John Green's Blog, page 50
July 25, 2011
I Am Not a P#$$Y – this video contains mild swear words.
In which Hank rants about being taunted while riding his bike (which is, btw, very unsettling) and then talks a bit about bullying and he he dealt with it (he didn't) and how you should deal with it (survive.)
http://edwardspoonhands.tumblr.com
The thing about bullies is that they are weak people. The bike taunting story is true, but it's also a metaphor. Bullies bully because they are weak, not because they people they're bullying are weak. Their weakness makes them so frightened that they have to find some way to feel stronger.
And, of course, the person getting bullied also feels tremendously weak and inferior, but it's important to realize that bullying does not come from a place of strength, it comes from weakness and fear. The more they bully, the weaker they become.
This is why I am unsurprised to discover that many of my physically weakest friends are in fact the most brave.
July 22, 2011
Your Yard Is EVIL
In which John discusses the absolute insanity of front yards. Turf grass is the biggest irrigated crop in the US; we irrigate grass almost exclusively with drinkable water; also, you will be surprised to learn that grass is INEDIBLE. Plus, I dislike mowing the lawn when it is 115 outside.
Lots of people (particularly people who work in the lawn business) will note that turf grass is a carbon sink (particularly if you mow the lawn frequently). This is true, but there are far more efficient carbon sinks that don't require so much water.
My tumblr: http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com
Hank's tumblr: http://edwardspoonhands.tumblr.com
The nerdfighter forum Your Pants: http://www.yourpants.org
SOURCES:
Turf grass is the biggest irrigated crop in the US by a factor of three: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn#Env...
The EPA estimates a third of residential water is used to water lawns, equaling four billion gallons of potable water per day: http://www.usgrassandgreens.com/artif...
70 million pounds of pesticides are used each year on lawns according to the EPA: http://www.treesolutions.com/services...
July 20, 2011
HARDCASTLED!
Ellen Hardcastle Shirt and CD
http://www.dftba.com
In which Hank shares every song on Ellen Hardcastle in about a minute, talks about LeakyCon and VidCon and manages not to break down upon realizing that nerdfighters helped his album get on the billboard charts!
July 18, 2011
Gatsby's American Dream: Reading The Great Gatsby Critically, Chapter 1
In which John Green discusses the first chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, including thoughts on the role that the ideas of the self-made man and the American dream fuel the beginning of the novel. Themes, metaphors, and symbols are all discussed--although hopefully not in that boring and unlikable way you all find so reprehensible.
Discuss the book! http://yourpants.org/threads/9896-The...
In the first chapter, our narrator Nick Carraway introduces us briefly to Gatsby before taking us to an awful dinner with the unhappily married Buchanans, Tom and Daisey, who live in great wealth and misery on East Egg.
July 15, 2011
Harry Freaking Potter
Ellen Hardcastle
http://dft.ba/hardcastle
Climate Change Competition
http://www.imaginebetter.org
Dear Mr. Potter
http://www.dearmrpotter.org/
So I watched Deathly Hallows part 2, of course, yesterday, and I want t talk about it, but I have a hard time doing it without crying at least a bit. It was really amazing to see it with some of the most die-hard Harry Potter fans in the world.
There was a lot of crying going on...I think I actually hyperventilated near the end, I was shaking and tingly.
It was a very important moment, I'm looking forward to seeing it in a less emotionally-charged room to see if I can be a little more analytical about it. Right now, my overall feelings are "BGHAAHRGLUH"
LeakyCon has been amazing, I'm about to go to a hugemongous Nerdfighter Gathering and I'm very excited. Glad I got my video up in time!!
Hope you like the song. The chords are Dm C G throughout the whole thing.
LYRICS
Dear Mr. Potter.
I got a lot to say to you
I don't expect you to listen
after all that you've been through
But I'm saying it for me, I'm not saying it for you
And yes I'm sayin' it for a few other people too
It's true that overall you get a positive review
I but I hope you don't mind I've got just one question for you
But is this it? Is this the last piece of the pie
the pie that all of us have been eating most of our adult lives
is this it? Is this what we've been waiting for
To watch as Daniel Radcliffe valiantly pretends to fight your war
Is this it?
Dear Mr. Potter
You did a lot for me.
You helped me pick up this guitar learn more than GC and D
You launched my whole career, in actuality
If it weren't for you then basically none of this would be
so I am hugely in your debt. there's no doubt about that
But I'm sorry if it seems like I won't get off your back
But is this it? Is this the last piece of the pie
the pie that all of us have been eating most of our adult lives
is this it? Is this what we've been waiting for
To watch ask Alan Rickman tells us all why Snape killed Dumbledore.
