worms for the liberalization of poop

heres my research for my masters @ appalachian state university. i studied the optimal amount of earthworms needed to make human poop free of e. coli. it was a failure for a number of reasons but i made a funny movie to cover up the fact that is was a bummer. enjoy

how to conquer europe in 10 days: franch (like the salad dressin') edition

conquest train all day from italy to nice. it takes you through cote d'azure (french riveria) monte carlo and manaco through the window @ sunset. the day was horribly long very few stops


common sight; boots doing a crossword


we got to nice at 8pm and had about an hour before the overnight train to paris. i was not especially impressed with the food in italy; some wonderful, some like gas station pizza. so i entered france thinking that the famous culinary countries were overrated. in the hour in nice we ran across the street to a bistro the french equivalent of denny's. i had a beef roquefort with FREEDOM fries and betsy had veal in a mushroom gravy. both were amazing!! i thought maybe it was just beginner's luck. no!! everything we got in france was fantastic.



we got on the all-night train from nice to paris without cabin reservations, stepped into a sleeper cabin with three folding beds on each wall. i asked a young french guy who was on the top bunk, if the cabin was full and where to get tickets. he said find the conductor. i noticed it smelled really bad in the cabin and made a mental note that the stereotype was true, but ignored it and slid our bags under the bottom bunk and noticed that my bag slid out strangely. i pushed it back in and again it slid out. i pulled the bag out and looked to see what was blocking it. to my surprise, someone was looking back at me!! i quickly stood up and whispered to the frenchman that there was someone sleeping under the lower bunk he looked at me and said "yez you dum' amerIcan ze bedz arrr mad for ze sleepin" "no, there is someone under the bed." i said. he jumped down and looked under to make sure. then stood up and said "we mus alert ze proper auzoritiez." betsy and i took our bags into the next cabin (which was odoriferous as well) and i checked below the bunk before leaving and found another two stow-aways and the same in the next cabin. by this time the two stow-aways in the first cabin had gotten out and were walking the halls telling their friends to get out from their hiding places. now everyone in the car were checking under their bunks and found other hideaways. i apologized to the stow-aways for revealing them that i didnt mean to get them in trouble, the guys didnt seem upset and spoke in spanish. so i assume they were making their way north from spain. some of them wouldnt come out even as the conductors came and the train was stopped and the police came aboard. there were a total of 10 or so that were thrown off. one bought a ticket and upon arrival in paris the next morning i saw him get off, i ducked and we shuffled away quickly.
very NIIIIIICE train station



we got to paris @ 7am and went to the couchsurfer guy's house we were staying with. dimitri came to the door in just a robe and told us to be quiet bc he had other couchsurfers staying with him in his small apartment in montmartre. he was like a little travel agent telling us exactly what to do. betsy and i decided to meet him later for dinner.
in front to the basilica du sacre coeur near dimitris apartment.


at notre dame cathedral we enjoyed people watching more than the sights
the sapranos come to france.
vinny and vicky


vicky


betsy's first real live gsypy





french modeling: think "naughty"


french modeling: think "oops i had an accident"


street life


street food


betsy liked the doors


betsy's fashion twin


we had lunch @ a creperie. it was packed and sooo good. savory crepe avec ham, mushroom, beschamel sauce


almond, caramel ala mode


i couldnt resist playing ball in the park. look @ that defense


i had to teach em frenchies sum'pun 'bout b-ball


picture at the base of eiffel tower


street food



champs elysees @ night


arc d'triomphe at night

how to conquer europe in 10 days: italy edition

we left innsbruck @ 12am on an overnight train to florence (firenze) and were joined in the next cabin by fans of liverpool going to the champions league game with AC milan. they sang all night and invited us to join them which we did and betsy fell in love.

betsy and her lover


we arrived @ 6am in florence and it was really neat to see the city wake up as i was ready to go to bed after the all night train ride


statues in an alcove in the piazza della signoria. the detail is amazing


wow


they wanted me to butt model butt (ha) it was cold out


walking around the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) at night. betsy's good @ pictures.


betsy was taking fashion tips from the 12 year old kids


great olives


food @ a trattoria, a fixed menu for 12 euros


back on the conquest train from florence to cinque terre. a series of five villages that cling to the rock above the mediterranean


writing in the tunnel between cinque terre villages of riomaggiore and manarola


street scene in manarola


manarola


manarola


dinner of tagliatta


squid, octopus, salted pork


pesto gnoochi


riomaggiore


we were trying to pose like alex


common sight me charging ahead, head down; betsy walking slowly, taking pictures in pisa on the next leg of the conquest

how to conquer europe in 10 days: austria edition

first night we had dinner @ alex's parents house. matti, maria, and gunther


maria made kiwi and apricot sorbet stuff, yummy!!


me, alex, matti, maria


bruder, alex, matti


nathan and alexs new home, kematen 15 minutes from innsbruck


walking around innsbruck look @ the lines


walking around before lunch


steak tartar in innsbruck


the best pizza with got the whole time was in austria not ITALY. funny huh


hiking up the sledding slopes


betsy preparing for her reentry into the atmosphere with her synthetic float plane sub-zero performance gear jacket


light lunch @ the top of the sled hill; bratwurst, saurkrat