Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the MSU Bookstore. We hope you had a happy, healthy 2009 and we wish you the same for 2010!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! (a snowboarder writes this blog :))

Therapy Pups Visit MSU Bookstore

A couple of the Intermountain Therapy Dogs came to visit the MSU Bookstore on December 16th. These pups were spreading holiday cheer to visitors of the bookstore.

The Intermountain Therapy Dogs are representatives of Intermountain Therapy Animals. The non-profit organization specializes in providing animal-assisted therapy in the areas of physical, occupational, speech and psychotherapies, as well as special education.

For more information about Intermountain Therapy Animals, visit www.therapyanimals.org.

For more information about the event, contact Mary Uravich at 994-7472.

The end of the drought

It would appear that has been quite the drought in blog activity over the past 2 months. For that, I apologize. The marketing department has been slammed with holiday shopping, advertising and preparation. The MSU Bookstore is full of holiday cheer this time of year, with Christmas lights, snowflakes, and tinsel hanging all about.

December 8th was Ugly Sweater Day at the MSU Bookstore. If you happened to come into the store that day you might have questioned the sanity of some of the staff, but take solace in knowing that there was a contest going on. To the right is a photo of the winner, Katie, in her ugly sweater. Hers was adorned with some homemade accoutrements, most noteably a metallic bird that sat on her left shoulder.

So as you can see, Christmas cheer is going strong at the Bookstore. If you are still shopping or Christmas gifts, come check out our great selection of MSU accessories and clothing items under $20! We also have gift cards available for any amount and great sales on Apple computers. MacBook Pros are up to $100 off the education price, and still include a $1 all-in-one printer/copier/scanner.

Remember, free parking in the visitor lot at 7th and Grant for 1/2 hour, and shop any time at www.msubookstore.org

Welcome future (we hope) Bobcats!

Today is MSU Friday on campus in Bozeman, and over 800 perspective MSU students are checking out Montana State University. What a great day to visit! After last week, when temperatures hovered near zero, the expected high today is 60 with sunshine!

What's new this fall?

The new school year always brings on new and exciting changes for the store. Here are a few of things we are proud to announce this fall at MSU Bookstore.

1. Biodegradable bags! Our signature yellow shopping bags are now made with biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable plastic. While we always recommend reusing this durable bags, take solace in knowing they won't be hanging out in landfills for thousands of years!

2. Dell Computers. Not an Apple fan? That's OK, the computer department now carries several models of Dell Computers, including an adorable little netbook. Visit the computer department today to talk with Ben and Lindsay, our resident computer experts, about getting a new computer this fall!

3. Speaking of new computers, MSU Bookstore has the lowest prices on Apple computers in Montana. MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops are now $100 off the already ridiculously low education price. In addition to a great discount, buy a computer and get an HP all-in-one printer for one dollar.

4. Neat-o event sponsorships. MSU Bookstore is a proud sponsor and ticket outlet for the Chamberlin Productions Monsters Ball. The Monsters Ball this year will feature some awesome musical acts including RJD2. Check out his music here. For more on the Monsters Ball, visit www.chamberinproductions.com

5. Looking for some great gifties for your favorite fly fisherman? Then check out the Trout U line both online and in-store. Trout U celebrates the plentiful fishing and wonderful rivers surrounding MSU. Click here to shop the Trout U collection.

Gold Rush is almost here!

Catapalooza Continues

Today is the last day to come down to Catapalooza and enter to win an iPod, play some pong and get some free stuff.

We'll be on the Centennial Mall with all sorts of other MSU clubs and organizations from 10 AM to 3 PM today. See you there!

Catapalooza

Catapalooza is today through Friday on the Centennial Mall on the MSU Campus from 10 AM to 3 PM each day. Come on down and visit us, play a little water (not beer) pong, get some free stuff, and enter to win an iPod!

Catapalooza is a great place to find out about MSU clubs and organizations, to ask questions to current students and get insider info on things like when to buy your textbooks. We look forward to see you and welcome to MSU!

For more information about Catapalooza, click here.

Time for Textbooks. Weee!

Now is a great time to come into the store to get your textbooks if you've already made it back to Bozeman after your summer vacation. The store is quiet, the lines are short, and the used books are still widely available. Next week's going to be crazy, so get 'em while you can!

Less Than a Month Left for Free iPods!

Get a free iPod until September 9th!

The Apple computer promotion is still in effect that gets you a free iPod up to $229 value with the purchase of any Mac! This promotion ends on September 9th, 2009, so run, don't walk, into the MSU Bookstore to take advantage before time runs out.

Everybody's Reading It!

Get your copy of the Soloist now, before we run out. This great book is the required freshman reading at Montana State and is also the book chosen for the One Book-One Bozeman program.

This Week's Bestsellers

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we though we knew about running was wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strie that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

Buy it now!

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen

When twelve-year-old genius cartographer T.S. Spivet receives an unexpected phone call from the Smithsonian announcing he has won the prestigious Baird Award, life as normal--if you consider mapping family dinner table conversation normal--is interrupted and a wild cross-country adventure begins, taking T.S. from his family ranch north of Divide, Montana, to the museum's hallowed halls.

