and I found this picture of Lyndsi (my cousin) and I. I had forgotten about it, but I like it quite alot. It was taken very spur of the moment.

Also, I found a letter saved from an old friend whom I neither see nor talk to anymore. I despise the fact that we're not good friends anymore. I hate that it's just not possible to stay close friends with everyone. If I could, I'd just keep collecting people and never let my relationships grow distant. Is that too much to ask for? It's really hard for me to realize that some friendships are meant to be life-long and others only for a short time. Is it just me who has this problem? How do "normal" people cope with changing/losing friendships?

Enough late night pondering for me...

Most Beautiful Landing Ever

Ahhh... Finally home. I usually don't like flying, I'll be honest. I get motion sickness very easily, but I loaded myself up on ginger ale at the airport, and it seemed to help a bit. The ride turned out to be quite lovely. As we were nearing Minneapolis I looked outside and it was amazing. The stars were wonderfully bright in the dark sky and they lit up the clouds below just enough to make it look like an ocean of cotten candy. Then as we descended below the clouds it was like miniature world with all the lights from the city. Really very, very pretty.

I Have Seen My Death

Yesterday I found out that I am going to die on Thursday. No I'm not planning on my plane crashing. Actually, my mother informed me that she and my dad were both working the night I fly into Minneapolis so my brother would be picking me up from the airport. So what's the big deal, you ask? My brother just got his driver's license a few weeks ago. Not only did he just get his license, but he failed the driver's test twice before he got it. Ack! So why don't I insist on driving home? Good question. I was planning on that until my mother informed me that he drives a stick shift. And as scary as it will be to have him drive, it will be much, much scarier for me to drive. We'd be more dead than we already are. If that's possible. So in preparation for my death, I would like to write out my will beforehand. Very morbid, I know. But just in case as it seems somewhat likely.

Jill - All math books including calculus, ordinary differential equation, partial differential equations. Also, all solution manuals to these books. The entirety of my religious book collection.
Lizbrith - Biochem book (Very pretty cover) and my car.
Sam - Both physics books and my physics lab manuals and all shoes with less than a two inch heel.
Ben - Organic chem book and solutions manual and all my original photographs.
Mal - Solid state book and bike.
Jane - Inorganic chem book and all Ute paraphernalia.
Heidi - Analytical chem book and any of my shoes with more than a two inch heel.
Coxy - Physical chemistry and History of Jazz book and accompanying jazz cds.
Lyndsi - Art history book and scarf collection.
Bawden - All computer programming books and all Elvis cds.

Think that pretty much covers it right there. Let me know if there are any disputes or other requests but please make sure to get them in before Thursday afternoon.

Stranger Than Fiction

Overall Rating: Worth paying full price if you're rich, matinee if you're low on funds

Starring: Will Farrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal

Note: For those of you who haven't seen this movie yet and don't want the ending spoiled, you should probably stop reading here. Go see the movie though, it's worth it.

The basic plot of the movie is this: An IRS auditor named Harold Crick (Will Farrell) who leads a boring, mundane life suddenly starts to hear his life narrated by Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), a famous author, who most unfortunately for Harold Crick, is in the habit of killing off her main characters. After he learns of his impending death, he seeks professional counsel from a literary expert named Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman). Jules encourages Harold to find out if his life is a comedy or a tragedy by seeking out a relationship with Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a woman Harold is auditing. He and Ana begin to fall in love and Harold is inclined to believe he is in the middle of a comedy. It is then that Eiffel finally breaks through her writer's block and figures out how to kill Harold. Before it is typed and set in stone however, Harold tracks her down and gets to read the ending of his life before it actually happens. It turns out that he will die saving the life of a little boy who finds himself in the path of a bus. Harold, the altruistic hero, gives himself a death sentence by telling Eiffel to go ahead and type it. All goes as planned. Harold is hit by the bus while saving the boy, but before Eiffel can actually pronounce his death, she chickens out. She instead lets him live with massive injuries. At the end of the movie, Jules and Karen discuss the new ending to the book. They both know that the literature is only mediocre with the new ending, and that the book would have been much more powerful had Harold been killed. Karen says that she couldn't have killed off someone so good, since the world needs as many good people as it can get.

