Terps in Times Square

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The University of Maryland's roaring terrapin took center stage in New York's Times Square this week, making his extra-big screen debut on a Broadway jumbotron and drawing hundreds of alumni and prospective students to exciting events nearby. A Fear the Turtle spot will run above ABC's Good Morning America studios nine times a day through November 27. The oversized—but still lovable—Terp roars out three stories above bustling Manhattan sidewalks and spreads the message of Maryland's success to an increasingly important audience. More students come to the university from New York than from any other state besides Maryland, and university officials are making a push to keep it that way. "We've never had this kind of presence in New York before," says Barbara Gill, director of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. "It is a great place for the admissions office to be because there are so many bright prospective students here." More than 80 potential students turned out for a dessert reception at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Thursday night, munching on University of Maryland logo cookies and peppering officials with questions about everything from the new SATs to study abroad opportunities. They were joined by about 120 parents, as well as dozens of New York-area alumni who turned The Great White Way into Red and Gold Way for a few hours. This fall, the Alumni Association and the admissions office are coordinating activities to bring together graduates and potential students. It's a chance for Terps to reminisce and network, then share their Maryland experiences with high school juniors and seniors. In all, there have been eight admissions events in the New York and New Jersey area this fall, in addition to 10 high school visits by Maryland admission counselors. With its bright colors and quick flashes of action, the video display plays to the same age group counselors aim to attract to the university and its great programs. And airing across the street from MTV's TRL live studio and on the same screen as ads for the XBOX game console and the latest video from R&B's Usher won't hurt in that department. In fact, Gill expects it will further the image of both the university and the humble diamondback terrapin. "I'm amazed at how many people across the country are recognizing Fear the Turtle now," she says. "It used to be that you didn't even see Maryland clothing in athletic stores. But now we always seem to be right out there in front." And we're not taking a bow any time soon.

What a day!

Today is an packed, exciting, tiring, and unexpected day.

I still have a hard time believing what I've went through today, or i should say, yesterday. (well a couples days by now i just finished it)

It is nuts though.

Well, the day started with me going to the Educational bureau in Taipei county Gov't. So, i woke up very eary around 6:30am and rode my scooter to the bureau office, and there we had a meeting, and helped out and worked till about noon. Then, I went to play some basketball with my military friends, and I invited Jeremy who happend to be in Taipei at this time to join our basketball action. So, we had a good time, though I suffered much from the result of not excercising for the entire month, also with the diahrea I had the night before. I sat on the toilet in the middle of a very cold night three times, and disloaded some major cargo into the pool. Frist one was pretty nasty, but I won't emphasize too much, I'll just say that I had some seafood, sashimi, shrimps, beers, shark fin, blacktuna skin, stinky fish, sailfish, and a burger from New York Bagels which my brother insisted on feeding me, it was okay though, not as good as I expected.
Aside from my dinner menu, the highlight of my day occured right after Jeremy and I went to this famous "Oyster noodle" place around the area. As I was getting ready to go home and turning right onto the direction toward Taipei city on "Culture Road", I heard this cracking sound, it sounded just like when a firecracker went off, instanly I realized it wasn't firecrackers, somebody is shooting i thought in my mind, usually cracking sound from firecrackers is more connected, unlike the segremented sound I was hearing. Soon, I spotted the shooter, he was on the oppsite side of the road, 11 o'clock direction. We were in the middle of a gun fight, just like in the movies, even the way the shooter held the gun was like in movies, he held it sideway. The gangsters watch Holloywood movies, too, i guess.

After three shots, he took off with his scooter, and i made a very quick decision, i decided to follow him from his back and as soon as i saw what is on his liciense plate, I'll remember it and call the cops! Afterall, I am from a police family, and it's in my blood. So, I rode to the direction where the shooter took off. And, Holy cow, when i turned to his direction, i saw about 7 or 8 ganster looking guys stood by a silver van, a person down, might have been the person who got shot i thought. But, man, that was way too many people than i could handle, and they were firing more shots to each other in a distance about 3 or 4 meters from me, oops, i then turned my bike again very quickly like motorcycle racers do and so were many scooters or people did at that time. Everyone tried to escape from every possible way one may think to avoid this disaster. And Jeremy kepted saying, "Don't turn man, i am exposed, my back is exposed". That was funny, but i didn't have too much time to laugh at the moment, and only when I rode to a distance apart from the site, did I call the cops to report the incident. So that was pretty crazy!

The day doesn't finish there, we decided to watch the latest Harry Potter, for some reason i keep wantting to prounce as Hairy Pooper, anyway, so when we were around the theater we saw 侯佩岑, she is prettier in person, and then when we rode by Najing East Rd., we saw famous New York Yankee pitcher Wang Zhenming walking to 7'evelen with his wife! So that was quite a night!
I was thinking by myself, what if Wang and 侯 appeared in the gunfight site, too! would that even be more amazing? and better off, if Wang would throw his unpredictable 90 miles slider to the ganster and saved 侯, man..how cool would that be!! but yeah, i am content already! Quite a day!
Ps just google 板橋 槍戰 if u r interesteded in what really happend!