T.S. sets out alone, leaving before dawn with a plan to hop a freight train and hobo east. Once he's aboard, his adventures step into high gear and he meticulously maps, charts, and illustrates his exploits, documenting mythical wormholes in the Midwest, the urban phonmenon of "rims," and the pleasures of McDonald's, among other things. We come to see the world through T.S.'s eyes and in his thorough investigation of the outside world he also reveals himself.

As he travels away from the ranch, we learn how the journey also brings him closer to home. A secret family history found within his luggage tells the story of T.S.'s ancestors and their long-ago passage west, offering profound insight into the family he left behind his role within it. As T.S. reads, he discovers the sometimes shadowy boundary between fact and fiction and realized that for all his analytical rigor, the world around him is a mystery.

All he has learned is tested when he arrives in the capital to claim his prize and is welcomed into science's inner circle. For all its shine, fame seems more highly valued than ideas in this new world, and friends are hard to find.

T.S.'s trip begins at the Coppertop Ranch and the last known place he stands is Washington, D.C., but his journey's movement is far harder to track: How does one map the delicate lessons learned about family, for communicate the ebbs and flows of heartbreak, loneliness, and love? There are some answers here on the road from Divide, and some new questions, too.

Buy it now!

Welcome Future Bobcats!

Around 500 incoming freshman are on campus this week for freshman Orientation. Welcome to all the new Bobcats.

The MSU Bookstore will be open LATE on Tuesday, July 28th to give new students and parents time out of the busy orientation schedule to shop. The Bookstore will be open until 6 PM on Tuesday, July 28th.

On Wednesday, July 29th, look for us in the SUB Ballroom for the Orientation fair from 9 - 11 AM. We will be featuring our line of Apple computers and iPods, the LiveScribe Smart Pen, and the newest clothing items for fall. See you there!

New Women's Merchandise

The MSU Bookstore clothing section is getting a face lift! Come by and check out the new women's and kid's section located in the back of general books. In addition to a new location, we have some awesome new merchandise for women including some great henleys and cadet caps, which I love.

See you soon!

Open Late Tonight!

To give all the future Bobcats and Bobcat parents in town this week a chance to shop during their busy orientation week, the MSU Bookstore will be open until 6 PM tonight, Tuesday July 14th.

Welcome Future Bobcats!

Around 500 incoming freshman are on campus this week for freshman Orientation. Welcome to all the new Bobcats.

The MSU Bookstore will be open LATE on Tuesday, July 14th to give new students and parents time out of the busy orientation schedule to shop. The Bookstore will be open until 6 PM on Tuesday, July 14th and Tuesday, July 28th.

On Wednesday, July 15th, look for us in the SUB Ballroom for the Orientation fair from 9 - 11 AM. We will be featuring our line of Apple computers and iPods, the LiveScribe Smart Pen, and the newest clothing items for fall. See you there!

Gift Cards Now Available!

The MSU Bookstore now has gift cards available both in-store and online! Click here to buy online or stop into the store to get yours. What a perfect gift for the MSU enthusiast or new student in your life! The gift cards do not expire and can be used for any amount at any time.

While you are in the store, check out our classy new store signage. Shopping at the Bookstore has never been easier.

Father's Day Golf Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Joe Dalton, winner of the MSU Bookstore Father's Day Golf Giveaway! Joe was 1 Champ away from guessing the correct number of Champ dolls in our glass case. There were 214 Champs and Joe guessed 213. Joe took home an MSU golf bag, MSU putter, MSU golf balls and tees, and golf club head covers. There were over 400 guesses in the giveaway. Thanks to all the great dads in the world that make our lives better every day. Happy Father's Day!


Thanks everyone for entering and keep an eye out for more giveaways from MSU Bookstore this summer and fall!

Yellowstone Bees Today

A representative from Yellowstone Bees will be at the Bookstore today from Noon - 2 PM. Yellowstone Bees is a local Natural Body Products company that makes products to soothe and protect your skin, from head to toe. Yellowstone Bees products make a great gift for anyone, including yourself!

This Week's Bestsellers

How We Decide by Johan Lehrer

Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or emotional: we carefully deliberate, or we "blink" and go with our gut.

but as scientists break open the mind's black box with the latest tools of neuroscience, they're discovering that this is not how the mind works. Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason--and the precise mix depends on the situation. When buying a house, for example, it's best to let our unconscious mull over the many variables. But when we're picking a stock, intuition often leads us astray. The trick is to determine when to use the different parts of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think.

Jonah Lehrer arms us with the tools we need, drawing on cutting-edge research as well as the real-world experiences of a wide range of "deciders"--from airplane pilots and hedge fund investors to serial killers and poker players.

Lehrer whos how people are taking advantage of the new science to make better television shows, win more football games, and improve military intelligence. His goal is to answer two questions that are of interest to just about anyone, from CEOs to firefighters: How does the human mind make decisions? And how can we make those decisions better?


Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk

"Begins here first account of operative me, agent number 67 on arrival Midwestern American greater ___ area. Flight ___. Date ____. Priority mission top success to complete. Code name: Operation Havoc."

Thus speaks Pygmy, one of a handful of young adults from a totalitarian state sent to the United States, disguised as exchange students, to live with typical American families and blend in, all the while planning an uspecified act of massive terrorism. Palahniuk depicts Midwestern life thorugh the eyes of this thoroughly indoctrinated little killer, who hates us with a passion, in this cunning double-edged satire of an American xenophobia that might, in fact, be completely justified. For pygymy and his fellow operatives are cooking up something big, something truly awful, that will bring this big dumb country and its fat dumb inhabitants to their knees.