First, I want to say that I really loved this movie. I loved the director's (Marc Forster) style and both Thompson and Farrel did a wonderful job acting. I was shocked to find that Will Farrell can indeed act, since he is usually too over the top for my taste. The movie was both witty and inventive. Unfortunately, it is the ending that usually makes or breaks the movie or book for me. I feel a little bit better about the "all-is-well, perfect ending" since they did admit it would have been a better, more powerful story if Harold had died. Still, I feel the ending was bit of a cop out. Our society is too afraid of sad endings. Some of the best movies I have ever seen (Hero, Million Dollar Baby) have less-than-happy-endings, and I don't think that Hollywood should be afraid to embrace the fact that sometimes the story is just better when the ending isn't Disney-ified (no offense to Disney). The movie was definitely still worth watching though and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't yet seen it.

Some Random and Probably Incoherant Thoughts for the Day

Mwahahahaha.... I'm supposed to be taking a couple of my senior comps right now. But clearly I'm not. Because I'm a chicken liver and rescheduled them. Anyway, I'm kinda scatter-brained right now, so here are some random thoughts for ya.

1) I've decided that my life is fairly pathetic. And I'm drop-kicking it to the curb. I deserve better.

2) Heidi has the biggest collection of shoes I have ever seen. Being in her shoe closet (much more like a shoe room) is like being in a shoe store where all of the shoes are cute and come in my size.

3) Been thinking about the difference between the words appreciation and thankfulness. Technically the definitions are the same, but to me the connotations are different. Appreciation is much stronger. These are the people in my life that I appreciate the most: The Savior, my family, Matt, Ben, Sam, and my roommates.

4) Here are some recent photos. The first is Mal and I. The middle one is of Matt and Grant posing with Marshmallow Cream. The last is of Ben and I.

Top 5

My roommate Downi has this slight obsession with having a top 5 guy list. And by slight I mean quite large. So whether or not the rest of my roommates and I had actually thought about our top 5 before living with her, we now have our top 5 lists ready to go anytime anyone should happen to ask. And thanks to Andrea's blog about Jimmy Fallon, I have been inspired to share my top 5 with all of you.

1) Christian Bale. Is there any way I can get the Batman version?

2) Jon Stewart. So funny, so smart, and hey, I sorta like older men.










3) Jimmy Fallon. Also incredibly funny and just all around hot!










4) Edward Norton. I think it must be the eyes. And the goatee doesn't hurt.











5) Alan Rickman. Ummm....the non-Snape Alan Rickman.

Amos Lee Day

I am officially naming today Amos Lee Day in SLC. He's actually performing today, but I decided that maybe I should be responsible and not stay up freakishly late at a concert the night before an eight o'clock final. I hate being responsible. Anyway, Amos Lee is amazing. Such a beautiful voice and his songs are so powerful. My favorites are: Night Train, Speed of Sound of Loneliness, Black River, and Arms of a Woman. Amos used to be a school teacher before he decided that he just wasn't cut out for the job and now he's making amazing music instead. Here's a couple of links to music/interview sessions he did for KCRW if you're interested:

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb050325amos_lee

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb061005amos_lee

Where the Wild Things Are

Tonight I found myself in the Barnes & Noble children's section, looking for "The Littlest Angel." On my way through the isles however, I found myself picking up all these books that I loved from my childhood and ones I hadn't heard of but had beautiful covers. Yup, that's right, I judge books by their covers. Anyway, one of the books I picked up was "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. As a child, I always loved this book and I still love it. It's definitely my favorite children's book and one of my favorite books in general. So good! The illustrations really are masterful and I love the story. Max reminds me of my little brother. I think when I'm rich and after I've bought myself a nice road bike (priorities!), I'd like to collect children's literature. Some of my favorite memories from when I was little are those of my parents reading to me. I'd really like to do the same with my children.