Is this it?
Dear Mr. Potter
I hope that you don't mind
But it turns out it's been years since we left you behind
We're here because we love you, but we're not hear for you
We're here to learn and sing and make videos for YouTube
But more than any of that, we're here to be with our friends
And that is clearly not the sort of thing that will ever end
So this ain't it. This place was built to last.
We have more fun in our future than we have in our past
Yeah this ain't it. We're to watch and sing and play
We're gonna love these books and each other until our dying day
Cause this ain't it
July 13, 2011
ELLEN HARDCASTLE IS HERE! A Reunion Video
ELLEN HARDCASTLE: http://dft.ba/hardcastle
DFTBA's servers may be slow for a while, you can also get Ellen Hardcastle on iTunes: http://bit.ly/rqbDUE
If you order the (physical) album in the next week, Hank will record a video for you featuring up to ten words of your choosing. (Really!)
Ellen Hardcastle on iTunes: http://bit.ly/rqbDUE (Sorry, but no 10-word videos for iTuners. Just awesome music!)
In which John and Hank reunite at LeakyCon 2011 to discuss Hank's new album, Ellen Hardcastle, which is out today. Nerdfighters, sorry I didn't talk about Gatsby today; I've been sick!
July 11, 2011
Hank Talks to NASA About the Space Shuttle
So the Space Shuttle program is ending after more than 30 years. I grew up in Orlando, regularly watching the shuttle take off. It had a huge effect on me.
Now, with the program ending, we will need to find new ways to reach low-earth orbit, and also new ways to expand manned exploration beyond low-earth orbit and into the rest of the solar system.
Well, I got to talk with Mike Massimino, the Astronaut who's always going on Conan, Bobby Braun, NASA's Chief Technologist, Lori Garver, the Deputy Administrator at NASA and...yes Charlie freaking Bolden - NASA's Administrator.
Charlie Bolden's boss is...yes...Barack Obama.
NASA has clearly embraced the spirit of Nerdfighteria and I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thanks to NASA for understanding how amazing this community is. And, also, thanks to Nerdfighteria, for being awesome in the first place.
July 8, 2011
Kill the Dollar Bill!
My favorite web site: http://willallpreorderedcopiesofthefa...
In which John discusses the denomination effect and argues that we should stop printing one-dollar bills and transition to one-dollar (and two-dollar) coins, which according to the nonpartisan GAO will save the United States government 5.5 billion dollars over the next 30 years. (Also, John discusses loving the mountain goats and hating pennies.)
The Sharpie Poll: http://yourpants.org/showthread.php?9...
Preorder The Fault in Our Stars: http://www.dft.ba/-tfios
July 6, 2011
John Green is an IDIOT! And so are you.
In which Hank talks about how freaking stupid we are, and why. Though I would like to have gone into more detail...it's a complicated topic. Just check out this absolutely epic list of cognitive biases on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...
John is biased to like people who have pre-ordered The Fault in Our Stars:
http://dft.ba/tfios
The Believing Brain
http://t.co/aHLdJSf
July 4, 2011
How to Turn Your Dumb Summer Job Into $162,000
In which John celebrates financial independence by explaining how minimum-wage summer jobs can become incredibly lucrative if only you save some of your money in a retirement account. In the US, the most common retirement accounts are called IRAs (IRAs have tax advantages), but any investment account will do. Just sock the money away in a low-fee diverse mutual fund, wait 50 years, and enjoy the magic of compound interest.
Caveat: Obviously, I am not a financial advisor or investment professional. I am a novelist. Also, while it's a good idea to start an IRA in high school for most people, it may be a BAD idea if you're planning to seek financial aid from a private college in the US, because they might count your retirement savings against your financial aid application. (If you attend or will attend a public university, this is unlikely to happen according to my research, although again, I am a novelist, not a banker.)
There are a LOT of nerdfighters in the voting round for YouTube NextUp Europe. You can vote here: http://www.youtube.com/nextup
Nerdfighters to vote for include:
missxrojas (who gave The Fault in Our Stars its title)
DeEelcoShow
BarryAldridge
dutchforn00bs
booksandquills
OMFGItsJackAndDean
tristopiatv
willsodyssey
thegearskeepturning
musicfromblueskies
tyrannosauruslexxx
EDIT: Islamic banking does not use interest, so this particular piece of financial planning advice does not hold water in the Islamic world. (But I still advocate for beginning to save early!)