It's a comedy. And a romance.

This Week's Bestsellers

Why is God Laughing by Deepak Chopra

In this refreshing new take on spirituality, bestselling author Deepak Chopra uses a fictional tale of a comedian and his unlikely mentor to show us a path back to hope, joy, and even enlightenment--with a lot of laughter along the way.

Meet Mickey Fellows. A successful L.A. comedian, he's just a regular guy, with his fair share of fears, egocentricities, and addictions. After his father's death, Mickey meets a mysterious stranger named Francisco, who changes his life forever. The two begin an ongoing discussion about the true nature of being. Reluctantly at first, Mickey accepts the stranger's help and starts to explore his own life in an effort to answer the riddles Francisco poses. Mickey starts to look at those aspects of himself that he has hidden behind a wall of wisecracks all his life. Eventually Micky realizes that authentic humor opens him up to the power of spirit--allowing him to finally make real connections with people.

After taking the reader on a journey with Mickey, Chopra then spells out the lessons that Mickey's story imparts to us: ten reasons to be optimistic, even in our challenging world. Chopra believes that the healthiest response to life is laughter from our heart, and even in the face of global turmoil, we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism. Rich with humor and practical advice, Why is God Laughing? shows us without a doubt that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise. In the end, we really don't need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed. And Mickey Fellows' journey shows us the way.

True Colors by Kristin Hannah

The Grey sisters have always been close. After their mother's death, the girls banded together, becoming best friends. Their stern, disapproving father cares less about his children than about his reputation. To Henry Grey, appearances are everything, and years later, he still demands that his daughters reflect his standing in the community.

Winona, the oldest, needs her father's approval most of all. An overweight bookworm who never felt at home on the sprawling horse ranch that has been in her family for three generations, she knows that she doesn't have the qualities her father values. But as the best lawyer in town, she's determined to someday find a way to prove her worth to him.

Aurora, the middle sister, is the family peacemaker. She brokers every dispute and tries to keep them all happy, even has she hides her own secret pain.

Vivi Ann is the undisputed star of the family. A stunningly beautiful dreamer with a heart as big as the ocean in front of her house, she is adored by all who know her. Everything comes easily for Vivi Ann until a stranger comes to town...

In a matter of moments, everything will change. The Grey sisters will be pitted against one another in ways that none could have imagined. Loyalties will be tested and secrets revealed, and a terrible, shockign crime will shatter both their family and their beloved town.

With breathtaking pace and penetrating emotional insight, True Colors is an unforgettable novel about sisters, rivalry, forgiveness, redemption--and ultimately, what it means to be a family.

Summer, is that you?

Summer is finally peaking out from behind the snow storms, rain and wind that have been gracing Montana since October. Yesterday's high was 85 and the high today is supposed to push 90!

Welcome back, nice weather. Now stick around for more than 2 days, please.

Father's Day Golf Giveaway!

In celebration of all the golf-loving fathers out there, we are giving away a MSU golf bag, MSU putter and MSU club head covers. Stop in the MSU Bookstore and guess how many stuffed Champ dolls are in our display case and enter to win the golf set up for your Dad (or brother, or son, or mother, or whoever).

You must come into the store to enter to win. We will notify the winner on June 19th, the Friday before Father's Day. In the event of the tie, the winner will be randomly selected from those who guess the same number.

The week of the book signing.

The MSU Bookstore was hopping this week with a number of book signings from local authors. On Thursday, Wendy Parciak of Missoula signed her book Requiem for Locusts. Yesterday, Bozeman native Don Pierre signed his novel Yesteryears Western Trek, a self-published story about a young man's adventures in the western United States in the 1860's. Later in the afternoon, MSU alumnus and engineer, Allen McDonald signed his book Truth, Lies and O-Rings which uncovers details of the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986.

Below are a few photos of Allen McDonald and the crowd that came to the Bookstore to get a copy of his now-sold-out book. The second photo was taken by Allen's nephew, Cameron McDonald.

Book Signing Today

Wendy Parciak, an author from Missoula, will be at the MSU Bookstore on May 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a book signing. Parciak is the author of Requiem for Locusts, an award-winning novel that explores how a mentally ill neighbor creates turmoil - and ultimately openness - in a typical neighborhood.

The book is written from the perspective of a mentally ill young woman as well as a "normal" sibling and other members of the family and neighborhood.

"Ironically," Parciak said, "it is because of the wanderings and startlingly intuitive observations of the most alienated character in the book that everyone else in the neighborhood finally begins to communicate. It's my belief that once we realize that we all have problems - none of us are truly 'normal' - we will empathize better with others and find some common ground. By doing so, we will reduce both discrimination against the mentally ill and the sense of alienation that has become so commonplace in contemporary communities."

For more information about the book, visit www.requiemforlocusts.com
http://www.requiemforlocusts.com.

My life was ruined by a You Tube video.

Here is a short video essay about people who should suppress the urge to film themselves, even if it seems like a good idea at the time. Some new finds and old favorites included.



And some old faves:

Trout U Merchandise Now in!