Final Today

Just found out that I got 99% on my american government final and the final I took today was A LOT easier than I thought it was going to be. Woohoo!

Can you hear me now? How about now? No? Now? Better here?

It may very well be that I'm just excessively tired because finals and senior comps are looming over me like a pro-wrestler getting ready to body-slam me, but I swear people are committing my #1 pet peeve more and more as of recently. What is this pet peeve you ask? Here are the two very related parts to my pet peeve:

1) People talking on their phones when I can't escape the situation. This includes people talking on their phones in the elevator, in the same car/bus/train as you, in the computer lab, in crowded stores, etc. No I don't want to hear your conversation with someone else. Of course there are exceptions, but you had better have a darned good reason for making me suffer through a one-sided conversation. Hang up and call them back in a few minutes. My favorite example: The girl who was breaking up with her boyfriend on the phone while riding a public bus. Seriously, do you really want other people to hear that? Isn't that sort of a private conversation? I definately don't want to hear it. Uncomfortable!

2) People giving their phones priority over me when I am with them in person. This one has more exceptions than the first, but still, as a general rule, people you are with have priority over people who are calling you. If you're expecting a phone call (or need to make one), you should let the person you are with know that you may have to take a phone call. You should also make the conversation as short as possible. Try to leave the room if at all possible (refer to above paragraph). And you should never, never answer an unknown number when you're with someone else. That's like saying some unknown person is more important than whoever you are with. Ouch!

Okay, I feel much better after sending my complaint off into cyberspace. Btw- I do realize that there are much, much worse things in the world than my minor complaints. I do have some semblance of perspective.

Blood Brothers

Author: Elias Chacour

Rating: Go read this book now!

Without a doubt, one of the best books I've read in quite a while. It's basically an autobiography that details the life and ministry of Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Christian. The book starts off by explaining the circumstances of his childhood in a small village in Galilee called Biram. As Zionist forces move in, Elias's family is forced to leave their home and belongings. What follows is an account of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict intertwined with Elias's development as a Christian leader. Though the book reads very simply, the story is incredible.

Throughout the book, Chacour is explicit when he states that his mission is not to turn the world against Israelis, but rather to unite the Christians, Muslims, and Jews. His entire life he has worked to raise the Palestinians out of poverty by educating and instilling hope in the Palestinian youth. In my opinion, this is a must read.

Google Trends

Recently found out that google tracks the searches made according to region and city and has made this information available to us all at http://www.google.com/trends

Did some investigating and found out that Salt Lake City and Minneapolis citizens are searching for some odd, surprising, and not-so-surprising things.

Searching for Snow:
1) Salt Lake City
2) Denver
3) Boston
4) Minneapolis
5) Melbourne

Searching for Swimwear:
1) Salt Lake City
2) Brisbane, Australia
3) Sydney, Australia
4) Melbourne, Australia
5) St. Louis, Australia

Searching for Biking:
1) Denver
2) Salt Lake City
3) Vancouver
4) Auckland
5) Calgary

Searching for Pornography:
1) Delhi, India
2) New Delhi, India
3) Chennai, India
4) Salt Lake City
5) Mumbai, India

Searching for How to Make Meth:
1) Oklahoma City
2) Edmonton
3) Portland
4) Minneapolis
5) Los Angeles

Searching for How to Make Bombs:
1) New Plymouth, New Zealand
2) Aukland, New Zealand
3) Perth, Australia
4) Adelaide, Australia
5) Brisbane, Australia
Note: Both Salt Lake City and Seattle were the only American cities to make the top ten on this list

Searching for Wedding Rings:
1) Salt Lake City
2) Oklahoma City
3) Phoenix
4) Minneapolis
5) Portland

Searching for Dance Dance Revolution:
1) Salt Lake City
2) Orlando
3) Minneapolis
4) Chicago
5) St. Louis

Interesting results to say the least. I find the fact that good ol' SLC scored highest on both Wedding Rings and Dance Dance Revolution. And find it perplexing that people in New Zealand and Australia seem to care a lot about how to make bombs. Are there a lot of bombs that go off there? Interesing...