Bozeman is known world-wide for its fantastic fly fishing opportunities and strong fishing culture. As such, Montana State University takes the cake as the place to go to school if you love fishing.

The MSU Bookstore is the exclusive vendor of Trout U merchandise including hats, t shirts, pint glasses, and decals. Find your Trout U merchandise by clicking here. We are still awaiting the delivery of our T-Shirts, but I guarantee it will be worth the wait. We will have shirts for kids too! May I personally recommend the camel colored cap. It was picked out by your oh-so-fashionable blog author and would look quite sharp with those Carhartts that I know you wear all day, every day.

Here's a special blog-only sneak peak at the new Trout U mascot. He needs a name by the way, so submit one in a comment if you have any ideas:

Prepare to Fall Down Laughing

This is pretty indescribable, and, it's not in English but don't worry about that part.

You've got to see this

What if humans could do this? It would be easy to hide on campus and avoid awkward conversations. Shout out to Myles Keating for finding this video.

Friday (creepy) Fun

I graduated college a short 3 years ago, and as such, many of my former classmates are working at desk jobs and spending free time exploring all that the internet has to offer. This latest finding comes from a former high school classmate, let's call her Lisa*, who works in a small town in Washington. She and her sister Jackie* were recently exploring the Cheetos website, and Lisa warned me minutes ago that she was going to send me something and that I should "trust her". Minutes later, my cell phone rang from an "unavailable" caller, and I was greeted by a disturbing voice that knew my name and said some sinister things to me. Good thing I knew she was sending me something, or I would have dialed the cops on my office phone.

What I didn't know, is that that disturbing voice was the voice of Chester the Cheetah and Lisa was using something called the Voice Modulator on the Cheetos website. After exploring the rest of the website, I discovered all the other creepy applications, widgets and games you can download to your computer and play with. You can dress a Cheeto up like a porn star, generate sick day sounds, a la Ferris Bueller, for illnesses such as Ebola and Sudden Onset Canadianism (though the Ebola sounds are pretty disgusting, just a warning), or participate in all sorts of other odd activities. It's entertaining, just make sure you are in a well-lit environment when you do it. The front page of the website resembles something out of the movie The Ring.

If you are less than 5 years out of college, you have my permission to play with this website as long as you want and avoid working. If you are beyond that, you should get back to work. You probably have people depending on your paycheck.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Now Available on Twitter

... whatever that means. Apparently a lot of other people are clueless as well:



Regardless, if you are savvy about Twitter and want to give me some tips and/or follow the Bookstore on Twitter, look me up! Now off I go to tweet... whatever that means.

Case of the Mondays? Here's the Cure:

If you have some spare interneting (yes, I made up a verb) time on your hands today, trying monkeying around with the Fantastic Contraption. It's described as a "fun online physics game". It may sound nerdy, but you are about to get addicted. Sorry.

Find it here: www.fantasticcontraption.com

Not intrigued yet? Here's a screen shot. I mean, just LOOK at that thing.

Save Danforth Park!

Join the Students for Danforth Park in their efforts to save a restore Danforth Park on the MSU Campus by purchasing a Save Danforth Park button at the MSU Bookstore for $2. All proceeds go to restoration of the park. Here's a little history:

- Danforth Park, formerly known as the Iris Gardens, was built in 1930 by the Associate Society of Women of MSU during economic hardship.
- Each female member donated $.50. Each male student paid $1.00 to fund the park. Shortly after, other groups on campus bought inot the vision and gave financial support. Thus, the park was created!

As the campus grew, the park became neglected and forgotten. The Students for Danforth Park want to revive this space as a tribute to those students who gave so much, as well as expand and integrate the park into campus life as a place to study, relax, enjoy beauty and nature and recreate. The group would like to change the name of the park back to the Iris Garden.

For more information on Project Iris Garden, visit www.projectirisgarden.com and find them on Facebook by clicking here.

If you would like to help with the project or donate money, email projectirisgarden@gmail.com

Thursday You Tubin'

Looking for a little Thursday pick-me-up? Check out these fun You Tube finds:

I don't know if this video used special effects or not, and I don't really care.


Here we go, from sheep to cars. Please note, there are no special effects used in this video.


If that wasn't enough cars for you, here:

Read These Books

A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall

First, watch the YouTube video:



In 2008, an extraordinary two-minute film clip appeared on YouTube and immediately became an international phenomenon. It captures the moving reunion of two young men and their pet lion, Christian, after they had left him in Africa with Born Free's George Adamson to introduce him inot his rightful home in the wild.

A Lion Called Christian tells the remarkable story of how Anthony "Ace" Bourke and John Rendall, visitors to London from Australia in 1969, bought the boisterous lion cub in the pet department of Harrods. For several months, the three of them shared a flat above a furniture shop on London's King's Road, where the charismatic and intelligent Christian quickly became a local celebrity, cruising the streets in the back of a Bentley, popping in for lunch at a local restaurant, even posing for a fashion advertisement. But the lion cub was growing up--fast--and soon even the walled church garden where he went fore exercise wasn't large enough for him. How could Ace and John avoid having to send Christian to a zoo for the rest of his life? A coincidental meeting with English actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, stars of the hit film Born Free, led to Christian being flown to Kenya and placed under the expert care of "the father of lions," George Adamson. Incredibly, when Ace and John returned to Kenya to see Christian a year later, they received a loving welcome from their lion, who was by then fully integrated into Africa and a life with other lions.

Originally published in 1971, and now fully revised and updated with more than fifty photographs of Christian from cuddly cub in London to magnificent lion in Africa, A Lion Called Christian is a touching and uplifting true story oif an indelible human-animal bond. It is destined to become one of the great classics of animal literature.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the littel girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tonge, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonethless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the liines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daugthers, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

The Latest and Greatest from CAMEX

As promised (and being reminded by a faithful reader), here is an update on some of the new things to look for in the coming months on the college market:

Peace Signs
Apparently, 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the peace sign. This means that the fashion powers-that-be have decided that the peace sign will adorn as many clothing items and accessories as possible this year. Everything at the show from sweatshirts to wallets were covered in peace signs and silly paisley prints. After a short visit to Disney Land, we reluctantly confirmed that this fashion does exist and must be embraced.

Go Green
We all know that the environment is a hot topic right now, and the exhibitors at CAMEX confirmed it. Reusable bags, pens and paper made of recycled materials, organic clothing and stainless steel water bottles littered (no pun intended) the trade show floor.

Pen Technology
This was my first buying experience with office supplies, and one would think they are boring, but wowzers did the pen companies impress me with some of the things they came up with. In addition to pens made with recycled, earth friendly materials packaged in recycled packaging, you would be shocked at what Bic, Sanford, Pentel and Zebra are capable of coming up with. Sanford featured a mechanical pencil that rotates the lead every time you touch the pencil to paper so you are always using the sharpest end of the lead. Zebra featured a pen that donates a majority of the profit to Breast Cancer. Bic had my favorite new pen, the Reaction. The Reaction pen has a shock absorber built in so that the pen compresses when you push on the paper, reducing fatigue in your wimpy hands.

Save the Tatas
A company with a goal of freeing the world from cancer, Save the Tatas stole the show at CAMEX with their blunt marketing campaign to raise money for breast cancer research. Buttons and stickers saying things like "Save the Tatas" and "Caught you looking at my tatas" were found all over the convention center. Visit this website to learn more about the campaign: www.savethetatas.com.

Apple Does it Again

Those of us who have taken any sort of product development class know about the marketing scam that is known as "planned obsolescence". Apple is a company that has mastered the concept. They make flashy, awesome technology that lasts longer than everyone else's, though they come out with new versions of iPods and computers so often that it will make your head spin off if you think about it too much. If you are like me, and have a love affair with your iPod Shuffle, you have no doubt heard about Apple's new Shuffle, released last week while I was helplessly kept away from the internet in a hotel in southern California.

The new iPod Shuffle is roughly half the size of the most recent generation and holds twice as much music. Four gigs of space, which gives you enough room for 1000 songs in a package smaller than an AA battery. Some of the even more impressing features of the shuffle include the fact that it has no buttons and its voiceover function that tells you what song and/or playlist is playing.

Check it out! I want one.

MSU Bookstore is going to Disneyland!!

Well, that's a lie. We aren't moving the whole Bookstore, because if so we would have to perform a complicated rebranding to name the store MSU Bookstore - Disneyland, and let's face it, we don't have the time for that... but I digress. Katie, Mark and I are headed to Anaheim, CA for the Campus Market Expo or CAMEX for short. CAMEX is a ginormous trade show featuring all the new goodies in university retail.

Mark and Katie are thrilled to be in 70+ degree weather, especially after our low of 10 below this morning. I, on the other hand, will be missing the snow the entire time we're gone. I'll provide updates of the latest and greatest stuff from the show this week.

Rail Jam 09 - Meet Your Best Trick Judges

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the explosion downtown, Rail Jam '09 will be held at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds instead of on Main Street. The event will begin at 6 PM as originally scheduled.

As mentioned before, MSU Bookstore is an official sponsor of Chamberlin Productions' Rail Jam 09! Not only will we be at the event tomorrow night, spreading the awesomeness that is the MSU Bookstore, we will also be judging the Best Trick competition at the event. We trucked in the greatest snowboarders from the northwest to choose the dude or dudette with the raddest moves at the Rail Jam. The winner of the Best Trick award will win Skull Candy headphones, product from Ogio and the coveted AWESOME stamp so he/she can spread awesomeness all over Montana.

Now, it's time to meet your judges:

Brian "Mini Pony" Johnson
Able to stun strangers with his infamous Boston accent, Brian grew up on a miniature horse farm in upstate New York, leading to his nickname of Mini Pony. Brian traveled from his new home in Boulder, CO for Rail Jam 09.

Favorite trick: Backside 1260 to revert, ala Travis Rice.
Favorite snack: Woven bacon topped with imitation bacon bits.
Hometown: Schenectady, NY
Favorite Pro Snowboarder: himself
Favorite Pass time besides snowboarding: constructing scarecrows




Alena "A Team" Howard
Hailing from the a small island just south of the Philippines, this pint-sized ripper has judged snowboard competitions from Argentina to Austria. She's famous for traffic-stopping crazy eyes, backside 180s, and delicious strawberry rhubarb pie. Alena crossed the ocean from France to make an appearance in Bozeman this weekend.

Favorite brand of soy sauce: La Choy
Best powder day ever: Sugarloaf, Maine.
Claim to fame: appeared as an extra in Saving Private Ryan
Random fact: She can spell all the state capitals in 45 seconds... backwards.

Mary "Bollywood" Uravich

A long time organizer of the largest pea and lentil shipper's organization in the Northern Hemisphere, Mary currently is studying for her Master's in Reconditioned Reverse Axial Coercision Therapy, with a Minor in Archery. She currently resides somewhere in the greater quad-cities area.

Favorite Trick - Switch 270-on frontslide boardslide to nosepress, frontflip out.

Favorite Snack: Grilled Amazonian Duck Breast, marinated in a reduction of cote d' fluere and spanish razeberries, served with candied Indian yams and a sprout salad.

Hometown: Moscow, Russia (briefly)

Favorite Pro Snowboarder: Tony Hawk...wait, wrong sport?

Favorite Passtime besides snowboarding - Non-Professional Architecture Consulting.

Jerrod "Underscore" Warner
Known for his untameable tendency to imitate animal and kitchen appliance sounds, Jerrod's dog grooming abilities are nationally recognized. When he is not beautifying pooches, he spends his time slashing powder in eastern British Colombia.

Favorite US Territory: Guam
Power animal: Wombat
Passtime besides snowboarding and dog grooming: Interpretive dance.
Random fact: Can recite US Constitution in Swahili
Favorite G-rated swear word: Golly gee wizz.

Anyone for a Hike?

Only sixteen miles from the world class ski area that is Bridger Bowl and 45 miles from the base of magnificent Lone Mountain, which houses Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin Resort, Bozeman is a mecca for backcountry skiers and snowboarders.

The new Schlasman's chairlift at Bridger Bowl, which opened this winter, provides easier access to the legendary Ridge terrain that the resort is known for. Local authors Tavis Campbell and Sam Cox released the second edition of their handy guide to The Ridge titled Stepping Up.

Stepping Up is a detailed account fo the prominent lines at Bridger Bowl. The book is chock-full of photos, maps and descriptions. Areas of interest in clued The Ridge, High Traverse and The Fingers. This is a must have for Ridge Hippies and novices alike.

Copies of Stepping Up are available at the MSU Bookstore both in-store and online. More information about the book is available at the book's website: www.stepping-up.net

Buy an Apple, Get Free Stuff!

I have more than a few best friends in this world, but among the top of the list are my dog, my coffee cup, and my iPod Shuffle. I have a 5th Generation 30 GB iPod as well, and it's great and all, but nothing beats my little blue Shuffle with its clip for my belt loop and 1 gig of my favorite tunes for running and snowboarding. If you are looking for a computer and a new best friend, do we have the deal for you!!

Right now, buy any Apple computer and get a free iPod Shuffle! To top that off, if you buy the Apple Care protection program, which includes an extended 3 year warranty and phone service, you get a free printer*! (*while supplies last, of course)

Sidewalk Sale TODAY through Thursday

MSU Bookstore is hosting a Sidewalk Sale today through Thursday from 10 AM to 2 PM in the hallway in front of the Buyback Window in the Strand Union Building. Stop by to find amazing deals on sweatshirts, t shirts, Under Armour, books and more!

This Week's Bestsellers

Food Matters by Mark Bittman

"If I told you that the same lifestyle choice could help you lose weight, reduce your risk of many long-term or chronic diseases, save you real money, and help stop global warming, I imagine you'd be intrigued. If I also told you that this change, while not effortless, would be easier and more pleasant than any diet you've ever tried, would take less time and effort than your exercise routine, and would require no sacrifice, I wouldn't think you'd want to read more. If you do, you'll find an explanation of the links among diet, health, the environment in general, and climate change in particular, and you'll see how you can make a difference." -- From Food Matters







Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell

Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a cursed past--haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. A wanted man in England, he is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he finds two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissens, an event that shocks all Christendom. With no options left, Hook heads home to England, where his capture means certain death. Instead he is discovered by the young King of England--Henry V himself--and by royal command he takes up the longbow again and dons the cross of Saint George. Hook returns to France as part of the superb army Henry leads in his quest to claim the French crown. But after the English campaign suffers devastating early losses, it becomes clear that Hook and his fellow archers are their king's last resort in a desperate fight against an enemy more daunting than they could ever have imagined.

One of hte most dramatic victories in British history, the battle at Agincourt--immortalized by Shakespeare in Henry V-- pitted undermanned and overwhelmed English forces against a French army determined to keep their crown out of Henry's hands. Here Bernard Cornwell resurrects the legend of the battle and the "band of brothers" who fought it on October 25, 1415. An epic redemption, Agincourt follows a commoner, a aking and a nation's entire army on an improbable mission to test the will of God and reclaim what is rightfully theirs. From the disasters at the siege of Harfleur to the horrors of the field of Agincourt, this exhilarating story of survival and slaughter is at once a brilliant work of history and triumph of imagination--Bernard Cornwell at his best.

Rail Jam 09

MSU Bookstore is an official sponsor of Chamberlin Productions' Rail Jam 09.

Rail Jam 09 will be held on Main Street in downtown Bozeman at 6 PM on Saturday, March 7th. There will be a snowboard and ski competition, live music, a DJ and all sorts of fun stuff.

MSU Bookstore will be sponsoring the Best Trick at the Rail Jam and the winner will receive Skull Candy headphones, Ogio merchandise and the ever-so-coveted AWESOME stamp. It's sure to be a great show, so stop by the MSU Bookstore booth and say "hey-o" and try to influence the Best Trick judges to pick your favorite Rail Jammer as the awesomist.

Spring Sidewalk Sale

Next Tuesday through Thursday, March 3 -5 from 10 AM to 2 PM, the MSU Bookstore will be holding a Sidewalk Sale. The sale will be held in the hallway on the lower level of the Strand Union Building outside of the Textbook Buyback window. There will be great deals on Under Armour clothing, MSU sweatshirts and t-shirts, books and other merchandise. Tell your friends!

The Swing of Things, Wintery Things

While most of the world is getting sick of sub zero temperatures, slush, ice, and snow shoveling, a large sub-culture of skiers and snowboarders are patiently (or not-so-patiently) awaiting the next big snow storm to sweep through the Rocky Mountains of Montana. Most of my faithful readers are probably unaware that I am a snowboard and ski instructor at Moonlight Basin Resort in Big Sky, Montana (shameless self-plug). The snow situation this winter has been meager at best, but my crew at Moonlight Basin has been busy thrashing the snow on Lone Peak in the sunshine. Our faces are sunburned and our lips are chapped, but man, do we have a good time!

In this post are some pictures from the adventures of a few Moonlight Basin employees. Pictures are property of Patrick Gannon and Scott Schaefer, please leave them here.

Above: Patrick Gannon, ski and snowboard instructor and guide at Moonlight Basin shows us the base of his skis. Photo by Scott Schaefer.











Right: Texan turned Coloradan turned Montanan, Dave McCune, snowboard supervisor at Moonlight Basin, sprays some light Montana snow in front of Lone Peak. Photo by Patrick Gannon.




















Left: Lone Mountain is home to the world famous Headwaters terrain at Moonlight Basin. Patrick Gannon plans his descent in front of the beautiful view of the Gallatin Mountain range. Photo by Patrick Gannon





















Right: While the snow gods are not always good to us, it is important to praise them when they behave properly. Dave McCune gives thanks before traversing out the Stillwater bowl to make some pow turns. Photo by Patrick Gannon.










Below: Dave makes some late afternoon backcountry turns at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a beautiful 200 mile drive from Bozeman. Photo by Patrick Gannon.

Daytime TV

Due to a series of unfortunate events, mostly related to my incorrect hypothesis that flu shots are a marketing scam, and the graciousness of my roommate and coworkers, I have fallen victim to the almighty influenza. Years ago, sitting on the couch at my parents' house, I would have cheered the thermometer on as it inched past 100 degrees, thus ensuring I would get to lounge around all day avoiding school work. These days, however, a fever, sore throat and cough mean that I am stuck watching daytime TV while my underexercised dog romps around the house and work emails pile up.

Here's an abbreviated daytime TV schedule, as I remember it, circa 1998:
10 AM: Price is Right
Noon: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1 PM: Full House
3 PM: Maury Povich

I wish I could say that the daytime TV schedule had changed in the last 11 years, but unfortunately, it hasn't. Staying home from work in 2009 is the same as staying home from school was in 1998: boring.

Best of the Superbowl

Most of you are probably unaware that besides being the biggest NFL football event, the Superbowl is also the biggest marketing event of the year. For marketing dorks like myself, that means I spend the whole game shushing my friends when the commercials come on. There are always a few commercials that stand out and here are a few of my favorites:

How can you resist Nannerpuss?


As a dog lover, I was a sucker for the Pedigree commercials. Yes, Maybe You Should Get a Dog.


What? I can't flex the golden pipes?


And, you have to admit that Miller was cleverly able to combat the high cost of Superbowl advertisements and thumb its nose at Budweisers large number of spots by releasing multiple 1 second Miller High Life "Delivery Guy" commercials. This was the "champagne of commercials":

This Week's Bestsellers

The Inheritance by David E. Sanger

Readers of The New York Times know David Sanger as one of the most trusted correspondents in Washington, one to whom presidents, secretaries of state, and foreign leaders talk with unusual candor. Now, with a historian's sweep and an insider's eye for telling detail, Sanger delivers an urgent intelligence briefing on the world America faces.

In a riveting narrative, The Inheritance describes the huge costs of distraction and lost opportunities at home and abroad as Iraq soaked up manpower, money, and intelligence capabilities. The 2008 market collapse further undermined American leadership, leaving the new president with a set of challenges unparalleled since Franklin D. Roosevelt entered the Oval Office.

Sanger takes readers into the White House Situation Room to reveal how Washington penetrated Tehran's nuclear secrets, leading President Bush, a desperate effort to delay an Iranian bomb. Meanwhile, his intelligence chiefs made repeated secret missions to Pakistan as they tried to stem a growing insurgency and cope with an ally who was also aiding the enemy--while receiving billions in American military aid. Now the new president faces critical choices: Is it better to learn to live with a nuclear Iran or risk overt or covert confrontation? Is it worth sending U.S. forces deep into Pakistani territory at the risk of undermining an unstable Pakistani government sitting on a nuclear arsenal? It is a race against time and against a new effort by Islamic extremists--never before disclosed--to quietly infiltrate Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.

"Bush wrote a lot of checks," one senior intelligence official told Sanger, "that the next president to going to have to cash."

The Inheritance takes readers to Afghanistan, where Bush never delivered on his promises for a Marshall Plan to rebuild the country, paving the way for the Taliban's return. It examines the chilling calculus of North Korea's Kim Jong-II, who built actual weapons of mass destruction in the same months that the Bush adminstaration pursued phantoms in Iraq, then sold his nuclear technology in the Middle East in an operation the American intelligence appartus missed. And it explores how China became one of the real winners of the Iraq war, using the past eight years to expand its influence in Asian, and lock up oil supplies in Africa while Washington bogged down in the Middle East. Yet Sanger, a former foreign correspondent in Asia, sees enormous potential for the next adminstration to forge a partnership with Beijing on energy and the environment.

At once a secret history of our foreign policy misadventures and a lucid explanation of the opportunites they creat, The Inheritance is vital readig for anyone trying to understand the extraordianary challenges that lie ahead.

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

To contrast the seriousness of our first bestseller on the list, I present to you a graphic novel called Watchmen. If you are a fan of DC Comics, this is the book for you. Here is what some of the critics are saying:

"A work of ruthless psychological realism, it's a landmark in the graphic novel medium." -- One of Time Magazine's 100 Best English-Language Novels since 1923

"Watchmen is peerless." -- Rolling Stone

"Remarkable... the would-be heroes of Watchmen have staggeringly complex psychological profiles.: -- New York Times Book Review

"A brilliant piece of fiction." -- The Village Voice

"The greatest piece of popular fiction ever produced." Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof

"A masterwork representing the apex of artistry." -- Entertainment Weekly

Sounds good, doesn't it?

Winner Winner Winner!!

Congratulations to Greg Warden and Katy Schmidt. They were the 2 winners in our iPod Touch giveaway! I apologize to all their friends, because Greg and Katy will be spending the next week downloading applications and playing games on their new toys.

Happy Friday!

Breaking News

We are giving away two, count 'em, two iPod Touches. Visit the Computer Department at the MSU Bookstore and take a short computer survey for your chance to win. Sadly, this awesome promotion is only available in the store. One entry per person, please.


MSU Bookstore... Awesome.

This Week's Bestsellers

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his new parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm--and into Edgar's mother's affections.

Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires--spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward.

David Wroblewski is a master storyteller, and his breathtaking scenes--the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain--create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of the limits of language, and a compulsively readable modern classic.

Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut

Armageddon in Retrospect is a collection of twelve writings by Kurt Vonnegut on two of his most important subjects: war and peace. Written over the course of a lifetime, yet never before published, these pieces represent Vonnegut's unerring opposition to violence, and his rueful assessment of humanity's endless attraction to it.

Imbued with his trademark humor, the selectoins range from a visceral nonfiction recollection of the destruction of Dresden during World War II, a piece that is as timely today as it was then; to a painfully funny short story about three privates and their fantaisies of the perfect first meal upon returning home from the war; to a darker, more poignant story about the impossibility of shielding our children from the temptations of violence. Combined, these pieces offer readers remarkable insight into Vonnegut as a soldier, writer, artist, parent, and human being striving for peace.

This stunning volume also includes a letter that Vonnegut wrote to his family informing them that he'd been taken prisoner by the Germans; his last written speech; an introduction by his son, Mark Vonnegut; as well as an assortment of his marvelous artwork--like his writing, Vonnegut's art is colorful, unexpected, alternately poignant and potently funny. A fitting tribute, and an essential contribution to the discussion of war and peace, Armageddon in Retrospect says as much about the times in which we live as it does about the genius of the writer and artist.

Inauguration Day

The radio and TV are playing the same programs, the internet is slow, and political statements are scrawled all over the sidewalk in chalk... must be Inauguration Day. Hope you are enjoying the sunshine (if you are in Bozeman) and the media coverage of the event.

This Week's Bestsellers

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?

When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Acheiving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have... and you may find one day that you have tless than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

To learn more, and for links to watch the Last Lecture online, visit www.TheLastLecture.com


The Eleventh Man by Ivan Doig

Driven by the memory of a fallen teammate, Treasure State University's 1941 starting lineup went down as a legend in Montana football history, charging through the season undefeated. Two years later, the "Supreme Team" is caught up in World War II. Ten of them are scattered around the globe in the war's lonely and dangerous theaters. The eleventh man, Ben Reinking, has been plucked from pilot training by a military propaganda machine hungry for heroes. He is to chronicle the adventures of his teammates, man by man, for publication in small-town newspapers across the country like the one his father edits. Ready for action, he chafes at the assignment, not knowing that it will bring him love from an unexpected quarter and test the law of averages, which holds that all but one of his teammates should come through the conflict unscathed.

A deeply American story, the Eleventh Man is Ivan Doig's most powerful novel to date.

Ivan Doig was born in Montana and grew up along the Rocky Mountain Fron, the dramatic landscape that has inspired much of his writing. A finalist for the 1979 National Book Award and one of the nominees worldwide for the 2008 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, he is the author of eight previous novels, most recently The Whistling Season, and three works of nonfiction, including The House of Sky. He lives in Seattle.